My newest grands, Timothy and Ezra, are at ages where they recognize and respond to familiar faces and voices. Ezra began following his dad with his eyes and Timothy had just started sitting up independently before our recent beach trip. My parents accompanied us and we spent time with my sister and her family while there. Each one said how they loved the extra time with the boys. Though they’ve visited as often as they could all along, this was their first extended time together and it made a noticeable difference. When someone walked into the room, they were usually rewarded with a smile and Timothy, being older by four months, even reached to be picked up.
“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they pursue me.”
John 10:27 WBMS
https://bible.com/bible/2407/jhn.10.27.WBMS
“The true Shepherd walks right up to the gate, and because the gatekeeper knows who he is, he opens the gate to let him in.
And the sheep recognize the voice of the true Shepherd, for he calls his own by name and leads them out, for they belong to him.
And when he has brought out all his sheep, he walks ahead of them and they will follow him, for they are familiar with his voice.”
John 10:2-4 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.10.2-4.TPT
When Jesus spoke, people listened. Crowds followed Him to hear His teaching and to see His miracles. Jesus acknowledged to His disciples that not everyone who sat listening would understand what He was saying, but all would respond. Like my grandchildren’s, their responses weren’t always correct or appropriate, but it was a response nonetheless. One rich ruler walked away sad. A leper fell at his feet. A former demoniac begged to accompany Him. A lame man picked up his mat and walked. A blind man stumbled after Him, crying, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” and received his sight. One disciple betrayed Him with a kiss. Another denied Him. Religious leaders wrongly accused Him. Pilate tried to wash his hands of Him. Nicodemus tried to understand Him.
“For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, ‘The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.’
There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.”
Acts of the Apostles 4:11-12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/act.4.11-12.NLT
Jesus taught His followers that when they chose to deny themselves and follow Him, seeking God’s glory rather than their own, people’s responses to them would fall in line with their responses to Him. If they listen to Me, they will listen to you. If they can’t hear Me, they won’t hear you either.
“Just remember, when the unbelieving world hates you, they first hated me.
If you were to give your allegiance to the world, they would love and welcome you as one of their own.
But because you won’t align yourself with the values of this world, they will hate you.
I have chosen you and taken you out of the world to be mine.
They will treat you this way because you are mine, and they don’t know the One who sent me.”
John 15:18-19, 21 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.15.18-21.TPT
“‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the Prophets, they’re not going to be convinced by someone who rises from the dead.’”
Luke 16:31 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/luk.16.31.MSG
Jesus was not exaggerating. Jeremiah is just one example of how easily God’s message can be ignored, repeatedly. Judah, the southern kingdom, had seen Israel carried into captivity, but somehow they had convinced themselves that they retained God’s favor. Compared with sister Israel, they were surely innocent. God would not allow them to be captured. Jeremiah was badly mistreated but he kept repeating the message entrusted to him by God. Still they would not listen. Hear their response and ask yourself, “When I read God’s word, do I take it to heart? All of it? Or am I quick to assume it doesn’t apply to me?”
“So, tell the people of Judah and citizens of Jerusalem my Message: ‘Danger! I’m shaping doom against you, laying plans against you.
Turn back from your doomed way of life.
Straighten out your lives.’
But they’ll just say, ‘Why should we? What’s the point? We’ll live just the way we’ve always lived, doom or no doom.’”
Jeremiah 18:11-12 MSG
https://bible.com/bible/97/jer.18.12.MSG
“‘Turn back, each person, from the evil way you live and the evil things you do!’
But they will answer: ‘It’s too late! We’ll live as we choose and be just as stubborn and evil as we want to be.’”
Jeremiah 18:11-12 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jer.18.11-12.TPT
“But the people replied, “Don’t waste your breath. We will continue to live as we want to, stubbornly following our own evil desires.””
Jeremiah 18:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.18.12.NLT
“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”
Judges 21:25 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jdg.21.25.NLT
Like Israel, without our King, Jesus, we all do whatever we want, whatever we feel like, what seems right from our perspective. Your truth and my truth have become acceptable ways of justifying behavior, but there is only One Truth- Jesus. (John 14:6)
“I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong.
Oh, what a miserable person I am!
Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?
Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Romans 7:21, 24 NLT
“But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.”
John 14:26 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.14.26.NLT
Because Jesus kept His Word and sent the Holy Spirit, we have the Bible. And His Spirit still teaches and reminds His children of His Word.
https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.7.21-24.NLT
“Then Jesus said to them, “Be diligent to understand the meaning behind everything you hear, for as you do, more understanding will be given to you.
And according to your longing to understand, much more will be added to you.
For those who listen with open hearts will receive more revelation.
But those who don’t listen with open hearts will lose what little they think they have!””
Mark 4:24-25 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mrk.4.24-25.TPT
“Someone living on an entirely human level rejects the revelations of God’s Spirit, for they make no sense to him.
He can’t understand the revelations of the Spirit because they are only discovered by the illumination of the Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 2:14 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/1co.2.14.TPT
“Then He said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear.
By your own standard of measurement [that is, to the extent that you study spiritual truth and apply godly wisdom] it will be measured to you [and you will be given even greater ability to respond]—and more will be given to you besides.
For whoever has [a teachable heart], to him more [understanding] will be given; and whoever does not have [a yearning for truth], even what he has will be taken away from him.” [Matt 13:12; 25:29; Luke 8:18]”
Mark 4:24-25 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mrk.4.24-25.AMP
“I speak to you an eternal truth: Soon the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who listen will arise with life!
For as the Father is the source of life, so he has given the Son the power to impart life.
The Father has transferred to the Son the authority to judge, because he is the Son of Man.
Don’t be amazed when I tell you these things, for there is a day coming when everyone who has ever died will hear my voice calling them back to life, and they will come out of their graves!
Those who have done what is good will experience a resurrection to eternal life.
And those who have practiced evil will taste the resurrection of judgment!”
John 5:25-29 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.5.25-29.TPT
“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world.
He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature.
By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead.
(It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.”
Ephesians 2:1-10 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/eph.2.1-10.NLT
“Behold, I’m standing at the door, knocking.
If your heart is open to hear my voice and you open the door within, I will come in to you and feast with you, and you will feast with me.”
Revelation 3:20 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/rev.3.20.TPT
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