100:00:00,880 –> 00:00:08,360God describes His own people as being like a burning stick snatched from the fire —think200:00:08,360 –> 00:00:13,320of it, that’s how he describes the greatest spiritual leader in the land, Joshua. This300:00:13,320 –> 00:00:25,360is an appropriate way to describe a born-again, spirit-filled, I-read-my-bible-everyday kind400:00:26,320 –> 00:00:30,879Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could500:00:30,879 –> 00:00:37,380join us today, and Colin, I’m curious what you mean, every Christian is a burning stick?600:00:37,380 –> 00:00:41,299Every Christian is a burning stick, and I get that from the end of the Book of Jude,700:00:41,299 –> 00:00:46,279and there’s this fascinating phrase where Jude says that we are to save others by snatching800:00:46,279 –> 00:00:52,639them out of the fire. And the picture there is literally of a stick being pulled out of900:00:52,639 –> 00:00:53,680the fire.1000:00:53,680 –> 00:00:59,419And in the mercy of God, that really is the position of every Christian. I was under the1100:00:59,419 –> 00:01:05,080wrath and the condemnation of God, I was dead in my trespasses and sins, I was on a path1200:01:05,080 –> 00:01:10,879that would’ve led to an eternal ruin, and God in his mercy snatched me out of that burning1300:01:10,879 –> 00:01:17,320stick. Now once you take that picture it has all kinds of fascinating implications. There’s1400:01:17,320 –> 00:01:21,820some damage that’s been done to me and in this life we’re never whole until we’re in1500:01:22,320 –> 00:01:28,059of Christ. But we are no longer under condemnation. We are no longer for the fire. We’ve been1600:01:28,059 –> 00:01:30,699snatched from it by the grace and the mercy of God.1700:01:30,699 –> 00:01:35,260That is indeed good news. And as Colin just said, there’s more to it than that. So let’s1800:01:35,260 –> 00:01:41,000dig in. We’re in Jude verse 22 today. As we continue the message, reach out to others.1900:01:41,000 –> 00:01:42,459Here is Colin.2000:01:42,459 –> 00:01:48,639Jude now comes to give us some advice about the how of ministry. Now the Bible is a wonderfully2100:01:48,820 –> 00:01:55,400practical book. People talk about being practical. If you read the Bible with open eyes, you2200:01:55,400 –> 00:02:02,400will see how practical it is. How are we to go about this work of ministry? What are we2300:02:05,620 –> 00:02:10,880to seek in reaching out to others?2400:02:10,880 –> 00:02:17,880Let me give you four areas of exercise for this fifth workout. Number one, we’re to reach2500:02:18,440 –> 00:02:23,479out to others in compassion. Notice how Jude puts it.2600:02:23,479 –> 00:02:30,479Be merciful. Be merciful to those who doubt. Now, those who doubt of course would include2700:02:32,479 –> 00:02:39,479those whose faith has been undermined and those whose faith has not yet been fully formed.2800:02:39,520 –> 00:02:44,199People who have a general sort of faith in God but have not really grasped the uniqueness2900:02:44,199 –> 00:02:49,759and glory and saving work of our Lord Jesus Christ. And there would have been many people3000:02:49,759 –> 00:02:54,679in the churches in Jude’s day who were rather like this. Remember that earlier in the letter3100:02:54,679 –> 00:02:59,839he has told us about false teachers. Verse four, who denied the deity of our Lord Jesus3200:02:59,839 –> 00:03:06,699Christ caused all kinds of confusion in the church. Now, Jude says there are many folks3300:03:06,699 –> 00:03:13,699within the sweep of a gathered congregation who are very unsure even when we sing, do3400:03:14,199 –> 00:03:20,279we? Singing a statement like, I believe in God the Father. I believe in the holy Bible.3500:03:20,279 –> 00:03:26,399And there are many within the gathered congregation who may have struggles with some of these3600:03:26,399 –> 00:03:31,539affirmations of faith. Now, how are you to reach out and help such a person? And Jude’s3700:03:31,539 –> 00:03:40,139stating it very clearly, you’d be merciful, you’d be merciful, you’d be patient. You stand3800:03:40,139 –> 00:03:48,179with to help and to encourage and to support, to show, and to demonstrate. You see, there’s3900:03:48,179 –> 00:03:55,259a big difference between the person who struggles to believe and the person who refuses to believe.4000:03:55,259 –> 00:04:01,539If you can’t see the difference between these 2 things, you’ll never be effective in ministry.4100:04:01,539 –> 00:04:07,460There’s a big difference between the child, to go to that family analogy who struggles4200:04:07,460 –> 00:04:14,580to do what is right, and the child who refuses to do what is right. It’s a wonderful thing,4300:04:14,580 –> 00:04:22,839by the way, that God can tell the difference. Now some of us are just natural confronters.4400:04:22,839 –> 00:04:27,339And we need to hear this. Your ministry will be more effective, your parenting will be4500:04:27,500 –> 00:04:36,160effective, if you can learn to be merciful to those who doubt.4600:04:36,160 –> 00:04:41,459I had to tell you to speak a private word, as much as you can do that in public, but4700:04:41,459 –> 00:04:49,079I’m talking about an in-house word here. I do sometimes wince when I hear reported4800:04:49,079 –> 00:04:55,820things that have been said from one to another member of this congregation. A lady is bereaved,4900:04:55,820 –> 00:05:02,519and six months into it, she says to her friend that she’s still struggling, and she gets5000:05:02,519 –> 00:05:11,799told, you should be over it by now. Oh. The person comes from another background and other5100:05:11,799 –> 00:05:15,619kind of church where the Bible was very, very little taught, and they come with almost5200:05:15,779 –> 00:05:20,220knowledge about this, yet they regard themselves as a Christian, and they have a hunger to5300:05:20,220 –> 00:05:31,359seek more. Which church did you come from? You won’t learn much there. Oh. See, sometimes5400:05:31,359 –> 00:05:41,920our flippant social remarks reveal who we are. This is especially to those of us who5500:05:42,239 –> 00:05:54,559in which we need to grow. Learn that compassion is at the heart of ministry, that mercy will5600:05:54,559 –> 00:06:03,279take your words far further than judgement. With wonderful opportunities to help those5700:06:03,279 –> 00:06:10,200who doubt. But the only way to do it is to do it mercifully. To remember that some struggle5800:06:10,239 –> 00:06:17,000with particular frailties and will do so all their lives. And please, please, please, don’t5900:06:17,000 –> 00:06:24,000expect other people to learn in one week what God took twenty years to teach you. I need6000:06:24,420 –> 00:06:30,239to remind myself that all the time. It’s compassion. You see how that’s gonna help6100:06:30,239 –> 00:06:36,700ministry. Here’s the second thing. Humility. Notice what Jude says, snatch others from6200:06:36,700 –> 00:06:43,700the fire and save them, snatch others from the fire and save them. Now Jude is using6300:06:45,380 –> 00:06:51,220here one of the most powerful pictures in the whole of the Bible and he’s taking it6400:06:51,220 –> 00:06:56,519from two statements in the Old Testament that you just need briefly to know about. The first6500:06:56,519 –> 00:07:03,519is in Zechariah chapter 3 verses 1 and 2. In that book, the prophecy of Zechariah, Zechariah6600:07:03,700 –> 00:07:09,820was given a vision of Joshua, the high priest at the time and in his vision, Joshua was6700:07:09,820 –> 00:07:16,700standing before God and Satan was accusing him because he was wearing filthy garments.6800:07:16,700 –> 00:07:21,779That was the picture that was seen in the vision. And in Zechariah chapter 3 verses6900:07:21,779 –> 00:07:28,5001 and 2, we read these words. The LORD said to Satan, the LORD rebuke you Satan, is not7000:07:28,500 –> 00:07:35,040this man a burning stick snatched from the fire. Now you see how that’s the background7100:07:35,040 –> 00:07:39,519to what Jude says here. That God says about Joshua the high priest that he’s a burning7200:07:39,519 –> 00:07:43,459stick snatched from the fire.7300:07:43,459 –> 00:07:47,980You have the same statement in Amos chapter 4 and verse 11. But again, this is7400:07:47,980 –> 00:07:53,820very significant that God is speaking to his own people. And he says to his own people,7500:07:53,820 –> 00:07:58,899just as he said through Zechariah to the high priest, the leader of his people, You were7600:07:58,899 –> 00:08:05,980like a burning stick snatched from the fire.7700:08:05,980 –> 00:08:12,600Now once you can understand this picture, that underlies Jude’s statement in the New7800:08:13,160 –> 00:08:21,640you will be greatly helped in this whole area of humility.7900:08:21,640 –> 00:08:26,880You’re like a burning stick and I want you to see that God’s not saying that about the8000:08:26,880 –> 00:08:27,880outsiders.8100:08:27,880 –> 00:08:30,519He’s saying that about the high priest.8200:08:30,519 –> 00:08:32,760He’s saying that about every believer.8300:08:32,760 –> 00:08:34,299He’s saying that about you.8400:08:34,299 –> 00:08:36,679It’s one of those powerful pictures in the Bible.8500:08:36,679 –> 00:08:37,940We need to get hold of it.8600:08:37,940 –> 00:08:41,320It will help us in this whole area of humility.8700:08:41,380 –> 00:08:48,780You see sin has damaged us all and when God uses the picture of a burning stick, a stick8800:08:48,780 –> 00:08:56,159that has been pulled out of a fire, he by that picture teaches us that sin has done8900:08:56,159 –> 00:08:59,780deeper damage than simply staining our lives.9000:09:01,179 –> 00:09:05,760You see, most of us, I think, have grasped pretty well that sin is like a stain.9100:09:05,760 –> 00:09:08,640And we’re used to going to the dry cleaners and we get the stain out.9200:09:09,280 –> 00:09:11,979So we get a bad stain in the shirt and it’s just about gone.9300:09:11,979 –> 00:09:15,979That’s easy.9400:09:15,979 –> 00:09:21,320But you need to understand that sin has done some deeper damage than stain you so that9500:09:21,320 –> 00:09:23,840you need to be forgiven.9600:09:23,840 –> 00:09:31,280It has corrupted, the Bible teaches, the very nature of a man and a woman.9700:09:31,280 –> 00:09:34,080It has done damage to the very nature of who we are.9800:09:34,200 –> 00:09:37,039It’s like a fire that burns.9900:09:37,039 –> 00:09:40,719It consumes.10000:09:40,719 –> 00:09:45,239The Bible makes it clear that we are sinners because we sin.10100:09:45,239 –> 00:09:47,159Why am I a sinner?10200:09:47,159 –> 00:09:50,380Well, I’ve committed sins.10300:09:50,380 –> 00:09:57,679But the Bible also makes it clear that we sin because we are sinners.10400:09:57,679 –> 00:10:00,159Why did I sin?10500:10:00,260 –> 00:10:03,979Because there’s a nature that gives rise to that kind of behavior.10600:10:03,979 –> 00:10:06,239And that’s the fundamental problem.10700:10:06,239 –> 00:10:11,359Behind your wrong actions, behind your wrong thoughts is a nature that has been damaged,10800:10:11,359 –> 00:10:16,119that has been burned as it were, in a fire, the fire of sin.10900:10:16,119 –> 00:10:20,520So the greatest problem is not, in fact, your behavior or your bad habit.11000:10:20,520 –> 00:10:24,659It is the nature that gives rise to that.11100:10:24,659 –> 00:10:27,359Sin goes deeper than a stain on your clothes.11200:10:27,359 –> 00:10:32,659Sin goes deeper than graffiti on the wall that you just have to paint over or cover.11300:10:32,659 –> 00:10:37,820Sin is like burning in the wood.11400:10:37,820 –> 00:10:44,179Now, God describes his own people as being like a burning stick snatched from the fire.11500:10:44,179 –> 00:10:48,979Think of it, that’s how he describes the greatest spiritual leader in the land, Joshua,11600:10:48,979 –> 00:10:52,539in the time of Zachariah.11700:10:52,760 –> 00:11:04,919This is an appropriate way to describe a born again, Spirit-filled, I-read-my-Bible-every-day11800:11:04,919 –> 00:11:06,719kind of a Christian.11900:11:06,719 –> 00:11:08,140You see what I’m saying?12000:11:08,140 –> 00:11:12,700And God says, you’re a burning stick.12100:11:12,700 –> 00:11:18,479You’re a burning stick, my priests are burning stick, my people Israel are burning stick,12200:11:19,359 –> 00:11:24,099And you’ve been pulled from the fire!12300:11:24,099 –> 00:11:26,260So I’ve had this great idea for a t-shirt.12400:11:26,260 –> 00:11:28,940We had a sign last week, but I’ve got one better this week.12500:11:28,940 –> 00:11:30,799I think it’s a T-shirt.12600:11:30,799 –> 00:11:39,239I wanna produce a T-shirt that says, I AM A BURNING STICK.12700:11:39,239 –> 00:11:43,679I am a burned stick.12800:11:43,919 –> 00:11:48,440Now you could wear that T-shirt.12900:11:48,440 –> 00:11:51,119It’s what the Bible says about you.13000:11:51,119 –> 00:11:52,219That’s not the most flattering thing13100:11:52,219 –> 00:11:53,280that the Bible says about you.13200:11:53,280 –> 00:11:55,299It’s not the only thing that the Bible says about you13300:11:55,299 –> 00:11:59,320but the Bible does say this about you.13400:11:59,320 –> 00:12:04,119You are a burned stick.13500:12:04,119 –> 00:12:08,559You are a charred piece of wood.13600:12:08,640 –> 00:12:11,159You have been snatched from the fire13700:12:11,159 –> 00:12:14,659so that you are not burning now13800:12:14,659 –> 00:12:17,599but there will always be in this life13900:12:17,599 –> 00:12:21,200a charred side to you.14000:12:21,200 –> 00:12:24,299I actually find that very helpful.14100:12:24,299 –> 00:12:26,179There will always be in this life14200:12:26,179 –> 00:12:29,780a charred side to you.14300:12:29,780 –> 00:12:31,760One day you will be completely free14400:12:31,760 –> 00:12:37,979from all the effects of sin in this world14500:12:38,020 –> 00:12:39,900That will only happen when Jesus Christ14600:12:39,900 –> 00:12:42,400comes again and until that day14700:12:42,400 –> 00:12:45,539what we will be has not yet been made known.14800:12:45,539 –> 00:12:47,979That’s what John says.14900:12:47,979 –> 00:12:49,799Until then there will always be15000:12:49,799 –> 00:12:53,900a charred side to you.15100:12:53,900 –> 00:12:55,880So how did you get burned?15200:12:55,880 –> 00:12:58,539Thousand ways.15300:12:58,539 –> 00:13:02,140You got burned by your own sins.15400:13:02,140 –> 00:13:05,000You got burned by the sins of others.15500:13:06,000 –> 00:13:10,940The Bible talks about the tongue being like a fire.15600:13:10,940 –> 00:13:12,539A lot of people have been burned15700:13:12,539 –> 00:13:15,280by the tongue of another person.15800:13:15,280 –> 00:13:17,359A lot of us have done some burning15900:13:17,359 –> 00:13:19,739with our own tongues.16000:13:19,739 –> 00:13:25,000There’s a charred side to every one of us.16100:13:25,000 –> 00:13:27,320And if you can start believing16200:13:27,320 –> 00:13:28,340what the Bible says,16300:13:28,340 –> 00:13:29,580you’ll have more compassion16400:13:29,580 –> 00:13:31,479towards other people.16500:13:31,479 –> 00:13:33,260And you’ll have more humility16600:13:33,260 –> 00:13:34,780with regards to yourself.16700:13:35,359 –> 00:13:37,900Compassion.16800:13:37,900 –> 00:13:41,020Humility.16900:13:41,020 –> 00:13:44,619If I walk around through life17000:13:44,619 –> 00:13:46,460thinking I’m some kind of super-saint,17100:13:46,460 –> 00:13:49,979I’ll have a very different kind of ministry17200:13:49,979 –> 00:13:51,500from if I understand.17300:13:51,500 –> 00:13:53,599I am a piece of burned wood17400:13:53,599 –> 00:13:55,000that God snatched out the fire.17500:13:55,000 –> 00:13:57,320You see the difference?17600:13:57,320 –> 00:14:00,500There’s always a charred side to me17700:14:00,500 –> 00:14:02,640and to you.17800:14:03,000 –> 00:14:05,320Until that day when17900:14:05,320 –> 00:14:07,000we are brought into glory18000:14:07,000 –> 00:14:09,239and His work is made perfect18100:14:09,239 –> 00:14:10,820in us.18200:14:11,500 –> 00:14:13,039You’re listening to Open the Bible18300:14:13,039 –> 00:14:14,340with Pastor Collin Smith18400:14:14,340 –> 00:14:15,659and a message called18500:14:15,659 –> 00:14:17,080Reach Out to Others.18600:14:17,080 –> 00:14:18,679It’s part of our series18700:14:18,679 –> 00:14:20,599Keeping Yourself in Spiritual Shape18800:14:20,599 –> 00:14:23,440Seven Workouts for a Healthy Christian Life18900:14:23,440 –> 00:14:25,059taken from the Book of Jude.19000:14:25,059 –> 00:14:27,659If you’ve missed any of the series so far19100:14:27,659 –> 00:14:29,619or if you ever want to go back and listen again19200:14:29,619 –> 00:14:30,559you can do that19300:14:30,559 –> 00:14:32,380by coming online to our website19400:14:32,559 –> 00:14:35,619that’s at openthebible.org.uk19500:14:35,619 –> 00:14:38,099or on your favourite podcast site19600:14:38,099 –> 00:14:40,700by searching for Open the Bible UK.19700:14:41,760 –> 00:14:43,159Back to the message now19800:14:43,159 –> 00:14:44,179Here again is Collin.19900:14:44,679 –> 00:14:46,099Compassion,20000:14:46,099 –> 00:14:46,960Humility.20100:14:47,320 –> 00:14:48,380Number three,20200:14:48,380 –> 00:14:50,080Gratitude.20300:14:50,080 –> 00:14:51,080Gratitude.20400:14:51,080 –> 00:14:52,940You see ministry flows20500:14:52,940 –> 00:14:54,440out of a sense of what God20600:14:54,440 –> 00:14:56,700has done for you.20700:14:57,780 –> 00:14:58,900God’s mercy has20800:14:58,900 –> 00:15:01,039saved you from complete destruction20900:15:01,320 –> 00:15:03,640you would have burned21000:15:03,640 –> 00:15:05,840except that he pulled you out21100:15:05,840 –> 00:15:07,780you’re only charged.21200:15:09,159 –> 00:15:10,599You were like a burning stick21300:15:10,599 –> 00:15:11,739but God has snatched you21400:15:11,739 –> 00:15:12,580from the fire21500:15:12,580 –> 00:15:13,719and if he had not done this21600:15:13,719 –> 00:15:15,640sin would have destroyed you completely21700:15:15,640 –> 00:15:16,500if it were not21800:15:16,500 –> 00:15:17,619for the mercy of God21900:15:17,619 –> 00:15:18,520in your life22000:15:18,520 –> 00:15:19,919you would have smouldered away22100:15:19,919 –> 00:15:21,760and your anger22200:15:21,760 –> 00:15:22,599and your lust22300:15:22,599 –> 00:15:23,479and in your lies22400:15:23,479 –> 00:15:24,599until eventually22500:15:24,599 –> 00:15:26,760these things would completely destroy you.22600:15:28,559 –> 00:15:29,640By the way that gives us22700:15:29,659 –> 00:15:32,400an insight into the nature of Hell.22800:15:32,400 –> 00:15:34,159What is Hell?22900:15:36,280 –> 00:15:39,359Hell is to be abandoned by God23000:15:39,359 –> 00:15:40,780in your sin23100:15:42,640 –> 00:15:45,619and experience the full power23200:15:45,619 –> 00:15:47,400of its destruction.23300:15:50,880 –> 00:15:52,140You see you put a piece of wood23400:15:52,140 –> 00:15:52,979in the fire23500:15:52,979 –> 00:15:54,500you see the fire is in the wood23600:15:54,500 –> 00:15:56,659you leave it there long enough23700:15:56,659 –> 00:15:57,700the fire is in the wood23800:15:57,700 –> 00:15:59,299as well as the wood in the fire.23900:16:00,640 –> 00:16:01,700What is Hell?24000:16:03,500 –> 00:16:04,340What is Hell?24100:16:05,900 –> 00:16:07,679It is to be abandoned by God24200:16:09,479 –> 00:16:11,780to experience the full power24300:16:11,780 –> 00:16:13,760of the destructiveness of your own sin.24400:16:18,119 –> 00:16:20,840God saved me from that,24500:16:22,320 –> 00:16:24,419sin thing that has corrupted24600:16:24,419 –> 00:16:25,940the nature of every person24700:16:25,940 –> 00:16:26,880born into the world,24800:16:26,919 –> 00:16:28,979he’s delivered me,24900:16:30,099 –> 00:16:31,239he’s taken me out.25000:16:35,500 –> 00:16:37,380Where would your anger have taken you25100:16:37,380 –> 00:16:40,020if it was not for the mercy of God in your life?25200:16:40,020 –> 00:16:42,299Where would your lies,25300:16:42,299 –> 00:16:43,739your deceptions take you25400:16:43,739 –> 00:16:46,280if it was not for the mercy of God in your life?25500:16:49,859 –> 00:16:52,239So if the front of our t-shirt says25600:16:53,099 –> 00:16:54,820I am a burnt stick25700:16:54,820 –> 00:16:56,859and I need to know that to keep me humble,25800:16:57,659 –> 00:17:01,299the back side of my t-shirt is gonna say25900:17:01,299 –> 00:17:04,520but I have been snatched from the fire.26000:17:04,520 –> 00:17:06,239Don’t you think that’s the most marvellous thing26100:17:06,239 –> 00:17:07,140in all the world?26200:17:10,619 –> 00:17:14,859Gratitude for God’s mercy that saved me26300:17:16,319 –> 00:17:18,719from the destruction I would bring upon myself.26400:17:20,619 –> 00:17:22,880And here’s something else that fires,26500:17:22,880 –> 00:17:24,420I think, our gratitude.26600:17:25,239 –> 00:17:28,239God can use a burned stick.26700:17:29,579 –> 00:17:30,959That is fantastic.26800:17:32,800 –> 00:17:35,719That was a description of Joshua, the high priest,26900:17:35,719 –> 00:17:37,739he’s a stick pulled from the fire27000:17:39,459 –> 00:17:40,819and he’s the high priest.27100:17:40,819 –> 00:17:43,699God can use a burned stick.27200:17:45,540 –> 00:17:47,300You talk sometimes about the damage27300:17:47,300 –> 00:17:48,619that has been done in your life,27400:17:48,619 –> 00:17:50,500about things that seem unrecoverable,27500:17:50,500 –> 00:17:53,540now God can use a burned stick.27600:17:54,939 –> 00:17:58,219We have the most glorious illustration of this all round us.27700:18:00,380 –> 00:18:01,500Because as most of you know,27800:18:01,500 –> 00:18:05,739this sanctuary was devastated by fire27900:18:06,739 –> 00:18:09,699in 1982, December of 1982.28000:18:09,699 –> 00:18:11,459Some of you who were here at the time28100:18:11,459 –> 00:18:14,180have vivid memories of coming into the sanctuary28200:18:14,180 –> 00:18:15,599that preceded this one28300:18:15,599 –> 00:18:17,479and you took out pieces of furniture,28400:18:17,479 –> 00:18:21,599charred, you took out music that was charred around the edges28500:18:21,760 –> 00:18:24,359and I remember someone describing so vividly to me.28600:18:26,739 –> 00:18:27,959And if you look at the beams28700:18:27,959 –> 00:18:29,920that support this building in which we’re sitting,28800:18:29,920 –> 00:18:32,060these ones at the center28900:18:32,060 –> 00:18:35,619and these at the side on both sides29000:18:37,780 –> 00:18:40,760are charred beams that survived the fire.29100:18:41,900 –> 00:18:43,359They had to be sandblasted29200:18:46,359 –> 00:18:50,859but they support this beautiful, beautiful sanctuary.29300:18:50,979 –> 00:18:52,900Those down at the side, those at the back,29400:18:52,900 –> 00:18:54,459you can feel them afterwards,29500:18:54,459 –> 00:18:56,219they’re smooth because they’re new.29600:18:58,260 –> 00:19:02,979God can use a charred piece of wood.29700:19:05,180 –> 00:19:06,239He can use you,29800:19:08,079 –> 00:19:11,500despite whatever the damage that has come into your life,29900:19:11,500 –> 00:19:15,060when his grace comes to you, God can use you.30000:19:15,060 –> 00:19:19,180And it may be that if the charring has been deep30100:19:19,180 –> 00:19:21,199within your life over many years,30200:19:21,199 –> 00:19:23,739you are probably just the kind of person30300:19:23,739 –> 00:19:25,540who God can use supremely,30400:19:25,540 –> 00:19:30,540because you will have compassion and you will have humility30500:19:31,819 –> 00:19:33,859and you will have gratitude30600:19:33,859 –> 00:19:36,500because you will know the mercy of God30700:19:36,500 –> 00:19:39,599that has taken you like a stick out of the fire.30800:19:42,500 –> 00:19:43,819So Jude says,30900:19:44,660 –> 00:19:47,400your ministry can be this,31000:19:47,400 –> 00:19:52,400you can snatch others from the fire and save them.31100:19:53,560 –> 00:19:56,579That takes me to the last thing, just very briefly here.31200:19:58,739 –> 00:20:00,420Ministry takes courage.31300:20:00,420 –> 00:20:04,040It’s important to state this and to be honest about it.31400:20:04,040 –> 00:20:07,140Those who’ve been burned know what the fire can do31500:20:08,040 –> 00:20:11,180and they have a passion to reach out31600:20:11,180 –> 00:20:13,459to others in the flames.31700:20:13,479 –> 00:20:15,400But it does take courage to do that.31800:20:16,219 –> 00:20:19,260Snatch others from the fire and save them.31900:20:20,300 –> 00:20:23,000If you’re gonna try and snatch someone from the fire,32000:20:24,459 –> 00:20:27,500you’re gonna experience some burning at some point yourself.32100:20:28,359 –> 00:20:30,739You can’t do ministry without being burned.32200:20:32,099 –> 00:20:34,719If you want to reach out to people in great need,32300:20:34,719 –> 00:20:36,339there will be a cost.32400:20:36,339 –> 00:20:38,400We’ll talk next week about some things you need to do32500:20:38,400 –> 00:20:40,680to protect yourself and that’s important,32600:20:41,739 –> 00:20:43,300but I want to stay with this point just now,32700:20:44,140 –> 00:20:46,239because there is no such thing as a pain-free ministry,32800:20:48,079 –> 00:20:52,180no victory without a struggle, no crown without a cross.32900:20:53,500 –> 00:20:56,839Think what it cost for Jesus Christ to save us.33000:20:58,680 –> 00:21:00,099He went into the fire.33100:21:03,040 –> 00:21:07,579He bore our sin, He bore its consequences,33200:21:07,579 –> 00:21:08,739He was abandoned by God33300:21:08,739 –> 00:21:12,900and experienced the full, destructive force33400:21:13,599 –> 00:21:17,640of your sin, that is what happened on the cross,33500:21:21,339 –> 00:21:24,939and this Jesus has scars in his hands.33600:21:26,400 –> 00:21:29,719It’s what it took to rescue you,33700:21:31,339 –> 00:21:33,040and He comes and He says to you,33800:21:34,439 –> 00:21:36,520now I’ve rescued you, taken you33900:21:36,520 –> 00:21:38,199like a stick out of the fire,34000:21:40,260 –> 00:21:42,859I want you to take up your cross now and follow me,34100:21:44,020 –> 00:21:47,420take up whatever will be the pain34200:21:47,420 –> 00:21:50,859and the cost of ministry for you in this fallen world34300:21:50,859 –> 00:21:52,900and bear that pain as part of service.34400:21:54,979 –> 00:21:58,579Be merciful to those who doubt,34500:21:59,579 –> 00:22:04,160snatch others from the fire and save them,34600:22:05,619 –> 00:22:06,819reach out to others34700:22:06,819 –> 00:22:11,260and do it with compassion, do it with humility,34800:22:12,219 –> 00:22:16,839do it with gratitude and do it with courage.34900:22:18,660 –> 00:22:20,660Well, this is Pastor Colin35000:22:20,660 –> 00:22:22,859and I wonder who’s the person35100:22:22,859 –> 00:22:26,979who you need to be treating with mercy today35200:22:26,979 –> 00:22:29,979and who is the person that you can reach out,35300:22:29,979 –> 00:22:33,359perhaps they are like that burning stick35400:22:33,359 –> 00:22:36,099and God would use you as a means35500:22:36,099 –> 00:22:39,739of his grace into the life of another person.35600:22:40,339 –> 00:22:43,099Choose to be merciful today.35700:22:43,099 –> 00:22:45,219You know, there’s someone who doesn’t deserve your mercy.35800:22:45,219 –> 00:22:46,540That’s the point about mercy.35900:22:46,540 –> 00:22:48,619We never deserve it.36000:22:48,619 –> 00:22:53,140Show to someone kindness that is not deserved today.36100:22:54,020 –> 00:22:55,380Who is that person?36200:22:55,380 –> 00:22:59,300Ask God for the grace to show mercy36300:22:59,300 –> 00:23:02,040and where you see someone who’s headed on the wrong path36400:23:02,040 –> 00:23:04,640with grace and with humility,36500:23:04,640 –> 00:23:06,939ask God to use you today36600:23:06,939 –> 00:23:10,599that you may be a means of grace in their lives.36700:23:10,599 –> 00:23:12,020It’s a wonderful thing to be able36800:23:12,020 –> 00:23:14,300to engage in ministry towards other people36900:23:14,300 –> 00:23:18,380and to do it in a spirit that reflects the kindness,37000:23:18,380 –> 00:23:22,459the grace, the mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ.37100:23:22,459 –> 00:23:23,300Thanks Colin.37200:23:23,300 –> 00:23:25,359That is a challenge to all of us today37300:23:25,359 –> 00:23:27,800to have the heart of Christ.37400:23:27,800 –> 00:23:29,439You’ve been listening to Open the Bible37500:23:29,439 –> 00:23:30,839with Pastor Colin Smith37600:23:30,839 –> 00:23:33,979and a message called Reach Out to Others.37700:23:34,020 –> 00:23:35,079Part of our series37800:23:35,079 –> 00:23:37,520Keeping Yourself in Spiritual Shape37900:23:37,520 –> 00:23:40,6807 workouts for a healthy Christian life38000:23:40,680 –> 00:23:42,640based on the book of Jude.38100:23:42,640 –> 00:23:45,199If you’ve ever missed one of the messages in the series38200:23:45,199 –> 00:23:46,400you can easily catch up38300:23:46,400 –> 00:23:48,140or go back and listen again38400:23:48,140 –> 00:23:52,760on our website at that’s at openthebible.org.uk38500:23:52,760 –> 00:23:54,780or you can find us as a podcast38600:23:54,780 –> 00:23:58,760on all the main podcast site search for Open the Bible UK38700:23:58,760 –> 00:24:02,000or follow the link from our website.38800:24:02,000 –> 00:24:04,280I know many of you listen to podcasts38900:24:04,280 –> 00:24:06,040and we’re excited to tell you about39000:24:06,040 –> 00:24:08,500a new podcast for Open the Bible.39100:24:08,500 –> 00:24:11,400It’s a companion to Pastor Colin’s book39200:24:11,400 –> 00:24:12,939Hike Through the Bible.39300:24:12,939 –> 00:24:15,880Each week I’ll read a chapter from the book39400:24:15,880 –> 00:24:18,500and then I get to discuss it with some friends.39500:24:18,500 –> 00:24:21,760So if you join us on the podcast in 50 weeks39600:24:21,760 –> 00:24:24,599we’ll cover 50 chapters of the Bible together39700:24:24,599 –> 00:24:26,959and in a year you’ll have hiked39800:24:26,959 –> 00:24:29,560through the entire Bible story.39900:24:29,560 –> 00:24:31,280If you think hiking sounds like40000:24:31,300 –> 00:24:32,719hard work, don’t worry.40100:24:32,719 –> 00:24:34,880I promise you this hike will be40200:24:34,880 –> 00:24:36,839an easy gentle pace.40300:24:36,839 –> 00:24:38,359There’s a link to the podcast40400:24:38,359 –> 00:24:41,060and lots more information on our website40500:24:41,060 –> 00:24:43,060at OpenTheBible.org.uk.40600:24:45,780 –> 00:24:48,160For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith40700:24:48,160 –> 00:24:49,800I’m David Pick.40800:24:49,800 –> 00:24:52,420Join us again next time on Open the Bible.40900:24:53,420 –> 00:24:56,560If Jesus Christ is able to keep you from falling41000:24:56,560 –> 00:24:59,920then why do you need to watch yourself?41100:24:59,920 –> 00:25:02,260Find out next time on Open the Bible.