Good morning, Southern.
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We're going to be
starting with our first song,
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"Jesus is coming again."
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Amen. Amen.
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Lift up the trumpet,
Jesus is coming again.
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Lift up the
trumpet, and loud let it ring
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Jesus is coming again
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Cheer up, ye
pilgrims be joyful and sing
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Echo it, hilltops,
proclaim it, ye plains
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming in glory,
the Lamb that was slain
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Heavings of earth, tell
the vast, wondering throng
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Jesus is coming again
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Tempests and
whirlwinds, the anthem prolong
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again
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Nations are angry
by this we do know
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Jesus is coming again
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Knowledge
increases, men run to and fro
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Jesus is coming again
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Coming again, coming again
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Jesus is coming again.
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Amen.
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Our next song is also our
theme song for this weekend.
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Power in the Blood.
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There is tremendous
power in the blood of Jesus.
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Amen.
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Would you be free
from your burden of sin?
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There's power in the
blood, power in the blood
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Would you o'er
evil a victory win?
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There's wonderful
power in the blood
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the blood of the Lamb
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb
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Would you be free from
your passion and pride?
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There's power in the
blood, power in the blood
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Come for a
cleansing to Calvary's tide
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There's wonderful
power in the blood
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the blood of the Lamb
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb
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Would you do
service for Jesus your King?
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There's power in the
blood, power in the blood
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Would you live
daily His praises to sing?
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There's wonderful
power in the blood
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the blood of the Lamb
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There is power,
power, wonder working power
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In the precious
blood of the Lamb
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Thank you so much.
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Good morning, Southern.
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On behalf of the
SEYC Executive committee,
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I want to welcome you again
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to the 2007 South
East Youth Conference.
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Our theme this year is
'Transformed by His power'
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taken from Romans 12: 2.
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And I believe that this weekend
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we can experience transformation
because of three key reasons.
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And number one that is
you, young people and I.
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Number two,
working of the Holy Spirit.
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Number three,
prayer and Bible study.
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I want to
encourage you this weekend.
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I know you didn't know today,
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but from now on when
you come bring your Bibles
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because you're
going to need them.
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Once again welcome to SEYC.
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Well, invite us to kneel
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as we come before God in
prayer this morning, shall we?
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Father God, it's a
privilege this morning
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to be able to come and to
bend our knees before You,
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recognizing that You are Lord
of our lives and savior and God
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and that we are in
complete need of who You are.
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We need You in our heart
and our life to change us,
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to be transformed by You.
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And so, Father,
that's the reason
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that we're here this morning.
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And so I pray that, that
in our songs, in our music,
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in our preaching, in
our hearts, our attitudes
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may everything bring honor
and glory to You this morning.
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And may the soils of
our heart find fertile place
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for Your Spirit to
implant and to be real in us.
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We love You and
salute You in Christ name.
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Amen.
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Good morning again, Southern.
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Good morning.
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It is my great honor
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to introduce our
speaker for the weekend to you.
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He's the director of Arise
Institute which is in Michigan.
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And it is a training
school for lay missions sorry.
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Before he speaks though
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we have a special
music by Jonathan Meharry
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who's friend of mine
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and a graphic
designer here at Southern.
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The next voice you'll hear after
him would be David Asscherick.
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There's a call going out
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To the land in every nation
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A call to those
who pledge allegiance
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To the cross of Christ
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A call to true humility
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To live our lives responsibly
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To deepen our devotion
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to the cross at any price
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Let us then be sober
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Moving only in the Spirit
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As aliens and strangers
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In a hostile foreign land
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The message we're proclaiming
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Is repentance and forgiveness
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The offer of salvation
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To a dying race of man
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To love the lord our God
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Is the heartbeat of our mission
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The spring from
which our service overflows
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Across the street
or around the world
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The mission's still the same
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Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
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As a candle is consumed
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By the passion of the flame
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Spilling light unsparingly
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Into a darkened room
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Let us burn to know him deeper
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Then a service flaming bright
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Will radiate his passions
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And blaze with holy light
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To love the lord our God
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Is the heartbeat of our mission
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The spring from
which our service overflows
00:11:08.01\00:11:13.96
Across the street
or around the world
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The mission's still the same
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Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
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To love the lord our God
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Is the heartbeat of our mission
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The spring from
which our service overflows
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Across the street
or around the world
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The mission's still the same
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Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
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Well love the lord our God
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is the heartbeat of our mission
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The spring from
which our service overflows
00:12:00.94\00:12:06.55
Across the street
or around the world
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The mission's still the same
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Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
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Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
00:12:20.39\00:12:26.89
Proclaim and live
the truth in Jesus name
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All right.
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Good morning, every one.
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Good morning.
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Happy Thursday. Happy Thursday.
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It seems like the protocol
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that is appropriate is for me
to say, good morning, Southern.
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I think we've heard that
like ten times this morning.
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I think you need
a new opening line.
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It is a great
privilege for me to be here.
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My name is
Pastor David Asscherick
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and I'm looking
forward to the SEYC weekend.
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How many of you are
planning on attending
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most or all of those meetings?
00:13:21.63\00:13:24.35
Okay, good, that's
what I want to see.
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Hopefully by the end of
this morning's presentation
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you will be encouraged,
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if you have not
already made that decision
00:13:30.49\00:13:32.25
to attend these meetings
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not because I'm
going to be here,
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but because I
believe the Lord Jesus Christ
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is going to be
here this weekend. Amen.
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It's not about a
man, it's about the God
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that speaks through man
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and the God that is
condescended to minister to men
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and I'm looking
forward to this weekend.
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I've been praying
about it and anticipating it
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and I want you to know that my
goal at the end of this weekend
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is to be
transformed by this power. Amen.
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Amen and I hope
that's your goal as well.
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Our presentation this morning
00:13:58.37\00:13:59.74
is actually one of my
very favorite presentations,
00:13:59.77\00:14:02.16
its entitled Pascal's Wager.
00:14:02.19\00:14:05.05
Now Blaise Pascal was a French
Mathematician and Scientist.
00:14:05.08\00:14:09.66
He was born in 1623
00:14:09.69\00:14:12.19
and he died at
the age of 39 in 1662.
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At the age of 31, Blaise
Pascal became a Christian,
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that is to say, he put his
faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:14:19.48\00:14:22.46
And from that
time at the age 31,
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he decided that he was going to
write an exhaustive treatment,
00:14:24.73\00:14:29.02
an exhaustive defense,
00:14:29.05\00:14:30.42
an apologetic of
the Christian faith.
00:14:30.45\00:14:32.71
He wanted defend Christianity
from the various onslaughts
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and attacks of skeptics
and infidels and others.
00:14:36.20\00:14:38.99
And so he began
to compile together
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a number of writings
and essays and little things
00:14:41.87\00:14:44.67
that he would scribble
even on small pieces of paper
00:14:44.70\00:14:46.65
and he would put
them into his notes.
00:14:46.68\00:14:48.05
Well, of course he died
00:14:48.08\00:14:49.45
before he was ever able
to complete the project.
00:14:49.48\00:14:50.96
He died young at 39.
00:14:50.99\00:14:52.85
And after he had passed away,
00:14:52.88\00:14:55.15
the various relatives
and others went to his estate
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and they gathered up all
of these different writings
00:14:58.43\00:15:01.40
that he had then
preparing sermon notes
00:15:01.43\00:15:03.38
and philosophical musings
00:15:03.41\00:15:04.92
and this thing that was going
00:15:04.95\00:15:06.35
to become this
exhaustive compendium,
00:15:06.38\00:15:08.67
this defense of
the Christian faith.
00:15:08.70\00:15:10.87
And they put it all
together into a single book
00:15:10.90\00:15:13.40
and published it
in the French language
00:15:13.43\00:15:14.97
and that volume
was entitled "Pensees"
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which simply means to think.
00:15:17.85\00:15:19.75
We get our English
word pensive from that.
00:15:19.78\00:15:22.60
Pensees, thoughts on God
00:15:22.63\00:15:25.02
and on philosophy and
on life and it's meaning.
00:15:25.05\00:15:28.51
Well, probably the most
famous of those pensees,
00:15:28.54\00:15:32.28
those thoughts that
Pascal, Blaise Pascal
00:15:32.31\00:15:34.55
was known for is something
simply called the wager.
00:15:34.58\00:15:38.21
And he has become
so well known for this,
00:15:38.24\00:15:40.89
that it is now
referred to colloquially
00:15:40.92\00:15:43.16
and in philosophical
circles as Pascal's Wager.
00:15:43.19\00:15:48.54
Now as we get into
this wager this morning,
00:15:48.57\00:15:50.41
I'd like to begin
by sort of debunking
00:15:50.44\00:15:52.34
and disabusing your
minds of this canard
00:15:52.37\00:15:55.53
that goes something like this.
00:15:55.56\00:15:57.65
Religionists
are not intelligent.
00:15:57.68\00:16:00.87
That is to say that when
you enter the church door
00:16:00.90\00:16:03.43
you have to leave your
mind, your brain at the door.
00:16:03.46\00:16:06.83
Beloved, I became a
Christian nine years ago.
00:16:06.86\00:16:09.34
I was a crazy punk rocker.
00:16:09.37\00:16:11.08
I was studying medicine
at the University of Wyoming,
00:16:11.11\00:16:13.58
had no interest whatsoever
in the things of religion
00:16:13.61\00:16:16.50
and my perception
of religious people
00:16:16.53\00:16:19.43
was generally
that they were ignorant
00:16:19.46\00:16:21.73
and that they needed some
sort of a crutch to get them
00:16:21.76\00:16:24.10
through the difficulties
and vicissitudes of life.
00:16:24.13\00:16:26.83
Now ten years later, I can tell
you that it is not at all true
00:16:26.86\00:16:30.59
that Christianity is some
how naive or unintellectual.
00:16:30.62\00:16:34.03
Is there anybody that
wants to say amen to that? Amen.
00:16:34.06\00:16:36.93
But there is this
general perception
00:16:36.96\00:16:39.52
not just amongst
those outside of the church,
00:16:39.55\00:16:41.65
but even sometimes amongst
those inside of the church.
00:16:41.68\00:16:44.21
The idea is that if you're
going to live the life of faith
00:16:44.24\00:16:47.52
that cannot also be
a life of intelligence
00:16:47.55\00:16:49.93
and intellectual rigor.
00:16:49.96\00:16:51.68
In Hebrews 11:1, the
author of the Book of Hebrews,
00:16:51.71\00:16:55.38
sort of gives us our
prototypical definition of faith
00:16:55.41\00:16:59.19
and that is, "Faith is the
substance of things hoped for,"
00:16:59.22\00:17:02.84
and what is the next word there?
00:17:02.87\00:17:04.30
"The evidence of
things not seen."
00:17:04.33\00:17:08.15
We sometimes have
this idea in our mind
00:17:08.18\00:17:10.60
that faith and
evidence are contradictory,
00:17:10.63\00:17:13.69
but in reality, faith and
evidence are complimentary.
00:17:13.72\00:17:17.64
When you become a Christian you
do not have to cease thinking.
00:17:17.67\00:17:21.43
Can someone say, amen? Amen.
00:17:21.46\00:17:23.16
In fact I have done
more thinking, more critical
00:17:23.19\00:17:25.90
evaluative
thinking as a Christian
00:17:25.93\00:17:28.00
than I ever did prior
to my conversion to Christ.
00:17:28.03\00:17:30.69
Now notice the next presentation
00:17:30.72\00:17:32.37
or the next slide
here on the projector here.
00:17:32.40\00:17:35.95
This is taken from the
little book "Steps to Christ."
00:17:35.98\00:17:38.11
Okay, a
marvelous, marvelous book.
00:17:38.14\00:17:40.06
I highly recommend
you read that book.
00:17:40.09\00:17:41.78
In fact, I make
a habit of reading
00:17:41.81\00:17:43.18
that book every
single year at least once.
00:17:43.21\00:17:45.42
Now listen to this very
rational, very reasonable,
00:17:45.45\00:17:49.38
very methodical
definition here of faith,
00:17:49.41\00:17:51.99
and tell me if it
makes sense to you.
00:17:52.02\00:17:53.96
She says, "God never"
00:17:53.99\00:17:56.91
what is that
word everyone? Never.
00:17:56.94\00:17:58.82
"God never asks us to believe
without giving sufficient,"
00:17:58.85\00:18:03.63
what's the next word? Evidence.
00:18:03.66\00:18:05.19
Evidence upon which
to base our what? Faith.
00:18:05.22\00:18:08.36
Hey, that sounds
just like Hebrews 11:1.
00:18:08.39\00:18:11.10
Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for,
00:18:11.13\00:18:13.46
the evidence of things not seen.
00:18:13.49\00:18:15.18
Here it is God
never asks us to believe
00:18:15.21\00:18:17.78
without giving
sufficient evidence
00:18:17.81\00:18:19.18
upon which to base our faith.
00:18:19.21\00:18:20.58
So faith is based upon evidence.
00:18:20.61\00:18:23.93
Faith is based
upon what, everyone?
00:18:23.96\00:18:25.44
Evidence. Evidence.
00:18:25.47\00:18:26.84
Let's say that together.
00:18:26.87\00:18:28.24
Faith is based upon
evidence and yet again,
00:18:28.27\00:18:31.86
faith is based upon evidence.
00:18:31.89\00:18:34.70
"His existence, His character,
the truthfulness of His word,
00:18:34.73\00:18:39.01
are all established by testimony
that is contrary to reason."
00:18:39.04\00:18:45.44
What does that say?
You're not paying attention.
00:18:45.47\00:18:46.84
You're students,
you're supposed to be learning
00:18:46.87\00:18:48.78
to think and act
evaluatively and critically.
00:18:48.81\00:18:51.32
They're all established
by testimony that, what?
00:18:51.35\00:18:53.47
Appeals.
00:18:53.50\00:18:54.87
Appeals to our reason
and this testimony is sparse.
00:18:54.90\00:18:58.81
Abundant.
00:18:58.84\00:19:00.21
This testimony is abundant.
00:19:00.24\00:19:01.61
Our faith must rest
upon what, everyone?
00:19:01.64\00:19:04.72
So that's the second time
in this one quotation here
00:19:04.75\00:19:07.11
faith rests upon evidence.
00:19:07.14\00:19:08.85
Those who wish to
doubt will have opportunity.
00:19:08.88\00:19:11.92
God is a gentleman
He does not give us
00:19:11.95\00:19:13.82
exhaustive proof of His
existence and His character.
00:19:13.85\00:19:16.35
He has to allow there to
be opportunity for doubt,
00:19:16.38\00:19:19.04
while those who really
desire to know the truth
00:19:19.07\00:19:21.67
will find plenty of,
what's the next word?
00:19:21.70\00:19:23.23
Evidence.
00:19:23.26\00:19:24.63
Evidence, on which
to rest their what?
00:19:24.66\00:19:26.24
Faith. Faith.
00:19:26.27\00:19:27.64
So three times,
faith rests upon evidence.
00:19:27.67\00:19:30.01
Faith rests upon evidence.
00:19:30.04\00:19:31.41
Faith rests upon what?
00:19:31.44\00:19:33.03
Evidence.
00:19:33.06\00:19:34.43
Now this idea of being
intellectually credible
00:19:34.46\00:19:38.53
and still very
spiritually minded is something
00:19:38.56\00:19:40.73
that I want to try and
communicate this morning.
00:19:40.76\00:19:42.72
Now when Blaise
Pascal approached
00:19:42.75\00:19:44.87
the question of Christianity,
00:19:44.90\00:19:46.52
when Blaise Pascal approached
the question of the origin,
00:19:46.55\00:19:49.64
meaning, morality, and
destiny of the human enterprise,
00:19:49.67\00:19:53.60
he did not approach it from
00:19:53.63\00:19:55.02
what you might call a
typical religious perspective.
00:19:55.05\00:20:00.58
His perspective
was the perspective
00:20:00.61\00:20:02.48
of a scientist
and a mathematician.
00:20:02.51\00:20:05.61
Now I would highly
recommend if you find the time,
00:20:05.64\00:20:08.06
if you've not
already done it to go online
00:20:08.09\00:20:10.35
and just look up Pascal's Wager
00:20:10.38\00:20:12.89
and you can actually find
the translation into English.
00:20:12.92\00:20:15.68
It's about four or
five pages of his wager.
00:20:15.71\00:20:18.25
But what I've done here
in the interest of brevity
00:20:18.28\00:20:21.01
is taken his wager
00:20:21.04\00:20:22.56
and basically summarized
it into a single paragraph.
00:20:22.59\00:20:25.51
You tell me if it
makes sense to you.
00:20:25.54\00:20:26.91
Now remember, he
is approaching this
00:20:26.94\00:20:28.58
from the
perspective of a mathematician.
00:20:28.61\00:20:31.51
Perspective of what
everyone? Mathematician.
00:20:31.54\00:20:33.09
A mathematician and a scientist.
00:20:33.12\00:20:34.90
Here we go.
00:20:34.93\00:20:36.30
This is basically a truncated
version of Pascal's Wager.
00:20:36.33\00:20:40.01
God either exists or He doesn't.
00:20:40.04\00:20:44.36
So far so good everyone?
00:20:44.39\00:20:46.26
There are only two
possible kinds of universes.
00:20:46.29\00:20:49.43
We ether live in
a theistic universe
00:20:49.46\00:20:51.58
or we live in a
non-theistic universe.
00:20:51.61\00:20:53.84
This exhausts the possibilities.
00:20:53.87\00:20:56.09
It's either or.
00:20:56.12\00:20:57.49
God either exists or He doesn't.
00:20:57.52\00:20:59.53
Very simple, very
easy starting premise.
00:20:59.56\00:21:02.40
"Based on the
testimony," said Pascal
00:21:02.43\00:21:04.80
"Of both general revelation"
00:21:04.83\00:21:06.68
that would be nature etcetera,
00:21:06.71\00:21:08.08
"And special revelation,"
00:21:08.11\00:21:09.48
he's referring
there to the scriptures.
00:21:09.51\00:21:11.94
"It is safe to assume
that God does in fact exist.
00:21:11.97\00:21:16.74
It is, he summarized,
abundantly fair to concede
00:21:16.77\00:21:20.61
that there is at
least a 50% chance
00:21:20.64\00:21:23.27
that the Christian
creator God exists."
00:21:23.30\00:21:25.12
You can see where
he is going with this?
00:21:25.15\00:21:26.52
There's at least a 50% chance.
00:21:26.55\00:21:28.94
"Therefore since we
stand to gain eternity,
00:21:28.97\00:21:32.47
and thus infinity,"
00:21:32.50\00:21:33.96
as a mathematician of
course he would have been
00:21:33.99\00:21:35.45
keenly interested in
things related to infinity.
00:21:35.48\00:21:37.78
Mathematicians
to this day debate
00:21:37.81\00:21:39.48
whether or nor there is such
a thing is an actual infinity
00:21:39.51\00:21:42.01
or infinity is
only an abstraction.
00:21:42.04\00:21:43.94
So this idea of eternal
life or everlasting life
00:21:43.97\00:21:47.02
or infinite life
was very interesting.
00:21:47.05\00:21:50.51
He was very keenly
interested in this and so.
00:21:50.54\00:21:53.15
"Since we stand
to gain eternity,"
00:21:53.18\00:21:55.17
and that's why definition
00:21:55.20\00:21:56.57
"Infinity, the wise or
safe choice," said Pascal
00:21:56.60\00:21:59.58
"Is to live as
though God does exist.
00:21:59.61\00:22:03.13
If we are right,
we gain everything,"
00:22:03.16\00:22:05.68
and what do we lose?
00:22:05.71\00:22:07.08
Nothing. Nothing.
00:22:07.11\00:22:08.48
But what if we're wrong?
00:22:08.51\00:22:09.88
"If we're wrong we lose
nothing and we gain," what?
00:22:09.91\00:22:12.53
Nothing. Nothing.
00:22:12.56\00:22:13.93
"Therefore, based
on simple mathematics,
00:22:13.96\00:22:15.48
Pascal reasoned
that only the fool
00:22:15.51\00:22:18.14
would choose to
live the Godless life.
00:22:18.17\00:22:19.94
This is a simplified
version of The Wager."
00:22:19.97\00:22:23.14
Now does this make
sense generally, yes or no?
00:22:23.17\00:22:25.32
Yes.
00:22:25.35\00:22:26.72
Yes or no? Yes.
00:22:26.75\00:22:28.12
You can follow the basic
concepts of what he's saying.
00:22:28.15\00:22:30.66
If we accept the
gospel claim on its own terms
00:22:30.69\00:22:34.14
and the promise
that is being made
00:22:34.17\00:22:35.54
therefore example in John 3:16,
00:22:35.57\00:22:37.39
"For God so loved the world,
00:22:37.42\00:22:38.79
that He gave his
only begotten son,
00:22:38.82\00:22:40.20
that whosoever believeth
in them should not," what?
00:22:40.23\00:22:42.64
"Perish," but have what?
00:22:42.67\00:22:44.23
Everlasting--
"Everlasting life."
00:22:44.26\00:22:46.72
If that claim is accepted on
its own merits Pascal said, hmm.
00:22:46.75\00:22:51.62
If we put our faith in this God
00:22:51.65\00:22:54.18
and if this God
turns out to be real
00:22:54.21\00:22:57.09
then we stand the potential
00:22:57.12\00:22:59.04
at least of
gaining an actual infinite.
00:22:59.07\00:23:02.12
That is an infinite
life or an eternal life.
00:23:02.15\00:23:04.89
And so he said lets
back up here a little bit
00:23:04.92\00:23:06.46
and let's ask the more basic
question, does this God exist?
00:23:06.49\00:23:10.95
Now you're going to find atheist
and agnostics and skeptics
00:23:10.98\00:23:14.33
and others who will
give a variety of evidences
00:23:14.36\00:23:17.14
that they believe
compelling demonstrate
00:23:17.17\00:23:19.22
that God does not in fact exist.
00:23:19.25\00:23:21.90
And then on this side
you would have those people,
00:23:21.93\00:23:24.22
intelligent
people, reasonable people,
00:23:24.25\00:23:26.12
rational people
like a Blaise Pascal,
00:23:26.15\00:23:28.40
who would give
what they consider
00:23:28.43\00:23:29.80
to be compelling evidences
00:23:29.83\00:23:31.20
to the fact that
God does in fact exist.
00:23:31.23\00:23:33.10
And so what he
said is, okay, listen,
00:23:33.13\00:23:34.50
let's split the difference.
00:23:34.53\00:23:35.90
You think that your
arguments are conclusive.
00:23:35.93\00:23:37.48
You think that your
arguments are conclusive.
00:23:37.51\00:23:39.12
Let's just put it right
down the middle in the interest
00:23:39.15\00:23:41.14
of absolute
transparency and fairness
00:23:41.17\00:23:42.97
and let's just say 50-50 chance.
00:23:43.00\00:23:45.78
Let's just call it 50-50.
00:23:45.81\00:23:47.18
Now of course Blaise
Pascal believed as I believed
00:23:47.21\00:23:48.89
that it was far
better than 50% chance,
00:23:48.92\00:23:51.15
but in the interest of fairness,
00:23:51.18\00:23:53.24
he said 50% chance that the
Christian creator God exists.
00:23:53.27\00:23:56.65
If he ends up existing
then what we stand to gain,
00:23:56.68\00:24:00.75
if the gospel claim is
true is an actual infinite
00:24:00.78\00:24:04.30
and if it's not true,
have we really lost anything?
00:24:04.33\00:24:08.45
This is his whole point.
00:24:08.48\00:24:10.13
Now I'm not a gambling person
00:24:10.16\00:24:13.76
simply because I tend to lose,
00:24:13.79\00:24:16.43
but I understand the
principles of gambling.
00:24:16.46\00:24:18.54
I understand what makes
the mind of a gambler work
00:24:18.57\00:24:22.00
and basically you
have three factors
00:24:22.03\00:24:24.68
that affect whether or not,
00:24:24.71\00:24:27.08
you would determine if a
wager is a positive wager,
00:24:27.11\00:24:30.40
a potentially
beneficial wager or not.
00:24:30.43\00:24:32.61
And they're
basically three things,
00:24:32.64\00:24:34.21
the size of the
prize, the size of the risk,
00:24:34.24\00:24:36.77
and the chances of actually
gaining the promised prize.
00:24:36.80\00:24:39.73
Okay, number one,
size of the prize.
00:24:39.76\00:24:41.87
Number two, size of the risk
00:24:41.90\00:24:43.38
and number three, what are the
chances of actually winning it?
00:24:43.41\00:24:45.96
You can take any wager
00:24:45.99\00:24:47.82
and plug it into
this threefold equation
00:24:47.85\00:24:50.20
and you can basically determine
00:24:50.23\00:24:51.72
whether or not it
is a justifiable wager
00:24:51.75\00:24:54.53
or it is an absurd wager.
00:24:54.56\00:24:56.66
Take for example the
purchasing of lottery tickets.
00:24:56.69\00:24:58.88
Now I've never
purchased a lottery ticket
00:24:58.91\00:25:00.87
because there's one
social commentator said,
00:25:00.90\00:25:03.27
"My chances of
winning the lottery
00:25:03.30\00:25:05.19
not purchasing a
ticket are only slightly worst
00:25:05.22\00:25:08.47
than those who do
purchase the tickets."
00:25:08.50\00:25:13.94
So I don't know
how much you know about
00:25:13.97\00:25:15.76
pastors and their salaries,
00:25:15.79\00:25:17.16
but I don't have even one dollar
00:25:17.19\00:25:19.02
to spare on a lottery ticket.
00:25:19.05\00:25:21.52
But we can at least understand
the rationale of somebody
00:25:21.55\00:25:24.72
that would
purchase a lottery ticket.
00:25:24.75\00:25:26.12
Let's plug this into our
three-tiered equation here.
00:25:26.15\00:25:27.91
Number one, what is the
size of the prize to be gained?
00:25:27.94\00:25:32.02
Well, I suppose it
depends on the state
00:25:32.05\00:25:33.42
that you're
resident of, but sometimes
00:25:33.45\00:25:34.82
the New York
lottery can upwards of
00:25:34.85\00:25:36.22
dollars.
00:25:36.25\00:25:40.02
Anybody here could use
that kind of money? Okay.
00:25:40.05\00:25:42.75
So the size of the
prize is sufficient
00:25:42.78\00:25:45.58
to at least elicit
our interest, right?
00:25:45.61\00:25:48.66
If the advertisement for
the lottery said win $53.
00:25:48.69\00:25:54.11
You know, it
would be like, for real,
00:25:54.14\00:25:55.93
you know, all right.
00:25:55.96\00:25:59.85
In fact I've just
got to throw this in
00:25:59.88\00:26:01.36
because it just boggles my mind.
00:26:01.39\00:26:05.48
I'm not a television watcher.
00:26:05.51\00:26:06.88
I don't have any
time for the television.
00:26:06.91\00:26:08.28
Life is too
precious for television.
00:26:08.31\00:26:10.15
And but I have friends
00:26:10.18\00:26:11.72
that love to watch
the television and onetime
00:26:11.75\00:26:13.60
I was at one of my friends house
and he's one of these people
00:26:13.63\00:26:17.92
that has the
television on 24/7, right.
00:26:17.95\00:26:19.32
I think he's afraid
he's going to miss something.
00:26:19.35\00:26:20.72
And I'm afraid that
he's missing something
00:26:20.75\00:26:22.64
and that
something is called life,
00:26:22.67\00:26:24.04
but that's beside the point.
00:26:24.07\00:26:25.77
So he has the television
on all the time, right?
00:26:25.80\00:26:27.77
And this show came
on called Fear Factor.
00:26:27.80\00:26:30.56
You ever heard of this?
Just the most ludicrous thing.
00:26:30.59\00:26:33.54
I would just like,
no, this is not real.
00:26:33.57\00:26:36.37
So they these like spiders,
00:26:36.40\00:26:39.89
that were about the
size of a saucer plate
00:26:39.92\00:26:42.69
and you had to eat them, right.
00:26:42.72\00:26:45.39
I mean, they were
just these big like
00:26:45.42\00:26:46.79
African cave dwelling spiders.
00:26:46.82\00:26:49.92
They had them in a bucket there.
00:26:49.95\00:26:51.39
And you know there was
like the mom and the son teams.
00:26:51.42\00:26:54.23
So it was like three teams,
00:26:54.26\00:26:55.63
mom and son, mom
and son, mom and son
00:26:55.66\00:26:57.67
and I'm watching this thinking,
no, this is not going to happen.
00:26:57.70\00:27:00.91
Spiders just these riving crab
looking beasts in this bucket,
00:27:00.94\00:27:05.30
several of them in there.
00:27:05.33\00:27:06.70
And the host is just standing
there as if he's saying,
00:27:06.73\00:27:08.54
you know, what's
behind door number one?
00:27:08.57\00:27:10.03
Just talking totally
normal, totally plain.
00:27:10.06\00:27:12.19
What you have to
do is eat the spiders
00:27:12.22\00:27:14.74
and whichever team
eats the most spiders
00:27:14.77\00:27:17.03
gets to move on
to the next round.
00:27:17.06\00:27:20.48
That was final. No, this is, no.
00:27:20.51\00:27:23.16
This is not for real.
00:27:23.19\00:27:24.80
And sure enough to my utter
astonishment and incredulity,
00:27:24.83\00:27:27.52
I could not believe it.
00:27:27.55\00:27:29.28
The buzzer goes off.
00:27:29.31\00:27:30.68
60 second timer and
they start eating spider
00:27:30.71\00:27:34.09
and the legs are coming out.
00:27:34.12\00:27:36.88
And I literally couldn't
believe what I was seeing,
00:27:36.91\00:27:38.94
so I'm thinking to myself
that the world has gone insane.
00:27:38.97\00:27:41.79
I took seven
years off of television
00:27:41.82\00:27:43.40
and the whole world falls apart.
00:27:43.43\00:27:45.97
And so then anyway
I continued to watch,
00:27:46.00\00:27:48.20
to my utter amazement
00:27:48.23\00:27:49.60
and then they
announced the prize, $50,000.
00:27:49.63\00:27:56.37
I thought to myself $50,000?
00:27:56.40\00:28:00.40
No, go work for a year.
00:28:00.43\00:28:02.20
I wasn't resonating with me.
00:28:10.50\00:28:13.02
I didn't--I don't know
what was going on there.
00:28:13.05\00:28:16.10
I wouldn't eat that
many gummy worms for $50,000.
00:28:16.13\00:28:20.61
So anyway here's the point,
00:28:20.64\00:28:22.10
you know, they put
up these large numbers,
00:28:22.13\00:28:24.06
these astronomical numbers
00:28:24.09\00:28:25.49
that are designed
to get your attention.
00:28:25.52\00:28:27.44
Two hundred million dollars,
00:28:27.47\00:28:28.84
hundred and seventy
five million dollars
00:28:28.87\00:28:30.24
and so someone looks
at the size of the prize
00:28:30.27\00:28:31.64
and they say I want the prize.
00:28:31.67\00:28:33.94
Well, then the next question is
00:28:33.97\00:28:35.34
what's the size
of the risk involved?
00:28:35.37\00:28:36.74
Well, in the case of the
lottery, it's a piece of cake.
00:28:36.77\00:28:38.95
It's a buck or 2 bucks,
right? Right, Jim, just 2 bucks.
00:28:38.98\00:28:41.89
So, I mean, most people
would say, I mean, he knows.
00:28:41.92\00:28:47.61
Most would say
no problem, right?
00:28:47.64\00:28:50.49
It's a small risk.
Right, it's a small risk.
00:28:50.52\00:28:53.48
There's not a
person in this room
00:28:53.51\00:28:54.88
who doesn't
routinely waste money, right?
00:28:54.91\00:28:58.43
And so put your--anybody
like gets quiet like.
00:28:58.46\00:29:00.48
The ministerial
student goes not me, anyway.
00:29:04.93\00:29:10.71
So the size of
the risk is small.
00:29:10.74\00:29:12.97
But here's the rub of course
when it comes to the lottery,
00:29:13.00\00:29:14.92
what are the
chances of actually winning?
00:29:14.95\00:29:16.32
Well, the chances are
as we've already suggested
00:29:16.35\00:29:17.77
astronomically low, right.
00:29:17.80\00:29:19.40
But at least you can understand
the mentality of somebody
00:29:19.43\00:29:21.68
that would
purchase a lottery ticket.
00:29:21.71\00:29:23.08
Size of the prize is enormous,
size of the risk is quite small
00:29:23.11\00:29:26.44
but of course the rub is
00:29:26.47\00:29:27.84
the chances of actually
winning are also quite small.
00:29:27.87\00:29:30.25
Now let's invent our
own little wager here
00:29:30.28\00:29:32.39
and plug it into this
three-tiered equation here.
00:29:32.42\00:29:34.95
Let's imagine
that I have a coin.
00:29:34.98\00:29:36.35
I'm going to flip that coin,
00:29:36.38\00:29:37.75
it's either
heads or tails, okay.
00:29:37.78\00:29:39.15
And if you call it correctly,
let's say that you get $50,000.
00:29:39.18\00:29:44.12
Let's go back to
our 50,000 figure.
00:29:44.15\00:29:45.88
So if we flip it
correctly, you get $50,000.
00:29:45.91\00:29:48.68
If you call in correctly,
you spend 2 years in prison.
00:29:48.71\00:29:54.75
Okay, so let's plug
that into our equation here.
00:29:54.78\00:29:57.28
What will be the
size of the prize?
00:29:57.31\00:29:58.88
Fifty thousand dollars.
00:29:58.91\00:30:00.28
Is that a
reasonably large sum of money?
00:30:00.31\00:30:02.42
Yeah, not enough to
cause me to eat eight of these
00:30:02.45\00:30:04.52
African cave dwelling spiders,
00:30:04.55\00:30:06.07
but it's the money, so size
of the prize reasonably large.
00:30:06.10\00:30:09.59
What's the size of the risk?
00:30:09.62\00:30:13.77
Is that a risk you
would be willing to take?
00:30:13.80\00:30:16.31
Not even you
poor college students.
00:30:16.34\00:30:18.09
No. It's funny.
00:30:18.12\00:30:20.37
I delivered this sermon
at Loma Linda University.
00:30:20.40\00:30:22.45
Same things, student convocation
00:30:22.48\00:30:24.69
and I did it for
$500,000 and 5 years, right?
00:30:24.72\00:30:29.35
I said how many of
you would take that wager?
00:30:29.38\00:30:31.31
No--like two or
three hands go up, right.
00:30:31.34\00:30:33.54
And I'm thinking to myself
00:30:33.57\00:30:34.94
I even said, I said
I can't believe more
00:30:34.97\00:30:36.34
of you wouldn't
sign up for this wager.
00:30:36.37\00:30:37.74
It's only 5 years in prison.
00:30:37.77\00:30:39.14
Most of you are already in
prison for 5 years right here.
00:30:39.17\00:30:44.09
And you're paying
$500,000 over here.
00:30:44.12\00:30:50.47
Oh, I'm not going to
get invited back, am I?
00:30:50.50\00:30:53.41
So at least you can
understand the concept.
00:30:53.44\00:30:56.57
The size of the
prize, say $50,000.
00:30:56.60\00:30:58.72
Size of the risk
though two years in prison,
00:30:58.75\00:31:02.31
chances of winning in
the coin toss would be what?
00:31:02.34\00:31:05.38
Fifty percent.
00:31:05.41\00:31:06.78
Now do you think there
are people that would do that
00:31:06.81\00:31:08.18
that would sign up
for that wager? Sure.
00:31:08.21\00:31:10.68
Anybody who's ever robbed a bank
00:31:10.71\00:31:12.08
would sign up
for that one, right?
00:31:12.11\00:31:14.05
Because the chances of getting
caught are at least 50-50
00:31:14.08\00:31:16.60
and so people would
sign up for that wager.
00:31:16.63\00:31:18.44
Now I'm not
signing up for that wager.
00:31:18.47\00:31:19.84
And probably the
vast majority of you
00:31:19.87\00:31:21.24
who are thinking
wouldn't sign up for that wager.
00:31:21.27\00:31:23.84
Any single wager that
you encounter in your life,
00:31:23.87\00:31:27.27
you just ask yourself
three basic questions,
00:31:27.30\00:31:29.11
what's the size of the prize,
what's the size of the risk
00:31:29.14\00:31:31.27
and what are the
chances of actually winning.
00:31:31.30\00:31:33.42
Are we all in the
same page, yes or no? Yes.
00:31:33.45\00:31:35.56
Okay, so Blaise Pascal addresses
00:31:35.59\00:31:38.95
the question of
religion from this perspective.
00:31:38.98\00:31:42.60
Now let me give you
the next quotation here.
00:31:42.63\00:31:44.09
This is actually taken
from Simon Singh's book
00:31:44.12\00:31:46.89
"Fermat's Enigma" Page 43.
00:31:46.92\00:31:48.80
Okay, now follow this quotation
through very carefully.
00:31:48.83\00:31:51.60
Okay, it will require
a little bit of thinking,
00:31:51.63\00:31:53.15
but I know you're not afraid
to do that here at a university.
00:31:53.18\00:31:55.20
Here we go.
00:31:55.23\00:31:56.60
"Pascal was convinced
00:31:56.63\00:31:58.00
that he could use his
probability theories,"
00:31:58.03\00:31:59.77
he's basically the father
00:31:59.80\00:32:01.17
of the modern
probability and statistics.
00:32:01.20\00:32:02.58
So if you want to
be angry with somebody,
00:32:02.61\00:32:04.01
he would be the one.
00:32:04.04\00:32:06.10
"Pascal was convinced
00:32:06.13\00:32:07.50
that he could use
his probability theories
00:32:07.53\00:32:08.90
to justify belief in God.
00:32:08.93\00:32:10.58
He stated that the
excitement a gambler feels
00:32:10.61\00:32:14.24
when making a bet is
equal to the amount he might win
00:32:14.27\00:32:18.45
multiplied by the
probability of winning it."
00:32:18.48\00:32:21.35
That's what we've
just been discussing.
00:32:21.38\00:32:23.49
"He then argued
that the possible sprize
00:32:23.52\00:32:26.00
of eternal happiness
has an infinite value
00:32:26.03\00:32:29.79
and the
probability of entering heaven,
00:32:29.82\00:32:31.38
no mater how small,
is certainly finite.
00:32:31.41\00:32:35.90
Therefore, according
to Pascal's definition,
00:32:35.93\00:32:38.27
religion was a game
of infinite excitement
00:32:38.30\00:32:41.13
and one worth playing,
00:32:41.16\00:32:42.62
because
multiplying an infinite prize
00:32:42.65\00:32:45.23
by a finite
probability results in infinity.
00:32:45.26\00:32:50.34
Is everyone
following that, yes or no? Yes.
00:32:50.37\00:32:52.64
Very simple reasoning, isn't it?
00:32:52.67\00:32:54.83
Now I'm opening my
Bible to Mark Chapter 10
00:32:54.86\00:32:57.55
and if you have your Bibles,
00:32:57.58\00:32:58.95
then you can just
follow along, very simple.
00:32:58.98\00:33:01.78
A rich young ruler
has approached Jesus
00:33:01.81\00:33:03.94
and has said good master,
00:33:03.97\00:33:05.69
what should I
do to enter heaven?
00:33:05.72\00:33:07.50
What do I get to
inherit eternal life?
00:33:07.53\00:33:09.33
And He said keep
the commandments.
00:33:09.36\00:33:11.21
All this I've done
since I was a young person
00:33:11.24\00:33:13.34
and he names up
all the commandments
00:33:13.37\00:33:14.74
and He says one thing you lack
00:33:14.77\00:33:16.14
sell all that you
have and give to the poor.
00:33:16.17\00:33:17.54
Well, the rich young
ruler was exceedingly wealthy
00:33:17.57\00:33:19.62
and did not want to
liquidate his assets
00:33:19.65\00:33:22.26
just to benefit
the less fortunate
00:33:22.29\00:33:24.17
and so the Bible says
00:33:24.20\00:33:25.57
that he walked away from
Jesus very sorrowful, okay.
00:33:25.60\00:33:29.24
Well, the
disciples were incredulous.
00:33:29.27\00:33:31.08
I mean, they could not believe
00:33:31.11\00:33:32.48
that number one
he had walked away
00:33:32.51\00:33:33.88
and then what Jesus said
00:33:33.91\00:33:35.28
next they were
totally unprepared for.
00:33:35.31\00:33:36.68
Jesus says it's tough
for a rich man to be saved.
00:33:36.71\00:33:40.62
And the disciples
are thinking, what?
00:33:40.65\00:33:42.56
This guy is a Jew,
he's automatically saved.
00:33:42.59\00:33:45.03
He's a healthy
Jew, he's doubly saved.
00:33:45.06\00:33:47.40
He's a healthy,
wealthy Jew, he's triply saved.
00:33:47.43\00:33:49.95
And Jesus has
the temerity to say,
00:33:49.98\00:33:51.85
it's tough for a
rich man to be saved.
00:33:51.88\00:33:55.07
Now what Simon Peter says next
00:33:55.10\00:33:56.66
is so insightful,
verse 28 of Mark 10.
00:33:56.69\00:33:59.49
Then Simon Peter
began to say to him,
00:33:59.52\00:34:01.69
"See, we have left
everything and followed You."
00:34:01.72\00:34:05.51
We've left it
all and followed You.
00:34:05.54\00:34:07.17
In other words, what do we get?
00:34:07.20\00:34:09.39
Right, you just say
to this guy sell all
00:34:09.42\00:34:11.81
and he'll get eternal life.
00:34:11.84\00:34:13.21
Look at what we've left.
00:34:13.24\00:34:14.61
We left everything, now we
didn't leave as much as he left,
00:34:14.64\00:34:16.01
but we left it at all.
00:34:16.04\00:34:17.41
What do we get?
00:34:17.44\00:34:19.66
Now listen to Jesus'
answer phenomenal, phenomenal.
00:34:19.69\00:34:22.68
Now there's two
tiers to Jesus' answers.
00:34:22.71\00:34:24.57
See if you can
pick them both up.
00:34:24.60\00:34:26.05
Verse 29, "Jesus speaking,
00:34:26.08\00:34:27.61
'Assuredly I say
to you Simon Peter
00:34:27.64\00:34:29.54
there is no one
who has left house
00:34:29.57\00:34:31.23
or brothers or
sisters or father or mother
00:34:31.26\00:34:32.86
or wife or children or lands
00:34:32.89\00:34:34.26
for my sake and the gospels,
00:34:34.29\00:34:36.13
who will not receive a
hundred fold now in this time."
00:34:36.16\00:34:41.30
Got it? "A hundred
fold now in this time
00:34:41.33\00:34:45.67
houses and
brothers, and sisters,
00:34:45.70\00:34:47.07
and mothers, and children,
and lands with persecutions
00:34:47.10\00:34:48.83
and in the age to
come eternal life.
00:34:48.86\00:34:52.66
Peter says, hey, we
left it all what do we get?
00:34:56.38\00:34:59.29
Jesus says I'll
tell you what you get.
00:34:59.32\00:35:01.60
Now in this
time, in other words,
00:35:01.63\00:35:03.74
right here, right now, today,
00:35:03.77\00:35:05.79
I will give you a
hundred fold better life
00:35:05.82\00:35:08.90
than you would otherwise have,
00:35:08.93\00:35:10.92
and in the age to come,
I'll let you live forever.
00:35:10.95\00:35:15.19
Let's plug this into
our three-tiered equation.
00:35:20.24\00:35:22.76
Size of the
prize, size of the risk,
00:35:22.79\00:35:24.60
chances of actually winning.
00:35:24.63\00:35:26.53
What is the size of
the prize to be gained
00:35:26.56\00:35:29.09
if the gospel is true?
00:35:29.12\00:35:31.52
It's eternal life,
size of the prize infinite,
00:35:31.55\00:35:35.16
okay, size of the prize.
00:35:35.19\00:35:36.56
What's the size
of the risk involved?
00:35:36.59\00:35:38.78
Lets just skip
that one for a second,
00:35:38.81\00:35:40.29
come right back to it.
00:35:40.32\00:35:41.69
What are the chances of winning?
00:35:41.72\00:35:43.09
If we accept the
gospel wager on its own terms,
00:35:43.12\00:35:45.36
what are the chances of winning?
00:35:45.39\00:35:48.24
Well, let's think through that.
00:35:48.27\00:35:49.64
"For God so loved the world
00:35:49.67\00:35:51.04
that He gave His only
begotten son that whosoever,"
00:35:51.07\00:35:52.98
that means every one of you,
00:35:53.01\00:35:54.38
even the most knuckleheaded
among you could be saved, right?
00:35:54.41\00:35:58.85
Even the greatest sinner
among you could be saved,
00:35:58.88\00:36:01.67
so far so good?
00:36:01.70\00:36:03.07
So size of the prize? Infinite.
00:36:03.10\00:36:04.47
Chances of actually
winning? One hundred percent.
00:36:04.50\00:36:08.54
So then the third one is
what's the size of the risk?
00:36:08.57\00:36:12.32
Well, this is where
the robber meets the road.
00:36:12.35\00:36:15.10
In order to demonstrate
that there was a risk
00:36:15.13\00:36:17.28
you know what you
would have to demonstrate?
00:36:17.31\00:36:19.69
That the life of the Christian
00:36:19.72\00:36:22.27
was inferior in
either quantity or quality
00:36:22.30\00:36:26.02
to the life of
the non-Christian.
00:36:26.05\00:36:28.79
You would have to show
00:36:28.82\00:36:30.19
that you stand
to have a worse life
00:36:30.22\00:36:32.88
if you accept the wager
then you otherwise would?
00:36:32.91\00:36:36.53
But I'm here to tell you.
00:36:36.56\00:36:38.13
Your life will be exactly
00:36:38.16\00:36:39.78
what Jesus said if you
accept the gospel wager.
00:36:39.81\00:36:42.29
One hundred fold
better, right here, right now,
00:36:42.32\00:36:47.89
now in this time
and bonus of bonuses,
00:36:47.92\00:36:53.57
you get to live forever. Amen.
00:36:53.60\00:36:55.65
So what's the size of the prize?
00:36:55.68\00:36:57.05
It's an infinite prize.
00:36:57.08\00:36:58.45
What's the size of the risk?
00:36:58.48\00:36:59.85
There is no risk.
00:36:59.88\00:37:01.25
In fact so far
from there being a risk,
00:37:01.28\00:37:02.85
there is actually
a positive benefit
00:37:02.88\00:37:05.23
to be gained by
entering into the gospel wager.
00:37:05.26\00:37:09.62
Your life is
better, more satisfying,
00:37:09.65\00:37:12.17
more fulfilling, more glorious.
00:37:12.20\00:37:14.32
God has a plan for you not
just pie in the sky by and by,
00:37:14.35\00:37:18.18
right here right now a
better life to the glory of God.
00:37:18.21\00:37:23.11
And what are your
chances of winning?
00:37:23.14\00:37:25.72
You put your faith in Jesus.
00:37:25.75\00:37:28.18
Your chances of
winning are 100%.
00:37:28.21\00:37:33.52
We can
understand why Pascal said
00:37:33.55\00:37:35.25
only the fool would
choose to live the Godless life.
00:37:35.28\00:37:39.43