John 10:10 ~ Abundant Life

Brethren,Had a request from a pastor that is looking to do some preaching on the theme of abundant life. "The thief cometh not, but that he may steal, and kill, and destroy: I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly" John 10:10In looking for resources the thought dawned on me what a fine resource you all are. If there is any messages that you have heard here, articles read or just your own take on what Jesus meant when He said these words, please share.Already it has given me pause to reflect on just what this all entails, in the context which He was speaking.

I have just recently discovered these forums -- and am thankful for that. I find it interesting that there have been a large number of reviews of this post but no contributions. Holding a firm position on what the Abundant Life is, at least to me, a struggle. Does the committed Christian have a more successful and problem-free life here on earth? It is nice to think so. But I think not. In fact, Christians often go through some tough times and develop their faith in the process. As the gospel song puts it, "Through it all, Through it all, I've learned to trust in Jesus, I've learned to trust in God." - - - - - For a Scripture, I recommend Luke 12:15 -- And He said unto them, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consists not in the abundance of the things which he possesses." (Note the reference to 'abundance' in this verse.)

Jesus said "I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly"I see the Holy Spirit filling the apostles on Pentecost, and the whole book of Acts as abundant life.Enoch walked with God.Paul in the fellowship in His sufferings.Jesus is the life, the Holy Spirit is the abundance, and absolute surrender is the way to be filled with this.I think of the 14th episode of Ray Comforts Way of the Masters series. Where he goes around New York City and asks people what comes to their mind when he says "God has a wonderful plan for your life". The peoples responses are incredible.They are very far from the Heart of our Father God. It is only when we draw near to the heart of our Father God That we can begin to comprehend what the wonderful-abundant life God has in store for us on earth and in eternity.What can hold this abundant life from us...? Unbelief.I want to add some excerpts from "With Christ in the School of Prayer" by Andrew Murray Chapter 13 titled Prayer and fasting. I read this today.‘Then came the disciples to Jesus apart, and said, Why could not we cast him out? And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, nothing shall be impossible to you. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting’—Matt. 17:19-21Jesus tells them, is not possible except to men living in very close fellowship with God, and in very special separation from the world—in prayer and fasting.Faith can only live by feeding on what is Divine, on God Himself.Many Christians cannot understand what is meant by the much prayer they sometimes hear spoken of: they can form no conception, nor do they feel the need, of spending hours with God. But what the Master says, the experience of His people has confirmed: men of strong faith are men of much prayer. Oh! If we do but give ourselves up to the work God has for us in the world!While ordinary Christians imagine that all that is not positively forbidden and sinful is lawful to them, and seek to retain as much as possible of this world, with its property, its literature, its enjoyments, the truly consecrated soul is as the soldier who carries only what he needs for the warfare. Laying aside every weight, as well as the easily besetting sin, afraid of entangling himself with the affairs of this life,

Changedlife wrote: Does the committed Christian have a more successful and problem-free life here on earth? It is nice to think so. But I think not. In fact, Christians often go through some tough times and develop their faith in the process.This is a thought from Br. Yun, in his testimony, "The Heavenly Man." It can be found on the "Back to Jerusalem," webpage."There are many ways the Lord may lead a Christian during his or her life, but I'm convinced that the path of every believer will sooner or later include suffering. The Lord give us these trials to keep us humble and dependent on him for our sustenance." page 310In ChristJeff

hredii wrote:I think of the 14th episode of Ray Comforts Way of the Masters series. Where he goes around New York City and asks people what comes to their mind when he says "God has a wonderful plan for your life". The peoples responses are incredible.They are very far from the Heart of our Father God. It is only when we draw near to the heart of our Father God That we can begin to comprehend what the wonderful-abundant life God has in store for us on earth and in eternity.Brother Yun, a Chinese misionary wrote about his observations of Western Christianity."Many churches look beautiful on the outside, but are dead where it counts, on the inside. If you truly want to see God move, the two main things you must do is learn the Word of God and have the obedience to do what God tells you to do. In Finland in 1999 I was asked to be one of the main speakers at a conference attended by about one thousand church leaders. The main speaker was a well-known American preacher. Every time he spoke it was about the love and goodness of God. During the prayer time everyone fell down on the floor and laughed.After I spoke I commanded people to kneel down at the foot of the cross of Jesus, and they wept! Tears always come first before the Lord truly moves. He will never pour his blessing out on unsanctified and selfish flesh. The cross of Jesus must be at the center of everything we do." page 298-299.In Christ Jeff

Thanks folks,I think there may be some different ideas out there about what the Lord meant, especially if we just key in on that one phrase.Haven't given this a lot of thought especially in light of recent events, but there is some things I am wondering about. One is the context of what was spoken before as well as after.This is all part of the dialogue continuing with the Pharisees and their chastising of the blind man who Jesus healed;(Joh 9:34) They said to him, "You were born entirely in sins, and you are trying to instruct us?" And they threw him out. Jesus heard that they had thrown him out. So when he found him, he said, "Do you believe in the Son of Man?" He answered, "And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him." Jesus said to him, "You have seen him. He is the person who is talking with you." He said, "Lord, I do believe," and worshiped him. Then Jesus said, "I have come into this world for judgment, so that those who are blind may see, and those who see may become blind." Some of the Pharisees who were near him overheard this and said to him, "We aren't blind, too, are we?" Jesus told them, "If you were blind, you would not have any sin. But now that you insist,'We see,' your sin remains." "Truly, truly I tell you, the person who does not enter the sheepfold through the gate, but climbs in by some other way, is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. It is to him the gatekeeper opens the gate, and it is his voice the sheep hear. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has driven out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they recognize his voice. They will never follow a stranger, but will run away from him because they do not recognize the voice of strangers." Jesus used this illustration with them, but they didn't understand what he was saying to them. So again Jesus said, "Truly, truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. If anyone enters through me, he will be saved. He will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal, slaughter, and destroy. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming, deserts the sheep, and runs away. So the wolf snatches them and scatters them. For he is a hired hand, and the sheep do not matter to him. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must lead these also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock and one shepherd. This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it back again. No one is taking it from me; I lay it down of my own free will. I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it back again. This is a command that I have received from my Father." Once again there was a division among the Jews because of these words. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is insane. Why bother listening to him?" Others were saying, "These are not the words of a man who is demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can it?" Now Hanukkah was taking place in Jerusalem. It was winter, and Jesus was walking around in the temple inside the open porch of Solomon. So the Jews surrounded him and said to him, "How long are you going to keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell us so plainly." Jesus answered them, "I have told you, but you do not believe it. The works that I do in my Father's name testify on my behalf, but you do not believe because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will neverperish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it from the Father's hand. I and the Father are one." Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him to death. Jesus replied to them, "I have shown you many good works from my Father. For which of them are you going to stone me?" The Jews answered him, "We are not going to stone you for a good work but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, are making yourself God!" Jesus replied to them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I said, "You are gods"'? If he called those to whom the word of God came 'gods' (and the Scripture cannot be set aside), how can you say to the one whom the Father has consecrated and sent into the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'? If I am not doing my Father's works, do not believe me. But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father." Again they tried to seize him, but he slipped away out of their hands. Then he went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing at first, and he remained there. Many people came to him and kept saying, "John never performed a sign, but all the things that John said about this man were true!" And many believed in him there. (Joh 10:42)Purposefully left out the verse numbers to try and get a better feel for the whole of what was taking place there. So with that in mind, wondering if this would give us different perspective? I don't really know, it does seem that He was still keying in on "my sheep" even toward the later verses, but still need to think and meditate on this some more.A quick thought; It is Jesus who is the 'more' and the 'abundant'...

Already it has given me pause to reflect on just what this all entails, in the context which He was speaking.There are two questions that must be meditated upon. First, by what means does a disciple of Jesus begin to learn of this life? Secondly, what will be the evidence of an abundant life for those who are His?John 9:41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, ‘We see.’ Therefore your sin remains. 1 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep."In this Scripture Jesus teaches us about man's inability to know Him. These Pharisees said that they could see. Yet Jesus teaches just the opposite thought. He tells them, "If you were blind you would have no sin; but now you say, "We see." A disciple of Christ, in time, would begin to understand that without the guidance of the Holy Spirit, one is blind. As a disciple of Christ accepts this principle, he learns that he must not rely on his carnal mind and strenght but must continue to surrender to the leading of the Holy Spirit. You see, the Pharisees have not come to the understanding of this principle which defines a disciple of Christ. Now Jesus defines who can know the eternal life.3 To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”It is by hearing His voice that the sheep know Him. All those who know His voice will in time be able to discern between the true and false shepherds. So a disciple will hear His voice. This is a promise. How many times do we deny His voice? How dull is our hearing? To answer the second question, what does His abundance bring to His disciple. One can surely find the nature of the abundance He speaks of in Matthew chapter 5.3 \t“Blessed are the poor in spirit,\t\tFor theirs is the kingdom of heaven.4 \tBlessed are those who mourn,\t\tFor they shall be comforted.5 \tBlessed are the meek,\t\tFor they shall inherit the earth.6 \tBlessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,\t\tFor they shall be filled.7 \tBlessed are the merciful,\t\tFor they shall obtain mercy.8 \tBlessed are the pure in heart,\t\tFor they shall see God.9 \tBlessed are the peacemakers,\t\tFor they shall be called sons of God.10 \tBlessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,\t\tFor theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.The abundance and the nature of the evidence is clearly defined by these verses. The abundance that Jesus speaks of will not sound appealing to who don't know His voice.If one would like to read about abundance that Jesus brings, purchase the book I have just finished. The Heavenly Man. It might surprise many who have a different concept of abundance.In ChristJeff

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (Joh 10:10 KJV)‘Life’ is one of the great themes of John’s writing.Joh 1:4; Joh 3:15,16,36. Joh 4:14,36. Joh 5:24, 26, 29, 39, 40.Joh 6:27, 33, 35, 40, 47, 48, 51, 53, 54, 63, 68. Joh 8:12; Joh 10:10, 11, 15, 17, 28. Joh 11:25; Joh 12:25, 50.Joh 13:37, 38. Joh 14:6; Joh 15:13; Joh 17:2, 3. Joh 20:31;1Jo 1:1, 2.1Jo 2:16, 25. 1Jo 3:14, 15, 16. 1Jo 5:11, 12, 13, 16, 20.The first verse here sets the scene. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (Joh 1:4 KJV) To John ‘life’ is never detachable. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. (1Jo 5:11-12 KJV)It was ‘life’ that captured John’s attention and heart (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) (1Jo 1:2 KJV) John had experienced ‘life’ second-hand, having seen it ‘manifest’ in the Son of God.John’s gospel is the gospel of ‘the life manifest’; No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (Joh 1:18 KJV)But throughout John’s gospel there are promises that men need not be content with seeing ‘life’ second-hand; promises of life to be imparted and received. The promise of ‘the life of the ages’ i.e. eternal life. Not just longer but from an entirely different scource. That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (Joh 3:15-16 KJV) The promise of life, not in heaven when we die, but on earth and on the inside; But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (Joh 4:14 KJV) This life is not detachable but it is transferable.The receiving of this life would be an instant transfer too from death to life; Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; (Joh 5:24-26 KJV) That ‘life’ may have channels but it only has one source; Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life. (Joh 5:39-40 KJV)This life will not be bolt-on but will be ‘life’ on the inside. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. (Joh 6:33-35 KJV) This is not ‘the communion service’ but the ‘communion experience’. They had been taught that the ‘life was in the blood’ now they would experience the reality of what had only been a picture; Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (Joh 6:53 KJV) This too is the communion experience.When the Life speaks His living word that life is imparted in the Life of the Spirit. It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. (Joh 6:63 KJV) He alone is the source of ‘life’ but that ‘life’ is in the Spirit, and those who come to Christ and drink of His Spirit will, themselves become a secondary source of life. From deep within where once lurked sin and rebellion would find that …out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.) (Joh 7:38-39 KJV) The fulfilment of all these promises of life must await the day of the Spirit.Then comes the great contrast of contending Kings. One comes only to subtract and destroy, to take, take, take, the Other to give, give, give. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (Joh 10:10-11 KJV) Twice He would pour out His life; once for His sheep on the cross, and once into His sheep from the Throne.This is ‘life’, ‘life more abundant’. ‘Life’ beyond the parameters of all that could ever be thought or desired; For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Eph 3:14-21 KJV) The ‘life’ is the ‘life of Christ’ that ‘worketh in us’. Unto Him be glory…His love hath no limit,His grace hath no measure,His power hath no boundaries known unto man,For out of His infinite riches in Jesus,He giveth, and giveth, and giveth again.