100:00:00,820 –> 00:00:03,560Chapter 5 First Order200:00:03,560 –> 00:00:08,480The fourth commandment is almost certainly the most frequently misunderstood.300:00:08,480 –> 00:00:12,920Some Christians have thought that they were honoring God by taking one day of the week400:00:12,920 –> 00:00:16,320and making it especially dull.500:00:16,320 –> 00:00:20,379A day marked by a long list of things you couldn’t do rather than a day that was going600:00:20,379 –> 00:00:22,780to be marked by delight.700:00:22,780 –> 00:00:27,000Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could800:00:27,000 –> 00:00:28,059be with us today.900:00:28,059 –> 00:00:32,240And Colin today we’re talking about time, we’re talking about the sabbath and we’re1000:00:32,240 –> 00:00:33,240talking about work.1100:00:33,240 –> 00:00:36,299There’s a lot of stuff wrapped up in the fourth commandment.1200:00:36,299 –> 00:00:42,000Yeah especially today the issue of work because God begins by saying to us, in six days you1300:00:42,000 –> 00:00:49,340shall do your work, your labor and what that says to us is that God is as intensely interested1400:00:49,340 –> 00:00:54,860in what we’re doing in our ordinary work during the week as he is interested in the1500:00:54,860 –> 00:01:00,060worship that we bring on Sundays when we gather together and exalt the name of Jesus1600:01:00,060 –> 00:01:01,060Christ.1700:01:01,060 –> 00:01:02,060That’s of huge importance.1800:01:02,060 –> 00:01:05,620Work is not simply a wretched means to an end.1900:01:05,620 –> 00:01:09,360It’s part of the creative gift that God has given to us.2000:01:09,360 –> 00:01:14,540When God made Adam, put him in a garden, gave him something to do, some work, and that’s2100:01:14,540 –> 00:01:15,680a gift from God.2200:01:15,680 –> 00:01:19,680Some people might be surprised to hear you say that God is just as concerned about our2300:01:19,680 –> 00:01:22,760working week as He is about church on Sunday.2400:01:22,760 –> 00:01:25,360But, also, some folks might be thinking, really?2500:01:25,360 –> 00:01:27,680My work is a gift from God?2600:01:27,680 –> 00:01:31,059And the idea that somehow, well if you’re a pastor, then God’s involved in that.2700:01:31,059 –> 00:01:37,000I have folks all the time who will say to me, now did you want your sons to be pastors?2800:01:37,000 –> 00:01:41,680And my answer to that is always no more than I wanted them to do anything else.2900:01:41,680 –> 00:01:48,599I simply wanted them to find their gift and their calling because a calling in ministry3000:01:48,800 –> 00:01:54,279is not more important than a calling to work as one of my sons does as a physical education3100:01:54,279 –> 00:01:59,800teacher and as another of my sons works in trading and in finance.3200:01:59,800 –> 00:02:04,919So, we are to find our calling and to know that all of our callings are from God and3300:02:04,919 –> 00:02:09,800that we’re to honour Him, not only in taking opportunities to speak to people about Jesus,3400:02:09,800 –> 00:02:13,279but in the sheer quality of work that is offered to Him as worship.3500:02:13,720 –> 00:02:20,559That’s an important point and we’ll hear about it today. We are in Exodus chapter 20 verses 8-11 today3600:02:20,559 –> 00:02:24,479as we begin a message, Your Struggle With Time. Here’s Colin.3700:02:24,880 –> 00:02:30,559Well, we’re continuing our series entitled, Unlocking Your 10 Greatest Struggles, identifying in the3800:02:30,559 –> 00:02:37,600Ten Commandments a description of the 10 primary issues with which human beings struggle in our3900:02:38,320 –> 00:02:44,800And of course with the fourth commandment, we come to this issue of our struggle with time.4000:02:46,399 –> 00:02:49,039A picture came to my mind thinking about this.4100:02:51,279 –> 00:02:57,199Back in London when our boys were young, we used to go from time to time to the pizza hut.4200:02:58,479 –> 00:03:04,399We were on a bit of a tight budget and we used to split the pizza and share the salad.4300:03:04,399 –> 00:03:08,880If you ordered a salad, at least over there, they give you4400:03:08,880 –> 00:03:16,000a small bowl and we’re very strict about allowing you one visit to the salad bar.4500:03:17,279 –> 00:03:21,279So I developed a certain expertise to cope with the situation.4600:03:22,000 –> 00:03:27,360It is amazing what you can do to fill a small bowl with enough salad for four people4700:03:28,240 –> 00:03:37,679as you build to capacity, and then construct a ring of tomatoes around the rim of the bowl,4800:03:37,679 –> 00:03:42,160which then enables you inside to go on building higher.4900:03:42,720 –> 00:03:45,679My wife used to say, this is embarrassing.5000:03:45,679 –> 00:03:48,720But, I’m from Scotland.5100:03:48,720 –> 00:03:56,800So, the problem, of course, comes when you’re trying to walk back5200:03:56,800 –> 00:04:00,080through the tightly-packed tables from the salad bar5300:04:00,080 –> 00:04:01,919to where your family is sitting.5400:04:03,440 –> 00:04:10,160And with this overfilled bowl you walk gingerly5500:04:10,800 –> 00:04:18,160because you know that at any moment you are just one step from disaster.5600:04:21,119 –> 00:04:23,279And I think that’s a picture of how many of us live.5700:04:24,239 –> 00:04:30,320The overfilled plate of our lives means that we are unable to walk freely.5800:04:31,679 –> 00:04:40,079And so much of the time we feel that we are just one step from disaster.5900:04:40,799 –> 00:04:45,119The demands of working life just go on increasing in our society.6000:04:45,119 –> 00:04:48,640More and more people feel controlled by work.6100:04:49,279 –> 00:04:51,359The pressure of work leads increasingly6200:04:52,160 –> 00:04:55,359we hear it all the time, to frazzled families.6300:04:55,359 –> 00:05:00,880And in the end a man or a woman can feel like a cog in a machine rather than a person.6400:05:02,399 –> 00:05:06,959A family even can come to feel like nothing more than an economic convenience6500:05:07,760 –> 00:05:10,399as opposed to a cradle of nurturing love.6600:05:12,799 –> 00:05:16,079Struggle with time is one of the biggest struggles of my life.6700:05:17,920 –> 00:05:20,160And I expect that many of us would say the same.6800:05:21,839 –> 00:05:23,679How do I decide priorities?6900:05:25,440 –> 00:05:27,839What can I afford to leave undone?7000:05:29,359 –> 00:05:33,279How do I balance the different responsibilities of my life?7100:05:33,279 –> 00:05:37,519I feel like I’m walking with the overfilled plate.7200:05:37,519 –> 00:05:39,119Isn’t that their common experience?7300:05:41,760 –> 00:05:44,799So I come to the fourth commandment today very eagerly7400:05:46,320 –> 00:05:50,239because whatever God has to say about this issue of time7500:05:51,119 –> 00:05:55,279I know I need to hear it and I expect that many of us7600:05:55,839 –> 00:05:57,279will come that way this morning.7700:05:58,720 –> 00:06:01,279On the other hand it’s important perhaps to recognize7800:06:01,279 –> 00:06:03,440that the fourth commandment is almost certainly7900:06:03,440 –> 00:06:05,519the most frequently misunderstood.8000:06:06,320 –> 00:06:09,119Some Christians have thought that they were honoring God8100:06:09,119 –> 00:06:12,559by taking one day of the week and making it especially dull.8200:06:14,320 –> 00:06:17,119A day marked by a long list of things you couldn’t do8300:06:17,119 –> 00:06:20,160rather than a day that was going to be marked by delight.8400:06:20,559 –> 00:06:24,559And I say that just briefly to clear away8500:06:24,559 –> 00:06:26,880any blockages that some of us might8600:06:26,880 –> 00:06:29,440have in hearing the word of God today.8700:06:30,079 –> 00:06:33,839Some of us were brought up in a legalistic background8800:06:35,600 –> 00:06:40,959and the day of rest became a burden rather than a blessing.8900:06:42,000 –> 00:06:45,600It was a day of misery rather than a day of delight.9000:06:46,480 –> 00:06:48,480Some of us in fact have been brought up9100:06:48,480 –> 00:06:50,239with our whole background being9200:06:50,239 –> 00:06:51,839that the Ten Commandments were something9300:06:51,839 –> 00:06:56,200that we saw as God loading guilt on us and taking away fun.9400:06:56,200 –> 00:06:58,239What kind of God would do that?9500:06:59,399 –> 00:07:00,799Not the God of the Bible.9600:07:02,440 –> 00:07:06,000No, if we really believe that God is good9700:07:06,000 –> 00:07:09,679and that is the fundamental conviction of Christian faith.9800:07:09,679 –> 00:07:13,179If we really believe that God is good9900:07:13,739 –> 00:07:17,579then we have to start from the perspective10000:07:17,579 –> 00:07:22,440of believing that these commandments frame the good life10100:07:22,440 –> 00:07:24,700that God wants us to enjoy.10200:07:24,700 –> 00:07:26,779And so let’s come to the fourth commandment10300:07:26,779 –> 00:07:29,200with the right kind of a spirit this morning.10400:07:29,200 –> 00:07:30,299God is speaking to one10500:07:30,299 –> 00:07:32,980of the greatest struggles of our lives.10600:07:32,980 –> 00:07:36,579What he says is good and it’s for your good,10700:07:36,579 –> 00:07:38,420it’s for my good.10800:07:38,420 –> 00:07:41,220And following what he says will not be a burden,10900:07:41,600 –> 00:07:45,140it will lead us into blessing.11000:07:45,140 –> 00:07:48,980Let’s come with open ears and expectant hearts.11100:07:49,899 –> 00:07:51,440Now you notice as we’ve already seen11200:07:51,440 –> 00:07:52,440that the fourth commandment11300:07:52,440 –> 00:07:54,579is the longest of the 10 commandments11400:07:54,579 –> 00:07:57,339and we’re going to approach it in two parts.11500:07:57,339 –> 00:08:00,019First, it speaks to us, very importantly,11600:08:00,019 –> 00:08:02,480about the dignity of work.11700:08:03,339 –> 00:08:07,920And secondly, it speaks to us about the blessing of rest.11800:08:07,920 –> 00:08:09,980These two things today.11900:08:09,980 –> 00:08:12,339First then, the dignity of work.12000:08:12,339 –> 00:08:15,820Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.12100:08:16,899 –> 00:08:21,019Six days you shall labor12200:08:21,019 –> 00:08:25,119and do all your work.12300:08:26,420 –> 00:08:28,000This is a wonderful subject.12400:08:29,380 –> 00:08:31,459The fourth commandment begins12500:08:31,459 –> 00:08:36,460by commending to us the dignity of work.12600:08:36,739 –> 00:08:38,219Six days you shall labor12700:08:38,219 –> 00:08:40,739and do all your work.12800:08:40,739 –> 00:08:42,760You should work for six days12900:08:42,760 –> 00:08:44,059and it’s a good thing.13000:08:45,659 –> 00:08:47,940The dignity of work is rooted13100:08:47,940 –> 00:08:50,340in the very nature of God.13200:08:50,340 –> 00:08:51,880Right at the beginning of the Bible,13300:08:51,880 –> 00:08:52,780think about it.13400:08:52,780 –> 00:08:55,960God introduces himself as a worker.13500:08:57,020 –> 00:09:00,900God expresses himself by creating13600:09:00,900 –> 00:09:03,500and you and I are made in the image of God13700:09:03,500 –> 00:09:05,940and that means that we express ourselves13800:09:05,979 –> 00:09:08,739by creating as well13900:09:08,739 –> 00:09:13,739and that might mean going from Monday through the week14000:09:13,880 –> 00:09:17,700to a building site and creating a home.14100:09:17,700 –> 00:09:19,619It might mean turning up in an office14200:09:19,619 –> 00:09:23,619and creating a document in Microsoft Word.14300:09:23,619 –> 00:09:25,900It might mean being in a home14400:09:25,900 –> 00:09:28,520and creating a home for a family14500:09:29,500 –> 00:09:31,960but all work of whatever sort14600:09:31,960 –> 00:09:35,679creates and produces something.14700:09:35,679 –> 00:09:36,539Think about it.14800:09:36,539 –> 00:09:39,460The person who up the road there each day of the week14900:09:39,460 –> 00:09:42,299holds the stop sign for children15000:09:42,299 –> 00:09:43,960as they arrive at school15100:09:45,380 –> 00:09:49,599that person creates an environment of safety15200:09:49,599 –> 00:09:52,000that would not exist if they were not there.15300:09:54,520 –> 00:09:57,520Your work is an expression of the image of God15400:09:58,940 –> 00:10:01,039and that’s by the way, a great discussion question15500:10:01,039 –> 00:10:03,299for later today or during the week.15600:10:03,299 –> 00:10:05,039Ask this question.15700:10:05,039 –> 00:10:09,780In what way does your work reflect the image of God?15800:10:09,780 –> 00:10:11,119You’ll find it’s a great blessing15900:10:11,119 –> 00:10:13,159when you see the answer to that question.16000:10:15,039 –> 00:10:17,799The filing clerk reflects the God16100:10:17,799 –> 00:10:21,020who creates order out of chaos.16200:10:21,020 –> 00:10:22,320Maybe that’s your job.16300:10:25,340 –> 00:10:27,299If your work doesn’t reflect some aspect16400:10:27,299 –> 00:10:28,260of the character of God,16500:10:28,260 –> 00:10:30,559it probably means it’s illegal or it’s immoral16600:10:30,559 –> 00:10:32,760and you shouldn’t be doing it.16700:10:32,799 –> 00:10:34,020You’re listening to Open the Bible16800:10:34,020 –> 00:10:35,380with Pastor Colin Smith16900:10:35,380 –> 00:10:38,599and a message called Your Struggle with Time.17000:10:38,599 –> 00:10:40,500If you have ever missed one of our messages,17100:10:40,500 –> 00:10:43,979you can always catch up or go back and listen again online.17200:10:43,979 –> 00:10:47,679Come to our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk17300:10:47,679 –> 00:10:49,239and there you’ll find all the messages17400:10:49,239 –> 00:10:51,140which have already gone out on air.17500:10:51,140 –> 00:10:52,940You can also find them as a podcast17600:10:52,940 –> 00:10:55,059and those are on all the main podcast sites.17700:10:55,059 –> 00:10:57,719Search for Open the Bible, UK.17800:10:57,719 –> 00:10:58,619Back to the message now.17900:10:58,619 –> 00:11:00,440We’re in Exodus 20.18000:11:00,440 –> 00:11:01,880Here’s Colin.18100:11:01,900 –> 00:11:03,880Work is not a necessary evil,18200:11:03,880 –> 00:11:05,840it is a good gift from God.18300:11:05,840 –> 00:11:08,140It has been spoiled and it’s being frustrated18400:11:08,140 –> 00:11:11,640and sometimes abused as a result of the fall,18500:11:11,640 –> 00:11:14,299but work remains a good gift from God.18600:11:15,919 –> 00:11:17,780Now, one writer, and I’ve found this rather helpful,18700:11:17,780 –> 00:11:19,260never seen this comment before,18800:11:19,260 –> 00:11:20,960but one writer I came across this week18900:11:20,960 –> 00:11:25,960points out that in the Bible God introduces himself19000:11:25,979 –> 00:11:30,979both as a manual worker and as an executive worker.19100:11:32,580 –> 00:11:35,200The psalmist describes the creation19200:11:35,200 –> 00:11:40,200as the work of God’s hands, that’s very significant.19300:11:42,479 –> 00:11:45,739The God of the Bible is a God who gets his hands dirty.19400:11:46,799 –> 00:11:48,400The God of the Bible is a God who,19500:11:48,400 –> 00:11:52,479when he takes human flesh, becomes a carpenter.19600:11:52,479 –> 00:11:54,440No, not just a carpenter,19700:11:54,440 –> 00:11:58,539becomes known in Galilee as the carpenter,19800:11:58,539 –> 00:12:01,840presumably because of the quality of his work.19900:12:02,820 –> 00:12:06,260But God is also an executive worker.20000:12:07,340 –> 00:12:08,940He works with his hands,20100:12:08,940 –> 00:12:12,659but he also works through his words.20200:12:12,659 –> 00:12:16,640He makes things happen by what he says.20300:12:17,580 –> 00:12:19,900The heavens were not only made by the Lord’s hands,20400:12:19,900 –> 00:12:22,099but the psalms also say that the heavens20500:12:22,099 –> 00:12:26,219and the earth were made by the word of the Lord.20600:12:26,219 –> 00:12:27,859Now I think this is very important.20700:12:27,859 –> 00:12:30,739The Lord gives dignity in his own person,20800:12:31,140 –> 00:12:34,599both to the manual worker and to the executive worker,20900:12:34,599 –> 00:12:36,719and let’s face it,21000:12:36,719 –> 00:12:38,260there’s always a little bit of tension21100:12:38,260 –> 00:12:39,940between these two, right?21200:12:41,219 –> 00:12:43,320If we could understand the dignity of both21300:12:43,320 –> 00:12:45,799on the basis of the character and the example of God,21400:12:45,799 –> 00:12:48,140and that both are a reflection of the image of God,21500:12:48,140 –> 00:12:49,580it would be a great help21600:12:49,580 –> 00:12:52,219in the whole area of industrial relations.21700:12:53,900 –> 00:12:56,020The executive worker can so easily21800:12:56,020 –> 00:12:59,059look down his nose at the manual worker,21900:12:59,080 –> 00:13:02,179and the manual worker so easily can resent22000:13:02,179 –> 00:13:05,140the one he calls a pen pusher,22100:13:07,059 –> 00:13:08,760but God gives dignity to both.22200:13:11,460 –> 00:13:13,580Let’s look at understanding your work.22300:13:13,580 –> 00:13:15,340It seems that that’s a very important thing22400:13:15,340 –> 00:13:17,159for us to grasp as we delve22500:13:17,159 –> 00:13:19,539into the dignity of this great calling22600:13:19,539 –> 00:13:21,219that God has given to us.22700:13:21,219 –> 00:13:23,719Six days, you shall labor22800:13:23,719 –> 00:13:27,539and do all your work.22900:13:27,919 –> 00:13:29,140Your work.23000:13:29,140 –> 00:13:30,799Now, if I’m to understand this part23100:13:30,799 –> 00:13:31,780of the commandment,23200:13:31,780 –> 00:13:33,299obviously I need to understand23300:13:33,299 –> 00:13:35,500what is my work?23400:13:38,159 –> 00:13:39,340Now, it’s a great mistake,23500:13:39,340 –> 00:13:42,599it seems to me, to limit your work23600:13:42,599 –> 00:13:43,580to something you do23700:13:43,580 –> 00:13:45,940in order to get a pay packet.23800:13:45,940 –> 00:13:47,340That is, let me suggest,23900:13:47,340 –> 00:13:50,580an unbiblical view of work.24000:13:50,580 –> 00:13:51,979Remember, after all,24100:13:51,979 –> 00:13:54,580that work began in the Garden of Eden24200:13:54,580 –> 00:13:56,580where God gave to Adam24300:13:56,580 –> 00:13:59,659the world’s first ever job description.24400:13:59,659 –> 00:14:00,580It was quite a task.24500:14:00,580 –> 00:14:02,219He said, fill the earth and subdue it,24600:14:02,219 –> 00:14:05,619and he said that Adam was to work the garden,24700:14:05,619 –> 00:14:08,580that he was to take care of it.24800:14:08,580 –> 00:14:10,640Now, Adam was given this work.24900:14:10,640 –> 00:14:13,340He never got a pay packet, right?25000:14:13,340 –> 00:14:17,000No wages in the Garden of Eden.25100:14:18,559 –> 00:14:23,559Adam’s work was his God-given responsibility.25200:14:24,539 –> 00:14:29,539So, if you think of work merely as what you have to do25300:14:30,039 –> 00:14:32,599in order to get a pay packet,25400:14:32,599 –> 00:14:35,460then you have missed the biblical vision25500:14:35,460 –> 00:14:37,919of what work is really all about.25600:14:37,919 –> 00:14:40,359It, of course, includes what you do25700:14:40,359 –> 00:14:42,239in order to get a pay packet,25800:14:42,239 –> 00:14:43,799but it goes far beyond that,25900:14:43,799 –> 00:14:45,219and I want to show you the importance26000:14:45,219 –> 00:14:47,520of that in just a moment.26100:14:47,520 –> 00:14:49,880God did not create the moon and the stars26200:14:49,880 –> 00:14:52,799because he needed the money, right?26300:14:54,159 –> 00:14:55,679So, that’s not where we begin26400:14:55,679 –> 00:14:59,099if we’re to have a biblical view of work.26500:14:59,099 –> 00:15:01,919Work is about more than a way of making money.26600:15:01,919 –> 00:15:04,880It is about fulfilling the responsibility,26700:15:04,880 –> 00:15:07,520whatever that is that God has given to you,26800:15:09,159 –> 00:15:12,260including what you do to gain money,26900:15:13,080 –> 00:15:16,099but it’s about fulfilling your God-given responsibility27000:15:16,099 –> 00:15:18,619in a way that brings glory to him.27100:15:19,799 –> 00:15:20,940Now, that’s a wonderful thing27200:15:20,979 –> 00:15:23,820because you could be flipping burgers27300:15:23,820 –> 00:15:27,900or you could be running a multinational company,27400:15:27,900 –> 00:15:31,359but if that is what God has given you to do at this time,27500:15:31,359 –> 00:15:34,640then you can do it seeing that this also27600:15:34,640 –> 00:15:37,719is an expression of the image of God in you27700:15:37,719 –> 00:15:40,200and you can begin to do it for his glory.27800:15:41,520 –> 00:15:43,739And that will give you an entirely different view27900:15:43,739 –> 00:15:46,239of your work, whatever that is.28000:15:46,239 –> 00:15:49,760It will bring new dignity and new quality to what you do.28100:15:49,820 –> 00:15:53,200It will bring new meaning to the service that you offer28200:15:53,200 –> 00:15:55,419and the working relationships that you have.28300:15:55,419 –> 00:15:57,599When you see work as a fulfillment28400:15:57,599 –> 00:15:59,599of a God-given responsibility,28500:15:59,599 –> 00:16:03,000it will change your approach, it will lift your work,28600:16:03,000 –> 00:16:06,619whatever it is, to a whole new level.28700:16:09,039 –> 00:16:12,840Now, if we reduce work to something28800:16:12,840 –> 00:16:15,520that a person has to do to get a pay packet,28900:16:16,919 –> 00:16:19,380one of the problems is29000:16:19,380 –> 00:16:24,020that it leads us to a completely unbiblical view29100:16:24,020 –> 00:16:25,520of retirement.29200:16:26,500 –> 00:16:27,979See, a man earns his money,29300:16:28,900 –> 00:16:31,919and then he retires, and he says to himself,29400:16:31,919 –> 00:16:35,500hey, I don’t need to earn any more money.29500:16:35,500 –> 00:16:38,840That means there’s no more work for me to do.29600:16:39,859 –> 00:16:44,299Where do you ever find anything like that in the Bible?29700:16:45,280 –> 00:16:50,119The Bible says that God has prepared good works29800:16:50,119 –> 00:16:54,780in advance for us to do, Ephesians 2.10.29900:16:54,780 –> 00:16:56,580And it doesn’t end by saying30000:16:56,580 –> 00:16:59,280that they conclude at the age of 65.30100:17:01,200 –> 00:17:04,079By the way, I have noticed30200:17:04,939 –> 00:17:08,300that the people who retire most happily30300:17:09,380 –> 00:17:12,160are those who have discovered a clear sense30400:17:12,180 –> 00:17:16,060of what God wants them to do with their retirement.30500:17:17,420 –> 00:17:19,699And those who haven’t made that discovery30600:17:19,699 –> 00:17:22,780are often miserable, and the reason30700:17:22,780 –> 00:17:25,859is that God didn’t make any of us simply to sit about,30800:17:25,859 –> 00:17:30,839but rather, to fulfill God-given responsibilities.30900:17:32,000 –> 00:17:35,439As long as I have breath and life within me,31000:17:35,439 –> 00:17:38,540there is a purpose that God has for me being here.31100:17:39,479 –> 00:17:42,439And to enter into that is part of the expression31200:17:42,439 –> 00:17:43,819of how He has made me.31300:17:43,819 –> 00:17:46,040Of course, that will change over time,31400:17:46,040 –> 00:17:48,640and there are some circumstances31500:17:48,640 –> 00:17:50,880in which it may become severely limited.31600:17:50,880 –> 00:17:52,920Though, I have to tell you I’ve been deeply moved31700:17:52,920 –> 00:17:55,880by some folks suffering with acute sickness31800:17:55,880 –> 00:17:57,660who’ve still wanted to get on the phone31900:17:57,660 –> 00:17:59,359and to minister to others.32000:17:59,359 –> 00:18:01,079You see, that’s a sense of purpose.32100:18:01,079 –> 00:18:05,079God wants me here, and there’s something that I can do.32200:18:05,079 –> 00:18:11,280Of course, another problem with the secular view of work,32300:18:11,280 –> 00:18:15,400that it’s something you do in order to get a pay packet,32400:18:15,400 –> 00:18:17,959is that it undermines the dignity32500:18:17,959 –> 00:18:21,020of those who are looking for work.32600:18:21,020 –> 00:18:23,680And it undermines the dignity of those32700:18:23,680 –> 00:18:27,119who have been called by God32800:18:27,119 –> 00:18:32,640to work without pay in their homes.32900:18:32,640 –> 00:18:37,119Some of you would love to have paid work right now,33000:18:37,119 –> 00:18:41,260but you’re between jobs.33100:18:41,260 –> 00:18:46,439Your God-given work is to look for work.33200:18:46,439 –> 00:18:51,239And you can do that right now for the glory of God.33300:18:51,239 –> 00:18:53,359You need to know that there is dignity in this work.33400:18:53,359 –> 00:18:56,560So this also is what God has given you to do at this time,33500:18:56,560 –> 00:18:58,500that this is something to be done with vigour33600:18:58,500 –> 00:19:00,900and to the best of your ability.33700:19:00,900 –> 00:19:03,979You can glorify God as you pursue this with faith,33800:19:03,979 –> 00:19:06,719rather than succumbing to the very real pressure33900:19:06,719 –> 00:19:10,619of discouragement and of despair.34000:19:10,619 –> 00:19:13,760Don’t fall into the deadly trap of becoming passive34100:19:13,760 –> 00:19:16,079about the search for work!34200:19:16,079 –> 00:19:17,739Work is a good gift from God,34300:19:17,739 –> 00:19:21,459so glorify God by the way you do the work of looking for work.34400:19:21,459 –> 00:19:26,420There is dignity in that.34500:19:26,420 –> 00:19:29,459Some of us are carers.34600:19:29,500 –> 00:19:32,199You give yourself to caring for a person in need34700:19:32,199 –> 00:19:36,160and you don’t get paid a penny.34800:19:36,160 –> 00:19:41,959But your work is a reflection of the character of God.34900:19:41,959 –> 00:19:46,280And you’ll find dignity and sustenance in that,35000:19:46,280 –> 00:19:49,739as you see it.35100:19:49,739 –> 00:19:53,260And then some of us are homemakers.35200:19:53,260 –> 00:19:58,239You choose to give yourself to caring for children35300:19:58,239 –> 00:19:59,800and creating a home.35400:19:59,800 –> 00:20:03,359You don’t get paid for that.35500:20:03,359 –> 00:20:08,479But your work is a reflection also of the character of God.35600:20:08,479 –> 00:20:10,839And there is great dignity in it.35700:20:10,839 –> 00:20:13,000I think, then, of all the volunteers35800:20:13,000 –> 00:20:16,520who work in hospitals, who work in schools,35900:20:16,520 –> 00:20:21,060who work in churches, and there is no pay,36000:20:21,060 –> 00:20:24,660but it is work that is a reflection of the image of God.36100:20:24,660 –> 00:20:27,099And there is dignity in this work36200:20:27,099 –> 00:20:31,959because it reflects his character in you.36300:20:31,959 –> 00:20:34,800So The Fourth Commandment shows us the dignity of work36400:20:34,800 –> 00:20:38,040as an expression of the image of God.36500:20:38,040 –> 00:20:40,579It’s very important for us to grasp this.36600:20:40,579 –> 00:20:43,839A really helpful look there at the dignity of work36700:20:43,839 –> 00:20:47,439and why God has given us the work that we do.36800:20:47,439 –> 00:20:49,880The Message is called Your Struggle with Time,36900:20:49,880 –> 00:20:52,000and unfortunately, we’ve run out of time now,37000:20:52,000 –> 00:20:53,900so we’ll pause it for now.37100:20:53,900 –> 00:20:55,959And we’ll be back tomorrow with the second part37200:20:56,839 –> 00:20:57,680of This Message.37300:20:57,680 –> 00:20:59,459The Message is part of our series,37400:20:59,459 –> 00:21:01,400The Ten Greatest Struggles of Your Life37500:21:01,400 –> 00:21:03,020all about the Ten Commandments,37600:21:03,020 –> 00:21:05,040and if you ever miss one of the series,37700:21:05,040 –> 00:21:06,839don’t forget you can always come online37800:21:06,839 –> 00:21:10,239to our website, openthebible.org.uk,37900:21:10,239 –> 00:21:12,280and there you can listen to any of the messages38000:21:12,280 –> 00:21:14,140which have already been broadcast.38100:21:14,140 –> 00:21:16,239And you can also find them as a podcast,38200:21:16,239 –> 00:21:18,400and those are on all the main podcast sites.38300:21:18,400 –> 00:21:20,540Search for OpenTheBibleUK,38400:21:20,540 –> 00:21:24,520and subscribe if you want to receive regular reminders.38500:21:24,560 –> 00:21:27,839Don’t forget you can also find Pastor Colin’s messages38600:21:27,839 –> 00:21:31,119in a different form in our Thought for Today series38700:21:31,119 –> 00:21:33,300called Open the Bible Daily.38800:21:33,300 –> 00:21:36,060It’s a series of short, two to three-minute38900:21:36,060 –> 00:21:38,900daily reflections based on his teaching,39000:21:38,900 –> 00:21:41,719and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.39100:21:41,719 –> 00:21:43,959Open the Bible aims to give individuals,39200:21:43,959 –> 00:21:45,839small groups and churches,39300:21:45,839 –> 00:21:48,280excellent Bible study courses.39400:21:48,280 –> 00:21:50,680One of these is Fly Through the Bible.39500:21:50,680 –> 00:21:54,000I’m with Open the Bible’s executive director, John Martin.39600:21:54,000 –> 00:21:57,800John, how does Fly Through the Bible help with Bible study?39700:21:57,800 –> 00:22:00,160Fly Through the Bible is Colin’s39800:22:00,160 –> 00:22:02,780whistle-stop tour of the Bible.39900:22:02,780 –> 00:22:05,839You meet five characters from the Old Testament.40000:22:05,839 –> 00:22:08,359Then we look at five events in the life of Jesus,40100:22:08,359 –> 00:22:10,079and then we finish with five gifts40200:22:10,079 –> 00:22:12,119that God gives to the church.40300:22:12,119 –> 00:22:15,079The book is short and simple and therefore shareable.40400:22:15,079 –> 00:22:16,520It’s something you might wanna give away40500:22:16,520 –> 00:22:19,319to somebody as a gift, possibly a neighbour.40600:22:19,319 –> 00:22:22,420The level at which the book is appealing to40700:22:22,619 –> 00:22:25,380those who are perhaps more exploring faith,40800:22:25,380 –> 00:22:27,500perhaps they’re new as a Christian.40900:22:27,500 –> 00:22:29,760Perhaps they want to see how it all fits together.41000:22:29,760 –> 00:22:32,079They know bits and pieces but they wonder41100:22:32,079 –> 00:22:34,880where all the characters and events fit together,41200:22:34,880 –> 00:22:37,439and this is Colin’s introduction to that.41300:22:37,439 –> 00:22:39,540You can find details of Fly Through the Bible41400:22:39,540 –> 00:22:43,319on our website, openthebible.org.uk.41500:22:44,319 –> 00:22:47,599Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners,41600:22:47,599 –> 00:22:49,420and if you already give to support41700:22:49,420 –> 00:22:50,699the work of Open the Bible,41800:22:50,739 –> 00:22:53,099we want to say a huge thank you.41900:22:53,099 –> 00:22:55,579If it’s something you’ve been considering doing,42000:22:55,579 –> 00:22:58,099if you’re able to begin a new direct debit42100:22:58,099 –> 00:23:00,420to the work of Open the Bible this month42200:23:00,420 –> 00:23:03,260in the amount of five pounds per month or more42300:23:03,260 –> 00:23:06,060or a one-off gift of fifty pounds or more,42400:23:06,060 –> 00:23:08,180we’d love to thank you by sending you42500:23:08,180 –> 00:23:10,640a copy of Pastor Colin Smith’s new book,42600:23:10,640 –> 00:23:12,680Drive Through the Bible.42700:23:12,680 –> 00:23:15,219Colin, who did you write this book for?42800:23:15,219 –> 00:23:17,819Where do you begin, and so people pick up42900:23:17,819 –> 00:23:20,020bits and pieces, and the story from here,43000:23:20,380 –> 00:23:22,680they start off and they get the story from there,43100:23:22,680 –> 00:23:25,839but sometimes even after years in the Christian life,43200:23:25,839 –> 00:23:28,540people don’t feel like they have a grasp of the whole.43300:23:28,540 –> 00:23:30,699And then of course, every year, praise God,43400:23:30,699 –> 00:23:32,780there are people coming new to faith,43500:23:32,780 –> 00:23:35,040and this is an entirely new book for them.43600:23:35,040 –> 00:23:38,439And where do you begin in a book that is so vast?43700:23:38,439 –> 00:23:40,680Well, Drive Through the Bible really43800:23:40,680 –> 00:23:43,219is a marvellous place to begin,43900:23:43,219 –> 00:23:46,780to get the whole story, the big picture44000:23:46,780 –> 00:23:48,839of what the Bible is really all about.44100:23:48,880 –> 00:23:51,359What we’re saying that the whole Bible is one story,44200:23:51,359 –> 00:23:53,079it begins in the garden, ends in a city,44300:23:53,079 –> 00:23:55,520and all the way through it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ.44400:23:55,520 –> 00:23:58,040Drive Through the Bible will take you through the story44500:23:58,040 –> 00:24:00,199so that you feel that you have a sense44600:24:00,199 –> 00:24:02,000of what the Bible is all about44700:24:02,000 –> 00:24:04,719and why Jesus Christ is the center,44800:24:04,719 –> 00:24:07,359who He is and what He has accomplished44900:24:07,359 –> 00:24:09,880and what He’s able to do in our lives today.45000:24:09,880 –> 00:24:13,060So this is not simply a sort of learning exercise.45100:24:13,060 –> 00:24:15,560This is an introduction to the Lord Jesus Christ45200:24:15,560 –> 00:24:17,359all the way through Scripture.45300:24:17,359 –> 00:24:19,060And I think whether someone’s been Christian45400:24:19,060 –> 00:24:22,599for a long time or whether someone is new to the Scriptures45500:24:22,599 –> 00:24:24,380and just wants to get a handle45600:24:24,380 –> 00:24:26,359on what the Bible’s all about,45700:24:26,359 –> 00:24:28,359Drive Through the Bible’s gonna be a place to begin45800:24:28,359 –> 00:24:30,920and I hope it will be a blessing to many people.45900:24:30,920 –> 00:24:32,459Well, we’d love to send you a copy46000:24:32,459 –> 00:24:35,400of Pastor Colin’s new book, Drive Through the Bible,46100:24:35,400 –> 00:24:38,500along with a lovely open the Bible tote bag,46200:24:38,500 –> 00:24:40,260pen, and bookmark.46300:24:40,260 –> 00:24:42,760If you’re able to begin a new direct debit46400:24:42,760 –> 00:24:45,119to the work of Open the Bible this month46500:24:45,119 –> 00:24:48,000in the amount of 5 pounds per month or more,46600:24:48,000 –> 00:24:50,800or a one off gift of 50 pounds or more,46700:24:50,800 –> 00:24:52,339full terms and conditions,46800:24:52,339 –> 00:24:55,000and to give online, come to our website46900:24:55,000 –> 00:24:58,119openthebible.org.uk47000:24:59,000 –> 00:25:01,560For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,47100:25:01,560 –> 00:25:03,439I’m David Pig and I hope you’ll be able47200:25:03,439 –> 00:25:06,040to join us again next time on Open the Bible.47300:25:06,040 –> 00:25:16,280Does it feel like you’re only one step away from disaster?47400:25:16,280 –> 00:25:19,199God has some practical advice for you.47500:25:19,199 –> 00:25:21,880Find out what it is next time on Open the Bible.