Expect Life
Faith Expectations part 10
07/13/08 PM
Text: Various
[This lesson and this series are drawn from the writings of Tom Allen in his book “What to expect now that you believe.”]
Faith Expectations
This lesson is another in the series titled Faith Expectations. This series purpose is to explore those things our faith brings to us as we strive to walk in the way of Jesus. It is probably fair to say for many of us, if not all, that when we obeyed the call of the gospel, accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior, and been Baptized into Him there were some expectations of what our faith would do in us, for us, and through us. And we are justified in these expectations:
2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”
John 10:10b “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
As believers we should never lose the “great expectations” of our faith especially since the greatest expectation is yet to come, that being the return of our Lord and Savior. Until that day it remains for us to balance our expectations with the reality of living as sojourners in this world. And so let us consider a great expectation of our faith: Expect Life.
Introduction
Life as an expectation of our faith should not surprise anyone: John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whosoever beliveth in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
We who believe in Jesus expect eternal life and we’ll talk more about that in a moment. For now I’d like you to read with me another verse:
John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
I.Abundant Life
A.May Have Life
1.He came to put life into the flock, His church in particular. Christ came to vindicate divine truths, to purify divine ordinances, to redress grievances, and to revive dying zeal, to seek those of his flock that were lost
2.Matthew 18:11 “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.
3.As a criminal has when he is pardoned, as a sick man when he is cured, a dead man when he is raised; that we might be justified, sanctified, and at last glorified.
4.So, how do we understand this word abundant? In John 10:10, Christ uses the Greek word “perissos” pronounced per-is-sos’. In this context, it means ‘superior in quantity or quality’ ‘exceedingly’ ‘very high’ ‘advantage’ ‘beyond measure’. This is the exact same word that Paul uses in Ephesians 3:20 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.” A clue to our understanding of this word is to think about whom Paul is speaking: God.
a.We can consider it comparatively: that they might have a life more abundant than that which was lost and forfeited by sin.
b.Life more abundant than that which was promised by the law of Moses, length of days in Canaan, more abundant than could have been expected or than we are able to ask or think.
c.But it may be construed with no comparison in mind: that they might have abundance, or might have it abundantly. Christ came to give life and perisson ti - something more, something better, life with advantage; that in Christ we might not only live, but live comfortably, live plentifully, live in peace, with hope, and rejoice.
5.But Jesus said in John 10:10 “…that they may have life…” which means that it is possible to not have the abundant life which Jesus came to offer His sheep.
6.We need to know how we may ensure that we have the abundant life Jesus made available to us by His sacrifice.
B.And Have It Abundantly
1.The key is to understand that an abundant life is a yielded life. To what are we yielded? We can find the answer by reading Romans 6:10-14.
a.If we look carefully at the passage, we see that we have a choice to make. The choice is whether to yield to God or to the world. If we yield to God, we will enjoy an abundant life. If we yield to sin, we will have to endure a defeated life.
2.Another aspect is that the abundant life is a life of service with Christ as our model and example. We may not ever be called to be martyred for our faith in Christ, but there are many more ways to serve in an abundant life.
a.Read Romans 12:1-2
b.The verse asks that we “present” which is a choosing on our part to surrender to God and to His perfect will even though we may not always understand or see God’s will, we submit to it anyway because we cannot live an abundant life outside of God’s will.
c. Continuing on, we read “present your bodies” We must allow God to control all of us, the whole of us. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 tells us that our whole self is to be dedicated to a life of service to God. It says, “May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord and Jesus Christ.”
d. Completing the thought, “present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice”. The abundant life is one that is given completely to God at the expense of our own desires.
e.It has been said that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps climbing off the altar. Which brings us to a final aspect to consider of the abundant life
3.We are to know that we are sanctified by the blood of Jesus:
Hebrews 13:12 “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.”
a.To be sanctified is to be set apart, separated for a sacred purpose. We are set apart from the world for use of the purpose and will of God.
Romans 6:17-19 “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness, resulting in further lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness, resulting in sanctification.”
b.Romans 1:1 Paul identified himself as such: “Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God…”
c.We, like Paul, are set apart for the good news of Jesus, separated from the world. We must actively take ourselves out of the world and immerse ourselves in the word of Christ and His people. We are not to barricade ourselves away from the sinful and dying world, but not participate in the sinful and questionable activities that do not glorify God. This is being in the world, but not of it.
d.Romans 6:22-23 “But now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
C.Eternal Life
1.Everyone will live in eternity, the question is where.
2.Read Revelation 21:1-8
Conclusion: A life yielded to the will of God, given in humble obedience as a living and holy sacrifice, sanctified by the blood of Jesus will result in life, abundant life now and eternal life in heaven.
Invitation
