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December 22, 2020 5:00 am
No Christmas is literally right around as we put the finishing touches on all the preparations and I hope you will stay with me for the next 25 minutes because this is also the time it's very, very dark for some of us deepen our souls learn from the Christmas story may be something you haven't thought about how to come out of the darkness where to find hope in the midst of all this festivity don't miss it. That's today welcome to this edition of living will begin Chip Ingram chips or Bible teacher on this international discipleship program and I will this program continues a series great risk by explaining that sometimes the power of a great risk story can be overlooked. If we romanticize it is the involvement of regular.
Second, we tend to focus on your opportunities. It opens up the great rescue story. In this case the Christmas story is no different. So unless were careful missing the power it holds for us still today. Okay let's get going.
She always open your Bible. If you have one to Luke chapter 2. Let's join Chip for part two of his message the phasing plan what we learned about interventions in our day.
Some of you I've been involved in one with my father many years ago wasn't very professional but worked. I've been with people that have been in interventions done interventions, but whether it's alcohol or drugs. A sexual addiction codependency of what we know is that some people get addicted begin to live in such a way that is destroying their lives and the people around them and then something happens where people realize we can't allow this to continue. And they do what we call a intervention is always doing my research I think the spiritual parallels I went online and found a number of places that you know if you are thinking – my son or my husband, my wife, you know, my best friend, someone I really love Honda just killing themselves with alcohol or drugs or something like this, where would you go what did you actually start an intervention and so I looked at a number of them, but this is five tips for a successful intervention and as I read it do, the spiritual math to yourself and think boy got sure knew a lot more about this the man to number one, don't wing it.
Okay, God had a very long careful plan that you don't wing it research and planning is critical to stay positive, interesting interventions are not people beating up on someone.
It's about love and commitment, and we care in your valued and think Jesus ministry and how he didn't come with shame how it came with love and healing people and raising him from the dead and delivering people that no one cared about.
Third hope for the best prepare for the worst lots of interventions don't work, seek just because someone comes to rescue doesn't mean people get rescued. Someone can come to rescue us, but we have to be willing to accept the help and I think of how God planned for the best but allowed for the worse. Those who didn't want help he's made provision for us for professional interventionalists and numbers don't try this at home. Get outside help and finally six secure your drug rehab center before you do this. It's not like you have this event to go boy now what we do and I was thinking of Jesus, the very last thing he said to his disciples remember he said I go to prepare a place for you. He prepared what was going to happen to all the people that is going to rescue just a fascinating way for me to begin to take the trees in the songs and the sweet baby Jesus in all the ways that we get familiar and realize Christmas is about the greatest rescue that is ever occurred. There is a plan from eternity past, there are unlikely people for a reason.
There's an innovative method. It's beyond imagination, actually. And thenceforth there is perfect timing. Galatians for forces when the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law, and the perfect timing had for five characteristics number one of the Roman empire was in one control and it was Rhodes that went everywhere so transportation for the gospel to move was free to there was the Internet of the day coin, a Greek everyone was the trade language all over the Roman Empire. When you did business coin, a Greek so the Bible New Testament written Corneille Greek. It exploded third, there was a diaspora of the Jewish synagogue, they were persecuted and so were the synagogues all over the Roman Empire. So when the gospel went forth.
They always started their in last. There was corruption and absolute bankruptcy.
Note religiously, philosophically, morally, in terms of the lifestyle. In fact, I have a quote here at contemporary Roman oratory on political theorists Marcus Tullius Cicero gives a brutal picture of what city life was like during this period of history when he described it as miserable, starving rabble. 90% of the population Roman Empire lived a hand to mouth existence and rarely lived beyond the age of 40. On top of this dismal living conditions.
There were social and political injustices, oppression, abuse, and of course unreasonable taxes that plagued the people relentless daily challenge of most people was simply trying to survive. It was in to this God's perfect timing.
He sent forth his son, and finally what God does. He always does with flawless and perfect execution.
Job 42 two says I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. So as we begin to think about Christmas this season. What I've given you sort of through my rescue lens is a little bit of an oversimplified synthesis of the Christmas story and of rescue and the reason I wanted to do that because we have twofold things we do around this amazing rescue story that destroy its power.
This is reality, and we destroy it two ways. Number one, we destroyed because we romanticize it we we we have this picture of this glowing Mary instead of a teenage girl having a baby in a very difficult situation, whose family has rejected her. Who people think if you're Joseph that you're marrying a horror because she's already pregnant who are poor people who can't find a place to have the baby.
I mean, this is reality.
This was harsh. This was difficult mean some of you have been pregnant and know what is like the triangle on a little trip will forget a car. Can you imagine being back pregnant and taking a trip on a donkey see we romanticize it and you know I like the lights and I like the candles and we have the beautiful songs and the special songs that make our hearts sore and you know we are in the West and were comfortable and we have presence and we have wonderful times and we eat great food, and isn't it a wonderful time of the yes yes but it's about a rescue. It's not about religious ritual. It's not about a wonderful season for the spirit of Christmas is not with me little bit nicer to one another.
It's about God doing an intervention because he loves us so much that he would humble himself to take on human flesh and be born of a teenage girl and live a perfect life in one of the most horrendous difficult times in human history because he loves you because he loves me and he loves your family and my family and your friends and my friends and the people at your work and people where I go. The second thing that we do that minimizes what's Christmas is all about is we so focused on what were delivered out of we don't remember what were delivered into when you're rescued your rescued out of darkness into light out of a burning building into safety so in my remaining time when I want to do is I want to talk about the deliverance the rescue into and want to go back to Ephesians because Ephesians is the book that tells us what God has given us so you're ready God rescues us out of darkness into light and I just want to give you not all, but just three specific clear things that those of you like me who came out of your denial and at some point in time in your life.
Recognize that you are an addict and our addiction was ourselves in being in control and our arrogance and wanting life to be our way and at some point in time we said you know what, I'm not in control. I fall short. I do have problems I have sinned, and we said God, would you forgive me and you trusted in Christ, and we were trusted in Christ as your Savior and invite them into your life, you turn from your old way you receive the Holy Spirit and you were taken from the kingdom of darkness in the kingdom of light in a number of things happen, but I want to remind you of three things you were delivered out of the delivered into number one. Jesus will put your past behind you.
Why because you redeemed in him. Notice how in each of these passages. It's in him and him were in Christ.
In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us. Notice its present tense we have. It's a picture. This word is used of a deliverance of a slave of emancipation of a prisoner notice. It's by his blood is literally a picture in New Testament times of someone going into the Agoura. That's where the marketplace was and they would take slaves and put the slave up on a box and then people would bid or ransom or bind them in politics that picture in the first world century and says you were a slave and you were chained in the addiction of your own sin and your own self interest like you and me been violated a holy God and you are destroying your own life. And Jesus said I want that one. I want that what I want that when whosoever and he bought us from slavery to freedom, he broke the chains of what we were a prisoner to make us new. We then redeemed and here's the new Hope you're free your free unit.
You don't have to live that all why you have to be so focused. You don't have to be where addicted to a lot of quote acceptable things, along with drugs and alcohol and all the rest of the struggle with. You are free. You are free to be what a child of God dearly loved, blameless and holy.
But it gets better.
Not only has he put our past behind us.
But Jesus has a purpose for your life today. He goes on in this passage who says in all wisdom and insight is made known to us the mystery of his will read about the word mystery despite secret, not mysterious. This word means.
In other words, it wasn't known before, but now in him in Christ. Please let us know the secret of his will according to his kind intention, which he purposed notice in him with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of times. That is the summing up of all things in Christ, things in heaven and things upon the earth couple keywords here it says in all wisdom, that word has the idea of knowledge which sees into the heart of the thing God sees into the heart of all wisdom. What's best for you.
It says that it's inside, it's insight that leads to proper action, and before people didn't know what. In Christ, God reveals this plan of deliverance.
This rescue, for whosoever would turn to him and that's what Christmas is all about.
I love this phrase as an administration suitable yet.
I don't know about you but that doesn't really ring with me. Literally, it was the idea of a stewardship. This word here is like a household economy. In other words, there was one economy were God dealt with people that he loved in the Old Testament pointing toward the cross and there was animals and their sacrifices. But now were in this new economy. In this new economy is Christ, and a purpose in the mystery of his will. He's revealed to you what life is all about new what that means. That means that you are needed. This new purpose.
This new household.
It's his agent of blessing was Israel.
Now there's not Jew and Gentile, there going to come together in this brand-new thing called the church. That's what he's talking about and this church is going to be the supernatural agent to do exactly what Jesus did explain God to everyone by how we live and what we say to bring the kingdom. We talked about that earlier to bring the kingdom where what's up their love and kindness and humility and generosity. We take it down here so we did well where people don't have water. We deliver people out of the sex trade provide counseling for people and we share the good news and we develop and help build churches and care for people to care for people. That's what this is about and so God says that every single one of us because of this rescue by Jesus we call Christmas. He says that you are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto a work that from the foundations of the earth. You are now part of the family.
Part of the team to take this rescue message by what you say and by how you live every single person on the earth. You know a lot of people if you talk with them when they're in addictions or when there did very very depressed or when they're struggling with. What's what's one thing you here's I don't want to live anymore.
There's no purpose in my life. See Jesus set us free. But then he said this is what I want you to do and until the job is done every day I get up if you want to rearrange your life as you get older quote retire do it, but retirements not even a possibility for Christian, you might do something different for your vacation but until you take your last breath and I take my last breath we bring the kingdom.
We explained the love of God in you know what that means your needed. The third thing that happens is that Jesus promises you and me a positive future. He says in him. Christ, we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to his purpose who works all things after the counsel of his will to the end we were the first to hope in Christ should be the praise of his glory you have an inheritance. I don't know a lot about inherence as my parents were schoolteachers and my expectations of getting any kind of the Harringtons was sorta slim and none. But my dad lived to be about 8485-and he remarried in and he was wise with his money and and then he remarried and then Evelyn. I lived a few years afterwards and they did the things that wise good people do.
They didn't hope or think they had a will and they knew what they were going to do and so my sisters and Evelyn's kids. They provided wasn't big but I I got money from my father and I didn't do anything for do anything for I did earn it. You know I got it is my last name, your name was Ingram herein.
My name is Ingram.
My dad's name is Ralph Ingram and when Ralph Ingram died years and years and years earlier he had set aside that this goes to punky. This goes to Jeannie. This goes to chip and I got it, you know, they took the house liquidated that some other things in each one of us, along with Evelyn's kids. We got an inheritance will. It was awesome just just to be part of the here's the deal you have an inheritance and its lavish you have a heaven coming. You have a new life. You have spiritual gifts God has given you an inheritance. There is a heaven waiting that is real and here's the truth here's the new hope you're worthy you know when people lose hope. Down deep, a lot of it is a I don't measure up to bring anything to the table. I'm getting old. No one cares about me. I'm not as gifted. I had these dreams and I feel like I failed you know that marriage didn't work on my kids and turn out very well in my parents they really mess stuff up. I'm down on me. I flunked out of school. Yeah I'm on big time on the dollar signs that I'm in the minus category when it comes to relationships. See, no one has it together and God came to rescue you and me out of all that stuff and he wants you to know your free take off the chains except that your needed, get off your posterior and get off your pity party and align with other believers because as you give your life away you will find it and finally, you're more than just needed you are worthy, and you are solely because of your last name and your last name is Christ one and then they started slurring together and calling Christians in the family of God is listening to chips message the amazing plan series great risk in this little three-part series reveals that God's great rescue mission utilized an incredible plan and relied on a very unlikely team and yet is exactly what people desperate for rescue can rely on. With absolute certainty. If you'd like to hear this message again the chipping remap is perfect for free access.
The ups also an easy way to share this message with a friend if you like CDs take advantage of our on-air discounts and remember the MP3s are always free. Just visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org Special offers on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 before I come back and talk about some application to today's message. I do understand we have been talking a lot about the match and how your gift doubles and what the ministries doing but I just want to pause for a moment and tell you may be a bit behind the scenes of why it's so important why I bleed what God is doing it.
Living on the Edge. This is the part that many of you won't see that this email that I'm going to read is the standard copy that we get in fact we pray every day as a staff for a half-hour all around the country, we come together and and we have Excel sheets of just literally scores and scores of people and I'm telling you it's painful what people are going through marriage is falling apart. No jobs. People who have relatives of died of covert, 19 and this lady writes good morning, this message is for Chip Ingram. I wanted him to know what God is done in my life to the ministry. I'm a long-time believer who wandered far from God for many years after year and 1/2 of crisis divorce and struggle to find my purpose in my place. I was searching for someone who would care for me, someone to whom I could belong.
I reached the breaking point.
In August I had suicidal thoughts were about nine months and this day in August was the worst metal break I'd ever had. I scared myself, my family and my friends had absolutely no hope, no way forward. I could not see the love my family and my friends had for me.
I felt alone and unloved, unwanted, and I despaired and was desperately crying out for help. I lashed out at everyone around me.
I was defeated, discouraged and depressed and I thought I couldn't go on anymore. She goes on to talk about something that came to her mind from years ago, about 106.9 the light and some guy named Chip she got on the Internet, found it, googled it and goes on to say, I've been listening every single day. Little by little God begin to speak to my heart. Renew my mind and fill my spirit, and she says I was humbled and all by what God is done in my heart, my mind in my life I wanted Chip to know that his ministry has been used by God to save my life. That's why I do what I do and that's why were asking you to join. Yes, there's ministry, there's impact there's international.
There's equipping there's discipling. I may not diamond all that I can't tell you how many letters and emails I get of people whose lives are fallen apart and God promised his word would go forth and not return void without doing what he says it'll do.
Would you help us help so many who are hurting so deeply. Right now they would you give them kind of the information about how they can join us and why it's important here in December.
Thanks so much love to.
Thanks to you know if you've ever wondered how you can make a difference. What you just read should help you see that partnering with the ministry of Living on the Edge would be a great place to make a difference in the lives of people you'll never meet on your own right now. Your gift will go twice as far. Thanks to a small group of ministry partners. Every gift we received during the month of December will be doubled dollar for dollar to send a donation. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call at triple late. 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003. You will make a difference as we wrap up today's program. I want to encourage you to do something yes keep preparing get those presents done, you know. Enjoy the holidays sing the songs out loud. You, me and Frank Sinatra, Perry Como and all those crooners and those old songs and all the new ones too. But here's the deal. I want you to really think this Christmas about what God rescued you from Christmas is in a ritual it's not a time of the year. It's not of justice, something to go through. It is a memorial and the reminder of the greatest rescue that ever occurred.
It's the breaking you and me out of the chains, it's that God has given us a hope that you're free he's taken you and me out of the kingdom of darkness, placed us in the kingdom of light and what he said is your needed you have a purpose and finally he said that I don't care what the world says about your looks, your background, your education what you've done or haven't done. You are worthy.
This Christmas will you allow God to rescue not just from something, but into the hope that he is planned for you from all eternity. This Christmas, it's more than just a baby. It's he loves you. He has a purpose for you. You are special and I want you to know that you have been rescued not just out of darkness but into the light which you ponder and ask yourself, what will it look like this December to live in the light and then are you ready share it with others.
You know a great way to stay engaged and connected to Chip and Living on the Edges with the Chip Ingram up, you'll get free access to all of Chip's recent messages is message notes and much more.
And not only that, but it couldn't be easier to call or email directly from the F will be with us again next time.
When Chip continues his series, the great rescue until they listen Steve Gurley saying thanks for listening to this addition of Living on the Edge