In Him was life Part 3

I have spent the last few weeks meditating on that statement and it has illuminated in my heart the magnitude of what that entails. There is not a single part of my being that does not need Jesus.

To live physically I need Jesus. In my thought life I need Jesus. In my emotions I need Jesus. In my relationships I need Jesus. To raise my kids I need Jesus. In my finances I need Jesus. To lead effectively I need Jesus. To make wise decisions I need Jesus.

What I have realized is that we can’t afford to insulate or segment any area of our life from Him. There is no areas of private ownership in the kingdom, as King He gets to have access to anything and everything.

Surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus seems sacrificial upfront, but it comes with more benefits and blessings than you can see up front. The process of maturity is difficult initially because it strips away the sense of control, but ultimately it sets God in His rightful place in our lives to rule.

What we find out is that God’s ways our better than ours and His ways lead us into greater fulfillment and blessing than we could have imagined for ourselves. John 10:10.

Jesus said in John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

Jesus came to give us abundant life. I don’t know about you, but this morning that is exactly what I want. I want abundant life. I want the rule and reign of Jesus in every area of my life. What about you? What do you want this morning? What did you come here searching for?

Turn with me once again to John 1:1-5 lets look at how to find life in Jesus.

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Submit:

Before we read the passage, remember, that everything has an end purpose that reflects its created order. The created purpose of man is to reflect the image and the glory of God in the earth.

The process of maturity is a pursuit to become Christlike and ultimately to realize that our created end is to bring glory to God. In and through Christ, God is looking to impart His very nature, substance, and being into our human spirits.

It’s 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

As we begin, I believe we need to establish a baseline for life.

John 1:1–5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

Who is this portion of scripture in John 1:1-3 talking about? Jesus.

How do we know that? John 1:14 gives us the answer.

John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.”

When you read this portion of scripture you can for the sake of study and understanding insert the name Jesus where you see the phrase “the Word” because Jesus is the Word made flesh.

John 1:1–3 “In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word (Jesus) was with God, and the Word (Jesus) was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him (Jesus), and without Him (Jesus) nothing was made that was made.”

I think there is an important principle here. In the beginning….Jesus. Can I please present to you the purity of the Gospel message? Before all things in your life, Jesus. Don’t philosophy, personal opinions, educational studies, or anything else to define your life. Before all things begin with Jesus. If God began with Jesus who is the Word, you should too.

Now, If Jesus is the word who was there at the beginning of creation, and it was through Him that everything was created. Do you realize then that this means Jesus knows both the end purpose and created order of man, along with how to achieve it?

Because He is creator, there is no part of this life that He does not have instruction or answers for. There is no situation we can find ourselves in that He can’t navigate successfully.

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Apply:

John 1:4 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

In Him is life, remember that the greek word for life here is the word Zoe. It has a multi-facetted meaning. In one aspect the word Zoe means eternal life, but it also means the God kind of life.

It is characterized by healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, vitality, and the like. It carries within it the inherent capacity for producing and maintaining living beings. John 5:26.

John 5:26 says, “For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,”

The life that is found in Jesus has within it everything you could possibly need to fulfill your created purpose, and because Jesus is the source, the potential for fulfillment is unlimited.

I want you to get this concept rooted deep down in your spirit. Jesus doesn’t have life, He is life. Colossians 1:17.

Colossians 1:17 says, “And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.”

In Him all things consist. Life is an outflow of who He is. It was in Him at the beginning when He gave it, and it is in Him now to give it to you. His ability to give is rooted in the abundance of His nature.

For the remainder of this message we are going to look at one part of what the life in Jesus produces and that is eternal life. Next week we will look at abundant life.

The Life that is in Christ serves as the source of illumination to bring salvation to the souls of man. John 3:16. John 6:35.

We understand from John 3:16 that salvation comes through Christ, it says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

We also know from John 6:35 “And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.”

In both of these verses it the same word used, Zoe. These two verses reveal key elements of the Christian faith.

First, we have to believe. What is belief? Trust.

Trust is defined as a firm belief in the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something. To believe means that we are placing trust in the character, ability, strength, and truth of Christ.

I want you to get this. Belief and salvation is not merely praying a pray to get to heaven. It is about an alignment of your heart in trust where you no longer hold any areas back from Him. You move from trusting yourself and your own ability, to trusting the character, ability, and strength of God.

Trust in this sense is evidenced by a surrendered life.

Second, Jesus is the bread of life.

John 6:35 “And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.

Jesus is the source of nourishment that produces and maintains life. God through Christ will impart His very nature, substance, and being into our human spirits so that we might walk in all the fullness of God.

Do you see your part? He who comes to Me, and he who believes in Him.

Jesus is the bread of life, but you have to come and get it. He is nourishment, but you have to choose to nourish yourself. God will not do this part for you. I have learned in my relationship with Jesus that He does not force feed. You either come and eat or get spiritually malnourished.

He has sufficiently provided. I have to partake. Life is in Jesus, but I have to choose to receive it.

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Closing:

Now, I want to finish with a final thought. How does the person who is not born again receive life? John 1:5.

John 1:5 says, “And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

The verse tells us that the life that is in Christ is shining into the darkness, but they seem to have an inability to receive it.

Why is this? Ultimately, it is the effect of sin. Sin has caused spiritual blindness and separation. Those who do not have relationship with Christ are spiritually dead. 1 Corinthians 2:14.

1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

This is the urgency of the Gospel, and the desperate need for personal evangelism by believers. People are walking in darkness without understanding desperately needing salvation, and they don’t even realize it.

Is this some cruel thing from God? Of course not! It simply reveals the nature of our assignment as believers. In order for people who are spiritually dead to find life in Jesus, someone who is spiritually alive has to share it with them.

The word of God has the power to illuminate the souls of man. John 6:63.

Jesus said in John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”

The words of Jesus have the power to penetrate the hardest hearts and bring life. They reach to the spirit of man, and when received by faith they produce life.

I am convinced this morning that it is ever believers responsibility to carry out the great commission. Matthew 28:18-20.

Matthew 28:18–20 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”

You might say Pastor I don’t know what to tell people. Get into the word and read it. Familiarize yourself with the scripture. Meditate on it. Memorize it.

And you will find the essence of 2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Our greatest need is not another class, its simply time with the one who has life in himself.