The Abundant Life
Notes
Transcript
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
One might think living an abundant life would be about having a surplus of money, things, power, etc. But the abundant life that Jesus promises is not about that. Let's see what living an abundant life in Christ is all about.
Jesus starts out by talking about the thief-who is Satan. And Jesus reveals what Satan wants to do to us-steal, kill, destroy. Here we can see the digression-first he wants to steal-steal our joy, our love, our peace- but I also think we should look deeper context, Satan wants wants to steal kill and destroy the sheep who belong to the Shepherd. Not only is he trying to hurt the sheep, he is ultimately trying to get at the owner. Then his design is to kill us-take our very lives. He wants to kill our spirit, he wants to kill our hope; he wants to bring about the end of our faith in the Shepherd and His ability to protect us. Finally, he wants to destroy us. It’s not enough that he would be successful in killing our relationship with Christ, he want to take it to the next level and completely destroy our soul so that it rots in hell along with his. Satan wants nothing but evil for us.
Jesus, however, wants nothing but the best for us. First, he says that he came to bring us life. Jesus came to die on the cross that we would have eternal life. But not only did he come to bring us eternal life, he also came that we would have the fullness of life here and now.
Today, I want us to look at the abundant life that God has for us.
I. THE GIVER OF LIFE
I. THE GIVER OF LIFE
God is the Creator of Life. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth (Genesis 1:1). Therefore, all that exists has its origin in God’s creative act. He brought into being both plant and animal life. Lastly, God created human beings in His own image, thus differentiating humankind from the rest of the animal kingdom. So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them (Genesis 1:27). To humans alone God has given will, rationality, emotions, soul, and spirit by which men and women are able to maintain a personal relationship with their Creator. All human beings, regardless of race, gender, age, mental capacity or physical condition, born or unborn, rich or poor, educated or uneducated, young or old, reflect God’s image.
Today is Sanctity of Life Sunday. I want to take a moment here to remind us that every person, from conception to natural death, possesses inherent dignity and immeasurable worth. Christians, then, are called to defend, protect, and value all human life. This position extends into many areas, including abortion, embryonic stem cell research, euthanasia, and the withholding of reasonable medical care to handicapped, those with special needs, or elderly.
Men and women were created with imperishable souls to fellowship with God throughout eternity. The value of human life is infinitely greater than the relative worth currently ascribed to it by a secular society. Human life has intrinsic value because of its worth to God. That means people matter! They matter to God and they matter to us! God loves people and so should we!
Jesus is giving a stark reminder here that He came to bring life. People matter, that’s why He came, to be the great Shepherd to the sheep, to seek and save those who are lost, to give His life a ransom for many.
II. THE GIFT OF LIFE
II. THE GIFT OF LIFE
“I CAME that they may have life”
“I CAME that they may have life”
A few weeks ago we celebrated the gift of God’s Son - Jesus came to introduce us to life! All of us are looking back in time to receive JESUS as our LORD, GOD, MASTER and SAVIOR. This is not just dead history taught in expired books in school, but this is the real, true story of GOD. JESUS left Heaven to save us.
The scoffers and doubters of that day denied that Jesus was the Christ. They refused to believe that the Messiah had actually come, but Jesus had come and was in their midst. Listen to what he taught about life:
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
Application: Go for JESUS, the Life Himself.
“I came that they may HAVE LIFE”
“I came that they may HAVE LIFE”
The world is dead without JESUS.
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Jesus did not come to discover the state of affairs here on earth. He did not come to establish Himself as God. He came to offer Himself as a Sacrifice for the sins of humanity and grant those who come to Him eternal life. That was His divine plan and purpose. Christ came to vindicate divine truths, to purify divine ordinances, to redress grievances, and to revive dying zeal, to seek those of his flock that were lost, to bind up that which was broken (Eze. 34:16), and this to his church is as life from the dead. He came to give life to particular believers. Life is inclusive of all good, and stands in opposition to the death threatened (Gen. 2:17); that we might have life, as a criminal has when he is pardoned, as a sick man when he is cured, a dead man when he is raised; that we might be justified, sanctified, and at last glorified.
“I came that they may have life and have it ABUNDANTLY.”
“I came that they may have life and have it ABUNDANTLY.”
Jesus didn’t come just to secure life; He came to secure life more abundantly. This reveals a beautiful and promising hope for all who belong to Jesus. Christ came to give life and perisson ti—something more, something better, life with advantage; that in Christ we might not only live, but live comfortably, live plentifully, live and rejoice. Life in abundance is eternal life, life without death or fear of death, life and much more.
Jesus came to give something, not to get something. Christians are given abundant life at the moment of salvation. However, that life is "abundant" from a heavenly perspective, not an earthly perspective. So let's look at what that means to us.
Before looking at what it does mean, first let's look at what it doesn't mean. When we think of abundance or prosperity, we tend to think of monetary wealth, prestige, and power on this earth. But that's from an earthly perspective. Great earthly wealth or power can actually get in the way of our relationship with God. Most often God provides us enough so that we can enjoy a good relationship with Him.
But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
These aren't the things that we would choose, but God chose them so that we would "boast in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 1:31) and not ourselves. This doesn't mean that Christians ought to be poor, without prestige, and powerless in this world, however. It's just that these things are not important in light of eternity. There are rich Christians, prestigious Christians, and powerful Christians, but those characteristics are meant to be used to the glory of God: they are not what Jesus was referring to when He promised us an abundant life. Having described what abundant life is not, let's turn to what abundant life is.
What is offered to us in abundance?
Abundant grace.
Abundant grace.
I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
We are able to recognize how abundantly grace was given to us when we recognize our sinfulness. Paul saw his wretchedness and he recognized how much he had been forgiven. He saw the ways in which the Lord had gifted him and was using him for divine purposes and he recognized how much grace he had been shown. We have been given abundant grace but in order to recognize that we need to see it in the contrast of our own unrighteousness.
Abundant love & hope
Abundant love & hope
His delight is not in the strength of the horse, nor his pleasure in the legs of a man, but the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear him, in those who hope in his steadfast love.
The film Unbroken tells the story of Louis Zamperini, the Olympic distance runner who survived on a life raft for 47 days and endured a harsh imprisonment. But Zamperini’s struggles continued even after World War II ended.
In May 1943, after their plane crashed in the Pacific, Zamperini and two other United States soldiers survived in a life raft. One died after 33 days. Fourteen days later, Zamperini and the other soldier, clinging to life, were captured by the Japanese.
Zamperini was shuttled from one prison to another and, for a time, was in the brutal hands of Mutsuhiro Watanabe, later classified as a war criminal, who subjected Zamperini and others to relentless physical and emotional torment.
Zamperini was liberated at war’s end, but his battles were not over. Recurring nightmares of war and memories of torture tormented him. Angry and bitter, he turned to alcohol.
Considering divorce, his wife, Cynthia, attended a multi-week Billy Graham rally in Los Angeles, where she accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Returning home, she begged Louis to attend the rally. He finally agreed, but he got angry at Graham’s words and stormed out.
A few days later, he returned. When Graham gave the invitation, Louis recalled that, in the life raft, he had promised God, “If you will save me, I will serve you forever.” He finally made good on his promise.
He became a Christian. His nightmares ended. He gave up alcohol and opened Victory Boys Camp to help troubled boys, many of whom were renewed and reformed, enabling them to live productive lives.
Zamperini’s abundant life began when he found hope in the steadfast love of Jesus.
Abundant goodness.
Abundant goodness.
Oh, how abundant is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind!
When describing God’s goodness in Psalm 31, David uses an interesting phrase. He says that God stores up goodness for those who fear him. Why does God store up goodness for us?
Storing up something is a good practice when that item is not always readily available. When Joseph recognized that seven years of plenty in Egypt would be followed by seven years of famine, he recommended that Egypt store up one-fifth of the food produced during the years of plenty as a reserve for the seven years of famine. Because Pharaoh heeded Joseph’s advice, there was food for everyone in Egypt and surrounding lands, including Joseph’s family, during the horrible famine.
There is never a famine for God’s goodness, though. God has abundant goodness all the time, enough for everyone. So why does God store it up for those who fear him?
God does this for our own good. If we were showered with blessings all the time, then we probably wouldn’t recognize the goodness of God, and we might even feel entitled to all those blessings and more. So God does something similar to what Pharaoh did.
Rather than overloading us with blessings during times of plenty, God sets some aside for us. Then during times of famine, when we go to God and ask him for help, he responds by giving us blessings from our storehouse.
God’s goodness is abundant. He makes sure that we have all we need, when we need it...and when we ask. Remember, Jesus tells us in John 10:10 that God sent him: “...that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Abundant spiritual knowledge, gifts/abilities.
Abundant spiritual knowledge, gifts/abilities.
His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,
God has given us everything we need for life and godliness. Part of what he’s given us in order to be godly is spiritual knowledge and spiritual gifts. Jesus gave the parable of the sower in Matt. 13:1-9. The disciples came to him and asked why he spoke in parables. Jesus told them that the secrets to the kingdom of heaven had been given to them in abundance.
We who are Jesus’ disciples have the privilege to understand spiritual things; we have an abundance of spiritual knowledge and insight available to us. Jesus explains to them about the parable of the sower in Matt. 13:18-23. We received the seed (gospel) and through Christ we gain understanding of the spiritual things that were once foreign to us. And through that understanding and knowledge we go around planting seeds through which we are able to produce a fruitful crop of believers who themselves will go out and do the same.
In Matt. 25:14-30 we have the parable of the talents. The workers were given talents to invest. I see this in a spiritual light where we are given certain spiritual talents/abilities/gifts to go out and use and cause them to multiply as in the parable of the sower. Jesus says something that we find in both parables-Matt. 25:29, “for everyone who has will be given more and he will have an abundance.” If we exercise our gifts and plant seeds we will be blessed with more knowledge and ability so we can go out and plant more seeds and bring in a harvest for the kingdom of God. We have been given a spiritual abundance.
True abundant life consists of an abundance of love, joy, peace, and the rest of the fruits of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), not an abundance of “stuff.” It consists of life that is eternal, and, therefore, our interest is in the eternal, not the temporal. Paul admonishes us, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:2-3).
CONCLUSION:
God is the giver of life - so we value and respect all life.
Jesus Came to give life - not only physical, but spiritual.
We must Come to JESUS to have abundant life.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.