OK, our subject tonight:
"Born to Live Forever. "
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Does that sound good to you?
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Sounds pretty good to me.
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And so before we go any further
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let's open with
a word of prayer.
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Father in heaven, we thank
you for bringing us here again
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tonight. And as
we open Your Word
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we pray that Your Holy Spirit
would be our silent teacher
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tonight. May You touch our
hearts and may we be changed
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tonight... not
because we have come together
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but because we
have been with Jesus.
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This is my prayer
in Jesus' name, Amen.
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One of the saddest stories
I have ever read in my life
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was about this man that you can
see on your screen right there.
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His name is Hank Williams
and he was a country and western
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singer. In 1948 Hank
wrote one of his hit songs:
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a song called I Saw The Light.
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Does anybody think that
rings a bell? Yes it should.
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It's a good old song.
The first stanza of that song
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it goes something like this:
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Now friends, the
first line of that stanza
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"I wandered so
aimless... life filled with sin.
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I wouldn't let my
Dear Savior in... "
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Friends, that first line is
really a fitting description
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of the life that
Hank Williams lived.
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Biographers tell of a
life that was tormented
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by disease, drugs, and alcohol.
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In fact, he died in
the back of his Cadillac
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somewhere in West
Virginia one night, overdrugged,
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at the young age of 29.
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Near the end of his life while
doing a concert in San Diego
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Hank stumbled off the
stage - drunk or drugged,
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we don't know -
after only two songs.
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His good friend, a lady by
the name of Minnie Pearl...
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she and the show's
producer, they took Hank
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and they put him in the car
and they rushed him around town
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in the car
trying to sober him up.
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And as they did...
as they went around town
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they tried singing to him
this song. "Come on, Hank,
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sing your song. "I
wandered so aimless...
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life filled with sin... "
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And as they got to the
end of that first stanza
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that was when Williams looked
up. And he looked at Minnie
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and he said: "Minnie,
I don't see the light!
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There ain't no light. "
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And friends, Hank
couldn't see the light.
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And so it is today...
there are millions of people
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around our world -
millions of people globally...
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world-wide as well
as internationally -
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I stole that line
from George Bush -
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who cannot see the light.
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Who fail to see
a reason to live on
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in a life with an uncharted
future which is unknown.
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And perhaps, friends,
some of you here tonight...
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you feel a little bit like Hank.
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Well friends, hang in there
because Jesus has good news
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for you. Amen? He
always has good news for us.
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And He has exciting
news for you and I tonight
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because He says:
"Listen, I am coming back
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for you because I love
you. And when I come back
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for you I am going to
take you back to My place
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and you're going to
stay and live with Me
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in My home forever. "
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And because we often
just talk about heaven as
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being heaven, I thought
tonight it would be nice for us
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to start by reminding
ourselves of what God's home
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is really like. So let's...
let's read what Revelation
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chapter 21 verses 1-5 says:
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Friends, according to the
Bible heaven isn't some secret
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that God let slip.
Friends, according to the Bible
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heaven is a matter of fact.
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It is going to be quite
literally out of this world.
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And in the same way that
our world today has seven
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wonders of the ancient world
that range from the hanging
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gardens of Babylon to the
great pyramids there in Gaza
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so it is, friends,
that I believe we can see
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that heaven will have
seven wonders of its own.
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Notice with me what they are.
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Friends, not some cloud
where disembodied spirits roam
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but a real
place for real people.
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We won't be strumming
harps for the ceaseless ages
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of eternity. No
friends, according to the Bible
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the redeemed are going to
find their feet on solid earth.
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Notice what the Bible says
in Isaiah chapter 65 verse 21:
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Sounds good to me.
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Again, I Corinthians 2:9:
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And friends, you
know some young people...
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they sometimes ask and they
say: "Oh, you know, heaven...
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OK... it sounds OK but
won't it get a little bit boring
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after a couple of years?
A couple of hundred years? "
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Well friends, just remember
we are not talking about
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Agatha Christie. We're
not talking about Microsoft
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and Bill Gates. We are talking
about the God who made people,
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created people like that.
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And so I don't think we have
to worry about getting bored
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for the
ceaseless ages of eternity.
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Heaven will be very
exciting. Amen? Amen.
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Heaven isn't called
heaven for no reason at all.
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There will be no dreary deserts.
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No great wastes of water.
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Instead heaven will be
one grand showcase of creative
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brilliance and beauty will
stretch in every direction.
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It's going to be
more beautiful than Taree.
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It's going to be more
majestic than the Sydney Harbor.
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It's going to be more
wonderful than the Himalayas.
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It's going to look better
than the Great Barrier Reef.
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It will be God's
wonderland for the saved.
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Unimagined beauty will
just be absolutely everywhere.
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How do I know? Because look
at how the Bible describes it.
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Revelation chapter 22 verse 1:
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That's going to look much better
than the Manning River, Amen?
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Again, what will wonder #3 be?
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Ah, heaven is just so
wonderful; there's more to come.
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Friends, we won't have
to lock our cars up there.
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Ah, we may not
have cars up there...
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But even if we did have cars
we wouldn't have to lock them!
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We wouldn't need to have...
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We're not going to need
security alarms on our homes.
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We won't need to lock our
homes because everybody will be
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content with what
God gives to them.
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It's going to be
so peaceful, friends,
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that even the
animals the Bible says...
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they're going to get
along with each other.
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Notice what Isaiah 65:25 says:
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They say that true
happiness lies in satisfaction.
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And friends, in heaven
there'll be no more grumbling,
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no more
complaining, no more discontent.
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Everybody will be
satisfied with heaven.
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And friends, how do we
know this? Because listen...
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the Bible tells us that:
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Now when I was growing up
we used to sing a song often
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and it went something like this:
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With Jesus in the
family happy happy home.
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Happy happy
home... happy happy home.
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Ah, you know it.
With Jesus in the family
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happy happy
home... Happy, happy home.
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Well, that's a lovely happy song
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but it is true today that
we have a lot of unhappy homes
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in our world, is it not?
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And friend tonight, maybe
you have come from an unhappy,
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broken or breaking home.
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Notice that in heaven those
things... such a thing will be
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no more because there
will be no more unhappiness.
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No more funerals; no more
sorrow; no more cemeteries.
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Happiness will be in
the air up there in heaven.
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We're going to
breathe the stuff, Amen? Amen.
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No more doctors.
The blind will see.
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The deaf will hear.
The dumb will speak again.
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There will be no more
cancer; no more arthritis;
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no more aches and
pains; no more fevers;
00:11:02.73\00:11:05.68
no more diabetes.
Friends, all of this will be
00:11:05.88\00:11:09.53
no more. Amen? That's
good news because listen:
00:11:09.73\00:11:13.28
in our world today we
live in a society where people
00:11:13.48\00:11:17.35
spend all of their health
for wealth and then they spend
00:11:17.45\00:11:20.48
the rest of their wealth to
try and get their health back.
00:11:20.59\00:11:23.27
Because listen:
health may not be everything
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but everything is
nothing without health.
00:11:26.74\00:11:29.08
And if you've been on a diet
then you will know that stress
00:11:29.28\00:11:32.46
is just desserts
spelled backwards.
00:11:32.66\00:11:34.88
But friends, in heaven
we're not going to have to worry
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about being sick any more
because the Bible tells us that
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we're going to be able
to eat of the Tree of Life.
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The Bible says
here in Revelation:
00:11:45.25\00:11:47.06
...is up there. And friends,
when we eat of that tree
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then our never-ending quest
to find the fountain of youth...
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it will stop at last. No more...
we won't have to dye our hair.
00:11:57.60\00:12:01.10
We won't have to wear make-up.
We'll just kind of look great
00:12:01.30\00:12:04.14
up there! We're going
to be healthy at last.
00:12:04.34\00:12:06.50
Isn't that a beautiful picture?
00:12:06.70\00:12:09.35
I love it because that little
boy... he's left his wheelchair
00:12:09.55\00:12:12.47
behind and he's
gone straight to Jesus.
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THAT is what
heaven's going to be like.
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The Bible tells us that
when John saw the New Jerusalem
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coming down from
God out of heaven
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he was almost speechless.
00:12:27.51\00:12:30.03
And I'm so glad that he
didn't lose all of his words
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because otherwise we'd have
no idea what it looked like.
00:12:32.73\00:12:35.16
But as he saw it coming down
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he could only
describe it as a dazzling jewel
00:12:37.71\00:12:41.07
and this is what he writes.
In Revelation 21:11 he says:
00:12:41.27\00:12:45.26
And so friends, what a
wonderful wonderful place
00:12:55.42\00:12:59.04
heaven will be. Again:
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Wow, heaven's pretty wonderful.
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We've just seen six
wonders of the kingdom.
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But I wonder what
the next wonder is.
00:13:23.78\00:13:26.60
Well friends, if you think about
it, I don't think you'll have to
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think very long
because wonder #7
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has to be the
wonder of them all:
00:13:32.55\00:13:34.63
I don't know about you, but this
is the best wonder of heaven
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to me. For as William
Barclay put it... he said:
00:13:41.63\00:13:44.21
Amen? Amen.
00:13:54.30\00:13:55.76
As someone else said:
"Heaven without my Savior
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would be no heaven to me.
00:13:58.90\00:14:00.46
Dim were the walls of jasper
and rayless the crystal sea. "
00:14:00.66\00:14:04.46
But friends, we know
that God will be there because
00:14:04.66\00:14:07.02
the Bible says that:
00:14:07.12\00:14:08.19
And this just sounds so
wonderful to me. Not only that
00:14:17.76\00:14:21.10
but the Bible goes on
and tells us in Isaiah 66:23
00:14:21.30\00:14:25.51
Friends, this is the home that
God has prepared and waiting
00:14:36.89\00:14:40.89
for you... for those who
choose to accept Him as their
00:14:41.09\00:14:44.21
personal Savior
and forever Friend.
00:14:44.31\00:14:46.80
He wants you to be there!
00:14:47.00\00:14:49.37
There just remains one question.
00:14:49.57\00:14:52.67
I was invited to speak
in a church in Sydney...
00:14:52.88\00:14:56.16
another church in Sydney.
00:14:56.26\00:14:57.52
And so I thought: "What
can I talk to them about? "
00:14:57.72\00:14:59.55
I thought: "I'll
tell them about heaven. "
00:14:59.75\00:15:01.87
And so I went to this church
and I preached a wonderful
00:15:02.07\00:15:04.92
sermon on the
kingdom of God... on heaven,
00:15:05.03\00:15:07.82
what heaven will be like.
00:15:08.02\00:15:09.30
And at the end of the service
I was shaking peoples' hands.
00:15:09.50\00:15:13.13
And this one dear man...
he came out of the church
00:15:13.33\00:15:15.83
and shook my hand
and he said: "Charissa,
00:15:15.93\00:15:17.89
that was a fantastic sermon.
I just have one question:
00:15:18.09\00:15:21.76
how do I get there? "
00:15:21.96\00:15:23.65
And I thought to
myself: "You know what?
00:15:23.85\00:15:25.54
I have just overlooked
the MOST IMPORTANT question:
00:15:25.74\00:15:28.82
How on earth do we get
to this wonderful place
00:15:29.02\00:15:32.59
that God has prepared for us? "
00:15:32.79\00:15:35.17
Well thankfully, friend,
Jesus didn't leave us to wonder
00:15:35.38\00:15:38.94
because He disclosed the
directions to the kingdom
00:15:39.14\00:15:42.35
in an incredible encounter
that He had once upon a long
00:15:42.55\00:15:46.87
time ago. Let's go to
that encounter in the Bible.
00:15:46.97\00:15:50.32
If you want to
follow along you can.
00:15:50.52\00:15:52.45
We're going to the book of John.
00:15:52.65\00:15:54.68
John chapter 3 and we begin
our story tonight in verse 1.
00:15:54.88\00:16:00.51
And I will put them on
the screen, but sometimes
00:16:00.64\00:16:02.90
it's good to see them in
the Bible to make sure I'm not
00:16:03.00\00:16:05.16
tricking you. So
John chapter 3 verse 1.
00:16:05.27\00:16:08.81
The story happens here in
Jerusalem. The Bible says:
00:16:09.01\00:16:12.23
Now friends, here
was a religious man
00:16:18.36\00:16:20.98
if there ever was one.
00:16:21.08\00:16:24.62
Word has it that he was
probably one of the three
00:16:24.82\00:16:27.74
richest men in all of Jerusalem.
00:16:27.94\00:16:30.71
In fact, some even
believe that he was Nicodemus
00:16:30.74\00:16:34.85
ben Gurion... that is,
the brother of Josephus.
00:16:34.95\00:16:38.71
Whether or not that is the case
00:16:38.91\00:16:40.73
we don't really know... but
it could have been possible.
00:16:40.93\00:16:43.69
And instead of being
somebody who we hear a lot of
00:16:43.89\00:16:46.77
in the Bible, incredibly
he appears a solitary 3 times
00:16:46.88\00:16:51.66
and only in John's gospel.
00:16:51.86\00:16:54.57
Not much exposure,
yes... but more than any of us.
00:16:54.77\00:16:58.00
Nicodemus was a leading
Pharisee, and that means
00:16:58.20\00:17:01.39
he was no slouch when it
came to the Old Testament.
00:17:01.59\00:17:04.78
Oh, no. He knew the religious...
contemporary, religious,
00:17:04.98\00:17:08.80
and political scene
like the back of his hand.
00:17:08.90\00:17:12.16
I have a feeling that
Nicodemus was the kind of man
00:17:12.36\00:17:16.24
who often appeared in
the Daily Telegraph...
00:17:16.44\00:17:18.98
in the Jerusalem Telegraph.
He was regularly featured
00:17:19.08\00:17:22.27
on the front page. Perhaps
he even had his own column.
00:17:22.37\00:17:26.00
And not only that, he was
someone who appeared on the
00:17:26.20\00:17:29.31
evening news very regularly.
00:17:29.41\00:17:31.91
Publicly Nicodemus
oozed of religious piety
00:17:32.11\00:17:37.22
and wisdom. But privately
00:17:37.42\00:17:41.24
Nicodemus was perplexed.
00:17:41.40\00:17:44.36
You see, he didn't want to
admit it but he felt incomplete.
00:17:44.56\00:17:50.42
There was something
missing in his life.
00:17:50.62\00:17:55.31
Oh yes, by day he was
cool, calm, and collected.
00:17:55.51\00:18:00.16
If anybody had a religious
question they would go and find
00:18:00.36\00:18:04.17
Nicodemus. Because if they
could get an answer from him
00:18:04.27\00:18:07.31
then they would have an answer
from the crème de la crème
00:18:07.51\00:18:10.70
of scholarship...
theological scholarship.
00:18:10.90\00:18:13.34
By day he was
cool, calm, and collected
00:18:13.54\00:18:16.06
but by night Nicodemus
knew an emptiness in his heart
00:18:16.26\00:18:21.54
and it frightened him.
00:18:21.74\00:18:23.85
And he said that perhaps
Jesus had something to do
00:18:24.15\00:18:30.10
with the emptiness
that he was feeling inside.
00:18:30.30\00:18:33.22
He had watched Jesus.
00:18:33.42\00:18:34.72
He had watched Him very closely.
00:18:34.92\00:18:36.66
The other Pharisees didn't know
because they all didn't like
00:18:36.86\00:18:39.05
Jesus. But
Nicodemus had watched Him.
00:18:39.15\00:18:41.54
He'd seen Him in the temple.
00:18:41.74\00:18:43.03
He'd seen Him with the children
and he thought to himself:
00:18:43.23\00:18:45.82
"Perhaps Jesus can tell me
what I'm missing in my life.
00:18:46.02\00:18:50.72
Perhaps in Jesus I will
find what I'm looking for. "
00:18:50.92\00:18:55.57
And so notice what happens
in verse 2. The Bible says:
00:18:55.77\00:18:59.59
Friends, that night
he saw his opportunity.
00:19:11.65\00:19:15.99
When Nicodemus... he
put his children to bed;
00:19:16.19\00:19:18.61
he waited, waited, and
waited for his wife to doze off.
00:19:18.81\00:19:22.29
And when she finally
did, he picked up his cloak
00:19:22.49\00:19:25.73
and he slipped out of the
house. He had to find Jesus.
00:19:25.93\00:19:30.38
He had to put an end
to all of these questions
00:19:30.58\00:19:33.30
that were burning in his heart.
00:19:33.40\00:19:35.59
Now he had heard
that Jesus often retired
00:19:35.79\00:19:39.14
to the Mount of Olives
there... to the garden there.
00:19:39.34\00:19:41.44
And so he thought: "Well, I'll
go and look for Him there. "
00:19:41.64\00:19:44.90
And so he made a
beeline in that direction.
00:19:45.10\00:19:48.06
And as he entered the garden
there in the quiet of night
00:19:48.26\00:19:51.72
he scanned it looking for Jesus.
00:19:51.92\00:19:54.62
And then suddenly he
spotted Him over there
00:19:54.83\00:19:57.35
in the distance. And so
quietly the Bible tells us
00:19:57.55\00:20:00.88
he walked over
to where Jesus sits.
00:20:01.08\00:20:04.08
He clears his throat
and he says: "Rabbi... "
00:20:04.28\00:20:08.08
Now friends, have you ever
encountered somebody famous
00:20:08.28\00:20:12.54
face to face?
00:20:12.74\00:20:13.87
No? A few, yes...
00:20:15.11\00:20:17.51
Well I have because
listen... listen to this:
00:20:17.61\00:20:20.20
Two years ago... I know, it
doesn't sound that recent...
00:20:20.40\00:20:23.81
but listen: two years
ago I was in the same class
00:20:24.01\00:20:28.28
at university as Ian Thorpe.
00:20:28.31\00:20:31.75
Yes, the real Ian Thorpe.
00:20:31.95\00:20:34.61
Because listen:
this is how it happened.
00:20:34.81\00:20:36.21
I was in my class. I was doing
linguistics as part of my degree
00:20:36.41\00:20:40.32
and we were sitting
there. It was the first tutorial
00:20:40.42\00:20:43.49
of semester. And our tutor...
she said: "And by the way,
00:20:43.69\00:20:47.09
Ian Thorpe's going to be in
our class for the rest of this
00:20:47.29\00:20:50.21
semester. " And we all
said: "Oh yeah, yeah, right.
00:20:50.31\00:20:52.95
Which Ian Thorpe is
this? " And she said:
00:20:53.15\00:20:54.69
"Oh, no, no, no. This
is the REAL Ian Thorpe.
00:20:54.79\00:20:57.19
This is Ian
Thorpe the Olympian. "
00:20:57.39\00:20:59.45
Wow! That was so exciting.
00:20:59.65\00:21:01.52
So we all went home
and we couldn't wait
00:21:01.73\00:21:04.45
for the next
tutorial the following week.
00:21:04.55\00:21:06.92
A week later I turned up
to class a little bit earlier
00:21:07.12\00:21:11.03
than I usually do.
00:21:11.13\00:21:12.65
And when I got there
there were all my classmates
00:21:12.85\00:21:16.94
to one side just
sitting in a quiet huddle.
00:21:17.04\00:21:19.79
And they were looking at this...
this larger-than-life figure
00:21:19.99\00:21:24.15
pacing back and
forth. It was Ian Thorpe
00:21:24.25\00:21:26.20
pacing back and forth
outside the classroom.
00:21:26.30\00:21:29.15
And I saw that and I
knew that they were too shy
00:21:29.35\00:21:32.30
to talk to him. And
I am a shy person, too.
00:21:32.40\00:21:34.63
But when I saw Ian Thorpe...
I mean, it's not every day
00:21:34.83\00:21:37.86
you brush
shoulders with Olympic gold.
00:21:37.96\00:21:40.21
And so I thought: "Look, if
I let this opportunity pass by
00:21:40.41\00:21:43.85
I'm going to be kicking myself
for the rest of my life. "
00:21:43.95\00:21:46.41
And so I thought: "I'll
go... I've got to talk to him. "
00:21:46.61\00:21:48.66
So I went up to him while
he was walking back and forth
00:21:48.86\00:21:52.60
and I said: "Excuse
me, are you Ian Thorpe? "
00:21:52.80\00:21:56.02
Now if I could
rewind that encounter
00:21:58.50\00:22:02.38
there are probably a thousand
other things I would have said.
00:22:02.58\00:22:05.70
There are a thousand other
questions I could have asked
00:22:05.90\00:22:09.17
him, but in that
moment - in that split second
00:22:09.28\00:22:12.45
when I was there face to
face in front of this person
00:22:12.55\00:22:15.55
I'd only ever seen on TV -
00:22:15.75\00:22:17.29
that is what I came
out with. And yes, he said:
00:22:17.49\00:22:20.52
"Yes, I am Ian Thorpe. "
00:22:20.72\00:22:22.22
And friends, that was just one
of the most exciting experiences
00:22:22.42\00:22:25.64
for me because, you know, I
got to sit behind him in class.
00:22:25.84\00:22:29.59
And I remember one
day he forgot his notes
00:22:29.79\00:22:32.45
and so I said: " Hey, Ian...
" Tapped him on the shoulder.
00:22:32.65\00:22:35.31
"Ian... " I called
him by his first name.
00:22:35.51\00:22:37.81
Said: "Ian, read my notes. "
00:22:38.01\00:22:40.12
And so he took them
and he used my notes.
00:22:40.32\00:22:42.52
And for people who
don't actually believe me
00:22:42.73\00:22:46.15
that I was in the same class
as Ian Thorpe I took a picture
00:22:46.35\00:22:49.73
of his back while we
were in a lecture theatre
00:22:49.93\00:22:52.00
on my mobile phone to prove
that I really did encounter him.
00:22:52.20\00:22:56.17
The big
"Thorpedo. " Well friends,
00:22:56.38\00:22:58.57
why am I telling you this?
Because listen, the point is:
00:22:58.77\00:23:02.66
when we encounter people
for whom we have a deep respect
00:23:02.96\00:23:07.78
for... for whom we
have a deep appreciation for
00:23:07.98\00:23:11.01
or admiration for... we often
don't know what to say to them.
00:23:11.12\00:23:14.59
I mean, we're just
sort of speechless.
00:23:14.80\00:23:16.41
We're so nervous;
we're so speechless.
00:23:16.44\00:23:18.44
And friends, for Nicodemus
it really was no different
00:23:18.64\00:23:21.92
in this situation.
Because listen: like me
00:23:22.12\00:23:25.46
Nicodemus opened his mouth
and he makes a huge mistake.
00:23:25.66\00:23:30.33
Because instead of
telling Jesus... asking Jesus
00:23:30.53\00:23:34.24
his question saying:
"Lord, I have a problem.
00:23:34.44\00:23:36.88
What's wrong with my heart? "
00:23:37.02\00:23:39.11
Nicodemus... he opens his mouth
and he avoids that altogether.
00:23:39.31\00:23:43.36
He is so used to playing
the role of a strong person
00:23:43.56\00:23:48.46
who knows all the
answers that he makes no mention
00:23:48.66\00:23:52.99
of the emptiness
that he feels within
00:23:53.19\00:23:56.40
and he avoids the
darkness of his own soul.
00:23:56.60\00:23:59.84
But friends, Jesus saw
through the pleasantries.
00:24:00.04\00:24:03.19
He always does.
00:24:03.39\00:24:04.63
And through the darkness
of night Jesus sees behind
00:24:04.83\00:24:08.60
the mask of this polite,
correct, religious official
00:24:08.80\00:24:13.53
person the
restlessness of his soul.
00:24:13.64\00:24:17.17
What Nicodemus
needed was not an answer.
00:24:17.37\00:24:20.11
Jesus knew that. He
didn't need an answer...
00:24:20.21\00:24:22.57
he needed an experience.
00:24:22.77\00:24:25.67
And oh how Jesus
longed for Nicodemus
00:24:25.87\00:24:29.82
to receive the peace
that he so longed for.
00:24:30.02\00:24:32.85
Nicodemus had been performing
all his life and Jesus knew it.
00:24:33.05\00:24:37.96
And so now it was time
for Nicodemus to drop the pose
00:24:38.19\00:24:42.22
and own the truth. And notice...
notice what Jesus says to him
00:24:42.42\00:24:47.19
next:
00:24:47.29\00:24:48.30
Now I love my sleep.
00:25:02.64\00:25:04.99
And I said that because I
know I'm in good company. Amen?
00:25:05.19\00:25:08.40
But if there's one
thing that I hate in my sleep
00:25:08.60\00:25:12.10
it is the sound of an alarm.
Why? Because it interrupts you.
00:25:12.20\00:25:17.01
It annoys you. It startles you!
00:25:17.21\00:25:20.09
And friends, when Nicodemus
hears these words fall from
00:25:20.29\00:25:24.13
the Savior's lips he
hears the sound of an alarm.
00:25:24.23\00:25:28.23
Because that... He had
not asked Jesus anything to do
00:25:28.43\00:25:32.16
with what Jesus had said.
He had not seen this coming.
00:25:32.26\00:25:36.57
"Except a man be born again
00:25:36.78\00:25:39.39
he cannot enter the
kingdom of heaven? "
00:25:39.59\00:25:42.65
Oh, maybe he hadn't
heard Jesus correctly.
00:25:42.86\00:25:45.84
Because after all here he
was hands down perhaps the most
00:25:46.05\00:25:49.88
religious person
in all of Jerusalem
00:25:50.08\00:25:53.29
and yet Jesus was saying to
him he has to be born again?
00:25:53.49\00:25:57.47
Ah, that born again
stuff... that was for sinners!
00:25:57.67\00:26:00.85
That was for Gentiles but
not saints... and especially
00:26:01.05\00:26:04.99
not saints as
saintly as himself.
00:26:05.19\00:26:07.46
And so he asked Jesus
for more clarification.
00:26:07.66\00:26:10.96
He says here in verses 4 and 5:
00:26:11.16\00:26:14.20
I'll say that
last verse once more:
00:26:38.23\00:26:41.01
There you have it,
friends... there you have it.
00:27:02.66\00:27:05.49
Jesus repeats His
answer for Nicodemus.
00:27:05.63\00:27:08.61
Jesus is
insistent... Jesus is absolute.
00:27:08.81\00:27:13.36
There are no two ways about it.
00:27:13.56\00:27:15.90
We must be born of
water and of the Spirit
00:27:16.10\00:27:19.40
if we are to
call heaven our home.
00:27:19.60\00:27:24.01
But why does Jesus say
that we must be born again
00:27:24.21\00:27:28.55
in order to enter
the kingdom of God?
00:27:28.75\00:27:31.03
I mean: "Isn't salvation
meant to be free, Charissa? "
00:27:31.23\00:27:35.10
Yes it is, because
remember what the Bible says:
00:27:35.30\00:27:37.74
"See,
Charissa... salvation's free!
00:27:49.75\00:27:52.23
Heaven should be free. "
00:27:52.43\00:27:54.16
That's what I thought
too. In fact, I have to confess
00:27:54.37\00:27:56.77
to you that when I got to this
point in our story of Nicodemus
00:27:56.87\00:28:00.60
when I was
studying and I thought
00:28:00.80\00:28:02.30
"Why is Jesus saying
there's something we have to do
00:28:02.50\00:28:05.30
in order to inherit
the kingdom of God? "
00:28:05.50\00:28:07.84
But friends, as I kept
studying and as I kept reading
00:28:08.05\00:28:11.46
I discovered the answer.
00:28:11.66\00:28:13.05
And friends, the
answer is so surprising,
00:28:13.25\00:28:15.98
it is so exciting because
notice what else the Bible says.
00:28:16.18\00:28:20.05
Before we notice
it... Have you ever wished
00:28:20.25\00:28:23.15
that life had a delete function?
00:28:23.35\00:28:25.77
Have you ever wished that there
was just this imaginary button
00:28:26.07\00:28:29.45
somewhere that you could
press and when you did you could
00:28:29.65\00:28:32.28
wipe out all the
mistakes of your past
00:28:32.48\00:28:34.71
and all of your guilt and all
of your shame and all of your
00:28:34.91\00:28:38.54
history and all of your sin?
It could be just washed away
00:28:38.64\00:28:42.52
and you could
have a fresh start?
00:28:42.72\00:28:44.36
Have you ever wanted that?
00:28:44.46\00:28:45.53
Well friends, this fresh start
00:28:45.63\00:28:47.88
that you've always
only ever dreamt about...
00:28:47.98\00:28:50.52
that is exactly what Jesus
is inviting us to experience
00:28:50.74\00:28:54.83
when He says: "You
must be born again. "
00:28:55.03\00:28:57.79
Because we need to
learn to let go and let God.
00:28:57.99\00:29:02.24
You see Nicodemus... he thought
he had it all worked out.
00:29:02.34\00:29:06.26
He thought that
because he was so religious
00:29:06.46\00:29:08.95
he had earned
his way into heaven.
00:29:09.15\00:29:11.31
For him - being a Jew and
the religious one - he had an
00:29:11.51\00:29:14.66
automatic entrance into heaven.
00:29:14.77\00:29:17.32
But friends, Jesus was
trying to remind Nicodemus
00:29:17.52\00:29:20.73
that he was a sinner.
He had broken God's law,
00:29:20.93\00:29:25.83
and like every other
sinner on the face of this earth
00:29:26.03\00:29:29.48
the results - the
consequences - for his sins
00:29:29.68\00:29:32.74
were exactly the
same as everyone else:
00:29:32.84\00:29:35.03
he deserved to die.
00:29:35.23\00:29:37.40
Now friends, I was doing some
"prac" teaching out in a school
00:29:37.60\00:29:42.66
towards the western
side of Sydney last year.
00:29:42.87\00:29:45.97
And when I came home on
my first day I had a thousand
00:29:46.17\00:29:49.60
things going through my head.
00:29:49.70\00:29:50.74
Teachers are under a lot
of stress, and I praise God
00:29:51.04\00:29:53.74
for teachers. Amen?
00:29:53.84\00:29:55.30
All the teachers said "Amen. "
00:29:55.33\00:29:57.24
OK. So I really really
appreciate what teachers do...
00:29:57.44\00:30:01.52
particularly
after watching them.
00:30:01.62\00:30:03.70
And so I came to the
train station after observing
00:30:03.90\00:30:06.82
the students at the
school that I was at.
00:30:06.92\00:30:09.40
And I was so engrossed in my
thoughts. The train pulled up
00:30:09.60\00:30:12.84
and so I moved to
where the doors were.
00:30:13.04\00:30:15.02
And I stood outside the doors
00:30:15.23\00:30:16.61
and the doors opened
and this man... he literally
00:30:16.81\00:30:20.95
charged off the train and
he clipped me on the shoulder
00:30:21.15\00:30:24.77
as he stormed past me.
00:30:24.87\00:30:26.45
He was like a bull
let out of a stable.
00:30:26.65\00:30:28.63
And I spun around and watched
him storm off in the distance.
00:30:28.83\00:30:31.98
And my first reaction
was: "How dare he do that? "
00:30:32.18\00:30:35.49
Then my second reaction
was: "Well no. Maybe he's just
00:30:35.70\00:30:38.34
had a bad day. "
00:30:38.44\00:30:39.70
And so the next day
came. Again I was so engrossed
00:30:39.90\00:30:43.19
in my thoughts I was standing
there in the train station.
00:30:43.39\00:30:45.78
Train pulled up. Without
thinking I moved to the doors.
00:30:45.98\00:30:49.07
I left space so
people could get out.
00:30:49.27\00:30:51.39
But the doors
opened and this same man...
00:30:51.59\00:30:54.50
he clipped me on
the shoulder again.
00:30:54.70\00:30:56.37
That's when I realized he
wasn't just having a bad day...
00:30:56.57\00:30:59.39
maybe it was a bad week.
00:30:59.59\00:31:01.21
So I thought to
myself: "Well, tomorrow
00:31:01.41\00:31:03.11
I will not allow him
to do this to me again. "
00:31:03.31\00:31:05.78
So the next day came. I
went to the train station.
00:31:05.98\00:31:08.96
Train pulled up. I knew
which door this man was going to
00:31:09.17\00:31:11.96
come out of so I
stood to the side.
00:31:12.06\00:31:14.68
The door opened.
The man charged out
00:31:14.89\00:31:17.19
and he missed me. And I
was so excited, you know?
00:31:17.39\00:31:20.28
He missed me. I
worked him out like a book.
00:31:20.48\00:31:22.80
And so I did that and
he continued to miss me
00:31:23.00\00:31:26.71
for the next few
days that I was there.
00:31:26.91\00:31:29.14
But then one day I came
back to the train station
00:31:29.34\00:31:32.33
and I just had a very big
day and I'm standing there
00:31:32.53\00:31:35.57
and I forgot about
this man on the train.
00:31:35.77\00:31:37.70
So I moved to the doors and
I stood right in front of them.
00:31:37.90\00:31:41.17
And this time when he
charged off he hit me full on.
00:31:41.38\00:31:44.81
Now friends, that man was
stuck in what I would call
00:31:45.01\00:31:49.08
a rut. Every single day
was just the same for him.
00:31:49.28\00:31:53.54
And you know what he needed?
He needed a change of heart.
00:31:53.74\00:31:56.80
We could say he almost
needed to be "born again. "
00:31:57.00\00:31:59.43
And the reason I tell
you that story is because
00:31:59.63\00:32:01.62
friends, I think what
he did every single day
00:32:01.83\00:32:04.64
is a perfect
illustration of human nature.
00:32:04.84\00:32:07.97
Because friends, you and
I... we are stuck in a rut
00:32:08.17\00:32:11.64
and it's called sin.
00:32:11.84\00:32:14.01
But friends, the good news
about this is that the same God
00:32:14.21\00:32:17.61
who created this world
and all the beauty in it,
00:32:17.81\00:32:21.57
that same God... He has the
power to re-create your heart,
00:32:21.77\00:32:26.22
to re-create your life,
to cleanse you from sin.
00:32:26.42\00:32:30.24
So that just as
when a baby is born
00:32:30.44\00:32:32.97
it has no say so in the matter
so too when we are born again.
00:32:33.18\00:32:38.53
It is God, through the
agency of the Holy Spirit,
00:32:38.73\00:32:42.46
who changes us
and not we ourselves.
00:32:42.66\00:32:46.67
'Cause after all...
have you ever met a baby
00:32:46.87\00:32:49.41
who gave birth to itself?
00:32:49.51\00:32:51.30
No! We can't give
birth to ourselves.
00:32:51.50\00:32:53.80
And so it is with God. We
can't change our hearts...
00:32:54.00\00:32:57.17
that is something
that God has to do for us.
00:32:57.37\00:33:00.86
This is why I Peter 1:23 says:
00:33:01.16\00:33:05.25
Friends, Longfellow - that
man there on the far left...
00:33:16.10\00:33:19.32
he could take a
worthless sheet of paper,
00:33:19.52\00:33:22.14
he could write a beautiful poem
on it, and when he was finished
00:33:22.34\00:33:26.15
that piece of
paper was worth $6,000.
00:33:26.35\00:33:29.51
That's what I call genius.
00:33:29.72\00:33:31.42
The guy next to
him - Rockefeller...
00:33:31.52\00:33:33.38
he could sign his
name to a piece of paper
00:33:33.58\00:33:36.00
and make it worth
millions of dollars.
00:33:36.21\00:33:38.47
Well that's what I call capital.
00:33:38.67\00:33:40.74
A mechanic can take a material,
a piece of material worth $5,
00:33:40.94\00:33:45.28
do something to it
and make it worth $50.
00:33:45.48\00:33:48.63
That's skill.
00:33:48.84\00:33:49.97
An artist can take a 50 cent
canvas and paint a picture on it
00:33:50.17\00:33:54.52
and when they're
finished it can be worth $1,000.
00:33:54.72\00:33:58.74
That's art. But
friends, only God
00:33:58.94\00:34:01.77
can take the heart of a sinner,
00:34:02.07\00:34:05.37
of someone who feels they
have a worthless, sinful life,
00:34:05.57\00:34:09.58
and only He can wash it
in the blood of the Lamb,
00:34:09.68\00:34:12.93
send His Spirit to
live in that person's heart
00:34:13.13\00:34:16.03
and make that person
a blessing to humanity.
00:34:16.23\00:34:19.17
Friends, only God can do
that and that is salvation.
00:34:19.37\00:34:23.96
And friends, when the
Holy Spirit was poured out
00:34:24.16\00:34:27.08
on the Day of Pentecost
00:34:27.28\00:34:28.95
when Peter had finished
preaching one of the most
00:34:29.05\00:34:31.35
powerful sermons in
all of human history
00:34:31.45\00:34:34.11
the Bible tells us that the
listeners that were listening
00:34:34.32\00:34:37.12
to him... they were so
stirred up in their hearts -
00:34:37.22\00:34:40.08
the Bible says they were
"pricked in their hearts" -
00:34:40.28\00:34:42.51
and this is what they said:
00:34:42.61\00:34:43.80
In other words,
"How can we be saved? "
00:34:47.09\00:34:49.95
And Peter, under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit...
00:34:50.15\00:34:53.30
he says these
wonderful words. He says:
00:34:53.50\00:34:55.73
Now friends,
repentance in our society today
00:35:07.74\00:35:10.94
often has some pretty
negative connotations.
00:35:11.14\00:35:13.88
If someone says
to you "Repent! "
00:35:13.98\00:35:15.40
well it's almost like
we all become echidnas
00:35:15.60\00:35:17.64
and we turn our backs to
them and we raise our little...
00:35:17.75\00:35:20.60
what do you call them?
Those spikes or their quills.
00:35:20.80\00:35:23.38
Yes, we don't like
the word repentance.
00:35:23.58\00:35:25.24
But friends, repentance
is nothing to be ashamed of.
00:35:25.34\00:35:28.76
Peter's call on that
day was for the people to be
00:35:28.79\00:35:32.15
truly converted. Because as
they had seen the power of God
00:35:32.25\00:35:36.92
and as they had experienced
the power of the Word of God
00:35:37.12\00:35:39.87
in their hearts and
they had become aware
00:35:39.97\00:35:43.29
of their personal deficiencies,
they had seen themselves
00:35:43.49\00:35:47.10
the way God sees them
and they had seen their sin.
00:35:47.20\00:35:50.38
But friends, the
Bible says in I John 1:9:
00:35:50.58\00:35:54.33
Friends, no
matter what we've done,
00:36:06.98\00:36:08.81
no matter what kind of past
or history you or I may have
00:36:09.01\00:36:13.28
tonight... You may feel
you're the most terrible sinner
00:36:13.38\00:36:16.47
in the world and
God couldn't save you.
00:36:16.57\00:36:20.18
Friends, notice that He can.
00:36:20.38\00:36:23.01
Jesus has the power
to change your life.
00:36:23.21\00:36:26.03
When you accept Him,
when you confess your sins,
00:36:26.13\00:36:28.48
when you come to Him in
repentance, then you can receive
00:36:28.58\00:36:32.09
the gift of salvation.
00:36:32.19\00:36:34.14
And friends, the Bible tells
us that when Jesus forgives
00:36:34.34\00:36:37.55
He forgets. And the
Bible says He removes our sins
00:36:37.75\00:36:41.31
as far as the
east is from the west.
00:36:41.41\00:36:42.96
You tell me how
far they are apart...
00:36:43.16\00:36:44.76
there's no end to
their "apartness. "
00:36:44.96\00:36:47.21
Friends, God
can remove your sin.
00:36:47.41\00:36:49.15
And maybe some of you
feel tonight that your sin is
00:36:49.35\00:36:52.19
too great for God to forgive.
00:36:52.29\00:36:53.99
Well friends, listen to
the words of D. L. Moody.
00:36:54.19\00:36:56.46
He said:
00:36:56.56\00:36:57.66
That's the first thing.
And by the way, friends,
00:37:03.20\00:37:05.51
repentance is a gift.
00:37:05.61\00:37:06.98
In the book of Acts -
and let's just look this up -
00:37:07.08\00:37:09.01
Acts chapter 5 verse 31
00:37:09.21\00:37:12.33
we can't even
repent of our own selves.
00:37:12.63\00:37:15.28
We need God to help us repent.
00:37:15.48\00:37:17.23
Acts chapter 5
verse 31 the Bible says:
00:37:18.32\00:37:23.04
"Him God has exalted to
His right hand to be Prince and
00:37:23.24\00:37:28.01
Savior to... "
What? "to give repentance
00:37:28.11\00:37:32.52
to Israel and
forgiveness of sins. "
00:37:32.73\00:37:34.91
That's Acts
chapter 5 and verse 31.
00:37:35.01\00:37:37.63
God can give us
the gift of repentance,
00:37:37.83\00:37:40.02
and I think that
is also good news.
00:37:40.12\00:37:42.09
That the first part...
00:37:42.29\00:37:43.31
that's the first tenor of
Peter's message down the Day of
00:37:43.51\00:37:46.92
Pentecost. The second tenor
of his message had something
00:37:47.02\00:37:50.52
to do with
baptism. What is baptism?
00:37:50.62\00:37:52.96
Well... is it important?
Mark chapter 16 verse 16
00:37:53.16\00:37:56.89
the Bible says:
00:37:56.99\00:37:58.04
Now friends, the English word
baptize comes from the Greek
00:38:06.37\00:38:10.04
word baptizo... which
simply means to immerse.
00:38:10.14\00:38:13.61
And when the Bible
uses the word baptism
00:38:13.81\00:38:16.39
in the Bible it
means exactly that:
00:38:16.59\00:38:18.95
to bury beneath water.
00:38:19.15\00:38:21.66
Now Christians today
debate quite vehemently
00:38:21.86\00:38:25.83
what baptism
really is in the Bible.
00:38:26.03\00:38:28.79
They say there are a thousand
different ways of doing it.
00:38:28.89\00:38:31.15
And some of them don't even
believe it's important at all.
00:38:31.35\00:38:34.77
Today we have many
methods of baptism, don't we?
00:38:34.97\00:38:37.80
We've got
sprinkling; we've got pouring;
00:38:38.00\00:38:40.65
we've got dunking;
we've got total immersion;
00:38:40.85\00:38:43.42
infant baptism.
And listen to this...
00:38:43.52\00:38:45.76
I only just
discovered this the other day...
00:38:45.87\00:38:47.69
there's even a method
called the "dry cleaning method"
00:38:47.89\00:38:51.72
where you can be
baptized over the phone.
00:38:51.92\00:38:54.82
Isn't that incredible?
00:38:54.92\00:38:55.96
The story is told of a
pastor who gathered his converts
00:38:56.06\00:38:58.83
together in Baltimore Street and
he turned the fire hose on them
00:38:58.94\00:39:02.33
and baptized them
all there in the street.
00:39:02.43\00:39:04.36
Or another pastor... he
was in the shopping center.
00:39:04.57\00:39:07.32
He met a woman.
They started talking
00:39:07.53\00:39:09.34
and she said:
"Pastor, you have to baptize me
00:39:09.54\00:39:11.66
right here and right
now. " And so he did...
00:39:11.86\00:39:14.11
with Coca-Cola.
00:39:14.31\00:39:16.18
Friends, people have made
a mockery of baptism today.
00:39:16.38\00:39:20.72
So what does the
Bible really say? Well,
00:39:20.92\00:39:23.88
according to
Ephesians chapter 4 and verse 5
00:39:24.08\00:39:27.28
the Bible says that there is:
00:39:27.48\00:39:28.73
And friends,
according to the Bible
00:39:36.93\00:39:38.88
the baptism of the
Bible - Biblical baptism -
00:39:39.08\00:39:42.60
it involves a lot of
water. How do I know that?
00:39:42.80\00:39:45.57
Because John... when John
was baptizing the Bible says:
00:39:45.77\00:39:49.56
And so friends, there is
much water in Bible baptism.
00:40:00.14\00:40:04.05
Paul described its
symbolism in this way.
00:40:04.25\00:40:07.17
Why is it important? He says:
00:40:07.37\00:40:08.97
Friends, baptism is a
symbol of the death and burial
00:40:35.00\00:40:40.09
and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
00:40:40.29\00:40:42.52
It is a symbol of
burying that old life behind.
00:40:42.72\00:40:46.72
That old life with all
of that history and past
00:40:46.92\00:40:50.36
and rising up to
newness of life in Jesus Christ.
00:40:50.56\00:40:54.61
Is there a good reason
why we should be baptized
00:40:54.81\00:40:57.59
if you don't think
that's a good enough reason?
00:40:57.79\00:40:59.58
Well friends,
Jesus was baptized.
00:40:59.78\00:41:02.43
And by the way, He wasn't
a baby when He was baptized
00:41:02.63\00:41:05.37
either. This is how the
Bible describes His baptism:
00:41:05.47\00:41:08.68
Friends, when Jesus was
baptized He was fully immersed
00:41:26.47\00:41:30.15
under the water.
00:41:30.25\00:41:31.36
Did Jesus need baptism
to wash away His guilt?
00:41:31.56\00:41:34.82
No... Jesus was not a sinner.
So why then was He baptized?
00:41:35.02\00:41:39.30
Notice what II
Corinthians 5:21 says:
00:41:39.50\00:41:42.17
You see friends,
Jesus identified Himself
00:41:46.45\00:41:50.19
with you and I. And when He did
He took the steps that you and I
00:41:50.39\00:41:55.31
need to take. He left for
you a perfect example to follow.
00:41:55.51\00:42:01.32
That's why Jesus was baptized.
00:42:01.45\00:42:03.24
And friends, when He went back
to heaven - just before He did -
00:42:03.44\00:42:06.28
He gave the Great Commission.
And this is what He said:
00:42:06.49\00:42:08.93
Friends, baptism
is vitally important.
00:42:29.24\00:42:32.58
Let me say that again:
baptism is vitally important.
00:42:32.78\00:42:36.62
Jesus began His public
ministry on this earth by being
00:42:36.92\00:42:40.58
baptized, and just as He
finishes His public ministry
00:42:40.68\00:42:43.83
on earth He gives
emphasis to baptism yet again.
00:42:43.93\00:42:48.08
He goes and He commands
us to go into all the world.
00:42:48.28\00:42:50.98
Teach them the gospel.
And when we have taught them
00:42:51.18\00:42:54.03
then we are to baptize them.
00:42:54.23\00:42:55.94
And friends, what
Jesus emphasized I dare not
00:42:56.14\00:42:59.10
de-emphasize.
00:42:59.20\00:43:00.99
Because of all the tremendous
things He could have placed
00:43:01.09\00:43:03.79
emphasis on, think of
the emphasis Jesus has placed
00:43:03.89\00:43:08.12
on baptism... this
teaching right here.
00:43:08.32\00:43:11.23
And so it is tonight,
friends, God says this to you.
00:43:11.43\00:43:14.23
He says: "Listen, if you're
going to call heaven home,
00:43:14.33\00:43:17.54
then allow Me to
truly be Lord of your life.
00:43:17.74\00:43:20.67
Allow Me to
come into your heart.
00:43:20.87\00:43:23.65
Allow Me to be your
forever Friend. Confess your sin
00:43:23.86\00:43:26.97
and allow Me to forgive you.
00:43:27.18\00:43:28.95
And then when you've done
that, go and bury that old life
00:43:29.15\00:43:32.57
of yours and then come
and walk in newness of life. "
00:43:32.68\00:43:36.97
And friend, you don't make
a pickle by taking a cucumber
00:43:37.17\00:43:40.49
and sprinkling a little
bit of vinegar on it, do you?
00:43:40.59\00:43:43.12
You immerse it! Amen?
00:43:43.22\00:43:45.15
And so it is, friends,
when a person is baptized
00:43:45.35\00:43:48.17
when you want to wash away your
past, I don't know about you
00:43:48.27\00:43:51.75
but I don't want my
past just sprinkled.
00:43:51.85\00:43:53.70
I want it totally buried.
I want it gone, don't you?
00:43:53.90\00:43:57.29
And so a little boy... he
came to his pastor and he said:
00:43:57.59\00:44:01.36
"Pastor, I want
to get advertised. "
00:44:01.56\00:44:04.55
Now he meant to say
"I want to get baptized"
00:44:04.75\00:44:08.13
but friends he
makes a wonderful point
00:44:08.33\00:44:10.52
because you know
what? Baptism is really just
00:44:10.72\00:44:13.23
advertising that
you've chosen Jesus Christ.
00:44:13.33\00:44:15.81
It is advertising that
you belong to Jesus. Amen.
00:44:16.01\00:44:20.46
And friends, there may
be some of you here tonight
00:44:21.09\00:44:23.35
that need to get "advertised. "
00:44:23.55\00:44:25.44
Well friends, you can
make that decision tonight.
00:44:25.64\00:44:27.77
Say "Lord, I choose to follow
You... " and advertise it.
00:44:27.97\00:44:31.25
And then there may
be others here tonight -
00:44:31.45\00:44:33.95
some of you who
have followed the Lord
00:44:34.15\00:44:36.23
but during your
discipleship to Jesus Christ
00:44:36.43\00:44:38.89
somehow along the
way you lost your way
00:44:39.09\00:44:41.74
and your
discipleship was short-lived -
00:44:41.94\00:44:44.47
friends, tonight you can
choose to get "re-advertised"
00:44:44.67\00:44:47.66
for Jesus Christ.
Because the Bible says
00:44:47.76\00:44:50.40
in Psalm 51
verses 10, 16, and 17
00:44:50.60\00:44:54.82
I mean it's just like a
marriage ceremony, isn't it?
00:44:55.02\00:44:57.18
When two people get married
they're demonstrating publicly
00:44:57.48\00:45:00.36
to the universe that
they are becoming a family.
00:45:00.46\00:45:03.12
And so it is that Psalms
says... the Psalmist writes:
00:45:03.22\00:45:07.18
Amen? Friends, God wanted
to be present to Nicodemus.
00:45:27.93\00:45:32.06
He wanted Nicodemus to see what
I am just sharing with you now.
00:45:32.26\00:45:36.08
Nicodemus needed to let go
of his own self-righteousness,
00:45:36.28\00:45:40.30
self-security, and
open his heart up to God.
00:45:40.50\00:45:43.94
And so Jesus continues in
the book of John, verses 6-8,
00:45:44.05\00:45:48.84
the Bible says:
00:45:49.05\00:45:50.15
Friends, and just as
you and I can hear the wind
00:46:11.40\00:46:14.33
rustling through the
leaves in the tree and you can't
00:46:14.53\00:46:16.99
see the wind but
you see its effects
00:46:17.19\00:46:19.54
so it is that God
works on your heart.
00:46:19.55\00:46:23.07
You may not be able to see it
00:46:23.27\00:46:25.22
but friends, He is there.
He is working on your heart.
00:46:25.42\00:46:28.22
An unseen hand is
working in your life
00:46:28.42\00:46:31.51
and Christ is constantly
working upon your heart.
00:46:31.72\00:46:34.82
He is working to
transform your life.
00:46:34.92\00:46:37.55
And when He has... when
He does and as He does...
00:46:37.75\00:46:40.68
you become a citizen of heaven
00:46:40.88\00:46:43.73
as you allow Him
to work on your heart.
00:46:43.93\00:46:46.90
Can you describe to another
person how to ride a bicycle?
00:46:47.10\00:46:50.53
You've really got to experience
it for yourself in order to know
00:46:51.66\00:46:54.51
what it really feels
like. And friends, so it is
00:46:54.61\00:46:57.24
with Nicodemus. Jesus was trying
to communicate to Nicodemus
00:46:57.44\00:47:01.91
that true experience
doesn't stem from knowing
00:47:01.94\00:47:04.76
what everybody else knows.
00:47:04.87\00:47:06.24
It stems from an experience
- a personal, heartfelt
00:47:06.44\00:47:10.32
experience with Jesus Christ.
00:47:10.42\00:47:12.54
And friends, the Bible
doesn't tell us what happened
00:47:12.74\00:47:16.25
after this encounter
on that night long ago.
00:47:16.35\00:47:19.42
But friends, I have a sneaking
suspicion that John had the
00:47:19.65\00:47:23.56
privilege of
baptizing Nicodemus.
00:47:23.66\00:47:26.60
I'd like to think
that's how the story ends.
00:47:26.80\00:47:28.68
And that night
when Nicodemus got home
00:47:28.78\00:47:31.25
after what had been the most
amazing encounter of his life
00:47:31.45\00:47:35.31
the words of Jesus
kept ringing in his head.
00:47:35.51\00:47:39.02
Friends, for God so
loved the world He did not send
00:47:56.70\00:47:59.47
a committee. Amen?
00:47:59.57\00:48:01.47
He sent Himself.
00:48:01.77\00:48:03.33
And Jesus' call to be born
again of water and the Spirit
00:48:03.53\00:48:07.17
is, friends, an invitation
to all of us tonight as well.
00:48:07.37\00:48:11.55
Jesus is inviting you
and I to be His companions
00:48:11.78\00:48:14.82
on the road of self-surrender
and travel that path with Him
00:48:14.93\00:48:19.11
to find true peace.
00:48:19.31\00:48:21.03
Nicodemus came to Jesus by
night to see what he offered.
00:48:21.23\00:48:24.99
Little did he realize
that Jesus would ask him
00:48:25.19\00:48:28.12
to give
himself... to offer himself.
00:48:28.32\00:48:31.22
Jesus wasn't calling Nicodemus
to give birth to himself.
00:48:31.42\00:48:35.49
He was calling
Nicodemus to allow Him
00:48:35.69\00:48:38.52
to change his life and
make him a new creature.
00:48:38.72\00:48:42.70
And friends, sometimes the
problem with us is right here:
00:48:42.90\00:48:46.26
That had been
Nicodemus' problem.
00:48:55.16\00:48:57.21
And friends, so it is that many
people... they never experience
00:48:57.41\00:49:01.43
the fullness of
God's power in their lives
00:49:01.53\00:49:03.92
because they choose only
to make a partial surrender
00:49:04.12\00:49:07.34
of their hearts to God.
00:49:07.54\00:49:09.06
And friends, God
can only fill your life
00:49:09.26\00:49:11.77
to the extent that you
are willing to empty it.
00:49:11.97\00:49:14.68
Can only fill your life to
the extent that you are willing
00:49:15.18\00:49:18.06
to empty it. I
think of Mary Magdalene.
00:49:18.16\00:49:20.52
We talked about Mary
and Martha and Lazarus.
00:49:20.72\00:49:23.13
Well that's that
Mary... Mary right there.
00:49:23.33\00:49:25.43
The Bible tells us
she was a prostitute.
00:49:25.46\00:49:28.25
Seven times Jesus
cast demons out of her.
00:49:28.45\00:49:32.79
And you know what? He could
have said after the third time
00:49:32.99\00:49:35.71
"Mary, that's it.
Your eternal life is gone.
00:49:35.91\00:49:38.29
You have no more hope.
" But friends, each time
00:49:38.39\00:49:41.38
when He did that for
her He welcomed her back
00:49:41.58\00:49:44.53
with open arms. And Mary...
00:49:44.73\00:49:46.75
the Bible says she was so
amazed at what Jesus did for her
00:49:46.95\00:49:50.18
that His grace
was so full and free
00:49:50.39\00:49:53.31
and offered to
her, a sinner, as well
00:49:53.51\00:49:55.74
that she went out and
she spent all that she had
00:49:56.04\00:49:58.71
on a beautiful ointment. On buy-
ing a very expensive perfume.
00:49:58.91\00:50:03.11
And when Jesus was at
somebody's house for dinner
00:50:03.31\00:50:06.02
she slipped into that house.
00:50:06.15\00:50:08.36
She knelt at His feet and she
broke that expensive ointment
00:50:08.57\00:50:12.46
on the feet of Jesus
and then she wiped His feet
00:50:12.66\00:50:15.80
with her hair. And
when she did, friends,
00:50:15.91\00:50:18.89
Mary anointed Jesus
Christ as the King of her life.
00:50:19.09\00:50:23.66
She gave everything for Jesus.
00:50:23.86\00:50:26.14
And friend, it might
sound weird to you tonight,
00:50:26.35\00:50:29.27
it might sound
absurd, but listen:
00:50:29.47\00:50:31.95
if we are going
to call heaven home,
00:50:32.15\00:50:34.03
if we are going to
truly follow Jesus,
00:50:34.13\00:50:36.38
then it will
require our all as well.
00:50:36.58\00:50:41.14
The Bible tells us in
Revelation 3 and verse 20:
00:50:41.35\00:50:44.70
And friends, if the One
who offers to you eternal life
00:50:57.23\00:51:00.18
is outside the door, do you
leave Him outside that door?
00:51:00.38\00:51:03.51
No. The most wonderful thing
you can do is open the door
00:51:03.71\00:51:06.81
of your heart and allow
Jesus to give you that free gift
00:51:06.91\00:51:10.67
that He offers and
say: "Thank you, Jesus.
00:51:10.87\00:51:13.17
Thank you for washing me in the
blood... in Your precious blood.
00:51:13.37\00:51:16.91
Thank you for
offering to me eternal life
00:51:17.12\00:51:19.69
and a fresh new start. "
00:51:19.89\00:51:21.72
The Bible says in II
Corinthians 5 verse 17:
00:51:21.92\00:51:25.08
And again this quote right here:
00:51:34.62\00:51:35.99
In closing tonight I want to
share with you one of my most
00:51:46.16\00:51:49.83
favorite stories from one of
my most favorite evangelists.
00:51:49.93\00:51:52.92
The story goes like
this. He was in New York City
00:51:53.12\00:51:55.84
running an
evangelistic campaign.
00:51:56.04\00:51:58.25
And every night the
people were coming out.
00:51:58.45\00:52:00.59
And as he would preach
every night there was this lady
00:52:00.79\00:52:03.71
who sat in the
same spot every night.
00:52:03.91\00:52:06.23
And for some reason she
just caught his attention
00:52:06.43\00:52:09.22
every night. He'd be looking
and trying to look at everyone
00:52:09.32\00:52:11.82
but he always ended up
looking at this lady over here.
00:52:12.02\00:52:14.87
And it was probably because
she was an Afro-American lady
00:52:15.07\00:52:18.12
and she had a
great big golden Afro.
00:52:18.32\00:52:21.09
And so he'd be preaching
and he kept looking at this lady
00:52:21.29\00:52:24.12
over here. Well,
after the program
00:52:24.22\00:52:26.86
he went to the door. And as
he was shaking peoples' hands
00:52:27.06\00:52:29.79
the lady came out. And
he asked her... he said:
00:52:29.99\00:52:32.16
"Ah, hello. Did you
enjoy the meetings? "
00:52:32.26\00:52:33.94
She said: "Yes. " He
said: "What's your name? "
00:52:34.14\00:52:35.79
She said: "My name's Goldie. "
00:52:35.99\00:52:37.77
He thought: "Well that's
fitting" 'cause she had lovely
00:52:37.80\00:52:39.91
gold hair. And so he said: "Will
I see you tomorrow night? "
00:52:40.01\00:52:42.85
She said: "Oh, yes. "
And so she kept coming to the
00:52:43.05\00:52:45.42
meetings. And one night the
pastor said to her... he said:
00:52:45.52\00:52:48.12
"Look, Goldie, could I
visit you in your home? "
00:52:48.32\00:52:51.28
And when he asked that
her expression changed.
00:52:51.48\00:52:54.73
"Oh, no, " she said, "Pastor,
I don't want you to come
00:52:54.93\00:52:57.19
to my home. Look, I'll just
keep coming to the meetings. "
00:52:57.29\00:53:00.06
And as she
walked away that night
00:53:00.26\00:53:02.22
the pastor didn't quite
know why she didn't want him
00:53:02.42\00:53:04.91
at her home but he
respected her decision.
00:53:05.11\00:53:07.81
And as she was walking
away a deacon in the church...
00:53:08.01\00:53:11.06
he ran up to the
pastor and he said: "Pastor,
00:53:11.26\00:53:13.40
do you know who that is? "
00:53:13.60\00:53:15.00
He said: "Well yes I know
who that is: that's Goldie. "
00:53:15.10\00:53:17.12
He said: "No, no, no. That's the
prostitute from 145th Street. "
00:53:17.32\00:53:21.08
And how the deacon
knew we don't know.
00:53:21.28\00:53:23.42
But the pastor said to himself,
he said to himself: "Wow,
00:53:23.62\00:53:27.99
really? I've got
to go and visit her. "
00:53:28.19\00:53:30.03
And so he went home to
his wife that night. He said:
00:53:30.23\00:53:32.18
"Honey, " he said, "I'm
going to visit the prostitute
00:53:32.28\00:53:34.72
on 145th Street,
do you want to come? "
00:53:34.82\00:53:36.85
She said: "Yes. " And
so they hopped in the car
00:53:37.05\00:53:40.48
and they went to visit Goldie.
00:53:40.68\00:53:42.35
They got to her address.
It was an apartment building,
00:53:42.55\00:53:45.16
and so he asked someone
down- stairs: "Do you know who
00:53:45.36\00:53:48.77
Goldie is? Do you
know where she lives? "
00:53:48.87\00:53:50.11
"Oh, yes, she's up there
on this particular level. "
00:53:50.31\00:53:52.40
So he and his wife...
they made their way up
00:53:52.60\00:53:54.73
to Goldie's apartment.
00:53:54.84\00:53:56.26
And when they got there
there was a line of customers
00:53:56.46\00:53:59.45
outside the door. The pastor...
he walked past them all,
00:53:59.56\00:54:02.47
got to the door, and he knocked.
00:54:02.67\00:54:04.31
"Goldie, it's me. " And the
door opened just a little bit.
00:54:04.51\00:54:08.47
She said: "OK, I'll be back
with you in just a moment. "
00:54:08.67\00:54:10.80
She closed the door, and
then a couple of minutes later
00:54:10.93\00:54:13.31
someone walked out and Goldie
said: "Please, come inside. "
00:54:13.51\00:54:16.55
The pastor went in
and his wife went in
00:54:16.85\00:54:20.81
and for a moment
they all just stood there
00:54:21.01\00:54:23.25
looking at each other.
00:54:23.35\00:54:24.74
And after a while,
Goldie began to cry.
00:54:24.94\00:54:28.54
And as she began to cry the
pastor said: "Listen Goldie,
00:54:28.74\00:54:32.01
this isn't the life for
you. You deserve so much better.
00:54:32.21\00:54:36.00
Listen, God can give
you a better life than this.
00:54:36.20\00:54:38.20
God can change your life.
You don't have to live this way.
00:54:38.40\00:54:41.22
She said: "But Pastor, I
don't know how to love anyone;
00:54:41.42\00:54:44.28
I don't know how
to love any more. "
00:54:44.48\00:54:45.95
"Well you can love God. "
00:54:46.15\00:54:47.45
And he was trying to think
of what he could say to her
00:54:47.65\00:54:50.23
and help her to understand.
And as Goldie was sobbing
00:54:50.43\00:54:54.35
she suddenly
started to compose herself.
00:54:54.55\00:54:57.09
And as she did she
looked up and she said: "Pastor,
00:54:57.29\00:54:59.97
I just remembered something...
00:55:00.27\00:55:02.49
a song that I remember hearing
when I used to go to church
00:55:02.69\00:55:05.67
with Mom as a little girl. "
00:55:05.77\00:55:08.20
And she began to sing
it. And the words she sang
00:55:08.40\00:55:11.31
went something like this:
00:55:11.41\00:55:12.64
"Jesus loves me, this I know,
00:55:12.84\00:55:15.31
for the Bible tells me so. "
And as those notes, those words
00:55:15.51\00:55:20.27
were leaving her lips in that
beautiful Negro spiritual strain
00:55:20.47\00:55:24.33
the pastor said:
"Yes, Goldie. That's it.
00:55:24.53\00:55:27.53
Jesus loves you, this I know. "
00:55:27.73\00:55:30.70
Friends, Goldie summed
it all up in those words.
00:55:30.90\00:55:33.90
That is the
message of the Bible.
00:55:34.10\00:55:36.17
And friends, a few weeks later
Goldie, after having studied
00:55:36.37\00:55:40.36
with that pastor,
she was baptized. Amen?
00:55:40.56\00:55:43.41
She became a
follower of Jesus Christ.
00:55:43.61\00:55:46.41
And friends, if God can
take someone like Goldie,
00:55:46.61\00:55:50.35
if He can wash her past
away and change her heart,
00:55:50.55\00:55:54.73
if He can take someone
like Goldie and if He can reach
00:55:54.93\00:55:58.56
through the cold religious
piety of someone like Nicodemus
00:55:58.66\00:56:02.65
then don't you think tonight
that God can change your life
00:56:02.85\00:56:06.34
as well? Nothing is
impossible for Jesus.
00:56:06.44\00:56:10.16
He can change your heart.
00:56:10.37\00:56:12.07
All you have to do
is open the door to Him.
00:56:12.27\00:56:15.92
The Bible says
in Acts 22 verse 16:
00:56:16.12\00:56:19.28
I'm going to invite you to make
some decisions in just a moment.
00:56:28.59\00:56:31.71
But before I do, let's pray.
00:56:31.91\00:56:33.81
Father in heaven,
We thank you, Lord,
00:56:34.01\00:56:36.31
that You want to
give us a brand new life.
00:56:36.51\00:56:39.33
That You offer to
wash away our past
00:56:39.53\00:56:42.21
and make us into
newborn people who love You
00:56:42.42\00:56:46.35
and who can serve
You. Lord, tonight
00:56:46.55\00:56:48.25
there are some of us here
who need to make decisions
00:56:48.46\00:56:51.13
to truly follow Jesus Christ.
00:56:51.33\00:56:53.21
We want to call heaven
home and so I pray, Lord,
00:56:53.41\00:56:56.11
that Your Holy Spirit
will work on our hearts now
00:56:56.31\00:56:59.00
as we make decisions for
You. In Jesus' name, Amen.
00:56:59.20\00:57:02.83