Bayside Weekend With Francis Chan

[Music] [Music] and I tell you every time I am with Rey I like him more you know you know some people it's like as you get to know him with like you know but I don't know what to say every time we talk back there it's like gosh I love this guy um but you know I come here tonight like whoops let's start over I come here today video not to say tonight because they're watching it tomorrow and so we'll just pretend we start it all over hey good to see you guys all right it's good to be back with you in all seriousness it's been a crazy week right I mean just absolutely crazy crazy week and it's it's it's just you can never get used to seeing how life changes in one second right I mean whether you're working in a fertilizer plant in Texas or watching a marathon or even today I read about that earthquake big earthquake in China and just everything and you think about all the people that are impacted and and and we can get in this mode where it's like okay see you next week as though next Sunday this this week's gonna be normal and yet we know that everything can change in one second and we also know that the world is especially our country it's just getting more and more you see more and more desperate people right they just feel hopeless they just care anymore I'm just gonna do something stupid and and and you just you just don't know anymore and and I'm not trying to be this alarmist I I'm just saying that as as believers I don't think we should just stick our head in the sand and go oh no it's not happening everything should be fine the world's gonna turn around and we're gonna all start loving Jesus and you know the economy is gonna bounce no just let's just be real with it and yet at the same time what the Bible teaches is weren't supposed to be afraid of it like there's the at the same time there's this peace this in fact I love the way Jesus says it in in Luke Luke 21 when he's talking about the end when he's talking about the end times and and how crazy the world's gonna get he makes this statement he says you know in in chapter 21 verse 26 is people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world there'll be people that'll just they'll be so terrified but so stressed out they'll just pass out because they're so terrified of these endtime events but then he says because when you see these things begin to take place straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near I love that this is okay people be so terrified stress they don't pass out he goes but not you he was when you see that happen he goes straighten up and lift up your head because your redemption is drawing here like there's just this sense of don't you be afraid though you straighten up you don't you go cowering worrying about because okay so let's say the economy claps we don't care we can be content with nothing we're content with relationships with each other with God it's gonna be fine or our quality of life may even be better we're we're okay with that we know the secret of being content you know if we die we die for us to live is Christ and to die is gain and he's known no matter what happens you used trade now if you lift your head up there because you know how the story ends and there's a that's how we become a light to the world as we know how it ends focus on eternity understand there's nothing for us to fear it reminds me of a few years ago I was watchin this TV show room that show a 24 you know Jack Bauer you know if those who didn't watch it he had 24 hours to save the world like eight times and and it happened like over several seasons - what a coincidence but we didn't have TV you know we don't have cables so someone gave us season two you know we watched season one then they gave us season two and you know what everyone else is on three or four and we're watching season two and I just remember that was the most intense show you know and you couldn't watch it at night because it's like oh let's watch the next episode okay watch the next one you know when you end up in your room for 24 hours and but I remember her like there was this one time and it was so intense because these terrorists had had a kidnapped our Secretary of Defense and and his daughter who happened to be Jack Bauer's girlfriend and no one in the world knew where they were you know and they were streaming this video you know these terrorists gone we're about to kill your Secretary of Defense and his daughter you know and no one knows where they're filming from and then Jack finds him right oh he figured out every clue he figures out where they are and any sees them you know and knows the location so he calls into headquarters you know hey I found the location shun back up and they're like okay we'll be there in five minutes we don't have five minutes they'll be dead in five minutes I'm going in alone and I'm gonna know Jack there so I know there's like a hundred people in that room you're not gonna make it but he didn't care he had to save us and he goes in right and you know your heart starts poundin like oh man there's a guy there there's five there what's he gonna do you know you know shoots the first guy keeps going and as I'm watching this and getting more and more just just terrified I realize this is season two everyone else is watching she's in for and he just signed a contract to do three more seasons it's like oh he's good you know and and so it's weird how yeah you know into that my name suddenly like my heart was like this is cool you know and it took away some of the thrill um there's no wing he's gonna be fine okay save your girlfriend you know and uh you just kind of know and it's still fun to watch you still get a little tense but it's just different because you know how it ends you guys that's the way we're supposed to live life because for us we know there's a season three we know there's a season three thousand three million and so we go you know what what's gonna happen it's gonna be okay there's gonna come a time right there's no more death no more sickness no more worry about any of this stuff and we're gonna walk side by side with our Creator who sent his son to die for us forever and ever and ever and so yeah things will happen in this life but we kind of know how it ends and so yeah I'll get intense yeah I'll get exciting but ultimately we know how it ends so we live life differently we straighten up we lift up our heads and go you know what our redemption is drawing near and yes it's painful and yes we're gonna weep and yes there'll be difficult times on this earth but we have a different perspective it's an eternal one man see when I look at the way the world is and I look at just how man everything can change in a second I go so uh what really matters I mean this is this is why in high school when I became a Christian man I just started looking at everything differently and I just go wow life can end tomorrow I don't know that I have tomorrow and those who know my life know that my mom and dad were dead by the time I was 12 and so you just go on I don't know what I don't know what's gonna happen so you just think about things in light of eternity in fact that's why I got into ministry seriously when I was in high school I'm thinking wait if all of this can end at any moment then all I want to do is tell people about eternity like nothing else really seems to matter to me and I didn't understand how people could get so into stuff and this and that when I go I can tomorrow it's over tomorrow our life's a vapor and and and and again it's not to be this alarmist it's actually quite the opposite to say it's fine it's really not that big a deal but shouldn't we be focused on eternal things and that's why I started going into ministry I go you know I just want to talk to people about what happens afterwards because to me that just seems like all that matters that's just in my mind that's simple logic to me and and yet once I got into ministry and once I started teaching people and the more I studied this book an interesting thing happened I became more concerned or maybe I should say equally concerned with people who attend church every Sunday it wasn't just people out there going oh you know I hate Jesus you know your morality your law one way that's a bunch of trap this that always lead to happy you know of course I don't believe that but I was just as concerned as people with people that I saw sitting in seats every weekend and the reason why I say that is because what the Bible taught what I saw about what Jesus taught was yes salvation is through him in him alone salvation is because of what he did on the cross that I understood when I read that book there's there was nothing I could do to earn my way up there and I needed Jesus and the person who's going to heaven is the person that puts all of their trust in Jesus not on themselves but going man it's on Jesus it's on Jesus what he did on the cross he was paying for my crimes he paid it all you know and and so it's that trust but what I also see in this book is that if a person truly does put all of his trust in Jesus his or her life is going to change radically that they they're not going to be the same person and you know at one point they were dead and now they're alive one point they did not have God dwelling inside of them and then suddenly they do and things change in fact Paul tells the Thessalonians he goes I know he called you because I can tell by your life I saw the way you turned from your idols and all that junk you turn to God he just the way you talk about I can tell it was obvious there were there were signs of that the Bible says that if you're a good tree you're gonna produce good fruit and I got so concerned because I would get to know the people in these quote-unquote churches and I'd look at their lives and go are you serious and and I know their people say well not everyone changes you know maybe you become a believer and nothing really changes for years and then you know maybe there's a little fruit you don't recognize like are you kidding me you got that from this book like I look and I go no it should be different you know why the world criticizes the church and they do it rightly I just go yeah that a lot of times there's no difference and I became very concerned in fact I don't think it's an exaggeration to say man this this this one verse just terrified me in in Matthew 7 it really that whole chapter but when Jesus says in Matthew 7 verse 21 he says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but the one who does the will of my father who is in heaven on that day many will say to me Lord Lord did we not prophesy in your name cast out demons in your name do many mighty works in your name and then I will declare to them I never knew you depart from me you workers of lawlessness so there are people at the end on Judgment Day they die you know they sing the songs in church everything they show up they see Jesus and they go Lord Lord and Jesus say I never knew you these people in their mind they actually think they believe they're gonna go to heaven and they go Lord Lord Here I am and hey didn't I do this didn't I do that and Jesus says depart from me I never knew you you workers of lawlessness and not everyone who says to me and just calls me Lord is gonna get into the kingdom of heaven it's him who does the will of my father who is in heaven and I just started getting scared well I was just taught that as long as you pray this prayer and you know or raise your hand or something like that you're going to heaven you're your good eye and then I started looking for the pray the prayer verse and raise your hamburgers and I'm going that's not in there this is what Jesus said talks about denying you're so picky I started getting concerned going man is this the real thing and and honestly as I'm driving here you don't man I love face side I love hanging out I love when I can just come have a good time we get fired up about something and walk out but as I'm driving my arches have me going short I think you're asking me to deliver a pretty heavy message today about wondering man I just want to know if you're for real like I'm not that I can know but I know because he says there's those they do stuff they may fill up a shopping bag and bring it and do these words you know man don't you remember god I brought that big old bag full of canned goods and I did two of them you know I did this I did that I tithe and then he says you know what I never knew you like like like do you know him like you think about this this isn't for me to judge or anything else I'm just concerned like do you know him like the Bible talks about when the Holy Spirit comes into your life there's this relationship where your very spirit cries out daddy like Abba Father like I know you know me I know you love me and I love you and then we talked and I I love those times when I'm alone with you and there's no one else around the common love with you and I know your in love with me it's like do you have that do you see the fruit in your life where it's like wow you know looking look at who I was man and look at how Christ has changed me look it's new joy and this peace a fearlessness like I know I'm good like is that you or is it just like I go to church and I don't know it's just I look at these passages and I get concerned because these are this is Jesus speaking it's not me speaking this is Jesus speaking and and and your thing is sometimes we almost feel confident when we're a part of the majority you know how you know there's strength in numbers you know that old saying and and yet I look at Scripture and look what Jesus says just a few verses earlier in verse 13 he says enter by the narrow gate for the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction and those who enter by it are many for the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life and those who find it are few so those who would say all Francis you're just getting old you know this or that look you know most of us are like this we don't really we just kind of show up to church and we do a few good things and you feel comfortable because well this is what everyone does and my question to you is when has everyone been right can you name one time in the Bible when the majority was right seriously think of one time in human history when the majority was right no and and then Jesus is very words are you know what there's a narrow road that leads to life and few will find it yet there's this wide easy one that everyone's gonna go down that's why man I know somebody want to do the popular thing whenever I do something that's popular I get nervous I do because I go man when is the right thing ever been popular and he's just look if there's a narrow road and few will find it and yet everyone is striving after this Fame or you'd be accepted by all these people and I look at that verse and I go man Jesus said that the gates wide it's easy that leads to destruction and yet that road is not marked hell that roads marked heaven right you know it's like you know when you watch you know Tom and Jerry or something and they're in a race and they change the sign from you know broken bridge to this is where you should run you know and and it's it's it's almost you know I gently said they just they switch the signs they just put this wide easy road this leads to heaven everyone goes to heaven ever been doing memorial service were thing I didn't go to heaven we all go there right you know everyone's in a better place it's easy it's wide we're all going there and yet what does Jesus say goes no no there's a narrow road that leads to life and fee will find it and I'm going Jesus this is serious stuff this is all that matters and there's a lot of people going to church today this weekend next weekend there's just tons of people go to these services and I get concerned because I read the scriptures and I go man it's so hard not to just go with the flow and the general teaching today you know in in the book of Revelation there are these letters and I and I thought about this one time I thought man what if I live in one of these cities see there were certain churches that Jesus wrote to in Revelation 2 and 3 he wrote personal letters to specific churches can you imagine if Bayside Church got a personal letter from Jesus to say you want the truth about what I think about that church you want the truth about what I like and what I don't like like like gee would you even want to know you know like someone's like you know like it would be intriguing to say the least well here these churches they each got a letter from Jesus and Jesus would talk about what he liked what he didn't like and there were some churches where he says man so faked because but there's a few of you there's a few of you that are holding on and then another Church is one of the one of the phrases that that really hit me the last two weeks I feel like God's been just repeating it in my ear in his revelation 3 about the church in Sardis where he says he says strengthen what remains and is about to die like that phrase has been in my head because from honest there are areas in my life that have grown that I go God thank you I've changed Ange I've got it for the good but I also see areas in my life that have been slipping you know and I've been hearing this phrase strengthen what remains and is about to die I I see this side of me where man I used to be fearless and what I would say and just lay it out there like I don't care you know I would just go and there was like this faith and like no I I can't die you know until it's my time like and and I started seeing doubt and I started seeing this fear and this concern about criticism and wanting to be liked and and yet it was still in there this fire and I just felt like God was saying just like you said that you're in charge strengthen that back up it's about to die don't you let it die Francis don't you let it die you know and and so that's what he's been speaking to me and that's why I don't think these are just letters for back then I don't know these are messages for today and I think about this church in laodicea and I know gosh that feels a lot like our country and having traveled the world and seeing how believers act in other places I read about Laodicea I go oh that feels very American in some ways and not to be down or negative whether I'm just out of concern it's this church and he says to them he says I know your deeds in chapter 3 verse 19 you are neither cold nor hot I'm sorry 315 I can barely see I know your words you are neither cold nor hot would that you were either cold or hot so because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth okay what is that do like you've got a word from Jesus saying hey I know your deeds you're not hot like just on fire for me and you're not anti Jesus and oh we hate everything about you're just lukewarm and it is because you're lukewarm I'm gonna spit you out of my mouth and I thought wow what if I lived in that city what if you lived in that city of Laodicea and everyone was just lukewarm everyone in the church was just lukewarm it was just like oh yeah we love Jesus yeah he's good and would do a few things here and there like how would you know that you're lukewarm you know in some ways like if you don't have that you know other than looking at the word but but everyone around you kind of like the same thing kind of wide easy road oh we're all just kind of floating along like oh man what if I was there what I know enough to look at the word and go no I see where everyone else is going I'm not going there you know I'm not gonna be spit out of his mouth and I started thinking cost you know what could this be it it's kind of like let me I've shared this before but it's it's like when I went to Hong Kong and and and you know years ago and and my grandma would would take me to all of her our relatives and and everyone that saw me would say wow you know I know and uh but uh but what it means what everyone was saying when they would take one look at me was wow he's so big okay look at me okay and I didn't have the heart to say it's not that I so big you know so Rito you know you guys are all so tiny you know and it makes me think about this church in laodicea you know see that's what I feel like oh man if everyone's kind of lukewarm and you just do a little bit more suddenly oh you're such a spiritual giant but what if you're living in Laodicea you know it's not it's not that you're doing anything great it's just that everyone else is so blah and that's started to freak me out cuz I look at Scripture I go you know what I don't want to get caught up in this thing this that that's a terrifying verse I don't see why people don't get concerned about some of these passages or says you're not hot or cold I'm gonna spit you out of my mouth and I hear people say oh yeah I'm lukewarm huh I'm like what are you kidding me you you can just kind of casually say that I'm a lukewarm Christian first of all I don't believe there's such a thing as a lukewarm Christian according to this passage and this whole idea being spit out of the mouth of God our Christians spit out of the mouth of God I mean this spit is like this gagging like ah you disgust ah it's like getting a drink you think it's hot you know or you think it's cold coffee and it's just it's just like a slough oh that's not what I was expecting it's that idea of how this is disgusting to me I'm gonna spit you out of my mouth in fact he goes on and he says a price for you say oh I'm rich I've I've prospered I need nothing not realizing your wretched pitiable poor blind and naked because you're not rich you're not doing fine because I wanna spit you out of my mouth cos you're a wretched you guys is that how he talks to believers is that what he calls me his equals ha there's Francis that wretched pitiable yeah you know blind naked a-hole but he's my son no that's not the words he uses for believers we don't say I once was blind I'm still blind you know it's that's not what we sing about it's about the fact that we've been changed and that's why he says to this group of people he goes I counseled you to buy from me gold refined by the fire so that you may be rich and white garments so you may clothe clothe yourself in the shame of your nakedness may not be seen and salv to anoint your eyes so that you may see those whom I love I reprove and discipline so be zealous and repent see saying to these people he goes look you don't get it you're in this lukewarm state I'm about to spit you out of my mouth you're disgusting to me your wretched your pitiable you you just so casual don't you understand what Jesus says when someone gets it when someone understands the kingdom of God and understands the value of God he says it's like they found this great treasure and it was so great they just with great joy goes here have everything that I could care less I want this treasure he goes when you get that that's when you get me that's when you get it you realize oh man I can have God I can sit on his throne he and I forever and ever this stuff is so lame just take it all it's all rubbish he goes that's the person who gets it and that's why he says to these people you're not hot you're not cold you're Luke well I'm gonna spit you out of my mouth but I'm telling you he goes but I love you and that's why I'm saying these words to you as I want you to turn and he goes and I can actually make you rich you know give you true riches is not just about finances you know I make you truly rich he goes I'll clean out your eyes so you can actually see I'll give you a white garment to wear so you can walk in all purity I will change all of this in fact I love the phrase when he says in the next verse 20 says behold I stand at the door and knock if anyone hears my voice and opens the door I'll come into him and I'll eat with him and he with me the one who conquers I'll grant him to sit with me on my throne as I also conquered and sat down with my father on his throne this isn't about I don't want you to think oh yeah I'm kind of lukewarm I'm gonna go out I'm gonna grab five bags you know I'm gonna go do this I'm gonna do that it's not about you going okay I'm gonna earn this thing I'm gonna work harder no this is about God saying you don't get it you don't get it did the heart change hasn't happened I haven't come into your life yet that's why you're just like this lukewarm you know I called you he goes but I'm knocking right now uh he goes behold I stand at the door and knock can you hear my voice right now can you hear my voice to say you know what you've never had a real relationship with me it's been religion you're trying to mask this mask that and do a few good works here or there but you've never really known me but I'm knocking on the door I want to come into your life I want to change everything I want to open your eyes I'm gonna give you this power when you start putting to death the deeds of the flesh where it's no longer oh I gotta pray it's that time of day but it's like this love words like a daddy Abba Father I love you more than anyone who else would I want to be with and Earth has nothing for me it's all about you because I want to come into your life and I'm knocking at the door are you gonna let me in cuz I'll change everything everything in the very last phrase he says is he who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches Jesus is the only one in scripture that uses that phrase he who has an ear let him hear because he's explained in other places that not everyone's gonna hear the message you know just go in when you're out the other people will hear it go yeah yeah I'm still lukewarm like you I go how can you just casually say you're lukewarm like you're just casual yeah get spit out at the end it's like how can you do that but not everyone hears the message and that's why Jesus would just say he was yours I'm here he didn't try to convince someone talk him into something but he did know that sometimes God sets things up now coincidentally acts 17 says he's very purposeful in the zach time that he puts you in a certain place because he's drawing you to himself and it says so that you might feel your way toward him and actually find him and I believe there's some people in this room I'm hoping I'm praying I've been praying that there's some of you in this room that go I heard what he said he was talking about me I've gone to church maybe grew up in church love with Jesus it's not everything to me there's so many things I've been holding on to that I just don't not ready to let go but I heard the message today and I get it now and if Jesus Christ really did die on that cross for me and really does offer for me to repent to turn from my ways and follow him and he's going to come into my life and I want that I want that then I would say to you the same thing that Peter said years ago 2000 years ago if just for sermon it says people were cut to the heart and said what do I need to do like they were so like they heard that ears here they go what do I need to do and Peter said repent turn from your way of life be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins you just saw the video on baptism if you got here on time you know be baptized he says and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit this promise is for you your children and those who are far off those who'll be listening 2,000 years from now you repent and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins and receive the Holy Spirit and maybe there's some of you today who just say you know what I'm ready for that no more games I don't really know him I'm not ready to face him I'm not at peace with where the world that I got to get right with him and if that's you we're gonna give you an opportunity to tell someone today about your decision but I I want to pray for you right now and and in fact we just bow your heads right now and those of you who already believe in God just start praying for the ones who don't those of you who know you're secure and Jesus you love him he has changed you start praying for the people he hasn't changed god I ask that you would move right now God please please just draw people to yourself hoping to see how beautiful you are hoping to see that nothing else matters now that they would just add you to their pile of stuff but they would see that you are better than everything and you're all that matters that they would just realize that they can follow you they could get you so some of you who believe that God's calling you today and he's knocking on the door maybe you can even just pray to him right now and say God I want you in my life let him know I know I know I've sinned against I know I've rebelled against you and I believe that Jesus died on that cross for me I believe it and tell him I want you to enter in and have relationship with me to where everything changes because I don't want this sin in my life father I pray that people really do come to know you today and fall in love with you today so that they will be with you forever in Jesus name I pray amen

Channel: Bayside Church

Views: 63,075

Rating: 4.9083967 out of 5

Keywords: Francis Chan, Bayside Church, Bayside Weekend With

Id: OtlX3VHcI30

Length: 35min 2sec (2102 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 22 2013