You know, Camp Meeting is
a time of blessing, Danny.
00:00:31.18\00:00:35.28
And we each one...
It's a very full time
00:00:35.68\00:00:39.90
for those of us who work here.
00:00:40.11\00:00:41.73
But we look forward
to these Camp Meetings
00:00:41.94\00:00:44.47
and seeing all these
people and hearing the messages
00:00:44.57\00:00:48.39
and the music. George and
Tina are here tonight too.
00:00:48.49\00:00:50.27
Isn't that great? George
and Tina are on the front row
00:00:50.37\00:00:52.29
all the way from the West
Coast coming here. That's right.
00:00:52.39\00:00:53.96
A lot of folk from different
states and even different
00:00:54.07\00:00:55.94
countries - yes! Australia,
Russia, Canada. Right!
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So this is wonderful
getting to meet... It's kind of
00:00:59.31\00:01:01.26
a little pre-heaven meeting -
that's right - is what happens
00:01:01.37\00:01:05.04
when you come here.
Folks from all over, they come
00:01:05.14\00:01:08.17
and really receive a blessing.
00:01:08.28\00:01:10.24
And we get to hear
some really good music.
00:01:10.54\00:01:12.93
And tonight John
Lomacang is going to lead us,
00:01:13.33\00:01:17.62
and before he does would
you have a prayer for us?
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I will. Heavenly
Father, thank you for Your many
00:01:20.21\00:01:22.65
wonderful blessings of
life and health and strength.
00:01:22.75\00:01:25.28
Thank you for this the beginning
of another beautiful Sabbath day
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that You have given us
to set aside just so that we
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could be in Your presence.
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Father, tonight we are praying
for a special unction, anointing
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of the Holy Spirit upon
Pastor Dwight as he ministers
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to us and for all of us
listening - not only those here
00:01:40.38\00:01:44.91
in this audience but
literally around the world.
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We know that
You know every need,
00:01:47.52\00:01:49.64
You know everything about us.
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And I pray that You
will prepare hearts right now
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to be drawn closer to You.
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These things we ask and
pray in Jesus' name, Amen. Amen.
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You know, Pastor
Dwight is well known
00:01:59.71\00:02:03.10
by the viewers of 3ABN.
00:02:03.41\00:02:05.33
And we probably haven't taken
as much time to introduce him
00:02:05.83\00:02:09.04
as we would
someone that no one knew.
00:02:09.24\00:02:11.83
But he is the pastor of
Pioneer Memorial Church.
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As C.A. says, he is
the husband of one wife...
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and a very fine
lady. We wish so much that
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she was with him this time.
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But she's going to
go with him next week.
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They're going out to Idaho
and to Camp Meeting out there.
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Have two wonderful children.
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And as he has told
you... a son and a daughter.
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And as he mentioned to
you, in October he's going to be
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a grandfather. Can you
imagine Dwight as a grandfather?
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His life just begins then.
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It does, doesn't it. I've got 5
of them that came here tonight.
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It's wonderful. Where
are your grandchildren?
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They're in classes I think.
They're probably here tonight.
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OK. But what I appreciate
about Dwight... especially this
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week while he's been here...
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he makes you want to be
a Christian. Yes he does.
00:03:02.36\00:03:04.29
Sometimes it seems like
you hear things and you say:
00:03:04.39\00:03:06.73
"Man, I just don't know
if I can do all of this. "
00:03:06.83\00:03:08.88
Dwight has a love
that radiates through him.
00:03:09.01\00:03:11.74
And Jesus says:
"I, if I be lifted up
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from this earth, will
draw all men unto Me. "
00:03:14.56\00:03:16.26
So we're very thankful
for Pastor Dwight Nelson
00:03:16.36\00:03:19.26
that he would come
here, and his congregation
00:03:19.47\00:03:22.21
is thousands, so he comes
with, you know, our group...
00:03:22.41\00:03:25.48
But we've given him an
audience around the world
00:03:25.58\00:03:28.04
tonight. That's right.
So we appreciate him so much
00:03:28.14\00:03:30.84
and his love for Jesus.
And his sermon tonight is
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Near the Cross: the Sunflower.
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And before he comes
Pastor John Lomacang
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is going to sing
for us It Is Finished.
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There's a line
00:04:01.38\00:04:03.61
that's been drawn
00:04:03.81\00:04:05.65
through the ages.
00:04:05.85\00:04:08.44
On that line stands an old
00:04:09.53\00:04:13.69
rugged cross.
00:04:14.50\00:04:16.71
On the cross
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the battle still rages
00:04:20.96\00:04:25.70
for the gain of man's soul
00:04:26.89\00:04:31.18
or its loss.
00:04:31.58\00:04:33.91
On one side march the forces
00:04:36.09\00:04:40.62
of evil...
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all the demons and devils
00:04:44.19\00:04:48.52
of hell.
00:04:49.33\00:04:51.36
But on the other
00:04:53.34\00:04:55.11
the angels of glory...
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as they meet
00:05:01.65\00:05:03.87
on Golgotha's hill.
00:05:04.17\00:05:09.99
And the earth shakes
00:05:10.29\00:05:12.51
with the force of the conflict
00:05:12.91\00:05:17.27
as the sun refuses
00:05:18.23\00:05:23.29
to shine.
00:05:23.59\00:05:25.53
For there hangs God's Son
00:05:27.14\00:05:30.55
in the balance.
00:05:30.75\00:05:34.62
And then
00:05:34.92\00:05:37.40
through the darkness
00:05:37.60\00:05:39.57
He cries:
00:05:39.87\00:05:44.08
"It is finished! "
00:05:44.18\00:05:45.79
The battle is over.
00:05:45.89\00:05:51.28
"It is finished! "
00:05:51.78\00:05:54.42
There'll be no more war.
00:05:54.82\00:06:00.12
"It is finished! "
00:06:00.52\00:06:03.04
It's the end of the conflict.
00:06:03.54\00:06:08.11
"It is finished! "
00:06:08.51\00:06:11.58
and my Jesus is Lord!
00:06:11.82\00:06:17.73
Yet in my heart
00:06:22.56\00:06:25.25
a battle still rages.
00:06:25.75\00:06:31.69
Not all the prisoners of war
00:06:32.14\00:06:36.89
have come home.
00:06:37.29\00:06:40.00
There are battles
00:06:42.30\00:06:44.13
of my own making
00:06:44.68\00:06:49.47
for I didn't know
00:06:49.77\00:06:52.37
that the war had been won.
00:06:53.22\00:06:58.02
Then I heard that...
00:06:58.42\00:07:01.60
that the King of the ages
00:07:02.00\00:07:07.13
had fought
00:07:07.53\00:07:09.90
all my battles for me
00:07:10.30\00:07:15.22
and now the victory
00:07:15.42\00:07:18.30
is mine for the claiming
00:07:18.70\00:07:23.53
and now
00:07:23.83\00:07:26.33
praise God I am free.
00:07:26.63\00:07:32.09
Yes, "It is finished! "
00:07:32.49\00:07:35.09
the battle is over!
00:07:35.49\00:07:40.51
"It is finished! "
00:07:40.91\00:07:43.63
and there'll be no more war.
00:07:43.93\00:07:49.22
"It is finished! "
00:07:49.52\00:07:52.54
It's the end of the conflict.
00:07:52.84\00:07:57.20
Oh... "It is finished! "
00:07:57.40\00:08:00.66
and my Jesus is Lord.
00:08:00.96\00:08:06.95
"It is finished! "
00:08:07.25\00:08:09.43
and Jesus
00:08:09.83\00:08:13.76
is Lord.
00:08:14.06\00:08:20.02
Amen!
00:08:27.17\00:08:29.08
Thank you, Pastor John.
00:08:32.29\00:08:34.11
We needed that
tonight, didn't we?
00:08:34.61\00:08:38.29
Amen. And as he was singing
00:08:38.53\00:08:40.92
he sings of this dark war
that we are all caught up in.
00:08:42.39\00:08:46.85
He sang - I don't
remember just how he put it -
00:08:47.93\00:08:51.43
but he sang about those
who have fallen in battle.
00:08:51.63\00:08:55.05
And immediately when
I'm standing in the wings
00:08:57.22\00:08:59.91
the Spirit brings some
faces of some very dear people
00:09:00.11\00:09:03.88
I love and I'm saying:
00:09:04.09\00:09:07.15
"God, don't let them
go down in this battle.
00:09:07.25\00:09:11.60
Just save them...
save them... save them "
00:09:11.90\00:09:15.95
The good news is, though,
00:09:17.48\00:09:19.46
that at Calvary
the war got won. Amen!
00:09:20.43\00:09:26.38
There's still some
messy battles and mop-up to do
00:09:26.61\00:09:31.12
on this planet, but
oh... John, thank you.
00:09:31.32\00:09:35.23
We needed that:
"It is finished! "
00:09:35.43\00:09:38.01
Don't miss tomorrow morning
when we will zero in on that
00:09:38.31\00:09:41.21
one line out of
the fourth gospel.
00:09:41.31\00:09:44.23
Boy, I've been blessed tonight.
00:09:46.02\00:09:47.63
Amen! Sat out there
during this concert.
00:09:47.93\00:09:50.64
Does it get any better than
this to welcome the Sabbath?
00:09:51.24\00:09:53.85
Come on... be honest. Does
it get any better than this?
00:09:54.05\00:09:56.68
And to think... in heaven
we're going to have non-stop
00:09:59.36\00:10:02.77
concert after
concert after concert...
00:10:02.97\00:10:05.74
and they're going to
even let you and me sing!
00:10:06.04\00:10:08.99
I'm gettin' that song ready.
00:10:11.43\00:10:13.83
They laughed at me in this life
00:10:14.95\00:10:16.66
but they won't laugh
in the next life. Amen!
00:10:16.76\00:10:19.45
We'll carry a tune in
heaven. Yes we will... yeah.
00:10:20.56\00:10:24.04
And two of the songs
tonight in the concert...
00:10:24.99\00:10:26.53
did you notice that?
One vocal and the other
00:10:26.73\00:10:29.42
harmonica.
00:10:29.72\00:10:31.96
Near the cross. Near
the Cross... our theme.
00:10:32.37\00:10:35.04
We started out Wednesday
night which was Thursday night
00:10:35.34\00:10:38.04
in the Passion Weekend.
00:10:38.14\00:10:39.19
We started out with
Jesus in the upper room.
00:10:39.39\00:10:41.24
We're going to spend
three of our sessions,
00:10:41.54\00:10:43.51
tonight is number 2 of the 3,
00:10:43.71\00:10:45.28
on Friday. And then
don't miss tomorrow night
00:10:45.59\00:10:48.21
Sunday. We're
looking at that weekend
00:10:48.51\00:10:51.24
and we're asking God:
"Please, keep me near the cross.
00:10:51.54\00:10:55.23
Not just for a little
Camp Meeting like this.
00:10:55.33\00:10:57.82
Keep me near the cross
24/7 until Jesus comes. "
00:10:58.02\00:11:02.52
That's our prayer.
00:11:02.75\00:11:03.83
So I want to pray with you
then plunge into our teaching
00:11:03.93\00:11:06.09
tonight. Dramatic story.
00:11:06.19\00:11:07.81
We'll go to the
Word first. Got to set up
00:11:08.11\00:11:09.98
then go to the dramatic story.
00:11:10.18\00:11:11.81
And I am praying
that some of you tonight
00:11:12.12\00:11:14.22
will make a decision -
00:11:14.52\00:11:16.42
now it's not the
decision you're thinking of -
00:11:17.95\00:11:20.21
but that you will
make a decision tonight.
00:11:20.31\00:11:22.06
It will be a hard one.
00:11:22.26\00:11:23.77
But if you don't
make it, the other man,
00:11:24.27\00:11:29.25
the other woman, won't make it.
00:11:29.45\00:11:31.77
You make the decision.
Listen carefully to Jesus.
00:11:31.97\00:11:35.55
At the cross you
make the decision
00:11:35.85\00:11:38.69
and you can be the
Healer's instrument
00:11:38.89\00:11:42.96
in restoring
what has been broken.
00:11:43.16\00:11:45.97
Let's pray together. Oh God,
00:11:46.37\00:11:48.32
"It is
finished! " We praise You.
00:11:48.52\00:11:51.39
In advance we already
know how the story ends:
00:11:51.60\00:11:54.19
Calvary is
clear... clarion death cry.
00:11:54.39\00:11:58.95
Tonight we're before that
death cry. Tonight another word
00:11:59.35\00:12:03.61
from the cross.
Let it be crystal clear
00:12:03.71\00:12:06.06
and may there be
healings around this earth
00:12:06.36\00:12:09.58
because of our Savior.
We pray in His name, Amen.
00:12:09.98\00:12:14.62
Let's get to that
story quickly, but first
00:12:15.64\00:12:18.83
the gospel of Luke. Open your
Bible to the gospel of Luke.
00:12:18.97\00:12:21.86
So we were in the
upper room Thursday night.
00:12:22.16\00:12:25.09
We were in the gospel of John.
John 13, the 11th commandment.
00:12:25.19\00:12:28.35
Last night we're in Matthew.
00:12:28.38\00:12:30.29
We're not going to look at
Mark because Matthew and Mark -
00:12:30.49\00:12:33.18
the two synoptics - are
the closest in their recitation
00:12:33.38\00:12:37.02
of Calvary. But we're going
now to Luke... Luke chapter 23.
00:12:37.12\00:12:39.80
I want to pick it up... I
love this picture of Jesus
00:12:40.30\00:12:43.21
and I want you to see it.
00:12:43.51\00:12:45.50
Nobody ever preaches on these
words, but why shouldn't we
00:12:45.90\00:12:48.59
read them. Luke chapter 23. I'm
in the New King James version.
00:12:48.69\00:12:51.51
Glad you brought a Bible.
00:12:52.74\00:12:54.02
You know, if I'm back
at Andrews University -
00:12:54.76\00:12:56.71
3,600 kids - I say:
"Pull out your phone.
00:12:56.81\00:13:00.10
Pull out your iPad.
Let's just read the Word. "
00:13:00.30\00:13:02.36
Oh, you've got your phone. Good.
00:13:02.46\00:13:03.94
Nice choice of a
phone by the way.
00:13:04.67\00:13:06.34
All right... Luke chapter 23.
Let's pick it up in verse 27.
00:13:06.99\00:13:10.64
"And a great multitude
of people followed Jesus
00:13:10.84\00:13:13.79
and women. " A lot of times
when we tell the story of Jesus
00:13:14.19\00:13:19.03
the women just get left out.
00:13:19.23\00:13:20.34
They're just marginalized
and pushed to the side.
00:13:20.54\00:13:23.34
But they are front
and center in Luke.
00:13:23.64\00:13:25.15
Luke will not leave them out.
00:13:25.25\00:13:26.63
"and women who also
mourned and lamented Him
00:13:27.72\00:13:31.81
were in that great multitude. "
00:13:32.01\00:13:33.18
Verse 28: "But
Jesus turning to them... "
00:13:33.28\00:13:37.17
If I'm going to my death
I'm thinking of one person
00:13:37.57\00:13:40.55
on this earth, and that's me.
00:13:40.65\00:13:41.97
I wouldn't have time or energy
to think of any other soul.
00:13:44.24\00:13:48.48
But Jesus turns to
them... I love this picture.
00:13:48.78\00:13:52.99
"And Jesus says to
them: 'Daughters of Jerusalem,
00:13:53.19\00:13:55.62
do not weep for Me
00:13:55.82\00:13:58.78
but weep for yourselves
and for your children. ' "
00:13:58.88\00:14:02.48
He's on His way to His execution
00:14:02.78\00:14:05.49
and He tenderly
ministers to them.
00:14:05.69\00:14:08.75
There is always somebody
else on the mind of Jesus 24/7.
00:14:10.94\00:14:16.62
He spends not a
moment in self-reflection.
00:14:16.92\00:14:21.05
He's always focused on others.
00:14:21.25\00:14:23.94
"Daughters of
Jerusalem, don't weep for me
00:14:25.03\00:14:26.72
but weep for yourselves and
for your children, for indeed
00:14:26.82\00:14:29.00
the days are coming in which
they will say: 'Blessed are
00:14:29.10\00:14:31.38
the barren. Blessed
are wombs that never bore;
00:14:31.48\00:14:34.35
blessed are breasts
that never nursed. '
00:14:34.55\00:14:36.16
Then they will begin
to say to the mountains:
00:14:36.46\00:14:38.98
'Fall on us' and to
the hills 'cover us. '
00:14:39.18\00:14:41.20
For if they do these
things in the green wood
00:14:41.41\00:14:44.98
what will be done in the dry? "
00:14:45.18\00:14:47.48
And ladies and gentlemen, as
my friend Steve Bohr has been
00:14:47.68\00:14:50.33
teaching here, we are
approaching the driest season
00:14:50.43\00:14:53.18
of earth's history.
00:14:53.28\00:14:54.74
The green is
gone... it's all dry.
00:14:55.04\00:14:57.55
Verse 32: "There
were also two others -
00:14:58.76\00:15:02.15
criminals - led with
Him to be put to death. "
00:15:02.45\00:15:07.39
Read a dramatic book written
by a survivor of the Holocaust
00:15:07.99\00:15:11.47
named Simon Wiesenthal.
00:15:11.67\00:15:13.66
He died just a few months ago.
00:15:13.96\00:15:15.77
Title of the
book: The Sunflower.
00:15:16.07\00:15:18.23
In the book... The
opening to the book is his
00:15:18.98\00:15:22.89
telling of that dark
and gripping narrative
00:15:22.99\00:15:26.27
when as a boy in that
Polish Nazi concentration camp
00:15:26.37\00:15:31.96
one morning on a work detail
00:15:32.26\00:15:35.05
minding his own business
when a Polish nurse comes up
00:15:35.35\00:15:38.12
behind him, taps the
Jewish boy on the shoulder,
00:15:38.22\00:15:41.16
and then motions to him. Not
a word: "You follow me, boy. "
00:15:41.36\00:15:44.95
He obediently follows
00:15:46.15\00:15:47.99
into the Polish
hospital up a dark stairway
00:15:48.20\00:15:50.89
down shadowy hallway
00:15:51.09\00:15:53.77
until finally she opens
the door to a hospital room.
00:15:53.97\00:15:57.42
He steps inside the room
and when his eyes finally
00:15:58.74\00:16:01.69
adjust to the
shadows he sees a bed.
00:16:01.79\00:16:06.08
On the bed, somebody
lying draped with a sheet
00:16:06.38\00:16:11.16
up to the neck.
00:16:11.46\00:16:13.60
The head is entirely bandaged.
00:16:15.60\00:16:18.71
Four holes... four holes:
00:16:19.11\00:16:21.45
one for the mouth, one for
the nose, two for the ears.
00:16:21.65\00:16:25.93
And where the
eyes would have been
00:16:26.23\00:16:28.48
yellow-gray stains.
00:16:28.68\00:16:31.30
The nurse slips away
00:16:32.58\00:16:35.84
and young Simon is all alone.
00:16:36.14\00:16:39.34
Now, he picks it up right here:
00:16:39.54\00:16:41.25
"From the bed... "
Reading his words now...
00:16:41.55\00:16:43.88
"From the bed I heard a
weak, broken voice exclaim
00:16:43.98\00:16:46.99
'Please come nearer...
I can't speak loudly. '
00:16:47.20\00:16:50.43
Now I could see
in the semi-darkness
00:16:51.48\00:16:53.51
the figure in
the bed more clearly.
00:16:53.71\00:16:55.53
White bloodless
hands on the counterpane.
00:16:55.73\00:16:58.50
Head completely bandaged.
00:16:58.71\00:17:00.22
Hesitatingly I sat
down on the edge of the bed.
00:17:00.42\00:17:02.93
The sick man perceiving
this said softly: 'Please
00:17:03.13\00:17:05.86
come a little nearer. To
talk loudly is exhausting. '
00:17:06.06\00:17:09.13
I obeyed. His almost
bloodless hand groped for mine
00:17:09.33\00:17:13.67
as he tried to raise
himself slightly in the bed.
00:17:13.87\00:17:16.23
I sat on the bed spellbound.
00:17:16.43\00:17:19.12
I could not take my
eyes off of the stricken man
00:17:19.32\00:17:21.26
and the yellow-gray stains
on the bandages seemed to me
00:17:21.46\00:17:24.35
to be moving, taking
new shapes before my eyes.
00:17:24.45\00:17:26.89
'I have not much longer to live'
00:17:26.99\00:17:29.63
whispered the sick man
in a barely-audible voice.
00:17:29.83\00:17:32.49
'I know the end is near. ' "
00:17:32.79\00:17:35.42
What follows is the
surreal, almost tortured
00:17:36.81\00:17:41.93
confession
00:17:42.17\00:17:43.84
of this dying Nazi SS soldier.
00:17:44.14\00:17:49.94
"Sympathy on the part of
the nurse has found a Jew.
00:17:54.24\00:18:00.21
He has asked for a Jew to be
brought to him before he dies.
00:18:00.81\00:18:05.55
He wanted to confess his sins.
00:18:06.64\00:18:08.44
He - a backslidden Christian
- wanted to confess his sins
00:18:08.64\00:18:13.97
to a Jew.
00:18:14.17\00:18:15.22
He told the boy he'd
only been following orders
00:18:16.50\00:18:20.28
when his commander had insisted
that they herd the 150-200 Jews
00:18:20.58\00:18:25.40
into that farmhouse
on the Russian front.
00:18:25.50\00:18:27.75
They doused the
house with gasoline,
00:18:28.05\00:18:30.62
tossed in some grenades,
00:18:30.82\00:18:32.55
and then stood on the perimeter
with their machine guns
00:18:32.65\00:18:35.70
gunning down any
who dared to escape.
00:18:35.90\00:18:38.11
Now dying, he
pours out his heart
00:18:41.82\00:18:45.46
the nightmares that
will not let him go, and now
00:18:45.66\00:18:50.36
he speaks these words:
00:18:50.56\00:18:52.06
'I know what I've
told you is terrible.
00:18:52.27\00:18:55.39
In the long nights while I
have been waiting for death
00:18:55.59\00:18:58.21
time and again I have
longed to talk about it to a Jew
00:18:58.41\00:19:01.12
and beg forgiveness from him
00:19:01.22\00:19:03.02
only I didn't know whether
there were any Jews left.
00:19:03.32\00:19:06.57
I know what I am asking
is almost too much for you,
00:19:07.80\00:19:12.13
but without your
answer I cannot die in peace.
00:19:12.34\00:19:16.78
Will you forgive me? '
00:19:16.99\00:19:19.97
the bandaged head begs. "
00:19:20.27\00:19:23.40
Young Simon...
imagine the boy...
00:19:25.30\00:19:27.97
stands there just
stunned in silence,
00:19:28.17\00:19:33.54
the battle inside
his young heart raging.
00:19:34.57\00:19:38.59
Wiesenthal later writes:
00:19:38.99\00:19:41.83
"What a contrast between
the glorious sunshine outside
00:19:42.13\00:19:45.28
and the shadow of this bestial
age here in the death chamber.
00:19:45.48\00:19:48.81
I stood up, I
looked in his direction
00:19:49.01\00:19:53.70
at his folded hands.
At last I made up my mind
00:19:53.90\00:19:57.39
and without a
word I left the room. "
00:19:58.74\00:20:02.78
"Will you forgive me? "
00:20:04.38\00:20:07.46
Wiesenthal, who
begins his book with that...
00:20:11.90\00:20:14.39
that heart-breaking narrative,
00:20:14.69\00:20:19.18
twenty-five years later,
still haunted by his decision
00:20:19.38\00:20:23.55
not to forgive this
pleading Nazi SS soldier...
00:20:23.65\00:20:27.67
Wiesenthal, who by the
way miraculously - obviously -
00:20:27.97\00:20:31.26
survived the Holocaust but
lost 86 of his family members
00:20:31.46\00:20:35.10
to that tragedy... he ends
his narrative with these words:
00:20:35.30\00:20:38.68
"You who have just read
this sad and tragic episode
00:20:38.98\00:20:41.32
in my life can
mentally change places with me
00:20:41.42\00:20:43.82
and ask yourself
the crucial question:
00:20:44.02\00:20:45.96
"What would I have done? "
00:20:46.16\00:20:48.78
Ladies and
gentlemen... tonight I ask you.
00:20:49.08\00:20:50.63
You're watching on
television right now?
00:20:50.73\00:20:52.10
I'm asking you as well.
00:20:52.30\00:20:54.10
Would you have forgiven him?
00:20:54.60\00:20:56.90
Hmmm?
00:20:58.39\00:20:59.93
If you were a Jew,
would you have forgiven him?
00:21:00.33\00:21:04.25
If you were an African-American,
00:21:06.79\00:21:09.16
would you have forgiven?
00:21:10.46\00:21:13.48
If you were the victim
of childhood sexual abuse
00:21:14.90\00:21:18.77
by somebody who knew better,
00:21:20.62\00:21:22.62
would you have forgiven him?
00:21:24.84\00:21:26.47
If you were the innocent
party in an extramarital affair,
00:21:28.88\00:21:33.40
would you have forgiven him?
00:21:33.80\00:21:37.43
If you're a divorcée,
00:21:38.23\00:21:41.26
would you have forgiven him?
00:21:41.76\00:21:45.04
If you're a parent whose heart
was shattered into 1,000 pieces
00:21:47.17\00:21:51.86
when your child ran away,
00:21:52.16\00:21:53.84
would you have forgiven him?
00:21:55.31\00:21:58.45
Keep reading.
00:22:08.56\00:22:10.27
Verse 33: "And when they had
come to the place called Calvary
00:22:12.02\00:22:17.93
there they crucified Jesus
00:22:19.12\00:22:20.60
and the criminals -
one on the right hand
00:22:20.70\00:22:22.23
and the other on the left.
00:22:22.43\00:22:23.88
Then Jesus said:
00:22:24.08\00:22:26.51
'Father, forgive them
00:22:26.71\00:22:30.40
for they do not
know what they do. ' "
00:22:30.70\00:22:35.75
The story of a Jew
named Simon Wiesenthal
00:22:41.82\00:22:45.12
pushed up close next to
the story of a Jew named
00:22:46.45\00:22:50.26
Jesus of Nazareth...
00:22:50.36\00:22:52.24
when the yellow-stained hospital
bed and the red-stained cross
00:22:53.89\00:22:59.62
are juxtaposed,
00:22:59.82\00:23:01.64
what do we do? What shall we do?
00:23:02.80\00:23:07.72
Simon Wiesenthal sent his story
00:23:11.63\00:23:14.23
to 53
distinguished men and women:
00:23:14.43\00:23:16.28
we're talking about theologians,
political leaders, writers,
00:23:16.48\00:23:18.89
jurists, psychiatrists,
human rights activists,
00:23:19.09\00:23:20.76
Holocaust survivors,
00:23:20.86\00:23:21.89
victims of attempted
genocide in Bosnia, Cambodia,
00:23:21.98\00:23:24.77
China, and Tibet. The rest
of the book is a collection
00:23:24.87\00:23:28.41
of their responses.
00:23:28.51\00:23:29.74
One professor, Eva Fleischner,
who is professor emerita
00:23:32.24\00:23:37.51
of religion at
Montclair State University,
00:23:37.71\00:23:40.07
in her reply she notes
an interesting division
00:23:40.27\00:23:43.74
of student opinions in
her use of Wiesenthal's book
00:23:43.84\00:23:46.53
over the past 20 years
in her Holocaust class.
00:23:46.73\00:23:49.42
And she's writing now:
"One striking feature of these
00:23:49.82\00:23:52.63
animated discussions has been
that almost without exception
00:23:52.73\00:23:55.46
the Christian students
come out in favor of forgiveness
00:23:55.67\00:23:58.46
while the Jewish students feel
that Simon did the right thing
00:23:58.67\00:24:01.74
by not granting the
dying man's wishes. "
00:24:01.84\00:24:04.57
So would you have forgiven
00:24:05.68\00:24:08.50
that pleading Nazi SS soldier?
00:24:11.28\00:24:15.50
If you were a Jew,
would you have forgiven?
00:24:15.81\00:24:18.11
If you were an African-American,
would you have forgiven?
00:24:20.22\00:24:24.46
Abuse...
00:24:25.54\00:24:27.36
the whole litany
of our broken lives.
00:24:27.86\00:24:32.63
Would you forgive?
00:24:33.03\00:24:35.46
That Jesus forgives is
clear from the narrative.
00:24:35.66\00:24:38.38
The question from the
narrative is: "Do we forgive? "
00:24:40.61\00:24:44.31
We expect Jesus to forgive.
00:24:45.21\00:24:47.94
After all, Jesus is the
One who taught us to pray...
00:24:48.93\00:24:52.17
pray it out loud with me:
00:24:52.40\00:24:53.62
"Our Father which art in heaven,
00:24:53.72\00:24:56.22
hallowed be Thy name.
00:24:56.53\00:24:58.81
They kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth
00:24:59.11\00:25:02.93
as it is in heaven.
00:25:03.13\00:25:04.82
Give us this day our daily bread
00:25:05.02\00:25:08.34
and forgive us our debts
as we forgive our debtors. "
00:25:08.64\00:25:13.50
And hit the pause
button right there.
00:25:13.60\00:25:15.16
We pray that
prayer all the time.
00:25:16.63\00:25:18.93
"Forgive us our debts as
we forgive our debtors. "
00:25:19.53\00:25:23.59
Except the King James didn't
get the Greek tense correct.
00:25:23.79\00:25:28.28
It's the aorist tense
and it actually reads...
00:25:28.58\00:25:31.64
Jesus' prayer reads like this:
00:25:31.74\00:25:33.06
"Forgive us our
sins as we FORGAVE...
00:25:33.26\00:25:37.56
our debtors. "
00:25:39.90\00:25:41.43
It's past.
00:25:41.83\00:25:43.24
"As we have in the past, you go
ahead and do in the present. "
00:25:43.54\00:25:47.03
That's what we're praying.
00:25:47.33\00:25:48.48
The only commentary
Jesus ever gives to this
00:25:48.88\00:25:52.44
model prayer of all prayers
00:25:52.75\00:25:54.73
is right there in the
Sermon on the Mount in Matthew.
00:25:55.03\00:25:57.14
Just keep your finger right
here 'cause we'll come back.
00:25:57.34\00:25:59.39
But go to Matthew chapter 6.
00:25:59.63\00:26:02.20
The Sermon on the
Mount... Matthew chapter 6.
00:26:03.25\00:26:05.78
You know this, but I want
you to get to the commentary.
00:26:09.92\00:26:13.01
The only line He comments on...
00:26:13.21\00:26:16.48
He had seven
petitions in this prayer.
00:26:17.80\00:26:19.91
You know, a lot of people
say: "You know when we pray
00:26:20.11\00:26:21.79
you shouldn't be asking God
for anything. You ought to just
00:26:21.89\00:26:23.83
say 'thank you, Jesus. '
" Well, that's good counsel
00:26:24.03\00:26:26.28
to say: "Thank you,
Jesus" but the model prayer
00:26:26.38\00:26:28.56
seven of those petitions
are lined up on the runway
00:26:28.76\00:26:31.89
to take off. Seven times...
it's a series of petitions.
00:26:31.92\00:26:37.54
It begins right
here... what is this? Verse 9:
00:26:37.84\00:26:39.52
"In this manner therefore
pray: 'Our Father in heaven,
00:26:39.62\00:26:42.06
hallowed be Your name.
00:26:42.17\00:26:43.20
Your kingdom
come, Your will be done
00:26:43.40\00:26:45.02
on earth as it is in heaven.
00:26:45.22\00:26:46.32
Give us this day our daily bread
00:26:46.62\00:26:47.86
and forgive us our debts as we
forgave/forgive our debtors. ' "
00:26:47.96\00:26:51.35
I've always... it actually reads
'as we forgave our debtors. '
00:26:51.45\00:26:54.52
Verse 13: "And do not
lead us into temptation
00:26:54.72\00:26:56.98
but deliver us from evil. "
00:26:57.08\00:26:58.11
There are seven of them; you
just repeated seven petitions.
00:26:58.20\00:27:00.88
"Deliver us from evil.
For Yours is the kingdom
00:27:01.18\00:27:03.91
and the power and the
glory forever. Amen. "
00:27:04.01\00:27:06.33
But too often we
stop with the "Amen. "
00:27:06.73\00:27:08.96
He will make only one
commentary in His lifetime
00:27:09.67\00:27:12.63
on that model prayer
and it immediately follows
00:27:12.83\00:27:15.20
right here. Verse 14:
"For if you forgive men... "
00:27:15.41\00:27:19.00
and women...
00:27:19.41\00:27:20.69
"if you forgive men
and women their trespasses
00:27:21.54\00:27:24.04
your heavenly Father
will also forgive you. "
00:27:24.24\00:27:26.30
"But... " verse 15:
00:27:26.60\00:27:27.66
"if you do not forgive
men and women their trespasses
00:27:27.86\00:27:31.03
neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses. "
00:27:31.23\00:27:35.29
That is an amazing commentary!
00:27:38.13\00:27:39.93
We prefer not to
have to read those words.
00:27:40.13\00:27:42.60
Just seven beautiful petitions:
"God, please, seven times over
00:27:42.90\00:27:46.77
give to me. "
00:27:46.87\00:27:47.95
He says: "All
right... He will; He will.
00:27:48.15\00:27:50.26
BUT... that line
about forgiveness?
00:27:50.66\00:27:52.89
You will only get forgiven
00:27:53.20\00:27:56.56
if you are a
forgiver yourself. "
00:27:58.06\00:28:01.54
Why that is...
what a grumpy God!
00:28:01.67\00:28:04.49
Kind of mean. I mean
"Why are You withholding
00:28:04.80\00:28:07.45
forgiveness from me if I
don't forgive somebody? "
00:28:07.55\00:28:10.22
Ladies and
gentlemen, He's not being mean.
00:28:10.52\00:28:11.78
He's not being grumpy or cruel.
00:28:11.88\00:28:13.72
He's being logical...
He's being utterly fair.
00:28:14.02\00:28:16.76
He's saying: "Hey
Dwight, I want to forgive you.
00:28:17.16\00:28:19.60
I'll forgive every
sin you bring to Me.
00:28:19.81\00:28:21.47
Bring it to Me. But there's
one sin you're not bringing
00:28:21.77\00:28:26.46
to Me. " "What's that, Lord? "
00:28:26.56\00:28:28.19
"You're not bringing
to Me an unforgiving heart
00:28:28.39\00:28:31.87
and that's a sin.
00:28:32.17\00:28:33.64
And if you don't bring
to Me an unforgiving heart,
00:28:33.94\00:28:36.76
I can't forgive.
00:28:36.79\00:28:38.57
I'll forgive the
others but you're still stuck.
00:28:38.87\00:28:41.15
One sin is like them all.
00:28:41.25\00:28:42.69
You still have one...
that unforgiving heart.
00:28:43.00\00:28:45.50
I will not... " "Are
You kidding? After what
00:28:45.60\00:28:47.46
she said about me? She
spread it all over this city. "
00:28:47.56\00:28:51.80
"After what he's done to me?
00:28:52.74\00:28:55.23
Everybody knows. My life
is in ruins because of that
00:28:55.43\00:28:58.93
and You're asking me to just
OK: forgive, forgive, forgive?
00:28:59.23\00:29:02.66
I'm not going to forgive. "
00:29:02.96\00:29:04.28
Jesus says:
"Ah... that's too bad
00:29:04.58\00:29:07.80
because I can't forgive you. "
00:29:10.66\00:29:11.84
He's not being mean. He said:
"You've got it in your hand.
00:29:12.80\00:29:16.00
I can't get it
out of your fingers.
00:29:16.20\00:29:18.29
You are so
bitter, you are so hurt,
00:29:18.49\00:29:21.90
you are so furious
with this world and with Me.
00:29:22.10\00:29:24.59
You're furious with the church;
you're furious with the school.
00:29:24.79\00:29:27.22
You're furious
with your place of work.
00:29:27.32\00:29:28.49
You're furious with your
husband; you're furious with
00:29:28.69\00:29:30.47
your wife. You're
furious with your family.
00:29:30.57\00:29:32.33
You're furious
with your friends.
00:29:32.43\00:29:33.63
You won't let go
and I can't forgive you.
00:29:33.83\00:29:35.73
You will die with that sin. "
00:29:35.93\00:29:37.33
"If you forgive others,
00:29:38.78\00:29:40.64
your Father in
heaven will forgive you.
00:29:40.94\00:29:42.72
If you don't, He won't. "
00:29:42.92\00:29:45.16
It's God's "Golden
Rule of Forgiveness"
00:29:45.56\00:29:48.86
and the only reason it
exists is because God is so
00:29:49.06\00:29:51.86
passionately
committed to your free choice.
00:29:52.06\00:29:55.15
He said: "I'll let
you. You want to be angry?
00:29:56.03\00:29:58.44
You want to spend the
rest of your life bitter?
00:29:58.84\00:30:01.38
OK... you can have it.
00:30:01.58\00:30:03.74
I won't take it away,
and if I don't take it away
00:30:04.04\00:30:05.67
you're not forgiven.
00:30:05.87\00:30:07.44
I can't... you
won't give it to Me. "
00:30:08.60\00:30:11.76
That point is so...
so urgent in Jesus' mind,
00:30:18.38\00:30:23.06
by the way, that in Matthew
00:30:23.26\00:30:25.40
He will
eventually tell a parable.
00:30:26.21\00:30:28.77
It happened on a day
when Peter came to Him
00:30:29.84\00:30:32.22
and Peter said: "Lord,
I've just been thinking about
00:30:32.43\00:30:34.07
this forgiveness thing.
I mean this is tough stuff
00:30:34.17\00:30:36.73
You're asking of us. But
I've been thinking, Lord.
00:30:36.83\00:30:39.52
You know the rabbis
say... " based, as it turns out
00:30:39.72\00:30:42.10
an errant
interpretation of Amos 1:3, 5...
00:30:42.30\00:30:45.33
"the rabbis say that
three forgivenesses is the max
00:30:45.53\00:30:49.97
but Jesus: I am saying seven.
00:30:51.41\00:30:56.82
What if I forgave
my brother seven times?
00:30:57.32\00:31:01.17
Would that make You happy? "
00:31:01.47\00:31:03.12
Jesus looks into the
face of the big fisherman
00:31:03.92\00:31:07.01
whom He loves with all His heart
00:31:09.12\00:31:11.16
who before the story
of Thursday night is over
00:31:12.11\00:31:15.64
will be desperately in need
of what he's not willing to give
00:31:15.84\00:31:21.26
more than seven times.
00:31:21.46\00:31:22.83
In front of the
whole blooming world
00:31:24.12\00:31:28.16
with every
fisherman's oath he can imagine
00:31:28.46\00:31:33.09
Peter will curse
the name of Jesus.
00:31:33.49\00:31:37.54
"I do not know this blankety-
blank blank man at all. "
00:31:37.84\00:31:42.90
But He tells Peter
in advance of that.
00:31:44.48\00:31:46.90
"Pretty good,
Pete! Seven times...
00:31:47.84\00:31:50.40
though I say to you
seven times seventy. "
00:31:50.60\00:31:54.04
Or some translations
say seventy-seven times.
00:31:54.14\00:31:56.45
But ladies and gentlemen,
seven times seventy or 77
00:31:56.65\00:31:59.19
it doesn't matter. That
just means you go on forgiving.
00:31:59.29\00:32:02.70
No matter how many times
your heart has been broken
00:32:02.81\00:32:05.40
and your life has been trashed
by the people who knew better.
00:32:05.60\00:32:09.09
By the people who knew better.
00:32:10.15\00:32:12.26
"You don't think she
knew what she was doing? "
00:32:12.46\00:32:14.46
"You don't think he
knew what he was doing? "
00:32:15.47\00:32:18.69
Of course he
knew... of course she knew.
00:32:18.99\00:32:22.47
You don't think the Roman
soldiers and the chief priests
00:32:24.94\00:32:30.87
know what they're doing on this
awful Friday we now call good?
00:32:30.98\00:32:34.99
You don't think they know?
00:32:35.29\00:32:37.01
Of course they
know what they're doing.
00:32:37.21\00:32:38.96
They're driving that
nail into the hands of God
00:32:39.88\00:32:44.10
the Creator of this
universe... God made flesh.
00:32:44.30\00:32:47.08
Jesus opens His mouth, and
the first thing that comes out
00:32:47.38\00:32:50.48
of His mouth is... what is it?
00:32:50.58\00:32:52.76
This prayer... read it again.
00:32:53.91\00:32:56.32
Verse 33: "And when they had
come to the place called Calvary
00:32:57.80\00:33:00.37
there they crucified
Jesus and the criminals...
00:33:00.57\00:33:03.44
one on the right
hand, the other on the left.
00:33:03.54\00:33:05.30
And then Jesus said...
00:33:05.50\00:33:06.64
Read it out loud
with me, will you?
00:33:07.69\00:33:09.66
Sort of pretend
like you're praying it.
00:33:09.96\00:33:11.92
"Father, forgive them
00:33:12.22\00:33:15.99
for they do not
know what they do. "
00:33:16.29\00:33:20.38
What do you mean, Jesus: "They
do not know what they do? "
00:33:20.68\00:33:23.23
They know exactly
what they're doing.
00:33:23.53\00:33:25.18
But isn't that
amazing? He attributes
00:33:26.17\00:33:30.12
their act - their
heinous act against Him -
00:33:30.32\00:33:34.32
as done in ignorance.
00:33:34.52\00:33:35.88
"They didn't know
what they were doing.
00:33:36.91\00:33:37.99
They don't know,
Father, they don't know. "
00:33:38.19\00:33:40.19
"He didn't
know... she didn't know. "
00:33:40.22\00:33:43.14
She knew... but the Savior
gives the benefit of the doubt
00:33:44.79\00:33:50.42
and says: "Father, Dwight
doesn't know what he's doing.
00:33:51.75\00:33:55.67
Forgive him again... please. "
00:33:55.98\00:33:58.85
Isn't that something?
00:33:59.25\00:34:00.76
That's something!
00:34:01.84\00:34:03.64
So Jesus... He tells us...
00:34:06.18\00:34:08.04
He says: "Peter, seventy
times seven or seventy-seven.
00:34:08.24\00:34:11.26
Oh, Peter, I want
to tell you a story.
00:34:11.66\00:34:13.38
I want to tell you
a story about a king
00:34:13.68\00:34:16.67
who hired an
accountant one day to come in.
00:34:16.97\00:34:19.31
Bring in the big guns...
the CPAs come in for an audit.
00:34:19.34\00:34:22.77
And they're going
through the books of the kingdom
00:34:23.88\00:34:26.10
and they come across... 'Can
you believe? Is this true? '
00:34:26.20\00:34:30.37
They pull the
calculators out again.
00:34:30.67\00:34:32.74
They calculate it again.
One of the king's servants
00:34:33.04\00:34:36.82
owes him more than
a lifetime of debt.
00:34:40.48\00:34:45.27
In fact, if you took all of the
accumulated taxes of Palestine
00:34:46.24\00:34:49.08
and Idumaea and Judea - all of
the taxes at the time of Jesus -
00:34:49.28\00:34:53.10
this servant owes more.
00:34:53.40\00:34:55.21
We're talking about just
a little servant who owes
00:34:55.41\00:34:57.91
the universe to the king.
00:34:58.01\00:34:59.58
And the servant comes in...
" You ever heard this story?
00:34:59.78\00:35:01.89
You probably haven't heard
it. "The servant comes in...
00:35:01.99\00:35:03.56
The servant comes
in and the king said:
00:35:03.86\00:35:06.13
'Yo! What do you think I am?
00:35:06.33\00:35:09.18
A nincompoop?
00:35:10.27\00:35:11.71
I can read these books.
00:35:12.02\00:35:14.84
You owe me... you owe me huge.
00:35:15.04\00:35:18.11
It'll take you 20 lifetimes to
pay it off, but let's start. '
00:35:18.41\00:35:23.39
And the servant falls to
his face... " And what does the
00:35:24.60\00:35:28.26
servant do?
"Please, I beg of you, king.
00:35:28.36\00:35:31.95
I beg of you. " It's
what you and I do with God.
00:35:32.05\00:35:33.81
The impossible. "I beg
you... give me enough time
00:35:34.01\00:35:37.60
and I'll pay it off. "
00:35:37.90\00:35:39.49
"You know how much time you
need? You need 20 lifetimes,
00:35:39.89\00:35:42.33
boy! " "Give me enough
time and I'll pay it off. "
00:35:42.53\00:35:46.31
And Jesus tells the story.
The king's heart is touched
00:35:46.51\00:35:48.77
by the pathetic plea.
00:35:48.97\00:35:52.12
The ignorant assumption
that you can ever pay me off.
00:35:52.42\00:35:55.14
The king's heart
is touched. He says:
00:35:55.34\00:35:57.19
"I forgive you.
00:35:58.39\00:35:59.83
Get up... now
don't do it again! "
00:35:59.93\00:36:02.80
That servant goes out
singing "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah!
00:36:04.57\00:36:07.48
Zip-A-Dee-Ay! My, oh
my, what a wonderful day! "
00:36:07.51\00:36:13.16
He's floating on air.
00:36:13.46\00:36:14.64
About halfway down
the block from the palace
00:36:15.62\00:36:18.92
here comes a buddy of
his... a fellow servant.
00:36:19.12\00:36:21.67
"That guy owes me money. "
00:36:23.49\00:36:26.03
The debt ratio is 600,000 to 1.
00:36:27.22\00:36:30.25
OK? 600,000 to 1.
00:36:31.08\00:36:34.95
The other guy owes 20 lifetimes;
this guy owes 100 days of wages.
00:36:35.25\00:36:40.07
600,000 to 1.
00:36:40.47\00:36:42.68
Grabbed him by the hair
and said: "You pay up, buddy.
00:36:43.99\00:36:45.91
You... Listen, I know
you thought we were friends
00:36:46.01\00:36:47.81
but listen: no
more. You pay up. "
00:36:47.91\00:36:49.36
The identical language
that the first servant uses
00:36:49.66\00:36:52.65
in the presence of the king this
servant uses with his buddy.
00:36:52.75\00:36:55.11
He says: "Listen...
just give me the time.
00:36:55.31\00:36:57.06
A hundred
days... I can do this. "
00:36:57.26\00:36:58.96
And it really is do-able.
00:36:59.06\00:37:00.82
Said: "No, you pay it
now. You pay it now, or you
00:37:01.12\00:37:04.07
and your wife and
your children are gone.
00:37:04.17\00:37:06.23
You're all in jail
until you pay it up. "
00:37:06.43\00:37:08.63
You know the
story... throws them in jail.
00:37:08.84\00:37:11.43
The other servants
hear it and say: "This is
00:37:11.73\00:37:13.95
absolutely duplicitous!
Hypocrisy to the max! "
00:37:14.05\00:37:17.30
They go and tell the king:
"You're not going to believe
00:37:17.50\00:37:18.84
this... 600,000
to 1, oh majesty. "
00:37:18.94\00:37:22.58
King called him back in.
00:37:22.88\00:37:24.24
"What were you thinking?
00:37:24.54\00:37:26.73
I just forgave you the universe
00:37:27.03\00:37:29.96
and you won't forgive
him? You won't forgive her
00:37:30.36\00:37:35.43
that little? "
00:37:35.73\00:37:39.58
And then Jesus in Matthew 18
makes the identical application
00:37:39.88\00:37:45.15
as He does to The Lord's Prayer.
00:37:45.55\00:37:47.46
"If you forgive, so your Father
in heaven will treat you. "
00:37:47.66\00:37:51.72
"If you forgive
others, He'll forgive you. "
00:37:52.12\00:37:53.79
"If you won't forgive
your fellow man, fellow woman,
00:37:53.99\00:37:56.63
neither will you be forgiven. "
00:37:56.83\00:37:58.41
Wow!
00:38:00.57\00:38:02.11
Luke 22:33: "And when they had
come to the place called Calvary
00:38:05.35\00:38:11.16
there they crucified
Him and the criminals -
00:38:12.21\00:38:15.83
one on the right hand
and the other on the left.
00:38:15.96\00:38:19.08
And then Jesus
said: 'Father... ' "
00:38:19.22\00:38:21.89
They're nailing
Him to the cross.
00:38:22.09\00:38:23.99
"Father, forgive them
00:38:24.19\00:38:26.84
for they do not
know what they do. "
00:38:27.14\00:38:31.21
Want to read a stirring commen-
tary on this radical prayer?
00:38:34.33\00:38:38.41
Desire of Ages.
Every Bible I have
00:38:38.61\00:38:41.74
on the top of the
page for this prayer
00:38:41.94\00:38:44.07
I have scribbled these
words. Desire of Ages page 745:
00:38:44.67\00:38:48.54
see if I can
read it in this light.
00:38:48.84\00:38:50.73
"That prayer of
Christ... " Listen to this:
00:38:51.90\00:38:54.07
"That prayer of
Christ for His enemies
00:38:54.37\00:38:58.13
embraced the world. "
00:38:58.43\00:39:01.00
The whole world.
"It took in every sinner
00:39:01.40\00:39:05.56
that had lived or should live
from the beginning of the world
00:39:05.76\00:39:09.56
to the end of
time. " Now listen:
00:39:09.76\00:39:11.58
"Upon all rests the guilt
of crucifying the Son of God. "
00:39:11.78\00:39:16.51
How many is all as far as
this room and all the viewers
00:39:16.94\00:39:19.72
on television are
concerned? How many is all?
00:39:19.92\00:39:22.36
How big is all?
00:39:22.66\00:39:24.76
ALL. Is all pretty much all?
00:39:25.06\00:39:26.72
All. "Upon all
rests the guilt of
00:39:27.02\00:39:30.43
crucifying the Son of
God. " And now the last line:
00:39:30.54\00:39:33.08
"To all forgiveness
is freely offered. "
00:39:33.28\00:39:39.13
Jesus forgave the
whole planet on the cross.
00:39:40.16\00:39:45.22
Forgave everybody.
00:39:45.56\00:39:47.35
Forgave EVERYBODY.
00:39:48.48\00:39:50.27
We're all guilty
of that crimson stain.
00:39:51.78\00:39:55.97
We're all forgiven.
00:39:56.84\00:39:58.03
That prayer: "Father,
forgive them. They did not know
00:39:58.23\00:40:00.68
what they were
doing... " That prayer
00:40:00.78\00:40:02.33
was for Dwight and you!
00:40:02.63\00:40:04.50
This prayer is for all.
Upon all rests the guilt.
00:40:06.58\00:40:08.94
To all
forgiveness is freely offered.
00:40:09.14\00:40:11.82
"Father, forgive them.
They know not what they do. "
00:40:14.45\00:40:19.04
The actual
meaning of the Greek word
00:40:26.10\00:40:29.12
aphiemi in the Greek -
in the original language -
00:40:30.62\00:40:34.28
for forgive...
it means to release.
00:40:34.48\00:40:37.52
If it's a debt,
you release the debt.
00:40:38.81\00:40:41.34
"I know you owe
me... I release you;
00:40:41.74\00:40:44.63
the debt no longer stands. "
00:40:44.83\00:40:46.00
It means to let go... to let go.
00:40:46.20\00:40:51.24
I'm ashamed to tell you
that I know two grown men
00:40:53.56\00:40:55.99
who got into a little spat.
00:40:59.02\00:41:01.77
Some tiny little nothing
00:41:02.17\00:41:05.54
that they allowed to
get bigger and bigger.
00:41:06.24\00:41:10.17
They were "buds... "
They did everything together.
00:41:10.57\00:41:14.59
Got into this spat.
00:41:15.09\00:41:18.67
They won't talk to each other.
00:41:19.17\00:41:21.33
Their wives are kept apart
00:41:21.73\00:41:25.35
till they quietly get together.
00:41:25.56\00:41:30.60
Two grown men.
00:41:31.11\00:41:33.19
And I thought "Well I'll
try a little shuttle diplomacy
00:41:34.83\00:41:38.30
back and forth. " Unbelievable.
00:41:38.50\00:41:42.19
How old did you say you were?
00:41:43.36\00:41:45.86
We laugh; we laugh.
00:41:47.51\00:41:50.78
We're no
better... we're no better.
00:41:51.08\00:41:54.56
Sometimes that line is
drawn so deeply in the sand
00:41:55.79\00:42:00.10
that I'm too proud now
to ever step over it again.
00:42:00.30\00:42:03.77
The only way that
line will ever be crossed
00:42:04.33\00:42:07.12
is if I swallow my ego
- if I swallow my pride -
00:42:07.42\00:42:10.50
and I say: "OK, I was wrong
for letting this go this long.
00:42:10.70\00:42:14.86
I step across the
line. I release...
00:42:15.07\00:42:17.04
Aphiemi... I release you.
00:42:17.14\00:42:19.24
I release the debt you owe me.
00:42:19.65\00:42:22.13
I will never in my
mind bring it up again.
00:42:22.43\00:42:25.02
I will never to you
bring it up again. "
00:42:25.32\00:42:27.39
"Father, forgive him. He
didn't know what he was doing. "
00:42:27.69\00:42:30.41
"Father, forgive her. She didn't
know what she was doing. "
00:42:30.71\00:42:33.58
"I release you! "
00:42:33.98\00:42:35.91
That's forgiveness.
00:42:37.75\00:42:39.34
I got an e-mail
from one of our viewers
00:42:40.44\00:42:45.10
just last year.
00:42:45.60\00:42:47.53
Don't know in connection
with what she was writing me
00:42:48.85\00:42:51.61
but I thought this
was something here.
00:42:51.71\00:42:55.22
Dear Pastor Nelson. Thank
you for your prompt reply.
00:42:55.33\00:42:57.98
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.
00:42:58.29\00:43:00.14
Regarding forgiveness...
" So she gets into this.
00:43:00.44\00:43:03.14
"Regarding forgiveness, I read
something that went like this: "
00:43:03.35\00:43:05.73
I thought this was choice.
00:43:05.93\00:43:07.60
"I read something
that went like this:
00:43:07.80\00:43:09.66
"Those who are the first to
apologize are the bravest. "
00:43:09.86\00:43:12.97
True... takes a
man to be a woman
00:43:14.68\00:43:19.17
and cross that line.
00:43:19.67\00:43:21.87
I just wanted to see if you're
awake at this hour of the night.
00:43:22.37\00:43:25.47
I'm not sure which time zone
you're in, but I just wanted to
00:43:25.97\00:43:27.87
make sure you
were there. All right.
00:43:27.97\00:43:29.56
You know, it takes
strength, it takes guts.
00:43:29.76\00:43:31.94
It takes guts to
forgive somebody...
00:43:32.15\00:43:35.29
especially when they're
not asking. "I don't need your
00:43:35.59\00:43:37.79
forgiveness. "
"Those who are the first
00:43:37.83\00:43:43.07
to apologize are the
bravest. Those who are the first
00:43:43.17\00:43:46.67
to forgive are the strongest.
00:43:46.87\00:43:49.82
And those who are the first
to forget are the happiest. "
00:43:50.22\00:43:55.25
Isn't that good? Oh, I
thought that was very good.
00:43:55.55\00:43:58.72
Yeah... of course it's hard,
00:43:58.92\00:44:01.73
but you go to bed at
night and sleep like a baby
00:44:02.03\00:44:07.35
'cause you let it
go. You just release...
00:44:07.75\00:44:11.24
You said: "That
debt is no more mine.
00:44:11.54\00:44:14.71
You don't owe me a penny. "
00:44:14.91\00:44:16.37
For some of you, it is a
financial debt that is owed you
00:44:17.28\00:44:20.92
and it's a tough
thing to let that go
00:44:21.42\00:44:25.47
'cause you're never
going to get it anyway
00:44:25.77\00:44:27.44
but you're going to hold it
and kill yourself right here.
00:44:27.74\00:44:30.08
You're going to hold
it and kill yourself.
00:44:30.18\00:44:31.75
You're going to
die a bitter old man.
00:44:31.95\00:44:34.57
Bitter! Mad!
00:44:34.97\00:44:38.12
"It was wrong...
" And it IS wrong.
00:44:38.42\00:44:41.23
And you're right it's wrong.
00:44:41.53\00:44:43.20
It was wrong to nail the
God of this universe to a cross.
00:44:43.50\00:44:46.62
That's terribly,
terribly, terribly wrong.
00:44:46.92\00:44:49.79
"Father, I plead with you:
00:44:50.09\00:44:53.21
forgive them. They
don't know what's up...
00:44:53.61\00:44:57.74
They don't know
what they're doing. "
00:44:58.04\00:44:59.66
"Do not hold this
against them in their account.
00:45:00.16\00:45:05.07
Release the
debt; I release them. "
00:45:05.38\00:45:07.03
"Father, I release them. "
00:45:07.13\00:45:08.73
When Christ forgives
you - that's what He does -
00:45:08.93\00:45:11.38
The debt is forever gone.
00:45:11.58\00:45:12.92
You'll be singing
Zip-A-Dee-Dooh-Dah too.
00:45:13.02\00:45:14.97
Just gone... it's just gone.
00:45:15.11\00:45:17.58
Vanished! There's not a
book He pulls out and says:
00:45:17.98\00:45:20.49
"Oh, by the way, remember
when I did this for you? "
00:45:20.59\00:45:22.66
Buried... Micah 7 says
it's buried... He takes our sins
00:45:23.06\00:45:26.01
and buries them in
the depths of the sea.
00:45:26.11\00:45:28.71
Ah... One of the respondents
00:45:30.00\00:45:35.54
to Simon Wiesenthal's letter
00:45:35.74\00:45:40.18
"Hey, would you mind
responding? " Was the well-known
00:45:40.28\00:45:42.62
rabbi Harold Kushner.
You remember Harold Kushner?
00:45:42.72\00:45:45.01
Why Bad Things Happen To Good
People. You remember that rabbi?
00:45:45.12\00:45:47.50
Very well known American rabbi.
00:45:47.64\00:45:49.07
He wrote his response
and I want to share it
00:45:49.47\00:45:51.56
'cause he tells a
story in it. Here it is.
00:45:51.67\00:45:53.26
He... In his essay he
tells the story of a woman
00:45:53.56\00:45:55.82
in his congregation
who comes to visit him. OK?
00:45:55.92\00:45:58.01
So she's coming to
visit him... the rabbi.
00:45:58.11\00:46:01.11
"She is a single mother.
" I'm reading his words now.
00:46:01.25\00:46:03.08
"She is a single mother,
divorced, working to support
00:46:03.18\00:46:05.10
herself and 3 young children.
00:46:05.20\00:46:06.46
She says to me: 'Since
my husband walked out on us
00:46:06.66\00:46:08.95
every month is a
struggle to pay our bills.
00:46:09.15\00:46:11.67
I have to tell my kids we have
no money to go to the movies
00:46:11.87\00:46:14.78
while he's living it up while
his new wife in another state.
00:46:14.98\00:46:17.18
How can you tell
me to forgive him? '
00:46:17.38\00:46:19.27
You could feel
it. I answered her:
00:46:19.77\00:46:24.44
'I am not asking you to
forgive him because what he did
00:46:24.74\00:46:27.76
was acceptable. It
was not! It was mean,
00:46:27.87\00:46:30.33
it was selfish. But I am
asking you to forgive because
00:46:30.53\00:46:33.49
he does not deserve the
power to live in your head
00:46:33.69\00:46:36.98
and turn you into a
bitter, angry woman. ' "
00:46:37.18\00:46:39.87
Amen!
00:46:40.17\00:46:41.71
"He has authority and control
over you by your permission. "
00:46:43.27\00:46:47.42
The rabbi goes on: "I'd
like to see him out of your
00:46:49.61\00:46:52.87
life emotionally as well as
completely as he is out of it
00:46:52.97\00:46:55.86
physically. But you
keep holding on to him.
00:46:55.96\00:46:58.18
You're not hurting him by
holding on to that resentment...
00:46:58.38\00:47:00.71
you are hurting yourself. "
00:47:00.74\00:47:02.76
Little book
Christ Object Lessons.
00:47:05.18\00:47:07.10
Very perceptive.
"Nothing... nothing
00:47:07.40\00:47:12.14
can justify an
unforgiving spirit. "
00:47:12.34\00:47:16.43
Nothing... No hurt!
00:47:16.93\00:47:19.90
No wrong... no pain.
00:47:20.30\00:47:23.49
Just go to the cross: it
doesn't get worse than that.
00:47:23.79\00:47:28.32
And Jesus prayed:
"Father, forgive them.
00:47:28.83\00:47:33.98
They don't know
what they're doing. "
00:47:34.28\00:47:37.47
Wow!
00:47:38.99\00:47:40.39
Well at the end of the story...
00:47:42.64\00:47:44.44
end of the story...
00:47:44.84\00:47:46.27
is a story told by one
of the great prison wardens
00:47:50.96\00:47:53.91
of the West: Kenyon J. Scudder.
00:47:54.01\00:47:56.14
He used to love
to tell this story.
00:47:56.34\00:47:57.79
I'm just going
to read it to you.
00:47:58.85\00:48:00.15
About the time a friend of
his... OK, so the warden has
00:48:00.45\00:48:03.53
a friend. A friend
of his was on a train
00:48:03.64\00:48:06.69
and noticed that the
young man sitting next to him
00:48:06.79\00:48:08.77
was feeling very low.
00:48:08.87\00:48:10.83
What happened was unforgettable.
The young fellow confessed
00:48:11.03\00:48:14.80
that he was a convict
just released from a distant
00:48:15.00\00:48:17.64
penitentiary. I'm going to
get up early tomorrow and go a
00:48:17.74\00:48:20.77
prison and preach before we're
together at 11 in the morning.
00:48:20.88\00:48:24.44
The young man confessed that
he was a convict just released
00:48:27.76\00:48:30.17
from a distant penitentiary.
His whole life had cast
00:48:30.37\00:48:32.60
such a dark shadow over
his family and they had seemed
00:48:32.70\00:48:35.86
to suffer such shame
from his criminal record
00:48:35.96\00:48:38.34
that he had lost
almost all contact with them.
00:48:38.54\00:48:40.73
He couldn't help
hoping against hope, however,
00:48:41.14\00:48:43.40
that they had forgiven him
00:48:43.60\00:48:44.99
and that the almost-dead
silence of many years meant
00:48:45.09\00:48:49.34
that they were too
poor or perhaps too ill
00:48:49.44\00:48:51.88
or illiterate to write.
00:48:51.98\00:48:53.63
So before his
prison sentence was up
00:48:53.93\00:48:55.87
he had devised this plan
to find out how they felt.
00:48:56.07\00:48:58.16
One that would not be
too hard on them or him.
00:48:58.46\00:49:02.13
He wrote a letter home
explaining that he would be
00:49:02.53\00:49:04.76
on this train which
passed their little farm
00:49:04.86\00:49:06.98
at the outskirts of town.
00:49:07.18\00:49:08.65
If they could forgive
him, they were to hang a white
00:49:08.95\00:49:10.97
ribbon on the old
apple tree near the tracks.
00:49:11.07\00:49:13.43
If it was not hanging
there when he came by,
00:49:13.73\00:49:15.55
he would not bother
them ever, ever again.
00:49:15.75\00:49:18.25
As the train approached
the familiar landmarks of his
00:49:18.55\00:49:20.98
boyhood days the suspense
became more than he could bear
00:49:21.08\00:49:24.76
and he changed
seats with his companion
00:49:24.86\00:49:27.32
who watched out
the window for him.
00:49:27.52\00:49:29.21
In a minute the
tree was in sight
00:49:29.51\00:49:31.37
and eyes bright with sudden
tears his companion placed his
00:49:31.57\00:49:35.36
hand on the boy's knee
and whispered hoarsely:
00:49:35.46\00:49:38.31
"It's all right...
the whole tree is white
00:49:38.61\00:49:42.62
with ribbons. "
00:49:42.72\00:49:43.90
Isn't that beautiful? Amen!
00:49:48.76\00:49:51.73
It's the story of Calvary.
00:49:51.93\00:49:53.39
Ladies and gentlemen,
tonight the whole tree
00:49:53.69\00:49:56.69
is white with ribbons.
00:49:56.99\00:50:00.04
You can come home!
00:50:00.34\00:50:01.78
Have you been
running? You can come home!
00:50:01.98\00:50:04.53
Have you been
afraid? You've been ducking
00:50:04.94\00:50:08.80
when God comes around?
00:50:09.10\00:50:10.83
You can come home...
you've been forgiven.
00:50:11.03\00:50:13.72
You have not shamed God.
00:50:14.02\00:50:16.49
You've only awakened
in His heart a longing
00:50:16.99\00:50:19.46
to draw you, draw you, draw you
00:50:19.66\00:50:22.25
back into His embrace.
00:50:24.12\00:50:25.71
"Father, please, forgive them;
00:50:26.01\00:50:29.90
they didn't know
what they were doing. "
00:50:30.20\00:50:33.47
Pray the prayer of the cross
00:50:33.87\00:50:35.82
and you will sleep tonight and
every night until Jesus comes
00:50:36.22\00:50:40.90
in quiet peace.
00:50:41.30\00:50:43.38
The tree is
covered with ribbons.
00:50:43.88\00:50:48.58
Let's pray.
00:50:49.80\00:50:50.85
Oh God... oh God...
00:50:51.25\00:50:56.09
the picture of Calvary
00:50:56.19\00:50:59.00
stained crimson with
the blood of the Lamb of God
00:50:59.31\00:51:05.08
covered... wrapped in
white ribbons tonight.
00:51:05.82\00:51:11.68
How can we ever
be the same again
00:51:13.00\00:51:16.47
with the truth
of that one prayer:
00:51:16.87\00:51:21.04
"Father, forgive him...
00:51:21.44\00:51:25.29
Father, forgive her
00:51:25.59\00:51:27.50
she didn't know
what she was doing. "
00:51:28.77\00:51:30.93
Father, we can't come
to the end of this moment,
00:51:32.26\00:51:34.23
we can't come to this
Calvary moment and not respond.
00:51:34.33\00:51:38.07
And so while every head
is still bowed in prayer
00:51:38.27\00:51:40.17
and every heart with a
tear in your eye perhaps
00:51:40.80\00:51:43.36
lifted up to heaven, I want
to make two appeals tonight.
00:51:43.56\00:51:47.73
These are very specific appeals.
00:51:48.03\00:51:49.50
Appeal #1: If you need to
come to the Savior tonight
00:51:49.70\00:51:53.87
and let Him wrap that
white all around you and take
00:51:54.88\00:51:57.90
those guilty rags
and throw them away,
00:51:58.10\00:52:02.46
you need to come back
to the Savior tonight,
00:52:02.66\00:52:05.42
I want to invite you to stand.
00:52:09.16\00:52:10.69
And by standing you're saying:
00:52:11.54\00:52:13.03
"God, I receive
that forgiveness.
00:52:13.17\00:52:17.02
I don't want to run. I
don't want to duck when You come
00:52:19.17\00:52:22.84
'round. I want to be all Yours.
00:52:22.95\00:52:27.85
I want to be washed clean.
00:52:28.15\00:52:31.00
Jesus, that prayer took me in.
00:52:31.30\00:52:34.71
You're going to
forgive me tonight?
00:52:35.02\00:52:37.46
Then I'm coming...
I am Yours tonight. "
00:52:37.66\00:52:42.64
If you want to send that prayer
to heaven, I want you to stand
00:52:42.68\00:52:46.09
to your feet please.
00:52:46.19\00:52:47.69
Jesus sees you stand.
00:52:49.66\00:52:52.90
He knows your heart.
00:52:53.20\00:52:54.52
He knows...
00:52:54.92\00:52:56.66
He is so grateful that you
have given Him the reason -
00:52:59.28\00:53:03.85
now permission -
that sets you free.
00:53:04.15\00:53:07.49
God bless you.
00:53:09.00\00:53:10.66
Now that's a tough prayer
00:53:12.31\00:53:15.43
but this other prayer is
just as hard if not harder.
00:53:15.63\00:53:18.95
I want to make an
invitation tonight
00:53:19.35\00:53:21.63
to every man, woman, and
young adult, teenager here
00:53:21.93\00:53:25.63
and everyone who's watching
right now on television.
00:53:25.73\00:53:28.34
I want to make an invitation.
00:53:28.54\00:53:29.96
Is there somebody in your
life that needs to be forgiven
00:53:31.34\00:53:35.28
tonight? Somebody that
needs to hear from you?
00:53:35.48\00:53:41.30
Maybe an e-mail...
maybe a phone call.
00:53:43.12\00:53:46.29
Maybe just a walk
across an auditorium.
00:53:47.26\00:53:49.83
Maybe just a hand across a bed.
00:53:50.90\00:53:54.50
Is there somebody tonight
00:53:54.80\00:53:57.54
who needs to hear you say:
00:53:57.74\00:54:00.20
"I forgive you.
00:54:00.60\00:54:02.09
I release the debt.
00:54:02.69\00:54:04.93
You don't owe
me... you don't owe me.
00:54:05.95\00:54:09.68
I've let it go. "
00:54:12.07\00:54:14.22
That somebody may
not write back to you.
00:54:14.63\00:54:16.64
That somebody may
not hug back to you.
00:54:16.74\00:54:18.32
That somebody may
not talk back to you.
00:54:18.52\00:54:21.51
But take the Jesus step.
00:54:23.66\00:54:26.06
They didn't talk
back to Him at the cross.
00:54:26.16\00:54:27.72
Some it finally
sunk in days later.
00:54:28.12\00:54:31.18
But that's OK. You
take the Jesus step;
00:54:32.13\00:54:34.72
make that contact.
00:54:35.02\00:54:36.88
If there's somebody
in your life tonight
00:54:36.91\00:54:39.58
and you need the Spirit of
Jesus to give you Holy Spirit
00:54:41.02\00:54:44.83
power to pray His
prayer and to release them,
00:54:45.03\00:54:48.76
I'm going to invite
you to stand to your feet.
00:54:49.06\00:54:50.62
Nobody knows the
story. Who cares?
00:54:51.66\00:54:53.66
But you need this.
You need this physical
00:54:55.66\00:54:58.13
affirmation that I am
going to act for Jesus
00:54:58.33\00:55:01.44
on your prayer at Calvary.
00:55:01.64\00:55:04.11
I want to invite you
to stand to your feet
00:55:04.41\00:55:06.97
and say: "Jesus,
give me that grace.
00:55:09.00\00:55:11.72
Give me that courage.
00:55:12.12\00:55:13.79
Give me Your mind and
Your heart for this person,
00:55:14.10\00:55:16.83
Christ Jesus,
and I'll release her.
00:55:16.93\00:55:20.12
I'll release him
and I'll trust You. "
00:55:20.42\00:55:25.12
Any others tonight?
00:55:25.62\00:55:28.92
You need to come to
Jesus for His radical,
00:55:29.22\00:55:32.91
cleansing forgiveness
00:55:33.01\00:55:35.09
or you need His
courage and strength
00:55:35.39\00:55:38.32
to forgive in His name
those who must hear from you
00:55:38.62\00:55:42.70
before they
die... before you die.
00:55:43.00\00:55:45.63
This is the hour. God bless you.
00:55:46.66\00:55:52.22
And then to the others here
00:55:54.95\00:55:57.51
would you like to
dedicate yourself tonight
00:55:57.81\00:56:00.55
to be like Jesus and to
live the spirit of forgiveness
00:56:01.42\00:56:04.67
wherever you go for
the rest of your life.
00:56:04.87\00:56:07.30
Would you stand
to your feet as well?
00:56:07.40\00:56:08.92
And sing with me, will you?
00:56:10.62\00:56:14.26
Jesus keep me
00:56:14.46\00:56:18.16
near the cross.
00:56:18.36\00:56:21.82
There a precious
00:56:22.12\00:56:25.89
fountain.
00:56:26.09\00:56:29.64
Free to all
00:56:30.04\00:56:33.24
a healing stream
00:56:33.44\00:56:37.88
flows from Calvary's
00:56:37.98\00:56:42.30
mountain.
00:56:42.50\00:56:46.14
In the cross,
00:56:46.66\00:56:50.73
in the cross,
00:56:51.03\00:56:55.14
be my glory
00:56:55.45\00:56:59.53
ever.
00:56:59.73\00:57:03.75
Till my raptured soul
00:57:04.05\00:57:09.83
shall find
00:57:10.03\00:57:12.72
rest
00:57:13.12\00:57:14.61
beyond
00:57:14.81\00:57:16.79
the river.
00:57:16.99\00:57:22.14