WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.439 --> 00:00:06.400 Hello everybody, and welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the 2 00:00:06.440 --> 00:00:10.160 Bible teaching Ministry of Rick Warren. We're so excited that 3 00:00:10.199 --> 00:00:13.279 you've joined us today. As we continue in this powerful 4 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:18.000 series how the Church meets your deepest needs. Together, we're 5 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:21.600 uncovering the joy and strength that comes from being a 6 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:24.960 part of God's family. And now here's Rick withd part 7 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:28.960 one of a message called you Need Others for spiritual support. 8 00:00:29.719 --> 00:00:32.719 Now, if you take out your message notes, I want 9 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:36.240 to begin with a fundamental truth about you. You are 10 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:40.359 not just a body. Okay, You're not just a body. 11 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:43.079 You're far more than just your physical frame. Your body 12 00:00:43.119 --> 00:00:45.640 is very important, but you have a soul and you 13 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:48.640 have a spirit. Now, the world only focuses on your 14 00:00:48.640 --> 00:00:51.280 body and your mind, but God also cares about the 15 00:00:51.320 --> 00:00:54.880 development of your soul and your spirit. And that's why 16 00:00:54.920 --> 00:00:57.479 He puts you on earth to develop your spirit and 17 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:02.520 your soul before you're ready for eternity. I talk about 18 00:01:02.520 --> 00:01:04.799 in Purpose Driven Life that life is a test and 19 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:07.200 life is a trust, and life is a temporary assignment 20 00:01:07.439 --> 00:01:11.920 before eternity, and God has five purposes for you here 21 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:16.040 while you're on this planet. Now, the Bible talks about 22 00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.439 these five purposes in details, and I even wrote about 23 00:01:18.439 --> 00:01:22.439 them in The Purpose Driven Life. But attached to those 24 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:28.359 five purposes for your life are five deep emotional and 25 00:01:28.439 --> 00:01:33.159 spiritual needs. Your five deepest emotional spiritual needs. Now, next weekend, 26 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:35.719 I'm going to go deeper in explaining these, So don't 27 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:38.439 worry about writing this down. It's just a little sneak preview. 28 00:01:38.920 --> 00:01:41.560 But all five of these needs that God placed in 29 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:46.920 you can only be met by full participation in God's family. 30 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:50.120 God's family, the church is the tool that God created 31 00:01:50.319 --> 00:01:52.959 to meet your deepest needs. 32 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:54.879 So what are they? Well? 33 00:01:54.920 --> 00:01:59.000 Your deepest emotional and spiritual needs are you need spiritual 34 00:01:59.040 --> 00:02:03.400 support and emulation you need Number two, you need spiritual 35 00:02:03.400 --> 00:02:07.920 strength and stability. Number three, you need an empowering sense 36 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:11.680 of awe, which actually comes from connecting with the supernatural 37 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:14.800 and with the sacred in a relationship with God. Number 38 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:19.639 four you need self worth and self expression. Those go together, 39 00:02:20.159 --> 00:02:24.919 and finally, you need to feel significance and satisfaction. Now, 40 00:02:24.919 --> 00:02:29.960 these five deepest emotional and spiritual needs are connected to 41 00:02:30.039 --> 00:02:33.520 God's five purposes for your life, but you cannot fulfill 42 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:36.800 them by yourself. You will never satisfy them by yourself. 43 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:40.479 You can try, but you'll fail. Only by being connected 44 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:43.560 to God's family will these needs ever be met in 45 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:47.039 your life now. First, just like a brand new baby 46 00:02:47.120 --> 00:02:49.919 needs family to care for it, a baby can't care 47 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:53.560 for itself. You need to first embrace and connect with 48 00:02:53.560 --> 00:02:58.879 the spiritual family that gives you spiritual support and spiritual stimulation. 49 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:01.800 In other words, you need both comforting. Sometimes you need 50 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:04.680 comfort and you need challenging. Sometimes you need to be 51 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:07.240 challenged to get off your rear end and get moving. 52 00:03:07.639 --> 00:03:09.680 And you need these from other people. Now, the Bible 53 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:15.039 calls this connection fellowship and membership in the Body of Christ. 54 00:03:15.159 --> 00:03:17.680 That's your first and deepest need. You need a family 55 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:20.719 that's going to give you support and stimulation. Number two, 56 00:03:21.080 --> 00:03:24.000 you need to establish a solid worldview and I'll explain 57 00:03:24.039 --> 00:03:27.400 this in the weeks ahead. That gives you a spiritual strength, 58 00:03:27.879 --> 00:03:30.360 gives you the spiritual strength and stability that you're going 59 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:32.719 to have in the storms of life. Life is tough, 60 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:36.719 and you have to know how to handle life and 61 00:03:36.759 --> 00:03:40.000 how to handle all of the trauma and the tribulations 62 00:03:40.039 --> 00:03:42.000 and the trials that come at you. And you've got 63 00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:44.719 to be spiritually strong for that. Now, how do you 64 00:03:44.759 --> 00:03:47.719 grow spiritual strength? Well, the answer is only by being 65 00:03:47.800 --> 00:03:51.479 spiritually stretched you grow strong. Just like a muscle can 66 00:03:51.520 --> 00:03:54.879 only grow stronger by being stretched, your spirit and your 67 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:58.639 soul must be stretched in order to be strengthened. 68 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:00.280 That's part of my job, and. 69 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.240 The Bible calls meeting this need in your life, the 70 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:08.719 need for spiritual strength discipleship number three. You need to 71 00:04:08.840 --> 00:04:12.879 experience the sacred and the supernatural power of God in 72 00:04:12.919 --> 00:04:15.199 your life. And what that does is it gives you 73 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:19.600 a sense of awe. You need a sense of awe 74 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:21.079 in your life. If you don't have any awe in 75 00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:24.920 your life, you're bland, You're boring, and you're probably not 76 00:04:25.079 --> 00:04:26.279 very happy in your life. 77 00:04:26.600 --> 00:04:29.160 Now, what is awe? A sense of awe? 78 00:04:29.759 --> 00:04:33.720 Awe is a mixture of emotions that combines reverence and 79 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:40.240 wonderment for something greater than yourself. Have you noticed that 80 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:45.839 human beings are naturally attracted and drawn to awe inspiring 81 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.480 sites we go see them on vacation. We're naturally attracted 82 00:04:50.920 --> 00:04:55.199 drawn to ae inspiring sites and are inspiring sounds and 83 00:04:55.360 --> 00:05:00.839 awe inspiring experiences and awe inspiring feelings. We of the 84 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:05.959 feeling of awe. We love being awed. Why because we 85 00:05:06.040 --> 00:05:08.639 instinctively know that there's something or someone out there that's 86 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:09.519 greater than we are. 87 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:12.839 And that is no accident. Have you ever thought about it? 88 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:16.079 Why is it that every single culture in the world worships, 89 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:22.759 every single culture worships because you're wired for worship as 90 00:05:22.759 --> 00:05:23.480 a human being. 91 00:05:23.800 --> 00:05:24.639 You can't help it. 92 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:27.800 The fact is, you're wired for worship. And if you 93 00:05:27.959 --> 00:05:31.439 don't worship God, you're going to worship something. You might 94 00:05:31.480 --> 00:05:35.399 even worship yourself or your boat, or your career or 95 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:39.680 a celebrity, but you're going to worship something because we're 96 00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:40.759 wired for worship. 97 00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:42.000 Now, it's a paradox. 98 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.959 I want you to listen to this that without awe, 99 00:05:45.240 --> 00:05:48.439 which is worship in your life, Without awe in your life, 100 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:51.279 your life becomes awful. 101 00:05:52.279 --> 00:05:53.040 That's paradox. 102 00:05:53.279 --> 00:05:58.319 Without awe in your life, your life becomes awful. 103 00:05:58.480 --> 00:05:59.639 But on the other hand, with. 104 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:02.759 Awe in your life, if you regular experience moments of 105 00:06:02.800 --> 00:06:07.240 all in your life, your life becomes awesome. Awesome, and 106 00:06:07.480 --> 00:06:09.639 awe comes from the sacred. 107 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:11.360 That's called worship. 108 00:06:12.040 --> 00:06:13.639 The fourth need that you have in your life, a 109 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:16.959 fourth deep need is express your spiritual gifts in service, 110 00:06:17.519 --> 00:06:20.600 and that's what gives you self worth. You need to 111 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.600 feel good about yourself. You need self worth and you 112 00:06:23.639 --> 00:06:27.160 need self expression. Now, notice I haven't said a word 113 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:33.079 about success because status and salary and success do not 114 00:06:33.240 --> 00:06:37.399 give you self worth, but self expression of being what 115 00:06:37.480 --> 00:06:40.079 God made you to be does. Let me say it 116 00:06:40.120 --> 00:06:43.240 another way. You need a place to shine. You need 117 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:45.879 a place to sparkle. You need a place of self 118 00:06:45.879 --> 00:06:49.920 expression that is essential to your spiritual and emotional health. 119 00:06:49.959 --> 00:06:51.920 And when people don't have a place to shine or 120 00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:56.000 sparkle and to express the shape the God given spiritual gift, 121 00:06:56.079 --> 00:07:00.360 heart ability, personality experiences that God gave them, then you 122 00:07:00.759 --> 00:07:04.040 get bored with life starting out. You need a safe 123 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.800 place to discover and to develop your spiritual gifts and 124 00:07:07.839 --> 00:07:11.120 your shape. Now I want you to listen. You can 125 00:07:11.160 --> 00:07:14.639 develop your natural talents anywhere. You can develop them on 126 00:07:14.680 --> 00:07:16.759 a football field if you're talent in that area. 127 00:07:16.879 --> 00:07:18.040 You can develop at work. 128 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:21.199 You can develop the natural talents which by the way, 129 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:25.600 God gave you those two anywhere. But you can only 130 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:29.360 discover the spiritual gifts that God has put inside you 131 00:07:29.639 --> 00:07:31.800 and given you. The only place you can discover that 132 00:07:32.120 --> 00:07:35.920 is in a church, family because that's where God gives them. 133 00:07:36.279 --> 00:07:39.000 The spiritual gifts are given out through his family, and 134 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:41.120 that's where He expects you to use them. And if 135 00:07:41.120 --> 00:07:44.920 you never discover your spiritual gifts, the one he said, 136 00:07:44.920 --> 00:07:46.079 I don't even know that I've God gifts. 137 00:07:46.120 --> 00:07:46.759 Oh yeah, you do. 138 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:49.839 The Bible talks about them a lot. But if you 139 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:52.800 never discover them, it's a huge loss, not only here 140 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.720 on earth, but in the rewards that you're going to 141 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.639 miss an eternity. You know, it's another paradox of life 142 00:07:59.680 --> 00:08:02.439 that I said that without awe, your life is awful, 143 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:06.399 but with awe, your life becomes awesome. It's also true 144 00:08:06.959 --> 00:08:12.399 that in your life that self respect and self worth listen, 145 00:08:12.800 --> 00:08:18.879 come through selflessness. Self respect and self worth actually come 146 00:08:18.959 --> 00:08:24.000 through selflessness, not by focusing on yourself. It doesn't come 147 00:08:24.040 --> 00:08:28.399 by focusing on yourself, but self worth comes by focusing 148 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.240 actually on serving others. God wired the universe in that 149 00:08:32.399 --> 00:08:35.600 only as you give your life away does your life 150 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:43.679 have success of self worth and self awareness. Finally, the 151 00:08:43.720 --> 00:08:45.919 fifth need that you have in your life is that 152 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:49.399 you need to know your God given mission, and that 153 00:08:49.559 --> 00:08:53.519 gives you significance and satisfaction. You're not put on this 154 00:08:53.639 --> 00:08:57.360 planet by accident. Now, the way that this series is 155 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:59.320 going to work because we're going to cover all five 156 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.279 of those deep needs needs in your life in the 157 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:02.279 next five weeks. 158 00:09:02.759 --> 00:09:04.480 The way this series is going to work is. 159 00:09:04.399 --> 00:09:08.399 That in my weekend teaching, I'm going to primarily focus 160 00:09:08.679 --> 00:09:11.639 on why you have these five deep needs in your 161 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.480 life and why you need a church family to meet them, 162 00:09:14.480 --> 00:09:17.960 and why only the church can meet those needs. Business can't, 163 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:22.840 government can't, school can't, boyfriend can't. Now today I want 164 00:09:22.919 --> 00:09:26.399 you to see how you need other people in your life. 165 00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:29.440 You need a church family for spiritual help. I know 166 00:09:29.480 --> 00:09:32.440 I'm belaboring this point, but because all the time we 167 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.039 hear people say, oh I love God, I love Jesus, 168 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:36.559 I just don't need a church family. 169 00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:38.120 That's nonsense. 170 00:09:38.960 --> 00:09:41.440 It means you have no idea all of the gifts, 171 00:09:41.440 --> 00:09:43.720 the blessings and the benefits God has prepared for you 172 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:46.000 when you're fully involved in His family. 173 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.360 Now, let me just say it this way. 174 00:09:50.519 --> 00:09:53.440 Today, all around the world, people are taught to act 175 00:09:53.480 --> 00:09:56.519 as if they don't need anybody else. We're told do 176 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:01.080 your own thing, go your own way, be your own man. 177 00:10:01.440 --> 00:10:05.679 We idolize the rugged individualists who goes off by themselves 178 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:07.879 on a mountain and seems to have no need of 179 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:11.799 anybody else. We think many are they're totally independent, and 180 00:10:12.320 --> 00:10:16.639 we idolize that independence. In fact, in today's culture, quote 181 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:22.519 depending on anybody else is often considered to be a weakness, 182 00:10:23.519 --> 00:10:26.480 and you're never supposed to let on that they need 183 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:30.360 anybody else. And people often characterize marriage is like it's 184 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:35.519 a prison, limiting your options, when actually, when God is 185 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:38.879 at the center of your marriage, marriage is not limiting, 186 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:43.480 it's liberating. It actually makes you twice as effective then 187 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:44.600 you would be by yourself. 188 00:10:44.799 --> 00:10:47.159 If you have a godly, God. 189 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:53.279 Centered marriage, true love, healthy relationships, real community, and genuine fellowship, 190 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:56.080 they bring out the best in you. In fact, you 191 00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:58.320 can't become all God wants you to be without other 192 00:10:58.320 --> 00:11:00.480 people in your life. You need them for your spiritual 193 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:03.919 and emotional help. And when you have those kind of 194 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:07.039 close relationships in a church family, it makes you far 195 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:10.000 far better than you'd ever be on your own by yourself. 196 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:15.159 The fellowship of belonging to a church family, the community 197 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:21.120 like here at Saddleback Church, has liberated and emancipated and 198 00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:24.159 brought out the best in literally tens of thousands of 199 00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:28.120 people just in this church, Saddleback Church, and by being 200 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:31.039 a part of this family, it's helped them become greater 201 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:36.000 and go farther and accomplish more and be happier and 202 00:11:36.039 --> 00:11:39.679 even live longer than people would have ever lived or 203 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:41.879 experienced on their own. Did you know the studies show 204 00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:43.279 that if you go to church, you're going to live 205 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:45.639 on an average about five to six years longer than 206 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.799 other people if you're in church every weekend. Now you know, 207 00:11:49.840 --> 00:11:55.240 I've heard people say complete independence is the key to happiness. 208 00:11:55.240 --> 00:11:59.240 Complete independence is happiness. Well, let me be completely honest 209 00:11:59.279 --> 00:12:02.919 with you, because after counseling thousands of people, I can 210 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:07.279 tell you this that's nonsense. Complete independence from other human 211 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:08.840 beings is not happiness. 212 00:12:09.200 --> 00:12:12.399 It is loneliness. It is loneliness. 213 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:15.600 And the quickest way to make yourself completely miserable and 214 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:20.720 resentful and fearful and insecure and unhappy is to pretend 215 00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:23.200 that you have it all together and you don't need 216 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:26.480 anybody else in your life, and that you're completely independent 217 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:30.320 of needing anybody else's help. Not only is that idea lie, 218 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:36.240 it's simply not true. It's provably absurd, and everybody around 219 00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:41.639 you knows it's not true, and yet we persist in 220 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:46.120 wearing masks and pretending that we're self contained and that 221 00:12:46.159 --> 00:12:50.360 we're not dependent upon each other. Now, you know what's 222 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:55.240 really ironic to me. I'm an observer of human behavior 223 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:59.279 as a pastor. I had to fly to Washington, DC 224 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.240 and back. We're in a couple of airports. I just 225 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.759 watch people, And what's ironic to me is to watch 226 00:13:04.039 --> 00:13:09.960 how we desperately want and need the attention of others, 227 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:14.399 and the approval of others, and the affirmation of others, 228 00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:17.279 and even the affection of others. We desperately in need 229 00:13:17.440 --> 00:13:19.440 want these things. We just don't want to admit out 230 00:13:19.480 --> 00:13:22.919 badly we need it. And that's why everybody wears emotional 231 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:27.399 masks instead of being authentic with their true needs. What 232 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:30.519 we've been taught is that happiness comes from independence. But 233 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:35.320 the truth is real happiness comes from interdependence. God wired 234 00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:37.080 us that way, and he wants us to be a 235 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:40.279 part of his family. In Genesis two eighteen, the very 236 00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:43.759 first thing God said to man was this, it is 237 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:47.320 not good for man to be alone. Now, whether you 238 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:49.720 ever get married or not is irrelevant to that verse. 239 00:13:50.120 --> 00:13:52.000 It is not good for you to be alone, God 240 00:13:52.120 --> 00:13:55.559 says you need a spiritual family. And in another very 241 00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:58.679 important Bible verse, God says, in Romans twelve, verse five, 242 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:02.200 since we're all one body in Christ, we're all in 243 00:14:02.200 --> 00:14:04.240 the family of God. We're all in the body of Christ. 244 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:07.360 We're all a part of his flock. We notice this. 245 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:11.559 We belong to each other. Circle that word belong. We 246 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:14.919 belong to each other, and each of us needs all 247 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:17.960 the others. In a church family, you don't just belong 248 00:14:18.039 --> 00:14:20.919 to Jesus. You belong to each other. You're my brother, 249 00:14:21.000 --> 00:14:23.360 you're my sister. I'm your brother, I'm your sister. And 250 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:27.639 the Bible says we need each other. Now, you may 251 00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:31.600 not feel this, is you feel this, You don't necessarily 252 00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:34.279 feel like you need other people. You may not feel 253 00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:37.720 like you belong, but it is absolutely necessary. God says, 254 00:14:37.759 --> 00:14:40.639 being a part of a member of God's family, a 255 00:14:40.679 --> 00:14:45.519 community of fellowship, is not optional. A Christian without a 256 00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:49.919 church family is a spiritual orphan. You know, years ago, 257 00:14:50.200 --> 00:14:52.799 many of you remember when we did forty Days of Purpose. 258 00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:56.759 About thirty five thirty six thousand churches in just America 259 00:14:56.759 --> 00:14:59.840 alone did forty days of Purpose. And in that s 260 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:02.879 I shared the big idea that God created you to 261 00:15:02.919 --> 00:15:07.279 fulfill five purposes on earth. But in this series, I 262 00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:10.080 want to share an even bigger idea. And the bigger 263 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:14.440 idea is this, You cannot fulfill God's purposes for your 264 00:15:14.519 --> 00:15:19.360 life by yourself on your own. You need other people. 265 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:21.480 And each week we're going to look at a different 266 00:15:21.519 --> 00:15:25.039 purpose and a different emotional and spiritual need that you 267 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:28.879 have and how God wants to meet that need in 268 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:32.200 your life. Now, what I want to do today, for 269 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.879 the rest of our time together is just quickly give 270 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:37.840 you five reasons you need a church family for your 271 00:15:37.879 --> 00:15:43.080 spiritual and emotional health. You cannot be healthy unless you're 272 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:46.000 connected to other believers in the Body. 273 00:15:45.720 --> 00:15:48.039 Of Christ, in the family of God. So write these down. 274 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:51.399 Number one. First thing I need is this, I need 275 00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:56.320 others to walk with me. I need others to walk 276 00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:58.679 with me. That's one of the benefits of a church family. 277 00:15:58.919 --> 00:15:59.120 You know. 278 00:15:59.159 --> 00:16:03.679 The Bible often call your spiritual life your walk, your 279 00:16:03.720 --> 00:16:06.039 spiritual walk, and then I able says walk in love, 280 00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:09.519 walk in truth, walk into lightness, walk in joy. Colossians 281 00:16:09.519 --> 00:16:12.600 two six and seven says, just as you receive Christ 282 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:17.559 Jesus the Lord, so walk in him. Now, why does 283 00:16:17.639 --> 00:16:22.639 God compare life to a walk, Because it's a journey. 284 00:16:23.559 --> 00:16:25.519 So I said, we're to walk in light and love 285 00:16:25.559 --> 00:16:27.960 and truth and obedience. We're to walk in the spirit. 286 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:30.960 Where to walk like Jesus. God never intended for you 287 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.759 to walk through life alone. Now, as I said, this 288 00:16:34.840 --> 00:16:38.240 has nothing to do whether you're single or married. Thousands 289 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:41.759 of singles fully walk in the Lord, in the community 290 00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:44.159 and the fellowship and the family and the membership of 291 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:49.240 Saddleback Church. He said, well, what's wrong with walking alone? 292 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:54.679 I prefer walking alone. Well, let me give you three 293 00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:58.360 benefits of walking with others in a church family. You 294 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:00.679 might just write this in your margin there or whatever. 295 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:05.079 Number One, it's safer. There's safety in numbers. There's less risk. 296 00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.759 You ever had to walk through a dark alley at 297 00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:09.680 night by yourself when you preferred would have preferred to 298 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:12.720 have walked with somebody else. When you're going through dark times, 299 00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:16.440 it's safer to walk with others. Number Two, it's supportive. 300 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:20.160 It keeps you from giving up. If you've ever done 301 00:17:20.160 --> 00:17:22.759 a marathon, you get a pain in your side and 302 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:25.799 you're tempted to quit, it kicks in for you. You know, 303 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:28.960 probably I don't know what what mile maybe for me 304 00:17:29.039 --> 00:17:34.240 about you know, yard fifty. But when you run with 305 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:38.039 other people, it keeps you going, It gives you support. 306 00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:38.440 You know. 307 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:42.119 There's an old African proverb that says, if you want 308 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:46.079 to run fast, run alone. But if you run and 309 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:49.839 want to run far, run with other people. When you 310 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:53.440 run together, you can go so much farther. That's why 311 00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:56.759 geese fly in v formation so they don't get tired. 312 00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.640 The updraft carries the others along and they change out 313 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:03.160 who's at the front of the vib So it's safer, 314 00:18:04.119 --> 00:18:08.279 it's more supportive, it's smarter. You actually learn more by 315 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:11.960 walking with others through life. Proverbs twenty eight twenty six 316 00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:16.559 is this only fools trust what they alone think. You know, 317 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:18.599 if you're walking alone, you might be walking in the 318 00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:22.240 wrong direction. The Bible says in the multitude of counselors 319 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:25.039 are a safety. One of the things you learn when 320 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.759 you're walking with other people is you learn how to 321 00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:27.319 get along. 322 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.680 You learn how to love. 323 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:32.240 And one of the great goals of life is learning 324 00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:36.359 how to love, because God is love. Have you noticed 325 00:18:36.440 --> 00:18:39.160 everybody walks at a different pace and they all have 326 00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:41.599 to walk in a different style. Well, when you walk 327 00:18:41.640 --> 00:18:43.880 with others, it teaches you a very important skill. It's 328 00:18:43.880 --> 00:18:47.440 called compromise. You just can't go with your patient style, 329 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:50.160 you have to share it with others. As I said. 330 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:52.359 Genesis to eighteen says, it's not good for men to 331 00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:57.759 be alone. God hates loneliness, and what's his antidote. Well, 332 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:01.839 God's antidote loneliness is two groups, a physical family and 333 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:06.279 a spiritual family. Physical family is an antidote for loneliness. 334 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:08.559 But even that's not going to last forever. 335 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:09.160 Family. 336 00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:12.440 Physical family split up, they grow up, they divorce, they 337 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:15.640 move away, they die. But your spiritual family, which is 338 00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:18.319 the church, is going to last forever and ever and ever. 339 00:19:18.559 --> 00:19:20.720 Your physical family isn't going to last forever and ever, 340 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:24.480 but your church family is going to Hebrews ten twenty 341 00:19:24.519 --> 00:19:27.000 five says this, Let us not give up the habit 342 00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:30.920 of meeting together. Instead, let us encourage one another. That's 343 00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:34.680 the comfort and the correction or the challenging I talked 344 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:38.440 about earlier. The church is God's spiritual safety net for 345 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:43.200 you when you're weak, when you're tired, when you feel 346 00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:43.960 like giving up. 347 00:19:45.200 --> 00:19:47.480 You know you're created for community. 348 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:51.480 Have you ever said you know, well, I don't I 349 00:19:51.480 --> 00:19:54.640 don't feel like going to worship. Well, of course you have. 350 00:19:55.440 --> 00:19:57.440 You know, I've thought that a lot myself, and I 351 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:00.319 was going to do the sermon. When you're tired, then 352 00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:03.160 you'd rather just stay home and lay on the couch 353 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:06.599 all day. But you know, what I've discovered is that 354 00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:09.599 when I least feel like worship is when I usually 355 00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:14.079 need it the most. But when I get with other people, 356 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:17.920 all my discouragement and my fatigue and all the other 357 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:21.279 things we're going to talk about, they start leaving, and 358 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:24.960 so does the loneliness. I want you to write this 359 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:28.559 down right now, Salarn your outline. Community is God's answer 360 00:20:28.839 --> 00:20:33.519 to loneliness. We all need a place to practice relationships 361 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:37.400 and learn to love. Community is God's answer to loneliness. 362 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:40.279 So what you need to do to walk through life 363 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:43.319 is you need a small group of believers. First Corinthians 364 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:46.119 fourteen thirty and thirty one. Look at this verse. It 365 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.519 says when you gather each one of you. He's talking 366 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:52.400 about gathering in a small group. He because you can't 367 00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:54.079 do this in a crowd of five hundred or two 368 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:56.680 hundred people. You can only do this as a small group. 369 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:59.759 He says, First Corinthians fourteen thirty thirty one. When you 370 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:03.680 together in that small group, each one of you be 371 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:06.880 prepared with something useful for all. Sing a song, teach 372 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:11.039 a lesson, tell a story, lead a prayer, provide an insight, 373 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:14.720 take your turn, with no one person taking over. That 374 00:21:14.799 --> 00:21:17.559 way you all learn from each other that could only 375 00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:20.680 happen in a small group. What's the goal? The goal 376 00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:24.880 of this fellowship is Ephesians four sixteen. As each part 377 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:28.000 does its work, it helps the other parts grow so 378 00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:31.799 that Christ's whole body is healthy and growing and full 379 00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:34.440 of love. I want you to write this down under 380 00:21:34.440 --> 00:21:39.240 this next point, I can't grow without others. If I 381 00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:41.359 don't have others, I'm going to be lonely. But this 382 00:21:41.440 --> 00:21:45.119 is the second point, I can't grow without others. One 383 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:48.920 Peter four nine says open your homes to each other 384 00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:50.920 without complaining. 385 00:21:51.519 --> 00:21:53.400 That's called hospitality. Are you doing that? 386 00:21:54.079 --> 00:21:56.119 Are you being hospital or you open your home up 387 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:58.039 to a small group. If you're not in a small 388 00:21:58.079 --> 00:22:00.400 group right now, you need to start one. Just get 389 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:03.160 a couple of friends to discuss what you learn in 390 00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:07.200 this series. We say, well, you know, I just haven't 391 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:09.400 started a small group. I'm not in a small group. Well, 392 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:13.079 let me ask you be honest, what excuse have ben 393 00:22:13.240 --> 00:22:15.799 You've been using for not being in a small group 394 00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:18.960 and you know it would be strengthening for your spiritual 395 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:20.480 heart and your support? 396 00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.400 What excuse to be in the well? 397 00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:26.279 You know my house, my house is not clean, or 398 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:30.400 my house isn't big enough, or I don't like my neighbors, 399 00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:34.480 or nobody would want to come to my house. Really, 400 00:22:35.920 --> 00:22:38.720 you know what the truth is? The truth is everyone 401 00:22:38.799 --> 00:22:40.799