100:00:00,920 –> 00:00:10,560The question some of us are asking is, I can’t forgive. I’ve been so hurt pastor.200:00:10,560 –> 00:00:16,080You don’t understand how hurt I’ve been, but I can’t forgive and so here’s the300:00:16,080 –> 00:00:23,480person is asking this question, how do I get to forgiveness. Welcome to Open The400:00:23,480 –> 00:00:27,420Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I think today there are500:00:27,420 –> 00:00:31,740a lot of people asking that question. Yeah that’s right how do I get there and600:00:31,740 –> 00:00:37,759we’re in a series on the beatitudes and at the center of our series is the idea700:00:37,759 –> 00:00:43,619that there is a progress within the Christian life. Jesus says down the line800:00:43,619 –> 00:00:47,959of the beatitudes, blessed are the merciful, so that’s getting us into the900:00:47,959 –> 00:00:53,540world of forgiveness. But that’s not the first beatitude. The first beatitude is1000:00:54,160 –> 00:00:59,320asking us to come to the place of being poor in spirit, to recognize our own need1100:00:59,320 –> 00:01:03,480of the forgiveness of God. Now there’s some progression there. You can’t just1200:01:03,480 –> 00:01:07,019start in the middle of the Christian life. You can’t just say, oh well now1300:01:07,019 –> 00:01:10,660I’m going to forgive, it’s rather like saying you know, standing next to a1400:01:10,660 –> 00:01:14,500hurdle on a racing track and saying how am I going to jump over it.1500:01:14,500 –> 00:01:17,980You can’t jump over it standing next to it. You’ve got to go back and take a run1600:01:17,980 –> 00:01:20,360at it and when you take a run at it there’s a1700:01:20,639 –> 00:01:25,540momentum that takes you over. So sometimes we get stuck because we’re1800:01:25,540 –> 00:01:30,400looking at one issue within the Christian life and Christian wisdom says1900:01:30,400 –> 00:01:33,760no you’ve got to look at the whole of the Christian life and as you’re walking2000:01:33,760 –> 00:01:39,339with the Lord you will gain the momentum that enables you to overcome the hurdle2100:01:39,339 –> 00:01:43,419that seems so great right now. Well we’re looking at that today so join us if you2200:01:43,419 –> 00:01:48,400can in Matthew chapter 5 and verses 1 to 12 today as we continue the message2300:01:49,220 –> 00:01:50,760Here is Pastor Colin2400:01:50,879 –> 00:01:59,959The church at its best is a mixed bag of people who one day will be in Heaven and one day2500:01:59,959 –> 00:02:07,839will not. How do you know which one you are? How do you distinguish the authentic2600:02:07,839 –> 00:02:13,100from the fake? How do you distinguish a true believer for someone who’s just2700:02:13,100 –> 00:02:17,899harking on about a vacuous decision that was made 25 years ago and never actually2800:02:18,080 –> 00:02:23,000made any difference to the trajectory of their life. There’s an eternal2900:02:23,000 –> 00:02:27,660difference between these two things. Gotta know the difference, and that’s3000:02:27,660 –> 00:02:32,360precisely what Jesus is addressing here, the evidence that you are truly a3100:02:32,360 –> 00:02:36,179Christian will be seen here, that you humble yourself before God, that you3200:02:36,179 –> 00:02:39,759mourn over your sins, that you submit yourself meekly to God, that you have an3300:02:39,759 –> 00:02:44,300appetite for righteousness and so forth and so on. You’ll hear me quote many3400:02:44,960 –> 00:02:49,300in this series from Thomas Watson, who has written, I think, the definitive3500:02:49,300 –> 00:02:53,699book on the Beatitudes, profoundly helpful and full of rich treasures of3600:02:53,699 –> 00:02:59,259insight from the the Puritan era of the 17th century. And he says this, I found3700:02:59,259 –> 00:03:05,880it so helpful. He says, If we do not imitate Christ’s life, we cannot be3800:03:06,779 –> 00:03:15,979saved by his death. If we do not imitate his life, we cannot be saved by his death.3900:03:15,979 –> 00:03:21,419Now think about what he’s saying. Watson is not saying that we are saved by4000:03:21,419 –> 00:03:26,020imitating Christ’s life. I know other people have said that, you will not find4100:03:26,020 –> 00:03:31,179that in the Bible. We are not saved by imitating Christ’s life. How are we saved?4200:03:31,500 –> 00:03:36,279We are saved by his death. That’s what Watson says right there in that quote,4300:03:36,279 –> 00:03:43,399we’re saved by his death. The question is who is saved by His death? Who is saved4400:03:43,399 –> 00:03:46,300by His death? How would you know a person who is saved4500:03:46,300 –> 00:03:49,639by His death? What are the distinguishing marks of a person who is saved by the4600:03:49,639 –> 00:03:58,259death of Christ? Answer, it is the person who imitates his life, not the person4700:03:58,639 –> 00:04:01,679who says I believe in Jesus and His death and His resurrection and I’m4800:04:01,679 –> 00:04:08,139continuing my own self-centered trajectory. That’s the hypocrite. That’s4900:04:08,139 –> 00:04:12,360the person who one day will hear Jesus say in the presence of the Father,5000:04:12,360 –> 00:04:16,079depart from Me, I never knew you. And that person will say, I was a member of the5100:04:16,079 –> 00:04:20,179Orchard Evangelical Free Church. I taught in the Sunday school. I led5200:04:20,179 –> 00:04:30,660a small group. I gave to this ministry and to that. Depart from Me, I never knew you.5300:04:30,660 –> 00:04:36,899So, by speaking these words, do you see this friends? Jesus is inviting5400:04:36,899 –> 00:04:41,420every one of us, beginning with the senior pastor, to examine ourselves to5500:04:41,420 –> 00:04:50,100measure ourselves to see whether we be in the faith. Begins right today around5600:04:50,100 –> 00:04:53,899the Word and around the Lord’s Table, where we’re specifically called to do5700:04:53,899 –> 00:04:59,779this. There are certain distinguishing marks that are seen in a person who is5800:04:59,779 –> 00:05:02,739blessed and here they are, blessed are the poor in spirit, blessed are5900:05:02,739 –> 00:05:09,399those who mourn and blessed are the meek. So, use the beatitudes throughout these6000:05:09,459 –> 00:05:14,399weeks as a tool for measuring your spiritual condition. You’ll find them6100:05:14,399 –> 00:05:21,040driving you to Jesus Christ and as we move through this series there will be6200:05:21,040 –> 00:05:30,399some who will discover that you are not yet truly a Christian. You will say6300:05:30,399 –> 00:05:34,679perhaps you have been in church for many years, you’ll say if this is a Christian6400:05:35,140 –> 00:05:42,959I am not yet a Christian, and if the Holy Spirit should shine that6500:05:42,959 –> 00:05:46,220light into your heart, it will be the greatest blessing that has come to your6600:05:46,220 –> 00:05:54,399life to this point. Because only when you know that you are not yet Christ’s6700:05:54,399 –> 00:06:00,899are you in a position truly to come to Christ and to receive the life that is6800:06:00,959 –> 00:06:07,420in Him and begin the pursuit of following Him. And I will tell you6900:06:07,420 –> 00:06:11,179honestly folx, all over this congregation and all over the other7000:06:11,179 –> 00:06:16,200congregations of the orchard, you will find scores and scores and scores and7100:06:16,200 –> 00:06:22,579scores of people who will say something to you like this, I used to think that I7200:06:22,579 –> 00:06:29,660was a Christian. I always did. And I was basically a model person, and I attended7300:06:29,660 –> 00:06:36,359the church and then I started listening to the Word of God, and I listened to the7400:06:36,359 –> 00:06:41,880words of Jesus, and I discovered that what Jesus is describing was not true of7500:06:41,880 –> 00:06:49,440me if this is a Christian, I am not yet a Christian. And I say to you again if that7600:06:49,440 –> 00:06:53,679should happen to you in the mercy of God, you will thank Him for the rest of your7700:06:53,679 –> 00:06:58,679life and you will thank him for all eternity, if it becomes the means of you7800:06:58,739 –> 00:07:07,640truly embracing Christ and beginning a life that is found in him. So here’s the7900:07:07,640 –> 00:07:10,839great thing that I want us to go after, week after week we’re going to be8000:07:10,839 –> 00:07:17,220measuring ourselves, our own spiritual condition, where we are before God, in the8100:07:17,220 –> 00:07:23,000light of these Beatitudes. Second, I want to encourage you through the series to8200:07:23,859 –> 00:07:31,040these Beatitudes as a key to progress, a key to progress. I want you to see today8300:07:31,040 –> 00:07:37,279that there is a definite order in the Beatitudes and from that order we8400:07:37,279 –> 00:07:44,040discover how to grow in the Christian life. Each of these virtues that is8500:07:44,040 –> 00:07:48,700mentioned here flows from the one that went before and let me give you a kind8600:07:48,700 –> 00:07:56,000of overview of these. The first three Beatitudes really deal with our need. We8700:07:56,000 –> 00:08:00,299are poor in spirit because we know that we do not have what it takes to live as8800:08:00,299 –> 00:08:05,839God demands. We mourn because as God’s light is shining into our lives we see8900:08:05,839 –> 00:08:09,940that our sins are many. In fact the mark of a growing Christian is that he or she9000:08:09,940 –> 00:08:13,299sees more sins in their lives than they did before9100:08:13,480 –> 00:08:20,279not because there are more but because they see better. We become meek rather9200:08:20,279 –> 00:08:25,119than self-willed and defiant and rebellious because we know that we don’t9300:08:25,119 –> 00:08:29,880have the ability to guide our own lives wisely and that however difficult it is9400:08:29,880 –> 00:08:33,080the only way for me to go is to submit myself to the perfect will of9500:08:33,080 –> 00:08:39,500God. I’m going to describe these first three Beatitudes that all relate9600:08:39,679 –> 00:08:46,219to our need to be humble, need to repent, need to submit to the will of God. I’m9700:08:46,219 –> 00:08:53,260going to describe these as the roots of a godly life. Everything grows from that.9800:08:53,260 –> 00:09:01,299Everything grows from that. Out of that comes the fourth beatitude. What is the9900:09:01,299 –> 00:09:06,640fourth beatitude? It is a deep longing for what we do not have, a hunger and a10000:09:06,719 –> 00:09:13,460thirst for righteousness, a desire to be like Christ, who is the righteous One. And10100:09:13,460 –> 00:09:17,000out of my humbling and out of my deepening repentance and out of my10200:09:17,000 –> 00:09:20,840submission to the will of God comes this great longing. I must pursue a10300:09:20,840 –> 00:09:25,840righteous life. The one comes out of the other. And I’m going to call this the10400:09:25,840 –> 00:09:34,380life of godliness. The soul of a godly life is the hunger and thirst for Jesus10500:09:34,400 –> 00:09:41,419Christ, who is the Righteous One, Christ and His righteousness. So there are the10600:09:41,419 –> 00:09:46,380roots of a truly godly life. There is the life itself that springs from these10700:09:46,380 –> 00:09:50,380routes. And you know what I’m going next, that from the life comes, of course, the10800:09:50,380 –> 00:09:55,280most beautiful, beautiful fruit which you see in the next three beatitudes. The10900:09:55,280 –> 00:10:01,460beautiful fruit is what? Mercy, blessed are the merciful. And then there’s11000:10:01,460 –> 00:10:08,500beautiful, desirable fruit of purity of heart. And then there’s wonderful,11100:10:08,500 –> 00:10:14,020wonderful fruit of peace and not only peace within but peace that is brought11200:10:14,020 –> 00:10:21,179to others. Peacemaking. Peace that comes with me because it resides in me by the11300:10:21,179 –> 00:10:28,659grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. So, to use then this language that we find very11400:10:28,700 –> 00:10:37,299helpful I think here in the orchard, there is a roots life fruit pattern to11500:10:37,299 –> 00:10:43,479the Beatitudes. And you will notice and just so you know I didn’t miss it that11600:10:43,479 –> 00:10:48,179there is an eighth beatitude which reminds us that the person who pursues11700:10:48,179 –> 00:10:53,200this root’s life fruit, life, will not only be blessed by God but they’ll also11800:10:53,200 –> 00:10:56,780be persecuted by the world. That’s just something that comes with the pursuit of11900:10:56,780 –> 00:11:04,299this life, and we’ll come to that also in due course. Now seeing that there12000:11:04,299 –> 00:11:09,260is a distinct pattern that there is progress in the Beatitudes, that the one12100:11:09,260 –> 00:11:15,840naturally flows into and out of the other, I want to take a step further and12200:11:15,840 –> 00:11:22,559say therefore as each of these Beatitudes flows from the one that went12300:11:22,559 –> 00:11:29,640before, the very order of the teaching of Jesus in itself gives to us the12400:11:29,640 –> 00:11:36,340pattern by which a person may make progress or grow in the Christian life.12500:11:36,340 –> 00:11:41,140You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smithand the message12600:11:41,140 –> 00:11:45,880called blessed it’s from our series momentum how to make progress in your12700:11:45,880 –> 00:11:49,859Christian life and if you ever miss one of the messages in the series you can12800:11:49,859 –> 00:11:54,599easily go back or catch up and listen again by coming to our website that’s at12900:11:54,599 –> 00:12:00,099openthebible.org.uk, or they’re all available also as a podcast on all the13000:12:00,099 –> 00:12:04,679main podcast sites and you can find those by searching for open the Bible UK13100:12:04,679 –> 00:12:09,419or come to our website and follow the link there from the website. Back to the13200:12:09,419 –> 00:12:14,400message now. Here again is Pastor Colin. There’s an image that I want you to have13300:12:14,400 –> 00:12:18,900in your mind today and perhaps we’ll come back to it throughout the series13400:12:19,000 –> 00:12:24,820it’s the image of a man swinging from one ring to another. You know the old13500:12:24,820 –> 00:12:30,039monkey swing? I found this picture here, it’s called the ring swing and here’s13600:12:30,039 –> 00:12:33,159this guy on a platform and he’s going to get on the first ring and it’s going to13700:12:33,159 –> 00:12:36,840swing him to the second and he’s going to swing on the second ring and it’s13800:12:36,840 –> 00:12:40,400going to get him to the third and the third to the fourth and so forth across13900:12:40,400 –> 00:12:45,200the platform. The key to doing the ring swing and friends I have to tell you I’m14000:12:45,200 –> 00:12:48,340speaking here from observation and not experience14100:12:49,539 –> 00:12:56,080but the key to doing the ring swing is one thing it is momentum that the14200:12:56,080 –> 00:13:02,520second ring is beyond your reach apart from the momentum of your swing on the14300:13:02,520 –> 00:13:07,679first string. It is the momentum of your swing on the first string that brings14400:13:07,679 –> 00:13:12,900the second one within your reach. You swing back on the second and the14500:13:12,900 –> 00:13:17,580third is well beyond you but the momentum of your swing on the second14600:13:17,619 –> 00:13:22,719will bring the third within your reach and so forth and so on. Now do you see14700:13:22,719 –> 00:13:30,340the relevance of this? The question some of us are asking is I can’t forgive I’ve14800:13:30,340 –> 00:13:35,239been so hurt pastor you don’t understand how hurt I’ve been but I can’t forgive14900:13:35,239 –> 00:13:44,219and so here is a person who’s asking this question how do I get to forgiveness15000:13:45,179 –> 00:13:50,299you see where we’re going here you can’t get on the fifth or the sixth or the15100:13:50,299 –> 00:13:54,280seventh ring of the B attitudes and start from there you have to swing to15200:13:54,280 –> 00:13:59,880it and Jesus shows you how. Here’s someone else who comes in and says pastor15300:13:59,880 –> 00:14:07,140my heart is full of impurity and I long to get rid of it I want to have a pure15400:14:07,219 –> 00:14:15,059heart and the question they’re asking is how do I get on that ring and let’s see15500:14:15,059 –> 00:14:17,840the picture again for just a minute here’s the guy that you see there’s the15600:14:17,840 –> 00:14:20,940guy standing right there he’s saying how do I get on the fifth ring what’s the15700:14:20,940 –> 00:14:25,179answer to that guy? The answer is you have to start by swinging from the first15800:14:25,179 –> 00:14:32,940and through the second and the third and that’s the only way that you’re going to15900:14:32,940 –> 00:14:38,679get to the fifth ring and to the sixth ring and get the fruit that you so long16000:14:38,679 –> 00:14:43,539to see because already the Spirit of God is telling you that’s where you’ve got16100:14:43,539 –> 00:14:57,599to get in your life here’s the wonderful thing every one of us can get on the16200:14:57,599 –> 00:15:07,000first ring. Some of you are looking in doubt. What’s the first ring? Blessed are16300:15:07,000 –> 00:15:16,359the poor in spirit. What’s the first ring? The first ring is to be saying from your16400:15:16,359 –> 00:15:24,320heart I don’t have what it takes. So here’s this person saying, I don’t have16500:15:24,400 –> 00:15:28,159what it takes to forgive. Right now let’s get on the first ring and let’s go deep16600:15:28,159 –> 00:15:33,099with that. You do not have what it takes. I do not have this within me. I am going16700:15:33,099 –> 00:15:37,780to have to cling to Christ to give me what I do not have and you’re beginning16800:15:37,780 –> 00:15:46,859to swing on the first ring. Aren’t you so glad that the first beatitude is not16900:15:46,859 –> 00:15:52,859blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God? If the first beatitude was17000:15:52,900 –> 00:15:57,900blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God all of us would be saying17100:15:57,900 –> 00:16:08,440we can never get on the first ring. It’s too far. It’s beyond us but that’s not17200:16:08,440 –> 00:16:19,719what Jesus says. Here’s the first ring. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Blessed17300:16:19,719 –> 00:16:26,039are those who will come before God and say I do not have what it takes. This is17400:16:26,039 –> 00:16:32,859beyond me. Swing on that ring and you know what’s going to happen? You’re going17500:16:32,859 –> 00:16:37,859to find that a deeper repentance than you knew before comes within your reach.17600:16:37,859 –> 00:16:42,859You’re going to start seeing the extent of your own sins, your own inability,17700:16:42,859 –> 00:16:47,739your own need. You’re gonna start mourning over your own condition that’s17800:16:47,760 –> 00:16:51,119going to begin to change your heart. You’re going to be swinging on the17900:16:51,119 –> 00:16:57,059second ring and as that begins to go deep in your mind what’s what’s going to18000:16:57,059 –> 00:17:00,099happen, here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to find that within your18100:17:00,099 –> 00:17:04,000reach is a deep desire to say I’ve got to stop this self-willed life and I’ve18200:17:04,000 –> 00:17:08,739got to submit myself to Christ. Out of that a new hunger and a new18300:17:08,739 –> 00:17:15,140righteousness and you’re gonna be moving. Now here’s the position that some18400:17:15,160 –> 00:17:20,260of us may have found ourselves in. Let’s see the picture one more time. I want you18500:17:20,260 –> 00:17:25,780to imagine this guy and he gets halfway across let’s say he’s on the fourth18600:17:25,780 –> 00:17:30,219ring and he’s swinging for the fifth you know and he swings for the fifth and he18700:17:30,219 –> 00:17:36,560Oh, he misses it. Now you know what happens next, back he goes and his next18800:17:36,560 –> 00:17:43,760swing is not quite so high and it’s further from his reach and the third one18900:17:43,760 –> 00:17:48,979not quite so high losing momentum losing momentum and eventually there he is19000:17:48,979 –> 00:17:59,099hanging with two hands from a ring and he’s stuck that’s where some of us are19100:17:59,099 –> 00:18:09,880spiritually expect you’re stuck. Not making any progress. Believe it’s in Christ19200:18:09,939 –> 00:18:16,859not moving forward no momentum and it’s an unsustainable19300:18:16,859 –> 00:18:19,780position you know what’s going to happen eventually your arms get very tired19400:18:19,780 –> 00:18:25,300you’re going to drop off on you what you’re going to do next19500:18:25,300 –> 00:18:31,459there’s only one thing to do friend that’s to get back on the platform and19600:18:32,400 –> 00:18:38,040and get your momentum going from ring number one19700:18:38,459 –> 00:18:42,540imagine the impact of that in our lives of us truly coming before God in a19800:18:42,540 –> 00:18:47,859fresh way and saying Oh God I don’t have what it takes and for that to begin to19900:18:47,859 –> 00:18:54,900go deep and for some momentum to get going here’s where you begin here’s20000:18:54,900 –> 00:18:59,660where you get on see I’m not just talking about a kind of one-time20100:18:59,660 –> 00:19:07,479decision I’m talking about this friend as a pattern for the Christian life that20200:19:07,479 –> 00:19:12,939every day that you said I would saying Lord I want to pursue purity of heart20300:19:12,939 –> 00:19:17,459today I want to show mercy towards others today I want to be a peace20400:19:17,459 –> 00:19:23,660bringer today in all the meetings that I’m in and I don’t want to be a source20500:19:23,819 –> 00:19:30,680conflict I I don’t have that fruit in me by nature and so today Lord I’m asking20600:19:30,680 –> 00:19:36,719you to give me what I do not have I know that my sins are many and I ask that20700:19:36,719 –> 00:19:41,900you’ll help me to spot temptation as it comes and to fight against it please20800:19:41,900 –> 00:19:45,979please help me not to be a self-willed person today I got all these ideas as to20900:19:45,979 –> 00:19:50,859what I want to do help me to submit myself really today to your sovereign21000:19:50,859 –> 00:19:54,619will and when there’s something difficult for me to do today please help21100:19:54,619 –> 00:20:00,500me to go after what’s right friends this is how the Holy Spirit produces21200:20:00,500 –> 00:20:09,459Christian growth this is what it looks like to live the Christian life and so21300:20:09,459 –> 00:20:14,540we’re right at the very very heart of what it means to be a follower of Christ21400:20:14,540 –> 00:20:20,739as we’re taking this journey together over these next weeks and months21500:20:21,579 –> 00:20:25,760and the very last thing I want to say in just a moment and it bridges us to the21600:20:25,760 –> 00:20:30,780table where we’re coming right now is that throughout this series we’re going21700:20:30,780 –> 00:20:38,140to be using the Beatitudes as a window to worship you’ll get fresh glimpses of21800:20:38,140 –> 00:20:45,699the beauty of Jesus through the lens of the Beatitudes see him then as we21900:20:45,719 –> 00:20:50,839prepare to come around this table leaving the riches of heaven and22000:20:50,839 –> 00:20:58,640embracing our poverty and humbling himself making himself nothing the Bible22100:20:58,640 –> 00:21:07,060says and humbling himself even to death on a cross see him as he mourns over the22200:21:07,060 –> 00:21:14,900sins of Jerusalem and over your sins and over mine he has no sins of his own to22300:21:14,959 –> 00:21:20,819mourn over but oh he mourns of her sin Oh Jerusalem Jerusalem how often I would22400:21:20,819 –> 00:21:27,160have gathered you to myself as hen gathers chickens under her wing but you22500:21:27,160 –> 00:21:32,619would not can you see Jesus reaching out to you friend today there is someone to22600:21:32,619 –> 00:21:38,060Him Jesus Christ is saying today Oh how I would have gathered you under my wings22700:21:38,060 –> 00:21:43,439but you would not and you hear him calling you and will you not come to Him22800:21:44,359 –> 00:21:51,199see him in the Garden of Gethsemane as He meekly submits to the will of the22900:21:51,199 –> 00:21:57,599Father that is overwhelmingly costly if you think meekness is a kind of weak23000:21:57,599 –> 00:22:04,680word then get this picture in your mind here’s meekness father not what I will23100:22:05,239 –> 00:22:14,699but your will be done if it means nails. That’s meekness submission to the will23200:22:14,699 –> 00:22:21,239of God see him fulfill all righteousness and then lay down this righteous life as23300:22:21,239 –> 00:22:25,699a sacrifice for the sake of others and now see him drawing near to you today23400:22:25,699 –> 00:22:34,859that’s risen Christ in all of his purity and Luke he’s coming to you in mercy he23500:22:34,859 –> 00:22:40,339is not coming with funders of law from Sinai he’s coming with the mercy of23600:22:40,339 –> 00:22:48,699the gospel purchased by his blood and he is saying let me be the peacemaker23700:22:48,699 –> 00:22:53,359between you and God23800:22:53,800 –> 00:22:57,339you’ve been listening to pastor Colin Smith on open the Bible and a message23900:22:57,359 –> 00:23:01,719called blessed part of our series momentum how to make progress in your24000:23:01,719 –> 00:23:06,239Christian life and we’ll hear more about the Beatitudes in our next broadcast I24100:23:06,239 –> 00:23:10,180hope you’ll join us for that if you ever miss one of the messages in the series24200:23:10,180 –> 00:23:14,599you can catch up or go back and listen again by coming to our website that’s at24300:23:14,599 –> 00:23:20,359openthebible.org.UK. Also find us as a podcast on all the main podcast24400:23:20,380 –> 00:23:22,680sites by searching for Open The Bible UK24500:23:22,680 –> 00:23:28,199At Open the Bible we welcome contact with our listeners if you’ve been24600:23:28,199 –> 00:23:32,540blessed by Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching and you’d like to reach out to us you24700:23:32,540 –> 00:23:40,359can write to us at open the Bible PO Box 1420 Cheltenham GL 5024800:23:40,359 –> 00:23:46,9009pg that address along with an email address and a telephone number that you24900:23:47,900 –> 00:23:52,699are all on our website openthebible.org.uk25000:23:52,699 –> 00:23:57,060if you tune in regularly to Open the Bible you’ll know that we’re only able25100:23:57,060 –> 00:24:01,900to bring you pastor Collins messages on this program and on the internet because25200:24:01,900 –> 00:24:06,900of the generous gifts made by our many listeners if you already give to support25300:24:06,900 –> 00:24:12,420our work thank you so much if you’d like to begin supporting Open the Bible in25400:24:12,420 –> 00:24:16,660that way here’s Open the Bible is Amanda Cunningham to talk about our special25500:24:16,660 –> 00:24:22,540offer this month thanks David this month weird and lighter to offer you two free25600:24:22,540 –> 00:24:28,660copies of Christmas stories by Colin Smith a beautifully illustrated book25700:24:28,660 –> 00:24:33,660that brings the Christmas story to life through five key Bible characters25800:24:33,660 –> 00:24:39,180including Mary Joseph and the angel Gabrielle I wonder who you could share25900:24:39,180 –> 00:24:43,979the good news of Jesus with this Christmas you can receive this gift as26000:24:44,839 –> 00:24:50,300you when you donate 60 pounds or more or set up a new direct debit of just 526100:24:50,300 –> 00:24:56,260pounds a month but please do remember to include your address so that we can send26200:24:56,260 –> 00:25:01,760your gift in the post full details terms and conditions of our offer you can find26300:25:01,760 –> 00:25:08,280those on openthebible.org.uk. For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith I’m26400:25:08,280 –> 00:25:11,699David pick thanks for being with us today and I look forward to you joining26500:25:11,699 –> 00:25:12,900us again next time26600:25:14,760 –> 00:25:20,520What does it mean to26700:25:20,520 –> 00:25:26,520be poor in spirit? Does it mean we have little to offer? Of course not. Find out26800:25:26,520 –> 00:25:29,239what it does mean next time on Open the Bible