Well good evening
and a very warm welcome
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to Give Me The Bible
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with Pastor Kenneth Cox.
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Pastor Cox has been
having this series now...
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this is the 11th month.
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And every month there are five
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programs that take
place over a weekend:
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Thursday night, Friday night,
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Sabbath morning,
Saturday night, and Sunday.
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And we have had a tremendous
response all over the world
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to this series.
People are excited about it.
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This... each one is
kind of a series in capsule.
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The whole series
entitled Give Me The Bible.
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But this
particular weekend is entitled
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The Apple of God's Eye.
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The apple of His eye.
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And tonight the
specific subject is going to be
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The Front Door of the Church.
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Now I've known Pastor
Cox for many, many years.
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I've seen him preach in
all kinds of situations:
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in churches and auditoriums
and places around the world.
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He loves the Lord Jesus Christ.
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He loves God's Word.
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And I don't know
anyone who would rather take
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the Word of God and look
at it carefully and share it
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than Pastor Cox.
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He's going to do that tonight
and we're going to enjoy that.
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But before he does,
it's a real pleasure to have
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Jim and Pam Rhodes with us.
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Good friends of Three
Angels Broadcasting Network.
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Good friends for
Kenneth Cox's organization.
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And tonight they're going
to bring us a song entitled
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My Sins Are Gone.
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You ask me why I'm happy,
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so I will just tell you why:
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because my sins are gone!
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And when I meet the scoffers
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who ask me where they are
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I say: "My sins are gone. "
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They're underneath the
blood of the cross of Calvary,
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as far removed as
darkness is from dawn.
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In the sea of
God's forgetfulness...
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that's good enough for me!
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Praise God! My sins are gone.
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'Twas at the old-time altar
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where God came in my heart...
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and now my sins are gone.
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The Lord took full possession;
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the devil did depart.
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And now my sins are gone.
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They're underneath the
blood of the cross of Calvary,
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as far removed as
darkness is from dawn.
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In the sea of
God's forgetfulness...
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that's good enough for me!
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Praise God! My sins are gone.
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I'm living now for Jesus,
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I'm happy night and day
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because my sins are gone.
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My soul is filled with music.
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With all my heart I say:
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"I know my sins are gone. "
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They're underneath the
blood of the cross of Calvary,
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as far removed as
darkness is from dawn.
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In the sea of
God's forgetfulness...
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that's good enough for me!
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Praise God! My sins are gone.
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They're underneath the
blood of the cross of Calvary,
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as far removed as
darkness is from dawn.
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In the sea of
God's forgetfulness...
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that's good enough for me!
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Praise God!
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Praise God!
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Praise God!
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My sins are gone!
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Amen!
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That ought to
make anybody happy.
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To know that my
sins are gone. Wonderful!
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Appreciate that very much.
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Welcome to all of you tonight.
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Glad that you're here.
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Hope that you've had a good day.
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And we just also want to welcome
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all of you that are watching by
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television or listening through
the radio or on the Internet.
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We're glad that
you're with us tonight.
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We hope that you'll be blessed
as we go into this subject
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this evening. Our
subject this evening is
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The Front Door of the Church.
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The Front Door of the Church.
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I'm going to talk about that.
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In fact, we're
going to be talking about
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And tomorrow...
our next presentation
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is going to be on The
Back Door of the Church.
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So we're going to take
a look at the front door
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and we're going to take
a look at the back door.
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Neither one of these doors
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are what people think they are.
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Neither one are what
people think they are.
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And we're going to talk about
those so that we'll understand
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exactly what the
front door of the church is.
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And we're going to find out what
the back door of the church is.
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Those are two doors that
are very, very, very important.
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And you and I need to know
what the scripture has to say
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about both of them
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and how it relates
to us as individuals
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that are
members of God's church.
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How do we related to the
front door and the back door?
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So that's what
we'll be talking about.
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We hope it will
bless you as we go into it.
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And of course through
the rest of the presentations
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we'll be talking about
The Apple of God's Eye.
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The Apple of God's Eye...
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which we found
out is His church.
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And so it's very important
that we know what the Word
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tells us about His church.
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That little poem
that I mention to you:
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What says the
Bible, the blessed Bible?
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This my only question be.
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Will the church
of God be victorious?
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What says the Book of God to me?
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That's what we want to find out
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and that's what we're looking at
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as we go through this time
and study God's Word together.
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So thank you for being with us.
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Very happy to have
with us Jim and Pam Rhodes.
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I'm always
blessed when they come.
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And I know that you just
enjoyed the song that she did.
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She's going to sing
one for us that's entitled
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Look for Me.
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When you finally
make your entrance
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to that city
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with jasper walls
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and bright gold
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avenues.
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As you behold
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all its beauty
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and its splendor,
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remember
there's just one request
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I make of you.
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Look for me
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for I will be there too.
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I realize
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when you arrive
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there'll be so much to view.
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After you've been there
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10,000 years,
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a million... maybe two,
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look for me,
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for I will be there too.
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As you go down
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your list of firsts
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there's no question
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we'll want to see our loved ones
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waiting you and me.
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When you feel
you've shared your story
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with the last one
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that wants to
hear you tell just how
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you made it through,
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Look for me...
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I'd like to hear it too.
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I realize
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when you arrive
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there'll be so much to view.
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After you've been there
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10,000 years,
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a million... maybe two,
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look for me
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for I will be there too.
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When we've been there
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ten thousand years
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bright shining as
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the sun.
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We've no less days
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to sing God's praise
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than when
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we first begun.
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After you've been there
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10,000 years,
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a million... maybe two,
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look for me
00:11:54.17\00:11:57.72
for I will be there too.
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I will be there
00:12:08.25\00:12:11.65
too.
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God bless you.
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Gracious Lord, tonight
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we look to that day...
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that day when all of us
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will be able to be there too.
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We thank you for the
promises of Your Word.
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The sure hope that
we have in Jesus Christ.
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Bless us tonight
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as we study together.
00:13:00.69\00:13:02.89
Give us, Lord, insight.
00:13:04.20\00:13:07.14
May the Holy Spirit be present.
00:13:07.44\00:13:11.74
May our hearts be drawn to You.
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May we each one
purpose to be in Your kingdom.
00:13:15.37\00:13:21.32
For this we ask in
Christ's name, Amen.
00:13:21.72\00:13:25.66
Well tonight we're going
to take a look at the two
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most important
parts of the church.
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If you're going
to look at a church,
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the two most important parts
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of any church
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is the front door
and the back door.
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Those are the two
most important parts
00:13:51.45\00:13:55.64
of the church is the
front door and the back door.
00:13:55.85\00:13:58.95
And tonight we're going
to look at the front door.
00:13:59.77\00:14:03.00
and we're going to see
what the scripture has to say
00:14:03.30\00:14:06.03
about the front door.
00:14:06.23\00:14:07.86
So let's go to the Word
of God, see what it says
00:14:08.16\00:14:11.28
about the front door.
00:14:11.48\00:14:14.40
So He is saying... Jesus said:
00:14:27.74\00:14:29.86
"I am the door. "
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OK? "If anyone enters by Me,
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he goes in and
out, he'll be saved.
00:14:35.64\00:14:37.45
Goes in and
out; finds pasture. "
00:14:37.65\00:14:39.84
In fact, Jesus went on and said:
00:14:39.94\00:14:40.91
Now listen...
00:14:46.41\00:14:47.72
The only way that you can get
there is through Jesus Christ.
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I have some people say:
00:14:56.18\00:14:57.43
"Oh, baptism is the
front door of the church. "
00:14:57.63\00:15:00.59
No, dear friend. Baptism's not
the front door of the church.
00:15:00.79\00:15:04.50
Jesus Christ is the
front door of the church,
00:15:04.80\00:15:07.63
and you have to go
through Christ to get there.
00:15:07.93\00:15:11.45
It's the only way
you can get there:
00:15:11.75\00:15:13.38
go through the
Lord Jesus Christ.
00:15:13.58\00:15:16.05
He is the front
door of the church.
00:15:16.25\00:15:19.61
That's the way we get there.
00:15:19.91\00:15:22.02
And that's what He's
saying... comes that way.
00:15:22.22\00:15:24.56
Now baptism... baptism is
simply a public declaration
00:15:24.87\00:15:30.34
of my
acceptance of Jesus Christ.
00:15:30.54\00:15:32.91
That's what baptism is.
00:15:33.22\00:15:35.22
I am publicly declaring that
I have accepted Jesus Christ
00:15:35.52\00:15:40.32
as my Lord and Savior.
00:15:40.53\00:15:43.44
That's what baptism represents.
00:15:43.74\00:15:46.29
Now we read here in Revelation
00:15:46.59\00:15:50.03
when it talks about the bride...
talks about - you know -
00:15:50.23\00:15:55.05
Christ taking His
bride to Him. It says:
00:15:55.35\00:15:57.65
OK.
00:16:10.53\00:16:11.69
So here it says that he
took John and he showed him
00:16:20.62\00:16:24.16
the New
Jerusalem. This is the bride.
00:16:24.36\00:16:27.49
OK? This is the bride.
00:16:29.37\00:16:32.00
Why does he picture the
holy city - the New Jerusalem -
00:16:32.30\00:16:36.59
as the bride of Christ?
00:16:36.80\00:16:39.00
Why does he do that?
00:16:39.30\00:16:40.48
Because it says this:
00:16:40.51\00:16:42.21
In other words,
you've got people, folks,
00:16:51.88\00:16:55.25
clear from way
back in the beginning
00:16:55.45\00:16:58.97
all the way down through
time. People of every nation,
00:16:59.17\00:17:02.81
tribe, tongue, and
people that have come.
00:17:03.01\00:17:06.20
And all these come to the city,
00:17:06.40\00:17:09.36
and this makes up
the bride of Christ.
00:17:09.56\00:17:12.67
All there... all the
way down through time:
00:17:12.98\00:17:16.05
this is His bride.
00:17:16.25\00:17:19.11
So, He's telling you and I
00:17:19.41\00:17:21.61
that if we are going
to enter into His kingdom
00:17:21.81\00:17:26.49
that I have to walk through
the front door of the church.
00:17:27.72\00:17:33.69
And the front door of
the church is Jesus Christ.
00:17:35.03\00:17:39.93
I must accept Him
as my Lord and Savior.
00:17:40.13\00:17:45.22
Now because of that,
00:17:45.52\00:17:47.27
you'll find that the
scripture ties those two things
00:17:47.47\00:17:51.43
very, very close together.
Watch what it says here:
00:17:51.63\00:17:55.44
OK. Christ said: "I am the door:
00:18:03.69\00:18:05.58
If you enter in
through Me you'll be saved. "
00:18:05.78\00:18:08.18
Mark 16:16:
00:18:08.58\00:18:10.51
Why does it tie those
two so close together?
00:18:16.30\00:18:19.23
Simply because baptism
00:18:19.54\00:18:21.72
is a public declaration
of the acceptance of Christ.
00:18:21.92\00:18:25.33
And it's basically saying
that you have accepted Christ.
00:18:25.63\00:18:30.22
You have gone through that door,
00:18:30.42\00:18:32.96
if you please.
And because of that
00:18:33.26\00:18:35.39
you will be saved.
00:18:35.59\00:18:37.25
That's what it's telling us.
00:18:37.55\00:18:38.86
So... now...
00:18:39.16\00:18:43.34
if Christ is the
front door of the church,
00:18:43.54\00:18:46.81
how do I enter into the church?
00:18:48.16\00:18:51.05
Well, listen:
00:18:51.45\00:18:53.42
It's saying that
Christ is the head of the body
00:19:00.93\00:19:05.27
which is the church.
00:19:05.47\00:19:07.17
So it says that Christ
is the head of the church.
00:19:13.97\00:19:18.37
And I enter through
Him... He's the door...
00:19:18.67\00:19:23.14
but my baptism is a
public declaration of that -
00:19:23.44\00:19:28.05
that I have accepted Him -
and that is how I enter into it.
00:19:28.35\00:19:32.77
Listen... this is
what the scripture says:
00:19:33.07\00:19:35.18
So the church...
church is the body.
00:19:44.78\00:19:49.27
Christ is the head. And it
says that we are baptized...
00:19:49.47\00:19:52.89
So we have all come in
through the front door -
00:20:03.71\00:20:07.59
which is Jesus Christ
- and as a declaration
00:20:07.69\00:20:12.37
that I have given my
heart to Jesus Christ
00:20:12.57\00:20:15.49
I have been baptized.
00:20:15.70\00:20:18.28
That's how you enter in
to the church is by baptism.
00:20:18.58\00:20:23.97
You see, all the
way through the book
00:20:24.27\00:20:27.93
you'll find that it
ties baptism to the gospel.
00:20:28.13\00:20:33.46
You never find where it doesn't.
00:20:33.77\00:20:35.94
It ties baptism to the gospel
00:20:36.15\00:20:38.25
because as they went out
and preached Jesus Christ
00:20:38.45\00:20:42.39
and people accepted Him,
00:20:42.59\00:20:44.55
then the natural
thing for them to do
00:20:44.76\00:20:46.88
was to make a public
declaration of that acceptance.
00:20:47.08\00:20:50.91
And so it says:
00:20:51.21\00:20:52.23
So He told them to go
out to preach the gospel,
00:21:09.35\00:21:13.00
and if those
people accepted Christ
00:21:13.20\00:21:15.56
then they were to be baptized.
00:21:15.76\00:21:19.65
And you find that is
exactly what happened.
00:21:19.95\00:21:22.34
Remember? Philip has
gone down to Samaria,
00:21:22.64\00:21:26.10
preached Christ to them.
00:21:27.43\00:21:29.24
As Philip preaches Christ to
them, listen to what happens:
00:21:29.54\00:21:32.93
He preached it, and
as they accepted Christ
00:21:43.72\00:21:46.44
they were baptized.
00:21:46.64\00:21:49.15
That's the natural
process of the gospel.
00:21:49.45\00:21:52.73
So the question
that I'm asking tonight:
00:22:04.27\00:22:06.43
Have you accepted Jesus Christ?
00:22:06.73\00:22:10.20
If you have
accepted Jesus Christ,
00:22:11.79\00:22:14.75
then the next
step... natural step...
00:22:15.05\00:22:18.35
is you should be baptized.
00:22:18.55\00:22:20.96
Those of you that have
been watching by television
00:22:21.26\00:22:25.19
or listening over the radio
00:22:25.39\00:22:26.55
and you may have been
going with us here for months
00:22:26.75\00:22:30.87
as we have taken
through Give Me The Bible...
00:22:31.07\00:22:33.20
and maybe you have faithfully
done that and you have
00:22:33.30\00:22:35.59
accepted Jesus
Christ as your Savior,
00:22:35.69\00:22:38.38
then, dear friend, the next
step is you should be baptized.
00:22:38.68\00:22:41.88
That's what the
scripture teaches.
00:22:42.28\00:22:44.82
You remember...
Remember when Paul and Silas
00:22:45.02\00:22:48.50
were over in Philippi
00:22:48.70\00:22:50.23
and they had been
arrested and thrown in jail.
00:22:50.33\00:22:53.33
And they had beaten them.
00:22:53.63\00:22:56.52
And it says it was about
midnight, and they are there
00:22:56.82\00:22:59.81
in the jail and they're singing.
00:23:00.01\00:23:02.20
Would you be singing
00:23:02.51\00:23:05.04
if you'd been thrown
in jail and been beaten?
00:23:05.34\00:23:07.47
But they're singing...
00:23:07.77\00:23:09.64
when there's an earthquake.
00:23:09.94\00:23:11.44
And the earthquake is so strong
that the doors of the prison
00:23:11.74\00:23:15.34
popped open. It says the
chains even fell off of them.
00:23:15.44\00:23:17.68
And the guard, thinking that
all of his prisoners had escaped
00:23:17.88\00:23:22.92
was about to take his life.
00:23:23.02\00:23:24.42
Paul said: "We're all
here. Don't harm yourself. "
00:23:24.63\00:23:27.76
And it says that that
guard came running in there
00:23:28.07\00:23:33.17
and fell down
before them. Watch:
00:23:33.37\00:23:35.14
Says he asked them:
"What must I do to be saved? "
00:23:35.44\00:23:41.09
Now listen, folks. He's
asking a specific question.
00:23:41.29\00:23:43.61
"What must I do to be saved? "
00:23:43.81\00:23:45.32
And Paul responds and says:
00:23:45.63\00:23:47.39
"Believe on the
Lord Jesus Christ
00:23:47.59\00:23:49.50
and thou shalt be saved. "
00:23:49.70\00:23:52.91
Watch what happens:
00:23:53.11\00:23:54.35
Took them the very same night
00:24:04.56\00:24:07.08
they had reached out in
faith and accepted Jesus Christ
00:24:07.28\00:24:10.41
and because Christ is, dear
friend, the door of the church.
00:24:10.61\00:24:15.26
Therefore because
they had accepted Him,
00:24:16.86\00:24:19.49
they were baptized.
Let me tell you something.
00:24:19.70\00:24:22.74
Baptism has a whole lot
more to do with the heart
00:24:23.88\00:24:28.76
rather than the head.
00:24:28.96\00:24:31.13
Has a whole lot
more to do with the heart
00:24:33.19\00:24:35.89
than it does the head.
00:24:36.09\00:24:38.04
If a person has surrendered
their life and given their heart
00:24:38.34\00:24:42.17
to Jesus Christ,
this is what it means.
00:24:42.37\00:24:46.08
This is what counts
if they have done that.
00:24:46.28\00:24:49.33
So those
disciples... they went out
00:24:49.73\00:24:52.83
and they preached Jesus Christ,
00:24:53.13\00:24:56.17
and men and women responded
00:24:56.37\00:24:58.39
and gave their
hearts to the Lord.
00:24:58.59\00:25:00.22
In fact, it says:
00:25:00.42\00:25:01.69
So here they are.
They're going through Lystra
00:25:12.18\00:25:15.03
and Iconium and
Antioch and Thessalonica...
00:25:15.23\00:25:18.00
all these places. And
they're preaching the gospel
00:25:18.03\00:25:21.45
and they're preaching
the gospel to the Gentiles
00:25:21.65\00:25:24.35
as well as the Jews.
00:25:24.55\00:25:26.06
And here these
people are who are Gentiles
00:25:26.26\00:25:29.78
and by faith they're reaching
out and accepting the gospel
00:25:29.98\00:25:33.45
of Jesus Christ.
They're accepting Jesus Christ
00:25:33.65\00:25:36.31
as their Lord and Savior.
00:25:36.51\00:25:38.68
Watch what happens:
00:25:38.88\00:25:40.55
They gladly received
what the scripture said
00:25:45.82\00:25:48.31
about Jesus Christ. They
received the word... were what?
00:25:48.41\00:25:52.53
They went out and they
preached the gospel to them,
00:26:00.13\00:26:03.21
and those people accepted Jesus
Christ as their Lord and Savior.
00:26:03.41\00:26:06.95
I can remember when I
first started in the ministry.
00:26:08.28\00:26:11.07
I labored under the concept
that a person had to study
00:26:12.21\00:26:18.11
at least for six months
- and preferably a year -
00:26:18.31\00:26:23.18
before they were baptized.
00:26:23.38\00:26:25.26
I labored under that concept
00:26:25.56\00:26:28.38
and I'll never forget...
I was preaching one Sabbath
00:26:28.68\00:26:32.42
and this man came in.
This old gentleman came in
00:26:32.63\00:26:35.76
and had a seat. I had
never seen him before.
00:26:35.96\00:26:38.51
When church was over, I
was standing at the door
00:26:38.81\00:26:41.41
shaking hands. He came
by and I shook his hand.
00:26:41.51\00:26:43.84
And I said to him... I said:
"Is this your first time here? "
00:26:44.04\00:26:46.54
He said: "Yes. "
00:26:46.64\00:26:47.68
I said: "Well, we're
real happy to have you...
00:26:47.88\00:26:50.14
happy to have you come. "
00:26:50.34\00:26:51.58
He said: "Thank you. "
00:26:51.68\00:26:52.71
I said: "Would you mind
if I came out to visit you
00:26:52.91\00:26:56.70
this week? " "Oh, "
he said, "not at all.
00:26:56.80\00:26:58.92
I'd love to have
you come visit me. "
00:26:59.02\00:27:00.26
I said: "Great,
I'll come see you. "
00:27:00.46\00:27:02.02
And so I went out to
see the old gentleman.
00:27:02.22\00:27:04.43
And as we were visiting I said:
00:27:04.73\00:27:07.06
"What... what got
you to come to church? "
00:27:07.26\00:27:10.23
"Oh, " he said, "Pastor Cox, "
00:27:10.53\00:27:13.17
he said "When I was a young man"
00:27:13.37\00:27:14.95
he said "about 17 years of age"
00:27:15.15\00:27:18.75
he said "I gave my
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ
00:27:18.95\00:27:21.04
and" he said "I went
to church every week. "
00:27:21.34\00:27:25.56
Said: "In fact, every time
the door of the church opened
00:27:25.86\00:27:28.57
I was there. " Said: "I
loved to go to church. "
00:27:28.77\00:27:31.55
And he said: "I went to
church faithfully, day in and...
00:27:31.85\00:27:34.96
every time I could. "
00:27:35.16\00:27:36.72
He said: "When I
got in my early 20's, "
00:27:37.02\00:27:40.55
he said, "I started
going with this young lady. "
00:27:40.75\00:27:43.17
Said: "We dated. " Said:
"She didn't go to church. "
00:27:43.47\00:27:46.53
Said: "I didn't
think much about it. "
00:27:46.93\00:27:49.23
He said: "I fell
in love with her. "
00:27:49.43\00:27:50.80
He said: "I didn't think
it made that much difference
00:27:51.00\00:27:55.55
what she did. " He
said: "We married. "
00:27:55.76\00:27:58.28
He said: "After we married, "
he said, "she started objecting
00:27:58.48\00:28:01.74
to my going to church. "
00:28:01.94\00:28:03.04
Said: "Every
time I went to church,
00:28:04.45\00:28:06.85
came back home, we
got in an argument. "
00:28:07.05\00:28:08.99
He said: "That went
on for quite a while,
00:28:09.29\00:28:11.86
and" he said "I
finally quit going to church. "
00:28:12.06\00:28:13.98
He said: "I haven't gone
to church in years and years
00:28:14.28\00:28:18.56
and years. "
00:28:18.76\00:28:20.27
He said: "Two
weeks ago my wife died. "
00:28:20.87\00:28:24.21
And he said: "I decided
to come back to church. "
00:28:24.41\00:28:27.79
So he said: "That's
what I was doing in church. "
00:28:28.09\00:28:30.39
And my mind... kind of
remember, now, I'm under this
00:28:30.69\00:28:35.16
illusion that you've got to
study with somebody for 6 months
00:28:35.37\00:28:38.13
or a year. I said to him:
00:28:38.33\00:28:41.16
"Would you like to
study the Word of God? "
00:28:41.36\00:28:43.18
"Oh, " he said, "very much so. "
00:28:43.38\00:28:44.58
I said: "I'll tell you what,
I'll come out and study with you
00:28:44.78\00:28:47.46
every week. " He said: "Great! "
00:28:47.56\00:28:49.52
Folks, I didn't just
study with that man...
00:28:49.73\00:28:52.08
I gave him assignments to do.
00:28:52.28\00:28:53.97
He could have gotten a
degree from the Seminary.
00:28:54.27\00:28:57.08
You know? I mean, I
gave him assignments to do,
00:28:57.28\00:29:00.74
and he faithfully did them.
00:29:00.84\00:29:02.25
One of the texts that I
gave him to study was this one
00:29:02.46\00:29:05.58
we just read where
it says that 3,000 souls
00:29:05.68\00:29:08.24
were added to the
church in one day.
00:29:08.44\00:29:11.71
And as we were going
over that he looked at me
00:29:12.97\00:29:15.01
and we had read that text
and he said: "Brother Cox, "
00:29:15.21\00:29:17.45
he said, "If Peter would
have put those people through
00:29:17.65\00:29:20.38
what you put me through, there
wouldn't have been 3,000. "
00:29:20.48\00:29:23.34
And I have never forgotten that.
00:29:23.64\00:29:26.27
See? No... The
scripture simply says
00:29:26.47\00:29:30.27
that I need to give my
heart to the Lord Jesus Christ,
00:29:30.47\00:29:34.05
surrender my heart to Him,
00:29:34.25\00:29:36.05
and THEN I need to
follow Him in baptism.
00:29:36.25\00:29:39.68
This is what the
scripture simply teaches.
00:29:39.98\00:29:43.08
And that's what these people
did. And as a result it says:
00:29:43.28\00:29:46.85
You see, that is the
front door of the church,
00:29:55.75\00:29:59.03
and He added to it daily.
00:29:59.23\00:30:01.47
That is what
you and I need to do
00:30:01.67\00:30:04.52
in accordance with
God's Word. And it says:
00:30:04.72\00:30:07.18
Important! Baptism is vital.
00:30:13.28\00:30:16.32
In fact, Jesus said this:
00:30:22.85\00:30:26.28
How did they
reject the will of God?
00:30:35.39\00:30:37.63
They refused to be
baptized by John the Baptist
00:30:44.65\00:30:48.02
and therefore Jesus said:
"Those people are rejecting
00:30:48.22\00:30:51.85
the will of God.
" Let me tell you,
00:30:52.05\00:30:53.48
if you have accepted Jesus
Christ as your Lord and Savior,
00:30:53.68\00:30:57.56
then it's God's will that
you follow Him in baptism.
00:30:57.76\00:31:02.16
That the scripture
makes very, very clear:
00:31:02.37\00:31:06.20
that you and I need
to follow Him in baptism.
00:31:06.50\00:31:09.90
How to be baptized.
00:31:13.29\00:31:17.11
What does the scripture say
about how I should be baptized?
00:31:17.41\00:31:22.41
Well the scripture
has this to say. It says:
00:31:22.71\00:31:25.19
This is a picture of the Jordan.
00:31:32.94\00:31:34.65
OK? Says that John was baptizing
in this particular place
00:31:35.05\00:31:39.69
on the Jordan River because why?
00:31:39.89\00:31:42.52
Because there
was much water there.
00:31:43.72\00:31:46.50
See? I always believed...
Until I went over to Israel
00:31:47.54\00:31:51.38
I believed the
Jordan was a great big river
00:31:51.58\00:31:54.29
because in church was had sung
00:31:54.49\00:31:56.28
Roll, Jordan, Roll.
00:31:56.48\00:31:58.11
Man, I could picture this
00:31:58.31\00:31:59.33
great big river just like
00:31:59.53\00:32:00.53
I grew up believing the Rio
Grande was a great big river.
00:32:00.63\00:32:03.22
See? But there's places
you can step across the Jordan.
00:32:03.42\00:32:07.30
So John was baptizing
in this particular spot
00:32:07.50\00:32:10.70
because there
was much water there.
00:32:10.90\00:32:13.48
Baptism requires much water.
00:32:13.68\00:32:17.45
Get it clear, friends.
00:32:17.65\00:32:18.99
It doesn't require a cup full.
00:32:19.19\00:32:21.15
Or it doesn't
require a little font.
00:32:21.35\00:32:23.56
It requires MUCH
water. That's what it says.
00:32:23.76\00:32:26.62
He was baptizing there because
there was much water there.
00:32:26.83\00:32:30.00
And when you look at the
baptism of Jesus it says:
00:32:30.20\00:32:34.03
Where? WHERE?
00:32:41.80\00:32:44.00
That word in is important.
00:32:45.43\00:32:47.32
So it says that John
baptized Jesus in the Jordan
00:32:57.67\00:33:01.59
and they came
up out of the water
00:33:01.79\00:33:04.67
is what it simply tells us.
00:33:04.87\00:33:06.29
See, when I was a boy
00:33:07.68\00:33:12.18
the first few years of
my life was spent in Chicago
00:33:12.38\00:33:15.27
and I, in fact,
started to school in Chicago.
00:33:15.57\00:33:18.64
And not too far from our
home was the school I went to.
00:33:18.74\00:33:22.99
And I could walk there.
00:33:23.29\00:33:25.26
And I can remember
that around our schoolhouse
00:33:25.56\00:33:28.97
there was a man there... a
little man who was a Greek...
00:33:29.17\00:33:32.85
and he pushed a cart
around the school there.
00:33:33.05\00:33:37.07
And on that cart
he had waffle irons.
00:33:37.37\00:33:41.10
He had about a
couple waffle irons.
00:33:41.40\00:33:43.38
He had them
hooked up with batteries
00:33:43.48\00:33:45.26
and he would make waffles.
00:33:45.47\00:33:47.48
And he would make those waffles
until they were just nice and
00:33:47.78\00:33:50.76
brown and crisp.
00:33:50.97\00:33:52.13
And he had on that
cart some melted butter.
00:33:52.43\00:33:55.51
And he would dip this
brush in that melted butter
00:33:55.71\00:33:58.33
and he would brush
it on those waffles.
00:33:58.43\00:33:59.97
And then he had a flour
sifter, and he would sift
00:34:00.17\00:34:03.69
powdered sugar on those waffles.
00:34:03.89\00:34:05.69
Sold them to us
kids. That ruined me.
00:34:05.89\00:34:08.42
That's the only way I
like waffles to this day
00:34:08.62\00:34:10.58
is just, you know...
00:34:10.78\00:34:12.06
but... but also on that
cart he had a great big crock.
00:34:12.26\00:34:16.24
Do you know what I
mean when I say a crock?
00:34:16.44\00:34:18.20
A crock is a thick glass jar.
00:34:18.50\00:34:22.48
Anyhow, he had that on the cart
00:34:22.68\00:34:24.75
and in that he
kept melted chocolate.
00:34:24.95\00:34:27.75
And he would take doughnuts
and dip them in that chocolate
00:34:28.05\00:34:31.46
and he sold those to us kids.
00:34:31.66\00:34:33.61
You know... And
we'd get tickled at him
00:34:33.91\00:34:36.15
because he was Greek,
and when you talked to him
00:34:36.35\00:34:38.96
he had had a heavy
Greek brogue, you know.
00:34:39.16\00:34:41.40
And so we would say to him:
00:34:41.70\00:34:43.34
"What do you do
with that doughnut? "
00:34:43.64\00:34:45.49
He would say: "I baptiso it. "
00:34:45.69\00:34:48.39
See, that's what
the word baptism means.
00:34:48.79\00:34:51.78
It means to be immersed.
00:34:52.08\00:34:53.87
Baptism... what does it mean?
00:34:54.07\00:34:55.89
So in the scripture when
it says that he baptized Him
00:35:02.01\00:35:05.52
that means he put
Him underneath the water.
00:35:05.72\00:35:08.44
That's exactly
what the word means.
00:35:08.64\00:35:10.76
In fact, scripture is clear.
00:35:10.96\00:35:14.00
And folks, people were
only baptized that way.
00:35:14.21\00:35:19.83
I'm going to show you a picture.
00:35:20.13\00:35:21.43
This is a picture...
Now you've got to remember
00:35:21.64\00:35:24.04
where Jesus Christ preached
and where the gospel started
00:35:24.24\00:35:27.86
water was a precious item
00:35:28.06\00:35:30.92
and there were many places
where it was hard to find water.
00:35:31.13\00:35:35.92
And so even to this day
00:35:36.22\00:35:38.55
you can find
baptisteries like this one.
00:35:38.75\00:35:42.09
This comes from back 250 AD.
00:35:42.29\00:35:45.10
It's a baptistery
00:35:47.64\00:35:49.41
where they filled it with
water and they baptized people
00:35:49.61\00:35:54.57
and they put them
underneath the water.
00:35:54.77\00:35:58.11
That's the only
way they were baptized.
00:35:58.41\00:36:00.52
The scripture
doesn't teach any other way.
00:36:00.73\00:36:02.76
The idea of sprinkling
or pouring didn't exist.
00:36:03.06\00:36:09.00
In fact, the Catholic church
00:36:09.20\00:36:13.05
baptized people by immersion
00:36:13.25\00:36:17.12
for the first 800-900 years.
00:36:17.32\00:36:22.08
How many of you ever heard
of the leaning tower of Pisa?
00:36:23.50\00:36:27.89
OK. At the base of it there...
00:36:28.19\00:36:32.31
If you ever go
there, don't miss...
00:36:32.51\00:36:36.21
There's a church right
behind it, and by that church
00:36:36.41\00:36:41.23
is another building
that looks like this.
00:36:41.43\00:36:44.53
And that is a building, and in
that building is a baptistery.
00:36:44.73\00:36:49.14
It's been there for years.
00:36:49.34\00:36:52.66
And that
baptistery looks like this,
00:36:52.97\00:36:56.13
and it wasn't
made for sprinkling.
00:36:56.43\00:36:59.12
It was made for immersion.
00:36:59.42\00:37:02.10
They put the people
underneath the water.
00:37:02.31\00:37:05.42
This is what history tells us:
00:37:05.73\00:37:08.73
See, up until then people
were baptized by immersion
00:37:23.75\00:37:28.23
because that's what
the scripture teaches.
00:37:28.43\00:37:30.88
Can't find anything else.
00:37:31.08\00:37:32.10
One of the clearest
examples in all of God's Word
00:37:32.30\00:37:35.26
on baptism is the
one found here in Acts.
00:37:35.46\00:37:38.19
Had to do with
Philip and the Ethiopian.
00:37:38.39\00:37:42.34
And you remember, God has told
Philip to go out in the desert
00:37:42.54\00:37:45.37
and find him. And he's gone
to find him, and this Ethiopian
00:37:45.57\00:37:51.00
has... Philip has
invited him to get... excuse me,
00:37:51.20\00:37:54.35
the Ethiopian has invited
Philip to get up in his chariot.
00:37:54.55\00:37:56.90
And as they're
riding along there,
00:37:57.10\00:37:59.24
the Ethiopian was
reading the book of Isaiah.
00:37:59.44\00:38:03.24
And Philip is
explaining to him what it means.
00:38:03.44\00:38:07.36
And as he's explaining
to him Isaiah 51, 52, 53
00:38:07.56\00:38:13.26
this Ethiopian has opened up his
heart and accepted Jesus Christ.
00:38:13.46\00:38:18.01
Watch what happens...
00:38:18.11\00:38:20.03
because once you accept
Christ what's the next step?
00:38:20.23\00:38:23.68
Baptism.
00:38:23.98\00:38:25.78
Said: "Here's some water.
Why can't I be baptized? "
00:38:36.88\00:38:41.87
Listen to Philip:
00:38:42.17\00:38:44.44
Then Philip said: "If you
believe with all your head, "
00:38:44.74\00:38:50.27
Huh? No!
00:38:50.87\00:38:53.15
Walking through the door.
00:39:05.37\00:39:07.71
See? Walking through the door.
00:39:08.01\00:39:10.50
"I believe that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God. "
00:39:10.81\00:39:13.87
How many people
went down in the water?
00:39:25.41\00:39:27.61
Both of them.
Philip and the eunuch.
00:39:27.91\00:39:30.38
It doesn't say that
one sat on the shore
00:39:30.58\00:39:32.51
and the other got in the water.
00:39:32.61\00:39:33.72
It says they both got into
the water and he baptized him.
00:39:33.92\00:39:37.27
That means he put
him underneath the water.
00:39:37.37\00:39:39.64
Exactly how
baptism is to take place.
00:39:49.91\00:39:54.23
Well, what's the
meaning of baptism?
00:39:54.54\00:39:58.12
What does baptism represent?
00:39:59.09\00:40:01.59
Well, it's a public declaration
00:40:01.89\00:40:03.92
of my acceptance of Jesus
Christ as my Lord and Savior.
00:40:04.12\00:40:07.61
But Paul in the book of
Romans gives us an insight
00:40:07.91\00:40:11.21
into baptism. And it says here
00:40:11.41\00:40:13.65
in Romans 6 verse 3:
00:40:13.82\00:40:16.20
In other words, that baptism
represents that I have died
00:40:25.01\00:40:31.00
to a former way of life.
00:40:31.20\00:40:34.12
See? I have died
to an old way of life.
00:40:34.42\00:40:37.89
I have given my
heart to Jesus Christ.
00:40:38.19\00:40:41.30
I am no longer the same person.
00:40:41.60\00:40:46.07
I am a new person.
00:40:46.27\00:40:50.08
I am a new
creation in Christ Jesus.
00:40:50.38\00:40:52.90
Therefore I have died
to that old way of life.
00:40:53.20\00:40:57.95
As Pam sang tonight,
my sins are forgiven.
00:41:03.78\00:41:07.15
They're gone. They've been
cast in the depths of the sea.
00:41:07.45\00:41:10.78
They are no more.
00:41:11.08\00:41:13.72
See? That's what
baptism represents.
00:41:13.92\00:41:16.15
You go into that
baptistery, dear friend,
00:41:16.35\00:41:18.23
and when you're
baptized and you come out
00:41:18.26\00:41:21.09
as far as God is concerned
00:41:21.29\00:41:23.05
your sins are gone.
00:41:23.25\00:41:25.21
You've been washed.
00:41:25.51\00:41:28.39
Washed white as snow.
00:41:28.70\00:41:30.98
There is nothing against you.
00:41:31.28\00:41:35.86
And so as you
come out of the water
00:41:46.58\00:41:49.35
it represents the
resurrection of Jesus Christ
00:41:49.55\00:41:52.72
and you have been resurrected
to a new life in Christ Jesus.
00:41:53.03\00:41:58.24
A lot of people have
questions about this text,
00:41:58.54\00:42:03.46
but oh it has great,
great meaning. Listen...
00:42:03.77\00:42:06.94
This is
something that Peter said:
00:42:07.24\00:42:08.91
Talking about in
the days of Noah...
00:42:12.05\00:42:14.31
Now the water that destroyed
00:42:30.08\00:42:33.43
everybody else, that same water
00:42:33.63\00:42:36.78
saved Noah and his
sons and their wives.
00:42:36.98\00:42:41.41
They were in the ark,
00:42:41.71\00:42:43.56
and the water carried
them from that old world
00:42:43.86\00:42:47.76
to the new world.
00:42:47.97\00:42:49.93
They were saved.
Watch what Peter says:
00:42:50.23\00:42:54.12
OK, what is that?
00:43:03.24\00:43:04.67
Baptism. Just a
symbol - an antitype -
00:43:08.79\00:43:14.08
that through it we represent
that we have accepted Christ.
00:43:14.28\00:43:18.65
That His resurrection
has become part of our life
00:43:18.85\00:43:23.51
and we have been resurrected
to a new life in Christ.
00:43:23.71\00:43:26.73
This is what baptism
represents and means.
00:43:27.04\00:43:32.67
Who should be baptized?
00:43:32.97\00:43:34.35
Well to begin with,
those who have accepted Christ.
00:43:37.55\00:43:42.93
If you have
accepted Jesus Christ
00:43:45.34\00:43:48.40
into your heart as
your Lord and Savior,
00:43:48.60\00:43:51.18
then I plead with you
tonight... don't put it off.
00:43:51.48\00:43:55.02
Make
arrangements to be baptized.
00:43:57.04\00:44:00.17
You need to follow
the Lord in what it says
00:44:00.47\00:44:04.30
and be baptized.
00:44:04.50\00:44:05.71
So here, when a
person accepts Christ,
00:44:15.91\00:44:18.47
they are to be baptized.
00:44:18.67\00:44:20.24
If you were
baptized as a baby...
00:44:20.74\00:44:26.03
And there may be
many, many, many of you
00:44:26.33\00:44:30.36
who are watching by television
or listening over the radio
00:44:30.66\00:44:33.37
that your parents
took you as a babe in arms
00:44:33.58\00:44:39.42
and had you baptized.
00:44:39.62\00:44:41.43
Now I want to say
something about that.
00:44:41.74\00:44:43.66
In the first place, your parents
were doing what they believed
00:44:43.96\00:44:48.23
was right. They were doing
what they believed was right.
00:44:48.33\00:44:53.82
And I believe that
God understands that.
00:44:54.12\00:44:58.09
But that does not take
the responsibility off of you
00:44:58.39\00:45:02.93
or off of me that when I
understand what God's Word says
00:45:03.14\00:45:07.89
I need to walk in
accordance with that.
00:45:08.09\00:45:10.61
I need to follow it.
00:45:10.92\00:45:12.67
And so, why...
why did your parents
00:45:12.97\00:45:16.61
take you as a babe in
arms and have you baptized?
00:45:16.81\00:45:20.66
Because of this text.
00:45:20.96\00:45:22.60
which they believe is baptism...
00:45:26.83\00:45:28.59
And they said: "Well,
what happens if my baby dies
00:45:31.87\00:45:37.81
and it's not been baptized? "
00:45:38.01\00:45:40.45
And so they
started sprinkling babies.
00:45:40.75\00:45:44.67
Baptizing them because they
believed that if they weren't
00:45:44.97\00:45:48.55
they wouldn't make it
into the kingdom of God.
00:45:48.75\00:45:50.48
The thing is that
you must understand
00:45:52.57\00:45:55.53
that Jesus Christ made every
provision that was necessary
00:45:55.73\00:46:01.40
for you to be saved.
00:46:01.50\00:46:02.62
Even to the question, folks,
of walking through the door.
00:46:02.92\00:46:06.24
Because watch. You'll find
here that Jesus was coming down
00:46:06.64\00:46:12.04
the Jordan
River. John was there.
00:46:12.24\00:46:14.56
Comes and wants to be baptized.
00:46:20.03\00:46:22.16
Said: "I need to be baptized
by You, not my baptizing you. "
00:46:31.72\00:46:37.69
"Then he allowed
Him, " or he baptized Him.
00:46:48.28\00:46:50.72
Now let me ask you something.
00:46:51.02\00:46:52.08
Did Jesus need to be baptized?
00:46:52.38\00:46:55.53
Did He need to have
His sins washed away?
00:46:55.83\00:46:58.56
Never sinned, so He didn't need
to have His sins washed away.
00:46:58.86\00:47:03.01
Wasn't the example of
the disciples good enough?
00:47:05.09\00:47:08.66
So why did Jesus
need to be baptized?
00:47:08.96\00:47:11.92
Well He just said He
needed to be baptized
00:47:12.22\00:47:14.96
"to fulfill all righteousness. "
00:47:15.17\00:47:18.86
So what's He talking about?
00:47:19.16\00:47:20.98
Well, Christ was just simply
saying: "John, I need to be
00:47:21.28\00:47:24.17
baptized, for instance,
for that thief on the cross.
00:47:24.27\00:47:28.98
Never had that opportunity.
00:47:29.28\00:47:31.54
I need to be baptized for him.
00:47:31.84\00:47:34.26
For that soldier
boy in the fox hole
00:47:34.36\00:47:36.98
who gives his heart to the
Lord and never makes it home.
00:47:37.18\00:47:39.87
I need to be baptized for him.
00:47:40.17\00:47:42.87
For that baby that never reaches
00:47:43.17\00:47:47.71
the age of accountability.
00:47:47.81\00:47:49.95
I need to be
baptized for that one. "
00:47:50.25\00:47:53.11
You see, dear friend...
Let me tell you something.
00:47:53.41\00:47:56.06
Your children are perfectly
safe in the arms of Jesus Christ
00:47:56.36\00:48:00.75
until they reach the age
00:48:01.06\00:48:03.42
where they can make
that decision for themselves.
00:48:03.62\00:48:07.39
This is what He's done for us.
00:48:07.69\00:48:09.83
So if you were
baptized as a babe
00:48:09.93\00:48:13.29
and you haven't been baptized
as the scripture teaches
00:48:13.49\00:48:16.95
by immersion, then
I would urge you...
00:48:17.15\00:48:19.45
You've given your heart
to Christ... go be baptized.
00:48:19.75\00:48:22.93
Part of your
acceptance of Jesus Christ.
00:48:23.24\00:48:26.75
If you have left the
Lord and you're coming back...
00:48:27.05\00:48:32.06
In other words, you gave
your heart to Jesus Christ,
00:48:32.47\00:48:35.66
you accepted Him and
you walked with the Lord
00:48:35.87\00:48:38.16
but you've left Him. Now
don't misunderstand me...
00:48:38.36\00:48:40.80
I'm not talking
about stumping your toe.
00:48:41.00\00:48:44.38
That's not what
I'm talking about.
00:48:44.68\00:48:46.51
I'm talking about if you've
turned your back on the Lord
00:48:46.81\00:48:49.33
and walked away and
you're not following Him.
00:48:49.53\00:48:52.90
That's what I'm talking about.
00:48:53.20\00:48:54.55
Well the Bible
makes a comparison to it.
00:48:54.85\00:48:57.72
It says:
00:48:57.82\00:48:58.85
He compares the acceptance of
Christ as your Lord and Savior
00:49:07.77\00:49:12.38
to marriage.
00:49:12.58\00:49:13.85
See, if you didn't
know what marriage is...
00:49:14.16\00:49:16.20
Marriage is a public declaration
00:49:16.40\00:49:18.06
of giving your
life to somebody else.
00:49:18.26\00:49:20.86
That's what marriage is.
00:49:21.16\00:49:22.82
You making a public declaration
that you commit your life
00:49:23.12\00:49:26.59
to another person.
00:49:26.69\00:49:27.72
Well, baptism is that.
00:49:28.02\00:49:29.26
Well if you have a
couple that get married
00:49:29.57\00:49:33.00
and then they don't get
along and they go the other way
00:49:33.20\00:49:35.52
and divorce and
live away from each other
00:49:35.72\00:49:38.58
and a few years
pass... And they decide,
00:49:38.78\00:49:41.24
they get to see one another
and they fall in love again
00:49:41.34\00:49:45.55
and they decide they
want to live together again,
00:49:45.75\00:49:47.79
they need to be what?
They need to be married again.
00:49:47.99\00:49:51.43
So if you have
walked away from the Lord
00:49:51.73\00:49:55.06
and you have not followed
Him and you're coming back
00:49:55.26\00:49:59.07
and giving your heart to Him
anew, and you're coming back,
00:49:59.27\00:50:02.03
then you need to
be baptized again.
00:50:02.24\00:50:04.45
That's what the
scripture teaches:
00:50:04.75\00:50:06.48
that you and I need
to follow Him in baptism.
00:50:06.68\00:50:09.42
Also, there may be
some of you like myself
00:50:09.62\00:50:13.03
that were baptized so young
00:50:13.33\00:50:19.29
you didn't know
what you were doing.
00:50:19.49\00:50:21.58
I can remember the minister
00:50:21.78\00:50:23.18
gathered all of us up -
00:50:23.28\00:50:24.43
we were just children -
00:50:24.63\00:50:25.71
and said: "It's time
for you to be baptized. "
00:50:25.91\00:50:28.07
Baptized us.
Nobody said anything to us
00:50:28.37\00:50:30.93
about what was
necessary to accept Christ.
00:50:31.03\00:50:33.08
They just baptized us.
00:50:33.38\00:50:35.15
When I got older and I
gave my heart to the Lord,
00:50:35.35\00:50:37.93
I said "I've got
to be baptized. "
00:50:38.13\00:50:39.82
For instance...
Paul talks about this.
00:50:40.02\00:50:43.02
It says:
00:50:43.13\00:50:44.18
They said: "We don't know
what you're talking about. "
00:51:00.77\00:51:02.38
They said: "John baptized us. "
00:51:09.44\00:51:11.54
And then you find that Paul
taught them about Jesus Christ
00:51:23.38\00:51:27.28
and it says:
00:51:27.48\00:51:28.49
In other words, if
you - like myself -
00:51:34.23\00:51:36.45
didn't know what you were doing
00:51:36.65\00:51:38.93
and you come to a knowledge
when you know what you're doing
00:51:39.13\00:51:43.59
and you've given your
heart to Jesus Christ,
00:51:43.79\00:51:45.75
then, dear
friend... be baptized.
00:51:45.95\00:51:48.98
It means something; has
something for you in your life.
00:51:49.18\00:51:53.50
That's what God calls us to do.
00:51:53.80\00:51:55.81
Says that Paul had
persecuted the church:
00:51:58.12\00:52:03.12
He was led blind to Damascus.
00:52:27.64\00:52:32.46
God spoke to a man
by the name of Ananias.
00:52:32.76\00:52:36.30
He told Ananias:
"Go pray for Saul
00:52:36.50\00:52:40.12
that he may receive his sight. "
00:52:40.22\00:52:41.92
Ananias went and
prayed with him and it says
00:52:42.22\00:52:47.03
that as he prayed for
him scales fell off his eyes
00:52:47.23\00:52:52.76
and he could see. And
Ananias said these words to him:
00:52:52.87\00:52:56.52
Friend, tonight I ask you:
00:53:06.47\00:53:09.26
Why wait? Why tarry?
00:53:09.46\00:53:12.45
Rise; be baptized.
Wash away your sins.
00:53:12.75\00:53:17.68
Make yourself
clean in Christ Jesus.
00:53:17.98\00:53:21.07
All your sins washed away.
00:53:21.37\00:53:23.20
You come out
clean... white as snow.
00:53:23.40\00:53:26.73
Lord Jesus, I long to be
00:53:26.93\00:53:31.46
perfectly whole.
00:53:31.66\00:53:36.63
I want Thee forever
00:53:37.03\00:53:41.37
to live in my soul.
00:53:41.57\00:53:46.54
Break down every idol;
00:53:47.35\00:53:52.23
cast out every foe.
00:53:52.53\00:53:57.12
Now wash me
00:53:57.52\00:53:59.96
and I shall be
00:54:00.26\00:54:03.27
whiter than snow.
00:54:03.57\00:54:08.39
Father in
Heaven, we thank You...
00:54:08.60\00:54:09.90
thank you,
Lord, for Your promise
00:54:10.10\00:54:14.01
that we can be
made whiter than snow.
00:54:14.31\00:54:17.37
That all of our
sins can be washed away.
00:54:17.78\00:54:20.72
We thank you for the
assurance of Your Word.
00:54:21.02\00:54:24.59
In Christ Jesus, Amen.
00:54:24.79\00:54:27.57
There's a popular movie
that depicts the complete
00:54:29.10\00:54:32.30
annihilation of the
world through earthquakes,
00:54:32.40\00:54:35.56
fires, tsunamis, and floods
00:54:35.76\00:54:37.89
in the year 2012 AD.
00:54:38.09\00:54:40.67
Jesus warns us against
setting dates in Matthew 24:36.
00:54:40.97\00:54:45.48
"But of that day and
hour, no one knows...
00:54:45.78\00:54:48.79
not even the angels of heaven
00:54:48.99\00:54:50.79
but My Father only. "
00:54:50.99\00:54:52.77
While this film
may be entertaining,
00:54:53.07\00:54:54.93
it has done nothing
but heighten the fear
00:54:55.13\00:54:57.59
of the people of this world.
00:54:57.79\00:54:59.56
For many years now, we
have seen the signs of a world
00:54:59.76\00:55:03.13
in a state of collapse.
00:55:03.33\00:55:04.75
And even unbelievers are
increasingly uncomfortable
00:55:05.05\00:55:08.72
with the way things are going.
00:55:08.92\00:55:10.72
Truly we stand on the very edge
00:55:11.02\00:55:13.43
of earth's
history. And believe me,
00:55:13.63\00:55:16.17
the $250,000,000 spent on
special effects for this film
00:55:16.37\00:55:20.68
don't even come close
00:55:20.88\00:55:22.65
to what is about to be
unleashed upon mankind.
00:55:22.85\00:55:26.44
The Bible warns of wars,
00:55:26.74\00:55:28.55
famines,
pestilence, and earthquakes
00:55:28.85\00:55:31.78
culminating in the
most spectacular upheaval
00:55:31.98\00:55:35.09
this world has ever seen.
00:55:35.29\00:55:37.20
Just listen to this description
00:55:37.50\00:55:39.00
found in
Revelation the sixth chapter.
00:55:39.30\00:55:41.89
"And behold, there
was a great earthquake
00:55:42.19\00:55:44.42
and the sun became
black as the sackcloth of hair
00:55:44.72\00:55:47.89
and the moon became like blood.
00:55:48.15\00:55:50.47
And the stars of the
heaven fell to the earth
00:55:50.77\00:55:52.88
as a fig tree
drops its late figs
00:55:53.08\00:55:55.59
when it is
shaken by a mighty wind.
00:55:55.79\00:55:58.24
Then the sky receded as a
scroll when it is rolled up
00:55:58.54\00:56:01.85
and every mountain and island
were moved out of its place. "
00:56:02.05\00:56:06.00
Friends, this will
not be a Hollywood movie.
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These events will
surely take place,
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and we must warn the
world as quickly as possible.
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You see, there will
be no secret rapture.
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Every human being alive
at the time will be affected
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whether they are
wicked or righteous.
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But while the fear that has
gripped the hearts of the wicked
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will cause them to beg
for rocks to fall on them,
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those who are righteous
will welcome these events
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as signs of Christ's coming.
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They will say:
"Behold! This is our God.
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We have waited for
Him, and He will save us. "
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Listen to these glorious words
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from I Thessalonians 4:
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"For the Lord Himself will
descend from heaven with a shout
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with the voice of the archangel
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and with the trumpet of God,
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and the dead in
Christ will rise first.
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Then we who are alive and remain
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shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds
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to meet the Lord in the air.
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And thus we shall
always be with the Lord.
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Wherefore, comfort one
another with these words. "
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Oh friends, our burden
is to share this good news.
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To bring comfort to
those who are living in fear.
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That's why we continue to
preach the gospel of salvation
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through Jesus Christ
to anyone who will listen.
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To see a soul come to Jesus
and be saved is worth any cost
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and all efforts. That's
why this ministry exists.
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Won't you help us?
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Please consider what you can do
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for those who still
don't know about Jesus.
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As the Holy Spirit impresses,
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please send your
tax-deductible gifts to:
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Thank you for helping us
spread the light of God's Word
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through television and radio.
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Your gifts help bring
the blessed hope of salvation
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to millions around the world.
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