Francis Chan - Rope Illustration (Original)

let's gone man what it might have looked forward to at the end I'm going to bring an illustration that this is like the first illustration I did it was 20 years ago but I can't think of a better way to to explain it um I actually didn't use a rope back then I used a remember remember computer paper when it was all stuck together and had the holes on the side that she had to feel off remember that I remember getting a roll and something guys have no idea what I'm talking about which is crazy to me but uh because I was the best you know and and it never worked right because the rolling things but uh but I had a member being a youth pastor and I put that computer paper all the way around the room and what I'm gonna use a rope now because I can't find that computer paper imagine this rope okay pretend this rope just goes on forever okay just imagination pretend it goes around the world few times it doesn't it ends at the rock but let's just imagine this thing goes on forever now imagine that this rope is a timeline of your existence you just exist forever you see this red part this would represent your time on earth you've got a few short years here on earth and then you've got all of eternity somewhere else this is this is your existence and what blows me away is some of you all you think about is this red part it's all you think about you're consumed with this you go oh man I can't wait till here you know I'm going to work hard i'ma save save save so I can really enjoy this part right here you're consumed with that you think oh man I'm gonna get to travel am I going to eat well might do this during this part and I'm like are you kidding me what about this what about this what about what about all the stuff that says it's crazy me because because the Bible teaches that what I do during this little red part determines how I'm going to exist four million and millions and millions of years forever and and so why would I spend this little red part trying to make myself as comfortable as possible enjoying myself as much as I can Paul says look I'm going to live my life for this mission I'm going to spend my life invest my life for this moment when I cross that finish line see I'm going to forget about all this stuff I could enjoy and I'm not going to look around I'm going to be like a runner just looking at that moment when I face God because when I face him then I don't get this chance over again we get one chance at this life on earth and it can end it any second for any of us we've got one chance at this and then comes eternity and I'm not going to be fooled I'm not going to spend my life down here see people look at some of my decisions go oh you're so stupid because that's going to really affect this I don't know you're stupid because it's going to affect all it is man I I'm serious I look I look at the way people live and I go wow that is so crazy you are so crazy you're going to you're going to do that right now just to enjoy right now not even knowing if you have tomorrow and you think that's smart and that I'm dumb it doesn't make any sense Paul goes I'm not going to look around at all this stuff and it's tempting it's tempting to all of us that's what I'm saying down here it's crazy because everyone lives that way everyone lives for the red part no one's thinking about the millions of years afterwards it's just a crazy deception that we can't get out of our minds and Paul goes I'm not doing that because I keep my eyes on that I keep my eyes on that finish line and I'm going to forget what's behind me I'm not looking around I'm just gonna I'm straining because I'm straining forward I'm like stretching forward for that mark I'm gonna pass this thing I'm gonna live this out and I'm gonna face him I'm gonna come before the judges and he's going to hand me that trophy he goes I'm going to get and I haven't gotten there yet he goes but I you better believe I'm using every muscle exerting every bit about me because I'm going to pass that line well

Channel: Nate Hanson

Views: 1,324,418

Rating: 4.9326224 out of 5

Keywords: cornerstone, eternity, san francisco, city impact, francis chan, eternally, church, jesus, Jesus Christ (Deity), rope, francis chan rope, life is short, living eternally, we are church, crazy love, forgotten god, erasing hell, just stop and think, project bayview, you and me forever

Id: 86dsfBbZfWs

Length: 4min 19sec (259 seconds)

Published: Thu Apr 01 2010

Reddit Comments

[u/scootman1212]

Chan is awesome! :)) Loved the part about retirement. :))