Red Letters/Black Letters: Day 101: The crux of the issue

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10

I sometimes wonder if many Christians have actually read the Bible, particularly the Gospels, particularly the red letter passages. I say this because there are so many factions within the faith that seem to boil Jesus's core message down to things that make no sense to me. 

Some boil it down to fire insurance. These people seem to think that the main purpose of Jesus's teachings is all about getting out of this life and into another life after you die that takes place somewhere other than a fire and brimstone, eternal punishment hell.

Some boil it down to a definitive list of rights and wrongs. These people seem to suggest that the main reason Jesus came was so that we, his followers, can decide exactly what Jesus feels about a give topic. These topics are usually THE topics of the current day, and they usually fade away given enough time. When the topic becomes less sexy, these people move on to the new "in" sin.

I could probably go on and on and on, as I said there are so many factions that boil the message down to things that make no sense to me.

For instance, if Jesus's main goal was to get us out of this life and into another more praise chorus filled one, why did he talk so much about this life? And if Jesus's main goal was to create a list of right and wrong why does he seem to harp on the way we judge being tied to the way we will be judged?

There are quite a few verses that, I believe, point to Jesus's real main goal, but this verse fits the bill nicely. Jesus says that he has come that they (we) may have life, but not just any life, an abundant life. Now, an abundant life does not mean that we live in abundance, i.e. Jesus is not saying that he came so we would have earthly treasures or wide acclaim. I believe what Jesus hoped to accomplish was to convince us to live lives filled we grace and hope and love, because a life filled with those things reaps more of the same.

Being shown grace comes from being graceful. Being trusted comes from having hope. Being loved comes from loving. 

+ Do you live abundantly?

+ Do you believe Jesus wants you to?

+ What do you think the main thrust of Jesus's message was?