John 10:11-16: Are you listening?
4 Easter

One of the most enduring symbols of Jesus’ character is that of the shepherd. This verse from John, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” is one of the most familiar verses from scripture. There are also innumerable pieces of artwork devoted to the good shepherd theme through various periods in history. The understanding of God as the good shepherd is deeply rooted in the Old Testament. For instance, Psalm 23 opens with the statement, “The LORD is my shepherd” and there is a whole description of how The Lord takes care of the psalmist like a shepherd would. Prophets like Jeremiah and Ezekiel refer to God’s character and concern for Israel as that of a good shepherd. So, for the disciples of Jesus or anyone who heard this metaphor from Jesus, the image was clear because sheep herding was one of the major occupations of the people in Palestine at that time.

In our urban existence there is hardly any chance for us to see sheep herders any time soon, but surprisingly, when I was doing my hospital chaplaincy in Roosevelt hospital one of the most requested passages from scripture by patients was for Psalm 23. Both Jewish and Christian patients and sometimes patients with no religious affiliations reached into their memories to bring out that one comforting Psalm as they lay sick and sometimes dying on their beds. Sometimes they read along with me from memory and sometimes they just listened quietly holding my hand in a tight grip. I am sure we have all turned to the Psalm of the good shepherd at some point or the other in life to reassure ourselves of the presence and faithfulness of God. 

As comforting as it is to remind ourselves that Jesus is our good shepherd, today I want us to turn to the verse where it says, “I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father.” If you take some time to read chapter 10 right from the beginning you will find that there is a lot more about the shepherd and his sheep than just the few verses we have read today. Apart from how the good shepherd cares for his sheep there are a whole lot of things that the sheep in the fold do to indicate that they belong to the flock. It is well and good to know that the good shepherd is looking out for his sheep, but it is also a fact that sheep gets separated from their flock exposing themselves to many dangers by themselves. And there are things that sheep are attuned to, which ensure that they remain within the safety of the herd. In verse 3 it says, “…the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” In verse 4 it says, “…he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice.” And again in verse 5 it says,  “They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

So in order for every single sheep to remain safe and under the care of the good shepherd, the sheep in the fold must know who their shepherd is. They should know and recognize their shepherd’s voice. They should not only know the voice, they must also hear and listen for that voice of the shepherd. And if you look at the passage carefully, it is not just a general recognition of the master or shepherd’s voice; it says very clearly that the shepherd calls his own sheep by name! If you are one of the sheep in the flock you also know that you have a name that has been given to you by the shepherd. You realize you belong to him as he calls your name. One of the first things that a child gets fascinated with is his or her name. A child will usually learn to write his or her name first. The name is what the child hears most frequently uttered by the parents. And within a healthy family as the child grows older he or she realizes that the name given to him or her indicates that he or she belongs to that family, which in turn allows them to feel safe and loved within their family.

What else do the sheep in the fold do? It says that they follow him. So it is not enough to just know the shepherd, it is not even enough to hear and listen to the shepherd’s voice, the true sheep of the flock will follow the shepherd wherever he goes. The fact that the shepherd goes ahead of his herd is because the shepherd is the best judge of knowing the most advantageous pasture and the safest place from possible danger for his herd. Furthermore, if a stranger comes along calling the sheep, it says that they will run from him because the sheep know that the stranger’s voice is not their shepherds.’  The stranger or the hired hand will never really care for the sheep like the shepherd does.  In fact, they may steal the sheep for their own gain. Jesus is the good shepherd who knows us, but the question for us is, do we really know him? Can we say that we know him like parents and children know each other? Do we know His voice well enough to distinguish it from a strangers’ voice? If we do not recognize and listen to his voice, and if we don’t follow that voice, the fact that the good shepherd laid down his life for his sheep will have no relevance for us.

Knowing the good shepherd implies a very close relationship of trust and intimacy. It is within that relationship of trust and intimacy that we begin to see why Jesus had to lay down his life for us. He did so for our salvation, and through his resurrection he gives us free access to the choicest of pasture and fullness of life. The intention and the deepest desire of the good shepherd is for us his sheep, to accept his proclamation of protection, his guidance and his gift of a new and transformed life. This Easter season, are we actively listening to his voice? Can we recognize our name when he calls? And do we follow that voice leading us to life? Amen.