100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,720The image of God makes human life different from every other form of life on the planet.200:00:10,720 –> 00:00:16,160God has given life to the trees and to the fish and to the plants and to the animals,300:00:16,160 –> 00:00:20,020but none of them are made in the image of God.400:00:20,020 –> 00:00:25,600They’re all made by God, they’re not all made like God.500:00:26,559 –> 00:00:29,379Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.600:00:29,379 –> 00:00:30,500I’m David Pick.700:00:30,500 –> 00:00:35,560I’m glad you could be with us today and Colin what does it mean to be made like God?800:00:35,560 –> 00:00:40,160Well, first of all, the phrase comes directly from the Bible itself.900:00:40,160 –> 00:00:46,200God says let us make man in our image and in our likeness.1000:00:46,200 –> 00:00:51,340So this is the uniqueness about God’s creation of man, that unlike the animals, unlike the1100:00:51,340 –> 00:00:57,680vegetables and everything else that has been created there is a likeness between man and1200:00:57,680 –> 00:01:03,520God and there are many parts but one of the main parts is that we have been made as eternal1300:01:03,520 –> 00:01:04,639beings.1400:01:04,639 –> 00:01:07,879We have a soul that never dies.1500:01:07,879 –> 00:01:14,019I just came from a funeral service to a recording session, Steve, and was talking with some1600:01:14,019 –> 00:01:17,519children and young people about that awesome reality.1700:01:17,519 –> 00:01:18,519What makes you you?1800:01:18,519 –> 00:01:23,239You’re more than a body that’s able to do sports and run and all this kind of thing.1900:01:23,239 –> 00:01:24,720You have a soul.2000:01:24,720 –> 00:01:30,559There is a part of you that cannot be seen that will never, never die and it exists forever2100:01:30,559 –> 00:01:34,400and it’s been given to you by God and it’s an eternal possession.2200:01:34,400 –> 00:01:38,800We live in a world where science seems to have an explanation for everything but that2300:01:38,800 –> 00:01:40,919can cause conflicts for a believer.2400:01:40,919 –> 00:01:47,800Yes and more and more people are losing sight of the fact that life is the gift from God.2500:01:47,820 –> 00:01:54,800Whatever science does and whatever science amazingly manages to understand, a human life2600:01:54,800 –> 00:02:00,699is a gift from God and it is a gift that is in His image.2700:02:00,699 –> 00:02:05,040C.S. Lewis said on one occasion, he said, you’ll never meet an ordinary person.2800:02:05,040 –> 00:02:07,980There’s no such thing as an ordinary person.2900:02:07,980 –> 00:02:13,699Every person you meet will one day either be an everlasting splendor or an everlasting3000:02:13,800 –> 00:02:20,800horror because we are eternal souls and we will spend eternity too in resurrected bodies.3100:02:21,160 –> 00:02:25,220We’re going to continue to think about what it means for mankind to be created in the3200:02:25,220 –> 00:02:31,500image of God and so join us if you can in Exodus chapter 20 as we begin the message3300:02:31,500 –> 00:02:34,779«Your Struggle for Peace». Here’s Colin3400:02:34,779 –> 00:02:40,380Now remember, the Ten Commandments are in their entirety telling us what it means to3500:02:40,380 –> 00:02:43,380live a life of love.3600:02:43,380 –> 00:02:47,559The first four Commandments are telling us what it means to love God.3700:02:47,559 –> 00:02:52,100And then the last six are telling us what it means to love our neighbour as ourselves.3800:02:52,100 –> 00:02:57,199And Jesus tells us that the whole of the Law is summed up under these two headings.3900:02:57,199 –> 00:03:03,979It’s so easy in our society to talk glibly about love and to have no idea as to what4000:03:03,979 –> 00:03:05,179it actually means.4100:03:05,179 –> 00:03:12,139The Ten Commandments are spelling out what love looks like in this world.4200:03:12,139 –> 00:03:16,339So this morning, then, we come to the 6th Commandment, You shall not murder.4300:03:16,339 –> 00:03:20,660Now, you might think that of all of the Ten Commandments, this is going to be by far the4400:03:20,660 –> 00:03:23,100easiest and easy time for us this morning.4500:03:23,100 –> 00:03:28,080I promise you it’s going to be among the most difficult, I’m afraid.4600:03:28,080 –> 00:03:32,240It’s certainly one of the most sensitive.4700:03:32,240 –> 00:03:37,139There is absolutely no doubt whatsoever in my mind that this speaks for every one of4800:03:37,160 –> 00:03:45,660here to one of the 10 greatest struggles that we face in all of our lives.4900:03:45,660 –> 00:03:48,940I want to ask three simple questions of the commandment today.5000:03:48,940 –> 00:03:52,940First, why are we given this commandment?5100:03:52,940 –> 00:03:57,460Second, what does it actually say and what does it mean?5200:03:57,460 –> 00:04:01,139And third, how are we to go about keeping it?5300:04:01,139 –> 00:04:05,740First of all the question why, the obvious place to begin.5400:04:05,740 –> 00:04:10,580And the reason for this commandment, the sixth commandment, you shall not murder, is, of5500:04:10,580 –> 00:04:18,019course, that human life is uniquely created in the image of God.5600:04:18,019 –> 00:04:23,799The Bible makes this clear in Genesis 1-26-27 where we read these words.5700:04:23,799 –> 00:04:27,440God said, let us make man in our image.5800:04:27,440 –> 00:04:28,739In our likeness.5900:04:28,739 –> 00:04:31,700So, God created man in his own image.6000:04:31,700 –> 00:04:33,260In the image of God.6100:04:33,260 –> 00:04:35,559That’s the third time it’s been said, in the image of God.6200:04:35,720 –> 00:04:39,679He created him male and female, he created them.6300:04:39,679 –> 00:04:48,239So the man and the woman are created uniquely in the image of God.6400:04:48,239 –> 00:04:54,440That image is what gives to human life its unique dignity.6500:04:54,440 –> 00:04:57,320And it’s incalculable worth.6600:04:57,799 –> 00:05:04,160Now, when God speaks to us about an image, just that word makes me think about a photograph.6700:05:04,399 –> 00:05:11,679So I’ve brought an image with me here that you may or may not be able to see clearly.6800:05:11,679 –> 00:05:14,100I hope that you can you can see it there now.6900:05:14,959 –> 00:05:21,260This is a picture of my wife and I keep it on the shelf in my study.7000:05:22,519 –> 00:05:26,600Now, someone could analyze this image scientifically.7100:05:27,600 –> 00:05:33,059And could say now this image is not a very great value at all, because it is simply a7200:05:33,179 –> 00:05:36,779wooden frame and there’s not much value in that.7300:05:37,220 –> 00:05:46,640And what it consists of are particles of color pigment in varying degrees of density.7400:05:48,059 –> 00:05:56,619If I left this image in the basement of my house, and it stayed there gathering cobwebs7500:05:56,619 –> 00:06:01,519for a hundred years, and let’s suppose the house was still standing in a hundred years,7600:06:01,660 –> 00:06:09,239I know it might not be, but — and some future future future owner of our house goes down7700:06:09,239 –> 00:06:18,059into the basement and in a day of mad clearing out rediscovers this image.7800:06:18,059 –> 00:06:26,980He or she might brush the cobwebs off it and say, oh, look at this.7900:06:26,980 –> 00:06:30,019Wonder how long it’s been there?8000:06:30,019 –> 00:06:32,720Wonder who she was?8100:06:32,720 –> 00:06:39,000And then throw it in the trash.8200:06:39,000 –> 00:06:46,000But I could never trash this image.8300:06:46,000 –> 00:06:53,459Because this is the image of someone I love.8400:06:54,420 –> 00:07:00,399Now, if you do not know the God of the Bible,8500:07:00,399 –> 00:07:05,779you may have all kinds of different views about the value of human life8600:07:05,779 –> 00:07:10,700but if you know and love the God of the Bible,8700:07:10,720 –> 00:07:16,760you will see unique value in all that bears his image.8800:07:16,760 –> 00:07:20,739See, that’s the connection between the foundation of knowing God8900:07:20,980 –> 00:07:23,380and the valuing of human life.9000:07:24,279 –> 00:07:29,679The reason for it is that it is uniquely stamped by the image of God.9100:07:31,559 –> 00:07:37,260And when I know the one in whose image every human person is made and created,9200:07:37,260 –> 00:07:46,899that image matters to me because it is the image of one who I know and I love.9300:07:46,899 –> 00:07:55,320And I cannot, I dare not, I would not trash that image.9400:07:56,540 –> 00:07:58,399You see the connection?9500:08:00,559 –> 00:08:07,000Human life uniquely created in the image of God.9600:08:07,500 –> 00:08:11,480So taking a human life involves, in some sense,9700:08:11,480 –> 00:08:17,220think of this, tearing the very image of God.9800:08:17,220 –> 00:08:22,359That’s why the sixth commandment is so very, very important.9900:08:22,359 –> 00:08:24,619Now the image of God, the Bible tells us,10000:08:24,619 –> 00:08:26,980and it’s very important for us to learn,10100:08:26,980 –> 00:08:29,059to think biblically about this,10200:08:29,059 –> 00:08:32,780the image of God makes human life different10300:08:32,780 –> 00:08:35,880from every other form of life on the planet.10400:08:35,979 –> 00:08:38,219You see, God has given other life.10500:08:38,219 –> 00:08:41,219God has given life to the trees, and to the fish,10600:08:41,219 –> 00:08:43,700and to the plants, and to the animals.10700:08:43,700 –> 00:08:47,619But none of them are made in the image of God.10800:08:47,619 –> 00:08:50,780They’re all made by God.10900:08:50,780 –> 00:08:53,580They’re not all made like God.11000:08:54,619 –> 00:08:55,900The Bible tells us therefore,11100:08:55,900 –> 00:08:59,780that God gave the plants and the animals11200:08:59,780 –> 00:09:02,059to men and women for food.11300:09:02,059 –> 00:09:03,059You want to check that out.11400:09:03,059 –> 00:09:05,059It’s in Genesis chapter nine, in verse three,11500:09:05,059 –> 00:09:06,599God said this to Noah,11600:09:06,599 –> 00:09:11,599Everything that lives and moves will be food for you,11700:09:11,799 –> 00:09:14,820just as I gave you the green plants, God says.11800:09:14,820 –> 00:09:16,840He’d done that at the beginning and the creation.11900:09:16,840 –> 00:09:20,260Now after the flood, God says, I give you everything.12000:09:21,200 –> 00:09:24,000So God has given us liberty12100:09:24,000 –> 00:09:26,780to responsibly fish the seas,12200:09:26,780 –> 00:09:29,340to humanely farm the animals,12300:09:29,340 –> 00:09:31,679to grow and responsibly harvest12400:09:31,679 –> 00:09:35,039the fields and the forests.12500:09:35,179 –> 00:09:36,960But then in the same passages,12600:09:36,960 –> 00:09:40,419he gives us that liberty and that freedom.12700:09:40,419 –> 00:09:41,520He then goes on to say,12800:09:41,520 –> 00:09:44,559but whoever sheds the blood of man by man12900:09:44,559 –> 00:09:48,460shall his blood be shed for in the image of God,13000:09:48,460 –> 00:09:50,940God has made man.13100:09:51,979 –> 00:09:56,739So there is to be respect for animals,13200:09:57,940 –> 00:10:01,200but human life is of a different order.13300:10:01,299 –> 00:10:03,059It is sacred,13400:10:03,940 –> 00:10:06,859and it is marked out as such in the Sixth Commandment13500:10:06,859 –> 00:10:09,020because human life and human life alone13600:10:09,020 –> 00:10:10,320is in the image of God.13700:10:10,320 –> 00:10:13,080And there is a vast chasm,13800:10:13,080 –> 00:10:17,080a vast chasm between the life of fish and plants13900:10:17,080 –> 00:10:19,299and animals and the life of a man14000:10:19,299 –> 00:10:23,619and of a woman made in the image of God.14100:10:23,619 –> 00:10:25,119And I think one of the most dangerous14200:10:25,119 –> 00:10:26,659and tragic features of our time14300:10:26,659 –> 00:10:27,739is that there are many people14400:10:27,739 –> 00:10:29,539who have lost sight of that chasm14500:10:29,580 –> 00:10:31,380and have narrowed it down in their minds14600:10:31,380 –> 00:10:32,940to a jumpable gap.14700:10:33,840 –> 00:10:35,500And losing touch with the Creator,14800:10:35,500 –> 00:10:36,739they have come to believe14900:10:36,739 –> 00:10:39,479that human beings are simply developed animals,15000:10:39,479 –> 00:10:41,059so more and more people are coming15100:10:41,059 –> 00:10:43,479to regard humans as if they were animals15200:10:43,479 –> 00:10:46,140and animals as if they were sacred.15300:10:48,140 –> 00:10:49,940And that confusion goes everywhere.15400:10:52,340 –> 00:10:55,140It leads to people thinking like this15500:10:55,140 –> 00:10:57,460unimaginable from a biblical point of view.15600:10:58,380 –> 00:10:59,479But it is not uncommon15700:10:59,479 –> 00:11:01,500to find people thinking like this today.15800:11:01,500 –> 00:11:04,140For example, on the growing debate on euthanasia,15900:11:04,140 –> 00:11:07,260well, when my dog gets old, I feel sorry for my dog16000:11:07,260 –> 00:11:08,700and so I take my dog to the vet16100:11:08,700 –> 00:11:11,500and I give it a little injection, I get my dog put down.16200:11:12,359 –> 00:11:15,020If my grandma’s in pain, why shouldn’t I do the same?16300:11:16,880 –> 00:11:20,479You see, once you lose the sacredness of human life,16400:11:21,599 –> 00:11:25,380you lose all bearings on the moral compass.16500:11:25,380 –> 00:11:27,460And we cannot retain our knowledge16600:11:27,460 –> 00:11:30,260of the sacredness of life apart from the knowledge16700:11:30,260 –> 00:11:32,880of the God in whose image we are made16800:11:32,880 –> 00:11:35,260and by whom that life is made sacred.16900:11:36,739 –> 00:11:39,520Our culture is losing it’s understanding17000:11:39,520 –> 00:11:42,460of the value of life, because it is losing17100:11:42,460 –> 00:11:44,460it’s understanding of the uniqueness17200:11:44,460 –> 00:11:47,460of human life created by God himself.17300:11:47,460 –> 00:11:51,539Lose God, you lose all the values17400:11:51,539 –> 00:11:55,719on which our very society has been founded.17500:11:57,460 –> 00:11:59,799So here’s an area of desperate confusion17600:11:59,799 –> 00:12:02,140in which it’s absolutely urgent that those17700:12:02,140 –> 00:12:04,940who want to build their lives around the Word of God17800:12:04,940 –> 00:12:08,859develop clear patterns of thought and of understanding.17900:12:08,859 –> 00:12:10,799There is, and this is the starting point,18000:12:10,799 –> 00:12:15,500a vast chasm that separates human life18100:12:15,500 –> 00:12:17,820from every other form of life,18200:12:17,820 –> 00:12:19,739and starting from that principle,18300:12:19,739 –> 00:12:21,419in Genesis, in Chapter one,18400:12:21,419 –> 00:12:24,679we begin to think rightly about these things.18500:12:24,679 –> 00:12:29,679What God has separated, let no man join together18600:12:30,979 –> 00:12:33,000to take a phrase of Jesus18700:12:33,000 –> 00:12:36,000and, in the setting, turn it on its head.18800:12:36,000 –> 00:12:40,919Human life is created uniquely in the image of God.18900:12:41,979 –> 00:12:43,919You’re listening to Open the Bible19000:12:43,919 –> 00:12:45,380with Pastor Collin Smith19100:12:45,380 –> 00:12:48,340and a message called Your Struggle for Peace,19200:12:48,340 –> 00:12:52,260part of the series, the 10 greatest struggles of your life19300:12:52,260 –> 00:12:54,140and if you’ve missed any of the series,19400:12:54,140 –> 00:12:56,900you can always catch up or go back and listen again19500:12:56,900 –> 00:12:59,580by coming online, come to our website,19600:12:59,580 –> 00:13:02,179openthebible.org.uk19700:13:02,179 –> 00:13:03,539and there you’ll find all the messages19800:13:03,539 –> 00:13:05,460which have already been broadcast19900:13:05,460 –> 00:13:07,859and you can also find them as a podcast20000:13:07,859 –> 00:13:10,179and those are on all the main podcast sites.20100:13:10,179 –> 00:13:12,219Search for Open the Bible UK20200:13:12,219 –> 00:13:15,479or follow the links from our website.20300:13:15,479 –> 00:13:17,700Open the Bible is supported by our listeners20400:13:17,840 –> 00:13:20,599and we’re extremely grateful for the financial support20500:13:20,599 –> 00:13:22,440that we receive from you.20600:13:22,440 –> 00:13:24,520If that’s something you’re considering doing,20700:13:24,520 –> 00:13:26,380I hope you’ll stay to the end of the programme20800:13:26,380 –> 00:13:28,320to hear about a special offer20900:13:28,320 –> 00:13:31,099if you’re able to set up a new direct debit21000:13:31,099 –> 00:13:34,299this month to support Open the Bible.21100:13:34,299 –> 00:13:35,280I’ll be talking to Colin21200:13:35,280 –> 00:13:37,739about this special offer later in the programme,21300:13:37,739 –> 00:13:39,440so I hope you’ll stay with us.21400:13:39,440 –> 00:13:43,599Back to the message now, we’re in Exodus 20, here’s Colin.21500:13:43,599 –> 00:13:48,599Human life is created uniquely in the image of God.21600:13:49,619 –> 00:13:50,919Now, before we get into the meaning21700:13:50,919 –> 00:13:53,140and the application of this commandment,21800:13:53,140 –> 00:13:55,559I want us to grasp an important point21900:13:55,559 –> 00:13:57,219and that is simply this,22000:13:57,219 –> 00:13:59,599that the sixth commandment cannot be used22100:13:59,599 –> 00:14:02,820as a definitive argument against war22200:14:02,820 –> 00:14:04,140or capital punishment.22300:14:04,140 –> 00:14:06,340I’ll say that one more time,22400:14:06,340 –> 00:14:08,760the sixth commandment cannot be used22500:14:08,760 –> 00:14:12,179as a definitive argument against either war22600:14:12,179 –> 00:14:15,619on the one hand or capital punishment on the other.22700:14:15,619 –> 00:14:17,940I know that both of these are very controversial issues22800:14:17,940 –> 00:14:21,179and that’s why I refer to it briefly at this moment.22900:14:21,179 –> 00:14:23,840And I say this for a simple reason,23000:14:23,840 –> 00:14:27,619that the same God who gave the sixth commandment23100:14:27,619 –> 00:14:30,219also at times obviously led His people23200:14:30,219 –> 00:14:32,479into battle against their enemies.23300:14:33,500 –> 00:14:35,659And the same God who gave the sixth commandment23400:14:35,659 –> 00:14:38,380also in the same law gave the law23500:14:38,380 –> 00:14:41,380that calls for capital punishment.23600:14:41,419 –> 00:14:44,280Now, I know that there is a very legitimate debate23700:14:44,280 –> 00:14:46,940that has gone on for centuries among Christian believers23800:14:46,940 –> 00:14:49,260and there would be points of significant difference23900:14:49,260 –> 00:14:52,260among us here that are entirely legitimate.24000:14:52,260 –> 00:14:56,299There is an argument that can be made strongly against war.24100:14:56,299 –> 00:14:58,539There is an argument that can be made strongly24200:14:58,539 –> 00:15:00,039against capital punishment.24300:15:00,039 –> 00:15:01,919There are equally arguments that can be made24400:15:01,919 –> 00:15:03,440on the other side.24500:15:03,440 –> 00:15:05,099The point I’m simply concerned to make24600:15:05,099 –> 00:15:07,619is that in attempting to make these arguments24700:15:07,619 –> 00:15:10,820you cannot settle them simply by an appeal24800:15:10,820 –> 00:15:13,559to the sixth commandment because the sixth commandment24900:15:13,559 –> 00:15:16,260in the Old Testament lives right alongside25000:15:16,260 –> 00:15:19,239occasions where God led his people into war25100:15:19,239 –> 00:15:21,880and clearly blessed them as a result of it25200:15:21,880 –> 00:15:23,859by delivering them from their enemies25300:15:23,859 –> 00:15:26,239and clearly lived alongside capital punishment.25400:15:26,239 –> 00:15:31,239So the issue is more complex when it comes to these things.25500:15:31,239 –> 00:15:34,400Remember that you have to look at the scripture as a whole.25600:15:34,400 –> 00:15:37,080There are, for example, situations25700:15:37,159 –> 00:15:39,880where the taking of one life25800:15:39,880 –> 00:15:41,599has, in the goodness of God,25900:15:41,599 –> 00:15:44,919led to the deliverance of many others,26000:15:44,919 –> 00:15:47,359the saving of many other lives.26100:15:47,359 –> 00:15:48,960I think of Ehud.26200:15:48,960 –> 00:15:50,960Do you remember the Judge Ehud,26300:15:50,960 –> 00:15:53,440the left-handed man who had a dagger,26400:15:53,440 –> 00:15:56,799and he killed Eglon, an oppressor,26500:15:56,799 –> 00:16:00,320and by taking out Eglon,26600:16:00,320 –> 00:16:03,400a great deliverance was brought to God’s people26700:16:03,400 –> 00:16:06,440and many, many, many lives were saved.26800:16:06,440 –> 00:16:09,520Or to take a more common story, a better-known story,26900:16:09,520 –> 00:16:13,280you have David who took the life of Goliath27000:16:13,280 –> 00:16:16,080and liberated a whole generation of people27100:16:16,080 –> 00:16:19,039from a threat that had terrorized them.27200:16:19,039 –> 00:16:20,960And the New Testament makes it very clear27300:16:20,960 –> 00:16:22,760that this kind of action does not belong27400:16:22,760 –> 00:16:24,840to an individual acting alone,27500:16:24,840 –> 00:16:26,640but, as in the Old Testament,27600:16:26,640 –> 00:16:28,719the power of the wielding of the sword27700:16:28,719 –> 00:16:30,479is given to governments.27800:16:30,479 –> 00:16:33,659You can check that through in Romans in chapter 13.27900:16:33,659 –> 00:16:35,919And those who are given the responsibility of ruling28000:16:35,940 –> 00:16:38,020are also given the responsibility28100:16:38,020 –> 00:16:41,520of protecting and of defending.28200:16:41,520 –> 00:16:43,460And I find it very helpful to read a comment28300:16:43,460 –> 00:16:45,140by one author who said,28400:16:45,140 –> 00:16:47,520”The purpose of having an army28500:16:47,520 –> 00:16:49,219”is not to kill people,28600:16:49,219 –> 00:16:52,900”but to keep a country’s citizens safe.28700:16:52,900 –> 00:16:56,380”That’s a good principle to keep in mind.”28800:16:56,380 –> 00:16:57,539So now, with that caveat,28900:16:57,539 –> 00:16:59,619what does the commandment say to us?29000:16:59,619 –> 00:17:03,940Because it speaks very powerfully into our society.29100:17:03,940 –> 00:17:05,420Let me give you four examples29200:17:05,420 –> 00:17:07,979of taking the life of another person29300:17:07,979 –> 00:17:10,099that are clearly forbidden29400:17:10,099 –> 00:17:13,599by the scope of the Sixth Commandment.29500:17:13,599 –> 00:17:16,439The first is obviously murder itself.29600:17:16,439 –> 00:17:19,560Murder simply taking the life29700:17:19,560 –> 00:17:21,579of your neighbor.29800:17:21,579 –> 00:17:23,060And I don’t to underestimate this29900:17:23,060 –> 00:17:25,660because somewhere in your life,30000:17:25,660 –> 00:17:27,260you may come to an experience30100:17:27,260 –> 00:17:30,199where you feel so injured,30200:17:30,199 –> 00:17:32,199so outraged,30300:17:33,160 –> 00:17:35,079that an act of serious violence30400:17:35,079 –> 00:17:37,260would not be beyond the scope30500:17:37,260 –> 00:17:40,500of your thoughts.30600:17:40,500 –> 00:17:44,739God says, Don’t do that.30700:17:44,739 –> 00:17:46,640Vengeance is Mine, says the Lord.30800:17:46,640 –> 00:17:49,459I will repay.30900:17:49,459 –> 00:17:51,400Remember the occasion in the Gospels31000:17:51,400 –> 00:17:52,920when Jesus was arrested?31100:17:52,920 –> 00:17:55,500Peter drew the sword.31200:17:55,500 –> 00:17:58,459And you can understand his outrage.31300:17:58,459 –> 00:18:00,939He draws the sword and he swings it31400:18:00,979 –> 00:18:02,939at the servant of the high priest31500:18:02,939 –> 00:18:08,459who was daring to be party to the arrest of Jesus.31600:18:08,459 –> 00:18:10,800I would have anticipated that this31700:18:10,800 –> 00:18:14,380was a two-handed sword typical of that time.31800:18:14,380 –> 00:18:16,660And at least from what we know31900:18:16,660 –> 00:18:19,479of the character of Peter from the gospels,32000:18:19,479 –> 00:18:22,020I reckon he was going for a clean shot32100:18:22,020 –> 00:18:26,380right to split this guy down the middle, right?32200:18:26,380 –> 00:18:29,380And he missed by just a few inches.32300:18:29,380 –> 00:18:31,500And he just managed to cut off his ear.32400:18:33,239 –> 00:18:36,839And Jesus said to him, put away your sword.32500:18:38,280 –> 00:18:40,119And then the most significant thing of all32600:18:40,119 –> 00:18:44,660Jesus heals the ear of Malchus, the high priest’s servant.32700:18:44,660 –> 00:18:48,920Think of this, Jesus reaches out to heal the wounds32800:18:48,920 –> 00:18:53,140of his enemies inflicted by his friends.32900:18:53,140 –> 00:18:53,979Wow.33000:18:54,359 –> 00:18:58,300Secondly, the whole issue of abortion,33100:18:59,380 –> 00:19:01,339taking the life of an unborn neighbor.33200:19:01,339 –> 00:19:03,619You see this is all an exposition33300:19:03,619 –> 00:19:05,459of loving your neighbor as yourself.33400:19:05,459 –> 00:19:08,099If murder is taking the life of your neighbor,33500:19:09,099 –> 00:19:11,760then abortion is taking the life of your unborn neighbor.33600:19:11,760 –> 00:19:16,760Now why is it wrong to take the life of an unborn child?33700:19:16,920 –> 00:19:22,060The answer, because the unborn child is in the image33800:19:22,300 –> 00:19:27,520of God, and God, the Bible makes clear33900:19:27,520 –> 00:19:30,540has an active relationship already34000:19:30,540 –> 00:19:32,900with the child in the womb.34100:19:34,540 –> 00:19:37,900He is actively involved in the developing life34200:19:37,900 –> 00:19:39,319of the unborn child.34300:19:40,260 –> 00:19:44,979You see this expressed so beautifully in Psalm 13934400:19:44,979 –> 00:19:47,660where David asks this question, do you remember?34500:19:47,839 –> 00:19:50,459Where shall I go from your spirit?34600:19:50,459 –> 00:19:55,459And where can I flee or hide or run from your presence?34700:19:55,900 –> 00:19:57,300Then he goes through some examples.34800:19:57,300 –> 00:19:59,560Is there any place in the cosmos34900:19:59,560 –> 00:20:02,859where a person could be hidden from God?35000:20:02,859 –> 00:20:06,300And he says well if I got up to heaven, well you’re there.35100:20:06,300 –> 00:20:09,260If I go down into death, well you’re there,35200:20:09,260 –> 00:20:11,439you know me even in death.35300:20:11,439 –> 00:20:14,140If I go to the uttermost parts of the Earth35400:20:14,140 –> 00:20:17,260as far east or as far west as a person could imagine,35500:20:17,260 –> 00:20:21,199even there you’re with me.35600:20:21,199 –> 00:20:22,640God you know all about me35700:20:22,640 –> 00:20:24,060and then he has one more thought.35800:20:24,060 –> 00:20:24,900Wait a minute.35900:20:26,780 –> 00:20:29,339Maybe it was different before I was born.36000:20:30,920 –> 00:20:33,400Could it be that I was actually hidden from36100:20:33,400 –> 00:20:37,060and unknown to God when I was just36200:20:37,060 –> 00:20:39,780what today is so often called a fetus?36300:20:42,020 –> 00:20:44,500And so he registers this question.36400:20:44,520 –> 00:20:48,160Did I appear on God’s radar screen36500:20:48,160 –> 00:20:50,099when I was in my mother’s womb?36600:20:50,099 –> 00:20:52,099That’s the question in Psalm 139.36700:20:53,339 –> 00:20:55,339And here is the answer from verse 16.36800:20:56,260 –> 00:20:59,939My frame was not hidden from you36900:20:59,939 –> 00:21:02,859when I was made in the secret place.37000:21:02,859 –> 00:21:07,859Your eyes saw my unformed body.37100:21:09,880 –> 00:21:12,319And all the days that were ordained for me37200:21:12,319 –> 00:21:13,719were written in your book.37300:21:15,439 –> 00:21:18,739God’s hand is on the life of the unborn child.37400:21:20,479 –> 00:21:22,280That is why the unborn child37500:21:22,280 –> 00:21:24,760should also be of great value to us.37600:21:24,760 –> 00:21:27,420This is not a potential life.37700:21:28,839 –> 00:21:29,800This is a life37800:21:32,339 –> 00:21:34,500with great and eternal potential.37900:21:35,500 –> 00:21:37,280You’ve been listening to Open the Bible38000:21:37,280 –> 00:21:39,040with Pastor Colin Smith38100:21:39,040 –> 00:21:42,119and a message called Your Struggle for Peace.38200:21:42,119 –> 00:21:43,060It’s part of our series,38300:21:43,060 –> 00:21:45,640The 10 Greatest Struggles in Your Life.38400:21:45,640 –> 00:21:47,959And if you’ve missed any of the series before now38500:21:47,959 –> 00:21:51,319or if you want to catch up or go back and listen again,38600:21:51,319 –> 00:21:54,560you can do that by coming online to our website,38700:21:54,560 –> 00:21:57,160openthebible.org.uk.38800:21:57,160 –> 00:22:00,439You can also find Pastor Colin’s messages as a podcast38900:22:00,439 –> 00:22:02,699and those are on all the main podcast sites,39000:22:02,699 –> 00:22:04,760search for openthebible.uk39100:22:04,760 –> 00:22:08,680or follow the link from our website openthebible.org.uk.39200:22:09,680 –> 00:22:10,680At Open the Bible,39300:22:11,140 –> 00:22:12,979we welcome contact with our listeners.39400:22:12,979 –> 00:22:16,020If you’ve been blessed by Pastor Colin Smyth’s teaching39500:22:16,020 –> 00:22:18,060and you’d like to reach out to us,39600:22:18,060 –> 00:22:20,900you can write to us at Open the Bible,39700:22:20,900 –> 00:22:24,540P. O. Box 1420 Cheltenham,39800:22:24,540 –> 00:22:26,260GL 50,39900:22:26,260 –> 00:22:27,560Nine PG.40000:22:27,560 –> 00:22:29,199That’s Open the Bible,40100:22:29,199 –> 00:22:32,859P. O. Box 1420 Cheltenham,40200:22:32,859 –> 00:22:34,579GL 50,40300:22:34,579 –> 00:22:35,979Nine PG.40400:22:35,979 –> 00:22:39,300Our address and telephone number and email address40500:22:39,400 –> 00:22:41,219are available on our website,40600:22:41,219 –> 00:22:44,339openthebible.org.uk.40700:22:45,420 –> 00:22:49,000Open the Bible is supported financially by our listeners.40800:22:49,000 –> 00:22:52,260And if you already do that, thank you so much.40900:22:52,260 –> 00:22:55,459If you’re thinking of supporting Open the Bible in that way41000:22:55,459 –> 00:22:58,859and you’d like to begin doing that in this month of May,41100:22:58,859 –> 00:23:00,520we have an offer for you.41200:23:00,520 –> 00:23:03,020If you’re able to set up a new direct debit41300:23:03,020 –> 00:23:04,699to the work of Open the Bible41400:23:04,699 –> 00:23:07,459in the amount of five pounds per month or more,41500:23:07,500 –> 00:23:10,079or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,41600:23:10,079 –> 00:23:11,400we’d love to say thank you41700:23:11,400 –> 00:23:14,319by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s book,41800:23:14,319 –> 00:23:18,000Drive Through the Bible, a 30-day Journey.41900:23:18,000 –> 00:23:18,859And as well as that,42000:23:18,859 –> 00:23:21,839we’ll send you a lovely Open the Bible tote bag,42100:23:21,839 –> 00:23:24,219pen and bookmark.42200:23:24,219 –> 00:23:26,160Colin, what are some of the ways42300:23:26,160 –> 00:23:28,880you see this book being used?42400:23:28,880 –> 00:23:33,040Well this takes us all the way through the Bible story.42500:23:33,040 –> 00:23:36,119And folks who are familiar with Fly Through the Bible42600:23:36,140 –> 00:23:38,660will know that there are snapshots42700:23:38,660 –> 00:23:41,479of people and events and gifts.42800:23:41,479 –> 00:23:44,000But what Drive Through the Bible does42900:23:44,000 –> 00:23:47,839is it strings the whole of the Bible story together43000:23:47,839 –> 00:23:52,119from beginning to end in a very, very short compass.43100:23:52,119 –> 00:23:55,339I mean, these are 30 short chapters.43200:23:55,339 –> 00:23:57,119So over the course of a month,43300:23:57,119 –> 00:23:59,780if you read for five minutes a day,43400:23:59,780 –> 00:24:01,819you would get right through the Bible43500:24:01,819 –> 00:24:03,339from Genesis to Revelation43600:24:03,579 –> 00:24:05,359and see how the whole story appoints43700:24:05,359 –> 00:24:07,520to the Lord Jesus Christ.43800:24:07,520 –> 00:24:09,800So this is something you could read on your own,43900:24:09,800 –> 00:24:13,640but it’s really designed to be shared with another person.44000:24:13,640 –> 00:24:17,079I mean, you could read this with your kids.44100:24:17,079 –> 00:24:20,540You could give it as a resource to teenagers,44200:24:20,540 –> 00:24:23,020middle school, high school students.44300:24:23,020 –> 00:24:25,359It’s written very, very simply,44400:24:25,359 –> 00:24:27,500or perhaps you could share it with a friend44500:24:27,500 –> 00:24:30,560and just take this journey over the period of a month,44600:24:30,560 –> 00:24:32,680have a conversation about the big picture44700:24:32,760 –> 00:24:33,959of the Bible story44800:24:33,959 –> 00:24:37,160that points us everywhere to the Lord Jesus Christ.44900:24:37,160 –> 00:24:40,359So I hope and pray that this will be a great blessing,45000:24:40,359 –> 00:24:44,140really useful to people who want to see the Bible open45100:24:44,140 –> 00:24:45,979to discover the whole story45200:24:45,979 –> 00:24:48,920and of course, to be pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ.45300:24:48,920 –> 00:24:51,239Well, drives through the Bible is a gift to you45400:24:51,239 –> 00:24:53,939if you’re able to begin a new direct debit45500:24:53,939 –> 00:24:55,660to the work of open the Bible45600:24:55,660 –> 00:24:58,099in the amount of 5 pounds per month or more45700:24:58,099 –> 00:25:02,000or one off gifts of 50 pounds or more this month.45800:25:02,020 –> 00:25:04,959Full Terms and conditions on our website45900:25:04,959 –> 00:25:07,479and you can also give online.46000:25:07,479 –> 00:25:09,920For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,46100:25:09,920 –> 00:25:14,079I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time.46200:25:20,040 –> 00:25:23,260If you go through your whole life without killing anyone,46300:25:23,260 –> 00:25:25,319does that mean you’ve kept the commandment,46400:25:25,319 –> 00:25:27,140you shall not murder?46500:25:27,140 –> 00:25:30,219Find out next time on Open The Bible.