The Resurrected Life: Abundant Life (John 10:1-10)

 Sermon for Milledgeville and Centenary UMC...

[Title] The Resurrected Life: Abundant Life (John 10:1-10)

 

[Slide] In the summer of 1965, The Rolling Stones #1 hit single, Satisfaction, ruled the charts for four consecutive weeks. Mick Jaggar sings of dissatisfaction in his romantic life. He laments an unfulfilled existence in a world of commercialism that tells him how to dress, what cigarettes to smoke, and how he should be.

 

[Slide] How do dolphins get job satisfaction?

By working in positions that give them a sense of porpoise. [Slide]

 

I googled what leads to satisfaction. [Slide] Psychology Today reports that life satisfaction has more to do with your personality than it does with your outward circumstances. In other words, what you are like on the inside has more to do with your personal sense of fulfillment than things like employment, financial stability, close relationships, or big events like vacations. How we process life events has more to do with satisfaction than the events themselves.

 

One can be wealthy and have everything they ever desired and still feel empty. [Slide] The hugely successful comedic film star, Jim Carrey, is often quoted.

 

"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that that's not the answer".

 

Satisfaction doesn’t come from wealth or great health or romance or play. These may foster stability and give meaning, but the happiness they bring doesn’t last.

 

The adoptive father of my granddaughter, Rowan, wrote a poem called Empty. [Slide]

 

 

 

Empty, Empty

I feel so very empty

Full of everything that matters

And yet I feel so empty.

 

I know that struggle. When I was young, I had all kinds of hopes and dreams. Some I achieved. Some went unfulfilled. I have a chest full of trophies, newspaper clippings, awards, memorabilia from theatrical productions in which I performed, team photos mounted on plaques. They brought notoriety and joy, but it didn’t last. Nothing could fulfill the emptiness inside. On the outside, it looked like I had it all together. Inside I was impoverished.

 

[Slide] A man approached Jesus about a dispute he was having with a sibling over the family inheritance.

 

He said to them, “Watch out and guard yourself from all types of greed, because one’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” ¹⁶ He then told them a parable: “The land of a certain rich man produced an abundant crop, ¹⁷ so he thought to himself, ‘What should I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to myself, “You have plenty of goods stored up for many years; relax, eat, drink, celebrate!”’ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded back from you, but who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  ²¹ So it is with the one who stores up riches for himself, but is not rich toward God.” [Slide]

 

“Rich toward God…” Are you rich in the things of God?

 

When we began this series The Resurrected Life, we read a passage from Ephesians 1, where the apostle Paul told the church that [Slide] God has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven. Heaven is eternal. Blessings from heaven last forever. They don’t lose their luster or potency. Spiritual blessings actually grow in power. The longer we rely on God’s blessings, the more our lives are inwardly enriched. 

 

[Slide] We all want life to be easy street, but it rarely is. Life has its difficulties and tragedies. And God is faithful to lead us through them all. James wrote to the Church,

 

[Slide] Consider it pure joy when you face trials of every kind, for you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. Let endurance have its full effect, so that you will be mature and complete, not lacking a thing. (James 1:2-3)

 

[Slide] I always like to say that there are two kinds of people on rollercoasters: Those who white-knuckle it with their eyes shut, praying for the ride to be over. And those who throw up their hands shouting, “Whoo!” as they wait for the whoosh on the other side of the big drop. God invites us to be like those who shout with joy in the rollercoaster of life. Life has lots of twists and turns and ups and downs, but the thrill and exhilaration of God’s grace, growing us through it all, can lead us to thriving. James is calling the church to be joyful in life’s trials, knowing that God is adding to your soul something you do not yet possess. The lift on the other side is new strength, ability, and maturity in your faith. Don’t white-knuckle your way through life’s trials. Anticipate God’s blessings and the new you on the other side.

 

[Slide] Jesus said that he came to this world so that we might have abundant life, life overflowing. The Resurrected Life is a life of abundance in our relationship with God. Being rich toward God is about enjoying the goodness of life with God.

 

God is forever faithful. He will never abandon you or forsake you.

God provides what is needed, always. Those who trust in Him can testify. God comes through. It may not be the way we want. Quite often it’s not when we want, but God always comes through. Even at death’s door, God carries us over the threshold into our heavenly home.

 

Knowing God’s blessings is enjoying the goodness of God in our lives. This leads to abundant life.

 

David wrote about his relationship with God in Psalm 23.

 

[Slide] The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. (Psalm 23:1)

 

Using the metaphor of sheep relying on their shepherd, David reports that God leads him to still waters and green pastures, to rest and nourishment. God leads him in righteousness. Righteousness leads to life. Those who choose the righteous path of God become like well-watered trees that stand on riverbanks. God is faithful to lead us through life’s darkest valleys, protecting us, and comforting us with His wisdom and faithfulness. David says that he does not fear because the Lord, his shepherd, is with him. That should be a clue to us. The abundant life is found in trusting the shepherd! The abundant life is found by following the voice of the Good Shepherd who laid down His life for us!

 

[Slide] God provides a table set with abundance and honors David in the presence of his enemies. He is certain that goodness and mercy follow close behind every trial and valley. His life is blessed. The cup of his heart overflows in contentment and joy. David is confident that he will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

 

Psalm 23 points to the abundant life, a heart overflowing with faith and joy. Abundance comes to those whose faith have been tested and grown through life’s trials.

 

[Slide] Jesus says that He is the gate to the sheepfold and He is the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. These two metaphors are making two statements.

 

1)   Jesus is the way to abundant life with God

2)   Jesus saves us so that we can gain life, abundant and everlasting

 

In the middle east, shepherding communities build sheepfolds of rock to protect their flocks at night. These crude structures were tall enough to keep sheep in and predators out. The shepherd sleeps on the threshold of the entrance, using his own body as a shield against danger. Using his body as a gate, the sheep stay safe inside the sheepfold and the predators encounter a courageous shepherd who protects the flock! Jesus’ ancestor David was a shepherd. He fought off bears, wolves, and lions with a sling and a staff to protect the sheep. As the gate, Jesus lies in front of the sheepfold entrance to guard the flock from danger.

 

Some who are hired to look after the sheep sometimes run away when danger comes. They don’t care about the sheep. But the Good Shepherd cares enough to put Himself in harms way to protect the flock.

 

As the Good Sheperd who cares for the sheep, Jesus sacrifices His own life to save the sheep. [Slide] The cross of Christ saves us from sin and utter separation from God, our creator, and the resurrection of Christ saves us from death. Because Jesus loved us so much that he sacrificed himself to save us, we are restored to God, the very source of life. And because Jesus rose from the dead, we have waiting for us an eternal home.

 

[Slide] All who trust the Good Shepherd and know His voice will follow Him out to green pasture and still waters, out to nourishment and refreshment, and then back to the safety of the sheepfold for a night’s rest. Did you know it’s impossible for sheep to sleep if they feel threatened? If they don’t feel safe, they will not rest. We can be that way sometimes, too.

 

I once had a job interview and I could not sleep. I was so uncertain about whether this job was the one I should pursue, or another I had lined up. What if I was given an offer? Should I take it? Or should I ask them to wait? I tossed and turned unable to rest. Then I rolled over, looked in the nightstand at the hotel room, and found a Gideon’s Bible.

 

[Slide] I did one of those random searches. I opened the Bible and place my finger on the page. Here’s what I read:

 

Answer me quickly, Lord;
    my spirit fails.
Do not hide your face from me
    or I will be like those who go down to the pit.
[Slide] Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
    for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
    for to you I entrust my life. (Psalm 143:7-8)

 

In that moment, I felt heard. I felt understood. I felt the Lord’s hand on my life. I felt joy, wonder and peace. I rolled over and went to sleep. The next day I went to the interview. It went well, but they did not offer me a job. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. I got the other job I had lined up and it turned out to be the job that led me into ministry. God works in mysterious and wonderous ways to guide us to the abundance He so longs to give us.

 

I thought that life was in excitement, adventure, popularity and wealth. I ran after those things. But I have learned that all that the world holds up, doesn’t hold up.

 

[Slide] So turn your eyes upon Jesus, the Good Shepherd.

Look full in His wonderful face

and the things of this earth will grow strangely dim

in the light of His glory and grace. [Slide] Jesus is where abundance lies!