Crazy Love by Francis Chan - Chapter 10: The crux of the matter

Chapter 10: The crux of the matter

"How we live our days is how we live our lives." - Annie Dillard.

Francis explains that he wrote this book because often our talk doesn't match our lives. I know I don't always walk the talk. We all fail. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can live victorious lives. Lives that continually grow closer to God. Lives that continually point others to Christ. After all, what can be more important than that? If my life is snap of the fingers compared to eternity, shouldn't I be planning for that eternity? Shouldn't I be making the most of my days here knowing that at any time I could die and meet the Lord? If so, what can I do to make my talk match my walk?

If I had to boil this book down to a phrase it would be "God's love for us is so crazy, shouldn't our response be just as crazy?" What phrase comes to mind as you boil down this book?

Pursuing Christ takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness. It takes energy, effort. It takes me getting up off the couch and grabbing a bible to read. It takes me getting involved in my church. It takes me finding opportunities to serve others. What one thing will you try to apply to your life and change to better serve God and others?

Switchfoot wrote a song called "Burn Out Bright." It makes me think of finishing the race strong, or in football, "leaving it all on the field." In five years, what would you like to see in your life?

I hope you enjoyed this challenging book like I did. God bless you and may God draw you closer to Himself and use you to bless others.

Summary Questions:

• What can I do to make my talk match my walk?
• What phrase comes to mind as you boil down this book?
• What one thing will you try to apply to your life and change to better serve God and others?
•  In five years, what would you like to see in your life?

Crazy Love by Francis Chan - Chapter 9: Who really lives that way?

Chapter 9: Who really lives that way?

In this chapter, we read about a wide variety of examples of people who live/lived out their faith in significant ways, some more extreme than others. All of them were completely committed to the Lord. George Muller ran an orphanage and depended on the Lord for everything. Nathan Barlow used his medical skills to help others in Ethiopia. The Robynson family would make food for the homeless on Christmas morning. Who out of the fourteen people/groups that Francis writes about, stood out to you? Why? Which example would you find the hardest to be like?

The Lord has given each of us certain skills and abilities that are unique. Romans 12:6-8 says "We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." What gifts or skills has God given you that you can use to bless others?

Many of us have had people in our lives who serve as a great example. Two men come to mind when I think about who has served as great examples in my life. One owned a business and the other worked in the ministry, yet both had a profound impact on me and others. Who in your life has lived the way that these people have lived (fully surrendered to God)?

Since reading this book, Have you felt called to live out your faith in a different way?

At the end of the chapter, Francis challenged me to think about others around me and how I might reach out to them. He writes, "I hope they (the examples) have challenged the multitudes who feel 'called to the rich' and ignore the poor." Is there a certain group of people to whom you feel called to minister?

Summary Questions:

• Who out of the fourteen people/groups that Francis writes about, stood out to you? Why? 
• Which example would you find the hardest to be like?
• What gifts or skills has God given you that you can use to bless others?
• Who in your life has lived the way that these people have lived (fully surrendered to God)?
• Since reading this book, Have you felt called to live out your faith in a different way?
• Is there a certain group of people to whom you feel called to minister?

Chapter 10: The crux of the matter

Crazy Love by Francis Chan - Chapter 8: Profile of the obsessed

Chapter 8: Profile of the obsessed

This chapter is 180 degrees compared to the lukewarm chapter (chapter 4). Francis Chan challenges readers to re-evaluate their relationship with the Lord. He defines obsessed as "to have the mind excessively preoccupied with a single emotion or topic." Christians should strive for being obsessed with God. Have you ever been obsessed with something?

The obsessed are people (paraphrased):

Lovers: Who love a person after they have hurt them.

Risk Takers: Who care more about the Kingdom of God than their own personal safety.

Friends of All: Who are friends to people of all walks of life, including those really in need.
Crazy Ones: Who are more concerned about obeying God than doing what is expected.
The Humble: Who point others to Christ and not themselves.
Servers: Who take joy in loving God by loving His people.
Givers: Who think of others more than themselves and are particularly aware of the poor.
Sojourners: Who think about enternity more than their life on earth.
The Engrossed: Who have a passionate love for God above all else.
Unguarded Ones: Who are raw with God and don't try to mask the ugliness of their sins.
The Rooted: Who spend time with God faithfully.
The Dedicated: Who are more concerned about their character than their comfort.
Sacrificers: Who sacrifice thank offerings to God because they know they can never repay Him.

If there is one type of people in this list that you are closest to being, which one is it?
What two types of people would you like to become?

There is a point that Francis makes that I thought was good: "there has to be more to our faith than friendliness, politeness, and even kindness." We ought to be loving all people, even our enemies, to those who can't repay us. These are not easy things, but they are possible through the love of Christ. When have you chosen to love someone in difficult circumstances (child, spouse, parent)?

Later in the chapter Francis writes, "I didn't know many people who were truly in need."  I agree that we need to reach out to those in need and get to know them. How diversified is your friend portfolio?

I think the point of this chapter is to switch from looking at things we are doing that might be negative (chapter four) and strive toward things that are positive. We've likely seen this modeled, either in real life or in the bible. The challenge is to let God shape us into people who are "obesessed" with Him. Through the many ways He loves us, we know He is truly obsessed with us. How has God shown His love to you?


Summary Questions:

• Have you ever been obsessed with something? 
• If there is one type of people in this list that you are closest to being, which one is it?
• What two types of people would you like to become?
• When have you chosen to love someone in difficult circumstances (child, spouse, parent)?
• How diversified is your friend portfolio?
• How has God shown His love to you?

Chapter 9: Who really lives that way?

Crazy Love by Francis Chan - Chapter 7: Your best life...later

Chapter 7: Your best life...later

In this chapter, Francis focuses on love and faith.

First, Francis says we can either let life happen or actively run toward Christ. I'd put it this way: following Christ takes effort. Love takes effort. Love is a verb; action. Francis asks "what does running toward Christ and pursuing Love look like?" He looks at Hebrews 11 for the answer.

Hebrews 11, often called the hall of faith, includes snippets from the lives of Abraham, Moses, Noah, and others in the bible who had great faith. They required God to come through in their situations. Francis says that having faith often means doing what others see is crazy. "Something is wrong when our lives make sense to unbelievers." What are some things that Christians do that non-Christians would think are crazy? Like Francis says "we want to put ourselves in situations where we are safe 'even if there is no God.'" How would others view your spirituality, crazy or sane? I know I play it safe at times when I should really be trusting in God. He has my life in the palm of His hand, yet I think I need to be in control. Jesus says in Matthew 6:26-27, "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" Does our worry or desire to play it safe point to a lack of faith/spiritual growth?

In Matthew 25:45, Jesus' parable says that the king (who is actually himself, the Son of Man) will reply "Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me." Francis asks "What if I thought of everyone one I see as if they were Christ?" There is a connection between loving and giving. When we give we are showing love for the other person. Describe an example of when someone gave to you.

One line that stood out to me from this chapter was this one, "As we begin the practice of regular giving, we see how ludicrous it is to hold on to the abundance God has given us and merely repeat the words thank you." It paints a picture of someone who has been given many gifts, but then just keeps them and doesn't share with those in need. Something is wrong with this picture.

Francis says a professor asked him, "What are you doing right now that requires faith?" He replies in his mind that he probably wouldn't be living very differently if he didn't believe in God. Some of us might argue there are a few things that we do that requires faith. But do they? Really? Do I just have faith to say that what I'm doing isn't a waste of time or is it more than that?

He also says that "Life is comfortable when you separate yourself from people that are different from you." He talks about the need to spend ourselves on others. Look for opportunities to help people, develop relationships with people that are different than us. Do you have a variety of friends or are they just like you?


Summary Questions:

• What are some things that Christians do that non-Christians would think are crazy?
• How would others view your spirituality, crazy or sane?
• Describe an example of when someone gave to you.
• What are you doing right now that requires faith?
• Do you have a variety of friends or are they just like you?

Chapter 8: Profile of the obsessed