A Full Life
Col. 2:8-15; Lk. 2:52
INTRODUCTION:
I. I suppose every person that has ever lived or will live, has and will desire above
every thing to be able to live the fullest life possible.
1. There is a saying: "Live Your Life to the Fullest."
2. The majority will fail and have failed miserably to accomplish this goal.
3. The reason is that they have failed to understand the true sense of the
term: "A FULL LIFE".
II. There is a modern saying that attaches itself basically to a certain kind
of beer one should be drinking:"Live your life with gusto, you only go
around once".
III. Many have lived and will live being deceived into thinking that they are
living the abundant and full life, but when an accounting is made they
discover that they have fallen far short of the full life.
IV. DEFINITIONS:
1. FULL, from the Greek word "plarais" means: "To fill, make full, fill up.
To influence fully, to possess fully. To complete, perfect. Full measure.
A fulfilling, perfect performance.Complete attainment of entire belief, full
acceptance, full development, plenitude."
2. FULL, from Webster's Dictionary: "Full, Filled, holding all it can
contain. Having an incumbent, not vacant. Satisfied or serving to
satisfy. Complete as in quota, quantity, duration, etc.Abundantly supplied."
V. SYNONYMS: Words that can be used for FULL:
Full, the general term, implies either the inclusion of all that is required or the
presence of all that may be held, contained, etc. Complete, means full in the
sense of having everything needed; Plenary, adds to complete the implication
of fullness without qualification. Replete, means full in the sense of being filled
to the brim or, sometimes, to excess.
VI. With these definitions before us, we should be able to go into this
lesson, "THE FULL LIFE" with a better understanding of the things
we will be discussing.
VII. There are 4 areas we need to look at in this lesson:
1. 1) Physical; 2) Mental; 3) Social; 4) Spiritual.
2. Get it right in these things and you will have "The Full Life"
Texts:
Col 2:8-15 - "Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain
deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not
after Christ.For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.And
ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In
whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,
in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with [him] through the
faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.And you,
being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he
quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; blotting out
the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us,
and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;[And] having spoiled principalities
and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it."
Luke 2:52 - "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour
with God and man."
Body
I. PHYSICALLY:
A. Every living creature or thing upon the earth, seeks to be fully developed
physically.
1. When children are born into the physical family upon this earth, it
is the desire of every responsible parent, with the slightest touch
of humanity; to see that child develop and grow up physically.
2. It is very touching to see a child wasted away by malnutrition.
a. They are fed the best of foods, given the best of clothes to keep
them warm, and exercised to develop the muscles of their bodies.
b. If they do not respond as quickly as we think they should to
developing physically, we take them to specialists to diagnose
the trouble and help to correct it.
1) The food of the child is formulated and changed as the child
develops.
2) First, milk, then soft food, then the more solid foods that help to
fully develop the person into a full-grown man or woman.
B. Paul says that bodily exercise and physical development is profitable, for
little (in comparison to the spiritual, 1 Tim. 4:8). But it is profitable.
C. He also says that our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and that we
are to take care of it and protect it against any harmful habits and drugs.
1. It is to be kept pure and clean.
2. Rom. 12:1 We are to present our bodies "a living sacrifice".
3. 1 Cor. 6:18 - "Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without
the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own
body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
[which is] in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?For ye
are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your
spirit, which are God's."
II. MENTALLY:
A. A parent is most interested in seeing that his child develops mentally.
1. A retarded child is an object of pity.
2. The child is tutored, mentally as well as physically, from his small
child-hood up.
3. Parents teach their children to talk and to do many other things that
take mental powers to accomplish.
B. Parents sacrifice to give their children an education.
1. They send them to the best of schools and encourage them to enter
into and finish college, and even go on to graduate schools.
2. All of this is well and good.
a. Children should be educated.
b. We have records of educated people in the Bible.
C. We as parents should try to see that our children get the most
wholesome secular education possible.
III. SOCIALLY:
A. As our children grow up and after they grow to man and womanhood,
we want, beyond many things, that they be accepted socially, that they
be able to associate with people and succeed in doing so.
1. Every child should be taught to associate and be sociable if at all possible.
2. I know children that have very undesirable dispositions.
a. Sorry to say that some of them take after their parents in this.
b. So it could be said of them, "The came about it naturally".
B. Association and the ability to get along and be recognized in society is
good in and of itself.
1. But social acceptance should never be sought after if it causes one
to lower his standards as a Christian.
2. Any practice or act should be weighed against the balance of God's
word before being indulged in or permitted.
C. Many that call themselves Christians partake in the lasciviousness of
this life to better themselves socially.
1. They do this by engaging in such things as: dancing, wearing
immodestclothing, drinking, using illegal drugs, and many other things
that they might be accepted into certain social circles.
2. We need to know that there are more than one social circle and
we need to get into the right one. (1 Pet.4:1-5;2 Cor. 6:17,18; 1 Cor. 15:33.)
3. There is one circle where people practice wholesome recreation,
wear decent clothes, go to decent places, and practice just good
wholesome living.
a. That is the type of social circle we should seek to be in.
b. Seek after it and you will be spared many hardships in life.
D. Most people believe if they accomplish the three aspects of life that we
have mentioned, that they have obtained and are living a FULL LIFE.
1. People are "charmed" with these three aspects of life, therefore,
they consider themselves living life to the fullest.
2. But a full life is not a triangle but a square.
a. You hear of that which is foursquare.
b. That is what a full life really is.
c. It is founded upon the most important part of the square- that part
is spirituality.
IV. SPIRITUALITY:
A. We must base our lives upon the things of God and the teaching of His word.
1. We sing: "How Firm A Foundation".
2. Take time to look at the words of that song.
B. We must seek first the kingdom. Mt. 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness;
and all these things shall be added unto you."
C. What ever we do in word or in deed must be based upon the authority
of the Lord. Col. 3:17 - "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in
the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
D. Our physical structure must develop; but along with it we must grow up
spiritually.
1 Pet. 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that
ye may grow thereby.
Heb. 5:12-14 "For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have
need that one teach you again which [be] the first principles of the oracles of
God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. For
every one that useth milk [is] unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is
a babe. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, [even] those
who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
E. Our mental developmentmust be combined with an increasing
knowledge of God's word.
1. Jno. 8:32 "And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
17:17 "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."
2. 2 Tim. 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that
needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
3. 16,17 - All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for
doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That
the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."
D. In our social life:
1. We should avoid evil companionships.
1 Cor. 15:33 "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners."
2. We are to not make friends with the world.
Jas. 4:4 "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship
of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the
world is the enemy of God."
1 Jno. 2:15-17 "Love not the world, neither the things [that are] in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes,
and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.And the world
passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth
for ever."
E. In our social life we are to prefer to be with Christians.
Rom. 12:10 - "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in
honour preferring one another;"
F. Brethren are to have preference for brethren in benevolence.
Gal. 6:10 "As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all
[men], especially unto them who are of the household of faith."
Conclusion:
1. Yes, we need to live a "FULL LIFE", but it can never be full unless it is
based upon the spiritual foundation.
2. All the facts that go to make up a full life; PHYSICAL, MENTAL, and SOCIAL,
must be founded upon and guided by the SPIRITUAL aspect.
a. You might at this time be a physical giant, a mental genius, and
socially in WHO'S WHO, but unless you have like-wise grown
spiritually, then you are a spiritual no-body.
b. Your life is not complete, and can never be full; until the spiritual
side is added.
3. To have a FULL LIFE one must be a Christian.
a. To be a Christian one must:
1) Hear the word of God, Rom. 10:17;
2) Believe in God and His word, Heb. 11;6;
3) Repent of past sins, Acts 17:30,
4) Confess that Christ is God's only begotten Son, Rom. 10:9,10;
5) And be baptized by a burial in water for the remission of past sins.
Acts 2:38; 22:16.
b. Will you obey the gospel today
?
c. If you have been unfaithful, will you change your mind about that today?
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