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God's New Garden City

January 6, 2026
00:00

After Adam sinned, work became a burden. But in the Kingdom of God, work will be a complete joy!

Guest (Male): Open the Bible with Colin Smith.

Colin Smith: The Bible story began in a garden where God blessed Adam and Eve with four marvelous gifts: a home, work, relationship, and God’s visible presence.

Each of these gifts was marred when sin came into the world. Adam and Eve were driven out of the garden; they had to make their home in a world scarred by sin and pain and death.

Work that had been blessed was marked by frustration. The world’s first family was divided, and Adam and Eve had to walk with God by faith rather than by sight.

Paradise was lost when sin came into the world, but at the end of the Bible story, the gifts that were lost are not only restored, they’re surpassed in God’s new garden city.

The greatest joys of life in this world are like pointers to the greater delights of God’s new creation.

Guest (Male): Invite a friend to open the Bible with you at openthebible.org.

This transcript is provided as a written companion to the original message and may contain inaccuracies or transcription errors. For complete context and clarity, please refer to the original audio recording. Time-sensitive references or promotional details may be outdated. This material is intended for personal use and informational purposes only.

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What is Wrong with the World by Tim Keller

“A book on sin may not sound like it should be at the top of your reading list, but What Is Wrong with the World? by Tim Keller is surprisingly rewarding. Seeing what sin is and how it works will show you your dependence on God and deepen your appreciation of His marvelous grace.” -Pastor Colin Smith

Past Episodes

About Open the Bible Minute

Open the Bible is the teaching ministry of Pastor Colin Smith. Our mission is to use a broad array of modern media to help people around the world meet Jesus. We do this by opening the Bible for them, helping them open the Bible themselves, and equipping them to open the Bible with others.

About Colin Smith

Colin Smith is senior pastor of The Orchard Evangelical Free Church, a thriving, multi-campus church located in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, and Founder and Teaching Pastor of Open the Bible.

Born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland, he trained at the London School of Theology where he earned the degrees of Bachelor of Theology and Master of Philosophy. Before coming to the States in 1996, Colin served as senior pastor of the Enfield Evangelical Free Church in London.

He is the author of several books including Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessings through the Beatitudes; Heaven, How I Got Here: The Story of the Thief on the Cross; Jonah: Navigating a God-Centered Life; The One Year Unlocking the Bible Devotional; 10 Keys for Unlocking the Bible; The 10 Greatest Struggles of Your Life; as well as others. His preaching ministry is shared around the world through Open the Bible.

Colin and his wife Karen reside in Arlington Heights, Ill., and have two married sons and five granddaughters.

Contact Open the Bible Minute with Colin Smith

Mailing Address
Open the Bible
P.O. Box 3454
Barrington, IL 60011
Telephone
1-877-OPEN-365