WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.920 --> 00:00:04.679 When Jesus was thirty years old, he began his public ministry, 2 00:00:05.080 --> 00:00:07.679 and the first thing he did was go gather a 3 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.080 group of guys who he could train. They are called 4 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:14.919 his disciples, and many times in scriptures it tells us 5 00:00:15.320 --> 00:00:18.760 that he invited people to become his disciple. In Matthew nine, 6 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:22.679 verse nine, it says this, as Jesus was going down 7 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:25.920 the road, he saw Matthew sitting at his tax collection booth. 8 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:31.559 Come be my disciple, Jesus said, So Matthew got up 9 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:37.359 and followed him. Now today Jesus Christ makes this exact 10 00:00:37.399 --> 00:00:43.119 same offer to you, Come be my disciple. He's asking 11 00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:46.840 you this in twenty ten. Come be my disciple. Now 12 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.679 what is the disciple. The word disciple comes from the 13 00:00:49.759 --> 00:00:54.359 Latin word discipline are discipless. In the Greek it is 14 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:57.640 the word mathetes, which is in the Bible, and it 15 00:00:57.719 --> 00:01:01.240 means a student. It means a learner, it means a pupil. 16 00:01:01.759 --> 00:01:05.400 A disciple is an apprentice. When a mentor takes on 17 00:01:05.519 --> 00:01:10.159 somebody to train them, they are called their disciple. And 18 00:01:10.439 --> 00:01:14.280 the word in the Bible has actually used four different ways. First, 19 00:01:14.319 --> 00:01:18.239 it's referred to as anybody who's just being trained by 20 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.680 anybody else. If you're in training, you have a supervisor 21 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:26.079 who's training you, you are being discipled by that supervisor. 22 00:01:26.640 --> 00:01:32.719 Moses' disciple was Joshua. Elijah's disciple was Elisha. David's disciple 23 00:01:32.840 --> 00:01:36.519 was his son Solomon. Elisha had disciples of his own. 24 00:01:36.599 --> 00:01:41.319 John the Baptist had disciples. Paul had a disciple named Timothy. 25 00:01:41.480 --> 00:01:44.519 And later he talks about six guys who traveled with 26 00:01:44.599 --> 00:01:48.239 him on the road. One was Gayis, Aristarchus, a Coundus, 27 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:51.400 a Paphroditis. He tells us who the guys that he 28 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:54.200 was mentoring was. And a disciple is just somebody who's 29 00:01:54.239 --> 00:01:57.879 being mentored by somebody else. So that's the first way 30 00:01:57.879 --> 00:01:59.519 it's use in the Bible. The second way it's used 31 00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:02.519 in the Bible is to refer to the twelve disciples, 32 00:02:02.560 --> 00:02:05.920 specifically the twelve guys that Jesus chose, which we also 33 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.759 call apostles. The third way it's used is in the 34 00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:12.039 Book of Acts. The word disciple is just a synonym 35 00:02:12.080 --> 00:02:14.719 for Christian. You know, in the Bible days, they weren't 36 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.759 called Christians, they were called disciples. In fact, it wasn't 37 00:02:18.840 --> 00:02:22.599 until the Church had spread completely out of Israel into Antioch, 38 00:02:23.000 --> 00:02:26.199 where at that little church they were first called Christians. 39 00:02:26.240 --> 00:02:28.719 So in the Bible Times, nobody was called a Christian, 40 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:32.639 they were called disciples. But what I want us to 41 00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:34.960 look at this morning is jesus use of the term. 42 00:02:35.159 --> 00:02:40.039 Jesus frequently took a very common word like student, pupil, disciple, apprentice, 43 00:02:40.520 --> 00:02:44.080 and he adds new meaning to it, He infuses it, 44 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:46.759 he injects new meaning into it. And so I want 45 00:02:46.840 --> 00:02:50.599 us to look at jesus definition of what it means 46 00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:53.800 to be a disciple, because about ten times in scripture, 47 00:02:53.879 --> 00:02:58.439 Jesus says, if you do this, then you're my disciple. 48 00:02:58.680 --> 00:03:02.879 If you do this, then you can follow me. And 49 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:05.960 so we want to look at radical discipleship as we 50 00:03:06.000 --> 00:03:08.840 start off this series on what it means to follow Jesus, 51 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.520 let's get right into it. Number one. To be a disciple, 52 00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:18.919 Number one, I must spend time with Jesus. I must 53 00:03:18.960 --> 00:03:23.039 spend time with Jesus, a lot of time with him, because, 54 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:26.159 like any relationship, the more time you invest, the more 55 00:03:26.159 --> 00:03:27.840 you're going to get out of it. You can't be 56 00:03:28.199 --> 00:03:31.240 a part time disciple. You don't have to. You don't 57 00:03:31.280 --> 00:03:34.360 fit it into your schedule. If I'm being trained by somebody, 58 00:03:34.400 --> 00:03:37.800 I'm being mentored by somebody, I fit myself to their schedule. 59 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:41.479 They don't fit themselves to mine. And you can't be 60 00:03:41.520 --> 00:03:44.199 a disciple in just a few minutes a day. You've 61 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:47.400 got to spend time. You've got to be in constant conversation. 62 00:03:48.240 --> 00:03:53.159 It's a full time responsibility. You're with your discipler, You're 63 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:56.360 with your mentor, you're with your teacher, your trainer all 64 00:03:56.400 --> 00:03:59.840 the time. Now here's what Jesus said in John chapter twelve. 65 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:05.159 If you want to be my disciple, you must come 66 00:04:05.759 --> 00:04:10.599 and follow me, because my servants must be where I am, 67 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.800 and if they follow me, the Father will honor them. 68 00:04:17.399 --> 00:04:19.560 Now this verse is packed with meaning. In fact, it 69 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:23.759 teaches us three things about spiritual growth. And as your pastor, 70 00:04:23.800 --> 00:04:26.439 one of my goals is to help you grow spiritually, 71 00:04:26.839 --> 00:04:29.199 not just this year, but for the rest of your life. 72 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:31.040 So I want you to write these three things down 73 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:33.360 that we notice from this verse Number one, we learn 74 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:39.560 that spiritual growth is a choice. Spiritual growth is a choice. Now, 75 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:42.279 God's not going to force you to grow. He leaves 76 00:04:42.319 --> 00:04:44.600 it up to you, and so I want you to 77 00:04:44.639 --> 00:04:47.519 circle He says, if you want to be my disciple, 78 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:51.399 circle the word want. If you want to be my disciple, 79 00:04:52.240 --> 00:04:55.720 then you must make the choice to grow now. At 80 00:04:55.720 --> 00:04:58.079 the end of this year, you're not going to be 81 00:04:58.439 --> 00:05:02.480 more mature unless you choose to be more mature. Spiritual 82 00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:07.240 growth is not automatic. Spiritual growth is intentional. It's not 83 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:12.720 just something that just happens. It's not involuntary, it's not inevitable. 84 00:05:13.120 --> 00:05:16.240 You have to choose to grow spiritually. Jesus says, I'm 85 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:19.439 giving you the choice. Now. You know that you can 86 00:05:19.519 --> 00:05:23.399 grow old without growing up. Everybody know what I'm talking about. 87 00:05:23.959 --> 00:05:25.759 I mean, we all know people who are old but 88 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:29.959 they're still spiritually immature, are emotionally immature, or they're very 89 00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:34.160 self centered, they haven't ever matured in their life. But 90 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:37.759 he says, you must choose. You must choose. You are 91 00:05:37.800 --> 00:05:40.720 as close to God as you choose to be. Don't 92 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:44.000 blame your boyfriend, don't blame your girlfriend, don't blame your parents, 93 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:46.560 don't blame your husband or your wife, don't blame your boss. 94 00:05:46.800 --> 00:05:48.839 You're as close to God as you choose to be. 95 00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:50.959 And if you're not close to Us because you're choosing 96 00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:54.319 not to be. And if you move from far from God. 97 00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:57.959 You feel that way, Well, guess who moved? God didn't move. 98 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:01.240 You made the choice spiritual growth a choice number two. 99 00:06:01.279 --> 00:06:06.160 This verse teaches that growth is a commitment growth. Spiritual 100 00:06:06.199 --> 00:06:09.560 growth is a commitment. You must commit to growth in 101 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:11.800 order to grow. And you say, this is gonna be 102 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:13.879 the year I really get it in gear. This is 103 00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:15.959 gonna be the year I take action. This is the 104 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:20.680 year I stop being a spiritual baby. I'm gonna grow up. Notice, 105 00:06:20.759 --> 00:06:23.920 Jesus says you must come and follow. You might circle 106 00:06:23.959 --> 00:06:26.240 that first, He says, you gotta. You want to want it, 107 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:28.959 then you gotta. You gotta come and follow. If you 108 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.000 want to grow, you just can't sit there. You've got 109 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:36.319 to move it, move it. You gotta get it in gear. 110 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:38.800 You don't just sit around on your ear. You gotta 111 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:41.680 get it in gear. You gotta take action to grow now. 112 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:44.959 This is true in every area of life. We grow 113 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:50.000 by making commitments. Marriage causes you to grow up a lot. 114 00:06:50.040 --> 00:06:55.519 Have you noticed that having kids causes you to grow up. 115 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:58.519 Anytime you make any kind of commitment, it causes you 116 00:06:58.600 --> 00:07:00.480 to take a step of growth. Taking on a new 117 00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:04.720 job is a commitment which helps you grow. Choosing to 118 00:07:04.759 --> 00:07:07.439 go to college is a commitment that helps you grow. 119 00:07:07.480 --> 00:07:10.160 Any time you make a commitment, you grow. In fact, 120 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:15.199 if you don't make commitments in life, you remain perpetual immaturity. 121 00:07:16.000 --> 00:07:18.279 If you have a fear of commitment, you will never 122 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:21.879 fully grow up. Because we only grow through our commitments. 123 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:26.800 No commitment means no maturity. Your commitments define your life. 124 00:07:27.120 --> 00:07:29.040 You are the sum total of the things that you're 125 00:07:29.040 --> 00:07:33.519 committed to. Here's the problem. You can be committed to everything, 126 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:36.720 and you shouldn't be committed to everything, because not everything's 127 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:39.160 worth being committed to. And part of my job as 128 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:42.120 your pastor is to help you sort through all of 129 00:07:42.160 --> 00:07:45.600 the commitments you've got and give you some guidelines which 130 00:07:45.600 --> 00:07:47.040 you go that's a good one, that's a bad one, 131 00:07:47.079 --> 00:07:49.279 that's a good one, that's a bad one. Because you 132 00:07:49.319 --> 00:07:52.360 cannot be committed everything. If you're committed everything, you're committed 133 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:56.040 to nothing. Selection is the name of the game. So 134 00:07:56.120 --> 00:08:00.399 I have to help you sort through and make wise commitments. Now, 135 00:08:00.439 --> 00:08:05.079 the reason why Saddleback Church is a very spiritually mature church. 136 00:08:05.519 --> 00:08:09.879 This church is full of spiritually mature people and for 137 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:14.600 thirty years we have had an intentional intentional process to 138 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:19.319 help people grow to spiritual maturity by gradually making deeper 139 00:08:19.399 --> 00:08:21.759 and deeper commitments. You don't make them all at once. 140 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:23.920 You don't expect a baby to the next day run 141 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:26.720 out and run a marathon, and you don't expect a 142 00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:30.240 brand new believer to act like a person who's followed 143 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:33.639 the Lord for thirty or forty years. But we have 144 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.919 an intentional plan to help people grow through stages of commitment, 145 00:08:40.559 --> 00:08:44.639 and that development process we call purpose driven, and it's 146 00:08:44.720 --> 00:08:48.919 based on what I call the invitations of Jesus. A 147 00:08:48.919 --> 00:08:51.519 long time ago, I did a study of every time 148 00:08:51.639 --> 00:08:56.159 Jesus says come, when he says, come to me, And 149 00:08:56.279 --> 00:08:58.240 over the three and a half years as he worked 150 00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:03.360 with his disciples trainees that he had, he moved them 151 00:09:03.399 --> 00:09:07.000 from no commitment to super commitment, and he kept turning 152 00:09:07.039 --> 00:09:10.320 up the heat a little bit at a time. For instance, 153 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:13.279 the very first words of Jesus public words of Jesus 154 00:09:13.399 --> 00:09:16.120 when he starts as ministry John chapter one, verse thirty nine, 155 00:09:16.159 --> 00:09:20.519 are these come and see. That's the first invitation. So 156 00:09:20.600 --> 00:09:22.159 guys say, where are you going? Lord? He said, come 157 00:09:22.200 --> 00:09:25.279 and see? Now what is he doing here? That's about 158 00:09:25.279 --> 00:09:28.120 as low a commitment as you can give. Okay, just 159 00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:30.399 come and check it out. That's what we say to 160 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.679 our community about Saddleback Church. Come and see. Come on 161 00:09:33.720 --> 00:09:36.399 the weekend, check us out. You don't say anything, sign anything, 162 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:40.039 sacrifice anything, stand up. Just come and check us out. 163 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:43.879 And that's where Jesus starts with people, just check it out, 164 00:09:44.039 --> 00:09:46.960 and then he begins to move them on the next commitment. 165 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:50.080 He says, come and follow. He says first, come and see. 166 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.679 Then he says come and follow me in Matthew fov 167 00:09:53.559 --> 00:09:55.879 and then many of the invitations that he gives in 168 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:59.519 the early stages of the relationships are invitations that were 169 00:09:59.559 --> 00:10:02.960 promising to meet needs. In Matthew eleven, he says, if 170 00:10:02.960 --> 00:10:05.440 you're tired, come to me and I'll give you rest. 171 00:10:05.960 --> 00:10:08.080 And John seven he says, if you're thirsty, come to 172 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:11.360 me and drink. John five he says, come to me 173 00:10:11.639 --> 00:10:14.600 and have life. And John eighty says, if you follow me, 174 00:10:14.679 --> 00:10:19.720 you won't stumble in darkness. In John ten, he says, 175 00:10:19.879 --> 00:10:22.879 those who come to me will be saved. And so 176 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:26.279 he's inviting them to come and he's going to meet 177 00:10:26.320 --> 00:10:28.320 needs in their lives. My favorite one, of course, is 178 00:10:28.480 --> 00:10:31.240 John twenty one twelve after the resurrection, he says, come 179 00:10:31.279 --> 00:10:35.240 and have breakfast. I love that one, you know, I 180 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:38.240 thought that was really cool. That's literally in the Bible, 181 00:10:38.279 --> 00:10:42.799 come and have breakfast. But as time passed, Jesus began 182 00:10:42.919 --> 00:10:46.679 to require more of his disciples. He's helping them grow 183 00:10:46.919 --> 00:10:50.320 in commitment, and so in Mark chapter eight he says, 184 00:10:50.399 --> 00:10:54.559 come and deny yourself. In Matthew eight twenty two he says, 185 00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:57.039 come follow me and let the dead bury the dead. 186 00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:00.000 And Luke nine he says, come and take up your cross, 187 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:02.600 and look fourteen he says, you can't meet to that 188 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:07.240 disciple unless you give up everything. Matthew nineteen, give away 189 00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:09.960 what you got and come follow me. See he's turning 190 00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:13.279 up the heat. He's requiring more and more commitment. And 191 00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:15.120 the Bible says that when we get to heaven, there 192 00:11:15.120 --> 00:11:18.200 are going to be invitations in heaven. Matthew twenty five, 193 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:20.000 he says, he's going to say to us in heaven, 194 00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:23.279 come and share your master's happiness. And Matthew twenty five 195 00:11:23.440 --> 00:11:25.879 thirty four, come and receive your inheritance. 196 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:41.279 Do you want to be happier, healthier, and more resistant 197 00:11:41.320 --> 00:11:45.399 to stress, then you need to develop an attitude of gratitude. 198 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:50.519 In fact, the Bible says we're to rejoice, always, pray continually, 199 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:54.799 and give thanks in all circumstances. But it can be 200 00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:58.799 difficult to feel grateful. So to help you, Pastor Rick 201 00:11:58.919 --> 00:12:02.960 hand selected fifty two verses to bolster your sense of 202 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:07.919 gratitude and increase your happiness. This set of beautifully designed 203 00:12:07.960 --> 00:12:11.679 cards will help you memorize scripture so you can recall 204 00:12:11.799 --> 00:12:14.840 God's word when you need it most. You can also 205 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:18.080 use them to minister to others. Give one to a 206 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:21.679 friend and write a personalized note of encouragement on the back. 207 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:25.679 If a scripture really speaks to you, frame it, put 208 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:28.159 them in places where you can read them during the 209 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:31.879 day for encouragement. And today, when you give a gift 210 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:34.679 to help daily hope, take the hope of Jesus to 211 00:12:34.759 --> 00:12:38.279 a world in need, we'll send you the gratitude scripture 212 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:40.039 card set to say thanks. 213 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:49.120 Now. I took those invitations of Jesus and we turned 214 00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:51.279 them into a process. You can see it here on 215 00:12:51.320 --> 00:12:53.480 the screen. If you've been through class one oh one, 216 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:55.840 you know this. We call it the circles of Commitment, 217 00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:59.159 and we move people from the community, people around our 218 00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:03.360 church into the crowd that's on Sunday morning. In the community, 219 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.600 there's no commitment, just hi, how are you in the 220 00:13:05.639 --> 00:13:08.960 crowd to just show up, come and see. And in 221 00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:12.600 the congregation it's come and be a member. And then 222 00:13:13.399 --> 00:13:16.639 in the committed it's come and developed the habits for 223 00:13:16.679 --> 00:13:20.120 spiritual growth. And in the core it's come and serve. 224 00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:24.320 And even there's another circle called the commission, come and go, 225 00:13:25.480 --> 00:13:28.600 and we've been taking people through these circles for thirty years, 226 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:33.440 moving people to deeper and deeper levels of commitment. Another 227 00:13:33.480 --> 00:13:36.039 tool we have are the covenants in our church. We 228 00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:38.559 have a membership covenant you sign when you join the church. 229 00:13:38.840 --> 00:13:42.960 We have a maturity covenman to grow in spiritual habits. 230 00:13:43.240 --> 00:13:45.960 We have a ministry covenant to grow and serve, and 231 00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:49.080 we have a mission covenant to go and serve your 232 00:13:49.080 --> 00:13:51.679 mission in the world. Now this is not new to 233 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.919 saddle back. For two thousand years churches have used covenants 234 00:13:55.279 --> 00:14:00.480 all along, covenants and commitments and things like that. Now 235 00:14:00.480 --> 00:14:04.000 the Bible says we must spend time with Jesus because 236 00:14:04.399 --> 00:14:07.360 it's a choice, it's a commitment. There's a third thing 237 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:09.559 this verse teaches us is that spiritual growth, you might 238 00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:16.240 write this down, is a relationship. Spiritual growth is a relationship. 239 00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:20.679 It's not about rules, it's not about rituals. It's not 240 00:14:20.679 --> 00:14:25.000 about a formula, it's not about a bunch of expectations. 241 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:29.879 It's about being with Jesus. There on your outline, I 242 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:31.960 want you to circle the phrase in that first verse. 243 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:36.639 My servants must be where I am. Circle that be 244 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.840 where I am. Spiritual growth is about being with Jesus. 245 00:14:41.919 --> 00:14:44.360 Be where I am. This is his plan all along, 246 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:49.000 and his plan in Mark chapter three says the plan 247 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:51.919 was that they would be with him there's the word again, 248 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.440 spend time with Jesus, and then he would send them 249 00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:57.919 out to proclaim the word. So what does it mean 250 00:14:57.960 --> 00:15:00.679 to be a disciple today? Obviously Jesus isn't here physically. 251 00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:03.240 How do you be with Jesus today? You talk to 252 00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:07.320 him all the time. You have a running conversation with 253 00:15:07.480 --> 00:15:10.519 Jesus Christ. I talked to him all the time. In fact, 254 00:15:10.600 --> 00:15:11.960 I can talk to you and talk to him at 255 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.320 the same time. Many times I'll be out on a 256 00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:16.240 patio and somebody's talking to me and ask me a question. 257 00:15:16.279 --> 00:15:18.080 I'm saying, Lord, tell me what to say, because I'm 258 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:21.639 the slightest idea how to answer this, or if it's 259 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:24.279 an interview or something like that. I talk to God 260 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:27.000 when I'm watching TV. I talked to him when I'm 261 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:29.840 cleaning the garage, when I'm driving, when I'm sitting in 262 00:15:29.840 --> 00:15:33.080 the backyard, just like I'm talking to you. And when 263 00:15:33.120 --> 00:15:36.759 I first started conversations with God forty years ago, it 264 00:15:36.840 --> 00:15:38.519 felt like it was pretty much just one way. I 265 00:15:38.519 --> 00:15:40.960 could never hear God speak to me. And if I 266 00:15:40.960 --> 00:15:43.360 ever got a thought in my mind, I thought, not 267 00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:45.240 really from God? Or did I just make that up? 268 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:48.279 But after you've been walking with the Lord for about 269 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:50.519 forty years, it gets better, and all of a sudden, 270 00:15:50.559 --> 00:15:53.639 I know that's me talking to myself. That's the Lord 271 00:15:53.679 --> 00:15:56.200 putting that idea in my mind, and it gets clearer 272 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:59.679 and clearer. That's what spiritual growth is. The more you 273 00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:02.919 grow spiritually, the more you're able to hear God speak 274 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:04.919 back to you in your mind. I doesn't know do 275 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.879 it audibly. I've never heard a voice. In fact, if 276 00:16:07.879 --> 00:16:11.600 you hear voices, you need to see a psychiatrist. Okay, 277 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:15.440 because God doesn't speak that way. He'll put an idea 278 00:16:15.440 --> 00:16:17.360 in your mind when the devil puts an idea in 279 00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:21.200 your mind, we call it temptation. When God puts an 280 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:24.279 idea in your mind, we call it inspiration. When you 281 00:16:24.559 --> 00:16:26.639 put an idea in your own mind, we call that dumb. 282 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:31.240 And you got to distinguish whether it's the devil's idea, 283 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:34.240 God's idea, if it's you talking to you. But the 284 00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:36.279 truth is, you got to be with him. And the 285 00:16:36.320 --> 00:16:38.600 more time you spend with God, the more you talk 286 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.279 to the Lord, the more you're gonna grow. If you 287 00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:43.360 only have a little quiet time every day, you're gonna 288 00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:47.000 grow a little bit. If you only have talked to 289 00:16:47.000 --> 00:16:49.200 the Lord on the weekends at church, you're not gonna 290 00:16:49.200 --> 00:16:51.320 grow much at all. But if you learn to talk 291 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:53.279 to the Lord all the time, just have a conversation 292 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:57.440 about whatever's on your mind, you're gonna really start growing 293 00:16:57.480 --> 00:17:00.879 because it's a relationship. Jesus said, I got to spend 294 00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.879 time with him if I want to be disciple. Number two, 295 00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:05.799 if I want to be a disciple. To be a disciple, 296 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:13.920 I must love Jesus supremely. I must love Jesus supremely. 297 00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:17.400 And this is the second definition Jesus gives in Luke 298 00:17:17.480 --> 00:17:21.200 chapter fourteen, he says this, If you want to be 299 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:25.880 my follower, you must love me. You must love me 300 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.599 more than your own father and mother, your wife and children, 301 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:32.000 your brothers and sisters, Yes, more than your own life. 302 00:17:33.160 --> 00:17:38.160 Otherwise you cannot be my disciple. What's he saying here. 303 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:40.960 He's saying that your love for God is to be 304 00:17:41.079 --> 00:17:45.319 so intense everything else pales in comparison. Now, it doesn't 305 00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:47.599 mean you don't love the other people. Actually, the more 306 00:17:47.599 --> 00:17:49.599 you love God, the more you're going to love other people. 307 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:55.839 But he's saying, exclusivity, supremacy belongs to God because you 308 00:17:55.839 --> 00:17:58.000 wouldn't have your family, you wouldn't have your kids, you 309 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:01.079 wouldn't have the people you love your friends without God. 310 00:18:01.119 --> 00:18:02.839 So he says, you are to love God more than 311 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:07.440 anything else, and that's called worship. By the way, guys, 312 00:18:07.640 --> 00:18:09.799 let me talk to the men for this minute. If 313 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:14.279 you're a dad or you are a husband, the greatest 314 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:18.880 gift you can give your wife and the greatest gift 315 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:23.519 you can give your children is to love God supremely. 316 00:18:24.759 --> 00:18:30.599 Why Because when a dad or a husband loves God supremely, 317 00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:35.400 it creates enormous security in the minds of your children 318 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:40.200 and in your wife because they're thinking he's not doing 319 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:43.720 this on his own. He's depending on God. He's not 320 00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:45.680 going to steer us in the wrong direction. He's going 321 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:47.920 to put our needs first because that's what God says 322 00:18:47.960 --> 00:18:51.400 to do. The Bible says Christ gave just as Jesus 323 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:53.680 gave his life for the church. Husbands are to lay 324 00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:57.000 down their lives for their wives. The more you love God, 325 00:18:57.079 --> 00:18:59.319 the more you're going to serve your wife and your kids. 326 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:03.160 The greatest security you can give your family is to 327 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:07.960 let them know that you love God more than anything else. Now, 328 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:11.920 I want you to write this down. Jesus said, you 329 00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:15.440 must love me more thanything else. Spiritual growth is measured 330 00:19:15.519 --> 00:19:19.519 by love. Would you write that down? Spiritual growth is 331 00:19:19.640 --> 00:19:23.359 measured by how much you love. It's not measured by 332 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:27.119 how much you know. It's not measured by your Bible knowledge. 333 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.599 It's not measured by your skills. It's not measured by 334 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:34.200 the words you say. It's not measured by how much 335 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:39.880 you attend church. We never measure anybody's spiritual maturity at 336 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:42.680 Saddleback by how much they attend. Because you can go 337 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:46.160 to everything the church offers every time the doors are 338 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:49.799 open and still be spiritually immature. Maybe just means you 339 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:53.039 don't have anything to do in your life, so it 340 00:19:52.599 --> 00:19:56.960 has nothing to do that. Your spiritual maturity is measured 341 00:19:57.240 --> 00:20:00.200 by how much you love, how much you love God, God, 342 00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:03.519 and how much you love others. In fact, look at 343 00:20:03.519 --> 00:20:07.359 this next verse. The Bible says in Mark chapter twelve, 344 00:20:08.039 --> 00:20:11.519 Jesus said, the most important command out of all of 345 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:14.000 them in the Bible, the most important command is this. 346 00:20:15.039 --> 00:20:18.839 You must love the Lord your God. He said, that's 347 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:22.559 the top thing before anything else. Love God with all 348 00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:26.160 your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, 349 00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.880 and with all your strength. Now, friends, this is called 350 00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:32.559 radical devotion. When you love God with all your heart 351 00:20:32.759 --> 00:20:34.359 and all your soul, and all your mind and all 352 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:37.279 your strength, you're loving God radically. It means I love 353 00:20:37.359 --> 00:20:41.079 God more than anything or anyone else. And there's a 354 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:43.759 word for that in the Bible. Do you know what 355 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.960 it's called When you love something more than anything else, 356 00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:52.880 It's called worship. Whatever you love the most, you worship. 357 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:56.680 If you love your boat the most, you worship your boat. 358 00:20:57.319 --> 00:21:00.400 If you love your job the most, you worship your job. 359 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:04.640 If you love your own body the most, you worship yourself. 360 00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:10.039 Worship is whatever you give your best love to. Do 361 00:21:10.079 --> 00:21:13.640 you know the word worship in the Bible PROSCINEO. You 362 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:16.160 know what that word literally means. It means to kiss. 363 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:20.759 That's what it means to kiss. It means to show affection, 364 00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:25.079 to shower with affection. When you worship something, you don't 365 00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:29.640 care what other people think. You're just you're You're totally 366 00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:33.920 involved in showing affection and love, and you don't care 367 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:36.759 how it looks to other people. You know, when you 368 00:21:36.839 --> 00:21:39.200 worship God, some of you are worried about how do 369 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:40.799 I look. I don't want to raise my hand too much, 370 00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:43.319 might look like a fanatic. I don't want to get emotional. 371 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:48.359 I want to keep my little countenance here in you know, dignity. 372 00:21:48.519 --> 00:21:51.160 Then you're not worshiping. If you're worried about what other 373 00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:54.279 people think, you're not worshiping. Worshiping is when you are 374 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.599 so much in love with God you don't care what 375 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.240 other people think. You're just going to express your love 376 00:21:59.279 --> 00:22:01.759 to how many you have a dog, because see your hands, 377 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:05.640 you have a dog. Okay, when your dog comes and 378 00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:12.759 licks your hand, is your dog expressing fear, anger, resentment, 379 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:17.799 or love. Love. Now that dog is not going I 380 00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:23.240 wonder what other people think at that moment. Your dog 381 00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:27.839 is worshiping you, When your dog is licking your hand, 382 00:22:28.680 --> 00:22:31.079 your dog he or she is saying, I couldn't care 383 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:35.680 less with anybody other my master's here, and I love 384 00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:40.519 my master. Did you know that the word for when 385 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:43.720 a dog licks his master's hand in Greek is the 386 00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:49.400 word proscinneo, it's the word worship. It's the exact same word. 387 00:22:50.119 --> 00:22:53.079 It is the word worship, which means I love God 388 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:57.119 so much, I don't care what other people think. The 389 00:22:57.200 --> 00:22:59.480 third key, if I want to be a disciple, if 390 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:02.599 I want to grow spiritually, I must love every other disciple. 391 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:08.480 Uh oh, now we're getting a little bit harder. You see, 392 00:23:08.519 --> 00:23:12.599 it's easy to love God because he's perfect, but you're 393 00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:16.799 not and I'm not. And sometimes we're irritating, and sometimes 394 00:23:16.839 --> 00:23:21.400 we're obnoxious, and sometimes we show our imperfections and our insecurities. 395 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:24.440 And yet Jesus says, if you're going to be my disciple, 396 00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:28.440 you can't just love me. You have to love everybody 397 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:30.839 in my family. And what is the family of God. 398 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:35.079 It's the Church, it is the people of God. You 399 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:38.599 have to love every other believer, every other Christian, every 400 00:23:38.599 --> 00:23:42.359 other follower of Jesus, every other disciple. Here's what Jesus says, 401 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:46.839