100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,000You wanna be great? That’s good, I’ll tell you how to achieve it. You want to be all200:00:08,780 –> 00:00:15,240that you can be in your life in this world? Excellent, you should want that. Here’s how.300:00:15,240 –> 00:00:21,780You verse 35 must be the servant of all.400:00:21,780 –> 00:00:25,879Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with500:00:25,879 –> 00:00:29,980us today. And Colin there’s not necessarily anything wrong with wanting to be better or600:00:29,980 –> 00:00:35,520even wanting to be great, but how we ought to achieve that might be a bit of a surprise.700:00:35,520 –> 00:00:42,520Yes, and the scripture tells us that the disciples were arguing about who was the greatest. Imagine800:00:42,520 –> 00:00:47,580that conversation. And it plays into our lives, doesn’t it? What have I achieved in my life?900:00:47,580 –> 00:00:52,060The great question. And then if I don’t feel that I’ve achieved what I want to have achieved,1000:00:52,060 –> 00:00:56,900then I start getting down on myself and I must be the most dreadful failure and so forth.1100:00:56,900 –> 00:01:04,019So much of that arises from this ugly root of pride that borrows its way into the human1200:01:04,019 –> 00:01:08,059soul, and it was there in the disciples. It’s there in some degree in all of us we need1300:01:08,059 –> 00:01:13,879to recognise where it exists and confront it and deal with it. And Jesus does this so1400:01:13,879 –> 00:01:18,980very, very wonderfully. You want to be great. And he has a little child, brings the child1500:01:18,980 –> 00:01:24,660into the conversation and setting the child in front says, Now, you want to be the greatest?1600:01:24,660 –> 00:01:27,699You’ve got to become the least. You’ve got to be the servant of all. You’ve got to become1700:01:27,699 –> 00:01:32,459like this little child. That’s marvelously freely.1800:01:32,459 –> 00:01:37,059And we’re going to see why that’s true in today’s message. Join us, if you can,1900:01:37,059 –> 00:01:41,099in the last part of Mark chapter 9. Here’s Colin.2000:01:41,099 –> 00:01:45,959I want you to notice if you’ve got your Bible open that really, it is the theme of children2100:01:45,959 –> 00:01:52,379that ties this long section together. Chapter 9 in verse 36. Jesus takes a child in his2200:01:52,379 –> 00:01:57,459arms and says whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me.2300:01:57,459 –> 00:02:03,660Chapter 9 in verse 42. Jesus says as he begins to speak about eternal punishment, very serious2400:02:03,660 –> 00:02:09,759words that he has. He begins from speaking about someone who causes little ones who believe2500:02:09,759 –> 00:02:14,820in me to sin. And it being better for a millstone to be around their neck and thrown into the2600:02:14,820 –> 00:02:18,779sea and so forth. Then in chapter 10 Jesus speaks about marriage.2700:02:19,220 –> 00:02:23,059The connection with children being very obvious and God willing we’ll look at that next week.2800:02:23,059 –> 00:02:28,539Then chapter 10 in verse 13, people were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch2900:02:28,539 –> 00:02:33,660them. The disciples wanted to send them away. But Jesus welcomes the children and takes3000:02:33,660 –> 00:02:42,139them up in his arms to bless them. So quite clearly the place, and the plight of children3100:02:42,139 –> 00:02:48,339is running strong in the mind of our Lord Jesus Christ at this time in his ministry.3200:02:48,460 –> 00:02:54,479Now just taking to the end of chapter 9 this morning, I want us to learn two things. First,3300:02:54,479 –> 00:03:04,160that Jesus teaches humility through the example of a child. And secondly, that Jesus urges3400:03:04,160 –> 00:03:11,720integrity through the example of a child. Jesus teaches humility, Jesus urges integrity,3500:03:11,720 –> 00:03:18,279and he does both of these things in chapter 9 through the example of a child.3600:03:18,279 –> 00:03:25,360Well, let’s begin then at chapter 9 and verse 33 where we’re told about a disagreement3700:03:25,360 –> 00:03:32,039that arose among the disciples. They came, verse 33, to Capernaum and when Jesus was3800:03:32,039 –> 00:03:38,919in the house He asked them, What were you arguing about on the road? Verse 34 But they3900:03:38,960 –> 00:03:45,539kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Now I guess this4000:03:45,539 –> 00:03:52,000must have been an intense argument because it obviously dominated the journey that they4100:03:52,000 –> 00:03:59,000took by foot all the way to Capernaum and Jesus knew that this was going on among them.4200:03:59,000 –> 00:04:06,960You know I can understand a group of astrophysicists having a discussion about who is the greatest4300:04:07,660 –> 00:04:10,399but honestly a bunch of fishermen trying to determine who is the greatest. This seems4400:04:10,399 –> 00:04:16,679to me quite ridiculous. When Jesus asks them what they were arguing about they immediately4500:04:16,679 –> 00:04:21,920see how ridiculous their discussion really was because they are embarrassed. They are4600:04:21,920 –> 00:04:27,980looking at the floor. Nobody wants to say anything. Verse 34. They kept quiet because4700:04:27,980 –> 00:04:34,799of what they had been arguing about who was the greatest. It strikes me that if Jesus4800:04:34,880 –> 00:04:38,959was to ask us about some of the arguments we get into in life we would react the same4900:04:38,959 –> 00:04:45,519way. Think of the kind of arguments we get into. And if Jesus were to come to us and5000:04:45,519 –> 00:04:53,320to say what are you arguing about, I think with the disciples in many many cases we would5100:04:53,320 –> 00:04:57,540have an embarrassed silence because we would feel that in the light of the glory of the5200:04:57,540 –> 00:05:05,940Son of God that what we were arguing about was very very foolish indeed. And indeed for5300:05:05,940 –> 00:05:10,859a disciple of Jesus to try and be impressing other people with how great you think you5400:05:10,859 –> 00:05:15,380are really is very foolish.5500:05:15,380 –> 00:05:19,980This is the only time that Mark records the disciples arguing. It’s the only time the5600:05:19,980 –> 00:05:26,380word argue is used of the disciples in the gospel and I think that the timing of this5700:05:26,459 –> 00:05:31,260particular argument is therefore very significant.5800:05:31,260 –> 00:05:36,779Remember what had just happened, what we saw last week. That Jesus had taken from the twelve5900:05:36,779 –> 00:05:42,739three of his disciples and they had been taken up the mountain where they had seen this marvellous6000:05:42,739 –> 00:05:46,519glory of Jesus being transfigured.6100:05:46,519 –> 00:05:50,700Now Jesus takes Peter, James, and John up the mountain. What do you think the the other6200:05:50,700 –> 00:05:53,820nine thought about that?6300:05:54,820 –> 00:05:59,940I think I know how I would have been feeling. Well why was it these guys and not me? Why6400:05:59,940 –> 00:06:08,500am I not in the inner circle? Why wasn’t I invited to go up the mountain of transfiguration?6500:06:08,500 –> 00:06:16,720When someone else is given a privilege that was not given to you, you will very probably6600:06:16,720 –> 00:06:24,940find within your own heart an impulse to criticize that person. Why was she chosen for that?6700:06:24,940 –> 00:06:29,640I’m not sure she’s the best anyway, and so forth.6800:06:29,640 –> 00:06:34,260And you see, a large part of our criticism of other people who are given privileges that6900:06:34,260 –> 00:06:40,239are not given to us flows from our own pride, the pride that reigns in our own hearts that7000:06:40,239 –> 00:06:46,279says, oh, that should have been me, you know, that should have been me. Pride shows itself7100:06:46,320 –> 00:06:54,279up in one of two ways. Either it can show up in jealousy over what has been given to7200:06:54,279 –> 00:07:01,500others, but not to you. Or it can show up in a sense of superiority over what has been7300:07:01,500 –> 00:07:08,279given to you, but not to others. And I think the jealousy side, what was given7400:07:08,279 –> 00:07:13,959to others but not to me. That’s the problem for the nine of the disciples. I think for7500:07:14,339 –> 00:07:19,040the three who were taken up the Mountain of Transfiguration, it’s the issue of superiority7600:07:19,040 –> 00:07:23,559that’s the problem. And I want to show you that from verse 38 and see7700:07:23,559 –> 00:07:30,019if you agree. Remember Peter, James, and John have been taken up the mountain and they have7800:07:30,019 –> 00:07:38,799seen the glory of Jesus Christ. An awesome experience. You know what? The greater your7900:07:38,820 –> 00:07:48,100spiritual experience the greater your danger of spiritual pride. It’s always true.8000:07:48,100 –> 00:07:52,179And you see this I think in verse 38 where we’re told that the disciples came across8100:07:52,179 –> 00:07:57,820someone who apparently had some kind of independent ministry because he wasn’t part of the disciples8200:07:57,820 –> 00:08:03,420group but he was using the name of Jesus. And notice who it was who felt it was his8300:08:04,179 –> 00:08:11,179close this guy’s ministry down. John, one of the three closest to Jesus and probably8400:08:12,380 –> 00:08:17,480because he’s described as the disciple that Jesus loves, the person who was above all8500:08:17,480 –> 00:08:22,899others closest to Jesus. And so he feels he’s in a position to try and put everyone else8600:08:22,899 –> 00:08:28,299right at this point and he says to Jesus, we told this man to stop…verse 38…because8700:08:28,480 –> 00:08:35,479he was not one of us. And Jesus says to him, verse 39, don’t do that. Don’t stop him because8800:08:37,500 –> 00:08:44,500whoever is not against us is for us. See, you may think this guy with an independent8900:08:44,719 –> 00:08:48,760ministry, I don’t even know how that happened. I mean, what’s going on here? I don’t know.9000:08:48,760 –> 00:08:52,979It’s kind of strange. It seems almost a bit shady. A guy who’s not a disciple but he’s9100:08:53,059 –> 00:08:59,739using the name of Jesus. But Jesus says, don’t you worry about that. That’s not your business.9200:08:59,739 –> 00:09:04,539It’s not your business to be putting everyone else’s ministry right or trying to intervene9300:09:04,539 –> 00:09:11,280in ministries where you do not have responsibility. Don’t stop him. You let him get on with his9400:09:11,599 –> 00:09:21,159work, you get on with yours. And you see, when we criticize other churches or other9500:09:21,159 –> 00:09:30,119ministries and we concern ourselves with these things here, as John did, it’s pride that9600:09:30,119 –> 00:09:35,080reigns within our own heart. It’s not the pride of jealousy, perhaps as much as the9700:09:35,460 –> 00:09:42,460of a feeling of superiority. They’re not part of our group. They haven’t got our thing9800:09:42,460 –> 00:09:53,020sorted out. And seeing these two brands of pride, the jealousy that’s about what’s9900:09:53,020 –> 00:09:56,960given to others but not me and the superiority that’s about what’s given to us or me10000:09:57,200 –> 00:10:03,700and not others, Jesus uses this opportunity to teach his disciples about humility.10100:10:19,619 –> 00:10:23,479You’re listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible. And we’ll return to the10200:10:24,380 –> 00:10:29,039message in a moment. Probably all of us have wrestled with questions relating to our faith.10300:10:29,039 –> 00:10:34,159If you’re currently working through some big questions. Or you have a friend or family10400:10:34,239 –> 00:10:40,799member who is, Pastor Colin has a new booklet, What Jesus Says to Spectrics. If you find10500:10:40,799 –> 00:10:47,000yourself sceptical or undecided on a question. This booklet is for you, or someone you know10600:10:47,000 –> 00:10:51,960who fits that description. Well we’d love to send you some copies of this booklet as10700:10:51,960 –> 00:10:56,700a way of saying thank you, for supporting Open the Bible financially. If that’s something10800:10:56,700 –> 00:11:01,599you’re thinking about doing but you haven’t done so in the past. This month if you are10900:11:01,599 –> 00:11:07,780able to begin a new direct debit of five pounds per month or more, or a one-off gift of 5011000:11:07,780 –> 00:11:13,599pounds or more, we’d love to send you five copies of this booklet. Full details on our11100:11:13,599 –> 00:11:20,599web site and terms and conditions, that’s at www.openthebible.org.uk. Back to the message11200:11:20,679 –> 00:11:26,960now. Here’s Colin. Now, I think it’s very interesting and significant11300:11:26,960 –> 00:11:33,960that Jesus did not criticise the disciples for wanting to be great. He didn’t say, you11400:11:34,460 –> 00:11:38,080want to be great? Oh, that’s terrible. You need to change your ideas about what you’re11500:11:38,080 –> 00:11:45,080aiming for. He didn’t do that. What he says basically is this. You want to be great? That’s11600:11:45,820 –> 00:11:51,599good. I’ll tell you how to achieve it. You want to be all that you can be in your life11700:11:51,599 –> 00:11:58,599in this world? Excellent. You should want that. Here’s how. You, verse 35, must be11800:12:01,419 –> 00:12:08,419the servant of all. Now, what Jesus is saying here is radically11900:12:09,419 –> 00:12:15,599countercultural for us, and it may really shake the thinking that some of us have perhaps12000:12:15,599 –> 00:12:22,599lived under for a long time. If you think that greatness is established by proving that12100:12:24,739 –> 00:12:31,739you are better than other people, then your life will be driven by a relentless desire12200:12:31,880 –> 00:12:38,880to be first. You will drive yourself to be the best Christian, to be the best mother,12300:12:40,880 –> 00:12:46,960to be the best student, the best business partner, the best salesman, of whatever it12400:12:46,960 –> 00:12:53,500is. And some of us here this morning in this service are stressed out because that’s12500:12:53,500 –> 00:13:00,500how we’ve been living for years. The agenda of your life, gonna be the best!12600:13:01,500 –> 00:13:09,760And it is an impossible task because how many people can be the best? Only one. It probably12700:13:09,760 –> 00:13:15,299won’t be you, and it certainly won’t be me.12800:13:15,299 –> 00:13:21,960I was at a meeting of pastors up at Trinity University just a short time ago where we12900:13:21,960 –> 00:13:28,960heard in our meeting about the work of a psychologist who had made a study of college histoires13000:13:30,799 –> 00:13:38,219girls in some of our Ivy league schools, the very best top schools in the country, so we13100:13:38,219 –> 00:13:45,219are talking here of a study made of some of the most talented women in the nation, 1913200:13:45,820 –> 00:13:52,659to 21 years old. And the study focused on the degree of stress in their lives and some13300:13:52,659 –> 00:13:59,659of the effects of it. And noted that there was a great determination13400:14:00,840 –> 00:14:07,840amongst these young women to get straight A’s, which was impossible since the schools13500:14:08,739 –> 00:14:15,739that they were attending grade papers on a curve. By definition it’s impossible.13600:14:15,840 –> 00:14:23,900Second, that in the culture in which they were living they had to be « cool »,13700:14:23,900 –> 00:14:29,400and as young women they felt a great pressure at the same time to be « hot ».13800:14:29,940 –> 00:14:33,859Now, how in all the world you can be hot and cool at the same time13900:14:33,859 –> 00:14:39,219I don’t know. But it seems to me that these two things in combination are gonna add quite a lot of stress.14000:14:39,219 –> 00:14:42,000Here’s the third thing, and this was most interesting of all.14100:14:43,119 –> 00:14:48,640That among those young women in these colleges who were Christians,14200:14:49,260 –> 00:14:55,239they were driven and somewhat beating themselves up in their relentless determination to be the14300:14:55,640 –> 00:15:00,179best Christian, with the most disciplined of quiet times and to be14400:15:00,780 –> 00:15:02,780model Christians and14500:15:03,039 –> 00:15:04,520that was simply14600:15:04,520 –> 00:15:06,520multiplying their14700:15:06,520 –> 00:15:08,520stress.14800:15:11,219 –> 00:15:16,859If your goal is to achieve greatness by being the best,14900:15:19,219 –> 00:15:22,200you will spend your whole life trampling on other people.15000:15:22,200 –> 00:15:27,919You will destroy yourself in the process and15100:15:29,400 –> 00:15:32,979according to Jesus when you enter the presence of God conditioner15200:15:32,979 –> 00:15:38,359I guess one of the Angels will say to you go to the end of the line,15300:15:38,359 –> 00:15:39,119the first will be last.15400:15:42,340 –> 00:15:48,700You cannot achieve greatness according to the teaching of Jesus by trying to be the best.15500:15:49,320 –> 00:15:56,659Here’s how you can Jesus says achieve greatness how you must become the servant of all.15600:15:59,599 –> 00:16:04,239Jesus explains what he means here by giving an example verse 36,15700:16:04,239 –> 00:16:10,340He took a little child and had him stand among the disciples and then taking this child in his arms15800:16:10,340 –> 00:16:11,559He said to them now whoever15900:16:11,599 –> 00:16:19,140Welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me, but the one who sent me16000:16:20,059 –> 00:16:23,219Now Jesus is giving an illustration here16100:16:23,219 –> 00:16:28,340He’s taking the child as an example of the poorest weakest most vulnerable16200:16:28,960 –> 00:16:30,960member of the community16300:16:31,799 –> 00:16:34,440It’s worth thinking about this that in our society16400:16:35,219 –> 00:16:38,960Weakest poorest and most vulnerable is not simply defined by age is it?16500:16:39,119 –> 00:16:41,119Sadly16600:16:41,500 –> 00:16:45,159It is also significantly defined by race and16700:16:46,820 –> 00:16:49,340Jesus has something very important to say about this16800:16:51,340 –> 00:16:53,340as disciples of Jesus16900:16:53,820 –> 00:17:01,500What is to be our attitude towards those who are poorest weakest and most vulnerable in our society?17000:17:02,659 –> 00:17:04,280Jesus says17100:17:05,219 –> 00:17:08,660Verse 37, we’re to welcome them17200:17:11,439 –> 00:17:18,939It adds this wonderful promise whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me17300:17:20,939 –> 00:17:28,280You welcome one of them you welcome me you welcome the poorest the weakest the most vulnerable you welcome me17400:17:30,400 –> 00:17:34,260So think about this what are we to do? What are you to do?17500:17:34,680 –> 00:17:37,939If you want more of Jesus Christ in your life17600:17:39,439 –> 00:17:44,760What are we to do as a church if we want more of Jesus Christ in this church?17700:17:44,839 –> 00:17:46,859The answer in this verse is very clear17800:17:46,859 –> 00:17:51,180we are to open our doors and our hearts and our17900:17:51,400 –> 00:17:57,380budget to the poorest the weakest and the most vulnerable of people here and around the world and18000:17:57,520 –> 00:17:59,520Then we will have more of Jesus18100:17:59,680 –> 00:18:02,680That’s what he says whoever welcomes one of these18200:18:03,680 –> 00:18:05,439Welcomes18300:18:05,439 –> 00:18:07,020me18400:18:07,020 –> 00:18:09,839So let me just tell you some of the things that really18500:18:10,359 –> 00:18:16,920Encourage my heart in regards to our life as a church together some things for which I thank God18600:18:19,359 –> 00:18:21,319Sunday luncheon18700:18:21,319 –> 00:18:23,319Where regularly?18800:18:23,900 –> 00:18:25,800team brings18900:18:25,800 –> 00:18:31,939Guys from the city of Chicago who are in various shelters and they come here and worship with us19000:18:33,060 –> 00:18:38,459Stay for lunch spend most of the afternoon form friendships engage in conversation and go home19100:18:39,500 –> 00:18:41,739blessed and practically helped19200:18:43,040 –> 00:18:46,380Because they have been welcomed in the name of Jesus Christ19300:18:49,020 –> 00:18:51,020Club 55019400:18:51,219 –> 00:18:53,219the meets on Thursday nights19500:18:54,099 –> 00:18:56,099downstairs in the building here19600:18:56,979 –> 00:18:58,979reaching young people19700:18:59,660 –> 00:19:03,000From a subculture that we have not reached before19800:19:05,939 –> 00:19:07,939Celebrate recovery19900:19:08,339 –> 00:19:15,140Reaching out to folk struggling with addictions showing the love of Christ and bringing hope to increasing numbers of people20000:19:17,260 –> 00:19:22,260Families who have joined the Lydia safe families program and20100:19:23,140 –> 00:19:24,839Number of our families20200:19:24,839 –> 00:19:26,739have done this and20300:19:26,739 –> 00:19:29,800That involves welcoming a young child into20400:19:30,599 –> 00:19:33,219Their own home for a short time until20500:19:33,619 –> 00:19:38,420that child’s father or mother can be in a position of being able to20600:19:38,959 –> 00:19:42,239Establish a viable home for the child themselves20700:19:43,660 –> 00:19:46,920the aliki a project in which as a20800:19:47,780 –> 00:19:51,099congregation we bind toghether to do something significant for20900:19:51,560 –> 00:19:56,479some of the poorest weakest and most vulnerable people in the Republic of21000:19:57,400 –> 00:19:58,619Congo21100:19:58,619 –> 00:20:03,260the volunteers in our children’s and young peoples ministry21200:20:03,260 –> 00:20:06,420Jesus is speaking here about whoever welcomes a child21300:20:08,040 –> 00:20:13,819And the folks who minister to our children and our young people week in and week out21400:20:13,819 –> 00:20:15,819I21500:20:16,540 –> 00:20:22,459Do you know let me just give this one observation before we move on I have noticed and if you’ve been around church world21600:20:22,459 –> 00:20:24,459Maybe you’ve noticed this too21700:20:25,239 –> 00:20:28,500that most churches have ministry to children and21800:20:30,520 –> 00:20:33,719at least as I have observed it very very often that21900:20:34,699 –> 00:20:36,699ministry is led by a22000:20:36,739 –> 00:20:38,739Wonderful team of people22100:20:39,060 –> 00:20:41,060nearly all of them women and22200:20:42,020 –> 00:20:44,020And one of the22300:20:44,579 –> 00:20:46,579reasons for this I think is22400:20:47,939 –> 00:20:54,540That we men too easily fall into the temptation of simply disbelieving the teaching of Jesus22500:20:55,500 –> 00:21:01,199imagining that somehow there are other things that are more important than children’s work and22600:21:01,859 –> 00:21:04,479that we should be about more important things and22700:21:06,619 –> 00:21:10,660Jesus is saying to us here. Don’t you believe that for one minute?22800:21:11,839 –> 00:21:15,520And I tell you I have not seen a church that has more22900:21:16,579 –> 00:21:18,199men23000:21:18,199 –> 00:21:20,199involved in children23100:21:20,739 –> 00:21:22,739middle school and23200:21:22,760 –> 00:21:28,060High school ministry, and I think that is something for which we all ought from the depth of our hearts to thank God23300:21:28,060 –> 00:21:30,060And here’s something else23400:21:30,339 –> 00:21:36,660You talk to the people who are in these ministries to children and middle school students and high school students23500:21:36,660 –> 00:21:39,839And they’ll tell you this I’ve heard it again and again and again23600:21:41,060 –> 00:21:47,300These men and these wonderful women who serve in this fear have experienced the promise of Jesus in their own lives23700:21:49,199 –> 00:21:52,359That in serving welcoming a child or a young person23800:21:52,560 –> 00:21:59,280They have found the blessing of Jesus Christ in ways that they would not have known in their own experience otherwise23900:22:00,119 –> 00:22:03,280Because Jesus promise here as all his words are24000:22:04,359 –> 00:22:06,359absolutely true24100:22:06,459 –> 00:22:11,920So let us ask today in the light of this scripture that God will deal with our pride24200:22:12,780 –> 00:22:18,500Wherever it comes from whether it be feelings of jealousy over what was given to others24300:22:18,500 –> 00:22:20,260but not to you or24400:22:20,260 –> 00:22:23,920Feelings of superiority that comes from what being has been given to you24500:22:23,939 –> 00:22:27,579But not to others and let us ask God to give us24600:22:28,020 –> 00:22:30,479servant hearts the rejoice in24700:22:30,839 –> 00:22:34,640Serving the poorest and the weakest and the most vulnerable of people24800:22:35,260 –> 00:22:38,939Because as we pursue this we will have more of Jesus24900:22:38,939 –> 00:22:42,000That’s what the promise says here. And that is what we want. Isn’t it?25000:22:42,520 –> 00:22:47,479We want more of Jesus in our lives. We want more of Jesus in our church25100:22:48,500 –> 00:22:52,199You’ve been listening to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and our message25200:22:52,800 –> 00:22:59,400Jesus warns his people about hell and it’s part of our series the gospel according to Jesus25300:22:59,400 –> 00:23:02,719And if you’ve missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again25400:23:02,780 –> 00:23:08,459You can do that by coming online to our website open the Bible org dot-uk25500:23:08,819 –> 00:23:12,000There you can find all the previously broadcast messages25600:23:12,479 –> 00:23:18,800you can also find them as a podcast on your favorite podcast site search for open the Bible UK and25700:23:19,400 –> 00:23:22,400Subscribe to receive regular updates open25800:23:22,400 –> 00:23:24,780The Bible is supported entirely by our listeners25900:23:24,880 –> 00:23:28,439That’s people just like you and we’re very grateful for the support26000:23:28,439 –> 00:23:33,260You give us if you’re thinking about supporting open the Bible in this way26100:23:33,660 –> 00:23:35,660We have an offer for you this month26200:23:35,920 –> 00:23:41,300If you’re able to set up a new direct debit in the amount of five pounds per month or more26300:23:41,760 –> 00:23:44,219Or give a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more26400:23:44,339 –> 00:23:51,780We’d love to say thank you by sending you five copies of Pastor Collins new booklet what Jesus says to skeptics26500:23:51,780 –> 00:23:58,439That’s one copy for you and four copies to give away to your friends and family Colin. Who is this booklet for?26600:23:59,079 –> 00:24:05,979Well people have always had very different reactions to Jesus. Some are committed followers. Others are hardcore26700:24:06,579 –> 00:24:12,599Opponents, but they’ll be many people who are listening to the program today who would identify with neither of these things26800:24:12,599 –> 00:24:20,260You’re not particularly committed to Jesus. You haven’t rejected him either. You do have questions and this booklet is for you and26900:24:20,819 –> 00:24:24,599For others listening there will be a sceptic in your life27000:24:24,619 –> 00:24:28,959They’ll be someone, you know and love who has real questions27100:24:28,959 –> 00:24:30,839They’re not yet committed to Jesus27200:24:30,839 –> 00:24:37,819But this booklet really gives an opportunity to listen to what Jesus has to say to skeptics27300:24:37,839 –> 00:24:41,699We’d love to send you five copies of this booklet as our way of saying27400:24:41,699 –> 00:24:46,979Thank you for setting up a new regular monthly direct debit of five pounds per month or more27500:24:47,000 –> 00:24:51,300Or a one-off gift of fifty pounds or more this month27600:24:51,619 –> 00:24:55,140If you value Pastor Colin’s teaching on the radio and online27700:24:55,140 –> 00:25:00,040You’ll be helping to keep it here and to support the work of Open the Bible27800:25:00,040 –> 00:25:06,380full terms and conditions about this offer are on our website openthebible.org.uk27900:25:06,500 –> 00:25:09,140For Pastor Colin Smith and Open the Bible28000:25:09,140 –> 00:25:12,359I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time28100:25:17,939 –> 00:25:22,000People sometimes say you must have a sick mind to talk about Hell28200:25:22,560 –> 00:25:26,319Find out why we need to apply that same conclusion to Jesus28300:25:27,199 –> 00:25:29,199next time on Open the Bible