100:00:00,380 –> 00:00:02,180Colin Smith200:00:02,180 –> 00:00:03,680David Pick300:00:03,680 –> 00:00:07,220There are other Christians who have grasped that salvation is about forgiveness and it’s400:00:07,220 –> 00:00:11,220about heaven, it’s about the past, and it’s about the future, but they have never really500:00:11,220 –> 00:00:16,020grasped that it is also about the power of Jesus Christ in your life now by the Holy600:00:16,020 –> 00:00:19,379Spirit. So here’s what’s happened, they say that they believe, they say that they’ve made700:00:19,379 –> 00:00:22,879a decision that they’re going to heaven, they never change800:00:22,879 –> 00:00:27,219Welcome to Open the bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick. Glad you’ve joined900:00:27,440 –> 00:00:34,139us today, and Colin today we’re talking about one of those big bible words aren’t we, sanctification?1000:00:34,139 –> 00:00:39,060Well and perhaps even two bible words because we’re going to talk about justification as1100:00:39,060 –> 00:00:45,540well. So here’s the issue. Justification speaks about how we are made right with God by the1200:00:45,540 –> 00:00:51,419shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ and how by grace we are saved and it comes all from1300:00:51,419 –> 00:00:56,939him and none of it is from us, but sanctification speaks about how we grow in the likeness of1400:00:56,980 –> 00:01:03,560Christ, how we pursue a holy life. And you know when we’re plunged into Christ by the1500:01:03,560 –> 00:01:08,820Holy Spirit, these two things come together but understanding them and grasping how they1600:01:08,820 –> 00:01:12,879relate together is something that I think is often a source of confusion for Christians.1700:01:12,879 –> 00:01:17,580So we’re going to focus in the programme today about what justification is and how we’re1800:01:17,580 –> 00:01:23,820right with God and what sanctification is and how we grow in the life of the Holy Spirit.1900:01:23,919 –> 00:01:31,580So join us if you can in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 as we begin a message, the urgency of personal2000:01:31,580 –> 00:01:34,019purity. Here is Pastor Colin.2100:01:34,019 –> 00:01:38,480As we continue through Thessalonians, you’ll remember that our aim in this series is to2200:01:38,480 –> 00:01:43,580recover a sense of urgency about God’s call to us in the Christian life and His commission2300:01:43,580 –> 00:01:50,779for us as a Christian church. And that theme runs throughout the letter. Four times Paul2400:01:51,040 –> 00:01:57,199uses the word urge in 1 Thessalonians. You have it right here in chapter 4, in verse2500:01:57,199 –> 00:02:04,1991. Brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God. Now we ask you and2600:02:04,720 –> 00:02:09,600urge you in the Lord to do this more and more.2700:02:09,600 –> 00:02:15,059And so our theme today is this whole matter of the urgency of living a life that is pleasing2800:02:15,119 –> 00:02:22,119to God, that is the urgency of personal purity or of sexual purity. Now Paul had already2900:02:23,179 –> 00:02:28,979taught these believers about this. You’ll see in verse 2 he says, you know what instructions3000:02:28,979 –> 00:02:35,979we gave to you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. And these Thessalonians had made a3100:02:36,059 –> 00:02:42,940good start. Paul had, and I think this is very significant taught them about sexual3200:02:43,080 –> 00:02:49,899purity as part of his foundational discipling. It was only in Thessalonica a very short time3300:02:49,899 –> 00:02:56,899but he established Christian ethics, a Christian way of living, a Christian way of relating3400:02:57,520 –> 00:03:04,520as part of his foundational teaching to these new believers. And he acknowledges in verse3500:03:05,500 –> 00:03:09,4791 that they have indeed responded to that. We instructed you how to live in order to3600:03:09,580 –> 00:03:14,800please the Lord as you are in fact living. By the way quick side bar for parents and3700:03:14,800 –> 00:03:21,720folks in an accountability group, it’s always a good thing to affirm what God is doing in3800:03:21,720 –> 00:03:27,139the life of another person. Because sometimes we’re so focused on what God is still to do3900:03:27,139 –> 00:03:31,699and the battle’s still to be fought and won that we go on about that all the time and4000:03:31,699 –> 00:03:37,360neglect simply to recognize that God’s grace is at work and that progress is being made.4100:03:37,740 –> 00:03:42,399Paul does not fall into that trap. He clearly affirms what God has done. We’re going to4200:03:42,399 –> 00:03:48,839speak, he says now, about living in order to please God as in fact you are living.4300:03:48,839 –> 00:03:53,179He acknowledges that as these believers have turned to God from idols there is significant4400:03:53,179 –> 00:03:57,600work of God’s grace that is already going on, but it does need to continue. There is4500:03:57,600 –> 00:04:02,119more that God has to do in their lives as in ours.4600:04:02,259 –> 00:04:07,360He lays out the continuing path of the Christian life in verse 3, where He says, and this is4700:04:07,360 –> 00:04:16,359the central phrase for us to get hold of today, it is God’s will that you should be sanctified.4800:04:16,359 –> 00:04:23,359verse 3 it is God’s will that you should be sanctified.4900:04:23,359 –> 00:04:31,299Now I want to take just a moment to explain what that means. Sanctified. What is sanctified,5000:04:31,519 –> 00:04:36,980or what is sanctification? I promise you, I wouldn’t bother with this if it wasn’t5100:04:36,980 –> 00:04:41,959for the fact that these are Bible words. If a word’s not in the Bible then you probably5200:04:41,959 –> 00:04:45,859don’t need to know too much about it but if it is in the Bible, and we’re Bible Christians,5300:04:45,859 –> 00:04:51,640we want to know what Bible words mean and what they refer to and how they differ.5400:04:51,640 –> 00:04:56,899So let’s take a moment on this together so that you can better understand your own Bible.5500:04:56,899 –> 00:05:06,059When Jesus Christ lays hold of a person’s life, He brings two primary blessings to your5600:05:06,059 –> 00:05:17,980life in this world. These are justification and sanctification. Now these Bible words5700:05:17,980 –> 00:05:22,720are very important. They’re central to what it means to be a Christian and it’s important5800:05:22,720 –> 00:05:27,739not only to understand what they mean, but also how they differ. Let me distinguish them5900:05:27,739 –> 00:05:37,480in this way. Justification is about Christ’s work for us on the cross. Sanctification is6000:05:37,480 –> 00:05:45,420about Christ’s work in us by the Holy Spirit. In other words justification is Christ’s completed6100:05:45,420 –> 00:05:49,440work. He said on the cross it’s finished. There’s nothing more that needs to be added6200:05:49,959 –> 00:05:56,119have peace with God, but sanctification is different. It is his continuing work, God’s6300:05:56,119 –> 00:06:01,519continuing work, which is why Paul talks here about living to please God more and more.6400:06:01,519 –> 00:06:08,399It’s continuing, progressive, developing, growing. He talks in verse four about learning6500:06:08,399 –> 00:06:17,140to live with your body in control. That’s progressive. In justification, Christ deals6600:06:17,140 –> 00:06:24,720with the effect of your sin before God. He cleanses. He lifts and removes the condemnation6700:06:24,720 –> 00:06:31,679before God. But in sanctification, Christ deals with the effects of sin in your life.6800:06:31,679 –> 00:06:37,059And we’re going to see how important that is this morning. Justification is about removing6900:06:37,059 –> 00:06:43,380the guilt of sin. Sanctification is about breaking the power of sin. Justification involves7000:06:44,019 –> 00:06:49,299the righteousness of Jesus Christ, His own unique righteousness, being given to us. Sometimes7100:06:49,299 –> 00:06:54,239that’s called an alien righteousness or an imputed righteousness. That is the perfect7200:06:54,239 –> 00:07:01,579righteousness of Jesus by which we are counted to be right with God is given to us in justification7300:07:01,579 –> 00:07:07,339by Jesus Christ. But sanctification is about the righteousness that Christ works in us.7400:07:07,339 –> 00:07:11,739In other words, it is the purpose of the gospel that you should become good, that you should7500:07:12,459 –> 00:07:17,579the goodness of God because His Spirit lives within you. And that is what sanctification7600:07:17,579 –> 00:07:28,720is all about. Justification is about forgiveness so that you may come to God. Sanctification7700:07:28,720 –> 00:07:33,540is about holiness so that you may become like God.7800:07:33,540 –> 00:07:40,739Now, here’s an important distinction. In justification you are called to believe. That’s7900:07:40,739 –> 00:07:50,519God’s calling to you in justification. We are justified by faith. Okay, so we believe.8000:07:50,519 –> 00:07:57,820Now, in sanctification God speaks different words to us. In sanctification the words God8100:07:57,820 –> 00:08:05,859speaks to us in the Scripture are words like these, watch, fight, pray, put on the whole8200:08:05,940 –> 00:08:11,940armor of God, and so forth and so on. And so the calling of God to us in relation to8300:08:11,940 –> 00:08:18,579justification and sanctification our responsibilities are quite distinct. Here’s a last distinction.8400:08:18,579 –> 00:08:23,100Justification is Christ’s hidden work. You can’t tell if another person has been forgiven8500:08:23,100 –> 00:08:27,820by God because it’s a gift given in secret when a person comes to faith in the Lord Jesus8600:08:27,820 –> 00:08:34,099Christ. But sanctification is God’s visible work. You certainly can tell if someone else8700:08:34,099 –> 00:08:39,520is becoming like Jesus Christ. That’s why Jesus said by their fruits you shall know8800:08:39,520 –> 00:08:48,159them. A good tree bears good fruit and a bad tree bears bad fruit. But here’s the practical8900:08:48,159 –> 00:08:56,159relevance. You see, justification and sanctification are quite distinct. And when we get them confused9000:08:56,159 –> 00:09:01,400we get into difficulties. So there are some Christians, for example,9100:09:01,400 –> 00:09:06,919who think all the time that their acceptance with God depends on the degree of their success9200:09:06,919 –> 00:09:12,260in the battle with sin. And if you think your acceptance with God depends on the degree9300:09:12,260 –> 00:09:19,780of your success in the battle with sin, you will never have peace and you will never have9400:09:19,780 –> 00:09:26,320a joyful knowledge of the love of God surrounding you. Because you’re basing your acceptance9500:09:26,359 –> 00:09:31,659with God, your justification, on your sanctification. You’ve confused them, you see. There are many,9600:09:31,659 –> 00:09:36,539many Christians who are precisely there and therefore they never have joy and they never9700:09:36,539 –> 00:09:40,840have assurance. Then there’s another kind of error, you see,9800:09:40,840 –> 00:09:44,340there are other Christians who have grasped the salvation is about forgiveness and it’s9900:09:44,340 –> 00:09:48,419about heaven, it’s about the past, and it’s about the future, but they have never really10000:09:48,419 –> 00:09:52,840grasped that it is also about the power of Jesus Christ in your life now by the Holy10100:09:53,080 –> 00:09:56,940Spirit. And so here’s what happened. They said that they believed, that they made a10200:09:56,940 –> 00:10:02,599decision, that they’re going to heaven. They never change, and they deceived themselves10300:10:02,599 –> 00:10:05,880by thinking that they are truly Christian.10400:10:05,880 –> 00:10:12,159Now, the point to grasp here then is that justification and sanctification are found10500:10:12,159 –> 00:10:21,159together in Jesus Christ. They are different blessings and they should not be confused,10600:10:21,179 –> 00:10:26,559but they are found together in Christ and therefore they should not be separated.10700:10:26,559 –> 00:10:31,239And I found it very helpful to think of justification and sanctification being together and yet10800:10:31,239 –> 00:10:37,820distinct using the picture, if you like, of the sun. The sun’s heat and its light.10900:10:37,820 –> 00:10:43,080It was John Calvin who first suggested this image, and I think it’s helpful. You see the11000:10:43,080 –> 00:10:52,260sun’s heat and its light are two distinguishable things. They are not the same but they are11100:10:52,260 –> 00:10:59,039always found together. They flow from the very nature of what the sun is. And you cannot11200:10:59,039 –> 00:11:04,880have the sun’s heat without the sun’s light. In the same way you cannot have justification11300:11:04,880 –> 00:11:09,719without sanctification. The two belong together because though they are distinct, they are11400:11:09,719 –> 00:11:14,520the twin blessings of the Gospel and they are always joined together in Jesus Christ,11500:11:14,520 –> 00:11:18,099and you cannot receive the one without the other, because they are both contained in11600:11:18,099 –> 00:11:19,099him.11700:11:19,099 –> 00:11:23,760So, to put this in one Bible text that runs throughout the whole of the New Testament,11800:11:23,760 –> 00:11:30,2391 Corinthians 1, verse 30, Paul says that Christ has become for us our righteousness,11900:11:30,239 –> 00:11:37,520that’s our justification, and his also become our holiness, that is our sanctification.12000:11:37,559 –> 00:11:43,299And when you embrace Jesus Christ as your Savior who forgives and justifies you, you12100:11:43,299 –> 00:11:49,419are at the same time embracing the Lord who sanctifies you, and you can’t tear Christ12200:11:49,419 –> 00:11:51,159into pieces.12300:11:51,159 –> 00:11:58,799He is who he is, he is the Lord who sanctifies, the Savior who justifies.12400:11:58,799 –> 00:12:02,940Like the sun’s heat and the light, these are two distinct things, but they are found together12500:12:02,940 –> 00:12:06,179in him and never the one without the other.12600:12:06,179 –> 00:12:13,320Now, that is why the Bible says without holiness, no one will see the Lord.12700:12:13,320 –> 00:12:18,039Not because you are saved by your holiness because you are not, but because the pursuit12800:12:18,039 –> 00:12:22,760of holiness in your life is evidence that you are in Jesus Christ who is the one who12900:12:22,760 –> 00:12:28,640justifies you, and without him you have no other hope for justification.13000:12:29,119 –> 00:12:37,080Now, let me give you a quote here from Bishop Ryle who I think writes helpfully on the whole13100:12:37,080 –> 00:12:42,960subject of the place of holiness in the Christian life.13200:12:42,960 –> 00:12:44,799He says this,13300:12:44,799 –> 00:12:52,900Most men hope to go to heaven when they die, but few take the trouble to consider whether13400:12:53,119 –> 00:12:58,239would enjoy heaven if they got there.13500:12:58,239 –> 00:13:02,820Heaven he says is a holy place.13600:13:02,820 –> 00:13:08,400Its inhabitants are all holy and its occupations are all holy.13700:13:08,400 –> 00:13:15,739What would an unsanctified man do in heaven if by chance he got there?13800:13:15,739 –> 00:13:21,739To be really happy in heaven, it is clear and plain that we must be somewhat trained13900:13:21,840 –> 00:13:25,200and made ready for heaven while we are here on earth.14000:13:25,200 –> 00:13:31,700Now I hope then that you see the importance of the verse that we’re coming to in 1 Thessalonians14100:13:31,700 –> 00:13:33,799chapter four and verse three.14200:13:33,799 –> 00:13:40,799It is God’s will that you should be sanctified.14300:13:41,520 –> 00:13:46,700This is not some kind of add on to the Christian life, this is the very essence of the gospel.14400:13:46,700 –> 00:13:51,200If you are in Christ you have embraced him as the Savior who justifies and the Lord who14500:13:51,380 –> 00:13:53,539sanctifies, never the one without the other.14600:13:53,539 –> 00:13:57,500It is in this way that we are made ready for heaven, it is in this way that we show evidence14700:13:57,500 –> 00:14:02,119that we indeed bear the marks of authentic Christian men and women.14800:14:02,119 –> 00:14:05,619It’s God’s will for your life.14900:14:05,619 –> 00:14:10,340You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called The Urgency15000:14:10,340 –> 00:14:11,419of personal Purity.15100:14:11,419 –> 00:14:18,000We’ve been looking at the differences between the two big bible words, justification and15200:14:18,000 –> 00:14:18,799sanctification.15300:14:18,799 –> 00:14:23,400When we come back, we’ll hear a call to personal Purity so do stay with us.15400:14:23,400 –> 00:14:29,219If you miss one of our messages, you can easily catch up or go back and listen again by coming15500:14:29,219 –> 00:14:36,479to our website, that’s at OpenTheBible.org.uk or come to your favourite podcast site and15600:14:36,479 –> 00:14:39,679search there for Open the Bible UK.15700:14:39,679 –> 00:14:41,059Back to the message now.15800:14:41,059 –> 00:14:42,500Here again is Pastor Colin.15900:14:42,500 –> 00:14:46,500Now, I want to approach this really from three angles.16000:14:46,539 –> 00:14:55,099And we’re going to look first at your calling to purity, second your battle for purity,16100:14:55,099 –> 00:14:58,400and thirdly our hope of purity.16200:14:58,400 –> 00:15:02,159First, then, our calling.16300:15:02,159 –> 00:15:03,979And I want us to look at verse seven.16400:15:03,979 –> 00:15:07,840Really the section runs from verse three through to verse seven.16500:15:07,840 –> 00:15:13,340And Paul summarizes all that he’s been saying in these verses in these words.16600:15:13,419 –> 00:15:23,500Verse seven, God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life.16700:15:23,500 –> 00:15:28,479He’s speaking to Christian believers and he says, God, when God laid hold of you in16800:15:28,479 –> 00:15:35,200Christ, when Christ died on the cross for you, when your sins were forgiven, when you16900:15:35,200 –> 00:15:39,780came to be a new person in Christ, it wasn’t so that you would just carry on being impure17000:15:40,080 –> 00:15:46,820or so that you would drift into being impure, it was so that you would live a holy life.17100:15:46,820 –> 00:15:54,320Now, what specifically does that mean? Well, two things Paul identifies, the first negative17200:15:55,739 –> 00:16:02,059and then the second positive. The negative is in verse three. It is God’s will that you17300:16:02,059 –> 00:16:09,059should be sanctified, that you should avoid sexual immorality. There’s the negative, that17400:16:09,380 –> 00:16:16,380you avoid sexual immorality. Now the word that Paul uses here that is translated sexual17500:16:18,280 –> 00:16:25,280immorality is the word pornea, from which of course we get our English word pornography.17600:16:29,299 –> 00:16:35,219And it was a word that was used, pornea, in New Testament times really to describe any17700:16:35,299 –> 00:16:42,299kind of sexual sin. And what Paul is stating quite clearly here is, he says it is God’s17800:16:43,460 –> 00:16:50,299will that you should be sanctified, and then applying it, he says, here’s a first step17900:16:50,299 –> 00:16:57,299in what that means, that you should avoid pornea. That you should distance yourself18000:16:58,419 –> 00:17:03,719from all form of sexual sin, that you should cut yourself off from this, that it should18100:17:04,020 –> 00:17:10,020find no place in your life as a Christian believer, it is God’s will that you should18200:17:10,020 –> 00:17:17,020be sanctified, that you should avoid pornea, any form of sexual sin. That’s the negative.18300:17:22,060 –> 00:17:29,060Here’s the positive, verse four. It is God’s will, verse four, that each of you should18400:17:29,599 –> 00:17:36,599learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable. What does this mean?18500:17:38,979 –> 00:17:45,979Well, it could be that Paul is making a general statement about the importance of self control.18600:17:47,040 –> 00:17:53,000But it seems to me, the more I’ve looked at this and read commentators on this passage,18700:17:53,000 –> 00:17:59,680it seems to me much more likely that Paul is speaking specifically to Christian believers18800:17:59,680 –> 00:18:06,680who are married, and that he is speaking about the intimate relationship of a Christian husband18900:18:09,140 –> 00:18:11,660and a Christian wife.19000:18:11,660 –> 00:18:16,640Now, if you look at the bottom of the page, and if you have the new international version,19100:18:16,640 –> 00:18:22,160I think you’ll see a little footnote there that’s, if you have very sharp eyesight,19200:18:22,300 –> 00:18:28,260you will see a very little footnote relating to verse 4, giving an alternative translation,19300:18:28,260 –> 00:18:33,839which would be, each one of you should learn to live with his own wife.19400:18:33,839 –> 00:18:38,219And the reason that the new international version puts that in there is that there is19500:18:38,219 –> 00:18:43,500some quite clear evidence that the context of Paul’s statement about control and so forth19600:18:43,500 –> 00:18:49,319and relating is the context of Christian marriage. That is evidenced from the language in the19700:18:49,319 –> 00:18:55,619original text itself. Now I’m convinced that Paul is speaking here19800:18:55,619 –> 00:19:01,699about the issues relating to intimacy in a Christian marriage, and I think that is a19900:19:01,699 –> 00:19:10,020very wonderful thing. Just pause with me for a moment to think about this. What we are20000:19:10,020 –> 00:19:24,099learning here is that the purpose of God includes the transforming power of the gospel, touching20100:19:24,099 –> 00:19:32,760even the most intimate areas of private life, that the change that the gospel and bringing20200:19:32,839 –> 00:19:41,040God brings in the life of a Christian husband or a Christian wife is actually going to extend20300:19:41,040 –> 00:19:54,040even into the private world of your bedroom. Now what is Paul saying here, just this. That20400:19:54,040 –> 00:20:04,680sanctification involves putting an end to sexual selfishness in marriage. Either the20500:20:04,680 –> 00:20:13,400sexual selfishness that expresses itself in imposing or the sexual selfishness that expresses20600:20:13,400 –> 00:20:21,680itself in withholding. What Paul is saying is that every Christian husband should learn20700:20:22,239 –> 00:20:26,859to relate to his wife in a way that is holy and honorable. Do you see these two words20800:20:26,859 –> 00:20:33,099in verse four? These are the key words. Holy and honorable. And that every wife should20900:20:33,099 –> 00:20:40,099learn to relate to her husband in a way that is holy and honorable. And that this is part21000:20:42,140 –> 00:20:47,560of living to please God. This is part of God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. This is part21100:20:47,660 –> 00:20:52,880of growth in the Christian life. It is not outside of God’s purpose for you, it is very21200:20:52,880 –> 00:20:59,880much a part of it. Now these are deeply sensitive issues. But the way that a Christian husband21300:21:04,160 –> 00:21:11,160and a Christian wife relate together is crucial for the harmony of our homes and it is crucial21400:21:11,280 –> 00:21:18,280for the holiness of our lives. Well we have to pause the message there but we’ll be back21500:21:22,160 –> 00:21:25,979with the second part of that message in our next broadcast so I hope you’ll join us for21600:21:25,979 –> 00:21:30,660that.. You have been listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Collin Smith and the message21700:21:30,660 –> 00:21:37,979called The Urgency of Personal Purity. Part of our series Living Like There’s No Tomorrow21800:21:38,979 –> 00:21:44,219on the Book of One Thessalonians. If you ever miss one of our messages, it’s easy to catch21900:21:44,219 –> 00:21:50,800up or go back and listen again by coming to our website, that’s at openthebible.org.uk,22000:21:50,800 –> 00:21:55,800also available as a podcast on all the main podcast sites, search therefore Open The Bible22100:21:55,800 –> 00:22:02,800UK. While you’re on our website, don’t forget to check out Open The Bible Daily, that is22200:22:02,920 –> 00:22:08,060our series of short two to three minute daily reflections, based on Pastor Colin’s teaching22300:22:08,060 –> 00:22:11,800and read this month by Sally Workman. Open The Bible Daily.22400:22:12,619 –> 00:22:15,619At The Open the Bible, we welcome contact with our listeners22500:22:16,359 –> 00:22:22,199you can email us by using the contact form on our website, at openthebible.org.uk22600:22:22,199 –> 00:22:25,380forward slash contact you can write to us at22700:22:25,380 –> 00:22:35,819openthebible.org.uk22800:22:35,819 –> 00:22:41,359Or you can phone us on 0330 335 808922900:22:42,199 –> 00:22:46,900If we’re not available when you call, leave a message for us and we’ll return23000:22:46,900 –> 00:22:51,619your call. All of these contact details are available on our website23100:22:51,619 –> 00:22:54,800openthebible.org.uk23200:22:54,839 –> 00:22:59,520Our regular listeners will know that Open the Bible is supported by our many23300:22:59,520 –> 00:23:03,459listeners and we’re extremely grateful for the support that you give us.23400:23:03,780 –> 00:23:07,300So if you already give to support the work of open the Bible,23500:23:07,500 –> 00:23:08,800thank you so much.23600:23:09,560 –> 00:23:12,239This month of October we have a special offer.23700:23:12,560 –> 00:23:17,380If you’re able to set up a new direct debit in the amount of £5 per month or23800:23:17,400 –> 00:23:20,900more, or a one off gift of £60 or more,23900:23:21,339 –> 00:23:22,619we’d love to say thank you.24000:23:22,800 –> 00:23:27,400By sending you a copy of a devotional book by Dav and Sally Gobbett.24100:23:27,660 –> 00:23:32,079It’s called Hallelujah. Here is Dave Gobbett to tell us about it.24200:23:32,500 –> 00:23:35,079Hi, there. I’m Dave Gobbett and together with my wife,24300:23:35,099 –> 00:23:36,920we’ve written this Advent devotional.24400:23:36,920 –> 00:23:41,920HallelujahJourneyngThroughtAdvent with Hansel’s Messiah and24500:23:41,920 –> 00:23:43,099the book is a daily devotional.24600:23:43,119 –> 00:23:47,119The idea is you read a short section of the Bible and a meditation based on a24700:23:47,140 –> 00:23:51,880movement from Hangel’s famous oratorio and in the busyness of the run-up to24800:23:51,880 –> 00:23:52,719Christmas,24900:23:52,739 –> 00:23:57,739this book will enable you to pause and slow down and reflect on the25000:23:58,420 –> 00:24:03,079significance of the coming of Jesus Christ as our personal Messiah and all that25100:24:03,579 –> 00:24:05,199means for us and for his world.25200:24:05,880 –> 00:24:09,719And I’m absolutely delighted that Open the Bible UK have chosen this book to be25300:24:09,719 –> 00:24:11,540their October book of the month.25400:24:11,939 –> 00:24:15,420And if you make a donation to open the Bible UK in October,25500:24:15,439 –> 00:24:19,319you’ll get a free copy of this book sent to you where you’ll be able to journey25600:24:19,380 –> 00:24:22,439with us through Handel’s Messiah in the run-up to Christmas.25700:24:22,760 –> 00:24:26,040And I hope that’s a great encouragement to you as much as it was encouraging to25800:24:26,040 –> 00:24:27,640my wife and I, as we wrote the book.25900:24:28,060 –> 00:24:32,900So God bless and enjoy getting ready for the coming of the Messiah and maybe use26000:24:32,900 –> 00:24:33,780Handel to help you.26100:24:34,520 –> 00:24:38,319So Dave and Sally Goldbits book Hallelujah is our gift.26200:24:38,319 –> 00:24:39,459To you this month.26300:24:39,640 –> 00:24:44,319If you’re able to set up a new direct debit to the work of Open the Bible for26400:24:44,319 –> 00:24:49,079five pounds per month or more, or a one-off gift of 60 pounds or more.26500:24:49,599 –> 00:24:54,660You’ll find full details, terms and conditions, and you can give online at26600:24:54,660 –> 00:24:58,319our website, open thebible.org.uk.26700:24:59,020 –> 00:25:01,920For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith.26800:25:01,920 –> 00:25:02,500I’m David.26900:25:02,500 –> 00:25:02,839Pick.27000:25:03,180 –> 00:25:04,680Thanks for being with us today.27100:25:04,680 –> 00:25:08,439And I look forward to you joining us again next time on.27200:25:08,579 –> 00:25:09,359Open the Bible.27300:25:20,280 –> 00:25:25,619As a Christian, do you expect to wage a battle against sexual sin?27400:25:26,280 –> 00:25:29,040Find out why next time on Open the Bible.