Theme: Abundant Life in Christ
Text: John 10:6-18
Introduction:
The Lord is good, and his love endures forever. Earlier, we had learned about life from the perspective of the earth. Now, we would learn life in Christ and life after death. To start with, let us meditate on the Abundant life in Christ.
John 10:10: Jesus told his followers about the purpose of his coming through a similitude of a good shepherd. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (NRSV). I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance to the full, till it overflows (AMPC). I came so that they could have life—indeed so that they could live life to the fullest (CEB). My purpose is to give life in all its fullness (TLB). I came so they can have real and eternal life, more and better life than they ever dreamed of (MSG). I came, that they have life, and have more plenteously (WYC).
Jesus, the good shepherd, is not going to abandon the sheep but give an abundance of everything and the fullness of life.
• Jesus is a Life-giver
• Jesus is an Abundant Life-giver
• Jesus is an Eternal Life-giver
Jesus is a Life-giver: There are many life insurance corporations all over the world. They can neither save your life nor give your life. Their assurance comes into effect after the life of the insurer. Insurance companies promise life support to your nominee after your life comes to an end. Your successor-in-interest is going to enjoy your insurance premium. Their assurance goes to the nominee of the insurer, but here Jesus assures that he has come so that they may have life. He has come as a life-giver. But Jesus came with a new life insurance plan. This plan helps you to have abundant life on the earth.
Life is a gift from God. He created all of us very wonderfully and beautifully (Psalm 139:14-15). He breathed his breath into our nostrils to have life (Genesis 2:7). Every day and in every stage of our lives. God is at work. According to Ezekiel 16:6, God gave life at our birth. The doctor and the nurses are looking at us and staring at us. Ezekiel describes, 'Then I passed by and saw you kicking about in your blood, and as you lay there in your blood, I said to you, “Live!”. Every birthday we must remember this verse and be thankful to the Lord. None of us has any right to live.
Then in our infant stage, he gave life. Moses, as three months old baby, floated on the waters of the Niles without destiny, without hope of life, but God prepared the princess to come to the river and save him, bring him up, train him in his life challenges (Exodus 2:3-10, Hebrews 11:24-25). Yes, the Lord allowed certain things to happen in our childhood to taste his love and testify for it.
He gave life at our adolescent stage and moulded us. Just think of Joseph his sojourn and sufferings for 13 long years to become a food minister and prime minister of Egypt (Genesis 50:20). We are what we are is a plan of God, and he brought us to this status.
Some of us have lost our life during our youthful days. We were dead and forgotten by many, sometimes by all. But Jesus gave life to us as he has given to a young man and a young girl. A young man was dead and carried for burial. He told that young man to get up. (Luke 7:14), to a young girl, Talitha Koum means little girl get up (Mark 5:35-36). Jesus brought back life to the dead persons. Today, whatever is our life situation and need, Jesus would give back and restore the lost blessings.
He gives life on our daily struggles: Jesus met a woman at a well of Samaria and led her to new life (John 4: 13). He healed a person at Bethesda Pool and made him walk with freedom from a longstanding ailment of life (John 5:8,15). Jesus met a man at Gadarenes and has given him a new life through restoring his humanity. Jesus gave him understanding and brought him to his senses. Henceforth that man lived as a sensible person (Mark 5:3-5,15). He is the best example of how Jesus changes a man’s life, purposes and destiny. That man went to Decapolis and witnessed for Christ (Mark 5:20).
Even at your old age, I will carry you (Isaiah 46:4). God is faithful, and he will be truthful to the end (1 Thessalonians 5:24. Psalm 48:14). Jesus involves in our day to day life experiences and blesses us. He is the life-giver. Also, he promised that he would give the abundant life.
2. Jesus is an Abundant Life-giver:
This chapter and the teaching Jesus has compared himself to the shepherd has emerged out of the conflict. Jesus had with the religious leaders of his day. The priests, scribes, people who held religious identity had betrayed the interest, and they lived contradictory to their call and vocation. They were corruptive and complacent. They never worried about the wellbeing of the sheep and the flock.
The goodness of the true shepherd comes at a cost. While the hired hand, who does not care for the sheep because they are not his own, runs away when the wolves come, the shepherd does not. The good shepherd lays down his life. This phrase is repeated five times in these nine verses.
A Shepherd and his goodness need to draw from two biblical texts such as Ezekiel 34 and Psalm 23 (ref:workingpreacher.org/ Mesda Stamper, Presbyterian Pastor). Both these texts have richly stuffed to communicate the greatness and goodness of this good shepherd.
Jacob and David are the best examples of truth and good shepherds. Jacob was accountable to his father-in-law for any loss or dead sheep (Genesis 31:38-39). David had risked his life twice to fight against a Lion and a Bear(1 Samuel 17:34-38). Jesus is with us to give us abundant life. He is with us to feed us, tends us, and save us from the teeth and clutches of the enemies. He is the source of abundant life.
Life squeezer, stealer, the thief is the one who comes with selfish and personal gain motive. He does not visit frequently, and he comes whenever there is a need for his survival. The thief comes for his selfish purposes and the ruin of the flock (Ref: biblehub.com/Ellicott).
Psalmist King David sang of green pastures, waters of rest, prepared table, and overflowing cup is the experiences of the sheep. John, in his Gospel, says that the fullness of grace found in Jesus Christ (John 1:16-17). Many shepherds may not be thieves. Yet, they are careless in their duty and negligent of their flock. It brings much hurt to God. Evil principles are the root of bad practices (Ref: biblehub.com/
Matthew Henry).
False teachers have no other end in view but to enrich or aggrandize themselves (Ref: biblehub.com/Barnes). The false teachers and thieves come without any call or derivation of authority from Jesus, thrust themselves into the care and conduct of the church of God. They do no good design to the souls of people not cared or respect, but merely they serve themselves in the ruin of believers (Ref: biblehub.com/Matthew Poole).
Abundant life found in the Word of God. The holistic life only found in Christ. The right living refers to living mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually, and nutritionally. The abundant life comes by trusting in the intelligent design of God, believing that God’s ways are the best. It includes Torah, laws, rulings, commands, and teachings (ref: rebeccaschartner. com).
3. Jesus is an Eternal Life-giver
Jesus said whoever believes in him has crossed over death to life (John 5:24-27), and will have eternal life (John 3;15, 36). Jesus told his disciples that he was the bread of life (John 6:35). The word life always meant an immortal state of existence, spiritual existence. The life of Jesus comes to us through eating his flesh and drinking his blood. It is symbolically listening to the Word of God day after day and seeking his presence and the power of the Holy Spirit for every walk of life (John 6:53-58).
Rich fulness of nourishment (Psalms 23:1-2), the abundance of spiritual possessions of grace, and truth are found in the words of Christ Jesus (John 1:14; John 1:17). It gives life with joy, constantly increasing blessing. It may mean an abundance of life, but more probably abundant of all that sustains life, and finally leading to eternity (Expositor Greek Testament).
Losing our gain, profits of the life and identifying with Christ gives an assurance of eternal life (John 12:25). Knowing the father and Jesus is the guarantee that you have attained Eternal life (John 17:3).
Words of God are pure and sweet (Psalm 19:7). Psalm 36:8: You feed them from the abundance of your own house, letting them drink from your river of delights. Psalm 16:11: In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forever. Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
God feeds and nourishes the flock of Christ with truths of his word of grace, every occurrence in life is beneficial, and all things work together for their good (ref: studylight.org/Adam Clark).
In Israel, there were walled enclosures without a door. All the sheep were led in and stay the whole night. The shepherd would lie at the gate as a door. Without touching him, nothing can go in or come out. No thief, no wolf can get in, and no sheep can get out without crossing him. Jesus used this picturesque to indicate the life in and out in Christ (ref: studylight.org/ Chuck Smith).
Conclusion:
Jesus feeds us, leads us and gathers us at eternity. He is our refuge in the world and The God at the heavenly places. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25). He gives life and livelihood, gives abundant life and grace, and he gives them eternal life.
