WEBVTT 00:00:11.439 --> 00:00:14.179 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:16.800 Would you like to become a more loving person? 00:00:17.059 --> 00:00:19.559 And by the way, is there someone in your life 00:00:19.559 --> 00:00:22.059 right now that's hard to love? Well, stay with 00:00:22.059 --> 00:00:25.179 me. Help is on the way to deliver on those two 00:00:25.179 --> 00:00:29.179 things. Is there a relationship in your life 00:00:29.179 --> 00:00:31.739 that's broken? Maybe it's an unresolved conflict 00:00:31.739 --> 00:00:34.439 with a family member, a former business partner, 00:00:34.579 --> 00:00:37.299 or someone at church. I'm Dave Drewy, and today 00:00:37.299 --> 00:00:39.600 on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram launches a 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:42.579 powerful series called Choosing Love, a daily 00:00:42.579 --> 00:00:45.719 decision that changes everything. In today's 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:48.259 message, Chip reveals why God's greatest joy 00:00:48.259 --> 00:00:50.939 is seeing His children love one another. If you're 00:00:50.939 --> 00:00:53.299 ready to transform your most important connections, 00:00:53.600 --> 00:00:56.359 this message is for you. Well, here's Chip Ingram 00:00:56.359 --> 00:01:00.520 with a message titled, Love Gives. One of God's 00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:04.680 greatest joys is to see His children love each 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:08.900 other. Isn't that amazing? The God of heaven, 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:11.620 the God that created the stars, the God who made 00:01:11.620 --> 00:01:14.359 us, the God who sent God the Son to die in our 00:01:14.359 --> 00:01:18.079 place, one of his greatest, greatest joys is 00:01:18.079 --> 00:01:21.280 when we love one another. And, you know, I know 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:23.980 as a parent, I mean, isn't that true for those 00:01:23.980 --> 00:01:27.799 of you that are parents? I had twin boys, and 00:01:27.799 --> 00:01:30.579 Therese and I have sons that are twins, and Eric 00:01:30.579 --> 00:01:33.219 and Jason, and they're five minutes apart. I 00:01:33.219 --> 00:01:35.239 mean, for the first 18 years of their life. I 00:01:35.239 --> 00:01:37.120 mean, at times they dressed the same. They had, 00:01:37.180 --> 00:01:39.719 you know, the same classes, the same room, the 00:01:39.719 --> 00:01:44.219 same everything. Did they fight? I mean, fought. 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:49.379 I mean, to the point of, I mean, physical. And 00:01:49.379 --> 00:01:52.579 I'll never forget the time. We came home from 00:01:52.579 --> 00:01:54.959 a little getaway a couple days. And, well, how'd 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:56.579 everything go? Oh, things were great. Things 00:01:56.579 --> 00:01:58.519 were great. And, you know, they were kind of. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:01.120 standing kind of funny against a wall or something, 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:03.260 and I didn't even notice it, and we had a great 00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:06.879 time. And years later, you know, when families 00:02:06.879 --> 00:02:09.099 get together and adult kids tell you what really 00:02:09.099 --> 00:02:11.759 happened, oh, Dad, we couldn't believe you and 00:02:11.759 --> 00:02:13.840 Mom didn't even notice that Eric and Jason got 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.240 in a fight, and Eric went to punch him, and he 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:18.300 ducked, and he put his fist through the wall, 00:02:18.419 --> 00:02:21.000 and we patched it and painted it. We were so 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.860 afraid you would find out. I remember Teresa 00:02:23.860 --> 00:02:26.620 saying once, because she grew up with two sisters, 00:02:26.740 --> 00:02:30.800 she said, do you think they'll ever, ever love 00:02:30.800 --> 00:02:34.580 each other? I said, honey, this is kind of normal 00:02:34.580 --> 00:02:37.360 stuff, yes. I mean, we have to set boundaries 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:41.419 and discipline. But I just want you to get that 00:02:41.419 --> 00:02:44.960 God's heart, it breaks his heart when we fight. 00:02:45.159 --> 00:02:48.319 It breaks his heart when we have feelings inside 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:51.400 that are resentful and bitter. And when you have 00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:54.000 an unresolved relationship with another believer, 00:02:54.219 --> 00:02:57.060 another brother, another sister, maybe you did 00:02:57.060 --> 00:02:59.849 business with him. Maybe you were in a small 00:02:59.849 --> 00:03:02.110 group with him. Maybe it was in another church. 00:03:02.210 --> 00:03:05.969 I don't know. But I'm going to ask you, get your 00:03:05.969 --> 00:03:10.449 heart open. God wants to deal with because it 00:03:10.449 --> 00:03:13.050 matters to God, not just because it brings him 00:03:13.050 --> 00:03:15.969 joy, but it's so important. It's such a priority 00:03:15.969 --> 00:03:19.169 to him. If we could eavesdrop the very last night 00:03:19.169 --> 00:03:23.349 when Jesus was praying in John 17. I mean, you 00:03:23.349 --> 00:03:28.060 read that prayer, Father, Father. Make them one 00:03:28.060 --> 00:03:32.819 even as we are one. You in me and I in you and 00:03:32.819 --> 00:03:37.960 us in them. Father, I pray that as I leave that 00:03:37.960 --> 00:03:41.159 you would cause there to be a supernatural unity 00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:45.460 in order that the world would know. That's a 00:03:45.460 --> 00:03:47.500 prayer that only you can answer in your home. 00:03:47.819 --> 00:03:52.000 Only I can answer in my relationships. And not 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.419 only does God the Father find joy when we love 00:03:54.419 --> 00:03:57.659 one another, and God the Son prays passionately 00:03:57.659 --> 00:04:00.400 and commands us to love one another and says 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.919 the gospel, its validity is based on whether 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:06.379 the world sees us love each other, the Apostle 00:04:06.379 --> 00:04:09.020 Paul commands it. In our study in Philippians 00:04:09.020 --> 00:04:11.819 chapter two, follow along, I'm reading in the 00:04:11.819 --> 00:04:15.020 Phillips translation. He says, now if you experience 00:04:15.020 --> 00:04:18.319 of Christ, if there's any encouragement and love 00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:20.949 means anything to you, If you've known something 00:04:20.949 --> 00:04:23.629 of the fellowship of his spirit and all that 00:04:23.629 --> 00:04:26.709 it means in kindness and deep sympathy, and then 00:04:26.709 --> 00:04:30.009 here's the command, make my best hope for you 00:04:30.009 --> 00:04:34.009 or my joy come true. Live together in harmony. 00:04:35.189 --> 00:04:39.329 Live together in love as though you had only 00:04:39.329 --> 00:04:44.709 one mind and one spirit before you. So just before 00:04:44.709 --> 00:04:49.009 you open those notes, I want you to think about 00:04:49.769 --> 00:04:54.129 Is there any relationship that you don't have 00:04:54.129 --> 00:04:59.149 harmony that's out of sorts? And I'm pushing 00:04:59.149 --> 00:05:01.410 a little bit because we tend to push these down. 00:05:01.569 --> 00:05:04.009 Could have been two months ago, two years ago, 00:05:04.069 --> 00:05:07.810 could be 20 years ago, could be an in -law situation 00:05:07.810 --> 00:05:09.930 or a brother or sister you haven't seen in 20 00:05:09.930 --> 00:05:14.480 years. God. wants to get a hold of our hearts 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:17.100 and our life. And Philippians chapter two is 00:05:17.100 --> 00:05:19.860 gonna teach us how we can choose love and experience 00:05:19.860 --> 00:05:22.699 it. Now, as you open your notes, I want you to 00:05:22.699 --> 00:05:25.100 see the structure of this passage. First of all, 00:05:25.100 --> 00:05:27.720 there's a very clear context. There's conflict 00:05:27.720 --> 00:05:32.019 without, and there's conflict within. The conflict 00:05:32.019 --> 00:05:34.040 without, you know, there was persecution. There 00:05:34.040 --> 00:05:36.759 was difficulty. There was pressure. These Philippian 00:05:36.759 --> 00:05:39.379 Christians, just like Paul, I mean, they were 00:05:39.379 --> 00:05:41.500 getting intimidated. They were getting persecuted. 00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:44.040 They were having struggles and conflicts from 00:05:44.040 --> 00:05:47.079 the pagan world and even from some Jewish false 00:05:47.079 --> 00:05:50.100 teachers. I mean, not a lot different than what 00:05:50.100 --> 00:05:52.079 we see happening more and more and more today 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.220 is that, you know, people are intimidating Christians. 00:05:56.379 --> 00:05:58.500 People are becoming more afraid as believers. 00:05:59.370 --> 00:06:01.629 To stand up and stand strong because of external 00:06:01.629 --> 00:06:04.769 pressure. But in this particular church, there's 00:06:04.769 --> 00:06:07.850 conflict within. We'll learn more about it in 00:06:07.850 --> 00:06:10.829 chapter four when we meet a couple ladies that 00:06:10.829 --> 00:06:13.029 apparently had a real conflict that was causing 00:06:13.029 --> 00:06:16.050 a rift throughout the whole church. And you and 00:06:16.050 --> 00:06:17.930 I have both seen that happen in a small group 00:06:17.930 --> 00:06:20.850 or in a family or in Sunday school class. And 00:06:20.850 --> 00:06:23.029 so then there's a very, very interesting command. 00:06:23.230 --> 00:06:27.860 I gave the words, live in authentic. Christ -empowered 00:06:27.860 --> 00:06:30.579 unity. Now, the way he says it is, make my joy 00:06:30.579 --> 00:06:33.740 complete. I mean, he said, you've brought me 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:35.899 great joy. You came to Christ. Remember, I was 00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:38.720 in that Philippian jail and we had fellowship 00:06:38.720 --> 00:06:41.060 and you all came to know the Lord and there's 00:06:41.060 --> 00:06:43.040 this tremendous movement happening in this church. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:46.480 He said, so I've received joy now. Make my joy 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:49.920 complete because since Paul is now in Rome, some 00:06:49.920 --> 00:06:52.040 things have happened, like happened in lots of 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.040 churches and lots of families and lots of small 00:06:54.040 --> 00:06:57.430 groups. You know? This person thinks it ought 00:06:57.430 --> 00:06:59.310 to be this way. And this person says no. And 00:06:59.310 --> 00:07:00.990 well, you said this to my daughter. Well, this 00:07:00.990 --> 00:07:03.069 is how you treated my son. Well, you know, every 00:07:03.069 --> 00:07:04.790 time you come, you know, you think you're the 00:07:04.790 --> 00:07:06.490 hottest stuff and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. 00:07:06.589 --> 00:07:10.129 And there it goes. And so Paul says, make my 00:07:10.129 --> 00:07:14.129 joy complete. And he says, I want there to be 00:07:14.129 --> 00:07:20.009 authentic Christ -empowered unity. In other words, 00:07:20.009 --> 00:07:22.370 he says, I don't want just you to, you know, 00:07:22.370 --> 00:07:25.660 put up with each other. I don't want it to be 00:07:25.660 --> 00:07:29.379 just superficial. From the heart, I want you 00:07:29.379 --> 00:07:34.779 to love one another, resolve the conflicts, forgive 00:07:34.779 --> 00:07:39.600 one another, care for one another in a way that 00:07:39.600 --> 00:07:42.899 Christ has cared for you. Look at this very, 00:07:42.959 --> 00:07:46.839 very interesting structure. The structure here, 00:07:46.959 --> 00:07:49.500 he says, notice it says there's an if -then. 00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:53.459 In Greek, and I won't... get too detailed here, 00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:55.899 but there's called conditional clauses. And we 00:07:55.899 --> 00:07:58.459 have them in English as well. But what I love 00:07:58.459 --> 00:08:00.500 about the Greek language, it's so clear. There's 00:08:00.500 --> 00:08:02.639 like three or four types of conditional clauses. 00:08:02.920 --> 00:08:06.319 So when it says, if, then, if, then, you know 00:08:06.319 --> 00:08:08.120 for sure what they're talking about. This is 00:08:08.120 --> 00:08:10.680 called a first class condition. And the idea 00:08:10.680 --> 00:08:14.199 is it's assumed to be true. And so notice what 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:16.500 he says. He goes, if there's any encouragement 00:08:16.500 --> 00:08:19.040 in Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:20.839 fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:23.649 and compassion, And you could translate all that, 00:08:23.769 --> 00:08:25.990 since you have encouragement in Christ, since 00:08:25.990 --> 00:08:27.709 you have comfort, since you have fellowship, 00:08:27.910 --> 00:08:30.769 since you have tenderness and compassion, then 00:08:30.769 --> 00:08:35.049 make my joy complete by, notice, after these 00:08:35.049 --> 00:08:38.669 four incentives, be of the same mind, maintaining 00:08:38.669 --> 00:08:43.250 the same love, united in spirit, intent on one 00:08:43.250 --> 00:08:48.509 purpose. It's interesting here. He's going to 00:08:48.509 --> 00:08:52.590 tell us that unlike the golden rule, which is 00:08:52.590 --> 00:08:55.370 do unto others as you would have them do unto 00:08:55.370 --> 00:08:58.149 you. His premise goes a little bit differently. 00:08:58.870 --> 00:09:03.929 I call it the platinum rule. Do unto others as 00:09:03.929 --> 00:09:07.509 God has already done unto you. In other words, 00:09:07.509 --> 00:09:10.250 the entire premise, what happens in conflicts 00:09:10.250 --> 00:09:13.429 and struggles and relationships is we think just 00:09:13.429 --> 00:09:15.549 horizontal and they did that and they don't deserve 00:09:15.549 --> 00:09:18.330 that. And when she apologizes or when he does 00:09:18.330 --> 00:09:20.730 that or when one of my kids comes back and really 00:09:20.730 --> 00:09:23.490 says, you know, dad, I'm really sorry and I understood 00:09:23.490 --> 00:09:25.929 this or I understood that or, you know, what 00:09:25.929 --> 00:09:28.350 they said at that last Thanksgiving or that family 00:09:28.350 --> 00:09:31.110 reunion, I'll never talk to them again unless 00:09:31.110 --> 00:09:33.570 what they need to do. He said, no, no, no, no, 00:09:33.610 --> 00:09:38.840 no, no, no, no, no, no, no. He said, here's what 00:09:38.840 --> 00:09:41.559 I want you to get. The basis of loving people 00:09:41.559 --> 00:09:47.299 isn't how they've treated you, good or bad. The 00:09:47.299 --> 00:09:50.740 basis of our love is a choice. I choose love. 00:09:50.840 --> 00:09:54.220 And here's the basis of the choice. The basis 00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:57.379 of the choice is this is how God's loved you. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:03.259 He has encouraged you. He's come alongside you. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:08.960 He's forgiven you. been tender, you now have 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:11.360 the fellowship. He has come to take up residence 00:10:11.360 --> 00:10:14.179 in you. He sealed you with his spirit. He's adopted 00:10:14.179 --> 00:10:17.399 you. He's given you spiritual gifts, a tenderness 00:10:17.399 --> 00:10:20.580 and compassion. The word tenderness here is splachna. 00:10:21.340 --> 00:10:24.279 It has the idea, it's rooted in the idea of something 00:10:24.279 --> 00:10:27.539 deep within the bowels. There's something tender, 00:10:27.620 --> 00:10:31.539 deep in the character of God that you are his 00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:34.639 treasure. And then the compassion is an outward 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.559 external evidence of an action that you so matter 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:41.860 that he did something. And what he did was. He 00:10:41.860 --> 00:10:45.559 chose to go to the cross. He chose to love you 00:10:45.559 --> 00:10:48.120 and me when we were his enemies. While we were 00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:51.080 yet enemies, Christ died in our place, Paul tells 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:57.360 us in Romans 5 .8. And so the basis, the incentives, 00:10:57.539 --> 00:11:01.720 all four of these incentives, this is how you 00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:05.299 have been authentically, deeply, unconditionally 00:11:05.299 --> 00:11:10.500 loved now. make my joy complete, and be unified 00:11:10.500 --> 00:11:13.159 authentically from the heart. And now he's going 00:11:13.159 --> 00:11:15.620 to show us exactly what biblical unity looks 00:11:15.620 --> 00:11:19.360 like. Number one, he says, be like -minded or 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:22.399 of one spirit. Literally, it means think the 00:11:22.399 --> 00:11:25.019 same things. And the focus here is on truth. 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:29.399 You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip 00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:31.879 Ingram. We'll hear more from Chip in just a moment. 00:11:32.019 --> 00:11:34.440 If today's message is speaking to your heart, 00:11:34.720 --> 00:11:36.879 Don't keep it to yourself. Share this teaching 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:39.220 with someone who needs to hear it by visiting 00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:42.899 livingontheedge .org. While you're there, be 00:11:42.899 --> 00:11:45.139 sure to check out all of the other faith -building 00:11:45.139 --> 00:11:47.799 resources we have available, including teaching 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:51.320 videos, blogs, and devotionals from Chip. It's 00:11:51.320 --> 00:11:54.700 all waiting for you at livingontheedge .org. 00:11:55.399 --> 00:11:58.500 Let's continue with Chip's message. See, genuine 00:11:58.500 --> 00:12:01.440 unity is built on truth. It's thinking, it's 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:04.179 content, it's doctrine. These things are true. 00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:07.919 So often, and I see it more and more today, it's 00:12:07.919 --> 00:12:11.220 unity is sort of like, oh, let's just love everyone, 00:12:11.480 --> 00:12:14.559 don't judge anyone. It's pseudo -unity. I mean, 00:12:14.559 --> 00:12:18.379 who are we to say anything? Let's just let this 00:12:18.379 --> 00:12:25.399 slide. Real unity demands truth. It demands truth 00:12:25.399 --> 00:12:27.460 about what the scripture says about morality. 00:12:27.679 --> 00:12:29.960 It demands truth about what the scripture says 00:12:29.960 --> 00:12:33.399 about sexuality. It demands truth about doctrine 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:37.120 when it talks about the very narrow way to go 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:39.720 to heaven and by what Christ has done in him 00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:43.879 alone. He says unity is rooted in truth. Second, 00:12:44.120 --> 00:12:47.279 he says maintaining the same love. He says it's 00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:50.399 not just about the truth. This phrase here is... 00:12:50.679 --> 00:12:53.399 have the same love, mutually love one another 00:12:53.399 --> 00:12:56.860 the way God has loved you, honestly, sacrificially. 00:12:57.379 --> 00:12:59.700 You know, we talk a lot about Romans 12 here 00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:03.039 as the profile of what it is to be a disciple. 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:06.659 And in Romans chapter 12, there's a section in 00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:08.559 the middle about loving one another, and it says, 00:13:08.659 --> 00:13:13.919 outdo one another in honor. Be devoted to one 00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:18.080 another in brotherly love. This is the idea. 00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:22.539 This isn't like some, yes, well, you know, she's 00:13:22.539 --> 00:13:24.779 not as spiritual as I am and I guess they made 00:13:24.779 --> 00:13:26.980 a mistake. And so, you know, I'll treat them 00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:28.879 and I'll forgive them because, you know, I am 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:31.860 superior. He said, no, this has got to come from 00:13:31.860 --> 00:13:36.220 the heart. Biblical unity has to do with a genuine 00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:39.899 spiritual transformation. that flows from an 00:13:39.899 --> 00:13:42.820 internal passion and concern that God gives you 00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:45.320 because you have received it. Now you give it 00:13:45.320 --> 00:13:48.580 third notice. It has the idea of united in spirit. 00:13:49.379 --> 00:13:53.419 Literally, the phrase is like -souled. It means 00:13:53.419 --> 00:13:55.580 to have a common heart, not just that you care, 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.159 a common heart, that you're real, that you're 00:13:58.159 --> 00:14:01.019 authentic. No superficiality. And then the last 00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:04.039 one here is intent on one purpose. It's a unity 00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:06.620 that you say, we're in it together. We're gonna 00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:09.639 resolve our issues. What God has done for me, 00:14:09.720 --> 00:14:12.340 I'm commanded to pass on to you. Paul, we're 00:14:12.340 --> 00:14:14.279 going to make your joy complete, and here's how 00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:16.080 we're going to do it. We're going to be one mind, 00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:18.440 truth. We're going to be one heart, care for 00:14:18.440 --> 00:14:20.799 one another. We're going to have one soul. We're 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:23.399 going to connect, and we have a common purpose, 00:14:23.559 --> 00:14:26.519 the gospel going forward, people being loved, 00:14:26.620 --> 00:14:30.179 the poor being fed, people with HIV knowing someone 00:14:30.179 --> 00:14:33.080 cares, the people that are struggling with sexual 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:35.659 identity issues know there's a church somewhere 00:14:35.659 --> 00:14:40.320 that cares. that wants to help, that doesn't 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:42.120 condemn, that doesn't bend on the truth, but 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:45.360 actually wants to help people that are marginalized 00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:48.440 and struggling. This is what he's talking about. 00:14:48.799 --> 00:14:52.360 And it's that kind of love that turned the world 00:14:52.360 --> 00:14:56.059 upside down and continues to turn the world upside 00:14:56.059 --> 00:14:59.669 down. Family by family, small group by small 00:14:59.669 --> 00:15:03.049 group, church by church, community by community. 00:15:03.470 --> 00:15:07.269 God has called this church at this time when 00:15:07.269 --> 00:15:10.090 it appears that the world is falling apart and 00:15:10.090 --> 00:15:13.169 that America is so divided. God is calling you 00:15:13.169 --> 00:15:17.190 and he's calling me. Make my joy complete, my 00:15:17.190 --> 00:15:20.519 children. I want you to choose to love. And when 00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:23.019 you cross your arms and say, not after what they've 00:15:23.019 --> 00:15:25.120 done to me or, you know, I think those people 00:15:25.120 --> 00:15:27.639 are crazy and why are these people doing this 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:30.340 and why are they tweeting that and I'm so ticked 00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:37.399 off. Can you imagine, honestly? I mean, honestly, 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:40.940 can you imagine the God of heaven looking down 00:15:40.940 --> 00:15:44.139 upon the creation that he's made and then looking 00:15:44.139 --> 00:15:47.690 closely at his people? The church, I don't mean 00:15:47.690 --> 00:15:50.950 buildings. People within the spirit of God is 00:15:50.950 --> 00:15:53.549 living. You talk about someone that ought to 00:15:53.549 --> 00:15:57.730 be ticked off and yet he's patient and kind and 00:15:57.730 --> 00:16:00.590 gracious and he's saying to you and he's saying 00:16:00.590 --> 00:16:04.269 to me, this is a priority. This is a non -negotiable. 00:16:04.529 --> 00:16:08.870 I'm commanding you to choose to love one another. 00:16:09.730 --> 00:16:12.990 Not the golden rule, the platinum rule. I want 00:16:12.990 --> 00:16:15.809 you to love other people the way that I've loved 00:16:15.809 --> 00:16:17.330 you. Now, I hope at this point you're saying, 00:16:17.490 --> 00:16:22.669 okay, I get it. And those of you that are a little 00:16:22.669 --> 00:16:27.110 more honest with yourself could be saying, you 00:16:27.110 --> 00:16:30.610 know, I can't do that. And you know what? You'd 00:16:30.610 --> 00:16:35.129 be right. I can't either. In fact, God doesn't 00:16:35.129 --> 00:16:38.320 expect you to be able to do it. but he's gonna 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.720 tell us exactly how. So I want you to go back 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:46.340 to that former business associate, that ex -mate, 00:16:46.519 --> 00:16:51.200 a dad, a mom, a son, a nephew, and then I wanna 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:56.019 open the text and what we're going to learn from 00:16:56.019 --> 00:17:00.340 God's word, if you're willing, is that we can 00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:05.180 choose love and we can learn how to be a more 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:08.279 loving person. Now, there's no magic pill. If 00:17:08.279 --> 00:17:09.759 you think that, you know, in the next, you know, 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:12.700 minutes or so, I'm gonna give you some magic 00:17:12.700 --> 00:17:15.019 pill. Oh, I'm loving, I'm loving, I love everybody. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:18.380 No, no, no, no, no. We're gonna face some hard 00:17:18.380 --> 00:17:20.920 things because what we're gonna learn is why 00:17:20.920 --> 00:17:24.940 we're unloving, the drastic approach and what 00:17:24.940 --> 00:17:28.339 we're gonna have to deal with in order to become 00:17:28.339 --> 00:17:31.619 loving. And then we're gonna start this journey 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:35.079 of choosing love and I'm gonna share. Some real 00:17:35.079 --> 00:17:39.420 practical ways where we can actually go on a 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:43.119 journey empowered by the Spirit of God and become 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:48.079 more loving. Notice the right side of your notes, 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:52.039 and it just asks this question, and we're gonna 00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:54.519 answer it in just a minute. And the question 00:17:54.519 --> 00:18:00.220 is, how to become a more loving person? Choose 00:18:00.220 --> 00:18:07.190 to declare war on, write the word, Choose, declare 00:18:07.190 --> 00:18:15.069 war on selfishness. And as usual, when I go high 00:18:15.069 --> 00:18:18.349 tech here, my iPad is not working, so I think 00:18:18.349 --> 00:18:21.089 I'll go with a little bit less technical one 00:18:21.089 --> 00:18:24.410 that you all have. Turn to Philippians chapter 00:18:24.410 --> 00:18:27.329 two, if you're not already there, and let me 00:18:27.329 --> 00:18:32.089 read for you this command. Philippians chapter 00:18:32.089 --> 00:18:37.369 two. We've looked at verses one and two. Follow 00:18:37.369 --> 00:18:39.710 along here in chapter two as we read verse three 00:18:39.710 --> 00:18:45.190 and four. Do nothing from selfishness or empty 00:18:45.190 --> 00:18:49.809 conceit, but in humility of mind consider others 00:18:49.809 --> 00:18:53.890 more important than yourself. Verse four, let 00:18:53.890 --> 00:18:55.930 each of you look not only on your own interest, 00:18:56.150 --> 00:19:04.299 but also on the interest of others. You may be 00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:08.420 looking at this and saying, declare war? Aren't 00:19:08.420 --> 00:19:11.779 you getting a little radical here? No, no. We're 00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:15.000 born with this innate ability to be selfish. 00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.900 In fact, let me define selfish ambition here. 00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:23.039 Four words. I want my way. That's selfish ambition. 00:19:23.299 --> 00:19:27.940 I want my way. It's a me first mentality. I want 00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:32.210 to be number one. I'm selfish. It's very unpopular 00:19:32.210 --> 00:19:36.210 to admit that. But what is hard to see in ourselves, 00:19:36.289 --> 00:19:39.250 isn't it easy to see in others? I mean, you get 00:19:39.250 --> 00:19:41.109 out on the freeway, are people selfish or what? 00:19:41.829 --> 00:19:44.990 But you don't slide out of being selfish. Even 00:19:44.990 --> 00:19:47.710 though the living spirit of Christ lives inside 00:19:47.710 --> 00:19:49.769 of you and you're born again and you're a part 00:19:49.769 --> 00:19:51.950 of the kingdom of God, there's this battle. The 00:19:51.950 --> 00:19:55.210 Galatians talks about the spirit wages war against 00:19:55.210 --> 00:19:59.619 the flesh. This predisposition toward my way, 00:19:59.720 --> 00:20:03.079 my stuff is rooted in your heart, and you'll 00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:05.759 have it until the day you die. But the Spirit 00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:10.819 of God can give you the ability to, in humility, 00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:14.259 look at the second half of that text. In humility, 00:20:14.359 --> 00:20:17.140 consider others as more important than yourself. 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:21.079 Humility can be a very misunderstood word. So 00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:25.519 I came across a very, very interesting article. 00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:28.539 I think of humility as not thinking too highly 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:30.519 of yourself, not thinking too lowly of yourself, 00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:35.299 but having an accurate, sober self -assessment. 00:20:36.039 --> 00:20:41.480 As one person said, humility is not thinking 00:20:41.480 --> 00:20:46.759 less of yourself. Humility is just thinking less 00:20:46.759 --> 00:20:52.140 about yourself. This is Living on the Edge with 00:20:52.140 --> 00:20:54.660 Chip Ingram, and we've just begun a powerful 00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:57.740 series called Choosing Love. Chip will be back 00:20:57.740 --> 00:21:00.599 with more on this in just a moment. If you're 00:21:00.599 --> 00:21:02.519 serious about transforming your relationships, 00:21:02.900 --> 00:21:04.980 you need to get your hands on Chip's newest book, 00:21:05.180 --> 00:21:08.839 I Choose Love. Here's the key insight. Love isn't 00:21:08.839 --> 00:21:11.299 something that just happens to you. It's something 00:21:11.299 --> 00:21:14.099 you can choose to experience every single day. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:17.299 In I Choose Love, you'll discover essential practices 00:21:17.299 --> 00:21:20.339 that revitalize connections, resolve conflict 00:21:20.339 --> 00:21:23.119 peacefully, and help you build a lasting legacy 00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:31.920 of love in your family and relationships. And 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:34.039 you know, this Bible teaching ministry has truly 00:21:34.039 --> 00:21:36.779 reached the masses with solid gospel -centered 00:21:36.779 --> 00:21:39.660 messages. Last year alone, this daily program 00:21:39.660 --> 00:21:42.599 has been listened to more than 100 million times. 00:21:43.039 --> 00:21:45.539 And friend, when you give to Living on the Edge, 00:21:45.700 --> 00:21:48.319 you're keeping that work going, helping people 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:50.779 around the world discover what it means to truly 00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:54.359 love like Christ. Would you join us today? Give 00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:57.640 online at livingontheedge .org. On your mobile 00:21:57.640 --> 00:21:59.940 app, just click on the heart icon and follow 00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:02.579 the simple instructions. You can also call us 00:22:02.579 --> 00:22:07.539 right now at 888 -333 -6003 or send your gift 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:10.299 in the mail to Living on the Edge, P .O. Box 00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:15.720 3007, Atlanta, Georgia 30024. Also check out 00:22:15.720 --> 00:22:17.880 our new feature on the Living on the Edge podcast. 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:21.740 We call it the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast, presenting 00:22:21.740 --> 00:22:24.299 each of Chip's sermons unedited from beginning 00:22:24.299 --> 00:22:26.980 to end. You'll find these episodes alongside 00:22:26.980 --> 00:22:30.460 our regular broadcasts on your podcast app. Just 00:22:30.460 --> 00:22:34.299 search for Living on the Edge. Well, now here's 00:22:34.299 --> 00:22:37.559 Chip. As we wrap up today's program, I don't 00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:39.319 know if you caught it, but there was a little 00:22:39.319 --> 00:22:43.200 phrase that we tend to think and actually act 00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:45.640 horizontally. In other words, in relationships, 00:22:45.839 --> 00:22:48.319 we tend to think, well, she did that, or he did 00:22:48.319 --> 00:22:51.380 that, or they really ought to do that. And if 00:22:51.380 --> 00:22:54.599 you've ever sat at a coffee shop and not really 00:22:54.599 --> 00:22:56.940 tried to listen to other people's conversations, 00:22:57.019 --> 00:22:59.460 but just happened to catch what they're saying, 00:22:59.619 --> 00:23:02.900 you might observe that the great majority of 00:23:02.900 --> 00:23:06.000 conversations in coffee shops are two people 00:23:06.000 --> 00:23:10.109 talking about someone else. It's really interesting 00:23:10.109 --> 00:23:13.390 how we find some, I think, kind of perverted 00:23:13.390 --> 00:23:16.150 pleasure in talking about what some other political 00:23:16.150 --> 00:23:18.210 party ought to do or what the government ought 00:23:18.210 --> 00:23:20.829 to do or what someone at work did or talking 00:23:20.829 --> 00:23:23.349 about my husband or my wife or one of my kids 00:23:23.349 --> 00:23:28.099 in not such good terms. And the platinum rule 00:23:28.099 --> 00:23:31.859 that we talked about is doing unto others as 00:23:31.859 --> 00:23:35.079 God has already done unto you. I mean, we know 00:23:35.079 --> 00:23:37.740 the golden rule. We know the joy that happens 00:23:37.740 --> 00:23:40.440 when we treat others the way we want to be treated. 00:23:40.619 --> 00:23:43.900 But I think sometimes we say, yes, I want to 00:23:43.900 --> 00:23:46.579 do that, but I don't have the power or I don't 00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:49.240 have the will. I don't have the motivation. And 00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:52.910 as this chapter of Philippians 2 opened up, what 00:23:52.910 --> 00:23:56.490 we really heard was, if there's been any encouragement 00:23:56.490 --> 00:23:59.549 in Christ, if any comfort in his love, and we 00:23:59.549 --> 00:24:01.589 learned that that little word, if, really means 00:24:01.589 --> 00:24:05.970 since. Since God has loved you, since he's changed 00:24:05.970 --> 00:24:08.569 you, since he's poured out all that you need, 00:24:08.670 --> 00:24:12.289 so take what he's given to you and pass it on 00:24:12.289 --> 00:24:15.569 to others. Could I encourage you today to think 00:24:15.569 --> 00:24:17.509 of one person that you have a little bit of a 00:24:17.509 --> 00:24:20.170 problem with? And then I want you to ponder the 00:24:20.170 --> 00:24:23.089 platinum rule. And I want you to say, oh, Lord, 00:24:23.210 --> 00:24:25.630 since you've accepted me and you've loved me 00:24:25.630 --> 00:24:29.289 and you've helped me, I'm going to choose to 00:24:29.289 --> 00:24:31.849 have an act of kindness toward this person. It 00:24:31.849 --> 00:24:34.089 might be a note. It might be a text. You might 00:24:34.089 --> 00:24:36.069 pick them up coffee and drop it off at work. 00:24:36.230 --> 00:24:39.750 But do something kind for someone that you struggle 00:24:39.750 --> 00:24:42.710 with. Watch what happens in them. And then watch 00:24:42.710 --> 00:24:45.650 what happens in you. I'm Dave Drury, inviting 00:24:45.650 --> 00:24:47.869 you to come back tomorrow as we continue our 00:24:47.869 --> 00:24:50.970 series about choosing love right here on Living 00:24:50.970 --> 00:24:56.750 on the Edge. Today's program is produced and 00:24:56.750 --> 00:24:58.630 sponsored by Living on the Edge.