100:00:00,820 –> 00:00:07,640You don’t need a body to do what Angels do.200:00:07,640 –> 00:00:10,960They are ministering spirits.300:00:10,960 –> 00:00:21,620They therefore give to us a model, a pattern for thinking about the experience of our believing loved ones who are now with the Lord.400:00:21,620 –> 00:00:25,719Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.500:00:25,719 –> 00:00:31,200I’m glad you could join us today and Colin, we’re continuing the message today, what will it be like in heaven600:00:31,200 –> 00:00:36,639and for believers many of us are looking forward to having a glorified body one day?700:00:36,639 –> 00:00:40,919But for those who are in heaven now, they don’t actually have that body yet.800:00:40,919 –> 00:00:47,939No, that awaits the time of the resurrection, the glorious day when all believers will be given the resurrection body together,900:00:47,939 –> 00:00:53,400those of us who are here and alive at the time when Christ comes and those who will come with him.1000:00:53,400 –> 00:00:59,740But for those who are already there, the body and the soul has been separated, the body has been buried,1100:00:59,740 –> 00:01:05,239it’s been laid to rest but the spirit, the soul is alive in the presence of Jesus,1200:01:05,239 –> 00:01:09,339very hard to imagine what that’s like because we experience life through the body1300:01:09,339 –> 00:01:14,820but we’re going to look at what that’s like, what the Bible tells us is the immediate experience1400:01:14,820 –> 00:01:17,500of a christian believer after death and it’s very wonderful.1500:01:17,580 –> 00:01:21,580It is and we’re continuing our message, What will it be like in heaven?1600:01:21,580 –> 00:01:26,480and it’s based on Revelation 6 9 to 11 so I hope you’ll join us there if you can.1700:01:26,480 –> 00:01:28,580Here is Pastor Colin.1800:01:28,580 –> 00:01:32,599You don’t need a body to do what angels do.1900:01:32,599 –> 00:01:39,260They are ministering spirits, they therefore give to us a model, a pattern2000:01:39,260 –> 00:01:45,699for thinking about the experience of our believing loved ones who are now with the Lord.2100:01:45,860 –> 00:01:49,099So let me just to tease that out a little bit for you, give you just one or two2200:01:49,099 –> 00:01:55,400examples that quickly come to mind from the Bible, about what angels do, how2300:01:55,400 –> 00:02:00,519they’re actively engaged and therefore open up our thinking with regards to the2400:02:00,519 –> 00:02:04,099experience now of our believing loved ones in heaven.2500:02:04,099 –> 00:02:13,360For example, angels see and so do believers in heaven so Jesus says this2600:02:13,660 –> 00:02:17,820Matthew chapter 18 and verse 10, don’t despise these little ones for I tell you2700:02:17,820 –> 00:02:25,559that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.2800:02:25,559 –> 00:02:31,460Now they don’t have bodies, angels don’t have eyeballs, they don’t have retinas, you2900:02:31,460 –> 00:02:35,080say how do you see without an eyeball on a retina? I don’t know, but the Bible3000:02:35,080 –> 00:02:41,100tells me that angels see the Father, the Spirits see the Father. And the same3100:02:41,100 –> 00:02:45,179therefore is true for your believing loved ones. Faith has been turned to3200:02:45,179 –> 00:02:53,259sight for them. They will have eyes in the resurrection, but right now they see3300:02:53,259 –> 00:02:57,339and behold the face of the Father in the same way as angels do and they do not3400:02:57,339 –> 00:03:04,160have bodies and do not need them to do it. Second angels speak, and so3500:03:04,160 –> 00:03:08,259do believers in heaven, there’s joyful communication. We read this every3600:03:08,559 –> 00:03:13,660Christmas, don’t we? Suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the3700:03:13,660 –> 00:03:20,020heavenly hosts praising God, saying. How do you say without a larynx? I don’t3800:03:20,020 –> 00:03:24,679know but angels do and they don’t have bodies and they communicate and they3900:03:24,679 –> 00:03:30,179declare the glory of God and your believing loved ones do so also in the4000:03:30,179 –> 00:03:35,899presence of Jesus. We will have vocal cords in the resurrection but right now4100:03:35,899 –> 00:03:45,339they speak as angels do. Thirdly, angels rejoice and so do believers in heaven.4200:03:45,339 –> 00:03:50,500Remember Jesus saying in Luke chapter 15 I tell you that His joy before the4300:03:50,500 –> 00:03:58,660angels of God over one sinner who repents. Angels rejoice in the presence4400:03:58,660 –> 00:04:05,880of Jesus and so do believers in heaven, angels worship and so do believers4500:04:05,880 –> 00:04:10,979in heaven. I’m looking at Revelation 5 I looked and I heard around the throne the4600:04:10,979 –> 00:04:16,359voice of many angels. So here are these spirits and there are thousands upon4700:04:16,359 –> 00:04:20,799thousands of them and they’re saying in a loud voice worthy as the lamb who was4800:04:20,799 –> 00:04:25,799slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and4900:04:25,799 –> 00:04:33,980blessing. And the redeemed in the presence of Christ share in this, don’t5000:04:34,000 –> 00:04:42,040yet have the resurrection body but you will worship out of a full and5100:04:42,040 –> 00:04:50,000an overflowing heart in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ, faith turned to5200:04:50,000 –> 00:04:57,959sight, fullness of joy, uninhibited by any sluggishness of the flesh. Gonna be5300:04:57,959 –> 00:05:06,420glorious. Here’s one more thing to think about. Angels inquire. Highly intelligent,5400:05:06,420 –> 00:05:14,119engaged angels inquire and so do believers in heaven. And you’ll remember5500:05:14,119 –> 00:05:18,920perhaps in 1 Peter in chapter 1 in verse 12 where Peter speaks about all5600:05:18,920 –> 00:05:22,140that was accomplished through the death and the resurrection of the Lord Jesus5700:05:22,140 –> 00:05:27,559Christ. And he says as he’s trying to fathom this and as he’s laying out its5800:05:27,579 –> 00:05:34,760beauty he says, even angels long to look into these things. They try to fathom all5900:05:34,760 –> 00:05:40,100that God has done in Jesus Christ. And we’re told quite specifically here in6000:05:40,100 –> 00:05:46,480Revelation in chapter 6 that was read to us that the believers in the presence of6100:05:46,480 –> 00:05:52,920Jesus are also asking questions. John sees souls in the presence of Jesus. In6200:05:52,920 –> 00:05:57,600other words, the souls there were made visible to John in the vision just like6300:05:57,600 –> 00:06:01,399the angels were made visible to the shepherds on the night that Jesus was6400:06:01,399 –> 00:06:04,940born. You don’t normally see angels but they were made visible for that purpose6500:06:04,940 –> 00:06:10,640and the same thing happens here. And John sees these souls in heaven and what he6600:06:10,640 –> 00:06:17,399sees is that they were actively engaged asking questions how long, O Lord, verse6700:06:17,420 –> 00:06:23,700ten of Revelation and chapter 6. In other words there are some things that6800:06:23,700 –> 00:06:30,700the redeemed in heaven now do not yet know. Some things that are yet to be6900:06:30,700 –> 00:06:38,660revealed. God has more to be revealed to them yet when Jesus Christ comes just as7000:06:38,660 –> 00:06:43,859he has more to be revealed for us when Jesus Christ comes. And yet they are7100:06:43,859 –> 00:06:49,640looking forward to this just as we are there saying how long until this should7200:06:49,640 –> 00:06:59,859happen and until then they are actively engaged. I find this very very helpful in7300:06:59,859 –> 00:07:04,859terms of thinking about the life the experience of those who are in the7400:07:04,859 –> 00:07:16,399presence of Christ. Never think of them being passive, slumbering, inactive. Today7500:07:16,399 –> 00:07:22,359you will be with me in paradise, the conscious enjoyment of the presence of7600:07:22,359 –> 00:07:29,540Jesus. Many Christians go through the idea that, life with the idea, that7700:07:29,540 –> 00:07:34,119somehow being in the presence of Jesus is a sort of half-life, that it’s a7800:07:34,799 –> 00:07:39,799sort of a world. The complete denial of for me to live as Christ and to die is7900:07:39,799 –> 00:07:44,279gain. It’s as if we come to the conclusion for me to live as Christ and8000:07:44,279 –> 00:07:49,540to die is less, it’s sort of half than it was before. That cannot possibly be true.8100:07:49,540 –> 00:07:57,359Listen. The soul goes ahead of the body. The body waits for the redemption, which8200:07:57,359 –> 00:08:03,480is coming at the coming of Jesus. But for the believer, the soul goes ahead and is8300:08:03,480 –> 00:08:11,619made perfect at death. In this life, the soul lives through the body.8400:08:11,619 –> 00:08:16,859But the body, as well as facilitating the life of the soul, also places limits8500:08:16,859 –> 00:08:21,339on the life of the soul. Think about this and end this statement with me, please.8600:08:21,339 –> 00:08:29,579The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak, weak. So where’s the limitation8700:08:29,859 –> 00:08:35,299according to that statement of Jesus? It’s not in the spirit, it’s in the flesh for8800:08:35,299 –> 00:08:41,419a Christian believer. The will of a believer spirit outstrips the capacity8900:08:41,419 –> 00:08:47,580of a believer’s flesh and you know this experience. As long as you live in this9000:08:47,580 –> 00:08:52,260mortal body, you experience this tussle. The spirit is willing. The flesh is weak.9100:08:52,260 –> 00:08:57,460You never quite become the believer that you want to be. You never quite make the9200:08:57,619 –> 00:09:03,900progress in sanctification that you wish you were able to make, but believers who9300:09:03,900 –> 00:09:09,559go into his presence, their souls are made perfect entering into the presence9400:09:09,559 –> 00:09:13,780of Jesus. That’s why it says in revolution chapter 7 that they serve him9500:09:13,780 –> 00:09:18,500day and night in his temple. There’s no more sluggishness, no more tiredness, no9600:09:18,500 –> 00:09:23,799more discouragement, no more jaded, more alive, more vigorous, more energetic than9700:09:23,820 –> 00:09:29,780you have ever been before. That’s a glorious vision. That’s not a half-life.9800:09:29,780 –> 00:09:36,320That is what lies ahead for a Christian believer in the presence of Jesus. With9900:09:36,320 –> 00:09:42,900Christ Fully conscious. Actively engaged.10000:09:42,960 –> 00:09:46,880You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called10100:09:46,880 –> 00:09:50,719What will it be like in Heaven? We’re pausing the message just briefly but10200:09:51,000 –> 00:09:55,219be back very shortly. The message is part of a series simply called Heaven and10300:09:55,219 –> 00:10:01,099today’s message is based on Revelation chapter 6. If you ever miss one of the10400:10:01,099 –> 00:10:04,960messages you can catch up or go back and listen again by coming online to our10500:10:04,960 –> 00:10:11,859website openthebible.org.uk or if you prefer a podcast format those are10600:10:11,859 –> 00:10:15,780available on all the main podcast sites and you can find them by searching for10700:10:15,960 –> 00:10:21,400Open The Bible UK or by following a link from our website. Back to the message now10800:10:21,400 –> 00:10:27,000here again is Pastor Colin. Now remember and this is very important that there is10900:10:27,000 –> 00:10:35,559a big difference between heaven as it is now and heaven as it will be when there11000:10:35,559 –> 00:10:42,440is a New Heaven and a New Earth. Believers who have died are with Christ11100:10:42,739 –> 00:10:47,159they are fully conscious, they are actively engaged right now, but there are11200:10:47,159 –> 00:10:54,640some things they do not yet have. They do not yet have the resurrection body, they11300:10:54,640 –> 00:11:01,000do not yet have the New Heaven or the New Earth. They do not yet have the whole11400:11:01,000 –> 00:11:05,500Family of God gathered together in Jesus Christ saying in triumph11500:11:05,500 –> 00:11:13,380here I am and the children you have given me. So please always remember, and11600:11:13,380 –> 00:11:18,659this is wonderful to think about, that for a Christian believer there is a good11700:11:18,659 –> 00:11:26,960better best pattern to life. To be in Christ is good.11800:11:26,960 –> 00:11:33,219It is really good when life in this world is at its hardest for you,11900:11:33,460 –> 00:11:39,260you are blessed with every spiritual blessing in Christ Jesus, it is good.12000:11:39,260 –> 00:11:46,000But to be with Christ is better. Better by far than anything you have known or12100:11:46,000 –> 00:11:49,820anything that you can know in your Christian experience or in your life in12200:11:49,820 –> 00:12:00,659this world. But even for those who are in heaven now the best is yet to be.12300:12:01,119 –> 00:12:06,559And you see that very clearly in Revelation and chapter 6, where John sees12400:12:06,580 –> 00:12:11,500the souls of believers in heaven. He doesn’t see the souls of all believers12500:12:11,500 –> 00:12:16,940at this point, he sees the souls of some believers and in particular he sees the12600:12:16,940 –> 00:12:21,859souls of believers who have been martyred, who have laid down their life12700:12:21,859 –> 00:12:27,859on account of the Word of God and the testimony that they have borne to12800:12:28,419 –> 00:12:34,119Jesus. And notice what they’re saying in the presence of Jesus in heaven as John12900:12:34,119 –> 00:12:44,080sees it opened. These believers, they cry out to God. How long? How long, oh Lord,13000:12:44,080 –> 00:12:51,400until the evils of this present world are brought to an end? How long, oh Lord,13100:12:51,400 –> 00:12:59,520until the sufferings of your people are brought to an end? How long, oh Lord, until13200:12:59,520 –> 00:13:06,739King Jesus returns in power and glory and we get to come with him? How long13300:13:06,739 –> 00:13:11,820until the day you have promised when all his enemies will be placed under his13400:13:11,820 –> 00:13:17,340feet? How long until the day that has been prophesied in both Old and Now13500:13:18,059 –> 00:13:22,460that there will be a new Heaven and that there will be a new Earth and that it13600:13:22,460 –> 00:13:30,219will be the home of righteousness and they are told that they must wait13700:13:30,219 –> 00:13:37,640Hermon Bavinck the great Dutch theologian has a fascinating comment on the13800:13:37,640 –> 00:13:41,780experience of believers in the presence of Jesus that is based on these verses13900:13:41,780 –> 00:13:46,260I’ve been thinking about this, it intrigues me, it fascinated me since14000:13:46,260 –> 00:13:50,320first I came across it some years ago and so I’ll just give it to you it will14100:13:50,320 –> 00:13:57,320cause you to think and I encourage you just to ponder its implications. He says14200:13:57,320 –> 00:14:04,780this of the experience of believers in the presence of Jesus they have a past14300:14:04,780 –> 00:14:14,820which they remember, a present in which they live and a future which they are14400:14:14,880 –> 00:14:27,400approaching. In the last year we have grieved over the loss of many who have14500:14:27,400 –> 00:14:37,599been slain for the Word of God and for the testimony of Jesus and here we are14600:14:37,840 –> 00:14:48,099told in these verses that there is a definite number known to God of those14700:14:48,099 –> 00:14:54,599who will lay down their lives for the sake of Christ and every time you hear14800:14:54,599 –> 00:15:00,539of a brother or a sister killed on account of being a Christian, you should14900:15:00,539 –> 00:15:09,460self-consciously say that the coming of Jesus just got nearer. It got a whole lot15000:15:09,460 –> 00:15:15,340nearer in the last twelve months, a whole lot nearer according to these verses of15100:15:15,340 –> 00:15:25,159Scripture. And one day the last act of violence will be perpetrated and the15200:15:25,159 –> 00:15:33,799last martyr will be killed and the Father will say to the son, that’s it! Go15300:15:33,799 –> 00:15:41,440wrap this thing up and bring my children home and Christ will come in glory. And15400:15:41,440 –> 00:15:46,880our loved ones who have gone ahead will come with Him and be with Him. And we15500:15:47,700 –> 00:15:56,820be joined to Him and reunited with them and so we shall be forever with the Lord.15600:15:56,820 –> 00:16:02,580Loved ones who have died in Christ, they’re with Christ. They are fully15700:16:02,580 –> 00:16:11,739conscious, they’re actively engaged and they are eagerly waiting. So use these15800:16:11,739 –> 00:16:20,940truths in these two ways. First, use this as a means of comfort, use this as15900:16:20,940 –> 00:16:27,020something you lean into when you grieve over the loss of a dear loved one and16000:16:27,020 –> 00:16:32,340let me give you this encouragement. Whenever you think of what you have16100:16:32,340 –> 00:16:40,440lost, try your best to turn your minds to what they have gained. Whenever you think16200:16:40,599 –> 00:16:46,500of what you have lost . . . and you often will. . . do your best to turn your mind to think16300:16:46,500 –> 00:16:53,239about what it is that they have gained. They would not wish to be back if they16400:16:53,239 –> 00:16:59,679could, and if you could see what they see and what they enjoy right now, it would16500:16:59,679 –> 00:17:05,000never occur to you to wish them back, either. And God’s calling to you right16600:17:05,000 –> 00:17:10,420now is that you should press forward in your journey of faith, in your life of16700:17:10,459 –> 00:17:15,079obedience, and that you should do it all the more wholeheartedly, as heaven in16800:17:15,079 –> 00:17:20,420this sense has come nearer to you. You must now press more vigorously towards16900:17:20,420 –> 00:17:28,020the prize that they, the ones you love, already enjoy. So use it for your comfort17000:17:28,020 –> 00:17:33,300and then use it lastly for your courage. You don’t need me to tell you that this17100:17:33,300 –> 00:17:38,660world is increasingly hostile towards Christian believers, and I don’t see any17200:17:38,979 –> 00:17:44,479reason from the Bible to expect that to change. As best I can tell,17300:17:44,479 –> 00:17:49,619the indication of the scripture is that as the coming of Jesus gets nearer,17400:17:49,619 –> 00:17:54,660the darkness just gets darker. And precisely because the darkness gets17500:17:54,660 –> 00:17:59,819darker, the light therefore, shines more brightly and more clearly.17600:17:59,819 –> 00:18:04,420In other words, as we move towards the coming of Jesus, the so-called17700:18:04,619 –> 00:18:09,819middle ground of people who are neither particularly committed to Jesus17800:18:09,819 –> 00:18:15,260nor particularly antagonistic against him, that middle ground just gets cleared out17900:18:15,260 –> 00:18:19,699more and more and more until it’s evacuated altogether.18000:18:19,699 –> 00:18:23,819So, if you are one of these people who says, you know, I think faith is a good18100:18:23,819 –> 00:18:27,979thing but I’m not personally committed to Jesus Christ. Understand this,18200:18:28,119 –> 00:18:31,859you can expect to have less and less company on that ground.18300:18:31,859 –> 00:18:39,479And in the end, nobody will be on that ground where you are standing right now.18400:18:39,479 –> 00:18:43,619Nobody. And so here’s what I’m asking of you today.18500:18:43,619 –> 00:18:49,280That you should take courage in hand and that you today should step18600:18:49,280 –> 00:18:54,479out and take your stand with Jesus Christ and nail your colors to the mast.18700:18:55,020 –> 00:18:58,219That you would confess Him as Lord of your life.18800:18:58,219 –> 00:19:01,339That you would do what the thief on the cross did when the vast18900:19:01,339 –> 00:19:04,420majority of people were hurling abuse at Jesus.19000:19:04,420 –> 00:19:05,859What did the thief on the cross do?19100:19:05,859 –> 00:19:08,900He stood out and he said, remember me.19200:19:08,900 –> 00:19:10,180He put his trust in Jesus.19300:19:10,180 –> 00:19:14,040He turned to Jesus when others were turning against him.19400:19:14,040 –> 00:19:19,099And Jesus said, you will be with me in paradise.19500:19:19,099 –> 00:19:20,219Why wouldn’t you do that today?19600:19:21,119 –> 00:19:24,040Why wouldn’t you let these truths that have been coming19700:19:24,040 –> 00:19:26,680to us from the Bible lead you to Jesus Christ19800:19:26,680 –> 00:19:30,099and say I am going to take my stand with him.19900:19:30,099 –> 00:19:33,260I can no longer stand in this supposed middle ground20000:19:33,260 –> 00:19:36,479that will be empty on the last day when Jesus Christ20100:19:36,479 –> 00:19:39,859comes in power and in glory.20200:19:39,859 –> 00:19:43,199And if you are a believer, let this give you courage20300:19:43,199 –> 00:19:44,479in the way that you lived this week.20400:19:44,479 –> 00:19:46,839Tell Christ that you love him.20500:19:46,839 –> 00:19:48,520That you will serve him.20600:19:48,560 –> 00:19:52,000And when it is costly as it will be you will view this20700:19:52,000 –> 00:19:54,140as your share in his suffering.20800:19:55,760 –> 00:19:58,780And then like Jesus that you will draw strength20900:19:58,780 –> 00:20:02,760even this week from the joy that today from the Bible21000:20:02,760 –> 00:20:05,359is set before you.21100:20:05,359 –> 00:20:10,560Jesus said whoever would save his life,21200:20:10,560 –> 00:20:12,479whoever goes through life saying it’s my life,21300:20:12,479 –> 00:20:13,699I’m gonna live it for me,21400:20:13,699 –> 00:20:15,319that person will lose it.21500:20:16,160 –> 00:20:18,520But whoever loses his life for me,21600:20:18,520 –> 00:20:20,099for my sake and for the Gospel,21700:20:20,099 –> 00:20:22,880you will find it, you’ll keep it,21800:20:22,880 –> 00:20:26,420you’ll have it for eternal life.21900:20:28,439 –> 00:20:31,579Pastor Colin there with the final part of the message,22000:20:31,579 –> 00:20:33,300what will it be like in heaven?22100:20:33,300 –> 00:20:37,199And I hope you found that message reassuring and helpful.22200:20:37,199 –> 00:20:39,520It’s part of a series all about heaven22300:20:39,520 –> 00:20:41,079called Simply Heaven.22400:20:41,079 –> 00:20:42,859And if you ever miss one of the series,22500:20:42,859 –> 00:20:44,959you can catch up or go back and listen again22600:20:45,900 –> 00:20:47,979to all the previously broadcast messages22700:20:47,979 –> 00:20:52,819on our website at openthebible.org.uk.22800:20:52,819 –> 00:20:55,180For any listeners in Northern Ireland,22900:20:55,180 –> 00:20:56,859there’s an opportunity to hear23000:20:56,859 –> 00:20:59,300Pastor Colin Smith in person.23100:20:59,300 –> 00:21:02,619He’ll be talking about his one-year Bible study course,23200:21:02,619 –> 00:21:04,699Fly Through the Bible.23300:21:04,699 –> 00:21:07,300It’s at Hamilton Road Baptist Church,23400:21:07,300 –> 00:21:12,160Bangor, Northern Ireland on the 25th of March, 2026.23500:21:12,160 –> 00:21:13,839It’s a rare opportunity to see23600:21:14,520 –> 00:21:16,839and hear Pastor Colin in the UK.23700:21:16,839 –> 00:21:18,319So if you’re in the area,23800:21:18,319 –> 00:21:21,819I hope you’ll make it a point to go along to that meeting.23900:21:21,819 –> 00:21:25,239The venue again is Hamilton Road Baptist Church,24000:21:25,239 –> 00:21:27,000Bangor, Northern Ireland,24100:21:27,000 –> 00:21:30,660and the date, 25th of March, 2026.24200:21:30,660 –> 00:21:33,199Open the Bible is supported by our listeners,24300:21:33,199 –> 00:21:35,939so if you already give to support the work,24400:21:35,939 –> 00:21:37,880thank you so much.24500:21:37,880 –> 00:21:40,060If that’s something you’d like to begin to do,24600:21:40,060 –> 00:21:42,880this month we have a wonderful offer for you.24700:21:42,920 –> 00:21:45,800If you’re able to set up a new direct debit24800:21:45,800 –> 00:21:47,339to the work of Open the Bible24900:21:47,339 –> 00:21:50,079in the amount of five pounds per month or more,25000:21:50,079 –> 00:21:53,280or a one-off gift of £50 or more,25100:21:53,280 –> 00:21:55,359we’ll say thank you by sending you25200:21:55,359 –> 00:21:57,560our Easter giveaway bundle.25300:21:57,560 –> 00:21:59,479In the bundle are two copies25400:21:59,479 –> 00:22:03,760of the new graphic novel version of Heaven How I Got Here,25500:22:03,760 –> 00:22:07,319Pastor Colin Smith’s account of the thief on the cross,25600:22:07,319 –> 00:22:11,500and in addition, a copy of the NIV outreach Bible.25700:22:11,500 –> 00:22:13,140These items are ideal25800:22:13,140 –> 00:22:16,459to give away to family or friends this Easter.25900:22:16,459 –> 00:22:18,339Colin, what is the one thing26000:22:18,339 –> 00:22:19,459that you would like people26100:22:19,459 –> 00:22:22,219to take away from this new graphic novel?26200:22:22,219 –> 00:22:23,180Well, it would be that26300:22:23,180 –> 00:22:24,880when God draws near,26400:22:24,880 –> 00:22:28,060he comes to give us what we do not have.26500:22:28,060 –> 00:22:29,859That’s the message of grace,26600:22:29,859 –> 00:22:32,900and it’s the greatest good news in all of the world.26700:22:32,900 –> 00:22:35,939You know, C.H. Spurgeon used to tell a story26800:22:35,939 –> 00:22:38,239about a pastor who took money one day26900:22:38,239 –> 00:22:42,599to an old lady who was in great need,27000:22:42,599 –> 00:22:43,859and he knocked on the door27100:22:43,859 –> 00:22:45,140and she didn’t answer.27200:22:45,140 –> 00:22:47,699And eventually, the pastor went home.27300:22:47,699 –> 00:22:49,219He saw her the next Sunday,27400:22:49,219 –> 00:22:52,959and he said, well, I came with a gift to your home.27500:22:52,959 –> 00:22:55,699And she said, oh, when did you come?27600:22:55,699 –> 00:22:56,540And he told her,27700:22:56,540 –> 00:22:57,619and she said, oh,27800:22:57,619 –> 00:22:59,280I heard you knock on the door,27900:22:59,280 –> 00:23:00,979but I didn’t open the door28000:23:00,979 –> 00:23:03,719because I thought you were the man28100:23:03,719 –> 00:23:05,979coming to collect the rent.28200:23:05,979 –> 00:23:06,819Now, you see,28300:23:06,819 –> 00:23:09,500I think that that’s where many people are.28400:23:09,500 –> 00:23:13,359They have this idea that if God draws near,28500:23:13,359 –> 00:23:14,619he’s calling for the rent,28600:23:14,619 –> 00:23:17,260he’s coming to demand something from us.28700:23:17,260 –> 00:23:19,140There are millions of people28800:23:19,140 –> 00:23:21,739who have never understood grace,28900:23:21,739 –> 00:23:24,540and their whole idea of Christianity29000:23:24,540 –> 00:23:26,739is that they’re going to be told what they need to do29100:23:26,739 –> 00:23:27,699and what they need to be.29200:23:27,699 –> 00:23:29,300And they don’t have either the desire29300:23:29,300 –> 00:23:30,839or the ability to do it.29400:23:30,839 –> 00:23:32,819And the story of the thief29500:23:32,819 –> 00:23:33,660on the cross29600:23:33,660 –> 00:23:36,060just blows that out of the water.29700:23:36,099 –> 00:23:38,699Here’s this person who has not lived a life29800:23:38,699 –> 00:23:41,140that has been pleasing to God at all.29900:23:41,140 –> 00:23:43,140And instead of coming with a demand,30000:23:43,140 –> 00:23:46,719the Lord Jesus Christ gives the most marvellous gift.30100:23:46,719 –> 00:23:50,839He opens heaven for this man who believes.30200:23:50,839 –> 00:23:52,900So here’s an opportunity30300:23:52,900 –> 00:23:54,339with a graphic novel,30400:23:54,339 –> 00:23:56,939a simple pictorial presentation30500:23:56,939 –> 00:23:58,599of this marvellous story30600:23:58,599 –> 00:24:00,660of God’s compelling grace.30700:24:00,660 –> 00:24:02,540You could put it into people’s hands.30800:24:02,540 –> 00:24:04,219We’d love to see30900:24:04,219 –> 00:24:06,699this graphic novel getting into the hands31000:24:06,699 –> 00:24:08,459of as many people as possible.31100:24:08,459 –> 00:24:11,619People who need to understand grace,31200:24:11,619 –> 00:24:13,979a younger person in your family,31300:24:13,979 –> 00:24:16,739someone who is trying to live a good life31400:24:16,739 –> 00:24:20,280but really hasn’t understood the heart of the Gospel.31500:24:20,280 –> 00:24:21,699You could be the means31600:24:21,699 –> 00:24:24,420of getting a simple presentation of God’s grace31700:24:24,420 –> 00:24:25,819into their hands.31800:24:25,819 –> 00:24:28,020We’d love to encourage you to do that31900:24:28,020 –> 00:24:29,579and hope that this graphic novel32000:24:29,579 –> 00:24:31,859will be useful to you in that regard.32100:24:31,859 –> 00:24:33,180Well, we’d love to send you32200:24:33,219 –> 00:24:35,060two copies of this graphic novel,32300:24:35,060 –> 00:24:38,420Heaven! How I Got Here! The Story of the Thief on the Cross32400:24:38,420 –> 00:24:41,579along with an NIV outreach Bible.32500:24:41,579 –> 00:24:45,819Ideal to give away to friends and family this Easter.32600:24:45,819 –> 00:24:48,859Full details, terms and conditions on our website32700:24:48,859 –> 00:24:53,300openthebible.org.uk and you can give online.32800:24:53,300 –> 00:24:54,780But if you do give online32900:24:54,780 –> 00:24:57,339don’t forget to leave your full name and address33000:24:57,339 –> 00:25:00,680so we can send you the Easter giveaway bundle.33100:25:00,719 –> 00:25:03,079For Pastor Colin Smith and Open the Bible33200:25:03,079 –> 00:25:05,959I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll join us again next time.33300:25:15,520 –> 00:25:18,199Will we know each other in heaven?33400:25:18,199 –> 00:25:20,839Find out next time on Open the Bible.