I Choose Love - Love Gives, Part 1

I know you've heard of the Golden rule, but I got an even better one.

I call it the platinum rule. Here's the deal, you actually joy to the heart of God today will learn how. Welcome to this Tuesday edition of living on the coach with shipping Living on the Edges of international discipleship ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram nature begins a new series I choose love in this series. Chip unpacks Philippians chapter 2 review series I choose joy walked us through all the Philippians chapter 1 so like to study through with trip from the beginning. Find everything you're looking for on the ship and remap now. Let's join them for today's message.

Love gives one of God's greatest joys is to see his children love each other.

It is amazing the God of heaven that God created the stars, the God who made us. The God who sent God the son to die in our place. One his greatest greatest joys is when we love one another and you know as a parent.

I mean, isn't that true for those of you that her parents, I had twin boys and Teresa and I have, but sons are twins and Eric and Jason and their five minutes apart. I mean, for the first 18 years of their life.

I mean, at times they dress the same they had in the same classes the same room the same everything I get did they fight. I mean I mean thought coming to the point of coming physical and never forget the time we came home from a little getaway a couple days and will hot everything out, all things are great.

Things are great and you know they were kind of standing, funny against the wall or something and I didn't even notice that we had a great time and later, you know, when families get together and adult kids tell you what really happened all day and we couldn't believe you and mom didn't even notice that Eric and Jason got the fight and Eric went the punching and he ducked and he could put his fist through the wall we re-patched it and painted it.

We were so afraid we would find out the member Teresa saying once she grew up with two sisters. She said do you think the ever ever love each other. I said honey, this is this is kind of normal stuff.

Yes, I mean we we have to set boundaries and discipline, but I just want I just want you to get God's heart. It breaks his heart. When we fight, it breaks his heart. When we have feelings inside that are resentful and bitter and when you have an unresolved relationship with another believer, another brother, another sister maybe did business with him. Maybe you were in a small group with them. Maybe it was in another church.

I don't know and ask you get your heart open. God wants to deal with because it matters to God.

Not just because it brings him joy. But it's so important it's such a priority him if we could eavesdrop. The fairy last night when when Jesus was praying in John 17. When you read that prayer father father make them one even as we are one you in me and I in you and in us in fair father I pray that as I leave it you would cause there to be a supernatural unity in order that the would not that's that's a prayer that only you can answer in your home. Only I can answer in my relationships and not only does God the father find joy when we love one another, and God the son prays passionately and commands us to love one another and says the gospel is its validity is based on whether the world sees us love each other. The apostle Paul commands it in her study in Philippians chapter 2 follow along.

I'm reading in the Phillips translation. He says now if you experience of Christ. If there's any encouragement and love means anything to you if you know something of the fellowship of his spirit and all that it means in kindness and deep sympathy. And here's the command made my best hope for you are my joy come true. Live together in harmony live together in love, as though you had only one mind and one spirit before you soak just before you open those notes. I want you to think about is there any relationship that you don't have harmony that's out of sorts and I'm pushing a little bit because we tend to push these down could've been two months ago. Two years ago could be 20 years ago could be you know an in law situation or a brother sister you haven't seen in 20 years. God wants to get a hold of our hearts and our life in Philippians chapter 2 is going to teach us how we can choose love and experience it now as you open your notes. I want you to see the structure of this passage. First of all, there's a very clear context. There's conflict without and there's conflict within the conflict without you know there was persecution there was difficulty there was pressure. These Philippian Christians just like Paul, I mean they were getting intimidated.

They were getting persecuted they were having struggles and conflicts from the pagan world and even from some Jewish false teachers may not a lot different than what we see happening more and more and more today is you know people or or intimidating Christians people becoming more afraid as believers to stand up and stand strong because of external pressure. But in this secular church. This conflict within will learn more about it. In chapter 4. When we meet a couple ladies that apparently had a real conflict was causing a rift throughout the whole church and you and I both seen that happen in a small group or in a family or in Sunday school class and so then there's a very very interesting command. I gave the words live in authentic Christ empowered unity.

Now, the way he says it is make my joy complete. I mean, he said you brought me great joy. You came to Christ member I was in that Philippian jail and and we we had fellowship and you all came to know the Lord and there's a tremendous movement happening in this church. He said, so I receive joy.

Now make my joy complete because since Paul is now in Rome some things that happened like happen and lots of churches and lots of families and lots of small groups you know this person thinks it ought to be this way and this person says no and what you said this to my daughter well this is how you treated my son will you know every time you come, you know, you think you're the hottest often blah blah blah blah blah. And they're gonna so Paul says make my joy complete and he says I want there to be authentic. Christ empowered unity. In other words, he says I don't want just you to know put up with each other. I don't want to be just superficial from the heart, I want you to love one another resolve the conflicts forgive one another, care for one another in a way that Christ is cured for you. Look at this very very interesting structure of the structure. Here he says. Notice it says there's an if then I in in Greek and I won't get into detail here, but there's called conditional clauses we we have in English as well. But what I love about the Greek language. It's it's so clear there's like three or four types of conditional clauses. So when it says if, then, if then you know for sure what they're talking about. This is called a first-class condition and the idea is it. It's assumed to be true, and so notice what he says because if there's any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship of the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion and you could translate all that since you have encouragement to Christ. Since you have comfort since you have fellowship century of tenderness and compassion then make my joy complete by notice after these four incentives be of the same mind maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose it's it's interesting here.

He's going to tell us that unlike the golden rule which is doing to others as you have been doing to you. His premise goes little bit differently. I called the platinum rule do unto others as God has already done unto you. In other words, the entire premise what what happens in conflicts and struggles and relationships is weak, we think just horizontal and they did that and they don't deserve that it when she apologizes her when he does that are one of my kids comes back and really says you know that I'm really sorry and I understood this or understood that her you know what they said at that last Thanksgiving, or that family reunion never talk to them again unless what they need to do an said here's here's what I want you to get the basis of loving people isn't how they treated you good or bad.

The basis of our love is a choice I choose love and here's the basis of the choice the basis of the choice is this is how God loves you.

He has encouraged you please come alongside you.

He's forgiven you. He's been tender.

You now have the fellowship he has come to take up residence in UV sealed you with the spirit. He's adopted you, he's giving you spiritual gifts of tenderness and compassion the word tenderness. Here is what it has the idea is rooted in the idea of something deep within the bowels. There's something tender, deep in the character of God. You are his treasure and then the compassion is an outward external evidence of an action that use so matter that he did something and what he did was he chose to go to the cross, he chose to love you and me when we were his enemies. While we were yet enemies Christ died in our place.

Paul tells us in Romans 58 and so the basis the incentives.

All four of these incentives. This is how you have been authentically deeply unconditionally love now make my joy complete and be unified authentically from the heart and now is going to show us exactly what local unity looks like. Number one he says be like-minded, or one spirit literally it means think the same things in the focus here is on truth see genuine unity is built on truth. It's thinking it's content its doctrine.

These things are true. So so often I see it more and more today.

It's unity is sort of like all.

Let's just love everyone.

Don't judge anyone its pseudo-unity. I mean, who are we to say anything less just let this slide. Real unity demands truth demands truth about what the Scripture says about morality demands truth about what the Scripture says about sexuality, it demands truth about doctrine when it talks about the very narrow way to go to heaven and by what Christ has done in him alone, but it's truth it's held in agreeable winsome non-defensive and is not a way of pushing it on other people and it's never argumentative, but it's unwavering steadfastness driving battling for the truth standing firm lovingly, kindly, winsome late but refusing to move off. He says unity is rooted in truth. Second, he says, maintaining the same love is not about the truth.

This this phrase here is have the same love mutually love one another, the way God has loved you. Honestly, sacrificially, and we talk a lot about Romans 12 here is is the profile of what it is to be a disciple. In Romans chapter 12 there's a section in the middle about loving one another and it says outdo one another in honor be devoted to one another in brotherly love this this this is the idea. This is it like some yes well you know she's not as spiritual as I am.

I guess they made a mistake and so in all treat of an offer given because you know I am superior said no this is gonna come from the heart.

Biblical unity has to do with genuine spiritual transformation that flows from an internal passion and concern that God gives you because you have received it. Now you give it. Third notice. It has the idea of united in spirit. Literally, the Franks is like sold it means to have a common heart not just that you care. A common heart that you real that your authentic no superficiality in the last one here is intent on one purpose. It's a unity that you say were in it together.

Working to resolve our issues. What God has done for me. I'm commanded to pass on to you, Paul, ready to make your joy complete and here's how we gonna do it were to be one mind, truth be one heart care for one another and have one soul connect and we have a common purpose. The gospel going forward people being love the poor being fed people with HIV knowing someone cares.

The people that are struggling with sexual identity issues know there's a church somewhere that here's that wants to help the doesn't condemn the doesn't bend on the truth but actually wants to help people that are marginalized and struggling. This is what he's talking about and it's that kind of love the turn the world upside down and continues to turn the world upside down family by family small group by small group church by church community by community.

God has called this church at this time when it appears that the world is falling apart and that America is so divided. God is calling you he's calling me make my joy complete my children.

I want you to choose to love.

When you cross your arms and say, not after what they've done to me or you know I think those people are crazy and why are these people doing this and why are they tweeting bad and I'm so ticked off. Can you imagine honestly and honestly. Can you imagine the God of heaven looking down upon the creation that is made and then looking closely at his people. The church are not only buildings people within the spirit of God is living you talk about some of it be ticked off and yet he's patient and kind and gracious and he saying to you and he saying to me this is a priority. This is a nonnegotiable.

I am commanding you to choose to love one another, not the golden rule. The platinum rule I want you to love other people. The way that I love you.

I hope at this point using okay I get it, and those of you that are more honest with yourself could be saying I can't do that and you know what you'd be right.

I can either infect God doesn't expect you to be able to do it, but he's going to tell us exactly how so much as go back to that former business associate that X make a dad and mom a son and nephew and in law. Current reality at work a current maybe is not a huge conflict but something that keeps rubbing you the wrong way with the roommate or in your marriage and then I want to open the text and what were going to learn from God's word. If you would like is that we can choose love and we can learn how to be a more loving person. Now there's no magic pill. If you think that you know in the next you know minutes or so getting you some magic pill, loving him loving.

I love every none, another note were going to face some hard things because what were gonna learn is why were unloving. The drastic approach and what you have to deal with them in order to become loving and then written to start this journey of choosing love and I'm gonna I'm going to share some real practical ways that every single person in this room and every person in the classic service and every person that's watching online, and every person ever listens to this ever where we can actually go on a journey empowered by the spirit of God and become more loving. Notice the the right side of your notes and it just ask this question, we can answer it in just a minute, and the question is how to become a more loving person choose to declare war on right the word selfishness choose declare war on selfishness and as usual when I when I go high-tech here Maya iPad is not working so I think I'll go with the little bit less technical one that you all have a turn to Philippians chapter 2.

If you're not already there and let me let me read for you.

This command Philippians chapter 2 we looked at verses one into follow along here in chapter 2 is read verse three and four do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but in humility of mind, consider others more important than yourself.

Verse four let each of you look not only on your own interest, but also on the interest of others you may be looking at this and saying, declare war, aren't you get a little radical here.

No, no I were born with this innate ability to be selfish. In fact, let me define selfish ambition here for words. I want my way. That selfish ambition, I want my way right back. If you're just joining us, you're listening to Living on the Edge with shipping chips message today. Love gives is from his series, I choose love. If your heart's desire is to love more, or love better this series I choose love will help you do that to help you take advantage of the resources for I choose love.

We've temporarily discounted the CDs and the MP3s are absolutely free with her there for you or a friend ordering is easy when you go to LivingontheEdge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003 will triple beginning in chapter 2 of our study through the book of Philippians out what special things do we have to look forward to in this chapter will you know Dave, this is one of my favorite books in the first chapter Paul actually models for us how we can choose joy in experience it and now it's going to teach us how we can choose love and it has some of literally the most important passages in all the New Testament and what I love. It's not just the GUI, emotional, sentimental, even romantic kind of love. It's the kind of love that has power that it's the kind of love that cares and gives and serves in and takes families that are broken and put them back together and takes races that hate each other and causes them to to forgive and love it. It's the kind of love that really changes things. What I love about it's not a finger-pointing, get with the program you you should. It's a kind of love that grows out of the model of Jesus in the power that he actually puts inside of our lives.

I think you are in an absolutely not only love this, but be transformed by it.

Frank's trip will be series I choose love is one you're gonna want to hear more than once. Let me encourage you get the CDs for your car. Maybe get a second set for someone you know who struggling under the pressure of life. This could give them the inside and hope they really need right now for a limited time, the CDs are discounted and the MP3s are absolutely free for complete pricing and ordering information, go to LivingontheEdge.org or were always available by phone when you call us at 1-888-333-6003. I hope you'll take a few minutes and orders a day will now here's chip as we wrap up today's program. I don't know if you caught it but there was a little phrase that we tend to think and actually act horizontally. In other words, and relationships. We tend to think what will she did that or he did that or they really ought to do that and if you've ever sat at a coffee shop and not really tried to listen to other people's conversations, but just happened to catch what they're saying. You might observe that the great majority of conversations and coffee shops are two people talking about someone else. It is really interesting how we find some. I think kind of perverted pleasure in talking about what some other political party to do or what the government ought to do or what someone at work did work talking about my husband or my wife or one of my kids in not such good terms in the platinum rule that we talked about is doing and to others as God is already done unto you mean we know the golden rule.

We know the joy that happens when we treat others the way we want to be treated. I think sometimes we we say yes I want to do that but I don't have the power or I don't have the will. I don't have the motivation and as this chapter of Philippians 2 opened up what we really heard was if there's been any encouragement in Christ, if any comfort in his love, and we learned that little word if really mean sense, since God has loved you since he's changed you since he's poured out all that you need. So take what he's given to you and pass it on to others. Could I encourage you today to think of one person that you have a little bit of a problem with and then I want you to ponder the platinum rule I want you to say, O Lord, since you've accepted me and you loved me, and youth help me.

I am going to choose to have an act of kindness toward this person.

It might be a note might be a text might pick him up coffee and drop it off at work but do something kind for someone that you struggle with. Watch what happens in them and then watch what happens and you just before we close.

I want to say thank you to those who make this broadcast possible through your generous financial support. If you found today's program helpful but have never supported us financially. There's never been a better time than right now.

When you give a gift to Living on the Edge it will be matched dollar for dollar, thanks to some very generous friends of the ministry making a donation is easy just go to LivingontheEdge.org and click the donate button on our homepage or if you prefer, you can always give us a call at 1-888-333-6003. That's 1-888-333-6003 on behalf of Chip and the entire staff. Thank you in advance for your generosity will tomorrow.

Chip continues a series I choose love to make plans to join until then, this is Dave really saying thanks for joining us for this edition of living all the