I'm John Carter in
Moscow. In Havana, Cuba.
00:00:02.23\00:00:07.34
Now in Kiev, the
capital of Ukraine.
00:00:07.37\00:00:10.51
I'm John Carter in Petra.
00:00:10.54\00:00:13.51
Right here in Communist China.
00:00:13.54\00:00:16.41
Reporting from India.
00:00:16.44\00:00:18.58
Hi, I'm John Carter
in the Solomon Islands.
00:00:18.61\00:00:21.48
I'm John Carter in Soweto.
00:00:21.52\00:00:24.09
From El Salvador.
00:00:24.12\00:00:26.42
I'm John Carter
in Sydney, Australia.
00:00:26.45\00:00:29.66
Pastor Carter ponders If
This Were My Last Sermon.
00:00:29.69\00:00:33.19
Welcome back.
00:00:37.17\00:00:38.50
Today, I'm
talking about something
00:00:38.53\00:00:40.14
very close to my heart.
00:00:40.17\00:00:42.90
What would I say if
this were my last sermon?
00:00:42.94\00:00:45.97
I talked a little bit
00:00:46.01\00:00:47.34
in the first
part of the program,
00:00:47.38\00:00:49.58
about the brevity of life
and the uncertainty of life.
00:00:49.61\00:00:53.42
Talked about all that stuff.
00:00:53.45\00:00:56.38
And I'm talking
today about those things
00:00:56.42\00:00:58.49
that I would say to you,
00:00:58.52\00:01:00.82
my friends and my family,
00:01:00.86\00:01:04.73
if I knew that I
wasn't going to be around
00:01:04.76\00:01:07.33
next week to talk to you.
00:01:07.36\00:01:10.33
And so the topic is,
If This Were My Sermon.
00:01:10.37\00:01:16.10
I don't think I'd get
too much into science.
00:01:16.14\00:01:18.67
I like science immensely.
00:01:18.71\00:01:20.84
And I love listening to people
00:01:20.88\00:01:23.55
like the great professor
from Oxford University,
00:01:23.58\00:01:27.02
the great mathematics professor,
00:01:27.05\00:01:29.12
I love all that stuff.
00:01:29.15\00:01:33.25
But if this were my last talk,
00:01:33.29\00:01:34.62
I wouldn't have
too much time to talk
00:01:34.66\00:01:36.22
about the anthropic
principle, any of that stuff.
00:01:36.26\00:01:40.73
I would assume
that you are wise enough
00:01:40.76\00:01:43.77
to believe that there is a God
00:01:43.80\00:01:46.43
and He loves you.
00:01:46.47\00:01:49.34
And I tell you this,
this is what I'd say to you.
00:01:49.37\00:01:51.87
I'd say that God
loved you so much
00:01:51.91\00:01:57.21
that God gave His Son,
00:01:57.25\00:02:00.92
Jesus Christ,
00:02:00.95\00:02:02.28
and He went to the
cross to pay for our sins.
00:02:04.89\00:02:07.16
That's what'd I tell you.
00:02:07.19\00:02:09.22
I'd show you this text
over here, in Romans 4:5-8.
00:02:09.26\00:02:14.20
I want you to
turn up to this text.
00:02:14.23\00:02:15.56
Romans 4:5-8.
00:02:15.60\00:02:19.57
To your hearts
in general, people.
00:02:19.60\00:02:21.50
Romans 4:5-8.
00:02:21.54\00:02:23.74
An amazing statement,
it shouldn't be there,
00:02:23.77\00:02:26.04
some people would say.
00:02:26.07\00:02:28.54
"But to him who
does not work..."
00:02:28.58\00:02:30.41
Oh, goodness me,
that's a problem straightaway.
00:02:30.45\00:02:33.18
The person that doesn't work,
00:02:33.21\00:02:35.25
but I believe in lots of work.
00:02:35.28\00:02:38.45
I don't like,
especially, lazy people, do you?
00:02:38.49\00:02:40.99
No.
00:02:41.02\00:02:42.36
The Bible says,
if you don't work,
00:02:42.39\00:02:44.23
you shouldn't eat.
00:02:44.26\00:02:46.36
A lot of people would be
starving to death, you know?
00:02:46.39\00:02:50.17
So it says here now,
"To him who does not work,"
00:02:50.20\00:02:53.03
for salvation,
00:02:53.07\00:02:55.64
"but believes on
him who justifies," who?
00:02:55.67\00:03:00.68
It justifies, says,
"The ungodly, justified,
00:03:00.71\00:03:05.35
declares the ungodly, righteous,
00:03:05.38\00:03:08.02
his faith is
accounted for righteousness."
00:03:08.05\00:03:11.25
Keep reading.
00:03:11.29\00:03:12.62
"Just as David also describes
the blessedness of the man
00:03:12.65\00:03:15.82
to whom God
imputes righteousness
00:03:15.86\00:03:17.93
apart from works."
00:03:17.96\00:03:19.29
We can't be saved by our works.
00:03:19.33\00:03:21.26
"Blessed are those
00:03:21.30\00:03:22.63
whose lawless deeds are forgiven
00:03:22.66\00:03:25.10
and whose sins are covered.
00:03:25.13\00:03:27.07
Blessed said is the man
00:03:27.10\00:03:28.67
to whom the Lord
shall not impute sin."
00:03:28.70\00:03:34.14
I'll tell you
this, I'd say, "Look,
00:03:34.18\00:03:39.25
ask God for the
capacity to seek truth.
00:03:39.28\00:03:44.82
Ask God for a
divine revelation."
00:03:44.85\00:03:47.09
You know who are
the hardest people
00:03:47.12\00:03:49.02
to preach to?
00:03:49.06\00:03:50.39
Would you like to know?
00:03:50.43\00:03:53.60
Church people.
00:03:53.63\00:03:55.20
I preached to the
KGB, until occasions,
00:03:55.23\00:03:58.60
preached to
thousands officers of the KGB.
00:03:58.63\00:04:01.74
I've spoken in Russia
to millions of atheists.
00:04:01.77\00:04:05.47
They're great
audiences, they're the best.
00:04:05.51\00:04:09.51
The hardest people to preach
00:04:09.54\00:04:12.25
to are pharisaical people
00:04:12.28\00:04:17.75
who think that they
don't need salvation,
00:04:17.79\00:04:21.26
and they think
they're better than others,
00:04:21.29\00:04:23.89
and they're full of gall,
00:04:23.93\00:04:25.79
and their criticizing others.
00:04:25.83\00:04:28.50
They're really
hard to preach to.
00:04:28.53\00:04:31.60
But this text says
00:04:31.63\00:04:34.44
that Christ
died for the ungodly.
00:04:34.47\00:04:37.87
The Bible teaches this.
This is the tremendous truth.
00:04:37.91\00:04:41.21
God, the righteous
judge, became a man
00:04:41.24\00:04:44.31
in the person of Christ
and became my substitute.
00:04:44.35\00:04:47.88
One of the greatest preachers
00:04:47.92\00:04:49.25
I've ever heard
was HMS Richards,
00:04:49.28\00:04:51.55
great American
Adventist preacher.
00:04:51.59\00:04:54.59
He was a great preacher,
00:04:54.62\00:04:55.96
not only because he
was a great speaker,
00:04:55.99\00:04:58.99
he was a great preacher
00:04:59.03\00:05:00.46
because he understood the gospel
00:05:00.50\00:05:03.40
when most people
don't understand the gospel.
00:05:03.43\00:05:06.60
Most people are talking
about the gospel all the time,
00:05:06.63\00:05:09.10
but they have no idea
about what the gospel is.
00:05:09.14\00:05:12.04
He tells the
story when he was a boy,
00:05:12.07\00:05:15.44
I think, in Colorado, he said,
00:05:15.48\00:05:17.15
he was always
teasing his little brother,
00:05:17.18\00:05:19.11
and his little brother was
almost driven to distraction.
00:05:19.15\00:05:21.98
And his mother said,
"Harold, please stop it."
00:05:22.02\00:05:24.62
"Yes, Mommy."
00:05:24.65\00:05:26.45
But he'd been
teasing away, again.
00:05:26.49\00:05:28.46
"Harold, please stop it."
00:05:28.49\00:05:29.86
"Yeah, I will,
Mommy," Teasing away again.
00:05:29.89\00:05:32.19
You know why?
00:05:32.23\00:05:34.53
Because of the sin
that was in his heart.
00:05:34.56\00:05:38.13
His mother said to him, "Harold,
00:05:38.17\00:05:39.50
if you ever do it again,
00:05:39.53\00:05:40.94
I'm not going to beat you
00:05:40.97\00:05:42.30
because beating you
doesn't do any good.
00:05:42.34\00:05:44.61
You're going to beat me."
00:05:44.64\00:05:45.97
Do you know the story?
One of the great stories.
00:05:46.01\00:05:49.38
The words were hardly out
of his mouth when he said,
00:05:49.41\00:05:52.11
"I won't do it again,"
when his brother was screaming.
00:05:52.15\00:05:55.68
His mother said,
"Harold, come on now."
00:05:55.72\00:05:58.49
Took him into the bedroom.
00:05:58.52\00:06:00.06
His young mother
00:06:00.09\00:06:02.89
bared her back before her son,
00:06:02.92\00:06:07.73
and said, "Go down
the back of the creek,
00:06:07.76\00:06:09.53
down to the creek, and get
one of those big thick reeds,
00:06:09.56\00:06:15.97
and come back and beat me."
00:06:16.00\00:06:17.84
He said, "I
couldn't do that, mother."
00:06:17.87\00:06:19.57
She's sending
him back three times.
00:06:19.61\00:06:21.94
After a while, he
came back with a big rod.
00:06:21.98\00:06:24.21
She bared her lily-white back
00:06:24.25\00:06:28.88
and bent over the bed
and said, "Harold, beat me.
00:06:28.92\00:06:33.99
Harold beat me.
00:06:34.02\00:06:36.62
Harold beat me."
00:06:36.66\00:06:38.46
And he cried too,
00:06:38.49\00:06:40.26
but...
00:06:40.30\00:06:41.63
then he broke down and wept.
00:06:44.87\00:06:47.74
And she put her arm around him
00:06:47.77\00:06:50.31
and told him the story
00:06:50.34\00:06:54.08
that the innocent was beaten
00:06:54.11\00:06:57.05
by the guilty, for the guilty.
00:06:57.08\00:07:02.25
She told him the
story of the cross.
00:07:02.28\00:07:05.29
That's when HMS
Richards was born again.
00:07:05.32\00:07:09.76
That's why he
became a great preacher.
00:07:09.79\00:07:12.06
Unless you've been
to the cross of Christ,
00:07:12.09\00:07:15.76
you have not become a Christian.
00:07:15.80\00:07:20.97
That's what the Bible teaches.
00:07:21.00\00:07:22.80
Paul had to have a revelation
on the road to Damascus.
00:07:22.84\00:07:25.67
He had a
revelation that came from God.
00:07:25.71\00:07:28.61
The Bible teaches that
God took his own medicine.
00:07:28.64\00:07:33.82
This is where the people
who teach that dreadful idea
00:07:33.85\00:07:37.72
of the moral influence theory,
which is so prevalent here,
00:07:37.75\00:07:41.96
this terrible heresy,
in Southern California.
00:07:41.99\00:07:44.79
This is where they
don't understand a thing.
00:07:44.83\00:07:47.40
They're super-religious,
00:07:47.43\00:07:50.47
but they don't understand
00:07:50.50\00:07:52.87
that God took his own medicine.
00:07:52.90\00:07:56.14
God, the righteous charger,
00:07:56.17\00:07:59.24
was condemned for my sins.
00:07:59.27\00:08:05.51
And if I believe in Him,
00:08:05.55\00:08:07.42
He justifies the ungodly.
00:08:07.45\00:08:09.68
That, my friend, is the gospel.
00:08:09.72\00:08:12.82
It is revealed by
the Spirit of God,
00:08:12.85\00:08:17.76
and the people
who are often the last
00:08:17.79\00:08:20.80
to understand the gospel
00:08:20.83\00:08:24.93
are the
supercilious in the church pews.
00:08:24.97\00:08:28.64
This is the truth.
00:08:28.67\00:08:30.01
I know, I've been around,
00:08:30.04\00:08:31.91
pastored so many churches.
00:08:31.94\00:08:34.64
If you say to me,
00:08:34.68\00:08:36.01
"What sort of
audience would you like?"
00:08:36.04\00:08:37.75
Just for your own
enjoyment and satisfaction,
00:08:37.78\00:08:43.59
I would say to you,
"Give me a bunch of communists
00:08:43.62\00:08:47.19
and atheists any day."
00:08:47.22\00:08:49.29
That ought to tell you something
00:08:49.32\00:08:51.06
because I've seen
atheists and communists
00:08:51.09\00:08:54.10
weeping before the Lord.
00:08:54.13\00:08:56.03
And as they saw the truth
00:08:56.06\00:08:58.30
of Christ on the cross,
00:08:58.33\00:09:00.37
they were melted to tears,
including members of the KGB.
00:09:00.40\00:09:04.31
So, I would say to you this,
00:09:04.34\00:09:06.07
there is salvation
for you if you will humbly
00:09:06.11\00:09:08.78
believe and accept it.
00:09:08.81\00:09:10.28
You know what our
biggest problem is?
00:09:10.31\00:09:11.95
The more religious we
get, the prouder we get.
00:09:11.98\00:09:14.55
The more religious we get,
00:09:18.65\00:09:20.42
quite often, the
more obnoxious we get.
00:09:20.46\00:09:23.32
The Pharisees and the Sadducees
were super-religious people,
00:09:26.93\00:09:31.83
and they could
agree on only one thing,
00:09:31.87\00:09:35.37
that they wanted to
put Christ on the cross.
00:09:35.40\00:09:40.21
He was nailed to the
cross by the super-religious.
00:09:40.24\00:09:46.75
So if this were my
last sermon, I'd say to you,
00:09:46.78\00:09:48.85
beware of false religion.
00:09:48.88\00:09:51.42
Beware of the counterfeit.
00:09:51.45\00:09:53.76
Beware of the superficial.
00:09:53.79\00:09:55.86
Beware of the fraud.
00:09:55.89\00:09:57.66
Beware of the big-talker.
00:09:57.69\00:09:59.86
There is
salvation for you and me
00:10:04.00\00:10:05.60
if we will humbly believe it.
00:10:05.63\00:10:07.34
Believe now,
00:10:07.37\00:10:08.70
He would have died
for one last lonely soul.
00:10:08.74\00:10:14.14
Here's another truth I'd
say if this were my last sermon.
00:10:14.18\00:10:16.95
I've been trying
to get in everything
00:10:16.98\00:10:18.68
that I thought was so important.
00:10:18.71\00:10:21.32
There's forgiveness for
all who will come in penitence
00:10:21.35\00:10:24.05
to the Saviour, no
matter how terrible the sin.
00:10:24.09\00:10:29.62
That's a bit
amazing. Isaiah 55:6-7.
00:10:29.66\00:10:32.69
Come with me to Isaiah 55:6-7.
00:10:32.73\00:10:37.53
And don't read the
text to tell somebody else
00:10:37.57\00:10:40.90
what a bad person they are.
00:10:40.94\00:10:43.67
Read the text so that
God will help us to see
00:10:43.71\00:10:46.31
how we need the power of Christ.
00:10:46.34\00:10:48.91
Isaiah 55:6-7,
00:10:48.94\00:10:50.85
"Seek the Lord
while He may be found."
00:10:50.88\00:10:53.55
This means He's not
always going to be found.
00:10:53.58\00:10:56.72
"Call upon Him while He is near.
00:10:56.75\00:11:00.42
Let the wicked forsake His way
00:11:00.46\00:11:02.26
and the
unrighteous man his thoughts."
00:11:02.29\00:11:04.06
It starts up here, in the head,
00:11:04.09\00:11:06.29
the dirty thoughts.
00:11:06.33\00:11:07.66
"The unrighteous
man, his thoughts.
00:11:10.80\00:11:12.70
Let him return to the Lord,
and He will have mercy on him.
00:11:12.73\00:11:16.37
And to our God, for He
will," what does it say?
00:11:16.40\00:11:19.07
"Abundantly pardon."
00:11:19.11\00:11:20.48
How amazing.
That's amazing grace.
00:11:20.51\00:11:23.11
It doesn't matter how
bad your life has been,
00:11:23.14\00:11:28.92
if you and I will
believe in Christ,
00:11:28.95\00:11:32.25
there's salvation for us.
00:11:32.29\00:11:35.82
There's
forgiveness for every person.
00:11:35.86\00:11:38.49
One of the greatest
texts is Luke 15:1-2.
00:11:38.53\00:11:42.13
It's almost a
bit hard to believe.
00:11:42.16\00:11:44.03
You see, you got to
have a revelation from God
00:11:44.07\00:11:45.80
to understand this.
00:11:45.83\00:11:47.17
There are some people,
listen to me, look at me.
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.17
There are some people.
00:11:49.20\00:11:50.61
I meet them all the time.
00:11:50.64\00:11:51.97
And they're
professional religionists.
00:11:52.01\00:11:54.11
I've had them up to here.
00:11:54.14\00:11:56.34
Professional
religionists who are always,
00:11:56.38\00:11:58.31
always, always,
always talking religion,
00:11:58.35\00:12:01.25
but they've got no
love in their souls.
00:12:01.28\00:12:04.69
Now here's a great text,
00:12:04.72\00:12:07.19
"Then all the tax
collectors and the sinners
00:12:07.22\00:12:09.32
drew near to hear
Him," they liked him.
00:12:09.36\00:12:12.89
"And the Pharisees and
scribes complained, saying,
00:12:12.93\00:12:16.77
"This Man receives
sinners and eats with them."
00:12:16.80\00:12:22.14
And, for once, Jesus
said to the Pharisees,
00:12:22.17\00:12:24.87
"You're right.
00:12:24.91\00:12:27.14
Wrong on most stuff, you guys,
00:12:27.18\00:12:29.58
but you're right
here because this Man
00:12:29.61\00:12:32.01
does receive sinners."
00:12:32.05\00:12:33.75
That's the great heresy.
00:12:33.78\00:12:36.48
The church is for great sinners.
00:12:36.52\00:12:40.06
The church is a hospital,
00:12:40.09\00:12:43.86
where people get
well, not a museum
00:12:43.89\00:12:46.63
where people...
00:12:46.66\00:12:48.00
are preserved.
00:12:50.93\00:12:54.47
And then Jesus gave
three stories to prove it,
00:12:54.50\00:12:56.81
The Story of the
Lost Sheep, you know, 99,
00:12:56.84\00:12:59.64
say, He goes
after the 1 lost sheep.
00:12:59.67\00:13:03.04
That's what God does.
00:13:03.08\00:13:04.41
When He finds it,
He doesn't kick it,
00:13:04.45\00:13:06.11
he kisses it.
00:13:06.15\00:13:07.58
Then there's The Lost
Coin, lost in the house of God.
00:13:07.62\00:13:11.05
The woman searches diligently,
00:13:11.09\00:13:13.19
God searches diligently.
00:13:13.22\00:13:15.19
Then there's The Lost Boy,
00:13:15.22\00:13:16.76
you know the
story of The Lost Boy.
00:13:16.79\00:13:18.33
He's an
ungrateful young scoundrel.
00:13:21.50\00:13:24.77
He can't wait
until the old man's dead,
00:13:24.80\00:13:26.94
before he wants the money.
00:13:26.97\00:13:29.20
I personally resent that.
00:13:29.24\00:13:30.71
And so his
father gives it to him.
00:13:33.71\00:13:37.01
And the boy goes
into a far country.
00:13:37.05\00:13:39.88
That's where you go
when you turn from God,
00:13:39.91\00:13:41.78
it's a far country,
it's a smelly country,
00:13:41.82\00:13:44.85
it's a dirty country.
00:13:44.89\00:13:47.89
He spends his
money in riotous living.
00:13:47.92\00:13:50.59
The elder brother said
he was with prostitutes.
00:13:50.63\00:13:53.43
But you can't
believe the elder brother,
00:13:53.46\00:13:56.23
He's a Pharisee and a liar.
00:13:56.26\00:13:59.00
So you can't believe,
00:13:59.03\00:14:00.37
you can't believe
what any Pharisee says.
00:14:00.40\00:14:02.40
Pharisees, by nature, are liars.
00:14:02.44\00:14:07.78
Are you listening to this?
00:14:07.81\00:14:09.41
Finding it a bit hard to take?
00:14:09.44\00:14:11.58
There's worse to come.
00:14:11.61\00:14:14.45
So the boy is feeding the pigs,
00:14:14.48\00:14:16.82
the Jewish boy feeding the pigs.
00:14:16.85\00:14:19.65
That's as low as a
Jewish boy can get.
00:14:19.69\00:14:25.09
Then look at Luke 15:20.
00:14:25.13\00:14:27.26
The Bible tells us,
the boy comes to himself,
00:14:27.30\00:14:30.67
he has a spiritual awakening.
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.40
What about you?
Let me ask you this.
00:14:34.44\00:14:36.04
Have you had a
spiritual awakening?
00:14:36.07\00:14:39.47
You can't be saved
without a spiritual awakening.
00:14:39.51\00:14:43.04
People say, "No, I don't know."
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.75
You know what the genius of
John Wesley's preaching was?
00:14:44.78\00:14:48.68
It was personal religion.
00:14:48.72\00:14:50.95
Unless you have a
personal relationship
00:14:50.99\00:14:54.62
with Christ, you're damned.
00:14:54.66\00:14:56.62
People today are "Oh."
00:14:56.66\00:14:59.69
We're reading a book put
out by a great theologian,
00:14:59.73\00:15:02.06
they're the ones that
I'm most skeptical of.
00:15:02.10\00:15:05.30
And he said, "Everybody is saved
00:15:05.33\00:15:07.57
unless he willingly rejects."
00:15:07.60\00:15:12.27
As they say in
Ireland, "What a lot of hooey."
00:15:12.31\00:15:17.15
You're not saved
because you don't reject,
00:15:17.18\00:15:21.22
you're saved
because you do accept.
00:15:21.25\00:15:24.99
You've got to accept
it, you've got to accept,
00:15:25.02\00:15:27.06
not in just a case of,
00:15:27.09\00:15:28.42
"Oh, I'm in
ignorance, I never knew."
00:15:28.46\00:15:31.63
I mean, how the
devil has got some people
00:15:31.66\00:15:33.70
by the throat and by their ears.
00:15:33.73\00:15:37.57
And, anyhow, this
young guy repents,
00:15:37.60\00:15:40.34
he comes to himself.
00:15:40.37\00:15:41.70
If I want to be
saved, I've got to realize
00:15:41.74\00:15:45.14
I'm as smelly as the pigs,
00:15:45.17\00:15:48.14
spiritually.
00:15:48.18\00:15:50.41
You see, the gospel gets
rid of the Pharisee-ism in us,
00:15:50.45\00:15:54.95
the person who's proud,
00:15:54.98\00:15:58.32
he doesn't know Christ,
00:15:58.35\00:15:59.99
his master is the devil.
00:16:00.02\00:16:02.56
That's the truth.
00:16:02.59\00:16:04.73
But this young
guy comes to himself.
00:16:04.76\00:16:07.63
"And he arose and
came to his father.
00:16:07.66\00:16:11.33
But when he was
still a great way off,
00:16:11.37\00:16:13.13
his father saw him
and had compassion,
00:16:13.17\00:16:16.20
and ran, and fell on his neck,
00:16:16.24\00:16:18.71
and kissed him."
00:16:18.74\00:16:21.78
Goodness me.
00:16:21.81\00:16:24.31
He falls on his
neck, and the boys stinks,
00:16:24.35\00:16:28.18
and he kisses him.
00:16:28.22\00:16:30.29
That's what God is like.
00:16:30.32\00:16:31.89
Not like the
pretentious Pharisees,
00:16:31.92\00:16:33.76
full of a hypocrisy and deceit,
00:16:33.79\00:16:35.96
who make young people
feel uncomfortable in church.
00:16:35.99\00:16:39.66
"Oh, you shouldn't
be here, in church."
00:16:39.69\00:16:41.33
In my day, if a young person
had long hair down to here,
00:16:41.36\00:16:45.00
"We don't want them in church."
00:16:45.03\00:16:48.54
If a person had a beard,
00:16:48.57\00:16:49.90
"Oh, we don't
want them in church,
00:16:49.94\00:16:51.54
they look like hippies."
00:16:51.57\00:16:53.14
Never coming to the place
00:16:53.17\00:16:54.51
they won't ordain you
unless you've got a beard.
00:16:54.54\00:16:56.85
I mean, isn't this silliness?
00:16:56.88\00:16:59.85
Isn't this silliness? Yeah.
00:16:59.88\00:17:02.65
Now the boy came to himself.
00:17:02.68\00:17:06.39
This was taught to me
by a great theologian,
00:17:06.42\00:17:09.32
"Man is far worse than
he ever feared to think,
00:17:09.36\00:17:12.73
but God is far better
than He ever did hope."
00:17:12.76\00:17:17.27
It's saying,
00:17:17.30\00:17:18.77
"God's a lot
better than we understand,
00:17:18.80\00:17:22.44
and we're a lot worse."
00:17:22.47\00:17:23.81
None of us realize how
sinful and deprived we are.
00:17:26.17\00:17:30.85
"Not me." "Yes, you."
00:17:30.88\00:17:34.15
If you don't believe that,
00:17:34.18\00:17:35.52
that's because you're suffering
from a spiritual lunacy.
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.75
But one glimpse of
the cross of Christ,
00:17:40.92\00:17:44.69
and we see two things,
00:17:44.73\00:17:47.13
that God is far better,
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.66
and man is far worse.
00:17:49.70\00:17:53.60
When I was a boy, a little boy,
00:17:53.64\00:17:55.20
I went to the
Brisbane Town Hall,
00:17:55.24\00:17:57.07
many, many years ago.
00:17:57.11\00:17:59.74
My mother took
me along, and I went
00:17:59.77\00:18:01.48
because she was
bigger than I was.
00:18:01.51\00:18:03.91
I went there to hear
an American preacher.
00:18:03.95\00:18:05.91
I didn't know it
on that occasion.
00:18:05.95\00:18:07.78
His name was Clifford Reeves.
00:18:07.82\00:18:10.92
Maybe so, his family members
00:18:10.95\00:18:13.09
could be
listening to the program.
00:18:13.12\00:18:16.52
He preached the
gospel of Christ.
00:18:16.56\00:18:20.53
I went along with my mother.
00:18:20.56\00:18:22.03
My mother had been searching,
and searching, and searching.
00:18:22.06\00:18:24.83
She said, when she
heard the Word of God
00:18:24.87\00:18:28.94
preached by this
American preacher,
00:18:28.97\00:18:32.14
something stirred in her soul.
00:18:32.17\00:18:35.28
I'm here today because
of that American preacher,
00:18:35.31\00:18:38.28
through my mother.
00:18:38.31\00:18:40.52
Then they had a big
choir, I loved big choirs.
00:18:40.55\00:18:45.02
There's a big choir, here I
am, a little boy, this high.
00:18:45.05\00:18:48.89
And I still
remember the choir singing,
00:18:48.92\00:18:51.36
"Sing them over again to me,
00:18:51.39\00:18:55.40
wonderful words of life."
00:18:55.43\00:18:58.60
Yeah.
00:18:58.63\00:18:59.97
And then they sing another song.
00:19:00.00\00:19:03.00
This is a great song.
00:19:03.04\00:19:04.47
It's about
receiving the sinful men.
00:19:04.51\00:19:08.64
Yeah, Christ
receives the sinful men.
00:19:08.68\00:19:14.35
So if you're a sinful man,
00:19:14.38\00:19:17.65
Christ will receive you.
00:19:17.69\00:19:19.72
If you come to Him
00:19:19.75\00:19:21.86
and stop all the
religious nonsense
00:19:21.89\00:19:25.99
and come as a penitent.
00:19:26.03\00:19:27.50
That's why Martin Luther said,
00:19:27.53\00:19:28.86
"A Christian is always a sinner,
00:19:28.90\00:19:30.23
always a penitent,
always right with God,
00:19:30.27\00:19:33.07
not a willful sinner."
00:19:33.10\00:19:35.14
But he knows he's
not what he could be,
00:19:35.17\00:19:37.17
or should be, or would be.
00:19:37.21\00:19:40.21
The worst job
you can have is to be
00:19:40.24\00:19:43.51
the pastor of a church
00:19:43.55\00:19:45.55
that's filled with people
who think they're righteous.
00:19:45.58\00:19:49.78
Oh, goodness.
00:19:49.82\00:19:51.89
I'd rather be with the
prodigal in the pigpen,
00:19:51.92\00:19:55.92
far better.
00:19:55.96\00:19:58.46
Christ receives the sinful men.
00:19:58.49\00:20:01.63
And here's the next
great truth I tell you.
00:20:01.66\00:20:04.73
Heaven will be far
better than we can imagine.
00:20:04.77\00:20:09.64
No tiredness, I
have that now, sometimes.
00:20:09.67\00:20:13.94
No pain, no anxiety,
00:20:13.98\00:20:17.28
no heartaches, no headaches.
00:20:17.31\00:20:19.01
I don't know what it
is to have a headache.
00:20:19.05\00:20:21.65
No sin, no guilt, no wars,
00:20:21.68\00:20:23.62
no fighting, no
lawsuits, no illnesses.
00:20:23.65\00:20:27.99
And it's called a country.
00:20:28.02\00:20:29.49
I like that, Hebrews, 11:16.
00:20:29.52\00:20:32.96
Hebrews 11.
00:20:32.99\00:20:34.40
"But now they desire a better,
00:20:34.43\00:20:37.33
a heavenly country.
00:20:37.37\00:20:40.14
Therefore, God is not
ashamed to be called their God
00:20:40.17\00:20:43.81
for He has
prepared a city for them."
00:20:43.84\00:20:45.87
But that city is going to be
00:20:45.91\00:20:47.51
the city of a country.
00:20:47.54\00:20:52.35
I'd like to go to
heaven because it's a country.
00:20:52.38\00:20:57.32
Some of my happiest
days, my dear friends,
00:20:57.35\00:21:01.79
were spent riding
my Harley-Davidson,
00:21:01.82\00:21:04.93
it's a limited design.
00:21:04.96\00:21:06.76
You don't think I
could ride a Harley?
00:21:06.80\00:21:08.66
You just don't know
what life is in this old guy.
00:21:08.70\00:21:12.77
Sitting on a Harley,
00:21:12.80\00:21:15.00
and you feel it's travelling,
00:21:15.04\00:21:17.67
travelling alone, you know,
00:21:17.71\00:21:20.88
and the wind is
blowing in your face.
00:21:20.91\00:21:24.25
Sometimes, out on
those country roads,
00:21:24.28\00:21:26.82
I would disturb some
birds and they'd fly,
00:21:26.85\00:21:29.18
and sometimes,
they'd hit me in the face,
00:21:29.22\00:21:31.75
feel of the soft feathers.
00:21:31.79\00:21:34.56
This is the country
where I rode the Harley,
00:21:34.59\00:21:38.53
that's the actual place.
00:21:38.56\00:21:40.76
That's in New South Wales,
00:21:40.80\00:21:44.60
my happiest days, some of them.
00:21:44.63\00:21:46.67
Stopping to eat
the ripe nectarines
00:21:46.70\00:21:49.17
hanging over the fence.
00:21:49.20\00:21:51.24
Had to pay for them? No,
falling off on the ground.
00:21:51.27\00:21:55.98
Personally, I
don't care too much
00:21:56.01\00:21:57.68
for the streets of gold
00:21:57.71\00:22:00.82
or the gates of pearl.
00:22:00.85\00:22:03.08
I will settle any day
for a home in the country,
00:22:03.12\00:22:05.89
with a dog, a cow, and a horse,
00:22:05.92\00:22:10.19
and a Harley.
00:22:10.23\00:22:11.56
You say, "There's not
gonna be any Harleys in heaven."
00:22:14.46\00:22:16.60
How do you know?
00:22:16.63\00:22:18.73
What do you know
about it? You know?
00:22:18.77\00:22:20.90
I think if I were
to say to the Lord,
00:22:20.94\00:22:22.50
"I'd be very
happy with a Harley,"
00:22:22.54\00:22:24.01
I think I'd get a Harley, yeah.
00:22:24.04\00:22:28.81
Here's the last truth
00:22:28.84\00:22:31.15
I'd say if this
were my last sermon.
00:22:31.18\00:22:32.98
Jesus is real
00:22:33.01\00:22:35.68
and far better than
the best person you know.
00:22:35.72\00:22:37.95
Think of the
best person you know,
00:22:37.99\00:22:39.32
He's a million times better.
00:22:39.35\00:22:40.99
He's a million
times kinder, stronger,
00:22:41.02\00:22:42.96
more loving and
affectionate, more reliable.
00:22:42.99\00:22:46.16
And He's preparing a
mansion for you in glory,
00:22:49.66\00:22:52.40
and your name is on the door.
00:22:52.43\00:22:53.87
He said it in John 14:1-3,
00:22:53.90\00:22:57.87
He said it,
00:22:57.91\00:22:59.24
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:22:59.27\00:23:00.61
You believe in
God, believe also in Me.
00:23:00.64\00:23:03.21
In my Father's
house are many mansions.
00:23:03.24\00:23:06.01
If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:23:06.05\00:23:08.58
I go and
prepare a place for you.
00:23:08.62\00:23:10.69
And if I go and
prepare a place for you,
00:23:10.72\00:23:12.89
I will come again and
receive you to Myself,
00:23:12.92\00:23:15.89
that where I am,
there you might be also."
00:23:15.92\00:23:21.00
I believe that.
00:23:21.03\00:23:23.53
I believe there's a mansion,
00:23:23.57\00:23:27.47
and it's got my
name on the door.
00:23:27.50\00:23:29.84
I believe that.
00:23:29.87\00:23:32.04
And I believe
that my greatest joy
00:23:32.07\00:23:36.28
will be to meet Him.
00:23:36.31\00:23:37.65
And when I was
a boy, at college,
00:23:40.52\00:23:43.05
and Beverley was
just a young girl,
00:23:43.08\00:23:47.46
because there was a
time when we were young,
00:23:47.49\00:23:49.69
I went down with Pastor Heffron
00:23:54.76\00:23:57.47
to the Sydney Showground,
00:23:57.50\00:24:00.70
and I heard a strong
young American preacher,
00:24:00.74\00:24:03.81
with the wind
blowing in his hair.
00:24:03.84\00:24:06.68
And he was
saying from the Bible,
00:24:06.71\00:24:08.84
"The Bible
says, the Bible says."
00:24:08.88\00:24:11.45
He was a man's preacher,
00:24:11.48\00:24:13.48
not a sniffling little runt.
00:24:13.52\00:24:17.52
He was a man of God.
00:24:17.55\00:24:21.22
And he had a choir, the
choir sang these words...
00:24:21.26\00:24:24.83
Just as I am, without one plea
00:24:24.86\00:24:28.26
But that Thy
blood was shed for me
00:24:28.30\00:24:32.03
Hundred and fifty
thousand Australians listening.
00:24:32.07\00:24:35.30
And that Thou bid'st me
come to thee O Lamb of God,
00:24:35.34\00:24:38.41
I come, I come Just as I am,
00:24:38.44\00:24:41.91
though tossed about
With many a conflict,
00:24:41.94\00:24:44.41
many a doubt Fightings within,
00:24:44.45\00:24:47.65
and fears without O Lamb of God,
00:24:47.68\00:24:50.32
I come, I come
00:24:50.35\00:24:52.99
Just as I am,
00:24:53.02\00:24:54.82
Thou wilt receive Wilt welcome,
00:24:54.86\00:24:58.49
pardon, cleanse, relief.
00:24:58.53\00:25:04.03
Because Thy promise, I believe
00:25:04.07\00:25:07.94
O Lamb of God,
00:25:07.97\00:25:11.47
I come
00:25:11.51\00:25:14.38
If this were my last sermon,
00:25:14.41\00:25:18.41
I say to you,
00:25:18.45\00:25:21.48
stop playing with the devil
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.22
because he's got
you by the throat.
00:25:24.25\00:25:27.06
Stop playing
with manmade religion,
00:25:27.09\00:25:29.26
it's not worth a thing.
00:25:29.29\00:25:33.13
But come to Jesus,
00:25:33.16\00:25:37.07
and Jesus will accept you.
00:25:37.10\00:25:40.60
So if this were my last sermon,
00:25:40.64\00:25:43.84
I would tell you
all of these things,
00:25:43.87\00:25:48.48
and I would ask you to meet me,
00:25:48.51\00:25:53.42
I would ask you to meet me
00:25:53.45\00:25:57.09
in the Father's house,
00:25:57.12\00:25:58.85
in the New Jerusalem.
00:26:01.89\00:26:04.69
In Jesus' name, amen.
00:26:07.73\00:26:12.53
And amen.
00:26:12.57\00:26:13.90
Hello, friend. I'm John Carter.
00:26:23.75\00:26:26.18
Behind me is the
great city of Manila,
00:26:26.21\00:26:30.32
the capital of the Philippines.
00:26:30.35\00:26:32.59
Did you know,
this is quite amazing,
00:26:32.62\00:26:34.52
there are more
people living in this area
00:26:34.56\00:26:36.69
than in New York City?
00:26:36.73\00:26:38.73
And Christ died
for these people.
00:26:38.76\00:26:41.50
We came here, oh,
00:26:41.53\00:26:43.26
a long time ago back in 1984,
00:26:43.30\00:26:47.54
what's that, 34-35 years ago,
00:26:47.57\00:26:50.44
and we came here with
a team of young people,
00:26:50.47\00:26:52.84
and we came to the PICC.
00:26:52.87\00:26:55.98
It is our intent to come here,
00:26:56.01\00:26:58.31
hire the biggest
hall that's available,
00:26:58.35\00:27:00.52
the greatest outdoor
stadium, whatever it takes.
00:27:00.55\00:27:04.79
You've got more than
20 million souls out here.
00:27:04.82\00:27:09.76
And I say it again.
00:27:09.79\00:27:11.13
These are people
for whom Christ died.
00:27:11.16\00:27:13.90
I'm asking you to pray
00:27:13.93\00:27:15.26
for the people
of the Philippines.
00:27:15.30\00:27:17.43
Please pray for the
people here in Metro Manila.
00:27:17.47\00:27:21.37
And please write to me,
00:27:21.40\00:27:22.74
John Carter,
Post Office Box 1900,
00:27:22.77\00:27:25.77
Thousand Oaks,
California, 91358.
00:27:25.81\00:27:29.24
In Australia, write to me
at Terrigal at the address
00:27:29.28\00:27:32.58
that is now
showing on the screen.
00:27:32.61\00:27:37.45
We're back in Manila,
00:27:37.49\00:27:39.45
and we're back
with a message from God.
00:27:39.49\00:27:42.22
That message is
Christ died for you.
00:27:42.26\00:27:47.43
And Christ is coming again soon.
00:27:47.46\00:27:52.73
Please support us.
00:27:52.77\00:27:54.10
Write to me today,
Post Office Box 1900,
00:27:54.14\00:27:57.04
Thousand Oaks, California,
00:27:57.07\00:27:59.04
and also write to me
at Terrigal in Australia.
00:27:59.07\00:28:03.04
Thank you for your support.
00:28:03.08\00:28:05.68
And God bless you.
00:28:05.71\00:28:07.05
For a copy of today's program,
00:28:22.23\00:28:24.30
please contact
us at PO Box 1900,
00:28:24.33\00:28:27.84
Thousand Oaks,
California, 91358.
00:28:27.87\00:28:32.07
Or in Australia,
contact us at PO Box 861,
00:28:32.11\00:28:37.11
Terrigal, New South Wales, 2260.
00:28:37.15\00:28:41.35
This program is made possible
00:28:41.38\00:28:43.25
through the generous
support of viewers like you.
00:28:43.28\00:28:46.19
We thank you for
your continued support.
00:28:46.22\00:28:49.22
May God richly bless you.
00:28:49.26\00:28:51.06