Many years ago I remember a very funny commercial. It
started with the announcer introducing a guy who loves Mondays. Most people do
not enjoy Mondays because it’s either back to school or back to work. But this
guy loved Mondays, he is walking around singing and celebrating. Finally the
announcer says he can’t stand it any more, because no on should be that happy,
especially on Monday, so then he yells, “Oh Shut up!” And slaps the guy.
What I remember the most is how that guy loved life! When we
meet someone who is just packed full of life, we notice it.
The Scripture states that Jesus came so we might have life, and
throughout the pages of the Bible the quality of that life is described.
The meaning of Christmas is different for many people, yet even
with Santa or the Grinch there was giving involved. The Biblical meaning of
Christmas is that God became a man. What did He bring with Him? All that He is…which includes Life!
Real Life!
John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was
with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him
all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him
was life, and that life was the light of men.
v. 1-2 The Greek word for the “Word” is λόγος logos. A Greek philosopher named
Heraclitus first used the term Logos around 600 B.C. to designate the divine
reason or plan which coordinates a changing universe. In John, Logos speaks of
Christ, Who for the procurement of man's salvation put on human nature in the
person of Jesus the Messiah, the second person in the Godhead. This is the
clearest communication that God could have made to His creation concerning His
love.
Romans 5:8 But God showed his great love for us by sending
Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
Someone captured the magic and mystery of the incarnation in
graphic form:
In
Jesus divine omnipotence moved in a human arm;
In
Jesus divine wisdom was cradled in a human brain;
In
Jesus divine love throbbed in a human heart;
In
Jesus divine compassion glistened in a human eye;
In
Jesus divine grace poured forth in human lips.
v. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing
was made that has been made.
This includes you and me! Jesus knows us inside and out, and He
understands what would make our life abundant. This is why so many individuals
feel their life is unfulfilling. When you do not have a relationship with the
One that designed you, you will never experience that sense of purpose and
destiny that He made you for. On the other hand, those that have a relationship
with the One that made them, no matter the circumstances…which can be terrible
in this fallen world…there is a deep sense of satisfaction in life due to their
possessing an understanding of Why they are here and Where they are headed. If
you claim to have that relationship, but find you are constantly living in
discontent, I encourage you to check your connection with Him. Jesus stressed
this many times, consider John 15:
John 15…“I am the vine, you are the branches; he who
abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do
nothing…“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish,
and it will be done for you. “My
Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples. “Just as
the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love… “These things I have spoken to you so
that My joy may be in you, and that
your joy may be made full.
v. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
When we use the word “life” (ζωή zōḗ) we must be careful to bring from Scripture
a context. This word can mean merely a heart beating and lungs breathing,
however when spoken of what Christ brings that is not how it is used. “Life” in
the Scriptures that refer to Christ denotes an essence of fullness,
satisfaction and a genuine enjoyment. The life Christ brings is vital, vibrant
and growing.
John 10:10…I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
The word “abundantly” (περισσον perisson) means: Over and above, more
than enough. What’s interesting is the repetition of (ἐχωσιν echōsin)
which renders the verse to read “that they may keep on having abundance!” God
desires us to have a continued life that is over and above, more than enough.
Even so, He has chosen as a loving Father to allow us to make that choice for
ourselves.
John 5:39-40 You diligently study the Scriptures because
you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that
testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
Let me leave you with three thoughts:
First, this abundance is not what the “health, wealth &
prosperity” teachers are teaching. They make the “abundant life”
equal material wealth; Jesus admonished us concerning this:
Matthew 6:31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?'
or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all
these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
God may choose to bless some with wealth; most He does not. His
greatest gift is the “quality” of life and eternity, not the temporal passing things of this
world.
Second, this is a hard concept because it is from the mind of
God, and our minds have been affected greatly by the fall. The key is to gauge
how much time do you spend allowing God to develop your inside, compared to how
much time you spend taking care of your outside and worried if you are
attractive enough, popular enough, wealthy enough or even “liked”
enough on Face Book!
John 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for
nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
When we let God take care of our outside and we focus on the
inside, life becomes a wonderful adventure.
Third, what is the secret? Well contrary to too many books,
there is no method! The only way to experience abundant living is to live close
to the Lord.
Consider Paul’s balance concerning this life:
2 Corinthians 4…We now have this light shining in our
hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great
treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from
ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We
are perplexed, but not driven to despair.
We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but
we are not destroyed...That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are
dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are
small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly
outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can
see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things
we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.
What do you want for Christmas? How would you define your life?
What do you feel you are missing in life? Why? What can you do about that?
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