Matt Chandler - Hunger and Thirst

Well, good morning! Before we dive in today, I wanted to update you a little bit. Last week, we just kind of threw out a vision for planting churches as we train those guys up and send them out. We asked for a hundred grand, thinking, «Man, we’d love to get a hundred grand from you, every dollar going to that end.» About seven or eight hundred of you actually gave over six hundred thousand dollars last weekend, which is unbelievable! You never cease to blow my mind regarding your generosity towards kingdom initiatives. Thank you again! This is just another one of those ways you make it a delight to pastor in a time when it can be difficult to do so. You always encourage my heart. If you’re wondering what we’re going to do with the $500 overage, I’m glad you asked! We had long-term plans to implement specific funding mechanisms and increase the number of people we can plant. So, we don’t have to wait three or four years to get there—now we’ll be able to kickstart that even this year. Thank you! I wish I could say more about the details surrounding that; I’ll create work for him. Email Trevor Joy; he can answer those questions. I’ve got to preach.

My father, growing up, drank Folger’s crystals. Now, I don’t know if you know what that is. If you know what instant coffee is, this is not like that, but it’s something like that. My dad was a bit of a chemist in how he made his Folger’s crystals. It was a precise measurement—like you guys with your scales and distilled water. My dad had a system: two scoops of Folger’s crystals and four scoops of sugar. Then he would stir those things together and drink this syrupy concoction he called coffee. This ruined me for coffee until, you know, 10 to 15 years later because if that’s coffee—no, thank you! I mean, it locked up my jaw. I’m not a sweet-forward kind of guy; I prefer bitter up front. Man, just to drink coffee-flavored syrup is an offense to coffee everywhere! This was just normal for me. I didn’t know there were other options! Now, he’s gotten a little bougie in his 70s—he has a French press now. So, it was reverse discipleship—sometimes that can happen where you’re like, «Dad, let me help.» And then voila, we’re getting there! We’re not quite there; he’s not measuring anything yet—he’s just throwing it all together. But there’s growth!

Another truth from growing up is that we were sauce people. Let me explain what that means: sauce people means that regardless of the meat, you cook it until it’s done, and then you’ve got to put sauce on it for it to actually make its way down your esophagus into your stomach. Now, I’m fully expecting to hear from my parents; I have not given them a heads-up I’m bringing this up, so Mom, call me! I love you; I’m not lying. It’s a little A1, ketchup, whatever.

So, when Lauren and I began dating, one of our first dates, she ordered a steak rare. I didn’t know what that meant! I literally thought I was in love with this woman. I was like, «I’m not going to be able to recover from this!» They’re going to put just a bloody slab of meat in front of me, and I’m going to watch her gnaw on this bloody piece of meat. You don’t come back from that! Man, you certainly don’t stay with the woman who does that. How terrifying is that? I was somewhat surprised when they brought it out; I was like, «Oh, you know, rare is actually cooked some.» Still, I can’t get there; if it’s cold in the middle, you ruined it. But I’m medium rare, no sauce.

Here’s what’s funny about both of those things. One: if you cook a steak medium, you ruined it! I’m going to send it back and ask you to please not spit in it—just overcook it a little. I’m not dropping this kind of coin on a meal; I need you to make me another one of those! And I don’t want any sugar anywhere near my coffee! If you have to put sugar in it, you brewed it wrong! What happens is we get these tastes, and these tastes begin to define what we’re drawn to and what we’re not drawn to. I know black coffee is what I want. I don’t want whipped cream on it; I don’t want chocolate in my coffee. Now maybe we have different tastes; maybe you’re like, «Actually, Pastor, I think you’re wrong!» I need some caramel and frappé in that muck, maybe some sprinkles on top. Go be you! I try not to drink calories—look at that! I’m trying to keep this up. Yo, I’m fighting the fight—I’m about to be 47! That tire!