100:00:00,420 –> 00:00:05,420Every week the folks buying200:00:05,420 –> 00:00:09,780lottery tickets and in their minds is this thought300:00:09,780 –> 00:00:13,360if I win the lottery I don’t need to work any more. And to what they’re400:00:13,360 –> 00:00:16,360thinking is that the only purpose of work500:00:16,360 –> 00:00:20,260is to get money and if I had money I would need to work. Now is that all the600:00:20,260 –> 00:00:22,080work is?700:00:22,080 –> 00:00:25,959Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick800:00:25,959 –> 00:00:28,959glad you could join us today and Colin sounds like today we’re going to be900:00:28,959 –> 00:00:29,840looking at1000:00:29,879 –> 00:00:34,720the purpose of work. We certainly are and to try and recover, I think a biblical1100:00:34,720 –> 00:00:35,900view of work1200:00:35,900 –> 00:00:39,880I think that’s a tragedy that so often work has been viewed as merely the means1300:00:39,880 –> 00:00:42,639to the end of getting some money in order to survive…1400:00:42,639 –> 00:00:46,000That’s not what it is, we have a God who is a Creator1500:00:46,000 –> 00:00:51,419and God has created us with great purposes in view. He has1600:00:51,419 –> 00:00:56,040planned work for us to do and that’s part of what he does in creation1700:00:56,040 –> 00:00:58,759and so I think one of the great things that happening these days in the1800:00:58,799 –> 00:01:02,919church is that there’s a recovery of a biblical view of work1900:01:02,919 –> 00:01:06,720that this is not simply a means to an end but a way in which we actually2000:01:06,720 –> 00:01:08,320glorify God2100:01:08,320 –> 00:01:13,059by doing things that he has particularly called and commissioned us to do2200:01:13,059 –> 00:01:16,279and that that’s true not only of what we call Christian work2300:01:16,279 –> 00:01:19,320but of all forms of work, and to see that2400:01:19,320 –> 00:01:22,239is to find new motivation,I think and I hope that’s going to be an2500:01:22,239 –> 00:01:23,720encouragement for people2600:01:23,720 –> 00:01:28,639to see in a new way that God is interested in the work that you do2700:01:28,720 –> 00:01:29,680And we find that2800:01:29,680 –> 00:01:34,139in 1 Thessalonians in chat 4 today as we begin a message called2900:01:34,139 –> 00:01:38,220The Urgency of Willing Work. Here is Pastor Colin3000:01:38,220 –> 00:01:41,279Today we come to the subject of The Urgency3100:01:41,279 –> 00:01:42,480of Willing Work3200:01:42,480 –> 00:01:46,760and it’s a theme that I think is obviously appropriate for us today as we3300:01:46,760 –> 00:01:48,760celebrate the service3400:01:48,760 –> 00:01:53,160that so many within the congregation give week by week and throughout the year3500:01:53,160 –> 00:01:56,480in the life and ministry of this church3600:01:56,900 –> 00:01:58,959I tell you for me it is a joy3700:01:58,959 –> 00:02:03,519every morning to come in here and to see on the monitors the listing that often3800:02:03,519 –> 00:02:05,059goes to more than one screen3900:02:05,059 –> 00:02:09,800of things that are going on in any one day in the life of this church4000:02:09,800 –> 00:02:14,119ministry to smaller group and to larger groups and training courses and ministry4100:02:14,119 –> 00:02:15,080to children4200:02:15,080 –> 00:02:18,839and to young people and to folks of all adult ages4300:02:18,839 –> 00:02:22,740ministeries of compassion and of evangelism and of world outreach it goes4400:02:22,740 –> 00:02:24,320on and it goes on4500:02:24,399 –> 00:02:27,759I spoke the other a week just few weeks ago to someone4600:02:27,759 –> 00:02:32,220in the foyer who was a visitor for the first time and I knew she was a visitor4700:02:32,220 –> 00:02:35,860for the first time because she said to me now you’re the pastor it must be4800:02:35,860 –> 00:02:37,220really quiet4900:02:37,220 –> 00:02:40,800working here during the week and I said5000:02:40,800 –> 00:02:43,800oh that couldn’t be further from the truth5100:02:43,800 –> 00:02:47,580and the reality is that ministry happens5200:02:47,580 –> 00:02:53,139in multiple ways because God has placed it into the hearts5300:02:53,199 –> 00:02:55,619of many many people5400:02:55,619 –> 00:02:58,880to make it happen and this is a gift from God5500:02:58,880 –> 00:03:02,300which we cherish and for which we thank him5600:03:02,300 –> 00:03:05,500today if you walk round this building on5700:03:05,500 –> 00:03:09,740any given day during the week you will find people somewhere around who are5800:03:09,740 –> 00:03:10,779either practicing5900:03:10,779 –> 00:03:14,300painting, repairing, cleaning, restocking6000:03:14,300 –> 00:03:17,660printing, mailing or are whatever it is and6100:03:17,660 –> 00:03:21,279in the mercy of God ministry multiplies6200:03:21,460 –> 00:03:24,240because God has placed it in the hearts of His people6300:03:24,240 –> 00:03:27,279that’s one reason why it’s a good thing that we come to this theme6400:03:27,279 –> 00:03:31,539of work, second good reason for us to look at the theme of work as we come to6500:03:31,539 –> 00:03:32,740the Bible today6600:03:32,740 –> 00:03:35,839is that this is Father’s Day and6700:03:35,839 –> 00:03:39,100most dads spend most of their time6800:03:39,100 –> 00:03:43,000engaged in some kind of work and6900:03:43,000 –> 00:03:46,179the question is what does the Bible have to say about that7000:03:46,179 –> 00:03:49,919what place does your Working Life7100:03:50,039 –> 00:03:51,399have7200:03:51,399 –> 00:03:55,199in the purpose and the plan of God7300:03:55,199 –> 00:03:58,619and there are some very wonderful and important things that the Bible has to7400:03:58,619 –> 00:03:59,720teach us about that7500:03:59,720 –> 00:04:04,059and we find them right here in this letter of Thessalonians as we’ve come to7600:04:04,059 –> 00:04:04,399it7700:04:04,399 –> 00:04:07,720this morning. Let me give a kind of broad introduction7800:04:07,720 –> 00:04:11,080simply by saying this. That there are probably two common7900:04:11,080 –> 00:04:15,039errors that are made in the way that many people think8000:04:15,039 –> 00:04:19,679about work. The first is what we might call the secularized view, which is8100:04:19,700 –> 00:04:21,260that work is simply a means8200:04:21,260 –> 00:04:25,359of getting money. That you go to work in order to be able to support yourself and8300:04:25,359 –> 00:04:26,220your family8400:04:26,220 –> 00:04:29,579and indeed that is a worthy thing to do but the question is8500:04:29,579 –> 00:04:33,839is that all that it is. Every week there are folks8600:04:33,839 –> 00:04:37,940buying lottery tickets and in their minds8700:04:37,940 –> 00:04:41,700is this thought if I win the lottery I don’t need to work anymore8800:04:41,700 –> 00:04:45,880and so what they’re thinking is that the only purpose of work8900:04:45,880 –> 00:04:49,519is to get money and if I had money I wouldn’t need to work9000:04:49,559 –> 00:04:54,899Now is that all that work is? Or does it have some intrinsic value within itself?9100:04:54,899 –> 00:04:58,480Is it something more? We’re gonna see that it certainly is.9200:04:58,480 –> 00:05:03,359Then there’s a second error that some folks fall into and I call that the9300:05:03,359 –> 00:05:05,320spiritualized view9400:05:05,320 –> 00:05:08,559and that is the one that you hear sometimes among some Christians that9500:05:08,559 –> 00:05:12,660work is wonderful because it’s a great opportunity to share the gospel9600:05:12,660 –> 00:05:15,739And of course that is true we our salt and light9700:05:15,739 –> 00:05:19,239in the world. But do you really think9800:05:20,040 –> 00:05:22,859that God sits as it were yawning9900:05:22,859 –> 00:05:27,839bored in heaven while you’re cutting checks and doing deals and teaching kids10000:05:27,839 –> 00:05:28,380and10100:05:28,380 –> 00:05:32,320serving customers or whatever it is. And that only10200:05:32,320 –> 00:05:36,200when you engage in a conversation about the gospel does a little red light go on10300:05:36,200 –> 00:05:38,940in heaven and God kind of comes to attention and10400:05:38,940 –> 00:05:43,200and says oh he’s done something useful today that’s excellent. I mean really?10500:05:43,200 –> 00:05:46,739Does God care10600:05:46,739 –> 00:05:50,140about the work that you do. Now the problem with this10700:05:50,140 –> 00:05:53,399secular misunderstanding and with the spiritualized10800:05:53,399 –> 00:05:56,619misunderstanding is that they both see work10900:05:56,619 –> 00:06:01,600merely as a means to in end the secular end being money, the spiritual end11000:06:01,600 –> 00:06:06,760being evangelism. But neither have really grasped the biblical principle that work11100:06:06,760 –> 00:06:07,179has11200:06:07,179 –> 00:06:12,320intrinsic value and worth that God dignifies it and that it is part of his11300:06:12,320 –> 00:06:13,299great blessing11400:06:13,299 –> 00:06:18,200and purpose for our lives. Remember that the gift of work came before the fall11500:06:18,200 –> 00:06:21,839in the Bible not after. So I want us to grasp11600:06:21,839 –> 00:06:25,799a biblical view of work, I want to paint a couple of things from the broad11700:06:25,799 –> 00:06:27,540picture in the Bible first11800:06:27,540 –> 00:06:31,299and then to focus in on Thessalonians. Let’s begin with the broad before we11900:06:31,299 –> 00:06:32,279focus in,12000:06:32,279 –> 00:06:35,500your work reflects the12100:06:35,500 –> 00:06:38,799image of God and that gives it great dignity.12200:06:38,799 –> 00:06:43,100Now the first thing that we learn about God in the Bible is that he is a12300:06:43,140 –> 00:06:43,899worker.12400:06:43,899 –> 00:06:47,500In the beginning God12500:06:47,500 –> 00:06:51,000created the heavens and the earth.12600:06:51,000 –> 00:06:54,839And here is something very wonderful, the Bible says that He did this in two12700:06:54,839 –> 00:06:56,739ways, it’s described in two ways.12800:06:56,739 –> 00:07:00,299The Psalms say that the earth is the work of his12900:07:00,299 –> 00:07:06,140hands and Genesis and and other places in the Bible tells us that the world13000:07:06,140 –> 00:07:12,940was created by the word of his mouth. So by the work of his hands he dignifies13100:07:12,940 –> 00:07:19,500forever all manual labor. And by the word of his mouth he dignifies forever13200:07:19,500 –> 00:07:27,820what we call in our culture professional work. Whatever your work is work that is13300:07:27,820 –> 00:07:33,339given by God within this created order is a wonderful reflection of His own13400:07:33,339 –> 00:07:40,359image, it is part of the stamp of being made in the image of God it has therefore13500:07:40,619 –> 00:07:48,420inherent dignity and value it is a gift from the Lord. Now not only is your work13600:07:48,420 –> 00:07:55,500a reflection of the image of God but secondly, big picture, your work fulfills13700:07:55,500 –> 00:08:01,820a calling from God it fulfills a calling from God. Now again going right back to13800:08:01,820 –> 00:08:07,799the beginning of the Bible remember that God planted a garden and then He put13900:08:08,519 –> 00:08:13,579Adam in charge of it, giving him responsibility for cultivating what God14000:08:13,579 –> 00:08:18,559had made. And right from the beginning you see this very wonderful principle in14100:08:18,559 –> 00:08:23,660the Bible that God intends that there should be a partnership between Him and14200:08:23,660 –> 00:08:29,859us in regards to His creative work and we’ll see in the Bible also in relation14300:08:29,859 –> 00:08:37,760to the work of the gospel as well. I love the story of the old gardener who had14400:08:37,760 –> 00:08:46,400worked for years cultivating a beautiful garden and one day his pastor visited14500:08:46,400 –> 00:08:52,039and this man has great joy in showing his pastor all of the flowers and the14600:08:52,039 –> 00:08:56,840shrubs and naming them all and the pastor was very very taken with this14700:08:57,299 –> 00:09:01,780in his spirit and began to speak about the glory of God and he said isn’t it14800:09:01,780 –> 00:09:05,619wonderful that God makes all these things grow and the beauty and diversity14900:09:05,619 –> 00:09:10,039of their color and so forth and the old man was beginning to get a little bit15000:09:10,039 –> 00:09:15,179irked by the fact that God was getting all the credit for the garden that he15100:09:15,179 –> 00:09:21,140had worked on so many years and so he said to the pastor oh no I just want you15200:09:21,140 –> 00:09:26,539to know this garden wasn’t up to much when15300:09:27,059 –> 00:09:35,119now there’s a very profound point in that God could have made self-sustaining15400:09:35,119 –> 00:09:42,799gardens but he didn’t his creative purpose you see was not just that we15500:09:42,799 –> 00:09:47,599should be observers of his work but participants in it that’s the key15600:09:47,599 –> 00:09:52,179principle and we learned it right from the creation he ordered the world in15700:09:52,179 –> 00:09:56,039this way and he created you and me in this way so that we should not simply be15800:09:56,159 –> 00:10:03,760observers but participants in his work so he plants a garden and he places it15900:10:03,760 –> 00:10:08,520under the care of a gardener he creates a human life and what does he do he16000:10:08,520 –> 00:10:13,919places the life of that child in the arms of a mother he sends his son into16100:10:13,919 –> 00:10:16,619the world so that there should be a gospel what does he do16200:10:16,619 –> 00:10:20,200he trusts that gospel to his church so that we may bring it to the world16300:10:20,200 –> 00:10:24,500because we are not to be observers only of the work of God but we are to be16400:10:24,640 –> 00:10:29,280participants in it which is why Paul says so wonderfully in the New16500:10:29,280 –> 00:10:36,739Testament we are God’s fellow workers and that applies not only in terms of16600:10:36,739 –> 00:10:40,679the ministry that we have in the church what a marvelous privilege that is to be16700:10:40,679 –> 00:10:46,380fellow workers with God in ministry but it is also true of whatever work God has16800:10:46,380 –> 00:10:54,539assigned to you in the created order so you see how does God protect us through16900:10:54,539 –> 00:11:00,739policemen and through firemen thank God for their calling and their17000:11:00,739 –> 00:11:06,619participation in the works of God think about it God provides for our education17100:11:06,619 –> 00:11:11,559how through teachers and professors God provides for our health how through17200:11:11,559 –> 00:11:16,059nurses and doctors God provides for our food how three farmers and all those17300:11:16,179 –> 00:11:21,099folks who work in grocery stores God provides for our homes how through17400:11:21,099 –> 00:11:26,880builders and electricians and through plumbers and guys who do drywall thank17500:11:26,880 –> 00:11:33,640God for these guys God provides for our pleasure and for our joy through folks17600:11:33,640 –> 00:11:38,260who work in the Parks Department recreation, sports, the arts, music and17700:11:38,419 –> 00:11:49,559travel agents, participants in the work of God not observers only but partners17800:11:49,559 –> 00:11:58,299God’s fellow workers. Now you can extend the list but you get the point once you17900:11:58,299 –> 00:12:03,179see that what you have been called by God to do within the created order as18000:12:03,179 –> 00:12:07,179well as the work of the church that the whole of your life is a participation18100:12:07,179 –> 00:12:12,320in the work of God and an advancing of his purpose, it will lift your whole18200:12:12,320 –> 00:12:16,880perspective as you drive in the car, to your workplace as you go about your18300:12:16,880 –> 00:12:21,260daily responsibilities whether they be paid or whether they be unpaid, this is18400:12:21,260 –> 00:12:27,960the work that God has given me to do. You’re listening to open the Bible with18500:12:27,960 –> 00:12:32,900Pastor Colin Smith and a message called the urgency of willing work, it’s part of18600:12:33,159 –> 00:12:36,659the message of our Series living like there’s no tomorrow based on the book of18700:12:36,659 –> 00:12:40,7391 Thessalonians. If you’ve missed any of the messages, in the Series you can18800:12:40,739 –> 00:12:44,799catch up or go back and listen again by coming to our website18900:12:44,799 –> 00:12:51,200openthebible.org.uk. Back to the message now here again is Pastor Colin.19000:12:51,200 –> 00:12:56,239Choose your work carefully, I’ve been reflecting on this a lot. We’ve been talking about it19100:12:56,239 –> 00:13:01,059in our home, how do you choose your work, how do you discern what it is God wants19200:13:01,059 –> 00:13:07,380you to do? Well look at your gifts, you see God has19300:13:07,380 –> 00:13:13,020made you good at some things, and that wasn’t by accident. You talk about it19400:13:13,020 –> 00:13:18,219comes to me naturally, what you mean is that God enabled you to do that and He19500:13:18,219 –> 00:13:24,059didn’t give gifts at random, he enabled you to do what you can do well, so19600:13:24,059 –> 00:13:30,479watch that, observe that, and follow that. Keep an eye on capacity, there’s an19700:13:30,479 –> 00:13:34,080important principle here, Jesus told a story about a king who gave equal19800:13:34,080 –> 00:13:39,400amounts of money to ten servants and then they invested the money and when19900:13:39,400 –> 00:13:44,859the king came back, he gave responsibility according to the capacity20000:13:44,859 –> 00:13:48,840that each of them had demonstrated so one had gained a hundred percent return20100:13:48,840 –> 00:13:53,659and the King gave him charge over ten cities, another had gained 50 percent20200:13:53,659 –> 00:13:57,719return and the King gave him charge over five cities, why the difference? Because20300:13:57,799 –> 00:14:02,619they both been faithful, while they had demonstrated different capacities20400:14:03,479 –> 00:14:07,580and the right work for you will stretch your capacity and you will grow by20500:14:07,580 –> 00:14:13,919pursuing it but it will match the capacity that God has given to you that20600:14:13,919 –> 00:14:19,159he has trusted to you and therefore that he calls you to use there there is a fit20700:14:19,159 –> 00:14:25,179that comes in working life there is part of the matching of God’s creation in you20800:14:25,219 –> 00:14:31,719and his providence, his purpose for your life and then there’s the whole issue of20900:14:31,719 –> 00:14:38,679joy, that which delights the heart and it’s worth keeping an eye on that you21000:14:38,679 –> 00:14:42,919know it’s came up in our home just this week, I have my son’s permission to21100:14:42,919 –> 00:14:48,299relate it but I’ve enjoyed some great conversations over these last weeks as21200:14:48,299 –> 00:14:52,780Karin has with our younger boy David about what he should be pursuing in life21300:14:52,799 –> 00:14:58,619he’s just a freshman at college, he’s good at math and he’s decided to major21400:14:58,619 –> 00:15:02,619in economics and I asked one of the business guys in the church you know21500:15:02,619 –> 00:15:08,940what should I do to encourage a freshman at college who is becoming interested in21600:15:08,940 –> 00:15:14,520economics and he said to me, get him the Wall Street Journal and tell him to read21700:15:14,520 –> 00:15:16,200it every day for three years21800:15:19,000 –> 00:15:20,760so we had a chat and I said you know do21900:15:21,000 –> 00:15:24,559you wanna do this? I’ll subscribe to the Wall Street Journal if you want to read it22000:15:24,559 –> 00:15:29,419so we did and it came the first time this week into our house and I came home22100:15:29,419 –> 00:15:35,419about 1030 one evening this last week and found David here buried in the22200:15:35,419 –> 00:15:40,520newspaper and he kind of popped his head over the newspaper and he said Dad I22300:15:40,520 –> 00:15:49,840loved this I love this and you know we had a great conversation because to me22400:15:50,200 –> 00:15:55,280maybe that was another indication that he was following the right track there’s22500:15:55,280 –> 00:16:00,719something within the heart that responds to this and God has put it there these22600:16:00,719 –> 00:16:07,440things aren’t by accident so your work is as a wonderful thing and parts of22700:16:07,440 –> 00:16:11,159God’s purpose for your life it’s a reflection of his image it’s a calling22800:16:11,159 –> 00:16:17,119and a pursuit of his purpose so choose it carefully and watch in relation to22900:16:17,119 –> 00:16:24,580gifts and capacity and also in relation to the joys of your heart and pursue it23000:16:24,580 –> 00:16:31,239under the blessing of God now I want us to focus in more clearly at this point23100:16:31,239 –> 00:16:35,559on first Thessalonians because beyond these general principles about work that23200:16:35,559 –> 00:16:41,320we derived from the Bible there is some wonderful specific teaching about working23300:16:41,320 –> 00:16:46,280life here in this passage we’ve seen that your work reflects the image of God23400:16:46,280 –> 00:16:51,520we’ve seen that your work fulfills a calling from God and I want us to see23500:16:51,520 –> 00:16:58,559from Thessalonians that your work expresses the love of God right to say23600:16:58,559 –> 00:17:02,239that this was something that came to me fresh this week as I wrestled with this23700:17:02,239 –> 00:17:08,780passage I had never noticed before the strong connection that Paul makes between23800:17:09,040 –> 00:17:17,520work and love. I mean would you put these two naturally together love and work23900:17:17,520 –> 00:17:22,339Well I want you to notice in First Thessalonians chapter 4 in verse 9 and24000:17:22,339 –> 00:17:31,38010 that’s exactly what happens verse 9 about brotherly love we do not need to24100:17:31,380 –> 00:17:37,520write to you for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other24200:17:37,560 –> 00:17:44,160then verse 11 he goes on to say work with your hands so that you will not be24300:17:44,160 –> 00:17:48,719dependent on anybody you put these two together and the flow of thought is very24400:17:48,719 –> 00:17:54,079clear that it is an expression of love that I provide for myself and those who24500:17:54,079 –> 00:17:58,000are trusted to me and that that should be part of my Christian goal and my24600:17:58,000 –> 00:18:01,939ambition my work therefore is an expression of love24700:18:01,939 –> 00:18:06,959Now if that was all it was we might pass over the point but once you notice it24800:18:07,060 –> 00:18:12,900You’ll find it everywhere in Thessalonians look back to chapter 1 and verse 324900:18:12,900 –> 00:18:20,780In verse 3 and Paul’s describing here the first effects of the gospel when it25000:18:20,780 –> 00:18:25,040came powerfully to these people and he says we continually remember before our25100:18:25,040 –> 00:18:31,800God and Father your work produced by faith and what your labor prompted by25200:18:31,800 –> 00:18:39,839love. See, love is born in the heart of a Christian believer and what comes out of25300:18:39,839 –> 00:18:47,000that love is what? Hard work labor work and love. Or look at chapter 2 and25400:18:47,000 –> 00:18:52,219verses 8 and 9 and you see it in in Paul’s own example verse 8 we loved25500:18:52,219 –> 00:18:56,160you we loved you so much that we were delighted to share not only the gospel25600:18:56,160 –> 00:19:00,699but our lives as well and what flows out of that verse 9 surely you remember25700:19:00,699 –> 00:19:05,739brothers our toil and our hardship we worked night and day in order not to be25800:19:05,739 –> 00:19:12,540a burden to anyone or if you look at chapter 5 and verse 13 you’ll see it25900:19:12,540 –> 00:19:19,520again he’s talking about those who work hard among you chapter 5 and verse 1326000:19:19,520 –> 00:19:26,199hold them in the highest regard in love there’s love again because of what their26100:19:26,199 –> 00:19:33,439work their work so Paul is joining together two things that are not always26200:19:33,439 –> 00:19:38,859close in our minds and in our hearts it came to me with fresh power to see this26300:19:38,859 –> 00:19:43,739that God’s calling to work is an expression in the life of a Christian26400:19:43,739 –> 00:19:51,420believer of the love that he places within our hearts I want to try and26500:19:51,420 –> 00:19:56,400apply that this morning in three particular ways how work and love fit26600:19:56,400 –> 00:20:06,660together that’s the key point here is the first love works for the good of26700:20:06,660 –> 00:20:12,219others now if you want to get a snapshot of26800:20:12,219 –> 00:20:19,300Bible teaching about how to do well in your job you can’t do better than First26900:20:19,359 –> 00:20:27,339Thessalonians chapter 4 and verse 11 and 12 Paul describes here a working style27000:20:27,339 –> 00:20:32,979that will enable you to have the respect that’s the word he uses of your27100:20:32,979 –> 00:20:39,160colleagues in the workplace and will ensure normally that you are able to27200:20:39,160 –> 00:20:44,500hold and retain and succeed in a job so that you will be able to provide for27300:20:44,500 –> 00:20:48,680yourself and for others and not become dependent on others so that’s the whole27400:20:48,699 –> 00:20:53,280point of what he is saying here in this verse if you are not to be dependent on27500:20:53,280 –> 00:20:57,579others then you need to be able to be successful in the work that God has27600:20:57,579 –> 00:21:02,300given you to do and he’s going to describe precisely what that looks like27700:21:02,300 –> 00:21:09,020three things very clearly in this verse look at it right there in the Bible make27800:21:09,020 –> 00:21:15,079it verse 11 your ambition to lead a quiet life and you’ll notice from27900:21:15,680 –> 00:21:18,93912 he’s talking about your ordinary daily life he’s talking here about the28000:21:18,939 –> 00:21:25,319workplace make it your ambition to lead a quiet life work quietly.28100:21:25,319 –> 00:21:31,060You’ve been listening to pastor Colin Smith on Open the Bible and the message28200:21:31,060 –> 00:21:35,920called the urgency of willing work part of our series living like there’s no28300:21:35,920 –> 00:21:40,520tomorrow. In the Book of Thessalonians Paul reminds us of the urgency of28400:21:40,520 –> 00:21:44,619living for Christ. If you’ve ever missed one of the messages in the series28500:21:45,119 –> 00:21:49,339You can catch up or go back and listen again by coming to our website28600:21:49,339 –> 00:21:54,660that’s at openthebible.org.uk or indeed you can find us as podcast on all28700:21:54,660 –> 00:22:00,180the main podcast sites. Search therefore open the Bible UK. While you are on our28800:22:00,180 –> 00:22:04,979website check out open the Bible daily that’s our series of short two to three28900:22:04,979 –> 00:22:09,660minute daily reflections based on Pastor Collins teaching and read this month in29000:22:10,119 –> 00:22:16,780by Sally Workman. Open the Bible daily. Open the Bill is listened to by people29100:22:16,780 –> 00:22:21,319up and down the country. I’m with Open the Bible’s executive director John29200:22:21,319 –> 00:22:27,060Martin. John, what are listeners saying when they contact you? Yes, so we get29300:22:27,060 –> 00:22:31,319letters from all sorts of listeners and some of those listeners are actually29400:22:31,319 –> 00:22:36,219inmates around UK prisons and it’s wonderful to receive the news that29500:22:36,219 –> 00:22:39,260they’ve been able to listen to the broadcast and they’ve been encouraged by29600:22:39,260 –> 00:22:45,180it. We’re pursuing a partnership with Daylight Christian Prison Trust. They29700:22:45,180 –> 00:22:50,479have chaplains in a number of UK prisons and they’re keen to use good resources29800:22:50,479 –> 00:22:55,439with those exploring faith and those seeking to grow in their faith. So we’ve29900:22:55,439 –> 00:22:59,140talked with them about the possibility of getting the film Heaven How I Got It30000:22:59,140 –> 00:23:03,660into as many of those prisons as possible to give the chaplains the30100:23:03,660 –> 00:23:07,979discussion guide, to supply the chaplains with the books or booklets, so30200:23:07,979 –> 00:23:12,459we’re trialing that now with the hope of creating a batch of DVDs of the film so30300:23:12,459 –> 00:23:16,979they can easily take those in and share the good news that way. There are a30400:23:16,979 –> 00:23:21,400number of prisoners around the UK who are really keen to learn more about the30500:23:21,400 –> 00:23:25,459Christian faith and so if we can give them courses that are accessible and30600:23:25,459 –> 00:23:30,000appropriate for their setting then we’re very very eager to do that.30700:23:30,000 –> 00:23:34,319To find out more about the work of Open the Bible come to our website30800:23:34,319 –> 00:23:36,420openthebible.org.uk30900:23:36,680 –> 00:23:42,300Regular listeners will know that Open the Bible is supported by our listeners and if you31000:23:42,300 –> 00:23:47,099already give to support our work, thank you so much. If you’d like to become one31100:23:47,099 –> 00:23:51,239of our supporters here’s Open the Bible’s Amanda Cunningham to tell you31200:23:51,239 –> 00:23:52,500about a special offer.31300:23:52,500 –> 00:23:55,819Thanks David. Yes, as we look ahead to Christmas31400:23:55,819 –> 00:24:01,000our book of the month for October is Hallelujah by Dave and Sally Gobbett.31500:24:01,739 –> 00:24:07,000This beautiful devotional draws on the timeless music of Handel’s Messiah and31600:24:07,000 –> 00:24:11,260the words of Scripture to take you through the Christmas story. Each31700:24:11,260 –> 00:24:15,219daily reading includes a short reflection together with a piece of the31800:24:15,219 –> 00:24:20,180Hallelujah chorus to listen to, helping you to pause and reflect on the wonder31900:24:20,180 –> 00:24:24,500of Christ’s coming. I read this devotional last Advent with my family32000:24:24,500 –> 00:24:29,380and I found it a real blessing. It’s a lovely way to slow down during a busy32100:24:30,199 –> 00:24:35,040We hope that it will be a blessing to you, too.32200:24:35,040 –> 00:24:37,579You can receive a free copy of Hallelujah32300:24:37,579 –> 00:24:42,739when you support Open the Bible UK. Simply donate a 1-off gift of at least32400:24:42,739 –> 00:24:47,520£60 or set up a new direct debit of £5 or more. And32500:24:47,520 –> 00:24:52,680please do remember to leave your name and address when you donate so that we32600:24:52,680 –> 00:24:57,339know where to send your book. Thanks, Amanda. So our website address again is32700:24:57,540 –> 00:25:03,140openthebible.org.uk and there you will find full terms and conditions and all the32800:25:03,140 –> 00:25:04,579details about this offer.32900:25:04,579 –> 00:25:08,459For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick.33000:25:08,459 –> 00:25:12,099I’m glad you joined us today and I hope to see you again next time on33100:25:12,099 –> 00:25:19,119Open the Bible.33200:25:22,380 –> 00:25:26,239What does the Bible say about doing well in your job?33300:25:26,239 –> 00:25:28,839Find out next time on Open the Bible.