Sermon Notes
Do You Have an Abundant Life?
John 10:10 (Missionary Kwak)
The Thief comes to kill, steal, and destroy. But I have come that they may have Life and have it to the full.
Jesus said, “I have come that you may have Life, and have it abundantly.”
Some time ago, after returning to Korea from India, I saw on TV a documentary about a shoemaker. There was no one to talk with in the dark room, and he said, “Can I talk to the TV? Can it talk back to me? It’s better to get back to work to meet my customers, to talk with them and laugh with them.”
So many people want happiness. Does TV do that? Does fellowship with people give us real satisfaction in life?
People seek fleeting pleasures in life.
Money: can it give real joy? Billionaires have real life, joy, satisfaction? How about fame? Military power? Military glory?
Alexander the Great conquered the whole known world at that time, and he wept saying, “There are no more worlds to conquer.”
Today, people enjoy many (exciting) games in the smartphone. Many Koreans enjoy tourism. Does this give real satisfaction.
Jesus says, “I have come that I may give you life and abundant life.”
Greek “ego, enor, equasin…”
“I have come ‘ego ethon’.”
First pronoun = “I” empathetic – I did not send an angel, prophet, or anyone else, “I MYSELF came”
“I came to lay down my life to give you life. To sacrifice my life to give you abundant life.”
- He took our sorrows to give us joy.
- He suffered the pain of the cross to give us true happiness.
- He suffered bitterness to give us sweetness.
- To give life. Abundant life.
The Greek verse says, “presson” = abundantly (abundant – adjective or adverb – two ways to translate it).
What is abundant life?
He did everything to give us abundant life, so he should have abundant life, he showed abundant life.
What is abundant life?
To be filled with the Holy Spirit – then you will have abundant life – enjoying true satisfaction in Christ. Jesus said, “God has a gift to give you. If you drink this (vinegar) water, you will thirst again, but I have true water – that will well up in you to eternal life.” John 4:14
John 6:38 “The Holy Spirit is like the rivers of living water.”
Psalm 1 “The righteous person is like a tree planted by the streams of water.” They grow high with green leaves and bear their fruit in season.
The land receives rain and produces flowers and trees and the trees bear fruit.
When the rivers of Living Water flow in our hearts, we’ll become beautiful – have flowers (no need for makeup). You will start to bear fruit.
#2: Romans 14:17 “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness and peace and joy in the HS.”
1 Peter 1:8 “Even though you haven’t seen him, you love him, and even though you don’t see him now, you are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.”
When I traveled to Jeonju (from India) my son called me and asked, “What are you doing?” “Sitting on the bus.” “Oh, seems boring.” But I never felt bored since I believed in Jesus. There’s no time to be bored. God gave us true joy.
In 2011, one institute had a survey – with 21 countries. It said, 87% of Indian ladies have a stressful life. 45% of Korean ladies do not feel happy in their marriages. Many ladies are oppressed by men. They do not feel happy. But our Lord came to give REAL joy in our lives.
#3: Fueled with the peace of God
Peace like a river
You have many anxieties and worries and fears, but our Lord gives us peace. Let the peace flow in our hearts.
I can feel the peace of God. It’s real. He gives TRUE peace.
When I was a child, I had LOTS of worries. God gave me. Phil 4:6-7 “Do not worry about anything, but in everything with prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts in Christ Jesus.”
God will guard our hearts securely – he will be our security against the thieves and robbers of this world.
Abundant life = true satisfaction, spiritual satisfaction, divine love
1 John 3 “We know that we have passed from death to life because we love our brothers. Anyone who doesn’t love is still dead.”
Divine Love is an attribute from God. When you have this attribute, you have love from God.
Jesus says, “You can have abundant life in the HERE and NOW.”
Jeus died on the cross to give us abundant life. He came to give us abundant life. Do you enjoy this abundant life in your daily life?
Are you always happy? Always joyful? We need this abundant life right now, here.
How can we have this life?
#1: I’m the good Shepherd and the good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
John 6:55 “My flesh is real food and my blo0d is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood…will have abundant life.” That’s the food for our spirits, we need his sacrifice, his life, his blood. We must remind ourselves again and again of his sacrifice for us on the cross. His blood gives us life.
#2: I’m the Door/Gate.
Greek (ego enni edura) – “I’m the only door.” If you pass through this door, you will have salvation, sins forgiven, you’ll be cleansed, sins washed away, you’ll have rest, peace, life.
“Whoever enters through me will be saved and he will come in and go out and find pasture.”
If we are saved in him, we will find delicious food for our spirits in him. He is the only door to find pasture for our spirits.
Last Thursday, I visited a staff member 108/208. I pressed the bell, but nobody came. Ooops… Got the wrong building. So I went to the next building and got the right unit number, and the door is open.
Like this, Christ is an open door. We can go to the open door and find it open with delicious food for our spirits. And this food is healthy, and we can receive healthy and abundant life.
#3: OBEY his words
- John 10:1, 6 Jesus is compared to the Good Shepherd, and the sheep follow the Shepherd.
- John 10:2 “The man who enters by the gate is the Shepherd of the sheep and he is the watchmen for the sheep and he calls them by name and watches out for them.”
- John 10:4 “They follow him because they know his voice, but they will not recognize a stranger’s voice, because they do not know his voice.”
Voice = 3 times here.
If you have a dog, and you move away even 2,800km, the dog can come back to you.
But the sheep is different, he can only see up to 3 feet or 2 meters in front of him – but they are very sensitive in hearing. So, they must pay attention to the voice of the shepherd. If they don’t pay attention to the voice of the shepherd, they can fall off the cliff, into danger, etc.
There are MANY voices and sounds trying to drown out the Shepherd’s voice these days: TV, phones, games, Facebook, cults, religious leaders, politicians, shopping malls, etc, etc.
But we must pay attention to HIS voice and follow him.
How can we hear his voice?
- Through the sermons.
- Through meditation on the Scriptures.
- While we pray.
There are many voices in this world. Many sounds. But turn away from the voice of the world and turn to the True Shepherd. Obey his commands.
Many people know the Bible well, memorize the Scriptures, but few keep his commands.
John 14:15 “If you love me, keep my commands. You are my friends if you keep my commands.”
Our Lord looks for the people who listen for his voice and keep his commands. Then, you will have abundant life.
He’s your Lord, he’s your King.
Let’s pray.