It has stood the test of time.
00:00:07.26\00:00:11.13
God's book.
00:00:11.13\00:00:13.53
The Bible.
00:00:13.53\00:00:17.16
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.16\00:00:22.10
It is written sharing
hope around the globe.
00:00:22.10\00:00:36.80
It seems hard to deny the
fascination that exists in
00:00:36.80\00:00:40.23
today's society with
the subject of death.
00:00:40.23\00:00:43.20
Look in the media - books and
television programs abound on
00:00:43.20\00:00:47.26
the subject of
death and the hereafter.
00:00:47.26\00:00:50.40
And people consume them like
they're going out of fashion.
00:00:50.40\00:00:53.66
In 1997, a new program began
airing on what was then a new
00:00:53.66\00:00:57.86
television network, drawing as
many as six million viewers per
00:00:57.86\00:01:01.93
episode.
00:01:01.93\00:01:03.40
Buffy The Vampire Slayer was
the story of a teenage girl who
00:01:03.40\00:01:08.10
battled against
demons and vampires.
00:01:08.10\00:01:11.96
Vampires are said to be corpses
that periodically come back from
00:01:11.96\00:01:15.30
the dead to disturb or harass
the living - and Buffy went
00:01:15.30\00:01:19.76
toe-to-toe against the best of
them, as well as against ghosts
00:01:19.76\00:01:23.36
and zombies, other 'things' that
are said to be 'back from the
00:01:23.36\00:01:28.30
dead'.
00:01:28.30\00:01:30.00
In recent years, vampires
have become big business.
00:01:30.00\00:01:33.13
Huge business, in fact.
00:01:33.13\00:01:35.10
In 2005, the first of the series
of four Twilight books was
00:01:35.10\00:01:40.90
released telling the story
of a teenage girl from Forks,
00:01:40.90\00:01:44.76
Washington who fell in love
with a 104 year old vampire.
00:01:44.76\00:01:51.53
In 5 years more than 120 million
copies of the Twilight books
00:01:51.53\00:01:55.53
were sold worldwide and they
spent more than 200 weeks on the
00:01:55.53\00:01:58.76
New York Times
best-seller lists.
00:01:58.76\00:02:01.56
They were extremely popular with
children, even young children,
00:02:01.56\00:02:05.16
in spite of the fact that the
books were, in the words of one
00:02:05.16\00:02:08.20
writer, one long,
bodice-ripping romance.
00:02:08.20\00:02:14.26
Maybe that's a story or a
discussion for another time.
00:02:14.26\00:02:16.46
The author of the Twilight books
said that idea for the series of
00:02:16.46\00:02:19.93
books came to her in a dream.
00:02:19.93\00:02:24.16
Now, of course, the Twilight
books aren't the first books
00:02:24.16\00:02:27.90
written on the subject of
somebody coming back from the
00:02:27.90\00:02:30.36
dead.
00:02:30.36\00:02:31.43
Years ago, Emily Bronte wrote
Wuthering Heights had Wuthering
00:02:31.43\00:02:34.80
Heights had Healthcliff
communicating with the ghost of
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Catherine.
00:02:38.86\00:02:40.36
Go back even further.
00:02:40.36\00:02:41.63
Shakespeare's writings
featured ghosts and spirits
00:02:41.63\00:02:44.50
left and right.
00:02:44.50\00:02:46.86
It's like Shakespeare never
met a ghost he didn't like or at
00:02:46.86\00:02:49.16
least didn't
want to write about.
00:02:49.16\00:02:51.23
But what we have got today are
the mainstreaming of books, and
00:02:51.23\00:02:54.93
movies about the subject that
has become cultural phenomena.
00:02:54.93\00:03:03.43
Now someone is going to ask:
Is there a problem with that?
00:03:03.43\00:03:06.60
From a Biblical point
of view, you bet there is.
00:03:06.60\00:03:10.03
I will tell you what the
problem is in just a moment.
00:03:10.03\00:03:14.56
It is written is dedicated
to sharing the gospel around the
00:03:14.56\00:03:16.86
world.
00:03:16.86\00:03:17.66
To discover more about It Is
Written, I invite you to visit
00:03:17.66\00:03:20.50
our website itiswritten.com
and browse the dozens of pages
00:03:20.50\00:03:24.93
that describe what
we do and how we do it.
00:03:24.93\00:03:27.66
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:03:27.66\00:03:29.76
Visit our website
itiswritten.com today.
00:03:29.76\00:03:33.80
There is no doubt an increasing
fascination in society today
00:03:33.80\00:03:37.53
with death, and life
after death, and the occult.
00:03:37.53\00:03:42.86
Many people are more than happy
to part with their hard earned
00:03:42.86\00:03:45.96
money to be entertained by books
and television programs and
00:03:45.96\00:03:49.73
movies which deal with subjects
which, when you really think
00:03:49.73\00:03:53.83
about it - are pretty bizarre.
00:03:53.83\00:03:56.33
A teenage girl fighting
off vampires and werewolves?
00:03:56.33\00:04:00.23
That was the theme of a very
successful television program.
00:04:00.23\00:04:04.40
Well what about the idea of
a young girl barely out of her
00:04:04.40\00:04:06.96
teens getting...
00:04:06.96\00:04:08.66
intimate with a vampire?
00:04:08.66\00:04:12.03
That idea was behind one of the
most successful series of books
00:04:12.03\00:04:14.90
in all of literary history.
00:04:14.90\00:04:18.33
Hollywood has been playing to
society's fascination with death
00:04:18.33\00:04:21.66
and the beyond for decades.
00:04:21.66\00:04:24.36
In 1990 the late Patrick Swayze
starred in the movie Ghost,
00:04:24.36\00:04:29.46
which promoted the idea
of a dead man coming back and
00:04:29.46\00:04:33.76
communicating
with his grieving wife.
00:04:33.76\00:04:36.43
Now I am not suggesting that
that movie was a documentary or
00:04:36.43\00:04:40.86
was supposed to portray life
as it really is, but what it did
00:04:40.86\00:04:44.30
succeed in doing is
causing millions of people to
00:04:44.30\00:04:50.40
contemplate the idea of
communicating with people who
00:04:50.40\00:04:54.96
have passed away.
00:04:54.96\00:04:56.03
That same year, 1990, another
movie was released, this one
00:04:56.03\00:04:59.56
featuring a host of
up-and-coming hot, young
00:04:59.56\00:05:02.16
Hollywood stars.
00:05:02.16\00:05:03.73
Now the idea behind this movie,
flatliners, was this: a group of
00:05:03.73\00:05:08.13
medical students experimented
with experiencing clinical death
00:05:08.13\00:05:13.26
and then they were brought
back from clinical death so they
00:05:13.26\00:05:16.96
could talk about
what death was like.
00:05:16.96\00:05:20.23
Here is what you
are going to find.
00:05:20.23\00:05:22.36
More people than ever before
have encouraged, have been
00:05:22.36\00:05:27.43
educated to think about
this idea that it is possible to
00:05:27.43\00:05:31.10
communicate with those
who are dead and gone on to
00:05:31.10\00:05:34.43
the other side.
00:05:34.43\00:05:37.06
Here is something
else that is true.
00:05:37.06\00:05:38.66
I'm pretty sure you
know this from experience.
00:05:38.66\00:05:40.83
There are many, many,
many people who would be very
00:05:40.83\00:05:44.53
uncomfortable in a
situation like this - they'd be
00:05:44.53\00:05:47.76
uncomfortable in a cemetery.
00:05:47.76\00:05:50.56
Why?
00:05:50.56\00:05:52.56
Because they have watched
programs, read books, seen
00:05:52.56\00:05:55.23
movies about people that
come back from the dead or about
00:05:55.23\00:05:58.50
ghosts or gouls or goblins
or vampires, the werewolves and
00:05:58.50\00:06:01.56
this sort of thing.
00:06:01.56\00:06:04.80
Are the people here in this
cemetery really going to hurt
00:06:04.80\00:06:06.93
anybody?
00:06:06.93\00:06:08.06
I think we both know that the
answer to that question is "No!"
00:06:08.06\00:06:11.36
I've told people many times
before, "it's not the dead you
00:06:11.36\00:06:14.63
need to worry
about, it's the living.
00:06:14.63\00:06:17.26
But there has been an education
process that has gone on,
00:06:17.26\00:06:21.73
causing people to become very
comfortable with the idea that
00:06:21.73\00:06:25.40
people really do
come back from the dead.
00:06:25.40\00:06:28.83
Now let's consider this
from a Biblical perspective.
00:06:28.83\00:06:33.60
Does the Bible comment on it?
00:06:33.60\00:06:34.70
Oh yes, the Bible does.
00:06:34.70\00:06:36.30
We read now from Job 7:9 & 10.
00:06:36.30\00:06:41.03
"As the cloud is consumed and
vanisheth away, so he that goeth
00:06:41.03\00:06:46.23
down to the grave
shall come up no more.
00:06:46.23\00:06:49.13
He shall return no more to his
house, neither shall his place
00:06:49.13\00:06:52.83
know him any more."
00:06:52.83\00:06:55.70
So if we're going to take what
the Bible says on this subject
00:06:55.70\00:06:58.73
as the guide for what we
believe, we would have to
00:06:58.73\00:07:02.00
conclude that the dead do not
come back to visit the living
00:07:02.00\00:07:04.96
and they certainly don't come
back to suck blood out of the
00:07:04.96\00:07:09.26
necks of unsuspecting victims.
00:07:09.26\00:07:12.16
Yet society is fascinated with
this idea of the dead coming
00:07:12.16\00:07:16.26
back to visit the living.
00:07:16.26\00:07:17.93
Where did this
allure of death come from?
00:07:17.93\00:07:22.63
There are some societies
who embrace this idea very, very
00:07:22.63\00:07:25.50
enthusiastically.
00:07:25.50\00:07:27.50
Every year November the 2nd is
in Mexico known as "Dia de los
00:07:27.50\00:07:32.36
Muertos", or,
the Day of the Dead.
00:07:32.36\00:07:37.10
It's treated somewhat
like a National Holiday.
00:07:37.10\00:07:39.56
It's held very close, or it's
related to All Saints' Day and
00:07:39.56\00:07:42.66
All Souls' Day.
00:07:42.66\00:07:44.26
Altars are erected where
offerings are left for the
00:07:44.26\00:07:48.26
spirits of dead people.
00:07:48.26\00:07:50.86
Candied skulls are
made and left and eaten.
00:07:50.86\00:07:55.56
Various food and drink items are
presented as offerings for those
00:07:55.56\00:07:59.06
who have departed and
passed over to the other side.
00:07:59.06\00:08:03.36
The roots of the Dia de los
Muertos go back hundreds or even
00:08:03.36\00:08:07.30
thousands of years, to
the traditions practiced by
00:08:07.30\00:08:10.93
indigenous cultures.
00:08:10.93\00:08:13.20
Today, people
will visit cemeteries.
00:08:13.20\00:08:15.56
They will go down there in
the hope that their prayers and
00:08:15.56\00:08:18.70
conversations will be heard by
the spirits of the departed who
00:08:18.70\00:08:23.43
would then come back and
tarry and visit with the living.
00:08:23.43\00:08:28.10
For a dead child, a gift of a
toy may be purchased and given,
00:08:28.10\00:08:33.13
maybe alcohol will be bought as
a gift or an offering for a dead
00:08:33.13\00:08:36.96
adult.
00:08:36.96\00:08:38.66
This homage to the dead
penetrates Mexican culture so
00:08:38.66\00:08:43.53
far that even government-run
schools and government buildings
00:08:43.53\00:08:48.36
have small altars erected
in honor of Dia de los muertos.
00:08:48.36\00:08:53.90
Skulls and
skeletons are commonly seen.
00:08:53.90\00:08:57.70
It is believed that these
symbols can be used to honor and
00:08:57.70\00:09:01.03
pay respect to
those who have passed on.
00:09:01.03\00:09:05.10
But what was it Job said?
00:09:05.10\00:09:08.46
Job said: "The
dead...do not return no more to
00:09:08.46\00:09:13.60
their houses anymore."
00:09:13.60\00:09:16.16
So the Bible comes at
this subject from an altogether
00:09:16.16\00:09:21.76
different angle.
00:09:21.76\00:09:23.50
Now North of the border, in
the United States, there is a
00:09:23.50\00:09:28.23
different annual
homage to the dead.
00:09:28.23\00:09:31.80
So what is it with Halloween?
00:09:31.80\00:09:34.63
We'll talk about
that in just a moment.
00:09:34.63\00:09:39.86
In Matthew 4:4 the Word of God
says "It is written 'Man shall
00:09:39.86\00:09:44.40
not live by bread alone but by
every word that proceeds out of
00:09:44.40\00:09:47.96
the mouth of God'."
00:09:47.96\00:09:49.43
Every Word is a one minute
Bible-based daily devotional
00:09:49.43\00:09:52.76
presented by Pastor John
Bradshaw and designed especially
00:09:52.76\00:09:55.73
for busy people like you.
00:09:55.73\00:09:58.00
Look for Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on-line
00:09:58.00\00:10:01.70
everyday on our
website itiswritten.com.
00:10:01.70\00:10:06.40
Receive a daily spiritual boost.
00:10:06.40\00:10:07.60
Watch Every Word.
00:10:07.60\00:10:08.90
You'll be glad you did.
00:10:08.90\00:10:13.80
Death is a
pretty serious business.
00:10:13.80\00:10:16.86
It's also pretty ugly business.
00:10:16.86\00:10:20.06
Death causes people to
experience intensely painful
00:10:20.06\00:10:23.36
emotions.
00:10:23.36\00:10:25.10
Anguish.
00:10:25.10\00:10:26.00
Grief.
00:10:26.00\00:10:26.96
Death brings a
whole lot of difficulty.
00:10:26.96\00:10:30.73
And there is a reason for that.
00:10:30.73\00:10:32.56
When God created Adam and
Eve back in the beginning, he
00:10:32.56\00:10:36.43
created them with the idea
that they would live forever.
00:10:36.43\00:10:40.33
Death was not a part
of God's original plan.
00:10:40.33\00:10:44.33
Adam and Eve were created
to experience joy and peace and
00:10:44.33\00:10:48.73
gladness and
happiness and contentment.
00:10:48.73\00:10:52.86
Death came into the picture
as an intruder, and brought
00:10:52.86\00:10:57.13
emotions that were
foreign to the human family.
00:10:57.13\00:11:00.53
Emotions that today, we
still wrestle with some real
00:11:00.53\00:11:04.80
difficulty.
00:11:04.80\00:11:06.10
You see, God told Adam and Eve
that everything would work out
00:11:06.10\00:11:08.56
if they simply followed his
perfect prescription for a happy
00:11:08.56\00:11:12.70
life.
00:11:12.70\00:11:13.90
He said in the Garden of
Eden they could do anything they
00:11:13.90\00:11:16.33
wanted, pretty much, and eat
absolutely anything they liked,
00:11:16.33\00:11:18.56
except for the fruit that grew
on the tree of the knowledge of
00:11:18.56\00:11:21.76
good and evil.
00:11:21.76\00:11:23.66
God said "if you eat
that, then you will die."
00:11:23.66\00:11:27.10
Death will come.
00:11:27.10\00:11:28.40
Today, we are still bearing the
consequences of what Adam and
00:11:28.40\00:11:31.53
Eve did long ago
in the Garden of Eden.
00:11:31.53\00:11:37.93
What they did proved
Paul's words to be true.
00:11:37.93\00:11:39.20
Paul said" The
wages of sin is death."
00:11:39.20\00:11:44.20
So what, about the subject of
Halloween, which glorifies death
00:11:44.20\00:11:49.83
and makes death almost something
to be laughed at, enjoyed,
00:11:49.83\00:11:54.76
something of sport and fun?
00:11:54.76\00:11:57.53
You see the houses in the United
States, and perhaps in some
00:11:57.53\00:12:00.10
other parts of the
world, towards the end of every
00:12:00.10\00:12:03.33
October.
00:12:03.33\00:12:03.96
Now, you've got the run of the
mill Halloween decorations: the
00:12:03.96\00:12:07.13
jack-o-lanterns - they're the
carved out pumpkins - and then
00:12:07.13\00:12:12.03
maybe some fake cobwebs on
the sides of houses or on doors,
00:12:12.03\00:12:14.83
something like that.
00:12:14.83\00:12:15.43
But then you've got
the homes that really.
00:12:15.43\00:12:17.96
And on the front yard there
are fake caskets and there are
00:12:17.96\00:12:22.30
tombstones on the lawn and there
might even be life-size witches
00:12:22.30\00:12:25.10
hanging from trees or
fixed to the sides of homes.
00:12:25.10\00:12:29.53
I have seen them up on roofs.
00:12:29.53\00:12:32.30
Halloween celebrates that idea
that there is life after death
00:12:32.30\00:12:35.80
in another
dimension on the other side.
00:12:35.80\00:12:37.73
Halloween celebrates the idea
of the dead coming back and not
00:12:37.73\00:12:43.20
only communicating with but
bothering those that are living.
00:12:43.20\00:12:49.26
Is that really something that
you think God smiles upon and
00:12:49.26\00:12:52.60
blesses?
00:12:52.60\00:12:53.66
Is that something that
Bible-believing Christians could
00:12:53.66\00:12:56.60
really, conscientiously
participate in, knowing that
00:12:56.60\00:12:58.90
they have got
the blessing of God?
00:12:58.90\00:13:01.13
I'd like you to consider this.
00:13:01.13\00:13:01.93
Halloween really
muddies the Biblical waters.
00:13:01.93\00:13:10.16
I'll tell you why.
00:13:10.16\00:13:11.53
Halloween celebrates the idea
that people live on after death,
00:13:11.53\00:13:17.46
but what does the Bible say?
00:13:17.46\00:13:20.43
Consider these allusions
in Bible verses from the Old
00:13:20.43\00:13:23.20
Testament.
00:13:23.20\00:13:23.96
You will read
about King "so and so".
00:13:23.96\00:13:26.13
He lived and died and
then what does the Bible say?
00:13:26.13\00:13:28.66
He slept with his fathers.
00:13:28.66\00:13:30.90
This other king lived, died,
was buried and he slept with his
00:13:30.90\00:13:33.90
fathers.
00:13:33.90\00:13:35.56
The Bible uses that
phrase in relation to the kings
00:13:35.56\00:13:38.33
many times.
00:13:38.33\00:13:40.13
Now remember the story of
Stephen, the martyr of the book
00:13:40.13\00:13:44.33
of Acts, right around the end
of Acts Chapter 7, beginning of
00:13:44.33\00:13:47.06
Acts Chapter 8.
00:13:47.06\00:13:49.06
Stephen was stoned with stones.
00:13:49.06\00:13:51.76
The Bible says " after he
had spoken with God, he fel
00:13:51.76\00:13:55.33
asleep."
00:13:55.33\00:13:56.93
Now, what did that mean?
00:13:56.93\00:13:58.40
You know that he didn't fall
asleep, that "I'll see you in
00:13:58.40\00:14:00.83
the morning sleep".
00:14:00.83\00:14:02.20
This was a sleep that you would
call a sleep of death, where
00:14:02.20\00:14:07.73
Stephen would sleep in his grave
until Jesus comes and wakes him
00:14:07.73\00:14:13.73
up in the resurrection.
00:14:13.73\00:14:15.93
You know, the Bible says things
like this: "I would not have you
00:14:15.93\00:14:19.53
to be ignorant,
brethren, concerning them
00:14:19.53\00:14:23.00
which are asleep."
00:14:23.00\00:14:25.80
What does the Bible
mean when it says that?
00:14:25.80\00:14:28.80
It certainly doesn't mean a
person lived and died and went
00:14:28.80\00:14:32.10
to heaven.
00:14:32.10\00:14:33.46
How can you be
sleeping when you are in heaven?
00:14:33.46\00:14:36.36
Ah, and somebody is going to say
- the body is sleeping but the
00:14:36.36\00:14:38.36
spirit is in ......
00:14:38.36\00:14:40.70
Do you know what
the Word of God teaches?
00:14:40.70\00:14:42.70
The Word of God teaches that a
person is a combination of body
00:14:42.70\00:14:45.96
plus breath.
00:14:45.96\00:14:48.40
You go back to Genesis 2.
00:14:48.40\00:14:50.50
God made the body Adam and then
he breathed the breath of life
00:14:50.50\00:14:55.26
into his nostrils and the Bible
says Adam became a living soul.
00:14:55.26\00:15:02.53
The Word of God does not say
God gave Adam a soul, which then
00:15:02.53\00:15:06.36
would depart his
body when he died.
00:15:06.36\00:15:08.66
Instead, the Bible says Adam,
like everybody else from Adam
00:15:08.66\00:15:12.06
down to here, with the exception
of Enoch and Elijah, who were
00:15:12.06\00:15:16.46
taken straight to heaven ...
00:15:16.46\00:15:17.46
everybody else
lives and dies and sleeps.
00:15:17.46\00:15:21.70
A dreamless sleep.
00:15:21.70\00:15:23.60
Sleeping in the grave or
wherever the final resting place
00:15:23.60\00:15:26.86
might be, waiting
for the resurrection.
00:15:26.86\00:15:30.96
Have you ever wondered why there
would even be a resurrection if
00:15:30.96\00:15:35.96
people, when they die, go to
heaven or hell or purgatory or
00:15:35.96\00:15:41.36
some other place?
00:15:41.36\00:15:42.96
I remember as a
child, wrestling with that.
00:15:42.96\00:15:45.96
Standing at the graveside while
someone is being buried and the
00:15:45.96\00:15:49.36
officiant saying, "Well, now
we commit this person's body to
00:15:49.36\00:15:53.13
grave where it waits
for the resurrection.
00:15:53.13\00:15:54.73
But back in the church,
that same person celebrating the
00:15:54.73\00:15:58.73
funeral service had said "now we
can all be glad because Mr. or
00:15:58.73\00:16:03.93
Mrs. So and So, Brother or
Sister So and So is in heaven."
00:16:03.93\00:16:07.20
How can they be in heaven and
in the grave at exactly the same
00:16:07.20\00:16:10.33
time?
00:16:10.33\00:16:11.80
No.
00:16:11.80\00:16:12.83
The Bible says that a
person lives, dies and sleeps.
00:16:12.83\00:16:15.86
A dreamless, peaceful sleep
waiting for the resurrection.
00:16:15.86\00:16:24.00
That's the only interpretation
of what happens in death that
00:16:24.00\00:16:27.43
can possibly make sense.
00:16:27.43\00:16:28.96
If people go to heaven or go to
hell when they die or that makes
00:16:28.96\00:16:33.13
communication with the dead
possible, that breathes life
00:16:33.13\00:16:37.03
into Halloween celebration
and one says, well, maybe that's
00:16:37.03\00:16:41.03
kind of what happens.
00:16:41.03\00:16:42.03
But no.
00:16:42.03\00:16:43.10
God has got a better plan.
00:16:43.10\00:16:44.30
His people live.
00:16:44.30\00:16:46.03
They die in faith in Christ.
00:16:46.03\00:16:47.33
They sleep the sleep of death
and wake up in the resurrection
00:16:47.33\00:16:54.03
when Jesus comes
back to take them home.
00:16:54.03\00:16:55.50
In recent years, the idea of
communicating with the dead has
00:16:55.50\00:16:58.70
gotten a big boost through the
resurgents of spiritist mediums.
00:16:58.70\00:17:06.40
We'll talk about
them in just a moment.
00:17:06.40\00:17:10.56
Perhaps something in
today's program has sparked your
00:17:10.56\00:17:12.06
interest in greater Bible study.
00:17:12.06\00:17:13.26
We invite you to visit our
website itiswritten.com where
00:17:13.26\00:17:19.60
you will find a host
of inspirational resources
00:17:19.60\00:17:21.73
including free Bible study
guides, there's also a complete
00:17:21.73\00:17:24.60
archive of past television
programs and special video
00:17:24.60\00:17:28.93
seminars that you can
view on-line or download.
00:17:28.93\00:17:31.13
Discover more at itiswritten.com
The subject of death and life
00:17:31.13\00:17:37.00
after death really seems to have
gone mainstream in the last few
00:17:37.00\00:17:40.70
years.
00:17:40.70\00:17:41.70
The media, and I am referring
to books, movies and television
00:17:41.70\00:17:47.36
have really strongly promoted
the idea that spirits from the
00:17:47.36\00:17:48.76
other side can come back
and communicate with the living.
00:17:48.76\00:17:53.36
And something else that has gone
strongly mainstream in the last
00:17:53.36\00:17:56.43
few years is the
popularity of spiritist Mediums.
00:17:56.43\00:18:02.86
People who claim to be able
to put the living in touch with
00:18:02.86\00:18:06.16
the dead.
00:18:06.16\00:18:07.83
What a comforting thought.
00:18:07.83\00:18:10.00
A grieving, lonely spouse might
be able to receive a visit from
00:18:10.00\00:18:13.53
a departed spouse.
00:18:13.53\00:18:15.23
Maybe surviving children
can receive communications from
00:18:15.23\00:18:18.06
their departed parents or living
parents might be able to receive
00:18:18.06\00:18:21.73
visits from their dead children.
00:18:21.73\00:18:24.10
It's easy to see how that
thought might be comforting
00:18:24.10\00:18:26.73
to some.
00:18:26.73\00:18:28.70
I was watching a popular
television program a few years
00:18:28.70\00:18:30.90
ago in which a well-known
spiritist medium offered to put
00:18:30.90\00:18:35.16
somebody in contact
with her departed sister.
00:18:35.16\00:18:38.60
This somebody was Denise Brown
and her departed sister was
00:18:38.60\00:18:43.36
Nicole Brown Simpson who had
been the wife of O J Simpson and
00:18:43.36\00:18:48.73
who had been tragically
murdered a few years before.
00:18:48.73\00:18:52.60
The crowd watched on with real
interest as the medium started
00:18:52.60\00:18:56.60
to, in just a short amount of
time bring messages purportedly
00:18:56.60\00:19:01.56
from Denise's dead sister.
00:19:01.56\00:19:05.33
Denise was very impressed.
00:19:05.33\00:19:07.86
She said that the medium
was bringing back messages that
00:19:07.86\00:19:11.36
could only have
come from Nicole.
00:19:11.36\00:19:13.46
Some of the details were very
personal, known only to Nicole
00:19:13.46\00:19:16.26
and the surviving Denise.
00:19:16.26\00:19:20.16
But how could that be when the
Bible says that the dead do not
00:19:20.16\00:19:24.83
communicate with the living.
00:19:24.83\00:19:26.86
As a matter of fact, the prophet
Isaiah stated strongly that God
00:19:26.86\00:19:31.13
is against people
communicating with the dead.
00:19:31.13\00:19:35.60
He said that God was against
people going to those that have
00:19:35.60\00:19:38.66
familiar spirits.
00:19:38.66\00:19:40.56
That would be going to people
who are spiritist mediums.
00:19:40.56\00:19:45.53
Again and again, Denise said:
Well, what I'm hearing could
00:19:45.53\00:19:49.86
only come from Nicole.
00:19:49.86\00:19:51.36
She is the only one
who could have known that.
00:19:51.36\00:19:54.83
The crowd looked as though they
wanted to know more and more.
00:19:54.83\00:19:59.23
And I am referring
to the studio audience.
00:19:59.23\00:20:00.93
Were they ever impressed.
00:20:00.93\00:20:03.16
That must be
Nicole, Denise said.
00:20:03.16\00:20:05.96
Only she knows that.
00:20:05.96\00:20:07.76
Well, what I couldn't figure is
that if she was really Nicole,
00:20:07.76\00:20:10.93
how come Nicole couldn't tell
Denise whether O.J was the real
00:20:10.93\00:20:14.03
killer or not?
00:20:14.03\00:20:20.73
So, let's ask the question: If
communicating with the dead is
00:20:20.73\00:20:25.13
something that God does not
sanction, can this communication
00:20:25.13\00:20:29.03
really have come from God?
00:20:29.03\00:20:32.36
If God has outlawed human beings
speaking to the dead via the
00:20:32.36\00:20:37.66
instrument of a spirit medium,
could this really have been
00:20:37.66\00:20:41.83
something that came
with God's blessing?
00:20:41.83\00:20:44.53
You know, I've read where one
spirit medium said, "My work is
00:20:44.53\00:20:47.63
very powerful.
00:20:47.63\00:20:49.93
It is God's work."
00:20:49.93\00:20:51.93
Now, if you're not familiar with
what the Bible says about this
00:20:51.93\00:20:54.76
subject, you might
think it is God's work.
00:20:54.76\00:20:58.16
But if you are familiar with
what the Bible says, you might
00:20:58.16\00:21:02.66
have to come to a
different conclusion.
00:21:02.66\00:21:05.20
And what
conclusion might that be?
00:21:05.20\00:21:08.40
I think we need to admit that
the Devil is more than capable
00:21:08.40\00:21:13.73
of communicating with the minds
of people and of pressing them
00:21:13.73\00:21:17.23
with certain
thoughts and certain ideas.
00:21:17.23\00:21:20.70
You know, one of the movies
I mentioned earlier in today's
00:21:20.70\00:21:23.43
program had a promotional line
which said, Some lines shouldn't
00:21:23.43\00:21:27.83
be crossed.
00:21:27.83\00:21:30.00
And that's very good advice.
00:21:30.00\00:21:31.83
Some lines shouldn't be crossed.
00:21:31.83\00:21:34.66
While vampires, werewolves and
zombies aren't true, aren't real
00:21:34.66\00:21:40.93
and are simply the product
overactive imaginations, do you
00:21:40.93\00:21:45.76
think it's safe or right that we
should treat them like harmless
00:21:45.76\00:21:49.60
playthings?
00:21:49.60\00:21:51.33
If people don't really come back
from the dead, if people don't
00:21:51.33\00:21:55.50
really communicate with the
other side, if that's not good,
00:21:55.50\00:21:59.53
if that's not right, if that
doesn't have God's blessing, is
00:21:59.53\00:22:04.63
that the sort of thing that we
want to make our entertainment?
00:22:04.63\00:22:07.90
Is it really appropriate
that people ought to be reading
00:22:07.90\00:22:11.00
books, watching movies and
television programs that deal
00:22:11.00\00:22:14.53
with those themes and treat
those untrue, unbiblical ideas
00:22:14.53\00:22:17.76
as though they are
accurate and right?
00:22:17.76\00:22:22.93
Is that the sort of things
we want to bring into our minds?
00:22:22.93\00:22:26.26
It's hard to imagine that that
would be appropriate or healthy.
00:22:26.26\00:22:29.93
It's hard to imagine
that it would be harmless.
00:22:29.93\00:22:34.43
And it's pretty easy to imagine
that it might be harmful.
00:22:34.43\00:22:40.36
It's pretty hard to imagine that
vampires are God's gift to the
00:22:40.36\00:22:43.83
literary world, not so hard
to imagine that they might have
00:22:43.83\00:22:48.36
sprung from some other place.
00:22:48.36\00:22:51.53
Now look - I'm not suggesting
that if somebody were to read
00:22:51.53\00:22:54.70
one of the Twilight books they
are automatically going straight
00:22:54.70\00:22:57.10
away turn into the devil.
00:22:57.10\00:22:58.86
That's not what I
am suggesting at all.
00:22:58.86\00:23:01.53
I know that people want to
be entertained and I know that
00:23:01.53\00:23:04.00
people want to have fun, but
what the Bible is suggesting is
00:23:04.00\00:23:07.53
that it is not harmless for
us to entertain ideas that are
00:23:07.53\00:23:11.03
directly opposed to
the truths of God's word.
00:23:11.03\00:23:14.33
It isn't safe for us to get away
from the platform, the strong
00:23:14.33\00:23:19.06
foundation of the Bible
and then go and live our lives
00:23:19.06\00:23:23.06
entertaining ideas and feeding
our minds with ideas that don't
00:23:23.06\00:23:28.50
come from God but
instead come from the enemy.
00:23:28.50\00:23:33.33
You see, there's One who
conquered death, and His name is
00:23:33.33\00:23:38.20
Jesus.
00:23:38.20\00:23:39.73
If we are going to be
celebrating anybody at all
00:23:39.73\00:23:42.20
coming up out of the grave, we
ought to be rejoicing today that
00:23:42.20\00:23:45.53
Jesus has triumphed over the
grave, that he has come out of
00:23:45.53\00:23:49.23
the grave and that today he
is not dead but he is alive.
00:23:49.23\00:23:53.93
Anything else that you might be
celebrating regarding somebody
00:23:53.93\00:23:57.33
coming back from the dead,
that's a deception and that's a
00:23:57.33\00:24:01.50
counterfeit.
00:24:01.50\00:24:02.93
The Bible teaches that death and
the grave will one day be cast
00:24:02.93\00:24:08.30
into the lake of fire.
00:24:08.30\00:24:10.30
Revelation 21:4 says
this: "God shall wipe away
00:24:10.30\00:24:15.10
all tears from their eyes.
00:24:15.10\00:24:17.66
And there shall be no
more death, neither sorrow,
00:24:17.66\00:24:23.16
nor crying." (Rev
21:4.) When Jesus died on a
00:24:23.16\00:24:26.70
cross 2000 years ago, he died
to pay the penalty for your sins
00:24:26.70\00:24:31.06
and mine.
00:24:31.06\00:24:32.83
Jesus died after
having lived a perfect life.
00:24:32.83\00:24:36.56
And he died and then says to
us: If you will accept me you're
00:24:36.56\00:24:41.40
your life, if you will trust me
then my death will stand in the
00:24:41.40\00:24:46.23
place of your death and I
will give you as a gift the
00:24:46.23\00:24:51.46
everlasting life, not that you
deserved, but that I deserved, I
00:24:51.46\00:24:56.36
will give it to you as a gift
so that you can live with me
00:24:56.36\00:25:00.43
forever.
00:25:00.43\00:25:02.60
That's a gift God
wants you to accept.
00:25:02.60\00:25:06.46
You can have it today.
00:25:06.46\00:25:09.63
The demons, the zombies,
the vampires, the ghosts, the
00:25:09.63\00:25:13.90
goblins-- Distractions.
00:25:13.90\00:25:19.33
Designed very purposefully to
lead us away from the wonderful
00:25:19.33\00:25:23.76
truths of the Bible.
00:25:23.76\00:25:26.00
Yes, somebody
came out of the grave.
00:25:26.00\00:25:28.63
Jesus.
00:25:28.63\00:25:29.83
He went to heaven where he was
at the right hand of the Father,
00:25:29.83\00:25:34.06
interceding for
people like you and me.
00:25:34.06\00:25:36.66
And one day he is coming back.
00:25:36.66\00:25:38.70
He is coming back for you.
00:25:38.70\00:25:40.00
He wants to take you with
him to be with him forever.
00:25:40.00\00:25:46.53
By choosing Jesus today,
you're saying "Count me in.
00:25:46.53\00:25:49.93
I'd like to trust in you.
00:25:49.93\00:25:51.76
I thank you Jesus, that you are
the resurrection and the life.
00:25:51.76\00:25:56.56
Let's pray together.
00:25:56.56\00:25:58.93
Father in heaven, we thank you
today for the truth that Jesus
00:25:58.93\00:26:02.53
has triumphed over death, that
Jesus has conquered the grave
00:26:02.53\00:26:08.00
and that one day there will
be no more death and we will be
00:26:08.00\00:26:12.53
able to live in a place where
there is life, where there is
00:26:12.53\00:26:16.26
life and only life forever.
00:26:16.26\00:26:19.00
Lord, by your grace thank you
that we can be part of that and
00:26:19.00\00:26:23.76
we pray in Jesus' name, Amen.
00:26:23.76\00:26:28.73
Perhaps our program today has
touched your heart and impressed
00:26:28.73\00:26:31.60
you with a personal
need for deeper Bible study.
00:26:31.60\00:26:34.26
If you desire to listen to God
and follow where he leads, we've
00:26:34.26\00:26:37.80
got a wonderful resource
that can help you do that in a
00:26:37.80\00:26:40.36
systemic way, the
Discover Bible Guides.
00:26:40.36\00:26:43.86
These study guides will take
you through the essential truths
00:26:43.86\00:26:46.56
taught in Scripture.
00:26:46.56\00:26:49.66
They give you the big
picture showing how it all fits
00:26:49.66\00:26:52.40
together.
00:26:52.40\00:26:53.46
The Discover Bible Guides are a
wonderful way for you to become
00:26:53.46\00:26:55.60
grounded in the Word of God and
to see how Jesus Christ relates
00:26:55.60\00:26:58.40
to all the areas of our lives.
00:26:58.40\00:27:00.73
Please call or write us and the
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00:27:12.96\00:27:16.66
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00:27:16.66\00:27:19.83
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Thank you for your
letters and continued support.
00:27:40.66\00:27:46.20
Thanks for joining me today.
00:27:46.20\00:27:47.40
I hope you'll join
me again next time.
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.33
And until then, please
Iremember: It is written, Man
00:27:50.33\00:27:54.53
shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds
00:27:54.53\00:27:57.50
from the mouth of God.
00:27:57.50\00:27:59.93