Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - Not Afraid: Finding Hope in the Chaos

Episode Date: March 21, 2020

STAY CONNECTEDEven when we can’t meet in our physical locations, we’re still doing church. Stay updated with the latest news from Life.Church at https://www.life.church/stayconnected. You can also visit https://www.life.church/updates for the latest, or download the Life.Church app (https://www.life.church/app) and enable push notifications.DO CHURCH AT HOMEChurches in many countries are suspending regular in-person gatherings, but that doesn’t mean church is canceled. As followers of Jesus, we are the Church. Use this guide on having church at home to stay connected to your community: https://finds.life.church/church-at-home-guide/MIDWEEK WORSHIPDuring at least the next few weeks, Life.Church will host special midweek services with worship and a short devotional with Pastor Craig Groeschel here on YouTube Live. Subscribe to our channel and tap the bell icon to be notified when we’re going live!ABOUT NOT AFRAIDWhen our world is shaken, it’s easy for fear to spread. But God promises to be with us no matter what comes our way. In times of uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to trust who God is and how He says we can live—Not Afraid. More: https://www.life.church/media/messages/not-afraidNEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus? You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Let us guide you to your next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.life.church/nextABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Right now, we meet online every week at https://www.live.life.church. Find more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/life.churchInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/life.churchTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/lifechurchCONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIGYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIIdiIO-Y20hRW9niR0CA8AFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschelInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschelTwitter: http://www.twitter.com/craiggroeschel Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Well, we're living in an unprecedented time in our lifetimes for sure. Fear all over the world and unquestionably the most talked about subject, whether it's on social media, on the news, or in a conversation you may be having with someone at least six feet apart, is how do we stop the spread of COVID-19? Now, because we're in such an unusual time, we are going to do something unusual today. I'm in a completely empty auditorium. If you'll notice there's nobody in here but me and even the cameras. Check this out.

These are robotics. So in other words, people are operating these from backstage. In fact, let me talk to the camera person. Are you like the best camera operator ever? Yes. Are you incredibly excited to hear this message? Very good answer. That's probably because you work for our church and that's a great answer.

I do want to take a moment and just enjoy and embrace the moment. and recognize that even when we cannot meet physically, we can meet digitally, that we'll do anything we can to get the message out, but we're getting the message out in a time when it's really difficult. We know this virus is incredibly contagious. In fact, if you haven't been with us over the last few weeks, Pastor Bobby Groomwald and I traveled about three weeks ago

to Germany, and we attended a leadership conference. And the night before the conference, we were with four 14 people, the 14 speakers gathered together, and we found out later that one of them tested positive. Unfortunately, eight of the 14 people in that small dinner ended up testing positive. That's just how contagious this virus is. In fact, I would argue that perhaps the only thing

that's more contagious than this virus is the fear that's impacting lives all over the world. The virus is incredibly contagious, But so is fear. In fact, there are a lot of reasons for people to be afraid today. The stock market seems to continue to tumble and struggle. Schools are closing. Some businesses are shutting down.

More businesses are shutting down. Every business, it seems like, is shutting down. We're supposed to practice social distancing, and we are, obviously, even as a church. And then there's the global shortage on toilet paper, which has many of my friends incredibly frequent. out more than anything else you could ever imagine. And I just want to acknowledge this thing's tough, man, it's tough. For those who are older or have a compromised immune system like many of my

relatives who are up in age or also have health challenges, this threat is very, very real. But on top of just the health challenges, we've got all sorts of other issues as well. many of you right now may not be working as much as you had before or not at all. And the economic hurdles that we have, not just as a nation, but around the globe, it's something that we haven't seen perhaps the same way in our lifetime. Fear is contagious. It's contagious. It doesn't take a lot of fear to spread uncontrollably.

In fact, whenever Pastor Bobby and I were on the airplane flying home from Germany, we didn't know that we'd been exposed to someone who tested positive until we turned on Wi-Fi. And we heard the news that one of the people at dinner had. And so we immediately told the flight attendant who told the pilot, you want to talk about fear sweeping across the plane. I've never seen anything like this. Suddenly, all the flight attendants were almost like in hazmat suits and masks and such. And they moved people completely out of our section because they were all so afraid of us. The interesting thing is we were afraid. We were afraid not so much that we were going to test positive or have the virus.

We were afraid because what if we were carriers? What if what we had could potentially hurt somebody else? What if we were carriers? What if what we had spreads? I hope you'll understand. Wherever you're watching this, I hope you'll embrace this. truth, that we were carriers and you are a carrier. Not necessarily of the virus, but you carry something. You are a carrier. You're carrying something. You might be a carrier of fear and you're passing around

fear to anybody you interact with. Or you might be carrying faith and what you're carrying you pass on to others. The bottom line is, whenever people get near you, they tend to catch what you have. I hope you'll recognize. You are a carrier. The question is this.

You are a carrier. Is what you're carrying worth catching? I want to share with you today a portion of scripture from the new text. Testament, the Apostle Paul was the author, and he was writing to the believers in Thestelinaika. They were very, very afraid, they were in a situation that might be a little bit similar to ours today. They were being persecuted, facing all sorts of significant trials. And in a posture where it was very easy to be afraid, this is what the Apostle Paul said. He said in 1st Thessalonians

1, verse 2 and 3, he said, we always thank God. for all of you, and pray for you constantly. As we pray to our God and Father about you, he said, we think of, and then he lists three things. He says, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and your enduring hope. We think of your faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope, that you have, because of our Lord.

Jesus Christ. Paul said, whenever we think of you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, your enduring hope. Why did they have faith, love, and hope? They had faith, love, and hope because of the Lord Jesus Christ. Not because of what was going on in their world, but because of the one who was Lord over their world, because of the Lord Jesus. In verse five, Paul goes on to say, for when we brought you the good news, when we brought you the good news, it was not only with words, but also with power. We brought you good news, good news, good news. Not only is a virus contagious, but good news is also contagious. Imagine, if you will, when there's a treatment that's discovered for COVID-19. Imagine perhaps if there's a cure or a way to prevent the spread. What do you

think will happen when there's that good news? Do you think the good news will spread? It will spread uncontrollably because good news is contagious. What I'd love to do is I want to tell you about some very, very good news today. And this isn't just good news that cures a sickness, but this cures a spiritual sickness, not just physical in nature, but this cures a spiritual sickness. Because Jesus, Jesus, Jesus did not come for those who were healthy, but Jesus instead came for those who were sick. He didn't come for the righteous, scripture says, but he came for sinners, people like you, people like me,

people who are broken and people who are in need. In other words, I hope you'll understand that our God didn't just shout his love from heaven, but he showed his love on earth. when God himself stripped himself of all the heavenly glory and became one of us in the person of his son, Jesus. Jesus was born of a virgin, therefore he did not inherit the sin nature of an earthly father, but instead the heavenly nature of a heavenly father, and he was perfect in every way.

Who did Jesus hang out with? Well, he befriended prostitutes. He touched the lepers. Jesus reached out to the people that religion rejected. Have you ever not felt good enough spiritually? Have you ever felt like you've failed and let God down? You can't believe you did what you did, said what you said, fought what you thought and you feel guilty and you feel ashamed.

Jesus didn't come for the perfect people. He came for those who are messed up. He came for those who don't have perfect faith. He came for those who've sinned and fallen short of God's standard of holiness. He came for people like me, people who've hurt others, done things that they're embarrassed by. This is the good news, that we're not made right with God by our own good works or religious efforts, but we're made right with God by the grace of Jesus. through faith in him, who was perfect and gave his life on a cross, died in our place, the perfect

sacrifice. But he didn't stay dead, you see. There's really, really good news that three days after Jesus died, our God raised him from the dead, so that anyone, and this includes you, doesn't matter who you are, doesn't matter what you've done, anyone who calls on his name, you will be forgiven. you'll be changed, you'll be completely saved, not just saved from hell, but save for a life on earth to make a difference.

This is good news, and good news spreads. Good news is contagious, that we can be made right with God, not by going to church or by giving money or by trying really hard to stop doing bad things and only do good things, but we're made right with God by believing in Jesus.

That's the good news, Paul was talking about. And that good news is worth spreading. I hope you'll understand, wherever you're watching, you're a carrier, and you're carrying something. Is what you're carrying worth catching? Paul goes on to say this. First Thessalonians 1-8.

He says, and now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere. The word of God is echoing to people everywhere all over, even beyond Macedonia and Echope. For wherever we go, we find people telling us about your faith in God. What if your faith became so contagious that wherever we're going, went, we found people talking about your faith. Even in dark times, you believe in the goodness of God. Even when everybody else is afraid, you put your hope in the good news that Jesus is risen and God will never leave you. He will never forsake you. Scripture says the word was ringing out. I love that. It was echoing. It was spreading from these people to people everywhere. That's what happens

when we catch a passion for the best news in the history of the world. When we catch a passion for Jesus, what we have starts to spread. In fact, I'll give you some examples from scripture whenever Jesus raised a little girl from the dead. That's good news. Matthew 926 says this news of this spread all through the regions. In fact, another time when Jesus cast out evil spirits, That was good news. He reigns over darkness.

Mark 128 says news about him spread quickly over all the region of Galilee. Whenever God used his disciples to do a miracle, Acts 6, 7 says the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly. Why did this good news spread? Why did this message spread? Why did God's work spread? Three reasons. These believers, they were faithful in their work.

They were full of loving deeds, and they had an enduring hope. The three marks of a contagious Christian, faithful work, loving deeds, and enduring hope. You're a carrier. You are a carrier. is what you're carrying worth catching. We need to embrace the truth. People all over the world with very real reasons are scared to death. One little girl from church I ran into said,

is this the end of the world? Is this, is this it? The problem is fear is contagious. It doesn't take much for fear to spread uncontrollably. That's the bad news. But there's also good news. Fear is contagious. But so is faith.

And so is love. And so is hope. I don't know about you, but I am a carrier. What am I? I am a faith spreader. I am a love giver. And I am a hope dealer.

I promise you, if you get too close to me, you will catch what I am carrying. Because of the Lord Jesus Christ, not because of what I see, not because what is around, but because of the truth of who Jesus is. I am full of faith and not fear. Someone asked me recently, but Pastor Christ, but Pastor Christ, Craig, aren't you afraid for the church? I mean, the church can't meet physically in buildings. Is this the end of church as we know it?

What's going to happen? Will people stop gathering one day? What's going to happen to the church? And I just want you to know this. I'm full of faith. I'm full of hope. I've told you those of you who are part of our church since day number one, the church is not a building.

The church is not what takes place inside a four, walls. We know, we embrace, and we believe that we don't go to church, that we are the church. And the message that we carry, the good news of Jesus, it is the hope of this world. In fact, if I can brag on those of you in our church family who are so generous to give, who are faithful to tithe and even give beyond that, because of your generosity, we've been giving away resources to hundreds of thousands of pastors. for well over a decade. And the amazing news is,

as we've been giving away the Church Online platform, we're giving it away an honor to do so faster today than ever before. In fact, on the day of this recording, we're outpacing how many people downloaded yesterday and agreed to be a part into broadcast or Church Online. Yesterday, yesterday.

We had over 2,500 churches sign up to use the free Life Church Online platform. Over 2,500 in one day. Today it will be even more than that. In fact, last weekend, all of the different churches that used the platform, we saw over 4.7 million unique users log on for global worship experiences all over the world. We saw almost 16,000 people come to faith in Christ.

I don't know where you are, but I hope you're doing this right now. because that is amazing, that is good, that is the power of God, and God is using you. This one little local church to help the light shine in churches all over the world. We have to remember, embrace the truth. Jesus didn't say, go into your houses and hide for the rest of your life. He said, go into the world and let your light shine. Listen to me, if we can't gather physically, we will gather digitally because the good news will spread.

you. You're a carrier. You're a digital evangelist. You can share this message or other messages of faith and hope. You can invite others to be a part of church online. You can share your faith on social media from wherever you are. You can let your light shine digitally. And as a church, we will continue to do anything short of sin, to reach people who don't know Christ. And to reach people no one's reaching, we will do things that no one is doing. What can we do? We can pray. We can share.

We can take what we have and we can give it to those who are in need because we are faith spreaders and we are love givers. In fact, Jesus said, do you want to know how people will know that you're my disciples? He didn't say, they're going to know your my disciples. my disciples by the way you hoard bottled water. They didn't say you're going to know that you're my disciples by the way you fight over things at the grocery store. No, he said you will know, they will know that you're my disciples by the way you love one another. By the way you love, by the way you care for people, by the way you empathize and pray.

with others and give generously and encourage others with a word of hope. In fact, the very first meeting that our staff did this week is we gathered together and tried to answer the question, how can we continue to meet the needs of people in our community? How can we serve and empower other churches? And how can we meet the needs of people in our community? We're looking at ways to offered tutoring for kids that can't go to school now. We're looking at mobilizing thousands of volunteers to run errands for those who may be elderly or compromised in their health. We're looking to partner with local missions around the world.

We'll do whatever we can, church, because we're faith spreaders. We're lovegivers. We're hope dealers. We have a hope that no virus can kill. I have heard so many people say, well, you know, I just hope things go back to normal. I just hope things go back to normal. Listen to me. I want you to know, I have way more hope than that. I'm not just hoping things go back to normal. I've got way more hope because normal was comfortable. Normal was selfish. Normal was spiritually safe for most people.

normal for most was spiritually lukewarm. I believe with all my heart, this is a wake-up call for the church to stand strong, to stand united, and to be bold in what we know that Jesus is the good news that changes lives. I've got hope in my Savior. I want you to know my hope is not in the government, although I love and pray for and support

and believe God will give wisdom to our government leaders. My hope is not in the doctors, although I pray for our doctors and pray for those who are treating people and go to doctors when I need help, but my hope is not in them. My hope is not even in the spiritual leaders

in our nation and our world. My hope is in the one who spoke all things into being. My hope is in the one who is all-knowing and all-powerful and ever-present, the one who heals. blind eyes, who opens deaf ears, who has the power to raise the dead. That's why I'm a faith spreader, a love giver, and a hope dealer. It's because of Jesus, it's because of Jesus, it's because of Jesus. The name that is above every name, the soon returning, conquering king of kings and

Lord of Lords. Who is Jesus? If you don't know him, he is the door through which we enter. He is the spiritual bread that strengthens our soul. Jesus is the one who delivers the captives, restores the broken, and strengthens the weak. He is our provider, our comforter, our source, our strength, our Redeemer, our rock, our sustainer, our assurance. He is our firm foundation. He is our shelter in a time of trouble. He is our light when the world is dark. He is the prince of peace, the Lamb of God.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Resurrection and the Life. Let me tell you about Jesus. His goodness is indescribable. His power is incomprehensible. His grace is irresistible. At his name, darkness trembles. In his presence, demons flee. Death could not defeat him.

The grave could not hold him. He is the risen king of kings and lord of lords. Come on, somebody, wherever you are. You are a carrier. is what you're carrying worth catching. Fear is contagious. So is faith. Hate is contagious.

So is love. Worry, anxiety is contagious. So is hope. The three marks of a contagious follower of Christ. Faithful work. Loving deeds and enduring hope. What are you? You're a carrier.

You're a faith spreader. You're a love giver. You're a hope dealer. Oh, I hope. I'm speaking to some carriers today. Because what you're carrying, when you catch the passion of Jesus, it is worth catching.

Good news. Good news is contagious. Good news spreads. And when so many are afraid today, uncertain and looking for hope, I hope you'll be one to let your light shine. Because hope is contagious. Love is contagious. And faith is contagious.

I promise you, you get around me, you're going to catch what I'm carrying. I'm carrying a passion for the one who gave his life to forgive my sins. and to make me new. Is the world scary? Yes, is it complicated? Yes, is God alive? Yes, is he all powerful? Yes, is he in control?

Yes, was he surprised? No, can he do all things? Yes, will he always be with you when you call on him? Yes, he will never leave you. He will never forsake you. He's always good. There's good news. And good news spreads.

As the world is growing darker, church, our light must shine brighter. Because of Jesus, we are not afraid. We live by faith. Because of Jesus, we share the good news. Because of Jesus, we have hope. So whatever you're going through, whatever you're facing, whatever challenge seems too big to handle. Today, we look to Jesus.

We look to Jesus because he is here, because he's good, because he's with you. Father, we ask that in your presence today, you would reveal your love, your goodness, to those who need you all over the world. In fact, I'll just ask, even as odd as it may seem, wherever you're watching from, those of you who would say,

I am a follower of Christ, and I want to spread the good news. Just even from your bedroom, your living room, wherever you are, you might just lift up your hand right now and say, yes. I mean, it may feel silly, just lift up your hand. Click right below me. Church online, just say, yes, I want to share the good news.

Father, I pray that you would give us opportunities daily, not once a week, but daily when so many people are hurting and afraid to let your light shine. God, may we be love spreaders, God, lovegivers, faith spreaders, hope dealers in all that we do, God show us those who need your love. And may what we're carrying be worth catching as we share the. good news of your son Jesus. Use us, God. May your church continue to thrive. If we're meeting publicly from house to house or computer to computer phone to phone TV to TV, God, we will let your light shine. As you keep praying today, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that there are those of you

from all over the world. You maybe stumbled here by accident, maybe somebody invited you, and you recognize there's something really missing in your life, you're falling apart. You may have internal guilt for something that you did in the past or something you're even doing right now, and you don't know where you stand with God. Others of you, fear is just overwhelming you right now. The good news is, I believe you came to the right place to hear some really, really good news, and I want you to hear it. I want to recognize that this all may be just for you. God loves you. He really does. He loves you so much

that he became like you in the person of Jesus, who was perfect and without sin. Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. He died in our place for the forgiveness of our sins. And God lifted him from the dead so that anyone that calls on him would be changed, would be forgiven, would be saved. Those of you all over the world today

who say, I want his peace, I want his forgiveness. I want the assurance that I'm with him, that I'm in his family. I need this assurance. I need his peace. Just turn from your sins today. We're going to pray a very simple prayer. Those who say, yes, I want Jesus to be first in my life.

I want to give my life to him. You just lift your hands where you are. Just click right below me, if you will. Just indicate, yes, I want to become a follower of Jesus. Yes, I'm surrendering my life to him. And as we've got people from all over the world saying, yes, I need his grace, I'm going to encourage you just right where you are. Just pray this prayer.

Just pray it. Pray it out loud. If you're comfortable, just pray after me. Pray Heavenly Father, please forgive my sins. Jesus save me and make me new. Fill me with your Holy Spirit so I could follow you and serve you for the rest of my life. use me to shine your light to show your love and to spread your hope thank you for forgiving me thank you for saving me my life is not my own I give it all to you church I want to give you a moment

to celebrate to worship I'm going to invite our worship team to come and just to take us before the presence of God listen we'll praise our God at all times we praise him when it's good We praise him when it's hard. We don't just praise him for what we see. We praise him for who he is. Today, we praise him for the good news. In a world filled with bad news, we have good news that Jesus Christ has risen. He is our Savior.

He is coming back one day for his church and because of who he is, because of what he's done. Listen to me, we are faith spreaders. We are love givers. We are hope dealers and we will give him praise. Lift up your voices. Lift up his name and give him praise.