FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. NOW TONIGHT,
I WANT YOU TO TURN WITH ME TO THE 16TH CHAPTER
OF LUKE'S GOSPEL. BEGINNING AT VERSE 19,
THERE'S A STORY THAT JESUS TOLD. "THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN
WHICH WAS CLOTHED "IN PURPLE AND FINE LINEN, "AND FARED SUMPTUOUSLY
EVERY DAY. "AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN BEGGAR
NAMED LAZARUS WHICH WAS LAID "AT HIS GATE FULL OF SORES. "AND DESIRING TO BE FED
WITH THE CRUMBS WHICH FELL "FROM THE RICH MAN'S TABLE. "MOREOVER: THE DOGS CAME
AND LICKED HIS SORES. "AND IT CAME TO PASS,
THAT THE BEGGAR DIED, "AND WAS CARRIED BY THE ANGELS
INTO ABRAHAM'S BOSOM: "THE RICH MAN ALSO DIED
AND WAS BURIED. "AND IN HADES,
HE LIFTED UP HIS EYES, "BEING IN TORMENT
AND SEES ABRAHAM AFAR OFF, "AND LAZARUS IN HIS BOSOM. "AND HE CRIED AND SAID, FATHER
ABRAHAM, HAVE MERCY ON ME. "AND SEND LAZARUS THAT HE MAY
DIP THE TIP OF HIS FINGER "IN WATER AND COOL MY TONGUE, "FOR I AM TORMENTED
IN THIS FLAME. "BUT ABRAHAM SAID,
SON, REMEMBER THAT THOU "IN THY LIFETIME RECEIVEDST
THY GOOD THINGS, "AND LIKEWISE LAZARUS
EVIL THINGS: "BUT NOW HE IS COMFORTED
AND YOU'RE IN TORMENT. "AND BESIDES ALL THIS,
BETWEEN US AND YOU, "THERE IS A GREAT GULF FIXED:
SO THAT THEY WHICH WOULD PASS "FROM THENCE TO YOU CANNOT;
NEITHER CAN THEY PASS TO US, "THAT WOULD COME FROM THENCE." THEN HE SAID, "I PRAY THEE
THEREFORE, FATHER, "THAT THOU WOULDEST SEND HIM
TO MY FATHER'S HOUSE, "FOR I HAVE FIVE BRETHREN
THAT HE MAY TESTIFY UNTO THEM "LEST THEY ALSO COME
INTO THIS PLACE OF TORMENT. "AND ABRAHAM SAITH UNTO HIM,
THEY HAVE MOSES "AND THE PROPHETS,
LET THEM HEAR THEM. "AND HE SAID,
NAY, FATHER ABRAHAM, "THEY WOULD NOT,
BUT IF ONE CAME FROM THE DEAD, "THEY WILL REPENT. "AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,
IF THEY HEAR NOT MOSES "AND THE PROPHETS,
NEITHER WILL THEY BE PERSUADED "EVEN THOUGH ONE ROSE
FROM THE DEAD." WELL, I'M UP HERE TONIGHT,
NOT TO SAY, "GO TO HELL," BUT RATHER "GO TO HEAVEN." AND I'M URGING YOU
NOT TO SAY, "I'LL BE DAMNED," BUT INSTEAD, "I'LL BE SAVED." AND THIS STORY,
THE WORD HELL IS USED, TRANSLATED HELL IN OUR
AUTHORIZED VERSION, THOUGH IT'S ACTUALLY HADES,
BECAUSE HADES WAS IN TWO COMPARTMENTS APPARENTLY: ONE WAS CALLED PARADISE, AND ONE WAS CALLED
THE PLACE OF TORMENT. AND THEY COULD APPARENTLY SEE
ACROSS THE GULF BETWEEN EACH OTHER. AND THE WORD HELL TODAY
IS CONSTANTLY USED AS A SWEAR WORD. YOU HEAR IT ON TELEVISION,
YOU SEE IT IN THE FILMS, YOU SEE IT IN
THE WRITINGS OF PEOPLE, AND YOU HEAR AT WORK,
AND YOU HEAR IT IN SCHOOL. THE UNITED STATES CATHOLIC
MAGAZINE , IN THE MAY ISSUE OF THIS YEAR, 1983, POLLED AMERICANS AND CAME UP
WITH THE FIGURE: 86 PERCENT SAID THEY BELIEVED
IN THE EXISTENCE OF HELL. CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT? 86 PERCENT OF AMERICANS
BELIEVE THERE'S A HELL. YOU CAN NEVER
UNDERSTAND HELL THOUGH, UNTIL FIRST YOU UNDERSTAND
THE GREAT LOVE, MERCY, AND GRACE OF GOD. AND IT SHOULD NEVER BE PREACHED
BY ANY PREACHER WITHOUT TEARS. I'VE HEARD SOME PREACHERS
PREACH ON HELL AS THOUGH THEY WERE GLAD
THERE WAS A HELL, AND GLAD THAT PEOPLE
WERE GOING THERE. BUT, I'M NOT. I DON'T LIKE TO PREACH ON IT. I DO IT ONLY BECAUSE
I'M COMMANDED IN SCRIPTURE TO PREACH THE WORD,
AND IT'S AGAINST THE BACKDROP OF GOD'S LOVE AND MERCY
AND GRACE THAT I MUST PREACH IT. YOU SEE, HELL WAS NOT
MADE FOR MAN. HELL WAS CREATED
FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS. BUT SOME HAVE TAKEN LICENSE
IN IMAGINATION AND DISTORTED THE IDEA
OF FUTURE JUDGMENT. IT CAUSES SOME PEOPLE TO SAY
THAT GOD IS NOT A GOD OF LOVE. AND THEY'VE DISTORTED
THE BIBLICAL CONCEPT OF THE LOVE OF GOD. A LADY SAID SOME TIME AGO, "I HATE THE VERY
THOUGHT OF HELL." SO DO I, AND I ALSO HATE
THE SIN THAT SENDS THEM THERE. I HATE WAR, I HATE THE FACT THAT PEOPLE ARE
STARVING IN THE WORLD. BUT WAR IS A REALITY
IN LEBANON AND PLACES LIKE THAT. AND STARVATION IS A REALITY
IN OUR WORLD UNFORTUNATELY. MY HATING IT DOES NOT
CHANGE THE FACTS. AND HATING TO DIE
DOESN'T CHANGE THE FACT THAT I'M GOING TO DIE. AND PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY
AND SAID, "PREACH THE WORD." AND IF I'M TO BE FAITHFUL
TO MY CALLING AS A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, I MUST INCLUDE IN THAT WORD
WHAT OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TAUGHT ON THE SUBJECT OF HELL. ONE CLERGYMAN SAID
IF HE USED HELL IN THE PULPIT THE PEOPLE WOULD FIRE HIM. WELL, I KNOW THAT
DOWN IN SOUTH CAROLINA I CAME TO A PLACE
SOME YEARS AGO IN WHICH THEY HAD 16
SLOW DOWN SIGNS AND STOP SIGNS BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE HAD BEEN
KILLED AT THAT INTERSECTION. NOW, IS THAT RIGHT
FOR THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA TO PUT THOSE SIGNS UP
AND WARN PEOPLE? IS IT RIGHT FOR ME
TO WARN YOU TONIGHT WHAT JESUS TAUGHT AND
WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES FROM COVER TO COVER? IT IS WRONG FOR A MAN
TO WAVE A LANTERN TO STOP PEOPLE
AT A RAILROAD CROSSING? IS IT WRONG TO WAVE THE FLAG
AND WARN OF COMING JUDGMENT? I REMEMBERYEARS AGO,
WE WERE IN MISSISSIPPI, AND THERE'S
A STRETCH OF HIGHWAY, AND THERE CAME ONE OF THOSE
TERRIBLE TORNADOES. A BRIDGE WAS WASHED OUT
IN THE GUSH OF WATER. AND A MAN GOT OUT AT NIGHT
WHEN HE SAW WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND HE TRIED TO WAVE
THE CARS DOWN WITH HIS WET HANDKERCHIEF
AND A FLASHLIGHT, AND NONE OF THEM WOULD STOP,
AND FIVE OF THEM WENT OVER, AND THE OCCUPANTS OF
THE CARS WERE KILLED. NOW JESUS CURED
A MENTALLY ILL PERSON ONE TIME, THE GADARENE,
AND A DEMON POSSESSED MAN, AND THE PEOPLE ASKED
JESUS TO LEAVE THEM ALONE. AND HE ANSWERED THEIR PRAYERS,
HE LEFT THEM ALONE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO LISTEN
TO THIS SERMON TONIGHT, YOU CAN SAY,
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT, "LEAVE ME ALONE." AND JESUS MAY ANSWER
YOUR PRAYER AND LEAVE YOU ALONE. AND IF YOU'RE LEFT ALONE
BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD, YOU CAN NEVER FIND
FORGIVENESS OF SIN, AND YOU CAN NEVER
ENTER PARADISE. PEOPLE DO NOT WANT TO BE WARNED
OF JUDGMENT AND HELL. AND YOU SAY,
"IT'S NONE OF MY BUSINESS." WELL, SUPPOSE YOU WERE
A DROWNING MAN, AND I HAVE
THE GOSPEL LIFEBOAT. AND I'M NOT GOING TO LET
YOU DROWN IF I CAN HELP IT. YOU'RE A STARVING MAN,
AND I HAVE THE BREAD OF LIFE. I'LL NOT LEAVE YOU
WITHOUT SOME BREAD. YOU'RE A POISONED MAN,
FULL OF THE POISON OF SIN, AND I HAVE CHRIST'S
GOSPEL ANTIDOTE, AND I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU TO DIE,
I WILL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE. YOU'RE IN THE DARK AND LOST, AND I HAVE
THE LIGHT OF THE GOSPEL, AND I'LL NOT LEAVE YOU ALONE. YOU'RE IN BONDAGE
AND I WOULD SPEAK THE TRUTH THAT WOULD BRING YOU
TO LIBERTY. YOU'RE IN SICKNESS
AND I WOULD SPEAK THE TRUTH THAT WOULD BRING YOU
TO HEALTH. YOU'RE ON A BROAD ROAD
THAT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION, AND I SPEAK THE TRUTH
THAT WOULD GET YOU TRANSFERRED TO THE NARROW ROAD
THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL LIFE. YOU'RE ON A WILD, STORMY SEA,
AND I WOULD SPEAK THE TRUTH THAT WOULD BRING YOU
TO THE HARBOR OF SAFETY. SOME PEOPLE SAY
WE'RE NOT REALLY LOST. THE DEVIL SAID THAT TO EVE
IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN. WHEN GOD SAID, "YOU'LL DIE,
YOU'LL DIE IF YOU EAT "OF THAT FRUIT
OF THAT FORBIDDEN TREE," THE DEVIL CAME
AND WHISPERED IN HER EAR THROUGH THE SERPENT AND SAID,
"YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE." NOW, THAT IS CALLED
UNIVERSALISM, IN OTHER WORDS,
EVERYBODY IS SAVED, THEY JUST DON'T KNOW IT,
SOME PEOPLE ARE SAYING. WE HAVE A SUBTLE FORM
OF UNIVERSALISM THAT'S SWEEPING THROUGH
EVEN EVANGELICAL GROUPS TODAY, THAT WE'LL NOT
SURELY DIE, THAT THERE'S
NO SUCH THING AS HELL, BUT I BELIEVE
THERE IS, ACCORDING TO
THE TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE. I THINK IT'S INTUITIVE. I THINK MAN
ALL OVER THE WORLD BELIEVES THAT SOME DAY HE'S GOING TO HAVE TO
GIVE AN ACCOUNT, AND HE'S GOING
TO HAVE TO SUFFER IN SOME WAY FOR THE DISOBEDIENT LIFE
HE LIVED HERE. AND THEN JESUS
CONSTANTLY TAUGHT IT. NOBODY IN SCRIPTURE
TALKED ABOUT HELL MORE THAN JESUS. HE SAID, "WHOSOEVER SHALL SAY
THOU FOOL SHALL BE IN DANGER "OF HELL FIRE." HE SAID IN THE 13TH
OF MATTHEW , "THE SON OF MAN
SHALL SEND FORTH HIS ANGELS "AND THEY SHALL GATHER
OUT OF HIS KINGDOM "ALL THINGS THAT OFFEND
AND THEM WHICH DO INIQUITY, "AND SHALL CAST THEM
INTO A FURNACE, "AND THERE SHALL BE
WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH." MATTHEW 25:41 ,
HE SAYS, "THEN SHALL HE SAY "ALSO UNTO THEM
ON THE LEFT HAND, "DEPART FROM ME YOU CURSED
INTO EVERLASTING FIRE, "PREPARED FOR THE DEVIL
AND HIS ANGELS. "AND IF THY RIGHT HAND
OFFEND THEE, CUT IT OFF. "IT'S BETTER FOR THEE
TO ENTER INTO LIFE MAIMED "THEN HAVING TWO HANDS
AND TO GO TO HELL." HE SAID IT'S BETTER
TO GO THROUGH LIFE WITH JUST ONE EYE,
ONE HAND, ONE LEG, THAN TO GO TO HELL
WITH IT ALL. THE BIBLE TEACHES
THAT THERE ARE AT LEAST THREE KINDS OF HELL: FIRST: THERE IS HELL
IN THE HEART. THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
HERE TONIGHT HAVE HELL IN YOUR HEART,
AND THAT'S WHERE IT ALL BEGINS. MUCH OF THE WORLD ASSUMES
THAT HUMAN NATURE IS GOOD, BUT THE BIBLE TEACHES
THAT IT'S BASICALLY EVIL. BY NATURE, WE ARE SELFISH,
SINFUL, WAYWARD AND LOST. "IN SIN DID MY MOTHER
CONCEIVE ME," SAID DAVID. WE'RE ALL SINNERS,
AND WE WERE BORN IN SIN. AND THEN WHEN WE REACH THE AGE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY, MAYBE SEVEN, EIGHT, OR NINE
OR TEN YEARS OF AGE, WE CHOSE TO SIN. THEN WE BECAME SINNERS
BY PRACTICE, AND WE PRACTICE SIN. EVEN IF WE HAVE COMPUTERS,
WE'RE USING COMPUTERS TODAY FOR FRAUD,
AND ALL SORTS OF THINGS. AND THEN ALL THIS THING
OUT HERE WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING FOR MARIJUANA PLANTS
OUT IN THE FOREST AND EVERYWHERE WHERE PEOPLE
ARE PLANTING THEM. EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, AND WHATEVER INVESTIGATING
COMMITTEE YOU APPOINT, YOU TURN UP SOME SNAKES. BECAUSE HUMAN NATURE'S EVIL, HUMAN NATURE'S BAD. AND THAT'S THE REASON
IT NEEDS REDEMPTION, IT NEEDS TRANSFORMING,
IT NEEDS THE NEW BIRTH, AND THAT'S WHAT
CHRIST CAME TO DO. HELL IN THE HEART. THERE'S THE HELL OF GUILT. A MAN WHO WROTE ME SOME TIME AGO
WHO WAS CHEATING ON HIS WIFE, HE WAS LIVING PART-TIME WITH
ANOTHER WOMAN IN ANOTHER CITY. HE SAID, "I'M ACTUALLY
LIVING IN HELL." HE FOUND HIMSELF CAUGHT,
AND IT WAS HELL. AND THE BIBLE TEACHES
THAT THERE'S A BURNING, DEATH-DEALING HELL
IN THE HUMAN HEART. AND THE VERY PEOPLE SEEM SO
GOOD, WHOLESOME AND SPLENDID, MAY BE CHANGED INTO VICIOUS
KILLERS AND MANIACS OVERNIGHT. I KNOW A WOMAN, A FINE WOMAN,
BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. HER HUSBAND WAS ONE OF
THE LEADERS OF THE COMMUNITY. AND WITHOUT HARDLY ANY
PROVOCATION AT ALL, WHILE HE WAS ASLEEP,
SHE TOOK A PISTOL AND SHOT HIM AND KILLED HIM. SHE'S IN PRISON NOW. AND WE READ ABOUT THAT
EVERY DAY IN THE PAPER. PEOPLE, THEY SAY, THAT
WERE GOOD PEOPLE, FINE PEOPLE ARE DOING ALL SORTS OF THINGS
THAT THEY NEVER DREAMED THAT THEY WOULD BE DOING. SO THERE'S THAT IN THE HEART: GUILT. THEN THERE'S THE HELL
OF UNREST. THE BIBLE STATES THE WICKED
ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. PEOPLE THIS PAST SUMMER,
WE SAW IN EUROPE, WE WERE IN AMSTERDAM
FOR THAT GREAT CONFERENCE ON ITINERATE EVANGELIST, WHICH I THINK WAS ONE
OF THE GREATEST CONFERENCES HELD IN THE HISTORY
OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. YET WE MET MANY OTHER PEOPLE
WHO WERE THERE JUST SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING,
THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT. I SAW AMERICANS,
AND PEOPLE FROM JAPAN AND EVERYWHERE ELSE, RUNNING AS THOUGH THEIR LIFE
DEPENDED ON IT. THEY DIDN'T KNOW
WHERE THEY WERE GOING, OR WHAT THEY WERE DOING,
THEY WERE JUST GOING; TRYING TO FIND
SOME REST AND PEACE. THERE'S THE HELL OF LUST. "SHE THAT LIVETH IN PLEASURE
IS DEAD WHILE SHE LIVETH." SOMEONE ASKED ME
THE OTHER DAY WHAT THE WORD LUST MEANS. I'LL TALK A LITTLE ABOUT IT TOMORROW NIGHT TO YOUNG PEOPLE. BUT LUST MEANS, NOT TO JUST LOOK AT A WOMAN
OR A MAN, AND ADMIRE THEM. IT MEANS THAT IF YOU
HAD THE OPPORTUNITY YOU WOULD COMMIT IMMORALITY. IN OTHER WORDS,
YOU LUST SO MUCH, YOU WOULD GIVE IN
IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE. AND MANY PEOPLE FANTASIZE AND
THEY LUST IN THEIR FANTASIES. AND THEN THERE'S
THE HELL OF HATRED. THIS HELL OF HATRED
HAS ERUPTED INTO WARS AND RIOTS AND
ALL KINDS OF CONFLICTS. HELL HAS BEEN MOVED TO EARTH. AND LASTLY: THERE'S THE HELL
IN THE FUTURE. AND THE FUTURE HELL
IS A PROJECTION OF THE HELL THAT YOU HAVE NOW
IN YOUR HEART, IN YOUR HOME, IN OUR WORLD,
EXCEPT IT GOES ON AND ON. JESUS SPOKE MORE ABOUT HELL
THAN ANY PERSON IN THE BIBLE, AS I SAID A MOMENT AGO, BUT
HE WARNED US TO FLEE FROM IT. IT IS THE VERY FACT OF HELL
THAT MAKES THE LOVE OF GOD SO AMAZING AND SO GLORIOUS. THE FACT THAT IT WAS MADE
FOR THE DEVIL AND HIS ANGELS AND WE LISTENED TO THE DEVIL,
AND FOLLOWED THE DEVIL, AND WE DO WHAT THE DEVIL SAYS. AND YET, GOD LOVES US SO MUCH
THAT HE DEVISED A PLAN TO SAVE US, SO WE'LL NEVER HAVE TO SPEND ONE DAY IN HELL. NOW, WHAT IS
THE NATURE OF HELL? WELL, MANY MYSTERIES
SURROUNDING THIS SUBJECT. ESSENTIALLY AND BASICALLY,
IT IS SEPARATION FROM GOD. WE'RE SEPARATED
FROM GOD BY SIN, AND THAT CONTINUES
OUT INTO ETERNITY. THERE ARE THREE WORDS THAT
JESUS USED TO DESCRIBE HELL: HE USED THE WORD DEATH. YOU SEE, GOD IS LIFE,
AND YOU'RE SEPARATED FROM THE LIFE OF GOD,
YOU'RE DEAD, SPIRITUALLY DEAD, SEPARATED FROM GOD. AND THEN HE USED THE WORD
OUTER DARKNESS. GOD IS LIGHT,
WE'RE SEPARATED FROM THE LIGHT, SO WE LIVE IN DARKNESS. AND THEN HE USES THE WORD FIRE. I'VE OFTEN WONDERED
IF THAT IS A TERRIBLE FIRE WITHIN OUR HEARTS FOR GOD,
FOR FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD THAT CAN NEVER BE QUENCHED. WE'VE REJECTED GOD,
WE'VE TURNED OUR BACK ON GOD. WE CAN NEVER KNOW GOD. IT INDICATES IN THIS STORY
THAT THIS MAN DID NOT HAVE A SECOND CHANCE. IT INDICATES IN THIS STORY
THAT THIS MAN BECAME VERY EVANGELISTIC;
HE WANTED TO REACH HIS BROTHERS. THINK OF IT: HE WAS IN HELL, AND HE WANTED HIS BROTHERS
TO BE REACHED BY SOMEBODY. TO GO TO HIS HOME
AND WARN HIS BROTHERS NOT TO COME HERE. DO ANYTHING,
BUT DON'T COME HERE. AND THOSE PEOPLE
THAT HAVE GONE ON BEFORE, THAT MAY BE SUFFERING
THE PANGS OF HELL NOW OUT IN ETERNITY,
WOULD STAND HERE TONIGHT AND WARN YOU. TURN AWAY! REPENT OF YOUR SINS! RECEIVE CHRIST! BE SURE OF YOUR RELATIONSHIP. DON'T COME TO THIS PLACE. IT'S THE BANISHMENT
FROM THE PRESENCE OF ALL THAT IS JOYOUS AND GOOD
AND RIGHTEOUS AND HAPPY. AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
PREPARE TO MEET THY GOD. YOU KNOW, WE PREPARE
FOR EVERYTHING EXCEPT DEATH. WE PREPARE FOR EDUCATION,
BUSINESS, CAREERS, MARRIAGE, OLD AGE, BUT NOT FOR
THE MOMENT OF JUDGMENT. WE TAKE OUT EVERY KIND OF
INSURANCE THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. AND WE WORRY ABOUT OUR
OLD AGE PENSIONS AND SOCIAL SECURITY
AND ALL THE REST OF IT, BUT DO YOU HAVE ASSURANCE OF
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST? "IT'S APPOINTED UNTO MEN
ONCE TO DIE, "BUT AFTER THAT THE JUDGMENT." DEATH IS AN OCCURRENCE
THAT EACH MAN DEEMS UNNATURAL WHEN RELATED TO HIMSELF. BUT NATURAL
WHEN RELATED TO OTHERS. WE KNOW THE OTHER MAN'S
GOING TO DIE. WE KNOW THAT CANCER'S
GOING TO HIT THE OTHER PERSON. WE KNOW THAT THAT OTHER PERSON
MAY DIE OF A HEART ATTACK, OR BE IN AN AUTOMOBILE CRASH
TOMORROW, BUT NOT ME. AND WE LIVE AS THOUGH
WE'RE GOING TO LIVE LIKE THIS FOREVER,
AND WE'RE NOT. IT'LL ALL BE OVER
IN A SHORT TIME FOR EVERYBODY HERE,
AND YOU'LL BE IN ETERNITY. WHERE WILL YOU BE? BANISHED FROM GOD, OR WITH CHRIST IN PARADISE? THE MAN ON THE CROSS,
THAT WAS DYING WITH JESUS, WAS A TERRIBLE SINNER. HE DESERVED TO BE CRUCIFIED. HE DESERVED THE PUNISHMENT,
ACCORDING TO THE LAW; AND HE SAID HE DESERVED IT. HE TURNED TO JESUS
AND HE SAID, "LORD, REMEMBER ME WHEN YOU
COME INTO YOUR KINGDOM." THAT'S ALL HE SAID--
REMEMBER ME. HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME
TO BE BAPTIZED. HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME
TO JOIN A CHURCH. HE DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO DO
ANYTHING EXCEPT JUST BELIEVE. AND JESUS SAID, "TODAY THOU
SHALL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE. THINK OF IT: THE FIRST PERSON
THAT JESUS TOOK INTO PARADISE WITH HIM
WAS THAT THIEF, THAT MURDERER, THAT MAN THAT DESERVED HELL. BUT ON THE CROSS,
CHRIST WAS DYING FOR PEOPLE LIKE HIM. AND CHRIST WAS DYING
FOR PEOPLE LIKE YOU. THE HARDEST PEOPLE TO REACH
ARE NOT PEOPLE LIKE HIM. THEY KNOW THEY ARE SINNERS. THEY KNOW THEY NEED GOD. IT'S PEOPLE LIKE
SOME OF US HERE TONIGHT: WELL DRESSED, WE GO TO CHURCH, WE HAVE A
LITTLE BIT OF RELIGION, BUT IT'S NOT FIRST
IN OUR LIVES, IT'S NOT THE MAJOR THING
IN OUR LIVES. AND WE HAVE
JUST ENOUGH RELIGION TO KEEP US FROM GETTING A REAL DOSE OF SALVATION
IN CHRIST. YOU'VE BEEN INOCULATED, AND YOU FEEL THAT
YOU DON'T HAVE A SPIRITUAL NEED. WHAT ABOUT THAT PERSON
THAT SAYS THAT THEY'RE HAPPY AND GOT A GOOD INCOME,
A GOOD JOB, A GOOD FAMILY, AND ALL THE REST--
I DON'T NEED GOD. I DON'T NEED CHRIST,
WHAT DO I NEED HIM FOR? YOU'RE GOING TO NEED HIM,
BROTHER AND SISTER, YOU'RE GOING TO NEED HIM
VERY BADLY BEFORE VERY LONG. YOU BETTER COME NOW
WHILE YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME, "NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION." COME WHEN YOU CAN. YOU CAN'T COME TO CHRIST
JUST ANYTIME YOU WANT TO. YOU CAN COME ONLY
WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT HAS CONVICTED YOU,
AND DRAWN YOU, AND WHERE THE WORD OF GOD
HAS BEEN PROCLAIMED. HAVE YOU COME TO CHRIST? YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION. PICK UP THE TELEPHONE
AND CALL THAT NUMBER THAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN. THERE ARE
COUNSELORS STANDING BY TO TALK TO YOU RIGHT NOW. AND IF YOU GET A BUSY SIGNAL,
CALL AGAIN, AND AGAIN, AND AGAIN AND AGAIN. THEY'LL BE THERE
THROUGH THE EVENING TO TALK TO YOU
AND TO HELP YOU. AS I SAID IN THE BEGINNING,
I DON'T LIKE TO SPEAK ON THIS SUBJECT,
BUT IT'S A PART OF THE BIBLE. AND IT'S AN IMPORTANT PART
OF THE TEACHINGS OF JESUS CHRIST. AND I'M NOT SAYING
THESE THINGS MYSELF, I'M ONLY PASSING ON TO YOU
THE TEACHING OF CHRIST, WHAT JESUS TAUGHT. AND I DO IT
WITH A BROKEN HEART. I WISH THERE WERE
NO SUCH THING AS HELL, BUT THERE IS. I WISH THERE WERE
NO SUCH THING AS SIN, BUT THERE IS. I WISH THERE WERE
NO SUCH THING AS MURDERS, AND WARS, AND ALL THAT,
BUT THERE IS. AND THERE IS A HELL. BUT THANK GOD,
THERE'S A HEAVEN. THERE'S A PARADISE, AND THAT'S WHERE
JESUS IS. AND I WANT
TO TELL YOU TONIGHT, I KNOW THAT I'M GOING. THE MOMENT YOU READ
IN THE PAPER THAT BILLY GRAHAM IS DEAD, YOU'LL KNOW
THAT HE'S MORE ALIVE THAN HE'S EVER BEEN BEFORE,
AND I'M IN PARADISE, AND I'M LOOKING
FORWARD TO IT. [applause] AND THOUSANDS OF YOU
HERE TONIGHT CAN SAY THE SAME THING, BUT OTHER THOUSANDS
CANNOT. YOU CAN'T SAY IT
WITH ASSURANCE, YOU'RE NOT CERTAIN. WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO BE SURE
WHEN YOU LEAVE HERE TONIGHT THAT YOU'RE
ON YOUR WAY TO HEAVEN, YOU'RE ON YOUR WAY
TO PARADISE WITH CHRIST? YOU CAN BE SURE. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"THESE THINGS I WRITE UNTO YOU "THAT BELIEVE ON THE NAME
OF THE SON OF GOD, "THAT YE MAY KNOW
THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." PAUL SAID, "I AM PERSUADED
THAT HE CAN KEEP "ALL THOSE THINGS I'VE
COMMITTED UNTO HIM "AGAINST THAT DAY." I KNOW. YOU CAN KNOW. YOU SAY, "WELL BILLY, "WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO?" ALL RIGHT, YOU'D HAVE TO DO
THREE THINGS: FIRST, YOU MUST
REPENT OF YOUR SINS. REPENT MEANS TO CHANGE. CHANGE YOUR MIND,
CHANGE YOUR WAY OF LIVING. LET CHRIST COME
AND HELP YOU CHANGE. HE'LL HELP YOU
DO THE CHANGING, YOU CAN'T CHANGE BY YOURSELF,
YOU'RE TOO WEAK. BUT IF YOU'LL SAY,
"LORD, I'M WILLING," HE'LL HELP YOU. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS,
BY FAITH RECEIVE CHRIST WHO DIED FOR YOU
AND ROSE AGAIN. BY FAITH--
YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT ALL. BUT YOU COME BY FAITH
AND YOU TRUST AND YOU PUT YOUR TOTAL
CONFIDENCE IN HIM AND HIM ALONE. AND THEN THIRDLY:
YOU OBEY HIM, AND FOLLOW HIM, AND SERVE HIM,
AND WORK FOR HIM, AND DO ALL THE GOOD WORKS
THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN FOR HIS SAKE,
IN HIS NAME. HELPING YOUR NEIGHBOR,
LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR. "BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW
THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES "IN THAT YOU HAVE LOVE
ONE TO ANOTHER." ARE YOU WILLING
TO DO THAT TONIGHT? I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE DO HERE AT EACH SERVICE
SINCE WE'VE BEEN IN SACRAMENTO. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT AND COME AND STAND
IN FRONT OF THE PLATFORM, AND SAY BY COMING, "I DO WANT TO KNOW
THAT I'M GOING TO HEAVEN. "I DO WANT TO KNOW
MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN. "I DO WANT TO KNOW
THAT I'M READY TO MEET GOD." IF YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS OR RELATIVES, THEY'LL WAIT. YOU COME AND STAND HERE AND AFTER YOU'VE COME I'M GOING TO SAY A WORD TO YOU, AND HAVE A PRAYER WITH YOU, GIVE YOU SOME LITERATURE, AND YOU CAN GO BACK AND JOIN YOUR FRIENDS. SIMPLE. BUT EVERY PERSON THAT JESUS CALLED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT, HE CALLED IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE, HE CALLED PUBLICLY. THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT COMING FORWARD OPENLY AND PUBLICLY THAT HELPS SETTLE IT. YOU MAY BE A LEADER IN YOUR CHURCH, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE. SOME TIME AGO, WE HAD A BISHOP THAT CAME FORWARD, PUBLICLY. HE SAID,
"I JUST WANTED TO BE SURE." YOU NEED TO MAKE SURE TONIGHT. YOU COME. OR MAYBE YOU'VE
NEVER RECEIVED CHRIST BEFORE. COME AND SETTLE IT TONIGHT. YOU CAN DO IT, RIGHT NOW. QUICKLY, JUST GET UP
OUT OF YOUR SEAT. HUNDREDS OF YOU
FROM ALL OVER. YOU MAY BE IN THE CHOIR. UP IN THAT
UPPER STAND UP THERE, IT TAKES ABOUT
TWO MINUTES TO COME, SO GET UP AND COME. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON YOU ♪ ♪ JUST AS I AM
WITHOUT ONE PLEA ♪ ♪ BUT THAT THY BLOOD
WAS SHED FOR ME... ♪ WHILE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
HERE IN SACRAMENTO ARE MAKING THEIR
COMMITMENT TO JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN DO THE SAME
WHEREVER YOU ARE, RIGHT NOW. CALL THE NUMBER
ON YOUR SCREEN, AND TRAINED COUNSELORS
ARE WAITING TO TALK WITH YOU. IF THE NUMBER IS BUSY
WRITE IT DOWN AND CALL LATER. THIS COULD BE
THE MOST IMPORTANT CALL OF YOUR LIFE. SO, CALL RIGHT NOW. AS YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION CAN SEE THAT HERE IN
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
ARE COMING TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST TONIGHT, AND TO MAKE SURE OF
THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. YOU MAKE THAT SAME COMMITMENT
WHERE YOU ARE. PICK UP THE TELEPHONE
AND CALL. GOOD NIGHT,
AND GOD BLESS YOU. ♪ ♪ JUST AS I AM... ♪ (Cliff Barrows)
AS MR. GRAHAM HAS MENTIONED THERE'S STILL TIME TO CALL
THE NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN. THIS IS YOUR OPPORTUNITY FOR
SPIRITUAL HELP AND COUNSELING. IF THE LINE IS BUSY, WAIT
A FEW MOMENTS AND CALL LATER AND WE'LL BE THERE AS LONG AS
THE CALLS KEEP COMING IN. 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. (Franklin Graham)
WE STILL HAVE
A WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO REACH A LOST
AND DYING WORLD WITH THE TRUTH OF
GOD'S LOVE. IT'S NOT TOO LATE. WE'VE GOT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL OTHERS
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO
WITH IT?
