100:00:00,780 –> 00:00:01,780book-moving sermon200:00:03,440 –> 00:00:08,480Now I want to remind you that although ministry is in many ways draining300:00:08,480 –> 00:00:15,600it is also wonderfully nourishing. Jesus said my food is to do the will400:00:15,600 –> 00:00:21,680of the father who sent me, and you will find that God sustains you500:00:21,680 –> 00:00:25,200in your walk with him as you are intentional600:00:25,200 –> 00:00:28,480about reaching out to others in ministry.700:00:28,480 –> 00:00:32,560Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, I’m glad you800:00:32,560 –> 00:00:36,720could join us today and Colin with 40 years of ministry behind you900:00:36,720 –> 00:00:40,320I’m sure this is something you have personal experience of.1000:00:40,320 –> 00:00:44,959Oh this is such a wonderful truth. I remember oh it’s more than 20 years ago1100:00:44,959 –> 00:00:49,279Now I heard Warren Weir speak. Wonderful pastor, just make this1200:00:49,279 –> 00:00:53,439point. You know people say that ministry is draining and there’s truth in that1300:00:53,520 –> 00:00:58,400But it’s also nourishing. Jesus said my food is to do the will of him who sent1400:00:58,400 –> 00:01:01,040me. That has helped me for decades now. It1500:01:01,040 –> 00:01:05,839really has and talking to younger guys in ministry, lay1600:01:05,839 –> 00:01:10,080people in ministry, I find folks are often afraid of if1700:01:10,080 –> 00:01:13,839I really give myself to serving the Lord, you know am I going to end up being1800:01:13,839 –> 00:01:16,559totally beaten up and just sort of cast by the wayside?1900:01:16,559 –> 00:01:20,639Am I going to destroy myself? What heavenly Father would allow that to2000:01:20,720 –> 00:01:23,839be the case? It’s a wonderful truth that you extend2100:01:23,839 –> 00:01:27,599yourself in serving the Lord and this is actually nourishing. He has2200:01:27,599 –> 00:01:31,440his own way of sustaining his own people and the very2300:01:31,440 –> 00:01:35,199act of reaching out to others and serving others2400:01:35,199 –> 00:01:38,959and getting into the lives of others, that’s the richest thing2500:01:38,959 –> 00:01:42,160in my life and in my experience. What a privilege that is.2600:01:44,660 –> 00:01:46,400You can’t end up having a barren life if you give yourself to others.2700:01:46,400 –> 00:01:50,959So join us if you can in Jude verse 22 today2800:01:50,959 –> 00:01:54,400as we begin the message reach out to others.2900:01:54,400 –> 00:01:55,260Here is Colin3000:01:55,260 –> 00:01:59,839we all know what it is for your body to feel out of shape3100:01:59,839 –> 00:02:04,000and we’re recognizing that the same thing can also happen with regards to3200:02:04,000 –> 00:02:07,599your soul so whatever stage you’re at in the3300:02:07,599 –> 00:02:11,279christian life we’re recognizing the need to be intentional3400:02:11,279 –> 00:02:14,559about keeping yourself in spiritual shape3500:02:14,559 –> 00:02:19,279and jude has identified seven ways in which we will all be helped3600:02:19,279 –> 00:02:23,440to do that you find them listed at the end of the book of jude i hope you3700:02:23,440 –> 00:02:25,919found it now just before the book of revelation3800:02:25,919 –> 00:02:31,039beginning at verse 20 and we’ve covered these so far from verse 203900:02:31,039 –> 00:02:35,360build yourselves up in your most holy faith that was the first workout4000:02:35,360 –> 00:02:39,520second pray in the holy spirit third4100:02:39,520 –> 00:02:43,839keep yourselves in the love of god and then last time we looked at the fourth4200:02:43,839 –> 00:02:47,279workout wait for the mercy of our lord jesus4300:02:47,279 –> 00:02:52,240christ to bring you to eternal life we saw remember that this is not paradise4400:02:52,240 –> 00:02:55,759here that we cannot make it into paradise but4500:02:55,759 –> 00:02:59,199rather we are waiting for the coming of the lord jesus christ4600:02:59,199 –> 00:03:02,479he will create the new heaven and the new earth that will be the home of4700:03:02,479 –> 00:03:07,279righteousness he will make everything new and so if4800:03:07,279 –> 00:03:10,639we are to live healthy christian lives we need Jude tells us4900:03:10,639 –> 00:03:14,639to learn to wait and we saw that that waiting can be5000:03:14,639 –> 00:03:19,360one of the most constructive experiences and disciplines5100:03:19,360 –> 00:03:24,800within the spiritual life when our coming to that point the obvious question that5200:03:24,800 –> 00:03:27,839follows is well what are we to do while we’re5300:03:27,839 –> 00:03:34,080waiting what are we to do between now and the day when jesus christ returns5400:03:34,080 –> 00:03:38,559in glory and takes us into his nearer presence and the answer5500:03:38,559 –> 00:03:43,279to that question that gives us is very simply you are to give yourselves5600:03:43,279 –> 00:03:48,559until that day to ministry and that’s the focus of our fifth workout5700:03:48,559 –> 00:03:54,160verse 22 and verse 23 be merciful to those who doubt this is5800:03:54,160 –> 00:03:57,360what you have to do while you’re waiting snatch5900:03:57,360 –> 00:04:04,880others from the fire and save them god calls every one of us to6000:04:04,880 –> 00:04:09,039ministry there are people in need all around6100:04:09,039 –> 00:04:12,399about us and so from now until the time when6200:04:12,399 –> 00:04:16,959jesus comes or calls for you give yourself to the work of ministry6300:04:16,959 –> 00:04:19,119this is what it will look like judith says6400:04:19,119 –> 00:04:22,399it will involve being merciful to those who doubt and6500:04:22,399 –> 00:04:25,440snatching others from the fire to save them so6600:04:25,440 –> 00:04:28,559our fifth workout which is our focus today is very simply6700:04:28,559 –> 00:04:32,160that god calls us to reach out to others and that for6800:04:32,160 –> 00:04:38,799you will be part of spiritual health now i want to remind you that although6900:04:38,799 –> 00:04:43,760ministry is in many ways draining it is also7000:04:43,760 –> 00:04:49,600wonderfully nourishing jesus said my food is to do the will of7100:04:49,600 –> 00:04:54,480the father who sent me and you will find that god sustains7200:04:54,480 –> 00:04:57,920you in your walk with him as you are7300:04:57,920 –> 00:05:02,399intentional about reaching out to others in ministry7400:05:02,399 –> 00:05:06,480in fact to be a healthy christian we’re learning this morning7500:05:06,480 –> 00:05:10,000you need to be intentional about reaching out7600:05:10,000 –> 00:05:14,799to others now many of us know this from our experience7700:05:14,799 –> 00:05:21,279because you’re already doing it for others our greatest need7800:05:21,279 –> 00:05:27,760if we are to get into spiritual shape is to get into some kind of ministry7900:05:27,760 –> 00:05:32,399and serving to reach outside of ourselves to become aware8000:05:32,399 –> 00:05:35,839and sensitive and responsive to the needs of others8100:05:35,839 –> 00:05:40,559because the whole of our lives has simply become about ourselves8200:05:40,559 –> 00:05:44,239i love the balance of scripture you see as judah’s8300:05:44,239 –> 00:05:47,760telling us what it means to live a healthy christian life he’s talked8400:05:47,760 –> 00:05:50,880about your faith he’s talked about your prayer life he’s8500:05:50,880 –> 00:05:54,239talked about the love of christ keeping yourself in the love of god8600:05:54,239 –> 00:05:58,079he’s talked about the hope that’s ahead of us anticipating paradise8700:05:58,079 –> 00:06:02,000these are all things that are between you and jesus8800:06:02,000 –> 00:06:05,119but the christian life is much more than jesus8900:06:05,119 –> 00:06:11,359and me and if all you have is a personal relationship with jesus christ9000:06:11,359 –> 00:06:14,880in which you know sweet times of prayer and of bible study9100:06:14,880 –> 00:06:19,200then your christian life is out of balance if that’s all you have9200:06:19,200 –> 00:06:22,799it is simply not healthy you need some exercise9300:06:22,799 –> 00:06:28,720you need as it were some fresh air to come into your soul9400:06:29,279 –> 00:06:32,880i found this i have to tell you to be of enormous9500:06:32,880 –> 00:06:38,480practical benefit sometimes at the simplest level9600:06:38,480 –> 00:06:43,760for example when i was still a teenager i knew at that time and sensed that god9700:06:43,760 –> 00:06:47,519was calling me to the ministry and i remember hearing one of my9800:06:47,519 –> 00:06:52,320own former pastors a former pastor of my home church his name was jay sidlo9900:06:52,320 –> 00:06:54,880baxter some of you may have heard of him10000:06:54,880 –> 00:07:00,000giving a talk on how he sustained a life of ministry10100:07:00,000 –> 00:07:03,839and he began to describe it’s vivid in my memory10200:07:03,839 –> 00:07:10,559how he coped with a grey tuesday afternoon i think he just chose10300:07:10,559 –> 00:07:14,320tuesday as a representative uh day but and i know that10400:07:14,320 –> 00:07:17,440it’s very difficult to imagine a grey day on a beautiful day like this but10500:07:17,440 –> 00:07:20,320just live in britain for a little while you’ll understand10600:07:20,320 –> 00:07:24,640what a gray day is all about you know the sort of day when the rain10700:07:24,640 –> 00:07:28,880just never seems to stop and everything seems terribly gloomy10800:07:28,880 –> 00:07:32,239now you know what it’s like to have a grey day10900:07:32,239 –> 00:07:36,320in your soul to have one of these days where you say i have no energy11000:07:36,320 –> 00:07:40,959i’ve lost my motivation i feel so low11100:07:41,440 –> 00:07:46,320now remember as a youngster listening to dr baxter saying what do you do11200:07:46,320 –> 00:07:53,040on a gray tuesday afternoon and this is what he said11300:07:53,040 –> 00:08:00,320i get out of my study and i go visit someone in need11400:08:00,320 –> 00:08:03,920and i don’t know if it does them any good11500:08:03,920 –> 00:08:09,679but it always replenishes my own soul i have found that again and11600:08:09,679 –> 00:08:14,480again to be a blessing in my life i was recently at another meeting for11700:08:14,480 –> 00:08:19,920pastors where our own pastor ted olsen was speaking briefly on the same subject11800:08:19,920 –> 00:08:24,880and gave some wonderful advice he used a phrase that i will never forget11900:08:24,880 –> 00:08:28,160and pass on to you because of its great value12000:08:28,160 –> 00:08:35,520he spoke about irrigating your soul in the joys and sorrows12100:08:35,520 –> 00:08:43,280of your people that’s beautiful, your soul will be watered12200:08:43,280 –> 00:08:50,239as you enter into the joys and the sorrows of other people12300:08:50,239 –> 00:08:54,000your soul will be watered as you get outside of your own12400:08:54,000 –> 00:08:57,919little world and reach out to touch somebody else12500:08:57,919 –> 00:09:03,280in love and in compassion and ministry now that’s the focus of this12600:09:03,280 –> 00:09:06,640fifth workout for a healthy christian life12700:09:06,640 –> 00:09:10,960be intentional about building this into your life12800:09:10,960 –> 00:09:14,799look for some way to bring the blessing of god12900:09:14,799 –> 00:09:18,320however simply into the life of one other person13000:09:18,320 –> 00:09:22,080look for some way to lighten somebody else’s load13100:09:22,080 –> 00:09:28,799and you will lighten your own load let there be somebody even at the end of13200:09:28,799 –> 00:09:34,479today who thanks god for you13300:09:34,479 –> 00:09:37,679well we have to pause the message briefly there but we’ll be back13400:09:37,679 –> 00:09:41,520very shortly the message is called reach out to others13500:09:41,520 –> 00:09:45,919it’s part of a series called keeping yourself in spiritual shape13600:09:45,919 –> 00:09:50,799seven workouts for a healthy christian life and it’s based on the book of jude13700:09:50,799 –> 00:09:54,640if you ever miss one of our programs you can easily catch up or go back and13800:09:54,700 –> 00:09:58,940listen again by coming online to our open the bible website13900:09:58,940 –> 00:10:04,700it’s at open the bible dot org dot uk or you can find us as a podcast and those14000:10:04,700 –> 00:10:08,460are on all the main podcast sites you can find it by searching the podcast14100:10:08,460 –> 00:10:14,059site for open the bible uk or by following the link from our website14200:10:14,059 –> 00:10:18,859in my family we enjoy hiking and it would be great to go on a hike with you14300:10:18,859 –> 00:10:21,659colin listeners have an opportunity to do that14400:10:21,780 –> 00:10:24,440with the hike through the Bible podcast14500:10:24,619 –> 00:10:26,739yes I am inviting you to join me on14600:10:26,739 –> 00:10:32,659a hike through the Bible and it is going to be a gentle easy piece of a hike each14700:10:32,659 –> 00:10:38,080week you’ll read a chapter of the Bible and a chapter of my book hike through14800:10:38,159 –> 00:10:43,200the Bible and in one year you’ll have read 50 chapters of the Bible you’ll14900:10:43,200 –> 00:10:47,479have grasped the big picture of the Bible’s story and most of all, you’ll15000:10:47,520 –> 00:10:52,619have grown in your love for Jesus Christ. Now there’s a hike through the Bible15100:10:52,619 –> 00:10:58,200podcast to help you on this journey in each episode I read a chapter of the15200:10:58,200 –> 00:11:02,840book and then I discuss it with some friends so get started now. You can15300:11:02,840 –> 00:11:07,400subscribe to hike through the Bible podcast wherever you get your podcasts15400:11:07,400 –> 00:11:12,359and you can find out more information on openthebible.org.uk15500:11:13,280 –> 00:11:14,840Back to the message now, here again is Colin.15600:11:14,840 –> 00:11:17,820Now before we get into the heart of15700:11:17,820 –> 00:11:22,500what Jude is saying to us here in this exhortation to give ourselves to15800:11:22,500 –> 00:11:27,400ministry, it seems to me that there are a number of important principles that we15900:11:27,400 –> 00:11:31,840can derive from the way that he states this and I want to commend them for16000:11:31,840 –> 00:11:37,000your consideration. Notice that Jude identifies in fact three groups of16100:11:37,000 –> 00:11:40,840people. Some people say there are only two here that may be the case but two or16200:11:40,840 –> 00:11:45,039three whatever, first there are those who doubt,16300:11:45,039 –> 00:11:50,900second there are those who are in the fire, third there are those who have16400:11:50,900 –> 00:11:56,200been stained by corrupted flesh. That’s the phrase that he uses. Don’t worry16500:11:56,200 –> 00:11:59,859about what these mean at the moment all I want you to notice is that he16600:11:59,859 –> 00:12:06,859identifies three groups of people. And it seems to me to be very significant16700:12:07,119 –> 00:12:13,559that he commends to us a distinct and even different approach to ministry to16800:12:13,559 –> 00:12:20,559each of these groups. Now, from that I learned this principle, that ministry can16900:12:20,640 –> 00:12:26,679never be reduced to a formula. You see, as soon as you get the idea that you can17000:12:26,679 –> 00:12:32,200learn one approach that’s going to work for everybody you eliminate dependence17100:12:32,559 –> 00:12:36,960upon the Holy Spirit. Now, I want to be careful and measured here17200:12:36,960 –> 00:12:41,619because I am not questioning the value of learning a framework of presenting the17300:12:41,619 –> 00:12:46,200gospel, nor am I questioning the value of learning some principles of counselling17400:12:46,200 –> 00:12:51,179and so forth. These things are very useful. They’re very valuable. But they do17500:12:51,179 –> 00:12:58,179have to be applied with sensitivity and skill. You see, some folks have learned17600:12:58,440 –> 00:13:05,880that the root issue with every problem goes back to sin. A sinful response to17700:13:05,880 –> 00:13:11,859God. You’ve read that, you’ve imbibed that, that’s your position. And so what17800:13:11,859 –> 00:13:15,799happens is that whenever you try and reach out to somebody else, you’re17900:13:15,799 –> 00:13:21,000looking for the sin that’s behind their problem. It’s the only thing you can see.18000:13:21,000 –> 00:13:25,500So this person’s got a fear of flying. Oh, there must be some unbelieving response18100:13:25,679 –> 00:13:30,119to God behind that, so you’re whack it to them. There are others who have been18200:13:30,119 –> 00:13:33,919brought up in a different tradition and are equally strongly convinced that18300:13:33,919 –> 00:13:40,340every person’s problem has its root in a lack of love or affirmation. So your18400:13:40,340 –> 00:13:44,359colleague at work is cheating on his wife. What’s your first instinct? To say,18500:13:44,359 –> 00:13:47,840my goodness, what made him do it? Poor fellow, his wife is cold. Oh, it’s18600:13:47,840 –> 00:13:54,059perfectly understandable. He needs to be loved. Now I could multiply examples. I18700:13:54,140 –> 00:14:01,320want to make this point that ministry cannot be reduced to a formula. Suppose18800:14:01,320 –> 00:14:05,359you have a pain in your chest and you decide that you’re going to go and see18900:14:05,359 –> 00:14:10,640the doctor. You expect a proper examination and you want a good19000:14:10,640 –> 00:14:15,659diagnosis before a prescription is made about your condition. Now suppose that19100:14:15,659 –> 00:14:20,039you go in to the doctors and you say, oh Doctor, I’ve got this pain in my chest.19200:14:20,500 –> 00:14:24,479And he says to you pain in the chest, oh I got just the thing for you.19300:14:25,140 –> 00:14:32,340Miracle Cure, all you say is miracle cure, it’s good for pains19400:14:32,340 –> 00:14:38,719in the chest is it? Oh miracle cure is good for everything he says, it does for19500:14:38,719 –> 00:14:43,820pains in the chest, it restores hair that you’ve lost, it works for arthritis, it19600:14:43,820 –> 00:14:47,700does overactive thyroid, underactive thyroid, piles. I mean whatever you’ve19700:14:47,820 –> 00:14:53,559got miracle cure does it. By the way I’ve seen some adverts they look suspiciously19800:14:53,559 –> 00:14:59,559like that, haven’t you? But we all know the difference between a doctor and a19900:14:59,559 –> 00:15:08,140quack, I hope you know the difference. Now the diseases of the soul are as varied20000:15:08,140 –> 00:15:15,020and as complex as the diseases of the body. So be very careful about an20100:15:15,020 –> 00:15:21,619approach to ministry that reduces everything to one formula. Jude warns us20200:15:21,619 –> 00:15:27,080against that different approaches to different conditions. You see that there?20300:15:27,080 –> 00:15:33,900Secondly and reinforcing this. Jesus Christ is our model of ministry. You20400:15:33,900 –> 00:15:38,359never have a better model of ministry than our Lord Jesus Christ and it’s20500:15:38,359 –> 00:15:43,080worth studying how his approach to the predicament of different people is20600:15:43,219 –> 00:15:50,340quite distinct. Nicodemus was a proud man who thought he knew it all. He needed to20700:15:50,340 –> 00:15:57,239be humbled. Zacchaeus was a social outsider with a long story of flagrant20800:15:57,239 –> 00:16:03,979sin. He needed the embrace of Jesus in his home. The rich young ruler had lives20900:16:03,979 –> 00:16:09,080a good life and thrown himself into the pursuit of excellence. He had to discover21000:16:09,099 –> 00:16:14,299what he needed to let go. The woman at the well whose life had been desperately21100:16:14,299 –> 00:16:19,000unstable and yet within her soul there was a deep longing and hunger for God.21200:16:19,000 –> 00:16:25,760She needed to know that God was also seeking after her. Now Jesus himself was21300:16:25,760 –> 00:16:32,500and is the answer to these and everyone else’s problem, but the way in which Jesus21400:16:32,500 –> 00:16:37,520ministered to these people was self-evidently tailored to the21500:16:37,559 –> 00:16:43,700particularities of their situation, and that leads to this third observation21600:16:43,700 –> 00:16:48,840that we are completely dependent in all ministry on the work of the Holy Spirit.21700:16:48,840 –> 00:16:53,400If ministry was simply applying a formula I could learn the formula college21800:16:53,400 –> 00:16:59,520and then go and apply it for the rest of my life, but whatever the level of your21900:16:59,520 –> 00:17:04,319skill, your knowledge, and your training, you are utterly dependent upon the22000:17:04,479 –> 00:17:09,819Spirit of God if you are to bring help to another person. If you are to be a22100:17:09,819 –> 00:17:16,420channel of God’s grace you need to walk with God in order to be used in that22200:17:16,420 –> 00:17:22,780kind of way. No two children are alike. What works with one may not be so22300:17:22,780 –> 00:17:28,339helpful with another. Parenting is not about applying a formula.22400:17:29,079 –> 00:17:36,959The wisdom and the discernment of the Holy Spirit to do this job well. I was so22500:17:36,959 –> 00:17:40,099thankful to talk with someone in our congregation just a few weeks ago who22600:17:40,099 –> 00:17:48,239said to me, it was the sense of the responsibility of being of father22700:17:48,239 –> 00:17:55,719that showed me first, my need of Jesus Christ. And maybe that’s where someone is22800:17:55,739 –> 00:18:01,260right here this morning. You realize that God has given you this incredible22900:18:01,260 –> 00:18:06,680responsibility. You can’t do it by applying a formula you need wisdom from23000:18:06,680 –> 00:18:15,140above. You need Jesus Christ and you need the help and the wisdom of the Spirit of23100:18:15,140 –> 00:18:22,239God. We are completely dependent upon the work of the Spirit. Now having established23200:18:22,239 –> 00:18:26,660these principles Jude now comes to give us some advice about the how of23300:18:26,660 –> 00:18:33,359ministry. Now the Bible is a wonderfully practical book. People talk about being23400:18:33,359 –> 00:18:37,979practical. If you read the Bible with open eyes you will see how practical it23500:18:37,979 –> 00:18:49,219is. How are we to go about this work of ministry? What are we to seek in reaching23600:18:49,280 –> 00:18:57,239out to others. Let me give you four areas of exercise for this fifth workout.23700:18:57,239 –> 00:19:03,920Number one, we’re to reach out to others in compassion. Notice how Jude puts it.23800:19:03,920 –> 00:19:12,760Be merciful. Be merciful to those who doubt. Now those who doubt of course would include23900:19:12,760 –> 00:19:18,439those whose faith has been undermined and those whose faith has not yet been24000:19:18,459 –> 00:19:23,239fully formed. People who have a general sort of faith in God but have not really24100:19:23,239 –> 00:19:28,900grasped the uniqueness and glory and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ.24200:19:28,900 –> 00:19:32,359There would have been many people in the churches in Jude’s day who were24300:19:32,359 –> 00:19:35,680rather like this. Remember that earlier in the letter, he has told us24400:19:35,680 –> 00:19:40,599about false teachers? Verse four, who denied the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ24500:19:40,599 –> 00:19:46,680causes all kinds of confusion in the church. Now, Jude says there are many folks24600:19:46,680 –> 00:19:52,959within the sweep of a gathered congregation who are very unsure,24700:19:52,959 –> 00:19:57,119even when we sing a statement like, I believe in God the Father,24800:19:57,119 –> 00:20:01,199I believe in the Holy Bible. And there are many within the gathered24900:20:01,199 –> 00:20:07,180congregation who may have struggles with some of these affirmations of faith.25000:20:07,180 –> 00:20:10,800Now, how are you to reach out and help such a person?25100:20:10,859 –> 00:20:16,020Now, Jude is stating it very clearly. You would be merciful.25200:20:16,020 –> 00:20:21,560You’d be merciful. You’d be patient. You’d stand with to help, and to encourage,25300:20:21,560 –> 00:20:27,520and to support, to show, and to demonstrate. You see,25400:20:27,520 –> 00:20:32,180there’s a big difference between the person who struggles to believe25500:20:32,180 –> 00:20:36,459and the person who refuses to believe. If you can’t see the difference25600:20:36,459 –> 00:20:40,500between these two things, you’ll never be effective in ministry.25700:20:40,500 –> 00:20:45,219There’s a big difference between the child, to go to that family analogy,25800:20:45,219 –> 00:20:52,520who struggles to do what is right and the child who refuses to do what is right.25900:20:52,520 –> 00:20:57,540It’s a wonderful thing, by the way, that God can tell the difference.26000:20:57,540 –> 00:21:02,579Now, some of us are just natural confronters. And we need to hear this.26100:21:02,579 –> 00:21:06,859Your ministry will be more effective. Your parenting will be more effective26200:21:07,119 –> 00:21:14,839if you can learn to be merciful to those who doubt.26300:21:14,839 –> 00:21:18,819I don’t tell you to speak a private word as much as26400:21:18,819 –> 00:21:23,140you can do that in public, but I’m talking about an in-house word here.26500:21:23,140 –> 00:21:28,800I do sometimes wince when I hear reported things that have been said26600:21:28,800 –> 00:21:32,920from one to another member of this congregation.26700:21:32,920 –> 00:21:35,859A lady is bereaved.26800:21:35,880 –> 00:21:40,300And six months into it, she says to her friend that she’s still struggling,26900:21:40,300 –> 00:21:44,380and she gets told, you should be over it by now.27000:21:44,380 –> 00:21:47,979The person comes from another background, another kind of church where the Bible27100:21:47,979 –> 00:21:49,359was very, very little taught.27200:21:49,359 –> 00:21:51,319And they come with almost no knowledge about this.27300:21:51,319 –> 00:21:54,699Yet they regard themselves as a Christian, and they have a hunger27400:21:54,699 –> 00:21:55,839to seek more.27500:21:55,839 –> 00:21:57,099Which church did you come from?27600:21:57,099 –> 00:22:00,880Well, you won’t learn much there.27700:22:00,939 –> 00:22:09,439See, sometimes our flippant social remarks reveal who we are.27800:22:09,439 –> 00:22:15,420Learn that compassion is at the heart of ministry.27900:22:15,420 –> 00:22:23,140That mercy will take your words far further than judgment.28000:22:23,140 –> 00:22:28,920We have wonderful opportunities to help those who doubt, but the only way to do28100:22:28,979 –> 00:22:32,140it is to do it mercifully – to remember that some struggle with particular28200:22:32,140 –> 00:22:38,239frailties and we’ll do so all their lives. And please please please don’t28300:22:38,239 –> 00:22:44,359expect other people to learn in one week what God took 20 years to teach you.28400:22:44,359 –> 00:22:48,760It’s compassion. You see how that’s going to help ministry?28500:22:49,239 –> 00:22:52,439You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message28600:22:52,439 –> 00:22:56,280called reach out to others and we’ll be back with the second part of that28700:22:56,280 –> 00:23:02,020message in our next program. For anyone who wants to grow their Christian faith28800:23:02,020 –> 00:23:07,380Jude has seven spiritual exercises and those are what we are examining in this28900:23:07,380 –> 00:23:13,040series. The series is called Keeping yourself in Spiritual Shape and if you29000:23:13,040 –> 00:23:16,319ever miss one of the series you can easily catch up or go back and listen29100:23:16,319 –> 00:23:23,079again by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk. Open the Bible29200:23:23,079 –> 00:23:27,359is able to stay on this station and the internet and available as a podcast29300:23:27,359 –> 00:23:30,900because of the generous financial support of our listeners.29400:23:30,900 –> 00:23:35,619That’s people like you and if you already give to support the work, thank29500:23:35,619 –> 00:23:38,699you so much. If supporting open the Bible is something29600:23:38,699 –> 00:23:42,959you’d like to start doing this month we’re delighted to offer a free gift.29700:23:42,959 –> 00:23:47,579Here’s open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to tell us about it. Thanks29800:23:48,020 –> 00:23:53,619Yes, this month we are really excited to give away Colin’s newest book and the29900:23:53,619 –> 00:23:59,619final book in the Fly and Drive series Hike Through the Bible. It’s a 5030000:23:59,619 –> 00:24:04,300session journey through the whole story of scripture like taking a guided hike30100:24:04,300 –> 00:24:09,380with a pastor who helps you see the Bible’s big picture. Each chapter is30200:24:09,380 –> 00:24:14,699short, clear and includes simple reflection questions. We’d love to send30300:24:15,300 –> 00:24:20,380you a copy for free when you set up a new direct debit of £5 or give a30400:24:20,380 –> 00:24:26,140one-off gift of at least £50 to Open the Bible UK. And as we head30500:24:26,140 –> 00:24:31,180towards Christmas I think it would make a great treat and would be a really30600:24:31,180 –> 00:24:36,900encouraging way to start the New Year rooted in God’s Word but please don’t30700:24:36,900 –> 00:24:40,900forget to leave your address when you donate so that we can make sure we’re30800:24:40,939 –> 00:24:46,180able to post your gift. Well we’d love to send you Colin’s new book when you set30900:24:46,180 –> 00:24:52,280up a new direct debit of £5 per month or more or a one-off gift of £5031000:24:52,280 –> 00:24:57,540or more this month. Full terms and conditions online at our website31100:24:57,540 –> 00:25:03,739openthebible.org.uk and you can give online. Don’t forget to leave your name31200:25:03,739 –> 00:25:08,739and address so we can send you your gift. For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin31300:25:08,900 –> 00:25:14,920Smith I’m David Pick and I look forward to being with you again next time.31400:25:19,780 –> 00:25:25,359Where would you be if God had not reached out to you? Find out in one of31500:25:25,359 –> 00:25:31,500the Bible’s most powerful images. That’s next time on Open the Bible.