Hope Through Christ, Part 2

Colossians 1:27

In today’s broadcast, we delve into the marvellous truth of how Jesus, though seated at the right hand of the Father, is present with us through the Holy Spirit. Join us as we explore the central truth of the Christian faith – “Christ in you, the hope of glory” from Colossians 1:27.

Pastor Colin brilliantly explains how the Holy Spirit is not only with us but in us, working within believers to transform lives and produce the beautiful fruits of faith, hope, and love. We also discuss how to live in the tension between the ‘already’ and the ‘not yet’, enjoying the grace we have now and anticipating the glory to come.

Be encouraged by the promise that ahead of us lies a perfect world where we’ll glorify and enjoy God forever.

100:00:00,160 –> 00:00:10,840Now, we know from the Bible that when Jesus rose from the dead, He ascended into Heaven200:00:10,840 –> 00:00:17,160and, right now, He is seated at the right hand of the Father, where He is interceding300:00:17,160 –> 00:00:18,879for us.400:00:19,540 –> 00:00:28,959If Jesus is at the right hand of the Father, how can He be present 24-7 with each and every500:00:28,959 –> 00:00:30,320one of us?600:00:30,320 –> 00:00:33,020Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.700:00:33,020 –> 00:00:34,459I’m David Pick.800:00:34,459 –> 00:00:35,939I’m glad you could be with us today.900:00:35,939 –> 00:00:40,840And Colin, I’m glad you’re here to answer that question, because if Jesus is seated1000:00:40,840 –> 00:00:44,660at the right hand of the Father, how can He be with us here today?1100:00:44,660 –> 00:00:49,680Well, that is the person and work and ministry of the Holy Spirit.1200:00:49,680 –> 00:00:54,540And what a wonderful, central truth in the Christian faith this is, is that the Lord1300:00:54,639 –> 00:01:01,639Jesus is as truly with us today, right now, as He was with the disciples when they were1400:01:01,860 –> 00:01:07,480in the boat on the lake, or wherever they had followed Him in His years on Earth.1500:01:07,480 –> 00:01:14,360And the way in which He is with us is by His Holy Spirit, who is given to everyone who1600:01:14,360 –> 00:01:16,599believes in the Lord Jesus Christ.1700:01:16,599 –> 00:01:21,580We’re looking at this wonderful verse in Colossians 1 and verse 27.1800:01:21,760 –> 00:01:25,660There is Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.1900:01:25,660 –> 00:01:32,839So the Lord Jesus Christ is actually in us, and the way He is in us is by His spirit imparted2000:01:32,839 –> 00:01:33,839to us.2100:01:33,839 –> 00:01:38,019We’re going to look at that wonderful truth and how it makes a difference leading us to2200:01:38,019 –> 00:01:39,019hope.2300:01:39,019 –> 00:01:43,620This is where hope is found, in God through Christ and by means of the Holy Spirit.2400:01:43,620 –> 00:01:50,339Join us today if you can in Colossians 1 verse 27 as we continue the message Hope Through2500:01:50,339 –> 00:01:51,339Christ.2600:01:51,540 –> 00:01:53,440Here is Pastor Colin2700:01:53,440 –> 00:02:02,480Confusing oneself with the Holy Spirit is actually at the root of a great deal of fanaticism,2800:02:02,480 –> 00:02:07,000authoritarianism, and self-deception.2900:02:07,000 –> 00:02:15,580You may even have met someone who has lost sight of the distinction between him or herself3000:02:15,580 –> 00:02:17,139and the Holy Spirit.3100:02:17,500 –> 00:02:22,220And one of the ways that you know that a person has lost sight of that distinction is that3200:02:22,220 –> 00:02:27,059they begin to speak as if everything they say is what God himself says.3300:02:27,059 –> 00:02:30,660And, of course, you cannot reason with such a person.3400:02:30,660 –> 00:02:39,240That’s why I say it’s the root of so much fanaticism, authoritarianism, and self-deception.3500:02:39,240 –> 00:02:44,860The Holy Spirit, Jesus says, will be with you.3600:02:45,059 –> 00:02:47,020That preserves a distinction.3700:02:47,020 –> 00:02:48,619You are not the Holy Spirit.3800:02:48,619 –> 00:02:50,660The Holy Spirit is not you.3900:02:50,660 –> 00:02:57,179And of course, that is why it is possible for a person who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit4000:02:57,179 –> 00:03:07,220of God still at times to speak or act in a way that is foolish or even sinful.4100:03:07,220 –> 00:03:13,020But then Jesus says the Holy Spirit will be in you.4200:03:13,020 –> 00:03:14,699In you.4300:03:14,740 –> 00:03:21,759In other words, the Holy Spirit will actually be present and active in the life of every4400:03:21,759 –> 00:03:25,979believer in Jesus, every one of Jesus’ disciples.4500:03:25,979 –> 00:03:29,860It’s not just that the Holy Spirit is with you.4600:03:29,860 –> 00:03:36,500Wonderful though that is, when you trust yourself to Jesus, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell—that’s4700:03:36,500 –> 00:03:40,100the word Jesus uses—to live in you.4800:03:40,100 –> 00:03:41,339In you.4900:03:41,339 –> 00:03:42,699Now what’s the difference?5000:03:42,740 –> 00:03:44,940Well, the difference is very significant.5100:03:44,940 –> 00:03:51,039This means that the Holy Spirit is more than a mentor, more than someone who walks with5200:03:51,039 –> 00:03:53,320you and simply tells you what to do.5300:03:53,979 –> 00:04:02,059No, the Holy Spirit actually works in you, renewing your mind, changing you from the5400:04:02,059 –> 00:04:08,839inside out, molding and shaping and directing your will, giving you strength that you did5500:04:08,839 –> 00:04:11,520not have before and would not have otherwise.5600:04:11,539 –> 00:04:19,799Producing within you the good fruit of faith, hope, and love.5700:04:20,940 –> 00:04:26,440And you see, that is why there is hope for every person in Jesus Christ.5800:04:27,959 –> 00:04:32,640So, you may be standing at the bottom of Mount Hope, as it were, and saying, you know what?5900:04:32,640 –> 00:04:37,480I don’t think I have the ability to live this Christian life.6000:04:38,160 –> 00:04:40,679And you know what?6100:04:40,679 –> 00:04:42,279That’s true.6200:04:43,820 –> 00:04:51,959But when Christ lives in you, when he is present and active in and through his Holy Spirit,6300:04:51,959 –> 00:04:58,760he will give you an ability that you did not have before and that you would not have otherwise.6400:04:59,720 –> 00:05:06,079So, here is a wonderful, wonderful prospect and promise.6500:05:06,760 –> 00:05:13,579When you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, his Spirit will not only be with you but in6600:05:13,600 –> 00:05:23,640you, he will produce a new life in you that you did not have before.6700:05:23,640 –> 00:05:29,959And you see, when you grasp the first half of this marvellous verse, well, then you will6800:05:30,000 –> 00:05:38,220begin to experience the second, Christ in you, the hope of glory.6900:05:38,220 –> 00:05:44,799Now let’s think first, then, about this marvellous word, glory.7000:05:44,799 –> 00:05:51,480And Jesus gave this marvellous prayer to the Father, made this marvellous prayer to the7100:05:51,480 –> 00:05:54,920Father on the night that he was betrayed.7200:05:54,920 –> 00:05:58,799And it’s a prayer not only for his disciples then, but also for us.7300:05:58,799 –> 00:06:01,679John 17 in verse 24.7400:06:01,679 –> 00:06:12,040Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am,7500:06:12,040 –> 00:06:18,899to see my glory that you have given me.7600:06:18,899 –> 00:06:28,459Jesus wants you to be with him, Jesus wants you to see his glory.7700:06:28,459 –> 00:06:34,839Will this be a seeing with our eyes or will it be an understanding with our minds and7800:06:34,839 –> 00:06:36,700our hearts?7900:06:36,700 –> 00:06:40,339The answer to that is both.8000:06:40,339 –> 00:06:49,420Thomas Manton, a marvellous Puritan writer, says that there is a glorified eye as well8100:06:49,420 –> 00:06:52,399as a glorified mind.8200:06:52,399 –> 00:06:55,119I love that.8300:06:55,119 –> 00:07:05,399You will have a glorified eye, in other words, your eyes in the resurrection body will be8400:07:05,500 –> 00:07:12,500able to behold the brightness of the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.8500:07:13,239 –> 00:07:18,619Think about it. If you were to see that glory now, it would be as blinding to you as it8600:07:18,619 –> 00:07:25,619was to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. But in your resurrection body, you will have8700:07:26,140 –> 00:07:33,220the capacity to see the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ.8800:07:33,260 –> 00:07:45,880We shall behold his face, we shall his power adore, and sing the wonders of his grace forevermore.8900:07:47,380 –> 00:07:53,399But you know there’s more? Think about it, the angels are spirits and do not have bodies,9000:07:53,399 –> 00:08:01,779no eyeballs for the angels, and yet our Lord tells us quite clearly that the angels always9100:08:02,279 –> 00:08:12,640behold the glory of the Father in heaven. So not only will we see the glory of Christ9200:08:12,640 –> 00:08:20,799with our own eyes in our resurrected body, we will have some grasp, some grasp, of his9300:08:20,799 –> 00:08:28,260glory in our hearts and in our minds, and that is going to fuel worship in a way that9400:08:28,260 –> 00:08:35,979we have never known it before changed from glory into glory till in heaven we take our9500:08:35,979 –> 00:08:45,219place till we cast our crowns before you lost in wonder love and praise. That’s how it’s9600:08:45,219 –> 00:08:55,520going to be when you see the glory of Christ and not only will we see his glory but Jesus9700:08:55,559 –> 00:09:01,880has promised that we will actually share his glory. John 17 and verse 22 the glory Jesus9800:09:01,880 –> 00:09:11,479says to the Father that you have given me I will give to them. That’s amazing the disciples9900:09:11,479 –> 00:09:17,520of Jesus will share his glory and this is something so certain that Jesus speaks about10000:09:17,520 –> 00:09:20,359it as if it is something that has already happened10100:09:20,700 –> 00:09:27,859but of course you find the same in Romans and chapter 8 where the apostle Paul says10200:09:27,859 –> 00:09:38,919those whom God has justified he also glorified and he tells us what this means that we are10300:09:38,919 –> 00:09:46,380going to be conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ when we see him we’re going10400:09:46,380 –> 00:09:54,679to be like him all of God’s children will reflect forever the beauty the glory of God’s10500:09:54,679 –> 00:10:06,919one and only dearly loved son. Glory. Christ in you, the hope of glory. Now let’s think10600:10:06,919 –> 00:10:13,520about this word hope that is central to our series the apostle Paul does not say Christ10700:10:13,520 –> 00:10:21,919in you is glory now he says Christ in you is the hope of glory.10800:10:21,919 –> 00:10:29,000So you see Christians live in this tension between what we have now and what we will10900:10:29,000 –> 00:10:36,400have one day when we see Christ. We live in the tension to put it another way of the already11000:10:36,440 –> 00:10:46,900and the not yet and the process that’s going to end in you reflecting the glory of the11100:10:46,900 –> 00:10:50,940Lord Jesus Christ, that process has already begun, already11200:10:52,700 –> 00:10:54,719I’m thinking of 2 Corinthians chapter 3 and11300:10:54,719 –> 00:11:00,080verse 18 where Paul says we with unveiled faces beholding the glory of the Lord are11400:11:00,159 –> 00:11:06,859being transformed into the same image from one degree glory to another. This is present11500:11:06,859 –> 00:11:12,539tense, this is what God is doing by his spirit now, the work of changing us into the likeness11600:11:12,539 –> 00:11:20,159of Christ, the work of his glory beginning to be reflected in you is already begun11700:11:20,159 –> 00:11:24,820there’s an already but there’s also a not yet11800:11:24,919 –> 00:11:35,760Romans 8, in verse 23, we who have the first fruits of the Spirit, Paul says grown inwardly11900:11:35,760 –> 00:11:44,080as we wait for adoption of sons, the redemption of our bodies. He’s saying we don’t have that12000:11:44,080 –> 00:11:52,739yet, we’re waiting for it, it’s our hope, it lies in the future, so Christians live12100:11:52,780 –> 00:12:00,719in the tension between what we have in Christ already and what we do not have yet, and John12200:12:00,719 –> 00:12:08,739Stott very helpfully spells out what it is like for us to live as it were between times12300:12:08,739 –> 00:12:14,880in this tension of what we already enjoy in Christ, and what is not yet ours. Let me quote12400:12:14,880 –> 00:12:16,559some words from him.12500:12:17,320 –> 00:12:21,039We affirm that God has revealed himself. We really12600:12:21,039 –> 00:12:28,059do know God because he’s made himself known in Christ but not yet, do we know God as he12700:12:28,059 –> 00:12:34,200knows us. That’s why we live with many mysteries and so many unanswered questions. They’re12800:12:34,200 –> 00:12:41,340already, and they’re not yet. Then he says already. God has put his holy spirit within12900:12:41,340 –> 00:12:49,299us in order to make us holy. You have the power and the capacity to pursue a holy life13000:12:49,299 –> 00:12:58,739already, now, pursue it. And yet, says John Stott, not yet, however, has our fallen nature13100:12:58,739 –> 00:13:04,640been eradicated for still the sinful nature does what is contrary to the spirit so that13200:13:04,640 –> 00:13:12,200if we claim ourselves to be without sin, we deceive ourselves. That’s why we are in a13300:13:12,200 –> 00:13:18,520battle. The spirit indwells you and yet you still know this temptation with many pools13400:13:18,520 –> 00:13:21,239towards sin.13500:13:21,239 –> 00:13:28,440Third example, already, Jesus’s gathering, Stott says, around him, a people characterized13600:13:28,440 –> 00:13:34,239by truth and love and holiness. These are distinguishing marks of the church, but then13700:13:34,239 –> 00:13:40,020he adds this, not yet, however, has Christ presented his bride to himself as a radiant13800:13:40,020 –> 00:13:46,739church without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish. The marks of the new life of Christ13900:13:46,739 –> 00:13:54,000can be seen in other believers, but you’ll never find it perfectly anywhere.14000:13:54,000 –> 00:14:02,780One more. Already, we affirm, Stott says, God is at work in human society. Not yet,14100:14:03,440 –> 00:14:11,280however, as God created the promised new heaven and new earth, the home of righteousness.14200:14:11,280 –> 00:14:15,119That is why for all the blessings that we enjoy, the Apostle Paul says that the whole14300:14:15,119 –> 00:14:22,359creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up until the present time.14400:14:23,179 –> 00:14:30,780At present, we are living in between times, the hope of glory.14500:14:30,780 –> 00:14:41,059We live between the grace that we grasp by faith, and the glory that we anticipate in hope.14600:14:41,059 –> 00:14:48,419Christ in you, the hope of glory.14700:14:48,419 –> 00:14:51,299And these two belong together.14800:14:51,299 –> 00:14:58,940If Christ is yours, living hope will be yours, as well.14900:14:58,940 –> 00:15:03,099It comes from God and through Christ.15000:15:03,099 –> 00:15:06,359You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.15100:15:06,359 –> 00:15:10,500We have to pause the message briefly here, but will be back very shortly, so stay with15200:15:10,500 –> 00:15:11,500us.15300:15:11,500 –> 00:15:15,719The message today is called, Hope Through Christ and it’s part of our series, Grow15400:15:15,719 –> 00:15:21,119In Hope, and that’s available if you ever miss an episode by coming online to our website,15500:15:21,260 –> 00:15:23,960that’s at openthebible.org.uk15600:15:24,520 –> 00:15:27,159Back to the message now, here again is Pastor Colin.15700:15:27,159 –> 00:15:33,260Now I want this series to be as practical as possible so let me try and give now three15800:15:33,260 –> 00:15:39,820applications in which we see further how to grow in hope.15900:15:39,820 –> 00:15:44,500The first very obviously from this verse is if you’re to grow in hope, you must believe16000:15:44,500 –> 00:15:46,700in the Lord Jesus Christ.16100:15:47,280 –> 00:15:53,960There is hope for you in God and that hope will become yours in and through the Lord16200:15:53,960 –> 00:15:55,200Jesus Christ.16300:15:56,059 –> 00:16:01,940The hope of glory is Christ in you.16400:16:01,940 –> 00:16:06,380If Christ is yours, glory will be yours.16500:16:07,900 –> 00:16:11,799Christ becomes yours in and through faith.16600:16:12,640 –> 00:16:18,820And this is why the Apostle Paul says I have been crucified with Christ.16700:16:19,840 –> 00:16:27,159It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me, and the life I now live I live16800:16:27,159 –> 00:16:33,940by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.16900:16:34,820 –> 00:16:42,700Hope comes from God, it comes through Christ, and Christ becomes yours through faith as17000:16:42,700 –> 00:16:45,000you believe in him.17100:16:45,000 –> 00:16:51,219Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and Christ will be in you.17200:16:51,219 –> 00:16:58,960And when Christ is yours, living hope will be yours as well.17300:16:59,099 –> 00:17:03,659And of course, it follows that without Christ you really have no ground for hope.17400:17:03,659 –> 00:17:09,859You know the Apostle does not say good in you is the hope of glory.17500:17:09,859 –> 00:17:16,920He didn’t say trying your best in you will be the hope of glory.17600:17:16,920 –> 00:17:23,739No, Christ in you, the hope of glory.17700:17:23,780 –> 00:17:27,560So believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.17800:17:27,560 –> 00:17:33,839Trust yourself to him and hope will be yours.17900:17:33,839 –> 00:17:41,540Then secondly, let’s learn today to enjoy what Christ has given.18000:17:41,540 –> 00:17:46,060You know when we talk about hope, it would be very easy to fall into the mistaken idea18100:17:46,079 –> 00:17:54,400that somehow the Christian faith is all about jam tomorrow and no jam today.18200:17:54,400 –> 00:18:03,079But God’s promise is not only the hope of glory, God’s promise is Christ in you.18300:18:03,079 –> 00:18:07,060So enjoy what is yours in Jesus Christ today.18400:18:07,060 –> 00:18:08,060Think about it.18500:18:08,060 –> 00:18:12,040In Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.18600:18:12,040 –> 00:18:15,640In Jesus Christ, you are loved.18700:18:15,640 –> 00:18:21,599In Jesus Christ right now, you are a new creation.18800:18:21,599 –> 00:18:27,180The apostle Paul says in Romans and chapter five that being justified by faith we have18900:18:27,180 –> 00:18:36,000peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ so he says we rejoice in the hope of the glory19000:18:36,000 –> 00:18:43,579of God and then he says hope does not disappoint us.19100:18:43,579 –> 00:18:45,660Why are we not disappointed by hope?19200:18:45,660 –> 00:18:51,160Well he gives the answer here’s why we’re not miserable in this world while we’re waiting19300:18:51,160 –> 00:18:53,739for the better one to come.19400:18:53,739 –> 00:19:00,640Hope does not disappoint us because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through19500:19:00,640 –> 00:19:05,619the Holy Spirit whom he has given to us.19600:19:05,619 –> 00:19:14,640Christ lives in you and you therefore already have a taste of what is to come, so enjoy19700:19:14,640 –> 00:19:18,060what is yours in Jesus Christ now.19800:19:18,060 –> 00:19:21,560How are you to grow in hope?19900:19:21,560 –> 00:19:25,099You’ve got to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.20000:19:25,099 –> 00:19:35,540You got to enjoy what is yours in Jesus Christ, and here’s the last thing anticipate what20100:19:35,739 –> 00:19:38,780Jesus Christ has promised.20200:19:38,780 –> 00:19:45,680Believers in the Lord Jesus Christ have the most marvelous future, no eye has seen, no20300:19:45,680 –> 00:19:57,599ear has heard nor has the heart of man imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.20400:19:57,599 –> 00:20:04,500Some people talk about living your best life now.20500:20:04,500 –> 00:20:10,739Living your best life now is what a person does if they re going to hell.20600:20:10,739 –> 00:20:16,660If Christ is not in you the only happiness you re ever going to know is the happiness20700:20:16,660 –> 00:20:21,420that you have in this world, if Christ is not in you you d better enjoy all that you20800:20:21,420 –> 00:20:25,680can right now because there ll certainly nothing in the future for you to enjoy, not beyond20900:20:25,680 –> 00:20:28,680this world.21000:20:28,920 –> 00:20:32,859And you see if Christ is in you, your best life lies ahead of you.21100:20:32,859 –> 00:20:35,900You re in an altogether different position.21200:20:35,900 –> 00:20:38,699You have living hope.21300:20:38,699 –> 00:20:45,079Listen to how the David describes it in the Psalms, he says to God in your presence is21400:20:45,079 –> 00:20:51,079fullness of joy and at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore.21500:20:51,719 –> 00:21:01,859And then he says this, As for me, I shall behold your face in righteousness.21600:21:01,859 –> 00:21:09,500When I awake I shall be satisfied with your likeness.21700:21:09,500 –> 00:21:16,079Brother sister in Christ, ahead of you are joys that are greater than anything21800:21:16,079 –> 00:21:18,839you have ever known.21900:21:18,839 –> 00:21:25,560Ahead of you is strength greater than anything you have previously enjoyed.22000:21:25,560 –> 00:21:34,459Ahead of you lies peace, and love, and flourishing in a perfect world where faith is turned to22100:21:34,459 –> 00:21:41,479sight, where God’s redeemed people will be made perfect in love, where sin and sorrow22200:21:41,579 –> 00:21:48,699and suffering are no more, and every tear is wiped away from your eyes.22300:21:48,699 –> 00:21:56,079And in that perfect world you will behold him.22400:21:56,079 –> 00:21:58,800You will dwell with him.22500:21:58,800 –> 00:22:01,040And he with you.22600:22:01,040 –> 00:22:06,979You will glorify him, and you will enjoy him forever.22700:22:07,560 –> 00:22:14,300What an encouraging way to wrap up our message today – Thinking about glorifying22800:22:14,300 –> 00:22:19,300and enjoying God forever. You have been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin22900:22:19,300 –> 00:22:24,500Smith and a message called Hope Through Christ, based on Colossians 1, verse 27.23000:22:24,500 –> 00:22:30,459It is part of our series Grow in Hope. If you ever miss one of the series, don’t worry23100:22:30,459 –> 00:22:34,939you can catch up or go back and listen again by coming online to our website23200:22:35,599 –> 00:22:36,099Openthebible.org.uk23300:22:36,099 –> 00:22:42,560Also as a podcast if that’s a better way for you to keep up with Pastor Colin’s teaching23400:22:42,560 –> 00:22:47,459and those are on all the main podcast sites you can find them by searching for Open the23500:22:47,459 –> 00:22:53,380Bible UK or follow the link from our website. Open the Bible is supported by our listeners.23600:22:53,380 –> 00:23:00,060We’re able to bring you pastor Colin’s teaching on the radio, internet and podcasts as a result23700:23:00,060 –> 00:23:04,900of the generosity of listeners like you. So if you already give to support our work,23800:23:04,900 –> 00:23:10,839thank you so much we do appreciate it. This month when you begin to support Open the Bible23900:23:10,839 –> 00:23:15,359for the first time, we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s24000:23:15,359 –> 00:23:20,920brand new book, Grow in Faith. This devotional book is not yet available in the UK so our24100:23:20,920 –> 00:23:25,319offer is very exclusive. Colin why did you write this book?24200:23:25,920 –> 00:23:32,400Well the Bible speaks to us repeatedly about the central importance of faith and of hope24300:23:32,400 –> 00:23:37,119and of love. At the end of first Corinthians 13, Paul speaks about everything else that’s24400:23:37,119 –> 00:23:42,839going to pass away but these things are going to remain. Faith, hope and love. So they’re24500:23:42,839 –> 00:23:48,560of central importance and of course they speak to the needs of our world today. I mean we’re24600:23:48,560 –> 00:23:55,040living in days where so many people experience fear and a sense of gloom and where there’s24700:23:55,079 –> 00:24:00,880so much conflict. We need faith, hope and love. And so Grow In Faith is actually the24800:24:00,880 –> 00:24:07,020first of a series of three books that are coming out beginning this month and then in24900:24:07,020 –> 00:24:13,280the two months to follow. Really excited and grateful for the opportunity to do this. If25000:24:13,280 –> 00:24:20,280God’s people can grow in faith, grow in hope and grow in love then the world is going to25100:24:21,280 –> 00:24:27,500see something distinct about us that is very powerfully attractive. And so I hope that25200:24:27,500 –> 00:24:32,020these books are going to be a means of God’s blessing and encouragement to many. Start25300:24:32,020 –> 00:24:37,079this month with Grow In Faith and follow up next month with Grow In Hope. And the month25400:24:37,079 –> 00:24:39,119after that with Grow In Love.25500:24:39,119 –> 00:24:44,199Well, Pastor Colin’s book Grow In Faith is our special offer to you this month when you25600:24:44,199 –> 00:24:49,719support Open the Bible Financially for the first time with a one off gift of £60 or25700:24:50,400 –> 00:24:56,719a monthly direct debit of £5 per month or more. Full terms and conditions are on our25800:24:56,719 –> 00:25:03,500website, that’s at OpenTheBible.org.uk and you can give online. Please do remember25900:25:03,500 –> 00:25:08,300to leave your full name and address when you set up your payment so we can send you your26000:25:08,300 –> 00:25:14,020free gift. For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I am David Pick, and I look forward26100:25:14,020 –> 00:25:17,959to you joining us again next time on Open the Bible.26200:25:17,959 –> 00:25:29,079What is meant by the word grace? Find out next time on Open the Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Explore the Christian virtues of faith, hope, and love. Listen as Pastor Colin shares practical ways to grow in these virtues, such as seeking God's kingdom, knowing Jesus more intimately, and being empowered by the Holy Spirit. Face life’s challenges with renewed spiritual vigour.

Colin Smith

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