Your Struggle with Contentment, Part 2

Exodus 20:17
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Today, we unravel the deeper layers of the Tenth Commandment and how it radically changed the Apostle Paul’s life. Many of us know the commandment “you shall not covet,” but have we truly grasped its impact on our hearts? Pastor Colin explores how this commandment reveals our inner struggles and points us towards true contentment found in Christ.

Through Romans 7, we discover Paul’s personal transformation and how God’s law opened his eyes to the condition of his heart. This is a crucial lesson for anyone who has ever felt morally upright yet misses the deeper call of spirituality. Join us as we delve into how the Holy Spirit empowers us to live a life reflecting God’s character, offering hope and a new heart.

100:00:01,000 –> 00:00:08,880I’d known these Commandments for years he said, But one day it was the Tenth200:00:08,880 –> 00:00:15,200Commandment and it got me I realized for the first time that God’s not just300:00:15,200 –> 00:00:20,059looking at my outward actions, God is measuring my heart and I’ve got to tell400:00:20,059 –> 00:00:25,459you says it’s the Tenth Commandment that nailed me! Welcome to Open the Bible with500:00:25,459 –> 00:00:29,580Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick glad you could be with us today. And Colin600:00:29,580 –> 00:00:34,180just two questions. What is the Tenth Commandment and who on earth is that?700:00:34,180 –> 00:00:38,459Well the Tenth Commandment is, you shall not covet. And the he is the Apostle800:00:38,459 –> 00:00:43,400Paul you know this is fascinating to me that Paul gives us an insight into how900:00:43,400 –> 00:00:48,380God brought a radical change in his life. At one stage he’s saying I’m a Pharisee1000:00:48,380 –> 00:00:52,200of the Pharisees the best of the bunch. And then later in his life he says I’m1100:00:52,200 –> 00:00:55,759the Chief of Sinners How did he get from the one to the other? And the answer1200:00:56,160 –> 00:01:00,740is the Tenth Commandment. He tells us about it in Romans 7 this was what1300:01:00,740 –> 00:01:05,160brought me unglued. This is what made me realize that I really am a sinner. So1400:01:05,160 –> 00:01:09,199this is a way in which God can speak into the life of the person who’s lived1500:01:09,199 –> 00:01:14,919a very moral life even a religious life and bring a whole new level of1600:01:14,919 –> 00:01:17,459perception as to our true position before God.1700:01:17,459 –> 00:01:18,639This is a very revealing1800:01:18,639 –> 00:01:23,160Commandment and we’ll dive deeper into it so join us if you can in Exodus1900:01:23,599 –> 00:01:28,459Chapter 20 as we continue the message Your Struggle with contentment. Here’s2000:01:28,459 –> 00:01:34,199Colin. Now turn with me please to Romans Chapter 7 you only turned one place in2100:01:34,199 –> 00:01:40,040your Bible this morning make it now please Romans Chapter 7 I want you to2200:01:40,040 –> 00:01:46,739discover something so important here because in Romans 7 Paul tells us how2300:01:46,739 –> 00:01:52,660all this changed in his life. He’s talking personally in Romans 7 and he2400:01:52,800 –> 00:01:58,959describes a specific experience in his life now I do not know whether this2500:01:58,959 –> 00:02:03,419experience took place before or after the Lord appeared to him on the Damascus2600:02:03,419 –> 00:02:09,740road but whether it was before or after he tells us about how he came to a2700:02:09,740 –> 00:02:18,380complete re-evaluation of his own position. Romans 7 and verse 7 look at2800:02:18,380 –> 00:02:27,740what he says what shall we say then? Is the law sin? certainly not. Indeed, I would2900:02:27,740 –> 00:02:34,160not have known what sin was except through the law now wait a minute you3000:02:34,160 –> 00:02:37,080scratch your head if you put that against Philippians which we’ve just3100:02:37,080 –> 00:02:43,679quoted. In philippians he’s saying before the law I’m faultless, now in3200:02:44,000 –> 00:02:50,399he’s saying it was through the law that I discovered sin so something has3300:02:50,399 –> 00:02:58,240happened here how do we put these two things together in Philippians he tells3400:02:58,240 –> 00:03:02,839us that for many years he’d looked at the commandments and he’d said I’m okay3500:03:02,839 –> 00:03:08,100I’m okay he takes the checklist but now he’s3600:03:08,100 –> 00:03:12,039telling us that the commandment had the effect of showing him that he was a3700:03:12,039 –> 00:03:16,360sinner how come what made the difference well let’s read on the answer3800:03:16,360 –> 00:03:24,020is the 10th commandment very specific I would not have known what covering3900:03:24,020 –> 00:03:30,419really was if the law had not said do not cover4000:03:30,559 –> 00:03:38,000here I was he says with my moral checklist thinking that I was doing4100:03:38,039 –> 00:03:45,000quite well as a good living person I don’t steal I don’t kill then one day4200:03:45,000 –> 00:03:53,080after all my training in the law one day I really came face to face with the4300:03:53,080 –> 00:03:58,600tenth commandment see that’s the language he uses in verse 9 the4400:03:58,600 –> 00:04:04,279commandment came he’s talking about personal experience he’s saying it4500:04:04,520 –> 00:04:10,800suddenly came to me I had known these Commandments for years he’s saying but4600:04:10,800 –> 00:04:18,519one day it was the tenth Commandment and it bopped me I realized for the first4700:04:18,519 –> 00:04:23,260time that God’s not just looking at my outward actions God is measuring my4800:04:23,260 –> 00:04:27,380heart and I’ve got to tell you says it’s the tenth commandment that nailed4900:04:27,459 –> 00:04:35,339me it strangled the life out of my self-righteousness the 10th Commandment5000:04:35,339 –> 00:04:40,980is the killer commandment for morally upright people and you see once you see5100:04:40,980 –> 00:04:46,619the meaning of number ten then you reevaluate your own checklist on all of5200:04:46,619 –> 00:04:50,000the other nine and what you ticked off as successful you certainly see you5300:04:50,040 –> 00:04:53,820should be crossing off as still to be done5400:04:54,480 –> 00:04:59,179large part of my morality Paul would say it much more to do with the peer factor5500:04:59,179 –> 00:05:05,019than the fear factor than it really had to do with the condition of my heart5600:05:06,100 –> 00:05:11,119see this 10th commandment speaks to us today5700:05:11,279 –> 00:05:16,739strange thing is that the rich young ruler Saul of Tarsus were both5800:05:16,839 –> 00:05:20,179confronted by the challenge of the same commandment and made an opposite5900:05:20,179 –> 00:05:22,339response6000:05:23,720 –> 00:05:30,079the rich young ruler the Bible says went away sorrowful6100:05:30,779 –> 00:05:34,380the equivalent for us today would be came to church he said I don’t really6200:05:34,380 –> 00:05:38,820like that message it makes me feel uncomfortable I’ll find another place6300:05:38,820 –> 00:05:42,700that will make me feel better6400:05:44,619 –> 00:05:48,600the apostle Paul took a different road6500:05:49,359 –> 00:05:56,100if God’s truth is showing me that I has this kind of need then I have to embrace6600:05:56,100 –> 00:05:59,100God’s son6700:05:59,179 –> 00:06:02,160it’s my Savior6800:06:02,519 –> 00:06:08,640I need to start walking with a completely different self-evaluation6900:06:09,640 –> 00:06:13,640I need to begin again7000:06:16,859 –> 00:06:23,140so the great value of this 10th commandment is that it shows us morally7100:06:23,140 –> 00:06:29,000upright people that we’re sinners who need to save you if you grasp that in7200:06:29,000 –> 00:06:33,059the core of your being7300:06:36,619 –> 00:06:45,179more briefly the Tenth Commandment makes it very clear that the heart of my7400:06:45,179 –> 00:06:54,640problem is the problem of my heart now that’s important to grasp a heart of the7500:06:54,640 –> 00:07:03,140human problem the heart of your problem is the problem of your heart want to7600:07:03,140 –> 00:07:08,540give you a quotation from dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones he was a medical doctor who7700:07:08,540 –> 00:07:13,820became a great Bible preacher and often used his medical background to give7800:07:13,820 –> 00:07:19,179great insight into the scriptures now let me quote this paragraph to you I7900:07:20,100 –> 00:07:26,160profoundly helpful sin he says is not merely a matter of actions and deeds it8000:07:26,160 –> 00:07:33,440is something within the heart that leads to the action what we must therefore8100:07:33,440 –> 00:07:44,500really concentrate upon is not so much sins as sin sins are nothing but the8200:07:44,500 –> 00:07:52,640symptoms of a disease called sin and it is not the symptoms that matter but the8300:07:52,640 –> 00:08:01,179disease it is the disease that kills not the symptoms and see what he’s saying8400:08:01,179 –> 00:08:05,540we talk a lot about sin so this person did this this person did that this8500:08:05,540 –> 00:08:09,660person did the other since in sense but he says what really matters is not so8600:08:10,380 –> 00:08:17,320did it’s sin it is the root cause that leads to these actions it’s rather like8700:08:17,320 –> 00:08:24,859he says symptoms in a disease symptoms very amongst those who are sick and8800:08:24,859 –> 00:08:30,980frankly it’s not the symptoms that kill you the question the really matters is8900:08:30,980 –> 00:08:34,900not which symptoms are you showing the question that really matters is which9000:08:34,900 –> 00:08:48,679disease have you got I’ve been struggling with a flu or week and I’ve9100:08:48,679 –> 00:08:55,900been taking these tablets I’m not knocking them I’m very grateful for them9200:08:55,900 –> 00:09:00,219I’ll tell you but this is what it says on the box9300:09:00,219 –> 00:09:14,140all right I’m quoting uses temporarily relieves common flu symptoms and think9400:09:14,140 –> 00:09:21,520about what that seng first is saying the box of stuff you’ve just bought will9500:09:21,520 –> 00:09:25,559help you but it won’t help you for long9600:09:25,880 –> 00:09:28,559temporarily9700:09:29,039 –> 00:09:33,099the way that it will help you is that you’ll have less of these symptoms you9800:09:33,099 –> 00:09:36,219won’t have to worry about a running nose and a sore throat but the problem9900:09:36,219 –> 00:09:42,059is it won’t deal with the problem so as I get worse my wife says to me you10000:09:42,059 –> 00:09:51,979need to go to the doctor and I say no I don’t I’m not that bad now listen to10100:09:52,659 –> 00:09:58,840this Jesus said it is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick and as10200:09:58,840 –> 00:10:05,059long as you and I live with the illusion that we are more healthy because we’ve10300:10:05,059 –> 00:10:09,900found a way of suppressing the symptoms we will never come to Christ to deal10400:10:09,900 –> 00:10:15,820with the disease see that’s the problem with behavior modification by the way10500:10:15,900 –> 00:10:23,099there are many many ways to change behavior if all you want to do is to10600:10:23,099 –> 00:10:27,140stop drinking alcohol or break free from some compulsive habit that you’ve had10700:10:27,140 –> 00:10:34,580for ten years you don’t need Jesus to do that you can do it with good therapy10800:10:34,580 –> 00:10:43,179and a support group, but good therapy and a support group will never change your10900:10:43,260 –> 00:10:53,260heart it will affect the symptoms it will not touch the disease the heart of11000:10:53,260 –> 00:10:59,599your problem is the problem of your heart and so the great question that11100:10:59,599 –> 00:11:05,539you face is not how do I change my behavior the primary question is I do I11200:11:05,539 –> 00:11:11,219change my heart of course that was a great discovery that King David made11300:11:11,599 –> 00:11:16,440remember when he got himself in a right royal mess after an affair with a woman11400:11:16,440 –> 00:11:22,020called Bathsheba he covered it up of course but then God broke through the11500:11:22,020 –> 00:11:25,900cover-up through a man called Nathan and that brought David to repentance and it11600:11:25,900 –> 00:11:32,119led him to write Psalm 51 when he confesses his sin he asked God to wash11700:11:32,119 –> 00:11:39,020him and to cleanse him and to forgive him but he doesn’t end there see it’s11800:11:39,659 –> 00:11:43,580more than sins he’s worried about, it’s more than what he did here and here and11900:11:43,580 –> 00:11:52,479here and here and here, he says create in me a pure heart oh God12000:11:53,039 –> 00:12:00,820why does he say that because he says Lord I need you to deal not just with12100:12:00,820 –> 00:12:07,599what I did but with the impulse that made me do it if you were just to12200:12:07,679 –> 00:12:13,400forgive what I did but not to touch the deep in our impulse the heart that gave12300:12:13,400 –> 00:12:17,739rise to it then all that will happen is six months from now I will go down the12400:12:17,739 –> 00:12:21,119same track and do the same kind of thing12500:12:21,159 –> 00:12:25,960Lord I need more than forgiveness for my sins I need a change of heart I12600:12:25,960 –> 00:12:30,940need more than medicine to relieve the symptoms I need a doctor to deal with12700:12:30,940 –> 00:12:33,500the disease12800:12:34,359 –> 00:12:38,599So the tenth commandment shows us12900:12:38,599 –> 00:12:43,479the morally upright people are sinners who need a savior that the heart of my13000:12:43,479 –> 00:12:48,200problem is the problem of my heart13100:12:48,200 –> 00:12:49,419you’re listening to open the Bible with13200:12:49,419 –> 00:12:53,880Pastor Colin Smith and a message called your struggle with contentment part of13300:12:53,880 –> 00:12:58,119our longer series the 10 greatest struggles of your life and if you want13400:12:58,119 –> 00:13:02,179to go back and listen to any of those messages again you can easily do that by13500:13:02,179 –> 00:13:08,400coming online to our website openthebible.org.uk back to the message13600:13:08,400 –> 00:13:13,380now we’re in Exodus Chapter 20 here’s Colin13700:13:13,380 –> 00:13:14,880the 10th commandment shows us13800:13:14,880 –> 00:13:19,340the morally upright people are sinners who need a Saviour that the heart of my13900:13:19,340 –> 00:13:24,900problem is the problem of my heart14000:13:24,900 –> 00:13:28,780the last and wonderfle thing is this that the 10th commandment shows me hope14100:13:28,780 –> 00:13:30,780of a new life14200:13:30,960 –> 00:13:34,000in the power of the Holy Spirit of God14300:13:34,000 –> 00:13:38,359all the way through this series we’ve been reminding ourselves that God’s14400:13:38,359 –> 00:13:42,979commands are actually promises through Jesus Christ by the power of the Holy14500:13:42,979 –> 00:13:48,299Spirit and the wonderful thing is you see that the killer commandment was the14600:13:48,299 –> 00:13:50,599beginning of hope for the apostle Paul14700:13:50,599 –> 00:13:52,820dr. Lloyd-Jones points out so14800:13:52,820 –> 00:13:58,080wonderfully well in these words the first sign of spiritual life is to feel14900:13:58,080 –> 00:13:59,580that you are dead.15000:13:59,580 –> 00:14:04,219When the commandment came, Paul says sin revived and I died.15100:14:04,219 –> 00:14:05,659Thank God.15200:14:05,659 –> 00:14:11,500The moment a man is dead there is the possibility of him being resurrected.15300:14:11,500 –> 00:14:13,440That’s true isn’t it.15400:14:13,440 –> 00:14:16,479Can’t be resurrected to new life until you’re dead!15500:14:16,479 –> 00:14:22,760You can’t have the new life of the Spirit until you have come to the place15600:14:22,940 –> 00:14:31,000where your own hopes in your own morality have actually bitten the dust.15700:14:31,000 –> 00:14:33,179That’s the great value of the 10th commandment.15800:14:33,179 –> 00:14:35,539It opens the door of hope.15900:14:35,539 –> 00:14:39,440It brings us to Christ.16000:14:39,440 –> 00:14:41,039Listen to the 10th commandment.16100:14:41,039 –> 00:14:47,119Promise, you shall not covet.16200:14:47,119 –> 00:14:53,640You don’t need to go through a life that is forever seeking and never finding.16300:14:53,640 –> 00:14:58,940A life that is always the next thing, the next thing, the next thing, and you always16400:14:58,940 –> 00:15:02,960think that the next thing will satisfy you, but it never does because you’re chasing16500:15:02,960 –> 00:15:06,679the wind.16600:15:06,679 –> 00:15:09,119You do not need to live that kind of life.16700:15:09,119 –> 00:15:16,039You can find contentment, the contentment that says, I have found the thing of greatest16800:15:16,039 –> 00:15:17,340value.16900:15:17,340 –> 00:15:23,000See, coveting is chasing the wind.17000:15:23,000 –> 00:15:26,820Contentment is knowing that you have found that which is of greatest value, and that’s17100:15:26,820 –> 00:15:30,119where the Lord Jesus Christ brought the apostles, Paul.17200:15:30,119 –> 00:15:36,200He says late in his life, I have learned in every circumstance of life to be content,17300:15:36,200 –> 00:15:37,739how have I learned that?17400:15:37,780 –> 00:15:40,919I’ve learned it because I have Christ.17500:15:42,200 –> 00:15:47,659I’m not spending my life chasing the thing that’s ultimately going to satisfy and never17600:15:47,659 –> 00:15:49,039finding it.17700:15:50,239 –> 00:15:51,380I have him.17800:15:52,880 –> 00:15:56,260So I’ve discovered that there are some times in my life where I have other things that17900:15:56,260 –> 00:15:57,260I want.18000:15:57,260 –> 00:16:00,619There are sometimes in my life when I don’t have other things that I want.18100:16:01,280 –> 00:16:09,119But I have learned the secret of contentment because I have found that which is of greatest18200:16:09,119 –> 00:16:10,900value.18300:16:10,900 –> 00:16:13,760And isn’t this precisely what Jesus Christ offers to all of us?18400:16:13,760 –> 00:16:19,260Come to me, he says, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, you’re chasing after the18500:16:19,260 –> 00:16:21,799wind, and I will give you rest.18600:16:21,799 –> 00:16:28,599Come to me, all you who are thirsty, and I will cause out of you to flow streams of living18700:16:28,599 –> 00:16:30,299water.18800:16:31,359 –> 00:16:39,719See, Christ offers more than a change of behave, he offers a change of heart.18900:16:39,719 –> 00:16:45,140He says come to me, and I will do something for you and in you that you can never do for19000:16:45,140 –> 00:16:48,760yourself.19100:16:48,760 –> 00:16:53,179You do not need to be trapped in a life where you are always seeking.19200:16:53,179 –> 00:16:56,539And never finding.19300:16:56,539 –> 00:17:02,299Seek and you will find he says as he speaks of himself.19400:17:02,299 –> 00:17:04,699Knock and it will be opened to you.19500:17:04,699 –> 00:17:09,420Ask and you will receive.19600:17:09,420 –> 00:17:15,579See when we come to Christ in this way recognizing that our only hope is to embrace him who gives19700:17:15,579 –> 00:17:21,520to us and is for us what we do not have and what we cannot be, then he puts his spirit19800:17:21,520 –> 00:17:22,579within us.19900:17:22,640 –> 00:17:27,420And do you know where the holy spirit brings us?20000:17:27,420 –> 00:17:30,439Back to the rock face.20100:17:30,439 –> 00:17:35,800See, this is the wonderful promise that when we come to Christ God will put his spirit20200:17:35,800 –> 00:17:36,800within you.20300:17:36,800 –> 00:17:40,479I will put, God says in Ezekiel, a new heart in you.20400:17:40,479 –> 00:17:42,599I will put a new spirit in you.20500:17:42,599 –> 00:17:45,459I will put my spirit in you and I will do what?20600:17:45,459 –> 00:17:49,619I will move you to follow my decrees.20700:17:49,660 –> 00:17:56,560The Spirit of God within you is the power by which you continue the climb.20800:17:56,560 –> 00:18:01,260The strength with which you engage in the struggle.20900:18:01,260 –> 00:18:03,599The Spirit brings us back to the commandments.21000:18:03,599 –> 00:18:09,319The Spirit brings us back to the rock face, the Spirit brings us back to live in his energy21100:18:09,319 –> 00:18:15,839and power, the 10 greatest struggles of our lives.21200:18:15,859 –> 00:18:21,500If the Spirit of Jesus lives within you, this will not be a matter of outward conformity,21300:18:21,520 –> 00:18:26,359it will rather be that the deepest desire of your heart will be to live a life that21400:18:26,359 –> 00:18:33,319reflects the character of God, because truly you have come to love him.21500:18:33,319 –> 00:18:38,959You see, that’s going to be tough, it’ll be tough.21600:18:38,959 –> 00:18:44,079It will be the greatest struggle of your life.21700:18:44,099 –> 00:18:49,119But this is a challenge that God calls us to pursue.21800:18:49,119 –> 00:18:51,599The question.21900:18:51,599 –> 00:18:59,800For one who has come to Christ and has received the gift of God’s Spirit, the question is22000:18:59,800 –> 00:19:04,800– is it possible?22100:19:04,800 –> 00:19:10,599That takes me back to the Heidelberg Catechism, which we refer to at the very beginning of22200:19:10,599 –> 00:19:13,020our series.22300:19:13,040 –> 00:19:17,780I don’t know if you’d remember back this far, the Heidelberg Catechism, a very wonderful22400:19:17,780 –> 00:19:22,819statement that describes many aspects of the Christian faith in the form of questions and22500:19:22,819 –> 00:19:24,640answers.22600:19:24,640 –> 00:19:27,099Question 114 has this great question.22700:19:27,099 –> 00:19:32,540Can those converted to God obey these commands perfectly?22800:19:32,540 –> 00:19:33,439That’s the question.22900:19:33,439 –> 00:19:35,839Okay, I’ve come to Christ.23000:19:35,839 –> 00:19:37,199I’ve seen my need.23100:19:37,199 –> 00:19:39,060I embrace the Saviour.23200:19:39,060 –> 00:19:41,180The Spirit of God now lives within me.23300:19:41,239 –> 00:19:44,680I’m brought back to the rock face.23400:19:44,680 –> 00:19:49,579Can those converted to God obey these commands perfectly?23500:19:49,579 –> 00:19:52,060Answer, No.23600:19:52,060 –> 00:19:58,260You say, we went through all of this, this fall to get to there?23700:19:58,260 –> 00:20:02,979Now, that’s not the end of the answer but it’s an important part.23800:20:02,979 –> 00:20:04,739No.23900:20:04,739 –> 00:20:16,479In this life, even the holiest have only a small beginning of this obedience.24000:20:16,479 –> 00:20:26,160Nevertheless, they do begin to live according to all, not only some of God’s commandments.24100:20:26,160 –> 00:20:31,339I have found that liberating.24200:20:31,579 –> 00:20:40,500What it’s telling me is this, I know I’m not perfectly pure, but in God’s grace and24300:20:40,500 –> 00:20:47,619by his spirit, I have the beginning of purity even in this life.24400:20:47,619 –> 00:20:53,599You know that you don’t have perfect peace, that you’re often troubled, but by the grace24500:20:53,599 –> 00:21:00,319of God and through the Holy Spirit you truly have the beginning of peace in this life.24600:21:00,319 –> 00:21:03,439You have the beginning of integrity.24700:21:03,439 –> 00:21:08,140You have the beginning of contentment and it is a true beginning because it is a beginning24800:21:08,140 –> 00:21:15,660that is born of God and every day the Spirit of God brings me back to this rock face and24900:21:15,660 –> 00:21:20,839there is the challenge and the opportunity to climb higher and for what is begun to increase25000:21:20,839 –> 00:21:26,839and to grow and to develop within me and sometimes I slip.25100:21:27,459 –> 00:21:35,780Sometimes I may even fall off the wall but if I do I am held by the rope that is Christ25200:21:35,780 –> 00:21:41,280so I can get back on the wall today and I can start climbing again.25300:21:41,280 –> 00:21:48,119And, one day, the climb will be over.25400:21:48,119 –> 00:21:56,060One day you will stand on the top of that great rock face and what Christ has begun25500:21:56,060 –> 00:22:03,239and grown in you through this life will on that day be complete.25600:22:03,239 –> 00:22:14,500Not only will you be in his glory, but his glory will be in you.’25700:22:15,500 –> 00:22:19,579That’s a great reminder that as we progress along the Christian life we25800:22:19,579 –> 00:22:23,719will very often fall, but if Colin just said we can be grateful that we’re held25900:22:23,719 –> 00:22:29,099by that rope that Jesus offers us saving us from disaster, we can get back on that26000:22:29,099 –> 00:22:33,880wall and begin to climb again. You’ve been listening to Open the Bible with26100:22:33,880 –> 00:22:38,760Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Your Struggle with Contentment, part of26200:22:38,760 –> 00:22:42,920our longer series, The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life and if you’ve26300:22:43,000 –> 00:22:46,719missed any of the series or if you want to go back and listen again you can do26400:22:46,719 –> 00:22:51,719that by coming online to our website open the bible.org.uk and there you’ll26500:22:51,719 –> 00:22:55,900find all the messages which have already been broadcast. Open the Bible is26600:22:55,900 –> 00:23:00,339supported entirely by our listeners, and if you already give to support the work26700:23:00,339 –> 00:23:04,680of Open the Bible we want to say a huge thank you. If it’s something you’ve been26800:23:04,680 –> 00:23:09,420considering doing, if you’re able to begin a new direct debit to the work of26900:23:09,439 –> 00:23:13,819Open the Bible this month in the amount of five pounds per month or more or a27000:23:13,819 –> 00:23:18,819one-off gift of fifty pounds or more we’d love to thank you by sending you a27100:23:18,819 –> 00:23:24,420copy of Pastor Colin Smith’s new book Drive Through the Bible. Colin who did27200:23:24,420 –> 00:23:28,939you write this book for? Where do you begin and so people pick up bits and27300:23:28,939 –> 00:23:33,500pieces and the story from here a story from there but sometimes even after27400:23:33,500 –> 00:23:37,260years in the Christian life people don’t feel like they have a grasp of the whole27500:23:37,339 –> 00:23:42,140and then of course every year praise God there are people coming new to faith and27600:23:42,140 –> 00:23:46,959this is an entirely new book for them and where do you begin in a book that is27700:23:46,959 –> 00:23:52,640so vast? Well Drive Through the Bible really is a marvelous place to begin, to27800:23:52,640 –> 00:23:58,619get the whole story the big picture of what the Bible is really all about and I27900:23:58,619 –> 00:24:03,459just love saying that the whole Bible is one story it begins in a garden ends in28000:24:03,459 –> 00:24:06,579a city and all the way through it’s about the Lord Jesus Christ. Drive28100:24:06,660 –> 00:24:10,239Through the Bible will take you through the story so that you feel that you have28200:24:10,239 –> 00:24:16,119a sense of what the Bible is all about and why Jesus Christ is the center, who28300:24:16,119 –> 00:24:20,839he is and what he has accomplished and what he’s able to do in our lives today.28400:24:20,839 –> 00:24:25,180So this is not simply a sort of learning exercise this is an introduction to the28500:24:25,180 –> 00:24:29,140Lord Jesus Christ all the way through scripture and I think whether someone’s28600:24:29,140 –> 00:24:33,180been a christian for a long time or whether someone is new to the scriptures28700:24:33,540 –> 00:24:37,459and just wants to get a handle on what the Bible’s all about, Drive Through the28800:24:37,459 –> 00:24:40,979Bible’s going to be a place to begin and I hope it will be a blessing to many28900:24:40,979 –> 00:24:41,479people.29000:24:41,479 –> 00:24:44,979Well we’d love to send you a copy of Pastor Colin’s new book Drive29100:24:44,979 –> 00:24:50,180Through the Bible along with a lovely Open the Bible tote bag, pen and bookmark.29200:24:50,180 –> 00:24:54,500If you are able to begin a new direct debit to the work of Open29300:24:54,500 –> 00:24:58,660the Bible this month in the amount of £5 per month or more or a29400:24:59,180 –> 00:25:04,739one-off gift of £50 or more full terms and conditions and to give online come29500:25:04,739 –> 00:25:10,739to our website openthebible.org.uk29600:25:10,859 –> 00:25:14,160For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll be able29700:25:14,160 –> 00:25:18,579to join us again next time on Open the Bible.29800:25:21,060 –> 00:25:27,579One day Jesus’ disciples asked him to teach them how to pray, find out what he29900:25:27,579 –> 00:25:31,920said. Next time on Open the Bible.

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Colin Smith

Trustee / Founder and Teaching Pastor

Colin Smith is the Senior Pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church in the northwest suburbs of Chicago. He has authored a number of books, including Heaven, How I Got Here and Heaven, So Near – So Far. Colin is the Founder and Teaching Pastor for Open the Bible. Follow him on X formerly Twitter.

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Sermons on the Ten Commandments Every day is full of struggles. We struggle with time. We struggle with truth and authority. We struggle for peace and for purity and contentment—and that’s just the beginning. God speaks to us about these struggles that put us to the test each and every day in the Ten Commandments.

Colin Smith

New! Graphic Novel

A man of crime. A ruthless empire. A fellow prisoner. A promise of Paradise. 

Discover the story of the thief on the cross, and his life-changing encounter with Jesus, in this brand new full colour graphic novel version of Colin S Smith’s Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross.

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