Welcome to Battle
Creek, where we are ready to
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bring to you the
first installment of the
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"Eleventh hour Evidence."
My name is Pastor Jason
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Seiber. I'll be
your host, I'm not your
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speaker. Your
speaker tonight will be
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David Asscherick.
We are so excited about
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having him here with
us tonight, ready to bring
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us the Gospel.
Have you ever had a
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friend and you
wondered exactly what you could
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say to that person
to convince them that
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Jesus Christ is alive
and well and reigning in
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heaven. Tonight, if
you'll listen carefully
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David is going to
have answers for you.
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So make sure that
you pull up your chair,
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get out your pencil,
find a notepad and put
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it in front of you.
Put on your thinking
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cap and get ready,
because this is going to
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be exciting. You have my word on
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that. But before we
go to David, I would like
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to just take a moment
to introduce to you our
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musical guest
tonight, Buddy Houghtaling
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who is going to
be talking about the
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one we are all interested in,
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"the Miracle Man." Buddy.
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Is there anybody
here that loves my Jesus.
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Anybody here that loves my Lord.
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Oh! I want to know,
yes, I want to know.
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Do you love, do
you love my Lord.
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Did you see the man
in the sea, everybody is
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talking of,
telling everyone that he is
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God's son and
proving it with love.
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Did you see the man in the sea.
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doing things that
nobody can, Everybody is
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calling it something different.
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I just say, he is a Miracle man.
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Did you see the man
in the temple with the
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scribes and
Pharisees there saying that the
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guy that we all
fear it's his dad and he
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really cares. Cured a man by the
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poolside, now
tell me that he got
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up and ran, nobody
is sure where we found
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his cure all you're
saying it was a miracle man.
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There are those not
sure of what he is about
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Some take him in;
some cast him out but
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in my heart, can
there be a doubt you see
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Though, he didn't
change his toast to bread,
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Changed my heart of
stone instead with the
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way he lived and
died, the miracle man,
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the miracle man.
Is there anybody here
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that loves my
Jesus, Anybody here that
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loves my Lord,
Oh! I want to know,
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yes I want to know, do you love,
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do you love, do
you love my Lord.
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Do you love my Lord.
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Thanks Buddy,
that's was just beautiful.
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You know it wasn't
so long ago when I was a
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Godless young man
in Journalism School
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learning how to do
television, excited about
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my career and completely
without God, not only did
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did I not believe in
God, but I considered myself
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his enemy. I had a
praying mother however,
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and a praying grandmother
who lifted my name up to
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Jesus Christ three
times a day, and God send
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someone really special
in my life. A man named
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Dr. Clayton Ford,
a Baptist Minister.
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He had a really
simple message, just this,
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"Jesus Christ is
alive." He convinced me to
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believe that Jesus
Christ is alive and with that my
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entire life changed.
The Bible says in Romans
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chapter 1, verse
16;" For I am not ashamed
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of the gospel, for it
is the power of God for
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salvation to everyone who
believes, to the Jew first
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and also to the
Greek." And tonight I can tell
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you the power of the
gospel has transformed my
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life. It can
transform your life.
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And tonight the evidence
you're going to hear can
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transform the lives of
the people you know need
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Jesus and if you
don't know Jesus and if you
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listen carefully it
will transform your life too.
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I would like to
introduce to you tonight,
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our guest host David Asscherick.
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Glad you're here
this evening David.
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Alright, Good
evening. Good evening everyone.
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Good evening. Are you glad to be
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here this evening? Yes.
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Wasn't that a beautiful
song? I had never heard
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that song
before. Thank you Buddy.
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That was beautiful.
Well, it's cold outside,
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but is it warm inside? Yes.
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Amen. A great privilege be here.
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You know I just
flew in yesterday from
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California, and so
it would be easier to go
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through the now ubiquitous metal
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detectors. I thought
it would be wise for me
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to wear my flip
flops. So I put my flip flops
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on in California,
and as I arrived in
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Michigan in 24 degree
weather I realized that,
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that was not such a good plan.
00:06:02.29\00:06:03.44
And my wife is still
in California. Her sister
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is giving birth
right at this very moment,
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and she wants to
be there with her.
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So I flew back here.
And it is a privilege to
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here in cold but
beautiful Michigan,
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Amen. Amen.
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Well, I want to tell
you a little bit about the
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series. This is a
brand new series that we have
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put together.
And the title of the
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series is
"Eleventh hour Evidence,"
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Eleventh hour Evidence.
Now you will notice that
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in that title, there
is the juxtaposition of
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two themes, two major themes.
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The first is,
Eleventh hour and the second
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is evidence.
Eleventh hour Evidence.
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Now before we get into
the message proper this
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evening. I would like
to sort of walk you through
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the significance of
that title, Eleventh hour
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Evidence. Let's
begin with the term
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"Eleventh Hour" if
you have your Bibles,
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just go with me
quickly to, pardon me, Romans
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chapter 13. Now
we will begin the
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message proper in a
few moments, but just a few
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preliminary
remarks. Romans chapter 13,
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Romans what chapter
are we going to everyone?
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Thirteen. Romans chapter 13,
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and here in verse 11,
the Apostle Paul makes a
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remarkable statement.
Romans chapter 13, and
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I'm beginning in verse
11, the Apostle Paul says
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this, and do this
knowing the what? Time.
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Knowing the time,
that now it is high time
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that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep,
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for now our salvation
is nearer than when we
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first believed.
That is a power packed
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verse of scripture, friends.
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He says two things in
there. The first thing he
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says is we should know the time.
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Now if I ask you what
time it was, you might
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look at your watch
and say Pastor Asscherick,
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it's 7:06, that is
not what the Apostle Paul
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is talking about.
The Apostle Paul is
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talking about in the
big scheme of things,
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in the grand scheme of
the universal conflict.
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The great cosmic
controversy between good
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and evil, and
light and darkness.
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He is saying, you
should know the time and then
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he says that
second theme, he says,
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it is high time.
It is what everyone?
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High time. High time to do what?
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To awake out. To
awake out of sleep.
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What is the Apostle
Paul saying here, among
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other things what he
saying is, is that we're
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living closer to the
second coming of Jesus
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then when we first believed.
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Now friends that is
good news. At the end of this
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message tonight we
will be 50 minutes closer to
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the second coming of
Jesus. Now when I make
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the statement that we
are living in the eleventh
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hour then I believe
we're living in the very
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closing moments,
the very closing seconds
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of earth's
history. That is not just a
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fantastical
religious wild-eyed statement.
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I believe that is a
calm, reasoned, intelligent
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statement, and this
introduces the second
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element. Eleventh hour,
we're living in the last
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days, but what's that
next world "Evidence,"
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and so you have the
juxtaposition of these
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two themes. For
somebody to stand
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on a busy street corner
with a placard that says
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the end is near.
This may or may not be
00:09:03.91\00:09:06.05
particularly
convincing evidence that we are
00:09:06.08\00:09:08.05
living in the last
moments. The goal of the
00:09:08.08\00:09:10.93
next fourteen messages
will be to demonstrate to
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you, not only are we
actually living in those
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days immediately
perceiving the second
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coming of Jesus, that is
to say the very last days
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earth's history. But we
will do our very best by
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the grace of God to
give you evidence to that of
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fact. To give you what everyone?
00:09:29.49\00:09:31.03
Evidence.
Evidence. So that's sort
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of the title you have
a feel for it now. This
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seminar is going to be
very different then other
00:09:35.60\00:09:37.45
seminars that we've had on 3ABN.
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This will be designed to
demonstrate that there is
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actual, empirical,
knowable, testable proof.
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What word did I say? Proof.
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Proof. Sometimes we
think of the whole realm
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of religion as being in
the realm of the atrium,
00:09:51.61\00:09:54.12
that which really
can't be known and if you
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feel that it's true
and if you don't feel it,
00:09:56.78\00:09:58.47
it's not true. We
are going to take a very
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different kind of
stand in this seminar.
00:10:01.49\00:10:02.46
We are going to try
and demonstrate with proof.
00:10:02.47\00:10:05.01
With what word again? Proof.
00:10:05.04\00:10:08.07
Proof and evidence that
we are in fact living in
00:10:08.10\00:10:10.86
the very last days and
so that sort of introduces
00:10:10.89\00:10:13.49
you to the title
"Eleventh hour Evidence."
00:10:13.52\00:10:16.70
Now let's look at
one more passage of
00:10:16.73\00:10:19.20
scripture, then I want
to go to the screen briefly.
00:10:19.23\00:10:20.92
The second passage I
want to show you is in
00:10:20.95\00:10:23.26
First Peter chapter
3. First Peter, and what
00:10:23.29\00:10:26.94
chapter are we going to? Three.
00:10:26.97\00:10:28.28
First Peter chapter
3, the Apostle Peter said
00:10:28.31\00:10:32.81
something remarkable
here and I would like you
00:10:32.84\00:10:34.62
to see that, First
Peter chapter 3, and notice
00:10:34.65\00:10:38.26
with me verse 15.
First Peter chapter 3 and
00:10:38.29\00:10:41.41
actually to set the
context, we'll look at
00:10:41.44\00:10:42.71
verse 14. First Peter
chapter 3 and verse 14,
00:10:42.74\00:10:44.88
he says, "But even
if you should suffer for
00:10:44.91\00:10:47.83
righteousness' sake,
you are blessed and do not
00:10:47.86\00:10:49.98
be afraid of
their threats, nor be
00:10:50.01\00:10:51.97
troubled." Now hone in on verse
00:10:52.00\00:10:53.96
15, set your
cross ears on verse 15.
00:10:53.99\00:10:55.98
The Apostle Peter says,
but sanctify the Lord God
00:10:56.01\00:10:59.38
in your heart. The word
sanctify means set aside
00:10:59.41\00:11:01.98
for a holy purpose.
Sanctify the Lord God in
00:11:02.01\00:11:05.17
your hearts and always
be ready to give a, I am
00:11:05.20\00:11:09.06
reading from the New
King James, it says a
00:11:09.09\00:11:10.46
defense. If you're reading
in the Old King James, it
00:11:10.49\00:11:13.71
says but sanctify the
Lord God in your hearts
00:11:13.74\00:11:15.27
and be ready always to give an?
00:11:15.30\00:11:16.99
Answer. Answer, and notice what
00:11:17.02\00:11:18.97
it goes on to say
here, to give an answer or a
00:11:19.00\00:11:21.18
defense to everyone that
asks you a reason for the
00:11:21.21\00:11:25.33
hope that is in you
with meekness and fear.
00:11:25.36\00:11:26.89
Now let's think about
that for just a moment.
00:11:26.92\00:11:30.08
Peter here is encouraging. He is
00:11:30.11\00:11:32.35
admonishing Christians
to be able to give an answer
00:11:32.38\00:11:34.92
to how many? To how many?
00:11:34.95\00:11:37.26
To all of us. To
every man that ask of
00:11:37.29\00:11:40.05
you a reason of the
hope that is in you, but what
00:11:40.08\00:11:42.96
were those last
two words there with?
00:11:42.99\00:11:43.96
Meekness and fear.
In another words when
00:11:43.99\00:11:46.53
we give an answer,
it should not be a proud
00:11:46.56\00:11:48.40
answer or a boastful
answer. It should be a
00:11:48.43\00:11:51.17
meek answer, friends.
So what kind of answer?
00:11:51.20\00:11:53.18
A meek answer.
A meek answer. Now
00:11:53.21\00:11:55.25
notice this, he
actually is urging us here to be
00:11:55.28\00:11:57.65
able to give an
answer. Now an adequate answer
00:11:57.68\00:12:00.90
is implied. In other
words, simply saying,
00:12:00.93\00:12:03.83
well, that's what
I believe is not an
00:12:03.86\00:12:06.07
adequate answer. If
somebody were to say
00:12:06.10\00:12:08.02
to you, well, why do
you believe the Jesus is
00:12:08.05\00:12:09.59
coming soon. Do you
actually believe we're
00:12:09.62\00:12:11.18
living in last hours
of earth's history and you
00:12:11.21\00:12:12.89
said, well, that's what
my Pastor says, so that's
00:12:12.92\00:12:15.24
what I believe.
Is that an adequate
00:12:15.27\00:12:16.74
answer? I read a book that said
00:12:16.77\00:12:19.13
that that's what
was going to take place.
00:12:19.16\00:12:20.63
Is that an adequate
answer? What Peter is
00:12:20.66\00:12:22.98
encouraging us here
is to be able to give an
00:12:23.01\00:12:25.19
adequate, compelling,
convincing, persuasive
00:12:25.22\00:12:28.34
answer for the reasons
that you believe, what it
00:12:28.37\00:12:31.81
is that you believe, Amen. Amen.
00:12:31.84\00:12:34.53
And my Pastor said or
a book said or somebody
00:12:34.56\00:12:36.65
said or my
parents believe is not an
00:12:36.68\00:12:39.43
adequate,
compelling, convincing answer.
00:12:39.46\00:12:41.74
Now interestingly
here the word that is
00:12:41.77\00:12:44.67
translated to give
an answer or to give a
00:12:44.70\00:12:47.02
defense, that's how we
rendered it in English.
00:12:47.05\00:12:48.81
The word that is there
rendered thusly, in the
00:12:48.84\00:12:51.28
Greek language is
the word "apologia,"
00:12:51.31\00:12:53.16
"apologia." Now if you soften
00:12:53.19\00:12:56.25
the "G" sound there
what does that sound like?
00:12:56.28\00:12:58.51
Apology. Sounds like apology.
00:12:58.54\00:13:00.36
But the world here is
not apologize in the sense
00:13:00.39\00:13:03.69
that "You and I" in
our modern vernacular think
00:13:03.72\00:13:05.80
of apologize. The Greek
word "apologia" means to
00:13:05.83\00:13:08.95
able to give an
answer, to give a reason or to
00:13:08.98\00:13:11.67
give a defense and the
very purpose of the next
00:13:11.70\00:13:14.20
fourteen nights of
our being together.
00:13:14.23\00:13:15.80
We'll be able to give
a compelling, rational,
00:13:15.83\00:13:18.91
reasonable and yet
thoroughly biblical
00:13:18.94\00:13:22.14
answer as to why we
believe what we believe.
00:13:22.17\00:13:24.51
Now can you say, Amen, to that.
00:13:24.54\00:13:26.95
Amen. Now I would like to
00:13:26.98\00:13:29.27
invite you to go to
the screen with me and
00:13:29.30\00:13:30.58
consider something.
Our messages entitled,
00:13:30.61\00:13:32.94
Pascal's Wager: You
Bet Your Life! Pascal's
00:13:32.97\00:13:36.56
Wager: You Bet Your
Life. Now we'll be there
00:13:36.59\00:13:38.37
in just a moment, but
notice this. In the title,
00:13:38.40\00:13:42.00
we have this
phrase, "Eleventh Hour
00:13:42.03\00:13:43.98
Evidence" and for
many people the putting
00:13:44.01\00:13:46.23
together of these two
concepts, these two ideas,
00:13:46.26\00:13:49.82
eleventh hour and
evidence or faith and
00:13:49.85\00:13:52.48
evidence is not really
consistent. Some people
00:13:52.51\00:13:55.81
have this idea that
faith is over here in the realm
00:13:55.84\00:13:58.81
what is sort of
ethereal and ambiguous and this
00:13:58.84\00:14:02.77
kind of a thing and
evidence is in the realm
00:14:02.80\00:14:05.45
of empiricism, it's
what we know, it's what
00:14:05.48\00:14:08.26
science teaches us.
And somehow that faith
00:14:08.29\00:14:10.87
and evidence are
not complimentary, but
00:14:10.90\00:14:14.47
contradictory. Now notice this
00:14:14.50\00:14:16.89
incredible
quotation here on the screen.
00:14:16.92\00:14:18.25
It's actually the
classical biblical
00:14:18.28\00:14:20.20
formulation of faith.
It's says, now faith is
00:14:20.23\00:14:23.67
the substance of
things hoped for, the, what's
00:14:23.70\00:14:27.12
next word there?
The evidence of things
00:14:27.15\00:14:29.69
what everyone? Substance.
00:14:29.72\00:14:31.16
Now notice this in the
classical formulation of
00:14:31.19\00:14:33.95
what faith is.
Hebrews 11 in verse 1,
00:14:33.98\00:14:36.14
faith and evidence are
not said as contradictory
00:14:36.17\00:14:39.51
or as standing in
contradistinction, they
00:14:39.54\00:14:42.52
they are given to
us as complimentary.
00:14:42.55\00:14:43.81
Faith is the substance
of things hoped for, it is
00:14:43.84\00:14:47.58
the what? The evidence of things
00:14:47.61\00:14:50.72
not seen. Now notice
this, the next slide I
00:14:50.75\00:14:54.29
would like to show
you, is actually from an
00:14:54.32\00:14:56.03
incredible book, an
incredible book, one of
00:14:56.06\00:14:57.91
the most translated
books in all of the world
00:14:57.94\00:15:01.09
really. It's a book
titled Steps to Christ.
00:15:01.12\00:15:03.32
This is taken from page
105. Notice the sublimity
00:15:03.35\00:15:05.80
of this thought. It
says, God never asks us to
00:15:05.83\00:15:10.26
believe without
giving sufficient, what's the
00:15:10.29\00:15:12.19
next word? Evidence.
00:15:12.22\00:15:13.36
Evidence upon
which to base our faith.
00:15:13.39\00:15:15.60
He never asks us to
believe without giving a
00:15:15.63\00:15:19.01
sufficient. Evidence.
00:15:19.04\00:15:20.42
Evidence. Now notice
the next line here, it
00:15:20.45\00:15:23.58
continues. His existence,
that's what we'll talk
00:15:23.61\00:15:27.54
about tonight and
in the coming nights.
00:15:27.57\00:15:28.90
His character, also.
The truthfulness of his
00:15:28.93\00:15:32.26
word are all established
by testimony that appeals
00:15:32.29\00:15:34.96
to our reason, and
this testimony is abundant.
00:15:34.99\00:15:38.12
Our faith must rest
upon, what everyone?
00:15:38.15\00:15:41.94
Evidence. Evidence. And notice
00:15:41.97\00:15:43.54
again, those who
wish to doubt, will have
00:15:43.57\00:15:46.15
opportunity; while those
who really desire to know
00:15:46.18\00:15:49.04
the truth, will find
plenty of evidence on which to
00:15:49.07\00:15:53.24
rest their faith.
Now if you were counting
00:15:53.27\00:15:55.16
you would have noticed
that that word evidence
00:15:55.19\00:15:56.68
occurred three times
there in a few sentences.
00:15:56.71\00:15:59.16
In another words the
author that is writing
00:15:59.19\00:16:02.15
here, just like the
author of Hebrews is
00:16:02.18\00:16:03.82
trying to tell us
that faith and evidence are
00:16:03.85\00:16:07.04
not antithetical
concepts. Faith and
00:16:07.07\00:16:09.69
evidence are not
inimical to one another.
00:16:09.72\00:16:11.87
They are complementary.
In fact, I would go so far
00:16:11.90\00:16:14.57
as to say that all
faith is based on evidence.
00:16:14.60\00:16:18.06
Faith is not a leap
into the unknown, but a step
00:16:18.09\00:16:21.87
into the light, not
a leap in the darkness,
00:16:21.90\00:16:25.38
but a step into the
light. And so friends
00:16:25.41\00:16:28.37
tonight we are going
to hear what I consider to
00:16:28.40\00:16:30.33
be one of the single
most compelling evidences that
00:16:30.36\00:16:34.48
God exist, yet beyond
this. One of the single
00:16:34.51\00:16:37.67
most compelling
evidences that I know
00:16:37.70\00:16:39.34
that you should follow
God, that you should love
00:16:39.37\00:16:42.99
him with all of your
heart. And you should
00:16:43.02\00:16:44.90
make him the chief
priority of your life,
00:16:44.93\00:16:47.94
your goals, your
aspirations and your
00:16:47.97\00:16:50.65
aims. Our message
tonight is entitled
00:16:50.68\00:16:52.82
Pascal's Wager. Following these
00:16:52.85\00:16:54.75
introductory remarks
we are now ready to launch
00:16:54.78\00:16:56.92
into this message and
I think that you will be
00:16:56.95\00:16:59.60
challenged. You will
have your intellect peaked and
00:16:59.63\00:17:05.02
you will be forced
to think. You will be
00:17:05.05\00:17:08.08
forced to what
did I say everyone?
00:17:08.11\00:17:09.08
Think. We hear far too many
00:17:09.11\00:17:10.88
sermons in this day
and age, and far too many
00:17:10.91\00:17:13.36
messages whether
through the media or some
00:17:13.39\00:17:15.11
other medium that do
not require us to think.
00:17:15.14\00:17:18.25
You will be required
to think this evening.
00:17:18.28\00:17:20.70
One of my favorite
quotations is from Will
00:17:20.73\00:17:22.60
Durant. Will Durant,
the great historian of
00:17:22.63\00:17:25.80
modernity said these
words. He said, if you
00:17:25.83\00:17:28.04
make people think
they're thinking, they will love
00:17:28.07\00:17:30.61
you. But if you make
them think, they will
00:17:30.64\00:17:33.30
hate you. Friends our goal this
00:17:33.33\00:17:35.69
evening is not just
to think we're thinking.
00:17:35.72\00:17:38.04
But to actually be
thinking candidly and
00:17:38.07\00:17:41.74
transparently about
the greatest most sublimest
00:17:41.77\00:17:44.55
incredible thoughts in
all the universe, namely
00:17:44.58\00:17:47.65
existence of God, his
character, his nature.
00:17:47.68\00:17:50.82
And this will be the
purpose of this entire
00:17:50.85\00:17:52.80
series. Does that
sound good to you?
00:17:52.83\00:17:54.67
Yes. Well, I suppose
that's why you're here.
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.73
We are so glad that
you're all here with us
00:17:56.76\00:17:58.48
today and also our
television audience who
00:17:58.51\00:18:00.64
is looking in.
Let us begin as we
00:18:00.67\00:18:02.03
will always begin
with a word of prayer.
00:18:02.06\00:18:04.76
Father in heaven,
we're humbled to call you
00:18:11.71\00:18:15.95
Father, and yet this
is how Jesus taught us to
00:18:15.98\00:18:19.17
pray, our Father
which art in heaven.
00:18:19.20\00:18:21.17
And so Father we
are coming to you this
00:18:21.20\00:18:23.93
evening asking that
you will please come down
00:18:23.96\00:18:25.92
and be our teacher.
Father, we need more
00:18:25.95\00:18:28.58
than the teachings
of a man. We need the
00:18:28.61\00:18:30.39
teachings of your
spirit. You've promised to give
00:18:30.42\00:18:33.76
this. We think of John
chapter 16, in verse 13;
00:18:33.79\00:18:36.98
that says the spirit of
truth will come and lead
00:18:37.01\00:18:39.59
us, guide us into
not some truth, not most
00:18:39.62\00:18:42.30
truth, but all truth.
And Father as we begin
00:18:42.33\00:18:45.98
now this inaugural
session. We pray that
00:18:46.01\00:18:49.11
your spirit will come
and meet with us, spend time
00:18:49.14\00:18:52.64
with us. And Father
teach us. Lord, you've been
00:18:52.67\00:18:57.85
with us hither too.
We've been blessed by
00:18:57.88\00:19:00.34
We've been blessed by
the beautiful song, by
00:19:00.37\00:19:02.07
the introduction.
And now as we launch
00:19:02.10\00:19:04.52
into a study of your
word, we pray that you
00:19:04.55\00:19:07.55
will be right near
us, for we ask it in Jesus
00:19:07.58\00:19:10.32
name. Everyone can say. Amen.
00:19:10.35\00:19:13.26
Amen. Our message is entitled,
00:19:13.29\00:19:16.09
Pascal's Wager. With
a showing of hands I am
00:19:16.12\00:19:19.22
wondering how many
people here this evening
00:19:19.25\00:19:20.53
know the name Blaise
Pascal. That name means
00:19:20.56\00:19:23.31
something to you.
Go ahead and raise your
00:19:23.34\00:19:24.78
hand. Okay, good. Just of few.
00:19:24.81\00:19:26.80
Well let me try to
introduced to you a man
00:19:26.83\00:19:29.48
by the name of Blaise
Pascal. Blaise Pascal was
00:19:29.51\00:19:31.89
a French
mathematician and scientist.
00:19:31.92\00:19:33.30
He was born in 1623 and
died at the age of 39 in
00:19:33.33\00:19:38.32
1662. At the age of 31
he experienced a conversion
00:19:38.35\00:19:42.92
to Christianity, and
he began to write out his
00:19:42.95\00:19:46.84
thoughts, his ideas
and his apologetic, his
00:19:46.87\00:19:50.93
defense of the
Christian faith. Mr. Pascal had
00:19:50.96\00:19:53.95
planned to write an
exhaustive defense of the
00:19:53.98\00:19:56.81
Christian faith in
which he would give all of the
00:19:56.84\00:19:58.77
evidences that he had
come to believe for the
00:19:58.80\00:20:00.96
Christian faith yet
he died prematurely.
00:20:00.99\00:20:02.35
And all of his
thoughts now have been put
00:20:02.38\00:20:05.07
together in a compendium
that is simply titled the
00:20:05.10\00:20:07.88
Pensees, and that
word means to think or to
00:20:07.91\00:20:10.15
deliberate. Blaise
Pascal was as we have said a
00:20:10.18\00:20:13.44
scientist, a mathematician, in
00:20:13.47\00:20:15.47
addition to that he was
very respected in his day
00:20:15.50\00:20:18.88
and age. As a scientist,
as a mathematician and
00:20:18.91\00:20:22.17
as a philosopher and
theologian. Now in the
00:20:22.20\00:20:25.97
middle of that little
volume Pensees, one of
00:20:26.00\00:20:28.90
Blaise Pascal's most
famous writings, arguably
00:20:28.93\00:20:31.81
his most famous
writing has come to be handed
00:20:31.84\00:20:34.85
down to us, and is
simply known as the Wager, as
00:20:34.88\00:20:38.43
the Wager. And in
common parlance we
00:20:38.46\00:20:40.47
refer to it as
Pascal's Wager. Now before I
00:20:40.50\00:20:44.31
actually read you a
summery of the Wager,
00:20:44.34\00:20:45.93
let me try to set the
stage for you here just
00:20:45.96\00:20:47.62
briefly. Remember
that Blaise Pascal was a
00:20:47.65\00:20:50.12
mathematician. He
was a what everyone?
00:20:50.15\00:20:52.02
Mathematician. And this raises a
00:20:52.05\00:20:54.40
legitimate question.
How would it be that a
00:20:54.43\00:20:56.19
very intelligent,
erudite man would come to be
00:20:56.22\00:20:59.26
a Christian. You
will be surprised to learn
00:20:59.29\00:21:01.93
tonight perhaps that it
was actually mathematics
00:21:01.96\00:21:04.01
that led him to a
saving relationship with the
00:21:04.04\00:21:06.89
Lord Jesus Christ.
You know we are living
00:21:06.92\00:21:08.98
in a day and age in
which science is being set over
00:21:09.01\00:21:11.92
here and religion
over here. And we are being
00:21:11.95\00:21:14.52
told that in order to be
an intelligent person you
00:21:14.55\00:21:17.64
must put your faith
on the shelf and believe
00:21:17.67\00:21:19.84
what science has
handed down. We will be taking
00:21:19.87\00:21:21.75
about that in great
detail during the series.
00:21:21.78\00:21:23.52
I want you to know
that history bears out and
00:21:23.55\00:21:27.11
there even many
contemporary individuals
00:21:27.14\00:21:28.39
that would bear out
that you can still be a very
00:21:28.42\00:21:30.74
intelligent
individual and have a rock solid
00:21:30.77\00:21:34.93
faith in the Lord Jesus
Christ. You don't have to
00:21:34.96\00:21:37.22
put your intelligence
on yourself. You don't have
00:21:37.25\00:21:39.40
to put your thinking
machine on the shelf in
00:21:39.43\00:21:42.08
order to be a
Christian. Can you say, Amen.
00:21:42.11\00:21:43.35
Amen. In fact Jesus didn't come
00:21:43.38\00:21:45.03
to disable men's minds.
Jesus came to enable and
00:21:45.06\00:21:49.10
to set free the
mind's of men and women.
00:21:49.13\00:21:50.52
Can you say, Amen. Amen.
00:21:50.55\00:21:51.63
So this idea that somehow
Christianity is inimical or
00:21:51.66\00:21:54.78
antithetical to
thinking is absolutely without
00:21:54.81\00:21:58.10
ground. So then
what about Blaise Pascal?
00:21:58.13\00:22:00.80
What was his wager,
that little writing of
00:22:00.83\00:22:03.17
two or three pages
originally written in the
00:22:03.20\00:22:04.95
French and now
translated into the
00:22:04.98\00:22:06.42
English. I wish I had
time to read it to you
00:22:06.45\00:22:08.00
this evening. But
let me just give you
00:22:08.03\00:22:09.47
a synopsis of
Pascal's Wager and then we will
00:22:09.50\00:22:12.54
begin to unpack the
significance of this
00:22:12.57\00:22:15.08
Wager. Here it is,
this is what Blaise
00:22:15.11\00:22:17.80
Pascal said, "God
either exists or he doesn't."
00:22:17.83\00:22:23.82
Based on the testimony
of both general revelation,
00:22:23.85\00:22:28.68
that is nature
the creative works and
00:22:28.71\00:22:31.61
special revelation
that is the scriptures.
00:22:31.64\00:22:33.85
Blaise Pascal said, it
is safe to assume that God
00:22:33.88\00:22:38.47
does in fact
exist. It is, he surmise,
00:22:38.50\00:22:42.50
abundantly fair to
conceive that there is at
00:22:42.53\00:22:45.23
least a 50% chance that
the Christian Creator God
00:22:45.26\00:22:48.98
exists. He said,
therefore, since we
00:22:49.01\00:22:51.69
stand to gain
eternity, and thus infinity,
00:22:51.72\00:22:56.03
the wise or safe
choice is to live as though he
00:22:56.06\00:23:01.40
does exist. If we
are right, we gain
00:23:01.43\00:23:05.91
everything, and
lose how much, nothing.
00:23:05.94\00:23:08.85
If we are wrong, we
lose nothing and we gain
00:23:08.88\00:23:12.16
nothing. Therefore,
based on simple mathematics,
00:23:12.19\00:23:15.64
Pascal reasoned
that only the fool would
00:23:15.67\00:23:19.62
choose to live the
Godless life. This is a
00:23:19.65\00:23:22.26
simplified version
of the Wager. Now do you
00:23:22.29\00:23:25.21
understand the
larger premise, yes or no?
00:23:25.24\00:23:27.52
God either exists or he
doesn't. And if there is,
00:23:27.55\00:23:30.92
let's say Pascal was
abundantly fair to the
00:23:30.95\00:23:33.12
skeptic and to the
infidel. He said let's
00:23:33.15\00:23:34.81
just say there is
only a 50% chance that the
00:23:34.84\00:23:36.83
Christian Creator God
exists, since we stand to
00:23:36.86\00:23:39.02
gain everything if
that's true and lose nothing.
00:23:39.05\00:23:41.06
And if it's not true
we lose nothing and still
00:23:41.09\00:23:43.65
gain nothing. He
said only the fool
00:23:43.68\00:23:45.76
would choose to
live the Godless life.
00:23:45.79\00:23:47.62
Now I just finished
reading a remarkable
00:23:47.65\00:23:50.62
book entitled Fermat's
Enigma written by Simon
00:23:50.65\00:23:53.04
Singh. And in this
book he talks a little bit
00:23:53.07\00:23:55.51
about Blaise
Pascal. I want to just read
00:23:55.54\00:23:57.82
this to you because
I think you'll find it
00:23:57.85\00:23:59.28
very fascinating.
It says, Pascal founded
00:23:59.31\00:24:02.39
the essential rules
that govern all games of
00:24:02.42\00:24:04.90
chance and that can
be used by gamblers to
00:24:04.93\00:24:07.61
define perfect playing
and betting strategies.
00:24:07.64\00:24:09.97
Furthermore these laws
of probability have found
00:24:10.00\00:24:13.27
applications in a
whole series of situations
00:24:13.30\00:24:16.08
ranging from speculating
on the stock market, to
00:24:16.11\00:24:19.07
estimating the
probabilityof a nuclear
00:24:19.10\00:24:20.76
accident. Pascal was
even convinced that he could
00:24:20.79\00:24:24.75
use his theories to
justify an intelligent
00:24:24.78\00:24:28.00
belief in God. He
stated, quoting Pascal
00:24:28.03\00:24:33.07
now, "the excitement
that a gambler feels when
00:24:33.10\00:24:36.34
making a bet is equal
to the amount he might win
00:24:36.37\00:24:39.82
multiplied by the
probability of wining
00:24:39.85\00:24:42.88
it." He then argued
that the possible prize of
00:24:42.91\00:24:45.66
eternal happiness
has an infinite value and
00:24:45.69\00:24:48.91
that the probability
of entering heaven by
00:24:48.94\00:24:50.32
leading a virtuous
life, no matter how small is
00:24:50.35\00:24:52.99
certainly finite.
Therefore, according to
00:24:53.02\00:24:55.58
Pascal's definition,
religion was a game of
00:24:55.61\00:24:58.07
infinite excitement
and one worth playing
00:24:58.10\00:25:00.32
because multiplying
an infinite prize by a
00:25:00.35\00:25:03.41
finite probability
results in infinity.
00:25:03.44\00:25:06.35
Now do you follow that,
yes or no? It's basically
00:25:06.38\00:25:09.89
a distillation of his
Wager saying, it's better to be
00:25:09.92\00:25:13.48
safe and err on the
side of intelligence then
00:25:13.51\00:25:16.01
then sorry and err on
the side of ignorance.
00:25:16.04\00:25:18.08
Now has anybody in
this room, all of you pious
00:25:18.11\00:25:22.14
saints, I'm looking at
very pious. Has anybody
00:25:22.17\00:25:25.68
in this room ever
gambled, ever bet on
00:25:25.71\00:25:29.08
something, raise your
hands if you've ever bet
00:25:29.11\00:25:30.08
on something, you know,
I asked that question one
00:25:30.09\00:25:32.04
time in South
Africa. I am going to myself
00:25:32.07\00:25:33.43
in trouble with
all the South Africans.
00:25:33.46\00:25:34.73
I was speaking to a
congregation of probably
00:25:34.76\00:25:36.80
five or six thousand
and I asked the question,
00:25:36.83\00:25:40.07
has anybody in this
congregation ever bet,
00:25:40.10\00:25:42.03
and can you
believe the hands were just
00:25:42.06\00:25:43.69
like this?
Nobody willing to admit
00:25:43.72\00:25:47.50
that they had ever
wagered a wager or bet a
00:25:47.53\00:25:49.70
bet. The truth of
the matter is, as we have
00:25:49.73\00:25:51.75
sometimes rather
innocuous kinds of bets
00:25:51.78\00:25:53.87
or I'll say maybe when
I was young I would have
00:25:53.90\00:25:55.85
said to my brother,
I will bet you a nickel
00:25:55.88\00:25:57.74
I could jump over that
puddle. You know that's
00:25:57.77\00:26:00.29
the harmless bet and
then there are more advanced
00:26:00.32\00:26:02.61
kinds of bets.
Now the point tonight
00:26:02.64\00:26:05.31
is not to talk about
the merits and demerits of
00:26:05.34\00:26:07.11
gambling because I
think there really are not
00:26:07.14\00:26:08.75
merits. But listen
very carefully there is one
00:26:08.78\00:26:11.39
gamble that
everybody in this room, in fact
00:26:11.42\00:26:13.61
everybody in the world
is going to make and that is
00:26:13.64\00:26:16.84
the gamble of your
life. That is why this message
00:26:16.87\00:26:19.59
entitled Pascal's
Wager. You bet your life.
00:26:19.62\00:26:23.37
Now when you make a
gamble or a wager you
00:26:23.40\00:26:26.88
consider three
factors. How many factors
00:26:26.91\00:26:30.07
everyone? Three.
00:26:30.10\00:26:31.07
Three factors and
let's go over these very
00:26:31.10\00:26:33.36
carefully, so we
understand each of
00:26:33.39\00:26:34.94
them. We want to set
the parameters for this.
00:26:34.97\00:26:36.70
And then we are
going to go directly to an
00:26:36.73\00:26:39.13
incredible story right
in the gospel of Mark that
00:26:39.16\00:26:42.10
will unpacked this for
us in an incredibly profound
00:26:42.13\00:26:44.59
way. When you go to
bet or when you go to think
00:26:44.62\00:26:48.11
about a wager or when
people who do wager in
00:26:48.14\00:26:50.87
those kinds of
things. When they think about
00:26:50.90\00:26:52.18
this there are
three factors that affect
00:26:52.21\00:26:54.51
whether or not that is
an intelligent wager or a
00:26:54.54\00:26:57.43
wager that is probably
not best to enter into.
00:26:57.46\00:26:59.38
The first is the
size of the prize.
00:26:59.41\00:27:02.55
The size of the what everyone?
00:27:02.58\00:27:04.68
Prize. Size of the prize.
00:27:04.71\00:27:06.28
The second is
the size of the risk.
00:27:06.31\00:27:08.91
The size of the what? Risk.
00:27:08.94\00:27:11.43
Risk. And the third
is the chances or the
00:27:11.46\00:27:13.56
probability of
actually winning. So you have
00:27:13.59\00:27:16.56
the size of the
prize. The size of the risk
00:27:16.59\00:27:18.48
and the chances of
winning. The size of the
00:27:18.51\00:27:20.53
prize, the size of
the risk and the chances
00:27:20.56\00:27:22.28
of winning. Now let's just take
00:27:22.31\00:27:24.30
a modern common
contemporary gambling
00:27:24.33\00:27:27.77
situation, the
lottery, and let's plug the
00:27:27.80\00:27:31.00
lottery into our little
three tiered equation and
00:27:31.03\00:27:33.96
let's see if we can
think why some people,
00:27:33.99\00:27:36.21
let's see if we can
try to get our fingers
00:27:36.24\00:27:37.45
wrapped around.
Why it might be that
00:27:37.48\00:27:39.26
some people would spend
their money on a lottery
00:27:39.29\00:27:41.37
ticket. Let's
begin with the first one.
00:27:41.40\00:27:43.35
The size of the
prize to gained. Is that a
00:27:43.38\00:27:47.62
large prize or a small prize.
00:27:47.65\00:27:49.13
Large. Usually very large.
00:27:49.16\00:27:51.28
Several millions
dollars in some cases, and
00:27:51.31\00:27:53.77
probably for most
of us in this room that
00:27:53.80\00:27:55.76
would be very nice to
have. So the size of the
00:27:55.79\00:27:59.65
prize is very
large. Now the second is,
00:27:59.68\00:28:01.98
what's the size of
the risk. Now I don't
00:28:02.01\00:28:03.94
know because I don't
lottery tickets, but I'll
00:28:03.97\00:28:05.87
bet you there are just
a couple dollars or two.
00:28:05.90\00:28:08.03
So what's the size
of the risk involved if
00:28:08.06\00:28:11.35
a lottery ticket
cost just a dollar.
00:28:11.38\00:28:12.98
Is it a large
risk or a small risk?
00:28:13.01\00:28:14.56
Small. Small risk. So notice
00:28:14.59\00:28:16.84
what we have so far.
We have a large prize,
00:28:16.87\00:28:19.13
several million
dollars. We have a small risk,
00:28:19.16\00:28:21.94
and so everybody is
thinking it's time to run
00:28:21.97\00:28:23.75
out and buy lottery
tickets. But the third
00:28:23.78\00:28:26.40
element is where the
rub takes place. Isn't it?
00:28:26.43\00:28:29.02
What are the chances
of actually wining the
00:28:29.05\00:28:32.42
promised prize. In
the lottery are they
00:28:32.45\00:28:34.32
what? Small or
are they large? Small.
00:28:34.35\00:28:37.37
Very small. They
say that the chances of
00:28:37.40\00:28:39.37
of getting struck by
lighting twice is greater
00:28:39.40\00:28:42.43
than the chances of
winning the New York
00:28:42.46\00:28:43.86
lottery. Now why
would somebody purchase a
00:28:43.89\00:28:47.08
lottery ticket
knowing that the chances of
00:28:47.11\00:28:49.03
winning are so
infinitesimally small.
00:28:49.06\00:28:51.10
Chiefly because of
this. The size of the prize is
00:28:51.13\00:28:55.29
so large that it
motivates. The size of
00:28:55.32\00:28:57.41
the risk is so small
even though they know their
00:28:57.44\00:29:00.31
chances are very
small that they will win,
00:29:00.34\00:29:01.69
we can at least
understand somewhat the
00:29:01.72\00:29:04.56
begins of the
rationale as to why somebody
00:29:04.59\00:29:06.97
would enter into
that kind of wager.
00:29:07.00\00:29:08.68
Now I don't
recommend that. I don't think
00:29:08.71\00:29:10.29
that's a principle
of being a good steward
00:29:10.32\00:29:12.43
and I certainly
don't. But we can at least
00:29:12.46\00:29:14.26
enter into the
mindset of somebody who would
00:29:14.29\00:29:16.74
buy a lottery
ticket. The size of the prize
00:29:16.77\00:29:19.16
is large. The size of
the risk is miniscule,
00:29:19.19\00:29:21.26
chances of
winning are sure they're
00:29:21.29\00:29:23.48
infinitesimally
small, because the risk is so
00:29:23.51\00:29:26.26
small what do they really lose.
00:29:26.29\00:29:27.26
Now the same
principle applies to those slot
00:29:27.27\00:29:30.91
machine in Las
Vegas, you know, you put a
00:29:30.94\00:29:32.68
quarter in or a
nickel in, I actually read
00:29:32.71\00:29:35.13
an article one time
on the plane in which
00:29:35.16\00:29:36.75
there is a slot
machine at a particular casino
00:29:36.78\00:29:39.12
in Las Vegas. I
don't know where you walk
00:29:39.15\00:29:41.10
up to the teller and
you hand them one thousand
00:29:41.13\00:29:43.91
dollars in cash and
they give you a little token,
00:29:43.94\00:29:47.48
a little coin and you
walk over to this slot
00:29:47.51\00:29:50.35
machine, very tall,
may be 10 or 15 feet tall,
00:29:50.38\00:29:52.53
and you put that
into that slot machine and
00:29:52.56\00:29:55.49
then you pull it
down. Now you just put a
00:29:55.52\00:29:57.92
$1000 coin into
that machine friends.
00:29:57.95\00:30:00.16
Now think about
this, you think the size of
00:30:00.19\00:30:02.47
the prize is large.
It better be, but what's
00:30:02.50\00:30:07.24
the size of the
risk involved. Way too
00:30:07.27\00:30:10.30
much for you and I, Amen.
00:30:10.33\00:30:11.32
Amen. Hey,
listen, if a dollar is
00:30:11.35\00:30:13.08
too much, a $1000
is out of the question.
00:30:13.11\00:30:15.12
But we can begin
to understand why it
00:30:15.15\00:30:18.61
might be that somebody
would put a nickel into a
00:30:18.64\00:30:21.10
slot machine or a
quarter into a slot machine.
00:30:21.13\00:30:22.93
And again we
don't recommend this.
00:30:22.96\00:30:24.23
But the concept
is at least easy to
00:30:24.26\00:30:26.32
understand. The size
of the prize is very large
00:30:26.35\00:30:29.29
compared to the amount
of risk that is involved.
00:30:29.32\00:30:31.89
Chances of winning are
low sure, but the risk is
00:30:31.92\00:30:35.79
so small. Now I
have given this message,
00:30:35.82\00:30:38.55
a few times, at
Christian academies and even
00:30:38.58\00:30:41.68
it at Christian
universities, and I love
00:30:41.71\00:30:43.99
to put it this
way. Let's change things
00:30:44.02\00:30:46.64
around a little bit.
And let's see if we can
00:30:46.67\00:30:48.49
make a wager that might
be attractive to some and
00:30:48.52\00:30:51.13
unattractive to
others. Consider with me that
00:30:51.16\00:30:54.48
we are going to flip
a coin. We are going to
00:30:54.51\00:30:56.99
flip of coin. Now
what are the chances
00:30:57.02\00:30:58.03
that it'll come
up heads? 50 percent.
00:30:58.06\00:30:59.86
50 percent. And let's
say that the parameters of
00:30:59.89\00:31:02.46
this wager are
simply this. We are going to
00:31:02.49\00:31:04.58
flip coin and if you
call it heads and it is
00:31:04.61\00:31:07.56
heads, you instantaneously win
00:31:07.59\00:31:09.92
say $10 million,
no taxes. It's yours.
00:31:09.95\00:31:13.29
It's in the bank
account, $10 million.
00:31:13.32\00:31:15.21
Large sum of money. Yes.
00:31:15.24\00:31:17.23
Significantly large.
Now let's say that if you
00:31:17.26\00:31:20.41
lose, you call heads
and it comes up tails.
00:31:20.44\00:31:22.50
You spend the next
five years of your life
00:31:22.53\00:31:25.16
in prison, right.
Now, when I ask this at
00:31:25.19\00:31:31.84
academies, it is
remarkable in Christian
00:31:31.87\00:31:34.77
institutions, it is
remarkable that there are
00:31:34.80\00:31:36.61
always a few people
interested in taking
00:31:36.64\00:31:38.31
that wager. Now I am looking out
00:31:38.34\00:31:40.43
and I can tell that
this is a very bright group
00:31:40.46\00:31:42.55
in here, and my hunch
is there are a very few
00:31:42.58\00:31:45.08
if any who be
willing to take that wager.
00:31:45.11\00:31:47.05
Now let's think about
this for just a moment.
00:31:47.08\00:31:48.76
What's the size of the
prize in this factitious
00:31:48.79\00:31:51.65
wager. Is it large? Yes.
00:31:51.68\00:31:53.91
It's quite large,
isn't it But here is the rub,
00:31:53.94\00:31:55.93
what's the size
of the risk involved.
00:31:55.96\00:31:57.54
It could be
potentially be very large,
00:31:57.57\00:32:00.75
isn't it? I mean to
spend five years of your life
00:32:00.78\00:32:03.78
in prison. It's very
large. But what makes
00:32:03.81\00:32:06.04
the wager
potentially attractive.
00:32:06.07\00:32:07.89
What are the chances
of actually winning the
00:32:07.92\00:32:09.75
promised prize?
50 percent. In fact
00:32:09.78\00:32:12.75
I was just recently at
a Christian institution,
00:32:12.78\00:32:14.11
a medical school,
and I delivered this
00:32:14.14\00:32:16.48
very lecture. There were several
00:32:16.51\00:32:17.95
hundred lecture.
There were several
00:32:17.98\00:32:19.04
hundred people
there, and I said them,
00:32:19.07\00:32:20.67
I said, now how many
of you will be willing to
00:32:20.70\00:32:22.45
accept this
wager, and very few hands
00:32:22.48\00:32:24.72
went up. Maybe 20 or
30. And I thought what?
00:32:24.75\00:32:26.59
You're at medical
school here. You are already
00:32:26.62\00:32:28.97
giving five years of
your life to prison and I
00:32:29.00\00:32:30.93
figured every hand would go up.
00:32:30.96\00:32:32.05
Everybody was
laughing, but the professors.
00:32:32.08\00:32:36.46
Friends, we can
begin to take any wager,
00:32:39.90\00:32:41.79
any gamble, any bet,
and if you just plug it
00:32:41.82\00:32:45.77
into this three tiered
equation. The size of the
00:32:45.80\00:32:48.06
prize, the size of the
risk and the chances of
00:32:48.09\00:32:50.17
actually winning, you
can begin to realize whether
00:32:50.20\00:32:52.70
or not, this is an
intelligent rational
00:32:52.73\00:32:54.23
wager or a wager that
you shouldn't spend time or
00:32:54.26\00:32:56.75
money on. Now, go with
me in your Bibles to John
00:32:56.78\00:33:01.63
chapter 3 in verse 16.
John chapter 3 in verse
00:33:01.66\00:33:05.26
16, And you are saying
John 3:16, what does this
00:33:05.29\00:33:08.89
text have to do with
a wager? What does this
00:33:08.92\00:33:12.56
text have to do with
a gamble? John chapter 3
00:33:12.59\00:33:15.43
in verse 16, probably
the very best known passage
00:33:15.46\00:33:18.86
of scripture in
all of the Holy Bible,
00:33:18.89\00:33:21.24
John chapter 3 in
verse 16, Jesus here
00:33:21.27\00:33:23.38
is having that
clandestine conversation
00:33:23.41\00:33:25.49
with the wise man Nicodemus.
00:33:25.52\00:33:27.72
In the midst of that
conversation, as it sort
00:33:27.75\00:33:30.44
of draws to a
climax, Jesus says in John
00:33:30.47\00:33:32.34
chapter3 in verse 16,
you can repeat it with
00:33:32.37\00:33:34.61
me. He said listen Nicodemus,
00:33:34.64\00:33:35.82
"For God so loved the
world that he gave his
00:33:35.85\00:33:40.44
only begotten son,
that whosoever believeth in
00:33:40.47\00:33:44.84
him should not perish
but have everlasting life."
00:33:44.87\00:33:50.49
Now let's just for a
moment. Let's enter into
00:33:50.52\00:33:55.47
the mind of a skeptic.
Let's enter into the mind
00:33:55.50\00:33:59.05
of somebody like who
I was 8 years ago or who
00:33:59.08\00:34:02.22
Jason was you
know, 8 to 10 years ago.
00:34:02.25\00:34:04.18
Somebody who has not
yet made the decision to
00:34:04.21\00:34:07.25
follow Jesus and
Jesus here makes this
00:34:07.28\00:34:09.41
remarkable claim to Nicodemus.
00:34:09.44\00:34:10.66
Jesus here says,
God so loved the world,
00:34:12.24\00:34:14.07
Nicodemus, that he
gave his only begotten son,
00:34:14.54\00:34:16.25
that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish,
00:34:16.28\00:34:18.56
size of the risk, but
have everlasting life.
00:34:18.59\00:34:24.76
Now friends what
does the word everlasting
00:34:24.79\00:34:27.11
mean? It means it
lasts for how long?
00:34:27.14\00:34:30.53
Forever. Forever like the great
00:34:30.56\00:34:32.18
song, 'Amazing
Grace' says, when we've been
00:34:32.21\00:34:33.79
there ten thousand
years we've no less ways to
00:34:33.82\00:34:35.47
sing his praise
then when we first begun.
00:34:35.50\00:34:36.99
So after we've spent
the first billion years
00:34:37.02\00:34:40.37
heaven, we would
still have only the opening
00:34:40.40\00:34:43.33
seconds of eternity behind us.
00:34:43.36\00:34:45.37
Are you with me now, yes or no.
00:34:45.40\00:34:46.49
In other words
it's a very long time.
00:34:46.52\00:34:49.96
So the size of the
prize, now remember here
00:34:49.99\00:34:54.20
entering into the
mind of a skeptic.
00:34:54.23\00:34:55.39
We're trying to
understand how would
00:34:55.42\00:34:58.45
we explain to somebody
who is not yet made this
00:34:58.48\00:35:00.93
decision, why they
should consider making this very
00:35:00.96\00:35:03.24
decision. Now if we
accept John 3:16 on its
00:35:03.27\00:35:08.57
own terms. If we
accept the words of Jesus as
00:35:08.60\00:35:12.83
valid and as
legitimate, let's now plug this
00:35:12.86\00:35:15.80
Gospel wager into our
three tiered equation.
00:35:15.83\00:35:18.86
Are you ready to do
that? No.1, what is the size of
00:35:18.89\00:35:22.25
the prize to be
potentially gained, if we
00:35:22.28\00:35:25.15
accept the Gospel
wager on its own terms.
00:35:25.18\00:35:27.61
What's the size of the prize?
00:35:27.64\00:35:28.61
Huge. Huge, I like that. Yeah,
00:35:28.64\00:35:32.29
huge would be an
under statement. It would be
00:35:32.32\00:35:34.15
infinitely large. Is
that true, yes or no?
00:35:34.18\00:35:37.72
It would be a true
mathematical infinity.
00:35:37.75\00:35:40.58
When we've been there
a billion years we still
00:35:40.61\00:35:43.29
have a billion,
billion, billion, billion more
00:35:43.32\00:35:45.34
years to be
there, after all it's
00:35:45.37\00:35:47.29
everlasting life. So
the size of the prize
00:35:47.32\00:35:50.37
infinitely large.
Now what's the size of
00:35:50.40\00:35:52.96
the risk? Let's accept
this. I like what I heard
00:35:52.99\00:35:58.35
somebody say, no risk.
Let's skip this one for
00:35:58.38\00:36:00.72
for just a moment.
Let's come back to the
00:36:00.75\00:36:01.96
size of the
risk, and let's ask the
00:36:01.99\00:36:03.82
second question.
What according to this
00:36:03.85\00:36:06.07
wager are the
chances of actually winning.
00:36:06.10\00:36:09.92
Now, if we accept
it on it's own terms,
00:36:09.95\00:36:13.13
for God so loved the
world that he gave his
00:36:13.16\00:36:14.34
only begotten son
that, what's that next word
00:36:14.37\00:36:16.67
everyone?
Whosoever. How many would that
00:36:16.70\00:36:18.83
include? That
would mean everybody,
00:36:18.86\00:36:20.89
that's another
of saying everybody.
00:36:20.92\00:36:22.15
So then according
to Jesus how many could
00:36:22.18\00:36:26.27
actually win the promised
prize, and what would be
00:36:26.30\00:36:29.52
your chances of
winning. A 100 percent.
00:36:29.55\00:36:32.03
Now we've answered two
of the three questions.
00:36:32.06\00:36:34.87
The size of the
prize is infinitely large.
00:36:34.90\00:36:37.01
The chances of
wining is what? 100 percent.
00:36:37.04\00:36:39.94
If we accept the
Gospel claim on it own terms.
00:36:39.97\00:36:41.72
Now we only need
answer that second
00:36:41.75\00:36:43.54
question. What is the
size of the risk involved
00:36:43.57\00:36:45.50
to submit your whole
life, your whole goal,
00:36:45.53\00:36:48.82
your aspirations,
everything that you are
00:36:48.85\00:36:51.05
about to the Lord Jesus
Christ? Go with me to the
00:36:51.08\00:36:55.17
Gospel of Mark.
Mark chapter 10, Mark,
00:36:55.20\00:36:58.38
what chapter we
are going to everyone.
00:36:58.41\00:36:59.60
10. Mark chapter 10.
00:36:59.63\00:37:01.59
Mark chapter 10, here
we find the story of the
00:37:04.08\00:37:06.36
young, you know it. Ruler.
00:37:06.39\00:37:09.08
The rich young ruler,
the rich young ruler has
00:37:09.11\00:37:10.43
approached Jesus and
said, in essence good
00:37:10.46\00:37:12.31
master, I would
like to go to heaven.
00:37:12.34\00:37:13.53
What do I do? He said keep the
00:37:13.56\00:37:14.85
commandments. He
said, I've done. Wonderful.
00:37:14.88\00:37:16.39
You only lack one
thing. Sell all that you have
00:37:16.42\00:37:18.24
and give to the poor.
The Bible says he went
00:37:18.27\00:37:19.80
away very sorrowful,
because he was very rich.
00:37:19.83\00:37:22.28
Now this turned the
disciples' world upside
00:37:23.68\00:37:25.40
down. Here was not only
a Jew, but here he was a
00:37:25.43\00:37:29.55
wealthy Jew and in
the disciples paradigm,
00:37:29.58\00:37:32.41
in thedisciples'
world if you are Jew you are
00:37:32.44\00:37:35.61
surely in, and if you
were a rich Jew, this was
00:37:35.64\00:37:37.91
a sure indication
of the favor of God.
00:37:37.94\00:37:39.47
And so you are in
twice over and yet Jesus said
00:37:39.50\00:37:42.36
something very
remarkable when the rich
00:37:42.39\00:37:43.82
young ruler walks away.
He says, it is difficult
00:37:43.85\00:37:45.92
a rich man to be
saved. Now on context of this,
00:37:45.95\00:37:50.05
the disciples are
beside themselves.
00:37:50.08\00:37:51.32
They protested,
who then can be saved.
00:37:51.35\00:37:54.02
And that's sets
the context now for our
00:37:54.05\00:37:56.73
story. We're in Mark
chapter 10, and notice
00:37:56.76\00:37:59.13
with me here beginning
in verse 26 and they were
00:37:59.16\00:38:03.99
greatly astonished
saying among themselves who
00:38:04.02\00:38:06.48
then can be saved.
Verse 27, Jesus looked at
00:38:06.51\00:38:09.24
them and said with
men it is impossible,
00:38:09.27\00:38:10.82
but not with God.
For with God how many
00:38:10.85\00:38:13.30
things are possible? All.
00:38:13.33\00:38:14.64
All things are possible.
Then Peter began to say
00:38:14.67\00:38:17.20
to him, see we have
left all and followed you.
00:38:17.23\00:38:20.62
Now Peter said
something here that is
00:38:22.48\00:38:23.92
very interesting and
let's, let's see what is
00:38:23.95\00:38:26.09
the statement behind
the statement that Peter is
00:38:26.12\00:38:29.53
making. Peter says
there in verse 28, see,
00:38:29.56\00:38:32.75
in other words look.
We have left how much.
00:38:32.78\00:38:37.07
All. All and followed you.
00:38:37.10\00:38:38.94
Now what, what had
Jesus said to the rich
00:38:38.97\00:38:40.63
young ruler? Sell how much?
00:38:40.66\00:38:41.87
All. All that you have and he
00:38:41.90\00:38:43.80
had gone away
very sorrowful. Now,
00:38:43.83\00:38:45.87
Peter here does
something that's very
00:38:45.90\00:38:47.13
intuitive. He has seen
that the rich young ruler
00:38:47.16\00:38:50.09
was willing to give
up all. Now surely the
00:38:50.12\00:38:52.00
rich young ruler had
more in terms of material
00:38:52.03\00:38:53.52
possessions than Peter.
Yet, Peter here ventures,
00:38:53.55\00:38:55.99
he has the guts, he
has the temerity to look to
00:38:56.02\00:38:59.37
Jesus and say, but
Jesus we have left all and
00:38:59.40\00:39:02.43
followed you now what's
implied in what Peter is
00:39:02.46\00:39:04.86
saying. What did
yousay? That's exactly right.
00:39:04.89\00:39:08.47
What's in it for us?
You had just said to the
00:39:08.50\00:39:11.80
rich young ruler that
if he would leave all and
00:39:11.83\00:39:13.75
follow you, you would
give him riches in heaven
00:39:13.78\00:39:15.69
that he would have
eternal life and Peter
00:39:15.72\00:39:17.68
now looks at the rest of
the disciples and he says
00:39:17.71\00:39:19.21
we have left all and
followed you and in that
00:39:19.24\00:39:22.07
statement is a
question and that question,
00:39:22.10\00:39:24.74
the implied question
is what's in it for us.
00:39:24.77\00:39:27.02
Now, I want you to
notice something here.
00:39:28.88\00:39:30.08
Jesus gives Peter a
remarkable answer and
00:39:30.11\00:39:34.67
that answer has two
elements, two tears.
00:39:34.70\00:39:37.95
How many elements everyone?
00:39:37.98\00:39:39.41
Two. Two. Now notice Jesus
00:39:39.44\00:39:42.64
answer. Notice
Jesus answer. Verse 29,
00:39:42.67\00:39:45.15
Jesus speaking,
assuredly I say to you.
00:39:45.18\00:39:47.95
You can have
confidence in this assuredly.
00:39:49.36\00:39:51.06
The root word there
is sure, confidence.
00:39:51.09\00:39:54.33
Assuredly, I say to
you there is no one who has
00:39:54.36\00:39:58.44
left house or brothers
or sisters or father or
00:39:58.47\00:40:01.07
mother or wife or
children or lands for my
00:40:01.10\00:40:04.37
sake and the Gospels.
Verse 30, who shall not
00:40:04.40\00:40:08.23
receive a 100 fold,
notice the next four
00:40:08.26\00:40:10.82
words. Now in this
time. Say those four words
00:40:10.85\00:40:15.84
with me. Now in
this time. How much fold?
00:40:15.87\00:40:21.28
How much fold?
100. A 100 fold and
00:40:21.31\00:40:25.20
what are those four
words. Now in this time,
00:40:25.23\00:40:28.40
houses and brothers
and sisters and mothers and
00:40:28.43\00:40:30.71
children and lands
with persecution he had and
00:40:30.74\00:40:33.46
notice the next five words
00:40:33.49\00:40:34.77
"in the age to
come," eternal life.
00:40:34.80\00:40:39.79
Now do you see the
two phrases here of Jesus
00:40:41.94\00:40:44.29
answer, yes or no.
Remember what was the,
00:40:44.32\00:40:46.97
what was the
implied question in Peter's
00:40:47.00\00:40:48.73
statement. See
Lord, we have left all and
00:40:48.76\00:40:51.26
followed you and the
implication is what's in
00:40:51.29\00:40:53.52
it for us and Jesus
does not here rebuke Peter.
00:40:53.55\00:40:55.91
Jesus doesn't rebuke
Peter and say, Oh! You're
00:40:55.94\00:40:58.96
just doing it for
selfish motivations.
00:40:58.99\00:40:59.96
Jesus understands
that sometimes our
00:40:59.97\00:41:02.71
motivations are not
as pure as they could and
00:41:02.74\00:41:04.56
should be. Amen. Amen.
00:41:04.59\00:41:06.41
What Jesus does is
he encourages Peter by
00:41:06.44\00:41:09.86
saying to him
Peter, I'm gonna give you a
00:41:09.89\00:41:11.91
two-tiered response and
the first part is he says
00:41:11.94\00:41:15.02
I'll give you a 100
fold better, more satisfying,
00:41:15.05\00:41:18.92
more exhilarating,
more fulfilling life now in
00:41:18.95\00:41:22.97
this time and in the
age to come, five words,
00:41:23.00\00:41:27.08
eternal life. Notice
the remarkable claim here of
00:41:27.11\00:41:31.73
Jesus. Friends this is a
testable claim that Jesus
00:41:31.76\00:41:35.36
has made. Jesus has just
said to Peter that if you
00:41:35.39\00:41:38.91
follow me I will give
you what everyone, a 100 fold
00:41:38.94\00:41:42.81
better life in the
here and now. In other words
00:41:42.84\00:41:46.37
according to Jesus
following him and being
00:41:46.40\00:41:50.01
a disciple of his is
not just high in the sky by
00:41:50.04\00:41:53.13
it is a better more
fuller, more filling and
00:41:53.16\00:41:57.29
exhilarating satisfactory
life in the here and now.
00:41:57.32\00:42:00.16
Now can somebody say, Amen.
00:42:00.19\00:42:01.65
Amen. Now, if that's true and
00:42:01.68\00:42:05.24
friends I want to
testify tonight that it is true.
00:42:05.27\00:42:07.03
Amen. But if it's
true let's enter back into
00:42:07.06\00:42:09.26
the mind of the
skeptic. Remember the three
00:42:09.29\00:42:12.00
questions. The
size of the prize.
00:42:12.03\00:42:13.88
How large is the
prize? Infinitely large,
00:42:13.91\00:42:16.69
the size of the risk.
If Jesus claim is true
00:42:16.72\00:42:19.80
that the life of the
Christian, the life of
00:42:19.83\00:42:21.79
the disciple is 100
fold better in the here and
00:42:21.82\00:42:24.84
now, then the size of
the risk is non-existent.
00:42:24.87\00:42:28.67
In fact, there is
actually a positive
00:42:28.70\00:42:30.82
benefit to be gained by
entering into the wager.
00:42:30.85\00:42:33.58
Amen. Do you understand that?
00:42:33.61\00:42:35.97
Yes or no. Now
friends that's either true or
00:42:36.00\00:42:38.26
false. That is a
testable hypothesis.
00:42:38.29\00:42:40.86
The Bible says taste
and see that the Lord
00:42:40.89\00:42:44.39
is good. You could
become a follower of Jesus,
00:42:44.42\00:42:47.72
you could look back
after 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 years
00:42:47.75\00:42:51.31
and you could evaluate
transparently, candidly
00:42:51.34\00:42:54.38
and even empirically,
you could evaluate has
00:42:54.41\00:42:57.42
my life been
better, fuller and more
00:42:57.45\00:42:59.40
satisfying since I
became a Christian.
00:42:59.43\00:43:01.57
I want to testify
tonight that if I could exchange
00:43:01.60\00:43:04.43
the first 23 years of
my non-Christian life for
00:43:04.46\00:43:08.57
the last month of
my Christian life,
00:43:08.60\00:43:10.38
I would not make
that exchange because one
00:43:10.41\00:43:12.54
month with Christ,
one day with Christ,
00:43:12.57\00:43:14.49
one minute with Christ
is better than a lifetime
00:43:14.52\00:43:17.24
without him. Amen.
00:43:17.27\00:43:18.69
Now think about
that for just a moment.
00:43:18.72\00:43:20.10
We can begin to
understand why Blaise
00:43:20.13\00:43:23.03
Pascal said only the
fool would choose to live the
00:43:23.06\00:43:25.56
Godless life, because
the size of the prize is
00:43:25.59\00:43:27.71
infinitely large.
The size of the risk is
00:43:27.74\00:43:29.50
non-existent. In
fact, there is a positive
00:43:29.53\00:43:30.79
benefits be gained by
entering into the wager
00:43:30.82\00:43:32.46
and number 3 the
chances of winning are what
00:43:32.49\00:43:34.43
everyone, 100
percent. Now I'm beginning to
00:43:34.46\00:43:39.26
like the sound of
this Gospel wager.
00:43:39.29\00:43:42.42
Amen. Amen.
00:43:42.45\00:43:44.70
Jesus gives two, two
phases, two spheres to
00:43:44.73\00:43:49.42
that answer. He says number one,
00:43:49.45\00:43:51.65
I will give you a better
life in the here and now,
00:43:51.68\00:43:54.63
a 100 fold better
life in the here and now.
00:43:54.66\00:43:58.15
Now Jesus adds an
important phrase that
00:43:58.18\00:44:00.28
Iwant you to just
look at for a moment.
00:44:00.31\00:44:01.54
He said with persecutions, with
00:44:01.57\00:44:05.76
persecutions, what
did he mean by that,
00:44:05.79\00:44:08.53
chiefly this. When
we surrender our whole
00:44:08.56\00:44:12.23
heart, our whole life
and everything to Jesus,
00:44:12.26\00:44:15.38
there is somebody on
the other side of this
00:44:15.41\00:44:17.88
equation that is
not pleased with that
00:44:17.91\00:44:20.03
decision. His
name is Satan or Satan.
00:44:20.06\00:44:23.49
The word means
adversary or enemy.
00:44:23.52\00:44:25.44
And friends when you
make a decision to follow
00:44:25.47\00:44:28.17
the Lord Jesus Christ
with all your heart you
00:44:28.20\00:44:30.44
can just guarantee
that there will be troubles,
00:44:30.47\00:44:32.71
there will be
difficulties. But I
00:44:32.74\00:44:35.55
repeat for you a
beautiful sublime line
00:44:35.58\00:44:37.60
that I saw in a
poem several years ago it
00:44:37.63\00:44:39.53
said, Jesus never
promised smooth sailing,
00:44:39.56\00:44:42.94
but he did
promise a safe landing.
00:44:42.97\00:44:45.88
Amen. Friends there may come
00:44:45.91\00:44:48.35
at times persecutions,
there may come at times
00:44:48.38\00:44:51.65
tribulations, vicissitudes and
00:44:51.68\00:44:53.46
difficulties, but I
want you to know persecution
00:44:53.49\00:44:55.89
with the
assurance of eternal life.
00:44:55.92\00:44:58.31
Tribulation with the
assurance of Jesus at
00:44:58.34\00:45:01.30
your right hand is
far better than a life of
00:45:01.33\00:45:04.08
pleasure, leisure,
luxury and ease, without the
00:45:04.11\00:45:07.07
confidence that
Jesus is with you. Amen.
00:45:07.10\00:45:08.71
Amen. Friends there is reasons,
00:45:08.74\00:45:11.20
there are reasons
that some of the superstar
00:45:11.23\00:45:14.01
elite, whether they be
sport stars, rock stars
00:45:14.04\00:45:17.66
or music stars.
There is a reason that
00:45:17.69\00:45:20.19
many of these people
end up ending their own
00:45:20.22\00:45:22.78
lives. Now think about
that for just a moment.
00:45:22.81\00:45:26.06
In, in our world, in
our society, in our little
00:45:26.09\00:45:29.00
sphere they have
arrived, and yet friends
00:45:29.03\00:45:32.36
remarkably what do we learn?
00:45:32.39\00:45:34.45
That having fame,
fortune, money and all of
00:45:34.48\00:45:37.73
of the amenities
that come with that life
00:45:37.76\00:45:39.69
cannot satisfy the
deepest longings of the
00:45:39.72\00:45:43.77
soul. Persecutions,
even persecutions with
00:45:43.80\00:45:47.96
Lord Jesus is far
better than leisure and luxury
00:45:47.99\00:45:51.79
without the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:45:51.82\00:45:53.60
Amen. Let me share with you a
00:45:53.63\00:45:55.78
remarkable
statistic. A little factoid that
00:45:55.81\00:46:00.02
you'll probably
find very interesting.
00:46:00.05\00:46:01.33
How many of you
remember several years
00:46:01.36\00:46:03.27
ago, I believe it was
1997, a man by the name
00:46:03.30\00:46:06.05
of Marshall Applewhite
led 39 people to commit a
00:46:06.08\00:46:09.68
large mass suicide.
Remember the Heaven's
00:46:09.71\00:46:11.47
Gate cult and they were
going to go sailing there
00:46:11.50\00:46:14.17
in a comet or in a
spaceship behind the
00:46:14.20\00:46:17.09
comet Hale-Bopp
and they committed mass
00:46:17.12\00:46:18.95
suicide there. How
many of you remember that?
00:46:18.98\00:46:20.64
Okay, terrible,
it's tragic is it not?
00:46:20.67\00:46:22.80
Now, the city that
that took place in is a city
00:46:22.83\00:46:26.83
in California called
Rancho Santa Fe. Rancho
00:46:26.86\00:46:30.74
Santa Fe. Now you
will be very interested to
00:46:30.77\00:46:34.31
know that for the
last decade most of those
00:46:34.34\00:46:38.22
years in the last 10
years Rancho Santa Fe has been
00:46:38.25\00:46:42.02
the wealthiest per
capita town in the entire United
00:46:42.05\00:46:47.11
States. The wealthiest
town in the wealthiest
00:46:47.14\00:46:50.46
country and remarkably
coincidentally or is it
00:46:50.49\00:46:53.68
coincidence that same
town is the sight of the
00:46:53.71\00:46:57.00
largest mass suicide
on United States soil.
00:46:57.03\00:47:00.67
Friends what message
does this send to you
00:47:00.70\00:47:03.35
and I? Simply this, money,
00:47:03.38\00:47:05.35
fame, prestige,
wealth and all of the
00:47:05.38\00:47:09.52
ccoutrements that come
with that kind of a life
00:47:09.55\00:47:11.27
cannot satisfy the
deepest longings and
00:47:11.30\00:47:14.80
the human heart. Amen.
00:47:14.83\00:47:16.87
Jesus said a 100 fold
better life in the here
00:47:16.90\00:47:19.68
and now, will there
be persecutions at times?
00:47:19.71\00:47:21.57
Sure. Will there be
difficulties at times,
00:47:21.60\00:47:24.98
tribulations? Sure.
In fact many times when
00:47:25.01\00:47:28.94
people first begin
to follow the Lord,
00:47:28.97\00:47:30.05
they find that there is
a resistance. But friends
00:47:30.08\00:47:32.93
listen, if there is a
resistance it is probably
00:47:32.96\00:47:35.19
a very good
indicator that you're on the
00:47:35.22\00:47:39.00
right path. Now in closing,
00:47:39.03\00:47:41.73
I like for you to see something.
00:47:41.76\00:47:42.76
In First Timothy Chapter
4, go with me to our last
00:47:42.79\00:47:46.92
verse. First Timothy
Chapter 4, toward the end
00:47:46.95\00:47:51.33
of the New Testament
written by the Apostle
00:47:51.36\00:47:52.97
Paul to the young man Timothy.
00:47:53.00\00:47:54.13
First Timothy Chapter 4,
now I site this verse for
00:47:54.16\00:47:56.70
you as somebody who
is very interested in
00:47:56.73\00:47:59.77
exercise. Anybody
else here interested in
00:47:59.80\00:48:02.28
exercise, staying in
good shape physically.
00:48:02.31\00:48:04.59
Oh! Come on every
hand should be going up.
00:48:04.62\00:48:06.63
We'll put the camera on
you and have all of your
00:48:06.66\00:48:09.65
relatives see this
person is not interested.
00:48:09.68\00:48:11.39
This is why his size,
the size of his pants is
00:48:11.42\00:48:14.77
always going up.
Now in First Timothy
00:48:14.80\00:48:17.05
Chapter 4:8, the
Apostle Paul is writing
00:48:17.08\00:48:20.87
to young Timothy and I
want you to notice what
00:48:20.90\00:48:22.38
he says here very
quickly. The Apostle Paul
00:48:22.41\00:48:24.30
bodily exercise
profits are little.
00:48:24.33\00:48:27.43
In other words it's
alright. You wanna go
00:48:27.46\00:48:29.84
do your push ups, your sit ups,
00:48:29.87\00:48:30.87
your running, he says fine.
00:48:30.90\00:48:31.94
Bodily exercise is good
for you, but notice what
00:48:31.97\00:48:34.84
he says in the rest of
verse 8. But godliness,
00:48:34.87\00:48:37.09
but what word is that everyone.
00:48:37.12\00:48:38.55
Godliness.
Godliness is profitable
00:48:38.58\00:48:40.72
all things and notice
again the two phases or
00:48:40.75\00:48:44.31
the two tears of
what he says here.
00:48:44.34\00:48:45.88
Godliness is
profitable for all things,
00:48:45.91\00:48:47.89
having promise of the
life that now is end of
00:48:47.92\00:48:53.39
that which what
everyone, is to come.
00:48:53.42\00:48:56.00
Do you see what the
Apostle Paul is saying?
00:48:56.03\00:48:58.53
He is saying, hey
look you want to get some
00:48:58.56\00:48:59.91
exercise fine, you
want to stay in good shape
00:48:59.94\00:49:01.65
fine. That's good for
you in the here and now.
00:49:01.68\00:49:03.27
He says but far
better to have Godliness.
00:49:03.30\00:49:06.61
Now I believe it's
far better to have both.
00:49:06.64\00:49:08.93
Amen. Amen.
00:49:08.96\00:49:10.11
A little exercise,
a little Godliness,
00:49:10.14\00:49:11.26
throw in both.
Better life in the here
00:49:11.29\00:49:12.86
and now. But notice
what he says Godliness is
00:49:12.89\00:49:14.81
profitable for all
things. Having two promises
00:49:14.84\00:49:17.20
friends, the promise of
the life that now is and
00:49:17.23\00:49:21.41
of the life to come.
That's exactly like Jesus
00:49:21.44\00:49:25.14
answer to Peter. A
100 fold better life,
00:49:25.17\00:49:28.68
four words, now in
this time and he said in the
00:49:28.71\00:49:32.18
life to come, in the
age to come, eternal life.
00:49:32.21\00:49:35.27
Both Jesus and Paul
agree that for the Christian,
00:49:35.30\00:49:38.34
life is better, more
satisfying, more fuller
00:49:38.37\00:49:41.51
and more glorious
in the here and now.
00:49:41.54\00:49:44.39
Can somebody say Amen. Amen.
00:49:44.42\00:49:46.20
Now, if we plug that
into our three-tiered equation
00:49:46.23\00:49:47.86
what have we
learned. Size of the prize,
00:49:47.89\00:49:49.63
infinitely large.
Size of the risk is
00:49:49.66\00:49:52.60
non-existent. And more than
00:49:52.63\00:49:56.17
non-existent,
there is a positive
00:49:56.20\00:49:57.41
benefit to be gained by
entering into the wager.
00:49:57.44\00:49:59.60
Amen. Amen.
00:49:59.63\00:50:01.70
In fact friends, if
you've come to end your
00:50:01.73\00:50:03.70
life and you have
lived a Godly life.
00:50:03.73\00:50:04.97
You have been kind
and gracious and you've,
00:50:05.00\00:50:07.07
you have lived by
the great golden rule.
00:50:07.10\00:50:09.33
You've served the Lord
Jesus Christ with all of
00:50:09.36\00:50:11.79
your heart and in
the, in the unlikely highly
00:50:11.82\00:50:14.13
unusual absurd event
that God is not real and
00:50:14.16\00:50:18.76
he really doesn't
exist you have lost nothing.
00:50:18.79\00:50:21.75
And yet friends, I
report to you tonight as a
00:50:21.78\00:50:26.48
minister of the
Gospel that God is real.
00:50:26.51\00:50:28.52
He is on the throne.
If you choose to serve
00:50:28.55\00:50:32.12
the Lord Jesus
Christ with all your heart,
00:50:32.15\00:50:33.77
mind and soul, when
you come to that day you'll
00:50:33.80\00:50:36.72
be looking forward to
an eternity of joys and
00:50:36.75\00:50:40.06
blisses and glories
in the celestial kingdom.
00:50:40.09\00:50:42.69
Friend don't you
want to be there.
00:50:42.72\00:50:44.87
Can you imagine
anything better than being
00:50:44.90\00:50:47.71
in that glorious
celestial kingdom?
00:50:47.74\00:50:49.85
Let me tell you a
story. It was Oak, I was in
00:50:49.88\00:50:52.67
Oakland,
California, itwas probably six
00:50:52.70\00:50:54.67
and a half years ago.
I have been a Christian
00:50:54.70\00:50:56.16
for just about a year
and a friend of mine and
00:50:56.19\00:50:59.53
actually there
were several of us.
00:50:59.56\00:51:00.57
We were called to go
to Oakland, California.
00:51:00.60\00:51:02.65
We were ministering
there as Bible workers
00:51:02.68\00:51:04.64
in one of the
most impoverished areas
00:51:04.67\00:51:06.41
in that little area.
And we got a call from
00:51:06.44\00:51:09.62
a good friend of
ours, his name is Will.
00:51:09.65\00:51:11.64
And Will went to
school at the University of
00:51:11.67\00:51:14.03
California at Berkeley.
And he was the President
00:51:14.06\00:51:16.70
of the University
of California Berkeley
00:51:16.73\00:51:18.91
Seventh-Day
Adventist Student Association.
00:51:18.94\00:51:20.59
That's a number of
syllables, isn't it?
00:51:20.62\00:51:22.45
And he said look,
we're going to be giving out
00:51:22.48\00:51:24.42
some literature and we
would like you and your
00:51:24.45\00:51:26.83
friends to come
over and to give us some
00:51:26.86\00:51:28.89
literature, handout
some literature with us.
00:51:28.92\00:51:30.86
And so we decided we
would do that and we,
00:51:30.89\00:51:33.14
we asked and we went
and the day had come.
00:51:33.17\00:51:35.37
Now, this wasn't
just any ordinary day,
00:51:35.40\00:51:37.71
this was a special
day. And there was a student
00:51:37.74\00:51:39.94
fair that day and
every group that you can
00:51:39.97\00:51:42.62
imagine was assembled together.
00:51:42.65\00:51:43.74
Not only the religious
groups, the Presbyterians
00:51:43.77\00:51:46.14
were there, the Methodists, the
00:51:46.17\00:51:47.43
Wesleyans, the Catholics,
all kinds of providence
00:51:47.46\00:51:49.94
groups were there.
Also all the governmental
00:51:49.97\00:51:52.50
groups were
there, the anarchists,
00:51:52.53\00:51:53.68
the communist or the democrats,
00:51:53.71\00:51:55.96
the republicans, all of
them were there as well.
00:51:55.99\00:51:57.94
So here you have all
of these different student
00:51:57.97\00:52:00.45
groups there. People
for the ethical treatment of
00:52:00.48\00:52:02.26
animals and the
students against racism all of
00:52:02.29\00:52:04.68
these different groups
were assembled together
00:52:04.71\00:52:06.16
and here we were with
our humble little booth.
00:52:06.19\00:52:08.31
It was just a wooden
table with a vinyl banner
00:52:08.34\00:52:10.52
over the top and it
said University of California
00:52:10.55\00:52:12.86
Berkeley
Seventh-Day Adventist Student
00:52:12.89\00:52:14.54
Association. We
had a few books there,
00:52:14.57\00:52:16.03
some pamphlets,
some literature and some
00:52:16.06\00:52:18.61
things that we are
talking about what would
00:52:18.64\00:52:19.98
going on that year
in the association.
00:52:20.01\00:52:21.46
Well, we were having a
great time going here and
00:52:21.49\00:52:24.22
going there and
visiting with this group and
00:52:24.25\00:52:26.25
visiting with this group
doing our best to handout
00:52:26.28\00:52:27.83
literature. As the day
was kind of drawing to an
00:52:27.86\00:52:30.41
end, I had gone back
to the table and I was
00:52:30.44\00:52:32.50
sitting there sort of
by myself and there was may
00:52:32.53\00:52:34.39
be an hour or two
left in the student fair.
00:52:34.42\00:52:36.19
A nice looking
gentleman, maybe in his
00:52:36.22\00:52:38.41
late 40s or early
50s came and he sat down
00:52:38.44\00:52:40.57
across the booth there
from, from the table from
00:52:40.60\00:52:43.07
me and he asked me a
very interesting question
00:52:43.10\00:52:45.29
and he sent to me
this. He said do you believe
00:52:45.32\00:52:47.99
in God. And I
responded in the affirmative,
00:52:48.02\00:52:50.72
I said yes, I
believe in God. He then asked
00:52:50.75\00:52:53.42
me is your God omnibenevolent,
00:52:53.45\00:52:55.06
omnipotent and all
knowing. And I said
00:52:55.09\00:52:58.07
yes, he is. He is
all of those things.
00:52:58.10\00:52:59.54
He then asked me a
question that might
00:52:59.57\00:53:01.59
sound kind of curious to you.
00:53:01.62\00:53:02.80
He said to me do
you believe in the
00:53:02.83\00:53:05.25
philosophical law
of non-contradiction.
00:53:05.28\00:53:07.83
I repeat do you believe
in the philosophical law
00:53:07.86\00:53:08.83
of non-contradiction.
I said to him of course,
00:53:11.12\00:53:13.90
I affirm the
philosophical law of
00:53:13.93\00:53:15.59
non-contradiction for
what is the basis of all
00:53:15.62\00:53:17.46
rationality and
reason. He was a little taken
00:53:17.49\00:53:20.13
back by that
response as you can imagine.
00:53:20.16\00:53:21.70
He said to me if you
affirm the philosophical
00:53:21.73\00:53:24.26
law of non-contradiction
which basically says that
00:53:24.29\00:53:26.62
the same thing cannot
be true and false in the
00:53:26.65\00:53:28.48
same way at the same time.
00:53:28.51\00:53:29.93
He said do you
believe that your omnipotent,
00:53:29.96\00:53:32.18
omnibenevolent God
could create a square
00:53:32.21\00:53:34.21
circle. And I said
he wouldn't. Now think
00:53:34.24\00:53:37.11
about that for just a moment.
00:53:37.14\00:53:38.11
A square circle in
euclidean geometry is an
00:53:38.12\00:53:41.22
impossibility. There
are two mutually exclusive
00:53:41.25\00:53:44.24
geometrical
figures. A square, four right
00:53:44.27\00:53:46.94
angles, four sides each equal.
00:53:46.97\00:53:48.56
And a circle you
have an epicenter and each
00:53:48.59\00:53:51.61
point on the
geometric figure is equidistant
00:53:51.64\00:53:54.40
the center and so
these are two mutually
00:53:54.43\00:53:56.59
exclusive figures.
He was asking could my
00:53:56.62\00:53:59.65
omnipotent, omnibenevolent God,
00:53:59.68\00:54:01.07
the God of the Bible
make a square circle or a
00:54:01.10\00:54:04.01
squircle. I responded
by saying he wouldn't.
00:54:04.04\00:54:06.75
He said you're
avoiding the question.
00:54:06.78\00:54:08.62
I said he
wouldn't. You're avoiding the
00:54:08.65\00:54:10.09
question, he
wouldn't, you're avoiding the
00:54:10.12\00:54:11.34
question, this
went on for sometime.
00:54:11.37\00:54:12.36
He then took a
different approach and he said
00:54:12.39\00:54:14.63
what about your
God, could he make a
00:54:14.66\00:54:16.27
mountain so big that he
himself couldn't move it.
00:54:16.30\00:54:18.76
And I said he
couldn't, he wouldn't.
00:54:18.79\00:54:20.78
You're avoiding the
question, he wouldn't,
00:54:20.81\00:54:22.53
you're avoiding the
question, and on and on.
00:54:22.56\00:54:23.80
Well, what ended up
happening friends as this
00:54:23.83\00:54:25.66
very intelligent
rather erudite man and I were
00:54:25.69\00:54:27.79
discussing. Back and
forth and back and forth
00:54:27.82\00:54:30.37
you might, if you had
been a bystander that day
00:54:30.40\00:54:32.97
you might have
listened to my argumentation and
00:54:33.00\00:54:35.13
my reasons, his
argumentation and his
00:54:35.16\00:54:36.92
reasons. And I wanted
to just add here that the,
00:54:36.95\00:54:38.85
the discussion was
done in a very good spirit.
00:54:38.88\00:54:40.73
And you might have said
something like this well,
00:54:40.76\00:54:42.85
50 percent for this
side, 50 percent for this side.
00:54:42.88\00:54:45.96
Yet as this was drawing
to a close I didn't want
00:54:45.99\00:54:48.69
this just to be an
intellectual discussion
00:54:48.72\00:54:50.08
and so I was thinking
what can I say to really
00:54:50.11\00:54:52.33
bring the truth of the
gospel home to this man's
00:54:52.36\00:54:54.22
heart. And I said
something that was very
00:54:54.25\00:54:56.00
pointed. I said friend
when this conversation is
00:54:56.03\00:54:58.64
done I'm going to be
victorious. Now, that was
00:54:58.67\00:55:01.81
very much unlike the
rest of the tenure of our
00:55:01.84\00:55:03.90
conversation and he
said what do you mean you're
00:55:03.93\00:55:05.43
going to be victorious.
I said friend I'm going
00:55:05.46\00:55:07.12
to be victorious and
he said what do you mean?
00:55:07.15\00:55:08.74
He was little put off
by that. I said because I
00:55:08.77\00:55:10.90
have an ace up my sleeve.
He said what is that ace?
00:55:10.93\00:55:12.89
I said the ace in my
sleeve is the question of
00:55:12.92\00:55:15.72
ultimate reality.
And friends that is
00:55:15.75\00:55:18.11
philosophical speak
for what happens when you
00:55:18.14\00:55:19.88
die. The very moment
that I said that he said
00:55:19.91\00:55:23.25
that's not fair.
In other words friend
00:55:23.28\00:55:27.19
what I was
saying to that man is.
00:55:27.22\00:55:28.38
If you hold your
beliefs, when you come to the
00:55:28.41\00:55:30.76
end of your life, if
you're right you gain
00:55:30.79\00:55:33.41
nothing. If you're
wrong, you lose everything but
00:55:33.44\00:55:36.59
unlike me. If I come to
the end of my beliefs and
00:55:36.62\00:55:40.29
I, I have correctly
affirmed that God exists
00:55:40.32\00:55:43.05
I will gain
everything and yet I will lose
00:55:43.08\00:55:44.99
nothing. And that
he walked away and we
00:55:45.02\00:55:47.95
collected our goods
and ended for the day and I
00:55:47.98\00:55:50.20
recommend to you
today Pascal's wager.
00:55:50.23\00:55:52.52
It was exactly what I
used to bring, to bring
00:55:52.55\00:55:55.45
sort of affirmation of
the intelligence and the
00:55:55.48\00:55:58.76
reasonableness of the
Christian message and I
00:55:58.79\00:56:00.31
recommend it to you
today. The size of the
00:56:00.34\00:56:02.45
prize infinitely
large, the size of the risk
00:56:02.48\00:56:04.67
non-existent, and
friends listen to me carefully,
00:56:04.70\00:56:07.15
the chances that
you can win yes you.
00:56:07.18\00:56:09.57
That you can win
eternal life through accepting
00:56:09.60\00:56:12.62
Lord Jesus Christ as
your personal savior.
00:56:12.65\00:56:14.59
The chances are 100 percent.
00:56:14.62\00:56:16.31
Friends, I invite you to
make that decision today.
00:56:16.34\00:56:19.30
I invite you to
seriously consider making Jesus
00:56:19.33\00:56:22.09
Christ your savior, your friend.
00:56:22.12\00:56:24.43
Why don't you do that just now.
00:56:24.46\00:56:26.80