A synopsis of the sermon delivered by the Rev. David L. Hicks at St. Paul’s Reformed Episcopal Church at the 10:30am service on Sunday, Easter II, April 10, 2005. Please read St. John 10:1-11.
This Sunday is informally known as “Good Shepherd Sunday,” because the traditional Scripture reading is taken from John, chapter ten, (our second lesson for today) where Jesus says, “I am the Good Shepherd.” These words are reminiscent of the 23rd Psalm – “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want…” Thus our Lord identifies Himself with the God of the Old Testament, who looks over his flock like as a shepherd. Now, if the Lord Jesus is the Shepherd of the church, what is the role of the flock but to listen? Jesus makes this point in our lesson: “To him [the Shepherd] the porter openeth; and the sheep hear his voice; and he calleth his own sheep by name, and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him; for they know his voice. And a stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him; for they know not the voice of strangers” (Jn. 10:3-5).
There is something about listening to loving and familiar voice that requires little explanation. An animal, whether it is a sheep or household pet, recognizes the voice of its master. An infant knows when mother or father is speaking. These things do not require long, intellectual explanations; rather, they are realized on a very basic and deep level of human understanding. The same is true in regard to the manner in which the Christian recognizes the voice of the Good Shepherd: it is something that occurs deep down in the soul. That is not to say that Christianity does not have rational reasons for listening to God’s voice; but recognition comes before explanation. A child, later in life, may articulate various reasons for why he or she is able to recognize a parent’s voice; but the recognition comes long before the articulation.
The Good Shepherd is still speaking to human hearts through the Word of God. Are we listening to His voice, today? Perhaps there are many things that are blocking our hearing – the cares and worries of life, other voices that are competing for our attention. We must make a renewed commitment to listen to that voice that our soul recognize and be obedient to all that he says. May God give us the grace to do the same. Amen.
