3 The watchman opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.
It has been stated that the most important thing you can know about someone is their name. Sweetly and comfortingly, in our verses for today we see the True Shepherd – appropriately welcomed by the watchman - calling each of His sheep by name. According to Eastern custom, a real shepherd knew his own flock individually - and they in turn would recognize his voice when he called them thereby proving their relationship to him. Sheep follow their shepherd because they know and trust their shepherd – so too, we as God’s sheep should follow our Shepherd – knowing and trusting Him. I am reminded of a passage in Isaiah confirming God’s remembrance of us can always be trusted:
15 "Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:15-16 (NIV)
We find one of the most moving passages of Scripture regarding recognizing Jesus’ voice when he calls out our name in the twentieth chapter of John. Mary Magdalene of whom Jesus had cast out seven demons sat despondent at the tomb of our Lord thinking someone had taken His body away and she had no idea where they had put Him. Jesus approached her and asked why she was crying and who it was she was looking for. Not recognizing her Savior and thinking He was but the gardener she pleaded with Him to tell her where her Lord’s body lay. The following was Jesus’ response:
16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her. John 20:16-18 (NIV)
This little sheep knew her Shepherd’s voice when He called forth her name leading her to grab hold of Him with all her might. She was not about to let Him go. She remembered all too well her demonic possession of the past and she was not at all desirous of going back there again. He was her Savior and the only place she wanted to be was with Him. Modern day believers could certainly use a dose of Mary’s passion and love could we not?
When nineteenth century evangelist Dwight L. Moody was asked how he managed to remain so close to Christ, the following was his reply:
“I have come to him as the best friend I have ever found, and I can trust Him in that relationship. I have believed He is Savior; I have believed He is God; I have believed His atonement on the cross is mine, and I have come to Him and submitted myself on my knees, surrendered everything to Him, and got up and stood by His side as my friend, and there isn’t any problem in my life, there isn’t any uncertainty in my work but I turn and speak to Him as naturally as to someone in the same room, and I have done it these years because I can trust Jesus.” Dwight L Moody
Scripture is replete with verses likening our relationship with our heavenly Father to the shepherd with his sheep. Indeed, upon being told his time on earth was coming to an end, Moses petitioned God for the following regarding his replacement of being shepherd of God’s people:
15 Moses said to the LORD, 16 "May the LORD, the God of the spirits of all mankind, appoint a man over this community 17 to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the LORD's people will not be like sheep without a shepherd." Num 27:15-17 (NIV)
Certainly King David’s Psalm twenty-three comes to mind when we speak of God shepherding His people. Through this Psalm David demonstrates God’s leading resulting in his satiety, joy, contentment and peace:
A psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3 he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. Psalms 23:1-6 (NIV)
Lastly, we see in our verses today that Jesus goes ahead of us – leading us – never requiring us to go where He has not gone first Himself. This allows us to follow with implicit confidence.
“The oriental shepherd always walked ahead of his sheep. He was always out in front. Any attack upon the sheep had to take him into account first. Now God is out in front. He is in our tomorrows, and it is tomorrow that fills people with fear. Yet God is already there. All the tomorrows of our life have to pass through Him before they can get to us.” F. B. Meyer