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What Jesus Said About Hearing God

I want you to notice the difference Jesus points out between the two:

The shepherd makes sacrifices while the hired hand looks for security.

John 10:11-12a says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep. A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming.”

The shepherd knows his sheep while the hired hand knows of the sheep. 

Verse 12 says, “A hired hand will run when he sees a wolf coming. He will abandon the sheep because they don’t belong to him and he isn’t their shepherd. And so the wolf attacks them and scatters the flock.”

The shepherd cares about the sheep while the hired hand cares about his salary. 

Verses 13-14 say, “The hired hand runs away because he’s working only for the money and doesn’t really care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd; I know my own sheep, and they know me.”

So what do these differences between the shepherd and the hired hand have to do with hearing God?

One word: RELATIONSHIP.

The hired hand had a role, but the shepherd had a relationship. The sheep recognize the voice of the one with whom they have a relationship.

When my wife Karen calls me, I immediately know it’s her. I recognize her voice because I’ve spent so much time with her. The same principle can happen with God because God has invited you into a relationship, not into a role. Think About It:

Just because you have the role of husband doesn’t mean you listen to the voice of your wife.

Just because you have the role of parent doesn’t mean you listen to the voices of your kids.

Just because you have the role of student doesn’t mean you listen to the voice of your teacher.

Just because you have the role of employee doesn’t mean you listen to the voice of your employer.

Role does not define your ability or your willingness to listen … relationship does. Roles are task oriented whereas relationships are people oriented.

Jesus makes a similar observation in John 15 when he says that he is the vine, we are the branches, and his Father is the gardener. The point Jesus is making is that we (the branches) need to stay connected to him (the vine). And when we do, our lives will produce fruit.