100:00:00,020 –> 00:00:05,240Lead us not into temptation200:00:05,240 –> 00:00:11,320but deliver us from evil. Now this last petition reminds us that the Christian300:00:11,320 –> 00:00:14,780life is a battle and it is always waged on two fronts.400:00:14,780 –> 00:00:18,420There are temptations that lurk within us500:00:18,420 –> 00:00:21,459and there is evil that is all600:00:21,459 –> 00:00:26,740around us. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.700:00:26,740 –> 00:00:30,799Thanks for joining us today. And Colin today we’re continuing our series800:00:30,799 –> 00:00:35,020on the Lord’s Prayer. Six things to ask the God and we come to the part where we900:00:35,020 –> 00:00:35,560ask1000:00:35,560 –> 00:00:39,340lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.1100:00:39,340 –> 00:00:42,459So at one level we’re asking God to keep us from sin1200:00:42,459 –> 00:00:45,959but I think there’s more to it than that isn’t there? Yes I think that’s the1300:00:45,959 –> 00:00:48,060point of what our Lord Jesus says1400:00:48,060 –> 00:00:52,259here. Not only lead us not into temptation but also1500:00:52,259 –> 00:00:57,139deliver us from evil. I mean think about the evil that surrounds us in the world1600:00:57,139 –> 00:01:00,700ever since the first sin of Adam and of Eve1700:01:00,700 –> 00:01:05,580we’ve had this knowledge of evil. And you see it in violence, you see it in war, you1800:01:05,580 –> 00:01:06,059see it1900:01:06,059 –> 00:01:09,980in famine, you see it in death surrounding us2000:01:09,980 –> 00:01:13,540on all sides. We live in a world that is2100:01:13,540 –> 00:01:18,980scourged with great evil and when we pray Jesus is teaching us not only2200:01:19,500 –> 00:01:24,199to be praying for ourselves but to be praying for this world in which we live.2300:01:24,199 –> 00:01:27,180that’s why earlier we were looking at the prayer2400:01:27,180 –> 00:01:30,800Your kingdom come. We want to see God’s grace,2500:01:30,800 –> 00:01:33,919God’s mercy in a broken world2600:01:33,919 –> 00:01:37,839and we’re going to look a little bit at what that looks like for us to pray for2700:01:37,839 –> 00:01:39,019you to pray2800:01:39,019 –> 00:01:42,440not only that God will guard you and keep you from sin2900:01:42,440 –> 00:01:47,300but also that in His mercy and in His grace there may be deliverance3000:01:47,419 –> 00:01:50,800from some of the worst evils that surround us in this world3100:01:50,800 –> 00:01:53,820So that’s today’s message God’s deliverance3200:01:53,820 –> 00:01:57,400so join us if you can in Matthew Chapter 6 here’s Colin3300:01:57,400 –> 00:02:01,339We’ve been saying together that Jesus teaches us that there are six things3400:02:01,339 –> 00:02:03,760that we should ask of God and this is really3500:02:03,760 –> 00:02:06,940an outline a template for our prayers3600:02:06,940 –> 00:02:11,139the six petitions of the Lord’s Prayer like pegs on which as where you can3700:02:11,139 –> 00:02:14,580hang or arrange all of your own prayers3800:02:15,059 –> 00:02:18,380We want, first, that God’s name should be honored3900:02:18,380 –> 00:02:22,360we saw that God’s answer to a world that despises his name4000:02:22,360 –> 00:02:24,759is a people who know his name4100:02:24,759 –> 00:02:28,080We want that God’s kingdom should come, secondly4200:02:28,080 –> 00:02:30,820the day will come when Christ returns in glory4300:02:30,820 –> 00:02:35,520then the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ4400:02:35,539 –> 00:02:38,440and he will reign forever and forever4500:02:38,440 –> 00:02:42,660Third, we want God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven4600:02:42,660 –> 00:02:44,679We saw that God has a will that is secret4700:02:44,699 –> 00:02:48,580a will that is discerned and a will that has been revealed4800:02:48,580 –> 00:02:51,919And so when we pray this third petition of the Lord’s Prayer4900:02:51,919 –> 00:02:55,919we are asking for faith in what God has kept secret5000:02:55,919 –> 00:02:58,399for wisdom in what we must discern5100:02:58,399 –> 00:03:02,660and for obedience in regards to what God has revealed5200:03:02,660 –> 00:03:04,940And then when we have asked these three things5300:03:04,940 –> 00:03:07,240that relate to God and his glory5400:03:07,240 –> 00:03:10,380Jesus teaches us that we are also to come and ask5500:03:10,380 –> 00:03:12,919for the things that we need5600:03:12,919 –> 00:03:15,119What do we need in this world?5700:03:15,119 –> 00:03:18,259Well, it boils down to three things5800:03:18,259 –> 00:03:20,500First we need to be sustained5900:03:20,500 –> 00:03:23,020give us this day our daily bread6000:03:23,020 –> 00:03:24,919That is food, clothing, work, shelter6100:03:24,919 –> 00:03:27,419all that we need for sustaining life in this world6200:03:27,419 –> 00:03:29,520and not only for us but for others6300:03:29,520 –> 00:03:32,479who may have much less than we do6400:03:32,479 –> 00:03:35,440give us, this day, our daily bread6500:03:35,440 –> 00:03:37,039And then we need to be forgiven6600:03:37,039 –> 00:03:38,660as we need to forgive6700:03:38,699 –> 00:03:42,520forgive us our debts as we also have forgiven our debtors6800:03:42,520 –> 00:03:45,320God has called us to love him with all of our hearts6900:03:45,320 –> 00:03:46,979and to love our neighbours as ourselves7000:03:47,000 –> 00:03:48,960we haven’t done that7100:03:48,960 –> 00:03:52,559therefore we have debts because we have fallen short in what we owe7200:03:52,559 –> 00:03:57,960and we have debtors because others have fallen short in what they owe7300:03:57,960 –> 00:04:00,059and so we need to be forgiven7400:04:00,059 –> 00:04:02,160and we need to forgive7500:04:02,160 –> 00:04:06,059And that then brings us to the last, the sixth of these petitions7600:04:06,059 –> 00:04:08,119in the Lord’s Prayer that we are looking at today7700:04:08,679 –> 00:04:11,580but someone might be asking, hey, what about the ending?7800:04:11,580 –> 00:04:16,739you know, for yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen7900:04:16,739 –> 00:04:20,459Well, if you look at the Bible in Matthew chapter 6 in front of you8000:04:20,459 –> 00:04:23,660you will notice that these words are in fact not there8100:04:23,660 –> 00:04:26,920if you have a copy of the church Bible and many other Bibles8200:04:26,920 –> 00:04:30,200you may see that there is a footnote that says8300:04:30,200 –> 00:04:33,179some manuscripts add8400:04:33,179 –> 00:04:37,040for yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever, Amen8500:04:37,160 –> 00:04:40,679most likely these words were added at some point in history8600:04:40,679 –> 00:04:45,200by some scribe copying out the text of the Gospel of Matthew8700:04:45,200 –> 00:04:50,559as a kind of response to the words that our Lord has taught us to pray8800:04:50,559 –> 00:04:53,980and for sure, they are wonderful words that we can use in our prayer8900:04:53,980 –> 00:04:58,480but the words that Jesus taught are the six petitions9000:04:58,480 –> 00:05:02,239that we have looked at, and the last that we are looking at today9100:05:02,339 –> 00:05:07,079There are six things that Jesus had told us to ask of God in prayer9200:05:07,079 –> 00:05:10,700and the last of them is Matthew 6 and verse 139300:05:16,779 –> 00:05:20,500Now this last petition reminds us the Christian life is a battle9400:05:20,500 –> 00:05:23,140and it is always waged on two fronts.9500:05:23,140 –> 00:05:27,220There are temptations that lurk within us9600:05:27,220 –> 00:05:31,220and there is evil that is all around us.9700:05:32,019 –> 00:05:35,920The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians 7, verse 59800:05:35,920 –> 00:05:38,200that when he came to Macedonia9900:05:38,200 –> 00:05:42,619he said the bodies had no rest and we were afflicted at every turn10000:05:42,619 –> 00:05:45,779and notice why, two reasons.10100:05:45,779 –> 00:05:48,739When he looked around him, what did he see?10200:05:48,739 –> 00:05:52,899Fightings without conflict around him everywhere.10300:05:52,899 –> 00:05:55,279When he looked inside, what did he see?10400:05:55,279 –> 00:05:56,279Fears within.10500:05:56,640 –> 00:05:58,079You see, these are the two fronts10600:05:58,079 –> 00:06:01,220on which the battle is always to be fought.10700:06:01,220 –> 00:06:03,760If we are to honour God’s name,10800:06:03,760 –> 00:06:05,779If we are to advance his kingdom,10900:06:05,779 –> 00:06:07,640if we are to do his will,11000:06:07,640 –> 00:06:11,140we need not only to be sustained and forgiven,11100:06:11,140 –> 00:06:13,640we need to be delivered11200:06:13,640 –> 00:06:16,940and we need to be delivered in two spheres,11300:06:16,940 –> 00:06:18,820the evil that lurks within us11400:06:18,820 –> 00:06:22,239and the evil that is all around us.11500:06:22,579 –> 00:06:25,359Today I want us to focus on three things.11600:06:25,399 –> 00:06:28,720First, why we need this prayer.11700:06:28,720 –> 00:06:31,059Second, what we’re asking in this prayer.11800:06:31,059 –> 00:06:33,059And thirdly and most important,11900:06:33,059 –> 00:06:38,059how God wonderfully answers this prayer.12000:06:38,880 –> 00:06:41,519Now first then, why we need this prayer?12100:06:41,519 –> 00:06:46,119Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.12200:06:46,760 –> 00:06:49,820Now evil, of course, is introduced to us12300:06:49,820 –> 00:06:53,160right at the beginning of the Bible story,12400:06:53,359 –> 00:06:55,720God had made everything good,12500:06:55,720 –> 00:06:58,559the man and the woman had been placed in a garden12600:06:58,559 –> 00:07:01,720that was just full of good things,12700:07:01,720 –> 00:07:04,279but in the garden there was a tree12800:07:04,279 –> 00:07:07,779of the knowledge of good and evil.12900:07:08,760 –> 00:07:11,040The man and the woman already had the knowledge of good,13000:07:11,040 –> 00:07:13,040it was all around them.13100:07:13,040 –> 00:07:15,220So if they were to eat off this tree,13200:07:15,220 –> 00:07:16,959they would only gain one thing.13300:07:16,959 –> 00:07:18,399And that would be that they would add13400:07:18,399 –> 00:07:20,320the knowledge of evil to the knowledge of good13500:07:20,320 –> 00:07:21,660that they already had.13600:07:22,260 –> 00:07:25,179And God said, do not eat of this tree.13700:07:26,220 –> 00:07:27,339As if God were to say,13800:07:27,339 –> 00:07:30,679now you already know good, it’s all around you.13900:07:31,760 –> 00:07:33,859It’s wonderful and you’re richly blessed,14000:07:33,859 –> 00:07:35,420but there is another reality14100:07:35,420 –> 00:07:37,540that’s outside of your present experience,14200:07:37,540 –> 00:07:39,579it’s evil, it’s destructive14300:07:39,579 –> 00:07:42,299and it’s par, I don’t want you ever to know it.14400:07:42,299 –> 00:07:45,420So do not eat of the fruit of this tree,14500:07:45,420 –> 00:07:47,640you don’t want to get the knowledge of evil,14600:07:48,579 –> 00:07:50,220but you know that they decided14700:07:50,339 –> 00:07:51,839that they wanted the knowledge of evil14800:07:51,839 –> 00:07:53,579and they ate of this tree and they got it14900:07:53,579 –> 00:07:57,660and we have all lived with it ever since.15000:07:57,660 –> 00:08:02,100So we can rightly define evil as the destructive power15100:08:02,100 –> 00:08:05,619that has intruded into God’s universe15200:08:05,619 –> 00:08:08,579and it includes, evil includes all that has come15300:08:08,579 –> 00:08:10,019into the world through the fall15400:08:10,019 –> 00:08:13,380as a result of the entrance of sin into the world,15500:08:13,380 –> 00:08:16,440all that has come in that was not there before.15600:08:17,619 –> 00:08:20,040Now, evil comes in many forms.15700:08:20,700 –> 00:08:22,820And as the first book of the Bible tells us15800:08:22,820 –> 00:08:24,700how it entered into God’s world15900:08:24,700 –> 00:08:26,299and into the human race,16000:08:26,299 –> 00:08:30,040the last book of the Bible describes very vividly16100:08:30,040 –> 00:08:33,719the forms in which it manifests itself.16200:08:34,739 –> 00:08:36,099In the Book of Revelation,16300:08:36,099 –> 00:08:41,099John saw a vision of four horses, each one with a rider.16400:08:42,419 –> 00:08:46,000They’re often referred to as the four horsemen16500:08:46,000 –> 00:08:48,619of the apocalypse.16600:08:48,619 –> 00:08:51,320And the first was a white horse.16700:08:51,320 –> 00:08:55,359Revelation 6.2, it’s rider, had a bull16800:08:55,359 –> 00:08:57,440and a crown was given to him16900:08:57,440 –> 00:09:01,400and he came out conquering and to conquer.17000:09:02,599 –> 00:09:04,400Now I know that some people think17100:09:04,400 –> 00:09:07,900that this is a reference to the Lord Jesus Christ,17200:09:07,900 –> 00:09:10,840but if you look carefully in Revelation 6,17300:09:10,840 –> 00:09:12,599you will see that the Lord Jesus Christ17400:09:12,599 –> 00:09:16,159is the one who is opening these seals.17500:09:16,159 –> 00:09:18,359And what is revealed seems very clearly17600:09:18,359 –> 00:09:21,539to be the destructive power of evil17700:09:21,539 –> 00:09:25,380as it stalks history in its various forms.17800:09:25,380 –> 00:09:27,000And the first of these forms17900:09:27,000 –> 00:09:31,679of course is war, going out to conquer.18000:09:31,679 –> 00:09:33,200You look at the history of the world18100:09:33,200 –> 00:09:36,119it’s all about empires rising,18200:09:36,119 –> 00:09:39,080one group of people trying to rule another18300:09:39,080 –> 00:09:41,559with all the pain and the destruction18400:09:41,559 –> 00:09:42,640that that brings.18500:09:42,640 –> 00:09:45,479And this is evil.18600:09:46,479 –> 00:09:50,679Then there was a second horse that was bright red.18700:09:50,679 –> 00:09:53,299Its rider, verse four, was permitted18800:09:53,299 –> 00:09:55,440to take peace from the earth18900:09:55,440 –> 00:09:59,400so that the people should slay one another19000:09:59,400 –> 00:10:02,159and he was given a great sword.19100:10:02,159 –> 00:10:04,380So the first horse represents19200:10:04,380 –> 00:10:07,559the abuse of power by the state19300:10:07,559 –> 00:10:10,960rising up in empires to rule over others!19400:10:11,919 –> 00:10:13,900The second horse represents19500:10:13,900 –> 00:10:16,479the breakdown of the community.19600:10:17,580 –> 00:10:21,479Violence erupts, people are attacking19700:10:21,479 –> 00:10:24,020and killing each other.19800:10:24,020 –> 00:10:26,940And this, too, is evil.19900:10:28,020 –> 00:10:30,020Then there was a black horse.20000:10:30,020 –> 00:10:31,380Verse five.20100:10:31,380 –> 00:10:34,460Its rider had a pair of scales in his hand20200:10:34,460 –> 00:10:35,919and then John heard a voice saying,20300:10:35,919 –> 00:10:38,500a quart of wheat for a denarius20400:10:38,500 –> 00:10:41,400and do not harm the oil and the wine.20500:10:42,239 –> 00:10:46,119So here, clearly, we have famine conditions,20600:10:46,119 –> 00:10:48,640scarcity of food.20700:10:48,640 –> 00:10:52,080Just a little amount of wheat, a quart,20800:10:52,080 –> 00:10:53,840is going to cost a denarius,20900:10:53,840 –> 00:10:55,719which was a full day’s wages21000:10:55,719 –> 00:10:58,119for a working person in that time.21100:10:59,020 –> 00:11:01,820And so, clearly, what is being described here21200:11:01,820 –> 00:11:04,219is the difficulty of getting21300:11:04,219 –> 00:11:06,679just the most basic necessities21400:11:06,679 –> 00:11:08,440to sustain life.21500:11:09,159 –> 00:11:11,760And yet, at the same time,21600:11:11,760 –> 00:11:13,820while the many are struggling21700:11:13,820 –> 00:11:16,359to get the basic necessities of life,21800:11:16,359 –> 00:11:18,599evidently there are some luxuries21900:11:18,599 –> 00:11:23,599enjoyed by the few, oil, and wine that somehow22000:11:23,940 –> 00:11:27,359are remarkably preserved, untouched.22100:11:27,359 –> 00:11:29,679And this too is evil.22200:11:30,900 –> 00:11:33,820And then, fourthly, there was a pale horse.22300:11:33,820 –> 00:11:36,400And its rider’s name was Death22400:11:36,400 –> 00:11:38,159and Hades followed him.22500:11:38,820 –> 00:11:41,559And they were given authority over a fourth of the Earth22600:11:41,559 –> 00:11:44,359to kill with the sword and with famine22700:11:44,359 –> 00:11:48,320and notice this, with pestilence, that means disease,22800:11:49,159 –> 00:11:51,340and by wild beasts of the Earth.22900:11:52,679 –> 00:11:54,599So all of these destructive forces,23000:11:54,599 –> 00:11:56,719all of these manifestations of evil,23100:11:56,719 –> 00:11:59,320the four horsemen, they all bring death,23200:11:59,320 –> 00:12:00,719they bring it in different ways,23300:12:00,719 –> 00:12:05,559by war, by conflict, by famine, by disease.23400:12:05,559 –> 00:12:07,159Do you see what we’re being told?23500:12:07,159 –> 00:12:10,559This evil that entered into the world23600:12:10,559 –> 00:12:13,039back in the Garden of Eden in the first book of the Bible,23700:12:13,039 –> 00:12:14,340the last book of the Bibles,23800:12:14,340 –> 00:12:16,159telling us it goes everywhere.23900:12:17,119 –> 00:12:20,840It has affected every part of God’s universe.24000:12:20,840 –> 00:12:25,280It has infected the political, the social, the judicial,24100:12:25,280 –> 00:12:30,039the economic, the ecological, and even the biological.24200:12:31,219 –> 00:12:34,400And brothers and sisters, we look at our news bulletins24300:12:34,400 –> 00:12:37,619any day in life and what do you find?24400:12:37,619 –> 00:12:41,299You find that they are dominated by stories24500:12:41,299 –> 00:12:44,500that represent some way in which the evil24600:12:44,500 –> 00:12:46,820that is intruded into God’s good world24700:12:46,820 –> 00:12:49,859is manifesting itself in our time.24800:12:49,859 –> 00:12:52,979It’s everywhere, and that is why we desperately need24900:12:52,979 –> 00:12:56,059to pray Lord deliver us from evil.25000:12:56,059 –> 00:12:57,820It really is all around us.25100:12:59,380 –> 00:13:01,260And not only is it all around us,25200:13:01,260 –> 00:13:02,780but as we saw a few moments ago,25300:13:02,780 –> 00:13:05,380it’s inside of us as well.25400:13:05,380 –> 00:13:09,619Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.25500:13:09,619 –> 00:13:12,719Why do we need to pray lead us not into temptation?25600:13:12,719 –> 00:13:14,099Why is anyone tempted?25700:13:14,099 –> 00:13:17,719Why does sin have landing place in your life and in mine?25800:13:19,080 –> 00:13:21,520The answer to that, James tells us very clearly25900:13:21,520 –> 00:13:25,039is that each person, all of us,26000:13:25,039 –> 00:13:27,440we’re all tempted when we are lured26100:13:27,440 –> 00:13:31,440and enticed by our own evil desire.26200:13:31,440 –> 00:13:33,039The root of it’s in us.26300:13:34,219 –> 00:13:37,440So Christians can’t go out and sort of look down as it were26400:13:37,440 –> 00:13:40,239from a position of superiority on the rest of the world.26500:13:40,239 –> 00:13:41,080No.26600:13:41,080 –> 00:13:45,520We know that sin is a fountain within us26700:13:45,520 –> 00:13:49,239and it bubbles up, throws up,26800:13:49,239 –> 00:13:52,080temptations with which throughout our lives26900:13:52,080 –> 00:13:55,599in one way or another we have to contend.27000:13:57,200 –> 00:13:59,260Doctor Jim Packer has a marvelous picture.27100:13:59,260 –> 00:14:01,500I read this years ago and I’ve never forgotten it27200:14:01,500 –> 00:14:03,119so maybe it’ll stick with you in a way27300:14:03,119 –> 00:14:05,119that will be helpful.27400:14:05,119 –> 00:14:06,239He teases it up this way.27500:14:06,239 –> 00:14:08,659He say’s can you see your own life27600:14:09,520 –> 00:14:12,559in terms of being threatened and endangered27700:14:12,559 –> 00:14:14,539by evil of all sorts27800:14:14,539 –> 00:14:18,520so that you need God’s deliverance every moment of every day?27900:14:18,520 –> 00:14:20,219You see your life like that?28000:14:21,039 –> 00:14:22,539And then he has this picture.28100:14:23,679 –> 00:14:27,000You are like a person wandering blindfolded28200:14:27,580 –> 00:14:32,580with your ears plugged on a busy city street28300:14:33,900 –> 00:14:37,119with the traffic coming in both directions.28400:14:37,119 –> 00:14:38,179Can you picture that?28500:14:39,940 –> 00:14:42,840Can you picture a busy city street?28600:14:42,840 –> 00:14:45,280I always think when I think of that image28700:14:45,280 –> 00:14:47,260that’s in my mind about the city,28800:14:47,260 –> 00:14:49,520I grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland.28900:14:49,520 –> 00:14:52,460I see Princes Street, the main street,29000:14:52,460 –> 00:14:55,260here’s me standing there and I’m blindfolded29100:14:55,299 –> 00:14:57,099and I’ve got these earplugs in29200:14:57,099 –> 00:14:59,559and there’s traffic coming in both directions.29300:14:59,559 –> 00:15:02,219Now, Says Packer, that’s a picture of your life.29400:15:03,580 –> 00:15:05,359That’s why you need this prayer29500:15:06,780 –> 00:15:08,739because you are in danger every moment29600:15:08,739 –> 00:15:09,940because of what is within you29700:15:09,940 –> 00:15:11,380and because of what is around you29800:15:11,380 –> 00:15:15,059lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.29900:15:16,119 –> 00:15:17,380You’re listening to Open The Bible30000:15:17,380 –> 00:15:19,719with Pastor Colin Smith and our message,30100:15:19,719 –> 00:15:22,059God’s Deliverance part of our series,30200:15:22,059 –> 00:15:24,099Six Things to Ask of God30300:15:24,099 –> 00:15:26,059based on the Lord’s Prayer as we find it30400:15:26,059 –> 00:15:29,340in Matthew chapter six and if you miss any of the series30500:15:29,340 –> 00:15:31,159or you want to go back and listen again,30600:15:31,159 –> 00:15:34,900come to our website, openthebible.org.uk.30700:15:34,900 –> 00:15:36,260There you’ll find all the messages30800:15:36,260 –> 00:15:38,500which have already been broadcast.30900:15:38,500 –> 00:15:40,619Open the Bible is supported by our listeners31000:15:40,619 –> 00:15:42,880and all this month we’re offering a book,31100:15:42,880 –> 00:15:46,200For All Who Grieve written by Pastor Colin Smith31200:15:46,200 –> 00:15:49,539and later in the program, we’ll hear from Sue McCleish31300:15:49,539 –> 00:15:51,979who’s the voice of Open the Bible Daily31400:15:52,059 –> 00:15:55,880about how God reached out to her through Open the Bible31500:15:55,880 –> 00:15:57,960after the loss of her husband.31600:15:57,960 –> 00:16:00,219So I hope you’ll stay with us for that.31700:16:00,219 –> 00:16:02,880Back to the message now, here’s Colin.31800:16:02,880 –> 00:16:04,340Seeing why we need this prayer.31900:16:04,340 –> 00:16:06,340Secondly, let’s be clear about32000:16:06,340 –> 00:16:09,340what we are asking in this prayer.32100:16:09,340 –> 00:16:11,340What are we asking when we say to God,32200:16:11,340 –> 00:16:13,960lead us not into temptation?32300:16:15,200 –> 00:16:18,760Well, remember that Jesus used the word into temptation32400:16:18,760 –> 00:16:21,340on another occasion in the Garden of Gethsemane32500:16:22,020 –> 00:16:23,400and he said to the disciples,32600:16:23,400 –> 00:16:28,400watch and pray so that you do not enter into temptation.32700:16:28,820 –> 00:16:32,020The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.32800:16:33,039 –> 00:16:34,700Now, everybody is tempted.32900:16:34,700 –> 00:16:38,979Jesus was tempted, yet without sin,33000:16:38,979 –> 00:16:40,700and Jesus does not say,33100:16:40,700 –> 00:16:43,020watch and pray so that you’re not tempted.33200:16:44,119 –> 00:16:45,859What he says is watch and pray33300:16:45,859 –> 00:16:49,140so that you will not enter into temptation.33400:16:49,140 –> 00:16:50,140What does that mean?33500:16:50,140 –> 00:16:51,539Well, it means very clearly,33600:16:51,619 –> 00:16:55,479so temptation does not overwhelm you,33700:16:56,539 –> 00:16:59,020and that is what Jesus teaches us to ask33800:16:59,020 –> 00:16:59,919in the Lord’s prayer.33900:16:59,919 –> 00:17:04,579Father, don’t let me get to a place34000:17:04,579 –> 00:17:07,939where the power of temptation overwhelms me.34100:17:09,359 –> 00:17:14,040Guard me so that I will watch and pray,34200:17:15,140 –> 00:17:16,819and that’s a common theme of the Bible.34300:17:16,819 –> 00:17:19,560Paul says to Timothy, now, watch your life,34400:17:20,479 –> 00:17:24,160to the elders at Ephesus, watch yourselves.34500:17:25,079 –> 00:17:29,319Watch and pray and Christ will give you the strength34600:17:29,319 –> 00:17:33,439that you need to prevail in your battle against temptation.34700:17:35,359 –> 00:17:37,079And what exactly are we asking34800:17:37,079 –> 00:17:39,119when we say deliver us from evil?34900:17:40,359 –> 00:17:43,819Well, that word deliver is very clear.35000:17:43,819 –> 00:17:46,479When we say, Lord, deliver us from evil,35100:17:46,479 –> 00:17:48,920we’re not saying, hey, we can do this.35200:17:49,839 –> 00:17:51,540We’re not even saying Lord, we can do it,35300:17:51,540 –> 00:17:53,719but we need a bit of help.35400:17:53,719 –> 00:17:56,599When we pray deliver us from evil,35500:17:56,599 –> 00:18:00,439we are saying to God, the power of evil is greater35600:18:00,439 –> 00:18:03,640than us, but it is not greater than you35700:18:03,640 –> 00:18:05,979and we need you to deliver us.35800:18:07,040 –> 00:18:08,680The picture again may be helpful.35900:18:08,680 –> 00:18:13,680Picture a hostage and he is tied to the chair36000:18:14,599 –> 00:18:19,599and he’s blindfolded and he is in a prison,36100:18:20,599 –> 00:18:24,459locked doors, can’t move, can’t get out.36200:18:26,239 –> 00:18:29,880The only hope for him is that he will be delivered.36300:18:29,880 –> 00:18:30,800What does that mean?36400:18:30,800 –> 00:18:32,680That someone will storm the building,36500:18:32,680 –> 00:18:37,180come in from outside, set him free and take him out.36600:18:37,180 –> 00:18:42,180Now, when we see war, injustice, famine, disease,36700:18:44,079 –> 00:18:49,079things that are bigger than we are, immense in their power.36800:18:49,640 –> 00:18:54,640Jesus tells us to pray, deliver us from evil.36900:18:56,760 –> 00:18:58,959Father, come and do for us37000:18:58,959 –> 00:19:03,099what we cannot do for ourselves.37100:19:03,099 –> 00:19:04,339That’s what we’re asking.37200:19:06,959 –> 00:19:10,459Now, will this prayer be answered?37300:19:11,339 –> 00:19:14,579The answer to that question is, yes, it will.37400:19:14,579 –> 00:19:16,400Thank God.37500:19:16,400 –> 00:19:18,180And your guarantee that this prayer37600:19:18,180 –> 00:19:21,339will be answered is that Jesus Christ himself37700:19:21,339 –> 00:19:25,520is the one who tells you that this is how you must pray.37800:19:25,520 –> 00:19:29,500And that gets us to the most important thing here today,37900:19:29,500 –> 00:19:34,500which is how God answers this prayer.38000:19:35,099 –> 00:19:39,579Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.38100:19:40,579 –> 00:19:44,560God answers this prayer by his grace38200:19:45,979 –> 00:19:50,540and grace is that which is not deserved, but freely given.38300:19:51,739 –> 00:19:53,339And what I want you to see today38400:19:53,339 –> 00:19:58,339is that God’s grace operates in many wonderful ways.38500:19:59,619 –> 00:20:02,339I want to identify for you four ways38600:20:02,339 –> 00:20:04,260in which God’s grace operates,38700:20:04,260 –> 00:20:09,260four ways in which God answers this last petition of us.38800:20:09,579 –> 00:20:10,859Of the Lord’s Prayer.38900:20:11,939 –> 00:20:15,020The first of them, this is very important,39000:20:15,020 –> 00:20:17,660is common grace.39100:20:18,739 –> 00:20:20,900When we pray, deliver us from evil,39200:20:20,900 –> 00:20:23,939God answers this prayer through common grace.39300:20:23,939 –> 00:20:25,640You say, well now what is that?39400:20:25,640 –> 00:20:29,599Common grace is God’s kindness to all people.39500:20:31,060 –> 00:20:34,500Including those who do not believe in him.39600:20:34,500 –> 00:20:36,979Those who have no place for him in their lives39700:20:37,060 –> 00:20:39,900and even those who outright defy him.39800:20:42,500 –> 00:20:45,219Now I wonder if you’ve ever thought about this.39900:20:45,219 –> 00:20:49,579The Bible makes it very clear that by nature40000:20:49,579 –> 00:20:53,520we are all dead in trespasses and sins.40100:20:55,300 –> 00:20:57,660Have you ever wondered, then, why is it40200:20:57,660 –> 00:21:00,380that if we’re all dead in trespasses and sins40300:21:00,380 –> 00:21:04,219why is it that so many unbelieving people40400:21:04,260 –> 00:21:07,339seem able to live peaceful, happy,40500:21:07,339 –> 00:21:09,420and very productive lives?40600:21:10,359 –> 00:21:13,119Why is it that many who have no place for God40700:21:13,119 –> 00:21:16,060in their lives whatsoever are often very patient,40800:21:16,060 –> 00:21:19,479very kind, seem to have good family relationships,40900:21:19,479 –> 00:21:21,260good marriages, be considerate,41000:21:21,260 –> 00:21:23,099be generous and very loving?41100:21:24,500 –> 00:21:25,500Why is that?41200:21:25,500 –> 00:21:29,199And the answer to that is common grace.41300:21:31,199 –> 00:21:33,079You’ve been listening to Pastor Collin Smith41400:21:33,140 –> 00:21:36,699on Open the Bible and a message called God’s Deliverance,41500:21:36,699 –> 00:21:39,680part of our series, Six Things to Ask of God41600:21:39,680 –> 00:21:41,800based on the Lord’s Prayer.41700:21:41,800 –> 00:21:43,319If you ever miss one of the series,41800:21:43,319 –> 00:21:44,400you can always catch up41900:21:44,400 –> 00:21:47,400or go back and listen again online at our website,42000:21:47,400 –> 00:21:50,239openthebible.org.UK,42100:21:50,239 –> 00:21:52,500or at your favorite podcast site,42200:21:52,500 –> 00:21:54,439search for Open the Bible UK.42300:21:55,699 –> 00:21:57,560Open the Bible is supported by our listeners.42400:21:57,560 –> 00:21:59,479And this month, if you’re able to begin42500:21:59,479 –> 00:22:01,599supporting Open the Bible in that way,42600:22:01,599 –> 00:22:03,479we’d love to say thank you42700:22:03,479 –> 00:22:06,199by sending you a copy of Pastor Colin’s book42800:22:06,199 –> 00:22:08,160For All Who Grieve.42900:22:08,160 –> 00:22:09,699I’m with Sue MacLeish,43000:22:09,699 –> 00:22:11,199who many of you will know43100:22:11,199 –> 00:22:14,439is the voice of Open the Bible Daily.43200:22:14,439 –> 00:22:17,359Sue’s husband, Ian, died a few years ago.43300:22:17,359 –> 00:22:21,119Sue, how did grief effect you after Ian died?43400:22:22,000 –> 00:22:24,359Well, when Ian died,43500:22:24,359 –> 00:22:28,400after a long period of battling with prostate cancer,43600:22:28,400 –> 00:22:30,859I was in a pretty poor shape altogether.43700:22:32,000 –> 00:22:35,319Ian’s actual death was not a peaceful one43800:22:35,319 –> 00:22:39,079and it left me with a degree of post-traumatic stress43900:22:39,079 –> 00:22:41,359and a recurrence of depression44000:22:41,359 –> 00:22:43,239that I had previously experienced44100:22:43,239 –> 00:22:45,000more than once in my life actually.44200:22:45,880 –> 00:22:47,560Mentally and spiritually,44300:22:47,560 –> 00:22:51,339I was in a very dark and very fearful place.44400:22:52,800 –> 00:22:55,140Very soon I find I was incapable44500:22:55,140 –> 00:22:59,119of fulfilling any of my previous church duties.44600:22:59,119 –> 00:23:01,439My brain just seemed to have shut down.44700:23:02,180 –> 00:23:06,599I had to struggle to keep going to get through every day.44800:23:06,599 –> 00:23:08,859No, nothing really touched me.44900:23:08,859 –> 00:23:12,599I had no hope, I was just existing.45000:23:12,599 –> 00:23:15,680Not living in any real way at all.45100:23:15,680 –> 00:23:18,319And when you were at your lowest ebb really,45200:23:18,319 –> 00:23:21,439that’s when you discovered Open the Bible?45300:23:21,439 –> 00:23:25,439The moment I discovered the videos of Pastor Colin45400:23:25,439 –> 00:23:28,280delivering his Open the Bible sermons,45500:23:28,280 –> 00:23:31,359it was so a light had been switched on.45600:23:31,400 –> 00:23:35,199And I found I was beginning to understand45700:23:35,199 –> 00:23:37,680in ways I had never had before,45800:23:37,680 –> 00:23:42,119the fullness of the gospel and the whole Bible story.45900:23:43,199 –> 00:23:47,959It was a really exciting time and I had so much to learn.46000:23:47,959 –> 00:23:50,619So, I know you’ve more recently read Colin’s book,46100:23:50,619 –> 00:23:52,079For All Who Grieve.46200:23:52,079 –> 00:23:53,640What’s your impression of the book46300:23:53,640 –> 00:23:56,719for those who are going through what you’ve been through?46400:23:56,719 –> 00:23:58,280Well, yes, this book,46500:23:59,140 –> 00:24:01,640is wonderfully confirming.46600:24:01,640 –> 00:24:03,079You’re faced with grief.46700:24:03,079 –> 00:24:05,520It’s easy to think and feel46800:24:05,520 –> 00:24:07,540that nobody knows what it’s like.46900:24:07,540 –> 00:24:08,680You know, nobody’s been there,47000:24:08,680 –> 00:24:10,680nobody has actually experienced47100:24:10,680 –> 00:24:12,339what I’ve experienced, what I’m experiencing.47200:24:12,339 –> 00:24:14,400But to know that grieving people47300:24:14,400 –> 00:24:17,400share a number of common feelings,47400:24:17,400 –> 00:24:19,800in stages, et cetera,47500:24:19,800 –> 00:24:22,239is very comforting and very important.47600:24:22,239 –> 00:24:25,079You realize much more clearly that you’re not alone.47700:24:25,079 –> 00:24:26,680You’re not alone because God was with you.47800:24:26,900 –> 00:24:29,520That’s I think, what comes out of that book.47900:24:29,520 –> 00:24:30,819So, Pastor Colin’s book,48000:24:30,819 –> 00:24:32,199For All Who Grieve,48100:24:32,199 –> 00:24:33,219is our gift to you48200:24:33,219 –> 00:24:35,959if you’re able to set up a new direct debit48300:24:35,959 –> 00:24:37,599to the work of Open the Bible48400:24:37,599 –> 00:24:40,839in the amount of £5 per month or more this month48500:24:40,839 –> 00:24:43,920or a one-off gift of £50 or more.48600:24:43,920 –> 00:24:48,280We’ll also send five cards based on Psalm 23,48700:24:48,280 –> 00:24:49,619which will be a wonderful gift48800:24:49,619 –> 00:24:52,500for anyone who is experiencing bereavement.48900:24:52,500 –> 00:24:54,800Full terms and conditions on our website49000:24:54,920 –> 00:24:59,819and you can give online at openthebible.org.uk49100:24:59,859 –> 00:25:02,380For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,49200:25:02,380 –> 00:25:03,400I’m David Pick,49300:25:03,400 –> 00:25:05,540and I hope you’ll join us again next time.49400:25:11,640 –> 00:25:12,839Jesus taught,49500:25:12,839 –> 00:25:14,520lead us not into temptation,49600:25:14,520 –> 00:25:16,699but deliver us from evil.49700:25:16,699 –> 00:25:19,800How will God answer this prayer?49800:25:19,800 –> 00:25:22,239Find out next time on Open the Bible.