Some voices are easily recognizable.
Think James Earl Jones, or Arnold Schwartzenegger, or Sean Connery, or Tom Hanks or even Wanda Sykes. We know their identity in an instant.
People have often told me that they know I’m in a room when they hear my laugh! Apparently, it’s easily recognizable!
I was reading in John’s gospel today and noticed something for the first time. Isn’t it amazing how each time we read in the Bible, the Holy Spirit speaks to us in new and freshly relevant ways?
Chapter nine tells the lengthy story about a man who was born blind but gained his sight when he crossed paths with Jesus.
This simple healing – which, by-the-way, occurred on a Sabbath day – turned into a complicated controversy between Jesus and the Jews. Even the man’s parents were called in to verify that their son had indeed been born blind.
Interestingly, Jesus used an odd format to heal this man. After spitting on the ground, Jesus made some clay and placed it on the blind man’s eyes. He then told him to go and wash the clay off in a nearby pool.
Consequently, when the man regained his sight, Jesus had already moved on.
That’s when the brouhaha really began to fester. The Jews called the man – and his parents – in for questioning. After a significant period of repetitive grilling, the man boldly replied to the Jews:
This is amazing! You
claim to know nothing about him [Jesus] , but the fact is, he opened my eyes!
It’s well known that God isn’t at the beck and call of sinners, but listens
carefully to anyone who lives in reverence and does his will. That someone
opened the eyes of a man born blind has never been heard of – ever. If this man
didn’t come from God, he wouldn’t be able to do anything [John 9:30-33
All quotes from The Message Bible unless otherwise noted].
After this, the Jews threw him out into the street!
When Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, He went and found him. Jesus asked him,
“Do you believe in the
Son of Man?”
“The man said, ‘Point
him out to me, sir, so that I can believe in him.’
Jesus said, ‘You’re
looking right at him. Don’t you
recognize my voice?’
‘Master, I believe,’ the
man said, and worshipped him” [vs.35-38].
I just programmed my new iPhone to recognize my face. Surprisingly, now when I open my phone, it is immediately functional! I no longer have to put in my code numbers! The phone apparently automatically scans my face – recognizes me, and opens my phone for immediate use! Wow! Amazing!
In this passage, Jesus appeals to the man’s memory by asking, “Don’t you recognize my voice?”
That jog was all it took! The man immediately knew that he was in the presence of the one who had put the clay over his eyes! His instant response was to worship Jesus!
__________________________________
This – in itself – is a remarkable vignette!
But as I read on, I was mesmerized to find these words repeated three more times as they apply TO US – HIS FOLLOWERS!
“The gatekeeper opens
the gate to [the
shepherd] and the sheep recognize his voice” [John
10:3].
[Jesus teaching] “You need to know that I have other sheep in addition to those in this
pen. I need to gather and bring them, too. They’ll
also recognize my voice” [John
10:16].
[Jesus teaching] “My sheep recognize my voice.
I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are
protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my
hand.” [John 10:27-28].
___________________________________
So, in essence, Jesus is asking you the same question that He asked the man who had been blind:
DON’T YOU RECOGNIZE MY VOICE?
The voice of YOUR LORD!
The voice of the One who died on the cross in payment
for YOUR SINS?
The voice of the One who waits to hear from you
daily.
The voice of the One who has ways that He’d
like to open for you!
The voice of the One who wants to lead you into
an abundant life!
The voice of the One who wants to guide you and
make you a fruitful branch!
The voice of the One who desires to protect you
and those you love!
WHY NOT STOP RIGHT NOW AND PROMISE HIM THAT YOU
WANT TO COME TO RECOGNIZE HIS VOICE IN YOUR DAY-TO-DAY WALK WITH HIM!
