Hearing is Believing- Pod

The Shepherds Voice

John 10:22-42.

INTRODUCTION:

In our text, today, Jesus is confronted, once again, by the Jews demanding that He prove to them He is the Messiah- As He has claimed.

Jesus continues His usage of the image of the Good Shepherd, with special emphasis on “His Sheep knowing His voice.”

In the previous chapter we had the healing of the blind man as the backdrop-

A man, blind from birth is healed and sees physically for the first time and because of the physical healing, his spiritual eyes are opened as well and he believes in Jesus, declaring for himself that Jesus must be from God to have done such a healing.

Seeing was believing for him- Physically and Spiritually.

Now Jesus turns the same teaching to those who are already seeing Physically, but are Spiritually blinded- And mostly because of their own stubborn self will.

The demands of the crowd for Jesus to prove, yet again, His Messianic claim proves they are either not paying attention or willfully ignoring the numerous miracles Jesus has done in their presence already.

They are Seeing but NOT believing- And to this crowd Jesus has a very specific message-

The Shepherds flock recognizes the Shepherds voice- And follows Him.

Hearing is Believing.

Later In the Gospel of John, Thomas famously doubted after the resurrection. Jesus revealed Himself to Thomas, allowing him to touch His wounds.

It was hearing Jesus' words that transformed Thomas from doubt to unwavering belief. This illustrates that sometimes, hearing the truth can open our eyes and hearts. In our own lives, the moments when we truly listen can lead us to deeper faith—even amidst skepticism.

Jesus also added in John 20:29

John 20:29 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

The focal point is the personal evaluation of our spiritual hearing.

In a world of constant distraction and diversion...

We need to rest in the knowledge that Faith is built on understanding and relationship- Not simply an intellectual acknowledgement.

What is in view then, is that a real belief in Jesus Christ is not about just assessing and accepting facts...

But also involves a necessary personal and transforming relationship with our Lord and Saviour.

So, as we begin this study, there are some historical background that we need to set the foundation of the study.

1- Setting the Scene: Signs

John 10:22–25 ESV

At that time the Feast of Dedication took place at Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking in the temple, in the colonnade of Solomon. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,

The Feast of Dedication- Better known as “Hanukkah” today.

Celebrated in the Winter months between Nov/Dec of Jewish calendar.

John The Controversy Intensifies (10:22–42)

Judas Maccabeus had reclaimed the temple after he conquered his Greek oppressors.

In

It was a festive time of restoration and enlightenment for the Jewish people.

There is so much historical importance applied to the place names of Solomon’s Colonnade,it is clear how a conflict would have arose over Jesus’ teachings.

But these people have seen the healings, the feedings of the multitudes with their own eyes and yet demand even more proof.

Validating Jesus’ direct rebuke of them, “I told you, and you do not believe.”

As Jesus expands on that rebuke, He is not turning His back on them, but rather, inviting them to get deeper-

Dont just let your seeing guide your choices.

Jesus did many things that confounded even His closest Disciples.

No, Jesus wanted the crowd to not just see His actions but hear His words-

And in hears His words, Let those words- The very Teachings of God’s love for humanity- Reach deep into their souls and minister to them as only Gods Words can.

Because of their Spiritual blindness, their Spiritual Hearing was also muted.

A question to ponder as we leave this section:

What does it mean to recognize the voice of Christ in our daily lives?

So… Back to the Shepherd

2. Sounds of Security: Safe in His Grip

John 10:26–30 ESV

but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

Jesus now completes the thought that Seeing AND Hearing are essential ingredients to having Faith in Christ.

As we have already noted, The relationship between the Shepherd and his flock was a close knit one.

While the earthly shepherd was willing to die for the flock of sheep in front of him, as noble a thought as that is, was usually motivated by the financial investment the shepherd had committed to the flock.

The Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ) being willing to lay down His life for His flock, ratchets this commitment to new level.

Our Messiah, not only gave His life in sacrifice for those present in His day, but also for all humanity to come in the future-

His life for the opportunity for the lost souls of the future to say yes to God’s Salvation plan.

For anyone who may be struggling with doubts, consider this-

The Son of God willingly gave the totality of Himself to a brutal and shameful death- two thousand years ago- Long before anyone alive today ever born.

Generations ago, God could see that each of us was to be born into a lost and sinful world- in need of a Saviour- And He gave of Himself for each of us to have the chance to say yes to Him.

But this brings us to a vital point-

This belief in Jesus as our Saviour cannot be done in the mode of some passive acknowledgement and left at that.

It takes an active listening/Following/ Obeying of Gods precepts or Teachings.

During the early days of the church, when the believers gathered, they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter preached boldly, and the people who had once doubted began listening intently to his message.

Their daily lives were transformed by what they heard. This demonstrates that hearing the testimony of believers can lead to belief.

When we proclaim our faith, it can resonate and inspire others to believe.

There is a world of distractions that clamor for our attention, more so today than ever before.

We are bombarded daily with commercials, social media, entertainment, politics and even religion.

All vying for a piece of our time and attention.

Hearing the Good Shepherds voice in the midst of all the noise is essential.

The story of the parable of the sower teaches us about different types of listeners. The seeds that fell on rocky ground represent those who hear joyfully yet quickly wither away.

But those that take root symbolize those who allow the Word to penetrate their hearts.

Just as soil transforms a seed into a vibrant plant, hearing God’s message can transform our lives—if we truly listen.

It serves us well to do a regular assessment of our lives and answer these next few questions:

What distractions in our modern world might prevent us from truly hearing Christ's voice?

In what ways can we cultivate a deeper relationship with Christ to better recognize His voice?

How can stepping back from our routines help us to hear and understand God's guidance in our lives?

3. Seizing Stones: The Sound of Rejection

John 10:31–39 ESV

The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.” Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken— do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the Son of God’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Again they sought to arrest him, but he escaped from their hands.

One of the constant hallmarks of Spiritual blindness is rejection of others opinions- Especially religious ones-

Often leading to outright hostility and sadly ending in violence.

The Jews violent rejection of Jesus’ teachings highlight this behavior.

How hardened their hearts must have been.

To have their promised Messiah in their presence- Teaching, Healing and Feeding them-

Yet so misunderstood they preferred the tyranny of the Roman Empire to the Saving grace of our Saviour.

The voice of Truth was so easily stomped out, in their eyes, because this Hero of the Faith did not fit the established mold or ideal that appealed to the crowds.

How terrifying it must have been to be so Spiritually blinded and deafe ned that having the Proof of True life with them- They still chose to remain deaf and blind.

How liberating to understand that living with open hearts and open ears is what really builds our faith, and allows for understanding the deeper things of walking a Spiritual path with a Spiritual God.

4. Stepping Back: Hearing and Healing

John 10:40–42 ESV

He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and there he remained. And many came to him. And they said, “John did no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true.” And many believed in him there.

We now come full circle to where it all began.

The Jordan river, near where John the Baptist got started.

There is a point to be made that Jesus found more believers among the lost simple folks- And not in the midst of the “Religious” folks in the “Holy City” of Jerusalem.

We see where distance from the distractions lends to Spiritual Clarity.

The statements of the people are so telling- They practically preach themselves.

Many came- They came because they had heard the words of John the Baptist

What they heard rang true in their hearts.

And because the truth rang out Many believed.

It should true for us as well.

To seek Him with open hearts and minds will lead us to Him in humility.