20251123_LB_Transcript.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Life’s Fullness Is Grace, Not Gaining

When life is measured by what people can accumulate, worth becomes a scoreboard. The promise of “life to the full” is not a call to work harder to earn more approval, status, or possessions. True abundance is about being held by God’s sufficiency rather than driven by an inner need to prove or protect oneself.

You are invited to rest in a grace that does not tally up your achievements. Instead of asking “How much do I have?” ask “How deeply am I receiving?” Practice noticing where striving tries to define you and choose one small step toward trusting God’s sufficiency today.

Haggai 2:8-9 (ESV)
“The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, declares the LORD. The latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former, and in this place I will give peace, declares the LORD of hosts.”

Reflection: This week name one thing you use to measure your worth (possession, title, role). Today, pick one concrete action to loosen your grip on it (give something away, decline a comparison, or pray a short prayer of trust) and notice how it affects your need to perform.

Day 2: Rooting Out “Thief Thinking” Within Faith

A scarcity mindset can hide inside religious life as easily as it hides in the marketplace. When faith becomes a way to score points, judge others, or secure status, it stops being life-giving and begins to rob joy and belonging. Religious zeal without generosity creates barriers rather than open doors.

Pay attention to the ways you defend your good standing or explain yourself in spiritual conversations. Choose one moment this week to listen without defending, to ask a question rather than correct, and to let God expose where pride or fear is shaping your faith.

Isaiah 58:1-3 (ESV)
“Cry aloud; do not hold back; lift up your voice like a trumpet; declare to my people their transgression, to the house of Jacob their sins. Yet they seek me daily and delight to know my ways, as a nation that did righteousness and has not forsaken the law. ‘Why have we fasted, and you see it not? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you take no knowledge of it?’”

Reflection: Identify one recent conversation where you felt the need to defend your spiritual posture. Today, when a similar moment comes, choose to listen fully and ask one open question instead of offering a correction.

Day 3: God’s Economy Runs on Overflow, Not Scarcity

God’s generosity does not track effort the way human systems do. The kingdom works on overflow: plenty is given not because of length of service but because of God’s character. This reality will feel unfair at times, but it reveals a God whose measures are different from human accounting.

Let the story of unexpected abundance loosen your grip on the idea that everything must be earned. Practice a small act of extravagant hospitality or giving this week as a spiritual discipline to retrain your soul to expect and reflect God’s overflow.

2 Kings 4:1-7 (ESV)
Now the wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the LORD, but the creditor has come to take my two children as slaves.” Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me; what do you have in the house?” She said, “Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.” He said, “Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, from empty vessels from all around, and bring them in. Then shut the door behind you and pour into all these vessels. And when the vessels were full, you shall set aside the full ones.”

Reflection: Where do you assume God’s resources are limited? Today, practice a small, concrete act of generosity (time, money, a meal, an encouraging message) and notice the resistance in your heart.

Day 4: Obedience Opens Eyes; Effort Alone Cannot Heal

Transformation begins with God’s action, not human self-help. Spiritual sight is given, not manufactured. Yet God often invites a simple, obedient response—steps that look small but open the door for grace to work. The healing life is a partnership: God initiates and we respond.

Ask God for clarity about one small step of obedience he might be asking of you. Then do it—call, go, admit, or wait—even if the step doesn’t make sense. Watch how humble, faithful obedience becomes the way God brings sight and life.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (ESV)
“And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.”

Reflection: What is one concrete, uncomfortable but small step of obedience Jesus might be asking of you today (a conversation, a confession, a new habit)? Do it now or schedule it for today, and afterward tell God what happened.

Day 5: Seeing Abundance Is a Daily Discipline

Moving from a scarcity lens to an abundance lens is a slow, daily work. Eyes that see God’s generosity grow brighter with practice. This requires regular habits of listening, waiting, and asking God to show where blindness remains.

Create a daily, simple rhythm this week to ask Jesus, “What do you want me to see today?” Keep it brief—a moment of silence and one-line journal entry. Over five days pay attention to how small, consistent practices begin to change what you notice.

Proverbs 4:18-19 (ESV)
“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which grows brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.”

Reflection: For the next five mornings or evenings, ask Jesus one question—“What do you want me to see today?”—and write one sentence in a journal about what you noticed. After five days, review what has changed in how you view yourself, others, or God.

Sermon Summary

of the Sermon**

Today’s sermon explored the difference between simply being alive and truly living, as Jesus intends for us. Drawing from John 10 and the story of the man born blind in John 9, we looked at what it means to have “life to the full.” The message challenged the common assumptions that abundant life is found in possessions, moral rule-keeping, or religious observance. Instead, Jesus invites us to move from “thief thinking”—a mindset of scarcity, comparison, and self-justification—into an attitude of abundance, where God’s grace and generosity are the foundation. The journey from blindness to sight, both physically and spiritually, is not something we can manufacture by our own effort, but it does require a humble, obedient response to Jesus’ invitation. The sermon closed with a listening exercise, encouraging us to ask Jesus, “What do you want me to see?” and to receive with open, obedient hearts.

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Key Takeaways

1. Abundant Life Is Not About Achievement or Possession Jesus’ promise of “life to the full” is not about accumulating things, status, or even moral achievements. When we equate abundant life with what we can earn, do, or possess, we fall into the trap of “thief thinking”—a mindset that always measures, compares, and fears there isn’t enough. True life, as Jesus offers, is rooted in the sufficiency of God’s grace, not in our striving or our ability to keep up with others.
2. Thief Thinking Is Subtle and Deeply Rooted The mindset that life is a competition, that we must earn our place, or that God’s blessings are rewards for good behavior, is pervasive. It’s not just a problem for the “world out there,” but something that can infect even our religious life. Jesus’ harshest words in John 10 are for the religious leaders who, in their zeal for moral order, actually rob others of joy, freedom, and belonging. We must be vigilant to spot and uproot this thinking in ourselves.
3. The Kingdom of God Operates on Abundance, Not Scarcity In God’s kingdom, there is no seniority, no special treatment, no hierarchy of worthiness. The parable of the workers in Matthew 20 shows that God’s generosity is not measured by our effort or time served. This is deeply countercultural and can feel unfair to us, but it is the radical grace of God—everyone is welcomed, everyone receives, and there is always enough.
4. Transformation Requires Both God’s Initiative and Our Obedience The healing of the blind man is a picture of how spiritual sight comes: it is always a work of God, never something we can manufacture. Yet, God chooses to work through our humble obedience—our willingness to respond, to go where Jesus sends us, even when it doesn’t make sense. This “complementing contradiction” is at the heart of discipleship: it’s never just our effort, but it’s never without our response.
5. Seeing Abundance Is a Daily, Ongoing Invitation The journey from thief thinking to an attitude of abundance is not a one-time event, but a continual process. Jesus invites us, again and again, to have our eyes opened—to see the world, ourselves, and others through the lens of his grace and generosity. This requires regular practices of listening, waiting, and responding to God, allowing him to reveal where we are still blind and to lead us into greater freedom and fullness of life.

Bible Study Guide

**Small Group Bible Study Guide: Life to the Full**

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### Bible Reading

- **John 10:7-11**
Jesus said, “Very truly I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them. I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

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### Observation Questions

In John 10:10, what does Jesus say is the purpose of the thief, and what is his own purpose?
According to the passage, what does Jesus mean when he calls himself “the gate” for the sheep?
In the sermon, what are some examples given of “thief thinking” and how does it show up in religious life?
What is the difference between simply being alive and truly living, as described in the sermon?

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### Interpretation Questions

The sermon says “abundant life” is not about possessions, achievements, or even moral rule-keeping. Why do you think it’s so easy to fall into the trap of measuring life by these things?
The religious leaders in John 10 are called “thieves” by Jesus. What does this reveal about how religious attitudes can sometimes block people from experiencing God’s grace?
The story of the man born blind (John 9, referenced in the sermon) is used as a picture of moving from blindness to sight. What does this story teach about the role of God’s initiative and our obedience in spiritual transformation?
The sermon talks about “thief thinking” as a mindset of scarcity and comparison. How does this mindset affect our relationships with God and with others?

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### Application Questions

The sermon challenged the idea that abundant life is found in what we own, achieve, or how “good” we are. Are there areas in your life where you find yourself measuring your worth by these things? What would it look like to let go of that?
“Thief thinking” can be subtle and deeply rooted, even in church life. Can you think of a time when you compared yourself to others or felt you had to earn God’s love or blessing? How did that affect your sense of joy or belonging?
The parable of the workers in Matthew 20 (mentioned in the sermon) shows God’s generosity is not based on effort or seniority. Does this idea feel unfair to you? Why or why not? How might it change the way you view others in the church or community?
The healing of the blind man required both God’s power and the man’s obedience. Is there an area in your life where you sense God inviting you to take a step of humble obedience, even if it doesn’t make sense?
The sermon ended with a listening exercise: asking Jesus, “What do you want me to see?” Take a moment to quietly ask Jesus this question. What comes to mind? Are you willing to respond with an open and obedient heart?
Moving from “thief thinking” to an attitude of abundance is a daily process. What is one practical way you can practice seeing God’s abundance this week—in your circumstances, relationships, or self-image?
When you notice yourself slipping into comparison, scarcity, or self-justification, what is one thing you can do to remind yourself of God’s grace and generosity?

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**Close in prayer, inviting God to open your eyes to his abundance and to help you respond with humble obedience.**

Sermon Quotes

There’s more to living than being alive. Life is so much more than just a beating heart and breathing lungs. If there’s more to living than being alive, then what is it that is truly living?

If our idea of life in abundance is found in morals, rule-keeping, and clean living, we are at huge risk of living entirely opposed to what Jesus has in mind in this teaching.

“Thief thinking” is the belief that you must diminish others to build yourself up, that there’s not enough to go around. But Jesus describes life as containing abundance—there’s more than enough for all of us to be a part of this story.

In the kingdom of God, all receive the same blessing. All are welcome. There is no seniority, no power, no special treatment for anybody. All are equal co-heirs to the throne of Christ.

The very fabric of our society is based on thief thinking. We need a miraculous work to be done in our lives—a complete overhaul in our way of thinking and seeing—if we’re ever going to move from thief thinking to an attitude of abundance.

The miracle of restoring sight to the man born blind is both a physical act of compassion and a picture of what it is to go from thief thinking to an attitude of abundance, from blindness to seeing, from lack to life to the full.

Life to the full is never about our strength, our ways, or our abilities. It is only ever the work of God that can open our eyes so we can truly see and experience the fullness of life Jesus is talking about.

The beautiful contradiction of life to the full: it’s never the best of my work that helps me to see, and yet, it is through my step of humble obedience to God that my eyes can be opened.

Are your eyes open to the abundance that is at work in the kingdom around you? Or are you still caught up in the blindness of thief thinking?

Jesus invites us into a faith walk of constantly wrestling with and understanding the complex, complementing contradiction of what life looks like—knowing it’s never my strength, yet also about my humble obedience to what Jesus puts before me.

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20251123_LB_Transcript.pdf

Devotional

Day 1: Life’s Fullness Is Grace, Not Gaining

Day 2: Rooting Out “Thief Thinking” Within Faith

Day 3: God’s Economy Runs on Overflow, Not Scarcity

Day 4: Obedience Opens Eyes; Effort Alone Cannot Heal

Day 5: Seeing Abundance Is a Daily Discipline

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Quotes

Chatbot

20251123_LB_Transcript.pdf

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