Jesus' shepherd parable continues in verses 3-6 of John 10 where he defined another one of the severe contrasts between the shepherd and the thief who he also referred to as a stranger. He described it as a difference in how the sheep respond to their voices. He said the sheep follow the shepherd because they know his voice but refuse to follow a stranger because they don’t know his.
The Greek word used in the original text means to know from observation. It’s the kind of knowing you gain by witnessing something firsthand. In other words, Jesus was saying that the sheep experience something with the shepherd that causes them to want to become attentive to the sound of his voice. And he made it clear that that something is a genuine concern for their well-being.
He said sheep recoil from a stranger. They don’t trust him and have no incentive to develop a sensitivity to his voice because he hasn’t demonstrated any interest in their welfare.
On the other hand, Jesus said the shepherd personally escorts the sheep to pastures where they can feed in safety, not only cares for the flock but for each individual lamb, and calls them by a unique name he’s given each one.
Jesus clearly meant for us to understand that he’s the shepherd in this story and was illustrating the tenderness of his affectionate care for people. He was revealing his desire to invest in a relationship with each of us. And it’s that daily-demonstrated, individualized compassion that stirs our desire to know the sound of his voice – to hear and respond to it. We don’t want to miss a single word, especially when he lovingly calls us by name.
One of the great pleasures of retirement is that my wife and I no longer have to wake up to an alarm clock signaling that it’s time to get ready for work. But a few days ago, we needed to make sure we were on time to volunteer for the early-morning shift at a local food bank. So, as I climbed into bed the night before, I said, “Alexa, set an alarm for 7:00 tomorrow morning.” Our voice assistant responded to the audio waveform associated with that name and processed my request. Now, talking to a machine is still a little hard for me to get used to, but I remember thinking that even an inanimate piece of digital technology comes to life – so to speak – at the sound of its name.
We were meant to come alive at the sound of our shepherd’s voice as he calls to our souls with that exquisite waveform we recognize as uniquely ours. It lights us up in the spirit with the awareness that we’re deeply known and loved. Can you hear it? Let’s lean in and listen close so we can become increasingly sensitive and responsive to that glorious sound.
Let’s not be like the Pharisees described in the final verse of this passage. We’re told that the sweet intimacy Jesus was describing was such a foreign concept to them that it all went right over their heads. They just couldn’t comprehend a God like that. But this is the God we have. He’s our shepherd. His name is Jesus.