#20 Discover Abundance in Christ

Is "abundant life" actually something Christians are allowed to expect? Or is it just another phrase that sounds great but doesn't connect to Monday morning reality?

This week at Crowd Church, Dave Connolly explores this idea of abundant life by looking at John 10:10 and how it has been used to promise everything from job promotions to miracle healings. But what did Jesus actually mean when he said he came to give us life "to the full"? Dave unpacks the original Greek, challenges the prosperity gospel interpretation, and offers something far more profound than a new car or a bigger house.

When Abundant Life Gets Confused

It's easy to see how we've got this muddled up. Some Bible teachers quote John 10:10 as support for the idea that Christianity leads to physical prosperity. They'll pair it with verses like 3 John 2 — "I wish above all things that you prosper and be in good health" — to teach that Christians are promised wealth and health if they have enough faith.

But as Dave pointed out, that verse was simply part of a polite letter greeting, similar to how we might write "I hope this email finds you well." It was never intended as a universal promise that every Christian will be rich or disease-free.

So what does Jesus actually promise?

Life as God Has It

In John 10, Jesus draws a contrast between himself as the Good Shepherd and the false shepherds — thieves who come only to steal, kill and destroy. Then comes this extraordinary statement:

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." — John 10:10

The Greek phrase here for "having life to the full" literally means having a superabundance of things. But not things in the material sense. Dave explained that John uses the word "life" (zoe) 36 times in his gospel — more than a quarter of all New Testament references to life. And in John's writing, life characteristically refers to eternal life, to spiritual life, to life as God intended it.

As Dave put it: "When we try to live life our own way, we find that life is a dull, desperate, empty thing. Yet when we walk with Jesus, there comes a new vitality, a super abundance of life. It's only when we live with Jesus that life becomes really worth living."

This isn't about throwing away crutches or getting that promotion. It's about a life lived at a higher level — in relationship with Jesus, empowered by his presence, reflecting his glory.

The Secret Paul Discovered

There's a passage in Philippians that captures this beautifully. Paul writes:

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength." — Philippians 4:12-13

Notice, Paul says he learned to be content. It didn't come automatically. He'd experienced both extremes — wealth and poverty, full stomachs and hunger. And in every situation, he found he could be content. Why? Because Christ strengthened him.

The word "content" here is fascinating. It means being independent of your circumstances. Whether Paul had a lot or a little, his sense of abundance wasn't tied to his bank balance or his health status. It came from his relationship with Jesus.

That's the abundant life Jesus offers. Not immunity from problems, but a deep contentment that doesn't depend on everything going right.

Identifying the Thief

Jesus contrasts his gift of abundant life with the work of "the thief" who comes to steal, kill and destroy. So if abundant life is available, what's robbing us of it?

During Conversation Street, Matt and Jen explored this question honestly.

What robs you of an abundant life?

Jen reflected on seasons where worry and tiredness had the upper hand: "It made me feel sad for all the times I've not lived an abundant life — that I've allowed the worries of the world to get the better of me." She described those periods like "watching a black and white TV when there's a perfectly good colour one in the next room."

For some of us, the thief looks like apathy — that fog of tiredness where we stop running to God even though we know that's exactly what we need. Jen described it like a child wanting a hug but not going to the parent whose arms are open wide. "Why would you not run there? And sometimes I do and it's great. And sometimes I don't."

For others, the thief is distraction. Matt shared how in our always-connected world, we struggle with boredom and fill every quiet moment with screens and noise. "I find if I get distracted a lot, then that for me is a big thief that robs abundant life because it stops me connecting as much as I should with God."

Finding sacred spaces

The conversation turned to practical solutions. What helps us reconnect?

Matt talked about walking in the park, working in his woodwork shop, hiking in the Lake District, and even flying on planes where no one can call him. Jen mentioned car journeys as her sacred space — "somewhere no one will really find me. If they approach, I just drive off."

The point isn't that we all need to take up carpentry or go fishing (though Nicola in the comments was enjoying exactly that). It's about intentionally creating space to be with God. Jesus regularly withdrew from the crowds to pray on mountainsides. We need to find our own mountain places.

What Abundant Life Actually Looks Like

So if abundant life isn't about material wealth, what is it?

It's contentment that doesn't depend on circumstances. You can have peace when life is chaotic. Joy when everything around you says you shouldn't—wisdom when you don't know the answers.

It's spiritual life empowered by Jesus. As Dave explained: "Because we have received Jesus, because he lives within us, we have the riches of the super abundant life."

It's living at a higher level. Not higher income, but higher in the sense of being grounded in obedience to God, dependent on him, surrendered to him.

And despite knowing this, we may not always walk in it. As Matt admitted, "That's my story — don't always walk in it. But that's down to me, not Jesus."

Your Next Step This Week

If you want to experience more of this abundant life, here are some practical starting points from the conversation:

• Identify your thief. What's actually robbing you of contentment and connection with God? Is it worry? Distraction? Busyness? Apathy? Name it specifically.

• Find your sacred space. Where can you withdraw and be with God without interruption? It doesn't have to be a mountain — it could be a park bench, a car journey, or an early morning before the house wakes up.

• Practise contentment. When circumstances feel difficult, remind yourself that an abundant life isn't about everything going well. It's about Christ who strengthens you regardless of circumstances.

• Run to God, not away. When you feel low, that's precisely when you need a connection with God most. Don't withdraw into isolation — withdraw into his presence.

The Colour TV Is Waiting

Jen's analogy sticks with us: why watch black and white when there's a colour TV in the next room?

The abundant life Jesus offers isn't about getting more stuff or having fewer problems. It's about a super abundance of spiritual life — peace, joy, contentment, wisdom — that doesn't depend on what's happening around us.

Dave left us with a challenge worth sitting with: "We need to surrender our lives fully to Jesus to experience the fullness of his abundance."

What would it look like this week to turn off the black and white TV and step into the next room?