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Scripture Focus: John 10

“The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep listen to his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.” (John 10:3)

From the beginning, we see something deeply personal: the sheep listen to His voice, and He calls them by name. This is not distant or general—this is relationship. He knows His own, and they recognize Him.

But that leads to an honest question: how do we actually recognize His voice?
The only way to truly know His voice is to spend time in His Word. As we read the Bible, we begin to learn His heart, His ways, and His truth. Over time, His voice becomes familiar, clear, and distinct from all the others.

Because of that, it naturally brings us to a deeper question: what voice are you following? (John 10:4–5) There are many voices around us—fear, pressure, opinions, the world—but the sheep follow only His. To live like a sheep means choosing to be led, not by everything we hear, but by the voice of the Good Shepherd.

And Jesus makes it clear that He is not just guiding the way—He is the way. In John 10:9, He says He is the gate. He is the only true access to life, the place of safety, and the entrance into what is real. Then He reveals His heart even more in John 10:11: He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. He doesn’t lead from a distance—He sacrifices for those He leads.

This relationship goes even deeper in John 10:14–15, where He says He knows His sheep and they know Him. This is not about religion or routine—it is about truly knowing Him and being known by Him.

And His heart is not only for a few. In John 10:16, we see that the goal is for everyone to know Him and to know the One who sent Him, for all believers to become one flock. He gathers, He unites, He brings people in.

That is why, in John 10:27–30, there is such confidence:
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
Those who belong to Him are secure—held firmly in His hand, where no one can take them away.

And all of this leads us back again to belief and understanding (John 10:38): to recognize that the Father is in Him and He is in the Father. To know Jesus is to know the One who sent Him.

So it all comes back to this:
What voice are you following?
Because the sheep don’t just hear His voice—they recognize it, trust it, and follow it—and we learn to recognize that voice by staying in His Word.

Prayer

Lord,
Teach me to recognize Your voice above all others. Give me a desire to stay in Your Word so I can know You more. Help me to follow You fully and trust where You lead. Keep my heart aligned with Yours and make me part of Your flock. Amen.