100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:02,760I200:00:03,140 –> 00:00:09,560Know that some people and that this is increasingly the case in our culture and the culture always seeps in somehow to the church300:00:09,560 –> 00:00:11,440So you here it around the church a lot as well400:00:11,440 –> 00:00:16,799There are people who will say the only thing that should ever be heard or spoken of in church is love500:00:17,600 –> 00:00:19,400My love is all we need600:00:19,400 –> 00:00:21,600That was the beatles not the Bible, by the way700:00:22,120 –> 00:00:28,280Welcome to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David pick. I’m glad you could be with us today and Colin800:00:28,280 –> 00:00:29,600That’s a nice sentiment900:00:29,860 –> 00:00:31,520But that is not the whole truth1000:00:31,520 –> 00:00:32,380is it1100:00:32,380 –> 00:00:38,959Today we begin to think about the subject of hell and we find that this is something that Jesus spoke about. In fact quite often1200:00:39,279 –> 00:00:43,080Yes, he did and was uniquely able to do that and1300:00:43,840 –> 00:00:48,139For those of us who are called to preach. It is incredibly difficult to do that1400:00:48,720 –> 00:00:51,020But that’s not a reason for running away from it1500:00:51,200 –> 00:00:54,480You know in the culture Scottish culture from which I come1600:00:54,740 –> 00:00:58,619There’s a story about I believe Robert Murray McShane. One of my1700:00:59,000 –> 00:01:00,820great heroes and1800:01:00,820 –> 00:01:05,500A friend of his who was a pastor had preached on the subject of hell the previous Sunday1900:01:05,500 –> 00:01:08,900And when they were talking McShane said to him, did you preach it with tears?2000:01:10,160 –> 00:01:11,220and2100:01:11,220 –> 00:01:16,540he had a real sense that that is the only way that you could speak about such a thing with a broken heart and2200:01:16,879 –> 00:01:24,500I think one of the reasons that many people today are not interested or willing to hear anything about the subject is that perhaps2300:01:24,660 –> 00:01:31,300There have been some who have spoken off it with a harshness of spirit and a note of condemnation and2400:01:32,500 –> 00:01:36,820even a relish at what is coming to those who hate God and who2500:01:37,580 –> 00:01:41,580Indulge in sin you don’t find anything of that in Jesus2600:01:41,580 –> 00:01:44,400He comes to save us from this2700:01:44,400 –> 00:01:51,459but there is a reality from which people need to be saved and not to speak about it is not to love and not to2800:01:51,459 –> 00:01:52,339deal with the truth2900:01:52,419 –> 00:01:59,779and so as we try to unlock the bible we want to unlock it in its fullness and that includes what Jesus says to us in3000:01:59,980 –> 00:02:02,120regards to this most serious of subjects3100:02:02,360 –> 00:02:07,779So we’ll begin today to think about the three strands in the teaching of Jesus about hell3200:02:07,860 –> 00:02:13,899So I hope you’ll join us if you can in your Bible in Mark chapter 9. Here’s Colin3300:02:14,500 –> 00:02:16,259every person3400:02:16,259 –> 00:02:21,339Who has ever lived will personally experience either heaven or hell?3500:02:21,919 –> 00:02:24,020Nobody will experience both3600:02:25,740 –> 00:02:32,679all will experience one or the other you will experience heaven or you will experience hell and that is true for3700:02:33,339 –> 00:02:35,800every person you know and meet3800:02:37,740 –> 00:02:44,199All of us therefore need to hear about hell either as a warning with regards to where you are heading or3900:02:45,139 –> 00:02:47,139else as an4000:02:47,300 –> 00:02:49,839appreciation of what it is that you have been saved from4100:02:50,839 –> 00:02:52,839I4200:02:53,419 –> 00:03:00,160Believe in hell because I cannot escape the clarity with which our Lord Jesus Christ spoke about it as4300:03:00,740 –> 00:03:03,419a church we believe in hell if4400:03:04,220 –> 00:03:05,580you are a member of this church4500:03:05,580 –> 00:03:11,320You will have expressed your agreement at some point to the statement of faith that describes4600:03:11,419 –> 00:03:15,199the great doctrines of the Christian faith that we hold in common as a4700:03:15,839 –> 00:03:19,080congregation and to which we bear witness in the world and4800:03:19,580 –> 00:03:24,339In that statement of faith if you’re going into the membership class and coming in as a new member of the church4900:03:24,500 –> 00:03:26,539You’ll have an opportunity to review this5000:03:26,539 –> 00:03:31,559you’ll be asked if this is something that you too are able to uphold and to agree with and5100:03:31,580 –> 00:03:38,559To believe and we say this that we believe that God will raise the dead bodily and judge the world5200:03:39,619 –> 00:03:41,619assigning the unbeliever to5300:03:42,139 –> 00:03:43,740condemnation and5400:03:43,740 –> 00:03:44,880eternal5500:03:44,880 –> 00:03:46,160conscious5600:03:46,160 –> 00:03:47,300punishment and5700:03:47,759 –> 00:03:51,220The believer to eternal blessedness and joy with our Lord5800:03:51,220 –> 00:03:53,240That’s the statement of faith of our church5900:03:53,240 –> 00:04:00,059We bear witness to these truths because we find them in the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ6000:04:01,699 –> 00:04:03,039Now6100:04:03,039 –> 00:04:07,759We need sometimes to just stop and say that I really believe in heaven6200:04:08,979 –> 00:04:10,979So I really believe in hell6300:04:11,580 –> 00:04:12,660Now6400:04:12,660 –> 00:04:18,140We’re not thinking about these things all the time folks, but we are thinking about them today6500:04:18,140 –> 00:04:22,440and we need to be thinking about them sometimes because they are6600:04:22,700 –> 00:04:28,059Eternal in their scope and nothing carries greater weight therefore than this6700:04:29,019 –> 00:04:35,440Now I have set myself a discipline for today and I have asked the Lord for his help in this regard and that6800:04:36,100 –> 00:04:38,459Discipline is to be measured in6900:04:39,140 –> 00:04:42,260Everything that I say to you from the pulpit today7000:04:42,799 –> 00:04:48,179My aim is very simply to show you and to explain as best I can what our Lord7100:04:48,179 –> 00:04:54,220Jesus says in relation to hell. I want you to see his words and to hear what your Lord says7200:04:55,440 –> 00:04:59,320Second I want to attempt an answer to two of the most difficult questions7300:05:00,279 –> 00:05:05,299Questions that I have asked and that some of you have also asked of me at different times7400:05:05,500 –> 00:05:10,119One is why is it that Hell has to be forever? It’s a huge question7500:05:10,119 –> 00:05:14,739and another is how could a Christian possibly be happy in heaven if7600:05:15,359 –> 00:05:20,100He or she knows that they have a loved one who is in hell. That’s one of the biggest questions7700:05:20,100 –> 00:05:21,920I think any Christian7800:05:21,920 –> 00:05:22,880faces and7900:05:22,880 –> 00:05:29,519You will have asked that question as I have and then I want to point you to Jesus Christ as we try to do every8000:05:29,519 –> 00:05:31,079week here8100:05:31,119 –> 00:05:35,399to point you to Him as the one who endured hell on the cross so that8200:05:35,739 –> 00:05:40,100You should never know from experience what it is like8300:05:40,839 –> 00:05:42,720Now having said this8400:05:42,720 –> 00:05:49,799However, careful however measured the statement of this truth. There is no way in which we can avoid its horror8500:05:50,859 –> 00:05:57,820Dr.. Jim Packer says the New Testament teaching about hell is meant to appal us and8600:05:58,420 –> 00:06:00,880To strike us done with horror8700:06:02,220 –> 00:06:05,820Assuring us that as heaven will be better than anyone could dream8800:06:06,579 –> 00:06:11,179So hell will be worse than anyone could conceive8900:06:12,540 –> 00:06:14,920But we need to hear this truth I9000:06:15,959 –> 00:06:22,420Know that some people and this is increasingly the case in our culture and the culture always seeps in somehow to the church9100:06:22,420 –> 00:06:24,299So you hear it around the church a lot as well?9200:06:24,299 –> 00:06:27,519There are people who will say the only thing that should ever be heard9300:06:27,720 –> 00:06:29,720Or spoken of in Church is love9400:06:30,279 –> 00:06:32,140You know love is all we need9500:06:32,140 –> 00:06:34,440But I was the Beatles not the Bible by the way9600:06:35,739 –> 00:06:37,980But you know maybe you’ve said that maybe you’ve thought that9700:06:38,920 –> 00:06:40,640well9800:06:40,640 –> 00:06:42,640People who are greatly loved9900:06:43,600 –> 00:06:47,119Sometimes do terrible terrible things. You know that and10000:06:48,079 –> 00:06:53,739So the Bible gives to us a broader range of what we need to hear10100:06:54,140 –> 00:06:56,140That’s why Paul says on one occasion10200:06:56,679 –> 00:07:01,140Knowing the fear of the Lord. We seek to persuade others10300:07:01,420 –> 00:07:05,779so there’s a place for that in the life of a Christian believer and10400:07:06,299 –> 00:07:08,299I’m just going to take it as10500:07:08,600 –> 00:07:10,600foundational and obvious that10600:07:10,859 –> 00:07:17,559Every word that my lord Jesus spoke is a word that I need to hear10700:07:17,559 –> 00:07:20,299Would you agree with them there are no redundant words of Jesus?10800:07:20,760 –> 00:07:23,380There are no words of Jesus that are not for us10900:07:23,380 –> 00:07:30,799And so on this occasion, I draw your attention to these most difficult and yet most important words of Jesus11000:07:31,519 –> 00:07:37,000Now there are really three strands to the teaching of Jesus in relation to hell11100:07:37,000 –> 00:07:42,220Let me give them to you and then we’ll look at each hell is a place of punishment. That’s number one11200:07:42,619 –> 00:07:48,100Hell is a place of destruction. That’s number two and hell is a place of exclusion11300:07:48,619 –> 00:07:51,899That is number three. Let’s begin here11400:07:52,339 –> 00:07:54,880Hell is a place of punishment11500:07:55,440 –> 00:07:57,640Matthew chapter 25 in verse 4611600:07:58,480 –> 00:08:00,940We looked at the scripture already last week11700:08:01,220 –> 00:08:06,380Our Lord speaks of the day of judgment and then he says these will go away into11800:08:07,160 –> 00:08:08,519eternal11900:08:08,519 –> 00:08:10,079punishment12000:08:10,079 –> 00:08:12,079but the righteous into12100:08:12,480 –> 00:08:13,859eternal life12200:08:14,100 –> 00:08:20,679So i’m simply drawing your attention now to this fact that Jesus speaks about punishment12300:08:22,179 –> 00:08:28,839Now there will be some people today who will say well, I don’t believe in punishment. I only believe in correction12400:08:30,420 –> 00:08:31,540Well12500:08:31,540 –> 00:08:36,419If you say that I can only say to you that at this point. You have a disagreement with Jesus12600:08:37,380 –> 00:08:44,840Because Jesus speaks about punishment and not only about punishment he speaks about punishment that is eternal12700:08:45,539 –> 00:08:48,840that’s what my lord said12800:08:50,580 –> 00:08:52,580Now god is just12900:08:52,580 –> 00:08:54,020and that means13000:08:54,020 –> 00:08:57,380That he never punishes in an arbitrary kind of a way13100:08:58,099 –> 00:09:04,500And so the words of Jesus that were read to us in mark chapter 9 are very important. Look at verse 42 there13200:09:05,380 –> 00:09:11,299Jesus says if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin13300:09:12,260 –> 00:09:18,099it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a large millstone tied around his neck13400:09:19,539 –> 00:09:25,700And you say why would it be better for this person who has committed the sin to have been thrown into the sea earlier13500:09:26,260 –> 00:09:29,460With a great millstone around his neck. You see what Jesus is saying13600:09:30,179 –> 00:09:32,580He is saying terrible things are done in this world13700:09:33,539 –> 00:09:35,539and especially to children13800:09:36,500 –> 00:09:39,299and a large part of it is never brought to justice here13900:09:40,580 –> 00:09:46,580But Jesus is saying you need to know that God will bring it to justice. Nobody hurts a child and gets away with it14000:09:47,299 –> 00:09:49,299Now he says understand this14100:09:49,539 –> 00:09:51,380It would be better14200:09:51,380 –> 00:09:54,580For the person who sinned against the child14300:09:55,299 –> 00:09:58,020to have died before he or she did that14400:09:58,340 –> 00:09:59,700He says well14500:09:59,700 –> 00:10:02,099I understand it would have been better for the child14600:10:03,140 –> 00:10:06,020If the person who had perpetrated this thing had died first14700:10:06,020 –> 00:10:13,299But but how is it better for the person who perpetrated the act to have died first? Here’s what Jesus is saying14800:10:14,260 –> 00:10:16,159the punishment14900:10:16,159 –> 00:10:18,179experienced by a person in hell15000:10:18,900 –> 00:10:20,900will be a direct15100:10:21,039 –> 00:10:22,340reflection15200:10:22,340 –> 00:10:25,299of the particular sins that they have committed15300:10:25,359 –> 00:10:29,059Nobody will be punished for sins they did not commit15400:10:30,020 –> 00:10:34,880And if the person Jesus is speaking about had been drowned in the sea before15500:10:35,380 –> 00:10:43,219he or she had offended against this child, it would be better for him because that person would have one less sin to15600:10:43,299 –> 00:10:45,299deal with in hell15700:10:46,260 –> 00:10:48,840And a person in hell friends would give anything15800:10:49,940 –> 00:10:52,179to have one less sin to deal with15900:10:52,760 –> 00:10:54,260now16000:10:54,260 –> 00:10:56,859You see that makes us sit up and take notice16100:10:57,460 –> 00:11:01,140Jesus is talking about real punishment for real sins16200:11:02,260 –> 00:11:06,340That are named that are dated and that are remembered by god16300:11:08,099 –> 00:11:11,080And that’s why the bible says on the last day the books are opened16400:11:12,580 –> 00:11:16,419And people are judged according to what they have done16500:11:16,419 –> 00:11:23,200So hell is a place of punishment you have the word of jesus for that16600:11:24,659 –> 00:11:30,900Now the punishment and we’re still in mark and chapter 9 according to jesus comes in two ways16700:11:32,260 –> 00:11:37,820First in verse 48 jesus says their worm does not16800:11:38,820 –> 00:11:39,940die16900:11:39,940 –> 00:11:41,940Now notice it’s not the worm17000:11:42,419 –> 00:11:44,640It’s their worm17100:11:45,440 –> 00:11:51,840In other words jesus is talking about something that is unique and special to every17200:11:52,479 –> 00:11:56,659Individual in hell there worm that’s personal you see17300:11:57,640 –> 00:12:02,460now what does a worm do a worm eats away at the inside and17400:12:04,159 –> 00:12:09,739That which eats away at the inside of a person is conscience17500:12:10,460 –> 00:12:14,419It does not always do that in this world because so often it is suppressed17600:12:15,299 –> 00:12:20,719But what our Lord is teaching us here is that conscience will be fully activated in hell17700:12:21,380 –> 00:12:25,599but a person in hell will live with the full knowledge of what they have done and17800:12:25,880 –> 00:12:31,299Jesus says there worm personal because it’s the full knowledge of what they have done and17900:12:31,760 –> 00:12:33,739unique to each individual18000:12:33,739 –> 00:12:36,580their worm does not die18100:12:38,000 –> 00:12:40,000it never diminishes and18200:12:40,760 –> 00:12:42,760it never ends and18300:12:43,119 –> 00:12:47,960And then Jesus says the fire is not quenched18400:12:47,960 –> 00:12:53,419So while their worm is particular to each individual in hell because it’s a direct reflection18500:12:53,640 –> 00:12:57,119of their full knowledge of all that each individual there has done18600:12:58,119 –> 00:13:00,979the fire is general to all and18700:13:01,479 –> 00:13:05,520reminds us of course that the Bible often says our God is a18800:13:05,520 –> 00:13:12,719Consuming fire a person in hell lives under the judgment of God who is the consuming fire forever18900:13:13,919 –> 00:13:15,919in other words19000:13:16,140 –> 00:13:19,539just as the presence of God will be19100:13:20,380 –> 00:13:22,380Heaven to some19200:13:22,419 –> 00:13:24,700The presence of God will be hell19300:13:25,320 –> 00:13:26,799to others19400:13:26,799 –> 00:13:32,679If you have come to love the Lord with your heart and to be a worshiper of him19500:13:33,080 –> 00:13:34,880Then he will be19600:13:35,059 –> 00:13:36,840Heaven to you19700:13:36,840 –> 00:13:41,960And if you live your life resisting and pushing away the God who made you then19800:13:42,340 –> 00:13:46,020For all eternity that God will be held to you19900:13:46,719 –> 00:13:48,719the fire is not20000:13:49,080 –> 00:13:56,599Quenched so hell is a place of punishment and that is the first strand in the teaching of Jesus a20100:13:58,280 –> 00:14:00,580Sobering message there from Pastor Colin20200:14:01,140 –> 00:14:05,299Entitled hell and it’s part of our series listener Favorites20300:14:05,900 –> 00:14:08,2602025 in which we take the ten most20400:14:09,159 –> 00:14:13,479Requested and popular messages of the past twelve months and bundle them all together20500:14:13,599 –> 00:14:17,880If you’ve missed any of the series so far or if you want to go back and listen again20600:14:17,900 –> 00:14:22,440You can easily do that by coming online to our website open the Bible argued20700:14:22,979 –> 00:14:27,700UK there you’ll find all the messages which have already gone out on air and they’re also20800:14:27,940 –> 00:14:33,380Available as a podcast and those who are on all the main podcast sites search for open the Bible UK20900:14:33,700 –> 00:14:35,739or follow the link from our website21000:14:36,859 –> 00:14:41,140Back to the message now, we’re in Mark chapter 9 here’s Colin21100:14:41,780 –> 00:14:47,359Hell is a place of punishment and that is the first strand in the teaching of Jesus21200:14:48,679 –> 00:14:50,039Just as we will see21300:14:50,039 –> 00:14:56,400that heaven is spoken off in a number of ways in order to give us a full picture of the truth so we find today21400:14:56,400 –> 00:14:57,320that21500:14:57,340 –> 00:15:03,539There is more that Jesus says about hell. And so secondly hell is a place of destruction21600:15:03,820 –> 00:15:08,219It’s a place of destruction again. I’m quoting simply the words of Jesus21700:15:08,840 –> 00:15:10,840Matthew 10 2821800:15:11,159 –> 00:15:15,059Our Lord says do not fear. Those who kill the body21900:15:15,679 –> 00:15:19,179But cannot kill the soul rather22000:15:20,200 –> 00:15:25,039Fear Him Jesus said this fear him who can destroy22100:15:25,919 –> 00:15:29,679Both soul and body in hell22200:15:31,320 –> 00:15:36,539Now this leads to a very important question what is meant by the word22300:15:37,099 –> 00:15:44,200Destroy and you will know that some Christians have suggested that if the body and the soul are destroyed in Hell22400:15:44,700 –> 00:15:51,440Could this mean that the body and soul of a person ceases to exist in hell but in some way hell as it were burns22500:15:51,500 –> 00:15:53,500Itself out after a period of time22600:15:53,640 –> 00:15:58,320That the punishment will come to an end and that it will end at the point where the body and the soul are22700:15:58,880 –> 00:16:01,880destroyed you will have heard that suggested and22800:16:02,919 –> 00:16:06,960You need to know as someone who upholds the teaching of Jesus22900:16:06,960 –> 00:16:11,500How you can answer questions along these lines when they come to you?23000:16:11,760 –> 00:16:16,960The same question is raised from the most the best-known verse in all of the Bible23100:16:17,239 –> 00:16:21,219John 3 16 you can say it with me for God so loved the world23200:16:21,799 –> 00:16:27,719That he gave his one and only Son that whoever believes in him should not23300:16:28,780 –> 00:16:32,580Perish now what what is the meaning of the word perish?23400:16:33,799 –> 00:16:39,299Some are asking this question does this mean that that in some way the soul or the body?23500:16:40,080 –> 00:16:44,700Goes out of existence is that what the word perish means?23600:16:45,179 –> 00:16:47,179So this is a very important question23700:16:47,219 –> 00:16:54,359Do the words destroy or perish mean that the body and soul at some point may cease to exist in in?23800:16:54,559 –> 00:16:59,880Hell and the answer I’m going to give to you to that question is no. It does not mean that23900:17:01,200 –> 00:17:02,580Doug mu24000:17:02,580 –> 00:17:07,699Great theologian who for many years taught just up the road here at Trinity as seminary24100:17:08,540 –> 00:17:10,540Doug mu points out that the word24200:17:11,180 –> 00:17:17,540Destruction in the Bible often refers to the situation of a person or an object24300:17:17,719 –> 00:17:21,020That has lost the essence of its nature and function24400:17:21,839 –> 00:17:23,839What do you means by that is simply?24500:17:24,199 –> 00:17:30,520Here’s something or someone that is no longer in a position to do what it or they were24600:17:31,140 –> 00:17:37,359Made to do and he gives a number of examples, and I think this will make his point clear to you24700:17:37,699 –> 00:17:41,819Do you remember when Jesus spoke about the wine and the wine skins?24800:17:41,819 –> 00:17:46,780And he said you don’t put new wine in old wine skins24900:17:47,479 –> 00:17:55,000Because if you do if you do put new wine in old wineskins the wine will be spilled and the skins will be25000:17:55,459 –> 00:17:56,699destroyed25100:17:56,699 –> 00:17:58,219destroyed25200:17:58,219 –> 00:18:03,560Now think about it. What’s he saying he does not mean that the old wineskin ceases to exist25300:18:04,400 –> 00:18:08,900He’s saying that the old wineskin because it burst and now has holes in it25400:18:09,739 –> 00:18:16,119It is no longer able to fulfill the function for which it was made, which is to hold wine. It’s useless25500:18:16,359 –> 00:18:19,040It cannot fulfill the function for which it was made25600:18:19,040 –> 00:18:20,079it’s destroyed25700:18:20,079 –> 00:18:26,680And that’s exactly the same word that Jesus is using in Matthew’s gospel when he says that fear him25800:18:27,079 –> 00:18:32,459Who can destroy the soul and the body in hell you say well, that’s one example. I got more coming25900:18:32,739 –> 00:18:37,760okay, do you remember the story about the woman who poured ointment over Jesus and26000:18:39,099 –> 00:18:42,040someone said why was the ointment wasted26100:18:43,380 –> 00:18:45,380The word wasted26200:18:45,619 –> 00:18:51,119Is exactly the same word as Jesus uses here for destroyed the destroying of the soul and the body26300:18:51,260 –> 00:18:56,540It means the same thing wasted in the sense that it cannot fulfill the very function for which it was made26400:18:57,780 –> 00:19:01,219At least that was the opinion of the person who said that and that’s what this word means26500:19:02,180 –> 00:19:07,439Destroyed no longer able to fulfill its function wasted. No no longer able to do what?26600:19:07,439 –> 00:19:10,579it was meant to do do you remember the story of the lost coin a26700:19:10,800 –> 00:19:15,260Woman, which 15, as she loses a coin and Jesus tells this story26800:19:15,260 –> 00:19:20,619She finds it and then she says to her friends and neighbors rejoice with me for I have found the coin26900:19:20,719 –> 00:19:23,119that I had lost and27000:19:23,339 –> 00:19:25,400The word that Jesus uses for lost27100:19:25,420 –> 00:19:30,420There is exactly the same as the word that he used for destroyed the soul in the body being destroyed27200:19:30,420 –> 00:19:32,780you see it’s what does move is saying they27300:19:33,339 –> 00:19:40,140Can’t fulfill its function what uses a coin that has value because you’re able to buy things with it, but when it’s lost27400:19:40,880 –> 00:19:42,079It’s no use to you27500:19:42,079 –> 00:19:44,859You can’t buy stuff in the shops with a lost coin and so this woman27600:19:45,319 –> 00:19:50,380Rejoices when she finds it because now it can be restored to its its usefulness before it was lost27700:19:51,900 –> 00:19:55,760Destroyed lost wasted27800:19:56,640 –> 00:19:58,619The same word27900:19:58,619 –> 00:20:03,260when Peter speaks in 2nd Peter chapter 3 and verse 6 about the flood and28000:20:04,579 –> 00:20:11,619he says this the world that then existed was deluged with water and28100:20:12,300 –> 00:20:15,800It perished so there’s your perish word here28200:20:16,420 –> 00:20:19,099Second Peter chapter 3 in verse 6 it perished28300:20:19,099 –> 00:20:24,160And that’s the same word that Jesus used for the soul in the body being destroyed in hell28400:20:24,699 –> 00:20:26,699Perished should not perish28500:20:27,339 –> 00:20:33,500But think about it Peter is not saying when at the time of the flood that the planet ceased to exist28600:20:34,619 –> 00:20:40,140What he’s saying is simply that the planet couldn’t fulfill its normal function of sustaining life until28700:20:41,619 –> 00:20:45,160The waters in the grace and the mercy of God subsided28800:20:46,339 –> 00:20:49,040So here’s the point wineskins with holes28900:20:49,699 –> 00:20:56,500Ointment that’s said to be wasted a coin that was said to be lost a world that perished in the flood29000:20:56,760 –> 00:21:02,099none of these things ceased to exist what all of them have in common was29100:21:02,219 –> 00:21:07,599That they were no longer in the position to fulfill the function for which they were made29200:21:09,660 –> 00:21:13,180So for a soul or for a body to be destroyed29300:21:13,540 –> 00:21:18,280Does not mean that a person will cease to exist29400:21:19,040 –> 00:21:25,939It means that the person cannot fulfill the function for which a human being was created29500:21:26,859 –> 00:21:29,459And that’s the tragic loss of hell29600:21:30,380 –> 00:21:37,579William still says the awful thing about hell is the annoying burning searing agony of its29700:21:37,839 –> 00:21:39,839Unfulfillment29800:21:40,780 –> 00:21:43,199Life in that living death29900:21:44,439 –> 00:21:50,400Will be one huge aching void30000:21:50,719 –> 00:21:55,319Because a man who lives for himself ultimately cannot satisfy himself30100:21:55,979 –> 00:21:57,180cannot30200:21:57,180 –> 00:22:02,560We have to pause our message therefore today, but we’ll hear the second part of this message tomorrow30300:22:02,900 –> 00:22:04,680So I hope you’ll join us for that30400:22:04,680 –> 00:22:10,719You’ve been listening to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called hell part of our series30500:22:11,280 –> 00:22:12,739Listener favorites30600:22:12,739 –> 00:22:17,7192025 and if you’ve missed any of the series so far or if you want to go back and listen again30700:22:17,859 –> 00:22:21,540You can do that by coming online to our website open the Bible.org30800:22:22,900 –> 00:22:29,219UK or find us as a podcast on all the main podcast sites search for open the Bible UK and30900:22:29,599 –> 00:22:31,599Subscribe to receive regular updates31000:22:32,219 –> 00:22:33,319All this month31100:22:33,319 –> 00:22:39,359We’re featuring pastor Colin’s book fly through the Bible which is supported by many useful31200:22:39,800 –> 00:22:45,199resources for Bible study for individuals and groups which are available free on our website31300:22:46,180 –> 00:22:53,000Fly through the Bible is available as a book which you can read on your own or with an interested friend or31400:22:53,359 –> 00:22:57,540Indeed in a book group or you can download the free app31500:22:57,839 –> 00:23:02,380which comes with video clips and a bridge content from the book or31600:23:03,060 –> 00:23:07,339Why not use fly through the Bible in a small Bible study group?31700:23:07,560 –> 00:23:14,020you can download the free small group guide and use it to guide the group through 15 sessions or31800:23:14,500 –> 00:23:18,800You can use the free training videos to let Colin Smith himself31900:23:18,900 –> 00:23:25,780Take you and the group through the content of the book covering the three parts in three 25 minute videos32000:23:26,520 –> 00:23:29,020full details on our website open the Bible32100:23:30,339 –> 00:23:34,060Ork.uk click on resources then fly through the Bible32200:23:34,920 –> 00:23:39,800Colin Smith’s original book flies through the Bible is our gift to you this month32300:23:39,800 –> 00:23:43,599If you are able to begin a new direct debit to the work of open the Bible32400:23:43,719 –> 00:23:49,660In the amount of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more32500:23:50,000 –> 00:23:54,160If you’re able to do that we’d love to send you a copy of the book. Colin32600:23:54,199 –> 00:23:58,040Why did you use the flying metaphor to describe this book?32700:23:58,040 –> 00:24:02,920Well, suppose you were making a visit to the Grand Canyon and exploring it for the first time32800:24:03,000 –> 00:24:03,880I mean32900:24:03,880 –> 00:24:09,219I guess you could hike down and you’d get a sense of the depth of the canyon you could drive around the rim33000:24:09,219 –> 00:24:11,479You’d get a sense of the length of it33100:24:11,699 –> 00:24:14,300But perhaps the best way to get an overall33200:24:14,839 –> 00:24:20,040Sense of the vastness and beauty of the Grand Canyon would be to take a flight over it33300:24:20,040 –> 00:24:24,040now when it comes to the Bible to get a high-altitude33400:24:25,020 –> 00:24:30,599Overview of what the Bible’s story is all about seems to me to be the best place to begin33500:24:30,880 –> 00:24:34,040The Bible really is one story. It begins in a garden33600:24:34,040 –> 00:24:37,479It ends in a city and all the way through it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ33700:24:38,180 –> 00:24:42,579Flying through the Bible is kind of cookies on the bottom shelf to change the analogy33800:24:42,760 –> 00:24:49,260It gives an overall picture and introduction to the Scripture that I hope will help and encourage33900:24:49,640 –> 00:24:52,719People to want to explore more when they get on the ground34000:24:53,119 –> 00:24:57,920Well, we’d love to send you a copy of Collins book flying through the Bible to say34100:24:57,920 –> 00:24:58,359Thank you34200:24:58,359 –> 00:25:04,660for setting up a new direct debit to the work of open the Bible in the amount of five pounds per month or more34300:25:04,660 –> 00:25:07,339or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more34400:25:07,339 –> 00:25:13,500this month full terms and conditions are on our website at openthebible.org34500:25:14,060 –> 00:25:16,760UK and you can give online34600:25:17,400 –> 00:25:24,079For open the Bible and pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time on open the Bible34700:25:24,400 –> 00:25:26,400You34800:25:30,859 –> 00:25:37,640Why does hell have to be forever find out what the Bible says next time on open the Bible