FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. NOW TONIGHT, I WANT YOU TO TURN WITH ME
TO THE SONG OF SOLOMON, THE SONG OF SOLOMON. NOW THAT COMES RIGHT
AFTER ECCLESIASTES, IF YOU'RE TURNING IN
YOUR BIBLE AND JUST BEFORE ISAIAH. IT'S A SHORT BOOK OF ONLY
EIGHT SHORT CHAPTERS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST THRILLING
AND ONE OF THE MOST INTERESTING BOOKS
IN ALL THE BIBLE. BUT THIS BOOK IS
VERY EXPLICIT. IT'S A THRILLING AND
WONDERFUL STORY OF LOVE, OF MARRIED LOVE. AND THE INTIMACIES
OF MARRIED LOVE. AND TONIGHT I WANT TO SPEAK
PRIMARILY TO YOUNG PEOPLE AND THEIR PARENTS ON
THE SUBJECT OF LOVE. AND ON THE SUBJECT
OF FALLING IN LOVE. AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR PARENTS, AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR CHILDREN, AND YOUR RELATIONSHIP
WITH YOUR NEIGHBOR, AS IT CONCERNS LOVE. WHAT IS LOVE? I SUPPOSE THE MOST MISUSED
WORD IN ALL THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS THE WORD LOVE. AND IN OUR GENERATION I DON'T
THINK WE HAVE VERY MUCH COMPREHENSION AT ALL ABOUT
WHAT LOVE REALLY IS ALL ABOUT. YOU KNOW A YOUNG PERSON
SAYS, I'M IN LOVE. WHAT DO THEY MEAN? I'M FALLING IN LOVE. OR I LOVE THIS RING,
OR I LOVE THIS SWEATER, OR I LOVE THIS DRESS,
OR I MADE LOVE LAST NIGHT. WE USE THE SAME WORD TO
DESCRIBE ALL KINDS OF THINGS. IT'S VERY MUCH
LIKE THANK YOU. YOU KNOW A PERSON CAN
GIVE YOU A LIFETIME OF COMRADESHIP AND FRIENDSHIP AND YOU SAY THANK YOU. OR SOMEONE GIVES YOU A CUP OF
COFFEE AND YOU SAY THANK YOU. YOU DON'T HAVE A STRONGER WORD
IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. AND THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IS
QUITE A LIMITED LANGUAGE IN MANY WAYS IN COMPARISON TO SOME OF THE OTHER
LANGUAGES OF THE WORLD. AND THE WORD LOVE IS ONE
OF THOSE WORDS THAT IS MISUNDERSTOOD AND
MISUSED SO MUCH TODAY. AND I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THAT IF I MIGHT A FEW
MINUTES TONIGHT. AND IN THE LAST CHAPTER-- I'M READING FROM
THE LIVING BIBLE -- THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK
OF THE SONG OF SOLOMON, THE GIRL OR THE YOUNG BRIDE
IN THIS BOOK-- IT'S THE STORY OF SOLOMON AND
HIS BRIDE, A SHULAMITE WOMAN. AND BY THE WAY,
A BLACK WOMAN. THIS WOMAN HERE
WAS A BLACK WOMAN. SHE SAYS SEVERAL TIMES
THAT SHE'S BLACK. AND SHE WAS CONSIDERED THE MOST
BEAUTIFUL WOMAN OF HER DAY. AND SHE WAS SOLOMON'S WIFE. AND IN THIS BOOK IS
THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN KING SOLOMON AND HIS WIFE AS THEY DISCUSS
THEIR MARRIED LOVE TOGETHER, AND THE ECSTASY
OF THIS LOVE, THE THRILL, THE DEPTH,
THE BREADTH, AND THE HEIGHT OF THIS LOVE
IS TREMENDOUS. AND WE BELIEVE, AS CHRISTIANS, THAT IT'S A METAPHOR, OR IT'S A PARABLE, OR IT'S A STORY OF THE LOVE THAT CHRIST
HAS FOR THE CHURCH. AND THE HEBREWS, THE JEWS
BELIEVE THAT IT'S THE STORY OF GOD'S LOVE
AFFAIR WITH ISRAEL. AND THEY ARE
DIFFERENCES OF OPINION AMONG THEOLOGIANS
ABOUT IT. BUT CERTAINLY BOTH
COULD BE TRUE. IT'S THE STORY OF GOD'S LOVE
AFFAIR WITH THE HUMAN RACE. THE STORY OF GOD'S LOVE
FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM, WHETHER THEY'RE JEW OR
WHETHER THEY'RE CHRISTIAN OR WHOEVER THEY MAY BE. AND IT GOES INTO
THE VERY DEPTHS OF LOVE. AND IT TELLS US HOW
MUCH GOD LOVES US AND HOW MUCH WE
ARE TO LOVE HIM. AND IN THIS PASSAGE THE BRIDE
IS SPEAKING AND SHE SAYS, "LOVE IS STRONG AS DEATH "AND JEALOUSLY IS
AS CRUEL AS HELL. "IT FLASHES FIRE,
THE VERY FLAME OF GOD. "MANY WATERS CANNOT QUENCH
THE FLAME OF THIS LOVE. "NEITHER CAN THE FLOODS
DROWN IT. "IF A MAN TRIED TO BUY IT
WITH EVERYTHING HE OWNED "HE COULDN'T DO IT." HERE WAS A LOVE THAT
MONEY CANNOT BUY. HERE IS A LOVE THAT SORROWS
AND PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES AND TEMPTATIONS
CANNOT DESTROY. HERE IS A LOVE THAT THE TRIALS
THAT COME IN EVERY MARRIAGE COULD NOT DESTROY. AND MONEY COULDN'T BUY IT. THAT'S THE KIND OF LOVE THAT SOLOMON AND HIS BRIDE
HAD FOR EACH OTHER. DO YOU LOVE THAT WAY? BUT YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE
BIBLE IS A LOVE STORY. IT'S GOD'S LOVE AFFAIR
WITH THE HUMAN RACE. YOU SEE, GOD HAS ALL THOSE
BILLIONS OF PLANETS OUT THERE, ALL THOSE HUNDREDS
OF BILLIONS OF STARS, AND IT'S ALL GOD'S. BUT OF ALL THE PLANETS
IN THE WHOLE UNIVERSE, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE STANDS
IN AWE AT THE LOVE THAT GOD SHOWERS ON THIS LITTLE
PLANET CALLED THE EARTH. AND I IMAGINE THE PEOPLE WHO
LIVE ON OTHER PLANETS WONDER WHY GOD DOESN'T SWEEP THIS
PLANET OF REBELLION OUT INTO OBLIVION. WE'RE THE ONLY PLANET,
IN SO FAR AS I KNOW, THAT ARE IN REBELLION
AGAINST GOD. AND YET IN SPITE
OF OUR REBELLION, IN SPITE OF
OUR DISOBEDIENCE, IN SPITE OF OUR SINS,
GOD LOVES US. THAT'S THE THRILLING
THING ABOUT IT. AND GOD LOVES EVERY PERSON
IN THE WHOLE WORLD WITH A LOVE THAT IS BEYOND
OUR COMPREHENSION. AND GOD PROVED HIS LOVE BY
GIVING HIS SON ON THE CROSS. IF YOU EVER DOUBT
THAT GOD LOVES, LOOK AT THE CROSS BECAUSE GOD WAS IN CHRIST RECONCILING THE WORLD
UNTO HIMSELF. THAT'S THE GREATEST
ILLUSTRATION OF LOVE IN THE WHOLE WORLD
IS THE CROSS. BECAUSE GOD IS SAYING FROM
THE CROSS, "I LOVE YOU, "I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU." YOU AND I WERE
SAVED BY THE CROSS. OUR LORD LOVED US SO MUCH
THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON TO DIE ON THAT CROSS. NOW LOVE IS NOT FEELING. YOU SAY, I FEEL I LOVE HIM. IT'S NOT FEELING,
LOVE IS DOING. LOVE IS A VERB;
GOD DID SOMETHING. GOD GAVE HIS LOVE. "GOD COMMENDETH HIS LOVE
TOWARD US IN THAT "WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS
CHRIST DIED FOR US." THE APOSTLE JOHN LOOKING
AT THAT CROSS SAID, "BEHOLD WHAT MANNER OF LOVE "THE FATHER HATH
BESTOWED UPON US." AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT
CROSS AND THINK ABOUT IT, THAT THE ROMANS USED
THE INSTRUMENT OF EXECUTION ON A COLOSSAL SCALE. AND THEY PUT NAILS
IN THE HANDS, AND SPIKES IN THE FEET, AND SPAT ON THE PEOPLE,
AND MUTILATED THE BODIES. BROKE THEIR LEGS TO
HELP THEM DIE QUICKER, AND ALL SORTS OF
TERRIBLE THINGS. THE MOST CRUEL DEATH
IN THE WHOLE WORLD IS THE DEATH OF THE CROSS. AND OUR LORD WAS HANGING
THERE WITH THE MOCKING CROWD MAKING FUN OF HIM. AND HE HUNG THERE FOR
YOU AND YOU AND YOU. GOD WAS SAYING,
"I LOVE YOU." JESUS LAID DOWN
HIS LIFE FOR US. AND THAT'S THE REASON
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THERE'S NO OTHER WAY
TO HEAVEN. YOU CAN'T BE SAVED
ANY OTHER WAY. YOU CANNOT FIND LIFE WITH
A CAPITAL "L" ANY OTHER WAY. YOU CANNOT GAIN ENTRANCE TO
THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WITHOUT COMING BY THE CROSS. BECAUSE IF GOD COULD
HAVE FOUND ANOTHER WAY, HE WOULD HAVE FOUND IT. NOW THE GREEKS HAD
FOUR WORDS FOR LOVE, THAT DESCRIBED DIFFERENT
KINDS OF LOVE. WE HAVE ONE WORD;
THEY HAD FOUR. ONE WAS THE WORD
CALLED STORGÉ WHICH CARRIES WITH IT
THE IDEA OF AFFECTION. AND I'M GOING TO LIMIT THAT,
IT COVERS MANY AREAS. BUT I'M GOING TO LIMIT IT
TONIGHT TO JUST FAMILY LOVE. BECAUSE STORGÉ
INVOLVES THE FAMILY. AND I WANT TO ASK YOU
YOUNG PEOPLE TONIGHT, WHAT IS YOUR RELATIONSHIP
TO YOUR PARENTS? IS THERE COMMUNICATION
BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR PARENTS? NOW THE BIBLE
TEACHES THAT YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS
IN THE HOME ARE TO OBEY THE PARENTS
IN THE LORD. AND EVEN WHEN YOU GET OLDER,
YOU DON'T HAVE TO OBEY YOUR PARENTS AFTER YOU HAVE GONE
AWAY FROM HOME AND YOU'RE 21 OR 22, YOU DON'T HAVE TO
OBEY THEM IN EVERYTHING, BUT YOU'RE ALWAYS,
AS LONG AS YOU LIVE, YOU ARE TO HONOR
YOUR PARENTS. YOU ARE TO HONOR YOUR PARENTS
EVEN WHEN YOU'RE UP IN YEARS. AND THEN WHEN THEY GET OLD YOU'RE TO TAKE CARE
OF YOUR PARENTS. YOU DON'T HAND THEM
OVER TO THE STATE AND GET RID OF THEM. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE EVERYTHING
TURNED AROUND IN AMERICA FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD. IF YOU GO OUT TO CHINA OR YOU
GO TO JAPAN AND PLACES LIKE THAT THEY HONOR OLD AGE. THEY LOOK FORWARD TO THE DAY
WHEN THEY CAN TAKE CARE OF THEIR ELDERLY PARENTS. WE TRY TO GET RID OF THEM. IT'S A PART OF
OUR SELFISHNESS. IT'S A PART OF
ONE OF OUR SINS. WE ARE TO LOVE OUR PARENTS;
WE ARE TO OBEY OUR PARENTS. WE ARE TO HONOR OUR PARENTS. AND IN TIME, WE ARE
TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. YOU SEE AS CHRISTIANS,
STORGÉ LOVE, FAMILY LOVE IS AFFECTED BY GOD'S LOVE. BECAUSE GOD'S LOVE
COMES INTO YOUR HEART. AND THE SAME ABOUT MARRIAGE. WHAT ABOUT YOUR MARRIAGE? YOUR FUTURE MARRIAGE,
I MEAN. YOU KNOW I TOOK,
AS I SAID ONCE, I TOOK MY... I HAVE THREE DAUGHTERS,
THEY'RE ALL THREE MARRIED. AND WHEN THEY WERE LITTLE
I TOOK THEM DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. AND WE CAME TO A LITTLE
PLACE AND I SAID, "DO YOU GIRLS EVER THINK
ABOUT THE FACT THAT SOMEDAY "YOU'LL GET MARRIED?" AND THEY LAUGHED. THEY WERE TEN OR ELEVEN
YEARS OF AGE, TWELVE. AND THEY SAID, "YES,
WE THINK ABOUT IT SOMETIMES." I SAID, "DO YOU REALIZE
THAT YOUR FUTURE HUSBAND "IS PROBABLY NOW
ALIVE SOMEWHERE?" I SAID, "DO YOU
EVER PRAY FOR HIM?" THEY SAID, "DADDY!" BUT BEFORE WE FINISHED
WE HAD A PRAYER MEETING FOR THEIR FUTURE HUSBANDS. [laughter] HOW ABOUT YOUR
FUTURE HUSBAND? HAVE YOU PRAYED FOR HIM? MAYBE YOU'RE JUST PRAYING,
"LORD, SEND HIM." [laughter] HAVE YOU PRAYED
FOR YOUR FUTURE WIFE? [applause] YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GIRL
THAT WENT TO THE PALM READER TO SEE IF SHE
COULD FIND ANY ANSWER TO HER PROBLEM ABOUT
NOT GETTING A HUSBAND. AND HE SAID, "YOU'LL BE PROPOSED
TO THREE TIMES THIS NEXT YEAR." AND SHE SAID,
"NO, I WON'T, "I'M GOING TO ACCEPT
THE FIRST ONE." [laughter] BUT IT'S NOT JUST ANYBODY AND
IT'S NOT JUST THE FIRST ONE. BECAUSE YOU SEE, MARRIAGE IS
A LIFE-LONG COMMITMENT AND THAT'S WHY IT'S SO IMPORTANT
NOT TO BE IMPULSIVE ABOUT IT; BE SURE THAT YOU
WAIT ON GOD'S CHOICE. HOW MANY YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY
ARE RUSHING MADLY INTO MARRIAGE AND JUST
AS MADLY OUT? BUT WHEN YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN AND YOU'RE ABLE TO COMMIT
YOUR FUTURE TO THE LORD, AND ASK HIM TO BRING
THE RIGHT MAN AND THE RIGHT WOMAN
INTO YOUR LIFE, WHAT A THRILLING AND
WONDERFUL THING IT IS. AND HE'LL DO IT. GOD'S LOVE CAN AFFECT
YOUR FAMILY LOVE. AND THEN SECONDLY, THE GREEKS HAD ANOTHER WORD,
THE WORD ÉROS. AND THE WORD ÉROS REFERS
TO SENSUAL OR SEXUAL LOVE. THAT'S WHERE WE GET
THE WORD EROTIC FROM. AND GOD'S LOVE AFFECTS ÉROS. DO YOU HAVE COURAGE TO LISTEN TO WHAT THE BIBLE
SAYS ABOUT ÉROS? DO YOU WANT TO HEAR IT? THE STANDARDS SET FORTH IN
THIS BIBLE ARE NOT THE SAME AS THE STANDARDS WE
NOW HAVE IN AMERICA. THEY'RE DIFFERENT STANDARDS. AND YOU'VE GOT TO DECIDE WHICH
ONE YOU'RE GOING TO ACCEPT. AND I'M NOT GOING
TO WATER IT DOWN. I'M GOING TO TELL IT TO YOU
LIKE THE BIBLE TELLS IT. THE BIBLE SAYS THAT
IMMORALITY IS SIN. BUT THE BIBLE ALSO INDICATES
THAT SEX IS NOT A SIN. IT'S THE WRONG USE
OF SEX THAT'S SIN. MANY ANCIENT AND MANY MODERN
WRITERS HAVE HELD THE IDEA THAT THE BODY IS EVIL. GEORGE BERNARD SHAW ONCE WROTE
ABOUT THE TYRANNY OF THE FLESH. PLATO THOUGHT THAT
THE BODY WAS EVIL. BUT THE BODY IS NOT EVIL. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT
YOUR BODY IS SACRED. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT FOR
THE CHRISTIAN THAT IT'S THE TEMPLE OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT. AND THAT INCLUDES YOUR SEX AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER PART
OF YOUR LIFE. NOW THERE'S A DISTINCTION
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. YOU'LL HAVE TO WATCH OUT. YOU'LL FIND IT,
BY THE WAY, IN THIS LITTLE BOOK
WE WANT TO SEND YOU-- THE WORLD, THE FLESH
AND THE DEVIL. THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN
THE FLESH AND THE BODY IN THE SCRIPTURES. BUT A WRONG VIEW OF
THE BODY WAS RESPONSIBLE, IN MY JUDGMENT,
FOR THE SUPPRESSION OF DISCUSSIONS OF SEX AND
SEX IN THE LAST CENTURY. THAT I THINK CAUSED
A GREAT DEAL OF HARM, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING
GOOD ABOUT WHAT WE'VE SEEN, BUT WE'VE GONE TOO FAR IN OUR OPENNESS ABOUT THIS SUBJECT. IT OUGHT TO BE DISCUSSED, IT OUGHT TO BE PREACHED ABOUT AND THE WORD OF GOD SHOULD BE PROCLAIMED ON THIS SUBJECT. BECAUSE ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES WE HAVE THE TEACHINGS
OF GOD ON THE SUBJECT OF SEX. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS
THAT ADAM KNEW HIS WIFE AND THEY BECAME ONE FLESH. THAT WORD KNEW CARRIES
WITH IT THE IDEA OF SEX. NOW WHY DID GOD GIVE SEX? THE BIBLE IS
CLEAR ABOUT THAT. FIRST, FOR THE PROPAGATION
OF THE HUMAN RACE. WE'RE ALL HERE
BECAUSE OF SEX. SECOND, THE CLIMAX AND
ENJOYMENT OF MARRIED LOVE. NOTICE "MARRIED LOVE." GOD HAS PUT A FENCE
AROUND MARRIAGE AND SAYS, "THOU SHALL NOT
COMMIT IMMORALITY." AND THEN THIRDLY,
TO EXPRESS UNITY. THE UNITY OF
THE MAN AND THE WIFE. THEY BECOME ONE FLESH. AND IT BECOMES A TYPE OF
CHRIST IN THE CHURCH. AND IT BECOMES VERY SACRED. BUT WHEN SIN ENTERED
THE GARDEN OF EDEN, SEX, WHICH WAS
SUPPOSED TO BE SACRED, BECAME PERVERTED
AND LUST CAME IN. SO THAT TODAY SOMETHING THAT
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SACRED AND WONDERFUL AND GLORIOUS HAS
BEEN PERVERTED INTO LUST AND HAS BECOME SIN. NOW WHY DOES GOD SAY, "THOU
SHALL NOT COMMIT IMMORALITY?" TO PROTECT
YOUR FUTURE MARRIAGE. SECONDLY,
TO PROTECT YOUR BODY. YOU SAY, WELL, MY BODY
DOESN'T NEED PROTECTING. DON'T THINK IT DOESN'T,
VD IS SWEEPING THE COUNTRY. ILLEGITIMACY HAS DOUBLED IN
THE LAST TWO OR THREE YEARS IN SPITE OF ALL OF THE PILLS
AND IN SPITE OF ALL THE ADVANCE IN MEDICINE. IT'S GETTING WORSE
INSTEAD OF BETTER. THIRDLY, TO PROTECT
YOU PSYCHOLOGICALLY. PSYCHOLOGISTS ARE NOW FINDING
THAT THAT FIRST EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAVE OUTSIDE OF
MARRIAGE NEVER LEAVES. THAT GUILT ALWAYS REMAINS. AND GUILT IS ONE OF THE GREATEST PSYCHOLOGICAL
PROBLEMS BEING FACED IN THE WORLD TODAY. AND THEN TO PROTECT SOCIETY. IF WE BECOME IMMORAL
AS A SOCIETY WE DESTROY CIVILIZATION. AND WE BECOME DECADENT
AS THEY DID IN ROME AND OTHER CIVILIZATIONS,
AND WE'RE DESTROYED. SO GOD SAYS,
FOR OUR OWN GOOD, "THOU SHALT NOT
COMMIT IMMORALITY." NOW HOW CAN A YOUNG PERSON
HAVE VICTORY OVER ÉROS ? THE BIBLE SAYS TO
"FLEE FORNICATION." AND THE MARK OF A CHRISTIAN
IS SELF CONTROL AND SELF DISCIPLINE. NO WAY TO OVERCOME
THIS TREMENDOUS TEMPTATION EXCEPT IN JESUS CHRIST. PAUL WROTE TO YOUNG TIMOTHY
AND SAID, "KEEP THYSELF PURE." YOU CANNOT LIVE PURE
IN 1973 OR 1974 APART FROM JESUS CHRIST. HE CAN GIVE YOU THE STRENGTH
AND THE POWER AND THE VICTORY
TO LIVE A PURE LIFE. HE WILL HELP YOU TO
FLEE FORNICATION. THEN THERE'S A THIRD WORD
THE GREEKS HAD-- PHILÍA. THAT CARRIES WITH IT THE IDEA
OF VERY STRONG FRIENDSHIP. WE GET OUR WORD
PHILANTHROPY FROM IT. WE GET OUR WORD PHILHARMONIC,
THE LOVE OF MUSIC, OR PHILADELPHIA,
THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE. AND IT'S THE WORD THAT PETER
USED WHEN JESUS ASKED HIM IF HE LOVED HIM. AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW
THAT I LOVE YOU, LORD." HE USED THIS WORD. BUT JESUS WANTED
ANOTHER WORD. HE WANTED A DEEPER WORD. YOU HAVE FRIENDS AND IF YOU HAVE FIVE CLOSE
FRIENDS IN YOUR LIFETIME, YOU ARE A VERY FORTUNATE PERSON. GOD CALLED ABRAHAM
A FRIEND OF GOD. ARE YOU A FRIEND OF GOD
AND A FRIEND OF CHRIST? AND WHAT ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS? THIS MEANS STRONG FRIENDSHIP. A FRIENDSHIP THAT ENDURES
THROUGH THICK AND THIN, THAT NEVER WAVERS. GIVE YOUR LIFE TO CHRIST
AND HE WILL HELP YOU WITH YOUR FRIENDSHIPS. AND THEN FOURTHLY, AGÁPE LOVE. THIS IS ANOTHER WORD
THAT THE GREEKS USED. THEY INVENTED THIS WORD
FOR THE NEW TESTAMENT. THIS IS GOD'S LOVE. AND GOD'S LOVE
AFFECTS THE FAMILY, AND GOD'S LOVE AFFECTS ÉROS, AND GOD'S LOVE
AFFECTS PHILÍA. ALL THE OTHER LOVES CAN BE
INFLUENCED BY AGÁPE LOVE . AGÁPE LOVE IS
A SUPERNATURAL LOVE. A LOVE THAT WE KNOW NOTHING
ABOUT APART FROM GOD. IT'S GOD'S LOVE. IT'S SO DEEP AND SO WIDE
AND SO HIGH AND SO GREAT AND HAS SUCH DIMENSIONS TO IT THAT NO WORDS IN ANY LANGUAGE CAN DESCRIBE IT. IT'S A LOVE THAT
GOD HAS FOR YOU THAT IN SPITE OF
THE FACT THAT YOU WERE REBELLING
AGAINST HIM, IN SPITE OF
THE FACT THAT YOU WERE A SINNER, IN SPITE OF
THE FACT THAT YOU BROKE HIS LAWS, HE GAVE HIS SON
TO SHED HIS BLOOD. IN SPITE OF EVERYTHING
WE'VE EVER DONE, GOD LOVES AND WORDS CANNOT
DESCRIBE IT. AND GOD SAYS THE MOMENT
YOU RECEIVE HIS SON AS SAVIOR HE GIVES YOU THE SPIRIT OF
GOD TO LIVE IN YOUR HEART. AND THE SPIRIT OF GOD PRODUCES THIS LOVE IN YOU
AND THROUGH YOU. THAT'S THE REASON JESUS SAID, "THOU SHALT LOVE
THY NEIGHBOR AS THYSELF." IT'S A SUPERNATURAL
LOVE FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR. YOU MAY NOT LIKE
YOUR NEIGHBOR... BUT YOU CAN LOVE
YOUR NEIGHBOR. WHO IS YOUR NEIGHBOR? THEY USED TO INTERPRET
THAT IN THE OLDEN DAYS, LITERALLY THE PERSON THAT
LIVED NEXT DOOR AND THAT'S ALL. BUT JESUS TOLD THE PARABLE
OF THE GOOD SAMARITAN. HE TOLD ABOUT THE PRIEST AND
THE LEVITE THAT PASSED BY WHEN THIS MAN HAD BEEN
ROBBED AND BEATEN. AND A MAN OF ANOTHER
RACE CAME BY ANOTHER ETHNIC
BACKGROUND CAME BY, A SAMARITAN WHO WAS HATED
BY THE JEWS OF THAT DAY. AND THE SAMARITANS
HATED THE JEWS. AND JESUS DELIBERATELY TOLD
THE STORY ABOUT HOW THE GOOD SAMARITAN
HELPED THIS MAN THAT HAD BEEN BEATEN
AND ROBBED. WE CAN'T DO THAT IN
THE WORLD IN WHICH WE LIVE WITHOUT GOD'S LOVE. BUT GOD WILL ENABLE YOU
TO LOVE BEYOND YOUR CAPACITY
TO LOVE. HE WILL HELP YOU
TO LOVE YOUR WIFE. HE WILL HELP YOU
TO LOVE YOUR HUSBAND. HE WILL HELP YOU TO
LOVE YOUR CHILDREN. HE WILL HELP YOUR
CHILDREN TO LOVE PARENTS WITH AGÁPE LOVE DOMINATING. "BY THIS SHALL ALL MEN KNOW
THAT YE ARE MY DISCIPLES" IN THAT YE HAVE AGÁPE, GOD'S LOVE FOR EACH OTHER. THIS IS WHAT HELPS DRIVE
US INTO EVANGELISM. THE LOVE OF THE SOULS OF MEN. A MAN WAS ON HIS WAY
TO THE GALLOWS IN ENGLAND A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO. AND AS HE WAS ON THE WAY TO
THE GALLOWS A CLERGYMAN WAS BESIDE HIM TELLING HIM
ABOUT JESUS CHRIST AND WHAT CHRIST
COULD DO FOR HIM. AND HOW HE NEEDED
TO REPENT OF SINS BECAUSE THE JUDGMENT
AND HELL LAY AHEAD. AND HE TURNED TO
THE CLERGYMAN AND HE SAID, "REVEREND, IF I BELIEVED
WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME "I WOULD BE WILLING TO
CRAWL ACROSS ENGLAND "ON BROKEN GLASS TO
TELL PEOPLE THAT." DO YOU LOVE THE SOULS
OF MEN ENOUGH THAT YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO GO
NEXT DOOR TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND UP AND DOWN
THE STREETS TO TELL THEM ABOUT
JESUS CHRIST? GOD'S LOVE IN OUR HEARTS
PRODUCED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT, SUPERNATURALLY PRODUCED. NO, I CANNOT LOVE EVERYBODY. BUT GOD CAN GIVE ME
THE CAPACITY TO LOVE EVERYBODY. AND MAYBE YOUR WIFE
IS IRRITABLE, MAYBE YOU'RE IRRITABLE. GOD CAN TAKE YOU AND
CHANGE YOU AND TRANSFORM YOU. AND TRANSFORM THAT RELATIONSHIP UNTIL YOU CAN FALL IN LOVE
ALL OVER AGAIN. GOD CAN TAKE YOU YOUNG PEOPLE
HERE TONIGHT AND FORGIVE YOUR PAST SINS,
EVERY ONE OF THEM. THINK OF IT,
EVERY SIN FORGIVEN, AND MAKE YOUR HEART
JUST AS CLEAN AS IT WAS THE DAY
YOU WERE BORN. AND RESENSITIZE YOUR CONSCIENCE
WHICH IS IN DANGER OF BECOMING HARDENED. AND GIVE YOU
A NEW TENDERNESS. AND GIVE YOU
THE REAL MEANING OF LOVE. AND THEN WHEN THE TIME COMES
TO FIND THE RIGHT PERSON, IT'LL BE THE RIGHT
KIND OF LOVE. IT WON'T BE THIS IMPULSIVE,
SUPERFICIAL AFFECTION THAT IS SOMETIMES
MIXED IN WITH LUST, THAT IS NOT REAL
AND GENUINE LOVE. LET JESUS CHRIST
COME INTO YOUR HEART. LET HIM FORGIVE
YOUR PAST SINS. LET HIM CHANGE YOUR LIFE. AND SAY FROM THIS MOMENT ON I WANT HIM TO BE IN
CONTROL OF MY LIFE. I WANT HIM TO SIT IN
THE COCKPIT OF MY LIFE AND RUN IT AND DIRECT IT. I TURN MY LIFE OVER
TO HIM TONIGHT. I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET
UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT RIGHT NOW, HUNDREDS OF YOU. AND COME AND STAND IN
FRONT OF THE PLATFORM. AND SAY BY COMING, I WANT
JESUS CHRIST TO FORGIVE MY SIN. I WANT TO KNOW
I'M GOING TO HEAVEN. I WANT HIM TO TAKE OVER MY LIFE
AND BE THE DIRECTOR OF MY LIFE. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT AND YOU'LL
HAVE TO GO BACK AND AROUND. THE USHERS WILL HELP
SHOW YOU HOW TO COME. YOU GET UP AND
COME RIGHT NOW. ♪ JUST AS I AM
AND WAITING NOT ♪ ♪ TO RID MY SOUL
OF ONE DARK BLOT ♪ AS HUNDREDS ARE RESONDING 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. ♪♪ TO YOU THAT ARE WATCHING
BY TELEVISION YOU CAN SEE AS SCORES
AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE
IN ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI TO MAKE THEIR COMMITMENT
TO JESUS CHRIST, AND TO ACCEPT GOD'S OFFER
OF LOVE AND FORGIVENESS AND MERCY
IN JESUS CHRIST. YOU CAN MAKE THAT SAME
COMMITMENT WHERE YOU ARE. GOD HELP YOU TO
MAKE THAT COMMITMENT AND GO TO CHURCH
NEXT SUNDAY. 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.
