As the world lurches
from one disaster to another,
00:00:01.36\00:00:05.03
politicians seemed frozen
00:00:05.07\00:00:06.87
in a state of
impotency and confusion.
00:00:06.90\00:00:10.01
Some even questioned
00:00:10.04\00:00:11.37
the very
existence of the church,
00:00:11.41\00:00:13.68
while others ask, is
there a word from the Lord?
00:00:13.71\00:00:17.85
Is there a
solution to the problems
00:00:17.88\00:00:19.85
that are tearing society apart?
00:00:19.88\00:00:22.05
Today, John Carter
will answer those questions
00:00:22.08\00:00:25.02
but first, we
must begin by asking
00:00:25.05\00:00:27.49
the most
important question of all,
00:00:27.52\00:00:30.03
what matters most.
00:00:30.06\00:00:31.73
"You put a lot of
emphasis on the Gospel of Christ
00:00:38.77\00:00:42.27
and the
preaching of that gospel.
00:00:42.30\00:00:44.11
Can you tell us about Sydney's
new Anglican Archbishop?
00:00:44.14\00:00:48.21
What does he have to say?"
00:00:48.24\00:00:51.85
Wayne, thank you. Yes, I can.
00:00:51.88\00:00:54.22
But before I do so, I
want to back up a little bit
00:00:54.25\00:00:58.62
because this new
Anglican Archbishop
00:00:58.65\00:01:01.26
is in a long line of
great Protestant preachers.
00:01:01.29\00:01:07.03
Now, what makes a
Protestant, a Protestant?
00:01:07.06\00:01:09.20
Well, a Protestant
believes in Sola Christus,
00:01:09.23\00:01:13.13
only Christ, Sola Scriptura.
00:01:13.17\00:01:16.34
This is the
authority not the church,
00:01:16.37\00:01:19.81
but the living Word of God.
00:01:19.84\00:01:24.38
So you've got
preachers like Martin Luther,
00:01:24.41\00:01:27.72
John Wesley, John Newton,
00:01:27.75\00:01:31.12
and I could go on and on and on.
00:01:31.15\00:01:33.66
And these were
the men who went out
00:01:33.69\00:01:35.72
and they preached
with fire in their bellies,
00:01:35.76\00:01:39.66
and their
preaching changed the world
00:01:39.69\00:01:42.40
and gave us the
Protestant Reformation
00:01:42.43\00:01:45.00
that gave us the
great democracies.
00:01:45.03\00:01:47.14
Listen to me, if there
had been no Martin Luther,
00:01:47.17\00:01:50.51
if there had been no
Protestant Reformation,
00:01:50.54\00:01:53.61
there would have been no
United States of America.
00:01:53.64\00:01:59.58
Listen, liberty,
00:01:59.61\00:02:03.59
individual initiative, honesty,
00:02:03.62\00:02:07.06
benevolence, et cetera.
00:02:07.09\00:02:10.93
These great qualities
00:02:10.96\00:02:12.69
are the fruitage
not so much of...
00:02:12.73\00:02:15.40
No, they're not
at all from politics.
00:02:15.43\00:02:18.03
They are from the
very Gospel of Christ.
00:02:18.07\00:02:24.01
That's why what matters
most is the Gospel of Christ,
00:02:24.04\00:02:27.81
which this new
archbishop is saying so.
00:02:27.84\00:02:31.98
Okay, Wayne,
00:02:32.01\00:02:33.35
I didn't get to
it straight away,
00:02:33.38\00:02:35.15
but I'm getting to
it now, my old friend.
00:02:35.18\00:02:38.69
The first words
00:02:38.72\00:02:40.06
of the newly invested Archbishop
00:02:40.09\00:02:41.92
of Sydney.
00:02:41.96\00:02:44.53
What matters most
for this Archbishop?
00:02:44.56\00:02:48.06
What matters most for the life
00:02:48.10\00:02:49.53
and ministry of the
Sydney Anglican Church?
00:02:49.56\00:02:54.07
It's a Protestant church.
00:02:54.10\00:02:55.44
What matters most
when we think about
00:02:55.47\00:02:57.41
Christian life and mission?
00:02:57.44\00:03:00.21
You might think of some
great and pressing issues
00:03:00.24\00:03:02.71
of the day.
00:03:02.74\00:03:04.08
Perhaps homelessness
and housing affordability?
00:03:04.11\00:03:08.08
Women and children
escaping family violence?
00:03:08.12\00:03:10.99
Older Australians?
00:03:11.02\00:03:15.26
Indigenous Australians?
00:03:15.29\00:03:18.16
Perhaps in this reconciliation
00:03:18.19\00:03:20.43
between Sorry
Day and Mabo Day...
00:03:20.46\00:03:24.43
You would say that
healing, treaty, reconciliation,
00:03:24.47\00:03:28.07
first nations people is
the thing that matters most?
00:03:28.10\00:03:33.24
When I turn on
television in Australia
00:03:33.27\00:03:35.54
which is so liberal,
00:03:35.58\00:03:37.55
so left-wing,
00:03:37.58\00:03:39.85
this is what you
hear all the time.
00:03:39.88\00:03:41.68
They tell you, this
is what matters most.
00:03:41.72\00:03:44.49
I don't believe it.
00:03:44.52\00:03:46.76
Then he goes on
to say, "Or perhaps
00:03:46.79\00:03:49.49
it is youth mental health issues
00:03:49.52\00:03:51.46
making our most
empowered generation
00:03:51.49\00:03:53.90
the most anxious.
00:03:53.93\00:03:55.36
Did you know that
young people in Australia now
00:03:55.40\00:03:59.93
have got a tremendous problem?
00:03:59.97\00:04:01.64
Many of them
have got mental issues
00:04:01.67\00:04:06.61
because people
are giving up on God.
00:04:06.64\00:04:09.94
Only 49% of
people in this great land
00:04:09.98\00:04:12.95
that was based on the
Protestant Reformation.
00:04:12.98\00:04:15.95
Only 49% of
Australians believe in God.
00:04:15.98\00:04:19.45
I asked the question,
00:04:19.49\00:04:21.22
is the nation better
off or is it worse off?
00:04:21.26\00:04:25.83
Any person who's
honest with himself will say,
00:04:25.86\00:04:29.20
the country is worse off
because when you kill God,
00:04:29.23\00:04:32.83
you also kill human beings.
00:04:32.87\00:04:35.77
The death of God always
leads to the death of man.
00:04:35.80\00:04:39.81
Sorry, Archbishop,
I'm gonna continue.
00:04:39.84\00:04:42.71
He says, "Well,
perhaps what matters most
00:04:42.74\00:04:45.81
is the great commandment,
00:04:45.85\00:04:47.92
perhaps the Great Commission,
00:04:47.95\00:04:50.05
or perhaps that summary
in Micah to love justice,
00:04:50.09\00:04:52.75
to do mercy and walk humbly.
00:04:52.79\00:04:56.29
All these things are to be
true of Christian disciples.
00:04:56.32\00:05:01.56
But they are all the outcome
of something more fundamental,
00:05:01.60\00:05:04.77
more basic and essential."
00:05:04.80\00:05:07.47
There's the Archbishop.
00:05:07.50\00:05:09.60
"What matters most
is not anything we do,
00:05:09.64\00:05:13.34
but what God has done."
00:05:13.38\00:05:18.11
Hey, are you listening?
00:05:18.15\00:05:19.48
Did you get that?
00:05:19.51\00:05:21.82
Did you hear what
the new Archbishop
00:05:21.85\00:05:23.89
of Sydney said?
00:05:23.92\00:05:25.25
He said it's
none of these things.
00:05:25.29\00:05:26.72
These things are
not what matters most
00:05:26.76\00:05:30.09
is what God has done.
00:05:30.13\00:05:32.33
"The heart of
the Christian faith,
00:05:32.36\00:05:33.80
he says, is the
person of Jesus Christ,
00:05:33.83\00:05:37.63
who God sent into the world.
00:05:37.67\00:05:40.20
And at the heart of the ministry
00:05:40.24\00:05:41.70
of Jesus is the cross
00:05:41.74\00:05:43.81
on which He died
and His resurrection,
00:05:43.84\00:05:47.64
the demonstration of
the potency of the cross.
00:05:47.68\00:05:50.75
What matters most?"
00:05:53.75\00:05:58.19
And so this new Archbishop
00:05:58.22\00:06:01.82
of the Anglican
Church in Sydney,
00:06:01.86\00:06:04.89
the man who came from Sri Lanka,
00:06:04.93\00:06:08.33
who was a
Buddhist, who was converted,
00:06:08.36\00:06:11.67
because somebody gave
him the Gospel of John
00:06:11.70\00:06:16.81
says what matters most
00:06:16.84\00:06:18.64
is none of these social issues.
00:06:18.67\00:06:23.41
It is Christ in the gospel.
00:06:23.45\00:06:27.12
It is Christ and His cross.
00:06:27.15\00:06:30.69
It is Christ
00:06:30.72\00:06:32.29
and His resurrection.
00:06:32.32\00:06:36.86
Now, I'm going
to tell you a story
00:06:36.89\00:06:39.36
to illustrate what matters most
00:06:39.39\00:06:41.70
and I hope that
00:06:41.73\00:06:43.06
you and I will
finally get it sorted out
00:06:43.10\00:06:45.37
what matters most
00:06:45.40\00:06:47.14
and we will
stop playing the game
00:06:47.17\00:06:49.00
that is sometimes called church.
00:06:49.04\00:06:51.27
Some people play church.
00:06:51.31\00:06:54.34
We're not called to play church.
00:06:54.38\00:06:57.71
We're called to follow Christ
00:06:57.75\00:07:01.52
like Pedro in Cuba.
00:07:01.55\00:07:05.32
We met Pedro
when we went to Cuba
00:07:05.35\00:07:07.82
to run an evangelistic campaign.
00:07:07.86\00:07:09.79
You say, "People are not allowed
00:07:09.82\00:07:11.79
to run
evangelistic campaigns in Cuba?"
00:07:11.83\00:07:14.00
Yes, they are.
00:07:14.03\00:07:17.67
And Pedro is a preacher
of the Gospel of Christ.
00:07:17.70\00:07:23.10
He stays
completely out of politics.
00:07:23.14\00:07:26.71
And I think that's one
reason God blesses him.
00:07:26.74\00:07:29.41
He has nothing at all to do
00:07:29.44\00:07:32.28
with politics.
00:07:32.31\00:07:36.15
Pedro, by preaching
the Gospel of Christ
00:07:36.18\00:07:40.06
is helping to bless
00:07:40.09\00:07:42.39
the Cuban nation.
00:07:42.42\00:07:46.16
Now, it was years ago,
00:07:46.19\00:07:47.66
I was a night speaker
at the General Conference
00:07:47.70\00:07:50.03
in the great city
00:07:50.07\00:07:51.93
of as they call it over there,
00:07:51.97\00:07:53.84
New Orleans.
00:07:53.87\00:07:57.07
A man by the name of NC Wilson,
00:07:57.11\00:08:00.01
who is the
president of the church
00:08:00.04\00:08:01.84
gave a great speech on
the church and politics.
00:08:01.88\00:08:05.41
He said, "As a church
00:08:05.45\00:08:07.65
we do not hold up
any political party.
00:08:07.68\00:08:12.69
We do not endorse
any political party."
00:08:12.72\00:08:15.99
That's what NC Wilson said.
00:08:16.02\00:08:18.99
He said, "We tell people,
00:08:19.03\00:08:21.33
whatever country you're
in to support your government
00:08:21.36\00:08:25.77
and to be a loyal citizen."
00:08:25.80\00:08:28.87
People say no, no,
no, that's not it, no.
00:08:28.90\00:08:33.17
We're talking
about the truth here.
00:08:33.21\00:08:36.78
And Pedro who is a
loyal citizen of Cuba.
00:08:36.81\00:08:41.98
And Pedro is one young preacher
who's got it worked out.
00:08:42.02\00:08:46.62
He's got it sorted
out, and he's right.
00:08:46.65\00:08:50.16
He believes what
matters most is Christ.
00:08:50.19\00:08:54.03
What matters most is the Bible.
00:08:54.06\00:08:56.40
What matters most
is the Gospel of Jesus.
00:08:56.43\00:09:00.04
What matters most
is the cross of Christ.
00:09:00.07\00:09:02.74
What matters most is
the resurrection of Christ.
00:09:02.77\00:09:06.01
What matters most
00:09:06.04\00:09:07.38
is that Christ is
my high priest today.
00:09:07.41\00:09:09.08
No, no ordinary
human being but Christ.
00:09:09.11\00:09:13.05
What matters most is
that Jesus is coming back
00:09:13.08\00:09:16.05
to save us and
take us home to glory.
00:09:16.08\00:09:18.65
That's what matters most.
00:09:18.69\00:09:21.39
Pedro has got it worked out.
00:09:21.42\00:09:24.03
And I think the Archbishop
00:09:24.06\00:09:26.59
if he knew Pedro would
want to give him a job.
00:09:26.63\00:09:31.30
Because Pedro understands
00:09:31.33\00:09:35.47
the gospel matters most.
00:09:35.50\00:09:37.84
Listen, our advice to
preachers is plain and simple.
00:09:37.87\00:09:41.24
Now, preachers
00:09:41.28\00:09:42.61
if you're listening to me still,
00:09:42.64\00:09:44.51
and listen up a little bit more,
00:09:44.55\00:09:46.31
brother or sister,
I say today, listen.
00:09:46.35\00:09:51.32
God never called you
00:09:51.35\00:09:52.69
to promote the Republican Party.
00:09:52.72\00:09:55.36
He never called you to
promote the Democratic Party.
00:09:55.39\00:09:59.39
He never told you to go
around and preach politics.
00:09:59.43\00:10:05.00
He called you to
preach the Gospel of Christ
00:10:05.03\00:10:07.94
and if you do that,
00:10:07.97\00:10:10.21
you will see save
souls, minds enlightened,
00:10:10.24\00:10:16.01
racism start to disappear,
00:10:16.04\00:10:20.98
domestic violence
become a thing of the past.
00:10:21.02\00:10:24.99
We need a reformation again
00:10:25.02\00:10:28.09
and the reformation
starts in the heart.
00:10:28.12\00:10:30.93
The gospel is what matters most.
00:10:30.96\00:10:36.20
"You've preached in Cuba.
00:10:36.23\00:10:38.53
How did the communist
government treat you?"
00:10:38.57\00:10:40.50
Well, actually, they
treated me very well.
00:10:43.81\00:10:45.54
Thank you very much.
00:10:45.57\00:10:47.88
You see, the
Cuban government knew
00:10:47.91\00:10:50.95
that I wasn't in
Cuba to cause trouble.
00:10:50.98\00:10:54.12
I wasn't there to
get involved in politics.
00:10:54.15\00:10:57.99
I was there to
preach the Gospel of Christ.
00:10:58.02\00:11:01.06
And the Carter Report sponsored
00:11:01.09\00:11:02.42
all of these great
evangelistic campaigns
00:11:02.46\00:11:04.83
up and down and
across the Cuban nation.
00:11:04.86\00:11:08.63
We saw wonderful
crowds of people.
00:11:08.66\00:11:13.40
They came because
they are hungry for God,
00:11:13.44\00:11:15.47
you say.
00:11:15.50\00:11:16.84
Saint Augustine had
arrived when he said,
00:11:16.87\00:11:18.57
"Our souls were made for God,
00:11:18.61\00:11:20.21
they cannot rest
until they rest in Him."
00:11:20.24\00:11:23.28
And if you get away from God,
00:11:23.31\00:11:24.65
you're going to find
life is not too good.
00:11:24.68\00:11:27.28
You're going to
find that you're dead,
00:11:27.32\00:11:29.08
and you're empty inside.
00:11:29.12\00:11:32.05
God has put this thing inside us
00:11:32.09\00:11:34.26
and unless it's
filled up with God,
00:11:34.29\00:11:36.83
it's going to be
pretty anxious and unhappy.
00:11:36.86\00:11:41.83
So we went to Cuba,
and we joined with Pedro.
00:11:41.86\00:11:45.73
Pedro sang for me,
has fantastic voice.
00:11:45.77\00:11:49.44
Now he's running his
own evangelistic campaigns
00:11:49.47\00:11:52.24
and pastoring his own church.
00:11:52.27\00:11:54.78
Some of the finest pastors
I've met anywhere in the world
00:11:54.81\00:11:58.61
were Cuban pastors.
00:11:58.65\00:12:00.55
They weren't playing
around with politics, thank God.
00:12:00.58\00:12:04.99
They were focused on the Bible,
they were focused on Christ.
00:12:05.02\00:12:09.99
They'd gotten it
sorted out, you see.
00:12:10.03\00:12:13.53
I think it's a great tragedy
00:12:13.56\00:12:14.93
when pastors all they
can talk about is politics,
00:12:14.96\00:12:17.40
and I belong to this party,
00:12:17.43\00:12:19.00
I belong to that party,
00:12:19.03\00:12:20.47
and I'm for this
and I'm for that.
00:12:20.50\00:12:22.57
Hey, they may earn
00:12:22.60\00:12:25.77
their salaries a lot better
00:12:25.81\00:12:29.01
if they went out
into all the world,
00:12:29.04\00:12:32.05
went to Cuba, went to Russia,
00:12:32.08\00:12:36.12
went to Ukraine, went to Africa,
00:12:36.15\00:12:40.32
and preach the
pure Gospel of Christ
00:12:40.36\00:12:43.69
because the Gospel of Christ
00:12:43.73\00:12:45.99
is the greatest rejuvenator,
00:12:46.03\00:12:49.26
regenerator, uplifter
00:12:49.30\00:12:52.47
of the human race.
00:12:52.50\00:12:55.77
And because the gospel
is the most potent force
00:12:55.80\00:12:59.21
in the world,
00:12:59.24\00:13:01.01
it's what matters most.
00:13:01.04\00:13:02.94
And I agree with
the Anglican Archbishop
00:13:02.98\00:13:05.81
of Sydney.
00:13:05.85\00:13:07.18
"What is so important
about the cross of Christ?
00:13:10.32\00:13:13.42
And what is the
difference in all of these isms?
00:13:13.46\00:13:17.19
Humanism, atheism?"
00:13:17.23\00:13:19.36
Well, let me tell you.
00:13:22.46\00:13:26.13
Firstly, I should
tell you a little bit about
00:13:26.17\00:13:27.84
the Anglican Church.
00:13:27.87\00:13:30.21
It's a Protestant Church.
00:13:30.24\00:13:31.57
It's the church that came out
of the Roman Catholic Church.
00:13:31.61\00:13:35.61
In the days of
that terrible man,
00:13:35.64\00:13:37.95
King Henry, you know
about him, don't you?
00:13:37.98\00:13:41.88
What a rogue he was,
00:13:41.92\00:13:44.29
but the
Protestant Reformation came
00:13:44.32\00:13:46.42
to Great Britain
through the preaching
00:13:46.45\00:13:48.66
of the Protestant reformers.
00:13:48.69\00:13:51.43
And the Anglican Church,
00:13:51.46\00:13:52.79
at least the low wing
of the Anglican Church
00:13:52.83\00:13:56.13
is evangelical
and free and believes
00:13:56.16\00:14:00.40
in the supremacy of Christ.
00:14:00.44\00:14:03.71
So it's a Protestant
Church, and I'm a Protestant.
00:14:03.74\00:14:08.01
I tell people this, I'm
firstly I'm a Christian,
00:14:08.04\00:14:10.21
then I'm a Protestant,
and I'm an Adventist.
00:14:10.25\00:14:13.72
I'm an Adventist
because I believe
00:14:13.75\00:14:16.08
in the commandments of God,
00:14:16.12\00:14:17.59
and I believe in the
soon coming of Christ.
00:14:17.62\00:14:22.86
I believe the
gospel matters most.
00:14:22.89\00:14:26.09
What does the gospel teach?
00:14:26.13\00:14:28.96
The gospel teaches
that I'm a child of God,
00:14:29.00\00:14:31.70
you're a child of God.
00:14:31.73\00:14:35.24
It says, "In the beginning,
00:14:35.27\00:14:36.60
God created the
heavens and the earth."
00:14:36.64\00:14:39.47
So we came from God.
00:14:39.51\00:14:41.48
John Chapter 1 says, "In
the beginning was the Word,
00:14:41.51\00:14:44.31
the Word was with God,
00:14:44.35\00:14:45.75
and the Word was God,
and the Word became flesh,
00:14:45.78\00:14:50.09
and dwelt among us."
00:14:50.12\00:14:51.79
It teaches that the eternal word
00:14:51.82\00:14:54.49
Yahweh Elohim
00:14:54.52\00:14:57.06
became a human being.
00:14:57.09\00:15:00.90
It completely dismisses
00:15:00.93\00:15:03.63
the absurd idea of humanism
00:15:03.67\00:15:07.04
and the equally
absurd idea of atheism.
00:15:07.07\00:15:12.01
You see, humanism
teaches there is no God.
00:15:12.04\00:15:15.88
It doesn't say that human beings
00:15:15.91\00:15:18.38
are good or anything like this.
00:15:18.41\00:15:20.12
Humanism believes that
00:15:20.15\00:15:21.68
man is the
center of the universe,
00:15:21.72\00:15:24.15
and man is everything
that ever was or ever will be.
00:15:24.19\00:15:29.12
I'm not a humanist.
00:15:29.16\00:15:31.13
I believe in Almighty
God, I believe in Jesus Christ.
00:15:31.16\00:15:34.93
I believe that Jesus
Christ was God in human flesh.
00:15:34.96\00:15:39.23
This is what I
believe matters most.
00:15:39.27\00:15:43.14
I believe He came to
show us what God is like.
00:15:43.17\00:15:48.48
People had no idea
really what God was like,
00:15:48.51\00:15:50.95
or if they had they'd
forgotten all about it.
00:15:50.98\00:15:53.11
So Jesus became a man,
00:15:53.15\00:15:57.79
Almighty God, the
second person of the Godhead
00:15:57.82\00:16:01.42
became a man
00:16:01.46\00:16:03.56
and He came to
save us from our sins.
00:16:03.59\00:16:07.73
I'm going to turn
over here to the writings
00:16:07.76\00:16:10.53
of the great
Apostle Paul in Chapter 3.
00:16:10.57\00:16:15.00
I earnestly recommend
that you read this book.
00:16:15.04\00:16:19.07
You may find it
hard to understand,
00:16:19.11\00:16:21.91
but if you persevere,
00:16:21.94\00:16:23.68
you're going to get the
greatest blessing, you see.
00:16:23.71\00:16:27.38
Romans 3:10, says,
00:16:27.42\00:16:29.55
"As it is written:
'There is none righteous,
00:16:29.58\00:16:31.82
no, not one."
00:16:31.85\00:16:33.19
Before you're going to
understand the good news,
00:16:33.22\00:16:35.86
you got to
understand the bad news.
00:16:35.89\00:16:38.29
And the bad news is that
there are no righteous people,
00:16:38.33\00:16:41.70
we are all sinners,
and we all need a Savior,
00:16:41.73\00:16:46.77
but the good news is that
00:16:46.80\00:16:48.67
Jesus is the Savior.
00:16:48.70\00:16:53.04
And then I come over here
00:16:53.07\00:16:54.48
to Romans 6:23, it says,
00:16:54.51\00:16:59.78
"For the wages of sin is death."
00:16:59.81\00:17:03.12
If we continue on in
our course of activity,
00:17:03.15\00:17:06.19
we are going to die.
00:17:06.22\00:17:09.29
We are going to be lost,
00:17:09.32\00:17:11.56
there is a heaven
and there is a hell.
00:17:11.59\00:17:16.00
Then the text goes on to say,
"For the wages of sin is death,
00:17:16.03\00:17:20.70
but the gift of
God is eternal life
00:17:20.74\00:17:23.57
in Christ Jesus,
00:17:23.61\00:17:25.17
our Lord."
00:17:25.21\00:17:27.01
It teaches that
Jesus Christ on the cross
00:17:27.04\00:17:32.08
paid the price for my sins.
00:17:32.11\00:17:35.48
God was in Christ
reconciling the world
00:17:35.52\00:17:37.82
to Himself in 2 Corinthians 5,
00:17:37.85\00:17:40.32
God made Him who knew
no sin, to be sin for us,
00:17:40.36\00:17:43.39
so that in Him we might become
00:17:43.43\00:17:45.56
the righteousness of God in Him.
00:17:45.59\00:17:47.30
This is the teaching
00:17:47.33\00:17:48.96
of the great
Protestant Reformation.
00:17:49.00\00:17:50.67
This is the
teaching that elevates
00:17:50.70\00:17:52.70
and saves the soul.
00:17:52.73\00:17:57.54
It's the most important truth,
it's the most wonderful truth,
00:17:57.57\00:18:01.44
and when this truth has
been taught around the world,
00:18:01.48\00:18:04.75
it has an amazing capacity
00:18:04.78\00:18:08.75
to change human lives.
00:18:08.78\00:18:13.12
Better than what Congress can do
00:18:13.15\00:18:14.62
and the Senate can do.
00:18:14.66\00:18:15.99
Well, of course,
they're not doing too good,
00:18:16.02\00:18:17.36
are they?
00:18:17.39\00:18:19.73
They think sometimes
that by passing bills,
00:18:19.76\00:18:24.13
and by having legislation,
00:18:24.17\00:18:26.84
they can change
the hearts of men.
00:18:26.87\00:18:28.54
You can't change the
hearts of men with legislation.
00:18:28.57\00:18:31.91
Legislator, Congressman,
Senator, Parliamentarian,
00:18:31.94\00:18:36.11
it is only the Gospel of Christ
that can change the heart.
00:18:36.14\00:18:40.25
I've seen it
happen, thousands of people,
00:18:40.28\00:18:42.32
tens of thousands.
00:18:42.35\00:18:45.12
Sergei, Russia, a mafia leader,
00:18:45.15\00:18:49.42
became a Christian
came to the meetings,
00:18:49.46\00:18:51.36
heard the gospel.
00:18:51.39\00:18:52.73
Ildar, a mafia
captain with 400 soldiers,
00:18:52.76\00:18:57.90
all with machine
guns come to Christ.
00:18:57.93\00:19:02.54
Well, the Duma in Russia,
00:19:02.57\00:19:05.14
whatever it's
called their parliament
00:19:05.17\00:19:06.94
can legislate and
talk and talk and talk
00:19:06.98\00:19:10.71
until the cows
come home to get milked,
00:19:10.75\00:19:14.78
but they're not going to
change the hearts of people
00:19:14.82\00:19:16.69
like Ildar and Sergei,
00:19:16.72\00:19:19.29
and I could talk
about thousands of others.
00:19:19.32\00:19:22.22
And what about Mary Magdalene,
00:19:22.26\00:19:25.23
a woman who was demon-possessed,
00:19:25.26\00:19:29.90
but became a
mighty child of God,
00:19:29.93\00:19:33.47
she became the apostle
to the apostles we're told.
00:19:33.50\00:19:37.21
Now listen.
00:19:37.24\00:19:39.57
Don't forget this.
00:19:39.61\00:19:42.08
It is the truth of the
gospel that changes the world.
00:19:42.11\00:19:45.21
That's why
evangelism is so important.
00:19:45.25\00:19:47.45
What's wrong?
00:19:47.48\00:19:48.82
Why don't we do evangelism?
00:19:48.85\00:19:51.39
Maybe we better listen
to the Anglican Archbishop.
00:19:51.42\00:19:56.26
The church in many
places has become a social club,
00:19:56.29\00:20:00.33
a political organization
00:20:00.36\00:20:02.60
that exists to
maintain the status quo,
00:20:02.63\00:20:06.84
you know it's true.
00:20:06.87\00:20:08.70
You may find what I'm
saying very uncomfortable
00:20:08.74\00:20:13.58
but you can't say it's wrong.
00:20:13.61\00:20:16.91
Can you now
00:20:16.95\00:20:18.88
because the gospel matters most.
00:20:18.91\00:20:22.95
In some churches,
it's getting elected
00:20:22.98\00:20:26.22
to be some highfalutin job.
00:20:26.25\00:20:30.83
What matters most?
00:20:30.86\00:20:32.19
How very sad.
00:20:32.23\00:20:34.83
I say today, think of Wesley.
00:20:34.86\00:20:38.57
Up at four in the
morning preaching to the miners.
00:20:38.60\00:20:41.47
Think of Whitfield,
the disciple of Wesley,
00:20:41.50\00:20:44.54
coming over to America,
00:20:44.57\00:20:47.81
planting the seed of truth
and righteousness in America.
00:20:47.84\00:20:53.58
Think of the Pilgrim
Fathers, for crying out loud.
00:20:53.62\00:20:56.75
Think of the Pilgrim Fathers.
00:20:56.79\00:20:59.19
Many Americans
don't even know today,
00:20:59.22\00:21:01.12
who they were.
00:21:01.16\00:21:03.76
They were people who
believe that Christ matters most
00:21:03.79\00:21:09.30
and closer to our
day, think of Billy Graham.
00:21:09.33\00:21:12.97
Think of HMS Richards
of the Voice of Prophecy.
00:21:13.00\00:21:17.04
Hey, they had it right.
00:21:17.07\00:21:20.21
They got it worked out
00:21:20.24\00:21:22.81
because they let the Holy Spirit
00:21:22.84\00:21:24.51
speak to their hearts.
00:21:24.55\00:21:25.95
What matters most?
00:21:25.98\00:21:28.92
Christ in the gospel.
00:21:28.95\00:21:30.89
Archbishop got it right.
00:21:30.92\00:21:32.29
"You're passionate
about how manmade religion
00:21:36.09\00:21:38.99
sometimes creates
barriers to the true gospel.
00:21:39.03\00:21:41.90
You mentioned John Wesley.
00:21:41.93\00:21:43.87
Can you tell us more about him?"
00:21:43.90\00:21:45.30
Well, John Wesley was a
member of the state church.
00:21:49.54\00:21:55.21
That was the Anglican Church
00:21:55.24\00:21:57.25
that had become
dreadfully formalized.
00:21:57.28\00:22:01.28
Churches have got
a terrible tendency
00:22:01.32\00:22:04.42
to go down the hill,
00:22:04.45\00:22:05.89
and become dreadfully formalized
00:22:05.92\00:22:09.09
and to lose the
power of the Spirit.
00:22:09.12\00:22:12.66
So John Wesley went to
Oxford and a great scholar.
00:22:12.69\00:22:16.40
He was an Oxford Don.
00:22:16.43\00:22:18.63
He was ordained as a
priest in the Church of England,
00:22:18.67\00:22:21.57
then he went across to America
00:22:21.60\00:22:23.67
to convert the American Indians,
00:22:23.71\00:22:26.74
but he made a
terrible mess of things.
00:22:26.78\00:22:29.84
People have got a tendency
to make a mess of things
00:22:29.88\00:22:33.01
when they don't make
Christ center in their lives,
00:22:33.05\00:22:37.95
but then he came back to London,
00:22:37.99\00:22:40.66
and one cold night,
00:22:40.69\00:22:42.52
he went down to
Aldersgate lane, I think,
00:22:42.56\00:22:46.80
and he heard an
unlettered layman
00:22:46.83\00:22:48.83
read Martin Luther's
preface to the Book of Romans,
00:22:48.86\00:22:52.53
where Martin Luther describes
00:22:52.57\00:22:54.37
what I've been
talking about today
00:22:54.40\00:22:56.50
the Gospel of Christ.
00:22:56.54\00:22:59.07
Wesley is very, very sad.
00:22:59.11\00:23:03.11
He's failed in
his life's calling.
00:23:03.14\00:23:06.01
But then he
starts to hear a message
00:23:06.05\00:23:09.08
from the Bible.
00:23:09.12\00:23:12.25
And then he
stands up and he says,
00:23:12.29\00:23:13.62
stop the
meeting, stop the meeting
00:23:13.66\00:23:16.29
and he says, as the brother read
00:23:16.32\00:23:19.59
Martin Luther's
preface to the Book of Romans,
00:23:19.63\00:23:22.30
that describes the
work of the Holy Spirit
00:23:22.33\00:23:25.07
in the heart,
00:23:25.10\00:23:26.43
he said, I felt my heart
00:23:26.47\00:23:30.04
strangely warmed.
00:23:30.07\00:23:34.18
He said, I felt that I
did indeed trust in Christ
00:23:34.21\00:23:38.91
and an assurance was given me
00:23:38.95\00:23:40.92
that Christ had
taken away my sin
00:23:40.95\00:23:43.22
and saved me from
the law of sin and death.
00:23:43.25\00:23:46.86
Wesley had found the gospel,
00:23:51.69\00:23:53.96
he discovered what matters most.
00:23:54.00\00:23:57.47
And then Wesley went
out and started to preach.
00:23:57.50\00:24:00.20
He was the same person.
00:24:00.24\00:24:01.57
No, he wasn't the same person.
00:24:01.60\00:24:03.10
He was a new John Wesley.
00:24:03.14\00:24:05.21
He had a fire in his belly.
00:24:05.24\00:24:06.68
He had Christ in his heart.
00:24:06.71\00:24:10.01
His preaching brought about
00:24:10.05\00:24:11.61
the reformation
of British society.
00:24:11.65\00:24:15.08
Hundreds of
thousands came to Christ.
00:24:15.12\00:24:18.12
Drunkenness was overcome.
00:24:18.15\00:24:20.52
Child slavery was abolished.
00:24:20.56\00:24:24.03
And the preaching of John Wesley
00:24:24.06\00:24:25.79
led to people like
Martin Luther King.
00:24:25.83\00:24:30.60
This is the force, my friend,
00:24:30.63\00:24:32.43
that actually changes the world.
00:24:32.47\00:24:35.80
Then one of his associates,
00:24:35.84\00:24:37.81
George Whitfield
caught the vision.
00:24:37.84\00:24:40.11
He came across to America.
00:24:40.14\00:24:41.81
He started preaching,
the fire spread to America.
00:24:41.84\00:24:45.51
John Wesley came
across to America.
00:24:45.55\00:24:47.55
Vast crowds of
Americans listened
00:24:47.58\00:24:49.82
in wonder and amazement,
00:24:49.85\00:24:51.72
and their lives were
changed by the power of God.
00:24:51.75\00:24:54.16
Society was
transformed, elevated.
00:24:54.19\00:24:59.66
So we come to
the question again,
00:24:59.69\00:25:01.26
what matters most?
00:25:01.30\00:25:03.33
John Wesley
discovered what matters most.
00:25:03.37\00:25:06.74
It's not political activity,
00:25:06.77\00:25:08.10
it is the preaching
of the Gospel of Christ.
00:25:08.14\00:25:12.47
That is the great
uplifter of humanity.
00:25:12.51\00:25:15.78
We've seen it in the
preaching of Whitfield,
00:25:15.81\00:25:19.91
George
Whitfield over in America,
00:25:19.95\00:25:22.28
in the preaching of
the Protestant reformers,
00:25:22.32\00:25:25.45
in the
preaching of the Puritans.
00:25:25.49\00:25:30.69
This is why the countries
that accepted this great gospel
00:25:30.73\00:25:33.63
became the greatest
countries in the world.
00:25:33.66\00:25:35.93
That's why people are lining up
00:25:35.96\00:25:38.17
still today to get
into those countries.
00:25:38.20\00:25:41.30
What matters most?
00:25:41.34\00:25:43.81
Christ, His cross,
00:25:43.84\00:25:48.08
His
resurrection, His priesthood,
00:25:48.11\00:25:52.31
He's coming again.
00:25:52.35\00:25:56.18
That's what matters most.
00:25:56.22\00:25:57.55
Jesus said, "All
authority has been given to Me
00:26:03.96\00:26:07.26
in heaven and on earth.
00:26:07.30\00:26:09.56
Go therefore and make
disciples of all the nations,
00:26:09.60\00:26:13.90
baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son,
00:26:13.94\00:26:17.94
and of the Holy Spirit."
00:26:17.97\00:26:21.74
John Carter reports,
00:26:21.78\00:26:23.55
"We have seen God's
power as the Gospel of Christ
00:26:23.58\00:26:26.75
has been proclaimed in Africa,
00:26:26.78\00:26:30.52
India, Russia,
00:26:30.55\00:26:35.66
Ukraine, Cuba,
00:26:35.69\00:26:41.60
El Salvador, and
many other places.
00:26:41.63\00:26:45.20
We invite you to partner with us
00:26:45.23\00:26:48.24
in proclaiming Jesus Christ."
00:26:48.27\00:26:50.31
To God be the glory,
great things He has done.
00:26:53.94\00:26:58.68
Write today to
the Carter Report,
00:27:01.68\00:27:04.82
P.O. Box 1900,
00:27:04.85\00:27:06.99
Thousand Oaks, California 91358.
00:27:07.02\00:27:11.96
That's the Carter Report,
00:27:11.99\00:27:14.16
P.O. Box 1900,
00:27:14.20\00:27:16.46
Thousand Oaks, California 91358.
00:27:16.50\00:27:21.20
In Australia, write
to the Carter Report,
00:27:21.24\00:27:25.01
P.O. Box 861,
00:27:25.04\00:27:27.31
Terrigal, New South Wales 2260.
00:27:27.34\00:27:31.78
That's the Carter Report,
00:27:31.81\00:27:34.08
P.O. Box 861,
00:27:34.12\00:27:36.35
Terrigal, New South Wales 2260.
00:27:36.38\00:27:41.09
Thank you for
your generous support.
00:27:41.12\00:27:43.46
We look forward to
hearing from you soon.
00:27:43.49\00:27:45.96
May God richly bless you.
00:27:45.99\00:27:47.93
For a copy of today's program,
00:28:04.65\00:28:06.55
please contact
us at P.O. Box 1900,
00:28:06.58\00:28:10.22
Thousand Oaks, California 91358
00:28:10.25\00:28:14.22
or in Australia,
contact us at P.O. Box 861,
00:28:14.26\00:28:19.49
Terrigal, New South Wales 2260.
00:28:19.53\00:28:23.63
This program is made possible
00:28:23.67\00:28:25.53
through the generous
support of viewers like you.
00:28:25.57\00:28:28.47
We thank you for
your continued support.
00:28:28.50\00:28:31.51
May God richly bless you.
00:28:31.54\00:28:33.31