Message preached on my 50th Birthday.
It’s a Wonderful Life
John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
Intro: The thief had come and done his work.
- To steal – we were Deprived – the devil will rob you blind!
- To kill – we were Dead
- To destroy – we were Destroyed – homes, marriages, families, lives, bodies, minds…
I. The Marvelous Distance – I am come…
When you realize just how far Jesus came, it is nothing short of a marvel.
ILLUSTRATION: When we got to South Africa, and again when we came to Dundalk…we were asked repeatedly – why did you come here? Why are you here?
JOKE: The man from Texas was riding through New York and saw a bird. He asked the man driving the bus what kind of bird that was. The man said, “That’s a bird of paradise.” The man from Texas said, “He shore is a long way from home!”
That’s what they said when they found out who Jesus was.
He shore was a long way from home!
How far did he come you might ask?
John 1
- 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
- 2 The same was in the beginning with God.
- 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
- 14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory…
II. The Master’s Desire – …that ye might have…
It was the desire of the Lord Jesus Christ to give to a bunch of “have nots” that they might have!
That was us. We were a bunch of “have nots.”
See…we were without.
We could look at a number of verses today that describe THEM THAT ARE WITHOUT.
- Without hope. Ephesians 2
- Without Christ. Ephesians 2
- Without God. Ephesians 2
- Without a preacher. Romans 10
- Without excuse. Romans 1
III. The Miraculous Deliverance …that they might have LIFE…
Let’s be honest.
There’s only so much you can do to a dead person.
- You can check for a pulse.
- You can cover them up with a sheet.
- You can call the coroner.
- You can do an autopsy on them.
- You can embalm them.
- You can dress them and bury them.
- You can cry over them and pray over them but that’s about it.
Jesus had other plans.
His plans didn’t involve any of that.
His plans didn’t involve a hospital or a morgue or a cemetery or an undertaker.
Jesus had one goal in mind – find dead people and give them LIFE.
We wouldn’t think of that because for us that is impossible.
That is outside the realm of possibility.
Jesus came all the way from Heaven to earth to give people that were dead, life.
Ephesians 1
- 1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
- 2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
- 3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
- 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
- 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
- 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
NOTE: Jesus Christ is the only one that can give life.
- John 1:4 And in him was life…
- Colossians 2:13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
IV. The Multiplied Dividends …have it more abundantly.
God is consumed with abundance.
Creation was designed to provide a way for abundance.
The plants were created with the seed within itself. Genesis 1:11
The animals were commanded to reproduce in Genesis 1:20. Notice the wording.
Genesis 1
- 20 And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life, and fowl that may fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven.
- 21 And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind, and every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.
Notice God’s command to man and woman.
Genesis 1
- 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
- 28 And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth,
God is not just interested in us having life.
He wants us to have an ABUNDANT life.
That word ABUNDANTLY in John 10 is:
- exceeding some number or measure or rank or need
- over and above, more than is necessary, superadded
- exceeding abundantly, supremely
- something further, more, much more than all, more plainly
- superior, extraordinary, surpassing, uncommon
- pre-eminence, superiority, advantage, more eminent,
- more remarkable, more excellent
TESTIMONY: God has blessed me with not only life, but ABUNDANT life!
My life has been extraordinary. Uncommon. Remarkable. Excellent.
Conclusion: John 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
Will you come to Him tonight? Will you let Him give you life?