Abundant Life

Intro:

Turn with me again this morning to the book of John 1:1-5. We are continuing in a series of messages I have entitled Life in Jesus. This series began through a simple word the Lord shared with me. He said, Everything you need is in me.

Our pursuit of wisdom and maturity in Christ is vital if we are to fulfill our created purpose to bring glory to God by multiplying His image in the earth.

Let’s look once again at our anchor verser for this series:

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.”

Our emphasis in this passage is John 1:4 “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

The Greek word for Life that we have been studying is the word Zoe. It has a two part meaning. I have shared with you about the first half of the word concerning eternal life in Christ. That we must believe in Him. Which is trust evidenced by a surrendered life, and that He is our source of nourishment for spiritual life.

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Submit:

This morning I want to shift our focus to the second half of the meaning of the word Zoe which is the God kind of life.

Define again Zoe: The inherent capacity for producing (and maintaining) living beings; especially understood as a life characterized by healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, vitality, and the like.

In Jesus is the inherent capacity for producing and maintaining living beings. It is characterized by healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, vitality, and the like. (In Jesus is each of these things)

From a practical perspective let me give simple definition to each of these characteristics.

Healthiness- is the state of being vigorous and free from mental or bodily disease. Health in one’s physical, mental, or emotional state. Implies full strength and vigor (effort, energy, and enthusiasm).

Happiness- a state of well-being and contentment (joy)

Exuberance- joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic. Produced in extreme abundance; plentiful.

Energy- the capacity of acting or being active.

Vitality- lively and animated character, power of enduring, capacity to live and develop.

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.”

Something to understand about salvation. Salvation refers both to an active process and to its resultant effect. It is both a verb (to save) and a noun salvation (the result of the action of God).

Jesus came to bring salvation, but He also came to give abundant life. I love that salvation deals with our eternal future, but is also has an active effect on our now. Maturity and the renewal of the mind with the word is how we experience the effect of our salvation now.

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Apply:

A picture of this salvation process is presented in the Exodus story. A people moving from slavery, oppression, and bondage to the promised land.

The biblical language of salvation depicts the transition from need to fulfillment. From problem to solution. These are both images of movement. The following scripture in Deuteronomy 26:5-9 recounts both aspects. The salvation from Egypt leading to life in the promised land.

Deuteronomy 26:5–9 “And you shall answer and say before the Lord your God: ‘My father was a Syrian, about to perish, and he went down to Egypt and dwelt there, few in number; and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. But the Egyptians mistreated us, afflicted us, and laid hard bondage on us. Then we cried out to the Lord God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression. So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and with an outstretched arm, with great terror and with signs and wonders. He has brought us to this place and has given us this land, “a land flowing with milk and honey”;”

The Zoe life of God functions the same. In Jesus is Salvation, When we cry out to be saved the Lord hears us and He frees us from the bondage of slavery to sin. He then through the might of His word and the power of the Holy Spirit leads us through the process of transformation into abundant life and the fulfillment of the promises of God in our life.

Salvation is intended to take us from need to fulfillment, and from problem to solution.

When I consider the characteristics of abundant life; healthiness, happiness, exuberance, energy, and vitality.

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Closing:

I can’t help but see our need for Christ.

Healthiness- is the state of being vigorous and free from mental or bodily disease. Health in one’s physical, mental, or emotional state. Implies full strength and vigor (effort, energy, and enthusiasm).

Some of the pressing issues of our society in America are things like obesity, anxiety, poor mental health, and emotional instability that has resulted in poor resiliency in life. Salvation and the process of transformation through the word of God will affect every one of these areas when we put the word into practice. 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

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.”

The Word of God has an effect on the totality of man, not just the spiritual state of man. The word of God gives practical insight that applies to our physical, mental, and emotional state.

Happiness- a state of well-being and contentment (joy)

Happiness as expressed here is more closely tied to the idea of contentment. There is great discontentment in our society, and many times people will attempt to eliminate the discontentment through materialism.

What they find is that material things do not bring lasting satisfaction. Naturally, there is an initial measure of emotional happiness that accompanies the purchase of a new car, or some other item that you have wanted.

But inevitably that measure of emotional happiness fades when the stress of the vehicle’s payment arrives. I am not against getting a different vehicle or making a purchase for something that you have always wanted. I am simply pointing to the fact that they are not a good source of happiness.

True happiness cannot be derived from the purchase of the next wanted item in our life. It is the result of becoming satisfied in Christ. The challenge of our fallen nature is that as soon as the new model of the same car we just bought is released, discontentment can show back up.

Christ leads us to contentment and true joy. 1 Timothy 6:6 “Now godliness with contentment is great gain.”

Exuberance- joyously unrestrained and enthusiastic. Produced in extreme abundance; plentiful.

When was the last time you were just happy and content that God has saved your life? The abundant life in God is abounding joy and enthusiasm. Life isn’t a drudgery. Serving Christ is not something we have to do. It is joyful in abundance.

I believe that unrestrained joy is tied directly to our measure of worship. In 2 Samuel 6:14-22 King David danced before the Lord with all his might.

They brought the ark of the covenant with shouts of joy and blowing of rams horns. His wife had contempt for Him, but His response was God has chosen me and appointed me, so I will celebrate before the Lord. He was willing to look even more foolish before others, and even to be humiliated in his own eyes.

Energy- the capacity of acting or being active.

When Christ is at work in you, there is a drive internally that arises. You become active. You do the work of the kingdom. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17.

The apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:16–17 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.”

Vitality- lively and animated character, power of enduring, capacity to live and develop.

I think I love this last one the most. An aspect of vitality is the power of enduring. When the Zoe life of God is active in you there is a grit and determination that shows up. It doesn’t matter what it looks like or feels like I will press on. It’s a kingdom tenacity that I will stay in the fight til the fight is finished.

Philippians 3:14 “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

It’s accompanied by the capacity to live and develop. Listen, new seasons require new revelation. New seasons require new skillsets. The life of God in you pushes you to develop in new ways. To step out into new territory. God is less concerned with your comfort and more concerned with your growth.

My prayer today is that we would step into the fullness of the abundant life that is available in Christ. That we would yield ourselves through obedience to the word, and live empowered by the Spirit in every area of our lives!

Let’s Pray!

Holy Spirit teach us the way of abundant life.

Salvation