Let me start off by apologizing to all you real bloggers out there. I'm ashamed that I haven't posted since June 8......5 months ago today. But, on to the blog:
I had the opportunity to preach in our main worship service this morning. These opportunities don't come along super often, so I really cherish the times I'm privileged enough to preach in our pastor's absence. This morning I chose John 10:10 for my text. This is a really simple verse, but one that has a wealth of application:
John 10:10 (NIV)
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.
The question I asked was this: "What does this full life, this 'abundant' life, look like?" There is far more to this answer than can be addressed in a twenty minute sermon or a single blog entry. However, I'm going to attempt to at least scratch the surface.
For so many people, the Christian life is nothing more than a list of "Thou shalt not's." I have a really hard time believing that Jesus Christ died to bring us a life made up of "Thou shalt not's." There's no way that this is what He meant when He said he wants to bring us "life to the full." Instead, when He was asked what the greatest command in all the Scripture was, Jesus replied to love God with everything that you are, and He went on to say that the second command is to love people. The two things are linked. C.S. Lewis once said that there is no act of loving God that does not have as its end result the love of neighbor (I think this is in Mere Christianity, but I could be wrong.).
Paul also said, in Galatians 5, that we are to life live in the Spirit. Thankfully, he goes on to describe the "Fruit of the Spirit" - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. When I look at this list, I really have to be honest and say that I see very few Christians who actually live this way. I'm afraid that, al too often, I see Christians who are bitter and angry. Maybe if we actually believed that Jesus came to give us a life that is even greater than we can imagine, it would change the way we live.
But, what we've done is focus so much on eternity that we've neglected to remember that the life Jesus died to bring us starts NOW. Eternal life is wonderful, don't get me wrong. But, we can't focus so much on eternal life that we become useless in this life. Jesus wants to give you life to the full starting today - life that is full of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Notice that none of these are qualified. That means that we are called to have these attitudes even in the worst of circumstances.
If we would only start living like we actually believe this, I think we would absolutely see revival break out. This kind of living is contagious, and that's exactly what Jesus has called us to be.
