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Every person relates to God in

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one of two ways. The default of

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course, is that we relate to God

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on the basis of law. And as

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we’ve seen, there is absolutely

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no hope there whatsoever. The

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law is our accuser. And if your

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hope is set on your accuser,

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while you are in deep trouble

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indeed. Welcome to Open The

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Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.

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I’m David Pick. I’m pleased you

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could be with us today. And

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Colin, I’m glad you said that

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there are two ways to relate to

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God. But it doesn’t have to be

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the first way based on the law.

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Tell us about the second way.

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The second way of course is

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grace that is found in and

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through the Lord Jesus Christ.

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That’s where hope is discovered

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through grace. And it’s

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beautifully stated in second

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Thessalonians chapter two and

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verse 16, that we’re looking at

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today, where the apostle speaks

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about the Lord Jesus Christ and

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God the Father who loved us and

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gave us eternal comfort and good

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hope through grace. Hope comes

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through grace. And so what we’re

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going to look at today are four

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very practical strategies for

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growing in hope. They’re

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applying the grace of God into

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our lives so that we will have a

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lively hope and confidence before

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God. And I hope that this is

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going to be refreshing and

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renewing for all of us today.

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Let’s hear a bit more about this.

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Join us, if you can, in 2

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Thessalonians chapter 2 as we

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continue our message, Hope by

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Grace. He is Colin. I’ve been

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reading a book by Andrew Bonner

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in which he shows how to apply

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the perfect life of Jesus to

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your conscience when you find

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yourself very troubled by a

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sense of your own failure. Now

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I’m putting this in my own

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words, but I’m drawing from

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Bonner’s examples. Did you waste

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your youth? Jesus Christ grew in

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wisdom and in favour with God

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and man. See he lived the

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perfect youth and childhood for

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you. He lived the youth and

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childhood that you didn’t so

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don’t let your wasted youth or

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childhood lead you to despair.

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Have you neglected prayer?

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Christ rose early in the morning

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to pray and he prayed through

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the night. Bonner says this

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God will impute to me as if I

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had prayed every day and every

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night. God by his grace and

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mercy will regard you as if you

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had prayed as much as Jesus

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himself did. Have you sought

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your own will rather than the

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will of God? Do you perhaps

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look back even years ago to a

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decision you made you felt God

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was calling you to something

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costly and well, you weren’t up

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for it. You pulled back and

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years later you look back on

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that decision in the different

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course your life took and you

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have a profound feeling that you

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let him down, you didn’t have

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the courage to do what you

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sensed he was calling you to do

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and you live with a great sense

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of regret. Have you sought your

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own will rather than the will of

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God? Jesus said to the father,

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not my will but yours be done.

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He gave what you withheld and

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God regards you in his grace and

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mercy and Jesus Christ as if you

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had been as willing to pursue

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that costly call as Jesus

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himself was. Examples could be

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multiplied and you can work this

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out for yourself. Have you been

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worldly? Jesus was not of this

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world. Have you been double

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minded? Jesus was always single

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and resolute in his purpose.

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All these things he did. He

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lived the life that we have

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failed to live and he lived that

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life for us and then Boner

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because he was a pastor makes

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this application. Have I been a

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good enough pastor? You see the

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questions of whether we’ve been

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good enough but what God has

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called us to do go everywhere.

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And where is a pastor or a

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missionary or a Christian leader

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to go when we feel our own

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feelings? Well we find hope not

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in what we are doing for Christ

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but in what he has done for us.

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He is the perfect shepherd that

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no one else has ever managed to

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be. And what he did he did for

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us.

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Boner says his shepherd’s heart

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and work cover over ours.

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Do you see this beautiful truth.

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Jesus is everything that we have

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failed to be.

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He has done everything that we

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have failed to do and God counts

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all that the Lord Jesus Christ

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has done for us as if it had

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been done by us.

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Hope does not come from the law.

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Hope does not come from what we

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do for the Lord Jesus Christ.

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It comes from what the Lord

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Jesus Christ has done for us.

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The perfect life that he has

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lived for us and the sin bearing

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death that he has died for us.

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Hope does not come by the law.

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Hope comes by grace.

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Our Lord Jesus Christ and God

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our father who loved us, gave

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us eternal comfort and good

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hope through grace.

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Now I understand this clearly.

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Every person relates to God in

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one of two ways.

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The default of course is that we

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relate to God on the basis of

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law and as we’ve seen that there

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is absolutely no hope there

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whatsoever.

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The law is our accuser and if

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your hope is set on your accuser

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well you are in deep trouble

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indeed.

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But God sent Jesus into the

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world and in Christ has opened

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up another whole way of relating

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to him, instead of relating to

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God on the basis of law you can

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choose to relate to God on the

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basis of grace and when you do

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that you will have hope.

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Now we said earlier that if you

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base your hope on obedience to

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God’s law, well your experience

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is going to be that you’re

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tempted to pride when you

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succeed, you’re tempted to

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despair when you fail, and you

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live under the shadow of the

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condemning questions have I done

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enough?

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What will be your experience if

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by faith you choose to relate to

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God on the basis of grace, grace

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that he offers you freely in the

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Lord Jesus Christ.

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Well, if you have a relationship

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with God that is based on grace,

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well, then when you succeed you

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will be just so thankful because

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you know, that what has been

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done is the effect of God’s

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grace working in your life.

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And when you fail, you will still

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have hope, because you know that

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your hope does not rest on what

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you’re doing for God or what you

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failed to do for God, but on what

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in Christ He has done for you.

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And you will have an answer to

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these haunting and condemning

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questions, the answer lies in the

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perfect life of Jesus which God

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graciously counted.

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In bloody fact, God ealay always

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wants your truth to be t must be

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clear to you, the eight points

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as yours.

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Hope does not come by the law.

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Hope comes by grace.

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Now, in the light of what we’ve

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learned here, let’s draw out

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again some practical strategies

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about the love of God.

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Notice our Lord Jesus Christ

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himself and God our Father who

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loved us.

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Now Paul wants to get that

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wonderful truth settled in our

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minds, and in our hearts before

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we go any further.

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So we must think about this

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often. God our Father, the Lord

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Jesus Christ who loved us.

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Think about it.

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One sin is enough to make you

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suspect that God may be

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against you.

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We see that of course in the

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story of Adam and Eve in the

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garden.

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They had walked with God, but

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just one sin was enough to send

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them hiding in the garden

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because they feared what God may

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do to them if they got too close

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to him.

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The sinner’s first instinct is

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always to hide from God in fear.

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And as long as you think that

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God is out to get you, you will

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not be growing in hope.

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But if you could believe from

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the heart that God really does

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love you, and that in Jesus

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Christ he has proved his love

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for you for ever beyond all

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question, if you could really

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believe that, you would have

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hope.

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So think often about the love of

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God and the proof of it in Jesus

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Christ.

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God so loved the world that he

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gave his one and only son.

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This is love, not that we loved

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God, but that he loved us and

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gave his son to be the

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propitiation for our sins.

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God shows his love for us in

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this, that while we were still

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sinners.

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Christ died for us.

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Remind yourself often that God

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loves you and you will grow in

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hope.

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And we’ll continue to look at

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how we can grow in hope when we

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come back to the message in just

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a moment, so I hope you’ll stay

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with us.

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If you missed any of the message

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today of indeed any of the

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previous messages in the series

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you can always come online to

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catch up or go back and listen

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again.

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Come to our website openthebible.org.uk

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Open the Bible is supported

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entirely by our listeners and

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financial support that you give

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us.

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If that’s something you’re

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00:11:35,780 –> 00:11:37,580

considering doing this month if

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00:11:37,580 –> 00:11:39,059

you’re able to set up a new

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five pounds per month or more or

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a one off gift of fifty pounds

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or more.

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We’d love to say thank you by

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sending you a copy of Jerry

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Bridges book, Respectable Sins.

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We’ll be hearing more about that

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Book from Colin later in the

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program so I hope you’ll stay

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with us for that.

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Back to the message now.

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Here’s Colin.

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Remind yourself often that God

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loves you and you will grow in

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hope.

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Second, stop counting the good

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that you have done.

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Stop counting the good that you

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have done.

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Look again at our verse.

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May our Lord Jesus Christ

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Himself and God our Father who

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loved us and gave us eternal

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comfort in good hope through

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grace.

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See, counting the good you have

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done is what a person does if

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they are relating to God on the

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basis of law.

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You begin to think of the good

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you have done as you would think

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of savings in the bank.

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Well, you know, I did something

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good that’ll go towards my

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ultimate salvation.

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But you see, as we saw earlier,

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there is absolutely no hope

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there whatsoever.

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A relationship with God that is

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based on law can only ever end

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in condemnation, the law will be

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your accuser.

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Your accuser will remind you

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when you’re trying to count the

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good you have done, of all the

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good that you’ve not done.

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And of all that they’re wrong

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that you have done as well.

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So stop counting the good you’ve

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done, if you can stop that

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habit, it’ll be an enormous

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relief to you.

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Start relying on the good that

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Jesus has done and you will grow

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in hope.

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Hope diminishes.

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It’s eclipsed whenever you count

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the good that you’ve been doing.

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Hope rises as you rely on the

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good that Jesus has done.

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And you know, this is very

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practical.

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There’s some of us who really

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struggle with a sense of

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unworthiness.

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Now, where does that come from?

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You say, well, I just feel so

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unworthy.

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Where does that come from?

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00:14:11,159 –> 00:14:13,640

Well, you see, it comes from

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00:14:13,640 –> 00:14:16,500

counting the good that you have

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done and feeling that you have

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come up short.

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That’s what it comes from.

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You look at others and you wish

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that you had done what they have

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done, but you haven’t done it.

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And that’s why you feel

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unworthy.

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So you see, what is the answer

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to these feelings of

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unworthiness?

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It is to stop acting as if your

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relationship with God was based

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on the law and start thanking

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God that your relationship with

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Him is based on grace.

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And then a third strategy,

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receive what Jesus gives by

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faith.

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Notice again, in our wonderful

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verse, may our Lord Jesus Christ

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Himself and God our Father who

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00:15:04,599 –> 00:15:08,979

loved us and gave us, eternal

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00:15:08,979 –> 00:15:10,219

comfort and good hope.

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00:15:10,260 –> 00:15:11,280

Through grace.

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May he comfort our hearts.

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00:15:13,280 –> 00:15:17,020

You see that God gave us eternal

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comfort, that is a comfort that

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00:15:19,739 –> 00:15:22,599

relates to eternity, the comfort

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of knowing that all will be well

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with you forever.

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God gave us good hope, it’s a

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00:15:28,840 –> 00:15:29,739

gift.

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Hope is yours by grace.

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00:15:35,520 –> 00:15:38,700

It is a gift, it is given.

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00:15:39,479 –> 00:15:43,539

God gives this gift by grace.

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00:15:44,419 –> 00:15:46,559

But you see, a gift that is given

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00:15:47,080 –> 00:15:48,799

also has to be received.

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Grace is the way that God gives

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00:15:51,500 –> 00:15:52,140

the gift.

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00:15:52,140 –> 00:15:55,380

Faith is the way that we receive

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00:15:55,400 –> 00:15:56,320

the gift.

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00:15:57,719 –> 00:16:00,200

So listen to this from the

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apostle Paul in Romans 15-13.

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He’s speaking about hope and he

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00:16:06,200 –> 00:16:06,799

says,

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00:16:21,299 –> 00:16:23,320

Notice that he describes God as

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00:16:23,320 –> 00:16:24,140

the God of hope.

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00:16:24,140 –> 00:16:25,859

Hope comes from God, as we saw

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00:16:26,099 –> 00:16:27,320

from the beginning of this

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00:16:27,320 –> 00:16:27,859

series.

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00:16:28,900 –> 00:16:31,119

And his prayer ends with people

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00:16:31,200 –> 00:16:33,320

who are abounding in hope.

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00:16:34,239 –> 00:16:35,700

And so the question is, how does

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00:16:35,700 –> 00:16:37,159

the hope that comes from God

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00:16:37,159 –> 00:16:38,460

through Christ, how does that

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00:16:38,460 –> 00:16:39,820

actually get into us?

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00:16:39,919 –> 00:16:42,200

Well God, by his grace, gives it

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00:16:42,200 –> 00:16:42,500

to us.

415

00:16:42,700 –> 00:16:45,000

We receive it by faith,

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00:16:45,159 –> 00:16:46,539

by believing.

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00:16:48,919 –> 00:16:50,239

And remember that the apostle

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00:16:50,239 –> 00:16:52,659

Paul is writing these words to

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00:16:52,960 –> 00:16:54,080

believers.

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00:16:54,960 –> 00:16:57,799

In other words, God has called

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00:16:57,799 –> 00:17:00,080

us not only to an act of faith

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00:17:00,080 –> 00:17:00,940

at the beginning of the

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00:17:00,940 –> 00:17:01,719

Christian life.

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00:17:02,239 –> 00:17:05,000

God calls us to a life of faith.

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00:17:05,000 –> 00:17:08,839

We walk by faith, not by sight.

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00:17:10,479 –> 00:17:15,920

And hope and joy and peace and

427

00:17:15,920 –> 00:17:18,079

comfort in the Christian life

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00:17:18,300 –> 00:17:20,300

are all gifts of God.

429

00:17:20,560 –> 00:17:22,079

They are all offered to us

430

00:17:22,079 –> 00:17:24,199

freely by grace and they are all

431

00:17:24,199 –> 00:17:27,560

received by faith.

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00:17:28,239 –> 00:17:32,540

Believing is the means by which

433

00:17:32,540 –> 00:17:34,260

you receive what God gives.

434

00:17:35,900 –> 00:17:39,079

As you believe, you will have

435

00:17:39,079 –> 00:17:41,839

hope and the more you believe,

436

00:17:42,760 –> 00:17:44,160

the more hope you will have.

437

00:17:46,040 –> 00:17:47,239

How can you grow in hope?

438

00:17:47,680 –> 00:17:49,239

Well, think often about the

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00:17:49,239 –> 00:17:50,079

love of God.

440

00:17:50,199 –> 00:17:52,040

Stop counting the good that you

441

00:17:52,040 –> 00:17:52,780

have done.

442

00:17:52,780 –> 00:17:54,560

Receive what the Lord Jesus

443

00:17:54,560 –> 00:17:56,079

Christ offers by faith.

444

00:17:56,079 –> 00:17:57,359

And here’s the last thing.

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00:17:57,719 –> 00:18:01,520

Pursue every good work and

446

00:18:01,520 –> 00:18:02,119

word.

447

00:18:03,160 –> 00:18:06,520

Notice the outcome of our verse

448

00:18:06,520 –> 00:18:07,040

today.

449

00:18:08,040 –> 00:18:10,119

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ

450

00:18:10,119 –> 00:18:13,199

himself and God our Father who

451

00:18:13,199 –> 00:18:14,760

loved us and gave us eternal

452

00:18:14,760 –> 00:18:16,280

comfort and good hope through

453

00:18:16,280 –> 00:18:17,020

grace.

454

00:18:17,859 –> 00:18:20,880

May he comfort your hearts and

455

00:18:20,880 –> 00:18:24,040

establish them in every good

456

00:18:24,119 –> 00:18:26,640

work and word.

457

00:18:27,680 –> 00:18:29,079

Every good work and word.

458

00:18:30,680 –> 00:18:33,400

So notice what grace produces

459

00:18:34,339 –> 00:18:37,280

notice the outcome of God’s

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00:18:37,319 –> 00:18:39,599

grace in a believer’s life.

461

00:18:39,839 –> 00:18:43,239

Every good work and word.

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00:18:45,000 –> 00:18:46,319

Now the very simple principle

463

00:18:46,319 –> 00:18:48,640

here is that what goes in

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eventually comes out.

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If someone is treated with

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00:18:54,540 –> 00:18:56,239

continued cruelty.

467

00:18:57,560 –> 00:18:59,319

No one would be surprised if

468

00:18:59,319 –> 00:19:00,800

over time that person became

469

00:19:00,800 –> 00:19:01,800

cruel to others.

470

00:19:03,540 –> 00:19:04,420

But you see on the same

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00:19:04,420 –> 00:19:07,880

principle what if God’s love

472

00:19:07,900 –> 00:19:10,719

and grace were to fill a

473

00:19:10,719 –> 00:19:11,900

person’s life.

474

00:19:13,699 –> 00:19:17,180

What comes out of that is

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00:19:17,380 –> 00:19:20,699

works and words that reflect

476

00:19:20,739 –> 00:19:23,339

the grace that that person is

477

00:19:23,339 –> 00:19:27,500

received and notice that this

478

00:19:27,520 –> 00:19:28,579

is not something that just

479

00:19:28,579 –> 00:19:30,119

happens occasionally once in a

480

00:19:30,119 –> 00:19:31,520

while a person comes out with a

481

00:19:31,520 –> 00:19:32,839

good work or a good word.

482

00:19:34,079 –> 00:19:35,300

It’s actually normal.

483

00:19:35,680 –> 00:19:38,520

It’s the overflow of a life that

484

00:19:38,520 –> 00:19:40,280

is lived on the grace of the

485

00:19:40,280 –> 00:19:41,359

Lord Jesus Christ.

486

00:19:41,599 –> 00:19:43,199

He says that their hearts will

487

00:19:43,199 –> 00:19:44,939

be established.

488

00:19:46,099 –> 00:19:49,479

In every good work and word.

489

00:19:51,560 –> 00:19:53,560

Now you see someone may wonder

490

00:19:53,599 –> 00:19:56,140

as you’re taking in this

491

00:19:56,140 –> 00:19:57,900

wonderful theme from the Bible

492

00:19:58,219 –> 00:19:59,660

you may wonder what that wait a

493

00:19:59,660 –> 00:20:02,719

minute if hope comes from grace

494

00:20:02,819 –> 00:20:04,099

rather than law.

495

00:20:05,140 –> 00:20:08,020

If it comes from believing rather

496

00:20:08,020 –> 00:20:11,619

than doing how will any good work

497

00:20:11,699 –> 00:20:12,839

ever get done.

498

00:20:14,459 –> 00:20:16,359

And the answer to that question

499

00:20:16,359 –> 00:20:17,140

dear friend.

500

00:20:18,219 –> 00:20:20,560

Is that grace will take you

501

00:20:20,560 –> 00:20:23,260

further than the law ever could.

502

00:20:23,500 –> 00:20:23,880

Need.

503

00:20:26,020 –> 00:20:29,439

You will do more for love than

504

00:20:29,439 –> 00:20:31,219

you would ever do for law.

505

00:20:32,500 –> 00:20:33,359

I mean think about it.

506

00:20:34,339 –> 00:20:37,719

Taxes are a matter of law.

507

00:20:38,579 –> 00:20:40,900

And what do we all do we all

508

00:20:40,900 –> 00:20:43,739

follow the path of minimal

509

00:20:43,739 –> 00:20:44,699

compliance.

510

00:20:44,859 –> 00:20:47,180

What is the least amount that I

511

00:20:47,180 –> 00:20:49,420

am required under the law to pay

512

00:20:49,420 –> 00:20:50,380

is there anyone who’s saying

513

00:20:50,380 –> 00:20:51,939

please can I pay more taxes.

514

00:20:51,939 –> 00:20:52,839

Of course not.

515

00:20:54,119 –> 00:20:55,079

The law leads to minimal

516

00:20:55,079 –> 00:20:56,119

compliance.

517

00:20:58,380 –> 00:21:02,060

But you see there are no limits

518

00:21:03,260 –> 00:21:04,500

to what a person will do for

519

00:21:04,500 –> 00:21:04,859

love.

520

00:21:06,699 –> 00:21:09,319

When you receive grace.

521

00:21:11,060 –> 00:21:12,880

You want to reflect it to

522

00:21:12,880 –> 00:21:13,900

others you really do.

523

00:21:15,339 –> 00:21:16,900

And it won’t be because you’re

524

00:21:16,900 –> 00:21:18,579

trying to prove something.

525

00:21:19,579 –> 00:21:20,459

And it certainly won’t be

526

00:21:20,459 –> 00:21:21,780

because you’re trying to gain

527

00:21:22,359 –> 00:21:23,900

something grace means that

528

00:21:23,900 –> 00:21:25,140

you’ve received already.

529

00:21:26,819 –> 00:21:28,500

And having received.

530

00:21:29,900 –> 00:21:30,979

You know really do have a

531

00:21:30,979 –> 00:21:31,979

desire to give.

532

00:21:33,739 –> 00:21:38,020

So what good work of grace will

533

00:21:38,020 –> 00:21:38,540

you do.

534

00:21:40,219 –> 00:21:44,780

What good words of hope will you

535

00:21:44,780 –> 00:21:45,500

speak.

536

00:21:47,380 –> 00:21:51,180

Here’s a wonderful prospect a

537

00:21:51,180 –> 00:21:54,819

congregation of believers.

538

00:21:56,020 –> 00:21:57,339

Filled with hope.

539

00:21:58,739 –> 00:22:00,619

Going out into the world.

540

00:22:01,579 –> 00:22:02,939

And reflecting.

541

00:22:03,819 –> 00:22:06,260

The grace that we have received.

542

00:22:07,180 –> 00:22:09,660

In every good work.

543

00:22:11,099 –> 00:22:11,859

And word.

544

00:22:13,619 –> 00:22:14,699

You’ve been listening to pastor

545

00:22:14,699 –> 00:22:16,540

Colin Smith on Open the Bible

546

00:22:16,859 –> 00:22:18,660

and a message called Hope By

547

00:22:18,660 –> 00:22:20,979

Grace part of our series growing

548

00:22:21,060 –> 00:22:22,900

in faith hope and love based

549

00:22:22,900 –> 00:22:25,060

today on to Thessalonians

550

00:22:25,060 –> 00:22:27,339

chapter two and verse sixteen.

551

00:22:27,739 –> 00:22:28,699

If you’ve missed any of the

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00:22:28,699 –> 00:22:30,260

message or indeed any of the

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00:22:30,260 –> 00:22:31,900

previous messages in the series

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00:22:32,420 –> 00:22:33,859

you can always catch up or go

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00:22:33,859 –> 00:22:35,500

back and listen again online.

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00:22:35,819 –> 00:22:37,739

As our website open the Bible

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00:22:37,739 –> 00:22:40,739

dot org dot UK the will find all

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00:22:40,739 –> 00:22:41,619

of the messages that have

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00:22:41,619 –> 00:22:42,859

already gone out on air.

560

00:22:43,459 –> 00:22:45,140

You can also catch pastor

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00:22:45,140 –> 00:22:45,979

Colin’s teaching.

562

00:22:46,500 –> 00:22:47,459

As a podcast.

563

00:22:47,900 –> 00:22:49,380

And those are available on the

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podcast sites by searching for

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00:22:51,859 –> 00:22:54,180

Open the Bible UK and subscribe

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if you want to receive regular

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updates.

568

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Also available on our website

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00:22:59,380 –> 00:23:01,260

and as a podcast you’ll find

570

00:23:01,380 –> 00:23:03,459

Open the Bible daily and that’s

571

00:23:03,459 –> 00:23:04,979

a series of short daily

572

00:23:04,979 –> 00:23:06,660

reflections two or three minutes

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00:23:06,660 –> 00:23:08,619

in length based on past the

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00:23:08,619 –> 00:23:09,939

Collins teaching and read in the

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00:23:09,939 –> 00:23:11,699

UK by Sue McLeish.

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00:23:12,020 –> 00:23:13,520

Many people find it’s a great

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00:23:13,520 –> 00:23:14,739

way to start the day.

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00:23:15,819 –> 00:23:17,260

If you’re a regular listener to

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00:23:17,260 –> 00:23:18,780

open the Bible you’ll know that

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00:23:18,819 –> 00:23:20,560

we are supported financially by

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00:23:20,560 –> 00:23:21,619

many of our listeners.

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If you’ve thought about helping

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00:23:23,140 –> 00:23:25,180

the ministry in that way but you

584

00:23:25,180 –> 00:23:26,699

haven’t yet done it why not

585

00:23:26,699 –> 00:23:27,839

start this month.

586

00:23:28,300 –> 00:23:30,140

If you’re able to set up a new

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direct debit of five pounds per

588

00:23:32,199 –> 00:23:34,420

month or more or give a one

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off gift of 50 pounds or more

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00:23:36,739 –> 00:23:38,459

we’d love to say thank you by

591

00:23:38,459 –> 00:23:40,020

sending you a copy of Jerry

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00:23:40,020 –> 00:23:42,500

Bridges book Respectable Sins.

593

00:23:43,339 –> 00:23:43,819

Colin.

594

00:23:44,079 –> 00:23:45,140

Who is this book for.

595

00:23:45,300 –> 00:23:47,500

Well this is a really helpful

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00:23:47,540 –> 00:23:49,060

and practical book for any

597

00:23:49,060 –> 00:23:50,900

Christian believer no matter how

598

00:23:50,900 –> 00:23:52,260

long you have been following the

599

00:23:52,260 –> 00:23:54,880

Lord Jesus Christ as Christians

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00:23:54,880 –> 00:23:56,560

we all recognize that we’re

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00:23:56,560 –> 00:23:57,040

sinners.

602

00:23:57,079 –> 00:23:58,920

We all confess that in general

603

00:23:59,420 –> 00:24:01,540

but what would you say if you

604

00:24:01,540 –> 00:24:04,359

were asked what are three sins

605

00:24:04,400 –> 00:24:06,140

that you need to be fighting

606

00:24:06,140 –> 00:24:07,819

against more strongly in your

607

00:24:07,819 –> 00:24:08,280

life.

608

00:24:08,859 –> 00:24:10,199

As Christians we’re committed to

609

00:24:10,199 –> 00:24:11,459

living good lives.

610

00:24:11,760 –> 00:24:13,040

We’re not going to be murdering

611

00:24:13,040 –> 00:24:14,739

we’re committed to be loyal and

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00:24:14,739 –> 00:24:16,020

faithful to our spouse.

613

00:24:16,099 –> 00:24:17,140

We’re not going to be robbing a

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00:24:17,140 –> 00:24:17,680

bank.

615

00:24:18,140 –> 00:24:19,599

But the point of course is that

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00:24:19,599 –> 00:24:21,479

there are more subtle sins

617

00:24:21,579 –> 00:24:23,560

alongside these obvious ones

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00:24:23,560 –> 00:24:25,140

that may actually lurk in our

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00:24:25,140 –> 00:24:25,680

hearts.

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00:24:25,979 –> 00:24:27,880

Sins like pride, sins like

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00:24:27,880 –> 00:24:30,060

discontent, judgementalism.

622

00:24:30,579 –> 00:24:32,060

And what this book does so

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00:24:32,060 –> 00:24:35,400

helpfully is it identifies the

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00:24:35,640 –> 00:24:37,760

respectable sins the ones that

625

00:24:37,760 –> 00:24:39,979

might just be accommodated in

626

00:24:40,020 –> 00:24:42,920

our lives and alerts us to how

627

00:24:42,920 –> 00:24:44,500

we need to engage in battle

628

00:24:44,500 –> 00:24:45,199

against them.

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00:24:46,119 –> 00:24:48,380

So this book Respectable Sins by

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00:24:48,380 –> 00:24:50,699

Geri Bridges is our gift to you

631

00:24:50,780 –> 00:24:52,380

if you’re able to support the

632

00:24:52,380 –> 00:24:53,859

work of Open the Bible by

633

00:24:53,859 –> 00:24:55,699

setting up a direct debit in the

634

00:24:55,699 –> 00:24:57,540

amount of five pounds per month

635

00:24:57,660 –> 00:25:00,339

or more, or a one-off gift of

636

00:25:00,339 –> 00:25:02,619

50 pounds or more this month.

637

00:25:03,619 –> 00:25:05,400

For Pastor Colin Smith and Open

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00:25:05,400 –> 00:25:07,140

the Bible I’m David Pick and I

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00:25:07,140 –> 00:25:08,280

hope you’ll be able to join us

640

00:25:08,280 –> 00:25:09,300

again next time.

641

00:25:10,300 –> 00:25:12,660

Some wonderful things happen in

642

00:25:12,660 –> 00:25:14,819

your life as you grow in hope.

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00:25:15,119 –> 00:25:17,500

Find out what they are next time

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00:25:17,500 –> 00:25:18,699

on Open the Bible.