Welcome to Anchors Of Truth live
from the 3ABN Worship Center.
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Well it's a beautiful
Sabbath morning here in
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southern Illinois.
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And one more reason...
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We don't really live here
for the weather, you know that.
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We live here to serve the Lord.
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But Camille and I have really
come to love southern Illinois.
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And I'm going to
tell you the truth.
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We can't think of any
other place we'd rather be
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than right here.
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And especially with the
team that God has given us
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the privilege to work with.
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This morning we continue with
our Anchors Of Truth series,
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and we have a
very special speaker;
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Frank Gonzalez,
Pastor Frank Gonzalez.
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Pastor of the Avon Park
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
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For 17 years, he was the
speaker/director of La Voz,
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which is the
Latino Voice of Prophecy.
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It's called The Voice of Hope.
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And what a tremendous privilege
it is to have Pastor Frank here.
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Now he is dealing with
seven sayings that Christ
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did from the cross, seven
words that are very important
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to each one of us.
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Now this is a five part
series, so it's important that
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he cover two this morning.
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And then he'll cover
two words this afternoon.
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So he's going to preach
two sermons this morning.
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You're going to hear two.
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There will be a song
in between by Pastor John,
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and then Pastor Frank
will preach a second sermon.
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And he'll do the
same this afternoon.
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May God bless each one of
you as we join in the spirit
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of reverence and
worship through this series.
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Hello.
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Thank you for coming.
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And thank you for tuning in.
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We are looking at the
gospel of Jesus Christ.
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Paul said that he was
not ashamed of the gospel,
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because it...
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By the way, it and
only it, is the power of God
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unto salvation.
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And the place where
this gospel was manufactured
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was the cross of Christ.
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At least that's where we saw it.
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Because that's where the
Lamb of God was taking away
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the sins of the world.
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And we are asked to behold,
to see, to watch, to listen,
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and something will happen
in our hearts when we look.
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All you've got to do...
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I know some of you are tired,
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some of you have
gone through something.
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You are emotionally drained.
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I've got good news for you.
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All you've got to do
is lay back, sit down...
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If you want to lay, go
ahead, but don't sleep.
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...and watch, and
listen, and let the power of God
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do the work.
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Let Jesus, just watch Jesus.
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He'll make all the difference.
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He'll make all the difference.
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And we've been looking from
the cross at the seven short
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sermons, so to speak, that
Jesus preached from the cross.
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He said His words
are life and spirit.
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And of everything He
said, there's nothing to compare
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with these seven words
that come right from the Source
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of power, of life, and spirit.
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And today...
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By the way, I want to clarify
that in the same allot of time,
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we're not doubling up on time.
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I'm just dividing my time
so we can cover two words;
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number four and number five.
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But I need God's help.
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If you don't mind, I'm
going to ask for it right now.
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Heavenly Father,
may the meditation of
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Your servant's heart
and the words of his mouth
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be acceptable unto You.
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And we'll give You the honor,
the glory, and the praise.
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And we'll do it in
Jesus' name, amen and amen.
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How close has God
Himself come to us here
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in our earthly darkness?
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You know, you can be in
a great multitude of people
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and be lonely as all get out.
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You know that being
alone is the most painful
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of all the human feelings?
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As a pastor, I see sometimes
a lot of lonely people.
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You know, a bright spring
morning with flowers everywhere,
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it can seem very dark if there's
no one around to share it with.
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Painful as it may
be, try to imagine this.
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You are alone in total darkness.
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And then after that pain,
the realization that your dark
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loneliness is forever and ever.
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Then add on top of
that a sense of guilt that
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shuts you out
from the very presence
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and the smiling face of God.
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His only face is
anger and abhorrence.
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In addition, you sense
your own self condemnation.
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God condemns you and
you condemn yourself.
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What kind of word could describe
such a horrible situation?
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Yeah, someone said it.
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There's only one word.
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Hell.
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For people who
lived 2000 years ago,
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death on the cross was precisely
what the word, "hell," means.
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You see, God had told Moses
that if the judges had found
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a criminal guilty
of a capital crime,
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and he's executed by
death on a cross or on tree,
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Deuteronomy 21:22-23 says,
"He that is hanged on a tree
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is accursed of God."
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Or as the Hebrew says,
"He is the curse of God."
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Everybody believed this.
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This is the reason why
when Absalom rebelled against
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his father, King
David, and lost the war
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and went fleeing on a donkey...
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You know the story.
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...and his head got
caught in a tree by his hair...
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I don't think he had short hair.
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...and he was left
hanging in the tree while the
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donkey ran off,
Joab, the general of David,
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knew the truth immediately.
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God has cursed Absalom, see.
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For that reason, he had no
hesitancy about planting arrows
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in the rebels heart, even
though the king had begged him
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to be kind to his son.
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But he felt that a
higher Authority had spoken.
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And he had no misgivings about
killing the son of the king.
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This teaching of Moses was
the reason why the Jewish rulers
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in Pilate's courtyard
begged him to crucify Jesus.
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It wasn't that they
wanted Jesus to suffer more.
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They had something in mind.
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It was this teaching.
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They wanted to discredit
Jesus forever and ever.
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No one could believe
in a Messiah that had been
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cursed by God.
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Do you see that?
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And the crowds of
people who came to His cross
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to laugh and jeer
at Him and taunt Him
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were motivated by
this general belief.
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Any human hung
up to die on a cross
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was a human write off.
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A piece of human junk like
an old wrecked car in the bushes
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that kids throw
stones at, you know.
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If you worship and
reverence God, then you must
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treat the wretch like God does.
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See?
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Well, those people
were not necessarily
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more wicked than we.
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They thought they
had biblical support for
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what they were doing.
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So you could
spit on this wretch,
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you could throw rotten
eggs and tomatoes at him,
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revile him, curse him.
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Prove your loyalty to
God by your inhumanity
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to this lost human being.
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Wow.
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Now let's not kid
ourselves by a wrong idea
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that Jesus was too wise
to assume that He could not
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feel this condemnation.
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Don't forget that
Jesus had humbled Himself
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to become one of us.
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When He was on the cross,
the Scripture says that the
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Lord laid on Him
the iniquity of us all.
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He experienced something
that no other human being
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had ever tasted
or has tasted since.
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2 Corinthians 5:21,
says, "God hath made Him
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to be sin for us..."
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Sin. The embodiment of sin.
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"...who knew no sin."
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Wow!
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That means that Jesus
felt to the full the curse
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that being crucified entailed.
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Isaiah says that
His anguish was such
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that it distorted
His face so terribly.
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That if we could
have looked at him,
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we would have thought
that He wasn't even human.
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This is found in
Isaiah 52 verses 13 and 14.
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In the midnight-like blackness
that enveloped the cross,
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Jesus couldn't help but cry out
in the most awful of curdling
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screams, "My God, my God,
why hast thou forsaken me?"
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Matthew 27 verse 46.
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This cry of dereliction is
the fourth of the seven words
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that we are studying together.
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I want you to notice He couldn't
even say, "Father, Father."
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He could only say, "God, God."
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How could a sinless man,
yes even the sinless Son of God,
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ever utter such
a cry of despair?
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My friend, the reason is
that the collective guilt
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of mankind, the guilt of
every human being in the world
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for all time, was
pressing like tons of weight
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upon His heart.
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Oh.
00:13:04.39\00:13:05.60
No one has ever felt
such a burden before.
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Nor has anyone felt it since.
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Not even the vilest
of criminals has as yet
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died the second death.
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That comes only when?
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At the end of what?
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The thousand
years of Revelation 20,
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at the end of
the final judgment.
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In fact, you can honestly
say that no one has really died.
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Jesus is the only one.
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Hebrews says that Jesus
tasted death for every man.
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He's the only one that
has tasted the real thing.
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What passes for death
the Bible calls, sleep.
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I assure you Jesus did
not sleep at the cross.
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What He suffered
was the second death.
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I've got good news for you.
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Because He did it for
you, you won't ever have to
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if you believe in Him.
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Praise God.
00:14:18.40\00:14:19.73
The Bible speaks of
two kinds of deaths.
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Let me touch this
a little bit more.
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That one that Jesus
died is the real thing;
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the second death.
00:14:31.65\00:14:33.34
It's mentioned in
Revelation 2:11 and 20:12.
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It talks about "second death."
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No other human being has of
yet every died the second death
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except the Savior,
Jesus, the Lamb of God.
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You know, there's only
one Lamb of God, people.
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There were lambs before.
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The rivers of blood.
00:15:04.46\00:15:06.15
But not a single one of those
lambs could take away any sin.
00:15:07.15\00:15:11.83
They pointed to the Lamb of God.
00:15:12.23\00:15:14.44
They were a type.
00:15:15.03\00:15:16.55
Their blood could
not wash anything.
00:15:18.23\00:15:20.62
But the blood of
Jesus can wash everything.
00:15:21.32\00:15:24.40
There is nothing
that it cannot wash.
00:15:26.23\00:15:30.22
There isn't a problem that you
face that it cannot straighten.
00:15:30.53\00:15:34.40
There isn't anything
that He can't rebuild.
00:15:35.24\00:15:38.30
There is power,
wonder working power,
00:15:38.33\00:15:43.61
in the precious
blood of the Lamb.
00:15:43.64\00:15:46.82
The Lamb of God.
00:15:48.01\00:15:49.91
But it came at a cost.
00:15:52.31\00:15:53.93
It came at a horrific cost.
00:15:54.88\00:15:57.80
Now praise the Lord, His
sacrifice pays the penalty
00:15:59.48\00:16:03.80
of the broken law.
00:16:03.83\00:16:05.22
But listen, get this right.
00:16:06.21\00:16:08.80
We are left as selfish
and sinful as we always were
00:16:09.60\00:16:14.59
unless something else happens.
00:16:14.62\00:16:17.50
And that's been the
scandal of apostate Christianity
00:16:18.28\00:16:21.62
for 2000 years.
00:16:21.65\00:16:23.42
Here's what needs to happen.
00:16:23.45\00:16:24.93
Our sinful human
heart must be changed.
00:16:24.96\00:16:28.26
And here's how it happens.
00:16:29.70\00:16:31.40
Jesus said, "As Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness,
00:16:31.43\00:16:38.19
even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up;
00:16:38.22\00:16:43.05
that whosoever..."
00:16:43.08\00:16:44.64
Oh, do you know that
your name is "whosoever?"
00:16:45.35\00:16:49.59
My name is "whosoever."
00:16:50.32\00:16:52.06
I love "whosoever."
00:16:52.69\00:16:54.26
I almost wanted to
name my child, "whosoever."
00:16:55.70\00:16:58.77
But my wife vetoed that.
00:16:59.48\00:17:03.49
"...whosoever..."
00:17:07.41\00:17:09.10
You don't have to
worry, "Is it me, Lord?"
00:17:09.13\00:17:12.67
"Yes, it's you."
00:17:12.70\00:17:13.79
It's you.
00:17:16.68\00:17:17.76
In terms of guilt, yeah
you took Him to the cross.
00:17:17.79\00:17:21.24
I showed you that.
00:17:21.27\00:17:22.46
We talked about it.
00:17:22.49\00:17:23.73
Yes, we were complicit.
00:17:24.18\00:17:28.32
Yes, our sins put Him there.
00:17:28.95\00:17:31.11
Yes.
00:17:31.37\00:17:32.48
But, what He did
there is for you and for me.
00:17:32.95\00:17:38.27
But see, He's lifted up.
00:17:38.78\00:17:40.41
And we need to behold.
00:17:41.19\00:17:43.09
That's why I did this series.
00:17:43.12\00:17:45.02
You see?
00:17:45.05\00:17:46.09
You get it now?
00:17:46.49\00:17:47.68
He said, "If I be lifted up..."
00:17:48.15\00:17:50.24
"If I be lifted up..."
00:17:51.09\00:17:52.60
Well, He was lifted up.
00:17:52.89\00:17:54.38
But we also need to lift Him up.
00:17:54.68\00:17:57.69
We need to look at that cross.
00:17:57.99\00:18:00.05
My favorite writer says we
need to look at it every day.
00:18:00.69\00:18:03.77
For an hour every day.
00:18:04.35\00:18:06.87
Why do you think she says that?
00:18:06.90\00:18:08.70
Because the power is there.
00:18:09.07\00:18:10.71
The power of God is there.
00:18:11.54\00:18:13.39
Because it will
change your heart.
00:18:13.80\00:18:15.81
And what you need more than
anything is a change of heart.
00:18:16.09\00:18:20.18
Paul says that, "We need to
comprehend with all the saints
00:18:21.16\00:18:25.42
what is the breadth and the
length and depth and the height
00:18:26.69\00:18:30.26
of the love of
Christ, which passes knowledge
00:18:30.36\00:18:33.12
so that we can
become," listen to this,
00:18:33.47\00:18:35.92
"filled with all
the fullness of God."
00:18:36.30\00:18:40.30
Don't you want to be filled
with all the fullness of God?
00:18:42.20\00:18:44.73
Who can be defeated
who is filled with all
00:18:46.24\00:18:50.53
the fullness of God?
00:18:50.56\00:18:52.62
Think about it.
00:18:54.42\00:18:55.56
And Paul says that it
comes from comprehending.
00:18:56.40\00:19:00.08
Comprehending what?
00:19:01.21\00:19:02.80
Comprehending agape.
00:19:03.19\00:19:04.93
And the full measure of agape.
00:19:05.62\00:19:07.91
It was distilled
in all it's pure power
00:19:07.94\00:19:12.23
there at the cross of Christ.
00:19:12.26\00:19:14.83
By the way, that's
Ephesians 3 verses 18 and 19.
00:19:16.31\00:19:21.01
I like what this
very wise man wrote once,
00:19:21.04\00:19:24.24
"When I survey
the wondrous cross
00:19:24.27\00:19:26.80
on which the
Prince of glory died,
00:19:26.83\00:19:28.90
my richest gain I count but lost
00:19:28.93\00:19:31.17
and pour
contempt on all my pride."
00:19:31.20\00:19:33.59
Well, there is a
song that reveals to us
00:19:34.24\00:19:43.90
what Jesus went
through at the cross,
00:19:45.47\00:19:47.65
amazing,
00:19:48.51\00:19:49.60
a thousand years
before it happened.
00:19:50.58\00:19:53.35
God gave this insight to David.
00:19:54.14\00:19:57.05
The psalm is Psalm 22.
00:19:57.33\00:20:00.00
And here we see the
psychological progression
00:20:00.73\00:20:04.46
that Jesus made at the cross.
00:20:04.49\00:20:07.01
Remember, Jesus is
relegated to His humanity.
00:20:07.65\00:20:12.12
He is struggling.
00:20:12.57\00:20:14.07
He is manufacturing brick
by brick what the Bible calls,
00:20:14.58\00:20:18.75
the faith of Jesus.
00:20:18.78\00:20:21.20
Not to be confused
with faith in Jesus.
00:20:22.02\00:20:24.76
And that's the faith we
need at the end of time.
00:20:25.37\00:20:28.12
Oh, you need faith in Jesus.
00:20:28.73\00:20:30.07
I'm not saying you don't.
00:20:30.10\00:20:31.38
But you need faith of Jesus.
00:20:31.41\00:20:33.89
He is the author and
finisher of that faith.
00:20:34.25\00:20:36.98
And He manufactured that faith.
00:20:37.33\00:20:39.51
He authored it at
the cross of Calvary.
00:20:39.54\00:20:42.64
And in Psalm 22, we see
the progression He made.
00:20:42.67\00:20:48.45
I'm calling this, a
song in three stanzas.
00:20:48.58\00:20:52.82
Because a psalm is a song.
00:20:53.81\00:20:55.56
And even though the
experience of Jesus is unique,
00:20:56.19\00:21:02.31
not to be repeated, but we
can learn something from it.
00:21:02.34\00:21:05.93
And these three
stanzas teach us also how to
00:21:07.14\00:21:13.74
come out of our
dark night of the soul.
00:21:13.77\00:21:16.85
"Oh, I don't have any
dark night of the soul."
00:21:17.41\00:21:19.40
Give yourself
some time, darling.
00:21:19.43\00:21:21.41
Just give it some time.
00:21:22.36\00:21:24.02
Give it some time,
you're going to experience
00:21:25.15\00:21:27.46
a dark night of the soul.
00:21:27.90\00:21:30.35
And you need to know
how to come out of it.
00:21:30.38\00:21:32.60
What did Jesus do?
00:21:33.02\00:21:34.62
First thing He did, this is
the first thing you need to do
00:21:35.38\00:21:38.52
when you're going
through that darkness,
00:21:38.55\00:21:40.80
tell God your true feelings.
00:21:40.83\00:21:43.31
We try to adorn them,
we try to dress them up.
00:21:44.62\00:21:47.29
Or we don't talk to God
until we feel we're in the
00:21:47.32\00:21:49.53
right frame of mind.
00:21:49.56\00:21:50.78
There is no right
frame of mind to talk to God.
00:21:51.34\00:21:54.78
Any frame of mind
is good to talk to God.
00:21:54.81\00:21:58.26
Let me tell you this, people.
00:21:58.82\00:22:00.71
God is only
interested in the truth.
00:22:00.74\00:22:03.65
Would you agree with that?
00:22:04.38\00:22:05.53
He's only
interested in the truth.
00:22:06.01\00:22:08.63
That also means your truth.
00:22:09.14\00:22:11.17
That also means
your true feelings.
00:22:12.02\00:22:14.57
If you read the
psalms, you can't come
00:22:15.72\00:22:17.52
to any other conclusion.
00:22:17.55\00:22:18.93
In the psalms, people felt that
they could tell God their truth.
00:22:19.32\00:22:23.83
Whatever they
were going through.
00:22:23.86\00:22:25.68
If they were
angry, they told God.
00:22:25.71\00:22:28.03
If they felt
forsaken, they told God.
00:22:29.16\00:22:31.49
Jesus said, "My God, My
God, why have You forsaken?"
00:22:33.41\00:22:39.37
Now occasionally we
might feel that way.
00:22:40.21\00:22:42.60
But it is a feeling.
00:22:42.63\00:22:44.20
For us, it is a feeling.
00:22:44.79\00:22:46.89
Because Jesus promised all of
us that He would never... What?
00:22:47.50\00:22:51.84
...leave us nor forsake us.
00:22:52.28\00:22:55.38
Hebrews 13 verse 5.
00:22:55.41\00:22:57.30
But let me tell you, people.
00:22:58.67\00:23:00.38
In the case of
Jesus, it wasn't a feeling.
00:23:00.86\00:23:05.72
It was a horrendous reality.
00:23:05.75\00:23:08.92
He's been, He was the
only man ever forsaken of God.
00:23:08.95\00:23:14.69
God had to
forsaken Him for our sake.
00:23:14.72\00:23:18.29
He was bearing our sins.
00:23:18.32\00:23:21.37
The condemnation that
was ours was on Him, you see.
00:23:21.40\00:23:25.97
In the midnight-like blackness
that enveloped the cross,
00:23:27.63\00:23:31.49
Jesus couldn't help but
cry out in the most awful
00:23:31.69\00:23:35.50
of curdling
screams, "My God, my God,
00:23:35.53\00:23:39.92
why hast thou forsaken me?"
00:23:39.95\00:23:42.97
It was real, people.
00:23:43.00\00:23:44.61
He wasn't an actor reading
a script that He had to read.
00:23:45.29\00:23:48.50
This was real.
00:23:49.16\00:23:50.37
This was visceral.
00:23:50.88\00:23:52.60
This was what He
was experiencing.
00:23:52.63\00:23:54.91
This was His true feelings.
00:23:54.94\00:23:57.02
He didn't know why.
00:23:57.51\00:23:58.86
But He had to think about it.
00:23:59.27\00:24:02.45
He had to go
through that experience.
00:24:02.48\00:24:05.87
In verse 2, remember
we're looking at Psalm 22.
00:24:06.74\00:24:11.00
By the way, verse 1,
you notice that's the same,
00:24:11.10\00:24:15.84
that's the same cry that
Jesus cried from the cross.
00:24:16.14\00:24:19.63
In verse 2, He cries out
in prayer for His Father.
00:24:20.18\00:24:22.97
I'm going to summarize it
because the time is flying.
00:24:23.00\00:24:26.41
He cries out in prayer
for His Father to deliver Him.
00:24:27.09\00:24:30.30
But it seems His
Father does not hear,
00:24:30.65\00:24:33.35
or care to answer.
00:24:35.37\00:24:37.85
And Jesus
continues to bear His soul.
00:24:40.05\00:24:42.26
In verse 6 of Psalm 22,
it says, "But I am no good."
00:24:42.62\00:24:46.18
Jesus cries, "I'm just a worm."
00:24:46.21\00:24:48.59
Imagine, the Son of
God feeling like a worm.
00:24:48.62\00:24:53.36
Wow.
00:24:53.39\00:24:54.53
Imagine any man
feeling like that.
00:24:55.26\00:24:57.13
Listen people, Jesus knows
what it is to feel down and out.
00:24:59.91\00:25:05.79
Doesn't He?
00:25:06.63\00:25:07.79
When we go through our
own dark night of the soul,
00:25:08.78\00:25:11.46
we too need to tell God
the truth, our true feelings.
00:25:11.49\00:25:15.51
Verse 7, you see
there everyone is laughing
00:25:16.02\00:25:19.24
at Jesus on His cross.
00:25:19.27\00:25:21.20
On verse 8, they mock Him.
00:25:21.41\00:25:23.51
"He trusted in the Lord
that he would deliver him."
00:25:23.88\00:25:26.31
Ha ha, big joke.
00:25:27.25\00:25:28.66
"If He's the Son of
God, let God deliver him."
00:25:29.22\00:25:32.43
This was the cruelest cruelty.
00:25:32.83\00:25:35.41
The second stanza, the
second thing, that you must do.
00:25:38.48\00:25:42.62
The first one is what?
00:25:42.65\00:25:44.13
Tell God your
truth, your true feelings.
00:25:44.16\00:25:48.72
Number two, here's how
you start coming out of it.
00:25:49.25\00:25:53.29
Here's how you
turn the corner, people.
00:25:53.71\00:25:55.93
Bring to memory the good times.
00:25:56.47\00:25:59.76
The times when the
Lord did deliver you.
00:26:00.83\00:26:04.40
The times when you know for
certain that He did deliver you.
00:26:05.20\00:26:09.24
"Well I don't know
what's happening now.
00:26:09.95\00:26:11.53
I don't understand it, but
I know He delivered me then."
00:26:11.56\00:26:14.65
Jesus begins to do this.
00:26:18.86\00:26:20.42
Look at verse 9 and 10.
00:26:21.17\00:26:22.68
Jesus begins to do
something important.
00:26:23.92\00:26:26.22
He reviews His own life history
from His birth in Bethlehem
00:26:26.80\00:26:31.74
when He was only a baby.
00:26:32.04\00:26:33.71
God delivered Him.
00:26:34.07\00:26:35.43
He would have died as a baby
if His Father had not saved Him.
00:26:35.93\00:26:40.61
When you are discouraged,
my friend, remember the times
00:26:41.23\00:26:45.43
when the Lord has delivered you.
00:26:45.46\00:26:47.79
But this is spiritual
warfare, you have to persevere.
00:26:48.56\00:26:51.20
Note verse 11, He prays,
"There is none to help Me."
00:26:51.69\00:26:55.73
He dreadfully alone.
00:26:56.36\00:26:57.89
Look at verse 14.
00:26:58.44\00:26:59.91
He's suffering what we
would call the essence of
00:27:00.25\00:27:02.99
a nervous breakdown.
00:27:03.02\00:27:04.75
But He cannot give into it.
00:27:05.35\00:27:06.94
He can't close
His eyes and sleep.
00:27:07.33\00:27:09.44
He must endure the
horrors of the second death.
00:27:09.47\00:27:12.46
Look at verse 16.
00:27:12.49\00:27:13.97
"They pierced My
hands and My feet."
00:27:14.00\00:27:16.04
Look at verse 18.
00:27:16.33\00:27:17.70
"They divide My
garments among them,
00:27:17.73\00:27:20.11
and for My
clothing they cast lots."
00:27:20.14\00:27:23.80
That's just the Holy
Spirit giving you evidence
00:27:23.83\00:27:26.78
that this is about
Jesus and not about David.
00:27:26.81\00:27:30.00
This is about Jesus.
00:27:30.58\00:27:32.09
This Psalm 22 is about Jesus.
00:27:32.12\00:27:34.55
So what does Jesus do?
00:27:35.71\00:27:37.54
The last stanza,
here's what you need to do.
00:27:38.36\00:27:43.46
You tell God your true feelings.
00:27:44.27\00:27:45.84
Then you
remember the good times.
00:27:47.01\00:27:50.17
Then you've got
to do something else.
00:27:50.90\00:27:53.25
He turns His attention
and His sympathies to others.
00:27:53.28\00:27:58.39
You know, we can
turn our eyes upon Jesus
00:28:00.33\00:28:03.26
whenever we have troubles.
00:28:03.74\00:28:05.39
But when Jesus had
this trouble, He couldn't
00:28:05.71\00:28:07.55
turn His eyes upon Jesus.
00:28:07.58\00:28:09.23
He had to turn His
eyes upon other people.
00:28:10.41\00:28:13.69
And you remember how He
prayed for His torturers.
00:28:13.72\00:28:18.04
You remember we saw how He
prayed for the penitent thief.
00:28:18.07\00:28:21.56
You remember how He made
provision for His mother.
00:28:21.59\00:28:25.92
He's beginning to come
out of His emotional shell.
00:28:25.95\00:28:31.11
He's beginning to
look at other people.
00:28:31.14\00:28:34.10
He is situating Himself
as the Savior of the world.
00:28:34.56\00:28:38.25
And He thinks of someone else.
00:28:39.07\00:28:41.53
This time is flying.
00:28:41.56\00:28:43.09
Look at verse 20.
00:28:43.12\00:28:44.45
"Deliver my soul from the sword;
00:28:45.41\00:28:47.70
my darling from
the power of the dog."
00:28:48.47\00:28:51.07
Uh, the New King
James says, "My precious."
00:28:53.35\00:28:57.43
"Deliver my soul from
the sword, my darling,
00:28:58.66\00:29:01.62
from the power of the dog."
00:29:01.65\00:29:02.87
Who is His precious?
00:29:02.90\00:29:04.65
Who is His darling?
00:29:04.92\00:29:06.68
Let me suggest to you
that we, we, are His precious.
00:29:07.43\00:29:14.37
You and I are His darling.
00:29:15.16\00:29:19.18
When Jesus was on the
cross, He remembered you.
00:29:20.16\00:29:23.56
He remembered me.
00:29:24.22\00:29:26.59
He remembered
His precious church.
00:29:26.62\00:29:29.85
He remembered. He knew.
00:29:29.88\00:29:32.02
And verse 22 says, just in case
you have any doubt about this,
00:29:32.48\00:29:38.25
"I will declare thy
name unto my brethren.
00:29:38.28\00:29:41.01
In the midst of the congregation
I will praise thee."
00:29:41.88\00:29:46.76
He was thinking of you and me.
00:29:46.98\00:29:48.96
And because He was
thinking of you and me,
00:29:49.29\00:29:51.91
He did what He did.
00:29:51.94\00:29:54.58
You need to do the same
00:29:54.61\00:29:55.95
when you're going
through a hard time.
00:29:55.98\00:29:58.07
There's always
somebody who needs your help.
00:29:58.10\00:30:00.70
There's always somebody
who needs your attention.
00:30:00.96\00:30:04.06
So turn to others.
00:30:04.64\00:30:06.57
Well you know, we're about to
transition into the next Word.
00:30:07.20\00:30:11.79
And the best setup I
can make for this next word
00:30:12.16\00:30:18.29
is actually in the
song that Pastor John
00:30:18.32\00:30:21.86
is about to sing for us.
00:30:22.37\00:30:25.04
So listen very carefully.
00:30:25.07\00:30:27.28
This will prepare your heart
and your mind for the next word
00:30:27.31\00:30:31.91
from the cross of Christ.
00:30:31.94\00:30:33.91
There is a river,
00:30:56.91\00:31:05.80
and it flows from deep within;
00:31:06.44\00:31:14.86
there is a fountain
00:31:16.88\00:31:25.23
that frees the soul from sin.
00:31:26.45\00:31:35.88
Come to this water;
00:31:36.93\00:31:45.58
there is a vast supply.
00:31:46.06\00:31:55.55
There is a river
00:31:56.89\00:32:05.44
that never shall run dry.
00:32:06.19\00:32:15.34
There was a thirsty woman;
00:32:16.65\00:32:24.35
who was drawing from a well.
00:32:26.46\00:32:34.62
You see, her life
was ruined and wasted;
00:32:36.49\00:32:45.62
and her soul was bound for hell.
00:32:46.48\00:32:54.51
Oh, but then she met the Master
00:32:56.45\00:33:05.02
and He told about her sin.
00:33:06.35\00:33:14.71
He said, "If you
drink this water,
00:33:16.45\00:33:25.58
you'll never thirst again."
00:33:26.20\00:33:35.11
Oh there is a river,
00:33:35.76\00:33:45.45
and it flows from deep within;
00:33:46.29\00:33:55.32
yes there is the fountain, amen,
00:33:56.83\00:34:06.69
that frees the soul from sin.
00:34:06.78\00:34:15.12
So come to this water;
00:34:15.82\00:34:25.74
there is a vast supply.
00:34:26.65\00:34:36.44
There is a river
00:34:36.95\00:34:45.67
that never shall run dry.
00:34:46.53\00:34:56.42
Amen.
00:35:05.53\00:35:06.71
If your worst enemy was thirsty,
would you give him a drink?
00:35:09.07\00:35:15.59
I hope so.
00:35:16.59\00:35:18.10
I hope so.
00:35:18.81\00:35:20.12
Because it's a
fundamental courtesy.
00:35:20.32\00:35:23.70
The reason is that
thirst is far more difficult
00:35:24.58\00:35:27.55
for any man or
animal to bear than hunger.
00:35:27.58\00:35:32.02
You can go
without food a long time.
00:35:34.50\00:35:36.66
You can do 40 days...
00:35:38.76\00:35:40.57
...if you've got water.
00:35:42.19\00:35:43.79
But it would be hard
to do it without water.
00:35:45.06\00:35:47.39
I've got people in my
congregation at Avon Park,
00:35:48.66\00:35:51.73
a number of families, who
were missionaries to Africa.
00:35:52.30\00:35:57.43
And they tell me
that animals in Africa
00:35:58.24\00:36:02.82
will go hundreds of
miles to just get into some
00:36:03.42\00:36:08.19
mud that's a little wet
to get a little bit of water.
00:36:08.39\00:36:13.71
To just extract
a little moisture.
00:36:15.73\00:36:18.79
All creatures on
earth must have water.
00:36:19.15\00:36:23.71
But be careful where you get it.
00:36:25.30\00:36:27.28
My predecessor at La Voz,
Elder Milton Peverini García,
00:36:32.43\00:36:37.50
and myself, we were
doing evangelistic meetings
00:36:38.30\00:36:43.15
in Mexico City.
00:36:44.49\00:36:46.77
He had one end of the city and
I had the other end of the city.
00:36:47.97\00:36:51.74
And praise God,
the Lord was good.
00:36:53.27\00:36:57.65
The Lord is
always good, bountiful.
00:36:57.68\00:37:01.03
And the Word of God is
powerful, and the Spirit works.
00:37:01.43\00:37:05.42
And we had over 1200 people,
souls, that came to Christ.
00:37:05.45\00:37:11.32
Isn't that wonderful?
00:37:11.52\00:37:12.74
But, we almost lost a soul.
00:37:13.77\00:37:17.99
Elder Peverini.
00:37:19.19\00:37:20.57
Because he drank the water.
00:37:21.98\00:37:24.52
The tap water, you know.
00:37:26.16\00:37:27.85
He forget, he
just forgot. You know.
00:37:28.71\00:37:31.36
He was invited to a
home and just kind of
00:37:31.39\00:37:36.60
forgot where he was.
00:37:36.63\00:37:38.28
And he was so thirsty,
and he asked for water,
00:37:39.28\00:37:42.30
and they gave him tap water.
00:37:42.33\00:37:43.85
I'm telling you, he spend
a few days in the hospital.
00:37:43.88\00:37:47.77
He was touch and go.
00:37:47.80\00:37:49.30
Touch and go.
00:37:50.08\00:37:51.29
God delivered him.
00:37:51.39\00:37:52.77
Praise the Lord.
00:37:52.80\00:37:53.98
Has God ever known
what it is to be thirsty?
00:37:56.35\00:37:59.48
We know the Son of
God has been thirsty.
00:38:01.12\00:38:04.36
Ah, John just sang about it.
00:38:06.03\00:38:10.39
One hot day as He
was walking on a journey
00:38:11.01\00:38:13.65
of some 80 miles...
00:38:13.68\00:38:15.84
Imagine walking 80 miles.
00:38:16.15\00:38:18.84
I need to start doing that.
00:38:19.34\00:38:21.33
I mean, look at me.
00:38:21.81\00:38:23.09
I need to walk.
00:38:23.50\00:38:24.80
These cars that we
have, they don't help us.
00:38:25.72\00:38:28.85
Jesus passed through
the village of Sychar,
00:38:32.90\00:38:36.07
where the Samaritans live.
00:38:36.62\00:38:38.44
And they thought they
were the enemies of the Jews.
00:38:39.76\00:38:42.43
He rested at lunch
time by Jacob's well
00:38:44.06\00:38:46.95
while the disciples
went to the local 7-Eleven...
00:38:47.92\00:38:52.40
Well, something like that.
00:38:54.03\00:38:55.51
...to buy some groceries.
00:38:56.49\00:38:58.22
Jesus was thirsty.
00:38:59.21\00:39:00.42
Jesus wasn't as
hungry as He was thirsty.
00:39:00.45\00:39:04.30
He had nothing to which
He could draw from the well.
00:39:05.03\00:39:08.06
Ah, He could have spoken
a word and angels would have
00:39:08.09\00:39:11.42
come down with gallons of water.
00:39:11.45\00:39:14.85
But the rules He was
working under made it impossible
00:39:16.10\00:39:20.65
for Him to take any advantage
of a situation like that
00:39:20.68\00:39:24.10
which we couldn't
take advantage of, you see.
00:39:24.13\00:39:27.29
So think of it, people.
00:39:27.66\00:39:29.87
The Creator of the
world and the world's water
00:39:29.90\00:39:33.60
sat there hopeless
hoping someone would come along
00:39:33.91\00:39:40.19
with a generous spirit,
00:39:41.24\00:39:43.02
and something to
draw the water from.
00:39:43.22\00:39:45.31
Yes, the Son of God
knows what it is to be thirsty.
00:39:47.07\00:39:53.34
Incidentally, even
though a woman came
00:39:55.47\00:39:58.63
and drew water, and
He asked her for a drink,
00:40:00.11\00:40:04.77
and she drew the
water, He stayed thirsty.
00:40:06.02\00:40:11.09
Because He got
involved with something else.
00:40:12.44\00:40:15.79
You see, Jesus had a physical
thirst, but Jesus' main thirst
00:40:16.40\00:40:22.37
is for us to be quenched
spiritually and emotionally.
00:40:22.96\00:40:28.41
That's what makes Him thirsty.
00:40:29.27\00:40:30.99
The second time we
read that Jesus was thirsty
00:40:33.88\00:40:36.44
was when He was on
His cross about to die.
00:40:36.47\00:40:39.11
He had suffered, as
we saw before, the most
00:40:40.34\00:40:42.80
excruciating pain;
mental and physical,
00:40:42.83\00:40:48.49
that any person has had
to endure or will have to.
00:40:48.52\00:40:52.69
When they nailed His
wrist bones and ankles to the
00:40:53.36\00:40:57.57
wooden beams of the cross, some
people with an ounce of piety
00:40:57.93\00:41:02.93
in their souls
offered Him some wine
00:41:05.32\00:41:09.13
that apparently had a painkiller
drug mixed in with it.
00:41:10.36\00:41:16.04
That's what we know if you study
what they use to, you know,
00:41:16.07\00:41:19.66
the concoction they
use to give these people
00:41:19.69\00:41:22.63
dying on the cross.
00:41:22.66\00:41:23.78
The Roman historian tells
us that this was the custom
00:41:25.09\00:41:27.74
when criminals were executed.
00:41:27.77\00:41:29.57
Apparently, some
ladies aids group felt moved
00:41:30.21\00:41:33.84
by human pity to do this.
00:41:33.87\00:41:35.46
And so this was the practice.
00:41:35.49\00:41:37.05
When they offered it to
Jesus, Jesus refused it.
00:41:37.77\00:41:40.54
It was an enormous temptation.
00:41:42.02\00:41:43.91
He knew the pain
would be intense.
00:41:45.18\00:41:47.36
It already was.
00:41:47.39\00:41:48.96
It would have been so refreshing
00:41:49.56\00:41:51.78
just to gulp this thing down,
00:41:52.20\00:41:54.37
the wine and the
painkiller, and go to sleep.
00:41:54.97\00:41:59.04
But Jesus had
work to do even now.
00:42:00.33\00:42:03.40
He's about to become
the sacrifice for the sins
00:42:03.85\00:42:06.68
of the whole world.
00:42:06.71\00:42:07.82
The salvation of untold millions
is hanging in the balance.
00:42:07.85\00:42:13.24
That's why in this
fearful hour Jesus resists
00:42:13.86\00:42:17.96
this awful temptation.
00:42:17.99\00:42:19.69
And He says no to the kind
offer of the painkiller wine.
00:42:19.72\00:42:24.81
Now let me tell you.
00:42:26.58\00:42:27.75
We've got to keep our
heads together as well.
00:42:28.59\00:42:31.63
This is a fearful hour as well.
00:42:33.05\00:42:35.76
We've got to
keep our heads clear.
00:42:36.28\00:42:38.11
And so Luke 21 verse
34, I'm going to use here
00:42:38.91\00:42:44.88
the New English Bible.
00:42:44.91\00:42:46.13
I like the way they put it.
00:42:46.16\00:42:47.77
"Keep watch on yourselves.
00:42:48.46\00:42:50.54
Do not let your minds be dulled
by dissipation and drunkenness
00:42:50.73\00:42:56.65
so that the great day closes
upon you suddenly, like a trap."
00:42:57.00\00:43:01.64
See?
00:43:02.00\00:43:03.10
That's the main reason for the
health message, let me tell you.
00:43:05.06\00:43:08.09
It's not so you
can lose a few pounds.
00:43:08.69\00:43:11.16
It's so your
mind can stay clear.
00:43:13.11\00:43:16.76
It's so that your
spirit can be sharp.
00:43:17.66\00:43:19.75
So that you can be
ready for what's coming.
00:43:20.71\00:43:22.89
The next time that we
read of Jesus being thirsty
00:43:24.73\00:43:27.86
is when He's near the end
of His sufferings on the cross.
00:43:27.89\00:43:31.41
He had just endured the
terrible sense of loneliness
00:43:31.84\00:43:34.45
in being forsaken by
His Father, of all people.
00:43:34.48\00:43:38.66
He had born the
almost impossible burden
00:43:38.97\00:43:41.73
of the sins of the whole world.
00:43:41.76\00:43:44.44
Think of it, people.
00:43:44.47\00:43:45.72
I don't want to be
too crass and too crude,
00:43:46.16\00:43:48.87
but He saw all the sins.
00:43:48.90\00:43:51.55
He saw all the
violence, the molestations,
00:43:51.58\00:43:56.68
the rapes, the massacres, the
Holocaust, the Kosovo massacres,
00:43:56.71\00:44:03.54
the killings in high school.
00:44:03.64\00:44:05.39
He saw everything.
00:44:05.42\00:44:07.00
Do you understand that?
00:44:07.03\00:44:08.44
It went through His spirit.
00:44:08.47\00:44:10.28
Oh.
00:44:11.48\00:44:12.56
But He has kept His mind clear.
00:44:13.73\00:44:15.43
He has said no to
every temptation of Satan.
00:44:16.42\00:44:19.26
By faith He has
broken through the darkness.
00:44:19.66\00:44:23.48
He has won the great victory.
00:44:24.29\00:44:26.27
He is exhausted,
though, by the conflict.
00:44:26.82\00:44:29.12
And now His human body
cries out for some relief.
00:44:29.43\00:44:32.27
He says in John
19:28, "I thirst."
00:44:32.30\00:44:36.00
This is the fifth
word from the cross.
00:44:36.97\00:44:39.94
"I thirst."
00:44:39.97\00:44:41.42
Oh how He would have
loved a drink of cool
00:44:42.31\00:44:45.29
fresh water from a spring.
00:44:45.32\00:44:47.31
What we enjoy every
day, sometimes without even
00:44:47.97\00:44:52.48
thanking God for it.
00:44:52.51\00:44:53.93
Oh we thank God for the food,
but not sometimes for the water.
00:44:55.24\00:44:58.70
This was the fifth
of the seven words that
00:45:01.17\00:45:03.03
we've been looking at.
00:45:03.06\00:45:04.70
And right here we
find a bit of good news.
00:45:05.56\00:45:08.99
Someone chose to respond
in kindness to Jesus' needs
00:45:10.18\00:45:13.27
as a human being.
00:45:13.30\00:45:14.58
Sorry, but it was none of the
religious leaders of His day.
00:45:15.60\00:45:18.61
Sorry, but it wasn't
one of the disciples.
00:45:19.49\00:45:22.25
Not a one.
00:45:22.84\00:45:23.95
It was one of
the pagan soldiers.
00:45:27.49\00:45:29.89
Go figure.
00:45:32.33\00:45:33.51
A pagan soldier.
00:45:34.28\00:45:36.02
There's goodness
in people, people.
00:45:40.18\00:45:42.72
That's why we have
to be slow to judge.
00:45:44.32\00:45:47.02
Because God is
working on everybody.
00:45:49.09\00:45:52.15
Jesus Christ is knocking
at the door of every man.
00:45:54.15\00:45:58.05
He is the light which shineth
and enlighteneth every man
00:45:58.08\00:46:02.42
that cometh into
the world, John 1:9.
00:46:02.45\00:46:05.37
Everyone is receiving
the light that emanates
00:46:06.26\00:46:10.12
from the cross of Calvary.
00:46:10.15\00:46:12.82
And so verse 29 says, "There was
set a vessel full of vinegar.
00:46:15.60\00:46:21.04
And they filled a sponge with
vinegar and put it upon hyssop,
00:46:21.14\00:46:25.25
and put it to his mouth."
00:46:25.28\00:46:27.34
This time there was no
painkiller drug mixed in it.
00:46:27.95\00:46:33.80
See?
00:46:33.83\00:46:34.88
And we read that
Jesus received the vinegar.
00:46:35.63\00:46:38.96
His work was done.
00:46:40.01\00:46:41.31
Now He could rest.
00:46:41.84\00:46:43.15
I wish we knew the
name of this soldier...
00:46:44.78\00:46:46.99
We don't know.
00:46:47.79\00:46:48.93
...that brought Jesus this,
had this kindness with the Lord.
00:46:49.98\00:46:54.34
But, you know that
every kindness that we do
00:46:55.42\00:46:59.94
receives a blessing from God.
00:46:59.97\00:47:02.01
Mark 9:41, Jesus had said,
"Whosoever shall give you a
00:47:02.61\00:47:06.64
cup of water to
drink in my name,
00:47:06.67\00:47:08.95
because ye belong to
Christ, verily I say unto you,
00:47:09.48\00:47:13.00
he shall not lose his reward."
00:47:13.03\00:47:15.39
See that?
00:47:16.13\00:47:17.16
Now I'm not saying the
soldier earned his salvation
00:47:18.14\00:47:21.07
because he gave water to Jesus.
00:47:21.10\00:47:23.19
But his giving a drink
to Him proved that his heart
00:47:24.48\00:47:27.69
had something in it
that was warm and tender
00:47:27.72\00:47:31.27
in spite of the
horrible job he had.
00:47:31.30\00:47:33.92
Wow, what a bad job.
00:47:34.85\00:47:36.28
We don't know if he had
begun to believe in Jesus,
00:47:38.75\00:47:41.48
but there's going to be a
lot of surprises in heaven.
00:47:41.51\00:47:43.85
Listen people, whoever
you are, wherever you are,
00:47:48.00\00:47:52.78
there are people
all around you thirsty
00:47:53.98\00:47:57.64
for the living water of life.
00:47:57.67\00:48:01.50
They thirst.
00:48:02.65\00:48:04.35
They gather around
the world's wells seeking
00:48:05.33\00:48:09.18
to satisfy their thirst.
00:48:09.21\00:48:12.57
And nothing does.
00:48:12.60\00:48:14.33
Only Jesus can
satisfy your thirst.
00:48:14.85\00:48:18.98
And here's the good
news that we learned
00:48:20.64\00:48:23.36
from the Samaritan story.
00:48:23.39\00:48:25.16
Even if you go to the
wrong well, even if you go
00:48:25.63\00:48:28.83
to the wrong
place, Jesus is close by.
00:48:28.86\00:48:32.97
All you've got to do is
turn from that substitute,
00:48:34.08\00:48:37.06
that cheap
substitute, that broken well
00:48:37.09\00:48:40.45
that won't do anything...
00:48:40.48\00:48:41.94
It won't quench your thirst.
00:48:41.97\00:48:43.82
Money won't quench your thirst.
00:48:43.85\00:48:45.60
Things won't quench your thirst.
00:48:45.63\00:48:47.52
A better job won't
quench your thirst.
00:48:47.55\00:48:49.92
A prettier wife
won't quench your thirst.
00:48:50.21\00:48:56.10
I'll tell you who
quenches your thirst.
00:48:58.91\00:49:00.98
Can you tell me?
00:49:01.35\00:49:02.48
Jesus.
00:49:03.17\00:49:04.71
Jesus, people.
00:49:05.06\00:49:06.46
Jesus will.
00:49:06.79\00:49:07.82
Have you tried Jesus?
00:49:07.85\00:49:09.09
I mean, really honest
to goodness tried Jesus?
00:49:09.12\00:49:12.89
I know you've heard
about Him, but have tried Him?
00:49:12.92\00:49:15.98
Have you taken a
gulp of that water?
00:49:16.61\00:49:20.49
He's there for you.
00:49:21.62\00:49:22.91
He says in John 7
verse 37 through 39,
00:49:23.73\00:49:28.14
"If any man thirst, let
him come unto me and drink.
00:49:28.17\00:49:34.10
He that believeth on me,
as the scripture hath said,
00:49:34.83\00:49:38.69
out of his inmost being shall
flow rivers of living water."
00:49:38.72\00:49:44.66
There it is.
00:49:45.35\00:49:46.54
Rivers of living water.
00:49:46.99\00:49:51.22
It means that if
the Lord is the Lord,
00:49:52.33\00:49:55.07
if the Lord is your Shepherd,
you shall not want, people.
00:49:56.29\00:50:00.10
He will satisfy your soul,
00:50:01.32\00:50:05.72
the depths of your soul.
00:50:06.13\00:50:09.10
Paul once said, "Take
everything, take everything.
00:50:09.13\00:50:11.15
I don't care what you take.
00:50:11.18\00:50:12.48
Take whatever you want.
00:50:12.68\00:50:13.82
I've got
something you can't take.
00:50:14.13\00:50:17.21
The agape of God that
He's poured into my heart.
00:50:18.77\00:50:22.87
All I've got to do
is think about that."
00:50:23.55\00:50:26.33
Does Jesus mean that to you?
00:50:27.12\00:50:29.02
I hope He does.
00:50:30.39\00:50:31.87
Because that's what He is.
00:50:32.07\00:50:33.69
That's what He is.
00:50:34.58\00:50:35.76
I think I have time for a story.
00:50:36.04\00:50:38.29
His name was Reuben.
00:50:40.26\00:50:41.84
New York City.
00:50:42.41\00:50:43.74
A young man.
00:50:44.20\00:50:45.25
Grew up there.
00:50:45.61\00:50:46.96
A single mom.
00:50:47.52\00:50:48.78
You get the picture.
00:50:50.08\00:50:51.32
Tough, tough.
00:50:52.03\00:50:54.34
Now New York City
is a wonderful place.
00:50:55.48\00:50:57.61
By the way, one of the
last crusades the Lord gave me
00:50:58.26\00:51:02.45
the grace to do was
in the Lincoln Center.
00:51:02.48\00:51:06.35
Avery Fisher Hall, people.
00:51:07.40\00:51:09.02
I wish I could tell you the
story how God did that miracle.
00:51:09.29\00:51:12.98
Lincoln Center honors
governors, presidents,
00:51:13.90\00:51:19.07
musicians, artists.
00:51:19.77\00:51:22.70
Well, we honored Christ.
00:51:23.05\00:51:25.17
For the first time in
the history of that place
00:51:26.04\00:51:28.96
we honored the Lord.
00:51:28.99\00:51:30.72
And for several nights we
had two sessions per night full.
00:51:31.10\00:51:36.58
The last night, we had 400
people that couldn't come in.
00:51:36.61\00:51:40.50
We worked for a year and
a half with 284 small groups
00:51:43.47\00:51:49.70
that we formed.
00:51:49.73\00:51:51.02
Giving Bible studies to
people, preparing people.
00:51:51.05\00:51:53.89
And then we just
called them to a decision.
00:51:54.62\00:51:56.83
1033 souls gave
their lives to Jesus.
00:51:58.48\00:52:02.85
Praise God.
00:52:03.34\00:52:05.55
Do you know that the
blood of Jesus still has power?
00:52:05.58\00:52:09.32
Do you know that
when you lift Him up...
00:52:09.75\00:52:11.64
And do you know what
I preached those nights?
00:52:11.67\00:52:15.54
What I'm preaching to you.
00:52:15.57\00:52:16.94
That's how it started;
the seven words of hope.
00:52:17.72\00:52:20.16
Oh, there's power
in the cross of Christ.
00:52:21.33\00:52:23.62
Well Reuben, this was a
few years ago, was growing up.
00:52:24.23\00:52:29.82
And poor Reuben, boy, he
was finding everything that was
00:52:32.14\00:52:37.41
naughty and bad.
00:52:37.44\00:52:39.24
Somehow, he found his way to it.
00:52:39.44\00:52:42.60
He was like a
magnet to those things.
00:52:44.03\00:52:48.21
Just bad, bad, bad.
00:52:48.24\00:52:51.25
His life went from bad to worse.
00:52:51.28\00:52:53.50
Joined gangs, got
into drug addiction.
00:52:54.95\00:53:00.36
It got so bad that the voices,
you know, from the chemically
00:53:01.82\00:53:06.06
induced schizophrenia...
00:53:06.09\00:53:09.34
Thank you, you know.
00:53:09.94\00:53:11.47
He was listening to voices.
00:53:12.96\00:53:14.90
And they weren't saying
any nice things, those voices.
00:53:15.35\00:53:20.47
And the moment came where
he not only had troubles with
00:53:21.35\00:53:28.68
other gangs, he fell out
of favor with his own gang.
00:53:28.71\00:53:32.85
And they were looking for him.
00:53:33.33\00:53:35.07
And his mother, his
mother had been praying for him.
00:53:39.14\00:53:43.34
His mother had been
listening to our broadcast,
00:53:43.54\00:53:46.32
The Voice of Hope, for decades.
00:53:46.35\00:53:50.68
Decades.
00:53:51.36\00:53:52.59
And she would write
to our circle of prayer,
00:53:53.01\00:53:55.03
"Please pray for
Reuben, Reuben cito."
00:53:55.06\00:53:57.52
You know, Reuben
cito. Little Reuben.
00:53:57.55\00:53:59.61
Reuben cito.
Pray for Reuben cito.
00:53:59.64\00:54:01.71
Oh in every letter,
Reuben cito was getting worse
00:54:01.91\00:54:05.27
and worse and worse.
00:54:05.30\00:54:06.49
We were praying, but he
just seemed to be getting worse
00:54:06.52\00:54:09.82
and worse and worse.
00:54:09.85\00:54:11.14
And finally Reuben cito himself,
he decided that he had enough.
00:54:11.44\00:54:16.99
And he wasn't going to
fight these voices anymore
00:54:17.90\00:54:23.17
that were telling
him, "You are no good.
00:54:23.20\00:54:26.26
Do the world a favor and
your mother and yourself,
00:54:26.62\00:54:30.19
and take your life."
00:54:30.58\00:54:32.90
So he found the sharpest
knife and he got into the
00:54:33.54\00:54:38.83
bathroom, filled
the bathtub with water.
00:54:41.15\00:54:45.04
Mom didn't know
what was going on.
00:54:45.40\00:54:47.39
But she was going out to work.
00:54:47.75\00:54:49.66
It's Sunday, but she
still had to work on Sunday.
00:54:50.09\00:54:52.76
And just before she closed
the door, she remembered that
00:54:53.33\00:54:58.99
our program, The Voice of
Hope, was about to come on.
00:54:59.29\00:55:02.07
And normally he
would turn it off.
00:55:02.47\00:55:04.42
But she heard that
the bathtub and all that,
00:55:04.80\00:55:07.42
she said, "Oh,
this is my opportunity."
00:55:07.45\00:55:09.07
And so she left the
thing on full blast.
00:55:09.10\00:55:12.01
And there he was.
00:55:12.79\00:55:14.36
He said he was
thinking of himself as Judas.
00:55:14.66\00:55:18.52
That came to his mind, he
said, because so many people
00:55:18.55\00:55:21.27
had tried to help him and
he had turned everything down.
00:55:21.30\00:55:24.62
He had been a traitor to
all that his mother stood for,
00:55:24.65\00:55:31.44
and so forth.
00:55:31.47\00:55:32.50
And he had that thought.
00:55:32.77\00:55:34.76
And all of a sudden, the program
comes in and it announces
00:55:35.07\00:55:37.96
the title of the program.
00:55:37.99\00:55:39.02
And the title of the message
was, The Suicide of Judas.
00:55:39.05\00:55:43.12
And he says, "These
people don't leave me alone.
00:55:45.80\00:55:48.69
I can't even take my
life without them... oh.
00:55:48.72\00:55:52.88
All my life, these people."
00:55:52.91\00:55:54.89
And he said, "Well, I can kill
myself now or 15 minutes later."
00:55:55.52\00:55:59.99
That's the...
00:56:00.02\00:56:01.05
And so he
listened to the program.
00:56:01.25\00:56:03.00
And, people, the program
talked about the love of God.
00:56:03.65\00:56:09.07
It talked about
how Jesus loved Judas.
00:56:09.66\00:56:12.83
How He died for him.
00:56:12.86\00:56:14.32
How he would have
been, you know, like Peter
00:56:14.55\00:56:16.91
and the other disciples.
00:56:16.94\00:56:18.40
That He had a
great plan for him.
00:56:18.43\00:56:20.27
And He said to himself, "I'm
not going to be like Judas."
00:56:20.30\00:56:22.92
And he dropped the knife.
00:56:23.16\00:56:25.80
And he called the ministry.
00:56:26.00\00:56:28.53
And he took the Bible courses.
00:56:28.56\00:56:31.62
We've got five, he
took all five of them.
00:56:31.65\00:56:34.25
And then he went searching
for an Adventist pastor.
00:56:35.38\00:56:40.03
And he got baptized.
00:56:40.96\00:56:43.05
And today, Reuben is a
minister and an evangelist
00:56:43.65\00:56:48.82
of the
Seventh-day Adventist Church.
00:56:48.85\00:56:51.89
Yes, let's give
Jesus that applause.
00:56:52.92\00:56:56.67
And he is working as a counselor
for kids, young people,
00:56:57.32\00:57:02.95
who have drug
addictions, you know.
00:57:03.45\00:57:05.27
Same thing he went through, see.
00:57:05.60\00:57:07.64
He's turned his
attention to other people.
00:57:07.67\00:57:10.51
And God is using him.
00:57:10.54\00:57:12.65
Wherever you are,
even if you're thinking,
00:57:12.68\00:57:16.28
if you should be thinking
about taking your life, don't.
00:57:16.31\00:57:19.17
Jesus died for your life.
00:57:19.37\00:57:21.47
Your life is precious.
00:57:21.50\00:57:23.04
You are His darling.
00:57:23.24\00:57:25.04
Give yourself to Him right now.
00:57:25.31\00:57:28.85
Do it now.
00:57:28.88\00:57:30.22