100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:29,780Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. Glad you could be200:00:29,780 –> 00:00:35,160with us today and Colin, it sounds like you’re saying that my real problem is me.300:00:35,160 –> 00:00:41,240Well that would be true of all of us and it’s a very important point you know a lot of400:00:41,240 –> 00:00:46,180folks have the idea that, at the heart of Christianity, that it’s all about sins500:00:46,180 –> 00:00:49,980that need to be forgiven. That’s true, but it’s more than that. It’s also about a600:00:49,980 –> 00:00:55,400heart that needs to be changed and if we only think in terms of sins that need to700:00:55,799 –> 00:00:56,720be forgiven,800:00:56,720 –> 00:01:02,880then we’re dealing with the symptom that comes out of a fundamental problem, which is the900:01:02,880 –> 00:01:09,480heart that produces sinful behaviour in various forms and that’s why not only does God say1000:01:09,480 –> 00:01:15,379to us in His great promise, now I will sprinkle water on you and make you clean, there’s cleansing,1100:01:15,379 –> 00:01:20,919but He also says, I will give you a new heart because unless we’re changed from the inside,1200:01:20,919 –> 00:01:25,320we’re never going to be fundamentally different and that change begins now, of course, at1300:01:25,339 –> 00:01:30,080will only be complete in heaven but at the very heart of the gospel is a change of heart.1400:01:30,080 –> 00:01:36,839So let’s get on with that in Mark chapter 7 as we continue the message Jesus cleanses1500:01:36,839 –> 00:01:39,760the hearts of his people. Here’s Colin.1600:01:39,760 –> 00:01:43,360I hope you have the Bible open in front of you because we’re going to see three things1700:01:43,360 –> 00:01:52,839from Mark’s gospel and chapter 7 and the first of them is simply this that if your heart,1800:01:52,839 –> 00:02:03,199if your life is to be cleansed, then you need to begin by measuring your life by the right1900:02:03,199 –> 00:02:07,800standard. And that really seems to me to be the main theme of verses 1-13 and I hope you2000:02:07,800 –> 00:02:12,479have the Bible open so that we can look at it together. You’re going to start if you2100:02:12,479 –> 00:02:18,179were to find cleansing of heart by measuring your life by the right standard.2200:02:18,440 –> 00:02:19,740Now let’s jump in at verse one,2300:02:19,740 –> 00:02:25,300the Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem. We’ve2400:02:25,300 –> 00:02:29,320met these characters before. They gathered around Jesus.2500:02:29,320 –> 00:02:32,179Now straightaway we know that these folks2600:02:32,179 –> 00:02:37,020had already rejected the Lord Jesus. What I want you to notice is that those who had2700:02:37,020 –> 00:02:44,500rejected God’s Son were incredibly religious, and you see that in verse three and in verse2800:02:44,500 –> 00:02:52,820four, they were scrupulous. These folks who had so clearly rejected Jesus about ceremonial2900:02:52,820 –> 00:02:59,100washing of their hands, in verse three, and of cups and of pictures and of kettles, in3000:02:59,100 –> 00:03:05,039verse four, and the Pharisees were scrupulous, the teachers of the law scrupulous about doing3100:03:05,039 –> 00:03:11,899these things because they felt that these ritual washings of hands and feet and cups3200:03:11,899 –> 00:03:19,100and kettles would in some way preserve purity before God, and so they were scrupulous about3300:03:19,100 –> 00:03:24,779these things. Now, I want you to notice what Jesus says to these folks in verse eight.3400:03:24,779 –> 00:03:34,779It is absolutely astonishing. Jesus says to them, you have let go of the commands of God.3500:03:35,500 –> 00:03:39,820You’re just holding to the traditions of men.3600:03:41,500 –> 00:03:46,619Now it’s honestly hard for us really to feel the shock value of these words.3700:03:48,139 –> 00:03:52,779These folks were the custodians of values within the community at the time.3800:03:53,419 –> 00:03:57,580They were the role models of moral behavior. If you were a parent with younger children you3900:03:57,580 –> 00:04:01,660would point to the Pharisees and say these are the kind of guys that you want to be like. That’s4000:04:01,660 –> 00:04:06,940how people thought of those who were moral leaders within the community.4100:04:06,940 –> 00:04:12,860Jesus comes to these exemplary characters as they were perceived to be and Jesus says to them,4200:04:12,860 –> 00:04:16,299you have let go of the commandments of God.4300:04:18,380 –> 00:04:23,260God says to you you’re to love him with all your heart and you are to love your neighbor as4400:04:23,260 –> 00:04:30,619yourself. The very systems that you’ve created and the very practices that you’re4500:04:30,619 –> 00:04:37,100encouraging those who look to you in are mitigating that very commandment of God.4600:04:37,100 –> 00:04:44,380You’ve just set it aside. What a terrifying thing this is to have a religion4700:04:44,380 –> 00:04:51,579that can make you feel good about yourself while you are letting go of the very commandments of God.4800:04:53,100 –> 00:04:56,859Feel, by my religious observance, how righteous I am whereas if you4900:04:56,859 –> 00:05:01,820look at the realities of what’s happening, the real decisions of life, there’s no reflection5000:05:02,779 –> 00:05:06,779of loving God with all your heart and certainly none of loving your neighbor as yourself.5100:05:09,260 –> 00:05:14,380Religion can blind you to the real standard by which God measures our hearts.5200:05:16,059 –> 00:05:19,980And Jesus really nails the Pharisees on this but I got to say as I look at it,5300:05:20,700 –> 00:05:24,859He nails us doesn’t He? He really does!5400:05:27,660 –> 00:05:32,779Now if you’re going to be cleansed, if your life is to be changed in the way that we’re5500:05:32,779 –> 00:05:37,339pursuing in the Scriptures today, here’s where you have to begin. You have to measure your life5600:05:37,339 –> 00:05:44,540by the right standard. And when you do, you will feel your need to be cleansed. You5700:05:44,540 –> 00:05:49,019will feel your need to be changed in a deep inward kind of a way.5800:05:50,859 –> 00:05:54,380And boy if these Pharisees and teachers of the Law had seen that they would have been5900:05:54,380 –> 00:06:00,299falling on their knees before Jesus as we must do today, rather than walking away and condemning6000:06:00,299 –> 00:06:07,339Him. So measure your life by the right standard. There’s the first thing. Here’s the second.6100:06:07,339 –> 00:06:15,820Trace your sin to the right source. Trace your sin to the right source. I want to focus here6200:06:15,820 –> 00:06:23,100especially on verse 15 some very important words of Jesus. Nothing outside a man can make him6300:06:23,100 –> 00:06:30,140unclean by going into him. Rather it is what comes out of a man that makes him6400:06:30,700 –> 00:06:37,420unclean. Now this is a kind of good news bad news kind of a verse. It comes in two parts.6500:06:37,420 –> 00:06:46,380So we’ll take the good news first. Here’s the good news. Nothing outside a man can make him6600:06:47,820 –> 00:06:54,940unclean. I think in our hearts we will want to say amen to that and to thank God for that6700:06:54,940 –> 00:07:04,859because we live honestly in a filthy world and some of us have seen and experienced terrible things.6800:07:07,579 –> 00:07:15,420My father was a policeman and when I was a little boy at that stage in his career he6900:07:15,420 –> 00:07:22,859was a police photographer on the murder squad in the City of Edinburgh. So it was quite regular7000:07:22,859 –> 00:07:26,619during the night when there was a murder he would be called out. You have to have a photographer on7100:07:26,619 –> 00:07:34,140the scene and so forth, and over the years my father saw horrific things. Horrific things.7200:07:34,700 –> 00:07:35,899We’ve often spoken about it.7300:07:38,380 –> 00:07:46,700And the question that arises when you see horrific things, some of you been through this in war,7400:07:48,220 –> 00:07:52,380say what’s that going to do to my soul what I’ve seen?7500:07:54,299 –> 00:07:55,820And what I’ve experienced.7600:07:56,779 –> 00:07:57,179As I have experienced.7700:08:00,859 –> 00:08:07,019And I want to encourage you to hold on to this promise of the Lord Jesus Christ.7800:08:07,019 –> 00:08:11,179As my father held on to this promise of the Lord Jesus Christ.7900:08:11,820 –> 00:08:18,779Nothing outside of a man can make him unclean.8000:08:19,500 –> 00:08:24,779Some of us in this congregation have seen or experienced traumas8100:08:25,739 –> 00:08:32,700that would make your hair stand on end, if you knew it, would make my hair stand on end too.8200:08:35,260 –> 00:08:38,859And I want you to hear these words of the Lord Jesus Christ.8300:08:38,859 –> 00:08:41,580Nothing that is outside of a man.8400:08:42,539 –> 00:08:50,840Nothing that is outside of a woman can make him or her unclean.8500:08:52,340 –> 00:08:57,280The things that you experience may cause you great trauma,8600:08:57,799 –> 00:09:00,359they may cause you years of struggle,8700:09:01,179 –> 00:09:08,059but thank God the things that are outside of you cannot make you unclean.8800:09:08,880 –> 00:09:11,299And then let’s think of it more broadly.8900:09:11,380 –> 00:09:16,739It helps to know this in this world in which we live where9000:09:18,039 –> 00:09:20,940you can’t even watch a good television programme9100:09:21,000 –> 00:09:26,239at seven o’clock in the evening without seeing advertising9200:09:26,260 –> 00:09:30,219that often is materialistic and sensual.9300:09:30,559 –> 00:09:32,659You can’t drive into the city of Chicago9400:09:32,679 –> 00:09:35,419without seeing billboards you really would rather not see.9500:09:35,419 –> 00:09:39,419We just live in an environment where this stuff is around us9600:09:39,900 –> 00:09:43,400and we can’t get away from it we can’t avoid it.9700:09:43,400 –> 00:09:44,799Well thank God for this,9800:09:44,799 –> 00:09:49,599nothing outside a man can make him unclean.9900:09:49,599 –> 00:09:51,739I think that is good news, don’t you?10000:09:51,979 –> 00:09:53,820Thank God for that.10100:09:54,359 –> 00:09:58,460Some of you work in an environment where you hear people blaspheme10200:09:58,520 –> 00:10:00,820and use filthy language all day10300:10:00,919 –> 00:10:04,559and you wonder what effect is this going to have upon me?10400:10:04,640 –> 00:10:06,919Some of you work in a business environment10500:10:06,979 –> 00:10:08,940that’s much more refined and polite10600:10:09,020 –> 00:10:12,359but some of the practices of what is going on there10700:10:12,380 –> 00:10:15,599really make you some days feel absolutely sick10800:10:15,679 –> 00:10:18,940and you need to be able to take to your own mind and heart10900:10:18,940 –> 00:10:21,619this wonderful promise of the Lord Jesus Christ11000:10:21,820 –> 00:10:22,900hold on to this,11100:10:22,940 –> 00:10:27,760nothing outside a man can make him unclean.11200:10:27,760 –> 00:10:30,000That’s the good news.11300:10:30,000 –> 00:10:31,380Thank God for it.11400:10:32,460 –> 00:10:34,119Now here’s the bad news.11500:10:35,380 –> 00:10:36,880Second half of verse 1511600:10:36,880 –> 00:10:44,460It is what comes out of a man that makes him unclean.11700:10:44,460 –> 00:10:47,059And then if you skip to verse 2011800:10:47,059 –> 00:10:49,979you’ll see Jesus expands with his disciples on this point.11900:10:50,000 –> 00:10:52,260He says from within verse 2012000:10:52,260 –> 00:10:58,119Out of men’s hearts come evil thoughts and then12100:10:58,119 –> 00:11:00,679our Lord gives us this depressing12200:11:00,719 –> 00:11:02,700catalogue of vices.12300:11:02,799 –> 00:11:07,940Out of men’s hearts come theft and murder,12400:11:07,940 –> 00:11:12,280adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness12500:11:12,280 –> 00:11:16,200envy, arrogance, slander and folly.12600:11:16,200 –> 00:11:18,419Jesus says all these evils come from where?12700:11:18,419 –> 00:11:20,500From inside!12800:11:20,500 –> 00:11:22,880They come from inside.12900:11:22,880 –> 00:11:27,000And make a man unclean.13000:11:27,000 –> 00:11:28,719Now let’s be absolutely clear about this13100:11:28,719 –> 00:11:31,400Jesus is talking about the general or13200:11:31,440 –> 00:11:34,840universal condition of the human heart.13300:11:34,840 –> 00:11:36,780He is not saying that these evils13400:11:36,780 –> 00:11:38,799are inside bad people.13500:11:38,799 –> 00:11:43,059He is saying that these evils are inside all people.13600:11:44,260 –> 00:11:47,460He is saying that these evils are inside you,13700:11:47,460 –> 00:11:49,919they are inside me.13800:11:49,919 –> 00:11:54,000They may never come out but every one of them13900:11:54,000 –> 00:11:56,539is there in seed form.14000:11:58,380 –> 00:12:00,099So that there is no sin,14100:12:00,119 –> 00:12:03,419that you and I do not have the potential to commit.14200:12:05,679 –> 00:12:07,900Now this teaching of Jesus14300:12:09,099 –> 00:12:12,000is incredibly important14400:12:12,940 –> 00:12:15,780for us in understanding our life in this world.14500:12:15,780 –> 00:12:17,960You see if you’ve understood what Jesus is saying here,14600:12:17,960 –> 00:12:21,780you will realize that the real problem that you face14700:12:21,780 –> 00:12:24,140and the real problem that I face14800:12:24,140 –> 00:12:26,900in living and pursuing a holy life14900:12:26,919 –> 00:12:30,280is not with the advertising or Hollywood15000:12:30,280 –> 00:12:33,820or the television or the internet.15100:12:33,820 –> 00:12:35,260The real problem that you face15200:12:35,260 –> 00:12:38,099and the real problem that I face in pursuing a holy life15300:12:38,099 –> 00:12:40,280is the problem of what’s in our heart.15400:12:41,440 –> 00:12:42,859You’re listening to Open The Bible15500:12:42,859 –> 00:12:45,140with Pastor Colin Smith and our message,15600:12:45,140 –> 00:12:47,859Jesus Cleanses The Hearts of His People.15700:12:47,859 –> 00:12:51,140It’s part of our series, The Gospel According To Jesus15800:12:51,140 –> 00:12:52,900based on the book of Mark.15900:12:52,900 –> 00:12:54,700And if you’ve missed any of the series16000:12:54,700 –> 00:12:56,820or if you’d like to go back and listen again,16100:12:56,820 –> 00:12:59,039you can always do that by coming online16200:12:59,039 –> 00:13:02,460to our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk.16300:13:02,460 –> 00:13:04,219There, you’ll find all the messages16400:13:04,219 –> 00:13:06,119which have already been broadcast.16500:13:06,119 –> 00:13:07,340Back to the message now.16600:13:07,340 –> 00:13:08,700Here’s Colin.16700:13:08,700 –> 00:13:10,380The real problem that you face16800:13:10,380 –> 00:13:12,979and the real problem that I face in pursuing a holy life16900:13:12,979 –> 00:13:15,359is the problem of what’s in our heart.17000:13:16,700 –> 00:13:21,700100 years ago, they didn’t have television,17100:13:22,659 –> 00:13:27,659Hollywood, the internet, but they still had theft,17200:13:27,820 –> 00:13:29,940they still had murder, they still had adultery,17300:13:29,940 –> 00:13:31,419greed, malice, deceit, lewdness,17400:13:31,419 –> 00:13:33,340envy, slander, arrogance, and folly.17500:13:33,340 –> 00:13:34,780So if they didn’t have all these things,17600:13:34,780 –> 00:13:35,940where did it come from?17700:13:37,059 –> 00:13:38,580It came from the heart.17800:13:38,580 –> 00:13:40,179Where does it always come from?17900:13:41,460 –> 00:13:42,400From within.18000:13:44,099 –> 00:13:46,219Which is what Jesus is saying to us.18100:13:48,140 –> 00:13:49,619Now, this is sobering stuff.18200:13:49,619 –> 00:13:51,940And if we’re following Jesus18300:13:51,940 –> 00:13:54,500and therefore embracing his teaching,18400:13:54,500 –> 00:13:56,739it will mean a paradigm shift for some of us18500:13:56,739 –> 00:14:01,520in how we think about what is within our own hearts18600:14:01,520 –> 00:14:03,359and within all hearts.18700:14:04,679 –> 00:14:07,700See, we like to think that we are basically18800:14:07,700 –> 00:14:09,799good people in a bad world.18900:14:12,280 –> 00:14:14,219But what if we are bad people?19000:14:15,900 –> 00:14:18,559What if the bad is within us?19100:14:20,460 –> 00:14:24,820And you see, that is precisely the uncomfortable teaching19200:14:24,820 –> 00:14:27,739of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ,19300:14:27,739 –> 00:14:30,080and if you are his follower, you will agree with it19400:14:30,080 –> 00:14:31,580and you will believe it.19500:14:31,580 –> 00:14:33,460You’ll also know it from your own experience19600:14:33,460 –> 00:14:35,119because he’ll have shown it to you.19700:14:36,619 –> 00:14:39,039Now – I mean this applies19800:14:39,039 –> 00:14:40,140in all kinds of ways of life –19900:14:40,140 –> 00:14:43,059let me try and apply this to parents.20000:14:43,059 –> 00:14:44,539For all of us who have the privilege20100:14:44,539 –> 00:14:47,500and the responsibility of raising children,20200:14:47,500 –> 00:14:50,539it is so easy to fall into the idea20300:14:50,539 –> 00:14:52,760that if we can just keep our kids20400:14:52,760 –> 00:14:54,979from the bad stuff out there,20500:14:56,219 –> 00:14:58,080that we will have done what is needed.20600:14:59,619 –> 00:15:02,140But I think the question that Mark 7 raises for us,20700:15:02,140 –> 00:15:04,700the question that Jesus raises for us, is simply this.20800:15:04,700 –> 00:15:08,200What if the bad stuff is already inside your kids?20900:15:08,200 –> 00:15:09,039What then?21000:15:10,679 –> 00:15:12,780A religion of avoiding bad things21100:15:12,780 –> 00:15:16,359then, simply, will not be enough.21200:15:17,820 –> 00:15:22,820I found in my reading this week that Bishop Ryle,21300:15:23,320 –> 00:15:24,599who I’ve quoted a number of times21400:15:24,599 –> 00:15:25,760in his book on Mark’s Gospel,21500:15:25,760 –> 00:15:27,080from which I’m going to quote in a moment,21600:15:27,080 –> 00:15:30,960is back there in the Unlocking The Bible bookstore,21700:15:30,960 –> 00:15:33,359Ryle, writing 150 years ago,21800:15:33,359 –> 00:15:36,340opened up this verse and applied it particularly21900:15:36,340 –> 00:15:38,880to Christian parents, and I read what he said.22000:15:38,880 –> 00:15:41,919I thought, boy, that’s like it was written just yesterday.22100:15:41,919 –> 00:15:43,239So, I want to read this quote to you.22200:15:43,239 –> 00:15:44,520If you want to follow up on it,22300:15:44,520 –> 00:15:46,500you’ll also find it on church’s website.22400:15:46,539 –> 00:15:48,059I put it there because I thought folks22500:15:48,059 –> 00:15:48,900might be interested.22600:15:48,900 –> 00:15:50,500It’s too long to write down,22700:15:50,500 –> 00:15:52,419and you might like to pick up these words.22800:15:52,419 –> 00:15:53,940He quotes verse 20.22900:15:53,940 –> 00:15:55,580This is Bishop Ryle.23000:15:55,580 –> 00:15:58,859What comes out of a man is what makes him unclean.23100:16:00,299 –> 00:16:03,299He says, there is a deep truth in these words23200:16:03,299 –> 00:16:05,299which is frequently overlooked.23300:16:06,799 –> 00:16:11,320Human wickedness is often attributed to bad examples,23400:16:11,320 –> 00:16:16,320bad company, unusual temptations, or snares of the devil,23500:16:17,000 –> 00:16:20,859it seems to be forgotten that everyone carries23600:16:20,859 –> 00:16:23,700a fountain of wickedness within.23700:16:25,000 –> 00:16:27,119We need no bad company to teach us,23800:16:27,119 –> 00:16:30,520and no devil to tempt us in order to run into sin.23900:16:30,520 –> 00:16:35,140We have within us the beginning of every sin under heaven.24000:16:37,080 –> 00:16:38,960Now, if you’ve understood the teaching of Jesus,24100:16:38,960 –> 00:16:40,539you will agree with that.24200:16:40,539 –> 00:16:41,940That’s what Jesus is saying.24300:16:42,880 –> 00:16:46,400You have, and I have within us,24400:16:46,400 –> 00:16:51,400the beginning of every sin under heaven.24500:16:52,179 –> 00:16:53,539If you think there are some things24600:16:53,539 –> 00:16:54,640that are completely beyond you24700:16:54,640 –> 00:16:56,460because you’ve attained a state of righteousness,24800:16:56,460 –> 00:16:59,099then you think that you stand.24900:16:59,099 –> 00:17:01,859You must be very, very careful lest you fall.25000:17:03,140 –> 00:17:05,260And, Ryle says, we ought to remember this then,25100:17:05,260 –> 00:17:07,000that’s that we have the beginning of every sin25200:17:07,000 –> 00:17:09,219under heaven within us in the training25300:17:09,219 –> 00:17:11,339and the education of our children.25400:17:11,579 –> 00:17:14,260In all our management, we must never forget25500:17:14,260 –> 00:17:16,560that the seeds of all mischief and wickedness25600:17:16,560 –> 00:17:18,660are in their hearts.25700:17:18,660 –> 00:17:22,020It is not enough to keep boys and girls at home25800:17:22,020 –> 00:17:25,439and shut out every outward temptation.25900:17:25,439 –> 00:17:29,060They carry within them a heart ready for any sin,26000:17:29,060 –> 00:17:31,459and until that heart is changed,26100:17:31,459 –> 00:17:33,760they are not safe, whatever we do.26200:17:34,979 –> 00:17:37,640When children do wrong, it is a common practice26300:17:37,640 –> 00:17:40,800to lay all the blame on bad companions,26400:17:40,800 –> 00:17:42,540but it is mere ignorance, blindness,26500:17:42,540 –> 00:17:44,140and foolishness to do so.26600:17:45,060 –> 00:17:47,680Bad companions are a great evil, no doubt,26700:17:47,680 –> 00:17:51,099and an evil to be avoided as much as possible.26800:17:51,099 –> 00:17:53,859But no bad companion teaches a boy or girl26900:17:53,859 –> 00:17:56,079half as much sin as their own hearts27000:17:56,079 –> 00:17:57,300will suggest to them27100:17:57,300 –> 00:18:00,420unless they are renewed by the Holy Spirit.27200:18:00,420 –> 00:18:04,260The beginning, says Ryle, of all wickedness is within.27300:18:04,260 –> 00:18:07,380If parents were half as diligent27400:18:07,380 –> 00:18:11,000in praying for their children’s conversion27500:18:11,000 –> 00:18:14,619as they are in keeping them from bad company,27600:18:14,619 –> 00:18:18,479their children would turn out far better than they do.27700:18:20,140 –> 00:18:24,319Now, the teaching of Jesus that we’re trying27800:18:24,319 –> 00:18:26,760to grasp here boils down to this.27900:18:28,420 –> 00:18:31,540The real problem in Christian discipleship28000:18:31,540 –> 00:18:35,560does not lie in the environment, it lies in the heart.28100:18:35,579 –> 00:18:39,160It lies in you, it lies in me.28200:18:39,160 –> 00:18:42,400These evils, they don’t come from outside.28300:18:42,400 –> 00:18:45,260They come from inside.28400:18:47,500 –> 00:18:48,599Now what are we saying here?28500:18:48,599 –> 00:18:52,079We’re saying if we are to be cleansed,28600:18:52,079 –> 00:18:54,719if our hearts are really to be changed,28700:18:54,719 –> 00:18:57,000we have to measure ourselves by the right standard.28800:18:57,000 –> 00:18:58,319Otherwise, we’ll go through life thinking28900:18:58,319 –> 00:19:00,199how religious we all are and we sing these hymns29000:19:00,199 –> 00:19:03,079and we come to church, what good people we really are.29100:19:03,079 –> 00:19:05,180And Jesus says to people who thought like that,29200:19:05,260 –> 00:19:06,959you have let go of the commandments of God,29300:19:06,959 –> 00:19:09,760you’re nowhere near, you don’t really love God,29400:19:09,760 –> 00:19:12,500you don’t really care about other people around you either.29500:19:12,500 –> 00:19:14,380You tie everything up so you can’t even help them29600:19:14,380 –> 00:19:15,920and then you try and put a big smile on29700:19:15,920 –> 00:19:17,979as if you are so righteous about it all.29800:19:19,880 –> 00:19:21,579So you want to measure yourself by the right standard,29900:19:21,579 –> 00:19:24,260then you’ve got to trace your sin to the right source30000:19:25,180 –> 00:19:28,939and when you do that, you’re not going to walk away30100:19:28,939 –> 00:19:32,079from Jesus and say well there was another Sunday in church.30200:19:32,079 –> 00:19:34,300You’re going to say I need a savior30300:19:34,739 –> 00:19:37,859who will change my heart and will protect me30400:19:37,859 –> 00:19:41,079from what is in my heart and enable me to prevail30500:19:41,079 –> 00:19:44,219over the temptations that arise from my heart.30600:19:45,560 –> 00:19:49,780Otherwise I will make a complete mess up of my life30700:19:51,520 –> 00:19:53,959and if you have made a complete mess up of your life,30800:19:53,959 –> 00:19:56,199you’ll be saying I need a Christ30900:19:56,199 –> 00:19:59,839who can deliver me from this and save me from this31000:19:59,839 –> 00:20:02,439and bring me out of this and put me in a new position31100:20:02,439 –> 00:20:04,359where I can actually go on a different track31200:20:04,359 –> 00:20:06,680otherwise I’m just going to stay exactly where I am31300:20:06,680 –> 00:20:08,459and repeat the same old cycles.31400:20:10,119 –> 00:20:12,760So the very last thing to say this morning is simply this,31500:20:12,760 –> 00:20:14,619you measure yourself by the right standard,31600:20:14,619 –> 00:20:16,880you trace your sin to the right source,31700:20:16,880 –> 00:20:20,599you put your trust in the right person31800:20:20,599 –> 00:20:25,359and the right person is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ31900:20:25,359 –> 00:20:28,739and he makes to us two wonderful promises.32000:20:28,739 –> 00:20:30,839He promises to change your heart,32100:20:30,839 –> 00:20:32,160you can’t change your heart32200:20:32,160 –> 00:20:33,540but Jesus Christ can.32300:20:33,540 –> 00:20:35,800Religion won’t change your heart,32400:20:35,800 –> 00:20:38,560being in the programs of the church won’t change your heart32500:20:38,560 –> 00:20:40,439but Jesus Christ can and he will32600:20:40,439 –> 00:20:43,560if you will come to him and you will ask him32700:20:43,560 –> 00:20:45,920and you will submit to him and you will believe him32800:20:45,920 –> 00:20:47,880and you will trust him and you will follow him,32900:20:47,880 –> 00:20:50,140he will change your heart.33000:20:51,560 –> 00:20:53,420But be ready for this,33100:20:54,479 –> 00:20:56,979that if you ask Jesus Christ to change your heart33200:20:56,979 –> 00:20:59,079you’re going to find yourself in a lifelong33300:20:59,079 –> 00:21:01,660conflict with all this stuff33400:21:01,660 –> 00:21:05,420that remains in seed form within you.33500:21:05,420 –> 00:21:09,660So the reality is that either you are at peace with God33600:21:09,660 –> 00:21:13,959and fighting sin, or you are at peace with sin33700:21:13,959 –> 00:21:17,380and if you are that means that you are fighting God.33800:21:17,380 –> 00:21:19,939You will find that you are waging a war33900:21:19,939 –> 00:21:21,959against seeds that are within you34000:21:21,959 –> 00:21:24,060that could easily take you to theft and murder34100:21:24,060 –> 00:21:26,260and adultery and greed and malice and deceit34200:21:26,260 –> 00:21:29,500and lewdness and envy and slander and arrogance and folly.34300:21:29,500 –> 00:21:32,000You’ll be dealing with that stuff all your life34400:21:33,479 –> 00:21:35,859but you’ll have a savior with you34500:21:35,859 –> 00:21:39,119and a desire within your heart to prevail over it.34600:21:39,119 –> 00:21:42,040Thank God for the transformation of conversion.34700:21:42,040 –> 00:21:44,800You move from being at peace with sin34800:21:44,800 –> 00:21:49,680and fighting God to being at peace with God34900:21:49,680 –> 00:21:50,760and fighting sin.35000:21:50,760 –> 00:21:52,680That’s what the transformation35100:21:52,680 –> 00:21:54,479of the new heart really looks like35200:21:54,479 –> 00:21:56,079and you have a desire within you35300:21:56,079 –> 00:21:58,040that Jesus Christ will place within you35400:21:58,099 –> 00:21:59,520and perhaps even now to say,35500:21:59,520 –> 00:22:02,339that’s what I want, Lord Jesus, help me.35600:22:04,560 –> 00:22:06,079Not only will He change your heart35700:22:06,079 –> 00:22:08,079He will cleanse your life.35800:22:09,000 –> 00:22:12,160If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just35900:22:12,160 –> 00:22:14,099and will forgive us our sins.36000:22:14,099 –> 00:22:17,880There’s the first word and cleanse us36100:22:17,880 –> 00:22:20,500from all unrighteousness.36200:22:21,380 –> 00:22:24,660He’ll cleanse you from the inside.36300:22:24,660 –> 00:22:26,239He’ll work through your thoughts36400:22:26,239 –> 00:22:28,000and your heart and your desire36500:22:29,520 –> 00:22:31,920and gradually and progressively36600:22:31,920 –> 00:22:34,479He will renew your very life36700:22:34,479 –> 00:22:36,640and He will do this by the power of His blood.36800:22:36,640 –> 00:22:38,319This is why He died on the cross36900:22:38,319 –> 00:22:41,520and He’ll do it by the presence of the Holy Spirit37000:22:41,520 –> 00:22:45,520in your life washing you and beginning to change you37100:22:45,520 –> 00:22:49,280from the inside out.37200:22:49,280 –> 00:22:54,280Jesus cleanses the hearts of His people37300:22:56,959 –> 00:23:01,520and He’s able to do that for you young, middle-aged, very old,37400:23:02,959 –> 00:23:04,319even today37500:23:04,479 –> 00:23:06,000You’ve been listening to Open the Bible37600:23:06,000 –> 00:23:08,719with Pastor Colin Smith and our message37700:23:08,719 –> 00:23:11,520Jesus Cleanses the Hearts of His People37800:23:11,520 –> 00:23:14,959It’s part of our series The Gospel According to Jesus37900:23:14,959 –> 00:23:16,800and if you’ve missed any of the series38000:23:16,800 –> 00:23:19,760you can always catch up online at our website38100:23:19,760 –> 00:23:21,040openthebible.org.uk38200:23:22,959 –> 00:23:25,760Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners38300:23:25,760 –> 00:23:27,760that’s people just like you38400:23:27,760 –> 00:23:30,239and we’re very grateful for the support you give us38500:23:31,040 –> 00:23:34,319If you’re thinking about supporting open the bible in this way38600:23:34,880 –> 00:23:36,479we have an offer for you this month38700:23:37,199 –> 00:23:39,760If you’re able to set up a new direct debit38800:23:39,760 –> 00:23:42,560in the amount of £5 per month or more38900:23:42,560 –> 00:23:45,520or give a one off gift of £50 or more39000:23:45,520 –> 00:23:47,040we’d love to say thank you39100:23:47,040 –> 00:23:50,880by sending you five copies of pastor Colin’s new booklet39200:23:50,880 –> 00:23:52,959What Jesus Says to Skeptics39300:23:52,959 –> 00:23:54,640that’s one copy for you39400:23:54,640 –> 00:23:57,760and four copies to give away to your friends and family39500:23:57,760 –> 00:23:59,439Colin who is this booklet for?39600:24:00,319 –> 00:24:03,760Well people have always had very different reactions to39700:24:03,760 –> 00:24:05,839Jesus some are committed followers39800:24:05,839 –> 00:24:08,400others are hardcore opponents39900:24:08,400 –> 00:24:09,599but there’ll be many people40000:24:09,599 –> 00:24:11,760who are listening to the program today40100:24:11,760 –> 00:24:13,680who would identify with neither of these things40200:24:13,680 –> 00:24:15,520you’re not particularly committed to Jesus40300:24:15,520 –> 00:24:17,359you haven’t rejected him either40400:24:17,359 –> 00:24:19,359you do have questions40500:24:19,359 –> 00:24:20,959and this booklet is for you40600:24:21,599 –> 00:24:23,359and for others listening40700:24:23,359 –> 00:24:25,680there will be a skeptic in your life40800:24:25,680 –> 00:24:28,400there’ll be someone you know and love40900:24:28,400 –> 00:24:29,920who has real questions41000:24:29,920 –> 00:24:32,079they’re not yet committed to Jesus41100:24:32,079 –> 00:24:35,520but this booklet really gives an opportunity41200:24:35,520 –> 00:24:38,880to listen to what Jesus has to say to skeptics41300:24:38,880 –> 00:24:41,680Well we’d love to send you five copies of this booklet41400:24:41,680 –> 00:24:42,800as our way of saying41500:24:42,800 –> 00:24:43,920thank you for setting up41600:24:43,920 –> 00:24:46,239a new regular monthly direct debit41700:24:46,239 –> 00:24:48,640of £5 per month or more41800:24:48,640 –> 00:24:52,000or a one-off gift of £50 or more this month41900:24:52,640 –> 00:24:54,640If you value Pastor Colin’s teaching42000:24:54,640 –> 00:24:56,319on the radio and online42100:24:56,319 –> 00:24:58,160you’ll be helping to keep it here42200:24:58,160 –> 00:25:00,719and to support the work of Open the Bible42300:25:00,719 –> 00:25:03,199full terms and conditions about this offer42400:25:03,199 –> 00:25:04,319are on our website42500:25:04,319 –> 00:25:06,959openthebible.org.uk42600:25:07,680 –> 00:25:10,079For Pastor Colin Smith and Open the Bible42700:25:10,079 –> 00:25:11,040I’m David Pike42800:25:11,040 –> 00:25:14,719and I hope you’ll join us again next time42900:25:15,520 –> 00:25:19,119Spiritual understanding is a gift from God43000:25:19,119 –> 00:25:21,920that comes gradually and progressively43100:25:22,400 –> 00:25:24,640Find out more about the opportunity43200:25:24,640 –> 00:25:26,079that we may be missing43300:25:26,079 –> 00:25:28,640next time on Open the Bible