This week, as we approach Memorial Day, our New Testament “word of life” is simply life. It’s fitting, perhaps, that as we honor those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom, we also reflect on what it truly means to live. While it might seem strategic to drop the word “life” on the Sunday before Memorial Day, sometimes, the divine calendar just works out!

Memorial Day is a complex day, isn’t it? It’s solemn, as we remember profound sacrifice, yet also a time of quiet rejoicing, knowing that lives were given so we might live freely and fully. This annual observance reminds us that life is costly and demands much from us.

Life in the Gospel of John

When we turn to Scripture, particularly the Gospel of John, the concept of life permeates every page. John, in my opinion, has one of the best openings of all the Gospels:

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made, without Him nothing was made that has been made. In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:1-5)

Life drips from every passage in John, and Jesus, more than anyone else, embodies it. John’s Gospel brings Jesus to life, capturing His vibrant personality and memorable “quips and one-liners.” It’s likely because John, the “beloved disciple,” offers an insider’s perspective. He even playfully needles Peter in the Easter narrative, noting “the other disciple got there first!” John’s unique account gives us an intimate look at Jesus, especially during His intense final week.

The Meaning of Life: Beyond the Physical

We live in a time of constant discussion about life. From political debates about the “right to life” to philosophical conversations about “life’s purpose,” it’s clear that human beings instinctively know life is more than just a physical existence. We recognize there’s an emptiness to life that physical well-being or material wealth can’t fill. This is precisely why John’s Gospel, with its deep interest in life, resonates so strongly.

In John 10:1-21, Jesus speaks of Himself as the Good Shepherd. My favorite verse in this passage, and possibly in the entire Bible, is John 10:10, where Jesus declares:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.“1

The Greek word for life here is “zoe," which encompasses physical, spiritual, and eternal life. It’s the very essence of what we carry with us, a reminder that our life is interconnected in these dimensions.

Life to the Full: An Abundant Reality

Jesus’ desire for His followers is that they have life to the full. Imagine a glass so brimming that the liquid rises just above the rim, held in place by surface tension – that’s “full.” This is the abundant, overflowing life Jesus wants for us.

Yet, many of us, as followers of Jesus, seem to believe the Christian life is boring – a rigid list of dos and don’ts, a constant fear of being “bad.” We often appear joyless and sad, like the church people in the movie Amistad who sang hymns like dirges. This isn’t the life Jesus calls us to.

Jesus’ life was anything but dull. His first miracle in John’s Gospel was turning water into the “good stuff” wine at a wedding! He wasn’t hiding in a “holy huddle.” He was “in the world,” actively engaged, and that’s where He calls us to be. We are to live fully, not by getting lost in worldly excess, but by participating in life, by being present, by enjoying God’s creation.

When we cling to self-imposed rules and hide in fear of crossing an imaginary line, we are, in essence, telling Jesus we don’t trust Him as our Good Shepherd. We’re saying we don’t believe He’ll protect us from the “wolves” outside the pen. This doesn’t make us look “super Christian”; it makes us look fearful and distrustful of His power within us.

Living as Life-Bearers

Jesus wants us to live adventurously, to do new things, meet new people, serve, love, and care for others. Christians throughout history have exemplified this, from those who served in leper colonies to those who continue to do hard, selfless work in the world today. This is what it means to live life to the full – to be so secure in our Shepherd’s protection that we can fearlessly step out and engage with the world.

We are called to be life-bearers, carrying the light of Christ within us, not hiding it “under a bushel.” We are to display love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control for the world to see, knowing that our righteousness comes from Christ, not from our own efforts to protect it.

A Challenge for Reflection

This week, I challenge you to reflect: Are you truly living life to the full? Are you trusting our Good Shepherd to protect you, or are you hiding in fear? We are meant to be in the world, not of it, demonstrating the vibrant, abundant life Christ came to give us.

A Prayer:

“Father, we thank You that Jesus has come to show us a life well lived, a life of meaning and purpose. Now, He has given us this life to live to the full. Help us to be a people who go out into the world, unafraid, knowing we have a Good Shepherd who protects us from the wolves. May we live fully, demonstrating to the world what love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control look like, so that we might show the world the light of Christ. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.”

You can listen this week’s message here: Whispers of Grace - Life (John)