WEBVTT 00:00:01.389 --> 00:00:04.190 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:04.290 --> 00:00:06.950 If there was one thing that you could teach, 00:00:07.030 --> 00:00:09.210 if you could pass on to your kids that would 00:00:09.210 --> 00:00:12.349 ensure their success in school, in their work, 00:00:12.410 --> 00:00:16.010 in any future job they ever had in life, would 00:00:16.010 --> 00:00:18.589 you want to know what it is? Well, that's today 00:00:18.589 --> 00:00:22.510 on Living on the Edge. Stay with me. Today's 00:00:22.510 --> 00:00:25.149 younger generation faces a paralyzing dilemma 00:00:25.149 --> 00:00:27.809 to pursue their passion or chase a paycheck, 00:00:28.070 --> 00:00:31.480 get that college degree or learn a trade. follow 00:00:31.480 --> 00:00:34.520 their heart, or follow the money. Well, the pressure 00:00:34.520 --> 00:00:36.679 to figure it all out has never been more intense 00:00:36.679 --> 00:00:39.939 or more confusing. Today on Living on the Edge, 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.420 Chip Ingram cuts through the cultural noise with 00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:45.359 a radically different approach. Forget the tired 00:00:45.359 --> 00:00:48.439 advice about just being happy or climbing the 00:00:48.439 --> 00:00:51.539 corporate ladder. God's design for work is far 00:00:51.539 --> 00:00:54.619 more revolutionary and fulfilling than any alternative. 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:58.340 So how do we help our kids to embrace this plan? 00:00:58.969 --> 00:01:01.109 After all, the majority of their waking hours 00:01:01.109 --> 00:01:04.069 can become a source of genuine joy rather than 00:01:04.069 --> 00:01:06.989 mere drudgery. And after Chip's message, we'll 00:01:06.989 --> 00:01:09.349 explain how you can participate in the groundbreaking 00:01:09.349 --> 00:01:12.329 Double Your Impact match that's active right 00:01:12.329 --> 00:01:15.370 now. More details later. Right now, the message 00:01:15.370 --> 00:01:18.090 from Chip Ingram is called, Teach Them to Work 00:01:18.090 --> 00:01:31.760 Unto the Lord. called work. Now, that work can 00:01:31.760 --> 00:01:35.040 be at home, but it's work. Now, think of that. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:40.180 If you're not sleeping or eating, 60 to 80 percent 00:01:40.180 --> 00:01:43.819 of your waking hours your entire life, you're 00:01:43.819 --> 00:01:47.420 doing this thing called work. And so I want to 00:01:47.420 --> 00:01:49.920 ask you to ponder three questions with me before 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:52.700 we talk about what we want to pass on to those 00:01:52.700 --> 00:01:54.260 we love the most. And whether that's who we're 00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:56.700 discipling or our men's group, our women's group, 00:01:56.739 --> 00:01:59.819 our kids, our grandkids. Three questions to really 00:01:59.819 --> 00:02:03.280 think about when we begin to talk about this 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:08.120 area of work. Question number one is how can 00:02:08.120 --> 00:02:12.120 you help those you love the most live above the 00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:14.949 daily grind? I mean, let's go back to our little 00:02:14.949 --> 00:02:18.530 analogy where we say, if you knew from this moment 00:02:18.530 --> 00:02:21.909 right now, 365 days, you're going to die, and 00:02:21.909 --> 00:02:24.689 you had 365 days, and you knew people that you 00:02:24.689 --> 00:02:27.530 love, one of your kids, I mean, one of your grandkids, 00:02:27.689 --> 00:02:29.969 your best friend, someone you led to the Lord, 00:02:30.150 --> 00:02:31.949 you know, some guys that you're in a Bible study 00:02:31.949 --> 00:02:34.449 with, these gals that you love and care, and 00:02:34.449 --> 00:02:37.050 you know that 60 to 80 % of their entire life 00:02:37.050 --> 00:02:39.169 is they're going to keep working after you die. 00:02:39.530 --> 00:02:41.789 How could you deliver them from the daily grind 00:02:41.789 --> 00:02:44.960 of get up, go to work, grab a cup of coffee, 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:49.039 come in, go to eat some supper, do a drive -thru, 00:02:49.139 --> 00:02:52.180 watch a couple hours of TV, go to bed, get up, 00:02:52.280 --> 00:02:56.120 go to, I mean, and then wait for the weekend. 00:02:57.319 --> 00:03:00.060 It's how most people are living their life. Can 00:03:00.060 --> 00:03:03.180 you imagine the gift it would be if you could 00:03:03.180 --> 00:03:07.039 pass something on where that would not be their 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:10.740 experience? Question number two is why are the 00:03:10.740 --> 00:03:14.699 majority of Americans dissatisfied with their 00:03:14.699 --> 00:03:17.719 jobs. And I would say probably maybe well beyond 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:20.939 America. But all the research is they're bored. 00:03:21.240 --> 00:03:24.500 They're unfulfilled. It's basically almost a 00:03:24.500 --> 00:03:27.060 paycheck or a necessary evil. Now there's great 00:03:27.060 --> 00:03:28.900 exceptions. You meet people and they say, I'd 00:03:28.900 --> 00:03:30.759 do this if they didn't pay me. I love what I 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:33.080 do. I was made to do this. But by and large, 00:03:33.099 --> 00:03:37.219 the research tells us most people go to their 00:03:37.219 --> 00:03:40.750 job. It's a paycheck. I need the money, but I'm 00:03:40.750 --> 00:03:42.530 not waking up. There's not a lot of people going, 00:03:42.590 --> 00:03:44.870 thank God it's Monday. It's Monday. I love it. 00:03:44.870 --> 00:03:48.009 Monday. Right? Most people are saying, thank 00:03:48.009 --> 00:03:52.270 God it's Friday. Question number three, how can 00:03:52.270 --> 00:03:53.949 the place where we spend the majority of our 00:03:53.949 --> 00:03:57.550 waking hours be transformed from drudgery to 00:03:57.550 --> 00:04:00.590 delight? Can you imagine being able to pass that 00:04:00.590 --> 00:04:02.849 on to people? Now, I'm not saying that every 00:04:02.849 --> 00:04:05.289 moment of every day as people are working, you 00:04:05.289 --> 00:04:06.870 know, it's just high -fiving each other in the 00:04:06.870 --> 00:04:10.090 halls or on the job site. But I mean where they 00:04:10.090 --> 00:04:14.590 would sense a genuine, I can't believe I get 00:04:14.590 --> 00:04:17.509 to do this. I was made to do this. I love to 00:04:17.509 --> 00:04:19.910 do this. Now, there's pressures with any job. 00:04:19.990 --> 00:04:22.050 There's demands of any job. We feel overwhelmed 00:04:22.050 --> 00:04:26.290 at times. But where you could pass on some truth 00:04:26.290 --> 00:04:30.779 to those you love the most that they would. From 00:04:30.779 --> 00:04:34.660 this point to the day they die, actually do what 00:04:34.660 --> 00:04:37.660 God designed them to do. And it would produce 00:04:37.660 --> 00:04:40.879 a joy in them that's not reserved for the weekends, 00:04:40.879 --> 00:04:44.779 but would be what they do 24 -7, what they look 00:04:44.779 --> 00:04:47.480 forward to. And it would produce a fruit and 00:04:47.480 --> 00:04:49.800 an impact in the lives of other people that they 00:04:49.800 --> 00:04:52.720 would go, well, I can't believe, you mean other 00:04:52.720 --> 00:04:55.720 people are positively impacted by me like this? 00:04:56.379 --> 00:05:00.120 And here's... sort of this second core value, 00:05:00.339 --> 00:05:04.500 the transferable concept is teach them to work 00:05:04.500 --> 00:05:07.459 unto the Lord. And so to do this, I'm going to 00:05:07.459 --> 00:05:09.639 jump in and I'm going to go over a theology of 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:11.899 work because I don't think we think very clearly 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:14.759 or biblically about work. And it might surprise 00:05:14.759 --> 00:05:18.199 you. It is not a necessary evil. It's not bad. 00:05:19.089 --> 00:05:22.149 God instituted work before sin ever entered the 00:05:22.149 --> 00:05:24.189 world. And so what I want to do is talk about 00:05:24.189 --> 00:05:26.689 a theology of work, and then I want to get real 00:05:26.689 --> 00:05:29.250 practical again and say, how could you pass on 00:05:29.250 --> 00:05:33.490 this truth in a way to those that you love the 00:05:33.490 --> 00:05:37.269 most? First of all, then, work is a calling, 00:05:37.310 --> 00:05:41.310 not a job. That word calling is kind of interesting. 00:05:42.569 --> 00:05:44.410 You might hear someone say, well, what's your 00:05:44.410 --> 00:05:48.529 vocation? The Latin word for vocation is... Calling. 00:05:49.089 --> 00:05:52.910 Years ago, 100 years ago or more, when people 00:05:52.910 --> 00:05:54.970 talked about your vocation, it wasn't what you 00:05:54.970 --> 00:05:57.509 do to make money. It was what have you been called 00:05:57.509 --> 00:06:00.089 by God to do? It was Martin Luther who said, 00:06:00.189 --> 00:06:03.509 you know, a shoemaker making a shoe for the glory 00:06:03.509 --> 00:06:08.129 of God using his skill is just as holy as a pastor 00:06:08.129 --> 00:06:10.779 preaching a sermon. And he used that illustration 00:06:10.779 --> 00:06:14.120 with many trade jobs. But his point was, we all 00:06:14.120 --> 00:06:17.439 have a calling. God made us and gifted us differently. 00:06:17.620 --> 00:06:20.579 And when you do that for the glory of God, it 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:22.459 is just as holy as, quote, spiritual activity. 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:27.600 In our culture today, there tends to be two motives 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:32.639 for a job or for work. And I'll play this out. 00:06:33.099 --> 00:06:36.100 Let's say you have a nephew or a friend or someone 00:06:36.100 --> 00:06:38.240 that you're discipling or one of your kids or 00:06:38.240 --> 00:06:40.800 a grandchild that's ready to go to college and 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:43.899 they're trying to figure out what should they 00:06:43.899 --> 00:06:45.939 major in, right? This is really big. What should 00:06:45.939 --> 00:06:48.319 I major in? I feel like I'm, or they're out of 00:06:48.319 --> 00:06:49.759 high school and they're, you know, what should 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:52.079 I do? Should I go to college or should I get 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:54.680 a trade job or should I go into business with 00:06:54.680 --> 00:06:57.439 the family? What should I do? And here's sort 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:59.660 of a parental response that we have learned from 00:06:59.660 --> 00:07:04.350 our culture. Well, honey. I don't know, but we 00:07:04.350 --> 00:07:07.709 just want you to be happy. It doesn't really 00:07:07.709 --> 00:07:10.790 matter to me. I just want you to be happy in 00:07:10.790 --> 00:07:12.990 whatever you do. Because see, life is really 00:07:12.990 --> 00:07:15.949 all about you. You see, we live in a narcissistic 00:07:15.949 --> 00:07:17.810 society and we want you to know that you are 00:07:17.810 --> 00:07:20.269 the center of the universe. And the only thing 00:07:20.269 --> 00:07:21.750 that really matters, no matter how much money 00:07:21.750 --> 00:07:23.970 or you change your major seven times or if you 00:07:23.970 --> 00:07:26.089 figure out how to squeeze that four -year education 00:07:26.089 --> 00:07:29.500 into six. We just want you to have fun in that 00:07:29.500 --> 00:07:32.040 dorm room to make lots of friends and grow up 00:07:32.040 --> 00:07:34.560 and be a wonderful, happy little, because that's 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:36.680 how life will be later. Everyone is just going 00:07:36.680 --> 00:07:38.879 to be coming at the doorstep of your life trying 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:42.279 to make your life work out for you. I want to 00:07:42.279 --> 00:07:44.839 tell you that the answer to the question, though 00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:47.680 very sincere and in earlier days I've said it 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:50.720 myself, saying to our kids when they say, what 00:07:50.720 --> 00:07:53.180 should I do with my life? The answer, I only 00:07:53.180 --> 00:07:55.899 want you to be happy, is not biblical, is not 00:07:55.899 --> 00:07:58.680 smart, is not wise, and will not get them in 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:02.819 a good direction. How much does an 18 or 17 year 00:08:02.819 --> 00:08:05.579 old know or 19 year old know about what's really 00:08:05.579 --> 00:08:07.519 quote going to make them happy or what's best? 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:12.660 The other extreme we have, And Christians are 00:08:12.660 --> 00:08:14.680 more sophisticated in how we communicate this. 00:08:15.060 --> 00:08:16.939 But so on the one extreme, it's we want them 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:19.339 to be happy. On the other extreme, it's like, 00:08:19.439 --> 00:08:21.899 you know, in the real roll up your sleeves pagan 00:08:21.899 --> 00:08:24.740 world, it's, well, what pays? Son, you got to 00:08:24.740 --> 00:08:26.379 make a living. You want to get ahead? Get a good 00:08:26.379 --> 00:08:28.680 education. Or forget that. I'll tell you, here's 00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:30.459 where the job market is. Here's where you can 00:08:30.459 --> 00:08:35.539 make money. The goal of a job is money. Make 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:37.940 lots of money. Why? Because you need lots of 00:08:37.940 --> 00:08:39.360 money. Well, why do you need lots of money? So 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:40.820 you can be successful. Well, why do you need 00:08:40.820 --> 00:08:42.419 to be successful? So you can have a big house. 00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:44.399 Why do you need a big house? So people will know 00:08:44.399 --> 00:08:46.299 you're successful. And then you can have another 00:08:46.299 --> 00:08:48.940 house. And you can buy these kind of cars and 00:08:48.940 --> 00:08:50.500 have a purse that has this design and wear a 00:08:50.500 --> 00:08:53.100 watch that says certain things. And you've got 00:08:53.100 --> 00:08:55.139 to have money. Well, why? So you can be fulfilled. 00:08:55.899 --> 00:08:58.559 And you can be powerful. And you can have it 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:00.980 together. And then you can take vacations. Where? 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:04.879 Wherever you want. Because money is the key to 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:08.929 it. I mean. You got to make a lot of money. Well, 00:09:08.990 --> 00:09:10.649 gosh, dad, I see a lot of people and they have 00:09:10.649 --> 00:09:11.909 a lot of money. They don't seem like they're 00:09:11.909 --> 00:09:13.769 very happy. Hey, just don't give me all that. 00:09:13.830 --> 00:09:16.250 Quit talking back. You need to get a good job, 00:09:16.250 --> 00:09:19.029 a good education, make a lot of money because 00:09:19.029 --> 00:09:20.669 you're a reflection of me. Don't you understand? 00:09:20.789 --> 00:09:22.870 I'm vicariously living my life in subtle ways 00:09:22.870 --> 00:09:26.149 through you. And your SAT scores are a reflection 00:09:26.149 --> 00:09:28.250 on me and what college you go to is a reflection 00:09:28.250 --> 00:09:30.509 on me. And because it's not really all about 00:09:30.509 --> 00:09:32.950 you, it's all about me, but I'm going to package 00:09:32.950 --> 00:09:34.409 this in a different way so you think it's really 00:09:34.409 --> 00:09:40.240 about you. And so we have communicated that work 00:09:40.240 --> 00:09:44.659 is about either making a lot of money or really 00:09:44.659 --> 00:09:48.840 being happy. And I want to suggest that God would 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:53.200 say it's about a calling. Those people that you 00:09:53.200 --> 00:09:58.919 love the most, kids, disciples, best friends, 00:09:59.259 --> 00:10:04.960 grandkids, Bible study partners, God has a call. 00:10:06.059 --> 00:10:09.559 of what they should do. And when they do what 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:12.559 he made them to do, they will have incredible 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.100 internal joy and incredible external impact. 00:10:16.659 --> 00:10:18.840 And with that, then we have to begin to teach 00:10:18.840 --> 00:10:23.220 again that all work is sacred. All work is sacred. 00:10:23.460 --> 00:10:27.120 Jot down 1 Corinthians 10 31. He says, whatever 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:29.740 you do, whether you eat or drink, do all to the 00:10:29.740 --> 00:10:33.809 glory of God. All work is sacred. early when 00:10:33.809 --> 00:10:36.429 I was, I came to Christ just right after high 00:10:36.429 --> 00:10:39.009 school. I went to a college campus and there 00:10:39.009 --> 00:10:40.970 was a bricklayer with a high school education 00:10:40.970 --> 00:10:43.649 who was trained by the navigators and he had 00:10:43.649 --> 00:10:46.129 his own business and he would lay brick by day 00:10:46.129 --> 00:10:47.990 and he opened his home and had a discipleship 00:10:47.990 --> 00:10:50.710 ministry on this campus by night. And after two 00:10:50.710 --> 00:10:52.470 or three years, he began to help me and I was 00:10:52.470 --> 00:10:54.470 sort of slow spiritually and took me a while 00:10:54.470 --> 00:10:56.970 to get going. And once I started to grow, then 00:10:56.970 --> 00:10:59.669 I spent a summer there once and I needed a job. 00:10:59.690 --> 00:11:01.769 He said, why don't you work with me? And then 00:11:01.769 --> 00:11:05.559 later he, Started another campus. His work was 00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:08.220 a tent making ministry. And so this campus grew 00:11:08.220 --> 00:11:11.480 from three of us in the living room to 250 students 00:11:11.480 --> 00:11:13.799 on that campus. Then he went to another campus 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:15.759 and said, Chip, why don't you come with me and 00:11:15.759 --> 00:11:17.379 we'll see if God will do this again. I said, 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:19.740 okay, so I want to learn. So I didn't have a 00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:22.440 job, so I'm a hod carrier. And that means you 00:11:22.440 --> 00:11:24.519 mix the mud and he liked to do it by hand for 00:11:24.519 --> 00:11:28.750 reasons I never did experience. Because I'm the 00:11:28.750 --> 00:11:31.690 guy doing it by hand. And then you had 14 bricks 00:11:31.690 --> 00:11:34.210 or 12 bricks. And then we did a lot of foundations. 00:11:34.549 --> 00:11:38.490 And so it was really, really hard work. And he 00:11:38.490 --> 00:11:40.549 was asked, he had a line of people because he 00:11:40.549 --> 00:11:43.909 was so good. People wanted him to do their work. 00:11:44.649 --> 00:11:46.769 And I remember we worked on a foundation and 00:11:46.769 --> 00:11:49.590 we'd worked for about a day and a half. And one 00:11:49.590 --> 00:11:51.929 day he said, Chip, grab that line. I grabbed 00:11:51.929 --> 00:11:54.070 the line and he took the line down and snapped 00:11:54.070 --> 00:11:56.289 it. And he looked this way and took the line 00:11:56.289 --> 00:11:59.049 down this way. And we had it up about this high, 00:11:59.230 --> 00:12:01.409 three quarters of the way around on three walls. 00:12:01.629 --> 00:12:06.470 And he looked and he just, with his foot, he 00:12:06.470 --> 00:12:08.950 just started kicking the walls down. I go, Dave, 00:12:09.009 --> 00:12:12.610 what are you doing, man? He said, It's out, and 00:12:12.610 --> 00:12:14.269 I can't remember the exact. It was like out a 00:12:14.269 --> 00:12:19.669 half inch. I said, Dave, I mean, you're the expert, 00:12:19.750 --> 00:12:21.809 but like a half inch is like, I mean, that is 00:12:21.809 --> 00:12:24.070 not making, he said, that's not good enough for 00:12:24.070 --> 00:12:26.269 my work. I said, Chip, you need to understand, 00:12:26.370 --> 00:12:28.070 I'm not building this house for these people. 00:12:29.350 --> 00:12:33.309 I build houses for an audience of one. And when 00:12:33.309 --> 00:12:36.309 I do my work, it's not about what other people 00:12:36.309 --> 00:12:40.159 think. I do my work because this is my offering 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:43.059 today to Jesus Christ. And I will not give him 00:12:43.059 --> 00:12:45.840 less than my best. I'm not sure how I did it. 00:12:45.860 --> 00:12:47.600 I've done a lot of foundations. I blew it on 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:49.740 this one. And he kicked him over. He says, clean 00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:52.480 this stuff away. We're starting over. That was 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:56.659 worth 10 ,000 sermons. I learned all work is 00:12:56.659 --> 00:13:00.379 sacred. And for some of us, especially in that 00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:03.899 sort of... Middle to upper class, we have bought 00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:06.460 a lie that if our kids don't go to college somehow, 00:13:06.840 --> 00:13:12.980 you know, they're not successful. Some of the 00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:16.059 best, wealthiest, and most successful people 00:13:16.059 --> 00:13:17.899 that are in my world right now, none of them 00:13:17.899 --> 00:13:19.500 went to college. They got bored with college. 00:13:19.659 --> 00:13:22.940 They didn't like school. And so they just figured 00:13:22.940 --> 00:13:24.679 out how to start their own businesses and do 00:13:24.679 --> 00:13:26.460 what God made them to do and have a lot of fun 00:13:26.460 --> 00:13:30.370 and be very successful at it. We have sort of 00:13:30.370 --> 00:13:33.950 this white collar, blue collar, mundane. Tell 00:13:33.950 --> 00:13:37.429 you what, everyone is made to do something different. 00:13:37.750 --> 00:13:40.490 And the issue is not this little pecking order 00:13:40.490 --> 00:13:43.690 of status and money. The issue is helping those 00:13:43.690 --> 00:13:46.289 you love the most discover what did God make 00:13:46.289 --> 00:13:50.820 them to do? What we understand as we get older, 00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:53.440 we really care about what our kids do when we're 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:56.620 like in our 30s and 40s. You get into your 60s 00:13:56.620 --> 00:13:59.039 and 70s, you don't care what vocation your kids 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:01.340 or grandkids have. You care that they love God, 00:14:01.419 --> 00:14:03.059 they have marriages they stay in, they really 00:14:03.059 --> 00:14:04.360 care for one another, and they still want to 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:06.860 talk to you. Right? It's all about character. 00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:10.279 But you know how character grows is we need to 00:14:10.279 --> 00:14:13.720 make sure they do, and we help them and coach 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:17.389 them not to fulfill our vicarious... make me 00:14:17.389 --> 00:14:19.450 look good, but we want to help them fulfill what 00:14:19.450 --> 00:14:22.090 God made them to do. The third theology of work 00:14:22.090 --> 00:14:24.269 is that our work is to flow from God's unique 00:14:24.269 --> 00:14:28.009 design and purpose for our lives. Purpose is 00:14:28.009 --> 00:14:31.330 the key word there. The work I am called to do, 00:14:31.389 --> 00:14:33.090 that you're called to do, that those that you 00:14:33.090 --> 00:14:35.330 want to pass things on to are called to do. God 00:14:35.330 --> 00:14:40.889 has a unique design. Jot in your notes, Ephesians 00:14:40.889 --> 00:14:46.250 2 .10. God has a unique design. Your job, we're 00:14:46.250 --> 00:14:47.230 going to learn a little bit later, and we'll 00:14:47.230 --> 00:14:49.789 talk about how, is to help them discover the 00:14:49.789 --> 00:14:53.029 unique design or purpose God has for their life. 00:14:53.629 --> 00:14:55.850 Now, Ephesians 2, 8, 9, many of you have memorized, 00:14:56.009 --> 00:14:57.750 right? For by grace we're saved through faith, 00:14:57.870 --> 00:14:59.990 and that's not of yourselves. It's the gift of 00:14:59.990 --> 00:15:02.309 God, not a result of works, lest any man should 00:15:02.309 --> 00:15:06.029 boast. Can I highly suggest that you go to the 00:15:06.029 --> 00:15:09.250 next step and memorize verse 10? For we are his 00:15:09.250 --> 00:15:12.970 workmanship. created in Christ Jesus unto good 00:15:12.970 --> 00:15:16.629 works, which God ordained beforehand, like from 00:15:16.629 --> 00:15:18.470 the foundations of the earth, that we should 00:15:18.470 --> 00:15:23.169 walk in them. We are not saved from our sin by 00:15:23.169 --> 00:15:26.450 our good works. We are saved by grace as we put 00:15:26.450 --> 00:15:28.429 our faith in the work of Christ on the cross, 00:15:28.629 --> 00:15:32.549 but we're saved for good works. And we are his 00:15:32.549 --> 00:15:34.610 workmanship, that word workmanship, we get our 00:15:34.610 --> 00:15:39.250 English word poem. It's the picture of craftsmanship, 00:15:39.250 --> 00:15:41.850 of a tapestry coming together. It's a picture 00:15:41.850 --> 00:15:44.149 of a cabinet maker doing his finest work or a 00:15:44.149 --> 00:15:48.070 sculptor. You are, if you will, and those you 00:15:48.070 --> 00:15:50.470 love, they're on this sort of little platform 00:15:50.470 --> 00:15:54.570 of God creating a beautiful work. You are his 00:15:54.570 --> 00:15:57.309 workmanship, but now you're created in Christ 00:15:57.309 --> 00:16:01.750 Jesus unto a good work. There's a good work that 00:16:01.750 --> 00:16:05.100 you're made for. You're gifted for. You're prepared 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:07.539 for. You came out of this family for. You have 00:16:07.539 --> 00:16:09.539 the right height for. You have the right personality 00:16:09.539 --> 00:16:12.159 for. You have the right spiritual gift deposit 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:15.019 in you for. You have some baggage and hurts and 00:16:15.019 --> 00:16:17.279 pains that you've had to overcome that will fit 00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:19.799 you for this good work. God is going to use all 00:16:19.799 --> 00:16:23.740 things working together to fulfill you doing 00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:26.559 this good work he has prepared for you. Well, 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:28.980 guess what? That's what he has for those we love. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.240 That's what he has for that young guy coming 00:16:31.240 --> 00:16:33.519 over, that group on Monday nights where we did 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:35.799 a Bible study of that 20 -something people. God 00:16:35.799 --> 00:16:38.220 has that for my sons. God has that for my grandchildren. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:41.059 God has that for a group of women that you're 00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:43.500 meeting with and maybe going through a Kay Arthur 00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:46.360 or a Beth Moore study. God has that for the people 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:47.860 that you care about at work that you find out 00:16:47.860 --> 00:16:49.500 they're a Christian and they're starting to ask 00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:53.080 you questions. How do you pass on the things 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:58.960 that matter most? We'll hear more from Chip Ingram's 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:01.440 message in just a moment. First, we're inviting 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.259 you to multiply your year -end donation through 00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:06.900 an exciting match that's active right now. I'm 00:17:06.900 --> 00:17:09.339 sure you're watching the trend, and it is so 00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:12.079 exciting. I mean, all across our high schools 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:15.180 and college campuses, there is a spiritual awakening 00:17:15.180 --> 00:17:18.119 taking place. Young men in particular, they're 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:21.279 finding Jesus. The time to respond is right now. 00:17:21.480 --> 00:17:24.400 Living on the edge is ready. There's never been 00:17:24.400 --> 00:17:27.420 a more important time to disciple the next generation. 00:17:27.779 --> 00:17:31.339 God is moving. We've created the resources. We 00:17:31.339 --> 00:17:34.619 have the game plan. 30 years of God's faithfulness 00:17:34.619 --> 00:17:37.180 and lots more to accomplish. God has sustained 00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:39.740 Living on the Edge for three decades because 00:17:39.740 --> 00:17:43.240 people like you said yes. Now we're asking again, 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:46.259 but with a twist. Living on the Edge meets young 00:17:46.259 --> 00:17:49.059 people in the digital spaces where they actually 00:17:49.059 --> 00:17:51.619 live. Because of the match, your donation will 00:17:51.619 --> 00:17:54.059 be matched dollar for dollar in the month of 00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:56.319 December. Will you give to the next generation? 00:17:56.640 --> 00:17:59.450 Our most fruitful years are ahead. And when you 00:17:59.450 --> 00:18:02.390 support this match, you're not funding yesterday's 00:18:02.390 --> 00:18:05.130 methods. You're investing in a discipleship strategy 00:18:05.130 --> 00:18:08.269 that actually reaches the smartphone generation 00:18:08.269 --> 00:18:12.490 right where they are. Double the impact of your 00:18:12.490 --> 00:18:17.150 gift at livingontheedge .org. From a series called 00:18:17.150 --> 00:18:20.230 Leaving a Legacy That Lasts Forever. Again, our 00:18:20.230 --> 00:18:23.210 Bible teacher, Chip Ingram. Work is a calling. 00:18:23.390 --> 00:18:26.349 All work is sacred. And our work is to flow from 00:18:26.349 --> 00:18:30.849 our unique purpose. are to co -labor with God 00:18:30.849 --> 00:18:35.549 in this vocation. And you know what? Jot down 00:18:35.549 --> 00:18:37.890 if you would under this. I love Paul's testimony. 00:18:37.950 --> 00:18:42.789 It's 1 Corinthians 15 .10. He really had this 00:18:42.789 --> 00:18:47.589 one down. He says, I am what I am by the grace 00:18:47.589 --> 00:18:50.930 of God. He wasn't trying to be anybody else. 00:18:52.089 --> 00:18:54.730 I am what I am by the grace of God. And his grace 00:18:54.730 --> 00:18:57.309 did not prove vain toward me, but I labored more 00:18:57.309 --> 00:18:59.609 than all of them. There's responsibility. Yet 00:18:59.609 --> 00:19:02.190 not I, but the grace of God in me. In other words, 00:19:02.190 --> 00:19:04.950 Paul understood that all my training under Gamal, 00:19:05.130 --> 00:19:08.950 all my baggage even as a Pharisee, all my legalism, 00:19:09.029 --> 00:19:11.490 all the blindness I had, even my persecuting 00:19:11.490 --> 00:19:15.340 of the church, you know what? God is... lovingly 00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:18.900 redeeming, taking the worst of all my past, realigning 00:19:18.900 --> 00:19:21.519 it. And he had many, many secular scholars think 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:23.799 he was the brightest, really the brightest brain 00:19:23.799 --> 00:19:27.839 of his century. I am what I am by the grace of 00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:30.779 God. That's my dream for those I care about most. 00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:33.180 I want my kids to look in the mirror and say, 00:19:33.240 --> 00:19:34.680 you know what? Now I've got a lot of struggles 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:36.819 and, but I am what I am by the grace of God. 00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:41.750 And his grace did not prove vain toward me. The 00:19:41.750 --> 00:19:44.329 Old Testament roots are Genesis 2 .15. You have 00:19:44.329 --> 00:19:46.769 that in your notes where you see this picture 00:19:46.769 --> 00:19:49.349 of God placing Adam in the garden and there's 00:19:49.349 --> 00:19:52.789 no sin. And he says, look, I want you to cultivate. 00:19:53.269 --> 00:19:57.910 I want you to rule. I want you to work. I want 00:19:57.910 --> 00:20:00.890 you to be a co -regent. I want you to be a co 00:20:00.890 --> 00:20:04.250 -creator. I want you to partner with me. I am 00:20:04.250 --> 00:20:07.109 a creator. You know what? Didn't God do some 00:20:07.109 --> 00:20:10.740 work for six days and he got a lot done? So work's 00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:13.059 not a dirty word. He says, I want you to get 00:20:13.059 --> 00:20:15.079 to experience because you're made in my image. 00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:17.500 Look, here's this perfect environment. Now you 00:20:17.500 --> 00:20:19.700 work. I want you to name things. I want you to 00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:21.359 build things. I want you to create things. I 00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:24.119 want you to dream things. That's how we need 00:20:24.119 --> 00:20:27.000 to see work. It's to express our creativity, 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:30.819 to subdue, to rule, to develop, to make beautiful. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:33.519 And the two pictures, biblical profiles, are 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:36.779 Adam that we've talked about. And again, Paul. 00:20:38.029 --> 00:20:41.049 Don't mind, I love to read. I love the way Paul 00:20:41.049 --> 00:20:44.130 says this. It's Acts 20, verse 24, and this is 00:20:44.130 --> 00:20:46.250 one of those modern translations, but I just 00:20:46.250 --> 00:20:49.710 love the way he says this. He says, but my life 00:20:49.710 --> 00:20:54.410 is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the 00:20:54.410 --> 00:20:58.970 work assigned to me by the Lord Jesus. Isn't 00:20:58.970 --> 00:21:02.390 that great? And then he understood his, the work 00:21:02.390 --> 00:21:05.130 of telling others the good news about God's wonderful 00:21:05.130 --> 00:21:10.500 kindness and love. Now, ultimately that, if you're 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:13.619 called to be a plumber or a builder or a software 00:21:13.619 --> 00:21:17.259 engineer or a stay -at -home mom, if you're called 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:19.380 to be a professional athlete or an artist or 00:21:19.380 --> 00:21:23.319 musician or a businessman or businesswoman, then 00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:27.880 you will tell others about the love of God by 00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:31.759 actually how you do your work and by what you 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:35.599 say. But that calling is different. His was into 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:40.440 full -time, vocational. He was an apostle. The 00:21:40.440 --> 00:21:45.420 New Testament command is Colossians 3, 23. Whatever 00:21:45.420 --> 00:21:47.779 you do. Now, let's see. What do you think that 00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:56.039 would cover? Let me ponder this. Whatever. Gosh, 00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:58.180 would that have to do with my hobbies? Yeah. 00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:59.980 Okay, would that have to do when I eat? Yeah. 00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:02.259 Would that have to do with just when I go to 00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:06.190 church? No. Is this just spiritual stuff, quote? 00:22:06.750 --> 00:22:10.430 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart 00:22:10.430 --> 00:22:15.430 as working for the Lord, not for men. This is 00:22:15.430 --> 00:22:17.990 revolutionary. Can you imagine what would happen 00:22:17.990 --> 00:22:20.309 if you were the president of a company and everyone 00:22:20.309 --> 00:22:22.109 who showed up said, hey, I really appreciate 00:22:22.109 --> 00:22:24.049 you. I know God put you in this place. I don't 00:22:24.049 --> 00:22:26.369 work for you. I work for God. Tell you what, 00:22:26.410 --> 00:22:28.410 I don't leave early because I work for God. I 00:22:28.410 --> 00:22:31.369 do my best because I work for God. I submit to 00:22:31.369 --> 00:22:32.809 authority that I don't agree with because I work 00:22:32.809 --> 00:22:36.490 for God. I wanna keep improving. I go home and 00:22:36.490 --> 00:22:38.410 read books about my job because I work for God. 00:22:38.569 --> 00:22:40.730 I wanna develop my gifts because I work for God. 00:22:40.950 --> 00:22:42.769 Can you imagine the difference that would make? 00:22:43.289 --> 00:22:46.069 Do you see the impact that has? You know, we're 00:22:46.069 --> 00:22:48.289 all, we wanna change the culture and we've tried 00:22:48.289 --> 00:22:49.609 it in lots of different ways. You wanna change 00:22:49.609 --> 00:22:53.490 the culture? Show up for work and work for God 00:22:53.490 --> 00:22:56.349 and be an awesome boss, an awesome supervisor, 00:22:56.650 --> 00:22:59.589 an awesome employee who loves people and does 00:22:59.589 --> 00:23:02.109 excellent, excellent work. And I will tell you 00:23:02.109 --> 00:23:04.750 what. You'll change your world and change your 00:23:04.750 --> 00:23:07.549 culture. I have a good friend who, we lived in 00:23:07.549 --> 00:23:10.150 Santa Cruz for many years, and it's right on, 00:23:10.170 --> 00:23:13.710 you know that song, down by the boardwalk. Come 00:23:13.710 --> 00:23:16.710 on with me. Down by the sea. Anyway, the boardwalk, 00:23:16.910 --> 00:23:19.269 that song comes from there. There's this huge 00:23:19.269 --> 00:23:21.509 boardwalk, and then the big roller coaster and 00:23:21.509 --> 00:23:24.569 all this. Well, I have a friend who, his family 00:23:24.569 --> 00:23:27.789 owns all the concessions. So they've got a zillion 00:23:27.789 --> 00:23:30.789 jobs. And every summer, Campus Crusade would 00:23:30.789 --> 00:23:32.589 come to do ministry. I mean, you know, like. 00:23:33.329 --> 00:23:36.430 150 students from all over America. And what 00:23:36.430 --> 00:23:38.589 he learned is, and what a testimony to Campus 00:23:38.589 --> 00:23:41.309 Crusade, these young college students were very 00:23:41.309 --> 00:23:44.309 committed Christians. Their work ethic and commitment 00:23:44.309 --> 00:23:47.549 was of such. Every summer, after about three 00:23:47.549 --> 00:23:50.069 summers, he said, send all of them to my place. 00:23:50.190 --> 00:23:53.230 Okay, what do you like to do? Good. And he would 00:23:53.230 --> 00:23:56.390 hire them all, all summer. And he said, our profits 00:23:56.390 --> 00:23:59.269 went up. The attitudes went up. They did ministry 00:23:59.269 --> 00:24:00.869 while we were there. He said it was the greatest 00:24:00.869 --> 00:24:04.430 win -win in the world. Why? Because they understood 00:24:04.430 --> 00:24:07.529 they were called by God to be there. Whatever 00:24:07.529 --> 00:24:10.009 you do, do it with all your heart as unto the 00:24:10.009 --> 00:24:13.410 Lord. A little application here, and I want to 00:24:13.410 --> 00:24:16.289 ask you. It says I, and then in my notes I have 00:24:16.289 --> 00:24:20.210 your name. So, you know, do not write I, Chip 00:24:20.210 --> 00:24:22.069 Ingram, commit to discover God's calling for 00:24:22.069 --> 00:24:23.750 my life so I can impact my world and beyond. 00:24:23.829 --> 00:24:25.809 That will not work for your notes. You would 00:24:25.809 --> 00:24:29.009 probably go with like your name. Because, right? 00:24:30.820 --> 00:24:33.759 You track with me? Because if this isn't happening, 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:36.079 again, if it's not happening in you, you won't 00:24:36.079 --> 00:24:38.359 pass it on. You can take these notes and these 00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:40.359 concepts and you can get in a Bible study or 00:24:40.359 --> 00:24:42.359 you can go out for a Coke or a coffee with a 00:24:42.359 --> 00:24:44.839 son or a disciple, a grandchild, and tell them 00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:46.759 this. And if it's not in you, you won't pass 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:49.359 it on. And I don't care. You know what? Your 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:51.019 work never ends. Don't say, well, I'm retired. 00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:55.140 Okay, from some vocation for a season. But if 00:24:55.140 --> 00:24:59.420 you're breathing, you're working. You're doing 00:24:59.420 --> 00:25:01.940 things that are making, creating, modifying, 00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:06.619 developing, bringing beauty to life. And so you 00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:09.220 do that unto the Lord. Now let me give you four 00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:12.460 kind of specific ways that are real practical 00:25:12.460 --> 00:25:14.420 in general to develop this and those that you 00:25:14.420 --> 00:25:16.640 love to pass it on. And then what I want to do 00:25:16.640 --> 00:25:19.269 is I want to... take this very specifically in 00:25:19.269 --> 00:25:21.809 the second half of our time about how do you 00:25:21.809 --> 00:25:26.009 help those you love discover God's calling for 00:25:26.009 --> 00:25:27.609 their life. But before we do, let me give you 00:25:27.609 --> 00:25:30.089 four quick things that especially for those of 00:25:30.089 --> 00:25:31.730 you that might have kids that are still at home 00:25:31.730 --> 00:25:34.529 or, you know, you're in those earlier years. 00:25:34.609 --> 00:25:38.269 Number one, give them a lot of jobs growing up. 00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:42.599 We have too many parents working too hard, too 00:25:42.599 --> 00:25:45.339 long, that are very tired with children in front 00:25:45.339 --> 00:25:47.480 of television sets and video games going, Mom, 00:25:47.480 --> 00:25:51.079 when's supper ready? Your kids need to learn 00:25:51.079 --> 00:25:54.109 to cook. And help out at 11 and 12. Everyone 00:25:54.109 --> 00:25:56.450 needs to be able to make their own bed by age 00:25:56.450 --> 00:25:59.269 5 or 6. Everyone needs to be able to handle and 00:25:59.269 --> 00:26:01.170 do their own laundry, you know, by the early 00:26:01.170 --> 00:26:03.769 teen or preteen years. I was, oh, that's my job. 00:26:03.869 --> 00:26:07.869 Look, your job is to impart and impact and develop 00:26:07.869 --> 00:26:10.869 your child to be responsible and learn to do 00:26:10.869 --> 00:26:12.589 work with a good. And the only way you do that 00:26:12.589 --> 00:26:14.410 is you've got to give them jobs. And guess what? 00:26:14.549 --> 00:26:16.349 It's a fallen world and they have flesh. They 00:26:16.349 --> 00:26:18.970 don't like to do it. Right? They don't want to 00:26:18.970 --> 00:26:20.369 feed the dog. They don't want to take out the 00:26:20.369 --> 00:26:21.809 garbage. They don't want to clean up the room. 00:26:22.029 --> 00:26:25.910 You start from young. You give them jobs. And, 00:26:25.950 --> 00:26:28.549 by the way, it takes more time and it is a hassle. 00:26:28.789 --> 00:26:30.650 That's why you're the mature one and they're 00:26:30.650 --> 00:26:34.109 the non -mature one. Of course it's easier to 00:26:34.109 --> 00:26:35.690 tuck them in bed and clean up the whole thing 00:26:35.690 --> 00:26:38.630 yourself. You want them to learn to work at an 00:26:38.630 --> 00:26:41.990 early age. Second, feed them responsibility, 00:26:42.230 --> 00:26:47.619 responsibility, responsibility. Maturity. Has 00:26:47.619 --> 00:26:50.099 very little to do with age and everything to 00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:52.960 do with responsibility. I can show you 35 -year 00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:56.339 -old guys living in the back bedroom paying $33 00:26:56.339 --> 00:26:59.859 a month rent asking mommy what's for supper. 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:04.680 And I can show you 17, 18 -year -olds or a couple 00:27:04.680 --> 00:27:08.059 guys at 23, 24 that were Stanford said, you want 00:27:08.059 --> 00:27:10.259 to try starting this little company? I don't 00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:11.519 know. You think this Google thing will work? 00:27:11.579 --> 00:27:13.500 I don't know. So they're 29 and billionaires. 00:27:14.900 --> 00:27:18.549 Maturity is not about. How old you are. Maturity 00:27:18.549 --> 00:27:22.289 is the ability to handle more and more responsibility. 00:27:22.710 --> 00:27:25.849 And so you give your kids or your disciples. 00:27:26.089 --> 00:27:28.150 That's why even when you do small groups and 00:27:28.150 --> 00:27:30.589 when you do Bible studies, don't fix everything. 00:27:30.789 --> 00:27:34.019 Don't take care of everything. Ask people to 00:27:34.019 --> 00:27:37.359 bring stuff. Ask people to start leading. Ask 00:27:37.359 --> 00:27:39.920 people to share some things. All the time, feed 00:27:39.920 --> 00:27:42.500 those people you love the most. Responsibility, 00:27:42.619 --> 00:27:45.339 responsibility, responsibility. By the way, they 00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:50.500 won't do it as well as you. So, perfectionistic 00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:54.380 fellow saints in the kingdom, lighten up. Be 00:27:54.380 --> 00:27:58.119 able to live with some messes because, can I 00:27:58.119 --> 00:27:59.839 go back to, like, how did you learn to do stuff? 00:28:01.560 --> 00:28:03.339 That bricklayer, you know the greatest gift he 00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:05.720 gave to me? You know, I came to Christ, and then, 00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:08.200 you know, I went mostly to school to play basketball 00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:11.500 and baseball, but I did get education. And I 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:13.240 think God put me with that bricklayer, and we 00:28:13.240 --> 00:28:15.779 saw this ministry grow. And then I graduated 00:28:15.779 --> 00:28:18.059 from school, and before I could find a coaching 00:28:18.059 --> 00:28:20.779 job, I worked with him. And then I was there 00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:22.079 like three months, we're going to launch this 00:28:22.079 --> 00:28:25.190 new ministry. And he started working with some 00:28:25.190 --> 00:28:27.329 couples. He went a year earlier than me. And 00:28:27.329 --> 00:28:29.690 I'll never forget the day I came up to his house 00:28:29.690 --> 00:28:31.009 because we'd have a little Bible study Saturday 00:28:31.009 --> 00:28:33.289 morning. And he goes, Chip, you know something? 00:28:33.390 --> 00:28:36.630 I'm getting too old for this student stuff. And 00:28:36.630 --> 00:28:38.829 I'm going to just focus on couples. The whole 00:28:38.829 --> 00:28:41.529 campus ministry, I mean, we had like five people. 00:28:41.769 --> 00:28:45.769 The whole campus ministry is yours. So what do 00:28:45.769 --> 00:28:48.809 you mean? He said, it's yours. Well, what's that 00:28:48.809 --> 00:28:53.059 mean? It's yours. Lead it. Direct it. come up 00:28:53.059 --> 00:28:55.180 with a strategy, make it happen. I said, Dave, 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.900 I moved here to learn all this stuff. I mean, 00:28:56.920 --> 00:28:59.279 I had a good teaching job and I came to learn 00:28:59.279 --> 00:29:01.380 from you and do all this stuff and I'm living 00:29:01.380 --> 00:29:03.740 in this tiny little apartment with the box and 00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:06.059 the campus is up there and we do it in your living 00:29:06.059 --> 00:29:08.000 room. What do you mean? He said, look, just lead 00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:10.960 it. And I said, well, I don't know enough. He 00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:12.799 goes, well, there's my file cabinet. Everything 00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:14.960 I've learned, all the messages I've learned from 00:29:14.960 --> 00:29:17.160 other people, they're topical. You can just open 00:29:17.160 --> 00:29:19.490 them up and get whatever you need. And I remember 00:29:19.490 --> 00:29:21.450 because his house was up on this hill and mine 00:29:21.450 --> 00:29:23.769 was down at the bottom. And I remember trudging 00:29:23.769 --> 00:29:26.950 down. I said, man, I can't believe this. I can't 00:29:26.950 --> 00:29:28.349 believe this. I can't believe this. I can't believe 00:29:28.349 --> 00:29:31.269 this. I mean, he just dumped this whole thing 00:29:31.269 --> 00:29:33.069 on me. And by the time I got to the door, it 00:29:33.069 --> 00:29:38.509 was like, all right. Hey. I'm going to lead it. 00:29:38.529 --> 00:29:40.349 I'm going to do it my way then. So I started 00:29:40.349 --> 00:29:42.670 these Gospel of John Bible studies in dorm rooms 00:29:42.670 --> 00:29:44.430 and guys are smoking dope and there's all these 00:29:44.430 --> 00:29:46.970 pictures on the wall and it's crazy and I'm getting 00:29:46.970 --> 00:29:48.589 in the Bible and all of a sudden they start coming 00:29:48.589 --> 00:29:52.990 to Christ and here's what he understood. He could 00:29:52.990 --> 00:29:56.809 have me help him for yet another season and I 00:29:56.809 --> 00:29:59.490 would be a little helper. Or he could dump the 00:29:59.490 --> 00:30:02.349 truck of responsibility on me and I'd have to 00:30:02.349 --> 00:30:04.490 figure it out. You know how I learned how to 00:30:04.490 --> 00:30:07.880 lead? Leading. And you know how you learn how 00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:09.640 to lead when you don't know how to lead? It's 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:14.000 called overwhelm us. And then guess what? I prayed 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:15.519 a lot because I didn't know what I was doing. 00:30:16.180 --> 00:30:18.660 Now, I'm sure he kind of was watching and he 00:30:18.660 --> 00:30:21.240 was not going to let me go over a cliff. But 00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:23.799 he let me get right to the edge. That's what 00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:26.900 you want to do. Feed him responsibility. Give 00:30:26.900 --> 00:30:29.400 him jobs. Feed him responsibility. Number three. 00:30:30.459 --> 00:30:32.779 require, I almost said demand because I really 00:30:32.779 --> 00:30:36.019 mean demand, demand excellence and develop a 00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:39.720 work ethic. We have just got into this, our little 00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:41.720 kid's psyche. We don't want him to feel bad. 00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:44.559 My kids will tell you, and maybe I was a little 00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:47.519 over the top. I had one son that had a struggle 00:30:47.519 --> 00:30:51.180 in school and he had the gift of sloppiness. 00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:53.980 And so he would do his homework and he would, 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:56.079 I mean, I couldn't even read it and it was half 00:30:56.079 --> 00:30:59.730 baked. And so every night, I mean, for like almost 00:30:59.730 --> 00:31:02.410 two years, every night. I'm not exaggerating, 00:31:02.410 --> 00:31:04.029 so maybe I missed a night, you know, sort of. 00:31:04.430 --> 00:31:07.029 Not many. And I would look at it, and I said, 00:31:07.069 --> 00:31:09.289 well, Eric, I can't read this. He said, well, 00:31:09.309 --> 00:31:10.970 Dad, it's the best I can do. I said, well, the 00:31:10.970 --> 00:31:13.109 best you can do, I guess, is not quite good enough, 00:31:13.170 --> 00:31:15.910 because that's, and I would give him, you know, 00:31:15.970 --> 00:31:18.369 the little dad sermon, and I really love you, 00:31:18.390 --> 00:31:25.559 son. And I'd do it again. Hey, Eric, got news. 00:31:25.819 --> 00:31:27.960 You can cry as long as you want, but when you 00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:30.000 start writing it again, it'll get quicker, okay? 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.759 So I'll be out here when you get it done, bring 00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:34.099 it out to me. And that's how you learn to clean 00:31:34.099 --> 00:31:36.359 out the garage. That's not bad. Now try it again. 00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:41.299 You know, the reason the vacuum cleaner, you 00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:43.559 pick up the rug and you actually vacuum under 00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:47.420 the rug, okay? Now, I'm not talking about being 00:31:47.420 --> 00:31:50.079 perfectionistic, over -the -top, wacko. Although 00:31:50.079 --> 00:31:52.180 my kids at times would say I had small moments 00:31:52.180 --> 00:31:57.460 of that. It was, if they don't learn to work 00:31:57.460 --> 00:31:59.900 well and work with excellence and work to an 00:31:59.900 --> 00:32:03.880 audience of one, where do you think they're going 00:32:03.880 --> 00:32:06.839 to pick that up? One of the greatest gifts I 00:32:06.839 --> 00:32:09.859 think I saw my wife and I give our children is 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:12.200 they know how to think and they know how to work. 00:32:12.849 --> 00:32:15.509 And they've all been very successful in jobs 00:32:15.509 --> 00:32:17.589 because right now, how many of you are like either 00:32:17.589 --> 00:32:20.210 a business owner, supervisor, employer, manager 00:32:20.210 --> 00:32:23.589 in any way? What's your number one problem? You 00:32:23.589 --> 00:32:25.750 can't find people who can work, right? You can't 00:32:25.750 --> 00:32:27.849 find people that can come on time, do what they're 00:32:27.849 --> 00:32:31.609 told, fulfill a job, and do it well. You give 00:32:31.609 --> 00:32:34.210 that to those you love, and they'll be successful 00:32:34.210 --> 00:32:38.069 in whatever they do. And so you have to demand 00:32:38.069 --> 00:32:40.109 that. By the way, the reason for those of you 00:32:40.109 --> 00:32:41.890 that still have some small kids, or by the way, 00:32:41.910 --> 00:32:43.369 it gets harder when they're older. Well, I'm 00:32:43.369 --> 00:32:45.250 18 years old. I can do anything I want. That's 00:32:45.250 --> 00:32:46.890 right. And you can also pay your own rent. You 00:32:46.890 --> 00:32:48.710 can buy your own food. Give them responsibility. 00:32:50.099 --> 00:32:52.819 Your goal is not to make them dependent and like 00:32:52.819 --> 00:32:54.839 you and have warm, fuzzy feelings all the time. 00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:57.460 You want to launch them. They are an arrow of 00:32:57.460 --> 00:33:00.220 God out of your quiver, and you want to launch 00:33:00.220 --> 00:33:02.279 them into the world with a trajectory of impact. 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:04.119 So they need to understand, I'm called to do 00:33:04.119 --> 00:33:06.440 this. God made me to do this. I do it for an 00:33:06.440 --> 00:33:09.059 audience of one. You know what? I can lay brick 00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:12.299 or be a nuclear physicist. And you know what? 00:33:12.420 --> 00:33:15.240 They're equal in God's eyes. I just need to figure 00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:18.710 out what that is. And the final thing I would 00:33:18.710 --> 00:33:21.849 say is teach them, and I allude to this, to work 00:33:21.849 --> 00:33:24.750 for an audience of one. And when they're young, 00:33:24.849 --> 00:33:27.589 I mean, I just, like I told them, I said, I understand 00:33:27.589 --> 00:33:30.509 no one can see behind here that's really dirty 00:33:30.509 --> 00:33:32.089 and all the cobwebs and, you know, the spiders 00:33:32.089 --> 00:33:34.089 that are coming out of the corner and stuff that's 00:33:34.089 --> 00:33:37.809 upsetting your mother. But the reason you clean 00:33:37.809 --> 00:33:41.390 here is because we're not doing this for me or 00:33:41.390 --> 00:33:44.309 for your mom. You do your best because this is 00:33:44.309 --> 00:33:47.740 your, work is an offering to God. Did you see 00:33:47.740 --> 00:33:53.039 it? This was really one of the core Reformation 00:33:53.039 --> 00:33:55.799 principles. The priesthood of the believer was 00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:59.839 one. This other was living life before the face 00:33:59.839 --> 00:34:02.380 of God, all that we do, all that we are, as an 00:34:02.380 --> 00:34:08.420 offering. These are the biblical principles to 00:34:08.420 --> 00:34:11.539 instill in our offspring. It's a legacy that 00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:14.230 will last forever. You're listening to Living 00:34:14.230 --> 00:34:17.230 on the Edge with Bible teacher Chip Ingram. Chip, 00:34:17.369 --> 00:34:20.210 although we've been on radio for 30 years, we're 00:34:20.210 --> 00:34:22.630 finding that young listeners don't tune in this 00:34:22.630 --> 00:34:25.449 way. Instead, they're using new platforms, and 00:34:25.449 --> 00:34:27.449 they're asking honest, vulnerable questions. 00:34:28.010 --> 00:34:30.730 It's our role as parents and grandparents to 00:34:30.730 --> 00:34:33.250 bolster their confidence in the credibility of 00:34:33.250 --> 00:34:36.409 the Bible. Young adults today are asking questions 00:34:36.409 --> 00:34:40.079 their parents never ask. How do I know Christianity 00:34:40.079 --> 00:34:42.719 is true with so many other religions? You know, 00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:45.079 why does the Bible seem to contradict science? 00:34:45.179 --> 00:34:48.480 Or how can I trust a God who allows such suffering? 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:51.380 These aren't rebellious questions. They're honest 00:34:51.380 --> 00:34:53.980 questions. And they deserve an honest answer, 00:34:54.119 --> 00:34:56.900 a thoughtful answer. Living on the edge doesn't 00:34:56.900 --> 00:34:59.639 shy away from the hard stuff. You might remember 00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:02.159 our series, Caring Enough to Confront, where 00:35:02.159 --> 00:35:05.750 we taught on abortion. Politics, the environment, 00:35:06.030 --> 00:35:11.570 LGBTQ, porn, heterosexual sin. I mean, if they 00:35:11.570 --> 00:35:14.150 don't hear God's perspective that is winsome 00:35:14.150 --> 00:35:17.829 and loving and clear and truthful, how do we 00:35:17.829 --> 00:35:21.210 expect them to follow him? We have to give answers. 00:35:21.960 --> 00:35:25.079 with a spirit of kindness and love, but we have 00:35:25.079 --> 00:35:27.940 to shoot it straight. And by and large, that 00:35:27.940 --> 00:35:31.079 has not happened across America. This is where 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:34.159 God is called living on the edge to step in and 00:35:34.159 --> 00:35:37.340 both be kind and winsome, but at the same time, 00:35:37.340 --> 00:35:40.900 tackle controversial issues in a way that's clear, 00:35:41.019 --> 00:35:44.360 that's biblical, that's relevant, and speaks 00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:47.079 to the heart of young people. When you give to 00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:50.119 this match, you're helping us get the Word of 00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:53.380 God to a group of people that are in desperate 00:35:53.380 --> 00:35:57.139 need of truth, but truth that's packaged in a 00:35:57.139 --> 00:36:00.559 way that says, I get you. I'm for you. Would 00:36:00.559 --> 00:36:03.320 you explore this with me? Each time you give 00:36:03.320 --> 00:36:06.179 to Living on the Edge until December 31st, your 00:36:06.179 --> 00:36:09.019 gift is doubled because there's a group of people 00:36:09.019 --> 00:36:11.659 that say, I believe that we have to reach the 00:36:11.659 --> 00:36:14.519 next generation. And if people will give, I will 00:36:14.519 --> 00:36:17.039 give extra money to double it and double the 00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:19.900 impact. This is a critical time in our nation. 00:36:20.039 --> 00:36:22.559 It's a critical time in this generation. Will 00:36:22.559 --> 00:36:25.309 you stand with us? We've made it simple to respond 00:36:25.309 --> 00:36:29.090 to Chip Ingram by calling this number, 888 -333 00:36:29.090 --> 00:36:33.489 -6003. If you prefer to give online, just go 00:36:33.489 --> 00:36:37.469 to livingontheedge .org. Many in our audience 00:36:37.469 --> 00:36:39.730 prefer to send a check in the mail. You can do 00:36:39.730 --> 00:36:42.090 that by addressing your envelope to Living on 00:36:42.090 --> 00:36:47.750 the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia 30024. 00:36:48.570 --> 00:36:52.750 Here's our phone number again, 888 -333 -6003, 00:36:52.829 --> 00:36:58.230 or give online at livingontheedge .org. Well, 00:36:58.269 --> 00:37:00.489 I'm Dave Drewy. Join us when Chip Ingram continues 00:37:00.489 --> 00:37:03.510 to describe how to leave a legacy that lasts 00:37:03.510 --> 00:37:06.429 forever, Friday on Living on the Edge.