FROM OUR ARCHIVES... THE BILLY GRAHAM CLASSICS. [applause] NOW, TONIGHT I WANT YOU
TO TURN WITH ME TO THE 19TH CHAPTER
OF LUKE'S GOSPEL, THE 19TH CHAPTER. JESUS IS PASSING
THROUGH JERICHO AT THIS POINT
IN SCRIPTURE. AND A BLIND MAN
SCREAMED OUT AND SAID, "JESUS, THOU SON OF DAVID,
HAVE MERCY UPON ME." AND JESUS TOUCHED HIM
AND HE WAS HEALED. AND NOW HE'S PASSING RIGHT
THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF JERICHO AND ANOTHER INCIDENT HAPPENS
AT THE SAME TIME. "AND JESUS ENTERED
AND PASSED THROUGH JERICHO. "AND, BEHOLD, THERE WAS
A MAN NAMED ZACCHAEUS, "WHICH WAS THE CHIEF
AMONG THE PUBLICANS, "AND HE WAS VERY RICH. "AND HE SOUGHT TO SEE
JESUS WHO HE WAS; "AND COULD NOT
FOR THE PRESS." THAT MEANS THE PRESS
OF THE CROWD, THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THE MEDIA. "BECAUSE HE WAS
LITTLE OF STATURE. "AND HE RAN BEFORE, AND CLIMBED
UP INTO A SYCAMORE TREE "TO SEE HIM: FOR HE
WAS TO PASS THAT WAY. "AND WHEN JESUS CAME TO
THE PLACE, HE LOOKED UP, "AND SAW HIM, AND SAID
TO HIM, ZACCHAEUS, "MAKE HASTE, COME DOWN;
FOR TODAY "I GOING TO ABIDE
AT YOUR HOUSE. "AND HE MADE HASTE,
AND HE CAME DOWN, "AND HE RECEIVED HIM JOYFULLY. "AND WHEN THEY SAW IT,
THEY ALL MURMURED, AND SAYING, "THAT HE WAS GONE
TO BE THE GUEST "WITH A MAN WHO'S A SINNER. "AND ZACCHAEUS STOOD,
AND SAID UNTO THE LORD: "BEHOLD, LORD,
HALF OF ALL MY GOODS "I'M GOING TO GIVE
IT TO THE POOR; "AND IF I HAVE TAKEN
ANYTHING FROM ANY MAN "BY FALSE ACCUSATION,
I RESTORE FOURFOLD. "AND JESUS
SAID UNTO HIM, "THIS DAY,
THIS DAY "IS SALVATION COME
TO THIS HOUSE, "FOR AS MUCH AS HE ALSO IS
A SON OF ABRAHAM. "FOR THE SON OF MAN IS COME "TO SEEK AND TO SAVE
THAT WHICH WAS LOST." THE SON OF MAN IS COME
TO SEEK AND SAVE THAT WHICH WAS LOST. AND THERE ARE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HERE TONIGHT
THAT ARE LOST. YOU'RE NOT LOST FROM
YOUR PARENTS, SO MUCH, OR LOST FROM YOUR FRIENDS. YOU ARE LOST FROM GOD. YOU ARE SEPARATED
FROM GOD. AND JESUS HAS COME
TO SEEK YOU OUT. AND HE SOUGHT OUT
ZACCHAEUS. AND I'LL TELL YOU
THE STORY AS JESUS WAS PASSING
THROUGH JERICHO. NOW YOU SEE ZACCHAEUS WAS
A PUBLICAN. THAT MEANT THAT HE WAS
A TAX GATHERER AND HE WORKED FOR ROME. HE WAS RICH. HE WAS DESPISED. HE WAS A SOCIAL OUTCAST. THE PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE THE TAX GATHERERS
GATHERING TAXES FOR A FOREIGN COUNTRY
THAT DOMINATED THEM. AND IF JESUS HAD CONSIDERED
PUBLIC OPINION HE WOULD HAVE NEVER ONCE
GLANCED AT ZACCHAEUS. BUT JESUS NEVER CONSIDERED
PUBLIC OPINION. THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT "ON ALL OCCASIONS
JESUS MADE OF HIMSELF "NO REPUTATION." AND I IMAGINE
IT HAD BEEN MANY MONTHS SINCE ANYONE HAD
EVER CROSSED VOLUNTARILY INTO ZACCHAEUS' HOUSE. A MAN OF GREAT RICHES, BUT HE WAS A LONELY MAN. HE WAS A HATED MAN. HE WAS AVOIDED BY ALMOST
EVERYBODY IN TOWN. BUT HIS CURIOSITY
GOT THE BEST OF HIM. HE WANTED TO SEE JESUS. HE'D POSSIBLY
HEARD ABOUT JESUS. AND HE'D HEARD THEM
CALL HIM MANY NAMES. SOME PEOPLE HAD
CALLED JESUS A DEVIL. SOME SAID HE WAS A FANATIC. SOME SAID HE WAS
A BLASPHEMER. SOME SAID HE WAS A HERETIC. SOME SAID HE WAS A PROPHET. SOME SAID HE WAS AN IMPOSTER. AND MANY SAID THAT HE WAS
ACTUALLY THE SON OF GOD. SO NATURALLY, ZACCHAEUS HAD
A TREMENDOUS CURIOSITY TO SEE JESUS. BUT YOU SEE, TO SEE JESUS HE HAD SOME OBSTACLES
IN THE WAY TO GET TO JESUS. THERE WAS THE PRESS OF
THE CROWD, A BIG CROWD. AND HE WAS A LITTLE FELLA. AND TO TRY TO PUSH HIS WAY
THROUGH THAT CROWD WAS VERY DIFFICULT. AND HE WAS ALSO
SMALL OF STATURE. HE WAS A VERY SMALL MAN. AND TO GET THROUGH THE CROWD
WAS ALMOST AN IMPOSSIBILITY. BECAUSE EVERYBODY WANTED
TO GET CLOSE TO JESUS. AND MANY OF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO KNOW JESUS, AND YOU'D LIKE TO
GET CLOSE TO JESUS, AND YOU'D LIKE TO HAVE
JESUS IN YOUR HEART, AND YOU'D LIKE TO
HAVE SALVATION, BUT YOU FACE MANY OBSTACLES. WHAT ARE THEY? LET'S JUST LIST A FEW
OF THEM THAT YOU FACE. FIRST IS PRIDE. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT PRIDE
KEEPS MORE PEOPLE FROM CHRIST THAN ANY OTHER SIN. THE SIN OF PRIDE. THE BIBLE SAYS,
"GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD "BUT GIVETH GRACE
UNTO THE HUMBLE." THE BIBLE SAYS, "IF ANY MAN AMONG YOU SEEMETH
TO BE WISE IN THIS WORLD "LET HIM BECOME A FOOL
THAT HE MAY BE WISE." JESUS SAID WE ARE TO BECOME
AS LITTLE CHILDREN TO BE CONVERTED. AND IF YOU'RE TO GET
CLOSE TO CHRIST AND HAVE CHRIST IN YOUR HEART YOU MAY BE WISE, BUT
YOU MUST BECOME A FOOL. YOU MUST BECOME AS A CHILD. YOU SEE WE'RE ALL PROUD. AND WE DON'T LIKE TO
HUMBLE OURSELVES. AND THEN THE SECOND THING
THAT KEEPS US FROM CHRIST IS IDOLATRY. AND IDOLATRY IS ANOTHER SIN AND ALL THE WAY THROUGH
THE SCRIPTURES THAT IS MENTIONED
IS KEEPING MORE PEOPLE FROM GOD THAN ALMOST ANY OTHER SIN. AND OUR IDOLATRY IS
VERY UNIQUE IN OUR DAY BECAUSE WE WORSHIP OURSELVES. WE WORSHIP MAN. WHETHER WE REALIZE IT
OR NOT, WE'RE WORSHIPING OURSELVES, THE THINGS THAT
WE'VE CREATED, THE THINGS WE'VE MADE
WITH OUR HANDS. WHETHER IT'S
A TELEVISION SET OR A NEW AUTOMOBILE,
MATERIALISM. ALL OF THESE THINGS HAVE
BECOME GODS AND GODDESSES. SEX HAS BECOME A GODDESS
JUST AS MUCH AS IT WAS IN THE DAYS OF EPHESUS
OR IN THE DAYS OF ROME. THESE ARE THE MODERN GODS. AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS IDOLATRY,
THOSE THAT COMMIT IT, "SHALL HAVE THEIR PART
IN THE LAKE "WHICH BURNETH WITH FIRE
AND BRIMSTONE: "WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH," IN REVELATION 21:8. GOD HATES IDOLATRY. AND THEN THE THIRD THING
WHICH MAY KEEP SOME OF YOU FROM CHRIST IS WORLDLINESS. "FOR WHAT IS A MAN PROFITED
IF HE SHALL GAIN "THE WHOLE WORLD AND
LOSE HIS OWN SOUL? "OR WHAT SHALL A MAN GIVE
IN EXCHANGE FOR HIS SOUL?" SAID JESUS IN MATTHEW 16. THERE ARE MANY OF YOU THAT
ARE SELLING YOUR SOUL, YOUR ETERNAL SPIRIT FOR
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS WORLD. BUT JESUS SAID, SUPPOSE YOU GOT
ALL THE OIL OF THE MIDDLE EAST, ALL THE GOLD IN SOUTH AFRICA, ALL THE DIAMONDS IN HOLLAND, ALL THE WEALTH OF
THE WHOLE WORLD AND YOU HAD IT ALL,
ALL THE MUSIC, ALL THE CULTURE,
ALL THE PHILOSOPHY, ALL THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE WORLD, YOU HAD IT ALL
AND LOST YOUR SOUL? IT WOULDN'T BE WORTH IT. AND YET, YOU ARE
LOSING YOUR SOUL FOR JUST A LITTLE BIT OF IT. NOW THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT
YOU'RE NOT TO HAVE MONEY. NOWHERE IN THE BIBLE DOES
GOD CONDEMN A WEALTHY MAN UNLESS HE MISUSES IT OR
UNLESS HE GOT IT THE WRONG WAY. THEN HE'S CONDEMNED. BUT THE BIBLE SAYS,
"KNOW YE NOT "THAT FRIENDSHIP WITH THE WORLD
IS ENMITY WITH GOD? "WHOSOEVER THEREFORE WILL
BE A FRIEND OF THE WORLD "IS THE ENEMY OF GOD." NOW WHAT DOES THAT
WORD "WORLD" MEAN? IT'S COSMOS , IT MEANS A WORLD
SYSTEM DOMINATED BY EVIL. THAT EVIL PART OF THE WORLD'S
SYSTEM IN WHICH WE LIVE. FRIENDSHIP WITH THAT
MEANS ENMITY WITH GOD. AND GOD SAYS, "COME OUT FROM
AMONG THEM AND BE YE SEPARATE "SAITH THE LORD AND TOUCH
NOT THE UNCLEAN THING." WORLDLINESS IN
THE NEW TESTAMENT MEANT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT PEOPLE HAD
WITH THEIR SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT. WE'RE TO BE SEPARATED FROM
THE EVILS OF THE WORLD. NOW PERHAPS YOU SAW THOSE HUGE
PICTURES ON TELEVISION A FEW MONTHS AGO
OF SOME FORTY WHALES, WHO FOR SOME UNKNOWN
BIOLOGICAL REASON BEACHED THEMSELVES AND DIED. THEY LEFT THEIR
LIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR ONE OF DEATH AND DIED. AND MANY OF YOU HAVE LEFT
THE ENVIRONMENT OF LIVING IN THE SCRIPTURES
AND LIVING FOR GOD, AND GONE OUT INTO THE WORLD AND
YOUR SOUL IS DEAD TOWARD GOD. IT'S LIKE THE LEMMING
IN SCANDINAVIA. THEY BAND TOGETHER. AND FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON WALK DOWN INTO
THE OCEAN AND DIE. YOU DELIBERATELY BRING ON
YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL DEATH. YOU PROMOTE
YOUR OWN ETERNAL DEATH BY GOING WITH THE EVILS OF
THE WORLD ROUND ABOUT YOU. AND THE WORLD ROUND ABOUT YOU
SQUEEZES YOU INTO ITS MOLD AND IT BECOMES A HINDRANCE TO
YOU COMING TO JESUS CHRIST. BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS YOU'RE
GOING TO HAVE TO GIVE UP THE WRONG THINGS THAT
ARE IN THE WORLD; THE LUST AND THE GREED AND
THE HATE AND THE PREJUDICE AND THE MATERIALISM PART OF
THE WORLD THAT'S WRONG, YOU HAVE TO TURN FROM
WHEN YOU COME TO CHRIST. AND THAT'S THE REASON IT'S
SO HARD TO FOLLOW CHRIST IN THE MODERN DAY. IT'S NOT EASY TO
BE A CHRISTIAN. I'M NOT GOING TO FOOL YOU. I WOULD THINK IT'S MORE
DIFFICULT TO BE A CHRISTIAN RIGHT NOW IN MODERN AMERICA
OR MODERN WESTERN WORLD THAN ANY OTHER
PART OF THE WORLD. YOU SEE TO BE A CHRISTIAN
IN SOME PARTS OF THE ORIENT OR SOME PARTS OF THE WORLD YOU HAVE TO REALLY STAND FOR
CHRIST AND YOU HAVE TO SUFFER. BUT IN A COUNTRY WHERE
THERE'S NO SUFFERING AND NO PHYSICAL PERSECUTION IT'S RATHER EASY
JUST TO SLIDE ALONG, REALLY NOT KNOWING CHRIST. CALLING YOURSELF A CHRISTIAN BUT NOT REALLY BEING
A CHRISTIAN, NOT A NEW TESTAMENT
CHRISTIAN. AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE LIKE THAT THAT HAVE GONE TO CHURCH
ALL THEIR LIVES AND BEEN BAPTIZED AND CONFIRMED BUT
STILL NOT KNOWING CHRIST. AND THEN ANOTHER OBSTACLE
ARE SECRET SINS THE BIBLE SAYS. THE PSALMIST PRAYED, "CLEANSE THOU ME
FROM SECRET THOUGHTS." AND PAUL WROTE TO THE ROMANS, "THE DAY WHEN GOD SHALL
JUDGE THE SECRETS OF MEN "BY JESUS CHRIST." YOU CAN KEEP NO SECRETS
FROM GOD. YOUR FRIENDS DON'T KNOW
ANYTHING ABOUT THEM. YOUR FAMILY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW. BUT YOU KNOW. AND GOD HAS BEEN SPEAKING
TO YOU ABOUT THEM. IT'S LIKE THE INCREDIBLE
HULK ON TELEVISION. I THINK I'VE SEEN
IT ONCE, MAYBE TWICE. BUT I READ ABOUT IT. AND IF I UNDERSTAND
IT CORRECTLY, IT'S TRYING TO GET RID OF THE
PERSON INSIDE OF HIM, ALWAYS. AND PERHAPS YOU'VE BEEN BATTLING
WITH THE HIDDEN MAN IN YOUR HEART WITH
YOUR SECRET SINS. CONFESS THEM TO
CHRIST TONIGHT. COME TO THE CROSS AND BRING
THOSE SECRETS OF YOUR HEART AND LAY THEM BEFORE
HIM AND SAY, "LORD, HERE THEY ARE. "I SURRENDER." AND THEN SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS
IS ANOTHER THING THAT KEEPS PEOPLE FROM CHRIST. "THERE IS A GENERATION,"
THE BIBLE SAYS, "THAT ARE PURE IN THEIR OWN EYES "AND YET THEY HAVE NOT BEEN
WASHED FROM THEIR FILTHINESS." PURE IN OUR OWN EYES. PATTING EACH OTHER ON THE BACK. SAYING WE'RE GOOD
WHEN ACTUALLY WE'RE BAD. SAYING WE'RE GOOD WHEN
ACTUALLY WE'RE SINNING AND BREAKING GOD'S LAWS. THAT KEEPS US FROM CHRIST,
SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. NOW WE'VE SEEN THE OBSTACLES,
LET'S LOOK AT JESUS. IT'S A PERSONAL CALL. JESUS TURNS TO ZACCHAEUS
AND CALLS HIM BY NAME. HE SEES ZACCHAEUS UP THE TREE. YOU SEE ZACCHAEUS HAD
CLIMBED A SYCAMORE TREE AND WAS OUT ON THE LIMB,
SITTING THERE WATCHING JESUS. AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE MOST
UNPOPULAR MAN IN TOWN, THE MOST HATED MAN IN TOWN, THE MOST SINFUL MAN IN TOWN
HEARS HIS NAME CALLED BY THE GREAT PROPHET, JESUS. AND JESUS SAYS, "ZACCHAEUS." CAN YOU IMAGE HOW
STARTLED HE WAS THAT OUT OF ALL THAT CROWD
AND THOSE RELIGIOUS LEADERS, HE, THE WORST SINNER IN TOWN,
CALLED BY HIS NAME? THE BIBLE SAYS JESUS
IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. HE CALLETH HIS OWN SHEEP
BY NAME AND LEADETH THEM. IN GENESIS WE READ
THAT GOD CAME IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN
PERSONALLY TO CALL ADAM. HE SAID, "ADAM,
ADAM, WHERE ART THOU?" AND LATER HE CALLED
ABRAHAM. HE SAID, "ABRAHAM, JACOB, MOSES,
JOSHUA, GIDEON, SAMUEL, "DAVID, SOLOMON." HE CALLED THEM ALL
BY NAME. "ISAIAH, JEREMIAH,
EZEKIEL, DANIEL." HE CALLED THEM
BY NAME. AND THEN WHEN THE
LORD JESUS CHRIST CAME HE CALLED HIS DISCIPLES BY NAME. HE WENT DOWN BY THE SEASHORE AND HE CALLED OUT, "SIMON PETER, "ANDREW, JAMES, JOHN." AND FROM THE RECEIPT OF
CUSTOM ANOTHER MAN, LIKE ZACCHAEUS,
A TAX GATHERER, "MATTHEW, COME
AND FOLLOW ME." AND HE ROSE AND FOLLOWED
JESUS IMMEDIATELY. AND ON THE DAMASCUS ROAD,
HE SAID, "SAUL, SAUL, SAUL,
WHY DO YOU PERSECUTE ME?" AND ON THE ISLE OF PATMOS,
HE SAID, "JOHN." HE CALLED YOU BY NAME. WHAT IS YOUR NAME; JIM, MARY, SUSIE, PETER? HE CALLED YOU BY NAME TONIGHT. HE KNOWS YOUR NAME. HE KNOWS ALL ABOUT YOU. AND HE CALLED YOU. AND HE SAYS, "MARY, GET
UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT "AND COME AND
RECEIVE ME TONIGHT. "I WANT TO COME INTO YOUR HOUSE
AND INTO YOUR HEART." "JIM, YOU NEED ME. "YOU KNOW YOU NEED ME TO
HELP YOU, TO FORGIVE YOU, "TO TAKE YOU TO HEAVEN. "GET UP OUT OF
YOUR SEAT AND COME." HE CALLED YOU BY NAME. HE LOOKED UP IN THE TREE
AND SAID, "ZACCHAEUS." AND IT WAS AN URGENT CALL. HE SAID, "ZACCHAEUS,
MAKE HASTE, HURRY. "WE DON'T HAVE LONG." AND THAT'S WHAT HE SAYS TO YOU. HURRY, MAKE HASTE. IF YOU'RE GOING TO COME
TO CHRIST, COME NOW. YOU MAY NEVER HAVE
ANOTHER MOMENT LIKE THIS. NOWHERE DOES THE BIBLE PROMISE
TOMORROW YOU CAN BE SAVED. IT'S TODAY; TODAY IS
THE DAY OF SALVATION. NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME. THERE MAY NOT BE
A TOMORROW FOR YOU. THERE'S A LITTLE VERSE
IN YOUR NATIONAL ANTHEM THAT SOMETIMES I MISS
WHEN I HEAR IT SUNG. AND IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING. "OH LORD OUR GOD, ARISE
ON THEE OUR HOPES WE FIX. "GOD SAVE US ALL." TONIGHT THAT WOULD
BE MY PRAYER FOR YOU. GOD SAVE US ALL. AND THAT'S WHAT
THE LORD JESUS CAME "TO SEEK AND TO SAVE
THAT WHICH IS LOST." TODAY HE'S URGENTLY
CALLING YOU BY NAME. AND IT WAS A SUCCESSFUL CALL BECAUSE ZACCHAEUS
DID MAKE HASTE. YOU KNOW WHAT HE DID? HE DIDN'T WAIT TO
CLIMB DOWN THE TREE. HE JUMPED. AND D.L. MOODY, THE EVANGELIST
OF THE LAST CENTURY, SAID THAT ZACCHAEUS
WAS CONVERTED FROM THE LIMB TO THE GROUND. AND I EXPECT THAT'S ABOUT TRUE. THE RICH YOUNG RULER
CAME TO JESUS. HE FELL DOWN BEFORE JESUS. HE WAS RUNNING TO JESUS. MAKING HASTE TO
GET TO JESUS. AND HE GOT TO JESUS, BUT
HE COULDN'T PAY THE PRICE. AND HE WAS LOST EVEN THOUGH JESUS LOVED HIM
AND JESUS TRIED AND JESUS TALKED WITH HIM
AND GAVE HIM PRECIOUS TIME. YET THAT YOUNG MAN
NEVER CAME TO JESUS. BUT ZACCHAEUS, THE GREAT SINNER,
DID COME TO JESUS. AND JESUS WENT TO
ZACCHAEUS' HOME. AND YOU KNOW WHAT I THINK? I THINK JESUS PROBABLY
TOOK MATTHEW WITH HIM. AND I EXPECT THAT
MATTHEW AND ZACCHAEUS GOT INTO A CONVERSATION
LATE INTO THE NIGHT. AND MATTHEW TOLD HIM
ABOUT HIS OWN EXPERIENCE. HOW HE HAD BEEN ALSO
A TAX GATHERER AND HOW HE HAD
BEEN A SINNER AND HOW JESUS HAD
CALLED HIM BY NAME. AND HE SAID, "FOLLOW ME." AND MATTHEW SAID, "I GOT UP
RIGHT THEN AND FOLLOWED HIM "AND I'VE NEVER REGRETTED
ONE MINUTE OF IT. "HE CHANGED MY LIFE,
HE'S GIVEN ME ASSURANCE. "HE'S BLESSED MY FAMILY. "HE'S BROUGHT OUR
FAMILY TOGETHER. "OH, I'D DIE FOR HIM. "I'VE GIVEN HIM MY LIFE." AND ZACCHAEUS HEARD THAT. AND I IMAGINE MATTHEW TOLD HIM
THAT NIGHT, "YOU KNOW ZACCHAEUS, "IF YOU COME TO CHRIST,
IF YOU COME TO JESUS, "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
MAKE SOME RESTITUTION. "YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CHANGE
YOUR WHOLE WAY OF LIVING. "AND YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO DECLARE OPENLY "YOUR ALLEGIANCE FOR
JESUS CHRIST." WE'RE TO BE IN
THE WORLD BUT NOT OF IT. WE LIVE IN TWO WORLDS. WE LIVE IN THIS WORLD, BUT WE'RE ALSO CITIZENS
OF ANOTHER WORLD, THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. AND OUR FIRST ALLEGIANCE IS
ALWAYS TO THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. YES, I IMAGINE MATTHEW TOLD
HIM ALL OF THOSE THINGS. WHAT WAS THE RESULT? THE RESULT WAS THAT
ZACCHAEUS RECEIVED CHRIST. NOW RECEIVING CHRIST
INVOLVES AN ACT OF FAITH BEYOND MERE HUMAN REASON. THE BIBLE SAYS, "THE NATURAL
MAN RECEIVETH NOT "THE THINGS OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD "FOR THEY'RE FOOLISHNESS
UNTO HIM. "NEITHER CAN HE KNOW
THEM BECAUSE "THEY'RE SPIRITUALLY DISCERNED." IN OTHER WORDS,
A NATURAL PERSON LIKE YOU JUST CANNOT COME
AND REASON HIS WAY TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. YOU CANNOT REASON
YOUR WAY TO CHRIST. I DON'T IMAGINE
ZACCHAEUS SAT DOWN AND WENT THROUGH
ALL THE PHILOSOPHY AND ALL THE THEOLOGICAL
DEBATES ABOUT JESUS. HE JUST JOYFULLY
RECEIVED HIM BY FAITH. SIMPLY LIKE A LITTLE CHILD. AND JESUS RECEIVED HIM
AND FORGAVE HIM. YOU SEE CHRIST IS KNOCKING
ON OUR HEART'S DOOR TONIGHT. HE'S ASKING PEOPLE LIKE
YOU TO RECEIVE HIM. AND THEY ACCUSED HIM OF SAYING,
THEY ACCUSED HIM BY SAYING, "THIS MAN RECEIVETH SINNERS." ARE YOU A SINNER? HAVE YOU BROKEN GOD'S LAW? I'M A SINNER. ARE YOU? SURE YOU ARE. HE RECEIVETH SINNERS. ISN'T THAT A WONDERFUL THING THAT HE RECEIVETH SINNERS? AND WHEN I STAND, AND IF THEY SHOULD ASK ME
AT THE GATES OF HEAVEN WHEN I DIE, "WHAT IS THE PASSWORD?" I'M GOING TO SAY, "I'M HERE BY THE GRACE
AND THE MERCY OF GOD "BECAUSE OF WHAT JESUS CHRIST
DID ON THE CROSS. "I'M NOT HERE BY ANY GOOD WORKS
BILLY GRAHAM EVER DID." I'M NOT GOING TO HEAVEN
BECAUSE I'VE PREACHED IN A BIG STADIUM FULL OF
PEOPLE LIKE THIS TONIGHT. I'M NOT GOING TO HEAVEN
BECAUSE I'VE READ THE BIBLE. I'M NOT GOING TO HEAVEN
BECAUSE I'VE PRAYED. I'M NOT GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE OF A WONDERFUL
CHRISTIAN WIFE AND FIVE CHRISTIAN CHILDREN. I'M GOING TO HEAVEN BECAUSE OF THE GRACE
AND THE MERCY OF GOD. I'M A SINNER. I DESERVE JUDGMENT, I DESERVE HELL. I'M GOING BECAUSE OF
CHRIST. AND I HAVE RECEIVED
CHRIST. I'VE LET HIM COME INTO
MY HEART. AND I'VE COME TO THE CROSS. HE'S FORGIVEN MY SIN. I HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. I KNOW I'M SAVED TONIGHT. I KNOW WHERE I'VE COME FROM. I KNOW WHY I'M HERE. I KNOW WHERE I'M GOING. AND IF HE SHOULD COME
TONIGHT, I'M READY. DO YOU KNOW THAT? ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THAT? THIS MAN RECEIVETH SINNERS. "BUT AS MANY AS RECEIVED HIM, "TO THEM GAVE HE POWER
TO BECOME SONS OF GOD "EVEN TO THEM THAT
BELIEVE ON HIS NAME." YOU RECEIVE HIM AND
LET HIM COME INTO YOUR LIFE AND YOU'LL FIND WHAT
IT MEANS TO BE JOYFUL. WITHOUT CHRIST TO FILL
THAT EMPTY VOID IN YOUR LIFE NOTHING ELSE SATISFIES. SEX DOESN'T DO IT. DRUGS DOESN'T DO IT. POWER, POPULARITY,
ALL OF THAT IS NOTHING. CHRIST IS EVERYTHING. AND THEN WHEN
YOU HAVE CHRIST YOU'RE READY TO
LIVE HERE AND NOW. LIFE WITH A CAPITAL L WHEN YOU REALLY KNOW
CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR. YES, ZACCHAEUS RECEIVED
CHRIST JOYFULLY. AND NOTICE ANOTHER THING, ZACCHAEUS OPENLY
CONFESSED CHRIST, PUBLICLY. HE STOOD IN FRONT OF ALL OF
HIS FRIENDS IN THE WHOLE TOWN AND HE SAID, "I'VE BEEN WRONG,
I'VE BEEN A SINNER. "I'M READY TO RESTORE EVERYTHING
I EVER DID IF NECESSARY. "WHATEVER IT TAKES. "FROM NOW ON I'M
FOLLOWING JESUS CHRIST. "HE IS MY LORD AND
HE IS MY SAVIOR. "HE CAME TO SEEK AND TO SAVE ME
IN THIS TOWN OF JERICHO." HE CAME TO HALIFAX IN
THE FORM OF THIS CRUSADE TO SEEK AND TO SAVE YOU. AND HE CALLED YOU BY NAME. AND HE SAYS, "MAKE HASTE,
COME WHILE THERE'S TIME." BECAUSE YOU SEE
THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, "WHOSOEVER DENIETH THE SON,
THE SAME HATH NOT THE FATHER. "HE THAT CONFESSED
THE SON OPENLY "HATH THE FATHER
ALSO." ALSO THE SCRIPTURE
SAYS, "WHOSOEVER SHALL CONFESS
THAT JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD "DWELLETH IN HIM
AND HE IN GOD." AND JESUS SAID,
"IF YOU DENY ME BEFORE MEN." IF YOU DENY ME PUBLICLY;
"I'LL NOT CONFESS YOU "BEFORE MY FATHER
WHICH IS IN HEAVEN." YOU SEE JESUS CHRIST HUNG
ON THE CROSS PUBLICLY IN FRONT OF HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE,
DYING, BLEEDING FOR YOU. AND HE ASKS YOU TO
PUBLICLY RECEIVE HIM. AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU
TO DO THAT IN A MOMENT. THERE'RE THREE THINGS
YOU HAVE TO DO. FIRST, LISTEN TO THIS SO YOU
CAN NEVER STAND AT THE JUDGMENT AND SAY, "I NEVER KNEW." FIRST, YOU MUST
REPENT OF YOUR SIN. HOW DO YOU REPENT? THE WORD REPENT MEANS
TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. IT MEANS TO TURN. YOU'RE GOING IN THIS
DIRECTION IN YOUR LIFE, YOU TURN AROUND AND
START IN A NEW DIRECTION. NOW, YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE
TO TURN BY YOURSELF. IF FACT YOU CAN'T. YOU HAVE TO SAY,
"LORD, HELP ME TO TURN, "HELP ME TO REPENT." IT MEANS THAT YOU'RE
WILLING TO LET CHRIST COME INTO YOUR LIFE
AND HELP YOU CHANGE YOUR WHOLE PATTERN OF LIVING,
YOUR LIFESTYLE, EVERYTHING, IF NECESSARY. AND THEN THE SECOND THING,
BY FAITH YOU RECEIVE HIM. NOW THAT WORD FAITH MAY
CAUSE YOU TO STUMBLE. IT MEANS THAT YOU COMMIT,
THAT YOU SURRENDER YOUR TOTAL LIFE
TO JESUS CHRIST. YOU'RE NOT TRUSTING
ANY OTHER GOD, YOU'RE NOT TRUSTING
ANY OTHER RELIGION. YOU'RE NOT TRUSTING ANYTHING
BUT JESUS CHRIST AND HIM ALONE TO SAVE YOU. THAT'S FAITH,
TOTAL COMMITMENT TO CHRIST. AND THEN THIRDLY,
YOU'RE WILLING TO FOLLOW HIM. YOU'RE WILLING TO BE
HIS DISCIPLE. NOW THE WORD DISCIPLE MEANS
LEARNER OR DISCIPLINE. IT MEANS DISCIPLINED LEARNING. YOU'RE FOLLOWING HIM. GROWING IN THE GRACE
AND KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST BY STUDYING THE BIBLE,
BY PRAYER, BY WITNESSING, BY ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH. YOU SAY, "WELL, BILLY, YOU KNOW
MOST OF THOSE THINGS "I'M ALREADY DOING." BUT DO YOU REALLY
KNOW CHRIST? ARE YOU SURE OF IT? IF YOU'RE NOT SURE,
IF YOU'RE NOT CERTAIN THAT CHRIST IS IN
YOUR HEART TONIGHT AND THAT YOUR SIN IS FORGIVEN, HE'S CALLING YOU BY NAME. HE SEES YOU. AND HE SAYS,
"MAKE HASTE AND COME." I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO GET
UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT RIGHT NOW, HUNDREDS OF YOU FROM EVERYWHERE
AS WE'VE SEEN EVERY NIGHT. GET UP OUT OF YOUR SEAT
AND COME AND STAND IN FRONT. AND SAY BY COMING, "I WANT
TO COME TO THE CROSS "BY FAITH TONIGHT AND
I WANT MY SINS FORGIVEN. "I WANT TO KNOW THAT
I HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. "I WANT TO KNOW I'M
GOING TO HEAVEN." YOU GET UP AND COME RIGHT NOW, QUICKLY AND STAND HERE. IF YOU'RE WITH FRIENDS OR
RELATIVES THEY'LL WAIT. AND AFTER YOU COME, I'M
GOING TO SAY A WORD TO YOU AND HAVE A PRAYER WITH YOU. AND WE'LL GIVE YOU SOME
LITERATURE TO HELP YOU IN YOUR CHRISTIAN LIFE. AND THEN YOU CAN GO
AND JOIN YOUR FRIENDS. BUT I'M GOING TO ASK NO ONE
TO LEAVE THE STADIUM NOW AT THIS HOLY MOMENT. EVERYONE IN AN ATTITUDE
OF PRAYER AS PEOPLE ARE ALREADY COMING. YOU GET UP AND
COME RIGHT NOW TOO. GOD IS CALLING YOU BY NAME. JESUS IS LOOKING
IN YOUR DIRECTION. AND HE KNOWS YOUR HEART
AND HE SAYS, "COME." YOU GET UP AND COME QUICKLY. WE'RE GOING TO WAIT. ♪ JUST AS I AM
WITHOUT ONE PLEA ♪ ♪ BUT THAT THY BLOOD
WAS SHED FOR ME ♪ 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 ARE WATCHING AT HOME OR IN A BAR OR IN A HOTEL ROOM WHEREVER YOU ARE, BY TELEVISION YOU HAVE
BEEN ABLE TO SEE THAT THERE ARE
HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE HERE IN HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA COMING TO COMMIT THEIR LIVES
TO JESUS CHRIST. YOU TOO ARE LIKE ZACCHAEUS. AND JESUS IS CALLING YOU BY NAME AND HE'S SAYING,
"COME, MAKE HASTE." MAKE YOUR COMMITMENT
WHERE YOU ARE NOW. 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.
