100:00:00,640 –> 00:00:08,960Worship, serving, and prayer can never atone for sin. It doesn’t deal with sin, it just200:00:08,960 –> 00:00:15,440doesn’t. If it did we could save ourselves and the whole world would save itself by worship300:00:15,440 –> 00:00:20,340and by serving and by praying and folks, please understand that is what more than half of400:00:20,340 –> 00:00:25,459the world believes. More than half of the world believes that we save ourselves by worshipping500:00:25,459 –> 00:00:28,340and serving and praying, that’s why religion is all over the world, and that’s what gives600:00:28,340 –> 00:00:33,759rise to it. But, it is not what we find here.700:00:33,759 –> 00:00:38,340Welcome to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith, I’m David Pick. Glad you could be with800:00:38,340 –> 00:00:42,779us today. And Colin, before we talk about what we do find here, can we just go back900:00:42,779 –> 00:00:47,639a little and talk about worship, service, and prayer, and how many religions are based1000:00:47,639 –> 00:00:48,959on this idea?1100:00:48,959 –> 00:00:53,060Yeah, that’s exactly right. I mean, at Isaiah Chapter 1, which is where we are in the Bible,1200:00:53,060 –> 00:00:59,119you have folks who really are immersed in sin, and yet they’re flooding into the temple.1300:00:59,119 –> 00:01:03,759They’re there for worship, and this is the instinctive human response. If my conscience1400:01:03,759 –> 00:01:08,620gets awakened, then I must do something to settle it down. I’ll go to church, I’ll do1500:01:08,620 –> 00:01:12,800something for God, I’ll give something to some good cause. I’ll get involved, I’ll1600:01:12,800 –> 00:01:17,940do something that will make up for what I know lies underneath there, and that happens1700:01:18,160 –> 00:01:23,180in Christian churches, and it happens in religions all the way across the world. Why is the world1800:01:23,180 –> 00:01:28,959so religious? Because at the core of the human heart there is this idea that I need to make1900:01:28,959 –> 00:01:33,360up for the bad that’s in me, and I do it by some kind of worship, some kind of serving,2000:01:33,360 –> 00:01:35,059some kind of praying. It doesn’t work!2100:01:35,059 –> 00:01:39,940As you said, that’s not what the Bible shows us. And here in Isaiah chapter 1, what do2200:01:39,940 –> 00:01:40,480we find?2300:01:40,480 –> 00:01:45,480Well, God says, I’m not impressed by your trampling into the Temple. That’s not going2400:01:45,620 –> 00:01:50,860to be doing. What needs to happen is you’ve got to be washed. You have to cease from doing2500:01:50,860 –> 00:01:57,440evil. You have to learn to do what is good. So these are the things that need to be pursued.2600:01:57,440 –> 00:02:03,739So here’s the difference between authentic faith that God calls us to, and religion that2700:02:03,739 –> 00:02:09,699is a kind of mask or a veneer over an unchanged life. We got too much of the latter and we2800:02:09,699 –> 00:02:11,220need to find the real thing.2900:02:11,559 –> 00:02:15,820And that’s what we’re going to do as we continue in today’s message, repentance. We’re looking3000:02:15,820 –> 00:02:19,839at Isaiah, chapter 1, so I hope you’ll join us if you can. Here’s Colin.3100:02:19,839 –> 00:02:27,600Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? Who’s the3200:02:27,600 –> 00:02:35,559one who’s able to worship God acceptably? Here’s the answer. He who has clean hands3300:02:35,559 –> 00:02:39,300and a pure heart.3400:02:39,300 –> 00:02:42,660You see what’s being said? If you want to worship God you’re going to have to have3500:02:42,660 –> 00:02:47,339clean hands. You’re going to have to have a pure heart and the problem is that these3600:02:47,339 –> 00:02:51,259people to whom Isaiah is speaking when they come into the presence of God, their hands3700:02:51,259 –> 00:02:56,619are full of blood. Extraordinary statement. When they come into the presence of God they3800:02:56,619 –> 00:03:02,820spread out their hands and all that they’re doing is bringing into his sight, as it were,3900:03:02,820 –> 00:03:08,039the wretchedness of their own condition. The display of their own sin and God says, you4000:03:08,039 –> 00:03:17,559must cease to do evil, you must learn to do what is good. And he gives some specific examples4100:03:17,559 –> 00:03:26,600of the good that we must learn. The examples are these, seek justice, correct oppression4200:03:26,600 –> 00:03:35,440verse 17, bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause. Why does Isaiah4300:03:35,479 –> 00:03:42,880choose these examples? Two reasons. One, because evidently they were things that were not being4400:03:42,880 –> 00:03:52,179done. And, two, because they involve serving people who are not in a position to give back4500:03:52,179 –> 00:04:00,960to you. And that is the heart of love, which is the heart of God’s law and the life to4600:04:00,960 –> 00:04:05,220which he is calling each and every one of us today.4700:04:05,220 –> 00:04:11,320And you know, the soul of selfishness is that you are committed only when you get what you4800:04:11,320 –> 00:04:19,760want. That’s the antithesis of love. The soul of selfishness is that you are committed4900:04:19,760 –> 00:04:23,839only when you’re getting back what you’re looking for out of that particular commitment.5000:04:23,839 –> 00:04:29,440There are some folks who go into marriage like that. I’m committed so long as I’m5100:04:29,440 –> 00:04:38,760getting what I want. That is the soul of selfishness. It is the antithesis of love.5200:04:38,760 –> 00:04:44,119There are people who commit to church like that. Oh yeah I’m committed to the body5300:04:44,119 –> 00:04:48,760of Christ so long as the church’s doing what I think the church should be doing.5400:04:48,760 –> 00:04:54,519That’s the soul of selfishness. That’s the antithesis of love.5500:04:54,540 –> 00:04:56,920There are some people who commit to God like that.zo5600:04:56,920 –> 00:05:01,480God I’m looking to you to answer certain prayers and to make my life go in certain5700:05:01,480 –> 00:05:06,140paths and to bless me in this way and that way in health and so forth and so on and so5800:05:06,140 –> 00:05:08,839long as I’m getting what I would have wanted I’m committed to you God.5900:05:08,839 –> 00:05:12,220If you would put me in a place that I don’t want to be in don’t count on my commitment.6000:05:12,220 –> 00:05:17,660That is the antithesis of loving God with all of your heart and soul and mind and strength.6100:05:17,660 –> 00:05:23,220It is the soul of selfishness. And what God is saying here is you’ve got6200:05:23,420 –> 00:05:30,260to be washed of all that. You are to cease from such evil and you have6300:05:30,260 –> 00:05:35,779to learn to do what is good which at its very heart is going to involve a life of love which6400:05:35,779 –> 00:05:44,079is demonstrated in giving especially in circumstances where you do not get back what you want.6500:05:44,079 –> 00:05:47,980So God is saying to these people look you are coming to worship you come to serve you6600:05:47,980 –> 00:05:51,059say your prayers but here’s what I’m looking for.6700:05:51,059 –> 00:05:54,880Here I’m looking for a complete change from the inside out.6800:05:54,880 –> 00:05:57,220You’ve got to wash yourselves.6900:05:57,220 –> 00:05:58,700You’ve got to make yourselves clean.7000:05:58,700 –> 00:06:03,420You’ve got to cease to do evil you’ve got to learn to do what is good and this is what7100:06:03,420 –> 00:06:09,820it looks like you do what is right even when nothing comes back in your direction wash7200:06:09,820 –> 00:06:12,899cease and learn.7300:06:12,899 –> 00:06:17,820That is the call of God on each of our lives.7400:06:18,019 –> 00:06:24,720Not to imagine that we are pleasing God because we come to a few services engage in a particular7500:06:24,720 –> 00:06:26,720ministry and say if you prayers.7600:06:26,720 –> 00:06:27,720No!7700:06:27,720 –> 00:06:31,179Live a life that is pleasing to God that’s what he’s looking for that’s what’s being7800:06:31,179 –> 00:06:33,540said here.7900:06:33,540 –> 00:06:36,959Let me put it to you in the words of the Lord Jesus.8000:06:36,959 –> 00:06:46,239Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind8100:06:46,399 –> 00:06:52,640and with all your strength and love your neighbor as yourself.8200:06:52,640 –> 00:06:55,140That’s the words of our Sovereign Lord Jesus.8300:06:55,140 –> 00:06:58,880Let me give it to you in his words another way.8400:06:58,880 –> 00:07:10,320Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the Pharisees, you cannot enter the Kingdom8500:07:10,320 –> 00:07:12,959of Heaven.8600:07:12,959 –> 00:07:20,600Or let me put it in the clearest statement of the sort that our Lord Jesus ever made,8700:07:20,600 –> 00:07:24,320Matthew chapter five and verse 48.8800:07:24,320 –> 00:07:35,160Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.8900:07:35,160 –> 00:07:40,600My friends, how would it be for you if the Word of God ended there?9000:07:40,640 –> 00:07:45,859How would it be for you if the last line in the Bible was make yourselves clean, cease9100:07:45,859 –> 00:07:48,140from evil, and learn to do good?9200:07:48,140 –> 00:07:51,160How would it be for you?9300:07:51,160 –> 00:07:57,679Is there any one of us who would stand in the presence of God and say, I’ve done that?9400:07:57,679 –> 00:08:01,640Here’s our predicament as sinners.9500:08:01,640 –> 00:08:03,519We need to get clean, we need to quit evil.9600:08:03,519 –> 00:08:08,040We need to do good, and here’s our predicament.9700:08:08,040 –> 00:08:10,480What we do can’t do it.9800:08:10,480 –> 00:08:17,200See, what we do is worship, and serve, and pray, and that doesn’t do it, as we saw.9900:08:17,200 –> 00:08:24,200And what we’ll do it, that is to live a life that fulfills all of the commandments of God.10000:08:24,200 –> 00:08:28,000What we’ll do it we cannot do.10100:08:28,000 –> 00:08:29,220That’s our predicament.10200:08:29,220 –> 00:08:36,140What we do can’t do it, and what we’ll do it we cannot do.10300:08:36,140 –> 00:08:40,820How can you wash your own body if there is blood on your hands?10400:08:40,820 –> 00:08:42,960Hands are full of blood, how are you going to wash?10500:08:42,960 –> 00:08:48,739All that’s going to happen is you smear it all over yourself, horrible mess.10600:08:48,739 –> 00:08:52,020You need something to wash in.10700:08:52,020 –> 00:08:54,859You look at what God requires of you.10800:08:54,859 –> 00:08:57,859You look at all of his holy law.10900:08:57,859 –> 00:09:03,820You look at the life that he really calls you to live, and you have to say if you have11000:09:03,820 –> 00:09:08,460any light in your life at all, I haven’t done it.11100:09:08,460 –> 00:09:13,539And how then can I be clean, as I must be clean?11200:09:13,539 –> 00:09:19,140I thought that worship and serving and praying would do it, and now I see that it can’t.11300:09:19,140 –> 00:09:20,179What else is there?11400:09:20,179 –> 00:09:28,119How am I going to get out of this predicament that what I do can’t do it, and what will11500:09:28,119 –> 00:09:32,099do it I cannot do?11600:09:32,099 –> 00:09:36,580And that takes us, very wonderfully, to the third thing in this marvelous passage of Scripture,11700:09:36,580 –> 00:09:37,820what only God can do.11800:09:37,820 –> 00:09:39,099And it’s in verse 18.11900:09:39,099 –> 00:09:41,739I think this is one of the most beautiful verses12000:09:41,739 –> 00:09:43,320in all of the Bible.12100:09:43,320 –> 00:09:44,479I hope you’ll mark it.12200:09:44,479 –> 00:09:49,299Take it into your heart and into your mind and memory.12300:09:49,299 –> 00:09:59,599God says, come now, let us reason together says the Lord, though your sins are like scarlet,12400:10:00,500 –> 00:10:04,659they shall be as white as snow.12500:10:04,659 –> 00:10:10,960And though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.12600:10:10,960 –> 00:10:12,960What is God’s saying here?12700:10:12,960 –> 00:10:19,440Well, He’s saying to every person here this morning in the second service, come near.12800:10:19,440 –> 00:10:22,039You come to Me, God says.12900:10:22,039 –> 00:10:24,799You come directly to me, and let’s talk.13000:10:24,799 –> 00:10:28,900God’s speaking directly to you without any intermediary.13100:10:28,979 –> 00:10:32,619God’s speaking into your soul through His word.13200:10:32,619 –> 00:10:33,619And what’s He saying?13300:10:33,619 –> 00:10:38,340He’s saying from these verses, you’re in an impossible position.13400:10:38,340 –> 00:10:41,219What you’re doing, all this worship, serving, and praying, it isn’t working.13500:10:41,219 –> 00:10:42,960What you need to do, you’ve not been able to do.13600:10:42,960 –> 00:10:45,780You haven’t done it, and I want to make you this offer.13700:10:45,780 –> 00:10:49,159I want to give you this gift, and here it is.13800:10:49,159 –> 00:10:57,140And though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.13900:10:57,400 –> 00:11:07,960So you see, God is speaking to everyone of us here, an offer of complete cleansing.14000:11:07,960 –> 00:11:13,700And He says this, think of it, to people who are laden with iniquity.14100:11:13,700 –> 00:11:20,419He says this to the people who are bruised and bleeding and have been rebelling against Him.14200:11:20,419 –> 00:11:24,840He says this to the people whose sins are like scarlet.14300:11:25,580 –> 00:11:32,659See, here’s the wonderful good news, and this is the heart of the message of the whole Bible.14400:11:32,679 –> 00:11:38,219That what God commands, which you have in verse 16 and verse 17, is tied to what He14500:11:38,219 –> 00:11:41,619promises in verse 18.14600:11:41,619 –> 00:11:50,039And what God has done in Jesus Christ is what makes the repentance that He calls us to possible.14700:11:50,039 –> 00:11:53,159You can be washed.14800:11:53,159 –> 00:11:54,559You can cease from evil.14900:11:54,580 –> 00:11:56,880You can learn to do what is good.15000:11:56,880 –> 00:11:58,280How?15100:11:58,280 –> 00:12:00,599He will make you clean.15200:12:00,599 –> 00:12:03,400He will give you a new heart.15300:12:03,400 –> 00:12:10,580He will teach you and lead you by His Holy Spirit and by His Word, and He invites you15400:12:10,580 –> 00:12:14,900to come near, come let’s reason together, look at your position.15500:12:14,900 –> 00:12:16,940And here’s what I propose to do.15600:12:16,940 –> 00:12:18,580Here is what I offer to you.15700:12:19,020 –> 00:12:22,179Even today, someone in this congregation today will be saying,15800:12:22,179 –> 00:12:24,080oh but my sins are many.15900:12:24,080 –> 00:12:27,580Pastor, you don’t know what I have done.16000:12:27,580 –> 00:12:31,080I feel like I’m beyond what you’re speaking about here.16100:12:31,080 –> 00:12:40,200Listen, God says to you today, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white16200:12:40,200 –> 00:12:42,380as wool.16300:12:42,380 –> 00:12:45,119Someone else in the congregation, you’re thinking this way, you’re saying,16400:12:45,119 –> 00:12:46,119you know what?16500:12:46,119 –> 00:12:52,760I have been engaged in a particular sin for such a long time that it’s in me.16600:12:52,760 –> 00:12:56,440Well, think about this.16700:12:56,440 –> 00:13:00,719Everyone in the ancient world knew, and therefore the hearers of Isaiah would have immediately16800:13:00,719 –> 00:13:08,359connected with this, that in order to dye a piece of material bright red, if you wanted16900:13:08,419 –> 00:13:18,460it to be scarlet, you needed to soak that material in the dye for a very, very long17000:13:18,460 –> 00:13:24,960time indeed, before the brightness of that color was actually imparted to the material.17100:13:24,960 –> 00:13:31,080And so here, just taking from that, this wonderful application, there may be a sin in your life17200:13:31,080 –> 00:13:37,520indeed, that you have been soaking in for a long time, and like the dye that permeates17300:13:37,520 –> 00:13:44,119the cloth, eventually that sin has now come to permeate the very fabric of your life.17400:13:44,119 –> 00:13:48,760It’s in your mind, it’s in your heart.17500:13:48,760 –> 00:13:52,280And you say, I don’t think I could ever be clean of that.17600:13:52,280 –> 00:13:54,760So, deep, it could never be washed out.17700:13:54,760 –> 00:14:06,400And God says to you, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.17800:14:06,400 –> 00:14:09,479Only God could do such a thing.17900:14:09,479 –> 00:14:11,799That is what he says to you.18000:14:11,799 –> 00:14:16,280You’re listening to Open The Bible with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called Repentance.18100:14:16,280 –> 00:14:21,700It’s part of our series, 180 – How God Changes His People And His Church.18200:14:21,700 –> 00:14:25,159And if you’ve missed any of the series so far, or if you ever miss one of the messages18300:14:25,159 –> 00:14:32,219and want to go back and listen again, that’s available on our website, openthebible.org.uk18400:14:32,219 –> 00:14:35,320and also as a podcast on your favorite podcast site.18500:14:35,799 –> 00:14:39,419Back to the message now, we’re in Isaiah chapter 1, here’s Colin.18600:14:39,419 –> 00:14:47,419Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow.18700:14:47,419 –> 00:14:49,299Only God could do such a thing.18800:14:49,299 –> 00:14:57,859But that is what he says to you in this amazing promise of scripture.18900:14:57,859 –> 00:15:01,119Several folks have said this to me at different times over the years.19000:15:01,119 –> 00:15:04,580You may be thinking this, pastor, here’s my problem.19100:15:05,020 –> 00:15:07,340I am a Christian.19200:15:07,340 –> 00:15:11,739I was baptized perhaps some time ago, I committed myself to Christ years back,19300:15:11,739 –> 00:15:16,080and I am a Christian, but since I committed myself to Christ,19400:15:16,080 –> 00:15:18,580I have sinned willfully and knowingly.19500:15:18,580 –> 00:15:22,119I’ve sinned against my own Savior, I’ve sinned against the light19600:15:22,119 –> 00:15:24,099that I already have.19700:15:24,099 –> 00:15:29,979And listen, God says to you,19800:15:30,739 –> 00:15:33,539are like scarlet.19900:15:33,539 –> 00:15:34,700They shall be white as snow.20000:15:34,700 –> 00:15:38,679The only answer to sins against the blood of Christ20100:15:38,679 –> 00:15:41,799is the blood of Christ.20200:15:42,679 –> 00:15:46,140Now you say, how is this possible?20300:15:46,140 –> 00:15:49,219How could such a complete and utter cleansing20400:15:49,219 –> 00:15:52,979come into the life of a person laden with sin,20500:15:52,979 –> 00:15:54,299beaten and bruised,20600:15:54,299 –> 00:15:58,419someone whose sin has been like permeating dye.20700:15:58,460 –> 00:15:59,539You see, that’s the image20800:15:59,539 –> 00:16:04,000that has got into the very fabric of their own life20900:16:04,000 –> 00:16:05,739and even into their own character.21000:16:07,520 –> 00:16:10,179This congregation knows the answer to that question.21100:16:12,599 –> 00:16:17,320What can wash away my sin?21200:16:17,320 –> 00:16:21,020Nothing but the blood of Jesus.21300:16:21,020 –> 00:16:22,820This congregation knows the answer.21400:16:23,799 –> 00:16:28,799Not worship, not serving, not even praying.21500:16:33,340 –> 00:16:34,159One more time.21600:16:34,159 –> 00:16:36,919What can wash away my sin?21700:16:36,919 –> 00:16:41,219Nothing but the blood of Jesus.21800:16:42,099 –> 00:16:44,619Now let me just in these last few moments21900:16:44,619 –> 00:16:45,739and you’re nearly through here.22000:16:45,739 –> 00:16:47,659I want just to draw your attention22100:16:47,659 –> 00:16:49,340to one other passage of scripture22200:16:49,340 –> 00:16:51,299because we’re in the Old Testament22300:16:51,340 –> 00:16:54,340and so often a theme that’s raised in the Old Testament22400:16:54,340 –> 00:16:57,479is kind of resolved and it is completed in the new22500:16:57,479 –> 00:17:00,260and that happens beautifully in a passage22600:17:00,260 –> 00:17:02,140that some may not be familiar with22700:17:02,140 –> 00:17:06,780in Hebrews chapter 10 and verses 8 to 1022800:17:06,780 –> 00:17:09,500and here we have some amazing words22900:17:09,500 –> 00:17:12,579that are words off the Lord Jesus Christ23000:17:12,579 –> 00:17:15,880spoken by the Holy Spirit23100:17:15,880 –> 00:17:18,140and I just want to give you these three sentences23200:17:18,140 –> 00:17:20,579and you’ll see immediately how they connect23300:17:20,579 –> 00:17:24,060with and flow from everything that Isaiah says23400:17:24,060 –> 00:17:26,239in Isaiah in chapter one23500:17:26,239 –> 00:17:27,339and here’s the first statement.23600:17:27,339 –> 00:17:28,920Hebrews 10, 8.23700:17:28,920 –> 00:17:32,640When he said, this is the son of God.23800:17:32,640 –> 00:17:37,640When he said above you have neither desired23900:17:37,959 –> 00:17:40,099nor taken pleasure in sacrifices24000:17:40,099 –> 00:17:43,920and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings.24100:17:43,920 –> 00:17:45,060Let’s pause there.24200:17:45,859 –> 00:17:48,599This is the son of God24300:17:48,599 –> 00:17:52,160and he’s in eternal communion with the father.24400:17:52,160 –> 00:17:55,260Has been one with the father since before time began.24500:17:56,319 –> 00:18:01,219And he’s above and this is the son speaking to the father.24600:18:01,219 –> 00:18:03,199The father and the son and the spirit24700:18:03,199 –> 00:18:05,959are looking down as it were upon the globe24800:18:05,959 –> 00:18:09,359and what’s going on is all the sacrifices24900:18:09,359 –> 00:18:11,160and the son turns to the father.25000:18:11,160 –> 00:18:12,400Hebrews 10, 8.25100:18:12,400 –> 00:18:14,880Above and he says you didn’t desire.25200:18:15,060 –> 00:18:16,680This isn’t any joy to you.25300:18:16,680 –> 00:18:18,280This isn’t what you’re after.25400:18:20,439 –> 00:18:21,680Second statement,25500:18:22,819 –> 00:18:25,160Then he added.25600:18:25,160 –> 00:18:28,160That is the son of God added in addressing the father,25700:18:28,160 –> 00:18:33,160behold, I have come to do your will.25800:18:36,060 –> 00:18:38,459And notice I have come.25900:18:38,459 –> 00:18:42,640He is now not speaking son to father above.26000:18:42,680 –> 00:18:45,819He’s now speaking son to father from below.26100:18:45,819 –> 00:18:48,800He has come into the world.26200:18:48,800 –> 00:18:50,920He has been born of the Virgin Mary.26300:18:50,920 –> 00:18:52,319He has taken human flesh.26400:18:52,319 –> 00:18:53,420He’s become a man,26500:18:53,420 –> 00:18:56,900and he says, father, look,26600:18:56,900 –> 00:18:59,560I’ve come to do your will.26700:18:59,560 –> 00:19:01,859That’s the thing that you want,26800:19:01,859 –> 00:19:04,199a human life in which there’s no evil.26900:19:04,199 –> 00:19:06,660A human life in which there is only good.27000:19:06,660 –> 00:19:10,400A human life that is completely clean watch, father.27100:19:11,319 –> 00:19:12,760It’s gonna be done.27200:19:12,760 –> 00:19:15,680What brings you real joy is gonna be done in me.27300:19:17,500 –> 00:19:18,619Third sentence.27400:19:20,099 –> 00:19:22,219And by that will,27500:19:22,219 –> 00:19:25,540that is the wonderful kind and gracious will of the father.27600:19:26,800 –> 00:19:31,239We have been sanctified.27700:19:31,239 –> 00:19:32,959That is made clean,27800:19:33,939 –> 00:19:38,140washed from scarlet sins and made clean.27900:19:39,099 –> 00:19:40,219How?28000:19:41,560 –> 00:19:46,560Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ28100:19:48,680 –> 00:19:49,959once and for all.28200:19:50,959 –> 00:19:52,260See how clear that is?28300:19:54,579 –> 00:19:57,380In Isaiah, we read about a multitude of sacrifices28400:19:57,380 –> 00:19:59,699that could never satisfy God.28500:19:59,699 –> 00:20:00,540Why?28600:20:00,540 –> 00:20:03,760Because they were all being offered with unclean hands.28700:20:03,760 –> 00:20:06,739That’s why our worship and our prayers28800:20:06,739 –> 00:20:11,180and our service can never deal with our sins.28900:20:11,180 –> 00:20:12,180How could it?29000:20:13,280 –> 00:20:17,160But you see, Jesus Christ has clean hands.29100:20:17,160 –> 00:20:19,079He has a pure heart.29200:20:19,079 –> 00:20:21,560He is the one who ascended the hill of the Lord29300:20:21,560 –> 00:20:24,920and he offered himself as the perfect sacrifice,29400:20:24,920 –> 00:20:29,560acceptable to God for the complete cleansing of all sin29500:20:29,560 –> 00:20:32,719in regards to all the people who would come to him.29600:20:32,719 –> 00:20:34,680That’s why he said when he was on the cross,29700:20:34,680 –> 00:20:37,680laying down his life as a sacrifice, it is finished.29800:20:37,680 –> 00:20:40,040That’s why we don’t have more sacrifices29900:20:40,040 –> 00:20:42,319and don’t need them because the sacrifice30000:20:42,319 –> 00:20:44,280to which all the others were pointing30100:20:44,280 –> 00:20:46,959has finally come and it has been made.30200:20:46,959 –> 00:20:49,540What God commanded through the prophet Isaiah30300:20:49,540 –> 00:20:50,660in the Old Testament,30400:20:50,660 –> 00:20:54,800he provides through his son Jesus Christ.30500:20:57,239 –> 00:20:59,760And on the third day, the smile of God30600:20:59,760 –> 00:21:01,760on the perfect life of Christ30700:21:01,760 –> 00:21:04,699offered us the sacrifice on behalf of his people,30800:21:04,699 –> 00:21:06,319the smile of God was revealed30900:21:06,319 –> 00:21:08,599as Jesus Christ rose from the dead.31000:21:08,599 –> 00:21:10,439And today as the risen savior,31100:21:10,439 –> 00:21:13,599he looks into and speaks into a world31200:21:13,599 –> 00:21:16,079of people who are bruised and bleeding31300:21:16,079 –> 00:21:19,020and leaden with inequity,31400:21:19,020 –> 00:21:21,880world where our hands are not clean.31500:21:21,880 –> 00:21:24,300And he says to us, come to me.31600:21:25,439 –> 00:21:27,119All you who are weary,31700:21:27,119 –> 00:21:30,000all you who are heavy laden come to me,31800:21:30,000 –> 00:21:31,199he says.31900:21:32,479 –> 00:21:36,479And I, I’m the one who will give you rest.32000:21:39,020 –> 00:21:39,859Amazing, amazing,32100:21:39,859 –> 00:21:43,099extraordinary gift,32200:21:44,520 –> 00:21:45,459amazing love.32300:21:47,260 –> 00:21:48,579How will you respond to all32400:21:48,579 –> 00:21:51,020that God offers you in Jesus Christ?32500:21:52,380 –> 00:21:54,900Though your sins are like scarlet,32600:21:54,900 –> 00:21:56,640they shall be as white as snow.32700:21:56,640 –> 00:21:58,739How, verse 19,32800:21:58,800 –> 00:22:01,880if you are willing and obedient,32900:22:03,160 –> 00:22:06,500if you are willing to receive what I offer,33000:22:06,500 –> 00:22:09,420if you are ready to pursue what I command,33100:22:09,420 –> 00:22:11,920if you will embrace me, Jesus says,33200:22:11,920 –> 00:22:14,060as your gracious Savior,33300:22:14,060 –> 00:22:18,140and if you will submit to me as your sovereign Lord,33400:22:19,599 –> 00:22:21,959then you,33500:22:23,520 –> 00:22:25,420the people who have been laden with iniquity33600:22:25,420 –> 00:22:26,400and beaten and bruised,33700:22:26,400 –> 00:22:27,400then you,33800:22:28,979 –> 00:22:32,180will eat the good33900:22:33,239 –> 00:22:34,739of the land.’34000:22:34,739 –> 00:22:36,739You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith34100:22:36,739 –> 00:22:39,900on Open The Bible and a message called Repentance.34200:22:39,900 –> 00:22:42,979And if you missed any of the message or any of the series,34300:22:42,979 –> 00:22:44,040you can always find that34400:22:44,040 –> 00:22:49,040by going online to our website openthebible.org.uk34500:22:49,060 –> 00:22:50,540or as a podcast,34600:22:50,540 –> 00:22:54,260by searching any podcast site for Open The Bible UK.34700:22:54,260 –> 00:22:57,459Now I wonder what plans you may have for Easter?34800:22:58,020 –> 00:22:58,959At Open The Bible,34900:22:58,959 –> 00:23:00,859we have something that might be of interest35000:23:00,859 –> 00:23:02,739to you and your church.35100:23:02,739 –> 00:23:04,339We filmed a one-actor,35200:23:04,339 –> 00:23:07,239one-hour performance of Colin’s well-known book,35300:23:07,239 –> 00:23:08,859Heaven, How I Got Here,35400:23:08,859 –> 00:23:11,060the story of the thief on the cross.35500:23:11,060 –> 00:23:13,160It’s a powerful gospel message35600:23:13,160 –> 00:23:16,660and we’re making the film available to you for free.35700:23:16,660 –> 00:23:19,420If your church wants to show the film this Easter,35800:23:19,420 –> 00:23:22,500we have created a free resource pack to help you.35900:23:22,500 –> 00:23:27,500To find out more, go to openthebible.org.uk.36000:23:27,640 –> 00:23:30,040Open The Bible is supported by our listeners,36100:23:30,040 –> 00:23:32,920that’s people just like you up and down the country.36200:23:32,920 –> 00:23:34,839If that’s something that you’ve not done before,36300:23:34,839 –> 00:23:37,239but you’re considering starting to support36400:23:37,239 –> 00:23:39,000Open The Bible in that way,36500:23:39,000 –> 00:23:40,839we have an offer for you this month.36600:23:40,839 –> 00:23:43,420If you’re able to begin a new direct debit36700:23:43,420 –> 00:23:46,359in the amount of five pounds per month or more36800:23:46,359 –> 00:23:49,359or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,36900:23:49,359 –> 00:23:50,739we’d love to say thank you37000:23:50,739 –> 00:23:52,640by sending you three copies37100:23:52,640 –> 00:23:54,939of Pastor Colin Smith’s devotional,37200:23:54,939 –> 00:23:59,939Green Pastures, Still Waters, 31 days in Psalm 23.37300:23:59,959 –> 00:24:02,500Colin, what do you hope that people using this devotional37400:24:02,500 –> 00:24:04,339will take away from it?37500:24:04,339 –> 00:24:06,939Oh, well, it will fix your eyes and your mind37600:24:06,939 –> 00:24:08,260on the Lord Jesus Christ.37700:24:08,260 –> 00:24:10,819I mean, he is the good shepherd.37800:24:10,819 –> 00:24:13,900He is what Psalm 23 is all about.37900:24:13,900 –> 00:24:17,880And to know that you have a shepherd in Christ38000:24:17,880 –> 00:24:20,260and that he’s going to lead you in right paths,38100:24:20,260 –> 00:24:21,540he’s going to give you rest,38200:24:21,540 –> 00:24:24,239he’s gonna restore you when you’re spent38300:24:24,239 –> 00:24:27,000and your energy is exhausted and gone.38400:24:27,000 –> 00:24:29,319He’s gonna guard you, he’s going to sustain you,38500:24:29,319 –> 00:24:32,859he’s going to love you all the days of your life38600:24:32,859 –> 00:24:35,459and eventually bring you into his nearer presence.38700:24:35,459 –> 00:24:37,900I mean, a month fixing your mind and heart38800:24:37,900 –> 00:24:39,640on Jesus Christ, the good shepherd,38900:24:39,640 –> 00:24:41,540is going to renew your strength.39000:24:41,540 –> 00:24:43,780It’s going to encourage you greatly.39100:24:43,780 –> 00:24:45,520And that’s what Psalm 23 does.39200:24:45,520 –> 00:24:47,880And I think that’s why it’s one of the best known39300:24:48,359 –> 00:24:50,880and best loved chapters in all of the Bible.39400:24:50,880 –> 00:24:53,140So that’s Pastor Colin Smith’s devotional,39500:24:53,140 –> 00:24:58,140Green Pastures, Still Waters, 31 Days in Psalm 23.39600:24:58,459 –> 00:25:01,060And it’s our gift to you if you’re able to set up39700:25:01,060 –> 00:25:03,680a new donation to the work of Open the Bible39800:25:03,680 –> 00:25:05,680in the amount of five pounds per month39900:25:05,680 –> 00:25:07,119during the course of this month.40000:25:07,119 –> 00:25:10,959Full details on our website, openthebible.org.uk.40100:25:12,400 –> 00:25:14,540For Open the Bible and Pastor Colin Smith,40200:25:14,540 –> 00:25:16,400I’m David Pick and I hope you’ll be able40300:25:16,479 –> 00:25:18,199to join us again, next time.40400:25:23,119 –> 00:25:25,900How does a church become unfaithful?40500:25:25,900 –> 00:25:28,439Find out next time on Open the Bible.