The Thrill of Obedience by Francis Chan

I think one of the things that I love and appreciate about Francis is just a man that's passionate about not only knowing Jesus but really desiring to live out Jesus in his life and so this morning I'm excited to have him speak but what I'd like to do is I just love to pray together with us let's beg God to do a work through him but in our hearts we don't want to be the same people as when we came in so could we pray together before we ever speak father it's not just about gathering together it's not just about singing songs we believe that the Bible that we're about is open inside of it has a message that is powerful that your spirit wants to communicate to us that he's been communicating for 2,000 years and slightest would even ask this morning that his Francis preaches that father he would speak on your behalf and call us to - what it is that that you desire us to be and to live and so just empower him this morning allow him to be able to really speak on your behalf and then father an are in all of us are coming in from different things in our hearts just need to be adjusted we need to be changed and so would you do a work on us would your spirit be powerful in that way we beg you and so father this is your moment do your work and your precious name we pray amen amen oh this is good I I was like bawling during first service like a little girl I just it was it was it's it's weird I mean things are so good in my life right now but walking in here this morning and seeing familiar faces it I wasn't ready for it it was such a shock and I and I realized what it was right as we started to worship isn't it feels so good to walk into a place and be loved and and you realize you know because we have awesome things are going up in San Francisco and and for those who don't know me I was a pastor of this church for for 16 years and then the last year and a half been up in San Francisco just believe in the Lord wanted me to go to a difficult place and San Francisco's difficult and and go to a place that where most people reject Jesus pretty adamantly vehemently and and try to be a light there and it's good and seeing great things happen but it was so nice to walk into a room and actually have support and people that care about you and and you almost forget you almost forget what that feels like I mean it's so good to be on a mission and to go after something but one of my kids said the other day you know it's weird to be in a place where no one really cares about you and where we're used to being loved and it's a weird thing and it made me think it you know between services I remember how when missionaries would come back they would tell me how insecure they would feel coming back to Cornerstone they say it's weird because we've been away for like a year you know we're going after this thing and trying to meet these people and pursue in this whole new life and the whole time you're wondering when I go home will anyone even remember me and and so it was weird because this morning it was just that awkward thing you know Todd and I were praying earlier this morning and it's weird because I'm kind of not the pastor there anymore I don't know who I am or what I do and you know who's gonna remember me who's new and all these new faces and that sense in which you've lost home and and I during between services I'm like this is what all those missionaries were talking about - such a greater degree and man and I know you know I've got so many people to care about me this or that but it made me think about the people that have left here to go out and be missionaries and and how I just got a little glimpse of what they go through and just beg you please if you think of people that have left cornerstone to go and do God's work somewhere else in this world man do everything you can to support them write to them when they come back make them feel like gold because it's it's pretty crazy you get excited about the mission but it's so nice to come back somewhere where people actually know you and you've got a history with them and there's relationship and I see so many of you that I baptized you I saw your kids being born one and once but you know I always you know but you know it's like I married you you know we've been through some tough times together and that history you just can't repeat that and you know as I'm getting settled in in San Francisco I was just out there thinking but I don't think this could ever happen again in my lifetime you know what we had the relationship in those years and you start over and you go on these callings from God but it's just it's just it's it was special being back in this room and and seeing your faces again but life for me like I said I I don't know that I've ever had this much peace about my life the family's great is really weird last week you know I'm teaching Rachel how to drive and I'm teaching my youngest how to walk you know not many fathers can say that you know I've got a 16 year old and a one year old my boy Zeke is now and he's got four sisters so we go out and hit each other and you know just do guys stuff it's been good lah do you guys remember mercy my 12 year old daughter she still hasn't sinned so that's good news we almost got her to swear but she's been great Ellie's same all goofy Ellie Rachel I guess it turned 16 she released an album earlier this year and she and I have been touring around a little bit where she sings and I teach and it's it's it's pretty pretty crazy man things are just really good and then Lisa who many of you love and miss and rightly so has just been an absolute gem she she just she's been filming a Bible study series for women that's getting released this fall she's just been just an amazing support disciple in all sorts of women out there with crazy needs and puts up with a husband that just you never know what's gonna happen next it's like hey I found this homeless lady and wife I bring her back you know it's just all right you trust her not really you know but I think we're supposed to okay you know it's just it's just life you know and and and I couldn't be more excited about where she is with the Lord and how she is ministering to people and caring for people and and just living out what she says she believes but like I said that there's just been so much peace and I I think of that passage in in first John right when I think of you guys in first John chapter 1 where where John's kind of almost beside himself he's trying to explain Jesus and he's saying this is this is why I'm writing to you guys he goes because I saw him I touched him and and then in verse 3 he says that which we have seen and her we proclaim to you so that you too may have fellowship with us and indeed our Fellowship is with the father and with his son Jesus Christ and we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete John's like man I'm I experienced Jesus like I have fellow it's crazy I talked to him he's right there with me I touched him and he goes and I'm writing this because this is gonna this is what's gonna make my joy complete because I'm telling you because this is gonna make my joy complete and there's so many times when I'm up in San Francisco like I've got this group of guys every morning we worship together incredible times of worship some of my favorite times are worship get in the word together share together you know get in our faces and pray to God and then we go and we hit the streets and just start ministering to people however we can and in there are times when I'm there that morning time where I I picture some of your faces I go I wish he could experience this I wish he could be in the room right now I wish you could all just get a glimpse of what goes on in that room because it's just such a powerful time in it and I think of that passage like oh this would make my joy complete if if I could get the people I love to experience something like this this is what I've been after it's I keep using that word peace like I go this is right this is right this is right this this feels like the Bible now it's the piece that I've lacked for so many years where I'd read this book and go gosh I don't feel like I'm on the mission like they were and now it's starting to get there as I go okay this feels right this feels good because I'm a very selfish self-centered person I wake up I think about myself I think about me and I don't like that about me and yet there are those times when I finally walk away from something I go good I finally did it because you I'll feel convicted about things you know you do it you you you hear a message or you read the Bible in the morning and you get convicted or you hear a message on the radio or in the Internet you get convicted but then you know sometimes you just ignore it you know you feel bad but you don't do anything and then sometimes we even make excuses and we'll justify why well you know even though I feel that conviction it probably doesn't really apply you know but then there's those times when you get so convicted you just have to do something like where you go you know what I need to actually act and when I look in Scripture I see that Satan doesn't mind you hearing the Word of God and being convicted by it as long as you don't act he doesn't mind you getting in Bible studies I'm in fact it's great he would love for you to get into Bible study study it over and over again cry together a hug together and then do nothing about it because then like James 1 says it's perfect oh good they're hearers of the word deceiving themselves and not doing what it says it's when it comes to action when there comes an actual I'm gonna do something about it that's when he hates it he hates action he hates change to actually do something I mean that's why what did John the Baptist preached what was the one word repent right what does repent mean does it it's about change turn go you're heading one direction you actually turn around and head the other direction that's what the message has always been was the first thing that Jesus preached repent the kingdom of heaven to change your ways change what's the first thing Peter preached on the day of Pentecost repent and be baptized it's always been this message of change like do something there's a repentance it's changed change change do something changed that was the message of John the Baptist that was Jesus it was Peter Obama it's just changed just kidding it's that idea but I was thinking about this and I I meant nothing by that it's just purely a joke okay in in Luke I was thinking about this it's it's the message you guys know of the rich young ruler remember and in Luke chapter 18 and he's like no I want to follow you I want eternal life he says well then sell everything you have and give it to the poor and what does it say it says he went away sad because he was rich right so he got convicted and he walked away sad and Jesus is like it's so hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven and then his disciples say well then who can be safe you could say it's difficult but what's impossible with man is possible with God and then what happens next chapter chapter 19 Jesus runs into Zacchaeus and it says specifically in verse 2 there was a man named Zacchaeus he was a chief tax collector and was rich now the rich guy Jesus tells them hey come down in the state your house when as a kazoo kiyose hears everything he says in verse 8 Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord behold Lord the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have defrauded anyone of anything I restore it fourfold and Jesus said to him today salvation has come to this house you see the difference you got two rich guys one guy he's looking at his stuff and he walks away convicted sad like oh I got a lot of stuff I don't know man and Jesus just goes off it's so hard for them to enter king of heaven and then you got another rich guy who jumps out of his tree go hey here's half of everything you know I own give it to the poor and I know ripped a bunch of people off I'll give you four times whatever I stole from you come in Jesus look okay salvation came to this house I know what I said was impossible with man it was just made possible with God right there right there rich man just as I could care less I get it you see what was the difference they both heard a message one went away sad and one just repented and did something and that's what God wanted you see that joy you see this like here it is here is I'm gonna do it I'm gonna do it and that's what life is all about I mean I I think so many times we come to church and we get convicted and we walk away sad because we're not repenting it's not like we're trying to make you feel terrible it's like no which if you change it would be great it'd be great because there's those times and I do it to where you know it's gonna cost something and so you go I don't know and you don't do I really execute I'm just saying the times I've actually done something man have been the greatest times in my life this church started because of that a point you ever get to that point where it's like I can't take it anymore something's got I love how Bill Hybels puts it he calls it a Popeye moment how many you guys some of you give young people even know who Popeye is how many know who Popeye is he watched okay good a lot of you okay pop I remember remember how he would get to that point like Bluto would be like throwing stuff at him and he would just look good you know but then there would come that point where he would get him so mad maybe did something to olive oil Oh remember the Hat and then finally what would he say he goes that's all I can stand because I can't stand no more remember that and hybels talked about that moment that popeye moment where he just pulls out this pinch forget this and he needs a Bluto I'm just done okay I can't take it anymore see there's those moments in life where you have such a lack of peace because you know you read this book you've been convicted convicted convicted it eats at you you push it away push it away you say forget it I can't take it anymore I'm just gonna change that's all I can take I can't take any more I've got a change and that's the key it's like okay forget here here's all my money here you take half of it here four times let's just get this thing over with I'm repenting I'm turning man I dis Church was a result of me at one point just finally going you know I'm tired of all the fighting in church man why are we arguing about why do I walk in and I don't know who hates who or or what's going on and then you know where's the money going with and I'm being told not to preach certain passages what are you talking about what do you mean don't talk about Hell what do me no mention that time I just want to be in a place where he's looking I just want to be in a room with people just just to teach the Bible to him and teach anything out of this book I just want to know that it's real and that we're really singing to him and so digital cave we start a church in our living room wherever I don't care I just can't take this anymore and that's how cornerstone started I remember times when I can't remember when I came back from Africa that first time with children's Hunger Fund and I came back I go I can't take it look at all this stuff we got honey look at this are you kidding after what I saw and then you know and then it's like we can't build this big giant monster mall Church you know let's just just worship from the grass you know remember that it's just it's like I can't take any more all my life I've known there's people that are starving I know there's people who have no clean water to drink I know there's people dying right now and yet I keep pushing off well but that's you know I don't know there's a reason why it's okay for me to live this way and for them that way and you get to this point where you go you know what I can't take it anymore I haven't felt right about this the whole time you know let's just start getting rid of stuff let's just purge this is simplify and let's just help man I remember when I came back from getting so convicted about the human trafficking and these kids being enslaved and it's just a sight I couldn't take it I couldn't sleep I kept thinking what if that was my kid that was kidnapped and I just thought there's no way I'll just walk on this stage and go hey guess what you know one of my kids was kidnapped being raped right now but that's cool let's turn to John chapter I couldn't do that it would be going nuts and so how can we just kind of go on with life we got to do something that's so cool to see different ones of you going yeah yeah let's do something let's do something to see the video this week of Shannon and everything that she started over there different ones some you know when I went to Thailand seeing al one of our guys who was so convicted just that you know what I'm just gonna move over there and take my family and my three foster kids because you guys were preaching foster system so I got three of them you know and when it's just I can't take it anymore I've got to do something I mean that was the other thing I'm so beautiful here the testimony of what happened in this room when we would look at James one and went away true religion is to care for the widows and the orphans it doesn't make sense that there are half a million kids in the foster system and no one will take them and yet supposedly a hundred million Christians in this country and no one wants the kids to care for those orphans and we started somebody started taking some foster kids in and it became this movement here and we start emptying out the foster system and people other places hear about in a way that actually makes sense remember Domingo and Irene that was in you know that we're in this in this congregation you just sat right about there and they collectively moved up north we get a bigger place and taking more foster kids you know I mean they're they're over 60 years old now and they took in 11 Oster kids adopted them you know and you know that makes sense in light of what this book teaches me it's fine like I can't take it anymore I'm just gonna go do it under and once you do it it's like ah this is so good this is so right but there's been a one area in my life that honestly I haven't had peace about in years and I just kept pushing it suppressing it and it's just become that time where you just go I gotta just change I got quit going away sad I quit feeling bad about it I gotta just change I just have to repent and that's this it's never made sense to me that I believe in hell and I am NOT warning people like crazy doesn't make sense I can justify it it's always bothered me that's always bothering me I remember when I first start Cornerstone and it was bothering me then like I still no actually go out and talk to people about Jesus and so I went to a very successful pastor in this area and I just closed the door I go hey I see you ever feel guilty like like right now shouldn't we be like out telling people about Jesus you ever feel guilty about that and he goes no like really because because France that's not really our job our job is to motivate the people and then they do it okay I like that I like that okay you know it's just ok ok you that that feels a little better yeah it's your job Oh stupids you know and it's like ok you know but it never felt right still does it make sense you know it doesn't make sense if I believe this and I don't tell my next-door neighbor I don't care how you justify it it just doesn't make sense and you can't be at peace with that and you try to push it off and everyone has their excuses that that's right I'm the pastor pastor doesn't evangelize doesn't share you know and then and then you guys come and like well that's not really our job that's your job pastor want you come to my workplace and share with my friends and and it just becomes this whole thing where it's like no no no you do you do you do it and bottom line is we're all supposed to be doing this it's the only thing that makes sense and we don't have peace about it when we're not it's it's always bothered us but we we blow it off or we make excuses or we come up with other ways to what we don't have to tell the people that we love the most important thing in our lives to what we don't talk to strangers about it and for me it's been a time where I just got rid of excuses quit suppressing it and just started sharing with people spent a lot of my days just knocking on doors trying to enter into conversation with people walking up to people on the street and understand okay I'm in like the inner city San Francisco the Tenderloin district bunch of druggies you know Street people and that's not to be admired because I go there because it's easier to start there it's easier to start with them because they have time it's just it's like prison ministry they got time you know you go and it's effective they're there at their end and you know here everyone's too busy and you just go man let me just I just got to get in the habit of telling strangers about the most important thing I got to just get in the habit of looking the eyes and start talking to them about what I believe and then hopefully as that happens it'll just become a regular pattern in life and then I can be in the suburbs and do the same thing but sometimes I'm just saying it's easier to start there I'm telling you there's a sense of peace a sense of piece where you're going finally ever one day just telling Lisa I go I think I shared the gospel with more people today than I did last year and it's so good I just can go to bed tonight and rest and go that's what he told me to do because it's a big deal you know sometimes we get so used to hearing messages and doing it nothing and disobeying that it just becomes pattern and it's a novelty when someone actually obeys but you understand that's not the way it's supposed to be I mean Jesus Jesus rose from the dead and remember what he says he goes all Authority every bit of authority so you don't listen to anyone else because every ounce of authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me you don't have to look at anyone you have to listen to anyone cuz every ounce of authority was just given to me I just rose from the dead to give you this command go and make disciples that's a big deal and it's a big deal when we don't I mean think about it you guys all were a lot of you work or have worked isn't it a big deal when your boss gives you an assignment and you choose not to do it some of you have never done that at work because that's a big deal your boss just told you to do that and you're not gonna do it that's massive some of you are employers that's a big deal when someone disrespects you like 10 right you said wait so you understood the assignment and you just didn't feel like doing it really you have the freedom to do that I mean you know how you feel when you're disrespected that way I'm just going here is the son of God going every ounce of authority in heaven and earth then give to me go make disciples and some of us in this room have never baptized anyone never made it Siple aren't even planning on it and I'm gonna it's a big deal and I know you don't feel peace about it and my goal is not that you walk away sad my goal is that you change it okay great great I'm gonna go for I'm gonna be OBT I'm gonna turn that's all I can stand that's all I can take I'm done I I hear you I hear you I've never felt bees about that either it's never made sense to me and I gotta take a step now I got to do something do something I love what Paul said Paul says in acts 20 verse 26 he goes I testified to you this day that I'm innocent of the blood of all four I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God Paul Paul had that piece where he goes oh I did it I just did it I just told you everything your bloods off my hands I can testify I didn't get scared I didn't shrink back here I said it man in those moments when I look a friend in the face or a neighbor in the face and go man I can't believe I've never told you this but I gotta just share it because it's driving me nuts is the most important thing in my life and I care about you so I gotta say it here it is and to be able to go home at night and go I did it I can't control whether they believe or not but I put it out there and that's that's a hard thing you want to try to control it you want to make it work you don't want to be rejected you don't want them to reject God worse those like don't reject them don't reject them and it kills you but the beautiful thing and going back to that why I want you with me on some of the things that I'm doing is you know Jesus says at the end of that you know go make disciples baptize them teach them to obey everything I commanded you and that last phrase and I'll be with you always I'll be with you I was reading through mark the other morning and the very last verse of mark after Jesus again gives his great commission and you know says go make disciples then in verse 20 of mark 16 it says and they went out and preached everywhere while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by accompanying signs it's like they went out and Jesus was right there with him this is after he ascended in heaven just like he says in Matthew 20 you just go start making this up secure so you go man I don't I don't feel his presence with me I don't I don't sense God right there I don't experience that intimacy and I got go war you're making disciples if you were out making disciples try and teach me will obey everything you'll experience that's when you're gonna experience his presence just like in mark man once they got out and says that Jesus actually worked with them you're not alone when you're out making disciples those who say I don't experience the Holy Spirit while the Holy Spirit was given you to be a witness you know wait for the gift he's gonna empower you to be a witness you want to experience his presence go get rid of all this guilt and just actually go and share and start living a life where you're actually obeying God on the mission doing it enough excuses and you'll experience him and that's the thing that I've gotten to do is see God do I miss the relationships and the love I miss it dearly but the Peace of actually being on the mission and finally going I'm doing it and the presence of Christ that I get to experience so that you're not alone yeah was at this one guy's house knocked on his door you know he's smoking pot drinking everything else a guy that have gotten to know and we start talking and I don't know something hit me when I when I just casual conversation like how old are you anyways and he goes he was I'm 59 15 he didn't looked at all fifteen nine I go man you're not gonna live very much longer I'm serious I mean I go wow how much longer you think you're gonna live look at the way you're living and I just started freaking out going man I like you man do you are you ready to see God 59 are you ready to see God and he just goes yeah no you're not you're not I promise you you're not I mean I just was like I promise you you're not writing that you know and I just went to Isaiah six like a dino even the prophets like you think there's no way you know and you know suddenly you see bumps on his arm because whoa I just lost my hi I'm sorry sorry about that you know but it's just you know I could just start laying it out and you know and I could when do you believe this do you believe that she kind of believed this and laying hands on him praying over him you know gives us life to the Lord you know gets baptized and you know bring him over to our house because it actually was gonna be his 59th birthday and you brought his crack pipes and a hammer and just buried in our backyard the kids and I sang happy birthday you know bottom presents and you know hoods II explained with the you know stay in and just whatever and crazy things oh he's just gonna pray for me pray for me the first of the month is coming I've been good for a while but the first a month is crazy because that's when we get our paychecks everyone goes nuts on the first of the month two days before you're already dreaming and plotting of all the things you're gonna do it's been a cycle for years this guy's been addicted for 40 years and so I'm thinking we will pray for you but I'll do better than that first of the month I'm gonna go to his house I'm gonna pick him up in the morning I'm not gonna let this guy loll handcuffed him to myself I need to you know seriously because I'm going not gonna let my brother fall you know and but then first a month March first comes in and I get the flu and I'm just sick as a dog and I'm just gonna I can't get up I can't get up oh no no James just gonna he's gonna smoke crack again you and then one of the volunteers is you know kid errands I go hey I'm gonna go visit James oh good good good you know hang up in the back of my mind I'm like what's Aaron gonna do you know this guy's been addicted 40 years he needs Francis Chan you know seriously I gotta admit some of these thoughts go through my head like Aaron some 20 year old K and written any books yeah and so you just start going he needs me you know and just stupid stuff going through your head end of the day I get this call from Aaron he's just like lit up like you'll never believe what happened he goes man I I took it over to the bank we put his money on this and we couldn't you know give the drug dealers you know and then he told me about you know how he had been clean on the first of a month he goes in at least 20 years there's no way not at least 20 years he goes so I say let's go celebrate so so you know I go let's let's go to dinner and he was like in on my iPhone so I look for this one place you know and end up at this forget let's just go to this Popeyes right here at this corner we sit down have some fried chicken you know because I'm walking through the Bible with him I got to teach him Romans six through eight and walked through the whole thing with them that looked at him I go man when did this all start for you and and you know James just goes man if I was 19 years old when it started because I was 19 because my boss actually brought cocaine to work he goes and I dad I'd smoke pot a little bit of drank a little bit but I just wanted to try it and he goes and once I tried it because I fell in love with it I couldn't get enough of it and now for 40 years I've been addicted to this and he goes but I'll never forget the first time I tried it because because I was uh he was I was working at this restaurant and he was the owner or manager and he was I was the dishwasher cook guy and I remember because he put me brought me to the back room and there were lines down and and he goes it was in here it's just $5.99 to visit air oh yeah he just freaks out this used to be named the restaurant it was right there it goes for 40 years it started here and God had me in this desert for 40 years then he brings me back to the very place where it all started to deliver me after 40 years if I ever doubted God I will never doubt him again yeah and he and you know Aaron's is on the floor you know just telling me this story things like that and you know Tom another guy just drunk out of his mind forever you know police what I thought it was dead you know he's just drunk I took him to the hospital on and on been trying to share the gospel with him finally you know gives his life to the Lord and my friend Christians this is I don't know why I feel like I'm just to read this passage to you I don't I don't know why this let me read it to you you knows Daniel he goes Daniel 5 was about Nebuchadnezzar Nebuchadnezzar he how God you remember him he got cocky and and turns him into this beast and for seven years he's just you know nails grow out just freak you know and then at the end of the seven years he says he regained his reasoning and Tom just goes how did you know to read that it's like I don't know I just read Tom's like do you know that Memorial Day will be seven years for me seven years ago Memorial Day I moved out here on that day and have just lived as an absolute beast drunk out of my mind just try and forget everything and the thing I've been wrestling with is because I feel like God abandoned me and I kept wondering will he ever bring me back will he ever accept me and then you read this story about a guy who for seven years was abandoned by God and then at the end of the seven years his reasoning returned how did you know to read that tell you about Carla Carla was another dow who just no church background whatsoever and back was hurting i prayed for her and she just looks at me goes you were freaking me out right now she's like look at me I don't feel anything you are freaking me out it's just and I go it's cool huh you know it's just stuff like that that would start happening I mean tom was a result it's always a result of James because after James gave his life to the Lord we said man you've been a Christian too weak you got to start praying for other people and started ministering to them and he goes you was just picked one guy in your apartment he goes okay I'll pray for Tom and two hours later Tom he would get a call from James because he'll never believe it Tom just knocked on my door he's never knocked on my door he knocked on my door and asked me for prayer what in the world is going on I go what I tell you this real isn't it and they're experiencing this stuff to see my daughter experiencing some of this you know some friends came to visit her up in San Francisco she takes him to in and out over there by Fisherman's Wharf and as they go in to get their burger she sees a homeless lady and just asked her can I get you a burger and she's like sure this Rachael goes in gets her a cheeseburger comes back out and says can I eat with you can I sit with you as you eat yeah it's like sure Rachael start sharing about Jesus to this guy you know the scale and then the girl just goes it's really weird this is really weird that you're telling me about Jesus because two months ago someone told me about Jesus and when you were walking up I was trying to think about because this guy was talking about Jesus and then he started telling me about some pastor that moved up here from this LA area and how I should go visit his ministry in the Tenderloin you know and she goes when you walked up I was literally trying to remember what the name of that pastor was my daughter's just like as if Francis Chan yes that's it you know him you know it's just this moment where Rachel could look at this lady and go okay do you think there's any chance as as coincidence that you're trying to figure out the name of a guy of my dad when I walk up or is God trying to get your attention you know just a couple weeks ago it's talking with this so homeless lady and I just knew the Lord wanted me to stay whether you know there's moments where it's like I'm not supposed to leave I'm supposed to just keep talking and keep probing and I don't know something was happening and I just kept asking more questions more questions at one point I finally go I could be totally off but it seems like you used to know God when you're younger didn't you you used to believe in Jesus didn't you she just starts crying and I said you've been miserable because you've been fighting fighting it fighting it she's crying and then she finances just yeah I grew up in the church I was that kid that didn't I just could do no wrong and here she is living in a shelter and everything she goes but I I did I grew up in church I loved God I was so into everything she was when I graduated high school I became a lifeguard at a Christian camps because for six years I was a lifeguard at this place called human lake I'm like what like oh I taught at Hume Lake for 20 years in a row she's like who are you I go Frances you're Frances you know it was just like oh I knew it I knew I was supposed to sit here and listen to your story I mean don't you see how God's trying to pull you back and you know and just these things that happen where he's gone man the conference Narracott was here economist ER and I I'd love to tell you all those people repented and are walking with the Lord today but it's not true some of them experienced miracles right there and decide to go back to their sin and it breaks your heart there's no guarantee that they're going to turn with the t is is that Jesus will be with you just the signs will accompany you you'll see wow this is cool you know yeah they didn't repent and I would love that and it breaks my heart but I know Jesus with me and I'm seeing him every day and I'm experiencing him and that's what I think of when I think of that first John passages like I want you all to experience the supernatural this is not like oh well that's unique to you Francis no no this is what God has for all of us if we would go out and try to make disciples try lift up the name of Jesus get rejected we get I wish I could tell you all these wonderful stories there hasn't been a ton of repentance out there there hasn't been it's not glamorous I can't tell you man I got a church this size now you know and they're all like no most of the people that got baptized or whatever went right back to their junk breaks my heart and heart gets broken day after day that's rough but the presence of crisis with you and there's a peace and it's like okay this is good this is good I'm experiencing you and nothing compares to that you know that's what some of you needed to hear but I just gotta share one last thing for some of you um one of the things I've learned being out there I've learned so many things but one of the things has been just how awful sin is like see living here you don't often see the end result of sin you just see a next step and and I remembered when I lived here since still looked a little glamorous to me and you get tempted by things out there when you see a guy drunk out of his mind diarrhea all over himself laying on the street you don't think oh man that's what I want to be there's nothing attractive to it the end of those addictions it's like oh and when you talk to them it all started with a party it all started was just a casual it was just this I just wanted to try it I'm not gonna become one of those guys no one ever plans on that and it's the same you know even sexual sin suddenly is so ugly because you find these people they're just trying anything turning themselves on in any way possible now I just go wow that is so gross now so I see the end result and I love that my kids are growing up and seeing the end result people talking to themselves crawling around you know just begging for money just going that's that's that and that's not even the very end I I tell the people out there I go I feel like you're in a giant toilet you know and and at first you jumped in cuz you saw that outer rim and it was like it's like one of those lazy rivers you know who that looks fun you know and you're like oh this is fun and you don't even realize you're getting sucked down further and further and the longer you're in there the harder it is to swim out and now you're at the very bottom and it's not fun anymore now it's just panic time I'm about to get flushed down and it's about to get a lot worse and I feel like man some of us are on that Outer Rim thinking man that's kind of attractive some of you ladies that suddenly someone's paying attention to you on Facebook and you're going man this is kind of fun someone actually thinks I'm attractive someone is paying more attention to me than my husband this this I'll never cheat on my husband I'll never leave him I would never leave my kid but just just let me just jump in there and paddle around for a little bit let me just take the next step I'll never let it go further than this I mean I'm not one of those I'm just going to look at the computer just this one time just one glance at this this poor Negreanu but I'm not gonna be one of those addicts where I'm 40 years old still looking on you know naked girls on the computer and playing with myself I'm not gonna be that I'm just I'm just having a couple of drinks it's just casual it's just like this does this you know it's just to fit in it's it's not it's not a sin it's not it's just a little bit of weed and then it just relaxes me and it's just that next step and I'll never be one of those that's what all these guys thought and you see the end result of it and I think there's some of you right now that are playing with fire and you know it and my prayer is that you don't walk away sad but you do as a kiyose and go you know what you're right I'm deleting that off of you're no longer a facebook friend you're you know whatever let me get a filter on the internet let me break off this relationship I'm lying to myself I'm more addicted than I thought I was I'm greedier than I thought I was I gotta just do something see Satan would be thrilled if you walked away sad today come and I'm really convicted by his message we had that week after week after week that's the rich young ruler man I'm really convicted by that message man that message makes me really sad I'm calling man I just want people to have a Zacchaeus moment a Popeye moment where we just go okay I've never felt right about this I just want to have peace again or maybe for the first time in my life and for me it meant ditching my normal lifestyle and going out and doing some of the things that I hate to do and taking a step in doing something uncomfortable others of you it means walking away because you're thinking you're going to take one more lap but every lap gets you closer and closer to the bottom and I've just seen Satan's plan I feel like I look him in the eyes every day out there and if he's just thinking I got these people it's too late for them I got oh my god I mean sometimes I think sometimes there are days when I just think I think it is too late for them if I'm honest with you sometimes I just feel like giving up like you're so far down there to pull you out of this thing but what's impossible with man is possible with God I'm just looking at you guys and saying please don't you know how many divorces I've seen in this room and no one ever thought it would go to that how many bad relationships where we just were hanging out as friends and then yet it just repent and repent and it's hard but don't go away sad today make this a Zacchaeus moment where you go you know what you're right I haven't had peace about this I'm done I'm walking away and rejoice with the rest of us so we have a worship set and we're gonna sing but some of you the worst thing you can do is sing a song and forget about the change that God wants to take place right now some of you you need to just tell someone that's why we have the prayer room up here is maybe today's a day where you go you know what I'm done I can't stand anymore I go to bed every night and I know I'm not living the way God wants me to so it never occurred to me to actually change and I want to do it now help me help me change others of you maybe you've resisted God because you've been like that rich young ruler because you know what it means what you'd have to turn away from to go into the waters of baptism to repent to die to yourself and say I'm gonna follow Jesus now but maybe today you're going you know what I'm done I'm not gonna take another lap in this thing pull me out Jesus get me out of here I want to follow you and give your life to Jesus today get baptized today it would be amazing but let me let me pray for you before we worship God I get so sad Lord when I see people that I know know that you are real they've experienced miracles they've seen the supernatural and then yet they still walk away sad because they're not ready to turn and God only your Holy Spirit can cause what happened with Zacchaeus and make it a real thing where there's action and so father right now I ask that you would open the eyes of the blind that you give ears to the Deaf and that people will just get it right now and realize the cycle that Satan's had them over and over and over again God and then today would be the day they would trust in the power of your Holy Spirit to really empower them to turn and actually change God you know how much I love the people in this room god I just pray that they were that they would truly repent and turn and experience you and enjoy you now and forevermore in Jesus name we pray amen

Channel: SermonIndex.net

Views: 101,362

Rating: 4.8432055 out of 5

Keywords: Revival, Character Of God, Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, SermonIndex, What Is The Truth, Francis Chan

Id: wDY0iM7aRR4

Length: 52min 11sec (3131 seconds)

Published: Tue Apr 09 2013