Life Through the Shepherd's Voice: Trusting Jesus Amid Division

Theme: The only way we can overcome the increasing division and unbelief surrounding Jesus Christ is to closely listen to His voice and trust Him as our personal Savior.

Thrust: Those who actively listen and trust Jesus’ voice as the divine Messiah overcome division and unbelief that exists in our world. Such listening and trust bring transformation. It takes us out of a world of division, chaos, and unbelief into a family of unity and eternal security. It sets us on a journey through which we experience the “abundant life” Christ promised. In the end, we, as believers, stand in stark contrast to those who continue to be alienated from God, living in constant conflict with Him and His Word. Christ invites all to be His sheep and His voice as the Good Shepherd.

Text: John 10:19-30

Scriptural Illustration: The Samaritan woman at the well in John 4 is an amazing illustration of today’s message. She heard Jesus’ voice and trusted Him as the promised Messiah. She then shared that message with all she met, despite the division and unbelief of many in her day. She is an excellent example of how we are to listen and trust Him, and then share His message with others, helping lead them to an abundant life in Christ as well.

INTRODUCTION: The Divide that Calls for Our Decision

Scriptural Hook:

Today, we resume our Journey Through the Gospel of John. We are still in John 10. When we last studied this chapter, we concluded our examination of John 10:19-21, noting the division among the Jews over Jesus’ identity as the Messiah.

John 10:19–21 KJV 1900

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

Not much has changed even today. The world we live in is just as divided over Christ as they were during His ministry here on earth. If you don’t believe me, spend some time searching the internet, reading social media posts, or visiting the library to note the numerous books on this subject. On Twitter, now X, people, even so-called Christians, are constantly arguing over Christ's claim to be God or the fact that God is a triune God. Some even quote ancient heresies as proof that Christ is not God, but just a good man or a great teacher. Over on YouTube or TikTok, you will find a host of skeptics claiming the same: Jesus was just a teacher. Others try to twist His identity to fit their political agendas or preconceived notions. There are full-blown arguments over whether or not Christ was Palestinian, Muslim, and, yes, even Jewish. When it comes to those who believe and seek to share their faith with others, people often reject them outright. Unfortunately, most likely the saddest of them all, are the number of so-called believers who are divisive and weaken their witness of Christ. My point is this. Nothing has changed. The same tired arguments about Jesus are the same tired arguments of today. They have taken a different form. The division and unbelief of today mirror the Jews’ conflict and show us our need to listen to Jesus’ voice.

Theme Introduction:

A thought that brings us to today’s theme found in today’s text. Here is our theme.

The only way we can overcome the increasing division and unbelief surrounding Jesus Christ is to closely listen to His voice and trust Him as our personal Savior.

Purpose Statement:

My purpose this morning is twofold. First, for those who might still be on the fence in accepting Christ, I want to challenge you to shut out the noise of the world and focus solely on hearing Jesus’ voice. Listen to Him and place your faith in Him. Second, for those who already accepted Him, I challenge you to be a voice that leads others to hear His voice.

As we make our way through today’s message, I want you to think about the Samaritan woman at the well. You may recall our study of her encounter with Christ, as described in John 4. She is an amazing illustration of today’s message. She was someone who was overwhelmed by the division, chaos, and confusion of her day. However, when she met Christ, she listened to His voice. She trusted Him. Then, when her life was transformed, she did not hesitate to share Christ with everyone she encountered.

So, let’s start by reading our text and noting the single, paramount problem we all face.

John 10:19–24 KJV 1900

19 There was a division therefore again among the Jews for these sayings. 20 And many of them said, He hath a devil, and is mad; why hear ye him? 21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind? 22 And it was at Jerusalem the feast of the dedication, and it was winter. 23 And Jesus walked in the temple in Solomon’s porch. 24 Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.

I am going to stop here. We will get to the rest of the text in a few moments. For now, I want you to see and note this point.

We All Face the Same Division and Unbelief that Leads to Rejecting the Good Shepherd’s Voice

The arguing over Christ continues. All of them, the Jews of Christ’s day, were divided. Some arrived at their conclusion that Christ was a madman possessed by a devil. Consequently, there was no reason to listen to him any longer. Others argued that He couldn't be demon-possessed. They backed up their argument with the fact of His many healing miracles. The division and arguing were so vehement that they finally decided to get a final answer. Thus, they surround Him on Solomon’s porch in the temple. Note their demand, “How long dost thou make us to doubt? If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Now, here is a question for you. How is it that they were still in doubt about who Jesus is? Why were they still arguing over His identity? Christ gives us the answer in His reply to their demand.

John 10:25 KJV 1900

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me.

There is the answer.

They continued to be in doubt and unbelief because they refused to “believe” Him and His witness.

Oh, and by the way, much of their unbelief was due to the loud, divisive voices of their spiritual leaders, the Pharisees. All the constant challenges to Jesus and His identity were fueled by those who should have known better. And, now, the Jews, the multitudes, were questioning Christ why He was keeping them in doubt of His identity. It was not His issue. It was theirs. Their unbelief was a result of refusing to hear His voice. Instead, they were vacillating between His teaching and the constant bickering of the Pharisees. If they had only focused intently on listening to Christ and Him alone, there was a great chance their unbelief would have turned into belief. I contend, based on our text, that it would have indeed resulted in belief, not unbelief.

How does this apply to us today?

First, for those who are still on the fence about Christ as God and as the Good Shepherd, may I remind you that as long as you keep entertaining and listening to man’s reasoning about Jesus, you will remain spiritually dead and isolated from God. The voices on social media, newspapers, TV, and books constantly dismiss Christ as a myth or seek to redefine Him for their agendas. You will never honestly know Christ until you stop listening to their voices and concentrate on His alone. For this reason, I invite you this morning to shut off the voices of anyone outside of Scripture. I challenge you to read through the Gospel of John. When you do, determine that you are going to read it, and while you are reading it, that you are not going to engage with social media or any other literature until you have completed the entire gospel. Determine to listen to His voice, and let’s see what the result will be. I believe that if you do it, you will find Christ. You will know without doubt that He is God and He is the Good Shepherd who will lead you to green, spiritual pastures that you never knew existed.

Second, the application of us as believers is this. Indeed, many still do not believe in Jesus. They are all around us. Sometimes what people need is for someone to lead them. They need someone who has already experienced hearing His voice to help them see that His voice is the only one that matters.

Let me illustrate this using the example of the Samaritan woman. Her encounter with Christ began with the same division, distraction, and chaos that exists today. You may recall that she was coming to a well outside of her town to avoid the women of her village. Their treatment of her and the constant debate about what was right or wrong resulted in her wanting to avoid them and their bickering. However, on that fateful day, she met Christ. She listened. In fact, she was a captive audience, for it was just her and Christ. There was no noise, division, or confusion. As she listened intently, her unbelief changed to belief. In that moment, she realized that this man in front of her was more than just a man. He was the promised Messiah. He was God. She accepted Him and, immediately, she left Him sitting at the well as she ran into town to tell the entire village...

John 4:29 KJV 1900

29 Come, see a man, which told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ?

We all face the same division and unbelief. Some of us have found the answer the woman at the well did. Yet, there are some who have yet to reject the many outside voices of doubt and unbelief. Take the same route the Samaritan woman did. Listen to His voice and believe.

This brings me to the second point of the message today.

We Must Hear the Shepherd’s Voice which Leads Us to Faith

Let's go back to our text. Note John 10:21

John 10:21 KJV 1900

21 Others said, These are not the words of him that hath a devil. Can a devil open the eyes of the blind?

Now, drop down to verses 25 and 26.

John 10:25–26 KJV 1900

25 Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26 But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.

From the question raised in John 10:21, it is apparent that some were somewhat open to Jesus and His claim to be God. For them, the fact that He was able to give sight to the blind cracked open the door of belief. Yet, Christ responded with an interesting observation. He said they were not of His sheep. The reasoning behind this observation is found in His earlier dialogue. Note John 10:14-16

John 10:14–16 KJV 1900

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

To be one of Christ’s sheep, you must first hear His voice. Throughout my messages, I strive to note what is right and wrong according to the Holy Spirit in each text. Obviously, the wrong thing for a person to do is to not believe in Christ and reject His voice. Here, the Holy Spirit gives us the answer to what is right.

It is right to hear His voice and believe in Him.

It is only when we listen to Jesus’ voice through His teachings as well as His works that our unbelief is transformed into faith. These Jews, the ones who were on the cusp of believing, were not yet His sheep. They had not yet fully listened to His voice. They saw the works, the miracles, but they had not completely yielded their belief to Him. I am reminded of a passage in Romans that addresses our faith, our belief. Note what it says.

Romans 10:9–10 KJV 1900

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

This verse personifies the condition of so many. With their voice, they confess that Christ is different. He is a great teacher. He works great miracles. He is this or that. Yet, in their heart, there is still doubt and unbelief. It is only when you BELIEVE with all your heart, soul, and mind that God raised Him from the dead that you become one of His sheep. It is then that you hear His voice and respond not just a halfhearted acknowledgment that He is different, but with a wholehearted belief that He is the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for you, and God raised Him from the dead.

Unbeliever, I urge you to trust Christ as your Savior. I challenge you to closely examine His life, death, and resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 KJV 1900

3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Stop listening to the voices of social media, TV propaganda, and the literary geniuses of this world. Instead, open your ears and heart to the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Believers, may we commit to sharing the wonderful news of Jesus Christ with all that we meet, even the skeptics of this world. Let’s help others hear His voice and believe, seeking to counter the false narratives with the great truth of Scripture.

Again, I remind you of the Samaritan woman. She heard Jesus' voice.

John 4:25–26 KJV 1900

25 The woman saith unto him, I know that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come, he will tell us all things. 26 Jesus saith unto her, I that speak unto thee am he.

She trusted Him as the Messiah, overcoming her doubt. She showed us how to find faith. She stopped listening to the world and she started listening to Him. Then, she sought out others and brought them to Him so they, too, could overcome their unbelief.

Here is our next point.

We Must Recognize the Blessings of Hearing the Shepherd’s Voice

Christ points out some wonderful blessings for those who choose to hear His voice.

John 10:27–30 KJV 1900

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. 29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. 30 I and my Father are one.

Let me give them to you quickly, as my time is almost up.

Our faith creates a personal relationship with Christ

- Note “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.” There is nothing better than having such a close relationship with the Good Shepherd who leads and guides not only to the mountain top green pastures, but even through the valleys of life.

Our faith bestows eternal life and security in Christ.

- Note “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” Christ follows up with the picture of the Father’s hand. In fact, the way I see this passage is that we are in Christ’s hand, who is the Father’s hand. In other words, when we place our faith in Christ, we are sealed and secured in Him. No matter how much my flesh gets in my way, I can rest assured that I still belong to Him and I will never lose the gift of eternal life. One of the greatest falsehoods today is that when we, as believers, sin, we lose our salvation and have to be saved all over again. Such a teaching makes Christ a liar. He does not lie, and He always keeps His promise. This is a huge blessing and must not be undermined by false teaching.

Our faith is established in Christ’s divinity.

“I and my Father are one.” He is God. He is the Creator of the Universe. He is the Alpha and Omega. His voice is trustworthy. He overcomes the world and all of its division, chaos, confusion, and unbelief.

Conclusion

We started with the reality that there is only one way to overcome the division and unbelief surrounding Jesus Christ.

Listening to His voice and trusting His words and works is the only way.

When we do, we not only overcome our unbelief but also receive some incredible blessings: a personal relationship with Him, along with the gift of eternal life and security. All of which is based on the fact that He and the Father are one.

I leave you with this final challenge. If you are not a believer, I invite you to consider the possibility of belief. Just as the Samaritan woman listened only to His voice, so I ask you to listen to Him alone as well. Forget what the experts are saying. Close your ears to the divisive chatter of social media. Just focus on Him. Listen intently to what He says. Look at His works. Believe and accept Him as the God He is. A God who loved you so much that He came and died for your sins. He then proved His power by raising Himself from the dead. Now, He is saying to you, “I am the Good Shepherd. Hear my voice and become one of my sheep. I will give you eternal life, and no one will ever pluck you out of my hand. I and my Father are one!” Will you believe?

Believer, when was the last time you spoke to someone about the Good Shepherd? When was the last time you invited someone to join you at church? Just this week, the staff and I discussed why no one is coming to the altar during our invitation time at the end of each service. I noted that most of the messages I have been preaching from the Gospel of John are gospel messages. However, there aren't many here each week who are not saved. What is the result? The saved sit here and agree that He is salvation. However, there are no unsaved people here to respond. Why is that? Perhaps it is because we are not seeking them and inviting them. The Samaritan woman could not wait to share the good news with her entire village. Do we have the same fire? Do we have the same eagerness to lead others to Him? The only way we are going to counter the division and unbelief of this world is to be living witnesses Christ called us to be. We must go and tell.