100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,940David Pick, Prophet & Reviewer200:00:03,940 –> 00:00:07,140Lord, to whom shall we go?300:00:07,140 –> 00:00:10,140You see the point of what he’s saying.400:00:10,140 –> 00:00:12,400Lord what’s the alternative to you?500:00:12,400 –> 00:00:15,040To whom shall we go?600:00:15,040 –> 00:00:21,620If you will not live for Jesus for whom and for what will you live?700:00:21,620 –> 00:00:24,520Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:24,520 –> 00:00:26,620I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could join us today.900:00:27,080 –> 00:00:31,440And Colin that is a question that we all have to address at some point in our life.1000:00:31,440 –> 00:00:35,380What does it mean to us to be a disciple of Jesus?1100:00:35,380 –> 00:00:39,020That’s right and in order to stand as a disciple of Jesus1200:00:39,020 –> 00:00:42,799we’ve got to know how to resist the cultural pressure1300:00:42,799 –> 00:00:45,500of people moving away from faith.1400:00:45,500 –> 00:00:48,040And you see this in John’s gospel in chapter 61500:00:48,040 –> 00:00:51,259where crowds of people leave the Lord Jesus Christ1600:00:51,259 –> 00:00:53,000because they’re offended at what he’s saying.1700:00:53,000 –> 00:00:56,439And then Jesus turns to Peter and says to him1800:00:56,540 –> 00:00:59,200Now what about you? Are you going to go away as well?1900:00:59,200 –> 00:01:02,160And Peter comes up with this marvellous answer2000:01:02,160 –> 00:01:03,959Lord to whom shall we go?2100:01:03,959 –> 00:01:07,120Only you have the words of eternal life.2200:01:07,120 –> 00:01:09,279Now how rich we are in Jesus Christ.2300:01:09,279 –> 00:01:13,519If you belong to Jesus Christ, you have eternal life.2400:01:13,519 –> 00:01:16,059You have more life than you know what to do with.2500:01:16,059 –> 00:01:20,000You are rich in life and we looked at that last time.2600:01:20,000 –> 00:01:22,400But today here’s where we’re going to focus.2700:01:22,400 –> 00:01:25,000Peter says, Lord, to whom shall we go?2800:01:25,000 –> 00:01:26,139What’s the alternative?2900:01:26,160 –> 00:01:27,699If you’re gonna go away from Jesus3000:01:27,699 –> 00:01:29,220what are you gonna go to?3100:01:29,220 –> 00:01:31,239And people pick all sorts of different things3200:01:31,239 –> 00:01:32,239don’t they?3300:01:32,239 –> 00:01:36,419Pleasure, chasing money, chasing relationships and status.3400:01:36,419 –> 00:01:37,419And in this message3500:01:37,419 –> 00:01:39,660you’re going to talk about someone you knew3600:01:39,660 –> 00:01:41,940who went their own way for a time.3700:01:41,940 –> 00:01:44,580Someone I know well, who was part of our congregation here3800:01:44,580 –> 00:01:46,459went to university and3900:01:46,459 –> 00:01:48,919his faith was completely deconstructed.4000:01:48,919 –> 00:01:51,980He lost it all together.4100:01:51,980 –> 00:01:54,839And in God’s mercy, he came back4200:01:54,839 –> 00:01:57,099and put the story in writing4300:01:57,099 –> 00:01:59,440and I share it in this programme today.4400:01:59,440 –> 00:02:01,500It’s very, very moving to me.4500:02:01,500 –> 00:02:04,360You know, without Christ there really is no hope.4600:02:04,360 –> 00:02:06,320And that’s the point of Peter’s answer.4700:02:06,320 –> 00:02:09,220Lord, to whom shall we go?4800:02:09,220 –> 00:02:11,679You have the words of eternal life.4900:02:11,679 –> 00:02:15,059So, join us if you can in John chapter 65000:02:15,059 –> 00:02:16,300as we continue the message5100:02:16,300 –> 00:02:17,300Disciple.5200:02:17,300 –> 00:02:18,940Here is Colin.5300:02:18,940 –> 00:02:23,279How are you going to stand firm5400:02:23,660 –> 00:02:27,580when vast numbers of other people are turning away?5500:02:27,580 –> 00:02:30,600How are you going to have a faith that lasts?5600:02:30,600 –> 00:02:35,139How are you going to move beyond drifting,5700:02:35,139 –> 00:02:39,059away from defiance and beyond doubting5800:02:39,059 –> 00:02:42,820and live as a disciple of Jesus?5900:02:42,820 –> 00:02:47,220And I wanted, in this last session therefore,6000:02:47,220 –> 00:02:51,080just to leave with you very simply6100:02:51,080 –> 00:02:54,880the marvelous answer that Peter gave to Jesus’ question.6200:02:54,880 –> 00:02:58,339Do you want to go away as well?6300:02:58,339 –> 00:03:00,320Notice three things very simply here.6400:03:00,320 –> 00:03:02,220The first is here’s how you’ll stand6500:03:02,220 –> 00:03:05,600for a lifetime with Jesus.6600:03:05,600 –> 00:03:09,600Because you know the richness of life with Jesus.6700:03:09,600 –> 00:03:12,539The richness of life with Jesus.6800:03:12,539 –> 00:03:14,399Simon Peter answered him,6900:03:14,520 –> 00:03:18,020Lord, to whom shall we go?7000:03:19,399 –> 00:03:23,839You have the words of eternal life.7100:03:26,220 –> 00:03:29,539When I was in high school in Scotland,7200:03:29,539 –> 00:03:34,220we had a math teacher, delightfully eccentric7300:03:34,220 –> 00:03:37,740who would give us an equation or whatever to,7400:03:37,740 –> 00:03:39,699to work on and a certain amount of time7500:03:39,699 –> 00:03:41,880for us to work on this thing and to resolve it.7600:03:41,979 –> 00:03:44,460And he would always say the same thing7700:03:44,460 –> 00:03:46,979after he’d finished doing his thing up front7800:03:46,979 –> 00:03:49,380and then got us to do an exercise together.7900:03:49,380 –> 00:03:50,220He said,8000:03:50,220 –> 00:03:52,619you’re going to have to get going on this8100:03:52,619 –> 00:03:55,539because you’re short on time.8200:03:55,539 –> 00:03:57,220And he said that every time,8300:03:57,220 –> 00:03:58,919I mean, every day, you know?8400:03:58,919 –> 00:04:02,119So of course we helped him out as a class.8500:04:02,119 –> 00:04:03,860You know, as soon as he said the first part8600:04:03,860 –> 00:04:05,259of the tagline, you know,8700:04:05,259 –> 00:04:06,820you’re gonna have to get going on this.8800:04:06,820 –> 00:04:10,300We’d all shout out because we’re short on time.8900:04:11,000 –> 00:04:15,080And that phrase has embedded in my mind forever.9000:04:18,820 –> 00:04:20,820Without eternal life,9100:04:22,000 –> 00:04:23,839we would be short on time.9200:04:25,339 –> 00:04:27,600Put yourself for one minute in the shoes9300:04:27,600 –> 00:04:31,940of a person who doesn’t have eternal life.9400:04:33,640 –> 00:04:36,260If you don’t have eternal life,9500:04:36,260 –> 00:04:38,160I feel sorry for you.9600:04:39,040 –> 00:04:41,799Your life is so short,9700:04:43,239 –> 00:04:46,359and you will always feel that it is slipping away.9800:04:47,799 –> 00:04:50,320And if the only good you’re ever going to enjoy9900:04:50,320 –> 00:04:52,359is the good that you get hold of,10000:04:52,359 –> 00:04:54,000then now you are going to live10100:04:54,000 –> 00:04:56,339with the fear of what you might miss.10200:04:56,339 –> 00:04:57,880FOMO will be written all over you.10300:04:57,880 –> 00:04:59,480Fear of missing out because you’ve only got10400:04:59,480 –> 00:05:01,220this very, very little life.10500:05:02,679 –> 00:05:04,079And with so little life,10600:05:04,079 –> 00:05:08,119if something should happen to you that harms10700:05:08,160 –> 00:05:10,799or spoils your life,10800:05:10,799 –> 00:05:13,779you will feel ultimate loss.10900:05:13,779 –> 00:05:15,920This life is all that I have,11000:05:15,920 –> 00:05:17,440and now it’s been spoilt.11100:05:19,459 –> 00:05:20,920Without eternal life,11200:05:20,920 –> 00:05:24,959you will inevitably be drawn to one of two alternatives.11300:05:24,959 –> 00:05:29,959One would be to throw yourself into a life of indulgence.11400:05:31,100 –> 00:05:33,019Try everything.11500:05:33,019 –> 00:05:36,179Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow, we die.11600:05:36,179 –> 00:05:37,239I’ve only got a little life,11700:05:37,399 –> 00:05:39,880so I’m just going to try everything.11800:05:39,880 –> 00:05:41,559Or,11900:05:41,559 –> 00:05:43,320if you don’t do that, you’ll go the other way.12000:05:43,320 –> 00:05:44,380You will live with fear,12100:05:45,859 –> 00:05:47,600caution,12200:05:47,600 –> 00:05:50,480grasping onto this little life that you have12300:05:50,480 –> 00:05:52,119desperately trying to make sure12400:05:52,119 –> 00:05:54,519that you don’t let it slip through your fingers.12500:05:56,160 –> 00:05:59,899Now, brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,12600:06:01,540 –> 00:06:04,700think about the reality of your position in Christ.12700:06:04,700 –> 00:06:05,779You12800:06:05,779 –> 00:06:07,000have12900:06:07,359 –> 00:06:08,880eternal13000:06:08,880 –> 00:06:09,779life.13100:06:09,779 –> 00:06:10,920Amen!13200:06:11,779 –> 00:06:13,279You have13300:06:13,279 –> 00:06:14,380life13400:06:14,380 –> 00:06:15,779stored up,13500:06:16,920 –> 00:06:18,700inexhaustible,13600:06:18,700 –> 00:06:19,859never ending.13700:06:21,160 –> 00:06:23,739Pleasures greater by far13800:06:23,739 –> 00:06:25,959than all the joys of life and love13900:06:25,959 –> 00:06:27,739that you can experience here14000:06:27,739 –> 00:06:29,320lie ahead of you.14100:06:30,260 –> 00:06:32,059And when you live your life here14200:06:32,059 –> 00:06:34,459knowing that this is your position,14300:06:34,459 –> 00:06:38,480you will be in an entirely different place.14400:06:38,480 –> 00:06:42,299If you know that you have eternal life,14500:06:42,299 –> 00:06:45,239you will feel that you can give the life14600:06:45,239 –> 00:06:46,880that you have now freely14700:06:46,880 –> 00:06:48,980to the one who gave his life for you.14800:06:48,980 –> 00:06:50,899You will be freed14900:06:50,899 –> 00:06:52,899from this terrible fear.15000:06:53,980 –> 00:06:55,760The haunting fear that somehow15100:06:55,760 –> 00:06:58,540you might be missing out.15200:06:58,540 –> 00:07:01,239And if something should come into your life15300:07:01,239 –> 00:07:03,059that spoils15400:07:03,059 –> 00:07:04,339or harms15500:07:04,420 –> 00:07:05,519or hurts15600:07:05,519 –> 00:07:06,339or wounds15700:07:08,200 –> 00:07:09,760and you no longer have the life15800:07:09,760 –> 00:07:12,279that you thought that you would have in this world,15900:07:12,279 –> 00:07:14,100well, you will grieve.16000:07:14,980 –> 00:07:17,179But you will grieve knowing16100:07:17,179 –> 00:07:18,559that you have an inheritance16200:07:18,559 –> 00:07:21,179that can never spoil or fade16300:07:21,179 –> 00:07:23,440and it’s kept in heaven for you.16400:07:23,440 –> 00:07:24,279And when you feel16500:07:24,279 –> 00:07:26,859that your years are slipping away16600:07:26,859 –> 00:07:27,679you will say,16700:07:27,679 –> 00:07:31,019I am getting nearer to incomparable joy.16800:07:34,459 –> 00:07:38,399The towel is a really important symbol16900:07:39,859 –> 00:07:42,959and a very wonderful one here at Taylor.17000:07:43,820 –> 00:07:45,940Jesus took the towel17100:07:46,940 –> 00:07:50,739and he washed the disciples’ feet.17200:07:50,739 –> 00:07:52,540The disciples’ feet.17300:07:54,399 –> 00:07:56,459I mean, it’s not that difficult17400:07:56,459 –> 00:07:59,519to love and serve people who are with you and for you.17500:08:01,459 –> 00:08:02,540What’s really hard17600:08:02,540 –> 00:08:03,880is to love and serve people17700:08:03,880 –> 00:08:05,500who don’t understand you,17800:08:06,920 –> 00:08:09,200to love and serve people who let you down,17900:08:10,660 –> 00:08:12,859to love and serve people who don’t show up18000:08:12,859 –> 00:08:14,559when you need them the most.18100:08:16,079 –> 00:08:16,920You think about it.18200:08:16,920 –> 00:08:19,040Jesus washed the disciples’ feet.18300:08:19,040 –> 00:08:21,839That means he washed the feet of Thomas who doubted him.18400:08:22,820 –> 00:08:26,000He washed the feet of Peter who denied him18500:08:26,000 –> 00:08:28,440and he washed the feet of Judas who betrayed him.18600:08:29,859 –> 00:08:31,559How did Jesus do that?18700:08:32,479 –> 00:08:36,960Well, actually, John tells us how Jesus did that.18800:08:36,960 –> 00:08:39,619It says very clearly, John 13 and verse 3.18900:08:39,619 –> 00:08:41,880Jesus knowing.19000:08:42,460 –> 00:08:44,520So we’re being pointed to something that Jesus knew19100:08:44,520 –> 00:08:46,140in the depth of his being.19200:08:47,000 –> 00:08:50,380Knowing that the Father had given all things into his hand19300:08:50,380 –> 00:08:54,799and that he’d come from God and was going back to God.19400:08:56,400 –> 00:08:59,039You see, that’s how he rose from the supper.19500:08:59,260 –> 00:09:03,479Laid aside his outer garments and took a towel19600:09:03,479 –> 00:09:05,760and tied it around his waist.19700:09:05,760 –> 00:09:06,799How did he do it?19800:09:06,799 –> 00:09:09,780He knew he was going back to God.19900:09:10,919 –> 00:09:14,359And knowing this, he gave himself20000:09:14,359 –> 00:09:16,179to washing the disciples’ feet.’20100:09:17,520 –> 00:09:19,659Now I’m saying to you that in the same way20200:09:19,659 –> 00:09:24,080when you know that you have indivisible eternal life,20300:09:24,080 –> 00:09:27,840you will be free then to pour out your life20400:09:27,840 –> 00:09:29,919in service for Jesus Christ.20500:09:29,919 –> 00:09:31,599That’s the key.20600:09:31,599 –> 00:09:33,960You got to know how rich you are in Jesus Christ20700:09:33,960 –> 00:09:36,599if you’re gonna pour out your life in service.20800:09:36,599 –> 00:09:37,960You got to be able to know and say,20900:09:37,960 –> 00:09:39,580as it says in the New Testament,21000:09:39,580 –> 00:09:41,760all things are yours.21100:09:41,760 –> 00:09:44,400Life, death, the present, the future,21200:09:44,400 –> 00:09:46,080all things are yours and you are Christ21300:09:46,080 –> 00:09:47,619and Christ is God.21400:09:47,619 –> 00:09:49,760You are rich in life.21500:09:51,799 –> 00:09:54,239And when you know that you are more rich in life21600:09:54,239 –> 00:09:57,059even than you can fathom, you will be free.21700:09:58,520 –> 00:10:00,919To go out and to give yourself21800:10:00,919 –> 00:10:02,640in serving the Lord Jesus Christ21900:10:02,640 –> 00:10:06,880for a lifetime, irrespective of what it costs.22000:10:08,119 –> 00:10:10,000We’ve got to pause the message briefly there22100:10:10,000 –> 00:10:12,080but we’ll be back very shortly.22200:10:12,080 –> 00:10:13,760The message is called Disciple22300:10:13,760 –> 00:10:17,679and it’s part of the series Faith That Lasts.22400:10:17,679 –> 00:10:20,200If you ever miss one of the messages in the series,22500:10:20,200 –> 00:10:22,719you can easily catch up or go back and listen again22600:10:22,719 –> 00:10:26,679online at our website, openthebible.org.uk22700:10:27,520 –> 00:10:30,960or find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites22800:10:30,960 –> 00:10:33,520by searching for OpenTheBibleUK22900:10:33,520 –> 00:10:36,799or by following a link from our website.23000:10:36,799 –> 00:10:39,280In my family, we enjoy hiking23100:10:39,280 –> 00:10:42,400and it’d be great to go on a hike with you, Colin.23200:10:42,400 –> 00:10:44,400Listeners have an opportunity to do that23300:10:44,400 –> 00:10:46,799with the Hike Through The Bible podcast.23400:10:46,799 –> 00:10:49,200Yes, I am inviting you to join me23500:10:49,200 –> 00:10:51,000on a hike through the Bible23600:10:51,000 –> 00:10:55,479and it is going to be a gentle easy pace of a hike.23700:10:55,479 –> 00:10:58,239Each week, you’ll read a chapter of the Bible23800:10:58,239 –> 00:11:01,099and a chapter of my book, Hike Through The Bible,23900:11:01,099 –> 00:11:02,960and in one year,24000:11:02,960 –> 00:11:05,960you’ll have read 50 chapters of the Bible.24100:11:05,960 –> 00:11:08,719You’ll have grasped the big picture of the Bible story24200:11:08,719 –> 00:11:10,039and most of all,24300:11:10,039 –> 00:11:13,520you’ll have grown in your love for Jesus Christ.24400:11:13,520 –> 00:11:16,340Now there’s a Hike Through The Bible podcast24500:11:16,340 –> 00:11:18,320to help you on this journey.24600:11:18,320 –> 00:11:21,280In each episode, I read a chapter of the book24700:11:21,280 –> 00:11:23,340and then I discuss it with some friends.24800:11:23,340 –> 00:11:25,400So get started now.24900:11:25,479 –> 00:11:28,359You can subscribe to Hike Through The Bible podcast25000:11:28,359 –> 00:11:30,359wherever you get your podcasts25100:11:30,359 –> 00:11:32,219and you can find out more information25200:11:32,219 –> 00:11:35,179on openthebible.org.uk25300:11:35,520 –> 00:11:36,859Back to the message now.25400:11:36,859 –> 00:11:37,640You can find more information on openthebible.org.uk25500:11:37,640 –> 00:11:39,760Back to the message now.25600:11:39,760 –> 00:11:40,940And then there’s a second thing25700:11:40,940 –> 00:11:42,419that you need to know as well25800:11:42,419 –> 00:11:44,659and it’s in Peter’s answer here.25900:11:44,659 –> 00:11:48,960You need to know first the richness of life with Jesus26000:11:48,960 –> 00:11:53,780but remember too the poverty of life without Jesus.26100:11:54,739 –> 00:11:56,140Notice what Peter says here.26200:11:56,140 –> 00:11:56,979Jesus says,26300:11:56,979 –> 00:11:57,799well what about you?26400:11:57,799 –> 00:11:59,159There’s thousands going away.26500:11:59,159 –> 00:12:01,380The culture is secularizing.26600:12:01,380 –> 00:12:02,219What about you?26700:12:02,219 –> 00:12:03,239You wanna leave me too?26800:12:04,880 –> 00:12:06,299And Peter says,26900:12:06,299 –> 00:12:10,739Lord, to whom shall we go?27000:12:10,739 –> 00:12:12,599You see the point of what he’s saying?27100:12:13,940 –> 00:12:15,840Lord, what’s the alternative to you?27200:12:17,239 –> 00:12:19,400To whom shall we go?27300:12:19,400 –> 00:12:22,460If you will not live for Jesus27400:12:23,400 –> 00:12:25,640for whom and for what will you live?27500:12:27,780 –> 00:12:30,700I want to read you a testimony27600:12:30,700 –> 00:12:32,179of a student27700:12:33,140 –> 00:12:37,080who grew up in the church that I serve.27800:12:37,080 –> 00:12:39,780I know him very well and love him27900:12:39,780 –> 00:12:44,179and he wrote his testimony to me28000:12:44,179 –> 00:12:46,260and I quote it with his permission.28100:12:46,260 –> 00:12:48,260It’s moving for me to read28200:12:48,260 –> 00:12:51,380as I think of the journey that he went on.28300:12:51,380 –> 00:12:54,299So let me just read this testimony to you,28400:12:54,299 –> 00:12:56,820I’m sure you will relate to it well.28500:12:56,820 –> 00:13:00,659He says I knew from the time I was about 1228600:13:02,340 –> 00:13:04,299that there was something inside of me28700:13:04,299 –> 00:13:06,359that wanted to run my own life.28800:13:07,619 –> 00:13:10,799I felt something like a mass of impulses28900:13:10,799 –> 00:13:12,799and a desire for power.29000:13:13,739 –> 00:13:16,619In college I heard all the time29100:13:16,619 –> 00:13:18,979about how these impulses were there29200:13:18,979 –> 00:13:21,119to be let loose.29300:13:21,159 –> 00:13:23,380I heard from therapists and counselors29400:13:23,380 –> 00:13:26,140and an endless tidal wave of professors29500:13:26,140 –> 00:13:27,880that the denial of the self29600:13:27,880 –> 00:13:30,320was the same as repression.29700:13:30,320 –> 00:13:33,479They told me I was damaged by my faith.29800:13:33,479 –> 00:13:36,200That my faith made me naive.29900:13:36,200 –> 00:13:37,719The attitude was very simple,30000:13:37,719 –> 00:13:40,179deep down you know that nothing you do matters30100:13:40,179 –> 00:13:42,320so you might as well have some fun30200:13:42,320 –> 00:13:44,260before you disappear forever.30300:13:45,200 –> 00:13:47,340My graduate level work had me reading30400:13:47,340 –> 00:13:50,219a lot of post-modernist writings.30500:13:50,239 –> 00:13:53,419I learned that all the good things in the world30600:13:53,419 –> 00:13:56,179are actually oppressive power structures.30700:13:56,179 –> 00:14:00,320That God was a patriarchal lie to be killed off right away,30800:14:00,320 –> 00:14:02,239that there is no such thing as evil30900:14:02,239 –> 00:14:04,520and consequently no such thing as good.31000:14:05,400 –> 00:14:08,520For the first year of this reading I simply ignored it,31100:14:08,520 –> 00:14:10,099but I couldn’t reject it all forever,31200:14:10,099 –> 00:14:13,219especially as I was becoming alienated from my colleagues31300:14:13,219 –> 00:14:15,859who saw me as a nobscurantist fool.31400:14:17,099 –> 00:14:18,599Given time and given pressure31500:14:18,599 –> 00:14:20,299it eventually started to sink in.31600:14:20,299 –> 00:14:21,979The darkness offered freedom31700:14:21,979 –> 00:14:24,280and unlimited pleasure at no cost,31800:14:24,280 –> 00:14:27,340I could say, do, or be anything I wanted31900:14:27,340 –> 00:14:29,659and there would be no God to judge me.32000:14:30,559 –> 00:14:34,219So I became an atheist in the summer of 2016.32100:14:35,260 –> 00:14:37,320And in the face of this nihilistic32200:14:37,320 –> 00:14:39,039and bleak outlook on the world,32300:14:39,039 –> 00:14:42,260my entire value structure shifted.32400:14:42,260 –> 00:14:44,880I decided to pursue pleasure and avoid pain.32500:14:44,880 –> 00:14:46,380What else was there to do?32600:14:47,380 –> 00:14:51,000The symptoms of a sinful spirit vary.32700:14:51,000 –> 00:14:54,059My mode of being was focused on drowning my pain32800:14:54,059 –> 00:14:56,580with the noise of pleasure,32900:14:56,580 –> 00:14:58,960but as I’m sure you could have foreseen,33000:14:58,960 –> 00:15:02,719a hedonistic lifestyle fixed precisely nothing33100:15:02,719 –> 00:15:04,400and only created more problems.33200:15:04,400 –> 00:15:06,760I was possessed by impulse33300:15:06,760 –> 00:15:09,559because I gave it control over me33400:15:09,559 –> 00:15:12,979and I still somehow felt morally superior33500:15:12,979 –> 00:15:14,559to everyone else around me.33600:15:14,619 –> 00:15:16,539I was prideful and arrogant33700:15:16,539 –> 00:15:19,260and all my friends were cheering me on33800:15:19,260 –> 00:15:20,900for how far I’d come.33900:15:22,460 –> 00:15:25,260I’d overcome the foolishness of the Christian lifestyle34000:15:25,260 –> 00:15:28,179beaten back, the superstition of objective morality34100:15:28,179 –> 00:15:30,559and liberated myself from the bonds34200:15:30,559 –> 00:15:32,419of puritanical moralizing,34300:15:32,419 –> 00:15:37,099but that cheering stopped when I left the echo chamber.34400:15:38,299 –> 00:15:42,679I graduated and immediately went straight to the abyss.34500:15:43,599 –> 00:15:46,280Like the majority of my fellow graduate students,34600:15:46,280 –> 00:15:50,840I was changed to alcohol, cigarettes and antidepressants.34700:15:50,840 –> 00:15:55,260I destroyed relationship after relationship.34800:15:55,260 –> 00:15:57,919I believed that anyone who thought they loved me34900:15:57,919 –> 00:16:00,440simply didn’t know me.35000:16:00,440 –> 00:16:04,380At a certain point, I didn’t believe in love at all.35100:16:04,380 –> 00:16:06,340I thought that if only those people35200:16:06,340 –> 00:16:08,880who said they loved me knew how terrible I was,35300:16:08,880 –> 00:16:11,880they would abandon me, so I tested people.35400:16:11,919 –> 00:16:13,960I tried to see how bad I could be35500:16:13,960 –> 00:16:15,940before they would give up on me.35600:16:17,200 –> 00:16:18,919And after I had killed off35700:16:18,919 –> 00:16:21,479whatever good relationships I still had,35800:16:21,479 –> 00:16:24,359I realized that I had nothing else to destroy35900:16:24,359 –> 00:16:26,179and I felt worse than ever.36000:16:26,179 –> 00:16:29,500I shuffled around in that darkness for several months,36100:16:29,500 –> 00:16:32,239wondering why this had happened to me.36200:16:32,239 –> 00:16:35,119What had I done to deserve all this pain?36300:16:35,119 –> 00:16:39,219I still have this belief that I picked up at university36400:16:39,219 –> 00:16:42,900that everyone but me was responsible for my problems.36500:16:42,900 –> 00:16:45,299It was society’s fault.36600:16:45,299 –> 00:16:47,539It was my parents’ fault.36700:16:47,539 –> 00:16:49,780It was God’s fault.36800:16:49,780 –> 00:16:51,460Yes, even though I didn’t believe in God,36900:16:51,460 –> 00:16:53,119it was still somehow His fault.37000:16:55,539 –> 00:16:56,880I hated everything.37100:16:57,979 –> 00:16:59,659Especially myself.37200:17:01,940 –> 00:17:03,700There were only two ways to go,37300:17:03,700 –> 00:17:07,060suffer meaninglessly for the rest of my life37400:17:07,060 –> 00:17:08,560or commit suicide.37500:17:10,020 –> 00:17:12,040Those were my options.37600:17:13,339 –> 00:17:18,339And I thought about them every single day for a year.37700:17:21,920 –> 00:17:23,800Now, I’m asking you this question.37800:17:26,619 –> 00:17:28,760Where will the desires of your heart take you37900:17:28,760 –> 00:17:30,500if you walk away from Jesus?38000:17:32,219 –> 00:17:35,020What power will rule your soul38100:17:35,020 –> 00:17:37,540if Jesus is not the lord of your life?38200:17:38,500 –> 00:17:40,959What fruit will come from your life38300:17:40,959 –> 00:17:43,739if Jesus Christ does not nourish your soul?38400:17:45,380 –> 00:17:48,339Lord, to whom shall we go?38500:17:50,739 –> 00:17:52,819Only you have the words of eternal life.38600:17:55,300 –> 00:17:56,760Now, this story has a good ending.38700:17:56,760 –> 00:17:58,619I expect you might like to hear it.38800:17:58,619 –> 00:17:59,660Let me read it to you.38900:18:02,239 –> 00:18:04,819The turning point came for my friend39000:18:05,420 –> 00:18:08,020when someone sent him a video,39100:18:09,400 –> 00:18:13,640and he says I watched it probably 10 times39200:18:13,640 –> 00:18:15,040on the day that I got it.39300:18:16,119 –> 00:18:17,060Clarity.39400:18:18,420 –> 00:18:20,239I was the problem.39500:18:20,239 –> 00:18:23,380I remembered a time when things made sense.39600:18:23,380 –> 00:18:26,500I remembered when I believed in the good,39700:18:26,500 –> 00:18:29,000and when I believed that the world could be redeemed.39800:18:29,000 –> 00:18:30,880I suddenly realized quite clearly39900:18:30,920 –> 00:18:35,160that faith was what was missing from my life.40000:18:36,239 –> 00:18:38,719My conversion to Christianity came gradually.40100:18:38,719 –> 00:18:41,800First, I pledged myself to whatever God40200:18:41,800 –> 00:18:43,800was the God of love and truth.40300:18:43,800 –> 00:18:45,180I still didn’t like Jesus40400:18:45,180 –> 00:18:47,439and had a lot of hang-ups with Christianity.40500:18:48,719 –> 00:18:53,719The second thing I did was to try and ask forgiveness40600:18:54,239 –> 00:18:55,920from the people I’d hurt.40700:18:56,880 –> 00:18:58,699It wasn’t always forthcoming,40800:18:59,579 –> 00:19:02,020but I started to learn that when love fails40900:19:02,020 –> 00:19:03,739through faith and humility,41000:19:03,739 –> 00:19:05,699it can almost always be resurrected.41100:19:07,520 –> 00:19:09,219I lost and regained this faith41200:19:09,219 –> 00:19:11,060in the God of truth and love again and again,41300:19:11,060 –> 00:19:13,719and for a month, I tried to get a job anywhere.41400:19:15,380 –> 00:19:16,640My money was disappearing.41500:19:16,640 –> 00:19:19,640I felt desperation sinking in once more.41600:19:21,180 –> 00:19:24,380I don’t remember what caused me to pray to Jesus41700:19:24,380 –> 00:19:27,479for the first time, but I did.41800:19:28,900 –> 00:19:33,900I desperately begged Christ for something to hold onto41900:19:34,939 –> 00:19:37,979and I asked for His forgiveness.42000:19:37,979 –> 00:19:40,040I told Him I couldn’t do this on my own.42100:19:41,099 –> 00:19:42,859I told Him I was thinking fast42200:19:42,859 –> 00:19:44,819and I didn’t want to go back to the abyss42300:19:44,819 –> 00:19:46,760I’d been in the year before.42400:19:48,459 –> 00:19:50,219And that exact same day,42500:19:50,219 –> 00:19:53,359I got three calls about potential jobs.42600:19:55,680 –> 00:19:58,500I remember praying a few weeks ago, last paragraph,42700:19:58,579 –> 00:20:01,959telling God again how sorry I was42800:20:01,959 –> 00:20:03,719that I’d abandoned Him42900:20:03,719 –> 00:20:05,640and the answer that came was,43000:20:05,640 –> 00:20:10,099I never left you and He didn’t.43100:20:11,479 –> 00:20:13,719He’s been with me through this whole thing.43200:20:15,560 –> 00:20:17,760And sometimes it brings me to tears43300:20:17,760 –> 00:20:19,800to think of the things that I did43400:20:19,800 –> 00:20:23,000and then to remember that I am forgiven.43500:20:23,839 –> 00:20:28,199And the only reason is the overwhelming43600:20:28,199 –> 00:20:30,839never-ending, reckless love of God.43700:20:30,839 –> 00:20:33,540That’s a reality to me now43800:20:34,479 –> 00:20:36,079and it’s growing too.43900:20:38,520 –> 00:20:40,560Lord, to whom shall we go?44000:20:42,979 –> 00:20:47,979Only you have the words of eternal life.44100:20:53,140 –> 00:20:55,920You’re gonna have to stand, friends,44200:20:57,800 –> 00:21:01,020when a tidal wave of humanity is moving away44300:21:01,020 –> 00:21:02,839from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.44400:21:02,839 –> 00:21:04,540And here’s how you’re gonna do it,44500:21:06,219 –> 00:21:09,680because you know the richness of your life in Jesus44600:21:10,699 –> 00:21:13,719and because you are persuaded of the poverty44700:21:13,719 –> 00:21:16,040of life without Jesus44800:21:17,040 –> 00:21:22,040and because you have seen the unsurpassing glory of Jesus.44900:21:23,939 –> 00:21:28,079Peter says you have the words of eternal life45000:21:28,079 –> 00:21:31,280and we have come to know and to believe45100:21:31,280 –> 00:21:34,219that you are the Holy One of God.45200:21:35,199 –> 00:21:39,400Jesus, there’s no one like you.45300:21:40,959 –> 00:21:42,579Not even close.45400:21:43,380 –> 00:21:46,099No joy that this world can offer45500:21:46,099 –> 00:21:48,380comes close to the joy of knowing you.45600:21:49,579 –> 00:21:52,060No honour that this world can bestow45700:21:52,060 –> 00:21:54,800can come close to the honour of serving you.45800:21:56,280 –> 00:21:59,540You are God in the flesh.45900:22:00,880 –> 00:22:03,339The Holy One with us.46000:22:03,339 –> 00:22:05,640You’re asking us do we want to go away?46100:22:07,739 –> 00:22:09,300Lord, to whom shall we go?46200:22:10,260 –> 00:22:15,260You have the words of eternal life.46300:22:16,579 –> 00:22:19,459If you know Jesus, I’m sure you’ll be encouraged46400:22:19,459 –> 00:22:21,579by hearing today’s message.46500:22:21,579 –> 00:22:23,339And if you don’t know him yet,46600:22:23,339 –> 00:22:25,660maybe you’ll realise that he really does have46700:22:25,660 –> 00:22:27,359the words of eternal life,46800:22:27,359 –> 00:22:29,579and you might want to have that.46900:22:29,579 –> 00:22:30,939You’re listening to Open the Bible47000:22:30,939 –> 00:22:32,280with Pastor Colin Smith,47100:22:32,280 –> 00:22:34,339and a message called Disciple,47200:22:34,339 –> 00:22:37,079part of our series, Faith That Lasts.47300:22:37,079 –> 00:22:38,859And, if you ever miss one of the series,47400:22:39,540 –> 00:22:42,119or if you want to go back and listen to them again,47500:22:42,119 –> 00:22:43,520they’re all available online47600:22:43,520 –> 00:22:47,140at our website, openthebible.org.uk.47700:22:47,140 –> 00:22:49,800Also, on all the main podcasts sites,47800:22:49,800 –> 00:22:51,959by searching for Open The Bible UK,47900:22:51,959 –> 00:22:54,359or follow the link from our website.48000:22:55,239 –> 00:22:57,819Open The Bible is able to stay on this station48100:22:57,819 –> 00:22:59,000and the internet,48200:22:59,000 –> 00:23:00,760and available as a podcast48300:23:00,760 –> 00:23:02,839because of the generous financial support48400:23:02,839 –> 00:23:03,859of our listeners.48500:23:03,859 –> 00:23:05,699That’s people like you.48600:23:05,699 –> 00:23:08,160And, if you already give to support the work,48700:23:08,180 –> 00:23:09,959thank you so much.48800:23:09,959 –> 00:23:11,300If supporting Open The Bible48900:23:11,300 –> 00:23:13,420is something you’d like to start doing,49000:23:13,420 –> 00:23:16,739this month we’re delighted to offer a free gift.49100:23:16,739 –> 00:23:18,979When you set up a new direct debit49200:23:18,979 –> 00:23:20,619to the work of Open The Bible49300:23:20,619 –> 00:23:23,420in the amount of five pounds per month, or more,49400:23:23,420 –> 00:23:26,140or a one-off gift to 50 pounds or more,49500:23:26,140 –> 00:23:27,540we’d love to say thank you49600:23:27,540 –> 00:23:29,859by sending you a free copy49700:23:29,859 –> 00:23:31,640of Pastor Colin’s new book,49800:23:31,640 –> 00:23:33,300Hike Through The Bible.49900:23:33,300 –> 00:23:36,839Colin, where did the idea for this book come from?50000:23:36,900 –> 00:23:39,699Well, we have fly through the Bible50100:23:39,699 –> 00:23:42,739for those who are looking for a place to begin,50200:23:42,739 –> 00:23:44,260then drive through the Bible,50300:23:44,260 –> 00:23:46,380obviously takes people a bit further,50400:23:46,380 –> 00:23:48,839but for everyone that wants to get serious50500:23:48,839 –> 00:23:50,500about the Bible story,50600:23:50,500 –> 00:23:52,739hike through the Bible is for you.50700:23:52,739 –> 00:23:55,339I mean, this is where you get your boots on the ground50800:23:55,339 –> 00:23:57,420and really get to grips50900:23:57,420 –> 00:23:59,660with what the Bible is all about.51000:23:59,660 –> 00:24:02,479And you’ll discover that the whole Bible is one story,51100:24:02,479 –> 00:24:04,640that the whole of it points51200:24:04,660 –> 00:24:07,520to our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ.51300:24:07,520 –> 00:24:09,000And I wrote this for people51400:24:09,000 –> 00:24:12,099who want to have a better grasp of the Bible.51500:24:12,099 –> 00:24:13,560I wrote it for people who want to have51600:24:13,560 –> 00:24:16,599a deeper love for the Lord Jesus Christ.51700:24:16,599 –> 00:24:18,020And just by way of encouragement,51800:24:18,020 –> 00:24:20,520if you think that hiking sounds like hard work,51900:24:20,520 –> 00:24:23,260well, you can hike at a gentle pace.52000:24:23,260 –> 00:24:25,400This is 50 chapters,52100:24:25,400 –> 00:24:28,079and that’s designed so that you could do one a week,52200:24:28,079 –> 00:24:30,020a nice gentle hike through the Bible,52300:24:30,020 –> 00:24:32,020so that at the end of the year,52400:24:32,020 –> 00:24:35,079you really have grasped the Bible as a whole52500:24:35,079 –> 00:24:36,719and you’ve got a clearer grip52600:24:36,719 –> 00:24:39,900on what it is that God’s saying into your life.52700:24:39,900 –> 00:24:42,380Well, we’d love to send you Colin’s new book52800:24:42,380 –> 00:24:44,619when you set up a new direct debit52900:24:44,619 –> 00:24:47,140of five pounds per month or more,53000:24:47,140 –> 00:24:50,859or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more this month.53100:24:50,859 –> 00:24:53,900Full terms and conditions online at our website,53200:24:53,900 –> 00:24:58,739openthebible.org.uk, and you can give online.53300:24:58,739 –> 00:25:01,060Don’t forget to leave your name and address53400:25:01,140 –> 00:25:02,479so we can send you your gift.53500:25:03,560 –> 00:25:06,339For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,53600:25:06,339 –> 00:25:07,500I’m David Pick,53700:25:07,500 –> 00:25:10,280and I look forward to being with you again next time.53800:25:18,219 –> 00:25:22,099God used the prophet Jonah in amazing ways,53900:25:22,099 –> 00:25:24,420but he knew all about the kind of struggles54000:25:24,420 –> 00:25:26,939that ordinary Christians experience.54100:25:26,939 –> 00:25:30,479Find out why next time on Open The Bible.