FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. [applause] THIS IS A WONDERFUL PLACE,
I'LL TELL YOU. WE'VE BEEN HERE
THREE OR FOUR DAYS, AND WE'VE FALLEN IN LOVE
ALL OVER AGAIN WITH PITTSBURGH AND THIS AREA. NOW I WANT US
TO OPEN OUR BIBLES, IF YOU HAVE A BIBLE. AND IF YOU DON'T HAVE A BIBLE BRING ONE WITH YOU EVERY NIGHT, BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO SEE
WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY, ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THAT
WE FACE IN OUR WORLD AND IN OUR CITY
AND IN OUR COMMUNITIES. IN THE THIRD CHAPTER OF JOHN AND THE 16TH VERSE, IS THE MOST FAMILIAR PASSAGE
IN ALL THE BIBLE. IT'S ONLY 25 WORDS. BUT SOMEONE HAS CALLED IT,
THE BIBLE IN A NUTSHELL. IT'S THE GOSPEL
IN MINIATURE. JOHN 3:16. I WAS A BOY, AND EVERY
SATURDAY NIGHT MY MOTHER ALWAYS GAVE US A BATH
IN A GREAT BIG TIN TUB. AND I REMEMBER HER SAYING, I WANT TO TEACH YOU SOMETHING
OUT OF THE BIBLE. AND SHE TAUGHT US JOHN 3:16. I NEVER FORGOT IT. AND OTHER VERSES AS WELL, THAT MY MOTHER
IN HER FAITHFULNESS, OUT ON THE FARM,
IN NORTH CAROLINA, TAUGHT HER CHILDREN. AND I'M SURE THAT YOU
HAD PARENTS LIKE THAT AS WELL THAT PROBABLY TAUGHT YOU
SOME PASSAGES IN THE BIBLE. SO WE TURN TONIGHT
TO THE THIRD CHAPTER OF JOHN. JESUS HAS BEEN TALKING
TO NICODEMUS, WHO WAS A GREAT
RELIGIOUS LEADER. AND JESUS HAD SAID,
YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN, IF YOU ARE TO ENTER
THE KINGDOM OF GOD. AND THEN,
THE FAMOUS PASSAGE, "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD "THAT HE GAVE
HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, "THAT WHOSOEVER
BELIEVETH IN HIM "SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE
EVERLASTING LIFE." I WANT US ALL
TO SAY IT TOGETHER. "FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD "THAT HE GAVE
HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, "THAT WHOSOEVER
BELIEVETH IN HIM "SHOULD NOT PERISH BUT HAVE
EVERLASTING LIFE." MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TODAY
ARE DEPRESSED, DISCOURAGED, AROUND THE WORLD. I JUST READ ABOUT A POLITICIAN
IN SOUTH AMERICA, WHO WAS CRYING,
AND HE SAID, THE BOTTOM HAS DROPPED OUT
OF MY WORLD. SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE BECOME
SUICIDAL, AND SUICIDE IS THE THIRD
GREATEST CAUSE OF DEATH IN THE UNITED STATES TODAY. BUT THIS SCRIPTURE SAYS,
"FOR GOD..." IS THERE HOPE AT THIS HOUR-- AT THIS HOUR THAT HAS BEEN
CALLED DANGEROUS-- AND EVEN SOME PEOPLE SAID
DESPERATE. IS THERE HOPE? YES. THERE'S HOPE BECAUSE
THERE IS GOD. NOW, IT SAYS IN THIS PASSAGE,
"FOR GOD..." AND MANY PEOPLE ASK ME, "CAN YOU PROVE THAT
THERE IS A GOD?" I SAID, NO, YOU CANNOT PROVE
GOD IN A TEST TUBE IN A LABORATORY ANYWHERE, AND SAY I'VE GOT GOD IN
A MATHEMATICAL FORMULA. HELEN KELLER,
AS YOU REMEMBER, WAS BLIND AND DEAF AND DUMB. NO ONE HAD EVER BEEN ABLE
TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER. AND FINALLY, WHEN THEY DID
COMMUNICATE WITH HER, THEY MENTIONED THE WORD GOD,
AND SHE COMMUNICATED BACK AND SAID, "I'VE KNOWN HIM,
BUT I DIDN'T KNOW HIS NAME." THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT
GOD IS THE CREATOR OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. HE IS FROM EVERLASTING,
TO EVERLASTING. "IN THE BEGINNING, "GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND
THE EARTH." ALL OF THAT IS CREATED
BY GOD. "BY THE WORD OF THE LORD
WERE ALL THE HEAVENS MADE "AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM BY
THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH." THINK OF IT,
THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH... HE CREATED ALL
THOSE STARS, AND PLANETS, AND WORLDS THAT WE SEE,
THROUGH TELESCOPES, AND WE SEE ON
OUR TELEVISION, AS THE ASTRONAUTS FLASH
THEIR PICTURES BACK HERE. ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST
DISTINGUISHED SCIENTISTS, AFTER WORKING FOR YEARS
ON THE THEORIES OF COSMIC BEGINNINGS, CAME TO THE BELIEF THAT
THERE WAS A GOD. YES, BACK OF THIS WHOLE
UNIVERSE IS ALMIGHTY GOD. AND WE'RE HERE THIS WEEK
TO TALK ABOUT GOD. AND TO TALK ABOUT WHAT
HE CAN DO IN OUR LIVES, AND OUR COMMUNITY,
AND CHANGE US. BECAUSE HE'S ALSO
A GOD OF LOVE NOW THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT
GOD IS NOT ONLY THE CREATOR, BUT GOD IS A SPIRIT. GOD IS A SPIRIT AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST
WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT, SAID JESUS TO THE WOMAN AT
THE WELL. HE'S ALSO UNCHANGING. "I AM THE LORD,
I CHANGE NOT." THINK OF IT-- ALL THESE CENTURIES,
ALL THESE MILLENNIUMS. THERE IS NO VARIABLENESS, NEITHER SHADOW OF TURNING
WITH HIM. HE IS JUST THE SAME AS
HE WAS A MILLION YEARS AGO. HE'S JUST THE SAME AS HE'LL BE
A MILLION YEARS FROM TONIGHT. GOD NEVER CHANGES. THE BIBLE ALSO TEACHES
THAT GOD IS HOLY. HE'S ABSOLUTELY PURE. "YE SHALL BE HOLY FOR
I THE LORD GOD AM HOLY," THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
IN LEVITICUS 19:2. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "THE LORD IS RIGHTEOUS IN
ALL HIS WAYS, "AND HOLY IN ALL OF HIS WORKS,"
PSALM 145:17. AND THEN THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
IN HABAKKUK 1:13, THAT "THOU ART OF PURER EYES
THAN TO BEHOLD EVIL, "AND CANST NOT LOOK ON
INIQUITY." THE BIBLE ALSO TEACHES THAT
GOD IS NOT ONLY THE CREATOR, AND GOD IS NOT ONLY HOLY, BUT HE'S A GOD OF JUDGMENT. THE BIBLE SAYS, "IT IS
APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, "AND AFTER THAT THE JUDGMENT." IN OTHER WORDS,
YOU'RE GOING TO DIE, AND THAT'S A JUDGMENT, TOO. BUT YOU'RE ALSO GOING TO FACE
THE GREAT JUDGMENT DAY, IN WHICH GOD IS GOING TO BRING
THE WHOLE WORLD TOGETHER THAT HAS REJECTED HIM. AND WE'RE GOING TO BE JUDGED
INDIVIDUALLY. AND GOD IS GOING
TO JUDGE US. HE'S APPOINTED A DAY,
IN ACTS 17:31. HE'S APPOINTED A DAY IN WHICH
HE WILL JUDGE THE WORLD. SO WHEN WE DIE,
WE'RE GOING TO THE JUDGMENT. BUT THE BIBLE ALSO SAYS THAT
GOD IS A GOD OF LOVE. THE BIBLE SAYS IN I JOHN 4:8,
GOD IS LOVE. NOW THE WORD THAT IS USED
THERE FOR LOVE IS DIFFERENT THAN OUR WORD
THAT WE USE OFTEN. IT'S AGAPE. IT MEANS A DEEP LOVE THAT
WE KNOW NOTHING ABOUT UNTIL WE KNOW GOD. "YEA, I HAVE LOVED THEE
WITH AN EVERLASTING LOVE," JEREMIAH SAYS. A POPULAR SONG
A FEW YEARS AGO WAS, I CAN'T LIVE IN A WORLD
WITHOUT LOVE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. GOD LOVES YOU. WHOEVER YOU ARE,
WHATEVER YOUR BACKGROUND, WHATEVER YOU'VE DONE,
GOD LOVES YOU. AND IF THERE'S ONE THING
I WANT YOU TO REMEMBER AFTER THIS CRUSADE IS OVER, IF YOU FORGET EVERYTHING ELSE, YOU REMEMBER THAT
GOD LOVES YOU. HE HAS THE HAIRS OF
YOUR HEAD NUMBERED. HE'S INTERESTED IN YOU,
AND HE LOVES YOU, AND HE WANTS TO
FORGIVE YOUR SINS. HE WANTS TO SAVE YOU, HE WANTS TO TAKE YOU
TO HEAVEN. AND THAT'S WHAT THIS CRUSADE,
IN A SENSE, IS ALL ABOUT. GOD IS LOVE. NOW, WHY DID GOD CREATE YOU,
AND CREATE ME? CREATE THE HUMAN RACE? HAVE YOU EVER
THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? CERTAINLY YOU HAVE. ALL OF US HAVE. GOD CREATED US BECAUSE
HE'S A GOD OF LOVE, AND HE WANTED SOME OTHER
CREATURES IN THE UNIVERSE THAT COULD RETURN LOVE TO HIM
ON THEIR OWN CHOICE. HE DIDN'T MAKE US ROBOTS,
WE WOULD HAVE TO LOVE HIM. HE DIDN'T GIVE ORDERS THAT
WE WOULD HAVE TO LOVE HIM, LIKE SOME DICTATORS DO,
SOMETIMES. GOD CREATED MAN
IN A GARDEN CALLED EDEN, IN A COUNTRY THAT
WE CALL TODAY IRAQ. AND IT'S THERE THAT WE BELIEVE
THE GARDEN OF EDEN WAS, BETWEEN THE TIGRIS
AND THE EUPHRATES RIVER. AND GOD SAID TO MAN,
YOU ARE MADE IN MY IMAGE. YOU HAVE
THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO
FOLLOW ME AND SERVE ME, OR WHETHER YOU WANT TO
REJECT ME AND DISOBEY ME. NOW HE SAID,
I'M GOING TO TEST YOU. YOU CAN HAVE EVERY FRUIT
IN THE GARDEN, EVERYTHING IS YOURS, BUT THERE'S ONE TREE THAT
YOU'RE NOT TO EAT OF. THAT'S THE TREE OF
THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. "THOU SHALL NOT EAT OF IT, "FOR IN THE DAY THAT YOU EAT IT,
YOU SHALL SUFFER AND DIE." NOW MAN STOOD BEFORE THAT TREE,
AND WAS TEMPTED. THINK OF IT...
I COULD BE LIKE GOD. I COULD BE AS WISE AS GOD. THAT WAS WHAT THE DEVIL WAS
WHISPERING IN HIS EAR. WHERE ALL THAT HAPPENED, I DON'T HAVE TIME TO
EXPLAIN IT ALL NOW. AND I DON'T KNOW IT ALL, BECAUSE THERE'S A MYSTERY
TO IT ALL. BUT WHAT IS THE BASIC CAUSE
OF WAR AND CRIME AND DIVORCE AND DECEIT
AND RAPE AND FRAUD AND HOSPITALS AND JAILS
AND BARS ON THE WINDOWS? WHY DO WE HAVE TO
HAVE POLICE FORCES, AND ALL THE INJUSTICE THAT
WE HAVE IN THE WORLD TODAY? ALL THE RACIAL TENSIONS-- AFTER ALL THESE YEARS,
WE STILL HAVE THEM. WHY? WHY DO WE HAVE RIOTS? AND WHY DO WE HAVE PEOPLE
SO UNHAPPY EVERYWHERE? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
WITH HUMAN NATURE. WE HAVE TO COME TO THE BIBLE
TO FIND OUT WHAT IS. PEOPLE USED TO LOOK TO SCIENCE
TO SAVE THEM. NOW THEY ARE AFRAID SCIENCE IS
GOING TO DESTROY THEM. MAN HAS A TERMINAL DISEASE. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,
IN II THESSALONIANS 2:17, "THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY
DOES ALREADY WORK." I JOHN 3:4 SAYS, "SIN IS THE TRANSGRESSION
OF THE LAW." WHAT LAW? THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. THE LAW OF CONSCIENCE. HAVE YOU GONE AGAINST
YOUR CONSCIENCE? ALL OF US HAVE. AND SOME OF US HAVE
KILLED OUR CONSCIENCE. SOME OF US HAVE CONSCIENCES
THAT CAN NO LONGER SPEAK TO US AND WARN US WHEN WE DO WRONG, BECAUSE THEY'RE HARDENED
AND DEADENED. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
IN ISAIAH 53, WE'RE LIKE SHEEP THAT
HAVE GONE ASTRAY. WE'VE TURNED EVERY ONE
TO HIS OWN WAY. WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO GOD
TO LEAD US AND DIRECT US AND GUIDE US. WE'RE DOING IT OURSELVES. WE MAKE OUR OWN CHOICES, AND WE PAY THE PRICE
OF THOSE CHOICES. OUR PROBLEMS ARE NOT
ALTOGETHER SOCIAL. OUR PROBLEMS ARE NOT A LACK
OF EDUCATION ONLY. OUR PROBLEMS ARE DEEPER. THEY GO TO THE HUMAN HEART. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"FOR THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH, "BUT THE GIFT OF GOD
IS ETERNAL LIFE, "THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
OUR LORD." YOU SEE, WE'RE ALIENATED
FROM GOD. WHEN MAN SINNED AGAINST GOD, AND YOU AND I ARE SINNERS
BY BIRTH. DAVID SAID, "IN SIN DID
MY MOTHER CONCEIVE ME." THINK OF IT. FROM THE MOMENT OF CONCEPTION,
THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG. AND THEN,
WE'RE SINNERS BY NATURE. WE'RE SINNERS BY CHOICE. THERE COMES A TIME WHEN YOU REACH THE AGE OF
EIGHT, TEN, ELEVEN-- WHATEVER IS THE AGE
OF ACCOUNTABILITY-- AND YOU MAKE
A DELIBERATE CHOICE, TO TELL A LIE,
TO DO SOMETHING BAD. AND YOU HAVE CHOSEN
TO SIN AGAINST GOD. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
ALL HAVE SINNED. THAT INCLUDES YOU AND ME
AND EVERYONE. WE'RE ALL GUILTY OF
BREAKING GOD'S LAW. AND WE ARE UNDER
THE SENTENCE OF DEATH. AS MY FRIEND GRADY WILSON
USED TO SAY, WHEN HE WAS PREACHING
SOMETIMES, HE WOULD SAY, YOUR CASKET
MAY ALREADY BE IN TOWN. [laughter] NOW THE BIBLE SAYS
THERE'S SEVERAL KINDS OF DEATH, THREE KINDS OF DEATH. THERE'S NATURAL DEATH. AND THERE'S SPIRITUAL DEATH. SPIRITUAL DEATH IS THAT
LIVING INSIDE OF YOU IS YOUR SPIRIT,
YOUR SOUL. THAT PART OF YOU IS MADE
IN THE IMAGE OF GOD. AND THAT'S THE PART OF YOU
THAT LIVES FOREVER. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS THAT YOU
CAN BE SPIRITUALLY DEAD. THAT'S THE PART OF YOU THAT
HAS THE ABILITY TO KNOW GOD, TO CONTACT GOD. TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD. BUT SIN HAS COME
BETWEEN YOU AND GOD. AND SO WE WALK AROUND,
PHYSICALLY ALIVE, BUT SPIRITUALLY DEAD. THAT'S THE REASON SO MANY
PEOPLE TURN TO DRUGS AND ALCOHOL
AND EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIRS, AND ALL THE REST OF IT. BECAUSE THEY'RE
SEPARATED FROM GOD. THEY'RE SEARCHING
FOR SOMETHING. THEN THERE'S
A THIRD KIND OF DEATH. IT'S ETERNAL DEATH. SOME OF THE WORDS IN THE NEW
TESTAMENT USED BY CHRIST TO DESCRIBE
THE PENALTY OF SIN ARE: LOST, PERISH, CONDEMNED, PUNISHMENT, FIRE,
TORMENT, HELL. AND YOU ASK ME,
YOU SAY, WELL, BILLY, DO YOU REALLY
BELIEVE THERE'S A HELL? YES, I BELIEVE THERE'S
A HELL IN THIS LIFE, AND I BELIEVE THERE'S A HELL
IN THE LIFE TO COME. HELL IS SEPARATION FROM GOD. AND IF YOU CONTINUE TO BE
SEPARATED FROM GOD, YOU GO OUT INTO ETERNITY, AND YOU WILL BE
SEPARATED FROM GOD STILL. SEARCHING FOR AN ANSWER, FOR FULFILLMENT AND
SATISFACTION. BUT YOU WON'T FIND IT. YOU CAN FIND IT,
HERE AND NOW, IN CHRIST, BUT IT WILL BE TOO LATE THEN. THE MOMENT YOU DIE,
THAT'S IT. AND YOU HAVE ETERNITY
AHEAD OF YOU, WITHOUT HOPE. NOW GOD DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT OUR CONDITION. SO WHAT DID GOD DO? HE DECIDED TO COME TO EARTH. AND THAT'S WHO
JESUS CHRIST WAS. HE WAS GOD IN THE FLESH. AND HE CAME TO TELL US THAT GOD LOVES US. AND GOD WANTS TO HELP US IN OUR PROBLEMS, IN OUR DIFFICULTIES, IN THE MYSTERIES OF LIFE. HE WANTS TO HELP SOLVE THOSE THINGS FOR US. SO "GOD GAVE "HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, "THAT WHOSOEVER "BELIEVETH IN HIM, "SHOULD NOT PERISH, "BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE." AND JESUS CHRIST CAME TO DIE. THAT'S THE REASON HE CAME. TO SHOW US A NEW WAY OF LIFE. TO TEACH US SOME FANTASTIC THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PUT INTO PRACTICE EVERY DAY IN OUR DAILY LIVES. BUT PRIMARILY, TO DIE. BECAUSE THE APOSTLE PAUL SAID, "GOD FORBID THAT I SHOULD GLORY "SAVE IN THE CROSS." AND ON ALL THE CHURCHES AROUND HERE I SEE CROSSES, BECAUSE THE CROSS IS THE PIVOTAL POINT OF CHRISTIANITY. YOU HAVE TO COME TO THE CROSS. "THE LORD HATH LAID ON HIM "THE INIQUITY OF US ALL." THINK OF IT. WHEN HE DIED ON THAT CROSS AND THEY WERE PUTTING THOSE NAILS IN HIS HANDS, AND THE CROWN OF THORNS ON HIS BROW, AND A SPEAR IN HIS SIDE, HE WAS DYING IN YOUR PLACE AND MINE. BECAUSE HE NOT ONLY DIED PHYSICALLY, HE DIED SPIRITUALLY. HE TOOK THE SINS. HE BECAME SIN FOR US. HE DIDN'T KNOW ANY SIN. HE'D NEVER COMMITTED A SIN. BUT HE BECAME SIN FOR YOU AND FOR ME. AND HE PAID THE PENALTY. GOD SAYS YOU'RE LOST. GOD SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO HELL. BUT JESUS TOOK THE HELL AND THE LOSTNESS, AND THE SUFFERING AND THE PENALTY FOR US ON THAT CROSS. AND WHEN HE SAID, "MY GOD, MY GOD,
WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?" IN THAT TERRIBLE AND AWFUL
AND MYSTERIOUS MOMENT, GOD LAID ON HIM YOUR SIN,
AND MY SIN. AND HE HAD THE CAPACITY
TO BEAR HELL FOR US, IN THAT MOMENT ON THE CROSS. BUT HE DIDN'T STAY
ON THE CROSS. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
THEY BURIED HIM, BUT ON THE THIRD DAY
HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, AND HE IS A LIVING
CHRIST TONIGHT. THE ANGELS THAT WERE SITTING
IN THE TOMB, WHEN THE WOMEN AND
THE DISCIPLES WENT ON THAT FIRST
EASTER MORNING, HEARD THIS MESSAGE: "HE IS NOT HERE,
FOR HE HAS RISEN AS HE SAID." HE'S ALIVE. I DON'T PRESENT TO YOU TONIGHT
A DEAD CHRIST. I PRESENT TO YOU
A LIVING CHRIST, WHO IS ALIVE RIGHT NOW AT THE RIGHT HAND OF
GOD THE FATHER. [applause] AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH
THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, "AND BELIEVE IN THINE HEART "THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM
FROM THE DEAD, "THOU SHALT BE SAVED." THE RESURRECTION IS A PART
OF OUR CONFESSION OF FAITH, WHEN WE COME TO CHRIST. I REMEMBER THE FIRST TIME
I MADE A PREACHING TOUR IN THE SOVIET UNION, WHILE COMMUNISM WAS
STILL REIGNING, A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. AND THERE WAS
AN ORTHODOX PRIEST WHO WENT WITH ME EVERYWHERE. HE SAT BY MY SIDE AND
HE EXPLAINED ORTHODOXY TO ME. HIS NAME IS FATHER SOROKIN. HE'S NOW THE DEAN OF THE THEOLOGICAL SCHOOL IN
ST. PETERSBURG AND DEAN OF THE GREAT CATHEDRAL IN
ST. PETERSBURG. AND I SAID TO HIM,
HIS FIRST NAME IS VLADIMIR, I SAID, "VLADIMIR, YOU'VE HEARD ME
PREACH NOW THESE WEEKS. "YOU'VE HEARD ALL THAT
I'VE HAD TO SAY." I SAID, "DO YOU HAVE
ANY SUGGESTIONS?" HE SAID, "WELL, I BELIEVE
YOUR MESSAGE. "I ACCEPT YOUR MESSAGE. "BUT THERE'S ONE THING
I'D LIKE YOU TO "EMPHASIZE MORE THAN YOU DO." I SAID, "WHAT IS THAT?" HE SAID, "THE RESURRECTION." HE SAID,
"WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION, "THE CROSS DOESN'T MEAN
ANYTHING." I NEVER FORGOT THAT LESSON
THAT I LEARNED IN RUSSIA WHEN THE COMMUNISTS
WERE REIGNING SUPREME, THAT A LITTLE PRIEST
WOULD TELL ME THAT I NEEDED TO EMPHASIZE
THE RESURRECTION MORE. AND I AM DELIGHTED
YOU APPLAUDED WHEN I TALKED ABOUT
THE RESURRECTION, BECAUSE WITHOUT
THE RESURRECTION, THERE IS NO MEANING IN
WHAT I'M HAVING TO SAY. BECAUSE CHRIST IS ALIVE AND
YOU'RE GOING TO BE ALIVE. BECAUSE HE IS GOING
TO RAISE YOU FROM THE DEAD AND YOU ARE GOING TO JOIN HIM
IN ETERNITY. [applause] NOW WHAT DOES GOD
REQUIRE OF YOU? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR SINS
ARE FORGIVEN? TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT
YOU KNOW CHRIST. OH, I KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT
HAVE BEEN BAPTIZED, YOU MIGHT HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED. YOU MIGHT HAVE LIVED
A GOOD LIFE AND TRIED TO LIVE BY
THE GOLDEN RULE. BUT YOU'VE SOMEHOW FAILED, AND YOU HAVE A DOUBT
IN YOUR HEART. I HAD A BISHOP
ASK TO SEE ME ONE TIME. I WENT TO SEE HIM. AND HE TOOK ME INTO
THE QUIETNESS OF HIS STUDY AND HE SAID, "I HAVE SOMETHING
TO CONFESS TO YOU. "I HAVE MY MASTER'S DEGREE
FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY. "I'M A BISHOP
IN THIS CHURCH. "BUT," HE SAID, "I'M NOT SURE
THAT I REALLY KNOW CHRIST. "I'M NOT SURE THAT "I'VE EVER OPENED MY HEART
TO HIM PERSONALLY. "I HAVE IT IN MY HEAD "BUT I'M NOT SURE
THAT I HAVE IT IN MY HEART. "I WANT TO BE SURE. "DO YOU THINK
IT'S TOO LATE FOR ME? "DO YOU THINK GOD WILL
FORGIVE ME "FOR THESE YEARS
OF HYPOCRISY?" I SAID, "OF COURSE,
HE'LL FORGIVE YOU." WE GOT ON OUR KNEES, AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED HIS SIN
BEFORE GOD. AND HE GOT UP AND
HIS FACE WAS SHINING, AND THE TEARS WERE
COMING DOWN HIS CHEEKS. HE HAD MADE HIS COMMITMENT
TO CHRIST. YOU MAY BE LIKE THAT. YOU MAY BE THE FINEST PERSON
IN THE COMMUNITY, BUT DEEP DOWN IN YOUR HEART
YOU'RE NOT CERTAIN. YOU'RE NOT SURE
HOW YOU STAND BEFORE GOD. WELL, WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO? THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THE FIRST SERMON THAT JESUS
EVER PREACHED WAS REPENT. HAVE YOU REPENTED? ARE YOU SURE THAT
YOU'VE REPENTED? YOU SAY, WELL, I DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT REPENTANCE IS. REPENTANCE MEANS THAT YOU
SAY TO GOD, I HAVE SINNED. I'M SORRY THAT
I HAVE SINNED. I'M WILLING TO CHANGE
MY WAY OF LIFE. I'LL CHANGE MY MIND. I'LL LET YOU TAKE OVER, LORD,
FOR NOW ON. SOMEONE SAID REPENTANCE
IS BEING SORRY ENOUGH TO QUIT. "REPENT YE THEREFORE AND BE
CONVERTED THAT YOUR SINS "MAY BE BLOTTED OUT,"
SAID PETER AT PENTECOST. AND THEN THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,
IN ACTS 17, "GOD COMMANDS ALL MEN
EVERYWHERE TO REPENT." NOW IT MEANS TO TURN AROUND, AND GO IN THE OPPOSITE
DIRECTION. IT MEANS TO CHANGE
YOUR WAY OF LIVING. ARE YOU WILLING TO DO THAT? THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
YOU HAVE TO REPENT. IT'S LIKE A PERSON IN
THE MILITARY, WHO'S MARCHING, AND RECEIVES THE COMMAND,
TO THE REAR, MARCH. AND WITHOUT BREAKING STRIDE,
HE PIVOTS 180 DEGREES, AND BEGINS MARCHING IN
THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. GOD COMMANDS ALL MEN
EVERYWHERE TO REPENT. AND THEN THE SECOND THING IS
BY FAITH YOU RECEIVE HIM. YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND IT ALL. OF COURSE, THERE IS SO MUCH
YOU WILL NEVER UNDERSTAND. I STUDY THE BIBLE EVERY DAY AND THERE ARE GREAT THINGS IN THERE
THAT I DON'T UNDERSTAND. BUT THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "WITHOUT FAITH,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM." BY FAITH I RECEIVE CHRIST
AS MY LORD AND MY SAVIOR. "HE THAT COMETH TO GOD
MUST BELIEVE THAT HE IS." "BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, "TO THEM GAVE HE POWER TO
BECOME THE SONS OF GOD, "EVEN TO THEM THAT BELIEVE
ON HIS NAME." YOU COME BY FAITH. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
"FAITH COMETH BY HEARING, "AND HEARING BY
THE WORD OF GOD." YOUR FRIENDS MAY HAVE SHARED THEIR PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
WITH YOU. AND YOU WONDER IF THAT COULD
HAPPEN TO YOU. YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE THAT PEACE
AND THAT SENSE OF FULFILLMENT AND FORGIVENESS, AND CERTAINTY THAT IF YOU DIED,
YOU'D GO TO HEAVEN. I HEARD ABOUT A MAN WHO
PICKED UP HIS ELDERLY FATHER AT THE AIRPORT AFTER THE OLDER MAN HAD TAKEN
HIS FIRST AIRPLANE FLIGHT. AND THE SON SAID, "WELL
FATHER, HOW WAS THE FLIGHT?" THE OLDER MAN SAID,
"IT WAS ALL RIGHT. "BUT I NEVER DID PUT MY FULL
WEIGHT DOWN ON THAT SEAT." [laughter] AND THAT'S THE WAY
MANY PEOPLE ARE WITH CHRIST. THEY NEVER PUT
THEIR FULL WEIGHT. WHEN YOU COME TO CHRIST,
YOU MUST COME ALL THE WAY, AND PUT YOUR FULL WEIGHT ON HIM. NOT ON ANYTHING ELSE. NOT ON YOUR OWN GOODNESS. NOT ON ANY RITUAL
YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH. YOU PUT YOUR FULL WEIGHT ON
THE PERSON OF CHRIST WHO DIED FOR YOU AND
WHO ROSE AGAIN. AND WHO IS ALIVE
AT THIS MOMENT AND EXTENDS
HIS INVITATION TO YOU. AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE'VE SEEN
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE DO IN THE LAST YEAR. IN MOSCOW, IN ESSEN, GERMANY,
A FEW WEEKS AGO. IN HUNDREDS OF AUDITORIUMS
THROUGHOUT EUROPE, AS WE WENT BY CLOSED-CIRCUIT
TELEVISION TO ALL THESE STADIUMS AND
CINEMAS AND CATHEDRALS WITH BIG SCREENS. AND EACH PLACE PREPARED AS
THOUGH WE WERE COMING IN PERSON. AND THEY CAME BY
THE THOUSANDS. AND I ASKED THEM
TO COME TO CHRIST, JUST LIKE I'M ASKING YOU. TO MAKE SURE OF
YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST, BY REPENTANCE AND FAITH. AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU,
HERE IN PITTSBURGH, TONIGHT, TO DO THAT. AND DON'T WAIT FOR
SOME OTHER TIME, BECAUSE YOU MAY NEVER
HAVE ANOTHER TIME. I'M ASKING YOU TO COME
BY FAITH. YOU MAY NOT
UNDERSTAND IT ALL. YOU DON'T HAVE TO. YOU MAY BE YOUNG. YOU MAY BE OLD. BUT THIS WILL BE THE TURNING
POINT OF YOUR LIFE. YOU MAY NEVER HAVE
ANOTHER MOMENT LIKE THIS AS LONG AS YOU LIVE. YOU GET UP AND COME,
FROM EVERYWHERE. HUNDREDS OF YOU, QUICKLY. ♪ JUST AS I AM... ♪ JUST AS HUNDREDS HAVE
RESPONDED TO THE INVITATION TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST, YOU CAN TOO,
WHEREVER YOU ARE. JUST CALL THE NUMBER
ON YOUR SCREEN RIGHT NOW. SPECIAL FRIENDS
WANT TO HELP YOU WITH THE MOST IMPORTANT DECISION
YOU CAN EVER MAKE. SO, DON'T WAIT. CALL RIGHT NOW. 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. (Billy Graham)
There's only one way,
only one hope. ♪ Hear the sound of
a brand new day ♪ ♪ Witness the story
that never fa-a-ades ♪ ♪ Come, come with me ♪ ♪ To the Billy Graham Library ♪
