Do you hear what I hear?
Do you hear what I hear? I am sure that that is not what you expected in a sermon title for this time of year. In fact it probably puts you more in mind of Christmas and the image of a little drummer boy standing by a manger. But Jesus’ challenge to the Pharisees in today’s gospel got me thinking about why some people hear the voice of God calling them like a shepherd calls the sheep and why others seem to not recognize his voice.
Recently I have heard a number of programs on faith that have asked whether or not some people are more predisposed to an experience of the divine. It is an interesting question to ponder as it may help to explain why some people are drawn to an active relationship with God while others want to deny the existence of God altogether.
Now I can’t give you a definitive answer on that question but I certainly recognize that the encounters people have with religion and faith seem to have a profound influence on whether or not they choose to have any relationship with God be it inside or outside of an established faith community.
As we ponder how people come to even hear the words of Jesus today, we need to remember that the people who heard Jesus speak in the days of his physical ministry on earth were hearing words from the God that had been the God of their parents, grandparents and all the generations as far back as Abraham in recent history. In the person of Jesus, they were hearing again - as if for the first time – words from the lips of Jesus that they found were restoring to them hope and trust. They were beginning to feel once again that the God in whom they had been raised to put their faith was not a God concerned with their material sacrifices for sin as much as he was concerned with the state of them as people – spiritually, mentally and physically. Material sacrifices were certainly welcomed but these needed to be in thankful response to a God from whom the people could feel love and compassion, grace and forgiveness.
Through the teaching of Jesus, the people were hearing words which they felt they could truly live by; they were hearing commandments that were not surrounded by the words of lawyers and philosophers and theologians but words that simply made sense. They began to feel hope. Once again they felt unburdened spiritually, mentally and no doubt physically.
And this Shepherd whom they were getting to know better each day was one who did not live in a palace or eat food that they could never imagine or travel in circles that were beyond their social class; this was a Shepherd who was not afraid to get close to them or to touch them; this was a Shepherd who spoke as one who was motivated by a desire to be with the people and truly take care of them. This was not a shepherd who was hired to perform a task but one who was the true guardian of the sheep.
In another passage John speaks of this relationship by reminding his readers that the hired hand cares not what happens to the sheep when trouble comes but that the Good Shepherd will lay down his life for the sheep. When they hear his voice, they will find comfort, hope and peace.
The Pharisees of Jesus’ day and those who had come before them had become so concerned with ensuring that the people did everything right in God’s eyes that they left little room for the grace and mercy of God. The bald and straightforward teaching of Jesus with its focus on mercy and grace and forgiveness troubled the Pharisees as they sought to reconcile such teachings with maintaining the glory and righteousness of God. There seemed to be a fear that the people were being encouraged by Jesus to enter into a very personal relationship with God in which every person could hear the voice of God and feel the touch of God. There was a fear that this would lead to a situation where the holiness of God would be diminished and even lead to the end of their authority over the people.
It is interesting how throughout history and even today people feel the need to defend the honour of God. Too often the stands we take against those who mock God or defame what we consider to be holy leads to a violence that does not support the truth about our faith. We would be far better off walking the path God seeks us to follow and living the life God revealed through Jesus.
But let us go back to this issue of hearing the voice of God. The people in the time of Jesus who heard his voice and responded were people for whom the words of Jesus resonated in their hearts. There was a truth to the words that they found helpful and comforting. In the person of Jesus they found someone who related to where they were in life and who spoke in a language they could understand.
I remember back in university when sermons were critiqued by classmates. One of the criticisms I received was that my sermons were too simple; the wording was not complex enough; there was not enough to challenge my classmates theologically. My answer was that I would rather have everything that I was saying understood than have most people walk away puzzled and confused - Paul confuses me; Jesus I get.
If a shepherd speaks in a way that sheep can understand, the shepherd will have greater success in leading the sheep in a gentle yet firm way. They will find the pasture he wants them to graze in and they will drink the best water that can be found and they will be safe. If we would speak to one another as Jesus spoke to the people; if we would bring comfort, peace and hope to one another as Jesus did for the people of that day; perhaps more people would hear as I hear or as you hear.
Jesus only had a short time to call the people to follow God. We have a lifetime and the presence of God in the Holy Spirit to guide and help us. We cannot do better than Jesus but we can strive to be like him. We may never find the ears of everyone open to hear God but we can keep trying by showing others that we are listening to God!
Amen.