WEBVTT 00:00:01.779 --> 00:00:04.980 Simplify your life. We hear that a lot. Some 00:00:04.980 --> 00:00:07.839 of you have made some big decisions about simplifying 00:00:07.839 --> 00:00:10.720 your life. But you know what? It erodes. One 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.880 week, two weeks, three weeks pretty soon. It's 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:17.280 busy, busy, busy. How do you sustain it? That's 00:00:17.280 --> 00:00:24.399 today. Welcome to this edition of Living on the 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.289 Edge with Chip Ingram. We are an international 00:00:27.289 --> 00:00:29.989 discipleship ministry devoted to helping Christians 00:00:29.989 --> 00:00:32.469 worldwide to live out their faith for the glory 00:00:32.469 --> 00:00:35.350 of God and the benefit of all people. Appreciate 00:00:35.350 --> 00:00:37.850 you being with us as we begin winding down our 00:00:37.850 --> 00:00:40.549 series, Spiritual Simplicity. Throughout this 00:00:40.549 --> 00:00:43.429 study in 1 Corinthians 13, Chip explained what 00:00:43.429 --> 00:00:46.229 it looks like to prioritize love and declutter 00:00:46.229 --> 00:00:48.990 our lives. So for these last couple of programs, 00:00:49.149 --> 00:00:51.789 Chip will talk about the power of authentic community. 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:54.880 where we can experience genuine love despite 00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.500 our flaws and build connections that will grow 00:00:57.500 --> 00:01:00.500 our faith. But before he teaches on that, let 00:01:00.500 --> 00:01:02.840 me encourage you to download our message notes. 00:01:03.060 --> 00:01:05.599 Now, this is a practical tool available for every 00:01:05.599 --> 00:01:08.480 program that includes Chip's outline, the scripture 00:01:08.480 --> 00:01:11.959 he references, and more. Get them under the broadcasts 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:15.879 tab at livingontheedge .org. App listeners, tap 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:19.260 fill in notes. All right, here now is Chip with 00:01:19.260 --> 00:01:22.370 his talk, The Love Train. Get on board. If you 00:01:22.370 --> 00:01:26.810 have a Bible, it begins in 2 Corinthians 5. The 00:01:26.810 --> 00:01:28.790 big question that I'm wanting to ask and answer 00:01:28.790 --> 00:01:32.370 is how do you sustain spiritual simplicity? And 00:01:32.370 --> 00:01:34.390 every week we've had a song. Were any of you 00:01:34.390 --> 00:01:35.849 kind of waiting, wondering what the song was 00:01:35.849 --> 00:01:38.129 going to be this week? Come on, go ahead. Were 00:01:38.129 --> 00:01:40.890 you? All right. This is my favorite song of all 00:01:40.890 --> 00:01:46.109 the songs because it's my era. It's the OJs. 00:01:48.689 --> 00:01:50.530 It's get on board the love train. And we're going 00:01:50.530 --> 00:01:52.969 to talk about getting on a train. I'll explain 00:01:52.969 --> 00:01:55.170 what that train is. I'm going to explain theologically 00:01:55.170 --> 00:01:57.069 what that train looks like. And then I'm going 00:01:57.069 --> 00:02:00.250 to give you a game plan to get on, stay on, bring 00:02:00.250 --> 00:02:03.060 other people on a love train. So what is the 00:02:03.060 --> 00:02:05.579 love train? I sat down and you know what? I don't 00:02:05.579 --> 00:02:06.939 know where the OJs are coming from, but I know 00:02:06.939 --> 00:02:09.319 where God's coming from. And the love train to 00:02:09.319 --> 00:02:11.900 God is a supernatural community that is forcefully 00:02:11.900 --> 00:02:15.599 moving through his story that we call history 00:02:15.599 --> 00:02:18.719 to bring life and love. He wants to bring that 00:02:18.719 --> 00:02:22.199 up there, his kingdom. A little bit of it down 00:02:22.199 --> 00:02:25.120 here where people that have no idea that there 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.680 is a God who is real, who is loving, and who 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:30.659 cares. And he wants you and me on this love train. 00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:33.560 And he wants us to invite people by how we live 00:02:33.560 --> 00:02:35.759 and what we do. And the love train is the church 00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:38.280 of Jesus Christ. And I'll tell you what, the 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:40.819 tracks are God's sovereign, faithful, unchanging 00:02:40.819 --> 00:02:43.460 purposes. And he's going to fulfill his plan 00:02:43.460 --> 00:02:46.180 over time. And it's a time to glorify himself, 00:02:46.360 --> 00:02:48.240 to bring all things under the reign of Christ, 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:51.240 to present to himself a people to be loved and 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:53.780 to be loved by him in a new heaven and a new 00:02:53.780 --> 00:02:57.080 earth forever. And the ticket has already been 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:59.840 purchased. It was purchased by Christ on the 00:02:59.840 --> 00:03:03.569 cross for everyone. And everyone who is willing 00:03:03.569 --> 00:03:06.909 to believe, to turn from your sin, God so loved 00:03:06.909 --> 00:03:10.129 the world that he gave his one and only son that 00:03:10.129 --> 00:03:12.849 whosoever would believe in him shouldn't perish, 00:03:12.990 --> 00:03:16.509 but have eternal life, a quality of life that 00:03:16.509 --> 00:03:19.590 begins now and that goes on forever and ever 00:03:19.590 --> 00:03:25.629 and ever. It's the love train. The architect 00:03:25.629 --> 00:03:27.870 is God the Father from the foundations of the 00:03:27.870 --> 00:03:30.550 earth. The engineer at the head of this train 00:03:30.550 --> 00:03:33.169 is the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are his body, 00:03:33.229 --> 00:03:36.710 and he is the firstborn from the dead. And the 00:03:36.710 --> 00:03:38.909 conductor going up and down the train, checking 00:03:38.909 --> 00:03:40.610 on you and checking on me and wanting to know 00:03:40.610 --> 00:03:42.270 how's it going, and letting you know where the 00:03:42.270 --> 00:03:45.889 stops are is the Holy Spirit. It's a real train. 00:03:45.949 --> 00:03:47.409 It's kind of almost like a liquid relational 00:03:47.409 --> 00:03:49.569 train, too, because there's times where we're 00:03:49.569 --> 00:03:52.750 all spread out, going all kind of different places. 00:03:53.030 --> 00:03:55.490 But God has these tracks, and this train called 00:03:55.490 --> 00:03:58.669 his church is moving on it. And he's invited 00:03:58.669 --> 00:04:01.969 you to come aboard and to bring others. And it 00:04:01.969 --> 00:04:04.370 makes lots of stops. And if you want to write 00:04:04.370 --> 00:04:06.289 something under the stops, the frequent stops 00:04:06.289 --> 00:04:08.949 is wherever there's a human need. That's where 00:04:08.949 --> 00:04:11.550 the love train stops. When there's a lonely person, 00:04:11.710 --> 00:04:13.509 the love train stops. Someone has a financial 00:04:13.509 --> 00:04:16.329 need, someone is depressed, someone is discouraged, 00:04:16.670 --> 00:04:18.810 someone in your neighborhood, someone at work, 00:04:18.889 --> 00:04:21.529 someone in your family. Every time there's a 00:04:21.529 --> 00:04:24.829 human need, the love train stops and the spirit 00:04:24.829 --> 00:04:28.569 of God dwelling inside your mortal body as you're 00:04:28.569 --> 00:04:30.769 abiding in him will take the truth of his word 00:04:30.769 --> 00:04:33.019 out of your lips and your hands and your life 00:04:33.019 --> 00:04:36.160 and your money and your gifts, and he'll express 00:04:36.160 --> 00:04:39.540 the love of God through you. And I want to say, 00:04:39.579 --> 00:04:42.339 get on board. Get on board. You get on board 00:04:42.339 --> 00:04:45.759 the love train, you'll simplify your life. You'll 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:48.500 stop doing some stuff that's meaningless. You'll 00:04:48.500 --> 00:04:51.519 stop pretending. You'll stop trying to gain approval, 00:04:51.579 --> 00:04:54.360 and you'll stop all kind of things that seem 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:57.500 so important now, but six seconds after you die, 00:04:57.600 --> 00:04:59.699 you'll look back on your life and realize it 00:04:59.699 --> 00:05:03.699 was junk. It was silly. It was irrelevant. I 00:05:03.699 --> 00:05:08.959 was playing trivial pursuit, but for real. Well, 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:13.040 you say to yourself, okay, I got it. The message 00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:17.759 of living a sustained, spiritually simple life 00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:23.079 is get on board the love train. We talked about 00:05:23.079 --> 00:05:24.779 the process, and I'll review it for you at the 00:05:24.779 --> 00:05:28.300 end. You got to surrender at a point in time 00:05:28.300 --> 00:05:30.509 in your life. You've got to step away from the 00:05:30.509 --> 00:05:34.550 world. You've got to step into community. You've 00:05:34.550 --> 00:05:36.269 got to step up and be who God made you to be, 00:05:36.290 --> 00:05:38.750 and then you've got to step out. Now, let me 00:05:38.750 --> 00:05:42.610 give you the theology, 2 Corinthians 5. I want 00:05:42.610 --> 00:05:44.470 you to understand, this is God's love train. 00:05:45.200 --> 00:05:48.259 This is the Apostle Paul, and he so understands 00:05:48.259 --> 00:05:50.720 in the midst of his hurt and his pain, and he's 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:52.740 going to talk about before this passage how he's 00:05:52.740 --> 00:05:54.879 perplexed and how he's discouraged and he's down 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.319 but not out, and difficulty, and then he's going 00:05:57.319 --> 00:05:58.839 to get to the end of this passage in chapter 00:05:58.839 --> 00:06:01.779 6, and he's going to talk about what he's actually 00:06:01.779 --> 00:06:04.259 been through and squeezed into all the adversity 00:06:04.259 --> 00:06:07.660 in life. He understands that life matters when 00:06:07.660 --> 00:06:09.839 you live and have an eternal perspective. And 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:13.600 in verse 14, He tells us very clearly. He says, 00:06:13.680 --> 00:06:17.259 for Christ's love compels us because we are convinced 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:21.420 that one died for all and therefore all died. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:24.060 And he died for all that those who live should 00:06:24.060 --> 00:06:26.639 live no longer for themselves, but for him who 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:31.060 died and was raised again. So just notice here, 00:06:31.160 --> 00:06:37.569 Christ's love compels us. What's life like? on 00:06:37.569 --> 00:06:40.769 the love train. It is not trying hard. It is 00:06:40.769 --> 00:06:43.790 not being moral. It's not coming to church and 00:06:43.790 --> 00:06:46.790 it's not being religious. It is being connected 00:06:46.790 --> 00:06:49.089 in surrender where the spirit of God through 00:06:49.089 --> 00:06:51.370 the word of God and authentic community, his 00:06:51.370 --> 00:06:53.750 love compels you. Actually, the word is, it's 00:06:53.750 --> 00:06:56.009 a picture of being hemmed in. If you've ever 00:06:56.009 --> 00:06:57.389 seen one of those movies, you know, like one 00:06:57.389 --> 00:06:59.329 of the old Batman movies where the walls are 00:06:59.329 --> 00:07:00.910 coming in and they're trying to get out of there. 00:07:01.500 --> 00:07:04.519 or Indiana Jones movie. The apostle Paul is using 00:07:04.519 --> 00:07:08.579 that word to say, the love of God is just hemming 00:07:08.579 --> 00:07:14.180 me in. I'm compelled. I am so loved and see the 00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:16.660 plight of people apart from his love. I have 00:07:16.660 --> 00:07:20.180 to do this from the inside out. And then notice 00:07:20.180 --> 00:07:23.459 he says, it changes his focus. He says, we're 00:07:23.459 --> 00:07:26.060 convinced that one died, therefore all died. 00:07:26.180 --> 00:07:29.670 And he died for those. Here's the focus. that 00:07:29.670 --> 00:07:33.750 we should live no longer for ourselves. That's 00:07:33.750 --> 00:07:37.089 big. That's what surrender's about. This isn't 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:39.889 like Christ is a part of your life. This is where 00:07:39.889 --> 00:07:43.509 the central focus of why you get up and what 00:07:43.509 --> 00:07:45.470 you do, and what you do with your time, your 00:07:45.470 --> 00:07:47.389 money, your energy, and your relationships, you 00:07:47.389 --> 00:07:50.550 don't live for you anymore. We no longer live 00:07:50.550 --> 00:07:53.930 for ourselves, but for him, Christ, who died 00:07:53.930 --> 00:07:58.100 and rose again. And so the question is not what 00:07:58.100 --> 00:07:59.980 will make me happy, it's what will make you happy. 00:08:00.100 --> 00:08:02.379 The question is not what do I do with my time, 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:04.639 the question is what do I do with the time entrusted 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.279 to me. The question is not what do I think I 00:08:07.279 --> 00:08:08.920 should do with my kids, the question is what 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:10.980 does your word say I ought to do and must do 00:08:10.980 --> 00:08:16.199 with my kids. See, it's a radical change on the 00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:21.399 love train. Then he goes on to say, in verse 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:24.970 16, it gives you new eyes. So, notice the purpose, 00:08:25.129 --> 00:08:28.269 from now on we regard no one from a worldly point 00:08:28.269 --> 00:08:31.329 of view. Though once we regarded Christ in this 00:08:31.329 --> 00:08:36.070 way, we do so no longer. I have it memorized 00:08:36.070 --> 00:08:37.730 in a different version, and it's amazing when 00:08:37.730 --> 00:08:40.090 you're reading these words and my brain's saying 00:08:40.090 --> 00:08:43.049 another one. In my version of many years ago, 00:08:43.649 --> 00:08:47.990 therefore from now on we recognize no man according 00:08:47.990 --> 00:08:50.149 to the flesh, even though we have known Christ 00:08:50.149 --> 00:08:53.059 according to the flesh. He says, when you're 00:08:53.059 --> 00:08:55.340 compelled by the love of God and you're now not 00:08:55.340 --> 00:08:58.000 living for you, but you're living for him, he 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:00.379 says, you get a new set of eyes and the color 00:09:00.379 --> 00:09:02.360 of their skin and their background and whether 00:09:02.360 --> 00:09:04.799 they're smelly or clean, whether they're cool 00:09:04.799 --> 00:09:08.200 or uncool, you don't look at that anymore. You 00:09:08.200 --> 00:09:10.559 have that experience like Samuel the prophet 00:09:10.559 --> 00:09:12.620 did when, you know, he said, hey, I know God's 00:09:12.620 --> 00:09:14.179 got a new king around here somewhere. And the 00:09:14.179 --> 00:09:16.039 big, tall, handsome guy says, is that it? God 00:09:16.039 --> 00:09:18.860 says, no. And they go through all the boys. And 00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:22.649 finally, it's the youngest one. And then he says 00:09:22.649 --> 00:09:25.309 in that passage, 1 Samuel 16, 7, for God doesn't 00:09:25.309 --> 00:09:27.809 see as man sees, for man looks on the outward 00:09:27.809 --> 00:09:31.210 appearance, but the Lord weighs the heart. And 00:09:31.210 --> 00:09:32.549 when you're on the love train, that's what you 00:09:32.549 --> 00:09:34.970 start looking at. You look at people's inside 00:09:34.970 --> 00:09:36.970 beauty. You start looking at where they're really 00:09:36.970 --> 00:09:39.529 coming from. You look past all the exterior. 00:09:39.750 --> 00:09:41.789 And that's why the body of Christ starts looking 00:09:41.789 --> 00:09:44.450 real, real different with all different kinds 00:09:44.450 --> 00:09:46.289 of people, with all of our different baggage. 00:09:47.129 --> 00:09:48.870 All of our different struggles, all of our different 00:09:48.870 --> 00:09:50.590 backgrounds, all of our different colors, all 00:09:50.590 --> 00:09:53.309 of our different cultures. That's what the love 00:09:53.309 --> 00:09:55.830 train's all about. And not only that, you get 00:09:55.830 --> 00:09:58.730 new eyes, but you get a new hope. Verse 17, he 00:09:58.730 --> 00:10:01.149 goes on to say, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 00:10:01.409 --> 00:10:04.029 he's a new creation. The old has passed away, 00:10:04.129 --> 00:10:06.429 the new has come. You know, we quote that, and 00:10:06.429 --> 00:10:08.950 I actually got it in a little set of verses about 00:10:08.950 --> 00:10:10.789 your new life in Christ, and it's absolutely 00:10:10.789 --> 00:10:14.059 true. that when you come and turn from your sin 00:10:14.059 --> 00:10:16.759 and receive Christ as your savior, if anyone 00:10:16.759 --> 00:10:20.299 is in Christ, you become a new creation. The 00:10:20.299 --> 00:10:23.740 old is passed away. Behold, everything, notice 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:26.519 the tense of the verb, becomes, it's a process, 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.100 becomes new. But in the context of this passage, 00:10:30.179 --> 00:10:32.139 you know what it's saying really? It says we 00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:35.019 don't look at people external anymore. And now 00:10:35.019 --> 00:10:39.049 he says, when we look at people, There's no single 00:10:39.049 --> 00:10:42.490 person or situation beyond the love and the redemption 00:10:42.490 --> 00:10:45.330 of Christ. What Paul's really saying is this 00:10:45.330 --> 00:10:47.710 whole passage is about reconciliation. This whole 00:10:47.710 --> 00:10:49.970 passage is what happens when you're on the love 00:10:49.970 --> 00:10:52.590 train and the love of God is pulsating through 00:10:52.590 --> 00:10:54.470 your spiritual veins. He says, you know what? 00:10:54.509 --> 00:10:55.789 I don't look at people the way I look at them 00:10:55.789 --> 00:10:58.470 anymore. Therefore, if any man's in Christ, he's 00:10:58.470 --> 00:11:01.409 a new creature. The old stuff he did, the addictions 00:11:01.409 --> 00:11:05.259 that she had, I mean, the stuff. That we think 00:11:05.259 --> 00:11:08.240 God could never forgive. The stuff about people 00:11:08.240 --> 00:11:10.399 that we want to reach, oh, they're never open. 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:12.779 I got news for you. If any man is in Christ, 00:11:13.679 --> 00:11:17.179 the old's passed away. God can do anything. He 00:11:17.179 --> 00:11:19.539 wants to do anything. He did that for people 00:11:19.539 --> 00:11:21.399 in this book. He's done it through church history. 00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:25.000 And so you get a new focus. You get new eyes. 00:11:25.059 --> 00:11:27.240 You get a new hope. And then notice in verses 00:11:27.240 --> 00:11:29.740 18 and 19, you get a new responsibility on the 00:11:29.740 --> 00:11:33.409 love train. You're listening to Living on the 00:11:33.409 --> 00:11:35.870 Edge. We'll get back to our series, Spiritual 00:11:35.870 --> 00:11:39.190 Simplicity, in just a minute. But first, if this 00:11:39.190 --> 00:11:41.789 teaching has ministered to you, consider becoming 00:11:41.789 --> 00:11:44.850 a monthly partner. Your regular financial support 00:11:44.850 --> 00:11:47.350 goes a long way to help us encourage pastors, 00:11:47.610 --> 00:11:50.649 create resources, and share Jesus with today's 00:11:50.649 --> 00:11:54.190 youth. Visit livingontheedge .org to learn how 00:11:54.190 --> 00:11:56.830 to support us. Well, with that, here again is 00:11:56.830 --> 00:12:01.799 Chip. The love train is not a sit back, It's 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:06.480 so good to be heaven bound. What would thou haveth 00:12:06.480 --> 00:12:09.980 me to do, thine God? He says, well, I'll tell 00:12:09.980 --> 00:12:12.840 you what I'll have you to do. I'll have you strap 00:12:12.840 --> 00:12:15.639 it on. Those guys in the NFL don't even understand 00:12:15.639 --> 00:12:18.820 what contact is all about. I've sent you into 00:12:18.820 --> 00:12:23.240 a spiritual warfare and I have equipped you and 00:12:23.240 --> 00:12:26.139 I love people and I've sent you to get out and 00:12:26.139 --> 00:12:29.350 rescue them. And so notice what it says in verses 00:12:29.350 --> 00:12:34.330 18 and 19. He says, all this is from God who 00:12:34.330 --> 00:12:36.750 reconciled us to himself through Christ and, 00:12:36.870 --> 00:12:40.330 underline this in your Bible, gave us the ministry 00:12:40.330 --> 00:12:43.269 of reconciliation. That God was reconciling the 00:12:43.269 --> 00:12:46.230 world to himself in Christ. And here's the good 00:12:46.230 --> 00:12:51.649 news. Not counting men's sins against them and 00:12:51.649 --> 00:12:55.879 he's committed to us. This message of reconciliation. 00:12:56.379 --> 00:12:59.720 Our message isn't clean your life up and start 00:12:59.720 --> 00:13:01.659 coming to church, need to read the Bible a lot, 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.179 start doing this, this, this, this. Here's the 00:13:04.179 --> 00:13:08.500 message. Guess what? God currently is not counting 00:13:08.500 --> 00:13:11.940 your sin against you. He counted it and placed 00:13:11.940 --> 00:13:14.799 it on Christ. You have a ticket that's been purchased 00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:17.919 on the love train. God loves you. And if you 00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.700 get honest with people, most people running their 00:13:19.700 --> 00:13:23.519 own life, it's not going very well. Most marriages 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.799 aren't going very well. Most parenting isn't 00:13:25.799 --> 00:13:28.220 going very well. Most people's finances aren't 00:13:28.220 --> 00:13:30.539 going very well. And if you talk real honestly 00:13:30.539 --> 00:13:32.360 with the people where it's going really, really 00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:34.960 well, it's a weird thing to have everything going 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.039 great and have this huge emptiness in your life. 00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:42.240 And God called you and God called me to be winsome 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:45.460 and loving and caring and outwardly focused and 00:13:45.460 --> 00:13:47.740 to believe that no one is beyond his reach. And 00:13:47.740 --> 00:13:50.139 then you have this new responsibility. You want 00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:53.039 to tell him, God's not counting. Your sin's against 00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:56.299 you. He loves you. He's forgiven you. That's 00:13:56.299 --> 00:13:58.360 good news. Would you like to receive the good 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:01.259 news? And then finally, he's given you a new 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:05.279 role and me a new role. Look at verse 20. He 00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.840 says, we are therefore Christ ambassadors as 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:10.600 though God were making his appeal through us. 00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:14.240 We implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled 00:14:14.240 --> 00:14:16.139 to God. The word reconcile just means become 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:19.279 friends. God's just saying, I want to be friends 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:23.299 with people. Sin is a barrier. Let's get reconciled. 00:14:23.340 --> 00:14:25.120 It's like two people that are having trouble 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.139 in a marriage. They get reconciled. People that 00:14:27.139 --> 00:14:29.559 went divorced and they realize, man, this is 00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:31.700 not working. And they repent and they get some 00:14:31.700 --> 00:14:34.000 good counseling and they're reconciled. God says, 00:14:34.039 --> 00:14:38.539 I want to reconcile all people and you are my 00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:41.639 ambassadors. What's an ambassador? An ambassador 00:14:41.639 --> 00:14:43.940 is someone from another country, from another 00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:47.820 land who represents where he came from. And your 00:14:47.820 --> 00:14:50.100 citizenship is in heaven and so is mine and you're 00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:51.960 in Christ and you're heaven bound and you're 00:14:51.960 --> 00:14:53.480 on the love train if you're a Christ follower. 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:56.240 And he says, I want you, I want you like liquid 00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:58.580 to seep into every kind of need and just love 00:14:58.580 --> 00:15:01.139 people where they're at. Don't judge them. Tell 00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:03.440 them the truth. Put your arm around them. Don't 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:06.519 make it just words. Actually help them and tell 00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:09.500 them there's a God who cares. And then verse 00:15:09.500 --> 00:15:12.600 21 is just this amazing, amazing verse of truth. 00:15:13.799 --> 00:15:16.940 It says, God made him Christ who had no sin to 00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:20.940 be sin for us so that in him, while we might 00:15:20.940 --> 00:15:24.480 become the righteousness of God. We not only 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.460 have a role as an ambassador, we now have a standing 00:15:27.460 --> 00:15:31.720 before the God of heaven that is identical to 00:15:31.720 --> 00:15:34.799 the Jesus of heaven in terms of God seeing us 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:40.539 completely righteous, a son, a daughter. That's 00:15:40.539 --> 00:15:43.600 why the love of Christ compelled him. Paul was 00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:48.320 a very, very, very religious man until he got 00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:51.820 saved. And then he realized how broken all of 00:15:51.820 --> 00:15:55.320 his religiosity was. And then he got in relationship 00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:58.720 with the living God. And then he became a passionate 00:15:58.720 --> 00:16:02.700 relational follower of the living Christ with 00:16:02.700 --> 00:16:05.240 unlimited power, that little phrase, who was 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:08.279 dead and came back to life. And Paul would remind 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:12.929 us that same power. dwells in you if you're a 00:16:12.929 --> 00:16:15.889 Christ follower. So spiritual simplicity, how 00:16:15.889 --> 00:16:18.230 are we going to sustain it? Number one, here's 00:16:18.230 --> 00:16:20.269 a little word picture. Get on the love train. 00:16:21.049 --> 00:16:26.070 And then second, remember the theology. When 00:16:26.070 --> 00:16:28.929 you're rightly connected to the living Savior, 00:16:29.269 --> 00:16:32.830 the love of Christ will compel you. This is not 00:16:32.830 --> 00:16:35.049 about duty. This isn't about oughts. This isn't 00:16:35.049 --> 00:16:37.990 about shoulds. This is about God's love being 00:16:37.990 --> 00:16:42.110 so experienced. Because you stepped down and 00:16:42.110 --> 00:16:45.590 you stepped away and you stepped in and you stepped 00:16:45.590 --> 00:16:48.690 up and you can't help yourself. You're stepping 00:16:48.690 --> 00:16:51.409 out and reaching and caring for people. And when 00:16:51.409 --> 00:16:53.509 that begins to happen, you don't live for you 00:16:53.509 --> 00:16:55.889 anymore. You have a new focus. You live for him. 00:16:56.470 --> 00:16:58.429 And then you get new eyes. You don't see the 00:16:58.429 --> 00:17:02.269 same way. And there's a hope for everyone that 00:17:02.269 --> 00:17:04.130 you meet, no matter where they've been, what 00:17:04.130 --> 00:17:07.309 they've been through. And then you realize, I 00:17:07.309 --> 00:17:09.809 got a new responsibility. My new responsibility 00:17:09.809 --> 00:17:12.289 isn't just kids' SAT scores or someday, some 00:17:12.289 --> 00:17:14.230 way, I hope I'll get married or I hope this job 00:17:14.230 --> 00:17:15.970 works out or maybe someday this thing will go, 00:17:16.069 --> 00:17:20.390 you know, IPO. There's all kind of important 00:17:20.390 --> 00:17:23.950 things in life, but your core responsibility 00:17:23.950 --> 00:17:27.690 is to be an ambassador, a representative of the 00:17:27.690 --> 00:17:30.690 living God wherever you are, and that your ministry 00:17:30.690 --> 00:17:33.859 is reconciliation. And he's given you gifts and 00:17:33.859 --> 00:17:35.880 dreams and desires so that you can do that all 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:38.279 kind of different ways and all kind of different 00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:40.920 businesses and all kind of different gifts and 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:43.259 all kind of different roles. And you can be moms 00:17:43.259 --> 00:17:45.940 and sisters and dads and nephews and nieces and 00:17:45.940 --> 00:17:48.819 school teachers and bricklayers and plumbers. 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:51.579 And we can just be all kind of things because 00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:53.680 he needs all kind of people. But at the end of 00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:55.259 the day, what we realize first and foremost, 00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:59.339 we're on the love train. And we're imploring. 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:03.920 were imploring people to be reconciled to God 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:08.660 because he became sin, the sin offering for them 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:12.519 and for us that they and we, if we by faith would 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:16.160 receive it, would become the righteousness of 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:21.259 God. Well, the picture is one thing. The theology 00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:24.559 is another. The third is, I just call it a game 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:27.420 plan. How does it really work? And I'm just gonna 00:18:27.420 --> 00:18:29.339 walk you through this. A lot of this you've, 00:18:29.380 --> 00:18:32.220 hopefully some of you are gonna say, I have heard 00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:36.619 this before. You should, okay? I mean, this isn't 00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:39.420 new. I've heard this before. So if I would stop 00:18:39.420 --> 00:18:42.480 right here and say, okay, if the incarnate Jesus 00:18:42.480 --> 00:18:44.980 in a supernatural body would come from behind 00:18:44.980 --> 00:18:48.039 that curtain, walk out, I'd say, excuse me, Jesus, 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:49.940 I know you don't need a microphone, but I'd like 00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:52.599 to ask you a question. What do you want us to 00:18:52.599 --> 00:18:56.599 do? I mean, could you just... Give it to us. 00:18:56.619 --> 00:18:59.599 What exactly in a sentence do you want us to 00:18:59.599 --> 00:19:01.500 do with our lives? Lord Jesus, could you give 00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:06.720 it to us? I think he'd say, love God, love people. 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:12.039 That's how simple life is. We get it really complicated. 00:19:12.279 --> 00:19:15.400 Love God. Are you loving God? Now, I didn't say 00:19:15.400 --> 00:19:18.799 feel like you love, but just love God and love 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:23.079 people. The ultimate test of success. And the 00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:25.740 ultimate test of spiritual maturity, of becoming 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:28.579 what he commanded, make disciples, is that I 00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:31.480 love God more deeply and authentically each day. 00:19:31.740 --> 00:19:34.599 And I love others more sincerely and more practically 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:41.180 in ways they can understand. This is Living on 00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:43.759 the Edge with Chip Ingram. And you've been listening 00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:46.160 to part one of Chip's message, The Love Train. 00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:49.559 Get on board from our series, Spiritual Simplicity. 00:19:49.950 --> 00:19:52.289 Chip will be back shortly to share some helpful 00:19:52.289 --> 00:19:55.289 application for us to think about. Most of us 00:19:55.289 --> 00:19:58.470 live very hectic lives, moving too fast, demanding 00:19:58.470 --> 00:20:01.809 too much, and delivering too little. If you're 00:20:01.809 --> 00:20:04.410 desperate for an alternative that actually works, 00:20:04.529 --> 00:20:07.289 then this study is for you. Chip's teaching will 00:20:07.289 --> 00:20:09.789 help you escape this destructive pattern and 00:20:09.789 --> 00:20:12.069 reveal how to better prioritize what matters 00:20:12.069 --> 00:20:14.750 most and love others in a fresh, revolutionary 00:20:14.750 --> 00:20:17.769 way. If you've missed any part of this series, 00:20:17.910 --> 00:20:20.089 catch up anytime through the Chip Ingram app. 00:20:20.640 --> 00:20:22.920 Well, Chip's joined me in studio now, and Chip, 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:25.559 we're an international teaching and discipleship 00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:28.720 ministry, but many don't know half of the impactful 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.420 work we're involved in. So take a minute, if 00:20:31.420 --> 00:20:33.500 you wouldn't, share some examples of how Living 00:20:33.500 --> 00:20:36.400 on the Edge supports and encourages people everywhere. 00:20:37.049 --> 00:20:40.309 I'd be glad to, Dave. One of the great joys of 00:20:40.309 --> 00:20:43.549 my life is the letters, emails, Facebook messages 00:20:43.549 --> 00:20:47.349 that I get from people literally all around the 00:20:47.349 --> 00:20:49.710 country and all around the world. And they tell 00:20:49.710 --> 00:20:52.890 me these amazing stories of how living on the 00:20:52.890 --> 00:20:55.849 edge has been a tool used by God to change their 00:20:55.849 --> 00:20:58.349 life. Maybe you're one of those people that have 00:20:58.349 --> 00:21:00.410 really been impacted by the ministry. I mean, 00:21:00.410 --> 00:21:03.069 I hear from people from every age, profession, 00:21:03.430 --> 00:21:06.920 background, every person imaginable. What I hear 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:11.099 is this same constant drumbeat of God spoke to 00:21:11.099 --> 00:21:14.660 me. I took a step of faith. Now God's using me. 00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:17.259 And what I want you to know is that that's the 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:19.400 heart of our ministry. We want to put teaching 00:21:19.400 --> 00:21:23.759 and tools and small group materials and downloadable 00:21:23.759 --> 00:21:27.160 things that we actually give away to help people 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:29.799 not just live like Christians, but be ambassadors 00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:33.420 and agents of change and grace in their homes, 00:21:33.539 --> 00:21:36.609 their schools, and their workplaces. And if you're 00:21:36.609 --> 00:21:39.150 one of those people that God has impacted you 00:21:39.150 --> 00:21:41.630 and actually you're impacting others because 00:21:41.630 --> 00:21:44.170 of living on the edge, I have a very specific 00:21:44.170 --> 00:21:47.529 request. Would you consider becoming a monthly 00:21:47.529 --> 00:21:50.529 financial partner? And of course, it helps us 00:21:50.529 --> 00:21:53.730 practically. No doubt about it. It would really 00:21:53.730 --> 00:21:56.450 help us to know that X amount of dollars are 00:21:56.450 --> 00:21:59.769 coming in from a monthly partner. But literally, 00:21:59.789 --> 00:22:02.269 even more than that, it's about a group of people 00:22:02.269 --> 00:22:05.500 saying, We want to be a part of this mission 00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:07.880 to make a difference in the crazy world that 00:22:07.880 --> 00:22:10.559 we're living in. We want to make an impact, and 00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:13.160 we want to make an impact with you all. God's 00:22:13.160 --> 00:22:16.740 spoken to us. God's changed us. We want to help 00:22:16.740 --> 00:22:19.799 you help others. And so here's my request today. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:23.940 Would you pray and just simply say, Lord, if 00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:27.240 this is... part of your desire for me to partner 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:30.259 with Living on the Edge on a monthly basis, will 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:32.599 you show me and then show me what that looks 00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:35.519 like and how much? And what I will say is whatever 00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:38.960 amount that is, it's perfect, whatever God shows 00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:43.400 you. But what I long to see is people who partner 00:22:43.400 --> 00:22:46.319 that are on the team, a part of the family, and 00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:48.579 we make a difference together each and every 00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:51.579 day. Thank you in advance for doing whatever 00:22:51.579 --> 00:22:54.279 God shows you to do. Great encouragement, Chip. 00:22:54.380 --> 00:22:56.640 Well, if you want to be part of supporting believers 00:22:56.640 --> 00:22:59.660 all across the world, consider becoming a monthly 00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:02.460 partner. Your regular support will go places 00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:05.019 and accomplish ministry work like you wouldn't 00:23:05.019 --> 00:23:08.319 believe. So set up a monthly gift today by going 00:23:08.319 --> 00:23:12.920 to livingontheedge .org or by calling 888 -333 00:23:12.920 --> 00:23:20.740 -6003. That's 888 -333 -6003 or visit livingontheedge 00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:25.509 .org. App listeners tap donate. Well, with that, 00:23:25.509 --> 00:23:28.970 here again is Chip. As we wrap up today's program, 00:23:29.309 --> 00:23:31.910 I just have to tell you, I love that song. The 00:23:31.910 --> 00:23:35.769 love train by the OJs. Get on the train. Join 00:23:35.769 --> 00:23:38.029 hands. Now, you know what? I don't have quite 00:23:38.029 --> 00:23:40.549 the soul that I had in my younger years. But 00:23:40.549 --> 00:23:43.509 I just have to tell you, I love that song, not 00:23:43.509 --> 00:23:45.890 just for the rhythm and the beat, but the words. 00:23:46.109 --> 00:23:49.029 We need to get on board with speaking the truth 00:23:49.029 --> 00:23:51.670 in love, but loving each other radically. So 00:23:51.670 --> 00:23:54.430 let me share a story about something that's happened 00:23:54.430 --> 00:23:57.329 just recently in my living room. I did a series 00:23:57.329 --> 00:24:00.069 at a local church, and it's filled with all young 00:24:00.069 --> 00:24:03.349 people, very multicultural. They have very little 00:24:03.349 --> 00:24:05.970 Bible background. Most of them are first -generation 00:24:05.970 --> 00:24:08.369 Christians. And when I got done with this four 00:24:08.369 --> 00:24:11.150 -part series, I said, if anyone would like to 00:24:11.150 --> 00:24:14.390 learn just how to simply follow Jesus, Teresa 00:24:14.390 --> 00:24:16.829 and I are going to open our home. Come on over 00:24:16.829 --> 00:24:19.500 tonight for the next three Sunday nights. And 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:21.400 Teresa was a little nervous because we didn't 00:24:21.400 --> 00:24:23.980 know whether five or 50 people would come. But 00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:27.880 about 12 or 13 came. And I just, I wanted him 00:24:27.880 --> 00:24:30.720 to see what it looked like to follow Jesus, to 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:33.079 be surrendered, separate from the world, a sober 00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:36.299 self -assessment, serving in love, and supernaturally 00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:39.690 responding to evil with good. After the first 00:24:39.690 --> 00:24:42.130 week, a lady came and said, for 12 years I've 00:24:42.130 --> 00:24:44.450 wrestled with God, I do all the right things, 00:24:44.670 --> 00:24:47.029 and I discovered it's surrender. I just want 00:24:47.029 --> 00:24:50.210 you to know I surrendered my life last week after 00:24:50.210 --> 00:24:53.650 our time. Another lady came and said, I never 00:24:53.650 --> 00:24:56.410 understood before. I've been coming to churches, 00:24:56.430 --> 00:25:00.230 but I trusted Jesus as my Savior. Two or three 00:25:00.230 --> 00:25:02.609 of the younger people said, I don't know why, 00:25:02.769 --> 00:25:05.779 but life was so confusing. And we started meeting 00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:08.099 on Sunday nights, and we started to pray for 00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:10.079 one another, and there weren't expectations, 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:13.900 and we started to love one another. When we love 00:25:13.900 --> 00:25:16.599 one another, it's the most powerful witness in 00:25:16.599 --> 00:25:19.799 the world. I found that there's so many people 00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:22.539 that... Their Christian life has become, I go 00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:24.700 to this meeting, or I listen to this message, 00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:27.500 or I watch this video, and there's this podcast, 00:25:27.799 --> 00:25:30.099 and then I try really, really hard to be a good 00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:32.400 person, and then I learn those people are the 00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:34.539 bad people, and those other people are over here, 00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:38.960 and we join sides, and we join tribes. I don't 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.839 know that in all my ministry experience, I've 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:45.279 seen such power, such answers to prayer as we 00:25:45.279 --> 00:25:48.660 simply came together vulnerably to care for one 00:25:48.660 --> 00:25:51.720 another, to love one another. And that's God's 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:54.220 hope for you. Are you connected with others? 00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:58.059 Are you in loving relationships? If not, get 00:25:58.059 --> 00:26:01.160 there. Start a group. Open your heart. Let's 00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:03.240 get off the warpath and get on the love train. 00:26:03.680 --> 00:26:06.240 Great word, Chip. And here at Living on the Edge, 00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:08.519 we want to help you cultivate meaningful community. 00:26:09.059 --> 00:26:11.019 So if you're thinking about starting a small 00:26:11.019 --> 00:26:13.220 group or you and your friends are looking for 00:26:13.220 --> 00:26:15.900 the next subject to study, check out our resources 00:26:15.900 --> 00:26:19.200 today. Our small group tools are easy to use 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.700 and will deepen your relationship with God and 00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:24.799 each other. To learn more, go to the store at 00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:28.950 livingontheedge .org or call us at 888 - 333 00:26:28.950 --> 00:26:35.950 -6003. Again, that's 888 -333 -6003 or visit 00:26:35.950 --> 00:26:41.190 the store at livingontheedge .org. We'll listen 00:26:41.190 --> 00:26:43.670 in next time as Chip wraps up his series, Spiritual 00:26:43.670 --> 00:26:46.730 Simplicity. Until then, this is Dave Druey saying 00:26:46.730 --> 00:26:49.589 thanks for joining us for this edition of Living 00:26:49.589 --> 00:26:50.349 on the Edge.