The Gospel of John: The Voice of the Shepherd in a World of Thieves

In his sermon on John 10:1-14, Pastor Tim Johnson delivers a heartfelt message titled "Chaos or Clarity? The Voice of the Shepherd in a World of Thieves." The sermon begins with Pastor Tim reflecting on how deeply he was moved while studying this passage, sensing Jesus' yearning for His sheep to know His voice amid the noise and confusion of competing influences.

Pastor Tim uses a compelling visual illustration to show how believers often circle around Jesus throughout the week, coming close on Sundays but getting caught up in the chaos of daily life, sometimes even knocking Jesus over in their busyness. This pattern makes it difficult to hear and recognize the Shepherd's voice consistently. "Life is crazy," he observes, "and I think we sometimes don't slow down long enough to hang out with Jesus and listen to the voice of the shepherd."

The sermon is structured around three main points. First, "the chaos of the thief" explores how false voices steal from us. Pastor Tim identifies various "thieves" that rob us of God's best: news media stealing godly perspective, social media stealing time, pride robbing humility, busyness stealing peace, and sin stealing our very identity. He references Jesus' words in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly."

Second, "the care of the shepherd" highlights Jesus' protection, calling, and healing. Pastor Tim explains how Jesus functions as the "doorkeeper" of the sheepfold, emphasizing that "if you grant access, you grant authority" to whatever influences we allow into our minds. He references 2 Corinthians 10:5, which states, "every thought captive to the obedience of Christ," urging believers to filter everything through Jesus. Pastor Tim shares a touching illustration from a shepherdess who knows each of her sheep intimately, just as Jesus knows each of us by name. He references Ezekiel 34:15-16, where God promises, "I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep...I will seek the lost. I will bring back the stray, and I will bind up the injured and I will strengthen the weak."

Third, "the clarity of the sheep" focuses on knowing Jesus so intimately that we recognize His voice and flee from strangers. Pastor Tim expresses concern that many Christians have become too familiar with the voices of "strangers" – false teachings, compromise, and worldly influences that have "seeped into the church." He challenges the notion that Jesus accepts us without transformation, affirming that while "Jesus loves us where we're at," He "loves us enough not to leave us where we're at," transforming us "from glory to glory" (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Throughout the sermon, Pastor Tim maintains a pastoral tone of gentle urgency, repeatedly returning to the image of Jesus calling His sheep by name, seeking the one who has strayed. He concludes with an invitation for listeners to slow down, create space to hear the Shepherd's voice, and allow Jesus to lead them to healing and wholeness: "I just hope and pray, brothers and sisters, that you would hear the voice of the Good Shepherd calling your name and drawing you to a place of wholeness and healing."