Jesus Unfiltered - Love - Love... Gives!, Part 2

What can you give to God. I mean let's face it, he already owns everything. So what can we give to God. Possibly once find out today welcome to this Friday addition of living on the shipping trips or Bible to daily discipleship outreach and I'm very nature continues a series is unfiltered by reminding us of one thing God really hoped for from the idea that we have something to give God something he doesn't already give us pause to wonder what I could be just about to tell Bible open another John chapter 12 let's find out. Well I was Christian I never opened this book taught was 18. I trust in Christ and I would just take the first couple years I think this is abnormal is not fun, but I really had come to know Christ is to read my Bible and when I went there. There is a Bible study on Thursday night we'd sing some songs and it was real and God was really working and changing my life. It doesn't happen all at once and so I struggled so but is on a basketball scholarship and it really wasn't cool to be a Christian. And so I wanted the basketball guys to like me and I sort had the people skills to introduce us to all the girls and so on Friday and Saturday night and went to all the bars and I was for the designated you know, get those pretty girls over there over here to see us. You know it's a Thursday night. I love God I love God, Friday night and Saturday night you get in like 233 in the morning I got a really sorry you know I you know in church and maybe you, you know I'll never do that again until next Friday night. You know being being being being not sure none of you ever had a this and it was just terrible.

I was struggled and little by little God begin to work my life and I just realized that I was ashamed of the gospel was ashamed of my Savior and by God's grace, little by little he allow me to to go public with my face and I saw one of the other Basco players come to Christ and little by little. Some changes occurred while fast-forward for five years.

You know by the end of that time I led the coming ministry on our campus with his bricklayer and my dad who was a Marine alcoholic 3/2 packs a day out of my sister and my fluffy comes to Christ and I mean radical change coming home. We don't think I've been out of school for year maybe is my senior year I can't quite remember, but in the Christian about four years now and he been to church is a good Bible teaching church acid that has gone is all is an exciting day.

I said welcome that you don't get baptized today as a way that's really great. So when you get baptized. Well being spiritual giant that I was you know I think it's really about the heart and and you know I'm you really want with God in the Bible and you nonsense parachurch group and we didn't really talk about baptism and the Lord's supper some other stuff and so he looking like you have been baptized.

So come with me all that you not unite think it's you know that my new snow so I got up on the parties church and I don't really remember you ever have one of those times were you can remember right where you are. Remember walking to my bedroom and assorted right now I could create that bedroom in my mind, and a member sitting staying in my bedroom realizing the only reason you're not responding to your father is less a year old Christ and is obeying God you are arrogant and proud and you don't want to admit that is because he turned so like I don't know you know a lot more than me but seems like he said after make disciples very first thing you do your baptized you go public right yet at that's what you do so, I got baptized with my father in a creek that afternoon as if it is awesome you and it's even it's even more awesome because you clap for me. But here's the deal.

I'm going clap for you. I'm gonna have everyone stand and sing a song if you notice were to teach and apply teach and apply, and I think last service we baptize. 18 people. Last night we baptized 30 people. We have a change of clothes, a lot of people just going to close. I don't carry a plastic bag so does run your car.

Don't look at me like that, you mean that you can imagine the Ethiopian eunuch you know like he's in the chariot, what must I do he trust Christ and then he says well Pearson what he would be baptized is that you and I really would like to but I need to get back to Africa. These are my good clothes. Philip baptized him. Can can I just play with you little bit some of you this is just we have people living in the church, 23 years. Last night involved in leadership just realize not just I just need to obey three or four people that you know what I prayed to receive Christ they got baptized this morning or last night. I'm guessing if I put a little tiny bar of gold worth about 10 grand and put in the bottom that water not downstairs a lot even though I just don't really want to mess with these close.

I'm guessing most Eve ago who cares about close. Now we have a change of clothes for you. Good shape. Here's the deal we are at the height of hypocrisy to talk about loving and seeing God work outside our doors and going public out there. If we have yet to obey the first command in the public with God's family. When Jesus hear me and you say I love you. Keith looks and says oh, these are my followers.

These are my sons and daughters to give extravagant gifts to me for love, not tax deductions. These are the people that came in late in the marketplace when suddenly, lovingly, not over the top, not religiosity, not better than not self righteously, but they just went similar acknowledge that on the Lord of their life and the public with their faith they profess me when it's unpopular. They profess and even if it's illegal. The 30 that isn't Mary expressing her love and the third event isn't even this moment were this great parade occurred. The third event is when a group of Gentiles or Greeks come and they asked Jesus a question and this question will literally like click enter put the firing pin. If you would in to a prophetic moment all the time that has been prepared for Jesus coming to the earth. It would like signal is now been activated. It's going to happen. It's going to happen in the next seven days you member in chapter 2, were his mother said to him in the sun in the run out of wine. Could you could you can do something with my hour has not yet come. Chapter 70 remember when they wanted to make him king by force. It says he slipped through the crowd because his hour had not come.

You might remember when his brother said that in believing that the time you know you're such hot stuff you doing miracles out there. Once you get this Passover is as you will go ahead anytime is good for you my hour has not come when these Gentiles want to see Jesus there there what's called God fears the people that were Gentiles and Greeks were so attracted to the Jews in their love and the monotheism in stead of all these idols that they become proselytes who are following Judaism and now there's a Messiah, and they want to meet him and see Jesus came for the whole world, and when these non-Jews take the steps.

It's almost like it goes into process. Follow along as we read we pick it up at verse 20. Now there were some Greeks among them who went up to worship at the feast they came to Philip who is from Bethesda in Galilee with the request survey said we would like to see Jesus. Philip went to tell Andrew and Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus not hear his reply to this is quite unusual. Jesus replied the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth unless a grain of wheat fall into the earth and die remains by itself alone. But if it dies, it will bear for much fruit. The man who loves his life will lose it, will the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

Whoever serves me must follow me and where I am, my servants also will be my father will honor the one who serves me.

Now this is this is prophetic moment. Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say father, save me from this hour know it was for this very reason that I came to this hour. Father, glorify your son this request. Bam it starts and Jesus is thinking he's like you. You know that feeling we have a do God's way, do it my way because he was fully God and fully man.

He felt that he's tempted like us everything in him sit. Oh, should I can't bail out.

This is why this is my purpose. Notice how God the father confirms because yes, he was God. But everything Jesus did, did he did independence on the father the power the Holy Spirit, he live the Christian life the way he modeled for us. He didn't just rip off his robe and have a big ass on his chest. When I got to the wrong God.

He did it as being fully human, and so he needed affirmation like we do so. Notice what happens when a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and will glorified again.

The crowd was there heard it and said they got it thundered. Other said no, and Angel has spoken him. She said, this voice was for your benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world. Now the prince of this world will be driven out. Speaking of Satan. But when I am lifted up.

John always uses this of going to the cross and the word.

It's interesting, there's a prefix it's literally being lifted up and lifted out of suit prefigures not only the cross lift be lifted out of the earth in the resurrection I will draw all men to myself.

He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die something big happening here this request.

The hour has come if you most of us are Gentile. Some of you are from Jewish background. But if you are Gentile, went to the Passover and you heard about all these miracles and then you met him and he said hey we would like to meet you and ask a few questions would you expect the answer to be unless a grain of wheat fall into the earth and I it remains myself alone, but if it dies, it will bear much fruit.

Meet without like a ring with people while right now and we don't even know whether he ever met with see what this was. Was this is a prophetic moment to put something in here now Jesus is explaining to his disciples.

The only way for God's purpose is to be fulfilled.

First he speaking of himself. I must die so that others can have life when he dies on the cross he pays for the sins of all people of all time only rises from the dead, he proves it's true being fully man. He could die. Being fully God's death and infinite value to cover the sins of all people of all time, that whosoever would believe and trust in him would have eternal life, but he doesn't stop with its principal as well as the truth and what to say to them, if any man if any woman, if you want to save your life.

Use of the word, we get psychology superior.

So if you want to save the real part of you that really matters anyone seeks to save his life will lose it, but if anyone is willing to lose his life and so in your physical life will save anything that I'm calling you to follow me and where I'm going is to the cross and the only way people will have life is if I go to the cross and I die then I will rise anything. The only way that you have real life joy and peace and purpose in God's plan for your life is you die and is a very narrow path of following him and there's a wide path that everyone says here's what you get. Here's what you do. This is what matters.

And Jesus is a little thing over here.

He says if you try to stay in control and do your life your way and not follow make you lose your life and then he goes on those who are mine, who serve me. They must be with me, or is he going he's going to the cross seed the day of the last 30 to 40 years of evangelical Christian America pray a prayer I love Jesus trying feel a bit nicer than other people give a little money here and there, and Jesus is your self-help genie and what he really wants to do is make you prosperous and happy and you never get sick and everything turns out right you single you meet Mr. wonderful. And if you're married, this is amazing marriage with no problems whatsoever and are you kids turn out absolutely wonderful and they go to Ivy League schools and then they just love you love you love you love you and everything's perfect and you know that's not true, but the gospel of American Christianity has been by and large Jesus plus something that he could work out for your agenda will make you happy.

I got news that doesn't work in Iran, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, China, Sudan, or Syria.

It's Jesus plus nothing and by the way doesn't work in America and we are now entering into a phase in American life where some intellectual commitment that I believe in Jesus.

I'm going to try and be a nice person is not the gospel he saying will you follow me see what happens is we get expectations about this is what it means to follow him and we want to follow him as long as he makes our life work out on our terms on our schedule right human. Everybody does it.

In fact, watch the text. This group of people has the ideas we mentioned that you had a common pulldown room and I was talk about being lifted up and dying and so the casino will second the crowd spoke up. We've heard the from the wall that the Christ will remain forever. So how can you say the Son of Man must be lifted up, who is the Son of Man. Any answers Jesus told them you're going to have a light with you little while longer walk while you have a light before the darkness overtakes you the man who walks in the dark does not know where is going put your trust in the light. What he said about himself on the light of the world while you have it so that you may become sons of light. We had finished speaking, Jesus left and he hid himself from see we can have this picture of what following him is, but it really is very subtly is following him our terms and what he saying to them, and what he saying to us is once you receive eternal life. There needs to be a moment in your life and mine were we bow the knee and we say to him, I surrender, and I'm going to follow and I don't know what it means but I want you to know that my future and my relationships in my finances in my dreams. I believe that you're so good and so loving and so holy that your purpose is for me are better than what I could come up with and so I trust you and often he just is so kind, so kind.

He brings great people in your life and for some of you, he's made you upwardly mobile. Please open great doors, but that's not part of the package. That's just grace and blessing because I don't know what next week soon to be I don't know when next years can you be needed to you. But if it's based on what he you get in trying to manipulate him you you will have one of those days. I hear many Christians where you know I believed in Jesus and the my mom got cancer and believe in Jesus until one of my friends got hit by a drunk driver. All so I believe in Jesus as long as my life works out my way on my schedule on my terms in a fallen world and you know God's way bigger than that. In fact, notice what happens is not to speak to these group of people that it had all this truth, the Jewish leaders must Jewish leader, a rabbi would have all the Old Testament memorized me, they know the truth know the truth of the truth of the truth, but they refused to obey. So watch what happens. Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs and how many people need to raise from the dead or heal before people get your the man they still would not believe in him. If you have your own Bible. Would you underline would not not did not could not they would not, here's the facts. Here's the data here's the truth, they wouldn't. And for those that refuse to their hardening their heart. This was to fulfill the word of Isaiah the prophet Lord, who has believed our message and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed. For this reason they could not believe because as Isaiah says elsewhere. He is blinded their eyes and deaden their heart so they can either see with their eyes or understand with their hearts, nor turn and I would heal them. Isaiah said this because he saw Jesus glory, and he spoke about this is this is reference to these Jewish leaders. They've seen miracles he's caught he's right, people from the dead. Here's the deal. When you have a lot of truth and you reject it, reject it, and rejected, what happens is it's harder and harder to hear God's voice. It's harder and harder to to get in touch with God. And when you have that much truth and you reject reject reject in your heart gets hard at some point time like with Pharaoh, Pharaoh hardened his heart and then God hardened it and now they come to the point of no return. It's a very dangerous place to be, but there's good news.

Notice the next group of people. Yet at the same time. Many, even among the leaders believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, it wouldn't confess their faith, for they fear they would be put out of the synagogue, for they love the praise of men more than the praise from God and us like this. Lastly, Jesus shot a man believes in me is not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me. When he looks at me. He sees the one who sent me.

I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness, loves people notice what happens. As for the person who hears my words but does not keep him. I do not judge him. I did not come in to judge the world, but to say that there is a judge for the one who rejects me does not accept my words.

Here's what judges you, the very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day for I didn't speak on my own accord, but the father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know this is his command, and it leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the father has told me to say when Jesus hears you driving in the car and your sword overwhelmed in some reason by how good is good and you say I love you when you're praying and have one of those deep times with God and say I love you or when you're in a big big champion you just think hope God I love you help me, Jesus would say as we go on the journey together.

I measure and feel like you really love me when from your heart. You make extravagant gifts to me from your heart when you give public acknowledgment that I am the Lord of your life and even appropriately at work and with your neighbors that you and even here's the application love gives sacrificially of your life.

Even at the cost of your life. So this isn't like Detroit, religion.

This is a person. This is the creator of the universe who came to this earth and is called man in his call now will you follow because where I am, my servants need to be. And if you ever surrendered your life to him. Have you ever said to him I really am all in and whatever that means. And by the way, if it part of your emotions right now are like me and that is scary and you are not listening because if it's not scary if there's not a sense of wall. What if the because I don't know what he'll ask. I know he will test all of us, but here's what I can say the offer goes something like this in view of all of God's great grace I command you, I urge. I plead with you all for your body is a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to him.

This is your spiritual or regional active service really wants and don't be conformed any longer to this world and the world system, but be transformed from the inside out by the renewing of your mind, so that your life like on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday morning and at work and in with your kids and in your singleness that your life could prove or demonstrate to everyone what God's will is that it's good. The word means beautiful fragrance that's acceptable, you'll love it. And that is perfectly WordPerfect has assigned events according to a design that is exactly right for who God made you to be back in a minute's application. But if you're just going to guess your listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram chips message. Love gives is from his series Jesus on filtered volume 3. Sometimes the concept of love seems nebulous or confusing which is why chip study through these passages in the Gospel of John is so helpful because it's so practical.

Chip often recommends the gospel of John to new believers or believers were just getting into Scripture for themselves for the first time that's you are. If you have a friend who's there, let me recommend all four volumes of the series Jesus on filtered go find them free on the chip Ingram map or if you prefer CDs that are available on our website LivingontheEdge.org to check out all the discounts on our current volume number three. Just give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org.

I'll be right back in just a minute to talk about today's teaching but as we study the apostle John's teaching here through the gospel.

I can in the back of my mind, here's some of you saying you know chip. This all sounds really wonderful but you don't know me you don't know what I've done, you don't know what I've been boy if you ever understood the terrible things. In other words, Jesus could never associate with someone like me he could never really love me. Never forgive me and I want you to know.

Listen carefully. That is alive from the pit of hell.

The fact of the matter is, as no one is beyond the reach of Jesus love but but if you believe that lot you don't keep you stock if you believe that lie. You'll never come to receive his grace or as a follower. If you believe that lie you'll think you're a second-class citizen. The rest of your life and never experiences joy in his power be used by him. Here's what I want you to know the only way to break lies is with truth and so what we develop is what we call truth cards for every chapter in the book of John we have the lie outlined and that we have the truth of that chapter to help you break free.

Let me give you an example for those who feel like you don't measure up your unworthy. The lie in chapter 4. Is this God could never accept me or use my life. After all the terrible things I've done. It says right on the card and right below the cart is a little stop sign, stop, and then you turn over the card and the cards as Jesus wants to accept and use me, he for gave a woman who had five husbands and was currently living with a man so he could communicate his love through her to a whole city. Actually, that passage goes on to say he is seeking or pursuing those who would worship him in spirit and in truth. If you want to be free of your past, trying hard doesn't work. The truth does let me encourage you get a copy of these truth cards will give you all the information back get two or three copies. They're very inexpensive and go through it with some friends or family, and here's what you experience you experience the truth and the truth will set you free will. But Jesus on filtered truth cards are available now while supplies last. When you go to our website LivingontheEdge.org each of these 21 cards is a common lie or spiritual battle we all face and on the flipside, it has a passage from the Gospel of John to help you renew your mind with the truth whether there for you or someone else.

Order your set of Jesus on filtered truth cards and get free shipping by calling us at 1-888-333-6003 or order online at http://livingontheedge.org without here's trip with his application as we wrap up today's program.

I think the context of John chapter 12 is really apropos for today because it's a big religious movement, and there's all these people coming into worship God in the two major events is that is the multitudes or are praising Jesus as the Messiah. He makes a big challenge that you know.

Love gives public recognition. I mean it would be a very scary thing to go against the establishment.

But love willfully, boldly proclaims him a follower of Jesus, and the second thing is love sacrificially gives of oneself and what we see here is that as we even ended the teaching time. The greatest most extravagant important gift that you could ever give yourself in someone ask you as we think about love and what it looks like to to really love God, to express it back to him. Just two questions. Is there a way today you could publicly identify as a follower of Jesus, not just I believe in God or I'm a good person or I show up to work on time, but where out of your mouth Jesus is my Lord in an appropriate way and the second is you know all those religious people were missing the boat and I think were living in a day were going to church trying to be good of the whole consumerism that's happened in the American church. I think it's easy to think that were doing just fine and I want to ask this question very gently.

Are you a surrendered follower of Christ. Are you all in. I mean is your time and your money in your future, your singleness, your family, I mean does everything that you have and everything that you are revolve around who Jesus actually is. That's what he's calling them to do in this passage and his blessing his joy is power and being used by him requires that surrender is the prerequisite, can I ask you today to really ask God Lord in my surrendered and then would you believe and trust that it's the greatest, safest, best place to be for every day and for all eternity. Just before we close. I want to thank those of you who make this broadcast possible for your generous financial support. If you found today's program helpful but haven't yet supported us. There's never been a better time because every gift between now and July 7 will be matched dollar for dollar making a donation is easy just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click the donate button on our homepage or you can always give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 and let me thank you in advance for your generosity will be with us again on Monday when Chip continues his series Jesus on filtered until then, this is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge