Now What? Series

QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

Part 4: Now What?

- John 10:7-10

In the past three weeks we have covered 3 related topics. First, we looked at evidence for the existence of God. 2nd, we looked at evidence showing that we are worshipping the right God. That’s important. Last week, we looked at what the Bible says is evidence of your salvation. Now, if you get all that right; if you’re convinced there is God, if you worshipping the right god and if He is the Lord of your life, now what? What next?

According to verse 10, in the passage we just read, you and I are supposed to be enjoying abundant living. Not just life, not just eternal life in the sweet by-and-by, but abundant, joyful living right here and right now.

Let me ask you this morning, does that describe your life? Can you, in all honesty, say that you are living an abundant, joy-filled life? Why not?

** Ask - How many of you are not originally from Florida?

** Ask - How many of you ever took a Florida vacation before you finally moved here?

Picture this. The Florida advertising council times things just right. In the middle of a northern snowstorm, when the skies have been overcast for months, the kids have been home for days because of snow days, and the streets are covered with ice; you see an advertisement on TV showing the Florida beaches. People are walking around in bathing suits in February. You see palm trees and people walking through Disney World under bright, sun lit skies. You and your spouse look at each other and in an instant you both decide; next year, we’re going to Disney.

You tell your kids and they are excited. For a whole year you save your vacation time and your money. You get Disney brochures for the park. You work overtime whenever you can and set that money aside for the trip. You don’t have a lot of money, but your children are big Disney fans, you’ve heard all about the park from people who’ve been there before, and you can hardly wait. You’re going to enjoy yourself.

Finally, the day comes. You and your family head to the airport. Your plane is delayed, but you don’t care, as long as you get to Disney. You fly to Orlando. You rent a car and drive to the least expensive motel you could find. You don’t have a whole bunch of money and you want to enjoy everything you can in the park, so you’re frugal.

Finally, the morning arrives. You drive your rental car from the motel to Disney, where you pay to park it. You ride a tram from the parking lot to the ticket windows and purchase your tickets. For a moment you stand around and argue about whether to take monorail or the paddle boat but finally decide on the monorail, because you can see more.

You get on the monorail, and ride through the motel. You see the shrubs pruned to look like animals. You see the boats crossing the lake. In the distance, you see Cinderella’s castle. Finally, you get to the other side pass through the gates you’ve dreamed of entering, and sit down on a bench.

All day long you sit on that bench, never passing through Cinderella’s castle. You never ride a ride. You never watch a parade. From time-to-time you hear some music from inside. From time-to-time, as people pass, you hear them talking about how great the park is and how much they enjoyed the rides and the show, but you continue to sit on your bench. You’re disappointed. Disney didn’t turn out to be all you thought it would be.

Let me tell you my friend, some of you are sitting on a bench this morning. Some of you have been sitting there for a long time. Your background was cloudy. You heard from your Christian friends, about how great it was to be a Christian and about the joy they experienced. Every once in a while you might even hear some music in the background, but this Christianity stuff just isn’t everything you thought it was going to be. You feel that God has let you down and this coming every week, and putting money in the offering plate, and then working in the church or VBS or something on top of it all? Well, this Christianity stuff costs too much for what you’re getting out of it.

Now, this morning, the preacher says you’re supposed to be living abundantly. That’s certainly not what you’ve experienced and you can’t understand why.

Let me tell you my friend, Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior; the Creator of the Universe, the One Who left heaven & came and died for you and me; He said He came to give you and me abundant life and if that’s not what you’re experiencing this morning, then something’s wrong.