The Mark of Christ's Sheep

Israel did not do what God required. And so, Jeremiah goes on in chapter 7, verse 24, the next verse,

“But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward.”

What was Israel's great problem? We can put our finger on many outward manifestations of the problem, but the inward essence of the problem is stated there, “They hearkened not, nor inclined their ear.” Notice, it's all to do with what they listened to. They didn't listen, they didn't bow down their ear, they didn't hear the voice of the Lord their God. They didn't receive what God had for them. God, they missed the whole of God's purpose and plan. You remember God said in Exodus 19,

“If you will obey My voice, then you’ll be a peculiar treasure. You’ll be a kingdom of priests, a holy nation.”

The one essential requirement is that you hear and obey My voice. “Obey My voice, and I will be your God.” I want to say that with the greatest emphasis to you today. If you really want to belong to the Lord, to walk in His ways, to enjoy His blessings, that's what He’s saying to you, just as He did to Israel. “Obey My voice, and I will be your God.”

Now, we’ll move on to the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament. And I want you to see that in this vital, essential respect of hearing the voice of the Lord, nothing is changed. Other things are changed, but this essential requirement remains unchanged.

Listen to some verses from the 10th chapter of John's Gospel, where Jesus presents Himself to His people as the Good Shepherd. This is what He says about the relationship between the Shepherd and His sheep, that is, between the Lord and those who are His people. John 10:3 through 5:

“To Him,” that's the Shepherd, “the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear His voice; and He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.”

What's the mark of the sheep of Jesus? They hear the Shepherd's voice. In the next verse,

“When He puts forth all His own, He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him, because they know His voice.”

What's the great basis of our relationship with the Lord Jesus? We follow Him. Why? Because we know His voice. The next verse,

“A stranger they will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.”

Everything turns around hearing and knowing the voice of the Lord. His sheep, His people, hear His voice, recognize it, and follow Him. They will not follow deceivers. They will not follow false prophets and false teachers because it's not the voice of the Lord. They know the voice of the Lord. They’re not deceived by false teachers.

And then, in John 10:16, a little further on, Jesus has been talking up till now about those that believe in Him among the people of Israel, but now He goes on to people from other nations. And He says,

“I have other sheep which are not of this fold,” not of the Jewish fold. “I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”

Again, what is it that's going to draw believers to Jesus from amongst all Gentile nations? How is it they come to Him? It says, “They shall hear My voice.” That's the distinctive mark of those who come to Jesus. And I think it's interesting in this context that it says, “They shall become one flock and one shepherd.” What's the way to Christian unity? I don't believe it's organization. I don't believe it's doctrinal or theological discussion primarily. I believe it comes as we all learn to hear the voice of the Lord. “They shall hear My voice,” Jesus says, “and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.” How? Through hearing the Lord's voice.

And then, it's all summed up in John 10:27. Jesus is speaking again. He says this,

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”

There are three things that mark out the true followers of the Lord, His disciples, His people. First, they hear His voice. Second, He knows them. He recognizes them. He acknowledges them. Thirdly, they follow Him. You see, it's not a question of denominational labels. Jesus isn't talking in terms of Catholics, or Protestants, or Baptists, or Methodists, or Presbyterians, or Pentecostals. He’s not saying, “My people come from any particular denomination or group.” But He’s saying, “The distinctive mark of My people, that which singles them out from all other people, that which makes them different and makes them Mine, is they hear My voice. I know them, they follow Me.”

And we realize, of course, that in Bible times and Bible lands, a shepherd did not drive his sheep, he led them. And he led them by the sound of his voice. They didn't follow him by watching him primarily. They followed him by listening to him. And they always went where they heard the shepherd's voice. So, you see, in actual fact, if you apply that analogy, and it's a totally scriptural analogy, it is impossible to follow the Lord unless you hear His voice. It must be through hearing His voice.

Let me say this in love, and I must close. Jesus did not say, “My sheep read the Bible.” I believe it's essential to read the Bible, but it's not sufficient, because many people read the Bible but don't hear the voice of the Lord. It's not reading the Bible that enables us to follow Him, it's hearing His voice. “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.”