SERIES: WHAT JESUS SAID ABOUT WHY HE CAME
“I CAME TO GIVE ABUNDANT LIFE”
JOHN 7:7-10
INTRODUCTION
Tom Omer, former president of the Louisville Bible College, used to tell about a man who had risen from utter poverty to earning a fairly decent salary. All of his life he had wanted to own a brand new Cadillac – one that came with every option you could conceive.
Finally, after some long years of hard work, the fellow bought the Cadillac of his dreams. He treated that car better than he treated his wife. He was so proud of that car.
It wasn’t too long after he bought the car that he began to notice that he just didn’t feel as healthy as he should so he went to his doctor. The doctor told him that he had a rapidly progressive disease and that it wouldn’t be long before he would die from the disease.
He immediately went to his lawyer and had papers drawn up that said instead of being buried in a coffin, he would be buried in his Cadillac. The day came when the fellow died from the disease. After the funeral, at the graveside, his family and friends watched as the crane lowered that big automobile into the ground. One fellow shook his head, leaned over to the guy next to him and said, “Now that’s what I call living!”
Last week we started our Christmas series. It’s not a typical Christmas series where we look at the traditional scenes about Jesus’ birth – Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the angels, the wise men. It’s a series called “What Jesus Said About Why He Came.” During the Christmas season, we celebrate “God with us” – when God came to earth as a man. That God-man’s name is Jesus and during His time here on earth, He made several declarations concerning why He came. During this series we’re looking at those statements and how they affect our lives. Today’s statement: “I Came to Give Abundant Life.”
John 10:7-10 – “Therefore Jesus said again, ‘I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who ever
came before me were thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate; whoever enters
through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill
and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
We find some statements by Jesus that sound a little odd to our ears. However, the picture that Jesus is painting here in John 10 was not unfamiliar to His original audience. Judea was a very hilly area. In fact, there was a section of Judea that ran 35 miles north and south and about 17 miles east and west that was so hilly that the only thing you could do on it was graze sheep. The shepherd was a common sight for Jesus’ audience.
Most of John 10 is Jesus teaching about Himself as the Good Shepherd. Imagery of God as the “Shepherd” is used multiple times in the Old Testament. We’re familiar with Psalm 23: “The LORD is my Shepherd…” Ps. 80:1 refers to God as the “Shepherd of Israel.” Ps. 100:3 refers to God’s people as “the sheep of his pasture.” Is. 40:11 says about God “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” The gospels share parables of the loving shepherd who goes out of his way for even one lost sheep. To understand Jesus’ teaching here, we have to view it from the perspective of the shepherd and the sheep.
FREEDOM
The imagery here is that people are like sheep. Sheep are not the sharpest knives in the drawer. They are very naïve and not very intelligent. Max Lucado, in his book A Gentle Thunder, says, “Sheep aren’t smart. They tend to wander into running creeks for water, then their wool grows heavy and they drown. They need a shepherd to lead them to “calm water” (Ps. 23:2). They have no natural defense – no claws, no horns, no fangs. They are helpless. Sheep need a shepherd with a “rod and … walking stick” )Ps. 23:4) to protect them. They have no sense of direction. They need someone to lead them “on paths that are right” (Ps. 23:3). So do we. We, too, tend to be swept away by water we should have avoided. We have no defense against the evil lion who prowls about seeking who he might devour. We, too, get lost.” Is. 53:6, “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way…”
There’s not a lot of freedom when you’re lost. You frantically try to find your way. You use your logic. You use your wiles. You walk and walk and walk but you can’t find your way.
I remember a time when I was a young faculty member at a Junior week of church camp. I was in my early 20’s and made friends with several of the college age summer staff. We spent a lot of time together in our off hours.
One night after the kids went to bed, we decided that we’d take a walk down the roads surrounding the camp. You have to understand that this camp was out in a very rural area. Lots and lots of country lanes. We started off walking and took several turns thinking we could find our way back. Some heavy clouds set in and cut off the moon and the stars. It was so dark that we couldn’t even see the signs that told us what road we were on. And not one of us was bright enough to bring a flashlight.
We walked around in the country for hours! It seemed like we’d never get back to the camp. Even though we could move about all we wanted, we weren’t free. Because we were lost, we were trapped in our lostness. We didn’t feel safe. We didn’t feel secure. We definitely didn’t feel satisfied with our predicament. And just so you know, we did make it back. We’re not still lost in the country around White Mills, KY. That would be a trick, wouldn’t it? Preaching in Martinsville, IL but still lost in the country in KY?
Freedom isn’t about doing what you want to do. Freedom is knowing that you can function in a way that allows you to become the best that you can be. That’s the freedom we find in Jesus Christ – a freedom that provides safety and security from being lost.
In verse 7, Jesus call Himself “the gate” or “”the door” for the sheep. He’s referring to the door to the sheepfold. In the first century, there were two kinds of sheepfolds. The first was a communal sheepfold where folks in a particular town would put their sheep together and have a doorkeeper that kept the door shut through the night. Only the doorkeeper had the key to this sheepfold. This is the picture that Jesus paints in the first verses of John 10. However, in our section of this chapter for this morning, Jesus is referring to the second kind of sheepfold.
The second kind of sheepfold is the kind that was out in the wilderness. When the shepherd had the sheep grazing on the hills, he would build a sheepfold out of either stones or wood and put thorns at the top to ensure that anyone or anything trying to climb in would be severely discouraged. We’re not talking about rose thorns here. We’re talking about the huge thorns that grow in that region.
The interesting thing about this outlying sheepfold is that there was no door – simply an open area where the sheep could come in and go out. The shepherd himself was the door. At night, after all the sheep were inside, the shepherd would lie across the opening and nothing could go in or go our without his knowledge or approval.
When we trust the Good Shepherd, we can feel free. We are able to come and to go. As vs. 9 says, “to come in and go out and find pasture.” We’re not stuck. We’re not lost. We’re free! Through Christ, we shut the door to the old life of sin, guilt, pain, and loss. But it is also through Christ that we open the door to cleansing, relief, peace, and gain.
On a continuing basis, when Christ is our Shepherd, we can “come in and go out and find pasture”. “Going in” is the time you spend with Him. “Going out” is the time you spend in the world serving Him. “Pasture” means that we will never lack the power or provision to do what Christ asks us to do. J. Hudson Taylor said, “God’s work done God’s way will never lack God’s supply.”
FULFILLMENT
Jesus promises us life and that life in abundance. What do most people consider life in abundance to be? There are those who think that abundant life has to do with lots of money and material possessions. In Lk. 12:15, Jesus said, “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” There are others who would say that the abundant life includes power or fame or pleasure or any number of things. But those who go after money, possessions, power, fame, or pleasure will tell you that those things do not satisfy. You never get enough. There is no series of adventures, no program of pleasure, no treasury of money that will fill the void in your soul.
Jesus says that when He is our Shepherd, we will have what satisfies. In fact, Jesus says that not only will we have enough; we’ll have more than enough! Please take note that Jesus didn’t come just to give us good advice. Greater knowledge was not our deepest need. And He didn’t come to give us a perfect example of how to live. Guidance and more will power wasn’t our deepest need. Jesus didn’t come just to die so that he could offer us forgiveness – as if we could just get a clean slate and then be able to make it on our own. What Jesus says here goes beyond all of that. He came to give to you and to me life in such fullness that it satisfies us in abundance.
The original language here is interesting. The term translated as “abundant” in the NIV and “to the full” in the KJV is a superlative. You remember comparatives and superlatives from English class, right? Good, better, best. Which one of those words is the superlative? Best, right? How about great, greater, greatest? Let’s try full, fuller, fullest? Jesus is saying that the life He offers is better than best, greater than greatest, and fuller than fullest.
The term here literally means, “superabundant; overflowing; over and above a certain quantity; a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate.” A biblical phrase that expresses this concept is, “good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over.”
That’s how our God is, isn’t He? 1 Cor. 2:9 says, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.” Then in Eph. 3:20, Paul tells us that God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.”
Some people think that becoming a Christian means that your life becomes boring. There’s no adventure, there’s no excitement, there’s no pizzazz. Life is just one ho-hum, tedious, monotonous, drudgery because now you can’t do anything you used to do. If that describes your life as a Christian, you’ve missed the boat!
Let me tell you, when Jesus is your Shepherd, life is never dull. If you’re walking in faith, you’d better hang on because it’s going to get interesting. I guarantee that if your relationship with the Shepherd is where it’s supposed to be, you’d better be ready for the ride of your life. Things are never dull when you’re with Jesus. Just ask His disciples: there were confrontations with religious leaders, blind men given back their sight, lame men given back their abilities to walk, dead people brought back to life, storms stopped by one command: “Peace, be still!”, visitation with Moses and Elijah on the Mount of Transfiguration, much, much more.
Listen to how David describes life with the Good Shepherd in Psalm 23: “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.”
FAVOR
Jesus proclaimed early on that His mission had to do with offering God’s favor to us. In Luke 4, Jesus is at the synagogue in His hometown of Nazareth. It was His privilege to read the selected scripture for the day and then make comments on it. In Lk. 4:17-21 it says, “The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him,
and he began by saying to them, ‘Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.’” God’s favor is extended to us through His Son.
Notice that Jesus says in vs. 9, “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” The phrase “through me” in the original language is in the emphatic – there is no other gate or door. Salvation is through Jesus Christ alone. There is no other way to find favor with God than through His Son Jesus Christ. Jesus later says in Jn. 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Peter echoes this same thought in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under
heaven given to men by which we must be saved.”
The essence of life is found in the being of God. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit created us in their image. Sin has marred that image.
Life as God intended it can be seen in the Garden of Eden. Everything is right and wonderful because Adam and Eve were in relationship with God. They were in full fellowship with Him. What is it that destroyed that relationship? Sin. Sin brought death; the forfeiture of life.
Here’s what God said to Adam and Eve: “I love you. I want you to love Me. I want you to choose to love me and I want you to show you love me by being obedient to me. If you disobey, you die; you’ll forfeit life. You have the freedom and fulfillment of enjoying everything in this wonderful place except one thing – the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eat that fruit and you have disobeyed me. When you disobey, you die; you forfeit the life that I have given to you.”
We know what our ancestors chose. We know what we have chosen and what people continue to choose. We say, “I’d rather disobey than obey. I’d rather go my way than your way.” Prov. 14:12 warns: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” When tempted by the devil, Adam and Eve said what most people say: “I’d rather be god than let you be God.”
The apostle Paul in Eph. 2:1-3 says, “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying
the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects
of wrath.”
“You were dead.” How? Through transgressions and sins. The Bible is clear: disobedience is death. It’s spiritual death. Yes, we’re still breathing, eating, and sleeping but we are dead spiritually. Rom. 6:23 tells us that “the wages of sin is death.”
Jesus says in vs. 10 of our text, “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 devil wants to rob you of life. He wants to kill you and destroy you by keeping you in your sins. But the Good Shepherd wants you to know life in Him!
Let’s go back to Eph. 2. Remember Paul talked about being dean in our transgressions and sins. But let’s pick up that scripture passage where we left off. Eph. 2:4-5 says, “But because of his great love for us, God,
who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you
have been saved.”
What about the passage from Rom. 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death”? That’s only the first half. The rest of the verse says, “but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
CONCLUSION
The apostle John uses the term “life” more often than any other New Testament writer. Jn. 1:3 – “In him
was life, and that life was the light of men.” Jn. 11:25 – Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who
believes in me will live, even though he dies…” Jn. 14:6 – “I am the way and the truth and the life.”
Jn.20:30-– “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in
this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by
believing you may have life in his name.”
Years ago, there was a very wealthy man who, with his devoted young son, shared a passion for art
collecting. Together they traveled around the world, adding only the finest art treasures to their collection. Priceless works by Picasso, Van Gogh, Monet and many others adorned the walls of the family estate. The widowed father looked on with satisfaction as his only child became an experienced art collector. But the day came when war engulfed the nation, and the young man left to serve his country. After only a few short weeks, his father received a telegram that his beloved son had been killed while carrying a fellow soldier to a medic.
On Christmas morning a knock came at the door of the old man’s home, and as he opened the door, he was greeted by a soldier with a large package in his hand. He introduced himself to the man by saying, “I was a friend of your son. I was the one he was rescuing when he died. May I come in for a few moments? I have something to show you.”
“I’m an artist,” said the soldier, “and I want to give you this.” As the old man unwrapped the package, the paper gave way to reveal a portrait of his son. Though the art critics would never consider the work a piece of genius, the painting did feature the young man’s face in striking detail, and seemed to capture his personality.
The following spring, the old man became ill and passed away. The art world was in anticipation! According to the will of the old man, all of the art works would be auctioned. The day soon arrived, and art collectors from around the world gathered to bid on some of the world’s most spectacular paintings. The auction began with a painting that was not on any museum’s list. It was the painting of the man’s son. The auctioneer asked for an opening bid. The room was silent. “Who will open the bidding with $100?” he asked. Minutes passed with not a sound from those who came to buy. From the back of the room someone callously called out, “Who cares about that painting? It’s just a picture of his son. Let’s forget it and go on to the important paintings.” There were other voices which echoed in agreement. But the auctioneer replied, “No, we have to sell this one first. Now, who will take the son?”
Finally, a friend of the old man spoke. “I knew the boy, so I’d like to have it. I will bid the $100.” “I have a bid for $100,” called the auctioneer. “Will anyone go higher?” After a long silence, the auctioneer said, “Going once. Going twice. Gone.” The gavel fell. Cheers filled the room and someone was heard to say, “Now we can get on with it!”
But the auctioneer looked at the audience and announced the auction was over. Stunned disbelief quieted the room. Someone spoke up and asked, “What do you mean it’s over? We didn’t come here for a picture of some old guy’s son. What about all of these paintings? There are millions of dollars worth of art here! We demand that you explain what’s going on!” The auctioneer replied, “It’s very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son... gets it all.”
That is the essence of the story of Christmas: Whoever takes the Son gets it all. The Bible puts it like this in 1 Jn. 5:11-12 – “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
