Living Unpredictably — Francis Chan

You guys remember me. At the beginning of last service someone tapped me on the shoulder and said hey do you guys know do you know when Todd's gonna be back? Yeah, I did a great job. I've been listening every week on the on the on the podcast and you know.

It's just so awesome to hear the Word of God being taught here like week after week see because I I spent my summer traveling to all these different places and teaching in different places and the sad thing about it was All these places they heard me preach.

They're like, wow, I've never heard anything like that before. You know, we don't normally hear the Word of God just being taught like straight out of the Bible just word-for-word. Here it is and and and we forget we forget that this doesn't happen everywhere.

I'm listening to the podcast going man. It's the Word of God every week, you know I'm just laying it out laying it out laying it out. We're so used to it, but we forget man. There's just a world out there and and and teaching the Bible is not real popular nowadays.

But what's it? What was what I really loved though was when you teach it that people are actually hungry for it. They actually want it. It's one worship leader after my last session at this one conference, I Loved his prayer.

He said he said God, thank you so much for this weekend. He said thank you for tearing down everything. We believed about you and Replacing it with truth. Wow, what a great statement. Thank you for tearing down Everything we believed about because everyone has these beliefs about God and I think he should be this way.

God should be this way. But then when you open up the Bible says no, this is what he says about himself. It's like wow, that's the truth then that's what he says about himself and. Well, I just had the greatest summer of my life.

It was so so good and so fruitful. But but if you guys remember when I left and that it's been three months now when I left I really just wanted to. Primarily I want to know two things God's will for my life and God's will for Cornerstone Church.

Seeking God's Will for the Church

Remember I was preaching through Colossians. So I'm not really preaching through. I made it through one sermon and and they're in Colossians 1. When it's it talks about how Paul prayed for the Colossian Church that they would know God's will.

That they would understand God's with the things that God Desired the things that God wanted and we talked about how. Everyone has a will for your life. Everyone wants things from you. They desire this they desire that for example right now if my two-year-old had it her way.

She would desire for me to be at the park with her right now my six-year-old, you know. She has a will for my she'd love for me to be at home playing clue or you know, whatever, you know. My my ten-year-old would love for me to be taking her to the mall and buying her whatever she wants.

You know. Everyone's got a will a desire, you know different people or catch me a lobby. Hey, can you meet with me? Can you meet with this person you meet with that person, you know, this is what I'd like you to do with your time.

Everyone has something they'd like you to do with your time. Your parents want you to be doing certain things your kids want you to be doing certain things your friends want you Church wants you to then you want to you know, there's things you want to do right now.

And and to to somehow surrender all of that and say, okay God doesn't matter all these other voices. What do you want. And we talked about that and and I had friends of mine come up to me after service and say, you know.

What I'm not gonna lie to you. I don't want to know God's will. I mean that that would scare me to know exactly where God would have me go this afternoon if he had total control and where I would live and what I would drive and eat and If I knew God's will he says I think he would freak me out.

So I'd rather not know and. And I I think that's true for most of us so that when we get to the end we go. I didn't know you wanted me to do all that and I know you want me to love them that much and you know it's kind of this naivety, it's kind of you know this blessing and and as I thought about that I thought wow, I feel some of those things and.

And I didn't feel right being the pastor if that's the way I thought like I was scared of God's will and so really. This these these three months have been a time for me to surrender to God and say God, okay anything.

Anything I want your will I trust you. Okay. What do you desire anywhere on this earth? Where do you want me to be? What do you want me to live? What do you want me to give how do you want me to live?

I really want to do it. I'll take my family wherever you lead me to and. Same with the church if you want me a cornerstone, then what what do you want of this church? We'll do just anything just kind of surrender that and search out the scriptures and well in regards to the church.

You know, I mean, these are very important questions. I mean, do you care what God wants of? You or do you just want to know a few things or do you want the whole deal? Like exactly where would you what would you want me to do?

And when it came to the church, you know, I I thought back it's maybe kind of weird but as I was praying through the church I thought about something I said and I shared with you guys right before I left since Jehovah's Witness came to my door and and.

Testing Religious Claims Against Scripture

And I was thinking about that conversation. This is what God brought to my mind okay, Joe's witness knocks on my door if there's in here story and you know bad bad door to knock on and and and and he says hey if you heard of us and if you heard of what we believe and what do you think of Us and I I said I have heard of you and honestly, I think what you're doing is awful.

I Think is absolutely terrible what you're doing. You are belittling my God. You're belittling who Jesus Christ is. He's my Savior. This is the Son of God the Bible says that that he is all the deity.

You know all the fullness of the deity in bodily form that it's about equality With God and everything that God is Jesus is and you are going around telling people that he's just another archangel and He goes no.

No, we're not saying just another archangel. There's only one archangel, you know Michael is the only archangel and I said well Open your Bible turn to Daniel chapter 10 verse 13. And you know, he opens it and I go read it for me and it says Michael one of the chief princes.

As you're saying Jesus is Michael who is one of the chief princes plural so he's just like one of these angels and he goes why I never knew that and I and I said here's my point I Go, of course, you didn't know that I go because you weren't taught that I said, here's the thing I'm most concerned about.

I said there is no way on earth. You can look me in the eye right now and Tell me that you open the Bible for yourself you studied it for yourself. Pray to God God help me understand the truth of this word.

And then you close that book and said I figured it out. Jesus is really Michael one of the archangels I know there's no way no one no one does that you can't get that from the book the reason why you believe what you believe is because someone fed it to you and Someone said here here's what you're supposed to believe on and on and on and I am NOT telling you to listen to me.

I'm not gonna feed you anything right now. I'm not and I'm telling you not to listen to these people that you're walking around the streets with. I'm telling you open up the Bible for yourself and read it and you decide.

What does it say? And he left the house and he said, you know, I learned something today. I'm like great and I'm gonna pray for you now. I'd that story came to my mind because when I was trying to figure out God, what is your will for the church?

I thought to myself. Okay, let me be fair to that guy. I Told him and just open up the Bible whatever it says you would never get that. You know, you were fed this and I started to think wait a second.

What what about me? What if what if I had never think about this and applies to yourself? What if you had never attended a church service in your life? Anywhere you'd never been to church. Okay, just imagine that right now you have never been to church.

You've never experienced anything like this and All you did was read the Bible. Okay, what if all you did was read the Bible? And you get to book of Acts and you start reading what the early church was like in its purest form and what God desired for the church as.

The Early Church’s Shared Life

You read that and you go. Okay, that's the church. That's the church as a church and you've never been a church service. What would you have expected to see in here when you walked in? Would you really expect to see a bunch of people, you know sitting in seats?

Facing forward singing a few songs hearing a message turning around going home. Is that what you would have gotten from this book? And so I started thinking okay. So then why do we do what we do? Well, it's because what we've been fed.

We grew up and we heard this is the way services are and I kind of do church this way because this is the way Church is supposed to be done. And then I read the Bible I go. Wait a second. Because when I say the Bible it I would have expected something different if that's all I knew.

What I would have expected, you know based upon you know, the book of Acts in the beginning of the church I would have expected to see a bunch of people that Totally loved each other. That's what I would expect.

I would expect that this place is buzzing with interaction and people caring for one another's needs if I just read the Bible you know Acts chapter 2 verse 42 when it talks about the early church and how Thousands were being added to the number it says in verse 42.

They devoted themselves to the Apostles teaching. I'm not saying this is wrong because there is a sense in which we need to devote ourselves to teaching. To the fellowship they devoted themselves to interacting with one another to the breaking of bread.

You know communion and taking the the elements and remembering the body and blood of Christ not just in church. But they were doing it from house to house. They would they would break bread and go. Oh, yeah.

Yeah. We got to remember Jesus and he's everything to us they were so centered around this and they were devoted to prayer and it says and that everyone was filled with awe and. And and and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the Apostles.

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continue to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes.

Ate together with glad and sincere hearts praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those were being saved. You turn over to chapter 4 verse 32. It says all the believers were one in heart and mind.

No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own but they shared everything they had. With great power the Apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and much grace was upon them all.

There were no needy persons among them for from time to time those who owned lands or houses. Sold them brought the money from the sales and put it at the Apostles feet and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.

So what would I expect if all I knew was the Bible and go? Wow, I'm gonna go visit a church. What would I expect when I walk in. I'd expect people to actually care about. I mean so care about one another.

It's like hey, what's mine is yours, you know, I actually got this property, you know out in, Idaho yeah I could sell that and and then and give it to you because seems like you're in need and and and there would be this Interaction of man I don't care about my stuff if you can use it for the kingdom better than I can.

Let's do it because all we care about is this gospel. All we care about is the fact that I found God so my stuff who cares about it. It doesn't matter. I'd expect to walk in a room where there were no needs.

That there were no needy people and to walk in and go wow, I wonder what that looks like. To walk in and no one be needy because everyone's taking care of each other's needs. See, that's not a cornerstone.

There's needy people in here. Why. Because they're lined up to meet with me and I can't meet with them all. You know when it's the church's job to meet with one another and and meet one one another's needs.

And if we'd live that out, I thought wow. That's what I would have pictured walking into a church now we've done a lot of great things, but this whole idea of. You know another thing I read I read this thing called the epistle to Diognetus it was just a letter from one of the early church fathers written about 140 150 ad and.

And it was it was written as this letter to prove that Christianity was real. Now when we try to convince someone of our faith that Christianity is real we tell them about prophecies. We lay out archaeology.

We lay out the history. We we explain the authenticity of Scripture. We throw out a bunch of facts. We can make him a book like the case for Christ or evidence demands a verdict or something along those lines.

Let me prove to you. This is true. What this letter? This letter didn't have any of the prophecy in it. When he was trying to prove that Jesus Christ rose from the grave. The whole letter was about of course he did look at the church.

How can you explain the church? Look at this group of people look at the way they give to each other. Look at the way they interact with one another how could this miraculous gathering be taking place if Jesus Christ didn't rise from the grave?

The proof that Jesus rose from the grave. Was the interaction of the church? Now could you do that today? You're trying to convince your friend to believe in Jesus. Well, of course look at the church.

Could you point to any church as proof that Jesus was the Son of God? I mean, let's face it. The church is usually used as proof that he didn't come. The church is used for the other side. How could what you're saying be true, I know my neighbor who goes to your church.

I know the hypocrisy of his or her life. The church can't be true. I've been with those people. I know the way they are Sunday. I know the way there are the rest of the way the church is used against Christianity and.

And then their only hope is well. Maybe if we can find a speaker or a musician or someone, you know. They can help lead them to the Lord. It's like no that the church was supposed to be the evidence. And so as I looked at that and the fellowship and the love we're supposed to have in here.

Loving God and Loving Our Neighbors

I Came to this conclusion. Okay, we've existed as a church for twelve and a half years now. Let me preface it by this. Jesus says I can summarize this all for you pretty easily. I Can summarize this whole book all the law the prophets with two commands, right?

Love the Lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbors yourself. You get that down. You got it. Okay, you don't have to worry about sinning because you can't love your neighbor and sin against them at the same time.

You can't love God and sin at the same time. So if as long as you love God and love your neighbor, you're great. I've got with all your heart soul and mind love your neighbor yourself. So here's the deal.

As I pray about this, I believe that over the last twelve and a half years I believe Cornerstone Church has done a good job at teaching people to love God with all their heart soul and mind. We said our mission statement that we want to present to this this community and accurate.

We want to give every individual in our community an accurate picture of God. I believe we've done that. You know when we teach the Word of God, here's what he says about himself. Here's what the Bible says.

Not what I'd like him to be. Here's what he says about himself. Here's an accurate picture of God and this is to help develop those who believe Into fully devoted followers of Jesus teaching people to be completely devoted to him.

I Believe we've taught people to love God and I I know some of you you you're in love with God. And love with Jesus some of you wake up at four o 'clock in the morning. You know and you start praying to him and reading from his words singing to him some of you.

You know, you've given up so much you're just in love with him. But it's that second half love your neighbor as yourself where I go. That's not too good. I believe if there's a clear obvious area we've just failed in it's love your neighbor as yourself.

And before you write a note go no, that's not true. I love someone, you know, just just hear me, okay. Love your neighbor as yourself. Honestly, there's times when I look at that I go. I don't even know where to start.

Think about that verse the second greatest commandment. Love your neighbor as yourself. Where do we even start as a church? When honestly, you know a lot of you in this room, you don't even want to talk to the person next to you.

Much less love them as much as you love yourself. And so I haven't even made this a goal. You know because it's just it almost seems impossible. In our day and age or something and in some of it are there my own issues, too.

I mean when I go to church, honestly, I like being alone. I Like hanging out with myself. You know just go to church. I mean when I visit a church, I want to be anonymous, you know. I mean I my personality is more the one where I'd love to sit in the back and just kind of have my own little Spot no one talked to me.

Okay. I'll shake your hand during greeting time. But okay, that's it. You know, don't talk to me and definitely don't hug me. Just just like give me give me a little time to myself and talk to God meditate on his word.

I'll praise God and go home. You know and and so then you read this is love your neighbor as yourself and The early church was all about interaction. I mean, it wasn't so much of this one guy talk everyone listen.

There was certainly some of that and they devoted themselves the Apostle teaching but sometimes that's all church is to us and That that needs to change. I mean, I try to think even for me personally have I ever really made that.

My goal I've made love my goal I've prayed to God and said God help me to love. Like I can look around I go, you know, I love some of you in here. You know Rob Hagen I go. I could honestly say, you know, I love Rob Hagen.

I do. But love him as myself. Do I love him as much as I love myself? Do I care about his kids as much as I care about my kids. Do I care about his well-being and his marriage as much as I care about my marriage his house as much as my house.

See the early church. They did. They love their neighbor as themselves. That's why it's like well, you could use this stuff more than I could use this stuff. I Mean that that's what I see. That's what I read.

It's like well, yeah. Yeah, what's mine's yours? No, nothing's right. It's all us. We're just all together on this mission and we love each other as ourselves. That that's huge and and I I just believe that that needs to be our goal and needs to be something we as a church Just are saying over and over and over and over and over and over and over why move on from this?

What other lesson do we need to teach until we figured out love your neighbor as yourself and we've made that a real goal in here. But that means changes changes in the way that we do things and I know that.

Embracing Change as Biblical Discipleship

Just me saying that makes some of you cringe. Because you want everything to stay the same. And the same guy up there speaking every week same worship leaders same size church. Don't let it get too big.

Don't move. Don't do this. I mean you move to Simi Valley because you don't like change right. Let me just get in to see me where I know everyone in the town some of you guys grew up here. You went to high school here.

You're you're still here. You're not leaving here because you know, everything's the same and and some of you. You know, it's really good if you can get in one of those gated communities. Then you know who's gonna go in and out those gates and not just some random different person is gonna get into your neighborhood.

You know, I'm no poor people. No bad people. It's safe. It's gonna be the same. We like the same. I want my same seat and yes I'm gonna sit in the same seat every weekend because you like that, you know.

And you want everything to be the same. You want the same kids, you know that I just want these two. I just want them to go to the same school have the same friends and on and on. I want to keep the same job and I want everyone to keep working the same job and you know.

And I want that same income and when I when I when I retire I hope I can keep the same standard of living, you know, you you want don't you sometimes wish your kids would stay the same age? Like oh if I could just lock them in that age and just everything stays the same.

And and what do you do when you get older? I don't get a bunch of plastic surgeries. I don't look the same as I did when I was 30. I don't want my face changing or any other part of my body changing. I want to get everything the same same same same same and so when someone brings about change and go.

Oh, this thing could just completely, you know, turn around. We're gonna come back from the men's retreating you some leadership to the men and this this thing's gonna just just turn upside down you go.

Oh, don't change it. Don't change this and yet I go, you know. When God saved you did he save you so that you could be the same? What was the point in saving you he wanted you to change. You got a change change is biblical.

What were the first command change repent and be baptized change? Change every day should change every sermon of mine should change. This doesn't sound like 10 o 'clock. I hope I hopefully I'm godlier than I was a 10.

I. You know, that's why God saved me. I want to keep maturing keep changing. And hopefully I'm not the same person. I was last year. See it drives me crazy when when the day looks so much like yesterday.

Wow, this feels kind of the same same office same screen same people same job same and then the next day It's gonna look just like today. Doesn't that drive you crazy? Because God didn't make you for monotony.

He didn't save you so that everything would remain the same but that he would make all things new. And I remember you know a great association at this one time. I Speak over to Zusa Pacific quite often, you know at the University for their chapels.

I did a lot of Christian colleges, but as you said, there's this one gal who helps with worship and Man, it seemed like every time she was up there. She got more and more fired up. I remember after service one time I just go.

Okay. What's your deal? You you amazed me like you really are so into it and more into it than last time I'll never forget what she said to me. She goes, you know. She goes it's because I pray and I say to God God I don't want a repeat of last week's Chapel because you are not a duplicator.

You're a creator. She goes my God is a creator. So every time I get on that stage, I say God create something new in me. Make me a new person have me worship and experience you like never before and I love that I thought that's it.

That's why it's so frustrating when everything remains the same. It's like God Destines us for change and I believe as a church. It's time to go. You know what? Here's the Bible. Here's us. We need to change.

We need to. I don't care if no one's done it before I don't care if you know. Half the people are three-fourths or nine-tenths leave. It's like well, that's what the Bible says. Then. What are we doing?

You know a fellowship doesn't take place. Then Church isn't really taking place and I was trying to think should the church ever ever meet together without interaction and Without us caring for one another.

So I there's so much I want to say but there's no time I'm gonna you know hit the guys in the men's retreats for the next couple weekends and and just saying you don't expect some changes and. But but as I was praying and I go, okay, that's that's God's will for the church.

Living for “Well Done”

I really believe that based upon Scripture God, what about me? What do you want for me? And and you know, it's the same thing. I I Don't believe my goal has changed over the last five years or so. If you cut me open, I have one goal.

I really do. My goal is that one day I die. Stand before God and I hear him say Well done. That's it. Cut me wide open find out. What is he all about? He is all about wanting to hear those two words out of the mouth of God so badly.

That he'll do anything for it. It's about just at the end of my life I won't care if people like me. If I'm popular or there's a lot of things I just won't care about. When I stand before God what I I'm gonna care about is that he goes well done.

You know you had that short time there on the earth and you did what I wanted you to do. You didn't do what everyone else wanted you to do or what you want to do. You did what I want to do. Well done.

That's where I was leading you. That's what I wanted. That's all I care about and so I was just coming before God ain't going. Yeah, you know what that is all I care about. So tell me what do you want?

Show me what you want? And and and here's what I did. Okay, I last week, you know as everything's winding down and I've been away for three months. I'm going okay I got to come to some decisions here.

I've experienced so much. I've got so many opportunities. And there's so much need out in the world. What do you want of me? And and so I go to the beach right because this is now where you're supposed to find yourself, so I go to the beach and Over to Zuma, you know and I go to a little Starbucks across the street from Zuma.

And I got a little coffee little grande, you know and a little muffin and I got my little towel, you know. And I head across the street. You know, it's early in the morning. No one's around just sitting there watching the sunrise, you know and as I'm all cuddled up, you know, and and and.

Got my coffee out my muffin sitting on my towel. I look out in the ocean and just kind of go God who am I? You know. What is the purpose of my life right and then just sound beautiful and so I'm just doing that and.

And I'm not one to hear voices or anything like that but you know how there's sometimes in your life just really believe God's saying something to you and It was just one of those moments as I'm sitting there Spending my coffee drinking my or eating my muffins sitting on my towel looking on the ocean I just I just felt like God was looking down and going.

That's really cute Francis. I was just cute. Look at you and your little blankie and your Your coffee and just gone. Gee, what is the purpose of my life? Cute he goes. Meanwhile There are millions of people Who are suffering right now?

God’s Concern for the Suffering and Neglected

Wondering if they're even gonna live through the day. Okay, so as you sit there on the nice little coast nice little seashore wondering what is the purpose in my life. There are millions of people just wondering am I gonna live through say there are mothers holding their babies going man I cannot find food anywhere is my baby gonna live through the day.

What do you think? My will is for your life. What do you think the purpose would be? For instance everything, you know about me Almighty God everything you learn in the scriptures about me. What do I care about?

Man why why what did the prophets say? Why were they so angry at the people? Why was I angry because they were complacent. They didn't care about those who are suffering there. You know, the strongest language was reserved for those who were complacent for those who are suffering.

Man, I mean, you know, we think of know what about the sexual sins, you know Sodom. Sodom, why was Sodom destroyed its wickedness, right? What was his wickedness about? Homosexuality. Yeah, probably some of that.

But what is Ezekiel saying Ezekiel 16 49? It says this was the sin of your sister Sodom. She was arrogant overfed and Unconcerned, you know what really ticked me off about that city. They were so arrogant and they're eating themselves to death and they didn't care.

They're just unconcerned. You know and you read Amos, you know chapter 6 verse 1 is a woe to you who are comfortable Complacent as you lay there and your couches and you play music to one another and you're eating and on and on and on.

Woe to you and and and you know, you start reading in Isaiah. Do you know how much I don't know if God His heart is more angry toward anything else than those who don't care. We don't love other people.

Who close their eyes to the needy. Who just shut their ears to their cry and then I started thinking New Testament. What about the New Testament? What are the scariest thing? What are the scariest passages in the New Testament?

See I my first one that came to my mind outside of Revelation when he just destroys everything is uh, is Matthew 25 Matthew 25. What a scary passage when people say well, you know hell is an eternal. I go turn to Matthew 25 Matthew 25.

God looks at this whole group of people, but it's the sheep and goat judgment. And he says depart from me into this eternal punishment. An eternal punishment and you go Wow god on judgment day is just gonna look at a bunch of people and say go to eternal punishment and then it says in Matthew 25 that people say.

But why? And what is god's response god's response is you're going there because I was hungry and you didn't feed me. I was thirsty. You didn't give me anything to drink. I was naked. You didn't clothe me.

And the people are like wait, what are you talking about? I never saw you hungry and and god says to them whatever you did not do for the least of these you did not do for me. So go depart from me. That's scary.

Okay but think think what else what other graphic because I thought okay, is there a more scary passage and to me I always go back to that that one scene where that one guy's just burning up and saying would someone just dip their finger in Some water and just give me one dab of water on my tongue because I am burning up down here.

But you ever stop and consider what that story was about? Lazarus and the rich man. You realize that? That it was about this rich man. With all the stuff and as he's eating everything else. There's his beggar, you know at his door just hoping for some scraps.

And so when life was over it got flip-flopped. And the one who had everything now suddenly was suffering. And the one who was suffering now suddenly was there at abraham's bosom. And everything was good and he was in paradise.