Easter 4A

Acts 2:42-47

Psalm 23

1 Peter 2:19-25

John 10:1-10

 

Abundant life.   What does that mean?  What would make life abundant?   More clothes,  a Vovlo station wagon,   that new computer,  a nice vacation this summer,    oh,  I want a neighborhood nanny…life would be abundant with more time to read,  garden, sew,

                

maybe you want more time to golf,  watch tv,  travel…

 

Abundant life.   Well, how about a healthy family.  Decent child care.   A good medical plan.    Maybe a raise every year.   And more paid time off work.

 

 

Abundant life.   What does that look like?   More stuff?  Bigger stuff?  Fancier stuff?

Or more time,  quality time,  quiet time,   family time….

 

What does Jesus mean?   I came that they might have life,  and have it abundantly?

 

He is  talking to a bunch of disciples and Pharisees.  Back in the days when they didn’t have computers or need child care or drive even a Ford station wagon.    And they didn’t have medical plans and I’m betting there were no paid vacations either.

 

So that couldn’t be what Jesus means by abundant life.    Although some of those listeners might have been wanting a bigger tent or a younger camel…or a newer wife.

 

But that still isn’t it.  And we really know that, don’t we.   We know Jesus isn’t talking about material abundance.   Jesus isn’t even talking about something we can measure.

 

God didn’t give us an abundant life meter.  

 

So how do we know it?  What is this abundant life and where do we get it?  And how do we know we have it?

 

The early church seemed to have abundant life.  “They broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people.”

 

 

 

 

 

That sounds good to me.  Glad and generous hearts.    Do you know anyone with one of those?   I have met some people with glad and generous hearts.   Ironically, they didn’t seem to have much else.  You know,  Rosie lived in the projects and was raising her grandkids on the money she made cleaning houses.   She had a glad and generous heart.

 

Louise lived in an old house in a small town.  I don’t know exactly what she lived on,  her husband, dead these 30 years had never made more than $13,000 a year.   But I can tell you what she gave away!    With a glad and generous heart.

 

And those folks I met years ago now in Indonesia.  Northern Sumatra.  Those of you who have traveled overseas will recognize this.  We white folks would come to see a project in a small village.  And they would have a feast for all.   Tons of food.  All their food.  And we would be expected to eat it.  And they would not.   Because they were so glad we came!      Truly glad and generous.

 

Now,  just in case you think I’m being classist  (all right,  I am)  I can tell you about Dick and Claudia,  retired anesthesiologist and nurse  (He still signs his  cards to me  with “keep breathing”).    They gathered up medical supplies and went off to live in Liberia for a year.   From a nice condo to a rough hut.    Their hearts were never more glad.

 

The early followers in todays Acts text were glad and generous.  Why?  It says  “All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need.  Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple,  they broke bread…praising God.”

 

I like to test people who are literalists with Scripture by using this passage.

Try it sometime!

 

Here it is folks,  a community of believers.  Sharing all things.  Caring for those who had need.  Breaking bread.  Praising God.

 

The only possession mentioned is bread.   That’s pretty cheap.

 

Yet they had glad and generous hearts.   Abundant life.  And the neighbors said,  “There is a church that walks the walk.  Let’s check it out!”

 

And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

 

So what do you say?  Cash in the IRA’s,  sell the house,  let’s set up camp in the basement.   

 

What?  You are looking pretty nervous out there.   Whoa…not me.   I’m not ready for that.  Abundance is over rated.  I don’t want to be that glad or generous.   Hey,  it makes me nervous too.  I’ve just preached myself into  a corner and want to get out!

 

(I had a feeling I should have stuck to the Sheep theme!)

 

But look how it happens,  one thing leads to another, and pretty soon God demands our very lives.  God cuts to the chase,  holds up a mirror and says,  see how your possessions hold you down!     How your “good life”  takes priority over my abundant life!

 

See how many are the thieves and bandits of the 21st century that seek to call you away from the truth.   Look how the media’s definition of abundant life has us stressed and hassled and consuming what we really don’t need.

 

I’m guilty of this too.   Looking for abundance in things, financial security,  a nice yard…

 

Jesus once again stops us short and makes us listen.  And once again it’s a bread thing.

 

Look,  you gather together, you break the bread,  you share the bread.

 

And there I am.  In abundance.   That’s it.  Gather, eat, share.   Gather, eat, share…

 

Not shop, collect, hoard.  But gather, eat, share.

 

Jesus is life.  The rest is just stuff that gets in the way.

 

What do sheep need, after all?   Green pastures, still waters,  and a shepherd to lead them.

 

And their cup runs over.

 

This is abundant life:  Living with the shepherd; having glad and generous hearts; sharing our bread and letting God pour the wine until the cup runs over.

 

Living with the shepherd; having glad and generous hearts; sharing our bread and letting God pour the wine until the cup runs over.

 

Abundant life.   Real life.   Blessed life.

 

Just live it!

 

For Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia