Living The Abundant Life

Scriptural Text:

Our text is very much know to us, so let us examine it in light of this subject matter-”Living the Abundant Life.”

Space Age Deepens Spiritual Life

Walter F. Burke, general manager of Project Mercury and Gemini, and vice-president of the McDonnell Aircraft Corporation, teaches Sunday school in his church. In an interview he declared:

“I have found nothing in science or space exploration to compel me to throw away my Bible or to reject my Savior, Jesus Christ, in whom I trust. The space age has been a factor in the deepening of my own spiritual life. I read the Bible more now. I get from the Bible what I cannot get from science—the really important things of life.”

Life is one of the great words of the Scriptures.

The word “life” (zoe) and the verb “to live” or “to have life” (zen) have a depth of meaning:

(1) Life is the energy, the force, the power of being;

(2) Life is the opposite of perishing(deliverance from condemnation and death)[; , ; ]

It is the stopping or cessation of deterioration, decay, and corruption (; , ; ).

16For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

(NKJV) 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.

(NKJV) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

24“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

(NKJV) and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

29and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

(NKJV) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

28And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

(3) Life is eternal. It is forever. The very life of God Himself (); (4) Life is satisfaction (); (5)Life is security and enjoyment ().

Life is security and enjoyment ().

However, eternal life does not refer just to duration. Living forever would be a curse for some persons. The idea of eternal life is also quality, a certain kind of life, a life that consistently knows love, joy, peace, power, and responsibility ().

3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

(NKJV) 3And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

(NKJV) 35And 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.

35And 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.

(NKJV) 10The 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.

10The 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.

(6) Life is found only in God. (; , ; ; ); (7) Life has now been revealed. (; ; )

(6) Life is found only in God. (; , ; ; ); (7) Life has now been revealed. (; ; )

7.  Life has now been revealed. It has been unveiled and is clearly seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shows man what life is (; ; ).

God is the source and author of life, and it is God who has appointed Jesus Christ to bring life to man. Jesus Christ gives the very life of God Himself (; , ; ; ).

(NKJV)For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

(NKJV)Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

27Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”

(NKJV) And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

40And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.”

It has been unveiled and is clearly seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shows man what life is (; ; ).

(NKJV) And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

28And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.

(NKJV) I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

23I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

It has been unveiled and is clearly seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shows man what life is (; ; ).

It has been unveiled and is clearly seen in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ shows man what life is (; ; ).

(NKJV) 4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

4In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

5And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

(NKJV)

26For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself,

(NKJV) 2the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

2the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—

We see in Jesus Christ exactly what life is, and what it exactly involves ()

We see in Jesus Christ exactly what life is, and what it exactly involves (Galatians 5:22-23)

This is the reason He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world: to show men what life is:

•  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, meekness, goodness, faith, temperance or control and power

•  faith

•  joy

•  temperance or control and power

What Did Jesus Mean When He Promised an Abundant Life?

•  peace

Note: He comes that people may have life in Him that is meaningful, purposeful, joyful, and eternal. (john 10:10)

•  longsuffering

We receive this abundant life the moment we accept Him as our Savior.

•  gentleness

•  meekness

We have this life from Him in an abundance, what is meant by this term:

This word “abundant”: meaning “exceedingly, very highly, beyond measure, more, superfluous,..

...a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate.

Jesus promises us a life far better than we could ever imagine ( , cp )

(NKJV) 9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

9But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

(NKJV) 20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

20Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,

What is the abundant life? First, abundance is spiritual abundance, not material. (; , , )

What is the abundant life? Second, eternal life, the life a Christian is truly concerned with, is not determined by duration but by a relationship with God. (Why? note: )

Second, eternal life, the life a Christian is truly concerned with, is not determined by duration but by a relationship with God. (

This is why, once we are converted and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are said to have eternal life already (), though not, of course, in its fullness.

What is the abundant life? Finally, a Christian’s life revolves around “grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (, Corinthian 5:17, ).

This teaches us that the abundant life is a continual process of learning, practicing, and maturing, as well as failing, recovering, adjusting, enduring, and overcoming, in our present state, “we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror” (). One day we will see God face to face, and we will know Him completely as we will be known completely ().

Therefore,

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” ()

revolves around “grow[ing] in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (). This teaches us that the abundant life is a continual process of learning, practicing, and maturing, as well as failing, recovering, adjusting, enduring, and overcoming, in our present state, “we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror” (). One day we will see God face to face, and we will know Him completely as we will be known completely ().