FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. [applause] I WANT YOU TO TURN WITH ME
TO LUKE'S GOSPEL THE 10TH CHAPTER. THE 10TH CHAPTER
OF LUKE'S GOSPEL, IF YOU HAVE A BIBLE WITH YOU, BEGINNING WITH THE 25TH VERSE. "AND BEHOLD A CERTAIN LAWYER
STOOD UP AND TEMPTED HIM, SAYING "MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO
TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" "HE SAID UNTO HIM,
WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW "HOW READEST THOU? "AND HE ANSWERED SAID, "THOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD
THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, "WITH ALL THY SOUL,
WITH ALL THY STRENGTH "AND WITH ALL THY MIND
AND THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF. "AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,
THOU HAST ANSWERED RIGHT, "THIS DO AND THOU SHALL LIVE. "BUT HE (THE LAWYER)
WILLINGLY TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF "SAID UNTO JESUS,
AND WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?" WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR? "AND JESUS ANSWERING SAID, "CERTAIN MAN WENT DOWN
FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO "AND FELL AMONG THIEVES,
WHICH STRIPPED HIM "OF HIS RAIMENT
AND WOUNDED HIM, "AND DEPARTED,
LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD. "AND BY CHANCE, THERE CAME DOWN
A CERTAIN PRIEST THAT WAY "AND WHEN HE SAW HIM,
HE PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. "AND LIKEWISE, A LEVITE,
WHEN HE WAS AT THE PLACE "CAME AND LOOKED ON HIM
AND PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. "BUT A CERTAIN SAMARITAN
AS HE JOURNEYED "CAME WHERE HE WAS
AND WHEN HE SAW HIM, "HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM, "AND HE WENT TO HIM
AND BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS, "POURING IN OIL AND WINE
AND SET HIM ON HIS OWN BEAST "AND BROUGHT HIM TO AN INN
AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. "AND ON THE MORROW
WHEN HE DEPARTED "HE TOOK OUT TWO PENCE
AND GAVE THEM TO THE HOST "AND SAID UNTO HIM, "TAKE CARE OF HIM, "AND WHATSOEVER
THOU SPENDEST MORE, "WHEN I COME AGAIN,
I'LL REPAY THEE. "WHICH NOW OF THESE THREE,
THINKEST THOU, "WAS NEIGHBOR UNTO HIM
THAT FELL AMONG THE THIEVES? "AND THE LAWYER SAID,
HE THAT SHOWED MERCY ON HIM. "THEN JESUS SAID UNTO HIM,
GO AND DO THOU LIKEWISE." NOW JESUS GAVE
THIS LITTLE STORY IN ANSWER TO TWO QUESTIONS
POSED TO HIM BY THIS LAWYER. "MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO THAT
I MIGHT INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" NOW THE FIRST MISTAKE
THE LAWYER MADE WAS THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO
TO INHERIT IT. YOU CANNOT INHERIT
ETERNAL LIFE FROM YOUR PARENTS
OR YOUR GRANDPARENTS. YOU COULD SAY, "I WAS BORN
IN A CHRISTIAN HOME," BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU
A CHRISTIAN. OR BORN IN A CHRISTIAN
COMMUNITY, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU
A CHRISTIAN. YOU COULD SAY YOU WERE BORN
IN A GARAGE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MAKE YOU
A MOTOR CAR. [laughter] NOW THE SECOND QUESTION
HE ASKED WAS THIS: "WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?" WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? NOW THERE ARE THREE THINGS
WRAPPED UP IN THAT QUESTION, "WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?" FIRST,
IT WAS A SOCIAL QUESTION, WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? MY NEIGHBOR IS THE PERSON
WHO IS CLOSE TO ME, OF COURSE. MY BOYFRIEND, MY GIRLFRIEND,
ROOMMATE, HUSBAND, WIFE, MOTHER, FATHER,
PERSON NEXT DOOR, YOUR PROFESSOR,
YOUR FRIENDS. BUT TODAY WE MUST TAKE
A WIDER LOOK. BECAUSE OF MODERN COMMUNICATION
AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY, THE WHOLE WORLD HAS BECOME
OUR NEIGHBORHOOD, AND EVERYONE IS
OUR NEIGHBOR THAT LIVES ON
THIS LITTLE PLANET. BECAUSE WE ARE
A SMALL PLANET AND WE HAVE TECHNOLOGY
IN OUR HANDS NOW THAT HAVE MADE THIS
A VERY, VERY SMALL PLANET. AND WE ARE DEMOGRAPHICALLY
MOVING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO EACH OTHER AND WE'VE BECOME
A NEIGHBORHOOD WITHOUT BECOMING
A BROTHERHOOD. AND THIS IS ONE OF
THE GREAT PROBLEMS THAT WE FACE
IN THE WORLD TODAY. AND JESUS SAID, "THOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD
THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, "AND SOUL AND STRENGTH
AND MIND, "AND THY NEIGHBOR
AS THYSELF." YOU'RE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE
OF AFRICA. YOU'RE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE
OF THE SOVIET UNION. YOU'RE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE
OF CHINA. YOU'RE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE
OF LATIN AMERICA. YOU'RE TO LOVE THE PEOPLE
OF EUROPE. YOU'RE TO LOVE
ALL OF THOSE PEOPLE. YOU SAY, "BUT THERE ARE SOME OF
THOSE PEOPLE I DON'T EVEN KNOW." BUT WE'RE TO LOVE THEM, AND WE'RE TO PRAY FOR THEM. PRAY FOR THE WHOLE WORLD
EVERYDAY. AND SO THIS STORY
TEACHES MANY THINGS. AND ONE IS ABOUT
RELATIONSHIPS. THERE ARE SEVERAL
RELATIONSHIPS IN LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR THAT
I WOULD LIKE TO MENTION TONIGHT. THE FIRST IS
THE RACE QUESTION. I REMEMBER BACK IN
THE EARLY DAYS OF THE 1950'S WHEN WE WERE JUST STARTING, DREW PEARSON
WHO IS A COLUMNIST, A FAMOUS COLUMNIST
IN THIS COUNTRY, WROTE ME A LETTER
AND HE SAID, "BILLY, WOULD YOU BE WILLING
TO GO TO CLINTON, TENNESSEE?" THAT WAS THE FIRST INCIDENT,
BIG INCIDENT WE HAD, RACIAL INCIDENT THAT WE HAD
IN THE '40S AND '50S WAS IN CLINTON, TENNESSEE. HE SAID, "DO YOU HAVE
GUTS ENOUGH AND COURAGE ENOUGH "TO GO THERE AND PREACH TO
AN INTEGRATED AUDIENCE?" AND I SAID, "YES, I DO,
IF YOU'LL GO WITH ME." AND HE WENT WITH ME, AND I REMEMBER
SENATOR KEFAUVER AND DIFFERENT ONES
OF THE SENATE WERE THERE, AND THEY SAT ON THE PLATFORM. THE HEAD OF THE WHITE CITIZENS
COUNCIL HAD DECLARED THAT HE WAS GOING TO
BLOW UP THE MEETING, OR HE WAS GOING TO
STOP THE MEETING, OR HE WAS GOING TO DO SOMETHING
THAT IT WOULD NEVER BE HELD. THE MEETING WAS HELD,
THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED, AND ONE OF THE FIRST PEOPLE
THAT CAME FORWARD TO RECEIVE CHRIST WAS THE HEAD
OF THE WHITE CITIZENS COUNCIL. AND FROM THEN ON, HE FOUND OUT HE WAS TO LOVE
THE BLACK MAN, AND THAT HE HAD A RESPONSIBILITY
IN THIS RACE QUESTION. YOU SEE, THE STORY
OF THIS GOOD SAMARITAN IS REALLY A STORY ABOUT
A RACE QUESTION BECAUSE THE JEWISH PEOPLE
OF THAT DAY HAD VERY LITTLE TO DO
WITH THE SAMARITANS. THEY WERE OF A DIFFERENT
ETHNIC BACKGROUND. AND THIS IS A STORY
THAT JESUS TELLS DIRECTLY TO TEACH
WHO OUR NEIGHBORS ARE. OUR NEIGHBORS ARE PEOPLE
OF A DIFFERENT RACE, OR A DIFFERENT
CULTURAL BACKGROUND, AND WE'RE TO LOVE THEM. WHEN JESUS WENT BACK
TO HIS HOMETOWN IN NAZARETH, HE WAS WELL-RECEIVED UNTIL
HE SPOKE ABOUT THE RACE PROBLEM. AND WHEN HE SPOKE ABOUT THAT,
THEY TRIED TO STONE HIM. AND THEN SECONDLY, THERE ARE THE RICH
AND THE POOR RELATIONSHIPS IN THE WORLD TODAY. THE RICH NATIONS,
THE POOR NATIONS. THE RICH PEOPLE
AND THE POOR PEOPLE. IN JAMES 2 IT SAYS, "HATH NOT GOD CHOSEN
THE POOR OF THIS WORLD "RICH IN FAITH,
AND HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM "WHICH HE HATH PROMISED
TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM? "BUT YE HAVE DESPISED
THE POOR." AND WE READ THE STATISTICS
POURING OUT ABOUT 60,000 PEOPLE A DAY
STARVING TO DEATH. OR ONE BILLION
IN THE WORLD TODAY WHO ARE ON A STARVATION DIET, AND THEN WE READ ABOUT
ALL THE MONEY WE SPEND FOR DOG FOOD IN THIS COUNTRY. AND THEN WE READ ABOUT
ALL THE GARBAGE THAT WE WASTE. AND SOMEHOW, THERE'S
AN INEQUITY IN THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE TO FACE. NOW THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST
HAS NO MEANING UNLESS IT IS APPLIED
TO OUR FELLOW MAN WHO HURTS AND IS IN NEED. AND I WOULD LIKE TO ASK YOU
A QUESTION TONIGHT: WHEN IS THE LAST TIME
YOU SHARED YOUR LIFE WITH ANOTHER PERSON? OR SOMEONE OF ANOTHER RACE. OR YOUR MATERIAL GOODS
WITH THE POOR. OR YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THOSE
WHO CRAVE KNOWLEDGE. OR YOUR SKILLS
WITH THE UNTRAINED. YOU STOP TO TEACH THEM
WHAT YOU KNOW. AND THEN THIRDLY, THERE'S THE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THE OPPOSITE SEX. NOW, INSTANT SEX,
WE'RE TOLD, IS IN, WHILE ENDURING
RELATIONSHIPS ARE DOWNPLAYED. NOW THIS WAS A PROBLEM IN THE OLDEST BOOK
IN THE WORLD-- JOB. AND JOB SAID, "I'VE MADE
A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES, "WHY THEN SHOULD I LOOK
WITH LUST UPON A MAID?" THE APOSTLE PAUL TOLD
YOUNG TIMOTHY TO FLEE YOUTHFUL LUSTS. PETER SAID,
"ABSTAIN FROM FLESHLY LUSTS "WHICH WAR AGAINST THE SOUL." NOW WE SAY, THERE YOU GO,
THERE'S GOD AGAIN, TELLING US
WE CAN'T HAVE A GOOD TIME. NO, GOD IS NOT
SAYING THAT. THERE'S NOTHING WRONG
WITH SEX. WE'RE ALL HERE TONIGHT
BECAUSE OF SEX. [laughter] AND IT'S A WONDERFUL
GIFT OF GOD. GOD GAVE IT TO US. BUT WE'RE TO USE IT
PROPERLY. HE MEANT IT WAS
TO BE USED WITHIN THE CONFINES OF MARRIAGE. AND HE SAYS, "THOU SHALT
NOT COMMIT ADULTERY." WHY? BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT YOU
TO HAVE A GOOD TIME? NO! TO PROTECT
THE MARRIAGE! IF YOU COMMIT IMMORALITY
BEFORE MARRIAGE IT AFFECTS
YOUR MARRIAGE. MY OLDEST SON-IN-LAW
IS A PSYCHOLOGIST AND HE'S TOLD ME HOW
MANY PEOPLE WITH GUILT, YOU KNOW, THERE WAS
AN ARTICLE IN THE PAPER I THINK JUST
TWO DAYS AGO ABOUT HOW MANY
WOMEN IN AMERICA COMMIT ADULTERY. OVER 50 PERCENT
OF THE AMERICAN WOMEN ADMITTED TO COMMITTING
ADULTERY, AND YET 70 OR 80 PERCENT
SAID THEY FEEL GUILTY. NOW WHY DO THEY FEEL
THAT WAY? THERE'S SOMETHING
IN THEIR CONSCIENCE THAT TELLS THEM IT'S WRONG
AND THEY SUFFER! AND MANY OF THEM HAVE TO GO TO
PSYCHIATRISTS AND PSYCHOLOGISTS OR TO A CLERGYMAN
OR TO SOMEONE AND TALK TO THEM
ABOUT THIS GUILT. AND THEN GOD SAID THAT
TO PROTECT YOUR BODY. WE THOUGHT WE HAD ALL
THE VENEREAL DISEASES LICKED WITH PENICILLIN, THE COMES ALONG
HERPES SIMPLEX II. AND MANY ARTICLES
ARE APPEARING ABOUT IT. IT'S LIKE A RAGING PLAGUE
THROUGH THE POPULATION. THERE SEEMS TO BE NO CURE. AND JUST WHEN IT SEEMED
THAT THE PILL AND SEX EDUCATION AND OTHER METHODS OF
CONTRACEPTION WERE GIVING US
A NEW FREEDOM, THEN THERE SUDDENLY APPEARS
THIS DISEASE WITH NO KNOWN CURE. AND THEN THIRDLY, GOD SAYS THOU SHALT NOT
COMMIT IMMORALITY TO PROTECT YOU
PSYCHOLOGICALLY. THERE WAS A GIRL FROM ONE OF
OUR GREAT EASTERN INSTITUTIONS QUOTED IN ONE OF THE MAGAZINES
SOME TIME AGO, SAYING, "AFTER I'VE HAD
A SEX EXPERIENCE "I ALWAYS FEEL GUILTY--
WHY?" DEEP EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCES,
INSECURITY. THEY OFTEN FEEL UNLOVED. WELL, THERE ARE MANY
RELATIONSHIPS I COULD TALK ABOUT THAT INVOLVE US
IN LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR, TRYING TO PROTECT
OUR NEIGHBOR, TRYING TO HELP
OUR NEIGHBOR. I COULD TALK ON PARENT,
DAUGHTER AND SON RELATIONSHIPS. THE BIBLE SAYS, "HONOR THY FATHER AND
THY MOTHER." BUT YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE
A HARD TIME FORGIVING THEIR PARENTS. THEY FORGET WHAT AN AGONY
AND WHAT A BURDEN THEIR PARENTS CARRY FOR THEM. AND PARENTS SOMETIMES FORGET THAT THEY WERE ONCE YOUNG
THEMSELVES. AND THERE SHOULD BE A BRIDGE, AND THE BRIDGE CAN BE CHRIST, BECAUSE CHRIST CAN HELP YOU
TO FORGIVE. AS CHRIST FORGIVES YOU
OF YOUR SINS, CHRIST CAN HELP YOU
TO FORGIVE YOUR PARENTS AND HELP YOU PARENTS
TO FORGIVE YOUR CHILDREN, AND TO LOVE THEM, BECAUSE THEY'RE THE CLOSEST
NEIGHBORS YOU'LL EVER HAVE, AND THEY COME UNDER THIS
WHEN JESUS SAID, "THOU SHALL LOVE THY NEIGHBOR
AS THYSELF." NOW I WANT TO GET BACK TO THIS
STORY BEFORE MY TIME IS GONE. SOME OF YOU ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION, AND THERE'S A NUMBER THERE
ON YOUR SCREEN. YOU CAN PICK UP YOUR PHONE AND CALL AND TALK TO
A COUNSELOR STANDING BY IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
RIGHT NOW. AND THEY WILL TALK TO YOU, AND IF YOU GET A BUSY SIGNAL, CALL AND CALL AND CALL AGAIN. AND THEY WILL HELP YOU
IN YOUR NEED OF CHRIST, YOUR NEED OF GOD, OR SOME SPIRITUAL PROBLEM
THAT YOU'RE FACING. NOW YOU NOTICE
IN THIS PASSAGE, JESUS SAID "A CERTAIN MAN." JESUS BELIEVED IN THE WORTH
OF THE INDIVIDUAL, AND JESUS SPENT MOST OF HIS TIME
WITH INDIVIDUALS. NOT JUST GREAT CROWDS. AND IT'S ALWAYS THE INDIVIDUAL
THAT HE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT. HE SAID THAT HE SEES
THE SPARROW FALL. HE HAS THE HAIRS OF
YOUR HEAD NUMBERED. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT GOD
LOVES YOU AS AN INDIVIDUAL. YOU'RE NOT JUST A PERSON
LOST IN A CROWD HERE TONIGHT. YOU ARE AN INDIVIDUAL
BEFORE GOD. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT
MASS EVANGELISM. THIS IS NOT "MASS." ANYTIME YOU GET TWO OR THREE
PEOPLE TOGETHER THAT'S "MASS," AND IF YOU GET 5,000
OR 10,000, THAT'S "MASS." AND YOU GET A LITTLE BIT MORE,
THAT'S "MASS." BUT WE'RE INDIVIDUALS. AND YOU'RE STANDING OR SITTING
BEFORE GOD TONIGHT AS AN INDIVIDUAL, NOT JUST
SOMEONE LOST IN THE CROWD. HE SEES YOU AS THOUGH YOU WERE
THE ONLY PERSON LIVING TONIGHT. AND JESUS SAID
"A CERTAIN MAN." HE LOVES PEOPLE. AND JESUS HUGS US ONE BY ONE
BECAUSE HE LOVES US. "AND GREATER LOVE
HATH NO MAN THAN THIS, "THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE
FOR HIS FRIENDS." AND THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
DIED ON THE CROSS, AND WHILE HE WAS ON THE CROSS, HE WAS THINKING ABOUT YOU, BECAUSE HE WAS GOD. HE COULD LOOK DOWN THE CENTURIES
AND CALL YOU BY NAME ON THAT CROSS AND SAY,
"I LOVE YOU, "I WILL FORGIVE YOU
IF YOU WILL COME TO ME." AND THEN THE MAN IN OUR STORY
WAS ON HIS WAY TO JERICHO FROM JERUSALEM. NOW JERICHO WAS A BORDER CITY AND IT WAS THE CENTER
OF BLACK MARKETING AND CRIME, AND INTERNATIONAL BANDITS, AND THE ROAD FROM JERUSALEM
TO JERICHO IN THOSE DAYS WAS CALLED
"THE BLOODY WAY." BUT IT WAS ALSO A GREAT CITY
OF PRIESTS. AND IT SAYS,
"A CERTAIN MAN," THIS CERTAIN MAN
THAT JESUS IS TELLING ABOUT, "FELL AMONG THIEVES, "WHICH STRIPPED HIM
OF HIS CLOTHES AND WOUNDED HIM." NOW ALL THE WORLD
IS A BIT LIKE THAT. SIN IS RAMPAGING
THROUGH THE WORLD. IT'S RAVAGING HUMANITY. VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM,
ROBBING AND RAPING AND ALL THE THINGS THAT
WE READ ABOUT IN THE NEWSPAPERS. AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE DO, THE LITTLE THINGS THAT
ARE CALLED SIN IN THE BIBLE. SO THAT THE BIBLE SAYS, "ALL HAVE SINNED AND COME SHORT
OF THE GLORY OF GOD." EVERY ONE OF US ARE
LAW BREAKERS, AND THAT'S WHAT SIN MEANS, THE BREAKING OF
THE MORAL LAW OF GOD. AND WE'VE BROKEN
GOD'S MORAL LAW. NOW THESE THIEVES
WOUNDED AND STRIPPED THIS MAN, AND DEPARTED,
LEAVING HIM HALF DEAD, ALONE AND FORSAKEN. HE WAS KNOCKED OUT, AND WHEN HE CAME TO
HE WAS CRUSHED AND BROKEN, AND UNABLE TO MOVE HIMSELF. AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
THAT YOU AND I ARE THAT WAY. SIN HAS MADE US DEAD
IN OUR TRESPASSES AND IN OUR SINS. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "SHE THAT LIVETH IN PLEASURE
IS DEAD WHILE SHE LIVETH." YOU SEE, THAT MEANS THAT
YOU CAN BE ALIVE PHYSICALLY BUT SPIRITUALLY,
YOUR SOUL, YOUR SPIRIT THAT LIVES
INSIDE OF YOU, THAT'S THE PART OF YOU
GOING TO LIVE FOREVER, THAT'S THE PART OF YOU
THAT DREAMS AND THINKS, THE REAL YOU THAT'S GOING
TO LIVE FOREVER, THAT PART OF YOU IS DEAD. IT'S DEAD TOWARD GOD. YOU DON'T HAVE ANY DESIRE
TO READ THE BIBLE AND PRAY AND WITNESS
AND LIVE A GOOD LIFE. YOU HAVE A DESIRE SOMETIMES,
BUT YOU'RE UNABLE TO DO IT. WHY? BECAUSE YOUR SOUL,
YOUR SPIRIT, IS DEAD. IT NEEDS TO BE MADE ALIVE, AND THAT'S WHAT CHRIST
CAN DO TONIGHT. HE CAN MAKE IT ALIVE. HE CAN TAKE A DEAD PERSON
HERE TONIGHT AND MAKE YOU ALIVE. NOW THERE CAME ALONG SOME
WHAT I CALL "SALVATION QUACKS." THE WORLD IS FULL OF
FALSE MESSIAHS. THERE ARE OVER 400 PEOPLE
CLAIMING TO BE CHRIST IN LOS ANGELES ALONE,
I READ SOME TIME AGO. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
IN TACOMA... [laughter] OR IN THE STATE OF WASHINGTON. C.S. LEWIS, THE GREAT PROFESSOR
AT CAMBRIDGE OR OXFORD, HE'S TAUGHT AT BOTH
UNIVERSITIES, ONCE SAID, "ALL RELIGIONS ARE
A PERVERSION OR A PREVIEW "OF CHRISTIANITY." JESUS SAID, "TAKE HEED
THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU." WE HAVE A LOT OF
DECEIVERS NOW. HE WARNED THAT MANY FALSE
PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND DECEIVE MANY. PAUL SAID, "EVIL MEN AND
SEDUCERS SHALL WAX "WORSE AND WORSE,
DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED." SO THERE CAME BY A PRIEST. NOW, YOU'D THINK A PRIEST
WOULD CERTAINLY HELP A MAN THAT'S BROKEN AND CRUSHED AND
KNOCKED OUT LIKE THIS MAN WAS, BUT HE PASSED BY
ON THE OTHER SIDE. HE PROBABLY HAD A RELIGIOUS
CONFERENCE HE WAS GOING TO. A VERY IMPORTANT WEDDING
THAT HE HAD TO PERFORM, I DON'T KNOW. BUT HE REPRESENTED RELIGION
IN ALL OF ITS FORMS, AND PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY
OF THOSE "HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS
BUT DENYING THE POWER THEREOF." AND I WANT TO TELL YOU THIS, RELIGION DOESN'T SAVE ANYBODY. RELIGION IS MAN'S ATTEMPT
TO REACH GOD. CHRISTIANITY IS GOD'S ATTEMPT
TO REACH MAN. THERE'S A VAST DIFFERENCE. JESUS SAID, "YE ARE THEY
WHICH JUSTIFY THEMSELVES "BEFORE MEN,
BUT GOD KNOWETH YOUR HEARTS, "FOR THAT WHICH IS HIGHLY
ESTEEMED AMONG MEN "IS AN ABOMINATION
IN THE SIGHT OF GOD." OH, YES, WE CAN BE
RELIGIOUS LEADERS, BUT BE INSINCERE. AND I TOLD THE OTHER NIGHT
ABOUT THE BISHOP OF A CHURCH, THAT ASKED TO SEE ME
AND HE SAID, "I HAVE A DOCTOR'S DEGREE
FROM THE UNIVERSITY. "I'M A BISHOP IN THE CHURCH," BUT HE SAID,
"I REALLY DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE "THAT I KNOW CHRIST." AND HE KNELT DOWN
AND HE WEPT AND ACCEPTED CHRIST
AS HIS LORD AND SAVIOR AND HE WAS SURE FOR
THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE. HE'D HAD TO BECOME LIKE
A LITTLE CHILD ALL OVER AGAIN. AND THERE ARE MANY OF YOU
THAT ARE LIKE THAT, THAT ARE IN THE CHURCH
AND LEADERS OF THE CHURCH, BUT DEEP IN YOUR HEART YOU'RE NOT SURE
HOW YOU STAND BEFORE CHRIST. THEN IT SAYS A LEVITE CAME BY. HE STOPPED AND LOOKED AT
THIS MAN AND PASSED BY ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW THIS LEVITE
REPRESENTED THE LAW, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN BE SAVED
BY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN, OR BY KEEPING THE LAW. A POLL WAS TAKEN RECENTLY
IN NEW JERSEY THAT SAID 92 PERCENT
OF THE PEOPLE SAID THEY HOPED TO GO TO HEAVEN,
BUT MOST OF THEM WERE UNSURE, THEY WERE NOT CERTAIN. NOW THE BIBLE SAYS
YOU CAN BE SURE! YOU MEAN TO SAY, BILLY,
THAT I CAN KNOW THAT I'M SAVED, I CAN KNOW I'M FORGIVEN? I CAN KNOW I'M GOING
TO HEAVEN? YES, YOU CAN KNOW IT. PAUL SAID, "I KNOW WHOM
I HAVE BELIEVED "AND AM PERSUADED THAT
HE IS ABLE TO KEEP THAT "WHICH I'VE COMMITTED UNTO HIM
AGAINST THAT DAY." JOHN SAID, "THESE THINGS
HAVE I WRITTEN UNTO YOU "THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME
OF THE SON OF GOD, "THAT YOU MAY KNOW THAT
YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." YOU CAN KNOW IT! AND IT'S A WONDERFUL THING
TO WALK DOWN THE STREET OR TO GO TO BED TONIGHT AND KNOW THAT EVERY SIN
IS FORGIVEN, AND THAT IF YOU DIED
DURING THE NIGHT, YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO HEAVEN. HOW? NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
WHICH WE'VE DONE, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY
HE SAVED US. I'M GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE
OF THE MERCY OF GOD. I'M GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE
OF THE GRACE OF GOD. I DON'T DESERVE IT. I DESERVE JUDGMENT AND HELL. I'M A SINNER! LIKE YOU! BUT I HAVE REPENTED
OF MY SINS AND RECEIVED CHRIST
AS MY SAVIOR, AND I'M TRUSTING
IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST. SO THE WOUNDED AND
THE DERELICT MAN WAS LEFT TO DIE. THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE
UNABLE OR UNWILLING TO HELP HIM. THEN THERE COMES A MAN ALONG
FROM ANOTHER RACE, ANOTHER RELIGION, AND HE COULD HAVE FELT
NO RESPONSIBILITY AT ALL, BUT HE DID;
HE WAS A SAMARITAN. HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM. A FORMER PRIME MINISTER OF ONE
OF OUR COUNTRIES RECENTLY SAID, "I'VE NEVER KNOWN SUCH A TIME
IN MY LIFETIME "WHEN THERE'S SUCH
A SHORTAGE OF LOVE." I READ OF A WOMAN IN LONDON
WHO DIED AT 102. AND FOR THE LAST YEARS
OF HER LIFE, SHE HAD NIGHTLY MADE
THE ENTRY IN HER DIARY, "NO ONE CALLED TODAY. "NO ONE LOVES ME." SHE DIED ALONE. THIS SAMARITAN,
OF ANOTHER RACE, OF ANOTHER RELIGION,
WENT TO HIM. HE DIDN'T JUST LOVE HIM
AND LEAVE HIM. JESUS DOESN'T JUST LOVE US, BUT HE DIED ON THE CROSS, AND HE DIED FOR US,
AND FOR YOU. "BUT GOD WHO IS RICH IN MERCY
FOR HIS GREAT LOVE "WHEREWITH HE LOVED US." AND THE SCRIPTURE HERE
IN THIS PASSAGE THAT JESUS IS TEACHING SAYS
THAT THIS MAN WENT OVER AND BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS
AND POURED IN OIL AND WINE. BUT HE DID SOMETHING ELSE! GOD DOESN'T JUST CONVERT US
AND CHANGE US TONIGHT. BUT HE GOES WITH US,
HE KEEPS US, AND BROUGHT HIM TO THE INN
AND TOOK CARE OF HIM. IN OTHER WORDS, THIS MAN WENT
WITH HIM TO AN INN! PUT HIM ON HIS DONKEY. PETER SAYS WE'RE KEPT
BY THE POWER OF GOD. THIS SAMARITAN HAD
HIS OWN AMBULANCE WITH HIM, THE DONKEY. TOOK HIM TO THE FIRST
GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN HISTORY. AND ON THE MORROW,
WHEN HE DEPARTED, HE TOOK OUT MONEY
AND GAVE IT TO THE INNKEEPER AND SAID UNTO HIM,
"TAKE CARE OF HIM. "AND WHATEVER YOU SPEND, "WHEN I COME BACK
I'LL PAY IT!" WE SANG TONIGHT,
OR LAST NIGHT, THE HOPE OF TOMORROW. "BECAUSE HE LIVES,
I CAN FACE TOMORROW." LOOKING FOR THAT BLESSED HOPE
AND GLORIOUS APPEARING, AND THE GREAT GOD
AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. CHRISTIANITY IS GOOD NEWS! NOT JUST GOOD ADVICE! GOOD NEWS! THAT YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN, THAT YOU CAN HAVE A NEW LIFE, AND THAT YOU CAN MAKE
A COMMITMENT TO SOMEONE WHO WILL LOVE YOU AND
GO WITH YOU FROM HERE TONIGHT, TO HELP YOU CHANGE
YOUR WAY OF LIFE. YOU HAVE A MOMENT
TO DECIDE. TONIGHT IS THE NIGHT
FOR MANY OF YOU. AND IT MAY NEVER COME AGAIN
LIKE IT IS TONIGHT. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "HE THAT BEING OFTEN REPROVED
SHALL SUDDENLY BE CUT OFF "AND THAT WITHOUT REMEDY." THERE COMES A MOMENT
WHEN YOU FACE GOD AS YOU DO TONIGHT, AND YOU FACE THE CROSS
AND YOU MUST DECIDE. AND I ASK YOU TO COME FORWARD
IN THESE MEETINGS AND STAND IN FRONT
OF THE PLATFORM AND SAY SYMBOLICALLY
BY COMING, "I DO INDEED REPENT OF MY SINS
AND RECEIVE CHRIST." YOU SAY, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN
BY REPENTANCE?" THAT WORD "REPENTANCE"
MEANS SIMPLY TO CHANGE. YOU SAY, "GOD, I HAVE SINNED,
I'M SORRY. "I AM WILLING TO CHANGE
MY WAY OF LIFE "IF YOU'LL HELP ME. I'M WILLING TO CHANGE. ARE YOU WILLING TO SAY THAT? AND THEN YOU COME SECONDLY
BY FAITH, AND PUT ALL OF YOUR CONFIDENCE
IN CHRIST ON THE CROSS FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS
AND YOUR SALVATION. AND THEN THIRDLY,
YOU'RE WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM AND YOU'RE WILLING TO
GO BACK HOME AND BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR. ARE YOU WILLING TO
SAY THAT TONIGHT? THAT'S WHAT IT MEANS. IF YOU ARE, YOU CAN GET UP AND COME. NOW WHY DO I ASK YOU TO COME PUBLICLY? BECAUSE HE SAID,
"IF YOU'RE NOT WILLING "TO ACKNOWLEDGE ME PUBLICLY
BEFORE MEN, "I'LL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE YOU
BEFORE MY FATHER, "WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN
INTERESTING TO ME THAT EVERY PERSON THAT JESUS
CALLED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, HE CALLED PUBLICLY. SO I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO
PUBLICLY DO WHAT WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT A THOUSAND PEOPLE
EACH EVENING DO SINCE WE'VE BEEN HERE. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT, RIGHT NOW IN A MOMENT, AND COME AND STAND
IN FRONT OF THE PLATFORM, AND AFTER YOU'VE ALL COME
AND STOOD HERE, I'M GOING TO SAY A WORD TO YOU,
HAVE A PRAYER WITH YOU, GIVE YOU SOME LITERATURE
TO HELP YOU IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE, YOU CAN GO BACK
AND JOIN YOUR FRIENDS. YOU GET UP AND COME
RIGHT NOW. ♪ JUST AS I AM... ♪ AS YOU CAN SEE, MANY HUNDREDS ARE MAKING
THEIR WAY FORWARD TO MAKE DECISIONS
FOR JESUS CHRIST. YOU CAN DO SO, TOO, SIMPLY BY CALLING THE NUMBER
ON YOUR TELEVISION SCREEN. TRAINED COUNSELORS
ARE STANDING BY READY TO TALK WITH YOU. IF THE LINES ARE BUSY, JUST WRITE THE NUMBER DOWN
AND CALL BACK LATER. ♪ TO THEE WHOSE BLOOD
CAN CLEANSE EACH SPOT ♪ ♪ O, LAMB OF GOD,
I COME ♪ ♪ I COME ♪ ♪ YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION CAN SEE HERE
IN THE TACOMA DOME HERE IN THE STATE
OF WASHINGTON, ON A BEAUTIFUL EVENING, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COMING
FROM EVERY PART OF THIS GREAT STADIUM TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST. YOU CAN MAKE THE SAME
COMMITMENT WHERE YOU ARE, JUST PICK UP THE TELEPHONE AND CALL THAT NUMBER
THAT YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. IT'S MY PRAYER THAT YOU WILL. AND BE SURE AND GO TO CHURCH
NEXT SUNDAY. AND GOD BLESS YOU. IF YOU JUST PRAYED THAT PRAYER
WITH MY FATHER, OR IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP
WITH JESUS CHRIST, WHY DON'T YOU CALL
THE NUMBER ON THE SCREEN. THERE WILL BE SOMEONE THERE TO
TALK WITH YOU, PRAY WITH YOU AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. AND REMEMBER,
GOD LOVES YOU! IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COMMIT
YOUR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST, PLEASE CALL US RIGHT NOW,
TOLL FREE AT 1-877-772-4559. THAT'S 1-877-772-4559. OR YOU CAN WRITE TO US AT: BILLY GRAHAM 1 BILLY GRAHAM PARKWAY DEPARTMENT C CHARLOTTE, NC 28201 OR YOU CAN CONTACT US ON THE WEB
24/7 AT PEACEWITHGOD.TV. WE'LL GET THE SAME HELPS TO YOU
THAT WE GIVE TO EVERYONE WHO RESPONDS AT THE INVITATION. ON BEHALF OF
FRANKLIN GRAHAM AND THE BILLY GRAHAM
EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION THANK YOU FOR WATCHING AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS. JESUS CHRIST PROMISED THAT HE IS GOING TO RETURN
TO THE EARTH. AND LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, JESUS CHRIST IS GOING
TO KEEP THAT PROMISE. ARE YOU READY? THE HOPE OF THE COMING OF CHRIST
OUGHT TO MAKE US WALK AS DISCIPLES OF
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. WE ARE TO BE SALT. AND WE ARE TO BE LIGHT
IN THE WORLD AND WE ARE TO WORK
AS THOUGH CHRIST MAY NOT COME
FOR A THOUSAND YEARS. BUT WE ARE TO LIVE AS THOUGH
HE MAY COME TONIGHT. YOU'RE INVITED ON
A JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY. AT THE BILLY GRAHAM LIBRARY. RETRACE BILLY GRAHAM'S PATH FROM HUMBLE FARM BOY TO INTERNATIONAL AMBASSADOR OF GOD'S LOVE, THROUGH MULTI-MEDIA, PHOTOS AND MEMORABILIA. BUT THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT
IS LOVE. TOUR THE RESTORED
GRAHAM FAMILY HOME PLACE, BROWSE RUTH'S ATTIC BOOKSTORE AND HAVE A MEAL AT
THE GRAHAM BROTHERS DAIRY BARN. ENJOY SPECIAL EXHIBITS, EVENTS AND SEASONAL ACTIVITIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. ADMISSION IS FREE SO COME, WALK THIS JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY AT THE BILLY GRAHAM LIBRARY.
