Participants: Pr. Walter Pearson
Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000401
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00:02 Announcer: BREATH OF LIFE PRESENTS EXPERIENCE THE POWER
00:08 WITH WALTER L. PEARSON JR. 00:16 TODAY PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE IS ENTITLED "NIGHT SCHOOL." 00:21 (theme music) WP: TONIGHT WE'RE TALKING 00:26 ABOUT NIGHT SCHOOL. 00:29 NOW, LONG AGO, THE TERM USED TO BE A DEROGATORY TERM. 00:35 IN FACT, I HEARD JOKES ABOUT PEOPLE SAYING, YEAH, 00:37 HE GOT A DEGREE, BUT HE WENT TO NIGHT SCHOOL. 00:41 HEY, I GOT SOME NEWS FOR YOU. 00:42 NIGHT SCHOOL ISN'T BAD ANYMORE. 00:45 IN FACT, NIGHT SCHOOL CAN BE JUST AS PRESTIGIOUS 00:48 AS DAY SCHOOL. 00:49 THEY CALL IT DISTANCE LEARNING. 00:53 HUH ? 00:55 I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. 00:56 IF YOU CAN'T GO IN THE DAY, GO AT NIGHT. 00:59 THE PROFESSOR IS USUALLY A LITTLE KEENER AT NIGHT BECAUSE 01:03 AT NIGHT THE PEOPLE ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE MATURE AND IT 01:06 KEEPS THE PROFESSOR ON TOES. 01:09 SO, NIGHT SCHOOL DOESN'T MEAN WHAT IT USED TO MEAN, BUT 01:12 YOU KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING EXACTLY IN THAT DIRECTION. 01:15 IN FACT, IF YOU'LL TURN TO JOHN, CHAPTER 3, THERE'S A VERSE NOT 01:20 FAR FROM JOHN, CHAPTER 3 THAT EVERYBODY KNOWS BY HEART. 01:24 AND I'M AFRAID I'M NOT GOING THERE, SO YOU WON'T BE ABLE 01:26 TO SHOW YOUR EXPERTISE IN KNOWING THAT ONE VERSE. 01:31 I'LL SKIRT AROUND IT. 01:33 OTHERWISE YOU'LL WAIT FOR THE MOMENT AND EVERYBODY WILL SCREAM 01:37 IT JUST TO LET THEM KNOW HOW GREAT YOU ARE WITH MEMORY. 01:40 I'M SORRY, I'M NOT GOING TO GIVE YOU THAT CHANCE. 01:43 JOHN, CHAPTER 3. 01:45 LET ME DO THE FIRST SEVEN VERSES. 01:48 HERE'S WHAT IT SAYS. 01:49 THIS IS JOHN, CHAPTER 3. 01:52 THERE WAS A MAN OF THE PHARISEES NAMED NICODEMUS, 01:55 A RULER OF THE JEWS. 01:58 THE SAME CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT AND SAID ONTO HIM, 02:02 RABBI, WE KNOW THAT THOU ART A TEACHER COME FROM GOD. 02:08 FOR NO MAN CAN DO THESE MIRACLES THAT THOU DOEST, 02:11 EXCEPT GOD BE WITH HIM. 02:14 JESUS ANSWERED AND SAID UNTO HIM, VERILY, VERILY I SAY 02:18 UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A MAN BE BORN AGAIN, HE CANNOT SEE 02:21 THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 02:23 NICODEMUS SAID UNTO HIM, HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD ? 02:27 CAN HE ENTER A SECOND TIME INTO HIS MOTHER'S WOMB AND BE BORN ? 02:31 JESUS ANSWERED, VERILY, VERILY I SAY UNTO THEE, EXCEPT A 02:35 MAN BE BORN OF WATER AND OF THE SPIRIT, HE CANNOT ENTER 02:40 INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 02:42 THAT WHICH IS BORN OF FLESH, IS FLESH. 02:45 AND THAT WHICH IS BORN OF SPIRIT, IS SPIRIT. 02:48 MARVEL NOT THAT I SAID UNTO THEE, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 02:53 WOULD YOU PRAY WITH ME ? 02:55 FATHER IN HEAVEN, WE ASK THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT'S POWER MIGHT 03:01 BE DISPENSED TO THIS PLACE. 03:04 NOT JUST TO THE ONE WHO HAS BEEN CHOSEN TO SPEAK. 03:08 I NEED YOU, BUT I AM NOT SELFISH WHEN I ASK. 03:13 I ASK, FATHER, THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT'S POWER MIGHT MOVE AMONG 03:17 THE CONGREGATIONS AROUND THE WORLD, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THAT 03:22 THE POWER OF GOD IS WITH US. 03:25 AND I PRAY THAT AS WE OPEN THE HOLY WORD, THAT WHILE YOU 03:28 USE MY PERSONALITY, YOU WON'T LET IT GET IN YOUR WAY. 03:32 AND THAT YOU'LL MAKE YOUR VOICE CLEAR TONIGHT. 03:34 IN THE NAME OF JESUS, AMEN. 03:38 NIGHT SCHOOL. 03:40 LET ME POINT OUT SOMETHING THAT I CAUGHT. 03:43 I MUST CONFESS TO YOU THAT I READ TEXT OVER AND OVER AGAIN. 03:48 I READ A STATEMENT AGES AGO THAT SAYS, IF YOU LOOK AT A THING A 03:52 THOUSAND TIMES, YOU ARE SAFE. 03:55 BUT IF YOU DARE TO LOOK AT IT A THOUSAND AND ONE TIMES, 03:59 YOU ARE IN DANGER OF SEEING IT ALL OVER AGAIN. 04:03 SO I CONFESS TO YOU THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN I JUST READ AND 04:07 READ AND NOT SPEED READ, BUT TAKE EVERY WORD AND SEE HOW 04:11 IT TWISTS AND HOW IT FALLS. 04:14 AND I'VE BEEN AMAZED THAT WHEN YOU READ THE SAME THING OVER 04:18 AGAIN, YOU CAN FIND NEW MEANING IN OLD THINGS IN THE BIBLE. 04:23 HERE IS A SITUATION WHERE LORD NICODEMUS, A RULER. 04:30 AND WHEN YOU TAKE THAT WORD AND TEST IT, IT MEANS TEACHER. 04:34 SO I'M ABOUT TO PLAY ON WORDS A LITTLE BIT. 04:38 THE WORD RABBI ALSO MEANS TEACHER. 04:43 SO WHEN NICODEMUS ASKED HIS MID-MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONARIES, 04:47 FIND WHERE JESUS IS, YOU SEE ONE TEACHER GOING TO MEET 04:53 ANOTHER TEACHER AT NIGHT. 04:57 SO NIGHT SCHOOL IS ESSENTIALLY, FROM THE OUTSET, ONE TEACHER 05:03 FINDING ANOTHER TEACHER. 05:05 AND WHEN YOU SEE HOW IT STARTS, YOU KNOW THAT NICODEMUS HAS COME 05:08 TO USE WORDS SKILLFULLY. 05:13 THE FACT IS THAT MOST PEOPLE, IN FACT, MOST PREACHERS, I CONFESS 05:17 THAT PREACHERS HAVE GIVEN NICODEMUS A HARD TIME. 05:20 MOST PREACHERS HAVE TALKED ABOUT HIM BECAUSE HE WAS 05:22 EDUCATED, HIERODITE, RICH. 05:26 AND LONG AGO, PREACHERS USED TO SAY THAT EVERYBODY WHO 05:30 WAS RICH, WAS BAD. 05:33 IT WAS POPULAR, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHO CAME TO CHURCH 05:36 TENDED TO BE POOR. 05:38 AT LEAST THEY PRETENDED TO BE. 05:41 I'VE LEARNED SOMETHING. 05:43 IF YOU STAY WITH JESUS, THE ODDS ARE THAT YOU WON'T STAY POOR. 05:48 I GOT AN AMEN ON THAT. 05:52 IN FACT, ON TUESDAY NIGHT, I'M GOING TO PREACH A SERMON ABOUT 05:57 WHAT GOD PROMISES TO PEOPLE WHO ARE FAITHFUL TO JESUS. 06:02 IF YOU REMAIN POOR, THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG 06:05 WITH YOUR CONNECTION. 06:07 SO LONG AGO, WE GAVE PEOPLE A HARD TIME BECAUSE THEY 06:09 WERE POOR OR UNEDUCATED. 06:10 IN FACT, PREACHERS HAVE PUNCHED HOLES IN NICODEMUS'S IMAGE. 06:14 THEY HAVE GIVEN HIM A HARD TIME. 06:16 BUT THESE DAYS YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. 06:18 I, ESPECIALLY, HAVE TO BE CAREFUL BECAUSE I'M PART OF 06:20 BREATH OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY AND THERE ARE 06:23 PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT US WHO HAVE A LOT OF MONEY. 06:26 SO, TONIGHT I WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU. 06:31 ALL THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT US. 06:33 NICODEMUS IS RICH, HE'S POWERFUL, HE'S EDUCATED. 06:38 BUT THERE'S SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT NICODEMUS, AND YOU 06:40 MIGHT AS WELL ADMIT IT. 06:41 BECAUSE I CAN TELL YOU THAT IF YOU THINK CAREFULLY, 06:45 THERE WAS NO POLITICALLY CORRECT REASON FOR NICODEMUS 06:49 TO GO LOOKING FOR JESUS. 06:52 THINK ABOUT IT. 06:53 HE ALREADY HAD EVERYTHING. 06:57 AND, IF HE WANTED TO BE PARTED FROM THE COMPANY OF HIS PEERS, 07:02 THE REST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE SANHEDRIN, ALREADY LOOKED 07:05 DOWN ON THIS RABBI JESUS. 07:09 SO HE TOOK A RISK BY GOING TO SEE JESUS. 07:13 BUT HE HAD SEEN JESUS DO SOME THINGS THAT CONVINCED 07:18 HIM THAT THIS WAS NO ORDINARY TEACHER OR PREACHER. 07:25 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I'M CONVINCED. 07:27 I'VE HAD SOME THINGS HAPPEN IN MY LIFE THAT ARE NOT SO LOFTY. 07:31 BUT I PROMISE YOU THAT I KNOW JESUS IS NOT AN ORDINARY TEACHER 07:35 OR AN ORDINARY PREACHER. 07:37 JESUS MAKES AMAZING THINGS HAPPEN. 07:40 I'VE GOT A VERY GOOD FRIEND WHO POSITS THAT JESUS, IN FACT, 07:47 ANYBODY WHO CLAIMS TO BE DIVINE, ONLY WORKS IN THE MACRO. 07:54 NOW, HAVE YOU GOT IT ? 07:55 SO HE SAYS TO ME THAT WE CHRISTIANS ARE A LITTLE 07:59 BIT MUNDANE IN THE WAY WE APPROACH CHRIST AND 08:02 THE WAY WE APPROACH GOD. 08:03 HE SAYS WHAT WE DO IS WE ASK FOR LITTLE TINY THINGS. 08:07 HE SAID, GOD IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THE MICRO. 08:11 GOD IS ONLY CONCERNED WITH THE MACRO. 08:15 YOU KNOW WHAT I TOLD HIM ? 08:16 SPEAK FOR YOUR GOD, NOT MINE. 08:19 MY GOD IS INTERESTED IN THE MACRO. 08:22 HE DOES AMAZINGLY BIG THINGS. 08:25 ANYBODY EVER GET A BIG THING FROM GOD ? 08:28 THERE ARE THINGS THAT I HAVE THAT I DIDN'T ALWAYS ORDER. 08:33 GOD HAS GIVEN ME SOME THINGS THAT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH WISDOM 08:36 TO ASK FOR OR ENOUGH IMAGINATION TO THINK I COULD GET. 08:41 BUT HE LOVES ME THAT MUCH THAT HE GIVES ME STUFF 08:45 THAT I DON'T ASK FOR. 08:46 CAN I GET A WITNESS IN THIS HOUSE ? 08:49 SO, I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CAN DO BIG THINGS. 08:52 BUT LET ME TELL YOU, GROWING UP AS THE CHILD OF A CONTRACTOR IN 08:57 THE SOUTH AND A TEACHER FOR A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, MONEY WOULD 09:02 RUN OUT BEFORE THE MONTH DID. 09:06 AND I'M SURE YOU CAN'T RELATE. 09:08 I'M LOOKING AT YOU. 09:09 YOU LOOK AS THOUGH YOU'VE NEVER KNOWN THESE CHALLENGES. 09:12 I'M GLAD THAT I HAVE. 09:13 YOU KNOW, I MUST SAY THIS TO YOU. 09:16 I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOUR FEELINGS, BUT IF YOU'VE 09:18 NEVER BEEN BROKE, YOU ARE CULTURALLY DEPRIVED. 09:24 THERE'S STUFF I KNOW ABOUT JESUS BECAUSE I WAS POOR 09:28 AND I'M ONLY ABOUT TWO INCHES FROM POVERTY TODAY. 09:33 THERE ARE THINGS I KNOW ABOUT JESUS THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE NEVER 09:36 HAD A NEED WILL NEVER KNOW. 09:38 I KNOW THAT JESUS COMES THROUGH ON TIME. 09:47 WELL, I DON'T HAVE TIME. 09:49 I COULD PREACH A WHOLE SERMON ON THAT. 09:51 BUT WHAT I WANT TO SHOW YOU IS THAT THIS CHRIST 09:53 IS NOT ORDINARY. 09:55 WHEN LORD NICODEMUS CAME INTO CONTACT WITH HIM, HE RECOGNIZED 09:59 THAT WHILE NICODEMUS HAD HIGHER CREDENTIALS AND HIGHER TEMPORAL 10:06 POWER, THAT IS, WORLDLY POWER, WHILE HE COMMANDED MORE RESPECT 10:12 AS A MEMBER OF THE SANHEDRIN, WHEN HE WAS IN THE PRESENCE OF 10:15 JESUS, THERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THIS MAN THAT WAS POWERFUL. 10:22 THE BIBLE SAYS HE'D SPEAK AS ONE WHO HAD AUTHORITY. 10:26 WHERE DOES AUTHORITY COME FROM ? 10:27 IT CERTAINLY DID NOT COME FROM THE RABBINICAL SCHOOLS. 10:30 JESUS HAD NOT MATRICULATED THERE. 10:33 JESUS HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY KIND OF APPROBATION FROM 10:39 ANY GROUP IN AUTHORITY. 10:41 HIS AUTHORITY CAME FROM GOD. 10:43 NOW, LET ME PAUSE FOR A MOMENT. 10:45 BECAUSE I'VE SEEN SOME PREACHERS TAKE THAT TO 10:48 MEAN THAT EDUCATION IS BAD. 10:52 I POSIT TO YOU TONIGHT THAT THERE IS NO TENSION BETWEEN 10:55 EDUCATION AND SPIRITUALITY. 10:58 YOU CAN HAVE BOTH. 11:00 YOU OUGHT TO SEEK TO HAVE BOTH. 11:01 SO, ANY YOUNG PERSON WHO IS HERE TONIGHT, DON'T LET THIS PREACHER 11:05 CONVINCE YOU THAT YOU OUGHT NOT GET EVERY EDUCATIONAL CREDENTIAL 11:09 THAT YOU CAN GET. 11:16 IF YOU'RE IN HIGH SCHOOL, QUIT ACTING LIKE YOU'RE 11:19 ON THE LOWER LEVEL. 11:21 BELLY UP TO THE BAR AND MAKE AN A EVERY NOW AND THEN. 11:26 YOU'VE GOT TO DEVELOP YOUR MIND IF YOU'RE GOING TO PLEASE GOD. 11:30 IF YOU'RE IN COLLEGE, QUIT MAKING EXCUSES. 11:34 ASK GOD TO REARRANGE YOUR GRAY MATTER. 11:38 ASK HIM TO STIR UP THE SYNAPSIS OF YOUR BRAIN. 11:42 ASK GOD TO TEACH YOU HOW TO READ AND RETAIN. 11:45 ASK GOD TO MAKE YOUR MEMORY BETTER THAN IT'S EVER BEEN. 11:53 AND THEN DON'T PUT YOUR BOOK UNDER YOUR PILLOW 11:55 AND LAY DOWN ON IT. 11:57 OPEN IT UP AND LET GOD DO WHAT GOD CAN DO. 12:03 IF YOU'RE IN GRAD SCHOOL, HEY, GO TO IT WITH ALL YOU'VE GOT. 12:09 GOD DOES NOT SAY YOU OUGHT TO BE DUMB. 12:13 HE SIMPLY LETS YOU KNOW THAT WISDOM IS, WITHOUT 12:17 THE POWER OF GOD, NOTHING. 12:20 IN FACT, I SUGGEST TO YOU THAT SOMEBODY WILL A LOT OF 12:23 DEGREES AND NO CONTACT WITH GOD IS A DANGEROUS WEAPON. 12:30 WISDOM COMES FROM GOD. 12:32 INFORMATION COMES FROM CLASSROOMS AND BOOKS. 12:35 WHEN YOU PUT THEM TOGETHER, YOU CAN BE AN AMAZING HUMAN BEING. 12:40 ARE WE STILL TOGETHER ? 12:44 SO, DON'T EVER LET THE BIBLE FOOL YOU WHEN IT 12:47 SAYS STUFF LIKE THIS. 12:48 BUT JESUS HAD NOT GONE TO THE SCHOOLS. 12:50 HE HAD, HOWEVER, BEEN IN CONTACT WITH HIS FATHER. 12:53 EARLY IN THE MORNING, HE WOULD WAKE UP. 12:57 WOULDN'T MAKE PLANS FOR A DAY BEFORE HE TALKED TO HIS FATHER. 13:02 THAT'S WHY HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN 13:04 BEFORE IT HAPPENED. 13:06 BECAUSE GOD KNOWS THE END FROM THE BEGINNING. 13:10 AND IF YOU WOULD TALK TO HIM EARLY IN THE MORNING, HE'D TELL 13:13 YOU WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. 13:15 HE'D PREPARE YOU. 13:16 OR, HE MIGHT NOT TELL YOU WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. 13:19 HE'D JUST TELL YOU WHAT PATH TO TAKE, SO THAT 13:22 YOU COULD AVOID DANGER. 13:25 SO, WATCH THIS. 13:28 THIS NICODEMUS, WITH ALL OF HIS POWER, COMES TO JESUS BY NIGHT. 13:33 AND THEN THEY START THIS AMAZING LITTLE RHETORICAL PIROUETTES. 13:41 WE KNOW THAT THOU ART A TEACHER SENT FROM GOD. 13:46 NO ONE CAN DO THESE MIRACLES UNLESS HE'S SENT FROM GOD. 13:51 AND JESUS LISTENED BUT HE'S UNIMPRESSED. 13:54 REMEMBER, HE ALREADY TALKED TO HIS FATHER. 13:57 HE KNEW NICODEMUS WAS COMING. 13:58 KNEW WHAT NICODEMUS WOULD SAY. 14:01 SO, WHEN NICODEMUS HAS FINISHED USING CORRECT LANGUAGE, 14:07 HE DOESN'T QUITE WANT TO SAY THAT HE'S A PROPHET. 14:10 HE DOESN'T QUITE WANT TO SAY THAT HE'S THE SO 14:14 BUT HE CAN'T AVOID SAYING SOME THINGS. 14:17 AND THOUGH THERE WERE NO TAPE RECORDERS OR VIDEO PLAYERS 14:20 IN THOSE DAYS, HE'S GOT TO BE A LITTLE CAREFUL IN CASE 14:23 ONE OF HIS PEERS IS LURKING SOMEWHERE IN THE SHADOWS. 14:27 SO HE SAYS JUST ENOUGH, BUT NOT TOO MUCH. 14:32 AND I SAT BACK WHEN I FIRST READ IT AND I SAID, YEAH, JESUS IS 14:35 GOING TO GO BACK AT HIM AND HE'S GOING TO EXCHANGE WIT WITH HIM. 14:42 BUT JESUS DOESN'T. 14:44 HE CUTS THROUGH THE RED TAPE AND SAYS, YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 14:53 SOUNDS KIND OF RUDE, BUT IT WAS STRAIGHT TO THE POINT. 14:57 IN FACT, I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU A PLACE HERE IN A MINUTE. 14:58 THAT WILL BE THE FIRST EXPERIENCE-THE-POWER MOMENT. 15:01 BUT THE FACT IS THAT NICODEMUS HAD SENSED SOMETHING IN CHRIST. 15:07 ONE WRITER, I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CONFIDENCE IN THIS 15:09 WRITER, BUT LISTEN TO IT. 15:11 IT MIGHT AT LEAST TICKLE YOUR FANCY. 15:13 ONE WRITER SAYS THAT NICODEMUS KNEW THAT JESUS, WHILE HE 15:17 WAS VERY SPIRITUAL, WAS NOT VERY POLITICAL. 15:23 IN FACT, THIS WRITER SUGGESTS NICODEMUS WENT TO JESUS 15:27 TO BECOME HIS MENTOR IN POLITICAL MATTER. 15:32 HIS THOUGHT, SAYS THE WRITER, WAS THAT HE COULD GUIDE JESUS'S 15:36 CAREER, AND HELP HIM MANEUVER THROUGH THE LABYRINTHINE, THE 15:41 TUNNELS OF POLITICAL CHICANERY. 15:46 THAT HE COULD SPARE JESUS ALL OF THE PERILS THAT HE MIGHT FACE. 15:51 HEY, LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING. 15:53 WHEN YOU'VE GOT GOD ON YOUR SIDE, YOU CAN 15:55 HANDLE THE CHICANERY. 16:02 SO JESUS CUTS THROUGH THE RED TAPE AND SAYS TO NICODEMUS, 16:08 YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 16:09 NOW, NICODEMUS COMES BACK WITH PURE RHETORIC. 16:14 NICODEMUS DOESN'T EVEN BELIEVE WHAT HE'S SAYING NOW. 16:17 WELL A LOT OF EDUCATED PEOPLE ARE THIS WAY. 16:20 YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SPEND TOO LONG IN THE CLASSROOM WITH NO 16:23 CONTACT WITH GOD, YOUR BRAIN GETS DIRECTED IN STRANGE PLACES. 16:29 SO HE SAYS TO JESUS, YOU MEAN, BE BORN AGAIN ? 16:34 CAN AN OLD MAN ENTER AGAIN INTO HIS MOTHER'S WOMB ? 16:38 IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SUGGESTING, JESUS ? 16:40 JESUS SKIPS PAST THIS. 16:42 THE FACT IS THAT THE ESSIANS HAD BAPTIZED, THAT JOHN THE 16:47 BAPTIST HAD BAPTIZED. 16:49 HE KNEW WHAT THE NEW BIRTH WAS. 16:51 BUT THE FACT IS THAT THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEMSELVES SONS OF 16:55 ABRAHAM, THOUGHT THAT BY BIRTH THEY WERE TOO HOLY TO REPENT. 17:06 NOW YOU WANT TO CALL THAT NICODEMUS PROBLEM ALONE ? 17:12 I HAVE MET PEOPLE, NOT LONG AGO, WHO THOUGHT THEMSELVES 17:17 TOO HOLY TO REPENT. 17:20 HAVEN'T YOU ? 17:21 I LOVE IT WHEN I GET AROUND THEM. 17:23 YOU USUALLY MEET THEM AT DINNER SOMEWHERE. 17:28 AND JUST IN THE COURSE OF CONVERSATION, THEY WILL 17:31 MENTION, OH, DID YOU KNOW, MY UNCLE BUILT THAT CHURCH. 17:37 DID YOU PASS IT ? 17:39 AN AMAZING BUILDING. 17:40 WHEN I WAS A CHILD, HE WOULD TELL ME ALL THE TIME HOW 17:43 THEY WERE BUILDING IT. 17:44 SO YOU WILL SEE, IF YOU GO TO LOOK AT THE CORNERSTONE, YOU'LL 17:46 SEE MY UNCLE'S NAME THERE. 17:49 AS THOUGH THAT MADE YOU BETTER THAN ANYBODY ELSE. 17:53 LET ME MAKE IT PLAIN AND I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO BE CRASS, 17:57 BUT IT MIGHT SOUND SO. 17:58 IF YOUR MOTHER HAD THE UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE OF 18:01 BEARING YOU ON A PEW, YOU ARE STILL NOT BORN IN THE CHURCH. 18:08 (applause) BECAUSE THE WAY TO GET INTO THE 18:18 CHURCH IS NOT TO BE BORN. 18:22 IT'S TO BE BORN AGAIN. 18:26 FIRST BIRTH WON'T DO IT. 18:29 WE ARE BORN IN SIN, AND SHAPED IN INIQUITY. 18:33 I'VE GOT A LIST OF STUFF DOWN HERE. 18:35 JOB, CHAPTER 14, AND VERSE 4 SAYS, THAT YOU CANNOT 18:38 BRING A CLEAN THING OUT OF AN UNCLEANED THING. 18:42 ISAIAH 64 AND VERSE 6 IT SAYS, WE, ALL OF OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS, 18:48 WHEN YOU PILE THEM UP, THEY ARE STILL LIKE FILTHY RAGS. 18:51 I KNOW HOW TO BREAK IT DOWN. 18:52 SOMEBODY IS THINKING, WHY DOESN'T HE SAY THAT ? 18:55 I DON'T THINK IT NEEDS TO BE SAID. 18:56 I THINK WE UNDERSTAND WHAT FILTHY RAGS REPRESENTS. 18:59 AND THE BIBLE IS CLEAR THAT IF YOU STACKED UP ALL YOUR 19:02 RIGHTEOUS ACTS, ALL OF THEM WOULD REPRESENT FILTHY RAGS. 19:07 PSALM 51:10 SAYS THAT YOU'VE GOT TO GET A CLEAN HEART. 19:11 AND THEN EZEKIEL 36:26 SAYS, WHAT YOU NEED IS TO GET RID OF 19:15 THE HEART OF STONE AND LET JESUS GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH. 19:19 I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU, BUT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE TODAY 19:22 WITH A HEART OF STONE. 19:23 THEY ARE STONE-HEARTED. 19:26 BUT IF YOU'RE STILL STONE-HEARTED, YOU 19:29 HAVEN'T BEEN BORN AGAIN. 19:30 YOU WERE BORN, BUT NOT BORN AGAIN. 19:33 SO BORN IN SIN AND SHAPED IN INIQUITY, LORD NICODEMUS, 19:38 WITH ALL OF HIS ACCOLADES AND ALL OF HIS CREDENTIALS. 19:44 CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE WALKING INTO 19:46 THAT DARK PLACE ON THE MT. OF OLIVES ? 19:49 WALKING UP TO JESUS. 19:52 AND HE KNEW THIS JESUS WAS NOT ORDINARY. 19:55 AND AFTER HE FINISHES HIS STRANGE LITTLE, HIS 19:59 INTRODUCTION, JESUS SAYS TO HIM, EVEN YOU, LORD NICODEMUS, 20:04 EVEN YOU WITH YOUR ABRAHAM-IC BACKGROUND, WITH YOUR BLOOD 20:12 THAT'S PURE IN YOUR SIGHT, EVEN YOU CANNOT GO INTO 20:16 THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, BECAUSE WHAT'S FLESH IS FLESH, 20:20 AND WHAT'S SPIRIT IS SPIRIT. 20:23 SO YOU CAN'T DO IT THAT WAY. 20:26 I STUCK MY HEAD IN A BOOK A COUPLE OF TIMES. 20:28 I RAN ACROSS SOMETHING THERE THAT SAYS THERE ARE 20:31 PHILOSOPHERS, THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO STUDY HOW CHILDREN ARE BORN. 20:35 THEY SAY THAT CHILDREN COME HERE, IN LATIN: TABULRAZA. 20:40 YOU COME LIKE A BLANK PAGE. 20:43 A CLEAN SHEET OF PAPER. 20:45 ANYBODY WHO HAS EVER HAD A CHILD KNOW THAT CHILDREN 20:47 DO NOT COME HERE TABULRAZA. 20:52 I KNOW YOU CHERISH ALL THE MEMORIES OF YOUR CHILDREN. 20:55 EVERYBODY THINKS THAT THEIR CHILDREN ARE THE SMARTEST. 20:58 THEIR CHILD IS THE SMARTEST CHILD, AND THE 20:59 MOST GOOD-LOOKING CHILD. 21:02 THE FACT IS THAT CHILDREN, IF YOU JUST WATCH THEM, JUST LEAVE 21:05 THEM ALONE, DON'T INFLUENCE THEM, JUST WATCH THEM, YOU'LL 21:08 SEE THAT THEY ARE NOT BORN WITHOUT NEGATIVE INFLUENCE. 21:16 THAT LITTLE CUTE THING THAT YOU BRING HOME. 21:20 THEY GET HUNGRY. 21:21 YOU'RE NOT READY TO FEED THEM. 21:23 LOOK AT THEIR LITTLE HANDS. 21:24 (makes noise) THAT LITTLE HAND LOOKED LIKE IF 21:29 IT WERE POWERFUL ENOUGH, YOUR OWN LITTLE BABY WOULD CHOKE YOU 21:32 TO DEATH FOR A BOTTLE OF MILK. 21:35 (LAUGHTER) I'M SORRY. 21:39 I'M BURSTING YOUR BUBBLE. 21:40 FORGIVE ME. 21:43 YEAH, PEOPLE GET SO CARRIED AWAY WITH THEIR CHILDREN. 21:45 I HAVE MET SOME OF THESE TABULRAZA CHILDREN IN 21:47 THE GROCERY STORE. 21:49 (LAUGHTER) THESE TIME-OUT KIDS. 22:00 THEY GRAB ONE CAN AND MAKE ALL THE CANS FALL. 22:04 I TRAVELED TO LONDON ONE NIGHT WITH TWO TIME-OUT KIDS LEANING 22:08 OVER THE SEAT IN FRONT OF ME. 22:10 (LAUGHTER) I FELT MY BELT COMING 22:17 OUT OF THE LOOPS. 22:19 (LAUGHTER) BUT YOU CAN GO TO 22:24 JAIL FOR THAT STUFF. 22:25 YOU'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL. 22:28 THE FACT IS WE ARE BORN IN SIN. 22:29 NICODEMUS EVEN KNEW, EVEN KNEW BORN THE SEED OF ABRAHAM, YOU'VE 22:36 GOT TO BE BORN AGAIN. 22:37 WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO DO SOMETHING ? 22:41 I WOULD LIKE FOR PURE HOMILETIC PURPOSES TO 22:45 INVERT WHAT JESUS SAID. 22:49 JESUS SAYS THREE THINGS. 22:51 YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN. 22:53 IT'S LIKE THE WIND. 22:55 AND THE FINAL THING HE SAYS IS, THAT IF YOU HOLD UP 22:59 CHRIST LIKE MOSES HELD UP THE SERPENT IN THE WILDERNESS, 23:04 YOU CAN LOOK AND LIVE. 23:06 WOULD YOU ALLOW ME TO START AT THE END AND COME BACKWARDS ? 23:11 A LITTLE DRAMA IN THERE. 23:14 YOU HAVE READ IT. 23:15 WELL, IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT, THE FACT IS THAT YOU CAN GO TO 23:17 THE BIBLE AND YOU WILL DISCOVER NUMBERS, CHAPTER 21, VERSES SIX 23:21 THROUGH NINE, YOU WILL DISCOVER THE WILDERNESS EXPERIENCE THAT 23:25 CAME FORTH WITH THIS SERPENT. 23:29 THE FACT IS THAT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD COMPLAINED. 23:32 I DON'T HAVE TIME TO PREACH THIS SERMON TO YOU, BUT IF 23:34 YOU WANT PROBLEMS IN YOUR LIFE TO MULTIPLY, COMPLAIN. 23:43 SHOULD I REPEAT THAT OR DO I HAVE TIME ? 23:46 SO IF YOU THINK THINGS ARE SO TERRIBLE THAT YOU START, I DON'T 23:49 LIKE THE WAY THINGS ARE GOING. 23:52 WHEN GOD IS BLESSING YOU, EVEN WITH YOUR TRIALS, GOD 23:58 CAN SIMPLY TAKE A STEP BACK. 24:03 IN FACT, HE NEVER HAS TO TAKE THE STEP BACK, HE JUST WATCHES 24:07 YOU AS YOU STEP AWAY FROM HIM. 24:10 AND AS YOU WALK OUTSIDE OF THAT FENCE THAT HE HAS BUILT 24:15 AROUND YOU, THE ISRAELITES COMPLAINED THEMSELVES OUTSIDE 24:18 OF GOD'S PROTECTING POWER, AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY 24:21 STARTED BEING BITTEN BY WHAT THEY THOUGHT WERE SERPENTS. 24:24 THE SCHOLARS HAVE CALLED THEM EVERYTHING FROM PINWORMS TO PIT 24:29 VIPERS, BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHAT THEY WERE. 24:32 WHEN THEY BIT YOU, YOU DIED. 24:34 IS THAT SERIOUS OR WHAT ? 24:36 ANYTHING THAT BITES YOU AND YOU DIE IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM. 24:39 THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO MURMUR. 24:41 THEY SAID, MOSES, YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING. 24:43 MOSES AND AARON WERE TRAINED IN METALLURGY. 24:45 GOD TOLD THEM, MAKE A BRASS SERPENT. 24:47 PUT IT ON TOP OF A POLE AND LIFT IT UP. 24:51 AND THEN TELL THE PEOPLE, IF YOU'VE BEEN BITTEN, JUST LOOK. 24:58 THERE WERE SOME PEOPLE WHO SAID, THAT'S STUPID. 25:03 IT CAN'T HELP YOU TO LOOK. 25:04 THERE ARE STILL SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE DYING WITH THEIR PROBLEMS, 25:08 BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FAITH TO JUST LOOK AT JESUS. 25:12 THERE WERE OTHER PEOPLE WHO SAID, WELL, I'VE 25:14 GOT MY OWN REMEDY. 25:16 I'VE GOT SOME SALVE. 25:17 AND I CAN PUT IT ON THERE. 25:19 AND IF I PUT THAT ON WHERE THE SNAKE BIT, I CAN BE OKAY. 25:22 THERE ARE STILL PEOPLE LIKE THAT, WHO WILL 25:25 NOT COME TO CHRIST. 25:26 THEY INSIST ON MAKING UP THEIR OWN WAY FOR HEALING. 25:29 WHEN THE SIMPLE SOLUTION IS TO TURN AWAY FROM THE 25:33 PROBLEM AND LOOK AT JESUS. 25:37 Announcer: JOIN US NEXT TIME FOR MORE OF PASTOR PEARSON'S MESSAGE 25:41 ENTITLED "NIGHT SCHOOL." 26:47 Announcer: THANK YOU FOR WATCHING THE BREATH OF LIFE. 26:49 PASTOR WALTER PEARSON HOPES TODAY'S PROGRAM HAS BEEN 26:51 A REAL BLESSING TO YOU. 26:53 TO ORDER CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE COPY OF THIS BROADCAST, JUST 26:55 CALL OUR TOLL-FREENUMBER, 877-BOL-OFFER. 26:59 THAT'S 877-265-6333, OR YOU MAY WRITE TO: 27:05 BREATH OF LIFE, P.O. BOX 97192, 27:08 WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 27:12 THE CD OR AUDIOCASSETTE IS YOURS FOR A GIFT OF $5.00 OR MORE. 27:15 IF YOU'D LIKE TO PURCHASE A DVD OR VHS, JUST LET US KNOW 27:19 AND WE'LL SEND YOU AN ORDER FORM WITH A LIST OF ALL THE 27:21 BREATH OF LIFE PROGRAMS. 27:23 AGAIN, OUR TOLL FREE NUMBER IS 877-BOL-OFFER, 27:28 877-265-6333. 27:32 OUR ADDRESS IS: BREATH OF LIFE 27:34 P.O. BOX 97192, WASHINGTON, DC, 20077. 27:39 BE SURE TO TELL YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS ABOUT THE BREATH 27:41 OF LIFE TELEVISION MINISTRY. 27:43 THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GOD BLESS. 27:48 (theme music) |
Revised 2015-02-05