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 --> 00:00:13.740 beginning to end. Well, now here's Chip with 00:00:13.740 --> 00:00:17.500 today's message titled, Love Cares. I want to 00:00:17.500 --> 00:00:19.980 share something with you because there's something 00:00:19.980 --> 00:00:22.739 that God and Teresa have in common. Are you ready 00:00:22.739 --> 00:00:26.899 for this? They're both always shopping. When 00:00:26.899 --> 00:00:29.019 Teresa and I are hanging around downtown Los 00:00:29.019 --> 00:00:31.800 Gatos, if we go away for a little weekend, if 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:34.119 we sometimes, I travel to Atlanta and there's 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:36.840 a number of shops there. She's always looking. 00:00:36.939 --> 00:00:38.700 She's always shopping. Now, don't get me wrong. 00:00:38.939 --> 00:00:41.840 She's not like a, I have to have new shoes, new 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:44.719 dress. She's shopping for grandkids. I mean, 00:00:44.740 --> 00:00:47.060 there's a birthday like every third day and then 00:00:47.060 --> 00:00:49.539 anniversary. So wherever we go, she'll walk in. 00:00:49.560 --> 00:00:52.070 Oh, and then she'll tell me. For this season, 00:00:52.130 --> 00:00:54.329 this would be perfect for, and then she'll name 00:00:54.329 --> 00:00:57.369 one of the grandkids and tell me why. Here's 00:00:57.369 --> 00:01:01.429 what I want you to know. She cares about each 00:01:01.429 --> 00:01:04.109 child in its season, and she wants to get the 00:01:04.109 --> 00:01:08.349 very thing that would help them be and experience 00:01:08.349 --> 00:01:13.090 the very best. And what I want you to know is 00:01:13.090 --> 00:01:16.349 that God is shopping. In other words, he is looking. 00:01:17.159 --> 00:01:19.700 He's looking and what he's looking for is people 00:01:19.700 --> 00:01:22.980 that are ready and prepared to fulfill his will. 00:01:23.079 --> 00:01:25.519 In fact, notice on the front of your notes, I 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:28.719 put two key Old Testament passages. It's the 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:31.719 Lord speaking from Ezekiel 22. He says, and I 00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:33.780 searched for a man among them who should build 00:01:33.780 --> 00:01:36.400 up the wall and stand in the gap before me. Why? 00:01:36.840 --> 00:01:41.319 That I should not destroy it. And this is sad. 00:01:41.500 --> 00:01:44.640 He went shopping and he couldn't find anyone. 00:01:45.960 --> 00:01:49.299 But I found no one. And then notice the response. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:51.859 Thus I've poured out my indignation on them. 00:01:51.879 --> 00:01:53.819 I've consumed them with the fire of my wrath. 00:01:54.000 --> 00:01:56.420 Their way have I brought upon their heads, declares 00:01:56.420 --> 00:01:59.340 the Lord. We see the evil in the world. We see 00:01:59.340 --> 00:02:02.239 the tragedy. We see disasters. And God is saying 00:02:02.239 --> 00:02:05.540 in the midst of all of this, this is not my desire. 00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.099 I'm searching for a man, for a student, for a 00:02:08.099 --> 00:02:11.039 woman that you could stand in the gap that I 00:02:11.039 --> 00:02:15.110 will fill you and use you. And I will bring light 00:02:15.110 --> 00:02:18.810 and goodness and restoration and healing. The 00:02:18.810 --> 00:02:21.229 second passage is one that's profoundly impacted 00:02:21.229 --> 00:02:26.810 me. 2 Chronicles 16 verse 9. The prophet is speaking 00:02:26.810 --> 00:02:30.189 for the Lord. And he's speaking to Asa, a king 00:02:30.189 --> 00:02:33.990 who, I mean, for years, for 30 years, I mean, 00:02:33.990 --> 00:02:35.849 he was walking with God, making a tremendous 00:02:35.849 --> 00:02:38.490 impact. And then he felt like, well, my time's 00:02:38.490 --> 00:02:44.199 over. And I'm just going to coast. And so, God 00:02:44.199 --> 00:02:46.340 brought a situation into his life and instead 00:02:46.340 --> 00:02:49.400 of trusting God, he trusted in himself. And the 00:02:49.400 --> 00:02:51.479 prophet comes and says, for the eyes of the Lord 00:02:51.479 --> 00:02:54.840 move to and fro throughout the whole earth that 00:02:54.840 --> 00:02:57.620 he might strongly support those whose hearts 00:02:57.620 --> 00:03:01.219 are completely his. And then he says, but you 00:03:01.219 --> 00:03:05.300 have acted foolishly in this from now on, surely 00:03:05.300 --> 00:03:09.159 you'll have wars. Here's what I want you to know. 00:03:09.199 --> 00:03:12.120 When we're talking about I choose love, there's 00:03:12.120 --> 00:03:15.379 a lot on the line. I'm being a little facetious 00:03:15.379 --> 00:03:18.759 with this shopping analogy, but our God is looking. 00:03:19.419 --> 00:03:21.919 His eyes are going to and fro throughout the 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:25.219 earth, up and down these aisles in churches across 00:03:25.219 --> 00:03:28.539 the world. And he's looking for a man or a woman 00:03:28.539 --> 00:03:32.900 who is ready and prepared. So he can use them. 00:03:32.979 --> 00:03:35.979 And as he uses them, it is in that process that 00:03:35.979 --> 00:03:39.259 he changes us and he meets the needs of the world 00:03:39.259 --> 00:03:42.740 and the hands and the feet and the love of Christ 00:03:42.740 --> 00:03:45.599 is poured out through us ordinary, regular people. 00:03:46.180 --> 00:03:48.340 And here's the question I want to talk about 00:03:48.340 --> 00:03:53.639 today. Why does God use some people and not others? 00:03:53.719 --> 00:03:56.780 Or why does God use some people in a great way 00:03:56.780 --> 00:04:02.219 and other people not so much? No warning. I want 00:04:02.219 --> 00:04:04.280 to tell you that it's not about intelligence 00:04:04.280 --> 00:04:08.580 or giftedness or education. In fact, open your 00:04:08.580 --> 00:04:11.500 notes. And what I want to show you is that the 00:04:11.500 --> 00:04:14.680 answer to that question is right out of Philippians 00:04:14.680 --> 00:04:18.800 chapter two, verses 19 to 30. We're going to 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.920 learn why God uses some people and he doesn't 00:04:21.920 --> 00:04:25.980 use others. The context here is the apostle Paul's 00:04:25.980 --> 00:04:28.980 in prison. He's waiting execution. He doesn't 00:04:28.980 --> 00:04:30.300 know whether he's going to live or whether he's 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:33.290 going to die. but he's concerned about this church. 00:04:33.389 --> 00:04:35.790 They've sent a gift through Epaphroditus, who's 00:04:35.790 --> 00:04:38.649 a church leader at Philippi. And he's come and 00:04:38.649 --> 00:04:40.649 brought a financial gift and he's been an attendant 00:04:40.649 --> 00:04:43.449 and he's helped the Apostle Paul and he's been 00:04:43.449 --> 00:04:47.230 there. And Apostle Paul has now heard that they're 00:04:47.230 --> 00:04:50.490 struggling and there's some disunity and Epaphroditus, 00:04:50.509 --> 00:04:52.449 their messenger, got really, really sick and 00:04:52.449 --> 00:04:55.970 almost died. And so he realizes out of his concern, 00:04:56.110 --> 00:05:00.060 he's going to send Timothy. to help him, to encourage 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:01.740 him. And then later we're going to learn he's 00:05:01.740 --> 00:05:06.699 going to send Epaphroditus. But as you look at 00:05:06.699 --> 00:05:09.560 this text, what you're going to see is the reason 00:05:09.560 --> 00:05:13.199 why God uses Paul, the reason why God uses Timothy, 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:16.639 and the reason why God uses Epaphroditus. Follow 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:19.439 along. Notice in your notes, the purpose for 00:05:19.439 --> 00:05:24.560 sending Timothy. He says, verse 19, but I hope 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:27.160 in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly 00:05:27.160 --> 00:05:29.860 so that I may be encouraged. The word literally 00:05:29.860 --> 00:05:32.560 is so that I could have joy and be cheered within 00:05:32.560 --> 00:05:36.120 when I learn of your condition. For I have no 00:05:36.120 --> 00:05:38.220 one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely 00:05:38.220 --> 00:05:42.170 be concerned for your welfare. for they all seek 00:05:42.170 --> 00:05:44.389 after their own interest, not those of Christ 00:05:44.389 --> 00:05:48.029 Jesus. But you know of his proven worth that 00:05:48.029 --> 00:05:50.350 he served with me in the furtherance of the gospel 00:05:50.350 --> 00:05:54.649 like a child serving his father. Therefore, I 00:05:54.649 --> 00:05:57.589 hope to send him immediately as soon as I see 00:05:57.589 --> 00:06:00.410 how things go with me. And I trust in the Lord 00:06:00.410 --> 00:06:06.889 that I myself also shall be coming soon. The 00:06:06.889 --> 00:06:12.220 purpose for sending Timothy, Why? Paul cared. 00:06:13.240 --> 00:06:15.819 I mean, it's that simple. You know, we've learned 00:06:15.819 --> 00:06:18.620 that love gives and love serves and love obeys. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:21.899 I'm just telling you, love just cares. He cared 00:06:21.899 --> 00:06:25.000 about that church so much that someone that was 00:06:25.000 --> 00:06:28.379 helping him, I'm going to send Timothy to you. 00:06:29.160 --> 00:06:33.620 The next question is, well, why Timothy? I mean, 00:06:33.660 --> 00:06:37.319 what did he bring to the table? The reason Timothy 00:06:37.319 --> 00:06:40.920 was chosen? Was Timothy cared? Look at this passage. 00:06:41.100 --> 00:06:43.939 He says, I have no one else of kindred spirit, 00:06:44.040 --> 00:06:48.240 literally, who has an equal soul. They all are 00:06:48.240 --> 00:06:51.100 concerned, not about other people, but about 00:06:51.100 --> 00:06:53.759 themselves. They were self -focused. I mean, 00:06:53.759 --> 00:06:56.360 this goes back to the very beginning of consider 00:06:56.360 --> 00:06:59.439 others as more important than yourself. Do nothing 00:06:59.439 --> 00:07:04.079 from selfishness or arrogance or vainglory. Timothy, 00:07:04.240 --> 00:07:06.800 he says, he's genuinely concerned. Literally 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.899 it is one and all without exception are bent 00:07:11.899 --> 00:07:16.839 on their own way, but not Timothy. Notice they 00:07:16.839 --> 00:07:18.959 seek after their own interests, not those of 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:22.819 Christ Jesus, but he is of proven worth. In other 00:07:22.819 --> 00:07:25.240 words, he's been faithful. He's been with me 00:07:25.240 --> 00:07:27.829 at this point in his life. He's been with Paul 00:07:27.829 --> 00:07:30.730 for about 10 years. He's a young pastor. He probably 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:33.149 was picked up in his very, very late teens or 00:07:33.149 --> 00:07:36.889 early 20s. He's probably in his 33 to 35 now. 00:07:37.269 --> 00:07:39.649 What we know is he's timid by way of personality. 00:07:40.170 --> 00:07:42.430 He's got a couple strikes against him. He's half 00:07:42.430 --> 00:07:45.709 Jewish and half Greek. Paul has admonished him. 00:07:45.810 --> 00:07:47.829 You know, he's kind of a sickly, vulnerable guy. 00:07:48.029 --> 00:07:50.589 In other words, by physical standards, by... 00:07:51.100 --> 00:07:54.040 sharp, powerful, got it together, you know, a 00:07:54.040 --> 00:07:56.519 graduate of a great university. That's not Timothy. 00:07:57.800 --> 00:08:03.339 But he's faithful. He's loyal. His heart, he 00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:06.540 cares. He is willing. As you read through the 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:09.680 New Testament, Paul talks about him 10 different 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.839 times. When there's a need, Paul says, I send 00:08:12.839 --> 00:08:15.339 him, I send him, I send him. You know what? He's 00:08:15.339 --> 00:08:19.300 willing, he's available, he's loyal, and he's 00:08:19.300 --> 00:08:24.930 a servant. And God greatly used him. He ended 00:08:24.930 --> 00:08:28.269 up being the pastor even at Ephesus, which is 00:08:28.269 --> 00:08:30.910 one of the great churches in all of the New Testament. 00:08:31.470 --> 00:08:36.129 Well, we now know that Paul cares. We now know 00:08:36.129 --> 00:08:39.129 that Timothy cares. And the story's going to 00:08:39.129 --> 00:08:42.870 go on because he wants them to know that, hey, 00:08:43.070 --> 00:08:46.769 I'm going to send Timothy shortly, but... You 00:08:46.769 --> 00:08:49.529 have heard that the leader in your church that 00:08:49.529 --> 00:08:51.250 came to serve me, that brought the financial 00:08:51.250 --> 00:08:54.830 gift, he came close to death. And so I'm going 00:08:54.830 --> 00:08:57.490 to send him immediately so I can learn of your 00:08:57.490 --> 00:09:01.230 condition and I can put you at ease. Do you know 00:09:01.230 --> 00:09:03.730 that communicating with people is one of the 00:09:03.730 --> 00:09:05.950 most important things we ever do to show that 00:09:05.950 --> 00:09:09.710 we care? A phone call, a handwritten note, a 00:09:09.710 --> 00:09:14.190 text, I'm praying for you today. I mean, it doesn't 00:09:14.190 --> 00:09:18.289 take that much to care for people. Love cares. 00:09:18.929 --> 00:09:23.590 Love engages. Love demonstrates by action that 00:09:23.590 --> 00:09:26.950 other people really, really matter. Notice we 00:09:26.950 --> 00:09:30.090 pick it up in verse 25. You ask yourself, well, 00:09:30.169 --> 00:09:32.570 why does he send Epaphroditus? Are you ready 00:09:32.570 --> 00:09:37.370 for this? You can get it, can't you? Verse 25, 00:09:37.750 --> 00:09:40.350 but I thought it necessary to send you Epaphroditus. 00:09:40.529 --> 00:09:43.269 Notice the description, my brother, my fellow 00:09:43.269 --> 00:09:46.610 worker, my fellow soldier, who is your messenger 00:09:46.610 --> 00:09:50.750 and minister to my need. Talk about a resume. 00:09:51.590 --> 00:09:54.529 Because he was longing for you all and was distressed 00:09:54.529 --> 00:09:57.149 because you heard that he was sick. For indeed, 00:09:57.230 --> 00:09:59.870 he was sick to the point of death, but God had 00:09:59.870 --> 00:10:03.029 mercy on him and not on him only, but also on 00:10:03.029 --> 00:10:07.279 me. lest I have sorrow upon sorrow. Why is a 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:11.039 man so deeply moved by the hurt and the heartache 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:13.159 and the sickness of someone else? It's because 00:10:13.159 --> 00:10:15.960 Paul cares. I mean, sometimes it gets painted 00:10:15.960 --> 00:10:19.559 in this picture of this flaming apostle and this, 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:21.720 you know, he brings the truth and messenger and 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:25.679 writes 13 books and he did do that, but he was 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:30.279 tender and he cared and tasks were important, 00:10:30.340 --> 00:10:37.929 but people mattered most. How about you? Do you 00:10:37.929 --> 00:10:42.450 care? Where you live, your roommate, your family, 00:10:42.750 --> 00:10:46.490 do they sense, do they feel you care? Does your 00:10:46.490 --> 00:10:51.149 words communicate? I really care. Do your actions 00:10:51.149 --> 00:10:54.529 communicate at work that it's your task and your 00:10:54.529 --> 00:10:57.509 stuff and what you got to get done or that you 00:10:57.509 --> 00:11:01.230 care? I mean, one of the things I love about 00:11:01.230 --> 00:11:05.720 our church is When there are needs, you care. 00:11:06.059 --> 00:11:10.440 There's been an outpouring of finances and individuals 00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:15.879 really making a difference. Notice he says, therefore 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:20.440 receive him in the Lord with all joy and hold 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:23.419 men like him in high regard because they came 00:11:23.419 --> 00:11:26.779 close to death for the work of Christ, risking 00:11:26.779 --> 00:11:30.559 his life to complete that which was deficient 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:34.860 in your service to me. Do you see these characteristics 00:11:34.860 --> 00:11:38.820 coming out? Commitment. He's my brother. We're 00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:42.820 in it together. We're family. He's a fellow worker. 00:11:43.059 --> 00:11:46.279 We're arm in arm. I mean, we're setting goals. 00:11:46.559 --> 00:11:49.139 There's tasks. There's work to be done. This 00:11:49.139 --> 00:11:51.919 isn't about us. We're fellow soldiers. We're 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:54.759 doing battle. We do spiritual warfare. We're 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:57.080 working out hard things together. We're in the 00:11:57.080 --> 00:11:59.580 trenches together. And then he says, he's your 00:11:59.580 --> 00:12:02.500 messenger. And it's a very interesting word. 00:12:03.149 --> 00:12:06.049 This is a Greek word used in the ancient language 00:12:06.049 --> 00:12:09.090 of someone during that time who would be called 00:12:09.090 --> 00:12:12.789 a benefactor and someone who is sort of the benefactor 00:12:12.789 --> 00:12:15.350 of a city who might bring a drama to the city 00:12:15.350 --> 00:12:18.990 or a public works and pay for the majority of 00:12:18.990 --> 00:12:23.309 it. And what he's saying is Epaphroditus was 00:12:23.309 --> 00:12:27.190 a messenger, an apostle, a benefactor, a brother. 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:31.519 He was the kind of person who cares. Hold people 00:12:31.519 --> 00:12:35.480 like that in high esteem. There's a couple of 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:38.039 fellows that are going to rotate off the board. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.879 And I just, as we were going through that meeting, 00:12:40.919 --> 00:12:44.580 I just thought of the endless hours that they've 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:47.519 put in and the ministries that they're involved 00:12:47.519 --> 00:12:50.440 in and the preparation and what they've meant 00:12:50.440 --> 00:12:53.320 in my life and things behind the scenes that 00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:56.860 no one knows. where you talk about fellow brothers, 00:12:56.980 --> 00:13:00.659 fellow workers, messengers, people that care. 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:04.279 Now, here's where I want to go. That's the passage. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:08.159 You got it? Philippians 2, 19 to 30. What we 00:13:08.159 --> 00:13:11.519 know is that the command was, don't think of 00:13:11.519 --> 00:13:14.179 yourself. Put others' interests ahead of your 00:13:14.179 --> 00:13:17.139 own. The great example was verses, right, 5 through 00:13:17.139 --> 00:13:19.799 11. Jesus had this attitude in yourselves that 00:13:19.799 --> 00:13:22.679 was also in Christ Jesus. He didn't think equality 00:13:22.679 --> 00:13:24.559 with God a thing to be grasped, but he humbled 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:28.600 himself, remember? And then love obeys. He says, 00:13:28.620 --> 00:13:30.720 now obey, not just in my presence, but now much 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:33.340 more in my absence. And now he's going to say, 00:13:33.460 --> 00:13:37.059 love doesn't just obey, but in the everyday grind 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:42.320 of life, love actually cares. And here's what 00:13:42.320 --> 00:13:44.799 I want you to get. Notice on the top of your 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:48.559 notes, it says, Timothy and Epaphroditus exemplify 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:53.240 the kind of person God uses to fulfill his purposes. 00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:57.279 Let me read that again. Timothy and Epaphroditus 00:13:57.279 --> 00:14:03.100 exemplify the kind of person that God uses to 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:06.440 fulfill his purpose. Out of this passage, I've 00:14:06.440 --> 00:14:09.120 done something that I think is going to be very 00:14:09.120 --> 00:14:12.830 helpful. There are four things that when God 00:14:12.830 --> 00:14:15.389 is shopping, if you will, when he's looking, 00:14:15.490 --> 00:14:18.129 when he's saying, should I use this man? Should 00:14:18.129 --> 00:14:20.289 I use this student? Should I use this woman? 00:14:20.549 --> 00:14:23.370 Should I use this couple? Are you ready? Should 00:14:23.370 --> 00:14:27.029 I use this church? There's four things he's looking 00:14:27.029 --> 00:14:30.230 for. And I put them in the form of a question. 00:14:31.240 --> 00:14:33.899 I want, as I go through these, I want you right 00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:37.279 now, would you please whisper a prayer? Oh God, 00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:40.019 would you help me to have ears that are open 00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:42.960 and a heart that's tender to hear that I could 00:14:42.960 --> 00:14:46.820 answer these questions honestly? Because if you're 00:14:46.820 --> 00:14:50.000 not using me to the extent that you've designed 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.419 me to, there's needs that are going unmet in 00:14:52.419 --> 00:14:54.100 people's lives. They're not experiencing Jesus. 00:14:54.419 --> 00:14:57.620 And secondly, I'm not experiencing the joy and 00:14:57.620 --> 00:15:00.970 the power and what you designed me to be. Four 00:15:00.970 --> 00:15:03.610 questions. Listen very carefully. Pull out your 00:15:03.610 --> 00:15:06.909 pen. I've got a couple things to fill in. Question 00:15:06.909 --> 00:15:10.230 number one, when God is looking, is do you have 00:15:10.230 --> 00:15:16.330 a servant's heart? Do you have a servant's heart? 00:15:18.929 --> 00:15:22.870 Do you really care about people to the point 00:15:22.870 --> 00:15:26.570 of moving out of your current schedule, your 00:15:26.570 --> 00:15:29.490 current rhythm, and just life as it is today? 00:15:30.669 --> 00:15:33.570 See, that's what servants do. Remember, for a 00:15:33.570 --> 00:15:36.710 servant, there's no job too low. There's no recognition 00:15:36.710 --> 00:15:40.269 needed and there's no thanks required. A servant 00:15:40.269 --> 00:15:43.669 doesn't whine about what's wrong. A servant says, 00:15:43.769 --> 00:15:47.169 oh, there's a problem or a need. I'm going to 00:15:47.169 --> 00:15:51.330 be a participant in changing it. Here's the issue. 00:15:53.730 --> 00:15:58.929 We in our hearts and minds intend, but it's an 00:15:58.929 --> 00:16:02.509 action step. I would like you, use your tear 00:16:02.509 --> 00:16:05.929 -off tab or whatever vehicle, will you please 00:16:05.929 --> 00:16:11.330 ask God, Lord, will you show me where to serve? 00:16:11.929 --> 00:16:15.570 And if not in this church, in a Christian organization, 00:16:16.049 --> 00:16:18.889 in a very special way of leading a study at work, 00:16:19.009 --> 00:16:24.190 we just want you, the body of Christ, to have 00:16:24.190 --> 00:16:27.769 a servant's heart. And a servant's heart isn't 00:16:27.769 --> 00:16:31.179 measured by standing up in a service. A servant's 00:16:31.179 --> 00:16:36.259 heart is measured by action steps that give and 00:16:36.259 --> 00:16:43.240 serve and obey and care. And so just ask yourself, 00:16:43.460 --> 00:16:50.240 honestly, do I have a servant's heart? There's 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:56.379 a man on Saturday nights, comes early, prays. 00:16:56.620 --> 00:17:00.159 All during the service, he prays. We have another 00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:03.480 service. He prays. And then on Sunday morning, 00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.099 I drive in and I can tell you right where he 00:17:05.099 --> 00:17:07.460 stands and he's helping people get in and out 00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:10.359 of the parking lot. You'll probably never know 00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:12.339 his name. You'll probably never recognize him. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.160 You know what Jim has? You know why God's using 00:17:15.160 --> 00:17:19.519 Jim? He has a servant's heart. Second question. 00:17:20.660 --> 00:17:26.079 Are you willing and available? Are you willing 00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:32.380 and available? Many care, but not to the point 00:17:32.380 --> 00:17:36.640 of genuine willingness to act. Others are genuinely 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:39.220 willing. You're really willing? You're just not 00:17:39.220 --> 00:17:42.819 available. You're just too busy. You're just 00:17:42.819 --> 00:17:45.119 doing lots of stuff and you've assumed all the 00:17:45.119 --> 00:17:47.019 stuff you're doing is the most important stuff. 00:17:47.259 --> 00:17:50.359 If there's no time for God and if there's no 00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:52.859 time to serve others for God, let me just tell 00:17:52.859 --> 00:17:56.559 you, you're too busy. The application for some 00:17:56.559 --> 00:17:59.859 in this church is to pause and stop and have 00:17:59.859 --> 00:18:02.759 a little private moment with God or a family 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:06.240 council and say, we're too busy. We're going 00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:08.579 to cut some stuff out and we're going to put 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:12.720 some God stuff in. Willingness and availability. 00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:15.279 When the eyes of the Lord are going to and fro. 00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:17.900 You know what? He doesn't use people that aren't 00:18:17.900 --> 00:18:19.700 available and he doesn't use people that aren't 00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:26.200 really willing. My question, are you? The second 00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:29.700 reason people don't serve or don't care is, this 00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:32.759 is so sad, but you actually think that you don't 00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:34.859 have anything to give. And you actually think, 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:37.339 some of you, that because of what you've done 00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:39.480 or what you've been through or the tragedy or 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:42.140 the abuse or the divorce or the separation or 00:18:42.140 --> 00:18:46.900 the abortion or, you know, the bankruptcy. I 00:18:46.900 --> 00:18:48.680 mean, I could go on and on and on and on. You 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:52.109 think, well, I mean, you know. God uses people 00:18:52.109 --> 00:18:54.269 that are squeaky clean and have it all together. 00:18:54.430 --> 00:18:56.529 You know, like the Apostle Paul, murderer, or 00:18:56.529 --> 00:18:59.289 like Moses, murderer, or, you know, like James 00:18:59.289 --> 00:19:01.289 and John, the guys with anger management issues, 00:19:01.410 --> 00:19:03.410 right? I mean, people that really have it together 00:19:03.410 --> 00:19:05.630 like Rahab. Oh, that's right. She was a prostitute. 00:19:05.690 --> 00:19:08.769 Or, you know, Matthew, you know, the Apostle 00:19:08.769 --> 00:19:10.990 Matthew. Oh, that's right. He was a tax collector 00:19:10.990 --> 00:19:15.359 and a crook. I could go on. It always amazes 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:17.240 me. When I was a kid, I grew up in a real social 00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:19.619 church and we didn't believe the Bible, but it 00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:21.539 was a beautiful church and had all this stained 00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:24.440 glass. And I'm for stained glass, don't get me 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:26.920 wrong, but they had all the pictures of all the 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:29.519 apostles like in stained glass. And that's where 00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:34.259 I had them. And then, are you ready? I read this 00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:37.720 book. And one of the greatest things that happened 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:40.839 in my life, these people are as messed up as 00:19:40.839 --> 00:19:43.380 me. Some of them a lot worse. They're as messed 00:19:43.380 --> 00:19:45.799 up as you. You know what I have in my hands? 00:19:46.190 --> 00:19:48.829 These are people who say, this is a list of things 00:19:48.829 --> 00:19:50.730 that they can check, that this is what I've been 00:19:50.730 --> 00:19:52.630 through. The death of a parent, the death of 00:19:52.630 --> 00:19:55.230 a child, the death of a close friend, an unwanted 00:19:55.230 --> 00:19:59.130 pregnancy, the loss of a friendship, a chronic 00:19:59.130 --> 00:20:02.289 fatigue, unresolved bitterness, job loss, struggles 00:20:02.289 --> 00:20:05.049 with alcohol, struggles with drugs, a major family 00:20:05.049 --> 00:20:07.309 change, gone through a divorce, been a single 00:20:07.309 --> 00:20:10.289 parent, raised in a single family, have an addiction, 00:20:10.630 --> 00:20:13.430 had a bad church experience, low self -esteem, 00:20:13.650 --> 00:20:16.420 loneliness, depression, fire. from a job. And 00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:18.819 you know what we say? Guess what? You qualify. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:22.980 You qualify because the grace of God has taken 00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:24.759 you through this. You don't have it all together. 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:27.140 We're going to say cancer. This is a person been 00:20:27.140 --> 00:20:29.880 through cancer. Terrible divorce. This is a person 00:20:29.880 --> 00:20:31.660 been through a terrible divorce. Guess what? 00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:36.500 God uses people who will lay down their pride, 00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:39.460 be open to get some training and teaching, and 00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:42.319 say, I want God to use my brokenness and my pain 00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:45.660 in ways that are restorative, that he's going 00:20:45.660 --> 00:20:47.960 to leverage my hurt and my pain. Here's what 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:51.119 the scripture declares. God comforts us in all 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:55.539 our afflictions so that we can comfort others 00:20:55.539 --> 00:21:00.059 as they go through it. The eyes of the Lord are 00:21:00.059 --> 00:21:02.319 going to and fro, and he's asking, do you have 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.559 a servant's heart? He's asking, are you willing 00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:08.559 and available? And as, you know, the green lights 00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:10.460 come up on the dashboard of the Holy Spirit, 00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:12.819 he's looking for those kind of people that he's 00:21:12.819 --> 00:21:15.559 going to give direction and power and joy. Third 00:21:15.559 --> 00:21:19.559 question you need to ask and answer. Are you 00:21:19.559 --> 00:21:23.140 faithful in the assignments God's given you? 00:21:24.170 --> 00:21:26.569 See, the fact of the matter is, is that God has 00:21:26.569 --> 00:21:29.329 given us many opportunities and Timothy was faithful. 00:21:29.430 --> 00:21:31.509 He was proven. Epaphroditus was faithful. And 00:21:31.509 --> 00:21:34.609 he said, you have to be faithful. The thing that 00:21:34.609 --> 00:21:37.490 amazes me, you talk about faithful, you talk 00:21:37.490 --> 00:21:40.410 about well -prepared, you talk about people that 00:21:40.410 --> 00:21:44.670 really pray. I remember a man named Dave Marshall, 00:21:44.809 --> 00:21:48.269 who beyond all the quote, great Christians in 00:21:48.269 --> 00:21:52.269 the world who revolutionized my life, Dave was 00:21:52.269 --> 00:21:55.099 a bricklayer. Dave wasn't flashy. Dave wasn't 00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:57.599 cool. The Bible studies weren't dynamic. He wasn't 00:21:57.599 --> 00:22:01.000 a good speaker. But Dave didn't give up on me. 00:22:01.059 --> 00:22:03.660 I was a sort of just came to Christ and I couldn't 00:22:03.660 --> 00:22:04.960 figure out whether I was going to really walk 00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:07.200 with God or keep hanging out in bars and doing 00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:10.019 stuff I knew was wrong. And Dave just was faithful. 00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:12.220 Dave invited me into his home for dinner. He 00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:14.660 cared. Dave modeled what it meant to be a man. 00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:17.200 He cared. Dave met with me once a week. And a 00:22:17.200 --> 00:22:18.859 lot of times I blew him off. I wouldn't get up. 00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:22.480 He just kept coming. He cared, he cared, he cared, 00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:25.579 he cared. And you know what? Whatever my life 00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:28.880 ever amounts to, whatever number of people or 00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:31.619 depth of people who ever get changed or helped 00:22:31.619 --> 00:22:36.660 by Jesus, Dave Marshall is the human reason because 00:22:36.660 --> 00:22:41.920 he cared. Final question that God is asking is 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:47.690 are you loyal and teachable? Are you loyal? There's 00:22:47.690 --> 00:22:50.450 people here that have lived through the ups and 00:22:50.450 --> 00:22:53.930 the downs of, you know, leadership up and down 00:22:53.930 --> 00:22:56.809 and struggles and crisis. And you know what? 00:22:56.829 --> 00:22:59.109 They're loyal. They didn't come to this church 00:22:59.109 --> 00:23:01.089 and say, hey, what's in it for me? And if it 00:23:01.089 --> 00:23:02.970 isn't the way I like it, I'm leaving. They've 00:23:02.970 --> 00:23:05.829 prayed. They've hung tough. They've been faithful. 00:23:06.049 --> 00:23:09.029 They keep giving. They keep coming. They just 00:23:09.029 --> 00:23:12.529 don't give up. And we are here because of them. 00:23:12.990 --> 00:23:16.269 And my prayer is that I will be loyal and faithful. 00:23:17.409 --> 00:23:19.470 for the generation that's going to come after 00:23:19.470 --> 00:23:23.670 us. The final word I have there is not only loyal, 00:23:23.789 --> 00:23:26.829 but teachable. Are you willing to learn something 00:23:26.829 --> 00:23:29.490 new? You know, God is looking for people that 00:23:29.490 --> 00:23:34.170 are willing to say, you know, I don't know how 00:23:34.170 --> 00:23:37.990 to do that, but I'm open. What are you willing 00:23:37.990 --> 00:23:42.119 to do? so that you could experience the blessedness 00:23:42.119 --> 00:23:44.720 and the joy, and that you could be a part of 00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:47.680 meeting the needs. But are you ready? Only you 00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:52.920 can be. This is Living on the Edge with Chip 00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:55.500 Ingram, and we're in our series called Choosing 00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:58.259 Love. If you're ready to turn today's challenge 00:23:58.259 --> 00:24:01.700 into lasting change, Chip's newest book, I Choose 00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:04.559 Love, gives you the practical roadmap you need. 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:07.660 It doesn't just tell you what to do. It shows 00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:10.559 you how to do it. You'll learn to recognize the 00:24:10.559 --> 00:24:13.420 subtle ways pride and selfishness sabotage your 00:24:13.420 --> 00:24:16.299 relationships. You'll discover practical exercises 00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:19.539 to develop genuine humility. And you'll see how 00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:22.480 choosing agape love, the sacrificial, others 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:25.539 -focused love of God, transforms even your most 00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:28.650 difficult relationships. I Choose Love addresses 00:24:28.650 --> 00:24:31.690 the real issues we all face. The tendency to 00:24:31.690 --> 00:24:34.049 need the last word, the subtle belief that our 00:24:34.049 --> 00:24:36.950 perspective is the truth, the grandiosity that 00:24:36.950 --> 00:24:39.549 shows up in small ways like chronic lateness. 00:24:39.849 --> 00:24:42.650 Chip gets brutally honest about his own struggles, 00:24:42.750 --> 00:24:45.589 and he shows you the path forward. If you're 00:24:45.589 --> 00:24:48.170 tired of broken relationships and ready to experience 00:24:48.170 --> 00:24:51.549 love that actually works, get your copy of I 00:24:51.549 --> 00:24:55.750 Choose Love today. Visit livingontheedge .org. 00:24:56.190 --> 00:24:58.730 And friend, this Bible teaching program is reaching 00:24:58.730 --> 00:25:01.309 you and countless others because of the faithful 00:25:01.309 --> 00:25:04.210 giving of listeners just like you. When you give 00:25:04.210 --> 00:25:06.470 to Living on the Edge, you're multiplying this 00:25:06.470 --> 00:25:09.349 message of transformative love around the world. 00:25:09.750 --> 00:25:13.130 Would you join us? Visit livingontheedge .org 00:25:13.130 --> 00:25:19.230 to give, or just call us at 888 -333 -6003. Well, 00:25:19.250 --> 00:25:21.690 that wraps up today's episode. Don't miss the 00:25:21.690 --> 00:25:24.230 next Bible teaching message coming up here on 00:25:24.230 --> 00:25:30.529 the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast. Today's program 00:25:30.529 --> 00:25:33.309 is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge.