100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:08,180And if you find your marriage under strain or perhaps I should say when you do because200:00:08,180 –> 00:00:12,900that is our common experience. Remember that it is God300:00:12,900 –> 00:00:16,879who has joined you together. This is not some sort of arbitrary400:00:16,879 –> 00:00:19,320agreement just between the two of you. God is500:00:19,320 –> 00:00:23,639in the middle of it. Those God has joined600:00:23,959 –> 00:00:27,040you together. God tied the knot.700:00:27,799 –> 00:00:32,840Welcome to open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David I’m glad you could be with us today.800:00:33,320 –> 00:00:36,520I guess every marriage goes through ups and downs,900:00:36,520 –> 00:00:40,200challenges and strains. But Colin, it sounds like today’s message1000:00:40,200 –> 00:00:44,279is going to be one of encouragement. It sure is. We’re raising a cheer for1100:00:44,279 –> 00:00:48,119marriage, which is a wonderful gift of God, a good gift1200:00:48,439 –> 00:00:54,439God. I love the fact that it is God who joins a man and a woman1300:00:54,439 –> 00:00:57,720together in marriage. That goes all the way back to Adam and Eve in the garden.1400:00:58,919 –> 00:01:03,160God brings Eve to Adam and God joins them together.1500:01:03,160 –> 00:01:08,919So when I, as a pastor, I have the joy and privilege of leading a wedding service,1600:01:08,919 –> 00:01:14,680and taking the hand of a man and a woman, and then my hand being on top1700:01:14,680 –> 00:01:20,279of their hands and pronouncing them to be man and wife, when the pastor does that,1800:01:20,279 –> 00:01:26,440it’s a visible symbol that invisibly, God is the one who does that. God says,1900:01:26,440 –> 00:01:32,199You are one. And that’s marvelous. Every marriage goes under times of strain,2000:01:32,199 –> 00:01:38,199at a time when you might say, Boy, did I make a mistake? You know, did I miss something here?2100:01:38,839 –> 00:01:44,199You know, God’s hand has been in this, that will help you, that will encourage you.2200:01:44,199 –> 00:01:49,480So, today is a day of encouragement for everyone who’s married and who wants to understand the2300:01:49,480 –> 00:01:54,839beauty of this marvelous gift of God. Let’s begin then. We’re in Mark’s Gospel.2400:01:54,839 –> 00:01:58,599End of chapter 9, beginning of chapter 10. Here’s Colin…2500:01:58,599 –> 00:02:07,320Many people find a way of managing life by dividing it into separate compartments,2600:02:08,279 –> 00:02:12,440and folks who do that think a little bit like this. There’s one compartment2700:02:13,080 –> 00:02:18,039for work and that’s where you have to deal with things like business and budgets and2800:02:18,039 –> 00:02:22,520sales reports or whatever happens to be your working sphere. That’s work.2900:02:22,520 –> 00:02:27,399Then there’s another sphere that becomes family, where you have your marriage, your kids,3000:02:27,399 –> 00:02:33,000everything that goes into maintaining a home. And then a spiritual compartment that is about,3100:02:33,320 –> 00:02:41,960prayer and church and God and eternity. And if you divide your life into compartments3200:02:41,960 –> 00:02:50,199like that, you will probably feel that God cares about your soul but probably isn’t3300:02:50,839 –> 00:02:54,440integrally involved in the ups and downs of your marriage.3400:02:55,399 –> 00:03:02,039That God is somewhat interested in your heart but not really engaged with the chaos of your hectic3500:03:02,600 –> 00:03:05,320Christmas schedule with the kids or whatever it is.3600:03:06,919 –> 00:03:12,600And I want us to stop and think about that and correct that kind of thinking for just a moment.3700:03:14,119 –> 00:03:24,839At Christmas, we celebrate the incarnation, that is God entering the world. Which world?3800:03:25,600 –> 00:03:36,080God entering the world of noisy kids, relentless schedules, strained marriages, messy divorces.3900:03:36,080 –> 00:03:44,479God came into this world as we experience it in the person of his Son, Jesus Christ.4000:03:44,479 –> 00:03:47,839At the beginning of John’s gospel, you remember these well known words,4100:03:47,880 –> 00:03:55,940in the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God.4200:03:55,940 –> 00:03:59,940And then John says, the Word became what?4300:03:59,940 –> 00:04:03,119Flesh, flesh.4400:04:03,119 –> 00:04:06,779The Word became flesh and lived among us.4500:04:06,779 –> 00:04:10,539It does not say the Word became spirit.4600:04:10,539 –> 00:04:14,119See, if it said the Word became spirit, we would have to conclude4700:04:14,759 –> 00:04:21,339that the interest God has is limited to the things of the spirit in our lives like prayer4800:04:21,339 –> 00:04:24,279and meditation and Bible study.4900:04:24,279 –> 00:04:26,299But that is not the message of Christmas.5000:04:26,299 –> 00:04:31,880The message of Christmas is not that the Word became spirit, but that the Word became flesh.5100:04:31,880 –> 00:04:37,059And that means that God is interested in every aspect of your life.5200:04:37,059 –> 00:04:38,559Your life in the flesh.5300:04:38,559 –> 00:04:42,059Your life in this world.5400:04:42,119 –> 00:04:50,320With marriage, and work, and kids, and schedules, and all the messed-up situations of life and5500:04:50,320 –> 00:04:58,260relationships that cause us anxiety and tension, and Jesus Christ came in to this world.5600:04:58,260 –> 00:05:00,660In to this world.5700:05:00,660 –> 00:05:11,140The incarnation just blows apart the compartments in to which we so easily divide our lives.5800:05:11,140 –> 00:05:19,940When Jesus Christ entered the world, God was invading our whole life, home, kids, marriage,5900:05:19,940 –> 00:05:22,799work, checkbook, everything.6000:05:22,799 –> 00:05:27,760When Jesus went to the cross, he didn’t just die to save your soul, he went to the6100:05:27,760 –> 00:05:30,720cross in order to redeem your life.6200:05:30,720 –> 00:05:34,940It’s much bigger!6300:05:34,940 –> 00:05:37,700And thank God for that.6400:05:37,700 –> 00:05:39,880The Word became flesh.6500:05:40,600 –> 00:05:47,640Now, today as we come to Mark’s Gospel, we’re going to see Jesus surrounded by noisy kids6600:05:47,640 –> 00:05:49,799and pushy parents.6700:05:49,799 –> 00:05:56,079We’re going to hear Jesus interact with people about the joys of marriage and the6800:05:56,079 –> 00:05:58,640pain of divorce.6900:05:58,640 –> 00:06:04,540We’re going to see Jesus in the middle of life, surrounded by a press of people with7000:06:04,540 –> 00:06:12,320and all the stress that that brings as well as all the joy that goes with it.7100:06:12,320 –> 00:06:17,619And today as we open the Bible I want simply to raise a cheer for marriage and to raise7200:06:17,619 –> 00:06:25,859a cheer for children and to help us to see that Jesus Christ is in the middle of both.7300:06:25,859 –> 00:06:31,420We’re going to see that Jesus seals marriages and that Jesus blesses children.7400:06:31,420 –> 00:06:33,380So I hope you have your Bible open in front of you.7500:06:33,540 –> 00:06:39,059We’re going to begin at Mark chapter ten and verse one we find Jesus as so often teaching7600:06:39,059 –> 00:06:43,179the great crowds of people who came to him.7700:06:43,179 –> 00:06:47,700And in verse two the pharisees come and they test him, and they always seem to have an7800:06:47,700 –> 00:06:53,320angle with their question, this time their question is, is it lawful for a man to divorce7900:06:53,320 –> 00:06:54,320his wife?8000:06:54,320 –> 00:07:02,559It’s very interesting Jesus is asked a question about divorce but He answers with some teaching8100:07:02,859 –> 00:07:09,359about marriage, now I want you to notice later when the disciples ask Jesus in private about8200:07:09,359 –> 00:07:13,359divorce that He answers them in the privacy of a home.8300:07:13,359 –> 00:07:19,859I think by the way that is very significant because Jesus did not come into the world8400:07:19,859 –> 00:07:25,100to load guilt onto people for past failures.8500:07:25,100 –> 00:07:27,660Important to remember that.8600:07:27,679 –> 00:07:34,540Here on one occasion he spoke to a lady who had gone through no fewer than five divorces,8700:07:34,540 –> 00:07:38,019five divorces.8800:07:38,019 –> 00:07:44,859And Jesus does not condemn this lady, what He does is He talks to her about becoming8900:07:44,859 –> 00:07:47,440a true worshiper of God.9000:07:47,440 –> 00:07:50,260See that is the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.9100:07:50,260 –> 00:07:52,000The Word becomes flesh.9200:07:52,000 –> 00:08:02,440He comes into this world with all its pain, with all its brokenness, and He ministers9300:08:02,440 –> 00:08:08,540men and women in the middle of stress of life.9400:08:08,540 –> 00:08:11,820In this world, that is the incarnation.9500:08:11,820 –> 00:08:14,059Think about it.9600:08:14,059 –> 00:08:16,720And thank God for it.9700:08:16,720 –> 00:08:25,559Jesus does not focus on our past failures but on present realities and future possibilities.9800:08:25,559 –> 00:08:30,519And I want us to see here therefore that the focus of our Lord’s teaching is very much9900:08:30,519 –> 00:08:39,739on the dignity and the value, the beauty of God’s gift of marriage.10000:08:39,739 –> 00:08:42,919Let’s look at what Jesus teaches here in verse 6.10100:08:42,919 –> 00:08:47,539At the beginning of creation, he says, God made them male and female.10200:08:47,539 –> 00:08:52,760For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and10300:08:52,760 –> 00:08:55,820the two will become one flesh.10400:08:55,820 –> 00:09:02,380So they are no longer two but one, and therefore what God has joined together, let man not10500:09:02,380 –> 00:09:03,500separate.10600:09:03,500 –> 00:09:08,719Now notice God’s pattern for marriage here.10700:09:08,719 –> 00:09:15,020I think we can build a very simple understanding of what marriage is as God intended it from10800:09:15,020 –> 00:09:18,000the teaching of Jesus right here.10900:09:18,000 –> 00:09:20,919First Jesus says, a man.11000:09:20,919 –> 00:09:23,400Now notice that that is singular.11100:09:23,400 –> 00:09:28,739So we’re reminded straightaway that marriage is an exclusive union between two people.11200:09:28,739 –> 00:09:32,679Second, he shall leave his father and his mother.11300:09:32,679 –> 00:09:37,719In other words, marriage is not a private arrangement, a sort of private agreement between11400:09:37,760 –> 00:09:38,760two people.11500:09:38,760 –> 00:09:40,559It is a public attachment.11600:09:40,559 –> 00:09:44,479It involves that leaving and it is known.11700:09:44,479 –> 00:09:47,299He shall be united with his wife.11800:09:47,299 –> 00:09:52,659United speaking of a lasting relationship that is to be characterized by love.11900:09:52,659 –> 00:09:57,260The man is united, Jesus says, to his wife, and so quite clearly here the relationship12000:09:57,260 –> 00:10:00,719is between one man and one woman.12100:10:00,719 –> 00:10:03,940The two, Jesus says, will become one flesh.12200:10:04,039 –> 00:10:10,320So the loving union of their hearts will be sealed, it will be strengthened by the physical12300:10:10,320 –> 00:10:13,179union of their bodies.12400:10:13,179 –> 00:10:17,859And then Jesus says, what God has joined together, let not man separate.12500:10:17,859 –> 00:10:24,559So God is the one who actually seals this bond, it is God who makes the two one, the12600:10:24,559 –> 00:10:27,659relationship is sealed by him.12700:10:27,659 –> 00:10:32,799We’re going to come back and hear why that’s so important and also a helpful definition12800:10:32,799 –> 00:10:35,200of marriage in just a moment.12900:10:35,200 –> 00:10:40,000You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called, Jesus13000:10:40,000 –> 00:10:45,400calls his people to become like children, it’s part of our series, the gospel according13100:10:45,400 –> 00:10:46,719to Jesus.13200:10:46,719 –> 00:10:50,520And if you’ve missed any of the series so far or if you want to go back and listen again13300:10:50,520 –> 00:10:55,179you can do that by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk.13400:10:55,179 –> 00:10:59,580There you’ll find all the previously broadcast messages.13500:10:59,580 –> 00:11:00,679Back to the message now.13600:11:00,679 –> 00:11:04,679Here in Mark and chapter nine and 10 here’s Colin.13700:11:04,679 –> 00:11:12,880From the plain teaching of Jesus, we can define marriage as an exclusive, public, lasting,13800:11:12,880 –> 00:11:22,619loving union of one man and one woman, and most important of all, that is sealed by God.13900:11:22,619 –> 00:11:28,320This high view of marriage was very, very different from the prevailing ideas about14000:11:28,320 –> 00:11:32,260marriage that existed at the time of Jesus.14100:11:32,260 –> 00:11:41,979At the time of Jesus, divorce had become very common and particularly very common by a man14200:11:41,979 –> 00:11:49,099putting away his wife, divorcing his wife, often for the most frivolous of reasons.14300:11:49,099 –> 00:11:55,820Let me read to you from Bishop Ryle, who quotes from Rabbi Hillel’s writings, Rabbi Hillel14400:11:56,200 –> 00:12:02,000being one of the main schools of thought back in the time of Jesus.14500:12:02,000 –> 00:12:08,059Ryle says the extent to which the Jews allowed divorce for absurd and frivolous causes would14600:12:08,059 –> 00:12:13,440be almost incredible if we did not have the evidence of their own rabbinical writings14700:12:13,440 –> 00:12:14,440on the subject.14800:12:14,440 –> 00:12:15,760Then he quotes Hillel.14900:12:15,820 –> 00:12:20,179Now, what do you make of this?15000:12:20,179 –> 00:12:28,179If the wife—notice that, by the way, the wife, that’s a bad start—if the wife says15100:12:28,179 –> 00:12:38,840hillel, cooks her husband’s food ill by over-salting it or over-roasting it, she is15200:12:38,840 –> 00:12:40,419to be put away.15300:12:40,419 –> 00:12:41,419Incredible.15400:12:41,419 –> 00:12:46,859Well, you know, I mean we laugh because that seems so ludicrous, but can you imagine the15500:12:46,859 –> 00:12:50,059plight of women in that culture?15600:12:50,080 –> 00:12:56,340Can you imagine living in a culture where the religious leadership actually encourages15700:12:56,340 –> 00:13:01,460men to have this kind of freedom to change their mind on marriage relationship at their15800:13:01,460 –> 00:13:02,460own whim?15900:13:02,460 –> 00:13:08,760So, walk in, walk out, done with you, move on to her?16000:13:08,760 –> 00:13:14,719The plight of women in this environment in which our Lord Jesus Christ is teaching is16100:13:14,719 –> 00:13:18,320disastrous.16200:13:18,479 –> 00:13:21,320And remember, this is what was happening among the people of God.16300:13:21,320 –> 00:13:25,640I mean, we’re not just talking about theory, we’re talking about what had become fostered16400:13:25,640 –> 00:13:26,640within the culture.16500:13:26,640 –> 00:13:28,580This is how life was.16600:13:28,580 –> 00:13:33,799And the question, of course, when Jesus Christ comes into the world is, well, then what does16700:13:33,799 –> 00:13:35,760Jesus think about that?16800:13:35,760 –> 00:13:38,400Does He support that?16900:13:38,400 –> 00:13:45,580Is that how He thinks of marriage, that kind of thing that a man can change at will?17000:13:45,580 –> 00:13:47,419What does Jesus say about that?17100:13:47,500 –> 00:13:52,359Well, Jesus responds to His disciples, If you look at verses 11 and 12, you’ll see very17200:13:52,359 –> 00:13:58,539clearly the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ about this, as He has taught about what marriage17300:13:58,539 –> 00:14:03,119is, it follows very plainly what He has to say about divorce.17400:14:03,119 –> 00:14:08,239And He says here, that remarriage after a divorce in verse 11 and 12 would be adultery,17500:14:08,239 –> 00:14:15,760because even if the relationship were ended in law, even if it were ended by Rabbi Hillel,17600:14:15,760 –> 00:14:19,900when a man chooses to put his wife away, that does not mean that it was ended in the eye17700:14:19,900 –> 00:14:20,900of God.17800:14:20,900 –> 00:14:29,140And remember, says Jesus, it is God, not Hillel, who joined the two together in the first place.17900:14:29,140 –> 00:14:37,039Those God has joined together He says, let not man separate.18000:14:37,039 –> 00:14:42,020Well we hear Jesus saying that, those God has joined together, let not man separate.18100:14:42,020 –> 00:14:44,099But that raises loads of questions, doesn’t it?18200:14:44,979 –> 00:14:49,719Are there any circumstances, in which those God has joined together, God may separate.18300:14:49,719 –> 00:14:56,780Are there any circumstances in which, God may bring an end to a marriage.18400:14:56,780 –> 00:15:02,599And I think the answer to that question is, yes there are.18500:15:02,599 –> 00:15:10,299Jesus raises and teaches and recognizes one ground for divorce, it isn’t mentioned here18600:15:10,780 –> 00:15:18,599Gospel, but it is referred to and recorded twice by Matthew, from the lips of Jesus,18700:15:18,599 –> 00:15:20,500chapter 5 and verse 32.18800:15:20,500 –> 00:15:23,280And Matthew chapter 19 verse 9.18900:15:23,280 –> 00:15:32,780Where Jesus speaks against remarriage after divorce, except he says, for marital unfaithfulness,19000:15:32,780 –> 00:15:37,659Matthew 19 verse 9, anyone who divorces his wife except for marital unfaithfulness, and19100:15:37,659 –> 00:15:42,960marries another woman, commits adultery.19200:15:42,960 –> 00:15:49,219Now, why would this be the one situation, why would this be the unique situation, different19300:15:49,219 –> 00:15:58,340from all others, where what God has joined together might, by God, be separated.19400:15:58,340 –> 00:16:03,960I think there’s a clear answer as to why there’s a uniqueness about this particular circumstance19500:16:03,960 –> 00:16:06,960and it’s just this.19600:16:06,960 –> 00:16:14,760Under the Old Testament law, if you committed adultery, whether you be a husband or a wife,19700:16:14,760 –> 00:16:23,000if you committed adultery, you would be stoned, that’s what the Old Testament law prescribed.19800:16:23,000 –> 00:16:28,380So if your husband was unfaithful to you, he would be stoned, and so you would be a19900:16:28,380 –> 00:16:29,719widow.20000:16:29,719 –> 00:16:32,880And thereby, you would be free to remarry.20100:16:32,919 –> 00:16:39,239If your wife was unfaithful to you, she would be stoned, and then you would be a widower,20200:16:39,239 –> 00:16:41,719and you would be free to remarry.20300:16:41,719 –> 00:16:47,239Now remember, as we make the connection here, the time in the Gospels where the Pharisees20400:16:47,239 –> 00:16:50,200had caught a woman in the very act of adultery.20500:16:50,200 –> 00:16:54,000It must surely have been a set-up, but you remember the story of what happened.20600:16:54,000 –> 00:16:59,599The Pharisees came to Jesus and they said this woman has been caught in the act of adultery,20700:16:59,599 –> 00:17:05,079and they said the Law of Moses tells us that she should be – what?20800:17:05,079 –> 00:17:07,400Stoned.20900:17:07,400 –> 00:17:08,479See?21000:17:08,479 –> 00:17:14,359And remember what Jesus said, well, if any of you is without sin, he should be the one21100:17:14,359 –> 00:17:17,640to throw the first stone.21200:17:17,640 –> 00:17:21,160So beautifully John describes, they all went away.21300:17:21,160 –> 00:17:27,180The oldest first, then down to the youngest, very significant.21400:17:27,260 –> 00:17:30,619There really was only one person who would be in the position to throw the first stone,21500:17:30,619 –> 00:17:36,359that was Jesus himself and he chose not to, because while condemnation came through the21600:17:36,359 –> 00:17:46,959Law of Moses, grace came by our Lord Jesus Christ.21700:17:46,959 –> 00:17:51,260So it makes sense in the light of the Old Testament when you think about this, that21800:17:51,260 –> 00:17:58,699total unfaithfulness is in the teaching of Jesus the one ground on which Jesus permits21900:17:58,699 –> 00:18:00,459divorce.22000:18:00,459 –> 00:18:07,780In the Old Testament, the marriage was ended by stoning under these circumstances.22100:18:07,780 –> 00:18:13,280In the New Testament, in the mercy of God, the marriage was ended, not by stoning but22200:18:13,280 –> 00:18:17,420by divorce.22300:18:17,439 –> 00:18:24,979That just tears apart what God has joined together, that’s how serious it is.22400:18:24,979 –> 00:18:30,160But even here, there can be forgiveness and reconciliation and there are across our congregation22500:18:30,160 –> 00:18:34,319wonderful stories of that actually happening.22600:18:34,319 –> 00:18:41,079Unfaithfulness can end a marriage, but it doesn’t have to.22700:18:41,079 –> 00:18:47,599There is grace and there is mercy that has come into the world in the most painful of22800:18:47,599 –> 00:18:53,560situations in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.22900:18:53,560 –> 00:18:54,560Now that’s enough about divorce.23000:18:54,560 –> 00:18:58,680Let’s come back to the center of Jesus’ focus here, which is marriage.23100:18:58,680 –> 00:19:03,699And we said from the teaching of Jesus that marriage is an exclusive, public, lasting,23200:19:03,699 –> 00:19:10,160loving union of one man and one woman that is sealed by God.23300:19:10,239 –> 00:19:14,959Let me say this to all the married couples in the church today.23400:19:14,959 –> 00:19:24,339When you were married, God sealed a union that makes you one and makes that union holy.23500:19:24,339 –> 00:19:28,680It’s a wonderful thing.23600:19:28,680 –> 00:19:30,459God joined you together.23700:19:30,459 –> 00:19:31,900God made you one.23800:19:31,900 –> 00:19:36,979God makes your union holy.23900:19:36,979 –> 00:19:44,239There is a world of freedom and of joy in this, a world of intimacy to be explored and24000:19:44,239 –> 00:19:52,640enjoyed without guilt and without fear for God has joined you together.24100:19:52,640 –> 00:19:57,420If you are married today, thank God for the special gift.24200:19:57,420 –> 00:20:02,060And if you find your marriage under strain, or perhaps I should say when you do, because24300:20:02,199 –> 00:20:08,780that is our common experience, remember that it is God who has joined you together.24400:20:08,780 –> 00:20:13,239This is not some sort of arbitrary agreement just between the two of you, God is in the24500:20:13,239 –> 00:20:15,300middle of it.24600:20:15,300 –> 00:20:19,540Those God has joined together.24700:20:19,540 –> 00:20:21,780God tied the knot.24800:20:21,780 –> 00:20:28,300Think of it that way, and God ties a good tight knot, and he is with you in this.24900:20:28,300 –> 00:20:33,160His grace is sufficient, and his purpose is good.25000:20:33,160 –> 00:20:35,619I want to raise a cheer for marriage today.25100:20:35,619 –> 00:20:42,699I want to give this one other word of encouragement, and this is especially to the younger guys25200:20:42,699 –> 00:20:48,280in the church who are single and would like one day to be married.25300:20:48,280 –> 00:20:53,300Not on everybody’s heart but I’m speaking now to the younger guys in the church for25400:20:53,300 –> 00:20:56,640whom this is on your heart.25500:20:56,979 –> 00:20:58,979And here is my word of encouragement.25600:20:58,979 –> 00:21:00,920You ready?25700:21:00,920 –> 00:21:02,060OK.25800:21:02,060 –> 00:21:03,780Go for it!25900:21:03,780 –> 00:21:06,199Go for it!26000:21:06,199 –> 00:21:07,199Mean it!26100:21:07,199 –> 00:21:10,500I’m absolutely serious.26200:21:10,500 –> 00:21:14,119This is a good gift from God.26300:21:14,119 –> 00:21:20,760I’ve been asking some guys around here what they’re waiting for.26400:21:20,760 –> 00:21:26,079It’s a very interesting conversations.26500:21:26,079 –> 00:21:30,780I’ve been saying, there are some nice girls around this church.26600:21:30,780 –> 00:21:32,640What’s holding you back?26700:21:32,640 –> 00:21:34,479I’m serious.26800:21:34,479 –> 00:21:42,319And I guess there are a lot of reasons, but I think the biggest ones boil down to two.26900:21:42,319 –> 00:21:46,839Guilt and fear.27000:21:46,839 –> 00:21:54,459Guilt that I have messed up a relationship in the past, and fear that I might mess up27100:21:54,459 –> 00:21:56,060again in the future.27200:21:56,060 –> 00:21:58,199Can I really sustain a relationship?27300:21:58,199 –> 00:22:02,280Can I handle this responsibility?27400:22:02,280 –> 00:22:05,560And fear paralyzes.27500:22:05,560 –> 00:22:08,660Now here’s the word of encouragement and it’s very practical and is from the Bible27600:22:08,660 –> 00:22:10,599this morning.27700:22:10,599 –> 00:22:18,140If you are a Christian, God has given you everything you need for life and for godliness,27800:22:18,140 –> 00:22:20,459that’s 2nd Peter chapter 1.27900:22:20,459 –> 00:22:25,839God has given you everything you need for life and for living it in a godly way.28000:22:25,839 –> 00:22:34,420That includes the ability to sustain a healthy marriage relationship for a lifetime as you28100:22:34,420 –> 00:22:35,439walk with him.28200:22:35,439 –> 00:22:39,040If this is what God has laid upon your heart, you be encouraged.28300:22:39,040 –> 00:22:44,800Jesus Christ will be in the middle of this with you, so put your guilt under the blood28400:22:44,800 –> 00:22:50,760of Christ, and act on the basis of faith, not of fear.28500:22:50,760 –> 00:22:55,760That’s an encouragement in relation to that which is good.28600:22:55,760 –> 00:23:02,660Note that God has laid before us as one of his precious gifts in this world.28700:23:02,660 –> 00:23:04,339Go for it.28800:23:04,339 –> 00:23:08,739A reminder there at how Jesus seals a marriage.28900:23:08,739 –> 00:23:11,680And next time, we’ll hear how Jesus blesses children.29000:23:11,680 –> 00:23:13,680So I hope you’ll join us for that.29100:23:13,680 –> 00:23:16,619You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.29200:23:16,619 –> 00:23:22,520And a message called Jesus Calls His People to Become Like Children – part of our series,29300:23:22,520 –> 00:23:24,680the Gospel According to Jesus.29400:23:24,680 –> 00:23:28,359If you’ve missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again, you29500:23:28,359 –> 00:23:32,060can do that by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk.29600:23:32,060 –> 00:23:37,359There you’ll find all the messages which have already gone out, on air.29700:23:37,359 –> 00:23:42,459Open the Bible is able to stay on this station and on the internet as a result of the generous29800:23:42,459 –> 00:23:45,199gifts made by our listeners.29900:23:45,199 –> 00:23:49,680If you’re able to begin supporting Open the Bible for the first time in this way,30000:23:49,680 –> 00:23:51,260we have an offer for you.30100:23:51,260 –> 00:23:56,380If you’re able to set up a new Direct Debit in the amount of £5 per month or a one-off30200:23:56,380 –> 00:24:01,859gift of £50, we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of R.C.30300:24:01,859 –> 00:24:04,380Sproul’s book, The Advent of Glory.30400:24:04,380 –> 00:24:07,640It’s 24 devotions for Christmas.30500:24:07,640 –> 00:24:13,000Colin, some of us grew up without hearing much about advent, so what is advent?30600:24:13,000 –> 00:24:19,060Well advent very simply means coming or arrival and so it can refer either to the first coming30700:24:19,060 –> 00:24:24,640of the Lord Jesus Christ when he was born in the manger, or the glorious second coming30800:24:24,640 –> 00:24:29,880of the Lord Jesus Christ when he’s going to return in power and glory.30900:24:29,880 –> 00:24:31,520This book by R.C.31000:24:31,520 –> 00:24:36,219Sproul, The Advent of Glory is just a marvellous devotional.31100:24:36,219 –> 00:24:42,640He’s picked out 24 words from the heart of the Christmas Story and about 4 pages on each.31200:24:42,640 –> 00:24:44,520It’s a delight to read.31300:24:44,599 –> 00:24:49,619There’s a prayer that follows each of these devotions and its a wonderful, wonderful way31400:24:49,619 –> 00:24:51,540to prepare for Christmas.31500:24:51,540 –> 00:24:52,479Well R.C.31600:24:52,479 –> 00:24:57,280Sproul’s book The Advent of Glory is our gift to you for beginning to support Open The Bible31700:24:57,280 –> 00:24:59,180financially this month.31800:24:59,180 –> 00:25:07,140Full details of this offer, terms and conditions and to give online at our website OpenTheBible.org.uk31900:25:07,140 –> 00:25:11,719For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again32000:25:11,719 –> 00:25:12,359next time.32100:25:15,040 –> 00:25:22,439Something another Christian has said or done has hindered your faith.32200:25:22,540 –> 00:25:27,359Discover how Jesus removes the barriers that keep us from God’s blessing.32300:25:27,359 –> 00:25:29,599That’s next time on Open The Bible