FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. [applause] NOW I WANT YOU
TO TURN WITH ME TONIGHT TO THE 10TH CHAPTER OF LUKE . A VERY FAMILIAR PASSAGE
THAT EVERY YOUNG PERSON HERE WILL RELATE TO; YOUNG AND OLD. THE 10TH CHAPTER OF LUKE ,
BEGINNING AT THE 25TH VERSE, "AND BEHOLD, A CERTAIN LAWYER
STOOD UP AND TEMPTED HIM "SAYING, MASTER,
WHAT SHALL I DO "TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" NOW JESUS WAS ASKED
THAT SAME QUESTION ABOUT 19 TIMES
IN HIS PERIOD OF MINISTRY THAT IS RECORDED
IN THE GOSPELS. IN VARIOUS FORMS
HE WAS ASKED THAT QUESTION. "WHAT MUST I DO
TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" AND HE SAID UNTO HIM,
"WHAT IS WRITTEN IN THE LAW, "HOW READEST THOU? "AND HE ANSWERING SAID,
THOU SHALT 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 SHALT LIVE." BUT NO ONE HAS EVER DONE IT. NO ONE IN THE HISTORY
OF THE HUMAN RACE HAS EVER LOVED GOD
WITH ALL HIS HEART, MIND, AND STRENGTH
ALL OF HIS LIFE AND HIS NEIGHBOR AS HIMSELF
ALL HIS LIFE. THAT'S THE REASON
WE'VE ALL COME SHORT, WE'RE ALL SINNERS,
AND WE ALL NEED TO REPENT OF OUR SINS, AND FIND
FORGIVENESS AT THE CROSS. "BUT HE, WILLING STILL NOW
TO JUSTIFY HIMSELF, (AS MANY OF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO JUSTIFY YOURSELVES) SAID, "BUT WHO
IS MY NEIGHBOR?" SEE, HE WAS A LAWYER
AND IT WAS HIS JOB TO CROSS-EXAMINE. HE SAID, "BUT WHO
IS MY NEIGHBOR? "AND JESUS ANSWERING HIM SAID, "A CERTAIN MAN WENT DOWN
FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO "AND HE 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 IN 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 NOTICE, HE DID TEN THINGS:
HE HAD COMPASSION ON HIM, AND HE WENT TO HIM,
AND HE BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS, POURED IN OIL,
POURED IN WINE, SET HIM ON HIS OWN HORSE,
OR HIS BEAST, AND TOOK 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 WILL REPAY THEE. "WHICH NOW OF THESE THREE,
THINKEST THOU, "SAID JESUS TO THE LAWYER, "WAS THE NEIGHBOR UNTO HIM
THAT FELL AMONG THE THIEVES? "AND THE LAWYER ANSWERED,
HE THAT SHOWED MERCY ON HIM. "THEN SAID JESUS,
GO THOU, AND DO LIKEWISE." JESUS GAVE THIS STORY
AS AN ANSWER TO THESE TWO QUESTIONS
THAT THIS LAWYER ASKED. THE FIRST QUESTION:
"MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MAY INHERIT
ETERNAL LIFE?" EVERYBODY HERE WOULD LIKE
TO HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. EVERYBODY WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
THAT WHEN YOU DIE YOU'RE GOING TO HEAVEN. YOU KNOW YOU'RE
GOING TO DIE. IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MAN
ONCE TO DIE. YOU CANNOT ESCAPE DEATH. BUT YOU'D LIKE TO KNOW
THAT YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. NOW ETERNAL LIFE
DOES NOT BEGIN AT DEATH. ETERNAL LIFE BEGINS
THE MOMENT YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE
THAT ARE HERE AND NOW, ALIVE PHYSICALLY,
BUT YOU'RE DEAD SPIRITUALLY. YOU'RE DEAD TOWARD GOD. YOU HAVE NO RELATIONSHIP AND NO FELLOWSHIP
WITH GOD WHATSOEVER. YOU GO TO CHURCH AND YOU
GO THROUGH ALL THE RITUALS, AND YOU HAVE RELIGION,
BUT YOU DON'T REALLY HAVE JESUS CHRIST. AND SO, RELIGION BECOMES RATHER DULL TO YOU. IT'S A DISAPPOINTMENT TO YOU. SO YOU TRY TO FIND YOUR KICKS IN DRUGS OR SEX OR SOMETHING ELSE. YOU TURN TO OTHER THINGS TO ESCAPE BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS THIS EMPTY PLACE IN EVERYBODY'S HEART, THAT ONLY GOD CAN FILL BECAUSE YOU WERE MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD, AND WITHOUT GOD THERE'S AN EMPTINESS, THERE'S A LACKING. YET YOU'RE ALWAYS, ALL YOUR LIFE, SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING, AND YOU'RE SEARCHING FOR ETERNAL LIFE. YOU WANT ETERNAL LIFE. YOU CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE RIGHT TONIGHT. IT COULD START TONIGHT
IN YOUR HEART AS CHRIST COMES TO DWELL IN YOUR LIFE AND IN YOUR HEART. IT WAS A SOCIAL QUESTION:
"WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR?" JESUS GAVE THE ANSWER. "THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD
THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, "WITH ALL THY SOUL,
WITH ALL THY STRENGTH, "AND THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF." 850 MILLION PEOPLE
ON THIS PLANET LIVE ON A STARVATION DIET
AT THIS MOMENT. ARE THEY OUR NEIGHBORS? WHEN IS THE LAST TIME
YOU SHARED YOUR SOCIAL LIFE WITH SOMEONE OF ANOTHER RACE
OR ANOTHER ETHNIC BACKGROUND, OR YOUR MATERIAL GOODS
WITH THE POOR, OR YOUR KNOWLEDGE WITH THOSE
WHO NEED AN EDUCATION, OR YOUR SKILLS
WITH THE UNTRAINED, AND YOUR COMPASSION AND PRAYERS
FOR THE PEACE OF THE WORLD? HAVE YOU CARED FOR THE AGED,
THE HANDICAPPED, THE BLIND, THE ALCOHOLIC, THE DOPE ADDICT,
THE MORALLY FALLEN WITH YOUR LOVE AND CONCERN? WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR? WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY
TO YOUR NEIGHBOR? IN THE MODERN WORLD
OF TRANSPORTATION AND TECHNOLOGY,
THE WHOLE WORLD HAS BECOME A NEIGHBORHOOD,
WITHOUT BEING A BROTHERHOOD. THE WHOLE WORLD SUDDENLY
BECOMES OUR NEIGHBOR. THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE SUFFERING
IN SOUTHEAST ASIA ARE OUR NEIGHBORS. THOSE PEOPLE SUFFERING
IN CENTRAL AFRICA ARE OUR NEIGHBORS, AND WE HAVE
A RESPONSIBILITY TO THEM. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
JESUS CAME TO HEAL THE BROKEN-HEARTED. A NEW BOOK HAS JUST COME OUT
BY A PSYCHIATRIST ENTITLED, THE BROKEN HEART. AND IN TORONTO, DELEGATES CAME
FROM ALL AROUND THE WORLD TO A CONVENTION
ON MENDED HEARTS. JESUS CAME TO
HEAL BROKEN HEARTS. HOW MANY BROKEN HEARTS
ARE HERE TONIGHT? YOUR GIRLFRIEND
WALKED OUT ON YOU, OR YOUR BOYFRIEND
HAS SAID "NO..." AND IT'S BROKEN YOUR HEART. AND THEN THERE
WAS A SPIRITUAL QUESTION, NOT ONLY A SOCIAL QUESTION, BUT A SPIRITUAL QUESTION. THROUGHOUT HISTORY
THE CHURCH HAS SHIFTED BACK AND FORTH AS TO
ITS EMPHASIS ON PERSONAL REDEMPTION
AND SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT; THEY BOTH GO
HAND IN HAND. BUT THIS MAN SAID,
"MASTER, WHAT SHALL I DO THAT I MAY
INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE?" AND THE SPIRITUAL POVERTY
OF THAT MAN WAS DEEPER AND WORSE THAN
THE MATERIAL POVERTY. AND JESUS SHOWED THAT
OVER AND OVER AGAIN: THAT THE SPIRITUAL DISEASE IS
WORSE THAN THE PHYSICAL DISEASE. WE CAN GO OUT TO SOUTHEAST ASIA
RIGHT NOW TO THAILAND, TO SOME OF THOSE CAMPS,
AND IT'LL BREAK YOUR HEART. MY SON HAS BEEN THERE
SEVERAL TIMES AND TOLD ME SOME
OF THE MOST HORRIFYING STORIES. WE SEE IT ON OUR TELEVISION
SCREENS AND WE SAY, "WHAT CAN WE DO?" WE FEEL SO HELPLESS
IN A MOMENT WHEN PEOPLE ARE SUFFERING SO TERRIBLY
IN SO MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. IT'S OVERWHELMING TO US. WE'RE TO DO WHAT WE CAN,
THEY ARE OUR NEIGHBORS. BUT THERE'S ANOTHER DISEASE,
RIGHT HERE IN HALIFAX, RIGHT HERE IN NOVA SCOTIA,
THAT IS WORSE THAN THE DISEASES
IN THOSE CAMPS. IT'S THE SPIRITUAL DISEASE;
THE DISEASE OF SIN. AND YOU'VE GOT IT. IT'S A LEPROSY. IT'S WORSE THAN CANCER
BECAUSE IT DESTROYS THE SOUL. IT DESTROYS YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. IT COMES BETWEEN YOU
AND PEACE AND JOY AND HAPPINESS. YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR LIFE
OVER TO CHRIST AND HAVE THIS ETERNAL LIFE. "WHAT MUST I DO
TO BE SAVED?" "HOW CAN WE BE SAVED?" THAT'S THE SAME QUESTION
THAT WAS ASKED PAUL AND SILAS IN PRISON. AND PAUL SAID, "BELIEVE ON
THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, "AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED." BUT IT'S NOT ONLY
A SOCIAL AND SPIRITUAL, BUT IT'S AN
INDIVIDUAL PROBLEM. JESUS SAID, "A CERTAIN MAN..." NOW JESUS IS INTERESTED IN YOU
AS AN INDIVIDUAL. HE SEES THE SPARROW
WHEN IT FALLS HE SAID, AND HE HAS THE HAIRS
OF YOUR HEAD NUMBERED AND HE SEES YOU
AS AN INDIVIDUAL. HE SAID, "A CERTAIN MAN..." HE LOVES PEOPLE. BEHOLD, HOW HE LOVED HIM. "GREATER LOVE HATH
NO MAN THAN THIS, "THAT HE LAY DOWN HIS LIFE
FOR HIS FRIENDS." AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
THIS CERTAIN MAN IN THIS STORY WENT DOWN. HE WENT DOWN
FROM JERUSALEM TO JERICHO. JERICHO WAS 800 FEET
BELOW JERUSALEM, ABOUT 18 MILES AWAY. AND A CERTAIN MAN
WENT DOWN THE JERICHO ROAD. NOW JERUSALEM WAS THE PLACE
OF THE CITY OF GOD; IT WAS A CITY OF PEACE
AT THAT TIME. IT WAS A CITY OF TRUTH, IT WAS A CITY
WHERE THE THEOLOGIANS WERE. BUT NOW, HE WAS GOING DOWN. THAT'S THE DOWNWARD
COURSE OF SIN, AND WE'RE ALL ON
THAT DOWNWARD JERICHO ROAD. EVERY ONE OF US. AND IF YOU
READ THE SCRIPTURES AND READ THE FIRST CHAPTER
OF ROMANS , YOU'LL FIND THAT SIN STARTS
IN THE VERY BEGINNING AND LEADS US DOWNWARD,
DOWNWARD, DOWNWARD, DOWNWARD. AND LIKE THE SHADOW
WHEN IT DECLINED, IT SAID THE PSALMIST,
"I AM TOSSED DOWN." AND THIS CERTAIN MAN
WAS ON HIS WAY DOWN, LIKE YOU ARE
ON YOUR WAY DOWN. THE PRESIDENT OF
THE UNITED NATIONS IS RIGHT WHEN HE SAID, "WE WILL NEVER
MAKE WAR OBSOLETE "UNTIL WE FIND A FORCE
THAT WILL BRIDLE THE PASSIONS "OF MEN AND NATIONS." JESUS CHRIST ON THAT CROSS
CAN TRANSFORM THE HUMAN LIFE AND CHANGE HATE TO LOVE. "A CERTAIN MAN
FELL AMONG THIEVES, "AND THEY STRIPPED HIM
OF HIS RAIMENT AND WOUNDED HIM." AND WE HAVE ALL
FALLEN IN WITH THE DEVIL AND HIS DEMONS. AND THEY'VE STRIPPED US, THEY'VE WOUNDED US, THEY'VE LEFT US FOR DEAD. JESUS SAID, "THE THIEF
COMETH NOT BUT TO STEAL "AND TO KILL AND TO DESTROY. "I AM COME THAT
THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE "AND THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE IT
MORE ABUNDANTLY." NOTICE THE DIFFERENCE:
THERE'S A THIEF THAT COMES TO KILL, TO DESTROY;
TO KILL YOU. BUT JESUS SAID, "I'VE COME
TO GIVE THEM LIFE, "AND TO GIVE THEM LIFE
MORE ABUNDANTLY." ALL OVER THE WORLD
SIN IS RAMPAGING, RAPING, RAVAGING HUMANITY:
VIOLENCE, TERRORISM. WE READ IT EVERY DAY
IN OUR NEWSPAPERS: MURDER, MUGGERS AND RAPISTS
IN OUR MAJOR CITIES HAVE BECOME A MAJOR PROBLEM. THIEVES HAVE WOUNDED
AND STRIPPED THIS MAN, AND DEPARTED FROM HIM,
AND LEFT HIM HALF DEAD; ALONE AND FORSAKEN. WHEN HE CAME TO
AND GOT HIS CONSCIOUSNESS BACK, HE FOUND HIMSELF CRUSHED
AND UNABLE TO MOVE, JUST LIKE YOU. ONE DAY YOU'LL WAKE UP. YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF--
SIN HAS DESTROYED YOU, AND YOU CANNOT MOVE. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT WE'RE DEAD
IN SINS AND TRESPASSES. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"SHE THAT LIVETH IN PLEASURE "IS DEAD WHILE SHE LIVES." YOU CAN BE PHYSICALLY ALIVE,
BUT SPIRITUALLY DEAD. YOUR SOUL IS DEAD. IT CANNOT SAVE ITSELF,
IT CANNOT MOVE, IT CANNOT GET UP
OUT OF THE DITCH. IT CANNOT HEAL THOSE WOUNDS. THAT'S WHY CHRIST CAME
AND DIED ON THE CROSS. "THE WAGES OF SIN IS DEATH." THE MAN IS GOING TO DIE;
YOU'RE GOING TO DIE. AND THEN THERE CAME
SOME SALVATION QUACKS ALONG. THE WORLD IS FULL
OF FALSE MESSIAHS, AND FALSE PROPHETS,
AND FALSE CHRISTS. JAMESTOWN--,
OR JONESTOWN DOWN IN GUYANA IS STILL FRESH
IN OUR MEMORIES WHERE JIM JONES WENT
AND 900 PEOPLE DIED. AND HOW MANY OF THOSE
FALSE CULTS THERE ARE ALL OVER THE WORLD TODAY,
THESE FALSE MESSIAHS PROMISING ALL KINDS OF THINGS. JESUS SAID, "TAKE HEED
THAT NO MAN DECEIVE YOU." HE WARNED THAT MANY
FALSE PROPHETS SHALL RISE AND SHALL DECEIVE MANY. PAUL SAID, "EVIL MEN "AND SEDUCERS SHALL WAX "WORSE AND WORSE, "DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED "AS WE APPROACH
THE END OF THE AGE." JOHN SAID MANY ANTICHRISTS
WOULD COME. HE SAID, "BELOVED,
BELIEVE NOT EVERY SPIRIT, "BUT TRY THE SPIRITS "WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD,"
BECAUSE OF THE FALSE PROPHETS THAT HAVE GONE OUT
INTO THE WORLD. THEN AS WE APPROACH
THE END OF THE AGE, THEY WILL INTENSIFY,
THEY WILL GET WORSE AND WORSE, AND MORE BELIEVABLE
ALL THE TIME. MANY PEOPLE WILL FOLLOW THEM TO THEIR DOOM
AND TO THEIR DEATH. A PRIEST CAME ALONG...
THINK OF IT NOW, A PRIEST CAME ALONG:
A PREACHER, A CLERGYMAN. AND IT SAYS THAT
HE LOOKED OVER AND HE SAW THIS MAN
OVER THERE SUFFERING AND DYING AND WOUNDED
AND STRIPPED. AND HE PASSED BY
ON THE OTHER SIDE. NOW HE WAS TOO BUSY
ON HIS WAY, PROBABLY TO
A RELIGIOUS CONFERENCE, TO STOP AND HELP
THIS POOR MAN. PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY,
"HAVING A FORM OF GODLINESS "BUT DENYING
THE POWER THEREOF." YOU SEE RELIGION
WILL NOT SAVE ANYBODY. PEOPLE SAY,
"OH, I'M RELIGIOUS." SURE, YOU HAVE RELIGION, BUT THAT'S
NOT GOING TO SAVE YOU. YOU ARE SAVED
BY JESUS CHRIST. BY THE BLOOD THAT WAS
SHED ON THE CROSS, BY HIS RESURRECTION;
BY WHAT IS CALLED IN THE BIBLE THE KERYGMA : THE STORY
OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS. WHEN GOD TOOK YOUR SINS
AND LAID THEM ON CHRIST, AND HE BECAME SIN FOR US
WHO KNEW NO SIN. THAT'S THE ONLY WAY
ANYBODY'S GOING TO BE SAVED. I DON'T CARE WHO YOU ARE. NO ONE IS GOING TO GO
TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN EXCEPT THE WAY GOD SAID GO. YOU MIGHT NOT
LIKE IT THAT WAY, BUT THAT'S THE WAY IT IS. "THERE IS A WAY
THAT SEEMETH RIGHT UNTO MAN, "BUT THE END THEREOF
ARE THE WAYS OF DEATH," SAYS THE BIBLE. COME TO THE CROSS! FIND FORGIVENESS
AND ETERNAL LIFE. THEN YOU HAVE THE ABILITY
AND THEN YOU HAVE THE VISION TO GO OUT
AND HELP YOUR NEIGHBOR. PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN BE SAVED
BY DOING THE BEST THEY CAN. I SAW A POLL IN NEW JERSEY
SOME TIME AGO THAT SAID NINETY-TWO PERCENT
OF THE PEOPLE SAID THEY HOPE TO GO TO HEAVEN,
BUT THEY WERE NOT SURE. BUT JOHN SAID,
"WE KNOW THAT WE'VE PASSED "FROM DEATH UNTO LIFE." PETER SAID, "FOR AS MUCH AS
YE KNOW THAT YOU WERE REDEEMED." PAUL SAID, "I KNOW IN WHOM
I HAVE BELIEVED "AND AM PERSUADED
THAT HE IS ABLE TO KEEP "THAT WHICH I'VE COMMITTED
UNTO HIM AGAINST THAT DAY." THE APOSTLE JOHN SAID,
"THESE THINGS HAVE I WRITTEN "UNTO YOU THAT BELIEVE
ON THE NAME OF THE SON OF GOD "THAT YE MAY KNOW
THAT YE HAVE ETERNAL LIFE." YOU DON'T HAVE TO DOUBT IT. DO YOU DOUBT THAT YOU'RE GOING
TO HEAVEN TONIGHT? DO YOU DOUBT THAT
YOU HAVE ETERNAL LIFE? DO YOU DOUBT THAT
YOUR SINS ARE FORGIVEN? IS THERE A DOUBT
IN YOUR HEART? IF THERE IS,
THEN I'D MAKE SURE, TONIGHT! YOU SAY, "I'VE BEEN
BAPTIZED, "I'VE BEEN CONFIRMED, "I'VE DONE EVERYTHING
I WAS TOLD TO DO," BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE. COME AND MAKE SURE. RECOMMIT YOUR LIFE. RECONFIRM YOUR LIFE. RECONFIRM WHAT YOUR PARENTS
PROMISED AT BAPTISM. RECONFIRM WHAT
YOU PROMISED. MANY PEOPLE
NEED TO DO THAT. I NEEDED
TO DO THAT. I WAS BROUGHT UP
IN THE CHURCH; BAPTIZED, CONFIRMED,
AND ALL THE REST. BUT I STILL DIDN'T
REALLY KNOW CHRIST AS MY SAVIOR
AND MY LORD. THERE CAME A TIME
WHEN I HAD TO SAY, "YES, LORD,
I WILL RECEIVE YOU, "I WILL TURN
FROM MY SINS, "I WILL ALLOW YOU
TO CHANGE MY WAY OF LIVING." "NOT BY WORKS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS
WHICH WE HAVE DONE, "BUT ACCORDING TO HIS MERCY
HE SAVED US." SO THE WOUNDED, DERELICT
MAN WAS LEFT TO DIE; THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE
UNWILLING TO SAVE HIM. AND JESUS NOW SHOWS US
THE SIMPLICITY AND THE SAVING POWER
OF THE GOSPEL. "A CERTAIN SAMARITAN
CAME ALONG..." NOW A SAMARITAN WAS
A HALF-CASTE; HE WAS HALF GENTILE
AND HALF JEWISH. THE JEWS AND THE GENTILES
AT THAT TIME HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH EACH OTHER, AND CERTAINLY THE JEWS
AND THE SAMARITANS HAD NOTHING TO DO
WITH EACH OTHER. THEY DIDN'T TRUST EACH OTHER
IN THAT ANCIENT DAY. THEY DO TODAY,
BUT THEY DIDN'T AT THAT TIME. AND SO THIS SAMARITAN, WHO NORMALLY
WOULD HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH SOMEBODY OF
ANOTHER ETHNIC BACKGROUND, CAME ALONG
AND SAW WHAT HAPPENED. NOW HE COULD HAVE
SAID TO HIMSELF, "I HAVE NO RESPONSIBILITY
FOR THIS GUY. "HE GOT IN HIS OWN TROUBLE. "HE SHOULD HAVE COME ALONG
ARMED AND READY "FOR THE THIEVES
AND THE ROBBERS ON THIS ROAD. "HE SHOULD HAVE
PREPARED HIMSELF. "I DON'T HAVE ANY
RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS HIM. "HE'S NOT RELATED TO ME,
HE HATES ME." GOD COULD HAVE DONE
THE SAME WITH US. HE COULD HAVE LOOKED
AT THIS LITTLE PLANET WHIRLING OUT INTO SPACE
LIKE A SPECK OF DUST, WITH LITTLE ANTS
CALLED PEOPLE LIVING ON IT. LOST, SEPARATED FROM HIM,
DYING, BEING BORN, LIVE A FEW YEARS
AND THEN DIE; BEING BORN,
LIVE A FEW YEARS AND DIE, AND SIN AND GO ON
WITH THEIR OWN PLEASURES DEFYING GOD. AND HE COULD HAVE SAID,
"SWEEP THEM ALL INTO HELL." HE COULD HAVE SAID,
"LET'S DESTROY THE PLANET." HE COULD HAVE DONE IT
WITH A SNAP OF HIS FINGER. HE COULD HAVE DONE IT
WITH AN ORDER TO ONE ANGEL. BUT HE DIDN'T DO IT. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD." SO LOVED. YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT,
DO YOU? HOW CAN YOU? YOU CAN'T LOVE LIKE THAT. ONLY AN INFINITE GOD
CAN SO LOVE TO DO WHAT HE DID; TO SAVE THIS LITTLE PLANET,
TO SAVE YOU. THE GRACE OF GOD,
WE DIDN'T DESERVE IT. DR. MENNINGER,
THE GREAT PSYCHIATRIST FROM KANSAS, SAID, "LOVE IS THE MEDICINE
FOR THE SICKNESS OF THE WORLD." ONE OF YOUR
FORMER PRIME MINISTERS WAS QUOTED IN THE PRESS
SOME TIME AGO AS SAYING HE HAD NEVER KNOWN A TIME
IN HIS WHOLE LIFETIME WHEN THERE WAS
SUCH A SHORTAGE OF LOVE. I READ OF A WOMAN IN LONDON,
ENGLAND WHO DIED AT 102. FOR THE LAST YEARS
OF HER LIFE, SHE HAD NIGHTLY
MADE AN ENTRY IN HER DIARY, AND HERE'S WHAT HER DIARY SAID
DAY AFTER DAY, AND DAY AFTER DAY. "NO ONE CALLED TODAY,
NO ONE LOVES ME." SHE DIED ALONE. BUT I'LL TELL YOU,
SOMEBODY DOES LOVE YOU. I DON'T CARE
WHAT YOUR PROBLEMS ARE, AND WHAT YOUR TENSIONS ARE,
AND WHAT'S YOUR PRESSURES, WHAT YOUR SINS ARE,
AND WHAT YOUR FAILURE ARE: GOD LOVES YOU. GOD LOVES YOU SO MUCH THAT HE SENT
HIS SON TO THE CROSS TO ENDURE THAT
TERRIBLE DEATH FOR YOU, JUST FOR YOU. IF YOU'D HAVE BEEN
THE ONLY ONE, HE WOULD HAVE DIED FOR YOU. AND SO, THIS SAMARITAN
WENT TO HIM JUST AS CHRIST
WILL COME TO YOU TONIGHT: IN YOUR HURT, IN YOUR DISTRESS,
IN YOUR FAILURE, IN YOUR SIN. HE WILL COME TO YOU. HE DIDN'T JUST LOVE HIM
AND LEAVE HIM. JESUS DIDN'T JUST LOVE US
AND LEAVE US, HE DIED--HE DID SOMETHING! AND THIS CERTAIN SAMARITAN
DID THE SAME THING. "BUT GOD COMMENDED HIS LOVE
TOWARD US IN THAT "WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS,
CHRIST DIED FOR US." DO YOU REMEMBER READING
IN THE PAPER SOME TIME AGO ABOUT THIS DOCTOR
FROM WINDSOR, ONTARIO THAT WENT DOWN
TO CHICAGO WITH HIS WIFE. I THINK--, NOW I'M NOT SURE
THEY WERE ON THEIR HONEYMOON, BUT THEY WENT DOWN TO CHICAGO
AND THEY ATE AT A RESTAURANT. YOU REMEMBER THAT THEY
WERE HELD UP BY SOME ROBBERS ON THE STREET OUTSIDE
IN A RATHER NICE NEIGHBORHOOD. THE ROBBER PULLED A GUN
AND HELD IT AT THE HEAD OF HIS WIFE OR HIS BRIDE, AND HE RUSHED IN BETWEEN, AND THE ROBBER SHOT HIM
AND KILLED HIM. HE WAS SAVING HIS WIFE, JUST AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
RUSHED IN FOR HIS BRIDE: THOSE OF US WHO ARE MEMBERS
OF HIS BODY, HE DIED ON THE CROSS FOR US
BECAUSE HE LOVED US. CHRIST LOVED YOU
AND DIED FOR YOU. "BUT GOD, WHO IS RICH IN MERCY,
FOR HIS GREAT LOVE "WHEREWITH HE LOVED US." NOTICE THIS SAMARITAN
BOUND UP HIS WOUNDS AND POURED IN SOME OIL. NOW THE OIL
STANDS FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT. YOU SEE, THE HOLY SPIRIT
COMES INTO OUR HEARTS, AND CONVICTS US OF SIN. AND THEN AFTER
WE'VE RECEIVED CHRIST, THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES
TO FILL OUR HEARTS AND TO PRODUCE
THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT, AND TO GIVE US GIFTS
SO THAT WE CAN SERVE HIM. AND THEN HE POURED IN THE WINE, AND THE WINE WITH ITS
ALCOHOLIC CONTENT WAS AN ANTISEPTIC THAT
WOULD HELP HEAL THE WOUND. AND THAT WINE,
AS YOU TAKE IT AT COMMUNION, OR THE JUICE THAT
MAY BE SERVED IN YOUR CHURCH, STANDS FOR
THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
"THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST, "GOD'S SON,
CLEANSETH FROM ALL SIN." GOD DOESN'T JUST
CHANGE US AND CONVERT US, AND GIVE US ETERNAL LIFE--
GOD KEEPS US! "AND BROUGHT HIM UP...
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "TO AN INN
AND TOOK CARE OF HIM." AND PETER SAID, "WHO ARE KEPT
BY THE POWER OF GOD "THROUGH FAITH UNTO SALVATION." YOU DON'T HAVE TO HOLD ON
AND STAY IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD BY HOLDING ON,
HE HOLDS YOU! HE TAKES CARE OF YOU! HE PUT HIM ON HIS OWN BEAST, HE HAD HIS
OWN AMBULANCE RIGHT THERE. AND SO CHRIST WILL
PUT YOU IN A PLACE AND GIVE YOU
A PEACE AND A JOY. THAT WAS THE FIRST SAMARITAN
HOSPITAL IN HISTORY RIGHT THERE. THE PSALMIST SAID
CONCERNING CHRIST, "HE BROUGHT ME UP." IT SAYS, "HE SET ME UP,
HE SET MY FEET ON A ROCK," HE HELD ME UP,
HE TUNES ME UP, HE'LL CATCH ME UP SOMEDAY. AND ON THE DAY AFTER
WHEN HE LEFT HE PAID THE PRICE
AND SAID, "IF HE HAS ANY MORE NEEDS,
I'LL PAY WHEN I COME BACK." JESUS CHRIST IS COMING BACK. CHRIST CAN TOUCH YOUR LIFE
AND MAKE YOU NEW AND GIVE YOU ETERNAL LIFE. AND THEN YOU'LL HAVE
THE STRENGTH AND THE ABILITY TO GO OUT AND BE A NEIGHBOR TO THOSE THAT YOU
SHOULD BE A NEIGHBOR TO. YOU SAY,
"WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?" YOU HAVE TO SAY,
"GOD, I'M SORRY I'VE SINNED. "LORD, I'M WILLING
TO CHANGE MY WAY OF LIFE. "LORD, I RECEIVE YOU
INTO MY HEART BY FAITH. "AND I DO IT OPENLY." EVERY PERSON JESUS CALLED,
HE CALLED OPENLY AND PUBLICLY IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. THAT'S THE REASON
I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET UP RIGHT NOW
AND COME FORWARD, AND STAND IN FRONT
OF THE PLATFORM. I WANT YOU TO GET UP AND COME
AND STAND AND SAY TONIGHT, "I WANT ETERNAL LIFE. "I WANT MY SINS FORGIVEN. "I WANT TO KNOW
I'M GOING TO HEAVEN. "I WANT CHRIST IN MY HEART. "I WANT A
NEW RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM." YOU GET UP
AND COME RIGHT NOW, WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. ♪ JUST AS I AM
AND WAITING NOT ♪ ♪ TO RID MY SOUL
OF ONE DARK BLOT ♪ AS HUNDREDS ARE RESPONDING TO
MR. GRAHAM'S INVITATION TO MAKE A PUBLIC COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST YOU CAN MAKE
THAT SAME COMMITMENT RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE. JUST PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE NUMBER
YOU SEE ON YOUR SCREEN. SPECIAL FRIENDS ARE WAITING TO
TALK WITH YOU AND PRAY WITH YOU ABOUT THIS MOST IMPORTANT
DECISION. ♪ I COME ♪ ♪ I COME ♪ ♪ YOU THAT HAVE BEEN
WATCHING BY TELEVISION CAN SEE THAT SCORES
OF PEOPLE ARE COMING FROM EVERY PART
OF THIS GREAT STADIUM TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST. AND WHERE YOU ARE:
IN A LIVING ROOM, IN A HOTEL ROOM,
IN A BAR, WHEREVER, YOU CAN MAKE THAT SAME
COMMITMENT TO CHRIST. GOD HELP YOU
TO MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. AND BE SURE AND GO
TO CHURCH NEXT SUNDAY. 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. It’s Anne,
she’s in trouble. If you don’t take it to the edge
every chance you get, you’re dead already, baby. I was in trouble and I didn’t know what to do. (slap)
"Ow!" (Nazi)
Where are the Jews? I knew that I could
take on the world. It’s like you’re in a dream,
but not really a dream, this is reality. I don’t really believe
in all this but I know something crazy is happening right now.
