Today I'm Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. If you've found yourself struggling lately, with all the evil that is in the world. watching the news and getting so discouraged and wondering, God, Why don't you do something?
Well then today is a day that you don't want to miss. Stay with me. What's the difference between someone who talks about faith and someone who actually lives it?
Well, today on Living on the Edge, Chip Ingram tackles that question head-on. In this series, You Were Made for More, Chip has been walking through the conditions God is looking for. dislocated heart, a broken spirit, and now a radical step of faith. Today Chip goes to the Gospel of Luke and shows us, from the life of Jesus' own disciples, what it actually takes to develop the kind of faith that moves mountains.
Well, here's Chip with today's message. Practice a radical faith. And I searched for a man among them. Who had built up the wall. and stand in the gap before me.
for the land. But I found no one. Listen to that again. Ezekiel 22. Israel.
Far from God. Sin and wickedness thriving. And God beams down from heaven a searchlight through his servant Ezekiel and says, I searched for a man among them. who had built up the wall. and stand in the gap before me for the land.
that I should not destroy it. Yeah.
Well, if you'll pull out your teaching notes, I want to walk with you through, I think, one of the most important aspects of developing a holy ambition. And we've learned as you open your notes that there's three conditions we've looked at so far. The first one is: do you have a dislocated heart? And it really answers the question: I mean, do you care? I mean, can you get beyond your own world and your own needs to really care?
The second was a broken spirit, and I got a lot of texts and a lot of emails of people who said that hit me right between the eyes. And now our model Nehemiah. This businessman. who's in Persia, who God has placed in this city at this time with this platform, with this intelligence, with this influence, and this affluence. And he's going to take a radical step of faith.
We pick up the story in Nehemiah 1, and I put it in your notes so you can follow along. It's at the end where he ends his prayer and he says, Oh Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this, your servant, and to the prayers of your servants who delight in revering your name. And here's his request. After four months of praying, God has revealed to Nehemiah: it's not an accident that I gave you this prestige and this position and this intelligence and this leadership in this city at this time in history. I want you to be my man and go over there to Jerusalem and rebuild the wall.
And God has given him a plan as he's prayed and he's talked. And you find his prayer starts out where he asks God personally. And as you read this prayer carefully, he says, the prayer of your servants.
So he got a small group together. And he's not in it alone. And we're going to learn in just a minute, he's going to walk into the king's presence and do something that if the king's in a bad mood, it will cost him his life. He will take a radical step of faith. He'll put his life on the line.
to come out of his comfort zone. and align with God's agenda. And so he asked God, Give us success. Give me favor in the presence of this man. I was the cupbearer to the king.
It was the month of Nisan, that's about April. In the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes of Persia, when wine was brought before him, and I took the wine and I gave it to the king, and I had not been sad in his presence before.
So the king asked me, Why does your face look so sad when you're not ill? This can be nothing but sadness of heart. I was very much afraid, but Do you understand what he did? In the culture of this time, if you're sad before the king, if he's having a bad day, it's your last day. Get him out of here.
Get me someone new. Everyone's life revolved around making the king happy. But Nehemiah realized, I will get his attention. I built a relationship. This is what God led me to do.
And he's going to ask me a question, and I hope he's having a really good day, God. And I want you to just notice in your notes, we circle the word but, I was very much afraid, but. I want to suggest that the greatest things that have ever happened on the face of the earth by God's people are by people who are absolutely terrified and afraid of what they're about to do. They don't let the fear stop them. They don't let the fear of finances, they don't let the fear of rejection, they don't let the fear of their physical life.
And they do what God shows them even though they're afraid.
So, as we go through this message, if it brings up things in your heart that make you feel afraid, you're in very good company. But I said to the king, may the king live forever. Little PR never hurts. Why should not my face look sad when the city where my fathers are buried lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? And the king respects him and he gets his attention and the king says, Well, what is it that you want?
And then I prayed to the God of heaven. I think this is one of those real quick ones in his heart. And I answered the king, If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in his sight, let him send me to the city in Judah where my fathers are buried, so that I can rebuild it. Then the king, with the queen sitting beside him, asked me, Well, how long will your journey take and when will you get back? And it pleased the king to send me.
So I set a time. He had a dislocated heart, he cared. He didn't have a knee-jerk reaction of just launching into something. For four months, he prays individually, he gets a small group, he has a broken spirit. And now he takes a radical step of faith.
And here's my definition of a radical step of faith. This is the kind that God supports. It's a radical step of faith is choosing to step out to fulfill God's clearly defined will at great personal risk and sacrifice. See, when we talk about a radical step of faith, If you're not careful, you can start thinking it's like, oh, I'm taking a big step with my 401k, or if I do this, my business or relationships might be changed a little bit, or I might not be as near to some of my family or friends or my grandkids. Or, boy, if I took this radical step of faith, I might have to change vocations.
And we start making those things a radical step of faith, which they are in our culture. But when you rub up against people that are willing To give their life for the gospel of Christ, I will tell you, it recalibrates what it means to follow Jesus. That's what Nehemiah did. Here's the question. How do you get that kind of faith?
This isn't mustering it up. This isn't getting on some emotional high and stepping out and doing something really stupid. You better do. What God tells you to do, when He tells you to do it, how He tells you to do it. as he leads you.
That's a radical step of faith. And I'm going to ask you: will you please open your Bibles to Luke chapter 9? We're going to look at some verses that as you look at them, Jesus is going to describe and teach specifically how you, an ordinary person, and me, ordinary person, can actually develop a radical faith. And so there's four things you need to remember in order to develop. A radical faith.
And the first one is by remembering what faith is and faith is not. Hebrews 11:1 says, Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. In other words, faith has to do with what you can't see. Faith isn't just all logic, it's based on facts, but it's not emotion.
So often we think faith is, okay, oh God, I'm going to try, try, try to have this. Faith may have emotions or no emotions. Faith is being what? assured, certain of what you can't see. Faith is nothing more or nothing less than trusting in the character.
and the promises of God to the point that you act whether you feel like it or not. That's what faith is. Old Testament example. God takes his people out of bondage, right? Egypt?
They go into the wilderness. Moses is their leader. They have a lot to learn. They get the Ten Commandments. But now they need to learn to trust Him.
What is the very first thing that God does? What's the very first test? Is, will you provide for me? I mean, they're out in this wilderness, there's desert, there's two, three million people and they're thinking I mean, what are we going to eat? And so manna comes in the morning, right?
And God tells him very specifically now, only take enough for today. Translation, have faith, trust me that I'll bring some tomorrow.
So the first few days, what do people do? You know, he says, take one jar, one omer. And so, what do they do?
Some of the people, you know, they're not looking, they put three or four jars aside. And they wake up the next day and there's maggots in it. And God said, no, no, you don't understand. You don't get faith for next day, next month. You don't have to fear if you do this what will happen 30 days from now.
You don't have to fear what's going to happen in a year. You don't have to take us. He says, there is no grace in hypothetical futures. I will give you whatever you need today. Trust me.
And then when it got to be the Sabbath, what was it? It was illogical. Again, he wanted to show, take two. Because tomorrow you're going to rest. I'm going to show you that I'm so powerful, so faithful, so good, so sovereign.
that you can get more done in six days. than most people can in seven. And the whole point of the Sabbath and the whole point of collecting manna was can I trust God to provide for me? Am I dependent? Do I look to Him as my source?
The New Testament equivalent is Jesus talking about money. Jesus talked about money more than heaven and hell combined. And Jesus didn't need our money then nor now.
So why? Why does he talk about money, money, money? Because Jesus says there's really only two gods. The two gods are not God and Satan. The two gods are God and money.
You will worship either money or God. You will either be self-dependent and believe that with enough money, it'll create security. With enough money, you can look a certain way. With enough money, you can have certain things that'll make you a someone. But all your significant security, power, issues, we think the right job, the right money, the right.
Now Satan will be a part of trying to get you to buy that lie. And so The whole point of New Testament giving is to recognize every time we come together, I give the first portion. Of all that God's given me, so I realize this is yours, manna. And then as I grow, I start giving proportionately more percentages as God blesses because I understand that life's about eternity.
So Jesus taught that to free our heart from greed. And so that's why, especially in America, A lot of people go to church regularly. A lot of people wish God would intervene and answer their prayers, and they're disobedient in the most basic things. If God doesn't have your money, He doesn't have your heart. That's Jesus.
Just period. And what it reveals is you don't trust him. I mean, you can tell, I can sing songs, but you know, and you know, I'm with you here. I didn't grow up in the church. I mean, when I went to church, it was like normal days, a dollar.
Feeling kind of good. Yeah.
Ooey gooey spiritual experience, I just thought, I'm really going to bless the God of heaven. Here's a 20. I'm serious. I mean, I didn't know. I remember beginning to read the scriptures about This is his money.
Not yours. He gave you the brains. He gave you the job. You want what percent? I mean, I just thought first time I heard that, I was like, Are you on drugs?
I mean, I'm not making it now, and you want me to give the... Chip, here's the issue. I want you to trust me. And so Terese and I learned to do that. And of course, you know, the rest is history.
But boys for many that's a radical step of faith. And then what you see is you see God's supply and you see the supernatural starting to work. You're listening to Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Don't go anywhere yet. There's more coming up.
We're in a brand new series this week called You Were Made for More: How to Discover God's Purpose for Your Life. If you ever have trouble catching one of these programs, or if you want to share any of these messages with a friend or family member, every lesson is available free at livingonthege.org. You'll also find study resources and bonus content from Chip. That's livingontheedge.org.
Well now here's Chip.
So the first thing you have to remember about radical step of faith Is what faith is and what it's not. The second thing you need to remember is how deeply God values our faith. Hebrews 11, 6. Without faith, It's impossible to please him. For he who comes to God must believe, notice the two things, that he exists.
and that he's a rewarder. of those who diligently seek him. God is not impressed with your morality, He's not impressed with your knowledge, and He's not impressed with ministry success. The number one agenda that God has for you and for me is that you trust him. Without faith.
It's impossible to please him. And by the way, now drop this under those notes. Where there is no risk, there is no faith, period. In fact, We now get to uh the exciting part where Jesus teaches us Very specifically. about how to have faith.
Are you in Luke 9? Let's go. This is the good part. How in the world then? I need to remember what faith is and isn't.
It's not emotional. It's trusting his character's promises. God deeply values it. It always involves risk. Jesus taught his disciples about a radical faith, and then notice he's going to call them to this.
This isn't just to the private disciples, this is to all of his followers. Then he said to them, If anyone would come after me, He must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and yet forfeit his very self? If anyone is ashamed of me in my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the Holy Angels.
I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God.
So, do you understand what Jesus is calling? This is the baseline for followers. If anyone will come after me, the word says he must. This is normal Christianity. This is what it means to follow him.
This is what it means to be a Christian. This is the Romans 12:1 equivalent. I must deny myself. That means my life's not about me, my agenda, my future, everything I can do. I need to take up my cross.
It's an instrument of death. In other words, I'm going to say to God, I'm going to die to my agenda and believe that whatever yours is for me is best. And then it's going to play out day by day. I'm going to follow you today. I'm going to listen to you.
Talk to you. Be in the community of God's people, and I'm going to obey. I'm not going to learn about you. I'm not going to hear what other people say about you. I'm going to listen to you and make this: faith comes by hearing, hearing by the word of God.
I've never met a person with faith that doesn't love this book. And they're in it when they feel like it, and they're in it when they don't feel like it. And it's not some religious check off a box, but it's God, I want to get to know you. You'll never trust his character or know his promises unless this book. His word is a part of your daily habit.
And so there's the calling to a radical faith.
Now, when you get there, some people think, you know what, I could never do that. I mean, that is too hard. That's too big. I don't have, I've heard people say, you know, I see these Christians God really uses, and now and then I have this little flicker I'd like to go there. I don't have enough faith to be that kind of person.
It's very interesting. Jesus now will teach his disciples, you don't need much faith. Isn't that weird? You don't need a whole lot of faith. Remember what he said?
If you have the faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain, be cast into the sea. What he's going to teach them is, you don't need a lot of faith. What you need is to clarify the objective of your faith. If you could ever see Jesus for who he is, how good, how kind, how powerful, how trustworthy, how loving, how much he wants for you, if you could ever see God for who he really is. You don't need hardly any faith.
It'd be easy to do whatever he says.
So, what we're going to see is he's going to take his three disciples who will have the primary leadership roles in the church after he leaves, and he's going to give them a private moment with him to clarify the object of their faith, who he really is. And then he's going to have a public moment where all the other disciples see, and those who've had this experience. And then I've got an illustration that will bring it home. Pick it up with me in verse 28. Notice it says about eight days after.
After what? After he said some, are going to do what? They're going to see the kingdom of God before they die.
Well guess what? It's going to happen right now. About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John, and James with him, and he went up into a mountain to pray. And as he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor talking with Jesus.
They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. As the men were leaving, Jesus, Peter said to him, Master, it's good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah. He didn't know what he was saying.
I can identify with that. While he was speaking, a cloud appeared and enveloped them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. And a voice came from the cloud saying, This is my Son whom I've chosen. Listen to him. What happened?
It's near the end of his ministry. Why? Jesus knows they're going to have to believe. And it's not about how much faith. It's the object of their faith.
So Jesus, we learn from Philippians 2, he veils his glory. All that means is he came in the form of a servant. And by the way, when his clothes were bright and lightning, it wasn't like light came from heaven. Literally, what he did in this moment is he pulled back his humanity, and literally the light, it's metamorphosized. It's from the inside out.
Light came out of Jesus, and I mean it was brighter than the sun. And then after that, then here's Elijah and Moses. What did they do? The two characters that brought revelation and truth, Moses, the Ten Commandments, Elijah, restoring Israel, the two most important witnesses. If I'm a little Jewish boy growing up in that day, Peter, John, and James, they're the two heroes of our faith.
So now I see the light coming out of Jesus. Then I get the testimony that this isn't just some experience. Here's Moses, and here's Elijah. And then a cloud envelops, and I'm scared to death. And you hear the very voice of God.
This is my son. Believe in him. Do you understand what God's doing? He's letting these three guys see who Jesus is. And when you see who he really is, Then what we'll watch later is doing what he says it all that hard.
He's God. He's all-powerful. He's faithful. He'll never let you down.
Well, after they have this experience, they're going to go down the mountain. And as they go down the mountain, I want you to notice how specific and why the author is letting us know these are connected. When the voice had spoken, they found Jesus alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and told no one at the time what they had seen. Then, notice the time marker again: the next day.
The next day, all this goes together. When they came down from the mountain, a large crowd met him. And a man in the crowd called out, Teacher, I beg you, look at my son, for he's my only child. A spirit seizes him, and suddenly he screams and it throws him into convulsions so that he foams at the mouth. It scarcely ever leaves him and it's destroying him.
I begged your disciples to drive it out, but they could not. Why? What's Jesus say? What's the text say? Look in your Bible.
Oh, Unbelieving and perverse generation, Jesus replied, How long shall I stay with you and put up with you? Bring your son to me. Even while the boy was coming, the demon threw him to the ground in a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the evil spirit, healed the boy, and gave him back to his father. And they were all amazed at what?
The greatness of God. And while everyone was marveling what Jesus did, he said to his disciples: Listen carefully to what I'm about to tell you. He's setting them up. Look, there's going to be challenges. The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men.
But they didn't understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so they didn't grasp it. And they were afraid to ask Him about it. He's preparing them for His leaving, and He's giving Him promises. And how did He heal the boy?
Did he touch you? What do you do? He spoke. You can trust my word. There's power in my word.
You're listening to Living on the Edge, and a message titled Practice a Radical Faith, part of our series, You Were Made for More: How to Discover God's Purpose for Your Life. In our study, Chip has been making the case that you weren't put here by accident, and the restlessness you feel isn't a flaw, it's a signal. A signal that there's something more you were made for. The question is, how do you find it? To help you with that important journey, we've created a free online assessment called The Real You.
It's designed to help you understand your God-given design from the inside out. When you understand that clearly, the idea of taking a radical step of faith stops feeling terrifying and starts feeling like the most natural thing in the world. It's completely free, and it only takes a few minutes to get started. Head to thereou.org and try it today. As we close today, we want to say thank you to everyone who supports the mission of Living on the Edge.
This is gospel work. Every message, every free resource, every broadcast that reaches someone at just the right moment, it all happens because of people who believe this ministry is worth backing. Today, we invite you to be one of them. Give online at livingonthege.org or call us at 888-333-6003. And one more thing, if this series has spoken to you, don't keep it to yourself.
Share it. Every message is available on the Living on the Edge podcast. And if you want the full-length version of what you heard today, find the Chip Ingram Sermon Podcast wherever you listen. Complete sermons start to finish.
Well now here's Chip.
I want to ask you a question. When's the last time you really thought clearly about how important faith is? Not just faith, but a radical faith. You know there's certain things you know without a doubt are God's will for you to do. but it takes faith which involves risk.
to step out and do them. I just want to ask you, what went through your mind as you heard today's teaching? What did God bring to your mind that you said to yourself within, you know, I'm not living by faith? God values faith. What God wants more than anything else is for me to trust Him.
Well the next question becomes Wow, how do I do that? How do I grow my faith? What's it going to look like? I hope you'll be with us for our next broadcast because we're going to walk through a process where we will learn exactly how Jesus developed faith in his disciples. Don't miss our next broadcast.
I'm Dave Druy, inviting you to join us next time as Chip Ingram continues our study called You Were Made for More. That'll be right here on Living on the Edge. Yeah.
Today's program is produced and sponsored by Living on the Edge. Uh
