Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - There Is a Reason, Part 3: Stop Comparing Your Calling

Episode Date: May 2, 2020

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I'm wondering, do any of you have a love-hate relationship with social media? I'm curious. Do any of you, like, with maybe Instagram or Facebook, whatever your source is, do you have a love-hate relationship with it? Okay? Like, I love the fact that I can stay in touch with what's going on in the lives of my friends and see their funny, silly pictures and be inspired and see who's having kids or what their kids are doing. I love that part of it.

but sometimes I hate it. I hate it when I get sucked into it for too long, or when I'm having a perfectly good day and someone else is having a better day than mine, and then suddenly I feel like my life sucks. Does that happen to any of you ever? Like you start to compare, and you feel like my life is not going so good at all?

I want to talk about, a little bit about the curse of comparing, and a thought we've covered before is this, the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else. The very fastest way to kill something that's otherwise very special and meaningful is to compare it to someone else. I don't know about you, but I don't just compare what someone else has. Like I know some people, like, she's got more shoes than Nordstrom's, and I hate that.

Or, you know, it used to be when you go on vacations. Like, isn't that his third vacation of the year, and I'm not going anywhere? Like the only place I'm going is like, lost backyardos, you know, or whatever. And I don't just compare, you know, what someone has or where they're going. But the thing that gets me sometimes is when I compare what they can do that I can't do. Talented people that are good at so many different things. For example, there are a lot of things I'm not good at. One is I'm not handy.

Like you could say I'm mechanically challenged. I can't fix anything. I can barely fix a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. And another thing is, like, I can't sing at all. Those of you that watch the midweek service, Wednesday night, 7 p.m., central daylight time. There's a little commercial for it. Yes, that was intentional. That by friends are you always reaching down and playing with the side of your pants?

The reason is I'm turning my microphone off before one of our worship, before Pastor Stephen leaves us in worship, because I can't sing. If you heard my vocals, you probably never come back to church ever. You might not follow God if you heard my vocals are so bad. I can't fix anything. I can't sing. What's a problem for me, though, is my bride, Amy, really seems to appreciate when someone repairs something, makes something, or has a great voice.

And sometimes that makes me feel a little bit inadequate. She'll say something like, hey, we should go see so-and-so. You know, her husband made this amazing table and chairs from like the ground up. And it's like, so incredible. And he rewired the house and did an add-on. I'm like, yeah, but can he preach?

a sermon, probably not, but she's so excited about that. Or she's like, oh, his voice is so amazing. Did you hear his voice? And I go, yeah, but I swear he can't do nunchucks. I promise you he can't do nunchucks. I find myself comparing sometimes and feeling a little bit inadequate, the curse of comparing, because I can't do what they can do. If you've ever felt like that, the reason you can't do what someone else can do is because you weren't called to their purpose. You weren't created by God to do what they were created by God to do. That's why the title of today's message is, stop comparing your calling. Whatever you do, stop comparing your calling to someone else. Let's pray wherever you are. Father, we ask that your spirit would speak an empowering word

to our hearts today, that your word would build up our faith with confidence that we are created by you to do what you called us to do to serve your purpose. We don't need to compare, but God, to be satisfied, excited, and fulfilled by your purpose for us. God, speak to us and build our faith. We pray in Jesus' name. And everybody said, amen. Type it in. Come on, just type it in, amen, amen, amen.

Let's review. We're in a message series called There's a Reason. In the first week, we talked about the purpose in your pain. Sometimes God's preparation comes packaged as pain. In other words, if you're hurting, there is a purpose in your pain. Last week, we looked at three principles. Your purpose is not for you. Your purpose is for God.

It's not about you. It's about him. We looked at this, that you don't find your purpose. You serve God's purpose. If you want to serve God's purpose, you start serving God's people. Today I want to add two additional thoughts. The first one is this. you'll embrace this, internalize this, live this,

that you are perfectly created by God to fulfill God's purpose for you. You have everything you need to do everything that God created you to do. You are perfectly designed by the great designer to fulfill his divine purpose for you. In fact, the Apostle Paul said this to the believers in Ephesus, Ephesians chapter 2 verse 10.

He said, for we are God's masterpiece. I love that. We're his masterpiece. He's created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we could do good things he planned for us long ago. This is an amazing thought to recognize Pastor Stephen that long before you were born, God gave you the gifts that you have to do what you just did today. Because you are his masterpiece. In fact, the Greek word to all of you husbands who can make tables and chairs, the Greek word for masterpieces, poem. I bet you didn't know that. It means like the poetic work. Like you are the poetic statement of God because he created you exactly as he wanted you to fulfill his purpose.

I love this bumper sticker I saw that said on the back of a car. It said, God don't create no junk. I hope you'll realize that. God knew exactly what he was doing when he made you. You were not an accident. God don't create no junk. The only problem with that bumper sticker it was on a junk or car.

But that's beside the point. God doesn't create any junk. You're not an accident. Everything that God creates, he creates for a purpose. In other words, your birth is evidence that your purpose is necessary. There is no substitute for you. You are perfectly designed by God to fulfill his very specific purpose for you. Now, because you're created by God and for God, we're to do everything for His glory,

for him. Not for us, it's for him. The problem is so many of us, we end up doing things for our own reasons or for somebody else. We will do it for someone else's approval, or we're trying to impress them. Like, who are you doing that for? Well, I'm doing it for them because of what they think. I'm wondering, who's them and why do you care about what they think? Like, who's they? Who are they? Well, I just, I want them to, I want them to, I want them to, I want them to, I want them to like you tomorrow and them's gonna change and they're gonna change as you go through life anyway, but we're doing it for their approval

so that they will like us. Here's the challenge. Comparison is the enemy of calling. Anytime we start to compare what someone else is doing and what they think this robs us of our calling. Comparison is the enemy of calling. Why? Number two, because you can't fulfill God's purpose for you when you're comparing to someone else.

You'll never be able to do what God uniquely created you to do when you're always looking at what she's doing, what he's doing, what they're doing, what they think. You can't fulfill your calling when you're comparing to somebody else. In fact, I want to show you one of my favorite, funny portions of Scripture. Not only is the Bible living and active and sharp and convicts and corrects and encourages and inspires,

but it's funny. If you read the Bible, You should read the Bible. There's some really, really funny stuff in here. You'll be changed, and you might even laugh if you read it right. I'll show you a portion in John 20 that's just hilarious to me. It's about John and Peter. Back when I was in cemetery, excuse me, back when I was in seminary, years ago,

that's a bad preacher joke. Back when I was in seminary, I had a professor that said that John and Peter likely had a rivalry. And they were always comparing. Like you look at the disciples, like, who's the greatest? Who's the most important? Jesus, who gets to ride shotgun? That's my translation of who gets to sit next to you at the table. Who's the most important?

And in John chapter 20, you can actually see this rivalry, this comparison between Peter and John. Now, if I were Peter, I honestly probably wouldn't like John. I mean, I love him, but I may not like him. Any of your friends like that? Like, you love him in the Lord, but you don't want to be around him? John was annoying. I'll tell you why it's annoying. He referred to himself in third person.

That's annoying. He called himself the one that people loved. Now, if I can just like to speak into your life right now, if you refer to yourself in third person, just stop it now. In the name of Jesus Christ, of Nazareth, don't do that, okay? That's annoying. Well, Pastor Craig thinks, don't say that, don't say that. This is what John did, and it's maybe one of the reasons why he annoyed Peter.

He referred to himself as the one that the disciple that Jesus loved, And what I want to do is give you the context, and then I'm going to show you something funny. The context of John 20, it was Sunday morning the day of the resurrection, the biggest day in history. The tomb is now empty. Jesus has risen from the dead. So Jesus gave his life three days later. He has risen from the dead. And I want you to notice how many times John tells us that he's faster than Peter in a foot race.

It's in the Bible. Don't miss it. Watch this. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen, and John is faster in a 50-yard dash. Watch this. Verse 2, John 20. So Mary came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple.

The one who Jesus loved. That's John, that's annoying. Can you agree that's annoying? Type that in the chat. That's annoying. So here's John referring to himself. She came to him and said, they've taken the Lord out of the tomb,

and we don't know where they put him. Now, count the times with me. How many times does he say it? So Peter and the other disciple, that's John, started for the tomb, both were running, but the other disciple, here's John talking about himself, the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first, there's one, then Simon Peter came along, where was Peter, behind John, there's number two, and was straight into the tomb. Finally, the other disciple, that's John, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside.

Three times John tells us in his own gospel, I got to the tomb faster than Peter. comparing, competing. I'm imagining this. The women come and say the tomb's empty, and Peter and John are like, well, we got to get there. Let's get there. Let's get there. And then they fast walk in.

Who's going to be faster? Comparison kills calling. It robs you from this. John compared himself to Peter. Peter compared himself to John. Who does Jesus like more? Who's most important? Who should sit in the most important place?

And maybe you do the same thing. Maybe you're a mom and you compare yourself to your annoying Pinterest mom friend. You know what I'm talking about? It's COVID-19 and she's making homemade goodies for the kids and they're doing crafts and they're playing games every day and you can't find your kids because you made them disappear because they were making you crazy and you never want to homeschool again as long as you live, right? You might compare marriages. It's this whole COVID-19 lockdown.

And this couple, they go on like little dates in their living room where they dress up and put candles on. And they have family devotionals and they go on walks. And you're just praying to make it through without making someone disappear in your own home. Your marriage is maybe a little bit struggling while so many people they're not. Or it could be anything. She's got more followers. He's got more influence. She's in better shape than I.

And they have more money, more bling, more whatever it is. comparisons. It's a curse, and it robs us of calling. What's interesting about Peter and John is the story doesn't just end there, but if you know, and we talked about this a few weeks ago, Peter denied Jesus before Jesus gave his life on the cross. Well, after Jesus was raised from the dead,

Jesus had this powerful moment with Peter where he basically reinstated him, or he forgave him, and he restored him back to his calling, mission, his purpose, and he said to Peter, do you love me? And Peter's like, yes, I do. And Jesus said, your purpose is go feed the sheep. That's your calling. This is what you're called to do. Do you love me? Yes, yes. Then feed my sheep. That's your purpose. Now watch what Peter did. John 21, verse 20. Peter turned around and saw behind him the disciple that Jesus loved. So Jesus says,

here's your calling, and the very next thing that Peter does is he looks at John. Peter, here's your calling, and Peter's comparing to John. Peter asked Jesus, what about him? What's his purpose? What's his calling? What's he going to do? And Jesus replied, if you want him to remain alive until I return, what's that for you? As for you, follow me.

As for you, feed my sheep. I came to tell somebody today, stop comparing your calling. Stop comparing what you were not designed to accomplish. Because you can't fulfill your calling. You can't fulfill God's purpose when you're comparing to somebody else. In fact, the fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else. That's why some of you right now, you're miserable in your marriage because you're comparing your marriage to someone else's.

You're miserable in what you have. You've got a nice place. You've got nice things, but you're comparing it. You're comparing your kids. Some of you, you're comparing your calling. I'm not as important, and I'm not making this kind of a difference. And it's killing your calling. Embrace the truth, the reality,

that you are created by God, perfectly by God, to fulfill God's purpose for you. You have everything you need to do everything that God created, needed you specifically to do. In fact, I love what the author to the Hebrews says about our focus. He says in Hebrews 12, verses one and two, let us run with perseverance. Man, how many of you know this season takes some perseverance? Let's not give up.

Let's not grow weary in doing good. Let's remain faithful. Let's keep our eyes focused on the right thing. Let us run with perseverance. And then the author to the Hebrew says, the race marked out for us. In other words, there is a race that you're called to run. Your race is your race? My race is my race.

You can't win my race, I can't win your race. Run with perseverance, your race. Fulfilling your calling, serving God's purpose for you. Let us run with perseverance. The race marked out for us. Then what do we do? We fix our eyes, on Jesus, the author, the perfector, the pioneer, and the perfector of our faith.

We're fixing our eyes on Jesus. He's the prize. We're running the race that he created us to run, thinking about him, doing it for his glory. It's impossible for me to run someone else's race and to win. So we fix our eyes on Jesus. In fact, I ran track. I was like a track star in the eighth grade. Actually, I wasn't very good, but I did run in the eighth grade. And one of the things I remember was that the fastest way to lose a race is to look over your shoulder. When you're running, you look straight ahead. The moment you look over the shoulder to see who else is running, who else is catching you, it breaks your stride, it breaks your momentum. It breaks your momentum and it takes you off of out of your lane the fastest way to kill something special is to

compare it to something else stop comparing your calling you run your race you stay in your lane i'll preach my sermon someone else can make the tables that we sit on and enjoy great meals you don't compare what you're doing with someone else because you aren't created to do what someone else is doing Some of you might say, well, you know, Pastor Craig, you wouldn't struggle with kind of comparing or whatever. Ah! In the early years of ministry, this about, like, took me out. Some, you might look at me now and say,

well, you know, now that you have a larger church and larger influence, you know, you must never, ever, ever battle with this. Oh my gosh, no. You can't out-succeed your insecurities. Okay? It doesn't matter how big whatever grows you're growing, or how much of whatever you want you get, your insecurities are still there.

And in the early years of ministry in my 20s and in my 30s, so much the time I was running the race like this. Who else is doing it? And how fast is their church growing and what kind of influence they have? And who's speaking at that conference and why did I get invited to that? And how come I'm not friends with so-and-so

and why am I not there? And one of the greatest revelations I had along the way, and I don't always live in this, but it was just realizing, is I am not called to run someone else's race. I can't win someone else's race. And so there's great freedom now in looking at the people that are my friends and partners in ministry,

not my competitors, not how do I rank compared to them, but my friends and partners in ministry and saying win your race. Be the best at what you're created to be. Make a difference in the way that only you can make a difference. And it's freeing to say, that's not my lane. I'm in my lane. I'm gonna stay in my lane.

I'm gonna keep my eyes on Jesus. He is the author and the perfector of my faith. I'm running the race he created me to run. Guess what race I can run? There's no one in the world that can love my bride the way I'm called to love my bride. There's no one married to Amy. That makes me pretty dang special

that I get to be with her. That's my race. And I will lay down by life with great honor to serve you, nurture you, honor you, and all that we do. And he gave me six kids, and they all faithfully love Jesus. That's a pretty big win.

You get two of them going in the same direction at the right time, that's a big win. Six of them, that's a miracle. Like that's a miracle from heaven. And that's my race to help nurture them, to raise them. For whatever reason, I have the ability to help build leaders. We've got 34 of the greatest campus pastors in the world.

34 the greatest worship pastors in the world. 34 of the greatest kids pastors in the world. 34 greatest of the student pastors in the world. And some of the greatest leaders anywhere, creating things like the U Virgin Bible app and church online and free resources, I help build leaders. That's my lane.

That's what I do. And so with every bit of faith in me, I'm going to wake up every day and say, I'm running my race. It's something that I can do. And in this season right now, when our church is spread out and we're not gathered, I wake up with everything in me thinking,

shepherd this flock. Love these people. Inspire them where they are. To become more like Jesus. To glorify God. To recognize that God put inside of you exactly what he wanted to put inside of you. to do exactly what he created you to do.

And just because you're limited right now in opportunity doesn't mean that you're stopped. A limited situation does not stop God's calling. His calling is on you. He is for you. He is with you. He will never leave you. He will never forsake you.

Feel his presence. Embrace his calling. Step into what he's called you to do to fulfill his calling for you. Keep your eyes on the prize, your eyes on Jesus. You might just do this every now and then. He's like, what are you doing? I'm running my race.

Whatever your race is, right now, it might be that you're getting your degree. And it may be online now, but you're getting your degree because you're called to this. And you know in the next season you're going to be fulfilling, you're calling then you're just doing what you're called to do. It might be that you're leading a business.

and it's a small business. It's not the biggest one, but you're leading with integrity and faithfulness. And you're representing Jesus and all that you do. And everyone that you interact with know that your business is different that you do things to honor God. You're just running your race.

You might have some friends and you don't do some of the things they do in a wilder lifestyle because you're called in a different lane. And they may laugh at you and they may not understand, but you just stay in your lane. And you let your life be a witness

saying, I'm running my race. You might have kids everywhere. You're up to your ears and diapers. You just change those diapers for the glory of God. This is the season you're in. You're just running your race. You're just being faithful where you are.

You're just loving people. You're just making a difference. You're letting the spirit and the love of God flow in you and through you in all that you do. You're a faithful voice in your student ministry, reaching out to your switch students, even though you can't meet right now on Wednesday nights. You're bold online, sharing your faith. Your social media is not just about showing your fashion. It's about showing your faith that you can make a difference where you are.

Do what you're created to do. What are you? Listen, you're the masterpiece of God. Created in Christ Jesus to do the good works that he prepared in advance for you to do. Long before you were ever born, God knew that at this moment, this time, in history, You are perfectly created to point certain people to know him. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus. Stop comparing your calling.

You can't win every race, but you can win yours. Step into it. Embrace his calling. We looked last week, David served God's purpose in his generation. One of the greatest things that we could ever know. is that today I serve Jesus' purpose. Success isn't some goal you achieve out there in the future. Success isn't when we get back to life as normal.

That's not success. Success is being faithful to Jesus today. Stop comparing. The fastest way to kill something special is to compare it to something else. God created you, exactly where you you are. He knew this whole situation would hit, and he knew that you would have exactly what he needs to make a difference in the life of someone else. Quit comparing your calling. Step into your

purpose to serve God and serve his people exactly where you are. Father, today, I thank you that your church is the church, whether the doors are open or not. And I pray, oh God, that your church, your people would be inspired to serve your purpose for them. Stir up the gifts within them, even where they are today, to make a difference in this world, to serve you in all that they do. As you're praying today wherever you are,

those of you who say, yeah, amen, I wanna serve God's purpose today. Just lift up your hands, you can just type it in the chat. Amen, I wanna serve God's purpose. I wanna make a difference. Father, I thank you that we don't have to wait until things go back to normal. to make a difference in this world.

God, use your church, stir up with them a passion to see the gifts that you've given them serve your purpose to make a difference. God, I pray you'd give them divine insight. Give them an eyes to see needs in the world. Give them a heart to care, God, about those around them that are hurting. We thank you, God, for a church of people

ready to serve, postured in position, to do your will, to fulfill your purpose. God, there's a reason. There is a reason. Help us to recognize the reason for which we are created. God, to serve your purpose today, not comparing callings, but keeping our eyes on Jesus, running our race, staying in our lanes, making a difference in this world.

As you keep praying today, wherever you are, living room, bedroom, watching in the kitchen, the backyard, whatever it is, Some of you, you're going to recognize something's really, really missing in your life. You might have thought for a long time it was some thing, some accomplishment, some amount of money, some experience, some something. What I hope you'll recognize is that it's actually someone. I'm not talking about just a person that you could know, but I'm talking about a person you can love the Son of God. His name is Jesus.

He's perfect in every way. And he loves you exactly as you are. He loves you. When the author to the Hebrew said it, he said, just keep your eyes on Jesus. Who is he? The sinless son of God who died on a cross and God raised him from the dead

so our sins could be forgiven and so that we could live eternally. Today, there are those of you you recognize I need his forgiveness. I need his mercy. I want his power and I want to live his purpose. Just call on him right where you are.

When you call on his name, his name is above every name. God will hear your prayer. He'll forgive your sins. He'll transform your life and make you completely new. On the other side of mobile devices and TVs and computers,

if there's something drawing you right now toward God, there's something like pulling you. What is that? It's not a coincidence, it's not an accident. You're watching today because the Spirit of God loves you and he's drawing you into a relationship with himself. Just surrender where you are. Just say, I've had enough.

I don't want to be in control anymore. I need God's forgiveness. I want to surrender my life. Jesus, I want you to be first. That's your prayer. You can type it in the chat. I want you to be first. Jesus, I'm giving you my life.

Wherever you are today, those who say, I need him. I need his grace. Right now at this moment, just say, yes, I surrender to you. You can lift up your hands in a moment of surrender. You can click online below at church online and say, yes, you can type it in the chat. Yes, Jesus, I need you. I want your forgiveness, I want to live according to your purpose.

And just pray wherever you are, as we've got people all over the world, surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Just pray, Heavenly Father, forgive my sins. Jesus, save me, make me new. Fill me with your spirit so I can know you personally, so I can live for you daily and so I can serve you faithfully.

Show me my calling, my purpose, the reason you created me helped me to make a difference in the lives of people every day that I live. My life is not my own. Jesus, I give it all to you. Thank you for a new life.

Now you have mine. In Jesus' name, I pray. Could you just worship right where you are? Tell God thank you, you can clap in the chat, you can clap where you are as we see people around the world coming to faith in Christ. What are you? You're the masterpiece of God.

Created a new in Christ Jesus to do the works that God prepared in advance for you to do. Because of who he is, because of what he's done, and because of what we're called to do, today we give him praise. Could I get a little help from our worship team? Let's lift up our voices. Let's sing again, let's give our God praise and Thanksgiving.