Turn with me to the Gospel of John and Chapter 10. We'll read the first 10 verses of John Chapter 10. John Chapter 10, and if you're there, I commence reading from the English Standard Version. The Bible reads, Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the ship by the door, but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the ship. To him, the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hears his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers. This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. So Jesus again said to them, truly, truly, I said to you, I am the door of the ship. All who come before me are thieves and robbers, but the ship did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and you'll go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Let's seek the Lord's face once again. Our dear God and our Father in heaven, we pause before you this morning, giving you thanks for the way that you've been with us thus far in our worship service. We give you thanks for the songs we've sung, the Bible reading. Our Father, we now ask that you be pleased to glorify yourself through the preaching of your word. Our dear God, we plead with you that as your word will be proclaimed, cause that each one of us will ask themselves the question, what is it that thrills my soul? If it's not Jesus, Such a life is on the brink of danger. Such a life is under the wrath of God. So we pray that through the preaching of your word, you cause each one to search their hearts or to search our hearts under prayer and desire. is that all of us may walk out of this place with the full assurance that Jesus is what thrills us, because he's our savior and has saved us from our sins. But also cause that your word will be preached authoritatively, with simplicity, and may God the Holy Spirit aid the preaching of your word for your glory, and for the salvation of those still living in their sins, and for the encouragement of those who are yours. Hear this our cry, for Jesus' sake, amen. We are back in our study in the Gospel of John, and we are now in chapter 10. the last time I was preaching, which is about four Sundays ago, we began looking at chapter 10. And we considered the first 15 verses. And in those 15 verses, we were looking at Jesus, the good shepherd. We looked at the character of the good shepherd, the character that Jesus possesses, that is in him, that makes him to be a good shepherd. but also looked at his credentials that makes him to be a good shepherd, how that is able to give his life for his own sheep, and how that is not like any other shepherd, but also looked at the concern that the good shepherd has for his sheep. And we saw in all this that Jesus has everything, all the qualities, all the characteristics for him to be a good shepherd. There's no one like him. There's never been anyone like him. And there will never be anyone like him. And the challenge that was posed, the question that was posed to all of us was whether we knew this good shepherd. Whether we had a relationship with the Good Shepherd, whether the Good Shepherd knows you by name and He calls you by name and He leads you to pastures. He leads you in paths that brings honor and glory to His name. This morning, I would like us to consider verse 10. And in looking at verse 10, we'll be asking the question, why did Jesus Christ come? And this question is very important to all of us this morning, especially as we think of the life to come. But also as we think of death. The memories of Mahongo are still with us. Yesterday we put her remains at Memorial Park. And so it's very important for us to ask this question, why did Jesus come? And this question is very important because many people have stumbled on this question and have given all kinds of answers to the reason as why Jesus came into this world. Some would confidently say that Christ came simply to be a teacher of morality. And so they try to simply emulate that aspect of the Lord Jesus Christ, or simply teaching morality to human beings. Others answer that Christ came to simply be a good example of what it means to deny yourself and to love others above you. And so people go on to try and do different kinds of good works, hoping that as they are doing this, they are answering the question why Christ came, and that one day God will look at how they are following the example of Christ, and the good deeds they did, and hopefully that will give them an entrance into heaven. But verse 10 of chapter 10 of the Gospel of John gives us a far higher reason as to why Christ came. He came to bring life and life in abundance. And so as we go through the preaching of God's Word this morning, the question you need to ask yourself The question you need to wrestle with is, do I have this life that Christ came to bring? Do I know this life? Or I'm still trying my level best to do everything possible within my means in order to gain more points so that Christ can transfer this life as it were to me. Or maybe your basis for having this life that John is talking about is not the Lord Jesus Christ, but something else. So let us open up this verse, verse 10, and see what John is saying to us as the reason why Jesus Christ came. And the first thing we see is that the Lord Jesus Christ is insisting that there's only one means of receiving eternal life. There's only one means of receiving eternal life. And he puts it in a very interesting way at the beginning of verse 10. And this is how it is put as recorded by John. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. Now this is one way of the Lord Jesus Christ insisting that there is no other way in which man can receive eternal life if it's not the Lord Jesus Christ. Any other means can be equated to those who come with ill motives to steal, kill, and to destroy. And the Lord Jesus Christ is showing us there that if your basis of having eternal life is not Christ, that basis is not true. There is only one source of spiritual life. There's only one sure fountain of spiritual life. There's only one way in which man can receive eternal life and that's the Lord Jesus Christ. All other fountains will lead you to destruction. All other fountains will simply be an act of deception by those who claim to be the means of eternal life. And this is why the Lord Jesus Christ puts it in a very interesting way, that the thief comes only to steal, to kill, and to destroy. And Christ's insistence is that if your basis of acceptance before God is not the Lord Jesus Christ, you have been deceived. And because you've been deceived, that will lead you to destruction. And isn't this true of the world that we live in today? Human beings are always looking to their fellow human beings as their saviors. When we look at the world today, we somehow conclude and convince ourselves that the problem with the world today is bad leadership, bad examples. And if we could simply have good leaders, good examples, then everyone can follow those examples. And hopefully in those examples, there will be salvation, as it were, from the problems that the world is facing today. And the world seeks to create some kind of utopia in their minds, that if only we could have humanistic and political saviors, then all will be well. And sure enough, in the history of the world, there've been many political leaders that have emerged. And many thought those who were the saviors. They will save them from their sins. They will save them from their problems. But at the end of the rule of such political leaders, it proved that they had their own agenda and their agenda had shown in what they did. The idea that man by nature is a sinner runs contrary to the modern religious, psychological, and philosophical views that we have over ourselves. To think that man is by nature a sinner runs contrary to everything we view of ourselves. And somehow we convince ourselves that the root problem of man's problem is the environment in which they live in, in which probably they grew up. And so if we can only deal with the environment, if we can only put in leaders that will help look at the environment, maybe man's problems will be dealt with. But we forget. the teachings of the scriptures, that man by nature is wicked and has a selfish heart. And it is not the Christian doctrine of heaven that is a myth, but it is the humanistic dream of some kind of utopia here on earth, while at the same time maintaining that man is not a sinner. And hence in our efforts have been to look at the outside of man, the environment of man, and not to look at the heart of man. And here the Lord Jesus Christ is reminding us, He's insisting that any other means outside Christ will lead to destruction. The world as at so many political leaders, that they put in so much hope as to redeem them from their problems that they are facing. Think of the likes of Adolf Hitler. Think of the likes of Joseph Stalin. Think of the likes of Idi Amin and many others. When these individuals were coming on the scene, propagating their message to their people, everyone thought, these are the individuals that will bring hope to us. These are the individuals that will solve our problems. And as they came into power, they had their own agenda. And the end of their lives showed. that they came to steal, kill and destroy. Think of how many millions of Jews that Adolf Hitler killed in the name of propagating his message to the German people. Think of how many millions of people that Joseph Stalin in the Soviet Union killed in his 30 years rule. How that many were displaced from their lands. how that many were forced into hard labor, how that many were killed and their property were gotten out from them. And yet when these men began to bring their message, everyone thought they will redeem us from our problems. And the end of their lives showed what John is saying here. that the thief comes only to kill, to steal, kill and destroy. And the message there is very simple. Man who has a selfish heart will not put the interest of others before his own. Man always find a way to coin his message so that when he gets into power, he will do everything for himself. He will do everything possible to push his own agenda. And here the Lord Jesus Christ is saying to us, and if you put your hope and trust in such a one, you will be disappointed. Because there's no other means. There's no other way in which you will have eternal life. But the second thing we see is now John goes to give us the reason why Christ came. Jesus came to bring life. Jesus Christ came to bring life. And this is what we see in the next half of verse 10. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life. I came that they may have life. Now the Lord Jesus Christ did not just come to be a teacher of morality. He did not come to simply be an example of self-denial. He did not leave heaven and live on this earth for 33 years to simply be a good example. The Bible there shows us that he had a far higher purpose when he came into this world. He came into this world to procure eternal life, to bring eternal life. He came into this world to bring life to you and I. He came into this world so that we might live. He came into this world to be a mighty fountain of spiritual life for all mankind. and that those who will believe in Him, and as they drink from that fountain, will have life. That's why Christ came. And maybe you're seated there and saying to yourself, but if Christ came that I might have life, then there's no need for me to have the Lord Jesus Christ. I'm living, I'm not dead. So why do I need Christ? Now the Lord Jesus Christ in verse 10 is not simply talking about physical life. He's talking about spiritual life, which leads to everlasting life. From the time sin entered this world, through our parents Adam and Eve, we are born sinners in rebellion against God. We are born in this world spiritually dead. And to use the words of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, human beings are a living death. They are living, but they are dead. They are spiritually dead. They cannot do anything to put a smile on the face of God. They are dead, spiritually dead, because of sin. Human beings are unable to initiate any movement towards God. They are unable to do anything that will make them to move in the direction of God. They are incapable of coming to God on their own. They have no initiative because they are spiritually dead. Now when you think of death, I think we all have a good idea what death is. When a person dies, they are unable to respond to any impulse, any provocation, They are unable to perform any functions. They are unable to do anything. They are dead. They can't respond to anything outside of them. They can't respond to the environment. The body that has no life has been reduced to simply an empty shell. There's no life in it. They possess no ability to see, to hear, or to do anything. When a person is dead, they can't respond to anything. Even if you touched them, they will not respond. Even if you brought something that excites them, they will not respond. Even if you raised your voice and called them out, that voice which once upon a time they would recognize as the voice of my wife, the voice of my husband, the voice of my child, the voice of my friend, they can't respond to that voice any longer. They are dead. Their eyes that once upon a time would marvel at the beauty of creation, would marvel at the beauty of their spouse, can no longer do that anymore. Why? There's no life in them. They are dead. Their body that once upon a time was full of energy and would do extraordinary things, can't do anything because there's no life in them. And this is exactly what the Bible refers to us when it says we are spiritually dead. There's no life in us to respond to God. Even when God calls, As long as we are dead in our sins, we will not respond. We will not obey the voice of God. We will not see the beauty of the salvation of God that is in Christ Jesus because we are spiritually dead. There's no life in us. And the Bible is saying to us, Christ came to a people in such a state to bring life, so that as it brings life to them, they may begin to see and respond to God. They may begin to see and marvel at the beauty of God. They may begin to live the life that God wants them to live. Christ came that you might have life. you spiritually dead may live. God so loved the world. that His Son He gave with the purpose that those who receive His Son with abiding trust and confidence may have everlasting life. Those who believe in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of their sins will find salvation, and this salvation will manifest in having fellowship with God, because of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is why Christ came. He came to bring life. Sin entered this world. And because of sin, all of us are spiritually dead. And God would look and all you'd see is a people dead in sin. A people unable to tell they are left from their right. A people who can't appreciate the salvation of God. A people who could not hear the voice of God. And when Christ came into this world, that was the reason why He came. He came to bring life and this life is salvation that He has brought. Christ came. that you may have life. And this shows us that it's God who makes the first move in salvation. It's not man. And that's why he began by letting us know that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and to destroy. And Christ came that you might have life in you. And the life that the Lord Jesus Christ brings is a life that makes a difference between life and death. It's a life That makes a difference between a life of turmoil and a life of peace. It's a life that makes a difference between a life of sin and a life of sorrow. It is a life that is lived for the glory of God because God has brought life into you and now you are able to respond to God. Now you're able to appreciate the beauty of God's salvation. Now you're able to appreciate the love of God for the world. Why? Because there's life in you. There's spiritual life. And when God calls you, you are able to appreciate and know that that's the voice of my Father calling me out. Because there's life in you. You have life in you. Christ has brought life into you. Christ didn't come to simply be a teacher of morals. Because he knew that teaching morals to dead people is a waste of time. How would they appreciate the lessons? What these people need is life. And Christ came to bring that life. And so the question is, do you know this something of this life? Do you know what it means to be made alive in Christ? Or you're still living in your sins. Though everyone around you thinks you are full of life and energy, and yet God looks at you and he sees a living death. One who's alive physically, but dead spiritually. So where are you this morning? Do you have this life? But in the last place, we are told that Christ came to bring life and life in abundance. Christ came to bring life and life in abundance. That's what the last part of verse 10 tells us. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Now there the Lord Jesus Christ is saying us, he did not just come to bring life, but to bring it abundantly. to bring life in its abundance. We've already seen what life is that Christ brings. But we need to ask ourselves the question, what is an abundant life? What does it mean to have life abundantly? Abundant life does not necessarily mean a long life. Although when you read the Bible, there are verses in Exodus and Ephesians that promise long life to children if they obey their parents. But abundant life does not necessarily means a long life. Abundant life does not necessarily mean a life free from sorrow, sickness, and pain. It does not mean that. Abundant life does not mean a life where everything is beautiful, is wonderful, and is precious. That's not what abundant life means. But the question we need to ask ourselves, when John says that Christ came to bring life, and life in its abundance, what does that mean? Abundant life is a content life. Abundant life is a content life in which contentment comes from the confidence that God is equal to every emergency and does indeed supply or our genuine needs according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Abundant life is a content life in which contentment comes from confidence that God is equal to every emergency of our life. And He does supply all our genuine needs according to the riches in glory in Christ Jesus. That's what abundant life means. It means you are content. And you are not simply content with what you have, but you are content with the confidence you have in God. that whatever my situation, whatever life throws at me, my God will supply what I need for that particular moment to pull through so that as I live my life, I'm radiating the life of Christ in me. And you see, contentment means satisfaction. And satisfaction means enough. In Christ, you have all that you need to live your life here on earth and in the life to come. As Christ brings life, spiritual life in you, he makes you alive. And as he makes you alive, He helps you to see and builds confidence in you that you have a God who supply all your genuine needs for your life on earth. And in that confidence, you will be satisfied. Now this understanding is reinforced by the meaning of the word abundance. The word abundance comes from two Latin words which give us the idea to rise in the waves or to overflow. To rise in the waves or to overflow. And the picture that these words give us is that as the continuous rise of waves are upon the shore or the banks of the sea, And as they rise over and over again, as the waves bring their force to the seashore, and as they continue to do that, you are not being shaken because of the confidence that you have in God. And so as one wave of life brings its trials, brings its temptations, brings its sorrows. You are not being swept off your feet by those waves of life. You are firm and you are stable because God is supplying all your needs, equal to any given situation. But also being given the idea of an overflow, A surplus. There's also a mathematical formula in that word, abundance. It means there's a surplus. If you're an accountant, when you see a surplus at the end of the year, as you are closing your book, you know that year was good. You did not make a loss. So if you're a businessman, what you want to see is a surplus at the end of your balance sheet. And this is the idea that we are getting in what John is saying, that Christ came to bring life and to bring life abundantly. We are being taught there that there is this overflow of the life of Christ in us and as Christ communicates his life in us and as God the Holy Spirit takes residence in our lives, there is an overflow of the life of Christ that radiates to all those around us so that they see that the life we live is because of Christ. It's not because of what I've accumulated or achieved. It's because of Christ in me. Christ is the one causing the surplus, the overflow in my life, and I have abundant life. I have all that I need at any particular moment because of Christ. And this abundant life is one in which we are content in the knowledge that God's grace is more than sufficient for you, for your life. And that there's nothing that can suppress it. And God's favor towards you is unending. And that's why the life that Christ brings is everlasting life. Because the love of Christ towards you is unending. Because God himself has no beginning, he has no ending, and so everything from him is everlasting. And this is the idea that John is giving us. The reason why Christ came is that you and I may have life and life in abundance. And Christ is able to give you such a life because he possesses all authority in heaven and on earth. He's more than capable. to do beyond what you can imagine. When Christ saves you from your sins, he leaves you in this world as a trophy of his grace. He leaves you in this world so that through your life, others may come to see what abundant life is. that through you others may come to see the power of God, that God can save sinners from their sins. If you are a Christian this morning, you are a billboard upon which God writes his love so that he can show and advertise it to the world. God is writing his love upon you so that when the world looks at you and they inquire of how come that in the midst of all these life trials you seem to be satisfied, you seem to be content, then you can show them it is because of Christ he came that I might have life and life in abundance. Your life is a testimony to the power of God in saving sinners from their sins. Yesterday, we gathered in this place for the funeral service of Mahongo Nyongola, who passed away on Thursday morning. And this place was full and there were still others standing outside. And when you heard her testimonies, tribute from her workplace, from her friends, one of the things you could not miss was that there was a person who had the life of Christ in her. She was a trophy of God's grace, She was a billboard upon which the world came to see the power of God in saving sinners from their sins. She had found life and life in its abundance. You heard the mother's tribute to her. She said, through you have come to appreciate even God's love more. And all things happen for good of those that love God. And nothing will separate me from the love of God. And you can't tell me those tributes were simply because she was a hardworking young lady at her workplace. Oh, she was the darling of the family. They saw something of God's amazing love in her. And it was difficult for everyone who came to give a tribute to keep it to themselves. They wanted everyone present in this room to know that even though once upon a time she lived a life of sin, Christ came into our life and gave her life and life in its abundance. And as she lived her life, she continued to radiate the love of Christ around all those who came in contact with her. And she lived her life as a pyramid of praise to her God, who had saved her from her sins. There was a life, short-lived, but a life that had found abundant life in Christ. Before you can know this abundant life, you must first know life. Before this life of Christ can begin to overflow within you, you must know the life that Christ leads, the life that Christ brings. You must be made alive from your death, from your spiritual death. You must be awakened from that death by the power of Christ. You must believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, putting your abiding trust and confidence in Christ and his power to save sin. Christ will wake you from your dead. He will give you his spiritual life. And once he does that, then you can know this abundant life. You will not be satisfied by any created things. The vacuum in you can only be satisfied by Christ. Man is spiritually dead. You are spiritually dead in your sins. You have no defenses. against sin. Because you are dead, that's what you are. So sin has taken control of your life. You have no desire to resist sin. You don't have the capacity or the ability to resist sin. Don't you get amazed at times when you hear of some of the deeds of men. And you ask yourself, why would a person do such a thing? It's because they don't have the power to resist sin. And when sin commands, they do what sin is telling them to do. People were spiritually dead. do not have the power to resist sin. They have no defense mechanism. Even when they come up with their resolutions, they break them because sin has taken control of their lives. And because there's no spiritual lives in them, they only do that which their master wants them to do. Only Christ gives life. Only Christ can give you life. Only Christ can give you abundant life. Only Christ is able to break the power of sin in your life. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and you too can sing joyfully with God's people. Life, life, abundant life. Jesus alone is the giver. Life, life, abundant life. Glory be to God forever. If you only believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, for the forgiveness of your sins will you know life and life in its abundance. Amen.