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December 22, 2021 5:00 am
Did you ever wonder what God really wants from you. I know I did my perception of what I thought God wanted for me wasn't even close to reality back. It actually kept me away from him years today will discover what God really wants from you and me turn what he wants to give us as well.
Don't miss it. That's today welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with tripping trips are Bible teacher on this international discipleship program and I'm very true and were currently in a series called what child is this and this program should ask the question. Most of us have asked some questions God want.
Sometimes we ask it in frustration. Sometimes we ask it in humility the way the answer may surprise you is always to be with us after the so be sure to stay with us if you have your Bible handy opener now to Colossians chapter 1. Let's join Chip for what does he do you know what the most commonly asked question is in December every year.
It's not a trick question goes like this what you want for Christmas. We think of the millions of times that's happened just all over the world. When I was very very little my grandparents. You know they would combine we go visiting, so chip 21 for Christmas. It was a ridiculous question because you can get socks and underwear every year to some never get the soft pack auto brother, you know that's what grandparents ask of little kids and if you've ever seen. You know, one of the Christmas movies right there, is that there's the Santa were to go to the mall. Sometimes I have a big area and the little kids get on Santa's lap and what the Santa ask every little boy little girl so what do you want for Christmas right over.
Some of us it's a little more serious and sore like you to that person that you love very very very much. And sometimes it's a friend I made one of your kids, your thinking while I get only what would really express what's on my heart. I want to be special and you think about it in what they want for Christmas. That's the question and for some and I don't want to pick on us men, but this question keeps us wandering the malls on the 23rd on the 24th. I'm supposed to be back. I can get this thing wrapped it's like 730 at night then and you just wanted you because you don't know the answer, what should I get him. What should I get her what about right. Here's a question for you if we could ask Jesus mean, the reason for the season. The baby in the manger. The God that visited the planet image of the invisible God, the firstborn of creation, the one who created all that there is, what if we would ask him what do you want for Christmas. What do you really want what we learned already. You know why he came in two years, but what do you want but here's the thing about not. What do you Jesus little baby want, although that's true, but what about the Jesus who lived the perfect life, died upon a cross paid for the sins of the world was resurrected walk on the planet for 40 days in a resurrection body 500 witnesses ascended in broad daylight sits at the right hand of the father and now rules all things, and is coming back and if we could ask him. So what do you want this Christmas. Personally and that's when you talk about the answer is in the book of Colossians, you know, this is the merrier the Joseph story, this is an Hark the Herald Angels.
This is in a way to manger this isn't you know the Luke chapter 2 in the wisemen. All of that is the story and it's wonderful. But I wanted this stop. This year, and safe. We can just pull back the curtain and in from heaven looking down from God's perspective what's this Christmas story all about how we find it tucked in a little book that was written to a group of new Christians. They were a group. The word new in the faith.
The apostle Paul had never met them personally, but Packard -itis was one of the, servants and ministers and he had gone there and is writing a letter to actually straighten out some things come false teachers came in and in the letter he ends up answering this question that we pick it up, but pick up at about verse 19 or 20. It says for God was pleased for all the fullness of deity to dwell in Christ through him to reconcile to himself all things for the things in heaven are things on earth, making peace through his blood shed on the cross it says once speaking of these new Christians you were alienated from God more enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior, but now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through his death, to present you holy and the site without blemish and free from accusation. If you continue in your faith established in firm not moved from the hope held out the gospel and this is the gospel that you heard and it is been proclaim to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul had become a servant. So here's what I want to know if you can ask Jesus this very day. What you want, I can tell you for things he wants for you and little bit later there's four things he wants from you but the first thing he wants for you is this. He wants you to receive his part. He wants you to receive a gift in a most people you give a gift. He wants you to receive one.
Notice the text says once you were alienated from God. The word means estranged and then he says that it's because in your mind you are God's enemy. In other words, God is over here and you're over here and your enemies, and he said your enemies because of your evil behavior, but he says that the Creighton is as you than the tense of the verb you've been reconciled. It's happened and it happened by what Christ did on the cross, paying for your sin in mind for the whole world now this word alienated estranged if you've ever had, like a falling out with a friend or ever been separated from your mate or your supervisor and your boss you really got into it. I mean it was really bad to be in stranger.
If you been through a divorce.
I mean, that's estranged. And all the emotions go through it. That was the position that you and I and everyone have been in.
Apart from God in the gift is were reconciled.
The word reconciled and what really means.
It's when two people that are enemies become friends. Here's the truth.
Jot this down.
Here's what he wants.
Jesus made it possible to be friends with God. Think of that Jesus made it possible for you to be friends with God. Now you know sometimes we just throw the stuff around. Think about what a real friend is like me, not just this distant God who created things are a religious ceremony that I'm a friend, at least in my life.
A friend of someone you can depend on. A friend of someone that this is what I like. They love and care about you, for you, not what you do or what you can do or who you know or what you've accomplished.
The people that I really call friends in my life is I can share anything with them and I don't get judgment.
I also don't get a pass, but I mean I can say this is what I'm struggling with in this and this and this may get this attitude I know it's not quite right, but I'm really ticked off and and they listen and then they give wise counsel mean a friend is someone that at least the ones I have that are really close everything they have.
When I've been in a jam.
I called people. One of the morning to pick me up. I got an auto accident and call the guy 130 in morning would you come and it never entered my mind that he wouldn't jump out of bed, he did see a friend of someone who's there for you. Who loves you just for you if you really thought about Jesus wants to be your friend and he's made a way to close the gap so that you could be God's friend in this Christmas. He doesn't want you to know about him or have a religious belief or try harder to be a bit more moral. He wants to be your friend, but the responses to things have to happen we need to repent and to believe in order to become his friend, the word repent just means you need to have a change of mind when an enemy is I'm going this way that my life I'm to do my thing. God don't you tell me what to do and I don't want your direction.
You may have made me and all that stuff but I'm doing this repent means you turn around and say you know if you really made me and you love me you died for me. I wanted to stretch with my life. So there's a change of mind that leads to change behavior but but then that the real powers you just need to receive the gift.
It's a gift in John chapter 1. It's the story of the life of Jesus, and it's all around this idea of so why did Jesus actually come in John chapter 1 and since he came into his own his own people and those who were his own didn't receive. In other words, they rejected him. He came and said I want to be your friend I will forgive you and want to love you in the great majority of people said we don't want you, but then verse 12 says this yet those who believed in him, who believed on his name, he gave the right or the power to become children of God. Those who received him, those who said you know what I want the pardon. I want the gift heard a story in a number of years ago and was told was a true story but I mean it's like really an old story but was just stuck in my mind, the story of a guy that was on death row. It was in the Midwest. I don't know, like Indiana, Minnesota. Somewhere in there and the guy was on death row was really hardened and bitter, but his family was just, I mean just torn up by it that appeal after appeal after appeal. And finally, like the governor was going out officer something and they just ask. Would you would you please, please, please, and so the governor decides he's going to pardon this guy and so he actually does, he pardons him of his sentence and I can't member what he was really older what the situation was what he pardons him and the guy was so hardhearted he said you know what I don't want your blank pardon in the governor. True story said let it be known in this state on this day that so-and-so will be executed, but he will not be executed because of his guilt. He will be executed because he refused the pardon, his guilt was forgiven. We refuse the pardon about you, but that seems rather dumb. What could we agree on that one. I mean I mean if that was your dad or your brother, your friend, I mean just like are you kidding me, and yet that's what people do to God all the time all the time, and by the way, it's not an intellectual issue notice he says that we were enemies in our minds noticeable phrase because of our evil behavior to the fact is, as it were all narcissist to a high degree and we want to please me and my world and I want to be king I want to be my own God and I want to do certain things in certain behaviors and because of that I say I don't want you and God. Here's the thing you ready for this. He doesn't want you to fit into some little religious mold. He longs to forgive you and give you a pardon invite you into a relationship and be your friend and be better than any friend you've ever ever had.
Who would be available to accept you as you are.
It would help you grow it would deal with issues of your past who would always be willing to listen and give you the strength of the resources, whatever you need to become who you long to become a better who he wants to become the second thing Jesus wants this Christmas is he wants to make you holy and whole K doesn't just want to give you a gift and take you from this kingdom of darkness and put his spirit inside of you say okay you're my child. He wants that to begin a process of transformation. The text says in order to present you holy and the father site without blemish free from accusation. This is a this is a picture where Jesus has my blood paid for you and is covered it and when you come to faith and turn to me, that I want on a certain day at a certain time before the final judgment to present you to the father.
Holy means pure, set apart the word unblemished. Here is a picture like an Old Testament offering we bring up a cow or a goat that had to be unblemished. No defect and without accusation. In other words, no one can bring up charges and said all this person should never have a relationship because he did this and she did that. What about here and what about the past. Here he said absolutely says I want you to be holy want you to be presentable, but the word even holy in our language.
It comes from the idea of wholeness since it just some spiritual transaction he want you to be restored. He wants to address the dysfunction he wants to give you peace. He wants to repair to happen in your heart and your soul wants to make you whole.
He doesn't just save us out of something he saves us into life in light relationship, no notice there's a little condition. It says if you continue in your faith establishing firm not moved from the hope and the hope is that the return of Christ. All the promises of God held out in the gospel. He says this gospel is what you heard it, and so the truth is it that Jesus has freed us from the penalty and the power of sin, but nothing of this. There is a penalty. The wages of sin. There's consequences to our actions. The wages of sin.
There's a penalty it's death.
He is freed us from death. But sin has power. I mean, if you would make up a whole new set of rules. I don't care what they are 30 days you can keep your own rules. In fact, what you start making rules, breaking them just there's something and it's if I could be conical to find out to be like my bro but you can make your own rules, but God made some in the real clear and reveals character to call the 10 Commandments and they were never designed in any way to save her.
Forgive anyone they were just to give you a bar of clarity to know this is what God is like. This is really what's best for you. These are the boundaries that make life and relationships work and then everyone who tries realizes I fall short.
And since I knew that that's why sent my son, so you have to be sure and maybe you're like me you grew up little bit. I did grow up reading the Bible or church or anything and I sorta grew up with. I think it's an American concept is pretty ancient. From what I've read. I can have this idea that there's a big chalkboard or whiteboard in the sky iron in our day would say there's a computer screen and note there's sort of all your good deeds and good thoughts would go on one side and all your bad deeds going the other side and I thought like you at the end of your life no more good deeds and bad deeds right to know, and I always have graded myself pretty liberally. So I figured I was doing great. Everyone grades on the curb except God and if you read the Bible. The Scriptures very very clear and Jesus was very clear one little mark on the ledger of bad deeds or thoughts or a lustful thought single lie or hypocrisy eliminate you from relationship with God because he is holy and perfect and pure. So to have a relationship with God. Your score has to be 100, not 99.9 will that makes it really hard to get in but that's his character and maybe you know Billy Graham and the mother traces in a handful of people around the world are 9294's and tax murders are -5's, I'm just telling you. Most of you here here in the 70s and 80s. I but you know something if you have to get 100. It doesn't matter whether you're a -5 or 94. You still fail and the point of Scripture and the point of Jesus. Is he atone for and he paid for your sin he reconciled. You once and for all, so that you could be his friend.
So there could be relationship in this little clause if it really has the idea of sense is what's called a first-class condition in Greek.
It's since you won't be moved the infrastructure in the foundation you have can't be changed and you can't.
It's that second word of firm as a picture of someone who seated and something it can't go from one location to another. He says if indeed you actually trusted the gospel of Christ which you heard the God being fully man and fully God lived the perfect life upon the earth, died upon the cross to pay for as your substitute your sin and rose from the dead, and you place your faith in that and that alone, to have new relationship.
He says you won't be moved but what he also says is that when that happens there's a progress that occurs God wants to make you holy for that last day but but the Bible talks about two things talked about positional righteousness or sanctification and practical righteousness or holiness and sanctification, and so the moment a person recognizes your need and I did it when I was 18. After going to church for years and rejecting it all and I heard the gospel and realized it was a gift, not performance. I asked Christ to come into my life and forgive me and I trusted in him alone. I was transferred from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light, his spirit literally came inside my physical body. My sins were forgiven and God as a judge legally goes step on your justified means literally God.
From that moment on, or any persons trusted Christ, it's just as if you never send all your sins are taken away legally but that's just half of it. Then the very righteousness of Christ is imputed to my account.
It's like it if it was numbers. It's like all your debts go and then all God's resources go in is called justification.
And so God sees us legally or positionally met way. But then that begins a process where his spirit was to practically work out what's already true. This let me give you a picture of this we have some friends and they have three kids and there was a student that came from another country and she was on like a 30 day visit to America and not not a little baby that like a preteen, I think, and she stayed with him for about 30 days and after 30 days they just fell in love with this girl and I went for the last year. Through this process and in there's some good parallels here. They loved her they chose her. They adopted her, but she went back and lived in this other country. While this was happening, and though she lived in this other country at a certain day at a certain time the adoption went through and though she's in that country and they were in this country except for like three weeks ago. That girl is their daughter to get his positional it's true she could be more their daughter but her experience of life in their family didn't occur until they all got on that plane and the whole family went there for about three or four weeks and of the whole family came back and she's now living know she's learning she's learning how this family walks and talks and eats and loves and see that's God's plan for you. He wants you to receive a pardon, but he wants to make you whole and wants to make you holy your responses, we must actively persevere in our faith. I mean Christ doesn't mean God has done something wonderful and free, but there's no effort on our part that little girl has a journey on her hands to figure out how this family works and she's loved she's been adopted. She's in a family she matters, but I got news for you.
I think it will be all that easy right just have to learn a lot of new things in one day. Little by little by little she will reflect her mom and her dad in the values of her family. She lives with them and that's what happens with us you come into relationship in the spirit of the living God lives inside of you and he speaks to you through his word and through his people and you know what month by month, year by year time by time as you make every effort to walk with him and follow him member. Jesus didn't say hi came. I want to know there's forgiveness. Get your free tickets. See you later. What did he say to all the disciples the kingdom of God is near. Now these units follow me, follow me, follow me.
See I have a concern I have a concern that in our great desire to make sure that people understand that the free gift of God and grace and forgiveness is totally what God has done is I think we have a lot of people that don't have saving faith. I think what they have intellectual assent towards the intellectually believe if you said you believe Jesus you believe you.leader is you love God's word. You really know. Are you on a path to become more holy than it really.
Are you living your life you're like me, yeah, but me and I believe that stuff so I think you know what I go to heaven to somewhere says that will make another picture.
Let let's say I have the cancer and I need surgery and is a pretty tricky surgery and I go up to San Francisco because he's the number one in the world and I said you know it's pretty tricky but this guy is really good.
He's like in a 85/87.
On this particular one only guy in the country that doesn't and I say you what I believe you can do that 85 out 87 thank you very much.
I believe the facts are there. He's a great surgeon.
He's done it, I believe, intellectually now the difference okay and he says you need that surgery 6 AM tomorrow morning and put you under and he's that guy that you believe and if you take a knife to cut you open is and take the cancer out and you're very hopeful that it's 86 at 88.
Did you see the difference. Intellectual assent is. I agree with intellectually saving faith is my mind. My emotions and my will I trust myself.
That's where you get born again. That's where the life new life takes root and you become not only holy but whole.
The third thing he wants to give you is Jesus want you to be 100% certain of heaven with him think that you want you to be 100% certain.
Talk about the piece that would bring you want you know that on your down days or update your between days 100% certain that you would be in heaven with him. Notice some verse 24 he picks up the text. He says the apostle Paul speaking of his relationship. He says now I rejoice in what was suffered for you speaking this new church and all the individuals I fill up in my flesh. What is still lacking. With regard to Christ's affliction for the sake of his body, which is the church. Five. Become its servant to present to you the word of God and all of its fullness. It's the mystery that's been kept hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the saints, and that just is word for for believers to then God's chosen to make known among the Gentiles, basically non-Jews. All of us are mostly all of us the glorious riches of this mystery, which is in Christ, which is Christ in you the hope of glory. And so what you see is Paul saying he rejoices that he actually got to suffer. He's in prison writing this at the time for this church because there's been a secret that wasn't known before, that's all.
The word mystery means means it was hidden in the past to alter the Old Testament, the prophets in the nation of Israel God's plan. It was hidden, but the secret is if you like. Open a block to be clear as a belt, not mysterious. It was just a secret. And you would open up and say here's the secret.
God is going to come in the new covenant is going to have not just his plan for the Jewish people in the world, but Jews and Gentiles are going to come together in this one new thing called the church and all those things you've heard about God wants to be with his people and the man you well, Emmanuel, God with us will. Here's the secret he doesn't want to just be with us. He was with Israel he was with them in the tabernacle.
He came in a Shekinah glory.
He was with them when the temple was built.
Here's the secret he wants to be in you, he wants to be in you, he wants to have a relationships that's deeper and more intimate than any person has ever known. At any time. All history. He wants to dwell inside of you. Christ in you, this is the hope of glory and and hope is the hope of glory is God's final glory of heaven and he said I want you to taste part of heaven, every single day and what makes heaven wonderful is the person of Christ. Yes, there's a new heaven, there's a new earth is all kind of wonderful things, but at the core of all that is Jesus himself, and he says here's the amazing thing I want you to be certain, because you would experience day by day, moment by moment, not some distant relationship with some God was a set of rules and you're supposed to do. This is supposed to do that but your friend who's forgiven you. Who makes you whole. And he actually lives inside of you to be back with his application, but just a quick reminder, this message is from chips varies what child is this most of us the Christmas story is pretty familiar so there's a chance we forgotten the mystery of all. Jesus leaving heaven and coming to earth in this three-part series, you will become more aware of the significance of Christmas as Chip asked three simple questions why did he come to Izzy and what does he want answers may actually lead you to make a few changes in the way you celebrate this year to listen again or share any of these messages with a friend.
The chipping roadmap is the way to go. Every things there including chips, message notes for more information about ship series.
What child is this give us a call a triple late. 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org before you get to your application.
We've been talking a lot about our year and match. Let me just ask you straight up because people want to know what you going to use this December match money for me and we'd say it's a huge part of the ministry's income for the year. What is it actually go for Dave.
I think that's a great question number one what you're listening to right now is either a podcast and Apple are radio broadcast. And that's going to go out to well over a million people this week we are teaching the multitudes we are equipping small groups and then we have very specialized ministries were helping business leaders and key leaders disciple and make an impact in their sphere of influence. So Living on the Edge as a media and discipleship ministry that is committed to helping Christians live like Christians.
In fact were training people to transform their world, not the world, their world and so that's what were spending the money on to create those resources to do the training to put on satellites to put on video to put on podcast to write books to do what ever we need to do to get God's word in the hands and then into the hearts of God's people, who in turn will live out their faith at home and church their neighborhood and their community so that people love God with all their heart and take the word of God to all the world. If that excites you, then this is the time to give to Living on the Edge. Great answer that really covers the scope of everything Living on the Edge does your after year. We just keep building on the previous year's progress. So first I want to say thanks for ministry partners who helped us get where we are today. We couldn't do what we do without the prayers and financial commitments of listeners like you if you'd like to join the team and get in on what's happening. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org Donate on the app or give us a call a triple late. 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003. Thanks in advance for your generosity.
As I close today's program. I like to take you back to the story of the little girl that got adopted and she was as much in that family. The moment she was adopted but she didn't experience it when she didn't feel it at she didn't take advantage of what was already true of her and I know many people claim to know Christ and yet their lives are still in bondage. I'm mean there like the little girl who has all of this grace and all this love and all this acceptance, but they don't how to realize that they don't how to appropriated Jesus wants you to know today that if you've been forgiven. You've also been set free and he want you to live that way he want you to experience his love. He wants to get rid of the guilt in your life and in here's what you need understand there's about three things that you need to do in order to appropriate or to experience in life what's already true view is a genuine follower of Christ. The first is get before God. You have to get in his word. You have to talk with him and share your heart and just use normal language but but before God come before God daily and and then throughout the day. Pray little prayers even as you drive, or even when you walk just practice the presence of God. The second thing you need to do is get in community don't do life alone, you'll never experience God's power. Unless you have a band of brothers are a band of sisters are a few other couples and you say, let's walk with God together, let's share our struggles and our hurts.
Let's grow together and third get on mission to discover what God made you to do the reality of God's power happens as you reach out in love other people before God be in community I on mission.
Oh, we call it around here bio the life the Christ once for you each and every day as we wrap up this program I want to thank those of you who regularly pray for us. Your Living on the Edge we've ever seen a greater need for God's truth to go out and by God's grace Living on the Edges been able to provide encouragement, teaching, and personal discipleship resources to more people than ever before.
We just want to say thank you for praying. If you are. Keep it up. Your prayers are making a difference for Chip in the team, this is Dave Drewry say thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge