100:00:00,140 –> 00:00:02,260Christmas Story200:00:03,440 –> 00:00:10,000You’re probably wondering why they would invite me to tell you the Christmas story.300:00:10,560 –> 00:00:15,680In fact seeing that I lived 2,000 years before the Lord Jesus Christ was born,400:00:15,680 –> 00:00:19,440some of you might think I had nothing to do with the Christmas story.500:00:19,440 –> 00:00:21,520But that’s where you’d be wrong.600:00:22,320 –> 00:00:24,000Welcome to Open the Bible with700:00:24,000 –> 00:00:24,719Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:24,719 –> 00:00:25,600I’m David Pick.900:00:25,600 –> 00:00:27,440I’m glad you could join us today.1000:00:27,520 –> 00:00:30,559And we’re in the middle of our series Christmas Stories,1100:00:30,559 –> 00:00:35,520and I guess Colin it’s a bit unexpected to find Abraham popping up in the Christmas story.1200:00:35,520 –> 00:00:39,200After all, he lived about 2,000 years before Jesus was born.1300:00:39,200 –> 00:00:41,919Well he certainly wasn’t around at the time of the manger,1400:00:41,919 –> 00:00:44,880but here’s a fascinating thing that Jesus said,1500:00:46,000 –> 00:00:50,240Abraham saw my day and he rejoiced in it.1600:00:50,240 –> 00:00:55,680So, in some sense the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ was made known to Abraham.1700:00:55,680 –> 00:00:57,840Perhaps Abraham did not know Him by name,1800:00:57,840 –> 00:01:01,919but he had knowledge of the Redeemer and saw Christ’s day.1900:01:01,919 –> 00:01:03,840So some anticipation was given.2000:01:03,840 –> 00:01:06,400So this is very important for this reason.2100:01:06,400 –> 00:01:08,879It’s not that, the world’s gone terribly wrong,2200:01:08,879 –> 00:01:11,120and God’s struggling to come up with an idea,2300:01:11,120 –> 00:01:14,559and that’s why Jesus comes into the world to kind of put things right.2400:01:14,559 –> 00:01:21,199From before the beginning of time God knew all that sin would do and set out to redeem us.2500:01:21,680 –> 00:01:24,080And His plan is absolutely on course,2600:01:24,080 –> 00:01:28,160and it has always centred around Jesus Christ, and of course always will.2700:01:37,360 –> 00:01:41,839God spoke to me about the birth of the Saviour.2800:01:41,839 –> 00:01:43,839You can check it out in John’s Gospel.2900:01:43,839 –> 00:01:46,959Jesus actually spoke about me, did you know that?3000:01:46,959 –> 00:01:54,000He said Abraham rejoiced in the thought of seeing my day.3100:01:54,000 –> 00:01:59,120Then Jesus said about me that Abraham saw my day,3200:01:59,120 –> 00:02:00,879and he rejoiced in it.3300:02:00,879 –> 00:02:01,760That’s true.3400:02:01,760 –> 00:02:06,959I saw, while I was still here on Earth, two thousand years before Jesus was born.3500:02:06,959 –> 00:02:09,039I saw His day.3600:02:09,039 –> 00:02:13,279And I can tell you that His day coming changed my life,3700:02:13,279 –> 00:02:15,360even two thousand years before.3800:02:15,360 –> 00:02:19,119And it has changed my eternity ever since.3900:02:19,919 –> 00:02:20,960Let me tell you my story.4000:02:22,639 –> 00:02:26,960I grew up in Arr of the Caldes.4100:02:26,960 –> 00:02:32,800It was in Mesopotamia, the area you would refer to today as southern Iraq.4200:02:33,839 –> 00:02:37,919I grew up not knowing the first thing about God.4300:02:38,479 –> 00:02:40,240In fact, I worshipped idols.4400:02:40,240 –> 00:02:42,080All of my ancestors had done that.4500:02:42,720 –> 00:02:47,199Isn’t it interesting, when folks don’t know the living God,4600:02:48,160 –> 00:02:51,759what they do is they worship something else.4700:02:51,759 –> 00:02:53,600That’s what I did for years.4800:02:54,240 –> 00:02:57,899I enjoyed a comfortable life in the city with my extended family.4900:02:57,899 –> 00:02:59,759There was my father, Tara.5000:02:59,759 –> 00:03:05,199There was my nephew, Lott, and of course, my marvelous wife, Sarah.5100:03:05,759 –> 00:03:08,880Boy, she was a very remarkable woman.5200:03:08,880 –> 00:03:12,080Why she married me, I will never really know.5300:03:12,639 –> 00:03:17,199And she said sometimes she’s not very sure why she did either.5400:03:18,479 –> 00:03:22,960But you know, one day, God broke into my life.5500:03:24,000 –> 00:03:27,600All I can tell you is that he appeared to me5600:03:27,600 –> 00:03:33,199just like God appeared to Adam and to Eve in the garden of Eden.5700:03:33,199 –> 00:03:36,639I saw the glory of the Lord.5800:03:36,639 –> 00:03:39,440It was absolutely overwhelming to me.5900:03:40,000 –> 00:03:43,520I can’t really describe it to you except to see,6000:03:43,520 –> 00:03:47,039say that it was like being surrounded with radiant light6100:03:47,839 –> 00:03:50,399and to know that you were in the presence of one6200:03:50,399 –> 00:03:54,479who was unlike anyone else you had ever met or ever could meet.6300:03:56,160 –> 00:03:59,360Years later, Isaiah described it when he said,6400:03:59,360 –> 00:04:04,720The people who walked in darkness, they’ve seen a great light.6500:04:04,720 –> 00:04:05,839That’s what happened to me.6600:04:06,479 –> 00:04:09,039And you know, the same thing happened to the shepherds.6700:04:09,919 –> 00:04:13,839Luke says in his account of the Christmas story6800:04:13,839 –> 00:04:17,679that the angels of the Lord appeared to them.6900:04:17,679 –> 00:04:20,079And did you notice that he says,7000:04:20,079 –> 00:04:22,880The glory of the Lord shone around them.7100:04:24,000 –> 00:04:26,399They saw God’s glory.7200:04:27,519 –> 00:04:29,920And that’s just what happened to me.7300:04:31,119 –> 00:04:32,880I saw his glory7400:04:33,679 –> 00:04:35,440And God blessed me.7500:04:36,600 –> 00:04:40,720In fact, God gave to me a seven-fold blessing.7600:04:41,679 –> 00:04:43,440You can count the blessings with me.7700:04:43,440 –> 00:04:44,959Here is what he said.7800:04:44,959 –> 00:04:46,799I will make of you a great nation.7900:04:47,679 –> 00:04:49,760I will bless you, he said to me,8000:04:49,760 –> 00:04:52,239I will make your name great.8100:04:52,239 –> 00:04:54,239I will make you a blessing.8200:04:54,239 –> 00:04:55,920I will bless those who bless you.8300:04:55,920 –> 00:04:57,679I will curse those who curse you.8400:04:57,679 –> 00:05:01,359And all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.8500:05:01,679 –> 00:05:03,200This was more than I could take in.8600:05:04,480 –> 00:05:07,600First, I couldn’t understand why God would bless me.8700:05:08,160 –> 00:05:09,519I hadn’t even known him.8800:05:09,519 –> 00:05:11,920I certainly hadn’t done anything for him,8900:05:11,920 –> 00:05:13,440wasn’t a worshiper of him.9000:05:13,440 –> 00:05:16,640Why would God break out of heaven and bless me?9100:05:17,440 –> 00:05:18,640You have a word for that.9200:05:19,760 –> 00:05:20,559Grace.9300:05:21,920 –> 00:05:23,440The mercy of God.9400:05:25,040 –> 00:05:29,920God just picked me out and he blessed me.9500:05:31,920 –> 00:05:35,519His love was poured out on me for no other reason than9600:05:35,519 –> 00:05:39,519that God is merciful and God is compassionate.9700:05:39,519 –> 00:05:42,000He had mercy and he had compassion on me.9800:05:43,040 –> 00:05:47,760And that means he has mercy and compassion, for you.9900:05:51,279 –> 00:05:54,160But then there was something else in what he said that really blew me away.10000:05:55,160 –> 00:06:01,799God said, all people on earth will be blessed because of you.10100:06:01,799 –> 00:06:03,880Now how could that be?10200:06:05,160 –> 00:06:09,640How could one life in this world bring blessing to all people?10300:06:09,640 –> 00:06:11,480I just couldn’t understand that.10400:06:12,679 –> 00:06:15,480Later God spoke to me again and he made it clear10500:06:15,480 –> 00:06:17,959that this blessing was going to come through a son.10600:06:18,519 –> 00:06:23,399And that seemed absolutely crazy to me because Sarah and I didn’t have a family.10700:06:23,399 –> 00:06:27,799We’d been trying to start a family for years but absolutely nothing had happened.10800:06:27,799 –> 00:06:31,320So when God spoke about us having a son, I laughed.10900:06:32,760 –> 00:06:39,160I said, will a man have a child when he’s 100 years old and he’s got a wife who’s 90?11000:06:40,679 –> 00:06:48,119Let me tell you something from my experience, never laugh at the promises of God.11100:06:48,760 –> 00:06:53,160Because what God said is exactly what happened.11200:06:54,519 –> 00:06:58,279When the little fellow was born, Sarah and I were full of joy.11300:06:59,559 –> 00:07:03,239We called them Isaac, which means he laughs,11400:07:03,799 –> 00:07:08,440which we thought was an appropriate name for a baby born to a couple of geriatrics.11500:07:09,720 –> 00:07:14,679It soon became pretty obvious though that Isaac wasn’t going to change the world.11600:07:14,679 –> 00:07:21,239I mean, most people cannot name a single thing that Isaac accomplished in his life, can you?11700:07:23,399 –> 00:07:26,640So we began to think over time that11800:07:27,200 –> 00:07:31,279maybe God’s blessing to the world would come through my grandchildren.11900:07:31,279 –> 00:07:34,359Now I know some of you dote on your grandchildren.12000:07:35,799 –> 00:07:40,600You only met mine. Boy these two lads were a pair of rascals,12100:07:41,600 –> 00:07:45,600the older one was a wild kid. You didn’t want to get on the wrong side of his temper,12200:07:46,239 –> 00:07:51,679the younger one, they called Jacob and he was as slippery as an eel.12300:07:52,559 –> 00:07:56,000That boy could lie to your face without blinking an eye.12400:07:58,079 –> 00:08:03,559In fact, he told so many lies, it was very hard to know when he was telling the truth.12500:08:03,559 –> 00:08:06,880I said to Sarah, where in the world does he get that from?12600:08:07,760 –> 00:08:11,839And she just gave me one of her withering looks.12700:08:15,040 –> 00:08:17,559Anyway, it didn’t take me long to figure out that neither of them12800:08:17,559 –> 00:08:19,200were going to bring blessing to the world12900:08:20,679 –> 00:08:21,440and then I died.13000:08:22,119 –> 00:08:25,239You’re listening to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and13100:08:25,480 –> 00:08:29,440Abraham story, part of our series called Christmas stories.13200:08:29,600 –> 00:08:32,559And if you’ve missed any of the series, you can always catch up13300:08:32,640 –> 00:08:34,599or go back and listen again online.13400:08:34,880 –> 00:08:38,559Come to our website open the bible.org.uk.13500:08:39,039 –> 00:08:40,200Back to the message now.13600:08:40,359 –> 00:08:41,039Here’s Colin.13700:08:41,840 –> 00:08:45,440Well Matthew takes up the story at the beginning of your New13800:08:45,599 –> 00:08:46,359Testament.13900:08:46,840 –> 00:08:51,719He says that there were 14 generations from me to the time14000:08:51,719 –> 00:08:52,359of David.14100:08:53,239 –> 00:08:58,239David, there’s a son I was really proud of.14200:08:59,559 –> 00:09:01,479At least most of the time.14300:09:03,200 –> 00:09:07,400And then another 14 generations from David until the exile.14400:09:07,440 –> 00:09:09,599What a miserable business that was.14500:09:10,880 –> 00:09:14,960And then another 14 generations from the time of the exile until14600:09:14,960 –> 00:09:20,080the coming of the Christ that is the one who God had promised14700:09:20,599 –> 00:09:21,119to me.14800:09:22,440 –> 00:09:24,960Now here’s what you need to understand about him.14900:09:25,760 –> 00:09:30,739He was different from any of my other descendants.15000:09:31,320 –> 00:09:34,440You look at the list of them that in Matthew and chapter 1.15100:09:34,760 –> 00:09:38,479I tell you what a family tree there are a bunch of rascals in15200:09:38,479 –> 00:09:39,039that list.15300:09:39,059 –> 00:09:39,619I’ll tell you.15400:09:41,580 –> 00:09:42,780But he was different.15500:09:44,299 –> 00:09:47,820I said to Sarah they all came from us.15600:09:48,780 –> 00:09:51,760But she came to us.15700:09:52,919 –> 00:09:57,700Thank God he didn’t have my old nature like all the others did.15800:09:58,380 –> 00:10:01,059See that’s why he was born of a virgin.15900:10:02,260 –> 00:10:07,419The 42 generations that came after me gave clear evidence to16000:10:07,419 –> 00:10:11,599you and to everybody else that nobody that was coming from my16100:10:11,599 –> 00:10:14,539seed could actually fulfill the promise of God.16200:10:15,799 –> 00:10:18,460Note the Son of God did not come from us.16300:10:18,520 –> 00:10:24,979He came to us and the miracle of grace was that he was born into16400:10:24,979 –> 00:10:25,679my line.16500:10:28,500 –> 00:10:32,640Now I don’t know if you’ve ever noticed this, but when he16600:10:32,640 –> 00:10:38,659came, one of the greatest conflicts of his life was an16700:10:38,659 –> 00:10:42,960argument that was mainly about me.16800:10:42,960 –> 00:10:45,880In fact the folks who opposed Jesus16900:10:46,200 –> 00:10:47,400used my name.17000:10:47,419 –> 00:10:48,460Can you believe this?17100:10:48,479 –> 00:10:50,679They used my name to try and renounce him.17200:10:50,859 –> 00:10:52,900Can you imagine what that was like for me?17300:10:54,020 –> 00:10:56,840John records the story in chapter 8 of his gospel and you17400:10:56,859 –> 00:10:58,580can check it out there if you want to.17500:10:58,859 –> 00:11:02,219It all began when Jesus said the most amazing thing.17600:11:02,419 –> 00:11:05,659He said I am the light of the world.17700:11:06,059 –> 00:11:10,539Whoever follows me will never be in darkness but will always17800:11:10,539 –> 00:11:12,919have the light of life.17900:11:13,820 –> 00:11:16,380But the Pharisees who were listening to him didn’t like18000:11:16,400 –> 00:11:18,780that and so they began to challenge him.18100:11:18,979 –> 00:11:22,179What right did he have to talk like this and to say these18200:11:22,320 –> 00:11:23,440things.18300:11:23,960 –> 00:11:27,219Jesus began to speak about his father.18400:11:27,419 –> 00:11:32,700He said I stand with the father who sent me18500:11:32,960 –> 00:11:36,140but they didn’t understand what he was saying about his father18600:11:36,340 –> 00:11:40,880and so he said to them when you have lifted up the Son of man18700:11:41,080 –> 00:11:44,340that was the name Jesus liked to use to refer to himself when18800:11:44,340 –> 00:11:49,340you’ve lifted up the Son of man then you will know that I am the18900:11:49,340 –> 00:11:52,159one that I claim to be.19000:11:52,460 –> 00:11:55,460Well some folks started to believe on him as he was19100:11:55,460 –> 00:11:59,559speaking to them and Jesus said to them if you hold to my19200:11:59,559 –> 00:12:05,039teaching you will really be my disciples then you will know19300:12:05,039 –> 00:12:09,780the truth and the truth will set you free.19400:12:11,039 –> 00:12:13,739Now you only needed to say the word free and that one really19500:12:13,739 –> 00:12:16,979got them going rather like I hear the word freedom gets you19600:12:16,979 –> 00:12:21,219going in your country as well it really annoyed them that Jesus19700:12:21,880 –> 00:12:25,739was suggesting that somehow they weren’t free. They said we are19800:12:25,739 –> 00:12:29,739Abraham’s descendants. ? Well when they said that it got my19900:12:29,739 –> 00:12:33,000attention you can imagine we’ve never been the slaves of20000:12:33,000 –> 00:12:36,400anybody. They said which made me nearly fall off my chair.20100:12:37,159 –> 00:12:38,640Had they forgotten the 400 years of slavery in Egypt.20200:12:40,099 –> 00:12:42,719What about the seventy years in exile and what did they think20300:12:42,719 –> 00:12:45,400was going on with the Roman Army right outside the temple20400:12:45,400 –> 00:12:46,640where they were speaking?20500:12:46,900 –> 00:12:48,820Never been slaves of anybody.20600:12:50,539 –> 00:12:53,780Of course Jesus was talking about a deeper kind of slavery.20700:12:55,179 –> 00:12:56,859I tell you the truth he said.20800:12:57,179 –> 00:12:59,020Everyone who sins.20900:13:00,280 –> 00:13:01,719Is a slave to sin.21000:13:05,219 –> 00:13:08,320I’ll tell you the 42 generations that came after me.21100:13:09,219 –> 00:13:13,039There wasn’t a single one who was without Sin.21200:13:14,700 –> 00:13:15,840Until he came.21300:13:17,500 –> 00:13:22,640And he said if the Son of God sets you free then.21400:13:23,340 –> 00:13:26,280You will be free indeed.21500:13:26,619 –> 00:13:29,200Well the crowd was getting really worked up about this.21600:13:29,219 –> 00:13:31,179They began to appeal to me again.21700:13:31,340 –> 00:13:33,619Abraham is our father they said.21800:13:34,440 –> 00:13:36,979As if that would make you free from sin.21900:13:37,359 –> 00:13:41,460Isn’t it interesting how people get all worked up about race.22000:13:42,359 –> 00:13:42,859Yes.22100:13:43,020 –> 00:13:46,659As if the family or the country you were born into22200:13:46,859 –> 00:13:50,599could somehow change your define your relationship with God.22300:13:50,840 –> 00:13:52,539I want to shout down to them.22400:13:52,739 –> 00:13:54,880Don’t say Abraham’s our father.22500:13:54,940 –> 00:13:57,500Abraham needed a savior and so do You.22600:13:57,679 –> 00:13:58,940But of course they couldn’t hear me.22700:14:01,219 –> 00:14:05,260Then Jesus said something that really pushed them over the edge.22800:14:07,479 –> 00:14:08,780He said I tell you the truth.22900:14:09,580 –> 00:14:12,479If anyone keeps my word.23000:14:13,719 –> 00:14:16,679He will never see death.23100:14:18,559 –> 00:14:21,520I’ll tell you, I was smiling when he said that because I’m the living proof of it.23200:14:23,659 –> 00:14:26,460Here I was someone who had lived centuries before23300:14:26,460 –> 00:14:27,460and had died.23400:14:27,760 –> 00:14:31,700And along with all the others with me, we were rejoicing in the Lord.23500:14:33,539 –> 00:14:34,739For the crowd went wild.23600:14:36,340 –> 00:14:38,640Now we know your demon possessed someone,23700:14:38,840 –> 00:14:41,479said, demon possessed.23800:14:43,320 –> 00:14:45,520Abraham died, they said,23900:14:46,119 –> 00:14:48,919and you say that if anyone keeps your word24000:14:49,119 –> 00:14:51,059they will never see death do you think?24100:14:51,059 –> 00:14:52,659You’re greater than Abraham!24200:14:52,760 –> 00:14:53,619I couldn’t believe24300:14:53,619 –> 00:14:54,320what I was hearing.24400:14:54,320 –> 00:14:55,280I wanted to shout out.24500:14:55,280 –> 00:14:57,700Of course, he’s greater than me.24600:14:59,700 –> 00:15:02,700But they couldn’t hear that.24700:15:03,400 –> 00:15:04,900And then Jesus said to them,24800:15:05,020 –> 00:15:06,640Your father, Abraham,24900:15:06,659 –> 00:15:09,659rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day.25000:15:10,000 –> 00:15:13,359He saw it and rejoiced in it.25100:15:14,739 –> 00:15:16,700And then he said,25200:15:16,700 –> 00:15:19,000I tell you the truth,25300:15:26,479 –> 00:15:28,840The Son of God, whose glory25400:15:28,840 –> 00:15:31,719had appeared to me,25500:15:32,059 –> 00:15:34,520now standing in the flesh25600:15:34,840 –> 00:15:36,919before them,25700:15:36,919 –> 00:15:39,239and do you know what they did?25800:15:40,039 –> 00:15:42,479They picked up stones.25900:15:43,880 –> 00:15:45,359To kill him.26000:15:47,719 –> 00:15:49,679But Jesus time had not yet come.26100:15:51,599 –> 00:15:53,960He slipped away from that crowd.26200:15:56,739 –> 00:16:00,500But I’ll tell you, when his time did come.26300:16:00,640 –> 00:16:02,940His death was much worse26400:16:03,020 –> 00:16:03,900than stoning.26500:16:06,200 –> 00:16:09,099I can’t tell you what it was like for me to watch26600:16:09,099 –> 00:16:11,960the suffering of the one who had been promised,26700:16:11,960 –> 00:16:14,500the one whose glory appeared to me.26800:16:16,679 –> 00:16:18,119But he was arrested,26900:16:19,520 –> 00:16:20,940and he was condemned,27000:16:21,960 –> 00:16:23,719and he was scourged,27100:16:24,719 –> 00:16:26,619and they spat on him,27200:16:27,859 –> 00:16:29,640and he was nailed,27300:16:31,280 –> 00:16:32,580and he was crucified,27400:16:33,559 –> 00:16:34,799and he was crucified.27500:16:34,919 –> 00:16:36,580I’ll tell you,27600:16:37,500 –> 00:16:41,700my mind went back to a story you might have heard about me.27700:16:43,900 –> 00:16:47,380God had told me to take my son, Isaac,27800:16:47,380 –> 00:16:51,440up a mountain called Mariah and sacrifice him there.27900:16:53,400 –> 00:16:56,719I can’t tell you what agonies I went through.28000:16:58,260 –> 00:17:01,179But when the moment came, God intervened,28100:17:02,179 –> 00:17:04,339and he said, don’t lay a hand on that boy.28200:17:04,339 –> 00:17:06,619Don’t do anything to him.28300:17:06,619 –> 00:17:10,619And I looked up and there was a ram caught in a bush.28400:17:11,640 –> 00:17:16,459God provided a sacrifice to save my son’s life28500:17:16,459 –> 00:17:18,420and mine as well.28600:17:18,420 –> 00:17:22,079So I called that place, The Lord Will Provide.28700:17:23,900 –> 00:17:26,140Now, here’s the amazing thing.28800:17:26,140 –> 00:17:29,119The one who called to me from heaven28900:17:29,180 –> 00:17:31,479and saved my son’s life and mine.29000:17:33,520 –> 00:17:38,119I was now watching him hanging on a cross29100:17:39,560 –> 00:17:43,880becoming the sacrifice God provided in my place.29200:17:45,780 –> 00:17:50,780God spared my son, but he did not spare his own son,29300:17:53,739 –> 00:17:58,739but gave him up freely for all of you.29400:17:59,959 –> 00:18:03,880You often think about what it costs the Son of God29500:18:03,880 –> 00:18:05,599to give himself for you.29600:18:07,380 –> 00:18:10,979I often think about what it cost God the Father29700:18:12,579 –> 00:18:15,760to give his Son for you.29800:18:19,339 –> 00:18:23,280And when he died, there was silence in heaven.29900:18:26,300 –> 00:18:28,140But that’s not the end of the story.30000:18:29,540 –> 00:18:33,420Jesus said, no one takes my life from me.30100:18:34,520 –> 00:18:37,199I have the power to lay it down,30200:18:37,199 –> 00:18:39,739and I have the power to take it up again.30300:18:40,880 –> 00:18:44,020And on the third day he burst out of the grave30400:18:44,020 –> 00:18:46,140triumphing over death.30500:18:46,140 –> 00:18:49,939”No wonder,” he said, ”if anyone keeps my word,30600:18:49,939 –> 00:18:51,699he will never see death.”30700:18:51,699 –> 00:18:54,380The sting of death is sin.30800:18:54,380 –> 00:18:58,420And the power of sin is that we have broken God’s law.30900:18:58,459 –> 00:19:00,219But thanks be to God31000:19:00,219 –> 00:19:05,219he gives us victory through Jesus Christ, our Lord.31100:19:05,319 –> 00:19:10,319See, Jesus did not come to join his people in our sins.31200:19:10,619 –> 00:19:13,319Like all of the 42 generations that came after me31300:19:13,319 –> 00:19:14,760and ever lived since him.31400:19:15,719 –> 00:19:20,459No, he came to save his people from our sins31500:19:20,459 –> 00:19:23,260and from death and from hell31600:19:23,260 –> 00:19:26,180and to give us life in his presence forever.31700:19:26,180 –> 00:19:29,140And that is the promise of the gospel.31800:19:30,859 –> 00:19:34,640Do you know, Jesus said something else about me31900:19:34,640 –> 00:19:36,099that’s very important.32000:19:37,640 –> 00:19:38,839He said this,32100:19:40,060 –> 00:19:43,020many people, he said,32200:19:43,020 –> 00:19:47,579will come from the east and from the west.32300:19:47,579 –> 00:19:49,339And he said, these folks from the east32400:19:49,339 –> 00:19:53,180and the west would take their places at the feast32500:19:53,180 –> 00:19:58,180with Isaac, Jacob, and me in the kingdom of Heaven.32600:19:58,560 –> 00:19:59,920Don’t you love that?32700:19:59,920 –> 00:20:03,839Many from the west, you’re about as far west32800:20:03,839 –> 00:20:05,900from where I lived as you can go.32900:20:07,439 –> 00:20:09,359That means many from among you33000:20:10,280 –> 00:20:13,560will be at the feast with me and Isaac and Jacob33100:20:13,560 –> 00:20:14,420in the kingdom of Heaven.33200:20:14,420 –> 00:20:17,900And I hope that I will be seeing you there.33300:20:18,219 –> 00:20:23,219And then Jesus said something else about me33400:20:23,239 –> 00:20:24,900to those who rejected him.33500:20:25,939 –> 00:20:29,239He said that they would see Isaac33600:20:29,239 –> 00:20:31,900and they would see Jacob and they would see me33700:20:33,520 –> 00:20:35,339feasting in the kingdom of heaven33800:20:35,339 –> 00:20:38,819but they themselves would be thrown outside.33900:20:41,060 –> 00:20:43,859I hope that won’t be true of any of you.34000:20:44,739 –> 00:20:48,719Let me tell you in this last moment34100:20:48,719 –> 00:20:53,719how you can be sure that you will be with me34200:20:54,979 –> 00:20:59,979in that great feast that launches the eternal joy of life34300:21:01,900 –> 00:21:04,099that is promised through Jesus Christ.34400:21:05,500 –> 00:21:07,540I want you to understand this clearly34500:21:07,540 –> 00:21:11,020that I lived 2,000 years before him.34600:21:11,020 –> 00:21:13,420You guys lived 2,000 years after him.34700:21:14,859 –> 00:21:19,979But we are saved in exactly the same way.34800:21:19,979 –> 00:21:23,420Paul describes how that happened for me34900:21:23,420 –> 00:21:26,180and it’s exactly the same for you.35000:21:26,180 –> 00:21:26,979Here’s what he says,35100:21:26,979 –> 00:21:28,979you can check this out in Romans in chapter 4,35200:21:28,979 –> 00:21:33,380he said, Abraham believed God35300:21:33,380 –> 00:21:38,099and it was credited to him as righteousness,35400:21:39,020 –> 00:21:40,500here’s what that means.35500:21:41,339 –> 00:21:45,339Faith is the way in which Christ’s death35600:21:45,339 –> 00:21:47,020becomes my righteousness.35700:21:47,979 –> 00:21:52,099It is by faith that what Jesus Christ accomplished35800:21:52,099 –> 00:21:54,459on the cross was applied to me.35900:21:54,459 –> 00:21:57,140It is by faith that what Jesus accomplished36000:21:57,140 –> 00:22:00,219on the cross is applied to you36100:22:00,219 –> 00:22:01,739so that we might be brought36200:22:01,739 –> 00:22:04,939into a right relationship with God.36300:22:04,939 –> 00:22:07,020Although I was a sinner,36400:22:07,060 –> 00:22:11,900however, by faith what he did on the cross36500:22:11,900 –> 00:22:14,979is applied to me so that I, in him,36600:22:14,979 –> 00:22:17,540am counted righteous before God.36700:22:17,540 –> 00:22:19,760That’s what God did for me.36800:22:19,760 –> 00:22:21,780That’s what he did for Isaac.36900:22:21,780 –> 00:22:23,380That’s what he did for Jacob.37000:22:23,380 –> 00:22:27,260And that is what God will do for all37100:22:27,260 –> 00:22:30,619who believe in his son Jesus Christ.37200:22:30,619 –> 00:22:33,739I trusted Jesus looking forward to him.37300:22:33,739 –> 00:22:37,199You must trust this same Jesus looking back to him,37400:22:37,199 –> 00:22:41,319the one who came for you, who died for you,37500:22:41,319 –> 00:22:43,239and who rose again for you.37600:22:44,079 –> 00:22:47,520Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,37700:22:48,420 –> 00:22:51,300and his righteousness will be yours,37800:22:52,540 –> 00:22:55,560my saviour will be yours.37900:22:56,439 –> 00:22:58,339And together for all eternity,38000:22:59,239 –> 00:23:02,319we will share the blessing of God38100:23:03,199 –> 00:23:05,199in His presence.38200:23:05,199 –> 00:23:06,719You’ve been listening to Open the Bible38300:23:06,719 –> 00:23:09,859with Pastor Colin Smith and Abraham Story,38400:23:09,859 –> 00:23:11,959part of our series Christmas Stories.38500:23:11,959 –> 00:23:14,199And if you’ve missed any of the series so far,38600:23:14,199 –> 00:23:16,079or if you want to go back and listen again,38700:23:16,079 –> 00:23:17,680you can do that by coming online38800:23:17,680 –> 00:23:21,540to our website OpenTheBible.org.uk.38900:23:21,540 –> 00:23:25,020Open the Bible is entirely funded by our listeners,39000:23:25,020 –> 00:23:26,140and we’re very grateful.39100:23:26,140 –> 00:23:28,819So if you already give to the work of Open the Bible,39200:23:28,819 –> 00:23:30,459thank you so much.39300:23:30,459 –> 00:23:31,920During the month of December,39400:23:31,920 –> 00:23:34,680if you’re able to set up a new direct debit39500:23:34,680 –> 00:23:36,339to the work of Open the Bible39600:23:36,339 –> 00:23:39,400in the amount of five pounds per month or more,39700:23:39,400 –> 00:23:43,500or a one-off gift to Open the Bible of 50 pounds or more,39800:23:43,500 –> 00:23:44,780we’d love to say thank you39900:23:44,780 –> 00:23:48,859by sending you three copies of John’s Gospel.40000:23:48,859 –> 00:23:51,040I recently caught up with Amanda Cunningham,40100:23:51,040 –> 00:23:53,180who is Open the Bible UK’s40200:23:54,020 –> 00:23:56,199and Communications Manager.40300:23:56,199 –> 00:23:59,099And I asked her to tell me more about this free gift.40400:23:59,099 –> 00:24:00,680Thank you, David.40500:24:00,680 –> 00:24:03,479Yes, we are really excited to be giving away40600:24:03,479 –> 00:24:07,540not just one, but three of these ESV journaling copies40700:24:07,540 –> 00:24:09,219of John’s Gospel.40800:24:09,219 –> 00:24:11,160Each page of text is a blank page40900:24:11,160 –> 00:24:14,500opposite on a lovely thick cream paper,41000:24:14,500 –> 00:24:17,199which means they’re perfect for writing notes,41100:24:17,199 –> 00:24:19,239reflections, or prayers,41200:24:19,239 –> 00:24:22,319or if you’re giving it to an enquiring friend,41300:24:22,319 –> 00:24:23,520perhaps you could suggest41400:24:23,520 –> 00:24:25,000that they write down any questions41500:24:25,000 –> 00:24:26,239that they want to ask you41600:24:26,239 –> 00:24:28,359or anything that they’re struck by.41700:24:28,359 –> 00:24:30,520So I definitely wouldn’t feel embarrassed41800:24:30,520 –> 00:24:33,160about giving this Gospel as a Christmas gift.41900:24:33,160 –> 00:24:36,199After all, what could be a more precious gift42000:24:36,199 –> 00:24:39,280this Christmas than the living Word of God42100:24:39,280 –> 00:24:42,400and these beautiful illustrated Gospels of John42200:24:42,400 –> 00:24:45,640would be a perfect way to give that gift.42300:24:45,640 –> 00:24:46,920Thank you, Amanda.42400:24:46,920 –> 00:24:49,319So those three copies of John’s Gospel42500:24:49,319 –> 00:24:50,199are our gift to you42600:24:50,479 –> 00:24:52,599If you’re able to begin a new direct debit42700:24:52,599 –> 00:24:54,880to the work of open the Bible this month42800:24:54,880 –> 00:24:57,719in the amount of five pounds per month or more42900:24:57,719 –> 00:25:00,800or a one-off gift of 50 pounds.43000:25:00,800 –> 00:25:03,920Full details, terms and conditions are on our website.43100:25:03,920 –> 00:25:07,880That’s at openthebible.org.uk43200:25:07,880 –> 00:25:10,199For pastor Colin Smith and Open the Bible,43300:25:10,199 –> 00:25:11,040I’m David Pick43400:25:11,040 –> 00:25:13,079and I hope you’ll join us again next time43500:25:13,079 –> 00:25:14,439on Open the Bible.43600:25:20,719 –> 00:25:22,640One man’s failure led to death43700:25:22,640 –> 00:25:26,560but another man’s victory leads to life for many.43800:25:26,560 –> 00:25:29,439Find out how next time on Open the Bible.