Living on the Edge

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:11):
Today on Living on the Edge with Chip Ingram.

Speaker 2 (00:14):
If there was one thing that you could teach, if
you could pass on to your kids, that would ensure
their success in school, in their work, and any future
job that ever had in life, would you want to
know what it is?

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Well, that's today, I'm living on the edge. Stay with me.

Speaker 1 (00:32):
Today's younger generation faces a paralyzing dilemma to pursue their
passion or chase a paycheck, get that college degree, or
learn a trade, follow their heart or follow the money. Well,
the pressure to figure it all out has never been
more intense or more confusing. Today on Living on the Edge,
chipp Ingram cuts through the cultural noise with a radically

(00:53):
different approach. Forget the tired advice about just being happy
or climbing the corporate ladder. One's designed for work is
far more revolutionary and fulfilling than any alternative. So how
do we help our kids to embrace this plan? After all,
the majority of their waking hours can become a source
of genuine joy rather than mere drudgery. And after Chip's message,

(01:16):
we'll explain how you can participate in the groundbreaking double
your impact match that's active right now. More details later
Right now, the message from chip Ingram is called teach
them to work.

Speaker 3 (01:28):
Unto the Lord, sixty to eighty percent of a person's
waking hours on this planet is consumed with an activity
called work. Now that work can be at home, but
it's work. Now. Think of that. If you're not sleeping
or eating sixty to eighty percent of your waking hours

(01:51):
your entire life, you're doing this thing called work. And
so I want to ask you to ponder three questions
with me before where we talk about what we want
to pass on to those we love the most, and
whether that's who we're discipling, or our men's group, our
women's group, our kids, our grandkids. Three questions to really
think about when we begin to talk about this area

(02:13):
of work. Question number one is how can you help
those you love the most live above the daily grind?
How most people are living their life. Can you imagine
the gift it would be if you could pass something
on where that would not be their experience. Question number

(02:35):
two is why are the majority of Americans dissatisfied with
their jobs? And I would say probably maybe, well beyond America.
Most people go to their job. It's a paycheck. I
need the money, but I'm not waking up. There's not
a lot of people going, thank God, it's Monday. It's Monday.
I love it Monday. Oh right, Most people are saying,

(02:58):
thank God it's Friday. Question number three, how can the
place where we spend the majority of our waking hours
be transformed from drudgery to delight? Can you imagine being
able to pass that on to people? Now, I'm not
saying that every moment of every day as people are working,
you know, it's just high fiving each other in the
halls or on the job site, or but I mean

(03:20):
where they would sense a genuine I can't believe I
get to do this, I was made to do this.
I love to do this. Now, there's pressures with any job,
there's demands of any job. We feel overwhelmed at times.
But where you could pass on some truth to those
you love the most that they would, from this point

(03:42):
to the day they die, actually do what God designed
them to do, and it would produce a joy in
them that's not reserved for the weekends, but would be
what they do twenty four to seven, what they look
forward to, and it would produce a fruit and an
impact in the lives of other people that they would go, well,
I can't believe you mean you mean other people are

(04:04):
positively impacted by me like this? And here's sort of
this second core value, the transferable concept is teach them
to work unto the Lord. And so to do this,
I want to jump in and I want to go
over a theology of work, because I don't think we
think very clearly or biblically about work. And it might

(04:25):
surprise you. It is not a necessary evil. It's not bad.
God instituted work before sin ever entered the world. And
so what I want to do is talk about a
theology of work. And then I want to get real
practical again and say, how could you pass on this
truth in a way to those that you love the most?

(04:45):
First of all, then work is a calling, not a job.
That word calling is kind of interesting. You might hear
someone say, well, what's your vocation? The Latin word for
vocation is calling. Years ago, one hundred years ago or more,
when people talked about your vocation, it wasn't what you
do to make money, It was what have you been

(05:07):
called by God to do? It was Martin Luther who said,
you know, a shoemaker making a shoe for the glory
of God using his skill is just as holy as
a pastor preaching a sermon. And he used that illustration
with many trade jobs. But his point was we all
have a call in. God made us and gifted us differently,

(05:28):
and when you do that for the glory of God,
it is just as holy as quote spiritual activity. In
our culture today, there tends to be two motives for
a job or for work. And I'll play this out.
Let's say you have a nephew or a friend or
someone that you're discipling, or one of your kids or

(05:48):
a grandchild that's ready to go to college and they're
trying to figure out what should they major in? Right,
this is what we big. What should I major in?
I feel like or I'm either out of high school?
You know, what should I do? Should I go to
college or should I Should I get a trade job,
or should I go into business with the family? What
should I do? And here's sort of a parental response

(06:09):
that we have learned from our culture. Well, honey, I
don't know, but we just want you to be happy.
It doesn't really matter to me. I just want you
to be happy in whatever you do. Because see, life
is really all about you. You see, we live in
a narcissistic society, and we want you to know that
you are the center of the universe and the only

(06:30):
thing that really matters. Know how much money, or you
change your major seven times, or if you figure out
how to squeeze that four year education into six. We
just want you to have fun in that dorm room,
to make lots of friends, and grow up and be
a wonderful, happy little because that's how life will be later.
Everyone is just going to be coming at the doorstep
of your life trying to make your life work out

(06:50):
for you. I want to tell you that the answer
to the question, though very sincere, and in earlier days,
I've said it myself, saying to our kids when they
say what should I do with my life? The answer
I only want you to be happy. Is not biblical,
is not smart, is not wise, and will not get
them in a good direction. The other extreme we have,

(07:13):
and Christians are more sophisticated in how we communicate this,
but so on the one extreme, it's we want them
to be happy. On the other extreme, it's like you know,
in the real roll up your sleeves Pagan world, it's well,
what pays bet some You got to make a living,
you want to get ahead, get a good education, or
forget that. I'll tell you here's where the job market is.
Here's where you can make money. And so we have

(07:35):
communicated that work is about either making a lot of
money or really being happy. And I want to suggest
that God would say, it's about a calling those people
that you love the most, kids, disciples, best friends, grandkids,

(07:56):
Bible study partners. God has a call of what they
should do, and when they do what He made them
to do, they will have incredible internal joy and incredible
external impact. And with that then we have to begin
to teach again that all work is sacred. All work

(08:16):
is sacred jot down Fris Corinthians ten thirty one. He says,
whatever you do, whether you eat or drink, do all
to the glory of God. All work is sacred. Everyone
is made to do something different. And the issue is
not this little pecking order of status and money. The
issue is helping those you love the most discover what

(08:38):
did God make them to do and what we understand
as we get older, we really care about what our
kids do. When we're like in our thirties and forties.
You get into your sixties and seventies, you don't care
what vocation your kids, your grandkids have. You care that
they love God, they have marriages, they stay in they
really care for one another, and they still want to
talk to you. Right, It's all about character. So but

(09:01):
you know how character grows is we need to make
sure they do and we help them and coach them
not to fulfill our vicarious make me look good, but
we want to help them fulfill what God made them
to do. The third theology of work is that our
work is to flow from God's unique design and purpose
for our lives. Purpose is the key word there. The

(09:22):
work I am called to do, that you're called to do,
that those that you want to pass things on to
are called to do. God has a unique design. Jot
in your notes Ephesians two ten. God has a unique design.
What your job. We're going to learn a little bit
later and we'll talk about how is to help them
discover the unique design or purpose God has for their life.

(09:46):
Now Ephesians two eight nine. Many of you have memorized
right for by grace we're saved through faith, and that's
not of yourselves it's the gift of God, not a
result of works. Lest any mentioned boasts can I highly
suggest that you go to the next step and memorize,
for for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus,
under good works which God ordained beforehand, like from the

(10:09):
foundations of the earth, that we should walk in them.
We are not saved from our sin by our good works.
We are saved by grace as we put our faith
in the work of Christ on the cross. But we're
saved for good works, and we are His workmanship. That
word workmanship we get our English word poem. It's the
picture of craftsmanship of a tapestry coming together. It's a

(10:34):
picture of a cabinet maker doing his finest work, or
a sculptor. You are his workmanship. But now you're created
in Christ Jesus, unto a good work. There's a good
work that you're made for. You're gifted for, you're prepared
for you came out of this family. For you have
the right height, for you have the right personality. For
you have the right spiritual gift deposit in you. For

(10:56):
you have some baggage and hurts and pains that you've
had to overcome that will fit you for this good work.
God is going to use all things working together to
fulfill you doing this good work he has prepared for you.
Well guess what. That's what He has for those we love.

Speaker 1 (11:15):
We'll hear more from Chippingram's message in just a moment. First,
we're inviting you to multiply your year end donation to
an exciting match that's active right now.

Speaker 3 (11:24):
I'm sure you're watching the trend and it is so exciting.
I mean, all across our high schools and college campuses.
There is a spiritual awakening taking place. Young men in particular.
They're finding Jesus.

Speaker 1 (11:37):
The time to respond is right now. Living on the
Edge is ready.

Speaker 3 (11:41):
There's never been a more important time to disciple the
next generation. God is moving. We've created the resources, we
have the game plan, thirty.

Speaker 1 (11:51):
Years of God's faithfulness, lots more to accomplish.

Speaker 3 (11:54):
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Speaker 1 (12:07):
Because of the match, your donation will be matched dollar
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Speaker 3 (12:14):
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Speaker 1 (12:29):
Double the impact of your gift at Livingontheedge dot org
from this series called leaving a Legacy that Lasts Forever
Again our Bible teacher Chip.

Speaker 3 (12:39):
Ingram, work is a calling. All work is sacred, and
our work is to flow from our unique purpose. We
are to co labor with God in this vocation. And
you know what, jot down if you would under this.
I love Paul's testimony. It's First Corinthians fifteen ten. I

(13:00):
had this one down. He says, I am what I
am by the grace of God. He wasn't trying to
be anybody else. I am what I am by the
grace of God, and his grace did not prove vain
towards me. But I labored more than all of them.
There's responsibility yet not I, but the grace of God
in me. In other words, Paul understood that all my

(13:21):
training under gameil, all my baggage, even as a pharisee,
all my legalism all the blindness I had, even my
persecuting to the church. You know what, God is lovingly redeeming,
taking the worst of all my past, realigning it. And
he had many secular scholars think he was the brightest
really the brightest brain of his century. I am what

(13:43):
I am, but the grace of God. That's my dream
for those I care about most. I want my kids
to look in the mirror and say, you know what, now,
I've got a lot of struggles, but I am what
I am, but the grace of God, and his grace
did not prove vain towards me. The Old Testament roots
are Genesis too. Fifteen. You have that in your notes
where you see this picture of God placing Adam in

(14:04):
the garden and there's no sin. And he says, look,
I want you to cultivate. Ooh, I want you to rule.
I want you to work. I want you to be
a co regent. I want you to be a co creator.
I want you to partner with me. I am a creator.
You know what, didn't God do some work for six
days and he got a lot done. So work's not

(14:26):
a dirty word. He says, I want you to get
to experience because you're made in my image. Look, here's
this perfect environment. Now you work. I want you to
name things. I want you to build things. I want
you to create things. I want you to dream things.
That's how we need to see work. It's to express
our creativity, to subdue to rule, to develop, to make beautiful.

(14:47):
And the two pictures biblical profiles are Adam that we've
talked about, and again Paul, And if you don't mind,
I love to read. I love the way Paul says this.
It's Acts twenty verse twenty four, and this is one
of those modern translations. But I just love the way
he says this. He says, but my life is worth
nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned

(15:11):
to me by the Lord Jesus. Isn't that great? And
then he understood his the work of telling others the
good news about God's wonderful kindness and love. Now, ultimately
that if you're called to be a plumber or a builder,
or a software engineer or a stay at home mom,

(15:31):
if you're called to be a professional athlete or an
artist or a musician, or a businessman or businesswoman, then
you will tell others about the love of God by
actually how you do your work and by what you say.
But that calling is different. His was into full time vocational.

(15:52):
He was an apostle. The New Testament command is clautions
three twenty three. Whatevery you do. Now, let's see what
do you think that would cover with that? Is this
just spiritual stuff? Quote? Whatever you do, work at it
with all your heart as working for the Lord, not

(16:14):
for men. This is revolutionary. Can you imagine what would
happen if you were the president of a company and
everyone who showed up said, hey, I really appreciate you.
I know God's put you in this place. I don't
work for you, I work for God. Tell you what,
I don't leave early because I work for God. I
do my best because I work for God. Can you
imagine the difference that would make? Do you see the
impact that has? You know, we're all we want to

(16:35):
change the culture, and we've tried it in lots of
different ways. You want to change the culture, show up
for work and work for God and be an awesome boss,
an awesome supervisor, an awesome employee who loves people and
does excellent, excellent work, and I will tell you what.
You'll change your world and change your culture. Whatever you do,
do it with all your heart as unto the Lord,

(16:58):
little application, and I want to ask you, it says I.
And then in my notes, I have your name, so
you know, do not write I chip Ingram, commit to
discover God's calling for my life so I can impact
my world. And beyond that will not work. For your notes.
You would probably go with like your name, because right
you track with me, because if this isn't happening again,

(17:21):
if it's not happening in you, you won't pass it on.
You can take these notes and these concepts and you
can get into Bible study, or you can go out
for coke or a coffee with a son or disciple,
grandchild and tell them this. And if it's not in you,
you won't pass it on. And I don't care. You
know what, Your work never ends. Don't say well, I'm retired,
okay from some vocation for a season. But if you're breathing,

(17:43):
you're working. You're doing things that are making, creating, modifying, developing,
bringing beauty to life, and so you do that unto
the Lord. Now, let me give you four kind of
specific ways that are real practical in general to develop
this and those that you love to pass it on.
And then what I want to do is I want

(18:03):
to take this very specifically in the second half of
our time about how do you help those you love
discover God's calling for their life. But before we do,
let me give you four quick things that especially for
those of you that might have kids that are still
at home or you know you're in those earlier years.
Number one, give them a lot of jobs growing up.

(18:25):
We have too many parents working too hard, too long,
that are very tired with children in front of television
sets and video games going I'm when supper ready. Your
kids need to learn to cook and help out. Eleven
and twelve. Everyone needs to be able to make their
own bed by at age five or six. Everyone needs
to be able to handle and do their own laundry,

(18:45):
you know, by the early teen or preteen years. You
want them to learn to work at an early age. Second,
feed them responsibility, responsibility, responsibility, and so you give your
kids or your disciples. That's why even when you do
small groups and when you do Bible studies, don't fix everything.
Don't take care of everything. Ask people to bring stuff, help,

(19:09):
ask people to start leading, ask people to share some
things all the time. Feed those people you love the most. Responsibility, responsibility, responsibility,
feedom responsibility, give them jobs, feedom responsibility. Number three require
I almost said demand, because I really mean demand, demand excellence,
and develop a work ethic. We have just got into

(19:31):
this our little kid's psyche. We don't want them to
feel bad. My kids will tell you. And maybe I
was a little over the top. I had one son
that had a struggle in school, and he had the
gift of sloppiness, and so he would do his homework
and he would I mean I can even read it,
and it was half baked. And so every night, I
mean for like almost two years, every night, I mean

(19:53):
not exaggerating, so maybe I missed to night, you know,
sort of not many, and I would look at it.
I said, well, Eric, I can't read this, and so
that's the best I can do. I said, well, the
best you can do, I guess is not quite good enough,
because that's and I would give him, you know, the
little dad sermon, and I really love you son. Now'll
do it again. If you get up at the fourth credit.

(20:14):
That's as good as I could write up out a
very good write. Hey, Eric, got that news. You can
cry as long as you want. But when you start
writing it again, it'll get quicker. Okay. So I'll be
out here when you get it done, bring it out
to me. And that's how you learn to clean out
the gradual. That's not bad. Now try it again. You
know the reason the vacuum cleaner. You pick up the
rug and you actually vacuum under the rug. Okay. Now,

(20:37):
I'm not talking about being perfectionistic, over the top wacko,
although my kids at times would say I had small
moments of that. It it was if they don't learn
to work well and work with excellence and work to
an audience of one, where do you think they're going
to pick that up. One of the greatest gifts I

(20:57):
think I saw my wife and I give our children
is they know how to think and they know how
to work. And the final thing I would say is
teach them, and I allude to this to work for
an audience of one and when they're young. I mean,
I just like I told him, I said, it's I
understand no one can see behind here. That's really dirty,
and all the cobwebs, and you know, the spiders that

(21:18):
are coming out of the corner and stuff that's upsetting
your mother. But the reason you clean here is because
we're not doing this for me or for your mom.
You do your best because this is your work as
an offering to God. Did you see it? This was
really one of the core Reformation principles. The priesthood of

(21:41):
the believer was one. This other was living life before
the face of God. All that we do, all that
we are as an offering.

Speaker 1 (21:52):
These are the Biblical principles to instill in our offspring.
It's a legacy that will last forever. You're listening to
Living on the Edge with Bible teacher Chip Ingram. Chip.
Although we've been on radio for thirty years, we're finding
that young listeners don't tune in this way. Instead, they're
using new platforms and they're asking honest, vulnerable questions. It's

(22:14):
our role as parents and grandparents to bolster their confidence
and the credibility of the Bible.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
Young adults today are asking questions their parents never ask.
How do I know Christianity is true with so many
other religions? You know, why does the Bible seem to
contradict science? Or how can I trust a God who
allows such suffering? These aren't rebellious questions. They're honest questions,
and the deserve and honest answer a thoughtful answer. Living

(22:41):
on the Edge doesn't shy away from the hard stuff.
You might remember our series Caring Enough to Confront, where
we taught on abortion, politics, the environment, LGBTQ, porn, heterosexual sin.
I mean, if they don't hear God's perspective that is
winsome and luck and clear and truthful, how do we

(23:03):
expect them to follow him? We have to give answers
with a spirit of kindness and love, but we have
to shoot it straight, and by and large, that has
not happened across America. This is where God is called
Living on the Edge to step in and both be
kind and winsome, but at the same time tackle controversial

(23:24):
issues in a way that's clear, that's biblical, that's relevant,
and speaks to the heart of young people. When you
give to this match, you're helping us get the word
of God to a group of people that are in
desperate need of truth, but truth that's packaged in a
way that says I get you, I'm for you. Would

(23:46):
you explore this with me each time you give to
Living on the Edge Until December thirty. First, your gift
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I believe that we have to reach the next generation,
and if people will give, I will get. We have
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(24:06):
time in this generation where you stand with us.

Speaker 1 (24:09):
We've made it simple to respond to chip Ingram by
calling this number triple eight three three three six zero
zero three. If you prefer to give online, just go
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(24:31):
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give online at Living on the Edge dot org. Well,
I'm Dave Druy join us. When chip Ingram continues to
describe how to leave a legacy that lasts forever, Friday
on Living on the Edge,