To Give Us Life in All Fullness
I think one of my favourite verses is John 10:10. Jesus has some words here that I've come to deeply love, and I've spent much time thinking about them and pondering on them because he says this: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”
Fullness in Christ
At Christmas time we always talk about the coming of Jesus. And why did he come to the earth? Well, this verse is one of the reasons he explains it - I came to give the sheep, the people of God, life, life to the full.
When we think about Jesus in the manger, friends, as a little baby, let's remember that he came so that he could grow up into our Saviour, not just saving us to get us a ticket to heaven, but saving us to bring us life and life to the full.
Now, one definition I found online in an article said life in all its fullness is about living a varied and full life of learning, growing, helping, reward, joy, excitement and care for each other. And I thought that was flawed because as beautiful as that life sounds, you don't actually need God to live that sort of a life. Jesus was speaking about delight in God. About treasuring God as our greatest source of joy and pleasure in this life. All that other stuff flows out of this.
Life in all its fullness begins within. It begins in our heart. It begins with a treasuring of God. When we treasure God deeply, then life is full, because that love for God overflows into all the other things, into all the other parts of our lives.
I believe strongly, friends, that it is faith in Christ that will bring us to our fullest lives. I believe completely that if our faith is in Him and we truly give our all to Him, then this life is going to be full of joy and full of excitement. And through the ups and downs we will still be able to thrive because He is our God.
Life Through Christ
The devil, as Jesus said, came to steal and kill and destroy. He came to break us down. He came to tear us apart. But Jesus was born and grew up and died and was resurrected all for the same purpose, to give his people life and full life at that.
Have you given yourself to him? Is he just a small part of your life or is he everything to you? Do you wake up and everything in your life is about Christ? When your life is centred on him like that, what abundance you will experience.
And so, remember this Christmas why Jesus came to give your life. If you will give your life to him.
