It has stood the test of
time, God's book, the Bible.
00:00:07.26\00:00:17.13
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.13\00:00:22.43
It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:22.43\00:00:36.60
In 1981 the writer William
Saroyan said something that I
00:00:36.60\00:00:40.76
believe most
everybody can relate to.
00:00:40.76\00:00:44.50
Saroyan had cancer and
knew that it wouldn't be long
00:00:44.50\00:00:47.93
before he died.
00:00:47.93\00:00:49.43
In an interview with an
associated press he said this,
00:00:49.43\00:00:51.53
he said, 'Everybody's got to
die, but I always believed that
00:00:51.53\00:00:56.86
an exception would be made
in my case.' And then he said,
00:00:56.86\00:01:01.76
'now what?' Now, there's a
question when it comes to death,
00:01:01.76\00:01:07.36
Now what?
00:01:07.36\00:01:09.53
You know the Bible says that
people would live three score
00:01:09.53\00:01:12.40
and ten and that we
know is about 70 years.
00:01:12.40\00:01:15.30
These days a lot of people
do a little better than that.
00:01:15.30\00:01:18.60
In Japan, average
life expectancy is about
00:01:18.60\00:01:23.00
82 and 1/2 years.
00:01:23.00\00:01:24.00
Now, statistics vary depending
on whose statistics you read.
00:01:24.00\00:01:27.16
The list might be a little
bit different but it's generally
00:01:27.16\00:01:30.76
accepted that your pan has the
longest life expectancy than any
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country in the world.
00:01:32.83\00:01:34.60
Eighty-two and a half
years or there abouts.
00:01:34.60\00:01:37.43
In Spain or Sweden
average life expectancy is 81.
00:01:37.43\00:01:40.96
In Singapore, you can expect
to live about 80 years old.
00:01:40.96\00:01:45.50
Now in Wanuatu in the South
Pacific that number changes.
00:01:45.50\00:01:49.63
Average life
expectancy there 70.
00:01:49.63\00:01:52.86
In Ghana, West
Africa, life expectancy is 60.
00:01:52.86\00:01:58.16
In Cameroon is 50.
00:01:58.16\00:02:00.86
And in Swaziland the average
life expectancy is almost 40.
00:02:00.86\00:02:07.60
But no matter how long you are
going to live or expect to live,
00:02:07.60\00:02:11.43
there is always that question
that is going to have to be
00:02:11.43\00:02:15.40
answered one day.
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After death, Now what?
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You know, when God created Adam
and Even in the Garden of Eden,
00:02:20.16\00:02:23.46
he didn't create them to die.
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He created them to live forever.
00:02:24.96\00:02:28.40
And even after sin came into the
world and brought death with it,
00:02:28.40\00:02:31.93
Adam still managed to
live to be 930 years old.
00:02:31.93\00:02:36.13
Now his son
Seth lived to be 912.
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Seth's son Enos lived to be 905.
00:02:39.43\00:02:43.76
Methuselah died in the year of
the flood in Noah's day, lived
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to be 969 years old.
00:02:48.56\00:02:51.33
That's almost a thousand years.
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A millennium.
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But even Methuselah had
to answer the question, 'Now
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what?' I am sure you've
heard that old saying that says
00:02:58.80\00:03:03.33
that in this world there
are only two sure things,
00:03:03.33\00:03:05.46
'death' and 'Taxes'.
00:03:05.46\00:03:07.96
Now, a lot of people has managed
to cheat on their taxes, but
00:03:07.96\00:03:11.80
unless your name is Elijah or
Enoch, there is no way in this
00:03:11.80\00:03:16.73
world you are going to
be able to cheat 'death'.
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I'm here at Mount Hope
Cemetery in College Place
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Washington.
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It's a beautiful place.
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I've been here many, many times.
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When I lived in College Place
Washington, I would often come
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to Mount Hope Cemetery
just to, to walk around.
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As a church pastor in this
area, I officiated many, many
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funerals.
00:03:39.83\00:03:41.33
A lot of which ended up
here at Mount Hope Cemetery.
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Usually in a poignant gathering
around somebody's final, very
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peaceful resting spot.
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This is a serene place.
00:03:52.80\00:03:55.50
It's a calm place.
00:03:55.50\00:03:58.03
It's a place to
remember, a place to think.
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Like cemeteries everywhere,
Mount Hope Cemetery tells a lot
00:04:02.46\00:04:07.90
of stories, a lot of
very interesting stories.
00:04:07.90\00:04:11.86
Now really, in all reality, the
stories told here are usually
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very brief.
00:04:15.33\00:04:17.36
On the average grave marker
you will find the decease's name
00:04:17.36\00:04:22.20
and someway there, a year of
birth and then a year of death.
00:04:22.20\00:04:27.66
Sometimes a brief
comment, and that's about it.
00:04:27.66\00:04:31.40
In fact, the stories usually
contained in that hyphen,
00:04:31.40\00:04:34.93
that's between the year of
birth and the year of death.
00:04:34.93\00:04:39.03
If you look around a cemetery
like this one, you will see that
00:04:39.03\00:04:41.40
many people
lived a good long time.
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A lot of people here lived to be
one hundred years old or longer.
00:04:43.90\00:04:49.43
And as you look around you'll
find who died in their nineties
00:04:49.43\00:04:52.53
and in their eighties.
00:04:52.53\00:04:53.30
Good long lives.
00:04:53.30\00:04:55.26
And there are those who
died in their seventies.
00:04:55.26\00:04:57.43
That is less
than the average U.S.
00:04:57.43\00:05:00.13
life expectancy of
Seventy eight point six.
00:05:00.13\00:05:04.13
There are those who died
in their sixties and fifties.
00:05:04.13\00:05:06.60
We would agree
that's just too early.
00:05:06.60\00:05:08.80
Some they died in their forties.
00:05:08.80\00:05:11.80
Some in their thirties, in their
twenties, and then there are
00:05:11.80\00:05:15.86
those who died even younger.
00:05:15.86\00:05:18.23
In fact, there are graves
scattered throughout this place
00:05:18.23\00:05:21.40
and, just over here is a cluster
of graves where infants, small
00:05:21.40\00:05:26.90
children rest,
just days or weeks old.
00:05:26.90\00:05:32.80
And that's always a tragedy.
00:05:32.80\00:05:36.26
No matter how long a person
lives, there is that question
00:05:36.26\00:05:40.46
that waits to be answered.
00:05:40.46\00:05:42.80
After death, 'Now what?' So
how can we find a satisfactory
00:05:42.80\00:05:48.96
answer to that question?
00:05:48.96\00:05:51.60
How can we face with confidence
the inevitability, which is
00:05:51.60\00:05:57.26
death?
00:05:57.26\00:05:59.43
I'll talk with you
about that, just a moment.
00:05:59.43\00:06:04.36
Perhaps something in
today's program has sparked your
00:06:04.36\00:06:07.03
interest in greater Bible study.
00:06:07.03\00:06:08.56
We invite you to visit our
website, It Is Written.com.
00:06:08.56\00:06:12.10
where you will find a
host of inspirational resources
00:06:12.10\00:06:15.33
including free
bible study guides.
00:06:15.33\00:06:17.46
There is also a complete archive
of past television programs and
00:06:17.46\00:06:20.16
some special video seminars
that you can view on line or
00:06:20.16\00:06:23.50
download.
00:06:23.50\00:06:24.83
Discover more at
It Is Written dot com.
00:06:24.83\00:06:29.50
Death is an invader.
00:06:29.50\00:06:31.23
The Bible calls it an enemy.
00:06:31.23\00:06:34.46
And nobody is immune to it.
00:06:34.46\00:06:36.80
No matter what your standing
or your accomplishments in this
00:06:36.80\00:06:39.13
life.
00:06:39.13\00:06:40.70
Elvis Presley died
at the age of forty two.
00:06:40.70\00:06:43.63
President John F.
00:06:43.63\00:06:44.66
Kennedy was
forty-six when he died.
00:06:44.66\00:06:47.20
Fame and fortune couldn't
prevent death when coming to
00:06:47.20\00:06:49.60
John Lennon died
at the age of forty.
00:06:49.60\00:06:52.40
Princess Diana was only
thirty-six years old when she
00:06:52.40\00:06:55.20
died.
00:06:55.20\00:06:56.73
Death is no
respecter of persons.
00:06:56.73\00:06:59.53
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was
thirty-nine years old when he
00:06:59.53\00:07:01.86
was gunned down in a
motel in Memphis, Tennessee.
00:07:01.86\00:07:06.03
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim
Morrison, all were only 27 when
00:07:06.03\00:07:10.46
they died.
00:07:10.46\00:07:12.63
You can be a president or
a pauper, famous or infamous.
00:07:12.63\00:07:17.70
A saint or a sinner,
and death is going to come.
00:07:17.70\00:07:23.20
And then the question is asked,
'Now what?' Some Australian
00:07:23.20\00:07:28.33
aboriginals believe that when a
person dies, the spirit goes off
00:07:28.33\00:07:31.46
to a spirit world, that person
goes to the spirit world and the
00:07:31.46\00:07:35.16
spirit comes back to guide
the living through life in this
00:07:35.16\00:07:38.36
world.
00:07:38.36\00:07:39.86
New Zealand Maori mythology
teaches that when a person dies,
00:07:39.86\00:07:43.46
the spirit goes to the northern
most part of that country
00:07:43.46\00:07:46.63
therefore departing from there
and returning to their ancestral
00:07:46.63\00:07:50.10
homeland.
00:07:50.10\00:07:51.73
I had a conversation with a lady
from India who told me that in
00:07:51.73\00:07:54.26
her culture, death is viewed
as merely an extension of life.
00:07:54.26\00:07:59.36
The next stage as it were.
00:07:59.36\00:08:02.60
Look at the
tombs of ancient Egypt.
00:08:02.60\00:08:04.80
And you will see that they
testify the ancient Egyptians
00:08:04.80\00:08:08.23
put a lot of care, put a lot of
thought into what happened after
00:08:08.23\00:08:12.83
a person died.
00:08:12.83\00:08:15.16
Greek mythology taught that the
souls of the dead, some of them
00:08:15.16\00:08:19.40
at least would ferried across
the River Styx in or two Hades.
00:08:19.40\00:08:25.06
In the ancient Norse believed
a variety of things might happen
00:08:25.06\00:08:28.43
when a person died.
00:08:28.43\00:08:29.80
Among them that those who were
killed in combat might go on and
00:08:29.80\00:08:33.96
inhabit Valhalla,
the hole of the slain.
00:08:33.96\00:08:38.60
But one thing
we know is certain.
00:08:38.60\00:08:41.80
They can't all be right.
00:08:41.80\00:08:43.70
But what all these cultures
have in common is that they all
00:08:43.70\00:08:47.86
believe 'death' is not the end.
00:08:47.86\00:08:51.10
They all believe something
happens beyond one's final
00:08:51.10\00:08:55.30
breath.
00:08:55.30\00:08:56.83
William Saroyan's 'Now
What?' question gets answered.
00:08:56.83\00:09:01.93
The late actress Marlene
Dietrich said once, 'when
00:09:01.93\00:09:05.56
you're dead, you're dead.
00:09:05.56\00:09:07.36
That's it.' But that's not
what most cultures and peoples
00:09:07.36\00:09:11.60
have taught down
through the ages.
00:09:11.60\00:09:13.80
It seems as though as if most
people an innate sense, that
00:09:13.80\00:09:16.40
there is something
beyond one's final breath.
00:09:16.40\00:09:21.73
Does the Bible teach us what
happens after a person dies?
00:09:21.73\00:09:23.86
Yes it does.
00:09:23.86\00:09:25.46
And to clearly understand where
the Bible is coming from on
00:09:25.46\00:09:27.86
this, let's look at
a well know case study.
00:09:27.86\00:09:30.86
Lazarus was a
dear friend of Jesus.
00:09:30.86\00:09:33.63
He was the brother
of Mary and Martha.
00:09:33.63\00:09:37.30
They, who were
also friends of Jesus.
00:09:37.30\00:09:40.00
They lived in Bethany, about
2 miles outside Jerusalem, and
00:09:40.00\00:09:42.23
Lazarus died.
00:09:42.23\00:09:44.96
Four days after Lazarus
died, Jesus came to Bethany.
00:09:44.96\00:09:49.56
When Martha heard that Jesus was
coming to town, got up and ran
00:09:49.56\00:09:52.76
to meet Jesus.
00:09:52.76\00:09:55.86
And when she saw Jesus she said,
'Lord, if you had been here,
00:09:55.86\00:09:59.00
my brother would have not
died.' You see, she had great
00:09:59.00\00:10:02.63
faith of Jesus
ability to bless and to heal.
00:10:02.63\00:10:06.00
And she had an idea that death
need not be the end for her
00:10:06.00\00:10:10.73
brother.
00:10:10.73\00:10:12.10
She said to Jesus, 'Even now,
I believe whatever you ask of
00:10:12.10\00:10:15.66
God, God will give it to you.'
It was, it was a prayer if you
00:10:15.66\00:10:20.86
like.
00:10:20.86\00:10:22.30
And Jesus said this to Martha;
he agreed with her that death
00:10:22.30\00:10:28.43
was not the end.
00:10:28.43\00:10:31.30
He said, 'Martha, your brother
shall rise again.' You see,
00:10:31.30\00:10:36.33
Jesus told very clearly that
after death, there would be a
00:10:36.33\00:10:40.53
resurrection.
00:10:40.53\00:10:41.73
As a matter of fact, Jesus told
in the bible that there would be
00:10:41.73\00:10:45.16
two resurrections.
00:10:45.16\00:10:46.86
I want you to know something,
only one of them you want to be
00:10:46.86\00:10:52.10
part of.
00:10:52.10\00:10:53.70
I'll tell you more
about that in a moment.
00:10:53.70\00:10:56.03
In Matthew 4:4 the world of
God says, It Is Written, 'Man
00:10:56.03\00:11:03.70
shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds
00:11:03.70\00:11:05.96
from the mouth of God.' Every
Word is a one minute bible base
00:11:05.96\00:11:08.83
daily devotional presented
by Pastor John Bradshaw and
00:11:08.83\00:11:13.23
designed specially
for busy people like you.
00:11:13.23\00:11:15.96
Look for Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on line
00:11:15.96\00:11:19.13
every day on our
website, It Is Written dot com.
00:11:19.13\00:11:24.80
Receive a daily spiritual boost,
watch Every Word, you'll be
00:11:24.80\00:11:28.13
glad you did.
00:11:28.13\00:11:29.03
Here is a sample.
00:11:29.03\00:11:38.20
I heard about some professional
football players who went out to
00:11:38.20\00:11:40.76
dinner at a restaurant in Texas
and ran up a bill of would you
00:11:40.76\00:11:45.53
believe it, fifty
five thousand dollars.
00:11:45.53\00:11:48.43
Even if the entire 53 men
had eaten and they didn't, that
00:11:48.43\00:11:53.20
would had been more than
a thousand dollars a person.
00:11:53.20\00:11:55.53
In anyone's language,
that's a waste of money.
00:11:55.53\00:11:57.86
God knows we waste our money, he
says in Isaiah 55:2 why do you
00:11:57.86\00:12:01.43
spend money for what is not
bread and your wages for what
00:12:01.43\00:12:05.43
does not satisfy?
00:12:05.43\00:12:07.23
So often we pursue things
that a little or no value.
00:12:07.23\00:12:10.36
What are you
spending your money on?
00:12:10.36\00:12:12.16
Or your time on?
00:12:12.16\00:12:14.00
If an audit was done in your
life right now, would you be
00:12:14.00\00:12:16.73
satisfied with what you
are investing your life in?
00:12:16.73\00:12:19.66
This verse talks to
us about priorities.
00:12:19.66\00:12:22.66
What's most important to you?
00:12:22.66\00:12:23.43
I'm John Bradshaw for It Is
Written; let's live today by
00:12:23.43\00:12:27.70
Every Word.
00:12:27.70\00:12:33.80
Cemeteries like this
are usually peaceful places.
00:12:33.80\00:12:35.66
For some people cemeteries
are painful places, because they
00:12:35.66\00:12:38.73
represent love
ones lost, life gone.
00:12:38.73\00:12:43.73
Something precious
that has been taken away.
00:12:43.73\00:12:48.40
Not long ago I officiated in
a funeral service for a 12 year
00:12:48.40\00:12:50.46
old boy who was laid to
rest here in this cemetery.
00:12:50.46\00:12:54.20
He died after a
rather tragic turn of events.
00:12:54.20\00:12:58.76
And you can imagine, it
was a very, very said affair.
00:12:58.76\00:13:00.63
However, I can tell you this.
00:13:00.63\00:13:01.70
That funeral
services was colored by hope.
00:13:01.70\00:13:05.93
Very real hope.
00:13:05.93\00:13:10.86
Because it was known
that one day is going to be a
00:13:10.86\00:13:12.36
resurrection.
00:13:12.36\00:13:13.16
Now, Jesus
comment on this directly.
00:13:13.16\00:13:14.96
Speaking to a crowd of people
one day he said this words which
00:13:14.96\00:13:17.76
are recorded in John
chapter 5, verses 28 and 29.
00:13:17.76\00:13:22.66
Jesus said, 'Marvel not at
this, for the hour is coming in
00:13:22.66\00:13:26.16
the which all that are in the
graves shall hear his voice and
00:13:26.16\00:13:29.66
shall come forth.
00:13:29.66\00:13:32.40
They that have done good unto
the resurrection of life, and
00:13:32.40\00:13:36.66
they that have done
evil unto the resurrection of
00:13:36.66\00:13:40.46
damnation.' Two resurrections,
one you want to be in.
00:13:40.46\00:13:47.43
that's the resurrection
to life, the other, the
00:13:47.43\00:13:52.76
resurrection of damnation.
00:13:52.76\00:13:54.66
Now, without going into
all of the details about the
00:13:54.66\00:13:56.90
resurrection of damnation just
now, it's pretty obvious that
00:13:56.90\00:14:00.86
that's not a resurrection that
you or I would want to be in.
00:14:00.86\00:14:04.16
two resurrections.
00:14:04.16\00:14:06.06
And there we have the answer
to the 'Now what?' question.
00:14:06.06\00:14:11.50
There is going to be
a resurrection one day.
00:14:11.50\00:14:17.10
Now, let's go back
to the story of Lazarus.
00:14:17.10\00:14:19.40
Jesus had told Martha, Your
brother, Lazarus, shall rise
00:14:19.40\00:14:24.83
again.
00:14:24.83\00:14:26.80
Now, Jesus and Martha are
joined by Mary outside Bethany.
00:14:26.80\00:14:30.13
And Jesus says to them, 'I am
the resurrection and the life.
00:14:30.13\00:14:38.13
He who believes in me, even
though that person was dead,
00:14:38.13\00:14:40.83
that person shall live again.
00:14:40.83\00:14:43.56
Jesus gave them very real hope.
00:14:43.56\00:14:44.73
That there'll no only be a
resurrection one day, but a
00:14:44.73\00:14:48.46
resurrection that anybody who
chooses to accept God's great
00:14:48.46\00:14:57.46
gift can participate in.
00:14:57.46\00:15:00.53
Jesus then says, take me and
show me where Lazarus is laid,
00:15:00.53\00:15:03.80
where he is buried.
00:15:03.80\00:15:05.10
So they went to
Lazarus's graveside.
00:15:05.10\00:15:07.46
Now, Lazarus wasn't
buried in a cemetery like this.
00:15:07.46\00:15:10.93
He was buried in the
equivalent of that age.
00:15:10.93\00:15:15.53
In fact, when they go to Lazarus
grave they discovered Lazarus
00:15:15.53\00:15:19.96
was buried unsurprisingly
in a cave, in a tomb.
00:15:19.96\00:15:22.33
And in front of that cave, a
large stone had been rolled for
00:15:22.33\00:15:24.93
what I think
pretty obvious reasons.
00:15:24.93\00:15:26.93
Jesus then made
a radical request.
00:15:26.93\00:15:30.13
He said, take away the stone
from in front of the grave.
00:15:30.13\00:15:33.96
The people protested, oh,
you don't really want us to do
00:15:33.96\00:15:36.90
that.
00:15:36.90\00:15:38.46
Now, I can understand why
they protested for experience.
00:15:38.46\00:15:42.10
I attended a funeral service
for a man who had been dead like
00:15:42.10\00:15:44.73
Lazarus for four days.
00:15:44.73\00:15:46.13
This was in a place where
embalming was not practiced.
00:15:46.13\00:15:49.93
Let's just say it wasn't pretty.
00:15:49.93\00:15:54.50
I can understand why they did
not want to stone rolled away.
00:15:54.50\00:15:56.86
But Jesus was
insistent, take away the stone.
00:15:56.86\00:15:59.90
And they did.
00:15:59.90\00:16:03.70
And then Jesus to the amazement
of everybody around addressed
00:16:03.70\00:16:11.00
Lazarus, he cried out and
he said, Lazarus, Come forth!
00:16:11.00\00:16:14.50
Have you ever wonder what the
people in that group that day
00:16:14.50\00:16:16.70
were thinking?
00:16:16.70\00:16:17.93
He's asking to get up
and walk out of a cave?
00:16:17.93\00:16:20.43
What's he thinking?
00:16:20.43\00:16:21.76
Jesus said, Lazarus, come forth.
00:16:21.76\00:16:23.76
And then to the amazement of
everybody who looked on, clad in
00:16:23.76\00:16:30.20
gave cloths, Lazarus
walked out of that tomb.
00:16:30.20\00:16:33.30
They took the grave cloth
off him and Lazarus who had been
00:16:33.30\00:16:37.53
dead was very much alive.
00:16:37.53\00:16:38.33
Now, we don't know how
long Lazarus lived after that
00:16:38.33\00:16:45.33
resurrection whether short
of long, the bible doesn't say.
00:16:45.33\00:16:48.06
But we know he lived.
00:16:48.06\00:16:49.86
And we can be certain he was
glad to have his life given back
00:16:49.86\00:16:53.43
to him.
00:16:53.43\00:16:54.83
We can be certain that his
family was glad to receive him
00:16:54.83\00:16:59.93
again.
00:16:59.93\00:17:02.10
And we can be 100 percent
certain that the people looking
00:17:02.10\00:17:04.86
on were absolutely amazed.
00:17:04.86\00:17:06.83
Lazarus had been
raised from the dead.
00:17:06.83\00:17:09.93
This was a foreshadowing
of what will happen one day.
00:17:09.93\00:17:14.30
Jesus said in John 5
there'd be two resurrections.
00:17:14.30\00:17:18.56
The one we want to be in
is the resurrection to life.
00:17:18.56\00:17:23.13
How can we be certain
that we can have a place in the
00:17:23.13\00:17:26.10
resurrection to life.
00:17:26.10\00:17:28.00
I'll tell you
how in just a moment.
00:17:28.00\00:17:31.76
It is written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around the
00:17:31.76\00:17:34.40
world.
00:17:34.40\00:17:36.23
To discover more about It Is
Written, I invite you to visit
00:17:36.23\00:17:38.96
our web site, It
Is Written dot com.
00:17:38.96\00:17:40.96
And browse a dozen of pages that
describe what we do and how we
00:17:40.96\00:17:44.46
do it.
00:17:44.46\00:17:45.46
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:17:45.46\00:17:51.66
Visit out website It
Is Written dot com, today.
00:17:51.66\00:17:53.66
One of the most difficult things
a person can be called upon to
00:17:53.66\00:17:56.26
experience is the
death of a love one.
00:17:56.26\00:17:58.56
Extremely difficult.
00:17:58.56\00:18:00.10
But even in the midst of that,
God does not leave us without
00:18:00.10\00:18:03.83
hope.
00:18:03.83\00:18:05.46
God offers us very real hope
that one day there will be a
00:18:05.46\00:18:09.93
resurrection.
00:18:09.93\00:18:11.66
In the Bible we have the story
of Lazarus, the dear friend of
00:18:11.66\00:18:14.23
Jesus.
00:18:14.23\00:18:15.40
The brother of Mary and Martha,
who after he'd been dead for
00:18:15.40\00:18:18.63
four days, was raised from the
dead when Jesus called out to
00:18:18.63\00:18:21.63
him and said, 'Lazarus, come
forth!' There are many other
00:18:21.63\00:18:25.53
stories in the bible dealing
with resurrections as well.
00:18:25.53\00:18:28.90
In the world of God we have the
widow of Nain who had her son
00:18:28.90\00:18:33.83
given back to her from the
dead through the power of Jesus.
00:18:33.83\00:18:40.03
Then there is the
twelve-year-old daughter of a
00:18:40.03\00:18:43.40
man named Jairus.
00:18:43.40\00:18:45.90
Again, Jesus intervened,
turned death back into life.
00:18:45.90\00:18:50.20
And the man was able to receive
his beloved daughter again.
00:18:50.20\00:18:54.00
Also in the bible in the book
of Acts, there is the story of a
00:18:54.00\00:18:57.10
man named Eutychus who fell
asleep and fell out of a third
00:18:57.10\00:19:00.70
floor window down to
the ground and he died.
00:19:00.70\00:19:06.70
Now, he didn't fall asleep
because the preacher Paul was a
00:19:06.70\00:19:10.20
boring preacher.
00:19:10.20\00:19:12.00
He fell asleep because
it'd been a long day and he was
00:19:12.00\00:19:14.16
simply tired.
00:19:14.16\00:19:15.50
But the preacher Paul went down
to the ground where Eutychus
00:19:15.50\00:19:19.20
laid and God
worked through Paul.
00:19:19.20\00:19:21.90
The power of God worked through
the great apostle and Eutychus
00:19:21.90\00:19:25.16
came back from the dead.
00:19:25.16\00:19:27.66
And then there is
a remarkable story.
00:19:27.66\00:19:29.86
You read about this in the
book of 2 kings and chapter 13.
00:19:29.86\00:19:33.00
A man was on his
way of being buried.
00:19:33.00\00:19:36.56
And that, because there was an
invasion taking place a roaring
00:19:36.56\00:19:40.16
army approaching town, his
family just very hurriedly just
00:19:40.16\00:19:44.20
put his body in the
nearest available tomb.
00:19:44.20\00:19:47.30
It happened to be
the tomb of Elisha.
00:19:47.30\00:19:49.96
And this man's body went into
that tomb, and then touch the
00:19:49.96\00:19:54.16
bones, it was put so close
to the bones of Elisha, I guess
00:19:54.16\00:19:58.36
touching the bones of Elisha,
and because he touched the bones
00:19:58.36\00:20:03.66
of the dead prophet,
this man came back to life.
00:20:03.66\00:20:06.50
Can you imagine the surprise
of the family; in fact can you
00:20:06.50\00:20:08.96
imagine the surprise of the
dead man coming back to life,
00:20:08.96\00:20:12.70
discovering he was in a tomb.
00:20:12.70\00:20:14.83
Just one of many.
00:20:14.83\00:20:16.40
There are other stories
besides in the world of God.
00:20:16.40\00:20:19.40
I am not suggesting for a
moment I don't want you to
00:20:19.40\00:20:22.16
misunderstand me.
00:20:22.16\00:20:24.16
I am not suggesting for a moment
that these people are raised to
00:20:24.16\00:20:26.50
immortality.
00:20:26.50\00:20:27.60
They weren't.
00:20:27.60\00:20:28.36
They were raised to life, and
they lived again, presumably, we
00:20:28.36\00:20:31.33
expect, they died again.
00:20:31.33\00:20:33.50
So they are called upon to
experience being resurrected
00:20:33.50\00:20:38.36
twice.
00:20:38.36\00:20:40.20
God says there is
going to be a resurrection.
00:20:40.20\00:20:44.03
Ttwo resurrections, one
the resurrection of damnation.
00:20:44.03\00:20:48.00
But the one that we are most
interested today, the one we
00:20:48.00\00:20:50.80
want to be a part of, should not
we be alive when Jesus returns
00:20:50.80\00:20:53.76
to this earth is the first
resurrection, the resurrection
00:20:53.76\00:20:57.20
to life.
00:20:57.20\00:20:58.83
Okay, so how can you be certain
that you can participate in the
00:20:58.83\00:21:03.20
resurrection to life?
00:21:03.20\00:21:06.63
It's this simple.
00:21:06.63\00:21:08.13
1 John 5: 12 says, 'he, or she
that have the Son, have life.'
00:21:08.13\00:21:15.86
It goes on to say that he or
she who have not the Son of God,
00:21:15.86\00:21:19.33
hath not life.
00:21:19.33\00:21:21.26
If you posses Jesus Christ by
faith, if you believe in Him as
00:21:21.26\00:21:25.00
your personal Savior, as your
Lord, if you would yield your
00:21:25.00\00:21:30.66
life to Him and invite Jesus to
live his life in you, then you
00:21:30.66\00:21:37.10
have the Son.
00:21:37.10\00:21:37.86
And the world of God says that
if you have the Son, you have
00:21:37.86\00:21:40.56
life.
00:21:40.56\00:21:42.20
That's life in this world
and should you die, life in the
00:21:42.20\00:21:46.33
world to come.
00:21:46.33\00:21:50.26
Because you would have faith
in the One the bible calls the
00:21:50.26\00:21:53.10
resurrection and the life.
00:21:53.10\00:21:54.60
You can live in hope today.
00:21:54.60\00:21:55.83
You don't have to fear death.
00:21:55.83\00:21:57.43
I don't know too many people
that embrace death gladly, I am
00:21:57.43\00:22:00.16
not say we are to do that.
00:22:00.16\00:22:01.10
But you don't have to fear
death, because there is hope
00:22:01.10\00:22:02.80
beyond death.
00:22:02.80\00:22:03.30
I've spoke to people who've
looked death straight in the
00:22:03.30\00:22:05.96
eye, knowing that they were
going to die with peace in their
00:22:05.96\00:22:13.43
hearts.
00:22:13.43\00:22:14.03
Why were they able to do that?
00:22:14.03\00:22:15.96
Is not that they were glad to
be leaving, of course they were
00:22:15.96\00:22:18.50
going to miss their
family and their love ones.
00:22:18.50\00:22:20.83
But here is what they knew.
00:22:20.83\00:22:23.03
They knew that one day
there would be a resurrection.
00:22:23.03\00:22:25.90
The resurrection to life.
00:22:25.90\00:22:28.66
And they knew that because they
had faith in Jesus Christ, they
00:22:28.66\00:22:33.20
would participate in
that very resurrection.
00:22:33.20\00:22:37.06
They were able to die in faith;
they were able to die in peace.
00:22:37.06\00:22:42.76
I read a story just the other
day about a man in South Africa
00:22:42.76\00:22:45.76
who apparently died.
00:22:45.76\00:22:47.76
He had I think a
terrible asthma attack.
00:22:47.76\00:22:50.53
His family presume that he was
dead and they took him to the
00:22:50.53\00:22:53.13
local mortuary.
00:22:53.13\00:22:54.43
He was put in the refrigerator
drawer in the mortuary.
00:22:54.43\00:22:58.43
About 21 hours later, mortuary
staff was horrified and in fact
00:22:58.43\00:23:02.83
they were terrified.
00:23:02.83\00:23:04.50
They were panic stricken.
00:23:04.50\00:23:06.23
From a drawer in a mortuary they
heard yelling, and shouting and
00:23:06.23\00:23:11.40
screaming.
00:23:11.40\00:23:12.23
It was loud.
00:23:12.23\00:23:13.53
And they panicked.
00:23:13.53\00:23:14.93
They fled, they bolted out
of the mortuary and out into the
00:23:14.93\00:23:18.93
streets.
00:23:18.93\00:23:19.80
They went and found the local
police and said you need to come
00:23:19.80\00:23:22.10
down to the mortuary where there
is something strange going on
00:23:22.10\00:23:24.43
there.
00:23:24.43\00:23:25.53
I feel sorry for the police
how sometimes they get the rough
00:23:25.53\00:23:27.00
jobs.
00:23:27.00\00:23:28.43
They were brought to the
mortuary to investigate this
00:23:28.43\00:23:29.86
terrible happening.
00:23:29.86\00:23:31.33
Screaming and yelling coming
from a drawer where there should
00:23:31.33\00:23:36.53
have been absolute silence.
00:23:36.53\00:23:38.53
They went to the mortuary,
opened up the drawer and found
00:23:38.53\00:23:42.03
the dead man very much alive.
00:23:42.03\00:23:46.10
Now, he was dehydrated, he was
suffering from hypothermia, but
00:23:46.10\00:23:49.83
he was very much alive.
00:23:49.83\00:23:50.33
He was brought out of there,
he was treated, and he was given
00:23:50.33\00:23:53.03
back to his family and he
recuperated and he did well.
00:23:53.03\00:24:00.10
Of course the man
wasn't really dead.
00:24:00.10\00:24:03.20
We could say back from the dead
because he was presumed dead.
00:24:03.20\00:24:06.20
The truth is a mistake had been
made, and he'd been alive all
00:24:06.20\00:24:10.26
along.
00:24:10.26\00:24:11.96
Well, one day, Jesus is going
to come back to this earth, and
00:24:11.96\00:24:16.03
those who were really dead and
died in faith in Christ, died
00:24:16.03\00:24:20.80
with Jesus as their Savior,
are going to participate in the
00:24:20.80\00:24:24.60
resurrection of life.
00:24:24.60\00:24:26.70
Cemeteries like this one all
over the world are going to be
00:24:26.70\00:24:30.53
scenes of intense activity.
00:24:30.53\00:24:33.36
As grapes open up and as the
bible says, the dead in Christ
00:24:33.36\00:24:36.30
rise.
00:24:36.30\00:24:38.33
Should you pass away before
Jesus returns to this earth, you
00:24:38.33\00:24:41.63
can have very real hope today.
00:24:41.63\00:24:43.43
Because one day there is
going to be a resurrection.
00:24:43.43\00:24:48.63
A resurrection of the
just, a resurrection to life.
00:24:48.63\00:24:50.46
You can be part of that
resurrection by knowing now that
00:24:50.46\00:24:53.93
Jesus truly is yours
and that you truly are His.
00:24:53.93\00:24:57.56
Let's pray.
00:24:57.56\00:25:01.16
And tell Christ today
that we want to be His.
00:25:01.16\00:25:05.00
Our Father in heaven, we thank
you today that you don't leave
00:25:05.00\00:25:08.70
us without hope in this world,
that there is hope in Jesus, and
00:25:08.70\00:25:13.20
we thank you today that
death doesn't remove our hope.
00:25:13.20\00:25:16.30
We are grateful that we can know
that one day there is going to
00:25:16.30\00:25:20.00
be a resurrection and that those
who have chosen to accept your
00:25:20.00\00:25:23.70
gift of life and have chosen
to accept your Son Jesus as Lord
00:25:23.70\00:25:27.13
and Savior, are going to
participate in the resurrection
00:25:27.13\00:25:30.40
of life.
00:25:30.40\00:25:32.03
Lord if is not your plan that
Jesus comes back while we are
00:25:32.03\00:25:35.23
still alive on this earth, then
we want to tell you right now
00:25:35.23\00:25:38.60
that we want to be in
the resurrection to life.
00:25:38.60\00:25:41.30
We want to be with you
throughout all eternity.
00:25:41.30\00:25:43.90
And so today we choose Jesus and
we choose life, and we thank you
00:25:43.90\00:25:46.80
for future assurance that
we can experience here now.
00:25:46.80\00:25:53.96
We thank you in
Jesus name, amen.
00:25:53.96\00:26:10.16
Perhaps our program today has
touched your heart and impressed
00:26:10.16\00:26:12.86
you with a personal
need for deeper bible study.
00:26:12.86\00:26:15.76
If you decide to listen to God
and follow where he leads, we
00:26:15.76\00:26:19.93
have a wonderful resource
that can help you do that in a
00:26:19.93\00:26:21.83
systematic way.
00:26:21.83\00:26:22.93
The discover bible guides.
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These study guides will take
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00:26:25.46\00:26:27.06
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They give you the big picture.
00:26:27.73\00:26:31.20
Show you how all fits together.
00:26:31.20\00:26:32.06
The discover bible guides are a
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00:26:32.06\00:26:36.20
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00:26:36.20\00:26:37.90
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00:26:37.90\00:26:38.50
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00:27:33.30\00:27:38.30
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00:27:38.30\00:27:44.56
Thank you for joining me today.
00:27:44.56\00:27:45.20
I am looking forward
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00:27:45.20\00:27:47.80
And until then, please remember,
It Is Written, man shall not
00:27:47.80\00:27:53.06
live by bread alone but by every
word that proceeds from the
00:27:53.06\00:27:56.53
mouth of God.
00:27:56.53\00:27:58.90