Opening Prayer
O God of hosts; Cause Your face to shine, And we shall be saved! Amen. (Psa 80:7)
Text: John 10:23–30
And Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Then the Jews surrounded Him and said to Him, “How long do You keep us in doubt? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in My Father’s name, they bear witness of Me. But you do not believe, because you are not of My sheep, as I said to you. My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.”
Devotion
Just as all who have child-like faith are enlightened to know the Lord, so we who are converted can say that all who are enlightened to know Jesus also believe in Him. We have a Savior who is Truth and Love itself. If you see Him with the eye of the spirit and hear His voice with the heart, then He wins you, and you entrust yourself into His hand with confidence and love for Him. When people do not believe in Jesus, it is because they do not know Him and do not hear His voice. He is irresistible to our heart when the darkness of unbelief does not hide Him from us. O that all would open their eyes and see the Lord, listen with their ears and hear His voice, open their heart and receive the precious Savior! Then they would experience that He is the gentle Giver of life, the eternal God, one with the Father, great in power, mighty to save us. But you who believe in Him, you His sheep, listen! Hear His voice, and follow Him! When the devil entices you with evil lusts and worldly seduction, then heed the Shepherd’s admonishing voice. Remember His life and words in His humility, and do not let yourselves be enticed, but deny and reject the devil. Your soul still remains restless with temptations to sin and unbelief, but with the Word and Sacrament He gives you comfort and peace and powerfully exhorts you to love and good works. Every voice of comfort in your heart, every encouragement within you, every desire and power to do good is His voice. It is there in the external Word, which the Spirit takes and causes to sound in your ear. Nothing holy in you is of the flesh. Your new life is created by His Word and lives and moves in and from that Word. Thus you follow Him, thus He saves you. “I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.” How He wants to make our hope of salvation strong and alive! But this is still not enough for our poor, wavering hearts, so He adds: “My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.” Then shouldn’t Jesus’ sheep be fully assured of inheriting eternal life?
Closing Prayer
Lord, almighty and faithful God, let us be found among Your sheep. Draw us after You and confirm our hearts in faith in You until the end. Bless Your sheep, good Shepherd! We pray You earnestly, draw us after You, and never let us go. Amen.
Hymn
And if I ever go astray,
My wayward soul He turneth,
To save the lost, to guide the way,
For this He ever yearneth;
He leadeth me, my soul to bless
In His own path of righteousness
For His name’s sake and glory.
Why should I ever fear, O Lord,
Whilst Thee I have beside me?
Thou by Thy Spirit and Thy Word
Dost comfort and dost guide me.
In death’s dark vale I’ll fear no ill,
For Thou, O Lord, art with me still,
Thy rod and staff shall stay me.
Arrebo: The Lord my faithful Shepherd is L 374: 3-4 ELH 368:3-4 tr. C. Døving;
tune: Es ist gewisslich