100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:15,400The more I think about the mystery of God’s saving work in my life the more staggering it gets and I find just an increasing sense as I think about these things of200:00:15,400 –> 00:00:25,340worship welling up inside and saying salvation comes from help me more than300:00:25,340 –> 00:00:32,520anything else in deepening worship welcome to open the Bible with pastor400:00:32,520 –> 00:00:36,900Colin Smith I’m David Peake and glad that you are able to join us today in500:00:36,900 –> 00:00:41,860Colin as we finish our series on Jonah it’s a wonderful truth to end on that600:00:42,340 –> 00:00:48,779comes from the Lord and that lifts us to worship and it motivates more than700:00:48,779 –> 00:00:53,439anything else that I know prayer and it motivates evangelism this is a great800:00:53,439 –> 00:00:58,840message today if you have a loved one who is far from God and you may have900:00:58,840 –> 00:01:03,680been praying for them for some years and they show not the slightest interest in1000:01:03,680 –> 00:01:08,519the things of Jesus Christ and you’re anxious for them and you say well what1100:01:09,500 –> 00:01:12,820isn’t there? If I’m looking at their freewill well their freewill1200:01:12,820 –> 00:01:16,900seems already to be made up, gone the wrong way, where is their hope, well1300:01:16,900 –> 00:01:21,699here’s where there’s hope, Salvation comes from the Lord and God doesn’t need1400:01:21,699 –> 00:01:25,320a person’s permission before he steps into their life and I think that’s the1500:01:25,320 –> 00:01:29,459great hope of the gospel and the hope of every person who prays and who engages1600:01:29,459 –> 00:01:34,180in evangelism. We’ll get into the details of that in today’s message so join us if1700:01:34,220 –> 00:01:38,980you can in Jonah chapter 2 and verse nine today as we continue the message1800:01:38,980 –> 00:01:44,959Here is Colin. I found it helpful to see that the Bible speaks about Salvation in1900:01:44,959 –> 00:01:50,959three tenses. I hope you’ll find this helpful. The Bible speaks about Salvation2000:01:50,959 –> 00:01:57,699first as a completed transaction. Ephesians 2.8 it is by grace that you2100:01:57,699 –> 00:02:02,959have been saved, a completed transaction through faith, and this is not from2200:02:03,059 –> 00:02:09,320yourselves, it is the gift of God. But the Bible speaks about Salvation also as a2300:02:09,320 –> 00:02:15,559continuing process. For example, First Corinthians 1.18, the message of the2400:02:15,559 –> 00:02:21,880cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved2500:02:23,179 –> 00:02:30,259it is the power of God. So clearly here Salvation is a continuing process. My2600:02:30,339 –> 00:02:35,460salvation has begun but it is not yet complete. I am not yet, you are not yet2700:02:35,460 –> 00:02:41,039what we will be. We struggle with the flesh, we fail in many ways, yet we are2800:02:41,039 –> 00:02:47,880not who we were. Salvation thirdly is a future hope. 1st Peter chapter 1 in2900:02:47,880 –> 00:02:54,220verse 5, you who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming3000:02:54,220 –> 00:02:59,720of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. So now3100:02:59,720 –> 00:03:03,240salvation is something that’s still to happen. It’s future, it’s for the last3200:03:03,240 –> 00:03:09,699time. And again our hope of future salvation comes from the Lord because3300:03:09,699 –> 00:03:14,380our future salvation lies here. Paul says the Lord Himself will come down3400:03:14,380 –> 00:03:19,080from heaven with a loud command and with the voice of the Archangel and the3500:03:19,080 –> 00:03:24,440trumpet call of God. The dead in Christ will rise first and when we are brought3600:03:24,440 –> 00:03:28,039into the presence of the Lord we are caught up to meet him in the air and3700:03:28,039 –> 00:03:33,199then we’ll be with him forever. Revelation tells us what happens. God3800:03:33,199 –> 00:03:40,839will make His dwelling with men, God will wipe all tears from our eyes. There will3900:03:40,839 –> 00:03:46,259be no more death or mourning or sorrow or pain, why? Because God says, I am making4000:03:46,259 –> 00:03:50,839everything new. So our future salvation comes from where? It comes from the Lord,4100:03:51,080 –> 00:03:58,399from His coming, and from His new creation. And the future tense of our salvation the4200:03:58,399 –> 00:04:02,860Bible often calls glorification. If you want to think how to relate these words4300:04:02,860 –> 00:04:08,059together, salvation comes from the Lord. Past, present, future, justification,4400:04:08,059 –> 00:04:13,940sanctification, glorification, salvation in three tenses and it all comes from4500:04:13,940 –> 00:04:20,480the Lord. Now that’s the teaching of Jonah chapter4600:04:20,559 –> 00:04:28,7392 and verse 9. I want for the rest of our time to focus in on just one very4700:04:28,739 –> 00:04:36,720critical and most important question and it’s this. How does this help us? What4800:04:36,720 –> 00:04:44,339difference does it make to know that salvation comes from the Lord?4900:04:44,359 –> 00:04:51,679And I want to speak for a few moments perhaps a little more personally than I5000:04:51,679 –> 00:04:57,399do at other times and I hope that that will be helpful. But the reason for doing5100:04:57,399 –> 00:05:06,679that is that I was a Christian for about 20 years before I really came to5200:05:06,799 –> 00:05:13,799appreciate the truth. That Jonah saw so clearly. And I have to tell you honestly5300:05:13,799 –> 00:05:22,700that it has been for me one of the most life transforming truths since about 20-5400:05:22,700 –> 00:05:30,17925 years ago. It dawned into my own soul in a fresh way and it does helped me so5500:05:30,239 –> 00:05:38,779much that I covered that many would share the same help and joy and know already5600:05:38,779 –> 00:05:45,320that many do. But here is how it has helped me to know that salvation comes5700:05:45,320 –> 00:05:51,859from the Lord. And I’ve isolated three ways and they run very deep because they5800:05:51,859 –> 00:06:01,420go to core issues in a Christians life. Number one, grasping more clearly that5900:06:01,420 –> 00:06:07,820salvation comes from the Lord more than anything else has helped in my6000:06:07,820 –> 00:06:15,660experience to deepen my own worship. It really has and I hope that this might6100:06:15,940 –> 00:06:23,399you in the same way. Let me try and put it to you this way, it is a good thing to6200:06:23,399 –> 00:06:35,779know that God is love, it is a greater thing to know that God loves me. Make6300:06:35,779 –> 00:06:44,040difference. I am moved to know that Jesus died on the cross for sinners. I am more6400:06:44,040 –> 00:06:52,679deeply moved to know that Jesus died on the cross for me. And that is the6500:06:52,679 –> 00:06:56,640language of the Bible if you think about Galatians chapter 2 in verse 20. The6600:06:56,640 –> 00:07:03,920apostle Paul says, the Son of God, help me here, the Son of God loved me and gave6700:07:03,920 –> 00:07:09,720himself for me. Very, very personal, you see, that’s the language of the Bible. It’s not6800:07:09,799 –> 00:07:14,940he died generically out there for people in a general sense. Paul says no, I’ve6900:07:14,940 –> 00:07:23,940understood this that the Lord Jesus died specifically pointedly for for me. In7000:07:23,940 –> 00:07:28,000other words when Jesus came into the world and when he died on the cross he7100:07:28,000 –> 00:07:34,880did more than provide a way of salvation for people in general. I find it helpful7200:07:34,880 –> 00:07:38,359to think of it this way, that when Jesus came into the world and when he died on7300:07:38,399 –> 00:07:47,640the cross, he came to save people with names and faces and here’s where my own7400:07:47,640 –> 00:07:58,480heart just gets lifted in amazement, and one of them was me. When he was born he7500:07:58,480 –> 00:08:07,720lay in that manger for me. When he died on the cross he hung there for me.7600:08:08,519 –> 00:08:13,399When he carried sin there were sins that I can think about in my life that he7700:08:13,399 –> 00:08:21,239carried for me. And when he entered hell that I cannot even begin to imagine,7800:08:21,239 –> 00:08:30,279he took hell and entered hell for me. My hell. I tell you the more I think7900:08:30,299 –> 00:08:37,340about the mystery of God’s saving work in my life the more staggering it gets.8000:08:37,340 –> 00:08:41,719And I find just an increasing sense as I think about these things of worship8100:08:41,719 –> 00:08:50,320welling up inside and saying, salvation comes from the Lord.8200:08:50,320 –> 00:08:59,200It’s helped me more than anything else in deepening worship.8300:08:59,200 –> 00:09:02,919Here’s the second way in which it has helped me and this goes very deep as well,8400:09:02,919 –> 00:09:05,539and I hope it might be a particular help to8500:09:05,539 –> 00:09:12,739some this morning, it has helped me so much in strengthening my assurance,8600:09:12,739 –> 00:09:19,059in other words, my confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ with regards to final salvation.8700:09:19,059 –> 00:09:27,739And here’s why it has been so helpful to me, you see if my salvation boils down8800:09:27,820 –> 00:09:32,539to my decision to follow Jesus, if ultimately that’s really what it’s about,8900:09:32,539 –> 00:09:36,299if it boils down to my decision to follow Jesus,9000:09:36,299 –> 00:09:41,559how in all the world do I know I can keep that up?9100:09:41,559 –> 00:09:44,960If my salvation boils down to my decision to follow Jesus,9200:09:44,960 –> 00:09:47,880frankly the best I can do is to say,9300:09:47,880 –> 00:09:53,760Lord I’ll do the best I can to keep it up I’ll give it my best shot!9400:09:53,760 –> 00:09:56,979Thank God my salvation doesn’t depend on my best shot,9500:09:57,039 –> 00:09:59,880don’t you agree with that?9600:09:59,880 –> 00:10:02,739So I find such assurance in being able to say,9700:10:02,739 –> 00:10:07,539well Jonah, salvation comes from the Lord.9800:10:07,539 –> 00:10:11,299Because if God is saving me, really think about it,9900:10:11,299 –> 00:10:16,219if God is saving me I can trust God to keep me.10000:10:16,219 –> 00:10:20,159Let me just read these words, some of you will know them well.10100:10:20,159 –> 00:10:22,340Written by Augusta’s top lady.10200:10:22,340 –> 00:10:25,219Died at the age of 38,10300:10:25,539 –> 00:10:27,179who wrote these amazing words.10400:10:28,380 –> 00:10:31,119The work which his goodness began,10500:10:32,099 –> 00:10:34,940the arm of his strength will complete,10600:10:34,940 –> 00:10:36,580he’s talking about his salvation.10700:10:37,659 –> 00:10:40,340For his promise is, yes, and amen,10800:10:40,340 –> 00:10:42,239and it never was forfeited yet.10900:10:43,460 –> 00:10:45,619Things future, whatever the future holds,11000:10:45,619 –> 00:10:49,340nor things that are now, not all things below or above11100:10:49,340 –> 00:10:51,780can make him his purpose forego.11200:10:51,780 –> 00:10:54,059If he’s determined to save me he’s never gonna drop11300:10:54,059 –> 00:10:56,739on his purpose, and nothing will sever my soul11400:10:56,739 –> 00:10:57,739from his love.11500:10:58,719 –> 00:11:00,280And then this is so beautiful.11600:11:01,500 –> 00:11:06,500My name from the palms of his hands, eternity cannot erase.11700:11:09,039 –> 00:11:10,419See what he’s saying, if it’s really true11800:11:10,419 –> 00:11:12,940that Jesus bore my sins on Calvary,11900:11:12,940 –> 00:11:16,080he came into the world to redeem me, that’s really true,12000:11:17,140 –> 00:11:20,900then how could he ever let go, how could that hand let go12100:11:20,960 –> 00:11:24,539of one for whom that hand was pierced.12200:11:26,520 –> 00:11:29,820Eternity want to erase my name from the palm of his hands.12300:11:29,820 –> 00:11:32,659No, impressed on his own heart it remains12400:11:32,659 –> 00:11:35,340in marks of indelible grace.12500:11:36,359 –> 00:11:39,500And then he says, yes, I to the end shall endure,12600:11:39,500 –> 00:11:42,039for as sure as the earnest, the first down payment12700:11:42,039 –> 00:11:46,479is given, more happy but not more secure,12800:11:46,479 –> 00:11:49,719the glorified spirits in heaven.12900:11:50,320 –> 00:11:51,400See what he’s saying, the Lord Jesus,13000:11:51,400 –> 00:11:53,919who died to save you, lives to keep you,13100:11:53,919 –> 00:11:56,919and he will never let you go.13200:11:58,580 –> 00:12:01,700You see how assurance flows from being able to say13300:12:01,700 –> 00:12:05,400with conviction, with Jonah, salvation comes13400:12:05,400 –> 00:12:07,619from the Lord, God saves.13500:12:08,780 –> 00:12:10,359You’re listening to Open The Bible13600:12:10,359 –> 00:12:13,159with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called13700:12:13,159 –> 00:12:15,280Reduce God’s Salvation.13800:12:15,280 –> 00:12:18,179It’s part of our series on the Book of Jonah13900:12:18,179 –> 00:12:21,500called How to Avoid a God-Centered Life,14000:12:21,500 –> 00:12:24,419and if you’ve missed any of the messages in the series,14100:12:24,419 –> 00:12:26,840you can catch up or go back and listen again14200:12:26,840 –> 00:12:31,820by coming online to our website, openthebible.org.uk.14300:12:31,820 –> 00:12:35,239Back to the message now, here again is Colin.14400:12:35,239 –> 00:12:38,380Here’s the third way in which it has really helped me14500:12:38,380 –> 00:12:41,179to know that salvation comes from the Lord,14600:12:41,179 –> 00:12:46,140and again this one runs very deep and it is very personal.14700:12:46,140 –> 00:12:49,280It has motivated me more than any other truth14800:12:50,140 –> 00:12:53,599to prayer and to evangelism.14900:12:55,039 –> 00:12:56,460Let me tell you why.15000:12:58,239 –> 00:13:03,239I have some people on my mind and heart who need Jesus.15100:13:04,719 –> 00:13:05,559You do too.15200:13:07,000 –> 00:13:09,940I’m thinking about people who are not Christians15300:13:09,940 –> 00:13:14,179and who are not interested in becoming Christians.15400:13:14,700 –> 00:13:16,820And I expect that you can think of folks15500:13:16,820 –> 00:13:19,539who you know and love like that as well.15600:13:21,539 –> 00:13:22,900Now think about this with me.15700:13:22,900 –> 00:13:27,119If salvation boils down to a human choice,15800:13:27,119 –> 00:13:28,760if that’s basically what it is,15900:13:30,039 –> 00:13:32,239then I have no hope whatsoever16000:13:32,239 –> 00:13:34,960for the folks I’m thinking of and the folks I love16100:13:34,960 –> 00:13:38,340because they have already made their human choice16200:13:38,340 –> 00:13:40,099more than abundantly clear16300:13:40,099 –> 00:13:41,419and have done for years.16400:13:41,559 –> 00:13:45,780So if salvation basically is a matter of human choice,16500:13:45,780 –> 00:13:49,020I really have no hope for people I love16600:13:49,020 –> 00:13:50,419who not only are not Christians,16700:13:50,419 –> 00:13:53,239but they’re not interested in becoming Christians.16800:13:56,099 –> 00:13:57,559But think about this with me.16900:13:57,559 –> 00:14:02,559If it is true that God really is free17000:14:04,119 –> 00:14:07,780to swoop down uninvited and lay hold of a person17100:14:07,780 –> 00:14:09,979who is dead in trespasses and sins17200:14:09,979 –> 00:14:12,059and bring them to spiritual life,17300:14:13,500 –> 00:14:15,380that gives me hope.17400:14:16,880 –> 00:14:20,299When I see that God saves,17500:14:20,299 –> 00:14:22,020that puts me in a position of saying17600:14:22,020 –> 00:14:23,760God, it’s You who save,17700:14:23,760 –> 00:14:26,020my hope isn’t in someone changing their mind,17800:14:26,020 –> 00:14:29,280my hope is in You penetrating that life,17900:14:29,280 –> 00:14:30,940getting underneath that armor18000:14:30,940 –> 00:14:34,640and bringing life out of spiritual death.18100:14:35,739 –> 00:14:37,340And I’m asking You to do that,18200:14:37,380 –> 00:14:40,200that’s a reason to pray if God works like that18300:14:40,200 –> 00:14:41,780and that’s what John of Grass,18400:14:41,780 –> 00:14:44,880salvation comes from the Lord.18500:14:44,880 –> 00:14:46,559So more than anything else,18600:14:46,559 –> 00:14:48,780this motivates me to pray.18700:14:48,780 –> 00:14:50,460The Bible does not present to us18800:14:50,460 –> 00:14:52,739a God who stands passively by watching18900:14:52,739 –> 00:14:54,840to see who’s going to make up their mind19000:14:54,840 –> 00:14:56,599to become a Christian.19100:14:56,599 –> 00:14:58,900No, He saves,19200:14:58,900 –> 00:15:02,340saved me as a little boy,19300:15:02,340 –> 00:15:03,900saved Saul of Tarsus19400:15:03,900 –> 00:15:06,619when he was going to try and persecute Christians.19500:15:06,619 –> 00:15:08,260Just broke into his life.19600:15:08,260 –> 00:15:09,619That’s how salvation happens.19700:15:09,619 –> 00:15:11,340That’s how your salvation happens.19800:15:11,340 –> 00:15:13,020However simple it seems,19900:15:13,020 –> 00:15:16,099it has a dynamic behind it that is amazing.20000:15:17,580 –> 00:15:18,700When you see that,20100:15:18,700 –> 00:15:20,599you begin to gather the courage to pray20200:15:20,599 –> 00:15:22,960for people who have absolutely no interest20300:15:22,960 –> 00:15:24,219in the things of the Gospel20400:15:24,219 –> 00:15:27,500because they’re not harder for God saving power.20500:15:29,380 –> 00:15:30,359And it motivates me20600:15:30,359 –> 00:15:32,460more than anything else for evangelism20700:15:32,460 –> 00:15:35,179because God saves how?20800:15:35,179 –> 00:15:36,580Through the gospel.20900:15:37,580 –> 00:15:39,059Faith comes by hearing21000:15:39,059 –> 00:15:40,799and hearing by the word of God.21100:15:40,799 –> 00:15:43,219Well now, if God swoops down into people’s lives21200:15:43,219 –> 00:15:45,780uninvited by the gospel,21300:15:45,780 –> 00:15:46,700ambushes people,21400:15:46,700 –> 00:15:48,299takes them by surprise,21500:15:48,299 –> 00:15:51,200that encourages me to share the gospel,21600:15:51,200 –> 00:15:52,500to hand out a gospel tract,21700:15:52,500 –> 00:15:54,700give a book that explains the Christian message,21800:15:54,700 –> 00:15:55,679preach.21900:15:57,700 –> 00:15:59,659That’s the point of the parable of the sower, isn’t it?22000:15:59,659 –> 00:16:00,880He sows out the seed22100:16:00,880 –> 00:16:04,419and he knows some of it’s going to land on hard ground,22200:16:04,919 –> 00:16:08,440but he also knows that some is going to land on ground22300:16:08,440 –> 00:16:11,380for it will grow and it will produce 30, 60 hundred fold.22400:16:13,440 –> 00:16:14,700I do not know.22500:16:14,700 –> 00:16:17,340How could I possibly know?22600:16:17,340 –> 00:16:19,760Who in this congregation will be saved today?22700:16:19,760 –> 00:16:21,419But I believe that God saves,22800:16:21,419 –> 00:16:23,520that’s a reason for putting out the gospel.22900:16:25,419 –> 00:16:27,020It’s week by week and month by month23000:16:27,020 –> 00:16:28,940and year by year people are saved23100:16:28,940 –> 00:16:30,320and their lives are changed why?23200:16:30,320 –> 00:16:31,700By the gospel.23300:16:32,780 –> 00:16:33,619God swoops in,23400:16:34,000 –> 00:16:39,080hears and says, I come to trust Christ.23500:16:39,080 –> 00:16:41,979Behind that is a whole amazing miracle23600:16:41,979 –> 00:16:44,880of God’s grace, that would lead us all to worship.23700:16:47,200 –> 00:16:49,440When Jonah said salvation comes from the Lord23800:16:49,440 –> 00:16:52,280he was saying more than that God makes salvation possible.23900:16:52,280 –> 00:16:55,239Jonah was saying God saves.24000:16:55,239 –> 00:16:56,960Aren’t you glad that God saves?24100:16:58,000 –> 00:16:59,760Aren’t you glad that God saved you?24200:16:59,799 –> 00:17:02,059Are you glad that God saved you?24300:17:03,119 –> 00:17:06,739Now here’s the last thing and it is so important.24400:17:08,239 –> 00:17:11,920I want to say a word in these last moments24500:17:11,920 –> 00:17:15,760to people who would say I’m not sure24600:17:15,760 –> 00:17:17,560that I have been saved.24700:17:18,900 –> 00:17:20,520I’m not sure I’m being saved24800:17:20,520 –> 00:17:22,560and I’m not sure that I will be saved.24900:17:24,280 –> 00:17:25,939And your thought might be like this,25000:17:25,939 –> 00:17:27,780you might say well I hear what you’re saying25100:17:27,780 –> 00:17:31,140but if salvation comes from the Lord,25200:17:31,140 –> 00:17:33,640then what can I do?25300:17:33,640 –> 00:17:36,140Doesn’t that leave me without hope?25400:17:38,540 –> 00:17:42,780Now I want you to hear me crystal clear on this one,25500:17:44,900 –> 00:17:47,520it’s precisely the opposite.25600:17:49,140 –> 00:17:52,680The fact that God saves doesn’t close25700:17:52,680 –> 00:17:54,140the door of hope for you.25800:17:54,140 –> 00:17:56,339The fact that God saves is the very thing25900:17:56,380 –> 00:18:00,619that opens the door of hope for you.26000:18:02,800 –> 00:18:04,479Let me explain that in just a moment26100:18:04,479 –> 00:18:07,680by asking you a few simple questions.26200:18:07,680 –> 00:18:09,099You’re saying I’m not sure I’m saved,26300:18:09,099 –> 00:18:10,760not sure I will be saved.26400:18:12,020 –> 00:18:13,599Let me ask you these questions.26500:18:15,579 –> 00:18:17,339How are you going to have faith?26600:18:18,219 –> 00:18:20,540How are you going to live a life of faith?26700:18:21,939 –> 00:18:23,619How are you going to love God26800:18:23,619 –> 00:18:25,160more than you love yourself?26900:18:27,099 –> 00:18:29,780How are you going to overcome sin in your life27000:18:29,780 –> 00:18:31,219that has been habit forming,27100:18:31,219 –> 00:18:35,219and perhaps so habit forming that you hardly notice it.27200:18:35,219 –> 00:18:39,619How are you even going to sustain a desire to change?27300:18:40,699 –> 00:18:43,920You can’t do that, and you know it.27400:18:46,380 –> 00:18:50,020But God can do these things for you,27500:18:50,020 –> 00:18:51,859and he can do them in you.27600:18:52,680 –> 00:18:56,520Salvation comes from the Lord, not from yourself.27700:18:58,339 –> 00:19:02,939And when you see that, you will begin to find hope in him.27800:19:02,939 –> 00:19:05,660You will gather courage to come to him,27900:19:05,660 –> 00:19:09,579to draw near to him, and to ask him to save you.28000:19:13,219 –> 00:19:15,140See, almost every week,28100:19:17,599 –> 00:19:20,339I have a conversation with someone who, in some way,28200:19:21,099 –> 00:19:24,400is totally absorbed with their own inability28300:19:24,400 –> 00:19:26,140to deal with their own problems.28400:19:27,439 –> 00:19:29,760And they talk about all the aspects of their own problems28500:19:29,760 –> 00:19:31,380and about themselves.28600:19:31,380 –> 00:19:35,760And what I’m saying to you in this moment is,28700:19:35,760 –> 00:19:40,359get your eyes off your own inability to save yourself28800:19:40,359 –> 00:19:43,819and get your eyes onto the one who has28900:19:43,819 –> 00:19:46,540all the power in the world to save you.29000:19:48,040 –> 00:19:50,079You look to Jesus Christ,29100:19:50,900 –> 00:19:53,560the Lord saved Jonah,29200:19:55,040 –> 00:19:57,719the Lord saved a man called Saul of Tarsus29300:19:57,719 –> 00:20:00,319who couldn’t have been more anti-Christian29400:20:00,319 –> 00:20:02,979and his whole life was turned around.29500:20:03,979 –> 00:20:08,619Think about this, the Lord is saving scores of people29600:20:08,619 –> 00:20:10,260who are sitting all around you.29700:20:11,880 –> 00:20:13,760If the Lord is saving scores of people29800:20:13,760 –> 00:20:15,180who are sitting all around you,29900:20:15,180 –> 00:20:17,439why should he not save you?30000:20:18,400 –> 00:20:21,319Why should you not say, Lord I can’t save myself,30100:20:21,319 –> 00:20:23,500I’m looking to you to save me30200:20:23,500 –> 00:20:26,479because I believe that salvation comes from the Lord.30300:20:26,479 –> 00:20:28,180Why shouldn’t you do that, today?30400:20:30,239 –> 00:20:33,640Let me read you just one paragraph from C.H. Spurgeon.30500:20:33,640 –> 00:20:36,880Here’s how he ended his marvelous sermon30600:20:36,880 –> 00:20:38,920on Jonah chapter two in verse nine.30700:20:40,199 –> 00:20:41,339Let me just read these words,30800:20:41,339 –> 00:20:42,839they were 150 years old,30900:20:42,839 –> 00:20:45,579so I’m paraphrasing them, and then we’re gonna pray.31000:20:47,760 –> 00:20:51,540Everybody here, he says, has a soul to be saved31100:20:51,540 –> 00:20:53,180or a soul to be lost.31200:20:54,739 –> 00:20:57,459And you will be lost forever unless God saves you.31300:20:59,180 –> 00:21:01,339Unless Christ shall have mercy on you,31400:21:01,339 –> 00:21:03,119there is no other hope for you.31500:21:04,939 –> 00:21:06,640And I love the directness of this.31600:21:08,060 –> 00:21:09,540Down on your knees,31700:21:11,380 –> 00:21:13,119cry to God for mercy.31800:21:14,060 –> 00:21:17,579Lift up your heart in prayer toGod now.31900:21:19,079 –> 00:21:22,800May this be the moment when you will be saved.32000:21:24,239 –> 00:21:28,880He says, peace with God is to be had now, today.32100:21:28,880 –> 00:21:31,599So ask and seek and knock.32200:21:33,280 –> 00:21:35,140Come to Christ32300:21:36,459 –> 00:21:38,579and be accepted32400:21:39,599 –> 00:21:42,119in His beloved.32500:21:42,439 –> 00:21:43,640Beloved, son.32600:21:46,000 –> 00:21:47,839I love that challenge from Colin32700:21:47,839 –> 00:21:50,640to get our eyes off ourselves32800:21:50,640 –> 00:21:52,959and our own inability to change32900:21:52,959 –> 00:21:57,880and instead fix our eyes on Jesus and his power to save.33000:21:57,880 –> 00:21:59,479You’ve been listening to open the Bible33100:21:59,479 –> 00:22:02,920with Pastor Colin Smith and the final message33200:22:02,920 –> 00:22:05,760in the series how to avoid a God centered life33300:22:05,760 –> 00:22:08,020based on the book of Jonah.33400:22:08,020 –> 00:22:10,160Don’t forget if you’ve missed any of the series33500:22:10,160 –> 00:22:12,839or if you want to go back and listen to any of them again33600:22:12,839 –> 00:22:14,339they are all available online,33700:22:14,339 –> 00:22:18,420come to our website openthebible.org.uk33800:22:18,420 –> 00:22:20,060or you can find them as a podcast33900:22:20,060 –> 00:22:22,000on all the main podcast sites.34000:22:22,000 –> 00:22:24,119Search for Open the Bible UK34100:22:24,119 –> 00:22:26,359or follow the link from our website.34200:22:27,280 –> 00:22:30,500Also available on our website and as a podcast34300:22:30,500 –> 00:22:32,300you’ll find open the Bible daily34400:22:32,300 –> 00:22:35,619which is our series of short two to three minute34500:22:35,619 –> 00:22:37,640daily reflection programs34600:22:37,640 –> 00:22:39,800based on Pastor Colin’s teaching.34700:22:39,859 –> 00:22:41,040There’s a new one every day34800:22:41,040 –> 00:22:42,859and many Christians start their day34900:22:42,859 –> 00:22:44,839with open the Bible daily.35000:22:45,859 –> 00:22:49,280Open the Bible is supported financially by our listeners.35100:22:49,280 –> 00:22:51,699It’s donations from people just like you35200:22:51,699 –> 00:22:53,500which keeps open the Bible35300:22:53,500 –> 00:22:55,839on the air and on the internet.35400:22:55,839 –> 00:22:58,060So if you already give to support the work35500:22:58,060 –> 00:22:59,719thank you so much.35600:22:59,719 –> 00:23:01,459If that’s something you’ve been thinking35700:23:01,459 –> 00:23:03,619of doing either with a one-off gift35800:23:03,619 –> 00:23:05,900or as a regular donation35900:23:05,900 –> 00:23:07,319we’d love to say thank you36000:23:07,319 –> 00:23:09,459by offering you a free gift.36100:23:09,459 –> 00:23:11,560Here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham36200:23:11,560 –> 00:23:12,920to tell us about it.36300:23:12,920 –> 00:23:14,339I don’t know about you David36400:23:14,339 –> 00:23:16,780but I cannot walk into a shop at the moment36500:23:16,780 –> 00:23:18,119without being reminded36600:23:18,119 –> 00:23:20,619that it is Valentine season,36700:23:20,619 –> 00:23:23,540cards, chocolates and love.36800:23:23,540 –> 00:23:26,140However, I’ve been really struck this month36900:23:26,140 –> 00:23:28,439by a deeper, better love37000:23:28,439 –> 00:23:31,040the kind we see in the Gospels.37100:23:31,040 –> 00:23:32,760Here at Open The Bible UK37200:23:32,760 –> 00:23:36,459we’re reading Gospel Stories by Andrew Wilson37300:23:36,459 –> 00:23:39,199and I found it such a helpful book.37400:23:39,199 –> 00:23:41,520In the Gospels Jesus often teaches37500:23:41,520 –> 00:23:44,099through stories and real encounters.37600:23:44,099 –> 00:23:46,719So Andrew Wilson helps you slow down37700:23:46,719 –> 00:23:49,719and really see what those moments reveal37800:23:49,719 –> 00:23:51,660about who Jesus is,37900:23:51,660 –> 00:23:52,880why he came38000:23:52,880 –> 00:23:55,479and the kind of love that he offers,38100:23:55,479 –> 00:23:57,079a love that pursues us,38200:23:57,079 –> 00:23:58,199forgives us,38300:23:58,199 –> 00:24:01,160restores us and never lets go.38400:24:01,160 –> 00:24:03,000I think it’s a wonderful book to use38500:24:03,000 –> 00:24:04,319in your own quiet time38600:24:04,319 –> 00:24:05,719or to share with a friend38700:24:05,719 –> 00:24:08,000or even to read in a small group.38800:24:08,239 –> 00:24:10,140And especially this February,38900:24:10,140 –> 00:24:11,959it’s been a reminder to me39000:24:11,959 –> 00:24:13,280that the truest love39100:24:13,280 –> 00:24:16,020isn’t something we achieve or buy.39200:24:16,020 –> 00:24:19,119It’s something we receive in Christ.39300:24:19,119 –> 00:24:20,819Gospel Stories is our free39400:24:20,819 –> 00:24:22,420thank you gift when you give39500:24:22,420 –> 00:24:25,619a one off donation of at least £5039600:24:25,619 –> 00:24:28,079or when you set up a new direct debit39700:24:28,079 –> 00:24:30,380of just £5 a month.39800:24:30,380 –> 00:24:32,900But please do remember to include39900:24:32,900 –> 00:24:35,500your name and address when you donate40000:24:36,319 –> 00:24:37,979so we can send your copy out to you.40100:24:37,979 –> 00:24:40,719So, that offer is available all this month40200:24:40,719 –> 00:24:43,339and you can find full Terms and Conditions40300:24:43,339 –> 00:24:45,500and you can give online at our website40400:24:49,500 –> 00:24:51,500And again, if you give through the website,40500:24:51,500 –> 00:24:54,160please remember to give your full name and address40600:24:54,160 –> 00:24:55,839so we can send you your gift.40700:24:55,839 –> 00:24:58,859For Pastor Colin Smith and Open The Bible,40800:24:58,859 –> 00:25:00,359I’m David Pick40900:25:00,359 –> 00:25:02,939and I hope you’ll join us again next time.41000:25:05,979 –> 00:25:09,959Open The Bible41100:25:11,260 –> 00:25:13,239How important is your heart?41200:25:13,239 –> 00:25:15,880Find out next time on Open The Bible.