John was a close friend of Jesus.
Along with James and Peter, he got to see Jesus in ways that even the rest of the twelve did not get to see Him. When he wrote his account of what he saw from the Messiah, he was keen that his readers would encounter the divine Son of God, and in that encounter, the reader would believe and in believing, the reader would experience life. John 20:30-31 outlines that agenda, and the desire is awe-inspiring. It also says something about the distinctive appeal of the Messiah. It is a theme that crops up regularly in the gospel account. One of the most famous expressions was when Jesus was pointing out how He was the Good Shepherd.
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
What makes the statement astonishing is that it should pique the listener's interest in the offer. Before we look at the offer, let’s consider again what’s said about the thief.
There is a thief at work. Keen to do three things that depict a lot of what passes for existence today. Steal. Stealing is the unlawful taking of another's property, and the effect is that it deprives someone of what they rightfully own. It impoverishes. It leaves one in a depleted position. It makes one feel violated. Victims of theft often are left having to deal with the scars of suspicion. The memories of being made to feel abused are not quick to get over. And stealing is the best thing that the thief does in this run of three things Jesus outlines.
You would have thought that being killed would be bad, but Jesus does not stop there about what the thief does. The thief destroys. The famous verse in John about whoever believes in Jesus has the phrase “shall not perish”. The idea behind perishing goes beyond simply dying. The context talks about judgment and condemnation. The context of the phrase highlights what rejecting Jesus will result in. And that is a fate worse than death. This is what is indicated by the thief coming to destroy. This is what makes the offer of life in abundance all the more appealing, and it should leave the reader wondering how Jesus can provide this and what such a life looks like.
The woman at the well in Sychar was fascinated by what Jesus offered when he promised water from which she would never thirst again. The appeal of Jesus is to explore what that water is. What is that abundant life that He’s referring to? How does it differ from the great things people can experience today? What’s the difference between that life and anything else?
As we’ll discover in this brief series exploring the life that Christ offers, there’s an invitation to reflect on that verse again and seek the face of Jesus to wonder what that life is that we offer. What is the life of Christ we experience as we believe in Him? How does that make a difference to us, and how should it lead us to continue to point others to this life?
The central word to help with understanding the life Jesus offers is the word 'vibrant.' Full of energy, full of enthusiasm, full of life. These descriptions of vibrancy touch on the key factor behind this life – it is the life of the Spirit. Energy, enthusiasm, life itself is all about the Spirit – the one who gives life, animates it, stimulates it, propels it, sets it aflame and draws others to discover more about it. This is what life invites. It’s a life based on four aspects of a follower of Jesus, positioning them strategically to declare Kingdom truths.
Those four aspects form the pillars of understanding this life: faith, worship, service, and hope. As the Spirit of God marks each so they make the distinction that marks out the life Jesus offers.
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
Next Steps
Reflect: Is Jesus your friend? Would you be able to share with others about how He reveals Himself as one who offers life in abundance?
Pray: Father, thank you for your Son. Thank you that in giving His life, He offers it to all who believe in Him. Please help us to appreciate this life more and more, fill us with your Spirit to understand, know and boldly proclaim the offer.
Act: Write down the word vibrant and then next to it write the words, “faith”, “worship”, “service” and “hope”. As you do so, think about how those words connect with the Spirit of God and the life Jesus offers.
