Welcome to each of you.
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Are you ready to travel?
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Have your seatbelts fastened?
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Alright.
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We're going to go, tonight,
to a lovely, lovely city.
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It seems that when
men, after the dark ages,
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took a renewed interest
in the arts and sciences,
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sculpting and
painting and writing,
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that renewed interest,
now known as the renaissance,
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happened largely in
and around this city.
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We're going to Florence.
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We've said so many times
the major cities of the world
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are born on the
banks of a river.
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In Paris, it's the Seine.
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And in London, it's the Thames.
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Here, it happens to be the Arno.
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And this is a shot
of downtown Florence.
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You can see several
bridges across the Arno river.
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There's one in particular that
we're going to talk about and
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visit in just a little bit.
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But let me tell you
about my appreciation for the
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style of the city.
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It's hundreds of
years old, of course.
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But there has been a
city statute that says that
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the buildings, homes or
businesses in the downtown area,
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now of course that stretches
for miles, must be of a
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cream colored stucco on
the outside and must have
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burnt orange tiled roofs.
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And it makes the city unique.
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In my mind, it makes
it look clean and neat
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and somehow organized.
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So let's get down then and
have a close-up of the city.
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From this panoramic
view, I shall point out to you
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the three major places
that we're going to visit.
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So go to the extreme right
and the upper of the screen.
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And there we see the
tower of the Medici Palace.
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That tower had a
very famous occupant.
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We're going to talk about him.
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And that's where we're going
to begin in just a little bit.
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At the Medici Palace and tower.
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And then we're going
to go to this building.
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That is the second largest
Catholic cathedral in the world.
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That is the cathedral
of St. John the Baptist.
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And after visiting there,
we're going to end up visiting
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over at this cathedral.
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This is the cathedral of
Santa Croce, or the Holy Cross.
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A good way to see the
town without a lot of expense
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is to get aboard
the Florentine taxi.
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There it is.
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But because we need the
exercise and because it's a
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very short distance from
here to where we want to go,
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we're going to just walk.
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And we find ourselves then
in front of the Medici Palace.
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And I want you to
notice a couple of things.
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Firstly, you see a lot
of folks gathered around,
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you see bleachers.
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And this picture is,
of course, taken at night.
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This was taken at the
time of the Florentine rodeo.
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Now, we're use to rodeo's
and horse races in all of
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this part of the
world, aren't we.
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We have bull riding and barrel
races and bucking bronco's
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and bareback and
all that sort of thing.
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Here, it's quite different.
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It begins with 5 days of
imbibing alcoholic beverages.
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That's putting it mildly.
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And when everyone is
pretty well drunk, then they
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ribbon off several
streets throughout the city.
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This direction and
that and over here and
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over there and there and there.
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And that is the race track.
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And then they
bring out their cowboys
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who are now well oiled.
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And they put them on the
backs of these wild bronco's.
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And the first guy to get around
and through, and there are
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folks watching their
every step and every movement,
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the first guy to get
through this obstacle course
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and back to the point
of beginning is the winner
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of a large purse
and he becomes the hero,
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the all around cowboy of Italy.
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Nearly every year, there are
some who are seriously injured,
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either riders or
spectators or both.
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And oft times, there are
some who lose their lives.
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But they continue on
with the Florentine rodeo.
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Now, I want you to
next notice the style of the
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architecture of the building.
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You'll see that this
palace is about four and a half
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stories in height.
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And at the roof level, there
is a cantilever with arches.
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Right across there.
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An overhang.
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Now, we have
overhangs over our roofs here
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in this part of the
country and in other places
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of the world, of course.
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Especially where there's a
lot of rain or snow or whatever.
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But the overhang here
was for a different purpose.
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The cantilever has
these arches which are open
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to whatever is below.
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There were
enemies of the Medici.
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Of course, there are political
enemies of any ruling family,
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or any government, I
suppose, for that matter.
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And so they had bars and
shutters over the windows
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and they were able to
make the doors quite secure.
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But if someone really began
to batter and was determined
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to break in then the defenders
up on the roof, and this is
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24 hours around the clock,
they had fires going up there
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atop which they boiled oil,
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olive oil.
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And if someone was insistent
on causing a problem down below,
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through those arches, they
could pour down the boiling oil
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on the troublemakers down below.
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And that had a tendency to
discourage them a fair amount.
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You can imagine.
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Now, if on the other
hand someone did gain entrance
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through a door or a window
at the first or second level,
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then the royals could
go up into the clock tower,
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the bell tower,
it's one and the same.
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And up in the very
top, the place is designed
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in the same way.
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And in fact, now we
have a better picture of it.
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You can see that much of it
has fallen away now, tragically.
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The tower was more often
used as a place of imprisonment
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than it was a place of
security, or a safe room
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as we might call it.
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You know, many of the homes
today, the wealthy families
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have a safe room.
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If someone tries to break
in, if your alarm goes off,
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folks go to this room that is
more solidly built than others
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and is suppose to be
doubly safe and many of them
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even bullet proof.
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And mom and the kids go
inside and lock the door.
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Well, the safe room here
was way up in the bell tower.
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I want to talk to you
now about the most famous
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prisoner every
held in that tower.
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His name was
Girolamo Savonarola.
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Now Savonarola was a pastor,
and a very dedicated pastor
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and a very serious
student of the word of God.
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And he loved, particularly, the
writings of the apostle Paul.
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The Romans, the Galatians,
the letter to the Ephesians
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where righteousness by
faith was so clearly taught.
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"By grace are you saved through
faith, that not of yourselves.
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It is the gift of God. "
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And this pastor began to share
these ideas and these teachings
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with the folks and it was like
pouring water on dry ground.
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The folks coming out
of the dark ages hadn't
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heard anything like this.
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They had been taught for
centuries, and also had their
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fore bearers, that
you gain God's pleasure
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by going on pilgrimages,
by lighting candles,
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by flagellating your
back, by on occasion walking on
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glass in your sandals.
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And when Pastor
Savonarola began to teach that
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righteousness was by trusting
in what Jesus had already
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done for us, when he began
to explain salvation by grace
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and justification in Jesus the
folks came to hear him en masse.
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What he was teaching, now,
was contrary to what the church,
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at the time, was teaching.
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And the church and the
state were one and the same.
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This was long before
laws against church and state
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being joined together.
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And many of the countries
of the world, of course today,
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still do not have any such laws.
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We're fortunate that here
in the United States we believe
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still strongly in the
separation of church and state.
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Savonarola was threatened,
"You must stop your preaching
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the righteousness of Jesus. "
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And Savonarola said, "It's
the good news, it's the gospel.
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How can you tell me to stop?"
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And so he continued to share.
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And ere long, the
officers came and arrested him.
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There was a farce of a trial
here and then because he refused
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to change his ways, he was taken
up into the top of the tower.
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We're going to go up in
there in just a little bit.
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And there a cell had
been prepared for him.
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It did have one window out
of which he had a southern view.
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And there he was held
for years and years and years
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with no appeal.
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But after some many
years, he was called down
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for an examination.
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And the judge said to
him, "Pastor, I am willing
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to let you go home
today, but you must promise me
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that you'll stop talking about
the righteousness of Jesus. "
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And Savonarola said,
"I have no desire at all
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to be a firebrand or
to proselytize or to cause
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a disruption within the church.
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That's not my aim, not my plan.
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But, what if folks
come and ask me about
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the righteousness of Jesus?
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Surely you can't expect me
to say that I don't know or
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I can't tell you or
anything such as that?"
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And they simply said
to him, "I'm warning you.
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Be very careful,
be very careful. "
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We'll finish that story
of Savonarola, after we just
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for a moment look
inside the chapel.
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This is where the Medici who'd
arrested Savonarola worshipped.
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And it is made lovely by
some of the most precious marble
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in all of the world.
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Italy not only produces
still today some of the finest,
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some of the most expensive
marble, but it also still today
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provides the finest
marble workmen and tile setters,
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I guess we might
call them in our language,
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in our setup today.
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Well, out in front of the
chapel, in front of the palace,
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there is a monument
in the pavement today
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about the end of
Pastor Savonarola.
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And here's the end of his story.
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He was released and allowed
to go home after the warning,
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"You must stop talking about
the righteousness of Christ. "
00:12:05.25\00:12:07.83
And as soon as it was announced
that he was released, the people
00:12:07.86\00:12:10.71
came from every
direction you can imagine,
00:12:10.74\00:12:13.17
hungry more to hear about
the righteousness of Christ.
00:12:13.20\00:12:17.06
And Savonarola began to
share and crowds came and grew.
00:12:17.09\00:12:21.82
So he was arrested again,
taken again up into the tower.
00:12:21.85\00:12:25.98
But only for a short while.
00:12:26.01\00:12:27.98
One day the soldiers
went stomping up the staircase
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and into his little cell where
they strangled him to death.
00:12:31.30\00:12:35.11
Then dragged his body,
bumpity bump, down the staircase
00:12:36.26\00:12:40.39
and out in front where
the people had gathered.
00:12:40.42\00:12:44.43
There they burned his body.
00:12:44.46\00:12:46.58
Where that happened,
there is today a monument,
00:12:47.81\00:12:50.86
as I mentioned,
with some very kind words
00:12:50.89\00:12:53.79
about Pastor
Girolamo Savonarola.
00:12:53.82\00:12:57.45
This in his memory, on
the spot where he was burned.
00:12:57.48\00:13:00.87
Many, many years
later, other pastors;
00:13:03.39\00:13:07.57
Martin Luther and John
Calvin and John Knox, Huss,
00:13:07.60\00:13:12.96
would find not only
spiritual direction,
00:13:12.99\00:13:18.46
not only theological guidance,
but also courage and strength
00:13:18.49\00:13:27.06
from the example of
Girolamo Savonarola.
00:13:27.09\00:13:29.93
So I would say to each of us
tonight, whether our Christian
00:13:29.96\00:13:33.42
back ground is from
some branch of Protestantism
00:13:33.45\00:13:37.41
or from the Roman Catholic
church, I believe each of us
00:13:37.44\00:13:40.77
owes a debt of gratitude
to Pastor Girolamo Savonarola.
00:13:40.80\00:13:45.40
And if ever you're in Florence,
you be sure to go to this spot.
00:13:45.43\00:13:49.69
Because in many
ways, it's sacred.
00:13:49.72\00:13:51.47
We're now up in the little
room where Savonarola was held.
00:13:51.50\00:13:54.94
And that was his view.
00:13:54.97\00:13:56.24
He had a really
wonderful view of the bell tower
00:13:56.27\00:13:59.50
of the second largest
cathedral in the world.
00:13:59.53\00:14:01.90
We're going to just
put the camera out with
00:14:01.93\00:14:04.60
the wide angle lens.
00:14:04.63\00:14:05.95
We see again the coloration,
the configuration of the city.
00:14:05.98\00:14:09.55
And right in the
center, our next stop.
00:14:09.58\00:14:11.77
And this is, by the way, the
best picture you're going to get
00:14:11.80\00:14:14.44
of this lovely large cathedral.
00:14:14.47\00:14:18.20
The cathedral of
St. John the Baptist.
00:14:18.23\00:14:20.86
I mentioned earlier
that it is the second largest
00:14:20.89\00:14:24.79
Catholic cathedral in the world.
00:14:24.82\00:14:26.57
But it is the
third largest cathedral.
00:14:27.50\00:14:31.06
The largest cathedral
in all of the world is the
00:14:31.09\00:14:34.29
cathedral of St.
Peter inside the Vatican
00:14:34.32\00:14:36.89
where we're going to
visit in a few evenings.
00:14:36.92\00:14:38.84
I'm going to take you
right inside the Pope's home
00:14:39.51\00:14:42.64
and into the Sistine Chapel
where the popes are elected.
00:14:42.67\00:14:46.08
I'm going to take you down
the main nave of St. Peter's
00:14:46.66\00:14:49.86
which is longer than two
football fields end to end,
00:14:49.89\00:14:53.13
to give you just a little
bit of a feel for the size.
00:14:53.16\00:14:55.64
So that's the largest
cathedral in the world,
00:14:55.67\00:14:57.54
St. Peter's in the Vatican.
00:14:57.57\00:14:58.68
The second largest cathedral
is the cathedral of St. Paul
00:14:58.71\00:15:02.67
in the city of London.
00:15:02.70\00:15:04.00
And we had a brief glimpse of it
our first night together here.
00:15:04.03\00:15:08.02
We visited
London if you'll recall.
00:15:08.05\00:15:09.81
But that's an
Anglican cathedral, you see.
00:15:11.42\00:15:13.59
The Church of
England owns that one.
00:15:13.62\00:15:15.70
Built by the
direction of Christopher Wren.
00:15:15.73\00:15:18.64
That makes this one then
the third largest cathedral,
00:15:18.67\00:15:22.23
but the second
largest Catholic cathedral.
00:15:22.26\00:15:25.79
It is made out of a
very diverse combination
00:15:25.82\00:15:31.13
of colors of marble.
00:15:31.16\00:15:33.20
The dominant color and
the largest section is made of
00:15:33.23\00:15:38.78
Carrera marble.
00:15:38.81\00:15:40.55
The Carrera quarry, or mine,
is only just a short distance
00:15:40.58\00:15:45.29
or just short miles from here.
00:15:45.32\00:15:47.54
And I think it's the
most beautiful marble
00:15:47.57\00:15:50.25
in all the world still,
the white Carrera marble.
00:15:50.28\00:15:53.02
And then there is a hot pink
marbling that is used for trim
00:15:53.05\00:15:56.66
along with kind of a dark green.
00:15:56.69\00:15:59.23
Now generally we would
not think of putting those
00:15:59.26\00:16:01.57
colors together probably.
00:16:01.60\00:16:03.55
If a lady wore a suit and a
purse with those combinations,
00:16:03.58\00:16:07.37
someone would say that
they clashed, I suppose.
00:16:07.40\00:16:11.14
But here, somehow it
fits. It really does fit.
00:16:11.17\00:16:14.78
Now we're going to back away
a little bit and give you a feel
00:16:14.81\00:16:17.84
for the size and the style.
00:16:17.87\00:16:20.02
The architecture, for
your interest sake, is called
00:16:20.05\00:16:22.88
Tuscan Romanesque.
00:16:22.91\00:16:24.80
Kind of a combination of
Tuscany, where we are here,
00:16:24.83\00:16:27.58
and the Roman
style of architecture.
00:16:27.61\00:16:29.92
And you can see the beauty.
00:16:31.25\00:16:32.57
And oh, by the way, be reminded
that this thing was built about
00:16:32.60\00:16:35.53
a thousand years ago by
men with crude hand tools.
00:16:35.56\00:16:38.94
And you see the statues above,
high above the entry doors.
00:16:38.97\00:16:42.83
Well, look down
toward the doors.
00:16:42.86\00:16:45.72
There are three main doors.
00:16:45.75\00:16:47.48
One on the left
over here that you see.
00:16:47.51\00:16:49.76
And one over on the right.
00:16:49.79\00:16:51.61
And then one right
in the very center.
00:16:51.64\00:16:53.05
This is the main door that gains
you access to the main nave.
00:16:53.08\00:16:58.58
That's where the
folks go in to worship.
00:16:58.61\00:17:01.15
We can see where the
folks are waiting to go inside.
00:17:01.18\00:17:04.84
Let's look at the main door.
00:17:04.87\00:17:05.84
There it is, there's the
top of the door right up there.
00:17:05.85\00:17:08.17
And down at the bottom of
the screen, there are the heads
00:17:08.20\00:17:11.24
of the people
waiting to go inside.
00:17:11.27\00:17:13.13
I've, I guess, never felt
much smaller or insignificant
00:17:14.01\00:17:18.11
than when I stepped
inside for the first time,
00:17:18.14\00:17:20.83
this massive church.
00:17:20.86\00:17:22.60
It is so huge and it
is so very, very lovely.
00:17:22.63\00:17:26.20
Now there are three
buildings here that comprise
00:17:27.26\00:17:31.07
the church complex.
00:17:31.10\00:17:33.03
This is the main one
of course, the cathedral.
00:17:33.06\00:17:35.11
Next to that is the
campanile or the bell tower.
00:17:35.14\00:17:38.08
And then when we
turn around 180 degrees,
00:17:38.11\00:17:41.28
we see another
building, separate or apart,
00:17:41.31\00:17:43.48
but a part of the complex.
00:17:43.51\00:17:45.07
This, ladies and
gentlemen, is the baptistery
00:17:45.10\00:17:47.96
named in the honor
of St. John the Baptist.
00:17:47.99\00:17:51.28
Some very important
men have been baptized
00:17:53.11\00:17:55.85
inside that baptistery.
00:17:55.88\00:17:57.62
And I'll just take a moment
to mention one of them for you.
00:17:57.65\00:18:00.97
His name was Dante.
00:18:01.00\00:18:04.28
Dante Alighieri was
baptized inside this baptistery
00:18:04.31\00:18:09.66
when he was just a young person.
00:18:09.69\00:18:11.57
And it was Dante, you
remember from reading in your
00:18:11.60\00:18:14.40
high school literature,
who wrote the "Divine Comedy. "
00:18:14.43\00:18:17.65
And a portion of that is called,
00:18:17.68\00:18:19.31
"Sinners In The
Hand Of An Angry God. "
00:18:19.34\00:18:21.52
Dante would represent
God as vengeful and angry
00:18:21.55\00:18:26.33
and waiting for the least excuse
to drop folks, His children,
00:18:26.36\00:18:29.66
into the tar pits of hell
where they would roast and burn
00:18:29.69\00:18:32.68
and fry forever and ever.
00:18:32.71\00:18:33.97
Tragically, Dante's theology
was passed down into the church
00:18:34.00\00:18:39.17
and down through the ages.
00:18:39.20\00:18:40.35
It is my considered opinion that
Dante Alighieri has done more
00:18:40.38\00:18:45.46
to defile the
character of our Father God
00:18:45.49\00:18:49.01
than any one
other single person.
00:18:49.04\00:18:51.82
I want you to take a close-up
of the doors of the baptistery.
00:18:54.18\00:18:57.99
There was a man by the name
of Ghiberti who was commissioned
00:18:59.78\00:19:02.67
at the time of the construction
of the cathedral and
00:19:02.77\00:19:05.88
the baptistery to
design the entry doors.
00:19:05.91\00:19:09.67
Ghiberti was a gifted artist.
00:19:09.70\00:19:12.89
He could draw, he could sculpt.
00:19:12.92\00:19:14.67
But his main gift, it
seemed, was working with brass
00:19:14.70\00:19:19.55
and with bronze.
00:19:19.58\00:19:21.13
He was able to take a sheet
of metal; brass, bronze, or a
00:19:21.16\00:19:26.49
combination thereof, and
begin to shape it and fashion it
00:19:26.52\00:19:30.27
until it became
almost three dimensional.
00:19:30.30\00:19:33.66
In other words, the figures
out in the front of his design
00:19:33.69\00:19:38.34
would stand out,
sometimes 6 or 7 inches from
00:19:38.37\00:19:42.72
those of the background.
00:19:42.75\00:19:44.23
So we're going to move in
for a close-up of these doors,
00:19:44.26\00:19:49.34
the doors of the baptistery.
00:19:49.37\00:19:52.14
They tell the story of
the history of God's children,
00:19:53.27\00:19:55.62
the Jews, and about
their deliverance from Egypt
00:19:55.65\00:19:59.18
and about the
crossing of the Red Sea.
00:19:59.21\00:20:01.47
Here, we see
them doing just that.
00:20:01.50\00:20:03.43
Now, these frames,
ladies and gentlemen,
00:20:04.11\00:20:06.94
are a bit larger
than 3 feet square.
00:20:06.97\00:20:10.89
And again, be reminded, they're
done out of one piece of metal.
00:20:10.92\00:20:14.82
That's called bas-relief,
for your interest sake.
00:20:14.85\00:20:17.99
And these bronze
pieces were here for hundreds
00:20:18.02\00:20:21.62
and hundreds and
hundreds of years.
00:20:21.65\00:20:23.25
But because of
pollution and acid rain
00:20:23.28\00:20:26.28
and all that sort of thing,
00:20:26.31\00:20:27.29
they began to show some wear.
00:20:27.32\00:20:29.46
And so only just a few
months ago, they were taken down
00:20:29.49\00:20:33.88
and replaced with copies
that had been made from forms
00:20:33.91\00:20:38.65
taken from them, beautiful
copies out of the same material.
00:20:38.68\00:20:42.17
And the copies now
replace the originals.
00:20:42.20\00:20:44.59
And the copies are
covered over with a water proof
00:20:44.62\00:20:48.38
sort of a plastic material.
00:20:48.41\00:20:50.68
Alright.
00:20:50.71\00:20:51.68
Now, here's the
really good news.
00:20:51.69\00:20:54.02
Copies of these doors are going
to be displayed in a few months
00:20:54.81\00:21:00.18
over in Seattle, Washington.
00:21:00.21\00:21:01.88
And I'm telling you folks,
it's worth the drive to go
00:21:01.91\00:21:04.83
from here to see them.
00:21:04.86\00:21:06.28
And if you'll log onto National
Geographic or some such source,
00:21:06.31\00:21:11.27
or just look for the
doors of Ghiberti, you'll find
00:21:11.30\00:21:15.15
when they're going
to be over in Seattle.
00:21:15.18\00:21:16.70
I think it's going
to be quite soon now
00:21:16.73\00:21:18.60
but I'm not certain of the date.
00:21:18.63\00:21:19.90
They're going to display
them here in 3 major cities,
00:21:19.93\00:21:23.26
I believe, and Seattle
happens to be one of them.
00:21:23.29\00:21:26.11
The doors of the baptistery.
00:21:26.14\00:21:27.41
Let's look at
one other, shall we.
00:21:27.44\00:21:29.05
Here is the
depiction of the Queen of Sheba
00:21:29.08\00:21:32.52
coming over to Solomon's temple.
00:21:32.55\00:21:34.52
And the King James Bible
says she was greatly impressed
00:21:34.55\00:21:38.31
by the ascent, the
new translations say,
00:21:38.34\00:21:40.99
"by the staircase,"
that went up to the temple.
00:21:41.02\00:21:43.48
And one of these
nights, we'll have a look at
00:21:43.51\00:21:45.26
what's left of that.
00:21:45.29\00:21:46.74
And you'll notice now, again,
how these figures stand out
00:21:46.77\00:21:50.27
from the background.
00:21:50.30\00:21:52.40
And you'll just think that
they had been made separately
00:21:52.43\00:21:54.83
and then placed
there individually.
00:21:54.86\00:21:56.71
But they were not.
00:21:56.74\00:21:57.75
We're down on
the Arno river now.
00:21:58.38\00:22:00.37
Framing our picture through
one bridge to the second bridge.
00:22:02.04\00:22:05.68
The second bridge is the
one that we're going to spend
00:22:06.51\00:22:09.14
some time talking about and
regarding just a little bit.
00:22:09.17\00:22:13.82
This, ladies and gentlemen, is
the oldest bridge in the world.
00:22:14.42\00:22:18.35
Therefore, it has
been given that name.
00:22:18.38\00:22:20.73
Ponte Vecchio, the old bridge.
00:22:20.76\00:22:23.60
Now if ever you have been
to Venice, and you remember
00:22:23.63\00:22:27.76
a few evenings we went.
00:22:27.79\00:22:28.78
If you were here
with me, we went to Venice
00:22:28.81\00:22:30.82
and we went
down the Grand Canal.
00:22:30.85\00:22:33.04
And we saw there a
bridge that was sort of V shaped
00:22:33.07\00:22:36.51
and kind of like an arch,
and it was called the Rialto.
00:22:36.54\00:22:39.13
And I told you it
was built in 1588.
00:22:39.16\00:22:41.85
That is the second
oldest bridge in the world.
00:22:41.88\00:22:43.85
But this one is older
by more than 200 years.
00:22:43.88\00:22:48.52
1345, this bridge was built.
00:22:48.55\00:22:51.65
Now, this is the only
bridge across the Arno river,
00:22:52.95\00:22:57.48
for miles and miles
in either direction,
00:22:57.51\00:22:59.71
that was not blown up
during the time of World War II
00:22:59.74\00:23:03.53
by the allies.
00:23:03.56\00:23:04.87
The Americans and the
British fighting against the
00:23:04.90\00:23:08.00
central powers, the
allied powers of Germany.
00:23:08.03\00:23:10.17
Because this is a main
communication line, you see,
00:23:10.20\00:23:12.99
between Hitler in the
north and Mussolini down south.
00:23:13.02\00:23:15.56
And so they blew up the
bridges across the Arno,
00:23:15.59\00:23:18.53
but they saved this
one for two reasons.
00:23:18.56\00:23:21.12
It is so narrow that you
couldn't, certainly couldn't
00:23:21.15\00:23:25.48
get a tank across it.
00:23:25.51\00:23:26.66
You couldn't
drive a jeep through it.
00:23:26.69\00:23:28.65
And you could not
march soldiers in any number.
00:23:28.68\00:23:31.77
And so it was not
a threat in that way.
00:23:31.80\00:23:33.64
But more importantly, I'm
sure because of its antiquity.
00:23:33.67\00:23:37.28
It's the oldest
bridge in all of the world.
00:23:37.31\00:23:39.69
Now I want to point out a
couple of things here to you.
00:23:39.72\00:23:42.96
Let's look up toward the top.
00:23:42.99\00:23:44.47
Maybe the next picture, yes.
00:23:44.50\00:23:46.21
This one is even more clear.
00:23:46.24\00:23:48.14
Look up across the
top of the bridge there
00:23:48.17\00:23:50.57
and you'll see windows.
00:23:50.60\00:23:51.66
And those windows
have bars across them.
00:23:51.69\00:23:54.37
And those windows give light to
a very, very special sidewalk.
00:23:54.40\00:23:59.88
I guess that's the
best way to say it.
00:23:59.91\00:24:01.58
The Medici family had their
palace on one side of the river
00:24:02.61\00:24:06.38
and they had their places of
government on the other side.
00:24:06.41\00:24:12.09
The home was on one side and the
governmental offices were on the
00:24:12.12\00:24:15.23
other side of the river.
00:24:15.26\00:24:16.35
In order to get to work,
you had to cross the river.
00:24:16.38\00:24:18.83
In order to get back
home, you crossed the river.
00:24:18.86\00:24:20.84
And they had political enemies
as we mentioned earlier when
00:24:20.87\00:24:24.33
we talked about the design and
the architecture of the palace.
00:24:24.43\00:24:27.31
It would not be safe for a
royal to walk down with the
00:24:27.34\00:24:31.26
commoners and
down in the street,
00:24:31.29\00:24:33.02
especially in a
narrow and confined place.
00:24:33.05\00:24:35.58
And so they built this special
sidewalk so that the Medici
00:24:35.61\00:24:40.10
could cross the river in safety.
00:24:40.13\00:24:42.57
What's on the bridge
today? Well I'll tell you.
00:24:42.60\00:24:44.58
There is a Jewish
family that does gold jewelry.
00:24:45.70\00:24:51.18
They're said to be the finest
goldsmiths in all the world.
00:24:52.90\00:24:56.20
And I can tell you
ladies that their jewelry is
00:24:56.23\00:24:59.59
very, very expensive.
00:24:59.62\00:25:01.67
And the main shop
is here on the bridge.
00:25:01.70\00:25:03.99
And when they make a
piece of jewelry, they mark it
00:25:04.02\00:25:07.07
with their
family mark and with the
00:25:07.10\00:25:09.20
old bridge mark, Ponte Vecchio.
00:25:09.23\00:25:11.02
And they say that as soon
as it is stamped in that way,
00:25:11.05\00:25:14.47
it has instant antique value.
00:25:14.50\00:25:17.58
Now that sounds to me like
a contradiction in terms, but
00:25:17.61\00:25:20.41
none the less, you would
pay twice or perhaps three times
00:25:20.44\00:25:24.65
as much for the same
piece here made on the bridge
00:25:24.68\00:25:28.50
as you would for the
piece that that was made a block
00:25:28.53\00:25:31.50
or two on either side.
00:25:31.53\00:25:33.46
But if you're like me,
you'd probably just as soon
00:25:33.49\00:25:37.33
put new tires on the car.
00:25:37.36\00:25:39.70
Well, we're going to stop now
at the Gallery of the Academy
00:25:41.09\00:25:44.20
and we're going to see what I
believe to be some of the most
00:25:44.23\00:25:46.69
beautiful marble
carvings in all of the world.
00:25:46.72\00:25:50.38
I can't tell you who's done
this, one but I can tell you
00:25:52.46\00:25:55.20
that it's a
solid piece of marble.
00:25:55.23\00:25:57.41
And you notice the folds
of the dress, the delicacy.
00:25:57.44\00:26:01.03
We're going to move inside
the main theatre and take a look
00:26:02.42\00:26:06.49
at Michelangelo's David.
00:26:06.52\00:26:08.59
Standing there on a raised
stone platform some 30 feet
00:26:08.62\00:26:11.77
is Michelangelo's David.
00:26:11.80\00:26:13.57
Now let me tell you a
bit about the background.
00:26:13.60\00:26:16.14
Out at the Carrera
quarry, there was an accident.
00:26:16.17\00:26:19.49
The miners were taking
off a large chunk of marble
00:26:19.52\00:26:23.04
when a piece on
the end slivered off.
00:26:23.07\00:26:25.54
It was icicle
like, long and narrow.
00:26:25.57\00:26:28.15
And they felt that it would be
of waste but Michelangelo said,
00:26:28.18\00:26:30.79
"No, give it to me. "
00:26:30.82\00:26:32.21
He happened at the
time to be about age 24.
00:26:32.24\00:26:35.18
They took the marble
downtown and there was a
00:26:36.90\00:26:39.12
tent built around it.
00:26:39.16\00:26:40.20
And this young man began to
chisel and chisel and chisel.
00:26:40.23\00:26:44.10
And two years later,
he had the unveiling.
00:26:44.13\00:26:46.52
Michelangelo's David, perhaps
the most famous marble carving
00:26:46.55\00:26:50.77
in all this world.
00:26:50.80\00:26:52.52
Now you'll notice that he kept
the one arm tight to the side
00:26:52.93\00:26:56.90
and the other arm
that holds the sling
00:26:56.93\00:26:59.13
is near to the body as well.
00:26:59.16\00:27:01.93
But we're going to move in,
you and I, for some close-up.
00:27:01.96\00:27:04.26
I want you to
look at the hand there.
00:27:05.25\00:27:08.03
And you see the cords that
open and close the fingers.
00:27:09.18\00:27:13.02
And you look at your own hand
and you exactly the same thing.
00:27:13.05\00:27:16.28
And then we're going to
move over to the neck we see the
00:27:17.21\00:27:19.98
great cords that turn the head.
00:27:20.01\00:27:23.47
And we're going to move
up this cord, and right there
00:27:24.93\00:27:28.24
we see a blood vessel.
00:27:28.27\00:27:30.57
And we just have to
pinch ourselves to be reminded
00:27:32.35\00:27:36.24
that this done with a
man with a hammer and chisel.
00:27:36.27\00:27:39.74
Amazing.
00:27:40.77\00:27:41.74
How was he able to
bring out such detail?
00:27:41.75\00:27:43.89
And by the way, if
you're ever looking at art,
00:27:43.92\00:27:45.83
the finest art is
classified by its detail.
00:27:45.86\00:27:49.60
If you're
looking at a sculpture,
00:27:49.63\00:27:50.80
if you're looking at a bronze,
if you're looking at a Cousinet,
00:27:50.83\00:27:53.78
if you're looking at a Dresden
piece of something of humanity;
00:27:53.81\00:27:57.25
if the fingers are webbed
together, that's not the finest.
00:27:57.28\00:28:00.75
But if the detail is fine,
if the fingers are separated,
00:28:00.78\00:28:04.37
if the lace is individual,
then it's the finest stuff.
00:28:04.40\00:28:08.71
And so we find it here.
00:28:08.74\00:28:10.12
How was he able to
bring out this detail?
00:28:10.15\00:28:12.17
Before ever he began to paint
or sculpt, he had been a student
00:28:12.72\00:28:16.35
of the human anatomy.
00:28:16.38\00:28:18.22
He had been a part of the
dissecting several cadavers.
00:28:18.25\00:28:20.84
He knew all the muscular system
and the circulatory system.
00:28:20.87\00:28:24.35
And he was able, somehow, to
make it come to life in stone.
00:28:24.38\00:28:27.92
Here are a couple of graves,
a couple of sarcophagi inside
00:28:27.95\00:28:32.00
the Gallery of the Academy,
and male and female figures.
00:28:32.03\00:28:38.05
And one is day and
the other is night.
00:28:38.08\00:28:40.09
And that is the tomb, by
the way, of Lorenzo de' Medici.
00:28:40.12\00:28:43.09
Now our final stop is
this cathedral, Santa Croce,
00:28:43.12\00:28:48.44
the Cathedral of the Holy Cross.
00:28:48.47\00:28:50.25
We're not going to go inside
because it's not elaborate
00:28:51.78\00:28:54.51
and it's not terribly large.
00:28:54.54\00:28:56.09
We are going to go over into
a crypt in just a little bit
00:28:57.49\00:29:00.62
to see one place of burial.
00:29:00.65\00:29:03.03
But this one, for my mind,
is important because of four men
00:29:03.06\00:29:07.25
who are buried inside.
00:29:07.28\00:29:08.73
To say that these
men were contemporaries
00:29:08.76\00:29:10.79
wouldn't be exactly correct.
00:29:10.82\00:29:12.39
But to say that, to the large
degree, their lives overlapped
00:29:12.42\00:29:15.14
would be correct.
00:29:15.34\00:29:16.91
One of the men buried
inside is Machiavelli.
00:29:16.94\00:29:21.51
Niccolo Machiavelli was
only about 20 years of age when
00:29:21.54\00:29:26.13
he wrote a book
entitled, "The Prince. "
00:29:26.16\00:29:28.18
And it was his own design
for the way cities and states
00:29:28.21\00:29:31.53
ought to be governed.
00:29:31.56\00:29:32.86
And in his writing he
said, what is important is
00:29:33.26\00:29:37.71
political expediency.
00:29:37.81\00:29:39.66
I think that's the
best way to say it.
00:29:39.69\00:29:41.33
And he promoted the idea that
the end justifies the means.
00:29:41.36\00:29:45.26
And it's alright to be
involved in a little immorality,
00:29:45.29\00:29:47.99
it's alright to cheat a little,
it's alright to lie a lot
00:29:48.02\00:29:50.86
as long as you have the
best political result in mind.
00:29:50.89\00:29:54.39
And it seems, to my mind,
that has caught on in a lot of
00:29:54.42\00:29:57.46
political circles today.
00:29:57.49\00:29:58.89
Did it ring any
bells in your head? Yea.
00:29:58.92\00:30:01.34
That whole idea is called
today, Machiavellian attitudes.
00:30:01.37\00:30:05.60
Machiavelli is buried inside.
00:30:05.63\00:30:09.00
And then another
that we have spoken of.
00:30:09.03\00:30:11.37
Michelangelo
Bounarroti is buried inside.
00:30:12.30\00:30:15.32
This is not his tomb.
00:30:15.35\00:30:17.29
But it is a tomb of a
contemporary, in a sense.
00:30:17.32\00:30:20.87
This is the tomb
of Galileo Galilei.
00:30:20.90\00:30:24.04
Galileo was born in the same
year that Michelangelo died.
00:30:24.07\00:30:29.88
And they're both buried inside.
00:30:29.91\00:30:31.81
And then the fourth man of
importance is Dante Alighieri
00:30:33.26\00:30:37.47
of whom we spoke a bit earlier.
00:30:37.50\00:30:39.00
Dante is buried inside.
00:30:39.03\00:30:41.48
If you folks haven't read
a couple of good biographies
00:30:41.51\00:30:44.30
of Michelangelo, and Galileo
certainly, you need to do that.
00:30:44.33\00:30:49.39
Galileo didn't invent but
he perfected the telescope.
00:30:49.42\00:30:52.17
And made it a working
tool and traced the movements
00:30:52.20\00:30:54.38
of the heavenly
bodies with an accuracy
00:30:54.41\00:30:56.78
that still stuns
astronomers today.
00:30:56.86\00:30:59.00
I thank you for
traveling with me.
00:30:59.03\00:31:00.80
And now to our subject.
00:31:04.16\00:31:05.79
The Prayer Never Answered Yet.
00:31:06.45\00:31:11.06
Would you open your Bibles
please to Matthew chapter 6.
00:31:11.09\00:31:13.95
Matthew's gospel chapter 6.
00:31:13.98\00:31:16.50
And I'm going to
read verses 9 and 10.
00:31:16.53\00:31:19.53
Matthew chapter
6, verses 9 and 10.
00:31:19.56\00:31:22.59
The context is this.
00:31:22.62\00:31:24.07
The disciples have obviously
heard our Lord Jesus pray
00:31:24.10\00:31:27.38
oft times, and they
were impressed by His pray
00:31:27.41\00:31:30.65
and by His style.
00:31:30.68\00:31:31.88
And so they asked Him, "Lord
would You each us to pray?"
00:31:31.91\00:31:34.68
And Jesus did.
00:31:34.71\00:31:36.17
And we now refer to His
teaching in this area as
00:31:36.20\00:31:39.21
the Lord's prayer.
00:31:39.24\00:31:40.38
And I want to read
just a couple of verses.
00:31:40.41\00:31:42.87
Matthew chapter
6, verses 9 and 10.
00:31:42.90\00:31:46.04
Jesus said, "After this
manner, therefore, pray ye;
00:31:46.75\00:31:50.48
Our Father which art in
heaven, hallowed be Thy name.
00:31:50.51\00:31:56.32
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done.. "
00:31:56.35\00:31:59.68
Now you tell me what it says.
00:31:59.71\00:32:01.36
Thy will be done where?
00:32:01.39\00:32:02.77
"... on earth as
it is in heaven. "
00:32:02.80\00:32:07.25
That is the prayer, my
dears, not answered yet.
00:32:07.28\00:32:11.75
Lord, could Your
will, Your way, Your love
00:32:11.78\00:32:14.45
be demonstrated
daily here on earth?
00:32:14.48\00:32:16.49
Could Your kingdom come,
could people love one another?
00:32:16.52\00:32:19.63
Could they treat folks decently?
00:32:19.66\00:32:21.60
Could they train their
children in the right way?
00:32:21.63\00:32:23.62
Could they live
a healthful live?
00:32:23.65\00:32:25.24
Could Your kingdom come now?
00:32:25.27\00:32:28.08
Here on earth, it
hasn't happened yet.
00:32:28.58\00:32:31.67
I'm sorry to
have to report to you.
00:32:31.70\00:32:34.61
The world news in
the last three days.
00:32:35.34\00:32:38.11
I've taken a
couple of notes here.
00:32:38.14\00:32:39.84
They found a baby again in the
dumpster day before yesterday.
00:32:40.51\00:32:43.91
It's getting so folks
throw their kids away with the
00:32:43.94\00:32:46.63
morning trash and
the kitchen garbage.
00:32:46.66\00:32:48.75
And not very many hours prior
to that, there was a guy who
00:32:48.78\00:32:52.16
got angry with his wife over
the divorce settlement and said,
00:32:52.19\00:32:54.92
"I'll get even with you. "
00:32:54.95\00:32:56.50
And he took the kids
and threw them into the bay
00:32:56.53\00:32:59.45
and off of the bridge.
00:32:59.48\00:33:00.45
A couple of days later another
guy, evidently getting the same
00:33:00.46\00:33:03.39
idea, decided he would
shoot his three kids to death
00:33:03.42\00:33:06.69
to get even with his wife.
00:33:06.72\00:33:08.02
And he did that and
then he killed himself.
00:33:08.05\00:33:10.35
And then you'll remember
the tragedy of just yesterday.
00:33:10.38\00:33:13.67
In the fast food store, a
guy goes into the restroom
00:33:13.70\00:33:17.46
and for no reason at all
pulls a semi automatic pistol
00:33:17.49\00:33:21.34
and shoots six people
and then takes his own life.
00:33:21.37\00:33:25.67
"Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. "
00:33:28.06\00:33:32.69
Not yet.
00:33:33.47\00:33:34.96
I want to read you a
little something here.
00:33:34.99\00:33:38.09
But before I read it, I want
you to turn with me to Matthew
00:33:38.12\00:33:41.29
chapter 24 verse 12.
00:33:41.32\00:33:43.79
We've alluded to Matthew
chapter 24 and Luke 17 and 21
00:33:43.82\00:33:47.18
so many, many times in
the last several evenings
00:33:47.21\00:33:49.67
because they go together.
00:33:49.70\00:33:50.83
They're referred to by
theologians these days,
00:33:50.86\00:33:53.33
by the way, as
the Olivet discourse.
00:33:53.36\00:33:55.82
The disciples have asked their
Lord, "What will be the sign
00:33:55.85\00:33:59.37
of your coming and of
the end of the world?"
00:33:59.40\00:34:00.44
And He said it's going to
be like this and this and this.
00:34:00.47\00:34:02.99
And then He gives, in verse 12,
this little bit of information.
00:34:03.02\00:34:07.78
Chapter 24.
00:34:09.62\00:34:11.53
"Because iniquity shall
abound, the love of many
00:34:14.36\00:34:19.02
shall wax... " How?
00:34:20.22\00:34:22.31
Get better and better?
00:34:22.34\00:34:24.00
No.
00:34:24.03\00:34:25.12
Natural love shall
wax worse and worse,
00:34:25.15\00:34:29.85
and colder and colder still.
00:34:29.88\00:34:33.12
I want to read you something
from a man who said it, I think,
00:34:33.15\00:34:35.93
better than I could ever say it.
00:34:35.96\00:34:37.34
He said, "Love's
growing cold in the last days is
00:34:38.40\00:34:42.49
really the root of not
only religious persecution,
00:34:42.52\00:34:47.00
but racial bigotry as well.
00:34:47.03\00:34:48.75
The breakdown of the
family unit in our century
00:34:48.78\00:34:51.18
is directly related.
00:34:51.21\00:34:52.41
We're stunned, not only by
bizarre crimes where parents
00:34:52.44\00:34:55.37
and children murder one another,
but by a growing multitude of
00:34:55.40\00:34:59.00
sad eyed boys and girls
who are mournfully adrift
00:34:59.03\00:35:02.47
between separated parents.
00:35:02.50\00:35:04.08
Some physically
and mentally abused.
00:35:04.11\00:35:06.71
Some who's faces stare at
us for perhaps the last time
00:35:06.74\00:35:10.84
from the milk cartons
and the newspaper mailings. "
00:35:10.87\00:35:13.72
He said, "Selfishness is
today completely suffocating
00:35:14.45\00:35:19.23
God's love. "
00:35:19.26\00:35:21.54
Some say that the coming
of Jesus, which I believe
00:35:21.94\00:35:24.72
will finally bring an
end to this kind of tragedy
00:35:24.75\00:35:27.29
and finally will bring
the answer to that prayer,
00:35:27.32\00:35:29.85
"Thy will be done. "
00:35:29.88\00:35:31.49
"The coming of Jesus," some
say, "is an invisible thing.
00:35:31.52\00:35:36.46
It happens in the heart.
00:35:36.49\00:35:37.71
When you accept Him
as your Lord and Savior,
00:35:37.74\00:35:40.01
that's the second
coming of Jesus. "
00:35:40.04\00:35:42.02
There have been
others who said, "No, no.
00:35:42.05\00:35:44.33
Jesus comes when you die.
00:35:44.36\00:35:45.99
When a believer dies,
that's the second coming. "
00:35:46.02\00:35:48.21
And then there is another
and growing group that have said
00:35:48.24\00:35:51.84
that He's already
here in a literal way.
00:35:51.87\00:35:53.80
That He came in 1914 or 1917.
00:35:53.83\00:35:56.59
Others say, "He's never
coming. It's only an allegory.
00:35:56.62\00:35:59.89
It's never going to happen.
00:35:59.92\00:36:01.46
It's just the kind of a pious
platitude that's dished out
00:36:01.49\00:36:04.95
to those that are hurting and
suffering at times of accident
00:36:04.98\00:36:08.26
and tragedy and illness
and disease and death. "
00:36:08.29\00:36:10.81
Ladies and gentlemen, we're
not the only ones, you and I,
00:36:13.19\00:36:16.62
who believe that
something has to happen.
00:36:17.59\00:36:20.35
And I'm going to enlarge
upon that in just a little bit.
00:36:20.38\00:36:23.11
But I first want to put
into your minds another passage
00:36:23.14\00:36:26.68
that's very directly
related to the inhumanity;
00:36:26.71\00:36:29.97
one man to another, parents
to children, children to parents
00:36:30.00\00:36:33.57
and grandparents.
00:36:33.60\00:36:34.57
In Matthew chapter 24 and
verse 6, there our Lord Jesus
00:36:34.58\00:36:38.46
talked about the
war and rumor of war.
00:36:38.49\00:36:40.81
And we alluded to
this on another evening.
00:36:40.84\00:36:42.93
But I want to read
this to you tonight.
00:36:42.96\00:36:44.87
It's a recent study.
00:36:44.90\00:36:46.20
It suggests that we
travel, in our minds, eastward.
00:36:46.23\00:36:49.48
We go from Iran to the
Soviet occupied Afghanistan.
00:36:49.51\00:36:53.55
And then we go to India
with its racial turmoil.
00:36:53.58\00:36:56.20
And then we move to the ravaged
countries of Laos and Cambodia
00:36:56.23\00:36:59.92
and eventually to Vietnam.
00:36:59.95\00:37:01.48
We go to the Korea's.
00:37:01.51\00:37:03.02
And then we move on
south to the Philippines,
00:37:03.05\00:37:06.31
that ticking time bomb.
00:37:06.34\00:37:08.40
And then we're going to
head across the Pacific to the
00:37:08.43\00:37:11.03
troubled Central
and South America's.
00:37:11.06\00:37:13.27
Across the
Atlantic then to Ireland.
00:37:13.30\00:37:15.37
Down to South Africa.
00:37:15.40\00:37:17.09
Over into Libya where there has
been the export of terrorism.
00:37:17.12\00:37:20.99
And we arrive again
finally in the Middle East
00:37:21.02\00:37:23.75
where the strife is as
complex as it is implacable.
00:37:23.78\00:37:27.70
"You'll be hearing of wars
and rumors of wars," said Jesus.
00:37:27.73\00:37:31.67
"How very true," says the
author, "all around the world. "
00:37:31.70\00:37:35.55
And then in addition to
that, as we also mentioned
00:37:35.58\00:37:37.93
on another evening, there is the
ethnicity, the fighting of gangs
00:37:37.96\00:37:41.61
in the neighborhoods because
of this color against that color
00:37:41.64\00:37:44.76
or this neighborhood
against that other neighborhood.
00:37:44.79\00:37:47.57
And so, the folks of
the world have known,
00:37:47.60\00:37:49.70
some for a long while
have felt that something is
00:37:49.73\00:37:52.72
going to happen.
00:37:52.75\00:37:53.92
And while there is the idea
out there in the secular world
00:37:53.95\00:37:57.28
that only religious
fanatics believe in a literal
00:37:57.31\00:38:01.11
second coming of
Jesus, I thought that I would
00:38:01.14\00:38:03.67
just share with you some
of the other perspectives
00:38:03.70\00:38:07.15
from other points of view.
00:38:07.18\00:38:09.53
Let's talk about
the Native American.
00:38:09.56\00:38:11.69
The idea of end time belief has
been held by Native Americans
00:38:11.72\00:38:16.21
for many, many years.
00:38:16.24\00:38:18.27
A Sioux medicine man by the name
of Ogallala said that the world
00:38:18.30\00:38:22.40
would grow out of balance and
natural disasters like floods,
00:38:22.43\00:38:25.32
fires, and earthquakes would,
in the final days, increase.
00:38:25.35\00:38:28.85
And then he said, "There
will come a white buffalo.
00:38:28.88\00:38:32.31
When the white buffalo is
born, there will soon come
00:38:32.34\00:38:35.66
a return of
balance and harmony and
00:38:35.69\00:38:37.95
spiritual
awakening in the world. "
00:38:37.98\00:38:39.95
"And some of the tribal leaders
still today," I'm reading.
00:38:39.98\00:38:42.59
"Some tribal leaders still today
feel that this may well have
00:38:42.62\00:38:45.49
begun when a white
buffalo was born in 1994."
00:38:45.52\00:38:50.96
Interesting.
00:38:50.99\00:38:52.30
The Hopi Indians.
00:38:52.33\00:38:53.62
Alright, a little nearer
to home perhaps for some.
00:38:53.95\00:38:56.34
Several Hopi tribal leaders
have prophesied that the coming
00:38:56.37\00:39:00.05
of the white man to their
part of the world was the signal
00:39:00.08\00:39:03.67
of the end times.
00:39:03.70\00:39:05.12
And they began to say and
teach that about 250 years ago.
00:39:05.15\00:39:10.13
And then there's
the Judaic perspective.
00:39:10.16\00:39:12.83
The Talmud states that
the world as we know it today
00:39:12.86\00:39:16.28
will last only 6000 years.
00:39:16.31\00:39:18.78
And by the way, in
their calendar it is now 5766.
00:39:19.18\00:39:25.23
And that relates to
our calendar year 2038.
00:39:25.26\00:39:34.27
Only just a few
years away is the way they
00:39:34.30\00:39:37.10
believe about it all.
00:39:37.13\00:39:38.31
And then there's
the Islamic perspective.
00:39:38.34\00:39:40.27
And we could go
on and on and on.
00:39:40.30\00:39:42.90
But to those who suggest
that it just an illusion,
00:39:42.93\00:39:45.58
it's only just a
symbol, it's a metaphor.
00:39:45.61\00:39:47.54
I'm here to say to you
tonight once again that it is
00:39:47.57\00:39:50.84
indeed a reality.
00:39:50.87\00:39:52.37
And it is not
only the blessed hope,
00:39:52.40\00:39:54.26
it's the world's only hope.
00:39:54.29\00:39:55.44
As we've said also on
several prior occasions.
00:39:55.47\00:39:58.38
Our Lord Jesus, in an upper
room to His very best friends,
00:39:58.41\00:40:01.18
gave this promise.
00:40:01.21\00:40:02.42
They were gathered to
celebrate for the last time,
00:40:02.45\00:40:04.63
the Lord's supper.
00:40:04.66\00:40:05.63
To celebrate, rather, for the
last time the Passover feast.
00:40:05.64\00:40:10.72
And then to put it in
it's place, the Lord's supper.
00:40:10.75\00:40:13.28
And in that context, while
His twelve best friends are
00:40:13.31\00:40:16.52
gathered around Him, Jesus says,
"I'm going to have to leave you.
00:40:16.55\00:40:20.30
Where I'm going, you
can't come. Not now, not yet. "
00:40:20.33\00:40:23.00
And their hearts are broken.
00:40:23.03\00:40:24.74
They've just come
to love Him totally
00:40:24.77\00:40:26.41
and trust Him
explicitly, completely.
00:40:26.44\00:40:29.42
And they begin to
show their concern.
00:40:29.45\00:40:32.65
"Lord, why?
00:40:32.68\00:40:33.85
Please don't
desert us. Please don't. "
00:40:33.88\00:40:36.02
And into this
troubled environment,
00:40:36.05\00:40:39.26
Jesus speaks words promise.
00:40:39.29\00:40:41.54
John chapter 14, verses 1-3.
00:40:41.94\00:40:44.96
And I read not long ago
in my study for this subject
00:40:44.99\00:40:48.74
that this verse has been
learned by more children in
00:40:48.77\00:40:51.90
church and Sunday school
and elsewhere than perhaps
00:40:51.93\00:40:54.37
any other single verse.
00:40:54.40\00:40:56.17
John 14, verses 1-3.
00:40:56.20\00:40:59.47
Jesus in the upper room said,
"Let not your heart be troubled.
00:40:59.50\00:41:03.75
You believe in God,
believe also in Me. "
00:41:03.78\00:41:06.14
"In My... " now tell me. Where?
00:41:06.17\00:41:09.44
Somewhere out in outer space?
00:41:10.07\00:41:11.60
Somewhere among the
clouds in some ethereal place?
00:41:11.63\00:41:14.51
In some misty nebula
sort of a notion in your mind?
00:41:14.54\00:41:18.02
No. "In My Father's house,
there are many mansions. "
00:41:18.05\00:41:22.80
"Many rooms," say
other translations.
00:41:23.00\00:41:25.30
"If it were not so,
I would have told you.
00:41:25.33\00:41:27.61
I'm going to go to
get one ready for you.
00:41:27.64\00:41:29.49
And if I go, I will
come again; that where I am,
00:41:29.52\00:41:34.26
there you may be also. "
00:41:34.29\00:41:36.98
"In My Father's house. "
00:41:38.38\00:41:40.28
In 1 Corinthians
chapter 15, verses 19-29;
00:41:40.94\00:41:44.72
and I want you "A"
students to write it down.
00:41:44.75\00:41:46.81
And before you go to sleep
tonight, go home and read it.
00:41:46.84\00:41:48.96
Because it's so
very, very encouraging.
00:41:48.99\00:41:51.47
But the apostle Paul would
say to those who want to suggest
00:41:51.50\00:41:54.79
that heaven and the
earth made new is a metaphor,
00:41:54.82\00:41:57.58
he would say this.
00:41:57.61\00:41:59.02
"If in this life only we have
hope, then we are of all men
00:41:59.05\00:42:03.54
most miserable. "
00:42:03.57\00:42:06.21
If this is all we have, if
this is it, if this party is all
00:42:06.61\00:42:11.44
that we're entitled to then we
are of all men, most miserable.
00:42:11.47\00:42:16.79
The Bible refers to our
Lord Jesus as the paradigm
00:42:17.32\00:42:21.10
of resurrection.
00:42:21.13\00:42:22.53
"He is the first fruit,"
says the King James Bible.
00:42:22.56\00:42:25.60
That means He is
the supreme example.
00:42:25.63\00:42:27.95
And we could, then,
let our minds be reminded
00:42:28.91\00:42:32.22
of the
resurrection of our Lord Jesus.
00:42:32.25\00:42:34.43
When, on that resurrection
Sunday, the stone was
00:42:35.13\00:42:37.68
rolled away, did Jesus
come out as some kind of a ghost
00:42:37.71\00:42:40.76
or a vapor or an essence
or kind of a metaphor sort of?
00:42:40.79\00:42:44.27
No, He came out a real man.
00:42:44.30\00:42:46.46
A real man.
00:42:46.49\00:42:47.82
Mary from Magdala, the
last to leave the cross,
00:42:47.85\00:42:50.90
is the first at the open tomb.
00:42:50.93\00:42:52.53
And when she gets there
in the early morning before
00:42:52.56\00:42:55.25
the sunlight really has arrived,
as she looks through her tears
00:42:55.28\00:42:58.90
and sees that the stone is
rolled away and her heart is
00:42:58.93\00:43:01.57
broken, and she moves
nearer and looks inside and sees
00:43:01.60\00:43:05.35
His body is gone.
00:43:05.38\00:43:06.99
And she's thinking,
"Will they never let Him alone?
00:43:07.02\00:43:09.56
Will they torture
and torment Him always?
00:43:09.59\00:43:11.51
They tortured Him during
His life, they won't let Him
00:43:11.54\00:43:13.74
have peace in death?
00:43:13.77\00:43:14.74
Is there nothing
sacred any longer?"
00:43:14.75\00:43:17.11
And then through
her tears, she looks.
00:43:17.51\00:43:19.80
And it's becoming a bit
more lighted in the garden.
00:43:19.83\00:43:22.85
And she sees someone whom
she believes to be the gardener.
00:43:22.88\00:43:26.02
And so she calls out,
"Sir, if you've taken His body
00:43:26.05\00:43:28.80
somewhere, tell me
where you've taken Him
00:43:28.83\00:43:31.03
and I'll take care of Him. "
00:43:31.06\00:43:32.10
I've always admired
the faith of little Mary.
00:43:32.13\00:43:37.34
"You just tell me
where His body is and I'll
00:43:37.37\00:43:39.50
take care of it now. "
00:43:39.53\00:43:40.75
And who was it?
00:43:41.71\00:43:43.07
It was Jesus.
00:43:43.27\00:43:45.04
And He said to
her, "Mary, Mary. "
00:43:45.07\00:43:50.51
And she
recognized Him by His voice.
00:43:50.54\00:43:53.08
And she ran to Him.
00:43:53.11\00:43:54.67
And the picture in
the New Testament is,
00:43:54.70\00:43:56.69
from John's gospel chapter
19 and chapter 20, that she
00:43:56.72\00:44:00.89
fell down and threw
her arms around His ankles.
00:44:00.92\00:44:03.58
She was never going to let
Him out of her sight again.
00:44:03.61\00:44:05.51
And Jesus said, "You
can't hang on to Me, Mary.
00:44:05.54\00:44:07.94
I have not yet ascended.
00:44:07.97\00:44:09.52
You can't hold Me here.
I have work yet to do. "
00:44:09.55\00:44:11.97
He came out of the grave
a real man with a real body.
00:44:12.00\00:44:16.22
He appeared later
that day to the disciples.
00:44:16.25\00:44:18.50
And there was one who
was absent, you remember.
00:44:19.33\00:44:22.45
Thomas, the man from
Missouri, had to be showed.
00:44:22.48\00:44:24.71
And when the
other disciples said,
00:44:25.92\00:44:27.14
"Boy, you missed
something wonderful.
00:44:27.17\00:44:28.38
Jesus is not dead,
He just stopped by. "
00:44:28.41\00:44:30.97
And Thomas said, "There's
no way, there's no way. "
00:44:31.00\00:44:33.79
That was some kind of
a ghost, some kind of a
00:44:33.82\00:44:35.64
spook that came by here. "
00:44:35.67\00:44:37.21
And so a week later,
Jesus stopped by again
00:44:37.24\00:44:39.36
and this time Thomas was home.
00:44:39.39\00:44:40.99
And Thomas still
refused and backed away.
00:44:41.02\00:44:43.51
"Don't come near me. "
00:44:43.54\00:44:44.78
Jesus said, "Grow up
Thomas. Stop this nonsense.
00:44:44.81\00:44:48.94
Come and put your
finger into My wound. "
00:44:48.97\00:44:51.11
And then Jesus said, "A
spirit, a ghost, doesn't have a
00:44:51.14\00:44:54.73
flesh and body as
you see that I have. "
00:44:54.76\00:44:56.93
Jesus, 40 days later,
ascended up into the skies.
00:44:57.53\00:45:01.37
And the Bible says a cloud
received Him out of their sight.
00:45:01.40\00:45:04.78
And you read this in
Acts chapter 1 verses 9-11.
00:45:05.19\00:45:08.61
And then an angle stood beside
some of the folks that were
00:45:09.58\00:45:11.81
watching and said, "You
men of Galilee, why are you
00:45:11.84\00:45:13.83
gazing up into heaven?
00:45:13.86\00:45:14.95
For this same Jesus that
you've seen going into heaven
00:45:14.98\00:45:18.23
will so come in like manner
as you have seen Him go. "
00:45:18.26\00:45:21.94
He went up into heaven and He's
coming back to take His children
00:45:22.55\00:45:26.14
to the places
there that He has made.
00:45:26.17\00:45:28.29
And then the
prayer will be answered;
00:45:28.32\00:45:29.94
"Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done. "
00:45:29.97\00:45:32.41
I've been asked often
times, "Where is heaven?"
00:45:33.45\00:45:36.05
Where is it?
00:45:36.29\00:45:37.39
Is it in outer space or
where is heaven, what is this?
00:45:37.94\00:45:42.70
I'm going to give you
several answers as regards the
00:45:42.73\00:45:45.64
New Testament language
when it speaks about heaven.
00:45:45.67\00:45:48.93
And for want of time now,
I'm going to have to insist that
00:45:48.96\00:45:51.43
you just take notes and it'll
all be on the taping, of course.
00:45:51.46\00:45:54.91
I want to
allude to 2 Corinthians
00:45:55.65\00:45:57.38
chapter 12 verses 1-4.
00:45:57.41\00:46:00.90
There the apostle Paul talks
about a vision that he had.
00:46:00.93\00:46:03.41
2 Corinthians chapter
12, the first 4 verses.
00:46:03.44\00:46:06.34
He said, "I was caught
up to the third heaven.
00:46:06.37\00:46:08.81
Whether I was there in my mind
and vision, or whether my body
00:46:08.84\00:46:12.68
was literally
taken, I'm not sure.
00:46:12.71\00:46:14.55
But I know I was there. "
00:46:14.58\00:46:16.06
The third heaven.
00:46:16.76\00:46:17.73
Now, it's a
matter of simple logic.
00:46:17.74\00:46:20.36
It is a matter of deduction
that if there is a third,
00:46:20.39\00:46:26.36
there must, of necessity,
also be a first and a second.
00:46:26.39\00:46:31.80
So let me then give
you some of the ideas.
00:46:31.83\00:46:34.60
The first heaven, I
believe, is the aerial heaven.
00:46:34.63\00:46:37.64
Revelation chapter 19 and
verse 17 gives the suggestion.
00:46:37.67\00:46:41.18
That's where the birds
fly, up there in the atmosphere.
00:46:41.21\00:46:44.18
And I'm not suggesting, by the
way, the three degrees of glory.
00:46:45.07\00:46:48.80
I don't want anyone to get
the mistaken notion that I'm
00:46:48.83\00:46:51.84
suggesting some kind
of spiritual progression.
00:46:51.87\00:46:55.89
But the atmosphere
where pollution is.
00:46:57.05\00:47:00.18
And where the rain comes
from, where the birds fly.
00:47:00.21\00:47:03.23
Psalm 19 verses 1-6 tell us
about that part of the heavens
00:47:03.26\00:47:09.66
that's called the
stellar heavens then.
00:47:09.69\00:47:11.36
That's where the stars are.
00:47:11.39\00:47:12.99
And so that, I
believe, is the second heaven.
00:47:13.02\00:47:14.72
And the third heaven, as
is alluded in 2 Corinthians
00:47:14.75\00:47:18.17
chapter 1 verse 4 and also
in Revelation chapter 2 verse 7,
00:47:18.20\00:47:23.09
speaks about Paradise.
00:47:23.12\00:47:24.99
And it tells us
that's where God's throne is.
00:47:25.39\00:47:27.78
And that's where
also the tree of life is.
00:47:27.81\00:47:30.53
In Paradise.
00:47:30.56\00:47:31.53
And so I see then, the 3 heavens
the apostle Paul talked about.
00:47:31.54\00:47:35.22
There is the atmospheric
heaven where the birds fly.
00:47:35.25\00:47:37.99
There is the starry heaven where
the stars shine down upon us.
00:47:38.02\00:47:42.95
And then there is
Paradise where God's throne is
00:47:42.98\00:47:45.34
and where Jesus is
going to come and take us to
00:47:45.37\00:47:48.87
when He comes in
His second coming.
00:47:48.90\00:47:50.72
Moses and Elijah were
taken to the third heaven.
00:47:51.35\00:47:55.21
Moses was resurrected to
represent and symbolize those
00:47:55.24\00:47:59.60
that will be taken out of
the graves when Jesus comes
00:47:59.63\00:48:02.19
in His second coming.
00:48:02.22\00:48:03.22
Elijah, on the other
hand, was translated.
00:48:03.25\00:48:05.49
That's a Bible word.
00:48:05.52\00:48:06.66
That mean that he did not die.
00:48:06.69\00:48:08.20
The Bible says he was
taken up in a chariot of fire.
00:48:08.23\00:48:11.62
I was talking to one lady
not so very long ago about
00:48:11.65\00:48:14.64
the realities of heaven and
how wonder it's going to be.
00:48:14.67\00:48:17.21
And how we're going to
build mansions and grow gardens.
00:48:17.24\00:48:19.98
And she said this, "The
thing that delights me is,
00:48:20.08\00:48:22.95
to just think, there'll
be no more trailer houses. "
00:48:22.98\00:48:25.61
No more trailer houses.
00:48:27.68\00:48:29.38
Yeah permanence,
that was her idea.
00:48:29.41\00:48:31.98
Finally, permanence.
00:48:32.01\00:48:33.61
It true, we're going to
have a home in the city built
00:48:33.64\00:48:35.40
by our Lord Jesus.
00:48:35.43\00:48:36.40
It's also true that we're going
to go out into the countryside
00:48:36.41\00:48:39.89
and build our own according to
our own design and our own plan.
00:48:39.92\00:48:43.81
And that's why folks
sing that lovely spiritual,
00:48:43.84\00:48:46.48
"Plenty good room, plenty
good room in My Father's house.
00:48:46.51\00:48:50.40
Plenty good room
in the Kingdom. "
00:48:50.43\00:48:52.91
The size of the
city is enormous.
00:48:52.94\00:48:54.97
The book of Revelation tells
us, and when you compute it
00:48:55.93\00:48:58.83
into our ways of measuring,
it's about 375 miles square.
00:48:58.86\00:49:04.18
Some have suggested,
it's about the same size
00:49:04.58\00:49:07.13
as is the state of Oregon.
00:49:07.16\00:49:08.96
141,000 square miles.
00:49:08.99\00:49:12.74
I have a buddy with whom
I was talking not long ago.
00:49:13.15\00:49:16.27
A buddy that I appreciate
so very much for his lifestyle.
00:49:16.30\00:49:20.23
He graduated from Loma
Linda University with a
00:49:20.26\00:49:22.67
degree in dentistry.
00:49:22.70\00:49:23.94
And then went to
California to practice where he
00:49:23.97\00:49:27.36
could have made tons money.
00:49:27.39\00:49:28.96
But got disgusted by the
rat race and the lifestyle and
00:49:28.99\00:49:32.62
the competition and
the way others were doing.
00:49:32.65\00:49:34.74
So he and his wife went
to Africa as missionaries.
00:49:34.77\00:49:37.40
And they spent the rest
of their working time there.
00:49:37.80\00:49:40.29
And still, from
time to time, go there.
00:49:40.32\00:49:42.23
And not long ago,
he and I were visiting.
00:49:42.26\00:49:44.28
We graduated from high
school at the same time.
00:49:44.31\00:49:47.20
And I said to him, "George,
sometimes I look at the lack
00:49:47.70\00:49:52.74
in my life and what I haven't
provided for my family. "
00:49:52.77\00:49:56.64
And by the way, my friend George
is living in a mobile home.
00:49:56.67\00:50:00.30
And I said, "I look around
at some of the others that
00:50:00.33\00:50:03.18
graduated with us and
they have big bank accounts
00:50:03.21\00:50:06.42
and beautiful homes. "
00:50:06.45\00:50:07.64
He said,
"That's alright, Lyle. "
00:50:10.35\00:50:11.83
He said, "We have a
friend who's building us
00:50:14.18\00:50:17.07
a mansion up there. "
00:50:17.10\00:50:18.53
Yeah.
00:50:19.79\00:50:20.85
A mansion.
00:50:22.75\00:50:23.94
Fine.
00:50:25.05\00:50:26.23
But I want to tell you folks
tonight, Lyle's going to be
00:50:26.98\00:50:29.40
happy and satisfied if Jesus
will just let me in the door.
00:50:29.43\00:50:33.40
Just let me inside, Lord.
00:50:37.14\00:50:39.17
Just give me a
corner there somewhere.
00:50:41.56\00:50:43.73
And I shall be
forever satisfied.
00:50:44.61\00:50:47.14
David, you remember,
in Psalm 84 verse 10 said,
00:50:47.92\00:50:52.17
"I'd rather be a doorkeeper,"
that means a servant.
00:50:52.20\00:50:55.55
"I'd rather be the guy
that opens and closes the door
00:50:55.58\00:50:58.40
in the house of God
than to dwell in fancy places
00:50:58.43\00:51:02.51
with wicked folks. "
00:51:02.54\00:51:03.86
Just let me inside.
00:51:05.98\00:51:07.56
Imagine it now, in
the earth made new.
00:51:08.28\00:51:11.42
Our Lord's going
to take us to heaven.
00:51:11.45\00:51:13.18
We're going to be there
with Him for 1000 years.
00:51:13.21\00:51:15.42
And we're going
to talk about the
00:51:15.45\00:51:17.00
millennium in a few evenings.
00:51:17.03\00:51:18.00
And it does
matter what you believe.
00:51:18.01\00:51:19.19
And be sure that you're
here when we study passage,
00:51:19.22\00:51:22.05
Revelation chapter
20 and that passage.
00:51:22.08\00:51:24.64
Make sure that you're here.
00:51:24.67\00:51:26.07
We're going to spend a
thousand years in heaven where
00:51:26.10\00:51:28.83
Jesus has gone to
prepare the mansions.
00:51:28.86\00:51:30.70
And then the holy city is going
to come down, as we've read
00:51:30.73\00:51:33.95
again and again
in Revelation 21.
00:51:33.98\00:51:35.72
"I, John, saw the New Jerusalem,
the holy city coming down
00:51:35.75\00:51:39.59
from God out of
heaven prepared as a bride
00:51:39.62\00:51:41.45
adorned for her husband. "
00:51:41.48\00:51:42.69
And when the prayer
of Jesus is answered,
00:51:43.09\00:51:45.87
"Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven,"
00:51:45.90\00:51:50.00
then there'll be
no more hospitals.
00:51:50.03\00:51:51.93
Thank God for the
doctors and the nurses.
00:51:52.73\00:51:55.04
And there are many here.
00:51:55.07\00:51:56.10
And I've told you nurses
especially, how I appreciate you
00:51:56.13\00:51:58.62
and how I love you
because I have two of my kids
00:51:58.65\00:52:01.00
that are nurses.
00:52:01.03\00:52:02.02
Thank God for
hospitals and for nurses.
00:52:02.05\00:52:04.21
And there's a
necessity of jails and prisons,
00:52:04.24\00:52:06.29
and even for reform schools.
00:52:06.32\00:52:08.10
But not any longer
when the prayer is answered.
00:52:08.13\00:52:11.71
Now when God's will is done
on earth as it is in heaven.
00:52:11.74\00:52:14.65
No longer the cemeteries.
00:52:14.68\00:52:16.77
Don't you want to go to heaven?
00:52:16.80\00:52:18.44
Don't you want to
go? I'm ready right now.
00:52:18.47\00:52:20.93
Some have the mistaken notion
that there are only 144,000
00:52:21.34\00:52:24.52
that are going to go there.
00:52:24.55\00:52:25.88
And I don't have any
great burden about that.
00:52:25.91\00:52:29.55
I really don't
believe it in that way.
00:52:29.58\00:52:31.55
I don't care very much,
as long as I'm one of them.
00:52:33.36\00:52:35.90
Just let me in the door, Lord.
00:52:38.81\00:52:40.75
I looked in the
mirror not long ago.
00:52:41.71\00:52:45.95
I saw someone I didn't know.
00:52:56.09\00:52:57.88
Since our boy died,
my face has caved in.
00:53:07.68\00:53:13.65
And I, half
jokingly and half seriously,
00:53:20.50\00:53:23.21
had a little conversation
with a plastic surgeon.
00:53:23.24\00:53:26.22
Could you help me?
00:53:31.02\00:53:32.38
He half jokingly said,
"Well Lyle, I wouldn't know
00:53:32.41\00:53:36.56
where to start
or where to stop. "
00:53:36.59\00:53:38.11
And he said, "Besides
that, if I gave you my part free
00:53:41.57\00:53:44.53
you still couldn't afford it. "
00:53:44.56\00:53:45.74
I said, "Well I was
afraid you'd say that. "
00:53:46.92\00:53:48.95
"Well," he said,
"don't feel bad, Lyle. "
00:53:51.82\00:53:53.59
He said, "Keep your
chins up. All three of them. "
00:53:53.62\00:53:57.76
One day, I'm
going to be changed.
00:53:58.92\00:54:00.71
One day.
00:54:00.74\00:54:01.80
The face I see in
the mirror more and more
00:54:01.83\00:54:04.82
is a stranger to me.
00:54:04.85\00:54:06.64
More and more, I see
myself becoming a man
00:54:06.67\00:54:09.05
I never thought I'd be.
00:54:09.08\00:54:10.93
You go through the airport these
days and they put you through
00:54:10.96\00:54:14.80
trials and tribulations, and you
got to go through all of those
00:54:14.83\00:54:18.56
machines that
beep no matter what.
00:54:18.59\00:54:21.01
And you have to
undress and take off your shoes
00:54:21.04\00:54:24.18
and some of the
rest of your clothes.
00:54:24.21\00:54:25.76
And they have cameras
now, they tell me, that are
00:54:25.79\00:54:27.76
taking pictures of you but
they're real careful not to let
00:54:27.79\00:54:30.48
just everybody see them.
00:54:30.51\00:54:31.48
That's good for me.
00:54:31.49\00:54:32.68
And I went through one
such, not so very long ago.
00:54:34.74\00:54:37.36
And I was
complaining a little bit.
00:54:37.39\00:54:39.42
And the person on the other
end where I was getting my shoes
00:54:39.45\00:54:42.26
said to me, "Sir we didn't check
the bags under your eyes. "
00:54:42.29\00:54:45.62
I said, "That's not funny. "
00:54:45.65\00:54:47.11
That is not funny.
00:54:48.68\00:54:49.96
But one day, I'm
going to be changed.
00:54:49.99\00:54:52.23
One day.
00:54:52.26\00:54:53.23
Oh, what a day.
00:54:53.63\00:54:54.89
I saw on a television
program a couple of days ago,
00:54:57.90\00:55:00.81
a medical program, two
little girls, twins they were.
00:55:01.80\00:55:07.69
Born with some
serious health problems.
00:55:08.74\00:55:11.00
And they were both deaf.
00:55:13.53\00:55:17.11
And they were
both completely blind.
00:55:18.07\00:55:21.79
And I thought much
about those little girls.
00:55:25.99\00:55:28.49
Never heard a human
voice, never seen a human face.
00:55:31.56\00:55:36.59
But one day soon, there's going
to be the blowing of a trumpet.
00:55:39.81\00:55:43.74
There's going to be
the shout of an angel.
00:55:44.57\00:55:46.56
"Awake ye that
sleep in the dust. "
00:55:47.13\00:55:49.07
There's going to be the call of
Jesus, "It's time to get up. "
00:55:49.10\00:55:52.02
It's getting up time.
00:55:52.05\00:55:53.40
And the graves
are going to open.
00:55:53.43\00:55:55.00
And imagine
those two little girls.
00:55:55.03\00:55:57.16
Their ears are
going to be unstopped,
00:55:57.19\00:55:58.69
and their eyes are going to see.
00:55:58.72\00:56:00.39
And the first voice they
hear is the voice of Jesus.
00:56:00.42\00:56:03.15
And the first face they see
is the face of Jesus Christ.
00:56:03.18\00:56:06.33
Oh what a day that will be.
00:56:06.36\00:56:08.70
Even so, come Lord Jesus.
00:56:08.73\00:56:11.34
Let Your prayer be answered.
00:56:11.37\00:56:13.49
"Thy will be done on
earth as it is in heaven. "
00:56:13.52\00:56:17.79
And let us pray.
00:56:17.82\00:56:19.34
It's pretty tough here
Lord. And You know that.
00:56:27.02\00:56:29.42
You've been through it.
00:56:32.49\00:56:34.02
But You have
promised that one day soon,
00:56:37.25\00:56:39.39
it's going to be much better.
00:56:40.95\00:56:42.54
And it's not just some
make believe notion or idea.
00:56:45.26\00:56:48.45
You've gone to build a
real home in a real place
00:56:48.48\00:56:52.04
where You're going to take
Your real children to spend
00:56:52.07\00:56:55.03
a real eternity
00:56:55.06\00:56:56.79
with no sickness,
suffering, sorrow, or heartache.
00:56:57.39\00:57:00.11
Then as my daughter-in-law
has said so many times lately,
00:57:01.88\00:57:04.74
"I have so much to tell Terry. "
00:57:04.78\00:57:06.64
We're home sick,
Lord. Home sick for heaven.
00:57:07.86\00:57:10.74
It seems we can't wait.
00:57:11.70\00:57:13.80
We're longing to enter
Zion's pearly gate where there's
00:57:15.19\00:57:17.72
never a heartache, never a care.
00:57:17.75\00:57:21.22
We long for our home over there.
00:57:22.57\00:57:24.74
Come quickly.
00:57:26.97\00:57:28.43
Amen.
00:57:28.46\00:57:29.76