Searching for the Abundant Life
Jesus explicitly explained his purpose when He said “…I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (Jn 10:10). He said similar things many times, and these ideas are repeated, over and over again, by those who wrote the New Testament. Yet many people, who genuinely believe in Jesus, struggle with loneliness, anxiety, anger, fear and shame. These are clearly not the dominant features of an “abundant life.” Today we’ll explore this disconnect, and discuss how to overcome this very real gap between our experience and what Jesus promised.
Read these verses: John 10:10; John 7:37-39; Matt 11:28-30; Phil 4:19; Rom 8:32; Eph 3:20 . What’s the common theme here? What’s the take-home message for you in these verses?
Identify any disconnect you have, or are, experiencing with these verses. What are you struggling with now, or have you struggled with in the past?
Read Matt 28:18-20. These were Jesus last words, often called the “great commission.” What statements about Himself does Jesus make? What promises does he make? What are the three instructions he provides to his listeners.
What comes into your mind when you think about the word discipleship? Do you think of the twelve men Jesus led? Others? Have you ever considered yourself a disciple of Jesus? Why or why not?
Consider this statement “Grace is not opposed to effort, it is opposed to earning.” – Dallas Willard. How does it apply to discipleship?
Read Phil 2:12-15. How does this passage draw all three sides of the Golden Triangle (with God life; spiritual disciplines; acceptance of everyday problems) into one grand statement?
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