Doing Good - Why Doing Good Matters So Much, Part 2

I don't know about you but when I listen to the news or even sit with copy with a friend and you look at the circumstances of people's families, the church, the community politics.

I find myself asking the question what can I do when it seems so absolutely overwhelming. And yet I want to tell you, God has something very simple for us to do is not easy but simple. They can actually bring change of a ripple effect in every relationship. Want to find out what the simple thing is that statement welcome to this Wednesday edition of living all the chirping chip serves as our Bible teacher of this daily international discipleship program continues a series doing good.

What happens when Christians like Christians felt like you had a tough job will chips message today takes a look at the apostle Paul's directions with prot�g� Titus Young pastor tasked with straightening up what was left unfinished. After Paul left the island. Simple thing to just mention Titus to be a Christian who lived like a Christian in a hostile culture and help others do the same. I think we can apply this message today to select stewardship for part two of this message by doing good matters so much from the book of Titus chapter 2. Doing good reveals Christ presence in our lives effect, you might write presence in my even about that right supernatural reveals God's supernatural presence. People don't need to see just good little moral goody two shoes, trying hard to be a little bit better and moral. He says that when you are in Christ something supernatural and dynamic happens to your values and your priorities in your life and your relationships. Look at verse 12.

He says it is speaking of the grace of God's grace save us yes, but the same grace inside of us begins to create both the want to and the will to transform us back the key concept here is very simple. His grace provides life change literally.

Grace produces life change and so look what it says for it. The grace of God teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age when the grace of God deposits the spirit of the living God inside of you and inside of me. It gives us power and a new set of desires to say no to what ungodly the Cretan lifestyle lying, cheating and morality lack of concern for other people may use some hedonism. I'm the only one that matters.

And you say no to worldly passions, and the lures and you say yes and you say yes to three different things. He gives and one talks about your relationship with yourself.

One is about your relationship with other people in the third word is your relationship with God says it produces self-discipline. It's the word God is not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of self-discipline.

The spirit of God begins to allow you to arrange your life in ways that produce the life of Christ you not just push here and there by the passions and desires and the feedback in the media of the world. And then he says you. You have justly or uprightly means to tell the truth.

The people you shoot it straight with people you can be trusted in your relationships at home and at work in business and in sales calls your upright and then finally godly as your relationship. It your live with this reference of God, and rather than fearing what everybody else thinks you fear and a healthy referent way, what he thinks. And so what he says is this grace literally when it's operating in your life.

The evidences it produces good works. Let me ask you if you will read this passage and ask if you would just turn turn if you would, to Matthew chapter 7 because, according to Jesus. This is really really big and really important and what I notice about Jesus is he seems to talk about the biggest issues in our lives and the problems they had.

Then the problems we have now are all the same. Matthew chapter 7 I pick it up in verse 15. It's a toward the end of the sermon on the Mount. He's describing what it means to be a follower of his and we have a warning it says watch out for false prophets. They come in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves? How would you watch out for by their fruit you will recognize them Finnegans this rhetorical question that you know in the day, people would go. Of course he's a do people pick grapes from thornbushes, no, or figs from thistles, of course not. Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. And here's an axiomatic statement. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit.

Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown to the fire.

Thus by their fruit you recognize by their outward behavior by their attitudes by their time by how they spend their money by how they treat people you recognize them. Not everyone is says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven.

Many will come to me on that day Jesus said at the end of time will say, Lord, Lord, did we prophesy in your name and then we drive out demons and perform miracles. I mean we were religious men. We were then I will tell them plainly.

I never knew you.

Away from me evildoers.

I have a huge concern. One of the biggest privileges I would call it maybe the last 10 years as I've been out of thousands would be an exaggeration but least several hundred churches all over the world and whether it's a denominational church or evangelical church or Bible church or community church whether the Catholic Church or a Baptist church or Methodist Church or Pentecostal church we have a rush of people and a throng of people who at least when you look at the visible evidence of their life of their time and their energy to morality and the relationships they live. I mean sero-difference than those that are outside of Christ, but on a certain day at a certain time. They raise their hand or or they walked down in front of an aisle somewhere where they had maybe a little religious experience and they intellectually agreed that Jesus was God and the intellectually agreed that he rose from the dead and someone said you know believe that in every things can be great and and they believed intellectually, but salvation involves an intellectual and emotional in a volitional content where you turn from your sin.

The word is repentance and you receive Christ to follow him and what the apostle Paul.

This is not new.

When he began to look at the lives of the people in Corinth and in other churches when there was no fruit.

He said basically only God knows what.

In second Corinthians 13 five look at this follow along. He says to these people examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith test yourselves. You not realize that Christ Jesus is in you, unless of course you fail the test meaning he's talking to a group of people whose morality and lifestyles are way away. He doesn't assume they're not in the faith. He's not assuming there's not a light in here, but he saying this is all I can see and if this is all I can see I'm looking at the fruit. Some of you need to really ask, does this light live in me because according to Jesus, if it does, it produces fruit so I don't know where you're at, but I just have this feeling that just scares me.

But I think the most dangerous place to be in the entire world would be to intellectually believe. I believe in Jesus by believing God literally rose from the dead.

I get a ticket to heaven. I think everything's fine I live my life. My completely own way. I don't think about God much.

I don't have much desire for his word.

I don't really want to be around Christians that much. But you know I believe and I think I checked the bottom okay right what what what is it's not what if you're one of those people that you say hey Lord, Lord, you know, I went to that Bible church and you know when the games were in honor when it did have some for the weekends and not what he would say I never knew you. It's all I don't want anyone to do anything other than have an honest talk with God you say if I'm not in, would you show me examine yourself. Maya father-in-law trusted Christ two years ago at 87 but I mean have four kids and when little kids are growing and they love their grandparents.

All of my four kids from little time up through their 30s have shared Christ with their grandfather I have with sending tape CDCs listen to hundreds of messages and if you ask him you believe. I believe the old man upstairs chipper. I think everything's going to be fine. Anyway, there's no fruit. I mean there's no concern for his grandkids. There's no concern for his kids.

He's mean for all the years that have ever known my wife. He's narcissistic. He has absolutely alienated almost everyone on the planet we been in counseling because of all the my Wiseman through but I can say this reverently or irreverently. He's a jerk and an evil man, but he tell me, oh yeah, I'm fine. I believe the man upstairs. Would you believe in Jesus believe in Jesus you think you got all yeah everything zero evidence two years ago on 4 July.

For reasons I cannot understand and I don't have time to talk about. He made a genuine commitment and receive the grace of God is life and to my shame.

It was like I will wait and see this one is honestly even messing with my wife and I dealt with a lot of pain.

She has I just wanted to take them out.

I don't have much faith and then for the first time in 35 years that I've known him. He starts to call my wife never called actually sent her a birthday card. First 135 years on and then he begin to care about people and then he began to ask about my kids, and then he did all this fracking is going on and he owned some oil when they fractured Landon.

He came into little bit of money.

My grandkids grabbed me that I got a birthday card. I you never even called. He sent me $1000 and he sent a little something for my wife and I saying thank you and I mean all I can tell you in two years at 87 to 89 dramatic significant life change because good trees produce good fruit and bad trees produce bad fruit. Why is doing good. Why does it matter it matters because those outside of Christ.

They need to see the light to know salvation is real and it matters because if you have the light, it will show up seated examine yourself this.

Doing good is big stuff in Scripture.

The third reason we do good is because reveals the priority of our lives. Verse 13 notice after he says and we say no to these things we say yes and by the way, that word, it teaches us. I love that word before the long it teaches us. It's how a parent teaches a child. So if you're hearing my life's not perfect. I wonder what I'm a Christian it's not saying you're perfect is that you're making progress believes are coming out, there's little fruit here little fruit there.

The grace of God teaches us.

It's three steps forward into backwards you have issues I had that you were all good habits you still Jesus comes back or you go get to see but it brings about transformation and change that's visible. That's real that's internal that's from the heart. And then notice it's while something is happening. There's a focus. He says while we wait for the blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our notice how Jesus is described. Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. Now up above I think I had to circle the word appearing circle it down here. It's the same word.

What's interesting what he saying is, there was all this darkness and then Christ first in light came into the world. He says there is a appearing or an epiphany of Christ what he saying that is when you are in Christ you're looking for, not just the grace here, but there's a second epiphany and that's when he returns the blessed hope, the glorious appearing is when Christ comes back. And if you believe that's true. So here's the key concept everyone either has a eternal perspective or a temporal perspective.now I could ask you know, like a little test okay multiple-choice. Are you ready do you believe in heaven and you believe that you will live forever and you have an eternal perspective. A yes the no I would guess that about 90 some percent of all the people in this room was a I believe I have an eternal perspective, and that's what our minds say that's what our words say, but here's how you know if in fact there is a heaven and there is a Savior and is coming back and he cares about your family and your neighborhood, and he cares about the people all around the world and he cares about who shows up at work and what kind of dad or mom or roommate that you are and you have an eternal perspective, here's what I'll tell you your time, your energy, your thoughts and your money will flow to things at last forever not just things that happen for the right now. Notice the key concept here is temporal versus eternal perspective in the apostle Paul in Philippians chapter 3, after he talked to them.

He said join together in following my example talk about lifestyle how you live brothers and sisters, just as you have us as a model.

Keep your notice eyes on those who live as we live. What will Paul, how do you live for. As I tell you, and often told you before now and tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. He speaking to the church people in the church.

Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach and their glories in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven. We eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body and soul all in saying is by way of application. Be ready be ready. God is coming back in my doing good doesn't just review my priorities. They reveal my real priorities. I'd encourage you to read the passage I put in your notes on again Jesus teaching out of Matthew 25 where he talks about two sets of virgins and he's giving a picture of the return of a bridegroom in these wedding party virgins and half of them were prepared and half of the work. Half of them just brought a lamp and half of them brought a lamp with a jar of oil and they fell asleep and then he came the bridegroom when they weren't ready and the half were out oil. They asked for the others will can we have some of years and they said no. We won't have enough, and I love I just read this fresh last night when they went to buy more oil. They were off doing other things. He came, and then they came and knocked on the door and said hey we will you we want and now it says the part for me.

I never knew you see are doing good reflects my real priorities had a friend came over my house last night he'd been doing some work he goes not much or if I can make it to church or not, and I'm really concerned you know that I mean I'm just I'm on fire for missions and stuff and he gave me a check is said could you put that offering for me tonight.

I says if you if you looked at the numbers us avoid many of us may work for about $400,000 short of the Golden Ring to make that up in time and that really matters. These, he said I'll tell you what you're not them. If it was me, I'd step up. I sit like not okay but you know what he told me he owns a small company. He told me he he's passionate about what matters most, and what can happen forever were my time and my energy, my money, my dreams go reveal my priorities is doing good is profound. Doing good announces the grace of God for others doing good reveals the grace of God working in me and doing good talks about disappearing this epiphany of the Lord's return for other people. Finally doing good.

The fourth reason reveals Jesus purpose for our lives. The key concept is your ear his workmanship. It's interesting the most classic verse that we quote about for by grace you are saved through faith. That's not of yourselves.

It's the gift of God not a result of works, lest any man should boast.

Ephesians 28 and nine.

Now here's the purpose clause. Verse 10 for we are his workmanship, literally his poem's work of art. We are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for what, unto a good work. This isn't just about doing nice little things, the creator of the universe has a good unique work, but the gifts you have the family you came from the circumstances and the point in history that you are right now he has something for you to do and something for me to do your doing good reveals the purpose he has for your life. Jesus last night. He got his disciples together and he said fellows. This is what glorifies God. This is what matters he talked about the vine, the branch the relationship and he says you producing much fruit, not some fruit much fruit. The grace of God in planning the spirit of God. The change is a character. The changes relationships.

The changes priorities. The changes concern you become an agent where the conduit of God's love and grace. Flow in you and then through you changes people doing good matters as John Wesley said do all the good that you can to all the people you can as often as you can and as long as you can so my little assignment as we start to talk about chapter 1 next week is on this we come to where my watch on the wrong hand and figure out how it works how you might do a ring or you might just change your phone but here's the assignment Rover simple each day this week. Just good in your home. This time he just 20 you don't bring someone coffee, say a compliment, do good in your home, do something good, just do good at work and then do good at your third place, and whether that's the gym or whether that's were you coach or whether that's with a group of people you just hang out with. Whether it's a coffee shop. What would happen.

What would happen if just every now you where is all. Have I done good. Just do something good and here's what's can happen. You can start watching.

This is just a little experiment a little ripple of change in people, and here's what will shock you got shipped back with some application for its teaching. If you're just joining us, you're listening to living on the judge with Chip Ingram today's message why doing good matters so much is from trip series doing good. What happens when Christians live like Christians.

This four-part series from the book of Titus reveals why doing good is so much more than just a nice idea. The act of doing good is a catalyst that transforms both you and the world around you for the better when we do good. It breaks down barriers heels hurts and revives hope. If you'd like to get the series for yourself or to send your friend the CDs are currently discounted and the MP3s are free. Another idea would be to get your family or a few friends together around the series is a small group set aside a couple of weeks to do the DVD study together and let it be a catalyst to get your small group doing some good right where you live.

To order your copy, visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org or give us a call today at 1-888-333-6003 chip. Today's the first day were talking about our year-end match whenever gift given to the ministry is doubled, you typically bring us in on the initiatives coming in the new year of the Lord is really giving you a passion for supporting and encouraging pastors in America will tell us more about that and how this match will make a difference. Well, you're right on and that is exactly what is happened.

I did three major pastors conferences and I meeting pastors who are discouraged and in United States. I mean it just is overwhelming. The culture is becoming more and more and more quote anti-Christian in their seeing their young people leave the church and they desperately need encouragement and part of what they need is personal encouragement, but part of what they need is someone that's kinda been in it for a while like me I think 35, 36 years to build a pause and say don't get too uptight about the symptoms, you gotta get to the root. Bad fruit always comes from bad roots and so we see young people leaving the church. When we see the shift in morality and sexuality.

What we need to understand is that's because of a low view of God. That's because the Scriptures are not held high and esteemed and is authoritative is what God has caused us to do an open some doors and partnerships that are just amazing is to get not with hundreds but with thousands of pastors help them personally, then help them get to the root to say let's hold up a high holy loving God. Let's hold up the Scriptures as God standard and let's encourage and equip them to make the kind of churches alive and vibrant that are light and salt and so that's our passion and I will tell you it's going to take enormous amounts of prayer and financial resources, and so this match is a time where every gift is doubled. If you care about the church you care about pastors. Let me encourage you to pray very specifically and say Lord every gift I'm going to give is doubled. So what do you want me to give and then sit quietly listen for the spirit to speak and then act on whatever he shows you think strip will our request is simply that you pray and ask the Lord if he wants you to help us do what you just described were praying for the ministry little happen through pastors who are encouraged and equipped and were praying for you as you bring this match opportunity before the Lord. To learn more about the match. Visit us online at http://livingontheedge.org or give us a call at 1-888-333-6003.

Without your strip with some final thoughts from today's talk. As we close today's program and you have heard basically an overview of the book of Titus. I mean you've seen the entire framework about the importance the centrality of doing good and that is the very grace of God that saves us. It's that same grace that teaches us to say no to worldliness and all ungodliness and then talks about very specific acts of doing good that when we do.

It's just like lights come on in people's eyes.

It's the kindness of God that leads people to repentance and they they need to see that kindness in us that they need to see Christians behind the wheel today that wave and let someone in that they need to meet a Christian today that you know you just buy the coffee for the person behind you and they need to meet a Christian today that you necessitate a something you need a ride home all take care that they need to see a Christian today that you know we all set out our garbage cans and you know the trucks come by and then you know there's some trash that they need to see who's that neighbor that keeps putting my cans back where they need to be an even brings him back and put some next my house.

I remember being next door to a lady who many many many years ago that didn't seem to be very receptive to the Lord or the gospel and I just found.

I know she was a single mom and been through some hard stuff and and so every time I cut my lawn. I cut her lawn and she always would look at me like, you know, why do you do that about 10, 12, 15 years later and I never saw any results as she visited the church and was like whoa I was at another church is like like what you doing here and is just, like ding, it was the grace of God demonstrated in the simple act that God used. To change her life and her heart and I got to be one small part of that today.

Think about what small steps you could take to do a good work in the name of Jesus and then see God work.

Do you wish you could hear Living on the Edge when it fits into your schedule.

You can for those of you who want to listen to Living on the Edge whenever and wherever you want. Download the free ship and remap you'll find the chipping remap at Google employee or the app store today will be with us again tomorrow when we continue our series doing good. What happens when Christians like Christians so bad. This is the drawing saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge