One at a Time - In Then Through, Part 1

I'd like you to stop right now and think of them. One person that you love so much, but they're not walking with the Lord and every attempt you've made so far is just futile. It's not working now, stay with me is working to learn today how you can be used by God to get under that person's skin touch their heart and see God begin to work in them. You don't want to miss today's message.

Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with your finger tips are vital to this daily discipleship program motivating Christians to live what Christian earlier were in the middle of a new series called time taught by our guest teacher Kyle missed any part of the series. Up to this point can catch up anytime LivingontheEdge.org by listening on the chip and don't know Carl's best-selling author currently pastor at Southeast Christian church in Louisville Kentucky today is in Mark chapter 4 of you have a Bible heavy Turner now as we join Kyle for his message and then through. I really believe that deep down we all want to live significant life anybody would say I just want to be a time waster space taker game player binge water church offender book reader like I want to do more than that.

I want to be a difference maker. Not sure how to do it may be tried in some ways it really hasn't worked out that you thought it would.

Maybe you're in a relationship with someone and you're trying to impact them. Maybe friendship, maybe as a parent may be in your marriage you're trying to lead them trying to love them in a way that would bring out some good things but it doesn't seem to be working very well and you're not sure what to do about it, then maybe a little bit discouraged for you start, how is it that God uses us to change the world.

There's this in through rhythm that we are seeing consistently in Scripture is the way of the kingdom it's in, and then through the God does work in us and then as he does work in us. He begins to accomplish some things through us. If you're like me you want to skip the imparting go straight to the third part by God use me today in some significant way want to make a difference today and got some things I need to do in you first and I don't always have the patience for that don't always have the desire for that one be used by God. God what you want to do through me and God keeps coming back and saying some things I want to do in you, and yet what I have discovered.

Often times the hard way. Is that what God does in me, he will do through me. I think that's true for you I think is true for us as a church.

Is there some things God wants to do in Austin as some things happen in us, we start to see him do his work through us.

So for some of you listening to this like your greatest desire may be as a parent is to spiritually impact your kids but you're trying to lead them in a place where you yourself are not going and not going to work like it's gotta be in you, and then it'll be through you and so I want to talk about that for a little while, this one at a time way that God works through us, but it starts in us. All of this started by being honest with you the I will have long wanted God to do things through me. One of the ways I resisted his work in me is when it comes to loving people one at a time and now people are my favorite part of being a pastor I love. I love getting a front row seat to see how God works in someone's life. Now I love it when someone I don't know stops me and tells me there God story. There testimony of how God has redeemed how God has healed how God is brought back hope into their lives. I love that I have always loved. In fact, when I first came here as a pastor more than 20 years ago was something I really struggled with.

I came from a new church in Southern California that I had planted a new church.

I could stand up to Paris to look out and I pretty much knew everyone like I could tell you her name and tell you their story and I knew them. They knew me, but I came here and it wasn't really that way like there were a lot of people at first it was exciting, but then became overwhelming because everywhere I went.

Like there you were. And I didn't process it very well felt a little overwhelming to me and so I found myself starting to avoid people, which isn't great if your pastor anytime. As a pastor. You think by love. I would love the church to visit if it wasn't for all those people, like there's a problem and so I found myself again 20 years ago mind sharing a good I find found myself of the first avoiding people and so I remember going to Kroger by the whites. Kroger said Kroger's something Kroger's and that you're going to mourn. If you go to more than one Kroger that's fine you can save Kroger's, but unless you're going to multiple Kroger stores its Kroger I can fry the same people who want me to present revelations is no such book is revelations's revelation stop adding S is the things that are not plural you're probably the same people who eat a burrito from the middle like is not how you do it.

So anyway sometimes I get annoyed with people and I was a Kroger Kroger. I was walking through the aisle and I might run into one of you all there. You know me but I didn't know you and me feel anxious and so I got on my phone bill phone but had for 10 phone call all demos and their the whole time I walking through programs like a llama.

Kroger, what can I get for you on here. I'm just talking to no one trying to avoid people.

That's not healthy and then I went from avoiding people to being annoyed by people not great.

If your pastor and so I was asked to go visit a small group here in the church that some questions about the study they were going through and I went but mostly because it was part of the job, not because my heart was in its and so I showed up in the small group. We finished watching the clock. Finally, I'm done. The person in charge of small groups is that we want to circle up for prayer and I think I made an audible noise like not what you want to hear from the pastor when you say let's pray but again just being honest. 20 years ago and so we stood in the circle for prayer and we held hands with one another. I was holding hands with this guy. During the prayer would squeeze my hand during the parts that rarely really agreed with like that's how the aim ended every time somebody prayed something that he liked her thought was true. Like amen amen amen and and then his hands started sweating and Squeezing so I'm standing next to the sweaty squeezer and just get more corn more angry mice and I knew something had to change.

This is what God called me to do. I knew you wanted to do something through me. I felt called to be a pastor. I knew God wanted to use me in some ways, but I will recognize in a moment. There are some things that God needed to do in me because I didn't see people going to Jesus all people and so I began to pray a prayer that I pray for over 20 years. Jesus me arrives for the one help me to see people the way that you see people. I discovered that the secret of Jesus when he was surrounded by crowds and always with people who had these needs and expectations. If you would focus in on the one unapologetically he would focus in on the one and I began to pray. Jesus, would you help me to see people the way you do what you discipled me to love people the way that you love people and one of things I would tell you is part of being a disciple of Christ. Part of growing and spiritual maturity is how you love others like sometimes we think of discipleship as gaining information and behavior modification.

We tend to define discipleship that way maybe subconsciously, but gaining information. I know more things theologically biblically than I did before and and behavior modification. I stop doing these things.

I started doing these other things but I would say that maybe the greatest test of discipleship is how you love others. How you love others. And Jesus wants to disciple us to love people the way that he loved people and you see this throughout the New Testament when it came to the disciples they had to grow in this, they were irritated, frustrated, annoyed by people again and again and again and again. Jesus says no. This is how you see people. This is how you love people. So I jotted down a few examples in the Gospels. Matthew 14 Jesus is teaching a crowd of thousands. The disciples realize that the people are hungry. Their solution is to suggest to Jesus I people are hungry families people away so they can get something to eat. Not our problem.

So, send them away and get some food. And Jesus says this is a Jesus had compassion on the crowd and he said them cared for each one of their needs and then you go to Matthew chapter 15 and the Canaanite woman cries out to the Lord, have mercy on me.

My daughter is suffering in verse 22 says, then his disciples urged Jesus to send like tell her to go away. She's bothering us with all of her baking here is happened in their hearts that they have spent a lot of time around a lot of people with a lot of needs and their chest. Don, would you just tell her to be quiet.

She's bothering us with her begging and Jesus stops and he loves her like a daughter. He cares for her heels. Her daughter, Matthew 19 little children are brought to Jesus, we could pray for them and bless them. The disciples are annoyed to busy guy got a lot on the calendar things they need to do appointments they need to keep an and they tell the children not today don't have time today he they rebuked the children and Jesus rebukes them nominal, but the children come to me again and again you just see this in Scripture were the disciples have to be disciple to love people the way Jesus did that there are some things that need to happen in them, so that God could accomplish his great work through them. What happened to the disciples needs to happen for us as disciples today. There are some things that need to happen in us so that we can have the eyes of Jesus for the people in our lives. There's this is the end and run through way of the gospel and so the passage that I want us to look at here in just a moment.

As Mark chapter 4, you can go ahead and turn their a lot of the parables that Jesus told to help us with this one at a time way of living. I want start before we jump into this parable want to start by just asking you to think about how you would finish this sentence okay or prayer God more than anything else. I want you to use me to so what is your prayer there God more than anything else, only I want you to use me to.

How would you finish that sentence's a good prayer to pray to have a way to end that maybe there something specific, maybe a name for face that comes to mind. I asked some of my social media friends to finish the sentence here some the answers I got more than anything else on God's use me to introduce my family to Jesus show my cancer doctors. The difference that Jesus makes give his love to the foster children in my home help addicts overcome their addiction.

The way my sponsor helped me care for women who are trying to get out of the adult entertainment industry introduce my neighbor to Jesus. Let the people I wait on as a server see that there's something different in me, use me as a single mom to raise my boys to be world changers start new churches in eastern Europe share the gospel with prison inmates disciple my grandchildren reach out to everyone in my neighborhood. So my husband that Jesus has changed my life. Oneonta goes, how would you finish a sentence more than anything else. I pray God that you would use me to and understand that for him to answer that prayer there some things that need to happen in you and so this in them through way helps us love people wanted a time and you know it's not about the best practices are people skills is not about social aptitude or relational IQ is not about whether you're an introverted extroverted sanguine or melancholy a any grant to, or in any room seven Mike, that's not it, about the work that God is wanting to do in you. So Mark chapter 4 Jesus is and about teaching from the Sea of Galilee, to a large crowd. Listen, he says, a farmer went out to sow his seed and as he was scattering the seed. Some fell among the past and birds came and ate it up so Place number one. Some fell along the path verse five.

Some secondly fell on rocky places where didn't have much soil would spring up quickly because the soil was shallow but when the sun came up. The plants were scorched and they weathered because there is no root for seven number three other seed fell among the thorns, or weeds, which grew up and show up to the plants so that they did not bear grain and finally some seed fell on good soil and it came up and grew and produced a crop. Some multiplying 30, some 60 costs them 100 times. I love this parable because this is one of the few parables will where Jesus unpacks it like he always was teaching and metaphors something powerful about a metaphor in that it allows you to meditate on and think about it that you look at it and it means one thing to you one day and you look at it another day and you discover something new and Jesus was always teaching and parables with metaphors, but this is a strange parable and that later. The disciples asked him what's that mean and he says here's what it means that you will give you that he does with this parable and he ends it by telling about the farmer who through seed on good soil that that multiplies something happened in the ground and it broke through and there's a harvest which is ultimately what we want, but that's how we want to live our lives to God does work in us and he does his work through us. And so there is something that happens when a seed is in the soil.

But here's the thing you can't see it when it's happening seed is planted in the dirt and in the dirt its maturing is growing is getting ready to break through, but nobody knows it. So what happens in the dirt doesn't get much attention and when the season, the dirt, it's easy to get a little discouraged because you wonder is anything ever going to happen as hard to keep taking care of the seed when you can't see anything happening to me once you see it then dear little more motivated, but when you don't see it, then it becomes becomes more difficult and one of the things I really want you to see it is the word of God has been planted in some of your hearts, something is happening in the ground and you haven't seen some fruit yet but it's coming. So don't be discouraged. The Bible says in Galatians that we don't grow weary in doing good at the right time will reap a harvest if we don't give up some of you have started some new things. You started this year by praying by setting God's Word by maybe journaling you started this year by being more intentional, maybe in listening to some worship music and in leveraging your commute time. Maybe you started some new things and and the way you go to bed at night isn't the way you went to bed at night. Last year, not just scrolling through social media picture spend some time in prayer and your meditating on some things and and maybe no one seems to notice yet.

Maybe nothing has broke through the ground yet and I'm telling you don't grow weary. Keep cultivating the seed that there there's something that's happening in the soil and and it will break through. You keep taking care of it in a breakthrough. It just takes time. Some of you need to hear that because God's wanting to do something powerful through you this year. First, there some things he needs to do in you and you just have to be patient with that work. I had a gift that was given to me a few years ago by lady in the church she gave me a couple of packets of seeds I remember right, they were seeds for pumpkins and watermelons is fun.

Kids were younger at the time. I'm sure she thought when she gave me the seeds this'll be great. This family can plant the seeds in the ground and then they'll have pumpkins and watermelons at just the right time, but I am not a farmer and I want a watermelon go to the store and buy one and I want a pumpkin pick one up and pumpkin season like I I love the idea of planting a seed in cultivating and growing its but it just takes so much time and effort and work and so I stuck those packets of seeds in the junk drawer in my kitchen where everything goes to die and I left them there. I forgot forgot about didn't really think much about them but occasionally occasionally there would be a time where I would think again. You know, it sounds good right now is a watermelon and I would remember the permanency but that didn't do me any good at the time as I needed to be planted. I don't even know how long ago because I never actually read the back packet anybody in here know how long it takes to grow watermelon. I didn't think so don't judge me. And then there are times around Halloween.

I like it be great to have a pumpkin to and I remember the pumpkin seeds that I needed a pumpkin then I didn't want to do it earlier however long it takes for Hoboken.

How I know how long it takes.

I just know takes a long time and it requires effort and intentionality. But there's a moment where you wish you had it. This is the end and through challenge. I think most of us if your parent, you certainly experienced it were you needed something within you spiritually or emotionally at a certain moment when you realize in that moment you don't have it and if you're going to have it needed to start a long time ago trying to get it right, or maybe in marriage perceive you reach this place in your marriage where you recognize are so certain why God wants you to respond. That's what you want to respond if you're good to respond that way, you needed to start a long time ago. Learning to respond that way and this is the end and Thruway of the seed that today's the day that seed gets planted and cultivated and begins to grow. Today's the day listening to the part of our guest teacher. Kyle titled this message been through this message wanted to chip will join us here in studio with some additional thoughts about today's program in just a minute. Have you ever consider the remarkable impact. Jesus is had on the history think about it.

He lived over 2000 years ago and only had a small group of followers yet. Fast forward to today.

Christianity is the leading world religion.

So what was Jesus secret in the series Kyle idol Ben reveals the unexpected simple practice Jesus use to change our world. Don't miss how you and I can continue the work he started one interaction, one conversation, one life at a time to learn more about the series, Kyle's best-selling book go to LivingontheEdge.org the Chip Ingram up or call us at AAA to 333-6003 trips with me in studio now and chip in the series. Kyle's been teaching us how to really connect and build relationships with people, especially those who are far from God.

Why is that such a struggle for 21st century Christians will Dave, I think there's a number of reasons and and one circumstantial one is this pandemic that occurred in people wearing masks skin would not been rubbing up against one another. I think the other thing is is that that the longer a person is a Christian. Statistically, the fewer and fewer non-Christian friends they have.

I mean it's crazy after two years the average Christian has zero non-Christian friends less than 2% of most Christians of ever let another person to Christ and part of this is the lies that you need to be able to answer every question then sorta be biblical, encyclopedia, etc. etc. I think what Kyle has done for us is teaching us how one person at a time in our sphere of influence.

Just being who we are.

We can build a connection taken interest not start a debate. But love people in a way that allows us to connect so that Jesus can share with them what he shared with us the forgiveness and the salvation of our souls, and a brand-new life. I just cannot encourage people enough to get this book one at a time is had a huge impact on me and I think it on the huge impact on those who get it and read it. Thanks, Chip will to order your copy of one of the time by Kyle idol and go to LivingontheEdge.org or call us at AAA 333-6003.

Our prayer is that this tool will help you find simple ways to share the profound hope we have in Jesus with those who so desperately need to hear it again to get your hands on this book from Kyle visit LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA to 333-6003 Listeners tap special offers will ship today Kyle shared his struggle to really connect with his congregation when he first became a pastor and how that struggle turned into a little bit of disdain for his own church. Though many of us are pastors but were still called to love people and how could we be better at that will first.

Kyle's a friend and what I love about him and what I want people to know is what he shared like that is when were hanging around drinking coffee or I was out. It is far more he lives and we sat around for two or three hours and that's just who he is and I just think it's so helpful for all of us to recognize that just because people were pastors. They got all the same struggles. Believe me and what I loved about that story and I think the application for us.

Dave is this. We have to be honest with our own emotions in our own feelings and realize that sometimes our own insecurities and her own worldview is keeping us as the barrier between those in the people that we love and you know he saw this big group of people and it felt intimidating and he just felt demand demand demand, and I think we can feel that way.

Like all the people at work right or all the people in our neighborhood and all the people out there and then what Kyle modeled for us is what he learned from Jesus you know he just introduced himself to one person.

He asked some questions of one person he got involved with one person and what he realized there isn't of them out there there's not just your neighbors. There's not all those Democrats work all those Republicans are all those millennial's are all those baby boomers. Another words we had these categories and then we become judgmental and we find ourselves boxed in our the lies that we believe in our own insecurities. What I would say is what I have learned the most personally is to look at one person at a time. I travel a lot still and I find myself in airports and in a look at people that seem to be left out, or because of something about the way they're dressed or what's going on in their life or the job that they're doing they look marginalized like nobody cares and I just made it a habit.

It's a discipline with me to go to those people and introduce myself and Tina, thank you for clearing up all this here or thanks for cleaning out the bathroom or you know there's people when you travel that you look at their body language and you know I don't if they lost their last friend or what just to walk up and say hey I'm white on the same plane where you headed, you know, and how are things going today. And sometimes you get like a who are you, stranger, but more often than not. What I find is I meet a person and I think that's the key it's one it is time we just meet one person find someone today that looks like they could use a lift asked some questions taken interest in them.

See what God does challenging reminder Chip thanks.

Well, as we wrap up I want to thank those of you who make this program possible through your generous financial support.

Your gifts help us create programs purchase airtime and develop additional resources to help Christians live like Christians know if you've been blessed by the ministry of Living on the Edge.

Would you consider sending a gift today.

You can do that when you visit LivingontheEdge.org or the chipping roadmap and now you can text the word donate to 741 41. That's the word donate to 741 41 and we want you to know how much we appreciate your support will until next time, this is Dave Drewry saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge