However, let me tell you what the
abundant life is not. First, it is not necessarily a life of comfort and ease.
Sometimes we need to "go through the fire" in order for it to melt
away the impurities inside us. This is how God refines, and strengthens, and
matures us.
There is a beautiful picture of abundance in the Old Testament story of
Israel coming out of Egypt and into Canaan….
God delivered them from bondage and tried to give them great abundance, but
they were afraid of what it would cost them to get it. When they saw the giants
in the land they decided that the whole journey had been some cruel trick, and
it cost them abundant life. But, you see, Canaan does not represent heaven. I
don’t care how much we sing about crossing the Jordan, it was not heaven on the
other side. Canaan is a picture of abundant life, but those who went over the
Jordan River with Joshua fought for every inch of that land. Did God want to
give it to them? Was it a land of milk and honey? You bet it was – but trusting
in God they had to fight for every inch of it.
Don’t expect the abundant life to come easy. There are going to be
giants in the way: obstacles of some sort, but God desires for us to have the
abundant life that Jesus came to give, and He will help us all along the way,
if we let him.
Second, I have already mentioned once but it bears repeating; It is not
dependent on outside circumstances. It’s not what happens to you in this life
that is nearly as important as how you respond to it.
Third, it is not glamorous, flashy or outwardly impressive. fame or
fortune and million dollar homes and $500 suits are not where it is found. The
abundant life is much like that small gate and narrow road that Jesus told us
about in Matthew 7:13. The reason why so few will find it is because it takes
more EFFORT to find it. “I CAME THAT THEY MAY HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT MORE
ABUNDANTLY”.
A few years from now, Lord willing, you are going to be a few years
older. Either you will be a few years older and enjoying the abundant life, or
you will be a few years older and still not get it…
In John 10:10, Jesus uses the Greek word
“perissos” (pronounced per-is-sos’). In this context, it means ‘superior in
quantity or quality’ ‘exceedingly more’ or ‘very high’ or a “great advantage’
and ‘beyond measure’. This is the exact same word that Paul uses in Ephesians
3:20 that you hear at the close of services…“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly
abundantly “perissos” beyond all that we ask or think, according to the
power that works within us.” The abundant life is about a quality of life far
exceeding what most people settle for… And it’s available because Jesus came to
make it available. But it takes EFFORT on our part to discover what it really
is for each one of us.
See you next week.
See you next week.
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