100:00:00,160 –> 00:00:02,280Financial Crisis200:00:02,840 –> 00:00:10,120Those who know that their true home is in Heaven, real Christians ought to live300:00:10,120 –> 00:00:16,080like those who emigrate to another country. They take all the400:00:16,080 –> 00:00:20,240goods that they want to enjoy and they send them on ahead of them.500:00:20,240 –> 00:00:25,160Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, I’m glad you could be600:00:25,160 –> 00:00:29,879with us today and Colin we’re continuing in our series, 10 distinctives of700:00:29,980 –> 00:00:34,560a gospel centred Church and the message called gospel lifestyle and it’s all800:00:34,560 –> 00:00:38,320about contentment. Yes, and normally of course we think of900:00:38,320 –> 00:00:42,060contentment as something that you need to cultivate when you have less but1000:00:42,060 –> 00:00:47,279actually it’s equally true that we need to cultivate contentment when we have1100:00:47,279 –> 00:00:53,040more. The Lord blesses you, you have more than you had before and somehow you find1200:00:53,040 –> 00:00:58,040that as you have more you become more discontent and you have this drive that1300:00:58,040 –> 00:01:02,480you need to keep adding to what you have. Now what does it mean to be content when1400:01:02,480 –> 00:01:07,040God is blessing you and you have more? That’s what we’re going to be looking at1500:01:07,040 –> 00:01:11,019from the scriptures today. So join us if you can in the first book of Timothy1600:01:11,019 –> 00:01:16,300chapter 6 as we continue the message gospel lifestyle. Here is Pastor Colin.1700:01:16,300 –> 00:01:23,620What is God’s word to us when you have less? Simply this. When you have less,1800:01:24,019 –> 00:01:30,580learn the art of contentment. I want you to notice especially verse 6 and what1900:01:30,580 –> 00:01:40,139follows. Paul says, Godliness with contentment is great gain. It is a2000:01:40,139 –> 00:01:46,699wonderful thing in a season of life where you have less if you can cultivate2100:01:46,699 –> 00:01:52,500this rare jewel not by living in the desperation of how and when am I going2200:01:52,540 –> 00:01:57,160to get my possessions up to the level of my desires but bringing my desires down2300:01:57,160 –> 00:02:02,800to the level of my possessions. Paul says, Godliness with contentment is great2400:02:02,800 –> 00:02:09,979gain, not just gain, great gain, great gain. It will be, he says, a huge2500:02:09,979 –> 00:02:15,979advantage to you in your life if you can cultivate this rare jewel, this2600:02:15,979 –> 00:02:20,899very precious fruit of Christian contentment.2700:02:20,899 –> 00:02:24,419Now why is it so important? Why does he place this emphasis?2800:02:24,419 –> 00:02:30,380Why does he say it’s great gain to have contentment? Well, very simply,2900:02:30,380 –> 00:02:36,539because the opposite is so destructive. Remember Christian brothers and sisters,3000:02:36,539 –> 00:02:43,800money is a great servant but a terrible master. And if you set your heart on3100:02:43,800 –> 00:02:47,460money, money will break your heart. That is what he is saying here.3200:02:47,500 –> 00:02:50,880It will break your heart because you cannot keep what you gain.3300:02:50,880 –> 00:02:55,419It will break your heart because you will fall into powerful temptations if you set3400:02:55,419 –> 00:02:58,820your heart on this. It will break your heart because you may well wander3500:02:58,820 –> 00:03:03,460from the faith and you will pierce yourself with all kinds of griefs3600:03:03,460 –> 00:03:11,539and sorrows. So, here is why godliness with contentment, the other path,3700:03:11,539 –> 00:03:16,100is going to be great gain for you, is going to be a marvelous blessing3800:03:16,160 –> 00:03:22,759in your life, for if you go down the other road, the road of getting rich3900:03:22,759 –> 00:03:31,199being your goal. You will find unsolved sorrows on that path.4000:03:31,199 –> 00:03:35,580So, here is simply the message in the first part, when you have less.4100:03:35,580 –> 00:03:42,179Some of us have less than a year ago, two years ago. When you have less,4200:03:42,220 –> 00:03:47,320what is God’s word to us? God’s word to you, when you have less,4300:03:47,320 –> 00:03:53,660is learn the art of contentment. It’s a rare jewel, and it’s not found4400:03:53,660 –> 00:03:59,199when you have more, but it can be cultivated when you have less.4500:03:59,199 –> 00:04:04,559Bring your desires down to the level of your possessions. Understand that4600:04:04,559 –> 00:04:10,059Christian contentment is not by addition, but by subtraction. Learn to enjoy what4700:04:10,059 –> 00:04:16,880God has given, more than you grieve what He has taken away. And practice the4800:04:16,880 –> 00:04:23,899art of Godly contentment. You will find that it is for you great gain.4900:04:23,899 –> 00:04:32,920And it’s Biblical wisdom, for all of us when we have less.5000:04:32,920 –> 00:04:36,019Now, I want us to stand in the second position here for a few moments.5100:04:36,019 –> 00:04:41,279We’ve all listened to God’s Word that comes to us when we have less. But what about God’s5200:04:41,279 –> 00:04:43,579Word to us when we have more?5300:04:43,579 –> 00:04:47,380And again please, will you stand with me together, under the word of God?5400:04:47,380 –> 00:04:52,519There are millions and millions of people in this world and do you have much more than5500:04:52,519 –> 00:04:53,519them?5600:04:53,519 –> 00:04:54,660We have much more.5700:04:54,660 –> 00:04:59,200And we do have to hear what God has to say to us, blessed in so many ways,5800:04:59,200 –> 00:05:05,700who have so much more than so many others.5900:05:06,440 –> 00:05:10,480When you have more, what is God’s Word to us when we have more?6000:05:10,480 –> 00:05:11,480Simply this.6100:05:11,480 –> 00:05:12,480Can I describe it this way?6200:05:12,480 –> 00:05:17,179When you have more, learn the art of discontent.6300:05:17,179 –> 00:05:21,519The art of discontent.6400:05:21,519 –> 00:05:24,679The more that God gives you6500:05:24,679 –> 00:05:33,959the more you need to learn a holy discomfort with the things of this world.6600:05:33,959 –> 00:05:38,720As increasingly important as we have more, Jesus said a man’s life does not consist6700:05:38,720 –> 00:05:40,959in the abundance of his possessions.6800:05:40,959 –> 00:05:45,720But of course, the more God gives to us, the more easy it is to begin to think that our6900:05:45,720 –> 00:05:50,320life does consist of the abundance of our possessions.7000:05:50,320 –> 00:05:55,679So when you have more, learn the art of discontent.7100:05:55,679 –> 00:06:02,239Notice how in Verse 17 here Paul describes those who put their hope in wealth and then7200:06:02,299 –> 00:06:05,640he describes those who put their hope in God.7300:06:05,640 –> 00:06:10,119Some people put their hope in wealth which is so uncertain, verse 17.7400:06:10,119 –> 00:06:14,440Others put their hope in God who richly provides everything for our enjoyment.7500:06:14,440 –> 00:06:18,779These are two very, very different kinds of hope.7600:06:18,779 –> 00:06:25,019And when God gives you more, here is what is so important, not to put your hope, not7700:06:25,019 –> 00:06:30,019to put your joy in the abundance that he has given to you, but rather to put your hope7800:06:30,179 –> 00:06:36,899and to put your joy in God who is the giver and provides all things richly for our enjoyment.7900:06:36,899 –> 00:06:42,100In other words, when God gives you more, develop a holy discontent8000:06:42,100 –> 00:06:45,059with all that this world can give you.8100:06:45,059 –> 00:06:48,880Now, again, Jeremiah Burroughs makes this point really well.8200:06:48,880 –> 00:06:53,179Let me just quote to you from him.8300:06:53,179 –> 00:07:01,880He says, it may be said of the one who is contented in a Christian way that he is both8400:07:01,880 –> 00:07:07,820the most contented man in the world and yet at the same time the most dissatisfied man8500:07:07,820 –> 00:07:10,660in the world.8600:07:10,660 –> 00:07:16,380And he says to join these two together is a great art and a great mystery because though8700:07:16,380 –> 00:07:22,160he is contented with God in a little, yet those things that would contend other men8800:07:22,160 –> 00:07:26,140in the world will not contend him.8900:07:26,140 –> 00:07:31,899And then he describes how in the world men seek after wealth and he says — and I am9000:07:31,899 –> 00:07:40,500paraphrasing him now — he says a man will say if I had a hundred a year I would be content.9100:07:40,500 –> 00:07:45,720Now, that proves to you he was writing in the year 1648, because I don’t hear anybody9200:07:45,720 –> 00:07:50,859saying today if I had a hundred a year, but apparently in 1648 if guys said they had a9300:07:50,880 –> 00:07:52,980hundred a year they thought they would be content.9400:07:53,820 –> 00:07:56,140It just dawns on me that probably was pounds, not dollars.9500:07:56,140 –> 00:07:57,880But that’s another issue.9600:07:57,880 –> 00:08:01,839I am going back to Jeremiah Burroughs here, ok?9700:08:02,899 –> 00:08:10,519If I had a hundred a year or another man says if I had a thousand a year, then I would be9800:08:10,519 –> 00:08:20,619satisfied, but the godly heart says if I had ten-hundred-thousand times as much a year9900:08:20,720 –> 00:08:22,859it would not satisfy me.10000:08:24,239 –> 00:08:26,739You see his point?10100:08:26,739 –> 00:08:33,559Because the godly heart has learned that nothing or even everything in this world cannot satisfy10200:08:33,559 –> 00:08:37,619the heart that is set on God.10300:08:37,619 –> 00:08:43,179So godliness teaches us this extraordinary mystery, not to be satisfied even if we had10400:08:43,380 –> 00:08:54,179the world as our portion for a man’s life does not lie in the abundance of his possessions.10500:08:54,179 –> 00:08:58,020This is of course the complete opposite of what you would expect.10600:08:58,020 –> 00:09:04,719The world says, you will be dis-content when you have less and when you have more then10700:09:04,719 –> 00:09:07,020you will find contentment.10800:09:07,020 –> 00:09:12,440But God says, learn to be content when you have less and when you have more, develop10900:09:12,460 –> 00:09:17,599a wholly discontent lest you should slide into thinking that your life consists in the11000:09:17,599 –> 00:09:19,380abundance of your possessions.11100:09:19,380 –> 00:09:27,479Do you remember how our Lord Jesus told a powerful story to illustrate this point.11200:09:27,479 –> 00:09:32,640Jesus told a story about a man who made a lot of money.11300:09:32,640 –> 00:09:36,460And Jesus said the man stored it up.11400:09:36,460 –> 00:09:40,719And he said to himself, you have plenty of good things laid up for many years, so take11500:09:41,479 –> 00:09:44,760drink and be merry.11600:09:44,760 –> 00:09:47,500What was the problem with this man?11700:09:47,500 –> 00:09:50,479What did he do wrong?11800:09:50,479 –> 00:09:57,580The answer surely is that the great mistake this man made was he became comfortable with11900:09:57,580 –> 00:10:01,219the pile of what he had made.12000:10:01,219 –> 00:10:05,500He felt good about sitting on it.12100:10:05,500 –> 00:10:10,099He found comfort in the very thing that should have made him uncomfortable, thinking about12200:10:10,159 –> 00:10:15,700the fact that he’s made for eternity and he can’t take it with him.12300:10:15,700 –> 00:10:22,700And Jesus said that this man was a, say it a little more strongly.12400:10:23,520 –> 00:10:24,799Let’s agree with the Lord Jesus.12500:10:24,799 –> 00:10:27,020Jesus said that this man was a fool.12600:10:27,020 –> 00:10:28,020OK.12700:10:28,020 –> 00:10:29,080He was a fool.12800:10:29,080 –> 00:10:31,460Very strong word that Jesus used.12900:10:31,460 –> 00:10:34,820Do you remember what Jesus said afterwards?13000:10:34,979 –> 00:10:44,159He said, this is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself and is not13100:10:44,159 –> 00:10:45,859rich towards God.13200:10:45,859 –> 00:10:53,039In other words, Jesus is saying, look, anyone who knows that they’re headed for eternity13300:10:53,039 –> 00:10:59,820and who feels comfortable about sitting on a pile of what’s been acquired, feel comfortable13400:11:00,500 –> 00:11:03,280rather than thinking, here’s what I have.13500:11:03,280 –> 00:11:04,960How can I be rich towards God?13600:11:04,960 –> 00:11:09,760That’s a path of foolishness that we ought to avoid.13700:11:09,760 –> 00:11:18,380So, here is this great irony to become contented when we have less and then as God gives us13800:11:18,380 –> 00:11:24,820more to become uncomfortable about it, not to be happy about simply sitting on that because13900:11:24,940 –> 00:11:28,659We’ve learned that that would be foolishness.14000:11:28,659 –> 00:11:32,820And that rather than following the path of this man, we want to be those who would say,14100:11:32,820 –> 00:11:34,960Our lord, look at what you have given me.14200:11:34,960 –> 00:11:42,619I want now to discover how I can best be rich towards You.14300:11:42,619 –> 00:11:47,960You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Gospel Lifestyle,14400:11:47,960 –> 00:11:52,679part of our series, Ten Distinctive of a Gospel-Centered Church.14500:11:52,679 –> 00:11:57,000If you’ve missed any of the series, you can easily catch up or go back to listen again14600:11:57,000 –> 00:12:04,419by coming on to our website, openthebible.org.uk, or if you prefer find it as a podcast on all14700:12:04,419 –> 00:12:09,479the main podcast sites by searching for Open The Bible UK.14800:12:09,479 –> 00:12:12,500Or by following a link from our website.14900:12:12,500 –> 00:12:16,659Website address again, openthebible.org.uk.15000:12:16,659 –> 00:12:20,460Back to the message, here again is Pastor Colin.15100:12:20,739 –> 00:12:24,099Paul just said, lay up for yourselves treasures15200:12:24,099 –> 00:12:25,859in Heaven.15300:12:25,859 –> 00:12:29,739And you’ll notice that the Apostle Paul is clearly quoting or at least has that word15400:12:29,739 –> 00:12:34,159of Jesus in mind in verse 19 because he says almost the same thing.15500:12:34,159 –> 00:12:39,059He speaks of those who are rich in good deeds and generous and willing to share.15600:12:39,059 –> 00:12:45,099He says they lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age so15700:12:45,140 –> 00:12:51,419that they may take hold of the life that is really life.15800:12:51,419 –> 00:12:55,859John Calvin has a wonderful picture of this that really resonates with Karna and myself15900:12:55,859 –> 00:12:59,059because we’ve experienced it.16000:12:59,059 –> 00:13:05,500He says that those who know that their true home is in Heaven, real Christians ought to16100:13:05,500 –> 00:13:12,059live like those who emigrate to another country.16200:13:12,059 –> 00:13:15,340And he says when folks emigrate to another country, what do they do?16300:13:15,340 –> 00:13:21,140They take all the goods that they want to enjoy and they send them on ahead of them.16400:13:21,140 –> 00:13:26,099And when I read that, it was so vivid to me because we’ve had that experience when we16500:13:26,099 –> 00:13:31,500left London and followed the Lord’s leading to come here.16600:13:31,500 –> 00:13:38,840And all of our stuff from our home in London packed up and in this container and on the16700:13:38,840 –> 00:13:39,940back of a truck.16800:13:40,020 –> 00:13:44,479You know, I can picture it now going down Old Park Avenue, where we lived in London16900:13:44,479 –> 00:13:49,159and we’re standing at the edge of the home where we lived there.17000:13:49,159 –> 00:13:56,080And off it goes on the high seas, hope we catch up with it one day.17100:13:56,080 –> 00:14:02,320And after that, Karen and the boys went down to Devon to spend some time with her folks.17200:14:02,320 –> 00:14:06,760And I had some things I still had to do back in London and so stayed in the house, sitting17300:14:06,760 –> 00:14:09,280on boxes and, you know, and just a couple of suitcases.17400:14:09,400 –> 00:14:11,760There was hardly anything in the house.17500:14:11,760 –> 00:14:13,679And yet, having great happiness.17600:14:13,679 –> 00:14:19,119Hey, all the stuff’s going to be where we can enjoy it for a longer time.17700:14:19,119 –> 00:14:23,979Now, that’s the way in which we are to think when Jesus says lay up treasures in heaven.17800:14:23,979 –> 00:14:26,520What else does he mean but precisely this?17900:14:26,520 –> 00:14:28,559Let me read to you Calvin’s words.18000:14:28,559 –> 00:14:30,880I think he says this so precisely.18100:14:30,880 –> 00:14:38,299If we believe that heaven is our country, you believe heaven’s your country?18200:14:38,820 –> 00:14:46,320If we believe that heaven is our country, it is better to transmit our possessions there18300:14:46,320 –> 00:14:55,080than to keep them here, whereupon our sudden migration they would be lost to us.18400:14:55,080 –> 00:15:05,039If you know that’s where you’re going, why do you want to leave a pile of it here?18500:15:05,820 –> 00:15:08,960Well, you’re obviously using an analogy.18600:15:08,960 –> 00:15:10,280How do you do this?18700:15:10,280 –> 00:15:13,419That’s what verse 18 absolutely says.18800:15:13,419 –> 00:15:14,419How do you do this?18900:15:14,419 –> 00:15:15,419Two things.19000:15:15,419 –> 00:15:16,659Be rich in good deeds.19100:15:16,659 –> 00:15:23,039The more God has trusted to you, the more intentional pleas become about being rich19200:15:23,039 –> 00:15:25,419in doing good deeds.19300:15:25,419 –> 00:15:27,960Then he says verse 18, be generous.19400:15:27,960 –> 00:15:29,039Notice that word.19500:15:29,039 –> 00:15:31,159Generous and willing to share.19600:15:31,359 –> 00:15:34,140It’s very clear he says in this way.19700:15:34,140 –> 00:15:38,520As you do, are rich in good deeds as you are generous and willing to share increasingly19800:15:38,520 –> 00:15:40,960as God gives you more, here’s what will happen.19900:15:40,960 –> 00:15:45,539You will lay up treasure for yourself as a firm foundation for the coming age.20000:15:45,539 –> 00:15:50,239In this way you will take hold of life that is really life.20100:15:50,239 –> 00:15:54,200So, the scripture here is full of wisdom for us today.20200:15:54,200 –> 00:15:58,659When you have less, cultivate the art of contentment.20300:15:58,659 –> 00:16:05,700When you have more, cultivate the holy art of discontent, be uncomfortable.20400:16:05,700 –> 00:16:13,419By simply sitting on more than God has given to you when you know that you cannot take20500:16:13,419 –> 00:16:15,739it with you.20600:16:15,739 –> 00:16:18,859You can only really use it during your life here in this world.20700:16:18,859 –> 00:16:24,619Set your heart, not on getting rich, but set your heart on enjoying what God has given20800:16:24,799 –> 00:16:29,780and using what God gives for His praise and for His glory.20900:16:29,780 –> 00:16:35,440See instead of saying with his pile, the man in Jesus story, instead of saying well you’ve21000:16:35,440 –> 00:16:36,679got plenty.21100:16:36,679 –> 00:16:41,359Now be comfortable and eat, drink, and be merry and take your ease.21200:16:41,359 –> 00:16:42,479What should the man have been saying?21300:16:42,479 –> 00:16:49,419He should have said, the Lord has given me plenty, now how can I be rich towards Him?21400:16:49,419 –> 00:16:51,179That’s what he should have said.21500:16:51,619 –> 00:16:55,500That would have been the path of wisdom.21600:16:55,500 –> 00:16:58,299Now this leads to one final question.21700:16:58,299 –> 00:17:00,580How can you do this?21800:17:00,580 –> 00:17:04,260How can you change what you love?21900:17:04,260 –> 00:17:09,660How can we wean our hearts away from the things of this world, the love of money, the love22000:17:09,660 –> 00:17:12,319of comfort, the love of self?22100:17:12,319 –> 00:17:20,060And it’s very important to understand this, it just doesn’t work to say love money less,22200:17:20,060 –> 00:17:25,619it doesn’t work to say love this world less, if that’s all that’s said.22300:17:25,619 –> 00:17:30,900No preacher can thump the desk and preach for an hour and a half for ten years every22400:17:30,900 –> 00:17:36,599Sunday, but just saying love the world less, love money less isn’t actually going to change22500:17:36,599 –> 00:17:40,560anybody’s heart.22600:17:40,560 –> 00:17:47,020How do we wean the heart to a new affection?22700:17:47,020 –> 00:17:51,319The person who helped me understand this more than any other was a man by the name of Thomas22800:17:51,319 –> 00:17:59,880Chalmers who some years ago wrote a famous sermon that’s called The Expulsive Power22900:17:59,880 –> 00:18:02,199of a New Affection.23000:18:02,199 –> 00:18:06,719It’s quite a famous piece, but the title really tells you what he’s saying, The23100:18:06,719 –> 00:18:09,439Expulsive Power of a New Affection.23200:18:09,439 –> 00:18:13,660In other words, if you’re to get rid of an old unworthy love like just setting your23300:18:13,780 –> 00:18:18,699heart on money, the way to do it is not just to have someone, you know, hammering away23400:18:18,699 –> 00:18:20,060at love money less.23500:18:20,060 –> 00:18:24,380You’ve got to have a new affection that will expel the old one.23600:18:24,380 –> 00:18:30,439And let me just quote what he says, the heart must have something to cling to, and the most23700:18:30,439 –> 00:18:37,439effective way of withdrawing the heart from one object is by presenting to it another23800:18:37,560 –> 00:18:41,520object that is more alluring.23900:18:41,520 –> 00:18:45,459In other words he says, you can’t change the human heart by telling people that the world24000:18:45,459 –> 00:18:47,640is vain and worthless.24100:18:47,640 –> 00:18:53,859You have to set before people another object of affection more worthy of their hearts attachment24200:18:53,859 –> 00:19:00,859so that the heart shall be prevailed upon to exchange the old affection for a new one.24300:19:01,099 –> 00:19:05,900The expulsive power of a new affection.24400:19:05,900 –> 00:19:10,579When I first read that years ago, it was like a light going on in my mind and in my heart24500:19:10,699 –> 00:19:14,060that is exactly what God does in the Gospel.24600:19:14,060 –> 00:19:21,060Because in the Gospel God holds out to us infinite love and eternal life through the24700:19:21,459 –> 00:19:28,459cross the Lord Jesus Christ dying bearing our sin takes into Himself all that would24800:19:29,280 –> 00:19:35,680separate us from God, and through His death God is breaking down every barrier that would24900:19:35,680 –> 00:19:41,959keep you away from the full knowledge of His love so that in Jesus Christ with His nail25000:19:41,959 –> 00:19:47,760pierced hands He comes to embrace you through His death and then through His resurrection25100:19:47,760 –> 00:19:52,640He ascends into heaven where at the right hand of the Father He prepares a place for25200:19:52,640 –> 00:19:59,160His own people so that you may enter not just into life but the life that is truly life25300:19:59,160 –> 00:20:04,079by the knowledge of Him and when you see what He has done for you in His death and in His25400:20:04,160 –> 00:20:09,439resurrection and who He is and what He offers to you and the love that streams from Jesus25500:20:09,439 –> 00:20:16,439Christ towards you I’ll tell you a new affection gets birthed in the human heart of the cross25600:20:16,859 –> 00:20:20,880and when your heart is gripped by the love of the Lord Jesus Christ you will discover25700:20:20,880 –> 00:20:27,880the expulsive power of that wonderful new affection in other words love Christ more25800:20:28,140 –> 00:20:35,140in other words love Christ more and you will love money less and when you have less you25900:20:37,520 –> 00:20:43,959will find yourself increasingly saying you know what, it isn’t easy but I am learning26000:20:43,959 –> 00:20:50,959to be content because Christ is more to me than all the world and when you have more26100:20:51,020 –> 00:20:58,020and when you have more you will find yourself saying how now can I be rich towards God rather26200:20:58,540 –> 00:21:05,540than acting like the man Jesus said was a fool? How can I be rich towards God? Because26300:21:06,680 –> 00:21:13,680Christ means more to me than all the world. So are you laying up treasures in heaven?26400:21:14,300 –> 00:21:21,300So are you laying hold of life or are you laying hold of the life that is truly life?26500:21:25,540 –> 00:21:31,140A powerful question from Pastor Colin Smith there to end our message Gospel Lifestyle.26600:21:31,140 –> 00:21:36,599As part of our series 10 Distinctives of a Gospel Centered Church, and if you’ve missed26700:21:36,599 –> 00:21:39,500any of the series or if you ever want to go back and listen again26800:21:40,020 –> 00:21:43,900and if you’ve missed any of the series or if you ever want to go back and listen again26900:21:43,900 –> 00:21:48,359they’re all up there on our website openthebible.org.uk27000:21:48,359 –> 00:21:52,520Also available as a podcast on all the main podcast sites27100:21:52,520 –> 00:21:56,819search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link from our website27200:21:56,839 –> 00:22:00,560On our website you’ll also find Open the Bible Daily27300:22:00,560 –> 00:22:04,479that’s our series of short 2-3 minute daily reflections27400:22:04,479 –> 00:22:06,619There’s a new one every day and many Christians begin27500:22:06,640 –> 00:22:09,619their day with Open the Bible Daily27600:22:09,619 –> 00:22:13,520At Open the Bible we welcome contact with our listeners27700:22:13,520 –> 00:22:16,420If you’ve been blessed by Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching27800:22:16,420 –> 00:22:20,119and you’d like to reach out to us you can write to us at27900:22:28,239 –> 00:22:30,859That address, along with an email address28000:22:30,859 –> 00:22:34,099and a telephone number that you can use to contact us28100:22:34,239 –> 00:22:35,880all on our website28200:22:39,979 –> 00:22:42,380Open the Bible is supported by our listeners28300:22:42,380 –> 00:22:45,119It’s people just like you who enable us to28400:22:45,119 –> 00:22:47,359stay on the radio and on the internet28500:22:47,359 –> 00:22:50,520and we’re extremely grateful for the support we receive from you28600:22:50,520 –> 00:22:52,819So if you already give to Open the Bible28700:22:52,819 –> 00:22:54,239thank you so much28800:22:54,239 –> 00:22:56,619If you’re considering beginning to support28900:22:56,619 –> 00:22:58,219Open the Bible financially29000:22:58,219 –> 00:23:00,500this month we have a great offer for you29100:23:00,819 –> 00:23:02,079if you are able to begin29200:23:02,079 –> 00:23:05,699a direct debit of £5 per month or more29300:23:05,699 –> 00:23:08,920or a one off gift of £60 or more29400:23:08,920 –> 00:23:10,520we’d love to say thank you29500:23:10,520 –> 00:23:12,459by sending you a copy of29600:23:12,459 –> 00:23:15,839John Stott’s book The Incomparable Christ29700:23:16,000 –> 00:23:18,439But Colin, who is this book for?29800:23:18,439 –> 00:23:20,699Well its for anyone who wants to know29900:23:20,699 –> 00:23:22,439the Lord Jesus Christ better30000:23:22,439 –> 00:23:24,859and it’s written by one of the most influential30100:23:24,859 –> 00:23:27,319Christian leaders of the 20th century30200:23:27,319 –> 00:23:29,540John Stott was a faithful preacher30300:23:29,560 –> 00:23:31,099a pastor and a scholar30400:23:31,099 –> 00:23:32,719for over 60 years30500:23:32,719 –> 00:23:34,719he’s one of my heroes of the faith30600:23:34,719 –> 00:23:36,719I love to read his writing30700:23:36,719 –> 00:23:39,479and never more so than when he is writing on30800:23:39,479 –> 00:23:41,479the most central subject of all30900:23:41,479 –> 00:23:44,680the person of our Lord Jesus Christ31000:23:44,680 –> 00:23:47,680This book, The Incomparable Christ31100:23:47,680 –> 00:23:49,800If you’ve never read a book by John Stott31200:23:49,800 –> 00:23:51,359this is a great place to start31300:23:51,359 –> 00:23:53,359it’s a deep dive31400:23:53,359 –> 00:23:55,040on who Jesus is31500:23:55,040 –> 00:23:57,040And it comes in four parts31600:23:57,040 –> 00:24:00,719We see Jesus as he is presented in the New Testament31700:24:00,719 –> 00:24:04,900Jesus as he’s been presented by the church over the centuries31800:24:04,900 –> 00:24:09,280Jesus as he’s inspired various figures in history31900:24:09,280 –> 00:24:13,119and Jesus as he’s presented to us in the book of Revelation32000:24:13,119 –> 00:24:15,319It’s just a glorious snapshot32100:24:15,319 –> 00:24:18,180of who the Lord Jesus Christ is32200:24:18,180 –> 00:24:20,660I think anyone who reads this book is going to feel32300:24:20,660 –> 00:24:22,920that they come to a deeper worship of Jesus32400:24:22,920 –> 00:24:24,699a deeper love for Jesus32500:24:24,699 –> 00:24:26,920and a deeper trust in Jesus too32600:24:27,000 –> 00:24:29,920Well this book by John Stott, The Incomparable Christ32700:24:29,920 –> 00:24:31,280is our gift to you32800:24:31,280 –> 00:24:35,040when you begin a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible32900:24:35,040 –> 00:24:38,119in the amount of five pounds per month or more33000:24:38,119 –> 00:24:42,239or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more this month33100:24:42,239 –> 00:24:44,699Full terms and conditions are on our website33200:24:44,699 –> 00:24:48,160that’s at openthebible.org.uk33300:24:48,160 –> 00:24:50,099and you can give online33400:24:50,099 –> 00:24:52,800Don’t forget to leave your full name and address33500:24:52,800 –> 00:24:55,500so we can send you your free gift33600:24:55,680 –> 00:24:58,079For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith33700:24:58,079 –> 00:25:00,000I’m Davy Pick33800:25:00,000 –> 00:25:06,959and I look forward to you joining us again for our next program33900:25:09,880 –> 00:25:15,140A Christian is a person who has come to a conclusion about Jesus Christ34000:25:15,140 –> 00:25:18,239Get all the details next time on Open the Bible