100:00:00,040 –> 00:00:01,840Why the Bible Not Portal200:00:03,500 –> 00:00:08,500We believe in salvation by grace through faith in Christ.300:00:08,500 –> 00:00:11,600We do not believe in salvation by parenting.400:00:11,600 –> 00:00:17,600Your child’s salvation does not depend on you being the perfect parent, thank God for that.500:00:17,600 –> 00:00:23,600It is God who saves — not you — even when it comes to your children.600:00:23,600 –> 00:00:28,180Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.700:00:28,180 –> 00:00:33,380Thanks for joining us today. And Colin, that truth for many parents is so freeing, isn’t it?800:00:33,380 –> 00:00:40,380It really is. And I often want to say to parents, let’s never take the credit and let’s never take the blame.900:00:40,380 –> 00:00:44,880It is God who saves. You know, Jonah, salvation comes from the Lord.1000:00:44,880 –> 00:00:48,619That’s central to the whole of scripture and to the whole of the gospel.1100:00:48,619 –> 00:00:55,380And if we get the idea that it actually comes from us, by the degree to which we are effective in parenting,1200:00:55,580 –> 00:01:01,180then we are going to take the credit or if things go wrong, we’re going to inappropriately take the blame.1300:01:01,180 –> 00:01:04,279And neither are things that we should Biblically be doing.1400:01:04,279 –> 00:01:09,620Sure, parenting is really, really important, but salvation comes from the Lord.1500:01:09,620 –> 00:01:14,180And for a parent who sees their child becoming wayward, despite their best efforts,1600:01:18,559 –> 00:01:24,580That’s right. You look at your son or your daughter and you say, do they have any interest in the Christian faith?1700:01:24,680 –> 00:01:29,980No, they don’t. So, if my hope for their salvation depends on their choice and their will,1800:01:29,980 –> 00:01:32,379then where am I going to go from there?1900:01:32,379 –> 00:01:37,980But, what good news it is that there is a God who saves and He doesn’t need a person’s permission to do it.2000:01:37,980 –> 00:01:43,080He is able to reach into a person’s life and to change the will and to change the heart.2100:01:43,080 –> 00:01:44,379And that’s a reason that we can pray.2200:01:44,379 –> 00:01:47,980We can pray to this God and we can hope in this God.2300:01:47,980 –> 00:01:54,180And so, that’s the reason that I would want to encourage parents who are anxious over children in a season of rebellion.2400:01:54,279 –> 00:01:57,879So, join us today if you can, in Galatians, chapter 3,2500:01:57,879 –> 00:02:02,980as we continue the message, Parenting in the Flesh vs Parenting in the Spirit.2600:02:02,980 –> 00:02:04,180Here is Colin.2700:02:04,180 –> 00:02:10,080There are many kids who have rejected Christianity because all they’ve ever seen is the Law.2800:02:10,080 –> 00:02:14,580And I want to speak to you if that’s your position.2900:02:14,580 –> 00:02:17,880If you think Christianity is boring,3000:02:17,880 –> 00:02:23,779you have not yet seen or grasped the gospel.3100:02:24,179 –> 00:02:32,279How in all the world could being filled with the Spirit of the Living God,3200:02:32,279 –> 00:02:36,880the Creator of the Universe, be boring?3300:02:36,880 –> 00:02:39,979How could it be?3400:02:39,979 –> 00:02:46,679I encourage you, if that’s where you are,3500:02:46,679 –> 00:02:50,080don’t reject the gospel.3600:02:50,179 –> 00:02:55,279Because all you’ve been looking at is the Law.3700:02:55,279 –> 00:02:59,479Now, I want to give some pastoral advice here,3800:02:59,479 –> 00:03:03,679and that’s all it is, it is pastoral advice.3900:03:03,679 –> 00:03:09,479But it seems to me that a child brought up in a Christian home4000:03:09,479 –> 00:03:12,880and brought regularly to a Christian church4100:03:12,880 –> 00:03:18,679is frankly very likely to make a profession of faith early on in life.4200:03:18,679 –> 00:03:21,679I did this myself.4300:03:21,679 –> 00:03:25,279My children did the same.4400:03:25,279 –> 00:03:29,979If that happens, parents should rejoice.4500:03:29,979 –> 00:03:36,479But be very careful not to affirm more than the child has experienced.4600:03:36,479 –> 00:03:38,479Remember that, especially at an early age,4700:03:38,479 –> 00:03:40,679though indeed there may be a conversion.4800:03:40,679 –> 00:03:44,179I look back at my own commitment to Christ at the age of six4900:03:44,179 –> 00:03:49,979and see that there was indeed a work of grace at that time.5000:03:49,979 –> 00:03:56,020But remember that it is also possible that a child may simply be conforming to what you5100:03:56,020 –> 00:04:00,860are teaching, especially if you have taught it strongly.5200:04:00,860 –> 00:04:05,619And assuming that a child has received the Spirit5300:04:05,619 –> 00:04:07,940when all they are really doing is obeying the law5400:04:07,940 –> 00:04:14,820and conforming to what you have taught them, creates some problems.5500:04:14,820 –> 00:04:20,579This is why we must be very careful in the home and in the church never to exert pressure5600:04:20,579 –> 00:04:27,980for a child to make a decision which they may well do just to please us, and then think5700:04:27,980 –> 00:04:30,579that they have the gospel when actually all they have is the law.5800:04:30,579 –> 00:04:33,739They’re conforming to our expectations.5900:04:33,739 –> 00:04:36,100Here’s the exhortation.6000:04:36,299 –> 00:04:40,519Trust God to do His own work in His own time.6100:04:40,519 –> 00:04:43,980Don’t confuse the law with the gospel.6200:04:43,980 –> 00:04:49,299Never mistake conformity for conversion.6300:04:49,299 –> 00:04:54,220Now with these things in mind, I want briefly to take a look at what we framed today as6400:04:54,220 –> 00:05:01,239the difference between parenting in the flesh and parenting in the spirit, which is really6500:05:01,260 –> 00:05:05,500just another way of expressing the difference between law and gospel.6600:05:05,500 –> 00:05:11,299And I find it helpful to think of parenting in the spirit as being rather like walking6700:05:11,299 –> 00:05:16,359on a narrow wall with water on either side.6800:05:16,359 –> 00:05:20,700The water is called parenting in the flesh.6900:05:20,700 –> 00:05:24,940And obviously from this picture, what we’re saying is you don’t want to fall into the7000:05:24,940 –> 00:05:26,239water.7100:05:26,239 –> 00:05:30,079You can fall into the water actually in one of two directions as we’ll see.7200:05:30,119 –> 00:05:34,399The first is simply trusting in human works.7300:05:34,420 –> 00:05:37,420And what that’s all about is simply this.7400:05:37,420 –> 00:05:45,019It’s the kind of parenting in the flesh that says if I do certain things as a parent and7500:05:45,019 –> 00:05:51,700do them absolutely right, then all will be well with my child.7600:05:51,700 –> 00:05:56,200And that is just the mistakes that the Galatians were into applied in another way.7700:05:56,320 –> 00:06:01,679If I do the Bible reading, if I do the prayers, if I provide an order at home, if I exercise7800:06:01,679 –> 00:06:08,179discipline, if I get everything right – now if you go away from family life month with7900:06:08,179 –> 00:06:11,019a sense of I’ve got to get everything right!8000:06:11,019 –> 00:06:12,459Help!8100:06:12,459 –> 00:06:17,380If that’s the message you take away, you will be under an impossible burden.8200:06:18,760 –> 00:06:24,739And some of us are feeling under that impossible burden and we need to be released from it.8300:06:26,839 –> 00:06:30,820The Galatian believers started their journey with faith, they ended up living as if everything8400:06:30,820 –> 00:06:33,720depended on their work.8500:06:33,720 –> 00:06:37,720And there is no area, it seems to me, where we are more likely to fall into that error8600:06:37,720 –> 00:06:39,660today, than the area of parenting.8700:06:39,660 –> 00:06:45,279Remember we believe in salvation, by grace, through faith in Christ.8800:06:45,279 –> 00:06:48,320We do not believe in salvation by parenting.8900:06:48,320 –> 00:06:49,600Thank God for that.9000:06:49,600 –> 00:06:54,480Because if we did you and I would be under an impossible burden.9100:06:55,480 –> 00:06:59,359Your child’s salvation does not depend on you being the perfect parent.9200:06:59,359 –> 00:07:00,359Thank God for that.9300:07:00,359 –> 00:07:08,059It is God who saves, not you, even when it comes to your children.9400:07:08,059 –> 00:07:13,519I will never forget the conversation where the ugliness of this came home to me.9500:07:13,519 –> 00:07:21,760I was talking with a couple who had two daughters who had both grown up to be fine Christian9600:07:21,760 –> 00:07:22,760women.9700:07:23,760 –> 00:07:29,320They were distantly related to another couple in the same church who also had two daughters9800:07:29,339 –> 00:07:34,899who had grown up and had turned far, far away from the Lord.9900:07:34,899 –> 00:07:39,739Speaking with this first couple, they spoke with sadness about the second couple’s two10000:07:39,739 –> 00:07:42,619girls, and then they said this,10100:07:43,619 –> 00:07:51,239If only their parents had done what we did, it could all have been so different.10200:07:51,260 –> 00:07:55,220And I nearly died when they said it.10300:07:55,220 –> 00:08:02,559They just robbed God of all the glory of what He done in the lives of their own kids.10400:08:02,559 –> 00:08:13,119Not only that, they turned the salvation of their children from a glorious work of grace10500:08:13,119 –> 00:08:16,100into a work of human effort.10600:08:16,100 –> 00:08:20,799That’s placing your confidence in human works rather than the grace of God.10700:08:20,820 –> 00:08:25,320Beware of turning your child’s salvation into a human work.10800:08:25,320 –> 00:08:27,980Don’t go there.10900:08:27,980 –> 00:08:35,080Because if you do, you will either sink under an impossible burden or you will be lured11000:08:35,080 –> 00:08:40,320into an obnoxious pride.11100:08:40,320 –> 00:08:46,359Your son, your daughter’s salvation is by grace through faith in Christ and that is11200:08:46,359 –> 00:08:50,380why there’s always hope for your kids.11300:08:50,460 –> 00:08:53,059Praise God for that.11400:08:54,219 –> 00:09:00,500So let’s not fall off the wall of parenting in the Spirit into the waters of parenting11500:09:00,500 –> 00:09:07,700in the flesh by thinking as if it all depends on us and turn the grace of God into a human11600:09:07,700 –> 00:09:08,700work.11700:09:08,700 –> 00:09:09,780Don’t do that.11800:09:09,780 –> 00:09:12,380Be released from that burden.11900:09:12,380 –> 00:09:16,200Be released from it.12000:09:16,799 –> 00:09:19,440Second, quenching the Holy Spirit.12100:09:19,440 –> 00:09:25,000See the thing here is that there is water on both sides of the wall and there are two12200:09:25,000 –> 00:09:27,919ways in which you can fall into parenting in the flesh.12300:09:27,919 –> 00:09:31,539One is that you end up trusting in your own works as if everything depended on you and12400:09:31,539 –> 00:09:33,400you live under an impossible burden.12500:09:33,400 –> 00:09:39,280The other is that you quench the Holy Spirit by failing to recognize what He is doing.12600:09:39,280 –> 00:09:47,859Now we do indeed quench the Spirit when our eyes are closed to His work.12700:09:47,859 –> 00:09:57,159Remember this, the Holy Spirit is always at work in the life of your child, whether or12800:09:57,159 –> 00:09:59,159not he or she is a believer.12900:09:59,159 –> 00:10:07,340Remember Jesus said, my Father is always working.13000:10:07,380 –> 00:10:14,239The Holy Spirit is always at work in the life of your child or each of your children, God13100:10:14,239 –> 00:10:15,859is always at work.13200:10:15,859 –> 00:10:21,799Your privilege as a parent and mine, is to try and discern what God is doing in the life13300:10:21,799 –> 00:10:26,619of your child and then to encourage it.13400:10:26,619 –> 00:10:29,719Now the thing that makes this difficult, of course, is that God doesn’t send report13500:10:29,719 –> 00:10:30,719cards.13600:10:30,719 –> 00:10:31,719Right?13700:10:31,719 –> 00:10:34,940See, it’s easy to know how your kids are doing at school because they send you report13800:10:34,940 –> 00:10:36,859cards.13900:10:36,859 –> 00:10:41,940It’s easy to know how your kids are doing in sports because you can see the progress14000:10:41,940 –> 00:10:48,539while you stand on the touch line or sit in the stands and shout and so forth and cheer.14100:10:48,539 –> 00:10:52,479So it’s easy to affirm these things isn’t it?14200:10:52,479 –> 00:10:58,440Hey son, I just saw your report cards, straight As, good job way to go!14300:10:58,440 –> 00:11:00,539Or something like that.14400:11:00,539 –> 00:11:06,599Or in sports, Hey, homerun, way to go.14500:11:06,599 –> 00:11:10,039That was a sweet pass out to the left wing.14600:11:10,039 –> 00:11:11,039Beautiful!14700:11:11,039 –> 00:11:15,6403.0 pointer with 5 seconds to go on the clock.14800:11:15,640 –> 00:11:16,640Wooh!14900:11:16,640 –> 00:11:22,000See, it’s easy to affirm these things.15000:11:22,000 –> 00:11:29,520If these are the main things that are affirmed in your home what will your child grow up15100:11:29,520 –> 00:11:34,080thinking is really important in life?15200:11:34,080 –> 00:11:35,599Adise in sports.15300:11:35,599 –> 00:11:46,020That’s parenting and in the flesh, quenching the work of the Spirit.15400:11:46,020 –> 00:11:49,900It’s that’s all we are doing.15500:11:49,900 –> 00:11:57,440What about, you know, I heard that you spoke to that new kid in the youth group who was15600:11:57,440 –> 00:12:01,340on her own and didn’t know anybody.15700:12:01,539 –> 00:12:05,739I thought that was terrific.15800:12:05,739 –> 00:12:12,039What about, you know, I saw that you really were sorry about that, and I think God knows15900:12:12,039 –> 00:12:13,039that too.16000:12:13,039 –> 00:12:15,299That’s terrific.16100:12:15,299 –> 00:12:18,979I think God’s doing that in your life.16200:12:18,979 –> 00:12:21,559Wonderful.16300:12:21,559 –> 00:12:32,679Now I want to suggest this as a serious daily prayer for every parent, because heaven doesn’t16400:12:32,679 –> 00:12:36,559send report cards.16500:12:36,559 –> 00:12:42,919You need the help of the Holy Spirit to discern what God is doing in the life of your believing16600:12:42,919 –> 00:12:50,280child or your unbelieving child and then to pray into it and to encourage it.16700:12:50,280 –> 00:13:00,159So learn to pray like this, Lord, open my eyes to see what you’re doing in the name16800:13:00,159 –> 00:13:04,440of your son or daughter’s life.16900:13:04,440 –> 00:13:07,000Start praying into that.17000:13:07,000 –> 00:13:10,539Affirm that, go with that.17100:13:10,539 –> 00:13:17,780Let the kids know that that is more important to you than anything else in the world!17200:13:17,780 –> 00:13:22,179And, yes, affirm the straight As.17300:13:22,179 –> 00:13:25,219And, yes, say, way to go!17400:13:25,219 –> 00:13:30,840If he shoots a basket with five seconds left on the clock.17500:13:30,900 –> 00:13:32,559But don’t let him leave home thinking17600:13:32,559 –> 00:13:35,559that that’s the thing most important in life,17700:13:35,559 –> 00:13:36,919to you.17800:13:37,820 –> 00:13:40,799Because that would be parenting in the flesh.17900:13:40,799 –> 00:13:43,820You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith18000:13:43,820 –> 00:13:48,260and a message called Parenting in the Flesh vs Parenting in the Spirit.18100:13:48,260 –> 00:13:51,940Part of our series, Unless the Lord Builds a House.18200:13:51,940 –> 00:13:53,820If you’ve missed any of the series, so far,18300:13:53,820 –> 00:13:56,000or if you ever want to go back and listen again,18400:13:56,000 –> 00:13:57,840that’s easy to do by coming online18500:13:58,140 –> 00:14:02,000or by going to our website openthebible.org.uk.18600:14:02,000 –> 00:14:03,799And you can also find Pastor Colin18700:14:03,799 –> 00:14:07,539on your favorite podcast site, search for Open The Bible UK,18800:14:07,539 –> 00:14:10,840or follow the link from our website.18900:14:10,840 –> 00:14:14,559Back to the message now, here again, is Colin.19000:14:14,559 –> 00:14:16,640Second, Parenting in the Spirit.19100:14:16,640 –> 00:14:19,679What, then, is Parenting in the Spirit all about?19200:14:19,679 –> 00:14:24,000If Parenting in the Flesh is trusting in human works19300:14:24,000 –> 00:14:25,880or quenching the Holy Spirit,19400:14:25,919 –> 00:14:29,419then think of Parenting in the Spirit19500:14:29,419 –> 00:14:33,200as being like a narrow path of wisdom19600:14:33,200 –> 00:14:36,080on which Christ will lead all who will follow.19700:14:36,080 –> 00:14:39,059And it is a narrow path on which we need discernment19800:14:39,059 –> 00:14:42,859and the help of Christ every single day.19900:14:42,859 –> 00:14:44,000You say, well, what does it look like?20000:14:44,000 –> 00:14:46,000Very simply, and from this passage,20100:14:46,000 –> 00:14:49,280Paul points to Abraham as our example.20200:14:49,280 –> 00:14:50,900And three things.20300:14:50,900 –> 00:14:52,400First of all, Faith.20400:14:52,440 –> 00:14:56,640Parenting in the Spirit is always a venture of faith,20500:14:56,640 –> 00:14:59,320verse six, as Paul points to Abraham20600:14:59,320 –> 00:15:00,440as our model right here.20700:15:00,440 –> 00:15:05,200Consider Abraham, he believed God.20800:15:05,200 –> 00:15:08,119That’s Parenting in the Spirit, it’s believing God.20900:15:09,159 –> 00:15:12,119Remember the story, Abraham was an old man21000:15:12,119 –> 00:15:14,460and Sarah was pretty well, 90-years-old,21100:15:15,679 –> 00:15:18,179and God told Abraham that he would have a son.21200:15:19,719 –> 00:15:21,520And of course the thing was impossible,21300:15:21,760 –> 00:15:24,479it was impossible, the Bible emphasizes21400:15:24,479 –> 00:15:27,280the impossibility of it over and over and over again,21500:15:27,280 –> 00:15:31,099and then it tells us, but Abraham believed God.21600:15:33,039 –> 00:15:35,880If you say you can bring a child out of an old man21700:15:35,880 –> 00:15:38,059in a 90-year-old woman,21800:15:38,059 –> 00:15:41,020I can’t see how in all the world you’re gonna do that,21900:15:41,020 –> 00:15:43,559but I believe it if you say it.22000:15:43,559 –> 00:15:44,440That’s faith.22100:15:46,200 –> 00:15:48,580Abraham trusted God to do the impossible,22200:15:48,580 –> 00:15:51,000and that is what God is calling you to do22300:15:51,500 –> 00:15:52,799with regard to your children.22400:15:53,919 –> 00:15:58,919The salvation of your child is impossible except for God,22500:16:02,239 –> 00:16:04,280because it involves a unique miracle22600:16:04,280 –> 00:16:07,539in which he will bring light into your child’s darkness,22700:16:07,539 –> 00:16:10,659life into the deadness of your child’s soul,22800:16:12,159 –> 00:16:17,159place your confidence not in what you are seeking to do22900:16:17,320 –> 00:16:19,080as you pursue the path of wisdom,23000:16:19,119 –> 00:16:22,500but rather, place your confidence in God’s ability23100:16:23,559 –> 00:16:25,799to work a miracle in the life23200:16:25,799 –> 00:16:27,320of your son or your daughter,23300:16:27,320 –> 00:16:31,580as a parent God asks you to trust him to do his work23400:16:31,580 –> 00:16:35,179as you pursue the work that he’s given to you.23500:16:35,179 –> 00:16:39,119Mine is to teach, mine is to train, mine is to pray,23600:16:39,119 –> 00:16:41,119mine is to provide an example.23700:16:41,119 –> 00:16:44,419God’s is to save.23800:16:45,299 –> 00:16:49,260And maybe you feel that the salvation of your son23900:16:49,260 –> 00:16:52,599or your daughter right now is a long, long way off.24000:16:52,599 –> 00:16:57,559Maybe you find it impossible to imagine your daughter24100:16:57,559 –> 00:16:59,119filled with the spirit of God,24200:16:59,119 –> 00:17:01,820your son filled with the spirit of God.24300:17:01,820 –> 00:17:04,300You find it impossible to imagine,24400:17:04,300 –> 00:17:09,199remember Abraham, parenting in the spirit,24500:17:10,780 –> 00:17:11,900it’s about faith.24600:17:15,260 –> 00:17:18,579And I pass on a phrase that has been a great benefit to me.24700:17:18,579 –> 00:17:20,060Picked it up years and years ago24800:17:20,060 –> 00:17:22,780from just before our boys were born, actually.24900:17:22,780 –> 00:17:23,859Karen was carrying.25000:17:25,500 –> 00:17:27,619And when I came across this phrase,25100:17:27,619 –> 00:17:30,160it has been one of the most helpful things25200:17:30,160 –> 00:17:32,060that I’ve ever heard.25300:17:32,060 –> 00:17:33,280And it’s simply this,25400:17:34,260 –> 00:17:37,640bring your children up in faith, not fear.25500:17:38,979 –> 00:17:41,339Bring them up in faith, not fear.25600:17:41,979 –> 00:17:44,859Let them see that you trust God25700:17:46,180 –> 00:17:48,500and that you trust God about them too.25800:17:50,180 –> 00:17:51,979Faith, faith.25900:17:54,099 –> 00:17:56,660Second Gospel, the verse eight,26000:17:56,660 –> 00:17:58,300the scriptures foresaw that God26100:17:58,300 –> 00:17:59,939would justify the Gentiles by faith26200:17:59,939 –> 00:18:03,300and announce the gospel in advance to Abraham.26300:18:03,300 –> 00:18:04,260Well, we’ve been seeing this26400:18:04,260 –> 00:18:06,180right throughout our time this morning.26500:18:07,060 –> 00:18:08,979God gave the law and the gospel,26600:18:08,979 –> 00:18:10,939the Lord gave us faith.26700:18:11,260 –> 00:18:14,219The law is good, the gospel is better.26800:18:15,180 –> 00:18:17,780So make sure that there’s law in your home26900:18:19,339 –> 00:18:21,680and make sure there’s lots of gospel.27000:18:23,260 –> 00:18:24,099What’s the law?27100:18:24,099 –> 00:18:25,359Here’s the law.27200:18:25,359 –> 00:18:26,300Tidy your room,27300:18:27,640 –> 00:18:28,479be on time,27400:18:29,699 –> 00:18:30,640say thank you.27500:18:31,619 –> 00:18:34,819Now, Luke, I need you to be on your best behavior today.27600:18:34,819 –> 00:18:36,459Any parent not said these things?27700:18:37,859 –> 00:18:39,699Don’t kick your little brother.27800:18:39,699 –> 00:18:40,739That’s the law.27900:18:40,760 –> 00:18:44,060We need the law, be chaos otherwise.28000:18:44,060 –> 00:18:45,020All good stuff.28100:18:46,500 –> 00:18:47,939You need the law in your home28200:18:49,260 –> 00:18:51,500but you need the gospel far more.28300:18:51,500 –> 00:18:53,300The law is given to drive us to Christ,28400:18:53,300 –> 00:18:55,339the gospel is given to draw us to Christ.28500:18:55,339 –> 00:18:56,260We need both.28600:18:56,260 –> 00:19:00,020Make sure that your kids are seeing and hearing the gospel.28700:19:00,020 –> 00:19:02,680You don’t get the spirit by being the law.28800:19:03,939 –> 00:19:06,140The love of God has come in Jesus Christ28900:19:06,140 –> 00:19:09,459and the purpose of God for you is more than morality.29000:19:10,219 –> 00:19:12,819It’s that you’ll be filled with the Spirit.29100:19:12,819 –> 00:19:15,420Oh, boy, and if you could taste that,29200:19:15,420 –> 00:19:17,420you would never want anything else again.29300:19:20,020 –> 00:19:22,699And that leads to the last thing, blessing.29400:19:22,699 –> 00:19:24,619All nations will be blessed through you,29500:19:24,619 –> 00:19:26,099God said to Abraham.29600:19:26,099 –> 00:19:28,140So those who have faith are blessed29700:19:28,140 –> 00:19:30,619along with Abraham, the man of faith.29800:19:32,060 –> 00:19:34,880Boy, if there’s one thing our kids need to see29900:19:34,880 –> 00:19:36,819in the home and in the church30000:19:37,239 –> 00:19:40,920and here every one of us is called to give a model.30100:19:42,020 –> 00:19:43,939If there’s one thing our kids need to see30200:19:43,939 –> 00:19:45,560in the home and in the church,30300:19:45,560 –> 00:19:47,819it is authentic models,30400:19:47,819 –> 00:19:52,579not simply of the law but of the life of the Holy Spirit.30500:19:54,280 –> 00:19:56,260Let me say this as a word of encouragement30600:19:56,260 –> 00:19:59,819to some of our teenagers who love the Lord.30700:20:00,939 –> 00:20:05,020A few kids who really love Jesus30800:20:05,020 –> 00:20:09,619and get on fire for him and find genuine joy in him30900:20:09,619 –> 00:20:13,459will have an extraordinary influence for the gospel.31000:20:15,459 –> 00:20:16,319They really will.31100:20:17,660 –> 00:20:20,880Other kids will see the life of the Holy Spirit in you31200:20:20,880 –> 00:20:23,479and they’ll say, I want a piece of that.31300:20:24,900 –> 00:20:25,760It’s powerful.31400:20:27,380 –> 00:20:29,540And our calling as parents, our calling as a church31500:20:29,540 –> 00:20:30,660is to live in such a way31600:20:30,660 –> 00:20:33,160that that will be the reaction of many.31700:20:33,680 –> 00:20:35,420Listen, do you have something in your life31800:20:35,420 –> 00:20:36,719that’s more than the law?31900:20:39,599 –> 00:20:40,420Do you?32000:20:43,880 –> 00:20:46,640See, maybe the greatest thing that we can do for our kids32100:20:46,640 –> 00:20:49,119at the end of family month,32200:20:50,319 –> 00:20:52,959whether it be our own kids within the immediate family32300:20:52,959 –> 00:20:54,020or whether it be the kids32400:20:54,020 –> 00:20:55,839that are part of the wider church family,32500:20:55,839 –> 00:20:56,939is simply this.32600:20:58,800 –> 00:21:00,800To recognize from the depth of our being32700:21:01,520 –> 00:21:03,099that what they need from us32800:21:03,099 –> 00:21:06,420is to see something more than the law,32900:21:07,280 –> 00:21:08,920more than conformity,33000:21:09,839 –> 00:21:12,280more than morality.33100:21:12,280 –> 00:21:15,479They need to see the indwelling,33200:21:15,479 –> 00:21:19,619out working life of the Holy Spirit of God.33300:21:21,900 –> 00:21:24,199And if there’s one place that I’d want to bring us all33400:21:24,199 –> 00:21:26,560at the end of this month that we’ve shared together,33500:21:26,560 –> 00:21:29,680it would be to the foot of the cross of Jesus,33600:21:30,640 –> 00:21:34,239we receive the spirit believing what you have heard33700:21:34,239 –> 00:21:35,979and to cry unto him,33800:21:35,979 –> 00:21:38,479Lord, Jesus Christ33900:21:38,479 –> 00:21:43,479pour your spirit into me a fresh as a father,34000:21:45,000 –> 00:21:48,880fill me afresh with your spirit as a mother34100:21:50,060 –> 00:21:52,760fill us afresh as a church34200:21:52,760 –> 00:21:54,319with your spirit34300:21:54,319 –> 00:21:58,579so that a rising generation may see more than the law.34400:22:00,479 –> 00:22:03,239And discover the riches of the gospel,34500:22:04,319 –> 00:22:08,239the life of the spirit that the world cannot give34600:22:08,239 –> 00:22:12,339and it’s fun only in Jesus,34700:22:12,339 –> 00:22:15,199pastor Colin Smith they’re reminding us34800:22:15,199 –> 00:22:17,959that it’s the law which drives us to Christ34900:22:17,959 –> 00:22:21,660but it’s the gospel which draws us to Christ.35000:22:21,660 –> 00:22:23,239you’ve been listening to open the Bible35100:22:23,239 –> 00:22:24,540with pastor Colin Smith35200:22:24,540 –> 00:22:26,000with a message entitled35300:22:26,000 –> 00:22:29,479Parenting in the flesh versus parenting in the spirit.35400:22:29,479 –> 00:22:32,699It’s part of our series unless the lord builds the house35500:22:32,699 –> 00:22:34,920and if you’ve missed any of the series so far35600:22:34,920 –> 00:22:36,099it’s easy to catch up35700:22:36,099 –> 00:22:37,540or go back and listen again35800:22:37,540 –> 00:22:39,800by coming online to our website35900:22:39,800 –> 00:22:42,780openthebible.org.uk36000:22:42,780 –> 00:22:44,880or by going to your favorite podcast site36100:22:44,880 –> 00:22:46,880search for open the Bible UK36200:22:46,880 –> 00:22:48,939and there you’ll find all the messages36300:22:48,939 –> 00:22:51,400which have already gone out on air.36400:22:51,400 –> 00:22:53,500Open the Bible is able to stay on the air36500:22:53,500 –> 00:22:54,739and on the internet36600:22:54,739 –> 00:22:57,540because of the very generous financial support36700:22:58,260 –> 00:22:59,339from our listeners.36800:22:59,339 –> 00:23:00,920So if you already give to36900:23:00,920 –> 00:23:02,900support Open the Bible in that way37000:23:02,900 –> 00:23:04,219thank you so much.37100:23:04,219 –> 00:23:06,880If that’s something you’d like to begin to do37200:23:06,880 –> 00:23:08,479this month we have an offer.37300:23:08,479 –> 00:23:11,459If you’re able to begin a new direct debit37400:23:11,459 –> 00:23:13,140to the work of Open the Bible37500:23:13,140 –> 00:23:15,560for five pounds per month or more37600:23:15,560 –> 00:23:18,479or a one-off gift of fifty pounds or more37700:23:18,479 –> 00:23:19,959we’d love to say thank you37800:23:19,959 –> 00:23:23,280by sending you two copies of pastor Colin’s book37900:23:23,280 –> 00:23:24,660Christmas Stories38000:23:24,660 –> 00:23:27,520and also five beautiful christmas cards38100:23:27,520 –> 00:23:30,119based on the illustrations from the book.38200:23:30,119 –> 00:23:32,160Christmas Stories is a retelling38300:23:32,160 –> 00:23:33,380of the Christmas Story38400:23:33,380 –> 00:23:35,280from the point of view of various38500:23:35,280 –> 00:23:39,239biblical characters, including Adam, Joseph38600:23:39,239 –> 00:23:42,739even King Herod and the Angel Gabrielle.38700:23:42,739 –> 00:23:45,319Colin this book will make a great Christmas gift38800:23:45,319 –> 00:23:46,199don’t you think?38900:23:46,199 –> 00:23:48,439You know it’s beautifully produced39000:23:48,439 –> 00:23:51,959and it’s just designed to be read39100:23:51,959 –> 00:23:54,260with some friends, with family39200:23:54,260 –> 00:23:55,199at Christmastime.39300:23:55,520 –> 00:23:57,800So picture yourself in your home39400:23:57,800 –> 00:23:58,939or where ever you’re gathering39500:23:58,939 –> 00:24:02,420with some friends and someone says39600:24:02,420 –> 00:24:05,300let’s read one of the Christmas Stories.39700:24:05,300 –> 00:24:07,719And here you’ve got the Christmas Story39800:24:07,719 –> 00:24:09,699through the eyes of the Angel Gabrielle,39900:24:09,699 –> 00:24:11,900through the eyes of Mary, Joseph, Simeon40000:24:11,900 –> 00:24:14,260and even King Herod and each of them40100:24:14,260 –> 00:24:15,819could be read quite easily40200:24:15,819 –> 00:24:17,219in maybe just 10 minutes40300:24:17,219 –> 00:24:20,099but the heart of the Gospel is in all of them.40400:24:20,099 –> 00:24:22,180And that’s what we wanted to encourage40500:24:22,920 –> 00:24:24,800Families and friends would have40600:24:24,800 –> 00:24:26,719a new Christmas tradition.40700:24:26,719 –> 00:24:29,020Take a few minutes to read40800:24:29,020 –> 00:24:31,060part of the Christmas Story40900:24:31,060 –> 00:24:33,060and here’s a beautiful gift book41000:24:33,060 –> 00:24:34,680which would enable you to do this41100:24:34,680 –> 00:24:37,239with your family or with your friends.41200:24:37,239 –> 00:24:38,900Well we’d love to send you41300:24:38,900 –> 00:24:40,140two copies of this book41400:24:40,140 –> 00:24:42,599Christmas Stories by Pastor Colin Smith41500:24:42,599 –> 00:24:45,099and 5 lovely Christmas cards41600:24:45,099 –> 00:24:46,520if you’re able to set up41700:24:46,520 –> 00:24:47,660a new Direct Debit41800:24:47,660 –> 00:24:49,300to the work of Open The Bible41900:24:49,300 –> 00:24:51,520for £5 per month or more42000:24:51,599 –> 00:24:52,660or a one-off gift42100:24:52,660 –> 00:24:54,640of £50 or more.42200:24:54,640 –> 00:24:56,040Full terms and conditions42300:24:56,040 –> 00:24:57,119on our website42400:24:57,119 –> 00:24:59,579and Please don’t give anonymously42500:24:59,579 –> 00:25:02,859and include your full name and address.42600:25:03,420 –> 00:25:04,619Our website address is42700:25:04,619 –> 00:25:07,239openthebible.org.uk42800:25:07,699 –> 00:25:08,660For Open The Bible42900:25:08,660 –> 00:25:10,099and Pastor Colin Smith43000:25:10,099 –> 00:25:11,420I’m David Pick.43100:25:11,420 –> 00:25:12,939Thanks for joining us today43200:25:12,939 –> 00:25:14,699and I hope we’ll see you again soon.