100:00:00,980 –> 00:00:04,380When Jesus saw200:00:04,380 –> 00:00:07,820the man had answered wisely Jesus said to him300:00:07,820 –> 00:00:11,780you are not far from the Kingdom400:00:11,780 –> 00:00:16,459of God. Knowing I think when the teacher of the Law500:00:16,459 –> 00:00:19,559having such a conversation with Jesus heard Him say this600:00:19,559 –> 00:00:22,799must have stepped back… Not far?700:00:22,799 –> 00:00:28,559What do you mean not far?! Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith800:00:28,559 –> 00:00:29,540I’m David Pick900:00:29,620 –> 00:00:34,180Glad you could join us today. Colin, I just love to see the face of that1000:00:34,180 –> 00:00:38,700religious leader when Jesus says you’re not too far from the Kingdom of God1100:00:38,700 –> 00:00:42,340Yeah, and this is a guy who’s been asking Jesus questions, so he assumes that he’s1200:00:42,340 –> 00:00:43,959the one that has the answers1300:00:43,959 –> 00:00:47,939and he’s testing to see if Jesus really is meeting his mark as it were1400:00:47,939 –> 00:00:52,320Then Jesus has this extraordinary phrase. I find this so moving1500:00:52,320 –> 00:00:56,759not far from the Kingdom of God. Seems to me Jesus is saying this1600:00:56,759 –> 00:01:02,259That man is very near, but he’s not in. He’s in the religious world1700:01:02,259 –> 00:01:07,459He has a belief in God, he studies something of the scripture, he knows1800:01:07,459 –> 00:01:10,820something about them, enough to ask a good question1900:01:10,820 –> 00:01:14,860But he’s not in the Kingdom of God. He doesn’t belong to Christ2000:01:14,860 –> 00:01:17,279He’s not one of God’s people. Now of course2100:01:17,279 –> 00:01:21,919that raises the whole question What does it mean for me to be not just a2200:01:21,919 –> 00:01:26,680religious guy, a religious lady but to actually be one of Christ’s people2300:01:26,680 –> 00:01:28,199That’s what we’re getting at today2400:01:28,199 –> 00:01:30,580Well, that is exactly the question that we’re looking into today2500:01:30,580 –> 00:01:35,480So, join us if you can, we’re in Mark chapter 11 and 122600:01:35,480 –> 00:01:38,779As we continue the message, Jesus has the answers to his2700:01:38,779 –> 00:01:41,860people’s questions. Here is Pastor Colin2800:01:41,860 –> 00:01:45,279So, we’ve gained four insights for evangelism2900:01:45,279 –> 00:01:48,320Don’t be intimidated. Take the initiative3000:01:48,320 –> 00:01:51,580Don’t be distracted. Stay focused3100:01:51,580 –> 00:01:55,360Don’t be ashamed. Be confident3200:01:55,360 –> 00:01:59,099And don’t get confused. Keep it clear3300:01:59,099 –> 00:02:00,480As you share the Gospel3400:02:01,120 –> 00:02:06,680And we’ve also seen really four faces of our fallen condition3500:02:06,680 –> 00:02:09,119God has absolute authority, but we are rebels3600:02:09,119 –> 00:02:11,320who resist His rule3700:02:11,320 –> 00:02:14,199He lays absolute claim to our lives, but we are hypocrites3800:02:14,199 –> 00:02:16,399who avoid His command3900:02:16,399 –> 00:02:18,679He has revealed His power, but we are cynics4000:02:18,679 –> 00:02:20,779who distrust His word4100:02:20,779 –> 00:02:22,160And He has called us to love4200:02:22,240 –> 00:02:26,240But we are strangers who are outside of His kingdom4300:02:26,240 –> 00:02:28,559And you can see here that there is4400:02:28,559 –> 00:02:32,279a huge chasm between jesus and the questioners4500:02:32,279 –> 00:02:34,600at every one of these four points4600:02:36,059 –> 00:02:37,940There is no meeting of minds whatsoever4700:02:37,940 –> 00:02:39,919The conflict is obvious4800:02:39,919 –> 00:02:42,479And the cross is inevitable4900:02:42,479 –> 00:02:44,539The world is rejecting Jesus5000:02:44,539 –> 00:02:46,639And Jesus is rejecting the world5100:02:46,639 –> 00:02:48,580And the crowds of people in the Temple5200:02:48,580 –> 00:02:51,100who are listening to these questions and answers5300:02:51,100 –> 00:02:54,639are going to have to choose and to take sides5400:02:55,880 –> 00:02:58,619Because the position of the questioners5500:02:58,619 –> 00:03:00,100who are opposed to Jesus5600:03:00,100 –> 00:03:01,699and the position of Jesus5700:03:01,699 –> 00:03:04,000who is answering them so clearly5800:03:04,000 –> 00:03:06,740They are irreconcilably different5900:03:08,039 –> 00:03:10,919You have to choose between Jesus and the world6000:03:11,520 –> 00:03:13,039Because it is still the same today6100:03:14,559 –> 00:03:16,820And so the question that really flows out6200:03:16,820 –> 00:03:18,979of our observing these questions6300:03:18,979 –> 00:03:20,139and learning from them6400:03:20,600 –> 00:03:22,119Is what then is it going to mean6500:03:22,119 –> 00:03:24,960for us to take our stand with Jesus?6600:03:26,320 –> 00:03:28,179What is it going to mean for us6700:03:28,179 –> 00:03:30,160to be true Christians?6800:03:30,160 –> 00:03:31,880What does that actually look like6900:03:32,820 –> 00:03:34,619in a situation where the world7000:03:34,619 –> 00:03:35,660is rejecting Jesus7100:03:35,660 –> 00:03:38,860and Jesus is rejecting the world?7200:03:40,179 –> 00:03:41,919And from these four answers7300:03:41,919 –> 00:03:42,800that Jesus gives7400:03:42,800 –> 00:03:46,940I want simply to draw four marks7500:03:46,940 –> 00:03:49,259of genuine conversion7600:03:49,339 –> 00:03:51,339What it really looks like7700:03:51,339 –> 00:03:53,860when a person is turning7800:03:53,860 –> 00:03:56,740to take their stand with Jesus Christ.7900:03:58,039 –> 00:03:59,580What that looks like first8000:03:59,580 –> 00:04:02,179is that to be a true Christian8100:04:02,179 –> 00:04:05,639means you end your rebellion against God.8200:04:07,339 –> 00:04:09,800Being coming a Christian8300:04:09,800 –> 00:04:12,160means that you recognize his authority8400:04:13,220 –> 00:04:14,619over the world,8500:04:15,580 –> 00:04:17,820over your life past,8600:04:17,820 –> 00:04:19,640present, and future.8700:04:21,820 –> 00:04:24,899I’m sure all of us in the congregation this morning8800:04:24,899 –> 00:04:27,100have questions we’d like to ask God.8900:04:28,559 –> 00:04:32,799And one day, God will answer every one of your questions.9000:04:32,799 –> 00:04:34,679There’ll be no more tears in your eyes9100:04:34,679 –> 00:04:36,880and there’ll be no more doubts in your mind.9200:04:39,179 –> 00:04:41,480But becoming a Christian9300:04:41,480 –> 00:04:43,459involves you saying something like this.9400:04:43,459 –> 00:04:46,220Whatever the questions that I have unresolved9500:04:46,260 –> 00:04:48,019and whatever the difficulties and struggles9600:04:48,019 –> 00:04:49,339I am facing right now,9700:04:49,339 –> 00:04:54,339I will not allow my life to be one long argument with God.9800:04:57,480 –> 00:04:59,660Because I do not want, on the last day,9900:04:59,660 –> 00:05:01,500to be standing among the rebels10000:05:01,500 –> 00:05:04,500and the hypocrites and the cynics.10100:05:04,500 –> 00:05:06,779I want on the last day to be standing10200:05:06,779 –> 00:05:10,059in the presence of God among the worshippers.10300:05:10,059 –> 00:05:12,820And that, therefore, is the choice that I am making now.10400:05:12,820 –> 00:05:16,000Whatever my unanswered questions10500:05:17,200 –> 00:05:20,160don’t spend your life fighting God10600:05:20,160 –> 00:05:23,859with your long list of questions and complaints.10700:05:25,019 –> 00:05:28,220End your rebellion against God.10800:05:28,220 –> 00:05:30,619Give up the fight.10900:05:30,619 –> 00:05:34,220Submit to his rule and his authority in your life.11000:05:34,220 –> 00:05:36,940That is the first part of what it means11100:05:36,940 –> 00:05:39,320to stand with Jesus Christ.11200:05:39,320 –> 00:05:43,079And it’s life-transforming and liberating11300:05:43,079 –> 00:05:44,320when you take that step.11400:05:46,920 –> 00:05:47,880Here’s the second.11500:05:49,519 –> 00:05:52,179You offer yourself to God unconditionally.11600:05:53,859 –> 00:05:56,100Verse 17 of chapter 12,11700:05:57,239 –> 00:05:59,640give to Caesar what is Caesar’s11800:06:00,540 –> 00:06:03,660and give to God what is God’s.11900:06:04,640 –> 00:06:07,380And that raises the obvious question, well what is God’s?12000:06:09,600 –> 00:06:12,260Now remember Jesus had asked his questioners12100:06:12,260 –> 00:06:14,859to give him a coin,12200:06:14,859 –> 00:06:18,760and he said, whose image is on this coin?12300:06:18,760 –> 00:06:20,339And remember it was the image of Caesar12400:06:20,339 –> 00:06:21,940because they were using Roman currency12500:06:21,940 –> 00:06:23,799and he said, give to Caesar’s what is Caesar’s12600:06:23,799 –> 00:06:25,420and to God what is God’s.12700:06:26,420 –> 00:06:29,920The coin bears Caesar’s image.12800:06:31,000 –> 00:06:34,500You bear God’s image.12900:06:36,140 –> 00:06:38,079You were created in the image of God.13000:06:39,799 –> 00:06:44,079And when Jesus says, give to God what is God’s,13100:06:44,079 –> 00:06:46,519he’s reminding us that God lays claim13200:06:46,519 –> 00:06:49,720to the totality of our lives13300:06:51,160 –> 00:06:53,600because we are made stamped,13400:06:54,559 –> 00:06:57,940created in his image, we’re God’s.13500:07:00,459 –> 00:07:05,459Now sometimes, Christians try and define13600:07:06,519 –> 00:07:08,500what we should give to God.13700:07:10,000 –> 00:07:12,059And it sort of fits our culture, you know.13800:07:12,059 –> 00:07:14,119Give me the checklist, give me the bullet points,13900:07:14,119 –> 00:07:15,100tell me what I have to do.14000:07:15,100 –> 00:07:16,000What do I owe to God?14100:07:16,000 –> 00:07:17,399What should I give to God?14200:07:18,859 –> 00:07:21,700So you will get all kinds of answers to that question14300:07:21,700 –> 00:07:25,000and many of them very good and helpful.14400:07:26,220 –> 00:07:28,859Depending on who you ask, you may get answers like this.14500:07:28,859 –> 00:07:32,540Read the Bible and pray for 20 minutes each day.14600:07:32,540 –> 00:07:35,339Give 10% of your income.14700:07:35,339 –> 00:07:37,540Be in a small group, get involved in a ministry14800:07:37,540 –> 00:07:38,359or whatever it is.14900:07:38,820 –> 00:07:41,059Being specific can be helpful.15000:07:42,079 –> 00:07:45,859But the problem with reducing what we give to God15100:07:45,859 –> 00:07:50,559to a formula, is that you lose sight of the fact15200:07:50,559 –> 00:07:53,480that God lays claim to the totality of your life.15300:07:53,480 –> 00:07:56,160Which is the point that Jesus is making here.15400:07:56,160 –> 00:07:59,940Life, talent, time, money, all things come from Him.15500:07:59,940 –> 00:08:02,920All things belong to Him.15600:08:02,920 –> 00:08:04,279All things are for Him.15700:08:04,279 –> 00:08:07,000And we are the stewards15800:08:08,660 –> 00:08:10,920and when Jesus says, give to Caesar what is Caesar’s15900:08:10,920 –> 00:08:12,140and give to God what is God’s,16000:08:12,140 –> 00:08:17,140what he’s calling us to is an unconditional self-giving16100:08:17,339 –> 00:08:19,040of all that we are and all that we have16200:08:19,040 –> 00:08:22,220into the hands of God to live under his sovereign rule16300:08:22,220 –> 00:08:23,519and then take it from there.16400:08:25,839 –> 00:08:28,799That’s what it means to take your stand with Jesus Christ.16500:08:32,020 –> 00:08:34,659You end your rebellion against God16600:08:35,659 –> 00:08:38,359and you offer yourself to God unconditionally16700:08:39,640 –> 00:08:42,039and give to God what is God’s16800:08:42,039 –> 00:08:46,320as a person made in his image.16900:08:47,539 –> 00:08:48,820You’re listening to Open the Bible17000:08:48,820 –> 00:08:50,020with Pastor Colin Smith17100:08:50,020 –> 00:08:51,179and a message called17200:08:51,179 –> 00:08:55,219Jesus Has All the Answers to His People’s Questions.17300:08:55,219 –> 00:08:56,840Now, this message was originally part17400:08:56,840 –> 00:08:59,659of a series called The Gospel According to Jesus17500:08:59,659 –> 00:09:02,539and it’s been one of the most downloaded17600:09:02,580 –> 00:09:05,659and listened to messages of the past 12 months.17700:09:05,659 –> 00:09:08,340So we’ve bundled up all the most popular messages17800:09:08,340 –> 00:09:12,940into a series we’re calling Listener Favorites 2026.17900:09:12,940 –> 00:09:15,380If you’ve missed any of the messages in the series,18000:09:15,380 –> 00:09:17,559you can catch up or go back and listen again18100:09:17,559 –> 00:09:22,500by coming online to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.18200:09:22,500 –> 00:09:25,559Alternatively, look on your favorite podcast site18300:09:25,559 –> 00:09:27,559for Open the Bible UK18400:09:27,559 –> 00:09:29,119and there you’ll find all the messages18500:09:29,119 –> 00:09:31,659which have already gone out on air.18600:09:31,659 –> 00:09:35,320Back to the message now, we’re in Mark Chapters 11 and 1218700:09:35,320 –> 00:09:37,039and here again is Colin.18800:09:37,719 –> 00:09:39,080And then here’s the third thing,18900:09:39,080 –> 00:09:40,359I take it from the third question,19000:09:40,359 –> 00:09:42,000what’s it mean to become a true Christian?19100:09:42,000 –> 00:09:43,599Take your stand with Jesus Christ,19200:09:43,599 –> 00:09:48,599well, it means trusting God’s sovereign power in all things.19300:09:49,479 –> 00:09:51,359Remember, Jesus said to the cynic,19400:09:51,359 –> 00:09:54,719you don’t know the scriptures or the power of God.19500:09:54,719 –> 00:09:56,080When someone becomes a Christian,19600:09:56,080 –> 00:09:57,400it involves this great change,19700:09:57,400 –> 00:10:00,359you do know the scriptures, you believe them,19800:10:00,359 –> 00:10:02,580you hang your life on what they teach19900:10:03,739 –> 00:10:06,359and in becoming Christian by definition,20000:10:06,359 –> 00:10:08,479you are discovering and knowing20100:10:09,500 –> 00:10:12,940and believing in and trusting the power of God.20200:10:14,479 –> 00:10:16,080By the way, if you come to the Bible20300:10:16,080 –> 00:10:20,000with a materialistic or naturalistic world view,20400:10:20,000 –> 00:10:22,739it will not make any sense to you at all.20500:10:23,719 –> 00:10:25,840If you want to understand the Bible,20600:10:25,840 –> 00:10:29,520you have to read it in the light of God’s sovereign power,20700:10:29,520 –> 00:10:31,739I think that’s part of what Jesus teaches us here,20800:10:31,739 –> 00:10:33,940then it will make sense to you.20900:10:33,940 –> 00:10:37,080The birth of Christ, the miracles, the resurrection,21000:10:37,080 –> 00:10:39,200the gift of the Holy Spirit,21100:10:39,200 –> 00:10:42,880the new birth, which is not a humanly engineered change,21200:10:42,880 –> 00:10:44,940but rather the power of God, the life of God21300:10:44,940 –> 00:10:47,640coming into the soul of a man or a woman,21400:10:47,640 –> 00:10:49,200the new heaven, and the new earth,21500:10:49,200 –> 00:10:52,520it all is predicated on God’s power.21600:10:53,919 –> 00:10:55,799And becoming a Christian involves21700:10:55,799 –> 00:10:57,840discovering the truth of the Bible21800:10:57,840 –> 00:11:00,619and discovering the power of God.21900:11:01,719 –> 00:11:03,640And this is one of the great blessings22000:11:03,640 –> 00:11:07,520of becoming a Christian that you know22100:11:07,520 –> 00:11:11,280that this God of sovereign power is for you,22200:11:11,280 –> 00:11:15,479with you, and even by his Spirit at work within you.22300:11:15,479 –> 00:11:18,119So when you come to know the power of God,22400:11:18,119 –> 00:11:20,299you can look back even on your past22500:11:20,299 –> 00:11:21,679before you were a Christian22600:11:21,679 –> 00:11:24,340and you can say, you know, I see that differently now22700:11:24,340 –> 00:11:26,599because God’s hand was on me even then22800:11:26,659 –> 00:11:29,020planning good things for my eternal future.22900:11:30,020 –> 00:11:33,140And you can look at your life now23000:11:33,140 –> 00:11:34,520and you will see it quite differently23100:11:34,520 –> 00:11:36,520because you know that this God is with you23200:11:36,520 –> 00:11:38,140even though you cannot see him.23300:11:40,340 –> 00:11:42,219And you can look forward with confidence23400:11:42,219 –> 00:11:44,760because your future life is in his hand23500:11:44,760 –> 00:11:48,200and if it’s in the hand of the God of sovereign power,23600:11:48,200 –> 00:11:50,140then you are absolutely secure.23700:11:51,219 –> 00:11:53,380This is the God Jesus said who sustained23800:11:53,380 –> 00:11:55,179Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob23900:11:55,260 –> 00:11:56,239and he carried them through everything24000:11:57,039 –> 00:11:57,880they faced in their lives24100:11:58,940 –> 00:11:59,780and he is sustaining them still.24200:11:59,780 –> 00:12:01,960He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.24300:12:01,960 –> 00:12:03,859Present tense, still.24400:12:05,739 –> 00:12:07,619So, as a Christian, as a person then24500:12:07,619 –> 00:12:10,020who is learning to trust God’s sovereign power24600:12:10,020 –> 00:12:12,020in all things, and it is in this way24700:12:12,020 –> 00:12:16,400that a Christian faces every circumstance of life.24800:12:19,280 –> 00:12:22,359Then here’s the fourth mark of genuine conversion.24900:12:23,359 –> 00:12:28,359Loving God and the people he has placed around you.25000:12:30,000 –> 00:12:31,719Now notice there are two commands here25100:12:31,719 –> 00:12:34,200when Jesus says in verse 30 and 3125200:12:34,200 –> 00:12:36,140that we are to love God with all our heart,25300:12:36,140 –> 00:12:37,780soul, mind, and strength25400:12:37,780 –> 00:12:40,760and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.25500:12:40,760 –> 00:12:41,580Two commands.25600:12:42,479 –> 00:12:45,559It is important to realize both the consistency25700:12:45,559 –> 00:12:47,700of the continuity between them25800:12:47,700 –> 00:12:51,799and also the contrast between them.25900:12:51,859 –> 00:12:53,320How are we to love God?26000:12:54,719 –> 00:12:56,960Well we are to love God with our heart and soul.26100:12:56,960 –> 00:13:00,520That means it involves our affections.26200:13:00,520 –> 00:13:01,400Our emotion.26300:13:02,520 –> 00:13:04,719We love Him.26400:13:06,659 –> 00:13:08,479And we are to love him with our minds.26500:13:08,479 –> 00:13:11,159That means we care about his truth passionately.26600:13:12,080 –> 00:13:14,099David says time and again in the Psalms,26700:13:14,099 –> 00:13:17,099oh how I love your law.26800:13:17,099 –> 00:13:19,039And he didn’t even have the new testament.26900:13:19,039 –> 00:13:21,080He was just talking about the old testament.27000:13:21,299 –> 00:13:23,440But he said I love the truth of God.27100:13:23,440 –> 00:13:26,200I’m jealous for the truth of God.27200:13:26,200 –> 00:13:29,859That it be proclaimed and that it be believed,27300:13:29,859 –> 00:13:33,239that it be preserved and that it be passed onto others.27400:13:34,500 –> 00:13:37,539As you evaluate and develop your own thinking,27500:13:37,539 –> 00:13:41,859you will be drawn to thoughts and ideas27600:13:41,859 –> 00:13:43,760and approaches that exalt God27700:13:43,760 –> 00:13:47,059and you’ll be turning away from thoughts and ideas27800:13:47,059 –> 00:13:49,140and approaches that diminish God.27900:13:50,140 –> 00:13:52,580You will turn away from things that make man more28000:13:52,580 –> 00:13:53,400and God less,28100:13:53,400 –> 00:13:54,479you’ll turn towards the things28200:13:54,479 –> 00:13:57,460that make God more and man less.28300:13:57,460 –> 00:13:59,059You love him with all your mind.28400:14:00,299 –> 00:14:02,400Your whole world view, your whole thinking.28500:14:03,260 –> 00:14:06,679And then you love God with all your strength,28600:14:06,679 –> 00:14:09,500which means that we deploy our strength28700:14:09,500 –> 00:14:11,299to engage in the work that God is doing28800:14:11,299 –> 00:14:12,979in the world.28900:14:12,979 –> 00:14:14,539And it’s not so much a matter of saying29000:14:14,539 –> 00:14:16,419God will you come and bless or work,29100:14:16,419 –> 00:14:17,500it is us saying Lord,29200:14:17,500 –> 00:14:20,500we want to make ourselves available for your work.29300:14:21,859 –> 00:14:24,700And this is part of how we love God.29400:14:24,700 –> 00:14:26,419It’s a good question to ask,29500:14:26,419 –> 00:14:28,700how is your strength,29600:14:30,140 –> 00:14:31,760that is all your strength,29700:14:31,760 –> 00:14:33,840your gift strength, your time strength,29800:14:33,840 –> 00:14:35,219your financial strength,29900:14:35,219 –> 00:14:36,340every strength of your life,30000:14:36,340 –> 00:14:38,760how is your strength being utilized30100:14:38,760 –> 00:14:39,979for the advance of the gospel,30200:14:39,979 –> 00:14:41,520the work of Jesus Christ today?30300:14:42,919 –> 00:14:45,679Because that is part of how you love him,30400:14:45,679 –> 00:14:49,659by the deploying of your strength in his work.30500:14:49,659 –> 00:14:51,739And it’s a wonderful question for us,30600:14:51,739 –> 00:14:55,200a great challenge that we face as a church together.30700:14:55,200 –> 00:14:57,799How can the total strength30800:14:58,859 –> 00:15:00,640of this body30900:15:00,640 –> 00:15:02,520be most effectively deployed31000:15:02,520 –> 00:15:03,919for the advance of the gospel,31100:15:03,919 –> 00:15:06,239because that is how we show that we love him,31200:15:08,179 –> 00:15:10,280to place at his disposal31300:15:10,280 –> 00:15:13,119and to deploy31400:15:13,119 –> 00:15:15,359for his gospel31500:15:15,400 –> 00:15:18,700all that he has trusted to us,31600:15:18,700 –> 00:15:22,039that is how we show that we love him.31700:15:22,039 –> 00:15:23,280So how do you love God?31800:15:23,280 –> 00:15:24,500With all your heart,31900:15:24,500 –> 00:15:25,700with all your soul,32000:15:25,700 –> 00:15:27,099with all your mind32100:15:27,979 –> 00:15:29,320and with all your strength.32200:15:31,580 –> 00:15:33,119Now, here’s the second command,32300:15:33,979 –> 00:15:35,419you’re to love your neighbor.32400:15:36,559 –> 00:15:38,719Now, I want you to notice the continuity,32500:15:38,719 –> 00:15:39,940love God,32600:15:39,940 –> 00:15:41,679love your neighbor,32700:15:41,679 –> 00:15:42,919the same dynamic.32800:15:43,900 –> 00:15:47,679I want you to notice the contrast,32900:15:47,679 –> 00:15:49,020love God with all your heart,33000:15:49,020 –> 00:15:50,239soul, mind and strength,33100:15:50,239 –> 00:15:52,440love your neighbor, how?33200:15:52,440 –> 00:15:54,640As yourself.33300:15:54,640 –> 00:15:57,679So both continuity and a contrast here33400:15:57,679 –> 00:15:59,260and they’re both important.33500:16:00,140 –> 00:16:02,780We are to love God above ourselves33600:16:02,780 –> 00:16:04,619and above all others.33700:16:05,859 –> 00:16:08,679We are to love God unconditionally33800:16:08,679 –> 00:16:11,039with every fiber of our being,33900:16:11,039 –> 00:16:12,159with every power34000:16:12,200 –> 00:16:14,659at our disposal with no limitations,34100:16:14,659 –> 00:16:19,380mind, heart, soul, strength.34200:16:20,700 –> 00:16:23,020You cannot love God too much,34300:16:25,080 –> 00:16:26,739but then Jesus says we are to love34400:16:26,739 –> 00:16:29,380our neighbor as ourselves.34500:16:29,380 –> 00:16:30,520Let me ask you this question.34600:16:30,520 –> 00:16:33,239Is it possible to love yourself too much?34700:16:34,260 –> 00:16:35,479Yes, it is.34800:16:36,739 –> 00:16:38,039We’ve all said about someone,34900:16:38,039 –> 00:16:39,880she loves herself way too much.35000:16:40,760 –> 00:16:43,039He thinks way too much of himself.35100:16:43,039 –> 00:16:45,479It’s possible to love yourself too much.35200:16:45,479 –> 00:16:46,679Here’s another question.35300:16:47,880 –> 00:16:49,700Can you love yourself too little?35400:16:50,619 –> 00:16:53,219Yes, you can love yourself too little.35500:16:53,219 –> 00:16:54,559We’ve probably all said to someone35600:16:54,559 –> 00:16:56,200who’s not caring for themselves,35700:16:56,200 –> 00:16:59,460and just not eating, or not sleeping,35800:16:59,460 –> 00:17:02,400or just working themselves to death it seems.35900:17:02,400 –> 00:17:07,400We say, he’s really not looking after himself as he should,36000:17:07,520 –> 00:17:10,599and we’re concerned out of love for that person.36100:17:11,680 –> 00:17:14,020And the truth is that even among the congregation here,36200:17:14,020 –> 00:17:17,359some of us need to care for ourselves more.36300:17:17,359 –> 00:17:21,719And some of us need to care for ourselves less.36400:17:21,719 –> 00:17:24,760And knowing the difference is a matter of wisdom.36500:17:24,760 –> 00:17:25,920And this is an area, frankly,36600:17:25,920 –> 00:17:27,400where we can help one another.36700:17:28,500 –> 00:17:32,380If a person who loves you and cares for you says now,36800:17:32,380 –> 00:17:34,400you need to take better care of yourself,36900:17:34,400 –> 00:17:35,400you listen to them.37000:17:36,400 –> 00:17:38,140May be a word from the Lord to you.37100:17:39,140 –> 00:17:41,239And if a person who really cares for you says37200:17:41,239 –> 00:17:43,780you’re really thinking about yourself too much here,37300:17:43,780 –> 00:17:45,579then you listen to them.37400:17:45,579 –> 00:17:48,199It may indeed be a word from the Lord to you.37500:17:48,199 –> 00:17:51,060So let’s help one another gain wisdom over this matter37600:17:51,060 –> 00:17:52,459because this is not easy.37700:17:52,459 –> 00:17:54,319We can err in either direction37800:17:54,319 –> 00:17:56,500and self love needs to be regulated.37900:17:56,500 –> 00:17:58,339It can be too much, or it can be too little38000:17:58,339 –> 00:18:01,119and it’s easy for us to think of examples of both.38100:18:02,439 –> 00:18:04,900Now Jesus says love your neighbor in the same way.38200:18:05,459 –> 00:18:07,160This also is in need of regulation38300:18:08,199 –> 00:18:12,319because if you love your neighbor too much,38400:18:12,319 –> 00:18:17,319and that is possible, you might make an idol of that person.38500:18:17,920 –> 00:18:19,640That’s what would happen.38600:18:19,640 –> 00:18:24,640Or you might make yourself a slave to that person.38700:18:24,680 –> 00:18:26,959You might become sort of doormat38800:18:26,959 –> 00:18:29,219as if that person were God in your life38900:18:29,219 –> 00:18:33,079and that is idolatry and that is displeasing to God39000:18:33,079 –> 00:18:35,819and it is not what Christ calls us to hear.39100:18:36,859 –> 00:18:39,880On the other hand, if you love your neighbor too little,39200:18:39,880 –> 00:18:42,079you might become insensitive to a person39300:18:42,079 –> 00:18:44,180God has placed next to you,39400:18:44,180 –> 00:18:46,479not caring about them as you ought,39500:18:46,479 –> 00:18:49,680not looking out for them as you should.39600:18:50,560 –> 00:18:54,199So in this matter of our relationships with other people39700:18:54,199 –> 00:18:55,680that God has placed around us,39800:18:55,680 –> 00:18:58,579which of course is the meaning of the word neighbor here,39900:18:58,579 –> 00:18:59,800we need great wisdom.40000:19:00,619 –> 00:19:05,020You love God with all your heart, all your mind,40100:19:05,020 –> 00:19:08,199all your soul, and all your strength,40200:19:08,199 –> 00:19:11,959and you love your neighbor as yourself.40300:19:13,239 –> 00:19:14,819Let me quote you Bishop Ryle here,40400:19:14,819 –> 00:19:17,020who makes this point I think very, very helpfully.40500:19:17,020 –> 00:19:17,859He says,40600:19:17,859 –> 00:19:20,160The marvelous wisdom of this distinction40700:19:20,160 –> 00:19:23,040is clear and plain.40800:19:23,040 –> 00:19:27,079We may easily err in our affections towards others,40900:19:27,079 –> 00:19:29,640either by thinking too little or too much41000:19:29,680 –> 00:19:30,500of them.41100:19:31,520 –> 00:19:34,619We therefore need the rule to love them as ourselves,41200:19:34,619 –> 00:19:37,040neither more nor less.41300:19:37,040 –> 00:19:40,079But we cannot err in our affection towards God41400:19:40,079 –> 00:19:42,119when it comes to excess.41500:19:42,119 –> 00:19:45,040He is worthy of all that we can give.41600:19:45,040 –> 00:19:47,180Therefore, we are to love Him41700:19:48,520 –> 00:19:50,099with all our heart.41800:19:50,099 –> 00:19:54,459See, these words of Jesus are not sentiment,41900:19:54,459 –> 00:19:58,119they’re His command and they’re absolutely practical,42000:19:58,119 –> 00:19:59,439and that is a continuity,42100:19:59,439 –> 00:20:01,540and there is a contrast,42200:20:01,540 –> 00:20:03,560you’re to love God with all your heart and your soul42300:20:03,560 –> 00:20:04,719and your mind, and your strength,42400:20:04,719 –> 00:20:07,140you’re to love your neighbor as you love yourself.42500:20:09,439 –> 00:20:11,839So what are the marks, then, of genuine conversion?42600:20:11,839 –> 00:20:14,560What does it mean to become a real Christian?42700:20:15,660 –> 00:20:19,119It means that you end your rebellion against God,42800:20:19,119 –> 00:20:22,079that you offer yourself to God unconditionally,42900:20:22,079 –> 00:20:25,380that you trust in God’s sovereign power,43000:20:25,380 –> 00:20:26,959and by the Holy Spirit within you,43100:20:26,979 –> 00:20:29,180you begin to love God and the people43200:20:29,180 –> 00:20:30,760that He has placed around you.43300:20:32,339 –> 00:20:36,060And here is the marvelous miracle of God’s grace43400:20:36,060 –> 00:20:40,219that is involved in becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ.43500:20:40,219 –> 00:20:43,040It’s not just a human redirection of life,43600:20:43,040 –> 00:20:46,040it is a new creation by His divine power.43700:20:47,160 –> 00:20:49,680To become a Christian involves God,43800:20:49,680 –> 00:20:52,300in His incredible grace,43900:20:52,359 –> 00:20:56,219taking rebels and making us friends44000:20:56,219 –> 00:21:00,079who live gladly and joyfully under His rule in our lives,44100:21:00,979 –> 00:21:05,479to take hypocrites and make of us disciples44200:21:05,479 –> 00:21:07,680who are wholly devoted to Him,44300:21:08,640 –> 00:21:12,660to take cynics and to make of us44400:21:12,660 –> 00:21:17,579people who know God’s power and believe in His word,44500:21:17,579 –> 00:21:21,199and then to take us outsiders, strangers,44600:21:21,199 –> 00:21:23,939to bring us into His kingdom of love.44700:21:24,859 –> 00:21:27,660That’s what real conversion looks like.44800:21:27,660 –> 00:21:29,000That is fault.44900:21:29,000 –> 00:21:33,099It means to be taking your stand with Jesus Christ,45000:21:33,099 –> 00:21:38,099and it is His incredible grace that makes that possible.45100:21:38,439 –> 00:21:40,660Pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible45200:21:40,660 –> 00:21:41,619wrapping up the message,45300:21:41,619 –> 00:21:45,660Jesus has the answers to his people’s questions.45400:21:45,660 –> 00:21:47,619Message was originally part of a series45500:21:47,619 –> 00:21:49,459called the Gospel According to Jesus,45600:21:49,459 –> 00:21:52,219and it’s been included in this present series,45700:21:52,219 –> 00:21:55,540which is called Listener Favorites 2026,45800:21:55,540 –> 00:21:57,760because of the popularity of the broadcast45900:21:57,760 –> 00:22:00,300and the number of times it’s been downloaded.46000:22:00,300 –> 00:22:01,119Do you want to listen to any46100:22:01,119 –> 00:22:02,599of the other messages in the series,46200:22:02,599 –> 00:22:04,199or if you’ve missed any of them,46300:22:04,199 –> 00:22:09,020you can go online to our website openthebible.org.uk46400:22:09,020 –> 00:22:10,660and there you’ll find all the messages46500:22:10,660 –> 00:22:12,780which we’ve already broadcast.46600:22:12,780 –> 00:22:15,099You can also find them as a podcast,46700:22:15,099 –> 00:22:17,439and those are on all the main podcast sites.46800:22:17,439 –> 00:22:18,719You can find them by searching46900:22:19,020 –> 00:22:20,979for Open the Bible UK,47000:22:20,979 –> 00:22:23,699or by following the link from our website.47100:22:23,699 –> 00:22:26,160In my family we enjoy hiking,47200:22:26,160 –> 00:22:29,300and it would be great to go on a hike with you Colin.47300:22:29,300 –> 00:22:31,300Listeners have an opportunity to do that47400:22:31,300 –> 00:22:33,719with a Hike Through the Bible podcast.47500:22:33,719 –> 00:22:36,099Yes, I am inviting you to join me47600:22:36,099 –> 00:22:37,880on a hike through the Bible,47700:22:37,880 –> 00:22:42,420and it is going to be a gentle, easy piece of a hike.47800:22:42,420 –> 00:22:45,140Each week you’ll read a chapter of the Bible47900:22:45,140 –> 00:22:48,060and a chapter of my book, Hike Through the Bible,48000:22:48,119 –> 00:22:52,920and in one year you’ll have read 50 chapters of the Bible.48100:22:52,920 –> 00:22:55,699You’ll have grasped the big picture of the Bible’s story,48200:22:55,699 –> 00:22:57,040and most of all,48300:22:57,040 –> 00:23:00,479you’ll have grown in your love for Jesus Christ.48400:23:00,479 –> 00:23:03,339Now, there’s a Hike Through the Bible podcast48500:23:03,339 –> 00:23:05,319to help you on this journey.48600:23:05,319 –> 00:23:08,300In each episode, I read a chapter of the book,48700:23:08,300 –> 00:23:10,359and then I discuss it with some friends,48800:23:10,359 –> 00:23:12,400so get started now.48900:23:12,400 –> 00:23:15,400You can subscribe to Hike Through the Bible podcast49000:23:15,400 –> 00:23:17,400wherever you get your podcasts,49100:23:17,439 –> 00:23:19,180and you can find out more information49200:23:19,180 –> 00:23:23,119on openthebible.org.uk.49300:23:23,119 –> 00:23:25,540Well, as regular listeners will know,49400:23:25,540 –> 00:23:29,000Open The Bible is supported by our listeners financially.49500:23:29,000 –> 00:23:30,699If that’s something you already do,49600:23:30,699 –> 00:23:33,540then thank you so much for your support.49700:23:33,540 –> 00:23:36,400If you’re considering beginning to support Open The Bible49800:23:36,400 –> 00:23:39,719in the future, this month, we’d love to say thank you49900:23:39,719 –> 00:23:42,140by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s50000:23:42,140 –> 00:23:46,500brand new 30-day devotional book, Grow in Love.50100:23:46,500 –> 00:23:49,579Colin, why did you write this book?50200:23:49,579 –> 00:23:52,099Well, this is the third in a series50300:23:52,099 –> 00:23:54,680on faith, hope and love.50400:23:54,680 –> 00:23:56,400And of course the Bible says50500:23:56,400 –> 00:23:59,819that these are the three things that are going to remain.50600:23:59,819 –> 00:24:01,719It’s very striking, Paul says,50700:24:01,719 –> 00:24:04,339everything else is going to pass away.50800:24:04,339 –> 00:24:07,979But faith, hope and love, they’re going to abide50900:24:07,979 –> 00:24:10,020and the greatest of these is love.51000:24:10,020 –> 00:24:12,859So I’m absolutely convinced51100:24:12,859 –> 00:24:15,239that the greatest need of the Christian church51200:24:15,819 –> 00:24:18,020today is a fresh outpouring of faith51300:24:18,020 –> 00:24:19,959and of hope and of love.51400:24:19,959 –> 00:24:21,479I mean, think about it.51500:24:21,479 –> 00:24:23,500Everybody is looking for love,51600:24:23,500 –> 00:24:25,160everybody wants to find hope,51700:24:25,160 –> 00:24:28,099everybody needs someone to believe in51800:24:28,099 –> 00:24:31,939and God has given us these things in Jesus Christ.51900:24:31,939 –> 00:24:33,359And the more we grow in faith,52000:24:33,359 –> 00:24:36,599the more we grow in hope and the more we grow in love,52100:24:36,599 –> 00:24:38,839the more effective we’re going to be in the world52200:24:38,839 –> 00:24:41,000and the more we’re going to be like our saviour.52300:24:41,000 –> 00:24:42,680Well, we’d love to send you a copy52400:24:42,680 –> 00:24:45,099of Pastor Colin’s book, Grow in Love.52500:24:45,099 –> 00:24:47,180When you set up a new direct debit52600:24:47,180 –> 00:24:48,699to the work of Open the Bible52700:24:48,699 –> 00:24:51,540in the amount of five pounds per month or more52800:24:51,540 –> 00:24:54,300or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more,52900:24:54,300 –> 00:24:55,239this month.53000:24:55,239 –> 00:24:56,859Full terms and conditions53100:24:56,859 –> 00:24:59,479and to give online, come to our website,53200:24:59,479 –> 00:25:02,260openthebible.org.uk53300:25:02,260 –> 00:25:03,079and don’t forget53400:25:03,079 –> 00:25:04,859to leave your full name and address53500:25:04,859 –> 00:25:07,400so we can send you your free gift.53600:25:07,400 –> 00:25:09,819For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,53700:25:09,819 –> 00:25:11,099I’m David Pick53800:25:11,099 –> 00:25:13,560and I hope you’ll join us again next time.53900:25:14,040 –> 00:25:19,219Your Heart’s Crucial Lesson54000:25:21,000 –> 00:25:23,599How important is your heart?54100:25:23,599 –> 00:25:24,900Pastor Colin Smith talks54200:25:24,900 –> 00:25:27,040about six crucial Bible passages54300:25:27,040 –> 00:25:30,199which underline the importance of your heart.54400:25:30,199 –> 00:25:32,520That’s next time on Open the Bible.