100:00:00,760 –> 00:00:02,260***200:00:03,440 –> 00:00:06,320Reconciliation only happens when there’s been a fight300:00:07,280 –> 00:00:14,400when there’s been a dispute when there has been a falling out was the issue that400:00:15,760 –> 00:00:23,760brought the need of reconciliation was it on our side was it on God’s side500:00:23,840 –> 00:00:29,600was it our side or was it both welcome to open the Bible with pastor Collin Smith i’m600:00:29,600 –> 00:00:34,799David pick glad you could be with us today and Collin we should answer that question but700:00:34,799 –> 00:00:40,400let’s go back a step and ask what is it that needs to be reconciled well at the heart of800:00:40,400 –> 00:00:46,639our nature we are rebels against God we’re rebels by nature we’re rebels in practice900:00:46,639 –> 00:00:51,680we rebel against the sovereign lord who is the king who by right lis claim to the1000:00:51,680 –> 00:00:58,240rule over the whole of our lives we sin against him we grieve his heart we are part of a human1100:00:58,240 –> 00:01:03,360race that has pursued evil and none of us can stand apart from that so this is the great1200:01:03,360 –> 00:01:08,239Bible doctrine of sin is the reason why Jesus Christ came into the world and it’s a real1300:01:08,239 –> 00:01:13,440issue however much we want to pretend in modern culture that there’s no such thing so that brings1400:01:13,440 –> 00:01:18,559us to the question we just heard the issue that needs to be reconciled is it on our side1500:01:18,559 –> 00:01:25,199God side or both let’s go with both okay we need to be reconciled to God but God is the one who1600:01:25,199 –> 00:01:31,120reaches out to reconcile us to himself and something needs to happen it must be more than1700:01:31,120 –> 00:01:37,760simply hey I’ve decided I want to be God’s friend now well I’m guilty before God so how can I just1800:01:37,760 –> 00:01:44,080walk up to God under whose judgment I stand and say oh I’ve decided I want to be your friend now1900:01:44,080 –> 00:01:50,480no there has to be a way in which peace comes and the mediator Jesus Christ because he is God2000:01:50,480 –> 00:01:56,559and man is the only person in the universe who is able to bring this reconciliation about we’re2100:01:56,559 –> 00:02:01,440going to see the glory of Jesus and the wonder of what he’s accomplished on the cross in the2200:02:01,440 –> 00:02:08,399Bible today so today we’re going to be in 2 corinthians chapter 5 and verse 18 as we begin2300:02:08,399 –> 00:02:14,960the message the gift of ministry here is Colin now I want very simply today to remind you of2400:02:14,960 –> 00:02:22,080the ministry and the message that God has given to us and then to make three observations about it2500:02:23,119 –> 00:02:29,199the ministry and the message that God has given to us very clearly is the ministry of2600:02:29,199 –> 00:02:34,240reconciliation it’s all through these marvelous verses that we’ve just read2700:02:35,039 –> 00:02:43,919God through Christ reconciled us to himself verse 18 and he gave us the people of God2800:02:45,199 –> 00:02:51,919those who have been reconciled we have been given by God this ministry of reconciliation2900:02:52,880 –> 00:02:58,639and as if that were not clear enough he repeats it again in the next verse with one word of change3000:02:58,639 –> 00:03:06,160he says God was reconciling the world to himself and trusting to us the message of reconciliation3100:03:06,160 –> 00:03:13,119So the ministry and the message which of course always stand together they’ve been trusted by God3200:03:13,119 –> 00:03:21,759to us his people who have been reconciled to himself. Therefore verse 20, here is the conclusion3300:03:21,759 –> 00:03:28,240we go we speak in the name of Jesus Christ we implore you on behalf of Christ be reconciled3400:03:28,240 –> 00:03:33,919to God that’s the message that is coming the ministry that is coming from the people who3500:03:33,919 –> 00:03:43,119have been reconciled to God, by God and have been trusted now by God with this marvelous3600:03:43,119 –> 00:03:51,839and strategic ministry. So since this is what God has given to us it is really important that we3700:03:51,839 –> 00:03:58,000individually and together understand what we have been given and the commission with which we have3800:03:58,000 –> 00:04:03,919been trusted that we have grasped it and that we have understood it so that we can do it really3900:04:04,639 –> 00:04:12,960well. Now the first thing to say here is surely this that the ministry of reconciliation obviously4000:04:12,960 –> 00:04:19,440presupposes a conflict. Reconciliation only happens when there’s been a fight,4100:04:20,399 –> 00:04:27,359when there’s been a dispute, when there has been a falling out. If someone were to say4200:04:27,359 –> 00:04:34,880to me after the service, have you been reconciled to your wife, I would say, I have no idea what4300:04:34,880 –> 00:04:40,799you are talking about. I have never fallen out with her. I love her. She loves me.4400:04:41,600 –> 00:04:47,200Reconciliation by definition is something that happens when people have fallen out,4500:04:47,200 –> 00:04:52,559when there’s a problem, when there has been a conflict, where people are no longer face4600:04:53,279 –> 00:05:02,160to face. Reconciliation, in other words, presupposes a problem, and in order to4700:05:02,160 –> 00:05:08,640exercise this ministry that God has given to us, we need to understand what that problem is well.4800:05:08,640 –> 00:05:17,600Was the issue that brought the need of reconciliation, was it on our4900:05:17,600 –> 00:05:27,519side? Was it on God’s side? Or, was it both? On our side, of course, there’s plenty.5000:05:27,519 –> 00:05:36,160Our sins, our doubts, our fears, our resistance to God, our distrust of God,5100:05:36,720 –> 00:05:43,760our unbelief, our self-interest, our lack of faith, lack of hope, lack of love,5200:05:43,760 –> 00:05:50,880all these things put us at a distance from God, so that by nature we don’t want to talk to him,5300:05:50,880 –> 00:05:54,559we don’t want to come to him, we don’t want to submit ourselves to him.5400:05:57,119 –> 00:06:02,000But when everything has been said about the problems on our side, we still haven’t got to5500:06:02,000 –> 00:06:11,760the heart of why we need to be reconciled to God and what stands in the way of that happening.5600:06:13,200 –> 00:06:19,519Think about this with me for a moment, suppose that everything on our side5700:06:19,519 –> 00:06:27,760were put right, suppose it were possible for you to overcome all of your reluctance towards5800:06:27,920 –> 00:06:32,959God, all of your distrust towards God, for you to put aside all of your self-interest.5900:06:32,959 –> 00:06:40,239Suppose it was possible for one of us today to offer ourselves without reservation6000:06:40,959 –> 00:06:46,480to the purpose of loving God and trusting God and serving God.6100:06:46,480 –> 00:06:50,399Would that in itself bring about the reconciliation?6200:06:52,959 –> 00:06:56,640And the answer to that question, of course, is no. And here’s why.6300:06:58,480 –> 00:07:03,359Because when everything has been said about the problems that are on our side,6400:07:03,359 –> 00:07:06,640there is still a bigger problem.6500:07:08,079 –> 00:07:10,720And we’re told about it right at the beginning of the Bible.6600:07:11,519 –> 00:07:15,679God tells us the story of how our human rebellion against God began.6700:07:16,640 –> 00:07:19,679Do you remember that Eve wanted to be her own God?6800:07:20,640 –> 00:07:22,959Adam wanted to be his own God, too.6900:07:23,920 –> 00:07:28,000And so they disobeyed God, and God sent them out from the garden.7000:07:29,200 –> 00:07:35,359They found themselves in a different world, the world we are familiar with.7100:07:35,359 –> 00:07:38,160A world of pain where work is hard,7200:07:38,160 –> 00:07:44,720a world where Adam and Eve’s own children would fight, and one would even kill the other.7300:07:45,839 –> 00:07:49,440The world that we know so well today, the world of violence and greed7400:07:49,440 –> 00:07:51,600and disease and self-interest.7500:07:51,760 –> 00:07:53,920A world under the curse of sin.7600:07:53,920 –> 00:07:55,200A world of loss.7700:07:57,519 –> 00:08:00,959Now suppose at some point, east of Eden,7800:08:03,119 –> 00:08:07,920Adam had said to himself, you know what, I think I made a mistake.7900:08:09,200 –> 00:08:11,920This is nothing like the Garden of Eden.8000:08:13,279 –> 00:08:16,880I realize now, I thought I would be better being my own god.8100:08:16,880 –> 00:08:18,640And then of course, Eve found the same.8200:08:18,640 –> 00:08:21,200That’s been causing us problems in the marriage ever since.8300:08:22,320 –> 00:08:25,279But the truth is, this is nothing like as good as Eden.8400:08:27,440 –> 00:08:28,399I’m gonna go back.8500:08:30,399 –> 00:08:31,359Now here’s the problem.8600:08:32,880 –> 00:08:34,559He could not go back.8700:08:36,960 –> 00:08:38,239Even if he wanted to.8800:08:39,679 –> 00:08:41,359And why could he not go back?8900:08:42,719 –> 00:08:46,400Well, the answer is in Genesis in chapter three, in verse 24.9000:08:47,359 –> 00:08:56,400God drove the man out and at the east of the garden of Eden he placed the cherubim,9100:08:56,400 –> 00:09:01,520angelic figures, and a flaming sword9200:09:02,719 –> 00:09:09,200that turned every way to guard the way to the tree of life.9300:09:11,280 –> 00:09:15,440See, if you were to overcome every problem on your side9400:09:15,440 –> 00:09:21,280you would still be left with this problem, the flaming sword on God’s side,9500:09:23,200 –> 00:09:29,280and what are you going to do about that? A flaming sword, picture it, that turns9600:09:29,280 –> 00:09:36,000every way, it’s flashing, it’s flaming. You get near to it, it’ll cut you into pieces.9700:09:37,760 –> 00:09:43,840Why? Because nothing that has been touched by sin is going to come into the eternal abode9800:09:43,840 –> 00:09:52,799of God. Nothing is going to ruin the eternity into which God’s eternal joy will be forever manifest.9900:09:55,039 –> 00:10:02,719So, Adam’s outside of Eden and he is living in a world, we are living in a world that bears the10000:10:02,719 –> 00:10:12,880curse of his and of our sin, and he’s alienated from God, and even if he wants to, there is10100:10:12,880 –> 00:10:25,280for him no way back and you see that gets us to the reason why Jesus Christ came into the world10200:10:25,280 –> 00:10:33,039and why he had to go to the cross. What is the really big problem that needs to be dealt with10300:10:33,039 –> 00:10:38,479in order that reconciliation may take place and can only be dealt with by Jesus Christ10400:10:38,479 –> 00:10:45,359coming into the world and going to the cross? The answer is the flaming sword. The answer is10500:10:45,919 –> 00:10:53,440divine justice. The answer is the great condemnation that lies on our whole world10600:10:53,440 –> 00:11:01,280as a result of our sin. It’s a much bigger problem than just your doubts, your questions,10700:11:01,280 –> 00:11:06,400your disinclination whether you want to go God’s way or whatever else much much bigger than that10800:11:06,960 –> 00:11:11,039. And friends, we need to remember these things when people ask us the question,10900:11:11,039 –> 00:11:15,760why in the world would you believe that Jesus Christ is the only way? I was11000:11:15,760 –> 00:11:19,280asked that question by a near neighbor again just this week,11100:11:20,559 –> 00:11:24,320well, I came in and visited your church, but you seem to believe that, why would you believe that?11200:11:26,880 –> 00:11:28,719Well, here’s one reason that we believe that,11300:11:30,400 –> 00:11:34,559that only Jesus is able to deal with11400:11:35,200 –> 00:11:36,799what blocks the way,11500:11:38,640 –> 00:11:41,760and what blocks the way primarily isn’t on our side,11600:11:43,520 –> 00:11:48,640it’s the flaming sword, it’s the justice of God,11700:11:50,320 –> 00:11:55,599you can’t understand why Jesus is the only way until you understand what it is that is11800:11:55,599 –> 00:12:00,239the problem that he comes into the world to overcome. What is it that keeps us out of heaven?11900:12:00,239 –> 00:12:09,679It’s much more than your disinclination, a flaming sword that turns every way and if12000:12:10,960 –> 00:12:18,080we were to approach it would cut us into pieces, but he has come,12100:12:20,159 –> 00:12:24,880and because he has come there is reconciliation,12200:12:25,280 –> 00:12:32,719and the ministry of reconciliation is trusted to us.12300:12:33,719 –> 00:12:37,679You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called12400:12:37,679 –> 00:12:44,880The Gift of Ministry, part of our series, Don’t Lose Heart, based on 2 Corinthians chapter 5.12500:12:44,880 –> 00:12:48,799And if you’ve missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again,12600:12:48,799 –> 00:12:53,840you can do that by coming online to our website opennessbible.org.uk.12700:12:54,400 –> 00:12:58,880Or you can finding Pastor Colin on your favourite podcast site,12800:12:58,880 –> 00:13:02,799search for Open The Bible UK, or follow the link from our website.12900:13:03,440 –> 00:13:06,159Open The Bible is supported financially by our13000:13:06,159 –> 00:13:09,679listeners and were extremely grateful for the support that we receive.13100:13:10,320 –> 00:13:14,880This month if you’re thinking of beginning to support Open The Bible financially,13200:13:14,960 –> 00:13:21,039when you give a gift of £5 per month or more or a one-off gift of £50 or more,13300:13:21,039 –> 00:13:25,520we’re going to say Thank You by sending you 2 copies of Pastor Colin’s book13400:13:25,520 –> 00:13:30,960Christmas Stories along with 5 Beautiful Christmas Cards based on the illustrations from the book.13500:13:31,520 –> 00:13:34,159I’ll be talking to Colin about that offer13600:13:34,159 –> 00:13:37,280later on in the programme so I hope you’ll stay with us.13700:13:37,280 –> 00:13:40,080Back to the message now, here again is Colin.13800:13:40,080 –> 00:13:44,799Now I want then just to make these 3 observations today about this Ministry.13900:13:44,799 –> 00:13:47,200It’s the simplest possible outline and hopefully14000:13:47,200 –> 00:13:50,880it might be one that you would remember and might be useful to you.14100:13:51,679 –> 00:13:57,679The Ministry of Reconciliation is from God, it’s for the world, and it’s through us.14200:13:57,679 –> 00:14:00,239That’s it, that’s these verses.14300:14:00,239 –> 00:14:02,080The Ministry of Reconciliation,14400:14:02,080 –> 00:14:04,239this marvellous, marvellous Ministry.14500:14:04,239 –> 00:14:09,280It’s from God, it’s for the world, and it’s through us.14600:14:09,280 –> 00:14:10,719These 3 things today.14700:14:10,719 –> 00:14:12,7191st of all then, it is from God.14800:14:12,719 –> 00:14:15,119Look at that in verse 18, it’s right there.14900:14:15,119 –> 00:14:19,760All this is from God.15000:14:19,760 –> 00:14:24,559Then verse 19, God was reconciling the world to himself.15100:14:25,440 –> 00:14:30,080Verse 20, God making his appeal through us.15200:14:30,080 –> 00:14:34,320It’s just relentless through these verses, the constant activity of God.15300:14:34,320 –> 00:14:36,400God is always taking the initiative.15400:14:37,359 –> 00:14:40,559God is not in the position of standing back, wondering,15500:14:40,559 –> 00:14:43,919and waiting to see what people will do.15600:14:43,919 –> 00:14:46,559No, he’s relentlessly at work.15700:14:46,559 –> 00:14:49,359God was reconciling the world to himself.15800:14:49,359 –> 00:14:52,400God giving us the ministry of reconciliation.15900:14:52,400 –> 00:14:57,840God making his appeal through us be reconciled to God.16000:14:57,840 –> 00:15:02,000So God is not the helpless victim of human sin and rebellion.16100:15:02,000 –> 00:15:05,359He is not wringing his hands or shaking his head in Heaven,16200:15:05,359 –> 00:15:10,159saying, what in the world am I going to do?16300:15:10,159 –> 00:15:15,599Now notice that everything that Jesus accomplished on the cross16400:15:15,599 –> 00:15:19,919is spoken of here as from God.16500:15:19,919 –> 00:15:24,400This is very important for our understanding of who God is.16600:15:25,039 –> 00:15:27,520So please look at this with me carefully.16700:15:27,599 –> 00:15:31,599All this is from God, verse 18,16800:15:31,599 –> 00:15:35,039who through Jesus Christ reconciled us to Himself.16900:15:35,919 –> 00:15:40,960Verse 19, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself.17000:15:40,960 –> 00:15:43,599So not simply Christ was reconciling the world.17100:15:43,599 –> 00:15:46,880No, in Christ, God was reconciling the world.17200:15:47,919 –> 00:15:51,119You have the same thing in Romans, in chapter five in verse eight,17300:15:52,320 –> 00:15:55,280God demonstrates His love for us in this.17400:15:55,280 –> 00:15:58,559In that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.17500:15:58,559 –> 00:16:01,760You think it might say, you know, Christ demonstrates his love17600:16:01,760 –> 00:16:03,280in the fact that he died for us.17700:16:03,280 –> 00:16:04,559That’s not what it says.17800:16:04,559 –> 00:16:05,039That’s true.17900:16:05,039 –> 00:16:06,640But that’s not what it says.18000:16:06,640 –> 00:16:09,679God demonstrates His love for us in this.18100:16:09,679 –> 00:16:12,559Or John three 16, best-known verse in the Bible,18200:16:12,559 –> 00:16:16,719God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son.18300:16:16,719 –> 00:16:19,599So the coming of Christ tells us18400:16:19,599 –> 00:16:22,719more than that the second person of the Trinity loves us.18500:16:23,280 –> 00:16:24,960More than that Jesus loves us.18600:16:26,159 –> 00:16:28,960God, so loved the world.18700:16:28,960 –> 00:16:30,960Now here’s what’s important for us to grasp.18800:16:32,479 –> 00:16:38,000Jesus did not die on the cross in order to make God love us.18900:16:40,080 –> 00:16:44,400Jesus died on the cross because God loves us.19000:16:45,679 –> 00:16:50,000Jesus died on the cross because God loves us.19100:16:51,119 –> 00:16:54,960Jesus is God in the flesh.19200:16:55,840 –> 00:16:58,159That’s why verse 19 is so important.19300:16:58,159 –> 00:17:04,719God was, in Christ, reconciling the world to Himself.19400:17:06,400 –> 00:17:13,199Christ is God the Son, and since there is only one God,19500:17:14,079 –> 00:17:18,560in Him God offers Himself.19600:17:19,119 –> 00:17:20,959So when the Bible says,19700:17:20,959 –> 00:17:24,319God spared not His one and only Son,19800:17:24,319 –> 00:17:25,599always remember this,19900:17:26,959 –> 00:17:34,880that God not sparing His Son means God not sparing Himself.20000:17:36,800 –> 00:17:39,839In Christ, God gave Himself20100:17:41,119 –> 00:17:47,520and bore the whole cost of our reconciliation Himself.20200:17:47,760 –> 00:17:56,719In Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself.20300:17:58,560 –> 00:18:01,920Now Spurgeon so often says this in a way that is helpful.20400:18:01,920 –> 00:18:04,319Let me just quote him to you,20500:18:04,319 –> 00:18:06,079he says to his congregation,20600:18:06,079 –> 00:18:12,400never fall into the idea that God is vengeful and angry20700:18:12,400 –> 00:18:17,040and that the death of Jesus was necessary to pacify the Father.20800:18:17,680 –> 00:18:20,000Beloved, you know better than this.20900:18:20,880 –> 00:18:24,479You know that God was love before Jesus died,21000:18:25,199 –> 00:18:30,000all was love, all was full of grace and truth towards his people.21100:18:30,640 –> 00:18:32,640God was in Christ.21200:18:32,640 –> 00:18:36,479God came to earth to reconcile men and women.21300:18:36,479 –> 00:18:40,800God made the atonement for us.21400:18:40,800 –> 00:18:48,000And so here’s the first thing to grasp about this ministry and this message21500:18:48,000 –> 00:18:49,839that has been trusted to us.21600:18:50,560 –> 00:18:58,959It is from God and it streams from a heart of love that is,21700:18:58,959 –> 00:19:00,160the heart of God.21800:19:00,959 –> 00:19:06,079And that God is relentless in his activity.21900:19:06,800 –> 00:19:08,959He reconciling us.22000:19:09,839 –> 00:19:12,640Giving us the ministry of reconciliation.22100:19:13,359 –> 00:19:18,239In order that he, in Christ, is reconciling people throughout the world.22200:19:18,239 –> 00:19:19,920Appealing to sinners.22300:19:19,920 –> 00:19:22,319Not counting men’s sins against them.22400:19:22,880 –> 00:19:25,119God, God, God, right throughout this.22500:19:25,119 –> 00:19:26,319Always active.22600:19:27,280 –> 00:19:33,439Which is the greatest encouragement that I know in sustaining ministry.22700:19:34,400 –> 00:19:38,400So the ministry the message of reconciliation, it’s from God.22800:19:38,400 –> 00:19:39,359Here’s the second thing.22900:19:40,000 –> 00:19:42,560It is for the world.23000:19:44,560 –> 00:19:50,959God was reconciling the world to himself.23100:19:52,479 –> 00:20:01,040Now here, friends, is a marvelous statement about what God was doing at the cross.23200:20:01,839 –> 00:20:04,079Here’s what it means.23300:20:04,239 –> 00:20:14,880In the death of Jesus, God was removing every barrier to peace on his side.23400:20:14,880 –> 00:20:23,520He was putting away his own condemnation and wrath arising from justice in relation to23500:20:23,520 –> 00:20:24,560sin.23600:20:24,560 –> 00:20:32,540He was dealing with and at the cross, smashing that sword that blocked the way.23700:20:32,540 –> 00:20:39,579And then as he reconciles people to himself, he then sends these people out to tell the23800:20:39,579 –> 00:20:43,439world that it is so.23900:20:43,439 –> 00:20:49,739To tell the world what God has done in Jesus Christ.24000:20:49,739 –> 00:20:50,979So understand this.24100:20:50,979 –> 00:20:54,319It’s important to get it clear in our minds.24200:20:54,599 –> 00:21:01,199The message that we are to take out, the message of reconciliation, is not, you know, God hates24300:21:01,199 –> 00:21:04,760you, but if you’re really sorry then perhaps that might change.24400:21:04,760 –> 00:21:05,819No!24500:21:05,819 –> 00:21:12,160The message of reconciliation, and you can say this to any person in whatever sin.24600:21:12,160 –> 00:21:22,719God loves you and in Jesus Christ has put away every barrier on his side in Jesus Christ.24700:21:22,719 –> 00:21:34,939He offers himself to you in love, he invites you, he wills you, to receive this reconciliation24800:21:34,939 –> 00:21:40,199and for you to refuse this reconciliation and instead to move towards the place where24900:21:40,199 –> 00:21:45,160there is weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you to do that when the door of heaven has25000:21:45,160 –> 00:21:52,420been opened for you and the arms of God are stretched out towards you.25100:21:52,420 –> 00:21:57,680That would be the greatest folly, to walk away from this love and it would be your ultimate25200:21:57,680 –> 00:22:01,040loss, receive this reconciliation.25300:22:01,040 –> 00:22:05,979Be reconciled to God.25400:22:05,979 –> 00:22:09,439You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.25500:22:09,439 –> 00:22:14,880In a message called, The Gift of Ministry, we’ve been hearing about the Ministry of25600:22:15,699 –> 00:22:19,520Reconciliation, how it comes from God for the world.25700:22:19,520 –> 00:22:22,959And next time we’ll hear how it comes through us.25800:22:22,959 –> 00:22:28,300The message is part of a series, Don’t Lose Heart, based on 2 Corinthians Chapter 5.25900:22:28,300 –> 00:22:31,959And if you’ve missed any of the series so far or if you ever want to go back and listen26000:22:31,959 –> 00:22:36,819again, it’s available along with all the other messages that have already gone out on air26100:22:36,819 –> 00:22:44,060on our website OpenTheBible.org.uk and also as a podcast on all the main podcast sites,26200:22:44,060 –> 00:22:48,819search for Open The Bible UK or follow the link from our website.26300:22:48,819 –> 00:22:53,339While you’re on our website don’t forget to check out Open The Bible Daily, that’s26400:22:53,339 –> 00:22:59,900our series of short 2 to 3 minute daily reflections based on Pastor Colin’s teaching and read26500:22:59,900 –> 00:23:03,040in the UK by Sue MacLeish.26600:23:03,040 –> 00:23:09,199There’s a new one every day and many Christians begin their day with Open The Bible Daily.26700:23:09,199 –> 00:23:13,479Open The Bible is supported financially by our listeners and we’re very grateful for26800:23:13,479 –> 00:23:15,459the support we receive.26900:23:15,459 –> 00:23:19,640If that’s something you’d like to begin to do, this month if you’re able to begin27000:23:19,640 –> 00:23:26,819a new direct debit of £5 per month or more or a one-off gift of £50 or more, we’d27100:23:26,819 –> 00:23:27,859love to say thank you.27200:23:27,859 –> 00:23:34,160By sending you 2 copies of Pastor Colin’s book, Christmas Stories, and also 5 beautiful27300:23:34,160 –> 00:23:37,599Christmas cards based on the illustrations from the book.27400:23:37,599 –> 00:23:40,859Colin, what are some of the ways we can use this book?27500:23:40,859 –> 00:23:45,439It’s designed really to be read with family or friends at Christmas.27600:23:45,439 –> 00:23:52,020If you picture being with friends or family and someone says, why don’t we read one27700:23:52,020 –> 00:23:54,339of the Christmas stories.27800:23:54,339 –> 00:23:59,300And here’s a short version of the Christmas story seen through the eyes of27900:23:59,300 –> 00:24:03,500the angel Gabriel, or Mary, or Joseph, or Simeon, or Herod.28000:24:03,500 –> 00:24:09,219You could read one of these easily in 10 minutes and all of them get to the heart of28100:24:09,219 –> 00:24:10,219the Gospel.28200:24:10,300 –> 00:24:13,099That’s what we’ve wanted to do, to give people a resource that28300:24:13,099 –> 00:24:20,140you could use with your family or your friends to read part of the Christmas story so that28400:24:20,140 –> 00:24:25,000the Gospel of the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ will be clear to your family and your28500:24:25,000 –> 00:24:26,000friends.28600:24:26,000 –> 00:24:27,739Very simple and it’s beautifully presented.28700:24:27,739 –> 00:24:31,599The team has done a marvellous job in putting these Christmas stories together.28800:24:31,599 –> 00:24:36,459Well, we’d love to send you two copies of this book along with the five beautiful Christmas28900:24:37,079 –> 00:24:42,099If you are able to begin setting up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible29000:24:42,099 –> 00:24:47,939for £5 per month or more, or a one-off gift of £50 or more.29100:24:47,939 –> 00:24:55,339Full terms and conditions are on our website www.openthebible.org.uk and you can give online.29200:24:55,880 –> 00:25:00,939If you want to receive this gift, please don’t give anonymously and do remember to leave29300:25:00,939 –> 00:25:03,420your full name and address.29400:25:03,420 –> 00:25:08,300For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join29500:25:08,300 –> 00:25:11,640us again, next time on Open the Bible.29600:25:16,040 –> 00:25:21,979Did you know that when you speak about Jesus, Jesus actually speaks through you?29700:25:21,979 –> 00:25:24,939Find out how next time on Open the Bible.