WHOA That's Good Podcast - You Are Never Alone

Episode Date: September 23, 2020

Max Lucado joins Sadie this week to discuss his new book, You Are Never Alone. Listen in as Max addresses the unprecedented isolation in our culture with a pastor’s heart of compassion. Lucado dives into the miracles of Jesus found in John’s gospel and explains how God’s loving character offers hope and respite for society’s loneliness. You can learn more about Max Lucado and his ministry at https://www.maxlucado.com  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, well that's good fan y'all today. We have a very special treat. This man has written so many books. In fact I'm literally gonna read this because this sounds like it's not legit but it is legit. Over 140 million books in print and over 54 languages. This man has so much wisdom. It has gone across the world. You've probably read one of his books.

We are interviewing today Max Lakado. It's gonna be such a good conversation. On his new book, you are never alone and I just cannot wait to dive into the wisdom that he has. Let's call Max. So we can just jump right into the question of the world. That's a good podcast. Max, what is the best piece of advice that you have ever been given? Oh, well, thanks for letting me on the program and way to start with a hard question. I know, right? Yeah. Years ago, a gentleman said, Max, live by this, succeed at home first. Seucceed at home first. In his suggestion, in his wisdom, he was saying that if you're going to fail anywhere, don't fail with your family.

And that really worked for me. It connected with me. Because you know, I've been a pastor all my adult life. And there are many, many polls and tugs on the time and the calendar and the energy. But my wife and I said, okay, we're gonna try to do this. We're gonna, if we're gonna fail anywhere,

we don't wanna fail at home. So we're closing in on 40 years and she's still putting up with me. Oh, that's awesome. That's such good advice. I'm honestly gonna put that one in my backpack. I just got married. in on 40 years and she's still putting up with me. Oh, that's awesome. That's such good advice. I'm honestly gonna put that one in my backpack. I just got married almost a year ago

and my husband and I do ministry together and so that's such a good one for us to hold on to too because we wanna be saying that 40 years down the road and so that's so good. I love that advice. So you have written a new book. You've written so many books and this is your newest one is actually kind of funny. Last night, I came over to my parents house and my little brother is leaving for college and I

went up to his room and actually in his room he had one of your books by his nightstand. So I thought that was so cool. But you have a new book. You are never alone and what better time for this book to come out? So first, I just want to ask you with this concept of you are never alone. How do you keep yourself reminded of that and reminding other people of that in a time where so many people physically have had to be alone? We've never been through a season like this. Have we said?

No, sir. We're just getting beat up, you know, first the pandemic, then the economic free fall, and then the racial tension. And now the division that happens because of a presidential election. But I think that what's really unique about this season is the isolation, the imposed isolation. I just was reading emails before you and I began talking and I heard from a friend and she said this is 170 days that I have not left my house. Wow. 170 days. She has some health issues that would cause her to be more cautious

but she has not left her house in 170 days. That is extraordinary. It's just extraordinary. Yeah This isolation that we're all going through to one degree or another whether it's just wearing a mask or Staying home it can take its toll on us CNN released this study just about two or three months ago that said loneliness has the same physical impact of Smoking a pack of cigarettes today. Wow. It just takes its toll on us our systems our immune system struggles Because there's something that is activated through real healthy relationships. That's not happening for many people Wow, so this book as you know, Sadie writing books, this was written way pre-pandemic. That's crazy. I did have the opportunity to review it one final time as it was going to press

last March when we were already in oscillation. And so I was able to add a few paragraphs. But I think the Lord saw what we were going to need during this season. Yeah. And place this message on my heart so that we would have it now. Well, that is so cool. If you read this book, you would have thought you wrote it during this time because it is such God's timing for us to get a book like this. I love how you talk about John's gospel and you really drew a lot from that. I think it's so powerful, you know, especially in times like this when we can have a book from somebody so wise who just

pulls out scripture. So what was it about John's gospel that drew you there? That's a great question. John's gospel is unique. It was the fourth one to be written. And odds are really good that he had read Matthew, Mark, and Luke. He knew the accounts, but he wanted to commit the story of Cross from another angle. And he tells us at the end of the Gospel, he says, I have written these things that you may believe and in believing have life in his name. So he wrote a book based on one objective. What stories can I relate? What teachings can I relate? What teachings can I relate?

There will help people believe in Christ in a way that they will have life, life, not just a mental acknowledgement, but really a relationship with Christ that is so deep and profound that it brings life. It brings life. That's why I call this book, You're never alone, because there is a possibility,

there is an invitation, there is an opportunity first to all have a relationship with Christ that is sufficient, that is deep and that is profound, so that we really, we're not alone. We believe that everywhere we go, we have the presence and the power of God to help us and to heal us. And so that's why I get really excited talking about John's gospel because he tells us why he wrote it.

He also has that great comment at the end that if I were to collect all the things that had happened in Jesus, there's no library would be big enough to contain them all. I love that. It's a great statement. And I don't think it's hyperbole. I mean, if he was able to interview every person Jesus healed, every person Jesus helped, every person Jesus taught. I mean, there's no way you could put all that in a book.

So he had to self-edit. He had to edit out stories and he picked these. He picked these miracles because he felt they would be the ones that would help us believe. That's amazing. It's so powerful. John's always been one of my favorite Gossals too. And so that's so cool. Even some of the things you said, I didn't know about John's Gospel. And so, and I love how passionate you get about it because it's life changing. It really is. And these words are truly going to change people's life when they have that revelation that they never have to be alone.

I love when you talk about the storm and John chapter six. In verse 20, you talk about how it's actually translated to, I am, don't be afraid. And I wanted to talk to you about that. What kind of peace and comfort should those words I am bring us? Because I know those words God says to Moses too, he says, I am, the I am.

And what does that really, what does that really mean? Yeah, this is the name of God. This is if God ever had a business card, it would say I am. I am. And that's what God said to Moses. When Moses was hesitant through the burning bush, God said to Moses, tell them I am sent you.

Tell them I am sent you. Tell them, I am sent you. We think it's probably a hybrid of two Hebrew verbs that mean I am and I always will be. These two verbs come together and it creates this, I am. I can't get by with that, neither can you. You know, I need a qualifier. If you say, how are you doing?

I can't say, I am. Yeah. And get by. You need me to say You know, I need a qualifier. If you say, how are you doing? I can't say I am. Yeah. And get by you. You need me to say, well, I am fine or I'm sad or I'm tired. And that's because we change all the time. Right. But one of the messages that comes through the name of God is that he never changes. Wow. He's the only one who said, I am who I am. I got by with it because he doesn't change. Wow. He's steady. Your failures don't discourage him. Your struggles don't overwhelm him. Yeah. And so when Jesus appeared in the middle of the storm, he said, I am fear not. I am. He just gave his name. He just gave his name fear not. I am so good.

Because his name, his presence, his presence was enough to calm the storm. That is so cool. And all of us go through stormy times. What we need to know is that the great I am is here with us to help us face our storms. Yeah, amen, that's so good. That is so powerful. You brought up failures and how our failures

don't scare God. And you talk about this in the book, how failures in life they happen and how in the Bible, the Bible is full of failures. You even joke that we name our kids after these people who have these failures because that's just part of life. Is there anyone in the Bible that maybe had messed up in some way or a failure in a sense that God used that you've related to. That's kind of brought you hope throughout your life.

What a great question that is this book discusses the miracles of Jesus in the Gospel of John. If I were to say one miracle that I appreciate the most profoundly, I think it would be the appearance of Christ to the disciples after the resurrection on the shoreline of the sea of Galilee. Because each of them had abandoned Christ and Peter had specifically denied Christ three times. He said, I don't even know the man. I don't know the man.

And so after the resurrection, Jesus knew where they were. They were on the sea of Galilee and they were fishing and they had fished all night. They had not caught a thing. And they heard a voice from the shore telling him to throw the net on the other side. And they did and they caught so many fish. They couldn't even get them in the boat. The boat began to sink. John recognized who that person was. And he declared it as the Lord. And Peter could barely get his bridges on before he jumped in the water and he swam to the shore. And what was Jesus doing?

He was cooking breakfast. It's just, here Jesus has just defeated, just defeated hell, just disarmed Satan. Just once and for all, presented himself as the only ruler for all of history. And what does he do? Well, he builds a fire and he cooks some fish for his friends. It's awesome. It's just the most tender moment. Peter knowing that the last time he saw Christ was when he was denying Christ knew that he was deserving of a good finger pointing and tongue lashing.

But Jesus didn't do that. The conversation is tender and powerful, which he says, do you love me? Do you really love me? And three times Peter is given the opportunity to say that he does love the Lord one time for each of the denials. It to me, it's a miracle that I can really relate to. Say, because I stumbled so much in my life. I've fumbled so often. I've been a hypocrite. I was a drunk, you know, all my teenage years. I've not been respectful of women through my lifetime. I was such a mess that by the time I was 20 years old, I really didn't think God would have a place for a person like me. Wow.

It wasn't hard for me to believe that Jesus rose from the dead. I just didn't believe Jesus could forgive a scoundrel like me. I'd been given so much, raising such a good home, but I'd messed it all up. Wow. But you know the day I decided to trust the grace of Christ and believe in Him was the greatest day of my life. And he's been good to me. It's powerful. And I believe he's invited me to breakfast every day. And he hears my confession, and he forgives my sins. And that's a miracle. That's a miracle. That is a miracle. Well, that's so powerful. Thanks for sharing that. That's always been one of my

favorite stories to when Jesus sat with Peter at breakfast and asked him that question, do you love me three times? And I always thought that was so crazy that Jesus was asking Peter if, you know, he loved him because for me, I think I always am playing the opposite. I'm like, God, do you still love me because I messed up? But God of course still loves me. Like, I'm not, I don't have to ask that question. He asked me that question and I'm like, yes, I love you, God. And so that's always stuck out to me

as such a powerful thing. I love how like so many people can read that and it sticks out to them because of who God has been in their story and in their life and how the spirit has worked in them. So powerful. And it's like Jesus is reinstating Peter. You know, Peter had fallen away, but now he comes back and he reinstates him.

It's great. Three times he says, do you love me? And then three times he says, now feed my sheep. It's great. Feed my sheep. It's great. Feed my sheep. So those three words of affirmation, three words of installation, installing him to

be the first preacher, you know, on the day of Pentecost that Peter would preach with such power, the gospel. And I think it is because he had experienced the gospel himself. Yeah, oh, that's so cool. So you talked about believing in that Jesus down on the cross and rose from the grave. And you talk about the miracle of the crucifixion and the book too in the weight of that. As people read this book and are reminded of that miracle, what do you hope people realize about the miracle of the cross? Hmm.

Boy, you ask such great questions. Thank you. When Jesus in John's gospel, when he's on the cross and he cries out, actually, it's in Matthew's gospel, he cries out, my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And then in John's gospel, he cries out, it is finished, it is finished. So there's something in those two statements that I think carries us into the meaning of what was happening on the cross. That when Christ cried out my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? I believe he was doing more than just quoting the psalm from the Old Testament.

I believe he was experiencing in himself a sense of separation from God. Because that's the price of sin. God made him who had no sin to be sinned for us, the Scripture says, so that in him we could become the rochessess of God. So he experienced in himself that sense of separation for my sin, for my sin. But then when he cried out, it is finished. He did so using this incredible Greek phrase that literally means it is paid or it is consummated or it is completed.

I can almost see him pushing himself up on the nails and lifting his chest so we could get one final breath of air and declare, take to tell us, I agree, it is paid, it is paid. So what needed to be done was done. What needed to be accomplished was accomplished. And the next time he opens his mouth, he says, Father, into your hands, I commit my spirit. And so the two were reunited. You know, Sadie, we all need to know

that we are sinners. We have stumbled, we have fallen. But we also need to know that we serve a God of great grace. And he is creating for Himself a people with whom He's going to reign forever, forever, forever, forever. And He wants you to be a part of that kingdom. He wants me to be a part of that kingdom. But that kingdom is a sinless kingdom and it's a kingdom of justice. And He can't just pretend that we've never seen. He has to deal with it. He has to acknowledge it. Yeah. And so in his justice, he declares Christ to be the one to carry our sin. But in his grace, Christ carries our sin for us and pays the price. That's so good. So it's a powerful turning point

miracle for sure. That is a turning point miracle for all of us. It's so powerful. I feel like that's going to help so many people understand what the crucifixion meant and what Jesus and what God was doing and so that's so powerful. You quoted something in the book that I thought was so good. As you said, the someone promised you a pain-free life, well then they mis-spoken. And I love that you said that because I do think people have this expectation sometimes that if they're walking with God then it's supposed to be pain free then nothing bad's supposed to happen. And I think you know whenever we come into a year like this when bad things just do happen

and they're out of our control, it's a tendency to just get mad at God. And so what encouragement would you give people who have kind of had that mindset that it's not supposed to be this way? We're not supposed to go through this if we're believers. Yeah, and I'm sorry somebody led you to believe that because there's really nothing that the Bible says. I mean, you're never going to find a passage in the scripture that says, once you give your life to Christ, everything is going to be okay.

Hmm. Really, to a degree, the opposite is true because when you give your life to Christ Satan turns his attention on you and you can expect to be discouraged you can expect to be challenged you can expect to be tested but here's the promise Jesus said in this world you will have tribulation but be of good cheer because I have overcome the world. He has overcome the world. So for those of you who feel like you're in a season

of tribulation, God gets that. He knew it was coming, but he's gonna get you through this. He really is. He's gonna help you. That's so good. And so don't think that there's gonna be a pain-free life. Here's what you can't believe. This pain has a purpose.

Yeah. That God is going to use this pain, use this season to make you into a better person. You know, that old saying is true. Will we need to be better or bitter? Don't let this season of isolation and struggle. Don't let 2020 turn you into a bitter, resentful person. Let it turn you into a better person. Lean into God.

Make this a year you pray the most that you discover new depths of living in relationship and harmony with him. You'll be a better person because of it. That's so good. Man, that's so challenging for me too. I remember having this moment a few weeks ago, we were in like a prayer group and we were praying and I was like just thinking about how you know 2020 can be like it can forever be defining in our memory as like the worst year, the hardest year. But if we begin to pray and just like seek God and listen and read more, it really could be the year that God became the most tangibly real to us, you know, that we sought him the most, that we prayed the hardest, that we read the word and took real to us, you know, that we sought him the most, that we prayed the hardest, that we read the word and took him at his word and understood what his word meant.

And, you know, again, weren't confused by why is all this bad stuff happening? If God is real, we understood that it's okay that those things are happening, but God's promises are still true. And so that's so good. It's such a challenge for me. Lastly, I want to talk to you about this really hopeful statement that you wrote. You said, faith is not the absence of doubt. Faith is simply a willingness to keep asking hard questions. Then I wanted to ask you to just give encouragement to the people who maybe they've been struggling

with doubt and they felt like because they doubt then they don't have faith. Maybe encourage some of those people who are going through that time of doubt. And just overall, like, overall messages, those who feel alone who have struggled with doubt in this year to just keep the faith. Yeah. Thank you for asking that question.

And in the book, I tried to be really upfront about the doubts that I've had. I think I even went to say that I might be defraught from the ministry if people knew how many times. But I do, I have these questions like, do I really believe that God became a human being, God became a tiny baby that God grew up in a map dot of a town in ancient Israel. Do I really believe this?

I guess myself, I've ever so often needing to work it through again, needing to work it through again. But you know what? I think that working it through, that thinking it through, that walking down that road is good for us. It's good for us. Because we come out stronger on the other side. And I share in the book how when I was 22 years old, I went to a friend, a dear friend, and I said, I don't think I believe anymore. It's just too radical, it's too bizarre. And so his question to me, I've never forgotten.

He said, okay, then tell me what happened to the body of Christ? What happened to the physical body of Christ that was placed in the tomb, because everything hinges on the resurrection. If Christ rose from the dead, then our hope is not in vain. If he did not rise from the dead, the converse is true. We've been doomed. So his question to me was, where's the body? And so he walked me through what I've now come to see is really apologetics 101.

And that is, who moved the stone? Wow. What did the body of Christ go? Don't you know that if there really was a cadaver of Christ, the Romans would have produced it, because they did not want to go down in history as people who could not even crucify somebody sufficiently. Don't you know that if there was a body of Christ, the enemies of Christ would have produced it. The day that Peter preached that famous sermon on the day of Pentecost, they could have said,

well, come on everybody, we know where the tomb of Joseph of Eherima Thia is, we're going to see if there's a body in that tomb. And they didn't do it because they knew there was no body in that tomb. So if there was no body, if there was no physical cadaver, then that must mean only that there really was a resurrected Lord. There really was a resurrected Lord. And no wonder the apostles could preach in such power because thousands and thousands of people there in Jerusalem knew that tomb was empty.

The word was out, that the word was out. The word was out that Jesus had risen from the dead. And it just simply fell to Peter to explain why. And when he connected the dots for the people, that's when the movement we call Christianity began. Wow. So I do have to work through that story on occasion, Sadie. But every time I work it through, I think I come out stronger.

But please, if you're a person who has your doubts, that's okay. God never turned away a sincere doubtor. He didn't turn Thomas away in the upper room. And Thomas had his doubts, but he never turned away a sincere doubt. He didn't turn Thomas away in the upper room, and Thomas had his doubts, but he never turned Thomas away, and he won't turn you away as well. Well, come on, that's so good.

I am so encouraged by this conversation. I'm so encouraged by your book. Again, you are never alone. Everybody, go get this book. It will encourage you and strengthen you in this time. It was such God's timing for this book to come out. And so, Max, thank you for writing it. Thank you for pouring in to all of our listeners today

and just encouraging us. I hope that you feel encouraged yourself. Well, thank you. It's a great treat to talk to you and all the very, very best. Ha, thank you. See you you too. Alright everybody, we out Christian in the house. In the house?

In the house in the house. We need like a, we need a theme song. Like, pouring the house from the bed. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay, so this is Christian in the house. Okay, we'll work on that. How do we always start singing? I think it's the microphone that does the suis anyways We got some good and bad advice into us in from the whoa, that's good podcast Instagram. Thank you guys for sending this in

All right, Christian. What do you think about this? Do what you love the money will follow? Yeah, I mean, I think that's good You know, I think that if money is your ambition, then I think that's gonna lead you down some path. You know, I actually read this morning that you can't serve both God and money, but I do think that, you know, doing what you love and following that passion that if it's something that allows you to make money,

then that'll happen if you're doing what you love, yeah. And sometimes, you know, you can do a job for financial reasons and then also do what you love as a side hobby. All right. You need to test it before you drive it. Wait a second. Are you asking what I think you're asking? I think they mean like like a car. I don't think they mean a car. And you think it's, it lies. Okay. No bad advice. If it's, if it's with human beings, bad advice, car, you don't have to test it for a job.

You can get a test drive a car. As Peppa Phil says, Peppa Phil says it later to us. He was talking about Jace and how Jace was talking about how he didn't have sex with where he was married and people say, how are you going to know what to do? And Jace said, I'm just going to figure it out. And then he got married. He has? And Jason, I'm just gonna figure it out. And then he got married, he has three kids, and now he says, I figure it out. Yes, you don't have to test it.

You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it.

You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. You don't have to test it. Well, you're single dating. No, no, no, no, no. Just a bad idea. Yeah, married, we can Netflix and show.

Yeah, I still, I still just don't like the phrase Netflix and show though. When you're married, like, yeah, but it has a bad connotation. That's true. But yeah, it's a saying, if you are not married, let's just put this in and you Netflix and show you might actually test it. You might actually get it. That is not good. That's true coincide. I'm just selling that position. I just did. You might actually get it. That is not good. It's all coincident.

I was just having that position. Woo! You can Netflix and chill while you're driving the test driving. I believe we're like little kids, we're like live and turn around. All right, you only get one good name. Don't ruin it. That's not always true. Like, saw theapal. Yeah.

Jacob, too, wasn't it Israel? Yeah? Jacob the Jake. No. Oh, yeah. Well, we actually do know. I can't help it from Jacob the Jake. So my dad, he went by Jess and then he went by Willie.

So sometimes it's true. You can have a name change. You can decorate a name change. You should try to honor the name that you've been given. Yeah, that's great advice. Yeah. That's all we're today from the OO that's good podcast and secret. I sound like a game show host and we're out.

Thank you so much for listening to the OO that's good podcast. I have so much been doing this. I hope you'll have fun listening. And don't forget to follow me on Instagram at legitsadyrob and follow the podcast at WoW That's Good Podcast. I don't know where it's a live original dot com to see when I'm in a city near you or visit live original blog on our online store which carries my exclusive words by sady rob line.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my podcast and leave comments so we can hear what you're loving. Also, when you give a special shout out to my audio engineer, Marcus DePolla, the whole team at United Talent Agency and my live original team, you guys are awesome and hey, so we're all of you two. Thanks so much for listening. you