Jump Start # 2744

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly.”

Life– more than existence, but truly living. Jesus came to give that. That life was not free from trials, troubles or temptations. That life wasn’t about zip lining among trees, or skiing down a mountain or traveling to exotic places in the world. That’s how others define life. There are those who do not travel much. There are those who are content to be home. There are those who live a simple life. Many would scream, “Boring.” But, what many have found is life in Jesus Christ. They have found meaning, purpose and relationship. And, what they found cannot be equaled by any external or material experience.

Raphael Samuel went to court in 2019. He brought suit against his parents. He claimed that they brought him into the world without his consent. “Life,” he declared, “was imposed upon me.” And, in the lawsuit, which was tossed out, he demanded compensation from his parents because they didn’t ask him if he wanted to be born, which would be rather impossible to do. Basically, what he was saying, “I was given life and I didn’t want it,” which is really a troublesome thought. In some ways, he sounds like Job who wished he had died at birth. Job felt that way because of all the suffering he was enduring. The rich man in Luke 16 would love to have had one more day on earth after he saw where he was going. In the parable of the rich farmer, the barn builder would have loved to have one more day after he learned what was awaiting him.

Life is a wonderful gift. There is nothing like that. But eternal life is even better. Life here can be crippled and riddled with troubles, sorrows and pain. Life can have many disappointments and frustrations. But eternal life, real life, is free from all of those things. And, what Jesus offers isn’t just a taste. He doesn’t give us just a thimble full. He awards it abundantly. Our cup overflows.

• The abundant life is joyous
• The abundant life is busy with purpose and helping others
• The abundant life is God focused
• The abundant life is prayerful, considerate and thankful
• The abundant life brings happiness to others
• The abundant life holds on tightly to God’s hand

To give us this life, Jesus had to die. And, in dying, He raised us from the sewer of life and gave us dignity, hope and love. When we come to the end of our journey here, and an obituary is written to describe our life, many achievements and accomplishments will be listed. But the greatest of all is to know that we have truly lived in Jesus Christ. We have not lived in fear. We have not lived in worry. We have not lived in the past. We have not lived defeated. We have not sat on the sidelines of life. Life abundantly was offered and we took hold of it with both hands. It changed us from the inside out and it’s something that we have never regretted. If we could do it all over again, we’d do it again.

As this year wraps up, there will be many, many thoughts shared on social media about how terrible this year has been. There will be so many who have nothing good to say about 2020. The list of complaints will be long. But for those who have really lived, what a year it has been. It has shown us the value of true worship. It has reminded us of the power of fellowship. It has illustrated for us that life is more than vacations, sports and going out places. And, in all of this, there has been our wonderful God, sitting upon His throne. His love continues. His promises remain untouched and unchanged. His hope is strong.

We have life and we have it abundantly. It’s not something that begins in Heaven. It begins in Jesus. It begins when one commits their life to the Lord and follows Him. It begins now, if you want it. The sorrow of the world makes us hang our heads. But the joy of the Lord lifts our eyes.

Abundant life—no one can take that away from you. It’s the wonderful, wonderful life found in Jesus Christ.

Roger