WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.560 --> 00:00:05.599 This is Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the audio broadcast ministry 2 00:00:05.639 --> 00:00:09.320 of Pastor Rick Warren. Well, today, we begin a series 3 00:00:09.439 --> 00:00:13.039 called Better Together. In this series, Rick takes us through 4 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:17.920 First Corinthians chapter thirteen and shows us how to cultivate deep, 5 00:00:18.079 --> 00:00:22.399 meaningful relationships with the people around us. In just a 6 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:24.960 few moments, we're going to tell you how you can 7 00:00:25.000 --> 00:00:28.519 get a copy of Pastor Rick's book called God's Power 8 00:00:28.640 --> 00:00:32.200 to Change Your Life. In it, you'll discover how God 9 00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:35.320 provides the power you need to take you from where 10 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:38.520 you are to where you want to be. Find out 11 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:42.079 more by going to Pastorick dot com or by texting 12 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:46.200 the word daily to eight hundred, six hundred five thousand 13 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:50.240 and four while you listen to today's message, that's Pastorick 14 00:00:50.359 --> 00:00:54.320 dot com or the word Daily to eight hundred, six 15 00:00:54.399 --> 00:00:58.920 hundred five thousand and four. Right now, here's Pastor Rick 16 00:00:59.000 --> 00:01:01.920 Warren with part one of a message called Why We 17 00:01:02.039 --> 00:01:02.799 Need each Other. 18 00:01:04.040 --> 00:01:08.000 Today is the beginning of a revolution, and it's going 19 00:01:08.079 --> 00:01:14.640 to start with a very radical counterculture message. What I 20 00:01:14.680 --> 00:01:16.959 want to talk to you about this morning is the 21 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:20.799 exact opposite of what you've been taught most of your life. 22 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:24.840 But God promises that if you'll do this, if you'll 23 00:01:24.840 --> 00:01:28.719 do it his way, that you'll never again have to 24 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:32.920 struggle with loneliness, you'll be able to overcome things like 25 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:39.359 fatigue and fear and frustration and failure. That if you'll 26 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.879 do what he talks about, you'll be able to handle 27 00:01:41.920 --> 00:01:46.040 depression and despair and have that replaced with hope. It 28 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:53.200 is the concept of community. Now as Americans, we idolize independence. 29 00:01:53.640 --> 00:01:57.280 In America, we have the Declaration of Independence. We like 30 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.560 songs like I gotta be me, I'll do it, I 31 00:02:00.560 --> 00:02:02.640 don't need anybody to tell me what it's all about. 32 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:07.640 And we honor the loan ranger. We love the lone ranger, 33 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:11.159 of course, even the lone ranger at Tonto. But we 34 00:02:11.360 --> 00:02:13.879 like the idea of being totally independent, and we have 35 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:17.000 bought into a myth that says that the key to 36 00:02:17.080 --> 00:02:23.560 happiness is independence. If I have relational independence, financial independence, 37 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:25.919 and independence in every other area of my life. If 38 00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:28.240 I don't let anybody get too close to me, but 39 00:02:28.280 --> 00:02:33.280 I'm totally self sufficient, then I will be happy. And 40 00:02:33.319 --> 00:02:37.800 yet every year the suicide rate tends to rise. Obviously 41 00:02:37.879 --> 00:02:41.159 that's not true. And God says that the key to 42 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:46.680 happiness is not independence, but interdependence. That we need each other, 43 00:02:46.719 --> 00:02:50.080 We belong to each other. We need community in our lives. 44 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:53.080 And God wired you to go through life not as 45 00:02:53.120 --> 00:02:57.159 a solitary individual, but in community. Notice at the top 46 00:02:57.199 --> 00:03:00.759 of your outline what the Bible says. It's chapter twelve. 47 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:03.919 Why don't you read it aloud with me together? Since 48 00:03:04.120 --> 00:03:07.479 we are all one body in Christ, we belong to 49 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:11.400 each other, and each of us needs all the others. 50 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:13.919 Once you turn the person next you and say you 51 00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:21.199 need me, all right, you need me? Now, I want 52 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:23.960 you to turn them and say I need you. Go ahead, 53 00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:29.680 all right. Now we just add over one hundred and 54 00:03:29.719 --> 00:03:34.800 fifty wedding proposals. I'll be doing the special outside two 55 00:03:34.840 --> 00:03:39.599 for one. Let's call me Mary and Rick matchmaker me. Now. 56 00:03:40.680 --> 00:03:43.800 The truth is we need each other. God says community 57 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:46.680 is not optional. You may not feel it. You may 58 00:03:46.680 --> 00:03:48.400 feel like and I'm very selfsuished and I don't need other 59 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:51.039 people in my life. But the truth is you absolutely 60 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:53.240 have to have other people in your life if you're 61 00:03:53.240 --> 00:03:55.560 going to be all God wants you to be. Today, 62 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:57.520 I want us to start a journey on an even 63 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:01.199 bigger idea and that is, you can not fulfill God's 64 00:04:01.199 --> 00:04:06.639 purposes for your life by yourself. There's no way. There's 65 00:04:06.719 --> 00:04:08.919 no way you can be all God wants you to be, 66 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.080 do all God wants you to do, fulfill the purposes 67 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:14.840 you were put on this planet to fulfill by yourself. 68 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:17.680 You have to do it in relationship to other people. 69 00:04:17.920 --> 00:04:20.680 We need each other and we belong to each other 70 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:24.160 in the body of Christ. So today we're going to 71 00:04:24.240 --> 00:04:28.000 focus on the greatest lesson in life, that is learning 72 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:31.920 how to love. Why do relationships go bad? How do 73 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:35.519 you turn a bad relationship into a good one. What 74 00:04:35.680 --> 00:04:37.959 is it that God does when he uses other people 75 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:39.959 in our lives? And how does He do it to 76 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:42.240 make us what He wants us to be? And so 77 00:04:42.279 --> 00:04:46.160 we're going to discuss and discover what it really means 78 00:04:46.360 --> 00:04:50.680 to develop true intimate relationships. Today, I want to give 79 00:04:50.680 --> 00:04:52.759 you a little introduction and we're going to look at 80 00:04:52.839 --> 00:04:56.160 why we need each other, why we need God's family, 81 00:04:56.199 --> 00:04:59.399 and specifically the five reasons God says you need other 82 00:04:59.399 --> 00:05:01.680 people in your life and really why you need a 83 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:04.319 small group. So let's get right into it first. If 84 00:05:04.360 --> 00:05:07.920 you're taken notes, I need others to walk with me, 85 00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:12.519 I need others to walk with me. What does that mean? 86 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:15.240 It means I need him to help me grow spiritually. 87 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:18.639 Look at this verse Colossus two six and seven says, 88 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:22.120 just as you receive Christ Jesus the Lord, so read 89 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:25.319 it with me walk in him. Did you know that 90 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:29.560 the Bible often compares life to a walk? Why? Because 91 00:05:29.639 --> 00:05:32.759 you're on a journey. You don't just sit still in life. 92 00:05:32.920 --> 00:05:34.560 You're not where you used to be, You're not where 93 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:37.000 you're gonna be. You're on a journey. And so it 94 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:40.319 calls the spiritual life or the Christian life a walk. 95 00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:43.680 And throughout the New Testament, we're told to walk in wisdom, 96 00:05:43.879 --> 00:05:46.639 to walk in love, to walk in light. We're told 97 00:05:46.639 --> 00:05:49.759 to walk in obedience, in the spirit, where, to walk 98 00:05:49.800 --> 00:05:52.759 as Jesus walk, and many many other ways the Bible 99 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.720 tells us that we are to live life. But one 100 00:05:55.720 --> 00:05:57.800 of the key ways that God tells us to walk 101 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:03.160 is this. You were never meant to walk through life alone. 102 00:06:04.759 --> 00:06:07.639 You were never meant to walk through life alone. Now, 103 00:06:07.720 --> 00:06:11.240 this has nothing to do whether you're single or married, 104 00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:14.560 nothing at all. We have thousands of single adults in 105 00:06:14.600 --> 00:06:19.160 our church who are very involved in deep intimate meaningful community. 106 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.199 We also have married couples in this church who are 107 00:06:22.199 --> 00:06:28.839 desperately lonely. Marriage does not solve the issue. Community does. Now, 108 00:06:28.920 --> 00:06:31.680 somebody said, well, Rick, what's wrong with walking alone? I 109 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.279 like walking along? In fact, I prefer it. I can 110 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:36.439 go at my own pace, my own speed, I don't 111 00:06:36.480 --> 00:06:40.000 have to wait for anybody or whatever. I like walking alone. Well, 112 00:06:40.040 --> 00:06:42.759 you may like it, but you need others to walk 113 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.040 with you. Let me give you three reasons. You can 114 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:46.680 just write these down in the margin because I got 115 00:06:46.720 --> 00:06:50.720 a lot to tell you today. Number One, it's safer. 116 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:55.560 It's safer. Walking through life with other people in your 117 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.600 life is safer. It's less risky. You ever had to 118 00:06:58.639 --> 00:07:01.279 walk through a dark alley at night inner city by 119 00:07:01.319 --> 00:07:03.639 yourself can be a little scary, Or walk down a 120 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:06.680 long road in the countryside by yourself, it can be scary. 121 00:07:06.839 --> 00:07:09.560 It's safer to walk through life with others. Number Two, 122 00:07:09.839 --> 00:07:13.120 it's supportive. What I mean by that is it keeps 123 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.680 you from giving up. When you're walking with other people, 124 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:18.480 you get the energy to keep on going that you 125 00:07:18.519 --> 00:07:21.839 wouldn't have. Have you ever been in a marathon where 126 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:25.079 you're running this marathon and then you know you start 127 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:27.000 getting the stitch in your side, you start getting a 128 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:28.600 little pain there, and you want to give up. You 129 00:07:28.639 --> 00:07:30.519 know what I'm talking about. Usually happens to me about 130 00:07:30.560 --> 00:07:38.240 mile twenty. Actually step twenty is when it happens to 131 00:07:38.279 --> 00:07:41.279 me step twenty and you start going, you know, I 132 00:07:41.279 --> 00:07:42.959 can't go on. I'm not gonna be able to do this. 133 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:44.720 I want to give up. But if you have other 134 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:49.120 people walking with you, you keep on going. There's an 135 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:52.160 old Zambian parable that says, or proverb that says, when 136 00:07:52.199 --> 00:07:55.680 you run alone, you run fast, but when you run together, 137 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:56.680 you run far. 138 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:04.160 You're listening to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope. Rick will be 139 00:08:04.240 --> 00:08:07.079 back in just a moment with the rest of today's lesson. 140 00:08:07.519 --> 00:08:10.240 If you've missed any part of today's teaching, you can 141 00:08:10.279 --> 00:08:16.399 listen online anytime at pastorick dot com. That's pastorick dot com. 142 00:08:16.439 --> 00:08:20.720 What does it take to become more loving, live more peacefully, 143 00:08:21.279 --> 00:08:26.240 develop patience, have self control? Pastor Rick says, throughout all 144 00:08:26.319 --> 00:08:29.160 the years he's been a pastor, the number one question 145 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:33.240 he's been asked is why can't I change? People want 146 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:36.960 to change, but they're stuck. Maybe you feel that way too. 147 00:08:37.639 --> 00:08:40.919 In his book, God's Power to change your life. Rick 148 00:08:41.039 --> 00:08:45.960 lays the groundwork for personal transformation, then offers biblical insights 149 00:08:46.000 --> 00:08:49.159 and simple steps for ten areas of growth that can 150 00:08:49.200 --> 00:08:52.080 take you from where you are to where you want 151 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:55.000 to be. This book connects you with the power to 152 00:08:55.159 --> 00:08:58.440 actually make the changes you long to make. And as 153 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:01.480 you apply the truth of God word by the power 154 00:09:01.519 --> 00:09:05.679 of His Spirit, your life will change. You'll move out 155 00:09:05.679 --> 00:09:08.679 of your run and get on track with God's wonderful 156 00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:11.919 purposes for your life. And today, when you give a 157 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:14.559 gift to Daily Hope to help take the hope of 158 00:09:14.720 --> 00:09:18.320 Jesus to people everywhere, we'll send you a copy of 159 00:09:18.399 --> 00:09:21.679 God's Power to Change your Life. Just go to Pastororrick 160 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.519 dot com right now to get your copy, or you 161 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.639 can call eight hundred at six hundred five zero zero 162 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:31.480 four that's Pastorick dot com. Or call eight hundred at 163 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:34.879 six hundred five zero zero four and be sure to 164 00:09:34.960 --> 00:09:37.720 let us know which station you heard us on. Thank 165 00:09:37.759 --> 00:09:41.519 you so much for your support. 166 00:09:44.799 --> 00:09:48.240 Now let's get back to today's lesson. Here on Pastor 167 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:49.840 Rick's Daily Hope. 168 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:52.720 There's an old Zambian parable that says a proverb that says, 169 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:55.960 when you run alone, you run fast, but when you 170 00:09:56.039 --> 00:10:01.519 run together, you run far. Good word, good word. You see, 171 00:10:01.679 --> 00:10:04.440 life is not a fifty yard dash. It is a marathon. 172 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.799 And you want to make it to the end of life. 173 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.720 And the only way you're gonna make it to the 174 00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:12.399 end of life, the way God wants you to, is 175 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:15.440 by having other people involved in your life. If you've 176 00:10:15.480 --> 00:10:17.960 ever watched during the fall, when a flock of geese 177 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:21.120 are flying south and they're in v formation, do you 178 00:10:21.159 --> 00:10:23.799 know why they do that? Because it creates an uplift 179 00:10:23.799 --> 00:10:26.279 in the backdraft, and it makes it easier and they 180 00:10:26.279 --> 00:10:30.759 can fly farther and longer when they fly together. The 181 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:33.159 same is true in your life. You're gonna burn out 182 00:10:33.159 --> 00:10:36.200 in life if you go through it without any meaningful 183 00:10:36.600 --> 00:10:41.000 intimate relationships. It's safer, it's supported. Not only that it's smarter, 184 00:10:41.759 --> 00:10:44.320 it's just smarter to go through life with a few 185 00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:48.960 really close, deep friends. You learn more by walking with 186 00:10:49.000 --> 00:10:51.639 others than you do by yourself. Proverbs twenty eight twenty 187 00:10:51.679 --> 00:10:55.519 six says only fools trust in what they think alone, 188 00:10:56.440 --> 00:10:59.360 what they alone think. In other words, if I'm the 189 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:02.039 only one who thinks nobody else agrees with, guess what 190 00:11:02.200 --> 00:11:06.440 I'm wrong. Okay, you may be walking in the wrong direction. 191 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:08.519 But if you're walking by yourself through life, you know, 192 00:11:08.559 --> 00:11:11.320 everybody goes, hey, we're off the path. We missed it. 193 00:11:11.360 --> 00:11:13.639 We got to get back on the path. The Bible 194 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.919 tells us in the multitude of counselors, there is safety. Now. 195 00:11:17.960 --> 00:11:20.080 One of the things it's very important that you learn 196 00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:22.519 when you walk with others, is you learn how to 197 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:26.480 get along with other people. If you go through life isolated, 198 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:31.399 never let anybody get close to you, never cooperate with anybody. 199 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.840 You don't learn how to cooperate. And that's one of 200 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:36.360 the great lessons of life. Have you noticed that when 201 00:11:36.399 --> 00:11:38.799 you walk with somebody else, everybody walks at a different pace, 202 00:11:39.559 --> 00:11:42.159 different style. Those of you who've married, have you ever 203 00:11:42.200 --> 00:11:44.080 tried to walk with your husband or your wife around 204 00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:48.879 the lake? It's different. It's just different strides, different strokes 205 00:11:48.879 --> 00:11:54.679 for different folks. And so we have to learn to compromise. Now, 206 00:11:54.679 --> 00:11:57.679 the Bible says this in Genesis two eighteen. Let's read 207 00:11:57.720 --> 00:12:02.399 it aloud. It is not good for man to be alone. 208 00:12:02.799 --> 00:12:05.399 You know, that's the first thing God said after he 209 00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:08.639 created Adam. He looked down in a perfect environment guarden 210 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:11.440 of ening goes. It's not good. It's not good for 211 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:17.080 man to be alone. God hates loneliness. He hates it. 212 00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:22.120 God hates loneliness. And so what's his antidote. Well, he 213 00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:26.919 created two groups, physical family and the spiritual family. The 214 00:12:26.960 --> 00:12:29.159 physical family is the one you grew up in. The 215 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.120 spiritual family is the one you have the rest of 216 00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:34.480 your life. Actually goes on into eternity. The physical family 217 00:12:34.679 --> 00:12:39.200 eventually moves apart, eventually dies and doesn't go on. But 218 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:41.720 the spiritual family, God's Church is going to go on 219 00:12:41.799 --> 00:12:45.559 forever and ever and ever. And so God says, I 220 00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:48.720 want you to be connected in my family, the church. 221 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:54.320 Notice what his safety net is. And hebrews ten, let 222 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:57.399 us not give up the habit of meeting together. Notice 223 00:12:57.440 --> 00:13:00.039 it's a habit, something you do all the time. I 224 00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:03.200 give up the habit of meeting together. Instead, let us 225 00:13:03.480 --> 00:13:08.080 encourage one another. He says. You know you're created for community, 226 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:10.799 and I want you to encourage each other by meeting together. 227 00:13:11.159 --> 00:13:13.600 Now that verse, he's not talking about what we're doing 228 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:17.720 right now. This is not a community, folks. This is 229 00:13:17.759 --> 00:13:23.039 a crowd. It's a quite large crowd, okay, And you 230 00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:26.799 can't encourage each other here. You know, we can't. You 231 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:28.639 can't even get to talk to very many people. There's 232 00:13:28.679 --> 00:13:31.000 just too many people. This can only be done in 233 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:34.080 a small group. You know. Can you be in a 234 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:37.879 crowd and be lonely? Sure? This last week I was 235 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:40.679 in Manhattan. I had to go buy a coat for 236 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:42.320 a TV show I was going to be on, and 237 00:13:42.360 --> 00:13:43.759 so I walked out by myself. I was in one 238 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:46.000 hundred thousand people, but it still felt very lonely because 239 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:49.600 I didn't know anybody. So it has nothing to do 240 00:13:49.679 --> 00:13:52.320 with the size. It's talking about getting together with people 241 00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:55.240 who encourage you. Would you write this down? Community is 242 00:13:55.320 --> 00:14:02.080 God's answer to loneliness. Community is God God's answer to loneliness. 243 00:14:02.320 --> 00:14:05.759 And we all need a place where we can practice love. 244 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.039 It's what the world needs. We need to learn how 245 00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:12.120 to love now. The Bible says that I've got to 246 00:14:12.159 --> 00:14:16.919 have other people in my life. As I'm walking through life, 247 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:20.200 I need other people to grow. Would you write that down? 248 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:24.519 I can't grow without others. The Bible is very clear 249 00:14:24.559 --> 00:14:28.000 about this. I cannot grow without other people in my life. 250 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:31.879 Why Because life is about relationships, not about achievement. God 251 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:33.519 is love and he wants me to learn to love 252 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:35.759 him and love others. Those are the two greatest lessons 253 00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:38.879 in life. Now. The Bible gets very specific about this 254 00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:42.279 and one Corinthians fourteen. I love this in the message paraphrase, 255 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:46.399 it's pretty clear. It says when you gather, when you gather, 256 00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:50.000 each one of you be prepared with something useful for all. 257 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:53.200 Sing a hymn, teach a lesson, tell a story, lead 258 00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:56.519 a prayer, provide an insight, take your turn, with no 259 00:14:56.600 --> 00:15:00.759 one person taken over. That way you all learn from 260 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:03.960 each other. Question does that sound like something we do 261 00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:08.000 here on Sunday morning? No? No, I don't stand up 262 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:11.759 here and say anybody got a poem? You know what 263 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:15.200 happened to you this week? Who has a prayer request? 264 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:18.799 Who learned something from God this week? Who needs to 265 00:15:18.840 --> 00:15:21.919 be prayer? And we're too big to do that. This 266 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.320 can only happen in a small group. And that's why 267 00:15:26.360 --> 00:15:29.919 to be a healthy believer, you need large group worship 268 00:15:29.960 --> 00:15:33.720 and small group fellowship, temple courts and house to house. 269 00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:36.679 And that's why in our church we ask everybody to 270 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:39.559 come on a weekend service and be in a small group. 271 00:15:39.759 --> 00:15:41.399 If you're only getting half of that and you're only 272 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:44.320 getting half of the benefit of this church. You need 273 00:15:44.360 --> 00:15:48.440 to walk through life in a small group of believers. Now, 274 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:52.039 why we'll look at the next verse Phesians four. As 275 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:54.440 each part talking about the body of Christ. As each 276 00:15:54.480 --> 00:15:58.120 part does its work, it helps the other parts grow, 277 00:15:58.960 --> 00:16:04.159 so his whole body is healthy and growing. And read 278 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:07.919 it with me. Full of love. That's what God wants 279 00:16:08.000 --> 00:16:09.919 in your life, and he wants for all of us. 280 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:13.159 He wants us to be healthy and growing and full 281 00:16:13.159 --> 00:16:16.000 of love. And that's my prayer for you as your pastor. 282 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:19.080 I want you to be healthy, and I want you 283 00:16:19.200 --> 00:16:21.559 to be growing, and I want you to be full 284 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:24.159 of love. Now, there's only one way you can do that. 285 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:26.879 You got to get with other Christians who can walk 286 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:30.879 through life with you. You see, you can't learn community 287 00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:34.879 without being in a community. Not a crowd, but in 288 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:39.039 a community. The Bible says this in fee Peter four nine. 289 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:49.080 Open your homes to each other without what complaining? H 290 00:16:49.399 --> 00:16:52.639 what's your complaint? What's your excuse for not opening up 291 00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:57.879 your own? Well, my home is dirty, Well clean it up. Okay, 292 00:16:58.320 --> 00:17:03.399 just clean it up, all rights. That's a real easy thing. Okay, Well, 293 00:17:03.440 --> 00:17:05.799 my home isn't big enough. Can you put three people 294 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:09.720 in it? Then you can have a group. The Bible says, 295 00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:11.599 where two or more are gathered in my name, I'm 296 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:13.920 there in the midst of them. You say, well, you 297 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:18.359 know what I don't like my neighbors, Well, don't invite them. 298 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.200 I'm not telling you to invite people you don't like. 299 00:17:20.279 --> 00:17:23.000 Invite the people you do like. You don't have to 300 00:17:23.079 --> 00:17:27.519 invite people. Invite your neighbor friends, invite your coworkers, your family. 301 00:17:28.119 --> 00:17:30.279 You don't just get some people, he said, Well, nobody 302 00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:32.920 would really want to come to my house and study this. 303 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:41.319 Oh really? Really? You see, everybody has a longing for belonging. 304 00:17:42.119 --> 00:17:46.279 Everybody deep in the human spirit is a longing for belonging. 305 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:50.160 It's why the worst kind of punishment is solitary confinement. 306 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:54.880 We're made for relationships. God wired us that way, and 307 00:17:54.920 --> 00:17:58.880 that's why people will join all kinds of stupid causes 308 00:17:59.160 --> 00:18:01.960 just because they want to belong. Listen, the people in 309 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:06.079 your neighborhood would love to come to your house. Let 310 00:18:06.079 --> 00:18:08.119 me give you an example of this. Two years ago 311 00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:12.160 when we did forty Days of Purpose and I on 312 00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:14.640 the day we started, like today, I handed out a 313 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:16.880 little card, a little invitation card, And I said, you 314 00:18:16.920 --> 00:18:19.799 know what, I want you to give this card to 315 00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:22.559 somebody that you know who doesn't go to church anywhere 316 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:26.079 or doesn't have any knowledge of the love of God, 317 00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:30.079 and you invite them to your small group. And in 318 00:18:30.119 --> 00:18:32.240 one week you did this. In one week, we went 319 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:35.480 from eight thousand people in small groups to twenty four 320 00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:39.759 thousand in small groups. Don't tell listen, your neighbors are 321 00:18:39.759 --> 00:18:42.599 more willing to come than you're willing to invite them. 322 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:45.799 They are. So that's the first reason we need a group. 323 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:48.079 We need each other because we need people to walk 324 00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:51.880 with us. Number two, I also need others to work 325 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:55.319 with me. I need people to work with me. Did 326 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:57.200 you know that the Bible says God puts you on 327 00:18:57.240 --> 00:19:00.200 earth to do a certain work that only you can do. 328 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:06.720 Ephesians two ten says this God made us to do 329 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:11.400 good works, which He planned in advance for us to 330 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:15.920 live our lives doing. Before you were even born, God 331 00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:18.720 decided the talents he was going to give you, the 332 00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:21.400 natural abilities, he was going to give you the background. 333 00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:24.039 He even chose where you would be born, who your 334 00:19:24.079 --> 00:19:26.680 parents would be when you would be born, and all 335 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:29.480 of this because He has a purpose for your life. 336 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:31.920 And part of that purpose is he has some work 337 00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:36.359 for you to do. Now, anytime you use your talents 338 00:19:36.480 --> 00:19:39.759 or your abilities to help somebody else, there's a word 339 00:19:39.799 --> 00:19:43.960 for that. It's called ministry or service. And all of 340 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:48.359 us are ministers, not pastors. Ministers. What that means is 341 00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:51.960 when you use your gifts and what God wired you 342 00:19:52.039 --> 00:19:55.359 to be to help others, you're doing what God brought 343 00:19:55.359 --> 00:19:58.400 you to do. He says, these are your good works. Now, 344 00:19:58.440 --> 00:20:00.920 remember we've talked about this many times that life on 345 00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:04.680 earth is practice for eternity. You get one hundred years 346 00:20:04.680 --> 00:20:06.839 at the most on earth, you get trillions of years 347 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:10.680 in heaven, and in heaven you're gonna do four things. 348 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.240 And one of the things you're gonna do in heaven 349 00:20:13.400 --> 00:20:16.720 is you're gonna serve God. And so what God wants 350 00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:19.119 you to do while you're here on earth, spend some 351 00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:25.359 of that time practicing, practicing serving, And so he says, 352 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:27.400 I want you to learn to serve. I want you 353 00:20:27.440 --> 00:20:29.799 to do these good works, but I don't want you 354 00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:33.160 to do them by yourself. You see, in heaven, when 355 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:35.119 you get there, everybody's going to work. But we'll all 356 00:20:35.160 --> 00:20:37.640 each just have a little peace so you'll never get tired. 357 00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:40.880 You're not gonna be overworked or overloaded in heaven because 358 00:20:40.880 --> 00:20:43.119 God will give you just a little peace to do. 359 00:20:43.359 --> 00:20:45.640 But everybody will do their part and it'll all get done. 360 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:49.279 What happens here on earth, though, is you're worn out, 361 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:53.799 You're exhausted, you're burnout. Some of you came to church exhausted. 362 00:20:54.440 --> 00:20:57.480 Why because you're trying to do it all and you're 363 00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:59.240 trying to do it all by yourself. 364 00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:10.680 This is Pastor Rick's daily hope. If you've missed any 365 00:21:10.720 --> 00:21:13.160 part of this message, or if you'd like to find 366 00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:16.880 out more about Pastor Rick Warren and this ministry, just 367 00:21:17.079 --> 00:21:21.559 visit Pastorick dot com where you can listen online anytime. 368 00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:25.519 That's Pastor Rick with two rs inthemiddle dot com, and 369 00:21:25.599 --> 00:21:28.880 be sure to sign up for ricks free daily email devotional. 370 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:31.480 While you're there. Rick will be back to close out 371 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:35.359 our time today. But first, what does it take to 372 00:21:35.480 --> 00:21:41.599 become more loving, live, more peacefully, develop patients have self control? 373 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:45.200 In his book God's Power to Change Your Life, Rick 374 00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:50.400 lays the groundwork for personal transformation, then offers biblical insights 375 00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:53.920 and simple steps for ten areas of growth that you 376 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:57.000 can take from where you are to where you want 377 00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:59.880 to be. Here's Pastor Rick to tell you more. 378 00:22:00.359 --> 00:22:03.000 You know, I've been a pastor for over three decades, 379 00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:05.119 and I've been teaching the Word of God for over 380 00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:08.920 four decades. And in all of that time, the number 381 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:12.400 one question I've been asked by people is this, how 382 00:22:12.440 --> 00:22:16.720 can I change? Or why can't I change? I've talked 383 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:19.920 to literally thousands and thousands of people who want to 384 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:24.039 change but are just stuck and they can't figure out 385 00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:27.119 how to get unstuck. You know, the truth is you 386 00:22:27.160 --> 00:22:30.640 can't change on your own because will power alone isn't 387 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:34.559 enough to make permanent changes. Sure, you can force yourself 388 00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:36.960 to change for a month or two months, but pretty 389 00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:38.880 soon you're going to go back to your old ways. 390 00:22:39.480 --> 00:22:43.079 Pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is not enough. 391 00:22:43.559 --> 00:22:48.680 Talking yourself into a change by positive thinking is not enough. 392 00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:55.160 The Bible says, true transformational change only comes through the 393 00:22:55.279 --> 00:22:59.359 power of God inside you. So let me ask your 394 00:22:59.400 --> 00:23:01.839 personal question, how do you want to be different at 395 00:23:01.839 --> 00:23:04.799 the end of this year? What changes would you like 396 00:23:04.880 --> 00:23:07.279 to make in your life? What goals would you like 397 00:23:07.359 --> 00:23:11.000 to see accomplished in your life. Well, it isn't going 398 00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:13.960 to happen on your own. You're going to need God's 399 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:17.480 power and I want you to understand how to plug 400 00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:21.480 in to God's power. That's why this month I'm sending 401 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:24.279