100:00:00,240 –> 00:00:02,960Phil frog200:00:03,120 –> 00:00:05,840The cross is God’s way of putting300:00:05,840 –> 00:00:08,640things together. That’s why you can’t just400:00:08,640 –> 00:00:10,720add a belief in Jesus to a life that is500:00:10,720 –> 00:00:13,360fundamentally about getting what you want.600:00:13,600 –> 00:00:16,139The only way to put your life together700:00:16,139 –> 00:00:17,959through the wisdom of God is to give up800:00:17,959 –> 00:00:20,620your agenda of being all that you want900:00:20,620 –> 00:00:24,080to be. Or, as Jesus put it, the way to1000:00:24,080 –> 00:00:27,920save your life is to lose it.1100:00:28,400 –> 00:00:30,480Welcome to Open the Bible with1200:00:30,480 –> 00:00:32,799Pastor Colleen Smith. I’m David Pick.1300:00:32,799 –> 00:00:34,840Colleen, I’m glad we’re going to talk1400:00:34,840 –> 00:00:36,680about this today, because I’m sure there1500:00:36,680 –> 00:00:38,480are many who have read that passage,1600:00:38,480 –> 00:00:40,080heard that verse before, and thought,1700:00:40,080 –> 00:00:41,400what does that mean?1800:00:41,480 –> 00:00:43,580Well, it means you’re no longer in1900:00:43,580 –> 00:00:45,080control of it. That’s perhaps the place2000:00:45,080 –> 00:00:47,000to start. We just had baptism, as you2100:00:47,000 –> 00:00:48,959know, in our church this last Sunday.2200:00:48,959 –> 00:00:51,119It was wonderful to hear testimonies of2300:00:51,119 –> 00:00:52,720people whose lives have been changed.2400:00:52,720 –> 00:00:55,040One of the women who was baptized just2500:00:55,040 –> 00:00:57,320told a very moving story of how she came2600:00:57,439 –> 00:00:59,240to believe in Jesus Christ early in life,2700:00:59,520 –> 00:01:01,680but she said, it was all about me being2800:01:01,680 –> 00:01:04,160in control of my life. And my marriage,2900:01:04,160 –> 00:01:06,120my family, I had it all planned out,3000:01:06,120 –> 00:01:08,320all mapped out. And then one thing after3100:01:08,320 –> 00:01:11,800another, God brought her through major3200:01:11,800 –> 00:01:14,720crisis in marriage and in family that3300:01:14,720 –> 00:01:16,099brought her to the place of saying,3400:01:16,180 –> 00:01:19,320you know, I am not in control of my life.3500:01:19,599 –> 00:01:22,040It has to be in the hands of Jesus Christ.3600:01:22,360 –> 00:01:25,239And she expressed very movingly what that3700:01:25,459 –> 00:01:27,980transformation was really like. And now3800:01:28,239 –> 00:01:30,839it’s Christ who is guiding the path of my3900:01:30,839 –> 00:01:33,120life, and I’m walking in faith and4000:01:33,120 –> 00:01:34,680following Him. Now that’s losing your4100:01:34,680 –> 00:01:36,599life. It’s moving from the place of, I’m4200:01:36,599 –> 00:01:38,500running this, I’m the Lord and, by the way,4300:01:38,500 –> 00:01:40,720I believe in, I believe in Jesus, to, you4400:01:40,720 –> 00:01:42,940know, He is the Lord. He is the saviour,4500:01:43,019 –> 00:01:44,339and I’m putting my trust in him.4600:01:44,400 –> 00:01:46,059And that is what today’s message is all4700:01:46,059 –> 00:01:47,699about. So I hope you’ll join us in the4800:01:47,699 –> 00:01:50,320first book of Corinthians chapter two. As4900:01:50,320 –> 00:01:52,620we continue the message, you are wise,5000:01:52,639 –> 00:01:53,160here’s Colin.5100:01:53,599 –> 00:01:54,680Now how are you going to put your life5200:01:54,680 –> 00:01:56,760together? That’s really the issue that’s5300:01:56,760 –> 00:01:59,919at stake today. I want us to see from the5400:01:59,919 –> 00:02:01,519passage of scripture in 1 Corinthians5500:02:01,519 –> 00:02:02,779in chapter two that there are very5600:02:02,779 –> 00:02:05,099clearly two different ways of doing this.5700:02:05,940 –> 00:02:07,959First, you can put your life together5800:02:07,959 –> 00:02:10,479through the wisdom of this age, which is5900:02:10,479 –> 00:02:13,000in verse 6. Or second, through God’s6000:02:13,020 –> 00:02:15,759secret wisdom, which Paul describes in6100:02:15,759 –> 00:02:18,320verse 7. Two ways of putting your life6200:02:18,320 –> 00:02:22,240together, two kinds of wisdom is what6300:02:22,240 –> 00:02:22,940wisdom is.6400:02:24,080 –> 00:02:26,220And notice first then in verse 6 the6500:02:26,220 –> 00:02:30,919wisdom of this age. The wisdom of this6600:02:30,919 –> 00:02:35,479age is simply a way of putting your life6700:02:35,479 –> 00:02:39,619together with yourself at the center.6800:02:39,619 –> 00:02:43,639That’s how this world thinks. The wisdom6900:02:43,639 –> 00:02:45,899of this age is the way of putting life7000:02:45,899 –> 00:02:47,820together that begins with a question,7100:02:47,820 –> 00:02:50,600what do I want to get out of life?7200:02:50,679 –> 00:02:53,380What will it take to get it?7300:02:53,380 –> 00:02:56,199How do I act and behave and position7400:02:56,199 –> 00:03:00,600myself in such a way to get what I want?7500:03:00,600 –> 00:03:02,100So there’s one way of putting life7600:03:02,100 –> 00:03:05,139together. It is so common throughout this7700:03:05,139 –> 00:03:08,600world, how do I get what I want, it’s the7800:03:08,600 –> 00:03:10,600way of wisdom of this world. You can’t7900:03:10,600 –> 00:03:12,240come to know God that way, you just can’t8000:03:12,240 –> 00:03:14,100add God into that. It just doesn’t mix.8100:03:15,520 –> 00:03:17,119There’s no room for Jesus there, you8200:03:17,119 –> 00:03:18,919have to crucify Christ if you’re going8300:03:18,960 –> 00:03:24,039that way. And it will come to nothing.8400:03:25,539 –> 00:03:26,500The other way of putting your life together8500:03:26,500 –> 00:03:29,360is what Paul calls in verse 7, the secret8600:03:29,360 –> 00:03:33,960wisdom of God. God’s secret wisdom, the8700:03:33,960 –> 00:03:36,199secret wisdom of God is simply a way of8800:03:36,199 –> 00:03:39,779putting your life together with God at8900:03:39,779 –> 00:03:43,080the center. And of course that is9000:03:43,080 –> 00:03:47,360precisely what Jesus did.9100:03:47,520 –> 00:03:49,479The way that Jesus put His life together9200:03:49,479 –> 00:03:51,679on earth was not to say how can I get9300:03:51,679 –> 00:03:53,279everything that I want out of life on9400:03:53,279 –> 00:03:55,800this earth, it was to say how can I do9500:03:55,800 –> 00:03:59,119what the father has called me to do?9600:03:59,119 –> 00:04:01,759How can I serve and be a blessing and9700:04:01,759 –> 00:04:06,160minister to others? Now obviously if9800:04:06,160 –> 00:04:10,080you’re asking that question, you will put9900:04:10,080 –> 00:04:12,199your life together on a day to day basis10000:04:12,199 –> 00:04:16,079in an entirely different way.10100:04:16,079 –> 00:04:18,000There will be all the difference in the10200:04:18,000 –> 00:04:23,399world between a father who says in his10300:04:23,399 –> 00:04:28,959mind how can I get what I want and a10400:04:28,959 –> 00:04:32,920father who says, how can I fulfill God’s10500:04:32,920 –> 00:04:36,399purpose as a father?10600:04:36,399 –> 00:04:38,519How can I be a blessing to those God has10700:04:38,519 –> 00:04:40,380placed around me? All the difference in10800:04:40,380 –> 00:04:43,399the world in the way these two men put10900:04:43,399 –> 00:04:45,640their lives together.11000:04:45,640 –> 00:04:48,700The same for a husband, the same for a11100:04:48,700 –> 00:04:54,899student, the same for an employee, the11200:04:54,899 –> 00:04:57,899same in any capacity that God has given11300:04:57,899 –> 00:05:01,299you in this life.11400:05:01,299 –> 00:05:04,420Now if you put your life together in11500:05:04,420 –> 00:05:10,359this way you will be thinking the same11600:05:10,540 –> 00:05:15,739way as Jesus did. Think about that.11700:05:15,739 –> 00:05:18,119Which is why Paul says in verse 16 we11800:05:18,119 –> 00:05:22,940have the mind of Christ. It doesn’t mean11900:05:22,940 –> 00:05:24,859we think every thought as Jesus did but12000:05:24,859 –> 00:05:28,260our fundamental approach to life, if we12100:05:28,260 –> 00:05:30,399are putting life together on the basis12200:05:30,399 –> 00:05:32,700of the wisdom of God, our fundamental12300:05:32,700 –> 00:05:34,500approach to life is the same approach as12400:05:34,500 –> 00:05:36,440Jesus took. That’s what it is to be a12500:05:36,440 –> 00:05:38,119Christian.12600:05:39,059 –> 00:05:40,760Now what does this actually look like?12700:05:40,760 –> 00:05:48,700First it is rooted in the cross. Again12800:05:48,700 –> 00:05:50,720here I’m looking at chapter 1 verses 2312900:05:50,720 –> 00:05:54,600and 24. We preach Christ crucified, a13000:05:54,600 –> 00:05:56,820stumbling block to Jews and foolishness13100:05:56,820 –> 00:05:58,799to Gentiles, but to those whom God has13200:05:58,799 –> 00:06:01,119called both Jews and Greeks Christ the13300:06:01,119 –> 00:06:07,119power and the wisdom of God. The wisdom13400:06:07,359 –> 00:06:10,660of God is directly tied here to the13500:06:10,660 –> 00:06:16,040cross. The wisdom of Christ to put his13600:06:16,040 –> 00:06:19,059life together, as he did, was immensely13700:06:19,059 –> 00:06:25,279costly. He said what does the father call13800:06:25,279 –> 00:06:27,160me to do? How can I be a blessing to13900:06:27,160 –> 00:06:29,380others? He put his life together that way14000:06:29,380 –> 00:06:33,519and it led him to a cross. It cost him14100:06:33,519 –> 00:06:37,380everything. And Paul says the cross is14200:06:37,380 –> 00:06:42,380the wisdom of God. The cross is God’s way14300:06:42,380 –> 00:06:46,679of putting things together. That’s why14400:06:46,679 –> 00:06:48,559you can’t just add a belief in Jesus to14500:06:48,559 –> 00:06:49,940a life that is fundamentally about14600:06:49,940 –> 00:06:54,079getting what you want. The only way to14700:06:54,079 –> 00:06:55,420put your life together through the14800:06:55,420 –> 00:06:58,459wisdom of God is to give up your agenda14900:06:58,459 –> 00:07:01,420of being all that you want to be, or as15000:07:01,600 –> 00:07:03,899Jesus put it, the way to save your life15100:07:03,899 –> 00:07:09,959is to lose it. That is the wisdom of God.15200:07:09,959 –> 00:07:14,760The way to put your life together is to15300:07:14,760 –> 00:07:19,920come to the cross. And to give that life15400:07:19,920 –> 00:07:22,899out of your hands, into the hands of15500:07:22,899 –> 00:07:25,760Christ and say, here are these broken15600:07:25,760 –> 00:07:29,700pieces. I can’t put them together. I place15700:07:29,799 –> 00:07:32,459them into your hands. And in giving you15800:07:32,459 –> 00:07:35,279my life will you put it together. That’s15900:07:35,279 –> 00:07:41,359the secret wisdom of God. I place myself16000:07:41,359 –> 00:07:45,100in your hands. You put the pieces16100:07:45,100 –> 00:07:46,739together. That’s where the wisdom of God16200:07:46,739 –> 00:07:52,380begins. The foot of the cross.16300:07:52,779 –> 00:07:56,019Second, notice that this way of putting16400:07:56,019 –> 00:07:57,899life together, it not only begins at the16500:07:57,980 –> 00:08:01,239foot of the cross but it is revealed by16600:08:01,239 –> 00:08:04,940the Holy Spirit. Chapter two verses16700:08:04,940 –> 00:08:07,200nine and ten, no eye has seen, no ear16800:08:07,200 –> 00:08:08,820has heard, no mind has conceived16900:08:08,820 –> 00:08:10,880what God has prepared for those who love17000:08:10,880 –> 00:08:13,579Him but God has revealed it to us by His17100:08:13,579 –> 00:08:17,420Spirit. Taking up the same in verse 12,17200:08:17,420 –> 00:08:19,420we have not received the Spirit of the17300:08:19,420 –> 00:08:22,899world but, the spirit who was from God17400:08:22,899 –> 00:08:26,200that we may understand what God has17500:08:26,220 –> 00:08:29,880freely given us. No one could guess this17600:08:29,880 –> 00:08:32,159that’s why Paul calls it secret wisdom17700:08:32,159 –> 00:08:35,239of God. You say to someone out there in17800:08:35,239 –> 00:08:37,239the world that the way to begin life and17900:08:37,239 –> 00:08:39,039to put it together is to stand at the18000:08:39,039 –> 00:08:40,559cross and to give yourself wholly to18100:08:40,559 –> 00:08:42,280Jesus Christ they’ll say that’s18200:08:42,280 –> 00:08:47,179foolishness. God has made himself known18300:08:47,179 –> 00:08:52,520in two ways, one is very public, he sent18400:08:52,520 –> 00:08:55,799his Son into the world, the other is very18500:08:55,799 –> 00:08:59,419private. He sends his spirit into your18600:08:59,419 –> 00:09:02,760heart what the Holy Spirit does is he18700:09:02,760 –> 00:09:05,159opens up as it were a window in your18800:09:05,159 –> 00:09:07,559heart and in your mind to understand the18900:09:07,559 –> 00:09:10,080truth of God as you never did before. To19000:09:10,080 –> 00:09:13,200put the pieces together so that19100:09:13,200 –> 00:09:18,039knowledge becomes wisdom. How else could19200:09:18,039 –> 00:09:21,080you come to know God? How could you come19300:09:21,080 –> 00:09:25,080to know the thoughts of God? Maybe19400:09:25,119 –> 00:09:29,059wondered does anyone really know your19500:09:29,059 –> 00:09:32,580thoughts? Iis there any other person in19600:09:32,580 –> 00:09:36,119the world who really knows your deepest19700:09:36,119 –> 00:09:42,400thoughts? The only one who knows your19800:09:42,400 –> 00:09:46,559deepest thoughts in this earth is you19900:09:46,559 –> 00:09:51,260your spirit. That’s the point that the20000:09:51,260 –> 00:09:54,039Apostle Paul is making here. No man knows20100:09:54,080 –> 00:09:56,940the thoughts of a man except his own20200:09:56,940 –> 00:10:00,000spirit within him and then he says that20300:10:00,000 –> 00:10:02,479no one knows the thoughts of God except20400:10:02,479 –> 00:10:07,039God’s spirit within him. But you see if20500:10:07,039 –> 00:10:09,539your spirit came to me, I would know your20600:10:09,539 –> 00:10:11,760thoughts. If my spirit came to you, you20700:10:11,760 –> 00:10:13,599would know my thoughts. If God’s spirit20800:10:13,599 –> 00:10:15,320came to you, you would know with the20900:10:15,320 –> 00:10:20,960thoughts of God. Now obviously Paul is21000:10:20,960 –> 00:10:22,559not saying that when we have the Holy21100:10:22,679 –> 00:10:24,340Spirit we know everything about God21200:10:24,340 –> 00:10:26,880which is why he says in verse 15, who has21300:10:26,880 –> 00:10:28,440known the mind of the Lord, whose been21400:10:28,440 –> 00:10:32,080as counsellor but we do have the mind of21500:10:32,080 –> 00:10:36,280Christ, he says. A window has been opened21600:10:36,280 –> 00:10:39,400in my soul by which I begin to think21700:10:39,400 –> 00:10:43,599God’s thoughts after him and put my life21800:10:43,599 –> 00:10:46,940together in a way that reflects the21900:10:46,940 –> 00:10:51,239thinking of Jesus Christ.22000:10:51,340 –> 00:10:52,739And this way of putting22100:10:52,739 –> 00:10:55,099life together this wisdom is destined22200:10:55,099 –> 00:10:57,039for our glory. Chapter 2 and verse 722300:10:57,039 –> 00:10:59,159God’s secret wisdom a wisdom that had22400:10:59,159 –> 00:11:01,500been hidden and that God destined for22500:11:01,500 –> 00:11:03,900our glory before time began. It’s for our22600:11:03,900 –> 00:11:07,919glory put your life together as the22700:11:07,919 –> 00:11:11,359world does, it will come to nothing.22800:11:11,359 –> 00:11:14,419Put your life together as Jesus did and22900:11:14,419 –> 00:11:20,380you will end where he is.23000:11:21,119 –> 00:11:22,719imagine a bigger question than this how23100:11:22,719 –> 00:11:25,859are you going to put your life together23200:11:25,859 –> 00:11:28,140you gonna go into this coming week23300:11:28,140 –> 00:11:29,539you’re going to go into the coming23400:11:29,539 –> 00:11:33,219months and years saying what can I get23500:11:33,219 –> 00:11:35,559out of life that will determine a whole23600:11:35,559 –> 00:11:42,380raft of behavior or are you going to go23700:11:42,380 –> 00:11:46,219into these coming days to say how can I23800:11:46,219 –> 00:11:50,039honor God’s calling on my life?23900:11:50,039 –> 00:11:51,859How can I be a blessing to others?24000:11:51,859 –> 00:11:56,780Put your life together that way and it24100:11:56,780 –> 00:12:00,080will be entirely different.24200:12:00,080 –> 00:12:02,640Pastor Colin Smith their on OpenTheBible24300:12:02,640 –> 00:12:05,780and the message called You Are Wise24400:12:05,780 –> 00:12:07,460based on the first Corinthians Chapter24500:12:07,460 –> 00:12:09,8202 don’t forget if you’ve tuned in late24600:12:09,820 –> 00:12:11,479or you have to leave early or if you24700:12:11,479 –> 00:12:13,479ever miss one of Pastor Colin’s messages24800:12:13,479 –> 00:12:15,340they’re very easy to catch up or go24900:12:15,359 –> 00:12:17,479back and listen again. Come to our25000:12:17,479 –> 00:12:18,400website25100:12:18,400 –> 00:12:22,119OpenTheBible.org.uk Back to the message25200:12:22,119 –> 00:12:24,280now where in one Corinthians Chapter 225300:12:24,280 –> 00:12:25,239Here’s Colin.25400:12:25,239 –> 00:12:27,239I want these last moments just to come25500:12:27,239 –> 00:12:29,840back to our title one more time25600:12:29,840 –> 00:12:32,900You Are Wise…25700:12:33,760 –> 00:12:36,039Though you still make mistakes and the25800:12:36,039 –> 00:12:37,219fundamental thing that we’re seeing25900:12:37,219 –> 00:12:39,640through this series is that at the very26000:12:39,640 –> 00:12:41,320heart of the gospel because you’re a new26100:12:41,320 –> 00:12:44,000creation the Christian life is all about26200:12:44,059 –> 00:12:50,659being who you are You are wise though26300:12:50,659 –> 00:12:53,820you still make mistakes and that pattern26400:12:53,820 –> 00:12:55,840of course reflect the the whole series26500:12:55,840 –> 00:12:58,140that we live in this tension you are26600:12:58,140 –> 00:13:01,059clean though you still sin you are free26700:13:01,059 –> 00:13:03,419though you still struggle you are holy26800:13:03,419 –> 00:13:05,179though you still live in the world you26900:13:05,179 –> 00:13:07,580are wise though you still make mistakes27000:13:07,580 –> 00:13:11,219that’s the tension of the christian life27100:13:11,940 –> 00:13:15,059who I am in the continuing difficulties27200:13:15,059 –> 00:13:20,140of life in this world no one just to27300:13:20,140 –> 00:13:22,280make two brief comments in regards to27400:13:22,280 –> 00:13:26,479the two parts of this title the first is27500:13:26,479 –> 00:13:31,359this you still make mistakes well make27600:13:31,359 –> 00:13:34,940mistakes is it very important to27700:13:34,940 –> 00:13:36,940remember this because some people have27800:13:36,940 –> 00:13:40,659drawn the wrong conclusion from the27900:13:40,719 –> 00:13:42,780Bible statement that we have the mind of28000:13:42,780 –> 00:13:45,359Christ you see that in verse 16 we have28100:13:45,359 –> 00:13:48,500the mind of Christ and there are some28200:13:48,500 –> 00:13:50,219people who’ve taken that ripped it out28300:13:50,219 –> 00:13:51,900of its context and drawn the conclusion28400:13:51,900 –> 00:13:55,219that they are there for all was right28500:13:55,219 –> 00:13:57,559they have the idea that they somehow28600:13:57,559 –> 00:13:59,419have a hotline to heaven that28700:13:59,419 –> 00:14:00,900everything that they think is God’s28800:14:00,900 –> 00:14:02,340thoughts and everything they feel is28900:14:02,340 –> 00:14:04,000the reflection of God’s heart and that29000:14:04,000 –> 00:14:07,059therefore they are infallible in their29100:14:07,059 –> 00:14:08,440decisions and that they never do29200:14:08,820 –> 00:14:12,260wrong? To anyone who reads29300:14:12,260 –> 00:14:14,5201 Corinthians chapter 2 in that way I29400:14:14,520 –> 00:14:18,099would say please read the rest of the29500:14:18,099 –> 00:14:21,580letter because if you read the rest of29600:14:21,580 –> 00:14:24,280the letter you will find a vast number29700:14:24,280 –> 00:14:28,099of incredible mistakes that were made by29800:14:28,099 –> 00:14:30,159those who Paul says has the mind of29900:14:30,159 –> 00:14:33,580Christ. Christians make all kinds of30000:14:33,580 –> 00:14:37,140mistakes, we all do mistakes as husbands30100:14:37,159 –> 00:14:40,280mistakes as fathers, mistakes as pastors30200:14:40,280 –> 00:14:43,099mistakes as workers, mistakes as students30300:14:43,099 –> 00:14:44,820mistakes as friends, mistakes as30400:14:44,820 –> 00:14:47,419economists, mistakes as politicians all30500:14:47,419 –> 00:14:52,479kinds of mistakes. You say, how can you30600:14:52,479 –> 00:14:54,859make a mistake if you’re in Christ ?30700:14:54,859 –> 00:14:56,880Some of us struggle with this, we made a30800:14:56,880 –> 00:14:58,419decision that we now see was very30900:14:58,419 –> 00:15:00,159foolish how could God have allowed that31000:15:00,159 –> 00:15:03,780to happen we say. Think through the31100:15:03,780 –> 00:15:05,500series with me just very briefly like31200:15:05,619 –> 00:15:12,299this, God does not free us in such a way31300:15:12,299 –> 00:15:16,340that we no longer struggle He frees us31400:15:16,340 –> 00:15:20,919so that we can engage in the struggle31500:15:20,919 –> 00:15:24,099God does not purify us in such a way31600:15:24,099 –> 00:15:28,059that we no longer sin He purifies us in31700:15:28,059 –> 00:15:29,840such a way that we can learn to hate31800:15:29,840 –> 00:15:34,419sin and want to be free from it, God does31900:15:34,419 –> 00:15:35,719not make us holy32000:15:35,719 –> 00:15:37,820in such a way that we do not live in the32100:15:37,820 –> 00:15:38,559world32200:15:38,559 –> 00:15:40,239He makes us holy in such a way that we32300:15:40,239 –> 00:15:45,059can shine in the world, and God does not32400:15:45,059 –> 00:15:47,280make us wise in such a way that we never32500:15:47,280 –> 00:15:48,479make a mistake32600:15:48,479 –> 00:15:50,239He makes us wise in such a way that we32700:15:50,239 –> 00:15:53,840can see our mistakes and learn from them32800:15:53,840 –> 00:15:58,539and grow through them so when in the32900:15:58,539 –> 00:16:01,359Christian life you are faced with sin33000:16:02,359 –> 00:16:07,539repent and restore in as much as you are33100:16:07,539 –> 00:16:09,880able to put right what you broke down, do33200:16:09,880 –> 00:16:13,500it. When you’re faced with a struggle33300:16:13,500 –> 00:16:17,799fight and overcome33400:16:17,799 –> 00:16:20,880it’s what God is called you to do. When you33500:16:20,880 –> 00:16:22,880find yourself in the darkness of this33600:16:22,880 –> 00:16:26,200world serve and shine33700:16:26,200 –> 00:16:30,559that’s why you’re in the darkness when33800:16:30,559 –> 00:16:32,359you find that you’ve made mistakes that33900:16:32,359 –> 00:16:37,239cause you bitter regret, learn and grow34000:16:37,239 –> 00:16:44,179God treats us as sons and that means34100:16:44,179 –> 00:16:46,599that he places us on the field of battle34200:16:46,599 –> 00:16:51,679that he commissions us in the world34300:16:51,679 –> 00:16:55,239that he trusts us with making decisions34400:16:55,239 –> 00:16:57,000not like the father with a small child34500:16:57,000 –> 00:16:59,320that puts a kind of hedge round so34600:16:59,320 –> 00:17:01,780tightly, but like the father with the34700:17:01,780 –> 00:17:06,500mature son who gives scope. It allows the34800:17:06,500 –> 00:17:08,739ability of learning and growing because34900:17:08,739 –> 00:17:12,300that’s the way in which you become all35000:17:12,300 –> 00:17:14,479that you can be35100:17:14,479 –> 00:17:20,020You still make mistakes but you are wise35200:17:20,020 –> 00:17:26,619you are wise. Now I want us to grasp this in35300:17:26,619 –> 00:17:28,819these very last moments because this is35400:17:28,859 –> 00:17:30,520really, it seems to me, the secret of35500:17:30,520 –> 00:17:35,640confident living. Some of us feel so35600:17:35,640 –> 00:17:37,400uncertain about life. How am I going to35700:17:37,400 –> 00:17:39,319put my life together?35800:17:39,319 –> 00:17:43,819Listen, the Lord is your Shepherd, the35900:17:43,819 –> 00:17:49,060Spirit of God lives in you. You have36000:17:49,060 –> 00:17:51,319received light from above that many36100:17:51,319 –> 00:17:53,140people in this world haven’t begun to36200:17:53,140 –> 00:17:56,359grasp. You are in a tremendous position36300:17:56,780 –> 00:17:59,800to live because you are in Christ, and36400:17:59,800 –> 00:18:02,500there is a confidence that comes from36500:18:02,500 –> 00:18:04,859that, there is something that God gives36600:18:04,859 –> 00:18:06,939to you and wants you to enjoy.36700:18:06,939 –> 00:18:09,579Let me give you the high school36800:18:09,579 –> 00:18:13,500student’s favorite scripture verse, my36900:18:13,500 –> 00:18:16,739favorite verse from high school. Psalm 11937000:18:16,739 –> 00:18:21,579verse 99. I have more insight than all my37100:18:21,599 –> 00:18:26,880teachers for I meditate on your statues.37200:18:26,880 –> 00:18:29,079I love that. That’s a great verse, but37300:18:29,079 –> 00:18:31,479please be very sensitive about how you37400:18:31,479 –> 00:18:33,680use it in class.37500:18:33,680 –> 00:18:38,300I had a math teacher at high school by37600:18:38,300 –> 00:18:40,760the name of Mr. Degenhart. It was a37700:18:40,760 –> 00:18:42,180delightful name of course. We all called37800:18:42,180 –> 00:18:44,880him Dego for short, though frankly most37900:18:44,880 –> 00:18:47,800of the students called him Death Breath.38000:18:48,459 –> 00:18:52,099I leave that to your imaginations as to38100:18:52,099 –> 00:18:54,939why this was, but it was regularly you38200:18:54,939 –> 00:18:56,260know, who have you got for math this38300:18:56,260 –> 00:18:59,359year. Oh we’ve got Death Breath. Well I38400:18:59,359 –> 00:19:03,300tell you Death Breath was an absolute38500:19:03,300 –> 00:19:07,400genius at math. He really was. He should38600:19:07,400 –> 00:19:09,339have been in some University, not at high38700:19:09,339 –> 00:19:12,540school. But he was desperately38800:19:12,540 –> 00:19:15,579antagonistic towards Christians. I38900:19:15,719 –> 00:19:18,280actually liked him. He helped me a great39000:19:18,280 –> 00:19:20,439deal. He raised my performance in math39100:19:20,439 –> 00:19:23,920very significantly. I never forgot the39200:19:23,920 –> 00:19:25,760day he knew what I wanted to do in life39300:19:25,760 –> 00:19:26,920and he asked me in front of the whole39400:19:26,920 –> 00:19:29,479class, you know, nothing’s changed. What39500:19:29,479 –> 00:19:31,060do you want to do with your life, Smith?39600:19:31,060 –> 00:19:35,839He’s said. I want to be a pastor sir, I39700:19:35,839 –> 00:19:42,520said. Absolute waste of a perfectly good39800:19:42,560 –> 00:19:47,060brain. That’s what he said — absolute waste of39900:19:47,060 –> 00:19:51,280a perfectly good brain. I owe a lot to40000:19:51,280 –> 00:19:55,760Dago. Some years later I went back to my40100:19:55,760 –> 00:19:58,239old high school, met him, we got chatting40200:19:58,239 –> 00:20:04,260and he told me that he had a sister who40300:20:04,260 –> 00:20:06,660had spent her life as a missionary in40400:20:06,660 –> 00:20:10,719China. He had made the opposite choice.40500:20:11,180 –> 00:20:17,300And he had put his life together as one40600:20:17,300 –> 00:20:20,660who claimed the title of an atheist who40700:20:20,660 –> 00:20:25,219had absolutely no place for God.40800:20:25,219 –> 00:20:29,339I’ve often thought about Dago and what40900:20:29,339 –> 00:20:31,099good might have been done if he had41000:20:31,099 –> 00:20:34,520given his brilliant brain into the hands41100:20:34,520 –> 00:20:40,219of Jesus Christ. So much knowledge, so41200:20:40,219 –> 00:20:45,020little wisdom. Christian friend, you may41300:20:45,020 –> 00:20:47,300make a thousand mistakes in your life,41400:20:47,300 –> 00:20:52,520but following the path of Jesus Christ41500:20:52,520 –> 00:20:58,459you have more wisdom than people who41600:20:58,459 –> 00:21:00,939could multiply by factors of a hundred41700:21:00,939 –> 00:21:05,180your intelligence, and are living in a41800:21:05,180 –> 00:21:07,140way putting their lives together in a41900:21:07,140 –> 00:21:10,040way that will ultimately come to nothing.42000:21:10,800 –> 00:21:13,000So live with confidence in Jesus Christ.42100:21:13,000 –> 00:21:18,599The Lord is your shepherd. He’s with you.42200:21:18,599 –> 00:21:20,640He’s leading you. You’re not adrift on the sea42300:21:20,640 –> 00:21:23,540of chance. You may make all kinds of42400:21:23,540 –> 00:21:25,800mistakes, but your life is in his hand.42500:21:25,800 –> 00:21:28,520You’re not going to be right in every42600:21:28,520 –> 00:21:30,579decision that you make, but God has42700:21:30,579 –> 00:21:32,959given you light, and you have chosen the42800:21:32,959 –> 00:21:36,459path that leads to life. And in a world42900:21:36,459 –> 00:21:37,839where there are thousands and millions43000:21:37,839 –> 00:21:39,300of men and women who are stumbling43100:21:39,680 –> 00:21:41,560around through their days without any43200:21:41,560 –> 00:21:43,280grasp of the purpose of the life they’ve43300:21:43,280 –> 00:21:47,140been given, you know who you are, and you43400:21:47,140 –> 00:21:50,260know to whom you belong. And you know why43500:21:50,260 –> 00:21:52,760you’re here, and you know where you’re43600:21:52,760 –> 00:21:56,719going. You have wisdom, as God has given43700:21:56,719 –> 00:22:01,199it to you, in Jesus Christ. And even43800:22:01,199 –> 00:22:04,020though you sin and struggle, and live in43900:22:04,020 –> 00:22:06,060this world and make many mistakes, you44000:22:06,180 –> 00:22:09,699are clean! You are free! You are holy! You44100:22:09,699 –> 00:22:13,140are wise! You’ve discovered what life is44200:22:13,140 –> 00:22:16,099all about, you are a new person in Jesus44300:22:16,099 –> 00:22:21,380Christ, so be who you are.44400:22:22,579 –> 00:22:24,239You’ve been listening to Open The Bible44500:22:24,239 –> 00:22:26,380with Pastor Colin Smith, and a message44600:22:26,380 –> 00:22:29,319called You Are Wise. It was originally44700:22:29,319 –> 00:22:31,339part of a series called Be Yourself, and44800:22:31,339 –> 00:22:33,359it’s one of the most popular, and most44900:22:33,359 –> 00:22:35,859requested messages of the past year.45000:22:35,880 –> 00:22:38,359We’ve bundled it and nine other messages45100:22:38,359 –> 00:22:41,079up in a series we’re calling listener45200:22:41,079 –> 00:22:44,119favourites 2025, and if you’ve missed any45300:22:44,119 –> 00:22:46,959of the series why not come online to our45400:22:46,959 –> 00:22:50,219website openthebible.org.uk and45500:22:50,219 –> 00:22:52,020there you can go back and listen to any45600:22:52,020 –> 00:22:53,839of the messages you might have missed.45700:22:53,839 –> 00:22:55,640Don’t forget you can always hear45800:22:55,640 –> 00:22:57,280Pastor Colin’s messages on your45900:22:57,280 –> 00:22:59,359favorite podcast site. To find them46000:22:59,359 –> 00:23:02,099search for openthebible.co.uk or follow46100:23:02,099 –> 00:23:03,819the link from our website.46200:23:04,319 –> 00:23:06,660Fly Thru The Bible is Pastor Colin Smith’s46300:23:06,660 –> 00:23:09,060overview of the whole Bible. It’s46400:23:09,060 –> 00:23:10,459available in a number of different46500:23:10,459 –> 00:23:13,160formats and in coming days we’ll bring46600:23:13,160 –> 00:23:15,640news of some exciting ways that you can46700:23:15,640 –> 00:23:18,579use this material. Colin Smith’s original46800:23:18,579 –> 00:23:21,079book Fly Through The Bible is our gift46900:23:21,079 –> 00:23:22,760to you this month if you are able to47000:23:22,760 –> 00:23:25,260begin a new direct debit to the work of47100:23:25,260 –> 00:23:27,140Open The Bible in the amount of five47200:23:27,140 –> 00:23:30,040pounds per month or more or one-off47300:23:30,040 –> 00:23:33,020gift of 50 pounds or more. If you’re able47400:23:33,380 –> 00:23:35,000to do that we’d love to send you a copy47500:23:35,000 –> 00:23:37,859of the book. Colin, why did you use the47600:23:37,859 –> 00:23:40,180flying metaphor to describe this book?47700:23:40,180 –> 00:23:42,400Well, suppose you were making a visit to47800:23:42,400 –> 00:23:44,699the Grand Canyon and exploring it for47900:23:44,699 –> 00:23:46,660the first time. I mean I guess you could48000:23:46,660 –> 00:23:48,699hike down and you’d get a sense of the48100:23:48,699 –> 00:23:50,619depth of the canyon you could drive48200:23:50,619 –> 00:23:52,920around the rim you’d get a sense of the48300:23:52,920 –> 00:23:55,660length of it but perhaps the best way to48400:23:55,660 –> 00:23:58,500get an overall sense of the vastness and48500:23:58,500 –> 00:24:00,780beauty of the Grand Canyon would be to48600:24:01,520 –> 00:24:04,500over it. Now when it comes to the Bible48700:24:04,500 –> 00:24:08,339to get a high altitude overview of what48800:24:08,339 –> 00:24:11,160the Bible story is all about seems to me48900:24:11,160 –> 00:24:13,819to be the best place to begin. The Bible49000:24:13,819 –> 00:24:15,760really is one story it begins in a49100:24:15,760 –> 00:24:17,859garden it ends in a city and all the way49200:24:17,900 –> 00:24:19,599through it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ49300:24:19,619 –> 00:24:21,900Flying through the Bible is kind of49400:24:21,900 –> 00:24:24,180cookies on the bottom shelf to change49500:24:24,180 –> 00:24:27,520the analogy. It gives an overall picture49600:24:27,520 –> 00:24:29,819an introduction to the Scripture that I49700:24:30,000 –> 00:24:32,160hope will help and encourage people49800:24:32,160 –> 00:24:34,439to want to explore more when they get on49900:24:34,439 –> 00:24:37,000the ground. Well we’d love to send you a50000:24:37,020 –> 00:24:38,920copy of Colin’s book Fly Through the50100:24:38,920 –> 00:24:41,760Bible to say thank you for setting up a50200:24:41,760 –> 00:24:43,859new direct debit to the work of Open the50300:24:43,859 –> 00:24:45,979Bible in the amount of 5 pounds per50400:24:45,979 –> 00:24:48,540month or more or a one-off gift of 5050500:24:48,540 –> 00:24:51,959pounds or more this month full terms and50600:24:51,959 –> 00:24:54,119conditions are on our website at50700:24:54,119 –> 00:24:58,180openthebible.org.uk and you can give50800:24:58,439 –> 00:24:58,739online.50900:24:58,939 –> 00:25:01,939For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith51000:25:01,939 –> 00:25:03,880I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll51100:25:03,880 –> 00:25:06,219join us again next time on Open the51200:25:11,420 –> 00:25:13,479Bible. You share a problem with a friend51300:25:13,479 –> 00:25:15,479over lunch and you take an hour just to51400:25:15,479 –> 00:25:18,680tell a story find out why you need to do51500:25:18,680 –> 00:25:21,140the same with God that’s open the Bible51600:25:21,140 –> 00:25:24,640with Pastor Colin Smith