What does living a full life mean? In our frenetic twenty-first century world, everyone seems to be chasing after the 'full life'.
People want to be busy, they want to be employed, they want to add value both in their homes or in their work. In addition, they want their leisure time to be satisfying, fulfilling, enjoyable. People want the latest gadgets, the latest clothes, especially if they follow the latest fashion trends. They want their children to have the best of everything, and they try very hard to give them as much as they can afford. Their children must be popular, they must achieve the best results, they must keep up with the latest trends.
Sadly, often chasing after these things can lead to disillusionment, discontentment, even resentment and jealousy, especially if neighbours, relatives or even acquaintances seem to have the very things people don’t have. And do they actually achieve ‘the full life’ that they’re so desperate to acquire?
Is living a full life merely an illusion? Can people be genuinely content with material possessions, entertaining experiences, popularity, successful results?
Or is there something more to life? Is there a secret to living a full life?
For what purpose are people really on this earth? Why are we all here? To honour Christ? And if only for this life, as Paul mentioned in one of his letters, we are to be pitied:
‘If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied.’
~1 Corinthians Ch.15, vs19
As people strive toward living a full life, is it possible that many are missing the things of priceless and eternal value?
Jesus offered His disciples and the people in the crowds who would listen to Him ‘life’. In His own words He said:
‘The thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy;
~ John Ch.10, vs10
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.’
It’s very appropriate around Easter time to be probing this “full life” that Jesus is offering. The awe-inspiring resurrection of Jesus changed man’s hopelessness into hope, his insecurity into security and his slavery into freedom.
Because of the wonderful news that Jesus conquered death by rising from the grave, those who believe in Jesus can have hope that after death, Jesus will take them to be with Him forever. Jesus’ followers have been promised life after the grave. Because Jesus took on their sins, they, too, will rise from the grave as their sins have been forgiven; and so God can look on them as spotless; their sins have been paid for by the precious blood of the lamb.
Not only will they have ‘life’, but they will also have a ‘full life’.
While Revelation does give us very vivid visuals and strikingly symbolic pictures of what heaven will be like, the exact location of the place and its description will remain a mystery until one day God chooses to reveal some of the details about heaven to us.
What we do know from the bible is that we will be with Jesus forever. Instead of death, which is the punishment for sinners, Jesus has offered us eternal life.
The message of Easter is so profound and yet, in some ways, it is so simple. How do we receive this full life in heaven? The Bible tells us that
“If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’
~ Romans Ch.10, vs 9-10
and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead,
you will be saved.”
The message of Easter – Jesus’ death for the sins of the world and God raising Him to life – is such good news for those who would believe in His name. Jesus not only offers life but He also offers abundant life.
Those who accept His offer will indeed experience a full life of many wonderful blessings in this life and the next.
Happy Easter to you all!
