A FULL LIFE.

Col. 2:8-15; Lk. 2:52.

INTRO:

1. 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. There is a saying: "Live Your Life to the Fullest."

2. The majority will fail and have failed miserably to accomplish this goal.

3. Thereason is that they have failed to understand the true sense of the term: "A FULL LIFE".

4. 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 onece".

5. 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.

6. DEFINITIONS:

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.

A. 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.

7. 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 satiety.

8. 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.

I. PHYSICALLY: Every living creature or thing upon the earth, seeks to be fully developed physically.

A. 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 develope and grow up physically.

1. It is very touching to see a child wasted away by malnutrition.

B. They are fed the best of foods, given the best of clothes to keep them warm, and exercised to develope the muscles of their bodies.

C. 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.

D. The food of the child is formulated and changed as the child developes.

1. First, milk, then soft food, then the more solid foods that help to fully develope the person into a full-grown man or woman.

E. Paul says that bodily exercise and physical development is profitable, for little (in comparison to the spirit- ual). 1 Tim. 4:8. But it is profitable.

F. 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. It is to be kept pure and clean. Rom. 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:13, 15-20.

II. MENTALLY: A parent is most interested in seeing that his child developes mentally. A retarded child is an object of pity.

A. The child is tutored, mentally as well as physically, from his small child-hood up.

1. Parents teach their children to talk and to do many other things tht 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.

C. All of this is well and good. Children should be educated. We have records of educated people in the Bible.

D. We as parents should try to see that our children get the most wholesome secular education possible.

III. SOCIALLY:..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 doin so.

A. Every child should be taught to associate and be sociable if at all possible.

1. I know children that have very undesirable dispositions. Sorry to say that some of them take after their parents in this.

B. Association and the ability to get along and be recognized in society is good in and of itself.

C. But social acceptance should never be sought after if it causes one to lower his standards as a Christian.

D. Any practice or act should be weighed against the balance of God's word before being indulged in or permitted.

E. 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, going mixed bathing, wearing immodest clothing, going to vulgar and sexually oriented movies, petting done by those that are unmarried, drinking, using ilicit 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 where people practice wholesome recreation, wear decent clothes, go to decent places, and practice just good wholesome living. That is the type of social circle we should seek to be in.

F. 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 fullest.

2. But a full life is not a triangle but a square. You hear of that which is foursquare. That is what a full life really is. It is founded upon the most important part of the square that part is spirituality.

IV. SPIRITUALITY: We must base our lives upon the things of God and the teaching of His word. We sing: "How Firm A Foundation". Take time to look at the words of that song.

A. We must seek first the kingdom. Mt. 6:33.

B. What ever we do in word or in deed must be based upon the authority of the Lord. Col. 3:17.

C. Our physical structure must develope, ;but along with it we must grow up spiritually. 1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:12- 14, 1 Tim. 4:7,8.

D. Our mental development must be combined with an increasing knowledge of God's word. Jno. 8:32; 17:17 2 Tim. 2:15; 3:16,17.

E. The social life of a Christian is to be void of evil companionships. 1 Cor. 15:33;5:11-13; 2 Thes. 3:14.

1. It is not to be a friendship with the world. 1 Jno. 2:15-17; Jas. 4:4.

2. In our social life we are to prefer to be with Christians. Rom. 12:10.

3. Brethren are to hafe benevolent preference in our lives. Gal. 6:10.

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 theSPIRITUAL aspect.

3. 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.

a. Your life is not complete, and can never be full; until the spiritual side is added.

4. To have a FULL LIFE onemust be a Christian. To be a Christian one must:

By Jim Sasser

Return to the Jim Sasser Outlines page

Return to the Sermon Outlines Page

Home / Bible studies / Bible Survey / Special Studies / General Articles / Non-Bible Articles / Sermons / Sermon Outlines / Links / Questions and Answers / What Saith The Scriptures /Daily Devotional / Correspondence Courses / What is the Church of Christ / Book: Christian Growth / Website Policy / E-mail / About Me /