Jesus: The Source Of Abundant Life

Jesus came into this world so that we would have new hope and new life. He said in John 10:10, "The 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.

Jesus came so that you might have life—true, abundant life. In contrast, Satan's mission is to rob you of that life. As John 10:10 tells us, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." But we are not foolish for following the Lord Jesus Christ! His purpose is to give us life in its fullest form.

The sad reality, however, is that many people don't experience this life. They don't truly understand what it means to live in Christ, and as a result, they often view life with a sense of hopelessness and despair. They see the struggles and challenges of this world, and they become downcast.

British statesman and former Prime Minister of the UK, Benjamin Disraeli, once said, "Youth is a blunder, manhood a struggle, old age a regret." And perhaps this may be true for those who do not know the Lord Jesus Christ. Without Him, life can often feel like a series of mistakes, battles, and unfulfilled longings.

In fact, some college students were once asked to “define life” for their school newspaper, and their answers were just as grim. One said, "Life is a joke that isn't even funny." Another remarked, "Life is a disease, for which the only cure is death." Yet another described "Life [as] a jail sentence that we get for the crime of being born."

How heartbreaking that so many people perceive life this way—full of suffering, without purpose, and void of hope. But let me remind you, my brothers and sisters, that these views are not the full story. Life is not a curse or a cruel joke. So brothers and sisters, let me introduce you to the true Lord of Life, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Look if you will in John 11:25-26, "Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”. He promises that even though we may face physical death, in Him, we have eternal life—a life that will never end.

Even more proof that only Jesus is the way we can obtain everlasting life is found in John 4:7-15. When Jesus spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, He offered her something far greater than mere physical water—He offered her "living water." This living water, He explained, would satisfy (quench) her thirst forever. He said, “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

In this conversation, Jesus makes it clear that He is the only one who can give eternal life. The water He offered wasn’t temporary or fleeting like the water from the well—it was a spiritual water that would continuously refresh and sustain her soul for eternity. While the world offers many things that may seem to fulfill, they only leave us longing for more. But the living water that Jesus offers fills us completely and satisfies our deepest needs forever. Today, I want to stress three important points:

I. We must exercise liberty through Christ.

In John 11:43-44, we witness an extraordinary moment of divine power and freedom. Jesus, standing before the tomb of His friend Lazarus, cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” With anticipation everyone focused their eyes on the tomb. And then, in an astonishing moment, Lazarus—who had been dead—emerged from the grave, bound hand and foot in grave clothes, his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus, knowing that Lazarus had been brought back to life, commands those around Him, “Loose him, and let him go.” This scene is a vivid picture of the liberty Christ offers. Not only does He have power over death, but He also has the power to free us from the things that bind us, even after we are spiritually resurrected.

That’s why we need the church. Do you know what the ministry of the church is? First, to call forth the dead. Second, to unwrap the saints—to give them liberty! Thank God for those who unwrapped me. I’m so grateful for the church I was raised in.

II. We must experience life in Jesus. We must exercise liberty through Christ

Lazarus’ resurrection is more than just a miraculous event—it is a profound illustration of what it means to experience true life in Jesus Christ. When Lazarus was raised from the dead, he was not only brought back to life physically, but he also experienced a powerful spiritual truth that mirrors the transformation every believer undergoes when they come to faith in Christ.