The Abundant Life In The Shepherd

The Abundant life in the Shepherd

John 10:7-21

Good Morning… Glad that you have joined us today.

I have titled the message today … The Abundant life in the Shepherd. The life we can have when we are in a right relationship in Jesus.

Please turn to John 10

Think about this for a moment… we are in the Lenten season, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday.

What are we as believers to do in this time frame? These 40 days.

We are to reflect and prepare ourselves for the gospel truth of the resurrection of Jesus and allow Him to change how you and I think and how you and I act.

If it only becomes information it is at best educational.

If it is only a tradition, it is only something you do mechanically.

If we reflect by hearing the word only but don’t apply and respond to the Word, it cannot change our lives.

Tomorrow night we start a revival service with Dr. Manley from Nashville Tn. Our church will be full with multiple churches coming from all over to hear him speak.

My prayer is that the Lord will change your life and my life.

That you and I because I will be here for the same reason is to be changed and motivated more to the things of God.

How we respond to the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ will make the difference in our lives.

Prayer-

John 10:1-6 Red letter writing- Jesus speaking

Jesus begins telling the crowd and the Pharisees about Him being the Good Shepherd and his qualities as a shepherd.

He says that there is a narrow gate and he is that gate and all that enter any other way are thieves and robbers.

(6) “Jesus used this figure of speech, but they did not understand what he was telling them.”

They don’t get it, they often didn’t understand his parables and had to have Jesus interpret the meaning…Starting at verse 7 He does that…

John 10:7-21 Read from Bible

Jesus in this passage of scripture paints a picture for each of us this morning.

I (Jesus) have the words of life… There may be many gates in the world but I am the only way to heaven.

He shows us that there is only one way to Christ. Me.

I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through

You cannot take a short cut, you cannot earn it.

He shows us that he is the real deal-

If we are going to be the sheep of his pasture, we will listen for His voice.

We will distinguish his voice from the many voices calling today.

He uses the analogy of being the gate.

All roads don’t lead to God

Any other ways suggested are suggested by thieves and robbers who rob us of our souls.

I know in this day and age of tolerance, that is being narrow minded, that is what it is....narrow but truthful.

One of the key verses (10) is that the devil wants to kill, steal, and destroy your life

... But that God wants to give us abundant life. Not only for us to experience heaven but in our everyday living with Jesus as Lord.

I have said this before- we are on a journey.

From the first breath until the last, the life we live between them determines eternity for us.

Down inside each of us, weather we want to admit it or not is a sense that there has to be more to life than just existing.

How many know what I mean?

Millions of people everyday live this life- they go to work, they come home, eat dinner, watch T.V., go to bed…that is their life and then eventually die.

They never really experience what they would call abundant life- they have just existed.

Jesus tells us:

As a child of God, we can live a life of abundance “or a life of full”

The definition of abundance is full, complete.

Jesus says that it is possible to live full and complete lives.

Rick Warren- “This idea that God wants everybody to be wealthy?

Bologna. It’s creating a false idol. You don’t measure your self worth by your net worth.”

God invites us to have abundant life- it‘s not for everyone, He invites those where Jesus is Lord, the shepherd of their lives- to experience life in its fullness, WITH HIS POWER, HIS SPIRIT, HIS BLESSINGS, AND HIS GUIDANCE!

Our world is full of dissatisfied people.

They are looking for answers for why they are feeling empty. (Anything without Jesus is emptiness and a void in their life)

They try everything and listen to no one.

They think one more possession.

One more relationship, one more way of making money...this is how they will achieve.