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- [00:19]
A
Happy Sunday, everybody. Hey, I'm so glad that your face is in the place. You look good. You look fresh. You look flourishing. Hey, I want to take a moment and welcome you to our new series, Social at the Movies. I know you're not supposed to have favorites, but y', all, this series is one of my favorites. Not just because it's fun, not just because of watching movie clips, not just because I look like Michael B. Jordan. Shut up. Not even because your pastor is an actor. Y' all know I'm an actor, right? Y' all don't believe me? Roll the footage. Close that door. Letting all my good air imagination. Tomorrow I am preaching at the Windspear Opera House and I'm gonna have a message Sunday, 10am Again, we'll be back in August. But for now, it' told you. This series is my favorite because it's intentional, it's strategic, and believe it or not, it's biblical. As a matter of fact, before we get into today's movie, I want to give you some biblical context for why we're doing this series because I know what you might be thinking. Wait, did I come to church or did I come to a movie theater? Well, today it's both. Because in Matthew 13:34, it says Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. Think about that for a moment. That every time Jesus spoke to the crowd, he told a story. Not a lecture, not a list, a parable, a short story that revealed a deep spiritual truth about his kingdom. Why would he do that? Because truth wrapped in a story sticks to the soul. I love what one writer said. He said, tell me a fact and I'll learn. Tell me a truth and I'll believe. But tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever. That is the power of story. And that's why Jesus told parables. And that's why we are doing social at the Movies. Because today's parables are on screens, on Netflix. On Amazon theaters are modern day hillsides where people gather to hear stories of struggle, identity, hope, pain and redemption. While these films may not be labeled Christian, they often ask the very questions that Jesus came to answer. So for the next few weeks, we're going to meet people where they are inside the culture and point them to the God who has always been speaking, even through the most unexpected storytellers. Now, here's another cool part of this series that if you're a part of the social family, you already know when it comes to movies and theaters, this isn't just something that we're watching, y'. All. This is something that we are living as, you know, as a church. We stepped into one of the boldest moves of faith ever. We bought a zoo. No, I'm playing. We bought a movie theater. Yes, you heard me right. A space that used to be the look theater that was once used to entertain is going to be renovated for thousands of people to encounter Jesus. A place where lives won't just be moved by a film, but transformed by the power and the presence of God. I cannot wait till we step foot into our new home. But remember, it's going to take all of us. Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice. Our goal is to raise $6 million by the end of this year to break ground and renovate what will become the home of social Dallas. So while you're watching these movie scenes over the next few weeks, don't just enjoy the nostalgia or the entertainment and don't just hear the message. Here's what I want you to do. See the vision. Because guess what, family? We're almost home. God can speak to us through absolutely anything. This is what he did through Jesus, and this is what he is still doing today. Telling stories that reach hearts. So buckle up, get ready. Come on now. Lean in. Because today I want to get started with one of my personal favorite movies. Y', all, this is my favorite movie ever. I'm just gonna tell you right now, I will never forget the moment when I watched this movie and the impact that it left on me. Now, this movie came out in 2006, so I watched it way before I was married or had little humans running around the house. And I just recently saw it again. And I knew this had to be our first movie in our social at the movies series. Today, get ready. We are looking at the movie the Pursuit of Happiness starring Will Smith. So right now, come on, slap your neighbor and say, that's a good movie. No, I'm just playing. I'm playing. Don't slap anybody, okay? The Pursuit of Happiness is based on a true story of a man named Chris Gardner who goes from sleeping in shelters with his son to. To becoming a millionaire stockbroker. But hear me, this isn't just a rags to riches movie. It's a story about the journey of resilience, sacrifice, and holding on to hope when everything in your life feels like it's falling apart. Some of you right now can go pr. I can already relate to this movie. We recently celebrated our baptism service and it was powerful. We baptized 588 people. Can we just pause right there and give God a shout of praise for that? Can I tell you my favorite thing about our baptism service is meeting so many people who have stories just like this. So this is what we're unpacking today. In this first scene, we meet Chris, who's deep in the fight of his life. His wife has just left him. He's now a single father trying to hold things together for his young son. He's just taken a massive risk, leaving everything stable behind to pursue an unpaid internship that might lead to a job. The pressure is real. The stakes are, are high. How is Chris going to navigate this? Let's watch.
- [07:47]
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In this scene, we see Chris playing basketball with his young son. His son starts talking about his dreams of becoming a professional basketball player. But Chris, worn out by the weight of life and disappointment, tells him not to waste time on that dream. His son goes quiet. He doesn't argue. He just picks up the ball and places it in a trash bag. That moment hits Chris. He pauses, realizing the impact of his words. Then he looks at his son and says, hey, don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something. Not even me, alright? You got a dream, you gotta protect it. And now, to help us unpack the message behind this moment, let's hear from Pastor Robert.
- [08:37]
A
Wow. Chris almost let his own pain hinder his son's potential. Here you see a child dreaming of becoming something bigger than his reality, only to have that dream quickly silenced by someone he loves. Did you notice? Did you notice how his son almost immediately started throwing his dream away? And that got me thinking. How many of us do the exact same thing? We have this tendency to pass down our disappointments all under the guise of being realistic. But really we're just doubting. You know, we tell people, be careful, don't dream too big. You know, life is hard. And the truth is we're still healing from the dream that didn't work out in our own lives. Instead of protecting his son's dream, Chris was projecting his own doubt. But just because it didn't happen for someone else, it doesn't mean it won't happen for you. Just because it didn't happen for them, it doesn't mean it won't happen through you hear me today, church. Don't let someone else's story limit what God can do in yours. The Bible says in Ephesians 3:20 that God is able to do exceedingly and abundantly. Above all, we can ask Think or imagine. Let's start believing God for more instead of projecting our doubts on other people. I love what Will Smith's character said to his son. Don't ever let somebody tell you you can't do something. Not even me. All right, all right. See, I told you I was an actor. You know, we live in a culture that constantly says, chase your dream, protect it, go get it, and hear me. All that sounds good. It's on T shirts, it's in songs, it's plastered all over TikTok and Instagram. But Church, here's the truth. God did not call us to chase our dreams. He called us to follow Jesus. You see, when you chase your dream, you're the author. But when you chase Jesus, he becomes the author and the finisher of your faith. When you follow him, his dream for your life will start chasing after you. See, Peter is a perfect example, I'm sure. Peter had a dream to be the best fisherman in Galilee. Maybe it was on his vision board. Pete's fishing company is about to blow up. It was a simple dream, a safe dream. But one day, in the middle of casting his net, Jesus interrupted that dream with two words. Follow me. And in that moment, Peter's dream shifted from fishing for profit to. To fishing for people. From chasing success to chasing purpose. Can I ask you something? What if the dream you're holding onto is too small? What if God's plan for your life isn't to fulfill your dream, but to completely redefine it? So hear me today. Yes, have vision, have ambition. But don't chase a dream that didn't come from the one who designed and created you. Chase Jesus, follow Him, and watch how his dream for your life will start chasing you down. Because what God started in you, he's still writing today. Now let's get back to the movie. Chris is doing his best to keep hope alive for his son. How many of you know hope does not always look heroic? Sometimes it looks like sitting on a bathroom floor just trying to make it through the night.
- [12:37]
B
At this point in the film, Chris is doing everything he can to make ends meet. Then things get even harder. He and his young son are forced out of the motel they've been living in with nowhere else to go. Chris finds a public bathroom in a subway station that becomes their shelter for the night. He playfully tells his son to imagine that they are in a cave. His son, unaware of how desperate things really are, peacefully falls asleep in his father's lap. Meanwhile, Chris holds the door shut with his foot, keeping the world out and he quietly breaks down, silently crying to himself. It's one of the most heartbreaking moments in the film, but it shows the depths of a father's love.
- [13:25]
A
That scene is so powerful. To be honest, it hits me harder now that I'm a dad, because I know the lengths that I would go to to protect my children. I think many of us have had those bathroom floor moments. Maybe not literally, but emotionally. Those moments when you're just trying to hold everything together on the outside while people don't even know that you're crumbling on the inside. You're locked in, stuck, and no one knows what you're carrying. I came to remind you today that God does his best work behind closed doors. He does his best work in those seasons where it feels so dark you don't believe me, just ask Paul and Silas in prison. In that midnight hour when hope seemed lost, God met them in a prison cell. You know, in the movie, Chris jokingly told his son, pretend like we're in a cave. What Chris didn't know is that God does his best work in the cave. In fact, the cave is exactly where God meets people. God met Elijah in a cave? That's right. The prophet of God found himself at his lowest point facing depression. And then not in the wind, not in the fire, but in a whisper. God speaks to him. Maybe you're in a cave season right now. You feel isolated, exhausted. You're holding the door shut with your last bit of strength. But just like Elijah and just like Chris, you have to know you're not alone in that cave. That cave is building resilience. It's where God is reminding you who he is and who you are. One of the things that I noticed in this scene that spoke directly to me is that picture of Chris's son. Did you see it? He was just resting peacefully in his father's arms. Isn't that just like God? The difference between the Father in this movie and our heavenly Father is our God has never known to sheep. He knows exactly what will happen, and he's already ahead of you and fighting your battles while the world around you seems to be falling apart. You can rest assured that he is putting everything in his rightful place, working all things for his good and for his glory. You can sleep in the storm when you know who's holding the door. Maybe you watched this clip and you feel like you need to be like Chris, staying awake, holding the door closed. But that is not your job. That's God's job. You don't believe me? Psalm 121, verses 3 through 4 says this. He will not let you stumble. The One who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or slumber. Can we just pause and thank God that he doesn't have to sleep, that we can trust in his sovereignty and his strength? God has the power to open whatever door needs to be open, and he will close every door that needs to stay shut. Trust Him. Hear me today. Rest in Him. I'm gonna say that one more time. Rest in. As a matter of fact, just turn to your neighbor and say, rest. That was the wrong neighbor. Find the other neighbor, look at them right in their face and say, go to bed. You need to just rest and trust that God is working it out even while you're worrying about it. Now, don't rest too hard just yet. Because just like your life, the story is not over. How many of you know the guy can take you from the bathroom floor to a seat at the table? Watch this.
- [17:51]
B
After months of struggle, Chris returns to the stockbroker firm one last time, waiting to find out if all his hard work during the internship paid off. Then they call him in. He walks into the boardroom unsure of what to expect, and that's when his bosses tell him he got the job. Chris is stunned. He can barely speak. You can see him holding back tears, overwhelmed by the moment. He then walks out onto the busy street surrounded by strangers and quietly celebrates. The scene ends with him picking up his son from daycare and they embrace. Here's Pastor Robert with more.
- [18:36]
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I don't know about you, but I felt the weight of that scene. And not just because of the wind, but because of everything it costs to get there. The real Chris Gardner has been quoted by saying this. It's okay to fail. It's not okay to quit. Maybe some of you are in the waiting right now. Let me encourage you. Keep showing up. You don't know what is on the other side of what you are going through right now. Can you imagine if Chris just gave up? Every obstacle was in front of him, but he kept on going. Hear me today, you cannot stop five minutes before your miracle. Don't stop right before you step into your breakthrough. Galatians 6, verse 9 says, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we don't give up. God has not forgotten your faithfulness. He is the greatest record keeper. And when that door finally opens for you, you won't have to force it. All you have to do is show up and walk through it. God sees every tear, hears every silent prayer, and honors every step of faith. Even when it doesn't look like it, even when it doesn't feel like it. You have to know he's working. And if you're in the middle of a pursuit right now, and believe me, we're all pursuing something, make sure your pursuit is not just after happiness, but that it's after Jesus. Because hear me, if you can't trust him on the bathroom floor, you probably won't praise him when you make it into the boardroom. Maybe today you saw yourself in Chris. Maybe you've been holding it all together while caring more than anyone knows. Or maybe you've just lost sight of the dream that God gave you. Can I encourage you? The story's not over, and the best is yet to come. Hey, this concludes week one of social @ the Movies. Don't miss a single Sunday. It's gonna get better every week. But for now, Social fam, can I tell you? I love you so much.
- [21:05]
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Wow, what a powerful start to at the Movies. I don't know about you, but the pursuit of happiness hits different today than when I first saw it years ago. To be reminded that even in the struggle, even when life feels unfair, God is still writing a story of hope, restoration and purpose. As a church, we are committed to walking this out together. And I just want to say thank you, Social family, for joining us today. We love you so much. Week two is coming out next Sunday, and you do not want to miss it, trust me. See you next week for more of our series, Social at the Movies.