A word from Pastor Bette…

Dear Jamestown Friends.  We are coming into May—a time when everything around us is growing and coming to life—I’ve been thinking about Jesus’ words in John 10:1–15, where he reminds us that He is the Good Shepherd.  What stands out to me most is how personal this is.  Jesus says he knows his sheep and his sheep know him.  Not just about him—but truly know him.

There’s a closeness here.  A relationship.  A sense of experience.  As I mentioned in my sermon on April 26th, the Greek language has two ways of describing “to know” and one word is "oida", that is head knowledge, learning the facts.  The other is "ginowskow", which is the deep, committed way of experiencing Jesus in a personal way.

I think sometimes our faith can stay a little more on the surface than we realize.  We come to church, we hear Scripture, we try to live faithfully—and all of these matter.  But Jesus is inviting us into something deeper than just knowing the story.  He’s inviting us to know him.  The kind of knowing he’s talking about comes from spending time with him—listening, noticing, paying attention.  It’s learning to recognize his voice in the middle of all the noise that fills our days.  And let’s be honest, there is a lot of noise.  Many voices, many demands, many distractions.  But the voice of the Good Shepherd is different.  He is steady.  He is trustworthy.  He calls us by name.

And here’s the other beautiful part—when Jesus talks about his sheep, he’s not talking about a crowd where people get lost.  He’s talking about belonging.  Being part of his fold means you are known, valued and cared for.  You are not just one of many—you are his.  He even says that the Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  That’s how much he loves us.  That’s how committed he is to us.

So maybe this month, we simply slow down a bit and ask: Where am I noticing Jesus in my life?  When have I heard his voice nudging, guiding, comforting me?  How can I make a little more space to listen?

This doesn’t have to be complicated.  It might be a quiet moment in the morning, a walk, a prayer whispered in the middle of the day, or reading a few verses and sitting with them.  Over time, we begin to recognize his voice more clearly—and trust it more deeply.

We are part of something beautiful.  We belong to a Shepherd who knows us, loves us, and stays with us.  And that is very good news.

Grace and peace,

© 2011– Jamestown UMC, All Rights Reserved