Bible Passage: John 10:22-30
Pastor: Joel Jenswold
Sermon Date: May 11, 2025

Bulletin May 11, 2025

In the name of, and to the eternal glory of, Jesus,

This is nice!  Looking out at all of you.  At this point in time, you’re all still awake.  You haven’t begun to daydream about other things.  Your eyes are wide.  You look eager and engaged.  This is good!  And this doesn’t surprise me.  Because something very special and dear is happening.  You are about to hear God’s Word.  You are about to hear the voice of Jesus.  You are going to hear the voice of your Shepherd.  And so you are perked up.

I once saw a video that showed this very thing.  In the video there were some sheep in a far off pasture.  Their heads were down and they were grazing on the grass.  The shepherd was standing with a group of people, maybe curious tourists or something.  The shepherd explained to a couple of them how he called the sheep, and then he had them try to call the sheep.  Each person took their turn.  They called out to the sheep exactly as the shepherd told them.  But the whole time, the sheep kept their heads down and paid no attention to these strangers.  Then the shepherd called.  Immediately, every sheep perked up and locked in on the shepherd’s voice.

That’s the way Jesus says it works.  Sheep listen to their shepherd.  Jesus’ sheep listen to the Shepherd.  And so I invite you now, Perk Up, Sheep!  Your Shepherd is Talking!

Some people come to Jesus and they want Jesus to talk.  They come to Jesus when he is in Jerusalem celebrating Hanukkah.  They find him at the Temple and they sort of get bossy with him.  How long will you keep us in suspense?  If you are the Christ, tell us plainly. (v. 24)  Their words really accuse Jesus.  They accuse Jesus of withholding the truth from them, of not being forthcoming, of playing them, of toying with them.

What a silly thing to accuse Jesus of!  Jesus says as much.  I did tell you, but you do not believe.   The works I am doing in my Father’s name testify about me, but you do not believe. (v. 25-26)  Jesus’ words and deeds had made it abundantly clear that he is the Christ, the Messiah, the promised Savior!  Why didn’t these people listen?  Jesus tells us, because you are not my sheep. (v. 26)  They are like the sheep I described before when the strangers called to them.  These people paid no attention. They kept their heads down and kept eating grass.

Jesus says his sheep perk up when they hear his voice.  My sheep listen to my voice. (v. 27)  We love to hear our Shepherd’s voice, don’t we?  We love to hear him at times like this, in his house, on his day.  We love to hear it in Bible classes and Sunday School.  Right, kids?  We love to hear it in our personal devotions at home.  Whenever, wherever we hear the Word of God, we hear our Shepherd’s voice, and we perk up!  We’re perked up right now because our Shepherd is telling us wonderful things about our relationship.

Stay perked up because Jesus goes on to say this about his sheep.  I know them. (v. 27)  Do you know your neighbors?  I “know” my neighbors, but I don’t KNOW my neighbors, you know?  I recognize them.  I know their names.  But  I don’t know their hopes and dreams, their fears or regrets.  I don’t know their health history.  I  don’t know their favorite color or their favorite food.   Jesus knows his sheep.  He knows your favorite color and your favorite food, and so much more.  He knows your hurts.  He knows your fears.  He knows how much you can handle; he knows your blood pressure and your cholesterol numbers.  He knows how much food you need and how much money you need.  He knows you like nobody else knows you!

Jesus goes on to say of his sheep, They follow me. (v. 27)  You know what following means, right?  Following means to stay behind someone and go where they go.  If the leader goes right and you go left, you are not following.  If you run out in front of the leader, you are not following.  When you stay behind and put your feet where the leader put his feet, you are following.  This is the first and fundamental call of the Shepherd to his sheep:  If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. (Mark 8:34)  The motto of Jesus’ sheep is, “Jesus, lead, I follow Thee!”

And where does following this Shepherd lead?  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. (v. 28)  We perk up when we hear this!  Jesus gives us eternal life!  This is stunning!  Stunning because we don’t deserve eternal life.  We don’t deserve eternal life because we aren’t always such nice, docile, lovable sheep.  We don’t always perk up and listen to our Shepherd’s voice.  Sometimes we ignore and neglect God’s Word.  Often we do not follow as we should.  We don’t deny ourself.  We assert ourself and our will!  We gripe under the weight of the cross Jesus asks us to carry.  Our Shepherd turns right, and we turn left, because it looks like more fun on the left.  Our Shepherd could very easily be done with us.  But instead he does the unthinkable.  Jesus said it this way, I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (John 10:11)  He “lays down” his life.  It is a willing act!  He wants to shed his blood, he wants to exchange his life for ours so sinful sheep can live eternally!  Oh, perk up, sheep!  Nowhere will you find a love like this!  Nowhere, but your Shepherd!

Finally, perk up, sheep, because your Shepherd speaks to you about your security.  No one will snatch them out of my hand.  (v. 28)  And just so we know that means we are being held tight with all the might of God, Jesus explains, My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all.  No one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.  I and the Father are one. (v. 29-30) If you built yourself a safe-room with 3-foot thick steel walls, you would not be as secure as you are in the hand of your Good Shepherd!

Are you still perked up at the end of this sermon?  I thought you might be!  For you have heard today the voice of your Shepherd!

Amen.