WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.720 --> 00:00:03.600 Have you ever heard anybody say this. You know, I 2 00:00:03.680 --> 00:00:07.879 love Jesus, I just don't like the church. I love Jesus, 3 00:00:08.039 --> 00:00:10.519 I just can't stand the church. Then let me tell 4 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:14.000 you something. You're not a disciple because with all of 5 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:17.160 its imperfections, all of its faults, all of its faux 6 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:20.519 paus and failures, because it's made up of normal, ordinary, 7 00:00:20.760 --> 00:00:25.960 imperfect people, Jesus says, the church matters. Christ died for 8 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.079 the Church. In fact, it's the only thing that's going 9 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:31.800 to last on this planet. Microsoft isn't going to last. 10 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:34.960 The Democratic and Republican parties aren't going to last. The 11 00:00:35.079 --> 00:00:38.039 United States of America isn't going to last. No empire 12 00:00:38.119 --> 00:00:40.679 lasts forever. There's only one thing that's going to last 13 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:44.679 for eternity. That is God's family. The Church. You're in it. 14 00:00:44.679 --> 00:00:46.920 It's the only thing that's going to last. It's more 15 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.880 important than everything else put together, because God created the 16 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:53.119 universe because he wanted a family. And so if you 17 00:00:53.200 --> 00:00:56.280 don't love the church, you're not going to like heaven 18 00:00:56.479 --> 00:01:00.359 because that's all who's going to be there. So you 19 00:01:00.439 --> 00:01:04.879 better figure out how to learn to love other disciples. Now, 20 00:01:04.959 --> 00:01:07.640 Jesus died for the church. The Bible calls the church 21 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:10.400 the bride of Christ. How about if I said to you, 22 00:01:10.519 --> 00:01:13.879 I like you, I just can't stand your wife, You'd 23 00:01:13.959 --> 00:01:17.159 be You'd be irritated, you'd be offended. You'd have a 24 00:01:17.280 --> 00:01:20.040 right to be. Or the Bible says, the church is 25 00:01:20.040 --> 00:01:22.079 the body of Christ. If I said I like you, 26 00:01:22.120 --> 00:01:25.480 but your body's not too hot, well, you'd be offended. 27 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:28.640 When you say I don't like the Church, you're saying 28 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:33.959 I don't like the body of Christ that Jesus died for. Now. 29 00:01:34.319 --> 00:01:37.359 This is absolutely ridiculous. People think that they can follow 30 00:01:37.439 --> 00:01:41.519 Christ and not love the Church. They're wrong. In fact, 31 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:44.599 here's what Jesus what the Bible says. First John chapter four. 32 00:01:45.200 --> 00:01:50.519 Someone says I love God but hates a Christian brother 33 00:01:51.000 --> 00:01:55.439 or sister. That person is a liar. That's pretty clear. 34 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:58.959 God says, I'm a liar if I say I love 35 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:03.640 God and don't other Christians. For if we don't love 36 00:02:03.840 --> 00:02:08.479 people we can see, how can we love God when 37 00:02:08.560 --> 00:02:12.759 we have not seen? Well? Duh? He says, this is obvious, 38 00:02:13.560 --> 00:02:16.800 and so to be my disciple, you must love other 39 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:19.199 people in the family of God. This is called fellowship. 40 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:23.120 I want you to write this down. Spiritual growth happens 41 00:02:23.199 --> 00:02:28.439 in community. It doesn't happen on your own. It doesn't. 42 00:02:28.680 --> 00:02:31.879 You cannot be a disciple by yourself. You cannot be 43 00:02:31.919 --> 00:02:36.240 a disciple in isolation. You cannot follow Christ as an individual. 44 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:38.120 Me and Jesus we got a good thing going. We 45 00:02:38.120 --> 00:02:42.840 don't need anybody else. We can attain maturity on your own. No, 46 00:02:43.360 --> 00:02:46.800 you will never grow to spiritual maturity without a church family. 47 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:51.039 The Bible teaches that. In fact, notice that verse he says, 48 00:02:51.800 --> 00:02:54.560 if you have love for one another, circle the phrase 49 00:02:54.599 --> 00:02:58.479 one another. That phrase is used fifty eight times in 50 00:02:58.560 --> 00:03:01.960 the Bible. We are to love one another, care for 51 00:03:02.000 --> 00:03:05.680 one another, help one another, serve one another, encourage one another, 52 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.479 pray for one another. We are to support one another, 53 00:03:08.560 --> 00:03:12.199 where to greet one another. We are to encourage one another. 54 00:03:12.879 --> 00:03:15.000 The Bible says, we were put on this planet to 55 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:19.080 help each other out in the family of God. And 56 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:23.240 you have to have a Christian church family and be 57 00:03:23.319 --> 00:03:26.800 in relationship with people because life is all about love. Now, 58 00:03:26.800 --> 00:03:29.319 you may be listening to ten radio preachers a day, 59 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:31.360 and there are a lot of good ones out there. 60 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.639 Some of them are my friends actually. But if you're 61 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:37.800 listening to all those guys, you're not growing. You're getting 62 00:03:37.800 --> 00:03:41.719 more knowledge, but you're not growing. Because life is all 63 00:03:41.759 --> 00:03:46.599 about love. It's all about love. It's learning to love 64 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:49.479 God and learning to love your neighbors, yourself. Life is 65 00:03:49.520 --> 00:03:54.120 all about learning to love God. This is what makes 66 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:58.439 it different. What makes having a relationship with Jesus different 67 00:03:58.599 --> 00:04:04.800 than religion, that every single religion. The more you isolate 68 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:07.680 yourself from humanity, the more holy you're considered to be, 69 00:04:08.280 --> 00:04:13.960 whether it's Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, or anything else. The holiest 70 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:16.839 people are those who go off into the monks and 71 00:04:16.879 --> 00:04:19.879 the monasteries, or the gurus who hide in the caves 72 00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:23.759 in the mountain, who separate themselves from sinful humanity so 73 00:04:23.839 --> 00:04:28.360 they can't become impure by all of us who are evil, wicked, mean, 74 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:33.399 bad and nasty. And so the more holy you are, 75 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:37.839 the more you separate yourself from earth and from other people. 76 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:41.839 That is the exact opposite of what Jesus taught. Jesus 77 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:45.480 didn't do that. Jesus was in the marketplace, Jesus went 78 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:48.759 to the parties. Jesus was at the wedding, turning water 79 00:04:48.839 --> 00:04:52.120 to wine. In fact, Jesus went to so many parties. 80 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:55.560 The legalistic religious leaders of the day said he is 81 00:04:55.639 --> 00:05:00.199 a quote glutton and a drunk. Today they would say, hey, 82 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:04.879 Jesus is a party animal. That's what they'd say, because 83 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:11.319 Jesus taught you can't learn to love unless you're around people. Now, 84 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:14.160 you could go and hide in a monastery and read 85 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:17.680 prayer books all day, and you could quote scripture, and 86 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:20.360 you can pray, and you can study till your brain 87 00:05:20.439 --> 00:05:23.839 is so packed with theology, but you're not spiritually mature. 88 00:05:23.879 --> 00:05:28.079 Because Jesus said, it's all about love, loving God and 89 00:05:28.160 --> 00:05:31.279 loving your neighbor, and you can't do that unless you 90 00:05:31.319 --> 00:05:34.800 get around some unlovely people. I don't look at him 91 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:42.040 right now, but God says, I measure maturity by how 92 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:46.759 much you love, not by knowledge, but how much you love. 93 00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:51.600 And this is called radical fellowship. And Jesus expects us 94 00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:54.000 to have a very radical kind of love, more than 95 00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:56.600 the world. In fact, look at the next verse one 96 00:05:56.759 --> 00:05:59.720 John three point sixteen. This is how we know what 97 00:06:00.279 --> 00:06:04.800 love is, what real love is. Jesus Christ laid down 98 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:08.759 his life for us, and we ought to lay down 99 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.240 our lives for the brothers. Talking about brothers and sisters 100 00:06:12.240 --> 00:06:16.000 in the family of God, other Christians. Jesus laid down 101 00:06:16.000 --> 00:06:17.720 his life for us, and God says, I measure your 102 00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:20.399 love by how much you're willing to sacrifice for other Christians, 103 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.920 for other believers, for other people in the family. This 104 00:06:24.000 --> 00:06:27.079 is radical fellowship. The word in Greek is the word 105 00:06:27.160 --> 00:06:31.360 koynania fellowship, and fellowship is being as committed to each 106 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:35.680 other as we are to Jesus Christ. That's what it 107 00:06:35.720 --> 00:06:37.560 means to be a disciple. Not that, Oh I love 108 00:06:37.600 --> 00:06:39.560 God and I couldn't care less about the church. No. 109 00:06:39.879 --> 00:06:42.600 God says, if you love me, you love my family. 110 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:45.199 I tell you that. I say, you can't love me 111 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:47.959 and not love my family because my family represents me, 112 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:52.759 and we only grow in community being as committed to 113 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:55.160 each other as we are to Jesus. This is why 114 00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:59.040 being in a small group is absolutely essential to your 115 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:02.319 spiritual growth. Number four, Jesus says, if I want to 116 00:07:02.360 --> 00:07:07.279 be a disciple, I must always do what Jesus tells me. 117 00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:11.439 That's the mark of a disciple. I must always do 118 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.600 what Jesus tells me. It may not make sense, it 119 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:19.920 may not be popular, it may cost me something, but 120 00:07:20.040 --> 00:07:22.199 it's always the right thing because God's not going to 121 00:07:22.279 --> 00:07:24.279 steal you in the wrong direction. God tells you to 122 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:27.319 do something, it's always the right thing to do. And 123 00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:29.600 he's saying that one of the marks of discipleship is 124 00:07:29.600 --> 00:07:32.600 I must obey him continually. I must always do what 125 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:37.399 he tells me to do. John chapter eight. Let's read 126 00:07:37.439 --> 00:07:41.839 this verse aloud together. Okay, if you continue to obey 127 00:07:41.920 --> 00:07:46.879 my teaching, you are truly my disciples, then you will 128 00:07:46.920 --> 00:07:50.920 know the truth, and the truth will set you free. 129 00:07:51.040 --> 00:07:54.319 Now everybody in America knows this phrase, the truth will 130 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.000 set you free. Most Americans don't know the first part 131 00:07:57.000 --> 00:08:00.959 of the verse. He says, if you continue to obey 132 00:08:01.720 --> 00:08:05.639 my teaching, then you're truly my disciple. And I notice he's 133 00:08:05.720 --> 00:08:08.160 saying here three or four things about spiritual growth that 134 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:10.560 are very important. You might write these down. The first 135 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:13.560 thing I want you to notice is spiritual growth is 136 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:17.879 an ongoing process. It is an ongoing process. It's going 137 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.519 to take the rest of your life. And that's why 138 00:08:20.560 --> 00:08:23.399 you got your whole life to grow up spiritually. But 139 00:08:23.879 --> 00:08:27.519 you're never going to stop learning, he says. If you 140 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:33.039 continue circle the word continue. He says, it's a process, 141 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.279 it's ongoing. Spiritual growth is not well, I go to 142 00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:39.919 class and then now I'm spiritually mature. No, it's a process, 143 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:45.320 it's a development, it's incremental, it's gradual, and it's going 144 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:48.879 to take the rest of your life. The rest of 145 00:08:48.879 --> 00:08:51.240 your life if we go through a step by step 146 00:08:51.279 --> 00:08:53.639 process and it's one step at a time. You know. 147 00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:58.799 I learned this growing up. My dad was a pastor, 148 00:08:59.440 --> 00:09:02.159 and so I knew my dad. He was a great teacher. 149 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:04.879 But I noticed that people could go to church for 150 00:09:04.919 --> 00:09:08.320 twenty years or thirty years, of forty years and still 151 00:09:08.320 --> 00:09:10.320 be spiritually immature. And I thought, how can that be? 152 00:09:11.120 --> 00:09:14.399 I mean, they're hearing all this good teaching, and yet 153 00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:18.159 they're not growing up. They're still cranky, they're still self centered, 154 00:09:18.200 --> 00:09:21.399 there's still gossips, they're still resentful and bitter, and they 155 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:25.559 worry and they feel guilty and they're insecure, and they 156 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:28.080 still got all their hang ups and they don't seem 157 00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.720 to be growing up and spiritually maturing. Why is that? 158 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:37.360 And the reason why is because we forget what we learn. 159 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:40.240 Studies have shown over and over the first one was 160 00:09:40.279 --> 00:09:43.360 the US Air Force that discovered is we forget ninety 161 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:48.200 to ninety five percent of everything we hear within seventy 162 00:09:48.240 --> 00:09:50.960 two hours, and if you had heard me teach for 163 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:55.360 thirty years at saddleback, you have forgotten ninety five percent 164 00:09:55.399 --> 00:10:00.840 of it. It takes more than sermons to grow. Sermons 165 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.279 are not enough to grow because we forget, which, by 166 00:10:03.320 --> 00:10:05.879 the way, is why we pass out these little things. 167 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:11.080 Because the shortest pencil is longer than the longest memory. 168 00:10:11.720 --> 00:10:14.360 And if you take notes, you're at least gonna have 169 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:16.120 something you can go home and you can review it again. 170 00:10:16.440 --> 00:10:18.960 You see, if you don't take notes, you don't remember 171 00:10:19.000 --> 00:10:21.879 what I taught on last week. Shoot, I don't remember 172 00:10:21.879 --> 00:10:24.759 what I taught on last week, and I taught it 173 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:27.759 six times. You had to listen to it once, okay, 174 00:10:28.279 --> 00:10:31.039 and I've already forgotten what I taught on. So it's 175 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:35.440 not like it's not normal. If you don't take notes, 176 00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:38.000 if you don't care enough to learn what God wants 177 00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:41.320 you to learn to write it down, then you're not 178 00:10:41.360 --> 00:10:43.120 going to grow. And at the end of this year, 179 00:10:43.320 --> 00:10:45.720 of all of teaching you'll hear at Saddleback, you'll only 180 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:49.200 remember maybe five percent of it. And that's why we 181 00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:53.320 don't grow up. So we have to continue. We have 182 00:10:53.399 --> 00:10:57.320 to have ways of remembering it now. The Bible teaches 183 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:00.799 that it is an ongoing process spiritual growth. Second thing, Notice, 184 00:11:00.919 --> 00:11:06.000 it's measured by obedience. He says, if you continue to 185 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:10.799 obey my teaching, then your my disciple. It's not based 186 00:11:10.840 --> 00:11:14.320 on how much you know, It's on how much you practice, 187 00:11:14.759 --> 00:11:17.320 how much you obey. There are a lot of people 188 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:21.639 who know the Bible, but they don't live it. Sometimes 189 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:25.360 you can meet people who are veritable storehouses of Bible knowledge, 190 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:29.320 and they can quote Bible verses and they're the most cranky, cantankers, 191 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:34.240 arguing people, judgmental of every other Christian. Because the Bible 192 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:39.000 says knowledge puffs up love builds up. The more knowledge 193 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:41.279 you have, the more arrogant you tend to become if 194 00:11:41.279 --> 00:11:43.200 you don't have love to match it and keep it 195 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:47.360 in a humble attitude. Knowledge without love leads to arrogance. 196 00:11:48.440 --> 00:11:50.399 So God says, I don't measure your growth by how 197 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.840 much you know. I measure your growth by how much 198 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:55.000 you love, how much you love others, how much you 199 00:11:55.080 --> 00:11:59.240 love me. And he says, you've got to have it's 200 00:11:59.240 --> 00:12:01.279 how much you obey. In fact, would you write this 201 00:12:01.320 --> 00:12:04.320 sentence down? I only believe the part of the Bible 202 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:08.320 I do. I only believe the part of the Bible 203 00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:10.960 I actually practice. Now you may say you believe it, 204 00:12:11.000 --> 00:12:12.759 but if you don't do it, you don't really believe it. 205 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.320 Do you believe that you should forgive the people who 206 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:17.159 hurt you? Yes? Do you do it? No? Then I 207 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:21.559 don't believe it. Do you believe that you should always 208 00:12:21.600 --> 00:12:25.559 return good for evil? Yes? Do you do it? No? 209 00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:28.480 Then you don't believe it. Do you believe you should tithe? Yes? 210 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.320 Do you do it? No? Then you don't believe it. 211 00:12:30.759 --> 00:12:33.039 You believe you should share your faith with other people? Yes? 212 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:33.720 Do you do it? 213 00:12:33.799 --> 00:12:33.840 No? 214 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:36.759 Then you don't believe it. You only believe the part 215 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:46.960 that you actually do. 216 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:50.600 Do you want to be happier, healthier, and more resistant 217 00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:54.720 to stress, then you need to develop an attitude of gratitude. 218 00:12:55.080 --> 00:12:59.799 In fact, the Bible says we're to rejoice, always, pray continually, 219 00:13:00.159 --> 00:13:04.080 and give thanks in all circumstances. But it can be 220 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:08.120 difficult to feel grateful. So to help you, Pastor Rick 221 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:12.240 hand selected fifty two verses to bolster your sense of 222 00:13:12.320 --> 00:13:17.240 gratitude and increase your happiness. This set of beautifully designed 223 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:21.000 cards will help you memorize scripture so you can recall 224 00:13:21.120 --> 00:13:23.159 God's word when you need it most. 225 00:13:23.480 --> 00:13:26.799 You can also use them to minister to others. Give 226 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:27.519 one to a. 227 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:30.960 Friend and write a personalized note of encouragement on the back. 228 00:13:31.320 --> 00:13:35.000 If a scripture really speaks to you, frame it, put 229 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.480 them in places where you can read them during the 230 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:41.159 day for encouragement. And today, when you give a gift 231 00:13:41.200 --> 00:13:43.960 to help daily hope, take the hope of Jesus to 232 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:47.559 a world in need, will send you the gratitude scripture 233 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:49.360 card set to say thanks. 234 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:57.559 Now, spiritual growth is an ongoing process. It's measured by obedience. 235 00:13:57.799 --> 00:14:01.879 It's based on God's word. That's the third thing this 236 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:07.720 verse teaches. If you continue to obey my teaching. Now, 237 00:14:07.720 --> 00:14:08.840 there are a lot of books out there you can 238 00:14:08.919 --> 00:14:11.519 read that are good, and they may be positive, motivational. 239 00:14:11.639 --> 00:14:15.120 They maybe, you know, teach you management skills. But it's 240 00:14:15.159 --> 00:14:17.519 not human ideas. It's going to help you grow spiritually. 241 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:21.759 It's not philosophy or man's philosophy or pop psychology that's 242 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:24.639 going to teach you to grow spiritually. It is the truth. 243 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:27.159 We must feed on the truth. It's soul food. It's 244 00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:30.480 the truth. Now, the fourth thing that verse teaches is 245 00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:35.759 that it sets me free, that spiritual growth sets me free. 246 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:39.200 The truth will set me free. But what does that 247 00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:43.360 mean set me free? The more you grow spiritually, the 248 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:45.759 freer you're going to be in life. You're going to 249 00:14:45.799 --> 00:14:48.600 be set free from the expectations of others. You're going 250 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:52.519 to be set free from past memories that bother you. You're 251 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.600 set free from guilt. You're set free from resentment. You're 252 00:14:55.600 --> 00:15:00.159 set free from bad habits. You're set free from shame. 253 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.480 You're set free from the pressures and stresses that other 254 00:15:03.480 --> 00:15:05.840 people try to put on you. Because the more you 255 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:11.039 mature spiritually, the freer you are. The more you grow spiritually, 256 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:14.919 you don't become more religious fanatic, you become more natural. 257 00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:19.600 The glory of God is a human being fully alive. 258 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:22.840 And the people who are most fully alive in life 259 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:25.960 are those who love Jesus the most, love other people 260 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.480 the most, and are growing in the Word of God. 261 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:32.879 The more mature you come, you're free from fear. You're 262 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:37.720 free from anxiety, You're free from insecurity. The truth sets 263 00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:40.399 you free. Now it doesn't happen overnight. Look at this 264 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:44.639 verse on the screen. Our lives are gradually becoming brighter. 265 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:48.240 Notice it's gradually. It's a process, step by step more 266 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:52.200 and more beautiful as God enters our lives and we 267 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:58.600 become more like him. That's called radical discipleship, becoming like Jesus. 268 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.320 And that's the third goal of life. To love God, 269 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:04.519 to love other people, to become like Jesus. That's the 270 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:08.159 third goal, the third purpose of life. Now, how do 271 00:16:08.200 --> 00:16:11.600 you do that? How do I grow gradually? Well, look 272 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.440 at the next verse. Here's what Jesus says. If you 273 00:16:15.639 --> 00:16:20.679 continue to live in me circle the word continue. It's 274 00:16:20.679 --> 00:16:24.200 an ongoing process. If you continue to live in me, 275 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:29.279 and what I say lives in you continues in you, 276 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:32.879 then you can ask anything you want and it'll be yours. 277 00:16:32.919 --> 00:16:35.960 That's quite a promise. In prayer said, if you're living 278 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:37.799 in me and my words living in you, you can 279 00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:40.399 ask for whatever you want. It'll be yours. You give 280 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:43.480 glory to my Father when you produce a lot of fruit, 281 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:48.720 and therefore show that you're my disciples. Now, he says, 282 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:52.399 you got to continue. It's a process, it's a strategy, 283 00:16:52.399 --> 00:16:54.919 it's a journey. If you're going to continue to grow 284 00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:56.679 the rest of your life, and that's what I'm trying 285 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:58.519 to help you do. You're going to need a couple 286 00:16:58.559 --> 00:17:02.840 of things. First, you need a plan. You need a 287 00:17:03.000 --> 00:17:06.400 track to run on. You need a pathway. You need 288 00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:10.680 some guidelines, You need a trail, You need a process. 289 00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:15.880 Jesus had a plan for helping his disciples grow from 290 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:20.599 immaturity to spiritual maturity. And he starts off where they were, 291 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:22.640 not where they ought to be. He starts off where 292 00:17:22.640 --> 00:17:24.599 they are. He loves them, and he takes them through 293 00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:28.440 each step to grow. Now, when they're growing, he loves 294 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:32.400 them at every stage. Listen to this. Jesus loves you. 295 00:17:32.559 --> 00:17:36.119 God loves you at every stage of your maturity. He's 296 00:17:36.160 --> 00:17:38.799 not waiting for you to become mature before he starts 297 00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:42.920 loving you. He loves you where you are right now. 298 00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:46.960 When my kids were little, Amy, Josh Matthew, they'd bring 299 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:49.160 me pictures when they're three, four years old, and I'd 300 00:17:49.160 --> 00:17:51.559 look at that picture and that say, Amy, that picture 301 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:54.880 is perfect. Now what am I saying that she's better 302 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:59.400 than Picasso? No, that it's mature. No, I'm saying that's 303 00:17:59.519 --> 00:18:03.720 perfect for that stage of her development. And I'm not 304 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.839 waiting for her to become a great painter before I 305 00:18:06.920 --> 00:18:10.000 start loving her. I love her at every stage of 306 00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:12.440 her growth with my children. And that's the way God 307 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:15.160 loves you. He's not waiting for you to get mature 308 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:18.839 before he loves you. He loves you unconditionally right now. 309 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:21.720 But he does want you to grow, and you need 310 00:18:21.759 --> 00:18:25.759 a pathway. Jesus had a plan, and that pathway was 311 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:30.119 teaching his disciples first to know him and then to 312 00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:34.480 love him, and then to grow in him, and then 313 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:39.039 to serve him and then to share him. Now, what 314 00:18:39.119 --> 00:18:41.720 I just shared with you, that one sentence is the 315 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:46.440 whole philosophy behind Saddleback Church. Everything in this church helps 316 00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:50.279 people move through those five stages, those five purposes. First 317 00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:53.559 to know Christ. Then we want you to want you 318 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.160 to know him. Then you can love him because you 319 00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:57.400 can't love him till you know him. And then you 320 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:00.400 learn to love his family, and then you start growing 321 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:04.119 in Christ. And then you start serving Christ, and then 322 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.960 you start sharing Christ. It's like a baby. A baby 323 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:12.880 has to learn to breathe, then it learns to eat, 324 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:18.920 then it learns to walk, and then it learns to talk. 325 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:22.519 We all grow at different stages and greats, but every 326 00:19:22.680 --> 00:19:25.839 one of us went through those exact same physical stages, 327 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:31.279 and there are spiritual stages in spiritual growth too. And 328 00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:33.559 it's why we have a spiritual mature church because we're 329 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:37.000 intentional about it. We've fought it through. And where did 330 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:40.480 we learn it. We learned it from Jesus and we 331 00:19:40.599 --> 00:19:45.119 just copied his plans gradual, systematic, sequential. Now, to help 332 00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:49.559 you visualize this, we use a baseball diamond. If you've 333 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:52.279 been in class one oh one, you remember the baseball diamond. 334 00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:56.640 And each base represents a different stage of growth. First 335 00:19:56.680 --> 00:20:01.160 base knowing Christ and love in Christ, being committed to 336 00:20:01.240 --> 00:20:05.559 Him and his family. Second base, growing in Christ, third 337 00:20:05.640 --> 00:20:11.960 base serving Christ. Home plate sharing Christ. And we say 338 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:14.799 we want you to cover all the bases. We want 339 00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:18.079 you to be a Grand Slam disciple. You don't get 340 00:20:18.119 --> 00:20:21.640 credit for runners left on base. Some of you went 341 00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:23.960 to class one oh one. You got stuck at first base. 342 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:25.960 You need to go to class two oh one second 343 00:20:25.960 --> 00:20:29.960 base and learn the habits for spiritual growth. Then some 344 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.559 of you got stuck at second base. You need to 345 00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:34.119 go to third base and learn how to discover your 346 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:37.440 shape for serving God. Once you finish third base, you 347 00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:39.440 need to go on to home plate and learn how 348 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:43.720 to live out your life mission in the world, and 349 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:45.920 that's what God wants us to do. By the way, 350 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.400 those classes were offering him today. Class one oh one 351 00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:51.279 to four oh one are being offered this afternoon. Now 352 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:55.519 that's really funny because as we've taught the Saddlebacks purpose 353 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:59.000 driven system all around the world, four hundred thousand pastors 354 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:01.039 have been trained in this. It's all around the world. 355 00:21:02.200 --> 00:21:04.000 It's funny because they don't play baseball in a lot 356 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.960 of countries, so they have to have different diagrams. So, 357 00:21:07.039 --> 00:21:09.559 for instance, in Brazil, they don't use a baseball diamond 358 00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:13.759 to represent spiritual growth. They use a soccer field and 359 00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:16.200 you go down the field to the ten yard line, 360 00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:18.440 the twenty yard line or the fifty to forty thirty 361 00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:20.480 t and then you score and you hit a goal 362 00:21:21.480 --> 00:21:26.519 when you've gone around all of the basis. In Russia 363 00:21:26.599 --> 00:21:29.319 they use a ladder step one and step two and 364 00:21:29.359 --> 00:21:33.759 step three. Knowing Christ, loving Christ, sharing Christ, you know, 365 00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:37.559 up the steps. In Australia they don't play baseball, but 366 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:39.319 they play cricket. And I don't know if you know this, 367 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:41.119 but they use a diamond there too, but you run 368 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:44.440 it the opposite way. You run it clockwise, which makes sense. 369 00:21:44.480 --> 00:21:46.759 They do it backwards because they're down under, you know, 370 00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:49.160 so it's it's reversed in what we do in the 371 00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:53.160 northern hemphosphere. And so they use a cricket to represent 372 00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:56.240 the purposes. In China, where there's a lot of religious 373 00:21:56.240 --> 00:22:00.359 persecution from the Communist Party, the Chinese Church owes the 374 00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:03.640 Chinese flag because there's five stars on it to represent 375 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:07.119 the five purposes of God for our lives. So some 376 00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:09.960 Communist leader comes in says, oh, I see, you're very patriotic. Yeah. Well, 377 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:11.839 what they're doing is they saying that's the symbol for 378 00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:17.000 the five purposes of the five stars. Now, this idea 379 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:20.519 that I'm sharing with you, helping people grow systematically is 380 00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:24.119 not new. For two thousand years, churches have been doing this. 381 00:22:24.240 --> 00:22:28.759 It's called a catechism. Anybody heard of that one? You 382 00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:31.400 know what a catechism is, it's then catechism, And just 383 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:34.839 in Catholic Church, all churches have used catechisms. You learn this, 384 00:22:35.200 --> 00:22:37.680 then you learn this, then you learn this, then you 385 00:22:37.799 --> 00:22:41.160 learn this, and for two thousand years people have been 386 00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:44.559 going through a growing process. You need a pathway to grow, 387 00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:46.880 but there's something else you need, and this is really 388 00:22:46.960 --> 00:22:50.240 important if you're going to continue growing the rest of 389 00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:53.319 your life. If you don't get anything else, I say, 390 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:56.480 I want you to get this. If you want to grow, 391 00:22:57.119 --> 00:23:01.319 you must develop good habits. Would you write that down? 392 00:23:01.559 --> 00:23:07.319 Spiritual growth is a matter of good habits. Every area 393 00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:12.440 of your life is determined, controlled by the habits, the 394 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:16.480 difference between successful and unsuccessful people. Successful people have habits 395 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:20.000 that unsuccessful people are afraid to develop, are too lazy 396 00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:23.160 to develop. And in the Christian life, you are the 397 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:28.000 sum total of your habits. You see, Character is a 398 00:23:28.039 --> 00:23:31.680 matter of habit. It's something that you do habitually. For instance, 399 00:23:32.160 --> 00:23:35.720 you can't say you have the character quality of honesty 400 00:23:36.359 --> 00:23:40.200 unless it's your habit to always tell the truth. If 401 00:23:40.200 --> 00:23:43.160