Assurance Grows as You Believe in God’s Son, Part 1

1 John 2:18-27

In today’s broadcast, we’re diving into the profound question of “Who is Jesus?” and why understanding His true identity matters for everyone. Pastor Colin takes us through 1 John 2:18-27, shedding light on how our assurance grows as we place our faith in God’s Son.

The episode explores the clear distinction between human opinions and the testimony of God concerning Jesus. John, in his letters, makes it abundantly clear that knowing Jesus as the Christ and the Son of God is fundamental to Christian faith. Pastor Colin guides us through understanding these truths and why they provide us with peace and joy, assuring us that we are on the path to heaven.

100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:16,719Any teaching that reduces Jesus to a man with special powers is a lie and it is an expression of the spirit of Antichrist.200:00:16,719 –> 00:00:25,780So chapter two in verse twenty two, who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ.300:00:25,799 –> 00:00:33,080This is the Antichrist, he who denies the father and the son.400:00:33,080 –> 00:00:39,480Welcome to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick, glad you could be with us today.500:00:39,480 –> 00:00:45,279And Colin, if you ask ten different people who Jesus is, you might well get ten different answers.600:00:45,299 –> 00:00:49,320But today we’re going to hear what God says about who Jesus is.700:00:49,340 –> 00:00:53,540Yes, and that, of course, is what really matters.800:00:53,580 –> 00:00:58,980People, as you say, have all kinds of opinions that will live and die with them.900:00:58,980 –> 00:01:04,220The question is, what does God himself say about Jesus?1000:01:04,279 –> 00:01:08,040And John answers that question for us very, very clearly.1100:01:08,040 –> 00:01:13,239And we’re going to see in the first letter of John what we also see clearly in the gospels,1200:01:13,239 –> 00:01:17,760that Jesus is the Christ and that Jesus is the Son of God.1300:01:17,760 –> 00:01:19,779It’s stated so clearly.1400:01:19,779 –> 00:01:21,839We’re going to look at what that means.1500:01:21,839 –> 00:01:24,940We’re going to look not only at what we believe about Jesus,1600:01:24,940 –> 00:01:27,500but why we believe in Jesus.1700:01:27,500 –> 00:01:31,440And the whole of this is because we want to grow in assurance.1800:01:31,440 –> 00:01:36,080That is, we want to have greater peace and joy in being confident1900:01:36,080 –> 00:01:40,599that we really do have peace with God and that we really are headed to heaven.2000:01:40,599 –> 00:01:42,360And there are different ingredients in that.2100:01:42,360 –> 00:01:45,379We’ve been looking at that throughout the first letter of John.2200:01:46,160 –> 00:01:51,019is clarity of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ himself.2300:01:51,019 –> 00:01:53,660So this is really important that we’re looking at today.2400:01:53,660 –> 00:01:57,500So join us today, if you can, in 1 John 2.2500:01:57,500 –> 00:02:00,519And today is verses 18 to 27.2600:02:00,519 –> 00:02:05,260As we begin the message, assurance grows as you believe in God’s Son.2700:02:05,260 –> 00:02:06,540Here is Colin.2800:02:06,540 –> 00:02:13,860Now First John, as we’ve seen, was written to answer a very practical question.2900:02:13,880 –> 00:02:17,000How can I be sure that I’m a Christian?3000:02:17,000 –> 00:02:20,960How do I know that I really know God?3100:02:20,960 –> 00:02:25,839How do I know that I’m really in Christ?3200:02:25,839 –> 00:02:29,820And John offers three signs.3300:02:29,820 –> 00:02:34,160The first sign is that we obey God’s commands.3400:02:34,160 –> 00:02:41,500We saw that while no Christian obeys God’s commands perfectly, all Christians begin to3500:02:41,500 –> 00:02:42,880obey God’s command.3600:02:42,880 –> 00:02:48,520But if that was not the case, then we would still be walking in darkness.3700:02:48,520 –> 00:02:53,580The second sign that John gives to us is that we love God’s people.3800:02:53,580 –> 00:03:02,179Loving God’s people is a sure sign that the love of God actually is in us.3900:03:02,179 –> 00:03:07,139And today we come to the third sign, the third evidence of spiritual life.4000:03:07,139 –> 00:03:13,300The third way that you can know that you know God and that you are in Christ, and that4100:03:13,300 –> 00:03:17,520is that we believe in God’s son.4200:03:17,520 –> 00:03:22,979Now, we begin today at chapter 2 in verse 18, where John says,4300:03:22,979 –> 00:03:32,500Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that Antichrist is coming, so now4400:03:32,919 –> 00:03:37,500many antichrists have come.4500:03:37,500 –> 00:03:47,960So notice John tells us that it is the last hour, that Antichrist is coming and that already4600:03:47,960 –> 00:03:53,259many antichrists have come.4700:03:53,259 –> 00:04:01,839So the Antichrist singular is a person who will oppose Christ and all that He stands4800:04:01,839 –> 00:04:03,080for.4900:04:03,080 –> 00:04:13,339This person will be the embodiment of evil and he will arise at some point in the future.5000:04:13,339 –> 00:04:19,359But notice that even in the first century when John was writing he says that there were5100:04:19,359 –> 00:04:22,959many antichrists, plural.5200:04:23,179 –> 00:04:28,339So now many antichrists have come.5300:04:28,339 –> 00:04:35,700Now when John speaks about antichrists it would be very easy for us to picture a kind5400:04:35,700 –> 00:04:41,980of semi-human figure with a dark cloak and horns.5500:04:41,980 –> 00:04:48,859But what I want you to notice here is that John is talking about ordinary people.5600:04:48,940 –> 00:04:56,019Ordinary people who once were in the church and now have departed from it.5700:04:56,019 –> 00:05:04,720Chapter 2 in verse 19, they went out from us, but they were not off us.5800:05:04,720 –> 00:05:09,779Now who were these people and what did they believe?5900:05:09,779 –> 00:05:14,359Most likely they were followers of a man the name of Syrinthus.6000:05:15,160 –> 00:05:23,720And these people believed that Jesus was a man who was born and died like anyone else.6100:05:23,720 –> 00:05:26,160They denied the virgin birth.6200:05:26,160 –> 00:05:34,119They said that Jesus was the son of Mary and Joseph and they said that the Christ, by which6300:05:34,119 –> 00:05:42,320they meant a heavenly power came upon Jesus at His baptism, remained on Him during His6400:05:42,420 –> 00:05:45,320ministry and then left Him when He died.6500:05:45,320 –> 00:05:52,359In other words, they saw Jesus as a very special person with remarkable powers and a special6600:05:52,359 –> 00:05:53,779ministry.6700:05:53,779 –> 00:05:59,839They saw Him therefore as a kind of inspiration, as an example, showing what’s possible for6800:05:59,839 –> 00:06:06,179mortals like us when possessed by heavenly powers.6900:06:06,179 –> 00:06:14,540But John is very clear that any teaching that reduces Jesus to a man with special powers7000:06:14,540 –> 00:06:22,140is a lie, and it is an expression of the spirit of anti-Christ.7100:06:22,140 –> 00:06:26,880So chapter 2 in verse 22, who is the liar?7200:06:26,880 –> 00:06:34,220But he who denies that Jesus is the Christ, this is the antichrist.7300:06:34,260 –> 00:06:38,760He who denies the Father and the Son.7400:06:38,760 –> 00:06:43,440So notice that John is concerned about two denials here.7500:06:43,440 –> 00:06:52,940The liar denies that Jesus is the Christ and the liar denies that Jesus is the Son of God.7600:06:52,940 –> 00:07:02,920Robert Law who I’ve mentioned before says there are many lies and there are many liars,7700:07:02,920 –> 00:07:10,040but he who utters this lie is THE liar.7800:07:10,040 –> 00:07:11,040THE liar.7900:07:11,040 –> 00:07:14,980Who is THE liar, John says.8000:07:14,980 –> 00:07:18,279He who denies that Jesus is the Christ.8100:07:18,279 –> 00:07:23,339He who denies the Father and the Son.8200:07:23,339 –> 00:07:26,279So this is the big lie.8300:07:26,279 –> 00:07:34,160This is the arch lie that, in some shape or form, will go on being repeated down through8400:07:34,160 –> 00:07:39,260the centuries, down through the course of history, and whenever you hear it, what you8500:07:39,260 –> 00:07:45,320are hearing is the very voice of the Antichrist.8600:07:45,320 –> 00:07:50,899Now today, then, I want to focus on three things that arise directly from this theme8700:07:50,899 –> 00:07:53,119in 1 John.8800:07:53,160 –> 00:07:56,000The first is what we believe about Jesus.8900:07:56,000 –> 00:08:00,839Hard to imagine anything more important for us than this, to be absolutely clear about9000:08:00,839 –> 00:08:04,619what we believe in regards to Jesus.9100:08:04,619 –> 00:08:13,079Second, why we believe in Jesus, then thirdly how we can use this teaching of these signs9200:08:13,079 –> 00:08:16,920that we have been looking at in this first letter of John.9300:08:16,920 –> 00:08:21,519So first then is what we believe about Jesus, and it is clearly pointed to in the verse9400:08:21,519 –> 00:08:24,820that we have looked at already, chapter two and verse 22.9500:08:24,820 –> 00:08:32,260We believe two things distinctly about Jesus and the first is that Jesus is the Christ.9600:08:32,260 –> 00:08:35,440One John chapter five and verse one.9700:08:35,440 –> 00:08:44,280Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.9800:08:44,400 –> 00:08:53,080So we saw chapter two and verse 22 that the anti-Christ denies that Jesus is the Christ.9900:08:53,080 –> 00:09:01,520But here John says the person who is born of God believes and confesses that Jesus is10000:09:01,520 –> 00:09:03,340the Christ.10100:09:03,340 –> 00:09:08,479In other words, the Christ is not some heavenly figure that came upon Jesus.10200:09:08,479 –> 00:09:13,599No, Jesus is the Christ.10300:09:13,599 –> 00:09:18,599And then, in one of the most important statements in the New Testament regarding our Lord Jesus,10400:09:18,599 –> 00:09:27,380in chapter 4 and verse 2, John says Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.10500:09:27,380 –> 00:09:32,159He is describing the incarnation.10600:09:32,159 –> 00:09:38,820God becoming a man in Christ Jesus.10700:09:38,840 –> 00:09:42,979Look for a moment at these words that John uses here.10800:09:42,979 –> 00:09:47,440They are absolutely pregnant with meaning.10900:09:47,440 –> 00:09:53,520Come points to where he was before.11000:09:53,520 –> 00:10:04,000Before he was here with us, the Son of God shared the life of the Father in heaven.11100:10:04,000 –> 00:10:13,299Jesus has come indicating that his coming was a historical event and that it is an abiding11200:10:13,299 –> 00:10:15,580reality.11300:10:15,580 –> 00:10:22,539Flesh tells us that he really does share our human nature.11400:10:22,539 –> 00:10:24,940God is spirit.11500:10:24,979 –> 00:10:33,780So, in taking flesh, the Son of God took upon himself that which is uniquely ours.11600:10:33,780 –> 00:10:39,460He identified himself fully with us.11700:10:39,460 –> 00:10:44,940Even the word in is loaded with significance.11800:10:44,940 –> 00:10:52,799The antichrists, they would’ve said that the Christ came into the flesh.11900:10:52,840 –> 00:10:54,679John says, no, no, no, no.12000:10:54,679 –> 00:10:57,000That’s not what it is.12100:10:57,000 –> 00:11:01,239The word actually became flesh.12200:11:01,239 –> 00:11:11,099God did more than indwell a man, God actually became a man.12300:11:11,099 –> 00:11:22,559And the union of God’s nature with ours is realized in a person and that person is Jesus Christ.12400:11:22,659 –> 00:11:32,880And this is why all our hope is in him because Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.12500:11:33,080 –> 00:11:43,239God had promised a Redeemer from the beginning of time, and God became the Redeemer that12600:11:43,239 –> 00:11:45,400He had promised.12700:11:45,400 –> 00:11:48,320Jesus is the Christ.12800:11:48,340 –> 00:11:52,799Jesus Christ has come in the flesh.12900:11:52,799 –> 00:11:55,679You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.13000:11:55,679 –> 00:12:00,039And a message called, Assurance Grows As You Believe in God’s Son.13100:12:00,039 –> 00:12:05,960It’s part of our series, How Can I Be Sure?, all about having assurance of salvation.13200:12:05,960 –> 00:12:10,080And if you miss any of the messages, you can easily catch up or go back and listen again13300:12:10,080 –> 00:12:15,419online at our website openthebible.org.uk.13400:12:15,419 –> 00:12:16,780Back to The Message now.13500:12:16,780 –> 00:12:18,000Here again is Colin.13600:12:18,380 –> 00:12:24,760We believe that Jesus is the Christ, and then secondly we believe that Jesus is God’s Son.13700:12:24,760 –> 00:12:31,6401 John 4, in verse 15, whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God,13800:12:31,640 –> 00:12:37,359God abides in him and he in God.13900:12:37,359 –> 00:12:41,219Jesus is God’s Son.14000:12:41,219 –> 00:12:44,719He is the image of the invisible God.14100:12:44,880 –> 00:12:49,239We can’t see God, but in Jesus, we really do see him.14200:12:49,239 –> 00:12:52,919He’s the image of the invisible God.14300:12:52,919 –> 00:12:59,679He is the exact representation of his being.14400:12:59,679 –> 00:13:03,380Jesus really is God in the flesh.14500:13:03,380 –> 00:13:08,940He is one with the Father, so his words are the Father’s words.14600:13:08,940 –> 00:13:15,140His will is the Father’s will and his work is the Father’s work.14700:13:15,140 –> 00:13:21,340So in the Gospels, John tells us about an occasion where Philip, one of the disciples14800:13:21,340 –> 00:13:27,760of Jesus, said to Jesus, show us the Father.14900:13:27,760 –> 00:13:35,559And Jesus said to him, have I been with you so long and still you do not know me, Philip.15000:13:35,960 –> 00:13:42,840Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.15100:13:42,840 –> 00:13:46,299How can you say, show us the Father?15200:13:46,299 –> 00:13:53,799Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?15300:13:53,799 –> 00:13:57,080Now, this is what we believe.15400:13:57,080 –> 00:14:00,880Jesus is God’s son.15500:14:00,880 –> 00:14:04,119To see him is to see the Father.15600:14:04,119 –> 00:14:06,840To believe him is to believe the Father.15700:14:06,840 –> 00:14:09,760To honour him is to honour the Father.15800:14:09,760 –> 00:14:15,700He is in the Father and the Father is in him.15900:14:15,700 –> 00:14:23,080So, Christians believe that Jesus is the Christ and that Jesus is God’s son.16000:14:23,080 –> 00:14:28,479And John brings these two together in chapter 5 and verse 20, where he says,16100:14:28,479 –> 00:14:35,419And we know, that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding, so that we16200:14:35,419 –> 00:14:43,340may know him, that is the Father, who is true, and we are in him, who is true in his Son,16300:14:43,340 –> 00:14:45,539Jesus Christ.16400:14:45,539 –> 00:14:46,539You see what he’s saying?16500:14:46,539 –> 00:14:48,239It’s so wonderful.16600:14:48,239 –> 00:14:52,679Jesus is one with the Father.16700:14:52,679 –> 00:15:00,719So if you are in Christ, the Son, well, you are in God, the Father.16800:15:00,719 –> 00:15:09,619We are in him, who is true in his Son, Jesus Christ.16900:15:09,619 –> 00:15:18,979We believe that Jesus is the Christ, and we believe that Jesus is God’s Son.17000:15:19,700 –> 00:15:23,700Now, why do we believe these things about Jesus?17100:15:23,700 –> 00:15:29,739Why do we put our whole trust in him and stake our lives and our eternity on him?17200:15:29,739 –> 00:15:33,539We need to have some good reason for doing that.17300:15:33,539 –> 00:15:39,039I want you to see how John lays this out in chapter 5 of this wonderful letter.17400:15:39,039 –> 00:15:45,979The reason, he says, when you boil it all down, the reason that we believe what we believe17500:15:45,979 –> 00:15:52,159about the Lord Jesus, is the testimony of God himself.17600:15:52,159 –> 00:16:02,2191 John chapter 5 and verse 9, if we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God17700:16:02,219 –> 00:16:04,880is greater.17800:16:04,880 –> 00:16:13,020For this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his son.17900:16:13,919 –> 00:16:17,880Now all of us have benefited from books that we have read.18000:16:17,880 –> 00:16:19,960People that we have talked to.18100:16:19,960 –> 00:16:22,239Believers who have influenced us.18200:16:22,239 –> 00:16:26,059People who have laid out their testimony or their reason for faith.18300:16:26,059 –> 00:16:30,140We have all been molded and shaped by these things.18400:16:30,140 –> 00:16:33,239But what John says here is really important.18500:16:33,239 –> 00:16:37,880The ultimate reason why we believe in Jesus is not because of anything that other18600:16:37,880 –> 00:16:40,419people have said.18700:16:40,619 –> 00:16:44,799It is what God Himself has said about His Son.18800:16:44,799 –> 00:16:52,380Notice that he uses the phrase the testimony of God not once but twice in this very important18900:16:52,380 –> 00:16:54,299verse.19000:16:54,299 –> 00:17:00,960Now this matters because you could spend your entire life reading what people have said19100:17:00,960 –> 00:17:03,880about Jesus.19200:17:03,880 –> 00:17:09,500But there is one testimony about Jesus that matters more than any other and that clearly19300:17:09,599 –> 00:17:12,400is the testimony of God Himself.19400:17:12,400 –> 00:17:17,079What has God said in regards to Jesus?19500:17:17,079 –> 00:17:22,300And John makes clear in these remarkable verses that the testimony of God, the testimony that19600:17:22,300 –> 00:17:26,020really matters has come to us in 3 ways.19700:17:26,020 –> 00:17:29,880Through the water, through the blood and through the Spirit.19800:17:29,880 –> 00:17:32,819Look at verse 7 and verse 8 of chapter 5.19900:17:32,819 –> 00:17:35,520For there are three that testify.20000:17:35,699 –> 00:17:39,920Spirit and the water and the blood20100:17:39,920 –> 00:17:43,719and these three agree.20200:17:43,719 –> 00:17:53,420And this 3 fold testimony is verse 9, the testimony of God that He has born concerning20300:17:53,420 –> 00:17:54,599His Son.20400:17:54,599 –> 00:18:02,040But John is telling us that God testifies that Jesus is His Son through the water, through20500:18:02,040 –> 00:18:05,439the blood and through the Spirit.20600:18:05,479 –> 00:18:07,680What’s he referring to?20700:18:07,680 –> 00:18:12,760Well the water speaks of the baptism of Jesus.20800:18:12,760 –> 00:18:21,160Remember when Jesus was baptized the Spirit of God descended on Him as a dove and an audible20900:18:21,160 –> 00:18:30,439voice from heaven declared this is My beloved Son.21000:18:30,439 –> 00:18:32,079The testimony of God.21100:18:32,760 –> 00:18:35,859Let me read Matthew three in verses 16 and 17.21200:18:35,859 –> 00:18:42,560When Jesus was baptized immediately He went up from the water and behold the heavens were21300:18:42,560 –> 00:18:47,880opened to Him and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest21400:18:47,880 –> 00:18:48,839on Him.21500:18:48,839 –> 00:18:58,400And behold a voice from heaven said, This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased.21600:18:58,420 –> 00:19:03,979We believe in Jesus because of the very Word of God.21700:19:03,979 –> 00:19:08,800The blood speaks of the death of Jesus.21800:19:08,800 –> 00:19:16,479And God has testified that the one who died on the cross is His Son and He testified to21900:19:16,479 –> 00:19:20,599it of course by raising Him from the dead.22000:19:20,599 –> 00:19:39,119Think about this, we did our very worst to Jesus, I mean mocking, spitting, scourging,22100:19:39,119 –> 00:19:43,280crucifying Him.22200:19:43,300 –> 00:19:51,339But God said, This is my son!22300:19:51,339 –> 00:19:57,160And demonstrated it by raising Him from the dead.22400:19:57,160 –> 00:20:03,719So the apostle Paul says in Romans chapter 1, he speaks about the gospel of God concerning22500:20:03,719 –> 00:20:07,359his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh.22600:20:07,400 –> 00:20:16,680He was declared to be the Son of God in power by the resurrection from the dead.22700:20:16,680 –> 00:20:21,900We believe in Jesus because of the word of the Father.22800:20:21,900 –> 00:20:30,359We believe in Jesus because the Father raised Him from the dead.22900:20:30,359 –> 00:20:35,380And we believe in Jesus because of the work of the Holy Spirit.23000:20:35,400 –> 00:20:43,199The Spirit is the Holy Spirit who dwells in the hearts of all who believe.23100:20:43,199 –> 00:20:53,660And Jesus said, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness about me.23200:20:53,680 –> 00:21:04,160What John is pointing to here surely is that God shows us personally that Jesus really23300:21:04,160 –> 00:21:14,640is his son and he convinces us of this wonderful truth by sending his Spirit into our hearts.23400:21:15,439 –> 00:21:25,300So John says in chapter 5 and verse 10, whoever believes in the Son of God has this testimony23500:21:25,300 –> 00:21:28,020in himself.23600:21:28,020 –> 00:21:34,000So you see here is the threefold witness, the testimony of God, the testimony that matters23700:21:34,000 –> 00:21:37,420more than any other ever could.23800:21:37,420 –> 00:21:43,520God has declared that Jesus is his son through his baptism.23900:21:43,520 –> 00:21:51,160He has demonstrated that Jesus is his son by raising him from the dead, and he has shown24000:21:51,160 –> 00:22:00,760us that Jesus is his son by sending his spirit into our hearts.24100:22:00,760 –> 00:22:09,319God has borne testimony concerning his son.24200:22:39,319 –> 00:22:53,239Open the Bible is supported by our listeners, and if you are thinking about doing that for24300:22:53,239 –> 00:22:58,160the first time this month, we would like to offer you something in return.24400:22:58,160 –> 00:23:03,920If you are able to set up a new direct debit of £5 per month or more, or a one off gift24500:23:04,760 –> 00:23:08,719of 50 pounds or more, we’ll send you a copy of Pastor Colin Smith’s book –24600:23:08,719 –> 00:23:13,719The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life. Finding Freedom in God’s Commands.24700:23:13,719 –> 00:23:18,199Along with 5 beautiful Psalm 23 Note Cards.24800:23:18,199 –> 00:23:22,079Colin what are you hoping that readers will take away from reading this book?24900:23:22,079 –> 00:23:28,439Well there are so many people who have only heard a message that is basically do this25000:23:28,439 –> 00:23:33,719and don’t do that. And have become tired of it and may even have walked away from it.25100:23:33,719 –> 00:23:38,319Folks who are listening to us right now and that’s been your experience, do this, do25200:23:38,319 –> 00:23:43,479this, do this, don’t do that, don’t do that and so forth and so on. And the wonderful25300:23:43,479 –> 00:23:49,900thing that’s at the very heart of the Gospel is that God GIVES what He commands. So when25400:23:49,900 –> 00:23:56,579we look at the 10 Commandments we’re looking at what God actually offers to give to us25500:23:56,579 –> 00:24:02,239by the power of His Holy Spirit when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s25600:24:02,260 –> 00:24:08,859able to give us a new life in which it’s possible to pursue purity, in which it’s possible25700:24:08,859 –> 00:24:15,239to find contentment, in which it’s possible for us to make wise and good use of our time.25800:24:15,239 –> 00:24:19,680All of these issues are addressed in the 10 Commandments and therefore they point to a25900:24:19,680 –> 00:24:26,000new life that is full of the most wonderful hope. If you’ve only heard a bunch of do’s26000:24:26,000 –> 00:24:30,839and don’ts, you haven’t yet discovered the good news of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus26100:24:31,280 –> 00:24:35,000Christ and so my hope and prayer for this book is that it will help many people to have26200:24:35,000 –> 00:24:40,359their eyes open to the new life that is possible through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.26300:24:40,359 –> 00:24:45,439So that’s our gift to you this month of September if you’re able to set up a new direct debit26400:24:45,439 –> 00:24:50,800of five pounds per month or more, or a one off gift of fifty pounds or more, to the work26500:24:50,800 –> 00:24:58,099of Open the Bible. Full terms and conditions on our website, that’s at openthebible.org.uk26600:24:58,199 –> 00:25:03,359And you can give online. If you’d like us to send you this gift, please don’t give anonymously26700:25:03,359 –> 00:25:07,760and remember to include your address so that we can send you your gift.26800:25:07,760 –> 00:25:12,520For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again26900:25:12,520 –> 00:25:19,219next time on Open the Bible.27000:25:19,219 –> 00:25:23,939If someone you know is struggling with assurance, how would you help them?27100:25:23,939 –> 00:25:25,979Find out next time on Open the Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

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

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A Fresh Look at the Christmas Story

Immerse yourself in Christmas Stories by Pastor Colin Smith. This new book retells the nativity from the viewpoints of five memorable biblical characters.

For new advent ideas this Christmas, sign up now to receive our Advent Resources Pack— a sermon series outline, Bible study guide, a nativity drama script and customisable artwork. 

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