THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE
…I
came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10b)
What is life, after all? -Philosophically, one would say, life is what we
do between life and death. Is it really
so plain and lukewarm?
In our daily walk, we come across people who display different attitudes
towards life. To a college guy, life is
fun, thrill and joy. To an artist, life is all about stage and fame. To a politician, life is people and
position. To some life is a boon, to
some it’s a bane. Life, seems to favor some and disfavor many.
Life has its ups and downs. No one
is spared. We live in a world, where
even the successful, rich and famous decide to suicide, while the poor,
suffering and famished look forward to another day in great optimism. When death strikes, the very life becomes
meaningless and mundane to the bereaved.
Yet, when a child is born, life gives them ample reason to cheer and
celebrate. Thus, in many ways, life is
valued, cherished and lived only in
terms of what it offers?
In what way a Christian life is unique?
A New life (In Christ)
The Bible says that the first man Adam (which actually means man) became
a living soul, when God breathed life onto him.
We the people of the world were born in Adam and his descendants. The life that we live or our breath came
from God or belongs to God. This life
was spoilt when man sinned. Even though,
man continued to exist physically as a living being, his spirit remained dead. When one receives Christ and has sins
forgiven, he is born anew which is what we call as ‘born-again’
experience. Paul Says, "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless
I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I
now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and
gave himself for me.
Jesus was talking about this life! A superabundant life.
This month’s promise word is not a new word but a reminder or rather a
reassurance of what has already been given to us. I do not know how you are
viewing your life today. Happy, sad, frustrating, annoying or what not.
BUT TODAY JESUS IS REMINDING TO US THAT THE LIFE THAT
YOU HAVE RECEIVED IS AN ABUNDANT LIFE!
Through this meditation we will
not only try to understand what JESUS meant when he said “I have come to give life”,
but also, from scriptures, ways and means on how to live or reflect this life
in us!
Differentiator: Old and New?
Somebody, jocularly, said, by dipping a pig into a pool you don’t bring
a pup out ! While it is true that we are born again into
a new creation when we accept Jesus and receive him in the waters of baptism,
no magic takes place in the act of baptism. In the physical, we are the same,
but in the spiritual realm we are new creation who are called to live a new
life. A life taught, modelled and revealed by Jesus.
We face all the struggles – physical,
mental, emotional – that a non-christian faces. No bed of roses is laid before us. Rather we
are given a cross to carry.
Then, what is the life that I am living?
Unbanked Cheque!
All the promises of God are yea and Amen in Jesus. Yet, the promises of God does’nt
automatically come to pass in our life.
They must be received, believed, prayed for and claimed. You may have received a cheque from somebody
for few thousand dollars. The issuer
while giving the instrument would have written your name and given to you
hoping that you will encash and enjoy.
But if you do not bank the cheque, or deposit it in your account, the
cheque will remain only a piece of paper adding no wealth. Similarly, the life promised by JESUS in John
10:10 should be received and banked to enjoy its full benefits!
Just like a person would suffer for not having deposited the cheque, you
may also be struggling in your life due to your failure to apply the principles
of God in your life.
Paul says, it is no longer I that
liveth, but Christ that liveth in me. If I have to put in one word, one
sentence the differentiator between our old and new life, it is that the Identify
of old ‘I’ or ‘Me’ should slowly give way to Jesus.
THREE DIMENSIONAL PROMISE!
a) CHRIST LIFE, GIVES LIGHT –
NO DARKNESS
Joh_1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.(Hate not his brother)
Jesus said, “I am the light of the World. He that follows me shall not
walk darkness”. Darkness is basically
absence of light. Darkness speaks of a
time when no you can do no work. When
there is no light, you will not know the way, and when you still walk in dark,
you will stumble. Darkness can cause
fear, horror, and uncertainty in one’s mind.
When you received Christ, you came into light. Jesus does not say that there will be no darkness
in your life. Rather, he is assuring that we will not stumble or struggle in
darkness. The Light of God that shines
upon us will help us to navigate this darkness. This light is nothing but the Word of
God. If the Word of God does not become
a light unto your path, lamp unto your feet or in essence, your guiding force,
you will remain in darkness. Eg., A person who hates his brother, the
Bible says, is still in darkness. The
Word of God says we should love even our enemies. If you are not experiencing this facet of
Jesus’ life in you, then you must do a self-evaluation and find out which part
of the Word has not become your light yet.
(b) CHRIST LIFE, GIVES
COMPLETENESS – NO DEFICIT(Fixed on the needs)
Joh 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy: am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more
abundantly.
Not only light, the life of Christ means fullness, completeness. There is a difference between comfort and
contentment. Jesus’ life does not
promise to us untold wealth and luxury. It promises peace that passeth all
understanding. The world finds pleasure
and prosperity in wealth. The word
advocates goodness and mercy to all those who take Jesus as their
shepherd. No. You are not called to live a beggarly
life. It is living with an assurance that my Father in heaven knows what I need
(big or small) even before I ask. He is
able to give to us exceedingly abundantly more than what we could think. Jesus, when answering a person who had come
to him with a request to settle a land dispute between him and his brother,
spoke a parable of a man who had amassed immense wealth and was still planning
to build big barns to hold his produce.
The passage says,“But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have
prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward
God.”(Luke 12:20) This is the
completeness that Jesus came to teach us, to give us. It is living with an assurance that Jesus
knows our needs and that he is able and willing to meet the same in his own
way.
(c) CHRIST LIFE, GIVES
CONFIDENCE – NO DESPAIR(Fixed on this
life)
Joh
11:25 Jesus said to her, “I am the
resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,
This is the third greatest and if I may say,
the best of all the blessings that we receive or enjoy in the life which Jesus
gives. Time and time again, Jesus spoke
of a life after death. A life that conquers death. A life which blooms after death. One of the
biggest fears which troubles mankind, these days, is the fear of death, fear of
future. If we are still living in a
state of fear and worry thinking about our next day and next life, then we are
yet to fully capitalize on the blessing or life that Jesus promises to us. A phrase that we must me mindful concerning
our life on earth should be this.
“Life on earth is preparation for eternity. Death is inheriting heaven” Jesus speaks not of a life prior to
death. Jesus speaks of a life after
resurrection. See the word that he
using. While on earth, life can be a
battle, a struggle, a great tussle. But
that shouldn’t deter us, nor distract us.
Our focus and attention ought always to be on eternal life. Our confidence should stem from the fact
irrespective of my financial, social, economic and even physical state here on
earth, I have an everlasting life to live with my Saviour. The Words of Jesus brings this assurance. The
life of Jesus promises this confidence. Hallelujah!
Rule of Life
Heb
12:2 looking to Jesus, the founder and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the
cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of
God.
In conclusion, I wish to re-establish a Golden rule and refer to an
example, of a human who lived life to the fullest. To live this new life in Christ which will
have its own set of challenges and commendations, we need to do three things.
1.Our eyes should see the one who
called us, not those around us
2.Our eyes should see the joy
that is set before us, not the pains, sorrow around us
3.Our eyes should see the throne
of God, not the domain of darkness
The Life of Apostle Paul teaches to us or gives to us a model that we
must cling on to. The following scriptures reveal his approach towards life.
1.Paul lost his own identity to show Christ
Gal_2:20 I am crucified with
Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave
himself for me.
2.Paul lifted up the Cross to suffer for Christ
2Ti_2:12 If we suffer, we shall
also reign with
him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
3.Paul labored unconditionally of satisfy Christ
Php_3:8 Yea doubtless, and I
count all things but
loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win
Christ,
The Abundant life of Jesus promises
-
Light that pervades all darkness
-
Fulness that permeates into our soul
-
Confidence that precipitates optimism
May the good God grant his abundant grace to each and every one of
us to
not just live some life, a lifeless life but LIVE AN ABUNDANT LIFE IN
HIM AND THROUGH HIM!
HE CAME SO THAT YOU MAY HAVE LIFE!
Hallelujah.
God bless you!
Do share with us your testimonies/feedback.
Yours in Christ
Vinod Kumar
9840011374
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