Making Sense of Your Life — Francis Chan

All right it is. It is really cool to be back. I had no idea how emotional is gonna get during worship and You know, I've been speaking everywhere but there's something about coming into this room and Hey, how's it going?

And just remembering everything that took place in this room and many of your lives where you gave your life to the Lord and and Some of you that I baptized in that in that. Whatever you call it, it's just.

It's just so much just came flooding back and there's just something about this place. I I I miss it so much. I miss you so much. I talk to people and I you know, and and I I forget how unique This congregation is as I speak in other places and I and I deal with issues and other churches.

And I I just keep pointing back to cornerstone. I go man. No the elders there. Here's what they do and they're like what really I go. No, really isn't everyone like this? No, you know and and just to come back in the room and just the sense the spirit in the room and the worship.

It's just it's just I can't even explain what it feels like. I didn't even realize how long I've been gone. You know, I know I spoke by video and they've done little things but. But I haven't preached in here since last May and so it's just kind of overwhelming to just come and see everyone's faces.

And it's so good to see your faces again, and I don't even know where to start. It's like everything I'd planned just kind of went out the window as usual. I guess I'll just kind of give a little bit of an update starting with just my own walk with the Lord.

Experiencing God's Love Through Answered Prayer

It's just been amazing. I I Feel it's so I'm just so loved by God. It's it blows my mind sometimes. These last few months the things I pray for I it's it's always been this thing. Where I pray and then God answers and you're like, wow, you know and again and again again.

Like I'm just seeing the supernatural all of the time, but it it's even gotten beyond that lately. It feels like God now answers prayers that I didn't even pray. You know like well if I thought to pray that I would have prayed that but I didn't even pray that and you still answered.

It's just it's almost like you almost feel like a kid who's who's asking dad for these things and then dad just Spoils you and says, okay, you can have that you can have that and by the way, you didn't even ask for this.

But I went and bought you this while you were gone. It's it. I feel like this spoiled kid before the Lord like God. Are you kidding me? You know, I just it just seems like on a daily basis. I'm just in awe of God and as I'm reading his word I'm I Just feel more loved by by Jesus than ever when I read this book and I I Feel like I understand the gospel in an even greater way and you know from Genesis all the way to Revelation I'm going look at how much you love the world.

Look at how much you you know. You just wanted the best for Adam and Eve. You just wanted the best for them and they they went their own way and you went after them and you you know. And then then what you did with no one just saying, you know, I'm gonna start over man.

Start over and this family and and just over and over all through the judges and over the Kings. It's like everyone wandering away from God and there's just this awesome being up there. It just keeps bringing everyone back bringing everyone back and then finally culminating in Jesus himself.

Say I'm gonna redeem this place and redeem this world and and just to go God. Why would you do that? And then in everyday life just even silly things where you go Lord. Why do you even care about that?

Why do you care about this? Why are you so good it even a couple months ago? I'm in my bed and I'm praying and I got to the point where I Couldn't even sleep. I was so excited to be in love with God, you know.

It's it's like I remember when I first started dating my wife, you know, how you you know. When you first fall in love, you know, then it gets old but you know, you know, I'm kidding. I'm kidding, but it's different.

It's just different. It's deeper. It's richer, but but. But you know how you that that initial like giddiness like I can't believe she's going out with me and you just can't even sleep. That's the way I've been feeling with God lately.

Like I can't believe you love me. You know, it's the where I'm waking up in the middle night going the God of the universe. Where you know when one night I couldn't sleep and and so I just started counting.

Counting breaths like every time I would breathe in as I would exhale I go God. Thank you for giving me that breath because every you know, it says you alone are immortal. You're the only one that gives life.

Thank you for that one I wouldn't you know and just to be communicating with the one that gives me every single breath and saying God. You got to be kidding me and then to think that you know me and you love me and the way you're answering my prayers I'm just I'm just stunned I'm just amazed by this God all over again and and it's just been great and I hope the same is true for you because.

That's what I pray for you. Oh god, I go as I'm apart from these people now that. And for those who don't know me I just realized a lot you don't even know who I am because you came. My name is francis and uh, I used to be a pastor here for a little while.

Um, Like 16 years and uh but uh, it's it's just. It's just been so good. Um family's doing really well. Uh at last time I was here in may I announced that lisa was pregnant and uh, you know, sadly. It was like a week or two later that we had a miscarriage um.

But then it was a week or two later. She got pregnant again. And uh, so we're we're uh, we're due in may um with our fourth girl, um. Yeah, don't clap for that. Um, it's uh, it's i'm kidding. No, it's great.

It's great. It's great. I like girls. Um, I just feel bad for my son. He just. But uh, but i'm i'm cool with it. I love my girls. Um. What else? Uh. We're uh, we're in the process. We're trying to figure out this adoption with a kid out in uh in china.

Also, just uh, there's a kid out there. You've been praying for that for our family. He's a special needs. He's paralyzed weighs down and and it just doesn't seem like the future's looking too bright for him.

Um out there and so we're trying to work some things out there um. Two weeks ago, we moved to san francisco. Um, so that's where we've landed. Uh at this point. I just really believe the lord's called me out there.

I can't explain everything um. As you know, it's not exactly a churched area, uh san francisco. It's not really known for its christianity um, but I I kind of wanted to be in a place where I I just would have to depend on god to for anything Good to happen and uh, which is true of everywhere, but it seems extreme there and but also that's where my mom lives and I I haven't done a great job with being a son and Honoring her and my older brother's been taking care of her and helping her out and and I talked to some of you.

Um, some of you take care of your parents and you tell me about how your siblings don't help out. I'm, always like yeah, what a jerk, you know, it's all on you and I never really thought wow. That's what I do.

And uh, so it's it's kind of good to not be a hypocrite there. Um uh. Helping my brother out in san francisco and working with him he works with the inner city and people in recovery and and uh trains them to be pastors and uh, Working with some inner city pastors and just discipling some guys now out there and and really just loving it just um.

The transition's been amazing for all the kids all jump back into public schools and you know here they are in a foreign environment totally different, but everyone just it's like first day of school second day of school and they're in and um, It's it's it's different completely different neighborhood.

My kids are considered the white kids. Um, seriously, everyone is asian. They're all chinese filipinos. So lisa stands out. Like a sore thumb like now, you know how I felt and see me. Okay. And uh. But it's uh, it's it's it's good.

Um, yeah, it's it's just i'm Very confident that it's where the lord has me right now. Uh, and he shows me signs every day and has things work out in crazy ways and because there are days there are days when I just I I hurt I I I miss this so much.

This was uh, this was my life in so many ways and um. Uh, but now that i'm in san francisco, you know, my hope is i can come back here pretty regularly and and just uh, Keep sharing what god's doing in my life.

Keep giving you um updates on what god's doing in the ministry up there and uh, you know, I I I think about you guys a lot and and so I think that's why it's kind of overwhelming to see your faces because i'll pray for you and some of you I Don't even know your names, but I I picture your faces and I go.

Oh that lady, you know, god, you know what i'm talking about. Um, and and just you know her and and him. Yeah that one that always sat in the back I couldn't tell if he was for real, you know, whatever, you know, you know who i'm talking about this and that and uh,.

And and I I sometimes wonder I go. I wonder what's going on in his life or her life and um. And every once in a while I'll get an update from someone and hear good reports or or sad reports and because life just changes and then about a week ago, I saw this, uh, youtube video.

From a guy in our church, uh that moved. I don't know if you guys remember dennis who used to do the donuts every sunday morning and uh. And he hasn't been here. He moved to alabama and I just recently saw this youtube video that he made Uh for his church out there.

Dennis’s Faithfulness in the Face of ALS

And ended up emailing and reconnecting with him, but I wanted you guys to watch just the first like two and a half minutes of it so we're going to show that on the screen because it just.

My name is dennis googly almaddy. I was diagnosed with als or allu gering's disease in january of 2009. Als is a motor neuron disease which causes the nerve cells and muscles to die. This leads to total paralysis and eventually death.

My form of the disease is called bulbar als affecting speech and swallowing first. Eventually, it will affect all muscle groups. Life expectancy is two to five years after diagnosis. I first noticed a mild quivering in my upper lip in the summer of 2008.

And my speech began to slur by october. Now my speech is too difficult to understand and I use electronic means to communicate. It took a year, but the deterioration of my speech eventually caused me to retire from my job in california.

I was the senior vice president of learning and organization development for a 53 billion dollar developer the largest in the world. I had always planned to retire in alabama, but never anticipated that it would be so soon.

Instead of visiting my family for christmas. I moved here having abruptly given up my career. Friends in church. It may sound weird to some but jesus has put a peace in my heart being faced with this fatal diagnosis.

As christians we all face adversity. It would be easy to give up. However, I believe jesus has given me opportunities to witness to others because of my illness. Don't think I don't have thoughts of why me?

Why now? Let this cup pass but regardless of these thoughts. I am reminded that things happen in jesus perfect timing. We embrace death as christians not accept it. Death is a gift because we get to see the glory of god in the face of jesus.

As paul said for to me to live is christ and to die is gain. It brings joy to god when we remain absolutely confident in him. No matter what we are facing.

Yeah, I remember, you know because I walked through the lobby obviously every sunday morning and I remember that first sunday. He just said I don't know what's happening. I don't know. You know my speech is starting to slur and no one understands i've been to doctors and each week it would get worse and worse.

And and I didn't really know what happened and you know, and then I see that video and I go wow you know, it just it's just it was it was just weird to me again and reminded me and I. And when I saw that and I was able to email him and see how his faith in jesus was and to see his joy.

Still in his confidence you go. Okay. Gosh, that's just what I want because everything just changes overnight. You know what? I mean? It's like one day everything's fine the next sunday I go to get my little coffee and donut and suddenly he's talking a little funny and he goes.

Yeah, I don't know. I don't know if I got the flu or something like that and pretty soon. It's just like okay. It's it's it's over um it's it's uh. We don't know what's left and and so let's deal with it now.

Let's finish it up now and it's so good to see that video online and go. You know what? Praise god you're using this for his glory and praise god that you're you're facing death and and and like you said you embrace it like for me to live is christ and to die is gain and you get it and and I I just it.

It was awesome. Um. There's part of me where I thought gosh, why didn't I spend more time with that guy? You know, why didn't I um I'd get a quick update, but i'd always be rushing in here say hi to everyone else and then you think man Why didn't I just spend five minutes?

Each sunday, that's it you know and just Really get the down low on what's going on and and and maybe he would he would explain all that or maybe he told me but I was just so rushing through and I just emailed him and Apologized and and just kept thinking man.

Why don't I just why didn't you just spend five minutes? Um. You know. Just just regrets and stuff like that. But then my mind started thinking and I started calculating what if I gave everyone five minutes a week and I realized That's not enough time.

Like even if I didn't sleep or eat It would take a week and a half. I just mathematically figured that out the other night and I thought okay. So it's just if I if I gave everyone five minutes, it would take it would take 10 days.

Without sleeping or eating or talking to anyone else or doing anything else just if you were curious um. But it was you know, I I it was a sense of sadness there's a sense of joy but life just changes and.

Living in Light of Eternity

And as and as I prayed for you guys, um. It's it's the same prayer. It seems like from the start I I just pray that your life would make sense in light of eternity. I think the first illustration I ever did was that goofy rope with little red part on it and Talking about how your life is a vapor and here's this tiny little part of our time on earth and then these miles of eternity and We're so consumed with this little red part this like and so worried about the very edge.

And what's our retirement going to be like and forgetting about the millions of years afterwards? Um. The passage I want us to look at today is philippians 1 verse 27 and 28. It says this. Whatever happens Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of christ.

Then whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence I will know that you stand firm in one spirit contending as one man for the faith of the gospel. Without being frightened in any way by those who oppose you.

This is a sign to them that they will be destroyed but that you will be saved and that from god. Will you just pray with me for a moment? Father may we walk out of this room amazed by you. And you alone amazed by your gospel.

And love with jesus all over again. Even now god may it be about you. Not the novelty of someone coming home or whatever else everything's got to be about you. I'm just knowing you. I pray for those in this room who don't really know you.

I pray for those who think they know you but really don't have a clue. Father may you show them how good you are. May you open their eyes to the beauty of your gospel. And father for those who love you and know you may they just be so encouraged and just even love you more.

When we're done today. Amaze us with your word. With your power. The power of the word and how it just is going to cut through our souls. Amaze us with your holy spirit in jesus name. Amen. So he says whatever happens conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of christ.

That's that's the main phrase. I want to focus on it's like he wants our lives. To be worthy of the gospel of christ. This is something i'm constantly evaluating in my life. I'm looking at the gospel.

Living a Life Worthy of the Gospel

I'm looking at this book the good news about god. Our creator. The one that that woke you up this morning. The one that got you in this room. The one that's allowing you to take your next breath that god and his love for you and everything he wants for you.

And he just wants to shepherd you. He just wants to be your father and you to be his kid his child. Just listen to him. It's for your good and he keeps Sacrificing and giving to woo you to him. He warns you of what it would be like apart from him.

He does everything to draw you to himself. Here's almighty god. You know the only creature that really matters. And and the only being with any true power and life in himself who's in charge of all eternity and and for him to Sacrifice for me for you to give his son and say, you know what?

He's gonna die for all of your sin in light of this beautiful Picture of him returning any moment now him coming back to judge the world in light of all that in light of him. Bringing you into heaven and showing you riches like you can't even imagine like oh you think you're rich now, you know.

Look at what you have. Waiting for in light of all of this. He says now live your life in a way that makes sense. Like if you really believe that what should your life look like. I'm always evaluating my life and going gosh.

My life doesn't really make sense in this area if I believe this. Why am I doing this? That's what this is saying is just live your life. I'm here's this beautiful story and and if you believe it There ought to be changes in your life, right?

I mean don't we all do this where we look at certain things in our lives and we go that really doesn't make sense. It doesn't it doesn't make sense. I I thought of this. Uh. This illustration you guys you guys remember these did you ever use these wrong?

Yeah in the olden days they they uh, it um. Now you like weigh things others of you guys use this for drugs and stuff. But um, you know you have uh I was never in that world. But um. Because they still use that for that, right.

All right, um 11 o 'clock they'll know uh it uh. But it's the idea this idea of of worthy. Okay, the idea of worthy is. You know, you would pretend this is you the idea here's you and here's your life.

You know, you put it on one side of the scale. And then it says that the idea of worthy is equal weight. Here's the the the truth of what you've learned. And the beauty of this gospel it says if you put the gospel on this one side and then put your life on the other.

Is your life of equal value of equal worth? Are you living a life? Look at the way you're living. Is it worthy of this truth? You say you believe. Or does it look like this? Where it's just out of balance where you go, man, I say I believe.

That man any moment i'm going to stand with god and and and all of this won't even matter except what I did for him. But well, then look at your life. Does that does it does it really equal to the truth you say you believe?

You say you believe that you've got this redemption from god and you've been forgiven and everything's been taken care of. Well that do people see that on your face then or is this this joy of this equal?

I mean you're you're you're telling people you communicate with god almighty. You're telling people that you've got you're not like them because god god's spirit is inside of you. He used to not be but now god dwells inside of you.

The spirit of him who raised jesus from the dead is inside of your body. Now you believe that truth that you're a completely transformed being well does your life? Match up to what you say you believe.

Or or are the scales just not where he says whatever whatever you do. Live your life in a way in a way that's that's equal to what you say you believe. I mean another thing that I think of okay, according to this book.

There's this place called hell. There's this this lake of fire and and and and you just think okay. Does my life look like I really believe that there's a place like that? You know when people look at my life could they tell that there's an urgency to what I do and how I live.

They see that there's a joy and a peace because I know the god of the universe. Do they look and do they say wow? He really believes that that his god could come back any time I can I can see it in his life.

And that's why paul says whatever you do. Just make it match up. He goes. It's not about This form or that form. I don't care where you work. I don't care this that where you live. He goes just have your life make sense.

Live in a way that's in a manner. That's worthy of the gospel of christ and I would see things in my life where I go man, I. It doesn't seem like it makes sense. It seems like the weight of the gospel is far Stronger and and uh, and and so you look at the things in your life and go gosh, what doesn't make sense?

Sacrificial Choices and Following God’s Call

A Lot of you guys know that I I I took the family and I just pulled everyone out of everything and said, you know. Let's just go to asia for a while. And if the lord calls us there, let's just stay there.

Let's just sell everything and let's just go to asia. And um and. And if we're supposed to stay in india, let's stay in india. And then if not, we'll move on to thailand. We'll stay in thailand. Let's just stay there.

We got nothing holding us back, you know, and it's and then let's go to china, you know, and if if.