100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,240I could have welcomed him. I could have believed in him. I could have worshipped him. I could200:00:10,240 –> 00:00:11,820have been with him.300:00:11,820 –> 00:00:21,540Now, it’s like all your life. He’s reaching out to you. But then when you pass beyond400:00:21,540 –> 00:00:25,040death, he becomes beyond your reach.500:00:25,040 –> 00:00:29,559Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with600:00:29,680 –> 00:00:33,639us today. and Colin, in this present series we’re looking at 10 of the most-requested700:00:33,639 –> 00:00:38,320and popular broadcasts of the past year, and one of those goes back to Christmas when we800:00:38,320 –> 00:00:42,180looked at a character who was part of the Christmas story, King Herod.900:00:42,180 –> 00:00:46,880Yes, that’s right. And not everyone welcomed the Lord Jesus Christ, and Herod certainly1000:00:46,880 –> 00:00:51,500did not. He’s someone who did not receive the Lord Jesus Christ. I’ve been moved by1100:00:51,500 –> 00:00:57,720thinking about what that’s like for him now, someone who was so clearly apart from Jesus1200:00:57,939 –> 00:01:02,279and opposed to Jesus. My prayer for today is that we’re going to get a fresh perspective1300:01:02,279 –> 00:01:07,059on the Christmas story that is going to give us every reason to open our lives to receive1400:01:07,059 –> 00:01:11,459Jesus Christ today. So join us if you can in Matthew chapter 21500:01:11,459 –> 00:01:14,959as we begin the message, Herod’s story. Here’s Colin.1600:01:14,959 –> 00:01:21,959I tell you, I think that i am the most under-appreciated leader in history. I always felt that and1700:01:22,940 –> 00:01:29,940i guess i always will. So i’m glad to have the opportunity to tell my story. Actually1800:01:31,320 –> 00:01:37,639i often wish there were more people i could share this with but the truth is it’s actually1900:01:37,639 –> 00:01:44,639very lonely where I am these days. People are all bound up with themselves. Nobody has2000:01:44,639 –> 00:01:54,440time or interest for anybody else so thank you for the opportunity. Most people don’t2100:01:54,440 –> 00:02:00,959even know the great achievements of my life. And I have to tell you I find that extraordinary.2200:02:00,959 –> 00:02:09,720How can it be that so much of what I did accounts for so little today. Let me tell you about2300:02:09,720 –> 00:02:10,720myself.2400:02:10,880 –> 00:02:18,679Herod was a common enough name in my time, I like the name Smith is today I suppose.2500:02:18,679 –> 00:02:24,899Actually there are three Herods in your New Testament. There’s Herod Agrippa, that was2600:02:24,899 –> 00:02:32,179the one that Paul almost persuaded to become a Christian, he was my grandson. Then there2700:02:32,179 –> 00:02:39,520was Herod Antipas, Luke called him Herod the Tetrarch, that’s my son, by a different wife2800:02:39,539 –> 00:02:46,240of course, he was the one who beheaded John the Baptist and he also once had a meeting2900:02:46,240 –> 00:02:53,240with Jesus. But I’m the one who was known as Herod the Great. And quite frankly I see3000:02:54,740 –> 00:03:01,740it as a title fully deserved. And to cut a long story short the Roman Senate3100:03:02,320 –> 00:03:09,300gave me the title King of the Jews. I was the first to be given that title by Rome.3200:03:09,479 –> 00:03:15,919I was put in charge then of the whole area of Judea and beyond. In fact, you would have3300:03:15,919 –> 00:03:21,619to go back a thousand years before my time all the way back to the time of King Solomon3400:03:21,619 –> 00:03:27,600to find the last Jewish King who ruled over such large territory.3500:03:27,600 –> 00:03:34,600And I ruled for 33 years. And throughout that time there was peace and there was stability.3600:03:34,600 –> 00:03:40,779There was stability. Of course, it took a while to establish order. The first thing3700:03:40,779 –> 00:03:45,399that I had to sort out was the religious leaders. I noticed, by the way, just in my visit from3800:03:45,399 –> 00:03:50,679your papers, you still have problems with religious extremists. Well, I found that a3900:03:50,839 –> 00:03:56,419lot of trouble originated in the Temple, so I dealt with it firmly. Here’s what I did.4000:03:56,419 –> 00:04:05,300There were seventy-two priests in a ruling group called the Sanhedrin. I eliminated forty-five4100:04:05,300 –> 00:04:14,919of them. That focused the minds of the rest. Then I established a new inner circle called4200:04:14,919 –> 00:04:20,380the Chief Priests. Now you’ll have read about them in your New Testament. Did you know that4300:04:20,600 –> 00:04:24,559one of my contributions to history? Well, there were no Chief Priests in the Old Testament.4400:04:24,559 –> 00:04:32,160This was my idea. I established the Chief Priests, a tight inner group of past and potentially4500:04:32,160 –> 00:04:37,940future high priests who would be an inner circle firmly under my control. In fact, I4600:04:37,940 –> 00:04:46,119actually kept their robes under lock and key, and I did that for a reason. You see, I wanted4700:04:46,160 –> 00:04:52,059religion to be the servant of the state.4800:04:52,059 –> 00:04:58,640I have to tell you that the city of Jerusalem was transformed under my leadership. I love4900:04:58,640 –> 00:05:04,720architecture and I love building on a grand scale, so in my time in Jerusalem I put up5000:05:04,720 –> 00:05:13,380theatres. I built a vast hippodrome, where we were able to race horses and chariots.5100:05:13,420 –> 00:05:19,260We held athletics meetings in the stadium. In fact, I instituted games in Jerusalem that5200:05:19,260 –> 00:05:26,380were held every five years. I was an athlete myself. Did you know that I was a wrestler?5300:05:26,380 –> 00:05:30,420And all this building meant that there was full employment, and full employment, along5400:05:30,420 –> 00:05:36,279with peace and stability, meant it was great for the economy and you would think that after5500:05:36,279 –> 00:05:42,920all these achievements I would be the most admired king in history. Some hope.5600:05:42,920 –> 00:05:52,920I have never received the credit I deserve. I was feared, I was respected, but never loved.5700:05:52,920 –> 00:05:58,760But, late in my reign, I came up with an idea that I thought had the potential to change5800:05:58,760 –> 00:06:06,859all of that. You see, all of my new building projects made the temple look really rather5900:06:06,859 –> 00:06:11,440shabby and you have to understand that for the Jewish people the temple was the single6000:06:11,540 –> 00:06:17,140most important building in their city. The original one was magnificent, built by Solomon,6100:06:17,140 –> 00:06:23,320that was the pride of the city. But after the city was destroyed and they came back6200:06:23,320 –> 00:06:28,179from 70 years in exile funds were tight and so they were only able to put up something6300:06:28,179 –> 00:06:35,480about half the size. Now with all of my building redevelopment going on around, the temple6400:06:35,480 –> 00:06:41,119was beginning to look rather down in the hill and that’s when I had my idea. I decided6500:06:41,119 –> 00:06:51,559that my legacy would be a new temple on a grand scale, even bigger than the one by Solomon.6600:06:51,559 –> 00:06:57,940It would be known as Herod’s temple. It would of course win the hearts and the minds6700:06:57,940 –> 00:07:05,320of the people and it would stand out as one of the lasting wonders of the world. But my6800:07:05,320 –> 00:07:10,760greatest achievement of course was to keep the peace. As long as I was in Jerusalem there6900:07:10,760 –> 00:07:20,880was very little trouble. The Romans were happy and so there were no soldiers, no taxes, no7000:07:20,880 –> 00:07:31,000foreign administrators, not in my day. I was the face of the Pax Romana, the Roman peace.7100:07:31,000 –> 00:07:41,040I maintained order, but you know, as soon as I died, it all fell apart. My sons were7200:07:41,040 –> 00:07:48,140hopeless, didn’t have the first clue about running a kingdom, so it wasn’t long after7300:07:48,140 –> 00:07:55,200I died before the Romans had to send in the army and with the army came the taxes and7400:07:55,200 –> 00:07:59,779then the whole wretched system of tax collectors extorting from the Jewish people. You’ve7500:07:59,779 –> 00:08:06,140read about all of that in your New Testament, of course. All of that happened after my time7600:08:06,140 –> 00:08:13,359and then they sent in another man, Pontius Pilate. What a weakling he was. Why did they7700:08:13,359 –> 00:08:19,839choose him, I have the faintest idea. He couldn’t make a decision to save himself and I know7800:08:19,839 –> 00:08:27,720that the story you want to hear from me is what happened when Jesus was born and isn’t7900:08:27,720 –> 00:08:34,719that the strangest thing that the one thing I am remembered for after all of my achievements8000:08:34,719 –> 00:08:38,340in life is my response to Jesus.8100:08:38,340 –> 00:08:43,320You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and Herod’s Story, part of our8200:08:43,320 –> 00:08:47,880series, Listener Favorites and if you ever miss one of the series you can always catch8300:08:47,880 –> 00:08:55,000up or go back and listen again online at our website, openthebible.org.uk8400:08:55,039 –> 00:08:58,099Let’s go back to the message now we’re in Matthew 2. Here’s Colin.8500:08:58,119 –> 00:09:04,239The one thing I am remembered for after all my achievements in life is my response to8600:09:04,239 –> 00:09:10,979Jesus, as if that were more important than anything else I accomplished in all of my8700:09:10,979 –> 00:09:11,979life.8800:09:11,979 –> 00:09:19,960Anyway, it all started for me when I heard rumours that some foreigners had arrived in8900:09:19,960 –> 00:09:20,960Jerusalem.9000:09:21,380 –> 00:09:26,799It’s a big city, but I had my means of keeping my fingers on the pulse, information is power9100:09:26,799 –> 00:09:29,940and I always had plenty of it.9200:09:29,940 –> 00:09:34,359The foreigners were peddling some story about someone who was born King of the Jews.9300:09:34,359 –> 00:09:38,200Well, of course, that was the title that the Romans had given to me, so I was not too well9400:09:38,200 –> 00:09:40,979pleased to hear that.9500:09:40,979 –> 00:09:44,580The truth is that nobody in Jerusalem was pleased to hear that.9600:09:44,580 –> 00:09:50,460These people had endured years of one leader after another claiming to have leadership9700:09:50,460 –> 00:09:55,400and claiming to have authority, seizing power and the right to rule, nobody wanted to go9800:09:55,400 –> 00:09:59,039back to the instability of that.9900:09:59,039 –> 00:10:03,580So I knew that we had a problem brewing and I was determined that I would deal with it10000:10:03,580 –> 00:10:05,340decisively.10100:10:05,340 –> 00:10:12,539There are always elements in society, dissidents looking for some cause to champion and upset10200:10:12,539 –> 00:10:13,840the status quo.10300:10:13,840 –> 00:10:17,979And besides, I was suspicious about all of these foreigners.10400:10:18,640 –> 00:10:26,020I mean, why would foreigners with royal blood be so interested in coming to meet with a10500:10:26,020 –> 00:10:33,500child supposedly claiming to be a future King, was all very suspicious to me.10600:10:33,500 –> 00:10:40,080So, my first move was to call together my inner circle of the chief priests, together10700:10:40,080 –> 00:10:42,919with the teachers of the law.10800:10:42,919 –> 00:10:47,000The central point in our religion, you will know this well, is that God had promised a10900:10:47,000 –> 00:10:48,780Deliverer.11000:10:48,780 –> 00:10:54,880The Old Testament is full of these promises about one who was known as the messiah, this11100:10:54,880 –> 00:10:58,219was the central hope of all people.11200:10:58,219 –> 00:11:04,719So, I called in the scholars, and I asked them, where is messiah to be born?11300:11:04,719 –> 00:11:08,780You see, that’s how I think.11400:11:08,780 –> 00:11:14,659Why study the Bible for yourself, if you have professionals to do it for you!11500:11:14,659 –> 00:11:16,859That’s what I say.11600:11:17,719 –> 00:11:23,039They didn’t hesitate for a moment, Bethlehem in Judea, they said, and then they gave me11700:11:23,039 –> 00:11:25,299chapter and verse.11800:11:25,299 –> 00:11:31,020Apparently, a prophet by the name of Micah, had talked about this 800 years before, but11900:11:31,020 –> 00:11:35,799you Bethlehem, in the land of Judea you will by no means be the least but out of you will12000:11:35,799 –> 00:11:38,059come one who will shepherd my people, Israel.12100:11:38,059 –> 00:11:39,719So that was clear.12200:11:39,719 –> 00:11:43,659We had a location.12300:11:43,659 –> 00:11:48,460The next question was to get a fix on the time.12400:11:48,460 –> 00:11:52,679So for that, I invited the foreigners over to the Palace.12500:11:52,679 –> 00:11:56,460I told them that I had heard these stories about a royal child, and that I wanted to12600:11:56,460 –> 00:12:00,739take them into my confidence in this matter.12700:12:00,739 –> 00:12:04,020Obviously I said, if the Messiah has been born, he will have enemies.12800:12:04,020 –> 00:12:06,940He will need to be protected.12900:12:06,940 –> 00:12:09,919And I’m in a position to give this protection.13000:12:09,919 –> 00:12:11,659So I said, I also need to find him.13100:12:11,940 –> 00:12:15,799If Messiah has come I will want to worship him too.13200:12:15,799 –> 00:12:18,520I gave them strict instructions to continue their search.13300:12:18,520 –> 00:12:23,039After all, why should I bother to do it when they were already so enthusiastic?13400:12:23,039 –> 00:12:27,039And I told them to report to me as soon as they found him.13500:12:27,039 –> 00:12:31,520I emphasized the need for confidentiality, and I sent them on their way.13600:12:31,520 –> 00:12:36,219And then just as they were leaving, I said, oh by the way.13700:12:36,219 –> 00:12:39,359The star that you mentioned, when did you first see it?13800:12:39,840 –> 00:12:41,159They said it was about two years ago.13900:12:42,479 –> 00:12:47,320And that gave me a bit of information that I really wanted from them.14000:12:47,320 –> 00:12:49,679Two years.14100:12:49,679 –> 00:12:53,599See, now I had a time as well as a place.14200:12:53,599 –> 00:13:00,059We were looking for a male child in Bethlehem, under the age of two.14300:13:02,580 –> 00:13:03,780I had our people watch for14400:13:03,780 –> 00:13:08,099the foreigners when they came back on their journey home through Jerusalem.14500:13:08,179 –> 00:13:09,719But time passed and they were never seen.14600:13:11,840 –> 00:13:16,539Eventually, I realized that I had been double-crossed, and that made me mad.14700:13:19,179 –> 00:13:23,020I asked for an estimate as to how many children there would be under the age of14800:13:23,020 –> 00:13:25,979two in Bethlehem, it was just a small town.14900:13:25,979 –> 00:13:30,280And I was told, probably a dozen, maybe 20, 30 at the most.15000:13:31,799 –> 00:13:33,359So I called in the security people.15100:13:34,760 –> 00:13:37,880I told them there was a threat to national security.15200:13:38,539 –> 00:13:43,340Through a child under the age of two in Bethlehem, I told them to deal15300:13:43,340 –> 00:13:47,520with the problem, which they did with their usual efficiency.15400:13:49,960 –> 00:13:53,380And shortly after that, I died.15500:13:55,659 –> 00:13:57,000That was 2000 years ago.15600:13:59,219 –> 00:14:00,960So I’ve had a lot of time to think.15700:14:01,260 –> 00:14:07,640And I see now that I missed some things that should have been obvious.15800:14:09,440 –> 00:14:14,659I mean this business about the star, if it was true, then God’s hand was in.15900:14:16,479 –> 00:14:20,099So in trying to read the world of Jesus, I was actually fighting God.16000:14:22,059 –> 00:14:29,659The truth is I still am not because I want to, but because I cannot stop16100:14:31,000 –> 00:14:31,400Him.16200:14:34,359 –> 00:14:41,159And then if Jesus was really the Messiah promised in the scriptures, why was I trying to destroy16300:14:41,159 –> 00:14:41,739Him anyway?16400:14:43,340 –> 00:14:47,080Messiah is the light of all people, the hope of the world.16500:14:47,080 –> 00:14:50,440Why was I fighting the one who could bring hope?16600:14:51,960 –> 00:14:56,739Of course my information on what happened since then is rather sketchy.16700:14:57,299 –> 00:14:58,580We all do.16800:14:58,580 –> 00:15:04,039So you probably know more about this than I do.16900:15:04,039 –> 00:15:12,099But I’ve been told that He survived, that He was taken by His parents out of Bethlehem17000:15:12,099 –> 00:15:14,659and hidden safely in Egypt.17100:15:14,659 –> 00:15:21,679How they knew to take Him out of Bethlehem at that time is quite beyond me.17200:15:21,679 –> 00:15:25,260I have heard that 30 years later, He began a public ministry.17300:15:25,719 –> 00:15:30,419That he spoke as nobody else had ever spoken.17400:15:30,419 –> 00:15:37,020That he performed miracles demonstrating the power of God touching this sorry world directly.17500:15:37,020 –> 00:15:47,940Of course, our people, the Herodians, they worked together with the Pharisees to do what17600:15:47,940 –> 00:15:51,419I had tried before.17700:15:51,619 –> 00:15:57,700And in the end, he was crucified.17800:15:57,700 –> 00:16:00,260But then here’s the astonishing thing.17900:16:00,260 –> 00:16:05,299He rose from the dead.18000:16:05,299 –> 00:16:10,640Rumor down there has it that his name is being proclaimed all over the earth.18100:16:10,640 –> 00:16:15,599And that those who believe in him are finding forgiveness and hope and peace and joy.18200:16:15,599 –> 00:16:20,179Do you know the strangest thing?18300:16:20,679 –> 00:16:27,979In 2,000 years down there I have not yet met a single person who believes in him.18400:16:27,979 –> 00:16:35,479There’s a rumour that one day we will all see him and be brought to an account.18500:16:35,479 –> 00:16:40,580Though no one down there believes it yet.18600:16:40,580 –> 00:16:47,739I also heard that before he was born, an angel appeared to his mother.18700:16:47,739 –> 00:16:51,619And said he will be great.18800:16:51,619 –> 00:16:55,640That always sticks with me of course cause that is my name.18900:16:55,640 –> 00:16:59,719Herod the Great.19000:16:59,719 –> 00:17:01,979The frustrating thing you know is that19100:17:01,979 –> 00:17:08,359what I accomplished doesn’t seem that great now.19200:17:08,359 –> 00:17:12,180You know I died before the Temple was even finished?19300:17:12,180 –> 00:17:16,219Actually way before it was finished cause the work seemed to slow down after I died.19400:17:16,239 –> 00:17:23,800Do you know that it took them another sixty years to complete the Temple after I died?19500:17:23,800 –> 00:17:28,660You think you have problems with slow working?19600:17:28,660 –> 00:17:39,380When it was finished it stood in all it’s splendor for just eight years.19700:17:39,420 –> 00:17:42,359Then the Romans razed it to the ground.19800:17:42,359 –> 00:17:47,619They did not leave one stone on top of another.19900:17:47,619 –> 00:17:53,420So much for my legacy to the world.20000:17:53,420 –> 00:17:59,400So sometimes I really wonder what came of my life.20100:17:59,400 –> 00:18:08,140There is no greatness in Herod but there is in Jesus.20200:18:08,199 –> 00:18:14,400I find myself thinking sometimes about something that Isaiah the prophet said about him.20300:18:14,400 –> 00:18:20,180He will see the fruit of the travail of his soul, Isaiah said about Jesus, and he will20400:18:20,180 –> 00:18:22,579be satisfied.20500:18:22,579 –> 00:18:29,699I wish with all my heart I could say that.20600:18:29,699 –> 00:18:35,520Then I think about his name, Jesus.20700:18:35,520 –> 00:18:39,239It means savior, you know that.20800:18:39,239 –> 00:18:44,880Apparently an angel told Joseph you shall give him the name Jesus because he will save20900:18:44,880 –> 00:18:47,640his people from their sins.21000:18:47,640 –> 00:18:55,319I got to tell you, I never thought very much throughout my entire life about sins.21100:18:55,319 –> 00:18:59,280Never gave it a thought.21200:18:59,280 –> 00:19:04,939But now I live with my sins.21300:19:04,939 –> 00:19:12,680I live in a world of anger and frustration and regret and I cannot get out of it and21400:19:12,680 –> 00:19:16,160I cannot get it out of me.21500:19:16,160 –> 00:19:21,099I can find no release, these things consume me.21600:19:21,099 –> 00:19:27,160See, that’s what happens when you die.21700:19:27,199 –> 00:19:34,760Whatever is at the heart of you becomes the whole of you.21800:19:34,760 –> 00:19:41,380Thing is, it could all have been so different.21900:19:41,380 –> 00:19:46,839It’s clear to me now that Jesus’ mission was not to take over my throne.22000:19:46,839 –> 00:19:50,660His kingdom is not of this world.22100:19:50,660 –> 00:19:55,180What he could have done is made me a better king.22200:19:55,199 –> 00:19:58,739He could have given me a different eternity.22300:19:58,739 –> 00:20:06,500It seems from what I’m hearing, that he has done that for millions of others already.22400:20:06,500 –> 00:20:08,800And he’s still doing it.22500:20:08,800 –> 00:20:15,819You know, there is one verse in your Bible that really haunts me.22600:20:15,819 –> 00:20:17,819You probably know it well.22700:20:18,500 –> 00:20:20,660It’s the one that says,22800:20:20,660 –> 00:20:28,400He came to his own but his own received him not.22900:20:28,400 –> 00:20:31,400See that’s my story.23000:20:31,400 –> 00:20:37,520I was one of his own, and I did not receive him.23100:20:37,520 –> 00:20:45,319Now, I find myself like someone standing in the rain outside a large house filled with23200:20:45,319 –> 00:20:48,920light and music, where people are enjoying the party.23300:20:48,920 –> 00:20:52,280I hear the music of sins forgiven.23400:20:52,280 –> 00:20:59,160But I am outside, and I cannot get in.23500:20:59,160 –> 00:21:05,859He came to his own and his own received him not.23600:21:06,079 –> 00:21:18,020But to as many as receive him, he gives the right to become children of God.23700:21:18,020 –> 00:21:23,880Some of you of course already know far more about this than I ever will.23800:21:23,880 –> 00:21:30,520But even I can see now that God was reaching out to every person in Jesus, and those who23900:21:30,520 –> 00:21:36,400welcome him enter into a new relationship with him that begins now and will continue24000:21:36,400 –> 00:21:37,900into all eternity.24100:21:37,900 –> 00:21:46,020It will change the nature of death, it will change the destiny that lies beyond for you.24200:21:46,020 –> 00:21:49,739I could have welcomed him.24300:21:49,739 –> 00:21:50,939I could have believed in him.24400:21:50,939 –> 00:21:52,839I could have worshipped him.24500:21:52,839 –> 00:21:58,319I could have been with him now.24600:21:58,319 –> 00:22:05,540It’s like all your life, he’s reaching out to you, but then when you pass beyond24700:22:05,540 –> 00:22:11,119death, he becomes beyond your reach.24800:22:11,119 –> 00:22:18,439So I wish with all my heart that I could be where you are right now.24900:22:18,439 –> 00:22:21,660And if I could be where you are right now, this is what I would do.25000:22:21,780 –> 00:22:29,420I would say to him in simple faith, whatever this life is, take it.25100:22:29,420 –> 00:22:32,739Make it what you want it to be.25200:22:32,739 –> 00:22:40,540Make me one of your children, and lead me into your everlasting life.25300:22:40,540 –> 00:22:42,540By the way.25400:22:42,540 –> 00:22:50,739I’ve been told that every one of those children whose lives were taken in Bethlehem25500:22:50,800 –> 00:22:52,959are with him.25600:22:52,959 –> 00:22:59,239And even now the full potential of every life is being fulfilled.25700:22:59,239 –> 00:23:05,900I’ve been told that there are already there more people than anyone could number, and25800:23:05,900 –> 00:23:08,060that many, many more are coming.25900:23:08,060 –> 00:23:14,420I hope you will be among them.26000:23:14,900 –> 00:23:22,959It’s too late for me, it is not too late for you.26100:23:22,959 –> 00:23:27,520Well this is pastor Colin, and it’s not too late for you.26200:23:27,520 –> 00:23:33,439Whoever you are, and whatever you may have done in your life, it is not too late for26300:23:33,439 –> 00:23:36,400you to come to Jesus Christ today.26400:23:36,400 –> 00:23:42,119The Saviour has his arms open to receive all who will come to him.26500:23:42,119 –> 00:23:43,280Here’s his promise.26600:23:43,280 –> 00:23:45,319And you must take this personally.26700:23:45,319 –> 00:23:50,160He says, whoever comes to me, I will never drive them away.26800:23:50,160 –> 00:23:53,959You come to Jesus today, and he will receive you.26900:23:53,959 –> 00:23:57,000Come to him in repentance, come to him in faith.27000:23:57,000 –> 00:24:06,239You know, the Bible says today if you hear his voice, do not harden your heart.27100:24:06,239 –> 00:24:10,199And that was Herod’s tragic story, he hardened his heart.27200:24:10,199 –> 00:24:11,979Don’t make that mistake.27300:24:11,979 –> 00:24:18,660Today as your eyes are open towards the Lord Jesus Christ, don’t harden your heart.27400:24:18,660 –> 00:24:19,660You come to him.27500:24:19,660 –> 00:24:20,939It’s not too late.27600:24:20,939 –> 00:24:25,079The Lord Jesus Christ is ready to receive you today.27700:24:25,079 –> 00:24:30,540Maybe, as you’ve been listening to the message today, you’ve heard God calling you into a27800:24:30,540 –> 00:24:33,239relationship with Jesus Christ.27900:24:33,239 –> 00:24:37,560You’d like to know more about how to enter into that relationship by the saving grace28000:24:37,560 –> 00:24:42,680of God and if so, I hope you’ll seek out a trusted Christian friend or family member28100:24:42,680 –> 00:24:45,719or maybe go along to a Christian church fellowship.28200:24:45,719 –> 00:24:50,540Take time to speak with the folk there the pastor or simply members that fellowship.28300:24:50,540 –> 00:24:53,560Tell them about your journey to discover faith for yourself.28400:24:53,560 –> 00:24:58,719You’ll find they’ll be ready to pray with you to help you make that step or if you’re28500:24:58,719 –> 00:25:01,760not yet ready to take that step and still have questions.28600:25:01,760 –> 00:25:04,099And we all have questions.28700:25:04,119 –> 00:25:09,560There may well be a Bible study course or a home group or an alpha program that you can join.28800:25:09,560 –> 00:25:12,420For Open The Bible, I’m Pastor Colin Smission.28900:25:12,420 –> 00:25:15,780I’m David Pick, and I hope you’ll join us again next time.29000:25:20,520 –> 00:25:25,520Sometimes people say, if only an angel would appear to me, I’d believe then.29100:25:25,520 –> 00:25:30,540Find out if that would really make the difference next time on Open The Bible.