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May 3, 2021 6:00 am
Let me ask you how when your kids or your grandkids. Remember you what will you give them will last forever and never fade away and leave a legacy last forever. That's to stay with me. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger in the mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christian Bible teaching of tripping were so grateful joined her sister begins a new series called leaving a legacy lasts forever may seem like an overwhelming idea legacy last forever. Let me encourage you that it's not as impossible over the next several programs will highlight a few important lessons to teach your children, grandchildren, or someone your mentoring as will learn nothing is more important than stilling God's truth in the next generation so I hope you'll make plans to listen to this entire series. With that strip of this message. Teach them to suffer well want to start our little journey out together.
If you will with a hypothetical but morbid set of questions how that I it's hypothetical, but these are morbid questions.
The hypothetical situation is this. But I want you to really do it with me. I don't want you to lean back go out hypothetical. I want you to sort engage and save yourself your stipend situation. If you knew with absolute certainty that you would die exactly 365 days from today Katie got exactly 365 days from now to the minute you have a massive not painful heart attack and you would be dead. And you'd be translated if you're a follower of Jesus into the very presence of God with that as the hypothetical situation.
I have three questions.
Question number one who are the top five people you feel most responsible to repair your passing me just quickly in your mind who the top five people you know, 365 days from now you are gonna be gone so who are the top five people that you need to prepare for your passing kids, grandkids, friends, people you're discipling coworkers who would got question number two what would you want to pass on to them in the next 365 days to bless and promote their success.
After you're gone exactly 365 days to bless them to help them to prepare them what you want to pass on wealth, wisdom, heirlooms, a business and education. Any who are they, and yet 365 days. What do you want them to get that when you're dead, you can say, well, hey, you know, at least I gave him this.
What is this dreadful question number three gets more morbid when you make them up yourself. You can make them as morbid as you want. Question number three. If you died exactly 24 hours from now, instead of one year from now, what would you most regret that you did not pass on to those you love.
When you think about who they are. You gonna think about what you really want to pass on but then one of the rules quickly changed and instead of a year from now 24 hours from now you find yourself in Jesus presence.
That's the good news. But then when you look back and you said when I think of my kids when I think of this friend when you think of this grandchild.
When I think of this young man at this young woman I was discipling when I think of this group of men that I was an accountability group with what I was thinking about this woman's fellowship. I was in no my biggest regret was I didn't pass on what would be what would it be. Here's the fact. The fact is you and I are passing on who we are and what we value and what we possess every single day.
For some people this is a highly strategic very intentional game plan that you're fulfilling. You know who the people are you know what you want to pass on. You have a plan to pass it on and you look at your calendar and your day timer and you are very strategically passing on the things that matter most to you. For most of the rest of us.
It's sort of a haphazard, hoping for the best highway of sorts that you kinda passing some stuff on but you not really sure what your passing on, and it's filled with lots of good intentions, and you can get real clear about it and more serious about it later and unconsciously you think you can live a lot longer than your and the average person will fail to pass on the things that matter most to the people they love the most in reality most followers of Christ have given far more thought and energy into developing a game plan to transfer their wealth than they have their faith or their values, and I'm guessing I won't ask you to raise your hand. I'm guessing most people have a will. I'm guessing most people have some sort of an estate plan, what, what, why, because you realize there's X amount of dollars and there's taxes and there's issues and you want to pass on some of that wealth to a friend or an organization or your kids or your grandkids. And so you thought what how much, to whom and why.
And isn't it interesting that were real concerned about who gets money but how concerned are we that they get our faith and that they get our values and they get the kind of stuff money can't buy.
Yet the apostle Paul commands his son in the faith Timothy to do just that. To pass on what matters most. Notice what he says in second Timothy two to the things you've heard from me. Timothy referred it in small group top Timothy. You've heard me preach it, Timothy. You've heard me face-to-face when I had to say, hard things do you Timothy you've heard it in Ephesus. Timothy, you've heard it after I got up when I was beaten Timothy the things you've heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust or pass on these two faithful men, who be able to teach others also. He was talking about the principle of transfer. He was talking in our day about sinking something he was talking Outlook Timothy Lemay leaving the picture God has uploaded the truth of his spirit in these values in my life and my relationship with Christ in the application to every area and every relationship has been uploaded supernaturally by the Holy Spirit. The word of God and the community of the saints. I have a responsibility and Timothy. The reason I ask you to hang out for me.
I'm downloading it into you and your soul. I want you now to upload it to get practical and I want you to download to others but not just anybody but the others are faithful so that they will do what Bill downloaded to others. Transfer transfer transfer so let me ask you what you gonna leave your kids when you leave your friends when you leave the people that you disciple where you leave your grandkids what Unilever spiritual children what he can leave your church and will it make him or break will give them what they need to make the kind of choices and the kind of decisions that will allow them to be God's man in God's woman in their generation will they have the values and the perspective in the faith and the regard in the view for God that will sustain them through world. It keeps getting crazier and crazier and crazier and more carnal, or will they sit in a little room and have someone pull out a little will and no read a few little lines and find out they got the grandfather clock.
They got the earrings we got 11.5% of the estate, but they never really knew your heart they never knew your passion for the word of God. They never knew the secret you learned in your marriage. They never knew the forgiveness that you received after your abortion.
They never knew what it was like to grow in Christ and what it was like to live with an ailing mate and to serve them and love them for years and where you got the strength see, that's the stuff that will sustain much pass on apostle Paul talks a lot about life as a race in first Corinthians 90 talks about running a race. Not wanting to be disqualified. When he gets to the very end of his life. Second printing chapter 4, he says I have run the race. I fought the fight in this picture of a race is not only just finishing well but Paul sees life as a relay race and he sees that the relay race is the truth and the life of Christ deposited in him is like a baton that he has to pass on to the next runner and if your sports especially track and field you realize it in terms of the track and field world nationals. We had the fastest team twice and we've dropped the baton in the Olympics and the four by and then two years later to drop the baton again and see that's where failure in the race usually occurs it's in the exchange and will talk about in our time together is what is it that really needs to be passed on and how practically do you pass it on to those you love the most in your secrets is five core values that we must pass on to the next generation. And I remember a very sobering moment. A number of years ago and some of you remember the Columbine shootings is pastoring a church at the time in California. It was growing very rapidly, and lots of people were coming and I had kinda kids at all different age levels and I and I remember thinking because of the nature of the people who committed those crimes and what happened. I remember asking myself what is it that I want to pass on to my kids and what is it that I want to pass on to the church. The money could never buy and begin to think and pray and by that time I been a Christian quite a few years and a pastor for a number of years and I realize you know what at the end of the day it's not all these little rules are. It's not how often they do this and is not this external behavior is not how often they go to church is not if they just read their Bible here, or if they do this if they learn to give off the top all those are practical things, but what I realized is there are values and if there is some core values that you could come upload in your heart from God and download into their hearts, and they were really a part of who they were, you would have to worry about anything else. As I began to pray and ponder that I realize what I really wanted pass on to my kids, my grandkids, my friends, the disciples in the church I wanted to learn to suffer well. I wanted to learn to work into the Lord. I wanted to learn to manage their wealth wisely wanted to teach them to make wise decisions and wanted to have him learn to live. Grace filled lives and I just can't wait to share those five things in our time and just not what they are, but how do you pass them on and so let's start with votes as radical sustain change always begins with our thinking, not our behavior. And I really want to emphasize this in our day and especially among Christians. I think we have over emphasize behavior and out of our fears.
We want our kids or the person were discipling for our grandkids or friends of the people in the women's group for the Mensa calendar group, their behavior and behavior were they doing were they doing were they doing were they doing and somehow we get thinking. We just can ring the Bible and praying and giving and going to things and maybe even a short-term missions trip and we focus on this exterior and Bud Light not, no problem. All those things. When done for the right reason are very very very wonderful conduits of grace, lasting change always starts with your thinking, not you. Behavior when the apostle Paul wanted to teach about how lasting supernatural change occurs after 11 chapters of truth.
He opens up Romans chapter 12 and says it begins with offering yourself as a living sacrifice, and then he says don't be conformed any longer to this world but be transformed. It doesn't say by going to church more often.
It doesn't say by trying harder. It doesn't sing by cleaning up your externals, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. It's a change of perspective it's realizing God's on your team is looking at sin differently. It's realizing that the things the world offers are cheap and insignificant and won't pay off and you agree with God about the 60 changes how you think and he said by the renewing of your mind and then you will test literally experience or approve what God's will is that which is good, acceptable and perfect. And so what were to talk about it. I just want to get this on the can come on the table early as this is not going to be, you know, a bunch of different things we can get people to start doing now.
They will do things. What you want to do is give them a new worldview you want to give them a completely new perspective you want them to think differently so it soaks from their head in concept about what the Scriptures teach and who God is and who they are and their identity and how they think about values and money and people relationships and sex and priorities and what you want us to have a completely different worldview and a set of values that plant in their heart so they begin to live out of this identity in Christ and they own it for them versus external religious activities of trying to somehow please God, and you get a couple you know brownie points on that big refrigerator in the sky wherever this is so that's what we can talk about transferable concept number one. This may sound strange but teach them to suffer well, teach him to suffer well. We have raised a generation of people when they think of suffering.
The only concept they can think of is how to get out of it, how to limited and how to avoid and unfortunately it's not biblical. And unfortunately it sets them up with really bad expectations. Let me give you a theology of suffering. If you else you will go through it rather quickly and each time will give you the theology and then we'll talk about the practice, but a theology of suffering goes something like this from Scripture, life is hard, but God is good. Life is hard, your kids, your disciples, your grandkids, your friends, people and ladies group. They come to Christ. Some hard hits and gosh what's going on. You think that life is hard.
The very last thing Jesus said he could've said a lot of things. John 1633 in the world you will have tribulation, trouble, difficulty, but I've overcome the world. We we need to help people understand life is going to be hard and filled with trouble, but God is good.
John, if you will.
Psalm 8411 Nixon your notes to God is good. The Lord God is a sun and shield the Lord gives grace and glory no no good thing will he withhold from those who walk up rightly. He is a good plan for us. He loves the cease for us. He delights to be generous to us but it's in the context of a difficult world. Second Life is unjust. But God is sovereign sovereign is the keyword life's not fair to God's in control. Luke 13, you might jot down a mean a group of people came to Jesus and said hey what's going on here.
Did you hear about this. The tower silo and fell on the certain group of people Jesus of what you think they were more unrighteous and other people's point is, it's a fallen world, bad things are you ready for non-Christians get cancer ready for this. Christians get cancer non-Christians get hit by drunk drivers ready Christians get hit by drunk drivers, the economy, caves, then I don't know about you but I was isolated only nonbelievers.
401(k)s are now 101 case right it's a fallen world.
But God's in control. Romans 828 he will work all things together for good to to those are called to those that love him. But the good isn't always external circumstances going your way. The ultimate good.
Is he will use everything want to make you like a son is God's primary agenda is to make you holy not happy now. There's a lot of happiness that comes with Lenny giving the Old Testament roots of this.
It's Genesis 37 through 50.
It's the story of Joseph. Now think about this.
There's 50 chapters in the book of Genesis. This is the most foundational book of all of Scripture almost every major doctrine is introduced in Genesis.
It's the book of beginnings, we get creation and we get Abraham we get the entire line we get even early with Noah.
I mean, you get all these thousands of years, and yet 13 chapters that's over 25% 28+ percent of the entire book about one man why what is the story about. It explains what happened between Genesis 1 and two and three in Genesis 1 and two we have a perfect world with a loving, perfect God in a perfect environment that wants is best for his people, and then we have a coup and there's a rebellion in this rebellion is God.
I don't want your way and there's a willful sin, and so sin enters into there's skull. The fall is what theologians call it. And so sin enters the human race, and we have been a rebellious people ever sense. But God is a redeeming God so he takes Adam and Eve and gets them out of the garden and sets a guard, so that they can't eat from the tree of life and be in the state permanently.
But now God in his sovereignty and his love is good orchestrate, even to the bad decisions. The ups and downs in the evil and the sin he wants to work for man's good and the life of Joseph is the story of how God works good in us and through us in the midst of a fallen world to bring about the highest and best for us and to accomplish his purposes, and that's why for those of you that are still in the you know, reading stories to your kids. Stage Joseph needs to be one of the most heroes in your home or you grandparents or those of you are doing Bible study. You need to early on, get people identified with Joseph because guess what they're going to be sold into slavery of some kind.
They're going to get betrayed by someone they can have someone slander them there going to be forgotten right is it that all part of life and remember the very end of the story. I call it the Genesis 5020 principle. Joseph is at the end member God exalted him, he becomes the ruler of all of Egypt.
He saves the nation of Israel. He saves the chosen people. He actually saves you know Pharaoh in Egypt and all the rest and then when dad dies his brother still don't get you know what's going on, and so when dad dies that they start making up little stories.
This is a loose translation of the Texas civil Ingram is in here so I mean basically that there thinking you know Joseph was really nice to us why dad was alive, but now he's gone. I think he's coming.
We betrayed him where we were. Think about killing Amon and we just sold them instead and we used and abused him and I that now he's can get back at us and I just have this picture of Joseph leaning kind of honest to have been shaken to send guys use you still don't get it do you. Genesis 50 verse 20. As for you, you meant this for evil but God meant it for good to bring about this present result, I think, is looking over the land to preserve many people alive see you get a teacher Bible study friends you teach your kids you give teacher grandkids you teach him that you know what it's a fallen world. Life is hard.
Life is unfair. God is good God is in control and just like Joseph people actually use the most painful, difficult, sinful injustice, betrayal, everything you go through to fulfill his ultimate purposes. If you like Joseph say you know I don't always understand this, but I'm not. I'm not bailing out and trust God and how one would be like that you, God gave him this dream. This is what I'm going to do with your mom just thinking when he's in that cell God where you went in when he gets falsely accused of rape God where are you when he gets forgotten about the guys after interprets the drink God where are you, but he doesn't got out and understand but I'm confident of this and he didn't have this verse but it's still true, then if you begin a good work in the will perfect until the day of Christ Jesus. And so we need to have a clear picture the other biblical profile as Jesus and Peter gives us the explanation of Jesus role in teaching us about suffering first Peter chapter 221 to 23 it says to this you were called, put a circle in your notes around the phrase to this because I want you to think about what is the to this.
You're called to this, whatever it is because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example that you should follow in the steps of circle the word example and I've got the answer to the to this you were called. I was called to what to suffer what I thought we were. If we believe in God.
We loved him and we gave off the top and read our Bible in the morning and prayed real hard and were you nice to everybody and tried to be a good person that God is going make our life work out everything would be wonderful. We never get sick and we have more money in our kids to be upwardly mobile. And someday someone I would end up at Thanksgiving and sinking by all but 1211 grandkids you that's not the way it is no whatever part of that you get praise Lord press ahead. I'm glad for you God and promised, here's what he promised to this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you example that you should.
What observe it and wonder what to say that you should follow in his steps in and by the way, when you think it's unfair. Just so you get the story he committed no sin and no deceit was found in his mouth. What's the point he's absolutely innocent.
I'm not and you're not.
I'm in a lot of the suffering I get because I'm stupid and sinful.
I've made dumb decisions have had sinful acts in part that's how I he didn't do anything wrong. When I get upset when I feel like some really innocent on getting a raw deal. We did nothing wrong when they hurled insults, injustice. He didn't retaliate when he suffered, he made no threats. You do this I'll get you back. I get a couple legion of angels, guys, you just wait, that wasn't it. Instead, listen to what he did. He entrusted himself to him who judges justly. Here's what here's what you can understand the model was it's not fair. I'm being wrong I'm being betrayed. I've done nothing wrong. I'm not can retaliate.
I'm following in blazing the trail that I want you as my children my followers to follow with me and when you don't understand it, and when it hurts and when it seems unbearable. You entrust your soul to a faithful Creator I heavenly father is sovereign and good and all wise to bring about the best possible end by the best possible means. For the most possible people for the longest possible time. The classic definition of the wisdom of God, and who longs to blessing is most generous being in the universe and his can orchestrate this present injustice, suffering for your good and his purposes as you entrusted to him in the midst of your learning to some length command joint application just listening to the first part of his message.
Teach them to suffer will from a series leaving a legacy that lasts forever your kids today are experiencing a real crisis of character. So many young adults don't know how to properly handle hardships or make wise choices are also lost when it comes to managing money or finding meaning in their work. For those of you with teenagers or adult children. You understand the struggle I'm talking about but don't lose hope. The Bible has the answers. Stick with us for this entire series of strip unpacks five key biblical lessons that will equip you to pour into the kids you care about to find all the resources for leaving a legacy that lasts forever. Go to LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 Listeners simply tap special offers will chip were just beginning this series on the importance of a godly legacy that lasts forever. Sure with us where the idea for the series comes from. We know today. This is one of the most unique series I've ever developed in my life and it will require a little bit a history. Some will remember a Columbine and Columbine was one of the very early first shootings in Colorado that started this just indiscriminate.
I mean high school kids going into school and and shooting people and remember the shock after that and then you know some of the theory in that day was.
It was lack of education and people were coming from tough backgrounds and that's the reason kids were acting out and Columbine destroyed all that what we realize these were affluent kids that had nice families plenty of close plenty of money had everything going for them and I remember doing a survey the week afterwards in our church at the time and wondering what is it that were really passing on, and I'll never forget having this moment because my kids. Some were pretty well grown and others weren't at all and me asking God. I don't know how many years left. What when I pass onto my kids more than any more than a great education. More than a great job more than anything else in the world. What do I want to pass on to my kids. I remember leaning back and putting up my feet on my desk and I begin to pray, I begin to think and say Lord, would you show me and literally I grabbed an envelope and on the back of the envelope. I thought I need to teach my kids how to suffer well they're going to suffer like I need to teach them how to work and to the Lord, I need to teach them how to make wise decisions. I need to teach them that failure is never final and I came up with five things that I realize that you know I had done it a little bit here little bit there and then I thought, you know what my kids need a theology they need to understand what is important why it's important. And then how to actually learn it and then I I developed a series around those things that God has used with all kind of people, but especially I think early on it was grandparents who thought I want to leave a legacy because I think that way and then I met parents who said while been consumed with the right education. They make the traveling team. They get all these opportunities. These are the things that will determine whether you're happy with your kids.
Whether God's happy with your kids and whether they grow up and have the kind of life that we all dream they're going to have so leaving a legacy that lasts forever is how we give our kids what money can buy. Thanks for the trip.
Well, I hope you'll make plans to be with us for this entire series will be encouraged and strengthened by it.
And if you happen to miss a program you can always catch up on the Chip Ingram map or any time that LivingontheEdge.org it will chip the message we just finished on suffering was a tough one to listen to really changes the way we approach payment and try when our lives is certainly not the way most of us were brought up to think. I do understand that telling you that you need to help others learn to suffer well may sound a little bit crazy to our American ears.
But let me let me read a passage this was the written in the first century it was written during a time when was very difficult to be a Christian and this is a passage that is timeless not only for the church of the first century, but for now and listen to what it says Peter would write. Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial that you are suffering as though something strange were happening to you, but rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
If you are insulted because the name of Christ. You are blessed for the spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
Not only is suffering normal.
Not only are we called to suffer but he says don't be surprised.
And here's the deal, as you're trying to pass on this to your kids. Obviously, you and I we we got a model at first you want to pass it on to the guys of the gals in your Bible study. But if we have this mindset and it's an American cultural consumer stick mindset that when something goes wrong, God what's wrong you didn't show up.
You and I pray to read my Bible Yum! given to the missions fun and yet I lost my job and then were not only surprised we get disillusioned. Let me encourage you to memorize first Peter chapter 4 verse 12 I had a number of situations happening around my life. I wrote this first down.
First Peter 412 through 14 on a little yellow sheet and I have in my Bible and I'm reading it over every morning so that I will stop being shocked or surprised when things are difficult and realize you know what, this is a part of being a follower of Jesus Christ in a fallen world, and God will give me everything I need and so here is my prayer, holy father, will you help every single person listening to my voice to lean into the suffering to ask you for help to realize its normal, and to know that you work in them and through them as we trust you instead of whine and complain. In Jesus name. So are you ready let's ask God to make. First Peter 412.
How we respond. Every moment this week as we wrap up I want to say thanks to those who make this program possible through your generous financial support. Your gifts help us create programs, purchase your time and develop additional resources to help Christians live like Christians. If you've been blessed by the ministry of Living on the Edge. Would you consider sending a gift today. You can call us at AAA 83336003. Tap the donate button or donate online at http://livingontheedge.org. Your support is greatly appreciated will be sure to join us next time. When she continues his series leaving a legacy that lasts forever. Until then, this is Dave really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge