Jesus Gives Sight to His People, Part 1

Mark 7:31-8:33

Today, we delve into spiritual growth and the challenges we face on this journey. Pastor Colin explores the intricacies of making genuine progress as followers of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Our discussion takes us through Mark 7 and 8, where we witness the compelling story of Jesus giving sight to the blind—a profound metaphor for gaining spiritual clarity and insight. This episode encourages us to reflect on our spiritual journey: Are we truly progressing in our faith?

Join us as we learn how Jesus dealt with the disciples’ spiritual progress and how He patiently guides us through our own ‘blind spots’ in faith. Pastor Colin offers a thoughtful perspective on how genuine change is not just what Christ does for us, but what He does in us, transforming us into new creations.

100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:10,560For all the experiences of ministry and the opportunities and privileges of your life.200:00:10,560 –> 00:00:19,260What progress have you made as a follower of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ?300:00:19,260 –> 00:00:23,520Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I am David Pick, glad you could be400:00:23,520 –> 00:00:28,360with us today and Colin we should really do some soul searching I think to try and answer500:00:28,360 –> 00:00:29,440that question honestly.600:00:30,240 –> 00:00:33,680Yeah I think that spiritual progress is not even.700:00:33,680 –> 00:00:38,720At least in my experience there have been seasons of life where you’re pushed in new800:00:38,720 –> 00:00:43,340kinds of ways and you can begin to see growth or other periods where you say now am I really900:00:43,340 –> 00:00:45,000making any progress.1000:00:45,000 –> 00:00:51,020The disciples of Jesus went a long time without making, it seems, very much progress at all.1100:00:51,020 –> 00:00:53,040Jesus saying to them, do you still not seed?1200:00:53,040 –> 00:00:55,380Do you still not understand?1300:00:55,380 –> 00:01:01,320And yet the Holy Spirit was at work in them and then there were moments of moving forward.1400:01:01,320 –> 00:01:02,779Seasons of enormous growth.1500:01:02,779 –> 00:01:09,120And to come before the Lord and say Lord make this a season where I move forward as a Christian.1600:01:09,120 –> 00:01:11,139That’s a great way to think and to pray.1700:01:11,139 –> 00:01:13,400We should care about making progress.1800:01:13,400 –> 00:01:17,940We certainly should but unfortunately, it seems, we often make the most progress at1900:01:17,940 –> 00:01:22,540the painful times of life, because that’s often when we realise we can’t do things2000:01:22,540 –> 00:01:23,860on our own.2100:01:23,860 –> 00:01:28,279But to seek God with that same passion when things are going well, that’s often quite2200:01:28,279 –> 00:01:30,580hard and that would be quite revolutionary.2300:01:30,580 –> 00:01:32,540Yeah, it absolutely would.2400:01:32,540 –> 00:01:37,459And you never know what circumstances of life are going to come, but whatever they are,2500:01:37,459 –> 00:01:43,540to say Lord help me to use where I am right now to glorify you and to move forward in2600:01:43,540 –> 00:01:45,120all that it means to be a disciple.2700:01:45,120 –> 00:01:50,800That’s a good prayer and with that introduction let’s get into today’s message, Jesus2800:01:50,800 –> 00:01:52,839gives sight to His people.2900:01:52,839 –> 00:01:56,959Here in Mark, chapter seven and eight, I hope he’ll join us in you’re Bible.3000:01:56,959 –> 00:01:57,959Here’s Colin.3100:01:57,959 –> 00:02:01,639As we go through Mark’s Gospel we’re going to see more and more what Jesus Christ does3200:02:01,639 –> 00:02:04,400for His people.3300:02:04,400 –> 00:02:08,119That’s going to be very important for all of us.3400:02:08,119 –> 00:02:12,039Some of us being brought up in church we’ve grasped quite clearly, we’ve known from early3500:02:12,039 –> 00:02:17,699on in life that Jesus died on the cross and He rose again, but honestly it may be for3600:02:17,699 –> 00:02:22,279some of us that that has remained somewhat remote from you.3700:02:22,419 –> 00:02:29,619What you’ve not grasped is that the Jesus who died and rose actually works in people’s3800:02:29,619 –> 00:02:31,399lives.3900:02:31,399 –> 00:02:35,360And if you become one of His people He will actually work in your life.4000:02:35,360 –> 00:02:40,839That salvation is not simply what Christ does for us, but it is also what Christ does in4100:02:40,839 –> 00:02:50,880us, changing your heart, renewing your character, making you a new and a different kind of a4200:02:50,880 –> 00:02:51,880person.4300:02:51,880 –> 00:02:54,600Giving you love for Jesus Christ that you did not have before.4400:02:54,600 –> 00:02:58,759Giving you faith that you have never really experienced before.4500:02:58,759 –> 00:03:07,479It is a real change that Jesus Christ brings in the life of a person who turns to Him.4600:03:07,479 –> 00:03:11,199This is what Christ does for His people.4700:03:11,199 –> 00:03:16,479And maybe right now you would be saying, you know, if that’s what He does for His people,4800:03:16,619 –> 00:03:22,119that’s what I need Him to do for me.4900:03:22,119 –> 00:03:27,039And if you’re there, you’re already making progress.5000:03:27,039 –> 00:03:30,279You are being drawn to follow after Jesus Christ.5100:03:30,279 –> 00:03:35,800You’re beginning to see and believe what He can do for you.5200:03:35,800 –> 00:03:37,619God is working wonderfully in your life.5300:03:37,619 –> 00:03:42,279What we’re going to follow further along that track and see something else very wonderful5400:03:42,279 –> 00:03:44,779that Jesus Christ does for His people.5500:03:45,179 –> 00:03:49,160And our title today is, Jesus Gives Sight to His People.5600:03:49,179 –> 00:03:54,360And I hope you’ll open your Bibles then at Mark’s Gospel in chapter 8 as we follow along5700:03:54,360 –> 00:03:57,500in the Scriptures together.5800:03:57,500 –> 00:04:03,440And the story has been read to us from verse 22 that Jesus came to Bethsaida and the folks5900:04:03,440 –> 00:04:06,399there bring a blind man to Him.6000:04:06,399 –> 00:04:13,259And Jesus spits on the man’s eyes, puts His hand on the man’s eyes and asks Him verse6100:04:13,940 –> 00:04:16,100you see anything?6200:04:16,100 –> 00:04:24,679This man looks up and he says I see people and they look like trees walking around.6300:04:24,679 –> 00:04:32,519Now this is quite different from anything else that you ever find in any of the miracles6400:04:32,519 –> 00:04:34,920of Jesus.6500:04:34,920 –> 00:04:38,839Think of all the miracles that we’ve covered in Mark’s Gospel, and we’ve thought about6600:04:39,160 –> 00:04:46,760learned from the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, the healing of the leper, the healing of the6700:04:46,760 –> 00:04:50,559man who was paralyzed on his mat and he was lured down through the roof, the healing6800:04:50,559 –> 00:04:55,440of the woman who had a hemorrhage, even the raising of Jairus’ daughter.6900:04:55,440 –> 00:04:59,179Every one of these miracles was instantaneous and complete.7000:04:59,179 –> 00:05:05,140The Son of God determined to heal and it was done in a moment.7100:05:05,140 –> 00:05:16,059This is the only miracle in all of the Gospels where Jesus heals in two stages.7200:05:16,059 –> 00:05:23,799He touches the man’s eyes and the man has some sight but he doesn’t see clearly.7300:05:23,799 –> 00:05:32,420In fact, he says, well what I see is like men and they look like trees walking.7400:05:32,500 –> 00:05:36,980Now I’ll tell you, if you went to Lens Crafters for a new pair of spectacles7500:05:36,980 –> 00:05:42,540and you came out and as you’re walking along the pavement you’re thinking, boy7600:05:42,540 –> 00:05:47,059the people I’m seeing they look like trees and it looks as if the trees are7700:05:47,059 –> 00:05:51,100moving. You would turn straight round to go back into Lens Crafters and you say7800:05:51,100 –> 00:05:55,559I want my money back. Because these specs are absolutely no use. I mean I can’t see7900:05:55,559 –> 00:06:00,980clearly with them, wouldn’t you say that and I mean there’s something puzzling8000:06:01,239 –> 00:06:05,880almost embarrassing about this miracle here, isn’t there? It’s just not like our8100:06:05,880 –> 00:06:10,600Lord Jesus Christ to do something half measure. It doesn’t make any sense to us.8200:06:10,600 –> 00:06:16,660Why when the Son of God touches this man’s eyes can he only see in this8300:06:16,660 –> 00:06:23,420partial manner. And I think the obvious question for us then is, is this is the8400:06:23,420 –> 00:06:30,079only miracle that happens in two stages like this is why would Jesus have done8500:06:30,239 –> 00:06:35,339this? Why does he heal this man in two stages? Why does it take a second touch8600:06:35,339 –> 00:06:45,519of the hand of Jesus before, in verse 25, he finally says, now I see clearly.8700:06:45,519 –> 00:06:49,799Well the answer surely is that Jesus is using this miracle as a way of teaching8800:06:49,799 –> 00:06:55,359us about what is happening in the experience of the disciples and also what8900:06:55,519 –> 00:07:01,019will happen in our own experience as followers of Christ. We’re going to see9000:07:01,019 –> 00:07:06,579this morning that in verses 14-21, before the miracle, you have disciples who do9100:07:06,579 –> 00:07:12,160not see and Jesus rebukes them for it. Then in verse 27 to 33, you have9200:07:12,160 –> 00:07:17,839disciples who do see, but we’re going to notice that they only see in part.9300:07:17,839 –> 00:07:21,399Then at the end of chapter 8 and the first verse of chapter 9 we have a9400:07:21,779 –> 00:07:26,799wonderful promise in which Jesus speaks of a day when those who follow him will9500:07:26,799 –> 00:07:32,179see clearly. Jesus then is teaching us here that9600:07:32,179 –> 00:07:40,079spiritual understanding, light, is a gift from God but it comes gradually and it9700:07:40,079 –> 00:07:48,339comes increasingly and progressively to his people. Now before we jump into this9800:07:48,339 –> 00:07:52,299passage one more other word by way of introduction. The Apostle Paul tells us9900:07:52,299 –> 00:07:58,380in second Timothy chapter 3 in verse 16 that the scriptures are given to us to10000:07:58,380 –> 00:08:03,380do us good in a number of different ways. And he says particularly that all10100:08:03,380 –> 00:08:11,540Scripture is given to us for teaching for rebuking for correcting and for10200:08:12,140 –> 00:08:19,619righteousness. Now that should help us as we come to the Bible. God has given us10300:08:19,619 –> 00:08:23,579the scriptures for the purpose sometimes of teaching and sometimes rebuking us10400:08:23,579 –> 00:08:29,779sometimes correcting us and sometimes training us in righteousness. And I10500:08:29,779 –> 00:08:34,059refer to that verse simply because we’re going to see in this passage that there10600:08:34,059 –> 00:08:40,260is a rebuke from Jesus to his disciples today. And therefore what I’ve tried to10700:08:40,260 –> 00:08:44,979do is to hear that rebuke into my own life to hear the question of Jesus into10800:08:44,979 –> 00:08:49,059my own life and I hope we’ll all try and do that honestly together today rather10900:08:49,059 –> 00:08:53,619than try and dodge a rebuke because we don’t feel comfortable with it. And then11000:08:53,619 –> 00:08:59,219there’s a correction of Jesus that we all desperately need and wants to hear11100:08:59,219 –> 00:09:03,099from the scriptures today. And then also we’re going to see a wonderful promise11200:09:03,099 –> 00:09:09,219that gives marvelous hope and all of that is in Mark’s gospel in chapter 8.11300:09:10,020 –> 00:09:13,580You’re listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and a message called11400:09:13,580 –> 00:09:18,520Jesus Gives Sight to His People. it’s part of our series the gospel according11500:09:18,520 –> 00:09:22,099to Jesus and if you ever miss one of the messages or if you want to go back and11600:09:22,099 –> 00:09:26,099listen again you can do that by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk11700:09:26,099 –> 00:09:32,099Well Open the Bible is a listener supported program and11800:09:32,099 –> 00:09:37,000that means exactly what it sounds like. It’s your Generosity that keeps pastor11900:09:37,119 –> 00:09:42,119Colin’s teaching on this station and online. If supporting Open the Bible in12000:09:42,119 –> 00:09:46,320that way is something you’d like to begin doing and you’re able to set up a12100:09:46,320 –> 00:09:51,760monthly direct debit of five pounds per month or more or a one-off gift of 5012200:09:51,760 –> 00:09:55,520pounds or more we’d love to say thank you by sending you five copies of12300:09:55,520 –> 00:10:00,679Passed to Colin’s new booklet what Jesus Says to Skeptics that’s one copy for12400:10:00,679 –> 00:10:05,799you to read and four to give away to your friends and family. Colin how12500:10:05,919 –> 00:10:10,599you describe a sceptic? Well I think a sceptic is someone who would not at this12600:10:10,599 –> 00:10:13,840point say that they’ve made a commitment to faith but on the other12700:10:13,840 –> 00:10:17,559hand they’ve not rejected the Lord Jesus Christ either they’re somewhere in12800:10:17,559 –> 00:10:23,460between there are some real questions and the good news is that Jesus cares12900:10:23,460 –> 00:10:28,780deeply about skeptics and we find this in John’s Gospel where he engages with13000:10:28,780 –> 00:10:33,919people who have honest questions and he does it in such a way as to give them13100:10:34,000 –> 00:10:39,200stepping stones to faith and that’s the aim of this little booklet to show what13200:10:39,200 –> 00:10:43,799Jesus says to skeptics and if you’ve got honest questions or if you know someone13300:10:43,799 –> 00:10:47,419who has honest questions about the Christian faith then I hope and pray13400:10:47,419 –> 00:10:51,320that this booklet will be useful to you. Well that’s our thanks to you for13500:10:51,320 –> 00:10:55,159supporting Open the Bible Financially this month, back to the13600:10:55,159 –> 00:11:00,859message now, here’s Colin. So I hope you have your Bible open and let’s jump in13700:11:01,539 –> 00:11:06,080here I want us to see first that Jesus rebukes his disciples who did not see13800:11:06,080 –> 00:11:13,719and that is in verses 14 to 21. Let’s follow the story very simply, the13900:11:13,719 –> 00:11:17,679disciples are in the boat and they’re crossing the Lake with Jesus and verse14000:11:17,679 –> 00:11:21,55914 markets says they’d forgotten to bring bread except for one loaf that14100:11:21,559 –> 00:11:27,440they had with them in the boat one loaf 13 men not enough for lunch and verse14200:11:28,059 –> 00:11:34,500Jesus is using this opportunity of this quiet time on in the boat on the lake14300:11:34,500 –> 00:11:38,739with his disciples to teach them and he’s teaching them about the power of14400:11:38,739 –> 00:11:44,320evil in the world be very careful verse 15 he’s warned them watch out for the14500:11:44,320 –> 00:11:49,880yeast of the Pharisees and that of her and yeast is often used in the Bible as14600:11:49,880 –> 00:11:56,020a figure for evil evil influenced and so he’s saying watch out for the evil14700:11:56,159 –> 00:12:00,599influence of the Pharisees inherit watch out for evil in the religious world and14800:12:00,599 –> 00:12:06,479in the political world that’s what he’s saying now think about the opportunity14900:12:06,479 –> 00:12:12,820that the Disciples have here they’re sitting in the boat a few feet from the15000:12:12,820 –> 00:12:22,719Son of God God in the flesh is so near that they could touch it and he wants to15100:12:22,719 –> 00:12:29,460teach them about how they need to be aware of the spreading influence of evil15200:12:29,460 –> 00:12:34,840within as it were church and within society within the religious sphere and15300:12:34,840 –> 00:12:40,119within the nation at large now you think of all the debates all the questions15400:12:40,119 –> 00:12:43,080that have run through your mind perhaps and they’ve run through the mind of15500:12:43,080 –> 00:12:47,559Christians over 2,000 years that the Disciples could have raised with Jesus15600:12:47,919 –> 00:12:55,219moment what an opportunity Jesus what are we to do about hypocrisy when we see it15700:12:55,219 –> 00:13:00,760in the church Jesus what are we to do about corruption when we see it in15800:13:00,760 –> 00:13:06,559business and in government Jesus how can we be the kind of people who are really15900:13:06,559 –> 00:13:10,219different from the world that we live in but engaged in the world that we live in16000:13:10,219 –> 00:13:15,320so that we don’t come off as holier-than-thou but really make a16100:13:15,419 –> 00:13:20,799difference in a world that is around us all these questions you just wish that16200:13:20,799 –> 00:13:28,760they had asked Jesus and drawn more from the master in the boat but instead of16300:13:28,760 –> 00:13:32,500seizing that opportunity what we find is that the disciples slide into a rather16400:13:32,500 –> 00:13:38,520pointless discussion about having no bread you can just about imagine how16500:13:38,520 –> 00:13:45,520this one goes Andrew whose job was it to bring the lunch today well Peter I16600:13:45,520 –> 00:13:50,219brought it yesterday so certainly not mine it must be one of the others well16700:13:50,219 –> 00:13:55,080what we need here is a roster we need to have it organized and a system to know16800:13:55,080 –> 00:13:57,679who’s going to bring the lunch each day so that we don’t keep running out of16900:13:57,679 –> 00:14:01,159bread when we’re on the lake and we don’t have any other means of finding17000:14:01,159 –> 00:14:05,760something to eat well who’s going to draw up the roster then someone else17100:14:05,760 –> 00:14:09,559says I don’t think there should be a roster I think we should just delegate17200:14:09,559 –> 00:14:12,880one of our group to permanently be on this job and to organize all of the17300:14:12,880 –> 00:14:16,380lunches have you been in a discussion like that you know and it goes on and17400:14:16,380 –> 00:14:19,679on you think my goodness me we’re never getting anywhere here17500:14:19,679 –> 00:14:28,239verse 17 aware of their discussion Jesus says why are you talking about having no17600:14:28,239 –> 00:14:34,099bread and then I want you to hear the scriptures here as they must have heard17700:14:34,380 –> 00:14:40,460it surely because from verse 17 on Jesus Christ really gives it straight to his17800:14:40,460 –> 00:14:48,380disciples look at what he says do you still not see or understand are your17900:14:48,380 –> 00:14:53,520hearts hardened do you have eyes but fail to see and ears but fail to hear18000:14:53,520 –> 00:14:57,739and don’t you remember when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand how18100:14:57,780 –> 00:15:04,900many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up twelve they replied and when I broke18200:15:04,900 –> 00:15:08,419seven loaves for the four thousand how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick18300:15:08,419 –> 00:15:16,900and they answered seven and he said to them do you still not understand well I18400:15:16,900 –> 00:15:24,020think there must have been a long silence in the boat after that don’t you18500:15:24,960 –> 00:15:35,080Jesus is clearly rebuking his disciples here and he’s rebuking them not because18600:15:35,080 –> 00:15:40,119they have no capacity of sight but because they’re simply not using the18700:15:40,119 –> 00:15:44,039light that they have already been given18800:15:44,940 –> 00:15:51,119their conversation is as if they were not his disciples at all as if they had18900:15:51,380 –> 00:15:58,299No awareness of the one who is with them and the opportunity that is before them19000:15:58,299 –> 00:16:01,880would you turn to just one cross reference today and it’s just back a19100:16:01,880 –> 00:16:06,599couple of pages to Mark’s gospel in Chapter four I think you’ll see why19200:16:06,599 –> 00:16:12,200Jesus speaks to them so strongly here when you look at this verse because in19300:16:12,200 –> 00:16:17,039Mark chapter 4 in verse 11 Jesus speaks to the disciples and he says19400:16:17,080 –> 00:16:25,159the secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you but to those who are19500:16:25,159 –> 00:16:32,400on the outside everything is said in parables so that they may be ever seeing19600:16:32,400 –> 00:16:37,859but never perceiving and ever hearing but never understanding so you see what19700:16:37,859 –> 00:16:42,219he’s saying, now you’re my disciples so the secrets of the kingdom are given to19800:16:42,219 –> 00:16:45,780you you’ve been given some spiritual light here you have received my19900:16:45,960 –> 00:16:53,440teaching, my teaching you’ve received truth you have understanding but to everyone20000:16:53,440 –> 00:16:58,760outside it’s just in parables and they’re always seeing but never20100:16:58,760 –> 00:17:03,159perceiving and they are always hearing but never understanding now look back to20200:17:03,159 –> 00:17:10,160mark chapter 8 and verse 18 and look at the question Jesus asks here he says to20300:17:10,199 –> 00:17:17,160them do you have eyes but fail to see and ears but fail to hear we say you’re my20400:17:17,160 –> 00:17:21,579disciples to whom the secrets of the kingdom have been trusted but you are20500:17:21,579 –> 00:17:27,099talking and acting as if you were outsiders as if you have never learned20600:17:27,099 –> 00:17:32,239anything as if you did not even know me as if I had never even come into the20700:17:32,239 –> 00:17:38,760world your conversation the whole way in which you are thinking20800:17:38,920 –> 00:17:44,760right now is indistinguishable from someone who is right outside and has no20900:17:44,760 –> 00:17:57,239knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ and Christ rebukes them for that big time21000:17:58,040 –> 00:18:03,920now I think that rebuke comes pretty close to home for us the rebuke of those21100:18:04,219 –> 00:18:11,800who have come to know much about Jesus but live speak and act indistinguishably21200:18:11,800 –> 00:18:18,359from those who are outside that’s the issue here and it calls forth from Jesus21300:18:18,359 –> 00:18:25,839this rebuke through the conversation just this week with someone who were21400:18:25,839 –> 00:18:31,359talking about small groups in the life of the church this person said to me you21500:18:31,359 –> 00:18:35,459know it’s very important that we have the right kind of small groups in the21600:18:35,459 –> 00:18:43,000church and then he explained why he said I was in a small group for a21700:18:43,000 –> 00:18:49,479couple of years and we were all folks of about the same age and stage of life21800:18:49,479 –> 00:18:54,699with younger children and so forth and we decided that in the small group we21900:18:55,479 –> 00:19:03,760do life together that was the phrase and we met every other week and we got to22000:19:03,760 –> 00:19:08,000know each other really well and we talked a great deal about our kids and22100:19:08,000 –> 00:19:11,979the guys got into all kinds of conversation about different ideas for22200:19:11,979 –> 00:19:18,560putting extensions on our houses and so forth and so on we did life together he22300:19:18,560 –> 00:19:24,939said I was in that small group for two years and I had a great time but22400:19:24,939 –> 00:19:32,619honestly he said it did nothing to help me be a more Christ-centered person in22500:19:32,619 –> 00:19:37,780fact he said when I look back what it really did was if anything it made me22600:19:37,780 –> 00:19:44,900somewhat more worldly now you see that is an incredible missed opportunity22700:19:45,160 –> 00:19:53,180wasn’t it. Here is a group of disciples of Jesus who could be helping each other to22800:19:53,180 –> 00:19:59,579pursue a radically Christ-centered life but what they do is that they allow22900:19:59,579 –> 00:20:03,739their conversation to slip down to a level which though significant and23000:20:03,739 –> 00:20:11,260useful is indistinguishable from someone who did not know Christ at all. Just life.23100:20:12,099 –> 00:20:17,859It’s like the disciples being in the boat with the Son of God and tied up with23200:20:17,979 –> 00:20:25,939conversation about bread. Now I think we need to hear this rebuke at a number of23300:20:25,939 –> 00:20:32,140different levels because Christ is really looking to see what progress we23400:20:32,140 –> 00:20:39,020have made for all the privileges we have received, for all the blessings that God23500:20:39,180 –> 00:20:47,020has poured into your life into mine. What progress have we made as followers of23600:20:47,020 –> 00:20:56,180Jesus Christ? Think of the teaching these disciples had received directly from the23700:20:56,180 –> 00:21:03,180Son of God, and Jesus says, do you still not understand? You still not got further23800:21:03,180 –> 00:21:11,680than this. Why haven’t you made more progress? As you think of all that you23900:21:11,680 –> 00:21:16,979have received from the Word of God over many many years perhaps in your life,24000:21:16,979 –> 00:21:22,979what progress have you made as a follower of Jesus Christ? Think about24100:21:22,979 –> 00:21:30,420their opportunity. Here they are with the Son of God, you say well that would be24200:21:30,699 –> 00:21:34,540different if I had the Son of God with me. You do have the Son of God with you, if24300:21:34,540 –> 00:21:38,180you are a Christian believer. Think about it.24400:21:38,180 –> 00:21:47,339The same Holy Spirit who filled Peter on the day of Pentecost and sustained John24500:21:47,339 –> 00:21:52,439as he was languishing in prison on the Isle of Pappas, that same Holy Spirit24600:21:52,520 –> 00:22:00,760lives in you. Now if the Holy Spirit of God lives within you and you have that24700:22:00,760 –> 00:22:06,459immense privilege, here’s the question. What progress have you made as a24800:22:06,459 –> 00:22:11,380follower of Jesus for all the years since you have professed faith?24900:22:11,380 –> 00:22:15,800You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith and A Message25000:22:15,800 –> 00:22:21,000Jesus Gives Sight to His People. It’s part of our series The Gospel According25100:22:21,680 –> 00:22:25,040to Jesus and if you’ve missed any of the series so far or if you’d like to go25200:22:25,040 –> 00:22:29,300back to listen again you can always do that by coming online to our website25300:22:29,300 –> 00:22:34,680openthebible.org.uk . There you’ll find all the messages which have already25400:22:34,680 –> 00:22:39,160gone out on air. You’ll also find the messages as podcasts and those are25500:22:39,160 –> 00:22:43,400available on all the main podcast sites. Search for Open the Bible UK and25600:22:43,400 –> 00:22:48,000subscribe to receive regular updates. You’ll also find a link to the podcast25700:22:48,619 –> 00:22:53,280on our website. We want to help you to understand how the books in the Bible25800:22:53,280 –> 00:22:59,260fit together and a good way to do that is with Open the Bible Story. You can25900:22:59,260 –> 00:23:03,420find it on our website. It’s a journey through the whole Bible a26000:23:03,420 –> 00:23:09,099study course in 30 parts entitled The Drive. It will take you deep into the26100:23:09,099 –> 00:23:13,680valleys of the Old Testament, the peaks of the glories of Jesus and the ups and26200:23:13,699 –> 00:23:18,180downs of the Christian life. All the way through it will show how the Bible26300:23:18,180 –> 00:23:22,579always points to the person of Jesus Christ. You can find Open the Bible26400:23:22,579 –> 00:23:28,780Story on our website at openthebible.org.uk. Open the Bible is26500:23:28,780 –> 00:23:33,020supported by our listeners and it’s your financial support that keep Pastor26600:23:33,020 –> 00:23:37,780Collins’ teaching on the air so thank you if you already give to support Open the26700:23:37,780 –> 00:23:42,459Bible. If you don’t already give, but that’s something you’d like to do, this26800:23:42,579 –> 00:23:46,979month we have an offer for you. If you’re able to set up a new direct debit to the26900:23:46,979 –> 00:23:51,099work of Open the Bible this month, in the amount of £5 per month or27000:23:51,099 –> 00:23:56,180more, or a one-off gift of £50 or more we’d love to say thank you by sending27100:23:56,180 –> 00:24:01,099you five copies of Pastor Collins’ new booklet What Jesus Says to Skeptics.27200:24:01,099 –> 00:24:05,819That’s one copy for you to read and four to give away to your friends and family.27300:24:05,819 –> 00:24:09,979Collyn, there may be someone who’s listening today who is a skeptic when it27400:24:10,739 –> 00:24:12,219comes to the Christian faith. How would this27500:24:12,219 –> 00:24:15,140booklet be helpful to them?27600:24:15,140 –> 00:24:16,199Well, I think the first thing is that a27700:24:16,199 –> 00:24:21,099skeptic might think, well because I don’t yet believe Jesus Christ is not27800:24:21,099 –> 00:24:25,380going to have very much time for me. But what we find in the Gospels is that27900:24:25,380 –> 00:24:30,979Jesus cared very very deeply about skeptics. He spent time with people who28000:24:30,979 –> 00:24:36,500had honest questions and engaged with them at a very deep level and he offered28100:24:37,020 –> 00:24:42,640them a pathway to faith. So if you or someone you know is a skeptic this is an28200:24:42,640 –> 00:24:47,199opportunity for you to hear what Jesus has to say to you.28300:24:47,199 –> 00:24:50,000Well we’d love to send you five copies of Pastor Colin’s booklet28400:24:50,000 –> 00:24:54,420What Jesus Says to Skeptics, as our way of saying thank you for your financial28500:24:54,420 –> 00:24:58,959support. You can find out more including full terms and conditions and give28600:24:58,959 –> 00:25:03,680online.28700:25:03,680 –> 00:25:05,520For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,28800:25:05,560 –> 00:25:06,959I’m David Pick and I28900:25:06,959 –> 00:25:14,479hope you’ll be able to join us again next time29000:25:14,479 –> 00:25:20,800We expect resistance from Jesus’ enemies but why would a Christian ever resist29100:25:20,800 –> 00:25:26,459Jesus? Find out next time on Open the Bible

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Sermons on Mark’s Gospel This series takes you on a journey through The Gospel of Mark, where you will encounter Jesus Christ the Son of God. Discovering who Jesus is, and what He has accomplished, you will find yourself drawn to follow Him along with His first disciples. See also: • The Gospel According to

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