Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - Selfless, Part 4: Grateful in the Grind

Episode Date: January 28, 2018

When you serve more, you take less. When you give more, you need less. When you thank more, you want less. When there’s more of God, you’re Selfless. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey everybody, before we dive into this week's teaching, I just want to tell you about next week. It is the perfect week to bring someone who doesn't normally come to church. We do something called 32nd theology. What we do is let amazing commercials actually illustrate teaching from God's Word. And all of our live churches, all the campuses, they're going to have different games and food and all sorts of fun. Believe me when I tell you, it is the perfect week to bring someone that doesn't normally come to church. week 32nd theology. Now let's go to week number four of selfless. Hey, it's a great honor to have all of you with us today at every single life church across the country, all of our open network churches. We are so thankful for you. And all over the world on the other side of computer screens at church online,

you're a part of our family, and we absolutely believe that you're not here by accident. Welcome today. We're actually in part four of a message series called Selfless. If you're weren't here in previous weeks, we actually talked week number one about being bold in spirit. Week number two, we talked about being faithful in service. Last week we talked about being extravagant in generosity. And today I want to talk about a phrase that may sound a bit odd to you at first, but I think it might actually sink in. We're going to talk about being grateful in the grind. Grateful in the grind. Let me introduce this idea. to you, and I'm guessing that a lot of you may be able to relate on one level or another.

For so much of my life, I've lived under the illusion that there's something around the corner, something out there that's coming that really, really matters, and it matters more than what I'm doing right now. There's something around the corner that's going to make the difference. It's that thing that I desire. It's the event that I'm looking for. It's that whatever, that's something that's going to bring meaning and fulfillment and give me that significant moment that I've been looking for. It's not here.

It's somewhere out there. I'll give you an example of kind of how the story has played out in my life. And I can almost guess for sure that many of you have a similar version of your own story. Let's talk about the category of ministry for me. When I was 22 years of age, I went to work for First United Methodist Church. I was so, so, so, so, so excited. But I was in full-time ministry, and I was in seminary, full-time, and commuting, and dying, because it was so hard.

And in my mind, I consistently said, when I get out of seminary, then real life is going to start. then when I got out of seminary, I had another win then, and my new one was, well, when I get to start my own church and do things my own way, then life is going to be really amazing. Then we started Life Church, and my next one was, when I get a staff member, somebody else that can help, someone else that cares, then it'll be amazing. Then it was when we get out of this dumpy little building and get into a real building that we can meet in seven days a week, then it's going to be amazing. Take the category of three. family. When I finally meet the girl that I'm going to marry, then life is going to start. Then we finally get married. Oh, dear God, thank you, Jesus. Hallelujah. Thank you. Lord. Then life is going to start. When we have our first baby, that's when our family is going to be amazing. When our first baby gets out of diapers, then it's going to be incredible. Now they're growing up. When they're in college, then when they're out of college, we'll, you know, when they're out of college, we'll eat again. You know, all these different things, wind them. And I found myself

whatever season I was in, wishing the current season away, waiting for the next one to come. One day, just around the corner, there'll be that something, that achievement, that accomplishment, that friendship, that possession, that vacation. There'll be that something that fills the emptiness on the inside. But around every corner, there was just another challenge, another goal, another vision, another dream, or another perceived prize. I've lived long enough now to kind of look back and to see a real weakness in my own life. And what I've noticed is for so much of my life, I've been pursuing what I want. My dreams.

My passions. My goals. And whatever it is that I get, there's got to be something else out there that's better than what I have right now. And what does culture do? culture totally and completely feeds into this mindset, right? What is every commercial, every advertisement, everything you see on social media, it all just kind of says gratify yourself, indulge yourself, get whatever you want, you deserve it.

Treat yourself, right? The problem is Jesus said, if you want to follow me, you don't treat y'allself, but he said, you deny yourself. That's what he said. He said, if you want to be my disciple, you don't indulge yourself, you deny yourself. Then he said you take up your cross, a metaphor, a picture to say,

you're actually dying to your own fleshly desires so you can live by more. my spirit, and then he said, then you follow me. You don't treat yourself. Jesus said, you deny yourself. There's a verse that I wanna use kind of as an anchor verse for our message today is from the Apostle Paul. And we're gonna talk a lot about the Apostle Paul today.

He says this, in 1st, Twentheans 10, verse 31. He says, whatever you do, let's all say that aloud. He said, whatever you do, say it allowed. All of our churches, whatever you do, say it allowed. Whatever you do, what did he say? He said, do it all for the glory of God. Whatever you do, whether you're doing laundry, you're picking up your kids from their events,

you're running errands for your boss, you're doing something that isn't that big of a deal, whatever you do, you do it for the glory of God. When I look at so much of my life, if I'm really honest, whatever I do is mostly for me. I want to do what makes me happy. I want to do what makes me feel good. I want to do what fulfills my dreams.

I want to do what fulfills my wants and desires. I want to do what I want to do. I want to gratify myself. And Jesus says that you deny yourself. whatever you do to really have meaning in life, you do it for the glory of God. And here's what I'm beginning to recognize, this truth, that the prize isn't out there somewhere. The prize isn't what you accomplish occasionally. The prize is in what you do daily when you do it for the glory of God.

Let me say this again because I really want it to sink in. The prize isn't what you accomplish occasionally. I got the raise. I got the thing. The prize isn't in what you accomplish occasionally. The prize is in what you do daily when you do it for the glory of God. So I want to ask you three questions, and I'll tell you in advance, that these questions are going to become statements that are going to drive everything

that we talk about in our message today. What if? What if? What if? What if? The work is the reward. What if the prize is in the process? What if you can be grateful in the grind? What if whatever you do? You can find meaning. and fulfillment and divine satisfaction when you do it all for the glory of God. I want to show you a text that's very personal to me by again the Apostle Paul. First Corinthians 15 starting in verse 9. This is what Paul says. He's kind of being transparent and maybe a little bit vulnerable.

He says, I'm the least of the apostles. and I don't even deserve to be called an apostle because I persecuted the church of God. In other words, before I was a Jesus follower, I was really, really bad. I hated Christians so much I even killed them. He says, but, everybody say but. He said, but by the grace of God,

I am what I am. And his grace to me was not without effect. but this is my story by the grace of God I am what I am because his grace to me was not without effect for many of you that's your story you weren't good you weren't faithful you weren't always righteous but by the grace of God you are now what you are not because you're good but because he was good now you are becoming who he wants you to be because his grace for you was not without effect. The sad thing is there are some of you that are here today that his grace has been without effect because it hasn't yet touched your heart. You haven't yet been changed by it. And the good news is

you are in the right place at the right time to be available to the work of God and maybe your story might become a but by the grace of God. I am now who I am. Paul goes on to say this and I I love what he says. He says, no, I worked harder than all of them. I am only what I am by the grace of God, and I worked harder than any of the rest of them. Yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. What did you just say?

I wasn't any good, but the grace of God transformed me. And because of who Jesus is, and because of what he did, I worked hard. I worked harder than the rest of them, but it wasn't me doing the work. It was the grace of God through me doing what God called me to do. I worked harder than all of them. That verse ministers to me on so many different levels. What I like about it is I don't think Paul was bragging.

I don't think he was complaining. I think he was just stating the truth. Matter of fact, by the grace of God, I just worked hard. I've been so transformed by Jesus because of who he was and what he did, I just got to work. Whatever I did, I was doing it for his glory. I worked harder than all of them. I can't even begin to imagine the depths of the sacrifices that the Apostle Paul would have made. In fact, I would give anything if I could go back in time and be there with him and like sit down,

I'm just bro to bro by a fire pit. You know, he's drinking wine. I'm drinking water because I don't drink wine. But, you know, he's had a couple of glasses and we're just chatting. I was like, unpack that for me, man. Tell me what you mean by that. You know, just got a guy, you know, follower of Jesus to follower of Jesus. What do you mean you worked harder?

And I can imagine him saying like, well, okay, you know, I'm not bragging, but, you know, while other people went to bed, I probably stayed up a little later, praying and strategizing. I got up a little earlier and got into the office, you know, really to do things right for God. When most desired comfort, I realized that following Jesus was not going to be comfortable. You know, I was beaten, I had to go on. Shipwrecked, well, you just move on. One time I was bitten by a poisonous snake. I didn't like that, but I shook that thing off, you know, and he just kind of tells the story.

While others took a shortcut, I always tried to do the right thing. I can just see it. I memorized so much of God's word. and I hid it in my heart, I let it renew my mind, I focused on his word. If he wasn't being really humble, he could say, and I wrote a lot of the New Testament, but I'm just saying, I did that as well. I could imagine him saying, you know what, when I was in prison, I kept on working. I served Jesus even when I was in prison.

When we went to cities that didn't have a single Christian, we managed to start churches in cities without a single Christian. We'd lead someone to Christ and someone else. We'd raise up leaders, and we just, we didn't have a lot of resources. we just got the job done. I worked harder than everyone else. I think if you could look at this kind of objectively and step back, what you would find is you would probably say Paul was not wishing his current season away.

Wherever he was, he was all there. Whatever he did, he was doing for the glory of God. When he was in prison, he didn't say, One day, when I'm finally out of prison, then I can get back to doing what I'm called to do. Now, he just said, whatever you do, I'm going to do it for the glory of God. If there's someone chained up to me, I'm going to be a witness to that person right now. Give me a pen, give me some paper. I'm writing the Philippians a letter because they need it.

I'm just going to do whatever I have to do. When he's shipwrecked, you know what he didn't say? Well, God let me down. I mean, I prayed for protection. Here I am shipwrecked again. He's like, you know what? We didn't die, so we might as well keep on going. God must still be with us.

Whenever Barnabas turned on him, he'd go, oh, I can't take it anymore. Christians, you can't trust any of them. I'm leaving the Sunday school class because Barnabas hurt my feelings. No. He said, you know what, I don't have time for this. I'm not going to get bitter. We still have work to do. Because whatever I'm doing, I'm doing it for the glory of God.

I don't know how this would apply to you, but you're changing diapers. You're making sales calls. You're doing laundry. you're doing something for your boss. You just say in this moment at this time, even though it may not be incredibly sexy from the outside, I'm doing it with integrity, with the purity of heart, with the heart of a servant.

And I'm declaring that this task is now for the glory of God. And when you live this way, suddenly you wake up and you start to realize, wow, maybe the work is the reward. maybe the prize is in the process. And in everyday life when you're grinding it out, doing just normal things, you can say I can be grateful.

I can be grateful in the middle of the grind. What I want to do is show you what I call three enemies of the true reward. Unfortunately, some of you will know these enemies as I do. Three enemies of the true reward. The first one is what I call the pillow, the seduction of comfort. The pillow, the seduction of comfort.

And I don't know how this plays out in your life, but at some point it might be what you really need to be happy and comfortable is a better home. And then just fill in the blanks with the type. If you don't have walking closets, it's walking closet. If it's not granite countertops, it's granite countertops. Maybe it's a gas stove,

Maybe it's a three-car garage, maybe it's heated tiles in your bathroom, whatever it is. If I just had that, then I'd be happy. Same thing with the car. Years ago, you know what I needed? I needed windows that went down when you did this. Because mine went down when you did this. Then it's the sunroof, then it's the butt warmers. Then it's whatever it is, if I can just have that one, then I'll finally be happy.

Well, if I was just the boss, if I had enough money, to take life easy. That's what I want, enough to take life easy. I hope you'll understand that God never called us to easy. He called us to deny ourselves. Easy never changed the world. And yet the pillow cries out, the seduction of comfort. There's also the distraction of what I call that the shiny thing, the shiny thing, the allure of constant distractions. You know what's important, but bing notification. Oh my gosh, I wonder what she posted on Facebook. And the next thing you know, you're in here. Netflix, it just keeps on running. And the next show is recommended 99% chance that I'm going to like it. This must be God's will. You know, we overprogram our

kids because we're so distracted. We've got to have Johnny and the elite traveling soccer league if he's going to get a scholarship for NCAA because I know he's only three, but he's got to be, you know, we really got to get him involved in this. And it's the shiny thing. It's the, it's the, the carrot. And the donkey continues to chase the carrot and you never, ever, ever seem to find real satisfaction because you've been fooled by the shiny thing. Then there is the enemy called the towel, the perpetual temptation to quit, to throw in the towel. When the marriage gets difficult, I'm not in love anymore, this isn't worth it, throw in the towel, trying to get our finances together, trying to get out of debt, oh my gosh, it just broke, there's another bill, charge it,

let's go out to eat, and let's go shop for a new dress, you know, throw in the towel. Christianity, I can't tell you how many times I've heard some version of this. Well, I tried God, God. I went to church twice. You know, I read my Bible for a day, you know, and they were mean, and I didn't like it. I couldn't get a parking place. So forget it. I'm just out of here. I'm throwing in the towel. You know how it is? They didn't appreciate me. I'm not making that much of a difference. This is just too hard. Throw in the towel. Listen, you can throw in the towel, or you can pick up the towel and wipe the sweat off your brow and get back in the daily grass. of doing whatever you do in this moment for the glory of God.

And suddenly you realize the work is a reward. The prize is in the process. And I can be grateful every single day in the grind. I'll tell you a little pet peeve I have. graduation speeches. I've given a couple and mine are different. The normal graduation speech is this. Follow your passion.

Follow your passion. Follow your heart. Do whatever your heart tells you. Here's a problem, young graduates. Your passion doesn't always pay the bills. Your passion doesn't always keep the lights on. The problem with passion is self-ish passion is about, us. There's a higher calling, and it's not self-ish passion, but it's selfless purpose. It's a higher

calling. And once you start to recognize that you're doing God's purpose, what's so amazing is the passion always follows purpose. So instead of me being the starting point of, I need to do what I want to do to be happy, instead, when God is the starting point, whatever you do, you do it for the glory of God, and you start to realize in the middle of even what you may not have chosen, God still has a purpose. And then you recognize that you're doing what God has called you to, even in this moment, though it may not be your favorite thing. When you're serving his purpose, your passion starts to always follow purpose. Think about Paul for a minute. The guy was passionate about something. He was a regular person. I don't know what it would have been. Maybe it was music.

Maybe he had a guitar and he's like, he's really good. He's like putting his clips. up on YouTube, like first Justin Bieber, then the Apostle Paul. They're going to discover me. I know they are. Maybe it was music. Maybe it was art. Like, you know, I'm going to get my paintings done. I'm going to sell them really big. And, you know, they're going to want them all the time. You know, if he was living today, it's like, it's cars. I know what it is, the Tesla. That's what I need to be happy. You know, whatever it is, Paul had his own passions. There were things that he was excited about. What he was not passionate about, let me promise you, was getting beaten and left for dead. I promise you, that was never on his, oh, if I could only do that, I'd be so happy

in life. But instead of pursuing selfish, self-centered passion, what he did was he pursued God's purpose. And suddenly he would say things like Acts 2024, I consider my life worth nothing to me. Not about my dreams, my wants. My only aim is to finish the race, complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me. We can say this. My only dream is to feel God's purpose. And what is that?

The task of testifying to the good news of God's grace. What does purpose do? Purpose helps us feel passionate about ordinary things. Something mundane, something ordinary starts to take on meaning. whatever I do, even if it's boring, even if it feels insignificant, I'm doing it for the glory of God. Some of you, you experience that this week when you're serving. You found joy when you're simply making someone else coffee. When you're in the two-year room holding a baby and you're praying over that two-year-old,

when you lead an eighth-grade group of switched girls and you realize in this moment God is using me to pour spiritual life into the emerging generation, when you simply open up your home and provide a life group, a place for people to find spiritual connection. What normally seems ordinary becomes more extraordinary because it's not just a task, but it's a purpose directed by God. And passion always follows purpose. Paul, he gives us really profound images. He says this.

He says, I'm not running like someone who's running. aimlessly. I love that image. I'm running in a direction. He says, I'm not boxing like someone who's shadow boxing. I'm in a real spiritual fight. He says, I run with purpose. This is what he said. I run with purpose in every single step. Imagine that. When I wake up, God, today, this is your day. This is the day the Lord has made. And whatever I do, whether it seems big, exciting, or small and insignificant. God, I am choosing to find purpose in this. I am doing this for your glory.

I'm not running like a man running aimlessly. I'm running with purpose in every step. I'm directed by your spirit. I'm empowered by your word. I'm loving people everywhere I go. When I walk into the room, the spirit of God walks in the room with me. I'm a climate changer. I'm a people lover.

I lift the moods of people. When I come into a dark room, light comes in with me. There's nowhere I go that I don't go on purpose. I go with the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwelling within me. I walk in with purpose. I am here as an ambassador of the most high God, the highest ranking diplomat sent from heaven to earth to represent the goodness and the love and the grace of God.

This step is on purpose. And this step is on purpose. And my word of encouragement to you is on purpose. And this gift is on purpose. When I lift you up and when I love you, it's on purpose. Because I don't do anything half-heartedly. Whatever I do, I'm doing it for the one who changed my life. You see, if you knew me before, you would think you're not good enough,

but by the grace of God, I am what I am. And because of what he's done in me, you need to know. I work hard, but it's not me doing the work. It's the grace of God in me that's getting it done. Whatever you do, and I don't know who this is going to speak to, but when you're driving your kids all over town, you're doing it for the glory of God. When you're preparing for grad school

or you're fighting to hold your marriage together, you're doing it on purpose, with purpose in every step, for the glory of God. When you're crying with your spouse because you want to consider, and you cannot conceive, when you're caring for your aging parents. When you feel like you're called to do something more and you're stuck in a job that you don't love, when you're healing from a crushing disappointment, or when you're battling cancer, or when you're paying down debt, you're doing what you do for the glory of God,

recognizing his purpose in the moment and somehow passion seems to always. follow purpose. The prize is not when you get the promotion. The prize isn't when you get the fancy car. The prize isn't when you go to the beach or to the mountains or to the place with the big mouse. The prize isn't when your five-year dreams all come true or when you get discovered or when you finally make the big bucks, the prize is now. The prize is here. This is the day that the Lord has made. And because of the grace of God, I will rejoice and I will be glad in it.

You see, life isn't about me. It's not about indulging myself. No about treating myself. It's about denying myself. And when I deny myself, guess what happens? Week number one, I become more bold in spirit. Because we speak boldly about what we believe deeply. And because the grace of Jesus has so transformed me, I cannot contain His goodness and people are amazed by my boldness. I also become faithful in service because serving is not something that I do. A servant is who I am.

I am a servant of the most high God. And when I serve others, I am serving Christ. I am not trying to be the goat of this world. I'm trying to be great by serving. So that one day when I stand before Jesus, he will say, well done, my good and faithful servant. When I am selfless, I become extravagant in generosity. I give without holding back.

because we truly believe, as followers of Jesus, that it is more blessed to give than it is to receive. Therefore, we lead the way with irrational generosity. And when I recognize that I have been transformed by the grace of God and for His glory, then whatever I do is not for me. But it's all for the glory of God as I run with purpose in every single.

step. And as I serve him faithfully in his purpose, the passion follows because I'm not doing it for me and I'm doing it all for him. And then one day I wake up in the middle of the mundane and the middle of the normal. And I say, God, I have experienced you here. And I am full of your goodness and overflowing with your joy because I've discovered that the work is the reality. It is the reality. And I am full of your goodness. And I am full of your goodness. And overflowing with your joy because I've discovered that the work is the reward. It's a joy to serve you and to sacrifice for your kingdom. The prize is in the process. You are with me. Your spirit is guiding me and strengthen me. And I am grateful in the grind, finding joy in all things, rejoicing always God, because your spirit dwells within me. And you're working in all things. You're working in all things.

things to bring about good. So therefore, God, because I am selfless, denying myself, I can be grateful in the grind, and whatever I do, I will do it for your glory because of who you are and what you've done for me. All of our churches, let's take a moment and pray together. Father, we thank you so much that I know your spirit is speaking to people today in a way that will be powerful God, and I hope life changing. At all of our different churches, as you reflect today in prayer, I wonder how many of you would say, okay, I am totally there with you, Craig. I have wished away so much of my life, hoping for the next season, and failed to embrace the goodness of God in the moment. I want to do everything I do. God, help me to do it for your glory. If you can relate to that and you want it,

would you lift your hands right now, all of our different churches? Oh, God, thank you so much that you're speaking to so many people right now. Father, I pray that you would give us a sense of purpose, knowing that even though we may be doing something that seems like preparation for a future season, this moment matters when we do it for you. God, give us a sense of purpose. Help us to see joy and find fulfillment in serving and even doing the little things, God, when we connect it to you, whatever we do, wherever we are, God, whoever we're helping, even when we're struggling, God, help us to serve. you faithful, being faithful in the small things that you could trust us with even more. God, help us

to recognize that the work can be the reward, that the prize is in the process, that we can be grateful in the middle of the grind, God, because you are with us. But by the grace of God, we are what we are. And because your grace was not without effect, God, help us to serve you faithful in all that we do, but not us, God, but your grace working through us. God, help us. that whatever we do, we would do it, God, for your glory. As you keep praying today at all of our different churches, some of you, you're going to recognize, just like I did years ago, that life is all about you.

Now, when I look at my life, I look back, I recognize it was all about my dreams, what I wanted. If there was anything to do with God, it was only what God could do for me. I came to recognize that Jesus, who he was, what he means, he is the sinless son of God. He was selfless in every single way that while we were still sinning, Christ was obedient even to death on the cross.

He died in our place, the sinless one for us who are guilty. On the third day, God raised him from the dead. Why? So that he would defeat death, hell, and the power of the grave, so that anyone, and this includes you, who calls on the name of Jesus,

the name is above every name. When you call on the name of Jesus, you would be saved. Every sin you've ever committed, forgiven by God, transformed in a moment by the grace and the goodness of God. Up to now, his grace may have been without effect. But in this moment, you're going to say, I've been transformed. Forgiven made completely new, not because you're good, but because he's good.

But by the grace of God, you're about to be transformed. All of our churches, those who say, yes, I need his grace, I need his forgiveness. life is not about me. I turn from my sins. I turn toward him. I give my life to him. That's your prayer. Lift your hands high right now. All over the place and say yes. As we've got hands going up at all of our different churches, those of you at church online, would you simply click right below me? And we're all going to pray together. Would you simply pray aloud with those around you? Pray Heavenly Father, today I trust you. To save me and forgive me. me of all my sins. Fill me with your spirit so I could know you and serve you and follow you for the rest of my life. My life is not mine. I give it to you. Thank you for new life. Now you have mine. In Jesus' name I pray. Life Church, would you celebrate big today? Welcome people born into God's family. As a church, it's our honor to play a small

part in all that God is doing in and through your life. To find out what your next steps could be, check us out at life.church slash next. And to stay connected throughout your week and everywhere you go, download the Life Church app, available anywhere you download apps. It's our mission to become fully devoted followers of Christ

because we know that whoever finds God finds life.