I Want More

Today as we look at John 10:10, we notice that Jesus felt compelled to teach the people how to discern between a thief and a good shepherd.

He spends a lot of time in the early verses of John chapter 10 doing this and clearly distinguishes himself as the Good Shepherd.

In verse 10 he warns that “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.”

In the second part of that verse he makes the contrast and says “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

Now we know that Jesus our Messiah was not one to mix words and he was not one to stammer on his tongue.

He said what he meant and meant what he said. So what inspired and motivated such words?

Let’s look together at John chapter 9 as we take a look at the events leading up to Jesus’ teachings.

What we see first is a blind man, the Bible doesn’t give us his age,

but he is an adult whose independence, ability to work and take care of himself was non-existent. Blindness robbed him of them.

He was shackled by his infirmity and unable to see from the day he came out of his mother’s womb.

He resorted to begging.

Brothers and sisters, here is a man who knew nothing about abundance, he was always lacking, always in need of something.

He wanted more:

more money,

more food,

more peace,

more joy,

more comfort,

more love.

The sad state of affairs in this man’s life was that inspite of his needs, when he looked around there was no one who could help him.

No one was there to fulfill his physical or spiritual needs. Not even the pious, religious hypocrites called the Pharisees.

From birth he longed to see the light.

He grew into a man and he was still longing to see the light.

He wanted to step out of that dark place.

He wanted more.

Then one day - God- yes – God,

unknowing to this poor man was about to step onto his street.

He was about to turn the corner where he was and make a difference in his life.

The Bible tells us that Jesus, upon seeing this man was not too interested in

why, who, or what caused the infirmity.

He didn’t care who his mother or his father were.

He wasn’t interested in the color of his skin, neither did he want to know which block he lived on.

All Jesus was interested in was that God was going to receive the Glory.

He anticipated that the glory and the presence of God was now about to be manifested on that street and in that man’s barren life.

John 9 vs 1 tells us that the disciples asked him a certain question and Jesus said

“ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this blindness happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

John 9:4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.

John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.’ ”

Hear these words brothers and sisters

“This happened that the works of the Lord might be displayed in Him.”

In other words beloved,

Jesus was about to show off what Almighty God could do.

He was about to put the power of God on exhibition to destroy the works of the enemy.

He was going to show the world what God has the power to deal with a broken and unproductive life.

He was going to show what he could do in the midst of darkness.

He was going to show how He the Light of the World, could take a poor, blind and destitute man, and turn his life around, brighten his world,

and give him abundant life.

Brothers and sisters this blind man wanted more.

I believe that he prayed for it,

he wept and longed for a better day where he could have life in abundance.

You may be longing for a better day today - you may be praying for the abundance of rain.

Maybe you are tired of the abuse,

tired of being jobless,

tired of being homeless,

tired of living in an unhappy marriage and having a broken life.

But I say to you don’t give up! Never stop hoping! Jesus is on your street, he’s turning the corner and he’s about to knock on your door.

In John 9:10 Jesus said “I have come to give you life and give it more abundantly.”

What does that tell us?

I said earlier that Jesus says what he means and means what he says.