100:00:00,740 –> 00:00:03,500The Sermon on the Tomb200:00:03,500 –> 00:00:10,280If you give yourself to the pursuit of paradise now, you will be disappointed300:00:11,000 –> 00:00:13,000you will live in disappointment400:00:13,480 –> 00:00:15,960And when that happens, I’ll tell you what you’ll do500:00:15,960 –> 00:00:20,040You’ll be angry with God because you’ll say God, you haven’t fulfilled my dream600:00:20,740 –> 00:00:23,320Welcome to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith.700:00:23,320 –> 00:00:26,600I am David Pick, I’m glad you could be with us today800:00:26,600 –> 00:00:29,840and Colin sometimes we make the mistake of following our own900:00:29,840 –> 00:00:34,139plans and aims while God might have entirely different plans for us1000:00:34,240 –> 00:00:36,779Well and the Bible’s full of examples of this, too1100:00:36,779 –> 00:00:39,000I mean Jonah’s a great example isn’t he?1200:00:39,000 –> 00:00:42,380Here’s this guy who has a ministry of the Word of God. So he’s a spiritual leader1300:00:42,840 –> 00:00:47,380Everyone respects him, but when God says I want you to go into do another thing a different place1400:00:48,020 –> 00:00:53,540Suddenly that doesn’t fit his dream and it’s you know, I’m out of here and all that kind of thing1500:00:53,720 –> 00:00:55,580Another example is1600:00:55,580 –> 00:00:56,639Judas Iscariot1700:00:56,639 –> 00:01:00,320Because here’s a person who had dreams that he thought he could tie Jesus1800:01:00,580 –> 00:01:04,160into. Jesus can get me to fulfil my radical zealot dream1900:01:04,160 –> 00:01:06,400And whenever we try to get Jesus Christ2000:01:06,779 –> 00:01:08,220tied into our dream2100:01:08,220 –> 00:01:14,379we end up departing from Him in the end. The only way to live the Christian life is that I tie myself to his2200:01:14,379 –> 00:01:18,019purpose and His will and that’s a completely different thing.2300:01:18,019 –> 00:01:20,339The question at stake here is, Who is God?2400:01:20,760 –> 00:01:24,680That’s exactly it and we’ll continue to explore that in today’s programme2500:01:24,680 –> 00:01:29,180So join us if you can in the book of Jude, verse 212600:01:29,180 –> 00:01:33,059We’re in the middle of the message, learn to wait. Here is Colin2700:01:50,339 –> 00:01:55,120The greatest growth opportunities in your entire walk with God2800:01:55,120 –> 00:02:00,419And if we could grasp that, it will change our whole perspective2900:02:00,419 –> 00:02:05,139On some of the situations we find most difficult and most frustrating in our lives3000:02:05,139 –> 00:02:11,759Now I want to suggest three ways in which you can grow while you’re waiting3100:02:12,380 –> 00:02:15,020The first is simply this3200:02:15,020 –> 00:02:24,660Grow in patience as you embrace the disappointments of your life3300:02:24,660 –> 00:02:26,059Listen to our verse again3400:02:26,059 –> 00:02:32,139Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ3500:02:32,139 –> 00:02:35,300To bring you to eternal life3600:02:35,300 –> 00:02:38,899Now waiting is of course what we do3700:02:38,899 –> 00:02:43,919when things have not worked out as we had hoped3800:02:43,919 –> 00:02:48,000Somewhere within every heart, there is a dream3900:02:48,000 –> 00:02:51,479A dream of life as we would like it to be4000:02:51,479 –> 00:02:58,179That dream is placed in your heart by God Himself4100:02:58,179 –> 00:03:04,440And when Jude uses the word wait, he reminds us that the dream in your heart4200:03:04,440 –> 00:03:07,419will never be fulfilled in this world4300:03:07,940 –> 00:03:10,600That’s a fundamental Christian conviction4400:03:10,600 –> 00:03:13,619if we’re to order our thinking by the Bible4500:03:13,839 –> 00:03:17,440Our first parents—this is one of the first things you’ll learn in the Bible—4600:03:17,440 –> 00:03:22,580our first parents were driven out of the Garden of Eden4700:03:22,580 –> 00:03:25,880Paradise was lost4800:03:25,880 –> 00:03:29,839And the dream cannot be fulfilled here4900:03:29,839 –> 00:03:35,539because this world, though blessed in so many ways by the goodness of God5000:03:35,539 –> 00:03:37,460is nonetheless under a curse5100:03:37,460 –> 00:03:43,080It is a fallen world in which we live this life5200:03:43,080 –> 00:03:50,020You will not find paradise in this world5300:03:50,320 –> 00:03:54,759You have to get that into your head if you’re going to be a Christian believer5400:03:55,479 –> 00:04:00,679It is a fundamental point at which the Bible and our culture are in headlong opposition5500:04:00,880 –> 00:04:05,479You will not find paradise in this world5600:04:07,979 –> 00:04:11,080Now I’ve got a little idea, here’s a practical suggestion for you5700:04:11,839 –> 00:04:15,199I’ve been thinking that we could design a little sign5800:04:16,579 –> 00:04:18,600And it would say on it, four words5900:04:18,940 –> 00:04:22,579This is not Paradise6000:04:23,720 –> 00:04:27,320And I’m going to ask you to be creative in your minds now6100:04:27,320 –> 00:04:32,700And you can talk about this over lunch, as to all kinds of places where you could put this sign6200:04:33,679 –> 00:04:37,320This is not paradise6300:04:37,980 –> 00:04:42,619I mean you might want to hang it over the front door of your home6400:04:43,459 –> 00:04:45,459And it would greatly help you6500:04:46,200 –> 00:04:50,000Because some of us are so sold out on the pursuit of this6600:04:50,679 –> 00:04:52,679perfect family life6700:04:52,899 –> 00:04:58,179Which we cannot attain within this world that we become utterly crushing for everyone around us6800:04:58,179 –> 00:05:04,619Take a great deal of pressure off, if you could just acknowledge the truth of the bible and put a little sign over your home6900:05:04,619 –> 00:05:06,619That says this is not paradise7000:05:08,600 –> 00:05:10,959Some couples might want to put it over the door to the bedroom7100:05:12,679 –> 00:05:14,679Take a lot of pressure off7200:05:17,059 –> 00:05:19,619Kids might want to put it over the door to their bedroom7300:05:20,079 –> 00:05:22,079This is not paradise7400:05:27,160 –> 00:05:33,559But the problem is that many of us think it should be because we don’t believe the bible7500:05:35,799 –> 00:05:43,320We expect more than god has promised in this life. And the result is that we live at a level of constant frustration and constant disappointment7600:05:44,040 –> 00:05:44,660Disappointment7700:05:45,459 –> 00:05:49,959Now when God does not give you what you want7800:05:51,720 –> 00:05:58,160In this world and this culture where we have so much when God does not give you what you want7900:05:59,160 –> 00:06:04,559He opens a door of critical opportunity for your spiritual growth8000:06:05,959 –> 00:06:08,920Now I want to encourage you here embrace that pain8100:06:08,920 –> 00:06:16,040Love God in that disappointment. Recognize that in a world of abundance8200:06:16,040 –> 00:06:19,880This may be one of the most important junctures in your Christian life8300:06:20,959 –> 00:06:28,600Here is one place where you have the opportunity to detach yourself from8400:06:28,600 –> 00:06:33,660The headlong pursuit of paradise in this world and to set yourself apart8500:06:33,859 –> 00:06:40,600for Jesus Christ as Lord. In the places where you may have that opportunity in8600:06:40,600 –> 00:06:48,540this life may be relatively few so seize them. Grasp them. They are critical to8700:06:48,540 –> 00:06:54,859your spiritual fitness. The places where God calls you to wait8800:06:54,859 –> 00:06:58,739Of great importance in your Christian life this is a wake-up call to reality8900:06:59,380 –> 00:07:03,739that God is giving you. There are discoveries of grace that you can make9000:07:03,739 –> 00:07:08,899while you are waiting that you will never make while you’re carrying on your9100:07:08,899 –> 00:07:14,220way with everything fulfilled. Paul says in Romans chapter 8 and verse 24 that we9200:07:14,220 –> 00:07:18,660read, hope that is seen is not hope at all. You see, that’s the reason why many9300:07:18,660 –> 00:07:22,220of us have such a little sense of hope that everything around us is seen.9400:07:22,220 –> 00:07:28,059We’ve not got the sense of what yet lies ahead who hopes for what he already has.9500:07:28,619 –> 00:07:33,760But if we hope for what we do not have we wait for it patiently.9600:07:34,760 –> 00:07:43,600What you do not have is the place where God will do a deep work in your life.9700:07:43,600 –> 00:07:52,140So grow in patience as you embrace the disappointments of your life.9800:07:53,519 –> 00:07:56,899You see, if God should grant that thing that you’re waiting for right now,9900:07:57,179 –> 00:07:59,980your opportunity to grow through it will be gone the day that he gives it to you.10000:08:00,980 –> 00:08:03,720The opportunity to grow through it is now.10100:08:04,739 –> 00:08:06,239It’s now.10200:08:06,239 –> 00:08:09,320While you’re waiting.10300:08:09,320 –> 00:08:12,700Secondly, grow in hope.10400:08:12,700 –> 00:08:17,859First was grow in patients as you embrace the disappointments of life.10500:08:17,859 –> 00:08:23,760Secondly, grow in hope as you cultivate the anticipation of heaven.10600:08:24,019 –> 00:08:27,880Notice the verse again, Jude says, wait for the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ to bring10700:08:27,880 –> 00:08:29,160you to eternal life.10800:08:29,160 –> 00:08:34,219And he is reminding us, of course, that the large part of the Christian life is to be10900:08:34,219 –> 00:08:37,000one of anticipation.11000:08:37,000 –> 00:08:41,320The Bible speaks of believers as being like the bride of Christ.11100:08:41,320 –> 00:08:48,539So the whole of your Christian life is to be viewed as a bride to be would view an11200:08:48,539 –> 00:08:49,539engagement.11300:08:49,539 –> 00:08:52,280Because if you were married, remember engagement.11400:08:53,159 –> 00:08:56,640Karl and I were engaged for what eight months.11500:08:56,640 –> 00:08:58,080And you’re counting days, aren’t you?11600:08:58,080 –> 00:09:02,900I mean, the whole of your life when you’re engaged is geared towards the day.11700:09:04,099 –> 00:09:07,159Now it says, Paul, that’s what it’s like to be the church of Jesus Christ.11800:09:07,159 –> 00:09:10,500If you’re a believer, you are engaged to Jesus Christ.11900:09:10,500 –> 00:09:16,940The life is all about what happens after the day when you stand with him and you are united12000:09:16,940 –> 00:09:20,599with him and you enter into the life that he will bring you into.12100:09:21,440 –> 00:09:26,359So that’s our whole perspective on life, if we’ve understood what the Bible is saying to us.12200:09:27,960 –> 00:09:35,719Now, I’ve wondered and it remains heavy upon my heart.12300:09:35,719 –> 00:09:43,320Why is it that believers in India, for example, to take one place that I’ve enjoyed visiting.12400:09:43,320 –> 00:09:49,200Why is it that believers in India have a much more lively anticipation of heaven than believers12500:09:49,200 –> 00:09:52,080in Europe or America?12600:09:52,080 –> 00:09:55,419Frankly when we get interested in what’s going to happen after the return of Jesus Christ,12700:09:55,419 –> 00:09:58,460we get interested in what happens to those who are left behind and what happens to those12800:09:58,460 –> 00:10:00,440who go, isn’t that interesting?12900:10:00,440 –> 00:10:07,940But why is it that believers in India have a stronger anticipation of life with Jesus13000:10:07,940 –> 00:10:15,080Christ, a greater joy in the anticipation of it, than we do here or in Europe?13100:10:15,599 –> 00:10:22,520And the answer is very simply that if we expect more than God has promised now, we will anticipate13200:10:22,520 –> 00:10:25,659less than he has promised then.13300:10:25,659 –> 00:10:36,000If we expect more than God has promised now, we will anticipate less than he has promised13400:10:36,000 –> 00:10:37,840then.13500:10:37,840 –> 00:10:41,880Take a risk with this balloon here, I’m very afraid it’s gonna go pop.13600:10:42,799 –> 00:10:50,179But you see, if I divide this balloon here and we think of it as being divided between13700:10:50,179 –> 00:10:58,820what God has given to us now and what God has promised to us in the future, if I inflate13800:10:58,820 –> 00:11:03,159my expectations of what God has promised now, what do I do at the same time?13900:11:03,159 –> 00:11:09,859I diminish my expectation of what God is promising for the future.14000:11:09,859 –> 00:11:15,239What is the only way to increase my anticipation of what lies in the future?14100:11:15,239 –> 00:11:18,460It is to deflate my expectations now.14200:11:18,460 –> 00:11:19,460That’s the only way.14300:11:19,460 –> 00:11:25,559And with these massive expectations of life now, we have minimal expectation of what lies14400:11:25,559 –> 00:11:26,559ahead.14500:11:26,559 –> 00:11:30,780That’s why we are so disappointed, so frustrated.14600:11:30,780 –> 00:11:35,280That’s why we are out of spiritual shape.14700:11:35,280 –> 00:11:38,580We’ve got to pause the message briefly there, but we’ll be back with the second half of14800:11:38,739 –> 00:11:40,739the message very shortly.14900:11:40,739 –> 00:11:45,419You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Learn To15000:11:45,419 –> 00:11:46,419Wait.15100:11:46,419 –> 00:11:51,640It’s part of the series Keeping Yourself In Spiritual Shape based on the Book Of Jude.15200:11:51,640 –> 00:11:55,140And if you ever miss one of the series, or if you want to go back and listen again, you15300:11:55,140 –> 00:12:01,700can do that by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk, or—you can find us15400:12:01,700 –> 00:12:07,940as a podcast on all main podcast sites—search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link from15500:12:07,940 –> 00:12:09,700our website.15600:12:09,700 –> 00:12:12,460Back to the message now, here again is Colin.15700:12:12,460 –> 00:12:18,140Now, look at the verse closely with me for a moment and think about this.15800:12:18,140 –> 00:12:21,479Jude talks about three things in this verse.15900:12:21,479 –> 00:12:30,219He talks about mercy, he talks about Jesus, and he talks about eternal life.16000:12:30,219 –> 00:12:33,020Now, here’s a question.16100:12:33,020 –> 00:12:34,059Think about it.16200:12:34,059 –> 00:12:36,340Think about it biblically.16300:12:36,340 –> 00:12:41,979Do you have God’s mercy now?16400:12:41,979 –> 00:12:43,960What do you think?16500:12:43,960 –> 00:12:45,619Some nods, but you think I’m tricking you.16600:12:45,619 –> 00:12:48,859I’m not, I’m just honestly trying to help here, okay?16700:12:48,859 –> 00:12:51,619Now, give us a confident answer here.16800:12:51,619 –> 00:12:55,419Do you have God’s mercy now?16900:12:55,419 –> 00:12:56,859Okay.17000:12:56,859 –> 00:13:00,979Do you have Jesus Christ now?17100:13:00,979 –> 00:13:02,119Yes.17200:13:03,000 –> 00:13:06,760Now, think of John chapter 17, in verse three.17300:13:06,760 –> 00:13:08,440I’m giving you a hint, so you get this one, right, too,17400:13:08,440 –> 00:13:10,059cause we’re going down the same line.17500:13:10,059 –> 00:13:12,799Do you have eternal life now?17600:13:12,799 –> 00:13:13,640Yes.17700:13:13,640 –> 00:13:14,859Thank you.17800:13:14,859 –> 00:13:15,979We’re well into that understanding,17900:13:15,979 –> 00:13:17,739that eternal life and its very essence18000:13:17,739 –> 00:13:19,359is to know God and Jesus Christ18100:13:19,359 –> 00:13:20,700and so it begins right now.18200:13:21,640 –> 00:13:23,080So I have mercy now.18300:13:23,080 –> 00:13:26,880I have Jesus Christ now and I have eternal life now.18400:13:26,880 –> 00:13:30,479So why, why, why does you tell me to wait?18500:13:32,599 –> 00:13:34,659Now, you see, this is teaching us18600:13:34,659 –> 00:13:37,460something that is profoundly important.18700:13:39,340 –> 00:13:40,820You have the mercy of God now.18800:13:40,820 –> 00:13:42,859You have Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit now.18900:13:42,859 –> 00:13:45,020You have eternal life begun within you now19000:13:45,020 –> 00:13:46,859but everything that you can know19100:13:46,859 –> 00:13:48,219and every blessing in this life19200:13:48,219 –> 00:13:50,739and everything that you can experience of God right now19300:13:50,739 –> 00:13:55,739is only a taste of what God has in store for you.19400:13:58,539 –> 00:14:01,140So when we think of the promises of God now19500:14:01,140 –> 00:14:03,200and the promises of God for the future,19600:14:03,200 –> 00:14:04,840where are we to make the cut as it were?19700:14:04,840 –> 00:14:07,679Is it sort of roughly 50-50?19800:14:07,679 –> 00:14:11,400Or is it as many people feel that we have the abundance19900:14:11,400 –> 00:14:13,400of God’s blessing now and a residual peace20000:14:13,400 –> 00:14:15,000and a sort of shadowy life afterwards?20100:14:15,000 –> 00:14:19,880No, the Bible tells us, and Ephesians chapter one20200:14:19,880 –> 00:14:24,880and verse 14, that the Holy Spirit is given to us20300:14:24,900 –> 00:14:29,900as a deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance, a deposit.20400:14:32,080 –> 00:14:34,799Now, those of you who are in the process20500:14:34,799 –> 00:14:37,000or have recently bought your first house,20600:14:39,140 –> 00:14:40,940and the rest of us who can remember,20700:14:42,940 –> 00:14:46,880was the deposit the largest part of the price?20800:14:47,820 –> 00:14:49,719I’m talking to normal folks now, you know?20900:14:49,719 –> 00:14:51,380I mean, they may be one or two.21000:14:51,380 –> 00:14:54,119And you know, you wrote out half for the deposit21100:14:54,119 –> 00:14:55,619and half on the mortgage.21200:14:55,619 –> 00:14:59,260Look, deposit was that much, wasn’t it?21300:14:59,299 –> 00:15:03,340The mortgage was massive.21400:15:03,340 –> 00:15:05,219Now it says, Paul, that that’s how you have to think.21500:15:05,219 –> 00:15:08,179The Holy Spirit, and he’s talking about every blessing,21600:15:08,179 –> 00:15:10,380every highest moment of worship,21700:15:10,380 –> 00:15:13,559every experience of God that you have in this life,21800:15:13,559 –> 00:15:15,340every blessing that is poured in,21900:15:15,340 –> 00:15:18,380every pleasure is a tiny deposit.22000:15:18,380 –> 00:15:23,380It is a tiny anticipation of what is yet to come.22100:15:26,599 –> 00:15:27,940Grow in hope.22200:15:29,340 –> 00:15:33,760As you cultivate, the anticipation of what God has promised22300:15:35,640 –> 00:15:37,880and you see, the disappointments of this life22400:15:37,880 –> 00:15:41,460will be the places where you’re most able to do that.22500:15:42,760 –> 00:15:45,979You see, when God describes what he has in store for us,22600:15:45,979 –> 00:15:48,200he does it like this in the Book of Revelation.22700:15:48,200 –> 00:15:51,760God will wipe away every tear from your eyes.22800:15:51,760 –> 00:15:53,400Now, the only time you can really understand22900:15:53,400 –> 00:15:56,520the glory of that is when you’ve got tears in your eyes.23000:15:57,419 –> 00:15:59,739There’ll be no more death, no more mourning,23100:15:59,739 –> 00:16:01,359no more crying, no more pain.23200:16:01,359 –> 00:16:04,820The only times you can really understand the glory of that23300:16:04,820 –> 00:16:08,679is when you’re in pain, when you find yourself a loan.23400:16:10,340 –> 00:16:12,979You find that the bottom has fallen out of your life.23500:16:14,099 –> 00:16:19,099Use these painful moments to increase your anticipation23600:16:23,659 –> 00:16:25,099of what God has promised.23700:16:26,640 –> 00:16:28,659Think about what life will be like23800:16:28,659 –> 00:16:30,099in the presence of the Lord Jesus23900:16:30,099 –> 00:16:32,059when all his purposes fulfilled.24000:16:32,059 –> 00:16:35,099Your body will be redeemed.24100:16:35,099 –> 00:16:36,719Your body will be redeemed.24200:16:38,580 –> 00:16:42,059Your relationships will be whole.24300:16:43,359 –> 00:16:48,200Your soul will be free to serve God with all you are.24400:16:49,500 –> 00:16:52,140The creation itself will be renewed24500:16:53,140 –> 00:16:56,520and you will be completely at home in the presence of God.24600:16:59,380 –> 00:17:01,500So you see, waiting is not wasted time.24700:17:01,500 –> 00:17:04,060Waiting is the place where God does deep things24800:17:04,060 –> 00:17:05,660within our own souls.24900:17:05,660 –> 00:17:06,859Growth in patience25000:17:06,859 –> 00:17:09,140as you embrace the disappointments of life.25100:17:09,140 –> 00:17:13,099Growth in hope as you cultivate anticipation of heaven.25200:17:13,099 –> 00:17:15,800And finally, grow in worship25300:17:17,300 –> 00:17:19,739as you love God in pain25400:17:20,920 –> 00:17:22,099as well as in pleasure.25500:17:23,060 –> 00:17:25,439You see, waiting on God is a wonderful,25600:17:25,439 –> 00:17:27,260wonderful expression of worship.25700:17:28,300 –> 00:17:31,839Waiting on God, waiting on God.25800:17:31,839 –> 00:17:35,420Think of that phrase, waiting on God.25900:17:36,300 –> 00:17:37,140Waiting.26000:17:38,400 –> 00:17:40,880Think about this next time you’re in a restaurant.26100:17:42,099 –> 00:17:44,760We call the person who comes to your table26200:17:44,760 –> 00:17:48,900with the menus a waiter or a waitress.26300:17:48,900 –> 00:17:52,260Their job is to wait on you.26400:17:52,260 –> 00:17:55,219They have no other agenda, they have no other priority.26500:17:55,219 –> 00:17:58,859Their business is to wait on you.26600:17:58,859 –> 00:18:00,859They take your order.26700:18:00,859 –> 00:18:03,180They bring your food.26800:18:03,180 –> 00:18:05,459They stop by to check if everything is in order26900:18:05,459 –> 00:18:07,920about five minutes after you’ve started eating it.27000:18:09,339 –> 00:18:11,619Now you see, some folks have the idea27100:18:11,619 –> 00:18:14,819that God is there to wait on us.27200:18:15,739 –> 00:18:19,819And the Bible puts it entirely the other way around.27300:18:19,819 –> 00:18:22,939My calling is to wait on God.27400:18:23,939 –> 00:18:26,479The purpose of my life is to make myself,27500:18:26,479 –> 00:18:30,060like a waiter, wholly available to Jesus Christ,27600:18:30,060 –> 00:18:33,119the guest who has come into this world.27700:18:35,180 –> 00:18:40,180And the waiter or the waitress never takes center stage.27800:18:40,599 –> 00:18:41,719That’s very important.27900:18:41,719 –> 00:18:46,140The waiter never takes center stage.28000:18:46,140 –> 00:18:48,959Karan and I took some friends out a few months ago28100:18:48,959 –> 00:18:52,160to a restaurant, I won’t mention which one.28200:18:52,160 –> 00:18:55,520And it was really rather frustrating28300:18:55,520 –> 00:18:59,719because we had an over-friendly waiter.28400:19:00,939 –> 00:19:04,719And this person came and found out28500:19:04,719 –> 00:19:06,880the names of our guests, wanted to know28600:19:06,880 –> 00:19:09,040where they were from and so forth.28700:19:09,040 –> 00:19:10,479And that was fine.28800:19:11,380 –> 00:19:13,540But every time this person came back,28900:19:13,540 –> 00:19:15,439we had five minutes of conversation29000:19:15,439 –> 00:19:18,339in which they told us something about their life.29100:19:18,339 –> 00:19:21,020Now, one seeks to be friendly.29200:19:21,020 –> 00:19:25,579But we had actually gone there to have a quiet conversation.29300:19:25,579 –> 00:19:26,839And it kind of got to the point,29400:19:26,839 –> 00:19:28,000can you understand this, where you thought,29500:19:28,000 –> 00:19:30,219oh dear, here they come again, you know.29600:19:30,219 –> 00:19:31,660This is going to be five minutes29700:19:31,660 –> 00:19:35,400and all we want is a refill on a glass of water, you know.29800:19:35,400 –> 00:19:38,339And you know I noticed that this person29900:19:38,339 –> 00:19:40,239is no longer working in the restaurant.30000:19:40,439 –> 00:19:42,579Yeah, I wonder why.30100:19:43,520 –> 00:19:46,439Because, you see, the waiter tried30200:19:46,439 –> 00:19:50,560to place himself center stage.30300:19:50,560 –> 00:19:51,380Took over.30400:19:52,560 –> 00:19:53,380It was about me.30500:19:55,000 –> 00:19:56,839Now, when I learned to wait on God,30600:19:56,839 –> 00:19:59,680I will no longer put myself, my needs,30700:19:59,680 –> 00:20:01,359my wants center stage.30800:20:02,660 –> 00:20:04,280I’m here to wait on God.30900:20:05,359 –> 00:20:07,119And Jesus gives to everyone of us31000:20:07,119 –> 00:20:09,680the perfect model of course as to what this looks like.31100:20:10,359 –> 00:20:11,560He delights in the will of the Father31200:20:11,560 –> 00:20:14,140and he’s ready to do whatever it involves31300:20:14,140 –> 00:20:16,900even if it involves a cross.31400:20:18,260 –> 00:20:21,760And he tells plainly, if you want to follow me,31500:20:21,760 –> 00:20:24,239don’t expect a trouble free life.31600:20:25,260 –> 00:20:26,959If you want to follow me, he says,31700:20:26,959 –> 00:20:29,599take up your cross, even in America.31800:20:29,599 –> 00:20:32,280I’m not offering you paradise now.31900:20:34,380 –> 00:20:37,719I’m asking do you want to follow me through this life32000:20:37,719 –> 00:20:40,060with its pain, with its disappointment,32100:20:41,199 –> 00:20:44,680with its pleasure, with its joy,32200:20:44,680 –> 00:20:46,540with its unfathomable mysteries,32300:20:46,540 –> 00:20:48,000with its unanswered questions,32400:20:48,000 –> 00:20:49,800with its unfinished businesses,32500:20:49,800 –> 00:20:54,000its unresolved problems, its unreconciled differences.32600:20:55,000 –> 00:20:58,459Will you take up your cross and follow me in this life?32700:21:02,119 –> 00:21:06,599Saying yes to Jesus in the disappointments of your life32800:21:07,560 –> 00:21:09,719will be just about the highest worship32900:21:09,719 –> 00:21:11,560you can ever offer to God,33000:21:11,560 –> 00:21:12,920because it’s your way of saying,33100:21:12,920 –> 00:21:15,640I’m not interested in you, oh Lord,33200:21:15,640 –> 00:21:17,780simply because of your gifts,33300:21:18,920 –> 00:21:22,160I love you for who you are.33400:21:22,160 –> 00:21:24,160And how can you ever state that33500:21:25,020 –> 00:21:26,920except out of your disappointment?33600:21:28,300 –> 00:21:31,000If all your dreams were fulfilled, all your prayers answered,33700:21:31,000 –> 00:21:33,060everything in your life was as you wanted it to be,33800:21:33,060 –> 00:21:35,680how could it ever be known and declared33900:21:35,680 –> 00:21:39,359that you truly love God and not just his gifts.34000:21:42,420 –> 00:21:45,020So I want you to think in this last moment34100:21:45,020 –> 00:21:49,619of the great disappointments of your life now.34200:21:51,760 –> 00:21:52,660I want you to think34300:21:52,660 –> 00:21:55,680of the heartfelt prayers not yet answered,34400:21:57,000 –> 00:22:00,959the great longings of your soul not yet satisfied,34500:22:02,939 –> 00:22:05,219and I want you to see them34600:22:06,680 –> 00:22:10,140as an open door into God’s gymnasium.34700:22:12,140 –> 00:22:15,819He’s saying to you, you want this to be over,34800:22:17,900 –> 00:22:22,000I want this to be useful.34900:22:22,000 –> 00:22:24,699Great perspective there from Pastor Colin Smith35000:22:24,699 –> 00:22:28,040in today’s message that sometimes disappointment35100:22:28,040 –> 00:22:29,680can make our faith stronger.35200:22:29,680 –> 00:22:31,819We just need to trust God35300:22:31,819 –> 00:22:34,300in the middle of those difficulties.35400:22:34,459 –> 00:22:36,160You’ve been listening to Open the Bible35500:22:36,160 –> 00:22:37,500with Pastor Colin Smith35600:22:37,500 –> 00:22:39,540and a message called Learn to Wait.35700:22:39,540 –> 00:22:41,380Part of our series, Keeping Yourself35800:22:41,380 –> 00:22:44,660in Spiritual Shape, based on the book of Jude.35900:22:44,660 –> 00:22:46,380And if you ever miss one of our programs,36000:22:46,380 –> 00:22:49,380it’s very easy to catch up or go back and listen again36100:22:49,380 –> 00:22:54,380by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk.36200:22:54,939 –> 00:22:57,520Open the Bible is able to stay on this station36300:22:57,520 –> 00:23:00,459and the internet, and available as a podcast36400:23:00,459 –> 00:23:03,540because of the generous financial support of our listeners.36500:23:03,579 –> 00:23:05,439That’s people like you.36600:23:05,439 –> 00:23:07,920And if you already gave to support the work,36700:23:07,920 –> 00:23:09,739thank you so much.36800:23:09,739 –> 00:23:11,079If supporting Open the Bible36900:23:11,079 –> 00:23:13,180is something you’d like to start doing,37000:23:13,180 –> 00:23:16,500this month we’re delighted to offer a free gift.37100:23:16,500 –> 00:23:18,739When you set up a new direct debit37200:23:18,739 –> 00:23:20,380to the work of Open the Bible37300:23:20,380 –> 00:23:22,380in the amount of five pounds per month,37400:23:22,380 –> 00:23:25,900or more, or a one-off gift of 50 pounds, or more,37500:23:25,900 –> 00:23:27,300we’d love to say thank you37600:23:27,300 –> 00:23:31,300by sending you a free copy of Pastor Colin’s new book,37700:23:31,300 –> 00:23:33,099Hike Through the Bible.37800:23:33,180 –> 00:23:36,619Colin, where did the idea for this book come from?37900:23:36,619 –> 00:23:39,420Well, we have fly through the Bible38000:23:39,420 –> 00:23:42,459for those who are looking for a place to begin,38100:23:42,459 –> 00:23:43,979then drive through the Bible38200:23:43,979 –> 00:23:46,099obviously takes people a bit further,38300:23:46,099 –> 00:23:48,540but for everyone that wants to get serious38400:23:48,540 –> 00:23:50,219about the Bible story,38500:23:50,219 –> 00:23:52,459hike through the Bible is for you.38600:23:52,459 –> 00:23:55,060I mean, this is where you get your boots on the ground38700:23:55,060 –> 00:23:59,359and really get to grips with what the Bible is all about.38800:23:59,359 –> 00:24:02,180And you’ll discover that the whole Bible is one story38900:24:02,180 –> 00:24:05,140that the whole of it points to our Lord39000:24:05,140 –> 00:24:06,920and savior Jesus Christ.39100:24:06,920 –> 00:24:08,640And I wrote this for people39200:24:08,640 –> 00:24:11,760who want to have a better grasp of the Bible.39300:24:11,760 –> 00:24:14,180I wrote it for people who want to have a deeper love39400:24:14,180 –> 00:24:16,260for the Lord Jesus Christ.39500:24:16,260 –> 00:24:17,680And just by way of encouragement,39600:24:17,680 –> 00:24:20,160if you think that hiking sounds like hard work,39700:24:20,160 –> 00:24:22,900well, you can hike at a gentle pace,39800:24:22,900 –> 00:24:26,380this is 50 chapters and that’s designed39900:24:26,380 –> 00:24:27,739so that you could do one a week40000:24:27,739 –> 00:24:29,680a nice gentle hike through the Bible40100:24:29,760 –> 00:24:31,680so that at the end of the year,40200:24:31,680 –> 00:24:34,800you really have grasped the Bible as a whole40300:24:34,800 –> 00:24:37,079and you’ve got a clearer grip on what it is40400:24:37,079 –> 00:24:39,560that God’s saying into your life.40500:24:39,560 –> 00:24:42,040Well, we’d love to send you Colin’s new book40600:24:42,040 –> 00:24:44,260when you set up a new direct debit40700:24:44,260 –> 00:24:46,800of five pounds per month or more40800:24:46,800 –> 00:24:50,520or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more this month.40900:24:50,520 –> 00:24:53,560Full terms and conditions online at our website41000:24:53,560 –> 00:24:58,439openthebible.org.uk, and you can give online.41100:24:58,540 –> 00:25:00,760And don’t forget to leave your name and address41200:25:00,760 –> 00:25:03,239so we can send you your gift.41300:25:03,239 –> 00:25:05,959For Open the Bible and pastor Colin Smith,41400:25:05,959 –> 00:25:07,219I’m David Pigg.41500:25:07,219 –> 00:25:09,859And I look forward to being with you again, next time.41600:25:09,859 –> 00:25:12,359If you want to lead a healthy Christian life,41700:25:21,280 –> 00:25:23,459you need to learn to wait.41800:25:23,459 –> 00:25:27,079So what are you supposed to do while you’re waiting?41900:25:27,079 –> 00:25:30,579Find out next time on Open the Bible.