100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,220Interview with David Pick200:00:03,520 –> 00:00:05,940Jesus is the message of the Bible.300:00:05,940 –> 00:00:08,640The law tells us that he is needed.400:00:08,640 –> 00:00:12,160In the prophets, he is predicted.500:00:12,160 –> 00:00:15,740In the psalms, he is worshipped.600:00:15,740 –> 00:00:18,840In the gospels, he is described.700:00:18,840 –> 00:00:21,480In the acts, he is proclaimed.800:00:21,480 –> 00:00:24,719In the epistles, he is explained.900:00:24,879 –> 00:00:30,459In the revelation, he is unveiled in all his heavenly glory.1000:00:31,180 –> 00:00:33,939Welcome to Open The Bible with pastor Colin Smith.1100:00:33,939 –> 00:00:35,180I’m David Pick.1200:00:35,180 –> 00:00:36,900I’m glad you could join us today.1300:00:36,900 –> 00:00:41,599Colin, at Open the Bible, we like to repeat that the Bible is one story.1400:00:41,599 –> 00:00:46,740It begins in a garden, it ends in a city and the whole way through it, points to Jesus.1500:00:46,740 –> 00:00:48,740You just summarized that.1600:00:48,919 –> 00:00:51,799Sometimes we might think, where do I see Jesus?1700:00:51,799 –> 00:00:55,119In Leviticus or in the minor prophets?1800:00:55,119 –> 00:00:58,000How can you say that the whole Bible is about Jesus?1900:00:58,000 –> 00:00:59,720Yeah, that’s a great question.2000:00:59,720 –> 00:01:03,220Well and the reason to say it is that that is what he himself said.2100:01:03,220 –> 00:01:06,559So he’s sitting down with the Pharisees and he says now you study the scriptures.2200:01:06,559 –> 00:01:10,480Well, these are the scriptures that testify about me and he’s talking about the Old Testament2300:01:10,480 –> 00:01:14,519and, of course, with the confused disciples on the road to Emmaus,2400:01:14,519 –> 00:01:19,779he opened up all of the scriptures and showed them the things that were concerning himself.2500:01:19,779 –> 00:01:21,800Well, I’d love to have heard that message.2600:01:21,800 –> 00:01:25,559I really would because that would have answered the question that you’re asking.2700:01:25,559 –> 00:01:30,339But I find it very helpful then on that basis, when I’m reading Leviticus or I’m reading2800:01:30,339 –> 00:01:37,400Deuteronomy or whatever, to be saying, now how does this that I’m reading relate to Jesus Christ?2900:01:37,400 –> 00:01:40,019Because I know it does because he said so.3000:01:40,019 –> 00:01:44,500And so typically in the Old Testament it’s often showing us our need for Jesus3100:01:44,500 –> 00:01:49,980or it’s putting something in place that when Jesus comes, will help us understand Him.3200:01:49,980 –> 00:01:57,820For example, how could anyone understand a sacrifice being made for sin when Jesus dies on the cross?3300:01:57,820 –> 00:02:02,180Unless we have the Old Testament and the whole system of sacrifices,3400:02:02,180 –> 00:02:08,559in order to create a mindset that could comprehend what was actually going on at the cross3500:02:08,559 –> 00:02:12,440as being the sacrifice to which all this other stuff pointed to.3600:02:12,460 –> 00:02:17,220So, God knows exactly what he’s doing in making this wonderful revelation that is3700:02:17,220 –> 00:02:21,059about his Son and we need every part of it, but it’s all pointing to him.3800:02:21,059 –> 00:02:26,820Well today we’ll continue to look at 2 Peter chapter 1, so join us there if you can3900:02:26,820 –> 00:02:30,600as we begin the message, Everything You Need For Faith.4000:02:30,600 –> 00:02:32,279Here’s Pastor Colin.4100:02:32,279 –> 00:02:34,179Chapter 1 in verse 3.4200:02:34,179 –> 00:02:40,440His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness4300:02:40,500 –> 00:02:45,699through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.4400:02:45,699 –> 00:02:50,899Wonderful promise, that in knowing Jesus Christ, God has given to you everything4500:02:50,899 –> 00:02:55,179you need for everything you will ever face in any day of your experience4600:02:55,179 –> 00:02:57,160of life in this world.4700:02:57,160 –> 00:03:00,339Categoric, it’s an amazing promise.4800:03:00,339 –> 00:03:05,440Christ is with you by the spirit, you have been delivered from the grip4900:03:05,440 –> 00:03:06,059of Evil.5000:03:06,139 –> 00:03:10,699Sin is your enemy but it is not your master and for this very reason,5100:03:10,699 –> 00:03:12,179verse 5, we can act.5200:03:12,179 –> 00:03:16,740We should therefore make every effort to add to faith, goodness and knowledge5300:03:16,740 –> 00:03:20,520and self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love.5400:03:20,520 –> 00:03:25,259In this way, Peter says, your Christian life will be fruitful,5500:03:25,259 –> 00:03:29,199verse 8, and it will be productive, which is what we want.5600:03:29,199 –> 00:03:33,000More than that, verse 11, on the last day, you will receive a rich welcome5700:03:33,000 –> 00:03:36,039into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.5800:03:36,039 –> 00:03:38,860Now, that’s the message of the book.5900:03:38,860 –> 00:03:43,679It is about the sufficiency of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,6000:03:43,679 –> 00:03:50,259not only for faith, but for everything that you need for life, it’s in Jesus.6100:03:50,259 –> 00:03:52,080Now, that raises an obvious question.6200:03:54,080 –> 00:03:58,759Everything we need for life is in the knowledge of Jesus, but how do we have6300:03:58,759 –> 00:04:00,419the knowledge of Jesus?6400:04:00,419 –> 00:04:04,000Answer, through the Bible.6500:04:04,000 –> 00:04:07,440Well then, how do we know that the Bible is reliable?6600:04:08,720 –> 00:04:11,940How can we be sure that we have a true knowledge of Jesus?6700:04:11,940 –> 00:04:15,940If everything we need for life lies in knowing him, how do we know6800:04:15,940 –> 00:04:18,000that we know him truly?6900:04:18,000 –> 00:04:21,540Can we, in other words, trust the source of that knowledge,7000:04:21,540 –> 00:04:24,380which is through the word of God through the Bible?7100:04:24,380 –> 00:04:28,660And you will see then that that is why very naturally Peter comes in verses 127200:04:28,720 –> 00:04:33,500to 21 to address this whole issue of scripture, and this is one7300:04:33,500 –> 00:04:37,600of the most important passages in the New Testament with regards to what we7400:04:37,600 –> 00:04:40,220believe about the Bible.7500:04:40,220 –> 00:04:44,320Now, just to give it a quick frame in our minds by way of overview,7600:04:44,320 –> 00:04:48,820Dr. Wayne Grudem, who taught for many years at Trinity University7700:04:48,820 –> 00:04:53,859has identified four things that we need to know about the Bible and that the7800:04:53,859 –> 00:04:55,959Bible claims in regards to itself.7900:04:56,040 –> 00:04:59,880This is a good little overview that might be worth keeping in mind for you.8000:04:59,880 –> 00:05:02,880First, there’s the authority of scripture.8100:05:02,880 –> 00:05:09,140And it’s interesting to write here, Peter speaks about how men spoke from God8200:05:09,140 –> 00:05:11,739as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.8300:05:11,739 –> 00:05:15,320The authority of scripture is that it is the word not simply of men,8400:05:15,320 –> 00:05:19,160but it is the word of God, and Peter states that clearly here.8500:05:19,160 –> 00:05:22,480Secondly, the sufficiency of scripture.8600:05:22,480 –> 00:05:26,079That is, scripture has all that we need for knowing Christ,8700:05:26,079 –> 00:05:28,839who has all that we need for living life.8800:05:28,839 –> 00:05:32,959Now that’s the whole point that Peter is making here in this first chapter.8900:05:32,959 –> 00:05:35,660God has given us everything we need for life and knowing Jesus,9000:05:35,660 –> 00:05:39,779and he has given us everything we need for knowing Jesus in the Bible.9100:05:39,779 –> 00:05:43,100These two things, obviously, must go together.9200:05:43,100 –> 00:05:46,500Third, the clarity of scripture.9300:05:46,500 –> 00:05:51,119In other words, God has spoken in the Bible in a way that we can understand.9400:05:51,239 –> 00:05:55,339Notice how in verse 19, Peter picks up this theme9500:05:55,339 –> 00:06:01,380when he says that the scripture is like a light shining in a dark place.9600:06:01,380 –> 00:06:05,660In other words, you must never think of the Bible as an obscure kind of book9700:06:05,660 –> 00:06:09,739that only scholars or priests or whatever could understand.9800:06:10,420 –> 00:06:12,980The Bible is God’s revelation of himself.9900:06:12,980 –> 00:06:18,100It belongs in the hands of the people because God has spoken clearly.10000:06:18,140 –> 00:06:21,339And if you come to the scripture humbly with an inquiring mind10100:06:21,339 –> 00:06:24,119and seeking the help of the Lord, you can understand it10200:06:24,119 –> 00:06:26,299and you can learn from it.10300:06:27,119 –> 00:06:31,079Now, not everything in the Bible is equally clear.10400:06:31,079 –> 00:06:35,260It’s interesting—if you just turn over a page to chapter 3 in verse 1610500:06:35,260 –> 00:06:38,299of this letter, you’ll see that Peter acknowledges10600:06:38,299 –> 00:06:42,880that there are some things in Paul that are hard to understand.10700:06:42,880 –> 00:06:46,440Extraordinary statement in chapter 3 in verse 16.10800:06:46,440 –> 00:06:47,540Anyway, it helps a lot, doesn’t it?10900:06:47,559 –> 00:06:49,760You know, if even Peter thought there were some things in Paul11000:06:49,760 –> 00:06:52,760that were hard to understand, that kind of makes the rest of us11100:06:52,760 –> 00:06:57,040feel better if we find some things that are hard to understand, too.11200:06:57,040 –> 00:07:00,459But granting that there are some things that are difficult to understand,11300:07:00,459 –> 00:07:03,940what Peter wants us to grasp is that which is most important11400:07:03,940 –> 00:07:06,679is most clear, and the Bible in its essence11500:07:06,679 –> 00:07:09,000as a whole is not an obscure book.11600:07:09,000 –> 00:07:12,579God has spoken clearly in such a way that ordinary people11700:07:12,579 –> 00:07:16,179can come and find the knowledge of him in his word.11800:07:16,359 –> 00:07:19,559And then the fourth thing is the necessity of scripture.11900:07:19,559 –> 00:07:22,720What would we know about God if we didn’t have the Bible?12000:07:23,839 –> 00:07:27,519I had a conversation right here, it’s a few months ago now,12100:07:27,519 –> 00:07:31,739with a father who said to me that he was telling his son12200:07:31,739 –> 00:07:34,540who was in one of our classes, and the father had just visited the church,12300:07:34,540 –> 00:07:37,660he said, I’m telling my son that you don’t need the Bible for faith12400:07:37,660 –> 00:07:40,500because even if you never had the Bible, it’s just all around,12500:07:40,500 –> 00:07:42,380you would just have this faith.12600:07:42,380 –> 00:07:47,420So I said to him, what exactly could your son believe12700:07:47,420 –> 00:07:49,019if he didn’t have the Bible?12800:07:50,140 –> 00:07:54,320See, if he didn’t have the Bible he couldn’t know who Jesus was,12900:07:54,320 –> 00:07:57,640couldn’t know that he died on the cross, couldn’t know that he was raised from the dead,13000:07:57,640 –> 00:07:59,779couldn’t know that he’s coming again in power and glory,13100:07:59,779 –> 00:08:01,980couldn’t know anything about the Gospel at all.13200:08:02,859 –> 00:08:05,100We didn’t have the Bible.13300:08:05,100 –> 00:08:07,820We could know that God was great and glorious and eternal.13400:08:07,820 –> 00:08:09,459We could discern that from creation.13500:08:09,459 –> 00:08:11,619But that’s about all we would know.13600:08:11,640 –> 00:08:14,119We’d never even get as far as to know that he was love.13700:08:14,119 –> 00:08:17,619You wouldn’t get that simply from looking at the universe13800:08:17,619 –> 00:08:21,739with all of the contortions that are within it as a result of the fall into sin.13900:08:22,899 –> 00:08:29,000So the necessity of the scripture reminds us that God has given us this revelation14000:08:29,000 –> 00:08:33,219so that we may know Christ in whom we find everything we need for life and godliness14100:08:33,219 –> 00:08:37,239because apart from the Bible you would simply have no knowledge of Jesus Christ.14200:08:37,239 –> 00:08:41,500What would you know if it was not from the scriptures?14300:08:41,500 –> 00:08:46,099Therefore our confidence in the Bible and in the reliability of the scripture14400:08:46,099 –> 00:08:51,219is a very important issue for us and that’s what’s before us today.14500:08:51,219 –> 00:08:53,340Now there are obviously two parts in the bible,14600:08:53,340 –> 00:08:58,039the Old Testament which was complete at the time when Peter was writing14700:08:58,039 –> 00:09:01,239and the New Testament which obviously wasn’t since Peter’s letter14800:09:01,239 –> 00:09:04,020which is in the New Testament was being written at the time he was writing14900:09:04,020 –> 00:09:05,739if you see what I mean.15000:09:06,020 –> 00:09:11,299It’s interesting though to notice that even at the time that Peter was writing15100:09:11,299 –> 00:09:16,979some of the letters of the Apostle Paul were already in circulation among the churches15200:09:16,979 –> 00:09:22,659and were regarded by Peter and evidently being received by the churches15300:09:22,659 –> 00:09:29,419as on the same level of inspiration and authority as the Old Testament scriptures.15400:09:29,419 –> 00:09:32,940You’ll find that in chapter 3 and verse 16 of this letter.15500:09:32,940 –> 00:09:35,119And there’s a very important little reference there15600:09:35,119 –> 00:09:41,179where Peter says, that Paul’s letters contain some things that are hard to understand15700:09:41,179 –> 00:09:44,320which ignorant and unstable people distort,15800:09:44,320 –> 00:09:49,640then notice this, as they do the other scriptures.15900:09:49,640 –> 00:09:51,659The other scriptures.16000:09:51,659 –> 00:09:58,400So Peter as an Apostle is already affirming the letters of the Apostle Paul as scripture16100:09:58,500 –> 00:10:01,380to be placed alongside the Old Testament canon16200:10:01,380 –> 00:10:04,640that was already complete.16300:10:04,640 –> 00:10:07,479Old and New Testament together.16400:10:07,479 –> 00:10:08,739And what Peter wants us to know,16500:10:08,739 –> 00:10:11,000and you’ll see very clearly in this passage today,16600:10:11,000 –> 00:10:17,700is that you can trust both the witness of the Apostles to our Lord Jesus,16700:10:17,700 –> 00:10:22,760that’s the essence of the New Testament and he speaks about that in verses 16 to 18,16800:10:22,760 –> 00:10:26,960And you can trust the word of the prophets16900:10:27,000 –> 00:10:29,359which was about the Lord Jesus Christ,17000:10:29,359 –> 00:10:33,400which is the subject of verses 19 through 21.17100:10:33,400 –> 00:10:36,840The witness of the Apostles and the word of the prophets,17200:10:36,840 –> 00:10:39,880put these two together and you really have the whole Bible.17300:10:39,880 –> 00:10:44,239Apostles and prophets is a shorthand way of referring to the whole Bible.17400:10:44,239 –> 00:10:49,099You find that, for example, in Ephesians 2 and verse 2017500:10:49,440 –> 00:10:52,380where the Apostle Paul speaks of how the church17600:10:52,380 –> 00:10:57,260is built on the foundation of the Apostles and prophets17700:10:57,260 –> 00:11:03,260with Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone.17800:11:04,140 –> 00:11:08,080So prophets, Old Testament, point forward to Jesus.17900:11:08,080 –> 00:11:11,979Apostles, New Testament, bear witness to Jesus.18000:11:11,979 –> 00:11:17,179These two together being the sum of all the Scripture.18100:11:17,979 –> 00:11:21,979You are listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called18200:11:21,979 –> 00:11:25,900Everything You Need for Faith. It’s part of our series Everything18300:11:25,900 –> 00:11:30,219You Need for Life and if you ever miss one of the messages in the series18400:11:30,219 –> 00:11:33,900it’s easy enough to go back and listen again or catch up with anything you18500:11:33,900 –> 00:11:35,979might have missed. Look at our website18600:11:35,979 –> 00:11:41,820openthebible.org.uk. Also, wherever you get your podcasts from18700:11:41,820 –> 00:11:45,179go there and search for Open the Bible UK.18800:11:45,179 –> 00:11:49,179Back to the message now. Here again is Pastor Colin.18900:11:49,179 –> 00:11:51,979Now, as we come to what Peter has to say about these things19000:11:51,979 –> 00:11:55,500I’ve got a very simple outline that will be easy for us to follow.19100:11:55,500 –> 00:11:58,859I want us to look first at what the apostles saw, that’s the apostolic19200:11:58,859 –> 00:12:03,739witness to Jesus in the New Testament. Second, the words that the prophets19300:12:03,739 –> 00:12:07,900spoke and how these words came to them, that is the prophetic witness to Jesus19400:12:07,900 –> 00:12:10,700in the Old Testament. And then thirdly and most19500:12:10,700 –> 00:12:14,940significantly our calling to remember,19600:12:14,940 –> 00:12:17,979which is where all of this becomes practical19700:12:17,979 –> 00:12:22,700in our own lives. So, let’s begin then with the Apostles’19800:12:22,700 –> 00:12:28,219witness to the Son of God verses 16 to 18, and because this is our second memory19900:12:28,219 –> 00:12:32,700verse here, let’s just read aloud verse 16 together if you would with me.20000:12:32,700 –> 00:12:36,460We did not follow cleverly invented stories20100:12:36,539 –> 00:12:39,340when we told you about the power and coming20200:12:39,340 –> 00:12:43,979of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses20300:12:43,979 –> 00:12:48,219of His majesty. Now when Peter talks about the power and coming of our Lord20400:12:48,219 –> 00:12:51,179Jesus, he’s not talking about the first coming here.20500:12:51,179 –> 00:12:55,260He’s talking about the second coming. When he comes in power20600:12:55,260 –> 00:13:00,380and in glory, it’s part of the gospel that we look forward to the day when the20700:13:00,380 –> 00:13:04,940risen Lord Jesus Christ will return bringing those who are already in His20800:13:04,940 –> 00:13:08,140presence with Him, and we will see His power, and we will20900:13:08,140 –> 00:13:12,940see His glory. Now Peter says, when I talk about Jesus21000:13:12,940 –> 00:13:16,299in power and glory, you need to understand, I’m not making21100:13:16,299 –> 00:13:20,619this up and this isn’t some kind of cunningly invented story.21200:13:20,619 –> 00:13:23,979I know about Jesus’ power and I know about Jesus’ glory because I have21300:13:23,979 –> 00:13:27,179already seen it… I saw it on the Mount of21400:13:27,179 –> 00:13:30,619transfiguration when Jesus took me along with James and John21500:13:30,619 –> 00:13:34,380up to the top of that mountain, and Jesus was transfigured.21600:13:34,380 –> 00:13:38,539We saw His glory, we saw Him as one day every Christian21700:13:38,539 –> 00:13:42,460will see Him, and we heard the voice of the Father from heaven21800:13:42,460 –> 00:13:47,419affirming Him as the son in whom the Father is well pleased.21900:13:47,419 –> 00:13:52,219Now notice the word eye witness here, that’s very important.22000:13:52,219 –> 00:13:57,979The new testament gives to us the witnessed account, the apostolic22100:13:57,979 –> 00:14:02,059account from the up close and personal22200:14:02,059 –> 00:14:05,500knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ that was trusted22300:14:05,500 –> 00:14:11,099to these men. Do you find this throughout the new testament, John puts it this way.22400:14:11,099 –> 00:14:17,580The word became flesh and lived among us and we, that’s the apostles,22500:14:17,580 –> 00:14:24,539beheld His glory we saw His glory. Peter says the same thing in verse 16,22600:14:24,539 –> 00:14:33,179we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. Verse 18, we heard the voice that came from heaven22700:14:33,179 –> 00:14:39,099and we were with Him on the sacred mountain. So what you have in the new testament is not22800:14:39,099 –> 00:14:45,820a collection of vague thoughts about Jesus, it is the eyewitness account superintended by the22900:14:45,820 –> 00:14:51,020Holy Spirit as we’re going to see in just a moment, coming from those who up close and23000:14:51,020 –> 00:14:57,580personal over a prolonged period of time were able to bear witness to our Lord and Savior Jesus23100:14:57,580 –> 00:15:04,140Christ. This reminds us of course that the whole Bible is about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,23200:15:04,700 –> 00:15:10,059the apostolic witness to Him in the New Testament, the prophetic word about Him23300:15:10,059 –> 00:15:17,099in the Old Testament. Jesus is the message of the Bible. The law tells us that He’s needed.23400:15:18,059 –> 00:15:28,539In the prophets He is predicted. In the Psalms He is worshiped. In the gospels He is described.23500:15:28,539 –> 00:15:36,299In the Acts He is proclaimed. In the epistles He is explained. And in the book of Revelation he is23600:15:36,299 –> 00:15:43,179unveiled in all of His Heavenly glory. This is what the Bible is all about, that’s what the23700:15:43,260 –> 00:15:50,700scripture is, this prophetic and apostolic witness to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, that’s what23800:15:50,700 –> 00:15:57,099it is. Now the question that flows from that of course is, well, but how did it come to us?23900:15:57,099 –> 00:16:05,580How did we get it? By what means has the scripture come to us? And Peter addresses this very clearly24000:16:05,580 –> 00:16:12,780in verses 19 through 21, where he speaks about the prophetic word and here we come to some24100:16:12,780 –> 00:16:19,419statements that are very important for what we believe about the inspiration of the scriptures.24200:16:20,780 –> 00:16:28,380Now notice in verse 21 that Peter speaks about the origin of prophecy. The origin of prophecy,24300:16:28,380 –> 00:16:32,940in other words where did the Old Testament scriptures come from? How did they actually24400:16:32,940 –> 00:16:39,979come to us? And Peter answers this very important question in two ways, first negatively and then24500:16:39,979 –> 00:16:45,419positively. Let’s look at the negative first, verse 20, he tells us how the scriptures did24600:16:45,419 –> 00:16:52,780not come, no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation.24700:16:52,940 –> 00:17:03,739For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man. Now notice that Peter24800:17:03,739 –> 00:17:10,060here is talking about prophecies of scripture. In other words, he’s talking about the Old Testament24900:17:11,020 –> 00:17:18,219and he is distinguishing the prophecy of scripture from every other word that may claim in any way25000:17:18,859 –> 00:17:25,020from God. See it’s very easy to get up and to claim that you have a message from God.25100:17:26,540 –> 00:17:31,339Anyone can do that, though frankly if you had lived in ancient Israel you would have thought25200:17:31,339 –> 00:17:39,260twice before you did because if you got up and claimed that what you were speaking was from God25300:17:40,459 –> 00:17:45,420and it was found and judged by the elders of the community simply to be25400:17:45,979 –> 00:17:51,020you spouting your own ideas. You know what the penalty for that was in ancient Israel?25500:17:52,060 –> 00:17:56,219Stoning. It’s interesting, by the way, there are not that many things for which25600:17:56,219 –> 00:17:59,180you could be stoned in ancient Israel but this was one of them.25700:18:00,459 –> 00:18:06,459And the severity of the penalty you see was to create a control within that community25800:18:06,459 –> 00:18:13,500so that all the people understood that God’s word is God’s word and the rest25900:18:13,579 –> 00:18:17,979of us don’t go around trying to claim that what we’re saying and what we’re thinking26000:18:17,979 –> 00:18:24,380is somehow invested with the authority of God. That, by the way, is just an interesting26100:18:25,660 –> 00:18:30,540thought for Christians who might be inclined today to very easily walk around saying the26200:18:30,540 –> 00:18:35,819Lord told me this and the Lord told me that, and then the Lord said to me,26300:18:35,819 –> 00:18:39,099I hear this sort of thing Sunday mornings. Some of us talk like that.26400:18:39,099 –> 00:18:44,859Now, well, if you were in ancient Israel, you would have been up before the elders for saying26500:18:44,859 –> 00:18:49,099that. And if they judged that basically what you were saying was your own thoughts, then26600:18:49,979 –> 00:18:53,020you wouldn’t be saying that sort of thing very much longer, if you see what I mean.26700:18:53,979 –> 00:18:58,619Well, we’re not ancient Israel. You understand. So, but it does make you think.26800:19:00,699 –> 00:19:05,500In ancient Israel, God’s law was structured in such a way that no one was in any doubt26900:19:06,459 –> 00:19:12,859that the word of God was one thing, and the words of men were entirely another. And there is all27000:19:12,859 –> 00:19:18,660the difference in the world between the two. And everyone in ancient Israel understood27100:19:19,260 –> 00:19:26,859that huge distinction. Now we desperately need to understand that distinction that difference27200:19:26,859 –> 00:19:34,780today as well. See, you go into Borders and Barnes and Noble and what do you see? Hundreds27300:19:34,979 –> 00:19:42,380and hundreds of books. I go in there way too often. I love it. Marvelous. And you browse27400:19:42,380 –> 00:19:48,900around and you ask the question, How did all these books come to be written? And the answer27500:19:48,900 –> 00:19:54,420is that in each case, the author felt that he had something to say. He thought it was27600:19:54,420 –> 00:20:01,020really important and so he wrote it down in a book. The book, in other words, came from27700:20:01,020 –> 00:20:05,640man’s will. It came from man’s insight. It came from man’s initiative and it came from27800:20:05,640 –> 00:20:20,760man’s creativity and women’s too. post-modernism has recognized that the world is full of ideas27900:20:20,760 –> 00:20:27,060and values and opinions that people want to push on us and post-modernism is increasingly28000:20:27,939 –> 00:20:34,819tired of it as well. The history of the world is littered with interpretations of life and28100:20:34,819 –> 00:20:41,420truth that various people at different times have wanted to push upon everyone else. So28200:20:41,420 –> 00:20:46,420there’s the communist view, there’s the fascist view, there’s the Islamic view, there’s the28300:20:46,420 –> 00:20:50,599new age view, there’s the environmentalist view, there’s the liberal view, there’s the28400:20:51,119 –> 00:20:58,280conservative view, and on and on and on. And what Peter is saying at its heart is just28500:20:58,280 –> 00:21:07,560this. You need to understand the scripture isn’t like that. The bible doesn’t belong28600:21:07,560 –> 00:21:17,500in this lineup. It’s not another bunch of men trying to push their view of life on us.28700:21:18,420 –> 00:21:25,260Don’t whatever you do, Peter is saying, put the Old Testament prophets in that long list28800:21:25,260 –> 00:21:30,900of interpretations of God, and of life, and of meaning and of existence, that people around28900:21:30,900 –> 00:21:37,839the world will continue to produce in every generation. The Old Testament prophets, the29000:21:37,839 –> 00:21:41,380scriptures don’t belong there, they’re different, they’re different from every other book that29100:21:41,380 –> 00:21:47,160has ever been written. No prophecy of scripture came about by the prophets own interpretation,29200:21:47,579 –> 00:21:56,020for prophecy never had its origin in the will of man. I say, okay I see that he’s making29300:21:56,020 –> 00:22:00,839this point that somehow this is different. But how is it different? Well, now let’s come29400:22:00,839 –> 00:22:07,140to his positive answer, verse 21. For prophecy of scripture never had its origin in the will29500:22:07,140 –> 00:22:16,920of man how did it come? But men spoke from God, as they were carried along by the Holy29600:22:17,040 –> 00:22:22,660Spirit. Well, we have to pause the message there but we’ll be back next time with the29700:22:22,660 –> 00:22:27,979remaining part of the message, which is called, Everything You Need for Life. Its part of29800:22:27,979 –> 00:22:32,420our series, Everything You Need for Faith, and if you miss one of the messages in the29900:22:32,420 –> 00:22:37,040series, don’t forget, you can easily catch up or go back and listen again, by coming30000:22:37,040 –> 00:22:44,439online to our website at openthebible.org.uk. Don’t forget you can also find Pastor Collins30100:22:44,579 –> 00:22:50,439messages on your favourite podcast site. Search for Open the Bible UK.30200:22:50,920 –> 00:22:55,380At Open the Bible we’re able to do the work we do in bringing you the radio programme30300:22:55,380 –> 00:23:00,599and the internet and the podcasts only because of the generous support which we30400:23:00,599 –> 00:23:05,040receive from our listeners. So if you already give to support Open the Bible’s work,30500:23:05,219 –> 00:23:10,000thank you so much. This month if you want to begin to support Open the Bible30600:23:10,000 –> 00:23:14,119financially, we’d love to say thank you by sending you a free gift.30700:23:14,119 –> 00:23:17,739Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to tell us about it.30800:23:18,000 –> 00:23:22,140Everyone needs something to look forward to but when life is difficult,30900:23:22,140 –> 00:23:25,319hope can feel distant and hard to hold on to.31000:23:25,880 –> 00:23:30,680That’s why we’re delighted to offer Grow in Hope by Colin Smith.31100:23:30,900 –> 00:23:35,920This 30-day devotional is designed to help you fix your eyes on God’s promises31200:23:35,920 –> 00:23:39,959and find fresh encouragement even in challenging seasons.31300:23:40,400 –> 00:23:43,619Through daily Bible readings and practical reflections,31400:23:43,680 –> 00:23:47,699Pastor Colin explores what it means to have a living hope in Christ.31500:23:47,699 –> 00:23:52,099A hope that sustains us in trials, strengthens us in uncertainty31600:23:52,260 –> 00:23:54,520and gives us confidence for the future.31700:23:54,979 –> 00:24:01,599Drawing on scripture and years of pastoral experience his shows us how hope is not wishful thinking31800:24:01,599 –> 00:24:05,839but a certainty grounded in God’s character and promises.31900:24:06,359 –> 00:24:12,060Grow in Hope can be read on its own or alongside Grow in Faith and Grow in Love32000:24:12,140 –> 00:24:18,739as part of a devotional journey through the enduring Christian virtues of faith hope and love.32100:24:19,280 –> 00:24:24,319Get your free copy today when you give a one-off gift of at least £6032200:24:24,319 –> 00:24:28,479or set up a new monthly gift of five pounds or more32300:24:28,479 –> 00:24:32,560but please do remember to leave your name and address when you give32400:24:32,560 –> 00:24:35,219so that we know where to send your book.32500:24:35,459 –> 00:24:40,900So, Pastor Colin’s book grow in hope is our gift to you when you set up a new direct debit32600:24:40,939 –> 00:24:45,060to the work of Open The Bible in the amount of £5 per month or more32700:24:45,060 –> 00:24:48,579or a one of gift of £60 or more this month.32800:24:48,579 –> 00:24:52,420Full terms and conditions are on our website and you can give online.32900:24:52,420 –> 00:24:56,060Please remember though as Amanda says to leave your full name and address33000:24:56,060 –> 00:24:57,900so we can send you your gift.33100:24:57,900 –> 00:25:01,380For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m Davy Pick.33200:25:01,380 –> 00:25:06,579Glad you joined us today and I hope you’ll be able to join us again in our next programme.33300:25:10,900 –> 00:25:15,579Open The Bible33400:25:15,660 –> 00:25:17,859Maybe Christ’s forgiveness33500:25:17,859 –> 00:25:20,660doesn’t mean so much to you anymore.33600:25:20,660 –> 00:25:24,300It’s no longer a reality that’s shaping your life.33700:25:24,300 –> 00:25:26,339What’s happening to you?33800:25:26,339 –> 00:25:29,219Find out next time on Open The Bible.