The Abundant Life Of Jesus: Vi Series

The Abundant Life of Jesus:

Part VI: The Power of How?

John 10:10 Are we living an Abundant Life? Or are we barely

getting by, hoping to make it throught the day? Jesus wanted

us to live this life. so let’s really try.

Questions can help. I’ve shared that God "wired" our brains such

that if we ask, or hear a question, we HAVE TO ANSWER IT.

We can’t NOT ANSWER. Our brains, won’t let us. So, asking

negative questions, yields negative answers, "Why CAN’T I Lose

weight?" "Well," your brain will respond EVEN IF IT DOESN’T

KNOW THE ANSWER, "Because, uh, you’re big boned, a slob,

Italian, something, but it’s probably not your fault!"

We’ve been using questions, good positive questions to think

aboutand remove obstacles to this Abundant Life, the following are

really helpful:

Who does What, When, Why, Where, How, and How Long?

(Check out previous sermons in these areas)

The power of Who, the power of What, the power of When, the

power of Why, the power of Where, and today, the power of How!

INTRO: A famous story is told about Albert Einstein, how he

used to travel around lecturing. He didn’t like to do a lot of work, so

he prepared a single lecture, a "canned" lecture he used everywhere.

His chauffeur, after 20 or 30 times, told Mr. Einstein, he thought he

could give it. So Albert decided to have some fun and let him. The

chauffeur did pretty well, nearly perfect, until they came to

questions. One question was particularly difficult, to which the

man said, "Why that is so easy, even my chauffeur can answer it!"

And he let Mr. Einsein answer.

When it comes to this Abundant Life, many of us may think that

only a "rocket scientist" can do this thing.

Not! Everything you really need to know to live this life, you

already know, and everything you really need to do, you already

know how to do, to live the Abundant Life of Jesus.

Eph. 2:10, "You were created in Christ Jesus for a life of good

works which God has already prepared for you to do, that we should

walk in them."

God is saying, He’s already put it in us, we have to figure out HOW

to let it out.

Peter didn’t have to learn how to fish, or walk, he knew how to do

both; the miracle was how many fish he caught, and where he

walked (on water).

You probably ALREADY know everything YOU NEED to know,

and ALREADY know how to do everything you need to do in

order to live this life!

Anyone ever fish with a net. A round net. My uncle taught me how

to throw a round net; bite it in the center, hold it at 2 and 8 O’Clock

and kind of fling it out there. I can do that, if I went fishing, I

wouldn’t have to relearn that, I already know how.

Peter didn’t go to "fishing school, or walking school."

Peter already knew how to fish, Jesus didn’t teach him how to throw

the net, or pull it in. The miracle was how many fish wound up in

the net.

Neither did he learn how to walk, when he walked on water.

Walking was something he already knew and he was good at it, the

miracle was where he walked and not sinking.

Jehosaphat didn’t have to learn how to sing and praise the Lord, it

was something he was already good at; but, when in 2 Chr. 20, he

applies it TO THE HOPELESS SITUATION in which he is

confronted by 3 armies, it was the 3 armies who were defeated by

something Jehosaphat did, probably every day!

God takes ordinary things and makes them extraordinary and that’s

H O W God makes miracles happen.

So, we already know and can do everything we need to live this

abundant life!

Let’s dramatize the story of Jehosaphat for a minute. I need some

people to knock, Knocking, let me hear someone knock. (Rap, rap)

Is that the best you can do? You really don’t want to come in do

you (Bang, bang, bang!) In 2 Chr. 20, a knock comes, a servant

rushes in telling of an army coming and how we have no hope.

Another knock, another knock, 3 kings, 3 armies

(let the audience participate by knocking). the Amorites, Meunites,

and "Termites?"

Well, good king Jehosaphat knows what to do, he prays and

fasted, skipped the salad bar that night.

A prophet came in and said, "You’re not in trouble, THEY ARE!"

"You won’t even have to fight." "You do something you already

know how to do: Sing, praise the Lord and go for a walk!"

And the song was not: "No body knows the trouble I’ve seen."