100:00:00,000 –> 00:00:09,360If pastors preach a gospel in which you can somehow receive Jesus as your Saviour without200:00:09,360 –> 00:00:14,280submitting your life to Him as Lord, then we should not be surprised if after fifty300:00:14,280 –> 00:00:20,559years of this there will be a generation of people who say I received Jesus as saviour400:00:20,559 –> 00:00:24,120but it has not really changed my life.500:00:24,120 –> 00:00:28,139Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith. I’m David Pick.600:00:28,180 –> 00:00:31,980We’re glad you could be with us today and Colin it’s an important distinction, isn’t it?700:00:31,980 –> 00:00:37,220We often hear about receiving Jesus, coming to Jesus and so on, but it doesn’t always800:00:37,220 –> 00:00:39,240go with making Him Lord of our life.900:00:39,240 –> 00:00:41,759Yeah, that’s right, and the question is well, which Jesus?1000:00:41,759 –> 00:00:45,240Because, the Jesus in the Bible is Jesus Christ our Lord.1100:00:45,240 –> 00:00:51,759He’s the Son of God who lays claim to every life on the Planet and He’s the Sovereign Lord.1200:00:52,200 –> 00:00:56,619So when in the Orchard, the church where I pastor, we teach people the gospel,1300:00:56,939 –> 00:00:59,500we have four words, Lord, Sin, Saviour, Faith.1400:00:59,500 –> 00:01:03,980First is Lord, there’s a Sovereign Lord who lays claim to your life.1500:01:03,980 –> 00:01:07,739Because we are sinners we’re in trouble before him and therefore we need a Saviour.1600:01:07,739 –> 00:01:12,400The good news is that the Lord is also Saviour but we have to come first to terms with the1700:01:12,400 –> 00:01:17,139fact that He is the Sovereign Lord and when we put faith in Him, it’s the Saviour,1800:01:17,139 –> 00:01:20,400Lord, the Lord, Saviour that we’re trusting.1900:01:20,400 –> 00:01:25,800So to someone who hears that and might say I became a Christian maybe years ago but it’s2000:01:25,900 –> 00:01:29,940made no difference in my life, would you question their salvation?2100:01:29,940 –> 00:01:35,599I would say you’ve got to come to the Lord Jesus Christ and if a life is submitted to2200:01:35,599 –> 00:01:39,860the Lordship of Christ, by definition it’s different, you’re moving in a different direction2300:01:39,860 –> 00:01:42,000because you’re living for a new Master.2400:01:42,000 –> 00:01:45,699So there’s a lot of folks who’ve understood a sort of half gospel that isn’t2500:01:45,699 –> 00:01:51,139really a gospel at all and the true gospel does change people’s lives because it’s2600:01:51,139 –> 00:01:52,820about Jesus Christ our Lord.2700:01:52,820 –> 00:01:56,400You’ll see that in today’s message in Romans chapter 1.2800:01:56,400 –> 00:01:58,779As we begin the message, he is unstoppable.2900:01:58,779 –> 00:02:00,080Here’s Colin.3000:02:00,080 –> 00:02:08,240Now, as you have your Bible open the first four verses of this book of Romans are actually3100:02:08,240 –> 00:02:15,979if you look at it one extremely long sentence, four verses, it’s just one sentence.3200:02:16,860 –> 00:02:23,759And the problem with a long sentence as any speaker should know, and I’ll try not to make3300:02:23,759 –> 00:02:29,059this a long sentence, is that if you add too many clauses you lose the main point of what3400:02:29,059 –> 00:02:31,259it’s all about.3500:02:31,259 –> 00:02:37,100And so as we try to get hold of what God is saying to us in his Word here I want simply3600:02:37,100 –> 00:02:41,860to take you through this one long sentence and to pick out for you what it is actually3700:02:41,860 –> 00:02:43,779all about.3800:02:43,779 –> 00:02:45,339Notice what Paul says.3900:02:45,339 –> 00:02:51,339Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, and said apart for what?4000:02:51,339 –> 00:02:52,820The gospel of God.4100:02:52,820 –> 00:02:56,259So that’s the subject, that’s what Romans is all about.4200:02:56,259 –> 00:02:59,919And he describes it as the gospel that he promised beforehand through the prophets in4300:02:59,919 –> 00:03:03,979the holy scriptures, and then he tells us what this gospel is about.4400:03:03,979 –> 00:03:08,240It’s regarding his son, our title for this series.4500:03:08,240 –> 00:03:12,860So we’re learning here about the gospel of God which is regarding God’s son, and now4600:03:13,139 –> 00:03:16,720Now Paul tells us more about God’s son who as to his human nature was descended from4700:03:16,720 –> 00:03:23,960David and the spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the son of God by his resurrection4800:03:23,960 –> 00:03:25,860from the dead.4900:03:25,860 –> 00:03:31,080And now we have Paul’s summary of who the son of God is.5000:03:31,080 –> 00:03:35,860We’re told he is Jesus Christ, our Lord.5100:03:35,860 –> 00:03:38,479So there you have what this is all about.5200:03:38,479 –> 00:03:41,259He says it is the good news of God.5300:03:41,259 –> 00:03:48,100It is regarding his son who is Jesus Christ, our Lord.5400:03:48,100 –> 00:03:52,380Now Paul has more to say about him, about his humanity and his resurrection.5500:03:52,380 –> 00:03:54,440We’ll come to that in the coming two weeks.5600:03:54,440 –> 00:03:56,660But this is what I want us to begin today.5700:03:56,660 –> 00:04:01,839Jesus Christ, our Lord.5800:04:01,839 –> 00:04:10,820The gospel of God concerns his son who is Jesus Christ, our Lord.5900:04:11,460 –> 00:04:21,519Now folks, we live in a time when many people have only ever experienced an emaciated form6000:04:21,519 –> 00:04:24,899of Christianity.6100:04:24,899 –> 00:04:33,200In the New Testament, whenever a person encounters Jesus Christ, that encounter, if it is an6200:04:33,200 –> 00:04:40,600encounter of true faith, leads to lasting life change.6300:04:40,600 –> 00:04:42,079You find this throughout the New Testament.6400:04:42,079 –> 00:04:45,920I’m thinking, for example, as of Thessalonians when Paul went to Thessalonica.6500:04:45,920 –> 00:04:47,760He preached the gospel.6600:04:47,760 –> 00:04:52,799People were wonderfully converted and he says in 1 Thessalonians 1, in verse 9, he says,6700:04:52,799 –> 00:05:00,619you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God and to wait for his Son6800:05:00,619 –> 00:05:02,480from heaven.6900:05:02,480 –> 00:05:04,799In other words, here was Paul’s experience.7000:05:04,799 –> 00:05:10,480He preached the gospel in this town of Thessalonica and as he preached the gospel regarding7100:05:10,480 –> 00:05:18,200God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, what happened was that repentance and faith and worship7200:05:18,200 –> 00:05:28,399and ministry and service and hope and sacrifice and love were all birthed at the cross of7300:05:28,399 –> 00:05:31,839Jesus Christ.7400:05:31,839 –> 00:05:41,239Now in our time the Gospel has been widely redefined and re- packaged not as a life changing7500:05:41,239 –> 00:05:50,200encounter but as a decision simply to accept Jesus as your Saviour.7600:05:50,200 –> 00:05:58,179This we are told usually involves saying a prayer, believing certain things about Jesus7700:05:58,540 –> 00:06:04,279with the effect that your sins will be forgiven and you will have eternal joy in the presence7800:06:04,279 –> 00:06:08,320of Christ in heaven.7900:06:08,320 –> 00:06:12,399And so it is that thousands of people have bought into the idea that you can have faith8000:06:12,399 –> 00:06:20,179without repentance, you can have justification without sanctification, you can have salvation8100:06:20,179 –> 00:06:26,160with Christ in the next world without obedience to Christ in this world, that you can have8200:06:26,200 –> 00:06:34,559in short, Jesus as your saviour without him ever becoming your Lord.8300:06:34,559 –> 00:06:41,459If pastors preach a gospel in which you can somehow receive Jesus as your saviour without8400:06:41,459 –> 00:06:47,640submitting your life to him as Lord, then we should not be surprised if after 50 years8500:06:47,640 –> 00:06:56,320of this or so, there will be a generation of people who say, I received Jesus as saviour8600:06:56,320 –> 00:06:59,579but it has not really changed my life.8700:06:59,579 –> 00:07:07,760How many times have you heard someone say, oh yes, I accepted Jesus as my saviour but8800:07:07,760 –> 00:07:12,600of course he was never really my Lord and so nothing really changed?8900:07:12,600 –> 00:07:15,700And maybe they will then say, you know about 10 years later something else happened in9000:07:15,700 –> 00:07:20,519my life and then it was that I bowed the knee to Jesus Christ?9100:07:20,519 –> 00:07:23,44060 years ago, E.W.9200:07:23,440 –> 00:07:31,160Tozer lamented the loss of a life changing gospel within many evangelical churches.9300:07:31,160 –> 00:07:39,260These are the words he wrote 60 years ago, the whole transaction of religious conversion9400:07:39,260 –> 00:07:41,899has been made mechanical and spiritless.9500:07:41,899 –> 00:07:44,500He’s writing in 1948.9600:07:44,500 –> 00:07:53,880Faith may, now, he says, be exercised without a jar to the moral life, and without embarrassment9700:07:53,880 –> 00:07:57,700to the Adamic ego.9800:07:57,700 –> 00:08:02,279Christ may be received without creating any speculation love for him in the soul of the9900:08:02,279 –> 00:08:04,600receiver.10000:08:04,660 –> 00:08:07,640And a man may be he says, quote, saved.10100:08:07,640 –> 00:08:18,079That is, he may think himself saved, but he is not hungry or thirsty after God.10200:08:18,079 –> 00:08:25,920When my niece was over here at Christmas, I got into playing Rush Hour with her.10300:08:25,920 –> 00:08:26,899You know Rush Hour?10400:08:26,899 –> 00:08:31,679It’s a little puzzle of a game, where you have cars that are crammed into some squares10500:08:31,679 –> 00:08:35,099that represent a car park, and you have to move them all around so that you can get them10600:08:35,099 –> 00:08:37,979at a relatively narrow exit.10700:08:37,979 –> 00:08:42,960And while I was playing this with my young niece, the kid said to me, Dad, do you know10800:08:42,960 –> 00:08:46,719you can get this as an app for your iPhone?10900:08:46,719 –> 00:08:51,479So since I was playing around with this game, I hadn’t actually downloaded any games for11000:08:51,479 –> 00:08:54,539the iPhone, I thought I’ll try the app.11100:08:54,539 –> 00:09:00,820So I have downloaded Rush Hour, the free version.11200:09:00,820 –> 00:09:07,619It is 70 different puzzles, more than enough to keep me amused when I have absolutely nothing11300:09:07,619 –> 00:09:11,380else to do.11400:09:11,380 –> 00:09:20,520Included with this free version comes an advert that invites me to upgrade to the full version11500:09:20,520 –> 00:09:22,619that I can buy.11600:09:22,619 –> 00:09:28,840And if I buy the full version of Rush Hour, there are no less than 2,500 different puzzles11700:09:29,000 –> 00:09:37,400that will take me to ever higher levels of difficulty when I have absolutely nothing11800:09:37,400 –> 00:09:40,760else to do.11900:09:40,760 –> 00:09:50,200You know folks, I will not buy the full version because the free one gives me everything I want.12000:09:50,520 –> 00:09:59,159Now that is exactly how many folks in church world today think of Christianity.12100:09:59,159 –> 00:10:03,059There’s a salvation in which your sins are forgiven and you get entrance to heaven and12200:10:03,059 –> 00:10:06,340that one comes free.12300:10:06,340 –> 00:10:10,880And then there’s discipleship but that’s harder, that involves repentance and obedience and12400:10:10,880 –> 00:10:17,219holiness and sacrifice and that’s costly and maybe I’ll upgrade to it one day.12500:10:18,179 –> 00:10:24,960But right now I get everything I want with the free version, it’s all I need.12600:10:24,960 –> 00:10:31,900So that leaves pastors who have preached in this way, spending the next years saying to12700:10:31,900 –> 00:10:36,440disinterested people who are already quite sure that they’re saved and heading for heaven,12800:10:36,440 –> 00:10:40,500you know, if you like the free version of Christianity, you really should upgrade to12900:10:40,500 –> 00:10:46,340the full version and follow Christ in discipleship and obedience and call him your Lord.13000:10:47,099 –> 00:10:51,500But of course, many people never get round to that.13100:10:51,500 –> 00:10:54,780You see how far we’ve moved from the New Testament?13200:10:54,780 –> 00:11:02,739Here’s the problem with that whole way of thinking, it’s just the wrong category.13300:11:02,739 –> 00:11:07,140The gospel is not an upgradeable program.13400:11:07,140 –> 00:11:14,239In the gospel God offers to us a person, that’s the whole point of Romans in chapter one.13500:11:14,239 –> 00:11:18,219God’s gospel regarding his program of Salvation?13600:11:18,219 –> 00:11:28,000No, God’s gospel regarding his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.13700:11:28,000 –> 00:11:31,880You’re listening to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.13800:11:31,880 –> 00:11:35,479We’ve got to pause the message there briefly but we’ll be back very shortly.13900:11:35,479 –> 00:11:41,400The message is called He is Unstoppable and it’s part of a series Good News About God’s14000:11:41,400 –> 00:11:42,400Son.14100:11:42,400 –> 00:11:46,859So if you miss one of the series don’t forget you can always come online, to catch up, or14200:11:46,859 –> 00:11:48,460go back and listen again.14300:11:48,460 –> 00:11:52,859Come to our website openthebible.org.uk.14400:11:52,859 –> 00:11:57,299Also find us as a podcast and those are on all the main podcast sites, search for Open14500:11:57,299 –> 00:11:59,359the Bible UK.14600:11:59,359 –> 00:12:03,520Back to the message now we’re in Romans chapter 1, here’s Colin.14700:12:03,520 –> 00:12:07,460The gift of God is not some kind of upgradable product.14800:12:07,460 –> 00:12:13,080It’s not as if salvation gets lobbed out in sort of, separate self-wrapped containers.14900:12:13,080 –> 00:12:15,799You know here’s forgiveness, here’s heaven.15000:12:15,799 –> 00:12:20,859No, what the Bible makes clear to us, is that God has one gift, and the gift is a person,15100:12:20,859 –> 00:12:32,099the gift is himself, the gift is his son, and this son is Jesus Christ our Lord.15200:12:32,099 –> 00:12:34,479So Christ offers himself to us.15300:12:34,479 –> 00:12:41,080And the Christ who offers himself to us is Savior and Lord, and because he offers himself15400:12:41,080 –> 00:12:45,520to us, we cannot divide him into pieces.15500:12:45,520 –> 00:12:51,119It’s fascinating to me since we live in a time where there’s so much interest in Jesus15600:12:51,119 –> 00:12:58,440as Savior, and yet a strange reluctance in many quarters over Christ as Lord, that when15700:12:58,520 –> 00:13:06,659you come to the New Testament, what you find is that the Lordship of Christ is not hidden15800:13:06,659 –> 00:13:13,159as a kind of upgraded version but celebrated at the very heart of the gospel.15900:13:13,159 –> 00:13:16,760Let me give you some scriptures to think about this.16000:13:16,760 –> 00:13:20,760Look chapter 2 and verse 10 and 11, Christmas story.16100:13:20,760 –> 00:13:26,119You remember the angels appear to the shephards, and they say to the shephards, do not be afraid.16200:13:26,320 –> 00:13:29,940I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people.16300:13:29,940 –> 00:13:34,559And here’s the message, today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you.16400:13:34,559 –> 00:13:37,880He is Christ the Lord.16500:13:38,700 –> 00:13:41,159That’s the good news.16600:13:41,159 –> 00:13:44,880Acts chapter 2 and verse 21, Peter preaching on the Day of Pentecost.16700:13:44,880 –> 00:13:51,159He quotes the prophet Joel and he says this, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord16800:13:51,159 –> 00:13:52,159will be saved.16900:13:52,400 –> 00:13:56,760And then he goes on to explain that this Lord is Jesus who is risen from the dead17000:13:56,760 –> 00:14:00,500and God the Father has made him both Lord and Christ.17100:14:01,419 –> 00:14:06,859Philippians in chapter 2, you notice it’s all the two, Luke 2, Acts 2, Philippians 2.17200:14:06,880 –> 00:14:12,059One of the earliest ever Christian hymns celebrating the lordship of Jesus Christ.17300:14:12,059 –> 00:14:14,500What are Christians singing about?17400:14:14,500 –> 00:14:18,440They’re singing that God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Christ the name that17500:14:18,500 –> 00:14:22,900is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow in heaven and on earth17600:14:22,900 –> 00:14:29,479and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of17700:14:29,479 –> 00:14:30,719God the Father.17800:14:32,679 –> 00:14:34,799And then Colossians chapter 2 and verse 6.17900:14:34,799 –> 00:14:35,799One more, two.18000:14:35,799 –> 00:14:39,520Luke 2, Acts 2, Philippians 2, Colossians 2.18100:14:39,520 –> 00:14:44,780Describing how the believers in this little town of Colossea had known their lives would18200:14:44,780 –> 00:14:46,900be changed through faith in Jesus Christ.18300:14:46,919 –> 00:14:56,159As Paul says just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him rooted and18400:14:56,159 –> 00:15:05,080built up strengthened in the faith as you were taught and overflowing with thanksgiving.18500:15:05,080 –> 00:15:09,179Now what I’m wanting to see here today is that there is absolutely nothing here in the18600:15:09,179 –> 00:15:17,500New Testament of the idea that you somehow get saved and then sometime after that you18700:15:17,500 –> 00:15:22,900may get round to thinking about consecrating your life to Jesus Christ.18800:15:22,900 –> 00:15:25,880Notice what Paul says, Colossians 2.618900:15:25,880 –> 00:15:31,179These believers received Christ as Lord.19000:15:31,179 –> 00:15:37,500The savior is the Lord, you cannot tear Christ into pieces and the rest of the Christian19100:15:37,880 –> 00:15:43,820is about a continuing of what has been birthed right there at the cross.19200:15:43,820 –> 00:15:48,880Paul says this is what you were taught, in other words, this is the apostolic gospel,19300:15:48,880 –> 00:15:53,979the gospel that Paul is talking about right here in Romans, the gospel of God concerning19400:15:53,979 –> 00:15:55,859his son, who is who?19500:15:55,859 –> 00:15:59,940Jesus Christ, our Lord.19600:15:59,940 –> 00:16:04,820It’s just fascinating to me.19700:16:04,820 –> 00:16:10,299If you look at the story of Paul’s own conversion, his encounter with Jesus Christ.19800:16:10,299 –> 00:16:15,140Remember the story of what happened on the Damascus road.19900:16:15,140 –> 00:16:23,140Here is this man and he is angry, and he is on his way to persecute the Church of Christ20000:16:23,140 –> 00:16:25,179in Damascus.20100:16:25,179 –> 00:16:28,500And he is resisting Christ.20200:16:28,500 –> 00:16:32,979Act chapter nine says this, that as he near Damascus on his journey, suddenly there was20300:16:32,979 –> 00:16:36,580a light from heaven, and it flashed around him.20400:16:36,580 –> 00:16:41,099And Saul fell to the ground and he heard a voice say to him, Saul, Saul why do you persecute20500:16:41,099 –> 00:16:42,099me?20600:16:42,099 –> 00:16:46,500And Saul said, Who are you, Lord?20700:16:46,500 –> 00:16:52,380See, far from this idea of embracing Jesus as saviour and then somehow eventually getting20800:16:52,380 –> 00:17:01,020round to think that he might have some authority in your life, Paul’s first awareness was that20900:17:01,080 –> 00:17:10,180there is an exalted lord, a sovereign Christ at the right hand of the Father in heaven21000:17:10,180 –> 00:17:16,760and that because he is exalted there, Saul has a problem.21100:17:16,760 –> 00:17:18,219I’ve got to be reconciled to him.21200:17:18,219 –> 00:17:26,939I’ve got things in my life I have to change and therefore I can only hope to look to him21300:17:27,000 –> 00:17:32,900for mercy, forgiveness, grace.21400:17:32,900 –> 00:17:36,219It’s exactly the same in Acts 2 isn’t it?21500:17:36,219 –> 00:17:42,000Peter’s proclaiming the resurrection of the lord Jesus Christ as we come up to Easter.21600:17:42,000 –> 00:17:48,500God has made this Jesus whom you crucified both lord and Christ.21700:17:48,500 –> 00:17:56,099Jesus the lord exalted and here we are in rebellion against him.21800:17:56,099 –> 00:18:01,599We have a problem and so the people say, now Peter what should we do?21900:18:01,599 –> 00:18:05,479And Peter says, well you repent!22000:18:05,479 –> 00:18:09,359Ah yes, there’s forgiveness, yes there is grace, there’s mercy, there is the gift of22100:18:09,359 –> 00:18:15,920the Holy Spirit but it comes from Christ the Lord.22200:18:16,780 –> 00:18:21,619The Saviour who is wonderfully ready to forgive us through his redeeming death on the cross22300:18:21,640 –> 00:18:26,199is the Lord who lays claim to our lives.22400:18:26,199 –> 00:18:31,420And since this Savior is Lord and he is never Lord without Saviour he calls us to faith22500:18:31,420 –> 00:18:35,300and repentance and never faith without repentance.22600:18:35,300 –> 00:18:42,680That is why conversion is never a matter simply of adding a belief to an unchanged life.22700:18:43,680 –> 00:18:45,680Faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.22800:18:45,680 –> 00:18:51,680Paul says that’s the gospel.22900:18:51,680 –> 00:18:55,520When the gospel is properly preached then it becomes clear that there is a Lord in Heaven23000:18:55,520 –> 00:19:01,920to whom we must give account, to whom we must be reconciled, that there are sins from which23100:19:01,920 –> 00:19:09,920we must turn, that there is a rebellion against Him that must cease and trusting him as Savior23200:19:09,920 –> 00:19:16,920involves turning from sin, turning from the sin that you’re asking Him to save you from23300:19:16,920 –> 00:19:26,920and placing your whole life in His hands and under His authority.23400:19:26,920 –> 00:19:31,920Now, nobody would be surprised if the Book of Romans began by saying that the good news23500:19:31,920 –> 00:19:35,920of God is regarding His Son Jesus Christ our Savior.23600:19:35,920 –> 00:19:40,920But I think a lot of people today, if they looked at it carefully, might just widen their eyes a little bit23700:19:40,920 –> 00:19:48,920when you see that what Paul says is that the gospel of God is regarding His Son23800:19:48,920 –> 00:19:52,920Jesus Christ our Lord.23900:19:52,920 –> 00:19:59,920That raises the question how can it be good news that Jesus Christ is Lord?24000:19:59,920 –> 00:20:02,920Now who’s the good news that he’s Savior?24100:20:02,920 –> 00:20:09,920How is it good news that Jesus Christ as Lord lays claim to your life?24200:20:09,920 –> 00:20:14,920Why is it that in the New Testament, the Lordship of Jesus Christ is celebrated?24300:20:14,920 –> 00:20:19,920The good news is that He is Christ the Lord.24400:20:19,920 –> 00:20:23,920I would suggest to you three very simple insights24500:20:23,920 –> 00:20:31,920that I think have the power to transform your discipleship as you see what it means for Jesus to be Lord24600:20:31,920 –> 00:20:33,920Here’s the first24700:20:33,920 –> 00:20:40,920Christ is Saviour precisely because He is Lord24800:20:40,920 –> 00:20:48,920Christ is able to save us from our enemies precisely because He has authority over them24900:20:48,920 –> 00:20:53,920which is why the fact that Jesus is Lord is the most marvellous good news25000:20:53,920 –> 00:20:56,920A Saviour who isn’t Lord is no use to you25100:20:57,920 –> 00:21:05,920Christ is able to save us from sin because His power is greater than the power of temptation25200:21:05,920 –> 00:21:12,920Christ is able to deliver you from death because His power is greater than the power of death25300:21:12,920 –> 00:21:15,920as is demonstrated by His Resurrection25400:21:15,920 –> 00:21:19,920Christ is able to open the doors of heaven to you, why?25500:21:19,920 –> 00:21:24,920because all authority in heaven belongs to Him25600:21:25,920 –> 00:21:28,920That’s why it’s good news that Jesus is Lord25700:21:28,920 –> 00:21:33,920It is the fact that Jesus is Lord that qualifies Him to be our Saviour25800:21:33,920 –> 00:21:36,920that is why the scripture says25900:21:36,920 –> 00:21:41,920everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved26000:21:41,920 –> 00:21:44,920because he’s the only one who’s able to save26100:21:44,920 –> 00:21:47,920He’s Saviour because he’s Lord26200:21:47,920 –> 00:21:51,920that’s why the Church rejoices in the Lord Jesus Christ26300:21:51,920 –> 00:21:54,920You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith on Open The Bible26400:21:54,920 –> 00:21:57,920and a message called He Is Unstoppable26500:21:57,920 –> 00:22:00,920part of our series, Good News About God’s Son26600:22:00,920 –> 00:22:03,920and don’t forget if you ever miss one of the series26700:22:03,920 –> 00:22:05,920or if you want to go back and listen again26800:22:05,920 –> 00:22:09,920come to our website, OpenTheBible.org.uk26900:22:09,920 –> 00:22:12,920and there you’ll find all the messages which have already been broadcast27000:22:12,920 –> 00:22:16,920also on our website you’ll find Open The Bible Daily27100:22:16,920 –> 00:22:19,920That’s a series of 2–3 minute daily reflections27200:22:19,920 –> 00:22:22,920based on Pastor Colin’s teachings and read in the UK27300:22:22,920 –> 00:22:24,920by Sue McLeish27400:22:24,920 –> 00:22:28,920Again our website is at openthebible.org.uk27500:22:28,920 –> 00:22:31,920Now I wonder what plans you may have for Easter27600:22:31,920 –> 00:22:36,920At Open The Bible we have something that might be of interest to you and your church27700:22:36,920 –> 00:22:40,920We’ve filmed a one-actor, one-hour performance of Colin’s well-known book27800:22:40,920 –> 00:22:44,920Heaven How I Got Here The Story of the Thief on the Cross27900:22:44,920 –> 00:22:47,920It’s a powerful gospel message28000:22:47,920 –> 00:22:50,920and we’re making the film available to you for free28100:22:50,920 –> 00:22:53,920If your church wants to show the film this Easter28200:22:53,920 –> 00:22:56,920we have created a free resource pack to help you28300:22:56,920 –> 00:23:01,920To find out more go to openthebible.org.uk28400:23:01,920 –> 00:23:04,920Open The Bible is supported entirely28500:23:04,920 –> 00:23:06,920by the generous gifts of our listeners28600:23:06,920 –> 00:23:09,920and if that’s something you’ve been considering to do28700:23:09,920 –> 00:23:11,920then we have an offer for you this month28800:23:12,920 –> 00:23:15,920if you’re able to set up a new, direct debit28900:23:15,920 –> 00:23:16,920to the work of Open The Bible29000:23:16,920 –> 00:23:18,920in the amount of £5 per month or more29100:23:18,920 –> 00:23:21,920or a one off gift of £50 or more29200:23:21,920 –> 00:23:23,920we’d love to say thank you29300:23:23,920 –> 00:23:25,920by sending you three copies29400:23:25,920 –> 00:23:28,920of Pastor Colin Smith’s devotional29500:23:28,920 –> 00:23:30,920Green Pastures, Still Waters29600:23:30,920 –> 00:23:33,920Comfort in Dark Times from Psalm 2329700:23:33,920 –> 00:23:36,920Colin, this devotional comes from a sermon series29800:23:36,920 –> 00:23:38,920that you preached a while back29900:23:38,920 –> 00:23:40,920and as you prepared for the series30000:23:40,920 –> 00:23:43,920what was the main thing that you took away from it?30100:23:43,920 –> 00:23:46,920Oh that single word, encouragement30200:23:46,920 –> 00:23:49,920I can’t think of any better place to go30300:23:49,920 –> 00:23:51,920when a person feels down or jaded30400:23:51,920 –> 00:23:54,920or just generally exhausted30500:23:54,920 –> 00:23:58,920if you need encouragement, Psalm 23 is the place to go30600:23:58,920 –> 00:24:00,920and God has been using this psalm30700:24:00,920 –> 00:24:02,920to encourage his people for 3,000 years30800:24:02,920 –> 00:24:05,920and I reckon that’s probably the reason30900:24:05,920 –> 00:24:07,920why this is one of the best known31000:24:07,920 –> 00:24:10,920best loved chapters in all of the Bible31100:24:10,920 –> 00:24:13,920To know that in Christ you have a shepherd31200:24:13,920 –> 00:24:16,920and in the Shepherd you have everything that you need31300:24:16,920 –> 00:24:20,920that is the greatest joy and that will renew your strength31400:24:20,920 –> 00:24:24,920So I am absolutely delighted that we are able to make this available31500:24:24,920 –> 00:24:27,920as a Devotional, you can read it over 31 days31600:24:27,920 –> 00:24:29,920and it will renew your strength31700:24:29,920 –> 00:24:31,920it will refresh your soul31800:24:31,920 –> 00:24:35,920Psalm 23. One of the best known best loved chapters in the Bible31900:24:35,920 –> 00:24:39,920Well if you are able to begin supporting Open the Bible32000:24:39,920 –> 00:24:42,920with a gift of 5 pounds per month or more32100:24:42,920 –> 00:24:45,920or a one off gift of 50 pounds or more32200:24:45,920 –> 00:24:48,920we’d love to thank you by sending you three copies32300:24:48,920 –> 00:24:50,920of Green Pastures still waters32400:24:50,920 –> 00:24:54,920pastor Colin Smith’s devotional based upon Psalm 2332500:24:54,920 –> 00:24:58,920along with a special Open the Bible pen and bookmark32600:24:58,920 –> 00:25:02,920Full details, terms and conditions are on our website32700:25:02,920 –> 00:25:06,920Openthebible.org.uk32800:25:06,920 –> 00:25:08,920for Open the Bible and pastor Colin Smith32900:25:08,920 –> 00:25:10,920I’m David Pick, thank you for joining us today33000:25:10,920 –> 00:25:13,920and I hope we’ll see you again next time33100:25:18,920 –> 00:25:21,920What was it that grabbed the attention of New Testament disciples33200:25:21,920 –> 00:25:24,920which can transform your faith today?33300:25:24,920 –> 00:25:27,920Find out next time on Open the Bible