100:00:00,960 –> 00:00:06,960When we interview folks for membership in the church sometimes we ask this question,200:00:06,960 –> 00:00:10,960you know, do you have a personal faith? That’s a perfectly good question.300:00:10,960 –> 00:00:14,800But maybe it would also be a good question to ask, do you hold the400:00:14,800 –> 00:00:19,639apostolic faith? Do you hold the same faith as the apostles?500:00:19,639 –> 00:00:23,600Because frankly the apostolic faith is the only faith worth having.600:00:23,600 –> 00:00:28,920Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, glad you could join us today.700:00:28,920 –> 00:00:30,680And Colin, we need to begin with800:00:30,680 –> 00:00:33,480a definition. Some people listening might say900:00:33,480 –> 00:00:37,639well I have a faith but I wouldn’t know if it’s an apostolic faith.1000:00:37,639 –> 00:00:41,959Well it’s the faith that the apostles announced and that they themselves believed.1100:00:41,959 –> 00:00:45,959It’s very interesting that in the New Testament we have all kinds of different ways of describing1200:00:45,959 –> 00:00:50,119the faith, the deposit, the faith once delivered to the Saints.1300:00:50,639 –> 00:00:54,700Faith isn’t just what you happen to believe about Jesus, there is such a thing as1400:00:55,180 –> 00:00:59,340and that’s why we’re given the New Testament scriptures because the apostles1500:00:59,340 –> 00:01:02,060laid it out as they received it from the Lord.1600:01:02,060 –> 00:01:05,2601 Corinthians 15 takes us to the very heart of that1700:01:05,260 –> 00:01:07,260because you have the Apostle Paul there saying1800:01:07,260 –> 00:01:10,480here’s what is of first importance, that Christ died for our sins,1900:01:10,480 –> 00:01:12,480he’s buried, he’s raised from the dead.2000:01:12,480 –> 00:01:15,120There’s the core of it, that’s the apostolic faith.2100:01:15,120 –> 00:01:18,839That’s what we’ll hear in today’s message as we begin the new series2200:01:18,839 –> 00:01:22,139Everything You Need for Life, based on 2 Peter.2300:01:22,239 –> 00:01:25,5192 Peter chapter 1 in verse 3 it’s a marvellous statement2400:01:25,519 –> 00:01:28,139that God has given to us in Christ2500:01:28,139 –> 00:01:29,739everything that we need for life.2600:01:29,739 –> 00:01:32,220Boy do I believe that, do you believe that,2700:01:32,220 –> 00:01:34,400that for everything you are facing.2800:01:34,400 –> 00:01:37,019That’s exactly what we’re going to do in the message2900:01:37,019 –> 00:01:38,959so join us, if you can, in 2 Peter.3000:01:38,959 –> 00:01:40,720Here is Pastor Colin.3100:01:40,720 –> 00:01:43,760If you’re thinking seriously3200:01:43,760 –> 00:01:49,080you probably already done a double take of the title of this new series.3300:01:49,080 –> 00:01:53,419I mean, everything you need for life.3400:01:53,419 –> 00:01:56,339Do you think that sounds a little bit ambitious,3500:01:56,339 –> 00:01:58,639even pretentious?3600:01:58,639 –> 00:02:01,860A bit overstated?3700:02:01,860 –> 00:02:04,540A bit of hype maybe?3800:02:04,540 –> 00:02:07,080I’ll tell you I would not have dared3900:02:07,080 –> 00:02:09,800to choose this title for this series4000:02:09,800 –> 00:02:14,100if it was not exactly what Peter says4100:02:14,100 –> 00:02:16,559at the beginning of this most amazing letter4200:02:16,580 –> 00:02:19,059that we’re going to learn from together4300:02:19,059 –> 00:02:23,080over these next two months.4400:02:23,080 –> 00:02:24,740Let’s try and get into our minds4500:02:24,740 –> 00:02:27,759what Peter is saying in Second Peter,4600:02:27,759 –> 00:02:30,339chapter one and verse three.4700:02:30,339 –> 00:02:34,940God’s divine power has given us4800:02:34,940 –> 00:02:37,539everything we need for life.4900:02:37,539 –> 00:02:40,199That’s what he says.5000:02:40,199 –> 00:02:43,199Everything that you need for your life,5100:02:43,199 –> 00:02:46,179for every circumstance you will face in your life,5200:02:46,179 –> 00:02:51,179you have in the knowledge of Jesus Christ,5300:02:51,179 –> 00:02:54,059your Savior and your Lord.5400:02:55,360 –> 00:02:57,779Now straight away what Peter is saying here5500:02:57,779 –> 00:03:02,559challenges the way that many folks think about Christianity.5600:03:02,559 –> 00:03:05,339The natural way for us to think about our lives5700:03:05,339 –> 00:03:07,320is to think of them in compartments.5800:03:07,320 –> 00:03:10,839You know, there’s my work, and then there is my family.5900:03:10,839 –> 00:03:12,119And then there’s my pleasure.6000:03:12,119 –> 00:03:13,460And then of course there’s my faith.6100:03:13,460 –> 00:03:15,779And that’s a very important part of my life.6200:03:15,800 –> 00:03:17,440And then there are my hopes and my dreams,6300:03:17,440 –> 00:03:19,800and you can go on filling out the compartments.6400:03:19,800 –> 00:03:21,800And honestly, there are many folks6500:03:21,800 –> 00:03:23,899who are quite convinced in their own minds,6600:03:23,899 –> 00:03:27,580quite settled, that Jesus has everything we need for faith,6700:03:27,580 –> 00:03:31,479for that little circle, but are not wholly convinced6800:03:31,479 –> 00:03:34,660that Jesus has everything we need for life.6900:03:34,660 –> 00:03:36,520Now what Peter is doing here7000:03:36,520 –> 00:03:39,679is he’s painting an entirely different picture.7100:03:39,679 –> 00:03:40,940He’s saying think of your life7200:03:40,940 –> 00:03:44,500not as a lot of little circles, but as one big circle,7300:03:44,539 –> 00:03:47,600and understand this, that the Lord Jesus Christ7400:03:47,600 –> 00:03:51,059has everything not only for what you need for faith,7500:03:51,059 –> 00:03:55,440but everything that you need for life.7600:03:55,440 –> 00:03:57,000Now if we can grasp that,7700:03:57,000 –> 00:03:58,759then we will move our discipleship,7800:03:58,759 –> 00:04:02,240our following of Jesus Christ to a whole other level7900:04:02,240 –> 00:04:04,740as we learn the message of this book8000:04:04,740 –> 00:04:06,639over these next weeks.8100:04:06,639 –> 00:04:09,880Now notice Peter has a particular kind of life in mind.8200:04:09,880 –> 00:04:12,080He talks about life and godliness.8300:04:12,080 –> 00:04:13,360We’ve gotta put these two together.8400:04:13,360 –> 00:04:15,399He’s talking about a godly life,8500:04:15,399 –> 00:04:18,679which is more rather than less.8600:04:18,679 –> 00:04:20,399What does godliness mean?8700:04:20,399 –> 00:04:24,559Godliness means simply a life that is centered on God.8800:04:24,559 –> 00:04:27,779In Jesus Christ you will find everything that you need8900:04:27,779 –> 00:04:31,220for a life that flows out of a passion for God.9000:04:31,220 –> 00:04:34,540So the life he’s talking about is not an artificial one9100:04:34,540 –> 00:04:35,980in which you try to conform9200:04:35,980 –> 00:04:39,440to certain religious expectations and be a good person.9300:04:39,440 –> 00:04:40,820No, we’re talking about a life9400:04:41,059 –> 00:04:43,420that is animated and energized9500:04:43,420 –> 00:04:45,260by the presence and the power of God9600:04:45,260 –> 00:04:48,019and everything that you need for the freedom9700:04:48,019 –> 00:04:49,899and the joy of that kind of life9800:04:49,899 –> 00:04:54,519you will find in your knowledge of Jesus Christ.9900:04:54,519 –> 00:04:58,880Now by any standards, what we’re looking at right here10000:04:58,880 –> 00:05:03,640is one of the most amazing statements in all of the Bible.10100:05:04,600 –> 00:05:07,220It headlines what Peter has to say to us10200:05:07,220 –> 00:05:09,820through this letter and it takes us10300:05:09,859 –> 00:05:13,640to the heart of authentic Christianity.10400:05:14,779 –> 00:05:18,420Now I want simply to address two questions this morning.10500:05:18,420 –> 00:05:21,019The first is the question of the audience.10600:05:21,019 –> 00:05:23,339To whom is Peter speaking?10700:05:23,339 –> 00:05:25,559When he says that you have everything that you need10800:05:25,559 –> 00:05:27,540for life and it comes from God’s power10900:05:27,540 –> 00:05:29,899through the knowledge of Jesus Christ,11000:05:29,899 –> 00:05:31,600to whom is he speaking?11100:05:32,420 –> 00:05:34,660And it’s an important question because some of us11200:05:34,660 –> 00:05:38,220may be nearly at the point of switching off already11300:05:38,220 –> 00:05:41,779and saying, yeah, yeah, yeah, so much talk11400:05:41,779 –> 00:05:43,859and you don’t really believe this.11500:05:43,859 –> 00:05:46,299I just want to raise this question.11600:05:46,299 –> 00:05:48,640How do you know he’s talking to you anyway?11700:05:50,059 –> 00:05:51,279Who is the audience?11800:05:52,619 –> 00:05:56,500Who has everything they need for life?11900:05:57,619 –> 00:05:59,640You need to know who he’s talking to.12000:05:59,640 –> 00:06:01,679And then secondly we’re going to look at12100:06:01,679 –> 00:06:03,500what precisely is promised.12200:06:03,500 –> 00:06:06,820Why is it that certain people have been given12300:06:06,820 –> 00:06:09,299everything that is needed for life.12400:06:09,299 –> 00:06:11,940And so these are the two questions that are before us.12500:06:11,940 –> 00:06:13,940I hope you have your Bible open, by the way.12600:06:13,940 –> 00:06:15,739We really, really want to encourage,12700:06:15,739 –> 00:06:17,399bring your Bible, if you’re not got one today,12800:06:17,399 –> 00:06:19,739use one in the pew, but bring your Bible.12900:06:19,739 –> 00:06:24,500There are two or three pages only that are 2 Peter,13000:06:24,500 –> 00:06:26,559but let that letter in your Bible13100:06:26,559 –> 00:06:29,339be a page that is inside you.13200:06:29,339 –> 00:06:30,940Because you’ve got it.13300:06:30,940 –> 00:06:32,320You believed it.13400:06:32,320 –> 00:06:33,380You’ve grasped it.13500:06:33,380 –> 00:06:38,380Come with your Bible open and with your heart open as well.13600:06:39,660 –> 00:06:43,600Now, first question, to whom is Peter speaking?13700:06:43,600 –> 00:06:46,940Notice the audience is identified in verse one.13800:06:46,940 –> 00:06:50,220He’s writing to those who through the righteousness13900:06:50,220 –> 00:06:54,700of our God and Savior, Jesus, have received a faith14000:06:54,700 –> 00:06:57,739as precious as ours.14100:06:57,739 –> 00:06:59,720So everything that he says in this letter14200:06:59,739 –> 00:07:03,179is addressed to people who have faith.14300:07:03,179 –> 00:07:05,339And he describes faith in a particular way.14400:07:05,339 –> 00:07:07,920He says it’s a faith that is as precious14500:07:07,920 –> 00:07:11,880as the faith of the apostles.14600:07:11,880 –> 00:07:13,859So Peter’s writing to those who have faith.14700:07:13,859 –> 00:07:15,079That immediately raises the question,14800:07:15,079 –> 00:07:17,320what does it mean to have faith?14900:07:17,320 –> 00:07:20,679What’s it mean for you to be a person of faith?15000:07:20,679 –> 00:07:23,640What is Christian faith?15100:07:23,640 –> 00:07:26,359Because it is only to those who have the faith15200:07:26,359 –> 00:07:28,959that he’s speaking about that this promise is given15300:07:29,239 –> 00:07:33,440that you have everything that you need for life in Jesus.15400:07:33,440 –> 00:07:34,700You’re listening to Open The Bible15500:07:34,700 –> 00:07:36,339with Pastor Colin Smith15600:07:36,339 –> 00:07:39,299and a message called Everything You Need for Life,15700:07:39,299 –> 00:07:40,980the first in our series,15800:07:40,980 –> 00:07:44,000which is also called Everything You Need for Life15900:07:44,000 –> 00:07:45,720based on 2 Peter.16000:07:45,720 –> 00:07:47,600So we’ll be back to the message very shortly16100:07:47,600 –> 00:07:49,179so do stay with us.16200:07:49,179 –> 00:07:51,179Don’t forget, if you ever miss one of the messages16300:07:51,179 –> 00:07:53,100or if you want to go back and listen again,16400:07:53,100 –> 00:07:56,040you can do that by coming online to our website,16500:07:56,040 –> 00:07:58,600openthebible.org.uk16600:07:58,600 –> 00:08:00,679or go to your favorite podcast site,16700:08:00,679 –> 00:08:03,299search therefore, Open The Bible UK16800:08:03,299 –> 00:08:06,559and subscribe if you want to get regular reminders.16900:08:06,559 –> 00:08:07,820We’re back to the message now,17000:08:07,820 –> 00:08:10,559here again is Pastor Colin.17100:08:10,559 –> 00:08:12,779Well, I want to make four observations very simply17200:08:12,779 –> 00:08:14,820from what Peter says here about faith.17300:08:14,820 –> 00:08:17,399The first is that Christian faith17400:08:17,399 –> 00:08:21,160is clearly faith in Jesus Christ.17500:08:21,160 –> 00:08:25,559Notice that Peter affirms faith in Jesus Christ17600:08:25,559 –> 00:08:26,380in three ways.17700:08:26,380 –> 00:08:30,279First, in verse one, he affirms that Jesus is God.17800:08:30,279 –> 00:08:35,280He speaks about our God and Savior Jesus Christ, verse one.17900:08:36,500 –> 00:08:39,140By the way, you may have heard some people say18000:08:39,140 –> 00:08:43,479that Jesus is never referred to as God in the New Testament.18100:08:43,479 –> 00:08:45,299If anyone ever says that to you,18200:08:45,299 –> 00:08:47,739point them to 2 Peter 1 in verse one.18300:08:47,739 –> 00:08:49,000He’s right there.18400:08:49,000 –> 00:08:50,780Or point them to Thomas’ confession18500:08:50,780 –> 00:08:52,080when he falls before Jesus,18600:08:52,080 –> 00:08:54,599my Lord and my God.18700:08:54,599 –> 00:08:56,979Because Jesus is God.18800:08:56,979 –> 00:08:58,359He is God with us.18900:08:58,359 –> 00:09:00,140He is God in the flesh.19000:09:00,140 –> 00:09:02,640That’s the core of Christian faith.19100:09:02,640 –> 00:09:05,340Not only is he God, but he is Savior,19200:09:05,340 –> 00:09:09,500our God and Savior Jesus Christ.19300:09:09,500 –> 00:09:14,419You see, Christian faith is confidence in Jesus Christ,19400:09:14,419 –> 00:09:17,559confidence that he is able to do what he’s committed to do.19500:09:18,419 –> 00:09:22,780The world encourages us to have confidence in ourselves.19600:09:22,780 –> 00:09:26,919The Bible encourages us to have confidence in Jesus.19700:09:26,919 –> 00:09:29,520And a Christian will have far more confidence in Jesus19800:09:29,520 –> 00:09:31,440than he or she ever has in themselves.19900:09:32,619 –> 00:09:37,619I am very sure that in however many years20000:09:37,739 –> 00:09:40,419remain of my life I will mess many things up20100:09:40,419 –> 00:09:42,479many, many times, I just know that.20200:09:44,380 –> 00:09:47,080But I am absolutely confident that Jesus Christ20300:09:47,080 –> 00:09:50,780will not mess up the thing that has been entrusted to him,20400:09:50,780 –> 00:09:54,219which is to save me, to save you,20500:09:54,219 –> 00:09:56,900and on the last day to present us faultless20600:09:56,900 –> 00:09:58,739in the presence of the Father.20700:09:58,739 –> 00:10:01,099We have confidence in Jesus20800:10:01,099 –> 00:10:05,619that he will not mess up on that in regard to us.20900:10:05,619 –> 00:10:08,820He’s Savior, and that’s the core of Christian faith.21000:10:08,820 –> 00:10:11,460He’s God, he’s Savior, and he is Lord.21100:10:11,460 –> 00:10:13,479Notice the statement there in verse two.21200:10:13,479 –> 00:10:18,340The knowledge of our God and Savior Jesus, our Lord.21300:10:18,340 –> 00:10:20,580Now, again, this is core to Christian faith21400:10:20,580 –> 00:10:23,179because Christian faith is confidence in Jesus Christ,21500:10:23,179 –> 00:10:26,380that he’s God, that he’s Savior, and that he is Lord.21600:10:26,380 –> 00:10:28,260This is a wonderful truth,21700:10:28,260 –> 00:10:30,659and it is the bedrock of our faith.21800:10:30,659 –> 00:10:33,979You know that you will face trials and temptations21900:10:33,979 –> 00:10:36,659that seem too much to you.22000:10:36,659 –> 00:10:38,840You may face circumstances of life22100:10:38,840 –> 00:10:42,419that are beyond what you can handle,22200:10:42,419 –> 00:10:45,039but you will never face anything in your life22300:10:45,039 –> 00:10:49,979that is beyond what Jesus can handle because he is Lord.22400:10:49,979 –> 00:10:53,159What that means is that he is Lord22500:10:53,159 –> 00:10:58,159over the strongest temptations and the darkest devils.22600:10:58,159 –> 00:11:00,559There is no power, no circumstance,22700:11:00,559 –> 00:11:03,140in life or in death or in eternity22800:11:03,140 –> 00:11:05,299that can somehow overpower him,22900:11:05,299 –> 00:11:07,859and he is with you and he is for you23000:11:07,859 –> 00:11:09,820if you belong to him by faith.23100:11:09,820 –> 00:11:11,599So here’s the first thing23200:11:11,599 –> 00:11:14,520that Peter is saying to us very clearly.23300:11:14,859 –> 00:11:18,940Faith is, Christian faith, is in Jesus Christ,23400:11:18,940 –> 00:11:20,780who is Savior, Lord, and God23500:11:20,780 –> 00:11:22,619and for me and with me,23600:11:22,619 –> 00:11:27,619and I have every reason to have confidence in him.23700:11:27,900 –> 00:11:32,700Second, Christian faith is apostolic.23800:11:32,700 –> 00:11:34,359First it’s faith in Jesus,23900:11:34,359 –> 00:11:36,739second, Christian faith is apostolic.24000:11:36,739 –> 00:11:37,780Notice verse one.24100:11:38,780 –> 00:11:40,299He’s writing to people who have,24200:11:40,299 –> 00:11:44,219he says, a faith as precious as ours,24300:11:45,280 –> 00:11:48,320ours referring to the faith of the apostles.24400:11:48,320 –> 00:11:49,820Peter writes as an apostle.24500:11:49,820 –> 00:11:52,479That’s how he introduces himself.24600:11:53,880 –> 00:11:55,880This is very interesting.24700:11:55,880 –> 00:12:00,119We often talk in evangelical circles about personal faith.24800:12:00,119 –> 00:12:03,440That’s good, because faith has to be personal.24900:12:03,440 –> 00:12:05,159Nobody else can believe for you.25000:12:05,159 –> 00:12:08,659That’s something that you have to do for yourself.25100:12:08,659 –> 00:12:13,559But Christian faith is more than personal.25200:12:13,559 –> 00:12:15,880Christian faith is apostolic.25300:12:16,799 –> 00:12:19,880To be a Christian means that you share25400:12:19,880 –> 00:12:22,219the same faith as the apostles,25500:12:22,219 –> 00:12:24,659and that you have made what the apostles believe25600:12:24,659 –> 00:12:28,640what you believe, and that you share in their faith also.25700:12:28,640 –> 00:12:30,619In other words, Christian faith isn’t a sort of faith25800:12:30,619 –> 00:12:33,159that you generate yourself or make up yourself.25900:12:33,159 –> 00:12:37,239It is a personal embracing of apostolic faith,26000:12:37,239 –> 00:12:40,739sharing the same faith as the apostles.26100:12:40,739 –> 00:12:43,539So, when we interview folks for membership in the Church,26200:12:43,539 –> 00:12:45,619sometimes we ask this question, you know,26300:12:45,619 –> 00:12:47,500now, do you have a personal faith?26400:12:47,500 –> 00:12:49,599That’s a perfectly good question.26500:12:49,599 –> 00:12:51,900But maybe it would also be a good question to ask,26600:12:51,900 –> 00:12:55,219do you hold the apostolic faith?26700:12:55,219 –> 00:12:58,260Do you hold the same faith as the apostles?26800:12:58,260 –> 00:12:59,780Because frankly, the apostolic faith26900:12:59,780 –> 00:13:01,479is the only faith worth having.27000:13:01,479 –> 00:13:03,260If your faith is just something you generated27100:13:03,260 –> 00:13:05,179out of your own head and on your ideas,27200:13:05,179 –> 00:13:07,679it will die with you as it was born with you.27300:13:10,859 –> 00:13:12,940So Peter is making it very clear here27400:13:12,940 –> 00:13:15,580that Christian faith is faith in Jesus Christ,27500:13:15,580 –> 00:13:19,340it is the apostolic faith, it means holding to the faith,27600:13:19,340 –> 00:13:21,280as Jude puts it in his letter,27700:13:21,280 –> 00:13:26,280that for once, for all was entrusted to the saints.27800:13:26,299 –> 00:13:28,659Here’s a third thing about faith.27900:13:28,659 –> 00:13:33,659Christian faith is both God’s gift and his command.28000:13:34,739 –> 00:13:39,419Now, notice that Peter stresses the first of these two,28100:13:39,419 –> 00:13:44,419that faith is a gift that we receive.28200:13:44,900 –> 00:13:46,580Verse one, he writes28300:13:46,580 –> 00:13:51,580to those who have received a faith as precious as ours.28400:13:52,840 –> 00:13:55,460So Peter is saying, recognize this about true faith,28500:13:55,460 –> 00:13:57,140authentic Christian faith,28600:13:57,140 –> 00:14:01,419it’s not something you generate yourself, it’s a gift,28700:14:01,419 –> 00:14:03,599it is something that you have received.28800:14:04,539 –> 00:14:06,260He’s saying the same thing as Paul says28900:14:06,260 –> 00:14:09,099in Ephesians 2 in verse eight.29000:14:09,099 –> 00:14:10,659Remember Paul says it’s by grace29100:14:10,659 –> 00:14:12,780that you have been saved through faith29200:14:12,780 –> 00:14:15,700and that faith is not from yourselves, it is what?29300:14:15,700 –> 00:14:19,580It is the gift of God.29400:14:19,580 –> 00:14:22,539So very clearly Peter, Paul, the New Testament29500:14:22,539 –> 00:14:27,119speaks about faith as a gift that we receive,29600:14:27,119 –> 00:14:28,919but you have to put that alongside the fact29700:14:28,919 –> 00:14:31,280that the New Testament also speaks about faith29800:14:31,280 –> 00:14:33,859as a command that we must obey.29900:14:33,859 –> 00:14:36,940For example, our lord Jesus said to the disciples once,30000:14:36,979 –> 00:14:41,400have faith in God, now that’s a command, have faith in God.30100:14:42,299 –> 00:14:46,159Paul said on one occasion to a man who was quite desperate,30200:14:46,159 –> 00:14:50,460believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved,30300:14:50,460 –> 00:14:52,359that’s a command.30400:14:52,359 –> 00:14:53,700So we find this in the Bible,30500:14:53,700 –> 00:14:55,340we have to hold these two things together30600:14:55,340 –> 00:14:56,820even though they’re in some tension,30700:14:56,820 –> 00:14:59,979or at least seem to be, that faith is spoken about30800:14:59,979 –> 00:15:04,979in the Bible both as God’s gift and also as his command.30900:15:07,539 –> 00:15:10,419Now that is teaching us something very important.31000:15:11,219 –> 00:15:14,140By the way, have you ever thought about this?31100:15:14,140 –> 00:15:18,340How strange it is for a preacher31200:15:18,340 –> 00:15:22,359to say to someone who doesn’t believe,31300:15:22,359 –> 00:15:25,500you know as it’s often said rightly in a sermon,31400:15:25,500 –> 00:15:28,140you say to an unbeliever, or I say to an unbeliever,31500:15:28,140 –> 00:15:30,880believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.31600:15:30,880 –> 00:15:33,859Put your faith in Jesus Christ.31700:15:33,859 –> 00:15:36,799You say, wait a minute if a guy in the congregation31800:15:37,099 –> 00:15:41,419is an unbeliever, that means he doesn’t believe.31900:15:41,419 –> 00:15:43,880And if he doesn’t believe, he hasn’t got any faith32000:15:43,880 –> 00:15:45,619to put in the Lord Jesus Christ.32100:15:45,619 –> 00:15:47,520So, why is this guy standing on the platform32200:15:47,520 –> 00:15:48,900telling someone who’s an unbeliever32300:15:48,900 –> 00:15:50,739to put his faith which he doesn’t have32400:15:50,739 –> 00:15:52,940in Jesus Christ, it makes no sense.32500:15:54,219 –> 00:15:57,380You say, well follow that line,32600:15:57,380 –> 00:15:59,219how does anyone get saved?32700:16:00,260 –> 00:16:02,380Well remember the disciples asked that question32800:16:02,380 –> 00:16:03,940on one occasion and do you remember32900:16:03,940 –> 00:16:05,859we saw in Mark’s Gospel, Jesus answer.33000:16:07,000 –> 00:16:08,460When the disciples came to that point33100:16:08,460 –> 00:16:10,359and said, well how does anyone get saved then,33200:16:10,359 –> 00:16:14,739Jesus said this, with man it is impossible,33300:16:15,880 –> 00:16:20,559but all things are possible with God.33400:16:21,599 –> 00:16:23,440In other words, Jesus is making clear33500:16:23,440 –> 00:16:26,679at this point that, that faith is not something33600:16:26,679 –> 00:16:29,039that lies latent within us, that suddenly33700:16:29,039 –> 00:16:32,000we waken up and say, oh I’m going to exercise my faith now.33800:16:32,000 –> 00:16:33,479As I’ve always had it, of course,33900:16:33,479 –> 00:16:35,559and now it’s just been lying there asleep.34000:16:36,419 –> 00:16:38,719No, Jesus is saying that doesn’t work,34100:16:38,719 –> 00:16:40,820that’s not possible, you don’t have that.34200:16:41,919 –> 00:16:44,880You depend upon God creating within you34300:16:44,880 –> 00:16:47,000something that you do not have.34400:16:47,000 –> 00:16:49,840You depend upon receiving a gift34500:16:49,840 –> 00:16:52,080that you then are able to exercise,34600:16:52,080 –> 00:16:55,440that salvation is from the Lord.34700:16:55,440 –> 00:16:57,119Thank God for this, that God is able34800:16:57,119 –> 00:17:00,000to create faith where it doesn’t exist.34900:17:00,000 –> 00:17:02,559He created the worlds out of nothing,35000:17:03,039 –> 00:17:05,619and he’s able to create faith out of nothing,35100:17:05,619 –> 00:17:07,959he’s able to create it where it does not exist,35200:17:07,959 –> 00:17:09,640even within you.35300:17:09,640 –> 00:17:12,020Come to church here, and you have absolutely35400:17:12,020 –> 00:17:15,280no confidence that Jesus is able to give you35500:17:15,280 –> 00:17:16,880everything that you have for life.35600:17:16,880 –> 00:17:19,160You say, how am I gonna come to believe that?35700:17:21,160 –> 00:17:23,199If it’s just up to you, it’s impossible.35800:17:24,599 –> 00:17:28,739But all things are possible with God.35900:17:30,359 –> 00:17:31,560Now, I’m pausing on this because36000:17:31,579 –> 00:17:34,640it may be just the thing that opens the door of hope36100:17:34,640 –> 00:17:36,140for some person today.36200:17:37,239 –> 00:17:40,079Let me tell you a story about a very famous Christian,36300:17:40,079 –> 00:17:44,060Christian leader by the name of Augustine.36400:17:44,060 –> 00:17:47,939Augustine was brought up in a godly home,36500:17:48,880 –> 00:17:51,560but when he was a teenager, he rebelled against36600:17:51,560 –> 00:17:54,540everything he had ever been taught,36700:17:54,540 –> 00:17:59,540left home, and threw himself into the most immoral of lives.36800:17:59,819 –> 00:18:02,680And many mistresses, and found that he developed36900:18:02,680 –> 00:18:06,839a pattern of life that sucked him into a point37000:18:06,839 –> 00:18:10,319where he felt he could not change.37100:18:11,319 –> 00:18:13,760And his story is very powerful because I speak to folks37200:18:13,760 –> 00:18:16,780quite often who will say, Colin Pastor,37300:18:16,780 –> 00:18:20,180I just can’t change.37400:18:20,180 –> 00:18:23,239And there are folks who come to church every Sunday,37500:18:23,239 –> 00:18:26,579and you hear the preaching, but what’s really going on37600:18:26,599 –> 00:18:30,000in your heart is to say, it doesn’t touch me,37700:18:30,000 –> 00:18:31,920you don’t understand, I can’t change,37800:18:31,920 –> 00:18:34,500I don’t have this capacity, whatever it is37900:18:34,500 –> 00:18:36,920that you seem to be talking about.38000:18:36,920 –> 00:18:40,479Well, you’re in exactly the position that Augustine was38100:18:40,479 –> 00:18:45,479where he found himself bound in patterns of behavior38200:18:47,040 –> 00:18:50,760that even when he wanted to change them,38300:18:50,760 –> 00:18:52,579he found he could not change.38400:18:53,420 –> 00:18:55,560And it was out of that experience38500:18:55,560 –> 00:18:57,400and then from coming to the Bible38600:18:57,400 –> 00:19:01,579that Augustine formed a prayer that has become very famous38700:19:01,579 –> 00:19:06,079and it is a very helpful and insightful prayer.38800:19:06,079 –> 00:19:07,300He prayed this to God.38900:19:08,319 –> 00:19:13,099He said, Lord, command what you will,39000:19:14,099 –> 00:19:17,800only give what you command.39100:19:19,020 –> 00:19:20,819Say that with me, will you?39200:19:20,819 –> 00:19:25,819Command what you will, only give what you command.39300:19:27,180 –> 00:19:28,020You see what he’s saying?39400:19:28,020 –> 00:19:30,520Lord, you’re absolutely free to tell me to do anything39500:19:30,520 –> 00:19:33,119that you want to tell me to do,39600:19:33,119 –> 00:19:35,479but please recognize this, I can’t do it.39700:19:37,420 –> 00:19:39,640So if you really want me to do something different39800:19:39,640 –> 00:19:41,520from what I’m doing, you’re going to have to do something39900:19:41,520 –> 00:19:44,680in me to make me what I’m not, to change me in some way.40000:19:44,680 –> 00:19:46,939You’re going to have to give what you command40100:19:46,939 –> 00:19:48,900because I don’t have what you command.40200:19:49,900 –> 00:19:52,680You can call me to have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.40300:19:52,680 –> 00:19:55,619I don’t have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.40400:19:55,619 –> 00:19:57,199If that’s what you want me to have,40500:19:57,199 –> 00:19:59,579will you do something within me to make me different40600:19:59,579 –> 00:20:01,300from what I am and to give me what40700:20:01,300 –> 00:20:03,699at this point I do not have.40800:20:05,560 –> 00:20:07,500You see this opens the door of hope.40900:20:07,500 –> 00:20:11,040If you are not yet a Christian today,41000:20:11,040 –> 00:20:15,099I want to encourage you to come to God today41100:20:15,160 –> 00:20:18,579in exactly the same way as Augustine did.41200:20:19,699 –> 00:20:22,280You can come to God today and you can say,41300:20:22,280 –> 00:20:25,300look you command me to have faith.41400:20:25,300 –> 00:20:26,640I don’t have it.41500:20:27,640 –> 00:20:30,459So will you give what you command?41600:20:32,000 –> 00:20:33,839Make me what I am not.41700:20:34,839 –> 00:20:39,260Put into me what I do not at this moment possess.41800:20:39,260 –> 00:20:41,219See that is what becoming a Christian is.41900:20:41,219 –> 00:20:43,780It’s not a sort of self-improvement program,42000:20:43,780 –> 00:20:46,560it is a regeneration, it is a recreation.42100:20:46,560 –> 00:20:48,719It is something that God does within you.42200:20:48,719 –> 00:20:51,619And Jesus says ask and you’ll receive.42300:20:51,619 –> 00:20:52,819Seek and you will find.42400:20:52,819 –> 00:20:55,800Knock and the door will be open to you.42500:20:55,800 –> 00:20:59,880Don’t let your own sense of not having what it takes42600:20:59,880 –> 00:21:00,819keep you from God.42700:21:00,819 –> 00:21:04,280That’s the very reason to come to God.42800:21:04,280 –> 00:21:06,619In fact that’s only way to come to God.42900:21:06,619 –> 00:21:08,439We sing it in one of our hymns.43000:21:08,439 –> 00:21:11,040♪ Nothing in my hand I bring ♪43100:21:11,079 –> 00:21:15,119And simply to your cross I cling.43200:21:15,119 –> 00:21:16,619That’s how you come to God.43300:21:17,640 –> 00:21:20,280That’s why you can come43400:21:20,280 –> 00:21:22,560however bad the circumstances of your life,43500:21:22,560 –> 00:21:24,959you come in the same way as Augustine came.43600:21:26,260 –> 00:21:28,000Because with man it’s impossible43700:21:28,000 –> 00:21:31,920but all things are possible with God.43800:21:31,920 –> 00:21:36,920And I promise that if you will come to God like that today43900:21:37,020 –> 00:21:39,079it will change your life.44000:21:40,020 –> 00:21:43,040Because at last you’re admitting the truth44100:21:43,040 –> 00:21:45,140which is that you cannot change yourself,44200:21:45,140 –> 00:21:46,699you cannot save yourself.44300:21:46,699 –> 00:21:48,560You’re casting yourself on Him.44400:21:48,560 –> 00:21:50,180You are agreeing with Jesus44500:21:50,180 –> 00:21:52,739that your salvation is not possible,44600:21:52,739 –> 00:21:55,619except for God.44700:21:55,619 –> 00:21:58,479And you know, there’s a very strange irony about this44800:21:58,479 –> 00:22:00,300and folks who like to think44900:22:00,300 –> 00:22:02,060you can just turn this around and around45000:22:02,060 –> 00:22:03,400and around in your minds.45100:22:04,380 –> 00:22:06,439But here’s the irony.45200:22:07,300 –> 00:22:09,680The first step of faith45300:22:10,939 –> 00:22:13,280is to admit that you do not have faith45400:22:14,560 –> 00:22:18,300and to ask God to give you what you do not have.45500:22:19,160 –> 00:22:21,239That’s how you come to Him.45600:22:21,239 –> 00:22:22,479You’re listening to Open the Bible45700:22:22,479 –> 00:22:23,819with pastor Colin Smith.45800:22:23,819 –> 00:22:25,300We have to pause the message there,45900:22:25,300 –> 00:22:27,199but we’re back again next time46000:22:27,199 –> 00:22:29,060with the second part of the message.46100:22:29,060 –> 00:22:30,300The message is called46200:22:30,300 –> 00:22:32,280Everything You Need for Life.46300:22:32,300 –> 00:22:35,079It’s really about what it means to have faith46400:22:35,079 –> 00:22:36,900and we’re seeing how Christian faith46500:22:36,900 –> 00:22:38,979is having faith in Jesus.46600:22:38,979 –> 00:22:40,400It’s a faith that God gives46700:22:40,400 –> 00:22:42,439and it’s at His command.46800:22:42,439 –> 00:22:44,400We’ll continue next time.46900:22:44,400 –> 00:22:45,959If you ever miss one of our messages47000:22:45,959 –> 00:22:48,040you can catch up or go back and listen again47100:22:48,040 –> 00:22:49,459by coming to our website,47200:22:49,459 –> 00:22:51,880openthebible.org.uk47300:22:51,880 –> 00:22:54,760or going to wherever you normally get your podcasts47400:22:54,760 –> 00:22:57,359search there for Open the Bible UK47500:22:57,359 –> 00:23:00,119or follow the link from our website.47600:23:00,119 –> 00:23:02,579Open the Bible is able to be on this station47700:23:02,579 –> 00:23:05,319as well as our website and the podcasts47800:23:05,319 –> 00:23:07,959because listeners like you give generously47900:23:07,959 –> 00:23:09,560to support our work.48000:23:09,560 –> 00:23:12,239So if you already support Open the Bible in this way,48100:23:12,239 –> 00:23:14,040thank you so much.48200:23:14,040 –> 00:23:15,640If supporting Open the Bible48300:23:15,640 –> 00:23:18,199is something you want to start doing this month,48400:23:18,199 –> 00:23:19,520we’d love to say thank you48500:23:19,520 –> 00:23:22,000by sending you pastor Colin’s brand new book48600:23:22,000 –> 00:23:23,680Grow in Hope.48700:23:23,680 –> 00:23:26,319It’s a 30 day devotional study48800:23:26,520 –> 00:23:27,979drawing on scripture48900:23:27,979 –> 00:23:30,459and years of pastoral experience.49000:23:30,459 –> 00:23:33,219Colin, what is the one thing you’d like readers49100:23:33,219 –> 00:23:34,839to take away from this book?49200:23:34,839 –> 00:23:36,280Well, it would be very practical49300:23:36,280 –> 00:23:38,420because every Christian knows what49400:23:38,420 –> 00:23:40,040it is to go through dark times49500:23:40,040 –> 00:23:42,599when we feel discouraged, we’re down,49600:23:42,599 –> 00:23:44,260we don’t know how to move forward.49700:23:44,260 –> 00:23:46,920And when these times come in your life,49800:23:46,920 –> 00:23:50,119you need to know how to handle your own soul,49900:23:50,119 –> 00:23:53,219how to encourage and strengthen yourself.50000:23:53,219 –> 00:23:54,800David, of course, speaks about this.50100:23:54,900 –> 00:23:56,339Well, he knew what this was like.50200:23:56,339 –> 00:23:59,300In Psalm 42, he speaks to himself.50300:23:59,300 –> 00:24:00,339He says,50400:24:02,199 –> 00:24:04,459Why are you in turmoil within me?50500:24:04,459 –> 00:24:05,500And then he says,50600:24:07,959 –> 00:24:10,640So I hope what people will take away from this50700:24:10,640 –> 00:24:13,339is that there’ll be helped and encouraged50800:24:13,339 –> 00:24:16,060in being able to speak to their own soul50900:24:16,060 –> 00:24:18,660in the way that David did in Psalm 4251000:24:18,660 –> 00:24:21,219and to find hope in God51100:24:21,219 –> 00:24:22,680because there is hope in God51200:24:22,680 –> 00:24:25,119for every circumstance of life51300:24:25,119 –> 00:24:28,020and it comes to us in and through the Lord Jesus Christ.51400:24:28,020 –> 00:24:30,459So, Pastor Colin’s book, Growing Hope,51500:24:30,459 –> 00:24:31,599is our gift to you51600:24:31,599 –> 00:24:34,060when you set up a new direct debit51700:24:34,060 –> 00:24:36,160of five pounds per month or more51800:24:36,160 –> 00:24:38,900or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more51900:24:38,900 –> 00:24:41,880to support the work of Open the Bible this month.52000:24:41,880 –> 00:24:44,219Full terms and conditions are on our website52100:24:44,219 –> 00:24:46,900at openthebible.org.uk52200:24:46,900 –> 00:24:48,900and you can give online.52300:24:48,900 –> 00:24:49,739Don’t forget though52400:24:49,739 –> 00:24:52,540to leave your full name and address when you donate52500:24:52,540 –> 00:24:55,719so we’ll be able to send you your gift.52600:24:55,719 –> 00:24:57,959For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,52700:24:57,959 –> 00:24:59,280I’m David Pick.52800:24:59,280 –> 00:25:00,699Thanks for being with us today52900:25:00,699 –> 00:25:03,819and we look forward to having you join us again next time.53000:25:15,819 –> 00:25:17,160One of the promises of the Gospel53100:25:17,160 –> 00:25:21,199is that believers will participate in the divine nature.53200:25:21,199 –> 00:25:23,119What does that really mean?53300:25:23,119 –> 00:25:25,800Find out next time on Open the Bible.