The Good Shepherd Series: Part 1 - Listening to the Shepherd’s Voice
How to Hear, Discern, and Follow Yeshua Today
The Good Shepherd Series
Part 1: Listening to the Shepherd’s Voice
John 10:1–6
Recognizing the voice, the gate, and the rightful care of the Shepherd.
Scripture: The Living Word
Featured Passage: John 10:1–6
Key Verse:
“The sheep follow him, for they know his voice.” — John 10:4
Yeshua doesn’t just describe Himself as a teacher, prophet, or king—He calls Himself the Good Shepherd. And His sheep aren’t defined by status or doctrine—but by the simple, relational act of listening.
In John 10, Yeshua draws a clear line: those who belong to Him will know His voice. That promise isn’t about mystical knowledge or elite access. It’s about intimacy. In a world full of competing messages, how do we know which voice is His?
It starts by remembering: sheep don’t listen to every voice—they listen to the one they know.
Context: Behind the Words
Ancient Practice, Modern Echo
In the hills of Judea, shepherds often combined flocks into a single sheepfold at night. But in the morning, each shepherd would call out—and only his sheep would follow. No force, no herding—just familiarity.
This wasn’t poetry—it was normal life. And Yeshua’s hearers understood: sheep respond to voice, not volume.
In fact, this pattern still holds today. In a BBC Earth video, tourists attempt to call sheep using the shepherd’s exact words, but the sheep ignore them—until the real shepherd speaks, and the entire flock turns.
Word Study: Hebrew + Greek
Covenant: The Relational Core
Scripture paints Yahweh not just as a King or Judge—but as a Shepherd who walks with His people:
Psalm 23:1 — “Yahweh is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Ezekiel 34 — Yah rebukes the false shepherds of Israel and declares: “I Myself will search for My sheep.”
John 10 — Yeshua fulfills that promise: “I am the Good Shepherd.”
In every age, covenant has always been voice-activated:
“If you will diligently sh’ma [listen to] the voice of Yahweh your God…” — Exodus 15:26
To follow the Shepherd is to know His voice—not just as sound, but as the sound of love, correction, direction, and care.Yeshua isn’t just calling—He’s still speaking.
Practice: Living It Out
Practical Example: A Mother’s Voice
Like a child who knows their parent’s voice in a crowded room, we learn to recognize the Shepherd’s voice through closeness. But the connection goes even deeper than that.
Biologists have discovered that babies begin to recognize their mother’s voice before birth. From inside the womb, they tune their hearing to that one voice—comforting, orienting, familiar. By the time they’re born, her voice is already home.
In the same way, our spiritual ears are formed by exposure to the Word. As we spend time in Scripture, stillness, prayer, and obedience, we learn to recognize the voice that has always been calling us—long before we knew how to respond.
Three Takeaways:
Spiritual discernment grows in relationship. Knowing His voice requires proximity, not just theology.
Illegitimate shepherds still climb over walls. False leaders may look sincere but are self-serving.
The true Shepherd leads by love, not force. He calls us by name—and waits for us to follow.
Three Practical Applications:
🪞 Create space each morning to listen for His voice in Scripture and silence.
🤝 Discern and gently challenge any spiritual influences in your community that don’t reflect the heart of the Shepherd.
🙏 Read Ezekiel 34 aloud in prayer, asking the Spirit to expose false shepherds and reveal Messiah’s leadership more clearly.
Discussion Questions
What voices are loudest in your life right now—and are they leading you toward or away from peace?
How do you personally discern when Yeshua is speaking to you?
What practices help cultivate a more sensitive spiritual ear?
Closing Blessing
May the voice of the Good Shepherd quiet every competing sound.
May your ears be tuned to His Word,
your heart open to His Spirit,
and your steps aligned with His path.
He knows your name.
He is calling.
Listen—and live.
If this resonated with you, forward it to a friend learning to hear the Shepherd’s voice—or leave a comment below with your reflection.
Keep Exploring:
Start Here — What it means to follow the Way
Believe (Volume I) — Trusting the Shepherd through covenant
Restoring the Covenant Assembly — How community helps us hear together