100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:08,580Now aren’t you thankful by the way that the Gospel is good news and not good advice?200:00:08,580 –> 00:00:13,840Thank God that the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to give us instructions on how300:00:13,840 –> 00:00:23,120to be saved. He came to save sinners. He came to save us! That is good news indeed.400:00:23,120 –> 00:00:28,580Welcome to m welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.500:00:28,920 –> 00:00:33,139I hope you could join us today. And Colin and I love it that we’re going to spend another day600:00:33,139 –> 00:00:38,480looking at what the gospel really is, and how it’s God who does the saving.700:00:38,480 –> 00:00:42,500It’s not as if he says here are the things you need to do to save yourself.800:00:42,500 –> 00:00:45,099No, he says here is my salvation for you.900:00:45,099 –> 00:00:48,580There’s all the difference in the world between good news and good advice.1000:00:48,580 –> 00:00:52,200Doctor Mark Lloyd-Jones used to have a marvellous illustration of this.1100:00:52,200 –> 00:00:56,480he said you know, if an enemy in ancient times came against a walled city1200:00:57,279 –> 00:01:04,779then the king of that city would go out with his army to meet the enemy and defend the city.1300:01:04,779 –> 00:01:11,279And if the king won, then messengers would come back and say good news!1400:01:11,279 –> 00:01:16,580There really is good news, your king has won a victory and you can live in the good of that victory.1500:01:16,580 –> 00:01:18,180There’s peace for the city.1600:01:18,180 –> 00:01:24,099But if the king lost, well then military advisors would come back.1700:01:24,099 –> 00:01:27,199And they’d say, you’d better man the walls of the city.1800:01:27,199 –> 00:01:30,839You’re going to have to fight for your life because your king’s been defeated.1900:01:30,839 –> 00:01:33,379And this enemy is going to come and he’s going to attack.2000:01:33,379 –> 00:01:35,099It’s all down to you.2100:01:35,099 –> 00:01:42,580So, we don’t want a message of good advice that basically says it’s all down to us to work our own salvation.2200:01:42,580 –> 00:01:44,599And that’s not what we’ve got in the New Testament.2300:01:44,599 –> 00:01:51,680We’ve got a message of good news that Jesus Christ, our King, has won the most marvelous triumph.2400:01:51,839 –> 00:01:57,099And, therefore, it’s possible for us to enter into all the good of what he has accomplished.2500:01:57,099 –> 00:02:01,260Now, we’re going to look at that today and how that works out in our own lives.2600:02:01,260 –> 00:02:06,260It is so good that the gospel is good news and not simply good advice.2700:02:06,260 –> 00:02:14,660Let’s look at that together in 1 Timothy 1, verses 12 to 20 today, as we begin the message, gospel salvation.2800:02:14,660 –> 00:02:16,160Here is Pastor Colin.2900:02:16,160 –> 00:02:21,880Remember, the aim of our series is to discern what matters to God in a local church3000:02:21,880 –> 00:02:29,699so that we may pursue what matters to him with all the passion and all the strength of our hearts.3100:02:29,699 –> 00:02:34,259And we’ve been learning together some of the distinguishing marks of a church that really3200:02:34,259 –> 00:02:38,059is centered in the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.3300:02:38,059 –> 00:02:43,720We began by looking at gospel faith, which means that we would be rooted in truth, and3400:02:43,720 –> 00:02:45,679growing in love.3500:02:45,679 –> 00:02:51,600How important it is that truth and love are bonded together in the gospel, and therefore3600:02:51,600 –> 00:02:56,059they are inseparable in a gospel-centered church.3700:02:56,059 –> 00:03:02,820We want to be a people who are deeply rooted in the Word of God and for that very reason3800:03:02,820 –> 00:03:07,520bearing the fruit of love in abundance in our lives.3900:03:07,520 –> 00:03:11,539That’s a distinguishing mark of a gospel-centered church.4000:03:11,580 –> 00:03:18,740Then from verses 8 to 11 we identified a second mark that we want to be pursuing gospel freedom.4100:03:18,740 –> 00:03:25,360In other words that we are people who seek to be drawn by grace, not driven by law.4200:03:25,360 –> 00:03:29,820And we saw last week, you may recall, that human lives are not changed by a bunch of4300:03:29,820 –> 00:03:31,460rules.4400:03:31,460 –> 00:03:38,279You don’t make a bad man good by giving him a code of morality.4500:03:38,339 –> 00:03:43,279What really changes a human heart is an infusion of love.4600:03:43,279 –> 00:03:49,320Lives are changed by the love of Christ poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.4700:03:49,320 –> 00:03:53,820And we saw that love will always take you further than the law, that grace will take4800:03:53,820 –> 00:03:56,460you where rules will never go.4900:03:56,460 –> 00:04:01,240We want therefore to be a church that makes much of grace.5000:04:01,240 –> 00:04:05,600That the dynamic of our life will be the power of the Holy Spirit.5100:04:05,600 –> 00:04:09,600And that the love of Christ will take us beyond any law.5200:04:09,600 –> 00:04:15,539Well today we come to a third distinguishing mark of a gospel centered church, and that5300:04:15,539 –> 00:04:19,179is gospel salvation, which we’ve described this way.5400:04:19,179 –> 00:04:27,880That we are sinners who are saved by God’s grace, through faith in Jesus Christ.5500:04:27,880 –> 00:04:31,940Now we’re in for a feast today as we’ve been sharing a feast already, because we’re5600:04:32,079 –> 00:04:37,279at one of the New Testament’s great statements of the good news of Jesus Christ that you’ll5700:04:37,279 –> 00:04:38,820find in verse 15.5800:04:38,820 –> 00:04:41,140So I hope you have it open in front of you.5900:04:41,140 –> 00:04:44,859And Paul kind of takes a run at it with some framing at the beginning.6000:04:44,859 –> 00:04:53,040He says here is a trustworthy saying, now he’s kind of double underlining the importance6100:04:53,040 –> 00:04:54,559of what is to come.6200:04:55,480 –> 00:05:04,140He says here is something absolutely clear, solidly reliable, you can stake your life6300:05:04,140 –> 00:05:06,779on this.6400:05:06,779 –> 00:05:07,940Then he says something else.6500:05:07,940 –> 00:05:13,480Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance.6600:05:13,480 –> 00:05:17,720Now he’s speaking to the church, so he’s saying to the congregation where Timothy is6700:05:17,940 –> 00:05:22,299pastor and by the Holy Spirit saying to us.6800:05:22,299 –> 00:05:30,440He’s saying, I want that every person in this congregation will own this without reservation,6900:05:30,440 –> 00:05:33,260without hesitation, and without qualification.7000:05:33,260 –> 00:05:39,160I want every one of us to buy into this absolutely fully and completely.7100:05:39,160 –> 00:05:44,200Here is a trustworthy saying worthy of full acceptance.7200:05:44,200 –> 00:05:45,660What is it?7300:05:46,260 –> 00:05:51,799Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.7400:05:51,799 –> 00:05:58,239Now folks, that is the gospel and Paul says to Timothy, I want you to keep it front and7500:05:58,239 –> 00:05:59,760center of the life of the church.7600:05:59,760 –> 00:06:05,839I want every member of the congregation to own this so that, if you were to cut a member7700:06:05,839 –> 00:06:10,600of the Orchard Evangelical Free Church, we would bleed gospel.7800:06:10,600 –> 00:06:13,600But it’s our very life.7900:06:14,000 –> 00:06:17,739Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.8000:06:17,739 –> 00:06:24,220We are about Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners.8100:06:24,220 –> 00:06:27,000Notice what is packed into Paul’s marvelous statement.8200:06:27,000 –> 00:06:28,700He came.8300:06:28,700 –> 00:06:30,739That is the incarnation.8400:06:30,739 –> 00:06:34,920God entered this world as a man in Jesus Christ.8500:06:34,920 –> 00:06:36,660And he came to save sinners.8600:06:36,660 –> 00:06:38,739That’s the atonement.8700:06:38,739 –> 00:06:43,420The Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world to tell us how to live.8800:06:43,820 –> 00:06:47,959He did not come into the world to change society.8900:06:47,959 –> 00:06:53,519He came to give his life as an atoning sacrifice on the cross for sinners, and it is through9000:06:53,519 –> 00:06:58,739the cross that human lives are redeemed and never without the cross.9100:06:58,739 –> 00:07:00,299We want that to be absolutely clear.9200:07:00,299 –> 00:07:01,940We want that to be front and center.9300:07:01,940 –> 00:07:07,380We would want that every member of this gospel-centered church would have grasped it absolutely clearly.9400:07:07,600 –> 00:07:11,059We are about Jesus Christ who came into the world to save sinners.9500:07:11,059 –> 00:07:12,779That’s the gospel.9600:07:12,779 –> 00:07:19,799Now, aren’t you thankful by the way that the gospel is good news and not good advice?9700:07:19,799 –> 00:07:23,279You know when you’re in a pickle, the last thing you want is ten people lining up giving9800:07:23,279 –> 00:07:24,279you advice.9900:07:24,279 –> 00:07:25,739You know, this is how I did it.10000:07:25,739 –> 00:07:30,980And say, I want to know is there someone who can help.10100:07:30,980 –> 00:07:35,119Isn’t it good news that the Lord Jesus Christ did not come to give us instructions on how10200:07:35,119 –> 00:07:37,559to be saved.10300:07:37,559 –> 00:07:41,700He came to save sinners.10400:07:41,700 –> 00:07:44,239He came to save us.10500:07:44,239 –> 00:07:46,459That is good news indeed.10600:07:46,459 –> 00:07:53,420Now, Paul wraps around this marvelous statement of the gospel, his own personal testimony,10700:07:53,420 –> 00:07:58,940his own experience of God’s grace, his story if you like, of how the salvation that10800:07:59,059 –> 00:08:04,220Jesus Christ brought into the world, how it worked out in his own life.10900:08:04,220 –> 00:08:07,739Now I want you to notice that Paul tells us about his sins.11000:08:07,739 –> 00:08:13,700He tells us about his experience of God’s grace, and when he gets to the end of his11100:08:13,700 –> 00:08:20,519own story, which is in verse seventeen, what you find is that he erupts.11200:08:20,519 –> 00:08:25,339That’s the only way I can think to put it, he erupts in praise and joy.11300:08:25,440 –> 00:08:31,920He is just overwhelmed by the marvel of what God has done for him in Jesus Christ, and11400:08:31,920 –> 00:08:32,919he says,11500:08:32,919 –> 00:08:38,700Now to the King, eternal, immortal, invisible, to the only God be honour and glory, forever11600:08:38,700 –> 00:08:39,700and ever.11700:08:39,700 –> 00:08:40,700Amen.11800:08:40,700 –> 00:08:47,039There’s this explosion of joy and praise that wells up from within him when he thinks11900:08:47,039 –> 00:08:51,340about the salvation of Jesus Christ in his own life.12000:08:51,340 –> 00:08:52,539Has that happened to you?12100:08:52,539 –> 00:08:53,760Are you familiar with that?12200:08:53,960 –> 00:08:56,919Do you know what that’s like?12300:08:56,919 –> 00:09:02,080And I want to suggest that the very passage that we have opened before us today, Paul12400:09:02,080 –> 00:09:05,739is showing us how to get there.12500:09:05,739 –> 00:09:16,020He’s beating out the path to God-exalting joy.12600:09:16,020 –> 00:09:20,760And I want us to go down that path with him.12700:09:21,020 –> 00:09:28,299Now, before we do, please remember that every Christian has a unique story of God’s grace.12800:09:28,299 –> 00:09:34,619Your life may not have been particularly dramatic or even spectacularly interesting.12900:09:34,619 –> 00:09:37,099But think about this.13000:09:37,099 –> 00:09:49,539However ordinary you may, your own life may have been, if God has saved you from hell13100:09:49,539 –> 00:09:57,940and made you a son or daughter of the sovereign creator of the universe.13200:09:57,940 –> 00:10:08,719And if he actually dwells in you by his Holy Spirit, you have an amazing story by any standards,13300:10:08,719 –> 00:10:09,719right?13400:10:09,719 –> 00:10:12,580I mean, that is extraordinary.13500:10:12,580 –> 00:10:19,020It is of eternal significance, and if you are in Jesus Christ, this is the reality of13600:10:19,419 –> 00:10:20,760happened in you.13700:10:20,760 –> 00:10:24,919That is no small thing.13800:10:24,919 –> 00:10:30,820And you have, therefore, an amazing story to tell that will be glorifying to God, can13900:10:30,820 –> 00:10:36,820be helpful to others, and will be fruitful in your own life in the very telling of it.14000:10:36,820 –> 00:10:41,979Because if you are discerning your own life correctly, then to look at God’s grace to14100:10:41,979 –> 00:10:49,000you in Christ will bring you where it brought Paul, to that place of joy in Jesus Christ.14200:10:49,099 –> 00:10:53,719And may God bring us there even this morning.14300:10:53,719 –> 00:10:56,059All of this is in the passage here today.14400:10:56,059 –> 00:11:01,619I want us, therefore, to be learning amongst other things how to give a testimony.14500:11:01,619 –> 00:11:06,760How can you give a testimony in a way that will be glorifying to God and helpful to others14600:11:06,760 –> 00:11:09,539and building in your own spiritual life.14700:11:09,539 –> 00:11:11,219How can you do that?14800:11:11,219 –> 00:11:15,119And I want to encourage you to do it this week.14900:11:15,119 –> 00:11:21,940You may like to follow the example of Paul here and to write your testimony to God’s15000:11:21,940 –> 00:11:22,940grace.15100:11:22,940 –> 00:11:24,539Write it out this week.15200:11:24,539 –> 00:11:29,640Now please don’t write 10 pages because if you do, what’ll happen is you’ll get lost15300:11:29,640 –> 00:11:31,799in the details.15400:11:31,799 –> 00:11:37,239I counted the words in the English here, Paul writes his testimony in 152 words.15500:11:37,239 –> 00:11:38,239Ok?15600:11:38,239 –> 00:11:41,039So, shoot for 150.15700:11:41,400 –> 00:11:45,140Now I want to encourage you, seriously this week you write out a 150 word statement of15800:11:45,140 –> 00:11:48,080what God has done for you in Christ, it will do your own sole good.15900:11:48,080 –> 00:11:50,760It’ll be glorifying to Him and it may be helpful to others.16000:11:50,760 –> 00:11:56,219Here’s something else, if you’re in a life group, bring your 150 word statement to your16100:11:56,219 –> 00:12:00,679life group, share it with others, it will be a means of encouraging them and it will16200:12:00,679 –> 00:12:04,679be glorifying to God.16300:12:04,679 –> 00:12:07,340This is one of the ways in which we encourage each other folks.16400:12:07,500 –> 00:12:13,340And that’s why Paul is giving his testimony here to strengthen Timothy and your story16500:12:13,340 –> 00:12:19,640of God’s grace will be a means by which you can minister into the lives of others.16600:12:20,479 –> 00:12:25,520You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Gospel Salvation,16700:12:25,520 –> 00:12:30,059part of our series Ten Distinctives of a Gospel Centred Church.16800:12:30,059 –> 00:12:34,140If you’ve ever missed one of the messages in the series, you can easily catch up or16900:12:34,140 –> 00:12:39,739go back and listen again by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk17000:12:39,739 –> 00:12:43,979And you can also find the messages as a podcast on all the main podcast sites.17100:12:43,979 –> 00:12:48,619Search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link from our website.17200:12:48,619 –> 00:12:51,840Back to the message now. Here again is Colin.17300:12:51,840 –> 00:12:56,880Now there is a threefold pattern here and it is, I think, of great significance.17400:12:57,340 –> 00:13:00,299Number one, when you are writing your testimony,17500:13:00,299 –> 00:13:02,200and indeed when you’re thinking more broadly17600:13:02,200 –> 00:13:04,799about what God has done for you in Christ,17700:13:04,799 –> 00:13:08,599remember your sins redemptively.17800:13:08,599 –> 00:13:11,280Now help me by completing the statement here, please.17900:13:13,280 –> 00:13:17,880Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.18000:13:17,880 –> 00:13:24,000So if I do not see my own sinfulness, if I don’t get that,18100:13:24,059 –> 00:13:27,840then I will never feel connected to Jesus Christ18200:13:27,840 –> 00:13:28,960and his coming into the world.18300:13:28,960 –> 00:13:30,599It’ll always seem out there to me,18400:13:30,599 –> 00:13:33,960unless and until I see my own sins18500:13:33,960 –> 00:13:35,539because he came into the world for sinners.18600:13:35,539 –> 00:13:38,719When I see that that’s me then I have a connection to him18700:13:38,719 –> 00:13:40,020and do his great work.18800:13:41,280 –> 00:13:44,239Now, from time to time I have the opportunity18900:13:44,239 –> 00:13:47,559of speaking to someone who’ll be really honest19000:13:47,559 –> 00:13:48,919and they’ll say this,19100:13:49,799 –> 00:13:53,880Pastor I gotta tell you I’m bored with my faith.19200:13:53,880 –> 00:13:54,719Bored.19300:13:55,679 –> 00:13:58,359It isn’t doing anything for me.19400:13:58,359 –> 00:14:00,859It’s not exciting to me.19500:14:00,859 –> 00:14:01,700It’s flat.19600:14:01,700 –> 00:14:02,539It’s dull.19700:14:02,539 –> 00:14:03,900It’s lifeless.19800:14:05,000 –> 00:14:07,559I’m always grateful when someone who is in that position19900:14:07,559 –> 00:14:08,400is really honest.20000:14:08,400 –> 00:14:10,239Here is what I’ve found.20100:14:12,039 –> 00:14:16,419I’ve found that if I then ask that person20200:14:16,460 –> 00:14:18,020can you tell me20300:14:19,780 –> 00:14:22,359some sins in your life20400:14:23,239 –> 00:14:26,119that Jesus Christ has forgiven,20500:14:26,960 –> 00:14:29,159that person is immediately in difficulty.20600:14:29,159 –> 00:14:30,659You can’t easily think of one.20700:14:32,840 –> 00:14:34,640Remember what Jesus said.20800:14:34,640 –> 00:14:39,640He who has been forgiven much loves much.20900:14:41,679 –> 00:14:43,159If you have no awareness,21000:14:43,159 –> 00:14:45,880if you have difficulty of thinking of a single sin21100:14:47,080 –> 00:14:49,380that has actually been forgiven in your life,21200:14:49,380 –> 00:14:51,059you can’t write it down on a piece of paper,21300:14:51,059 –> 00:14:53,380you’ve got no sense of you’re being a sinner21400:14:53,380 –> 00:14:55,780in any meaningful way,21500:14:55,780 –> 00:14:58,500then don’t be surprised that you don’t love Jesus much.21600:14:58,500 –> 00:15:00,900Don’t be surprised that your faith seems flat and dull21700:15:00,900 –> 00:15:02,380and boring and lifeless.21800:15:02,380 –> 00:15:04,039Don’t be surprised that you don’t feel21900:15:04,039 –> 00:15:05,760a need of the cross.22000:15:07,940 –> 00:15:08,859Have you thought about this?22100:15:08,859 –> 00:15:11,039Will you think about it now?22200:15:13,179 –> 00:15:15,580What sins would be on your list22300:15:17,280 –> 00:15:19,479remembering your sins is important22400:15:19,479 –> 00:15:22,140because if you do not know that you are a sinner,22500:15:23,820 –> 00:15:25,940you will always feel that Jesus Christ22600:15:25,940 –> 00:15:28,880and his saving work is out there removed from you22700:15:28,880 –> 00:15:31,500and your faith, whatever it’s content is gonna be22800:15:31,500 –> 00:15:32,739will be flat, dull and boring.22900:15:32,739 –> 00:15:36,580It will never take you into the Christ exalting joy23000:15:36,580 –> 00:15:39,320that the Apostle Paul evidences for us here.23100:15:40,359 –> 00:15:41,780By the way, a little sidebar,23200:15:41,780 –> 00:15:43,780since we’re talking about sharing testimonies,23300:15:43,780 –> 00:15:46,900let me give you this counsel with regards23400:15:46,900 –> 00:15:50,280to sharing past sins with others.23500:15:51,260 –> 00:15:54,619Some folks may be helped by knowing what you did23600:15:54,619 –> 00:15:57,520and what you’ve been forgiven for in the past.23700:15:57,520 –> 00:16:00,140Others would be better helped by not knowing23800:16:00,140 –> 00:16:04,159what you did and what you were forgiven for in the past.23900:16:04,159 –> 00:16:06,140You may choose to share some things24000:16:06,140 –> 00:16:08,840with some people when it will be helpful.24100:16:08,840 –> 00:16:11,840You will not share all things with all people.24200:16:11,859 –> 00:16:13,599What you will do is you will consider24300:16:13,599 –> 00:16:16,099the degree of trust in the relationship,24400:16:16,099 –> 00:16:17,859the depth of that relationship,24500:16:17,859 –> 00:16:21,780and the maturity of the person in discerning24600:16:21,780 –> 00:16:24,400what is best with regards what you share.24700:16:25,440 –> 00:16:28,940But of course, Paul’s sins were public.24800:16:29,940 –> 00:16:31,960Everyone knew what he had done.24900:16:31,960 –> 00:16:33,260It was infamous.25000:16:34,200 –> 00:16:36,599And Paul uses what was known here25100:16:36,599 –> 00:16:38,539for the glory of God.25200:16:39,500 –> 00:16:44,500And you will see that he identifies three specific sins.25300:16:44,500 –> 00:16:46,479Number one, he says, I was once a blasphemer.25400:16:46,479 –> 00:16:49,260Number one, he says, I was once a blasphemer.25500:16:49,260 –> 00:16:51,359That’s verse 13.25600:16:51,359 –> 00:16:56,039Now, we get a little more of that in Acts chapter 26.25700:16:56,039 –> 00:16:59,179In verse nine of Acts 26, he says,25800:16:59,179 –> 00:17:02,840I was convinced that I ought to do all that was possible25900:17:02,840 –> 00:17:06,760to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth.26000:17:06,760 –> 00:17:08,199Folks, that’s blasphemy.26100:17:08,719 –> 00:17:11,959To oppose Jesus of Nazareth.26200:17:11,959 –> 00:17:13,520That’s what it means.26300:17:13,520 –> 00:17:16,979And Paul says, for a long time in my life,26400:17:16,979 –> 00:17:21,979I opposed Jesus Christ, I resisted Jesus Christ.26500:17:22,439 –> 00:17:24,439I spoke against Jesus Christ.26600:17:24,439 –> 00:17:26,839He says in Acts chapter 26 verse 11,26700:17:26,839 –> 00:17:28,579I even tried to get other people26800:17:28,579 –> 00:17:30,579to speak against Jesus Christ.26900:17:30,579 –> 00:17:33,319I encouraged others into the same blasphemy.27000:17:33,319 –> 00:17:37,540I brought others to be resisted to Jesus as I was.27100:17:38,699 –> 00:17:40,579Now there may be many of us here who would say,27200:17:40,579 –> 00:17:45,579you know, that has to be a sin that was long in my life.27300:17:47,859 –> 00:17:52,479For how many years did you resist Jesus Christ27400:17:52,479 –> 00:17:54,219and His claims upon your life?27500:17:54,219 –> 00:17:56,020You thwarted the Spirit.27600:17:57,079 –> 00:17:59,060You turned a deaf ear towards the Word of God.27700:17:59,060 –> 00:18:00,000You pushed Him away.27800:18:00,000 –> 00:18:01,800That’s blasphemy.27900:18:01,800 –> 00:18:04,900To resist Jesus Christ, the Son of God.28000:18:05,900 –> 00:18:09,300Then Paul says, I was once a persecutor.28100:18:09,300 –> 00:18:13,319Now there are some things, whenever we think of them28200:18:13,319 –> 00:18:16,579in our lives, that will always bring us pain.28300:18:17,979 –> 00:18:20,020And here’s one for Paul.28400:18:20,020 –> 00:18:22,500It was like there was a stab in his heart28500:18:22,500 –> 00:18:24,020every time he came to his mind.28600:18:24,020 –> 00:18:26,020I persecuted the church.28700:18:27,199 –> 00:18:28,719Do you remember, he says in 1 Corinthians 59,28800:18:28,719 –> 00:18:31,040I am the least of the apostles.28900:18:31,040 –> 00:18:34,180I do not even deserve to be called an apostle29000:18:34,180 –> 00:18:37,099because I persecuted the church of God.29100:18:38,520 –> 00:18:42,560That is, oh, I persecuted the church of God.29200:18:45,520 –> 00:18:47,939So not only did Paul resist Christ,29300:18:47,939 –> 00:18:50,079he resented the church, he harmed the church,29400:18:50,079 –> 00:18:52,979he injured the people of God.29500:18:52,979 –> 00:18:53,979He said I did that.29600:18:55,979 –> 00:18:57,660By the way, have you noticed that some people29700:18:57,660 –> 00:18:59,459want to say that they love Jesus29800:18:59,459 –> 00:19:02,920but they carry a massive resentment towards the church?29900:19:04,180 –> 00:19:05,420How is that possible?30000:19:07,300 –> 00:19:10,160The church is the bride of Christ,30100:19:11,099 –> 00:19:13,060sometimes an unattractive bride,30200:19:14,339 –> 00:19:16,339sometimes an unfaithful bride,30300:19:17,420 –> 00:19:21,920but the church, Ephesians five, is the bride of Christ.30400:19:22,900 –> 00:19:24,979You love Christ?30500:19:24,979 –> 00:19:26,079You love the bride.30600:19:27,219 –> 00:19:29,300One writer I thought put this very helpfully,30700:19:29,300 –> 00:19:30,780I was just reading the other week,30800:19:30,780 –> 00:19:33,839he said, you know, if I say to you,30900:19:35,260 –> 00:19:39,339I’m your friend, but then I say,31000:19:39,339 –> 00:19:41,079I hate your wife,31100:19:41,959 –> 00:19:43,959am I really your friend?31200:19:45,060 –> 00:19:46,439You see what he’s saying,31300:19:46,439 –> 00:19:48,300you say, I’m a friend of Jesus Christ,31400:19:48,300 –> 00:19:51,300but I’m carrying a load of resentment towards God’s people,31500:19:52,500 –> 00:19:54,640in what sense really is one a friend of Christ31600:19:54,640 –> 00:19:56,800if one does not the bride of Christ?31700:19:57,739 –> 00:19:59,359Well, Paul’s confessing the sin.31800:20:00,280 –> 00:20:03,760He’s saying not only did I resist Christ,31900:20:03,760 –> 00:20:07,640but I was filled with resentment towards Christian people.32000:20:07,640 –> 00:20:11,319The very brothers and sisters who I am called to love.32100:20:12,959 –> 00:20:17,719And then he says, I was once a violent man, verse 13.32200:20:17,719 –> 00:20:22,339Some of us, we will want to confess and on this also.32300:20:23,439 –> 00:20:27,280See behind this resistance to Jesus Christ in his life32400:20:27,319 –> 00:20:30,699and behind this resentment towards Christian people,32500:20:30,699 –> 00:20:33,680there was an anger in Paul, it was churning.32600:20:33,680 –> 00:20:36,199There was a conflict that was going on inside him,32700:20:36,199 –> 00:20:38,079his conscience was troubling him.32800:20:38,079 –> 00:20:40,880And what happened was it spilled out32900:20:40,880 –> 00:20:43,680in bringing injury into the lives of people33000:20:43,680 –> 00:20:45,500God had placed around him.33100:20:46,939 –> 00:20:49,880And he says, I’ve wounded other people, I own it.33200:20:52,060 –> 00:20:53,780Isn’t this a marvelous thing?33300:20:53,780 –> 00:20:58,780Here is a man who is not afraid to face his past sins.33400:21:01,140 –> 00:21:02,560See that’s what the Gospel does.33500:21:02,560 –> 00:21:04,380It produces honesty.33600:21:05,219 –> 00:21:07,300It gets us out of denial.33700:21:07,300 –> 00:21:10,180It gets us out of hiding from the past.33800:21:10,180 –> 00:21:13,760It enables a man or a woman to face the truth33900:21:13,760 –> 00:21:16,819and to stop making excuses.34000:21:19,900 –> 00:21:20,739Now, folks,34100:21:21,300 –> 00:21:24,300when you remember your sins,34200:21:24,300 –> 00:21:25,760here’s the really big thing.34300:21:27,219 –> 00:21:32,219Please remember them redemptively.34400:21:32,420 –> 00:21:35,020If you’re taking notes, triple underline34500:21:35,020 –> 00:21:39,479as many times as you want the word redemptively,34600:21:39,479 –> 00:21:41,140because here’s what will happen.34700:21:41,140 –> 00:21:42,680We need to remember our sins.34800:21:42,680 –> 00:21:45,400We need to remember that we are sinners.34900:21:45,400 –> 00:21:47,719Otherwise we will never have any joy in Christ35000:21:47,719 –> 00:21:49,579and faith will always be a vague kind of thing35100:21:49,579 –> 00:21:51,280that will be dull and boring to us.35200:21:52,920 –> 00:21:55,319But as soon as you do remember your sins,35300:21:55,319 –> 00:21:58,800Satan will be at your elbow and he’ll say yes indeed,35400:21:58,800 –> 00:22:02,839and he will try to bring you into defeat.35500:22:02,839 –> 00:22:04,800Actually that may well happen for some of us35600:22:04,800 –> 00:22:05,660when we’re in church.35700:22:05,660 –> 00:22:07,339Do you find sometimes that your own sins35800:22:07,339 –> 00:22:10,560come to your mind in church more than at other times?35900:22:10,560 –> 00:22:12,599That your own failures live your memory,36000:22:12,599 –> 00:22:15,239perhaps, when you’re lying on your bed at night36100:22:15,239 –> 00:22:16,380and you can’t sleep?36200:22:17,300 –> 00:22:20,839We need to remember our sins redemptively.36300:22:20,839 –> 00:22:25,099Listen, the Lord Jesus Christ did not come into the world36400:22:25,099 –> 00:22:28,300and hang on a cross to remove the condemnation of God36500:22:28,300 –> 00:22:30,300from you simply so that you could live36600:22:30,300 –> 00:22:33,500under a new condemnation that you impose on yourself.36700:22:35,119 –> 00:22:37,060There is now no condemnation36800:22:37,060 –> 00:22:39,359for those who are in Christ Jesus.36900:22:39,359 –> 00:22:40,819You’ve been listening to Open The Bible37000:22:40,819 –> 00:22:42,479with Pastor Colin Smith37100:22:42,839 –> 00:22:43,900Hi everybody, I’m Colin Smith37200:22:43,900 –> 00:22:45,819and a message called Gospel Salvation,37300:22:45,819 –> 00:22:46,939part of our series,37400:22:46,939 –> 00:22:50,33910 Distinctives of a Gospel-Centred Church.37500:22:50,339 –> 00:22:52,219And you’ll be able to hear the second part37600:22:52,219 –> 00:22:54,619of this message in our next broadcast.37700:22:54,619 –> 00:22:56,319I hope you’ll tune in for that.37800:22:56,319 –> 00:22:58,660Open The Bible is supported by our listeners.37900:22:58,660 –> 00:23:00,319It’s people just like you.38000:23:00,319 –> 00:23:01,739And we’re extremely grateful38100:23:01,739 –> 00:23:03,699for the support we receive from you.38200:23:03,699 –> 00:23:05,739So if you already give to Open The Bible,38300:23:05,739 –> 00:23:07,500thank you so much.38400:23:07,500 –> 00:23:09,020If you’re considering beginning38500:23:09,020 –> 00:23:11,380to support Open The Bible financially,38600:23:11,420 –> 00:23:13,939this month we have a great offer for you.38700:23:13,939 –> 00:23:16,219If you’re able to begin a direct debit38800:23:16,219 –> 00:23:18,780of five pounds per month or more,38900:23:18,780 –> 00:23:22,020or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more,39000:23:22,020 –> 00:23:23,660we’d love to say thank you39100:23:23,660 –> 00:23:26,900by sending you a copy of John Stott’s book,39200:23:26,900 –> 00:23:28,939The Incomparable Christ.39300:23:28,939 –> 00:23:31,780Colin, who was John Stott?39400:23:31,780 –> 00:23:32,979Oh, well, John Stott was one39500:23:32,979 –> 00:23:35,359of the most influential Christian leaders39600:23:35,359 –> 00:23:36,819of the 20th century,39700:23:36,819 –> 00:23:39,699a faithful preacher, a wise pastor,39800:23:39,699 –> 00:23:40,880a brilliant scholar39900:23:40,939 –> 00:23:43,979who served the church faithfully for over 60 years.40000:23:43,979 –> 00:23:47,560He really is one of my heroes of the faith.40100:23:47,560 –> 00:23:49,959You know, I have valued the advice40200:23:49,959 –> 00:23:52,239I was given years ago, Steve,40300:23:52,239 –> 00:23:54,560choose a book by its author.40400:23:54,560 –> 00:23:56,880And so this is a really good author,40500:23:56,880 –> 00:24:00,319but it’s a really good author on a really great subject.40600:24:00,319 –> 00:24:01,680I mean, this is John Stott40700:24:01,680 –> 00:24:04,800on the person of our Lord, Jesus Christ.40800:24:04,800 –> 00:24:06,280Who is Jesus?40900:24:06,280 –> 00:24:07,920Jesus was the central focus41000:24:07,920 –> 00:24:10,359of all of John Stott’s work and life41100:24:10,359 –> 00:24:13,479as He should be the central focus of all of our lives.41200:24:13,479 –> 00:24:16,839And this wonderful book just opens up41300:24:16,839 –> 00:24:19,459the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ41400:24:19,459 –> 00:24:21,160as we find Him in the New Testament,41500:24:21,160 –> 00:24:23,520as He’s inspired people throughout history,41600:24:23,520 –> 00:24:25,420and as one day we’re going to see Him41700:24:25,420 –> 00:24:27,800when He comes again in power and glory.41800:24:27,800 –> 00:24:30,040For anyone who loves Jesus,41900:24:30,040 –> 00:24:33,180to read a great book about Jesus Christ42000:24:33,180 –> 00:24:34,520is a good thing to do.42100:24:34,520 –> 00:24:36,719And I think this is one of the best books42200:24:36,719 –> 00:24:40,199you could read about the person of our Lord Jesus Christ,42300:24:40,400 –> 00:24:41,939Well, this book by John Stott,42400:24:41,939 –> 00:24:44,680The Incomparable Christ is our gift to you42500:24:44,680 –> 00:24:46,680when you begin a new direct debit42600:24:46,680 –> 00:24:48,439to the work of Open the Bible42700:24:48,439 –> 00:24:51,560in the amount of five pounds per month or more,42800:24:51,560 –> 00:24:55,699or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more this month.42900:24:55,699 –> 00:24:58,079Full terms and conditions are on our website.43000:24:58,079 –> 00:25:01,619That’s at openthebible.org.uk43100:25:01,619 –> 00:25:03,599and you can give online.43200:25:03,599 –> 00:25:06,160Don’t forget to leave your full name and address43300:25:06,160 –> 00:25:09,020so we can send you your free gift.43400:25:09,540 –> 00:25:10,859Before Open the Bible43500:25:10,859 –> 00:25:12,359and Pastor Colin Smith,43600:25:12,359 –> 00:25:13,680I’m David Pick43700:25:13,680 –> 00:25:15,520and I look forward to you joining us again43800:25:15,520 –> 00:25:17,599for our next programme.43900:25:21,859 –> 00:25:23,859You might be surprised to learn44000:25:23,859 –> 00:25:26,099that sometimes Satan will be very happy44100:25:26,099 –> 00:25:28,060for you to forget your sins.44200:25:28,060 –> 00:25:30,739Discover why next time on Open the Bible.