At home we have a 50” TV on the wall and 2 old 32” TVs sitting in storage. The 50” TV is in the family room with the DVD player and XBOX hooked up to it. The other two are in the garage with all our other stuff we don't use. (Why we still have them I don't know. Maybe in the back of my mind I am hoping to have a man cave where I can watch multiple games at once.)
Let’s just say for the sake of a point to be made that someone gave me a 85” flat screen TV. (Like that would ever happen, but it would be nice.) That’s right they just gave it to me free and clear. “Why?” you might ask. Well just because they thought I might want or need it. So, to set up the storyline here. I come home from work on a Monday night (You know a MONDAY UGH! Haven’t you ever had one of those?) and there on my doorstep is a box with a brand new TV. The box says, Samsung - 85" Class QN900C Neo QLED 8K Smart Tizen TV. (I have no idea what all those letters and numbers mean, but I do know it means nice and expensive.)
Well there it is just sitting there in a box and a sign that says to the Gardiners because we love you. Did I tell you that it was just sitting there? FREE! Did I mention it was FREE!!! I think to myself this can’t be true so I just walk in and close the door. The TV is still on the porch. Later I open the door and low and behold the TV is still there so I bring it in and put it on the dining room table and leave it there all week, looking at it every time I go by. On Friday I think about opening it but decide not to. It sits there a few more days. On Sunday I start feeling guilty for having the TV and not opening it, so I put it in the back of the guest room closet and shut the door. A few weeks go by and I think about it again and think boy if I put that in the family room then I could have the old TV in the shop (awesome). But, the TV stays in the closet. Down the road I might hang it on the wall but I won’t plug it in or hook it up to the media devices, it just sits there and waits and waits and waits to be utilized.
This seems kind of stupid but it is not as far-fetched as you think. You see there is a much better gift that people do the same thing with. You know everyone at one point or another in their life has a huge gift set out for them to have, a gift that has listed on it forgiveness, love, acceptance, salvation, power, 24 hour help-line and peace that passes understanding. That gift is Jesus Christ, He is presented to people everyday and they just walk on by for a period of time and maybe accept his gift later and then just put it in a closet. Sure they have taken advantage of the grace and forgiveness and salvation but they never experience the fullness of the gift. They never know what having Jesus as an active vibrant part of their life can bring. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10) Did you hear that, He came that we might have life and have it abundantly.
Abundantly is defined as “present in great quantity; more than adequate; over sufficient; well supplied; abounding; profuse; overflowing.” Is this how you would classify your life or are you lacking, needing, unfulfilled, longing, or just plain not satisfied? If you are these later statements, you don’t have to be. Jesus can give you peace to know you are forgiven and loved, security to know you are saved, fulfillment because He gives purpose, confidence because He gives strength and knowledge.
Where are you today? Have you walked by that gift on the porch, is it on your table, or have you hidden it in your closet, maybe it is on your wall but you aren’t hooked up to it yet. I challenge you not to live another day without experiencing the fullness of Jesus and the Gift He offers.
“I have come so that you can have life and have it abundantly!”
- Jesus
BXFC (Be Xtreme For Christ)
Pastor Sean