100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:13,720If we are faithless, he is faithful, he cannot disown himself.200:00:13,720 –> 00:00:20,879See when you belong to Jesus Christ, you are so much in Christ that to disown you would be to disown himself, and he can’t do that!300:00:20,879 –> 00:00:25,639Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick, I’m glad you400:00:25,639 –> 00:00:29,440could be with us today, and Colin, today we’re looking at disciples who had500:00:29,440 –> 00:00:34,880followed Jesus for years, but their hearts had hardened. Yeah, the Scripture600:00:34,880 –> 00:00:39,340says they had not understood about the Loves, and their hearts were hardened,700:00:39,340 –> 00:00:42,680astonishing! We would think the people who would have their hearts hardened800:00:42,680 –> 00:00:48,060would be people who were against Jesus, and this is his own disciples, and we’ve900:00:48,060 –> 00:00:52,639come to this amazing part of Mark’s Gospel where we’re told that believers1000:00:52,639 –> 00:00:57,680somewhere down the line have experienced circumstances of life where there have1100:00:57,680 –> 00:01:02,619been questions, and there’s this tension in their relationship with Jesus. We’re1200:01:02,619 –> 00:01:06,120going to see what happens today, and to me this is one of the most wonderful1300:01:06,120 –> 00:01:11,199things. You know Jesus might easily have said, well I’ve invested a lot of time in1400:01:11,199 –> 00:01:13,959you guys already. If your hearts are hardened, you still don’t understand1500:01:13,959 –> 00:01:16,739about the Loves, we’ll get rid of you, and I’ll get some better disciples. And1600:01:16,739 –> 00:01:22,320if he was of that mind and heart, where would any of us have been? And the1700:01:22,320 –> 00:01:26,279wonderful thing we’re going to see here today is that when the disciples were1800:01:26,279 –> 00:01:31,019struggling with what they could not understand, and what really perplexed1900:01:31,019 –> 00:01:36,000them in their hearts, they experience grace from Jesus. Jesus draws near to2000:01:36,000 –> 00:01:40,839them. Jesus brings them through this. He’s able to touch and to heal this hardness2100:01:40,839 –> 00:01:44,900that just for a time had overcome their hearts. It’s a wonderful story of hope2200:01:44,900 –> 00:01:49,940for every struggling believer. It is. So let’s get going, we’re in Mark chapter 6,2300:01:49,940 –> 00:01:54,879as we continue the message, Jesus overcomes resistance in his people.2400:01:54,900 –> 00:01:57,180Here’s Colin. Now there’s two things2500:01:57,180 –> 00:02:05,419that may cause hardness of heart. First, hometown unbelief, and second, a habitual2600:02:05,419 –> 00:02:15,399sin. Here’s the third. Hidden resentment hardens your heart. Now I want us to2700:02:15,399 –> 00:02:18,539focus in on what’s happening, particularly to the disciples. We’ve2800:02:18,539 –> 00:02:22,940looked at what happened in Nazareth, and what happens to Herod. But the disciples2900:02:22,940 –> 00:02:26,639are in a different position from these folks. What’s happening to them? Well,3000:02:26,639 –> 00:02:33,020let’s look at verses 30 through 56. This hardness in the disciples is a new turn3100:02:33,020 –> 00:02:38,899in the story. Up until now the disciples have been in awe of Jesus, you know, who3200:02:38,899 –> 00:02:45,020is this that even the winds and the waves obey him? But now they’ve got3300:02:45,020 –> 00:02:51,720involved in ministry and as that has happened, they have found new questions3400:02:51,759 –> 00:02:57,440and new frustrations that they did not have before. And I want you to notice3500:02:57,440 –> 00:03:03,639that the particular struggle the disciples come to hear is one that comes3600:03:03,639 –> 00:03:09,679further down the line of following the Lord Jesus Christ. It comes to them after3700:03:09,679 –> 00:03:14,320they’ve been involved in ministry, after verse 12, they’ve been preaching to3800:03:14,320 –> 00:03:20,419others, after verse 13 they’ve been used by the power of the Holy Spirit. So this3900:03:20,500 –> 00:03:25,559is something that may not come so much to a younger Christian as to a mature4000:03:25,559 –> 00:03:31,460believer who has been following Christ and serving Christ for some time and4100:03:31,460 –> 00:03:36,699suddenly to your surprise you find yourself right where the disciples were4200:03:36,699 –> 00:03:43,779here in Mark and chapter 6. Now how did this happen? When did this happen?4300:03:44,479 –> 00:03:51,059Well remember first that at this point these disciples are surely grieving.4400:03:51,059 –> 00:03:58,699We’ve just been told in this very chapter about the brutal violent death,4500:03:58,699 –> 00:04:05,660the terrible loss of John the Baptist. And Jesus said on one occasion that4600:04:05,660 –> 00:04:09,979there was no one greater amongst those born of women than John the Baptist and4700:04:10,399 –> 00:04:18,200And so you say well how could Jesus allow this brutal murder to happen to his own4800:04:18,200 –> 00:04:24,600forerunner? They’re grieving. The second, I think as we build a picture4900:04:24,600 –> 00:04:29,100of where the disciples are here it’s fair to say that they’re exhausted. Look5000:04:29,100 –> 00:04:33,179at verse 30, remember they’ve just been on a missions trip and anyone who’s been5100:04:33,179 –> 00:04:36,100on a missions trip knows how tired you are when you get back you know they’ve5200:04:36,220 –> 00:04:39,959going at it, they’ve been involved in ministry in verses seven through thirteen5300:04:39,959 –> 00:04:43,940and then in verse thirty where we pick it up the disciples gather around Jesus5400:04:43,940 –> 00:04:47,339and they report to him all that they have done and taught so here they come5500:04:47,339 –> 00:04:52,640back from their missions trip and their reporting their adventures in ministry5600:04:52,640 –> 00:04:56,880and verse 31, because so many people were coming and going that they did not5700:04:56,880 –> 00:05:03,760even have a chance to eat, Jesus said to them, come with me by yourselves to a5800:05:04,079 –> 00:05:11,480quiet place and get some rest. Now that is good news, a vacation.5900:05:11,480 –> 00:05:18,040Jesus is saying to the disciples a few days in Florida, let’s go do it together6000:05:18,040 –> 00:05:22,519and they think this is wonderful as you would think it was wonderful at a time6100:05:22,519 –> 00:05:27,500when you were tired and you needed some relief from the exhausting pressures of6200:05:27,500 –> 00:05:32,799ministry and notice what happens. Verse 32, they went away by themselves, this is6300:05:32,839 –> 00:05:38,920wonderful in a boat to a solitary place, but many who saw them leaving6400:05:38,920 –> 00:05:43,760recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and they got their ahead of6500:05:43,760 –> 00:05:50,100them and so this this vacation gets wiped out. The relief that was in sight6600:05:50,100 –> 00:05:56,959is taken away. You know it says in the book of Proverbs hope deferred makes the6700:05:56,959 –> 00:06:01,959heart sick and these guys are not only grieving they’re also exhausted. Been6800:06:01,980 –> 00:06:08,559there? Third I think there’s good reason to think that they are confused at this6900:06:08,559 –> 00:06:15,320point and I’ll tell you why. The crowd in verse 36 who’ve heard the teaching of7000:06:15,320 –> 00:06:20,200Jesus have come to the end of the day and the disciples say send them away so7100:06:20,200 –> 00:06:23,440that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy7200:06:23,440 –> 00:06:30,059themselves something to eat. It was quite reasonable and possible7300:06:30,339 –> 00:06:42,179for these many people to buy something to eat. So this is not a famine situation.7400:06:42,179 –> 00:06:47,619There’s a 7-eleven opened a few miles down the road send them away, these guys7500:06:47,619 –> 00:06:51,619can go and get their supper and we won’t have to worry about anything else.7600:06:51,619 –> 00:06:56,339Nobody is going to starve and that’s the whole point that the disciples are7700:06:56,519 –> 00:07:00,359making. Look it’s not worth eight months of a man’s wages for us to go buy food,7800:07:00,579 –> 00:07:05,799they can all go and get it themselves, the shops are open, let them go buy it.7900:07:07,540 –> 00:07:10,799The disciples don’t think it’s worth the investment of the money.8000:07:12,320 –> 00:07:18,440Jesus thinks that it is worth one of his greatest miracles.8100:07:20,160 –> 00:07:23,160I don’t know about you, but I think I would have found that quite confusing.8200:07:23,619 –> 00:07:27,399So you say, how does Jesus decide which miracles to do?8300:07:29,140 –> 00:07:32,299He provides an unnecessary meal,8400:07:34,000 –> 00:07:39,959and he allows his own forerunner to languish and then die brutally in prison.8500:07:42,320 –> 00:07:45,859It’s the wrong miracle, Jesus!8600:07:46,519 –> 00:07:50,660If you have never been confused about what Jesus Christ chooses to do8700:07:51,579 –> 00:07:53,239and what he chooses not to do,8800:07:53,239 –> 00:07:55,540you probably haven’t been a Christian very long.8900:07:56,720 –> 00:08:00,299Down the road, you’ll face a question some place right here.9000:08:01,720 –> 00:08:03,359It’s the wrong miracle.9100:08:05,260 –> 00:08:07,839Then I would suggest to you that it’s reasonable9200:08:07,839 –> 00:08:10,399to think that they’re also at this point disappointed.9300:08:10,399 –> 00:08:15,399Let’s look at verse 45 just for a moment, as we fill out this picture.9400:08:15,399 –> 00:08:16,880Verse 45.9500:08:16,880 –> 00:08:20,079After this amazing miracle of feeding the 5,000,9600:08:20,119 –> 00:08:23,320we’re told that immediately, notice that word,9700:08:23,320 –> 00:08:27,160Jesus made his disciples get into the boat9800:08:27,160 –> 00:08:28,779and go on ahead of him to Bethsaida9900:08:28,779 –> 00:08:30,320while he dismissed the crowd.10000:08:30,320 –> 00:08:33,400Now, he made them go.10100:08:33,400 –> 00:08:35,000They didn’t wanna go.10200:08:35,000 –> 00:08:37,119And I can understand why they didn’t want to go.10300:08:37,119 –> 00:08:40,159I mean, they have just seen this amazing miracle.10400:08:40,159 –> 00:08:44,000They have participated in it through gathering up10500:08:44,000 –> 00:08:46,679all the fragments of the bread and of the fish10600:08:46,679 –> 00:08:49,320in 12 baskets of leftovers.10700:08:49,320 –> 00:08:51,460And can you imagine if you were one of the disciples10800:08:51,460 –> 00:08:52,859going around and all these people10900:08:52,859 –> 00:08:54,280have seen this amazing miracle11000:08:54,280 –> 00:08:56,440and you’re one of Jesus’ disciples11100:08:56,440 –> 00:08:58,640and you’ve got a basket, you’re gathering all this up,11200:08:58,640 –> 00:09:01,280you know, you get a big grin all over your face,11300:09:01,280 –> 00:09:04,880big cheesy smile, pretty good meal, don’t you?11400:09:05,919 –> 00:09:07,919And what would people be saying to you?11500:09:08,799 –> 00:09:10,719They’d be saying, well, how did you get11600:09:10,719 –> 00:09:12,200to be one of his disciples?11700:09:12,200 –> 00:09:13,299I mean, it must be amazing.11800:09:13,299 –> 00:09:14,919What’s it like to be with them all the time?11900:09:14,919 –> 00:09:17,419Well, you know, we have our moments and.12000:09:18,320 –> 00:09:19,780You don’t, you know,12100:09:19,780 –> 00:09:22,159and Jesus, it says in verse 45,12200:09:22,159 –> 00:09:26,260immediately says you guys are out of here, really.12300:09:26,260 –> 00:09:27,140That’s what he’s saying.12400:09:27,140 –> 00:09:30,719He made them get in the boat, now out of here, see.12500:09:30,719 –> 00:09:31,940Just at the very moment where they’re12600:09:31,940 –> 00:09:34,020beginning to enjoy themselves.12700:09:34,020 –> 00:09:35,299And they don’t want to go.12800:09:36,320 –> 00:09:39,659But to their credit, they are obedient.12900:09:39,659 –> 00:09:42,179Better to be obedient even with reluctance13000:09:42,179 –> 00:09:44,619than to be disobedient to Christ.13100:09:45,479 –> 00:09:50,479But notice what happens when they are obedient to Christ.13200:09:53,179 –> 00:09:56,719They find themselves, verse 48,13300:09:56,719 –> 00:09:59,140out in the middle of the night on the lake,13400:09:59,140 –> 00:10:02,820straining at the oars because the wind was against them.13500:10:03,979 –> 00:10:05,599So I think it’s fair to say,13600:10:05,599 –> 00:10:07,719just looking through this chapter,13700:10:07,719 –> 00:10:09,020to pull it together now,13800:10:09,020 –> 00:10:11,099the disciples were not happy campers13900:10:11,099 –> 00:10:13,159at this point in the story, right?14000:10:14,039 –> 00:10:16,479They’re not happy campers,14100:10:16,479 –> 00:10:19,000they are following Jesus, but they are grieving14200:10:20,340 –> 00:10:21,919and they are exhausted.14300:10:23,000 –> 00:10:24,640And I think there’s good reason to think14400:10:24,640 –> 00:10:29,260that they are confused and certainly disappointed.14500:10:29,260 –> 00:10:32,159They have more questions than answers.14600:10:33,159 –> 00:10:35,599And maybe you’ve been there too,14700:10:35,599 –> 00:10:37,080maybe you are there right now,14800:10:37,080 –> 00:10:40,679maybe you are there 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years14900:10:40,679 –> 00:10:42,859after beginning to follow Jesus Christ.15000:10:44,080 –> 00:10:46,119Because it seems to me that we’re being brought now15100:10:46,119 –> 00:10:48,440into the kind of struggles that often come15200:10:48,440 –> 00:10:51,200to those well down the track15300:10:51,200 –> 00:10:54,460of Christian discipleship.15400:10:54,460 –> 00:10:56,119You’re listening to Open the Bible15500:10:56,119 –> 00:10:58,299with Pastor Colin Smith and a message15600:10:58,299 –> 00:11:01,559Jesus overcomes resistance in his people.15700:11:01,559 –> 00:11:05,039It’s part of the series The Gospel According to Jesus15800:11:05,039 –> 00:11:07,359and if you’ve missed any of the series so far,15900:11:07,359 –> 00:11:09,080don’t forget, you can always catch up16000:11:09,080 –> 00:11:11,239or go back and listen again online16100:11:11,260 –> 00:11:15,679at our website openthebible.org.uk.16200:11:15,679 –> 00:11:17,919Back to the message now, here’s Colin.16300:11:18,979 –> 00:11:22,960You will find times when you struggle16400:11:22,960 –> 00:11:25,140with resentment towards God, you just will.16500:11:26,799 –> 00:11:29,520And the question is, how are you going to deal with it?16600:11:30,840 –> 00:11:33,320And that is where we come to the title16700:11:33,320 –> 00:11:34,760for the message today,16800:11:34,760 –> 00:11:37,479which I think is just full of hope.16900:11:38,359 –> 00:11:44,359Jesus overcomes resistance in His people.17000:11:47,239 –> 00:11:48,679Let’s say it together, what does He do?17100:11:48,679 –> 00:11:53,679Jesus overcomes resistance in His people.17200:11:54,280 –> 00:11:58,020Thank God for that, that is going to be your hope today.17300:11:58,020 –> 00:12:02,719You will struggle at times with resentment towards God,17400:12:02,719 –> 00:12:07,520but Jesus overcomes resistance in His people.17500:12:07,520 –> 00:12:08,479How does he do that?17600:12:08,479 –> 00:12:11,080Three answers, very simply from the Bible here,17700:12:11,080 –> 00:12:13,520and I want you to see number one.17800:12:13,520 –> 00:12:17,859Jesus is patient with you.17900:12:19,799 –> 00:12:24,799You see this from the broader context of Mark’s gospel.18000:12:25,520 –> 00:12:30,159Mark’s Gospel, and it’s important to see it18100:12:30,159 –> 00:12:33,719because if I gave you the impression18200:12:33,719 –> 00:12:36,080that it was all resolved by the end of chapter six,18300:12:36,080 –> 00:12:38,359you would notice that the same problem18400:12:38,359 –> 00:12:40,099occurs again in Mark chapter 8,18500:12:41,599 –> 00:12:43,940and that reminds us of the patience of Jesus,18600:12:43,940 –> 00:12:48,059where the disciples were sometimes slow to change.18700:12:48,059 –> 00:12:50,559There is not an instant solution18800:12:50,559 –> 00:12:53,080to the problem of hardness in the disciples,18900:12:53,200 –> 00:12:55,599and there probably won’t be for you either.19000:12:56,679 –> 00:12:59,400Look at chapter 8 and verse 17 and 1819100:12:59,400 –> 00:13:01,640because we’re gonna find as we continue our journey19200:13:01,640 –> 00:13:04,520that this discipleship failure thing19300:13:04,520 –> 00:13:06,159runs right throughout the Gospel,19400:13:06,159 –> 00:13:07,479it just keeps coming up.19500:13:07,479 –> 00:13:12,320Peter resisting Jesus plans to go to the cross, the denial,19600:13:12,320 –> 00:13:14,599discipleship failure just keeps coming up.19700:13:14,599 –> 00:13:16,599You get it in chapter 8 and verse 1719800:13:16,599 –> 00:13:19,619where Jesus has repeated this miracle19900:13:19,619 –> 00:13:21,760of feeding a large crowd of people,20000:13:21,760 –> 00:13:25,159almost identical except this time it’s 4,000 people20100:13:25,159 –> 00:13:27,080and they still don’t see His glory,20200:13:27,080 –> 00:13:29,000they get a second chance, they still don’t get it20300:13:29,000 –> 00:13:31,580and so chapter 8, verse 17 Jesus asked them,20400:13:31,580 –> 00:13:33,760why are you talking about having no bread?20500:13:33,760 –> 00:13:35,559Do you still not see or understand?20600:13:35,559 –> 00:13:37,359Are your hearts hardened?20700:13:38,299 –> 00:13:39,479Do you have eyes but fail to see20800:13:39,479 –> 00:13:41,159and ears but fail to hear?20900:13:41,159 –> 00:13:42,640And don’t you remember?21000:13:44,520 –> 00:13:49,239Now as we go through the Gospel we’re going to increasingly21100:13:49,239 –> 00:13:51,119be faced with the question,21200:13:51,219 –> 00:13:53,760what can Christ do through disciples21300:13:53,760 –> 00:13:56,500who mess up so many times?21400:13:58,500 –> 00:14:00,359And you know when you look at that21500:14:00,359 –> 00:14:02,799and you see the pattern of it,21600:14:03,700 –> 00:14:08,159nobody could complain if Jesus had said,21700:14:08,159 –> 00:14:11,960you know this is hopeless, these are the wrong guys.21800:14:13,659 –> 00:14:17,059I need a better group and a different group of disciples21900:14:18,099 –> 00:14:20,940but you know he never said that about them22000:14:21,200 –> 00:14:25,780and he will never, never say that about you either22100:14:26,679 –> 00:14:31,000because Jesus is patient with you.22200:14:32,760 –> 00:14:36,479The apostle Paul catches this in one wonderful statement22300:14:36,479 –> 00:14:39,200that’s just food to the soul22400:14:39,200 –> 00:14:41,159in times when we’re really struggling.22500:14:43,659 –> 00:14:46,119It’s in 2 Timothy chapter two and verse 13,22600:14:46,119 –> 00:14:47,859it’s worth just taking a note of.22700:14:48,840 –> 00:14:53,479If we are faithless, Paul says,22800:14:54,599 –> 00:14:58,440he is faithful as glorious.22900:15:00,320 –> 00:15:05,320Let the patience of Jesus Christ soak into your soul today.23000:15:06,119 –> 00:15:09,200It will soften your heart.23100:15:09,200 –> 00:15:13,039Look at his patience with you.23200:15:13,039 –> 00:15:15,659Second, Jesus will come to you.23300:15:15,700 –> 00:15:18,820And that’s how he overcomes resistance in his people,23400:15:18,820 –> 00:15:20,239not through his, only through his patience23500:15:20,239 –> 00:15:21,299but through his help.23600:15:21,299 –> 00:15:22,520He will come to you.23700:15:22,520 –> 00:15:26,479Verse 45 onwards, this lovely story of the disciples23800:15:26,479 –> 00:15:28,919on the lake and they’re straining at the oars23900:15:28,919 –> 00:15:31,900and Jesus has gone up the mountain side to pray.24000:15:31,900 –> 00:15:33,239Verse 46.24100:15:33,239 –> 00:15:36,239But Mark says he saw, verse 48,24200:15:36,239 –> 00:15:38,039the disciples straining at the oars.24300:15:38,039 –> 00:15:39,059I love that.24400:15:39,059 –> 00:15:40,080Jesus is on the hill.24500:15:40,080 –> 00:15:41,039There’s just the moonlight.24600:15:41,039 –> 00:15:45,599It’s very dark, but in that dappled light,24700:15:45,619 –> 00:15:48,840he sees them in their struggle24800:15:48,840 –> 00:15:52,960and Jesus sees you in your struggle.24900:15:53,840 –> 00:15:56,380And what we learn here is that he will not remain25000:15:56,380 –> 00:15:59,700at a distance from his people when we are struggling.25100:15:59,700 –> 00:16:02,200About the fourth watch of the night,25200:16:02,200 –> 00:16:04,799he went out to them and he’s walking on the lake.25300:16:04,799 –> 00:16:07,159Christ will not stand at a distance from you25400:16:07,159 –> 00:16:08,440when you’re in the darkness.25500:16:08,440 –> 00:16:09,400He will come to you.25600:16:09,400 –> 00:16:12,280He will and he will help you.25700:16:12,280 –> 00:16:13,640And he says here in verse 50,25800:16:13,679 –> 00:16:16,119take courage at his eye do not be afraid.25900:16:16,119 –> 00:16:17,219He’ll strengthen you.26000:16:17,219 –> 00:16:18,340He really will.26100:16:20,460 –> 00:16:22,919To the person who is grieving,26200:16:22,919 –> 00:16:26,179and exhausted and confused and disappointed,26300:16:26,179 –> 00:16:28,479I want to say from the Scriptures today,26400:16:28,479 –> 00:16:31,179the Lord Jesus Christ will come to you.26500:16:31,179 –> 00:16:32,760He will help you.26600:16:32,760 –> 00:16:34,200He will strengthen you.26700:16:34,200 –> 00:16:35,520You should expect this.26800:16:35,520 –> 00:16:37,239You should anticipate this,26900:16:37,239 –> 00:16:38,760you should count on this.27000:16:38,760 –> 00:16:42,340You may not immediately recognize how he comes to you.27100:16:42,380 –> 00:16:44,559Notice, the disciples were confused about that.27200:16:44,559 –> 00:16:45,400Is this Jesus?27300:16:45,400 –> 00:16:46,219We’re not sure.27400:16:46,219 –> 00:16:47,099Is it a ghost?27500:16:47,099 –> 00:16:48,460We’re not sure for certain.27600:16:48,460 –> 00:16:51,479You may not immediately recognize how he comes to you.27700:16:51,479 –> 00:16:54,539You may feel that it’s long delayed27800:16:54,539 –> 00:16:55,780before he comes to you.27900:16:55,780 –> 00:16:57,580It was the fourth watch of the night.28000:16:57,580 –> 00:17:00,219But count on this.28100:17:00,219 –> 00:17:01,679He will come to you.28200:17:01,679 –> 00:17:03,020He will help you.28300:17:03,020 –> 00:17:04,660He will strengthen you.28400:17:04,660 –> 00:17:06,099He will sustain you.28500:17:06,099 –> 00:17:09,839And when He comes in the boat in His due time,28600:17:09,839 –> 00:17:11,800the wind dies down.28700:17:13,040 –> 00:17:14,400He’s patient with you.28800:17:15,599 –> 00:17:16,560He comes to you.28900:17:18,599 –> 00:17:20,800Here’s the last thing, and I think it’s very wonderful.29000:17:20,800 –> 00:17:22,040He’ll defend you.29100:17:22,040 –> 00:17:24,020He’ll always defend you.29200:17:24,020 –> 00:17:26,020He’s on your side.29300:17:26,020 –> 00:17:30,099See, looking at the end of Mark chapter 6,29400:17:30,099 –> 00:17:31,739and really as you come to the end,29500:17:31,739 –> 00:17:33,640the last thing we read about the disciples29600:17:33,640 –> 00:17:37,479is that their hearts were hardened, verse 52.29700:17:37,479 –> 00:17:39,719So I ask the question, well what next?29800:17:39,719 –> 00:17:41,500What happens next for the disciples?29900:17:41,699 –> 00:17:43,780It’s very interesting as you go on into chapter seven30000:17:43,780 –> 00:17:45,300where we’ll be next week.30100:17:46,500 –> 00:17:51,060You find that the next thing that happens to the disciples30200:17:51,060 –> 00:17:53,319is they come under attack.30300:17:53,319 –> 00:17:57,260They’re criticized, accused by the Pharisees.30400:17:58,500 –> 00:18:01,099And you see that, right, at the beginning of chapter seven,30500:18:01,099 –> 00:18:04,339the Pharisees are complaining about the disciples30600:18:04,339 –> 00:18:06,339and how they’re not keeping the rules30700:18:06,339 –> 00:18:10,420and they’re not eating food with washed hands,30800:18:10,579 –> 00:18:11,780the ceremonial washing,30900:18:11,780 –> 00:18:12,599verse five,31000:18:12,599 –> 00:18:14,819the Pharisees and teachers of the laws Jesus,31100:18:14,819 –> 00:18:16,300why don’t your disciples live31200:18:16,300 –> 00:18:18,140according to the traditions of the elders31300:18:18,140 –> 00:18:20,780instead of eating their food with unclean hands?31400:18:20,780 –> 00:18:23,979Well, you know, after all this has gone on in chapter six,31500:18:23,979 –> 00:18:26,400you wouldn’t, you couldn’t complain if Jesus said,31600:18:26,400 –> 00:18:29,280Well, I know they’re absolutely hopeless, aren’t they?31700:18:29,280 –> 00:18:30,300What can you do?31800:18:33,420 –> 00:18:36,459And you could complain if He said that about us,31900:18:36,459 –> 00:18:37,619but he doesn’t do that,32000:18:38,500 –> 00:18:40,140his own disciples come under attack.32100:18:40,140 –> 00:18:40,979What does He do?32200:18:40,979 –> 00:18:42,119He answers for them,32300:18:43,260 –> 00:18:44,239defends them,32400:18:45,319 –> 00:18:46,439stands with them.32500:18:47,979 –> 00:18:49,380And is that not precisely32600:18:49,380 –> 00:18:52,619what our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ does for us?32700:18:54,699 –> 00:18:57,339Satan accuses you32800:18:59,020 –> 00:19:00,780and Christ defends you32900:19:02,099 –> 00:19:03,359before the Father.33000:19:03,359 –> 00:19:04,199Oh God.33100:19:04,900 –> 00:19:09,900Your enemy launches every kind of assault on you33200:19:10,400 –> 00:19:12,760in your life in this world33300:19:12,760 –> 00:19:14,099and what does Jesus Christ do?33400:19:14,099 –> 00:19:15,780He stands with you33500:19:17,520 –> 00:19:18,719and he defends you.33600:19:20,079 –> 00:19:22,099Now see, take that in.33700:19:22,099 –> 00:19:24,020He’s patient with you,33800:19:24,020 –> 00:19:25,060he’ll come to you,33900:19:26,040 –> 00:19:27,420he defends you.34000:19:29,280 –> 00:19:30,420Take in34100:19:31,380 –> 00:19:34,920the truth of Jesus Christ in relation to yourself34200:19:34,920 –> 00:19:39,699and you will find it begins to soften your heart.34300:19:40,619 –> 00:19:43,239It’s what we’re learning today then, in summary.34400:19:44,699 –> 00:19:47,760As a Christian, you will find that all your life34500:19:47,760 –> 00:19:51,040you’re battling unbelief and you’re battling sin.34600:19:51,040 –> 00:19:54,020You will find probably well down the road34700:19:54,020 –> 00:19:57,920that you go through times when you’re grieving,34800:19:57,920 –> 00:19:59,479you’re exhausted,34900:19:59,760 –> 00:20:02,459you’re confused and you’re disappointed.35000:20:03,959 –> 00:20:06,060And when these things happen, you may well find35100:20:06,060 –> 00:20:08,079that even as a mature disciple of Jesus35200:20:08,079 –> 00:20:10,780you are struggling with a hardness in your own heart.35300:20:12,280 –> 00:20:13,439And here is the good news,35400:20:13,439 –> 00:20:16,739Jesus overcomes resistance in his people.35500:20:16,739 –> 00:20:18,000That’s the difference between Herod35600:20:18,000 –> 00:20:19,300and the disciples, you see.35700:20:21,160 –> 00:20:22,959God’s grace in their lives.35800:20:25,040 –> 00:20:26,239And the way in which he does that35900:20:26,239 –> 00:20:27,760is that he’s patient with you.36000:20:28,760 –> 00:20:30,920And you can count on this, that he will come to you36100:20:30,920 –> 00:20:32,260and that he will help you.36200:20:34,160 –> 00:20:36,699And as your savior, he will always defend you.36300:20:39,680 –> 00:20:41,400And you know, when you stand in the presence36400:20:41,400 –> 00:20:44,199of God on the last day, you are not gonna stand there36500:20:44,199 –> 00:20:47,000on the strength of your faith36600:20:47,000 –> 00:20:48,979or on the purity of your life.36700:20:50,400 –> 00:20:52,459You are going to stand in the presence of God36800:20:52,459 –> 00:20:54,680on the basis of the sheer mercy36900:20:54,680 –> 00:20:57,479in which he has reached you in your unbelief37000:20:57,579 –> 00:21:01,479and in your sin and the sheer grace and mercy of God37100:21:01,479 –> 00:21:04,160that has kept you and sustained you37200:21:04,160 –> 00:21:06,060through all your grief and all your exhaustion37300:21:06,060 –> 00:21:08,560and all your confusion and all your disappointment.37400:21:09,680 –> 00:21:14,420You will not stand before God on the last day.37500:21:14,420 –> 00:21:16,699You will not stand before God and say,37600:21:16,699 –> 00:21:19,800salvation is off my faith.37700:21:19,800 –> 00:21:21,520As if your faith was the great thing37800:21:21,520 –> 00:21:24,199because it’s been mixed up with way too much unbelief37900:21:24,199 –> 00:21:26,439and you know it and I know that about me too.38000:21:27,180 –> 00:21:29,160You will not stand on the last day and say,38100:21:29,160 –> 00:21:33,040salvation is because of the purity of my life38200:21:33,040 –> 00:21:34,640and you know you want to say that38300:21:34,640 –> 00:21:36,719because your purity, whatever it is,38400:21:36,719 –> 00:21:38,459is mixed up with way too much failure,38500:21:38,459 –> 00:21:41,339compromise, and giving way to temptation, as in mine.38600:21:42,500 –> 00:21:43,979You will stand on the last day38700:21:43,979 –> 00:21:46,640and you will say as Jonah once said,38800:21:46,640 –> 00:21:50,319salvation is of the Lord.38900:21:50,319 –> 00:21:53,380You will stand and say as Paul once said,39000:21:53,380 –> 00:21:58,380it is by the grace of God that I am what I am.39100:21:59,859 –> 00:22:01,339Christ is patient with you.39200:22:02,359 –> 00:22:06,300Christ will come to you, Christ will defend you.39300:22:06,300 –> 00:22:10,160How are you gonna respond to this Jesus Christ today?39400:22:11,339 –> 00:22:13,219How long can you go on blaming him39500:22:13,219 –> 00:22:15,359and resenting what he has allowed in your life?39600:22:15,359 –> 00:22:18,699How long can you keep up this resistance to him?39700:22:18,699 –> 00:22:20,060There comes a point39800:22:21,020 –> 00:22:24,619where the sheer love, and mercy, and grace,39900:22:24,619 –> 00:22:29,500and patience, and compassion of the Lord Jesus Christ40000:22:29,500 –> 00:22:31,119is simply overwhelming,40100:22:33,859 –> 00:22:38,859and if you see that today, do not harden your heart.40200:22:41,699 –> 00:22:45,180A great message today about how not to harden our hearts40300:22:45,180 –> 00:22:47,959and how Jesus overcomes resistance.40400:22:48,479 –> 00:22:49,880Message today is called40500:22:49,880 –> 00:22:53,079Jesus Overcomes Resistance in His People,40600:22:53,079 –> 00:22:54,719and is part of our series40700:22:54,719 –> 00:22:57,800called The Gospel According to Jesus.40800:22:57,800 –> 00:22:59,520And if you’ve missed any of the series40900:22:59,520 –> 00:23:01,439or if you want to go back and listen again,41000:23:01,439 –> 00:23:03,800please do that by coming to our website41100:23:03,800 –> 00:23:06,680openthebible.org.uk,41200:23:06,680 –> 00:23:08,000there you can listen41300:23:08,000 –> 00:23:11,000to any of the previously broadcast messages.41400:23:11,000 –> 00:23:12,880You can also find them as a podcast41500:23:12,880 –> 00:23:15,400and that’s on all the podcast sites.41600:23:15,439 –> 00:23:18,000Search for openthebible.uk41700:23:18,000 –> 00:23:21,439Well, Open the Bible is a listener-supported program41800:23:21,439 –> 00:23:24,160and that means exactly what it sounds like41900:23:24,160 –> 00:23:25,839It’s your generosity that keeps42000:23:25,839 –> 00:23:27,119Pastor Colin’s teaching42100:23:27,119 –> 00:23:29,719on this station and online.42200:23:29,719 –> 00:23:32,160If supporting Open the Bible in that way42300:23:32,160 –> 00:23:34,160is something you’d like to begin doing42400:23:34,160 –> 00:23:35,439and you’re able to set up42500:23:35,439 –> 00:23:39,319a monthly direct debit of £5 per month or more42600:23:39,319 –> 00:23:41,959or a one-off gift of £50 or more,42700:23:41,959 –> 00:23:43,239we’d love to say thank you42800:23:43,239 –> 00:23:46,680by sending you 5 copies of Pastor Colin’s new booklet42900:23:46,680 –> 00:23:48,920What Jesus Says to Skeptics.43000:23:48,920 –> 00:23:50,680That’s one copy for you to read43100:23:50,680 –> 00:23:54,000and four to give away to your friends and family.43200:23:54,000 –> 00:23:57,040Colin, how would you describe a skeptic?43300:23:57,040 –> 00:23:58,800Well, I think a skeptic is someone43400:23:58,800 –> 00:24:00,520who would not at this point say43500:24:00,520 –> 00:24:02,599that they’ve made a commitment of faith43600:24:02,599 –> 00:24:04,359but on the other hand, they’ve not rejected43700:24:04,359 –> 00:24:06,079the Lord Jesus Christ either.43800:24:06,079 –> 00:24:07,400They are somewhere in between,43900:24:07,400 –> 00:24:09,239there are some real questions.44000:24:09,640 –> 00:24:12,839And the good news is that Jesus cares44100:24:12,839 –> 00:24:14,760deeply about sceptics.44200:24:14,760 –> 00:24:16,719And we find this in John’s Gospel44300:24:16,719 –> 00:24:18,640where he engages with people44400:24:18,640 –> 00:24:20,239who have honest questions44500:24:20,239 –> 00:24:22,280and he does it in such a way44600:24:22,280 –> 00:24:25,439as to give them stepping stones to faith.44700:24:25,439 –> 00:24:27,560And that’s the aim of this little booklet44800:24:27,560 –> 00:24:30,000to show what Jesus says to sceptics44900:24:30,000 –> 00:24:31,719and if you’ve got honest questions45000:24:31,719 –> 00:24:33,640or if you know someone who has45100:24:33,640 –> 00:24:35,719honest questions about the Christian faith45200:24:35,719 –> 00:24:37,599then I hope and pray that this booklet45300:24:37,599 –> 00:24:39,319will be useful to you.45400:24:39,319 –> 00:24:40,560This booklet is called45500:24:40,560 –> 00:24:42,719What Jesus Says to Sceptics45600:24:42,719 –> 00:24:43,800and its our gift to you45700:24:43,800 –> 00:24:44,880for beginning to support45800:24:44,880 –> 00:24:46,479Open the Bible this month.45900:24:46,479 –> 00:24:48,280If you set up a new direct debit46000:24:48,280 –> 00:24:50,160of £5 per month or more46100:24:50,160 –> 00:24:51,199or a one-off gift46200:24:51,199 –> 00:24:53,000of £50 or more.46300:24:53,000 –> 00:24:54,000You can give online46400:24:54,000 –> 00:24:55,839and find full terms and conditions46500:24:55,839 –> 00:24:57,160at our website46600:24:57,160 –> 00:25:00,680thats openthebible.org.uk46700:25:00,680 –> 00:25:01,839For Pastor Colin Smyth46800:25:01,839 –> 00:25:03,119and Open the Bible46900:25:03,119 –> 00:25:04,199I’m David Pick47000:25:04,199 –> 00:25:05,520and I hope you’ll join us again47100:25:05,520 –> 00:25:06,000next time.47200:25:08,560 –> 00:25:10,319What happens when a person47300:25:10,319 –> 00:25:11,839measures their life47400:25:11,839 –> 00:25:13,640against God’s commands?47500:25:13,640 –> 00:25:15,400Find out next time on47600:25:15,400 –> 00:25:16,439Open the Bible.