April 26, 2024

Dear Road Church Friends,

The theme of this week’s Sunday message is, “The Abundant Life” that Jesus promised to those who are his sheep. To them he said, “I have come that you might have life in all its abundance.” This is a grand promise coming from one whose life, from what we know of it, was anything but abundant. The life of a peasant day laborer in Galilee life was difficult, fragile and short. The power of sickness and death was strong. Half of all children died before the age 5.  Injury, even minor cuts, malnutrition and disease took half of those who lived past 5 their fifth year.  Only 25% of adults lived past age 60. The average life span was 35-40 years. Jesus was dirt poor. He once said, “foxes have their dens and birds have their nests, but I have no place to lay my head,”—he was homeless.” How someone who lived a life of hardscrabble hand to mouth poverty have the audacity to say anything about a life of abundance, much less promise it to others? What did Jesus mean by an abundant life?  That is the question we will ponder on Sunday. 

SERMON TITLE:  Living an Abundant Life 

SCRIPTURE: John 10:10

A thief comes in order to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that you might have life in all its abundance.

NOW AND THEN

by Margaret E. Sangster

There were hours when life was bitter, with the anguish of defeat,

When strange it seemed that anything had ever tasted sweet.

And we scarce knew how to bear it, but One came o’er the wave,

And the peace He gave us with a word then made us strong and brave.

There are hours when work is pressing, just little homely work

That must be done, that we must do, that it were shame to shirk,

And in those hours full often, to crown the petty cares,

Has fallen upon the house a gleam of God’s heaven unawares.

So, for our hallowed hours we find them, where our Lord

Has called us into service meet for blessing and reward,

They are sometimes in the closet, they are often in the mart,

And the Lord can make them anywhere, His ‘desert place apart.’

Blessings to you all,

Pastor Norm

This service on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/live/nNPsbbLh1JE?si=6_9oTjlAVPN-9Fii