Participants: Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000303
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00:01 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS RELENTLESS PURSUIT WITH
00:08 PASTOR WALTER L. PEARSON, JR. 00:11 (theme music) 00:25 WP: IT'S MY PRIVILEGE TO GREET YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS. 00:28 I DIRECT YOUR ATTENTION TONIGHT TO THE 16TH CHAPTER OF MATTHEW. 00:33 IF YOU CANNOT FIND MATTHEW, I HOPE YOU ARE SITTING BESIDE 00:36 SOMEBODY WHO CAN FIND MATTHEW, AND WE WON'T MAKE ANY COMMENTS 00:43 ON YOUR LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE BIBLE. 00:47 IF YOU CAN'T FIND MATTHEW, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE ! 00:50 WHAT DO YOU SAY ? 00:51 Audience: AMEN ! 00:52 MATHEW CHAPTER 16 AND I NEED JUST A FEW VERSES TO INTRODUCE 00:57 US TO WHAT THE BIBLE HAS TO SAY. 01:00 VERSE 21 BEGINNING: IT SAYS, "FROM THAT TIME FORTH BEGAN 01:04 JESUS TO SHOW UNTO HIS DISCIPLES HOW THAT HE MUST GO UNTO 01:09 JERUSALEM AND SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS 01:15 AND SCRIBES, AND BE KILLED AND BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY. 01:24 THEN PETER TOOK HIM AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, SAYING, 'BE 01:29 IT FAR FROM THEE; LORD THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE.' 01:35 BUT HE TURNED AND SAID UNTO PETER, 'GET THE 01:39 BEHIND ME, SATAN. 01:42 THOU ART AN OFFENSE UNTO ME, FOR THOU SAVOREST NOT THE 01:46 THINGS THAT BE OF GOD, BUT THOSE THAT BE OF MEN.'" 01:51 I'VE ENTITLED OUR STUDY NOT HERE, NOT NOW. 01:58 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 02:00 FATHER IN HEAVEN, I HAVE ACCEPTED A TASK THAT I CANNOT 02:04 ACCOMPLISH, NOT WITHOUT YOU. 02:08 WOULD YOU SEND, NOW, JESUS CHRIST ? 02:13 WOULD YOU SEND, NOW, THE HOLY SPIRIT ? 02:18 WOULD YOU MOVE ME OUT OF THE WAY SUFFICIENTLY SO 02:22 THAT JESUS MIGHT BE SEEN ? 02:24 AND AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE TONIGHT, LET IT BE THAT WE 02:28 SHALL DECLARE THAT WE HAVE HEARD A WORD FROM THE LORD. 02:33 THIS IS OUR PRAYER IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN. 02:38 THIS IS A PASSAGE THAT MAKES ME TREMBLE. 02:45 I AM NOT AFRAID OF GOD, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE THAT YOU 02:49 OUGHT TO PLAY WITH GOD. 02:54 THIS IS PETER. 02:55 PETER IS OFTEN ACCUSED OF SAYING THINGS OUT OF PLACE. 02:59 I HAVE DERIDED HIM MYSELF. 03:01 I HAVE SAID SOMETIMES THAT IT SEEMS THAT HE TAKES ONE 03:06 FOOT OUT OF HIS MOUTH AND PUTS IN ANOTHER. 03:11 BUT NOW, THESE WORDS ARE WORSE THAN ANY I'VE EVER HEARD. 03:16 THE BIBLE FIRST SAYS THAT JESUS BEGAN TO TELL HIS DISCIPLES 03:22 THAT HE'S GOING TO DIE. 03:23 IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE UNDERSTAND THAT JESUS 03:27 WAS NOT ONLY THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF GOD. 03:30 SOMETIMES WE MAKE HIM SO ANTISEPTICALLY FAR AWAY 03:35 THAT WE CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP THAT JESUS WANTS 03:39 TO HAVE WITH PEOPLE. 03:41 THAT'S WHAT I'M ABOUT THIS WEEK. 03:43 I'M TALKING ABOUT A JESUS WHO NOT ONLY LOVES PEOPLE, 03:48 IMPERFECT PEOPLE, BUT CHASES PEOPLE, PURSUES PEOPLE. 03:56 IN THIS SITUATION I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT JESUS IS GOING AFTER 04:01 PETER, AND YOU'D SAY, "WHY DOES HE HAVE TO CHASE PETER ? 04:05 PETER IS A DISCIPLE." 04:07 BUT LET ME SUGGEST TO YOU THAT SOME PEOPLE ARE LOST FAR AWAY, 04:12 LIKE THE LOST SHEEP; OTHER PEOPLE ARE LOST RIGHT IN THE 04:16 HOUSE, LIKE THE LOST COIN. 04:21 THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE SITTING HERE RIGHT NOW LOOKING 04:23 AT ME VERY CLOSE. 04:25 I DON'T WANT TO IDENTIFY YOUR ROW, IT'LL GET TOO PERSONAL. 04:29 BUT BEING CLOSE IN CHURCH DOES NOT GUARANTEE ACCEPTANCE BY GOD. 04:35 SO JESUS CHASES PEOPLE WHO ARE CLOSE AND PEOPLE 04:38 WHO ARE FAR AWAY. 04:40 HIS DISCIPLES HAVE BEEN CLOSE. 04:42 I WISH I COULD HAVE BEEN IN THEIR PLACES TO WALK UP AND DOWN 04:47 THOSE MEANDERING HILLS WITH JESUS, TO LOOK IN HIS FACE AS HE 04:52 DECLARED THINGS, NOT ONLY WHEN HE WAS BEING ACCEPTED, I WOULD 04:56 HAVE LIKED TO HAVE BEEN THERE WHEN THEY TRIED TO CATCH HIM. 04:59 WISH I'D BEEN THERE--YOU REMEMBER THAT TIME WHEN THEY 05:02 THOUGHT THEY HAD HIM CORNERED AND HE JUST VANISHED. 05:08 I WISH I COULD HAVE SEEN THAT, YOU KNOW. 05:11 THAT'LL MAKE YOU NUDGE SOMEBODY, "HEY, HEY, WHERE IS HE ?" 05:16 "I DON'T KNOW, I KNOW HE WAS HERE, BUT HE'S GONE, NOW." 05:21 THEY WERE TRYING TO CATCH HIM. 05:22 LOOK AT THEM NOW. 05:24 THEY CAN'T FIND HIM. 05:25 IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AMAZING, BUT EVEN CLOSE TO JESUS, EVEN 05:30 WALKING WITH HIM DAY BY DAY, IT WAS POSSIBLE TO BE LOST. 05:35 AND JESUS, UNDERSTANDING WHAT TRAUMA WAS ABOUT TO COME TO 05:39 HIS DISCIPLES, SO NOT ONLY WERE THEY CONNECTED TO HIM IN 05:43 HIS MISSION, BUT THEY WERE CONNECTED AS FRIENDS, AND 05:46 NOW JESUS IS ABOUT TO DIE. 05:48 AND I KNOW EVERYBODY THINKS NOW THAT YOU ARE SOME KIND 05:52 OF PROFESSIONAL WHEN IT COMES TO THE CRUCIFIXION, BECAUSE 05:55 YOU SAW THAT MOVIE. 05:59 NOT MAD AT THE MOVIE. 06:01 I'M GLAD THE MOVIE HAPPENED. 06:03 I EVEN SAW THAT MOVIE. 06:05 IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME, BUT SOMEBODY KEPT ON CHASING ME WITH 06:08 THE MOVIE UNTIL I HAD TO SEE IT. 06:11 AND I THINK THAT IT WAS A GOOD MOVIE, BUT UNLESS YOU 06:14 UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WHO CHRIST REALLY IS 06:21 AND WHO THAT PERSON IS GETTING BEATEN, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND 06:26 WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT. 06:27 IT'S REMOTE TO YOU. 06:29 JESUS HAD TO TELL HIS DISCIPLES, "YOU'RE ABOUT TO 06:32 SEE SOMETHING THAT IS NOT GOING TO GO LIKE YOU THOUGHT." 06:35 WE ALL LIKE TO BE GOOD PREDICTORS. 06:39 EVERYBODY I KNOW, NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, ALWAYS SAYS, 06:42 "I KNEW IT." 06:47 SOMEBODY YOU WENT TO SCHOOL WITH BECOMES PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED 06:50 STATES; YOU SAY, "I KNEW IT." 06:53 THEY BECOME A MASS MURDER; YOU SAY, "I KNEW IT." 06:58 EVERYBODY KNEW IT. 07:00 WELL THE FACT IS THAT NOBODY CAN IMAGINE WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. 07:04 JESUS CHRIST IS ABOUT TO SUFFER A DEATH THAT IS MORE IGNOMINIOUS 07:09 THAN ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND THE DISCIPLES ARE NOT READY, 07:14 BECAUSE THEY HAVE BOUGHT INTO WHAT THE JEWISH CHURCH BELIEVES. 07:19 THEY SEE THEIR DELIVERER AS THE LION OF JUDAH WHO WILL 07:23 COME AND CRUSH THE ROMAN POWER AND DELIVER THEM. 07:27 THEY BELIEVE THAT WHEN THE MESSIAH COMES, HE WILL REIGN 07:32 WITH POWER AND MAJESTY. 07:34 THEY BELIEVE THAT THRONGS WILL FOLLOW HIM. 07:36 THEY BELIEVE THAT WHEN JESUS WAS COME THEY WOULD BE DELIVERED 07:41 INTO A LAND OF PROSPERITY AND THEIR POWER WILL BE LIMITLESS. 07:45 THEY CANNOT IMAGINE THE LAMB OF GOD IN PLACE OF 07:50 THE LION OF JUDAH. 07:53 AND THE DISCIPLES ARE THINKING THE SAME THING. 07:55 YOU REMEMBER THERE WERE THE DISCIPLES WHO HAD 07:58 THEIR MOM GO TALK TO JESUS, "TELL HIM WE DON'T WANT 08:02 TO BE ABOVE EVERYBODY; ALL WE WANT TO DO IS BE LIKE ON 08:07 THE LEFT HAND AND THE RIGHT. 08:11 WE DON'T MIND IF ANYBODY ELSE IS AROUND SOMEWHERE, 08:15 WE JUST WANT TO BE ON THE LEFT AND THE RIGHT." 08:18 THEY THOUGHT THAT THE KINGDOM WAS OF THIS WORLD, AND WHAT 08:21 JESUS HAD TO TELL THEM WAS, "YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE SOME 08:25 THINGS THAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT WOULD HAPPEN. 08:27 YOU'LL SEE ME DEAD. 08:32 AND WHEN YOU DO YOU'LL THINK IT'S OVER. 08:35 WHEN YOU SEE THEM TAKE ME DOWN FROM A CROSS, AND WHEN YOUR 08:41 HEART IS BROKEN BECAUSE NOT ONLY ARE YOU WITH ME IN MISSION, 08:45 BUT YOU ARE MY FRIENDS. 08:47 "WHEN YOU SEE MY HANDS, THESE HANDS THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TOUCH 08:52 THE SICK AND THEY WERE HEALED; THESE HANDS THAT TOUCHED THE 08:56 DEAD AND THE DEAD CAME BACK TO LIFE; WHEN YOU WATCH THESE 09:01 HANDS COLD AND LIFELESS, YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. 09:06 "WHEN YOU SEE MY EYES NO LONGER LIT WITH LOVE; WHEN YOU SEE MY 09:12 FEET, THE FEET THAT CARRIED ME WITH YOU TO MANY REMOTE PLACES; 09:16 WHEN YOU SEE THEM COLD, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT FOR YOU. 09:21 "SO I WANT TO START TELLING YOU RIGHT NOW, I'M GOING TO DIE, BUT 09:26 I'M GOING TO RISE AGAIN." 09:30 I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE YOU CAN'T GET YOUR BRAIN AROUND THAT. 09:33 THERE ARE TOO MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE POST-MODERN AND 09:37 POST-CHRISTIAN AND POST-EVERYTHING. 09:41 WELL YOU OUGHT TO GET YOUR SECULAR BRAIN UP TO SPEED, 09:44 BECAUSE WHEN YOU COME TO THE WORD OF GOD THERE ARE THINGS 09:47 THAT YOU WILL READ HERE THAT WILL STRETCH YOUR IMAGINATION. 09:51 THERE ARE THINGS IN THE BIBLE THAT DON'T QUITE MAKE SENSE, BUT 09:55 THE BIBLE DOESN'T HAVE TO MAKE SENSE BECAUSE GOD CREATED SENSE. 10:02 IT DOESN'T HAVE TO MAKE IT; IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LOGICAL. 10:05 GOD CREATED LOGIC. 10:07 HE CAN TURN IT UPSIDE DOWN, INSIDE OUT AND DO ANYTHING HE 10:09 WANTS TO DO WITH IT, AND WHEN YOU READ IN THE BIBLE, YOU'RE 10:11 NOT LOCKED INTO ORDINARY LAWS, BUT JESUS HAD TO WARN THE 10:15 DISCIPLES ANDTHE REASON WHY HE WARNED THEM, AND THIS IS 10:18 IMPORTANT, IS BECAUSE IF THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS 10:23 GOING ON, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN SCATTERED PERMANENTLY. 10:29 SO JESUS WANTS TO TELL THEM, "LOOK, IT'S GOING TO GET 10:32 BAD FOR A WHILE, BUT AFTER THAT SOME AMAZING THINGS 10:38 ARE GOING TO HAPPEN. 10:39 ON THE THIRD DAY, I'M COMING BACK. 10:43 YOU'LL SEE ME AGAIN, AND I WON'T BE TORN APART, I 10:47 WON'T BE EVEN CLOSE TO DEAD. 10:50 IT WON'T BE A TELEVISION EXPERIENCE. 10:53 I WILL BE BACK IN REAL LIFE, SO DON'T GET DISTURBED 10:58 WHEN YOU SEE ME DEAD." 11:00 AND JESUS IS TELLING PETER THAT AND THE BIBLE SAYS THAT 11:03 IN THE MIDST OF TELLING PETER, THERE COMES THIS STRANGE 11:08 SITUATION THAT I WANT TO KIND OF ENJOY FOR A MOMENT. 11:11 LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT TO TELL YOU THAT ONE OF THE REASONS 11:15 THAT PETER IS SO BOLD TO TALK NOW, I SUGGEST THAT HE'S BOLD 11:19 ENOUGH TO LET HIMSELF BE USED BY ANOTHER, IS THAT FOR ONCE, PETER 11:25 HAD SAID SOMETHING RIGHT. 11:27 IF YOU GO BACK A FEW VERSES, AROUND VERSE 13, EVEN IF YOU'RE 11:32 NOT A BIG TIME CHRISTIAN, YOU'VE HEARD THIS SERMON PREACHED. 11:36 JESUS SAYS TO HIS DISCIPLES, "WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM ?" 11:42 THAT'S A WONDERFUL SERMON. 11:43 EVERY PREACHER OUGHT TO PREACH AT LEAST ONE SERMON ON THAT. 11:46 "WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM ?" 11:49 AND THE DISCIPLES BEGAN TO VENTURE WHAT THE REGULAR 11:52 FOLK, THE HOI POLLOI HAD TO SAY ABOUT HIM. 11:55 "SOME OF THEM THINK YOU'RE JOHN; SOME OF THEM THINK YOU'RE ELIAS, 11:58 SOME OF THEM THINK YOU'RE JEREMIAH, SOME OF THEM THINK 12:00 YOU'RE ONE OF THE PROPHETS. 12:02 THEY DON'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE; THEY'RE MIXED UP." 12:05 AND THAT WAS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE SECOND QUESTION, BECAUSE 12:08 WHAT EVERYBODY THINKS IS ALWAYS KIND OF MUDDLED, AND SO JESUS 12:13 SAYS, "YOU," IN FACT THAT'S WHAT IT'S TRANSLITERATED TO SAY-"YOU, 12:21 WHO DO YOU SAY THAT I AM?" 12:23 AND HERE'S THE REASON WHY IT'S IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF JESUS IS 12:26 JUST A GOOD MAN, THEN WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN DOESN'T COUNT. 12:31 ARE YOU WITH ME ? 12:33 JESUS CAN'T BE "A GOOD GUY" WHO GOES TO THE CROSS. 12:37 JESUS CAN'T BE "A GREAT MAN WHO LOVES PEOPLE SOMUCH THAT 12:42 HE DECIDES TO DIE." 12:44 IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. 12:46 THE FACT IS THAT IS THAT THE ONE WHO DIES MUST NOT 12:50 DIE AN ORDINARY DEATH. 12:51 IT MUST BE A VICARIOUS DEATH. 12:54 IT MUST BE THE DEATH THAT I CANNOT DIE FOR MYSELF. 13:00 AND I SUBMIT TO YOU THAT JESUS LOVES ME SO MUCH THAT BEFORE I 13:05 WAS BORN AND EVEN THOUGH HE KNEW THAT WHEN I WAS BORN I 13:10 WOULD BE BORN IN SIN AND SHAPED IN INEQUITY, HE 13:13 DIED MY DEATH BEFORE I COULD EVEN ASK FOR THAT FAVOR. 13:20 IT WAS THE DEATH THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DIE BECAUSE THE WAGES OF 13:23 SIN IS DEATH, BUT JESUS WOULD DIE IN MY PLACE SO THAT I 13:29 COULD LIVE IN HIS PLACE. 13:32 HE WOULD BEAR MY WICKEDNESS SO THAT I COULD BEAR 13:36 HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 13:37 HE WOULD TAKE MY FILTH SO I COULD SHOW HIS 13:42 CLEANNESS TO THE WORLD. 13:44 HE WOULD BECOME THE FILTHY CREATURE THAT I WAS SO THAT IN 13:48 HIS DEATH I COULD BE WASHED IN HIS BLOOD AND DRESSED IN 13:53 HIS ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 13:55 JESUS PUT HIMSELF WHERE I SHOULD HAVE BEEN AND WHERE 13:59 YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN. 14:01 I DON'T CARE HOW POST-MODERN YOU GET; LET YOUR BRAIN 14:03 WAKE UP TO THAT. 14:04 THERE WAS ONE WHO LOVED YOU SO MUCH THAT YOU DIDN'T EVEN KNOW 14:08 YOURSELF, AND HE DIDN'T KNOW YOU YET, BUT BEFORE YOU WERE 14:13 FORMED IN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB HE CARED ENOUGH ABOUT YOU TO 14:17 MAKE PROVISIONS FOR YOU. 14:20 SO, WHEN JESUS SAID, "WHO DO YOU THINK THAT I AM," THAT 14:23 WAS IMPORTANT, BECAUSE IF YOU THINK I'M JUST A GOOD GUY, 14:26 THEN WHEN YOU SEE ME DIE, IT'S GOING TO MEAN NOTHING. 14:28 BUT IF YOU UNDERSTAND THAT I AM THE SON OF GOD, IF YOU 14:31 UNDERSTAND THAT A MIRACLE HAS HAPPENED, AND I COULD TRY AND 14:35 ACT AS THOUGH I'M SMARTER THAN MOST AND GET DEEP INTO 14:40 EXPLANATION THE INCARNATION, I AM NOT SO FOOLISH AS TO DO THAT, 14:44 BECAUSE NONE OF US UNDERSTANDS COMPLETELY HOW GOD COULD REDUCE 14:48 JESUS TO 6-8 POUNDS OF HUMAN FLESH AND PLANT HIM IN THE WOMB 14:53 OF A WOMAN AND LET HIM BE BORN LIKE AN ORDINARY PERSON, BUT HE 14:57 WOULD NEVER BE ORDINARY, THOUGH HE WOULD BE ALL HUMAN. 15:01 HE WOULD NEVER CEASE TO BE DIVINE AND SO HE COULD HIDE 15:06 HIS DIVINITY AND PROMOTE HIS HUMANITY AND PITCH HIS TENT 15:12 NEXT TO MY TENT SO HE COULD PUT HIS ARM AROUND ME AND 15:15 I COULD NEVER SAY TO JESUS, "YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND." 15:22 SO SAVE THAT ONE, BECAUSE EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN THROUGH; 15:27 HE'S BEEN THROUGH, AND A FEW THINGS THAT YOU WILL NEVER 15:30 GO THROUGH; HE HAS SUFFERED. 15:32 SO IT WAS IMPORTANT. 15:33 AND IN THE MIDST OF THAT SECOND QUESTION, PETER OPENS HIS MOUTH. 15:38 IF I WERE THERE I WOULD HAVE CAUGHT MY BREATH. 15:41 I WOULD HAVE INHALED AND HELD IT, BECAUSE I WOULD BE AFRAID 15:45 OF WHAT PETER WAS GOING TO SAY. 15:48 BUT YOU KNOW WHAT PETER SAID ? 15:50 HE SAID, "THOU ART THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD." 15:56 YOU KNOW IF HE WERE A BLACK PREACHER, HE WOULD HAVE 15:58 GONE A LITTLE FARTHER. 16:02 HE WOULD HAVE SAID, "SOME FOLKS THINK YOU'RE ORDINARY, 16:05 BUT WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE. 16:07 OH, YES, YOU LOOK HUMAN, AND YOU ARE HUMAN, BUT EVERY NOW 16:11 AND THEN WE HAVE SEEN DIVINITY FLASH THROUGH YOU. 16:14 THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES WHEN I'VE LOOKED IN YOUR EYES AND 16:16 KNEW THAT SOMETHING ELSE WAS GOING ON IN THERE. 16:19 WHEN YOU CLEANSED THE TEMPLE, I KNEW." 16:23 WELL, BLACK PREACHERS TAKE A LONG TIME. 16:28 WHAT PETER DECLARED IS, "WE KNOW WHO YOU ARE, SO WHEN YOU 16:31 DIE AS YOU EXPLAINED YOU'RE GOING TO, THEN IT WILL NOT JUST 16:36 BE A GOOD PERSON DYING, IT WILL BE THE ONE THAT GOD SENT." 16:40 SHE SHALL BEAR THIS SON; JESUS WILL BE SENT BY GOD. 16:46 "CALL HIS NAME JESUS; HE'LL SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SIN." 16:51 HIS PERFECT LIFE AND HIS PERFECT DEATH. 16:55 SO THE RECORD IS SET STRAIGHT BY A STRANGE SPOKESMAN NAMED PETER. 17:00 NOW, FORGIVE ME, THESE ARE FISHERMAN, SO YOU CAN MAKE THEM 17:07 AS DULL AS YOU WANT TO, BUT IN MY WORLD THE DISCIPLES ARE 17:12 SOME GOOD GUYS TO BE AROUND. 17:14 SO WHEN PETER SAID THAT, DON'T YOU TELL ME THAT SOMEBODY DIDN'T 17:18 SAY, "HEY, PETER, RIGHT ON. 17:23 I DIDN'T KNOW YOU HAD IT IN YOU. 17:25 DID YOU SAY THAT OR DID SOMEBODY WRITE THAT OUT FOR YOU ? 17:29 "JESUS SAID FLESH AND BLOOD DIDN'T REVEAL IT TO YOU, AND I 17:31 KNOW IT'S TRUE BECAUSE I'VE HEARD SOME OF YOUR ANSWERS, 17:35 AND WHEN YOU WERE SAYING THAT, YOU ALMOST KNOCKED ME DOWN, 17:38 MAN, BUT LOOK, YOU DID IT." 17:41 AND THEN ALL OF THEM CAME TOGETHER. 17:44 WE'VE BEEN WORRIED ABOUT YOU, BUT YOU CAME THROUGH. 17:48 THANK YOU. 17:49 AND YOU WERE SPEAKING FOR US; WE WERE WORRIED, BUT YOU SAID 17:52 IT RIGHT: JESUS IS THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD." 17:57 WHEN HE SAYS, "THOU ART THE CHRIST," THE DEFINITE ARTICLE 18:00 "O CHRISTUS," IT MEANS THAT HE IS THE MESSIAH. 18:05 THERE'S NO DOUBT OF WHO HE IS. 18:08 SO NOW JESUS BEGINS TO EXPLAIN TO THIS DISCIPLE WHAT'S GOING 18:14 TO HAPPEN SO THAT WHEN IT HAPPENS, HE WON'T LOSE COURAGE. 18:19 JESUS HAD A WAY OF PREPARING PEOPLE FOR WHAT WAS 18:22 IN THEIR FUTURE. 18:23 I WANT TO GET PERSONAL WITH IT FOR JUST A MOMENT, BECAUSE EVERY 18:25 ONE OF US HAS THE SAME ABILITY. 18:28 WHEN CHRIST COMES INTO OUR LIVES, HE ALREADY 18:31 KNOWS OUR FUTURES. 18:33 JESUS KNOWS YOUR TOMORROW. 18:36 JESUS KNOWS YOUR NEXT MONTH. 18:39 JESUS KNOWS YOUR NEXT YEAR. 18:41 HE CAN GET YOU PREPARED NOW FOR NEXT YEAR. 18:45 IN FACT HE HAS ALREADY WALKED THROUGH THE END OF TIME. 18:49 TIME MEANS NOTHING TO HIM. 18:51 HE IS NO LONGER LOCKED THEREIN, SO EVERYTHING THAT WILL 18:55 TRANSPIRE IN YOUR LIFE IS KNOWN TO HIM, AND IF YOU STAY 18:58 WITH HIM, AND IF YOU LISTEN TO HIM, HE CAN PREPARE YOU 19:01 FOR THE EVENTS THAT HAVE NOT UNFOLDED YET. 19:04 I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS, BUT I KNOW 19:07 WHO HOLDS THE FUTURE. 19:11 AND I KNOW I HOLD HIS HAND. 19:13 SO WHAT JESUS IS SIMPLY DOING IS SAYING, "PETER, THANK YOU. 19:18 FLESH AND BLOOD DIDN'T REVEAL THAT TO YOU; I'M ALMOST SHOCKED 19:22 BUT I WON'T SAY IT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOUR FEELINGS 19:24 AFTER YOU'VE DONE SOWELL." 19:26 PETER KINDS OF STRAIGHTENS UP, "ALL RIGHT, THEN." 19:32 AND NOW A FEW DAYS LATER WE COME TO THIS STRANGE MOMENT WHEN 19:38 JESUS IS EXPLAINING HIS DEATH SO THAT PETER WILL UNDERSTAND. 19:42 NOW LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I HAPPEN TO KNOW. 19:45 I HAVE READ SOME OF THE BEST AUTHORITIES, AND I KNOW THAT IF 19:48 PETER HAD NOT GOTTEN CARRIED AWAY, IF HE HAD LISTENED TO WHAT 19:55 JESUS SAID WARNING HIM OF THE EVENTS THAT WERE TO TRANSPIRE, 20:00 PETER WOULD HAVE NEVER GOTTEN TO THE PLACE WHERE HE DENIED 20:04 THAT HE KNEW JESUS. 20:06 IF HE HAD LISTENED, JESUS WAS TRYING TO TELL HIM, "LOOK, 20:10 IT'S GOING TO GET DIFFICULT; IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGH." 20:13 I HAD A STORY I USED TO BE ABLE TO TELL, I ALMOST NEED TO 20:16 TUCK IT AWAY NOW, BUT I THINK IT'S OLD ENOUGH TO BE NEW. 20:24 MY GRANDMOTHER WAS A STALWART SAINT AND A LITERATURE 20:27 EVANGELIST BACK IN THE DAYS WHEN THEY CALLED THEM OTHER 20:30 NAMES THAT WEREN'T SO PRETTY. 20:33 SHE DEVELOPED ARTHRITIS AND WASN'T ABLE TO MOVE 20:37 AROUND ANY MORE. 20:39 AFTER A TIME IT BECAME DIFFICULT FOR US TO CARE FOR HER. 20:42 MY MOTHER TOOK CARE OF HER FOR AS LONG AS SHE COULD. 20:45 MY MOTHER PREDECEASED MY GRANDMOTHER. 20:48 GRANDMOTHER LIVED TO BE 96. 20:51 GOD WAS SO GOOD THAT SHE NOT ONLY COULD TELL A JOKE, BUT 20:54 REMEMBER THE PUNCH LINE AT 96. 20:59 BUT SOMEBODY HAD TO CARE FOR HER. 21:02 THEY TOOK HER TO A PLACE WHERE THE PEOPLE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND 21:04 HER DIETARY PREDILECTIONS. 21:09 THEY FED HER THINGS THAT SHE DID NOT CARE FOR. 21:12 SO SHE HAD SOMEONE WRITE ME A LETTER--SHE COULDN'T 21:15 WRITE ANYMORE LIKE THAT. 21:17 SHE SENT THE LETTER AND SAID, "COME AND RESCUE ME." 21:23 WELL, WHEN YOU GET A LETTER FROM SOMEONE WHO'S TAKEN 21:25 CARE OF YOU FOR MOST OF YOUR LIFE, AND THEY SAY, "COME 21:28 GET ME," YOU DON'T WRITE BACK AND SAY, "I'M NOT SURE." 21:32 IN FACT THERE WAS NO ROOM FOR ANY ANSWER BUT YES. 21:36 AND SO I TOLD MY WIFE. 21:37 WE'D JUST BOUGHT WHAT WAS THEN THE UNIVERSAL PACE 21:42 CAR FOR PREACHERS. 21:44 IT WAS A BUICK ELECTRA 225. 21:50 SOMEBODY IN THE AUDIENCE KNOWS IT WELL. 21:52 THEY WERE CALLED "DEUCE AND A QUARTER." 21:56 IT WAS SO LONG YOU HAD TO LOOK IN THE MIRROR TO 21:58 MAKE SURE THAT THE REAR END HAD MADE IT AROUND CORNERS. 22:03 IT WAS A GIGANTIC, GRAND AUTOMOBILE. 22:07 WHEN YOU DROVE IT, IT RUMBLED ALONG; IT GALLOPED. 22:11 I WAS ALWAYS GLAD WHEN I GOT ON A HIGHWAY WHERE THERE WERE 22:14 STRIPS IN THE HIGHWAY SO I COULD MAKE THEM DISAPPEAR 22:18 AND MAKE THEM GO SILENT AND THAT BIG CAR WOULD JUST RUMBLE, 22:21 AND I HAD JUST GOTTEN ONE AND NOW GRANDMOTHER SAYS 22:24 COME AND GET ME. 22:25 SHE HAD GIVEN ME A DESCRIPTION THROUGH ANOTHER WRITER'S HAND, 22:28 "WHEN YOU COME TO GET ME IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT TRIP. 22:31 YOU'RE GOING TO COME ON THE HIGHWAY FOR A LONG TIME, THEN 22:34 YOU'LL TURN OFF ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY, AND THEN AFTER A WHILE 22:36 THE ASPHALT WILL DISAPPEAR AND, SON, WHEN YOU'RE ALMOST HERE, 22:42 WHEN YOU'RE ALMOST HERE, IT'LL COME TO A PLACE WHERE THE 22:47 TRACTOR HAS CUT TWO TRENCHES. 22:50 IT'S GOING TO BE A LITTLE ROUGH, I HOPE YOU DON'T 22:53 HAVE A NEW CAR." 22:58 MY WIFE WAS GOING WITH ME AND I'LL TESTIFY TO 23:01 HER LOVE FOR MY FAMILY. 23:03 IN OUR NEW CAR I WONDERED. 23:06 I WARNED HER AS WE WERE COMING TO THE TRACTOR TRENCHES. 23:10 I SAID, "BABY, WE JUST BOUGHT IT, WE'RE PUTTING ALL OUR MONEY 23:14 IN IT, BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LITTLE BEATING IN A MINUTE." 23:17 SHE SAID, "WELL, IT'S YOUR GRANDMOTHER, YOU GO AHEAD." 23:20 I SAID, "YOU KNOW, THAT'S GOT TO BE LOVE." 23:23 AND WE TURNED THAT BIG DEUCE OVER IN THOSE TRACTOR TRENCHES 23:28 ZOOM, ZOOM--AND IN FACT A COUPLE OF TIMES I STARTED WONDERING 23:35 WHETHER I SHOULD GO ALL THE WAY TO GET GRANDMOTHER. 23:39 BUT LET ME TELL YOU WHAT I LEARNED, AND THIS IS THE 23:41 PUNCH LINE TO THAT STORY. 23:43 THE WORSE THE ROAD GOT, THE CLOSER WE WERE TO GRANDMOTHER. 23:52 I DON'T HAVE TIME TO GO THERE--I WISH I COULD. 23:57 THE FACT IS THAT THE HARDER TIMES GET, THE CLOSER YOU 24:01 ARE TO YOUR DESTINATION. 24:07 THERE ARE SOME CHRISTIANS WHO WILL NEVER MAKE IT. 24:10 THEY ARE FOUR LANE CHRISTIANS. 24:13 THERE ARE SOME CHRISTIANS WHO DON'T HAVE IT; 24:14 THEY WON'T SURVIVE. 24:17 THEY ARE TWO LANE PAVED ROAD CHRISTIANS. 24:21 AND THEN THERE ARE SOME THAT CAN MAKE IT SO LONG 24:23 AS THE DIRT IS WELL PACKED. 24:25 BUT NOT MANY CHRISTIANS CAN UNDERSTAND GETTING EXCITED ABOUT 24:28 BAD TRENCHES GOING THROUGH GRASS, BUT THE FACT IS THERE 24:33 ARE TIME IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE WHEN THE ROUGHER IT GETS, 24:37 THE CLOSER YOU ARE TO THE VERY THING THAT YOU NEED. 24:40 AND WHAT JESUS WANTED TO TELL THE DISCIPLES WAS THIS: 24:43 WHEN IT IS AT ITS WORST, WHEN ALL SEEMS LOST. 24:50 WHEN IT SEEMS LIKE I'M GONE AND HOPE IS GONE, AT THAT VERY 24:54 MOMENT YOU'LL BE ALMOST AT THE POINT WHERE REDEMPTION WILL 25:00 BE PAID FOR WITH MY BLOOD. 25:04 AND SO WHAT JESUS WANTED TO TELL PETER WAS IMPORTANT. 25:08 NOW, I'M ABOUT TO TAKE YOU TO SOME PLACES WHERE I'LL HAVE TO 25:12 PRAY THAT YOU EXPAND YOUR VISION, BECAUSE THE FACT IS IN 25:20 THE MIDST OF THE EXPLANATION THAT JESUS IS GIVING, THE BIBLE 25:23 SAYS THAT PETER BEGAN TO SAY WORDS THAT I KNOW ARE NOT HIS. 25:30 I WANT TO SHOW THEM TO YOU. 25:33 I CAN PROVE THAT THEY ARE NOT HIS BECAUSE I CAN FIND THEM. 25:35 PETER TOOK HIM AND BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM SAYING, "BE IT FAR 25:39 FROM THEE, LORD, THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE, YOU WILL NOT DIE. 25:47 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE, YOU'RE GOING TO BE KING. 25:51 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE HUNG ON A CROSS. 25:54 YOU'RE NOT GOING TO COME BACK THE THIRD DAY. 25:56 YOU WILL NEVER DIE. 25:58 YOU'RE GOING TO BE THE HIGHEST POWER ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH. 26:04 AND THE REASON I KNOW WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM IS, AND EVEN WHEN I 26:07 WAS A CHILD I KNEW WE HAD A PROBLEM, BECAUSE WHEN JESUS 26:10 STARTS TALKING TO PETER, IN VERSE 23, HE SAYS, "GET THE 26:13 BEHIND ME, SATAN. . ." 26:16 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE BREATH OF LIFE. 26:20 Announcer: THE BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY 26:22 PROUDLY PRESENTS A SPECIAL GIFT OFFER THIS WEEK. 26:24 THE DESIRE OF AGES--THE LIFE STORY OF THE GREATEST 26:27 SPIRITUAL LEADER THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN, JESUS CHRIST. 26:30 DESIRE OF AGES GOES IN DEPTH INTO EVENTS SURROUNDING THE 26:33 LIFE OF JESUS, GIVING YOU MORE MEANING AND A CLEARER PICTURE 26:36 OF HIS IMPACT ON THE WORLD, AND THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO FOLLOW 26:39 HIM, EVEN TO THIS DAY. 26:40 IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES, DESIRE OF AGES GIVES DIRECTION 26:43 FOR ALL WHO SEEK IT. 26:44 THE BOOK ANSWERS HARD QUESTIONS CONFRONTING US ALL. 26:47 IT EXAMINES BASIC SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, GIVES HOPE AND 26:49 ENCOURAGEMENT FOR TOMORROW, AND BRINGS YOU FACE TO 26:52 FACE WITH THE SAVIOR. 26:54 JUST CALL OUR TOLL-FREE NUMBER 877-BOL-OFFER. 26:57 THAT'S 877-265-6333, AND ASK FOR YOUR COPY 27:01 OF DESIRE OF AGES. 27:03 THE BOOK IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE, 27:05 OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: BREATH OF LIFE, 27:08 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON DC, 20077. 27:15 THE DESIRE OF AGES--IT'S THE GREATEST STORY EVER 27:16 TOLD IN A WHOLE NEW LIGHT. 27:52 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05