Transcript

Abundant Life!-Part Two

Does life have any meaning? New York Taxi driver, Jose Martinez was asked that question by Life magazine a few years ago. His response is tragically all too familiar:

"We're here to die, just live and die. I live driving a cab. I do some fishing, take my girl out, pay taxes, do a little reading, then get ready to drop dead. Life is a big fake! You're rich or you're poor. You're here, you're gone. You're like the wind. After you're gone, other people will come. It's too late to make it better. Everyone's fed up, can't believe in nothing no more. People have no pride. People have no fear! People only care about one thing and that's money. We're gonna destroy ourselves, nothing we can do about it. The only cure for the world's illness is nuclear war - wipe everything out and start over. We've become like a cornered animal, fighting for survival. Life is nothing."

You'll recall, two weeks ago we specifically studied one verse from John 10. In verse 10 of that chapter Jesus said, "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." Apart from Jesus Christ there is no joy. But if the purpose of Christ's coming was to impart abundant life, why are so many who profess Christ weighed down with anxiety and depression? Why do so few Christians truly experience a life marked by contentment and satisfaction, continually filled with an ongoing inner joy and inner peace regardless of their circumstances. Are the words of Christ in error? Is Jesus unable to fulfill His promises? Or are we in some way to blame for the problem? We all want abundant life. But why do so few in the church really experience it?

Two weeks ago, I mentioned that abundant life is not found in the world, but rather it is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Since Jesus is "the life" (Jn. 14:6), we will never experience true life apart from Him. Like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole are those who seek to find satisfaction by ignoring the wellspring of Jesus and choosing rather to drink out of the broken cisterns of worldliness (Jer. 2:13). Abundant life is found when we come to Christ and then abide in Him whereby He manifests His life in a profound way through us. We will then fully experience His life, which is truly "life indeed" (1 Tim. 6:19).

Since this truth is so crucial and the upcoming baptisms limit my time, I would like to present one more message on this important topic before we begin our study in chapter 11 next week.

As many of you know, I grew up in a secular home and came to Christ later in life. As a family, I can only recall one Sunday our family ever went to church (I still have no clue what got into my dad that Easter of 1977). Nevertheless, being happy was extremely important me. I can vividly remember all the avenues I pursued in my quest for meaningful joy. Unfortunately all of the prescribed methods of the world that promised joy resulted in emptiness and further disappointment.

I can remember being brainwashed by the public school system into thinking that I was a product of evolution. I was told that my existence was an accident, a mistake if you will. I came to believe that my worth as a human being was no better or more significant than the bug I squashed on the way to the bus stop. The despair I received in Science class was ironically followed by the supposed good news of Health class which promoted "self-esteem," "self-love," and "self-dependency." I thought to myself, what a contradiction! Science class said, "From the goo to the zoo to you" and then Health class had the audacity to say, "Feel good about yourself."

So what was I to do to find meaning and joy? It was simple. I did what the Scriptures say most human beings wrongly do (Rom. 1-2). I suppressed any information about my origin and the existence of an eternal Creator to whom I was accountable and ran wholeheartedly with the "promotion of self" agenda. For two decades, the world simply centered around me, and I pursued whatever brought gratification to my flesh, regardless of the consequences it brought to others. I subscribed to the teaching of this world and wholeheartedly bought into its pack of lies. I vigorously and religiously pursued its prescribed guidelines for joy down to the letter. I guarantee that few have ever been as devoted and steadfast and zealous in this pursuit as I was.

By the time I was 23 my resume included: Graduating college with honors, participation in 3 different collegiate sports, bouncing at the most popular nightclub in downtown Chicago and dates with girls too numerous to count. I was the envy of every young man. I had it all! I had everything the world taught me to chase: Success in education, athletics, toughness and women. I can remember in the peak of my prideful days believing with all my heart that I could walk into any bar and pick-up any girl and beat-up any guy. I'm surprised my head ever fit into the door!

You would think I was I happiest person on the planet, but the sad truth was the incredible paradox that I believed at that time that everybody was happier than me. My life slipped into depression, despair and disappointment. Consequences abounded. Where was the promised joy and satisfaction? I felt betrayed by my desires and the teaching of the world. The more I had, the more I wanted and the more I had, the less it seemed to satisfy! Nevertheless, I still believed with all my heart that true joy was still attainable, but how?

It was at this point that I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I concurred with Roy Clements, "Jesus is right. It is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is a myth, but the humanistic dream of utopia" (Introducing Jesus, Kingsway, 1986, p. 103). And Henry Law, "You may have wealth. It cannot profit long. You may have health. Decay will cause its flower to fade. You may have strength. It soon will totter to the grave. You may have honors. A breath will blast them. You may have flattering friends. They are but as a summer brook. These boasted joys often now cover an aching heart, but they never gave a grain of solid peace; they never healed a wounded conscience; they never won approving looks from God; they never crushed the sting of sin." And Scott Hafemann, "The message of the Bible provides the only answer to humanity's most pressing need: to know God himself. Having been created by God for God, the 'self' can never be 'self-satisfied.' Yet, having lost sight of the God revealed in the Bible, all we can see is our self, with its futile drive to meet its own ever-changing but never satisfied cravings for the second-rate pleasures of this world" (The God of Promise and the Life of Faith, Crossway Books, 2001, p. 20).

Though I would not have chosen these specific words, one author rightly described the joy that I found in Christ. "The settled conviction that God sovereignly controls the events of life for the believers' good and His glory. Spiritual joy is not an attitude dependent on chance or circumstance. It is the deep and abiding confidence that regardless of one's circumstances in life, all is well between the believer and the Lord. No matter what difficulty, pain, disappointment, failure, rejection, or other challenge one is facing, genuine joy remains because of that eternal well being established by God's grace in salvation. Thus, Scripture makes it clear that the fullest, most lasting and satisfying joy is derived from a true relationship with God. It is not based on circumstances or chance, but is the gracious and permanent possession of every child of God" (John MacArthur).

I quickly came to realize that my great-grandmother was not a chimpanzee. I came to realize that God had personally and intimately created me in His own image with a purpose. And that purpose would be fulfilled as He makes me more like Him and uses me to accomplish His eternal plans for His glory. I came to realize that joy is not found in esteeming myself. Rather, joy is found in "denying myself" (Mt. 16:24) and esteeming Him. Paul said that all of God's children "have been crucified with Christ" (Gal. 2:20). True joy is forgetting about my "self" and allowing Christ to live His life through me. True joy is not found in loving myself, but rather loving God with all of my heart (Mt. 22:37) and regarding others more important than myself (Phil. 2:3). Aren't these, according to Jesus, the two greatest commandments? After all, my self-focus kept me from God. My self-focus prevented true happiness. And my self-focus is still the root of all sin. Why would I ever wish to return to such a worldly doctrine that the Scriptures clearly condemn?

I came to realize the greater joy that results from forsaking sin and obeying Christ (as mush as my flesh disagrees), because, "in (His) presence is fullness of joy (and) in (His) right hand there are pleasures forever" (Psm. 16:11). I came to realize that greater obedience resulted in greater abiding in Christ. And greater abiding in Christ resulted in a greater manifestation of His life in mine. And the greater Christ manifested His life in mine, the greater my joy increased (Jn. 15:11; Gal. 5:22). I came to realize that abundant life is not found in pursuing the lusts of the flesh or the teachings of the world, but rather drinking deeply from the wellspring of Jesus (Jn. 4:14; 7:37). Just as the Psalmist said, "How precious is Your lovingkindness, O God! And the children of men take refuge in the shadow of Your wings. They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house; And You give them to drink of the river of Your delights" (Psm. 36:7-8). I came to realize the joy in knowing that Jesus Christ, because of His death on the cross, has forgiven all my sin and removed all my guilt.

It breaks my heart to see people, especially professing Christians, fool around with the second-rate pleasures of this world, which never bring true and lasting satisfaction. When will we learn (myself included) that abundant life is found only in Christ? When will we begin to pursue our joy wholeheartedly in Him? C.S. Lewis once declared, "If there lurks in the most modern minds the notion that to desire our own good and earnestly to hope for the enjoyment of it is a bad thing, I submit that this notion has crept in from Kant and the Stoics and is no part of the Christian faith. Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling around with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered to us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

May I submit this thought for your consideration? The problem is not that Christians are too ambitious in their pursuit of joy. The problem is they not ambitious enough! And unfortunately the zeal they occasionally demonstrate is often found in pursuing the temporary and shallow things of this world. Remember, Jesus came to give you abundant life! He wants you to be joyful! And your greatest joy will be found when you fervently pursue Him. In such a case, you receive great joy and He receives great glory. Remember, God is most glorified when you are most satisfied in Him!

Many Christians at this point (I hope) would agree with all that has been said thus far, but often respond with the following comment. "Oh Pastor, that may be true for others, but my situation is much different. If you only knew the struggles that I face, you too would agree that there is no hope of abundant life for me."

Before I address the remedy to this wrongful way of thinking, allow me to make some preliminary remarks. First of all, if Jesus Christ promised abundant life to all His children, should we not take Him at His word that He is able to deliver, despite the trials we may be experiencing? Is anything too difficult for Him (Gen. 18:14)? Should we not have faith in His wonderful promises (2 Cor. 5:7)? Did He not say "My grace is sufficient" (2 Cor. 12:9) and "No temptation has overtaken you" (1 Cor. 10:13)? How could He command us to "rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil. 4:4), but not give us the means to fulfill the obligation? Second, we must remember that our lack of joy not only affects us, but it also reflects poorly on our Good Shepherd who greatly seeks to glorify Himself through the health of His flock. The wonderful allurement of the Christian life is abundant life. What does it communicate to others about our religion if we lack contentment and satisfaction?

So with this in mind, allow me to briefly give you five practical ways, in addition to all that I have mentioned thus far, to guarantee abundant life even in the midst of the worst trials that might come your way.

First of all, we need to be realistic. Jesus promised us, "In the world you have tribulation" (Jn. 16:33). According to the Apostle Paul, "Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Ac. 14:22). Job said, "Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil" (Job 14:1; c.f. 5:7). We live in a fallen world. Satan, who was once our friend, has now become our foe. I often hear of people angry with God because of their trials, but God never promised us a struggle-free Christian life. For now we must be realistic about life on this planet and realize that we are not in Heaven yet.

Second, though we suffer in this world, we must always remember that God is sovereign. Remember that nothing can happen to you as His child, unless it first passes through His loving and benevolent hands. We must have the faith to know that God is in control and He is working all things together for our good just as He promised in Romans 8:28. We must submit to the One who has scripted a perfect plan for His children. Though His will for us includes suffering, He promises to use the suffering to make us more Christlike. That's why we are even encouraged to rejoice in our trials (Jas. 1:2). When viewed biblically, trials are intended to bring joy, not depression.

The third point naturally follows. If God sovereignly promises to work all things together for our good, we should naturally give thanks for all situations. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (c.f. Eph. 5:20; Col. 3:17). You see, circumstances in our life need not affect us in a way that will steal our joy and peace. Adverse circumstances do not automatically produce apathy and anxiety; rather these sinful traits are our wrongful reactions to the specific trial. When we feel these wrong feelings arise, we must have faith that God has dealt us a hand that is a sure winner. And faith like that will not result in depression, but rather the opposite, faith that results in the giving of thanks.

Fourth, be devoted to prayer. Is this not what the Apostle Paul said in Philippians 4? "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:6-7). Prayer gives us the opportunity to thank God rather than shake our fists at Him. Prayer also gives us the opportunity to commit all of our trials to His care and lordship. "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken" (Psm. 55:22; c.f. 1 Pet. 5:7).

Be realistic. Remember that God is sovereign. Give thanks for all things. Be devoted to prayer and finally, be saturated with the Scriptures. Be sure that you both understand and are submitting to the whole counsel of God. Strive to see things from God's perspective. Allow the Scriptures to provide comfort and continually renew your mind. Fervently cling to His wonderful promises. Scripture teaches us how we can fight against depression and fight for our joy in Christ.

A man once asked the question. "Most people's Christianity is like an old iron bed: firm at both ends and sagging in the middle. On one end you trust Christ as Savior and get your sins forgiven. On the other end, one day you go to heaven. In between, it gets pretty desperate. You have lots of questions that all boil down to one: Where is the life? Where is the abundant life that Jesus promised" (Dan Stone, The Rest of the Gospel, One Press, 2000, p. 16)?

I think we would all agree that we want abundant life. I think we would all agree that abundant life is not found in: Education, self-worth dogmas, licentious living, money or even through a relationship with another human being. These potential idols we often set up around us never bring true satisfaction because they never were intended to. God has created us to find abundant life in Him. We will aimlessly wander and search until we realize that true life comes from an abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. Not just Jesus Christ for us. Not just Jesus Christ with us, but Jesus Christ, God Almighty in the flesh, manifesting His life in us.

C.H. Spurgeon, arguably the greatest preacher, once said, "I bear my testimony that there is no joy to be found in all this world like that of sweet communion with Christ. I would barter all else there is of heaven for that. Indeed, that is heaven. As for the harps of gold and the streets like clear glass and the songs of seraphs and the shouts of the redeemed, one could very well give all these up, counting them as a drop in a bucket, if we might forever live in fellowship and communion with Jesus."

Prayer

"Oh God, You are here! O Christ, You have come that (we) might have abundant life. O gracious Spirit, You are as invisible as the wind yet as real as the air that surrounds (us)…It is You, O my God, that (we) live and move and have (our) being. You are the environment from which (our) total life is derived. You are the energy and dynamic of (our) whole being. Every good and every perfect bestowal is derived from You. The vitality of (our) spirit, the energy of (our) emotions, the drive of (our) disposition, the powerful potential of (our) mind, the vigor of (our) body; in fact, every facet of (our) total, abundant life is a reflection of Your life, O Lord, being lived out in (us) and through (us)" (Philip Keller, A Shepherd Looks at the Good Shepherd and His Sheep, p. 356-357).