WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:04.559 This is the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, brought 00:00:04.559 --> 00:00:07.719 to you by Living on the Edge. In this podcast, 00:00:07.980 --> 00:00:10.539 you'll hear Chip's teaching unedited and from 00:00:10.539 --> 00:00:13.939 beginning to end. Here's Chip Ingram with how 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:16.899 to overcome feelings of futility. What we're 00:00:16.899 --> 00:00:19.699 going to talk about today is the difference between 00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:24.980 success and significance. To use an old cliche, 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:28.199 there's a very subtle thing that can happen in 00:00:28.199 --> 00:00:31.589 every life, and here it is. You can climb a ladder 00:00:31.589 --> 00:00:35.130 and work and be very, very, very productive only 00:00:35.130 --> 00:00:38.710 to find out that the ladder that you've climbed 00:00:38.710 --> 00:00:45.450 is what? Leaning against the wrong wall. Turn 00:00:45.450 --> 00:00:48.950 with me if you will. I put some study notes together. 00:00:49.750 --> 00:00:52.929 And I think I'd like to begin by asking and answering 00:00:52.929 --> 00:00:55.369 the question, what's the difference between a 00:00:55.369 --> 00:00:58.689 life of futility and a life of fruitfulness? 00:00:59.469 --> 00:01:01.750 And then I want, together with you, to think 00:01:01.750 --> 00:01:05.150 through, out loud, what kind of life are you 00:01:05.150 --> 00:01:08.290 going to have? What kind of life am I going to 00:01:08.290 --> 00:01:12.030 have? Is it going to be one of futility? Are 00:01:12.030 --> 00:01:13.590 we going to look back in the rearview mirror 00:01:13.590 --> 00:01:18.790 of our lives and say, I worked. I prayed, even. 00:01:19.930 --> 00:01:23.709 I thought that once I arrived here, it would 00:01:23.709 --> 00:01:28.019 be full, but instead, it's empty. Webster defines 00:01:28.019 --> 00:01:34.239 futility as that which easily pours out, hence 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:37.519 untrustworthy. It's an interesting thought, isn't 00:01:37.519 --> 00:01:41.560 it? That which fails completely of desired end 00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:44.739 or incapable of producing any result as something 00:01:44.739 --> 00:01:47.959 trifling or unimportant. Futility simply means 00:01:47.959 --> 00:01:50.079 that you give yourself to it but then it comes 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:54.909 up empty. Never forget the... illustration a 00:01:54.909 --> 00:01:56.390 guy shared with me. I was a young Christian, 00:01:56.469 --> 00:01:58.969 just a couple years. I can't remember where I 00:01:58.969 --> 00:02:00.969 was, but I still have the picture in my mind 00:02:00.969 --> 00:02:03.750 of the napkin. And the guy pulls out a napkin 00:02:03.750 --> 00:02:06.129 and, you know, my dream then was, you know, I 00:02:06.129 --> 00:02:07.790 wanted to be a star basketball player and then 00:02:07.790 --> 00:02:09.810 I wanted to be a famous coach and then I was 00:02:09.810 --> 00:02:11.449 going to teach in grad school and then I was 00:02:11.449 --> 00:02:12.550 going to get married and then I was going to 00:02:12.550 --> 00:02:15.210 have some great kids and all in the name of God, 00:02:15.270 --> 00:02:19.469 of course. And I think he saw through all that. 00:02:19.990 --> 00:02:24.759 And he pulled out a napkin and He drew about 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:28.939 six different buckets with the picture from a 00:02:28.939 --> 00:02:33.159 source, my life, rainbows. Rainbows going into 00:02:33.159 --> 00:02:36.639 these six different buckets. He said, you know, 00:02:36.639 --> 00:02:38.719 Chip, everyone has a dream in their life, whether 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:40.939 they verbalize it or not. And they're following 00:02:40.939 --> 00:02:44.060 the rainbow into the pot or the bucket of gold. 00:02:45.319 --> 00:02:48.080 And he said, we all believe there's certain buckets 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.340 that are going to come through for us. And he 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:53.259 was real calm and he pulled out that pen and 00:02:53.259 --> 00:02:55.439 he said, you know, some people follow the dream. 00:02:55.620 --> 00:02:57.900 And then he drew the little bucket and he wrote 00:02:57.900 --> 00:03:00.939 the word fame. And see, they believe if they're 00:03:00.939 --> 00:03:05.460 ever famous, then someday, some way, they'll 00:03:05.460 --> 00:03:09.680 be a someone. And then he told me the story of 00:03:09.680 --> 00:03:15.060 James Dean, Jimi Hendrix. He said, other people, 00:03:15.099 --> 00:03:18.340 it's not fame, it's popularity or looks. And 00:03:18.340 --> 00:03:20.259 you know, they work real hard and they do everything 00:03:20.259 --> 00:03:22.800 they can to look a certain way so people will 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:25.840 like them. And he wrote the word in that bucket 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.759 with his pen on the napkin, popularity slash 00:03:28.759 --> 00:03:32.780 looks. And then he told me how Marilyn Monroe 00:03:32.780 --> 00:03:39.780 died. And I knew how she looked. And then he... 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:42.379 Made another rainbow and he drew a little bucket 00:03:42.379 --> 00:03:44.039 and he put a dollar sign on it. And he said, 00:03:44.060 --> 00:03:45.919 you know, some people think if they just get 00:03:45.919 --> 00:03:48.120 enough money and can own enough things and impress 00:03:48.120 --> 00:03:50.520 enough people, then life will come through for 00:03:50.520 --> 00:03:53.680 them. And then he quickly told me the tragic 00:03:53.680 --> 00:03:57.479 story of Howard Hughes, of some of the last words 00:03:57.479 --> 00:04:00.539 of John Paul Getty, that it only takes one more 00:04:00.539 --> 00:04:05.180 million. And then he drew another rainbow and 00:04:05.180 --> 00:04:10.280 he put a bucket and it said success. And he told 00:04:10.280 --> 00:04:12.819 me about the lives of people who were very, very 00:04:12.819 --> 00:04:16.120 successful only to come to the end and feel empty. 00:04:17.160 --> 00:04:20.399 And then he drew one that surprised me. He said 00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:23.660 family. There's some people that secretly believe 00:04:23.660 --> 00:04:25.620 that everything's going to change once they get 00:04:25.620 --> 00:04:27.540 married. Or once they get married and that doesn't 00:04:27.540 --> 00:04:32.060 happen when they have kids. And then the heartache 00:04:32.060 --> 00:04:35.579 and the suffering and the tragedy. And then he 00:04:35.579 --> 00:04:39.420 drew two more buckets. He said, Chip, we could 00:04:39.420 --> 00:04:42.519 draw buckets where people follow rainbows and 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:48.660 every bucket in life is empty except two. There's 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:52.139 only two buckets that if you give your life to 00:04:52.139 --> 00:04:55.980 these, they'll always come through for you. And 00:04:55.980 --> 00:04:59.579 I'll tell you about those a little later. Got 00:04:59.579 --> 00:05:02.379 you, don't I? At least you'll pay attention for 00:05:02.379 --> 00:05:08.089 the next ten minutes. What bucket, if someone 00:05:08.089 --> 00:05:12.629 asks you, are you pouring your life into? Whether 00:05:12.629 --> 00:05:16.230 you decided willfully to do it or just unconsciously 00:05:16.230 --> 00:05:20.370 drifting that direction. What's the rainbow that 00:05:20.370 --> 00:05:22.290 you're following that you think if I ever get 00:05:22.290 --> 00:05:25.110 there and look down inside of it, it'll be filled 00:05:25.110 --> 00:05:30.189 with what'll satisfy? See, futility is something 00:05:30.189 --> 00:05:34.709 which easily pours out. It's not trustworthy. 00:05:34.810 --> 00:05:39.449 It won't come through. Has the idea of vain, 00:05:39.709 --> 00:05:42.550 fruitless, ineffective, or useless. I don't know 00:05:42.550 --> 00:05:44.470 about you. I don't want to end my life that way. 00:05:44.810 --> 00:05:47.829 By contrast, notice the word fruitful. Webster's, 00:05:47.910 --> 00:05:52.209 the Latin root. This really surprised me. The 00:05:52.209 --> 00:05:55.329 Latin root word is fructus, which means enjoyment. 00:05:55.470 --> 00:05:57.829 Did you ever think of that? When you live a fruitful 00:05:57.829 --> 00:06:00.689 life, there's enjoyment. It's means of enjoyment. 00:06:01.069 --> 00:06:03.610 It means something that's profitable, productive, 00:06:03.990 --> 00:06:08.579 producing results or desired ends. It's that 00:06:08.579 --> 00:06:11.319 sense of whatever it's giving your life to something 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:14.339 that when you look at it, it counts. It matters. 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:19.459 It's not what other people think. It's following 00:06:19.459 --> 00:06:22.259 the rainbow, following the dream, and then looking 00:06:22.259 --> 00:06:24.600 into the bucket and the mirror in the bucket 00:06:24.600 --> 00:06:28.259 looking back says, you made it. You've done well. 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:33.860 You matter. Your life counted. You are significant. 00:06:35.850 --> 00:06:37.889 Now, the reason that these two things are in 00:06:37.889 --> 00:06:40.889 such contention is there is usually a very high 00:06:40.889 --> 00:06:44.449 price tag to be significant and a very high price 00:06:44.449 --> 00:06:49.629 tag to be successful. And the world tells us 00:06:49.629 --> 00:06:53.790 that we need to be successful. And God says you 00:06:53.790 --> 00:06:56.750 may or may not be successful in the world's eyes, 00:06:56.810 --> 00:07:00.269 but significance is what will fill your soul. 00:07:00.589 --> 00:07:04.990 One young man wrestling with this issue. decided 00:07:04.990 --> 00:07:08.449 to become a missionary. And as he was wrestling 00:07:08.449 --> 00:07:12.170 through the issues, a Wheaton grad, and the price 00:07:12.170 --> 00:07:15.750 tag of giving up success for significance just 00:07:15.750 --> 00:07:20.009 seemed overwhelming. And in Jim Elliott's journal, 00:07:20.089 --> 00:07:22.870 he was later killed by the Alka Indians, I believe, 00:07:23.009 --> 00:07:26.769 in South America. In his journal, as he was wrestling 00:07:26.769 --> 00:07:30.769 with the situation, he wrote these words. He 00:07:30.769 --> 00:07:36.589 is no fool to give up. What he cannot keep. To 00:07:36.589 --> 00:07:41.089 gain. What he cannot lose. Boy that's a perspective 00:07:41.089 --> 00:07:44.110 giver isn't it? In fact look down. Look down 00:07:44.110 --> 00:07:49.750 with me. Read it again. He is. She is. No fool 00:07:49.750 --> 00:07:57.209 to give up. What you cannot keep. To gain. What 00:07:57.209 --> 00:08:02.089 you cannot lose. Question. How in the world. 00:08:02.959 --> 00:08:09.899 Can we avoid futility in our lives? How do you 00:08:09.899 --> 00:08:12.399 end up finishing your life, looking in the mirror, 00:08:12.459 --> 00:08:14.759 then looking at God and saying, you know, I had 00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:17.379 a lot of ups and downs, but I finished well. 00:08:19.980 --> 00:08:21.920 Now, what I'm going to warn you is, is that the 00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:25.199 answer is very simple. I mean, simple to understand, 00:08:25.439 --> 00:08:30.660 but it is pretty tough to do. Jesus is going 00:08:30.660 --> 00:08:33.950 to give us a very clear. Cut answer. Here's what 00:08:33.950 --> 00:08:36.970 he says. You want to avoid a life of futility? 00:08:37.909 --> 00:08:45.070 Resolve to refuse to confuse success with significance. 00:08:45.789 --> 00:08:48.649 It's basically what he taught. Refuse. See, that's 00:08:48.649 --> 00:08:51.389 an act of the will. It's a choice. Refuse to 00:08:51.389 --> 00:08:55.870 confuse success with significance. Luke chapter 00:08:55.870 --> 00:09:00.820 9, verses 25 and 26, Jesus is speaking. He says, 00:09:00.820 --> 00:09:04.240 what good is it for a man to gain the whole world? 00:09:04.320 --> 00:09:08.580 That's success. And yet lose or forfeit his very 00:09:08.580 --> 00:09:10.559 self. Literally, the word in Greek is psyche. 00:09:10.779 --> 00:09:13.600 It has the idea of all your mental capabilities. 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:16.480 It's used in general reference for your spiritual 00:09:16.480 --> 00:09:19.379 life, for what really matters. What good is it? 00:09:19.379 --> 00:09:21.779 Rhetorical question. What good is it going to 00:09:21.779 --> 00:09:23.960 do if you got the fame, you got the popularity, 00:09:24.080 --> 00:09:26.220 you got the success, you got the money? You've 00:09:26.220 --> 00:09:29.080 got it all. You got the house, you got the condo, 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:31.679 you can ski, you can fly, you can do it all. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:36.460 You got the body. What good does it do if you 00:09:36.460 --> 00:09:40.259 gain the world yet lose? And the word for lose 00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:44.320 here is used in this language for a ship full 00:09:44.320 --> 00:09:49.480 of precious cargo that is shipwrecked. That's 00:09:49.480 --> 00:09:53.320 the picture. What good is it if you have all 00:09:53.320 --> 00:09:57.220 that and you lose or you shipwreck your life 00:09:57.220 --> 00:10:01.980 and you lose you? In fact, he pushes it to the 00:10:01.980 --> 00:10:04.000 next level because he understands that to be 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:06.799 successful, you will have to shrink back from 00:10:06.799 --> 00:10:09.179 your relationship. To really be successful in 00:10:09.179 --> 00:10:12.379 the world by their standards, you'll have to 00:10:12.379 --> 00:10:14.279 shrink back from your relationship with Christ. 00:10:14.340 --> 00:10:17.860 Notice verse 26. He says, if anyone is ashamed 00:10:17.860 --> 00:10:20.799 of me, if anyone shrinks back from relationship 00:10:20.799 --> 00:10:23.419 with me, if anyone shrinks back from identifying 00:10:23.419 --> 00:10:26.220 with me, if anyone shrinks back or is ashamed 00:10:26.220 --> 00:10:29.279 with friends and workers and neighbors and in 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:31.919 -laws and people that are significant, powerful 00:10:31.919 --> 00:10:34.820 people, prestigious people, other, quote, successful 00:10:34.820 --> 00:10:40.440 people. If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, 00:10:40.679 --> 00:10:45.240 notice his words, his teaching, his truth. Notice 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:48.299 what he says. The son of man will be ashamed 00:10:48.299 --> 00:10:52.200 or shrink back of him when he comes in his glory 00:10:52.200 --> 00:10:55.019 and in the glory of the father and the holy angels. 00:10:56.299 --> 00:10:58.360 See, what we're talking about is a big issue, 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:02.559 big, big issue. It is not politically correct. 00:11:04.200 --> 00:11:07.039 To walk with God, to be open about your faith. 00:11:07.159 --> 00:11:09.460 And by the way, around here, we know that doesn't 00:11:09.460 --> 00:11:11.799 mean, you know, having a seven inch black Bible 00:11:11.799 --> 00:11:13.840 on your desk, hitting people over the head with 00:11:13.840 --> 00:11:16.480 it, being, you know, narrow, bigoted. No, we're 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.200 talking about a winsome, loving, servant, gracious, 00:11:21.580 --> 00:11:27.669 relationally open, radical Christian. who communicates 00:11:27.669 --> 00:11:30.409 the love and the power of Christ by your words, 00:11:30.570 --> 00:11:33.549 who's not ashamed of Jesus, not ashamed of His 00:11:33.549 --> 00:11:36.669 Word, openly identifies and understands it'll 00:11:36.669 --> 00:11:39.029 bring flack, understands it might mean losing 00:11:39.029 --> 00:11:41.029 an account, understands there's some people that 00:11:41.029 --> 00:11:46.250 won't understand. See, the price tag of being 00:11:46.250 --> 00:11:51.110 significant is going through life God's way. 00:11:52.830 --> 00:11:55.500 Augustine, the great theologian, And the early 00:11:55.500 --> 00:11:58.419 church wrote, God is always trying to give us 00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:01.919 good things, but our hands are too full to receive 00:12:01.919 --> 00:12:05.919 them. I just sat down, literally put my feet 00:12:05.919 --> 00:12:08.379 up and began to pray. And I said, Lord, what's 00:12:08.379 --> 00:12:10.779 the real difference? So I look at your word. 00:12:10.799 --> 00:12:13.720 What's the difference between success and significance? 00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:17.159 And there's probably many more, but the random 00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:19.340 thoughts that came to me as I prayed, success 00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:22.779 is about productivity. Significance is about 00:12:22.779 --> 00:12:25.779 satisfaction. A lot of people are productive 00:12:25.779 --> 00:12:28.700 and not satisfied. Success is about climbing 00:12:28.700 --> 00:12:32.480 the ladder. You know, I'm going to make it. Significance 00:12:32.480 --> 00:12:38.080 is about which wall the ladder is on. Success 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:43.279 is about what you do, your performance. Significance 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:47.840 is about who you are. Success is about applause, 00:12:48.059 --> 00:12:51.620 what other people think. Significance is about 00:12:51.620 --> 00:12:57.059 peace. Are you even vaguely aware that all these 00:12:57.059 --> 00:13:01.179 people that look so good on the outside, that 00:13:01.179 --> 00:13:04.940 we pass in the grocery stores, that buy gourmet 00:13:04.940 --> 00:13:09.100 coffee like we do, you know, that have nice stuff, 00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:11.399 that go on great vacations, that when you walk 00:13:11.399 --> 00:13:13.259 in, see them arm in arm, they look like such 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:17.000 happy couples. You are aware that they're desperately 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.500 hurting, that there's major strife, that they 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:22.600 don't know how to be a parent. That they have 00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:25.460 dysfunctional relationships and people are abusing 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:27.340 alcohol and there's all kind of hurt and there's 00:13:27.340 --> 00:13:29.279 all kind of struggles and they don't relate very 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:31.820 well to their parents. And a lot of what they 00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:33.899 drive banks own and they have incredible pressure 00:13:33.899 --> 00:13:36.419 and they're spending about 25 % more a month 00:13:36.419 --> 00:13:40.840 than they bring in. And it's a facade. And instead 00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:42.820 of being intimidated by them, we need to love 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:47.899 and care and move into their life. Because see, 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:51.659 we can have peace. It's a lot better than applause. 00:13:53.019 --> 00:13:56.700 Success is about stuff. Significance is about 00:13:56.700 --> 00:14:01.000 people. Success is about taking off. Man, I'm 00:14:01.000 --> 00:14:04.559 going to make it. Significance is about landing 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:10.120 well. Success is about the now. Man, I got to 00:14:10.120 --> 00:14:12.019 do it now. I got to do it now. I got to have 00:14:12.019 --> 00:14:14.080 it now. In fact, if I can't get it now, I'll 00:14:14.080 --> 00:14:17.200 charge you. And if I can't charge it, I'll refinance. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.690 And they say that. 20 % over above what my house 00:14:19.690 --> 00:14:21.149 is worth, and then I'll pay that off, and then 00:14:21.149 --> 00:14:23.190 I can start charging it again. And I got to have 00:14:23.190 --> 00:14:24.950 the right person now. I got to have the right 00:14:24.950 --> 00:14:27.649 stuff now. I got to move up now. And I'll mortgage 00:14:27.649 --> 00:14:30.549 my future now. See, all the stuff that you can 00:14:30.549 --> 00:14:33.850 get right now can bring you quick, short -term 00:14:33.850 --> 00:14:38.429 success. But most of us aren't willing to pay 00:14:38.429 --> 00:14:41.970 the price, the kind of stuff that it takes day 00:14:41.970 --> 00:14:47.289 after day after day of discipline, of commitment, 00:14:48.169 --> 00:14:51.649 of riding out the hard times, those things produce 00:14:51.649 --> 00:14:57.350 something called character, endurance. And those 00:14:57.350 --> 00:14:59.970 are the kind of things that make you significant. 00:15:02.529 --> 00:15:06.330 To be significant, there is always short -term 00:15:06.330 --> 00:15:13.370 pain and loss in order for long -term gain. Significance 00:15:13.370 --> 00:15:16.470 is about forever. Let me give you a couple resources. 00:15:16.789 --> 00:15:19.889 Number one, Halftime by a guy named Bob Buford. 00:15:19.970 --> 00:15:22.769 He's a multi -millionaire who has shifted his 00:15:22.769 --> 00:15:24.809 focus from the first half of his life of being 00:15:24.809 --> 00:15:27.250 successful to being significant. And he tracks 00:15:27.250 --> 00:15:31.149 his journey. It's excellent material. Very committed 00:15:31.149 --> 00:15:33.309 believer. He's launched and sponsored a number 00:15:33.309 --> 00:15:36.429 of Christian organizations. And he shoots it 00:15:36.429 --> 00:15:38.730 straight and he's very open and honest. Second 00:15:38.730 --> 00:15:42.409 book is by a non -Christian author. But if you 00:15:42.409 --> 00:15:44.169 find yourself under pressure, you find yourself 00:15:44.169 --> 00:15:47.460 on the fast track. Excellent reading. It's called 00:15:47.460 --> 00:15:52.340 The Paradox of Success by John R. O 'Neill. Subtitle, 00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:58.559 When Winning at Work Means Losing at Life. He 00:15:58.559 --> 00:16:01.919 became extremely successful. He lost his wife. 00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:06.399 He lost his family. He lost all that mattered. 00:16:06.539 --> 00:16:09.340 And he traces the lies and the misbeliefs. Here's 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:13.460 a secular guy, as far as I know, who has incredible 00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:16.840 insight. about how to live a life that'll matter. 00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:22.759 Well, I think we've diagnosed the problem. I 00:16:22.759 --> 00:16:25.360 know your heart and I know mine. And I know it's 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:27.580 hard, okay? This is one of those sermons where 00:16:27.580 --> 00:16:31.220 we are the salmon of God seeking to swim upstream. 00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:33.000 And you know what? The current's coming at us. 00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:36.200 But in your heart of heart, you want to be significant 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:38.940 and I want to be significant. Now we've identified 00:16:38.940 --> 00:16:44.440 the problem. Final question. can you move and 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:49.759 how can I move from a success orientation to 00:16:49.759 --> 00:16:54.200 significance? How can we line our thinking and 00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:56.779 our lives and our priorities and our time and 00:16:56.779 --> 00:16:59.539 our resources in such a way that we land well? 00:17:01.399 --> 00:17:06.759 I did a funeral and I buried a significant woman. 00:17:09.079 --> 00:17:12.339 She didn't have a lot of money. She didn't win 00:17:12.339 --> 00:17:15.599 any beauty contest. She wasn't well -known, wasn't 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:19.339 visible. She came to Christ in this church about 00:17:19.339 --> 00:17:23.680 four years ago. And she was a house mother for 00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:25.900 abused kids. Kids that are taken out of their 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:28.119 homes because of abuse and tragedy and drugs. 00:17:28.539 --> 00:17:30.579 I mean, the kind of kids that no one gives a 00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:32.240 rip. I mean, they've had more problems. Some 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:34.119 of these kids have experienced more in the first 00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:36.839 six, eight, ten years of life than any adult 00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:41.410 should ever, ever experience, ever. And I heard 00:17:41.410 --> 00:17:44.470 six -year -olds and eight -year -olds and 10 00:17:44.470 --> 00:17:47.990 -year -olds say, Donna made me feel special. 00:17:49.130 --> 00:17:51.829 When I didn't think there was any hope in life, 00:17:52.130 --> 00:17:58.690 she cared about me. She loved me. Donna was always 00:17:58.690 --> 00:18:02.710 there. She has marked. You talk about significance? 00:18:03.329 --> 00:18:04.950 She doesn't have any big retirement program. 00:18:05.369 --> 00:18:10.230 She hasn't written a book. There are lives that 00:18:10.230 --> 00:18:13.730 will be marked with the imprint of Donna Mead 00:18:13.730 --> 00:18:17.529 for all eternity because she took what she had 00:18:17.529 --> 00:18:20.150 and she focused it on the things that matter 00:18:20.150 --> 00:18:23.750 most. Let me give you three clear ways from scripture 00:18:23.750 --> 00:18:28.970 to move from a life of success to a life of significance. 00:18:29.009 --> 00:18:34.190 Number one, clarify your mission. Clarify your 00:18:34.190 --> 00:18:39.289 mission. Answer the basic question, why are you 00:18:39.289 --> 00:18:41.410 here? Have you ever thought of that? Do you realize 00:18:41.410 --> 00:18:45.009 how important that is? Why are you here? Until 00:18:45.009 --> 00:18:49.809 we start and say, why am I on this planet? You 00:18:49.809 --> 00:18:54.069 will never have a significant life. Notice, there's 00:18:54.069 --> 00:18:56.609 two things that last forever. I told you, the 00:18:56.609 --> 00:18:59.650 two buckets. There's two things that as you follow 00:18:59.650 --> 00:19:01.970 them and you get to the bucket and look down 00:19:01.970 --> 00:19:04.190 inside, instead of it being empty, you can always 00:19:04.190 --> 00:19:07.730 know they're full. Number one is God's word because 00:19:07.730 --> 00:19:10.829 it's eternal. God says his word will never return 00:19:10.829 --> 00:19:16.609 void. And he says that it's eternal. Every time 00:19:16.609 --> 00:19:19.069 you invest in God's word, anytime you take it 00:19:19.069 --> 00:19:22.690 in, read it, apply it, pass it on, share it with 00:19:22.690 --> 00:19:25.210 anyone else, you're investing in something that 00:19:25.210 --> 00:19:28.920 will never, never fail. It counts and it lasts. 00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:33.700 The second bucket that will always be full are 00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:37.740 the souls of men and the souls of women. Every 00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:41.619 human being on the face of this planet eternally 00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:45.819 matters to God. Anytime you invest in a relationship, 00:19:46.220 --> 00:19:48.880 anytime you love a person, pray for a person, 00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:51.579 care for a person, provide the needs of a person, 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:55.339 encourage a person, you're marking into something 00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:58.160 that's eternal. And by the way, remember, there 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:01.420 is a resurrection coming and everyone gets resurrected. 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:05.500 You're aware of that. Scripture says some to 00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:08.799 be with the Lord forever, some to be separated 00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:12.980 for all eternity. You need to know your mission. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:19.400 Jesus made it very clear in Matthew 28. As you 00:20:19.400 --> 00:20:25.720 go or go, therefore, make disciples. Of all ethnos, 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:28.819 all people, all people groups, all nations, make 00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:34.079 disciples, make followers of me. Baptize them, 00:20:34.099 --> 00:20:35.920 identification in the name of the Father and 00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:38.039 the Son and the Holy Spirit and all the things 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:39.960 that I've taught you, pass on to them in order 00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:41.940 that they could not just learn them, but obey 00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:43.720 them, put them into practice. And by the way, 00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:46.160 I'll be with you. I know you can't do it on your 00:20:46.160 --> 00:20:49.640 own. I'll be with you always. See, in a nutshell, 00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:53.079 here's your mission in life. If you're a housewife, 00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:54.680 this is your mission. If you're a carpenter, 00:20:54.740 --> 00:20:56.299 this is your mission. If you're a businessman, 00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:58.480 this is your mission. If you're a musician, this 00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:00.859 is your mission. If you're a student, it's your 00:21:00.859 --> 00:21:02.279 mission. If you're a woman, it's your mission. 00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:04.400 If you're a man, it's your mission. Your mission 00:21:04.400 --> 00:21:08.039 is to know Christ and to make him known. That's 00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:12.380 why you were placed on this planet. Period. That 00:21:12.380 --> 00:21:14.599 will come through your personality, your desires, 00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:17.220 your backgrounds. And you can do it in San Jose. 00:21:18.240 --> 00:21:20.660 Or you can do it in San Juan. And you can do 00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:22.859 it in Brazil or you can do it in New York. And 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:24.480 you can do it by working with your hands and 00:21:24.480 --> 00:21:26.519 you can do it by working with your head. Your 00:21:26.519 --> 00:21:30.059 mission, your reason for existence is to know 00:21:30.059 --> 00:21:34.140 him. And then, out of the overflow of your relationship, 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:42.539 to make him known. Your mission is not to own 00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:47.160 a home. Your mission is not to be comfortable. 00:21:48.430 --> 00:21:50.630 Your mission is not as important as all your 00:21:50.630 --> 00:21:54.170 kids turn out right. Your mission is not you 00:21:54.170 --> 00:21:57.970 being happy. Your mission is not to save up enough 00:21:57.970 --> 00:22:00.750 money as though you know the future so that your 00:22:00.750 --> 00:22:03.410 retirement years will be secure. That's not your 00:22:03.410 --> 00:22:07.150 mission. Your mission is not to put up relational 00:22:07.150 --> 00:22:09.549 walls to make sure no one gets inside or gets 00:22:09.549 --> 00:22:12.589 too close so you don't get hurt again. That's 00:22:12.589 --> 00:22:20.250 not your mission. That's a dead end. Your mission 00:22:20.250 --> 00:22:23.869 is to know Christ and to make him known. Knowing 00:22:23.869 --> 00:22:28.170 Christ, the word, prayer, God's people. Make 00:22:28.170 --> 00:22:31.769 him known. Every person you walk by, believers 00:22:31.769 --> 00:22:35.250 to be encouraged, unbelievers, the average unbeliever 00:22:35.250 --> 00:22:38.230 grew up like me. I never met a real Christian 00:22:38.230 --> 00:22:42.430 until I was 18, 17. I mean, I met church people 00:22:42.430 --> 00:22:44.990 and I saw a bunch of junk that happened in churches. 00:22:45.049 --> 00:22:47.619 I never met a real one. I mean one that lives 00:22:47.619 --> 00:22:49.900 out, one whose life and words matched up and 00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:52.180 told the same story, one who would listen instead 00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:54.640 of talk at me, one who cared, one who lived it 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.039 out, one who had a radical lifestyle, one who 00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:58.559 said, I'll give up two weeks of vacation and 00:22:58.559 --> 00:23:03.519 go to El Salvador or to Mexico, or would stop 00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:05.740 in the middle of their busy day and say, I've 00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:09.619 got time to talk to you. And I know it's not 00:23:09.619 --> 00:23:11.299 politically correct, but let me tell you what 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:15.220 Jesus has done in my life without judging where 00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:19.480 you're at in your life. See, you want to be significant 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:23.440 instead of successful? One, first and foremost, 00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:29.339 clarify your mission. Secondly, embrace your 00:23:29.339 --> 00:23:32.319 mission field. You need to know where you're 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:35.160 going, but you need to know where God wants you 00:23:35.160 --> 00:23:38.500 to know Christ and to make him known. We get 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:40.359 this idea that your mission field has got to 00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:43.519 be in Africa. I'm telling you, I hope some of 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:45.519 you go, but I'm going to tell you, 99 % of you 00:23:45.519 --> 00:23:48.329 probably will never go to Africa. But we think, 00:23:48.329 --> 00:23:50.630 well, that's the mission field, and since you're 00:23:50.630 --> 00:23:53.730 not going there, if you're like me, you unconsciously 00:23:53.730 --> 00:23:57.710 slide into fulfilling the agenda and buying the 00:23:57.710 --> 00:24:00.609 commercials and looking to be happy, comfortable, 00:24:00.869 --> 00:24:03.650 prosperous, well -off, with a dash of Jesus on 00:24:03.650 --> 00:24:11.490 the side. Embrace your mission field. Where are 00:24:11.490 --> 00:24:14.700 your greatest spheres of influence? Jesus said 00:24:14.700 --> 00:24:17.000 not become salt, become light. What did he say? 00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:20.200 You are salt. You are light. You're going to 00:24:20.200 --> 00:24:21.960 reveal. You're going to flavor. You're going 00:24:21.960 --> 00:24:23.640 to challenge. You're going to change. You're 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:26.680 going to have an impact unless you're under a 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:31.059 bushel, unless you've lost your saltiness. Let 00:24:31.059 --> 00:24:33.819 me give you the three areas where it is clear 00:24:33.819 --> 00:24:37.640 that you need to sprinkle the salt of Christ, 00:24:37.839 --> 00:24:40.579 the love of Christ, and the holiness of God. 00:24:40.640 --> 00:24:43.509 First, your home. That's your first mission field. 00:24:44.569 --> 00:24:46.970 Deuteronomy 6, 4 to 9 says, Hear, O Israel, the 00:24:46.970 --> 00:24:49.930 Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord 00:24:49.930 --> 00:24:51.789 your God with all your heart, with all your soul, 00:24:51.869 --> 00:24:53.890 with all your strength. These commandments I 00:24:53.890 --> 00:24:56.490 give you today are to be upon your hearts. Now 00:24:56.490 --> 00:25:00.230 get this, impress them on your children. Talk 00:25:00.230 --> 00:25:02.369 about them when you sit at home and when you 00:25:02.369 --> 00:25:04.789 walk along the road, when you lie down and when 00:25:04.789 --> 00:25:07.369 you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands. 00:25:07.470 --> 00:25:10.009 Buy them on your foreheads. Write them on the 00:25:10.009 --> 00:25:11.869 door frames of your houses and on your gates. 00:25:11.990 --> 00:25:16.130 Do your kids, your family network, see that your 00:25:16.130 --> 00:25:19.269 number one concern and mission field is them? 00:25:21.349 --> 00:25:24.750 Spend time in the scriptures in your home? Do 00:25:24.750 --> 00:25:27.049 they catch you praying sometimes? Oh, sorry mom, 00:25:27.109 --> 00:25:31.289 sorry dad. Do they see the integrity that you 00:25:31.289 --> 00:25:34.910 talk about and this stuff about God lived out? 00:25:35.440 --> 00:25:38.960 in your life, that's your mission field. If it 00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:45.759 doesn't work there, don't export it. Some of 00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:47.019 us are thinking, God, what do you want me to 00:25:47.019 --> 00:25:52.440 do with my life? Start right where you are. Love 00:25:52.440 --> 00:25:56.599 your wife. Love your husband. Care about your 00:25:56.599 --> 00:26:00.880 kids. Turn the stupid TV off and spend some time 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:04.569 together. Find out who their friends are. Ask 00:26:04.569 --> 00:26:09.309 them questions. Go on walks. Put your arms around 00:26:09.309 --> 00:26:12.029 them. Don't assume everything's really okay. 00:26:12.089 --> 00:26:17.450 Face the hard issues. Be God's man. Be God's 00:26:17.450 --> 00:26:20.829 woman. Second field that God wants you to make 00:26:20.829 --> 00:26:23.670 an impact in, your sphere of influence. Second 00:26:23.670 --> 00:26:26.910 mission field is your work. Do you ever realize 00:26:26.910 --> 00:26:29.309 that the great majority of your time is spent 00:26:29.309 --> 00:26:31.769 not at home, not at church, not praying and not 00:26:31.769 --> 00:26:34.460 reading the Bible? Do you realize that what most 00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:37.539 of us do is we get up every day and we put in, 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:40.200 I don't know anybody who works a 40 -hour week, 00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:42.140 but God bless you if you figured out how to do 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:46.420 that. Right? Most of us, it's about 55 or 60, 00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:49.319 then you're getting kind of revved up. And if 00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.980 you're under some pressure, some of us do the 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:54.180 70 or 80 hours. Don't do much of that. But it's 00:26:54.180 --> 00:26:57.599 life. Now think about, multiply that out over 00:26:57.599 --> 00:27:00.750 all the years that you live. Where do you spend 00:27:00.750 --> 00:27:04.369 the great bulk of your entire world? It's working, 00:27:04.450 --> 00:27:06.710 whether that's at home or whether that's at an 00:27:06.710 --> 00:27:09.710 office or a job site. That's where you spend 00:27:09.710 --> 00:27:12.190 the great bulk of your life. Do you think that 00:27:12.190 --> 00:27:14.549 God has a plan for your life, for your family, 00:27:14.650 --> 00:27:16.869 for church, for the spiritual little wedge or 00:27:16.869 --> 00:27:19.569 window? And over here, your work life is like, 00:27:19.630 --> 00:27:22.130 well, you're on your own. You know, like God 00:27:22.130 --> 00:27:23.670 in the morning says, well, hey, have a good day. 00:27:23.730 --> 00:27:28.630 I'll catch you later. We live that way. Notice 00:27:28.630 --> 00:27:30.769 what the scripture says, Colossians chapter 3, 00:27:30.869 --> 00:27:34.109 verses 22 to 25. The application there is to 00:27:34.109 --> 00:27:36.869 slaves in this culture. I think we can make it 00:27:36.869 --> 00:27:39.809 to ours. Slaves, obey your earthly masters and 00:27:39.809 --> 00:27:42.289 everything. Now, basically, they had some terrible 00:27:42.289 --> 00:27:45.710 earthly masters. This is a tough command. And 00:27:45.710 --> 00:27:48.109 do it, not only when their eye is upon you to 00:27:48.109 --> 00:27:50.490 win their favor, but with sincerity of heart 00:27:50.490 --> 00:27:55.559 and reverence for the Lord. Now, is the Bible 00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:58.000 actually saying that I go to work and I do my 00:27:58.000 --> 00:28:02.319 job as though I'm doing it for God? As an act 00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:08.000 of worship? With a good attitude? On time? With 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:11.160 excellence? You know, everyone's wearing these 00:28:11.160 --> 00:28:15.859 little bands, WWJD. What would Jesus do? I got 00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:18.980 one for you. Put that band on your wrist and 00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:21.160 get up on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 00:28:21.299 --> 00:28:22.819 Friday, and if you work on Saturday, Saturday 00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:26.400 morning. And say, if Jesus was inside your body 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:29.240 going to your job, how would he do your job? 00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:32.039 When would he leave? And what kind of work would 00:28:32.039 --> 00:28:35.900 he do? And you know what? Some of us feel like 00:28:35.900 --> 00:28:38.500 God could never use me. You start working like 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:40.980 that, with that kind of attitude, you will have 00:28:40.980 --> 00:28:44.000 people lined up at your desk saying, one, could 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:46.599 your work come work for me? Or two, what is with 00:28:46.599 --> 00:28:50.400 you? And by the way, you will take flack. Because 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:52.380 the work culture is what? The work culture is... 00:28:52.670 --> 00:28:54.430 How can you do as little as possible and get 00:28:54.430 --> 00:28:56.490 as much as possible? The Christian culture is, 00:28:56.529 --> 00:28:59.829 how much do you get to do and do it unto God? 00:29:00.710 --> 00:29:04.170 Notice Colossians 3 .23. Whatever you do, work 00:29:04.170 --> 00:29:06.950 at it with all your heart as working for the 00:29:06.950 --> 00:29:09.410 Lord, not for men. Can you imagine walking in 00:29:09.410 --> 00:29:10.609 and someone saying, hey, knock it off here. No, 00:29:10.670 --> 00:29:12.670 I'm doing this for God. I don't work for IBM. 00:29:13.369 --> 00:29:15.470 I don't work for Hewlett -Packard. I don't work 00:29:15.470 --> 00:29:17.910 for Plantronics. You know, I'm doing these dishes. 00:29:18.049 --> 00:29:21.170 I'm changing these diapers. I'm landscaping this 00:29:21.170 --> 00:29:23.329 lawn. I'm going to do it in such a way that it 00:29:23.329 --> 00:29:31.049 honors God. Can you fathom the impact the body 00:29:31.049 --> 00:29:36.549 of Christ would have if we work that way? See, 00:29:36.650 --> 00:29:38.930 too many of us have bought a car from someone 00:29:38.930 --> 00:29:40.750 out of the paper and it has a little fish on 00:29:40.750 --> 00:29:43.230 it. And what do we immediately think? Uh -oh. 00:29:44.470 --> 00:29:46.150 Are they really telling the truth about this? 00:29:47.229 --> 00:29:49.289 See, a lot of people put a Bible on their desk 00:29:49.289 --> 00:29:50.910 or they want to tell everyone to come to a Bible 00:29:50.910 --> 00:29:53.529 study. They don't show up on time. They don't 00:29:53.529 --> 00:29:55.369 do their homework. They're not prepared. You 00:29:55.369 --> 00:29:57.049 know what they're doing? They're disgracing the 00:29:57.049 --> 00:30:00.309 name of Christ. Martin Luther put it well. He 00:30:00.309 --> 00:30:04.430 said, when a milkmaid goes out and milks a cow 00:30:04.430 --> 00:30:07.490 and does it as an act of worship unto the Lord, 00:30:07.609 --> 00:30:11.950 she is in a more holy state and holy ground than 00:30:11.950 --> 00:30:15.359 when a priest or a pastor does not take care 00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:18.160 of the Word of God and doing that job in a way 00:30:18.160 --> 00:30:21.460 that honors Him. I've got news for you. There 00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:26.140 aren't two sets of scales. See, people sometimes, 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.940 especially if I travel some, they always get 00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:29.440 around to, what do you do? And I'm always a little 00:30:29.440 --> 00:30:32.099 uncomfortable. In my mind's eye, I still don't 00:30:32.099 --> 00:30:35.240 think of myself as a minister, you know, or like 00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:39.009 clergy or even pastor. See, I didn't grow up 00:30:39.009 --> 00:30:40.769 around people like that. The bricklayer helped 00:30:40.769 --> 00:30:42.849 me. You know what I knew? He was a bricklayer 00:30:42.849 --> 00:30:44.849 that was going to make disciples. I think of 00:30:44.849 --> 00:30:47.269 myself as a coach. It's just a different team. 00:30:48.529 --> 00:30:50.710 I am. I'm just a coach. And when I stand before 00:30:50.710 --> 00:30:52.789 God, he doesn't say, oh, this is what I expect 00:30:52.789 --> 00:30:55.190 of Chip. And then all these lay people. Baloney. 00:30:56.329 --> 00:30:58.609 I'll tell you what he says. Now, the ruler is 00:30:58.609 --> 00:31:00.230 going to be a little different because I teach 00:31:00.230 --> 00:31:03.230 the word, James tells me. But he's going to evaluate. 00:31:03.390 --> 00:31:06.009 What I do is no more spiritual than what you 00:31:06.009 --> 00:31:08.309 do. And most of you don't believe that. But you 00:31:08.309 --> 00:31:11.289 need to believe it because what you do at work, 00:31:11.430 --> 00:31:17.569 that's your sphere of influence. Can you imagine 00:31:17.569 --> 00:31:20.289 the impact? And some of you are making it. Some 00:31:20.289 --> 00:31:22.589 of you are my heroes. As I put this point down, 00:31:22.730 --> 00:31:24.490 you know, a number of people just came to my 00:31:24.490 --> 00:31:28.970 mind. I thought, wow. Third, sphere of influence 00:31:28.970 --> 00:31:32.190 is your network. Colossians 4, verses 5 and 6, 00:31:32.289 --> 00:31:35.009 notice what it says. Be wise in the way you act 00:31:35.009 --> 00:31:39.420 toward nonbelievers. making good use of how many 00:31:39.420 --> 00:31:43.220 opportunities? Every opportunity you have. Your 00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:45.819 speech should always be pleasant and interesting, 00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:48.720 and you should know how to give the right answer 00:31:48.720 --> 00:31:53.440 to everyone. See, you have a network, and probably 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:55.720 in our day, it's not your neighborhood. It's 00:31:55.720 --> 00:31:57.559 probably the other moms or dads on the little 00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:59.960 league team or the soccer team. It's probably 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:01.980 the person that, you know, every week, some of 00:32:01.980 --> 00:32:03.460 you go to the dry cleaners. Are you building 00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:05.759 a relationship with that person? Some of us pick 00:32:05.759 --> 00:32:07.880 up coffee at the same place almost every morning, 00:32:07.960 --> 00:32:10.480 right? Have you ever thought that this relationship 00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:12.720 could begin from where you are and you could 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:15.059 love them and build a relationship into the kingdom? 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:17.319 Some of you have your cars repaired the same 00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:20.460 place. Did you realize God has brought that mechanic 00:32:20.460 --> 00:32:23.460 into your life for a reason? Some of you play 00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:25.279 bridge. Some of you have hobbies. Some of you 00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:30.779 crochet. Some of you play softball. What's your 00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:33.200 network? We always are thinking, who am I going 00:32:33.200 --> 00:32:35.059 to share with, you know, Christ and build this 00:32:35.059 --> 00:32:38.700 evangelistic relationship with? Here's the secret. 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:47.220 Help out all the people you already know. I mean, 00:32:47.259 --> 00:32:49.460 I've been sharing the Lord with a guy at the 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:54.039 coffee shop for close to seven years. I just 00:32:54.039 --> 00:32:56.519 made a major breakthrough after about a year 00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:59.680 with the lady at 7 -Eleven. And she saw my Bible, 00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:02.279 asked what I did, found out her son's a Christian, 00:33:02.359 --> 00:33:04.859 is sharing Christ with her. And now we have 30 00:33:04.859 --> 00:33:07.160 to two minute conversations about the scripture. 00:33:07.640 --> 00:33:09.500 I have a neighbor that I've been praying for 00:33:09.500 --> 00:33:12.440 for eight years. And one day I just had an impulse 00:33:12.440 --> 00:33:15.839 from God. He brought a verse to my mind. Let 00:33:15.839 --> 00:33:17.740 your light so shine before men that they can 00:33:17.740 --> 00:33:20.369 see your good deeds. and glorify your father 00:33:20.369 --> 00:33:22.130 in heaven. And just at an impulse, I went over 00:33:22.130 --> 00:33:24.289 and cut her grass. She's a single mom. And I'm 00:33:24.289 --> 00:33:26.490 thinking, no big deal. I mean, yards here. Where 00:33:26.490 --> 00:33:28.190 I grew up, when you cut grass, it was an hour. 00:33:29.309 --> 00:33:31.130 You know, here it's 12 minutes, you're done. 00:33:32.069 --> 00:33:35.289 And I mean, you would think I was passing out 00:33:35.289 --> 00:33:37.950 bags of gold to this lady. She's a sweet lady. 00:33:38.150 --> 00:33:40.690 She's a great lady. And I don't know really where 00:33:40.690 --> 00:33:43.109 she's at spiritually, but, you know, I live close 00:33:43.109 --> 00:33:45.680 to her, but I've never really connected. I came 00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.000 home last night and there were two cartons of 00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:50.380 eggs and two things of jam on our front door 00:33:50.380 --> 00:33:53.940 from her saying thanks. What's your network? 00:33:54.920 --> 00:33:58.000 It's not some way, someday, somehow, when you, 00:33:58.200 --> 00:34:01.579 it's right now where you're at. Let me give you 00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:04.119 number three because you need to know how to 00:34:04.119 --> 00:34:07.359 do this. There's six steps. I call it everybody 00:34:07.359 --> 00:34:12.760 evangelism. You move from success to significance 00:34:12.760 --> 00:34:15.329 by one. clarifying your mission. Why am I here? 00:34:15.550 --> 00:34:17.949 Two, embrace your mission field. Where are my 00:34:17.949 --> 00:34:21.190 spheres of influence? The home, work, my network. 00:34:21.389 --> 00:34:25.170 Three, engage in the harvesting process. First 00:34:25.170 --> 00:34:28.070 Corinthians three says that we can't make anything 00:34:28.070 --> 00:34:31.250 grow. Only God can do it. But some water and 00:34:31.250 --> 00:34:34.090 some plant. And we all work together. I know 00:34:34.090 --> 00:34:36.530 I have only a handful of relationships where 00:34:36.530 --> 00:34:39.710 I build a relationship, I water, I do this, I 00:34:39.710 --> 00:34:42.110 do this, I do this. And six months or two years 00:34:42.110 --> 00:34:44.389 later, I lead that person to Christ. There's 00:34:44.389 --> 00:34:45.949 people I meet that people have been working on 00:34:45.949 --> 00:34:47.630 for 20 years and I get to lead them to Christ. 00:34:47.750 --> 00:34:49.369 There's other people that I build a relationship 00:34:49.369 --> 00:34:52.090 with. You know what? Boy, I sure hope God does 00:34:52.090 --> 00:34:54.070 something because I haven't seen anything. But 00:34:54.070 --> 00:34:56.429 I'm not discouraged about that anymore. In fact, 00:34:56.510 --> 00:34:58.510 I took the gun away from my head. I don't have 00:34:58.510 --> 00:35:01.469 to do it. See, I am not and you are not a prosecuting 00:35:01.469 --> 00:35:04.170 attorney. You know what we are? Witnesses. You 00:35:04.170 --> 00:35:06.230 know what witnesses do? Witnesses step up on 00:35:06.230 --> 00:35:08.530 the plate and say, this is what's true of me. 00:35:08.570 --> 00:35:11.090 This is what Jesus did in my life. Now, let me 00:35:11.090 --> 00:35:13.889 give you a way to get involved in this. Notice 00:35:13.889 --> 00:35:16.570 the little chart. I took this out of a book called 00:35:16.570 --> 00:35:19.090 The High Impact Church. Linus Morris did this 00:35:19.090 --> 00:35:22.679 and he ministers in Europe. Notice there's about 00:35:22.679 --> 00:35:26.239 six steps. First, look at your network. Make 00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:28.679 contact with the unchurched is your goal. Action 00:35:28.679 --> 00:35:31.320 step, establish visibility in the community. 00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:34.820 Identify and pray for and contact people in social 00:35:34.820 --> 00:35:37.219 networks. It's like helping out with a little 00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:41.280 league team. Two, after the network, befriend 00:35:41.280 --> 00:35:45.340 people. The goal, build trusting relationships, 00:35:45.539 --> 00:35:48.639 like really care about them. The action, build 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:51.780 bridges socially. Show love and care. Look for 00:35:51.780 --> 00:35:54.019 divine appointments. Just start serving people. 00:35:55.099 --> 00:36:00.099 Step three, identify. Look for a felt need. You 00:36:00.099 --> 00:36:02.340 know, it took me eight years. I mean, I must 00:36:02.340 --> 00:36:04.599 be like slow of speech, slow of tongue, and way 00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:07.079 low on brains. Took me eight years to figure 00:36:07.079 --> 00:36:09.400 out a felt need in my neighbor's life was cutting 00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:13.380 a lawn, so simple. What are the felt needs of 00:36:13.380 --> 00:36:17.300 the people? Going through divorce? Have financial 00:36:17.300 --> 00:36:21.940 problems? Struggle with aging parents? Pressure 00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:26.219 in their marriage? Here's the action step. Listen 00:36:26.219 --> 00:36:29.360 attentively. Show concern. You don't have to 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:31.099 jam Jesus down their throat and give them five 00:36:31.099 --> 00:36:34.699 Bible verses. Just listen. You will be a minority. 00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:38.860 Just listen. Network, befriend, identify, then 00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:42.360 share. Share your story. Action step, look for 00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:45.690 receptivity. sensitively share your story. This 00:36:45.690 --> 00:36:48.170 takes most of you off the hook. You don't have 00:36:48.170 --> 00:36:51.030 to have all the answers. Just, this is what Jesus 00:36:51.030 --> 00:36:53.369 did in my life. This is what Jesus did in my 00:36:53.369 --> 00:36:55.630 marriage. This is what Jesus did in that relationship, 00:36:55.789 --> 00:36:58.289 but I'm still struggling with it. Just share 00:36:58.289 --> 00:37:00.130 your story. And then when they ask that real 00:37:00.130 --> 00:37:02.610 hard question that's so hard and the reason why 00:37:02.610 --> 00:37:04.369 we don't share, here's the answer. I'm going 00:37:04.369 --> 00:37:06.769 to tell you in advance. They ask this, what about 00:37:06.769 --> 00:37:08.829 da -da -da -da -da, right? The real hard question. 00:37:09.090 --> 00:37:13.650 Here's your answer. I don't know. I don't know. 00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:18.340 Here's what I know he did for me. But you know 00:37:18.340 --> 00:37:20.519 what? The way I've learned is through the New 00:37:20.519 --> 00:37:22.179 Testament. And I'd like to give you one if you 00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:24.079 want to start reading it. As you have questions, 00:37:24.159 --> 00:37:26.539 I'd be glad to talk with you. And that's a good 00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:28.420 question. I don't know that one, but I'll go 00:37:28.420 --> 00:37:30.059 do some study. Would you like to get a cup of 00:37:30.059 --> 00:37:32.699 coffee and talk about it later? You're not under 00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:34.519 pressure. You don't have to have all the answers. 00:37:35.559 --> 00:37:39.920 Just share your story. Fifth, invite. The goal 00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:42.480 is to expose them to the gospel. Action step, 00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:45.039 bring an unbelieving friend or a contact to a 00:37:45.039 --> 00:37:48.880 weekend service or to a small group. Invite them. 00:37:48.980 --> 00:37:52.340 Finally, harvest. Encourage commitment to Christ 00:37:52.340 --> 00:37:53.820 and assimilate them in the life of the church. 00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:55.719 There's a point in time where people get ready 00:37:55.719 --> 00:37:57.420 and you need to cross over the line and say, 00:37:57.539 --> 00:37:59.980 would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior? 00:38:00.920 --> 00:38:03.539 Would you like to have your sins forgiven? And 00:38:03.539 --> 00:38:05.320 I'm always amazed because I have this unbelieving 00:38:05.320 --> 00:38:07.940 mind. How many times people would look at me 00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:10.880 and say, yes, I would. And you know what kept 00:38:10.880 --> 00:38:16.980 them from it? No one's ever asked. This is Living 00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:19.920 on the Edge with Chip Ingram. As we continue 00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:22.579 this series on experiencing breakthrough, you 00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:24.820 might be realizing you need to build a stronger 00:38:24.820 --> 00:38:27.659 spiritual foundation. Well, that's exactly why 00:38:27.659 --> 00:38:29.880 we're offering Chip's free online devotional, 00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:32.780 Psalms of Hope. Here's what makes this resource 00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:35.480 different. Chip doesn't just explain the Psalms 00:38:35.480 --> 00:38:37.739 to you. He teaches you how to study them for 00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:40.699 yourself. Each day for 10 days, you'll spend 00:38:40.699 --> 00:38:43.059 10 minutes learning from Chip, then 10 minutes 00:38:43.059 --> 00:38:45.099 applying what you've learned through prayer and 00:38:45.099 --> 00:38:48.260 meditation. You'll journey through Psalm 1, Psalm 00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:52.179 15, and Psalm 23, passages that speak directly 00:38:52.179 --> 00:38:55.179 to finding stability, experiencing God's presence, 00:38:55.360 --> 00:38:58.739 and building authentic relationships. This isn't 00:38:58.739 --> 00:39:00.880 about adding another obligation to your schedule. 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:03.559 It's about creating a daily rhythm of connecting 00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:06.219 with God that can transform your entire life. 00:39:06.440 --> 00:39:10.199 And it's completely free, online at livingontheedge 00:39:10.199 --> 00:39:15.320 .org. Just search for Psalms of Hope. Now, creating 00:39:15.320 --> 00:39:17.619 resources like this takes financial investment. 00:39:17.860 --> 00:39:19.900 When you give to Living on the Edge, you're not 00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:22.500 just supporting a radio program. You're helping 00:39:22.500 --> 00:39:24.800 people around the world discover what it means 00:39:24.800 --> 00:39:28.039 to truly walk with God. If this ministry is making 00:39:28.039 --> 00:39:30.440 a difference in your life, please consider giving 00:39:30.440 --> 00:39:34.079 today. Visit livingontheedge .org to give or 00:39:34.079 --> 00:39:37.760 write to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 3007, 00:39:37.960 --> 00:39:42.920 Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. You can also call 888 00:39:42.920 --> 00:39:47.960 -333 -6003. Join us again next time for another 00:39:47.960 --> 00:39:50.719 insightful Bible lesson here on the Chip Ingram 00:39:50.719 --> 00:39:57.079 Sermon Podcast. 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