100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:10,800Our world is becoming more angry, more hostile, more divided, and the natural response to200:00:10,800 –> 00:00:20,080increasing division and hostility and anger in the world is an increasing hostility and300:00:20,080 –> 00:00:23,700division, also in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.400:00:24,680 –> 00:00:28,820But you know that the Lord Jesus calls us to500:00:28,820 –> 00:00:30,139be different.600:00:30,139 –> 00:00:33,959Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick. I’m glad you could700:00:33,959 –> 00:00:39,040join us today. And Colin, it sounds as if the message today is going to be so relevant800:00:39,040 –> 00:00:40,759for our world today.900:00:40,759 –> 00:00:46,599Well, we’re looking at growing in faith and hope and love, and the apostle tells us that1000:00:46,599 –> 00:00:52,099these are the three things that remain. Everything else is going to pass away, but these three1100:00:52,200 –> 00:00:58,299things will remain. And then he tells us that a faith, hope and love. The greatest of these1200:00:58,299 –> 00:01:03,180is love. This is our distinct calling as Christian believers.1300:01:03,180 –> 00:01:09,120It is the way in which we are to be recognized as the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.1400:01:09,120 –> 00:01:13,959And so we’re going to be looking today and in these next days at what it means to grow1500:01:13,959 –> 00:01:15,360in love.1600:01:15,360 –> 00:01:18,860I can’t think of anything that is more important or more urgent.1700:01:18,860 –> 00:01:21,559So no great surprise where we’re headed today.1800:01:21,599 –> 00:01:25,099Listen to 1 Corinthians Chapter 13 as we begin the message.1900:01:25,260 –> 00:01:27,180Love is our distinct calling.2000:01:27,180 –> 00:01:28,660Here it is. Pastor Colin.2100:01:29,139 –> 00:01:34,019I’ve been thinking a great deal about these questions over these last weeks.2200:01:34,019 –> 00:01:44,120And as I’ve done this and sought the Lord, there’s one word that has pressed into my mind and into my heart and2300:01:44,120 –> 00:01:47,480that word is the single word love.2400:01:47,699 –> 00:01:54,540Love is to be the distinguishing mark of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.2500:01:54,540 –> 00:01:58,879And this is not an option. Notice it’s a commandment.2600:01:58,879 –> 00:02:06,040A new commandment I give to you, the Lord Jesus says I command you, that you are to love one another.2700:02:06,040 –> 00:02:10,580That’s what he is saying. So that by this everyone all people will2800:02:10,679 –> 00:02:15,380know that you really are my disciples.2900:02:15,380 –> 00:02:26,419Now as the world becomes harsher and more divided, our calling will make us more distinct.3000:02:26,419 –> 00:02:34,380Where else could you ever hope to find a community of people who will really love one another3100:02:34,380 –> 00:02:40,220across all the many differences that divide people so deeply.3200:02:40,500 –> 00:02:45,460Now I expect that as we come to this subject today, most of us will feel that we need to3300:02:45,460 –> 00:02:53,039grow in love, especially when it comes to those with whom we deeply disagree.3400:02:53,039 –> 00:02:57,580And the good news is that love can be learned.3500:02:57,580 –> 00:03:07,720It is possible to grow in love and the Holy Spirit is given to us for this very purpose.3600:03:07,759 –> 00:03:13,479So please open your Bible with me at First Corinthians and chapter 13 this marvelous3700:03:13,479 –> 00:03:18,300passage that has been read to us on the subject of love.3800:03:18,300 –> 00:03:22,940Why should we seek to grow in love?3900:03:22,940 –> 00:03:25,000Why is this so important?4000:03:25,000 –> 00:03:30,419Well, this chapter gives us three powerful answers.4100:03:30,419 –> 00:03:34,580We’re going to look at the first answer, just in the first three verses today and then4200:03:34,720 –> 00:03:39,720God willing, we’ll look at the second and the third answers from this same chapter next4300:03:39,720 –> 00:03:41,000week.4400:03:41,000 –> 00:03:42,940Why should we grow in love?4500:03:42,940 –> 00:03:51,199Well the first answer that Paul gives to us here is that love will enable us to use our4600:03:51,199 –> 00:03:54,059gifts effectively.4700:03:54,059 –> 00:03:59,000And Paul lists six highly valued gifts.4800:03:59,000 –> 00:04:02,360Each of them, a gift that comes from the hand of God, himself.4900:04:02,360 –> 00:04:09,960Each of them, a gift that is obviously of value to the church of the Lord Jesus Christ.5000:04:09,960 –> 00:04:18,119The first of these gifts, that Paul identifies is the gift of eloquent speech.5100:04:18,119 –> 00:04:23,799If I speak in the tongues of men.5200:04:23,799 –> 00:04:27,239Let’s pause there for a moment, we’ll come to the rest later.5300:04:28,040 –> 00:04:36,440He’s talking here about the gift of clear and compelling communication.5400:04:36,440 –> 00:04:41,799And the ability to communicate clearly is a marvelous gift from God.5500:04:43,000 –> 00:04:48,239If you are a student in middle school, high school or in college,5600:04:48,239 –> 00:04:53,320do all that you can to develop this gift.5700:04:53,320 –> 00:04:59,480Remember that the Bible tells us in the beginning was the Word,5800:04:59,480 –> 00:05:03,839and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.5900:05:03,839 –> 00:05:06,480God speaks.6000:05:06,480 –> 00:05:10,459So do all that you can to become articulate.6100:05:11,720 –> 00:05:16,519Work hard at learning to express yourself in words.6200:05:16,519 –> 00:05:18,839Learn the meaning of words.6300:05:18,839 –> 00:05:22,440Develop and expand your vocabulary.6400:05:22,459 –> 00:05:29,059Write sentences and learn to speak in sentences.6500:05:29,059 –> 00:05:34,519Gifts of speech were very highly prized in the ancient world,6600:05:34,519 –> 00:05:41,359and we are wise if we place a high value on them today.6700:05:41,359 –> 00:05:45,279But, you know, every gift brings its own temptation,6800:05:45,299 –> 00:05:53,299and this verse reminds us that it is possible to speak well without love.6900:05:53,299 –> 00:06:00,420The big temptation, of course, for the person who is able to articulate a persuasive argument7000:06:00,420 –> 00:06:11,239is to bully, it’s to oppress, it’s to intimidate, it’s to shout the other person down.7100:06:11,299 –> 00:06:17,239It’s to be self-opinionated and overbearing.7200:06:17,239 –> 00:06:24,519Now you don’t need me to tell you that we live at a time in which discourse, conversation7300:06:24,519 –> 00:06:28,839is becoming increasingly angry and divisive.7400:06:28,839 –> 00:06:37,720People have discovered that if you use outrageous and inflammatory language, you get more attention7500:06:37,720 –> 00:06:40,079from people who agree with you.7600:06:40,500 –> 00:06:44,359But I want you to notice what Paul says in the Scripture here.7700:06:44,359 –> 00:06:51,600If I speak with the tongue of men and of angels, but have not love,7800:06:51,600 –> 00:07:00,440I am a noisy gong, and a clanging cymbal.7900:07:00,440 –> 00:07:07,679Eloquent speech without love is a cacophony of noise.8000:07:07,839 –> 00:07:13,079People can put up with it for a time, but eventually the noise,8100:07:13,079 –> 00:07:17,920like a symbol that just keeps reverberating and never stops,8200:07:17,920 –> 00:07:22,799it becomes unrelenting and unbearable,8300:07:22,799 –> 00:07:27,920and people feel then that they need to get away from it.8400:07:27,920 –> 00:07:36,579Always remember that it is possible to win an argument and lose a friend.8500:07:36,579 –> 00:07:39,980And that’s never a good deal.8600:07:39,980 –> 00:07:49,220What is the value of prevailing in an argument if you lose the person you were trying to win?8700:07:49,220 –> 00:07:55,940Without love, eloquent speaking will be worse than useless8800:07:55,940 –> 00:08:04,380because instead of winning people, you actually end up driving people away.8900:08:04,380 –> 00:08:18,940But if you grow in love, you will be able to use your God-given gift of speaking effectively.9000:08:18,940 –> 00:08:25,980Now, the second gift that Paul identifies here is the gift of spiritual experiences.9100:08:25,980 –> 00:08:27,899Notice what he says,9200:08:27,899 –> 00:08:32,059if I speak in the tongues of angels.9300:08:32,059 –> 00:08:34,940Now, what’s he referring to here?9400:08:34,940 –> 00:08:41,059Well, in the chapter before and the chapter after I Corinthians 12 and 14,9500:08:41,059 –> 00:08:45,320Paul speaks repeatedly about the gift of tongues,9600:08:45,320 –> 00:08:51,099and the apostle himself tells us that he experienced and used this gift.9700:08:51,320 –> 00:08:57,500It was a kind of ecstatic speech that bypasses the mind,9800:08:57,500 –> 00:09:03,659giving a believer freedom in prayer and in worship.9900:09:03,659 –> 00:09:06,760And it’s clear from these chapters10000:09:06,760 –> 00:09:10,960that this particular gift was highly valued,10100:09:10,960 –> 00:09:14,500at least among some of the believers in Corinth.10200:09:14,500 –> 00:09:18,619And again, Paul himself affirms the value of this gift,10300:09:18,619 –> 00:09:21,239he says in chapter 14 and verse 18,10400:09:21,239 –> 00:09:25,219I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.10500:09:27,280 –> 00:09:34,340Now some of you have had remarkable spiritual experiences,10600:09:34,340 –> 00:09:36,479you really have.10700:09:36,479 –> 00:09:39,940Some of you have seen a vision.10800:09:39,940 –> 00:09:43,979Some of you have experienced a miracle.10900:09:43,979 –> 00:09:48,239Some of you have had intense and wonderful experiences11000:09:48,380 –> 00:09:52,099of the love of God and the presence of the Holy Spirit11100:09:52,099 –> 00:09:57,900and all of these experiences are gifts11200:09:57,900 –> 00:10:00,340from the gracious hand of God.11300:10:01,659 –> 00:10:04,159But what we’re learning from these verses is that11400:10:04,159 –> 00:10:08,799every gift brings its own temptation,11500:10:08,799 –> 00:10:13,940and the temptation that comes with spiritual experience11600:10:13,940 –> 00:10:16,700is the temptation to withdraw.11700:10:17,659 –> 00:10:20,760I have to tell you, I know this temptation in my own life.11800:10:21,940 –> 00:10:25,239There’s a part of me that would be very happy11900:10:25,239 –> 00:10:28,380to retire into a private world12000:10:28,380 –> 00:10:32,880where I could just spend unlimited time with my books,12100:10:32,880 –> 00:10:37,020pondering the Scripture, sitting in a chair,12200:10:37,020 –> 00:10:39,719enjoying the thrill of seeing something12300:10:39,719 –> 00:10:44,099I had never seen before with no pressure and no deadline.12400:10:44,299 –> 00:10:48,000You’ll be able to come up with a parallel to that12500:10:48,000 –> 00:10:49,679in your world as well.12600:10:50,940 –> 00:10:53,659But you see, this verse is telling me12700:10:53,659 –> 00:10:58,659that if I did that, I would gain nothing, nothing.12800:11:01,659 –> 00:11:05,440Now again, this speaks very powerfully to our world today.12900:11:05,440 –> 00:11:09,940We live at a time where believers are tempted to withdraw.13000:11:10,940 –> 00:11:13,500Why bother with coming to church13100:11:13,500 –> 00:11:15,780when you can see the service online?13200:11:17,179 –> 00:11:20,679And you can see any service from any church online.13300:11:21,820 –> 00:11:24,979All that matters is that I nourish13400:11:24,979 –> 00:11:27,340my own relationship with Jesus.13500:11:29,780 –> 00:11:33,380But you see, your distinct calling13600:11:33,380 –> 00:11:37,919as a person who belongs to Jesus is to love,13700:11:38,400 –> 00:11:42,400and you cannot possibly do that on your own.13800:11:43,320 –> 00:11:45,859Isolation is the death of love.13900:11:47,080 –> 00:11:48,320You’re listening to Open the Bible14000:11:48,320 –> 00:11:49,799with Pastor Colin Smith,14100:11:49,799 –> 00:11:53,239and a message called, Love is Our Distinct Calling.14200:11:53,239 –> 00:11:54,820We’ve got to pause briefly here,14300:11:54,820 –> 00:11:56,080but we’ll be back very shortly,14400:11:56,080 –> 00:11:58,479so please do stay with us.14500:11:58,479 –> 00:12:01,580The message is part of a series called, Grow in Love.14600:12:01,580 –> 00:12:04,619And if you ever miss one of the messages in the series,14700:12:04,619 –> 00:12:07,219you can easily catch up or go back and listen again14800:12:07,919 –> 00:12:12,820online at our website, openthebible.org.uk.14900:12:12,820 –> 00:12:14,799Or you can find us as a podcast15000:12:14,799 –> 00:12:17,400from wherever you normally get your podcasts,15100:12:17,400 –> 00:12:22,099and you can find them by searching for open the Bible UK.15200:12:22,099 –> 00:12:22,940Back to the message.15300:12:22,940 –> 00:12:25,500Now here again is Pastor Colin.15400:12:25,500 –> 00:12:29,940Withdrawing into the world of your own private experience15500:12:29,940 –> 00:12:31,719will be of no value to you,15600:12:31,719 –> 00:12:34,559and it will be of no value to anyone else.15700:12:34,919 –> 00:12:37,599But growing in love,15800:12:37,599 –> 00:12:39,059oh, if you grow in love,15900:12:39,059 –> 00:12:42,280it will keep you from spiritual isolation.16000:12:42,280 –> 00:12:44,000And here’s what growing in love will do.16100:12:44,000 –> 00:12:47,119It will move you towards other believers.16200:12:50,520 –> 00:12:54,880The third gift that Paul identifies16300:12:54,880 –> 00:12:58,520is the gift of a brilliant mind.16400:12:58,520 –> 00:13:02,000And thank God for those who’ve been given this gift,16500:13:02,760 –> 00:13:02,820And thank God for those who’ve been given this gift,16600:13:03,919 –> 00:13:06,320if I have prophetic powers16700:13:07,320 –> 00:13:10,539and understand all mysteries16800:13:12,280 –> 00:13:13,559and all knowledge.16900:13:15,679 –> 00:13:20,159Some people have been blessed with brilliant minds17000:13:21,400 –> 00:13:25,979and over time, they acquire vast sums of knowledge.17100:13:27,140 –> 00:13:31,700Some people are blessed with profound insight17200:13:31,700 –> 00:13:36,700into what is mysterious and perplexing to others17300:13:36,859 –> 00:13:39,640so that they are able to help the rest of us17400:13:39,640 –> 00:13:42,780when we find ourselves uncertain and confused.17500:13:44,359 –> 00:13:48,380A brilliant mind is a marvelous gift.17600:13:49,739 –> 00:13:53,340And if God has given that gift to you,17700:13:53,340 –> 00:13:56,580develop it to the full.17800:13:56,580 –> 00:14:00,580Use it to bring blessing and help to others17900:14:00,619 –> 00:14:04,000in every way that you possibly can.18000:14:06,119 –> 00:14:08,539But what the apostle is making clear to us18100:14:08,539 –> 00:14:11,659in these verses is that every gift18200:14:11,659 –> 00:14:14,619brings its own temptation.18300:14:14,619 –> 00:14:19,619And the big temptation that comes with a brilliant mind18400:14:20,460 –> 00:14:23,820is to become wise in your own eyes,18500:14:25,000 –> 00:14:29,159to look down on other people who did not have the ability18600:14:29,159 –> 00:14:32,320or perhaps the education that you have been privileged18700:14:32,320 –> 00:14:36,020to have to become increasingly remote18800:14:37,340 –> 00:14:41,520from the needs, life and ministry of the Church.18900:14:45,440 –> 00:14:50,260Growing in love will be what enables you19000:14:50,260 –> 00:14:52,880to use your brilliant mind effectively.19100:14:53,679 –> 00:14:58,679And growing in love will make the Christian scholar19200:14:59,580 –> 00:15:03,559a servant of ordinary believers.19300:15:04,719 –> 00:15:08,900And when that happens, it is a beautiful thing.19400:15:11,359 –> 00:15:16,359Then some people have been gifted fourthly19500:15:16,799 –> 00:15:19,159with outstanding achievements.19600:15:19,159 –> 00:15:20,840Look at what Paul says next,19700:15:21,780 –> 00:15:26,780and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains.19800:15:31,020 –> 00:15:32,280To move a mountain,19900:15:32,280 –> 00:15:33,820well that’s really something.20000:15:35,059 –> 00:15:37,919I’ve been reading the story of William Wilberforce,20100:15:37,919 –> 00:15:40,280a member of the British Parliament20200:15:40,280 –> 00:15:43,080in the 18th and early 19th century20300:15:43,080 –> 00:15:47,580who proposed legislation to abolish slavery.20400:15:48,380 –> 00:15:53,380He was defeated 11 times over a period of 20 years,20500:15:57,239 –> 00:15:59,380but by God’s grace,20600:15:59,380 –> 00:16:03,299he overcame that mountain of opposition20700:16:03,299 –> 00:16:07,219and was finally blessed with wonderful success.20800:16:08,760 –> 00:16:12,900Wilberforce had faith in the Lord, Jesus Christ,20900:16:12,940 –> 00:16:17,559and God used him to move a mountain.21000:16:19,679 –> 00:16:22,780Now, some people like Wilberforce21100:16:22,780 –> 00:16:25,539are drawn to the hardest tasks.21200:16:25,539 –> 00:16:29,940And if that’s you, it’s a very wonderful gift indeed.21300:16:29,940 –> 00:16:33,539Some people have a special kind of faith21400:16:33,539 –> 00:16:35,479that enables them to believe21500:16:35,479 –> 00:16:38,659that a mountain can be overcome.21600:16:38,659 –> 00:16:41,580And if God has given you that kind of gift,21700:16:41,619 –> 00:16:42,940I want to encourage you,21800:16:42,940 –> 00:16:47,140find the mountain that he is calling you to move,21900:16:47,140 –> 00:16:50,559and then give yourself to moving it by faith22000:16:50,559 –> 00:16:54,900even if it takes the whole of your life to see it happen.22100:16:56,440 –> 00:16:57,739But remember this.22200:16:58,739 –> 00:17:03,739That every gift brings its own unique temptation.22300:17:05,079 –> 00:17:07,680And the obvious temptation22400:17:07,680 –> 00:17:10,640to those who accomplish great things22500:17:11,579 –> 00:17:13,479is the temptation to pride.22600:17:14,479 –> 00:17:18,339The feeling that what has been accomplished22700:17:18,339 –> 00:17:22,079was the result of your own power.22800:17:23,880 –> 00:17:28,400James Denny gives this warning to pastors22900:17:29,439 –> 00:17:33,800as well as to those who are successful in business.23000:17:33,800 –> 00:17:35,420Let me quote what he says.23100:17:36,500 –> 00:17:40,500”The sense may steal upon a man’s mind23200:17:41,479 –> 00:17:44,619”that his commanding personality23300:17:45,640 –> 00:17:49,219”is that to which circumstances yield.23400:17:50,560 –> 00:17:55,020”His practical capacity is that which transmits23500:17:55,020 –> 00:17:57,920”force and sees that work is done.’23600:17:59,079 –> 00:18:02,099And when that happens, Denny says,23700:18:02,099 –> 00:18:04,939”all is lost.”23800:18:05,020 –> 00:18:07,500Well done.23900:18:07,500 –> 00:18:11,339If you think that the moving of a mountain24000:18:11,339 –> 00:18:15,739was ultimately your personality,24100:18:15,739 –> 00:18:18,040your force, your power,24200:18:18,979 –> 00:18:21,619rather than that God in His marvelous grace24300:18:21,619 –> 00:18:25,560used you to do it, you’ve lost everything.24400:18:27,160 –> 00:18:28,540That’s what Denny is saying.24500:18:29,540 –> 00:18:31,979And that’s what the Apostle Paul is saying here.24600:18:32,939 –> 00:18:35,979If I have all faith,24700:18:35,979 –> 00:18:40,979so as to remove mountains but have not love,24800:18:42,640 –> 00:18:46,099I am nothing,24900:18:47,739 –> 00:18:48,579nothing.25000:18:51,540 –> 00:18:56,540Love is what enables a person to achieve great things25100:18:56,859 –> 00:18:59,400and then still to serve with humility.25200:19:00,319 –> 00:19:04,060Love reminds a believer25300:19:06,060 –> 00:19:10,000that his calling to move one mountain25400:19:10,000 –> 00:19:12,420may not be the calling of another believer25500:19:12,420 –> 00:19:14,859who may be called to move another mountain,25600:19:16,140 –> 00:19:18,640and love will enable you to find joy25700:19:18,640 –> 00:19:20,699in the achievements of others25800:19:20,699 –> 00:19:25,140as much as you find joy in the achievements of your own.25900:19:26,079 –> 00:19:27,719And then Fifthly,26000:19:27,719 –> 00:19:32,719Paul identifies this gift of unusual generosity.26100:19:33,900 –> 00:19:35,119Look at what he says.26200:19:35,119 –> 00:19:39,859If I give, verse three, all I have.26300:19:39,859 –> 00:19:42,560Not a tenth, not even half.26400:19:43,839 –> 00:19:46,819If I give everything, all that I have.26500:19:46,819 –> 00:19:50,579This is what Jesus called the rich young ruler to do26600:19:50,579 –> 00:19:51,859and he couldn’t do it.26700:19:51,859 –> 00:19:53,219He couldn’t bring himself to do it26800:19:53,219 –> 00:19:54,599because he didn’t have love,26900:19:56,119 –> 00:20:01,119and Paul says, if I give all that I had.27000:20:05,520 –> 00:20:09,579Now God calls all of us to be generous,27100:20:09,579 –> 00:20:13,359but some people have a special calling27200:20:13,359 –> 00:20:17,380and a special ability in this regard,27300:20:17,380 –> 00:20:22,000and if God has put it into your heart to be generous,27400:20:22,020 –> 00:20:25,520be as generous as you possibly can.27500:20:27,099 –> 00:20:30,239But remember that every gift27600:20:30,239 –> 00:20:33,439carries its own hidden temptation,27700:20:33,439 –> 00:20:37,439and the temptation to those who give generously27800:20:38,680 –> 00:20:42,420is that it is possible to give simply as a matter of duty,27900:20:43,660 –> 00:20:47,560it’s possible to give in order to make an impression,28000:20:48,540 –> 00:20:52,900it’s possible to give as a means of exercising control,28100:20:53,839 –> 00:20:57,000you can give without love.28200:20:57,920 –> 00:20:58,760And Paul says,28300:20:58,760 –> 00:21:03,040if I give all that I have, and to have not loved,28400:21:04,160 –> 00:21:06,540I gain nothing.28500:21:07,939 –> 00:21:08,780But you see,28600:21:08,780 –> 00:21:13,719growing in love is what will enable you to give28700:21:13,719 –> 00:21:16,719with freedom and with joy,28800:21:16,719 –> 00:21:19,380and your reward will be very great.28900:21:19,380 –> 00:21:21,800The Apostle Paul says in 2 Corinthians,29000:21:21,800 –> 00:21:23,439the next letter in the New Testament,29100:21:23,439 –> 00:21:28,260whoever sows sparingly will reap sparingly,29200:21:28,260 –> 00:21:31,599and whoever sows bountifully,29300:21:31,599 –> 00:21:34,439will also reap bountifully,29400:21:34,439 –> 00:21:36,719sow bountifully,29500:21:36,719 –> 00:21:41,199because your heart is growing in love,29600:21:41,199 –> 00:21:46,199grow in love and you will sow bountifully.29700:21:47,119 –> 00:21:49,000You’ve been listening to Open the Bible29800:21:49,000 –> 00:21:50,239with Pastor Colin Smith29900:21:50,239 –> 00:21:53,760and a message called Love is our Distinct Calling.30000:21:53,760 –> 00:21:54,920And you can hear the second part30100:21:54,920 –> 00:21:56,719of that message in our next broadcast.30200:21:56,719 –> 00:21:58,219So I hope you’ll join us for that.30300:21:58,219 –> 00:21:59,280The message is,30400:21:59,280 –> 00:22:01,800the first part of our series, Grow in Love.30500:22:01,800 –> 00:22:04,180And if you ever miss one of the messages in the series,30600:22:04,180 –> 00:22:05,839you can easily catch up or go back30700:22:05,839 –> 00:22:08,060and listen again by coming online30800:22:08,060 –> 00:22:12,359to our website at openthebible.org.uk30900:22:12,359 –> 00:22:15,260or alternatively, go to wherever you find your podcasts31000:22:15,359 –> 00:22:18,500and their search for Open the Bible UK.31100:22:18,500 –> 00:22:19,459They’ll all be up there31200:22:19,459 –> 00:22:22,900just as soon as they’ve been broadcast on the radio.31300:22:22,900 –> 00:22:24,540What if you could go on a hike31400:22:24,540 –> 00:22:27,459with Pastor Colin through the Bible story?31500:22:27,459 –> 00:22:29,300See how it all fits together31600:22:29,300 –> 00:22:31,900and how it all points to Jesus?31700:22:31,900 –> 00:22:33,339Well, now you can31800:22:33,339 –> 00:22:36,459with the new podcast Hike Through the Bible.31900:22:36,459 –> 00:22:38,339Yeah, and this is for everyone32000:22:38,339 –> 00:22:40,699who wants to understand the Bible better32100:22:40,699 –> 00:22:43,979and for everyone who wants to love Jesus more.32200:22:43,979 –> 00:22:45,239In each episode,32300:22:45,239 –> 00:22:48,160I’ll read a chapter from my book Hike Through the Bible32400:22:48,160 –> 00:22:50,219and then I’ll discuss it with some friends.32500:22:50,219 –> 00:22:52,979A new episode releases every week32600:22:52,979 –> 00:22:55,020and so you can take this hike32700:22:55,020 –> 00:22:56,380at a gentle pace.32800:22:56,380 –> 00:22:58,420In a year, you’ll have covered32900:22:58,420 –> 00:23:00,180the entire Bible story.33000:23:00,180 –> 00:23:02,540I really hope that you’ll join me33100:23:02,540 –> 00:23:03,380on this journey33200:23:03,380 –> 00:23:04,500and it’s not too late33300:23:04,500 –> 00:23:05,780to get started now.33400:23:05,780 –> 00:23:07,119Well, you can subscribe33500:23:07,119 –> 00:23:09,180to Hike Through the Bible Podcast33600:23:09,180 –> 00:23:10,780wherever you get your podcasts33700:23:11,119 –> 00:23:12,959and you can find out more information33800:23:12,959 –> 00:23:14,579on our website33900:23:18,380 –> 00:23:20,459Open The Bible is able to be on this station34000:23:20,459 –> 00:23:23,099as well as our website and the podcasts34100:23:23,099 –> 00:23:25,859because listeners like you give generously34200:23:25,859 –> 00:23:27,500to support our work.34300:23:27,500 –> 00:23:30,500So if you already support Open The Bible in this way,34400:23:30,500 –> 00:23:31,920thank you so much.34500:23:31,920 –> 00:23:33,900If supporting Open The Bible34600:23:33,900 –> 00:23:36,459is something you want to start doing this month,34700:23:36,459 –> 00:23:37,760we’d love to hope to say thank you34800:23:37,760 –> 00:23:40,119by sending you Pastor Colin’s brand new book,34900:23:40,579 –> 00:23:41,959Grow in Hope.35000:23:41,959 –> 00:23:44,579It’s a 30 day devotional study35100:23:44,579 –> 00:23:49,119drawing on scripture and years of pastoral experience.35200:23:49,119 –> 00:23:52,119Colin, why did you write this book?35300:23:52,119 –> 00:23:55,800Well, Grow in Hope is the second of three books35400:23:55,800 –> 00:23:59,020that we are putting out from Open The Bible this year,35500:23:59,020 –> 00:24:02,780grow in faith, grow in hope and grow in love.35600:24:02,780 –> 00:24:05,079And the reason for all three is that35700:24:05,079 –> 00:24:08,060as Paul says in 1 Corinthians Chapter 13,35800:24:08,060 –> 00:24:10,660everything else will pass away.35900:24:10,660 –> 00:24:12,699I mean, that’s quite a statement, isn’t it?36000:24:12,699 –> 00:24:15,180Everything else will pass away36100:24:15,180 –> 00:24:20,180but these things will remain Faith, Hope, and Love.36200:24:20,280 –> 00:24:23,260So these are things of supreme importance.36300:24:23,260 –> 00:24:28,060I’m absolutely persuaded that our greatest need36400:24:28,060 –> 00:24:31,939is to have a stronger faith, to have a more certain hope36500:24:31,939 –> 00:24:34,880and to be renewed in a resilient kind of love.36600:24:34,880 –> 00:24:36,459You know, if that happens in the lives36700:24:36,520 –> 00:24:38,660of Christian believers some very, very,36800:24:38,660 –> 00:24:39,880good things will follow.36900:24:39,880 –> 00:24:42,319So Pastor Colin’s book, Grow in Hope,37000:24:42,319 –> 00:24:44,359is our gift to you when you set up37100:24:44,359 –> 00:24:48,040a new direct debit of five pounds per month, or more.37200:24:48,040 –> 00:24:50,760Or a one-off gift of sixty pounds or more37300:24:50,760 –> 00:24:53,739to support the work of Open the Bible this month.37400:24:53,739 –> 00:24:56,079Full terms and conditions are on our website37500:24:56,079 –> 00:24:58,760at openthebible.org.uk37600:24:58,760 –> 00:25:00,739and you can give online.37700:25:00,739 –> 00:25:03,479Don’t forget though to leave your full name and address37800:25:03,680 –> 00:25:07,599so we’ll be able to send you your gift.37900:25:07,599 –> 00:25:09,819For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,38000:25:09,819 –> 00:25:11,140I’m David Peak.38100:25:11,140 –> 00:25:12,560Thanks for being with us today38200:25:12,560 –> 00:25:15,020and we look forward to having you join us again,38300:25:15,020 –> 00:25:16,300next time.38400:25:16,300 –> 00:25:17,140.38500:25:21,660 –> 00:25:23,579You’d like to use your spiritual gifts38600:25:23,579 –> 00:25:25,060more effectively.38700:25:25,060 –> 00:25:28,239Find out how, next time on Open The Bible.