100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:06,960Drifting thinks of himself as a good person200:00:06,960 –> 00:00:11,460but lacks clear convictions they’ve never become settled for300:00:11,460 –> 00:00:14,860him or for her and is therefore400:00:14,860 –> 00:00:18,200searching for something but still feels that he500:00:18,200 –> 00:00:21,360or she has not found600:00:21,360 –> 00:00:26,000it. Welcome to open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick700:00:26,000 –> 00:00:29,639glad you could join us today and Colin a lot of people will be able to800:00:29,639 –> 00:00:34,799relate to this idea of drifting. Now your recent visit to students at Taylor900:00:34,799 –> 00:00:36,240University for something called1000:00:36,240 –> 00:00:39,599spiritual renewal week how did that go? It was an1100:00:39,599 –> 00:00:43,919absolute joy to be there. What a vibrant body of students1200:00:43,919 –> 00:00:47,840and I had the opportunity of speaking about faith that lasts and of1300:00:47,840 –> 00:00:51,880introducing three characters that actually real people that I’ve had in my1400:00:51,880 –> 00:00:52,380mind1500:00:52,380 –> 00:00:56,720people in my life and the first of them is someone who’s drifting1600:00:57,080 –> 00:00:59,820in and out of church, has some knowledge1700:00:59,820 –> 00:01:04,260of the truth but it’s never really been earthed and it’s never really become1800:01:04,260 –> 00:01:05,699defining for them1900:01:05,699 –> 00:01:08,980we’re going look at what it means to drift and what God has to say2000:01:08,980 –> 00:01:13,139to the person is drifting. Well join us if you can in hebrews chapter five2100:01:13,139 –> 00:01:17,160as we begin the message here is Colin. now let me introduce2200:01:17,160 –> 00:01:20,279to you drifting. Drifting2300:01:20,279 –> 00:01:26,000thinks of himself as a good person and in many ways he is2400:01:26,879 –> 00:01:27,680he’s, like2500:01:27,680 –> 00:01:30,720so many of us, kind and thoughtful2600:01:30,720 –> 00:01:35,160and considerate always interested in other people2700:01:35,160 –> 00:01:38,639over the years he sorta drifted in and2800:01:38,639 –> 00:01:44,839out off church. Growing up he liked his pastor and the pastor often said2900:01:44,839 –> 00:01:45,800things that made3000:01:45,800 –> 00:01:49,239him think but he never really sorta settled3100:01:49,239 –> 00:01:52,480there was something that wasn’t really fully3200:01:52,480 –> 00:01:55,639engaged. At college3300:01:56,120 –> 00:02:00,959drifting met some new friends and began to explore some new ideas3400:02:00,959 –> 00:02:06,000over time his questions about Christianity increased3500:02:06,000 –> 00:02:09,199is there really God3600:02:09,199 –> 00:02:14,380and if there is why doesn’t he do something about the suffering and3700:02:14,380 –> 00:02:16,360starving children of the world3800:02:16,360 –> 00:02:21,320drifting would come back home at Christmas and during the summer and his3900:02:21,320 –> 00:02:24,919pastor would always be interested in how things were going with him4000:02:25,259 –> 00:02:29,240glad to see him and at times my friend4100:02:29,240 –> 00:02:34,580thought that maybe he should ask some of these questions to the pastor but you4200:02:34,580 –> 00:02:35,440know what4300:02:35,440 –> 00:02:39,679drifting is a kind and a thoughtful and a considerate person he didn’t want to4400:02:39,679 –> 00:02:43,160ask the pastor a question that might be embarrassing or be difficult for him to4500:02:43,160 –> 00:02:43,940answer4600:02:43,940 –> 00:02:47,740so over time what happened is that my friend4700:02:47,740 –> 00:02:51,300drifting became convinced that4800:02:51,979 –> 00:02:55,539Christianity is basically for those who need it4900:02:55,539 –> 00:02:58,820and therefore he concluded not for him5000:02:58,820 –> 00:03:02,419he’s come to see his life as a journey5100:03:02,419 –> 00:03:06,380a journey in which he is always exploring something new he is quite5200:03:06,380 –> 00:03:07,559convinced5300:03:07,559 –> 00:03:10,860that life holds more than5400:03:10,860 –> 00:03:15,460he has yet found but he still hasn’t found5500:03:16,339 –> 00:03:18,979What he’s looking for.5600:03:18,979 –> 00:03:23,119Drifting really likes to talk about faith but5700:03:23,119 –> 00:03:27,139even though he’s sometimes sounds as if he might be a5800:03:27,139 –> 00:03:30,479Christian, his faith is not stable5900:03:30,479 –> 00:03:33,979and that’s why I’m calling him6000:03:33,979 –> 00:03:37,779Drifting. Now most of you will know6100:03:37,779 –> 00:03:42,660someone who at one time professed faith in the Lord Jesus Christ6200:03:42,660 –> 00:03:47,979and then has wondered away. At one time they were very enthusiastic perhaps in6300:03:47,979 –> 00:03:50,539youth group but now no longer,6400:03:50,539 –> 00:03:54,320something changed. Over time he or she6500:03:54,320 –> 00:03:58,740lost interest. What is the position?6600:03:58,740 –> 00:04:02,380The spiritual position of a person6700:04:02,380 –> 00:04:06,940who once makes a profession of faith and then6800:04:06,940 –> 00:04:11,619drifts away and denies the faith that they once professed.6900:04:11,619 –> 00:04:14,899Are you saved because you once7000:04:14,899 –> 00:04:17,959professed faith?7100:04:17,959 –> 00:04:21,459Well, I’ve called this series Faith that Lasts7200:04:21,459 –> 00:04:26,420and the first thing to see is that a faith that lasts is the only kinda faith7300:04:26,420 –> 00:04:28,399that is worth having.7400:04:28,399 –> 00:04:31,579The book of Hebrews makes this especially clear-7500:04:31,579 –> 00:04:35,440we have come to share in Christ.7600:04:35,440 –> 00:04:39,200We read in Hebrews 3 in verse 14. How do you know that you’ve come7700:04:40,040 –> 00:04:42,660Well, we are in Christ if indeed7800:04:42,660 –> 00:04:47,320we hold our original confidence firm to the end.7900:04:47,320 –> 00:04:51,339In other words, the evidence that a person8000:04:51,339 –> 00:04:55,640has true faith and belongs to Jesus Christ8100:04:55,640 –> 00:04:59,220the evidence that a person is in Christ8200:04:59,220 –> 00:05:02,339is that their faith lasts.8300:05:02,339 –> 00:05:06,399Genuine faith endures firm to the end.8400:05:06,579 –> 00:05:10,279It’s distinguishing mark is that it perseveres.8500:05:10,279 –> 00:05:13,119A faith that does not last, very simply,8600:05:13,119 –> 00:05:16,600is not saving faith.8700:05:16,600 –> 00:05:18,160And you have that very clearly8800:05:18,160 –> 00:05:20,859in 1 Corinthians and chapter 15.8900:05:20,859 –> 00:05:23,600I would remind you brothers of the gospel9000:05:23,600 –> 00:05:26,320I preach to you Paul says which you received9100:05:26,320 –> 00:05:28,100on which you have taken your stand9200:05:28,100 –> 00:05:32,839and by which you are saved if you hold fast9300:05:32,940 –> 00:05:37,940to the word I preach to you unless you believed in vain.9400:05:38,079 –> 00:05:43,079So no one is saved by a passing interest in the gospel.9500:05:43,619 –> 00:05:48,420You are saved if you hold fast to the truth.9600:05:49,959 –> 00:05:52,899Now there is a phrase9700:05:52,899 –> 00:05:56,839that is often used among Christians9800:05:56,839 –> 00:06:00,200that both contains a wonderful truth9900:06:00,700 –> 00:06:05,320and also conceals a dangerous error.10000:06:05,320 –> 00:06:07,600And that phrase, all of us will have heard it,10100:06:07,600 –> 00:06:11,440is once saved, always saved.10200:06:11,440 –> 00:06:16,079Let me tell you the wonderful truth that is in that phrase.10300:06:16,079 –> 00:06:18,239The wonderful truth that is in that phrase10400:06:18,239 –> 00:06:23,239is that Jesus Christ guards and keeps his own.10500:06:24,000 –> 00:06:26,239John chapter 10, here are the words of Jesus.10600:06:26,260 –> 00:06:28,940”My sheep hear my voice.10700:06:28,940 –> 00:06:32,579”I know them and they follow me.10800:06:32,579 –> 00:06:37,579”I gave them eternal life and they will never perish.”10900:06:37,820 –> 00:06:39,700That’s an amen moment, by the way, isn’t it.11000:06:39,700 –> 00:06:43,799Amen, they will never perish, my sheep, says Jesus.11100:06:43,799 –> 00:06:47,040And no one will snatch them out of my hand.11200:06:47,040 –> 00:06:51,320Christ’s sheep will never perish.11300:06:51,320 –> 00:06:55,100It’s a marvelous truth, but then that raises the question,11400:06:55,480 –> 00:06:57,579who then are Christ’s sheep?11500:06:57,579 –> 00:07:00,799And notice that Jesus answers this in these very words.11600:07:00,799 –> 00:07:03,600He says, they are those who hear his voice11700:07:04,619 –> 00:07:07,579and they are those who follow him.11800:07:08,480 –> 00:07:11,059Now, that brings us to the dangerous error11900:07:11,059 –> 00:07:13,540that is concealed within this popular phrase,12000:07:13,540 –> 00:07:15,279once saved and always saved.12100:07:15,279 –> 00:07:18,559It is the idea that anyone who has ever at any time12200:07:18,559 –> 00:07:20,779in any way made any kind of profession of faith12300:07:20,779 –> 00:07:23,540will be saved even if they no longer hold12400:07:23,540 –> 00:07:26,239to the Word of Jesus and no longer follow him.12500:07:27,920 –> 00:07:31,320And that error is dangerous because it encourages people12600:07:31,320 –> 00:07:34,799to hold in their minds the idea that everything is okay12700:07:34,799 –> 00:07:37,679even if I allow myself to drift.12800:07:38,679 –> 00:07:41,239But God says in Hebrews in chapter two,12900:07:41,239 –> 00:07:44,600we must pay more closer attention to what we have heard13000:07:44,600 –> 00:07:47,320lest we drift away from it.13100:07:48,320 –> 00:07:49,799For how shall we escape13200:07:49,799 –> 00:07:52,839if we neglect so great a salvation?13300:07:52,859 –> 00:07:55,679So these verses that we’re looking at in Hebrews13400:07:55,679 –> 00:07:57,160and chapter five were written13500:07:57,160 –> 00:08:02,160to challenge drifting believers.13600:08:03,559 –> 00:08:07,500And what we read this morning in Hebrews 5 in verse 1213700:08:07,500 –> 00:08:11,820is this, by this time you ought to have been teachers.13800:08:11,820 –> 00:08:14,859He’s writing to those who are drifting, you see.13900:08:14,859 –> 00:08:16,980By now with all of the opportunities you have,14000:08:16,980 –> 00:08:19,540you should be in a position where you can teach others14100:08:19,559 –> 00:08:24,140but you need someone to teach you again14200:08:24,140 –> 00:08:29,140the basic principles of the Oracles of God.14300:08:32,200 –> 00:08:36,760Now, do you see that there are some basic principles14400:08:36,760 –> 00:08:39,900of the Word of God, that’s what oracles means.14500:08:39,900 –> 00:08:42,219The Word of God, there are some basic principles14600:08:42,219 –> 00:08:47,219of the Word of God that every believer needs to grasp.14700:08:48,140 –> 00:08:51,859And if you are drifting, it may be14800:08:51,859 –> 00:08:55,140that these basic principles of the Word of God14900:08:55,140 –> 00:08:59,260are what you need to build more clearly and strongly15000:08:59,260 –> 00:09:03,780into the very foundation of your faith and of your life.15100:09:04,739 –> 00:09:05,919Well, what are they?15200:09:07,380 –> 00:09:09,099Chapter six, verses one and two,15300:09:09,099 –> 00:09:13,380therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ15400:09:13,380 –> 00:09:15,080and go onto maturity,15500:09:15,080 –> 00:09:18,880not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works15600:09:18,880 –> 00:09:20,640and of faith toward God,15700:09:20,640 –> 00:09:23,039and of instruction about washings,15800:09:23,039 –> 00:09:24,500the laying on of hands,15900:09:24,500 –> 00:09:28,440the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment.16000:09:28,440 –> 00:09:31,919Wow, that is a long sentence.16100:09:33,200 –> 00:09:37,000And at first sight that list of basics16200:09:37,000 –> 00:09:40,299seems a very strange list.16300:09:40,299 –> 00:09:45,099And why in the world16400:09:45,099 –> 00:09:47,380would the writer to Hebrews say,16500:09:47,380 –> 00:09:52,380”Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ”?16600:09:53,539 –> 00:09:58,099What in the world does that mean?16700:09:59,179 –> 00:10:00,919Well, literally translated,16800:10:00,919 –> 00:10:04,020the elementary doctrine of Christ16900:10:04,020 –> 00:10:09,020means the beginning of the word of Christ,17000:10:09,780 –> 00:10:12,099or you could put it this way,17100:10:12,099 –> 00:10:16,840the road that leads you to Christ,17200:10:16,840 –> 00:10:19,539the road that leads you to Christ.17300:10:19,539 –> 00:10:22,640The entire argument of the letter of Hebrews17400:10:22,640 –> 00:10:25,039that many of you will be familiar with17500:10:25,039 –> 00:10:30,039is that Jesus is God’s final word.17600:10:30,039 –> 00:10:32,780That’s stated right in the opening verses of Hebrews.17700:10:32,780 –> 00:10:34,440And therefore by definition,17800:10:34,840 –> 00:10:39,840no one can ever move beyond the Lord Jesus Christ.17900:10:40,260 –> 00:10:42,739So when the writer to Hebrews says,18000:10:42,739 –> 00:10:45,500let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ.18100:10:45,500 –> 00:10:47,739He has certainly not saying18200:10:47,739 –> 00:10:51,419that Christians should move on from Jesus.18300:10:51,419 –> 00:10:54,500No, the elementary doctrine of Christ18400:10:54,500 –> 00:10:59,500is the starting point for faith in Jesus Christ.18500:10:59,820 –> 00:11:03,520And that is that we need a clear grasp18600:11:03,559 –> 00:11:06,299of why we need him.18700:11:06,299 –> 00:11:09,419And when you have a clear grasp of why you need him,18800:11:09,419 –> 00:11:12,820when you’ve got the road that leads to Christ,18900:11:12,820 –> 00:11:15,340the very beginning, the most basic principle of all,19000:11:15,340 –> 00:11:17,219why you need Jesus Christ.19100:11:17,219 –> 00:11:19,299When that’s clear and settled in your mind,19200:11:19,299 –> 00:11:20,900then you will come to Christ.19300:11:20,900 –> 00:11:24,979Then you will have a faith that lasts.19400:11:24,979 –> 00:11:29,979Now God made clear in the Old Testament19500:11:29,979 –> 00:11:34,979why we need Jesus long before19600:11:35,440 –> 00:11:38,580Jesus was ever born into the world.19700:11:38,580 –> 00:11:42,119And so what is described in these difficult verses19800:11:42,119 –> 00:11:44,479at the beginning of Hebrews in chapter six19900:11:44,479 –> 00:11:48,440is not the New Testament revelation of Jesus,20000:11:48,440 –> 00:11:52,739it’s the Old Testament anticipation of Jesus,20100:11:52,739 –> 00:11:54,799the preparation for his coming,20200:11:54,799 –> 00:11:58,039the basic principles of the oracles of God,20300:11:58,799 –> 00:12:01,299chapter five and verse 12,20400:12:01,299 –> 00:12:03,599or another way of saying that is20500:12:03,599 –> 00:12:06,020the elementary doctrine of Christ,20600:12:06,020 –> 00:12:07,380chapter six in verse one,20700:12:07,380 –> 00:12:10,479they’re two phrases that mean the same thing.20800:12:10,479 –> 00:12:13,479They’re not a summary of the Christian faith.20900:12:13,479 –> 00:12:18,400They are a clear explanation of why we need Jesus21000:12:18,400 –> 00:12:22,119drawn from the Old Testament scriptures.21100:12:22,119 –> 00:12:24,479And Hebrews describes these basic truths,21200:12:24,479 –> 00:12:26,760the basic doctrines of the truth,21300:12:26,780 –> 00:12:31,559principles of the word of God describes these as milk,21400:12:31,559 –> 00:12:34,280chapter five and verse 12.21500:12:34,280 –> 00:12:39,280Every Christian needs the milk of why we need Jesus,21600:12:40,200 –> 00:12:43,320and then we must go on from the milk21700:12:43,320 –> 00:12:45,940of why we need Jesus to the meat21800:12:45,940 –> 00:12:49,520of who Jesus is and of what Jesus has done.21900:12:49,520 –> 00:12:52,320This is how we go on to maturity.22000:12:52,320 –> 00:12:54,119But before you get to the meat,22100:12:54,119 –> 00:12:55,219you’ve got to get to the milk.22200:12:55,739 –> 00:12:58,239You’ve gotta know why you need Jesus.22300:12:59,820 –> 00:13:04,119So I want you to see today why you need Jesus.22400:13:05,679 –> 00:13:07,580And when you do, you’ll stop drifting.22500:13:08,900 –> 00:13:12,059You’ll come to faith in Jesus when you see why you need him.22600:13:13,359 –> 00:13:17,219And your faith in Jesus will be a faith that lasts.22700:13:19,359 –> 00:13:21,219Three reasons then why you need Jesus22800:13:21,219 –> 00:13:23,619taken just straight out of these verses22900:13:23,940 –> 00:13:25,840in Hebrews and chapter six.23000:13:25,840 –> 00:13:30,840First you need Jesus because your best efforts,23100:13:32,739 –> 00:13:35,820they are dead works, that’s the phrase that’s23200:13:35,820 –> 00:13:40,340used here, that cannot win the favor of God.23300:13:40,340 –> 00:13:43,059Notice what he says, a foundation of repentance23400:13:43,059 –> 00:13:46,340from dead works and faith towards God.23500:13:46,340 –> 00:13:49,599Now repentance means turning away from something23600:13:49,599 –> 00:13:51,539and this verse is telling us we need23700:13:51,539 –> 00:13:54,260to turn away from dead works.23800:13:55,539 –> 00:13:56,840Now understand what dead works are.23900:13:56,840 –> 00:13:59,960Dead works are the very best you could offer to God.24000:14:01,039 –> 00:14:04,880So we will have in our hearts and in our minds24100:14:04,880 –> 00:14:09,880great passion about making the world a better place24200:14:11,799 –> 00:14:13,640and what we can do to accomplish that24300:14:13,640 –> 00:14:15,260and it’s absolutely marvelous24400:14:17,119 –> 00:14:20,159but if you think that you can offer what you do,24500:14:20,179 –> 00:14:21,679that somehow the good you do in the world24600:14:21,679 –> 00:14:23,599and that you can offer this to God24700:14:25,000 –> 00:14:27,479and that somehow the good that you do in the world24800:14:27,479 –> 00:14:29,760will win the favor of God,24900:14:29,760 –> 00:14:32,659that is a desperate and deadly mistake.25000:14:34,539 –> 00:14:39,359Our best works are dead works in this way25100:14:39,359 –> 00:14:43,520that they cannot win the favor of God.25200:14:44,460 –> 00:14:48,479Please don’t drift through your life25300:14:48,479 –> 00:14:49,460assuming25400:14:50,340 –> 00:14:55,080that because you are a good person doing good things25500:14:55,080 –> 00:14:58,039that are God honoring in your life25600:14:58,039 –> 00:15:00,880that somehow this will outweigh everything else25700:15:00,880 –> 00:15:03,239and all will be well in the end.25800:15:03,239 –> 00:15:07,119The Bible is telling you here’s why you need Jesus.25900:15:08,080 –> 00:15:12,440Your best works will be dead on arrival26000:15:12,440 –> 00:15:15,119in the presence of God.26100:15:15,119 –> 00:15:16,880So,26200:15:16,880 –> 00:15:21,340stop telling yourself that you’re a good person.26300:15:22,419 –> 00:15:26,380This is the most basic principle of the word of God.26400:15:26,380 –> 00:15:31,140It is foundational to any faith that lasts.26500:15:31,140 –> 00:15:33,940As long as you hold onto the idea26600:15:33,940 –> 00:15:35,500that your heart is basically good26700:15:35,500 –> 00:15:37,099and therefore you have the capacity26800:15:37,099 –> 00:15:39,219to produce a life that is pleasing to God26900:15:39,219 –> 00:15:40,500and to win his favor,27000:15:40,500 –> 00:15:42,580you will never really deeply see and feel27100:15:42,580 –> 00:15:44,640why you need Jesus.27200:15:45,340 –> 00:15:47,619So you’ve got to turn from that.27300:15:47,619 –> 00:15:49,580You’ve got to repent of that.27400:15:51,059 –> 00:15:52,539And then when you repent of that,27500:15:52,539 –> 00:15:53,559what are you to turn to?27600:15:53,559 –> 00:15:57,380Well, it says here, you’re to turn to faith towards God.27700:15:58,260 –> 00:16:01,179In other words, the basic principle is27800:16:01,179 –> 00:16:06,179that your best effort to win the favor of God will not work27900:16:07,059 –> 00:16:11,140and therefore you have to turn from trusting yourself28000:16:11,140 –> 00:16:13,099and the good that you hope to do in the world28100:16:13,559 –> 00:16:18,539to trusting God Himself and what He has done for you28200:16:18,780 –> 00:16:20,500in and through Jesus Christ.28300:16:20,500 –> 00:16:21,719Now, here’s my question.28400:16:21,719 –> 00:16:25,320Is this basic principle settled in your life?28500:16:26,419 –> 00:16:30,539Have you ever really come to the place28600:16:30,539 –> 00:16:33,859and are you at the place now where you have come to see28700:16:33,859 –> 00:16:37,679that you really are a sinner?28800:16:38,679 –> 00:16:42,760I really am a sinner.28900:16:45,020 –> 00:16:49,280And my only hope is not what I want to do for God.29000:16:51,219 –> 00:16:55,239My only hope lies in what He has done for me.29100:16:57,659 –> 00:17:01,080Will you lay this foundation in your life today?29200:17:02,880 –> 00:17:04,439You need Jesus,29300:17:05,180 –> 00:17:08,560and you need Him to give you what you do not have.29400:17:10,339 –> 00:17:15,339And when this basic principle is settled in your life,29500:17:16,119 –> 00:17:19,160then you will come to faith in Jesus29600:17:19,160 –> 00:17:22,459and your faith in Jesus will be a faith at last.29700:17:24,199 –> 00:17:25,099Second reason,29800:17:26,160 –> 00:17:30,719you need Jesus because your sins defile you29900:17:30,719 –> 00:17:33,359and exclude you from the presence of God.30000:17:33,359 –> 00:17:34,380Notice what it says here.30100:17:34,380 –> 00:17:39,160A foundation of instruction about washings30200:17:40,439 –> 00:17:42,579and laying on of hands.30300:17:42,579 –> 00:17:45,760Again, the key to understanding these verses I’m convinced30400:17:45,760 –> 00:17:48,239is that they are referring, this is the book of Hebrews,30500:17:48,239 –> 00:17:50,900they’re referring to what happened in the Old Testament.30600:17:50,900 –> 00:17:53,579They’re referring to the road that leads to Jesus,30700:17:53,579 –> 00:17:55,780the foundation that needs to be laid30800:17:55,780 –> 00:17:59,239by which we will come to the Lord Jesus Christ.30900:17:59,239 –> 00:18:02,219And the Old Testament, as you know,31000:18:02,219 –> 00:18:05,599was full of ritual washings that would have been31100:18:05,599 –> 00:18:09,319very familiar to these Jewish believers.31200:18:09,319 –> 00:18:11,900And the washings, of course, were a constant reminder31300:18:11,900 –> 00:18:15,420to people that sin defiled them31400:18:15,420 –> 00:18:17,239and that they could not therefore31500:18:17,239 –> 00:18:18,859come into the presence of God31600:18:18,859 –> 00:18:22,160unless and until they were cleansed.31700:18:23,800 –> 00:18:26,239Now, God says of His heaven,31800:18:26,239 –> 00:18:31,239nothing unclean will ever enter it.31900:18:32,280 –> 00:18:35,000It’s Revelation 21, 27,32000:18:35,000 –> 00:18:39,140nothing unclean will ever enter it.32100:18:40,599 –> 00:18:45,500And that means that no gossip,32200:18:46,119 –> 00:18:50,640no greed, no pride,32300:18:50,640 –> 00:18:53,819no laziness, no jealousy32400:18:53,819 –> 00:18:57,680will ever enter the presence of God, ever, ever.32500:18:58,680 –> 00:19:03,660And that if the slightest hint of the stain32600:19:03,800 –> 00:19:07,400of such a sin or of any other were to be found on me32700:19:07,400 –> 00:19:09,660or on any of you,32800:19:09,660 –> 00:19:14,319that that would exclude us from the presence of God32900:19:14,319 –> 00:19:17,560forever unless and until it was washed and cleansed away.33000:19:18,680 –> 00:19:23,160And God has provided a way to wash us from what defiles us33100:19:23,160 –> 00:19:26,239and he does this in and through the sacrifice of Jesus.33200:19:26,239 –> 00:19:27,660And that’s why I need Jesus.33300:19:27,660 –> 00:19:29,380I need to remember that every day.33400:19:30,780 –> 00:19:32,280And then the laying on of hands.33500:19:32,280 –> 00:19:33,520What’s that a reference to?33600:19:33,520 –> 00:19:36,020Well, you remember in the old Testament33700:19:36,020 –> 00:19:37,660on the day of atonement,33800:19:37,660 –> 00:19:40,180that’s described in Leviticus in chapter 16,33900:19:41,239 –> 00:19:45,040a live goat was brought to the high priest34000:19:45,040 –> 00:19:49,660and the high priest laid his hands on the live goat34100:19:49,660 –> 00:19:53,459and confessed all the sins of the people of Israel34200:19:53,459 –> 00:19:55,500and as he laid his hands on the goat34300:19:55,500 –> 00:19:57,560and confessed all of these sins,34400:19:57,560 –> 00:19:59,439there was an act of transfer34500:19:59,439 –> 00:20:01,319that was actually taking place.34600:20:01,319 –> 00:20:04,219He shall put them, Leviticus 6, 21,34700:20:04,219 –> 00:20:05,280on the head of the goat34800:20:05,280 –> 00:20:08,260and send it away into the wilderness.34900:20:08,260 –> 00:20:10,699Now this transfer of guilt35000:20:10,699 –> 00:20:12,939onto the head of the animal,35100:20:12,939 –> 00:20:15,219of course, is pointing forward to what happens35200:20:15,219 –> 00:20:16,839when Jesus dies on the cross35300:20:16,839 –> 00:20:20,180and our guilt is actually laid on and transferred to Him.35400:20:20,180 –> 00:20:22,599Here’s why we need Jesus.35500:20:22,599 –> 00:20:25,140So lay this foundation in your life today.35600:20:26,400 –> 00:20:31,400You need Jesus because sin defiles you.35700:20:32,520 –> 00:20:34,260Because unless you were cleansed,35800:20:34,260 –> 00:20:35,219it would be impossible35900:20:35,219 –> 00:20:37,880for you ever to enter the holy presence of God.36000:20:39,939 –> 00:20:43,359And the basic principle of the word of God36100:20:43,359 –> 00:20:46,180is to be settled in your mind36200:20:46,180 –> 00:20:48,619that this cleansing comes from Jesus36300:20:48,619 –> 00:20:49,760and from Jesus alone.36400:20:49,760 –> 00:20:51,680That is why I need Jesus36500:20:51,680 –> 00:20:56,239and I need him every day of my life, I really do.36600:20:57,160 –> 00:20:59,819Then the last thing is very simply this,36700:20:59,819 –> 00:21:02,839you need Jesus because your life is eternal36800:21:02,839 –> 00:21:05,339and one day you will face the judgment of God,36900:21:05,339 –> 00:21:08,560a foundation of the resurrection of the dead37000:21:08,560 –> 00:21:10,579and eternal judgment.37100:21:11,839 –> 00:21:15,479Your life began the moment you were conceived37200:21:15,479 –> 00:21:17,880and your life will never end.37300:21:17,880 –> 00:21:19,699Well yes, you will die,37400:21:19,699 –> 00:21:21,839but when that comes, whenever it is for you,37500:21:21,839 –> 00:21:24,180it will be a door through which you pass37600:21:24,180 –> 00:21:29,180into the immediate conscious presence of almighty God.37700:21:31,099 –> 00:21:33,000And the ultimate reality that all of us37800:21:33,000 –> 00:21:34,680young and old have to deal with37900:21:34,680 –> 00:21:38,219is that it is appointed for a person once to die38000:21:38,219 –> 00:21:40,380and after that comes the judgment38100:21:40,380 –> 00:21:44,540and the problem does not lie in the event of death,38200:21:44,540 –> 00:21:47,420the problem lies in what is on the other side38300:21:47,459 –> 00:21:51,280of the grim prospect of coming into the presence of God38400:21:51,280 –> 00:21:54,339and being held accountable for every offensive thought38500:21:54,339 –> 00:21:56,979and word and deed in the whole of your life38600:21:56,979 –> 00:21:58,459and it’s all known before God38700:21:58,459 –> 00:22:01,380and then to be sentenced to an eternity in hell itself.38800:22:03,540 –> 00:22:05,959But it does not need to be like that38900:22:05,959 –> 00:22:09,719for any student in this auditorium today.39000:22:11,560 –> 00:22:13,160If you will have Christ,39100:22:14,560 –> 00:22:15,739if you will have Christ39200:22:15,780 –> 00:22:17,859as your savior and as your Lord,39300:22:17,859 –> 00:22:21,900he will stand with you on the judgment day39400:22:23,680 –> 00:22:27,339and will say, she’s mine.39500:22:29,060 –> 00:22:31,119He’s mine.39600:22:32,739 –> 00:22:35,239I died for her sins39700:22:35,239 –> 00:22:39,859and all that justice could ever bring to her fell on me.39800:22:39,859 –> 00:22:44,859I bore it on her, his behalf on the cross.39900:22:44,859 –> 00:22:46,859Now lay this foundation in your life.40000:22:47,900 –> 00:22:51,859You need Jesus because death will not be the end for you.40100:22:51,859 –> 00:22:54,359There is an eternal judgment that you cannot avoid40200:22:54,359 –> 00:22:56,160and Jesus Christ is your only hope,40300:22:56,160 –> 00:22:59,839and when this foundation is settled, clear in your mind,40400:22:59,839 –> 00:23:01,339you will come to faith in Jesus40500:23:01,339 –> 00:23:05,640and your faith will be a faith that lasts.40600:23:07,060 –> 00:23:11,260An important message today about why we need Jesus.40700:23:11,260 –> 00:23:13,459You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith40800:23:13,500 –> 00:23:16,319on Open the Bible with a message called Drifting.40900:23:16,319 –> 00:23:19,219It’s part of our series, Faith that Lasts,41000:23:19,219 –> 00:23:21,680and if you ever miss one of these programs41100:23:21,680 –> 00:23:23,760in the series, you can easily catch up41200:23:23,760 –> 00:23:26,060or go back and listen again by coming online41300:23:26,060 –> 00:23:29,959to our website, openthebible.org.uk41400:23:29,959 –> 00:23:32,880or alternatively, go to your favorite podcast site,41500:23:32,880 –> 00:23:34,800search for Open the Bible UK41600:23:34,800 –> 00:23:38,079or follow the link from our website.41700:23:38,079 –> 00:23:39,400While you’re on our website,41800:23:39,400 –> 00:23:42,359don’t forget to check out Open the Bible Daily.41900:23:42,540 –> 00:23:44,959That’s our series of short two to three-minute42000:23:44,959 –> 00:23:48,239daily reflections based on Pastor Collyn’s teaching42100:23:48,239 –> 00:23:50,880and recorded specially in the UK.42200:23:50,880 –> 00:23:53,079There’s a new one every day and many Christians42300:23:53,079 –> 00:23:55,400find it’s a great way to start the day.42400:23:56,239 –> 00:23:58,520That’s Open the Bible Daily,42500:23:58,520 –> 00:24:02,180available on our website and as a podcast.42600:24:02,180 –> 00:24:05,079Many of us love reading but our busy lives42700:24:05,079 –> 00:24:06,760don’t allow much time for that42800:24:06,760 –> 00:24:09,859so we often listen to audiobooks and podcasts,42900:24:10,219 –> 00:24:13,280maybe when we’re driving or out for a walk.43000:24:13,280 –> 00:24:16,420So we have a new podcast starting this month43100:24:16,420 –> 00:24:18,900and it’s called Hike Through the Bible.43200:24:18,900 –> 00:24:20,780Yeah, and the Hike Through the Bible podcast43300:24:20,780 –> 00:24:24,099will take you on a journey through the entire Bible story43400:24:24,099 –> 00:24:25,979giving you the option of listening43500:24:25,979 –> 00:24:28,479or watching rather than reading.43600:24:28,479 –> 00:24:31,699And in each episode, I’ll read a chapter of my book43700:24:31,699 –> 00:24:32,939Hike Through the Bible43800:24:32,939 –> 00:24:35,280and then I’ll discuss it with some friends.43900:24:35,280 –> 00:24:39,319I hope you’ll join me in hiking through the Bible.44000:24:39,359 –> 00:24:41,140You’ll grow in your faith.44100:24:41,140 –> 00:24:43,819You’ll deepen your grasp of scripture44200:24:43,819 –> 00:24:45,900and you’ll come to love Jesus more.44300:24:45,900 –> 00:24:49,199So that’s the Hike Through the Bible podcast.44400:24:49,199 –> 00:24:50,900And it’s not too late to get started.44500:24:50,900 –> 00:24:53,780You’ll find the Hike Through the Bible podcast44600:24:53,780 –> 00:24:56,020wherever you get your podcasts44700:24:56,020 –> 00:25:01,020and there’s a link on our website at openthebible.org.uk44800:25:01,020 –> 00:25:04,760You’ll also find more information about the podcast.44900:25:04,760 –> 00:25:06,420You’ve been listening to Open the Bible45000:25:06,420 –> 00:25:07,939with Pastor Colin Smith.45100:25:07,959 –> 00:25:10,040I’m David Pick and we very much look forward45200:25:10,040 –> 00:25:12,339to you joining us again next time.45300:25:12,339 –> 00:25:15,819♪ Oh oh oh oh, oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh45400:25:16,239 –> 00:25:20,400♪ Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh45500:25:20,540 –> 00:25:22,920Who were the hardest people in the world45600:25:22,920 –> 00:25:25,040to reach with the Gospel?45700:25:25,040 –> 00:25:27,619Find out next time on Open the Bible.