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Jesus chapters

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Jesus is the central figure of the whole Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament

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In the Old Testament He is hidden and anticipated

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In the New Testament He is revealed and He is enjoyed

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The Bible is God Speaking to us, and speaking about and through his Son

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Welcome to Open the Bible with pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick

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and Colin, what we’re talking about today is central to everything that this ministry

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of Open the Bible is all about

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The authority of the Word of God, that it is God Himself speaking to us through Scripture

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Yeah, that’s exactly right

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And what a person or what a church believes about the Bible

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is going to have an enormous shaping influence on the nature of the ministry

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I heard someone recently say, oh the Bible is information

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Well, if the Bible is only information you’re only going to go when you feel like you need some

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question answered

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That’s going to be at the edges of ministry

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Everything else is going to be about some kind of activity

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The Bible’s not going to be at the centre

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The Bible’s more than information

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The Bible is light and life and food and milk and meat

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Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word

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Now, if it’s my food, I’m going to be going there every day

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because I can’t live without it, I’m going to starve

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So what we believe about the Bible, that it is the word of God

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that it is the means by which spiritual life is given

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and by which it’s sustained

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that’s of huge importance

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and today I really want to encourage us to be deeply rooted

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in firm conviction about Scripture being the word of God

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So let’s get into Scripture

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I hope you’ll be able to join us in Colossians 3

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as we begin the message, the Word of God

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here’s Colin

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I want us to look today at the second of the Four Friends

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the Word of God

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and so I hope that you will open your bible

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at Colossians 3 and verse 16

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so I want to care for my soul

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and thank God the Son of God is present with me

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as a Christian believer

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present with every Christian

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by the Holy Spirit

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Christ lives in you

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And now we’re being told

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in Colossians chapter 3

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and verse 16

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that the Word of Christ

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the Word of God

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must also live in you

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…let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly

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teaching and admonishing one another

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in all wisdom

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singing Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs

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with thankfulness to God in your hearts

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and my prayer for our time together today

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in the Word of God

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has been twofold

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first that God will strengthen our convictions

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about the Bible being His Word

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and I want to try and show you

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why that is so critically important

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and so very very practical

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and then being affirmed in our conviction

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that the Bible is indeed the Word of God

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for us to be encouraged in our actual use of it

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in our life

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See here’s the question

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Does the Word of God dwell richly in you?

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Does it remain in you?

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And is it there in an abundant measure?

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Is it dwelling richly in you?

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or is your experience that the Word of God

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sort of you hear a message

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and it sort of is something that passes you

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and brushes off you in the course of your life

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Let the Word of Christ dwell

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in you richly

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That’s how you care for your soul

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That’s how you nourish your soul

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For the Son of God

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The Word of God

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I want us to look at what this Word is

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why it matters

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what it produces

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and then for us to

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respond to it together

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We begin here then

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What this Word is

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Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly

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And I want you to notice that in this verse

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God’s communication with us

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which is usually described as

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The Word of God

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is here quite distinctly described as

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The Word of Christ

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Now that phrase

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The Word of Christ

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is only used twice in the entire New Testament

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Once here in Colossians 3,16

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and the other time in Romans chapter 10

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and verse 17

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where we read that

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This phrase

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The Word of Christ

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A synonym of

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the Word of God

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reminds us of something

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that is very important

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that we often emphasize here in the Orchard

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which is

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that the whole bible is one story

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and all of it is about Jesus Christ

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We’re convinced of that

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because the Bible tells us

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about an occasion

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when the Pharisees

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who studied the Old Testament

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very diligently

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were speaking with Jesus

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and Jesus said to them

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these scriptures

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the Old Testament scriptures

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speak about Me

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and you remember on the road to Emmaus

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Jesus is helping two confused disciples

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and he shows them

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from Moses and the prophets

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and all the way through the Old Testament

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the things that are concerning Himself

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So Jesus is the central figure

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of the whole bible

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both the Old Testament

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and the New Testament

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in the Old Testament

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he is hidden

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and anticipated

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In the New Testament

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he is revealed

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and he is enjoyed

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but he is the center of the whole bible

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because the whole point of everything

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that God communicates to us

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is that we should come

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to know, and to enjoy, and to love and serve

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and believe in and live for

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Jesus Christ

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the Son of God

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the Saviour of the world

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and the Lord of all

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and this is the great theme of Colossians

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that many of us have been studying

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throughout the summer

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it is in Christ

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that God had all His fullness dwelling

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it is in Christ that God has triumphed

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over all of the dark powers

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it is in Christ

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that believers are rooted

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and built up and established

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in the faith

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the Bible is God speaking to us

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and speaking about

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and through His Son

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now the Christian Church

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have agreed and affirmed this

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in overwhelming measure

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for nearly two thousand years

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and I say nearly two thousand years

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because about a hundred years ago

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a new and very different view of the Bible

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began to emerge

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Charles Darwin had grasped

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the mind and hearts of many people

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with his theory of evolution

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suggesting that the world could

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be explained entirely

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by natural causes and processes

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and it’s a fascinating thing

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as a matter of history

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to trace the way in which

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some leaders in the church

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began in the years that followed

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to recast their view of the Bible

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in the light of evolutionary theory

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the conviction of the Church

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had always been

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The Bible is God’s Word to us

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that God exists

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that God has made himself known

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that the Bible tells us what God has said

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and what God has done

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and that the story is about God

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it is God’s word

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and it is spoken into God’s world

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but you can understand that the new thinking

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for many seems to turn all of that on its head

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some began to ask

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well now wait we’ve been told that the story is all about God

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but if it is really the case that the whole of the world

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and everything that is around us

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and even we ourselves

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can all be explained by natural processes and causes

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then it would seem that the story is actually all about us

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and if the story is all about us

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then what’s the Bible?

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Well if the story is all about us

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then the Bible would not be God’s words to us

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what it would be is the record of our words about God

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and we would expect to find that as we developed over time

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that our words about God

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began as being rather crude

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and harsh and exclusive

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and that they refined over time

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to become more sophisticated

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more refined and more inclusive

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the Bible then would be viewed

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as the involving story of human thinking

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about how God might be

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now you will understand immediately then

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that these are two entirely different views of the Bible

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in one the Bible is God’s Words speaking to us

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God’s speaking and He’s making Himself known

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in the other it’s our Word About God

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we’re the ones who are speaking

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this is the product of human thinking

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and of human insight and so forth and so on

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that naturally changes and evolves

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and is thought to improve over a period of time

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and the Bible therefore is really a record

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of our reaching out and trying to explore

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and figure things out and so forth and so on

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now these are two entirely different views

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and which one settles in your mind

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and which one you most deeply believe

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will shape how you use the Bible

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and how you respond to it

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so if you come to believe that

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the Bible is essentially human words about God

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then you may use the Bible as a resources

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you may go to it for insight

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and for encouragement

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but when you find it does not fit well

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with your particular view of life

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or your desired direction

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or your view of how things should be

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you will feel free to disagree with it

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and disregard it and choose your own path

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why? because when the Bible is simply a collection

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of human words about God

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you will look at this old book

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and you will say

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that was then

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this is now

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and you realize that there are people all around us

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across this culture

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who are approaching the Bible

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exactly in that kind of way

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and therefore do not feel

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that it has authority

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in regards to their lives

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but mainly as a source book

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to kind of evaluate

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and to pick up those things

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that still seem to be

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true and relevant and fitting

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now I want to make it very clear

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that in this church

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we do not view the Bible

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as a collection of human words

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or insights about God

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that in this church

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we regard the Bible

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as the church historically

274

00:11:17,700 –> 00:11:19,619

has always regarded the Bible

275

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as God’s word to us

276

00:11:22,820 –> 00:11:23,700

and we affirm that

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particularly in our Statement of Faith

278

00:11:27,059 –> 00:11:28,159

which is a statement of faith

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00:11:28,159 –> 00:11:29,580

shared by all of the churches

280

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in the denomination to which we belong

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the Evangelical Free Church of America

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00:11:33,580 –> 00:11:35,559

and it has three sentences

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in its article on scripture

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and let me just remind you of them

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this is a statement that is affirmed

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by every person who becomes

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a member of this church

288

00:11:47,200 –> 00:11:49,099

and so if you sign up for the membership class

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you’ll be taken through the Statement of Faith

290

00:11:50,820 –> 00:11:52,500

what we believe about scripture

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and about Christ

292

00:11:53,820 –> 00:11:56,460

and all the main articles of faith

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and if you’re a member of this church

294

00:11:58,520 –> 00:11:59,460

then you are someone

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who is committed to and affirms

296

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the faith that we share

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with regards to scripture

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and we express it in these words

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we believe that God has spoken

300

00:12:13,419 –> 00:12:15,659

in the scriptures

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now you see the key phrase there

302

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is God has spoken

303

00:12:19,020 –> 00:12:21,299

this isn’t a collection of human words about God

304

00:12:21,299 –> 00:12:24,619

this is God himself doing the speaking

305

00:12:24,619 –> 00:12:27,739

and he does it through the words of human authors

306

00:12:27,739 –> 00:12:29,739

in both the Old and the New Testament

307

00:12:29,739 –> 00:12:31,380

through the Prophets in the Old Testament

308

00:12:31,380 –> 00:12:33,219

through the Apostles in the New Testament

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00:12:33,219 –> 00:12:34,580

but here is the thing that matters

310

00:12:34,580 –> 00:12:36,719

it is God who is doing the speaking

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00:12:37,179 –> 00:12:39,419

it is the statement that comes from the mouth of God

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00:12:39,419 –> 00:12:41,159

second sentence

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as the verbally inspired word of God

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00:12:43,559 –> 00:12:45,000

the Bible is without error

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which of course would follow

316

00:12:46,239 –> 00:12:48,400

if it’s human words about God

317

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it will be full of errors

318

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because humans are full of errors

319

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but if God has actually spoken

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00:12:52,380 –> 00:12:55,820

God is not in the habit of making mistakes

321

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and so when I find something

322

00:12:57,059 –> 00:12:58,219

that I cannot understand

323

00:12:58,219 –> 00:12:59,640

or something that I cannot resolve

324

00:12:59,640 –> 00:13:01,239

my first instinct is not to say

325

00:13:01,239 –> 00:13:03,479

God got it wrong again

326

00:13:03,479 –> 00:13:05,940

but to say I don’t have enough information at this point

327

00:13:05,940 –> 00:13:07,179

and I’m going to keep my eyes open

328

00:13:07,179 –> 00:13:07,940

and my mind open

329

00:13:07,940 –> 00:13:09,440

and I’m going to look and trust

330

00:13:09,440 –> 00:13:11,260

that God will give at some point

331

00:13:11,260 –> 00:13:12,659

some understanding that is greater

332

00:13:12,659 –> 00:13:15,739

than what I have right now

333

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it is the complete revelation

334

00:13:17,299 –> 00:13:18,859

of his will for salvation

335

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and the ultimate authority

336

00:13:20,260 –> 00:13:22,239

by which every realm of human knowledge

337

00:13:22,239 –> 00:13:24,700

and endeavour should be judged

338

00:13:24,700 –> 00:13:25,859

in other words we don’t take

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00:13:25,859 –> 00:13:27,119

as our starting point

340

00:13:27,119 –> 00:13:29,140

let’s look at everything that’s being said in the world

341

00:13:29,140 –> 00:13:31,219

and see how it fits in with the Bible

342

00:13:31,219 –> 00:13:32,559

we start with the word of God

343

00:13:32,559 –> 00:13:34,659

and say let’s look at what God has said to us

344

00:13:34,659 –> 00:13:35,619

and let’s evaluate

345

00:13:35,619 –> 00:13:37,020

what’s going around us in the light

346

00:13:37,020 –> 00:13:38,140

of what God has spoken

347

00:13:38,140 –> 00:13:40,299

it’s a very very different way

348

00:13:40,299 –> 00:13:40,859

of viewing the world

349

00:13:40,859 –> 00:13:43,679

and here’s the third sentence

350

00:13:43,679 –> 00:13:46,539

therefore this word is to be believed

351

00:13:46,539 –> 00:13:47,700

in all that it teaches

352

00:13:47,700 –> 00:13:50,380

it is to be obeyed in all that it requires

353

00:13:50,380 –> 00:13:55,940

and it is to be trusted in all that it promises

354

00:13:55,940 –> 00:13:58,900

I’m so glad to have the privilege

355

00:13:58,900 –> 00:14:02,460

of being part of and serving in a church

356

00:14:03,179 –> 00:14:06,039

that affirms what the church throughout it’s history

357

00:14:06,039 –> 00:14:08,020

has always been clear on

358

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that the Bible is the word

359

00:14:11,520 –> 00:14:12,340

of God

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He has spoken it

361

00:14:14,200 –> 00:14:15,900

You’re listening to Open the Bible

362

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with Pastor Colin Smith

363

00:14:17,479 –> 00:14:18,840

and a message called

364

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The word of God

365

00:14:19,880 –> 00:14:21,299

and if you’ve tuned in late

366

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or if you ever miss one of our messages

367

00:14:23,260 –> 00:14:24,119

you can always go back

368

00:14:24,119 –> 00:14:25,700

or listen again online

369

00:14:25,700 –> 00:14:26,859

at our website

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00:14:26,859 –> 00:14:29,539

openthebible.org.uk

371

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we’ve been looking at

372

00:14:30,700 –> 00:14:31,659

what the word is

373

00:14:31,719 –> 00:14:34,299

and next we’ll see why it matters

374

00:14:34,299 –> 00:14:35,140

back to the message

375

00:14:35,140 –> 00:14:36,219

here’s Colin

376

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let’s move on to the second thing

377

00:14:38,260 –> 00:14:39,719

Why does it matter?

378

00:14:39,719 –> 00:14:41,500

spoken about

379

00:14:41,500 –> 00:14:42,340

the bible

380

00:14:42,340 –> 00:14:43,159

the word of God

381

00:14:43,159 –> 00:14:45,460

two very very different views

382

00:14:45,460 –> 00:14:47,140

why does it matter?

383

00:14:48,039 –> 00:14:49,159

Now someone’s gonna be here

384

00:14:49,159 –> 00:14:49,979

and saying

385

00:14:49,979 –> 00:14:51,539

what difference does it make

386

00:14:51,539 –> 00:14:53,619

to my life on Thursday

387

00:14:53,619 –> 00:14:54,479

or the pain that

388

00:14:54,479 –> 00:14:56,859

I’m going through right now

389

00:14:56,859 –> 00:14:59,059

whether the Bible is human words

390

00:14:59,059 –> 00:15:00,020

about God or God’s Word

391

00:15:00,020 –> 00:15:02,580

it makes all the difference

392

00:15:02,580 –> 00:15:03,640

to what you’re going through right now

393

00:15:03,640 –> 00:15:06,299

let me demonstrate how, and why

394

00:15:07,739 –> 00:15:11,080

If God has not spoken

395

00:15:11,080 –> 00:15:12,299

his promises

396

00:15:12,299 –> 00:15:14,260

are replaced

397

00:15:14,260 –> 00:15:16,000

by our wishes

398

00:15:17,000 –> 00:15:17,780

see, think about some of the

399

00:15:17,780 –> 00:15:20,739

great promises of Scripture

400

00:15:20,739 –> 00:15:22,700

I will never leave you

401

00:15:22,700 –> 00:15:26,080

I will never forsake you

402

00:15:26,500 –> 00:15:29,419

Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ

403

00:15:29,900 –> 00:15:32,059

and you will be saved

404

00:15:33,900 –> 00:15:36,739

My God will supply all that you need

405

00:15:36,739 –> 00:15:39,500

according to his riches in glory

406

00:15:39,640 –> 00:15:40,900

Here’s the question

407

00:15:40,900 –> 00:15:43,500

who said these words?

408

00:15:44,940 –> 00:15:45,820

you see

409

00:15:45,820 –> 00:15:48,020

if these words came from the mouth of God

410

00:15:48,020 –> 00:15:50,799

if God actually said them

411

00:15:52,039 –> 00:15:53,299

if they are the word of God

412

00:15:53,299 –> 00:15:56,500

they are promises on which you can depend

413

00:15:56,500 –> 00:15:58,500

they are promises on which you can live

414

00:15:58,500 –> 00:16:01,520

in the difficulties that you are facing this week

415

00:16:03,739 –> 00:16:04,859

but if these words

416

00:16:04,859 –> 00:16:05,599

I will never leave you

417

00:16:05,599 –> 00:16:06,979

I will never forsake you

418

00:16:08,099 –> 00:16:09,719

My God will supply all your need

419

00:16:09,719 –> 00:16:10,900

I mean if these words

420

00:16:10,900 –> 00:16:13,219

were simply human words about God

421

00:16:14,359 –> 00:16:16,619

if they simply arose from the aspiration

422

00:16:16,619 –> 00:16:18,020

of the souls of the men

423

00:16:18,020 –> 00:16:19,919

who wrote these particular words

424

00:16:20,179 –> 00:16:23,239

then they are not promises on which you could depend

425

00:16:23,239 –> 00:16:25,380

but merely wishes

426

00:16:25,500 –> 00:16:27,159

that arise from the heart of Paul

427

00:16:27,159 –> 00:16:28,260

or Isaiah

428

00:16:28,539 –> 00:16:29,700

or whoever it might be

429

00:16:29,700 –> 00:16:32,119

they may be wishes that you would all cherish

430

00:16:32,119 –> 00:16:34,619

but they are not promises on which you can depend

431

00:16:34,619 –> 00:16:36,679

unless God has spoken them

432

00:16:38,099 –> 00:16:39,820

so if you come to believe

433

00:16:39,820 –> 00:16:42,119

that the Bible is a word about God

434

00:16:42,119 –> 00:16:44,320

rather than God’s word to us

435

00:16:44,719 –> 00:16:49,099

you actually undermine the very foundation of hope itself

436

00:16:49,280 –> 00:16:52,239

you cut the cord that leads to hope

437

00:16:52,239 –> 00:16:54,719

and you replace God’s promises

438

00:16:54,719 –> 00:16:57,780

with a set of human wishes and aspirations

439

00:16:57,799 –> 00:16:59,440

and you can’t live on that this week

440

00:17:00,599 –> 00:17:01,599

second

441

00:17:02,679 –> 00:17:04,640

if God has not spoken

442

00:17:04,640 –> 00:17:06,099

then his truth

443

00:17:06,579 –> 00:17:09,160

is replaced by our opinion

444

00:17:10,959 –> 00:17:12,479

the Bible says

445

00:17:12,479 –> 00:17:15,660

God is gracious, slow to anger

446

00:17:15,660 –> 00:17:19,560

he is merciful and he is abounding in steadfast love

447

00:17:20,599 –> 00:17:22,280

that fourfold description

448

00:17:22,280 –> 00:17:25,500

gracious, merciful, slow to anger and abounding in love

449

00:17:25,500 –> 00:17:28,180

is repeated no less than seven times

450

00:17:28,180 –> 00:17:29,640

in the Old Testament

451

00:17:30,900 –> 00:17:32,280

the question is

452

00:17:32,280 –> 00:17:33,979

whose words are these?

453

00:17:35,099 –> 00:17:37,780

if God himself spoke these words

454

00:17:37,780 –> 00:17:39,780

then they are his own description

455

00:17:39,780 –> 00:17:41,359

of who he is

456

00:17:42,260 –> 00:17:45,640

and we can be sure that he is indeed

457

00:17:45,640 –> 00:17:48,040

gracious and merciful and slow to anger

458

00:17:48,040 –> 00:17:49,619

and abounding in steadfast love

459

00:17:49,619 –> 00:17:52,199

because this is what God has told us

460

00:17:52,199 –> 00:17:53,579

about himself

461

00:17:55,780 –> 00:17:57,400

but if these words were simply

462

00:17:57,400 –> 00:18:00,400

the thoughts of Moses or David

463

00:18:00,400 –> 00:18:02,619

or Nehemiah or Jonah

464

00:18:03,560 –> 00:18:05,739

then we do not have truth

465

00:18:05,739 –> 00:18:08,199

on which we can count for our lives today

466

00:18:08,199 –> 00:18:10,040

all we have is the experience

467

00:18:10,040 –> 00:18:12,920

or opinion of these particular men

468

00:18:12,920 –> 00:18:14,500

which may or may not prove to be true

469

00:18:14,500 –> 00:18:15,979

or relevant for us today

470

00:18:17,420 –> 00:18:19,719

and when people buy into this kind of

471

00:18:19,719 –> 00:18:20,760

view of the Bible

472

00:18:20,760 –> 00:18:23,560

this idea that it’s human words about God

473

00:18:23,599 –> 00:18:27,140

you end up with vacuous discussions

474

00:18:27,140 –> 00:18:28,520

in Bible study groups

475

00:18:28,520 –> 00:18:30,640

that go along the lines of this

476

00:18:30,640 –> 00:18:32,760

well you know Moses clearly found

477

00:18:32,760 –> 00:18:35,060

that God was gracious and merciful

478

00:18:35,060 –> 00:18:36,599

and slow to anger

479

00:18:36,599 –> 00:18:38,719

and abounding in steadfast love

480

00:18:38,719 –> 00:18:40,760

but what about you?

481

00:18:40,760 –> 00:18:42,599

What do you think God is like?

482

00:18:42,599 –> 00:18:44,099

Who is God to you?

483

00:18:44,099 –> 00:18:45,640

and you say, so then everyone

484

00:18:45,640 –> 00:18:47,319

throws in their own opinion

485

00:18:47,319 –> 00:18:49,880

and there’s no solid foundation of truth

486

00:18:49,880 –> 00:18:51,000

for any of it

487

00:18:54,119 –> 00:18:57,540

It’s merely a conversation

488

00:18:57,540 –> 00:19:00,640

How do you see God?

489

00:19:00,640 –> 00:19:02,439

See, when the word of God to us

490

00:19:02,439 –> 00:19:04,839

is viewed as our word about God

491

00:19:04,839 –> 00:19:06,959

not only do we lose the promises

492

00:19:06,959 –> 00:19:10,680

and end up just with a bunch of human wishes

493

00:19:10,680 –> 00:19:12,219

but we lose the truth

494

00:19:12,219 –> 00:19:14,300

that is the very foundation of faith

495

00:19:14,300 –> 00:19:16,599

on which a person can build life

496

00:19:16,599 –> 00:19:17,920

and we end up simply with a bunch

497

00:19:17,920 –> 00:19:18,959

of human opinions

498

00:19:18,959 –> 00:19:19,540

What do you think?

499

00:19:19,560 –> 00:19:20,180

What do I think?

500

00:19:20,180 –> 00:19:23,339

What difference does it make anyway?

501

00:19:23,459 –> 00:19:28,520

Third, if God has not spoken

502

00:19:28,520 –> 00:19:31,199

then his wonderful welcome

503

00:19:31,199 –> 00:19:34,540

his embrace and his love

504

00:19:34,540 –> 00:19:39,540

are replaced by our unending journey

505

00:19:39,540 –> 00:19:40,439

Think about this

506

00:19:40,439 –> 00:19:42,339

The Bible is a book full of invitation

507

00:19:42,339 –> 00:19:44,839

It’s all over

508

00:19:44,839 –> 00:19:46,920

Incline your ear and come to me

509

00:19:46,920 –> 00:19:48,739

hear that your soul may live

510

00:19:48,739 –> 00:19:50,760

I will make an everlasting covenant

511

00:19:50,760 –> 00:19:53,380

of love with you

512

00:19:53,380 –> 00:19:57,300

Draw near to God and he will draw near to you

513

00:19:57,300 –> 00:19:59,160

what kind of an invitation is that

514

00:19:59,160 –> 00:20:02,699

from the almighty?

515

00:20:02,699 –> 00:20:05,040

Come let us reason together

516

00:20:05,040 –> 00:20:06,199

says the Lord

517

00:20:06,199 –> 00:20:10,260

Though your sins be as scarlet

518

00:20:10,260 –> 00:20:12,680

they shall be as white as snow

519

00:20:12,680 –> 00:20:13,780

You hear the invitation

520

00:20:13,780 –> 00:20:15,719

in all of these wonderful words

521

00:20:15,719 –> 00:20:18,920

Question of course is who said them?

522

00:20:19,099 –> 00:20:23,520

if God really said these things

523

00:20:23,520 –> 00:20:30,079

Then God himself is reaching out to you in love

524

00:20:31,219 –> 00:20:34,959

and we have much more than a God who’s out there somewhere

525

00:20:34,959 –> 00:20:37,300

watching us from a distance

526

00:20:37,300 –> 00:20:39,760

We have, if God has spoken these words

527

00:20:39,760 –> 00:20:42,479

truly a God who reaches out to you

528

00:20:42,479 –> 00:20:44,520

and in love and in all of your need

529

00:20:44,520 –> 00:20:45,520

even today

530

00:20:45,520 –> 00:20:48,900

says come to me

531

00:20:49,119 –> 00:20:51,459

and you on that basis can come to him

532

00:20:51,459 –> 00:20:52,459

in confidence

533

00:20:52,459 –> 00:20:54,420

and know that you will be received

534

00:20:54,420 –> 00:20:55,420

in love

535

00:20:55,420 –> 00:20:56,780

and that you can enjoy

536

00:20:56,780 –> 00:20:58,859

an authentic, true relationship

537

00:20:58,859 –> 00:21:00,199

with this living God

538

00:21:00,199 –> 00:21:01,280

who loves you

539

00:21:01,280 –> 00:21:02,579

and you know it to be so

540

00:21:02,579 –> 00:21:05,339

because he has invited you to come

541

00:21:05,339 –> 00:21:06,760

He’s said it himself

542

00:21:06,760 –> 00:21:08,500

but if these words draw near to God

543

00:21:08,500 –> 00:21:09,780

and he will draw near to you

544

00:21:09,780 –> 00:21:11,619

if they were simply the words of James

545

00:21:11,619 –> 00:21:13,979

if they were simply the words of Isaiah

546

00:21:13,979 –> 00:21:15,459

if they were simply a reflection

547

00:21:15,459 –> 00:21:16,959

of what other people have discovered

548

00:21:17,199 –> 00:21:18,319

how could you possibly know

549

00:21:18,319 –> 00:21:19,660

the same would be true for you?

550

00:21:22,000 –> 00:21:23,300

and here’s one of the great tragedies

551

00:21:23,300 –> 00:21:24,300

of our generation

552

00:21:24,300 –> 00:21:25,300

in which you know

553

00:21:25,300 –> 00:21:27,079

there are thousands of people

554

00:21:27,079 –> 00:21:28,380

who would describe themselves

555

00:21:28,380 –> 00:21:30,140

as being on a spiritual journey

556

00:21:30,140 –> 00:21:31,780

on a spiritual search

557

00:21:31,780 –> 00:21:32,859

and it’s all seeking

558

00:21:32,859 –> 00:21:34,560

and there’s hardly any finding

559

00:21:36,380 –> 00:21:37,180

Why?

560

00:21:39,579 –> 00:21:42,500

because the word of the living God

561

00:21:42,500 –> 00:21:44,020

who reaches out to us

562

00:21:44,020 –> 00:21:45,020

in invitation

563

00:21:45,020 –> 00:21:46,020

and in love

564

00:21:46,020 –> 00:21:46,819

and in mercy

565

00:21:46,819 –> 00:21:47,819

and grace

566

00:21:47,819 –> 00:21:48,819

has been ditched

567

00:21:48,819 –> 00:21:49,880

and all we’re left with

568

00:21:49,880 –> 00:21:52,680

is our own unending journey

569

00:21:54,699 –> 00:21:56,060

you have loads of people

570

00:21:56,060 –> 00:21:57,060

who will say

571

00:21:57,060 –> 00:21:59,099

I’m seeking after God

572

00:21:59,099 –> 00:22:00,380

all in their own way

573

00:22:01,859 –> 00:22:03,739

but losing sight completely

574

00:22:03,739 –> 00:22:05,180

of the God of love

575

00:22:05,180 –> 00:22:07,280

who is seeking people

576

00:22:08,579 –> 00:22:09,540

so do you see

577

00:22:09,540 –> 00:22:12,260

how much is at stake here?

578

00:22:12,260 –> 00:22:13,500

you see how relevant this is

579

00:22:13,500 –> 00:22:14,739

to your life on Thursday

580

00:22:14,739 –> 00:22:15,699

or whenever

581

00:22:16,500 –> 00:22:18,680

if the Bible is our word

582

00:22:18,680 –> 00:22:19,819

about God

583

00:22:19,819 –> 00:22:21,900

rather than God’s word to us

584

00:22:21,900 –> 00:22:24,219

then God’s promises

585

00:22:24,219 –> 00:22:26,020

end up being replaced

586

00:22:26,020 –> 00:22:26,979

by our wishes

587

00:22:26,979 –> 00:22:28,339

and we lose the basis of hope

588

00:22:29,459 –> 00:22:30,420

God’s truth ends up

589

00:22:30,420 –> 00:22:32,060

being replaced by our opinions

590

00:22:32,060 –> 00:22:33,819

and we lose the foundation of faith

591

00:22:35,540 –> 00:22:37,099

and God’s wonderful welcome

592

00:22:37,099 –> 00:22:38,819

and His reach out to us in love

593

00:22:38,819 –> 00:22:39,979

is replaced by this

594

00:22:39,979 –> 00:22:41,739

ongoing journey

595

00:22:41,739 –> 00:22:43,300

and we lose the assurance

596

00:22:43,300 –> 00:22:44,300

of His love

597

00:22:44,300 –> 00:22:45,180

all we lose when

598

00:22:45,180 –> 00:22:46,619

we lose sight of the scripture

599

00:22:46,619 –> 00:22:47,540

being God’s word

600

00:22:47,540 –> 00:22:48,619

is faith hope and love

601

00:22:48,619 –> 00:22:50,619

we lose everything

602

00:22:50,619 –> 00:22:51,739

we lose everything

603

00:22:52,619 –> 00:22:54,140

you’ve been listening to Open the Bible

604

00:22:54,140 –> 00:22:55,420

with pastor Colin Smith

605

00:22:55,420 –> 00:22:56,060

in a message called

606

00:22:56,060 –> 00:22:57,339

the Word of God

607

00:22:57,339 –> 00:22:58,540

we’ve been hearing about

608

00:22:58,540 –> 00:23:00,180

why the Word matters

609

00:23:00,180 –> 00:23:02,500

and we’ll pick up this message next time

610

00:23:02,500 –> 00:23:03,939

so I hope you’ll join us then

611

00:23:04,380 –> 00:23:06,060

if you ever missed one of our messages

612

00:23:06,060 –> 00:23:06,859

you can always go back

613

00:23:06,859 –> 00:23:07,660

and listen again

614

00:23:07,660 –> 00:23:08,859

or catch up online

615

00:23:08,859 –> 00:23:10,020

at our website

616

00:23:10,020 –> 00:23:12,739

openthebible.org.uk

617

00:23:12,739 –> 00:23:14,459

or find us as a podcast

618

00:23:14,660 –> 00:23:17,020

that’ll be on your favourite podcasting site

619

00:23:17,020 –> 00:23:18,060

and you’ll also find a

620

00:23:18,060 –> 00:23:19,579

link to the podcast

621

00:23:19,579 –> 00:23:21,140

on our website

622

00:23:21,140 –> 00:23:22,619

the website address again

623

00:23:22,619 –> 00:23:25,180

openthebible.org.uk

624

00:23:25,739 –> 00:23:26,579

Open The Bible

625

00:23:26,579 –> 00:23:28,180

depends on your generosity

626

00:23:28,180 –> 00:23:29,939

to keep pastor Colin’s teaching

627

00:23:29,939 –> 00:23:32,140

on this station and online

628

00:23:32,140 –> 00:23:34,540

and as you set up a new monthly gift

629

00:23:34,540 –> 00:23:36,819

to the work of Open The Bible this month

630

00:23:36,819 –> 00:23:37,900

we want to thank you

631

00:23:37,900 –> 00:23:39,819

by sending you a free copy

632

00:23:39,819 –> 00:23:41,540

of Chris Lungard’s book

633

00:23:41,540 –> 00:23:42,979

The Enemy Within

634

00:23:43,099 –> 00:23:44,619

Straight talk about the power

635

00:23:44,619 –> 00:23:46,260

and defeat of sin

636

00:23:46,260 –> 00:23:49,180

Colin who would you say this book is for?

637

00:23:49,180 –> 00:23:50,380

Well first is for anyone

638

00:23:50,380 –> 00:23:51,739

who is a Christian

639

00:23:51,739 –> 00:23:52,619

by definition

640

00:23:52,619 –> 00:23:54,020

a Christian is a person

641

00:23:54,020 –> 00:23:57,060

in whom the Holy Spirit dwells

642

00:23:57,060 –> 00:23:58,420

and also by definition

643

00:23:58,420 –> 00:23:59,699

a Christian is a person

644

00:23:59,699 –> 00:24:03,140

who is engaged in a serious battle against sin

645

00:24:03,140 –> 00:24:04,099

The Apostle Paul says

646

00:24:04,099 –> 00:24:05,459

we gotta put to death

647

00:24:05,459 –> 00:24:06,699

the misdeeds of the body

648

00:24:06,699 –> 00:24:08,060

by the power of the Holy Spirit

649

00:24:08,060 –> 00:24:09,260

who lives within you

650

00:24:09,260 –> 00:24:10,420

and here’s the thing

651

00:24:10,420 –> 00:24:12,219

as you grow in the Christian life

652

00:24:12,219 –> 00:24:14,180

you actually become more aware

653

00:24:14,180 –> 00:24:15,859

of the sins that you need

654

00:24:15,859 –> 00:24:17,459

to fight against in your life

655

00:24:17,459 –> 00:24:19,500

not less aware of them

656

00:24:19,500 –> 00:24:21,979

so there’s an increasing sense of battle

657

00:24:21,979 –> 00:24:23,900

that a Christian experiences

658

00:24:23,900 –> 00:24:25,979

and this book by Chris Lungard

659

00:24:25,979 –> 00:24:27,260

The Enemy within

660

00:24:27,260 –> 00:24:28,939

is one of the most helpful books

661

00:24:28,939 –> 00:24:30,020

I have ever found

662

00:24:30,020 –> 00:24:31,420

on the subject of the battle

663

00:24:31,420 –> 00:24:32,339

of the Christian life

664

00:24:32,339 –> 00:24:34,140

it is really encouraging

665

00:24:34,140 –> 00