100:00:00,800 –> 00:00:08,880When Jesus saw that the man had answered wisely, Jesus said to him,200:00:08,880 –> 00:00:14,800you are not far from the kingdom of God.300:00:14,800 –> 00:00:18,620Now I think when the teacher of the law, who was having such a warm conversation400:00:18,620 –> 00:00:22,120with Jesus heard him say this, he must have stepped back.500:00:22,120 –> 00:00:26,500Not far? What do you mean not far?600:00:26,500 –> 00:00:29,900Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick.700:00:29,900 –> 00:00:31,400I’m glad you could be with us today800:00:31,400 –> 00:00:35,500and Colin it’s great to imagine the expression on the religious leaders face900:00:35,500 –> 00:00:38,740when Jesus tells him, well you’re one of the religious leaders1000:00:38,740 –> 00:00:41,500but even so you’re not far from the kingdom of God.1100:00:41,500 –> 00:00:44,040Yeah and this is a guy who’s been asking Jesus questions1200:00:44,040 –> 00:00:46,439so he assumes that he’s the one that has the answers1300:00:46,439 –> 00:00:50,360and he’s testing to see if Jesus really is meeting his mark as it were1400:00:50,360 –> 00:00:53,560and then Jesus had this extraordinary phrase.1500:00:53,560 –> 00:00:58,160I find this so moving, not far from the kingdom of God1600:00:58,200 –> 00:01:02,020so Jesus is saying this man is very near1700:01:02,020 –> 00:01:05,500but he’s not in, he’s in the religious world.1800:01:05,500 –> 00:01:10,160He has a belief in God, he studies something of the scripture1900:01:10,160 –> 00:01:13,620he knows something about them enough to ask a good question2000:01:13,620 –> 00:01:17,820but he’s not in the kingdom of God, he doesn’t belong to Christ2100:01:17,820 –> 00:01:21,860he’s not one of God’s people and of course that raises the whole question2200:01:21,860 –> 00:01:27,559what does it mean for me to be not just a religious guy, a religious lady2300:01:27,559 –> 00:01:29,620but to actually be one of Christ’s people2400:01:29,620 –> 00:01:30,980that’s what we’re getting at today2500:01:30,980 –> 00:01:35,220That’s exactly what we’re going to be hearing about today in Mark chapter 122600:01:35,220 –> 00:01:39,580As we continue the message, Jesus has the answer to all his people’s questions2700:01:39,580 –> 00:01:40,480here’s Colin2800:01:40,480 –> 00:01:44,019So we’ve gained four insights for evangelism2900:01:44,019 –> 00:01:47,260Don’t be intimidated take the initiative3000:01:47,260 –> 00:01:50,519Don’t be distracted stay focused3100:01:50,519 –> 00:01:53,820Don’t be ashamed be confident3200:01:53,860 –> 00:01:57,500and don’t get confused keep it clear3300:01:57,500 –> 00:01:59,739as you share the gospel3400:01:59,739 –> 00:02:05,160and we’ve also seen really four faces of our fallen condition3500:02:05,160 –> 00:02:09,679God has absolute authority but we are rebels who resist his rule3600:02:09,679 –> 00:02:11,660He lays absolute claim to our lives3700:02:11,660 –> 00:02:14,860but we are hypocrites who avoid his command3800:02:14,860 –> 00:02:16,199He has revealed his power3900:02:16,199 –> 00:02:19,199but we are cynics who distrust his word4000:02:19,199 –> 00:02:20,600and he has called us to love4100:02:20,759 –> 00:02:25,559but we are strangers who are outside of his kingdom4200:02:25,559 –> 00:02:28,259and you can see here that there is a huge chasm4300:02:28,259 –> 00:02:30,580between Jesus and the questioners4400:02:30,580 –> 00:02:34,399at every one of these four points4500:02:34,399 –> 00:02:36,559There is no meeting of minds whatsoever4600:02:36,559 –> 00:02:38,720The conflict is obvious4700:02:38,720 –> 00:02:41,160and the cross is inevitable4800:02:41,160 –> 00:02:42,979The world is rejecting Jesus4900:02:42,979 –> 00:02:45,240and Jesus is rejecting the world5000:02:45,240 –> 00:02:47,039and the crowds of people in the temple5100:02:47,039 –> 00:02:49,520who are listening to these questions and answers5200:02:49,679 –> 00:02:54,580are going to have to choose and to take sides5300:02:54,580 –> 00:02:57,039Because the position of the questioners5400:02:57,039 –> 00:02:58,759who are opposed to Jesus5500:02:58,759 –> 00:03:00,300and the position of Jesus5600:03:00,300 –> 00:03:02,399who is answering them so clearly5700:03:02,399 –> 00:03:06,839they are irreconcilably different5800:03:06,839 –> 00:03:10,100You have to choose between Jesus and the world5900:03:10,100 –> 00:03:13,080as it’s still the same today6000:03:13,080 –> 00:03:15,500and so the question that really flows out6100:03:15,500 –> 00:03:17,539of our observing these questions6200:03:17,539 –> 00:03:19,000and learning from them6300:03:19,460 –> 00:03:20,979what then is it going to mean for us6400:03:20,979 –> 00:03:23,699to take our stand with Jesus?6500:03:24,880 –> 00:03:28,720What is it going to mean for us to be true Christians?6600:03:28,720 –> 00:03:30,360What is that actually look like6700:03:31,300 –> 00:03:34,179in a situation where the world is rejecting Jesus6800:03:34,179 –> 00:03:37,800and Jesus is rejecting the world?6900:03:38,660 –> 00:03:41,320And from these four answers that Jesus gives7000:03:41,320 –> 00:03:46,320I want simply to draw four Marks of genuine conversion7100:03:46,779 –> 00:03:51,639what it really looks like when a person7200:03:51,639 –> 00:03:55,220is turning to take their stand with Jesus Christ.7300:03:56,520 –> 00:04:00,679What that looks like first is that to be a true Christian7400:04:00,679 –> 00:04:04,059means you end your rebellion against God.7500:04:05,919 –> 00:04:08,639Being a Christian means7600:04:08,639 –> 00:04:13,059that you recognize his authority over the world,7700:04:14,039 –> 00:04:18,100over your life, past, present, and future.7800:04:20,579 –> 00:04:23,339I’m sure all of us in the congregation this morning7900:04:23,339 –> 00:04:25,619have questions we’d like to ask God.8000:04:27,320 –> 00:04:31,260And one day, God will answer every one of your questions.8100:04:31,260 –> 00:04:33,140There’ll be no more tears in your eyes8200:04:33,140 –> 00:04:35,299and there’ll be no more doubts in your mind.8300:04:37,640 –> 00:04:40,940But becoming a Christian involves you saying8400:04:40,959 –> 00:04:41,899something like this,8500:04:41,899 –> 00:04:44,640whatever the questions that I have unresolved8600:04:44,640 –> 00:04:45,899and whatever the difficulties8700:04:45,899 –> 00:04:47,799and struggles I’m facing right now,8800:04:47,799 –> 00:04:52,799I will not allow my life to be one long argument with God.8900:04:55,940 –> 00:04:58,119Because I do not want on the last day9000:04:58,119 –> 00:04:59,959to be standing among the rebels9100:04:59,959 –> 00:05:02,920and the hypocrites and the cynics.9200:05:02,920 –> 00:05:05,239I want on the last day to be standing9300:05:05,239 –> 00:05:08,480in the presence of God among the worshipers.9400:05:08,480 –> 00:05:10,320And that therefore is the choice9500:05:10,380 –> 00:05:11,320that I am making now.9600:05:11,320 –> 00:05:14,579Whatever my unanswered questions,9700:05:15,700 –> 00:05:18,679don’t spend your life fighting God9800:05:18,679 –> 00:05:22,399with your long list of questions and complaints.9900:05:23,480 –> 00:05:26,720End your rebellion against God.10000:05:26,720 –> 00:05:28,059Give up the fight.10100:05:29,100 –> 00:05:32,720Submit to His rule and His authority in your life.10200:05:32,720 –> 00:05:35,440That is the first part of what it means10300:05:35,440 –> 00:05:37,839to stand with Jesus Christ.10400:05:37,839 –> 00:05:41,500And it’s life transforming and liberating10500:05:41,500 –> 00:05:42,799when you take that step.10600:05:45,339 –> 00:05:46,320Here’s the second.10700:05:47,940 –> 00:05:50,579You offer yourself to God unconditionally.10800:05:52,260 –> 00:05:54,559Verse 17 of chapter 12.10900:05:55,700 –> 00:05:58,040Give to Caesar what is Caesars11000:05:58,940 –> 00:06:02,059and give to God what is God’s.11100:06:02,899 –> 00:06:05,600That raises the obvious question, well, what is God’s?11200:06:08,059 –> 00:06:10,720Now, remember, Jesus had asked his questioners11300:06:10,720 –> 00:06:13,320to give him a coin,11400:06:13,320 –> 00:06:17,220and he said, whose image is on this coin?11500:06:17,220 –> 00:06:18,760And remember, it was the image of Caesar11600:06:18,760 –> 00:06:20,399because they were using Roman currency,11700:06:20,399 –> 00:06:22,239and he said, give to Caesars what is Caesar’s11800:06:22,239 –> 00:06:23,859and to God what is God’s.11900:06:24,880 –> 00:06:28,399The coin bears Caesar’s image.12000:06:29,440 –> 00:06:33,040You bear God’s image.12100:06:34,600 –> 00:06:36,519You were created in the image of God.12200:06:38,279 –> 00:06:42,559And when Jesus says, give to God what is God’s,12300:06:42,559 –> 00:06:44,959he is reminding us that God lays claim12400:06:44,959 –> 00:06:48,200to the totality of our lives12500:06:49,619 –> 00:06:52,140because we are made, stamped,12600:06:53,000 –> 00:06:56,359created in his image, we’re God’s.12700:06:58,920 –> 00:07:03,920Now, sometimes Christians try and define12800:07:04,959 –> 00:07:06,959what we should give to God.12900:07:08,519 –> 00:07:10,480And it sort of fits our culture,13000:07:10,480 –> 00:07:12,600give me the checklist, give me the bullet points,13100:07:12,600 –> 00:07:14,480tell me what I have to do, what do I owe to God?13200:07:14,480 –> 00:07:15,959What should I give to God?13300:07:17,359 –> 00:07:20,160So you will get all kinds of answers to that question13400:07:20,160 –> 00:07:23,519and many of them very good and helpful.13500:07:24,700 –> 00:07:27,359Depending on who you ask, you may get answers like this.13600:07:27,359 –> 00:07:30,119Read the Bible and pray for 20 minutes each day.13700:07:31,040 –> 00:07:33,839Give 10% of your income.13800:07:33,839 –> 00:07:34,880Be in a small group.13900:07:34,880 –> 00:07:37,299Get involved in a ministry or whatever it is.14000:07:37,299 –> 00:07:39,559Being specific can be helpful.14100:07:40,579 –> 00:07:44,339But the problem with reducing what we give to God14200:07:44,339 –> 00:07:49,019to a formula is that you lose sight of the fact14300:07:49,019 –> 00:07:51,980that God lays claim to the totality of your life.14400:07:51,980 –> 00:07:54,660Which is the point that Jesus is making here.14500:07:54,660 –> 00:07:56,600Life, talent, time, money.14600:07:56,600 –> 00:07:58,940All things come from him.14700:07:58,940 –> 00:08:01,380All things belong to him.14800:08:01,380 –> 00:08:02,779All things are for him.14900:08:02,779 –> 00:08:05,559And we are the stewards.15000:08:07,299 –> 00:08:09,420And when Jesus says give to Caesar what is Caesar’s15100:08:09,420 –> 00:08:10,660and give to God what is God’s15200:08:10,660 –> 00:08:14,160what he’s calling us to is an unconditional15300:08:14,160 –> 00:08:16,660self-giving of all that we are15400:08:16,660 –> 00:08:19,000and all that we have into the hands of God15500:08:19,000 –> 00:08:20,619to live under his sovereign rule15600:08:20,619 –> 00:08:22,179and we’ll take it from there.15700:08:24,339 –> 00:08:27,260That’s what it means to take your stand with Jesus Christ.15800:08:30,519 –> 00:08:32,640You end your rebellion against God15900:08:34,619 –> 00:08:37,000and you offer yourself to God unconditionally.16000:08:38,280 –> 00:08:40,500Give to God what is God’s16100:08:40,500 –> 00:08:45,500as a person made in his image.16200:08:46,039 –> 00:08:47,219You’re listening to Open the Bible16300:08:47,219 –> 00:08:48,479with Pastor Colin Smith16400:08:48,479 –> 00:08:50,859in a message called Jesus Has the Answer16500:08:50,859 –> 00:08:53,080to All His People’s Questions.16600:08:53,080 –> 00:08:56,080It’s part of our series, the Gospel according to Jesus16700:08:56,080 –> 00:08:58,239and if you’ve missed any of the series today16800:08:58,239 –> 00:09:00,559or if you want to go back and listen again16900:09:00,559 –> 00:09:03,460you can always do that by coming online to our website17000:09:03,460 –> 00:09:06,359openthebible.org.uk17100:09:06,359 –> 00:09:08,080or you can find us as a podcast17200:09:08,080 –> 00:09:10,799and those are on all the regular podcast sites,17300:09:10,799 –> 00:09:13,440search for Open the Bible UK17400:09:13,440 –> 00:09:16,419Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners.17500:09:16,419 –> 00:09:17,900That’s people just like you17600:09:17,900 –> 00:09:21,640and we are extremely grateful for your financial support.17700:09:21,640 –> 00:09:24,280If you have been considering supporting Open the Bible17800:09:24,280 –> 00:09:25,739in this way this month,17900:09:25,739 –> 00:09:28,239if you are able to start a new direct debit18000:09:28,239 –> 00:09:31,059in the amount of five pounds per month or more18100:09:31,059 –> 00:09:32,900or a one-off gift of 50 pounds,18200:09:32,900 –> 00:09:34,479we’d love to say thank you18300:09:34,479 –> 00:09:37,419by sending you a copy of R.C Sprolls book18400:09:37,419 –> 00:09:41,200The Advent of Glory, 24 Devotions for Christmas.18500:09:41,200 –> 00:09:44,099This is a book that Pastor Colin’s particularly picked out18600:09:44,099 –> 00:09:46,940and I’ll be talking to him later in the program about it.18700:09:46,940 –> 00:09:48,880So I hope you’ll stay with us for that.18800:09:48,880 –> 00:09:51,440Back to the message now, he has Colin.18900:09:51,440 –> 00:09:52,659And then here’s the third thing19000:09:52,659 –> 00:09:53,940I take it from the third question,19100:09:53,940 –> 00:09:55,580what does it mean to become a true Christian,19200:09:55,580 –> 00:09:57,219take your stand with Jesus Christ?19300:09:57,219 –> 00:10:01,020Well, it means trusting God’s sovereign power19400:10:01,020 –> 00:10:03,059in all things.19500:10:03,059 –> 00:10:04,919Remember Jesus said to the cynic,19600:10:04,919 –> 00:10:08,320you don’t know the Scriptures or the power of God.19700:10:08,320 –> 00:10:09,679When someone becomes a Christian,19800:10:09,679 –> 00:10:11,000it involves this great change.19900:10:11,000 –> 00:10:13,960You do know the Scriptures, you believe them,20000:10:13,960 –> 00:10:16,340you hang your life on what they teach.20100:10:17,340 –> 00:10:19,940And in becoming a Christian, by definition,20200:10:19,940 –> 00:10:22,059you are discovering and knowing20300:10:23,119 –> 00:10:26,479and believing in and trusting the power of God.20400:10:28,080 –> 00:10:29,679By the way, if you come to the Bible20500:10:29,700 –> 00:10:33,559with a materialistic or naturalistic world view,20600:10:33,559 –> 00:10:36,340it will not make any sense to you at all.20700:10:37,320 –> 00:10:39,460If you want to understand the Bible,20800:10:39,460 –> 00:10:43,140you have to read it in the light of God’s sovereign power.20900:10:43,140 –> 00:10:45,380I think that’s part of what Jesus teaches us here.21000:10:45,380 –> 00:10:47,580Then it will make sense to you.21100:10:47,580 –> 00:10:49,919The birth of Christ, the miracles,21200:10:49,919 –> 00:10:52,820the resurrection, the gift of the Holy Spirit,21300:10:52,820 –> 00:10:56,479the new birth, which is not a humanly engineered change,21400:10:56,479 –> 00:10:57,760but rather the power of God,21500:10:57,799 –> 00:11:01,260the life of God coming into the soul of a man or a woman,21600:11:01,260 –> 00:11:02,820the new heaven and the new Earth,21700:11:02,820 –> 00:11:05,859it all is predicated on God’s power.21800:11:07,520 –> 00:11:09,400Becoming a Christian involves21900:11:09,400 –> 00:11:11,460discovering the truth of the Bible22000:11:11,460 –> 00:11:14,080and discovering the power of God.22100:11:15,400 –> 00:11:17,260And this is one of the great blessings22200:11:17,260 –> 00:11:18,840of becoming a Christian,22300:11:20,239 –> 00:11:23,739that you know that this God of sovereign power22400:11:23,739 –> 00:11:25,799is for you, with you,22500:11:25,840 –> 00:11:29,119and even by his spirit at work within you.22600:11:29,119 –> 00:11:31,760So, when you come to know the power of God22700:11:31,760 –> 00:11:33,919you can look back even on your past22800:11:33,919 –> 00:11:35,299before you were a Christian,22900:11:35,299 –> 00:11:37,960and you can say, you know, I see that differently now23000:11:37,960 –> 00:11:40,219because God’s hand was on me even then,23100:11:40,219 –> 00:11:42,619planning good things for my eternal future.23200:11:43,760 –> 00:11:46,719And you can look at your life now23300:11:46,719 –> 00:11:48,119and you will see it quite differently23400:11:48,119 –> 00:11:50,119because you know that this God is with you23500:11:50,119 –> 00:11:51,780even though you cannot see him.23600:11:52,719 –> 00:11:55,059And you can look forward with confidence23700:11:55,059 –> 00:11:57,640because your future life is in his hand23800:11:57,640 –> 00:12:01,119and if it’s in the hand of the God of sovereign power23900:12:01,119 –> 00:12:02,979then you are absolutely secure.24000:12:04,119 –> 00:12:05,460This is the God, Jesus said,24100:12:05,460 –> 00:12:08,179who sustained Abraham and Isaac and Jacob24200:12:08,179 –> 00:12:10,140through everything they faced in their lives24300:12:10,140 –> 00:12:12,460and he is sustaining them still.24400:12:12,460 –> 00:12:14,380He is the God of Abraham, Isaac,24500:12:14,380 –> 00:12:16,700and Jacob, present tense, still.24600:12:16,940 –> 00:12:17,760Still.24700:12:19,380 –> 00:12:21,239So it’s Christian as a person then24800:12:21,239 –> 00:12:23,659who is learning to trust God’s sovereign power24900:12:23,659 –> 00:12:25,659in all things, and it is in this way25000:12:25,659 –> 00:12:29,979that a Christian faces every circumstance of life.25100:12:32,900 –> 00:12:35,979Then here’s the fourth mark of genuine conversion.25200:12:37,460 –> 00:12:42,419Loving God, and the people he has placed around you.25300:12:43,580 –> 00:12:45,299Now notice there are two commands here25400:12:45,299 –> 00:12:47,780when Jesus says in verse 30 and 3125500:12:47,780 –> 00:12:48,979that we are to love God25600:12:48,979 –> 00:12:51,400with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength,25700:12:51,400 –> 00:12:54,340and we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.25800:12:54,340 –> 00:12:58,059Two commands, and it is important to realize25900:12:58,059 –> 00:13:01,640both the consistency or the continuity between them26000:13:01,640 –> 00:13:04,580and also the contrast between them.26100:13:05,460 –> 00:13:06,900How are we to love God?26200:13:08,340 –> 00:13:10,539Well, we are to love God with our heart and soul.26300:13:10,539 –> 00:13:14,099That means it involves our affections,26400:13:14,099 –> 00:13:14,940our emotion.26500:13:16,099 –> 00:13:18,280We love him26600:13:20,260 –> 00:13:22,059and we are to love him with our mind.26700:13:22,059 –> 00:13:25,659That means we care about his truth passionately.26800:13:25,659 –> 00:13:27,599David says time and again in the Psalms,26900:13:27,599 –> 00:13:30,679,oh, how I love your law!’27000:13:30,679 –> 00:13:32,640And he didn’t even have the New Testament.27100:13:32,640 –> 00:13:34,700He’s talking about the Old Testament.27200:13:34,700 –> 00:13:37,260He says, I love the truth of God.27300:13:37,260 –> 00:13:38,799I’m jealous for the truth of God,27400:13:39,940 –> 00:13:43,520that it be proclaimed and that it be believed,27500:13:43,520 –> 00:13:46,799that it be preserved and that it be passed on to others.27600:13:48,119 –> 00:13:51,179As you evaluate and develop your own thinking,27700:13:51,179 –> 00:13:55,479you will be drawn to thoughts and ideas27800:13:55,479 –> 00:13:57,359and approaches that exalt God27900:13:57,359 –> 00:14:00,679and you’ll be turning away from thoughts and ideas28000:14:00,679 –> 00:14:02,799and approaches that diminish God.28100:14:03,760 –> 00:14:05,140You’ll turn away from things28200:14:05,140 –> 00:14:06,960that make man more and God less.28300:14:06,960 –> 00:14:11,119You’ll turn towards things that make God more and man less.28400:14:11,119 –> 00:14:12,520Love him with all your mind.28500:14:14,000 –> 00:14:16,099Your whole worldview, your whole thinking.28600:14:16,919 –> 00:14:20,320And then you love God with all your strength28700:14:20,320 –> 00:14:22,780which means that we deploy our strength28800:14:22,780 –> 00:14:26,640to engage in the work that God is doing in the world.28900:14:26,640 –> 00:14:28,200And it’s not so much a matter of saying,29000:14:28,200 –> 00:14:30,039God, will you come and bless our work?29100:14:30,039 –> 00:14:32,260It is us saying, Lord, we want to make ourselves29200:14:32,260 –> 00:14:34,159available for your work.29300:14:35,400 –> 00:14:38,299And this is part of how we love God.29400:14:38,299 –> 00:14:40,000It’s a good question to ask,29500:14:40,000 –> 00:14:42,359how is your strength29600:14:43,719 –> 00:14:45,359that is all your strength,29700:14:45,359 –> 00:14:47,440your gift strength, your time strength,29800:14:47,440 –> 00:14:49,960your financial strength, every strength of your life,29900:14:49,960 –> 00:14:52,340how is your strength being utilized30000:14:52,340 –> 00:14:53,599for the advance of the gospel,30100:14:53,599 –> 00:14:55,219the work of Jesus Christ today?30200:14:56,520 –> 00:14:59,260Because that is part of how you love Him,30300:14:59,260 –> 00:15:03,359by the deploying of your strength in His work.30400:15:03,359 –> 00:15:05,380That’s a wonderful question for us.30500:15:05,380 –> 00:15:08,760A great challenge that we face as a church together.30600:15:08,760 –> 00:15:11,520How can the total strength30700:15:12,460 –> 00:15:16,140of this body be most effectively deployed30800:15:16,140 –> 00:15:17,520for the advance of the gospel?30900:15:17,520 –> 00:15:20,000Because that is how we show that we love Him.31000:15:21,780 –> 00:15:23,880To place at His disposal31100:15:23,880 –> 00:15:28,880and to deploy for His gospel31200:15:28,960 –> 00:15:32,260all that He has trusted to us.31300:15:32,260 –> 00:15:35,599That is how we show that we love Him.31400:15:35,599 –> 00:15:36,859So how do you love God?31500:15:36,859 –> 00:15:39,280With all your heart, with all your soul,31600:15:39,359 –> 00:15:42,679with all your mind and with all your strength.31700:15:45,159 –> 00:15:46,679Now here’s the second command,31800:15:47,599 –> 00:15:48,960that you love your neighbor.31900:15:50,159 –> 00:15:52,280Now, I want you to notice the continuity.32000:15:52,280 –> 00:15:55,239Love God, love your neighbor.32100:15:55,239 –> 00:15:56,520The same dynamic.32200:15:57,640 –> 00:16:01,340I want you to notice the contrast.32300:16:01,340 –> 00:16:02,640Love God with all your heart,32400:16:02,640 –> 00:16:03,880soul, mind and strength.32500:16:03,880 –> 00:16:06,059Love your neighbor, how?32600:16:06,059 –> 00:16:08,280As yourself.32700:16:08,280 –> 00:16:11,299So both continuity and a contrast here32800:16:11,299 –> 00:16:12,880and they’re both important.32900:16:13,760 –> 00:16:18,299We are to love God above ourselves and above all others.33000:16:19,460 –> 00:16:22,299We are to love God unconditionally,33100:16:22,299 –> 00:16:24,659with every fiber of our being,33200:16:24,659 –> 00:16:26,979with every power at our disposal,33300:16:26,979 –> 00:16:31,979with no limitations, mind, heart, soul, strength.33400:16:34,299 –> 00:16:36,619You cannot love God too much.33500:16:38,700 –> 00:16:42,979But then Jesus says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.33600:16:42,979 –> 00:16:44,099Let me ask you this question.33700:16:44,099 –> 00:16:47,200Is it possible to love yourself too much?33800:16:47,200 –> 00:16:48,979Yes, it is.33900:16:50,320 –> 00:16:51,299We’ve all said about someone,34000:16:51,299 –> 00:16:53,320you know, she loves herself way too much.34100:16:54,359 –> 00:16:56,640He thinks way too much of himself.34200:16:56,640 –> 00:16:59,099It’s possible to love yourself too much.34300:16:59,099 –> 00:17:00,299Here’s another question.34400:17:01,500 –> 00:17:03,159Can you love yourself too little?34500:17:04,219 –> 00:17:06,800Yes, you can love yourself too little.34600:17:06,800 –> 00:17:08,140We’ve probably all said of someone34700:17:08,140 –> 00:17:10,319who’s not caring for themselves,34800:17:10,319 –> 00:17:13,380just not eating or not sleeping34900:17:13,380 –> 00:17:16,000or just working themselves to death, it seems.35000:17:16,000 –> 00:17:20,979We say he’s really not looking after himself as he should.35100:17:20,979 –> 00:17:24,219And we’re concerned out of love for that person.35200:17:25,300 –> 00:17:27,640And the truth is that even among the congregation here,35300:17:27,640 –> 00:17:30,979some of us need to care for ourselves more35400:17:30,979 –> 00:17:34,579and some of us need to care for ourselves less35500:17:35,500 –> 00:17:38,319and knowing the difference is a matter of wisdom35600:17:38,319 –> 00:17:42,099and this is an area frankly where we can help one another.35700:17:42,099 –> 00:17:45,540If a person who loves you and cares for you says35800:17:45,540 –> 00:17:47,979now you need to take better care of yourself,35900:17:47,979 –> 00:17:48,979you listen to them.36000:17:50,040 –> 00:17:51,760Maybe a word from the Lord to you.36100:17:52,739 –> 00:17:54,459And if a person who really cares for you,36200:17:54,459 –> 00:17:55,540says you know you’re really thinking36300:17:55,540 –> 00:17:57,380about yourself too much here.36400:17:57,380 –> 00:17:59,160Then you listen to them.36500:17:59,160 –> 00:18:01,780It may indeed be a word from the Lord to you.36600:18:01,780 –> 00:18:03,839So let’s help one another gain wisdom36700:18:03,839 –> 00:18:06,040over this matter because this is not easy.36800:18:06,040 –> 00:18:07,900We can err in either direction36900:18:07,900 –> 00:18:10,099and self-love needs to be regulated.37000:18:10,099 –> 00:18:11,939It can be too much or it can be too little37100:18:11,939 –> 00:18:14,739and it’s easy for us to think of examples of both.37200:18:16,000 –> 00:18:18,479Now Jesus says love your neighbor in the same way.37300:18:18,479 –> 00:18:20,520This also is in need of regulation.37400:18:21,780 –> 00:18:25,900Because if you love your neighbor too much37500:18:25,900 –> 00:18:27,199and that is possible,37600:18:28,160 –> 00:18:30,680you might make an idol of that person.37700:18:31,500 –> 00:18:33,260That’s what would happen.37800:18:33,280 –> 00:18:38,280Or, you might make yourself a slave to that person.37900:18:38,319 –> 00:18:40,579You might become a sort of doormat38000:18:40,579 –> 00:18:42,859as if that person were God in your life38100:18:42,859 –> 00:18:46,719and that is idolatry and that is displeasing to God38200:18:46,719 –> 00:18:49,459and it is not what Christ calls us to hear.38300:18:50,500 –> 00:18:53,520On the other hand, if you love your neighbor too little,38400:18:53,520 –> 00:18:56,040you might become insensitive to a person38500:18:56,040 –> 00:18:57,819God has placed next to you.38600:18:57,819 –> 00:19:00,119Not caring about them as you ought,38700:19:00,160 –> 00:19:03,319not looking out for them as you should.38800:19:04,260 –> 00:19:07,119So, in this matter of our relationships38900:19:07,119 –> 00:19:09,359with other people that God has placed around us,39000:19:09,359 –> 00:19:12,239which of course is the meaning of the word neighbor here,39100:19:12,239 –> 00:19:14,319we need great wisdom.39200:19:14,319 –> 00:19:18,680You love God with all your heart, all your mind,39300:19:18,680 –> 00:19:21,400all your soul and all your strength39400:19:22,280 –> 00:19:25,560and you love your neighbor as yourself.39500:19:26,920 –> 00:19:28,520Let me quote to you Bishop Royall here39600:19:28,520 –> 00:19:30,599who makes this point, I think, very, very helpfully.39700:19:30,599 –> 00:19:31,439He says,39800:19:31,439 –> 00:19:35,640The marvelous wisdom of this distinction is clear and plain.39900:19:36,640 –> 00:19:40,680We may easily err in our affections towards others40000:19:40,680 –> 00:19:44,000either by thinking too little or too much of them.40100:19:45,040 –> 00:19:48,160We therefore need the rule to love them as ourselves40200:19:48,160 –> 00:19:50,560neither more nor less40300:19:50,560 –> 00:19:53,599but we cannot err in our affection towards God40400:19:53,599 –> 00:19:55,640when it comes to excess.40500:19:55,680 –> 00:19:58,599He is worthy of all that we can give40600:19:58,599 –> 00:20:00,880therefore we are to love him40700:20:02,099 –> 00:20:03,660with all our heart.40800:20:03,660 –> 00:20:08,020See, these words of Jesus are not sentiment.40900:20:08,020 –> 00:20:11,680They’re his command and they’re absolutely practical41000:20:11,680 –> 00:20:15,099and there is a continuity and there is a contrast.41100:20:15,099 –> 00:20:17,119You are to love God with all your heart and your soul41200:20:17,119 –> 00:20:18,319and your mind and your strength.41300:20:18,319 –> 00:20:20,739You are to love your neighbor as you love yourself.41400:20:23,040 –> 00:20:25,400What are the marks then of genuine conversion?41500:20:25,400 –> 00:20:28,099What does it mean to become a real Christian?41600:20:29,239 –> 00:20:32,719It means that you end your rebellion against God,41700:20:32,719 –> 00:20:35,680that you offer yourself to God unconditionally,41800:20:35,680 –> 00:20:38,959that you trust in God’s sovereign power41900:20:38,959 –> 00:20:40,540and by the Holy Spirit within you,42000:20:40,540 –> 00:20:42,780you begin to love God and the people42100:20:42,780 –> 00:20:44,400that he has placed around you.42200:20:45,939 –> 00:20:49,660And here is the marvelous miracle of God’s grace42300:20:49,660 –> 00:20:53,839that is involved in becoming a new creation in Jesus Christ.42400:20:53,880 –> 00:20:56,680It’s not just a human redirection of life,42500:20:56,680 –> 00:20:59,739it is a new creation by his divine power.42600:21:00,800 –> 00:21:05,800To become a Christian involves God in his incredible grace42700:21:05,920 –> 00:21:09,839taking rebels and making us friends42800:21:09,839 –> 00:21:14,160who live gladly and joyfully under his rule in our lives,42900:21:14,160 –> 00:21:19,119to take hypocrites and to make of us disciples43000:21:19,160 –> 00:21:22,239who are wholly devoted to him,43100:21:22,239 –> 00:21:26,280to take cynics and to make of us43200:21:26,280 –> 00:21:31,160people who know God’s power and believe in his word,43300:21:31,160 –> 00:21:34,680and then to take us outsiders, strangers,43400:21:34,680 –> 00:21:37,400and to bring us into his kingdom of love.43500:21:38,479 –> 00:21:41,239That’s what real conversion looks like.43600:21:41,239 –> 00:21:43,719That is what it means to be taking43700:21:43,719 –> 00:21:46,680your stand with Jesus Christ43800:21:46,800 –> 00:21:51,800and it is his incredible grace that makes that possible.43900:21:52,359 –> 00:21:53,719You’ve been listening to Open the Bible44000:21:53,719 –> 00:21:55,760with Pastor Colin Smith and we’ve been looking44100:21:55,760 –> 00:21:59,359at four marks of genuine Christian conversion.44200:21:59,359 –> 00:22:01,880The message is called Jesus Has the Answer44300:22:01,880 –> 00:22:04,000to All His People’s Questions.44400:22:04,000 –> 00:22:06,920It’s part of our series The Gospel According to Jesus44500:22:06,920 –> 00:22:08,640and if you’ve missed any of the series44600:22:08,640 –> 00:22:10,520or if you want to go back and listen again,44700:22:10,520 –> 00:22:13,359you can do that by coming online to our website,44800:22:13,680 –> 00:22:18,319or by finding us on your favourite podcast site,44900:22:18,319 –> 00:22:20,199look for OpentheBibleUK45000:22:20,199 –> 00:22:23,000and subscribe to receive regular updates.45100:22:23,640 –> 00:22:24,560Also on our website,45200:22:24,560 –> 00:22:26,520you’ll find Open The Bible daily45300:22:26,520 –> 00:22:28,079and that’s a series of short,45400:22:28,079 –> 00:22:30,400two to three minute Daily Reflections45500:22:30,400 –> 00:22:32,719based on Pastor Colin’s teaching45600:22:32,719 –> 00:22:34,839and read in the UK by Sue MacLeish.45700:22:35,479 –> 00:22:37,319Regular visitors to the Open the Bible45800:22:37,319 –> 00:22:39,699UK website might have noticed that45900:22:39,699 –> 00:22:42,239recently the website was updated46000:22:42,520 –> 00:22:44,599and changed and given a fresh new look.46100:22:44,599 –> 00:22:46,199Unfortunately, these changes46200:22:46,199 –> 00:22:47,920have resulted in recent days46300:22:47,920 –> 00:22:50,520in some episodes of Open the bible Daily46400:22:50,520 –> 00:22:52,079not appearing on the website46500:22:52,079 –> 00:22:53,079when they should.46600:22:53,079 –> 00:22:55,079We’re very sorry about these issues46700:22:55,079 –> 00:22:56,880and we can assure our listeners46800:22:56,880 –> 00:22:58,640we are working hard behind the scenes46900:22:58,640 –> 00:23:00,119to resolve them.47000:23:00,119 –> 00:23:01,920So, I hope you’ll keep looking47100:23:01,920 –> 00:23:03,000for Open the Bible Daily,47200:23:03,000 –> 00:23:04,199every day.47300:23:04,800 –> 00:23:06,800If you live within travelling distance47400:23:06,800 –> 00:23:08,839of Cheltenham, the heart of the Cotswolds,47500:23:08,839 –> 00:23:10,599you might want to book a ticket47600:23:10,599 –> 00:23:12,800for Cotswold Bible Festival.47700:23:12,800 –> 00:23:14,920It takes place on47800:23:16,199 –> 00:23:18,359and it features Pastor Colin Smith47900:23:18,359 –> 00:23:19,920as the main speaker.48000:23:19,920 –> 00:23:21,520Cotswold Bible Festival48100:23:21,520 –> 00:23:23,239aims evolves to encourage and equip48200:23:23,239 –> 00:23:25,920those of all ages to follow Jesus.48300:23:25,920 –> 00:23:27,239The event takes place at48400:23:27,239 –> 00:23:28,760Cheltenham Ladies College48500:23:28,760 –> 00:23:30,119and you can obtain tickets48600:23:30,119 –> 00:23:33,040at cotswoldbiblefestival.com48700:23:33,040 –> 00:23:35,839that’s cotswoldbiblefestival.com48800:23:36,719 –> 00:23:38,359Open the Bible is able to stay48900:23:38,359 –> 00:23:40,280on this station and on the internet.49000:23:40,680 –> 00:23:42,719As a result to the generous gifts49100:23:42,719 –> 00:23:44,199made by our listeners.49200:23:44,660 –> 00:23:46,680If you’re able to begin supporting49300:23:46,680 –> 00:23:48,280Open the Bible for the first time49400:23:48,280 –> 00:23:49,319in this way49500:23:49,319 –> 00:23:50,760we have an offer for you.49600:23:50,760 –> 00:23:51,880If you’re able to set up49700:23:51,880 –> 00:23:53,359a new direct debit49800:23:53,359 –> 00:23:55,400in the amount of £5 per month49900:23:55,400 –> 00:23:57,640or a one-off gift of £5050000:23:57,640 –> 00:23:58,839we’d love to say thank you50100:23:58,839 –> 00:24:00,520by sending you a copy of50200:24:00,520 –> 00:24:02,319R. C. Sproul’s book50300:24:02,319 –> 00:24:04,199the advent of Glory50400:24:04,199 –> 00:24:07,400its twenty-four devotions for Christmas.50500:24:07,400 –> 00:24:08,760Colin some of us grew up50600:24:08,760 –> 00:24:10,400without hearing much about Advent50700:24:10,400 –> 00:24:12,160so, what is Advent?50800:24:12,479 –> 00:24:14,119Well Advent very simply means50900:24:14,119 –> 00:24:15,880coming or arrival51000:24:15,880 –> 00:24:17,880and so it can refer eager to the51100:24:17,880 –> 00:24:20,040first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ51200:24:20,040 –> 00:24:22,319when He was born in the manger51300:24:22,319 –> 00:24:24,160or the glorious second coming51400:24:24,160 –> 00:24:25,439of the Lord Jesus Christ51500:24:25,439 –> 00:24:26,599when He’s going to return51600:24:26,599 –> 00:24:28,280in power and Glory.51700:24:28,280 –> 00:24:31,319And this book by R. C. Sproul51800:24:31,319 –> 00:24:33,599the Advent of Glory51900:24:33,599 –> 00:24:35,640it’s just a marvellous devotional52000:24:35,640 –> 00:24:37,920He’s picked out 24 words52100:24:37,920 –> 00:24:39,800from the heart of the Christmas story52200:24:39,800 –> 00:24:41,959and about four pages on each52300:24:41,959 –> 00:24:44,000it’s a delight to read52400:24:44,000 –> 00:24:45,520there’s a prayer that follows52500:24:45,520 –> 00:24:47,239each of these devotions52600:24:47,239 –> 00:24:49,319and it’s a wonderful, wonderful way52700:24:49,319 –> 00:24:51,079to prepare for Christmas.52800:24:51,079 –> 00:24:52,560Well R. C. Sproul’s book52900:24:52,560 –> 00:24:53,560The Advent of Glory53000:24:53,560 –> 00:24:54,880is our gift to you53100:24:54,880 –> 00:24:56,040for beginning to support53200:24:56,040 –> 00:24:58,599Open the Bible financially this month53300:24:58,599 –> 00:24:59,880full details of this offer53400:24:59,880 –> 00:25:01,280terms and conditions53500:25:01,280 –> 00:25:02,599and to give on line53600:25:02,599 –> 00:25:03,520at our website53700:25:03,520 –> 00:25:06,160openthebible.org.uk53800:25:06,520 –> 00:25:07,560For Open the Bible53900:25:07,560 –> 00:25:08,760and Pastor Colin Smith54000:25:08,760 –> 00:25:09,760I’m David Pick54100:25:09,760 –> 00:25:11,079and I hope you’ll join us again54200:25:11,079 –> 00:25:12,079next time54300:25:18,079 –> 00:25:19,439What are your expectations54400:25:19,439 –> 00:25:21,680of your life in this world?54500:25:21,680 –> 00:25:23,640Discover the teachings of Jesus54600:25:23,640 –> 00:25:25,000which should realistically54700:25:25,000 –> 00:25:26,920guide your expectations54800:25:26,920 –> 00:25:29,400That’s next time on Open the Bible