100:00:00,040 –> 00:00:10,860These words have been described as the most beautiful confession of love in all the world.200:00:10,860 –> 00:00:20,139Ruth makes this marvelous commitment to Naomi. And there are three marks of loving commitment300:00:20,139 –> 00:00:25,500that I want us to see in these last moments. Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin400:00:25,520 –> 00:00:30,459Smith, I’m David Pick. And Colin, that is a big statement. The most beautiful confession500:00:30,459 –> 00:00:32,860of love in the world.600:00:32,860 –> 00:00:38,000These are the wonderful words that Ruth spoke to her mother-in-law Naomi, as she made a700:00:38,000 –> 00:00:45,419commitment of love to remain with her. And she said for where you go, I will go, and800:00:45,419 –> 00:00:54,480where you lodge, I will lodge, your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.900:00:54,560 –> 00:01:00,580Where you die I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord do so to me and more1000:01:00,580 –> 00:01:05,260also. If anything but death parts me from You!1100:01:05,260 –> 00:01:11,440That is beautiful and it is a grand statement of loving commitment and it is at the very1200:01:11,440 –> 00:01:16,459heart of this story and God used it. God used it for the good of Ruth.1300:01:16,459 –> 00:01:22,900She was making a sacrificial commitment, but because she made a sacrificial commitment1400:01:22,900 –> 00:01:28,279she entered into blessing from God that she could never have imagined. It’s a beautiful1500:01:28,279 –> 00:01:31,720story and I’m so glad we’re getting the chance to pursue it today.1600:01:31,720 –> 00:01:38,180So, join us today if you can in Ruth Chapter 1 as we continue the message Love! Here’s1700:01:38,180 –> 00:01:39,180Colin.1800:01:39,180 –> 00:01:43,440Love considers. It considers because it seeks the blessing of God on others, it puts the1900:01:43,440 –> 00:01:49,099interest of others before its own, it never forces its will on another person and Love2000:01:49,180 –> 00:01:56,220considers in that it is candid about the cost of commitment. This is really important.2100:01:56,220 –> 00:02:03,739Verse 11 Naomi said, Turn back my daughters, why will you go with me? Have I yet sons in2200:02:03,739 –> 00:02:08,860my womb that they may become your husbands? Turn back my daughters. Go your way, for I2300:02:08,860 –> 00:02:14,800am too old to have a husband, if I should say, I have hope, even if I should have a2400:02:14,800 –> 00:02:23,800husband this night and should bear sons? Would you therefore wait till they were grown? Would2500:02:23,800 –> 00:02:30,759you therefore refrain from marrying? No, my daughters, for it is exceedingly bitter for2600:02:30,759 –> 00:02:37,800me for your sake that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.2700:02:37,800 –> 00:02:42,279Now you see what Naomi is doing here? She wants to test their hearts. Now here are these2800:02:42,679 –> 00:02:47,619women, and they’re coming with me on this journey, but is this really what they want2900:02:47,619 –> 00:02:54,619to do? Have they thought through what this commitment actually will involve? Life on3000:02:56,199 –> 00:03:03,199the Promised Land may well be harder for Orpah and for Ruth than either of them thinks. And3100:03:04,179 –> 00:03:10,880so Naomi is candid about the cost. If they continue in this journey the chances of them3200:03:10,880 –> 00:03:17,020finding another husband will be very slim. Naomi has some land, of course, but if they3300:03:17,020 –> 00:03:24,020come back with her they are going to have to work. Life in the Promised Land will not3400:03:24,720 –> 00:03:31,559be easy. And, you see, this is one of the problems,3500:03:31,559 –> 00:03:38,559isn’t it, that if people have come to faith on the basis of bloated promises that go beyond3600:03:39,059 –> 00:03:46,059what we are told in Scripture, and then find that they faced some of the difficulties and3700:03:46,419 –> 00:03:53,419trials of life that every Christian experiences, there’s a reaction. Why? Because they were3800:03:53,539 –> 00:04:00,580brought in under false pretenses. Those who led them to faith were not candid3900:04:00,580 –> 00:04:07,580about the cost of commitment. But Naomi lays out the cost because she’s4000:04:08,220 –> 00:04:15,139modelling love here as Jesus does, when he lays out the cost of commitment to us.4100:04:16,059 –> 00:04:23,059You remember in the gospels, you see this so many times, a man comes to Jesus full of4200:04:23,779 –> 00:04:30,779enthusiasm. I will follow you, he says, wherever you go. And Jesus’s answer to him is,4300:04:31,739 –> 00:04:38,739foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his4400:04:40,320 –> 00:04:45,899head. You see what he is saying, you had better know what you are letting yourself in for.4500:04:45,899 –> 00:04:52,880The rich young ruler comes to Jesus and says, what must I do now to inherit eternal life.4600:04:52,880 –> 00:04:59,880And Jesus says, go sell all that you have. In other words, close your eyes and listen4700:05:01,200 –> 00:05:08,200You had better realize that this would cost you everything.4800:05:08,260 –> 00:05:15,260Everything. If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross4900:05:20,399 –> 00:05:27,399daily and follow me. That is the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. Being candid.5000:05:31,000 –> 00:05:36,420Candid about the cost of commitment.5100:05:36,500 –> 00:05:41,660So, love considers. It seeks the blessing of God5200:05:41,700 –> 00:05:44,940on others. It places the interest of others5300:05:44,940 –> 00:05:47,940above its own. It never forces its will on5400:05:47,940 –> 00:05:54,260another person it is candid about the cost of commitment.5500:05:54,260 –> 00:05:57,440Now the second thing that we see in this5600:05:57,440 –> 00:06:00,200story as we move the focus from Naomi to5700:06:00,420 –> 00:06:03,820Apart is that love chooses.5800:06:03,820 –> 00:06:07,200First fourteen. Then they lifted up their5900:06:07,200 –> 00:06:10,339voices and wept again and or possessed her6000:06:10,339 –> 00:06:13,279mother-in-law but Ruth clung to her.6100:06:13,279 –> 00:06:16,579And she said see your sister-in-law has gone6200:06:16,579 –> 00:06:21,420back to her people and to her gods.6300:06:21,420 –> 00:06:27,859Now, Arpa is a very sad example of temporary6400:06:27,859 –> 00:06:30,920faith. Temporary faith.6500:06:30,920 –> 00:06:33,799Ruth and Arpa had both come under6600:06:33,799 –> 00:06:35,500the influence of Naomi.6700:06:35,500 –> 00:06:37,480And there’s good reason to believe that they6800:06:37,480 –> 00:06:39,859had both made some kind of profession of6900:06:39,859 –> 00:06:42,579faith in the Lord as we saw last time.7000:06:42,579 –> 00:06:44,760But the difference between them was very7100:06:44,760 –> 00:06:49,079simply this that Ruth persevered and Arpa7200:06:49,079 –> 00:06:52,440turned back. Temporary faith.7300:06:52,440 –> 00:06:56,000And notice that Naomi says here see your7400:06:56,200 –> 00:06:59,100sister-in-law has gone back to her people7500:06:59,100 –> 00:07:02,100and to her gods.7600:07:03,899 –> 00:07:07,239Now notice that Naomi does not tell Arpa7700:07:07,239 –> 00:07:08,679to go back to her gods.7800:07:08,679 –> 00:07:10,500A godly woman could never have said such7900:07:10,500 –> 00:07:12,820a thing. And Naomi certainly didn’t.8000:07:13,920 –> 00:07:18,920But as Arpa kisses Naomi goodbye and walks8100:07:19,119 –> 00:07:24,119into the distance Naomi discerns her heart.8200:07:26,339 –> 00:07:29,000She recognizes what is happening.8300:07:30,000 –> 00:07:34,200Arpa is going back to what she loves the most.8400:07:35,619 –> 00:07:39,279Her own people and her own gods.8500:07:41,279 –> 00:07:45,459Now Jesus spoke about what I’m describing8600:07:45,459 –> 00:07:49,459as temporary faith in the parable of the sower.8700:07:49,459 –> 00:07:53,820You remember that some seed fell on shallow soil8800:07:54,019 –> 00:07:56,500and it grew up and it seemed to be doing very well8900:07:56,500 –> 00:07:59,920for a while but it didn’t have any depth of root9000:07:59,920 –> 00:08:02,040and so in the end it withered.9100:08:02,040 –> 00:08:05,079And then there was other seed that sprung up9200:08:05,079 –> 00:08:06,600and again seemed to be doing very well9300:08:06,600 –> 00:08:08,480but it ended up being choked9400:08:08,480 –> 00:08:12,100because it found itself among many weeds.9500:08:12,980 –> 00:08:17,200And there are many examples of temporary faith9600:08:17,200 –> 00:08:18,779in the Bible.9700:08:18,779 –> 00:08:21,920John six is one example of the crowds9800:08:21,959 –> 00:08:24,079that experience the miracle9900:08:24,079 –> 00:08:27,079in which the Lord Jesus multiplied the loaves10000:08:27,079 –> 00:08:27,920and the fishers.10100:08:27,920 –> 00:08:30,079They were so amazed that they followed10200:08:30,079 –> 00:08:32,760the Lord Jesus Christ for a while.10300:08:34,299 –> 00:08:36,119But as you read through John in chapter six,10400:08:36,119 –> 00:08:38,659you’ll see that Jesus speaks to them candidly10500:08:38,659 –> 00:08:41,039about the uniqueness of his claims,10600:08:41,039 –> 00:08:44,200their absolute dependence upon his grace10700:08:45,320 –> 00:08:47,159and then most of them turn back.10800:08:48,119 –> 00:08:49,239And at the end of the chapter,10900:08:49,239 –> 00:08:50,539Jesus says to his disciples,11000:08:50,539 –> 00:08:51,979are you going to go away too?11100:08:53,280 –> 00:08:55,539And do remember Peter gave that wonderful response,11200:08:55,539 –> 00:08:58,200Lord to whom would we go?11300:08:58,200 –> 00:09:01,500Only you have the words of eternal life.11400:09:02,880 –> 00:09:05,559Now temporary faith looks like the real thing,11500:09:05,559 –> 00:09:08,359the difference is it doesn’t last.11600:09:08,359 –> 00:09:12,159Orpah had a genuine love for Naomi, no doubt.11700:09:12,159 –> 00:09:14,859She had set out on the journey.11800:09:14,859 –> 00:09:17,020At one point then evidently she was ready11900:09:17,020 –> 00:09:20,500to make real sacrifices to follow the Lord.12000:09:20,539 –> 00:09:22,380But something was missing.12100:09:23,780 –> 00:09:25,500And when she looked at other options,12200:09:25,500 –> 00:09:27,820she found herself in two minds.12300:09:27,820 –> 00:09:29,780Part of her wanted to believe and follow,12400:09:29,780 –> 00:09:31,440part of her wanted to turn back.12500:09:31,440 –> 00:09:32,679She was torn.12600:09:34,580 –> 00:09:36,599And in the end she made her decision.12700:09:37,820 –> 00:09:41,640She kissed Naomi and she went back home.12800:09:43,380 –> 00:09:45,500Love chooses.12900:09:46,539 –> 00:09:50,479And we all choose what we love the most.13000:09:51,500 –> 00:09:56,500Love chooses and we all choose what we love the most.13100:10:00,039 –> 00:10:04,599And what you choose reveals what you love.13200:10:06,539 –> 00:10:09,859And the problem of course is that by nature13300:10:09,859 –> 00:10:13,099we love the wrong things.13400:10:14,320 –> 00:10:16,179That’s why we make the wrong choices.13500:10:16,619 –> 00:10:19,119Scripture says that in the last days13600:10:19,119 –> 00:10:23,859people will be lovers of self, lovers of money13700:10:24,539 –> 00:10:29,419and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God.13800:10:30,179 –> 00:10:33,520But what’s most striking to me about this verse13900:10:33,520 –> 00:10:36,340is that what the apostle says next.14000:10:36,340 –> 00:10:40,739He says, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God14100:10:40,739 –> 00:10:44,760having the appearance of godliness.14200:10:46,940 –> 00:10:49,719But denying its power.14300:10:50,940 –> 00:10:52,299In other words, the apostle is saying14400:10:52,299 –> 00:10:55,419there will be people who look like Christians14500:10:56,440 –> 00:10:59,320and they talk like Christians.14600:10:59,320 –> 00:11:02,239They have an appearance of godliness14700:11:02,239 –> 00:11:05,380but they have never really experienced14800:11:05,380 –> 00:11:10,380the life changing power of the Lord Jesus Christ.14900:11:11,940 –> 00:11:14,820So while they can talk about loving God,15000:11:14,940 –> 00:11:17,940what they really love the most15100:11:17,940 –> 00:11:22,940is pleasure, money and themselves.15200:11:24,000 –> 00:11:26,539And that is why they don’t continue.15300:11:27,520 –> 00:11:32,520Somewhere along the line, they turn away from the Lords15400:11:32,780 –> 00:11:37,780to what they love the most and abandon the faith15500:11:37,960 –> 00:11:39,460that they once professed.15600:11:40,440 –> 00:11:42,440So here’s the principle.15700:11:42,479 –> 00:11:47,479Love chooses and we all choose what we love the most.15800:11:49,020 –> 00:11:52,380What we choose reveals what we love.15900:11:53,359 –> 00:11:55,460And of course the problem is precisely this.16000:11:55,460 –> 00:11:57,299That left to ourselves,16100:11:57,299 –> 00:12:00,559we would all make choices to our own destruction.16200:12:02,780 –> 00:12:04,840So thank God he has said,16300:12:06,200 –> 00:12:08,700I will give you a new heart16400:12:09,700 –> 00:12:14,719and I will put my holy spirit in you.16500:12:16,119 –> 00:12:18,340And if you are wise,16600:12:19,419 –> 00:12:23,539you will ask God to fulfill that promise in you.16700:12:23,539 –> 00:12:26,539You will say, Lord, give me a new heart16800:12:26,539 –> 00:12:29,900and sustain that you heart within me.16900:12:31,020 –> 00:12:36,020Deliver me from choosing what my sinful heart would choose.17000:12:36,320 –> 00:12:40,059Cleanse my heart, renew my heart.17100:12:41,900 –> 00:12:46,900By your Holy Spirit cause me to love what you love17200:12:48,200 –> 00:12:51,919so that I would choose what honors you.17300:12:53,299 –> 00:12:54,659You’re listening to Open the Bible17400:12:54,659 –> 00:12:56,080with Pastor Colin Smith,17500:12:56,080 –> 00:12:57,799and the message called Love,17600:12:57,799 –> 00:13:00,059from the book of Ruth chapter one.17700:13:00,059 –> 00:13:02,219It’s part of our series,17800:13:02,460 –> 00:13:04,619Ordinary People, Extraordinary God.17900:13:04,619 –> 00:13:06,859And if you’ve missed any of the series so far18000:13:06,859 –> 00:13:09,559or if you want to go back and listen again in the future,18100:13:09,559 –> 00:13:12,179you can always do that by coming online to our website,18200:13:12,179 –> 00:13:15,020www.openthebible.org.uk,18300:13:15,020 –> 00:13:18,500or you can find past to Colin’s messages as a podcast18400:13:18,500 –> 00:13:20,900and those are on all the main podcast sites,18500:13:20,900 –> 00:13:23,700search for openthebible.org.uk.18600:13:23,700 –> 00:13:24,640Back to the message now18700:13:24,640 –> 00:13:27,380we’re in Ruth chapter one, here’s Colin.18800:13:28,219 –> 00:13:30,919And then lastly, love commits.18900:13:30,919 –> 00:13:35,719Let’s look at these beautiful words in verses 16 and 17.19000:13:35,719 –> 00:13:37,200But Ruth said,19100:13:58,219 –> 00:14:02,320Your people will be my people and your God, my God.19200:14:02,320 –> 00:14:07,320Where you die, I will die and there will I be buried.19300:14:07,919 –> 00:14:09,820May the Lord do so to me.19400:14:09,820 –> 00:14:14,820And more also if anything but death parts me from you.’19500:14:17,419 –> 00:14:19,440Now, these words have been described19600:14:19,440 –> 00:14:24,460as the most beautiful confession of love in all the world.19700:14:24,960 –> 00:14:27,380And I can’t imagine what words would ever beat it.19800:14:28,320 –> 00:14:32,640Ruth makes this marvelous commitment to Naomi.19900:14:33,640 –> 00:14:37,619And there are three marks of loving commitment20000:14:37,619 –> 00:14:40,580that I want us to see in these last moments this morning.20100:14:41,659 –> 00:14:44,419The first is the very obviously love commits to God,20200:14:44,419 –> 00:14:47,599your God will be my God.20300:14:48,700 –> 00:14:50,099Now notice what is happening here,20400:14:50,099 –> 00:14:51,400it’s very beautiful.20500:14:53,039 –> 00:14:57,760Ruth is saying to Naomi that the Lord is your God,20600:14:59,059 –> 00:15:00,640and I’ve seen that in you.20700:15:01,960 –> 00:15:05,599I’ve watched you as you have loved God20800:15:05,599 –> 00:15:07,859and as you have served him,20900:15:07,859 –> 00:15:11,859through the sorrows of not one but three bereavements.21000:15:12,919 –> 00:15:17,919I have felt his love in my life,21100:15:18,440 –> 00:15:23,440through you, and I have seen what he can do for you,21200:15:25,140 –> 00:15:29,239and in that I have seen what he can do for me.21300:15:30,340 –> 00:15:34,780What I have seen in you, Naomi, I want for myself.21400:15:35,640 –> 00:15:38,960So your God has now become my God.21500:15:40,239 –> 00:15:41,880I too will worship him.21600:15:41,880 –> 00:15:43,679I too will serve him.21700:15:43,719 –> 00:15:48,559I too will trust him, and I too will obey him.21800:15:48,559 –> 00:15:49,400It’s beautiful.21900:15:50,799 –> 00:15:55,260There’s this woman who has won her daughter-in-law22000:15:57,880 –> 00:16:00,260to the faith that she holds dear22100:16:00,260 –> 00:16:03,479by the sheer godliness of her example,22200:16:05,000 –> 00:16:08,580and especially in times of great sorrow.22300:16:08,580 –> 00:16:13,580Never underestimate what you’re persevering in feeling.22400:16:13,679 –> 00:16:16,400The faith through the most difficult times in your life22500:16:16,400 –> 00:16:19,140will bring by way of fruit22600:16:19,140 –> 00:16:22,080in the lives of others who observe you.22700:16:23,599 –> 00:16:26,340And then notice that love not only commits to God,22800:16:26,340 –> 00:16:27,900it commits to God’s people.22900:16:27,900 –> 00:16:31,580Your people, she says, will be my people.23000:16:31,580 –> 00:16:34,900And that would not of course have been easy for Ruth.23100:16:34,900 –> 00:16:37,479Naomi was going home to her own people.23200:16:37,479 –> 00:16:40,299She was gonna be welcomed by people who knew her23300:16:40,299 –> 00:16:41,979and remembered her well,23400:16:41,979 –> 00:16:43,940but Ruth was going to arrive as a foreigner23500:16:43,940 –> 00:16:47,640on a strange land she had never visited before.23600:16:47,640 –> 00:16:50,580Some people would no doubt welcome her with open arms.23700:16:50,580 –> 00:16:54,179We’ll see that later in the story, others not so much,23800:16:54,179 –> 00:16:56,400but Ruth was determined that for her part,23900:16:56,400 –> 00:16:58,640she was going to do everything in her power24000:16:58,640 –> 00:17:01,880to love and embrace the people of God.24100:17:03,580 –> 00:17:05,699And the sure evidence of new life24200:17:06,780 –> 00:17:10,180is a new love for God’s people.24300:17:10,180 –> 00:17:14,699John says we know that we have passed from death to life.24400:17:14,699 –> 00:17:16,300Well, there’s quite a statement.24500:17:17,420 –> 00:17:21,219How do you know that you have passed from death to life?24600:17:21,219 –> 00:17:25,000Well he says, look at it, because we love the brothers.24700:17:26,060 –> 00:17:28,479Whoever does not love abides in death.24800:17:28,479 –> 00:17:31,979This is how you know that the new life is actually in you.24900:17:31,979 –> 00:17:34,699A new love for the people of God25000:17:35,560 –> 00:17:40,020is evidence of his life being within you.25100:17:40,939 –> 00:17:44,760If he’s your God and his life is within you,25200:17:44,760 –> 00:17:46,939you will have a growing love for his people25300:17:46,939 –> 00:17:49,900and Ruth makes that commitment25400:17:49,900 –> 00:17:51,839that whatever life in the promised land25500:17:51,839 –> 00:17:53,000turns out to be like,25600:17:53,000 –> 00:17:57,560she is going to cultivate love for the people of God.25700:17:58,699 –> 00:18:00,180And then the last thing here, of course,25800:18:00,180 –> 00:18:02,640is that love commits forever.25900:18:02,640 –> 00:18:07,640Where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried.26000:18:08,339 –> 00:18:10,119Now, of course, when Ruth says to Naomi,26100:18:10,119 –> 00:18:12,640the older woman, when you die,26200:18:12,640 –> 00:18:15,599she is acknowledging that there will come a time26300:18:15,599 –> 00:18:18,739when Naomi is no longer with her.26400:18:18,739 –> 00:18:21,900Ruth knows that in the natural course of events,26500:18:21,900 –> 00:18:25,540Naomi is going to die long before Ruth will.26600:18:26,979 –> 00:18:29,800But you see, the point here is that Ruth’s faith26700:18:29,800 –> 00:18:33,339is not dependent on Naomi.26800:18:33,339 –> 00:18:36,040She’s not saying your God will be my God26900:18:36,140 –> 00:18:38,880for as long as you’re alive.27000:18:38,880 –> 00:18:40,959No, Ruth’s faith is her own, and she’s saying,27100:18:40,959 –> 00:18:45,959God will be my God even when you die.27200:18:45,979 –> 00:18:49,060Love commits forever.27300:18:49,060 –> 00:18:52,719And true faith perseveres.27400:18:52,719 –> 00:18:56,959It continues even when those from whom we learned it27500:18:56,959 –> 00:18:58,040are gone.27600:19:00,520 –> 00:19:02,939Now, let me end with this question.27700:19:02,939 –> 00:19:07,939What do you know about this kind of love in your life?27800:19:11,219 –> 00:19:15,339Honestly, what do you know27900:19:15,339 –> 00:19:20,339about this kind of love in your life?28000:19:21,380 –> 00:19:26,380A love that really seeks the blessing of God on others.28100:19:26,400 –> 00:19:30,160A love that puts the interests of others28200:19:30,160 –> 00:19:31,300before your own.28300:19:32,280 –> 00:19:34,920A love that never forces itself, its will,28400:19:34,920 –> 00:19:36,199on another person.28500:19:37,400 –> 00:19:39,400As candid about the cost of commitment,28600:19:39,400 –> 00:19:41,500a love that commits to God.28700:19:42,560 –> 00:19:45,020A love that embraces God’s people.28800:19:46,280 –> 00:19:47,880A love that lasts forever.28900:19:49,819 –> 00:19:51,839Maybe you find yourself as I do,29000:19:51,839 –> 00:19:55,040saying I want to know more of that kind of love in my life.29100:19:56,680 –> 00:19:59,239I want to love like that more.29200:19:59,319 –> 00:20:02,040So let me end by reminding you of where29300:20:02,040 –> 00:20:03,560this love comes from.29400:20:05,119 –> 00:20:10,040Jesus committed himself in love to God.29500:20:11,640 –> 00:20:14,680His food was to do the will of the Father.29600:20:15,760 –> 00:20:19,339Jesus committed himself in love to God’s people.29700:20:20,439 –> 00:20:24,439He loved us and he gave himself for us.29800:20:25,459 –> 00:20:28,180And Jesus has committed himself in love29900:20:28,239 –> 00:20:31,140to us forever.30000:20:32,260 –> 00:20:36,219Nothing can ever separate us from the love of God30100:20:36,219 –> 00:20:39,359that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.30200:20:40,859 –> 00:20:45,199And as I pondered these most beautiful words of Ruth,30300:20:46,060 –> 00:20:50,319I’ve been moved to consider them on the lips30400:20:50,319 –> 00:20:52,579of the Lord Jesus Christ himself.30500:20:53,739 –> 00:20:56,500Can you picture the Son of God30600:20:56,500 –> 00:21:00,040before the incarnation in the glory of heaven30700:21:00,040 –> 00:21:02,260at the right-hand side of the Father30800:21:04,020 –> 00:21:04,880and saying,30900:21:04,880 –> 00:21:06,160of us31000:21:07,680 –> 00:21:10,979where you lodge,31100:21:10,979 –> 00:21:12,900I will lodge.31200:21:14,060 –> 00:21:15,819I’m gonna come31300:21:15,819 –> 00:21:18,880and live where you live.31400:21:20,699 –> 00:21:22,660And where you die,31500:21:23,699 –> 00:21:26,140I will die.31600:21:26,140 –> 00:21:30,680And there on your soil I will be buried.31700:21:33,979 –> 00:21:35,339That was the loving commitment31800:21:35,339 –> 00:21:37,060of the son of God to us.31900:21:38,260 –> 00:21:39,339He came,32000:21:40,300 –> 00:21:41,300he lived,32100:21:42,260 –> 00:21:43,420he died.32200:21:44,380 –> 00:21:45,819He was buried.32300:21:47,739 –> 00:21:49,400Thank God it doesn’t end there.32400:21:51,119 –> 00:21:52,619He rose from the dead.32500:21:53,579 –> 00:21:55,819And so uniquely, he is able to say32600:21:55,819 –> 00:21:58,479to every single one of us today,32700:21:58,479 –> 00:22:00,400where you go,32800:22:01,400 –> 00:22:02,739I will go.32900:22:04,400 –> 00:22:06,319And wherever, now, or in the future,33000:22:06,319 –> 00:22:07,280you live, you lodge,33100:22:07,280 –> 00:22:10,079there, I will lodge.33200:22:11,540 –> 00:22:13,160I will never leave you.33300:22:14,280 –> 00:22:16,119I will never forsake you.33400:22:17,739 –> 00:22:21,000Lo, I am with you always.33500:22:22,780 –> 00:22:26,920Even to the end of the age.33600:22:26,920 –> 00:22:28,180Pastor Colin Smith there33700:22:28,180 –> 00:22:30,920ending our message called Love.33800:22:30,920 –> 00:22:33,579Based on the Book of Ruth, Chapter One.33900:22:33,579 –> 00:22:38,140And part of our series Ordinary People, Extraordinary God.34000:22:38,140 –> 00:22:38,959And don’t forget,34100:22:38,959 –> 00:22:40,140if you’ve missed any of the series,34200:22:40,140 –> 00:22:41,199you can always catch up34300:22:41,199 –> 00:22:43,319or go back and listen again online34400:22:43,319 –> 00:22:47,319at our website, opennessybel.org.uk.34500:22:47,319 –> 00:22:49,400You can also find Pastor Colin34600:22:49,400 –> 00:22:51,640and his messages as a podcast34700:22:51,739 –> 00:22:53,760and those are on all the main podcast sites,34800:22:53,760 –> 00:22:55,560search for Open the Bible UK34900:22:55,560 –> 00:22:59,199and subscribe if you want to receive regular reminders.35000:22:59,199 –> 00:23:02,739Open the Bible is supported financially by our listeners.35100:23:02,739 –> 00:23:04,459That’s people just like you.35200:23:04,459 –> 00:23:05,680And if you already do that,35300:23:05,680 –> 00:23:07,920we want to send you a big thank you.35400:23:07,920 –> 00:23:10,560If that’s something you’re considering doing in the future,35500:23:10,560 –> 00:23:12,719if you were able to set up a New Direct Debit35600:23:12,719 –> 00:23:14,359to the work of Open the Bible35700:23:14,359 –> 00:23:17,319in the amount of £5 per month or more,35800:23:17,319 –> 00:23:20,000or a one-off gift of £50 or more,35900:23:20,000 –> 00:23:21,400we’d love to say thank you36000:23:21,400 –> 00:23:24,400by sending you a copy of Lee Strobel’s book,36100:23:24,400 –> 00:23:25,839The Case for Easter,36200:23:25,839 –> 00:23:28,839plus the booklet Six Days That Changed the World36300:23:28,839 –> 00:23:30,079by Colin Smith36400:23:30,079 –> 00:23:32,920and a lovely Open the Bible tote bag,36500:23:32,920 –> 00:23:34,839bookmark, and pen.36600:23:34,839 –> 00:23:37,619All of that if you’re able to begin supporting36700:23:37,619 –> 00:23:41,000Open the Bible financially this month.36800:23:41,000 –> 00:23:43,959Colin, what do you think makes this book so useful?36900:23:43,959 –> 00:23:45,000Oh, well, it’s author,37000:23:45,000 –> 00:23:47,839Lee Strobel, was a journalist for the Chicago Tribune37100:23:48,079 –> 00:23:50,839when he began exploring the Christian faith.37200:23:50,839 –> 00:23:52,619And in the case for Easter,37300:23:52,619 –> 00:23:55,520he actually retraces his steps37400:23:55,520 –> 00:23:57,160showing the biblical evidence37500:23:57,160 –> 00:23:59,160that led him to the conclusion37600:23:59,160 –> 00:24:01,880that Jesus really rose from the dead,37700:24:01,880 –> 00:24:03,300his fascinating book37800:24:03,300 –> 00:24:05,920because he interviews experts37900:24:05,920 –> 00:24:08,160who help us to sort through the Bible’s evidence38000:24:08,160 –> 00:24:09,280for the resurrection.38100:24:09,280 –> 00:24:13,079So for example, he interviews a medical doctor38200:24:13,079 –> 00:24:14,760to help us examine the evidence38300:24:14,760 –> 00:24:16,640that Jesus really died38400:24:16,719 –> 00:24:18,459or an ecologies to help us see38500:24:18,459 –> 00:24:20,599that Jesus’ appearances38600:24:20,599 –> 00:24:23,599could not have been simply hallucinations.38700:24:23,599 –> 00:24:26,560So the case for Easter really helps Christians38800:24:26,560 –> 00:24:29,280know why we believe in the resurrection38900:24:29,280 –> 00:24:32,479and it can provide a wonderful pathway to faith39000:24:32,479 –> 00:24:33,719for someone who’s beginning39100:24:33,719 –> 00:24:36,119to explore the truths of Christianity.39200:24:36,119 –> 00:24:37,660Well, we want to send you a copy39300:24:37,660 –> 00:24:39,040of Lee Strobel’s book,39400:24:39,040 –> 00:24:40,300The Case for Easter,39500:24:40,300 –> 00:24:42,040plus the booklet, Six Days39600:24:42,040 –> 00:24:44,060that Changed the World by Colin Smith39700:24:44,060 –> 00:24:45,640plus of course a lovely39800:24:45,640 –> 00:24:46,439Open the Bible39900:24:46,439 –> 00:24:47,780wingpost tote bag,40000:24:47,780 –> 00:24:49,699bookmark and pen.40100:24:49,699 –> 00:24:50,819If you’re able to set up40200:24:50,819 –> 00:24:52,160a new direct debit40300:24:52,160 –> 00:24:53,579to the work of Open the Bible40400:24:53,579 –> 00:24:55,040this month in the amount40500:24:55,040 –> 00:24:56,680of five pounds per month40600:24:56,680 –> 00:24:57,500or a one-off gift40700:24:57,500 –> 00:24:59,280of fifty pounds or more,40800:24:59,280 –> 00:25:00,660full terms and conditions40900:25:00,660 –> 00:25:01,660and to give online,41000:25:01,660 –> 00:25:02,739come to our website41100:25:02,739 –> 00:25:05,739openthebible.org.uk41200:25:05,739 –> 00:25:07,099For Open the Bible,41300:25:07,099 –> 00:25:08,319Pastor Colin Smith.41400:25:08,319 –> 00:25:09,319I’m David Pick41500:25:09,319 –> 00:25:10,800and I hope you’ll join us again41600:25:10,800 –> 00:25:12,160next time.41700:25:12,920 –> 00:25:14,400A look at grief41800:25:14,400 –> 00:25:15,680from the story of Ruth.41900:25:15,680 –> 00:25:16,199Join us next time42000:25:16,199 –> 00:25:17,520on Open the Bible.
