Restore Creation, Part 1

Isaiah 65:13-25
Broadcast Featured Image

In today’s message titled “Restore Worship”, taken from our series “Restore My Soul”, we will explore the last verses of Isaiah’s prophecy concerning the miseries of Hell, the joy of Heaven, and how both of these realities should shape our worship and lives today.

As we navigate through Isaiah’s words, we are invited to consider our own journey, the choices we make, and the eternal implications they hold. Whether it’s a reflection on the narrow road that leads to life or the broad road to destruction, the sermon prompts us to ponder deeply our individual paths.

Furthermore, the broadcast will discuss the contrasting fates of the righteous and the wicked, as seen through the lens of Scripture. It provides a moment to visualise the joy of those embracing salvation and the sorrow of those facing judgment.

Join us as we open the Bible and receive encouragement, wisdom, and challenge from God’s word. If you happen to miss any part of this message or wish to revisit past teachings, remember that you can always catch up online at openthebible.org.uk

1

00:00:00,000 –> 00:00:03,000

4. May 1st, 2014

2

00:00:03,000 –> 00:00:07,000

May 1st, 2014

3

00:00:07,000 –> 00:00:12,000

May 1st, 2014

4

00:00:12,000 –> 00:00:17,000

May 1st, 2014

5

00:00:17,000 –> 00:00:22,000

May 1st, 2014

6

00:00:22,000 –> 00:00:27,000

May 1st, 2014

7

00:00:27,000 –> 00:00:32,000

May 1st, 2014

8

00:00:32,000 –> 00:00:37,000

May 1st, 2014

9

00:00:37,000 –> 00:00:42,000

May 1st, 2014

10

00:00:42,000 –> 00:00:47,000

May 1st, 2014

11

00:00:47,000 –> 00:00:52,000

May 1st, 2014

12

00:00:52,000 –> 00:00:57,000

May 1st, 2014

13

00:00:57,000 –> 00:01:02,000

May 1st, 2014

14

00:01:02,000 –> 00:01:07,000

May 1st, 2014

15

00:01:07,000 –> 00:01:12,000

May 1st, 2014

16

00:01:12,000 –> 00:01:17,000

May 1st, 2014

17

00:01:17,000 –> 00:01:22,000

May 1st, 2014

18

00:01:22,000 –> 00:01:27,000

May 1st, 2014

19

00:01:27,000 –> 00:01:32,000

May 1st, 2014

20

00:01:32,000 –> 00:01:37,000

May 1st, 2014

21

00:01:37,000 –> 00:01:42,000

May 1st, 2014

22

00:01:42,000 –> 00:01:47,000

May 1st, 2014

23

00:01:49,000 –> 00:01:54,000

May 1st, 2014

24

00:01:54,000 –> 00:01:59,000

May 1st, 2014

25

00:02:00,000 –> 00:02:05,000

May 1st, 2014

26

00:02:05,000 –> 00:02:10,000

May 1st, 2014

27

00:02:10,000 –> 00:02:15,000

May 1st, 2014

28

00:02:16,000 –> 00:02:21,000

May 1st, 2014

29

00:02:22,000 –> 00:02:27,000

May 1st, 2014

30

00:02:28,000 –> 00:02:33,000

May 1st, 2014

31

00:02:33,000 –> 00:02:38,000

May 1st, 2014

32

00:02:39,000 –> 00:02:44,000

May 1st, 2014

33

00:02:45,000 –> 00:02:50,000

May 1st, 2014

34

00:02:52,000 –> 00:02:57,000

May 1st, 2014

35

00:03:27,000 –> 00:03:32,000

May 1st, 2014

36

00:03:33,000 –> 00:03:38,000

May 1st, 2014

37

00:03:41,000 –> 00:03:46,000

May 1st, 2014

38

00:03:47,000 –> 00:03:52,000

May 1st, 2014

39

00:03:52,000 –> 00:03:57,000

May 1st, 2014

40

00:03:59,000 –> 00:04:04,000

May 1st, 2014

41

00:04:06,000 –> 00:04:11,000

May 1st, 2014

42

00:04:11,000 –> 00:04:18,600

Last verses of Isaiah’s great prophecy where significantly he speaks about the miseries of Hell.

43

00:04:18,600 –> 00:04:24,399

Let’s begin then in Isaiah chapter 65 and verse 13.

44

00:04:24,399 –> 00:04:29,600

I wanted you to notice as Isaiah introduces This Last Great Theme of His Prophecy

45

00:04:29,600 –> 00:04:33,200

that he is speaking the word that Almighty God Himself had given.

46

00:04:33,200 –> 00:04:38,200

That’s what prophecy is, it is the speaking of a word uniquely given by God.

47

00:04:38,200 –> 00:04:41,700

And so verse 13, a phrase that often occurs in the book of Isaiah,

48

00:04:41,700 –> 00:04:45,500

this is what the Sovereign Lord says!

49

00:04:45,500 –> 00:04:51,399

This is not Colin’s ideas, this is not Isaiah’s ideas,

50

00:04:51,399 –> 00:04:55,100

Isaiah speaking as a prophet says this is what God says,

51

00:04:55,100 –> 00:04:57,600

this is what has been revealed to Isaiah, the prophet

52

00:04:57,600 –> 00:05:00,399

So that you and I and everyone elsedeath

53

00:05:00,399 –> 00:05:04,100

with eyes to see and ears to hear might know what God says

54

00:05:04,100 –> 00:05:07,200

and He describes two groups of people, two destinies.

55

00:05:07,200 –> 00:05:10,600

He speaks if you look through verse 13 through 15

56

00:05:10,600 –> 00:05:15,600

of one group of people who are eating and then they are drinking

57

00:05:15,600 –> 00:05:19,399

and they are rejoicing and they are singing.

58

00:05:19,399 –> 00:05:23,799

And then he speaks of others who are hungry and they’re thirsty

59

00:05:24,100 –> 00:05:29,700

and they are ashamed and they are crying out from anguish of heart.

60

00:05:29,700 –> 00:05:34,399

Now he’s introducing here the theme of two destinies

61

00:05:34,399 –> 00:05:37,100

about which the Bible speaks again and again.

62

00:05:37,100 –> 00:05:41,600

It was never spoken of more clearly than by our Lord Jesus Christ himself

63

00:05:41,600 –> 00:05:43,399

who put it this way.

64

00:05:43,399 –> 00:05:46,799

He said that there is a narrow road and it leads to life

65

00:05:46,799 –> 00:05:50,799

and that there is a very broad road and it leads to destruction

66

00:05:50,799 –> 00:05:56,899

and lots of people are walking on that broad road.

67

00:05:56,899 –> 00:06:00,600

So every person then in this worship service right now

68

00:06:00,600 –> 00:06:05,899

will personally experience either heaven or hell.

69

00:06:05,899 –> 00:06:10,000

It is an awesome reality just to ponder and consider for a moment.

70

00:06:10,000 –> 00:06:13,399

Every person in this sanctuary right now

71

00:06:13,399 –> 00:06:20,600

will personally experience either heaven or hell.

72

00:06:20,799 –> 00:06:24,200

This is true of every American.

73

00:06:24,200 –> 00:06:29,700

It is true of every European, of every person from Africa and Asia.

74

00:06:29,700 –> 00:06:35,000

It’s true of every confident millionaire.

75

00:06:35,000 –> 00:06:40,100

It is true of every person on the minimum wage and earning no wage.

76

00:06:40,100 –> 00:06:45,399

It is true of every student and every teacher and every stay at home mom.

77

00:06:45,399 –> 00:06:48,799

Every person will one day enter forever

78

00:06:49,700 –> 00:06:56,600

God’s blessing or forever live under God’s condemnation.

79

00:06:56,600 –> 00:07:00,920

Now it would seem from the scriptures that these two groups introduced to us in the verses

80

00:07:00,920 –> 00:07:05,500

we’ve looked at will have awareness of one another.

81

00:07:05,500 –> 00:07:12,600

I mention this because pondering it has brought a freshness of force about this whole issue

82

00:07:12,600 –> 00:07:17,200

to my own heart over these last days.

83

00:07:17,200 –> 00:07:23,559

You remember our Lord Jesus spoke in Matthew chapter 25 of the nations being gathered before

84

00:07:23,559 –> 00:07:24,559

him.

85

00:07:24,559 –> 00:07:27,279

And he tells how he will separate the sheep from the goats.

86

00:07:27,279 –> 00:07:28,880

This is Matthew chapter 25.

87

00:07:28,880 –> 00:07:33,799

And He will speak to the righteous, in the hearing of the wicked, telling the righteous

88

00:07:33,799 –> 00:07:37,359

what they have done and welcoming them into everlasting life.

89

00:07:37,359 –> 00:07:41,140

And He will speak to the wicked, identifying what they have done and what they have not

90

00:07:41,140 –> 00:07:42,140

done.

91

00:07:42,140 –> 00:07:43,739

And He will do it in the hearing of the righteous.

92

00:07:44,119 –> 00:07:49,899

He will assign all of us to our respective destinies.

93

00:07:49,899 –> 00:07:56,679

So the righteous will hear the sentencing of the wicked.

94

00:07:56,679 –> 00:08:03,000

And the wicked will hear and see the salvation of the righteous.

95

00:08:03,000 –> 00:08:10,760

Jesus spoke about this in Luke chapter 13, in verse 28 and 29, where he speaks of the

96

00:08:10,760 –> 00:08:11,760

wicked.

97

00:08:11,760 –> 00:08:14,660

And he says to them, you will see Abraham.

98

00:08:14,660 –> 00:08:16,359

You’ll see them.

99

00:08:16,359 –> 00:08:17,359

You will see Isaac.

100

00:08:17,359 –> 00:08:19,679

You’ll see Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom.

101

00:08:19,679 –> 00:08:25,540

You’ll see them and you yourselves outside.

102

00:08:25,540 –> 00:08:35,320

In other words you will see what you have lost, Jesus is saying.

103

00:08:35,479 –> 00:08:40,520

The converse is also true and I think it is stated here for us in Isaiah chapter 66 in

104

00:08:40,520 –> 00:08:45,479

verse 24, the last verse of Isaiah’s prophecy, where he says of the righteous that they will

105

00:08:45,479 –> 00:08:50,919

go out and they will look upon the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against the Lord

106

00:08:50,919 –> 00:08:53,640

whose worm does not die and whose fire will not be quenched.

107

00:08:53,640 –> 00:09:03,640

In other words the righteous will see what they have been saved from.

108

00:09:03,640 –> 00:09:09,580

And you will love and worship Jesus and your own mouth, my mouth will surely be stopped

109

00:09:09,580 –> 00:09:14,719

completely as we see in full measure.

110

00:09:14,719 –> 00:09:20,000

Just what it is that Jesus saved you from.

111

00:09:20,000 –> 00:09:26,039

Now I want us just to ponder the significance of this for one moment.

112

00:09:26,039 –> 00:09:30,599

The righteous will hear the sentencing of the wicked and the wicked will see the salvation

113

00:09:30,599 –> 00:09:32,760

of the righteous.

114

00:09:32,760 –> 00:09:44,400

What that means is this, some who have friends who love Christ and serve Christ will see

115

00:09:44,400 –> 00:09:53,640

their friends entering everlasting joy while they themselves enter into everlasting loss.

116

00:09:53,640 –> 00:09:56,619

Think about that.

117

00:09:56,619 –> 00:10:05,619

Some who have children who love Christ, but they don’t, or parents who love Christ, but

118

00:10:05,619 –> 00:10:06,880

they don’t.

119

00:10:06,880 –> 00:10:13,559

They will see parents or children entering into everlasting joy while they themselves

120

00:10:13,559 –> 00:10:17,859

enter into everlasting destruction.

121

00:10:17,859 –> 00:10:25,419

Think about that young person as you go on resisting the love of a father or a mother

122

00:10:25,559 –> 00:10:30,640

who wants to draw you to Jesus Christ, think if you’re to stay on that path of what that

123

00:10:30,640 –> 00:10:34,320

will mean for you one day.

124

00:10:34,320 –> 00:10:39,960

Some who have been hypocrites within the church, blending imperceptibly into the congragation,

125

00:10:39,960 –> 00:10:44,559

pretending to be Christian, but living a double life.

126

00:10:44,559 –> 00:10:51,559

You will see those you sang beside and served beside.

127

00:10:51,559 –> 00:11:00,340

You’ll see them who you know entering into everlasting joy, while you yourself enter

128

00:11:00,340 –> 00:11:02,700

into everlasting sorrow.

129

00:11:02,700 –> 00:11:12,059

I want us to feel the weight and the reality of this because no one here will say, why

130

00:11:12,059 –> 00:11:14,739

didn’t someone say something about this.

131

00:11:14,739 –> 00:11:18,419

You’re listening to OPEN THE BIBLE with pastor Colin Smith and we’re going to pause our message

132

00:11:18,419 –> 00:11:19,599

briefly there.

133

00:11:19,659 –> 00:11:22,559

But we’ll be back shortly so I hope you’ll stay with us.

134

00:11:22,559 –> 00:11:27,239

The message is called Restore Worship and it’s part of our series Restore My Soul.

135

00:11:27,239 –> 00:11:30,840

And don’t forget, you can always go back and listen again or catch up online,

136

00:11:30,840 –> 00:11:36,000

if you’ve missed any of the series and that’s at openthebible.org.uk

137

00:11:36,880 –> 00:11:39,919

All this month we’ve been talking about C. H. Spurgeon’s book

138

00:11:39,919 –> 00:11:42,039

Encouragement For the Depressed

139

00:11:42,039 –> 00:11:47,000

That’s our free gift to you if you are able to set up a new donation to the work of Open

140

00:11:47,840 –> 00:11:51,119

the Bible in the amount of £5 per month or more.

141

00:11:51,119 –> 00:11:54,320

I’ll be talking to Colin later in the programme about that book.

142

00:11:54,320 –> 00:11:58,080

So if you’re considering supporting Open the Bible in that way,

143

00:11:58,080 –> 00:12:01,359

I hope you’ll take advantage of this offer this month.

144

00:12:01,359 –> 00:12:05,760

Full details on our website openthebible.org.uk

145

00:12:05,760 –> 00:12:07,520

Back to the message now.

146

00:12:07,520 –> 00:12:08,960

Here’s Colin.

147

00:12:08,960 –> 00:12:13,559

Now I want us to look at heaven first and we’ll spend most of the time here and

148

00:12:13,559 –> 00:12:17,960

I have described heaven as a world of love.

149

00:12:17,960 –> 00:12:23,960

And I want us to notice here and really to savour the delight that Isaiah lays before

150

00:12:23,960 –> 00:12:28,940

God’s redeemed people as he speaks about the new heaven and the new earth.

151

00:12:28,940 –> 00:12:33,580

Now notice verse 17, that he is speaking about the new heaven and the new earth, quite clearly

152

00:12:33,580 –> 00:12:34,580

stated.

153

00:12:34,580 –> 00:12:41,880

So what Isiah is speaking about here in chapter 65, according to verse 17, is the same thing

154

00:12:41,960 –> 00:12:48,739

as the apostle John speaks about in chapter 21 and chapter 22 of the book of Revelation,

155

00:12:48,739 –> 00:12:50,840

that is the new heaven and the new earth.

156

00:12:50,840 –> 00:12:55,559

In other words, he is speaking about what God will do after the thousand year reign

157

00:12:55,559 –> 00:12:59,580

of Christ that is described in Revelation in chapter 20.

158

00:12:59,580 –> 00:13:05,559

That’s very important to grasp what verse 17 clearly says, so that we know how to understand

159

00:13:05,559 –> 00:13:06,900

the rest of this passage.

160

00:13:06,900 –> 00:13:11,440

It’s about, Isaiah says, the new heaven and the new earth.

161

00:13:11,539 –> 00:13:18,700

And in the new heaven and the new earth here are some delights that God’s people will savor

162

00:13:18,700 –> 00:13:19,700

forever.

163

00:13:20,979 –> 00:13:22,280

You ready?

164

00:13:22,280 –> 00:13:26,840

Number one, a restored joy, verse 17-19,

165

00:13:26,840 –> 00:13:30,099

Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth.

166

00:13:30,099 –> 00:13:35,599

The former things will not be remembered nor will they come to mind, but be glad and rejoice

167

00:13:35,599 –> 00:13:38,400

forever in what I will create.

168

00:13:38,400 –> 00:13:42,479

For I will create Jerusalem to be a delight, and its people a joy.

169

00:13:42,479 –> 00:13:47,719

I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in My people, and the sound of weeping and

170

00:13:47,719 –> 00:13:53,799

of crying will be heard in it no more.

171

00:13:53,799 –> 00:13:58,039

Now when the Lord says here that the former things will not be remembered nor will they

172

00:13:58,039 –> 00:14:07,280

come to mind, He is not saying that we will have a collective and total amnesia of life

173

00:14:07,280 –> 00:14:09,299

in this world.

174

00:14:09,299 –> 00:14:13,340

We will know one another in heaven.

175

00:14:13,340 –> 00:14:20,580

We will know Christ’s love for us, how could we ever forget the redeeming grace of Christ

176

00:14:20,580 –> 00:14:22,039

throughout our lives.

177

00:14:22,039 –> 00:14:27,000

And since the Book of Revelation makes it clear that forever God’s people will center

178

00:14:27,000 –> 00:14:32,500

their worship around the blood of the Lamb who was slain and triumphed even over death

179

00:14:32,659 –> 00:14:37,960

and therefore is forever and ever our Savior, we will certainly not ever forget that or

180

00:14:37,960 –> 00:14:43,799

what it has meant for us to be redeemed out of our fallen and rebellious condition by

181

00:14:43,799 –> 00:14:47,159

the grace and the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

182

00:14:47,159 –> 00:14:51,380

So, when Isaiah says that the former things will not be remembered, what he’s telling

183

00:14:51,380 –> 00:14:53,400

us is this.

184

00:14:53,400 –> 00:15:00,580

What breaks your heart now will no longer be on your horizon then.

185

00:15:00,840 –> 00:15:07,679

What causes you pain and distress right now will no longer have power over you.

186

00:15:07,679 –> 00:15:11,919

It will no longer be present with you, or to you.

187

00:15:11,919 –> 00:15:16,359

You will find joy, the Lord says here, in what I will create.

188

00:15:16,359 –> 00:15:18,000

That will be your joy.

189

00:15:18,000 –> 00:15:22,919

You will find joy in the city of God, and you will find joy in the people of God, and

190

00:15:22,919 –> 00:15:29,599

your greatest delight will be in the joy that God has over you.

191

00:15:29,599 –> 00:15:34,419

And Isaiah says, the sound of weeping and crying, therefore, will be heard no more.

192

00:15:34,419 –> 00:15:37,940

John puts that in Revelation another way.

193

00:15:37,940 –> 00:15:46,299

God will wipe all tears from our eyes, literally it means all tears out of our eyes, as if

194

00:15:46,299 –> 00:15:50,719

the very source of weeping itself is now gone.

195

00:15:50,719 –> 00:15:53,400

This is such an intimate picture.

196

00:15:53,479 –> 00:16:03,159

A loving father wipes tears from the eyes of a young child.

197

00:16:03,159 –> 00:16:08,640

Can you imagine God himself doing this for you?

198

00:16:08,640 –> 00:16:11,380

You being so close to God.

199

00:16:11,380 –> 00:16:15,960

Him having such a depth of knowledge of every sorrow you have ever experienced in your entire

200

00:16:16,880 –> 00:16:28,619

You might think that mopping up the tears of

201

00:16:28,619 –> 00:16:32,900

Christians is the sort of stuff God would delegate to an angel.

202

00:16:32,900 –> 00:16:39,400

But our loving father chooses to do that for you and for every one of his children himself.

203

00:16:40,119 –> 00:16:50,119

Now, this I

204

00:16:50,119 –> 00:16:59,140

think touches on an important question that is often asked, I’ve been asked it many

205

00:16:59,140 –> 00:17:03,799

times and surely every pastor has asked this question at some time, and it is a difficult

206

00:17:03,799 –> 00:17:05,160

question, not easy to answer.

207

00:17:05,160 –> 00:17:16,439

It goes like this, how could a person be truly happy in heaven if they have loved ones who

208

00:17:16,439 –> 00:17:18,680

are not with them?

209

00:17:18,680 –> 00:17:27,099

I imagine that probably all of us, including the speaker, have asked and pondered and perhaps

210

00:17:27,099 –> 00:17:29,780

even agonized over that question.

211

00:17:29,780 –> 00:17:33,319

It is a difficult question.

212

00:17:33,540 –> 00:17:37,140

But I think we can say two things from these scriptures.

213

00:17:37,140 –> 00:17:45,739

Number one, the former things will be remembered no more, nor will they come to mind.

214

00:17:45,739 –> 00:17:54,939

Number two, God will wipe all tears out of your eyes.

215

00:17:54,939 –> 00:18:02,859

And the sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more.

216

00:18:02,979 –> 00:18:10,020

There is ahead of every redeemed person restored joy.

217

00:18:10,020 –> 00:18:14,380

Number two, there is ahead of very redeemed person restored vigor.

218

00:18:14,380 –> 00:18:20,619

Verse 20, never again will there be in it that is in now the New Jerusalem an infant

219

00:18:20,619 –> 00:18:25,140

who lives but a few days or an old man who does not live out his years.

220

00:18:25,140 –> 00:18:29,680

He who dies at 100 will be thought a mere youth and he who fails to reach 100, considered

221

00:18:29,680 –> 00:18:30,680

a curse.

222

00:18:30,880 –> 00:18:33,239

Let’s take the last part of the verse first.

223

00:18:33,239 –> 00:18:37,180

Isaiah is telling us here, remembering that he’s talking about the New Heaven and the

224

00:18:37,180 –> 00:18:38,180

New Earth.

225

00:18:38,180 –> 00:18:41,560

He is saying in language that we can understand death will be no more.

226

00:18:41,560 –> 00:18:47,839

He is using an analogy of what we can grasp to help us to lay hold in some measure of

227

00:18:47,839 –> 00:18:50,599

what really is beyond our grasp at this time.

228

00:18:50,599 –> 00:18:53,420

I can’t get my mind around eternity.

229

00:18:53,420 –> 00:18:57,040

I don’t suppose you can either.

230

00:18:57,040 –> 00:18:59,439

But I can get a notion of what it is for a man to live 100.

231

00:18:59,520 –> 00:19:03,020

I have known a few people who have lived to 100.

232

00:19:03,020 –> 00:19:07,300

So Isaiah is speaking to us in language that we can comprehend so that we can begin to

233

00:19:07,300 –> 00:19:11,839

think out into the realm that we cannot yet fully lay hold of.

234

00:19:11,839 –> 00:19:12,839

And he’s saying this.

235

00:19:12,839 –> 00:19:19,160

Look, as you think about it, living to 100 would be nothing in the New Heaven and the

236

00:19:19,160 –> 00:19:20,160

New Earth.

237

00:19:20,160 –> 00:19:21,680

There will be no more death.

238

00:19:21,680 –> 00:19:28,500

There will be no more crying or pain because the old order of things will have passed away.

239

00:19:29,260 –> 00:19:36,219

Dr. Alec Meetere says, we’ll have no more power and sin will have no more presence.

240

00:19:36,219 –> 00:19:42,099

Now I want you to notice that the joy of heaven is not just the absence of death, it’s not

241

00:19:42,099 –> 00:19:44,780

just that it goes on for a very long time.

242

00:19:44,780 –> 00:19:50,619

It will be the quality of life that will be the joy of your experience in Christ, in the

243

00:19:50,619 –> 00:19:51,859

new heaven, and the new earth.

244

00:19:51,859 –> 00:19:53,900

Look at the first part of verse 20.

245

00:19:53,900 –> 00:19:57,959

Never again will there be an infant who lives but a few days or an old man who does not

246

00:19:58,079 –> 00:19:59,079

live out his years.

247

00:19:59,079 –> 00:20:02,800

Now, here are two tragedies that we experience in this world.

248

00:20:02,800 –> 00:20:14,099

An infant, a young child, who does not have the opportunity or joy of reaching maturity,

249

00:20:14,099 –> 00:20:22,099

and dozens of us are thinking of a real person taken from us right now.

250

00:20:22,099 –> 00:20:26,500

And we wonder what the life of that person would have been if they had lived to maturity

251

00:20:26,500 –> 00:20:27,900

and to adulthood.

252

00:20:28,839 –> 00:20:30,739

And wish that we could have seen that.

253

00:20:32,280 –> 00:20:35,959

And then at the other end of life, there are many circumstances.

254

00:20:35,959 –> 00:20:44,660

Here’s a guy who looks forward to his senior years and all that he’s going to do, and

255

00:20:44,660 –> 00:20:49,699

then something happens in his life or in her life and perhaps some physical disability

256

00:20:49,699 –> 00:20:50,699

comes.

257

00:20:50,699 –> 00:20:55,959

The strength that was there in … their youth is no longer there, and the joys of life that

258

00:20:56,119 –> 00:21:02,359

you anticipated are no longer accessible to you, and all you know is your own limitations

259

00:21:02,359 –> 00:21:05,020

and feel what you cannot do.

260

00:21:05,020 –> 00:21:13,479

Now Isaiah is saying in the new heaven and the new earth, as there is restored vigor

261

00:21:13,479 –> 00:21:17,660

for both of these, the joy of fullness of life.

262

00:21:17,699 –> 00:21:26,660

So you who have seen a young person, very young person taken from you, in Christ among

263

00:21:26,660 –> 00:21:29,920

the redeemed in the new heaven and the new earth, you will see them full of vigor in

264

00:21:29,920 –> 00:21:33,300

the prime of life.

265

00:21:33,300 –> 00:21:43,939

And you who feel the limitations of your advancing years ahead of you are unending

266

00:21:44,000 –> 00:21:49,400

ages full of vigor in the prime of life.

267

00:21:49,400 –> 00:21:52,180

Isn’t that glorious?

268

00:21:52,180 –> 00:21:56,040

You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, and don’t forget

269

00:21:56,040 –> 00:21:59,640

if you ever miss one of the series you can always vouche up or go back and listen again

270

00:21:59,640 –> 00:22:00,640

online.

271

00:22:00,640 –> 00:22:03,599

And that’s at open the bible dot org dot UK.

272

00:22:03,599 –> 00:22:08,920

You’ll also find us as a podcast, follow the link on our website, or go to your

273

00:22:08,920 –> 00:22:13,760

favourite podcast site, search for Open the Bible UK, and subscribe to receive

274

00:22:13,859 –> 00:22:15,660

all our regular updates.

275

00:22:15,660 –> 00:22:20,079

Also on our website, and available as a podcast, is Open the Bible Daily.

276

00:22:20,079 –> 00:22:25,300

That’s a series of daily Reflections based on Pastor Colin Smith’s teaching and read

277

00:22:25,300 –> 00:22:31,760

in the UK by Sue McLeish, and you’ll find that again on our website, openthebible.org.uk

278

00:22:31,760 –> 00:22:37,219

Or as a podcast, follow the link on our website, or search for Open the Bible UK and

279

00:22:37,219 –> 00:22:40,739

subscribe to receive Open the Bible Daily.

280

00:22:40,739 –> 00:22:45,439

Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners and if that’s something you’ve

281

00:22:45,439 –> 00:22:49,680

been considering doing then this month we have a great offer for you.

282

00:22:49,680 –> 00:22:54,459

If you’re able to set up a new donation to the work of Open The Bible, in the amount

283

00:22:54,459 –> 00:23:00,140

of five pounds per month or more, we’d love to say thank you by sending you a copy of

284

00:23:00,140 –> 00:23:03,780

C.H. Spurgeon’s book, Encouragement for the Depressed.

285

00:23:03,780 –> 00:23:06,040

Colin, who is this book for?

286

00:23:06,619 –> 00:23:11,920

This book is really for anyone who is discouraged or going through a dark time and I can’t imagine

287

00:23:11,920 –> 00:23:17,020

that there’s any Christian who doesn’t experience that at some point in life.

288

00:23:17,020 –> 00:23:22,300

What’s so striking to me about this book is that it’s written by a man who was known

289

00:23:22,300 –> 00:23:24,839

for his extraordinary faith.

290

00:23:24,839 –> 00:23:31,640

The Spirit of God rested on the life and ministry of C.H. Spurgeon and yet he knew what it was

291

00:23:31,640 –> 00:23:37,979

to go through times of extraordinary darkness and even a sense of despair at some points.

292

00:23:37,979 –> 00:23:44,160

You know, he suffered from smallpox, gout, rheumatism, inflammation of the kidneys, and

293

00:23:44,160 –> 00:23:45,819

his wife was bedridden for decades.

294

00:23:45,819 –> 00:23:51,540

I mean, this man really knew what it was to suffer and yet he found in all of this that

295

00:23:51,540 –> 00:23:55,280

he was forced closer to the Lord Jesus Christ.

296

00:23:55,280 –> 00:23:56,540

I love what he says.

297

00:23:56,540 –> 00:24:05,079

He says, I’ve learned to kiss the waves that throw me up against the rock of ages.

298

00:24:05,079 –> 00:24:06,140

I love that.

299

00:24:06,140 –> 00:24:10,000

Kiss the waves that throw me up against the rock of ages.

300

00:24:10,000 –> 00:24:15,780

Here’s biblical wisdom from a man of faith who knew what it was to really struggle in

301

00:24:15,780 –> 00:24:21,959

dark times, and I have found his writing to be wonderfully encouraging, refreshing and

302

00:24:22,199 –> 00:24:27,040

uplifting, and that’s why I’m really grateful that we have the opportunity of getting this

303

00:24:27,040 –> 00:24:28,400

book out this month.

304

00:24:28,400 –> 00:24:33,420

C.H. Spurgeon’s book, Encouragement for the Depressed is our gift to you if you are able

305

00:24:33,420 –> 00:24:39,079

to set up a new donation to the work of Open the Bible this month in the amount of £5

306

00:24:39,079 –> 00:24:40,680

per month or more.

307

00:24:40,680 –> 00:24:47,560

Full details and a give-on-line go to our website, openthebible.org.uk.

308

00:24:47,959 –> 00:24:51,640

For Open The Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us

309

00:24:51,640 –> 00:24:52,839

again next time.

Details

Sermon Series
Date
Primary Audience

Monthly Offer

Get your free copy of ‘The Advent of Glory’ by R. C. Sproul when you set up a monthly gift of at least £5, or a one-off gift of at least £50…

Donate

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.

Linked resources

No linked resources found.

Search

Search

Header Submit Search