100:00:00,220 –> 00:00:03,720Faith200:00:03,720 –> 00:00:08,640Faith isn’t some kind of inherent capacity to trust.300:00:08,640 –> 00:00:13,740Faith is recognizing that Jesus Christ is trustworthy, that’s what it is.400:00:13,740 –> 00:00:15,740It’s not about you, it’s about him.500:00:15,740 –> 00:00:22,420It’s about recognizing that he has the ability to do what he says because he is the Son of God.600:00:23,000 –> 00:00:27,940Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, glad you could be700:00:28,440 –> 00:00:29,440with us today.800:00:29,440 –> 00:00:32,180And Colin that is such a helpful phrase, isn’t it?900:00:32,180 –> 00:00:35,160Faith is not your ability to trust.1000:00:35,160 –> 00:00:39,540Yeah, you know, and I think about a guy who quite often has come up to me after a service1100:00:39,540 –> 00:00:43,980and said, what about a person who can’t trust.1200:00:43,980 –> 00:00:49,740And of course, his story has been that his trust has been let down people have disappointed1300:00:49,740 –> 00:00:50,740him.1400:00:50,740 –> 00:00:51,740I can’t trust.1500:00:51,740 –> 00:00:53,020So how can I have faith?1600:00:53,020 –> 00:00:56,380Well, you see, his problem is where I’ve tried to help him.1700:00:56,419 –> 00:00:57,660You’re looking at yourself.1800:00:57,660 –> 00:01:03,540You’re thinking that faith is some kind of capacity that you don’t have.1900:01:03,540 –> 00:01:06,519Well, you’re never going to make progress on that basis.2000:01:06,519 –> 00:01:11,379You can’t come to faith by looking at yourself and your own lack of capacity.2100:01:11,900 –> 00:01:16,739Faith is born by looking at Jesus Christ and his trustworthiness.2200:01:16,739 –> 00:01:19,940Here’s someone who’s different from everyone who’s let you down.2300:01:19,940 –> 00:01:23,419That’s where faith and hope and light begins to come.2400:01:23,419 –> 00:01:27,739So, he’s actually received some help and made some great progress and I hope that2500:01:27,739 –> 00:01:31,220there’ll be others listening to the program today who’ll make that progress too.2600:01:31,220 –> 00:01:32,660Let’s hear today’s message then.2700:01:32,660 –> 00:01:34,339We’re in Mark chapter one.2800:01:34,339 –> 00:01:38,680So, join us if you can as we continue the message, Jesus is willing.2900:01:38,680 –> 00:01:39,680Here’s Colin3000:01:39,680 –> 00:01:47,080Now folks, here’s the marvelous assurance – you can build your life on the rock solid3100:01:47,080 –> 00:01:50,500promises of God.3200:01:51,239 –> 00:01:55,320Now, here’s the burden that’s on my heart today.3300:01:55,320 –> 00:02:04,839For some of us, the question right now is I see that amazing promises in Christ,3400:02:04,839 –> 00:02:12,600gotta be properly related to Christ, but how can these things become mine?3500:02:12,600 –> 00:02:15,839How can I be sure that these things are mine?3600:02:16,539 –> 00:02:21,500Somehow, it still seems to me that these things are outside of me.3700:02:21,500 –> 00:02:25,020How can I know that they are true of me?3800:02:25,020 –> 00:02:30,699How can I receive what Jesus promises?3900:02:30,699 –> 00:02:35,259Now, that’s why we’ve come to Mark’s gospel and chapter 1 today in this4000:02:35,259 –> 00:02:39,660very simple little story, and it couldn’t be more simple,4100:02:39,679 –> 00:02:44,860about a man with a dreadful disease of leprosy.4200:02:44,860 –> 00:02:46,440And he comes to Jesus and he says,4300:02:46,440 –> 00:02:49,380if you’re willing, you can make me clean.4400:02:49,380 –> 00:02:52,860And Jesus says to him, I am willing.4500:02:52,860 –> 00:02:54,899Be clean.4600:02:54,899 –> 00:03:00,539And the reason this story is so helpful for us as we’re trying to wrap up this series4700:03:00,539 –> 00:03:05,080is that this man receives what Jesus Christ offers.4800:03:05,160 –> 00:03:10,259He is marvelously and wonderfully healed.4900:03:10,259 –> 00:03:18,899And I want to suggest to you that how he received what Christ gave to him is a pattern.5000:03:18,899 –> 00:03:23,779It is a model for how you can receive5100:03:23,779 –> 00:03:32,000what Jesus Christ says he is willing to do for you in your life today.5200:03:32,080 –> 00:03:35,100And there are just three things here and they are very simple,5300:03:35,100 –> 00:03:42,699but I want you to see them so that today, if you have not walked this way already, you can do them.5400:03:42,699 –> 00:03:47,380Number one, this man had faith.5500:03:47,380 –> 00:03:52,699That is, he believed in Jesus Christ.5600:03:52,699 –> 00:03:55,080He comes to Jesus and he says this,5700:03:55,179 –> 00:04:00,820You can make me clean.5800:04:00,820 –> 00:04:04,880In other words, this man has confidence in the ability of Christ.5900:04:04,880 –> 00:04:06,380That’s what faith is.6000:04:06,380 –> 00:04:10,419You can make me clean.6100:04:10,419 –> 00:04:19,299All that Christ is and all that Christ promises becomes yours by faith.6200:04:19,299 –> 00:04:22,000You don’t earn it by making changes in your life.6300:04:22,000 –> 00:04:28,880You receive it by putting your trust in the ability of Jesus Christ to deliver on what6400:04:28,880 –> 00:04:34,799he has promised as we’ve read it over these weeks in the Bible.6500:04:34,799 –> 00:04:36,859Faith – think of it this way.6600:04:36,859 –> 00:04:42,260Faith is like a hand open to receive.6700:04:42,260 –> 00:04:48,459So a lot of people spend their lives with a clenched fist towards God.6800:04:48,459 –> 00:04:51,920Faith is a hand open to receive.6900:04:51,920 –> 00:04:53,339And it’s an empty hand.7000:04:53,339 –> 00:04:55,440There’s an old hymn that says,7100:04:55,440 –> 00:04:58,640Nothing in my hand I bring,7200:04:58,640 –> 00:05:00,880simply to your cross I cling.7300:05:00,880 –> 00:05:02,179That’s faith, you see?7400:05:02,179 –> 00:05:07,619Faith is recognizing that I am not going to receive what Jesus Christ promises by doing7500:05:07,619 –> 00:05:12,760some kind of deal or a trade in which I offer something into the pot and he gives me something7600:05:12,760 –> 00:05:13,760in return.7700:05:13,760 –> 00:05:19,959No faith is an open hand that’s empty so that Jesus Christ can give you what you do7800:05:20,119 –> 00:05:21,359not have.7900:05:22,119 –> 00:05:23,820It’s what it is.8000:05:23,820 –> 00:05:30,559And the hand is open because you have become persuaded in the ability of Jesus Christ to8100:05:30,559 –> 00:05:34,720do what he says he is able and willing to do.8200:05:34,720 –> 00:05:39,399So, faith, in other words, rests on the ability of Christ.8300:05:39,399 –> 00:05:42,279You can make me clean.8400:05:42,279 –> 00:05:47,279Faith isn’t some kind of inherent capacity to trust.8500:05:47,760 –> 00:05:51,399If it was, some of us are more trusting than others.8600:05:51,399 –> 00:05:54,959And frankly, that may be a lot to do with your background.8700:05:54,959 –> 00:06:01,059But actually, faith is nothing to do with your inherent capacity to trust, or your problems8800:06:01,059 –> 00:06:02,799with distrust.8900:06:02,799 –> 00:06:06,820Faith is recognizing that Jesus Christ is trustworthy.9000:06:06,820 –> 00:06:08,160That’s what it is.9100:06:08,160 –> 00:06:10,220Not about you, it’s about him.9200:06:10,220 –> 00:06:15,619It’s about recognizing that he has the ability to do what he says, because he is the son9300:06:15,619 –> 00:06:17,559of God.9400:06:17,559 –> 00:06:21,880That’s why whatever your background and whatever the letdowns in your past experience cannot9500:06:21,880 –> 00:06:26,119keep you from faith in New Testament terms.9600:06:26,119 –> 00:06:33,859Because faith doesn’t rest on a capacity in you, but it rests on an ability in Christ.9700:06:33,859 –> 00:06:38,260And faith involves trusting Christ for yourself.9800:06:38,299 –> 00:06:41,059This is really big.9900:06:41,059 –> 00:06:45,380Notice the guy says here, you can make me clean.10000:06:45,380 –> 00:06:52,320In other words, what he has here is more than a general belief that Christ can help people10100:06:52,320 –> 00:06:54,820with their problems.10200:06:54,820 –> 00:06:58,399More even than a general sort of belief that Jesus Christ is able to help other people10300:06:58,399 –> 00:07:02,260with the same problem as me.10400:07:02,260 –> 00:07:11,679This man says, Jesus, I believe that you are able to do this for me.10500:07:11,679 –> 00:07:22,179Now, some of us may have a friend, a family member, someone at work, a real Christian10600:07:22,179 –> 00:07:26,059and perhaps the person who has brought you through your connection with them that you’re10700:07:26,059 –> 00:07:32,600here and you have seen a real change in their life.10800:07:32,600 –> 00:07:36,100And because you have seen a real change in your life, you have come to the conclusion10900:07:36,100 –> 00:07:40,140that Jesus is able to change a person’s life.11000:07:40,140 –> 00:07:44,220Obviously, because you’ve seen him change your friend’s life or someone else in your11100:07:44,220 –> 00:07:45,679family’s life.11200:07:45,679 –> 00:07:54,380But faith takes another step, faith goes beyond saying I believe that Jesus Christ can change11300:07:54,380 –> 00:08:02,279a person’s life to saying I believe that Jesus Christ can change my life.11400:08:02,279 –> 00:08:06,380You can make me clean.11500:08:06,380 –> 00:08:14,859Maybe you have seen someone who was struggling with an oppressive temptation.11600:08:14,859 –> 00:08:20,779A habit that had bound them for years.11700:08:20,799 –> 00:08:22,739And they gained victory over this.11800:08:22,739 –> 00:08:24,779And you say, well, praise God, this is marvellous.11900:08:24,779 –> 00:08:30,260He’s a changed guy these days, you know, and you believe and you acknowledge and rejoice12000:08:30,260 –> 00:08:33,080in the fact that Jesus Christ is able to do this for other people.12100:08:33,080 –> 00:08:40,820Listen, faith says, he’s able to do that for me in my battle, in my struggle.12200:08:40,820 –> 00:08:47,380You’ve seen someone who’s gone through extraordinary pressure and has stood up with strength with12300:08:47,380 –> 00:08:50,539dignity in it.12400:08:50,539 –> 00:08:51,960And you’ve admired them.12500:08:51,960 –> 00:08:58,840Faith says, what Jesus Christ has done for her, he can do for me.12600:08:58,840 –> 00:09:02,619You can make me clean.12700:09:02,619 –> 00:09:03,780So here is faith.12800:09:03,780 –> 00:09:09,219Faith trusts in the ability of Jesus Christ, not just in a general kind of way, but in12900:09:09,219 –> 00:09:12,719relation to me and the reality of my situation.13000:09:12,719 –> 00:09:16,340And this man comes with that kind of faith to Jesus.13100:09:16,820 –> 00:09:19,099Here’s the second thing.13200:09:19,119 –> 00:09:23,719He comes with a real desire to be clean.13300:09:23,719 –> 00:09:25,719He wants to be clean.13400:09:25,719 –> 00:09:27,520Now I don’t want you to miss this.13500:09:27,520 –> 00:09:34,080You can make me clean.13600:09:34,080 –> 00:09:36,679Now the word clean is of huge significance here.13700:09:36,679 –> 00:09:38,599Don’t miss it.13800:09:38,599 –> 00:09:43,440This is obviously a story about a physical healing of a man who was a leper and the disease13900:09:43,599 –> 00:09:46,200was cleansed from him.14000:09:46,200 –> 00:09:52,559But I want you to notice this, that when the man comes to Jesus he does not say you are14100:09:52,559 –> 00:09:55,960able to heal me.14200:09:55,960 –> 00:10:00,719He says you are able to make me clean.14300:10:00,719 –> 00:10:03,200Why does he say you are able to make me clean?14400:10:03,200 –> 00:10:05,919Because that was the bigger thing you see.14500:10:05,919 –> 00:10:10,099A person who suffered from leprosy in New Testament times and in Old Testament times14600:10:10,099 –> 00:10:13,299was cut off form the people of God.14700:10:13,400 –> 00:10:16,380Is cut off from the presence of God.14800:10:16,400 –> 00:10:21,000So the wretchedness of this man’s life is not only that he has this wasting disease14900:10:21,000 –> 00:10:28,140in his body but he is actually alienated from the place of the presence of God and excluded15000:10:28,140 –> 00:10:35,140from the fellowship and the blessing and the company of the people of God.15100:10:35,140 –> 00:10:40,559Leprosy in the Bible in other words is not only a terrible disease as it was for this15200:10:40,979 –> 00:10:49,280man but it is a picture to us of our sinful condition.15300:10:49,280 –> 00:10:53,919See what does sin do, sin does to the soul what leprosy does to the body.15400:10:53,919 –> 00:10:57,280What does leprosy do to the body, it wastes the body.15500:10:57,280 –> 00:11:04,239It reduces the body, it saps feeling from the body, that’s what sin does to the soul15600:11:04,239 –> 00:11:07,859it deadens you on the inside.15700:11:08,780 –> 00:11:17,059Sin wastes the soul like leprosy wastes the body and when this man says, Jesus you can15800:11:17,059 –> 00:11:23,700make me clean, he’s saying look you can deliver me from this alienation from God in15900:11:23,700 –> 00:11:27,719which I’ve never been able to come near and worship.16000:11:27,719 –> 00:11:34,219You can give me a place among God’s people from whom I have been alienated and excluded,16100:11:34,219 –> 00:11:39,440you can save me from this body of death, you can give strength to these limbs, you can16200:11:39,440 –> 00:11:43,700give life to this man, you can make me a new creation.16300:11:43,700 –> 00:11:48,479That’s what he’s saying, nothing less and that is a marvelous picture of what God promises16400:11:48,479 –> 00:11:51,559in the gospel.16500:11:51,559 –> 00:11:57,340So if we are to receive from Jesus Christ we must not only come to him with faith and16600:11:57,340 –> 00:12:01,520not just a general faith that he’s able to do great things but that he can do great things16700:12:01,520 –> 00:12:10,059for me but also with a desire to be clean, that’s what we are learning from the story.16800:12:10,059 –> 00:12:14,419As Spurgeon puts this so well, let me read you just a few sentences he says, there are16900:12:14,419 –> 00:12:21,559some folks who want to be saved from hell but not from the sin that is the cause of17000:12:21,559 –> 00:12:22,619it.17100:12:22,719 –> 00:12:25,780That’s perceptive isn’t it?17200:12:25,799 –> 00:12:33,320Got to want to be clean, not just delivered from condemnation but from the sin that is17300:12:33,359 –> 00:12:36,200the cause of it.17400:12:36,200 –> 00:12:40,900Otherwise how can you truly come to Christ and ask?17500:12:40,900 –> 00:12:50,159Spurgeon says Christ’s salvation is cleansing from sin and if we love sin we are not saved17600:12:50,419 –> 00:12:52,700through it.17700:12:52,700 –> 00:12:56,679We cannot have justification without sanctification.17800:12:56,679 –> 00:12:58,059There is no use quibbling about it.17900:12:58,059 –> 00:13:04,559He says there must be a change, a radical change, a change of heart or else we are not18000:13:04,559 –> 00:13:05,659saved.18100:13:05,659 –> 00:13:11,000And in preaching the folks he was speaking to, he says I put it to you now, do you desire18200:13:11,000 –> 00:13:12,799a modal and spiritual change?18300:13:12,799 –> 00:13:17,979A change of life, thought, motive, for that is what Jesus gives.18400:13:17,979 –> 00:13:18,979Good question!18500:13:19,059 –> 00:13:20,659Is that what you want?18600:13:20,659 –> 00:13:28,099You see, one reason why many people in church feel that the promises of Christ are always18700:13:28,099 –> 00:13:33,599outside of them, is that your faith never gets beyond this vagueness.18800:13:33,599 –> 00:13:38,659It never becomes believing that Christ can change you.18900:13:38,659 –> 00:13:45,659And another reason is that many in church world never come to the place of repentance.19000:13:45,659 –> 00:13:47,260I want to get out of hell.19100:13:49,020 –> 00:13:53,179But I’m not sure I yet want to be clean.19200:13:53,179 –> 00:13:56,780We’ve got to pause the message briefly there, but we will be back very shortly.19300:13:56,780 –> 00:14:01,260You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Jesus is19400:14:01,260 –> 00:14:02,020Willing.19500:14:02,020 –> 00:14:07,340Part of our series Rock Solid, Seven Promises Christ Makes to You.19600:14:07,340 –> 00:14:11,359And if you’ve missed any of the series so far you can easily catch up or go back and19700:14:11,359 –> 00:14:18,359listen again online at our website openthemyble.org.uk or by going to your favourite podcast site19800:14:19,580 –> 00:14:23,760search for Open The Bible UK or follow the link from our website.19900:14:23,760 –> 00:14:28,739Back to the message now. We’re in Mark chapter one, here again is Colin.20000:14:28,739 –> 00:14:35,659If we are to receive from Christ we come with faith, to Him.20100:14:35,659 –> 00:14:42,659Faith that trusts his ability, not only to do great things for other people, but to do20200:14:43,260 –> 00:14:47,700life-changing things for me.20300:14:47,719 –> 00:14:53,200And I must come to Him with this desire, not only that I will be saved from the consequences20400:14:53,200 –> 00:14:58,340of my sin but that I will be saved from my sin itself.20500:14:58,340 –> 00:15:03,280In other words, I come to him because, by the Spirit of God, he has awakened within20600:15:03,280 –> 00:15:06,700me a desire to be clean.20700:15:06,700 –> 00:15:13,479And if you feel that desire within you right now, thank God for it.20800:15:13,479 –> 00:15:22,500The Spirit of God is drawing you to Christ right now so that what He promises will be20900:15:22,500 –> 00:15:23,500yours.21000:15:25,059 –> 00:15:26,900And here’s the third thing.21100:15:26,900 –> 00:15:30,559I’m struck by this man’s humility.21200:15:30,559 –> 00:15:35,000He comes and he asks,21300:15:35,000 –> 00:15:40,919A man with leprosy came to Jesus and begged Him on his knees.21400:15:41,359 –> 00:15:45,000Can you picture this?21500:15:45,000 –> 00:15:49,679This man, it must have been terribly painful for Him to walk because I guess the fingers21600:15:49,679 –> 00:15:51,380and the toes go first.21700:15:53,299 –> 00:16:02,580He comes to Jesus and He gets down on His knees, He comes, He asks, He begs.21800:16:03,320 –> 00:16:08,539Jesus, You can change my life!21900:16:08,539 –> 00:16:10,659I long to be clean.22000:16:10,700 –> 00:16:13,020With all that that means.22100:16:13,880 –> 00:16:14,919Will you do it?22200:16:14,919 –> 00:16:18,080I know you can!22300:16:18,080 –> 00:16:19,880Will you do this for me?22400:16:21,760 –> 00:16:24,940Do you notice there’s only one question in this man’s mind when he comes to Jesus?22500:16:24,940 –> 00:16:27,820He says, if you are willing, you can make me clean.22600:16:27,820 –> 00:16:31,479In other words, he knows Christ has the ability.22700:16:31,479 –> 00:16:33,179But does he have the will?22800:16:33,179 –> 00:16:35,700That’s what our whole series has been answering, isn’t it?22900:16:35,700 –> 00:16:39,479I will, I will, and that’s exactly what Christ says to this man.23000:16:39,559 –> 00:16:42,059I am willing.23100:16:43,599 –> 00:16:45,080Great humility here.23200:16:46,200 –> 00:16:53,260I love the fact that this man does not try to negotiate, not trying to do a deal, no23300:16:53,260 –> 00:16:56,880sense of coming to the Lord Jesus Christ and saying, now if you do this for me, I’ll to23400:16:56,880 –> 00:16:58,280that for you.23500:16:59,059 –> 00:17:02,440What can you give the son of God that he needs to receive from you?23600:17:03,859 –> 00:17:07,400Now this man comes to Jesus and begs him on his knee.23700:17:07,400 –> 00:17:16,260You know, some folks, some folks are so absorbed with themselves, that the question they’re23800:17:16,260 –> 00:17:20,939actually asking is, why should I be interested in Jesus?23900:17:24,520 –> 00:17:29,680When you see the glory of the son of God, the only question that will occur to you is24000:17:29,680 –> 00:17:33,859why would Jesus be interested in me?24100:17:34,420 –> 00:17:45,760This man says, Jesus, if you take an interest in me, you can change my life.24200:17:45,760 –> 00:17:50,099Recognizes that becoming a Christian isn’t about you doing something great for Christ.24300:17:50,099 –> 00:17:53,819But it’s about Christ doing something great for you.24400:17:53,819 –> 00:17:56,359So this is how we must come to him.24500:17:56,359 –> 00:17:58,680You come to Christ empty handed.24600:17:58,680 –> 00:18:03,660You come and ask him to give to you what you do not have, and then you will be in a position24700:18:03,719 –> 00:18:05,099to receive.24800:18:05,099 –> 00:18:07,020Get to the point with Jesus Christ today.24900:18:07,020 –> 00:18:10,280Let me encourage you with this.25000:18:10,280 –> 00:18:14,420Many people do not receive from Christ because they never get to the point of making the25100:18:14,420 –> 00:18:17,599ask, what have you asked him to do for you?25200:18:19,140 –> 00:18:22,380Come, ask, receive.25300:18:23,420 –> 00:18:29,699Cut through the fog of a vague faith that may have been there around you like mist for25400:18:29,699 –> 00:18:33,619years, but it has made little difference to your life.25500:18:33,619 –> 00:18:36,479Get Christ to the point of your need.25600:18:36,479 –> 00:18:38,520That’s what asking is.25700:18:38,520 –> 00:18:40,719Many of you guys do this in business all the time.25800:18:40,719 –> 00:18:45,119You make the ask, why can’t I do that with Jesus Christ.25900:18:45,119 –> 00:18:46,520Come to him.26000:18:46,520 –> 00:18:51,079You ready to come to Christ like that today?26100:18:51,079 –> 00:18:56,219Lord, I believe you have the ability to change this life.26200:18:56,219 –> 00:18:58,800My life.26300:18:58,800 –> 00:19:00,739I want to be clean.26400:19:00,920 –> 00:19:04,300I want to live a new life that is pleasing to you26500:19:04,300 –> 00:19:10,579so I’m asking you to give me what I do not have,26600:19:10,579 –> 00:19:16,160the forgiveness I need, the strength I don’t have,26700:19:16,160 –> 00:19:23,760the purpose I have not found and the heaven I do not deserve.26800:19:23,760 –> 00:19:26,060When you come to Christ believing in his ability26900:19:26,119 –> 00:19:29,219to change your life, desiring to be clean,27000:19:29,219 –> 00:19:34,000you ask him, you know what you are going to find?27100:19:34,000 –> 00:19:39,579He has compassion on you, that’s what you’ll find.27200:19:39,579 –> 00:19:41,979You come to him right now, as you put your trust in him,27300:19:41,979 –> 00:19:47,819as you want to be clean right now, he has compassion on you.27400:19:47,819 –> 00:19:52,979Listen, Christ had this moment in mind27500:19:52,979 –> 00:19:58,280and he suffered and died on the cross for you,27600:19:58,280 –> 00:20:05,839and as you come to him, his heart streams love to you.27700:20:05,839 –> 00:20:08,680Not only does Christ have compassion,27800:20:08,680 –> 00:20:11,579he reaches out to you.27900:20:11,579 –> 00:20:13,339Love this.28000:20:13,339 –> 00:20:16,459Jesus reached out his hand and he touched the man.28100:20:16,459 –> 00:20:17,459Amazing.28200:20:17,459 –> 00:20:21,500You say, well, how does that apply to me?28300:20:21,500 –> 00:20:22,500Listen.28400:20:22,520 –> 00:20:28,280Because the promises of the gospel are preached to you,28500:20:28,280 –> 00:20:31,839Jesus Christ is reaching out to you.28600:20:31,839 –> 00:20:35,459Listen, these aren’t just words.28700:20:35,459 –> 00:20:38,540It’s an ordinary person who speaks,28800:20:38,540 –> 00:20:42,739but what is spoken is the word of God to you.28900:20:42,739 –> 00:20:48,400Come to me, he says, and I’ll give you rest.29000:20:48,400 –> 00:20:49,819Come to me.29100:20:49,819 –> 00:20:51,699I’ll never turn you away.29200:20:51,800 –> 00:20:52,800Follow me.29300:20:52,800 –> 00:20:54,599I’ll make something of your life.29400:20:54,599 –> 00:20:55,839Ask of me.29500:20:55,839 –> 00:21:00,199I will give you the Holy Spirit.29600:21:00,199 –> 00:21:06,000He’s reaching out to you right now in this moment.29700:21:06,000 –> 00:21:10,119And as this loving Christ reaches out to you,29800:21:10,119 –> 00:21:11,239he speaks the words.29900:21:11,239 –> 00:21:13,959Jesus said, I am willing.30000:21:13,959 –> 00:21:17,319Be clean.30100:21:17,319 –> 00:21:18,839And Mark says immediately.30200:21:18,839 –> 00:21:21,099The leprosy was gone.30300:21:21,099 –> 00:21:25,359Because when the Son of God speaks, what He says always happens.30400:21:25,359 –> 00:21:28,599We learnt that in the very beginning of the Bible.30500:21:28,599 –> 00:21:31,599The Son of God says let there be light.30600:21:31,599 –> 00:21:33,859And there’s light.30700:21:33,859 –> 00:21:38,680When He speaks, He accomplishes what He says.30800:21:38,680 –> 00:21:42,939So when Christ says you’re forgiven, you’re forgiven.30900:21:42,939 –> 00:21:46,599When Christ says you’re His, you’re His.31000:21:46,599 –> 00:21:50,739When Christ says you’re bound for heaven, you’re bound for heaven.31100:21:50,739 –> 00:21:55,500When Christ says the Holy Spirit lives in you, the Holy Spirit lives in you.31200:21:55,500 –> 00:21:58,560Because what He says is always accomplished.31300:21:58,560 –> 00:22:05,079When He says you’re Mine, you’re His.31400:22:05,079 –> 00:22:11,060When on that last day of your life, He says come home, you’re home.31500:22:11,060 –> 00:22:18,300What an invitation and promise that we can come to Christ and we will be His forever.31600:22:18,300 –> 00:22:22,300We’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called,31700:22:22,300 –> 00:22:23,839Jesus Is Willing.31800:22:23,839 –> 00:22:29,260It’s the final part in our series Rock Solid, Seven Promises Christ Makes to You.31900:22:29,260 –> 00:22:33,459And if you’ve missed any of the series or indeed any of our previous series, you’ll32000:22:33,459 –> 00:22:38,260find them all on our website at Openthebible.org.uk32100:22:38,260 –> 00:22:43,540Also on your favourite podcast site search for Open the Bible UK or follow the link from32200:22:43,540 –> 00:22:45,359our website.32300:22:45,500 –> 00:22:50,119Open the Bible is supported by our listeners and we’re extremely grateful for the support32400:22:50,119 –> 00:22:51,119you give us.32500:22:51,119 –> 00:22:55,900If you’ve been thinking about beginning to support Open the Bible in that way, we32600:22:55,900 –> 00:22:57,739have an offer for you this month.32700:22:57,739 –> 00:23:03,439If you are able to set up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible in the amount32800:23:03,439 –> 00:23:09,819of £5 per month or more or a one-off gift of £50 or more, we’d love to say thank32900:23:09,819 –> 00:23:16,280you by sending you two copies of Pastor Colin’s book Christmas Stories, along with five lovely33000:23:16,280 –> 00:23:20,060Christmas cards with illustrations from the book.33100:23:20,060 –> 00:23:25,739Christmas Stories is all about the Christmas Story from the viewpoint of five different33200:23:25,739 –> 00:23:27,699biblical characters.33300:23:27,699 –> 00:23:33,760There’s Mary, Joseph, Simeon, the angel Gabriel and even King Herod.33400:23:33,760 –> 00:23:36,219Colin, that sounds like a unique book.33500:23:36,219 –> 00:23:39,280Where did the idea come from?33600:23:39,280 –> 00:23:44,520Well as a pastor, you’re always trying to tell the great story of the birth of the Lord33700:23:44,520 –> 00:23:47,660Jesus Christ in a fresh way.33800:23:47,660 –> 00:23:53,719Over several years, I just hit on the idea of telling the story in a first person form33900:23:53,719 –> 00:23:56,800through the eyes of various people who were involved in the event.34000:23:56,800 –> 00:24:02,500So our friends at 10 of Those Publishing have gathered some of these together and we now34100:24:02,500 –> 00:24:04,500have Christmas Stories.34200:24:04,540 –> 00:24:10,359It is the Christmas story told through the eyes of Mary, through the eyes of Joseph,34300:24:10,359 –> 00:24:15,939through the eyes of Simeon the prophet who blessed the Lord Jesus in the temple, even34400:24:15,939 –> 00:24:20,520through the eyes of Herod and through the eyes of the angel Gabriel, and it just brings34500:24:20,520 –> 00:24:24,760something fresh to the telling of the Christmas story.34600:24:24,760 –> 00:24:26,819And it’s designed to be read aloud.34700:24:26,819 –> 00:24:30,660It’s for all the family, it’s for you and people you love.34800:24:30,660 –> 00:24:32,459Read it aloud at Christmas.34900:24:32,459 –> 00:24:37,180It will help to bring the Christmas story and all of its wonder and all of its glory35000:24:37,180 –> 00:24:39,520in a fresh way into your life.35100:24:39,520 –> 00:24:44,439Well, we want to send you not one copy but two copies of this book, Christmas Stories,35200:24:44,439 –> 00:24:49,719along with five lovely Christmas cards based on the illustrations from the book.35300:24:49,719 –> 00:24:55,800You can find full terms and conditions on our website, openthebible.org.uk, and you35400:24:55,800 –> 00:24:57,640can give online.35500:24:57,640 –> 00:25:02,420Please remember not to give anonymously and to leave your full name and address so we35600:25:02,420 –> 00:25:04,319can send you your gift.35700:25:04,319 –> 00:25:09,839For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and join us again next time35800:25:09,839 –> 00:25:15,040on Open the Bible.35900:25:15,040 –> 00:25:22,959How do you turn your life around when you find yourself going in the wrong direction?