WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.399 --> 00:00:06.719 Hey, everyone, Welcome to Pastor Rick's Daily Hope, the Bible 2 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:10.960 teaching ministry of Rick Warren, and today we're continuing with 3 00:00:11.080 --> 00:00:15.199 this powerful series called the Jesus Model. In this series, 4 00:00:15.400 --> 00:00:18.440 Rick will walk you step by step through the process 5 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:23.440 of true biblical discipleship. Rick's giving you practical tools to 6 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:29.160 grow spiritually, experience God's peace, live with greater purpose, and 7 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.960 become more like Jesus in every area of your life. 8 00:00:33.399 --> 00:00:36.079 So let's jump right in. This will be the final 9 00:00:36.159 --> 00:00:39.560 part of a message called how Jesus Handled Stress. 10 00:00:40.119 --> 00:00:43.960 Would you agree that noise is a stress? Yeah, it's 11 00:00:44.000 --> 00:00:46.320 a stress. And would you agree that the world is 12 00:00:46.359 --> 00:00:51.600 getting noisier? Yes, So you have to make intentional times 13 00:00:52.000 --> 00:00:54.640 of quietness and solitude in your life. 14 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:55.759 Are you going to go batty? 15 00:00:57.960 --> 00:01:01.000 And if there's always noise in your life and the 16 00:01:01.119 --> 00:01:04.040 TV is always on and the radio is always on 17 00:01:04.439 --> 00:01:07.040 and the earbuds are always in your ear, You're not 18 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:10.519 going to have the spiritual emotional resources to handle the 19 00:01:10.519 --> 00:01:14.000 stress in life. If Jesus knew he needed to get 20 00:01:14.000 --> 00:01:17.079 alone and pray and listen to God, so do you. 21 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:21.760 So let me give you a little suggestion. Start your 22 00:01:21.879 --> 00:01:28.599 mourning with the good news, not the bad news. See, 23 00:01:28.640 --> 00:01:31.959 the reason why you're cranky all day is because you 24 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:35.079 start your day the wrong way. In the first place, 25 00:01:35.319 --> 00:01:36.239 you wake up. 26 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:38.040 To an alarm clock. 27 00:01:40.159 --> 00:01:43.719 So you start the day in a state of alarm and 28 00:01:43.840 --> 00:01:48.319 I'm alarmed. Okay, get rid of that thing, throw it away. 29 00:01:49.120 --> 00:01:55.359 Get a clock that has pastor Rick speaking to you. 30 00:01:55.400 --> 00:02:03.840 Wake up, Let a sleepyheads. You don't think about turning over. 31 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:09.360 You see a lot of time we make excuses for 32 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.120 not getting out and having a quiet time with guys. 33 00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:13.680 Oh God, I'm sorry. Something came up this morning, said yeah, 34 00:02:13.719 --> 00:02:14.759 I saw it as big and white. 35 00:02:14.759 --> 00:02:18.759 It's called a sheet, and. 36 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.319 That kept me from having my time with God. So 37 00:02:22.400 --> 00:02:25.319 what you do is you get up, you know, put 38 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:26.919 on some praise music or something. 39 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:28.280 Don't get up in the morning. 40 00:02:28.599 --> 00:02:30.039 The first thing you do is get up and watch 41 00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:35.240 Bad Morning America. Are you read the paper or you 42 00:02:35.280 --> 00:02:37.560 listen to the radio. You're filling your mind with all 43 00:02:37.639 --> 00:02:41.560 the negative stuff. Now, if I asked you how many 44 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:44.400 of you believe everything you're reading the newspaper, nobody'd raise 45 00:02:44.439 --> 00:02:46.280 your hand. If I asked how many of you listen 46 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:48.759 to every believe everything on the radio, Nobody would raise 47 00:02:48.759 --> 00:02:50.719 their hand. How many of you believe everything you watch 48 00:02:50.759 --> 00:02:53.159 on TV? Nobody raise her hand. How many believe what 49 00:02:53.199 --> 00:02:55.879 God says in the Bible, you'd raise your hand. Why 50 00:02:55.919 --> 00:02:58.840 do we spend more time reading and listening to something 51 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:00.479 we don't believe than some we do. 52 00:03:02.039 --> 00:03:03.120 That's not very logical. 53 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:06.120 If you want to lower the stress in your life, 54 00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:08.400 you have to make a daily time with God where 55 00:03:08.439 --> 00:03:12.759 you listen to God and set your mood. Number six, 56 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:16.800 the sixth principle of stress management. Here you'll think I'm 57 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:18.879 making this up, but I didn't. It's right there in 58 00:03:18.919 --> 00:03:23.560 the word. The sixth principle collaboration is join a small group. 59 00:03:25.439 --> 00:03:30.800 Join a small group. Why because Jesus did. You were 60 00:03:30.960 --> 00:03:35.680 never intended to handle the stress in your life by yourself. 61 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:38.479 You know the stress you're going through right now, that 62 00:03:38.599 --> 00:03:41.400 all that stress that you're caring right now. God never 63 00:03:41.560 --> 00:03:44.639 intended for you to handle it on your own. In fact, 64 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:47.719 God wants you to share it with other people. We 65 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:50.759 were made in the image of God, which means we're relational. 66 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.879 God is love, father, son, Holy Spirit, is in relationship 67 00:03:53.879 --> 00:03:56.800 to himself. We were made for relationships. That's why the 68 00:03:56.800 --> 00:03:59.479 first thing God said is it's not good for men 69 00:03:59.520 --> 00:04:02.240 to be alone. You need other men in your life, 70 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:06.400 you need other women in your life, and you need 71 00:04:06.439 --> 00:04:09.840 a small group. You weren't meant to carry all of 72 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:14.400 the stress that you're carrying by yourself. Now complete this 73 00:04:14.520 --> 00:04:19.000 sentence for me. If you want a job done right, 74 00:04:19.240 --> 00:04:25.959 do it. That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Okay, 75 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:28.480 if you want a job done right, hire an expert 76 00:04:28.519 --> 00:04:30.879 to do it. Somebody can do it better than you. 77 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:34.279 If you want a job done right, do it yourself. 78 00:04:34.319 --> 00:04:37.399 That's the motto of a perfectionist headed for burnout. 79 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:40.759 Even Jesus didn't do that. 80 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:43.680 If anybody had a right to say, if you want 81 00:04:43.680 --> 00:04:46.720 to do it right, do it yourself, Jesus would do it. 82 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:48.920 Would Jesus do it better than his disciples? 83 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:53.879 Yes? Did he still involve them in doing it? Yes? Why? 84 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:58.000 Because we were meant to live life in community, in connection, 85 00:04:58.319 --> 00:05:01.240 in a group. And the the very first thing Jesus 86 00:05:01.279 --> 00:05:04.480 did before he ever started his ministry, as he started 87 00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:07.639 a small group, and he got twelve guys to be 88 00:05:07.680 --> 00:05:11.199 a part of his group. And he never did anything 89 00:05:11.639 --> 00:05:18.000 by himself. He did everything in ministry with a small group. 90 00:05:18.600 --> 00:05:22.399 He had a connection. He had a community. The Bible 91 00:05:22.399 --> 00:05:26.839 says this in Mark chapter three. He appointed twelve. 92 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:29.160 Designating them apostles. 93 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:31.720 The apostles just means somebody sent out. He was going 94 00:05:31.759 --> 00:05:34.720 to send him out after he left, that they might 95 00:05:34.879 --> 00:05:38.399 be with him, circle the words with him. This is 96 00:05:38.439 --> 00:05:42.279 the with him principle. If anybody had the right to 97 00:05:42.319 --> 00:05:43.959 do it on his own, it was Jesus. And even 98 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:47.040 Jesus needed a small group. Now, so much of our 99 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.120 stress is self imposed because we get uptight when we 100 00:05:50.120 --> 00:05:54.120 think it all depends on us. You're not the general 101 00:05:54.160 --> 00:05:58.040 manager of the universe, and if you resign as general 102 00:05:58.040 --> 00:05:59.399 manager of the universe. 103 00:05:59.079 --> 00:06:02.839 It's not going to fall apart. I'll never forget. 104 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:06.600 When the Church Saddleback reached about five hundred people, I 105 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:10.120 was burning out. I was still trying to be superman. 106 00:06:10.360 --> 00:06:12.639 I was trying to do every wedding, trying to do 107 00:06:12.720 --> 00:06:15.959 every funeral. I was trying to visit everybody in the hospital. 108 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:20.199 I was trying to counsel everybody, save everybody's marriage. I 109 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:23.079 was trying to do it all personally, and I was 110 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:27.839 burning out. And we had about five hundred people. One 111 00:06:27.879 --> 00:06:29.959 man can handle about one hundred people. That's what he 112 00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:31.959 can add that's why most churches have one hundred people 113 00:06:31.959 --> 00:06:34.519 in him, because that's what one pastor can handle, about 114 00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:37.000 one hundred people. But now I had five hundred and 115 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:40.519 I was just dying. And one night we had a 116 00:06:40.519 --> 00:06:44.480 midweek prayer service Bible study, and I went to the 117 00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.000 folks and I said, you guys, I can't do this anymore. 118 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:51.000 I'm still in my twenties, but I can't do this anymore. 119 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:55.319 I cannot personally meet everybody's needs. I can't counsel everybody. 120 00:06:55.519 --> 00:06:58.920 I can't go to everybody's funeral, everybody's wedding. I can't 121 00:06:59.160 --> 00:07:02.120 be at everybody, visit everybody in the hospital. There's too 122 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:07.279 many people. And I'm dying and I'm going to burn out. 123 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:11.000 But I said, you know what, as I read the Bible, 124 00:07:12.279 --> 00:07:14.839 that's not what God says pastors are supposed to do anyway. 125 00:07:15.319 --> 00:07:18.839 The Bible says the members are the ministers. They're supposed 126 00:07:18.839 --> 00:07:22.079 to take care of each other in small groups. They're 127 00:07:22.120 --> 00:07:24.279 to care for each other. And it is my job 128 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:26.639 as a pastor to train and equip and pray for 129 00:07:26.759 --> 00:07:29.759 you and lead you and feed you, and you do 130 00:07:29.879 --> 00:07:33.279 the ministry to each other. And I said let's make 131 00:07:33.319 --> 00:07:35.720 a deal. If you will do the ministry of the 132 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:37.759 church and you'll all get in small groups and take 133 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:41.000 care of each other's needs, then I will make sure 134 00:07:41.040 --> 00:07:46.600 you're well fed. And the people said that, great, Rick, 135 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:49.600 let's do it. And we shook hands on it, and 136 00:07:49.600 --> 00:07:55.639 we signed a covenant, and Saddleback exploded with growth because 137 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:59.560 I wasn't the bottleneck anymore, and the bottleneck is always 138 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:03.000 at the top for the bottle. Today, we have over 139 00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:06.600 four thousand small groups. We have one in every city 140 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:09.959 in southern California, one hundred and forty six cities. We 141 00:08:10.040 --> 00:08:12.800 have Saddleback small groups from Santa Monica to Carlsbad. 142 00:08:13.680 --> 00:08:15.439 And if somebody. 143 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:17.600 Is in a small group, I don't ever worry about 144 00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:19.959 them because I know that group's going to take care 145 00:08:19.959 --> 00:08:22.240 of their need. When they get sick, or they get 146 00:08:22.319 --> 00:08:24.480 laid off, or they're going through a stress, or they 147 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.399 have a family member die, those people are going to love. 148 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:32.240 It's the church being the church caring for each other. Now, 149 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:34.600 if you're not in a small group, nobody's going to 150 00:08:34.639 --> 00:08:37.840 care for you in this church because we don't have 151 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.759 any organization or system to care for you. Our system 152 00:08:41.960 --> 00:08:45.879 is what the Bible teaches it's small groups. It's from 153 00:08:45.919 --> 00:08:50.480 house to house. Why don't we get in small groups? 154 00:08:51.120 --> 00:08:52.080 There's two reasons. 155 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:55.080 One of them is fear, I'm afraid I might have 156 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:57.840 to say something, Well, you don't, And the. 157 00:08:57.759 --> 00:08:59.600 Other is arrogance. I don't need it. 158 00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:05.879 Even Jesus needed a small group. He didn't do anything 159 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:08.799 without small group. In fact, when the rogue wind comes 160 00:09:08.840 --> 00:09:11.279 and things are tough and tied in your life, who 161 00:09:11.360 --> 00:09:15.480 are you going to turn to? And what you need 162 00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:17.879 is somebody to You need to have the safety net 163 00:09:17.879 --> 00:09:20.519 in place before the crisis comes. 164 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:22.399 You're going to have. 165 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:26.000 Crises in your life. You're going to get sick. People 166 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:28.240 are going to die in your life. You're going to 167 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:33.759 have there will be diseases, there'll be difficulties, marriage problems, divorces, 168 00:09:34.039 --> 00:09:36.320 drug issues. There are all kinds of things of friends 169 00:09:36.360 --> 00:09:39.200 and family. Things are going to happen in your life, 170 00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:41.720 and you need that thing in place. Did you know 171 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:46.399 that Jesus before he went to the cross the night before, 172 00:09:46.799 --> 00:09:49.240 he knew he was going to be arrested, and so 173 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.799 he went to a place called the Garden of Death Semone, 174 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:55.639 and he went there to pray. But he didn't go alone. 175 00:09:56.000 --> 00:10:00.159 He took his small group with him. Even Jesus needed 176 00:10:00.279 --> 00:10:03.080 a small group in the tough time, and he was perfect. 177 00:10:03.159 --> 00:10:07.279 And you're not notice this. Next verse, Jesus said to them, 178 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:12.639 that's his small group. My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow 179 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:14.799 to the point of death. And he goes, Guys, I'm 180 00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:17.240 dying on the inside. I know what's going to happen tomorrow. 181 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.799 I'm going to the cross. I'm gonna be crucified. My 182 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:22.159 soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. 183 00:10:22.480 --> 00:10:27.519 Stay here with me, Stay here and keep watch with me. 184 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:28.720 He said. 185 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:31.840 I don't need your advice. I don't need your words 186 00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:33.840 of comfort. I just need you to be here with me. 187 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:38.200 Even Jesus needed a small group of tough time. If 188 00:10:38.200 --> 00:10:39.879 you don't think you need a small group, there's a 189 00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:45.279 word for that, arrogance and foolishness. You must get in 190 00:10:45.360 --> 00:10:50.120 a small group if you want God's blessing on your life, 191 00:10:50.159 --> 00:10:52.639 and if you want the stress to go down. It's 192 00:10:52.759 --> 00:10:56.600 God's way of saying we need each other. Pride says, 193 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:57.879 I don't need anybody. 194 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:00.679 I'm okay on my own. I don't need to make 195 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:01.519 time for a group. 196 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:05.159 Yes, you do for your spiritual health, you need to 197 00:11:05.200 --> 00:11:07.720 be in a small group and it will reduce the 198 00:11:07.799 --> 00:11:16.440 stress in your life. You know, there are people in 199 00:11:17.240 --> 00:11:19.399 this church right now who'll be willing to help you 200 00:11:19.440 --> 00:11:21.639 with what you're going through right now if you just 201 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:25.480 knew who they were. He said, well, Rick, you don't 202 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:27.480 know my problem that my problems I'm going through right 203 00:11:27.480 --> 00:11:28.080 now are unique. 204 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:29.039 Oh no, they aren't. 205 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:33.559 We all have the exact same problems, just different variations. 206 00:11:33.559 --> 00:11:34.559 They're all a little tweaked. 207 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:39.240 We all have the exact same problems, just in little variations. Now, 208 00:11:39.320 --> 00:11:42.960 Saddleback Church now has over one hundred thousand names on 209 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.279 our role of attenders. That's the size of a city. 210 00:11:46.360 --> 00:11:50.440 Our church is larger than the city we're in. What 211 00:11:50.519 --> 00:11:53.120 does that mean? It means that in a church that size, 212 00:11:53.159 --> 00:11:55.399 how many other people have the same problem you're going 213 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:57.440 through right now and are going through it right now? 214 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:03.519 I guarantee you dozens, dozens of people in this church 215 00:12:03.720 --> 00:12:07.799 are going through the identical problem you're going through right now. 216 00:12:08.919 --> 00:12:11.720 But if you don't know them, how can you get 217 00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:12.399 any comfort? 218 00:12:12.679 --> 00:12:13.000 Share? 219 00:12:13.240 --> 00:12:15.240 And there are people who've already gone through what you're 220 00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:17.120 going right now, and they could help you with advice, 221 00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:19.840 been there, done that, and they could. 222 00:12:19.639 --> 00:12:20.200 Help you out. 223 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:24.039 You got to be willing to get in a group, 224 00:12:24.080 --> 00:12:26.440 to humble yourself. Say okay, I'm gonna make the time 225 00:12:26.600 --> 00:12:29.080 to get in a small group. And now the number seven, 226 00:12:29.240 --> 00:12:31.799 the last one is This one's a fun one and 227 00:12:31.919 --> 00:12:33.639 you're gonna need this one too in your life. And 228 00:12:33.639 --> 00:12:35.720 it's just as important as all the others. It is 229 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:39.960 the principle of recreation, and recreation is this, take. 230 00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:41.039 Time to recharge. 231 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.879 If you're going to reduce the stress in your life, 232 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:48.960 know who you are, know what you're living for, know 233 00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:52.039 your calling, focus on what matters most, don't worry about 234 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:55.000 the rest, Listen to God, get in a small group, 235 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.200 get connected, and then take time to recharge. 236 00:12:58.799 --> 00:13:01.480 Now Jesus did this. He frequently. 237 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:03.720 He had more important work than you and I do, 238 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:07.240 but he took time to relax, to go to parties, 239 00:13:07.440 --> 00:13:12.519 to weddings, to have fun, to kick back. In fact, 240 00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:15.200 look at this verse. The Bible says in Mark chapter six, 241 00:13:15.639 --> 00:13:18.919 crowds of people were coming and going. In other words, 242 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:22.159 Jesus was he'd had no privacy. Crowds were just around 243 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:24.720 him all the time. Crowds of people were coming and 244 00:13:24.759 --> 00:13:28.799 going so that they that's the disciples did not even 245 00:13:28.919 --> 00:13:31.320 have time to eat. When you don't have time. 246 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:33.320 To eat, you're really busy. Okay. 247 00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:35.039 If you don't have time to eat, it means your 248 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.039 your schedule's packed. They didn't even have time to eat. 249 00:13:38.200 --> 00:13:41.840 And so Jesus said to them, come away by your sels. 250 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:42.440 I love it. 251 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:44.559 And the King James says, come apart for a while. 252 00:13:44.759 --> 00:13:46.320 And I always say, if you don't come apart, you're 253 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:50.320 gonna come apart. Come come away by yourselves, and we'll 254 00:13:50.399 --> 00:13:55.000 go to a lonely place to get some rest. Now, 255 00:13:55.080 --> 00:13:57.679 Jesus looks at his small group and he says, fellas, 256 00:13:59.399 --> 00:14:03.559 you deserve a break today, so let's get out and 257 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:10.919 get away to McDonald's. Actually, Jesus often went to the 258 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:14.919 desert to retreat. Seven different times in his ministry. He 259 00:14:14.960 --> 00:14:17.639 retreats to the desert and he goes out. You know, 260 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:20.480 there's these palm trees and there springs of water. It's 261 00:14:20.519 --> 00:14:21.080 palm springs. 262 00:14:21.120 --> 00:14:22.960 That's what it is. Actually, and this. 263 00:14:22.799 --> 00:14:26.600 Is the biblical definition of a vacation. You need to 264 00:14:26.600 --> 00:14:29.279 go to palm springs. Okay, that's where you need to go. 265 00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:32.320 Palm springs palms and springs, go out to the desert. 266 00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:36.200 But you need to get away by yourself. Relax, get 267 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:40.840 away with some friends, have some fun. Jesus frequently retreated 268 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:46.600 to rest. Now, friends, rest and recreation are so important. 269 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:50.559 They're right up there in the big Ten. God put 270 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:54.039 them in the big Tin, the ten commandments, right along 271 00:14:54.039 --> 00:14:59.639 with don't commit adult tree and don't murder anybody. He says, 272 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:04.799 every seven days, you take a day off, and you worship, 273 00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:07.679 and you rest and you have fun. And that's all 274 00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:08.840 I want you to do on that day. Don't do 275 00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:15.080 any work, rest, recreation, worship. It's called the Sabbath. And 276 00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:18.759 God says, right up there with don't kill anybody. He says, 277 00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:21.600 every seven days, you take a day off, and you 278 00:15:21.639 --> 00:15:23.159 spend a little bit of time in worship, and you 279 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.480 spend a little time in rest, little respiration. Jesus said, 280 00:15:26.759 --> 00:15:31.000 the Sabbath was made for man's benefit, not man for 281 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:33.559 the Sabbath. The reason God made the rule of every 282 00:15:33.559 --> 00:15:36.679 seven days you worship and you rest was not for 283 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.480 his benefit. It was for ours, because most of us 284 00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:45.360 are not smart enough to take time off. I wonder 285 00:15:45.480 --> 00:15:48.480 right now, in our services, in all of our venues, 286 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:55.320 and campuses. How many hours of untaken vacation are stored up? Hmm. 287 00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.720 If you're too busy to take your vacation time, you're 288 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:03.879 too busy. And if you're too busy to pray, you're 289 00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:07.320 too busy. And if you're too tired time too busy 290 00:16:07.360 --> 00:16:11.000 to relax, you're too busy. You need to stop and 291 00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:14.279 smell of roses. You need to enjoy the moment. And 292 00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:18.240 unless you take time to relax and schedule, it is 293 00:16:18.240 --> 00:16:23.120 always going to be something more urgent. I love the 294 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:27.440 verse Matthew eleven nineteen. The Phillips paraphrase says, Jesus came 295 00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:31.360 enjoying life. You know, the Pharisees accused Jesus being a 296 00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:34.080 party animal. So the guy's always going to parties, he's 297 00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:37.840 always drinking, eating. You want to be christ Like, be 298 00:16:37.879 --> 00:16:44.519 a purpose driven eater. Life is meant to be enjoyed, 299 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:50.720 not merely endured. Now, sometimes we just are not smart 300 00:16:50.799 --> 00:16:54.440 enough for our own good. And if you don't take 301 00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:59.480 time off, God will make you take time off because 302 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:04.079 He cares for you. In the most famous psalm in 303 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:07.000 the Bible, it says Psalm twenty three, he makes me 304 00:17:07.200 --> 00:17:11.880 lay down by and green pastures by Still Waters. Has 305 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:15.720 God ever made you lay down because you weren't smart 306 00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:19.359 enough to do it on your own? God says, if 307 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.480 you will, if you won't look up to me, I'll 308 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:22.680 just lay you flat on your back. 309 00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:25.279 Then you'll look up to me. 310 00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:29.720 And if you don't take time off, believe me, you will. 311 00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:33.799 Eventually you'll get sick, you'll get ill. You're gonna have 312 00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:37.599 it because God did not wired you for continuous work. 313 00:17:39.880 --> 00:17:43.920 Sometimes he has to use drastic measures to slow us down. Now, 314 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:46.640 would everybody agree that stress is increasing in our culture? 315 00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:47.839 Yeah? 316 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:51.519 It is, And so you've got to take some intentional 317 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:55.000 steps to combat the stress in your life. 318 00:17:55.079 --> 00:17:59.160 And what are the steps? These seven things? Know who 319 00:17:59.200 --> 00:17:59.519 you are. 320 00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:03.799 I'm created by God. He loves me, He made me, 321 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:07.279 He has a plan for my life. Jesus died for me. 322 00:18:08.119 --> 00:18:09.119 Know what you're living for. 323 00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:11.400 I'm not living for the approval of my parents, or 324 00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:13.440 my wife, or my husband or my boyfriend. I'm living 325 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:16.039 for the approval of God. I'm living for God. And 326 00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:17.920 if I do that, it will always be the right thing. 327 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.440 Know you're calling. God has called me to do this, 328 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:23.119 but not this. And I don't have to be everything 329 00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:28.039 to everybody know my purpose. Focus on what matters most. 330 00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:31.480 Don't get distracted. We're free to do all kinds of things, 331 00:18:31.480 --> 00:18:33.480 but it doesn't mean I should do it. Just because 332 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:35.079 I can afford it doesn't mean I should buy it. 333 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.599 And just because I got the time doesn't mean I 334 00:18:36.640 --> 00:18:37.160 should do it. 335 00:18:38.759 --> 00:18:39.519 Listen to God. 336 00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:42.720 That's the principle of meditation. Be quiet on a daily basis, 337 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:46.440 have a quiet time, Join a small group so you 338 00:18:46.559 --> 00:18:50.559 got the relational connections to share the problems that are 339 00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:53.039 going on in your life, and when you need help 340 00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:55.680 that they're there to support you. And then take time 341 00:18:55.920 --> 00:19:00.319 to recharge. Now here is my homework a sign for 342 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:03.839 you this week. As your pastor who loves you, and 343 00:19:03.920 --> 00:19:09.000 as your spiritual leader, I am commanding you to have fun. Okay, now, 344 00:19:09.079 --> 00:19:12.599 I don't want you. I don't want you doing honeydew lists. 345 00:19:13.960 --> 00:19:17.440 I don't want you catching up on email. I don't 346 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.480 want you doing work that you haven't got done all 347 00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:23.000 the other time. You need to have some fun. It 348 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:25.960 is better to have loafed and lost than to have 349 00:19:26.039 --> 00:19:32.680 never loafed at all. So your spiritual leader is commanding 350 00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:36.440 you to have fun tomorrow, and I have a good 351 00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:40.759 time Now there's one more stress reliever that Jesus didn't 352 00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:42.119 need because he was the son of God. He was 353 00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:44.599 very But we need it. And the last one is there, 354 00:19:44.680 --> 00:19:46.880 the last verson in your outline. This is the principle 355 00:19:46.880 --> 00:19:50.079 of salvation, and the principle of salvation is real clear. 356 00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.400 Give it all to Jesus. 357 00:19:52.160 --> 00:19:55.759 If you want to overcome your stress, you give it 358 00:19:55.799 --> 00:20:00.279 all to Jesus. Here's what Jesus said, Matthew eleven, Come 359 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:04.359 to me, all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, 360 00:20:04.359 --> 00:20:07.319 and i will give you rest. Notice he doesn't say 361 00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:09.640 I'll give you more burdens. He says, I'll give you rest. 362 00:20:10.759 --> 00:20:13.440 Take my yoke up on you. What's a yoke. A 363 00:20:13.559 --> 00:20:15.400 yoke is when you take two animals and put them 364 00:20:15.440 --> 00:20:18.039 together so two are pulling the load instead of one. 365 00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:21.160 Jesus saying, yoke up with me, and I'll help you 366 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:24.480 pull your load, so you won't be carrying it by yourself. 367 00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.480 I'll pull it with you. 368 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:28.160 Put the yoke on with me, and I'll help you 369 00:20:28.240 --> 00:20:29.160 pull your load. 370 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.359 He says. 371 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:33.880 Take my yoke upon you and let me teach you 372 00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:36.839 because I'm humble and gentle, and you will find rest 373 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:39.000 for your souls. 374 00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:42.240 Now, friends, this offer still stands today. He says. 375 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:45.400 If you're tired, you're worn out, you're beat up, you're frustrated, 376 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.720 you're ready to throw in the towel, you're stressed out, 377 00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:54.119 he says, don't give up. Look up, look up to God, 378 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:58.079 because the single greatest source of stress is you trying 379 00:20:58.119 --> 00:21:02.680 to live your life disconnected from Jesus Christ. It's like 380 00:21:03.759 --> 00:21:06.319 being unplugged. There's no power in your life if you're 381 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:09.839 disconnected from God. So what do you do, he says, 382 00:21:10.000 --> 00:21:12.799 Jesus says, come to me. It's real simple. 383 00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:13.400 Come to me. 384 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:17.119 Come to Christ today. Give him your stress. He's very 385 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:19.279 aware of all the load you're caring and he will 386 00:21:19.279 --> 00:21:24.680 help you. That's bow our heads. Let's pray this prayer 387 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:27.519 together in our hearts. I'll say it, and you can 388 00:21:27.559 --> 00:21:28.480 just say me too. 389 00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:31.599 In your mind. 390 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.680 Dear Jesus Christ, there's a lot of stress in our 391 00:21:35.720 --> 00:21:38.720 lives today, and we want to give it all to you. 392 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:41.759 We want to give the good and the bad and 393 00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:43.160 the ugly of our lives to you. 394 00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.039 We want to. 395 00:21:45.960 --> 00:21:48.839 Invite you into every room of our lives, into the 396 00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:53.759 living room, into the study, into the bathroom, and the 397 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:56.839 bedroom and the kitchen. We want you to be in 398 00:21:57.400 --> 00:22:00.920 charge of every area of our lives. We want to 399 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:05.400 know who we're living for, and so we ask you 400 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:09.920 to help us take these steps today. Now you pray 401 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:12.839