WEBVTT 1 00:00:02.759 --> 00:00:06.799 Hello, everybody, Welcome to Daily Hope with Pastor Rick Warren. 2 00:00:07.240 --> 00:00:10.560 So we're continuing with this series called Daring Faith the 3 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:13.679 Key to Miracles. And in this series you're learning how 4 00:00:13.720 --> 00:00:17.559 to have a bold, unshakable faith that gives you courage 5 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:18.760 to impact. 6 00:00:18.280 --> 00:00:19.359 The world around you. 7 00:00:19.600 --> 00:00:22.280 And I know we all want that. And now Pastor 8 00:00:22.359 --> 00:00:25.359 Rick with the final part of a message called daring 9 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:26.160 to commit. 10 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:30.800 All right now, the third life commitment is about developing 11 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:34.359 your potential. You'll never develop your full potential as a 12 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:37.000 man or as a woman until you make this commitment. 13 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:41.359 And it is this I must learn from others to grow. 14 00:00:42.439 --> 00:00:46.759 I must learn from others to grow. There are some 15 00:00:46.840 --> 00:00:50.719 things you will never learn on your own. You only 16 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:54.399 learn them in community. You only learn them from others. 17 00:00:54.640 --> 00:00:58.439 There's some things you can only learn in relationship. This 18 00:00:58.520 --> 00:01:02.119 is why we emphasize small so strongly at Saddle Backed Church, 19 00:01:03.159 --> 00:01:05.200 because there's some stuff you can learn from me in 20 00:01:05.239 --> 00:01:08.159 a crowd. But there's some things you can't learn unless 21 00:01:08.159 --> 00:01:11.040 you're in relationship in a small group of some kind. 22 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:16.280 For instance, you can only learn forgiveness in relationships. You 23 00:01:16.319 --> 00:01:19.120 can learn that on your own. You can only learn 24 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:22.239 loyalty in relationships. You can learn that on your own. 25 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:27.359 You can only learn love in relationships. You can learn 26 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:29.120 that on your own. You can't learn it without people. 27 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:34.040 You can't learn kindness without others. You can't learn faithfulness 28 00:01:34.040 --> 00:01:38.519 without unders. You can't learn graciousness without others in your life. 29 00:01:38.840 --> 00:01:42.920 You can't learn unselfishness without us. In fact, the most 30 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:45.959 important things you need to learn in life require that 31 00:01:46.040 --> 00:01:49.480 you be in relationship to other people. You can't do 32 00:01:49.560 --> 00:01:51.799 it on your own. And if I want to build 33 00:01:51.799 --> 00:01:55.680 my potential, I must learn from others to grow. And 34 00:01:55.760 --> 00:01:58.000 where's the best place to do that In the family 35 00:01:58.040 --> 00:02:00.920 of God, in the body of Christ in the church. 36 00:02:01.000 --> 00:02:05.599 Ephesians four sixteen says this Christ's body is fitted together perfectly, 37 00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:10.280 and as each part does its own special work, it 38 00:02:10.439 --> 00:02:14.919 helps the other parts. What circle that word grow? You 39 00:02:15.240 --> 00:02:19.000 help each other grow. I help you grow, You help 40 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:22.680 me grow. The people on the road you're sitting on 41 00:02:22.759 --> 00:02:26.400 right now, they need you. You need them. You need 42 00:02:26.439 --> 00:02:29.199 other people. There are many things in life you cannot 43 00:02:29.319 --> 00:02:33.840 learn unless you're in relationship with people. God wired us 44 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.759 to need each other. I have heard so many stories 45 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:40.639 about this, about people who were got in a small 46 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.000 group and it all of a sudden got them growing. 47 00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:46.159 There's a book that came out a while back called 48 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:49.080 If I'm So Successful, Why Do I Feel Like a Fake? 49 00:02:50.199 --> 00:02:52.800 And the book is actually about a well known phenomena. 50 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:56.080 Psychologists know this. It's called the impostor phenomena. And the 51 00:02:56.080 --> 00:03:00.960 impostor phenomena says this, a lot of very very successful 52 00:03:01.000 --> 00:03:03.199 people in life. They got wealth, they got power, they 53 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:06.120 got good looks, they got they got fame, and all 54 00:03:06.120 --> 00:03:09.560 these kind of things, and yet inside they feel empty, 55 00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:13.840 they feel hollow, they feel unfulfilled. And the title of 56 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:16.360 the book is if I'm so successful, why do I 57 00:03:16.439 --> 00:03:19.639 Feel like a Fake? And the reason why is success 58 00:03:19.719 --> 00:03:23.520 was never meant to fully satisfy you. Success is not 59 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:25.759 enough in life. You're taught from a little kid, if 60 00:03:25.800 --> 00:03:29.240 you get successful, you're going to be happy. No, not necessarily, 61 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.159 You're certainly not going to be fulfilled, because it's not 62 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:35.479 enough to fulfill you. You remember when we did forty 63 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.400 Days of Purpose many years ago, I talked about the 64 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:40.159 three levels of living. You can live at the survival level, 65 00:03:40.479 --> 00:03:42.520 you can live at the success level, or you can 66 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:46.360 live at the significance level. Most of the world lives 67 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:51.800 at the survival level. Now in America, nobody actually lives 68 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:53.960 at that level because even the poorest of our poor, 69 00:03:54.120 --> 00:03:56.840 we have a safety net here in America. The poorest 70 00:03:56.879 --> 00:03:59.439 of the poor in America most of the world, would 71 00:03:59.479 --> 00:04:02.199 love to have their problems, because that would be a 72 00:04:02.280 --> 00:04:05.560 giant step up. Survival level means I don't know if 73 00:04:05.599 --> 00:04:09.280 I'm going to have a meal this evening. Survival level 74 00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.000 means I don't know if I'm ever gonna have any 75 00:04:11.000 --> 00:04:14.400 more clothes than the ones on my back. Survival means 76 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:17.079 am I going to have a roof over my head tonight? 77 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.759 Americans don't worry about that generally, and so nobody is 78 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:25.199 really living at the physical survival level in America. We 79 00:04:25.240 --> 00:04:27.680 have a lot of people living at the emotional survival level. 80 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:31.079 If you feel stressed out all the time, if you 81 00:04:31.160 --> 00:04:33.319 hate your job, if you're just putting in your time, 82 00:04:33.560 --> 00:04:35.959 waiting for the weekend and dream of going to Tahiti, 83 00:04:36.000 --> 00:04:40.040 you're at survival level emotionally. Most of you are at 84 00:04:40.040 --> 00:04:43.120 the second level. You're at what's called the success level. 85 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:47.120 Success means you've got enough money for options. So after 86 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:48.879 the service today, if you want to go eat something, 87 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:51.040 you can go buy it may just be McDonald's, but 88 00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:54.480 you have options. If you have any money in your pocket, 89 00:04:55.399 --> 00:04:58.399 any if you have any money and a cup sitting 90 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:01.439 at home, you're already in the top five percent wealthy 91 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:04.959 in the world. You just need to realize that according 92 00:05:05.000 --> 00:05:07.800 to the world, you're rich. So you're not at the 93 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:11.879 success survival level. You're at a success level. Success means options. 94 00:05:11.879 --> 00:05:13.160 I can go to the movies, I can do what 95 00:05:13.199 --> 00:05:15.279 I want to watch. And the more you have, the 96 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:20.000 more successful you are. But that isn't fulfilled. And the 97 00:05:20.040 --> 00:05:22.120 reason why I was you were made for more than success. 98 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:28.720 You were made for significance. And significance comes from giving 99 00:05:28.800 --> 00:05:31.279 my life a way to something greater than myself. Now 100 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:37.279 here's the fourth commitment to experience significance in life. I'm 101 00:05:37.319 --> 00:05:42.120 a serve. I m at serve with others in ministry. 102 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:45.040 Ministry is just the word for doing good to other people. 103 00:05:45.360 --> 00:05:50.160 I must serve with others in ministry. Significance does not 104 00:05:50.600 --> 00:05:54.000 come from status. A lot of people like you know, 105 00:05:54.040 --> 00:05:56.399 if I just have a little hood ornament on my car, 106 00:05:56.519 --> 00:06:00.720 then I'm significant, Or if I where certain kind of 107 00:06:00.720 --> 00:06:03.759 logo on my shirt or my dress, then I'm significant. 108 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:05.959 Why do people wear things with brands on them. They're 109 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:09.480 trying to let those brands make them significant. They think 110 00:06:09.639 --> 00:06:13.639 I'm better because I'm wearing this brand. No you're not. No, 111 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:17.839 you're not. And so significance does not come from status. 112 00:06:18.680 --> 00:06:21.720 Significance does not come from your salary because a lot 113 00:06:21.759 --> 00:06:24.839 of people make more than you do. Significance does not 114 00:06:24.920 --> 00:06:28.160 come from sex. You could go from one sexual partner 115 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.879 to the next, thinking that makes you significance. It does not. 116 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:36.800 Significance comes from service. God wired the universe that we 117 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:40.920 only feel significant about our lives when we give it away. 118 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:44.439 You cannot be selfish and significant at the same time. 119 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:48.639 Significance comes when you stop thinking about you and you 120 00:06:48.720 --> 00:06:53.600 start thinking about other people, and you give your life away. Now, 121 00:06:53.600 --> 00:06:55.720 the Bible says it like this one Peter four ten. 122 00:06:57.079 --> 00:07:00.040 Each of you has received a gift to use to 123 00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:06.759 serve yourself. Oh that's not what it says. Each of 124 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:10.079 you has received a gift to serve what others. Okay, 125 00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:12.600 look up here for a minute. The talents you've got, 126 00:07:12.879 --> 00:07:16.680 they're not for your benefit. Your talents were given to 127 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:20.759 you to benefit the people sitting next to you, and 128 00:07:20.800 --> 00:07:23.439 their talents were not given for their benefit. Their talents 129 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:26.480 were given for the benefit of you. My talents, the 130 00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:29.199 talents that I've got, weren't given for my benefit. My 131 00:07:29.319 --> 00:07:31.240 talents were given to me for the benefit of you. 132 00:07:32.759 --> 00:07:36.680 And so we need each other. Your talents aren't meant 133 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:40.120 for your benefit. We are given these gifts. We are 134 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:46.040 shaped for significance. Ministry is the path the meaning, and 135 00:07:46.240 --> 00:07:49.199 service is the path the significance. You're not going to 136 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:51.439 find it any other way. You're never going to feel 137 00:07:51.600 --> 00:07:55.199 good about you until you start giving your life away. 138 00:07:55.879 --> 00:07:58.839 Jesus said it like this, Mark eight. If you try 139 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:02.279 to keep your life for your you will lose it. 140 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:05.560 But if you give your life for My sake and 141 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:07.879 for the sake of the Good News, you will find 142 00:08:08.199 --> 00:08:11.839 true life. Now, God has a lot to say about serving, 143 00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:14.199 and he says, we're supposed to do it in a 144 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:18.199 special way, and here's the way with others. We're to 145 00:08:18.240 --> 00:08:21.920 do it together. We're better together. You're not meant to 146 00:08:21.959 --> 00:08:25.000 serve God on your own by yourself. You're meant to 147 00:08:25.040 --> 00:08:28.319 serve God on a team. You're meant to serve God 148 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:31.399 in a family, in a small group, in a church. 149 00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:34.960 You're meant to small serve God in relationship. Here's what 150 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:40.519 the Bible says Ecclesiastes four. Two people are always always 151 00:08:40.919 --> 00:08:45.279 always better than one because working together, he says, but 152 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:50.399 they get more done, he says, we can accomplish more. 153 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:54.360 They get more done by working together. If one falls down, 154 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.519 the other can help him up. But it's bad for 155 00:08:56.559 --> 00:08:58.639 the person who's alone and falls because there's nobody there 156 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:01.799 to help lie down. Together, they can share the same 157 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.440 blanket and stay warm, but a person all alone will 158 00:09:04.440 --> 00:09:07.759 not be warm. An enemy might defeat one person, but 159 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:11.919 two together can defend themselves. And a rope that is 160 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:13.879 will of a three braids, and O there is three 161 00:09:14.120 --> 00:09:18.080 is even better. Three breaks is hard to break. Now, 162 00:09:18.120 --> 00:09:20.000 there's a lot of truth in that passage, but let 163 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:22.240 me just summarize it in three statements. Write these down. 164 00:09:22.399 --> 00:09:26.360 When we work together. Number one, we maximize our impact. 165 00:09:27.399 --> 00:09:31.320 When we work together, we maximize our impact. So as 166 00:09:31.320 --> 00:09:38.159 we get more done. Let me just say it this way. 167 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:41.120 What you do with other people in this church will 168 00:09:41.159 --> 00:09:45.000 far outlast anything you do on your own. I guarantee it. 169 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:47.600 You want to make an impact with your life, you 170 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:50.600 want to make a world impact, global impact, historical impact, 171 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:53.159 do it with other people in this church, because what 172 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:55.759 this church is doing is far going to outlast anything 173 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:59.720 else you do. What we do together will be far 174 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:04.240 more significant than what we do individually, far more significant 175 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:08.799 than what we do individually. One drop of rain doesn't 176 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:12.720 make any difference on a desert, but a million drops 177 00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:17.159 of rain can turn a desert into a garden. What 178 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.279 you can do is not a lot. What I can 179 00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:22.320 do is not a lot. But together we make an impact. 180 00:10:22.759 --> 00:10:25.639 So we maximize our impact. Second thing, Verse ten says, 181 00:10:25.840 --> 00:10:30.440 we minimize our failure. I like that when we work together, 182 00:10:30.480 --> 00:10:33.320 when we serve together, when we minister together, we minimize 183 00:10:33.320 --> 00:10:36.360 our failures. It says if one falls down, well the 184 00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:38.559 next guy just picks him up. But he said, if 185 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:40.279 you're out there doing it on your own, who's going 186 00:10:40.360 --> 00:10:42.960 to pick you up when you fall? So I like 187 00:10:43.039 --> 00:10:45.240 the fact that when we serve together in the church, 188 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:49.080 it minimizes our failures. And the third thing, we mobilize 189 00:10:49.120 --> 00:10:52.399 our resources. We pool them, we put them all together, 190 00:10:52.440 --> 00:10:56.279 our funds go further. Says, you know, if you're sleeping 191 00:10:56.679 --> 00:11:00.559 outside together, you can share the blanket you most stay warm. 192 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.960 He says, we can pool our resources and mobilize them 193 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:08.879 together now. Jesus said that there's no such thing as 194 00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:14.679 insignificant service. There's no such thing as an insignificant ministry. 195 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:17.080 Jesus said, even if you say to a little kid, here, 196 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:19.480 have a drink of water in Jesus's name, you give 197 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:21.879 them a cup of cold water. In the Bible says 198 00:11:22.039 --> 00:11:24.960 that is significant ministry. You will be rewarded for it 199 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:29.480 in eternity. Then have to be flashy. It just has 200 00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:34.120 to be service. And so the person who is helping 201 00:11:34.279 --> 00:11:37.720 park all the cars in traffic ministry, and the person 202 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:42.200 who's passing out bulletins, and the person who is watching 203 00:11:42.399 --> 00:11:45.840 and training kids, and the person who is speaking right now. 204 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:49.639 It's all significant, and not any is more significant than 205 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:53.000 the other, because it all has to be done. And 206 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:55.919 the painters and the artists and the musicians and the 207 00:11:55.960 --> 00:12:00.000 accountants and the servers and all of the hospitality people, 208 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:05.039 all of it matters. There is no insignificant ministry. I've 209 00:12:05.039 --> 00:12:06.720 taught to you this before, but some of you may 210 00:12:06.720 --> 00:12:11.200 have not remembered it. The difference between prominence and significance. 211 00:12:12.039 --> 00:12:14.960 They're not the same. You be famous and not significant. 212 00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:20.279 You can be significant and not famous. My nose is prominent. 213 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:23.759 It just sticks out there. It gets to the door 214 00:12:23.799 --> 00:12:26.879 two days before my the rest of my body gets there. 215 00:12:27.399 --> 00:12:31.399 There's nothing significant about my nose except that it's incredibly sexy. 216 00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:35.799 But outside of that, it's just a nose. Okay, it's 217 00:12:35.799 --> 00:12:39.960 just a nose. It's prominent, it's big, but it's not significant. 218 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:43.720 I could lose my nose and live happily ever after. 219 00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:48.000 I don't need it to live. It's prominent, it's not significant. 220 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.120 Inside me, there's a spleen, a liver, kidney's, heart, lungs. 221 00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:55.240 I've never seen them, so I just am assuming by 222 00:12:55.240 --> 00:13:00.480 faith that I have them. Okay, somebody tell me they're 223 00:13:00.480 --> 00:13:03.360 inside me. I've never seen them. They're not prominent, but 224 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.440 they are significant, because if I lost any of them, 225 00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:10.679 I'd die. And what you want in life is not prominence. 226 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:14.279 What you want is significance, and we get that through service. 227 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:18.480 And Jesus said this, Matthew twenty five, verse forty. I 228 00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:21.600 tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of 229 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:25.039 the least of these, you did for me. And you 230 00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:27.720 know what that story is about. Jesus is saying there, 231 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:29.799 one day you're going to stand before him in heaven, 232 00:13:32.039 --> 00:13:33.879 and God's going to say to you, you know what 233 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:37.799 good job, Because when I was hungry, you fed me. 234 00:13:38.360 --> 00:13:40.720 And when I was thirsty, you gave me something to drink. 235 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.679 And when I was sick, you visited me. And when 236 00:13:43.679 --> 00:13:46.039 I was in prison, you visited me. And when I 237 00:13:46.120 --> 00:13:49.519 was naked, you gave me clothes. And you're going to 238 00:13:49.600 --> 00:13:53.639 say to God Lord, when did I do that? When 239 00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:56.440 did I feed you, clothe you, help you, serve you 240 00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:59.039 and all that. And Jesus will say, when you did 241 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:01.399 it to the least of these, you did it to me. 242 00:14:01.480 --> 00:14:03.240 Inasmuch as you did it to the least of these, 243 00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:05.879 my brethren, you did it unto me. Now the last, 244 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:09.720 the fifth life commitment, is the one that makes the 245 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:13.159 eternal difference. This is the one that you'll be rewarded 246 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:16.039 for over and over and over in eternity. And it 247 00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:19.000 is this the fifth commitment. To make an eternal difference, 248 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:24.559 I must join with others on mission. I must join 249 00:14:24.679 --> 00:14:28.120 with others on mission. God has a life mission for 250 00:14:28.159 --> 00:14:30.159 your life, and you can only do it in the 251 00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:34.919 context with others. A life message and a life mission. 252 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:37.480 God puts you here to have a message to the 253 00:14:37.519 --> 00:14:40.480 world and a mission in the world, and you do 254 00:14:40.559 --> 00:14:43.559 that in contact with others. Now, before Jesus goes back 255 00:14:43.559 --> 00:14:46.559 to Heaven, he gives his last words. Last words of 256 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:49.600 people are very important, And the last words of Jesus 257 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:53.320 are called the Great Commission. I mentioned it earlier. It's 258 00:14:53.399 --> 00:14:56.679 Matthew twenty eight. It's there on your outline. Go and 259 00:14:56.759 --> 00:15:01.519 make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name 260 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:04.200 of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 261 00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:07.320 and teaching them to do everything I have commanded you, 262 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:12.519 and surely I will be with you. Now follow me 263 00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:15.720 on this. God has a purpose for all of history, 264 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:19.159 and God has a purpose for your life. Why would 265 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:22.519 God give you a purpose for your life totally unconnected 266 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:26.080 to his purpose for history. He wouldn't. That would be illogical. 267 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:30.279 So somehow the purpose for your life is connected to 268 00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:35.039 his purpose for history. And what is God's purpose for history. 269 00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:38.519 He's building a family. It's the whole reason there's a universe. 270 00:15:38.679 --> 00:15:41.600 It's a whole reason there's an earth. God wanted a 271 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:44.759 family on earth. That family is called the Church. It's 272 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:48.720 also called the Kingdom of God. And when everybody has 273 00:15:48.759 --> 00:15:51.200 come into that family, that God knows is going to 274 00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:53.679 say yes, has made the choice to love him back. 275 00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:57.679 Then this period of history will be over. We go 276 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:02.519 into phase two, which is eternity. And so somehow God says, 277 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:05.159 I want your purpose in life to be a part 278 00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:08.240 of My big purpose, which is taking the good news 279 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:10.679 to everybody else. The whole reason we have saddle backed 280 00:16:10.720 --> 00:16:14.200 Church is the Great Commission. I started this church because 281 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:18.039 of that verse. The whole reason we have the Peace 282 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:22.120 Plan is because of the Great Commission. It's all about 283 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:27.519 not just loving Christ, loving his family, growing in Christ, 284 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:32.759 serving Christ. It's also about sharing Christ, taking the good news, 285 00:16:32.879 --> 00:16:36.159 and it's the best news in the world past forgiven purpose, 286 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:38.120 for living home in Heaven. Where else are you going 287 00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:41.919 to get that? Nowhere? It's the best news in the world. 288 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:46.039 In the Bible, Paul talks about a group of Christians 289 00:16:46.240 --> 00:16:49.919 in a part of Greece called Macedonia Macedonias, where Alexander 290 00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:53.440 the Great came from and the church at Macedonia. Paul 291 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:57.399 was there and helped them start at church, and they 292 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:01.440 were going through a very strong famine drought, and the 293 00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:03.879 place was incredibly poor, and they barely had enough food 294 00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:06.400 to feed themselves. And it was a very very poor, 295 00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:11.319 poverty stricken church in Macedonia. And yet then the people 296 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:14.000 in the Church of Macedonia heard about the tough times 297 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:16.039 that the Church of Jerusalem is going through, and they 298 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:18.039 were having a famine, and not on top of that, 299 00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:21.759 they were having prosecution. And so the people who were 300 00:17:21.759 --> 00:17:25.720 in abject poverty themselves in Macedonia took up a generous 301 00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:31.960 offering and sent it to Jerusalem. And Paul in the 302 00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.839 Bible brags on the Macedonian Christian. He goes, I don't 303 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:37.119 believe these guys. They're unbelievable. It goes out of their 304 00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:41.920 deep poverty welled up great generosity. He goes that they 305 00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:44.839 gave more than they were able, and said they were 306 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:47.240 able to give more than they could afford. They were 307 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:50.599 poor themselves, they were destitute, and yet they're taking up 308 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:54.720 an offering to help poor people in another place. And 309 00:17:54.759 --> 00:17:57.200 he goes, let me explain to you why they were 310 00:17:57.240 --> 00:18:01.240 able to do that. It's the next verse tewod Corinthians 311 00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:06.400 eight five. They gave beyond their ability, far more than 312 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:08.759 they could afford, because they're not given by reason but 313 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:13.319 by revelation. And what explains this, what explains this generosity 314 00:18:13.359 --> 00:18:16.039 in the middle of all their poverty, What explains, it 315 00:18:16.400 --> 00:18:22.640 was that they had first given themselves unreservedly to God. 316 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:25.640 That's the very first verse we read today. The other 317 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:30.240 giving simply flowed out of the purposes of God working 318 00:18:30.359 --> 00:18:32.680 in their lives. In other words, if you settle the 319 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:35.960 first issue, does my life really belong to God? The 320 00:18:36.039 --> 00:18:41.880 second issue is really easy, Do I trust God? Southern 321 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:45.000 California is well known for its beaches. It's the part 322 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:47.440 of the country that popularized the music of the beach Boys, 323 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:51.440 beach party movies, and of course, surfing. Many of our 324 00:18:51.480 --> 00:18:55.200 schools offer physical education courses in surfing, and if you 325 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:57.319 take a class on surfing, you'll be taught everything you 326 00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:59.960 need to know about surfing. How to recognize the right equipment, 327 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:03.079 how to use it properly, how to recognize a surfable wave, 328 00:19:03.400 --> 00:19:04.920 how to catch a wave and ride it as long 329 00:19:04.960 --> 00:19:07.079 as possible, and most important of all, how to get 330 00:19:07.119 --> 00:19:11.680 off a wave without wiping out. But in all of 331 00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:14.440 the courses unsurfing, you will never find a class that 332 00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:19.400 teaches how to build a wave. Surfing is the art 333 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:23.960 of riding waves that God builds. No surfer tries to 334 00:19:24.000 --> 00:19:26.920 create waves. If the waves aren't there, you just don't 335 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:30.160 surf that day. On the other hand, when a surfer 336 00:19:30.200 --> 00:19:32.960 sees a good wave, they make the most of it, 337 00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:35.759 even if it means surfing in the middle of a storm. 338 00:19:37.519 --> 00:19:41.599 Only God can create waves, waves of revival, waves of growth, 339 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:45.400 waves of receptivity in your own life, and our job, 340 00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:48.920 like experienced surfers, is to recognize a wave of God's 341 00:19:48.920 --> 00:19:52.920 spirit and rite it. It's not our responsibility to go 342 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:56.279 out into the world and make waves. It's our job 343 00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:58.839 to recognize how God is working in the world and 344 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:03.400 join him in in the endeavor. At Saddleback Church, We've 345 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:07.160 never tried to build a wave. That's God's business, but 346 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:09.880 we have tried to recognize the waves that God is 347 00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:13.799 sending our way, and we have learned how to catch them. 348 00:20:14.039 --> 00:20:17.279 And the amazing thing is this, The more skilled we 349 00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:21.359 become in writing waves of growth, the more God sins. 350 00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:25.079 In my opinion, we live in the most exciting time 351 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:28.240 in history and the most exciting time for the church. 352 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:32.119 More people are coming to Christ now than at any 353 00:20:32.200 --> 00:20:36.079 other point in history. I believe God is sending waves 354 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:39.400 of growth wherever his people are prepared to ride them. 355 00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:43.440 So my prayer at the start of every day goes 356 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:45.640 like this Father, I know you're going to do some 357 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:48.240 incredible things in the world today. I would like to 358 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:50.519 ask you to just give me the privilege of being 359 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:55.440 in on some of them. In other words, stop praying Lord, 360 00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:01.119 bless what I'm doing. Stop praying Lord, bless what I'm doing. 361 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:05.160 Start praying Lord, help me to do what you're blessing. 362 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:10.400 Big difference. Now, when a surfer wipes out because he 363 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:13.880 didn't ride a wave correctly, he doesn't give up surfing. 364 00:21:14.720 --> 00:21:17.119 He just paddles back out in the ocean to wait 365 00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:20.359 for the next big wave that God sends. One thing 366 00:21:20.359 --> 00:21:24.880 I've observed about successful surfers is they are persistent. You 367 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:29.799 may have experienced a few wipeouts in your life, well 368 00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:32.880 I certainly have. And you may have missed a few 369 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:36.480 certain a few waves in your life, and I have too. 370 00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:42.720 That doesn't mean you should quit. The ocean hasn't dried up. 371 00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:48.039 On the contrary, at this very moment, God is creating 372 00:21:48.119 --> 00:21:52.119 in the world the best waves I've ever seen. Let's 373 00:21:52.160 --> 00:21:57.240 go catch him. Would you pray this prayer? Dear God. 374 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.559 I want to strengthen my faith. I want to discover 375 00:22:00.680 --> 00:22:05.279 my identity. I want to develop my potential. I want 376 00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:09.960 to experience significance, and I want to make an eternal difference. 377 00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:15.640 So today I want to settle these five life commitments. First, 378 00:22:16.519 --> 00:22:19.920 I commit the rest of my life to uniting with 379 00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:25.039 others in worship in order to strengthen my faith and 380 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:30.680 restore my joy. And then I commit to connecting with 381 00:22:30.759 --> 00:22:35.440 others for fellowship, to being in a small group, to 382 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:39.359 being an agent of reconciliation in the world and treating 383 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:44.160 everyone with respect and dignity. And then I commit to 384 00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:49.599 learning from others in order to grow and becoming what 385 00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:53.519 you want me to be. And I commit to learning 386 00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:59.440 to serve you by serving others in ministry, and to 387 00:22:59.559 --> 00:23:01.920 use what I or talent you have given me not 388 00:23:02.039 --> 00:23:06.279 for myself, but for the benefit of others. And I 389 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:09.200 want to make an eternal difference. And I want to 390 00:23:09.279 --> 00:23:13.319 join with others on the mission of daring faith. And 391 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:15.519 I want my part, like the little boy who gave 392 00:23:15.559 --> 00:23:20.119 his lunch to feed the five thousand, and to make 393 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:25.279 a difference and eternity. If you've never opened your life 394 00:23:25.319 --> 00:23:27.480 to Christ, say Jesus Christ, come into my life right 395 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:32.000 now and save me and change me. I pray this 396 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:34.160 in your name. Amen. 397 00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:44.720 If you just prayed to receive Jesus congratulations. We would 398 00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:47.319 love to send you some free materials to help you 399 00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:51.519 along on your spiritual journey. Just email Rick at Pastorick 400 00:23:51.640 --> 00:23:59.160 dot com. That's Rick at pastorick dot com. You know, 401 00:23:59.319 --> 00:24:03.440