Actors, athletes, singers, billionaire business
owners, the elite of society. We see them on
TV and secretly we wish we could have that kind
of success, right? But does the good life really
deliver? Is the lure of big money, fame, and
power really a classic bait and switch operation?
You want to find out what real life is made of?
Stay with me today. We're going to look at it
together. What's the difference between a life
of futility and a life of fruitfulness? Today
on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram tackles this
critical question that determines whether we
end up satisfied or empty. Through scripture
and real -life examples, he exposes the subtle
trap that catches so many of us, confusing success
with significance. Jesus warned about this very
thing. What does it profit if you gain everything
the world offers but lose your very soul in the
process? Well, here's Chip Ingram with a new
message titled, How to Overcome Feelings of Futility.
What we're going to talk about today is the difference
between success and significance. To use an old
cliche, there's a very subtle thing that can
happen in every life, and here it is. You can
climb a ladder and work and be very, very, very
productive only to find out that the ladder that
you've climbed is what? Leaning against the wrong
law. Turn with me if you will. I put some study
notes together. And I think I'd like to begin
by asking and answering the question. What's
the difference between a life of futility and
a life of fruitfulness? And then I want together
with you to think through out loud. What kind
of life are you going to have? What kind of life
am I going to have? Is it going to be one of
futility? Are we going to look back in the rear
view mirror of our lives and say, I worked. I
prayed even. I thought that once I arrived here,
it would be full, but instead it's empty. Webster
defines futility as that which easily pours out,
hence untrustworthy. It's an interesting thought,
isn't it? That which fails completely of desired
end or incapable of producing any result as something
trifling or unimportant. Futility simply means
that you give yourself to it, but then it comes
up empty. Never forget the illustration a guy
shared with me. I was a young Christian, just
a couple years. I can't remember where I was,
but I still have the picture in my mind of the
napkin. And the guy pulls out a napkin and...
You know, my dream then was, you know, I wanted
to be a star basketball player, and then I wanted
to be a famous coach, and then I was going to
teach in grad school, and then I was going to
get married, and then I was going to have some
great kids, and all in the name of God, of course.
And I think he saw through all that. And he pulled
out a napkin, and he drew about six different
buckets with the picture from a source, my life,
rainbows. rainbows going into these six different
buckets. He said, you know, Chip, everyone has
a dream in their life, whether they verbalize
it or not. And they're following the rainbow
into the pot or the bucket of gold. And he said,
we all believe there's certain buckets that are
going to come through for us. And he was real
calm and he pulled out that pen and he said,
you know, some people follow the dream. And then
he drew the little bucket and he wrote the word
fame. And see, they believe if they're ever famous,
then someday, someway, they'll be a someone.
And then he told me the story of James Dean,
Jimi Hendrix. He said, other people, it's not
fame, it's popularity or looks. And you know,
they work real hard and they do everything they
can to look a certain way so people will like
them. And he wrote the word in that bucket with
his pen on the napkin. popularity slash looks.
And then he told me how Marilyn Monroe died.
And I knew how she looked. And then he made another
rainbow and he drew a little bucket and he put
a dollar sign on it. And he said, you know, some
people think if they just get enough money and
can own enough things and impress enough people,
then life will come through for them. And then
he quickly told me the tragic story of Howard
Hughes. of some of the last words of John Paul
Getty, that it only takes one more million. And
then he drew another rainbow and he put a bucket
and it said success. And he told me about the
lives of people who were very, very successful
only to come to the end and feel empty. And then
he drew one that surprised me. He said family.
There's some people that secretly believe that
everything's going to change once they get married.
Or once they get married and that doesn't happen
when they have kids. And then the heartache and
the suffering and the tragedy. And then he drew
two more buckets. He said, Chip, we could draw
buckets where people follow rainbows and every
bucket in life is empty except two. There's only
two buckets that if you give your life to these,
they'll always come through for you. And I'll
tell you about those a little later. Got you,
don't I? At least you'll pay attention for the
next ten minutes. What bucket, if someone asks
you, are you pouring your life into? decided
willfully to do it, or just unconsciously drifting
that direction? What's the rainbow that you're
following that you think, if I ever get there
and look down inside of it, it'll be filled with
what'll satisfy? See, futility is something which
easily pours out. It's not trustworthy. It won't
come through. Has the idea of vain, fruitless,
ineffective, or useless. I don't know about you,
I don't want to end my life that way. By contrast,
notice the word fruitful. Webster's, the Latin
root. This really surprised me. The Latin root
word is fructus, which means enjoyment. Did you
ever think of that? When you live a fruitful
life, there's enjoyment. It's means of enjoyment.
It means something that's profitable, productive,
producing results, or desired ends. It's that
sense of whatever, it's giving your life to something
that when you look at it, it counts. It matters.
It's not what other people think. It's following
the rainbow, following the dream, and then looking
into the bucket, and the mirror in the bucket
looking back says, you made it. You've done well.
You matter. Your life counted. You are significant.
Now, the reason that these two things are in
such contention is there is usually a very high
price tag to be significant and a very high price
tag to be successful. And the world tells us
that we need to be successful. And God says you
may or may not be successful in the world's eyes,
but significance is what will fill your soul.
Question, how in the world? Can we avoid futility
in our lives? Now, what I'm going to warn you
is, is that the answer is very simple. I mean,
simple to understand, but it is pretty tough
to do. Jesus is going to give us a very clear
cut answer. Here's what he says. You want to
avoid a life of futility? Resolve to refuse to
confuse success with significance. It's basically
what he taught. Refuse. See, that's an act of
the will. It's a choice. Refuse to confuse success
with significance. Luke chapter 9, verses 25
and 26, Jesus is speaking. He says, what good
is it for a man to gain the whole world? That's
success. And yet lose or forfeit his very self.
Literally, the word in Greek is psyche. It has
the idea of all your mental capabilities. It's
used in general reference for your spiritual
life for what really matters. What good is it?
Rhetorical question. What good is it going to
do if you've got the fame, you've got the popularity,
you've got the success, you've got the money?
You've got it all. What good does it do if you
gain the world yet lose? And the word for lose
here is used in this language for a ship full
of precious cargo. that is shipwrecked. That's
the picture. What good is it if you have all
that and you lose or you shipwreck your life
and you lose you? In fact, he pushes it to the
next level because he understands that to be
successful, you will have to shrink back from
your relationship. To really be successful in
the world by their standards, You'll have to
shrink back from your relationship with Christ.
Notice verse 26. He says, if anyone is ashamed
of me and my words, notice his words, his teaching,
his truth. Notice what he says. The son of man
will be ashamed or shrink back of him when he
comes in his glory and in the glory of the father
and the holy angels. You're listening to Living
on the Edge with Chip Ingram. We'll return to
our message in just a moment. But first, did
you know that you can access this entire series
anytime you want? Head on over to livingontheedge
.org where you'll discover Chip's full teaching
library, along with study guides and small group
materials. Whether you want to replay today's
message or explore other topics, everything you
need to grow spiritually is available online
at livingontheedge .org. Let's get back to Chip's
message. See, what we're talking about is a big
issue, big, big issue. It is not politically
correct to walk with God, to be open about your
faith. And by the way, around here, we know that
doesn't mean, you know, having a seven -inch
black Bible on your desk, hitting people over
the head with it, being, you know, narrow, bigoted.
No, we're talking about a winsome, loving, servant,
gracious, relationally open. Radical Christian
who communicates the love and the power of Christ
by your words, who's not ashamed of Jesus, not
ashamed of His Word, openly identifies and understands
it'll bring flack, understands it might mean
losing an account, understands there's some people
that won't understand. See, the price tag of
being significant is going through life God's
way. Augustine, the great theologian, And the
early church wrote, God is always trying to give
us good things, but our hands are too full to
receive them. I just sat down, literally put
my feet up and began to pray. And I said, Lord,
what's the real difference? So I look at your
word. What's the difference between success and
significance? And there's probably many more,
but the random thoughts that came to me as I
prayed, success is about productivity. Significance
is about satisfaction. A lot of people are productive
and not satisfied. Success is about climbing
the ladder. You know, I'm going to make it. Significance
is about which wall the ladder is on. Success
is about what you do, your performance. Significance
is about who you are. Success is about applause,
what other people think. Significance is about
peace. Are you even vaguely aware that all these
people that look so good on the outside, that
we pass in the grocery stores, that buy gourmet
coffee like we do, you know, that have nice stuff,
that go on great vacations, that when you walk
in, see them arm in arm, they look like such
happy couples. You are aware that they're desperately
hurting, that there's major strife, that they
don't know how to be a parent. That they have
dysfunctional relationships and people are abusing
alcohol and there's all kind of hurt and there's
all kind of struggles and they don't relate very
well to their parents. And a lot of what they
drive banks own and they have incredible pressure
and they're spending about 25 % more a month
than they bring in. And it's a facade. And instead
of being intimidated by them, we need to love
and care and move into their life. Because see,
we can have peace. It's a lot better than applause.
Success is about stuff. Significance is about
people. Success is about taking off. Man, I'm
going to make it. Significance is about landing
well. Success is about the now. See, all the
stuff that you can get right now can bring you
quick, short -term success. But most of us aren't
willing to pay the price. The kind of stuff that
it takes day after day after day of discipline,
of commitment, of writing out the hard times,
those things produce something called character,
endurance. And those are the kind of things that
make you significant. To be significant, there
is always short -term pain and loss in order
for long -term gain. significance is about forever.
Well, I think we've diagnosed the problem. I
know your heart and I know mine. And I know it's
hard, okay? This is one of those sermons where
we are the salmon of God seeking to swim upstream.
And you know what? The current's coming at us.
But in your heart of heart, you want to be significant
and I want to be significant. Now we've identified
the problem. Final question. Can you move and
how can I move from a success orientation to
significance? How can we line our thinking and
our lives and our priorities and our time and
our resources in such a way that we land well?
I did a funeral and I buried a significant woman.
She didn't have a lot of money. She didn't win
any beauty contest. She wasn't well -known, wasn't
visible. She came to Christ in this church about
four years ago. And she was a house mother for
abused kids. Kids that are taken out of their
homes because of abuse and tragedy and drugs.
I mean, the kind of kids that no one gives a
rip. I mean, they've had more problems. Some
of these kids have experienced more in the first
six, eight, ten years of life than any adult
should ever, ever experience, ever. And I heard
six -year -olds and eight -year -olds and 10
-year -olds say, Donna made me feel special.
When I didn't think there was any hope in life,
she cared about me. She loved me. Donna was always
there. She has marked. You talk about significance?
She doesn't have any big retirement program.
She hasn't written a book. There are lives that
will be marked with the imprint of Donna Mead
for all eternity because she took what she had
and she focused it on the things that matter
most. Let me give you three clear ways from scripture
to move from a life of success to a life of significance.
Number one, clarify your mission. Clarify your
mission. Answer the basic question, why are you
here? Have you ever thought of that? Do you realize
how important that is? Why are you here? Until
we start and say, why am I on this planet? You
will never have a significant life. Notice, there's
two things that last forever. I told you, the
two buckets. There's two things that as you follow
them and you get to the bucket and look down
inside, instead of it being empty, you can always
know they're full. Number one, it's God's word
because it's eternal. God says his word will
never return void. And he says that it's eternal.
Every time you invest in God's word, anytime
you take it in, read it, apply it, pass it on,
share it with anyone else, you're investing in
something that will never, never fail. It counts
and it lasts. The second bucket that will always
be full are the souls of men and the souls of
women. Every human being on the face of this
planet eternally matters to God. Anytime you
invest in a relationship, anytime you love a
person, pray for a person, care for a person,
provide the needs of a person, encourage a person,
you're marking into something that's eternal.
And by the way, remember, there is a resurrection
coming and everyone gets resurrected. You're
aware of that. Scripture says some to be with
the Lord forever, some to be separated for all
eternity. You need to know your mission. Jesus
made it very clear in Matthew 28. As you go or
go, therefore, make disciples. Of all ethnos,
all people, all people groups, all nations, make
disciples, make followers of me. Baptize them,
identification in the name of the Father and
the Son and the Holy Spirit and all the things
that I've taught you, pass on to them in order
that they could not just learn them, but obey
them, put them into practice. And by the way,
I'll be with you. I know you can't do it on your
own. I'll be with you always. See, in a nutshell,
here's your mission in life. If you're a housewife,
this is your mission. If you're a carpenter,
this is your mission. If you're a businessman,
this is your mission. If you're a musician, this
is your mission. If you're a student, it's your
mission. If you're a woman, it's your mission.
If you're a man, it's your mission. Your mission
is to know Christ and to make him known. That's
why you were placed on this planet. Period. That
will come through your personality, your desires,
your backgrounds. And you can do it in San Jose.
Or you can do it in San Juan. And you can do
it in Brazil or you can do it in New York. And
you can do it by working with your hands and
you can do it by working with your head. Your
mission, your reason for existence is to know
him. And then out of the overflow of your relationship
to make him known. Your mission is not to own
a home. Your mission is not to be comfortable.
Your mission is not as important as all your
kids turn out right. Your mission is not you
being happy. Your mission is not to save up enough
money as though you know the future so that your
retirement years will be secure. That's not your
mission. That's a dead end. Your mission is to
know Christ and to make him known. This is Living
on the Edge with Chip Ingram. What a sobering
reminder. We can climb the ladder of success
only to discover it's leaning against the wrong
wall. Chip has more to share in just a moment.
If today's message resonated with you and you'd
like to share it with someone, you'll find it
online at livingontheedge .org. Now, as you think
about redirecting your life toward true significance,
let me tell you about a resource that can anchor
your daily walk with God. It's called Psalms
of Hope, a free 10 -day devotional series created
by Chip. Here's the simple format. Chip provides
10 minutes of biblical teaching each day, exploring
Psalm 1, Psalm 15, or Psalm 23. Then you take
10 minutes for quiet reflection and prayer. 20
minutes total, 10 transformative days. These
ancient psalms address the very questions we're
wrestling with today. Where to find true fulfillment,
how to align your life with what matters eternally,
and how to avoid the trap of chasing things that
won't satisfy your soul. Start your journey today
completely free at livingontheedge .org. Just
search for Psalms of Hope. This ministry depends
on friends who believe in the mission of helping
people move from success to significance. Your
financial partnership enables us to keep delivering
biblical teaching that transforms lives. Would
you prayerfully consider supporting this work?
Visit livingontheedge .org to give or write to
livingontheedge .org. Post Office Box 3007, Atlanta,
Georgia, 30024. You can also call 888 -333 -6003.
And if you haven't already, be sure to subscribe
to the Living on the Edge podcast, now featuring
uncut original sermons through the Chip Ingram
Sermon Podcast, available on Apple Podcasts,
Spotify, and wherever you listen. Well, now here's
Chip with more on today's lesson. When I began
the message today talking about empty buckets,
talking about the empty buckets that we tend
to put our hope for real fulfillment in, fame,
money, sex, the list goes on. Accomplishment,
children coming out right, great home, great
marriage. What did you think? What was going
through your mind? I'd like to take you back
to those empty buckets. And when I was talking
about those empty buckets, what was going through
your mind? Where are you? Where is your life
being invested? Is it for things that last? Things
that will bring success? Or is it for things
that will really bring significance? You know,
I walked through a list here and we said today,
just right out of the Bible, that we can't confuse
success with significance. If you do, you'll
find that you can work, work, work, work, work.
Only to discover, and I know it's a cliche, but
it's one that is so true, that your ladder really
is leaning against the wrong wall. And so let
me go through that difference between success
and significance. And I want to do it just as
a pastor. I want to just talk through it slowly.
And I'd like you to ask the Holy Spirit to say,
Lord, will you reveal yourself to me in this?
Will you help me? I know you want me to be significant.
So as Chip goes through these, will you show
me where I'm at with you? Is your life and your
mindset characterized more by productivity or
satisfaction? Is your life all about what you
do or is it about who you are? Is your life motivated
primarily by the applause of people or is it
motivated by a sense of inner peace that the
Lord Jesus gives? As you put your head on the
pillow and go to bed, well done. Yeah, of course,
you confess the sins and you have your ups and
downs and your struggles, but there's a sense
of calm and peace that says, you're on the right
track. You're growing. I'm proud of you. Good
and faithful servant. Is your life, if you were
very honest, is it more about stuff or is it
more about people? Let me ask you just before
God, in the words of Augustine, is God constantly
trying to give you good things, but are your
hands just so full with so much stuff? you can't
receive him. Let's go for significance. Success
simply isn't what it's cracked up to be. Your
mission in life may not be what you think it
is. I'm Dave Drewy. Discover the truth about
purpose tomorrow on Living on the Edge. Today's
program is produced and sponsored by Living on
the Edge.