Experiencing Abundant Life Through Christ

The first truth is that Jesus Christ has come that men may have life. I will not dwell upon the thought that even the prolonged Natural Life Of The Sinner is due in a large measure to the coming of Christ that Baron tree would not stand so long in the Garden of Life if it were not that the dresser of the vineyard intercedes and cries spare it yet another year until I dig about it and fertilize is it the interposition of the mediator accounts for the lengthened lives of gross offenders whose crimes tax the longsuffering of Heaven. [00:01:31]

Moreover we are all by Nature dead in trespasses and sins in the day when our first parents broke the law they died spiritually and all of us died in them and now today apart from Christ we are all dead to spiritual things being devoid of that Living spirit which enables us to have communion with God and to understand and enjoy spiritual things all men are by Nature without the spirit which quickeneth to the highest form of life unregenerate men have physical life and mental life but spiritual life they have not nor will they ever have it except as Jesus gives it to them. [00:03:30]

Life for your souls is only to be had in Jesus if then you are this day seeking salvation you are instructed as to the only source of it spiritual life is not the result of working how can the dead work for Life must they not be quickened first and then will they not rather work from life than for life life is a gift and its bestow upon any man must be the act of God the gospel preaches Life by Jesus Christ sinner see where you must look you are wholly dependent upon the quickening voice of him who is the resurrection and the life. [00:06:23]

The way to life lies in the opposite direction you must look right away from yourself to the Lord Jesus Christ you must rely upon what he has done and not upon what you can do and you must have respect not to what you can work in yourself but to what he can work in you remember that God's declaration is that whosoever believeth in Jesus hath everlasting life if therefore you are enable to come and cast yourselves upon the blood and righteousness of Jesus Christ you have immediately that eternal life which all your prayers and tears repentance and churchgoing Chapel goings and sacraments could never bring to you. [00:07:37]

Christ has come that we may have life if we could have obtained life without his coming why need he come if life could come to Sinners apart from the cross why nail the Lord of glory to the shameful tree why your bleeding wounds Emanuel if life could come by some other door yet further why did the spirit of God descend at Pentecost and why does he still abide among men if if they can be quickened without him if life is to be obtained apart from the Holy Spirit to what end does he work in the human heart the bleeding Savior and the indwelling spirit are convincing proofs that our life is not from ourselves but from above. [00:09:00]

Life is a matter of degrees some have life but it flickers like a dying candle and is indistinct as the fire in the smoking flax others are full of of life and are bright and vehement like the fire upon the blacksmith's Forge when the Bellows are in full blast Christ has come that his people may have life in all its fullness increase of life may be seen in several ways it may be seen in healing a Man Lies sick upon his bed he is alive but he can hardly move a limb he is helplessly dependent upon those around him his life is in him but how little is its power. [00:10:16]

We grow in Grace we advance in knowledge and experience in confidence and in Conformity to the image of Our Lord from babes in Christ we advance to young men and from young men we become fathers in the church so Jesus would have us grow this is one of the designs of his coming thus do we possess life more abundantly a person might however have both health and growth and yet enjoy a stinted measure of life suppose him to be confined as a prisoner in a narrow cell where chains and granite walls perpetually bound his motions can you call his existence life. [00:12:26]

Now Mark well that if the Son of God shall make you free you shall be free indeed and in that freedom find life sparkling flashing and overflowing like the streams of a fountain to be under bondage through fear of death is scarcely life to be continually Fred with mistrusts and receive the spirit of bondage again to fear gendereth unto death but it is truly life to be able to cry thou Hast loosed my bonds yet I can suppose a man at Liberty and in health who might have still more Abundant Life he is extremely poor he may wonderand where he wills it is true but no foot of ground can he call his own. [00:14:00]

Brethren to know that you are no longer a slave but a son an heir of Heaven a joint air with Jesus Christ For Whom the Saints are Companions and to whom the angels are servitors this is to have life more abundantly is it not I have thus hastily hinted at some of the points in which increased life reveals itself I will now set forth the same subject in another way I would lay before you seven particulars in which Christians should seek after more Abundant Life first let them desire more stamina an embankment is to be thrown up or a cutting to be dug out you want laborers here are your Spades and your pics and your wheelbarrows and the men are required. [00:17:30]

Our lord Jesus has come that in a spiritual sense we may have stamina may have a well-founded well-furnished wellestablished confirmed and vigorous life so that we may be capable of arduous service and powerful action he would have us walk without weariness and run without fainting he would have us quit ourselves like men and be strong beloved do you not see how great a difference there is between some Christian men and others are not some of them spiritual invalids they believe but their favorite prayer is Lord help our unbelief they hope but fear is almost as fully in possession of their hearts they have love to Christ but they often sing do I love the Lord or no am I his or am I not. [00:19:42]

Life when it is in abundance becomes Supreme some races of men have physical life but have it not abundantly Christians should have such Abundant Life that their circumstances should not be able to overcome them such Abundant Life that in poverty they are rich in sickness they are in spiritual health in contempt they are full of Triumph and in Death full of Glory glorious is that life which defies circumstances es Christ has given to us Brethren a supreme life Supreme in its tenacity it cannot be destroyed none can cut its thread who shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our lord neither things present nor things to come shall ever Avail to do this. [00:45:46]

If you want life you must have it from Christ if you want more life you must go to the same place do not look to Christ for the beginnings and then somewhere else for the endings Christ has come that you might have more life come to him by faith do not look to ceremonies or outward services or anything else for growth in Grace apart from Jesus but fly to him and he will give it you and you shall be rich to all intents of bliss God grant that all the members of this church may have this blessing for Christ's sake amen. [00:48:17]