¤[music ends]¤¤
00:00:14.84\00:00:16.85
¤[solemn orchestral music]¤
00:00:19.85\00:00:22.78
[click of turning on lamp]
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>>John Bradshaw:
This is It Is Written.
00:00:28.39\00:00:30.06
I'm John Bradshaw.
Thanks for joining me.
00:00:30.09\00:00:32.53
[swishing of
booklets and papers]
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You might call it the
midnight of American history.
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It's one of the most discussed,
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written about, and
documented subjects
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in the whole of the
American experience.
00:00:46.64\00:00:48.64
[sound of pages flipping]
It's a story that stretches
00:00:50.18\00:00:52.21
from the early 17th century
00:00:52.25\00:00:54.48
to the passage of
the 13nth amendment
00:00:54.52\00:00:56.45
to the Constitution in 1865
after the end of the Civil War--
00:00:56.48\00:01:00.62
in truth, even beyond that time.
00:01:00.66\00:01:03.16
[scribbling pen, creaking
hinge] ¤[soft piano music]¤
00:01:03.19\00:01:06.33
The dehumanizing darkness
of this "peculiar institution,"
00:01:06.36\00:01:10.33
as some have called
it, [clinking chains]
00:01:10.37\00:01:11.70
is well known to us today.
00:01:11.73\00:01:13.37
There seems to be some
flaw in the human psyche
00:01:17.04\00:01:19.87
that enables
people of all backgrounds
00:01:19.91\00:01:21.94
to engage in a system like this.
00:01:21.98\00:01:24.35
[clinking chains]
00:01:24.38\00:01:25.88
Slavery has existed
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since virtually the dawn of
civilization. [cracking whip]
00:01:27.25\00:01:30.55
The Roman Empire was
built on the back of slavery.
00:01:30.59\00:01:34.12
The New
Testament book of Philemon
00:01:34.16\00:01:35.82
is the story of a runaway slave.
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Slavery was practiced in Africa,
New Zealand, South America,
00:01:38.59\00:01:42.36
the Caribbean, and Europe.
00:01:42.40\00:01:44.43
People of multiple
races have enslaved others,
00:01:44.47\00:01:47.00
and the enslaved
have over time been people
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of every conceivable ethnicity.
It's very much a human issue.
00:01:49.64\00:01:55.61
In the midst of the dark
night of American slavery,
00:01:55.64\00:01:58.71
there were glimmers of hope.
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Abolitionists like
William Lloyd Garrison,
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Harriet Beecher Stowe, and
South Carolina-born sisters
00:02:04.12\00:02:07.32
Sarah and Angelina Grimké
devoted themselves to abolition,
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and not only spoke but
also wrote against slavery
00:02:12.06\00:02:15.66
in newspapers,
books, and pamphlets.
00:02:15.70\00:02:19.13
And the actions of
some went beyond the page
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and the lecture hall
to the tracks of something
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that became known as
the Underground Railroad.
00:02:25.11\00:02:29.41
Today the Underground
Railroad is well known,
00:02:29.44\00:02:32.48
with figures such as the
incomparable Harriet Tubman,
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who journeyed into the South to
help lead escapees to the North.
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Runaways were hidden in
safe houses, behind false walls,
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in attics, or underneath
floorboards to evade capture.
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The Underground
Railroad was not just one route
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running from the
South to the North.
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Instead, the
Underground Railroad
00:02:54.04\00:02:56.40
was a number of
different networks that operated
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to assist slaves in their
incredibly high-stakes quest
00:02:59.41\00:03:03.98
for freedom.
00:03:04.01\00:03:05.08
And while some escaping
slaves stayed and made lives
00:03:05.11\00:03:08.42
in the free northern states,
many continued on to Canada,
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where there was not
the fear of being caught
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and returned to the South under
the U.S. fugitive slave laws,
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laws which allowed
for the capture and return
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of the enslaved, even if
they were found in a free state,
00:03:21.70\00:03:25.63
and which imposed penalties
00:03:25.67\00:03:27.40
on those caught
aiding their flight.
00:03:27.44\00:03:30.24
Escape via the
Underground Railroad
00:03:30.27\00:03:32.54
came about in various ways.
00:03:32.57\00:03:35.01
Sometimes abolitionists,
both black and white,
00:03:35.04\00:03:38.11
would physically travel
into the South to lead runaways
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to safe places in the North,
00:03:41.32\00:03:43.52
where they would be helped
still further north by others.
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In other instances, slaves used
codes to learn specific routes,
00:03:46.82\00:03:51.79
locations, and other
information for the best times
00:03:51.83\00:03:55.16
and ways to escape.
00:03:55.20\00:03:56.67
These codes were shared
through commonly used words
00:03:56.70\00:03:59.63
and phrases, through songs, and
possibly even through quilts.
00:03:59.67\00:04:04.21
It's believed the Ross code
was created by Alexander Ross,
00:04:04.24\00:04:09.51
an antislavery
activist from Canada.
00:04:09.54\00:04:12.28
In their book
"Hidden in Plain View,"
00:04:12.31\00:04:14.72
Jacqueline Tobin and Raymond
Dobard explain that the code
00:04:14.75\00:04:18.39
utilized both numbers
and poetic descriptions.
00:04:18.42\00:04:21.92
The code, which
would have been memorized,
00:04:21.96\00:04:24.23
told both escaping slaves
and Underground Railroad agents
00:04:24.26\00:04:27.83
that Cleveland,
Ohio, was called "Hope."
00:04:27.86\00:04:31.33
Sandusky, Ohio,
was known as "Sunrise."
00:04:31.37\00:04:35.04
And Detroit,
Michigan, was dubbed "Midnight."
00:04:35.07\00:04:38.51
The entryways into Canada were
designated by words of praise
00:04:38.54\00:04:42.31
and thanksgiving to God.
00:04:42.34\00:04:44.38
"Glory to God"
meant Windsor, Ontario.
00:04:44.41\00:04:47.65
And "God be praised"
stood for Port Stanley.
00:04:47.68\00:04:50.42
In fact, when
runaways left "Midnight"--
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that's Detroit, Michigan--
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a good number of them crossed
into Canada and went to "Dawn,"
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a settlement
created specifically
00:04:59.19\00:05:00.96
for escaped slaves in Ontario--
00:05:00.96\00:05:03.13
which means fugitives
traveling this specific route
00:05:03.16\00:05:06.57
were going from
"Midnight" to "Dawn"--
00:05:06.60\00:05:10.04
from the dark
night of oppression
00:05:10.07\00:05:12.47
to the dawning of a
new hope and new life
00:05:12.51\00:05:15.71
across the Detroit River.
00:05:15.74\00:05:17.71
¤[soft uplifting
orchestral music]¤
00:05:17.75\00:05:20.18
Coded language was
also used in songs.
00:05:20.22\00:05:23.72
According to historians,
00:05:23.75\00:05:25.12
the lyrics of
many of the spirituals
00:05:25.15\00:05:27.12
that came out of this era
and which described salvation
00:05:27.16\00:05:30.63
also contained phrases
that helped slaves remember
00:05:30.66\00:05:33.56
how and when to
escape from slave territory--
00:05:33.60\00:05:37.10
for example, the lyrics
of "Steal Away to Jesus."
00:05:37.13\00:05:41.30
¤[soft music]¤
[insects rasping and chirping]
00:05:41.34\00:05:43.14
[America Wilson
recites lyrics] "Steal away,
00:05:43.17\00:05:47.08
"steal away,
00:05:47.11\00:05:51.81
"steal away to Jesus.
00:05:51.85\00:05:57.99
"Steal away,
¤[tune played on piano]¤
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"steal away home.
00:06:01.59\00:06:06.33
I ain't got long to stay here. "
00:06:06.36\00:06:10.80
>>John: There's an
obvious spiritual meaning
00:06:10.83\00:06:13.20
to these lyrics, but it's
said that within these words
00:06:13.23\00:06:17.11
are coded
instructions for escape.
00:06:17.14\00:06:20.11
Tobin and Dobard explain:
00:06:20.14\00:06:22.18
"'He calls me by the thunder' is
interpreted by several writers
00:06:22.21\00:06:25.85
"as an indication to
leave during a rainstorm.
00:06:25.88\00:06:28.92
"To do so would ensure...dogs
would have no scent to pick up
00:06:28.95\00:06:32.22
"and that any
footprints would be washed away.
00:06:32.25\00:06:35.32
"Thunderstorms tend to take
place in spring or in autumn
00:06:35.36\00:06:38.16
"when the seasons are changing.
00:06:38.19\00:06:40.30
"'Green trees bending'
is a sign of springtime,"
00:06:40.33\00:06:43.63
the time suggested
to leave the plantation.
00:06:43.67\00:06:46.63
The words of the
chorus represent escaping sin
00:06:46.67\00:06:49.57
by finding freedom in the
grace and salvation of Jesus
00:06:49.60\00:06:54.31
and also escaping
slavery to freedom
00:06:54.34\00:06:56.95
by following the
spirituals' coded instructions.
00:06:56.98\00:07:00.78
According to some historians,
00:07:00.82\00:07:02.65
quilts may also have contained
similar coded directions.
00:07:02.68\00:07:07.32
While the theory is
debated among historians,
00:07:07.36\00:07:09.99
the quilt code idea has
become a celebrated part
00:07:10.03\00:07:13.06
of the story of the
Underground Railroad.
00:07:13.09\00:07:16.00
The different patterns on quilts
00:07:16.03\00:07:17.73
may have
communicated instructions.
00:07:17.77\00:07:20.44
A series of quilts may
have given instructions
00:07:20.47\00:07:23.44
in a step-by-step manner.
00:07:23.47\00:07:25.51
On one day a quilt
with a specific pattern
00:07:25.54\00:07:28.14
would be put outside
over a fence to be aired out.
00:07:28.18\00:07:31.81
The next day, another
quilt would take its place.
00:07:31.85\00:07:35.22
Anyone seeing the monkey
wrench pattern would know
00:07:35.25\00:07:38.09
that they should collect
supplies for the trip north.
00:07:38.12\00:07:40.99
The wagon wheel
was the sign to pack.
00:07:41.02\00:07:43.76
The tumbling boxes
pattern was the sign to go.
00:07:43.79\00:07:47.86
As desperate as escaping was,
00:07:47.93\00:07:50.00
it was often considered to
be better than the alternative.
00:07:50.03\00:07:54.90
There's something placed
by God inside the human heart,
00:07:54.94\00:07:58.84
a yearning to be free.
00:07:58.87\00:08:01.64
The Underground Railroad helped
many to find that freedom.
00:08:01.68\00:08:06.98
Along the way, the
Underground Railroad
00:08:07.02\00:08:09.08
produced some
outsized personalities.
00:08:09.12\00:08:12.29
We'll meet two of
them in just a moment.
00:08:12.32\00:08:14.96
¤[music swells and ends]¤¤
00:08:14.99\00:08:21.96
>>Announcer: Freedom--it's
something we all want:
00:08:25.17\00:08:27.57
freedom from stress,
from life's troubles.
00:08:27.60\00:08:30.21
But did you know
the Bible offers us
00:08:30.24\00:08:32.11
an all-encompassing
kind of freedom?
00:08:32.14\00:08:34.51
Learn more by
requesting today's free offer,
00:08:34.54\00:08:37.21
"Steps to Salvation,"
00:08:37.25\00:08:38.45
by calling 800-253-3000
00:08:38.48\00:08:41.95
or visiting us
online at iiwoffer.com
00:08:41.98\00:08:45.82
and see how
Jesus Himself shows us
00:08:45.85\00:08:48.59
how to live a
life of true freedom.
00:08:48.62\00:08:51.03
Learn how to be truly free.
00:08:51.06\00:08:53.23
>>John Bradshaw: Thanks for
joining me on It Is Written.
00:08:55.46\00:08:57.80
Imagine for just a moment
00:08:57.83\00:08:59.53
that you grew up
enslaved in the American South
00:08:59.57\00:09:02.70
and somehow you found a
way to escape [horse neighs]
00:09:02.74\00:09:06.14
to free territory in
the North. [horse galloping]
00:09:06.17\00:09:08.64
Some who did that risked
their freedom and their lives
00:09:08.68\00:09:12.71
to try to save
family members and others
00:09:12.75\00:09:15.05
who were still enslaved.
00:09:15.08\00:09:16.69
[crickets chirping]
¤[soft piano music]¤
00:09:16.72\00:09:17.92
Among those who took that risk
was a man named John Parker.
00:09:17.95\00:09:22.32
Parker helped many
runaways-- [baby cries]
00:09:24.76\00:09:27.56
on one occasion rescued a baby
00:09:27.60\00:09:30.73
from a plantation master's
bedroom. [baby cries again]
00:09:30.77\00:09:34.14
Parker's story is told
by Ann Hagedorn in her book
00:09:34.17\00:09:37.41
"Beyond the River: the
Untold Story of the Heroes
00:09:37.44\00:09:40.78
of the Underground Railroad."
00:09:40.81\00:09:43.31
Born into slavery in the South
00:09:43.35\00:09:44.85
about 30 years
before the Civil War,
00:09:44.88\00:09:48.08
Parker was separated
from his family as a young boy
00:09:48.12\00:09:50.95
when he was sold to a
plantation owner in Alabama.
00:09:50.99\00:09:56.16
He eventually
learned to read. [birdsong]
00:09:56.19\00:09:57.79
He escaped three times.
00:09:57.83\00:10:00.80
Parker purchased his
liberty, [coins clinking]
00:10:00.83\00:10:03.73
and then he moved to Cincinnati
in the free state of Ohio.
00:10:03.77\00:10:07.27
[knocking, door creaking open]
00:10:07.30\00:10:10.47
When another freed slave in
Cincinnati approached Parker
00:10:10.51\00:10:14.18
asking for his help to bring
two women across the Ohio River
00:10:14.21\00:10:17.65
from the slave
state of Kentucky,
00:10:17.68\00:10:19.98
Parker flat out refused.
00:10:20.02\00:10:22.48
Aiding runaways was
a dangerous business.
00:10:22.52\00:10:25.25
Slave catchers were paid
to patrol roads and riverbanks
00:10:25.29\00:10:28.72
in the South, and they
came up into the North as well,
00:10:28.76\00:10:31.63
chasing after what slaveholders
saw as their property.
00:10:31.66\00:10:35.36
If a freed black man were
caught helping runaway slaves,
00:10:35.40\00:10:39.37
he could be sold
into slavery again.
00:10:39.40\00:10:42.04
Parker simply didn't
want to take that risk.
00:10:42.07\00:10:46.91
¤[soft piano and
orchestral music]¤
00:10:48.91\00:10:51.21
But he relented, and that
experience whet his appetite
00:10:51.25\00:10:54.78
for working on the
Underground Railroad.
00:10:54.82\00:10:57.42
He became a
well-known conductor,
00:10:57.45\00:10:59.02
described by one historian
as "one of the most daring men
00:10:59.05\00:11:04.23
on the Underground Railroad."
00:11:04.26\00:11:06.23
As his work as a
conductor increased,
00:11:06.26\00:11:08.86
Parker and his wife moved
here to Ripley, a small town
00:11:08.90\00:11:13.23
on the Ohio River at a major
crossing point for runaways.
00:11:13.27\00:11:17.71
They started a family.
00:11:17.74\00:11:18.74
John began a
successful iron foundry.
00:11:18.77\00:11:22.51
He was a very capable man,
00:11:22.54\00:11:24.55
one of the few African
Americans to patent an invention
00:11:24.58\00:11:27.85
before the year 1900.
00:11:27.88\00:11:30.55
When the sun went down
at the end of the work day,
00:11:30.59\00:11:32.79
Parker helped
runaways get across the river
00:11:32.82\00:11:35.52
into safe houses
in free territory.
00:11:35.56\00:11:38.96
He would even
cross over into Kentucky
00:11:38.99\00:11:40.83
to prepare would-be
fugitives for their journey
00:11:40.86\00:11:43.53
or to accompany them to freedom.
00:11:43.57\00:11:46.47
On one occasion, [door creaking]
Parker traveled into Kentucky
00:11:46.50\00:11:50.21
in the dead of night to
help bring a young couple
00:11:50.24\00:11:54.01
and their baby into
Ohio. Now, days before,
00:11:54.04\00:11:58.78
the slaveholder had become
mistrustful of the couple.
00:11:58.81\00:12:01.72
So, in an attempt to discourage
them from trying to escape,
00:12:01.75\00:12:06.79
he took their baby and had it
sleep next to his bed at night.
00:12:06.82\00:12:11.26
¤[solemn music]¤
[crickets chirping]
00:12:11.29\00:12:13.60
When John Parker arrived
and learned what had happened,
00:12:13.63\00:12:16.83
rather than calling
off the escape attempt,
00:12:16.87\00:12:19.67
he crept as quietly as he
could into the owner's bedroom,
00:12:19.70\00:12:23.41
grabbed the baby, and ran,
00:12:23.44\00:12:26.11
narrowly avoiding being shot
when the slave owner awakened.
00:12:26.14\00:12:30.91
All four made it safely
across the river here to Ripley.
00:12:30.95\00:12:36.55
For the couple and their baby,
00:12:36.58\00:12:37.72
it was the beginning of a
brand new life. [baby coos]
00:12:37.75\00:12:41.09
It was the dawn of a
new hope. [baby coos again]
00:12:41.12\00:12:44.99
Another major abolitionist
figure here in Ripley
00:12:45.03\00:12:48.13
was a Presbyterian
minister named John Rankin.
00:12:48.16\00:12:51.00
He moved here after
leaving his home in Tennessee,
00:12:51.83\00:12:54.44
where his preaching
that slaveholding was a sin
00:12:54.47\00:12:58.27
made him
unpopular with the locals.
00:12:58.31\00:13:00.78
One of the reasons
Rankin relocated his family here
00:13:00.81\00:13:03.55
to this home in this
spot is that his first home
00:13:03.58\00:13:07.08
down by the river was
too accessible to people
00:13:07.12\00:13:09.82
who would stop by and demand
information about fugitives.
00:13:09.85\00:13:14.52
The staircase
outside his home was known as
00:13:14.56\00:13:16.76
the "100 steps to freedom."
00:13:16.79\00:13:19.43
After emerging
from the Ohio River,
00:13:19.46\00:13:21.70
fugitives would walk up these
steps and towards a lit lantern
00:13:21.73\00:13:25.77
hanging in a
window of this house.
00:13:25.80\00:13:27.97
There were times Rankin housed
as many as a dozen runaways
00:13:28.00\00:13:31.21
in this home at one time.
00:13:31.24\00:13:33.61
While here in Ripley,
00:13:33.64\00:13:34.74
Rankin wouldn't let slave
owners join his congregations.
00:13:34.78\00:13:37.91
He even helped
form a new denomination,
00:13:37.95\00:13:40.32
the Free Presbyterian Church.
It campaigned against slavery.
00:13:40.35\00:13:45.32
When his own brother became
a slave holder in Virginia,
00:13:45.35\00:13:48.52
Rankin wrote letters to his
brother attempting to help him
00:13:48.56\00:13:51.89
to see the error of his ways.
00:13:51.93\00:13:54.13
Those letters were
published in a book,
00:13:54.20\00:13:56.40
which was then
widely circulated.
00:13:56.43\00:13:59.37
Rankin fought slavery
for more than four decades.
00:13:59.40\00:14:02.67
In fact, he was the
inspiration for a key figure
00:14:02.70\00:14:05.81
in Harriet Beecher Stowe's
novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin."
00:14:05.84\00:14:10.58
He and John Parker helped
2,000 runaways find freedom.
00:14:10.61\00:14:15.72
His great-grandson
told a Connecticut newspaper
00:14:15.75\00:14:18.05
that the term
"Underground Railroad"
00:14:18.09\00:14:20.89
was first coined here in
Ripley and that when someone
00:14:20.92\00:14:24.73
asked the
abolitionist Henry Ward Beecher
00:14:24.76\00:14:27.83
who abolished
slavery, Beecher responded,
00:14:27.86\00:14:32.27
"John Rankin and his sons."
00:14:32.30\00:14:35.67
The Underground
Railroad is a remarkable story,
00:14:35.70\00:14:38.61
a story centered around freedom
and the desire to be free--
00:14:38.64\00:14:42.64
in fact, more
correctly, the right to be free.
00:14:42.68\00:14:45.65
Given that the Declaration
of Independence states
00:14:45.68\00:14:47.92
that liberty is an
"unalienable right."
00:14:47.95\00:14:51.92
The greatest story ever
told is the story of freedom.
00:14:51.95\00:14:57.16
The Bible is more than
just a collection of books.
00:14:57.19\00:14:59.66
It's, it's more than just
an assortment of doctrines
00:14:59.69\00:15:02.50
or principles or ideals.
00:15:02.53\00:15:04.57
The Bible itself is a
story, an overarching narrative
00:15:04.60\00:15:08.94
concerning a Savior
who came to this world
00:15:08.97\00:15:12.11
to secure a freedom for
all who want to be free.
00:15:12.14\00:15:16.34
The old story,
rightly understood,
00:15:16.38\00:15:18.75
is one of an almighty and
loving God who intentionally
00:15:18.78\00:15:22.48
created humankind to live in
a world of light and liberty.
00:15:22.52\00:15:28.22
Even though the
human family rebelled
00:15:28.26\00:15:30.19
and betrayed that liberty,
00:15:30.23\00:15:32.16
even though they
traded their God-given freedom
00:15:32.19\00:15:34.46
for the chains of oppression
and are subject to sin,
00:15:34.46\00:15:38.33
the heart of the God of heaven
00:15:38.37\00:15:40.07
beats with a desire to
see you free--eternally.
00:15:40.10\00:15:46.11
We'll talk about
that in just a moment.
00:15:46.14\00:15:48.48
¤[music swells and ends]¤¤
00:15:48.51\00:15:55.52
>>Announcer: Freedom--it's
something we all want:
00:15:58.19\00:16:00.82
freedom from stress,
from life's troubles.
00:16:00.86\00:16:03.39
But did you know
the Bible offers us
00:16:03.43\00:16:05.29
an all-encompassing
kind of freedom?
00:16:05.33\00:16:07.66
Learn more by
requesting today's free offer,
00:16:07.73\00:16:10.30
"Steps to Salvation,"
00:16:10.33\00:16:11.53
by calling 800-253-3000
00:16:11.57\00:16:15.10
or visiting us
online at iiwoffer.com
00:16:15.14\00:16:19.01
and see how
Jesus Himself shows us
00:16:19.04\00:16:21.74
how to live a
life of true freedom.
00:16:21.78\00:16:24.05
Learn how to be truly free.
00:16:24.08\00:16:26.21
>>John Bradshaw: He
was raised in poverty,
00:16:28.35\00:16:30.15
born into a life that
was supposed to guarantee
00:16:30.19\00:16:32.82
he didn't have a future.
00:16:32.85\00:16:34.32
But when a young boy from
Alabama moved with his family
00:16:34.36\00:16:36.89
to Cleveland,
Ohio, everything changed
00:16:36.93\00:16:40.10
as Jesse Owens ran and jumped
into the pages of history.
00:16:40.13\00:16:44.43
Join me for "Running the Race,"
00:16:44.47\00:16:46.87
the story of a young man
who overcame impossible odds,
00:16:46.90\00:16:50.14
winning four Olympic gold medals
00:16:50.17\00:16:51.97
and delivering a knockout blow
00:16:52.01\00:16:53.74
to Adolf Hitler's
master race theories.
00:16:53.78\00:16:56.61
The story of Jesse Owens'
victories against all odds
00:16:56.64\00:16:59.55
speak to the
experience of salvation.
00:16:59.58\00:17:01.82
All have sinned, and yet
all may have everlasting life
00:17:01.85\00:17:04.95
through faith in Jesus.
00:17:04.99\00:17:06.59
Even when others say
you don't deserve eternity,
00:17:06.62\00:17:09.02
Jesus steps in to
offer you everlasting life.
00:17:09.06\00:17:12.73
Don't miss "Running the Race,"
00:17:12.76\00:17:15.40
the inspiring story
of improbable victories
00:17:15.43\00:17:18.40
on the track, in life,
and where it matters most.
00:17:18.43\00:17:22.17
"Running the Race,"
00:17:22.20\00:17:23.34
brought to you
by It Is Written TV.
00:17:23.37\00:17:25.87
¤[synth music]¤
[birdsong, water flowing]
00:17:28.68\00:17:29.98
>>John Bradshaw: The sin
that now binds the human race
00:17:30.01\00:17:32.21
came into the
world when Adam and Eve,
00:17:32.25\00:17:34.92
at the bidding of the serpent,
00:17:34.95\00:17:36.82
made the choice to
distrust their Creator
00:17:36.85\00:17:39.45
and eat the forbidden fruit.
00:17:39.49\00:17:41.69
Later, in the cool of
the day, God spoke with them,
00:17:41.72\00:17:44.43
and upon their
admission of guilt,
00:17:44.46\00:17:46.43
He announced to
Adam, Eve, and the serpent
00:17:46.46\00:17:49.43
that conflict would ensue.
00:17:49.46\00:17:51.80
In Genesis 3:15, God says,
00:17:51.83\00:17:53.60
"I will put enmity
between you and the woman,
00:17:53.64\00:17:55.84
and between your
seed and her Seed."
00:17:55.87\00:17:58.41
[whoosh of car passing by]
00:17:58.44\00:18:00.31
Enmity is a state of
constant conflict or war.
00:18:00.34\00:18:04.61
And this conflict is
between Eve and the serpent.
00:18:04.65\00:18:08.65
The book of Revelation
describes the serpent as
00:18:08.68\00:18:11.32
"the great dragon
[that] was cast out,
00:18:11.35\00:18:14.12
"that old serpent,
called the devil, and Satan,
00:18:14.16\00:18:17.66
which deceives the whole world."
00:18:17.69\00:18:20.96
Jesus called him "the
prince of this world."
00:18:21.00\00:18:23.93
Now, ultimately the
conflict is not just between Eve
00:18:24.93\00:18:27.64
and the serpent.
00:18:27.67\00:18:28.74
It's between her descendants
and spiritual darkness.
00:18:28.77\00:18:32.64
You could say, between
her descendants and sin.
00:18:32.67\00:18:36.34
¤[soft music]¤
00:18:36.38\00:18:37.68
So the conflict extends
way beyond Adam and Eve's time
00:18:37.71\00:18:41.38
on this earth.
00:18:41.42\00:18:43.28
Their children and
their children's children
00:18:43.32\00:18:48.12
would be caught up
in the same struggle.
00:18:48.16\00:18:51.43
Revelation 12:17,
00:18:51.46\00:18:53.13
"And the dragon was
enraged with the woman,
00:18:53.16\00:18:55.66
"and he went to make war
with the rest of her offspring,
00:18:55.70\00:18:58.60
"who keep the
commandments of God
00:18:58.63\00:19:01.10
and have the
testimony of Jesus Christ."
00:19:01.14\00:19:04.81
You and I are now in
the midst of this conflict.
00:19:04.84\00:19:08.41
And the first step
to gaining our freedom
00:19:08.44\00:19:10.61
from the prince of this
world and the power of sin
00:19:10.65\00:19:14.38
is to acknowledge our condition,
00:19:14.42\00:19:16.69
to remember that we
are indeed slaves to sin.
00:19:16.72\00:19:21.06
Jesus Himself outlined
the truth of our condition
00:19:21.09\00:19:24.43
in John 8:34.
00:19:24.46\00:19:26.26
"Most assuredly, I say to you,
00:19:26.29\00:19:28.20
whoever commits
sin is a slave of sin."
00:19:28.23\00:19:31.57
And Romans 3:23 makes it
clear that "all have sinned
00:19:31.60\00:19:35.30
and fall short of
the glory of God."
00:19:35.34\00:19:37.27
[whoosh of traffic]
00:19:37.31\00:19:38.97
"Now, how can that
be?" you might ask.
00:19:39.01\00:19:41.44
"I'm not a slave,
nor am I oppressed.
00:19:41.48\00:19:44.21
"I'm the master
of my own destiny,
00:19:44.25\00:19:46.65
and I get to decide
how that plays out."
00:19:46.68\00:19:49.42
Well, on the surface,
that might seem to be true.
00:19:49.45\00:19:52.45
But the fact of the matter is
every person alive is a sinner.
00:19:52.49\00:19:57.83
And those who choose
to remain in their sins
00:19:57.86\00:20:00.13
ultimately become more
and more shackled by them.
00:20:00.16\00:20:03.67
¤[soft music]¤
00:20:03.70\00:20:05.17
But the story
doesn't have to end there.
00:20:05.20\00:20:07.74
We're not destined
to remain enslaved.
00:20:07.77\00:20:10.51
There's a Chief
Conductor, Jesus Christ.
00:20:10.54\00:20:13.68
And when you acknowledge
your sinful condition,
00:20:13.71\00:20:16.21
you can call on Him to
free you from your shackles.
00:20:16.24\00:20:19.55
What makes Him the
Greatest Conductor of all?
00:20:19.58\00:20:22.85
He never knew sin
00:20:22.88\00:20:24.39
and was never bound by
the prince of this world.
00:20:24.42\00:20:27.99
Yet just as John Parker
chose to cross state lines
00:20:28.02\00:20:31.83
and risk his freedom in an
attempt to free the enslaved,
00:20:31.86\00:20:36.16
Jesus chose of His own free will
to leave the light of heaven
00:20:36.20\00:20:40.74
and cross over
into enemy territory,
00:20:40.77\00:20:43.81
where He would
offer a world held captive
00:20:43.84\00:20:47.54
freedom from sin.
00:20:47.58\00:20:50.08
He announced His
mission and objective
00:20:50.11\00:20:52.95
when He confirms that
He is the very fulfillment
00:20:52.98\00:20:56.02
of the Old Testament
prophecy of the Messiah
00:20:56.05\00:20:59.02
found in Isaiah 61:1,
00:20:59.05\00:21:01.79
"The Spirit of
the Lord is upon me,
00:21:01.82\00:21:04.33
"because the
Lord has anointed me
00:21:04.36\00:21:05.93
"to preach good
tidings to the poor;
00:21:05.96\00:21:09.10
"He has sent me to
heal the brokenhearted,
00:21:09.13\00:21:11.50
"to proclaim
liberty to the captives,
00:21:11.53\00:21:14.84
and the opening of the
prison to those who are bound."
00:21:14.87\00:21:18.64
¤[soft music]¤
[crickets chirping]
00:21:18.67\00:21:20.14
And while freedom via
the Underground Railroad
00:21:20.18\00:21:22.61
afforded slaves personal liberty
and the hope of a new beginning,
00:21:22.64\00:21:26.41
the freedom Jesus Christ offers
00:21:26.45\00:21:28.35
comes with the
greatest gift of all.
00:21:28.38\00:21:31.29
Romans 6, verse 20 tells us,
00:21:31.32\00:21:33.62
"For when you
were slaves of sin,
00:21:33.66\00:21:35.92
"you were free in
regard to righteousness....
00:21:35.96\00:21:38.66
"But now having
been set free from sin,
00:21:38.69\00:21:41.26
"and having
become slaves of God,
00:21:41.30\00:21:43.77
"you have your
fruit to holiness,
00:21:43.80\00:21:46.03
"and the end, everlasting life.
For the wages of sin is death,
00:21:46.07\00:21:51.77
but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
00:21:51.81\00:21:56.98
So how do you
obtain this freedom,
00:21:58.48\00:22:01.58
this remarkable
gift of everlasting life?
00:22:01.62\00:22:05.32
You simply
choose to follow Jesus.
00:22:05.35\00:22:08.72
You do what so many did in
the American South so long ago:
00:22:08.76\00:22:12.59
They shed their chains
00:22:12.63\00:22:15.00
and escaped to freedom
via the Underground Railroad.
00:22:15.03\00:22:18.13
And necessarily, what
follows the choice to be free
00:22:19.13\00:22:22.64
is preparation for the journey
00:22:22.67\00:22:24.81
from slave
territory to free territory.
00:22:24.84\00:22:28.04
For the slave, preparation
meant having secret meetings,
00:22:28.08\00:22:31.58
packing supplies, learning
the best routes and times
00:22:31.61\00:22:34.45
to escape, and memorizing
the codes that were found
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.12
in language, song lyrics,
and perhaps quilt patterns.
00:22:37.15\00:22:41.26
Without this preparation,
any escape was likely to fail.
00:22:41.29\00:22:46.33
Now, if you want to
experience freedom from sin,
00:22:46.36\00:22:49.73
preparation is important.
00:22:49.76\00:22:52.13
Thankfully, God has given
you a road map for your journey
00:22:52.17\00:22:54.84
from earth to
heaven, and that's the Bible,
00:22:54.87\00:22:57.67
complete with
instructions and signs.
00:22:57.71\00:23:00.91
For your trip from here to
there, from slavery to freedom,
00:23:00.94\00:23:05.15
the Bible tells you
everything you need to know.
00:23:05.18\00:23:08.82
For example, 1 John 1:9
tells us how to approach God
00:23:08.85\00:23:12.22
with a repentant heart:
00:23:12.25\00:23:13.66
"If we confess our sins,
00:23:13.69\00:23:15.26
"He is faithful and
just to forgive us our sins
00:23:15.29\00:23:18.16
and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness."
00:23:18.19\00:23:21.50
Micah 6:8 reveals what kind of
life the Lord wishes us to live:
00:23:21.53\00:23:25.07
"He has shown you,
O man, what is good;
00:23:25.10\00:23:27.14
"and what does the
Lord require of you
00:23:27.17\00:23:29.20
"but to do
justly, to love mercy,
00:23:29.24\00:23:31.64
and to walk
humbly with your God?"
00:23:31.67\00:23:33.74
The books of
Daniel and Revelation
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.11
include prophetic codes and
signs, which help to prepare us
00:23:36.14\00:23:39.78
for the final
scenes of earth's history,
00:23:39.81\00:23:41.95
some of which we're
seeing unfold before us
00:23:41.98\00:23:44.55
and some of which
are still to come.
00:23:44.59\00:23:46.99
Our work of preparation
as followers of Christ
00:23:47.02\00:23:49.52
necessitates the study and
understanding of Scripture.
00:23:49.56\00:23:53.63
But there's one more
part of this process.
00:23:53.66\00:23:56.23
Just as some former slaves, like
John Parker, made it to freedom
00:23:56.26\00:24:00.50
and turned right back around
to aid other enslaved people
00:24:00.54\00:24:03.00
through the
Underground Railroad,
00:24:03.04\00:24:05.01
we, too, must
go back for others.
00:24:05.04\00:24:07.54
You see, the plan of
salvation is twofold.
00:24:09.41\00:24:12.51
First, Jesus delivers
you from the bondage of sin.
00:24:12.55\00:24:16.89
And then He desires your
participation in leading others
00:24:16.92\00:24:20.96
into freedom. He
calls you into His work.
00:24:20.99\00:24:25.16
If you're willing,
He'll make you a conductor,
00:24:25.19\00:24:28.66
who, with His help, will
lead others out of slavery
00:24:28.70\00:24:33.57
and into freedom,
into His marvelous light.
00:24:33.60\00:24:38.41
This work is more urgent than
ever because the hour is late.
00:24:38.44\00:24:42.74
The signs of Christ's
second coming are all around us.
00:24:42.78\00:24:47.48
Romans 13:11 and 12,
00:24:47.52\00:24:50.05
"And do this, knowing the time,
00:24:50.09\00:24:52.12
"that now it is high
time to awake out of sleep;
00:24:52.15\00:24:55.19
"for now our salvation is nearer
than when we first believed.
00:24:55.22\00:24:59.13
"The night is far
spent, the day is at hand.
00:24:59.16\00:25:03.10
"Therefore let us cast
off the works of darkness,
00:25:03.13\00:25:06.84
and let us put on
the armor of light."
00:25:06.87\00:25:10.64
It was right there
that anxious fugitives
00:25:10.67\00:25:14.94
made their last
desperate dash to freedom.
00:25:14.98\00:25:19.15
¤[soft orchestral music]¤
00:25:19.18\00:25:20.42
Will you choose freedom today?
00:25:20.45\00:25:23.08
To travel with
Christ, the Chief Conductor,
00:25:23.12\00:25:25.75
from midnight to dawn,
00:25:25.79\00:25:29.22
will you steal away to Jesus?
00:25:29.26\00:25:32.59
As the old song says, "We
ain't got long to stay here."
00:25:32.63\00:25:38.30
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:25:38.33\00:25:39.33
>>John: Thank you for
remembering that It Is Written
00:25:40.84\00:25:42.77
exists because of the kindness
of people just like you.
00:25:42.80\00:25:46.21
To support this international
life-changing ministry,
00:25:46.24\00:25:49.44
please call us
now at 800-253-3000.
00:25:49.48\00:25:53.72
You can send your
tax-deductible gift
00:25:53.75\00:25:55.18
to the address on your screen,
00:25:55.22\00:25:56.65
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:25:56.69\00:26:00.52
Thank you for your prayers
and for your financial support.
00:26:00.56\00:26:03.32
Our number
again is 800-253-3000,
00:26:03.36\00:26:07.50
or you can visit us
online at itiswritten.com.
00:26:07.50\00:26:10.50
>>John: Let me
pray with you now.
00:26:11.50\00:26:13.47
Our Father in heaven,
00:26:13.50\00:26:14.54
we thank You today that
in Jesus we have freedom.
00:26:14.57\00:26:17.74
Oh, we get distracted by
this world, sometimes deceived.
00:26:17.77\00:26:20.61
We think we are free here
00:26:20.64\00:26:22.41
when really You are
waiting to liberate us
00:26:22.44\00:26:24.65
and get us from this
world into the world to come.
00:26:24.68\00:26:27.45
Friend, as I
pray, would you pray?
00:26:27.48\00:26:29.62
Would you reach out to Jesus?
00:26:29.65\00:26:31.02
Would you say,
"Lord, I'm Yours"?
00:26:31.05\00:26:32.35
Would you say, "I
accept Jesus as my Savior"?
00:26:32.39\00:26:34.86
Would you say, "I want to
go from midnight to dawn"?
00:26:34.89\00:26:38.36
Or would you rededicate
your life to Jesus right now?
00:26:38.39\00:26:41.63
We thank You that Jesus said,
00:26:41.66\00:26:42.76
"If the Son
[therefore will make] you free,
00:26:42.80\00:26:44.47
you shall be free indeed."
00:26:44.50\00:26:47.54
We accept the
freedom You offer us.
00:26:47.57\00:26:49.87
And we thank You,
00:26:49.90\00:26:51.44
and we pray in Jesus' name.
00:26:51.47\00:26:55.04
Amen.
00:26:55.08\00:26:56.41
Thank you so
much for joining me.
00:26:56.44\00:26:57.81
I'm looking forward to
seeing you again next time.
00:26:57.85\00:27:00.42
Until then, remember:
00:27:00.45\00:27:02.68
"It is written, 'Man
shall not live by bread alone,
00:27:02.72\00:27:06.49
but by every word that proceeds
from the mouth of God.'"
00:27:06.52\00:27:10.49
[insects rasping and chirping]
00:27:10.53\00:27:11.83
¤[soft synth music]¤
00:27:11.86\00:27:14.30
[America Wilson sings
"Steal Away"] ¤ Steal away, ¤
00:27:14.36\00:27:18.57
¤ steal away, ¤
00:27:19.90\00:27:22.97
¤ steal away to Jesus. ¤
00:27:26.07\00:27:33.82
¤ Steal away, ¤
00:27:34.82\00:27:37.85
¤ steal away home. ¤ [birdsong]
00:27:38.85\00:27:43.56
¤ I ain't got
long to stay here. ¤
00:27:43.59\00:27:50.57
¤ Green trees are bending; ¤
00:27:52.57\00:27:58.31
¤ poor sinners
stand a-trembling; ¤
00:27:58.34\00:28:04.08
¤ the trumpet
sounds within my soul; ¤
00:28:04.11\00:28:12.82
¤ I ain't got long ¤
00:28:12.85\00:28:16.83
¤ to stay here. ¤¤
00:28:16.86\00:28:20.20
¤[music ends]¤¤
00:28:24.50\00:28:26.17