Abundant Living in 2022

Did the title catch your attention? That was the intention. Just like it was for Jesus when He spoke to a group of people on a Judean hillside over 2,000 years ago and said to them that He had come to give them life and to give it to them more abundantly.

Those in the crowd that day are no different than we are today. Sure, their clothes, homes, and occupations, even their unique culture would not be the same, but they had the same thing that each one of us have, a heart deep within that wants to know what it looks like to really live. To not just exist, but to live a life of abundance.

They worked hard, paid outrageous taxes, were ruled by people that cared more about padding their own bank accounts than genuinely caring for the common man, they knew injustice and man-made religions that not only didn’t bring any joy but put more burdens on the people than they could bear.

Sound familiar. Just like the group that first heard Jesus say it, I believe all of us long for more to the life we are living. Let’s let Jesus show us what it means and how it can be lived out in our daily life.

We need to first understand what the word itself means and how Jesus uses it.

Abundance speaks of pertaining to a quantity so abundant as to be considerably more than what one would expect or anticipate, that which is more than, more than enough, beyond the norm, overflowing.

A life that is overflowing, that sounds great, right?

Does this mean then that Jesus is promising a life where we are wealthy, healthy, and wise!

The bible never says having these things is wrong if these things don’t have us. So, what then, what does an abundant life look like?

It doesn’t begin in the outward living of possessions and prosperity, it begins in the inward living of seeing your heart prosper, overflow, have more than you would expect and then it flows out into your everyday life.

It must start inside first. Life is not lived outside in; it is lived inside out.

What is going on inside of you will always impact what is going on in your life on the outside. Solomon said to guard your heart, out of it flow all the issues of life.

Jesus was not just promising these people a get rich quick scheme to move them up the social standing, He was saying I can do better than that. I can give you joy, peace, courage, strength and from that will come the overflowing life!

Still interested? I sure hope so. If so, how do we get this abundant life. Jesus tells us clearly; it begins with Him. He is our Shepherd and when we come to Him, He gives us life and gives it to us more abundantly. He goes on to say in John 10, “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

Here is the key, and I just want to give you the words and allow you to take time to go deeper. Jesus says, I am the door, abundant life begins with Salvation. Then, we go in and out and we begin to serve in our everyday life. Lastly, we find pasture and that is satisfaction.

The abundant life is possible in 2022 but we must know Jesus as our Savior, let Him live out His life in us everyday and then lean into Him alone for satisfaction and fulfillment and then we can not only live in this new year, but do so abundantly!

Pastor Michael