WEBVTT 00:00:11.470 --> 00:00:14.169 Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. 00:00:14.250 --> 00:00:17.629 When was the last time you hung out with some 00:00:17.629 --> 00:00:20.710 fellow believers and afterwards you just felt 00:00:20.710 --> 00:00:23.989 so much closer to God? I mean, you opened up, 00:00:23.989 --> 00:00:26.230 you shared your life, you laughed together, maybe 00:00:26.230 --> 00:00:28.910 even you cried. And as you were going home, you 00:00:28.910 --> 00:00:31.449 thought to yourself, why can't I have more times 00:00:31.449 --> 00:00:34.750 like that? Well, it's called authentic community. 00:00:34.770 --> 00:00:37.289 And today we're going to learn how to get more 00:00:37.289 --> 00:00:41.789 of it. Stay with me. Welcome to Living on the 00:00:41.789 --> 00:00:44.869 Edge with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Drewy, and today 00:00:44.869 --> 00:00:47.009 we're unpacking one of the most important and 00:00:47.009 --> 00:00:49.729 most overlooked ingredients for real spiritual 00:00:49.729 --> 00:00:53.710 growth, authentic community. Chip shows us that 00:00:53.710 --> 00:00:56.210 it's not enough for the real you to show up and 00:00:56.210 --> 00:00:58.990 meet real needs. It has to be done for the right 00:00:58.990 --> 00:01:02.070 reason and in the right way. He'll get personal 00:01:02.070 --> 00:01:05.189 and maybe a little uncomfortably honest as he 00:01:05.189 --> 00:01:07.909 continues his series, God's Dream for Your Life. 00:01:08.540 --> 00:01:10.799 Now, looking in the book of Romans, chapter 12, 00:01:10.900 --> 00:01:13.719 verse 9, here's Chip Ingram with today's message. 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:17.680 So let's look together. What is authentic community? 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:20.200 And maybe more importantly, how do you get it? 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:24.079 First, from verse 9, authentic community is the 00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:27.760 real you, not a projection of yourself. See, 00:01:27.859 --> 00:01:29.900 you can't have authentic community unless the 00:01:29.900 --> 00:01:33.140 real you shows up. Authentic community, he says, 00:01:33.180 --> 00:01:37.159 let love be sincere. Hate what is evil, cling 00:01:37.159 --> 00:01:39.879 to what is good. The two characteristics of the 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:42.700 real you showing up is one, authenticity, and 00:01:42.700 --> 00:01:45.739 two, it's purity. And so when the real you shows 00:01:45.739 --> 00:01:47.359 up, that's the beginning of authentic community. 00:01:47.480 --> 00:01:50.000 But it's beyond that. It meets real needs, not 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:53.659 superficial or convenient ones. Authentic community 00:01:53.659 --> 00:01:55.819 doesn't happen when you do a little nice thing 00:01:55.819 --> 00:01:57.760 or a little nice thing here and it doesn't really 00:01:57.760 --> 00:02:00.420 cost you very much. Authentic community happens 00:02:00.420 --> 00:02:02.920 when the real you shows up. Notice it says devotion. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:05.519 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.860 Humility. Giving preference to one another in 00:02:08.860 --> 00:02:13.120 honor. Real needs getting met always involves 00:02:13.120 --> 00:02:17.319 devotion on our part and humility. The word devotion 00:02:17.319 --> 00:02:20.300 here is strong. He's saying you need to be committed 00:02:20.300 --> 00:02:22.659 to one another and lay your lives down for one 00:02:22.659 --> 00:02:25.520 another like you would for blood relatives. I 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:27.699 mean, for people that you feel this moral responsibility 00:02:27.699 --> 00:02:30.620 for. And he says, be devoted to one another how? 00:02:30.719 --> 00:02:34.180 In brotherly love. Philo delphia. That's the 00:02:34.180 --> 00:02:37.069 word. We named a city in Pennsylvania by that. 00:02:37.770 --> 00:02:40.289 It's this commitment of family love, of being 00:02:40.289 --> 00:02:42.889 there for one another, of doing whatever it takes. 00:02:43.590 --> 00:02:45.610 I thought I knew what it meant to kind of be 00:02:45.610 --> 00:02:48.590 devoted and love. I was a new Christian, and 00:02:48.590 --> 00:02:50.870 after probably, I guess it was about five or 00:02:50.870 --> 00:02:52.849 six years, I'd been coaching for a couple years 00:02:52.849 --> 00:02:55.409 after school, and Teresa and I were married, 00:02:55.469 --> 00:02:58.069 and we had two small kids at this time. And I 00:02:58.069 --> 00:03:00.870 came home after school. It was in my first or... 00:03:01.240 --> 00:03:03.240 Second year and Teresa's eyes were all red. I 00:03:03.240 --> 00:03:04.900 said, honey, man, what is going on? Are you okay? 00:03:05.039 --> 00:03:06.620 She goes, oh, I spent all afternoon with Pat, 00:03:06.780 --> 00:03:09.300 you know, right across the hall. I said, well, 00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:11.479 what's going on? She goes, well, her husband 00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:13.919 left her. And she goes, it's worse than that. 00:03:14.419 --> 00:03:17.379 Bank accounts are emptied. He left her. They 00:03:17.379 --> 00:03:20.460 have a like two or three week old newborn and 00:03:20.460 --> 00:03:23.500 she has no money. And we just prayed and cried. 00:03:23.960 --> 00:03:26.539 I thought, wow. So, you know, I'm thinking. My 00:03:26.539 --> 00:03:28.120 heart's really going out to her, so I'm thinking 00:03:28.120 --> 00:03:31.080 it's really spiritual. So, honey, you want to 00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:32.699 pray for her? She goes, well, actually, we did 00:03:32.699 --> 00:03:35.060 that. But I've been thinking about it, and we 00:03:35.060 --> 00:03:37.740 talked over dinner. She goes, I think we should, 00:03:37.840 --> 00:03:39.939 in two days, her rent is due, and they're going 00:03:39.939 --> 00:03:41.819 to kick her out if she doesn't have rent money. 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.300 And I think we should pay for her rent. And so, 00:03:45.360 --> 00:03:46.879 you know, I'm figuring I'm probably going to 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:48.479 have to learn how to be a pastor someday. Might 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:50.759 as well start now. And so, okay, Lord, here it 00:03:50.759 --> 00:03:52.280 is. And we write the check. And by the way, it 00:03:52.280 --> 00:03:54.740 was not noble. I think people get this idea that 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:57.400 when we take big steps for God, yes, God. Most 00:03:57.400 --> 00:03:59.759 of my really big steps are like, yes, God. You 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:02.199 know, I don't really want to do this. I'm pretty. 00:04:03.370 --> 00:04:05.610 But okay, I'm gonna claim your promise, but my 00:04:05.610 --> 00:04:07.590 God will supply all my needs according to his 00:04:07.590 --> 00:04:09.770 riches and glory in Christ Jesus. You said I'd 00:04:09.770 --> 00:04:12.030 do that, and the context is giving, being generous, 00:04:12.169 --> 00:04:14.550 Philippians 4 .19. I'm standing on that passage. 00:04:15.129 --> 00:04:19.329 Our rent's due. No money. And that day, in the 00:04:19.329 --> 00:04:22.329 mail, an envelope came. I got a letter from someone 00:04:22.329 --> 00:04:24.310 from the Green Bay Packers. I was like, what 00:04:24.310 --> 00:04:28.649 is this? So I opened the letter, and the letter 00:04:28.649 --> 00:04:30.949 says, hi, Chip, I'm sure you don't know me. I 00:04:30.949 --> 00:04:34.050 met you about six years ago or so. I was a senior 00:04:34.050 --> 00:04:35.870 in high school at the time, and you taught a 00:04:35.870 --> 00:04:39.389 Bible study in San Jose. And I later went on 00:04:39.389 --> 00:04:41.550 and played college football, and I was the first 00:04:41.550 --> 00:04:45.230 quarterback taken in the draft. And I'm playing 00:04:45.230 --> 00:04:47.829 for the Green Bay Packers now, and when you taught 00:04:47.829 --> 00:04:49.810 that Bible study, all I can tell you, I can't 00:04:49.810 --> 00:04:52.069 really remember what you said, but something 00:04:52.069 --> 00:04:54.769 happened that changed the spiritual trajectory 00:04:54.769 --> 00:04:58.180 of my life. and I've never forgotten it. And 00:04:58.180 --> 00:05:00.180 I've not thought of you for six years, but this 00:05:00.180 --> 00:05:02.860 is weird. Out of the blue, you came to my mind, 00:05:02.939 --> 00:05:05.220 and I'm supposed to send you this thousand dollars. 00:05:07.120 --> 00:05:11.459 I mean, it was just like, oh! You know what happened? 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:15.180 I got to experience authentic community. And 00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:18.459 I will tell you what. Man, we got tight with 00:05:18.459 --> 00:05:20.279 Pat. I mean, it was like 20 years later, he got 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:23.240 a postcard. Teresa, you know, I saw somewhere 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.600 you and Chip and da -da -da. I just want a picture 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:28.720 of her and her grown son. And after that, in 00:05:28.720 --> 00:05:31.259 the last 30 years, we've done that scores of 00:05:31.259 --> 00:05:34.160 times. Scores of times, never knowing for sure 00:05:34.160 --> 00:05:37.939 how God's apply. My testimony, He always does. 00:05:38.879 --> 00:05:41.860 And what we've experienced is God. See, at the 00:05:41.860 --> 00:05:43.100 end of the day, you know what most Christians 00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:46.279 don't know? God is real. He's not a philosophy. 00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:49.560 He's not a formula. He's not a moral code. Jesus 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:52.879 is a person and he's real and he loves you and 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.980 he made promises and he wants you to stand on 00:05:54.980 --> 00:05:57.100 him and you take risks, which are called faith, 00:05:57.379 --> 00:06:00.560 and you love one another and people get love 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:03.980 through you and then he supplies. When the real 00:06:03.980 --> 00:06:07.920 you meets real needs through devotion and also 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.759 through humility. Because at the end of the day, 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:13.459 you know what? You have to think more of other 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:15.970 people than yourself. Jot in the corner of your 00:06:15.970 --> 00:06:18.610 notes Philippians chapter 2, if you will, verse 00:06:18.610 --> 00:06:22.209 3 and 4. The Apostle Paul says, I mean, think 00:06:22.209 --> 00:06:25.529 of how all -encompassing this. Do nothing out 00:06:25.529 --> 00:06:29.430 of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility 00:06:29.430 --> 00:06:33.370 consider others as more important than yourself. 00:06:34.550 --> 00:06:36.949 Boy, would that change your small group. Would 00:06:36.949 --> 00:06:41.269 that change your family? Each of you should look 00:06:41.269 --> 00:06:44.610 not only for your own interest, but also the 00:06:44.610 --> 00:06:47.870 interests of others. In fact, he goes on to say, 00:06:47.949 --> 00:06:50.769 have this attitude in yourselves, which was also 00:06:50.769 --> 00:06:53.189 in Christ Jesus, that although he existed in 00:06:53.189 --> 00:06:55.149 the form of God, he didn't regard equality with 00:06:55.149 --> 00:06:58.589 God a thing to be grasped, but he humbled himself, 00:06:58.930 --> 00:07:02.550 taking the form of a bondservant, becoming obedient 00:07:02.550 --> 00:07:09.089 even unto death. Humility. Humility is putting 00:07:09.089 --> 00:07:13.649 other people, giving preference, where you lift 00:07:13.649 --> 00:07:16.529 them up. I've had the privilege of working with 00:07:16.529 --> 00:07:19.149 someone that's modeled this for me, and there's 00:07:19.149 --> 00:07:20.689 a number of people that do it, but I just have 00:07:20.689 --> 00:07:23.449 the longest history with a guy named Greg. He 00:07:23.449 --> 00:07:25.709 came out of the Silicon Valley, early days of 00:07:25.709 --> 00:07:28.389 Palm Pilot, later went to Cisco, project manager, 00:07:28.629 --> 00:07:31.949 later was a volunteer over in Santa Cruz and 00:07:31.949 --> 00:07:34.610 had 40 or 50 volunteers, did light, sound, real 00:07:34.610 --> 00:07:37.829 super techie guy. When I went to walk through 00:07:37.829 --> 00:07:41.199 the Bible, he came with me and was just He's 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.720 just a manager of just tremendous ability. And 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:46.240 then as Living on the Edge went out on its own, 00:07:46.300 --> 00:07:48.319 he ran all of Living on the Edge, the broadcasting, 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:50.860 the money, the finances, the operation, everything. 00:07:51.639 --> 00:07:53.500 And we started to grow, and there was a guy who 00:07:53.500 --> 00:07:55.920 came along. He wrote a strategic plan for us, 00:07:55.959 --> 00:07:58.639 and he led a huge ministry in the United States. 00:07:59.180 --> 00:08:00.939 And I'll never forget, he met with me. He said, 00:08:01.019 --> 00:08:03.660 this is really exciting, and I think God's in 00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:06.600 it. I'd like to help you fulfill it. And a little 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:09.569 humility, I said, well, I now know kind of. what 00:08:09.569 --> 00:08:11.269 you've done in your life, and you now know all 00:08:11.269 --> 00:08:12.949 of our books, I could pay you maybe half of what 00:08:12.949 --> 00:08:15.449 you've ever made. This is an amazing downward 00:08:15.449 --> 00:08:19.949 mobility opportunity for you. And he looked at 00:08:19.949 --> 00:08:23.089 me and said, I'll take it. And Andrew came, and 00:08:23.089 --> 00:08:25.189 in the next three and a half years, he tripled 00:08:25.189 --> 00:08:27.269 the size of everything that happened at Living 00:08:27.269 --> 00:08:30.230 on the Edge. But here was the interesting point. 00:08:30.769 --> 00:08:33.149 Greg is really good into the people and roles 00:08:33.149 --> 00:08:36.330 and personnel and HR and all that stuff. I'm 00:08:36.330 --> 00:08:40.950 not. we sat down, the entire executive team of 00:08:40.950 --> 00:08:44.230 Living on the Edge, me and Greg. It was two of 00:08:44.230 --> 00:08:48.190 us, you know? And he said, if we hire Andrew, 00:08:48.309 --> 00:08:50.149 you need to know something. I said, what's that? 00:08:50.509 --> 00:08:52.830 In about six months, he needs to lead the whole 00:08:52.830 --> 00:08:55.570 organization, and I need to be just over broadcasting 00:08:55.570 --> 00:08:58.730 and just technology. Because his gifts and what 00:08:58.730 --> 00:09:01.909 he'll bring, he's far better. He will bring what 00:09:01.909 --> 00:09:04.090 I don't have, and there's no way the ministry 00:09:04.090 --> 00:09:06.470 will be what God wants it to be unless he has 00:09:06.470 --> 00:09:08.470 that role. So I'm just telling you that, you 00:09:08.470 --> 00:09:12.370 know, he needs to become my boss. Now, when's 00:09:12.370 --> 00:09:15.690 the last time you ever worked or met anyone who 00:09:15.690 --> 00:09:19.029 had the power to hire someone that when he hired 00:09:19.029 --> 00:09:22.110 them, he knew they will become greater, I will 00:09:22.110 --> 00:09:24.750 become lesser, he will have a higher role, make 00:09:24.750 --> 00:09:27.850 a higher income, and I will move down because 00:09:27.850 --> 00:09:30.090 I want to serve you, serve God, and the mission 00:09:30.090 --> 00:09:33.110 is what matters. You know what that's called? 00:09:33.590 --> 00:09:39.620 Giving preference. See, That spiritual ceiling, 00:09:39.840 --> 00:09:43.039 where we get stuck, is often the real you doesn't 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:45.259 show up. And if the real you doesn't show up, 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:47.059 often we're not meeting real needs. We're just 00:09:47.059 --> 00:09:49.580 meeting convenient or superficial needs. But 00:09:49.580 --> 00:09:51.519 then he says, not only does the real you and 00:09:51.519 --> 00:09:54.600 me need to show up and meet real needs, but he 00:09:54.600 --> 00:09:56.340 says, you need to do it for the right reason. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:10:00.220 Not to please people. He says, not lagging behind 00:10:00.220 --> 00:10:02.440 in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the 00:10:02.440 --> 00:10:06.919 Lord. I'm not gonna be slow about the promptings 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.320 that God gives me. I'm going to be filled with 00:10:09.320 --> 00:10:12.559 enthusiasm that comes from God, and I'm gonna 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:14.620 do it not even just for them, but to serve him. 00:10:16.500 --> 00:10:20.320 And he says, in your motives, don't be slothful. 00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.899 Be enthusiastic. Notice at the bottom of your 00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:25.159 notes, genuine service to God is characterized 00:10:25.159 --> 00:10:28.059 by diligence, excellence in what we do and how 00:10:28.059 --> 00:10:31.320 we do it, and enthusiasm, passion to serve God 00:10:31.320 --> 00:10:34.200 and love people. not please people or impress 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:37.960 people. You're listening to Living on the Edge, 00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.379 and Chip Ingram will continue today's program 00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:43.440 in just a minute. Today's message is part of 00:10:43.440 --> 00:10:46.379 Chip's series, God's Dream for Your Life, and 00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:49.919 you can hear it anytime at livingontheedge .org. 00:10:50.379 --> 00:10:52.320 Whether you want to revisit what you've heard 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:55.279 today or pass it along to a friend, this message 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:58.860 and hundreds more are available online. You'll 00:10:58.860 --> 00:11:01.279 also find small group resources and opportunities 00:11:01.279 --> 00:11:04.120 to help you live out God's dream for your life. 00:11:04.379 --> 00:11:08.759 It's all there at livingontheedge .org. Well, 00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:12.639 now here's Chip. My dad was an alcoholic, a great 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:15.320 guy in general, but just one of the roles in 00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:17.700 an alcoholic family is making peace and fixing 00:11:17.700 --> 00:11:21.240 things. Well, once I came to Christ, I didn't 00:11:21.240 --> 00:11:24.649 realize it. It took me a while to get going spiritually, 00:11:24.850 --> 00:11:26.710 and when I finally got going, what I found out 00:11:26.710 --> 00:11:29.269 was I was still trying to fix things and work 00:11:29.269 --> 00:11:31.490 out my dysfunctional issues now in the body of 00:11:31.490 --> 00:11:34.309 Christ. And what I found is this group of people 00:11:34.309 --> 00:11:36.190 who call themselves Christians, and I was genuinely 00:11:36.190 --> 00:11:38.149 transformed, and lots of great things were happening, 00:11:38.250 --> 00:11:40.570 but I found if you memorized a lot of verses, 00:11:40.649 --> 00:11:43.129 and you served people, and if you said the right 00:11:43.129 --> 00:11:45.549 things, and you just kind of went off the charts 00:11:45.549 --> 00:11:47.730 in your performance orientation to quote what 00:11:47.730 --> 00:11:50.389 looked like loving people, you got a lot of strokes 00:11:50.389 --> 00:11:54.539 and affirmation. And so after a slow start, I 00:11:54.539 --> 00:11:58.600 went nuts. I memorized hundreds of verses. I 00:11:58.600 --> 00:12:00.559 was in this Bible study, led this Bible study, 00:12:00.679 --> 00:12:02.360 was in this group, did this. I mean, I was just 00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:05.820 like a maniac. I was such a maniac that there 00:12:05.820 --> 00:12:10.259 was times I thought, I make myself sick. And 00:12:10.259 --> 00:12:12.179 I had this opportunity, you know, if you were 00:12:12.179 --> 00:12:13.980 a leader on this campus, you could go to this 00:12:13.980 --> 00:12:16.259 special thing in the summer that only a few people 00:12:16.259 --> 00:12:18.679 could go to and you memorize these verses and 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:20.559 everyone would go to this city and you'd get 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:23.460 a job and then there'd be, you know, like 100 00:12:23.460 --> 00:12:26.340 or 200 and you'd be on teams of five. You'd have 00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:28.480 a team leader and four people and, you know, 00:12:28.519 --> 00:12:30.320 they would help you grow and you got a job and 00:12:30.320 --> 00:12:33.240 you did evangelism. It was like a hot house for 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:36.399 spiritual growth. And it was really, really beneficial. 00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:41.720 But this particular group, had a very structured 00:12:41.720 --> 00:12:45.159 approach to sanctification or how you grow spiritually. 00:12:45.379 --> 00:12:50.480 And their approach combined with my warped personality 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:54.100 and background was like the perfect storm to 00:12:54.100 --> 00:13:01.120 create a Pharisee. And so I really thought by 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:04.350 the end of that summer, I mean, you need to do 00:13:04.350 --> 00:13:05.830 this, you need to do the Bible study, you need 00:13:05.830 --> 00:13:07.909 to share your faith, you need to do this. By 00:13:07.909 --> 00:13:10.990 the end of that Bible study, you go to the end 00:13:10.990 --> 00:13:12.929 and your team leader would meet with you individually 00:13:12.929 --> 00:13:15.590 and kind of give you an evaluation and say, as 00:13:15.590 --> 00:13:17.309 you go back to your campus, here's something 00:13:17.309 --> 00:13:20.370 to think about to really help you grow your campus 00:13:20.370 --> 00:13:23.049 ministry. And you know, some of the people were 00:13:23.049 --> 00:13:24.509 talking and they were a little uptight, like, 00:13:24.529 --> 00:13:26.210 wow, this might be very threatening. I'm thinking, 00:13:26.210 --> 00:13:28.730 this is going to be great. Because in my private 00:13:28.730 --> 00:13:31.110 world, I'm thinking, I'm more disciplined than 00:13:31.110 --> 00:13:34.460 anybody here. If they were going to give an all 00:13:34.460 --> 00:13:41.659 -star, most valuable Christian award. You know, 00:13:41.679 --> 00:13:43.500 so I'm supposed to have this meeting with John, 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:45.759 my team leader, and I literally can't wait. I'm 00:13:45.759 --> 00:13:48.080 thinking, I'm finally going to get some pats 00:13:48.080 --> 00:13:50.600 on the back that I really deserve. And he's going 00:13:50.600 --> 00:13:53.820 to tell me just, you know, it's probably you, 00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:56.100 Hudson Taylor, Dawson Trotman, Martin Luther, 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:58.340 you know. You and the boys are going to make 00:13:58.340 --> 00:14:02.549 a big impact someday. I mean. It was so sick. 00:14:04.009 --> 00:14:07.769 And let me pick up the story because it's too 00:14:07.769 --> 00:14:11.210 embarrassing to tell. John was quiet. He's my 00:14:11.210 --> 00:14:13.570 team leader and had a very understated approach 00:14:13.570 --> 00:14:16.330 to his leadership. I was honestly looking forward 00:14:16.330 --> 00:14:18.049 to the meeting and I secretly hoped that he'd 00:14:18.049 --> 00:14:20.490 notice the discipline and what I modeled for 00:14:20.490 --> 00:14:22.289 the other members of my team, the servanthood 00:14:22.289 --> 00:14:24.730 that I've demonstrated in our relationships and 00:14:24.730 --> 00:14:26.649 the knowledge and faith that were rapidly developing 00:14:26.649 --> 00:14:29.429 in my life. I'd worked hard and was ready for 00:14:29.429 --> 00:14:32.389 that good pat on the back. Our meeting didn't 00:14:32.389 --> 00:14:34.769 go as I expected. Although I was full of zeal 00:14:34.769 --> 00:14:36.710 and performed well throughout the summer, John's 00:14:36.710 --> 00:14:40.769 evaluation stunned me. His assessment of my spiritual 00:14:40.769 --> 00:14:43.470 growth was far different than my own. With very 00:14:43.470 --> 00:14:45.570 few words, he said he appreciated getting to 00:14:45.570 --> 00:14:47.649 know me throughout the summer and that God had 00:14:47.649 --> 00:14:51.190 revealed three verses on his heart that he wanted 00:14:51.190 --> 00:14:55.529 to share with me, handed me the note cards, and 00:14:55.529 --> 00:14:57.809 said, I pray God really speaks to you as you 00:14:57.809 --> 00:15:02.450 go back to your campus. Anti -climatic. So I've 00:15:02.450 --> 00:15:05.190 got these three, three by five cards with verses 00:15:05.190 --> 00:15:07.750 that he'd handwritten out. The first one said, 00:15:08.269 --> 00:15:10.610 for my now seeking the favor of men or of God, 00:15:10.710 --> 00:15:13.190 or my striving to please men, if I was still 00:15:13.190 --> 00:15:15.950 trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant 00:15:15.950 --> 00:15:20.210 of Christ. Galatians 1 .10. I thought, hmm, that's 00:15:20.210 --> 00:15:23.809 an interesting verse. Second verse, John 5 .44. 00:15:24.090 --> 00:15:26.470 How can you believe when you receive glory from 00:15:26.470 --> 00:15:29.759 one another and you do not seek the glory? that 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:33.659 is from the one and only God. There may be a 00:15:33.659 --> 00:15:37.679 message here. All doubt was removed by the last 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:41.059 verse, Luke 16, 15. And he said to them, you 00:15:41.059 --> 00:15:43.080 are those who justify yourselves in the sight 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:47.419 of men, but God knows your heart. That which 00:15:47.419 --> 00:15:51.799 is highly esteemed among men is detestable in 00:15:51.799 --> 00:15:57.100 the sight of God. See, the real you can show 00:15:57.100 --> 00:16:01.779 up and you can meet real needs and you can do 00:16:01.779 --> 00:16:05.919 it to serve you like I did. To get affirmation, 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:09.639 to get strokes, to play a game inside the Christian 00:16:09.639 --> 00:16:14.200 community where you appear loving. But what you 00:16:14.200 --> 00:16:16.740 really do is you end up using all the verses 00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:19.419 that you know and all the good deeds that you 00:16:19.419 --> 00:16:22.860 have to create a little world where you just 00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:27.100 send a different hologram. of a fake and phony 00:16:27.100 --> 00:16:29.700 person that's working out your own dysfunctions 00:16:29.700 --> 00:16:33.519 to get people to accept you rather than say, 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:37.720 I am accepted in Jesus. And the acid test of 00:16:37.720 --> 00:16:39.580 your motives is always when you get treated like 00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:42.679 a servant, when no one notices, when they don't 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:45.419 say thank you, when you're not rewarded, when 00:16:45.419 --> 00:16:47.779 you feel like, you know, the only one that sees 00:16:47.779 --> 00:16:49.879 what I'm doing is God. The only one that seems 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:52.860 to really care is God. And in your heart of hearts, 00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:55.789 if you can say, Oh yeah, that's right. I'm serving 00:16:55.789 --> 00:16:59.830 an audience of one. People's response, people's 00:16:59.830 --> 00:17:03.909 strokes, people's affirmation. God, when it comes 00:17:03.909 --> 00:17:07.109 or if it doesn't come, that's not why I do what 00:17:07.109 --> 00:17:11.470 I do. It's the real you meeting real needs for 00:17:11.470 --> 00:17:14.369 the right reason. And finally, it's in the right 00:17:14.369 --> 00:17:19.529 way. He says your focus, the right way, is there's 00:17:19.529 --> 00:17:21.569 an upward focus and there's an outward focus. 00:17:22.190 --> 00:17:24.470 And it says you need to rejoice in hope. That's 00:17:24.470 --> 00:17:27.269 a mindset, not rejoice in circumstances or people's 00:17:27.269 --> 00:17:30.170 response. He says, what do you need to do? Persevere 00:17:30.170 --> 00:17:33.170 in tribulation. You're going to have multiple 00:17:33.170 --> 00:17:35.950 times where I don't know how I'm going to pay 00:17:35.950 --> 00:17:37.990 my rent. I don't know how I'm going to solve 00:17:37.990 --> 00:17:39.890 this problem. I don't know how I'm going to heal 00:17:39.890 --> 00:17:42.450 this marriage. I don't know how I can break this 00:17:42.450 --> 00:17:45.869 addiction. But God, I'm asking for your help. 00:17:47.369 --> 00:17:49.750 And I'm going to share my life openly and in 00:17:49.750 --> 00:17:52.289 authenticity with a group of people that are 00:17:52.289 --> 00:17:54.029 safe. And we're going to go through this together. 00:17:54.769 --> 00:17:57.509 And there's an upward focus. It's not your resources. 00:17:57.670 --> 00:18:02.529 The spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells 00:18:02.529 --> 00:18:05.789 in every child of God. You have all the power 00:18:05.789 --> 00:18:09.410 you'll ever need. But that power gets accessed 00:18:09.410 --> 00:18:11.789 through his word and through the community of 00:18:11.789 --> 00:18:14.829 God's people. And that power gets accessed as 00:18:14.829 --> 00:18:18.140 you pray. One of the greatest evidences of genuine 00:18:18.140 --> 00:18:20.359 humility and dependency is your prayer life. 00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:24.359 And so there's an upward focus, and then it's 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:28.019 followed by an outward focus. An outward focus 00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:30.500 says, notice what it says. It says, contributing 00:18:30.500 --> 00:18:32.960 to the needs of the saints, practicing or pursuing 00:18:32.960 --> 00:18:37.700 hospitality. It's where he says, there's an outward 00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:40.240 focus. The resources are, there's times where 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:42.799 God's going to ask you to contribute. The real 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:45.829 meaning of contribute is contribute. Like, give 00:18:45.829 --> 00:18:50.269 money away to people in need. Give time away. 00:18:51.009 --> 00:18:53.849 Give things away to someone that doesn't have 00:18:53.849 --> 00:18:55.789 what you have that's a brother or sister in Christ. 00:18:56.609 --> 00:18:58.230 Contribute to the needs of the saints, fellow 00:18:58.230 --> 00:19:03.789 believers. And when you do, it's like, what about 00:19:03.789 --> 00:19:09.369 me? God says, I got that one covered. And then 00:19:09.369 --> 00:19:11.769 it says, pursuing hospitality. Literally, the 00:19:11.769 --> 00:19:15.579 phrase is pursuing strangers. So you can get 00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:17.299 into authentic community. I think this is added 00:19:17.299 --> 00:19:18.900 at the very end for a very important reason. 00:19:19.019 --> 00:19:21.940 It can be us for and no more. We got the greatest 00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:24.119 Bible study. We're really close. We're so authentic. 00:19:24.220 --> 00:19:25.960 We're open. We can share anything. We're super 00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:27.640 supportive. We've been doing this for 25 years 00:19:27.640 --> 00:19:35.099 with just us. Wow. Goody for you. I wonder if 00:19:35.099 --> 00:19:36.400 there's anybody else in the church that might 00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:38.339 have needed this in the last 24 or five years. 00:19:39.630 --> 00:19:41.490 Who are the people that are unlovely? Who are 00:19:41.490 --> 00:19:43.470 the people that are lonely? Who are the people 00:19:43.470 --> 00:19:46.210 that need you to pursue and open your home and 00:19:46.210 --> 00:19:49.089 open your heart and invite them to a meal? Who 00:19:49.089 --> 00:19:52.930 are the people that need you to be the presence 00:19:52.930 --> 00:19:58.869 of Jesus? See, this is what breaks the ceiling. 00:19:59.069 --> 00:20:02.849 This is how you get unstuck. The seed of God's 00:20:02.849 --> 00:20:06.109 word in a good and honest heart, the soil, in 00:20:06.109 --> 00:20:09.099 the environment of authentic community. The real 00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:11.160 you, meaning real needs for the right reason 00:20:11.160 --> 00:20:14.299 and the right way, is where supernatural transformation 00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:18.019 occurs. It mattered so much to Jesus. Notice 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:20.880 how he closed his last prayer recorded in scripture. 00:20:21.240 --> 00:20:23.779 He says, my prayer, Father, is not for them alone, 00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:26.359 his disciples. I pray also for those that will 00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:28.319 believe in me through their message, that's us. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:31.359 That all of them, notice, may be one, Father, 00:20:31.460 --> 00:20:34.859 just as you are in me and I am in you, may they 00:20:34.859 --> 00:20:40.099 also be in us. The Trinity has authentic community. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.779 And Jesus is praying to the Father that we could 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:45.740 experience what they experience and then we could 00:20:45.740 --> 00:20:48.559 experience with them. And then look at the purpose 00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:51.700 clause. So that, this is why this is so important. 00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:58.700 So that they may believe you sent me. The greatest 00:20:58.700 --> 00:21:01.900 apologetic on the face of the earth is when you 00:21:01.900 --> 00:21:04.759 love authentically brothers and sisters with 00:21:04.759 --> 00:21:06.440 the real you meeting real needs for the right 00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:09.769 reason, the right way. Those outside of Christ 00:21:09.769 --> 00:21:13.190 will understand and believe that Jesus could 00:21:13.190 --> 00:21:18.269 be their Savior too. This is Living on the Edge 00:21:18.269 --> 00:21:21.230 with Chip Ingram. And he's been walking us through 00:21:21.230 --> 00:21:24.309 what authentic community really looks like. The 00:21:24.309 --> 00:21:26.970 environment where genuine transformation actually 00:21:26.970 --> 00:21:29.869 happens. And it's at the very heart of God's 00:21:29.869 --> 00:21:33.009 dream for your life. If today's message got under 00:21:33.009 --> 00:21:35.730 your skin a little, in a good way, we'd encourage 00:21:35.730 --> 00:21:38.259 you to share it with someone. You can find it 00:21:38.259 --> 00:21:42.640 anytime at livingontheedge .org. We also invite 00:21:42.640 --> 00:21:45.440 you to connect with us on social media. Follow 00:21:45.440 --> 00:21:48.240 us on Facebook and Instagram by searching for 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:51.440 Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. And you'll 00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:54.180 find us on YouTube by subscribing to Chip Ingram's 00:21:54.180 --> 00:21:56.500 channel. We look forward to seeing you there. 00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:59.680 And if Living on the Edge has played a role in 00:21:59.680 --> 00:22:02.089 your own spiritual growth, would you consider 00:22:02.089 --> 00:22:05.049 giving back? Every broadcast, every resource, 00:22:05.250 --> 00:22:08.210 every message like today's is made possible by 00:22:08.210 --> 00:22:10.430 people who believe this kind of teaching matters 00:22:10.430 --> 00:22:13.910 and who choose to support it. Your monthly partnership 00:22:13.910 --> 00:22:16.630 creates stability that keeps us reaching further. 00:22:16.829 --> 00:22:19.769 A one -time gift of any amount makes an immediate 00:22:19.769 --> 00:22:22.630 difference. Either way, you become part of something 00:22:22.630 --> 00:22:25.930 much bigger than one message or one moment. To 00:22:25.930 --> 00:22:29.450 give, visit livingontheedge .org or call us at 00:22:29.450 --> 00:22:34.690 888 - 333 -6003 to give right now. You can also 00:22:34.690 --> 00:22:38.069 mail us by writing to Living on the Edge, P .O. 00:22:38.069 --> 00:22:43.650 Box 3007, Atlanta, Georgia, 30024. Also make 00:22:43.650 --> 00:22:45.910 sure you've subscribed to the Living on the Edge 00:22:45.910 --> 00:22:49.130 podcast. Our new Chip Ingram sermon podcast feature 00:22:49.130 --> 00:22:52.589 gives you Chip's full unedited messages exactly 00:22:52.589 --> 00:22:55.609 as preached. Well, now once again, here's Chip 00:22:55.609 --> 00:22:58.430 with a final word. As I was thinking about this 00:22:58.430 --> 00:23:00.369 message, You know, I thought about authentic 00:23:00.369 --> 00:23:02.529 community. And the first thing that came to my 00:23:02.529 --> 00:23:04.589 mind was some men's groups or couples groups 00:23:04.589 --> 00:23:07.450 I've been in or actually a guy that I'm working 00:23:07.450 --> 00:23:09.849 out with right now. He's a personal trainer and 00:23:09.849 --> 00:23:13.289 he was a very committed Christian, but was never 00:23:13.289 --> 00:23:16.589 in authentic community. And while when he got 00:23:16.589 --> 00:23:19.250 into a group that shared from the heart, his 00:23:19.250 --> 00:23:23.559 life just it's been amazing to watch. But then 00:23:23.559 --> 00:23:24.940 as I thought about it, I thought, you know where 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:27.019 the real authentic community needs to begin? 00:23:27.420 --> 00:23:29.519 I mean, I love couples groups, men's groups, 00:23:29.720 --> 00:23:31.579 women's groups. All that's great. And we share 00:23:31.579 --> 00:23:34.039 hearts and we're going through it together. But 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:37.380 I think the first and most important group is 00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:39.980 your family. And for some that are single, it 00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:43.299 might be a roommate. But for many of you, it's 00:23:43.299 --> 00:23:47.920 you and your kids. It's you and your mate. And 00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:50.720 it's... The real you showing up at home, meeting 00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:53.019 real needs at home and doing it for the right 00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:57.920 reason in the right way. Could I just implore 00:23:57.920 --> 00:24:01.900 you to do some of those things that build authentic 00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:05.420 community? I mean, real practically, eat together 00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:09.059 as often as possible and at least three or four 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:12.069 times a week have dinner together. Talk to one 00:24:12.069 --> 00:24:14.910 another. Have a time where you put away all the 00:24:14.910 --> 00:24:17.710 devices and people actually make eye contact 00:24:17.710 --> 00:24:21.410 and talk. And if you have little ones, please, 00:24:21.609 --> 00:24:24.789 please, please don't miss the bath times and 00:24:24.789 --> 00:24:27.970 the bed times. You're shaping the soul of your 00:24:27.970 --> 00:24:31.930 child. Authentic community is the fiber that 00:24:31.930 --> 00:24:34.630 connects our hearts with one another and eventually 00:24:34.630 --> 00:24:37.569 connects it with God. Can I encourage you? Don't 00:24:37.569 --> 00:24:40.519 miss out. Is there someone in your life who has 00:24:40.519 --> 00:24:43.099 hurt you or something bad that's happened to 00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:46.180 you and you just can't get past it? I'm Dave 00:24:46.180 --> 00:24:48.480 Drewy. And tomorrow, Chip Ingram gives us the 00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:51.519 answer to that issue right here on Living on 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:57.140 the Edge. Today's program is produced and sponsored 00:24:57.140 --> 00:24:58.619 by Living on the Edge.