The Great Rescue - The Amazing Plan, Part 2

You know, Christmas is literally right around the corner as we put the finishing touches on all the preparations, and I hope you will stay with me for the next 25 minutes. Because this is also a time that's very, very dark for some of us deep in our souls. We're going to learn from a Christmas story, maybe something you haven't thought about, how to come out of the darkness, where to find hope in the midst of all this festivity. Don't miss it.

That's today. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. Chip's our Bible teacher on this international discipleship program, and I'm Dave Druey. Well, in this program, Chip continues his series, The Great Rescue, by explaining that sometimes the power of a great rescue story can be overlooked. If we romanticize it, we completely miss the involvement of regular, ordinary people like you and me.

And second, we tend to focus on the past and the future. What have we learned about interventions in our day? Some of you, I've been involved in one with my father, many years ago.

It wasn't very professional, but it worked. I've been with people that have been in interventions, done interventions, but whether it's alcohol or drugs, a sexual addiction, codependency. What we know is that some people get addicted, begin to live in such a way that it's destroying their lives and the people around them, and then something happens where people realize we can't allow this to continue, and they do what we call an intervention. As I was doing my research, think of the spiritual parallelism. I went online and found a number of places that, you know, if you were thinking, gosh, my son or my husband, my wife, you know, my best friend, someone I really love, they're just killing themselves with alcohol or drugs or something like this.

Where would you go? How would you actually start an intervention? And so I looked at a number of them, but this is five tips for a successful intervention. And as I read it, do kind of the spiritual math to yourself.

And think, hmm, boy, God sure knew a lot more about this than them. Tip number one, don't wing it. Okay? God had a very long, careful plan, but you don't wing it. Research and planning is critical. Two, stay positive.

It's interesting. Interventions are not people beating up on someone. It's about love and commitment and we care and you're valued. And think of Jesus' ministry and how he didn't come with shame.

Healing people and raising them from the dead and delivering people that no one cared about. Third, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Lots of interventions don't work. See, just because someone comes to rescue doesn't mean people get rescued. Someone can come to rescue us, but we have to be willing to accept the help. And I think of how God planned for the best but allowed for the worst, those who didn't want help. He's made provision. Four, opt for a professional interventionist.

In other words, don't try this at home. Get outside help. And finally, secure your drug or rehab center before you do this. It's not like you have this event and think, oh boy, now what do we do? And I was thinking of Jesus, the very last thing he said to his disciples.

Do you remember? He said, I go to prepare a place for you. He prepared what was going to happen to all the people that he's going to rescue. Just a fascinating way for me to begin to take the trees and the songs and the sweet baby Jesus and all the ways that we get familiar and realize Christmas is about the greatest rescue that has ever occurred. There is a plan from eternity past. There are unlikely people for a reason.

There's an innovative method that's beyond imagination actually. When the fullness of time came, God sent forth his son, born of a woman, born under the law. And the perfect timing had four or five characteristics. Number one, the Roman Empire was in one control and there was roads that went everywhere. So transportation for the gospel to move was free. Two, there was the internet of the day, Koine Greek. Everyone, it was the trade language.

All over the Roman Empire, when you did business, Koine Greek. So the Bible, New Testament written, Koine Greek, it exploded. There was a diaspora of the Jewish synagogues. They were persecuted and so were these synagogues all over the Roman Empire.

So when the gospel went forth, they always started there. And last, there was corruption and absolute bankruptcy, religiously, philosophically, morally, and in terms of the lifestyle. In fact, I have a quote here, a contemporary Roman oratorian political theorist, Marcus Tullius Cicero, gives a brutal picture of what city life was like. During this period of history, when he described it as miserable, starving rabble. Ninety percent of the population in the Roman Empire lived a hand to mouth existence and rarely lived beyond the age of 40.

On top of this dismal living conditions, there were social and political injustices, oppression, abuse, and of course, unreasonable taxes that plagued the people. Relentless daily challenge of most people was simply trying to survive. He was into this, God's perfect timing. He sent forth his son. And finally, what God does, he always does with flawless and perfect execution.

Job 42 2 says, I know that you can do all things and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. So as we begin to think about Christmas this season, what I've given you sort of through my rescue lens is a little bit of an oversimplified synthesis of the Christmas story and of rescue. And the reason I wanted to do that because we have two fold things we do around this amazing rescue story that destroy its power. This is reality and we destroy it two ways.

Number one, we destroy it because we romanticize it. We have this picture of this glowing Mary instead of a teenage girl having a baby. In a very difficult situation whose family has rejected her. Who people think if you're Joseph that you're marrying a whore because she's already pregnant.

Who are poor people who can't find a place to have the baby. I mean, this is a reality. This was harsh. This was difficult. I mean some of you have been pregnant and know what it's like to try and go on a little trip.

Well forget a car. Can you imagine? Being that pregnant and taking a trip on a donkey? See we romanticize it. And you know, I like the lights and I like the candles and we have the beautiful songs and there's special songs that make our hearts soar and you know we're in the west and we're comfortable and we have presents and you know we have wonderful times and we eat great food. And isn't it a wonderful time of the year?

Yes it is. But it's about a rescue. It's not about religious ritual. It's not about a wonderful season. It's not about the spirit. It's about the spirit of Christmas.

It's not let's be a little bit nicer to one another. It's about God doing an intervention because he loves us so much that he would humble himself to take on human flesh and be born of a teenage girl and live a perfect life in one of the most horrendous difficult times in human history. Because he loves you and because he loves me and he loves your family and my family and your friends and my friends and the people at your work and the people where I go. The second thing that we do that minimizes what Christmas is all about is we so focus on what we're delivered out of we don't remember what we're delivered into. When you're rescued you're rescued out of darkness into light. Out of a burning building into safety. So in my remaining time what I want to do is I want to talk about the deliverance. The rescue into and I want to go back to Ephesians because Ephesians is the book that tells us what God has given us.

So you ready? God rescues us out of darkness into light and I just want to give you not all but just three specific clear things that those of you like me who came out of your denial and at some point in time in your life recognize that you are an addict and our addiction was ourselves and being in control and our arrogance and wanting life to be our way and at some point in time we said you know what I'm not in control I fall short I do have problems I have sinned and we said God would you forgive me and you trusted in Christ and when you were trusted in Christ as your savior and invited him into your life you turn from your old way you receive the Holy Spirit and you were taken from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light and a number of things happened but I want to remind you of three things you were delivered out of that you're delivered into. Number one. Jesus will put your past behind you.

Why? Because you're redeemed. In him notice how in each of these passages it's in him in him or in Christ. In him we have redemption through his blood. The forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace which he lavished upon us. Notice it's present tense we have it's a picture this word is used of a deliverance of a slave of emancipation of a prisoner. Notice it's by his blood it's literally a picture and in the New Testament times of someone going into the agora that's where the marketplace was and they would take slaves and put the slave up on a box and then people would bid or ransom or buy them and Paul takes that picture in the first world century and says you were a slave and you were chained in the addiction of your own sin and your own self-interest like you and me that violated a holy God and you were destroying your own life and Jesus said I want that one I want that one I want that one whosoever and he bought us from slavery to freedom. He broke the chains of what we were appointed prisoner to to make us new we've been redeemed and here's the new hope you're free you're free you don't have to live that old way you don't have to be self-focused you don't have to be we're addicted to a lot of quote acceptable things along with drugs and alcohol and all the rest that we struggle with you are free you are free to be what a child of God dearly loved blameless and holy but it gets better not only has he put our past behind us but Jesus has a purpose for your life today he goes on in this passage who says in all wisdom and insight has made known to us the mystery of his will right above the word mystery just put secret it's not mysterious this word means in other words it wasn't known before but now in him in Christ he's let us know the secret of his will according to his kind intention which he purpose noticed in him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of times that is the summing up of all things in Christ things in heaven and things upon the earth couple key words here it says in all wisdom that word has the idea of knowledge which sees into the heart of the thing God sees into the heart and all wisdom what's best for you it says that it's insight it's insight that leads to proper action and before people didn't know but in Christ God reveals this plan of deliverance this rescue for whosoever would turn to him and that's what Christmas is all about I love this little phrase as an administration suitable I don't know about you but that doesn't really ring with me literally it was a the idea of a stewardship this word here is like a household economy in other words there was one economy where God dealt with people that he loved in the Old Testament pointing toward the cross and there was animals and there were sacrifices but now we're in this new economy and this new economy is Christ and a purpose and the mystery of his will he's revealed to you what life is all about and you know what that means that means that you are needed this new purpose this new household it's his agent of blessing was Israel now there's not Jew and Gentile they're going to come together in this brand-new thing called the church that's what he's talking about and this church is going to be the supernatural agent to do exactly what Jesus did explain God to everyone by how we live and what we say to bring the kingdom and we talked about that earlier to bring the kingdom where what's up there love and kindness and humility and generosity we take it down here so we dig wells where people don't have water and we deliver people out of the sex trade and we provide counseling for people and we share the good news and we develop and help build churches and care for people that care for people that's what this is about and so God says that every single one of us because of this rescue by Jesus we call Christmas he says that you are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto a work that from the foundations of the earth you're now part of a family part of the team to take the rescue message by what you say and by how you live to every single person on the earth you know a lot of people if you talk with them when they're in addictions or when they're very very depressed or when they're struggling what's what's what's one thing you hear is I don't want to live anymore there's no purpose in my life see Jesus set us free but then he said this is what I want you to do and until the job is done every day I get up if you want to rearrange your life as you get older quote retire do it but retirements not even a possibility for a Christian you might do something different for your vacation but until you take your last breath and I take my last breath we bring the kingdom we explained the love of God and you know what that means you're needed the third thing that happens is that Jesus promises you and me a positive future you have obtained an inheritance having been predestined according to his purpose who works all things after the counsel of his will to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ should be the praise of his glory you have an inheritance I don't know a lot about inheritance as my parents were school teachers and my expectations of getting any kind of inheritance was sort of slim and none but my dad lived to be about 84 85 and and he remarried and and he was wise with his money and and then he remarried and then Evelyn lived a few years afterwards and they did the things that wise good people do they didn't hope or think they had a will and they knew what they were going to do and so my sisters and Evelyn's kids they provided it wasn't big but I got money from my father and I didn't do anything for it I didn't do anything for it I didn't earn it you know why I got it it's because my last name if your name was Ingram you were in my name's Ingram my dad's name is Ralph Ingram and when Ralph Ingram died years and years and years earlier he had set aside that this goes to punky this goes to Jeannie this goes to chip house liquidated that and some other things and each one of us along with Evelyn's kids we got an inheritance well it was awesome just it's just to be a part of it but here's the deal you have an inheritance and it's lavish you have a heaven coming you have a new life you have spiritual gifts God has given you an inheritance there is a heaven waiting that is real and here's the truth here's the new hope you're worthy you know when people lose hope down deep a lot of it is I don't measure up I don't bring anything to the table I'm getting old no one cares about me I'm not as gifted I had these dreams and I feel like I failed you know that marriage didn't work one of my kids didn't turn out very well you know my parents they really messed stuff up I'm down on me I flunked out of school yeah I'm big time on the dollar signs but I'm in the minus category when it comes to relationships and family see no one has it together and God came to rescue you and me out of all that stuff and he wants you to know you're free take off the chains accept that you're needed get off your career and get off your pity party and align with other believers because as you give your life away you will find it and finally you're more than just needed you are worthy and you are valuable solely because of your last name and your last name is Christ one and then they started slurring it together and calling you Christians you're in the family of God you've been listening to chips message the amazing plan from his series the great rescue in this little three-part series chip reveals that God's great rescue mission utilized an incredible plan and relied on a very unlikely team and yet is exactly what people desperate for rescue can rely on with absolute certainty if you'd like to hear this message again the chipping gram app is perfect for free access the apps also an easy way to share this message with a friend if you like CDs take advantage of our on-air discounts and remember the mp3s are always free just visit us online at Living on the Edge org tap special offers on the app or give us a call at triple 8333 6003 before I come back and talk about some application to today's message I do understand we have been talking a lot about the match and how your gift double 10 what the ministry's doing but I just want to pause for a moment and tell you maybe a bit behind the scenes of why it's so important why I bleed what God is doing it Living on the Edge this is the part that many of you won't see but this email that I'm going to read is the standard copy that we get in fact we pray every day as a staff for a half hour all around the country we come together and we have excel sheets of just literally scores and scores of people and I'm telling you it's painful what people are going through marriages falling apart no jobs people who have relatives have died of COVID-19 and this lady writes good morning this message is for chipping gram I wanted him to know what God has done in my life through the ministry I'm a long time believer who wandered far from God for many years after a year and a half of crisis divorce and struggle to find my purpose in my place I was searching for someone who would care for me someone to whom I could belong I reached the breaking point in August I had suicidal thoughts for about nine months and this day in August was the worst mental break I'd ever had I scared myself my family and my friends had absolutely no hope no way forward I could not see the love my family and my friends had for me I felt alone unloved unwanted and I despaired and was desperately crying out for help I lashed out at everyone around me I was defeated discouraged and depressed and I thought I couldn't go on anymore she goes on to talk about something that came to her mind from years ago about 106.9 the light and some guy named chip she got on the internet found it googled it and goes on to say I've been listening every single day little by little God began to speak to my heart renew my mind and fill my spirit and she says I was humbled and awed by what God has done in my heart my mind and my life I wanted chip to know that his ministry has been used by God to save my life that's why I do what I do and that's why we're asking you to join yes there's ministry there's impact there's international there's equipping there's discipling I mean I I'm into all that but I can't tell you how many letters and emails I get of people whose lives are falling apart and God promised his word would go forth and not return void without doing what he says it'll do would you help us help so many who are hurting so deeply right now Dave would you give them kind of the information about how they can join us and why it's important here in December thanks so much love to thanks chip you know if you've ever wondered how you can make a difference what chip just read should help you see that partnering with the ministry of Living on the Edge would be a great place to make a difference in the lives of people you'll never meet on your own and right now your gift will go twice as far thanks to a small group of ministry partners every gift we receive during the month of December will be doubled dollar for dollar now to send a donation just go to LivingontheEdge.org tap donate on the app or give us a call at triple 83336003 that's triple 83336003 you will make a difference as we wrap up today's program I want to encourage you to do something yes keep preparing get those presents done you know enjoy the holidays sing the songs out loud you me and Frank Sinatra Perry Como and all those crooners and those old songs and all the new ones too but here's the deal I want you to really think this Christmas about what God rescued you from Christmas isn't a ritual it's not a time of the year it's not of justice something to go through it is the memorial and the reminder of the greatest rescue that ever occurred it's the breaking you and me out of the chains it's that God has given us a hope that you're free he's taken you and me out of the kingdom of darkness placed us in the kingdom of light and what he said is you're needed you have a purpose and finally he said that I don't care what the world says about your looks your background your education what you've done or haven't done you are worthy this Christmas will you allow God to rescue not just from something but into the hope that he has planned for you from all eternity this Christmas it's more than just a baby it's he loves you he has a purpose for you you are special and I want you to know that you have been rescued not just out of darkness but into the light would you ponder and ask yourself what will it look like this December to live in the light and then are you ready share it with others you know a great way to stay engaged and connected to chip and Living on the Edge is with the chip Ingram app you'll get free access to all of chips recent messages his message notes and much more and not only that but it couldn't be easier to call or email directly from the app we'll be with us again next time when ship continues his series the great rescue until then this is Dave Drewy saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge