Jesus Unfiltered - Follow - Jesus Offers Satisfaction, Part 2

If I could tell you how to be satisfied really content matter how much money where you live, your married to being single even how you mean satisfied, content would you stick around for the next 2025 is that's what we learned today.

Thanks for listening to this edition of living will be Living on the Edges of international discipleship industry during the daily Bible were the middle of our series, unfiltered, volume 2. This program shall share the second half of this message, Jesus offer satisfaction. But before we begin listing part of the series is a great way to listen to Living on the Edge anytime that airstrip as we pick up where he left off last time John chapter 7 in the notice verse 37 this is the climax of this entire text and so there's controversy Jesus goes to the feast, Jesus teaches in the temple.

He's now the center of controversy, and now it's the very last day in everyone's wondering what happened to Izzy what's happening. Some people say demon possessed. Some people say no is the Messiah something out. He's the prophet.

Other people say he's insane. I mean it's all over the map and then the priest pours out that water and boldly he does he go super public will, if any man thirst and he declares now member the context. The water came out of the rock. Why didn't the people. Why were they in the wilderness for 40 years. They did not believe the promise was a promised land. Those who believed went into the promised land. Why to have the best life there thirst quenched for purpose and meaning in the midst of the battle and Jesus is standing up and says you all have celebrating a promised land that God did in the past.

This is the promise person I'm offering myself to whoever will believe who will trust in me.

I'm the Messiah to see how the context now that you know about the feast starts making sense.

Then notice the Jewish leaders what they do on hearing his word. Some people said whoa see different responses to different he's the prophet others as Christ and some of the second Christ of the come from Galilee becomes from Bethlehem so they're ignorant. He did come from Bethlehem. Notice the final section, getting to frame the border of the puzzle is the Jewish Temple guards came back and the Pharisees go where is it we sent you to arrest him. Where is he like no man has ever spoken like this.

They were mesmerized as a Pharisees, you can look at what are you under his spell.

Are you cursed as well and delete arrogance Pharisees. None of us have ever believed in him because he were educated were sophisticated and were deeply threatened and insecurely won control and say that actually text here but it's what's going on, and so Nicodemus member. He's had that sort of visit with Jesus at night and he said I know you're from God because of these dramatic miracles so Nicodemus can put his hand up to take ice. You know I'm a respected leader to don't we have a law that we all obey about.

We never condemn a person unless we hear from him and we do this the right way and he gets rebuffed and with this sarcasms are you from Galilee to get the framework now. Now you see what's happening.

The context tabernacles last six months of his life goes the feast. He teaches he becomes the center of controversy. He's rejected by the leaders.

Finally, the climax is this what seems to be the most important event or action in the passage so your reading your Bible can't understand just talking. It is doing this in your learning is okay got it. This doesn't have to take you in our everyday you like really smart people but then you ask yourself okay got the context I got the flow. What's what's the most important event or truth. What is it that really sticks out this chapter is about and it isn't pretty obvious.

Verse 37 through 44 is Jesus makes a statement with and that's where you can't say well that's the most important things will passage Lord, I want you to speak to me now follow this very carefully. Jesus promises networking to go to our day to quench your thirst and whoever's thirst that would believe and trust in him if he would be the center of your life is important, your wife, your husband, your job, your money, your future, your company, all those things can be distractions. He says all the things have their place.

I want you to believe and trust and follow me all put those things in place because the spirit of God will give you what they can't. When the spirit of God produces the light of Christ, the love and the peace and the joy that you're looking for. I will give the generosity of the patients. The kindness that you need a relationship will produce that as well. The self-control and the discipline to stay on track.

The spirit will produce that from within you. He's saying I want to provide that for you as you follow me, he said to them, anything at us and here's the question, how do you move from simply knowing a passage knowing about wisdom and knowing about God to hearing his voice personally you the Bible, the Holy Spirit, working in you how do you hear God's voice we look to the truth. Truth was very clear.

Jesus said my words are spirit in their life. Now look at this promise, the promises, if any man if any man. And it's generic for woman is willing to do my will. He will know the teaching whether I'm speaking for myself, or whether I'm speaking from God.

So here's an axiomatic principle of hearing God's voice you have to be willing to do what it says I will tell you. You can read the Bible until you're blue in the face.

You can go to Bible study. You can hear messages. You can do all kind of things, but unless you're willing to do to obey. But here's what God does.

Why would God give you or me new truth. If we won't respond to the truth but is already given me, Jesus and his teaching in Mark four says if you respond to the light that I give you, you get more light. If you refuse perpetually or habitually to not respond to the truth of the life that I give you even a like you have will be taken away by the way, this isn't just about quote becoming a Christian I got a call and actually had an event with walk to the Bible and asked me to come and lead that organization and I live Casino. Sort of a compliment, I suppose, but I was just like okay I got a really we love were rat be in Santa Cruz until I died all the right hundred and where you got a really big decision and you feel tension and what I need. I needed to study the Bible I need to hear God's voice and so I pray for month two months three months. I'm into the fourth month on hearing nothing does this happen to anybody else. Nothing God show me this is really big. I mean, what you here's a go to what I'm supposed to do it and I don't do it and I miss what you're supposed what if I'm not supposed to do it and then I go when I mess up. Given this great church and great people in my family loves it and so you one day, another day right. I was like you know the passage were talked about you know, tossed by the waves back and forth and you know just in and so I fast I didn't work I didn't know what God will. Here's what I did know my wife did not want to go and I didn't want to go and so you know they said look we we have to have a decision by this date you with giving you one month two months three months four months and you know I did my due diligence my research I visited figured out you strengths, weaknesses, all the rent and I was doing something I can have some sort of event is a member of the John Wayne airport.

I had like 3223 more days ahead to give a decision and that sort of my practice always get a couple coffee for you on the plans. When Starbucks got a couple coffee in my back was certain that day and so I went and sat on the floor in the corner is a got please speak to me and I is you know, no audible voice, but was will chip are you willing to do whatever I say in my honest responses. Maybe right. Maybe I just really want to know what your will is so I can decide whether all they ever do that and it was like it was just like nonstarter. All set up. Okay Lord. This is this is an emotional this is just flat out decision if you will show me no matter what could I do want to go.

I will do whatever you say, but I don't want some emotional experience, I will.

I don't know whether it's really you, not me as odd and yes no yes no yes no right about nine times and so I just I'm going to read where I'm more my normal reading is that I was in the book of acts and I read it is like literally a passage which arise, go is not to go well and Teresa and it didn't. But God it was a pivotal point in her life.

Here's all I want you to hear.

See what I describe the process of learning to study the Bible you alternate right, but not usually in the Bible, but when I was talking about those of you that write code does use it to start accompanies those of you that have gone and got graduate degrees those of you that I mean you are so committed to helping your kids either in ballet or music or violin or something. I mean the discipline the path you are seeking it as silver you're pursuing. It is hidden treasure is like I want to be happy. I want to be fulfilled. I want my kids to be successful hello to find the right person is like, you know you are people that go for it and that same intensity and discipline work and focus and willingness to do whatever God says is almost nonexistent with most Christians, and we think we can read a little verse and pray little prayer and that we can have streams of living support. So what kind of questions do you ask, once you willing let me give these to your questions I ask when I read the Bible that are is there a command to obey. In this case it's come to me and drink. So have you done that this is a suggestion. This is the God of the universe pulling and fully God on the earth saying you come and drink. If anyone believes and believe that the intellectual trusting your life following him anyone believes in me out of your innermost being. Second is question is is there promise to claim but there's a big promise.

Here in verse 38 streams of living water will flow from where from within you a huge promise to you.

Ask yourself experiencing that he promised it so it will not do some experiences if all search for him. As for silver and to make Christ a priority like hidden treasure if I would pursue God's way of pursuing my business if I would pursue God the way I'm trying to raise my kids if I would pursue God. Guess what happened inside of you streams of living water, and is not just his word. He lives inside of other Christians it meant to some Christians it you never sit down, have heart-to-heart absolutely vulnerable authentic conversations and do life with other Christians and so you missed the Jesus that lives in them and they missed the Jesus that lives in some of the direction God wants to give you through them so I asked myself as a command there's a promise, and the third thing I do is I ask, is there an example to follow. In verse 31, you know, there was all these people with all the stuff since many of them put their faith in him. Maybe that you you put your faith in him. Certainly for salvation for your sins be forgiven. Have you as you sit here on a certain day at a certain time. I remember I have said I am in need and your God. I'm in a turn from my self focus control or sort of, sort of passive I'll do my life, God, you stay over there to.

I need you. Please forgive me Christ come in my life to be done for those of us that have done that.

Are you still you believing it is. Are you trusting him to meet your needs or have you come to him by grace and now you got it I got a got you on the universe. I got this thing here right anyone else to that.

Now here's the thing.

Here's please listen carefully. I am astounded and amazed at the level of denial that I can have my life. If you would've said to me okay are there other commands today and promises yes.

Will one of the commands is that we honor the Sabbath principle that one day out of seven, you realize the world to live without you, and you get refreshed and you don't work 24 hours out of 168. The world can go on without you. It's a gift from God and it's a it's a statement of faith, but it's is it's a weird statement of faith is like you know like running an Internet company and your company says were only to be on line 6 out of every seven days, but we need to make as much money as everyone else. So that's what the Sabbath is about. It's not about don't do this don't do that is about trust. It's about. And so God is. I was whining said to Chip how you doing oh if you would ask SOI and I believe in Sabbath.

You know on Fridays is my day off and I don't look at my email hardly and I don't look at many calls barely try to really, I mean you will really take a day off and I'm pretty religious about being in a good way. I went back five Fridays, actually you know God speaking to me.

I look my calendar is like your liar you are absolutely convinced that you obey the Sabbath and for five weeks and half super six weeks. She's not had a day off and you're asking me why you're sick you know what it is God on me. I think I heard a gentle voice like Chip, you are what you think you said you haven't obeyed me.

Why haven't you made me I'm and now I'm I'm going to exaggerate just mildly did not much will I haven't obeyed you because you don't understand how important I am. You understand that I mean without me how good of those events ever happened and I had to do this and they were just exceptions because I'm so important I matter so much when I violate the Sabbath or any other command at the heart of it is almost always my own pride and arrogance and I just repented I repented. I said okay God this that's my denial is over. I want to obey you. I'm willing, I'll do whatever you say five different speaking, things came to the very next week. No no no no no I don't have a healthy soul want to be a good husband to love my grown kids on the love my grandkids.

I want to be in good pastoral have margin in my life.

I want to come refreshed to give God's word want to be in good teammate on our staff.

I can't do that and disobey God, to make sense. Notice there's a example to follow Nicodemus. He went public in coming. I think there's a way to do that but there's an example. There II realize I need literally, at times, this is the session really hope you noticed counseling, come to think of God I didn't plan to share quite this much, but I just want to admit to that. There's times where I'm not bold in my faith because I care more what people think, think, I think.

Does anyone else to go with that and I'll go through a season and so have to discipline myself it's okay Lord for the next seven days next 10 days. I'm to let someone know know when some kind loving way and maybe I'll get a buying coffee or him to do something for someone that I'm a follower of Jesus because little by little. If I'm not creasing you get inside little cul-de-sac with all your Christian friends. How will people that are longing and are thirsty here about the living Christ. If we don't we tell them with our life. We tell them with our relationships. We also tell a weatherman last page because here's some barriers to receiving God's promise barrier number one is familiarity. His his brothers don't believe why you grew up with him.

There's times all be in the Bible and all have this in. I'll be reading it I got it memorized.

So God is speak to me so familiar. Some of you been around church all your life and church basically has become the church. I understand and be a good person you know better than most people morally.

I know that a few issues but there's no power, no satisfaction and no excitement. There's no adventure because you so familiar it just become, like a moral code of formula instead of the supernatural bench with the living God is spirit living in you. The second reason is fear what other people think universe 13. A great many people. No one would say anything publicly because so many of us are more concerned about what other people think that what God thinks. I actually, I will often about what I still struggle with this oh so if you're thinking, oh gosh, that's me. Yes me to.

And sometimes on to say okay every day for the next 10 days. I'm to do something somewhere where I go public with my faith in a winsome way on it's not like my friend Lord stickleback. My car is a big Bible when you think you know but I mean in varying winsome ways.

I had a moment yesterday, you know, I was behind a guy and I didn't know about I come in overtly bagel shop. I think I distant cutting how you feel like I didn't mean to.

They were looking at something. So I got my coffee in his neck. I just had this little prompting, and he had you there with his two kids and he started pull out a bill and I put it back. I just had on it. Take care of all of us and I think I can dish it does not only did we would still to sign this and that, looking like what what drugs are you and this time is it. I think I just really wants to bless you today, he said and and you know what it was like click when Republican, loving and winsome with our faith doesn't turn people off whole generation of Christians at think that if you really go public. You turn people off. People are literally dying to hear the third's unwillingness to obey me. I can hear God's voice are members doing a you a Bible study on the college campus might be a basketball coach and I would play basketball, pickup basketball in the gym and then we go to guys dorm room and we pass out gospel Johnson. We just read a chapter out loud and talk about, I didn't preach I didn't teach. I just ask questions. What you guys think it says and we did you know John one John two John three John force like that in the sky comes and goes will be playing bass, coming to the mic and come to Bible study tonight.

Is it okay that none of them were Christians at civil why he said because I can keep reading this stuff for when you can't keep reading this stuff. He said look I I've come start to get it. I keep reading this I can't keep living the way I is also what I mean is luck man, can I just give it to you straight. I'm living with my girlfriend if I keep reading this I'm gonna come to a point where either. It's Jesus. My girlfriend were its Jesus insects.

I just want you know I'm going to go on record. It's girlfriend and sex, not Jesus.

But I keep reading this stuff into is messing with me and I just said something. Thanks for being so honest and I just took a moment. I said no, from what we learned, if you ever wanted to believe in Jesus because you know this is a potential someday. Some like this may not really forgot was girlfriend and you might find something even more important sections like my notes are to believe 19 but and then I had him share the gospel with me, so I wanted to know for sure and I said hey you can play ball with the Sgt. so you don't need to be the Holy Spirit is easy to love people love people and getting in God's word let him speak to them but said he was unwilling to obey. But what I like this. He was honest enough to say it.

The fourth reason people don't believe is just ignorance. You know that that idea of the false presupposition of verses 25 to 31 where to send the Messiah when he comes, will just out of nowhere. Will that was a tradition by the rabbis in the oral tradition so they believe that the Messiah just can come out of thin air.

So they rejected Jesus, the Bible never said the Bible have said that.

But some people reject Christ because they have ideas about them that aren't true.

Number five there is so I cited Bible before superficial assessment reevaluation to the one group who talk about when second you know you have this guy walk on the Sabbath, so you can't be from God and he said stop judging superficially at this happen is a new Christian to Christian about eight months and it was on the Basque Latina guy whose anti-anti-God and especially Christian said you believe in God, yes Bible yes you believe the Bible is true. Yes, you eat meat. Yes, you have a credit 68 like you know we talk about doesn't the Bible say thou shall not kill you kill animals eat meat.

See you are all hypocrites. I went back like oh my gosh right now, little research and a lot of the say thou shall not kill him and it says that shall kill because awards were killed in Hebrew the word for murder. The Bible says, that shall not murder but he had a superficial assessment of what he thought the Bible taught and as a result, rejected God rejected the Bible and can't put me in a tailspin. See, here's here's my concern. The reason I'm going through John and try to help all of us really learn what it says my fears.

A lot of you have a very superficial understanding and you think you know what this says and you're listening to all kind of things and all kind of people and you have legitimate thirsts and some of you are so dad on smart so dad on gifted you actually figure out how to quench your thirst and your successful in your smart and you become wealthy, and have great positions and you end up with what everyone else wants in life and then you look in the mirror and you look down your soul and it's empty and you can't figure it out because I believe in God. I go to church 1.6 times a month, but the fact the matter is, as you you not searching you you not studying the Bible like you learn to read code and develop code not studying the Bible the way you did a musical instrument you the Bible what you had your kids, you know, doing ballet or athletics studying the Bible the way that you started out with physics you you not you, not you, not taking the Bible the way you did when you were in that startup and everybody knew that you need to give your life to start if they don't work God is saying, Jesus coming come and drink this application for this message. Jesus offer satisfaction, which is from the second volume of his Jesus on series titled follow whether we realize it or not we all want to be in control.

Control of our finances or relationships or work, but that desire conflicts with our relationship with God. So how do we change that will in volume 2 of chip series Jesus unfiltered.

He tackles the practice of following which begins with humbly allowing someone else to leave. Chip explains that when we decide to follow Jesus, we agree to believe, trust and obey him. No matter what. And, in turn, he's responsible for leading providing protecting and loving us. Discover how you can experience the freedom that comes with following Jesus wholeheartedly. If you miss any part of this series, Jesus unfiltered volume to or want to learn more about our resources Chip Ingram map is a great way to get plugged in now before we go any further, here's chip to share a special email we received recently. I want to pause just for a minute and if you're a financial partner with living on the average. I just want you to hear a message that we received from a lady named Kelly who listens every single day.

She said thanks so much for your ministry and daily podcast I listen every day I'm a recovering addict of many things. I grew up in a Christian family was saved at the age of 17.

Shortly after that because of peer pressure in school started doing drugs. I now have a few years of sobriety and God save my life and he is totally remove the physical words, use drugs and alcohol and cigarettes now joined an awesome church that has small groups and Christ is blessed me in recovery meetings. Anyway, thanks so much for sharing your life with others. You made a positive difference in my life. You know Kelly is one of hundreds actually thousands of emails that we get it Living on the Edge by just column life change spirit of God took the word of God and might've been on the podcast could been on the radio could've been in the small group could even been a CD or a book, but God intervenes with their life and something happens that changes the course of their life and I just want to pause and thank you you know some of you write a check every month. Some of you have it taken out of your account every month. Some of you like once 1/4. Twice a year you give to Living on the Edge. I want to remind you what it actually does. It's not about giving money, it's about extending ministry and changing lives. So thank you thank you thank you and if by chance you're listening you're thinking I've never given to Living on the Edge, but I'd like to get in on that will give you a very simple way of how you can join the team can really make a difference fixture well of Kelly story inspired you and you'd like to become a part of our team would love to have you join us.

Your support helps us reach more and more people with biblical teaching, and encourages Christians to really live like Christians to give a gift, call us at AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org that's LivingontheEdge.org or call AAA 333-6003 Listener step donate and let me thank you in advance for doing whatever the Lord leads you to do well here's chip with some final thoughts in today's teaching. We said that if you put God's Word into practice. I mean that's what it means to abide in him you will know the truth and the truth will set you free is an amazing promise it's not just reading the Bible, not just hearing the Bible it's taking in God's word, putting it into practice.

You will experientially know the truth and the truth will have the power to set you free. But then we talked about the barriers that keep us from knowing and applying the truth so those are pretty important. Let me take just a minute as we wrap up today's program and and just highlight and and you think is I as I go through these. Ask yourself which one of these barriers might be a barrier in my life. The first is familiarity and we think we've got it were little bit prideful and you know hey, I know that passage, I know that verse and you kinda just traffic in the truth. The other is fear were so concerned about what other people think. We don't act on what we know. The third was was disobedience mean we all face.

This is just this is what it says I know I need to apologize to that person or I need to confess that sin or get help with that addiction we just say you know buyer behavior we just say I'm not going to do it.

The fourth is ignorance. I mean so many believers don't know the promises of God. They don't know what God has to offer. And then finally I just call it a superficial assessment we jump to wrong conclusions and were very very easily swayed.

Of those, which one of those today might be a barrier to you experiencing God's truth and freedom if you got it.

Can I encourage you to own it out loud, confess it to God and the big word in the Bible is repent and turn from that and say Lord I need help with that. I've been ignorant or I'm disobedient and meet got asked for his help and thanks tell one person today what the barrier is and what your next step is and see if God doesn't show up in a fresh way that's The Encouraging Word triplex in case you missed some of the points chip just reviewed their pulled straight from his message notes, which is a tool available for every program. So let me encourage you to get this resource before you listen to us again. Chip's notes include his outline all of the Scripture references and lots of fillings to help you remember what your learning though really help you get the most out of every program, chips, message notes are a quick download@livingontheedge.org under the broadcasts tab app listeners just tap fill in notes one selects time. This is really saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge