John 10:10
Many times the Lord Jesus used the expression "I am," which is one of the titles of deity. The word am is the present singular of be. It means something that is happening at this present moment. Jesus is saying here, "I am,". Not will be, not maybe, not might be, but I am. When we search the scriptures we find that Jesus said; "I am the father of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, Before Abraham was, I am." "I am the living bread which came down from heaven", "I am the bread of life he that commeth to me shall never hunger", "I am the light of the world", I am the resurrection and the life", "I am the way, the truth and the life", "I am the true vine ye are the branches". Then in our text today he says, I am the door, I am the good shepherd, I am come that that ye might have life and have it more abundantly. Each time Jesus said I am, he was making a claim to be equal with God the Father. Here he presented himself as the good shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep. Ordinarily, the sheep were called upon to lay down their lives for the shepherd. But the Lord Jesus died for the flock.
The enemy will always try to rob God’s children. The text today says that the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. But Jesus came that we might enjoy abundant life and victory. One song writer wrote the words "Victory, Victory, shall be mine, If I hold my peace and let the Lord fight my battle, victory, victory, shall be mine.
Television commercials claim that the abundant life goes along with drinking beer, wearing a certain kind of tennis shoes, or driving a certain type of car. You can’t find abundant living in a can or in a bottle or a pair of tennis shoes or a car. You can’t find abundant life in a capsule or a pill or in cocaine or marijuana or any kind of drug. John 10:10 says that abundant living is only found in Jesus.
John 10:10 says the thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill and to destroy. Through the devil’s empty pictures of fame, money, and drugs, he steals from, kills, and destroys people. But God’s idea is different. Jesus says I am come that they might have life, and they might have it more abundantly.
There are some keys to living the abundant life. One of the secrets to abundant living is service- service to God and to others. A lot of folk don’t want to serve nobody. They won’t do anything for anybody but themselves. But if we serve Christ, we will want to serve others. In serving others, we learn how to live the abundant life.
Abundant living is a total surrender to Jesus Christ. It is a lifetime commitment to serve him. If a man is in good health, obtain wealth, a good family, and a fancy home, yet never experiences the saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, he isn’t living. He is merely existing. I hate to say that some of us today are not really living, we are just existing. We are like dead dried up bones in the valley. That’s why some of us can’t praise the Lord. Somebody said, "Anything dead ought to be buried, "I’m mighty afraid that some of us need to be buried today.
Abundant living does not exist until we have completely committed ourselves to Jesus Christ. Our commitment must compel us to say "no" to temptation, and "no" to everything that is contrary to the Word of God.
I’m not talking about just paying lip service. A lot of us say for God we will live and for God we will surely die, but it is only lip service. When it comes time to face the challenges of this life, when it comes time to find us at our post of duty, when it comes time to be fully committed, we are no where to be found. We either have to commit to the things of the world, or commit to God. There is no in-between. Jesus told the church at Laodicea, "I know thy works, that thou are neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. But because you are lukewarm,” I will spew thee out of my mouth." The problem with us today is that there are too many churches that are deceiving folk into thinking that they are the church of God and they are so lukewarm that God doesn’t have any part in it. The church has too many halfhearted Christians in it. These Christens think they are getting away with their lack of commitment to God and His Word. But the bible says that halfhearted Christians are lukewarm. No man can serve two masters, he has to hate the one and love the other or either he has to love the one and hate the other. It’s sad to say that there are too many folk who think they are right with God, but they are lukewarm and don’t even know it.
When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, you are just beginning to really live. You have eternal life now while you live on this earth. And Heaven, not hell, is your destination! But if you don’t accept Christ, your life lacks the best things that are here on earth-- love, joy, peace and you are headed toward eternal death. You can either have abundant life and eternal life here with Heaven waiting for you, or you can have Satan’s so called good life with eternal death awaiting you just over the hilltop. It is your choice.
Abundant living grows out of church affiliation. Church affiliation is more than just having your name on the roll book. God don’t need no part time Christians. Church affiliation means faithful service to that church. It means fellowship. It means being involved in the programs the church has to offer. Many folk will say they belong to such-and-such church, even though they haven’t been inside that church in years.
Abundant living also means separating ourselves from the world. The Bible says we are in the world, but we are not of the world. You see, when we are born again, there are some things we just don’t do.
When you are full of God and the things of God, you have a new walk, you have a new talk, you act different, you listen to different music, you drink different beverages, you think differently.
As a Child of God, you need to lay aside worldliness. Hebrews 12:1 says let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us." According to the word of God, anything that is not in line with the Word is worldly. We have to live in this world, but we don’t have to be a part of the sin and rebellion that is in this world.
Abundant living means living your life according to God’s Word. You can’t follow God unless you are going his way. Have you ever tried to follow someone who was going the opposite way of where you were going? It isn’t possible. You must be going in the same direction in order to follow someone. When you are going in the same direction, you are involved in the same things, and you see things in he same way.
It’s time that church folk quit walking with Mr. Beer, Mr. Malt Liquor, and Mr. Wine Cooler. It’s time for church folk to have a shut in instead of closing the bars. It’s time for church folk to dance in the isles of the church instead of dancing in the nightclub. The bible says be not drunk with wine, but be ye filled with the spirit. The bible says "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" God wants his children to enjoy life and have fun. and when you have fun in God, you get up the next morning and you don’t have a hangover. In fact, when you get filled with the spirit of God, you’ll have an everlasting high. You don’t have to keep getting a fix. God will take you on a spiritual high from which you need never to come down.
Abundant living is enjoying intimate fellowship with God. Intimate fellowship with God is prayer and Bible study. Some folk will grab a scripture and read it because they feel that it’s their duty. But bible study is diligent reading and meditating on the Word. Prayer is talking to God. I’m mighty skeptical of the Christian who says that he can’t pray out loud. If you really know the Lord, you ought to be able to talk to him anywhere and anytime. I don’t know about you but, I’d go to the White House today and tell President Bush, for God I’ll live and for God I’ll surely die. Some folks prayers are like the one you may have learned when you were a little child. "Now I lay me down to sleep." But you see, when you are really in communion with God, it’s like the old song says, “ He walks with me, and he talks with me, and he tells me I am his own. And the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known."
How do we know we are living the abundant life? It’s when we know and act upon the fact that our sins have been forgiven. We should shine as bright lights in this dark world, telling others what God has done for us. We should warn men, women, girls, and boys that the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life.
We will also know that we are living the abundant life when we commune with God and put His Word first in everything. When the world has forsaken us, and we feel all alone, Jesus tells us, "I will never leave you, nor forsake you." When your friends turn their backs on you, you can hear Jesus say, "I am a friend who sticks closer than a brother." When the responsibilities of this life come in like a flood and you feel overwhelmed, you can hear Jesus call to you, "You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you." In the time of need, all your resources may seem to dry up. But you can hear Jesus say, "My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory."
I’m so glad that this world is not my home, I’m just a stranger down hear traveling through this barren land. One of this days I’m going to get two wings, two wings to veil my feet, two wings to veil my face, to wings to fly away so the world can’t do me no harm. I want to hear him say "Well done, thou good and faithful servant, you’ve been faithful over a few things, come on up a little higher, I’m going to make you ruler over many.
