100:00:00,600 –> 00:00:06,340Hope is not found in something.200:00:06,340 –> 00:00:08,840It is found in someone.300:00:08,840 –> 00:00:14,240Our hope is in Jesus, who died and rose.400:00:14,240 –> 00:00:18,100Our hope is not in living up to an ethic.500:00:18,100 –> 00:00:25,559Our hope is not in pursuing a more disciplined or religious way of life.600:00:25,559 –> 00:00:27,040Our hope is not even in a creed.700:00:27,700 –> 00:00:30,760Our hope is in a person.800:00:31,100 –> 00:00:34,099Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.900:00:34,119 –> 00:00:35,119I’m David Pick.1000:00:35,119 –> 00:00:36,599I’m glad you could be with us today.1100:00:36,599 –> 00:00:39,099Colin, that’s a great reminder.1200:00:39,099 –> 00:00:43,200Sometimes we forget that hope doesn’t depend on what’s happening around us.1300:00:43,200 –> 00:00:44,980It depends on Jesus.1400:00:44,980 –> 00:00:49,759That’s exactly right and I think that this is the uniqueness of the Christian faith.1500:00:49,759 –> 00:00:56,459The other religions of the world point to an ethic, to a way of life, to a creed, and1600:00:56,500 –> 00:00:59,540all these things are true in Christianity as well.1700:00:59,540 –> 00:01:05,839But the Christian gospel revolves around a person, the Lord Jesus Christ.1800:01:05,839 –> 00:01:10,120And this is why it’s simply not true to say that all religions are the same.1900:01:10,120 –> 00:01:14,220The Lord Jesus Christ is unlike any other person who has ever lived.2000:01:14,220 –> 00:01:15,220He is God.2100:01:15,220 –> 00:01:16,220He is man.2200:01:16,220 –> 00:01:18,160He is holy.2300:01:18,160 –> 00:01:23,599And He is the one who brings us into hope because of who He is and because of what He2400:01:23,599 –> 00:01:24,599has done.2500:01:24,680 –> 00:01:30,260So we’re looking at the unique hope that can be found in a unique person, our Lord and2600:01:30,279 –> 00:01:31,720Saviour Jesus Christ.2700:01:31,720 –> 00:01:36,680So today we’ll hear all about that from the first book of Corinthians, chapter 15, so2800:01:36,680 –> 00:01:41,339join us if you can as we continue the message, Hope in Jesus.2900:01:41,339 –> 00:01:42,519Here’s Colin.3000:01:42,519 –> 00:01:46,739There’s hope in Jesus because He died and He rose.3100:01:46,739 –> 00:01:52,400And then I want us to see from these verses secondly, that there is hope in Jesus because3200:01:52,400 –> 00:01:55,120of the grace that He brings.3300:01:55,120 –> 00:02:01,839I want you to notice that the word grace is used three times in these verses, especially3400:02:01,839 –> 00:02:04,379verse nine and verse ten.3500:02:04,379 –> 00:02:09,000By the grace of God, Paul says, I am what I am.3600:02:09,000 –> 00:02:12,440His grace toward me was not in vain.3700:02:12,440 –> 00:02:18,639I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with3800:02:18,639 –> 00:02:19,960me.3900:02:20,479 –> 00:02:25,660Now, this whole wonderful chapter that we’re going to be looking at throughout this month4000:02:25,660 –> 00:02:37,039is just full of how God’s grace in Jesus transforms our future into a glorious future that lies4100:02:37,039 –> 00:02:41,500ahead of every single believer.4200:02:41,500 –> 00:02:47,520But Paul begins in these verses not with how God’s grace changes the future, but with how4300:02:47,520 –> 00:02:52,820it affects the past and how it affects the present.4400:02:52,820 –> 00:03:00,639Notice how he speaks about the way in which it affects the past, bringing redemption from4500:03:00,639 –> 00:03:02,399our past sins.4600:03:02,399 –> 00:03:10,320He says, I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle.4700:03:10,539 –> 00:03:15,059Almost feel the pain as he writes these words, can’t you?4800:03:15,059 –> 00:03:22,759Because I persecuted the church of God.4900:03:22,759 –> 00:03:32,440You know, people who walk most closely with God often struggle with painful memories of5000:03:32,440 –> 00:03:36,240things they regret from years ago.5100:03:37,240 –> 00:03:44,580How do you live with things that you said or did in the past that now make you deeply5200:03:44,580 –> 00:03:46,860ashamed?5300:03:46,860 –> 00:03:52,259Unless your conscience is completely and utterly dead, I expect that you know something, at5400:03:52,259 –> 00:03:56,339least, of what I am speaking about here.5500:03:56,339 –> 00:04:02,960You look back over the years and the voice of conscience reminds you of things that you5600:04:03,139 –> 00:04:08,500said that you wished you had never spoken.5700:04:08,500 –> 00:04:13,240Things that you saw that you wished you’d never viewed.5800:04:13,240 –> 00:04:20,519And you look back and you say, how could I have been such a fool?5900:04:20,519 –> 00:04:22,899Now, Paul knew what this was like.6000:04:23,140 –> 00:04:34,000I mean, when he looked back, he remembered that he had a foul mouth and a raging temper.6100:04:34,000 –> 00:04:43,299And he had perpetuated acts of violence that were against precisely the people he now loved the most.6200:04:43,299 –> 00:04:48,880I persecuted the Church of God.6300:04:48,880 –> 00:04:52,579That was the reality that Paul lived with.6400:04:52,619 –> 00:04:56,320This is what he’d done in the past.6500:04:56,320 –> 00:04:58,859And he could never forget it.6600:04:58,859 –> 00:05:02,140How could he possibly do so?6700:05:02,140 –> 00:05:08,500It may be that there is something that you have said or done that you bitterly regret.6800:05:08,500 –> 00:05:12,459Or, perhaps it is something that you failed to do.6900:05:12,459 –> 00:05:17,320Paul says here that there isn’t Christ appear to him last of all,7000:05:17,320 –> 00:05:19,600I think there’s a certain winsomeness there.7100:05:19,600 –> 00:05:23,839Oh, if only I had come to the Lord sooner.7200:05:23,839 –> 00:05:27,700If only I had waited not wasted these years of my life.7300:05:27,700 –> 00:05:30,339If only I had exercised faith.7400:05:30,339 –> 00:05:32,899If only I had shown more courage.7500:05:32,899 –> 00:05:38,260If only I had walked more closely with God.7600:05:38,260 –> 00:05:43,799Every thoughtful person knows what it is to live with regrets.7700:05:43,799 –> 00:05:46,380Shameful sins.7800:05:46,779 –> 00:05:49,820Missed opportunities.7900:05:49,820 –> 00:05:52,739Wasted years.8000:05:54,040 –> 00:06:00,799Now, where do you find hope when shame and regret from the past8100:06:00,799 –> 00:06:07,119just presses into your mind and into your heart?8200:06:07,119 –> 00:06:09,700Well notice what the Apostle Paul says here.8300:06:09,700 –> 00:06:19,500I persecuted the Church of God, but by the grace of God I am what I am,8400:06:19,500 –> 00:06:24,899and his grace to me was not in vain.8500:06:24,899 –> 00:06:27,760You see what he’s saying.8600:06:27,760 –> 00:06:35,140When I remember what I was I use it as a lens through which to view8700:06:35,480 –> 00:06:40,359what the Lord Jesus Christ has done in my life.8800:06:40,359 –> 00:06:48,019My sins horrible as they were are what he has redeemed me from.8900:06:48,019 –> 00:06:52,940The grace of the Lord Jesus has brought a real change in my life,9000:06:52,940 –> 00:06:57,799I am no longer the person that I was.9100:06:57,799 –> 00:07:03,480Do you see, this is very important, that the answer to memories9200:07:03,619 –> 00:07:11,480that bring a sense of shame and regret, is not only that Christ wonderfully forgives.9300:07:11,480 –> 00:07:16,760The answer to the shame of the past is, by God’s grace, I have changed.9400:07:16,760 –> 00:07:18,760That’s what the apostle Paul says here,9500:07:18,760 –> 00:07:24,040I persecuted the church, but I’m sure not doing that now.9600:07:24,040 –> 00:07:26,839I’m not the person I was.9700:07:26,839 –> 00:07:30,339The grace of God really has changed me.9800:07:31,059 –> 00:07:35,779And it’s by the sheer grace of God that I am what I am,9900:07:35,779 –> 00:07:39,779and his grace towards me was not in vain.10000:07:41,940 –> 00:07:46,260Paul never claimed that he was all that God calls any of us to be.10100:07:47,220 –> 00:07:51,140He would say, and I take this from Philippians in chapter three,10200:07:51,140 –> 00:07:55,459he’d say, I’m a long way from being perfect,10300:07:55,459 –> 00:07:59,880but Jesus Christ has made me his own,10400:07:59,959 –> 00:08:05,859and I am pursuing the purpose for which he has laid hold of me.10500:08:06,679 –> 00:08:12,140The answer, dear friends, to the regret and shame of the past10600:08:12,279 –> 00:08:14,760is more than that you are forgiven.10700:08:15,799 –> 00:08:21,279By God’s grace, you will be able to say, as a believer,10800:08:21,720 –> 00:08:23,440I’m not what I should be,10900:08:24,679 –> 00:08:26,500I’m not what I want to be,11000:08:27,500 –> 00:08:30,799I’m not what one day I will be,11100:08:32,119 –> 00:08:34,219but I’m not what I used to be.11200:08:35,260 –> 00:08:40,739And by the sheer grace and mercy of God, I am what I am.11300:08:44,099 –> 00:08:49,559When you find yourself troubled by past shame, past regret,11400:08:50,739 –> 00:08:56,400use it as an opportunity to remind yourself of what the grace of God has done in you.11500:08:57,500 –> 00:09:02,179The very fact that you now regret what you once chose11600:09:02,960 –> 00:09:05,940is an evidence of how far you have come.11700:09:05,940 –> 00:09:08,119You are not the person that you were.11800:09:08,919 –> 00:09:12,359The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed you,11900:09:12,359 –> 00:09:16,580and his grace toward you has not been in vain.12000:09:20,000 –> 00:09:21,140There’s hope in Jesus12100:09:23,340 –> 00:09:24,760through the grace that he brings.12200:09:25,640 –> 00:09:28,739And that grace affects not only the past12300:09:28,739 –> 00:09:31,140but it affects the present.12400:09:31,140 –> 00:09:33,500Notice what Paul says about this.12500:09:33,500 –> 00:09:35,700Not only does his grace bring redemption12600:09:35,700 –> 00:09:36,919from our past sins,12700:09:36,919 –> 00:09:41,340it brings strength for our present callings.12800:09:41,340 –> 00:09:45,320Verse 10, by the grace of God I am what I am,12900:09:45,320 –> 00:09:48,280and his grace toward me was not in vain.13000:09:48,280 –> 00:09:50,840On the contrary, here’s what God’s grace13100:09:50,840 –> 00:09:52,520brought about in him.13200:09:52,520 –> 00:09:56,539He says I worked harder than any of them,13300:09:56,539 –> 00:09:58,479though it was not I13400:09:58,479 –> 00:10:01,599but the grace of God that is with me.13500:10:03,419 –> 00:10:05,260So Jesus brings grace13600:10:05,260 –> 00:10:08,179not only to redeem us from our past sins13700:10:08,179 –> 00:10:10,619but to give us strength13800:10:10,619 –> 00:10:13,460for the calling that he gives us to pursue today.13900:10:15,299 –> 00:10:17,940What was the effect14000:10:17,940 –> 00:10:21,460of grace flowing into the life of the Apostle Paul?14100:10:21,479 –> 00:10:22,840He says it right here,14200:10:22,840 –> 00:10:25,780I worked harder than any of them.14300:10:26,739 –> 00:10:28,479I was energized.14400:10:29,659 –> 00:10:31,539I did more than any of the others,14500:10:32,700 –> 00:10:35,780though it wasn’t actually me, he says,14600:10:35,780 –> 00:10:38,500it was the grace of God that is with me.14700:10:39,580 –> 00:10:41,260Now, here we come to something14800:10:41,260 –> 00:10:45,520that is again a very important and practical principle14900:10:45,520 –> 00:10:47,900in these verses of Scripture.15000:10:47,900 –> 00:10:49,979Where did the Apostle Paul15100:10:50,119 –> 00:10:53,919get the energy for the work that he was called to do?15200:10:55,159 –> 00:10:57,500I mean, it was an overwhelming task,15300:10:57,500 –> 00:10:59,940the work to which he was called.15400:10:59,940 –> 00:11:03,500In 2 Corinthians, he lists what he endured15500:11:03,500 –> 00:11:05,859in the course of his work as an apostle.15600:11:05,859 –> 00:11:08,799It is extraordinary reading.15700:11:08,799 –> 00:11:11,840He details the number of times he was beaten,15800:11:11,840 –> 00:11:16,140stoned, lashed, shipwrecked.15900:11:16,140 –> 00:11:19,539He lists days without food.16000:11:19,539 –> 00:11:22,239He speaks about nights without sleep.16100:11:22,239 –> 00:11:26,080He speaks about being exposed to danger and to cold.16200:11:26,080 –> 00:11:29,140And then he says, apart from these things,16300:11:29,140 –> 00:11:31,380you know, as if that wasn’t enough,16400:11:31,380 –> 00:11:36,380apart from these things, there is the daily pressure on me16500:11:36,619 –> 00:11:39,780of my anxiety for all the churches.’16600:11:41,099 –> 00:11:43,299That’s what it meant for him to be an apostle.16700:11:44,299 –> 00:11:48,059He carried that weight, that burden.16800:11:49,619 –> 00:11:52,419Read these verses from 2 Corinthians in chapter 1116900:11:52,419 –> 00:11:54,679when you’re tempted to feel sorry for yourself,17000:11:54,679 –> 00:11:58,260I found it has helped me on many occasions.17100:11:59,460 –> 00:12:04,460You find yourself wondering where did the Apostle Paul17200:12:04,780 –> 00:12:06,820get the staying power17300:12:07,900 –> 00:12:10,460to just keep doing what God called him to do17400:12:10,460 –> 00:12:15,460when there was so much that was pushing against him?17500:12:15,619 –> 00:12:18,039And right here, he gives us the answer.17600:12:19,000 –> 00:12:22,880I worked as hard as I did for this reason17700:12:22,880 –> 00:12:26,200because of the grace of God that is with me.17800:12:27,280 –> 00:12:32,280God’s presence with me, God’s kindness towards me.17900:12:33,320 –> 00:12:36,239That is what kept me going.18000:12:37,880 –> 00:12:40,239Now there’s someone here today18100:12:40,239 –> 00:12:43,559and you are facing an overwhelming challenge,18200:12:44,400 –> 00:12:46,479and perhaps even in the last day or so,18300:12:46,479 –> 00:12:48,359the thought has gone through your mind,18400:12:48,359 –> 00:12:50,340God has given me a task here18500:12:50,340 –> 00:12:52,739that just seems to be beyond me.18600:12:52,739 –> 00:12:56,780You find yourself saying, I don’t think I can do this.18700:12:56,780 –> 00:12:58,200Oh yes, you can.18800:13:00,400 –> 00:13:04,859By his grace, you will be able to do18900:13:04,859 –> 00:13:09,640and sustain all that he truly is calling you to do.19000:13:09,640 –> 00:13:12,159That’s the testimony of the Apostle Paul here.19100:13:12,159 –> 00:13:14,280The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ,19200:13:14,280 –> 00:13:17,159the Risen Christ is with you,19300:13:17,159 –> 00:13:20,239his presence will give you the strength19400:13:20,239 –> 00:13:21,799that you need and sustain you.19500:13:21,799 –> 00:13:26,799He will enable you to do all that he is calling you to do.19600:13:29,119 –> 00:13:31,679That’s the testimony of the Apostle Paul.19700:13:31,679 –> 00:13:32,960You’re listening to Open The Bible19800:13:32,960 –> 00:13:34,239with Pastor Colin Smith19900:13:34,239 –> 00:13:36,840and a message called Hope In Jesus.20000:13:36,840 –> 00:13:39,719It’s part of our series, Hope Has A Name.20100:13:39,719 –> 00:13:41,320And if you ever miss one of the series20200:13:41,320 –> 00:13:43,299or if you want to go back and listen again,20300:13:43,299 –> 00:13:45,099you can come online to our website20400:13:45,099 –> 00:13:46,500and there you’ll find all the messages20500:13:46,500 –> 00:13:48,479which have already gone out on air.20600:13:48,479 –> 00:13:50,900You can also find them now as a podcast as well,20700:13:50,900 –> 00:13:53,179and those are on all the main podcast sites.20800:13:53,179 –> 00:13:55,700Simply search for Open The Bible UK20900:13:55,700 –> 00:13:59,039and subscribe to receive regular reminders.21000:13:59,039 –> 00:14:00,460Back again now with Colin21100:14:00,460 –> 00:14:04,700and the message from 1 Corinthians 15 1-11.21200:14:04,700 –> 00:14:05,539Here’s Colin.21300:14:05,539 –> 00:14:09,719There’s hope in Jesus in the realities of life today,21400:14:09,719 –> 00:14:10,559why?21500:14:10,559 –> 00:14:12,580Because Jesus died and rose.21600:14:13,799 –> 00:14:16,760How does that make a difference to our lives today?21700:14:16,760 –> 00:14:19,039Well, it’s because Jesus died and rose21800:14:19,039 –> 00:14:22,760that grace floods into the lives of all who believe21900:14:22,760 –> 00:14:24,799redeeming us from our past sins22000:14:24,799 –> 00:14:28,320and giving us strength for our present callings.22100:14:29,280 –> 00:14:31,659Then here’s the last thing today.22200:14:31,659 –> 00:14:36,659There is hope in Jesus for all who receive22300:14:36,679 –> 00:14:40,059and continue in the gospel.22400:14:40,059 –> 00:14:42,320And notice carefully what the apostle says22500:14:42,320 –> 00:14:44,460in these first two verses.22600:14:44,460 –> 00:14:47,039Now, I would remind you brothers22700:14:47,039 –> 00:14:49,979of the gospel I preach to you22800:14:49,979 –> 00:14:51,719which you have received,22900:14:52,799 –> 00:14:57,080in which you stand and by which you are being saved23000:14:57,080 –> 00:15:01,119if you hold fast to the word I preach to you23100:15:01,119 –> 00:15:04,380unless you believed in vain.23200:15:06,099 –> 00:15:11,099I want to end briefly today with an invitation23300:15:11,099 –> 00:15:14,260a warning and a promise.23400:15:14,260 –> 00:15:19,260Here’s the invitation, receive the gospel, receive it.23500:15:20,580 –> 00:15:21,500Notice what he says here.23600:15:21,500 –> 00:15:23,880I would remind you brothers of the gospel,23700:15:23,880 –> 00:15:28,539I preached to you, which you received.23800:15:29,599 –> 00:15:33,159Jesus Christ who died and rose again23900:15:33,159 –> 00:15:37,039offers grace to every person.24000:15:37,859 –> 00:15:40,080Grace that will redeem you from your past sins,24100:15:40,080 –> 00:15:42,020grace that will give you strength24200:15:42,020 –> 00:15:43,900for your present calling.24300:15:43,900 –> 00:15:47,260And as we will see next time in the rest of the chapter24400:15:47,260 –> 00:15:51,719grace that will bring you into a glorious eternal future.24500:15:53,479 –> 00:15:56,919But you must receive this grace.24600:15:58,020 –> 00:15:59,239You must receive it.24700:16:00,940 –> 00:16:04,880And you do that by believing the gospel,24800:16:05,859 –> 00:16:09,000believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ,24900:16:09,000 –> 00:16:12,979who died for our sins and rose again.25000:16:12,979 –> 00:16:15,739Trust yourself to him,25100:16:16,700 –> 00:16:21,700receive by believing the grace that he offers to you.25200:16:24,260 –> 00:16:26,119That’s the invitation.25300:16:26,119 –> 00:16:27,140Here’s the warning.25400:16:28,419 –> 00:16:31,039Continue in the gospel.25500:16:32,200 –> 00:16:34,820Continue in the gospel.25600:16:35,020 –> 00:16:36,340Notice again what he says.25700:16:36,340 –> 00:16:38,179I would remind you, brothers of this gospel25800:16:38,179 –> 00:16:40,460that I preached to you which you received,25900:16:41,419 –> 00:16:42,260but not only that,26000:16:42,260 –> 00:16:46,700in which you stand and by which you are being saved26100:16:46,700 –> 00:16:50,960if you hold fast to the word I preached to you26200:16:50,960 –> 00:16:53,179unless you believed in vain.26300:16:54,940 –> 00:16:58,799Now, does receiving the gospel mean26400:16:58,799 –> 00:17:02,099that if at any time in your life,26500:17:02,099 –> 00:17:04,060you said yes to Jesus,26600:17:04,140 –> 00:17:06,900that you will be saved irrespective26700:17:06,900 –> 00:17:08,680of what you subsequently believe26800:17:08,680 –> 00:17:10,079or how you subsequently live?26900:17:10,079 –> 00:17:11,739And the answer to that from this verse27000:17:11,739 –> 00:17:15,800is absolutely not, absolutely not.27100:17:17,140 –> 00:17:19,260That’s not what it means to receive the gospel.27200:17:19,260 –> 00:17:21,660At some moment in time you happen to have said yes27300:17:21,660 –> 00:17:23,979and then you walked away from the Lord, Jesus Christ.27400:17:23,979 –> 00:17:25,800That is not receiving the gospel.27500:17:26,920 –> 00:17:31,079Here’s how you know that you have received the gospel.27600:17:31,939 –> 00:17:33,819You know that you have received the gospel27700:17:33,839 –> 00:17:37,979if you stand in it and hold fast to it.27800:17:37,979 –> 00:17:41,579That’s what true believers do.27900:17:41,579 –> 00:17:44,760And that’s how we know who the true believers are,28000:17:44,760 –> 00:17:46,680true faith perseveres.28100:17:48,380 –> 00:17:51,459Now clearly Paul is writing to genuine believers28200:17:51,459 –> 00:17:53,939and they were as he indicates in this verse28300:17:53,939 –> 00:17:57,819standing in the gospel and holding fast to it.28400:17:57,819 –> 00:18:00,079But as we’re going to see next time28500:18:00,079 –> 00:18:03,260the reason that Paul says what he does here28600:18:03,260 –> 00:18:05,959is very clearly that there were some28700:18:05,959 –> 00:18:10,079who were abandoning the faith that they had once professed.28800:18:12,920 –> 00:18:17,099Now, you know the world is always inventing new words28900:18:17,099 –> 00:18:18,819to describe old sins.29000:18:20,319 –> 00:18:25,319We hear today about people deconstructing their faith.29100:18:27,040 –> 00:18:28,800They’ve come to the conclusion29200:18:28,800 –> 00:18:31,640that the faith they once professed to believe29300:18:31,680 –> 00:18:34,900is simply a human construct29400:18:35,839 –> 00:18:39,219that it was cobbled together by the Apostles29500:18:39,219 –> 00:18:40,479and the early church,29600:18:40,479 –> 00:18:43,880that it is morphed over the centuries29700:18:43,880 –> 00:18:46,560and now therefore, needs to be taken down29800:18:46,560 –> 00:18:50,359like a rickety old bridge that has become unsafe.29900:18:52,680 –> 00:18:53,800And here’s the warning30000:18:55,260 –> 00:18:57,599that the Apostle has given quite clearly30100:18:57,599 –> 00:18:59,079across the centuries.30200:19:00,859 –> 00:19:03,199A deconstructed faith will not redeem you30300:19:03,199 –> 00:19:04,579from your past sins.30400:19:06,560 –> 00:19:09,439A deconstructed faith will not give you strength30500:19:09,439 –> 00:19:10,880for your present calling.30600:19:12,599 –> 00:19:14,579A deconstructed faith will not save you.30700:19:14,579 –> 00:19:17,520It will certainly not bring you into the glorious future30800:19:17,520 –> 00:19:20,219that Christ has prepared for those who truly love Him.30900:19:22,560 –> 00:19:24,040And Paul wants us to know,31000:19:24,040 –> 00:19:26,380and he’s very clear about it right here31100:19:26,380 –> 00:19:28,619as well as many other places,31200:19:28,619 –> 00:19:32,800that the gospel is not a human construct.31300:19:32,800 –> 00:19:36,619Do you notice he speaks of it as the gospel I received?31400:19:37,459 –> 00:19:41,479It’s the gospel that God himself revealed31500:19:41,479 –> 00:19:45,260to the apostles and to the prophets.31600:19:45,260 –> 00:19:48,800And what he’s saying is that you will be blessed31700:19:48,800 –> 00:19:52,699if you receive it and if you continue in it.31800:19:53,560 –> 00:19:58,020There is hope in Jesus Christ31900:19:58,020 –> 00:20:01,420for who, for all who will receive the gospel32000:20:01,420 –> 00:20:04,380and for all who will continue in it.32100:20:05,300 –> 00:20:06,900There’s a very clear in the Bible,32200:20:06,900 –> 00:20:09,579Hebrews chapter three and verse 14.32300:20:09,579 –> 00:20:12,020We have come to share in Christ32400:20:12,020 –> 00:20:17,020if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.32500:20:17,079 –> 00:20:19,060That’s how we know that we’re really in Christ,32600:20:19,060 –> 00:20:22,719that we hold our original confidence firm to the end.32700:20:22,719 –> 00:20:27,719Jesus says the one who endures to the end will be saved.32800:20:29,540 –> 00:20:31,359And right here, the apostle says,32900:20:31,359 –> 00:20:33,579I want to remind you of the gospel.33000:20:33,579 –> 00:20:36,660I preach to you which you received33100:20:36,660 –> 00:20:40,859in which you stand by which are being saved33200:20:40,859 –> 00:20:45,859if you’ll hold fast to the word I preached to you.33300:20:50,020 –> 00:20:51,920And then lastly, a wonderful promise.33400:20:54,140 –> 00:20:59,119If you receive the gospel and you continue in the gospel,33500:21:00,400 –> 00:21:05,400you will be saved by the gospel.33600:21:05,599 –> 00:21:06,859Notice what he says,33700:21:07,739 –> 00:21:09,680I would remind you my brothers of the gospel33800:21:09,680 –> 00:21:11,380I preach to you which you received,33900:21:11,380 –> 00:21:15,420in which you stand, and by which you are being saved34000:21:16,359 –> 00:21:20,680if you hold fast to the word that I preached to you.34100:21:22,140 –> 00:21:24,319The promise of God to all who receive34200:21:24,319 –> 00:21:25,660and continue in the gospel34300:21:25,660 –> 00:21:28,579is that you will be saved by it.34400:21:29,780 –> 00:21:32,500And notice that Paul speaks of our salvation here34500:21:32,500 –> 00:21:33,979in the present tense.34600:21:33,979 –> 00:21:36,339You are being saved,34700:21:37,680 –> 00:21:40,560continuing process.34800:21:42,380 –> 00:21:45,020Before the Saviour was born,34900:21:45,020 –> 00:21:49,239an angel told Joseph in a dream,35000:21:49,239 –> 00:21:52,160you will call his name, Jesus,35100:21:52,160 –> 00:21:56,339because he will save his people from their sins.35200:21:57,319 –> 00:21:58,520That’s the promise.35300:21:59,819 –> 00:22:03,560Jesus will save you from your sins.35400:22:04,739 –> 00:22:08,500He will give you strength to overcome them.35500:22:08,500 –> 00:22:10,719He’ll save you from the guilt35600:22:10,719 –> 00:22:14,359and the condemnation that sin brings.35700:22:14,359 –> 00:22:16,699He’s going to deliver you35800:22:16,699 –> 00:22:20,859from the control that sin exercises,35900:22:20,859 –> 00:22:25,439and one day he’s going to save you from the very presence36000:22:25,439 –> 00:22:28,560and even the very possibility36100:22:29,579 –> 00:22:30,420of sin.36200:22:31,579 –> 00:22:34,979There is hope in Jesus.36300:22:36,339 –> 00:22:39,619There’s hope in Jesus because he died and rose again.36400:22:40,560 –> 00:22:43,739There’s hope in Jesus through the grace that he brings36500:22:44,719 –> 00:22:47,900and there is hope in the Lord Jesus Christ36600:22:47,900 –> 00:22:52,459for all who will receive and continue in the gospel.36700:22:53,699 –> 00:22:55,099You’ve been listening to Open the Bible36800:22:55,099 –> 00:22:56,459with Pastor Colin Smith,36900:22:56,459 –> 00:22:58,619in a message called Hope in Jesus,37000:22:58,619 –> 00:23:01,420part of our larger series Hope Has a Name.37100:23:01,420 –> 00:23:03,780And if you missed any of the series37200:23:03,780 –> 00:23:05,380or if you want to go back and listen again,37300:23:05,859 –> 00:23:06,979come to our website37400:23:06,979 –> 00:23:09,819at openthebible.org.uk37500:23:09,819 –> 00:23:11,459And there you can find all the messages37600:23:11,459 –> 00:23:13,540which have already gone out on air.37700:23:13,540 –> 00:23:15,280You can also find them as a podcast37800:23:15,280 –> 00:23:17,339and those are on all the main podcast sites.37900:23:17,339 –> 00:23:19,640Search for Open the Bible UK.38000:23:20,939 –> 00:23:23,599Open the Bible is supported entirely by our listeners.38100:23:23,599 –> 00:23:25,420That’s people just like you.38200:23:25,420 –> 00:23:27,579And if that’s something you’ve been considering doing38300:23:27,579 –> 00:23:30,500and you want to start a new direct debit this month38400:23:30,500 –> 00:23:33,300in the amount of five pounds per month or more38500:23:33,520 –> 00:23:36,099or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,38600:23:36,099 –> 00:23:39,239we have a brilliant offer for you this month.38700:23:39,239 –> 00:23:42,099We’ll send you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book,38800:23:42,099 –> 00:23:43,719The Case for Easter,38900:23:43,719 –> 00:23:46,420along with Pastor Colin Smith’s booklet,39000:23:46,420 –> 00:23:48,640Six Days That Changed the World,39100:23:48,640 –> 00:23:51,780as well as a lovely Open the Bible tote bag,39200:23:51,780 –> 00:23:53,839pen, and bookmark.39300:23:53,839 –> 00:23:55,839Colin, what is the book about?39400:23:55,839 –> 00:23:59,359Well, Christian faith is not a blind leap in the dark39500:23:59,359 –> 00:24:01,040and the compelling evidence39600:24:01,060 –> 00:24:04,040on which we can take a reasoned step of faith in Jesus39700:24:04,040 –> 00:24:06,479is placed before us in the gospels.39800:24:06,479 –> 00:24:08,020But I think there are many, many people39900:24:08,020 –> 00:24:11,540who’ve never really carefully considered the evidence.40000:24:11,540 –> 00:24:15,260And The Case for Easter is about the evidence40100:24:15,260 –> 00:24:17,880for the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.40200:24:17,880 –> 00:24:21,479The author Lee Strobel examines the medical evidence40300:24:21,479 –> 00:24:24,020that Jesus did, indeed, die,40400:24:24,020 –> 00:24:26,900the evidence of Jesus’ missing body from the tomb,40500:24:26,900 –> 00:24:27,739and, of course,40600:24:27,739 –> 00:24:30,420the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection appearances.40700:24:30,439 –> 00:24:33,560It really is a wonderful, clear book40800:24:33,560 –> 00:24:35,540that will help Christian believers40900:24:35,540 –> 00:24:38,119know why we believe in the resurrection.41000:24:38,119 –> 00:24:39,060And it will help those41100:24:39,060 –> 00:24:41,339who are beginning to explore Christian faith41200:24:41,339 –> 00:24:44,119to find a pathway to faith in the risen Lord.41300:24:44,119 –> 00:24:46,339We’d love to send you a copy of that book41400:24:46,339 –> 00:24:48,920if you are able to set up a new, direct debit41500:24:48,920 –> 00:24:50,500to the work of Open the Bible41600:24:50,500 –> 00:24:52,979in the amount of £5 per month or more,41700:24:52,979 –> 00:24:56,020or a one-off gift of £50 or more.41800:24:56,020 –> 00:24:59,619Full details, terms, and conditions are on our website,41900:24:59,839 –> 00:25:03,099openthebible.org.uk.42000:25:03,099 –> 00:25:05,859For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,42100:25:05,859 –> 00:25:08,760I’m David Pick, and I hope you’ll be able to join us again42200:25:08,760 –> 00:25:11,380next time on Open the Bible.42300:25:11,380 –> 00:25:16,380What difference does the resurrection make to Christianity?42400:25:21,800 –> 00:25:24,199Find out what the Apostle Paul said42500:25:24,199 –> 00:25:26,119next time on Open the Bible.