Atheist must think
that God is important
00:00:01.36\00:00:03.06
because they
seem to talk about Him
00:00:03.10\00:00:04.50
so much of the time.
00:00:04.53\00:00:06.23
They're right, of course,
God either matters a great deal
00:00:06.27\00:00:09.44
or He doesn't matter at all.
00:00:09.47\00:00:12.14
Science now shows
00:00:12.17\00:00:13.81
God's existence
is highly probable.
00:00:13.84\00:00:16.51
If He really does exist,
00:00:16.54\00:00:18.08
then an
intelligent understanding
00:00:18.11\00:00:19.78
of the original prime
mover is immensely important.
00:00:19.81\00:00:23.59
Who is God?
00:00:23.62\00:00:25.25
Is He a person or just
a blind impersonal force?
00:00:25.29\00:00:29.62
Was Jesus God?
00:00:29.66\00:00:31.29
Find out today on
the Carter Report.
00:00:31.33\00:00:34.10
Welcome back.
00:00:38.93\00:00:40.27
We're talking about God.
00:00:40.30\00:00:42.74
What is God like?
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Now the Bible says God is love.
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We talked about this
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in the last part of the program.
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But if God is love, why
is there evil in the world?
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Why is there suffering?
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This is one of the
greatest of all problems,
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one of the
greatest of all questions.
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But there is an answer.
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Because God is love, He
has given to every one of us
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and to the spirit
beings that are called angels.
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He's given to them
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the capacity of making choices.
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Now if I couldn't make choices,
if I didn't have freedom,
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then I couldn't love.
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You can't love somebody.
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It's impossible to love somebody
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if you don't have the capacity
and the ability to love them.
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That's all it is to it.
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Now if you see a young couple
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and they're very much in
love, you know, they're in love
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because they've
chosen to be in love.
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You imagine if
they were robots...
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They couldn't love each
other if they were robots.
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So God gave to us
this very risky gift
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of the capacity of choosing.
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He gave it to Satan.
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We're going to talk
about Satan next week.
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Now Satan was a being
who was completely sinless,
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he was always happy.
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But God said,
because I love you,
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you're going to be free.
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God is the God of
freedom, God is not a dictator.
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And so in some way that
we don't really comprehend,
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Satan became
puffed up with himself,
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and he chose to go against God.
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There was a choice.
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But that choice had
to be there for Satan
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to have the capacity to love God
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and to love other people.
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That's why
there's evil in the world
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because of the perversion
of the gift of freedom.
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I spoke about
this when I told you
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that tremendous story
from the Russian, Dostoevsky.
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You remember this,
the old inquisitor.
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He said we've taken away
from these people freedom,
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and now they're happy at last
because I don't have to choose.
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We make all the
choices for them.
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God gave to our first parents,
my friends, the gift of choice.
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And because they
made the wrong choice,
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suffering, and sin, and death,
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like a tremendous
tsunami poured into the world.
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Suffering exists
because of freedom.
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And freedom
exists because of love.
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But the day is coming
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when people are going to realize
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that even though they're
going to keep their freedom
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and they're going to
keep the capacity of choice,
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they're not going to
want to do bad things
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because they'll realize
that the happiest people
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are the people who follow God
and who keep His commandments.
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So God is love,
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but God is also
infinitely powerful.
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In Psalm 33:6-9, you read
these really scientific words.
00:04:03.84\00:04:08.64
Psalm 33:6-9,
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"By the word of the
Lord the heavens were made."
00:04:10.78\00:04:14.78
He breathed it into existence.
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"And all the host of them
by the breath of his mouth."
00:04:16.89\00:04:21.29
He breathed it, and
there was a universe,
00:04:21.32\00:04:23.96
trillions of
universes of galaxies.
00:04:23.99\00:04:26.49
"For he spoke, and it was done.
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He commanded,
and it stood fast."
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Now these are
absolutely astounding words.
00:04:32.37\00:04:35.24
Einstein taught
us to believe this,
00:04:35.27\00:04:38.17
"Matter can be
turned into energy."
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And that's what happens
when you have a hydrogen bomb.
00:04:41.28\00:04:44.85
So you take a
little bit of matter,
00:04:44.88\00:04:48.25
and you can turn it into energy.
00:04:48.28\00:04:50.19
But Einstein told us,
the equation can be reversed,
00:04:50.22\00:04:53.89
and therefore
00:04:53.92\00:04:55.26
energy can be
turned into matter.
00:04:55.29\00:04:58.19
And God had so much
energy and so much power,
00:04:58.23\00:05:03.13
infinite power that He spoke.
00:05:03.16\00:05:07.60
He breathed it. And
there was a universe.
00:05:07.64\00:05:13.84
So He is infinitely powerful.
00:05:13.88\00:05:17.85
There's no limit to his power.
00:05:17.88\00:05:22.62
He's infinitely
righteous and just.
00:05:22.65\00:05:27.62
He doesn't need
an FBI investigation.
00:05:27.66\00:05:33.33
He hasn't been doing
any crooked little deals.
00:05:33.36\00:05:37.03
He hasn't been
conspiring with the enemy.
00:05:37.07\00:05:40.24
He's completely righteous,
00:05:40.27\00:05:41.80
and that is why it's
going to be a judgment.
00:05:41.84\00:05:45.47
He's infinitely wise.
00:05:45.51\00:05:48.54
Now wisdom is
more than knowledge.
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God has got huge
amount of knowledge,
00:05:53.55\00:05:56.08
but He makes no mistakes
because He's infinitely wise.
00:05:56.12\00:06:00.92
And if you want to
get some of His wisdom,
00:06:00.96\00:06:02.96
read the book of
Proverbs, read it through,
00:06:02.99\00:06:06.36
read it slowly,
the wisdom of God.
00:06:06.39\00:06:08.26
He's infinitely all knowing.
00:06:08.30\00:06:11.67
That means God knows everything
about everything all the time.
00:06:11.70\00:06:16.10
He knows what
you're thinking now.
00:06:16.14\00:06:19.27
And how does that make you feel?
00:06:19.31\00:06:20.64
God knows what
you're thinking now,
00:06:20.68\00:06:23.48
God knows what you were thinking
00:06:23.51\00:06:24.85
last night,
00:06:24.88\00:06:26.21
He knows what
you're thinking tomorrow.
00:06:26.25\00:06:28.55
All knowing, He
knows all about us.
00:06:31.65\00:06:33.66
He's infinitely redemptive.
00:06:33.69\00:06:37.13
That means, He's got
a heart that is so big
00:06:37.16\00:06:39.43
and so full of love that
is infinitely redemptive.
00:06:39.46\00:06:44.33
Now here's a great text
00:06:44.37\00:06:45.70
in Philippians 2:5, 6, 7, and 8.
00:06:45.73\00:06:50.04
And I want to read it too,
and I want you to read it also.
00:06:50.07\00:06:53.51
"Let this mind be in you
which was also in Christ Jesus,
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who, being in the
form of God," He was God,
00:06:58.95\00:07:01.68
He was in the form of God,"
00:07:01.72\00:07:03.35
did not consider it
robbery to be equal with God,
00:07:03.39\00:07:06.45
but made Himself
of no reputation,
00:07:06.49\00:07:09.16
taking the form of a bondservant
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and coming in
the likeness of men.
00:07:12.56\00:07:15.96
And being found in
appearance as a man,
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He humbled Himself
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and became obedient
to the point of death,
00:07:20.54\00:07:23.20
even the death of the cross."
00:07:23.24\00:07:26.01
Listen to me,
some of the viewers
00:07:26.04\00:07:28.28
may find this so hard to believe
00:07:28.31\00:07:30.61
they're not going to believe it,
00:07:30.65\00:07:31.98
but others are
going to believe it,
00:07:32.01\00:07:33.52
they're going to
make the right choice.
00:07:33.55\00:07:37.65
The Bible says
00:07:37.69\00:07:40.36
that the Almighty God...
00:07:40.39\00:07:44.73
The Almighty God,
00:07:44.76\00:07:46.09
who made the
universe became a baby,
00:07:46.13\00:07:48.96
and became a man,
00:07:49.00\00:07:51.33
and died for our
sins on the cross.
00:07:51.37\00:07:53.54
There's nothing
as important as that,
00:07:53.57\00:07:57.24
nothing as important.
00:07:57.27\00:07:58.61
I see people all the time
getting at their cell phones
00:07:58.64\00:08:01.14
because they're
addicted, you see.
00:08:01.18\00:08:02.78
It's an addiction. We know this.
00:08:02.81\00:08:04.81
Psychologists tell us
it's hurting their brains.
00:08:04.85\00:08:07.65
But the more
they brains are hurt,
00:08:07.68\00:08:09.45
the more they're...
00:08:09.48\00:08:10.85
You know why?
00:08:10.89\00:08:14.09
The people who make those things
00:08:14.12\00:08:15.79
know how to turn them on.
00:08:15.82\00:08:17.99
It's a science.
00:08:18.03\00:08:19.63
And millions of people
00:08:19.66\00:08:21.00
are being
brainwashed all the time.
00:08:21.03\00:08:23.10
They can't even come
into church with a...
00:08:23.13\00:08:27.07
Why?
00:08:27.10\00:08:28.44
There's this need
00:08:32.87\00:08:35.08
deep inside them to be loved.
00:08:35.11\00:08:40.32
There's this need for
some warmth in their lives.
00:08:40.35\00:08:44.59
Their lives are generally
so shallow and so empty
00:08:44.62\00:08:48.49
that they've got
to have something.
00:08:48.52\00:08:51.63
But the Bible
teaches that God is so loving
00:08:51.66\00:08:56.60
that He became a human being.
00:08:56.63\00:08:58.80
John 8:56-58.
00:08:58.83\00:09:01.70
This is one of the great texts.
00:09:01.74\00:09:03.07
John 8:56-58,
Jesus said to the Jews,
00:09:03.10\00:09:07.58
"Your father Abraham
rejoiced to see My day,
00:09:07.61\00:09:10.41
and he saw it and was glad.
00:09:10.45\00:09:12.81
Then the Jews said to him,
'You are not yet 50 years old,
00:09:12.85\00:09:16.08
and have You seen Abraham?'"
00:09:16.12\00:09:17.45
Look at these words.
00:09:17.49\00:09:18.82
"Jesus said to them,
'Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:09:18.85\00:09:22.56
before Abraham was,'"
not I was, but "I AM."
00:09:22.59\00:09:27.36
The Bible says,
00:09:27.40\00:09:28.73
the Jews being
logical and understanding
00:09:28.76\00:09:33.64
the consequence of His teaching,
00:09:33.67\00:09:35.54
they took up
stones to murder Him
00:09:35.57\00:09:37.61
because they said this
man is claiming to be God.
00:09:37.64\00:09:41.48
Jesus said,
"Before Abraham was born,"
00:09:41.51\00:09:45.61
didn't say I was, he said I am.
00:09:45.65\00:09:50.32
Always there, I am.
00:09:50.35\00:09:53.82
This person...
00:09:53.86\00:09:55.96
When I discovered this
truth as a boy, it's stunned me,
00:09:55.99\00:09:59.66
it thrilled me,
and overwhelmed me,
00:09:59.69\00:10:01.93
it immersed me in its
grandeur and greatness.
00:10:01.96\00:10:05.50
This Almighty God whose name...
00:10:05.53\00:10:09.77
We're hesitant to say this word,
00:10:09.80\00:10:11.47
the Tetragrammaton.
00:10:11.51\00:10:12.84
Y-H-W-H, it is translated
in the Bible by the words,
00:10:12.87\00:10:17.55
LORD in caps, LORD.
00:10:17.58\00:10:22.35
Rather poor
translation is Yahweh,
00:10:22.38\00:10:24.65
but it's not bad.
00:10:24.69\00:10:27.42
But the real
translation is YHWH.
00:10:27.46\00:10:31.59
Jesus said,
"Before Abraham was born,
00:10:31.63\00:10:37.57
I am."
00:10:37.60\00:10:41.04
I want you to think about this
00:10:41.07\00:10:43.20
then everything gets
in its true perspective.
00:10:43.24\00:10:47.58
I want to describe
if I can His birth.
00:10:47.61\00:10:51.25
He was born in a shed
00:10:51.28\00:10:53.25
at the back of motel six
00:10:53.28\00:10:58.49
because there was no
room for Him in the end.
00:10:58.52\00:11:02.32
Who's this person?
00:11:02.36\00:11:03.73
He's God.
00:11:03.76\00:11:06.26
You know why we find it hard,
00:11:06.29\00:11:07.80
I said it to you,
love, charity, kindness,
00:11:07.83\00:11:11.70
the reason we find it
hard to understand truth
00:11:11.73\00:11:14.90
is because we have been
brainwashed by the foolishness
00:11:14.94\00:11:19.34
and the
superficiality of this age.
00:11:19.37\00:11:22.04
This is why we've
got to be on these things
00:11:22.08\00:11:24.15
all the time to fill
the hole in our hearts.
00:11:24.18\00:11:29.22
It is a symptom of our sickness
and a symptom of our despair.
00:11:29.25\00:11:35.22
It's a symptom
of our loneliness.
00:11:35.26\00:11:37.16
And that is why some people
00:11:37.19\00:11:38.53
always have their phone ringing,
00:11:38.56\00:11:40.56
so they're saying to
people, I'm important.
00:11:40.60\00:11:45.00
Somebody's
calling me, I'm important.
00:11:45.03\00:11:47.77
You may not know,
but I'm important.
00:11:47.80\00:11:50.14
My phone is
ringing all the time.
00:11:50.17\00:11:55.58
It's a symptom of our despair.
00:11:55.61\00:11:57.45
When He was born,
there were no marching bands,
00:12:01.45\00:12:04.02
no choirs,
00:12:04.05\00:12:05.95
no delegations
from the Sanhedrin
00:12:05.99\00:12:07.89
of the church up the road.
00:12:07.92\00:12:10.33
Apparently, God has not pompous
00:12:10.36\00:12:11.99
or ostentatious.
00:12:12.03\00:12:14.46
You get that?
00:12:14.50\00:12:15.83
He's not
pompous or ostentatious.
00:12:15.86\00:12:18.80
Why did he come?
00:12:18.83\00:12:20.17
He came to show
us what God is like.
00:12:20.20\00:12:22.87
He was totally unlike
00:12:22.90\00:12:24.24
the religious people of His day.
00:12:24.27\00:12:28.74
He didn't become
00:12:28.78\00:12:30.11
when He was born a
church leader, a pope,
00:12:30.15\00:12:33.58
a president, a
King, a businessman,
00:12:33.62\00:12:37.55
but a baby born
of a peasant girl,
00:12:37.59\00:12:41.82
and His job when He grew up
00:12:41.86\00:12:43.56
was a carpenter.
00:12:43.59\00:12:47.56
What is God like?
00:12:47.60\00:12:50.10
Not like most of
us, not like any of us,
00:12:50.13\00:12:55.30
totally unpretentious,
not pompous, and not churchy.
00:12:55.34\00:12:59.71
God thinks differently.
00:12:59.74\00:13:04.41
When He's
around 30 years of age,
00:13:04.45\00:13:05.95
He becomes a
preacher and a healer,
00:13:05.98\00:13:08.22
the two most
important professions in life,
00:13:08.25\00:13:11.52
a preacher and a
healer, two most important jobs.
00:13:11.55\00:13:16.56
Not a politician, no.
00:13:16.59\00:13:18.79
Never put down preaching.
00:13:18.83\00:13:20.30
Moses and Elijah,
John the Baptist, Paul,
00:13:20.33\00:13:23.20
John, Wesley, all
great preachers, why?
00:13:23.23\00:13:27.10
It's the most important thing
00:13:27.14\00:13:28.60
to communicate the
grace of God to the world.
00:13:28.64\00:13:31.34
Nothing else is important.
00:13:31.37\00:13:33.54
And healing is a close second.
00:13:33.58\00:13:36.81
Why did they show Billy Graham
so much honor at his death?
00:13:36.85\00:13:40.85
Why was his body
taken to Washington, DC?
00:13:40.88\00:13:44.09
Why did the President come
whether they make the speeches?
00:13:44.12\00:13:49.22
Because He done
more good for America
00:13:49.26\00:13:51.69
than all those
politicians put together.
00:13:51.73\00:13:54.03
That's the
reason. That's the reason.
00:13:54.06\00:13:58.13
Even those carnal
men sow greatness.
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.87
Jesus was a preacher.
00:14:00.90\00:14:05.91
He told stories, many stories
to show what God is like.
00:14:05.94\00:14:10.65
In Luke 15,
00:14:10.68\00:14:12.11
it's one of the
greatest chapters
00:14:12.15\00:14:13.48
in the Bible.
00:14:13.52\00:14:14.85
Luke 15:1-2,
00:14:14.88\00:14:17.15
"Then all the tax
collectors and the sinners
00:14:17.19\00:14:19.72
drew near to Him to hear Him.
00:14:19.75\00:14:21.96
And the Pharisees
and scribes complained,"
00:14:21.99\00:14:25.36
religious people always moaning,
00:14:25.39\00:14:27.16
"saying,
00:14:27.20\00:14:28.53
'This Man receives
sinners and eats with them.'"
00:14:28.56\00:14:31.40
And Jesus said, guilty.
00:14:31.43\00:14:35.17
Yes, I do because
the goodness of God
00:14:35.20\00:14:39.91
is that He likes sinners.
00:14:39.94\00:14:43.51
How can He like
sinner who are so defile
00:14:43.55\00:14:46.01
and He is so righteous?
00:14:46.05\00:14:47.68
That is His love.
00:14:47.72\00:14:49.28
This is the
miracle of the gospel.
00:14:49.32\00:14:51.65
This Man goes and
He eats with sinners.
00:14:51.69\00:14:55.42
And Jesus said it
dead right. Absolutely.
00:14:55.46\00:14:59.96
Then He told a
story of the lost selfish
00:15:00.00\00:15:05.70
naughty little boy.
00:15:05.73\00:15:07.77
Luke 15:11-12.
00:15:07.80\00:15:10.11
Look at it, Luke 15:11-12.
00:15:10.14\00:15:15.61
"Then He said, 'A
certain manner two sons.
00:15:15.64\00:15:17.91
And the younger of
them said to his father,
00:15:17.95\00:15:19.81
'Father, give me,
give me, give me, give me,
00:15:19.85\00:15:22.88
give me the portion of
goods that falls to me.'
00:15:22.92\00:15:25.52
So he divided to
them his livelihood.'"
00:15:25.55\00:15:28.49
Don't have
sympathy for this boy.
00:15:28.52\00:15:32.33
He's an
ungrateful young larrikin.
00:15:32.36\00:15:37.67
He takes his father's
money before the old man's dead.
00:15:37.70\00:15:42.57
The Bible says he
goes into a far country,
00:15:42.60\00:15:45.01
that's where every sinner goes.
00:15:45.04\00:15:47.38
You may be there
in the far country.
00:15:47.41\00:15:49.84
Why are people continually
drinking alcohol, taking drugs?
00:15:49.88\00:15:55.68
You know why,
00:15:55.72\00:15:57.05
because of the emptiness inside.
00:15:57.09\00:15:58.69
There in the far country.
00:15:58.72\00:16:00.46
But they're so
blind, they don't know it.
00:16:00.49\00:16:05.16
The Bible says he
wastes everything.
00:16:05.19\00:16:07.06
He's a Jewish boy.
00:16:07.10\00:16:09.00
He wastes everything,
00:16:09.03\00:16:12.73
spends his money on prostitutes,
00:16:12.77\00:16:15.20
and he ends up a
Jewish boy feeding the pigs.
00:16:15.24\00:16:20.14
And he gets so
hungry, he eats the pig food.
00:16:20.18\00:16:23.91
Let me tell you, if
you're away from God
00:16:23.95\00:16:27.38
and if you're
in the far country,
00:16:27.42\00:16:29.45
you're living on pig's food.
00:16:29.48\00:16:32.15
"Oh, I've got to
go to this movie.
00:16:32.19\00:16:34.29
I got to do this.
I got to see this.
00:16:34.32\00:16:36.16
I can't wait
for another second."
00:16:36.19\00:16:37.86
You're living on pig's food?
00:16:37.89\00:16:42.00
Why don't we wake up and realize
00:16:42.03\00:16:44.37
that the devil is dancing on us.
00:16:44.40\00:16:47.40
The Bible says after
he's lived on pig food
00:16:47.44\00:16:50.27
for long enough,
he comes to himself,
00:16:50.31\00:16:53.94
and he makes his way
home thinking the old man's
00:16:53.98\00:16:56.85
going to smack
him around the head.
00:16:56.88\00:16:58.61
Look at Luke
15:20-21, Luke 15:20-21,
00:17:03.02\00:17:07.79
"And he arose and
came to his father.
00:17:07.82\00:17:10.46
But when he was
still a great way off,"
00:17:10.49\00:17:13.09
think of this,
"his father saw him,
00:17:13.13\00:17:16.36
had compassion,
00:17:16.40\00:17:17.83
ran and fell on his
neck and kissed him."
00:17:17.87\00:17:20.30
He doesn't kick
him, he kisses him.
00:17:20.34\00:17:23.00
"The son said to him, 'Father,
'I've sinned against heaven
00:17:23.04\00:17:25.67
and in your sight,
00:17:25.71\00:17:27.04
am no longer worthy
to be called your son.'"
00:17:27.08\00:17:29.98
You know, what the father says?
00:17:30.01\00:17:32.71
Don't say anything more.
00:17:32.75\00:17:34.08
What is God like?
00:17:37.85\00:17:39.19
Verse 22 and 23,
00:17:43.29\00:17:46.46
"The father
said to his servants,
00:17:46.49\00:17:47.93
'Bring out the best
robe and put it on him,
00:17:47.96\00:17:52.20
put a ring on his hand.'"
00:17:52.23\00:17:53.57
Goodness me. Puts
a ring on his hand.
00:17:53.60\00:17:56.34
Oh.
00:17:56.37\00:17:58.17
"Sandals on his feet,
and bring the fatted calf,"
00:17:58.21\00:18:02.68
it gets worse,
00:18:02.71\00:18:04.85
"bring the fatted
calf here and kill it,
00:18:04.88\00:18:06.85
let us eat and be merry."
00:18:06.88\00:18:09.75
You know who this old man is?
00:18:09.78\00:18:12.39
This is God. The old man is God.
00:18:12.42\00:18:16.22
Not at all like the Pharisees,
not all like these stiff,
00:18:16.26\00:18:20.96
stuffy, and
obnoxious religionists.
00:18:21.00\00:18:26.10
The Father's got a
heart as big as the universe.
00:18:26.13\00:18:29.30
You know why,
because He made it.
00:18:29.34\00:18:31.97
It has been said,
there are two great truths
00:18:35.31\00:18:38.05
that we are slow to learn.
00:18:38.08\00:18:39.75
Oh, here it is.
00:18:39.78\00:18:42.55
"Man is far worse than
he ever feared to think.
00:18:42.58\00:18:45.22
That's us.
00:18:45.25\00:18:46.59
We're worse than
we've ever feared to think.
00:18:46.62\00:18:50.56
"But God is far better
than he ever dared to hope."
00:18:50.59\00:18:55.06
God is far better
than he ever dared to hope.
00:18:55.10\00:18:57.17
You know this painting?
00:18:57.20\00:18:58.93
It hangs in the hermitage.
00:18:58.97\00:19:01.54
When Beverly and
I have gone there
00:19:01.57\00:19:03.20
to St. Petersburg
on many occasions,
00:19:03.24\00:19:05.67
we've stood
there, and we've looked
00:19:05.71\00:19:07.78
at the wonderful
painting of the prodigal son.
00:19:07.81\00:19:11.48
The prodigal son was blessed
00:19:15.02\00:19:17.22
because he had
a prodigal father.
00:19:17.25\00:19:20.42
Did you know that?
00:19:20.46\00:19:21.79
You know what prodigal means?
00:19:21.82\00:19:23.83
Extravagant,
abundant, over and beyond.
00:19:23.86\00:19:29.40
This boy is over
and beyond in his sin,
00:19:29.43\00:19:33.27
but the old father is
over and beyond in His love
00:19:33.30\00:19:35.90
and His grace.
00:19:35.94\00:19:37.27
That's what God is like.
00:19:40.81\00:19:44.41
Jesus was the
special friend and defender
00:19:44.45\00:19:47.38
of sexually exploited women.
00:19:47.42\00:19:52.25
Anybody who was down on women
is an enemy of God, I tell you.
00:19:52.29\00:19:57.63
John 8:3, 4, and 5,
00:19:57.66\00:20:02.96
"Then the scribes and Pharisees
brought to Him a woman..."
00:20:03.00\00:20:05.83
Not a man, didn't bring a man.
00:20:05.87\00:20:09.87
You know why they
didn't bring a man?
00:20:09.90\00:20:11.34
They would have had
to bring themselves.
00:20:11.37\00:20:14.44
"Scribes and
Pharisees brought to him a woman
00:20:14.48\00:20:19.51
caught in adultery.
00:20:19.55\00:20:20.88
And when they'd set her in
the midst, they said to Him,
00:20:20.92\00:20:23.25
'Teacher, this woman was caught
in adultery, in the very act.
00:20:23.28\00:20:27.06
Now Moses, in
the law, commanded us
00:20:27.09\00:20:29.29
that such should be stoned.
00:20:29.32\00:20:30.66
But what do You say?"
00:20:30.69\00:20:32.03
You know the story, don't you?
00:20:32.06\00:20:34.96
Got down, He wrote in the sand
00:20:35.00\00:20:38.30
the dirty secrets
of their dirty lives.
00:20:38.33\00:20:41.30
Then He said to the woman
"Has anybody condemned you
00:20:41.34\00:20:44.91
because those
cowards just ran away?"
00:20:44.94\00:20:48.18
He said,
"Neither do I condemn you,
00:20:48.21\00:20:49.74
go and sin no more."
00:20:49.78\00:20:52.81
This is what God is
like, the friend of sinners,
00:20:52.85\00:20:57.25
the friend of
sexually exploited women.
00:20:57.29\00:21:02.02
And finally, the
God-man took all the sin
00:21:05.69\00:21:09.00
of the world upon Himself.
00:21:09.03\00:21:10.97
It's almost too hard to
believe that the God-man,
00:21:11.00\00:21:15.37
the Creator of
the cosmos would take
00:21:15.40\00:21:17.67
all the sin of the
world upon Himself.
00:21:17.71\00:21:19.97
Why?
00:21:20.01\00:21:22.34
Almost too hard to believe.
00:21:22.38\00:21:23.85
John 3:14-17, one
of the strangest text,
00:21:23.88\00:21:27.68
"As Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness,
00:21:27.72\00:21:30.52
even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up,
00:21:30.55\00:21:32.89
that whoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:21:32.92\00:21:35.49
but have eternal life.
00:21:35.52\00:21:37.89
For God so loved
the world that He gave
00:21:37.93\00:21:39.76
His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him
00:21:39.79\00:21:42.90
should not perish but
have everlasting life.
00:21:42.93\00:21:45.63
For God did not send
His Son into the world
00:21:45.67\00:21:48.04
to condemn the world,
00:21:48.07\00:21:49.40
but the world
through Him might be saved."
00:21:49.44\00:21:53.21
Now where does the
serpent fit into this?
00:21:53.24\00:21:55.34
You ever thought about that?
00:21:55.38\00:21:58.01
Doesn't say, as
Moses lifted up the lamb
00:21:58.05\00:22:00.55
in the wilderness, he
lifted up the serpent.
00:22:00.58\00:22:04.09
And the serpent
became the symbol of Christ,
00:22:04.12\00:22:08.89
why, because the
serpent is the symbol of sin,
00:22:08.92\00:22:13.70
and on the cross.
00:22:13.73\00:22:15.63
Christ took our
sin upon Himself.
00:22:15.66\00:22:18.13
What is God like?
00:22:21.57\00:22:22.90
He's better than we can
understand or comprehend
00:22:27.88\00:22:30.91
on the Roman
cross, don't forget it.
00:22:30.95\00:22:36.45
He felt all the pain,
the despair, the sorrow,
00:22:36.48\00:22:41.32
the agony, the
repression of a lost world.
00:22:41.36\00:22:47.00
And He went to the
cross because He loves you.
00:22:47.03\00:22:52.03
Some say, "Oh, I
couldn't do that for God.
00:22:52.07\00:22:54.20
It's too much."
00:22:54.24\00:22:57.44
God would say, "Get a life."
00:22:57.47\00:23:01.41
And realize that
hanging on the cross
00:23:01.44\00:23:04.75
was the creator of the universe.
00:23:04.78\00:23:07.38
There's an old
skeptic who was dying,
00:23:15.06\00:23:18.33
young man went across
to see him was a Christian
00:23:18.36\00:23:20.76
and took his Bible.
00:23:20.80\00:23:22.33
Then old skeptic
said, "Get out of here
00:23:22.36\00:23:23.93
and never come back again."
00:23:23.97\00:23:25.80
He came home and
he told his wife,
00:23:25.83\00:23:28.40
but the old skeptic had said,
"I don't want your old Bible."
00:23:28.44\00:23:32.71
Now the little girl
was only five or six,
00:23:32.74\00:23:34.98
and she just
received her first Bible.
00:23:35.01\00:23:37.95
So she thought, "Well,
00:23:37.98\00:23:39.31
if he doesn't
want daddy's old Bible,
00:23:39.35\00:23:41.18
maybe he'll have my new Bible."
00:23:41.22\00:23:43.75
So she went to see him,
and she took her new Bible,
00:23:43.79\00:23:48.26
and he read it.
00:23:48.29\00:23:49.62
And as he read it, he
found the story of Christ.
00:23:49.66\00:23:54.66
After his death,
they found this poem
00:23:54.70\00:23:57.00
that the old
skeptic had written.
00:23:57.03\00:23:59.27
Listen to it.
00:23:59.30\00:24:01.57
"I've tried in
vain a thousand ways,
00:24:01.60\00:24:04.07
my fears to
quell, my hopes to raise.
00:24:04.11\00:24:08.11
But what I need, the Bible says,
00:24:08.14\00:24:10.35
is ever, only Jesus."
00:24:10.38\00:24:13.15
My soul is night,
my heart is steel,
00:24:13.18\00:24:15.65
I cannot see, I cannot feel.
00:24:15.68\00:24:19.95
For light, for life,
00:24:19.99\00:24:21.32
I must appeal in
simple faith to Jesus.
00:24:21.36\00:24:25.06
He died, He lives,
He reigns, He pleads.
00:24:25.09\00:24:28.66
There's love in all
His words and deeds.
00:24:28.70\00:24:32.63
That is all a
guilty sinner needs
00:24:32.67\00:24:34.97
forever more in Jesus.
00:24:35.00\00:24:39.17
Then the old skeptic wrote,
"Though some should sneer,
00:24:39.21\00:24:43.91
and some should blame,
00:24:43.95\00:24:46.55
I'll go with all
my guiltand shame.
00:24:46.58\00:24:51.29
I'll go to Him because His name,
00:24:51.32\00:24:54.32
above all names, is Jesus."
00:24:54.36\00:24:58.79
And Jesus is what God is like.
00:24:58.83\00:25:03.57
He said in John 14:6, 8, 9.
00:25:03.60\00:25:08.17
"Jesus said to
him, 'I am the way,
00:25:08.20\00:25:09.74
the truth and the life.'
00:25:09.77\00:25:11.11
No one comes to the
Father except through Me.
00:25:11.14\00:25:14.24
Philip said to him,
'Lord, show us the Father,
00:25:14.28\00:25:16.54
it is sufficient for us.'
00:25:16.58\00:25:17.91
Jesus said to him,
'Have I been with you so long,
00:25:17.95\00:25:20.85
and yet you have
not known me, Philip?
00:25:20.88\00:25:23.12
He who has seen Me
has seen the Father.
00:25:23.15\00:25:26.55
How can you say,
'show us the Father'?"
00:25:26.59\00:25:29.49
Do you want to
know what God is like?
00:25:29.52\00:25:32.06
I can tell you.
00:25:32.09\00:25:33.60
Want to know what God is like?
00:25:33.63\00:25:36.53
Look at the cross.
00:25:36.56\00:25:38.83
Look at the man
hanging on the cross.
00:25:38.87\00:25:44.24
The hands that
flung the stars in space
00:25:44.27\00:25:48.74
with the hands that
were nailed to the cross.
00:25:51.88\00:25:55.92
What is God like?
00:25:55.95\00:25:59.09
God is like Jesus.
00:25:59.12\00:26:02.59
Believe, and you
will see the glory of God.
00:26:02.62\00:26:08.33
Amen, and amen.
00:26:08.36\00:26:10.83
There's only one thing
00:26:18.14\00:26:19.47
that really
counts in this lifetime,
00:26:19.51\00:26:22.01
your relationship to Christ.
00:26:22.04\00:26:24.78
And then if you
have a right relationship
00:26:24.81\00:26:26.65
with Christ,
00:26:26.68\00:26:28.42
you want to tell
people about Christ.
00:26:28.45\00:26:31.35
That's why Jesus
said, "Go into all the world
00:26:31.39\00:26:33.82
and preach the
gospel to every creature."
00:26:33.86\00:26:37.83
By the grace of God,
we're going to do that,
00:26:37.86\00:26:40.46
we are doing that.
00:26:40.50\00:26:42.63
That is why we're
going back to Cuba
00:26:42.66\00:26:45.03
to this communist
land to preach Christ.
00:26:45.07\00:26:49.67
We're accepting an
invitation to go to the vast,
00:26:49.70\00:26:53.84
huge city of Manila, the
capital of the Philippines,
00:26:53.88\00:26:57.88
been there before,
but by the grace of God,
00:26:57.91\00:27:01.02
we're going back.
00:27:01.05\00:27:02.88
Please support us.
00:27:02.92\00:27:04.82
Please stand with
us in the preaching
00:27:04.85\00:27:08.02
of the everlasting gospel.
00:27:08.06\00:27:09.89
You say, "How do you do
it? Who pays the bills?"
00:27:09.92\00:27:13.19
We do.
00:27:13.23\00:27:14.56
Do you get any
financial help from the church?
00:27:14.60\00:27:17.27
No, my friend, we don't.
00:27:17.30\00:27:19.10
But we get a lot of help
from God and from His children.
00:27:19.13\00:27:23.61
Please support
us in the preaching
00:27:23.64\00:27:26.78
of the everlasting gospel.
00:27:26.81\00:27:28.41
It's the most
important work in all the world.
00:27:28.44\00:27:31.51
Everything else
is almost trivia.
00:27:31.55\00:27:34.62
So would you please
write to me, John Carter,
00:27:34.65\00:27:39.35
Post Office Box
1900 Thousand Oaks,
00:27:39.39\00:27:42.52
California 91358.
00:27:42.56\00:27:46.53
Do your best for Jesus,
do your best for the gospel.
00:27:46.56\00:27:50.80
And in Australia,
write to me at Terrigal.
00:27:50.83\00:27:54.87
And we promise
you this, every dime,
00:27:54.90\00:27:58.57
every dollar is going
to be used to win souls
00:27:58.61\00:28:02.31
to our Lord Jesus Christ.
00:28:02.34\00:28:04.85
Please write to me today.
00:28:04.88\00:28:09.32
Thank you and God bless you.
00:28:09.35\00:28:10.89
For a copy of today's program,
00:28:19.86\00:28:21.90
please contact us at PO
Box 1900, Thousand Oaks,
00:28:21.93\00:28:26.17
California 91358 or in Australia
00:28:26.20\00:28:31.27
contact us at PO Box 861,
00:28:31.31\00:28:34.74
Terrigal, New South Wales 2260.
00:28:34.78\00:28:38.95
This program is made possible
through the generous support
00:28:38.98\00:28:42.18
of viewers like you.
00:28:42.22\00:28:43.65
We thank you for
your continued support.
00:28:43.69\00:28:46.79
May God richly bless you.
00:28:46.82\00:28:48.72