Life in all its fullness

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.“ – Vs 10 NLT

Abundant life. Life to the full. Better life than you’ve ever dreamed of. The kind of life that Jesus is promising is not just a slightly improved version of the one we were living before He showed up on the scene, but something that is out-of-this-world better. The Greek word Jesus uses for “abundant” life in this verse is perissos and it means “over and above, more than is necessary, super-added.” It can also mean “superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon.” So what Jesus is promising is a life on this planet that is super-charged and superior to anything man had ever experienced before.

But is that what most of us are experiencing as a result of our relationship with Christ? If we’re honest we would have to say, “No!” For most of us, our life since coming to know Christ has had its improvements, but it would be hard to say that it is “superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon.” In fact, for many, it is just a slightly improved version of the old life we lived before coming to Christ. We’ve given up some of our old habits, replaced them with a few good ones, attend church on a fairly regular basis, read our Bibles, occasionally pray, give to the church, and try our best to be good Christians. But is that what Jesus is talking about? Is the abundant life just a slightly improved version of our old life? Is it just a sanitized version of our life before Christ? Is that what He laid down His life to offer us? I don’t think so. And I don’t think Jesus is just talking about eternal life either. No, His offer is about a better life right here and now. A life that is over-and-above and exceeding anything we have ever known before. It is a life filled with joy and peace, power, contentment, rest (Matthew 11:28-29), divine guidance and empowerment, and so much more. But we settle for so much less. Jesus came that we might have life to the full. A complete life. A super-added life that is so much more than anything in this world can offer or ever provide. It is a life where the flesh no longer has to control me. It is a life where sin no longer has to dominate me. It is a life where self no longer has to rule, but I can learn to love God and others more than I love me. It is a life where sacrifice comes naturally. It is a life where God’s will becomes more appealing than my own. It is a life where eternal things take precedence over temporal ones. It is the life God intended us to live from the beginning.

Is that the life you’re living? Is that the life you’re experiencing? If not, Jesus’ offer still stands. He is offering life to the full, but it will be on His terms, not yours. It will be based on His definition, not yours. Are you willing to let Him give you the life He longs for you to have? It will look a lot different than anything you might expect. But it will be so much better than anything you ever dreamed of. It will be life in all its fullness!

Father, Your Son came to give me life to the full, but I have settled for so much less. I want to experience abundant life, super-charged life right here and now. You give me glimpses of it, but I know there is more. Help me give up my own expectations of what abundant life might be and allow Christ to give me the life He died to provide. Amen

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org