>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:19.75\00:00:21.52
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:21.55\00:00:24.15
In 2019, an athlete running
in the men's 5,000 meters
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at a Diamond League
event in Lausanne, Switzerland,
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had victory in his sights.
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He was well clear of
the rest of the field,
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and when he ran
into the home straight,
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he stretched his
lead to about 25 meters.
00:00:38.20\00:00:41.07
It was a dominating run.
00:00:41.10\00:00:43.24
He crossed the finish line
and raised his arms in victory,
00:00:43.27\00:00:46.27
waving to the crowd.
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But the problem was this:
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If the race had been the 4,600
meters, he would have been fine,
00:00:50.18\00:00:54.95
but he has miscalculated
the number of laps to run.
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He finished just as
the bell was being sounded.
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There was a lap to go.
00:01:02.76\00:01:04.73
He thought he had it won.
00:01:04.76\00:01:06.83
He got back into the
race, but he was spent.
00:01:06.86\00:01:10.53
He ended up finishing 10th.
00:01:10.57\00:01:13.17
He thought he had
it won, but he didn't.
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And if you read the
Bible, you're going to find out
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that there are people who think
they have everlasting life,
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but they don't.
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They come up short
for an important reason.
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We look at that today
00:01:25.88\00:01:26.92
as we study another
great chapter of the Bible.
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Today: John chapter 3.
00:01:29.82\00:01:32.95
Jesus says in Matthew
chapter 7 there will be people
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who say to Him, "Lord,
we've prophesied in Your name.
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We've cast out devils.
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We've done many
wonderful works."
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And they get the
surprise of their lives
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to hear Jesus say in
verse 23, "I never knew you;
00:01:43.73\00:01:47.80
depart from me, you
who practice lawlessness!"
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They thought they had it won.
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Somehow they thought
they'd been honoring God.
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And in Revelation
chapter 3, Jesus says to people,
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"You say, 'I am
rich, have become wealthy,
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and have need of nothing'--
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and do not know that
you are wretched, miserable,
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poor, blind, and naked."
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He says in verse 16,
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"You are lukewarm,
and neither cold nor hot,"
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and so therefore, "I will
vomit you out of my mouth."
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People who thought they
were okay, but they weren't.
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Now, they were
righteous, all right,
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but they were self-righteous,
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and
self-righteousness is deadly.
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We find another individual
like that in John chapter 3.
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Now, talk about John 3,
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and it's likely a person's mind
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will
automatically go to...John 3:16.
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It's said to be
the most famous verse
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of all the 31,000 or
so verses in the Bible.
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It's said that John
3:16 encapsulates the gospel
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like no other verse.
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Some athletes will
write John 3:16 on themselves
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or their uniforms
when they compete.
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Signs saying "John 3:16"
are held up at sporting events.
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Even fast-food restaurants
have printed John 3:16
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on their paper cups.
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It's a well-known
verse for good reason.
00:03:05.65\00:03:08.18
It's easy to memorize.
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"For God so loved the world,
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that He gave His
only begotten Son,
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that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish,
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but have everlasting life."
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But what's the
context of John 3:16?
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What was going on at the time?
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What prompted
those words to be said?
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Who said them?
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Now, Jesus spoke those
words, but why did He do so?
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And to whom was He speaking?
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Let's look in John chapter
3, and let's begin in verse 1.
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John 3 and verse 1.
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The Bible says this:
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"There was a man of the
Pharisees, named Nicodemus,
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a ruler of the Jews."
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Nicodemus was an important man.
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The Pharisees are
mentioned almost a hundred times
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in the New Testament.
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They were a sect, a
group of leaders among Judaism
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at the time.
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They were known
for their strictness,
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their obedience to the law.
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Which might sound
like a good thing,
00:04:02.60\00:04:04.54
except that these individuals--
at least as they're presented
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in the context of
Jesus' life and ministry--
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were very big on tradition,
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not so big on
experiencing a change of heart.
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They often opposed Jesus
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because they felt He
wasn't giving their traditions
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the respect that
those traditions deserved.
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Give you an example.
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It was a group of Pharisees
who complained to Jesus
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that His followers
were not washing their hands
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in a certain ritualistic way.
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Completely unnecessary,
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but to them it was important
that the tradition was followed.
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And in that
exchange, Jesus pointed out
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that while they were insistent
about keeping traditions,
00:04:41.41\00:04:44.91
they themselves were
breaking the commandments of God
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in an egregious way.
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Nicodemus was a Pharisee,
00:04:51.35\00:04:53.42
but it's clear that he was
a Pharisee with a difference.
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He came to Jesus and engaged
Jesus in a spiritual discussion.
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Verse 2: "This man came to
Jesus by night and said to Him,
00:05:02.53\00:05:08.34
'Rabbi, we know that You
are a teacher come from God;
00:05:08.37\00:05:12.31
for no one can do
these signs that You do
00:05:12.34\00:05:15.01
unless God is with him.'"
00:05:15.04\00:05:16.95
This was an attempt at
righteousness by flattery.
00:05:16.98\00:05:20.88
He was drawn to Jesus
00:05:20.92\00:05:22.52
but wasn't ready to
consider Jesus as the Messiah.
00:05:22.55\00:05:26.69
And you'll notice that
he came to Jesus at night.
00:05:26.72\00:05:29.49
It wouldn't have worked
out well for Nicodemus at all
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if he'd been seen talking
to Jesus, so he came in secret.
00:05:32.23\00:05:36.60
And here's where John
3 really begins to soar.
00:05:36.63\00:05:40.60
Jesus talks about what it means
to be a follower of Christ.
00:05:40.64\00:05:44.61
Now, there were some real gaps
00:05:44.64\00:05:45.84
in Nicodemus's
spiritual experience,
00:05:45.87\00:05:48.11
even though he
thought he was doing fine.
00:05:48.14\00:05:51.68
In spite of the fact
that most people in Jerusalem
00:05:51.71\00:05:53.78
would have
thought that Nicodemus
00:05:53.82\00:05:54.75
was a master in
Israel, as Jesus called him.
00:05:54.78\00:05:58.62
The tragedy is that even
many of Jesus' own followers
00:05:58.65\00:06:01.86
didn't quite understand
00:06:01.89\00:06:03.26
what Jesus told
His nocturnal visitor.
00:06:03.29\00:06:06.53
Let's look at what Jesus said.
This is John 3 and verse 3:
00:06:06.56\00:06:10.83
"Jesus answered and
said to him, 'Most assuredly,
00:06:10.87\00:06:14.10
I say to you,
unless one is born again,
00:06:14.14\00:06:18.41
he cannot see
the kingdom of God.'"
00:06:18.44\00:06:20.78
That phrase "born again"
also means "born from above."
00:06:21.44\00:06:25.45
A person, Jesus said,
needs to be born from above,
00:06:25.48\00:06:28.88
which, of course,
is to be born again.
00:06:28.92\00:06:31.79
But it seems Nicodemus
took the meaning as "again"
00:06:31.82\00:06:34.69
as he tries
something you might call
00:06:34.72\00:06:36.76
righteousness by ignorance.
00:06:36.79\00:06:39.43
"How can a man be born when
he is old?" Nicodemus asked.
00:06:39.46\00:06:42.70
"Can he enter a second time into
his mother's womb and be born?"
00:06:42.73\00:06:46.53
He needn't have been so puzzled.
00:06:47.20\00:06:49.14
In order for a non-Jew
in that day to become a Jew,
00:06:49.17\00:06:51.54
it was said that that person
had to become a son of Abraham.
00:06:51.57\00:06:54.91
Be born again, as it were.
00:06:54.94\00:06:57.51
He undoubtedly knew
that Jesus wasn't suggesting
00:06:57.55\00:07:00.12
a physical impossibility
or a physical absurdity.
00:07:00.15\00:07:04.22
But Nicodemus is shocked.
00:07:04.25\00:07:06.42
Jesus is suggesting
something far deeper.
00:07:06.45\00:07:10.26
Nicodemus, as
righteous as he thought he was,
00:07:10.29\00:07:13.23
as important as he
was, as respected as he was,
00:07:13.26\00:07:17.30
now, this is
the kind of man who,
00:07:17.33\00:07:18.57
if he went to the local church,
would be considered a good man.
00:07:18.60\00:07:21.97
He would be asked, no doubt,
00:07:22.00\00:07:23.54
to serve the church
in a leadership position.
00:07:23.57\00:07:26.17
And yet Jesus is
telling him, "Nicodemus,
00:07:26.21\00:07:28.71
you're here
talking about my miracles,
00:07:28.74\00:07:30.55
you've
addressed me respectfully,
00:07:30.58\00:07:32.55
but what you really need to know
00:07:32.58\00:07:34.18
is that you are not as
righteous as you think.
00:07:34.22\00:07:37.42
Everything is not
okay with you spiritually."
00:07:37.45\00:07:41.72
What a shocking thing
for a Pharisee to hear!
00:07:41.76\00:07:45.13
But the fact is, Nicodemus
did need to be born again.
00:07:45.16\00:07:50.03
And so does everyone.
00:07:50.07\00:07:53.03
I remember years ago hearing
about born-again Christians
00:07:53.07\00:07:55.80
like they were
a different breed,
00:07:55.84\00:07:57.21
like they were a
separate strain of Christian.
00:07:57.24\00:08:00.24
But Jesus says that anyone
at all who intends to be saved
00:08:00.28\00:08:04.25
must be born again.
00:08:04.28\00:08:06.61
And let's put that another way.
00:08:06.65\00:08:08.62
Anyone at all anywhere in
the world may be born again,
00:08:08.65\00:08:12.92
and that's really good news.
00:08:12.95\00:08:15.42
More in just a moment.
00:08:15.46\00:08:17.13
¤[music]¤
00:08:17.16\00:08:22.63
>>Announcer 1: You want
to experience personal peace
00:08:26.00\00:08:28.00
in your life, oneness with God,
victory in a place of defeat,
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but how can you have that?
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Today's free
offer, "The War Is Over,"
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will tell you how.
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To receive "The
War Is Over" free,
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contact us at 800-253-3000.
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That's 800-253-3000.
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Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com
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or write to the
address on your screen.
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"The War Is Over,"
free for you right now.
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¤[soft piano music]¤
00:08:56.50\00:09:01.30
>>Man 1: What does the
Bible say about astrology?
00:09:01.34\00:09:03.84
>>Man 2: Why do bad
things happen to good people?
00:09:08.31\00:09:11.41
>>Girl: What color is Jesus?
00:09:16.82\00:09:19.22
>>John Bradshaw: If
you have a question,
00:09:19.25\00:09:20.49
we'd love to find an answer
00:09:20.52\00:09:21.72
for you from the Bible.
00:09:21.76\00:09:23.06
Line Upon Line
00:09:23.09\00:09:24.06
from It Is Written TV.
00:09:24.09\00:09:26.09
>>John Bradshaw:
Thanks for joining me today
00:09:26.86\00:09:28.46
on It Is Written.
00:09:28.50\00:09:29.90
John 3:16 is said to be the
best-known, most loved verse
00:09:29.93\00:09:34.40
in the entire Bible.
00:09:34.44\00:09:36.14
Today we're looking at
the chapter it comes from
00:09:36.17\00:09:38.34
in our ongoing series,
"Great Chapters of the Bible."
00:09:38.37\00:09:41.78
This is John chapter 3.
00:09:41.81\00:09:44.48
Jesus spoke to a
man named Nicodemus,
00:09:44.51\00:09:46.95
a leader in Israel,
and He said in verse 4,
00:09:46.98\00:09:50.95
"Most assuredly, I say to
you, unless one is born of water
00:09:50.99\00:09:56.26
and the Spirit, he cannot
enter the kingdom of God."
00:09:56.29\00:10:00.30
He went on to say, "That which
is born of the flesh is flesh,
00:10:00.33\00:10:04.43
and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit."
00:10:04.47\00:10:08.00
Now, it's one
thing to be born once,
00:10:08.04\00:10:09.77
but it is imperative
that a person be born twice.
00:10:09.80\00:10:13.58
You know how you hear people
say, "I was born this way"?
00:10:13.61\00:10:16.78
Well, okay.
00:10:16.81\00:10:18.11
Heredity maybe gave you
certain tendencies or leanings
00:10:18.15\00:10:20.95
or weaknesses
or characteristics.
00:10:20.98\00:10:23.32
Your father was an angry
man; you have a short fuse.
00:10:23.35\00:10:26.35
Your mother was an alcoholic;
00:10:26.39\00:10:28.02
you're born with a
weakness for alcohol.
00:10:28.06\00:10:30.13
Your parents or your
grandparents were immoral,
00:10:30.16\00:10:32.53
and so immorality
comes easy to you.
00:10:32.56\00:10:35.36
The truth is, we're all
born with a fallen nature.
00:10:35.40\00:10:39.30
Once Adam sinned way back
then, the best we could hope for
00:10:39.33\00:10:42.70
was a nature that
was bent towards sin.
00:10:42.74\00:10:45.87
And that weakened nature
can only bend in one direction.
00:10:45.91\00:10:48.94
It's like water
that runs downhill.
00:10:48.98\00:10:51.55
You can be born
this way or that way,
00:10:51.58\00:10:53.42
but the beauty of
what Jesus tells Nicodemus
00:10:53.45\00:10:56.32
is that a person
can be born again.
00:10:56.35\00:10:59.75
That means the old you may
die and a new you may be born
00:10:59.79\00:11:04.53
and then exist in
the place of the old you.
00:11:04.56\00:11:07.76
Paul wrote to the Romans about
the "old man" being crucified
00:11:07.83\00:11:10.70
so that we no longer serve sin.
00:11:10.73\00:11:12.83
He wrote to the Ephesians
about putting on the "new man,
00:11:12.87\00:11:16.04
which after God is
created in righteousness
00:11:16.07\00:11:18.81
and true holiness."
00:11:18.84\00:11:20.44
Like Jesus, Paul is
talking about being born again.
00:11:20.48\00:11:25.08
Now, you can look at
this as a requirement,
00:11:25.11\00:11:26.82
but if you did, you'd be
doing yourself a disservice.
00:11:26.85\00:11:30.05
Jesus is talking about
a privilege, a blessing.
00:11:30.72\00:11:35.22
We must be, we may be
born again, born from above.
00:11:35.26\00:11:40.86
Born of water?
00:11:40.90\00:11:41.90
Now, that's Bible
baptism, baptism by immersion.
00:11:41.93\00:11:44.80
Born of the Spirit? Conversion.
00:11:44.83\00:11:48.20
Jesus said in John 3 in verse 8,
00:11:48.24\00:11:50.54
"The wind blows where it wishes,
and you hear the sound of it,
00:11:50.57\00:11:54.58
but cannot tell where it
comes from and where it goes.
00:11:54.61\00:11:58.48
So is everyone who
is born of the Spirit."
00:11:58.51\00:12:01.52
Just like you
can't see the wind,
00:12:02.18\00:12:03.59
but you can see its effect,
you cannot see the Holy Spirit,
00:12:03.62\00:12:06.82
but you can see the
way it impacts a life.
00:12:06.86\00:12:09.82
When you're born again,
00:12:09.86\00:12:10.96
the Holy Spirit comes
into your life and changes you.
00:12:10.99\00:12:14.50
The Holy Spirit
brings the presence of Jesus
00:12:14.56\00:12:17.50
into your life.
00:12:17.53\00:12:18.80
This is the power of
God, the righteousness of God,
00:12:18.83\00:12:23.47
the strength of
God in your life.
00:12:23.51\00:12:28.74
When you're born
again, things change.
00:12:28.78\00:12:31.55
I remember as a kid
spending the weekend
00:12:31.58\00:12:33.48
staying at a friend's farm.
00:12:33.52\00:12:35.75
It was a dairy farm.
00:12:35.78\00:12:37.35
We were walking out
there around the farm,
00:12:37.39\00:12:38.82
and he told me I should
grab hold of an electric fence.
00:12:38.85\00:12:42.06
I said, "Man, even though
I'm from town, I'm not crazy."
00:12:42.09\00:12:45.63
So he grabbed hold
of the electric fence,
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.40
and nothing happened.
00:12:47.40\00:12:48.96
He told me I
should do the same thing;
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.90
I'd see that
there was nothing to it.
00:12:50.93\00:12:53.64
So like a...gullible person,
00:12:53.67\00:12:57.27
I grabbed hold of
the electric fence.
00:12:57.31\00:13:00.08
Of course, he'd been
holding a wire that wasn't live.
00:13:00.11\00:13:03.61
I held a wire that
was very much live.
00:13:03.65\00:13:07.02
Did I feel it?
00:13:07.05\00:13:08.28
Well, what do you think?
00:13:08.32\00:13:09.32
Oh yes, I did!
00:13:09.35\00:13:10.62
Did it have an impact on me?
00:13:10.65\00:13:12.05
Oh yes, it did!
00:13:12.09\00:13:13.25
Did it change me?
00:13:13.29\00:13:14.39
Very much changed me,
00:13:14.42\00:13:16.16
as long as I
was holding onto it.
00:13:16.19\00:13:18.66
The Holy Spirit is like that.
00:13:18.69\00:13:20.60
When the Holy Spirit
comes into your life,
00:13:20.63\00:13:22.86
your life can no
longer be the same.
00:13:22.90\00:13:25.20
No, it doesn't mean that
all of a sudden you're an Enoch
00:13:25.23\00:13:28.07
or a Daniel, and you've
got everything figured out.
00:13:28.10\00:13:30.74
But it does mean God
has you, and you're growing,
00:13:30.77\00:13:34.51
and you're becoming
more and more like Jesus,
00:13:34.54\00:13:36.81
and the old habits
are falling off you
00:13:36.85\00:13:39.85
like those last stubborn
dead leaves fall off a tree
00:13:39.88\00:13:43.02
at the beginning of spring
00:13:43.05\00:13:44.09
when new life starts
coursing through its limbs.
00:13:44.12\00:13:47.89
When new life runs through
you, the new life Jesus brings,
00:13:47.92\00:13:52.59
the old, dead things in
your life start to fall off
00:13:52.63\00:13:56.33
because you have
possession of Jesus by faith
00:13:56.36\00:13:59.13
and because He
has possession of you.
00:13:59.17\00:14:02.07
You are new. You are born again.
00:14:02.10\00:14:06.88
And to explain
this even further,
00:14:06.91\00:14:08.84
Jesus took Nicodemus
back to an Old Testament story
00:14:08.88\00:14:13.42
to explain what it
means to be born again.
00:14:13.45\00:14:16.05
Jesus said this:
00:14:16.08\00:14:17.65
"And as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness,
00:14:17.69\00:14:21.76
even so must the
Son of Man be lifted up,
00:14:21.79\00:14:25.16
that whoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:14:25.19\00:14:28.30
but have eternal life."
00:14:28.33\00:14:30.47
Now, keep in
mind, before John 3:16,
00:14:30.50\00:14:33.77
Jesus explains what
it is to be born again.
00:14:33.80\00:14:36.64
Really, He's explaining
00:14:36.67\00:14:37.94
what that "whosoever
believeth in Him" means.
00:14:37.97\00:14:41.84
And He goes back to that
curious story in Numbers 21
00:14:41.88\00:14:47.32
when Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness.
00:14:47.35\00:14:50.89
Remember that story?
00:14:50.92\00:14:52.35
They'd come out of Egypt;
the people began to complain.
00:14:52.39\00:14:55.82
"Why have you brought
us up out of Egypt to die
00:14:55.86\00:14:57.99
in the wilderness?
00:14:58.03\00:14:58.93
For there is no
food and no water,
00:14:58.96\00:15:00.86
and our soul loathes
this worthless bread."
00:15:00.90\00:15:04.47
Ouch!
00:15:05.20\00:15:06.27
That's about as
ungrateful as you can get.
00:15:06.30\00:15:09.00
They literally say, "We hate the
manna God is giving us to eat."
00:15:09.04\00:15:15.34
And to get their attention
away from their complaints,
00:15:15.38\00:15:17.51
away from their
hardships, as they saw it,
00:15:17.55\00:15:20.72
God sent venomous
snakes into their midst.
00:15:20.75\00:15:24.72
Many people were
bitten, and they came to Moses
00:15:24.75\00:15:28.06
and asked him to pray that
God would take away the snakes.
00:15:28.09\00:15:32.43
"We have sinned," they said.
00:15:32.46\00:15:34.93
God instructed Moses to
make a serpent out of brass
00:15:34.96\00:15:38.83
and put it on a pole.
00:15:38.87\00:15:41.47
Now, who did that
serpent represent?
00:15:41.50\00:15:43.47
It represented
Jesus. Now, why a serpent?
00:15:43.51\00:15:46.88
That's because Jesus was,
according to the Bible writer,
00:15:46.91\00:15:49.78
made "to be sin for us."
00:15:49.81\00:15:52.71
And God said in
Numbers 21 in verse 8,
00:15:52.75\00:15:55.15
"And it shall be that
everyone who is bitten,
00:15:55.18\00:15:58.49
when he looks
at it, shall live."
00:15:58.52\00:16:02.19
And this is important
00:16:02.22\00:16:03.63
because this is what
Jesus used to illustrate
00:16:03.66\00:16:06.39
what it means to be born again.
00:16:06.43\00:16:09.23
You've been infected by venom?
00:16:09.26\00:16:11.07
Look to the representation
of the crucified Jesus and live.
00:16:11.10\00:16:14.94
Or, you've been infected by
sin. Look to Jesus and live.
00:16:14.97\00:16:20.71
To be born again
is to look and live.
00:16:20.74\00:16:23.55
To really look to
Jesus, to look to Him in faith,
00:16:23.58\00:16:26.58
to claim Him as your
Savior, to keep Him in view.
00:16:26.61\00:16:30.62
Peter looked to
Jesus, and walked on water.
00:16:30.65\00:16:33.22
He took his eyes
off Jesus, and he sank.
00:16:33.25\00:16:37.69
Listen, if you
keep your eyes on Jesus,
00:16:37.73\00:16:39.93
the Holy Spirit will do
great things in your life.
00:16:39.96\00:16:42.33
The power of God will
flow through your existence.
00:16:42.36\00:16:45.70
You wonder why you sink?
00:16:45.73\00:16:47.57
It's because you're
not keeping Jesus in view.
00:16:47.60\00:16:50.71
You look to
Jesus, and you'll live.
00:16:50.74\00:16:54.38
You'll be born again.
00:16:54.41\00:16:56.01
Back with more in just a moment.
00:16:56.04\00:16:58.18
¤[music]¤
00:16:58.21\00:17:03.55
>>Announcer 2:
Have you ever wondered
00:17:06.96\00:17:08.02
if you're good
enough to be saved?
00:17:08.06\00:17:09.76
It's a common question that
has discouraged many people,
00:17:09.79\00:17:12.39
but it doesn't
have to discourage you.
00:17:12.43\00:17:14.60
"Taking a Stand" is a
powerful five-part series
00:17:14.63\00:17:16.97
presented by
Pastor John Bradshaw
00:17:17.00\00:17:18.80
that will help you discover
the assurance of salvation.
00:17:18.83\00:17:22.10
>>Announcer 3:
Call 1-888-664-5573
00:17:22.14\00:17:25.21
to order the
"Taking a Stand" DVD
00:17:25.24\00:17:27.48
or download it
from our web store
00:17:27.51\00:17:28.94
at www.itiswritten.shop.
00:17:28.98\00:17:32.05
Jesus offers salvation
as a free gift to everyone,
00:17:32.08\00:17:34.98
including you.
00:17:35.02\00:17:36.55
>>John Bradshaw:
Thursday, August the 5th, 2010,
00:17:37.42\00:17:40.29
was not a happy day for 33 men
00:17:40.32\00:17:44.29
when a collapse
in a mine in Chile
00:17:44.33\00:17:47.30
buried them 2,300
feet below ground.
00:17:47.36\00:17:52.40
No matter how much
they tried to escape,
00:17:52.43\00:17:54.77
there was no way out.
00:17:54.80\00:17:56.47
Rescue would have
to come from above.
00:17:56.50\00:18:01.04
On the outskirts
of the San José Mine,
00:18:01.08\00:18:03.45
over two-and-a-half
thousand people gathered,
00:18:03.48\00:18:07.02
and with each failed rescue
attempt, despair increased.
00:18:07.05\00:18:11.92
And families gathered
together to pray for a miracle.
00:18:11.95\00:18:17.46
From the Atacama Desert
comes a story of tragedy,
00:18:17.49\00:18:20.66
a story of uncertainty,
yet a story of courage,
00:18:20.70\00:18:24.53
hope, and ultimately,
a story of salvation.
00:18:24.57\00:18:28.40
Wait on the Lord, and
the miracle will come.
00:18:28.44\00:18:31.84
"Camp Hope."
00:18:32.51\00:18:33.81
Watch now on It Is Written TV.
00:18:33.84\00:18:37.21
>>John Bradshaw: When
Nicodemus came to Jesus
00:18:38.05\00:18:39.88
under the cover of darkness,
Jesus saw sincerity in him.
00:18:39.91\00:18:44.62
So He laid it all
out for Nicodemus:
00:18:44.65\00:18:46.55
Nicodemus, you're
not as holy as you think.
00:18:46.59\00:18:50.06
You need to be born
again, born from above,
00:18:50.09\00:18:53.40
born of water and
born of the Spirit,
00:18:53.43\00:18:56.36
the Holy Spirit
taking over your life
00:18:56.40\00:18:59.73
as you surrender
your life to God.
00:18:59.77\00:19:02.77
And today, far too many people,
00:19:02.80\00:19:05.71
even people who call
themselves believers,
00:19:05.74\00:19:08.51
haven't learned the
meaning of surrender.
00:19:08.54\00:19:11.61
You can call
yourself whatever you want,
00:19:11.65\00:19:14.75
but when you're
looking at websites
00:19:14.78\00:19:16.18
you shouldn't be looking at,
00:19:16.22\00:19:17.52
when you're getting drunk,
00:19:17.55\00:19:19.02
when you're yelling at
your spouse out of anger,
00:19:19.05\00:19:21.32
when you're
cheating on your taxes,
00:19:21.36\00:19:22.82
when you're...whatever,
00:19:22.86\00:19:25.33
it's evidence that there's
something not quite right.
00:19:25.36\00:19:29.20
It's more than likely evidence
that you are not born again.
00:19:29.23\00:19:33.60
I'm not talking about
the occasional mistake
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.37
a person might make when
he or she is growing in God
00:19:35.40\00:19:39.01
and learning more of what it
is to be kept by God's grace--
00:19:39.04\00:19:41.51
not that.
00:19:41.54\00:19:43.11
When this is the
tenor of your life,
00:19:43.14\00:19:46.15
Jesus would say to you
just what He said to Nicodemus:
00:19:46.18\00:19:49.38
"You must be born again."
00:19:49.42\00:19:52.02
But the great
thing is Jesus is saying,
00:19:52.05\00:19:53.92
whatever your issues
are, whatever they are,
00:19:53.96\00:19:57.06
you may be born
again; you can be.
00:19:57.09\00:19:59.49
He'll do in your life
what you cannot do in yourself.
00:19:59.53\00:20:02.80
When you surrender and say, "Not
my will but Your will be done."
00:20:02.83\00:20:08.30
After taking Nicodemus back
to that story in Numbers 21,
00:20:08.34\00:20:11.77
Jesus, talking about
what it is to be born again,
00:20:11.81\00:20:15.58
said these famous words:
00:20:15.61\00:20:18.48
"For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son,
00:20:18.51\00:20:23.72
that whoever believes
in Him should not perish
00:20:23.75\00:20:27.66
but have everlasting life."
00:20:27.69\00:20:30.03
Believe.
00:20:30.06\00:20:31.39
Believe in Jesus as your Savior.
00:20:31.43\00:20:33.73
The alternative is to perish.
Lost people will be lost.
00:20:33.76\00:20:37.33
Those who don't want to be saved
00:20:37.37\00:20:38.70
won't be dragged to
heaven against their will.
00:20:38.73\00:20:41.30
But if you're
willing to believe,
00:20:41.34\00:20:44.01
you're willing to trust God,
00:20:44.04\00:20:45.04
if you're willing to
allow God into your life,
00:20:45.07\00:20:47.78
if you're willing
to be born again...
00:20:47.81\00:20:51.28
And notice John 3:17.
00:20:51.31\00:20:53.82
It's as powerful as John 3:16.
00:20:53.85\00:20:57.05
"For God did not send
His Son into the world
00:20:57.09\00:20:59.45
to condemn the world,
00:20:59.49\00:21:01.32
but that the world
through Him might be saved."
00:21:01.36\00:21:05.29
What fantastic words!
00:21:05.33\00:21:06.93
Jesus didn't come
to condemn but to save.
00:21:06.96\00:21:10.60
How's that working out for you?
00:21:10.63\00:21:12.23
Sin is deadly, but Jesus
didn't come to this world
00:21:12.27\00:21:15.40
to condemn you or
me or anyone else.
00:21:15.44\00:21:18.31
He came to...save.
00:21:18.34\00:21:21.31
And if we want to be
saved, we'll be saved.
00:21:21.34\00:21:25.58
Now, notice what
Jesus said in verse 19:
00:21:26.28\00:21:29.02
"And this is the condemnation,
00:21:29.05\00:21:30.99
that the light has
come into the world,
00:21:31.02\00:21:33.52
and men loved
darkness rather than light,
00:21:33.56\00:21:36.49
because their deeds were evil."
00:21:36.52\00:21:38.66
In John 3, Jesus
offers the world life.
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.80
And He really
tells us that salvation
00:21:41.83\00:21:43.63
is a matter of the heart.
00:21:43.67\00:21:45.40
If we love darkness
when light has come,
00:21:45.43\00:21:47.74
that's a dead end.
00:21:47.77\00:21:50.21
And let's be
honest. Sin is darkness.
00:21:50.24\00:21:53.27
A self-centered life,
where we want what we want
00:21:53.31\00:21:56.01
and take what we
take and have what we have
00:21:56.04\00:21:57.68
and live how we want to live
00:21:57.71\00:21:59.21
without reference to the
God who created the world,
00:21:59.25\00:22:02.52
just doesn't buy happiness.
00:22:02.55\00:22:05.15
And it definitely
has eternal consequences.
00:22:05.19\00:22:08.66
From verse 22 down to
the end of the chapter,
00:22:08.69\00:22:10.63
John the Baptist features.
00:22:10.66\00:22:12.66
It's no coincidence
that early in John 3,
00:22:12.69\00:22:15.00
Jesus speaks about
being born of water,
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.40
as now we see John baptizing
where there was much water,
00:22:17.43\00:22:22.20
baptizing by immersion,
the biblical practice.
00:22:22.24\00:22:26.14
A dispute arises.
00:22:26.17\00:22:27.74
And like Jesus, John
isn't getting bogged down in it.
00:22:27.78\00:22:30.55
This is interesting:
00:22:30.58\00:22:31.78
They tell John that everyone
is following after Jesus now.
00:22:31.81\00:22:35.28
An earthly-minded
person might be worried
00:22:35.32\00:22:37.32
about the number of
followers that he or she has.
00:22:37.35\00:22:39.99
"John, Jesus is
getting more likes than you."
00:22:40.02\00:22:43.79
But John is humble, not proud.
00:22:43.83\00:22:46.63
He calls himself the
friend of the bridegroom,
00:22:46.66\00:22:50.20
and says that he's glad people
are being attracted to Jesus.
00:22:50.23\00:22:53.87
That's all any of us
are on this earth to do:
00:22:53.90\00:22:56.04
to point people to Jesus,
00:22:56.07\00:22:57.81
to attract people, not
to ourselves, but to Him.
00:22:57.84\00:23:02.51
You know, these are the last
recorded words we have of John
00:23:02.54\00:23:06.72
before he was
imprisoned a year or so later.
00:23:06.75\00:23:09.58
John's last words in Scripture,
and they are powerful.
00:23:09.62\00:23:14.19
John 3, verse 30:
00:23:14.22\00:23:16.06
"He must increase,
but I must decrease."
00:23:16.09\00:23:20.90
How's that?
00:23:20.93\00:23:22.00
John says, "It isn't
about me. I'm to become smaller.
00:23:22.03\00:23:26.50
It's Jesus who's to get bigger."
00:23:26.53\00:23:30.17
Be good for us to
remember that, wouldn't it?
00:23:30.21\00:23:32.61
He says, "He who comes
from above is above all."
00:23:32.64\00:23:36.08
And then he goes on to say this:
00:23:36.11\00:23:38.58
"For He whom God has
sent speaks the words of God,
00:23:38.61\00:23:42.68
for God does not give
the Spirit by measure."
00:23:42.72\00:23:46.79
That's verse 34.
00:23:46.82\00:23:48.02
Now, don't miss that.
00:23:48.06\00:23:49.42
God doesn't give
the Spirit sparingly.
00:23:49.46\00:23:53.06
I want you to remember that.
00:23:53.09\00:23:55.03
There are a lot of
people who are discouraged.
00:23:55.06\00:23:57.47
"I know I'm falling short."
00:23:57.50\00:23:59.00
"I know I need
to be born again."
00:23:59.03\00:24:00.40
Well, now's your chance
to do something about it.
00:24:00.44\00:24:02.54
"Me?" someone asks.
00:24:02.57\00:24:03.91
Yes, you.
00:24:03.94\00:24:05.44
What did Jesus say?
00:24:05.47\00:24:07.08
"...that whosoever
believes in Him..."--anyone.
00:24:07.11\00:24:11.08
That's what makes
John 3 so beautiful.
00:24:11.11\00:24:13.85
It's what makes
John 3:16 so beloved.
00:24:13.88\00:24:17.12
The invitation is to all.
00:24:17.15\00:24:19.55
If you believe in
Jesus as your Savior,
00:24:19.59\00:24:21.42
yes, God will forgive your sins.
00:24:21.46\00:24:24.63
But don't leave it
there. God will do more.
00:24:24.66\00:24:27.40
He'll change you.
00:24:27.40\00:24:29.53
He wants you to be born again.
00:24:29.56\00:24:32.00
And you can be.
00:24:32.03\00:24:33.34
See, we can't change ourselves.
But we need to be changed.
00:24:33.37\00:24:36.91
You can't change your temper,
your thoughts, your disposition.
00:24:36.94\00:24:40.91
But God can change you.
00:24:40.94\00:24:42.94
Born this way?
00:24:42.98\00:24:44.15
Okay. But you can be reborn,
born again, born from above.
00:24:44.18\00:24:49.15
"I've gone too far."
00:24:49.18\00:24:51.02
Jesus didn't come into
the world to condemn anyone.
00:24:51.05\00:24:53.92
And that would be
you He's referring to.
00:24:53.96\00:24:56.52
He didn't come to
condemn you but to save.
00:24:56.56\00:24:59.89
This great chapter of the Bible
00:24:59.93\00:25:01.20
ends with John
the Baptist saying,
00:25:01.23\00:25:03.87
"He who believes in the
Son has everlasting life;
00:25:03.90\00:25:07.97
and he who does not believe
the Son shall not see life,
00:25:08.00\00:25:12.14
but the wrath of
God abides on him."
00:25:12.17\00:25:14.64
This Savior who came
to the earth to save,
00:25:15.11\00:25:17.91
this Savior who healed,
who uplifted, who loved,
00:25:17.95\00:25:21.35
who helped, who gave
hope, He wants to be your hope.
00:25:21.38\00:25:27.62
And this is real
hope, the real thing,
00:25:27.66\00:25:30.89
a blessed life in this world
and, through faith in Jesus,
00:25:30.93\00:25:35.86
eternal life in
the world to come.
00:25:35.90\00:25:38.93
>>Announcer 1: You want
to experience personal peace
00:25:39.93\00:25:42.00
in your life, oneness with God,
victory in the place of defeat,
00:25:42.04\00:25:46.04
but how can you have that?
00:25:46.07\00:25:47.64
Today's free
offer, "The War Is Over,"
00:25:47.68\00:25:49.88
will tell you how.
00:25:49.91\00:25:51.11
To receive "The
War Is Over" free,
00:25:51.15\00:25:53.65
contact us at 800-253-3000.
00:25:53.68\00:25:57.59
That's 800-253-3000.
00:25:57.62\00:26:00.89
Or visit us
online at iiwoffer.com
00:26:00.92\00:26:04.59
or write to the
address on your screen.
00:26:04.63\00:26:06.73
"The War Is Over,"
free for you right now.
00:26:06.76\00:26:09.66
>>John Bradshaw: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:26:10.33\00:26:12.30
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:26:12.33\00:26:15.74
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:26:15.77\00:26:18.97
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:26:19.01\00:26:23.24
You can send your
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to the address on your screen,
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or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:26.25\00:26:29.98
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:30.02\00:26:32.85
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:32.89\00:26:37.03
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:37.06\00:26:40.06
>>John Bradshaw: Let
me pray with you now.
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¤[soft music]¤
Our Father in heaven,
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we thank You today for
the beauty of John chapter 3.
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We thank You for
the wonderful promise
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and promises it contains.
00:26:48.94\00:26:52.11
We thank You that
You so loved the world
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that You gave
Your only begotten Son.
00:26:53.98\00:26:55.81
Therefore, give
us grace to believe.
00:26:55.84\00:26:57.68
Friend, can you believe now?
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There's sin in
your life, but believe.
00:26:59.91\00:27:02.22
You need a changed
heart, but believe.
00:27:02.25\00:27:05.15
You might feel
hopeless, but if you believe,
00:27:05.19\00:27:08.16
if you trust that
Jesus died for you--
00:27:08.19\00:27:10.89
yes, you-- then
you can be saved.
00:27:10.93\00:27:13.80
You can live
now with the promise
00:27:13.83\00:27:15.53
that God is your best friend,
that Jesus is your Savior,
00:27:15.56\00:27:20.57
and that
eternity stretches ahead.
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Friend, would you
choose Jesus now? Would you?
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Would you say to God,
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"I want this Jesus
as my Lord and Savior.
00:27:26.44\00:27:29.14
I choose to live with hope.
00:27:29.18\00:27:30.85
I choose to believe that
what You did, You did for me."
00:27:30.88\00:27:34.15
We thank You today.
00:27:34.18\00:27:35.95
We choose to live in this hope.
00:27:35.98\00:27:37.89
Grow us. Change us all the more.
00:27:37.92\00:27:41.76
Ready us for that wonderful day
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when Jesus comes
back to take us home,
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we pray in Jesus' name.
00:27:45.33\00:27:48.53
Amen.
00:27:48.56\00:27:49.80
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:27:49.83\00:27:51.23
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:27:51.27\00:27:53.80
Until then, remember:
00:27:53.84\00:27:55.77
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:55.80\00:27:59.67
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:59.71\00:28:04.38
¤[theme music]¤
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