FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS ONE OF THE TELEVISION NETWORKS RAN A SERIES OF
FIVE PROGRAMS ON THE EARLY DAYS
OF CHRISTIANITY. AND THEY INCLUDED THE CRUCIFIXION
OF JESUS CHRIST. ONE OF THE MOST GRAPHIC PICTURES
I HAVE EVER SEEN. AND AMONG ALL THE EMBLEMS OF
THE WORLD, NONE IS ADMIRED, GLORIFIED AND WORSHIPED
AS THE CROSS. IT WAS THE INSTRUMENT
OF CHRIST'S SUFFERING AND DEATH. AND IT'S ALSO THE INSTRUMENT
OF OUR SALVATION. THE HISTORY OF THE CROSS
IS VERY INTERESTING. BECAUSE IT GOES BACK TO INDIA, IT GOES BACK TO CHINA, LONG BEFORE CHRIST EVER CAME. AND THE VICTIM,
AS YOU KNOW, WAS FASTENED TO THE CROSS
BY CORDS, OR HIS HANDS WERE NAILED AND HE WAS LEFT TO DIE. AND THE HEAT OF THE SUN,
THE PULL OF HIS BODY, AND THE TORTURE THAT HE'D HAD
BEFORE HE WAS ON THE CROSS, IT TOOK SOMETIMES,
TWO AND THREE DAYS, AND SOMETIMES A WEEK FOR A PERSON TO DIE
ON A CROSS. THE MOST TERRIBLE,
THE MOST AWFUL, THE MOST PAINFUL WAY TO DIE
THAT WE CAN IMAGINE. BUT BY THE TIME OF CONSTANTINE,
IN THE FOURTH CENTURY, AND HE HAS BECOME A CHRISTIAN
OR A PROFESSING CHRISTIAN, IT WAS AS
AN INSTRUMENT OF TORTURE, IT HAD BEEN ABOLISHED. AND LATER CHRISTIAN NATIONS
STARTED TO USE THE CROSS AS A SYMBOL OF CHRISTIANITY. IT WAS EMBOSSED UPON
THEIR CHARIOTS, UPON WHATEVER THEY HAD. AND THE CROSS
BECAME THE SYMBOL OF EVERYTHING THAT
CHRISTIANITY STOOD FOR. AND THROUGH SUCH ORGANIZATIONS
AS THE RED CROSS, IT'S BECOME
AN INTERNATIONAL SIGN OF GOOD WILL AND HELP
TO OTHER PEOPLE. HEBREWS, THE SIXTH CHAPTER,
IT SAYS, "FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE "FOR THOSE WHO WERE
ONCE ENLIGHTENED "AND HAVE TASTED
OF THE HEAVENLY GIFT "AND WERE MADE PARTAKERS
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT "AND HAVE TASTED
THE GOOD WORD OF GOD "AND THE POWER
OF THE WORLD TO COME "IF THEY SHALL FALL AWAY "TO RENEW THEM AGAIN
TO REPENTANCE "SEEING THAT THEY CRUCIFY
TO THEMSELVES "THE SON OF GOD AFRESH
AND PUT HIM TO OPEN SHAME." EVERY TIME THE GOSPEL
IS PROCLAIMED THOSE WHO HEAR THE MESSAGE AND RECEIVE CHRIST AS SAVIOR COME BY THE WAY OF THE CROSS. BUT IF YOU NEGLECT
OR REFUSE GOD'S OFFER OF LOVE AND MERCY
FROM THE CROSS YOU HELP CRUCIFY
JESUS CHRIST. THAT'S THE REASON IT'S WRONG TO SAY THAT THE JEWS
CRUCIFIED CHRIST AS CHRISTIANS SAID
ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDDLE AGES. AND THEY USED TO TRY
TO MAKE JEWS CONVERTS AT THE END OF A SWORD OR POINT A GUN AT THEIR HEAD OR A KNIFE AT THEIR THROAT TO TRY TO MAKE THEM CONVERTED BECAUSE THEY SAID
THEY WERE CHRIST KILLERS. THEY DID NOT KILL CHRIST. YOU KNOW WHO KILLED CHRIST? ALL OF US. WE ALL HAD A PART IN HIS DEATH. BECAUSE HIS DEATH WAS PLANNED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION
OF THE WORLD BECAUSE OF SIN. AND THE BIBLE SAYS, "WE'VE ALL SINNED AND
COME SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD." THERE ARE FOUR DIMENSIONS
OF THE CROSS THAT I THINK ABOUT
WHEN I TALK ABOUT IT. I THINK ABOUT THE BREADTH
OF THE CROSS. THE LOVE OF CHRIST
IS MANIFESTED IN THE CROSS OF CHRIST THAT
INCLUDES EVERYBODY. GOD'S LOVE EXTENDS TO AFRICA,
TO ASIA, TO LATIN AMERICA, TO RUSSIA, TO CHINA,
TO AMERICA, TO CANADA, TO THE WHOLE WORLD. IT INCLUDES YOU,
WHOEVER YOU ARE, WHATEVER YOUR RELIGION
OR IF YOU HAVE NO RELIGION. GOD LOVES YOU. AND HE SAYS FROM THE CROSS,
"I LOVE YOU." THEN THERE'S
THE LENGTH OF THE CROSS. IT HAS NO MEASURE. IT EXTENDS FROM
ETERNITY TO ETERNITY, FROM EVERLASTING
TO EVERLASTING. WHEN NOAH BUILT THE ARK,
DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS? 450 FEET LONG. WHEN SOLOMON BUILT THE TEMPLE,
YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT WAS? 60 CUBITS. IF YOU BUILD A SHED
FOR GARDEN TOOLS YOU CAN MEASURE THE LUMBER
WITH A RULER. BUT HOW CAN YOU MEASURE
THE END TO END OF GOD'S LOVE IN THE CROSS? THE BIBLE SAYS, PAUL SAID, THAT GOD'S LOVE
SURPASSES KNOWLEDGE. THERE'S NO WAY THAT
OUR FINITE MINDS CAN EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND
THE LOVE OF GOD THAT WOULD GIVE HIS SON
ON THE CROSS TO DIE FOR YOU BECAUSE YOU AND I
DESERVE THAT DEATH. WE DESERVED HELL AND JUDGMENT. AND THEN I THINK
OF THE HEIGHT OF THE CROSS. IT EXTENDS TO THE THRONE OF GOD. IT DOESN'T MATTER
HOW HIGH HEAVEN IS. THROUGH THE CROSS GOD DRAWS
ALL MEN TO HIM. AND YOU HAVE TO MAKE A DECISION
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST. SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING
OUT INTO SPACE FURTHER AND FURTHER
AND FURTHER, BUT THEY CAN'T
GET AWAY FROM GOD. THE SUBJECT OF ASTRONOMY AND THE SUBJECT
OF THE SPACE FRONTIER'S VERY EXCITING TO ME. THERE ARE SCIENTISTS HERE
TONIGHT WHO KNOW FAR MORE ABOUT THE HEIGHT
OF THE UNIVERSE THAN I CAN EVER EXPLAIN. BUT HEAVEN IS
OUT THERE SOMEWHERE. WE DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHERE. YOU SAY, "DO YOU BELIEVE
HEAVEN IS A PLACE?" YES, I BELIEVE IT'S A PLACE. I BELIEVE I'M GOING TO SEE
THE GOLDEN STREETS AND WALK ON THEM. AND I BELIEVE I'M GONNA
LIVE IN A... WELL, I THINK I'LL LIVE
IN A SHACK. SOME OF YOU WILL LIVE
IN MANSIONS. YES, HEAVEN IS GOING TO BE
A GLORIOUS PLACE. AND YOU CANNOT GO BEYOND
GOD'S LOVE EVEN IN HEAVEN. AND THEN THE DEPTH
OF GOD'S LOVE AND THE CROSS. YOU CAN FALL TO
THE VERY BOTTOMLESS PIT OF SIN AND DEGRADATION AND YOU CAN LIVE
LIKE AN ANIMAL. YOU CAN BE A MURDERER. YOU CAN BE A RAPIST. YOU CAN BE ANYTHING, BUT YOU CAN'T GET BEYOND
THE LOVE OF GOD. THE CROSS COVERS
TO THE VERY GATES OF HELL. HOW DEEP IS IT? THERE ARE PEOPLE TODAY
THAT ARE TRYING TO FIND HOW DEEP THEY CAN GO
INTO THE HEART OF THE EARTH AND HOW DEEP SPACE IS. THEY CAN'T GET AWAY FROM GOD. BECAUSE AS WE STUDY
THE DEPTHS OF ENERGY WE'RE LOOKING FOR UNITY. THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS
THEY'RE MAKING THAT STUDY IN ILLINOIS. AND THE BIBLE SAYS,
"OH, THE DEPTH OF THE RICHES "OF THE WISDOM
AND KNOWLEDGE OF GOD." IT CAN DRAW EVERY SINNER UP TO
THE EXALTED HEIGHT OF HEAVEN. "AND I, IF I BE LIFTED UP
FROM THE EARTH "WILL DRAW ALL MEN UNTO ME,"
SAID JESUS. THINK OF THE CROSS A MOMENT
AND THINK OF HIS SUFFERING FOR YOU AND FOR ME. IT'S SAID THAT JESUS ENDURED
FIVE BASIC WOUNDS THAT MEDICAL SCIENCE
DEFINES AS, FIRST, CONTUSION, WHEN THEY BEAT HIM
ON THE HEAD, AND TORTURED HIM AND PUT A CROWN OF THORNS
ON HIM FOR YOU. LACERATION; THEY BARED HIS BACK
AND TOOK LONG LEATHER WHIPS WITH STEEL PELLETS ON THE END
AND BEAT HIM UNTIL HE WAS BLEEDING
FROM HEAD TO TOE. THAT WAS THE ROMAN WAY. THEY TORTURED PRISONERS BEFORE
THEY TOOK THEM TO THE CROSS. THEN THERE WAS PENETRATION WHEN THEY CRUSHED THAT CROWN
OF THORNS ON HIS BROW AND HIS HEAD BLED. THERE WAS PERFORATION WHEN THEY DROVE THE NAILS
THROUGH HIS HANDS AND FEET. THERE WAS INCISION WHEN THEY PUT
THE SPEAR IN HIS SIDE. THAT SUFFERING-- THOSE NAILS THROUGH
HIS HANDS AND FEET WERE DRIVEN BY YOU AND ME AND ALL THE PEOPLES
OF THE WORLD BECAUSE WE ALL HAD A PART
IN THE DEATH OF CHRIST BECAUSE OF OUR SINS. OUR SINS PUT HIM
TO THE CROSS. AND YOU PARTICIPATED. YOU MAY BE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION SOMEWHERE. AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME
TO THE CROSS TONIGHT AND FIND GOD'S LOVE AND GOD'S FORGIVENESS AND GOD'S TOUCH ON YOUR LIFE. YOU'LL SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE
A NUMBER. YOU CAN CALL IT. AND THERE ARE COUNSELORS
STANDING BY READY TO TALK WITH YOU. YOU MIGHT HAVE TO CALL
SEVERAL TIMES. BUT KEEP CALLING,
YOU'LL GET SOMEBODY. THEY'LL BE THERE ALL EVENING. AND THEY'LL HELP YOU,
AND SEND YOU SOME LITERATURE TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND AND TO HELP YOU LIVE
THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. AND I'M GOING TO ASK PEOPLE HERE
AFTER WHILE TO COME TO CHRIST. AND THEN I WANT US
TO LOOK AT THE CROSS FROM ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW. I WANT US TO LOOK AT
THE SAYINGS OF CHRIST FROM THE CROSS. WE USUALLY HEAR A SERMON
LIKE THIS ON GOOD FRIDAY AND THAT'S ABOUT IT. BUT MOST OF US DON'T GO
TO CHURCH ON GOOD FRIDAY. SO WE NEVER HEAR IT. THERE ARE 28 PROPHECIES
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT ABOUT THE CROSS,
WHOLE CHAPTERS. THERE'S GENESIS 22
AND PSALM 22 AND ISAIAH 53
AND LEVITICUS 16 THAT ESPECIALLY DEAL
WITH THE SUFFERING OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS,
HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE HE EVER
WENT TO THE CROSS. THEY WERE UNDER INSPIRATION
OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; THE WRITERS
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. AND THE FIRST ONE
COMES FROM PSALM 22 , JESUS WAS QUOTING SCRIPTURE
WHEN HE SAID, "MY GOD, MY GOD
WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?" THAT'S A QUOTE
FROM PSALM 22. BUT THEN YOU GO ON A LITTLE BIT
FURTHER AND YOU'LL SEE WHY HE SAID IT. BECAUSE THE SCRIPTURE SAYS,
"THOU ART HOLY." YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND
THE OLD TESTAMENT WITH ALL OF ITS
BLOOD SACRIFICES, YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND
THE BIBLE, YOU'LL NEVER UNDERSTAND
THE DEATH OF CHRIST ON THE CROSS TILL YOU UNDERSTAND THAT GOD IS A HOLY AND RIGHTEOUS
AND PURE GOD AND HE CANNOT
EVEN LOOK UPON EVIL. SO IN THAT TERRIBLE MOMENT OF THE AGONY OF THE LORD
JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS, HE WAS LONELY, FORSAKEN BY HIS FRIENDS, AND THEN A SHADOW COMES
FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE ETERNITY BEGAN BETWEEN GOD THE FATHER
AND GOD THE SON. BECAUSE GOD CANNOT LOOK
UPON SIN, BECAUSE IN THAT MOMENT HE WAS LAYING YOUR SINS
AND MINE ON CHRIST. AND CHRIST WAS SUFFERING
FOR US. AND IN THAT MYSTERIOUS MOMENT "HE WAS MADE TO BE SIN FOR US
WHO KNEW NO SIN." DO YOU KNOW WHAT
THAT MEANS? MADE TO BE SIN. HAD NEVER KNOWN SIN. NEVER TOLD A LIE. NEVER HAD AN EVIL THOUGHT. NEVER HAD ANY GREED OR LUST. ALL OF A SUDDEN, ALL OF THAT FILTH AND DIRT
FROM YOUR LIFE AND MY LIFE DESCENDED ON HIM. AND NONE OF US
WILL EVER UNDERSTAND THE MYSTERY OF THAT MOMENT. NO THEOLOGIAN CAN EXPLAIN IT
TO MY SATISFACTION AT LEAST. IT WAS GOD'S GREAT LOVE
FOR YOU THAT ALLOWED HIS SON
TO TAKE THAT SUFFERING. AND THEN THE SECOND THING
FROM THE CROSS THAT WE HEAR IS
WHEN HE SAID, "I THIRST." AND THAT'S A FULFILLMENT
OF PSALM 69:21. AND WHEN HE SAID, "I THIRST," THEY GAVE HIM VINEGAR
AND DRINK MINGLED WITH GALL AND WHEN HE HAD TASTED THEREOF,
HE WOULD NOT DRINK IT. HE'D TASTE IT,
AS WE READ LATER IN JOHN , IN ANOTHER ONE
OF THE GOSPELS, BUT HE DIDN'T DRINK IT. WHY? BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE
BEEN A SEDATIVE. IT WOULD HAVE TAKE AWAY
SOME OF THE SUFFERING. AND HE WAS THERE TO DO, TO TAKE ALL THE SUFFERING IN ABSOLUTE CONSCIOUSNESS FOR YOU AND FOR ME. HE WOULDN'T TAKE IT. HE MUST SUFFER
THE TERRIBLE AGONY AND CARRY OUR SINS ON THE CROSS
IN FULL CONSCIOUSNESS FOR YOU. AND IF YOU HAD BEEN
THE ONLY PERSON IN THE WHOLE WORLD HE WOULD HAVE DIED FOR YOU. AND THEN IN LUKE 23:34 IS ANOTHER THING
THAT HE SAID FROM THE CROSS. HE SAID, "FATHER,
FORGIVE THEM. "THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY DO." NOW IF HE'S TALKING ABOUT
THOSE SOLDIERS THAT WERE NAILING HIM, THE CROWED THAT WAS OUT THERE
YELLING AND SCREAMING AT HIM. 72,000 ANGELS PULLED
THEIR SWORDS READY TO COME AND RESCUE HIM. AND HE SAID, "NO, "I'M DOING IT
BECAUSE I LOVE THEM." YOU SEE, YOU AND I HAD SINNED
AGAINST GOD. WE HAD BROKEN HIS LAWS. AND HE SAID, "IN THE DAY
THAT YOU BREAK MY LAW "YOU WILL SUFFER AND DIE." HE SAID THAT TO ADAM AND EVE. THEY BROKE HIS LAW,
THEY SINNED, THAT'S WHAT SIN IS. YOU SEE, GOD NEVER MEANT
THAT ANYBODY WOULD EVER DIE. AND GOD DID NOT
CREATE HELL FOR US. BUT WE DELIBERATELY REBELLED
AGAINST GOD AND GOD WOULD NOT BE GOD, HE WOULDN'T BE JUST
AND RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY IF HE CAME ALONG
AND PATTED US ON THE BACK AND SAID, "YOU'RE FORGIVEN." WE HAD TO DIE FOR OUR OWN SINS OR SOMEBODY WHO WAS QUALIFIED
HAD TO DIE FOR US. AND THAT PERSON
THAT WAS QUALIFIED WAS JESUS CHRIST. AND HE VOLUNTEERED TO DO IT. HE DIED IN OUR PLACE. I HEARD ABOUT A WOMAN
WRITING TO A COLUMNIST AND SAID THAT HER CURE FOR GUILT
WAS TO GO TO THE BACK GARDEN, DIG A HOLE IN THE EARTH,
LIE DOWN ON HER STOMACH, SPEAK ALL OF HER GUILT
AND CONFESS ALL OF HER WRONGS, INTO THAT PLACE
THAT SHE'D DUG AND THEN COVER IT UP. AND PEOPLE WILL DO
ALMOST ANYTHING TO GET RID OF THEIR GUILT. THE PLACE TO GET RID OF GUILT
IS AT THE CROSS. FOR CENTURIES PEOPLE HAVE DONE
DESPERATE THINGS TO BURY THEIR GUILT. JAMES NELSON, THAT WE HAVE READ ABOUT
LAST YEAR, AS A BOY IN AN ALCOHOL SOAKED SCENE
BEAT HIS MOTHER TO DEATH WITH A BRICK. HE SERVED NINE YEARS
IN PRISON. AND DURING THAT TIME
HE MET CHRIST AT THE CROSS. AND THE DEEP REPENTANCE
AND CONFESSION OF CHRIST AS HIS SAVIOR
AND HIS LORD. HE BEGAN TO STUDY THE BIBLE. HE BEGAN TO BE A LAY PREACHER. AND LAST YEAR HE WAS ORDAINED
IN THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND AS A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER. THE FORGIVENESS OF GOD! THE LOVE OF GOD! THE POWER OF THE CROSS! TO CHANGE AND FORGIVE,
HOW WONDERFUL AND THRILLING. AND THEN ANOTHER THING
THAT HE DID AT THE CROSS, THAT IS ONE OF THE MOST TOUCHING
THINGS TO ME IN ALL THE WORLD. "NOW THERE STOOD BY THE CROSS,
HIS MOTHER." AND HE LOOKED TO JOHN,
ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, AND HE SAID, "JOHN, BEHOLD "THIS WOMAN." AND HE SAID TO MARY,
HIS MOTHER, HE CALLED HER WOMAN, JUST LIKE HE DID
AT CANAAN OF GALILEE, CALLED HER TWICE WOMAN. HE SAID, "WOMAN,
BEHOLD THY SON." AND FROM THAT HOUR ON, JOHN, HIS FRIEND
AND HIS DISCIPLE, TOOK CARE OF HIS MOTHER. THERE'S A ROCK GROUP
IN ENGLAND CALLED THE CURE. JESUS CHRIST ON THE CROSS
WAS THE CURE FOR ALL OUR HUMAN SEVERED
AND AILING RELATIONSHIPS, ALL THE SOCIAL PROBLEMS, THE OPPRESSED PEOPLES
OF THE WORLD FEEL THE IMPACT
OF HIS DEATH ON THE CROSS. AND THEN THERE WAS ANOTHER
STATEMENT FROM THE CROSS. HE SAID, "IT IS FINISHED." IT IS FINISHED. WHAT DID HE MEAN? IN JOHN 17 HE HAD SAID, "I FINISHED THE WORK
THAT THOU HADST GIVEN ME TO DO." GOD GAVE HIM A JOB TO DO AND THE JOB WAS
TO DIE ON THE CROSS. "TO THIS END WAS I BORN,"
HE SAID. HE CAME TO DIE. HE'S THE ONLY MAN
EVER BORN TO DIE. THAT WAS WHY HE CAME. WE WONDER WHY
HE DIDN'T FEED EVERYBODY AND HEAL EVERYBODY. HE COULD HAVE DONE IT! THAT WOULD'VE HEALED SOME BODIES AND FED SOME PEOPLE
THAT WERE HUNGRY. HE DID THAT
OUT OF COMPASSION. BUT HIS REAL WORK
WAS THE CROSS. AND THAT'S WHY THE CROSS
IS SO IMPORTANT, BECAUSE THERE YOU'RE DEALING
WITH ETERNITY. YOU SEE, THE BODY'S
GOING TO GO TO THE GRAVE, BUT YOUR SOUL, YOUR SPIRIT, THAT PART OF YOU
THAT LIVES FOREVER THAT LIVES INSIDE OF YOUR BODY IS GOING TO LIVE ON
AND ON AND ON AND ON. WHERE IS IT GOING TO SPEND ETERNITY, HEAVEN OR HELL? IT'LL BE DECIDED BY THE CROSS, WHAT YOU DO ABOUT THE CROSS. BECAUSE FROM THE CROSS HE'S ASKING YOU TO REPENT OF SIN AND RECEIVE HIM AS LORD AND SAVIOR. YES, IT IS FINISHED. AND THEN, HE SAID SOMETHING ELSE. IN LUKE 23 , "AND WHEN JESUS
HAD CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE "HE SAID, FATHER, INTO THY HANDS
I COMMIT MY SPIRIT." NOW I'VE SEEN A FEW PEOPLE DIE,
QUITE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE DIE. I'VE HEARD THE DEATH RATTLE
IN THEIR THROAT. BUT THERE WAS NO DEATH RATTLE
IN THE THROAT OF JESUS. THEY DID NOT TAKE HIS LIFE
FROM HIM. HE LAID IT DOWN VOLUNTARILY. "AND HE SAID IN A LOUD VOICE,"
NOTICE, A LOUD VOICE, HE SAID, "I COMMEND MY SPIRIT. "INTO THY HANDS, OH LORD,
I COMMEND MY SPIRIT." HE GAVE UP HIS SPIRIT
TO GOD THE FATHER. AND IN SAYING THIS, HE
CONFERRED UPON EVERY ONE OF US THE POSSIBILITY OF
THE GIFT OF ETERNAL LIFE. YOU CAN HAVE
ETERNAL LIFE TONIGHT. AND YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION CAN PICK UP THAT TELEPHONE
AND CALL THAT NUMBER ON YOUR SCREEN AND SOMEONE WILL BE THERE
TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT RECEIVING THIS CHRIST. WE WERE LOST,
CONFUSED, WITHOUT PURPOSE
AND MEANING IN LIFE. NO ASSURANCE OF A FUTURE LIFE. AND JESUS, FROM THE CROSS,
REACHED OUT BY DEATH AND RESCUED US. AND WE SAY TO HIM TODAY,
"LORD AND SAVIOR!" ARE YOU SURE HE'S YOUR LORD
AND YOUR SAVIOR? THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE
GO TO CHURCH BUT THEY'RE NOT SURE THAT THEY'VE COMMITTED
THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST. AND THEN LASTLY, THERE WAS THE STATEMENT THAT
HE MADE TO A THIEF ON THE CROSS. THE CROWDS DOWN BELOW
WERE SHOUTING, "IF YOU'RE THE SON OF GOD
COME DOWN AND SAVE YOURSELF." OTHERS WERE SAYING, "HE SAVED
OTHERS, HIMSELF HE CANNOT SAVE." THEY WERE MOCKING,
THEY WERE JEERING, THEY WERE LAUGHING. BOTH OF THE THIEVES
WERE CRITICIZING. YOU SEE, HE WAS ON THE CROSS
FOR SIX HOURS. AND THE FIRST THREE HOURS,
THEY WERE BOTH CRITICIZING HIM AND MAKING FUN OF HIM
LIKE THE CROWDS DOWN BELOW. BUT ONE OF THE THIEVES
BEGAN TO LOOK. THEY WERE BOTH GUILTY. THEY BOTH DESERVED TO DIE
ACCORDING TO ROMAN LAW. BUT ONE OF THEM
BEGAN TO LOOK AT JESUS. AND HE BEGAN TO SEE SOMETHING HE'D NEVER SEEN
ANYWHERE ELSE BEFORE. HE SAW THAT JESUS
WAS DIFFERENT. AND HE BEGAN TO SAY
TO HIMSELF, "HE MUST BE THE SON OF GOD. "HE MUST BE LORD." AND HE REBUKED THE OTHER THIEF
SAYING, "DON'T YOU FEAR GOD? "WE DESERVE WHAT WE'RE GETTING "BUT HE HASN'T DONE
ANYTHING WRONG." THEN HE TURNED TO JESUS
AND HE SAID, "LORD." AND THAT WORD LORD MEANS
MY VERY OWN LORD. HE SAID, "LORD, REMEMBER ME
WHEN YOU COME TO YOUR KINGDOM." WHAT AN ACT OF FAITH! AND JESUS SAID,
WHAT DID JESUS SAY? "TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME
IN PARADISE." AND THE ANGELS OF HEAVEN
WERE WATCHING TO SEE WHO WOULD BE
THE FIRST ONE THAT HE WOULD TAKE
TO PARADISE. IT WAS A THIEF
THAT DESERVED HELL. THE FORGIVENESS AND THE MERCY
OF GOD IS SO FAR BEYOND OUR COMPREHENSION THAT
WE CAN HARDLY TALK ABOUT IT. YES, THAT THIEF
IS GOING TO BE IN HEAVEN AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE HIM. JESUS TOOK HIM
BY THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. TWO THIEVES; WHICH ARE YOU? WHICH CROSS ARE YOU ON? THE ONE THAT'S REJECTING OR
NEGLECTING OR EVEN MAKING FUN? OR ARE YOU THE ONE
THAT RECEIVES AND ACCEPTS? I'M ASKING YOU TO MAKE YOUR
COMMITMENT TO CHRIST TONIGHT JUST AS SIMPLY. WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO? THREE THINGS. FIRST, YOU MUST REPENT
OF YOUR SIN. THAT WORD REPENT
MEANS TO CHANGE. CHANGE YOUR WAY OF LIVING,
CHANGE YOUR ATTITUDE. NOW YOU CANNOT DO IT ALONE,
BUT GOD WILL HELP YOU IF YOU'RE WILLING. THE SECOND THING, IS BY FAITH RECEIVE CHRIST
INTO YOUR HEART. BY FAITH. YOU CANNOT COME
INTELLECTUALLY ALONE. MAN CANNOT COME TO GOD
JUST WITH HIS MIND. HE HAS TO COME BY FAITH
LIKE A LITTLE CHILD TRUSTING HIS FATHER
OR MOTHER. AND THEN THIRDLY, YOU MUST BE WILLING
TO FOLLOW HIM AND SERVE HIM. IT'S NOT JUST RECEIVING HIM,
IT'S BEING A FOLLOWER OF HIS
EVERY HOUR OF THE DAY. YOU WON'T BECOME PERFECT. BUT YOU'LL CHANGE DIRECTIONS
IN YOUR LIFE. YOU'RE GOING THIS WAY AND YOU'RE TURNED
BY THE SPIRIT OF GOD AND YOU START A DIFFERENT WAY. AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO DO SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE
DO HERE EVERY NIGHT. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT AND COME AND STAND IN FRONT OF THIS PLATFORM AND SAY BY COMING, "I WANT TO KNOW "WHEN I LEAVE HERE TONIGHT." THE BIBLE SAYS, "HE THAT "HARDENETH HIS HEART "BEING OFTEN REPROVED, "SHALL SUDDENLY BE CUT OFF "AND THAT WITHOUT REMEDY. YOU MAY NEVER HAVE A MOMENT LIKE THIS WHEN YOU'RE SO CLOSE TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD AGAIN. COME TONIGHT. YOU MAY BE A MEMBER
OF THE BEST CHURCH IN TOWN. YOU MAY BE A COUNSELOR,
YOU MAY BE A CHOIR MEMBER, YOU MAY BE A CLERGYMAN, BUT YOU'RE NOT SURE
HOW YOU STAND BEFORE GOD AND YOU WANT TO COME
TO THE CROSS AND FIND FORGIVENESS
OF ALL YOUR SINS AND A CERTAINTY THAT IF YOU DIED
TONIGHT YOU'D GO TO HEAVEN. YOU GET UP AND COME
RIGHT NOW. HUNDREDS OF YOU
JUST COME, STRAIGHT DOWN AND STAND HERE
AND MAKE THAT COMMITMENT. ♪ THERE ARE MANY OF YOU THAT HAVE
BEEN WATCHING BY TELEVISION. WE'RE HERE IN
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. CRUSADE BEING HELD
IN HARTFORD, IN CONNECTICUT. AND EVERY NIGHT WE'VE SEEN
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME AND MAKE THE COMMITMENT
TO CHRIST. AND YOU SEE TONIGHT,
HUNDREDS MORE ARE COMING. YOU CAN MAKE THAT COMMITMENT
WHERE YOU ARE; AT HOME, YOU MAY BE IN A HOTEL ROOM,
YOU MAY BE IN A BAR. WHEREVER YOU ARE,
PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL THE NUMBER
ON THE SCREEN AND THERE'LL BE SOMEBODY THERE
TO TALK TO YOU. (Cliff Barrows) AGAIN, WE'D LIKE
TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO MAKE THIS YOUR MOMENT OF DECISION. AND TAKE A FEW MOMENTS
TO MAKE THAT TELEPHONE CALL AND TALK TO SOMEONE WHO IS
READY TO TALK WITH YOU. WE HAVE PHONES ALL ACROSS
THE COUNTRY WHERE PEOPLE WHO ARE STANDING BY ARE PRAYING THAT GOD WILL
SPEAK TO YOU THROUGH HIS WORD AND THROUGH THE MESSAGE TONIGHT. SO YOU MAKE THAT TELEPHONE CALL. IT COULD WELL BE THE MOST IMPORTANT CALL
YOU COULD EVER MAKE. 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.
