The Path - To the Life You've Always Wanted - The Path, Part 1

Whether you realize it or not, your life is headed in a certain direction. Every choice, every decision you make is another step down a particular path. So here's the question. What road are you on? And does this journey lead you where you really want to go?

That's today. Stay with me. Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram. I'm Dave Druey and the mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians through the Bible teaching of Chip Ingram. Now after hearing Chip's challenge just now, you may be wondering, how do I get started? How long will it take for me to find this road Chip's talking about? Well, in this message he'll describe the road markers to look for and where specifically this pathway leads.

Now before we get started, if you're new to Living on the Edge or miss any part of this series, you can always catch up via the Chip Ingram app. Let's join Chip now for his message, The Path to the Life You've Always Wanted. I'm going to start with a very, very simple question and here's the question. What path are you on and where is it taking you? What path are you on today and where is it taking you? I'm on a path, you're on a path. Now it's an unconscious path and we have different paths and unconsciously some are on a path to fame, some on a path to success, some are on a path that your kids are all turned out right, some are on a path that say I'm going to avoid pain and rejection like I had, some are on a path to prove that your father or some significant person who said you're a loser is wrong, some of you are on a path to get people to like you. And here's the thing, it's so subtle, it's so deeply rooted, it affects when you get up, all the little habits, what you read, who you hang out with, what movies you watch, where you go on the internet and the accumulation of all those little habits that's behind this idea that you may not even be aware of, these values and beliefs and some lies, you're on a path and here's the thing about every path, it leads to a destination. And when I ask myself, so Chip, are you on the path that will bring what you want most, an intimate relationship with God and your wife and family and friends? Are you on a path that's going to create an authentic person that my relationships are real and I come out of the shadows and what I project and how I say I am really is who I am. And are you on a path that's going to allow your life to have the kind of impact that God designed for you? And you know, I did some deep, deep evaluation and the encouraging part was in many ways I'm on that path. I've been walking with God for over 40 years. And in other ways, I'm on a path that leads to things that I think that's not where I want to land in a couple relationships.

That's not the kind of person I want to be. And I had to pause and really evaluate. So what's the pattern? What's the path?

What lies am I believing? Because I'm still believing and I'm guessing everybody else is here too. Could you just say out loud, I'm on a path?

Could you say it now like you mean it? I'm on a path. Okay. You are. Because see, you don't believe that.

It's unconscious. Some of you are on this path that my kids have to get in this school. Some of you are on this path that I've got to look like this.

Some of you on this path, I've got to have so much money because when I retire and some of you, I mean, and it is so deeply rooted that your life, your behavior, when you sleep, what you do, and it's producing a life. Now here's the thing. This isn't new.

This isn't new at all. My goal is that we're going to look at the path that will bring about life and love and peace and purpose and the kind of relationships are you ready for the kind of life that you long for. There's lots and lots of Christians in the Bible, Old Testament, New Testament, today, church history, that were on the right path and very gradually they strayed it.

They did not end well. And it takes some real honesty and that's what we're going to do today. You're on a path. The wisest man in the world gave us a warning because there's, when you're on a path, you unconsciously and unconsciously, we assume that it's the right path. Solomon said, there is a path that seems right to a person, but it ends in, anybody guess what it might be?

There is a path, by the way, that seems right. I'm getting up. I'm doing this. I'm hanging out with these people. I watch this. I'm in this job. I'm pursuing this. I'm reading this.

I'm watching that. It seems right. I'm with this group.

These are my closest friends. There is a path that seems right to a person and it ends in death, heartache, divorce, separation, wayward kids, addictions. See, if you don't really check out and honestly say, what is the pattern? What's the path that I'm on?

Then you'll never evaluate. Have I strayed or am I even on the right path? And I'm going to walk you through the path.

This is the most amazing good news in all the world. This is the path that gives life. This is the path that promises peace and right relationships and purpose. This is the kind of path that you stay on it imperfectly like all of us, that you'll end your life and you will have the kind of life that you always long for.

Are you ready? The path is a person. It's Jesus. The path is an actual person. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except by me. It's not a path.

It's the path. I mean, every world religion, I mean, New Agers, right? Everyone, if everyone lived like Jesus, the world would be an awesome place, right?

I mean, different religions. He's the model, the most loving person who's ever lived and walked. I mean, if you were married to someone that lived like Jesus every day, that was kind and forgiving and other centered, or if your boss was just like Jesus or if every employee was like Jesus, if every dictator of every country was like Jesus, the world would be a great place, right?

So here's the deal, though. We all say, He's so loving. He is. But this is from Jesus' own mouth.

He's also, He's the most religiously intolerant person that has ever walked the earth. He didn't say, I am a way that you can mix with other ways. I'm the way.

The word is Hadas. It's I'm a road. I'm the highway.

I'm the direction. He is intellectually intolerant. Intellectually intolerant. He didn't say, I'm a truth and there's lots of truth and you can choose. I'm the truth.

Definite article. He's metaphysically intolerant. I mean, the whole metaphysics and life and philosophy and what's it all about?

He goes, I'm the life. I mean, there's such a crossroads, this loving, powerful, fully man, fully God. The path that you need to be on is the Jesus path.

It's a person. And so it's relationship with Him and the guidance and the direction and the scripture teaches He literally will take up residence inside of you by the Holy Spirit and lead and guide you. And that's the path. It's following Him on the path that He blazed for you and me. Second, the path is simple. I think we get this so complicated.

It's super, super simple. It's loving God and loving people. That's the path. It's not religion. As important as reading the Bible, coming to church, doing good works. All those things are periphery as an evidence. You can do all those things we know and not love people and not love God and do it for all the wrong motives.

Now they're important, but you got to, you got to understand the path, the evidence, what matters when the God of all eternity looks into your heart and your soul is not external activities. Do you love me? Do you love him? Do you love her? Do you love your enemies? Do you love your boss?

Have you forgiven your ex? When they came to Jesus and they said, what's the greatest commandment trying to trick him. So the greatest commandment, he reaches back into the Old Testament, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind and all your strength.

Talk about surrender. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like unto it, love your neighbor as yourself.

So you have to an appropriate self love and your neighbor according to Jesus is all the people you come in contact, especially those in need on these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets. In other words, they fulfill everything. You know, we evaluate ourselves in so many ways. Just ask yourself, am I loving? Would my kids say I'm loving? Would my fellow employees say I'm loving? Would my heavenly father say I really love him?

I don't mean just an ooey gooey feeling. I mean by his definition. Third, the path begins with a spiritual birth. In other words, you're not born on a path.

You have to get on a path. And many of us, our path were formed by family of origins and you know, ideas and thoughts by people. Jesus was very, very clear. This is a quote that he said to the most religious, morally good person that we can identify in all the New Testament. And he said to Nicodemus, who was a priest and a super good guy and morally squeaky clean, he said, truly, truly for emphasis or verily, verily I say unto you, unless you're born of water and the spirit, you cannot enter the kingdom of God. So here's a guy that if the path is being nice, being kind, being religious, not sinning, not logging on the internet, not cussing, I mean if you're squeaky clean and you think that gets you there, Jesus says to him, physical life demands a physical birth. Spiritual real life with God demands a spiritual birth. If you're a woman here and you've had a baby, when you turn to your husband and you said to him, honey, my water just broke. What do we know is coming?

It's what he's talking about here. Born of water. All he's saying is kids don't get born, children don't get born until that water breaks and there's a birth. That which is born of water, but that which is born literally a second time and here's my greatest fear. My greatest fear for people all across America, for people all around the world who say I'm a Christian, I'm a follower of Jesus.

I think there's just hundreds and hundreds and hundreds who think I go to church now. I'm trying to be a good person. If my good deeds way out, my good, bad deeds. I mean that's how I grew up and my concern is if you don't have a spiritual birth, you don't have the power, you don't have a relationship with God. Jesus came from heaven to reveal what God is like, live a perfect, absolutely perfect life and then he died upon the cross to build the bridge from us who are sinful people to an absolutely holy God.

I got news for you. The scripture teaches one sin, one thought, one lust, one lie separates me from an absolutely pure God because he can't have it. But he loved you and loved me so much. Jesus came and when he hung upon the cross, your sin, my sin, the sins of all people, he took and he placed on Christ and he absorbed them and he cut the word atonement.

He covered them. Everyone's sin in all the world has been forgiven and the gospel is not a do this and do that. It's an invitation.

It's a proclamation. You're forgiven. The price has been paid. Here's the issue.

Have you received it? Are you willing to turn from your self will, your control and your patterns of sin and say, have a change of mind, repentance, that's wrong. I am guilty before a holy God and I accept this gift freely given of eternal life. And when you do that, the spirit of God comes into your life and the life of Christ begins to lift his life out through you. That's getting on the path being born again. So Jesus has the path.

It's very simple. It begins with a spiritual birth, but the path leads to spiritual maturity. I mean, any, any path that you're on, I mean, you go up to the redwoods or you go to the beach or you find a path. If there's a metaphorical path, every path leads somewhere, right? So the problem with a lot of Christians is they think the path starts, Oh, I'm born again. I receive Christ.

I'm done. That's like, can you imagine those of us that are parents, a little baby's born, you know, little baby, two years later, little baby, five years later, little baby, 25 years later, you know, we've been through a lot of diapers. I mean, you'd be so disappointed that baby is designed to be a toddler, a preteen, a teen, a young adult.

It's to grow up. And the path in the Christian life leads to spiritual maturity. The apostle Paul gave us his mission statement in Colossians chapter one. He says, we proclaim him Jesus, teaching every man and admonishing every man with all wisdom that we might present every man, every woman, every person complete in Christ, circle the word complete in your notes. The word is teleos. The root would be like telescope is seeing something far away or you people in apologetics. The teleological argument is the argument of design. It's the idea that you grow up and fulfill what you are designed to be and you are designed.

Are you ready to actually be transformed over time so your life, your speech, your priorities would look more and more and more like Jesus. And that's why we were called Christians. The early church, they loved each other. They shared everything. They were generous. They were willing to give their lives for one another. And everyone said they're nuts. Being a Christian, it was an Antioch.

When they called him that, it was a slang term. These idiots, they're willing to die. They hide out in these caves.

They talk about some guy who came back to life. They, they, they sell their property. They help the poor. They touch lepers.

I mean, give me a break. They're just like their founder Jesus. And Paul says that that journey for us and that journey for us helping others called disciple making, it would be really hard for this purpose. Also look at verse 29 in your notes for this purpose. Also I labor striving according to his power that mightily works within me. We get our word for gymnasium.

It's a picture of a person straining under a weight. It's a picture of someone reaching for the, he goes, I'm going to do whatever I need to do to help every single person become like Jesus. And so we got to tell them there's good news proclamation. We have to teach them.

So there's going to be classes and there's going to be small groups. They're going to have to get in the Bible for themselves. We have to admonish. We have to tell them when they're doing well and when they're not doing so well. And we have to go through the difficult times with them. And those of you that have grown in Christ, you realize you just can't do that alone.

It takes all of us together. What would happen to everyone where you work or your roommate or all the people in your family? If you were 25% more like Jesus, just 25%, 25% more loving, 25% more patient, 25% more forgiving.

What would happen? You would be a catalytic something that would call it a change reaction in all the people around you. And what if you got like carried away and two years from now you were 62% more like Jesus? By the way, you're here because a group of people became more and more and more like Jesus to the point that we couldn't deny that that is the path. That is the life. You've been listening to part one of Chip's message, The Path to the Life You've Always Wanted.

He'll be right back with his application for this teaching in just a minute. Do you ever wonder if you're living up to your fullest potential? Is there a sense you're missing out on something better? Through this short series, Chip provides a clearer picture of the life God has for you and how you can get it today. If you'd like to get this message for yourself or pass it on to a friend, you can do both via the Chip Ingram app or download the free MP3s at livingontheedge.org.

For complete information on the path to the life you've always wanted, just go to livingontheedge.org. App listeners, tap special offers. Before I come back with some very specific application about today's message, I just want to remind you that you're listening to this because some very caring and loving individuals have sacrificially given to the ministry so that we can pay for the airtime, so we can create the programs, and so we can minister to you. In those early times as you listen to the program, we are delighted to just make it available, and we are thrilled of the team that God's put together. But I'd like to talk to some of you that have become regular listeners and you've never considered, I wonder how this gets paid for.

Would you consider making a gift today? The Bible is very clear that when we receive spiritual ministry to us, we have a responsibility to help financially fund those who teach and minister to us. What I want you to know is we use all the resources to go right back into the ministry. We want to help Christians live like Christians, and so if you've been benefiting from the ministry and you've never given or you've given now and then and realized maybe God wants you to be a part of the team, would you consider today partnering with us? You can do it any way God leads you, but would you take that next step and be a part of getting Living on the Edge and what God's doing through it to the lives of many more people? Thanks, Chip. If that mission resonates with you, we'd love to have you join us.

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Your generosity is greatly appreciated. As we close today's program, I think it's really important that we don't just skim over maybe the main point of this entire message. Jesus himself is the path. You know, for some of us, at least growing up the way I did and the church experience I had, I never got that.

I just thought there was a set of works or being a good moral person or really trying hard to do certain things that someday, someway, I could please God. But what we learned today is that you have to have a spiritual birth to have a real relationship with the living God. And so I just want to pause, and I want to ask you, have you ever been, in the words of Jesus, born from above, literally born again? Now I know you've been born physically because you're here, but have you been born spiritually? Have you come to the point in your life where you've turned from your sin, recognized your need for forgiveness, and asked Christ to come into your life, forgive you, be your Savior, be your Lord, and then ask him for the help to follow him the rest of your days?

If, as I'm talking, you realize no, I really haven't. You might even say, I think I'm a good person. You might even say I'm more moral than other people, and you might even say I go to church pretty regularly. But all of those things will be insufficient for you to have a relationship with God now and to be with him forever. And so right now, you can receive Christ.

You can be born from above. It's simply right now, in your heart of hearts, even as I'm speaking, turn your mind and your heart to God and say, Dear God, I need you. I admit that I do fall short of being perfect.

I'm certainly not holy in all my thinking and words and behavior. And so today I ask you for your help. I admit that I fall short, and I believe today that Jesus died on the cross. And when he did, he paid for all my sin. I receive that free gift right now, and I invite you, Lord Jesus, come into my life. Come into my heart. Make me your son.

Make me your daughter. I believe you not only died for me, but you rose from the dead to give me new life. As you've prayed that, not the words in themselves, but the intention of your heart, God heard, God forgave, and he answered your prayer because he said, Anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Your next step is to tell someone that you know what you just did. Maybe the next step after that is go to our website livingontheedge.org and get a free resource to help you grow in your faith, and then find a great church that teaches the Bible this weekend and start growing. If you prayed with Chip, I hope you'll take a minute and call us at 888-333-6003. We'd love to talk with you and get a free resource in your hands that'll help you understand what you just did and where to go from here. It's called Starting Outright, and it'll help you gain a clear biblical understanding of what it means to put your faith in Jesus. You can request this resource by calling 888-333-6003 or by visiting livingontheedge.org and then clicking on the New Believers button. That's livingontheedge.org or call 888-333-6003. We'll be sure to join us again next time as Chip wraps up his message, The Path to the Life You've Always Wanted. Until then, this is Dave Druey saying thanks for joining us for this Edition of Living on the Edge.