Attune our ears

Sermon by Pr. Michelle Sevig on the Fourth Sunday of Easter + Sunday, April 26, 2026.

Earlier this week, while attending a conference at the seminary, someone attending on-line spoke, and though I could not see them, I recognized their voice immediately. I perked up and paid attention to their comments, because I knew them and wanted to hear what they had to say. 

Whose voice do you recognize easily? There are a few voices of public figures that I try to tune out and not listen to at all, because their voice grates on me and I don’t want to listen to what they have to say. But there are also voices I love hearing, like my kids’ when they call me from college. And there are some voices I miss hearing too. I wish I had a recording of my son, Oliver's sweet, high-pitched, prepubescent voice or the voices of my parents which are now only a distant memory.  

Voice is important in the bible too. A voice from heaven proclaims Jesus as the Beloved One at his baptism. After Jesus’ death, when Mary is weeping in the garden, she only recognizes Jesus after she hears his voice. And in today’s gospel reading from John, we hear of sheep who recognize the voice of their shepherd and follow him, because he knows them and cares for them.

Today is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. A day when all of our scripture readings, and even the psalm we sing, relate to shepherds and sheep. What are we urban, modern day people to do with an image and a relationship that is so foreign to us? We need to know more about sheep and their shepherds. 

Kelly Latimore, a modern day icon writer, reflected on this icon he made of The Good Shepherd. He wrote, “Shepherds in Jesus’ day would spend weeks with their flock out in the wilderness guiding them to vegetation and water. The Shepherd would even drink the milk of the ewes for sustenance when water wasn’t available.The Good Shepherd is not a sign of a Jesus who rules over us, or tells us what to do, or of our almighty benefactor. Rather, the Good Shepherd is a sign that the world–like humanity–is a place where God communes with us. The relationship of humanity to creation isn’t JUST to ensure its flourishing, or prevent its extinction…It is to bring creation into the relationship of praise and thanksgiving, and see it all, and our very lives, as gifts. It is communion.”

A good shepherd is in communion with their sheep. They are in relationship, they know each other well. And because the sheep know them and trust them, the sheep recognize their Shepherd’s voice and follow their lead. Jesus teaches that sheep know the shepherd’s voice when they hear it. Do we know the Good Shepherd’s voice when we hear it? 

There are many voices that demand our attention and distract us from the abundant life Jesus invites us to live into. Among the many competing voices in our world, one of the most dominant is the voice of fear. That’s a voice I’ve been hearing a lot lately, and it’s so difficult to ignore. 

Broadcasters, influencers, and nearly everyone on social media provide sensational, often fear-inducing stories that ensure people will tune in and stay hooked. Advertisers use fear to sell their products, alerting us that we might fail or be publicly humiliated in some way, or even die if we don’t use their product.  Some politicians use fear to get themselves elected, convincing enough of the public that they are the only ones who can keep us safe from dangerous people, from rising costs, from violence and crime.

We are surrounded on all sides by invitations to fear. Fear can keep us off balance, divided, and scattered as a people. Instead of coming together in a unified way, we can become so busy and distracted with protecting ourselves—or fighting with one another—that we don’t even recognize or trust the voice of the Good Shepherd who summons us to abundant life. We need to listen to and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd, the one who calls us by name, leads us to still waters and proclaims with a strong voice, “do not fear.”

So how do we learn to recognize that voice again—clearly, faithfully—amid all the noise? We don’t do it alone. Sheep were never meant to wander off by themselves and somehow figure it out. They stay close to the shepherd, and they stay close to one another. The same is true for us. We learn the voice of the Good Shepherd in communion—first with Christ, and then with each other.

We hear that voice in the steady rhythm of worship. In the prayers we pray week after week, in the scriptures we return to, in the hymns that have a way of sinking into our bones. Over time, those words and melodies begin to shape us. They tune our ears. They help us recognize the difference between a voice that stirs up fear and a voice that speaks peace. The voice of Jesus does not shame or manipulate. It does not divide or dehumanize. The voice of the Good Shepherd calls us by name, gathers us in, and leads us toward life.

We hear that voice regularly at the Eucharsitic table. Here, in bread and wine, we are fed and forgiven—not because we have earned it, but because God delights in giving it. In this holy meal we are strengthened, grounded, reminded of who we are and whose we are. The noise of the world doesn’t disappear, but it loses some of its power. Because we have heard a truer voice.

We hear that voice, too, when we step out together in love and in service. When we partner with organizations like ONE Northside, advocating for our neighbors or serve with ministries like Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, walking with those in need—we begin to notice something. The voice of Jesus is already there. It is present in compassion, in justice, in relationships being restored. The Good Shepherd is always leading us toward one another, never away.

And slowly, over time, we begin to trust that voice more than the others. Not because it is the loudest—but because it is the most faithful. The most life-giving. The most true.

So when the voices of fear rise up—and they will—listen closely. There is another voice. Calling your name. Leading you beside still waters. Whispering, even now, “Do not be afraid.”  That is the voice of the Good Shepherd. And it is the voice that leads to abundant life.

Portions of this sermon were inspired by the sermon “Whose Voice,” by Rev. Rebecca D. Hansen.  Sermons That Work, a ministry of The Episcopal Church