The movement God requires

The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need. (Psalm 23:1) Take note, it is all we NEED, not all we WANT. We might want things that aren't always all that beneficial for us to have, but God knows what we NEED and he always works things to meet those needs. John reminds us, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me." (10:27) Whose voice do you hear most - God's or your own? Who we listen to the most might just be the factor in what it is we pursue!

Sheep know the voice of the Shepherd. It is how sheep know how to follow THEIR shepherd and not wander away with just 'any old shepherd' who calls for them to come their way. Sheep might 'intermingle' while grazing in the field, but when they hear the voice of their master, they know when it is time to separate and go where he leads. We might 'intermingle' a bit with this world and hear all the voices calling to us to 'come', but there is only one voice we are actually 'tuned' to hear!

Do baby sheep know the shepherd's voice? Probably not at first. In fact, they need to follow their 'flock mates' a bit at first, until they get the hang of it. Maybe this is why it is so important for a new Christian to get into a good group of believers when they come to Christ. They need to learn to hear his voice, and until they do, they need to be around those who can already hear it as distinct from all the other voices beckoning unto them. Exodus 23:2 reminds us, "“You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong." Be sure the crowd you are with are actually following the right Shepherd!

Everything belongs to God - this is how he can provide for each of our needs. We won't 'want' because he has every means to make provision for our need. When God does not immediately meet our need, does that mean he isn't going to, or that he is unable to meet it? Absolutely not! It means he has another plan - a purpose in how and when he will meet our need. As an example, we may want to buy a new car, but he knows there is a slightly used one perfect to meet our need and he is working out all the details to have our need met. Learning to listen to his voice is key to understanding when and where our needs will be met.

The sheep follow the shepherd because they know he has their good in mind. He always leads them to green pastures so they are nourished. He knows the watering holes so they are able to drink deeply. He provides shaded rest for them because he knows they cannot endure the heat forever. When the sheep listen to his voice, the good they need is always about to be provided. Might they have to move to obtain it? Yes, but in the movement God requires there is so much more than we might have ever expected. Just sayin!

Is that a wolf I hear?

But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. (Romans 6:23)

Have you discovered that you no longer need to listen to sin tell you what to do anymore? If you are like the millions upon millions of others who have said 'yes' to Jesus, you likely still have a bit of a struggle in this area. Sin just doesn't 'go away' when you say 'yes' to Jesus - the ability for it to control you does, but the enticement to sin is still presenting itself. The issue is not whether sin still entices, it is really an issue of which voice we will listen to the most frequently!

We can listen to our own inward lusts (desires), or we can listen to the still small voice of God guiding us through those challenging places. The unfortunate thing for many of us is that the loudest voice is oftentimes the one we hear the clearest! The still small voice of God is heard best when we take time to get to know his voice better. We are able to sort out the noise and hear the important message better when we become more familiar with his voice.

Jesus told his disciples that his 'sheep know his voice'. He likened himself to a shepherd watching over the flock of sheep. All manner of 'calls' came in the wilderness, but there was one voice (call) they needed to respond to immediately. It was for their protection and guidance that the shepherd spoke to them. All the other calls were from 'prowling animals' out to disturb the restfulness of the sheep. That is how Satan works in our lives - he comes with different 'calls', trying to disturb our rest in Christ.

The sooner we recognize God's voice above all the other voices that may call for our attention, the better we will be at navigating our own lustful desires, the enticements to sin that the world presents to us, and the pull of 'popular opinion' that tries to dissuade us from walking uprightly. How do we get to know that voice? We have to spend time with him. The shepherd talked with his sheep, so they'd become accustomed to his voice. If we never spend quality time with him, quiet long enough to hear his speak through is Word, times of worship, or in quiet meditation, how do we ever expect to get to know his voice? Just askin!

Be true to yourself

Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he’s up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it. (John 10:1-5)

There are character traits we often don't focus on as much as the outward ones we can see - those which make up who we are on the "inside". The "image" we portray is made up of both the external and internal traits. Character traits are more than skin deep and those which matter the most are those that are often barely visible, but most often have to be "felt" in order to be appreciated fully. Many of us go through life barely "alert" to our surroundings - seemingly taking up space and passing time in that space. It is kind of like we are asleep on our feet, numb to the world around us, and just "dulled" in some sense or another. There is more to alertness than being aware of what occupies our space, though. One who is fully alert is also very agile - able to move quickly. Jesus presents the illustration of someone climbing over the fence to gain access to the sheep pen compared to another who enters through the gate. The question posed - how do we recognize who really belongs? If we never were alert to "how" it is someone entered the pen, we likely have no clue if they truly belong! Alertness is key to "keeping guard over" our lives. When we aren't agile, able to make course changes quickly, we get stuck in the muck and mire of life. We also don't recognize who or what comes to occupy the space in our lives - creating chaos and clutter. Alertness is the sense of being fully aware and able to make swift judgment calls in order to avoid danger, stay free of clutter, and avoid the hazards in life.

Attentiveness pretty closely resembles alertness, but with one key difference - you are "present" in the moment. There is focus - on purpose. It might be easier for us to understand attentiveness by examining its antonyms - the exact "opposite" traits. If you are "inattentive", you are likely a little indifferent or apathetic to the circumstances. You can be alert to the situation without being attentive. Attentiveness involves being concerned about the circumstances - enough for you to focus yourself and stay on task with what is happening. Inattentive people don't actually feel the need to stay involved - they lose focus and drift. Attentiveness is the willingness to listen carefully to the voices we heed. Jesus said his sheep (you and I) know his voice - but we also are attentive (focused on) distinguishing his voice in the midst of all the other voices we hear! 

It is not by accident Jesus uses this illustration of sheep and the shepherd. Sheep are followers - they seem to attach to the "actions" of whatever catches their eye and then follow it, almost without thinking. This is why Jesus calls attention to the two other traits of the sheep because he knows alertness and attentiveness will keep the sheep safe. Sheep are true to themselves - they aren't trying to be goats, cows, or chickens. They are always going to be sheep - in need of a shepherd. Learning to not just be a "copy" of the sheep next door, but to be genuine and real in who you were created to be is important. Our Shepherd wants a flock of sheep which are not just carbon copies of the others in the "flock". He wants us to be uniquely who we were created to be. This is probably one of the hardest character traits for us to grab hold of because we are always comparing ourselves with the other "sheep" in the flock. The danger comes in not being true to ourselves - it opens the door to us never really fulfilling the purpose for which we were uniquely created. How does the shepherd know his sheep? By name! Not just by size, fluffiness of fleece, or the bleating of one's voice. He knows them by name! This suggests to me that the Shepherd cares enough to have a genuine relationship with us - to reciprocate with anything less would just not be right! Just sayin!

God's got it

I know it is not Christmas yet, but it never hurts to consider some of the things that make you go, "Hmmm...now what happened to....", especially when you consider something like the shepherds seeing a big star one night and then just up and leaving to follow that star. What happened to the sheep? I have to ask that question, because sheep without a shepherd are at huge risk and to leave them would endanger the livelihood of the families who counted on the income from their sale, or to increase their own flocks. Angels singing, star glowing bright above, and your best buddies all say, "Let's go for it!" In a moment, their world changed and their lives were about to change forever. The "common" among men were visited by the heavenly realm - than in and of itself was pretty awesome! Their first response - they were overwhelmed with fear! A thing like this did not happen to "everyday men" just minding their business in the fields! Maybe it was an illusion they were all experiencing because they hadn't had enough sleep. Perhaps the evening stew was tainted with some weird herb from the fields and now it was playing tricks on their minds. As their imaginations ran wild with the possibilities of "how" this was happening, the angels spoke the "why" as clearly as they could: "Don't be afraid! A Savior has just been born in David's city!" And just like that...they were up and moving toward Bethlehem! Yes, I have to ask - what about the sheep?

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed. Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told! (Luke 2:15-20 MSG)

Mankind was receiving the much anticipated arrival of their Messiah and God chose to announce his coming to the "common man" at work in the fields - the ones most likely to need to stay at their post, doing their assigned work. God just doesn't operate like we'd expect, does he? In fact, he overwhelms us with just the opposite of what we'd expect! I can only imagine the "buzz" of excitement as these burly dudes in shepherd's clothing were all talking at once about what they had seen and heard, trying to recall every detail of the moments they had just experienced, and figuring out what to do with what they knew! But what about the sheep? Most sheep are pretty easily "spooked" by anything out of the ordinary! I wonder if the shepherds even stopped to consider the fact that not one of the sheep ran - we see nothing recorded about them scattering to the four winds! Hmmm...God even took care of the sheep when the shepherds were caught up in the awesomeness of the moment! He's a good God - caring for even what we take for granted or forget about at times when we are distracted by other things. You don't believe me? Well, where in our passage does it say they "drove the herd" into Bethlehem that night to go see this Messiah who was born, or that they called up other shepherds from the local shepherd union to come watch their flocks? It doesn't! In fact, it says they ran as fast as they could into Bethlehem. This leaves me with the suspicion these shepherds did what no shepherd would ever do - they left the sheep! This may not be significant to you, but it is to me because I see God's care over the sheep when the shepherds were consumed with not only the messengers, but with the validation of the message! After all is said and done, scripture tells us they returned to their duties in the fields, taking up where they had left off. No need to search for the sheep - they were right where they left them!

So, maybe this is not all that significant to you, but to me it speaks about God's tender-loving care for the things we hold dear to us. To the shepherd, the sheep were everything. Their lives absolutely rotated around the needs of the sheep - if they were hungry, they drove them to food; thirsty, then to water; tired, to a quiet and safe place to rest. No one and nothing separated the sheep from the shepherd. One wandering off required the immediate attention of the shepherd to keep it from harm and to bring it back into the fold. One born with weak little legs required the strength of his arms to travel until those little legs were ready to bear up under the weight of its own body. The shepherd lived FOR the sheep. Hmmm....now, doesn't that give us a moment to pause? The shepherd lived FOR the sheep. What the angels were announcing that night so long ago was indeed this message of hope: The Shepherd has come to live FOR the sheep! In fact, not only would the shepherd live FOR the sheep, he'd give his LIFE for the sheep. The purpose of God using the men of the field to announce the arrival of the Great Shepherd who had come to live FOR and give his LIFE for his "sheep" might just be found in the connection of the shepherd to his sheep. The angels came to announce the arrival - the shepherds announced it far and wide, in only the way a shepherd could connect with the idea of a Messiah - as the one who had come to "tend" his flock!

These were burly dudes, not refined orators. They hooped and hollered - they didn't hold a conference and put on nice suits to declare some message of hope! They probably woke up sleeping citizens of Bethlehem that night - even drawing a few not so happy looks and comments in return. There message was exuberant and joyful. I kind of liken it to when our football team scores the winning point and we all jump up and down, hooping and hollering, high-fiving, body-butting, and just plain "getting down" about the win! These guys were announcing the "greatest win" of all time, for all of mankind! They were transformed by their experience - but more importantly, they were transformed because they beheld the Great Shepherd! There is something awesome in beholding the Shepherd! To this I can only add: "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand." (Psalm 95:6-7 KJV) Isn't it time we realize he came to live FOR his sheep and to ultimately give his LIFE for each and every one of his flock? So, what about the sheep? Don't worry - God's got them in his hands! Just sayin!

The Sheep? What about the Sheep?

Imagine just minding your business one long night out on the pasture, listening for the telltale signs of a predator approaching in the brush, just looking for a moment to creep in unaware - then out of nowhere, the sky is lit up, the appearance of angels is everywhere among your herd of little sheep.  What would your reaction be?  If you were the shepherds of old on that night outside of Bethlehem, your reaction would have been one of absolute "terror". In a moment, their world changed.  The "common" among men were visited by the heavenly realm!  No wonder they were overwhelmed with fear!  A thing like this just did not happen to "everyday men" just minding their business in the fields, did it?  Maybe it was an illusion?  Perhaps the evening stew was tainted with some bacteria and was playing tricks on their minds?  As their imaginations ran wild with the possibilities of "how" this was happening, the angels spoke the "why" as clearly as they could:  "Don't be afraid!  A Savior has just been born in David's city!"  

As the angel choir withdrew into heaven, the sheepherders talked it over. “Let’s get over to Bethlehem as fast as we can and see for ourselves what God has revealed to us.” They left, running, and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. Seeing was believing. They told everyone they met what the angels had said about this child. All who heard the sheepherders were impressed.  Mary kept all these things to herself, holding them dear, deep within herself. The sheepherders returned and let loose, glorifying and praising God for everything they had heard and seen. It turned out exactly the way they’d been told!  (Luke 2:15-20 MSG)

Mankind was receiving the much anticipated arrival of their Messiah and God chose to announce his coming not to the media, nor the prominent in office, but to the "common man" at work in the fields.  God just doesn't operate like we'd expect, does he?  In fact, he overwhelms us with just the opposite of what we'd expect!  I can only imagine the "buzz" of excitement as these burly dudes in shepherd's clothing all talking at once, remarking about this angel or that, trying to recall every detail of the moments they had just experienced!  Has anyone ever considered the sheep?  Most sheep are pretty easily "spooked" by anything out of the ordinary!  I wonder if the shepherds even stopped to consider the fact that not one of the sheep ran!  God even took care of the sheep when the shepherds were caught up in the awesomeness of the moment!  He's a good God - caring for even what we take for granted.

You don't believe me?  Well, where in our passage does it say they "drove the herd" into Bethlehem that night to go see this Messiah who was born?  It doesn't!  In fact, it says they ran as fast as they could into Bethlehem.  This leaves me with the suspicion these shepherds did what no shepherd would ever do - they left the sheep!  Now, this may not be significant to you, but it is to me because I see God's care over the sheep when the shepherds were consumed with not only the messengers, but with the validation of the message!  After all is said and done, the passage tells us they returned to their duties in the fields, taking up where they had left off.  No need to search for the sheep - they were right where they left them!  

So, maybe this is not the gospel message of Christmas, but it is does speak about God's tender-loving care for the things we hold dear to us.  To the shepherd, the sheep were everything.  Their lives absolutely rotated around the needs of the sheep - if they were hungry, they drove them to food; thirsty, then to water; tired, to a quiet and safe place to rest.  No one and nothing separated the sheep from the shepherd.  One wandering off required the immediate attention of the shepherd to keep it from harm and to bring it back into the fold.  One born with weak little legs required the strength of his arms to travel until those little legs were ready to bear up under the weight of its own body.  The shepherd lived FOR the sheep.  

Hmmm....now, doesn't that give us a moment to pause?  The shepherd lived FOR the sheep.  What the angels were announcing that night so long ago was indeed this message of hope:  The Shepherd has come to live FOR the sheep! In fact, not only would the shepherd live FOR the sheep, he'd give his LIFE for the sheep.  The purpose of God using the men of the field to announce the arrival of the Great Shepherd who had come to live FOR and give his LIFE for his "sheep" might just be found in the connection of the shepherd to his sheep.  The angels came to announce the arrival - the shepherds announced it far and wide, in only the way a shepherd could connect with the idea of a Messiah - as the one who had come to "tend" his flock!

These were burly dudes, not refined orators.  They hooped and hollered - they didn't hold a conference!  They probably woke up sleeping Bethlehemites that night - even drawing a few not so happy looks and comments in return.  There message was exuberant and joyful.  I kind of liken it to when our football team scores the winning point and we all jump up and down, hooping and hollering, high-fiving, body-butting, and just plain "getting down" about the win!  These guys were announcing the "greatest win" of all time, for all of mankind!  They were transformed by their experience - but more importantly, they were transformed because they beheld the Great Shepherd!  There is something awesome in beholding the Shepherd!  

To this I can only add:  "O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.  For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand."  (Psalm 95:6-7 KJV)  Isn't it time we realize he came to live FOR his sheep and to ultimately give his LIFE for each and every one of his flock?  Just sayin!

The Shepherd's Voice

^1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it."

(John 10:1-5)

We don't see too many sheep around my neck of the woods, but whenever I see them in the fields, grazing just prior to "lambing" season, I love to stop for a few minutes to watch them.  The ranchers have a few fields they bring them to just at that time, and those fields are usually rich with some type of crop that has been recently harvested.  The sheep appear to be eating the remaining "stubble" of the cut harvest.  They are purposefully brought there for that season - probably because of the opportunity to eat whatever that crop leaves for them.

As we read our passage today, Jesus is called the Shepherd and we are his sheep.  As our shepherd, there are some things that Jesus does that ensure our safety and provide for the "seasons" of our lives.  First, the Shepherd enters through the gate.  When we invited Jesus into our lives, we really were giving him free access to our hearts.  He is the "gatekeeper" of our hearts.  He comes and goes as freely as he desires, exploring deep within the confines of our hearts.  As our "gatekeeper", he also ensures that nothing else passes without his notice!  

He knows each of us by name.  Now, that is no small task!  He has a huge flock - how well can you keep track of the names of those in your church alone?  He doesn't stop with a "name" only - there is something of a connection he makes with each of us by the very mention of our name.  He intends for the mention of our name to attract our attention, to alert us to danger, and to keep us focused on him.  

He leads us out of the protective surroundings of our "pen".  The shepherd has a tremendous task in front of him anytime he "moves" the sheep.  With movement, there is always the danger of being distracted by what lies ahead.  Sheep are silly that way - if something catches their eye, they follow it.  In moving us forward, he also has an eye out for the distracting forces that will play upon our minds, hearts, and souls.

He walks ahead of the sheep - not because he sees himself as better, but because he knows himself to be their protector.  A guide has a responsibility to point out the path, to give insight into the surroundings, and to ensure the safety of those on the journey with him.  Jesus is always watchful over us and leads us with the knowledge of what lies ahead.  The sad thing about sheep is that they sometimes forget who they are following, getting caught up in the "side-shows" along the way!

He brings new sheep into the fold - allowing the fold to grow and expand.  Each new sheep is an infusion of new life into the fold.  They bring new dynamics that need to be understood and accepted.  Yet, without the infusion of these new members of the fold, we'd be a pretty static bunch of sheep!  

What about the sheep?  That's you and me, in case you hadn't gotten the drift of where I was going yet.  We can infer a lot of things about the sheep from what it is the Shepherd "does" for and with the sheep.  He even goes all the way to the laying down of his life for them.  That means that there is such extreme value in our worth that the Shepherd is willing to give the ultimate sacrifice - life!  

Besides hearing his voice, the sheep recognize that voice.  God's voice is quite distinctive.  For those who tell me that they have never really learned to hear the voice of God, I ask what "voice" they are hearing.  Usually they will describe some vague "feeling" that they know what to do, where to go, etc.  Well, the Shepherd's voice is not well-known to the newest members of the flock, but it is to those who have been hearing it for a while.  It is natural to not feel sure about the "voice" of God to begin with, but as you become more familiar with God through his recorded voice (the Bible), you begin to recognize his voice when he is calling you!

Last, but not least, because the sheep spend so much time in the care of the Shepherd, they come to trust him for their protection.  The simple truth is that when an imposter enters, the evidence of him being just that is plain enough through the very evidence of his voice!  The "poser" is identified through the familiarity we have with the voice of God.  That is why it is so important that we begin to learn all we can about the Shepherd - taking special care to learn his "voice" through his Word, his teachings, and the leading of the Holy Spirit! That familiarity will be the very thing that causes us to be alert when a "poser" voice attempts to get us off-course!