100:00:00,480 –> 00:00:05,000We live in times when a good number of us have lost a lot of money200:00:05,480 –> 00:00:08,720and we would really like the stock market to give it back300:00:08,720 –> 00:00:12,200and hope it will and pray that it will.400:00:14,840 –> 00:00:16,879But it would be good for us to think about this question.500:00:16,879 –> 00:00:21,040If God gave you more, what would you do with it?600:00:21,040 –> 00:00:24,920Welcome to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.700:00:24,920 –> 00:00:27,400I’m David Pick. I’m glad you could join us today and800:00:27,760 –> 00:00:29,719Colin, that’s a provocative question900:00:30,320 –> 00:00:31,680and an excellent one.1000:00:31,680 –> 00:00:34,919If God gave us more, what would we actually do with it?1100:00:34,919 –> 00:00:36,720Well, at least it’s a hopeful question.1200:00:36,720 –> 00:00:40,080It’s actually a very searching one because the reality is1300:00:40,080 –> 00:00:43,680that when God gives more and He’s wonderfully generous1400:00:43,680 –> 00:00:46,560and wonderfully kind, the easiest thing in the world1500:00:46,560 –> 00:00:50,119is for us simply to find more ways of absorbing and consuming.1600:00:50,119 –> 00:00:54,840And, you know, you look at the course of a person’s life1700:00:55,080 –> 00:00:56,080and you say, well, now,1800:00:56,080 –> 00:00:58,240I was living in this situation at one point1900:00:58,240 –> 00:01:00,880and then ten years later in another situation.2000:01:00,880 –> 00:01:05,239How can I maximise the stewardship of what Christ gives to me2100:01:05,239 –> 00:01:07,559and be really faithful if He does give me more2200:01:07,559 –> 00:01:09,199and as He gives me more?2300:01:09,199 –> 00:01:10,800That’s really a test of heart.2400:01:10,800 –> 00:01:14,160So some people will hear that challenge and respond to it2500:01:14,160 –> 00:01:16,279but perhaps others will say,2600:01:16,279 –> 00:01:19,800okay, here’s another pastor asking me for more money.2700:01:19,800 –> 00:01:23,199So what does the Bible say about this?2800:01:24,040 –> 00:01:27,839Well, the book of Deuteronomy addresses it very directly.2900:01:27,839 –> 00:01:29,279Here’s God’s people.3000:01:29,279 –> 00:01:30,239They’ve been in the desert.3100:01:30,239 –> 00:01:31,839They’re going to go into the land of Canaan3200:01:31,839 –> 00:01:34,160and they’re gonna have more, much, much more.3300:01:35,440 –> 00:01:36,800And the warning that God gives is,3400:01:36,800 –> 00:01:39,160when you have more, when you prosper,3500:01:39,160 –> 00:01:41,919be very careful that you do not forget the Lord3600:01:41,919 –> 00:01:44,279because that’s what so easily happens.3700:01:44,279 –> 00:01:47,879Life becomes consuming as God’s blessings increase.3800:01:47,879 –> 00:01:49,599And so in receiving His blessings,3900:01:49,599 –> 00:01:51,699we actually end up further away from Him.4000:01:51,699 –> 00:01:53,080That’s a tragedy.4100:01:53,099 –> 00:01:55,940God’s blessings are meant to bring us closer to Him.4200:01:55,940 –> 00:01:58,500And that’s why the question today is of real importance.4300:01:58,500 –> 00:02:00,260It is, and we’re going to look4400:02:00,260 –> 00:02:03,699at that question from 2 Corinthians chapter nine4500:02:03,699 –> 00:02:07,620as we continue the message, A Generous Reward.4600:02:07,620 –> 00:02:09,259Here is Pastor Colin.4700:02:09,259 –> 00:02:11,179Now I hope you have your Bible open in front of you4800:02:11,179 –> 00:02:14,080because these verses of Scripture4900:02:14,080 –> 00:02:17,800contain some marvelous promises5000:02:17,800 –> 00:02:21,520that have been horribly abused5100:02:21,520 –> 00:02:23,580by some Christian teachers.5200:02:24,660 –> 00:02:28,059I say that they have been horribly abused5300:02:28,059 –> 00:02:30,179because they are sometimes taught,5400:02:30,179 –> 00:02:33,740these scriptures are sometimes taught in a way5500:02:33,740 –> 00:02:37,179that kills the very generosity5600:02:37,179 –> 00:02:39,839Paul is writing to encourage.5700:02:39,839 –> 00:02:42,020And that’s a horrible abuse to use the Bible5800:02:42,020 –> 00:02:44,740in a way that has the opposite effect5900:02:44,740 –> 00:02:47,320of the Holy Spirit’s intent.6000:02:48,179 –> 00:02:51,940The teaching that I’m referring to, the horrible abuse,6100:02:51,940 –> 00:02:53,339you will be familiar with it.6200:02:53,339 –> 00:02:57,500It is sometimes known as prosperity teaching6300:02:57,500 –> 00:03:00,460or as the prosperity gospel.6400:03:00,460 –> 00:03:03,399And what it says is something along these lines.6500:03:03,399 –> 00:03:06,119God wants you to prosper financially6600:03:06,119 –> 00:03:09,520and the way that this happens is by a simple formula,6700:03:09,520 –> 00:03:14,119the more you give, the more you get.6800:03:14,199 –> 00:03:18,720And you can see why people who teach a prosperity gospel6900:03:18,720 –> 00:03:23,479like to come to 2 Corinthians chapter 8 and chapter 97000:03:23,479 –> 00:03:27,160and they will quote often verses like 2 Corinthians 8, 9,7100:03:27,160 –> 00:03:28,679that great Christmas verse.7200:03:28,679 –> 00:03:30,080Think of what it says.7300:03:30,979 –> 00:03:32,800You know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ7400:03:32,800 –> 00:03:36,460that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor,7500:03:36,460 –> 00:03:41,139that you through his poverty might become rich.7600:03:41,160 –> 00:03:43,259Or chapter nine and verse 11,7700:03:43,259 –> 00:03:48,259you will be made rich in every way.7800:03:48,520 –> 00:03:50,479So the prosperity teacher comes7900:03:50,479 –> 00:03:53,220and he seizes on verses of the Bible like this8000:03:53,220 –> 00:03:55,559and he says, well there you are.8100:03:55,559 –> 00:03:58,139God wants you rich.8200:03:58,139 –> 00:04:03,119And the guaranteed way for you to prosper financially8300:04:03,119 –> 00:04:06,740is to increase your year end giving to the church.8400:04:06,740 –> 00:04:08,919Now you’ve heard that kind of thing,8500:04:08,919 –> 00:04:11,119you’ve seen that kind of thing.8600:04:11,220 –> 00:04:12,520And you know, as I do,8700:04:12,520 –> 00:04:14,820that a good salesman can make this sound8800:04:14,820 –> 00:04:17,019like the sweetest deal.8900:04:17,980 –> 00:04:19,619You reap what you sow.9000:04:20,579 –> 00:04:25,040So giving becomes the path to prosperity.9100:04:26,839 –> 00:04:29,559Now the problem with that lies right here.9200:04:31,619 –> 00:04:35,040That when giving is taught9300:04:35,040 –> 00:04:40,040as a means to gain, generosity dies, it has to.9400:04:41,720 –> 00:04:46,619Because the giving actually is about me, and what I’ll get.9500:04:47,760 –> 00:04:52,279When giving becomes the path to prosperity,9600:04:52,279 –> 00:04:56,000the very point of 2 Corinthians chapter 89700:04:56,000 –> 00:04:58,000and chapter 9 is lost,9800:04:58,000 –> 00:05:01,000and that is why I describe that kind of teaching9900:05:01,000 –> 00:05:06,000as a horrible abuse of the word of God, right here.10000:05:06,019 –> 00:05:06,899Right here.10100:05:08,279 –> 00:05:11,399We’ve been saying that gospel giving10200:05:11,399 –> 00:05:14,019is pulled out of the world of law10300:05:14,019 –> 00:05:16,320and into the world of grace10400:05:16,320 –> 00:05:19,540because generosity can only live and grow10500:05:19,540 –> 00:05:20,459in the world of grace.10600:05:20,459 –> 00:05:22,959It cannot thrive in the soil of the law.10700:05:24,239 –> 00:05:27,600And generosity cannot grow10800:05:27,600 –> 00:05:30,600in the soil of self interest either.10900:05:31,859 –> 00:05:35,100So we have to pull this whole matter of giving11000:05:35,100 –> 00:05:40,100out of any sense of what is mine as a result.11100:05:40,179 –> 00:05:43,279Otherwise, we cannot grow in the likeness11200:05:43,279 –> 00:05:46,279of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.11300:05:46,279 –> 00:05:48,880Listen, the teaching of Second Corinthians11400:05:48,880 –> 00:05:50,679in Chapter Eight and Chapter Nine.11500:05:50,679 –> 00:05:53,160If I can try and summarize it this way,11600:05:53,160 –> 00:05:55,739it’s not the more you give, the more you get.11700:05:56,720 –> 00:06:01,720It’s the more you give the more you will be able to give.11800:06:02,320 –> 00:06:04,480Notice that in verse 11 and in verse eight.11900:06:04,739 –> 00:06:07,540First verse 11, you will be made rich in every way12000:06:07,540 –> 00:06:12,299so that you can be generous on every occasion.12100:06:13,720 –> 00:06:16,200That’s what God promises to us.12200:06:16,200 –> 00:06:18,720If you set your heart on being more generous,12300:06:18,720 –> 00:06:21,739God will give you the ability to do so.12400:06:21,739 –> 00:06:23,880As you grow in generosity, you will find12500:06:23,880 –> 00:06:26,059that God enables the capacity12600:06:26,059 –> 00:06:28,160of your generosity to increase.12700:06:29,399 –> 00:06:31,279The point of verse eight, look at that.12800:06:31,279 –> 00:06:33,940God is able to make all grace abound to you12900:06:33,940 –> 00:06:37,619so that in all things, at all times, having all you need,13000:06:37,619 –> 00:06:40,019notice need, not all you want, but all you need,13100:06:40,019 –> 00:06:42,299He promises to supply what you need.13200:06:43,320 –> 00:06:45,579He says you will abound in every good work,13300:06:45,579 –> 00:06:48,640why, because you are growing in the likeness of Christ13400:06:48,640 –> 00:06:52,059and therefore, the fruitfulness of your life13500:06:52,059 –> 00:06:56,640just continues to blossom and to develop.13600:06:58,100 –> 00:07:01,760Now, here’s a very practical application of all of this.13700:07:01,760 –> 00:07:03,880We live in times when a good number of us13800:07:03,920 –> 00:07:06,380have lost a lot of money13900:07:06,399 –> 00:07:11,420and we would really like the stock market to give it back14000:07:11,420 –> 00:07:15,500and hope it will and pray that it will.14100:07:17,500 –> 00:07:19,799But it would be good for us to think about this question,14200:07:19,799 –> 00:07:23,500if God gave you more, what would you do with it?14300:07:25,839 –> 00:07:29,660I say, that’s a question that discerns my heart.14400:07:31,179 –> 00:07:33,579If God gave me more, how much of the more14500:07:33,579 –> 00:07:35,260would be more bread for the eater14600:07:35,260 –> 00:07:38,239and how much of the more would be more seed for the sower?14700:07:41,000 –> 00:07:43,239Do I want more so that I will have more14800:07:43,239 –> 00:07:46,459or if God gave more,14900:07:47,899 –> 00:07:52,619would my heart be to grow in generosity as a result?15000:07:54,279 –> 00:07:59,279I think that we can ask God to prosper15100:07:59,779 –> 00:08:03,540all those who set their hearts on generosity,15200:08:04,420 –> 00:08:07,019don’t you think that’s a good way to pray?15300:08:07,019 –> 00:08:08,600And would it not be a good thing15400:08:08,600 –> 00:08:10,140to be able to pray personally,15500:08:10,140 –> 00:08:15,140Lord, make me the kind of person you could trust with more?15600:08:19,160 –> 00:08:21,820Now, let’s look at the harvest that is promised.15700:08:21,820 –> 00:08:23,739We’ve talked about the horrible abuse15800:08:23,739 –> 00:08:26,160which is trying to rest the scriptures15900:08:26,160 –> 00:08:28,480in the cause of self-interest.16000:08:28,480 –> 00:08:31,299Let’s look at the harvest that is promised16100:08:31,299 –> 00:08:33,380from a generous life16200:08:33,659 –> 00:08:36,500I want you to notice verse 9 and verse 1016300:08:36,500 –> 00:08:38,820where Paul speaks very distinctly16400:08:38,820 –> 00:08:40,760not about a harvest of money16500:08:40,760 –> 00:08:44,979but about a harvest of righteousness.16600:08:44,979 –> 00:08:46,900As it is written,16700:08:46,900 –> 00:08:51,299he has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor, verse 916800:08:51,299 –> 00:08:55,099and his righteousness endures forever.16900:08:55,099 –> 00:08:56,380Isn’t that interesting?17000:08:56,380 –> 00:09:01,380The harvest of generosity is a harvest of righteousness.17100:09:02,219 –> 00:09:03,859And the same thing in verse 10,17200:09:03,859 –> 00:09:06,760he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food17300:09:06,760 –> 00:09:08,460will also supply an increase,17400:09:08,460 –> 00:09:10,260your store of seed and will enlarge17500:09:10,260 –> 00:09:14,700the harvest of your righteousness.17600:09:14,700 –> 00:09:16,340So the harvest that is promised17700:09:16,340 –> 00:09:19,099very clearly is not a harvest of money17800:09:20,520 –> 00:09:23,979but it is a harvest of righteousness.17900:09:25,219 –> 00:09:28,619Here’s this person who scatters gifts to the poor.18000:09:28,619 –> 00:09:32,500So this is a picture of lavish generosity in verse 9.18100:09:33,580 –> 00:09:35,659The seed that God has given to this man18200:09:35,659 –> 00:09:40,659He disperses widely and liberally and strategically18300:09:40,820 –> 00:09:43,159for the relief of those who are poor18400:09:43,159 –> 00:09:44,780and God says about this man,18500:09:44,780 –> 00:09:47,679his righteousness endures forever.18600:09:49,859 –> 00:09:54,859In other words, what you give has lasting value.18700:09:56,659 –> 00:09:57,700So I wrote down this18800:09:57,739 –> 00:09:59,659and I’m going to try and keep it in my mind18900:09:59,659 –> 00:10:02,780and maybe it’ll help you to keep it in yours.19000:10:02,780 –> 00:10:07,400What you spend is gone forever.19100:10:07,400 –> 00:10:12,200What you give lives on forever.19200:10:12,200 –> 00:10:13,559You wanna say that with me?19300:10:13,559 –> 00:10:16,859What you spend is gone forever19400:10:16,859 –> 00:10:20,460and what you give lives on forever.19500:10:20,460 –> 00:10:22,140So that Jesus said,19600:10:22,140 –> 00:10:25,739even a cup of cold water19700:10:25,859 –> 00:10:27,119that is given in my name,19800:10:27,119 –> 00:10:29,200it will not go without its reward.19900:10:30,140 –> 00:10:31,479And you remember on the last day20000:10:31,479 –> 00:10:34,700when Jesus gathers before him all of the nations20100:10:34,700 –> 00:10:36,460and he says to some,20200:10:36,460 –> 00:10:40,340I was hungry and you fed me.20300:10:40,340 –> 00:10:43,140I was thirsty and you gave me to drink.20400:10:43,140 –> 00:10:45,859I was without clothes and you clothed me.20500:10:45,859 –> 00:10:48,599And they say, well, when did we ever do that?20600:10:49,859 –> 00:10:51,099And Jesus says, well,20700:10:51,099 –> 00:10:52,700as much as you did it to one of the least20800:10:52,700 –> 00:10:54,299of these my brothers, you did it to me,20900:10:54,299 –> 00:10:55,140what’s happening?21000:10:55,140 –> 00:11:00,020He’s remembering the righteousness of a generous life21100:11:00,020 –> 00:11:02,780that goes on as a saver before God21200:11:02,780 –> 00:11:04,299with its eternal reward,21300:11:04,299 –> 00:11:07,900forever and forever and forever.21400:11:07,900 –> 00:11:09,299That’s the teaching of the New Testament.21500:11:09,299 –> 00:11:11,840That’s the reward.21600:11:11,840 –> 00:11:13,020You’re listening to Open The Bible21700:11:13,020 –> 00:11:14,380with Pastor Colin Smith.21800:11:14,380 –> 00:11:16,219And we have to pause the message briefly there,21900:11:16,219 –> 00:11:17,619but we’ll be back very shortly,22000:11:17,619 –> 00:11:19,260so do stay with us.22100:11:19,260 –> 00:11:21,979The message is called A Generous Reward22200:11:22,320 –> 00:11:26,099And it’s the final message in the series A Generous Life,22300:11:26,099 –> 00:11:29,979based on 2 Corinthians chapters, 8 and 9.22400:11:29,979 –> 00:11:32,159If you’ve missed any of the messages in the series,22500:11:32,159 –> 00:11:34,700you can catch up or go back and listen again22600:11:34,700 –> 00:11:35,940by coming to our website.22700:11:35,940 –> 00:11:39,340That’s at openthebible.org.uk22800:11:39,340 –> 00:11:42,780Also available as a podcast on all the podcast sites.22900:11:42,780 –> 00:11:46,580Find it by searching for Open The Bible, UK.23000:11:46,580 –> 00:11:47,739Back to the message now.23100:11:47,739 –> 00:11:50,080Here again is Pastor Colin.23200:11:50,200 –> 00:11:52,200Notice that Paul says three things23300:11:52,200 –> 00:11:55,719about the way in which God raises a harvest23400:11:55,719 –> 00:11:57,460from the generous giving of his people.23500:11:57,460 –> 00:11:59,460They’re very simple and very obvious.23600:11:59,460 –> 00:12:04,340In verse 12, the harvest of generous giving23700:12:04,340 –> 00:12:09,340is firstly that it supplies the needs of God’s people.23800:12:09,479 –> 00:12:11,919This service that you perform, verse 12,23900:12:11,919 –> 00:12:15,219is supplying the needs of God’s people.24000:12:15,219 –> 00:12:17,400In other words, where God’s people are generous,24100:12:17,500 –> 00:12:20,580everything that is needed for God’s work in the world24200:12:20,580 –> 00:12:22,840is there to get it done.24300:12:23,739 –> 00:12:25,799Supplies the needs of God’s people.24400:12:27,179 –> 00:12:30,159Secondly, generous giving brings praise24500:12:30,159 –> 00:12:31,900and thanks giving to God.24600:12:31,900 –> 00:12:34,359And that’s verse 11, 12, and 13.24700:12:34,359 –> 00:12:38,739Your generosity, verse 11, will bring thanks giving to God.24800:12:38,739 –> 00:12:40,820Verse 12, the service that you perform24900:12:40,820 –> 00:12:44,479is overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.25000:12:44,539 –> 00:12:47,979Verse 13, men will praise God for the obedience25100:12:47,979 –> 00:12:50,640that accompanies your faith,25200:12:50,640 –> 00:12:52,940your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.25300:12:54,039 –> 00:12:59,039You know, generosity, because it is an expression of love,25400:13:01,659 –> 00:13:05,200is one of the evidences of the authenticity25500:13:05,200 –> 00:13:06,799of Christian faith.25600:13:08,479 –> 00:13:09,320It really is.25700:13:09,320 –> 00:13:13,320Jesus said, it’s by your love that you will be known.25800:13:14,659 –> 00:13:19,659And generosity is an expression of love and compassion,25900:13:19,659 –> 00:13:22,340which is the effect of the gospel26000:13:22,340 –> 00:13:24,340in the lives of Christian people.26100:13:24,340 –> 00:13:28,739It’s a wonderful story that’s told of C. H. Spurgeon,26200:13:28,739 –> 00:13:31,580the Victorian preacher in England.26300:13:31,580 –> 00:13:33,599And he was stopped on the streets of London26400:13:33,599 –> 00:13:34,780by an atheist.26500:13:34,780 –> 00:13:37,099This is the end of the 19th century.26600:13:37,099 –> 00:13:39,539And, you know, atheism and Darwinism,26700:13:39,539 –> 00:13:42,380all this kinda thing, beginning to be vigorous,26800:13:42,539 –> 00:13:45,299in some ways it’s vigorous again in our time.26900:13:45,299 –> 00:13:46,940And the atheist said to Spurgeon,27000:13:46,940 –> 00:13:49,299how can you possibly believe in God?27100:13:49,299 –> 00:13:52,380What evidence do you have for the reality of God?27200:13:52,380 –> 00:13:54,419And it started going on about atheism27300:13:54,419 –> 00:13:56,460is going to be the way of the future.27400:13:56,460 –> 00:13:59,020And atheism is going to bring humanity27500:13:59,020 –> 00:14:01,020to its full flower and its full potential27600:14:01,020 –> 00:14:02,200and so forth and so on.27700:14:02,200 –> 00:14:04,460And Spurgeon said, let me ask you a question.27800:14:06,419 –> 00:14:10,719He said, how many atheist orphanages are there in London?27900:14:13,219 –> 00:14:15,659It was the end of the conversation.28000:14:15,659 –> 00:14:17,500There wasn’t a single one!28100:14:18,880 –> 00:14:20,039The atheist knew there were28200:14:20,039 –> 00:14:22,799Christian orphanages all over the city.28300:14:24,820 –> 00:14:27,679Because the generosity of God’s people, you see,28400:14:28,960 –> 00:14:33,640was giving expression to the reality of the Gospel,28500:14:33,640 –> 00:14:38,640bringing life change so that folks no longer live for self28600:14:39,559 –> 00:14:42,099but seek to reflect the one who loved us28700:14:42,099 –> 00:14:43,539and gave himself for us.28800:14:43,539 –> 00:14:45,700Bringing praise and thanksgiving to God.28900:14:45,700 –> 00:14:49,940And more than that, he says, giving causes, verse 14,29000:14:49,940 –> 00:14:51,500it deepens the bonds of love.29100:14:51,500 –> 00:14:53,580Their hearts and their prayers,29200:14:53,580 –> 00:14:56,099their hearts go out to you, verse 14,29300:14:56,099 –> 00:14:59,159because of the surpassing grace29400:14:59,159 –> 00:15:02,539that God has given to you.29500:15:04,900 –> 00:15:05,739What should I give?29600:15:05,739 –> 00:15:08,539Well, Paul gives us guidance in thinking29700:15:09,380 –> 00:15:11,239and making our free and glad decision.29800:15:12,400 –> 00:15:13,760What will I receive?29900:15:15,340 –> 00:15:18,020Not a harvest of money, but a harvest of righteousness.30000:15:18,020 –> 00:15:20,859Because what I spend is gone forever,30100:15:20,859 –> 00:15:24,119but what I give truly lives on.30200:15:25,140 –> 00:15:26,099Forever.30300:15:27,900 –> 00:15:29,700Now here’s the last thing in these last moments,30400:15:29,700 –> 00:15:32,219that this picture of sowing and reaping,30500:15:32,219 –> 00:15:34,260of a seed going into the ground30600:15:34,260 –> 00:15:36,200and a harvest coming up as a result,30700:15:36,520 –> 00:15:40,119this question of whether a seed should be kept30800:15:40,119 –> 00:15:42,840or whether a seed should be given,30900:15:42,840 –> 00:15:45,919takes us to the very heart of the Gospel.31000:15:47,000 –> 00:15:49,340I don’t know if you’ve ever thought about this,31100:15:49,340 –> 00:15:53,500but the seed is one of the first names31200:15:53,500 –> 00:15:57,000that is ever given to our Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible.31300:15:57,000 –> 00:16:00,000I’m thinking about Genesis chapter three, in verse 1531400:16:00,000 –> 00:16:02,340way back in the Garden of Eden,31500:16:02,340 –> 00:16:04,780where God made that first wonderful promise31600:16:04,780 –> 00:16:06,080to the human race,31700:16:06,840 –> 00:16:07,679to Adam and to Eve31800:16:07,679 –> 00:16:10,080and He said there would be a deliverer who would come31900:16:10,080 –> 00:16:11,500and He gave him this name.32000:16:11,500 –> 00:16:14,099He’ll be the seed.32100:16:14,099 –> 00:16:16,880Sometimes it’s the word offspring,32200:16:16,880 –> 00:16:18,099but if you check it carefully,32300:16:18,099 –> 00:16:20,500you’ll find, I think, in every Bible that I’m aware of32400:16:20,500 –> 00:16:22,780that there’s at least a footnote that says,32500:16:22,780 –> 00:16:24,179literally seed.32600:16:24,179 –> 00:16:25,979That is the first name,32700:16:25,979 –> 00:16:27,340codename almost,32800:16:27,340 –> 00:16:29,340descriptive name that is given32900:16:29,340 –> 00:16:31,140to the Messiah who would come.33000:16:31,140 –> 00:16:32,840God says He’s the seed.33100:16:33,859 –> 00:16:36,000And He says, when the seed comes,33200:16:36,640 –> 00:16:39,179the seed will crush Satan’s head33300:16:39,179 –> 00:16:41,520and the seed will redeem men and women33400:16:41,520 –> 00:16:43,900who have been taken captive by His power.33500:16:43,900 –> 00:16:46,719And then you roll through the story to the time of Abraham33600:16:46,719 –> 00:16:49,179and you get God giving great promises33700:16:49,179 –> 00:16:52,520to Abraham about his seed.33800:16:53,340 –> 00:16:57,260And if you look in Galatians chapter three and verse 16,33900:16:57,260 –> 00:16:59,500amazing how many 316s in the Bible34000:16:59,500 –> 00:17:02,140are particularly important verses,34100:17:02,159 –> 00:17:06,439well Galatians three 16 focuses on the seed.34200:17:06,439 –> 00:17:10,660The promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed34300:17:10,660 –> 00:17:15,660and Galatians 316 says that the seed refers to one person34400:17:16,479 –> 00:17:21,479and that is Galatians 316, Jesus Christ.34500:17:22,439 –> 00:17:26,520So the Lord Jesus Christ is the seed,34600:17:26,520 –> 00:17:29,119promised from the beginning of time,34700:17:29,119 –> 00:17:32,140this one life, the life of God in human flesh,34800:17:32,140 –> 00:17:35,839the seed, the life that is of supreme value,34900:17:35,839 –> 00:17:38,619of more value than anything and everything35000:17:38,619 –> 00:17:40,780that you or I will ever have.35100:17:40,780 –> 00:17:44,099And the supreme question therefore about the seed35200:17:45,699 –> 00:17:50,699is will the seed be kept or given?35300:17:55,020 –> 00:17:57,219And listen to what Jesus said about this35400:17:57,239 –> 00:18:00,000in John chapter 12 and verse 24.35500:18:00,000 –> 00:18:01,760Marvelous statement.35600:18:02,959 –> 00:18:04,839He said, I tell you the truth,35700:18:06,239 –> 00:18:10,880unless a kernel of wheat falls into the ground and dies,35800:18:12,160 –> 00:18:15,540it remains only a single seed.35900:18:16,859 –> 00:18:19,219But if it dies,36000:18:20,699 –> 00:18:23,900it produces many seeds.36100:18:24,900 –> 00:18:29,900So here is the seed and God chooses not to keep it,36200:18:32,780 –> 00:18:34,040but to give it.36300:18:35,420 –> 00:18:38,619Christ is the seeds and he chooses36400:18:38,619 –> 00:18:42,979not to keep his life, but to give it.36500:18:42,979 –> 00:18:46,560So the seed falls into the ground and dies.36600:18:46,560 –> 00:18:50,500If Christ had kept the life of the seed,36700:18:51,000 –> 00:18:54,180he would have been our supreme example,36800:18:55,500 –> 00:18:57,020the greatest person who ever lived36900:18:57,020 –> 00:18:59,579but he would never have been your savior or mine.37000:19:01,579 –> 00:19:03,459He came into the world and he gave his life.37100:19:03,459 –> 00:19:05,219The seed was cast into the ground.37200:19:05,219 –> 00:19:08,099The seed dies, the son of God loved me37300:19:08,099 –> 00:19:13,219and gave himself for me.37400:19:15,260 –> 00:19:19,239That is why Paul says at the end of 2 Corinthians 9,37500:19:19,239 –> 00:19:20,079in the last verse did you notice37600:19:20,439 –> 00:19:21,900all this talk about giving?37700:19:21,900 –> 00:19:26,780Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.37800:19:26,780 –> 00:19:31,780The seed that freely gave himself into the ground37900:19:36,099 –> 00:19:38,599and because the seed is given,38000:19:38,599 –> 00:19:42,540the seed Jesus says is multiplied.38100:19:42,540 –> 00:19:45,219It produces many seeds.38200:19:45,219 –> 00:19:47,180Because of the death and the resurrection38300:19:47,180 –> 00:19:49,780of the Lord Jesus Christ the life38400:19:49,819 –> 00:19:53,560of Jesus Christ is communicated into many, many lives.38500:19:53,560 –> 00:19:55,760Into millions of lives so that many people38600:19:55,760 –> 00:20:00,760are able to say Christ in me is my hope of glory.38700:20:02,020 –> 00:20:06,099His life’s been communicated, his life has been multiplied.38800:20:06,099 –> 00:20:08,119The image of Christ is reproduced38900:20:08,119 –> 00:20:12,380for the glory of God for all eternity.39000:20:12,380 –> 00:20:15,439And think of how the supreme gift39100:20:15,439 –> 00:20:18,819just fits exactly and models exactly what Paul says,39200:20:18,939 –> 00:20:20,540what does generous giving do?39300:20:20,540 –> 00:20:23,979He says, verse 12, it supplies the need of God’s people.39400:20:23,979 –> 00:20:27,479Oh how the gift of Jesus Christ supplies your need39500:20:27,479 –> 00:20:29,199and mine, what’s mine need?39600:20:29,199 –> 00:20:32,020I need righteousness before God.39700:20:32,020 –> 00:20:34,699We need reconciliation before God.39800:20:34,699 –> 00:20:38,060And because that seat was not kept but given,39900:20:38,060 –> 00:20:41,859he supplies all the needs of all of God’s people40000:20:41,859 –> 00:20:44,739so that there will be ransomed and redeemed people40100:20:44,739 –> 00:20:48,219in heaven praising him forever, thanking him40200:20:48,219 –> 00:20:51,660and loving him, that’s the fruit of his generous giving.40300:20:51,660 –> 00:20:55,619And even already there is a great company40400:20:55,619 –> 00:20:59,699of redeemed people in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ40500:20:59,699 –> 00:21:02,060loving him, thanking God.40600:21:02,060 –> 00:21:05,500They’re because he has supplied the righteousness40700:21:05,500 –> 00:21:06,959that we do not have.40800:21:06,959 –> 00:21:10,439And don’t you find yourself saying when you think about it,40900:21:11,699 –> 00:21:16,699thanks be to God for his indescribable gift.41000:21:18,880 –> 00:21:23,880That the seed was not kept, but the seed was given.41100:21:28,079 –> 00:21:32,339And through the harvest of the son of God who loved me41200:21:32,339 –> 00:21:33,719and gave himself for me,41300:21:35,020 –> 00:21:38,579there is life for us forevermore.41400:21:40,359 –> 00:21:43,540What a compelling picture of the gospel there,41500:21:43,540 –> 00:21:46,099Jesus Christ coming into the world,41600:21:46,099 –> 00:21:51,099laying down his life so that we can have new life in him.41700:21:51,339 –> 00:21:52,800You’ve been listening to Open The Bible41800:21:52,800 –> 00:21:54,500with Pastor Colin Smith41900:21:54,500 –> 00:21:57,020and a message called, A Generous Reward.42000:21:57,020 –> 00:21:59,280It’s the final message in the series,42100:21:59,280 –> 00:22:04,280A Generous Life, based on 2 Corinthians chapters 8 and 9.42200:22:04,540 –> 00:22:06,219If you missed any of the series,42300:22:06,219 –> 00:22:09,040it’s easy to catch up or go back and listen again42400:22:09,040 –> 00:22:10,500when you come to our website.42500:22:10,500 –> 00:22:13,900That’s at openthebible.org.uk,42600:22:13,900 –> 00:22:15,660also available as a podcast42700:22:15,699 –> 00:22:18,060and those are on all the podcast sites.42800:22:18,060 –> 00:22:20,939Find them by searching for Open The Bible UK.42900:22:22,260 –> 00:22:25,459At Open The Bible, we welcome contact with our listeners.43000:22:25,459 –> 00:22:28,439If you’ve been blessed by Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching43100:22:28,439 –> 00:22:30,520and you’d like to reach out to us,43200:22:30,520 –> 00:22:33,380you can write to us at Open The Bible,43300:22:33,380 –> 00:22:38,380P.O. Box 1420 Cheltenham GL 50 9PG.43400:22:40,300 –> 00:22:43,400That address along with an email address43500:22:43,439 –> 00:22:46,239or telephone number that you can use to contact us43600:22:46,239 –> 00:22:50,680are all on our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk.43700:22:51,760 –> 00:22:53,880In the run up to Christmas at Open The Bible,43800:22:53,880 –> 00:22:56,459we want to provide churches and groups43900:22:56,459 –> 00:22:58,780with great supporting material.44000:22:58,780 –> 00:23:02,819Here’s Open The Bible’s executive director, John Martin.44100:23:02,819 –> 00:23:05,699If you’re planning events for Christmas and Advent44200:23:05,699 –> 00:23:07,719for your church and community,44300:23:07,719 –> 00:23:10,359then Open The Bible has resources to help you.44400:23:10,359 –> 00:23:13,979A nativity script you can use outside or indoors.44500:23:13,979 –> 00:23:17,099Sermon outlines for an Advent sermon series.44600:23:17,099 –> 00:23:19,479And it’s all linked to our new little book,44700:23:19,479 –> 00:23:23,260Christmas Stories, five first person narratives.44800:23:23,260 –> 00:23:27,939To find out more, go to OpenTheBible.org.uk.44900:23:27,939 –> 00:23:30,859Regular listeners will know that Open The Bible45000:23:30,859 –> 00:23:33,260is supported by our listeners.45100:23:33,260 –> 00:23:35,699And if you already give to support our work,45200:23:35,699 –> 00:23:37,380thank you so much.45300:23:37,380 –> 00:23:39,500If you’d like to become one of our supporters,45400:23:39,599 –> 00:23:42,099here’s Open The Bible’s Amanda Cunningham45500:23:42,099 –> 00:23:43,979to tell you about a special offer.45600:23:43,979 –> 00:23:45,000Thanks David.45700:23:45,000 –> 00:23:47,420Yes, as we look ahead to Christmas,45800:23:47,420 –> 00:23:49,619our Book of the Month for October is45900:23:49,619 –> 00:23:53,060Hallelujah by Dave and Sally Gobbett.46000:23:53,060 –> 00:23:56,780This beautiful devotional draws on the timeless music46100:23:56,780 –> 00:24:00,140of Handel’s Messiah and the wooks of scripture46200:24:00,140 –> 00:24:02,540to take you through the Christmas story.46300:24:02,540 –> 00:24:05,380Each daily reading includes a short reflection46400:24:05,380 –> 00:24:07,540together with a piece of the Hallelujah chorus46500:24:07,540 –> 00:24:10,020to listen to, helping you postpone46600:24:10,020 –> 00:24:13,219and reflect on the wonder of Christ’s coming.46700:24:13,219 –> 00:24:15,880I read this devotional last Advent with my family46800:24:15,880 –> 00:24:18,020and I found it a real blessing.46900:24:18,020 –> 00:24:21,520It’s a lovely way to slow down during a busy season47000:24:21,520 –> 00:24:23,920and prepare our hearts for Christmas.47100:24:23,920 –> 00:24:26,780And we hope that it will be a blessing to you too.47200:24:26,780 –> 00:24:29,180You can receive a free copy of Hallelujah47300:24:29,180 –> 00:24:31,939when you support Open The Bible UK.47400:24:31,939 –> 00:24:35,300Simply donate a one-off gift of at least 60 pounds47500:24:35,619 –> 00:24:39,140or set up a new direct debit of five pounds or more.47600:24:39,140 –> 00:24:42,459And please do remember to leave your name and address47700:24:42,459 –> 00:24:43,560when you donate47800:24:43,560 –> 00:24:45,819so that we know where to send your book.47900:24:45,819 –> 00:24:48,500Thanks Amanda, so our website address again48000:24:48,500 –> 00:24:51,579is openthebible.org.uk48100:24:51,579 –> 00:24:54,000and there you’ll find full terms and conditions48200:24:54,000 –> 00:24:56,260and all the details about this offer.48300:24:56,260 –> 00:24:58,800For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith.48400:24:58,800 –> 00:24:59,920I’m David Pick.48500:24:59,920 –> 00:25:01,380I’m glad you joined us today48600:25:01,380 –> 00:25:02,579and I hope to see you again48700:25:02,579 –> 00:25:04,420next time on Open the Bible.48800:25:05,439 –> 00:25:17,859Opening Music48900:25:17,859 –> 00:25:20,380You can tell what sort of bird you’re looking at49000:25:20,380 –> 00:25:22,979by its distinguishing marks.49100:25:22,979 –> 00:25:24,760So what are the49200:25:24,760 –> 00:25:27,119distinguishing marks of a Christian?49300:25:27,119 –> 00:25:29,300Find out next time on Open The Bible.