But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:31)
Expanded Passage: John 20:1-18, 30-31
Jesus conquered death and rose again, and it was not only so we could go to heaven. His kingdom has come near to us, and now we can experience and know what kingdom life looks like on this side of glory. When we read this account of Jesus’ resurrection, the stories of Jesus appearing to people he loved, and when we consider just how many other miraculous things he has done, we have the opportunity to believe. We believe Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, the King of Kings, the Savior of the world. And when we believe, we get to live—we get to live life to its fullest potential forevermore.
Life with Jesus is about spending time with him. We get to be in his presence, the presence of a holy and perfect God. In his presence, we can seek answers and wisdom. In his presence, we abide, listening as he speaks new life into our very spirit. Life with Jesus is about going out into the world. We get to go into the world and share this great news with people, inviting them to see and believe and truly live. And life with Jesus is about being with the ones we love. We get to share our stories and our burdens; we can have everything in common. There is nothing greater than this life of fullness we have been invited into.
Write down all the ways Jesus has brought fullness into your life.
Ethan Zent is the pastor of worship at Follow Church in Upstate South Carolina, where he lives a beautiful life with his beautiful wife.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
