100:00:00,380 –> 00:00:07,680If we need all our wounds healed before we can know the200:00:07,760 –> 00:00:12,680presence of God or be useful to God then God help us and if we300:00:12,740 –> 00:00:15,800need to have dealt with all our anger before we can ever know400:00:15,880 –> 00:00:18,520God’s help What hope will there be for any?500:00:19,780 –> 00:00:23,760You can find God in the open wounds of your life.600:00:23,820 –> 00:00:26,639He will meet you there if he reaches out to you there.700:00:27,379 –> 00:00:29,940Welcome to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.800:00:30,000 –> 00:00:31,760And Colin, that’s a wonderful quote.900:00:31,840 –> 00:00:35,279You can find God in the open wounds of your life.1000:00:35,340 –> 00:00:39,060So God can take the pain that we all face in life and meet us1100:00:39,119 –> 00:00:40,279right in the middle of it.1200:00:40,340 –> 00:00:42,439Yeah, and if that were not true, there would be no hope.1300:00:42,500 –> 00:00:45,840So thank God that it is true and that is the hope of the gospel.1400:00:45,900 –> 00:00:48,980We don’t need to be healed in order to come to him.1500:00:49,040 –> 00:00:50,939We come to him in order to be healed.1600:00:51,000 –> 00:00:54,520And we find that especially in the somes that we’re looking at1700:00:54,599 –> 00:00:55,880some one hundred and twenty nine.1800:00:56,080 –> 00:00:59,000We’re right in the middle of the journey of people who once were1900:00:59,080 –> 00:01:00,820far from God, felt far from God.2000:01:00,880 –> 00:01:03,119They were God’s people, but they felt far from him.2100:01:03,360 –> 00:01:05,519They’re trying to come in to seek his presence.2200:01:05,699 –> 00:01:08,519And on the journey, they talk about their wounds.2300:01:08,580 –> 00:01:12,360They actually say they have greatly oppressed me from my2400:01:12,419 –> 00:01:15,379youth plumbing and have plowed my back.2500:01:15,639 –> 00:01:20,120I mean, here’s real pain, real wounds, and they’re in the2600:01:20,199 –> 00:01:21,559lives of God’s people.2700:01:21,879 –> 00:01:25,540And yet God’s people are on their way to seek a fresh2800:01:25,599 –> 00:01:26,879encounter with him.2900:01:27,199 –> 00:01:29,680Well, I think that speaks right into the reality of3000:01:29,739 –> 00:01:31,180every wounded life today.3100:01:31,440 –> 00:01:34,180And I hope that the word of God is going to be healing as we3200:01:34,239 –> 00:01:36,120open our hearts and our minds to it today.3300:01:36,239 –> 00:01:37,360Let’s do just that.3400:01:37,419 –> 00:01:40,480We’re in some hundred and twenty-nine, hundred thirty and3500:01:40,540 –> 00:01:41,559a hundred thirty one.3600:01:41,879 –> 00:01:45,519As we begin the message from pains to peace is calling.3700:01:45,800 –> 00:01:48,860Well, will you please open your Bible at the book of Psalms?3800:01:48,860 –> 00:01:51,879As we return to our series today moving in the right3900:01:51,940 –> 00:01:56,959direction and today, our title is moving from pain to peace.4000:01:57,360 –> 00:02:00,320And we’re going to look at three psalms altogether that really4100:02:00,379 –> 00:02:01,820trace this journey.4200:02:02,180 –> 00:02:04,760They are Psalm one hundred twenty-nine, Psalm one4300:02:04,820 –> 00:02:06,680hundred and thirty, and Psalm4400:02:06,739 –> 00:02:08,479one hundred thirty one.4500:02:09,240 –> 00:02:11,759You’ll notice that there is some definite movement that4600:02:11,839 –> 00:02:12,779runs through them.4700:02:13,559 –> 00:02:16,119Psalm one hundred and twenty-nine is clearly marked4800:02:16,199 –> 00:02:17,440by a lot of anger.4900:02:17,960 –> 00:02:22,199Psalm one hundred and thirty has some marks of anxiety and5000:02:22,259 –> 00:02:26,059Psalm one hundred and thirty one is marked by acceptance.5100:02:26,479 –> 00:02:29,539You notice again that all three of these psalms are entitled5200:02:29,600 –> 00:02:31,080a song of assents.5300:02:31,399 –> 00:02:34,960They’re part of this group of psalms that we’re following as5400:02:35,020 –> 00:02:38,399we think about what it means to move in the right direction5500:02:38,720 –> 00:02:39,779in our lives.5600:02:41,380 –> 00:02:44,080Do you know it never ceases to amaze me how the scriptures5700:02:44,139 –> 00:02:45,779speak to the whole of life.5800:02:46,720 –> 00:02:50,759And they always bring help and hope and healing and light5900:02:50,940 –> 00:02:52,160and understanding.6000:02:54,000 –> 00:02:59,100All of us experience pain in some ways at some points6100:02:59,160 –> 00:03:00,059in our lives.6200:03:01,419 –> 00:03:06,559And when you do I think you’ll find these three Psalms to be6300:03:06,619 –> 00:03:07,839profoundly helpful.6400:03:08,899 –> 00:03:12,240What they do is they really chart a course through the6500:03:12,300 –> 00:03:13,660experience of suffering.6600:03:14,179 –> 00:03:17,759If you think of pain as being a dark valley, these three6700:03:17,820 –> 00:03:22,020Psalms show us the path that takes us through it.6800:03:23,100 –> 00:03:26,779They do that by giving us three very simple pictures of a6900:03:26,860 –> 00:03:29,820believer’s progress through the valley of suffering.7000:03:30,100 –> 00:03:32,339If you can get the pictures in your mind I think they’ll stay7100:03:32,419 –> 00:03:34,820with you and I hope that they will be helpful.7200:03:35,539 –> 00:03:40,559First there’s the picture of the open wound in Psalm 129 and7300:03:40,619 –> 00:03:41,440Verse 3.7400:03:41,820 –> 00:03:42,559Notice that.7500:03:42,559 –> 00:03:43,380Notice that.7600:03:43,559 –> 00:03:47,440Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.7700:03:47,500 –> 00:03:49,880So that’s the first picture that we’re going to think about7800:03:49,940 –> 00:03:50,440today.7900:03:50,520 –> 00:03:52,160An open wound.8000:03:52,899 –> 00:03:55,800The second is the picture of an anguished cry.8100:03:56,619 –> 00:03:58,020Psalm 130 and Verse 1.8200:03:58,419 –> 00:04:00,800Literally this is a scream in the dark,8300:04:01,600 –> 00:04:06,660Oh, out of the depths I cry to you oh Lord so an open wound,8400:04:07,339 –> 00:04:11,119an anguished cry and then in Psalm 131 the third of these8500:04:11,139 –> 00:04:13,460pictures, the weaned child.8600:04:13,899 –> 00:04:19,660Verse 2 of Psalm 131, I have stilled and quieted my soul like8700:04:19,660 –> 00:04:22,380a weened child with its mother.8800:04:22,579 –> 00:04:26,679Now these three pictures really map for us three distinct8900:04:26,700 –> 00:04:32,500stages in the journey from pain to peace and the connection9000:04:32,500 –> 00:04:35,500between them really came home to me when I was thinking about an9100:04:35,500 –> 00:04:40,059incident that happened in our home just a few weeks ago.9200:04:41,519 –> 00:04:44,480We had the pleasure of having my wife’s sister along with her9300:04:44,480 –> 00:04:47,880husband and their two little girls with us over Christmas.9400:04:48,299 –> 00:04:49,019There are two girls.9500:04:49,160 –> 00:04:49,660Tanya.9600:04:49,700 –> 00:04:53,940Who is six years old and Megan who is just three.9700:04:54,799 –> 00:04:57,859And they were here for a couple of weeks and we had a marvelous9800:04:57,859 –> 00:05:02,959time over Christmas with them until the night before they were9900:05:02,959 –> 00:05:04,720due to fly back to Britain.10000:05:05,940 –> 00:05:09,640We were all at home that evening and we had finished eating and10100:05:09,640 –> 00:05:12,880the adults were upstairs still sitting talking round the table,10200:05:12,880 –> 00:05:15,760you know how it is, and the kids had gone downstairs to play.10300:05:17,160 –> 00:05:20,820Then all of a sudden and I’ll never forget that we heard this10400:05:20,820 –> 00:05:24,739loud thud the kind that parents always dread hearing.10500:05:24,920 –> 00:05:29,760And it was immediately followed by the loudest of screams and we10600:05:29,760 –> 00:05:33,119rushed downstairs to find that Tanya had tripped, she’d rushed10700:05:33,160 –> 00:05:37,880forward, she had tripped over her own feet and she had fallen10800:05:37,959 –> 00:05:44,200forward headlong onto a glass table which mercifully had not10900:05:44,200 –> 00:05:44,959shattered.11000:05:45,480 –> 00:05:49,459But the result was that her teeth had cut deep into her lip11100:05:49,459 –> 00:05:53,559and immediately we knew that she was in very serious trouble.11200:05:54,119 –> 00:05:57,760While my brother-in-law used to work at a leisure centre and has11300:05:57,760 –> 00:05:59,839been well trained in accident and emergency,11400:05:59,839 –> 00:06:02,839I tell you I was impressed big time with his ability of11500:06:02,839 –> 00:06:04,380knowing what to do in a crisis.11600:06:04,420 –> 00:06:07,820He got the bleeding under control and then we all headed11700:06:07,820 –> 00:06:08,880down to the hospital.11800:06:09,320 –> 00:06:12,660Gotta tell you the folks there were absolutely magnificent.11900:06:12,820 –> 00:06:14,239They did a wonderful job.12000:06:15,500 –> 00:06:21,799Tania needed 16 stitches and the dental surgeon removed the four12100:06:21,799 –> 00:06:25,980of her front top teeth that had been displaced by the impact of12200:06:25,980 –> 00:06:26,619the fall.12300:06:27,579 –> 00:06:32,779It’s not easy to know how to eat when you are six years old and12400:06:32,799 –> 00:06:37,839you have 16 stitches newly put in your mouth and so we were all12500:06:37,839 –> 00:06:40,279very thankful for smoothies.12600:06:40,839 –> 00:06:45,160This is today’s hot tip which was the one thing that went down12700:06:45,279 –> 00:06:46,399really rather well.12800:06:46,440 –> 00:06:48,320Now think about these three pictures.12900:06:48,359 –> 00:06:50,720One, the open wound.13000:06:51,880 –> 00:06:54,820None of us actually saw what happened to Tani.13100:06:55,959 –> 00:06:57,200It happened in secret.13200:06:58,640 –> 00:07:02,279Something terrible happened that was hidden from us but the13300:07:02,299 –> 00:07:04,540result of it was an open wound.13400:07:05,500 –> 00:07:06,959Second, the anguished cry.13500:07:07,820 –> 00:07:10,779The first we knew about this was the scream that came from our13600:07:10,779 –> 00:07:11,299living room.13700:07:11,480 –> 00:07:14,540Someone was in trouble and desperately needed help.13800:07:15,980 –> 00:07:18,820And then third, the weaned child.13900:07:19,799 –> 00:07:23,779Last direct picture I have in my mind of Tani was at the airport14000:07:23,779 –> 00:07:26,660where we all sat down before saying goodbye and Tani was14100:07:26,660 –> 00:07:30,700eating her smoothie before going through security control,14200:07:30,700 –> 00:07:33,459taking both down and then I took Tani and the other child,14300:07:33,540 –> 00:07:36,359breaking down partly out of sheer fear.14400:07:37,540 –> 00:07:41,079When she had shocked the father and the new and alerted his14500:07:41,079 –> 00:07:44,700demure mother into being shaken, she stood with a really very14600:07:44,700 –> 00:07:48,679calm hand in hand with her mom and dad and a few days later,14700:07:48,679 –> 00:07:52,500the family emailed us this picture which we were so relieved14800:07:52,739 –> 00:07:53,519to see.14900:07:54,179 –> 00:07:57,299We couldn’t believe how much what had been really massive15000:07:57,299 –> 00:08:00,440swelling on her lip had gone down within a very, very few15100:08:00,440 –> 00:08:01,920seconds, the cries last.15200:08:02,079 –> 00:08:04,359So that’s what we saw that you’ve got to embrace the15300:08:04,359 –> 00:08:09,600experience collectively the open wound, the anguished cry,15400:08:10,799 –> 00:08:12,760the weaned child.15500:08:13,519 –> 00:08:18,920Now that’s the path that we will chart through the valley of15600:08:18,920 –> 00:08:19,380suffering.15700:08:21,059 –> 00:08:23,519Now I hope you have your bible open because you want to know15800:08:23,519 –> 00:08:26,679where this is in your bible and to feel that it’s got into you15900:08:27,059 –> 00:08:29,720because you will find this deeply helpful when you come to16000:08:29,839 –> 00:08:34,0591 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 99 the open wound.16100:08:34,380 –> 00:08:36,859Now the whole of the sum really is about open wounds and16200:08:36,859 –> 00:08:38,119painful experiences.16300:08:38,440 –> 00:08:39,299Notice it begins.16400:08:39,320 –> 00:08:43,619They have greatly oppressed me from my youth let Israel say16500:08:43,820 –> 00:08:46,840they have greatly oppressed me from my youth.16600:08:47,140 –> 00:08:50,719So this is primarily a statement of the suffering of Israel as a16700:08:50,719 –> 00:08:54,479nation which of course has been extraordinary over the years16800:08:55,239 –> 00:08:57,039they have oppressed me from my youth.16900:08:57,039 –> 00:09:01,539Where Israel experienced the first Holocaust in the murder of17000:09:01,539 –> 00:09:08,659infant children Israel was a nation conceived in slavery and17100:09:08,659 –> 00:09:12,099then born homeless in a desert.17200:09:13,659 –> 00:09:15,580Derek Kidner has a marvelous comment here.17300:09:15,619 –> 00:09:20,020He says Most other nations look back on what they have achieved.17400:09:21,039 –> 00:09:25,460Israel reflects here on what she has survived maybe true of some17500:09:25,479 –> 00:09:29,919Some of us not folks bragging about what they’ve achieved but17600:09:30,020 –> 00:09:32,299some of us look back on what we have survived.17700:09:33,039 –> 00:09:34,020It’s a wonderful thing.17800:09:35,260 –> 00:09:38,080You see the marvelous statement of survival in verse 2.17900:09:38,280 –> 00:09:41,719They have greatly oppressed me from my youth but they have not18000:09:41,719 –> 00:09:43,419gained the victory over me.18100:09:43,700 –> 00:09:44,580That’s marvelous.18200:09:45,599 –> 00:09:50,380Then we have this extraordinary picture of suffering in verse 3.18300:09:51,179 –> 00:09:56,580Plowmen have plowed my back and made their furrows long.18400:09:57,359 –> 00:09:59,919You see what this picture is if you imagine an old-fashioned18500:09:59,919 –> 00:10:01,700plow you’ve got the animal at the front.18600:10:02,000 –> 00:10:05,559You’ve got the guiding handles and the blade of the plow that18700:10:05,559 –> 00:10:09,140cuts the furrow in the ground and behind that you have the18800:10:09,140 –> 00:10:14,099farmer who is guiding the plow so that it makes the furrow in18900:10:14,099 –> 00:10:16,960the right place in the ground and he walks along behind the19000:10:16,960 –> 00:10:20,039animal that is pulling the sharpened blade that is digging19100:10:20,099 –> 00:10:24,299into the ground and plowing a furrow and what the farmer19200:10:24,359 –> 00:10:25,299says is this.19300:10:26,780 –> 00:10:28,280Do you know what it feels like to me?19400:10:29,320 –> 00:10:35,520It feels like I’m lying facedown on the ground and the plowman19500:10:35,539 –> 00:10:40,039is coming and guiding the blade right over my back and plowing19600:10:40,039 –> 00:10:41,679it up like a furrow.19700:10:43,460 –> 00:10:48,419Not only is he plowing up my back, but he’s plowing long19800:10:49,099 –> 00:10:52,299furrows, up the whole length of me.19900:10:54,440 –> 00:10:56,979Well, that’s enough description isn’t it.20000:10:57,000 –> 00:11:00,640I mean it makes it makes you wince even to think about it.20100:11:02,640 –> 00:11:09,260This is an extraordinary picture of great suffering, and20200:11:09,280 –> 00:11:16,219prolonged pain that clearly result in deep and open wounds.20300:11:18,659 –> 00:11:20,880And some of you no doubt are saying right now,20400:11:20,919 –> 00:11:22,299I’ve been there.20500:11:23,159 –> 00:11:24,080I’ve been there.20600:11:25,919 –> 00:11:28,700Now, I think it’s significant that the Psalmist says20700:11:28,739 –> 00:11:31,479they have greatly oppressed me from my youth.20800:11:31,539 –> 00:11:34,840He’s talking obviously about pain that goes back for years.20900:11:36,080 –> 00:11:39,840And maybe there are open wounds in your life21000:11:39,859 –> 00:11:42,159that have come through things that happened,21100:11:42,159 –> 00:11:45,059maybe unseen, in secret21200:11:46,219 –> 00:11:47,559that happened years ago.21300:11:48,900 –> 00:11:51,559And they plowed you up.21400:11:53,280 –> 00:11:55,200I think it’s significant that he talks about21500:11:55,200 –> 00:11:57,940the length of the furrows.21600:11:57,940 –> 00:12:00,900They have plowed not just deep furrows, but long furrows.21700:12:02,380 –> 00:12:05,239Sometimes we endure pressure and strain21800:12:05,239 –> 00:12:08,539and stress in life for a time and we handle it well,21900:12:08,539 –> 00:12:09,859but then eventually22000:12:11,000 –> 00:12:13,479the sheer relentlessness of it all22100:12:13,500 –> 00:12:16,340causes open wounds to break out.22200:12:18,659 –> 00:12:22,200Now it seems that the Psalmist has come to the end22300:12:22,200 –> 00:12:25,159of the particular trauma that he’s describing22400:12:25,159 –> 00:12:27,039when he writes these words.22500:12:27,039 –> 00:12:28,380If you look at verse 4,22600:12:28,380 –> 00:12:31,400it says, the Lord is righteous.22700:12:31,400 –> 00:12:35,280He has cut me free from the cords of the wicked.22800:12:35,280 –> 00:12:37,700So again if you imagine the picture22900:12:37,700 –> 00:12:41,640of this wicked plowman who is causing this agony23000:12:41,640 –> 00:12:43,880plowing over the psalmist’s back,23100:12:43,880 –> 00:12:46,700he says the Lord has cut the cords of the wicked.23200:12:46,700 –> 00:12:48,039He’s referring to the cords,23300:12:48,799 –> 00:12:50,640you see that were used in this wicked way23400:12:50,640 –> 00:12:54,039tying the animal to the plow and the cords are cut23500:12:54,039 –> 00:12:56,900so the animal moves on but the blade is left still.23600:12:58,000 –> 00:13:01,299So the plowing up that he has endured has now ceased.23700:13:03,400 –> 00:13:07,760And so the psalmist gets up off the ground23800:13:07,760 –> 00:13:11,500where he’s been lying and his wounds are open23900:13:12,739 –> 00:13:14,020and agonizing.24000:13:15,320 –> 00:13:16,539And what happens then?24100:13:17,179 –> 00:13:19,320He’s angry.24200:13:20,400 –> 00:13:22,500See, the Bible’s so wonderful, isn’t it?24300:13:23,500 –> 00:13:27,460Speaks to your life and mine just as our lives are.24400:13:27,460 –> 00:13:30,940If someone plows you up, then when you get up24500:13:30,940 –> 00:13:32,919you’re going to be angry too.24600:13:34,780 –> 00:13:36,619You see he says that in verse five.24700:13:36,619 –> 00:13:38,500May they be turned back in shame,24800:13:38,500 –> 00:13:40,340may they be like grass that withers,24900:13:40,340 –> 00:13:43,219may they not experience the blessing of the Lord.25000:13:44,200 –> 00:13:46,780Now, think with me for a moment25100:13:46,780 –> 00:13:48,859about the wonderful significance25200:13:48,859 –> 00:13:53,059of God putting this Psalm in the Bible.25300:13:54,580 –> 00:13:59,580God has given us a Psalm written by a man with open wounds.25400:14:02,280 –> 00:14:07,280The Holy Spirit inspired a man with open wounds25500:14:07,580 –> 00:14:10,340to be a communicator of the Word of God.25600:14:11,080 –> 00:14:14,340I find that wonderfully helpful.25700:14:15,940 –> 00:14:17,780You see, it’s easy to get the idea25800:14:17,780 –> 00:14:19,500that wherever there are open wounds,25900:14:19,500 –> 00:14:21,299this must mean that God is distant.26000:14:23,140 –> 00:14:26,099But what we find here is that God is speaking26100:14:26,099 –> 00:14:28,039through open wounds,26200:14:28,039 –> 00:14:30,140that, through the psalmist’s open wounds,26300:14:30,140 –> 00:14:32,979the ministry of the Spirit comes to us today.26400:14:34,960 –> 00:14:37,140That God is present in the pain,26500:14:37,140 –> 00:14:41,880that God is present in the open wounds of your life.26600:14:43,440 –> 00:14:45,840And you know, in a broken world,26700:14:46,880 –> 00:14:51,340it may just be the open wounds of your life26800:14:52,419 –> 00:14:55,119that put you in a position to minister to others.26900:14:55,960 –> 00:14:58,179Jesus ministered in his pain,27000:14:58,179 –> 00:15:00,440from his pain, through his pain.27100:15:01,500 –> 00:15:03,020So did the Apostle Paul.27200:15:03,020 –> 00:15:07,919However, open wounds don’t make you useless to Christ,27300:15:09,739 –> 00:15:11,280they may be the very key27400:15:12,559 –> 00:15:15,280to how he will use you most distinctly27500:15:16,400 –> 00:15:18,080in life and ministry.27600:15:18,080 –> 00:15:19,299You’re listening to Open The Bible27700:15:19,299 –> 00:15:20,440with Pastor Colin Smith,27800:15:20,440 –> 00:15:23,080and we’re going to just pause the message here, briefly.27900:15:23,080 –> 00:15:25,820The message is called From Pain to Peace,28000:15:25,820 –> 00:15:27,400and it’s part of our series28100:15:27,400 –> 00:15:29,299called Moving in the Right Direction,28200:15:29,299 –> 00:15:31,179all about the Psalms of Ascent,28300:15:31,239 –> 00:15:34,479that’s Psalms 120 to 134,28400:15:34,479 –> 00:15:38,599and today we’re on Psalms 129 to 31.28500:15:38,599 –> 00:15:39,840If you’ve missed any of the series,28600:15:39,840 –> 00:15:41,400don’t forget you can always catch up28700:15:41,400 –> 00:15:43,960or go back and listen again by coming to our website,28800:15:43,960 –> 00:15:47,320which is at openthebible.org.uk.28900:15:47,320 –> 00:15:49,880Back to the message now, here again is Colin.29000:15:49,880 –> 00:15:52,239Now, I think it’s also very significant29100:15:52,239 –> 00:15:53,799that God is clearly present,29200:15:53,799 –> 00:15:55,880the Holy Spirit is present,29300:15:55,880 –> 00:15:58,419speaking while this man is angry.29400:15:59,239 –> 00:16:01,280Now, there are always discussions29500:16:01,280 –> 00:16:04,299about how much of the anger in the Psalms29600:16:04,299 –> 00:16:06,280is righteous anger,29700:16:06,280 –> 00:16:09,299and how much of it is the kind of anger29800:16:09,299 –> 00:16:11,700that we need to get over.29900:16:11,700 –> 00:16:14,299Well, you can make your own decision here,30000:16:14,299 –> 00:16:17,340which is really a nice way of saying I don’t really know.30100:16:17,340 –> 00:16:19,299But either way, I want to suggest to you30200:16:19,299 –> 00:16:21,159that the significant thing here30300:16:21,159 –> 00:16:22,760is that this man is angry30400:16:22,760 –> 00:16:26,799and that God is with him in his anger.30500:16:26,840 –> 00:16:29,080Thank God for that.30600:16:29,080 –> 00:16:31,760If we need all our wounds healed30700:16:31,760 –> 00:16:34,280before we can know the presence of God30800:16:34,280 –> 00:16:36,780or be useful to God, then God, help us.30900:16:37,919 –> 00:16:40,200And if we need to have dealt with all our anger31000:16:40,200 –> 00:16:42,640before we can ever know God’s help,31100:16:42,640 –> 00:16:44,520what hope will there be for any?31200:16:45,799 –> 00:16:50,179You can find God in the open wounds of your life.31300:16:50,179 –> 00:16:54,239He will meet you there if He reaches out to you there.31400:16:54,340 –> 00:16:57,280And the psalmist does precisely the right thing31500:16:57,280 –> 00:16:58,500for a wounded person.31600:16:58,500 –> 00:17:02,739He pours out His wounds in the presence of God.31700:17:02,739 –> 00:17:07,459That’s where the path from pain to peace begins.31800:17:09,420 –> 00:17:11,180And if you’re finding it difficult31900:17:11,180 –> 00:17:13,099to do that yourself alone,32000:17:13,099 –> 00:17:15,979then find someone else who can help you do it,32100:17:16,979 –> 00:17:19,739someone you can talk to about these wounds32200:17:19,739 –> 00:17:22,780who will one, listen, and then pray.32300:17:23,619 –> 00:17:27,540Who’ll listen to you as you’re able to express that,32400:17:27,540 –> 00:17:30,219but then will help you to bring the wounds32500:17:30,219 –> 00:17:33,199and the anger that resulted from them to God.32600:17:34,579 –> 00:17:36,000And if you should be as it were32700:17:36,000 –> 00:17:37,839on the other side of that conversation32800:17:37,839 –> 00:17:39,300and should be so privileged,32900:17:39,300 –> 00:17:40,800that someone should come to you33000:17:40,800 –> 00:17:43,020and should begin to share deep wounds,33100:17:43,020 –> 00:17:44,939be a good listener.33200:17:46,160 –> 00:17:47,959And don’t just be a good listener.33300:17:49,060 –> 00:17:52,380Try in the most sensitive way possible33400:17:52,380 –> 00:17:54,239to help be the very one33500:17:54,239 –> 00:17:57,540who will facilitate bringing that to God.33600:17:58,819 –> 00:18:00,920Because he’s the only one who can reach us33700:18:01,839 –> 00:18:02,819and heal us there.33800:18:04,660 –> 00:18:06,900Now that’s the first picture.33900:18:06,900 –> 00:18:08,020Open wounds.34000:18:09,260 –> 00:18:12,859Don’t let your mind run with the idea34100:18:12,859 –> 00:18:14,880that this makes you useless to God.34200:18:16,140 –> 00:18:18,540It may actually be the very place34300:18:19,719 –> 00:18:21,979from which God gives you ministry.34400:18:23,199 –> 00:18:25,180Second, the anguished cry.34500:18:25,180 –> 00:18:27,260Three pictures that are taking us through the valley,34600:18:27,260 –> 00:18:30,880first the open wound, second the anguished cry.34700:18:30,880 –> 00:18:32,339Psalm 130.34800:18:32,339 –> 00:18:35,880Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.34900:18:35,880 –> 00:18:38,219O Lord, hear my voice, let your ears be attentive35000:18:38,219 –> 00:18:39,739to my cry for mercy.35100:18:39,739 –> 00:18:41,040Now notice what he says next.35200:18:41,040 –> 00:18:44,000If you, O Lord, kept a record of sins,35300:18:44,979 –> 00:18:47,260O Lord, who could stand?35400:18:47,260 –> 00:18:48,920Now you’ll see that between these two psalms35500:18:48,920 –> 00:18:50,680there’s been a movement of focus.35600:18:51,180 –> 00:18:55,599The first is focused around the theme of pain,35700:18:55,599 –> 00:18:57,479suffering, open wounds,35800:18:57,479 –> 00:19:00,180but Psalm 130 moves on from there35900:19:00,180 –> 00:19:03,219and focuses particularly on the matter of sins.36000:19:03,219 –> 00:19:04,459You’ll see that runs right through36100:19:04,459 –> 00:19:08,880and in fact is the last word of the psalm in verse eight.36200:19:08,880 –> 00:19:13,060He will redeem Israel from all their sins.36300:19:14,439 –> 00:19:16,640Now I think that this is very significant36400:19:16,640 –> 00:19:18,739because it explodes the myth36500:19:19,579 –> 00:19:21,739of the innocent sufferer.36600:19:23,300 –> 00:19:24,939You see there has only ever been36700:19:24,939 –> 00:19:26,699one truly innocent sufferer36800:19:26,699 –> 00:19:28,979in all the history of the world.36900:19:28,979 –> 00:19:31,560That, of course, is Jesus Christ.37000:19:31,560 –> 00:19:34,219Apart from him there is no such thing37100:19:34,219 –> 00:19:37,900as truly innocent suffering.37200:19:39,380 –> 00:19:42,339Now we talk a lot, of course, about innocent suffering,37300:19:42,339 –> 00:19:44,180but instinctively37400:19:45,339 –> 00:19:46,819we know37500:19:46,819 –> 00:19:48,280that there are deeper realities37600:19:48,300 –> 00:19:50,260wherever there’s trouble.37700:19:50,260 –> 00:19:52,540Just the other Sunday morning37800:19:52,540 –> 00:19:53,760I had the privilege of talking37900:19:53,760 –> 00:19:55,680with someone who was visiting our church.38000:19:55,680 –> 00:19:57,680I think it was the first time that they were here.38100:19:57,680 –> 00:20:02,079He told me in just a very few seconds his story.38200:20:02,079 –> 00:20:05,660It was a story of extraordinary tragedy and loss.38300:20:06,560 –> 00:20:08,979And my heart really, really went out to him.38400:20:10,520 –> 00:20:12,459He told me in just a few seconds38500:20:12,459 –> 00:20:14,540and then he got to the one question38600:20:14,540 –> 00:20:16,900that he really wanted to ask, and it was this.38700:20:17,719 –> 00:20:22,160Pastor, do you think that God is punishing me?38800:20:24,180 –> 00:20:29,180Now, which of us has not at some time asked that question?38900:20:31,920 –> 00:20:34,040See, when we suffer, frankly39000:20:34,040 –> 00:20:36,359that is the most natural question in the world.39100:20:37,680 –> 00:20:41,699None of us has a completely clear conscience.39200:20:41,699 –> 00:20:44,819We all know that we’re not what God calls us to be39300:20:44,819 –> 00:20:48,219and in normal life we live with this tension,39400:20:48,219 –> 00:20:50,859but then when something goes terribly wrong,39500:20:50,859 –> 00:20:53,219that question rears its ugly head39600:20:53,219 –> 00:20:54,819and we can’t put it down,39700:20:54,819 –> 00:20:59,760is this the consequence of something I have done?39800:21:01,560 –> 00:21:03,619And let’s face it,39900:21:03,619 –> 00:21:07,099it’s hard to avoid sin at any time in your life,40000:21:07,099 –> 00:21:10,319but it is especially hard to avoid sin40100:21:10,319 –> 00:21:11,599when you’re suffering.40200:21:12,540 –> 00:21:14,599When you suffer you become angry,40300:21:15,479 –> 00:21:17,040anger in itself isn’t wrong,40400:21:17,040 –> 00:21:20,599God says to us, in your anger do not sin,40500:21:21,640 –> 00:21:23,739I think the truth is that in our anger40600:21:23,739 –> 00:21:26,839most of us sin quite a bit actually,40700:21:28,900 –> 00:21:30,520we slide into self-pity,40800:21:32,140 –> 00:21:33,540we harbor resentment,40900:21:34,979 –> 00:21:36,699we rail against God,41000:21:38,000 –> 00:21:41,380we sin in our suffering.41100:21:41,979 –> 00:21:44,459And of course that makes the whole problem worse,41200:21:44,459 –> 00:21:48,319because if you or I were to go through suffering41300:21:48,319 –> 00:21:52,939knowing that we were absolutely right in every respect,41400:21:52,939 –> 00:21:55,119then it would be a little easier,41500:21:55,119 –> 00:21:57,280but the truth is that we are not,41600:21:59,060 –> 00:22:01,640so God seems to be distant in our suffering41700:22:01,640 –> 00:22:04,459and sometimes we wonder in the darkest places41800:22:04,459 –> 00:22:08,140if we are really Christian at all.41900:22:09,119 –> 00:22:12,000And I think most of us, at some point of our lives,42000:22:12,000 –> 00:22:15,319will say, been there, been there.42100:22:16,859 –> 00:22:19,239Many of us have been there and it’s good to know42200:22:19,239 –> 00:22:21,619that the Bible speaks to all of our emotions42300:22:21,619 –> 00:22:24,699including pain and anger.42400:22:24,699 –> 00:22:27,859Our message today was called From Pain To Peace42500:22:27,859 –> 00:22:30,939and it’s part of our series, Moving In The Right Direction,42600:22:30,939 –> 00:22:32,300based on the Psalms of Ascent,42700:22:32,300 –> 00:22:36,479that’s Psalms 120 to 134.42800:22:37,040 –> 00:22:40,420If you’ve missed any of the series don’t forget you can42900:22:40,420 –> 00:22:43,839catch up or go back and listen again online at our website,43000:22:43,839 –> 00:22:48,400openthebible.org.uk, or you can find them as a podcast,43100:22:48,400 –> 00:22:50,119go to your favourite podcast site,43200:22:50,119 –> 00:22:52,119search for openthebible.uk,43300:22:52,119 –> 00:22:54,719there you’ll find all of Pastor Colin’s messages43400:22:54,719 –> 00:22:56,880which have already gone out on air.43500:22:56,880 –> 00:22:59,319I’m with Open The Bible’s Executive Director,43600:22:59,319 –> 00:23:02,640John Martin, with some news about Colin’s book,43700:23:02,640 –> 00:23:04,599Fly Through The Bible.43800:23:05,060 –> 00:23:06,920Well David, I know that you’re a pilot,43900:23:06,920 –> 00:23:09,520your aeroplane features in the trailer we filmed44000:23:09,520 –> 00:23:11,319for Fly Through The Bible.44100:23:11,319 –> 00:23:13,540You’ll know that when you’re up in an aeroplane,44200:23:13,540 –> 00:23:15,640the view from above is majestic,44300:23:15,640 –> 00:23:18,239and that’s what it’s like to fly through the Bible.44400:23:18,239 –> 00:23:19,140Written by Colin Smith,44500:23:19,140 –> 00:23:21,500Fly Through The Bible takes you on a44600:23:21,500 –> 00:23:24,760high altitude journey through the Bible story.44700:23:24,760 –> 00:23:27,380What can people expect from this study course?44800:23:27,380 –> 00:23:29,939On this journey you will meet five people44900:23:29,939 –> 00:23:31,599from the Old Testament,45000:23:31,640 –> 00:23:34,640explore five events from the life of Jesus,45100:23:34,640 –> 00:23:38,140and discover five gifts that God gives to every Christian.45200:23:38,140 –> 00:23:40,859It’s a journey you can discover by yourself,45300:23:40,859 –> 00:23:44,119with others in your church, or with a friend.45400:23:44,119 –> 00:23:45,920Each chapter ends with questions45500:23:45,920 –> 00:23:47,560for reflection and discussion.45600:23:47,560 –> 00:23:50,880The book is designed to be short, simple and shareable.45700:23:50,880 –> 00:23:53,199So the book is one way to take the journey.45800:23:53,199 –> 00:23:54,439What else is there?45900:23:54,439 –> 00:23:57,479There’s other free resources on our website too.46000:23:57,479 –> 00:23:59,280You’ll find short videos of Colin46100:23:59,280 –> 00:24:01,479taking you through each chapter,46200:24:01,479 –> 00:24:03,959you can download a free small group guide46300:24:03,959 –> 00:24:06,119if you want to go deeper,46400:24:06,119 –> 00:24:09,520or take the shortest journey by downloading FLY,46500:24:09,520 –> 00:24:12,040our free interactive app.46600:24:12,040 –> 00:24:13,599So this course would suit somebody46700:24:13,599 –> 00:24:16,040who’s quite new to studying the Bible?46800:24:16,040 –> 00:24:18,199Even if you’ve never opened the Bible,46900:24:18,199 –> 00:24:20,839this short flight will introduce you to God’s Word47000:24:20,839 –> 00:24:24,380and leave you marvelling at how the big picture landscape47100:24:24,380 –> 00:24:26,560of God’s story fits together.47200:24:26,560 –> 00:24:29,319Full details of FLY through the Bible47300:24:29,319 –> 00:24:34,280are on our website openthebible.org.uk.47400:24:34,280 –> 00:24:35,920And this month we’re offering47500:24:35,920 –> 00:24:38,000the book FLY Through the Bible47600:24:38,000 –> 00:24:40,040as our thank you gift if you’re able47700:24:40,040 –> 00:24:41,920to begin a new direct debit47800:24:41,920 –> 00:24:43,640to the work of Open the Bible47900:24:43,640 –> 00:24:46,439in the amount of five pounds per month or more,48000:24:46,439 –> 00:24:49,660or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more.48100:24:49,660 –> 00:24:51,880Full terms and conditions of this offer48200:24:51,880 –> 00:24:56,880and to give online come to our website openthebible.org.uk.48300:24:57,479 –> 00:24:58,819If you’d like us to send you48400:24:58,819 –> 00:25:00,579this free gift, it’s important48500:25:00,579 –> 00:25:02,819that you don’t give anonymously48600:25:02,819 –> 00:25:05,300and that you leave your full address.48700:25:05,300 –> 00:25:07,699For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,48800:25:07,699 –> 00:25:08,939I’m David Pick,48900:25:08,939 –> 00:25:11,119and I hope you’ll join us again next time.49000:25:11,119 –> 00:25:16,119There’s one thing that will sort circuit49100:25:18,939 –> 00:25:21,979your relationship with God, and that’s guilt.49200:25:21,979 –> 00:25:24,979Do you have trouble believing that God can forgive you?49300:25:24,979 –> 00:25:26,819Discover the remarkable truth49400:25:26,819 –> 00:25:29,300Next time on Open the Bible.