Abundant Life

Introduction

A little girl once went to visit her grandmother in the country. Things were fine until Sunday. This lady went to a very old fashioned church that kept the Sabbath by forbidding all work, fun, playing. The little girl woke up Sunday and started right off playing and laughing, as little girls do. Her grandmother immediately rebuked her for breaking the Sabbath. The little girl quieted down, went to church and later went for a walk out by the barn. She went over to an old mule, a droopy eyed, sad faced, long-eared mule. She looked at the mule for a while, and said, “Mr. Mule, you look like you go to my grandmother’s Church!

For many of us life is like driving through dense fog in unfamiliar territory. The good news is that it’s difficult but not impossible.

The ship’s captain must rely upon his instruments, not his physical senses. The airplane pilot must rely upon his compass, horizontal indicator and altimeter. If he loses his instruments he must trust the directions given to him by the air traffic controller. Likewise, the believer experiencing life as a dark fog must come to rely upon God for direction. The big question is ARE WE WILLING TO TRUST HIM? Are we willing to place our life—past, present, and future—in His control? Are we willing to allow Him governing authority over our life?

We are told by people and scripture that God cares, but the experience of life causes us to doubt God’s intentions toward us.

We need a life modeled after the life of Jesus. We need that life promised by the gospel of Christ. - A real life. -An abundant life. We need what was in Jesus. "In him was life." The Greek philosophers called it 'Zoë.' Jesus had Zoë. You see Zoë is not just eternal life, something that lasts forever. It is not just a life that begins in heaven. It is a certain quality of life that begins right now. With Zoë we don’t have to wait to get to heaven in order to shout. We can shout right now. Zoë is much more than just physical living. It is not a thing but it is vitality. It has an existence of its own. It's not mechanical but 'self moving'. It is much more than just natural living because with natural life anyone can live. A comatose person still can be considered living. A dead church still can be considered living. But Zoë is more than just living. It stirs and moves. It exists beyond existence. Zoë never gets old and it never gets tired. Zoë-true life, belongs to God and Jesus had Zoë.

John 10:10 “10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Deuteronomy 30:19–20 NIV

19 This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live 20 and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

What Abundant Life is Not:

Today we hear that all that matters is Health, Wealth but Jesus did not experience a pain free life in fact he warns us in John 16:33 “33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.””

Luke 12:15 “15 Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.””

What is an abundant life:

The word Full

The dictionary defines the word “full” as “complete, perfect, the highest degree, the maximum.” Abundantly = “well supplied, abounding, overflowing.”

Does that describe YOUR life?

It is a life filled with

Being spiritually satisfied

This is how we grow in the faith

He will lead us John 10:11-14

John 10:11–14 NIV

11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. 13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—

John A. The Good Shepherd Offers Security (10:1–6)

Borchert describes the first-century pen of which John spoke: “The sheepfold was a

We are filled with Joy and Peace

Romans 15:13 NIV

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

We are filled with purpose

Ephesians 2:10 “10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We are filled with contentment and Gratitude

Philippians 4:11–13 NIV

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

How is abundant life obtained

Fellowship with God

John 10:14 “14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—”

John A. The Good Shepherd Offers Security (10:1–6)

The active verbs seem important in this verse—opens, listen, calls, leads. John is quite specific about the intimacy between shepherd and sheep.

It states that he just doesnt sound a call but he calls each sheep by name

None of these are accomplished without a relationship with Christ.

Fellowship with Others

Hebrews 10:24–25 “24 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, 25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Fellowship with the lost

John 10:16 “16 I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.”