FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. [applause] TONIGHT I WANT YOU TO TURN
WITH ME TO A VERY FAMILIAR PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE
TO ALL OF YOU, AND THAT IS FOUND IN ROMANS
THE FIRST CHAPTER, AND THE 17TH VERSE,
AND THEN I WANT US TO TURN OVER TO GALATIANS,
THE SIXTH CHAPTER, WHERE IN THE BOOK OF
GALATIANS THE APOSTLE PAUL IS EXPLAINING WHAT HE MEANT
IN THE 17TH VERSE OF THE FIRST CHAPTER. AND THIS WAS THE VERSE
THAT SHOOK ALL OF EUROPE, A LITTLE OVER FIVE
HUNDRED YEARS AGO, WHEN IT WAS DISCOVERED,
AND IT WAS REVEALED TO HIM IN A POWERFUL WAY
TO MARTIN LUTHER. THE FIRST CHAPTER OF ROMANS , THE SEVENTEENTH VERSE: "AND THEREIN "IS THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD
REVEALED, "FROM FAITH TO FAITH. "AS IT IS WRITTEN, "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH. NOT BY OUR OWN GOODNESS,
NOT BY OUR OWN WORKS, BUT BY FAITH. "BY GRACE ARE YE SAVED,
THROUGH FAITH, "AND THAT NOT OF YOURSELVES;
IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, "NOT OF WORKS,
LEST ANY MAN SHOULD BOAST." THEN WE TURN OVER
TO GALATIANS, THE SIXTH CHAPTER. WHAT A MARVELOUS CHAPTER
THIS FIFTH CHAPTER IS, AND THE SIXTH CHAPTER. AND THE SIXTH CHAPTER HAS
SOMETHING I WANT TO SPEAK ON, AND I'VE NEVER BEFORE PREACHED
A SERMON ON THIS TEXT. BEGINNING WITH VERSE SEVEN: "BE NOT DECEIVED,
GOD IS NOT MOCKED. "FOR WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH,
THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP. "FOR HE THAT SOWETH
TO HIS FLESH, "SHALL OF THE FLESH
REAP CORRUPTION, "BUT HE THAT SOWETH TO
THE SPIRIT, SHALL OF THE SPIRIT, "REAP EVERLASTING LIFE." I WANT TO SPEAK TONIGHT
ON SOWING AND REAPING. I NOTICED AS WE CAME IN,
THE LUSH FARMLAND THAT'S HERE IN THIS
RED RIVER VALLEY. I GUESS THERE'S NOTHING QUITE
LIKE IT IN THE UNITED STATES. I USED TO COME TO FARGO
QUITE OFTEN, STOP HERE AT FARGO,
MOORHEAD, YOU COULDN'T GET TO WINNIPEG
WITHOUT STOPPING ON NORTHWEST AIRLINES HERE,
ON A DC-3 BACK IN THE FORTIES. WE USED TO GO BACK AND FORTH
TO WINNIPEG A LOT. AND WE STOPPED HERE A LOT. AND I WOULD SEE THIS COUNTRY
AND OFTEN MARVEL AT ITS LUSHNESS AND CONGRATULATE YOU
AND YOUR GRANDPARENTS AND PARENTS THAT CAME HERE
AND SETTLED HERE, BECAUSE THIS HAS BECOME
ONE OF THE GREAT AREAS OF THE ENTIRE UNITED STATES. I WAS BORN AND REARED
ON A FARM, AND I'VE READ ABOUT FAMILIES
THAT HAVE BEEN LOSING THEIR FAMILY FARMS, AND I WAS
REARED ON A FAMILY FARM. AND I REMEMBER THE DAYS BACK
IN THE TWENTIES AND THE THIRTIES, BACK DURING
THE DEPRESSION WHEN MY FATHER WOULD LOOK FOR RAIN,
AND WE WOULD PRAY FOR RAIN. AND WE RAISED WHEAT
AND BARLEY AND GRAIN. WE DIDN'T HAVE SUGAR BEETS,
BUT WE DID RAISE OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD BE FAMILIAR TO YOU. THEN MY FATHER HAD WHAT
HE CALLED THE TRUCK FARM, WHERE HE RAISED VEGETABLES. AND THEN WE HAD DAIRY CATTLE,
AND WE MILKED. AND EVERY MORNING FROM
THE TIME I WAS ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT, I HAD
TO GET UP AT THREE O'CLOCK AND GO MILK COWS. AND WHEN I WAS
IN HIGH SCHOOL, I MILKED TWENTY COWS EVERY
MORNING BEFORE I WENT TO SCHOOL, AND MILKED THOSE SAME TWENTY WHEN I CAME HOME FROM SCHOOL. SO I KNEW A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT FARM WORK. NOW, I BELIEVE THAT
THERE IN THE BIBLE, THERE ARE FIVE LAWS IN
SOWING AND REAPING. FIRST, YOU MUST SOW TO REAP. IN CHINA, TWO THOUSAND YEARS OLD
SEED WERE TAKEN FROM AN ANCIENT TOMB, AND
THEY'RE SPROUTING TODAY AND GROWING TOMATOES, EVEN
THOUGH THEY WERE SOWN TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO. BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THEY
WERE SOWN THAT THEY COULD PRODUCE A CROP FOR REAPING. WE HAVE TO SOW TO REAP. NOW IN HOSEA IT SAYS, "SOW TO YOURSELVES IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS." THINK OF IT:
SOW IN GOODNESS, SOW IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. "REAP IN MERCY." IF YOU SOW IN RIGHTEOUSNESS,
LIVING A GOOD LIFE, PUTTING YOUR FAITH AND
YOUR CONFIDENCE IN CHRIST, YOU ARE GOING TO REAP
THE MERCY OF GOD AND THE GRACE OF GOD
AND SALVATION. "FOR IT IS TIME,"
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "TO SEEK THE LORD, "'TIL HE COME AND REIGN
RIGHTEOUSNESS UPON YOU." HAS RIGHTEOUSNESS
REIGNED UPON YOU? BECAUSE UNLESS YOU ARE
CLOTHED IN THE CLOTH OF THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD,
YOU'LL NEVER ENTER HEAVEN. AND THAT SUIT OF CLOTHES,
OR THAT DRESS, OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WAS PROVIDED
BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WHO DIED ON
THE CROSS FOR YOU. WE HAVE A CROSS ON
ALL OF OUR CHURCHES, WHATEVER OUR
DENOMINATION MAY BE, WE AGREE ON ONE THING, THAT
THE CROSS IS THE CENTRAL FACT OF CHRISTIANITY, AND
IT'S ON THE CROSS THAT CHRIST HUNG FOR OUR SINS
AND DIED FOR US, AND PROVIDED FOR US
A RIGHTEOUSNESS THAT YOU CANNOT
PROVIDE FOR YOURSELF. IN PSALM 126:5 IT SAYS, "THEY THAT SOW IN TEARS,
SHALL REAP IN JOY." OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DIED
ON THE CROSS IN TEARS, AS IT WERE, SO THAT WE MIGHT
HAVE THE JOY OF SALVATION. NOW IF YOU WANT TO BECOME
A LAWYER OR A DOCTOR OR A SCIENTIST
OR A PROFESSOR, YOU HAVE TO SPEND
YEARS OF STUDY. YOU SOW STUDY, AND
YOU REAP PROFESSIONALLY. THERE WAS A HILLBILLY FROM
THE SOUTH WHO FELT LOST AT TIMES SQUARE IN NEW YORK. SO HE ASKED A YOUNG FELLOW
WITH A LONG BEARD, "HOW DO YOU GET
TO CARNEGIE HALL?" SNAPPING HIS FINGERS,
THE BEARDED MAN REPLIED, "PRACTICE, MAN, PRACTICE!" [laughter] AND TO BE A GREAT MUSICIAN
LIKE PAVAROTTI, YOU HAVE TO PRACTICE
PASSIONATELY AND PERPETUALLY. YOU REAP EXCELLENCE
IF YOU SOW EFFORT. BUT YOU HAVE TO SOW
IN ORDER TO REAP. HAVE YOU BEEN SOWING
IN GOOD DEEDS? HAVE YOU BEEN SOWING
IN REPENTANCE? HAVE YOU BEEN
SOWING IN FAITH? HAVE YOU BEEN SOWING
IN BIBLE READING AND PRAYER AND CHURCH GOING FAITHFULLY? HAVE YOU BEEN SOWING SO
YOU CAN REAP THE GRACE AND THE MERCY OF GOD? OR HAVE YOU BEEN SOWING
THE WILD OATS THAT SO MANY PEOPLE SOW? OR BEEN SOWING THINGS
FOR YOUR OWN LUST AND YOUR OWN PLEASURES? AND YOU'RE GOING
TO REAP SOMEDAY THAT WHICH YOU HAVE SOWED. AND THEN THE SECOND THING:
IF YOU SOW, YOU WILL REAP. EVERY PERSON IS
A SOWER AND A REAPER. NOW THE BIBLE TEACHES
THAT SATAN IS A DECEIVER. AND IN GALATIANS SIX
IT SAYS, "BE NOT DECEIVED." MANY OF YOU ARE
ALREADY DECEIVED. "HE THAT SOWETH TO HIS FLESH,"
THAT IS LUST, DRUGS, WRONG KINDS OF SEX,
TOO MUCH DRINK, "SHALL OF THE FLESH
REAP CORRUPTION." IN PROVERBS 6 IT SAYS,
"A WICKED MAN SOWETH DISCORD, "THEREFORE SHALL HIS CALAMITY
COME SUDDENLY. "SUDDENLY SHALL HE BE BROKEN
WITHOUT REMEDY." THE BIBLE WARNS THAT IF
WE CONTINUE THAT KIND OF LIFE, WE WILL BE BROKEN. WE'RE GOING TO
REAP WHAT WE SOW. HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW IN HIS "THE REAPER AND
THE FLOWERS" SAYS, "THOUGH THE MILLS OF GOD
GRIND SLOWLY, "YET THEY GRIND
EXCEEDINGLY SMALL." YOU REMEMBER CAIN BECAME
JEALOUS OF HIS BROTHER ABEL, AND HE KILLED HIS BROTHER
IN A FIT OF JEALOUSY AND RAGE, AND BECAME
THE FIRST MURDERER. AND THAT WAS THE FIRST WAR. AND THAT TOOK
PLACE IN PARADISE. MANY PEOPLE SAY, OH,
IF WE ONLY CHANGE SOCIETY. IF WE MAKE THE WORLD BETTER. IF WE SPEND MORE MONEY. IF EVERYBODY HAD
EVERYTHING THEY WANTED, WE WOULD PRODUCE A NEW MAN. THIS IS WHAT MARX TAUGHT. THIS IS WHAT LENIN
STRONGLY BELIEVED. HE HAS GREAT IDEALS. HE BELIEVED THAT THEY WOULD
ULTIMATELY PRODUCE A NEW MAN, BUT WE'VE LIVED
LONG ENOUGH NOW TO KNOW THAT IT HAS NOT
PRODUCED A NEW MAN. THE ONLY PERSON THAT
CAN PRODUCE A NEW MAN IS THE ONE THAT SAID,
"YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN." IT DOESN'T MEAN
REALLY "BORN AGAIN," IT MEANS BORN FROM ABOVE,
BORN BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD. JUST AS YOU WERE BORN
INTO THE PHYSICAL WORLD, AND FROM YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB,
YOU MUST BE BORN INTO THE SPIRITUAL WORLD,
AND SO IN ONE SENSE, IT'S BEING BORN
THE SECOND TIME. THE THIRD THING IS,
YOU WILL REAP WHAT YOU SOW. "WHATSOEVER A MAN SOWETH,
THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP." IN NUMBERS 32 IT SAYS, "BE SURE YOUR SIN
WILL FIND YOU OUT." BE SURE! YOUR SIN! AND WE'RE ALL SINNERS. I'M A SINNER;
YOU'RE A SINNER. THE BIBLE SAYS, "ALL HAVE
SINNED AND COME SHORT "OF THE GLORY OF GOD," AND "SIN" MEANS
THE BREAKING OF GOD'S LAW. THE BREAKING OF
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, IF YOU
BREAK THOSE COMMANDMENTS IN ONE PLACE,
YOU'RE GUILTY OF ALL. AND WE'RE ALL SINNERS, AND WE'VE BROKEN
ALL THE COMMANDMENTS. WE ALL NEED
THE MERCY AND THE GRACE AND THE LOVE OF GOD. BE SURE YOUR SIN WILL FIND YOU OUT. EVERY SIN THAT HAS EVER BEEN
COMMITTED IS GOING TO BE FOUND OUT EITHER IN THIS LIFE,
OR AT THE JUDGMENT. SOMEWHERE, SOMETIME, EVERY
LITTLE SIN THAT YOU'VE COMMITTED, AND EVERY BIG SIN,
WILL FIND YOU OUT. BECAUSE YOU REMEMBER THE TAPES
BACK IN WATERGATE DAYS? AND WHAT THEY DID
TO A PRESIDENT? GOD HAS TAPES,
FAR MORE SOPHISTICATED. NOT ONLY DOES HE RECORD
ALL OF OUR ACTIONS, BUT ALL OF OUR THOUGHTS,
ALL OF OUR WORDS, ALL OF OUR INTENTS,
ARE RECORDED. AND YOU MAY DENY IT AT
THE JUDGMENT, AND SAY, "GOD, IT JUST DIDN'T
HAPPEN THAT WAY..." HE'S GOT IT ALL THERE. HE HAS EVERY MORAL
CHOICE YOU FACED AND HE HAS THE ROAD
THAT YOU TOOK. YOU'LL REAP WHAT YOU SOW. IN JOB 4 IT SAYS,
"THEY THAT PLOW INIQUITY "AND SOW WICKEDNESS
WILL REAP THE SAME." YOU'RE GOING TO REAP. EVERYTHING THAT YOU SOW,
YOU'LL REAP. I READ IN TIME MAGAZINE
A REVIEW OF A BOOK ENTITLED, WILD OATS , AND SOME PEOPLE
LIVE BY THE PHILOSOPHY THAT YOU SOW
YOUR WILD OATS ALL WEEK, THEN GO TO CHURCH ON
SUNDAY MORNING AND PRAY FOR A CROP FAILURE. IT'S NOT GONNA BE THAT WAY. THE CROP IS
GOING TO COME IN. AND HOW MANY OF US
GO TO CHURCH AND WE REALLY DON'T
KNOW CHRIST? I DID. I WAS REARED A PRESBYTERIAN. AND I WAS BAPTIZED,
I WAS CONFIRMED IN THE CHURCH. AND I THOUGHT EVERYTHING
WAS ALL RIGHT. I THOUGHT THE MINISTER WAS
A LITTLE BIT BORING. I DIDN'T PARTICULARLY
LIKE GOING TO CHURCH, BUT I WENT BECAUSE MY PARENTS
TOLD ME TO GO. AND IF YOU KNEW MY FATHER, YOU KNOW YOU'D GO
IF HE TOLD YOU. BUT I REALLY DIDN'T HAVE
CHRIST IN MY HEART. I DIDN'T HAVE ASSURANCE. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IF I DIED,
I'D GO TO HEAVEN. I WASN'T SURE OF THAT. I WASN'T CERTAIN THAT MY SINS
HAD BEEN FORGIVEN. SO ONE DAY WHEN THEY HAD
AN EVANGELISTIC MEETING, I WENT FORWARD, AND RECEIVED
CHRIST INTO MY HEART, AND RECOMMITTED
MY LIFE TO CHRIST. AND I REMEMBER THE THINGS
I PROMISED THOSE ELDERS WHEN I MET WITH THEM
AT THE TIME OF CONFIRMATION. AND I SAID, "LORD, I'M GOING
TO RECOMMIT MY LIFE TO YOU. "I'M GOING TO
SURRENDER TO YOU. "I'M NOT SURE WHERE I STAND,
BUT I WANT TO BE SURE." AND THAT SIMPLE DECISION
CHANGED MY ENTIRE LIFE. BUT LIFE DOESN'T
ALWAYS WORK THAT WAY. IN PROVERBS 28 IT SAYS,
"HE THAT COVERETH HIS SIN "SHALL NOT PROSPER,
BUT WHOSOEVER CONFESSETH "AND FORSAKETH THEM,
SHALL HAVE MERCY." GOD IS WILLING TO
HAVE MERCY UPON YOU. HE'S WILLING TO BESTOW
HIS GRACE UPON YOU. HE'S WILLING TO FORGIVE YOU,
IF YOU'RE WILLING TO REPENT OF YOUR SIN AND RECEIVE HIM. YOU SEE, THE BIBLE
SAYS THAT SIN IS NO RESPECTER OF PERSONS. IN JAMES 1 IT SAYS,
"EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED "WHEN HE'S DRAWN AWAY OF
HIS OWN LUST, AND ENTICED. "THEN WHEN LUST
HATH CONCEIVED, "IT BRINGETH FORTH SIN,
AND SIN WHEN IT IS FINISHED, "BRINGS FORTH DEATH." AND THAT DEATH IS NOT
ONLY NATURAL DEATH, WHEN YOUR BODY DIES,
BUT YOU CAN BE DEAD RIGHT NOW WHERE YOU'RE SITTING, SPIRITUALLY DEAD. YOU'RE DEAD TOWARD GOD. THAT'S THE REASON PEOPLE CAN'T FIND PEACE AND JOY AND HAPPINESS TODAY. THEY SEARCH FOR IT, THEY WANT IT, BUT THEY CAN'T FIND IT. YOU CAN'T FIND IT IN DRUGS. YOU CAN'T FIND IT IN
AN EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR. YOU CAN'T FIND IT
ANY OTHER PLACE. OH, YOU CAN HAVE
A TEMPORARY TIME. YOU CAN GET DRUNK AND GO OUT WITH SOME GIRL
AND HAVE A GOOD TIME FOR A WHILE. BUT IT SOON WEARS OFF, IT'S GONE. I HAD A BISHOP,
WE'VE HAD A NUMBER OF BISHOPS, BUT ONE BISHOP
IN PARTICULAR, WHO CAME FORWARD
IN OUR MEETING. AN ANGLICAN BISHOP,
IN ENGLAND. AND LATER, I SAW
HIM PRIVATELY. AND I SAID, "BISHOP, WHY DID
YOU HAVE TO COME FORWARD?" HE SAID, "I'VE BEEN
TO THE UNIVERSITY, "I'VE GOTTEN MY DEGREES, AND
I'VE BEEN TO THE THEOLOGICAL "SCHOOL AND ALL THE REST, AND
I'M NOW IN MY FIFTIES AND "I'M A BISHOP, BUT I AM
NOT SURE WHERE I STAND "BEFORE GOD AND I JUST
WANTED TO MAKE SURE." DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY? YOU CAN MAKE SURE TONIGHT,
BEFORE YOU LEAVE HERE. AND THEN THE FOURTH THING,
THE IGNORANCE OF WHAT YOU ARE SOWING WON'T KEEP
YOU FROM REAPING. LEVITICUS 19:19 SAYS,
"THOU SHALL NOT SOW THY FIELD "WITH MINGLED SEED." THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT
WHEN THE GOOD SEED OF THE WORD OF GOD IS SOWN, THE DEVIL COMES ALONG
AND SOWS TARES. JESUS SAID, YOU CAN SOW,
OR ALLOW TO BE SOWED IN YOUR LIFE, TO THE DEVIL,
AND YOU'LL REAP HELL. THE DEVIL, FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS, HAD BEEN ISSUING
AN INVITATION TO HELL TO ALL OF THOSE WHO SOW TO
THE SINS OF THE FLESH, TO THOSE WHO PERMIT SATAN
TO SOW TARES IN THEIR LIVES. COME TO CHRIST NOW. GIVE HIM YOUR LIFE. ON THE CROSS, JESUS CHRIST
CONQUERED SATAN AND HELL AND SIN. AND IN I JOHN 3:8 IT SAYS, "HE THAT COMMITTETH SIN
IS OF THE DEVIL. "FOR THIS PURPOSE, THE SON OF
GOD WAS MANIFESTED THAT HE "MIGHT DESTROY THE WORKS OF
THE DEVIL SO THAT WE MIGHT "LIVE THE LIFE AFTER CHRIST." I JOHN 4:4 SAYS,
"GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN YOU "THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD." CHRIST COMES TO
LIVE WITHIN YOU AND GIVES YOU A NEW POWER
TO LIVE A LIFE THAT YOU NEVER DREAMED
YOU COULD LIVE. AND HE PRODUCES WITHIN YOU
LOVE AND JOY AND PEACE AND SATISFACTION AND FULFILLMENT
THAT YOU NEVER KNEW BEFORE AND HE PUTS YOU
ON THE RIGHT ROAD, BECAUSE JESUS SAID THERE
ARE TWO ROADS OF LIFE: THE BROAD ROAD THAT LEADS
TO DESTRUCTION, AND THE NARROW ROAD THAT
LEADS TO LIFE EVERLASTING. AND THEN FIFTHLY AND LASTLY, YOU WILL REAP MORE THAN YOU SOW. HOSEA 8:7 SAYS,
"THEY HAVE SOWN THE WIND "AND THEY SHALL REAP
THE WHIRLWIND." JOHN 4:36 SAYS, "HE RECEIVETH
WAGES THAT REAPS." CHARLES READE
WROTE A CENTURY AGO, "SOW AN ACT AND
YOU REAP A HABIT. "SOW A HABIT AND
YOU REAP A CHARACTER. "SOW A CHARACTER AND
YOU REAP A DESTINY." LORD MCCAULEY,
THE GREAT HISTORIAN, ONCE WROTE:
"OLD MEN REAP." SOMEONE WAS SHOWING
A CLERGYMAN THROUGH ONE OF THE PRISONS
THE OTHER DAY IN THE EAST, AND THEY SAW AN OLD MAN
SITTING THERE WEEPING. AND THEY ASKED THE WARDEN,
"WHAT IS HE DOING?" AND THE WARDEN REPLIED,
"HE'S REAPING." AND THAT'S WHERE
MANY OF US ARE GOING. WE'RE GOING TO A PLACE
WHERE WE'RE GOING TO REAP. WE'VE BEEN SOWING ALL THESE
WEEKS AND MONTHS AND YEARS, AND WE THINK WE'RE
GETTING BY WITH IT. OUR CONSCIENCE NO LONGER
BOTHERS US, WHY? BECAUSE THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT
YOU CAN HARDEN YOUR CONSCIENCE. YOU CAN CAUSE IT
TO BECOME DEAD. IT NO LONGER SPEAKS. IT'S NO LONGER
AN ACCURATE GUIDE FOR YOU. COME TO CHRIST AND HE'LL
RESENSITIZE YOUR CONSCIENCE. A HUNDRED MILLION
PEOPLE DIE EVERY YEAR. TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTY
MILLION DIE EVERY DAY. TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE
DIE EVERY HOUR. 180 DIE EVERY MINUTE. THREE DIE EVERY SECOND. AND YOU WILL BE ONE
OF THOSE STATISTICS ONE OF THESE DAYS. ARE YOU READY TO MEET GOD? THE BIBLE SAYS,
PREPARE TO MEET GOD. JESUS SAID, "THE DEAD
SHALL COME FORTH; "THEY THAT HAVE DONE GOOD
UNTO THE RESURRECTION OF LIFE, "AND THEY THAT
HAVE DONE EVIL, "UNTO THE RESURRECTION
OF DAMNATION." TWO CROWDS. YOU SAY, "WELL, BILLY, WHAT "DO I HAVE TO DO TO MAKE SURE, "TO MAKE CERTAIN?" MANY PEOPLE WANT TO BE SURE BUT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. FIRST, YOU MUST REPENT OF SIN. THE WORD "REPENT" MEANS
TO TURN, TO CHANGE, TO CHANGE THE DIRECTION
OF YOUR LIFE, TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND
ABOUT GOD, YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND
ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR NEED OF GOD. AND YOU GO HOME READY TO CHANGE THE WAY YOU TREAT
YOUR WIFE, OR YOUR HUSBAND, OR YOUR PARENTS,
OR YOUR CHILDREN, OR YOUR NEIGHBORS, OR THE PEOPLE
YOU WORK WITH. YOU'RE READY FOR A CHANGE. SECOND, YOU PUT
YOUR TOTAL CONFIDENCE AND YOUR TOTAL FAITH
IN CHRIST ALONE. YOU'RE NOT DEPENDING ON
ANYTHING ELSE FOR YOUR FUTURE SALVATION EXCEPT THE CROSS AND
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST. "FOR BY THE GRACE OF GOD
ARE YOU SAVED." THE WORD "GRACE"
MEANS UNMERITED FAVOR, SOMETHING I DON'T DESERVE. BILLY GRAHAM DOESN'T
DESERVE TO GO TO HEAVEN. I DESERVE TO GO TO
THE JUDGMENT, I DESERVE HELL. BUT I'M GOING TO HEAVEN
BY THE GRACE OF GOD. BY CHRIST WHO DIED ON
THE CROSS AND SAID, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST
THOU FORSAKEN ME?" AND IN THAT
TERRIBLE MOMENT, SOMETHING HAPPENED THAT NONE
OF US REALLY UNDERSTANDS. GOD LAID ON HIM
THE SINS OF US ALL. JESUS BECAME
THE GREAT SIN BEARER. HE DIED FOR US. THEN HE COMES INTO
OUR HEARTS AND HE GIVES US A POWER TO DO GOOD WORKS, AND
WE GO OUT WITH A BURDEN FOR OUR NEIGHBORS, A BURDEN
FOR PEACE IN THE WORLD, A BURDEN TO HELP THE HUNGRY,
TO FEED THE POOR, TO HELP THE POOR. THAT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY
AS BELIEVERS. BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE POWER
TO DO THE THINGS WE OUGHT TO DO OR TO LIVE THE LIFE
WE OUGHT TO DO, BUT JESUS CHRIST
GIVES IT TO YOU. HE ROSE AGAIN, AND WE REAP
ETERNAL LIFE, FORGIVENESS, PEACE, JOY, LOVE. THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
COMES WITHIN, ETERNITY IN HEAVEN. WE SANG THE SONG A MOMENT AGO,
"AMAZING GRACE." DO YOU KNOW THE STORY
OF THAT SONG? IT WAS WRITTEN BY A SLAVER, A MAN BY THE NAME OF
JOHN NEWTON, AND JOHN NEWTON BECAME
THE SLAVE OF A SLAVE IN WEST AFRICA. ONE DAY, WHEN HE WAS COMING
BACK TO ENGLAND ON THE SLAVE SHIP, AND
TREATING THE SLAVES MISERABLE AND TERRIBLE, THEY HAD A THUNDERSTORM, AND HE FELL ON HIS FACE,
AND HE REMEMBERED SOME SCRIPTURES THAT HIS MOTHER
HAD TAUGHT HIM WHEN HE WAS A BOY, AND
HE RECEIVED CHRIST INTO HIS HEART AND
IT CHANGED HIS LIFE. AND HE WENT BACK TO ENGLAND
AND BECAME A GREAT FRIEND OF THOSE WHO WERE TO SOMEDAY
LEAD THE FIGHT AGAINST SLAVERY IN PARLIAMENT AND
DID MORE TO HELP, PROBABLY, THAN ANY OTHER PERSON,
MOTIVATE THE BRITISH PEOPLE TOWARD OUTLAWING SLAVERY. HE HIMSELF BECAME THE MINISTER
OF AN ANGLICAN CHURCH. HE HIMSELF WROTE MANY HYMNS. AND THAT WAS ONE OF
THE HYMNS HE WROTE. "AMAZING GRACE,
HOW SWEET THE SOUND." I DON'T DESERVE IT. JOHN NEWTON SAID,
"I DON'T DESERVE IT." AND WHEN HE WAS
AN OLD MAN, AND HE COULD BARELY
GET UP INTO THE PULPIT, AND HE WAS IN
HIS MIDDLE EIGHTIES, HE HELD ON TO THE PULPIT,
AND HE SAID, "I DON'T KNOW MUCH, BUT,"
HE SAID, "I DO KNOW THIS, "THAT I'M A GREAT SINNER
"AND I HAVE A GREAT SAVIOR." AND JOHN NEWTON LEFT
HIS MARK FOR GOD AFTER BEING
A TERRIBLE SINNER. YOU CAN BE FORGIVEN OF
ANY SIN, ANY FAILURE. IT MAY BE HYPOCRISY,
WHATEVER IT IS, BUT TONIGHT YOU'D LIKE
TO MAKE SURE. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO DO
SOMETHING THAT I'VE ASKED AFRICANS BY
THE THOUSANDS TO DO; ASIANS BY THE THOUSANDS; EUROPEANS BY THE THOUSANDS;
AMERICANS BY THE THOUSANDS. AND I'VE SEEN THEM DO IT
BY THE THOUSANDS. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET UP
OUT OF YOUR SEAT WHERE YOU'RE SITTING RIGHT NOW,
AND COME AND STAND IN FRONT ON THIS BEAUTIFUL TURF, AND
STAND THERE FOR A MOMENT OR TWO, QUIETLY, AND SAY, "YOU KNOW, I WANT TO BE
SURE ABOUT THIS. "I WANT TO BE SURE
MY SINS ARE FORGIVEN. "I WANT TO KNOW
I'M GOING TO HEAVEN. "I WANT THIS SUPERNATURAL
PEACE AND JOY AND "FULFILLMENT THAT
CHRIST CAN GIVE ME, "AND I WANT TO SETTLE IT. "I WOULD LIKE TO REDEDICATE
MYSELF TO MY CONFIRMATION VOWS, "OR WHAT MY BAPTISM MEANT." WHATEVER THE REASON,
WHATEVER YOUR NEED, I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO
GET UP AND COME AND STAND. AFTER YOU'VE ALL COME
AND STOOD THERE, I'M GOING TO HAVE A PRAYER
WITH YOU AND GIVE YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU
IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. IF YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS OR
RELATIVES, THEY'LL WAIT. OR YOU MAY BE THE ONLY ONE
FROM YOUR AREA TO COME, BUT GET UP AND COME. I'M GOING TO ASK THAT NO ONE
LEAVE THE STADIUM NOW AT THIS HOLY MOMENT. AND EVERYONE IN
AN ATTITUDE OF PRAYER. YOU GET UP AND COME. YOU MAY BE A MEMBER
OF THE CHURCH; YOU MAY NOT BE
A MEMBER OF ANY CHURCH. I DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE,
BUT YOU NEED CHRIST. YOU COME RIGHT NOW. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON YOU. JUST COME AND
STAND HERE QUIETLY. YOUNG AND OLD, WHOEVER YOU ARE,
WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. CATHOLIC OR PROTESTANT,
JEWISH, WHATEVER, YOU COME AND STAND HERE,
AND SAY YES, AND MAKE SURE OF
YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO CHRIST. YOU MAY BE IN THE CHOIR, OR YOU MAY JUST BE SOMEBODY
THAT WANDERED IN, BUT GOD IS SPEAKING TO YOU. YOU COME. JUST STAND HERE IN FRONT,
BEHIND THOSE CAMERAS, OR AROUND HERE,
OR RIGHT IN HERE. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT ON YOU. QUICKLY,
BRING SOMEBODY WITH YOU. ♪ JUST AS I AM
WITHOUT ONE PLEA ♪ ♪ BUT THAT THY BLOOD
WAS SHED FOR ME ♪ ♪ AND THAT THOU BIDST ME
COME TO THEE... ♪ AND AS THESE MANY HUNDREDS
MAKE THEIR PERSONAL DECISION FOR CHRIST HERE IN FARGO,
NORTH DAKOTA, YOU, TOO, WHEREVER YOU ARE,
CAN MAKE THAT DECISION. CALL THE NUMBER ON YOUR
TELEVISION SCREEN RIGHT NOW. IF THE LINE IS BUSY, WAIT A FEW MOMENTS AND
CALL AGAIN. ♪ JUST AS I AM AND
WAITING NOT ♪ ♪ TO RID MY SOUL OF
ONE DARK BLOT ♪ ♪ TO THEE WHOSE BLOOD CAN
CLEANSE EACH SPOT ♪ ♪ OH, LAMB OF GOD,
I COME ♪ ♪ I COME ♪ I WANT TO SAY A WORD TO YOU THAT HAVE BEEN WATCHING
ON TELEVISION. YOU'VE BEEN WATCHING FROM OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AND OTHER PARTS OF OTHER COUNTRIES, AND YOU SEE PEOPLE COMING HERE IN FARGO, MOORHEAD CITY, FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA, MOORHEAD CITY, MINNESOTA, AND OTHER PARTS OF THIS GREAT MIDWESTERN AREA, OR NORTHERN PLAINS AREA, WHATEVER AREA WE WANT TO CALL IT. AND YOU SEE THEM COMING TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENT. YOU CAN MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT WHERE YOU ARE, IN YOUR HOTEL ROOM, OR IN YOUR BEDROOM, OR IN YOUR LIVING ROOM, OR WITH YOUR FAMILY. MAKE YOUR SURRENDER TO CHRIST NOW AND SAY, "LORD, I NEED YOU. "COME INTO MY HEART. "FORGIVE MY SIN. "GIVE ME ASSURANCE OF "MY OWN FAITH." I'M GOING TO PRAY THAT YOU'LL
MAKE THAT COMMITMENT 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 ♪
