“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.” (John 10:27-28)

Every student has had the experience of their teacher telling them to pay attention. We need to ask this question of ourselves in our relationship with Jesus. Are we paying attention to Him? As the Good Shepherd, Jesus says, “My sheep listen to my voice.” (John 10:27) Peter, James and John experienced the importance of listening to Jesus while they were on the Mount of Transfiguration, when God spoke to them, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!” (Matthew 17:5) This importance would further be expressed when Jesus promised the Holy Spirit. “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.” (John 14:26) We even had tried to emphasize this importance through red letter editions of the Bible. Yet, the question is still asked to ourselves, are we listening to Jesus?

The question develops when Jesus points out how to know if one is listening. “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.’” (John 14:23-24) This has been God’s desire for His own, to obey Him since He brought them to the Promised Land. “So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the LORD your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul—then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil.” (Deuteronomy 11:13-14) If we listen and then obey, it is telling God of our love for Him.

Jesus demonstrated His love for the Father by His obedience coming to earth, living in full obedience, then dying on the cross. “Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:6-7) Jesus set for the example of what He desires to do in our lives as He lived as one who obeyed. This is the reason we are to listen to Him, because He has lived as one of us. Thus, we can come to Him for help. “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

Walking with the Living Word of God, Jesus, we learn to obey. When we obey, we tell God of our love for Him with a desire to please Him. All because of His love for us and the example He has set. Therefore, let us pay attention and listen to Jesus, our Good Shepherd.

In the Love of Jesus,

Michael Block