What the World Needs Now - Authentic Difference-Makers, Part 2

You know there's lots of causes and these days and there is absolutely no shortage of agendas. I everyone's got an opinion and there's experts everywhere.

Here's the question what's Jesus opinion about what's happening and what are his answers to solve stay with you. Thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge with shipping Living on the Edges of informational discipleship ministry questions what Christian would like to be so much easier if you could talk to Jesus about the issues you're facing. Having literally turned to him and ask Jesus how I handled the situation you think I should do about that. Good news is provide us with direction and support. That's what she says and continues his series with the world needs now sure stick around after this message to your some extra insight on this topic from Chip with that turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5 for part two chips talk authentic difference makers continue poor in spirit until you realize you don't bring anything to this party, the Khmer God's favor until you get back to the point, when's the last time you felt crushed over your sin are art our tendency. Everyone does that. Everyone logs on now and then everyone has little and the everyone's little bit materialistic. Everyone's kinda lazy like me everyone does it, so it must be okay. Really made probably not the God we probably don't experience his power. Chapter 6 he's going to now shift gears because I think the question that it raises okay.

Get your mind back into my Jewish friends. Okay, I don't measure up.

I feel really bad about the things that I never even thought or sin. So how do you live this righteous life if doing the stuff that we've been doing and following the Pharisees as of the Lamictal in the world you ever get right with God and so notice what he does in chapter 6 and the beginning of seven. He gives them for what I call warnings that kill the movement of God in your soul and the kill. The movement of God in churches. The first issue is the issue of motives. He talks about giving in verses one through four. Prayer in verses five through eight in fasting. In verses 16 through 18.

And all you need to know is that in Jewish culture that the three primary disciplines the way you earned your favor with God is how much you gave how long you prayed and how often you fast so if you want to get close to God. Camelot pray a lot and fast allotments of the Pharisees did notice picking it up yet your Bible up and follow along. Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them for. Then you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. This is radical.

He's introducing will is about relationship, thus not. If, when you give to the needy sound no trumpet before the hypocrites do in the synagogues in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly I say to you they receive the reward. But when you give to the needy. Don't let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you see how often reward reward reward father and when you pray verse five, you must not be like the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues at the street corners so they can be seen by others.

Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you pray shut the door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. Then he teaches the Lord's prayer, verse 16 and when you fast no look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces and their fasting may be seen by others. Truly I say to you, or you can get the idea they receive their reward.

But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face that you may be fasting not to be seen by others but by your father who is in secret, and your father who sees in secret will reward you. The key issue is motives.

He says okay, the practice of giving the practice of praying in the practice of fasting is essential. We only break the lust of the eyes and wanting more.

By being generous and giving. The only way we break the hold of pride on our life.

Prayer is the evidence of help me God dependency and the only way we break the desire for food that's unhealthy or sex.

It's unhealthy or shopping. It's unhealthy or whatever it is is you fast from, but there just means of grace. But notice he says you do it you do it to please your father not to earn brownie points. The diagnostic question then is who am I seeking to please who am I seeking to please you know which of the beatitudes he just taught them.

Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth toward meekness are translated, gentle or humble. It's the idea of literally the in the ancient Greek literature. It was a wild stallion that is tamed its power under control in the picture here it's it it's an idea of submission is the idea that I'm going to Truscott. I accept my giving my fasting might praying I can't earn my way I can please God. And so when I do the right things in the right way. The spiritual disciplines that renew my mind and when I do it out of the love relationship. He said true spirituality occurs. The next movement killer isn't just our motives but it's materialism.

Look at verse 19. He's now going to go to the other. God and the other gods attempts all of us. This is money so he says in verse 19 don't lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, and then the reason is to protect them because you can lose it. It's where moth and rust destroy and where thieves can break in and steal.

But lay up for yourself.

Heaven's written assignment that the kingdom of God, heaven, that's real to lay up for yourselves treasures were moth can't get in rust can't destroy these can break in many talks about the lamp of the body, which is really the essence of where's your passion where's your focus.

What really matters and then look at verse 24 he wants to protect them. He says no one can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, for he will love the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve God and money.

And so the next key issue of this new revolution is materialism conjunct that in their he talks about their money.

Now that you notice member, who were the people that materialistic Pharisees. The Pharisees had worked a religious system where they actually became very very rich and back then they taught this this might sound a little familiar. Then they taught the evidence of true spirituality and God's blessing is how much money you have, so the more money we have, we must be really spiritual Scott prosperity gospel today you plant a seed send money to our ministry and the fact that I have two jets and three mansions and all the stuff is evidence of God's blessing me and from the pit of hell from the pit of hell. See ask yourself what's the agenda secures the real question the diagnostic question is whose agenda or kingdom. Am I seeking to accomplish. Mine success, fame and wealth my happiness were Jesus thing to ask yourself is, do I use people to get money and things or do I use my money and my things to love people and if you back away.

I mean, just, you know, this is us, just us here right where the serious Christians we came to church. Jesus is saying this will kill your soul but there's there's some things in life that are both and this is one of them. It's either or. Jesus or money and if you look at your time and your energy in your passions and and the demand and the pressure of work or education, etc. if it drives everything or if you look at your giving your prayer in your fasting in the meters really pretty low and you have your answer. But this, this is a revolution of love.

This is this is the kind anointed King and Savior saying, you may end up being very successful in accomplishing your goals. Here's the scariest.

The scariest thing that could ever happen in any person's life is to be absolutely successful at the exactly wrong thing units, like all all of life is against this wall and when you get to the top and you have a ladder that goes to another wall that promised life was there and you get to the top and it's empty and Jesus is saying I'll take care of you.

In fact, look, look at your Bible because I don't have time to read it all. You'll notice that after this right up putting your notes, but but after this, he says to them. So what why are you so uptight about what we can eat but were uptight about what we can eat because you're talking about living this radical life of faith who are what we uptight about what you can aware or why do you worry so much.

See what is what he saying is do you trust me this new revolution is about a love and entrusting of me is the Savior get looked down at verse 33 he gets the end this whole section he basically promises that you no one to take care of you.

But notice what he says but seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things be added to you. Don't worry about tomorrow.

Don't be uptight about stock market. Don't be uptight about what school you kids get in, or if you get married not get married two days on the problems of its own.

Just trust me today. I've got you in the palm of my hand and I love you. Are you ready to see the beatitude you just taught them. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. What that means this passion to be holy. This passion to be right with God. This passion in your whole life to want to please God and love God and be used by God blessed our those who hunger that that's what drives you, your motivation, you hunger and thirst for riches, not for success, not for fame, not for a better body, not for more likes not for more followers. This is a revolution you understand how this revolutionize the world when he gets from chapter 6 as he continues to flush out his agenda and third big movement killer is. The issue is misapplication.

They've heard a lot of truth in it. So the problem is. Sometimes we take truth and we apply to other people instead of ourselves. Beginning chapter 7 will probably sound very familiar. He says Judge not lest you be judged for the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure that you use it to be measured to you. Why do you seek the speck in your brother's eye. But don't notice the log this in your own or how do you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye when there's a log in your own you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and you see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye, and then I think in a reference here to the Pharisees and peoples hardhearted not open to God, he says do not give what is don't give the dogs what is holy, don't throw your pearls before swine. They trample them underfoot in the turn attack you and then he goes into if you have real needs instead of asking the government or demanding it from them instead of asking education or asking technology in and of themselves, no problem.

When you have a great need, ask, seek, not your father really wants to provide verse 12 actually goes with what's above. So whatever you wish that others would do for you do for them. This will fulfill the law and the prophets in the notice.

This be careful.

Enter by the narrow gate. The gate is wide and easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter in harmony. But the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Notice will go on to be where the false prophets. That is what you know is is not what people say is not their emotional experience.

Trees produce good fruit, bad trees produce bad fruit. Anyone who hears my words and actually puts them into practice is like a man who built his house on the rock. Anyone who hears my words and intellectually even agrees with them and doesn't put them in the practice is a fool and you'll say I never knew you. So what you see, he does is he fleshes out the rest of these Beatitudes under judging you might write merciful. Blessed are the merciful. Blessed are the merciful. Why for they'll be shown mercy when it would get whole generation of people that week we judge everyone, we want people but you know we want people that don't know Christ to live like Christians, we would call them on our culture. It that they don't have the power needed. We, apart from Jesus, where he talks about the preaching don't throw your sacred teaching before the dogs of the swine people that are adamant and and and and and ask.

He's talking about. Blessed are the peacemakers. Blessed are people that instead of trying to convince people that don't want to be convinced our bridge builders instead of people that are antagonist that that that they make the Christian life what it means to be a follower of Christ when some in loving and kind and you agree to disagree and we have clear standards of truth lay up we apply them.

We ask what's this got to do with me instead of why is everyone else wrong. If you listen to the radio talkshow blame blame blame blame blame blame goal on 90% of Christians Facebook and were passing all the stuff they did that they did that they did that on with this party on against that party. That person did that that person did this. This person did that and Jesus is saying it's what that's fruit.

What about you, what do you need to. How could you be a peace maker, how could you love people that you totally disagree with and treat them with dignity and with kindness not approving of what they do or what they say you understand lost people. Evil people love to hang out with Jesus. Why it's not like he caved into their lifestyle. Let me ask you how many lost evil people in alternative everything. Are your friends and that would like to hang out with you the Christianity today is basically become moralism were on the side and we think people that don't know Jesus of the enemy reminder. He came to die for them like he came to die for us. The agenda is to love them, you don't have to agreement to love them. It's the kindness of God that lead us to repentance. It's the kindness of God through us, that will lead people to him just truth is just Jesus teaching the final movement that will squash our souls is what I just call misperception. I read it.

He says there's a narrow gate were living in a day. Even in the church that says all you know it is all your sincere working to coordinate, change the rules and what the Bible says about holiness what the Bible says about marriage what the Bible says about sex.

What the Bible says about eternity what the Bible says about a real heaven and a real hell you know you guys are really pretty narrow. Here's the deal you choose to be a loving, winsome, nonjudgmental person who in your heart of heart realizes man I'm poor in spirit. I need God and I take my sin seriously and oh God, I need your forgiveness and your comfort and you become that kind of believer that says you know something I don't have the power apart from you. I'm going to be meek, but my passion my life my time. I'm hungering and thirsting for righteousness and I'm gonna have motives to be pure in heart as best I know. And Lord I'm going to unlock and unlock and adjudge people to show them the kind of mercy unlock it have those critical thoughts in my mind. I catch myself often because I do this a lot. What is he doing that why she do an edit it and and God is just memorize the passage of every kind that's happened now I start praying God. I wonder what your plan is for him.

I wanted is for them. Wonder how they got to where they got old Lord, would you help them. Would you love and would you encourage them and then is there anything you would want me to do right now to express your and I'm on a journey like a long way to go. But if you would be a bold person to say the way is narrow Jesus that on the way the truth and the life you will be persecuted. Do it when suddenly do it lovingly and he started with the kingdom of heaven. He ends with the kingdom of heaven, and you should ask yourself and I'll ask myself where's my fruit not religious fruit, love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, gentleness, self-control. That's the Christlike life. Are you ready to recharge reengage in a revolution of love. Ask yourself which of these one beatitude which one of these. Do I need to say, oh God, forgive me for I have sent. Oh God, you help me when we confess our sins he is faithful and is righteous or just cannot just forgive but to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. What would it look like for us to walk out here to hunger and thirst to be the men and women in our little sphere of influence. Starting in our homes, apartments with roommates passing out of where we drive where we get our coffee or tea where we work out where we do our dry cleaning where we go to work. What would it look like proceeds planted right where you write back this application for this message of difference makers of his series, what the world needs now turmoil division political corruption prejudice. These are just a few of the serious issues were dealing with in our society today.

But did you know the early church and Jesus's disciples faced similar problems in this three-part series chip shares the guidance Jesus gave to his followers, some 2000 years ago and how that wisdom relates to us today. Don't list the ways to build better relationships handle injustice and live your life like never before. For more information about what the world needs now for our many resources. Just go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003, or LivingontheEdge.org Listener step special offers before we continue. Here's chip to talk about something that's really close to his heart for almost 2 years now.

I've heard people say we are living in unprecedented times and then I hear all these things from the news in the media and social media about how challenging, how difficult, how terrible I hear Christians talking to one another like the sky is falling.

I've got news for you. We are not living in unprecedented times, the kind of things were experiencing has happened multiple times in history. In fact, when the early church was birthed.

It was a lot like right now except a lot worse and you know what God had a word for those people. It was James chapter 1 and the apostle James filled with the Holy Spirit spoke to that group of people running for their lives out of money abandoned by people in their world and you know what he said to them, he said there's a way there's an art to survive in the midst of chaos in those early Christians. They took the worst of life circumstances and they turned it around and they change the world.

I want to invite you.

In fact, I challenge you to join me for the new daily discipleship with chip is called the art of survival. You gonna learn how your circumstances may not change.

But God can give you grace and perspective where you change in such a way that the people all around you change. Here's how it works. Each day I'm going to meet with you one-on-one for 10 days.

We can discover what James chapter 1 teaches about the art of survival and life's trials will start her time together where I will literally get a couple coffee open my Bible and I'll talk directly with you one-on-one and will walk through how to study the Bible, you'll learn to study the Scriptures for yourself in a way where you hear God's voice and have God speak in such a way that gives you the strength to make it through life's hardest and most difficult times.

So here's the challenge spend 10 days 10 minutes a day with me 10 minutes on your own and then let me encourage you invite 10 people to join you, let's be difference makers. Let's learn the art of survival in the age of chaos. You know those early disciples turn the world upside down and that's God's plan for you and me. Won't you join me, but strip what were so excited to share with you our new daily discipleship with chip.

The art of survival used in James chapter 1 through this free video series will discover how to handle circumstances out of our control guard our attitude against discouragement and trust God and his provision. If you're ready to learn the art of surviving in these challenging times.

Then preregister today to take the daily discipleship with chip challenge and when you sign up will send you a new leather bound prayer journal as our gift to you to take this free 10 day daily discipleship challenge go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org app listener step discipleship as we wrap up today's program.

I want to ask you the question that I ask at the end of the teaching. Are you ready to recharge and reengage in a revolution of love and then what you need to do.

I mean, just between you and God. In fact, the title of this message is what the world needs now is authentic difference makers and as we walked to the teaching today.

Not only my praying that we have courage and that God would help you trust him and that you would believe that he would free our hearts, but I think one of the fundamental questions that we addressed was whose agenda or whose kingdom are you seeking to accomplish that. I want to probe your little bit. I'm probably gonna make you little upset. Maybe everybody upset that is at the Republican agenda or God's agenda is that the Democratic agenda. Was it God's agenda is that your movements agenda your churches agenda the millennial agenda, the baby boomer agenda. Is it the economy coming out right agenda is your view of the virus agenda mean whose agenda are you championing and I hear you. There are legitimate important issues that need to be addressed that are right and true.

But what Jesus was saying now, even as was saying that the number one agenda has to begin with him.

What are you doing that reflects the love of Christ. The compassion of Christ treating everyone with dignity, especially those you disagree with speaking the truth in love. Treating people posting in social media in such a way that even those that you violently disagree with those that make you crazy that your blood boils and you feel like that is so wrong regardless of what side these issues, you are on first and foremost, you are called to be an authentic difference maker who in humility treats everyone is made in the image of God and loves them, cares for them.

You can agree to disagree but you need to be one who brings healing to our world.

The number one agenda is not any other agenda than the kingdom agenda following Christ, can I ask you to just have a private conversation with God and do your words, your emotions, your attitudes, your actions and what you post on social media reflect first and foremost this is pleasing to God, and if not, would you change that. Let's bring healing not hurt to a very needy world. Just before we close, would you stop for a minute and pray for Living on the Edge with never seen a greater need for God's truth to go up there right now and by God's grace Living on the Edge has been able to provide encouragement, teaching, and personal discipleship resources to more people than ever before. So thank you to those who support us with your prayers. God is doing amazing things. Well, until next time, and for all of us are saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge