The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. - John 10:10
Entering into a new year always provides an occasion to think about our lives and how we choose to live them. How would you describe the way you lived your life this past year? What did you value? What goals did you strive for? What did you accomplish? How did you spend your time, money, and talents? In a single word, how would you describe your life in 2023?
As we move into 2024 perhaps it's time for you and I need to make some changes in our lives. Maybe we should rethink some things, reevaluate our priorities, adjust our attitudes, and adopt some new approaches to our daily living. Might we improve the overall quality of our lives in the upcoming year simply by changing our perspective?
During His earthly ministry Jesus spoke about an abundant life. Now that sounds like something we’d all like to have, but what does it look like and how can we acquire it? In this morning’s message we will explore what it means to live abundantly.
I. I AM THE DOOR (John 10:1-10)
Jesus taught that His people are like sheep which are kept in a sheepfold. True shepherds, who love and care for them, will enter the fold through the door. Those who climb over the walls or enter the fold in some other way are thieves and robbers. Jesus then explained that He is the door, indicating that genuine prophets and teachers come to the people through Him while false prophets and teachers do not.
He went on to say that His sheep would recognize and follow the voice of true shepherds, as it carried the tone and truth of Christ. However, they would not follow the unfamiliar voice of strangers who did not know Jesus or proclaim the truth. He added that those who went in and out from fold to pasture through the door, who is Jesus, would be saved.
Finally, Jesus declared that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy while He - the Good Shepherd - has come to give life to His sheep that may be lived abundantly. Not only do His redeemed children have the promise of eternal life in Heaven to come, but they also have the privilege of living abundantly in the here and now. But how do we, as Christians, attain this abundant life that Jesus makes possible?
II. MISPLACED ASPIRATIONS (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
King Solomon was renowned for his unparalleled, God-given wisdom. People the world over sought him out to receive his remarkable insights and counsel. Much of this wisdom is preserved for us in the book of Proverbs. While practical wisdom certainly contributes to living a meaningful life, the academic or intellectual pursuit of wisdom and knowledge can never truly satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts, nor does it ensure an abundant life.
King Solomon was also one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. He had everything that money could buy. For many years he lived a lavish and indulgent lifestyle, partaking of any and every pleasure he wanted. Yet, despite His great riches and extravagance, Solomon still found his life to be vain and futile. While having some money in the bank is certainly nice and limits the stress in life, the accumulation of riches is not the path to an abundant life either.
Methusaleh lived longer than any other person named in the Bible - an incredible 969 years! Honestly, I can’t imagine living that long - nor would I want to! Samson was given great physical strength by God which enabled him to do mighty things. Yet neither their strength nor longevity led to an abundant life. While the health of our bodies is understandably important to living comfortably, it is not necessary for living abundantly.
The Bible teaches us at length that we should seek knowledge and wisdom. We should constantly grow and develop in our understanding. It also teaches us not to be lazy, but rather to work and provide for ourselves and family. As we are able, we should give generously of what we earn. It even instructs us to take care of our bodies, as they are the temple of God. We should treat them with the utmost care. These are all worthy endeavors, yet we must understand that none of these will lead to the abundant life that Jesus described.
III. THE KEY TO ABUNDANCE (John 17:3)
Whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, healthy or ailing, famous or obscure, athletic or clumsy - in fact, whatever our personal circumstances and/or condition might be - we can still have an abundant life in Christ. How? Abundance begins by knowing, acknowledging, worshiping, praising, and giving thanks to God constantly in all things. It is, to a large extent, a matter of perspective.
If we were to begin acknowledging the innumerable blessings of God presently in our lives and were to adopt an attitude of appreciation for them, we might suddenly come to the realization that the abundance we seek in life is already there. In fact, it's been there all along. It comes through knowing and following Jesus.
As Jesus prayed for his disciples in the Upper Room, He defined life as knowing God and the Son whom He had sent. With these words Jesus revealed the key to an abundant life - having a personal and vibrant relationship with the LORD. Beloved, abundance does not consist of material or temporal possessions or worldly prestige. Rather, it is a life of spiritual and eternal significance, made up of things that cannot be lost or taken away.
Let us all learn to be content with what we have, recognizing that everything we’ve been given is a precious gift from God. Let us focus less on the things we lack yet foolishly think we deserve, and focus more on the things we have that we certainly don’t deserve. Let us spend our efforts investing in eternal things as we strive to love God and love others as He does.
CONCLUSION
The Bible speaks about the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These virtues are the fruit of an abundant life. My friends, the thief has come to steal your joy, to kill your peace, and to destroy your love. Jesus has come that you might possess and produce all of these, along with the rest of the fruit of the Spirit for that matter, to their fullest.
As we embark into 2024, I challenge us all - myself included - to intentionally concentrate on developing and deepening our own personal relationships with Jesus. As we draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us. Spend some time each day reading and reflecting on the Bible. Converse with God throughout the day through prayer and listening. Make it a priority to attend church each week for worship and to fellowship with and encourage other believers. Give generously, serve sacrificially, love unconditionally, forgive readily, and obey unreservedly.
A new year is upon us. It promises to be filled with political upheaval, social unrest, all sorts of violence and crime, war and aggression, and untold calamity. There will surely be sorrows, pain, sufferings, and heartbreaks to come. We will face uncertainty, discouragement, and even failure. Yet in the face of all these fleeting and passing things, we are more than conquerors through Christ. That said, I will choose to live abundantly by walking closer with Jesus. Will you join me?
Entering into a new year always provides an occasion to think about our lives and how we choose to live them. How would you describe the way you lived your life this past year? What did you value? What goals did you strive for? What did you accomplish? How did you spend your time, money, and talents? In a single word, how would you describe your life in 2023?
As we move into 2024 perhaps it's time for you and I need to make some changes in our lives. Maybe we should rethink some things, reevaluate our priorities, adjust our attitudes, and adopt some new approaches to our daily living. Might we improve the overall quality of our lives in the upcoming year simply by changing our perspective?
During His earthly ministry Jesus spoke about an abundant life. Now that sounds like something we’d all like to have, but what does it look like and how can we acquire it? In this morning’s message we will explore what it means to live abundantly.
I. I AM THE DOOR (John 10:1-10)
Jesus taught that His people are like sheep which are kept in a sheepfold. True shepherds, who love and care for them, will enter the fold through the door. Those who climb over the walls or enter the fold in some other way are thieves and robbers. Jesus then explained that He is the door, indicating that genuine prophets and teachers come to the people through Him while false prophets and teachers do not.
He went on to say that His sheep would recognize and follow the voice of true shepherds, as it carried the tone and truth of Christ. However, they would not follow the unfamiliar voice of strangers who did not know Jesus or proclaim the truth. He added that those who went in and out from fold to pasture through the door, who is Jesus, would be saved.
Finally, Jesus declared that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy while He - the Good Shepherd - has come to give life to His sheep that may be lived abundantly. Not only do His redeemed children have the promise of eternal life in Heaven to come, but they also have the privilege of living abundantly in the here and now. But how do we, as Christians, attain this abundant life that Jesus makes possible?
II. MISPLACED ASPIRATIONS (Jeremiah 9:23-24)
King Solomon was renowned for his unparalleled, God-given wisdom. People the world over sought him out to receive his remarkable insights and counsel. Much of this wisdom is preserved for us in the book of Proverbs. While practical wisdom certainly contributes to living a meaningful life, the academic or intellectual pursuit of wisdom and knowledge can never truly satisfy the deepest longing of our hearts, nor does it ensure an abundant life.
King Solomon was also one of the wealthiest men who ever lived. He had everything that money could buy. For many years he lived a lavish and indulgent lifestyle, partaking of any and every pleasure he wanted. Yet, despite His great riches and extravagance, Solomon still found his life to be vain and futile. While having some money in the bank is certainly nice and limits the stress in life, the accumulation of riches is not the path to an abundant life either.
Methusaleh lived longer than any other person named in the Bible - an incredible 969 years! Honestly, I can’t imagine living that long - nor would I want to! Samson was given great physical strength by God which enabled him to do mighty things. Yet neither their strength nor longevity led to an abundant life. While the health of our bodies is understandably important to living comfortably, it is not necessary for living abundantly.
The Bible teaches us at length that we should seek knowledge and wisdom. We should constantly grow and develop in our understanding. It also teaches us not to be lazy, but rather to work and provide for ourselves and family. As we are able, we should give generously of what we earn. It even instructs us to take care of our bodies, as they are the temple of God. We should treat them with the utmost care. These are all worthy endeavors, yet we must understand that none of these will lead to the abundant life that Jesus described.
III. THE KEY TO ABUNDANCE (John 17:3)
Whether we are rich or poor, educated or uneducated, healthy or ailing, famous or obscure, athletic or clumsy - in fact, whatever our personal circumstances and/or condition might be - we can still have an abundant life in Christ. How? Abundance begins by knowing, acknowledging, worshiping, praising, and giving thanks to God constantly in all things. It is, to a large extent, a matter of perspective.
If we were to begin acknowledging the innumerable blessings of God presently in our lives and were to adopt an attitude of appreciation for them, we might suddenly come to the realization that the abundance we seek in life is already there. In fact, it's been there all along. It comes through knowing and following Jesus.
As Jesus prayed for his disciples in the Upper Room, He defined life as knowing God and the Son whom He had sent. With these words Jesus revealed the key to an abundant life - having a personal and vibrant relationship with the LORD. Beloved, abundance does not consist of material or temporal possessions or worldly prestige. Rather, it is a life of spiritual and eternal significance, made up of things that cannot be lost or taken away.
Let us all learn to be content with what we have, recognizing that everything we’ve been given is a precious gift from God. Let us focus less on the things we lack yet foolishly think we deserve, and focus more on the things we have that we certainly don’t deserve. Let us spend our efforts investing in eternal things as we strive to love God and love others as He does.
CONCLUSION
The Bible speaks about the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). These virtues are the fruit of an abundant life. My friends, the thief has come to steal your joy, to kill your peace, and to destroy your love. Jesus has come that you might possess and produce all of these, along with the rest of the fruit of the Spirit for that matter, to their fullest.
As we embark into 2024, I challenge us all - myself included - to intentionally concentrate on developing and deepening our own personal relationships with Jesus. As we draw closer to Him, He will draw closer to us. Spend some time each day reading and reflecting on the Bible. Converse with God throughout the day through prayer and listening. Make it a priority to attend church each week for worship and to fellowship with and encourage other believers. Give generously, serve sacrificially, love unconditionally, forgive readily, and obey unreservedly.
A new year is upon us. It promises to be filled with political upheaval, social unrest, all sorts of violence and crime, war and aggression, and untold calamity. There will surely be sorrows, pain, sufferings, and heartbreaks to come. We will face uncertainty, discouragement, and even failure. Yet in the face of all these fleeting and passing things, we are more than conquerors through Christ. That said, I will choose to live abundantly by walking closer with Jesus. Will you join me?