Abundant Life Jn. 10:10 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

Jesus promised us that he would give us life more abundantly [Jn 10:10].  That’s abundant life.  Many Christians don’t appear to have this abundant life that has been promised by Jesus Christ.  They have eternal life, but they live like everlasting life is something they don’t begin to enjoy until they die.

This failure to enjoy abundant life is like a girl who receives a beautiful jewelry box from her mother.  Inside one of the drawers is a very expensive, beautiful heirloom diamond ring.  In another compartment is a matching necklace.  But because the girl is satisfied to own a beautiful jewelry box, she never looks inside to find the diamond ring and necklace.  Likewise, many Christians are satisfied with just knowing that they aren’t going to hell when they die. And so, they never “tap into” the abundant life Christ promised us now.

I believe there are some reasons for this given in the Bible.  They don’t enjoy abundant life now because their hearts are filled with:

Abundant treasure – your treasure is what you value.  It gets stored up in your heart.  Many times, you can tell what this treasure is because you’ll talk about it. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,” [Lk 6:45].

Abundant possessions – Jesus said, “a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth,” [Lk 12:15].  We have too much stuff.

Abundant iniquity – Jesus said, “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold,” [Matt 24:12]. Christians are seeking pleasure from sin rather than from the Lord.

So, how do we “tap into” this abundant life?

First, we must believe Jesus [trust what he said] – Rom 14:23 says, “whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”  Many Christians don’t believe that they have this abundant life promised to us by the Lord.  This is partly the result of iniquity abounding these days.  If you don’t believe it, you will never receive it.

Second, we must empty our hearts of our treasure and possessions – Phil 3:7-8 Paul counted the loss of all things and look what he gained.  He said, “For to me to live is Christ,” [Phil 1:21].  He found the life that is in Christ.  Jesus said “I have come that they might have life.”  Contrast the life of Christians who have not found the life that is in Christ [Phil 2:21]. They “all seek their own!”

Third, we must let Christ live his life in us – Gal 2:20 Paul said, “Christ liveth in me.”  He does.  He is living inside of every Christian.  And then Paul said, “I live by the faith of the Son of God.” That’s right.  You “tap into” his abundant life by faith.  “The just shall live by faith.”  Enjoying abundant life in Christ requires absolute trust in Jesus.

Conclusion: don’t be like the girl who never found the diamond ring and necklace in her jewelry box.  You have been given abundant life in Jesus Christ.  Go ahead and suffer the loss of those things in your heart that stifle his life and, by faith, begin to enjoy the abundant life that is in Jesus.