It has stood the test of
time, God's book, the Bible.
00:00:07.23\00:00:17.10
Still relevant in
today's complex world.
00:00:17.10\00:00:22.40
It Is Written,
sharing hope around the globe.
00:00:22.40\00:00:31.13
In 1981 the writer William
Saroyan said something that I
00:00:36.56\00:00:40.73
believe most
everybody can relate to.
00:00:40.73\00:00:44.46
Saroyan had cancer and
knew that it wouldn't be long
00:00:44.46\00:00:47.90
before he died.
00:00:47.90\00:00:49.40
In an interview with an
associated press he said this,
00:00:49.40\00:00:51.50
he said, 'Everybody's got to
die, but I always believed that
00:00:51.50\00:00:56.83
an exception would be made
in my case.' And then he said,
00:00:56.83\00:01:01.80
'now what?' Now,
there's a question when it comes
00:01:01.80\00:01:06.20
to death, Now what?
00:01:06.20\00:01:09.50
You know the Bible says that
people would live three score
00:01:09.50\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 Japan has
the longest life expectancy
00:01:30.76\00:01:32.83
than any 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 Vanuatu 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,
average 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.
00:02:15.40\00:02:16.80
After death, Now what?
00:02:16.80\00:02:20.16
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.
00:02:23.46\00:02:24.96
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
00:02:28.40\00:02:30.86
with it, Adam still managed
to live to be 930 years old.
00:02:30.86\00:02:36.13
Now his son
Seth lived to be 912.
00:02:36.13\00:02:39.43
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,
00:02:43.76\00:02:48.56
lived to be 969 years old.
00:02:48.56\00:02:51.33
That's almost a thousand years.
00:02:51.33\00:02:53.26
A millennium.
00:02:53.26\00:02:54.93
But even Methuselah had
to answer the question, 'Now
00:02:54.93\00:02:58.80
what?' I am sure
you've heard that old saying
00:02:58.80\00:03:03.33
that says 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,
00:03:07.96\00:03:09.83
but unless your
name is Elijah or Enoch,
00:03:09.83\00:03:13.90
there is no way in this
world you are going to be able
00:03:13.90\00:03:18.53
to cheat 'death'.
00:03:18.53\00:03:21.36
I'm here at Mount Hope
Cemetery in College Place
00:03:21.36\00:03:24.23
Washington.
00:03:24.23\00:03:25.80
It's a beautiful place.
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I've been here many, many times.
00:03:27.73\00:03:29.80
When I lived in College Place
Washington, I would often come
00:03:29.80\00:03:32.36
to Mount Hope Cemetery
just to, to walk around.
00:03:32.36\00:03:36.46
As a church pastor in
this area, I officiated many,
00:03:36.46\00:03:39.83
many funerals.
00:03:39.83\00:03:41.33
A lot of which ended up
here at Mount Hope Cemetery.
00:03:41.33\00:03:45.83
Usually in a poignant gathering
around somebody's final, very
00:03:45.83\00:03:49.73
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.
00:03:58.03\00:04:02.46
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
00:04:11.86\00:04:15.33
are usually 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
00:04:22.20\00:04:23.96
a year of death.
00:04:23.96\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
00:04:39.03\00:04:41.40
that many people
lived a good long time.
00:04:41.40\00:04:43.90
A lot of people here lived
to be one hundred years old
00:04:43.90\00:04:47.13
or longer.
00:04:47.13\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
00:05:42.80\00:05:46.50
a satisfactory
answer to that question?
00:05:46.50\00:05:51.60
How can we face with
confidence the inevitability,
00:05:51.60\00:05:57.26
which is death?
00:05:57.26\00:05:59.43
I'll talk with you
about that, just a moment.
00:05:59.43\00:06:03.06
Planning for your financial
future is a vital aspect
00:06:05.70\00:06:08.33
of Christian stewardship.
00:06:08.33\00:06:09.90
For this reason, It Is
Written is pleased to offer free
00:06:09.90\00:06:11.83
planned giving
and estate services.
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For information on how
we can help you, please call
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1.800.992.2219.
00:06:17.03\00:06:21.23
Call today or visit
our special website,
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www.hislegacy.com.
00:06:24.00\00:06:28.83
Death is an invader.
00:06:33.50\00:06:35.23
The Bible calls it an enemy.
00:06:35.23\00:06:38.46
And nobody is immune to it.
00:06:38.46\00:06:40.80
No matter what your
standing or your accomplishments
00:06:40.80\00:06:43.16
in this life.
00:06:43.16\00:06:44.70
Elvis Presley died
at the age of forty two.
00:06:44.70\00:06:47.63
President John F. Kennedy
was forty-six when he died.
00:06:47.63\00:06:50.20
Fame and fortune couldn't
prevent death when coming
00:06:50.20\00:06:52.60
to John Lennon died
at the age of forty.
00:06:52.60\00:06:55.40
Princess Diana was
only thirty-six years old
00:06:55.40\00:06:58.20
when she died.
00:06:58.20\00:06:59.73
Death is no
respecter of persons.
00:06:59.73\00:07:02.60
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
00:07:02.60\00:07:03.60
was thirty-nine years old when
he was gunned down in a motel
00:07:03.60\00:07:06.36
in Memphis, Tennessee.
00:07:06.36\00:07:09.03
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin,
Jim Morrison, all were only 27
00:07:09.03\00:07:11.26
when they died.
00:07:11.26\00:07:15.63
You can be a president or
a pauper, famous or infamous.
00:07:15.63\00:07:20.70
A saint or a sinner,
and death is going to come.
00:07:20.70\00:07:26.20
And then the question is asked,
'Now what?' Some Australian
00:07:26.20\00:07:31.33
aboriginals believe
that when a person dies,
00:07:31.33\00:07:33.06
the spirit goes off to a spirit
world, that person goes to
00:07:33.06\00:07:36.03
the spirit world and the
spirit comes back to guide
00:07:36.03\00:07:40.13
the living through
life in this world.
00:07:40.13\00:07:42.86
New Zealand Maori mythology
teaches that when a person dies,
00:07:42.86\00:07:46.46
the spirit goes to the northern
most part of that country
00:07:46.46\00:07:49.63
therefore departing from
there and returning to their
00:07:49.63\00:07:53.10
ancestral homeland.
00:07:53.10\00:07:54.73
I had a conversation with a
lady from India who told me that
00:07:54.73\00:07:57.26
in her culture, death is viewed
as merely an extension of life.
00:07:57.26\00:08:02.43
The next stage as it were.
00:08:02.43\00:08:05.60
Look at the
tombs of ancient Egypt.
00:08:05.60\00:08:07.80
And you will see that they
testify the ancient Egyptians
00:08:07.80\00:08:11.23
put a lot of care, put a lot
of thought into what happened
00:08:11.23\00:08:15.83
after a person died.
00:08:15.83\00:08:18.16
Greek mythology taught
that the souls of the dead,
00:08:18.16\00:08:19.43
some of them at
least would ferried across
00:08:19.43\00:08:24.60
the River Styx in or to Hades.
00:08:24.60\00:08:28.06
In the ancient Norse believed
a variety of things might
00:08:28.06\00:08:31.43
happen when a person died.
00:08:31.43\00:08:32.80
Among them that those who
were killed in combat might
00:08:32.80\00:08:34.33
go on and inhabit
Valhalla, the hall of the slain.
00:08:34.33\00:08:41.60
But one thing
we know is certain.
00:08:41.60\00:08:44.80
They can't all be right.
00:08:44.80\00:08:46.70
But what all these cultures
have in common is that they all
00:08:46.70\00:08:50.86
believe 'death' is not the end.
00:08:50.86\00:08:54.10
They all believe
something happens beyond
00:08:54.10\00:08:58.30
one's final breath.
00:08:58.30\00:08:59.83
William Saroyan's 'Now
What?' question gets answered.
00:08:59.83\00:09:04.93
The late actress Marlene
Dietrich said once, 'when
00:09:04.93\00:09:08.56
you're dead, you're dead.
00:09:08.56\00:09:10.36
That's it.' But that's not
what most cultures and peoples
00:09:10.36\00:09:14.60
have taught down
through the ages.
00:09:14.60\00:09:16.80
It seems as though as if
most people an innate sense,
00:09:16.80\00:09:19.40
that there is something
beyond one's final breath.
00:09:19.40\00:09:24.73
Does the Bible teach us what
happens after a person dies?
00:09:24.73\00:09:26.86
Yes it does.
00:09:26.86\00:09:28.46
And to clearly understand where
the Bible is coming from on
00:09:28.46\00:09:30.86
this, let's look at
a well know case study.
00:09:30.86\00:09:33.86
Lazarus was a
dear friend of Jesus.
00:09:33.86\00:09:36.63
He was the brother
of Mary and Martha.
00:09:36.63\00:09:40.30
They, who were
also friends of Jesus.
00:09:40.30\00:09:43.00
They lived in Bethany,
about 2 miles outside Jerusalem,
00:09:43.00\00:09:45.23
and Lazarus died.
00:09:45.23\00:09:47.96
Four days after Lazarus
died, Jesus came to Bethany.
00:09:47.96\00:09:52.56
When Martha heard that
Jesus was coming to town, got up
00:09:52.56\00:09:55.76
and ran to meet Jesus.
00:09:55.76\00:09:58.86
And when she saw Jesus she said,
'Lord, if you had been here,
00:09:58.86\00:10:02.00
my brother would have not
died.' You see, she had great
00:10:02.00\00:10:05.63
faith of Jesus
ability to bless and to heal.
00:10:05.63\00:10:09.00
And she had an idea that
death need not be the end
00:10:09.00\00:10:13.73
for her brother.
00:10:13.73\00:10:15.10
She said to Jesus, 'Even
now, I believe whatever you ask
00:10:15.10\00:10:17.73
of God, God will
give it to you.' It was,
00:10:17.73\00:10:20.53
it was a prayer if you like.
00:10:20.53\00:10:25.30
And Jesus said this to Martha;
he agreed with her that death
00:10:25.30\00:10:31.43
was not the end.
00:10:31.43\00:10:34.30
He said, 'Martha, your brother
shall rise again.' You see,
00:10:34.30\00:10:39.33
Jesus told very clearly
that after death, there would be
00:10:39.33\00:10:43.53
a resurrection.
00:10:43.53\00:10:44.73
As a matter of fact, Jesus told
in the bible that there would
00:10:44.73\00:10:48.16
be two resurrections.
00:10:48.16\00:10:49.86
I want you to know something,
only one of them you want
00:10:49.86\00:10:55.10
to be part of.
00:10:55.10\00:10:56.70
I'll tell you more
about that in a moment.
00:10:56.70\00:10:59.03
In Matthew 4:4 the world of
God says, It Is Written, 'Man
00:10:59.03\00:11:06.70
shall not live by bread alone,
but by every word that proceeds
00:11:06.70\00:11:08.96
from the mouth of God.' Every
Word is a one minute bible base
00:11:08.96\00:11:11.83
daily devotional presented
by Pastor John Bradshaw
00:11:11.83\00:11:16.23
and designed specially
for busy people like you.
00:11:16.23\00:11:18.96
Look for Every Word on selected
networks or watch it on line
00:11:18.96\00:11:22.13
every day on our
website, It Is Written dot com.
00:11:22.13\00:11:27.80
Receive a daily spiritual boost,
watch Every Word, you'll be
00:11:27.80\00:11:31.13
glad you did.
00:11:31.13\00:11:32.03
Here is a sample.
00:11:32.03\00:11:35.03
You'll see in a football game
a kicker's shot JUST missing,
00:11:41.76\00:11:45.06
or in baseball a player's
swing for the fence is caught
00:11:45.06\00:11:47.83
by an outfielder
on the warm-up track.
00:11:47.83\00:11:50.86
Nearly, but not quite.
00:11:50.86\00:11:53.00
Now, nothing too
serious when it's
00:11:53.00\00:11:54.46
just a game, but
what if it's your eternal
00:11:54.46\00:11:56.43
destiny? The apostle
Paul appealed to King Agrippa,
00:11:56.43\00:12:00.23
knowing Agrippa believed what
Paul had been teaching about
00:12:00.23\00:12:02.70
the Scriptures.
00:12:02.70\00:12:04.13
And Acts 26:28 records
some of the saddest words
00:12:04.13\00:12:06.90
in the Bible.
00:12:06.90\00:12:07.90
"Then Agrippa said to
Paul, "You almost persuade me
00:12:07.90\00:12:11.53
to become a Christian."
00:12:11.53\00:12:13.20
Almost
persuaded, but totally lost.
00:12:13.20\00:12:15.90
If you're on the
fence, if you're wondering,
00:12:15.90\00:12:17.93
if you're trying to
decide what to do with God,
00:12:17.93\00:12:20.10
with the Bible, I
pray you won't be almost
00:12:20.10\00:12:23.20
persuaded - but totally
persuaded to follow Jesus
00:12:23.20\00:12:26.26
and accept everlasting life.
00:12:26.26\00:12:28.33
I'm John Bradshaw
for It Is Written.
00:12:28.33\00:12:30.76
Let's live today by Every Word.
00:12:30.76\00:12:34.56
Cemeteries like this
are usually peaceful places.
00:12:36.80\00:12:38.66
For some people
cemeteries are painful places,
00:12:38.66\00:12:41.73
because they represent
love ones lost, life gone.
00:12:41.73\00:12:46.73
Something precious
that has been taken away.
00:12:46.73\00:12:51.40
Not long ago I officiated
in a funeral service for a 12
00:12:51.40\00:12:52.53
year old boy who was laid
to rest here in this cemetery.
00:12:52.53\00:12:57.20
He died after a
rather tragic turn of events.
00:12:57.20\00:13:01.83
And you can imagine, it
was a very, very said affair.
00:13:01.83\00:13:03.63
However, I can tell you this.
00:13:03.63\00:13:04.70
That funeral
services was colored by hope.
00:13:04.70\00:13:08.93
Very real hope.
00:13:08.93\00:13:13.86
Because it was known
that one day is going to be
00:13:13.86\00:13:15.36
a resurrection.
00:13:15.36\00:13:16.16
Now, Jesus
comment on this directly.
00:13:16.16\00:13:17.96
Speaking to a crowd of people
one day he said this words which
00:13:17.96\00:13:20.76
are recorded in John
chapter 5, verses 28 and 29.
00:13:20.76\00:13:25.66
Jesus said, 'Marvel not at
this, for the hour is coming
00:13:25.66\00:13:29.16
in the which all that are
in the graves shall hear his
00:13:29.16\00:13:32.66
voice and shall come forth.
00:13:32.66\00:13:35.40
They that have done good
unto the resurrection of life,
00:13:35.40\00:13:39.66
and they that have done
evil unto the resurrection
00:13:39.66\00:13:43.00
of damnation.'
Two resurrections,
00:13:43.00\00:13:46.16
one you want to be in.
00:13:46.16\00:13:50.43
that's the
resurrection to life, the other,
00:13:50.43\00:13:55.76
the resurrection of damnation.
00:13:55.76\00:13:57.66
Now, without going into
all of the details about
00:13:57.66\00:13:59.46
the resurrection of damnation
just now, it's pretty obvious
00:13:59.46\00:14:03.26
that that's not a resurrection
that you or I would want
00:14:03.26\00:14:05.46
to be in.
00:14:05.46\00:14:07.16
two resurrections.
00:14:07.16\00:14:09.06
And there we have the answer
to the 'Now what?' question.
00:14:09.06\00:14:14.50
There is going to be
a resurrection one day.
00:14:14.50\00:14:20.10
Now, let's go back
to the story of Lazarus.
00:14:20.10\00:14:22.40
Jesus had told
Martha, Your brother, Lazarus,
00:14:22.40\00:14:27.83
shall rise again.
00:14:27.83\00:14:29.80
Now, Jesus and Martha are
joined by Mary outside Bethany.
00:14:29.80\00:14:33.13
And Jesus says to them, 'I am
the resurrection and the life.
00:14:33.13\00:14:40.10
He who believes in me, even
though that person was dead,
00:14:40.10\00:14:44.93
that person shall live again.
00:14:44.93\00:14:48.83
Jesus gave them very real hope.
00:14:48.83\00:14:52.70
That there'll no only
be a resurrection one day,
00:14:52.70\00:14:55.70
but a resurrection that anybody
who chooses to accept God's
00:14:55.70\00:15:00.63
great gift can participate in.
00:15:00.63\00:15:03.93
Jesus then says, take me
and show me where Lazarus
00:15:03.93\00:15:06.53
is laid, where he is buried.
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.36
So they went to
Lazarus's graveside.
00:15:08.36\00:15:10.96
Now, Lazarus wasn't
buried in a cemetery like this.
00:15:10.96\00:15:13.93
He was buried in the
equivalent of that age.
00:15:13.93\00:15:18.53
In fact, when they go to Lazarus
grave they discovered Lazarus
00:15:18.53\00:15:22.96
was buried unsurprisingly
in a cave, in a tomb.
00:15:22.96\00:15:25.33
And in front of that cave,
a large stone had been rolled
00:15:25.33\00:15:27.93
for what I think
pretty obvious reasons.
00:15:27.93\00:15:29.93
Jesus then made
a radical request.
00:15:29.93\00:15:33.06
He said, take away the stone
from in front of the grave.
00:15:33.06\00:15:36.96
The people protested, oh,
you don't really want us to do
00:15:36.96\00:15:39.90
that.
00:15:39.90\00:15:41.46
Now, I can understand why
they protested for experience.
00:15:41.46\00:15:45.10
I attended a funeral service
for a man who had been dead
00:15:45.10\00:15:47.73
like Lazarus for four days.
00:15:47.73\00:15:49.13
This was in a place where
embalming was not practiced.
00:15:49.13\00:15:52.93
Let's just say it wasn't pretty.
00:15:52.93\00:15:57.50
I can understand why they did
not want to stone rolled away.
00:15:57.50\00:16:00.13
But Jesus was
insistent, take away the stone.
00:16:00.13\00:16:02.53
And they did.
00:16:02.53\00:16:04.13
And then Jesus to the amazement
of everybody around addressed
00:16:04.13\00:16:08.30
Lazarus, he cried out and
he said, Lazarus, Come forth!
00:16:08.30\00:16:14.43
Have you ever wonder
what the people in that group
00:16:14.43\00:16:16.43
that day were thinking?
00:16:16.43\00:16:18.16
He's asking to get up
and walk out of a cave?
00:16:18.16\00:16:23.66
What's he thinking?
00:16:23.66\00:16:25.30
Jesus said, Lazarus, come forth.
00:16:25.30\00:16:27.16
And then to the amazement
of everybody who looked on,
00:16:27.16\00:16:31.40
clad in grave cloths,
Lazarus walked out of that tomb.
00:16:31.40\00:16:36.30
They took the grave cloth
off him and Lazarus who had been
00:16:36.30\00:16:40.53
dead was very much alive.
00:16:40.53\00:16:41.33
Now, we don't know how
long Lazarus lived after that
00:16:41.33\00:16:48.33
resurrection whether short
of long, the bible doesn't say.
00:16:48.33\00:16:51.06
But we know he lived.
00:16:51.06\00:16:52.86
And we can be certain he
was glad to have his life
00:16:52.86\00:16:56.43
given back to him.
00:16:56.43\00:16:57.83
We can be certain
that his family was glad
00:16:57.83\00:17:03.00
to receive him again.
00:17:03.00\00:17:05.10
And we can be 100 percent
certain that the people looking
00:17:05.10\00:17:07.86
on were absolutely amazed.
00:17:07.86\00:17:09.83
Lazarus had been
raised from the dead.
00:17:09.83\00:17:12.93
This was a foreshadowing
of what will happen one day.
00:17:12.93\00:17:17.30
Jesus said in John 5
there'd be two resurrections.
00:17:17.30\00:17:21.56
The one we want to be in
is the resurrection to life.
00:17:21.56\00:17:26.13
How can we be certain
that we can have a place
00:17:26.13\00:17:29.10
in the resurrection to life.
00:17:29.10\00:17:31.00
I'll tell you
how in just a moment.
00:17:31.00\00:17:34.76
It is written is
dedicated to sharing the gospel
00:17:34.76\00:17:38.10
around the world.
00:17:38.10\00:17:39.60
Our dream is to
impact the world for God.
00:17:39.60\00:17:42.46
Our television program
is only one aspect of how
00:17:42.46\00:17:44.60
we try to accomplish that.
00:17:44.60\00:17:45.73
To discover more
about It Is Written,
00:17:45.73\00:17:48.20
I invite you to
visit our web site,
00:17:48.20\00:17:50.16
itiswritten.com and
browse the dozens of pages
00:17:50.16\00:17:53.33
that describe what
we do and how we do it.
00:17:53.33\00:17:55.96
You'll also find an archive
of past programs in script form
00:17:55.96\00:17:59.13
and there are
streaming video and audio files,
00:17:59.13\00:18:03.43
along with many other
helpful inspirational resources.
00:18:03.43\00:18:06.43
Let's get to know
each other better.
00:18:06.43\00:18:08.46
Visit out website
itiswritten.com today.
00:18:08.46\00:18:13.00
One of the most difficult things
a person can be called upon
00:18:15.86\00:18:19.33
to experience is
the death of a love one.
00:18:19.33\00:18:21.63
Extremely difficult.
00:18:21.63\00:18:23.10
But even in the midst of that,
God does not leave us without
00:18:23.10\00:18:26.83
hope.
00:18:26.83\00:18:29.46
God offers us very real
hope that one day there will be
00:18:29.46\00:18:33.93
a resurrection.
00:18:33.93\00:18:35.66
In the Bible we have the story
of Lazarus, the dear friend
00:18:35.66\00:18:38.23
of Jesus.
00:18:38.23\00:18:39.40
The brother of Mary and
Martha, who after he'd been dead
00:18:39.40\00:18:42.63
for four days, was raised from
the dead when Jesus called out
00:18:42.63\00:18:45.63
to him and said, 'Lazarus, come
forth!' There are many other
00:18:45.63\00:18:49.53
stories in the bible dealing
with resurrections as well.
00:18:49.53\00:18:52.90
In the world of God we have the
widow of Nain who had her son
00:18:52.90\00:18:57.83
given back to her from the
dead through the power of Jesus.
00:18:57.83\00:19:04.10
Then there is the
twelve-year-old daughter
00:19:04.10\00:19:07.46
of a man named Jairus.
00:19:07.46\00:19:09.96
Again, Jesus intervened,
turned death back into life.
00:19:09.96\00:19:14.26
And the man was able to receive
his beloved daughter again.
00:19:14.26\00:19:18.06
Also in the bible in the
book of Acts, there is the story
00:19:18.06\00:19:21.16
of a man named Eutychus who fell
asleep and fell out of a third
00:19:21.16\00:19:24.70
floor window down to
the ground and he died.
00:19:24.70\00:19:30.70
Now, he didn't fall
asleep because the preacher Paul
00:19:30.70\00:19:34.20
was a boring preacher.
00:19:34.20\00:19:36.00
He fell asleep
because it'd been a long day
00:19:36.00\00:19:38.16
and he was simply tired.
00:19:38.16\00:19:39.50
But the preacher Paul went down
to the ground where Eutychus
00:19:39.50\00:19:43.20
laid and God
worked through Paul.
00:19:43.20\00:19:45.90
The power of God worked through
the great apostle and Eutychus
00:19:45.90\00:19:49.16
came back from the dead.
00:19:49.16\00:19:51.66
And then there is
a remarkable story.
00:19:51.66\00:19:53.86
You read about this in the
book of 2 kings and chapter 13.
00:19:53.86\00:19:57.00
A man was on his
way of being buried.
00:19:57.00\00:20:00.56
And that, because there
was an invasion taking place
00:20:00.56\00:20:02.36
a marauding army
approaching town,
00:20:02.36\00:20:06.56
his family just very
hurriedly just put his body
00:20:06.56\00:20:09.76
in the nearest available tomb.
00:20:09.76\00:20:11.30
It happened to be
the tomb of Elisha.
00:20:11.30\00:20:13.96
And this man's body went
into that tomb, and then touch
00:20:13.96\00:20:18.16
the bones, it was put so close
to the bones of Elisha, I guess
00:20:18.16\00:20:22.36
touching the bones of Elisha,
and because he touched the bones
00:20:22.36\00:20:27.66
of the dead prophet,
this man came back to life.
00:20:27.66\00:20:30.50
Can you imagine the surprise
of the family; in fact can you
00:20:30.50\00:20:32.96
imagine the surprise of the
dead man coming back to life,
00:20:32.96\00:20:36.70
discovering he was in a tomb.
00:20:36.70\00:20:38.83
Just one of many.
00:20:38.83\00:20:40.40
There are other stories
besides in the world of God.
00:20:40.40\00:20:43.40
I am not suggesting for
a moment I don't want you
00:20:43.40\00:20:46.16
to misunderstand me.
00:20:46.16\00:20:48.16
I am not suggesting for a moment
that these people are raised
00:20:48.16\00:20:50.50
to immortality.
00:20:50.50\00:20:51.60
They weren't.
00:20:51.60\00:20:52.36
They were raised to
life, and they lived again,
00:20:52.36\00:20:53.70
presumably, we
expect, they died again.
00:20:53.70\00:20:57.50
So they are called
upon to experience being
00:20:57.50\00:21:02.43
resurrected twice.
00:21:02.43\00:21:04.26
God says there is
going to be a resurrection.
00:21:04.26\00:21:08.10
Ttwo resurrections,
one the resurrection
00:21:08.10\00:21:10.33
of damnation.
00:21:10.33\00:21:12.06
But the one that we are most
interested today, the one we
00:21:12.06\00:21:14.86
want to be a part of, should not
we be alive when Jesus returns
00:21:14.86\00:21:17.83
to this earth is the first
resurrection, the resurrection
00:21:17.83\00:21:21.26
to life.
00:21:21.26\00:21:22.90
Okay, so how can you be
certain that you can participate
00:21:22.90\00:21:27.20
in the resurrection to life?
00:21:27.20\00:21:30.63
It's this simple.
00:21:30.63\00:21:32.13
1 John 5: 12 says, 'he, or she
that have the Son, have life.'
00:21:32.13\00:21:39.86
It goes on to say that he or
she who have not the Son of God,
00:21:39.86\00:21:43.33
hath not life.
00:21:43.33\00:21:45.26
If you posses Jesus Christ
by faith, if you believe in Him
00:21:45.26\00:21:49.00
as your personal Savior, as
your Lord, if you would yield
00:21:49.00\00:21:54.66
your life to Him and invite
Jesus to live his life in you,
00:21:54.66\00:22:01.16
then you have the Son.
00:22:01.16\00:22:01.93
And the world of God
says that if you have the Son,
00:22:01.93\00:22:04.63
you have life.
00:22:04.63\00:22:06.26
That's life in this
world and should you die, life
00:22:06.26\00:22:10.40
in the world to come.
00:22:10.40\00:22:14.33
Because you would have
faith in the One the bible calls
00:22:14.33\00:22:17.16
the resurrection and the life.
00:22:17.16\00:22:18.66
You can live in hope today.
00:22:18.66\00:22:19.90
You don't have to fear death.
00:22:19.90\00:22:21.50
I don't know too many people
that embrace death gladly,
00:22:21.50\00:22:24.16
I am not say we are to do that.
00:22:24.16\00:22:25.10
But you don't have to fear
death, because there is hope
00:22:25.10\00:22:26.80
beyond death.
00:22:26.80\00:22:27.30
I've spoke to
people who've looked death
00:22:27.30\00:22:29.96
straight in the eye, knowing
that they were going to die
00:22:29.96\00:22:37.43
with peace in their hearts.
00:22:37.43\00:22:38.00
Why were they able to do that?
00:22:38.00\00:22:39.96
Is not that they were
glad to be leaving, of course
00:22:39.96\00:22:41.16
they were going to
miss their family and their
00:22:41.16\00:22:43.73
love ones.
00:22:43.73\00:22:44.83
But here is what they knew.
00:22:44.83\00:22:47.03
They knew that one day
there would be a resurrection.
00:22:47.03\00:22:49.90
The resurrection to life.
00:22:49.90\00:22:52.66
And they knew that because
they had faith in Jesus Christ,
00:22:52.66\00:22:57.20
they would participate
in that very resurrection.
00:22:57.20\00:23:01.13
They were able to die in faith;
they were able to die in peace.
00:23:01.13\00:23:06.83
I read a story just the other
day about a man in South Africa
00:23:06.83\00:23:09.83
who apparently died.
00:23:09.83\00:23:11.83
He had I think a
terrible asthma attack.
00:23:11.83\00:23:14.60
His family presume that
he was dead and they took him
00:23:14.60\00:23:17.20
to the local mortuary.
00:23:17.20\00:23:18.50
He was put in the refrigerator
drawer in the mortuary.
00:23:18.50\00:23:22.50
About 21 hours later,
mortuary staff was horrified
00:23:22.50\00:23:26.83
and in fact they were terrified.
00:23:26.83\00:23:28.50
They were panic stricken.
00:23:28.50\00:23:30.23
From a drawer in a mortuary
they heard yelling, and shouting
00:23:30.23\00:23:35.40
and screaming.
00:23:35.40\00:23:36.23
It was loud.
00:23:36.23\00:23:37.53
And they panicked.
00:23:37.53\00:23:38.93
They fled, they bolted
out of the mortuary and out
00:23:38.93\00:23:42.93
into the streets.
00:23:42.93\00:23:43.80
They went and found the local
police and said you need to come
00:23:43.80\00:23:46.10
down to the mortuary
where there is something strange
00:23:46.10\00:23:48.43
going on there.
00:23:48.43\00:23:49.53
I feel sorry for the
police how sometimes they get
00:23:49.53\00:23:50.90
the rough jobs.
00:23:50.90\00:23:52.43
They were brought to
the mortuary to investigate
00:23:52.43\00:23:53.86
this terrible happening.
00:23:53.86\00:23:55.33
Screaming and yelling coming
from a drawer where there should
00:23:55.33\00:24:00.60
have been absolute silence.
00:24:00.60\00:24:02.60
They went to the mortuary,
opened up the drawer and found
00:24:02.60\00:24:06.10
the dead man very much alive.
00:24:06.10\00:24:10.16
Now, he was dehydrated, he
was suffering from hypothermia,
00:24:10.16\00:24:13.90
but he was very much alive.
00:24:13.90\00:24:14.46
He was brought out of there,
he was treated, and he was given
00:24:14.46\00:24:17.10
back to his family and he
recuperated and he did well.
00:24:17.10\00:24:24.10
Of course the man
wasn't really dead.
00:24:24.10\00:24:27.20
We could say back from the dead
because he was presumed dead.
00:24:27.20\00:24:30.20
The truth is a mistake had
been made, and he'd been alive
00:24:30.20\00:24:34.26
all along.
00:24:34.26\00:24:35.96
Well, one day, Jesus is going
to come back to this earth,
00:24:35.96\00:24:38.36
and those who were really dead
and died in faith in Christ,
00:24:38.36\00:24:42.30
died with Jesus as their
Savior, are going to participate
00:24:42.30\00:24:47.30
in the resurrection of life.
00:24:47.30\00:24:50.70
Cemeteries like this one all
over the world are going to be
00:24:50.70\00:24:54.53
scenes of intense activity.
00:24:54.53\00:24:57.36
As grapes open up
and as the bible says,
00:24:57.36\00:25:00.36
the dead in Christ rise.
00:25:00.36\00:25:02.40
Should you pass away before
Jesus returns to this earth,
00:25:02.40\00:25:04.13
you can have
very real hope today.
00:25:04.13\00:25:07.50
Because one day there is
going to be a resurrection.
00:25:07.50\00:25:12.70
A resurrection of the
just, a resurrection to life.
00:25:12.70\00:25:14.53
You can be part of that
resurrection by knowing now
00:25:14.53\00:25:18.00
that Jesus truly is yours
and that you truly are His.
00:25:18.00\00:25:21.63
Let's pray.
00:25:21.63\00:25:25.16
And tell Christ today
that we want to be His.
00:25:25.16\00:25:29.00
Our Father in heaven, we thank
you today that you don't leave
00:25:29.00\00:25:32.70
us without hope in this world,
that there is hope in Jesus,
00:25:32.70\00:25:37.20
and we thank you today that
death doesn't remove our hope.
00:25:37.20\00:25:40.30
We are grateful that we can
know that one day there is going
00:25:40.30\00:25:42.20
to be a resurrection and
that those who have chosen
00:25:42.20\00:25:45.53
to accept your gift of
life and have chosen to accept
00:25:45.53\00:25:49.53
your Son Jesus as
Lord and Savior, are going
00:25:49.53\00:25:52.83
to participate in
the resurrection of life.
00:25:52.83\00:25:56.03
Lord if is not your
plan that Jesus comes back
00:25:56.03\00:25:57.80
while we are still alive
on this earth, then we want
00:25:57.80\00:26:01.10
to tell you right
now that we want to be in
00:26:01.10\00:26:04.06
the resurrection to life.
00:26:04.06\00:26:05.36
We want to be with you
throughout all eternity.
00:26:05.36\00:26:07.96
And so today we choose
Jesus and we choose life,
00:26:07.96\00:26:09.66
and we thank you for future
assurance that we can experience
00:26:09.66\00:26:12.50
here now.
00:26:12.50\00:26:18.03
We thank you in
Jesus name, amen.
00:26:18.03\00:26:22.06
The Mystery of Death is a
book that will help you discover
00:26:33.46\00:26:36.13
the truth of the afterlife.
00:26:36.13\00:26:37.43
Death, whenever it happens,
00:26:37.43\00:26:40.50
is a tragedy and people
wonder what happens next.
00:26:40.50\00:26:43.90
In this week's free
book, the Mystery of Death,
00:26:47.20\00:26:49.43
Pastor Bradshaw explores
this often misunderstood subject
00:26:49.43\00:26:52.50
and provides answers
directly from the Bible.
00:26:52.50\00:26:56.06
Just call 1.800.253.3000
and ask for the book
00:26:56.06\00:26:59.60
The Mystery of Death.
00:26:59.60\00:27:01.36
You can call any
time, day or night.
00:27:01.36\00:27:02.86
If the line is
busy, please keep trying.
00:27:02.86\00:27:05.30
You can also request
this free book by writing to
00:27:05.30\00:27:08.13
It Is Written,
Box O, Thousand Oaks
00:27:08.13\00:27:10.13
California 91359
and we will mail a copy
00:27:10.13\00:27:13.46
to your address
in North America.
00:27:13.46\00:27:15.80
Please note this free
book is limited to the supply
00:27:15.80\00:27:18.06
on hand.
00:27:18.06\00:27:19.03
For immediate access,
you can download a free
00:27:19.03\00:27:20.90
electronic version of the
book The Mystery of Death from
00:27:20.90\00:27:24.23
our website itiswritten.com.
00:27:24.23\00:27:27.96
It Is Written is a faith-based
ministry made possible by
00:27:31.13\00:27:33.23
viewers like you.
00:27:33.23\00:27:34.73
Thank you for your letters
and your continued support.
00:27:34.73\00:27:40.00
Thank you for joining me today.
00:27:44.73\00:27:45.63
I am looking forward
to seeing you next time.
00:27:45.63\00:27:47.56
And until then, please remember,
It Is Written, man shall not
00:27:47.56\00:27:52.13
live by bread alone but
by every word that proceeds
00:27:52.13\00:27:56.06
from the mouth of God.
00:27:56.06\00:27:58.23