100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,700The right path will not always be an easy path. If you look at verse-5, the right path200:00:10,700 –> 00:00:16,020takes you through the presence of enemies. In verse-4, the right path300:00:16,020 –> 00:00:28,139takes you through the valley of the shadow of death. But even there, your Shepherd will lead you.400:00:28,320 –> 00:00:32,939Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, glad you could be with500:00:32,939 –> 00:00:36,259us today and Colin, in this message we’re looking at Psalm600:00:36,259 –> 00:00:41,98023 and we’re thinking about how the Lord leads us. It’s easy to feel that God is leading700:00:41,980 –> 00:00:47,139us when we’re going through easy times, but sometimes He leads us through hard times.800:00:47,139 –> 00:00:52,880Yes, that’s exactly right. And I think that this is really important to take hold of because900:00:53,060 –> 00:00:59,160otherwise we lose our assurance and our peace and our joy at the time that we need it most.1000:00:59,160 –> 00:01:05,180I know what it is in my own life to get to a place of saying, boy, this is really difficult.1100:01:05,180 –> 00:01:07,300Am I sure that I’m on the right path?1200:01:07,300 –> 00:01:14,180I mean, that’s the natural question to ask, and Psalm 23 addresses exactly this.1300:01:14,180 –> 00:01:21,260That Jesus leads us on right paths, and right paths doesn’t mean easy paths.1400:01:21,260 –> 00:01:23,180Sometimes they’re very difficult.1500:01:23,180 –> 00:01:28,220The disciples followed Jesus obediently, and he led them into a storm.1600:01:28,220 –> 00:01:29,220But do you know what?1700:01:29,220 –> 00:01:34,139They discovered more of the glory of Jesus in that storm, and they grew as followers1800:01:34,139 –> 00:01:35,620of Jesus.1900:01:35,620 –> 00:01:39,800And the Lord will be our shepherd on the right path leading us.2000:01:39,800 –> 00:01:41,779He’ll never abandon us there.2100:01:41,779 –> 00:01:45,739And that’s, I think, a great encouragement for us to try and take to heart from the scriptures2200:01:45,739 –> 00:01:46,739today.2300:01:46,739 –> 00:01:48,980So, join us today in your Bible, if you can.2400:01:49,379 –> 00:01:50,760We are in Psalm 23.2500:01:50,760 –> 00:01:53,419As we continue the message, he leads me.2600:01:53,419 –> 00:01:54,660Here’s Colin.2700:01:54,660 –> 00:02:01,339The Good Shepherd leads His sheep into rest, rest.2800:02:01,339 –> 00:02:04,139He makes me lie down.2900:02:04,139 –> 00:02:12,940And then secondly, the Good Shepherd leads us into righteousness.3000:02:12,940 –> 00:02:17,520He leads me in paths of righteousness.3100:02:18,479 –> 00:02:23,479Now, notice you have a full description of the Christian life right here in these two3200:02:23,479 –> 00:02:24,479phrases.3300:02:24,479 –> 00:02:30,020There are times for lying down and for rest and there are times for moving forward.3400:02:30,020 –> 00:02:31,559There’s the whole Christian life.3500:02:31,559 –> 00:02:37,419We rest in order that we may have strength to follow Him on the right path.3600:02:37,419 –> 00:02:41,600The natural order, you might think, would be that we walk the right path in order and3700:02:41,600 –> 00:02:44,800that we rest, but here it’s the other way round.3800:02:44,800 –> 00:02:46,000That’s the gospel principle.3900:02:46,279 –> 00:02:53,000that we rest in order that we may be able to walk in the right path.4000:02:53,000 –> 00:02:57,479The Bible speaks about righteousness in two ways.4100:02:57,479 –> 00:03:04,479That is a righteousness that Christ gives us and that is what enables us to rest, and4200:03:04,479 –> 00:03:10,559then there is a righteousness to which Christ calls us and that is what David is speaking4300:03:10,559 –> 00:03:12,559of here.4400:03:12,559 –> 00:03:15,080The righteousness that Christ gives us.4500:03:15,559 –> 00:03:21,160Paul says in Philippians, I want to be found in Christ.4600:03:21,160 –> 00:03:26,479Not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through4700:03:26,479 –> 00:03:35,020faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and depends on faith.4800:03:35,020 –> 00:03:43,440We become right with God, not through a righteousness that we produce, but through the perfect righteousness4900:03:43,539 –> 00:03:48,539that Jesus Christ himself gives to us.5000:03:48,539 –> 00:03:54,479He lived that perfect life and when he laid it down on the cross, he offered up that perfectly5100:03:54,479 –> 00:03:58,039righteous life on our behalf.5200:03:58,039 –> 00:03:59,720And brother, sister, isn’t this wonderful?5300:03:59,720 –> 00:04:03,679All the righteousness you will ever need is given to you fully and freely in the Lord5400:04:03,679 –> 00:04:06,940Jesus Christ.5500:04:06,940 –> 00:04:09,919And it becomes yours when you become His.5600:04:10,800 –> 00:04:16,839It’s a marvelous thing to be wholly owned by the Son of God.5700:04:16,839 –> 00:04:20,059And that’s why you have rest.5800:04:20,059 –> 00:04:24,339The righteousness of Christ is yours when you are His.5900:04:24,339 –> 00:04:30,959There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.6000:04:30,959 –> 00:04:35,399Do you see how this fits with Psalm 23?6100:04:35,399 –> 00:04:38,399That is not the end but the beginning of the Christian life.6200:04:38,500 –> 00:04:41,899It’s not simply that we lie down on rest in the given6300:04:41,899 –> 00:04:44,519righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ.6400:04:44,519 –> 00:04:47,920As we have received this and have this by faith in Him,6500:04:47,920 –> 00:04:52,320He calls us now to follow him in right paths.6600:04:52,320 –> 00:04:56,299And that’s what’s referred to here in the words of David.6700:04:56,299 –> 00:05:00,380There is a righteousness to which Christ calls us.6800:05:00,380 –> 00:05:02,440Peter puts it this way.6900:05:02,440 –> 00:05:07,160He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree7000:05:07,179 –> 00:05:12,179that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.7100:05:15,059 –> 00:05:19,880There are right paths that your shepherd7200:05:19,880 –> 00:05:23,559calls you to pursue.7300:05:23,559 –> 00:05:26,739Right paths and he will lead you in them.7400:05:26,739 –> 00:05:29,540Clearly, that is what David is talking about here.7500:05:29,540 –> 00:05:34,540Paths of righteousness simply means right paths.7600:05:35,420 –> 00:05:37,480And where the shepherd leads you7700:05:37,480 –> 00:05:41,619will always be the right path.7800:05:42,859 –> 00:05:44,200I want to notice a couple of things here7900:05:44,200 –> 00:05:46,839and the first is that the right path8000:05:46,839 –> 00:05:50,119will not always be an easy path.8100:05:50,119 –> 00:05:52,000The Psalm makes that very clear.8200:05:53,059 –> 00:05:56,839If you look at verse five, the right path8300:05:56,839 –> 00:05:59,140takes you through the presence of enemies.8400:06:00,399 –> 00:06:02,839In verse four, the right path takes you8500:06:03,339 –> 00:06:08,260through the valley of the shadow of death.8600:06:08,260 –> 00:06:13,260But even there your shepherd will lead you.8700:06:15,519 –> 00:06:17,720Psalm 23 makes it very, very clear8800:06:17,720 –> 00:06:20,920that the pastures will not always be green8900:06:20,920 –> 00:06:24,920and that the waters will not always be still.9000:06:24,920 –> 00:06:28,760When Jesus said to his disciples in the Gospels9100:06:28,760 –> 00:06:30,880let us go to the other side of the lake,9200:06:30,880 –> 00:06:35,880remember he led them into a storm.9300:06:36,679 –> 00:06:40,440But it was a storm in which they saw his glory9400:06:40,440 –> 00:06:42,299and it was a storm in which they learned9500:06:42,299 –> 00:06:44,140that they could truly trust him.9600:06:45,519 –> 00:06:47,760So the good shepherd won’t always lead you9700:06:47,760 –> 00:06:49,959beside the still water.9800:06:49,959 –> 00:06:51,760Sometimes he’s actually gonna lead you9900:06:51,760 –> 00:06:53,980right through the water.10000:06:54,820 –> 00:06:56,839In another psalm, Psalm 77,10100:06:56,839 –> 00:06:58,859we read these remarkable words10200:06:58,859 –> 00:07:01,299referring back to when God led his people10300:07:01,299 –> 00:07:02,859through the Red Sea.10400:07:02,859 –> 00:07:06,359Your way was through the sea.10500:07:06,359 –> 00:07:10,519Your path was through the great waters.10600:07:10,519 –> 00:07:13,320Your footprints were unseen,10700:07:14,320 –> 00:07:17,720but you led your people like a flock10800:07:17,720 –> 00:07:20,359by the hand of Moses10900:07:20,359 –> 00:07:22,720and of Aaron.11000:07:22,720 –> 00:07:24,640Now there will be times in your life11100:07:24,640 –> 00:07:26,140where the way in which God leads you11200:07:26,140 –> 00:07:28,239seems to be absolutely impossible.11300:07:28,239 –> 00:07:30,160That was the situation of God’s people11400:07:30,160 –> 00:07:32,059when they came to the Red Sea.11500:07:32,059 –> 00:07:33,200But God was with them,11600:07:33,200 –> 00:07:34,420he was leading them.11700:07:36,220 –> 00:07:37,959And there will be times11800:07:39,000 –> 00:07:43,459when you find it hard to detect the presence of God.11900:07:43,459 –> 00:07:45,019Notice what he says here,12000:07:46,679 –> 00:07:51,339that God’s footprints were unseen.12100:07:52,700 –> 00:07:56,459God led his people through the Red Sea12200:07:56,500 –> 00:08:01,500but there was not a visible evidence of God’s presence12300:08:01,980 –> 00:08:04,380that was given to them in that experience,12400:08:04,380 –> 00:08:06,339his footprints were unseen.12500:08:06,339 –> 00:08:07,779There will be times where you say,12600:08:07,779 –> 00:08:10,000now, where is God in this?12700:08:11,359 –> 00:08:12,519Can’t see him,12800:08:13,660 –> 00:08:15,459can’t figure out what he’s doing,12900:08:15,459 –> 00:08:18,119can’t feel his presence.13000:08:20,100 –> 00:08:23,380God’s ways will sometimes be a mystery to you,13100:08:23,380 –> 00:08:26,059that’s what we’re being told here,13200:08:26,059 –> 00:08:27,500but you can be sure of this,13300:08:27,500 –> 00:08:29,220that when the Lord is your shepherd,13400:08:29,220 –> 00:08:31,820even where you cannot see his footprints,13500:08:31,820 –> 00:08:33,979he will lead you,13600:08:35,239 –> 00:08:37,640even when his footprints are unseen.13700:08:39,159 –> 00:08:40,460And then there will be times13800:08:40,460 –> 00:08:43,140when God’s direction in your life comes through people13900:08:43,140 –> 00:08:44,380he puts beside you.14000:08:44,380 –> 00:08:47,239Do you see that in this verse from Psalm 77,14100:08:47,239 –> 00:08:49,219you led your people like a flock,14200:08:49,219 –> 00:08:53,179how, by the hand of Moses and Aaron.14300:08:53,419 –> 00:08:57,940So seek the wisdom and counsel of other godly people14400:08:57,940 –> 00:08:59,299God puts beside you14500:08:59,299 –> 00:09:02,099when you’re trying to discern a right path,14600:09:02,099 –> 00:09:05,640it’s one of the ways that God will lead you.14700:09:05,640 –> 00:09:08,880He gives under shepherds to the flock,14800:09:08,880 –> 00:09:11,440he puts other believers around you,14900:09:11,440 –> 00:09:16,280you’re not alone on this journey.15000:09:17,679 –> 00:09:20,359So we’re looking at this marvelous blessing15100:09:20,359 –> 00:09:22,239that belongs to those who are wholly owned15200:09:22,239 –> 00:09:24,059by the son of God.15300:09:24,059 –> 00:09:25,400When you’re in the flock of God,15400:09:25,400 –> 00:09:28,820you have this great blessing that he leads you.15500:09:28,820 –> 00:09:30,059Where does he lead you?15600:09:30,059 –> 00:09:32,460He leads you into rest15700:09:32,460 –> 00:09:34,260and you’ll find it more and more15800:09:34,260 –> 00:09:37,299as you keep the shepherd in view.15900:09:37,299 –> 00:09:41,059He leads you into righteousness16000:09:41,059 –> 00:09:46,059and where the shepherd leads is always the right path.16100:09:46,219 –> 00:09:47,619The right path.16200:09:49,299 –> 00:09:53,219He leads me in paths of righteousness.16300:09:56,580 –> 00:10:01,020Now we said earlier it’s so very practical16400:10:01,020 –> 00:10:05,659because many of us feel like we need rest.16500:10:06,460 –> 00:10:07,280Jaded.16600:10:08,219 –> 00:10:11,179How are we going to find rest and refreshment16700:10:11,179 –> 00:10:13,580and we’ve seen how the Psalm speaks to that.16800:10:13,619 –> 00:10:16,479Here we come to another very practical issue.16900:10:17,460 –> 00:10:19,900Handling change.17000:10:21,280 –> 00:10:24,440And I expect that among us again here this morning17100:10:24,440 –> 00:10:26,739there’ll be many of us saying why do things17200:10:26,739 –> 00:10:29,239have to continue just to change17300:10:29,239 –> 00:10:32,739so relentlessly in my life?17400:10:34,500 –> 00:10:36,219Now that is addressed right here.17500:10:36,219 –> 00:10:40,859You see, he leads me in paths of righteousness.17600:10:40,859 –> 00:10:45,500Why does the shepherd have to lead the sheep?17700:10:45,500 –> 00:10:48,440Why can’t the shepherd just leave them where they are?17800:10:49,780 –> 00:10:51,979And you will have come across this in your own life.17900:10:51,979 –> 00:10:54,700You’re happy in a particular situation18000:10:54,700 –> 00:10:56,440and then something changes and you say18100:10:56,440 –> 00:10:58,580why does it have to change?18200:10:59,460 –> 00:11:02,380I liked it as it was.18300:11:02,380 –> 00:11:06,239I didn’t want to have to go to another place.18400:11:06,239 –> 00:11:09,940Why couldn’t things have remained as they were?18500:11:11,039 –> 00:11:13,619Why does the shepherd have to lead the sheep on?18600:11:13,619 –> 00:11:15,619Why can’t he simply leave them in this lush,18700:11:15,619 –> 00:11:19,140green meadow beside these pools of water?18800:11:19,140 –> 00:11:23,159Well, the answer is that a shepherd has two responsibilities.18900:11:24,539 –> 00:11:28,219The shepherd has a responsibility to care for the sheep19000:11:29,200 –> 00:11:32,880and the shepherd has a responsibility to care for the land,19100:11:34,020 –> 00:11:37,159when the sheep are put in a lush field of grass.19200:11:37,159 –> 00:11:39,219I mean, they’re given a feast.19300:11:40,000 –> 00:11:43,359The problem is that the sheep don’t know when to stop.19400:11:44,200 –> 00:11:47,700And if sheep are left in one field for too long,19500:11:47,700 –> 00:11:49,900they will eat not only the grass,19600:11:49,900 –> 00:11:52,559but they’ll eat right down to the very roots19700:11:52,559 –> 00:11:54,219and they will then leave the field19800:11:54,219 –> 00:11:56,820completely and utterly barren.19900:11:57,900 –> 00:12:00,479So a good shepherd therefore has to have20000:12:00,479 –> 00:12:04,599what we might call a land management plan.20100:12:05,659 –> 00:12:08,140And before the field gets to the point20200:12:08,140 –> 00:12:11,099where the sheep have overgrazed,20300:12:11,099 –> 00:12:14,940he will move the sheep on.20400:12:14,940 –> 00:12:18,239And he moves them on for the very obvious reason20500:12:18,239 –> 00:12:20,559that he must now nourish them somewhere else20600:12:20,559 –> 00:12:22,340and if he did not move them on,20700:12:22,340 –> 00:12:25,059they would no longer be nourished where they were.20800:12:26,659 –> 00:12:28,340Now knowing this will help you20900:12:28,340 –> 00:12:32,119when you face change in your life.21000:12:32,119 –> 00:12:34,640And we all have this experience.21100:12:34,679 –> 00:12:39,159God puts you in a field where the grass is green.21200:12:40,000 –> 00:12:41,919You are happy in the field.21300:12:42,880 –> 00:12:45,400And then when change comes into your life21400:12:45,400 –> 00:12:48,419and it is evident that the shepherd is moving you on,21500:12:48,419 –> 00:12:50,200you don’t want to go.21600:12:50,200 –> 00:12:52,119Why can’t I stay here longer?21700:12:52,119 –> 00:12:53,440I don’t want this change.21800:12:53,440 –> 00:12:56,500I don’t want to have to leave this field that I love.21900:12:58,099 –> 00:13:00,799But do you see that when the shepherd moves you on,22000:13:00,799 –> 00:13:03,760when change is brought into your life,22100:13:03,760 –> 00:13:04,960the shepherd is saying to you,22200:13:04,960 –> 00:13:08,179now this is no longer the field where you will be nourished.22300:13:09,119 –> 00:13:13,900I have another place and there I will provide for you.22400:13:13,900 –> 00:13:15,200There I will feed you.22500:13:15,200 –> 00:13:17,520There I will make you to lie down.22600:13:17,520 –> 00:13:19,559Do not be afraid.22700:13:19,559 –> 00:13:23,559This is the right path.22800:13:25,119 –> 00:13:27,440You may not want to move to the new field22900:13:27,440 –> 00:13:28,760where the shepherd will lead you,23000:13:28,760 –> 00:13:30,400but he will feed you there,23100:13:31,799 –> 00:13:33,239and he will feed you in a way23200:13:33,239 –> 00:13:35,400that your soul would not have been fed23300:13:35,400 –> 00:13:37,799if you had continued where you were23400:13:37,799 –> 00:13:40,719beyond the time that he intended you to be there.23500:13:42,159 –> 00:13:47,159So trust the shepherd when he moves you on.23600:13:48,239 –> 00:13:53,239Trust the shepherd where change comes into your life.23700:13:53,859 –> 00:13:56,840He knows what he is doing,23800:13:56,840 –> 00:14:01,840and he leads you where he is taking you for a reason.23900:14:02,320 –> 00:14:03,780There’s an old hymn that says,24000:14:03,780 –> 00:14:07,119in heavenly love abiding,24100:14:07,119 –> 00:14:11,460no change my heart shall fear.24200:14:12,640 –> 00:14:15,239And when the Lord is your shepherd,24300:14:15,239 –> 00:14:19,320you do not need to fear change.24400:14:19,320 –> 00:14:22,359Because where the shepherd leads you24500:14:22,359 –> 00:14:25,440is always the right path.24600:14:26,799 –> 00:14:28,159You’re listening to Open The Bible24700:14:28,159 –> 00:14:29,280with Pastor Colin Smith24800:14:29,280 –> 00:14:31,659and a message called, He Leads Me.24900:14:31,739 –> 00:14:35,419It’s part of our series, Listener Favorites 2025,25000:14:35,419 –> 00:14:37,940where we take 10 of the most requested25100:14:37,940 –> 00:14:41,299and popular messages of the past year25200:14:41,299 –> 00:14:43,500and bundle them all up together.25300:14:43,500 –> 00:14:45,640If you’ve missed any of the series so far,25400:14:45,640 –> 00:14:47,020or if you want to listen again,25500:14:47,020 –> 00:14:49,880you can do that by coming online to our website,25600:14:49,880 –> 00:14:52,700openthebible.org.uk,25700:14:52,700 –> 00:14:55,059or by going to your favorite podcast site25800:14:55,059 –> 00:14:57,159and search for Open The Bible UK.25900:14:57,159 –> 00:14:59,659There you’ll find all of Pastor Colin’s messages26000:14:59,739 –> 00:15:01,979which have already been broadcast.26100:15:01,979 –> 00:15:04,099Back to the message now, here’s Colin.26200:15:05,179 –> 00:15:07,700Here’s the last thing and it’s something very wonderful.26300:15:07,700 –> 00:15:10,520We’ve looked at where the shepherd leads us,26400:15:11,400 –> 00:15:12,700into rest,26500:15:13,700 –> 00:15:15,619into righteousness.26600:15:16,880 –> 00:15:18,460I want us to see one more thing,26700:15:18,460 –> 00:15:21,859and it is why the shepherd leads us,26800:15:21,859 –> 00:15:23,739the good shepherd leads us,26900:15:23,739 –> 00:15:28,419for his name’s sake.27000:15:29,900 –> 00:15:31,299Now, friends, it would be so easy27100:15:31,299 –> 00:15:34,299to pass over a little phrase like this,27200:15:34,299 –> 00:15:35,840but I want us to see27300:15:35,840 –> 00:15:39,299that it is the most wonderful phrase of all.27400:15:40,419 –> 00:15:45,239How can I be sure that the shepherd will lead me?27500:15:45,239 –> 00:15:47,719What assurance and confidence can I have27600:15:47,719 –> 00:15:51,219that he will, indeed, bring me all the way home?27700:15:52,700 –> 00:15:55,940When you come to a dark valley in your own life,27800:15:55,940 –> 00:15:57,820you may have had the experience of saying,27900:15:57,820 –> 00:16:00,200oh, I feel like giving up on myself.28000:16:01,140 –> 00:16:03,859And when you feel like giving up on yourself,28100:16:03,859 –> 00:16:05,299the thought will occur to you.28200:16:05,299 –> 00:16:07,619Well, I suspect that God must feel28300:16:07,619 –> 00:16:09,859like giving up on me, too.28400:16:09,859 –> 00:16:12,580How do you know that God will never give up on you?28500:16:12,580 –> 00:16:15,020The answer lies in these wonderful words,28600:16:15,020 –> 00:16:17,760For his name’s sake.28700:16:19,140 –> 00:16:22,359Why does the shepherd buy the flock?28800:16:23,380 –> 00:16:26,500Why does he birth the flock?28900:16:26,580 –> 00:16:28,820The Bible’s answer to that question is,29000:16:28,820 –> 00:16:32,619for his name’s sake.29100:16:32,619 –> 00:16:33,919This is all over the scripture.29200:16:33,919 –> 00:16:35,380Let me just give you two examples.29300:16:35,380 –> 00:16:37,200Ezekiel chapter 36.29400:16:37,200 –> 00:16:39,119Therefore say to the House of Israel,29500:16:39,119 –> 00:16:40,500Thus says the Lord God,29600:16:40,500 –> 00:16:43,500It is not for your sake, oh, House of Israel,29700:16:43,500 –> 00:16:44,979that I am about to act,29800:16:44,979 –> 00:16:49,880but for the sake of my holy name which you have profaned.29900:16:51,179 –> 00:16:54,979I’m not acting in the first instance for your sake,30000:16:54,979 –> 00:16:57,900I’m acting in the first instance for the sake30100:16:57,900 –> 00:16:59,159of my own name.30200:16:59,159 –> 00:17:00,820And then God goes on to say,30300:17:00,820 –> 00:17:03,179and this is why I will sprinkle clean water on you30400:17:03,179 –> 00:17:04,180and make you clean.30500:17:04,180 –> 00:17:06,880This is why I will take away a heart of stone30600:17:06,880 –> 00:17:08,680and give you a heart of flesh.30700:17:09,939 –> 00:17:11,660Or the prophetic word of Isaiah.30800:17:11,660 –> 00:17:15,420God says, I am he who blots out your transgression30900:17:15,420 –> 00:17:18,619for my own sake, my own sake.31000:17:19,260 –> 00:17:22,199It’s a remarkable statement.31100:17:23,040 –> 00:17:26,660When God blots out your transgression,31200:17:26,660 –> 00:17:29,260the first reason he does it is not for your sake31300:17:29,260 –> 00:17:32,000but for His sake.31400:17:33,719 –> 00:17:36,859Now think through with me why that is of such importance31500:17:36,859 –> 00:17:39,619and why it is such marvelous good news.31600:17:40,640 –> 00:17:44,540In his early life, the apostle Paul31700:17:44,540 –> 00:17:47,979was among the worst of men.31800:17:49,020 –> 00:17:52,699He tells us candidly, I was a blasphemer.31900:17:53,739 –> 00:17:55,699I was violent.32000:17:57,300 –> 00:17:59,040And then he says this,32100:17:59,819 –> 00:18:03,780that God chose me32200:18:04,739 –> 00:18:07,219the worst of people32300:18:07,219 –> 00:18:10,699in order to show just how patient he is.32400:18:11,400 –> 00:18:15,479God did not choose me, the apostle says32500:18:16,660 –> 00:18:19,819because he saw something lovable in me.32600:18:19,819 –> 00:18:24,819I was a blasphemer and a violent man but I received mercy32700:18:26,180 –> 00:18:31,180for this reason, that in me, the worst,32800:18:31,260 –> 00:18:33,300the foremost of sinners,32900:18:33,300 –> 00:18:37,699he would display his perfect patience.33000:18:38,060 –> 00:18:42,099Now I can imagine someone at this point saying,33100:18:42,099 –> 00:18:43,680oh, I’m not sure I like this.33200:18:44,900 –> 00:18:47,839I like to think that when God looks at me,33300:18:47,839 –> 00:18:49,640he sees something beautiful.33400:18:50,640 –> 00:18:54,339I like to think that he’s drawn to me33500:18:54,339 –> 00:18:56,819because of what he sees in me,33600:18:56,819 –> 00:19:00,520that he loves me because he finds something33700:19:00,520 –> 00:19:03,219supremely lovable in me.33800:19:03,979 –> 00:19:07,040But where would that leave you33900:19:07,040 –> 00:19:09,300when you are no longer beautiful?34000:19:10,560 –> 00:19:13,800Where would you be when what God sees in you34100:19:13,800 –> 00:19:16,239is not attractive but is ugly?34200:19:17,739 –> 00:19:20,859What would become of you where your persistent34300:19:20,859 –> 00:19:24,439and tiresome waywardness makes you34400:19:24,439 –> 00:19:26,920far, far, far from lovable?34500:19:28,439 –> 00:19:30,760Now friends, here is the really good news.34600:19:30,760 –> 00:19:34,260God does not lead you for your namesake.34700:19:35,640 –> 00:19:39,260He leads you for His namesake.34800:19:40,439 –> 00:19:43,040He did not set His love upon you34900:19:43,040 –> 00:19:46,280because He saw something wonderful in you.35000:19:46,280 –> 00:19:51,280He set His love on you in order to display His own patience.35100:19:53,280 –> 00:19:55,780And His patience with you will never run dry.35200:19:57,400 –> 00:20:00,579The Good Shepherd has staked the reputation35300:20:01,400 –> 00:20:02,260and the honour of His own name35400:20:02,260 –> 00:20:05,459on leading a sinner like you safely home.35500:20:05,459 –> 00:20:08,300He has said, my sheep will never perish.35600:20:08,300 –> 00:20:10,420I will not lose a single one of them.35700:20:11,719 –> 00:20:15,619What God is doing in your life is for His namesake.35800:20:15,619 –> 00:20:18,839His grace, His patience, His faithfulness35900:20:18,839 –> 00:20:21,119will be put on display forever36000:20:21,119 –> 00:20:24,660through the completion of His redeeming work in you.36100:20:24,660 –> 00:20:26,839That is why He will never give up on you.36200:20:27,760 –> 00:20:31,000That is why no angel in heaven will ever say,36300:20:31,000 –> 00:20:33,479oh, what a shame it is, that that sheep36400:20:33,479 –> 00:20:36,339was too weak or too wayward to make it.36500:20:36,339 –> 00:20:38,439What a pity that that one wandered off36600:20:38,439 –> 00:20:40,839and somehow never found its own way back.36700:20:40,839 –> 00:20:43,880No, God has given His word.36800:20:44,900 –> 00:20:49,040Every sheep in His flock, born and bought,36900:20:49,040 –> 00:20:51,000will be brought safely home.37000:20:51,000 –> 00:20:53,479Not one of them will be missing.37100:20:53,479 –> 00:20:56,160And what has been accomplished in your life37200:20:56,199 –> 00:20:59,640and in mine will be for his praise and glory37300:20:59,640 –> 00:21:01,699and honor forever and ever.37400:21:01,699 –> 00:21:04,800He staked the honor of His own name on it.37500:21:04,800 –> 00:21:06,880Do you see how that gives assurance37600:21:06,880 –> 00:21:08,140to a Christian believer?37700:21:08,140 –> 00:21:11,239The strongest assurance you can ever have37800:21:11,239 –> 00:21:13,599is that the Good Shepherd has staked the honor37900:21:13,599 –> 00:21:16,859of His own name on your ultimate salvation.38000:21:17,699 –> 00:21:21,000So even when you feel like giving up on yourself,38100:21:21,000 –> 00:21:25,479the Good Shepherd will never give up on you.38200:21:27,140 –> 00:21:29,459Do you see today, we were just really38300:21:29,459 –> 00:21:31,719at the beginning of this series.38400:21:31,719 –> 00:21:33,800But the central theme is this,38500:21:33,800 –> 00:21:37,160it is the most marvelous thing to be wholly owned38600:21:37,160 –> 00:21:38,660by the Son of God.38700:21:40,000 –> 00:21:42,739And it is a marvelous thing to be wholly owned38800:21:42,739 –> 00:21:44,479by the Son of God for this reason,38900:21:44,479 –> 00:21:47,319that when you’re His He leads you.39000:21:48,359 –> 00:21:50,979He’ll lead you into rest.39100:21:50,979 –> 00:21:54,079He’ll lead you into righteousness.39200:21:54,119 –> 00:21:57,500He’ll lead you for His own names sake.39300:21:58,640 –> 00:22:00,500And that is why He’ll never lose you.39400:22:01,500 –> 00:22:03,699That is why He will never give up on you.39500:22:04,859 –> 00:22:09,859And that is why He will bring you all the way safely home.39600:22:12,160 –> 00:22:13,640You’ve been listening to Open the Bible39700:22:13,640 –> 00:22:14,900with Pastor Colin Smith,39800:22:14,900 –> 00:22:16,819and A Message Called, He Leads Me,39900:22:16,819 –> 00:22:19,239based on Psalm 23.40000:22:19,239 –> 00:22:22,520Part of our series, Listener Favourites, 2025.40100:22:22,520 –> 00:22:24,520And if you’ve missed any of the series,40200:22:24,520 –> 00:22:26,079don’t forget you can always catch up40300:22:26,079 –> 00:22:28,160or go back and listen again online40400:22:28,160 –> 00:22:30,540at our website, openthebible.org.uk40500:22:31,959 –> 00:22:33,959or by going to your favourite podcast site.40600:22:33,959 –> 00:22:35,219And there you’ll find them40700:22:35,219 –> 00:22:37,819by searching for Open the Bible UK.40800:22:39,000 –> 00:22:42,040Also on our website and available as a podcast40900:22:42,040 –> 00:22:43,880is Open the Bible Daily,41000:22:43,880 –> 00:22:45,520that’s our series of short41100:22:45,520 –> 00:22:48,000two to three minute daily reflections41200:22:48,000 –> 00:22:49,839based on Pastor Colin’s teaching41300:22:49,839 –> 00:22:52,339and read in the UK by Sue McLeach.41400:22:53,180 –> 00:22:54,000You’ll find a new one every day41500:22:54,000 –> 00:22:55,000and many Christians find41600:22:55,000 –> 00:22:57,699it’s a great way to start the day.41700:22:57,699 –> 00:23:02,380Our website address again, openthebible.org.uk41800:23:02,380 –> 00:23:03,979Fly Through the Bible is available41900:23:03,979 –> 00:23:05,859in a number of different formats42000:23:05,859 –> 00:23:07,900and in the coming days we’ll bring news42100:23:07,900 –> 00:23:11,439of some exciting ways that you can use this material,42200:23:11,439 –> 00:23:14,199Colin Smith’s original book Fly Through the Bible42300:23:14,199 –> 00:23:16,260is our gift to you this month42400:23:16,260 –> 00:23:18,880if you’re able to begin a new direct debit42500:23:18,880 –> 00:23:20,500to the work of Open the Bible42600:23:20,520 –> 00:23:23,599in the amount of five pounds per month or more42700:23:23,599 –> 00:23:26,760or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more.42800:23:26,760 –> 00:23:27,959If you’re able to do that,42900:23:27,959 –> 00:23:30,119we’d love to send you a copy of the book.43000:23:30,119 –> 00:23:33,119Colin, why did you use the flying metaphor43100:23:33,119 –> 00:23:34,560to describe this book?43200:23:34,560 –> 00:23:36,439Well, suppose you were making a visit43300:23:36,439 –> 00:23:38,719to the Grand Canyon and exploring it43400:23:38,719 –> 00:23:40,040for the first time.43500:23:40,040 –> 00:23:41,739I mean, I guess you could hike down43600:23:41,739 –> 00:23:44,199and you’d get a sense of the depth of the canyon,43700:23:44,199 –> 00:23:45,599you could drive round the rim,43800:23:45,599 –> 00:23:48,359you’d get a sense of the length of it.43900:23:48,359 –> 00:23:49,880But perhaps the best way44000:23:50,160 –> 00:23:52,760to get an overall sense of the vastness44100:23:52,760 –> 00:23:54,520and beauty of the Grand Canyon44200:23:54,520 –> 00:23:56,760would be to take a flight over it.44300:23:56,760 –> 00:23:59,239Now when it comes to the Bible,44400:23:59,239 –> 00:24:02,239to get a high altitude overview44500:24:02,239 –> 00:24:04,640of what the Bible’s story is all about44600:24:04,640 –> 00:24:07,599seems to me to be the best place to begin.44700:24:07,599 –> 00:24:09,380The Bible really is one story,44800:24:09,380 –> 00:24:11,359it begins in a garden, it ends in a city44900:24:11,359 –> 00:24:12,439and all the way through45000:24:12,439 –> 00:24:14,680it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ.45100:24:14,680 –> 00:24:15,800Flying through the Bible45200:24:15,800 –> 00:24:17,520is kind of cookies on the bottom shelf45300:24:17,520 –> 00:24:19,520to change the analogy.45400:24:19,520 –> 00:24:21,839It gives an overall picture45500:24:21,839 –> 00:24:23,760and introduction to the scripture45600:24:23,760 –> 00:24:26,520that I hope will help and encourage people45700:24:26,520 –> 00:24:29,819to want to explore more when they get on the ground.45800:24:29,819 –> 00:24:32,400Well, we’d love to send you a copy of Colin’s book45900:24:32,400 –> 00:24:33,599Fly Through The Bible46000:24:33,599 –> 00:24:37,040to say thank you for setting up a new direct debit46100:24:37,040 –> 00:24:38,680to the work of Open the Bible46200:24:38,680 –> 00:24:41,199in the amount of £5 per month or more46300:24:41,199 –> 00:24:45,260or a one-off gift of £50 or more this month.46400:24:45,260 –> 00:24:48,160Full terms and conditions are on our website46500:24:48,339 –> 00:24:51,500at openness Bible.org.uk46600:24:51,500 –> 00:24:54,099and you can give online.46700:24:54,099 –> 00:24:56,500For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,46800:24:56,500 –> 00:24:57,599I’m David Pick46900:24:57,599 –> 00:25:00,660and I hope you’ll join us again next time on Open the Bible.47000:25:06,239 –> 00:25:09,280Doubt is not something you are likely to experience47100:25:09,280 –> 00:25:13,160just once in your life and then never again.47200:25:13,160 –> 00:25:16,060Find out why next time on Open the Bible.