MY SHEEP HEAR MY VOICE

"He answered and said unto them, My mother and My brethren are these, who hear the word of God and do it." -Luke 8:21 [KJV]

Looking at things which are not seen keeps the soul from fainting, and invigorates it to every holy duty. Do I believe Christ now thinks of me, and is this moment pleading my cause in heaven? how then can I live unholy, and walk uncomfortable on earth? True, if I did but know that Christ loved me. How do you expect to know it? Do you believe He loved His mother and His brethren after the flesh? It cannot be doubted. See then how near and dear to Christ, in a spiritual sense, are all who hear the word of God and do it. 

They hear Christ in their hearts, as truly as His virgin mother carried Him in her womb. They are as verily allied to Him by faith, are His brethren in spirit, as others were by blood. (1st.) To hear the word of God, implies to have such an understanding of it, faith in it, hope from it, and love to it, as to cause our souls to delight in God the speaker, and our affections to cleave unto Him. 

(2d.) St. Paul speaks of tasting the good word of God (Hebrews 6:5.) There is a precious savour in the word. To hear it, is to have a spiritual relish for it. Just as food is savoury to the palate, so is the word of God to the soul. 

(3d.) The word testifies of the word: the letter of the word, of the spirit of the word: the written word, of the essential word, even the Lord Jesus. God speaks in the word of Christ, by Christ, and of Himself in Christ. Therefore to hear the word of God, is to receive Christ into the heart by faith, to know the Father’s love in Him, and to expect full and final salvation by Him. 

(4th.) There is a still small voice, in which our Beloved speaks internally, the words of His gospel. He says, “My sheep hear My voice.” We know the voice of our Shepherd. It is the delight of our souls to hear Him. Is this all? Do we only hear? Are the brethren and sisters of Christ all ear only? No, blessed be God, we are born again by the word of God (I Peter 1:23.) Therefore we not only hear the Word of God, but do it. What is implied in this? that God’s precepts are regarded by us, as well as His promises to us. The one, being fulfilled in us, causes the other to be dear to us. In one word, where there is a heart to hear the word of God, there is a desire to do the will of God. 

These are inseparable. Let us not deceive ourselves. “This is His commandment, that we should believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another” (I John 3:23.) “In believing we have everlasting life” (John 6:40.) “In loving we enjoy the comforts of it” (II Corinthians 6:6.) “In doing the will of God, we evidence that we are born of God.” (I John 2:17.) “O may the word of Christ dwell in us richly, in all wisdom,” etc. (Colossians 3:16.)

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)