Devotional: My Sheep Hear My Voice and Follow Me (John 1:1-21)
In our sermon passage from 12/19/16 Jesus spoke a lot about hearing and following. James, in his epistle speaks about hearing and doing (Mostly the same thing).
Let’s look to James briefly…
James 1:19–25 (ESV)
19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20 for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 21 Therefore put away all filthiness and rampant wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. 25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.
James is very clear about what hearing from Jesus looks like. He understands that hearing takes place whenever we encounter God’s Word. For James, there is an important next step.
What does James tell us that hearing needs to be connected with?
What are things we can do to hear better? What does the passage say?
James tells us that if we just hear and don’t do anything we are D__________________ ourselves. How is this true?
In John 10:1-21, Jesus tells us that His sheep hear His voice and follow Him. Pastor Brian said that as we believe we are hearing God. What must take place in order for us to believe? What does God do? What must we do?
In the same passage Jesus said that His sheep know Him and follow. How can you be a better follower of Jesus, the good shepherd?
Listen or read the sermon here.
