Receive God’s Mercy and Withhold It From Others, Part 2

Jonah 4:10-11

Today, Colin delves into the profound and often misunderstood topic of sin, shedding light on how truly understanding it can lead to a heart of compassion rather than condemnation. As he shares insights from the book of Jonah, Pastor Colin emphasises the importance of being engaged in God’s work rather than remaining passive bystanders. He challenges us to see beyond our grievances, and like the king in Jonah, to actively seek God’s mercy and engage in the redeeming work of the Spirit. This episode invites us to reflect on the nature of compassion as love in action, urging us to move beyond criticism into active participation in our communities and God’s mission. Tune in to explore how embracing God’s grace fuels a compassionate heart and to learn how Jonah’s journey serves as a call for us all to grow in love and compassion.

100:00:00,080 –> 00:00:13,380Crowds of people shouting abuse saying what they’ll do to the drivers in the front row200:00:13,380 –> 00:00:22,260if they don’t get moving right now. But you have compassion… why? Because you understand300:00:22,260 –> 00:00:23,260the problem…400:00:23,260 –> 00:00:27,959Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David pick, glad you could join500:00:28,200 –> 00:00:32,820us today and Colin, do we know what the problem is? What is the problem?600:00:32,820 –> 00:00:37,320Well, the answer I think is very simple. Sin is the problem but here’s the surprising700:00:37,320 –> 00:00:44,279thing. To really understand the doctrine of sin doesn’t make a person harder, it actually800:00:44,279 –> 00:00:48,799leads to compassion. A lot of folks might have the idea that, you know, if you have900:00:48,799 –> 00:00:53,599really grasped the doctrine of sin that that’s going to make you a condemning kind of person,1000:00:54,279 –> 00:01:02,680it’s the opposite. Sin makes a person blind and bound and dead. And understanding that1100:01:02,680 –> 00:01:08,080will give compassion to a person who’s in that position. And that’s the kind of compassion1200:01:08,080 –> 00:01:14,120we need. We need to be ministering in the world, not out of a spirit of holier-than-thou1300:01:14,120 –> 00:01:21,199condemnation, but out of the compassion that comes to people who understand just how devastating1400:01:21,199 –> 00:01:23,400sin is in human lives.1500:01:23,400 –> 00:01:27,820And once we begin to understand that that is our condition, if not for the grace and1600:01:27,820 –> 00:01:33,279mercy that God has shown us, that puts us in the same condition as everyone else. And1700:01:33,279 –> 00:01:36,839we begin to grasp that and it’s natural that we would have compassion.1800:01:36,839 –> 00:01:43,720Yeah. So again, I see myself in Jonah. I see my own need to receive this Word from the1900:01:43,720 –> 00:01:48,440Lord and to become more compassionate, like Jesus Christ, and that’s where we’re headed2000:01:48,440 –> 00:01:49,440today.2100:01:49,440 –> 00:01:55,000Sleep well, if you can, in Jonah 4, as we continue the message about grace and mercy.2200:01:55,000 –> 00:01:56,000Here is Colin.2300:01:56,000 –> 00:02:03,000I want you to imagine, for a few moments, that you are responsible for parking at the2400:02:03,000 –> 00:02:10,119Super Bowl, okay? And the cars are all jammed in because there is inadequate space. They2500:02:10,119 –> 00:02:15,039are parked bumper to bumper, so as it were, nobody can move until everybody moves, if2600:02:15,240 –> 00:02:20,600you see what I mean. And especially the folks at the front have to move their cars first.2700:02:20,600 –> 00:02:26,199At the end of the game, with the car park absolutely crammed with vehicles, your job2800:02:26,199 –> 00:02:34,479is to clear the car park as quickly and as safely as possible. And the job carries with2900:02:34,479 –> 00:02:40,080it some authority. And so you have a little uniform, you have a little flag, and they’ve3000:02:40,080 –> 00:02:47,479given you a little whistle. Now, as soon as the drivers come to … I should say parking3100:02:47,479 –> 00:02:51,979lot, but I’m going to go back to old ways, if you see what I mean. As soon as the drivers3200:02:51,979 –> 00:02:56,839are back in the car park, you’re looking to see who’s in the front row who can move their3300:02:56,839 –> 00:03:01,839cars first. And you notice in one of the sections for which you are responsible that there are3400:03:01,839 –> 00:03:07,619three cars that now have drivers in them. And so you flag them over and you want to3500:03:07,619 –> 00:03:11,720get them into the exit lane so that you can get that whole section moving. But when you3600:03:11,720 –> 00:03:17,539flag them, nothing happens. So you blow your whistle. Nothing happens.3700:03:17,539 –> 00:03:22,919Then you look more closely and you see something strange. These three guys are sitting in their3800:03:22,919 –> 00:03:26,759cars, but none of them have started their engines. They, what in the world? Do they3900:03:26,759 –> 00:03:33,559wanting to stay here for a picnic or, why don’t they know we got to move? By now the4000:03:33,559 –> 00:03:38,119folks in the cars behind are beginning to get frustrated. Some of them are sounding4100:03:38,119 –> 00:03:42,300their horn. Some of these people are beginning to get angry. Why are these guys at the front4200:03:42,300 –> 00:03:47,380not moving and why are you as the person in charge not getting them going?4300:03:47,380 –> 00:03:51,279You start getting frustrated with yourself as the noise increases so you walk over to4400:03:51,279 –> 00:03:55,979the cars. That leads to even more blaring of horns. Because it takes you some while4500:03:55,979 –> 00:04:01,220to get over there and as you move people begin to realize that there’s a problem.4600:04:01,220 –> 00:04:05,759Now some folks have rolled down their windows see I do it with the wrong hand. It’s this4700:04:05,759 –> 00:04:12,759side. They roll down their windows and they’re shouting at you and getting them moving what4800:04:15,259 –> 00:04:17,179are you doing? Come on man and so forth and so on.4900:04:17,179 –> 00:04:24,179You go to the first car and you bang on the windshield. The windscreen no never mind should5000:04:25,040 –> 00:04:28,640never have done this.5100:04:28,640 –> 00:04:34,820And you said to this guy get moving get moving. The driver rolls down his windscreen. He said5200:04:34,820 –> 00:04:41,820I don’t know what’s happened. He said I came out the game I got into the car and it’s like5300:04:42,440 –> 00:04:49,440everything has gone dark. I can’t see. I can’t move my vehicle I’m blind. You don’t have5400:04:49,519 –> 00:04:56,519a clue what to say to the man so everyone’s blaring their horns and so you move to the5500:04:56,760 –> 00:05:03,760next car. You bang on that windscreen and the man tries to roll down his window and5600:05:06,839 –> 00:05:13,839you realize he’s got a problem. There are handcuffs on him. And he says I don’t know5700:05:13,839 –> 00:05:20,839what’s going on here he said but I got into my car and some guy was lurking in the back5800:05:22,880 –> 00:05:29,519seat and pounced on me. Put me in these handcuffs and then got out and ran. I don’t know who5900:05:29,519 –> 00:05:36,519he is, where he came from, but I’m stuck. I can’t move my car. I’m bound. By now there’s6000:05:37,459 –> 00:05:44,459nearly a riot going on amongst the guys in the pick up trucks behind. Horns are now blazing.6100:05:46,660 –> 00:05:51,000Guys are standing on the back of pick up trucks and they’re waving fists and shouting at you,6200:05:51,000 –> 00:05:54,640out shouting at the guys in the car. So you think I better get something moving here,6300:05:54,640 –> 00:06:00,160so you move to the third car. Bang on the window. Sir you see these guys over here have6400:06:00,160 –> 00:06:03,440a problem. They can’t move their vehicles. I need you to move your vehicles right now.6500:06:03,720 –> 00:06:09,000There is no response. You know what’s coming, don’t you. You look through the window and6600:06:09,000 –> 00:06:14,739he’s slumped over the wheel. Because this driver is dead.6700:06:17,339 –> 00:06:21,079I want you to think about that picture. Sometimes a picture is better than a thousand words.6800:06:22,579 –> 00:06:31,679Crowds of people shouting abuse, blaring horns, saying what they’ll do to the drivers in the6900:06:31,679 –> 00:06:42,380front row if they don’t get moving right now. But you have compassion. Why? Because you7000:06:42,380 –> 00:06:51,760understand the problem. One of these guys is blind. One of these guys is bound. And7100:06:51,760 –> 00:06:59,140one of these guys is dead. It’s very practical stuff. Think about someone who really annoys7200:06:59,160 –> 00:07:05,720you. You get upset with them, you feel impatient with them, you know that you need to grow7300:07:05,720 –> 00:07:12,720in compassion for them. Here’s how you can do it. Reflect on the human condition. And7400:07:13,380 –> 00:07:18,480you will grow in compassion. It works. It will happen. You will grow in compassion.7500:07:18,480 –> 00:07:25,359You say, well wait a minute. What if the person who really annoys me is a Christian? Well7600:07:25,359 –> 00:07:32,359here’s the answer to that. Though God has given us sight we only see in part. Isn’t7700:07:35,519 –> 00:07:37,019that right?7800:07:37,019 –> 00:07:42,619Though we as Christians have the Spirit, we still battle with the flesh. That’s true7900:07:42,619 –> 00:07:47,200of every Christian you ever meet. It’s true of you and true of me. And though we are new8000:07:47,200 –> 00:07:54,200creations, we are not yet what we one day will be. So Reflect on that in relation to8100:07:54,959 –> 00:07:59,279our Christian brothers and sisters and it will help us be more patient with one another.8200:07:59,279 –> 00:08:01,799It will help you to grow in compassion.8300:08:01,799 –> 00:08:06,519Listen to what the Lord says in Psalm 103 that was read for us earlier. And it’s said8400:08:06,519 –> 00:08:11,359To those who fear Him. In other words, to His own people, in New Testament terms, to8500:08:11,359 –> 00:08:18,359believers. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those8600:08:19,339 –> 00:08:22,799who fear Him.8700:08:22,799 –> 00:08:29,140That’s His own family. He has compassion on them. Why? Because He knows how we are8800:08:29,140 –> 00:08:35,280formed. He remembers that we, His own children, are dust. We need to remember that about one8900:08:35,280 –> 00:08:40,419another as well, as the Lord graciously remembers it about us.9000:08:40,419 –> 00:08:45,299We’ve got to pause the message briefly there, but we’ll be back very shortly. You’re9100:08:45,299 –> 00:08:50,340listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smyth and a message called Receive God’s9200:08:50,340 –> 00:08:55,340Mercy based on the book of Jonah, chapter four. It’s part of the series How to Avoid9300:08:55,340 –> 00:08:59,840a God-Centred Life and if you ever miss one of the series you can catch up or go back9400:08:59,840 –> 00:09:04,219and listen again online on our website, opensbible.org.uk.9500:09:04,219 –> 00:09:10,400Open the Bible is supported by our listeners. That’s people just like you. And if you9600:09:10,520 –> 00:09:14,580besides the wonderful engagement you already give to support the work, thank you so much.9700:09:14,580 –> 00:09:18,840If that’s something you are considering doing, if you are able to begin a new direct9800:09:18,840 –> 00:09:24,000debit to the work of Open the Bible in the amount of £5 a month or more or a one-off9900:09:24,000 –> 00:09:30,200gift of £50 or more, we’d be delighted to say thank you by sending you a special10000:09:30,200 –> 00:09:34,719gift. 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Here again is Colin.10800:10:11,479 –> 00:10:16,039Now I wondered just before we move more briefly to the last thing, has your heart ever really10900:10:16,039 –> 00:10:20,119been gripped by the compassion of God?11000:10:20,119 –> 00:10:25,640I have been so struck by this in verse 11. I learned something I never knew before just11100:10:25,640 –> 00:10:31,320reading around on this verse. When God says Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot11200:10:31,320 –> 00:10:38,239tell their right-hand from their left and should I not be concerned for that great city.11300:10:38,239 –> 00:10:48,780I found this week that the words translated concerned literally means, its literal translation11400:10:48,780 –> 00:10:59,940is to have tears in one’s eyes. The root of the word means to overflow. You can see11500:10:59,940 –> 00:11:10,340why tears comes from that in reference to the eyes overflowing. So you could translate11600:11:10,340 –> 00:11:20,280that last verse very vividly like this, Nineveh has more than 120,000 people who cannot tell11700:11:20,320 –> 00:11:25,960their right hand from their left, should I not have tears in my eyes over that? It’s11800:11:25,960 –> 00:11:35,299what God says, we can’t read that without thinking about God with tears in His eyes11900:11:35,299 –> 00:11:42,960as our Lord Jesus comes over another city. Remember how Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem12000:11:42,960 –> 00:11:51,099with its tens of thousands of people and says, Oh Jerusalem, Oh Jerusalem! Longs that they12100:11:51,099 –> 00:11:59,000would have come to Him! Oh, that you would have known this day what brings you peace!12200:11:59,000 –> 00:12:10,799But it is now hidden from your eyes! God’s heart for the city. How can Jonah get a heart12300:12:10,799 –> 00:12:18,299that is more like God’s heart? Jonah rejoiced in the uniqueness of God’s creation. He12400:12:18,299 –> 00:12:23,059didn’t just give life to plants. He gives life to every person in the city. He gives12500:12:23,059 –> 00:12:34,099life to 9.5 million people in this city and not one of them is a duplicate of another.12600:12:34,739 –> 00:12:41,460We must look beyond the creative work of God and reflect on the human condition. 9.5 million12700:12:41,500 –> 00:12:48,500people, many who do not yet know Christ who are still blind, bound and spiritually dead.12800:12:50,659 –> 00:12:58,520God says should I not then have, should we not then have tears in our eyes over this12900:12:58,520 –> 00:13:09,299great city. There’s one more way in which we can grow in compassion and it’s this. First13000:13:09,340 –> 00:13:14,719is rejoice in God’s unique creation. The second is reflect on the human condition. Third engage13100:13:14,719 –> 00:13:23,159in Christ’s redeeming mission. I want to show you why I say this at the end. If you look13200:13:23,260 –> 00:13:32,679back at verse five, please notice that Jonah’s heart grew cold when he was disconnected from13300:13:32,679 –> 00:13:40,320the work that God was doing. Verse five, he went out and he sat down at a place East of13400:13:40,320 –> 00:13:47,539the city and he waited to see what would happen, isn’t that an amazing phrase? He waited to13500:13:47,760 –> 00:13:58,359see what would happen. And his heart shriveled, his heart grew cold when he was disconnected13600:13:58,359 –> 00:14:04,340from the work that God was doing. And isn’t this an amazing picture? That God is at work13700:14:04,340 –> 00:14:09,000by the Holy Spirit in a sweeping revival that is going through the city of Nineveh, people13800:14:09,000 –> 00:14:14,719are coming in their tens of thousands to repentance and they’re coming to faith, but Jonah is13900:14:14,760 –> 00:14:21,760outside the city. He is disconnected, he is passive, he is removed, he is distant from14000:14:21,840 –> 00:14:27,500the work that God is doing just a few hundred yards away inside the city walls.14100:14:27,500 –> 00:14:32,260Now there’s one more contrast that I want us to see here in these remaining moments14200:14:32,260 –> 00:14:37,460and it’s the contrast between the king and the prophet. I found this very powerful and14300:14:37,460 –> 00:14:42,359convicting to my own heart. It speaks especially to those of us who have known the Lord for14400:14:42,359 –> 00:14:50,539a number of years. We are told exactly the same word is used about the king and the prophet14500:14:50,539 –> 00:14:56,200that both of them sat down. And it happens at the same time although it is in two different14600:14:56,200 –> 00:15:01,080chapters that I want you to see these two connected together. Because they were connected14700:15:01,080 –> 00:15:06,880together in time. The king sat down in the city and Jonah sat down outside of the city.14800:15:06,880 –> 00:15:11,479The picture is compelling when you see the contrast these two men, a king and a prophet14900:15:11,539 –> 00:15:18,059and they assume the same posture at the same time, but with very, very different meaning15000:15:18,059 –> 00:15:23,979and significant. Look at chapter 3 and verse 6 and I want to paint the picture of the king.15100:15:23,979 –> 00:15:32,460When the king hears God’s word chapter 3 and verse 6. Try and picture it now. He rises15200:15:32,520 –> 00:15:44,739from His throne, he takes off his royal robes, he covers himself with sackcloth, and he sat15300:15:44,739 –> 00:15:52,159down in the dust. That’s Jonah chapter 3 and verse 6. Picture this king. His robe has been15400:15:52,159 –> 00:15:58,219cast aside, he’s sitting down in dust, he’s covered in sackcloth, and what is he doing?15500:15:58,219 –> 00:16:04,000He’s praying. That’s the significance of the sackcloth. He is calling the people in the15600:16:04,000 –> 00:16:08,539verse that follows to repentance, he’s calling the people to prayer and he is leading the15700:16:08,539 –> 00:16:15,440way. He’s come to believe the word of God for himself. And so he sits down in prayer15800:16:15,440 –> 00:16:20,760and intercession for his own city and for its salvation.15900:16:20,760 –> 00:16:26,780Now look at chapter 4 and verse 5 and see the same word. Jonah goes out, in chapter16000:16:27,780 –> 00:16:34,6195, he sat down. And he sits down at a place east of the city and there he made himself16100:16:34,619 –> 00:16:43,440a shelter and he sat in its shade and he waited to see what would happen to the city.16200:16:43,440 –> 00:16:52,880Now folks, this is an amazing contrast. By definition, the King is a new believer. He’s16300:16:53,059 –> 00:16:57,739only just heard the Word of God. He’s only just come to repentance and faith himself16400:16:57,739 –> 00:17:04,079and the first action as a new believer is that he gets down in the dust and starts pleading16500:17:04,079 –> 00:17:11,439for God’s mercy upon his own city. And Jonah, the prophet, who has been going16600:17:11,439 –> 00:17:16,479around with the Word of God all over the place for years, a mature believer, what’s he16700:17:17,160 –> 00:17:27,719sitting outside the city, passive, disconnected, waiting to see what will happen. Hearts grow16800:17:27,719 –> 00:17:37,319cold on the sidelines of ministry. And you know, I’ve been a Christian for 4516900:17:37,319 –> 00:17:42,119years. So for all of us who’ve been Christians and known the Lord for a longer time, is it17000:17:42,119 –> 00:17:52,319not true that sometimes new believers have a passion for Christ and a passion for bringing17100:17:52,319 –> 00:18:02,119the gospel to others that convicts us of our own coldness and complacency and familiarity17200:18:02,119 –> 00:18:08,880with the glorious and eternal truths of God? And, as I’ve looked at this, I’ve just said,17300:18:08,880 –> 00:18:16,040God, make me more like the king than I’m like the prophet. Make me more like this new believer17400:18:16,040 –> 00:18:22,319who pleads for God’s mercy on the city than the prophet who’s known for his ministry of17500:18:22,319 –> 00:18:28,660the Word of God and actually is strangely detached and really doesn’t care.17600:18:28,660 –> 00:18:38,040I’ve formed just this little prayer for myself, Lord, as I get older, don’t let my heart grow17700:18:38,260 –> 00:18:43,459colder. And I think we need that prayer.17800:18:43,459 –> 00:18:50,459Folks, let me just end with this. Compassion is more than a feeling, compassion is love17900:18:54,199 –> 00:19:01,199in action. You see, God’s compassion in his relentless moves to bring salvation and grace18000:19:01,280 –> 00:19:08,280to Nineveh, calling the prophets, sending the fish to bring him back, sending the storm,18100:19:08,300 –> 00:19:15,300all of that – compassion is more than a feeling. Compassion is love in action. And18200:19:16,760 –> 00:19:23,760it’s seen in its fullness in God not only sending Jonah to Nineveh, but sending his18300:19:24,260 –> 00:19:31,020son into the world. For God’s compassion is not simply having tears in His eyes over18400:19:31,040 –> 00:19:38,040the city, it is moving to do something about it. That is why God, who so loved the world,18500:19:38,079 –> 00:19:43,119gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting18600:19:43,119 –> 00:19:50,119life. Because it’s not just emotion, it’s action. And God used compassion in His life18700:19:50,319 –> 00:19:56,380not just emotion. It’s action. Rosemary Nixon, who’s written an excellent18800:19:56,380 –> 00:20:00,520commentary on the book of Jonah. She says this, I found it very compelling, she says18900:20:00,520 –> 00:20:09,900love and labor are inseparable. We love that for which we labor and we labor for that which19000:20:09,900 –> 00:20:20,099we love. So, we are learning from this engage in God’s work. Get involved in what God19100:20:20,099 –> 00:20:30,060is doing and you will find that you grow in compassion. Let me just say this last word.19200:20:30,060 –> 00:20:35,760In these days, when we as a local church are talking about how we might seek to double19300:20:35,760 –> 00:20:45,319our impact for Christ, it would be very easy for some of us to sit back and say, well,19400:20:45,319 –> 00:20:51,800it would be very interesting to see what happens. And I plead with you, please don’t go there.19500:20:51,800 –> 00:20:56,140It says exactly what Jonah did. Makes a little shelter. He said, it would be very interesting19600:20:56,140 –> 00:21:05,160to see what happens. Please don’t go there. Please don’t be passive. Please be like the19700:21:05,160 –> 00:21:13,719king, not like the prophet. Please give yourself to prayer for this church and for this city.19800:21:13,719 –> 00:21:18,540Please ask God in a fresh way, however long you have been a Christian, however old you19900:21:18,540 –> 00:21:26,479are, please ask God in a fresh way as a new believer would, Lord, how can you have me20000:21:26,479 –> 00:21:32,099engaged in your redeeming work at this season of my life? Choose the company of those who20100:21:32,099 –> 00:21:40,739are working for him rather than the company of those who are simply watching. For Jesus20200:21:40,739 –> 00:21:46,640said, As the father has sent me, so I am sending20300:21:46,640 –> 00:21:53,219you. As we engage in God’s work, we will grow in20400:21:53,219 –> 00:21:56,500compassion. You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with20500:22:27,199 –> 00:22:32,920Colin, as you said, a number of times in today’s message, when we’re not connected to what20600:22:32,920 –> 00:22:39,140God is doing, we lose compassion that can easily happen. If we don’t regularly attend20700:22:39,140 –> 00:22:44,040church, for example, for the worship and the fellowship our love can grow cold.20800:22:44,040 –> 00:22:48,839Yeah, that was exactly, Jonah’s position. And here’s all this spiritual life that’s20900:22:48,839 –> 00:22:53,000going on in the city, new believers being born. People praying for the first time, people21000:22:53,099 –> 00:22:58,060repenting and trying to get right with God. And here’s this man and he’s outside and21100:22:58,060 –> 00:23:01,660he’s on his own. And he’s absorbed with himself and he doesn’t like what’s going21200:23:01,660 –> 00:23:04,900on there. Boy, I want to give you this challenge.21300:23:04,900 –> 00:23:11,319Are you, like Jonah, at this point, outside of the church of Jesus Christ? You maybe21400:23:11,319 –> 00:23:17,140been hurt and you’ve got yourself angry, you’ve got yourself alienated. And so you21500:23:17,140 –> 00:23:22,500look at what’s going on and you find what’s wrong with it. And why would you not21600:23:22,500 –> 00:23:30,560come and be part of what God is doing? Be like the king who gets down on his knees21700:23:30,560 –> 00:23:36,939and asks for God’s mercy among his people and contributes to his work. Don’t become21800:23:36,939 –> 00:23:43,479absorbed in yourself. Don’t sit outside as a critic of what God is doing in the21900:23:43,479 –> 00:23:49,060world. Take your position with other believers, however inadequate. We’re all22000:23:49,060 –> 00:23:54,339in the same position of finding out adequacy only in Christ. Take your22100:23:54,339 –> 00:23:58,939position with your brothers and sisters. Get involved in a local church. Become22200:23:58,939 –> 00:24:03,520one who serves. Don’t sit outside absorbed with yourself22300:24:03,520 –> 00:24:08,739criticizing because that’s the place to a kind of spiritual deadness. and it does22400:24:08,739 –> 00:24:13,439seem as though Jonah finds himself in a place like that, but it’s not the end of22500:24:13,439 –> 00:24:17,680the story. Thank God he ends up in the position where he’s able to confess and22600:24:17,719 –> 00:24:22,060say that’s where I was but now he’s brought to a place where grace prevails22700:24:25,800 –> 00:24:29,979Absolutely. How that happens you’ll have to join us for the next program to hear22800:24:29,979 –> 00:24:35,540about that. This series is called How to Avoid a God-Centered Life and don’t22900:24:35,540 –> 00:24:39,420forget you can easily catch up or go back and listen again to any of the23000:24:39,420 –> 00:24:45,079messages in the series by coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk23100:24:45,560 –> 00:24:50,500For Open the Bible and for Pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick and I hope23200:24:50,500 –> 00:25:05,140you’ll join us again for the next program.23300:25:05,859 –> 00:25:12,560When the book of Jonah ends we know that he’s still angry with God but we also23400:25:12,780 –> 00:25:18,319know that God’s grace triumphs in the end for Jonah find out how next time on23500:25:18,319 –> 00:25:21,280Open the Bible

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Sermons on Jonah A highly respected prophet tells how he spent much of his life—running from the God he professed to serve. Here’s what the elderly Jonah writes, looking back on his life: “God knew how to deal with me in my rebellion. God knew how to deal with me in my anger. I ran

Colin Smith

New! Graphic Novel

A man of crime. A ruthless empire. A fellow prisoner. A promise of Paradise. 

Discover the story of the thief on the cross, and his life-changing encounter with Jesus, in this brand new full colour graphic novel version of Colin S Smith’s Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross.

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