Thrive Intro

What does it mean to thrive?

Thrive: to grow, prosper, more than just survive.

We want to thrive in life. The bible calls us to do that. Just bare existence is not enough. Having the promise of eternal life one day is not the fullness of what we see in scripture. Scripture shows us that we get to taste and see that the lord is good here and now in this very moment. Jesus is not in some far off place waiting to give us a full life when he comes again or when we get to him but sent his spirit to be with us so we might have a full or extraordinary life now. A life that has purpose and meaning, depth and beauty, goodness and truth.

what does it mean to have abundant life?

this is not the abundance of wealth, status, possessions but something deeper. This is all about the quality of life and the depth of experience

this is why Paul says this Philippians 4:12–13 “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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

the secret of abundant life is not in what we have but who we know JESUS

it is more than just bare existence. Think of the difference of living or thriving Pull up a picture of two plants that are living but one just barely and one is thriving.

This it is the type of life for which we were created. Garden of eden

Connect to Jesus' first miracle

John 10:7–11 “Therefore Jesus said again, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

full is a little lack luster in the depth of the word used there. It also means beyond or extraordinary. so we could say “I have come that they may have life, and have extraordinary life. Or maybe life beyond measure.”

this is connected to being the Good Shepherd. If we want life like Jesus promises we have to go where he leads.

Psalm 1 “Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.”

Where can we thrive?

Anywhere

Psalm 23 “A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Think of the israelites in the dessert for 40 years

We can thrive in plenty

there will be seasons where life is good, you are living in a time of plenty thriving will come easily. the temptation here os to forget that God is sustaining you during this time. We are prone to think we have done it and forget God

We can thrive in scarcity

There will be times when life feels like it is crumbling around you everything you thought was strong falls apart. You might feel like you are in the valley of the shadow of death. Like you are in a dessert. or exiled. God promises to be with you in the dessert and in the exile. His promise is to not transport you but to make where you are bloom.

Like wandering in the dessert with mana from heaven and God leading you every step of the way.

How can we thrive?

We thrive by multiple ways

Abiding in jesus

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

We need to stick close to where we get nutrients and the ingredients to thrive

this is an active, daily, persistence

Obeying Jesus

John 15:10 “If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.”

Deuteronomy 11:26–28 “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse—the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known.”

As we abide we will obey, you cannot do one without the other. Obeying is how we show where we are sticking close to.

Obedience is how we align our lives with how god designed them to go. When we are living as our author intended we start to thrive.

Closing

James 1:2–4 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Do we want this verse to describe us?

Do you want more joy?

More love?

More peace?

More kindness?

A deeper life?

More laughter?

Deeper friendships?

Do you want to thrive? to move beyond merely breathing, but to a deep and profound existence, to feel like your life matters? to have purpose and meaning.

Do not just treat this like another series but as the key to an Extraordinary life.