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.
John 11:43-44 (no need to read again) is a powerful image of physical and spiritual rebirth.
Lazarus had been dead for four days. His body had started to decay. He was bound in grave clothes, physically helpless, and spiritually separated from life. But the moment Jesus spoke, life entered Lazarus’ lifeless body, and he was raised to new life. This miraculous act parallels the spiritual resurrection that all believers experience when they come to Jesus.
Before coming to Christ, we were spiritually dead in our sins. We were separated from the life that God intended for us. But when we hear His voice and respond to His invitation, He will brings us out of spiritual death and into new life. As Ephesians 2:1-5 says : “And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins...but God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ.” (Ephesians 2:1-5, NKJV)
Lazarus' physical resurrection demonstrates the power of Jesus to bring life where there was once death. Jesus is the "Resurrection and the Life" (John 11:25). Just as He called Lazarus out of the tomb, He calls each of us to step out of our spiritual death and into His eternal life. 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17, NKJV)
In Lazarus’ case, Jesus not only raised him to life, but He also commanded that the grave clothes be removed. These grave clothes were a symbol of death, the remnants of the old lifeless life Lazarus had been living. When Jesus called Lazarus out of the tomb, He didn’t leave him in his grave clothes. He told those around him, “Loose him, and let him go.” In the same way, when we come to Christ, we are not left in the grave clothes of our former sinful life. Jesus does not just give us new life—He sets us free from the bondages of sin, shame, and death. Romans 6:4 explains this transformation:
“Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4, NKJV)
Lazarus was no longer bound by death; he was free to live. Similarly, as believers, we are called to walk in the freedom that Christ gives, free from the bondage of sin and death. John 8:36 reminds us: “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36, NKJV)
III. We must have communion with Jesus.
Every time we come to the Lord’s table, we enter into a sacred, profound moment of fellowship with Jesus Christ Himself. The table is not merely a place where we share bread and wine; it is a sacred invitation to commune intimately with the Savior. It is a life-giving, soul-refreshing encounter where we receive not just physical sustenance, but also the spiritual nourishment that sustains us eternally. This invitation from Christ is clear, personal, and loving, as He says in Revelation 3:20: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” (Revelation 3:20, NKJV)
Here, Jesus is not merely offering a meal in a physical sense; He is offering Himself, an invitation to come and share life with Him. The act of dining together, especially in the ancient world, was deeply symbolic—it was a (indication) gesture of intimate fellowship. To share a meal with someone was - to share your heart with them, to engage in a bond of unity and love. It’s a picture of communion—communing not just in the physical act of eating, but in a spiritual bond that goes deeper than words. Again, this invitation is not just for the future, but it’s one that is given to us right now. Jesus is knocking on the door of our hearts today, just as He did when He said, “Come and dine” to His disciples. There’s a beautiful intimacy in this call: Jesus desires a personal, living relationship with each of us.
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus regularly invited His disciples and others to share meals with Him. In Luke 24:30-31, after His resurrection, He invites two of His disciples to a meal, and as He breaks the bread, their eyes are opened, and they recognize Him as the risen Lord. In John 21:12, after His resurrection, Jesus invites His disciples to breakfast on the shore. These meals are not merely about eating; they are moments of revelation, moments of intimacy where Jesus communicates His love and sustains His followers.
When we live our lives for Jesus—enjoying life, liberty, love, fellowship, and loyalty to Him—we experience the life He promised in John 10:10: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." Let me give you the bottom line. Many of us have problems. You ask, "What is the answer to my problem?" It’s not a what—it’s a who. His name is Jesus. He is the answer to your needs. All these challenges come down to one big issue: death. He came to save souls. No matter what you’re going through, remember that Jesus offers true life, real freedom, and an incredible, never-ending love. When you stick close to Him, you don’t have to fear anything—not even death itself. That’s what it means to have abundant life in Jesus! Amen.
