Abundant, Eternal Life

Jesus called Himself the “good shepherd” (John 10:11, 14). The shepherd’s provision, as illustrated in Psalm 23, can be summed up in one tremendous phrase: total security. But remember that all provision is measured by our commitment. When our commitment is total, our security is total. If there are limits to our commitment, then we do not enjoy the total security Jesus offers.

We can reinforce this Old Testament illustration by looking at the words of Jesus in the New Testament:

“The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly” (John 10:10, NASB)

Jesus was telling us the reason that He came to earth. He summed it up in a simple phrase: that we “might have life.” Not life in a small or limited way, but life “abundantly.” Life overflowing. Life for every area of our being. Life more than sufficient for every challenge and every pressure that comes against us.

Then, a little further on, Jesus used the phrase, “eternal life”:

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:27–28 NASB)

Notice the central phrases: “I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish.” By this passage, we see that Jesus came so that we might have eternal life, a life that stretches beyond this world. A life that goes beyond the grave. A life that lasts for eternity. I once heard somebody make this insightful comment: “I believe that I shall live as long as God lives because God has become my life.” That is the kind of life that Jesus came to offer us. His life—eternally.