“My sheep hear My VOICE, and I KNOW them, and THEY FOLLOW ME.” (John 10:27)
JESUS SAYS WE WILL HEAR, KNOW AND FOLLOW.
- HEAR: (phōnē: the sound of uttered words) “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone HEARS MY VOICE and OPENS the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Rev. 3:20) Every one of us who is saved some how hears the voice of Jesus!
- KNOW: (ginōskō: a very intimate relationship, Jewish idiom for sexual relations between man & woman) The Hebrew word to “know” (yada’) implies an intimacy as well, “Adam KNEW (yada’) his wife Eve and she conceived…” (Gen 4:1) This just shows us that God intends to have a deeply personal relationship with us. “…we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ…” (Rom. 8:16-17)
- FOLLOW: (akoloutheō: walking in His ways) “it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God IN THE FACE OF JESUS CHRIST. But we have THIS TREASURE IN EARTHEN VESSELS, that the excellence of the power MAY BE OF GOD AND NOT OF US.” (2 Corin. 4:6-7) This is what enables us to walk in His way.
Jesus follows this very profound and deeply personal statement with, “I give them eternal life, and they will NEVER PERISH. No one can snatch them AWAY FROM ME, for my Father has given them to me, and He is more powerful than anyone else. NO ONE CAN SNATCH THEM FROM THE FATHER’S HAND. The Father and I are one.” (John 10:28-30)
-Bill Stockham