1 00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:07,000 You’re listening to a sermon from Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 2 00:00:07,000 –> 00:00:15,540 To contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN365 or visit our website open the bible.org. 3 00:00:15,540 –> 00:00:21,240 Let’s get to the message, here is Pastor Colin. 4 00:00:21,240 –> 00:00:24,879 Please open your Bible at Psalm 23. 5 00:00:25,520 –> 00:00:33,580 I have two aims for this series and this wonderful Psalm, the first is to encourage. 6 00:00:33,580 –> 00:00:39,919 These are days where many of us know what it is to feel tired and jaded and flat. 7 00:00:39,919 –> 00:00:46,060 It’s easy to get discouraged and we’re looking at this Psalm because for three thousand years 8 00:00:46,060 –> 00:00:50,660 God has used it to bring encouragement to his people. 9 00:00:51,599 –> 00:00:59,560 The reason that this psalm is so deeply loved is that in every verse there is a blessing 10 00:00:59,560 –> 00:01:04,239 that belongs to those who are wholly owned by the Son of God. 11 00:01:04,239 –> 00:01:08,620 The Lord is my shepherd, and here’s what that means. 12 00:01:08,620 –> 00:01:10,099 He leads me. 13 00:01:10,099 –> 00:01:11,260 He leads me into rest. 14 00:01:11,260 –> 00:01:14,180 He leads me into righteousness. 15 00:01:14,180 –> 00:01:16,720 It means he restores me. 16 00:01:16,720 –> 00:01:19,180 It means he brings me back when I wander. 17 00:01:19,180 –> 00:01:23,320 It means me – he picks me up when I falter. 18 00:01:23,320 –> 00:01:27,580 So, the first aim of this series is to encourage. 19 00:01:27,580 –> 00:01:33,260 If you are a believer, my prayer for you is that you will find strength and that you’ll 20 00:01:33,260 –> 00:01:40,040 find peace and that you’ll find joy as we discover afresh all that is ours in the Lord 21 00:01:40,040 –> 00:01:42,739 Jesus Christ. 22 00:01:42,739 –> 00:01:49,820 And the second aim of this series is to entice, to entice. 23 00:01:49,820 –> 00:01:55,860 If you have not yet surrendered your life to the great Shepherd of the sheep, the Lord 24 00:01:55,860 –> 00:02:03,080 Jesus Christ, if you have not yet been bought and born into the flock of God, I want to 25 00:02:03,080 –> 00:02:08,800 entice you with what could be yours. 26 00:02:08,800 –> 00:02:15,179 My prayer for you is that as we go through this psalm, and as you see what it means to 27 00:02:15,179 –> 00:02:23,600 be led into rest, and led into righteousness, to be restored, to be picked up when you are 28 00:02:23,600 –> 00:02:28,220 down because you belong to the good Shepherd — my prayer for you is that you’ll begin 29 00:02:28,220 –> 00:02:32,899 to say, oh I wish these things were true of me. 30 00:02:32,899 –> 00:02:40,320 And these things can be yours, and they will be yours when you come to give yourself into 31 00:02:40,320 –> 00:02:43,000 the care of the good Shepherd. 32 00:02:43,000 –> 00:02:46,419 The Lord is my Shepherd. 33 00:02:46,419 –> 00:02:54,199 Now today we’re coming to something that should encourage all who believe and entice 34 00:02:54,199 –> 00:02:57,500 those who are yet to believe. 35 00:02:57,720 –> 00:03:07,160 The Good Shepherd who leads you, who restores you, He will guard your soul. 36 00:03:07,160 –> 00:03:08,300 David says, 37 00:03:08,779 –> 00:03:19,979 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for 38 00:03:19,979 –> 00:03:25,460 you are with me your rod and staff. 39 00:03:25,720 –> 00:03:26,919 They comfort me.” 40 00:03:27,740 –> 00:03:34,000 Now, if you thought that the psalm was all about, you know, fluffy sheep lying down in 41 00:03:34,000 –> 00:03:40,639 green meadows and quiet waters all the time running by, and you thought, wow, this sounds 42 00:03:40,639 –> 00:03:48,440 very quaint and very sentimental, I am so glad you are here to take a second look at 43 00:03:48,559 –> 00:03:50,500 this remarkable psalm. 44 00:03:50,500 –> 00:03:57,800 The 23rd psalm deals with the harshest realities of life. 45 00:03:57,800 –> 00:04:02,199 I don’t find it easy to rest. 46 00:04:02,199 –> 00:04:06,779 I need the shepherd to make me lie down. 47 00:04:06,779 –> 00:04:08,179 My heart wanders. 48 00:04:08,179 –> 00:04:09,520 My faith falters. 49 00:04:09,520 –> 00:04:14,619 I need the shepherd to restore me. 50 00:04:14,860 –> 00:04:19,899 Today we’re looking at the harshest reality of all. 51 00:04:19,899 –> 00:04:28,720 One day, I will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. 52 00:04:28,720 –> 00:04:33,540 And this is a reality that every single one of us must face. 53 00:04:33,540 –> 00:04:35,140 None of us can avoid it. 54 00:04:35,140 –> 00:04:36,140 You may not be a believer. 55 00:04:36,140 –> 00:04:39,339 You may say, well, now I am going to choose my own path. 56 00:04:39,339 –> 00:04:41,540 I’m going to live my own way. 57 00:04:41,540 –> 00:04:45,739 Listen, all paths lead to the valley of the shadow of death. 58 00:04:45,739 –> 00:04:49,160 They all end up in the same place. 59 00:04:49,160 –> 00:04:54,059 This is a valley, through which you must go, however you choose to live. 60 00:04:54,059 –> 00:04:58,559 Whatever you choose to believe, there’s no avoiding this. 61 00:04:58,559 –> 00:05:07,299 It’s the reality that every single one of us must, one day, sooner or later, face. 62 00:05:07,299 –> 00:05:11,140 Now, I want us to look at three things from this verse today. 63 00:05:11,140 –> 00:05:15,440 We’re going to look at the valley, we’re going to look at the shepherd, and then we’re going 64 00:05:15,440 –> 00:05:18,279 to look at the sheep. 65 00:05:18,279 –> 00:05:21,940 First of all then, the valley, notice what David says. 66 00:05:21,940 –> 00:05:30,579 “…even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” 67 00:05:30,579 –> 00:05:33,760 The shadow of death. 68 00:05:33,760 –> 00:05:39,760 See, death casts a long shadow. 69 00:05:39,799 –> 00:05:45,700 And David is describing here not so much death itself, the shadow. 70 00:05:45,700 –> 00:05:47,920 What leads up to death. 71 00:05:47,920 –> 00:05:51,519 The prospect of death, what comes before it. 72 00:05:51,519 –> 00:05:58,320 The dawning realization that we are going to go into this valley and that there is no 73 00:05:58,320 –> 00:06:01,359 way that any of us can avoid it. 74 00:06:01,359 –> 00:06:07,720 Now, I’ve often heard Christians say over the years something like this, you know, it’s 75 00:06:08,079 –> 00:06:11,399 not death itself that scares me. 76 00:06:11,399 –> 00:06:15,279 It’s the process of dying. 77 00:06:15,279 –> 00:06:18,679 It’s what I might have to go through to get there. 78 00:06:18,679 –> 00:06:23,519 That’s the thing that really scares me. 79 00:06:23,519 –> 00:06:26,480 Now why would Christians say that? 80 00:06:26,480 –> 00:06:33,480 Well, surely for this very good reason, that if you belong to the flock of God, the moment 81 00:06:34,359 –> 00:06:42,059 the moment of your death itself will be the most glorious experience you have ever enjoyed. 82 00:06:43,359 –> 00:06:44,959 Think about it. 83 00:06:44,959 –> 00:06:51,959 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, you’ll be away from the body, you’ll be at home 84 00:06:52,239 –> 00:06:54,600 with the Lord. 85 00:06:54,600 –> 00:06:59,480 The world with all of its pain and its conflict and its tears and it sorrow is all going to 86 00:06:59,480 –> 00:07:05,160 be behind you, faith is going to be turned to sight, and you are going to see at last, 87 00:07:05,160 –> 00:07:12,160 face to face, the one you have loved and trusted all of your life. 88 00:07:12,839 –> 00:07:19,839 If you are in Christ, the moment of death itself will be glorious for you, to be away 89 00:07:20,839 –> 00:07:27,839 from the body at home with the Lord, but getting there, that’s another business. 90 00:07:29,899 –> 00:07:36,899 Your body declining, your world contracting, your control of what is happening around you 91 00:07:40,500 –> 00:07:47,500 diminishing. It’s not the valley itself that frightens us, it’s the shadow, it’s what lies 92 00:07:51,059 –> 00:07:58,059 before, it’s getting there, and that’s what David is talking about here. 93 00:08:00,440 –> 00:08:07,440 Now, in the ESV Bible that we use in the church here, you’ll notice if your eyes are very 94 00:08:07,720 –> 00:08:14,559 sharp, that there is a footnote that tells us that this phrase, the valley of the shadow 95 00:08:14,559 –> 00:08:21,559 of death, can also be translated, the valley of deep darkness. Now that’s significant because 96 00:08:22,399 –> 00:08:29,399 of course, death is not the only valley that casts a shadow over us. Dying is the last 97 00:08:30,140 –> 00:08:37,140 valleys, but there are other valleys that we all walk through on the way. The dark valley 98 00:08:38,440 –> 00:08:45,440 of depression, the dark valley of unemployment, the dark valley of a business failure, an 99 00:08:45,900 –> 00:08:52,900 extended lawsuit, a serious illness, or caring for a person who becomes increasingly dependent 100 00:08:53,000 –> 00:09:00,000 upon you. Every Christian knows what it is to go through times of great darkness, and 101 00:09:01,440 –> 00:09:08,440 when you find yourself in great darkness, this Psalm is for you. 102 00:09:08,440 –> 00:09:15,440 The Bible tells us about a time in the life of Abraham when he experienced great darkness. 103 00:09:19,859 –> 00:09:26,859 As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram and behold 104 00:09:28,960 –> 00:09:35,960 dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. 105 00:09:36,799 –> 00:09:43,799 I wonder if you can relate to that experience. A great darkness, for a reason that you may 106 00:09:46,700 –> 00:09:53,700 not be able to explain, falls upon you. And suddenly you find yourself feeling detached 107 00:09:56,500 –> 00:10:03,479 from the world, desperately alone. You may wonder, in that moment, if God Himself has 108 00:10:03,719 –> 00:10:10,719 deserted you. Now, David says here, when I walk through the valley of deep darkness, 109 00:10:13,799 –> 00:10:20,799 you are with me. And I want you to try and take that in today. There’s a remarkable statement 110 00:10:25,080 –> 00:10:31,159 in Exodus in chapter 20, that’s where God gave the ten commandments. You remember the 111 00:10:31,159 –> 00:10:38,159 story that God came down to Mount Sinai, and when he did, the mountain itself was covered 112 00:10:40,020 –> 00:10:46,419 in darkness. The scene was absolutely terrifying. There was thunder and lightning. The whole 113 00:10:46,419 –> 00:10:53,419 mountain shook as if in an earthquake. Even Moses himself said, I am trembling with fear. 114 00:10:54,000 –> 00:11:01,000 Then God spoke the Ten Commandments in an audible voice. You shall have no other gods 115 00:11:04,359 –> 00:11:11,359 before Me. You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God. Honor your father and your 116 00:11:12,619 –> 00:11:19,539 mother. You shall not kill. You shall not steal. You shall not covet. And the people 117 00:11:19,739 –> 00:11:26,080 heard the audible voice of God thundering from the mountain. They were absolutely terrified. 118 00:11:26,080 –> 00:11:38,219 And they said to Moses, You speak to us, and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us, 119 00:11:38,640 –> 00:11:51,400 lest we die. And so Moses climbed the mountain. And then we read these remarkable words. 120 00:11:51,400 –> 00:12:07,960 Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. Take that in. The thick darkness where God 121 00:12:07,960 –> 00:12:18,200 was. And here’s what I want you to grasp today, that God is with you in the darkness as much as 122 00:12:18,440 –> 00:12:28,119 He is with you in the light. The thick darkness where God was. The Bible is very clear in telling 123 00:12:28,119 –> 00:12:36,440 us that God dwells in the light. He is the blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings. 124 00:12:36,440 –> 00:12:42,919 He is the Lord of lords. He alone has immortality and He dwells in unapproachable light. 125 00:12:43,719 –> 00:12:49,559 To him be the honor and the glory forever. 126 00:12:51,320 –> 00:12:56,440 But equally, the scripture tells us that God dwells in the darkness. 127 00:12:59,080 –> 00:13:05,479 When the temple that was built by Solomon was dedicated, Solomon said, 128 00:13:06,359 –> 00:13:10,760 the Lord has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 129 00:13:12,440 –> 00:13:19,320 Remember God made His presence known to His people in the desert through a dark pillar of cloud. 130 00:13:20,200 –> 00:13:25,880 And when the temple was dedicated, the cloud of God’s presence filled the temple. 131 00:13:27,000 –> 00:13:33,719 God is with you in the darkness as much as He is with you in the light. 132 00:13:36,359 –> 00:13:43,799 In Psalm 139, it’s a wonderful psalm. David asks this question, 133 00:13:45,239 –> 00:13:53,320 Where shall I go from Your Spirit? or where shall I flee from Your presence? 134 00:13:55,080 –> 00:14:00,440 Now, the point of the question here, it’s not that David’s trying to get away from God. 135 00:14:00,440 –> 00:14:06,039 No. Read the psalm. It’s full of his love for God, his wonder 136 00:14:06,039 –> 00:14:12,520 at all that God has done and all that he continues to do. He’s not trying to get away from God. 137 00:14:12,520 –> 00:14:17,159 When he says, Where shall I go from Your Spirit? he’s simply asking this question, 138 00:14:17,159 –> 00:14:25,960 Is there any place in life or in death where God will not be with me? 139 00:14:26,200 –> 00:14:40,599 If I ascend to Heaven, You are there. You will not be without the Lord in Heaven. 140 00:14:41,559 –> 00:14:46,280 He is the heaven of Heaven for all who love Him. 141 00:14:48,200 –> 00:14:51,960 And then David says, If I make my bed in Sheol, 142 00:14:52,919 –> 00:14:58,919 you are there. Sheol of course, was the place of the dead in the Old Testament. 143 00:14:58,919 –> 00:15:04,039 And so David is saying, I will not be without you in death. 144 00:15:06,039 –> 00:15:13,799 Then he raises a third question. If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the 145 00:15:13,799 –> 00:15:21,559 uttermost parts of the sea, even then Your hand shall lead me and Your right hand 146 00:15:22,200 –> 00:15:31,880 shall hold me. I will not be without You, O God, anywhere in the world, in the air, 147 00:15:32,520 –> 00:15:42,840 on the land or at sea. Wherever I go, Your presence will be with me and Your strong hand 148 00:15:42,840 –> 00:15:52,039 will hold me. So he’s looked at heaven, he’s looked at death, he’s looked at the entire 149 00:15:52,039 –> 00:16:00,419 geography of the globe, and then he raises one more question. What about when I enter 150 00:16:00,419 –> 00:16:11,140 a time of darkness? He says, If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light 151 00:16:11,140 –> 00:16:17,700 about me be night. Can the darkness cut me off from God? Well, here’s his answer, even 152 00:16:17,700 –> 00:16:29,979 the darkness is not dark to you. The night is bright as the day for darkness is as light 153 00:16:29,979 –> 00:16:40,119 to you. Do you see this? David is saying, God will be with me as much in the darkness 154 00:16:40,239 –> 00:16:49,880 as he is in the light. Now, here’s the thing. If you find yourself in a time of great darkness, 155 00:16:51,200 –> 00:16:57,599 you may not be able to feel the presence of God. Remember when the Lord Jesus hung on 156 00:16:57,599 –> 00:17:04,599 the cross for these six hours. For three of them he was plunged into absolute darkness. 157 00:17:04,839 –> 00:17:08,160 And in the darkness he cried out in a loud voice, 158 00:17:08,160 –> 00:17:13,119 My God, my God why have you forsaken me? 159 00:17:13,119 –> 00:17:22,680 No one ever knew the love of the Father like God the Son, but in that darkness, 160 00:17:22,680 –> 00:17:32,060 when he bore our sins for us, he was cut off from the comfort of knowing his own Father’s love. 161 00:17:32,979 –> 00:17:38,880 Was the Father there in the darkness at Calvary? 162 00:17:38,880 –> 00:17:44,780 Yes, he was. And what was he doing? 163 00:17:44,780 –> 00:17:53,780 God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ. 164 00:17:54,380 –> 00:18:00,000 God is with you in the darkness 165 00:18:00,000 –> 00:18:06,660 as much as he is with you in the light. 166 00:18:06,660 –> 00:18:12,459 Now that’s the valley, let’s look secondly at the Shepherd. 167 00:18:12,459 –> 00:18:15,420 David says, I will fear no evil 168 00:18:15,420 –> 00:18:19,859 for you are with me. 169 00:18:20,619 –> 00:18:27,680 Now how it goes with you, when you enter the dark valley, depends entirely on who 170 00:18:27,680 –> 00:18:33,459 it is that is with you. And David says, when I go into a dark place the Lord is 171 00:18:33,459 –> 00:18:41,359 with me, the Lord is my Shepherd. And here’s what’s really important here, that 172 00:18:41,359 –> 00:18:47,500 the Lord who is with you has been through the dark valley himself. 173 00:18:47,839 –> 00:18:54,199 Remember that death cast a long shadow over the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. 174 00:18:54,199 –> 00:19:01,199 He came into the world to give his life as a ransom for many. And Jesus knew that 175 00:19:01,199 –> 00:19:07,140 he had to go through the dark valley of death. Three times He told his 176 00:19:07,140 –> 00:19:12,000 disciples that He had to go to Jerusalem, and that he had to suffer and to 177 00:19:12,359 –> 00:19:17,900 die there. Jesus truly could say to the father, even though I walk through the 178 00:19:17,900 –> 00:19:25,359 valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for you, Father, are with me.” 179 00:19:25,359 –> 00:19:35,760 Our Lord entered the shadow of his death in the Garden of Gethsemane, where He 180 00:19:36,079 –> 00:19:43,500 prayed, father, if it is possible, let this cup be taken from me. You see that Jesus 181 00:19:43,500 –> 00:19:51,540 himself recoiled at the thought of what lay ahead of him. 182 00:19:51,540 –> 00:19:57,520 So don’t be surprised if you find yourself recoiling at the prospect of a 183 00:19:57,660 –> 00:20:05,920 dark valley ahead of you. But Jesus said, father, not my will, 184 00:20:05,920 –> 00:20:13,640 but yours be done. Now the Bible speaks about death 185 00:20:13,640 –> 00:20:21,760 in two distinct ways. I’m going to call these The First Death and The Second 186 00:20:21,800 –> 00:20:27,280 Death. The First Death is very simply death as we know it, that is, 187 00:20:27,280 –> 00:20:32,819 physical death in which the soul of a person is separated from their body. 188 00:20:32,819 –> 00:20:39,920 That’s the first death. But the Bible also speaks about a second death, 189 00:20:39,920 –> 00:20:47,319 and that is the judgment of God that will be poured out on the last day. 190 00:20:47,319 –> 00:20:57,280 Now here’s the thing, Jesus experienced the first death and the second death at the same time. 191 00:20:57,280 –> 00:21:04,239 Think of what happened when he went to the cross. Wicked men nailed him to that cross 192 00:21:04,239 –> 00:21:12,079 of wood, and over six hours life drained from his body. And at the same time, 193 00:21:12,079 –> 00:21:25,579 God laid on him the sins of us all and poured out upon him the judgment that was due to us. 194 00:21:25,579 –> 00:21:34,180 Now this is why the prospect of what Jesus endured was so horrendous to him in the Garden 195 00:21:34,180 –> 00:21:40,560 of Gethsemane. It was not simply that he was going to die on a cross. He faced a double death, 196 00:21:40,739 –> 00:21:49,000 his soul separated from his body and at the same time the judgment for sin being poured out on 197 00:21:49,000 –> 00:21:58,219 him. Jesus Christ faced death as no one before and no one after ever has. He endured the first 198 00:21:58,219 –> 00:22:09,260 and the second death at the same time. And here’s the good news for us, that the death of Jesus has 199 00:22:09,300 –> 00:22:19,739 changed death for all who belong to Him. So when you enter the first death, when you go through 200 00:22:19,739 –> 00:22:26,579 the valley of the shadow of death, when the moment comes of your soul being separated from 201 00:22:26,579 –> 00:22:33,739 your body, what will lie beyond that death for you, Christian believer, is not the second death. 202 00:22:34,359 –> 00:22:40,680 No, what lies on the other side of that separation of your soul and your body is the most marvelous 203 00:22:40,680 –> 00:22:48,119 welcome into the joy of your Father’s presence for ever and forever. That is why the Apostle 204 00:22:48,119 –> 00:22:56,400 Paul is able to say, oh death, where is your victory? Oh, death, where is your sting? 205 00:22:56,400 –> 00:23:09,359 Christian believers will never taste the second death. Jesus endured it for us and He has drawn 206 00:23:09,359 –> 00:23:17,079 its sting. So your death when it comes will not be an entrance into judgment and condemnation, 207 00:23:17,319 –> 00:23:27,760 it will be a translation into everlasting joy. Yes, death is still a dark valley. 208 00:23:27,760 –> 00:23:37,219 But compared to the double death that Jesus endured, what’s left for us? Well, 209 00:23:37,380 –> 00:23:47,119 it’s like a shadow, and you don’t need to be scared of shadows. Matthew Henry says 210 00:23:47,119 –> 00:23:56,099 this so very well. The shadow of a snake can’t bite you, the shadow of a sword 211 00:23:56,099 –> 00:24:06,699 can’t kill you. And, you know what? The shadow of death won’t destroy you. Death 212 00:24:06,699 –> 00:24:13,599 will separate you from your work. It will separate you from your loved ones. It 213 00:24:13,599 –> 00:24:21,579 will separate your soul from your own body, but it can never separate you from 214 00:24:21,579 –> 00:24:30,780 the love of God that is in Christ Jesus your Lord. Even though I walk through the 215 00:24:31,160 –> 00:24:40,660 valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Here’s why. For you are with 216 00:24:40,660 –> 00:24:49,260 me.” That’s the valley, the shepherd. And now let’s think lastly for a moment 217 00:24:49,260 –> 00:24:55,579 about the experience of the sheep. Even though I walk through the valley of the 218 00:24:55,579 –> 00:25:01,579 shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me, your rod and your staff, 219 00:25:01,579 –> 00:25:08,660 they comfort me. Now the rod of course, was a kind of club, think of a baseball 220 00:25:08,660 –> 00:25:15,800 bat, if you like, that the shepherd held and carried to fend off wild animals 221 00:25:15,800 –> 00:25:21,719 that might attack the sheep. The staff, well think of the shepherds crook, with 222 00:25:21,900 –> 00:25:27,180 which he would pick up one of the lambs and take it into his arms. And so the rod 223 00:25:27,180 –> 00:25:32,000 and the staff together, speak about the strength on the one hand and the love on 224 00:25:32,000 –> 00:25:39,319 the other hand of the good shepherd. However dark the valley you face may be 225 00:25:39,319 –> 00:25:44,520 you do not need to fear because the Lord is with you. That’s what David is saying 226 00:25:44,719 –> 00:25:52,400 here in the psalm. No power can snatch you from his strong hand and no 227 00:25:52,400 –> 00:26:03,800 circumstance can ever take you out of his everlasting love. Now what will it be 228 00:26:03,800 –> 00:26:13,180 like when you pass through the valley of death itself. When that moment comes and 229 00:26:13,420 –> 00:26:23,660 you actually get there? What will it be like? Some years ago a young doctor in 230 00:26:23,660 –> 00:26:30,579 our congregation here at the Orchard by the name of Marc Lovett died after a 231 00:26:30,579 –> 00:26:40,739 major operation. He was just aged 28. His father, Rod, told me about the last 232 00:26:40,760 –> 00:26:45,760 conversation or one of the last conversations he had had with his son. 233 00:26:45,760 –> 00:26:54,260 He said my son Marc was a doctor and I am a surgeon. He said we both knew that 234 00:26:54,260 –> 00:27:00,239 there was a chance that he might not come out of this operation. 235 00:27:00,239 –> 00:27:07,780 Well in this conversation Rod reminded his son Marc of the time when the 236 00:27:08,000 –> 00:27:14,699 disciples were alone in the boat at night. The wind was against them. 237 00:27:14,699 –> 00:27:23,260 The disciples were straining at the oars. They’re there in the darkness and the 238 00:27:23,260 –> 00:27:30,300 Gospels tell us that late at night Jesus went out to meet them walking on the 239 00:27:30,300 –> 00:27:36,979 water. Now imagine the scene. The disciples are looking out into the 240 00:27:36,979 –> 00:27:44,060 darkness there on the water at night, and they see this figure, and he’s coming 241 00:27:44,060 –> 00:27:48,400 towards them. Mark records that when they saw him 242 00:27:48,400 –> 00:27:57,219 walking on the sea, they thought it was a ghost, and they were terrified. And 243 00:27:57,540 –> 00:28:09,420 immediately, Mark records, Jesus said, take heart. It is I. Do not be afraid. Now 244 00:28:09,420 –> 00:28:16,020 friends, that is the most marvelous picture of what happens to a believer at 245 00:28:16,020 –> 00:28:23,300 the moment of death. You’ve been straining at the oars. The wind has been 246 00:28:23,479 –> 00:28:33,099 against you. But now into this darkness, Jesus comes and he will take you 247 00:28:33,180 –> 00:28:43,099 home. You know, the first time Carmen and I ever visited the United States, 248 00:28:43,119 –> 00:28:49,160 we spent some time with a friend of mine who is a pastor in California. 249 00:28:50,099 –> 00:28:56,239 There were a couple of men in his church who own small aircraft and one afternoon 250 00:28:56,239 –> 00:29:02,380 they took us out for a flight. We were four couples in two planes. 251 00:29:02,380 –> 00:29:08,819 Karen and myself, the other pastor and his wife and then the two pilots and their wives. 252 00:29:08,819 –> 00:29:15,359 Well, the pilot of the first plane had been flying for over 30 years and our 253 00:29:15,359 –> 00:29:22,760 friends went with them. Karen asked our pilot how long he had been flying, 254 00:29:22,760 –> 00:29:30,660 oh, he said just a few months. Well, we enjoyed a marvellous afternoon, we really 255 00:29:30,660 –> 00:29:36,959 did, flying up the coast, looking out over the Pacific Ocean and after a time, we 256 00:29:36,959 –> 00:29:41,599 landed on a small Peninsula where there was a restaurant and we enjoyed the most 257 00:29:41,699 –> 00:29:47,319 marvellous meal together, and after we had been sitting there for a little while 258 00:29:47,319 –> 00:29:54,800 the lead pilot, I noticed, began to get agitated. He got up from the table, went 259 00:29:54,800 –> 00:29:59,040 out of the restaurant, and then came back shouting, we’ve got to go, we’ve got to go, 260 00:29:59,040 –> 00:30:06,800 we’ve got to go. A heavy mist was rolling in fast, and now we were four couples 261 00:30:06,839 –> 00:30:13,359 running down the cinder track towards the runway. The lead pilot went first and 262 00:30:13,359 –> 00:30:20,119 I have never seen a plane take off so fast. He disappeared into the mist, 263 00:30:20,119 –> 00:30:25,619 and as he did so, I could see that our pilot, well, he was getting flustered, and 264 00:30:25,619 –> 00:30:34,359 I was saying my prayers. He revved up the engine and we got off the ground hardly 265 00:30:34,359 –> 00:30:44,739 able to see. Then, we heard the voice of the lead pilot, and he said, hold steady, 266 00:30:44,739 –> 00:30:55,540 just ten seconds and you’ll be through. We were all counting, five, six, seven. 267 00:30:55,540 –> 00:31:01,239 It was scary. But, you know, when we reached the count of ten we burst 268 00:31:02,199 –> 00:31:24,339 The Lord Jesus Christ will not leave you in the darkness. He will bring you safely home. 269 00:31:24,959 –> 00:31:35,439 All the way my Saviour leads me. O the fulness of his love. Perfect rest to me 270 00:31:35,439 –> 00:31:44,719 is promised in my Father’s house above when my spirit clothed immortal wings 271 00:31:45,520 –> 00:31:55,599 its flight to realms of day. This, my song through endless ages, Jesus led me all 272 00:31:55,599 –> 00:32:06,079 the way.” Let’s pray together. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow 273 00:32:06,880 –> 00:32:20,800 of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Father, we thank you for this 274 00:32:22,160 –> 00:32:31,920 glorious blessing of the presence of your Son our Savior with us every step of 275 00:32:32,479 –> 00:32:41,439 the way. Use this truth, we pray, to encourage and strengthen all who belong to your flock 276 00:32:43,199 –> 00:32:51,359 and to entice others that they too, in repentance and faith, may embrace Christ 277 00:32:52,319 –> 00:32:53,839 as their savior and lord. 278 00:32:55,359 –> 00:32:59,680 For it is in his name that we pray. Amen. 279 00:33:04,319 –> 00:33:08,000 You’ve been listening to a sermon with Pastor Colin Smith of Open the Bible. 280 00:33:08,000 –> 00:33:19,040 To contact us call us at 1-877-OPEN-365. Or visit our website www.openthebible.org.