John 10:10, 28                    Bethel                     Feb. 14, 2010

Life in Jesus

Intro.  Jesus said that He would give us life.  This life is described two ways:  One is that it is “abundant”.  This means that it is a full rich life.  Second is the word “eternal” which means that it will never end! 

So Jesus promises to not only give us eternal life, but that the life we have in him is real living!  This is not a promise that we will never see trials, experience sorrow, or have any problems; it is a promise that our lives will be full and blessed by God for both now and eternity!

There are choices that we can make ourselves that will dramatically affect the degree of success we enjoy in life.  While it is true that we are not able to control many things, we can determine the attitude with which we greet life’s problems and opportunities.  Success, for our definition, is not about one’s bank balance or possessions.  I am talking about having a meaningful and rewarding life as compared to a life of small pursuits and even smaller achievements.

These four personal disciplines are within the power of every one of us.  We get to choose.  We may have certain inborn tendencies and certain environmental influences but ultimately, it is up to each one of us to master our own lives and decide our own set of priorities.

I. Listening. 

            A.  Listening makes the difference between eternal life and eternal damnation.  Rom 10:9-17 

            B.  Listening provides wisdom for living.

1Co 1:21  “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”   Psa 119:9  “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.”

There are too many things we can learn to fail to learn to listen.  Listening is the key to growing intellectually.  Listening is the key to avoiding unnecessary troubles.  Listening is the key to assimilating the wisdom of our elders.  Listening is the prerequisite to benefiting from the collective pool of human wisdom.  There are things that we can only learn if we listen and if we do not learn them we suffer due to the loss of information.

II. Learning.  Luke 6:47-49  Hearing must turn into choices and actions!  While listening is a key, the thing that unlocks the door is assimilation.  A Sunday School lesson, or a sermon has the power to make a real difference in our lives but only if we actually listen and learn.  We must take some core truths and make them the platform for our lives.  We must have some things in our hearts and minds that are so much a part of who we are that they guide us and provide a filter for information.

Core beliefs, Guiding principles, World view, should be based on absolute truth, not popular philosophy or common consensus.

III. Loving.  1John 4:18-19  “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.  We love him, because he first loved us.” 

Choosing to love the right things is one of the most important keys to successful living.  Choosing to be close to the very source of true love is the key to successful loving.  Love is the most powerful force in the universe, right after that is hate, and then fear, greed, and pleasure.  To be truly successful and to enjoy pleasure as God intended for us to, we must love God, and obey his commandments.  If you love yourself, love God’s Word.  If you love life, love his principles. 

If you want to be happy, learn where you are prone to sabotage and subvert your own happiness and avoid the pitfalls of sin.

IV. Living.  Choose to live!  Rom 6:11  “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Living requires taking risks.  Living requires pushing and striving.  Living means that you will have to fail at some things.  Living means you will weep as well as laugh.  You will experience pain as well as pleasure.  You will know what it is like to have friends and also experience loneliness.  Living means that you submit to the possibility of winning or losing.  You are open to either because you did not hide from life but entered into its arena armed only with your natural abilities and trusted God to let you perform for his glory!  Living means that you refuse to be the victim of fear.  Living means that you refuse to be the captive of safety.  Living means that you are willing to learn from the mistakes you made while living so that you can live better tomorrow than you lived today. 

The avoidance of life is safe but only in that those already dead cannot be hurt.  Only the living can be hurt and only the risk takers can lose.  Failing to live is the greatest loss of all!

Living means that you acknowledge your own weaknesses.  Living means that you admit to your own limitations.  Living means that you have to focus on what is important, recognize what needs to be let go, and make the most out of what God has given you.

Living means you might love someone who will not love you back.  Living means you may invest in someone or something and get little or nothing in return.  Living means that you also just might find love, joy, happiness, peace, fulfillment, meaning and recognition!  Living means that, at the least, you will not be like the man who hid his master’s money in the dirt trying to avoid losing it, only to discover that this was the very way one does lose it!  God does not promise us that everything we do will work out as we hoped, but that he will reward those who trust him and LIVE their lives for his glory! 

Living means applying yourself to something worthwhile.  Living means refusing to let others define you, limit you, or rob you of your God given potential.  The dead make no mistakes.  The dead never fail at anything.  The dead don’t have any enemies or detractors.  The dead don’t have any stress or pressure on them.  But to truly live is to experience the full spectrum of human joy and sorrow with a courage that comes from faith in a loving and powerful God who will reward faithful work done in His name!

Conclusion:  We are soldiers in his army.  We are servants in his house!  We are partners in ministry.  Sink or swim, win or lose, succeed or fail, we are in this thing together and for eternity’s sake we must listen!  We must learn!  We must love!  And… We must live!

It takes courage to do these four things.  It is my prayer that if you are here today and do not yet know for certain where you will spend eternity, that you will repent of your own sins and call on Christ for salvation.  He will forgive and make you brand new.  He will give you the power to live a better life.

Christian, are you really listening?  Are you still learning?  What do you love?  Are you really living or just coasting?  Get in the arena of life armed with grace and win some battles for the glory of God!