Coming through the door versus over the wall matters! Christ appoints His own leaders/under-shepherds (Eph. 4:11)
Next, the true shepherd can call out to his sheep and the sheep KNOW his voice. I'll never forget the first time I heard my Apostle preach. I sat their wondering, "where have you been all my life?" I thought, "I've never heard ANY teaching like this before!" Mind you, I was saved in one church, filled with the Holy Spirit in another church, water baptized in a 3rd church and was attending a 4th church. Isn't it amazing I couldn't HEAR those shepherds. Isn't it amazing that I couldn't understand what they were trying to teach or say to me. NOTHING was registering! I could HEAR nothing. And finally my ears were just like the sheep in those pictures!!! LOL We are supposed HEAR! You will HEAR God! HEAR God's Word! HEAR God's will and HEAR God's way when you are ready to listen.
Please know if you're going to church out obligation, to earn brownie points, because you promised your girlfriend you would if she "spent the night" then listening isn't even on your to-do list. But for the sheep who desires to know God and to become all God wants them to be then you WILL know His voice through the under-shepherd He has appointed for your life. This is the leader you will follow and trust because you HEAR how they are truly men/women AFTER God's own heart (Jer. 3:15)
Listening sheep are listening for God's instructions not how to get blessed.
Listening sheep are listening for how to be more like Christ not how to live large or larger.
Listening sheep are listening to see if they are lining up with God's word not be affirmed that they are already good with God.
Listening sheep are listening on how to bring the vision of their ministry to past not how to bring their personal vision to past.
Listening sheep are their to listen to God's agenda not get their personal agenda on point.
If you're in church for the wrong reasons, then it's so easy for a thief and a robber to be your "shepherd".
Let us pray:
Dear God,
We thank You for giving us a keen ability to hear. We thank You for giving us shepherds that feed us Your word and keep us in Your way. We pray that our desires will remain toward you and that we never stop seeking Your face and start seeking just Your hand. Let us not be led astray but let us be known as those who follow our under-shepherd who is following YOU! In Jesus' name we pray. AMEN!