Dear Lord, we pause for a
moment because we are about
00:01:05.50\00:01:13.63
to once again open your word
and this time we want to take
00:01:13.66\00:01:19.43
a look at the Cross. And there
Lord we'll begin to just catch
00:01:19.53\00:01:27.80
a little glimpse down into
the depths of the love that you
00:01:27.96\00:01:33.56
have for us in your
heart, and let it ignite a spark
00:01:33.63\00:01:38.86
in our own lives Lord.
And we'll walk away from this
00:01:38.89\00:01:42.86
place different,
from the people who came.
00:01:42.93\00:01:47.56
We ask in Jesus name Amen.
00:01:48.30\00:01:52.56
Revelation Chapter 13,
but before we get into 13,
00:01:56.30\00:01:59.56
lets read just the very
tail end of Chapter 12 Verse 17,
00:01:59.63\00:02:02.80
they gave us an
introduction, an overview
00:02:02.83\00:02:04.96
of what is about to
happen. In Chapter 12 Verse 17,
00:02:05.00\00:02:08.30
it says, the dragon was enraged
at the woman and he went off to
00:02:08.40\00:02:13.23
make war against the rest
of her offspring those who obey
00:02:13.26\00:02:18.66
God's commandments and
hold to the testimony of Jesus.
00:02:18.73\00:02:22.90
So, here is the
dragon at war against whom,
00:02:23.43\00:02:28.33
against those who want to
be faithful to God and to obey
00:02:28.36\00:02:33.26
His commandments and
that means, that if you
00:02:33.29\00:02:36.50
in your heart want to
be faithful to God then the
00:02:36.56\00:02:40.13
dragon is at war with
you, right here this evening.
00:02:40.16\00:02:44.33
Now, how does he unfold this
battle? What is the war like?
00:02:45.60\00:02:50.96
Watch Chapter 13, Verse 1,
the dragon stood on the shore
00:02:51.00\00:02:54.86
of the sea and I saw a
beast coming up out of the sea,
00:02:54.89\00:02:59.26
he had 10 horns, 7
heads, 10 crowns on his horns.
00:02:59.29\00:03:02.46
Now, I know that you
want to know who the beast is?
00:03:02.49\00:03:05.10
Am I right? You want
to know who the beast is?
00:03:05.13\00:03:08.86
And I'm going to tell
you, not tonight, next meeting,
00:03:08.93\00:03:13.50
Friday night. Tonight,
it doesn't matter who he is?
00:03:13.53\00:03:17.43
What matters is, what he does?
00:03:17.93\00:03:20.43
So, here is this beast
coming up out of the water.
00:03:21.30\00:03:24.00
In Verse 2, in the middle of
the verse, it says the dragon
00:03:24.13\00:03:27.10
gave the beast his power,
his throne, and great authority.
00:03:27.13\00:03:31.40
So, where does the
beast get his authority?
00:03:31.93\00:03:34.73
He gets it from the
dragon, who is the dragon,
00:03:34.76\00:03:37.90
the devil or
Satan, you're right.
00:03:37.93\00:03:40.56
Now watch this, Verse 4,
men worshiped the dragon,
00:03:40.59\00:03:48.10
who is the
dragon, the devil, Satan.
00:03:48.46\00:03:52.70
Men worshiped the
dragon. Now, how does this ever
00:03:52.73\00:03:55.70
happen? How do they
worship the dragon? Watch.
00:03:55.73\00:03:58.20
Men worshiped the
dragon because he had given
00:03:58.23\00:04:02.46
authority to the beast and
they also worshiped the beast.
00:04:02.49\00:04:06.40
And there you have the master
plan, the dragon gives his
00:04:07.70\00:04:11.50
authority to the beast,
therefore, whoever worships
00:04:11.53\00:04:14.83
the beast, is
actually worshiping the dragon.
00:04:14.86\00:04:19.96
Well, I'll never
worship the beast.
00:04:22.33\00:04:24.73
Many say the problem is
that most of the world does;
00:04:25.63\00:04:32.60
look with me, Verse 8,
all of the inhabitants of
00:04:33.03\00:04:37.00
the Earth will worship the
beast, all whose names have
00:04:37.03\00:04:41.93
not been written in the book
of life belonging to the lamb.
00:04:41.96\00:04:45.00
Now, we want our names written
in that book, Amen. Amen.
00:04:46.06\00:04:51.23
But, practically the
whole world does not have their
00:04:53.20\00:04:57.20
name written in that
book, only a few and just those
00:04:57.23\00:05:01.26
who have their names written
in the lamb's Book of Life,
00:05:01.29\00:05:04.26
they are the ones that
do not worship the beast.
00:05:04.29\00:05:07.10
What makes the beast
so effective and this is
00:05:10.16\00:05:15.96
the frightening part
of Revelation. Verse 11,
00:05:15.99\00:05:22.20
I saw another beast
coming up out of the Earth,
00:05:22.56\00:05:26.10
remember the first one
came up out of the water,
00:05:26.80\00:05:28.13
this one comes
up out of the Earth.
00:05:28.16\00:05:29.76
It's a different
beast. Look, he has 2 horns
00:05:29.79\00:05:33.46
like a lamb, but he
spoke like the dragon.
00:05:33.49\00:05:37.93
So, here's a beast
coming up out of the Earth.
00:05:38.86\00:05:41.73
He has two horns
like a lamb. He looks like
00:05:41.76\00:05:45.10
the lamb, so that
those who worship him
00:05:45.13\00:05:50.20
think they are worshiping
the lamb. Those who follow
00:05:50.23\00:05:54.53
this beast think they
are following the lamb.
00:05:54.56\00:05:57.80
And the only way you
can tell the difference
00:05:59.33\00:06:01.76
between the true Lamb of God
00:06:01.79\00:06:03.66
who is Jesus Christ
and this one who looks
00:06:03.69\00:06:07.10
like a lamb is that this
one speaks like the dragon.
00:06:07.13\00:06:10.96
That's why we better
understand what God's word
00:06:13.36\00:06:16.23
says, so that we
can distinguish between
00:06:16.26\00:06:20.53
the true and the false
because the false seems true.
00:06:20.56\00:06:25.03
It looks like a
lamb, and that isn't all.
00:06:26.40\00:06:30.66
But the Bible goes on to
say, Verse 12, he exercised
00:06:31.73\00:06:34.36
all of the authority of
the first beast on his behalf
00:06:34.39\00:06:37.10
and he made the Earth
and its inhabitants worship
00:06:37.13\00:06:40.70
the first beast.
Now, how did he do it?
00:06:40.73\00:06:42.86
In Verse 13, he
performed great and miraculous
00:06:42.89\00:06:45.70
signs even causing fire
to come down from heaven
00:06:45.73\00:06:49.13
in full view of men and
because of these signs or
00:06:49.16\00:06:52.93
miracles that he was given
power to do on behalf of the
00:06:52.96\00:06:56.66
first beast, he deceived
the inhabitants of the Earth.
00:06:56.69\00:07:01.23
Now, when we
turn, all you please,
00:07:02.53\00:07:04.36
and turn over to Revelation,
the 20th, the 19th chapter
00:07:04.39\00:07:09.83
in Revelation, in
Revelation Chapter 19,
00:07:09.86\00:07:13.83
we discover at the
end of that passage and
00:07:13.86\00:07:18.76
let's look Verse 20,
the beast was captured
00:07:18.79\00:07:22.30
and with him the
false prophet who had
00:07:22.56\00:07:24.50
performed
miraculous signs on his behalf,
00:07:24.53\00:07:27.10
with his signs he
diluted those who had received
00:07:27.13\00:07:29.56
the mark of the beast
and worshiped his image.
00:07:29.59\00:07:32.06
So, now we know that
this two horn beast, with
00:07:32.09\00:07:35.53
two horns like a lamb
that comes up out of the earth
00:07:35.56\00:07:38.23
is none other
than the false prophet.
00:07:38.26\00:07:40.36
We'll name him on
another night also,
00:07:40.39\00:07:43.80
tonight, it's enough for us
to see that the false prophet
00:07:43.83\00:07:48.10
claims to be a true
prophet, he looks like the lamb,
00:07:48.13\00:07:51.30
the lamb is Jesus, he
speaks like the dragon.
00:07:51.33\00:07:54.70
So, the only way you
can understand the truth is
00:07:54.73\00:07:56.93
to know what God
says about the truth.
00:07:56.96\00:08:00.93
And that's the only
way you can distinguish
00:08:01.66\00:08:04.56
between the beast who looks
like the lamb and the lamb.
00:08:04.59\00:08:10.33
That's why we need
God's word, Amen. Amen.
00:08:10.53\00:08:14.43
The whole world goes after
the lamb thinking that they
00:08:14.46\00:08:23.43
are following, goes after
the lamb like beast thinking
00:08:23.46\00:08:28.03
that they are following
the lamb, Jesus Christ.
00:08:28.06\00:08:31.70
After describing this intense
conflict that we're gonna
00:08:33.00\00:08:37.86
look at in much, much
more depth than we do tonight.
00:08:37.89\00:08:40.53
This is just an overview,
but after describing this battle
00:08:40.56\00:08:44.70
between true
worship and false worship,
00:08:44.73\00:08:47.13
In Chapter 14 Verse 12,
John writes this calls for
00:08:47.16\00:08:50.90
patient endurance on the
part of the saints who obey
00:08:50.93\00:08:54.76
God's commandments
and the faith of Jesus.
00:08:54.79\00:09:00.16
The same two
points that he began
00:09:01.30\00:09:03.10
with in Revelation
12:17. In other words,
00:09:03.13\00:09:05.73
these are the two
points of attack, the
00:09:05.76\00:09:07.76
commandments of God and
the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
00:09:07.79\00:09:10.73
the two points of attack that
the dragon makes through the
00:09:10.76\00:09:13.70
beast and the false
prophet trying to deceive and
00:09:13.73\00:09:16.66
force God's people
into worshiping the
00:09:16.69\00:09:18.86
beast instead of
worshiping the lamb.
00:09:18.89\00:09:21.40
That's why we need to
understand the Gospel,
00:09:22.76\00:09:26.06
because it's the cornerstone
of the dragon's attack.
00:09:26.09\00:09:31.03
In fact, Jesus
warned us about this.
00:09:32.63\00:09:35.73
In Matthew the 7th
Chapter, in Matthew Chapter 7,
00:09:35.76\00:09:40.70
Verse 15, Jesus said
watch out for false prophets,
00:09:40.73\00:09:44.46
they come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly
00:09:44.49\00:09:48.86
they are ferocious
wolves, they are beasts.
00:09:48.89\00:09:51.40
They look like a lamb,
but they are the beast,
00:09:51.43\00:09:53.96
watch out for them Jesus said.
00:09:53.99\00:09:55.83
The same thing we saw in
Revelation, but watch this.
00:09:55.86\00:09:58.90
In Verse 21, not
everyone who says to me,
00:09:58.93\00:10:02.16
Lord, Lord will enter
the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:10:02.19\00:10:06.10
not everyone, not everyone
who calls on the name of
00:10:06.13\00:10:09.53
Jesus is gonna enter
the Kingdom of Heaven,
00:10:09.56\00:10:11.83
not everyone who says Lord,
Lord, will enter the Kingdom,
00:10:11.86\00:10:14.83
Well, then who will?
Only he who does the will of
00:10:14.86\00:10:17.66
my father, who is in heaven,
listen, many will say to me,
00:10:17.69\00:10:21.86
Verse 22, many will say
to me on that day, Lord, Lord
00:10:21.89\00:10:27.06
did we not
prophecy in your name and
00:10:27.09\00:10:32.80
in your name drive out
demons and perform many
00:10:32.83\00:10:37.96
miracles in your name,
Lord. Watch this, and then
00:10:37.99\00:10:44.43
Jesus said, I will tell
them plainly, I never knew you,
00:10:44.46\00:10:52.56
away from me you
evil doer. Interestingly,
00:10:53.46\00:11:01.16
the word evil
doer here in Greek is
00:11:01.19\00:11:04.90
Anomia, which
means you lawless one.
00:11:04.93\00:11:09.80
Remember, the dragon attacks
those who would obey the laws
00:11:10.70\00:11:16.70
and the commandments of
God and Jesus said away from me
00:11:16.73\00:11:21.50
you evil doer, you
lawless one, I never knew you.
00:11:21.53\00:11:25.96
Now, here are
people who say Lord, Lord.
00:11:27.43\00:11:31.56
I mean he is not talking
about that vicious terrorist
00:11:32.76\00:11:37.76
element of society. He
is talking about people
00:11:37.79\00:11:41.73
who think they're
following the lamb.
00:11:41.76\00:11:44.76
They say Lord, I have
prophesied in your name.
00:11:44.79\00:11:47.80
I have done
miracles in your name.
00:11:47.83\00:11:49.80
I have healed in your
name, I have spoken in tongues
00:11:49.83\00:11:52.36
in your name, I have
cast out demons in your name.
00:11:52.39\00:11:55.16
Oh Lord, I love you
I've lived my life for you.
00:11:55.19\00:11:58.23
I have given my heart to
you. I'll do anything for you.
00:11:58.26\00:12:01.13
I'll die for you and Jesus said,
00:12:01.16\00:12:03.13
away from me you evil
doer I never knew you.
00:12:03.16\00:12:06.06
Wow! And I'm
gonna ask you a question
00:12:07.43\00:12:15.26
and this is a hard one,
but it's an important one.
00:12:15.29\00:12:20.63
How do you know that
you are not one of those
00:12:25.83\00:12:31.40
people who think
they're following the lamb,
00:12:31.43\00:12:36.60
but only in the end they
find out that they weren't?
00:12:37.30\00:12:41.56
I asked you a
question in the beginning.
00:12:43.33\00:12:45.63
I asked you, if you
come to the place in your
00:12:46.13\00:12:50.46
Christian life, where
you know that if you would've
00:12:50.49\00:12:52.46
died right now, you would
have eternal life and many,
00:12:52.49\00:12:57.20
many raised your hands and
said yes, I know, praise God.
00:12:57.23\00:13:01.10
But tell me, what do
you think these people
00:13:02.86\00:13:06.23
would have done if
they were here tonight?
00:13:06.26\00:13:08.36
They would've been the
first ones to raise their hand.
00:13:11.40\00:13:14.40
Oh! Yes, I know man, I
know. So, how do you know
00:13:14.43\00:13:15.40
that you are not
one of those who thinks
00:13:20.76\00:13:24.30
that you have
eternal life only to find out
00:13:24.33\00:13:28.46
in the end, I never knew you.
00:13:28.49\00:13:32.50
Is that a fair question
to ask? How do you know?
00:13:33.00\00:13:36.86
Don't say, because I
know my spirit bears witness
00:13:36.89\00:13:39.73
that's exactly
what they would say.
00:13:39.76\00:13:41.40
You got to come up with
a better answer than that.
00:13:43.53\00:13:46.13
I wonder if I ask
that question again,
00:13:46.16\00:13:49.56
how many would raise your hand?
00:13:49.59\00:13:51.56
I know this is a little hard,
but folks, we're living in the
00:13:51.59\00:13:55.70
last days and some of you
are building your hope and
00:13:55.73\00:13:58.96
your faith and your
trust on the foundation of sand
00:13:58.99\00:14:01.53
and if you are, I
want to knock it down
00:14:01.56\00:14:03.93
and help you build it on
the solid rock of Christ.
00:14:03.96\00:14:06.83
Amen. So, how can we
know? Listen to what Jesus said
00:14:06.86\00:14:13.90
again, not
everyone who says to me,
00:14:13.93\00:14:16.63
not everyone who says to
me Lord, Lord, will enter
00:14:16.66\00:14:22.73
the Kingdom of
Heaven, only he who does
00:14:22.76\00:14:28.26
the will of the father,
God is not interested in
00:14:28.29\00:14:33.46
lip-service
folks, words come cheap,
00:14:33.49\00:14:39.23
not everyone who says
praise the Lord, Hallelujah.
00:14:39.26\00:14:42.53
Oh! I'm such a wonderful
Christian. Not everyone.
00:14:42.56\00:14:48.93
only he who does
the will of the father.
00:14:48.96\00:14:54.43
Well, that raises an
interesting question.
00:14:54.46\00:14:56.70
If only he who does
the will of the father
00:14:56.73\00:15:00.13
enters the kingdom and that's
true because Jesus said it,
00:15:00.16\00:15:03.66
then how much of
the father's will
00:15:03.69\00:15:06.83
do I have to do before
I know that I have done
00:15:06.86\00:15:09.66
the will of the father
enough to enter the kingdom.
00:15:09.69\00:15:12.13
In other words, how
good do I need to be?
00:15:14.20\00:15:16.80
How obedient to God's
law should I be? Bad news,
00:15:16.83\00:15:20.70
James said in James
Chapter 2, Verse 10,
00:15:21.33\00:15:24.20
he who keeps the whole
law of God and yet stumbles at
00:15:24.23\00:15:28.13
one point, is guilty
of breaking all of it.
00:15:28.16\00:15:31.56
And he goes on to
say, for he who said,
00:15:33.63\00:15:35.66
do not commit adultery,
also said do not murder,
00:15:35.69\00:15:38.00
if you do not commit adultery,
but you do commit murder
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.33
you have become a law breaker.
00:15:40.36\00:15:42.30
So, speak and act
as those who are going
00:15:43.73\00:15:46.73
to be judged by the
law that gives freedom.
00:15:46.76\00:15:51.40
In other words, James is
writing to Christians and he
00:15:51.43\00:15:54.33
says we should speak and
act as those who are going
00:15:54.36\00:15:57.03
to be judged at sometime
in the future by the law.
00:15:57.06\00:16:00.13
Jesus said only he who
does the will of the father.
00:16:00.16\00:16:02.70
James said if you break
one, you are guilty of breaking
00:16:02.73\00:16:05.46
them all, in fact
that's what sin is.
00:16:05.49\00:16:07.40
In First John Chapter
3, in First John Chapter 3,
00:16:07.43\00:16:10.56
Verse 4, sin is lawlessness.
He who sins breaks the law.
00:16:10.59\00:16:15.16
The law says, Thou
shall not commit adultery.
00:16:16.06\00:16:19.23
One who commits
adultery has sinned
00:16:19.26\00:16:20.96
because he broke the
law. Thou shall not lie,
00:16:20.99\00:16:23.63
the one who lies has
sinned because he broke the law,
00:16:23.66\00:16:26.66
and if you break one you
are guilty of breaking them all
00:16:26.69\00:16:29.10
and law breakers have no
place in the Kingdom of Heaven.
00:16:29.13\00:16:32.13
God demands perfect
obedience to the law.
00:16:32.86\00:16:38.06
That's scary, bad news
and the bad news gets even
00:16:38.56\00:16:44.93
worse because in
Romans Chapter 6 Verse 23,
00:16:44.96\00:16:48.13
it says the
wages of sin is death.
00:16:48.16\00:16:52.96
He who sins dies
and it gets even worse.
00:16:53.40\00:16:59.63
You say, well pastor, I didn't
come here to hear bad news.
00:17:00.53\00:17:03.90
Well, you got to
hear the bad news before
00:17:04.53\00:17:06.16
you can
appreciate the good news.
00:17:06.19\00:17:08.30
It get even worse,
Romans Chapter 3, Verse 10,
00:17:08.33\00:17:13.63
there is not one
righteous among you,
00:17:13.66\00:17:15.63
not even one, Verse
23, because all have sinned
00:17:15.66\00:17:19.36
and fall short
of the glory of God.
00:17:19.39\00:17:21.33
The wages of sin
is death. What is sin?
00:17:21.36\00:17:24.00
Sin is transgression of the law.
00:17:24.03\00:17:25.53
You break one you are
guilty of breaking them all.
00:17:25.56\00:17:27.86
We are law breakers
and the wages of breaking
00:17:27.89\00:17:31.46
the law is death
and we have all sinned.
00:17:31.49\00:17:35.76
We all deserve to die
and no amount of doing
00:17:35.79\00:17:38.53
good can change
that even if you could be
00:17:38.56\00:17:40.80
perfect from now on
for the rest of your life
00:17:40.83\00:17:42.60
you have still sinned
and you still deserve to die.
00:17:42.63\00:17:47.80
Now we can
understand the good news.
00:17:49.66\00:17:52.33
Because he goes on to say
in Romans, the 3rd Chapter,
00:17:52.56\00:17:55.53
in Verse 20, therefore
no one will be declared
00:17:56.90\00:18:01.06
righteous in his
sight by observing the law,
00:18:01.09\00:18:04.70
rather through the law
we become conscious of sin.
00:18:04.73\00:18:08.26
Keeping the law
won't save anyone.
00:18:08.29\00:18:10.60
Even though God demands
perfect obedience to the law,
00:18:10.63\00:18:13.96
you cannot become
perfectly obedient to the law by
00:18:13.99\00:18:16.86
obeying the law, because
you have already broken it.
00:18:16.89\00:18:20.43
Well, then how do we get
perfectly obedient to the law
00:18:21.53\00:18:23.90
so that we can be saved
and here comes the good news,
00:18:23.93\00:18:26.86
the real good news, Verse
21, but now a righteousness
00:18:26.89\00:18:31.10
from God apart from the
law has been made known.
00:18:31.13\00:18:35.76
This righteousness
from God comes through
00:18:35.79\00:18:39.26
faith in Jesus
Christ to all who believe.
00:18:39.29\00:18:42.13
God does demand
perfect obedience to the law.
00:18:42.96\00:18:46.40
We cannot render
that obedience, but
00:18:46.43\00:18:49.30
Jesus came into this
world, he lived a perfect life.
00:18:49.33\00:18:53.46
He never sin not for
one moment, not in word,
00:18:53.49\00:18:56.53
not in thought, not in
action and Jesus wants to give
00:18:56.56\00:19:00.96
us his righteousness,
his obedience, it comes
00:19:00.99\00:19:04.56
from God as a free gift
to us, the obedience that God
00:19:04.59\00:19:08.60
demands, is the
obedience that God gives us, the
00:19:08.63\00:19:12.23
perfect life that Jesus lived
2000 years ago on this planet.
00:19:12.26\00:19:17.06
Good news. Amen. Amen.
00:19:17.60\00:19:18.57
That's why the Bible says
we can't be saved by works,
00:19:20.33\00:19:23.90
we can't be saved
by obeying the law,
00:19:23.93\00:19:26.10
it is by grace that you
are saved, through faith,
00:19:26.13\00:19:29.30
and not by works,
but it is a gift of God.
00:19:29.33\00:19:32.90
You don't pay for a gift,
you don't work for a gift,
00:19:32.93\00:19:36.03
you don't earn a
gift, God gives it to you,
00:19:36.06\00:19:39.90
unmerited,
undeserved, that's grace.
00:19:39.93\00:19:43.30
So, God demands
perfect obedience to the law.
00:19:43.90\00:19:47.13
We can't render that
obedience. Jesus came
00:19:47.16\00:19:50.06
and he kept the
law perfectly as a man
00:19:50.09\00:19:53.46
and now he wants to give
it to you as a free gift.
00:19:54.66\00:19:59.56
So, if God would say why
should I let you into heaven,
00:20:01.13\00:20:03.60
you can look at yourself
and say I didn't do anything
00:20:03.63\00:20:06.43
right God, but you
point to Jesus and say he did
00:20:06.46\00:20:09.70
everything right God, and
God says that's good enough.
00:20:09.73\00:20:12.73
Wait a minute,
God, the old devil says,
00:20:16.56\00:20:22.06
you can't do
that, you can't demand
00:20:22.09\00:20:26.00
perfect obedience and then
give it them, if you do that,
00:20:26.03\00:20:29.93
just give it to me
and I'll be saved too.
00:20:29.96\00:20:31.86
How can you demand
their obedience and
00:20:32.86\00:20:37.10
then turnaround
and give it to them and
00:20:37.13\00:20:39.93
save them and still be
fair, good question isn't it?
00:20:39.96\00:20:45.06
Paul answers it right
here, and this is what a lot of
00:20:45.09\00:20:48.20
people don't understand
about the Cross, Verse 25,
00:20:48.23\00:20:51.76
God presented him,
that's Jesus, as a sacrifice of
00:20:53.20\00:20:59.30
atonement through
faith in his blood.
00:20:59.33\00:21:02.33
Now, why did he do it?
Right here, he tells us,
00:21:02.36\00:21:05.53
he did this to
demonstrate his justice.
00:21:05.56\00:21:08.80
In other words, God
presented Jesus as a sacrifice
00:21:09.20\00:21:13.50
of atonement in order
to demonstrate his justice
00:21:13.53\00:21:17.66
in order to demonstrate
that when he saves us,
00:21:17.69\00:21:21.20
who receive that free gift
of Jesus life that he is being
00:21:21.23\00:21:25.50
fair, he is being just,
he is doing the right thing.
00:21:25.53\00:21:31.20
Well, devil
isn't happy about that,
00:21:33.00\00:21:36.80
he says God you can't do that.
00:21:37.23\00:21:39.93
Colon sinned and
Colon deserves to die,
00:21:40.50\00:21:44.63
not Jesus. You save
him, you've to save me.
00:21:44.66\00:21:49.60
And God says, devil
you don't understand.
00:21:51.63\00:21:54.50
Verse 26, he did it to
demonstrate his justice at
00:21:55.26\00:21:59.60
the present time
and so to be just and
00:21:59.63\00:22:03.63
the one who justifies
those who have faith in Jesus.
00:22:03.66\00:22:08.16
You see God sent
Jesus to die in our place,
00:22:09.46\00:22:13.00
so that when he saves
us, he is doing the right
00:22:13.03\00:22:17.96
and the fair thing, if
we have faith in Jesus,
00:22:17.99\00:22:22.83
but God you said, if
they sin they would die,
00:22:23.56\00:22:27.13
so how can you be
telling the truth if you just
00:22:27.16\00:22:32.23
fictitiously give
them Jesus obedience.
00:22:32.26\00:22:36.16
And now, God
takes us to the depth
00:22:37.23\00:22:40.63
of what really
happened on the cross.
00:22:41.63\00:22:44.60
In the Second
Corinthians Chapter 5, Verse 21,
00:22:45.33\00:22:48.30
probably the most important
Verse in the Bible underline it,
00:22:48.33\00:22:52.36
circle it, memorize it,
just write it in your minds.
00:22:52.39\00:22:55.13
Verse 21, Second
Corinthians Chapter 5,
00:22:56.66\00:22:59.83
God made him who had
no sin to be sin for us,
00:23:01.83\00:23:11.20
so that in him
we might become the
00:23:12.03\00:23:15.46
righteousness of
God. What does it mean?
00:23:15.49\00:23:21.80
Let me help you
understand. God made him, Jesus,
00:23:21.83\00:23:28.26
who had no sin to be sin for us.
00:23:28.29\00:23:32.66
Tell me something,
was Jesus Christ sin?
00:23:33.43\00:23:40.93
What do you think? Was he sin?
00:23:42.76\00:23:45.86
I hear some no's, let
me read the Verse again.
00:23:49.53\00:23:53.73
God made him who had
no sin to be sin for us.
00:23:54.26\00:24:01.10
Now, if God made him to
be sin for us, was he sin?
00:24:02.30\00:24:07.80
What does the Bible
say? Don't go with what your
00:24:08.90\00:24:12.33
heart says, go by
what the Bible says. Amen.
00:24:12.36\00:24:15.43
What does the Bible
say? God made him to be sin,
00:24:16.06\00:24:19.63
folks, if the Bible
says God made him to be sin
00:24:19.66\00:24:23.30
then he was sin. Now,
don't get up and leave.
00:24:23.33\00:24:28.03
It doesn't say he
sinned, he never sinned.
00:24:30.13\00:24:34.63
Jesus didn't sin in
action, he didn't sin in word,
00:24:35.43\00:24:40.06
he didn't sin even in thoughts,
00:24:40.09\00:24:42.43
but by a miracle
God made him to be sin.
00:24:44.46\00:24:48.30
How do we understand
this? Simple, you sinned,
00:24:49.13\00:24:53.03
everyone of you here,
I sinned and by a miracle
00:24:54.76\00:24:59.40
and this is the
greatest miracle of all,
00:24:59.43\00:25:01.86
by a miracle God takes
the guilt for our sins away
00:25:01.89\00:25:07.10
from us and he made
Jesus to be guilty, exactly the
00:25:07.13\00:25:14.36
same as though he had
done it himself, even though
00:25:14.39\00:25:18.00
he never sinned,
Jesus never sinned,
00:25:18.03\00:25:21.86
but he became
guilty, he bore in his body
00:25:21.89\00:25:24.96
our sins the Bible
says. So, when he died
00:25:24.99\00:25:28.23
on the cross the death
for sin, the price for sin,
00:25:28.26\00:25:32.10
the penalty for
sin is paid in full.
00:25:32.13\00:25:35.23
And, God can look at
you and me, as though we
00:25:38.60\00:25:42.16
had never sinned,
that's what it means when
00:25:42.19\00:25:46.60
it says he was
made to be sin for us.
00:25:46.63\00:25:51.33
No, make it clear
Jesus never sinned,
00:25:51.36\00:25:55.40
but he kept the law perfectly,
he was made to be guilty
00:25:55.63\00:26:00.83
for our sins by a
miracle, he died on the cross
00:26:00.86\00:26:03.76
in our place. By the way,
Why do you think Jesus died?
00:26:03.79\00:26:07.80
It was not because of
the nails in his hands,
00:26:09.93\00:26:12.53
it wasn't the crown of thorns,
00:26:13.96\00:26:16.23
it wasn't even the
Cross that killed Jesus.
00:26:17.36\00:26:20.13
He died because he
bore our sins, in his body.
00:26:21.03\00:26:29.96
Have you ever
sinned? Of course you have.
00:26:33.43\00:26:37.76
How did it feel? Do
you ever feel guilty?
00:26:39.03\00:26:44.30
It's what, a shameful
feeling, a dirty feeling,
00:26:46.06\00:26:57.80
guilt, sick, feeling,
isn't it? Jesus bore in his body
00:26:58.90\00:27:09.00
the guilt for every
sin you've ever committed
00:27:09.03\00:27:12.70
the whole world and me and you.
00:27:12.73\00:27:16.63
He bore those sins in his body,
00:27:16.66\00:27:18.60
he felt the
guilt, he felt the sick,
00:27:18.63\00:27:22.13
dirty shame that goes
with sin, and that's what
00:27:22.16\00:27:26.93
crushed his life,
but the last half of the
00:27:26.96\00:27:31.76
Verse says, wasn't enough
for him to be made to be sin,
00:27:31.79\00:27:37.16
but in him we become
the righteousness of God.
00:27:37.33\00:27:41.06
You see, I've sinned
and the guilty is weighing
00:27:42.00\00:27:45.10
heavy on me, but God
takes the guilt from me.
00:27:45.13\00:27:48.43
Jesus became
guilty, he died on the cross
00:27:48.56\00:27:51.16
in my place and
now God looks at me
00:27:51.19\00:27:53.93
as though I had never
sinned, but that isn't all,
00:27:53.96\00:27:57.63
he then gives me the
perfect life that Jesus lived.
00:27:57.66\00:28:01.96
So, now when my name
comes up in the judgment,
00:28:02.96\00:28:05.70
I don't have to be
scared of what God thinks of me,
00:28:05.73\00:28:08.43
I need only be
concerned about what God thinks
00:28:08.46\00:28:11.33
of him, I'm not
judged by what I do,
00:28:11.36\00:28:15.06
I'm judged by what he has done.
00:28:15.09\00:28:17.63
And, that was
perfect 2000 years ago.
00:28:19.00\00:28:21.26
I can't add to the righteous
life of Christ, I can't take
00:28:21.29\00:28:24.76
away from it by my own
sins, I can only receive it
00:28:24.79\00:28:28.36
and that is the only
way that I can never know
00:28:28.39\00:28:31.33
that I've eternal life, if
I present to God the perfect
00:28:31.36\00:28:34.86
life of his son Jesus
Christ. Good news. Amen.
00:28:34.89\00:28:39.83
Yeah, but that
doesn't answer it all because
00:28:39.90\00:28:41.80
how do I know he did
it for me, not everyone,
00:28:41.83\00:28:44.03
most of the world goes
after the lamb, after the beast.
00:28:44.06\00:28:46.70
Most of the world is
deceived. Most of the world
00:28:46.73\00:28:49.66
will find out on the
last day, I never knew you.
00:28:49.69\00:28:52.60
So, how do I know that
he did all this for me?
00:28:52.63\00:28:55.06
Good question.
Here is the answer, in
00:28:55.80\00:28:58.60
First John Chapter 5.
First John Chapter 5, Verse 11.
00:28:58.63\00:29:03.96
And, this is the testimony,
God has given us eternal life,
00:29:03.99\00:29:08.90
you know, I never was
that good in English class,
00:29:09.63\00:29:12.33
remember they used to make
us diagram the sentences and
00:29:12.36\00:29:15.36
verbs and conjugate
verbs, you remember all that,
00:29:15.39\00:29:18.73
they still do that
today, you've to conjugate the
00:29:18.76\00:29:21.40
verbs and I thought
what a waste of time,
00:29:21.43\00:29:24.13
I wanna go play baseball
and football and basketball,
00:29:24.90\00:29:27.00
I don't wanna conjugate
verbs, but I'm so thankful
00:29:27.03\00:29:30.80
I learned how to do that now,
because you know what it says,
00:29:30.83\00:29:34.50
it says God has given us eternal
life that means past, isn't it?
00:29:34.53\00:29:42.16
With ongoing results,
he has given it to us,
00:29:43.16\00:29:48.86
doesn't say God is
going to give us eternal life,
00:29:48.89\00:29:52.46
it says God has given us
eternal life and this life is
00:29:53.33\00:29:58.76
in his son Jesus, he
who has the son has life,
00:29:58.79\00:30:02.30
he who does not have
the son of God does not
00:30:02.33\00:30:03.70
have life, so how
do we get eternal life?
00:30:03.73\00:30:05.96
We get Jesus. If you've
Jesus, you've eternal life.
00:30:05.99\00:30:10.53
If you don't have
Jesus, you do not have eternal
00:30:10.56\00:30:12.90
life, no matter what
kind of words you speak
00:30:12.93\00:30:15.30
or miracles you do,
you have to have Jesus.
00:30:15.33\00:30:19.90
But that still doesn't answer
the question because a lot
00:30:20.66\00:30:23.63
of people think they
have Jesus when they don't.
00:30:23.66\00:30:26.00
No, he is not finished
yet. He goes on to say in
00:30:27.23\00:30:31.06
Verse 13. I write these
things to you who believe
00:30:31.09\00:30:35.16
in the name of the son
of God so that you will
00:30:35.19\00:30:37.20
know that you have
eternal life. Good news.
00:30:37.23\00:30:39.50
God doesn't want you to doubt,
00:30:39.53\00:30:40.73
he doesn't want you to wonder,
00:30:40.76\00:30:41.86
he wants you to know for
sure that you've eternal life.
00:30:41.89\00:30:44.96
How can we know?
This is the confidence
00:30:46.06\00:30:48.36
that we have in approaching God,
00:30:48.39\00:30:50.50
if we ask anything according
to his will, he hears us
00:30:50.53\00:30:53.60
and if we know that
he hears us then we know
00:30:53.63\00:30:55.96
that we have
whatever we've asked of him.
00:30:55.99\00:30:58.60
So, what is our assurance
that you ask Jesus to come
00:30:58.63\00:31:01.73
into your life and if
you ask him to come in then
00:31:01.76\00:31:04.76
you know that he hears
you because he promised that
00:31:04.79\00:31:08.20
he will give you whatever
you ask according to his will.
00:31:08.23\00:31:10.70
Is it his will to
save us? Absolutely.
00:31:10.73\00:31:13.96
And so if you ask Jesus
to come in he comes because
00:31:14.60\00:31:17.36
he promised and when he
comes you've eternal life.
00:31:17.39\00:31:20.33
See, it doesn't
depend on how you feel?
00:31:22.63\00:31:25.36
It doesn't depend
on how good you are?
00:31:25.39\00:31:27.56
Somebody told me
one time, Oh! Pastor,
00:31:28.03\00:31:29.96
I know I'm
saved. How do you know?
00:31:29.99\00:31:31.36
Because when I got saved,
I felt electricity go up my
00:31:31.39\00:31:35.10
spine. I said what verse
is that? What verse is that?
00:31:35.13\00:31:42.23
It doesn't say
anything about electricity,
00:31:43.26\00:31:45.70
it doesn't say
anything about feeling, anything
00:31:46.20\00:31:48.96
and I'm thankful for
that because I'll be honest
00:31:49.60\00:31:51.76
with you, there are days
when I don't feel very safe,
00:31:51.79\00:31:54.13
but I know I am,
because I asked Jesus to come in
00:31:54.16\00:31:57.06
and he said if
you ask I will come.
00:31:57.09\00:31:59.26
My assurance is
built on his promise not
00:32:00.30\00:32:02.56
the roller coaster
ride of human emotion.
00:32:02.59\00:32:05.10
Then Jesus say, I
stand at the door and I knock
00:32:05.83\00:32:10.56
and if anyone hears my
voice and opens the door
00:32:10.59\00:32:13.90
I will come in and when he
comes in you've eternal life.
00:32:13.93\00:32:17.96
Amen. But, one more
thing, when you invite him in,
00:32:17.99\00:32:22.83
he doesn't come in
just as your savior.
00:32:22.86\00:32:24.86
He also comes in as
Lord. You see the others invite
00:32:25.76\00:32:30.83
him in as their
savior, but not as their Lord.
00:32:30.86\00:32:33.53
That's what Jesus meant when
he said not everyone who says
00:32:34.26\00:32:37.36
Lord, Lord, savior, they
say it, but only he who does
00:32:37.39\00:32:42.46
the will of the
father that means he is Lord.
00:32:42.49\00:32:44.70
Lord means that he
is king, king rules,
00:32:44.80\00:32:47.36
what do you want?
God is what I want,
00:32:47.39\00:32:49.73
not my will let
your will be done that's
00:32:49.76\00:32:52.06
what it means to
invite Jesus into your heart.
00:32:52.09\00:32:54.50
You can't go
around and say hallelujah,
00:32:54.53\00:32:56.86
praise the Lord, oh! I'm saved.
00:32:56.89\00:32:58.46
God saved 20 years ago on a
beach in California and lived
00:32:58.49\00:32:59.46
the same old sinful life,
you're living in all alone.
00:33:01.23\00:33:03.90
No, you invite
him as your savior,
00:33:03.93\00:33:05.96
but savior
comes in as Lord also.
00:33:05.99\00:33:08.23
You know, it's like Jesus
when he cleansed the temple.
00:33:09.56\00:33:11.70
You remember that story,
he went to the temple and
00:33:11.73\00:33:13.30
there with money
changes, selling animals
00:33:13.33\00:33:15.50
and doing all the
taking advantage of the people,
00:33:15.53\00:33:18.30
extorting the people, he
wasn't very happy about it.
00:33:18.33\00:33:20.83
So, what did he do? He didn't
stand up, back on the steps
00:33:20.86\00:33:23.53
and say I want all of you
out of there before I come in.
00:33:23.56\00:33:25.26
No, what did he do? He
went in and drove them out.
00:33:26.00\00:33:31.86
You see, and you're
the temple aren't you?
00:33:31.89\00:33:34.40
Didn't we learn that last
night? He doesn't stay out
00:33:34.43\00:33:36.76
there saying get it
cleaned up and I'll come in.
00:33:36.79\00:33:38.86
No, he comes in and
we let him clean it up.
00:33:38.89\00:33:41.63
Now, I got a hunch
that when he chase some of
00:33:44.03\00:33:46.00
those cows and goats
and pigeons out of the
00:33:46.03\00:33:47.76
front door of the
temple some of them went around
00:33:47.79\00:33:49.86
the back door and
came back in again.
00:33:49.89\00:33:51.63
And sometimes that happens
in our temple, doesn't it?
00:33:52.76\00:33:55.26
He chases something
out, but it comes back
00:33:55.76\00:33:57.90
in the back door
and we say God I'm sorry
00:33:57.93\00:34:00.56
forgive me, help
me not do it again.
00:34:00.59\00:34:02.30
Keep chasing him out
God and all the while
00:34:02.33\00:34:04.73
He is chasing these
things out of our lives,
00:34:04.76\00:34:06.56
he is still in there and he
who has the son in his life.
00:34:06.59\00:34:09.16
But, if you ever
say God not that cow,
00:34:09.90\00:34:12.20
in chase out all of
the other goats and pigs,
00:34:13.93\00:34:16.13
but not that cow.
No, no, no pigs, but
00:34:16.16\00:34:19.06
then we are
saying you're not Lord.
00:34:23.33\00:34:26.56
You see, not everyone
who says Lord, Lord enters
00:34:27.36\00:34:30.13
the kingdom only he who
does the will of the father.
00:34:30.16\00:34:34.00
When we come to Jesus Christ,
invite him into our hearts and
00:34:35.10\00:34:37.83
lives he changes us, that's
what it means to be born again.
00:34:37.86\00:34:40.46
He puts within you a
desire to be obedient
00:34:40.49\00:34:43.10
to him and to his
law. You're born again.
00:34:43.13\00:34:45.40
You're a new
creation the Bible says.
00:34:45.43\00:34:47.23
He forgives you. All of
your sins are washed away.
00:34:47.26\00:34:49.76
You become a new
creature in Jesus,
00:34:49.79\00:34:51.53
the things you used to
like you don't like anymore.
00:34:51.56\00:34:53.56
The things you never
cared for, now you find
00:34:53.59\00:34:55.50
yourself enjoying.
It's an eternal life, it's a
00:34:55.53\00:34:58.16
winning life, it's a successful
life for Jesus Christ,
00:34:58.19\00:35:00.86
I know that because I
haven't always been a Christian.
00:35:00.89\00:35:02.96
I was 12 years old, I went
to a meeting similar to this,
00:35:04.83\00:35:07.26
this in the days of the
hellfire brimstone preachers.
00:35:07.29\00:35:10.63
Remember that, and
this preacher could
00:35:10.66\00:35:12.83
preach the hottest hell
you ever heard just seem
00:35:12.86\00:35:14.53
to lift me up and
chunk me right into the fire.
00:35:14.56\00:35:17.66
Scared me so bad, I
jumped up in order to call and
00:35:17.69\00:35:20.03
said I want to be a baptized,
I want to join a church,
00:35:20.06\00:35:21.73
whatever I need to do,
I just don't want to burn.
00:35:21.76\00:35:23.40
So, I was baptized.
You know when you serve
00:35:24.56\00:35:29.53
God out of the fear of hellfire
then pretty soon those flames
00:35:29.56\00:35:34.50
begin to cool down and
that's what happened to me.
00:35:34.53\00:35:38.70
I went to a Christian school.
I went to a Christian college
00:35:38.73\00:35:41.86
and there on the campus
of the Christian college
00:35:41.89\00:35:44.00
I began to just
gradually drift away from God.
00:35:44.03\00:35:46.90
I remember one day
some friends came into
00:35:46.93\00:35:48.93
my dorm room and
they said Jac we can go to
00:35:48.96\00:35:50.50
downtown and do
something that I knew was wrong.
00:35:50.53\00:35:53.16
I'm not going to tell you
what it is, it doesn't matter
00:35:53.19\00:35:54.76
what it is? What matters
is, when you willfully go
00:35:54.79\00:35:57.76
against the will of God it
does something back to you.
00:35:57.79\00:36:00.63
It makes it easier to do
it again and then I found
00:36:01.56\00:36:06.56
myself drifting further
and further away from God,
00:36:06.59\00:36:09.73
doing things I never
dreamed I would ever do and
00:36:09.76\00:36:12.60
by the time I graduated
at that Christian college
00:36:12.63\00:36:15.76
I didn't even
believe in God anymore.
00:36:15.79\00:36:18.56
I was an
atheist. Religion was fine
00:36:19.40\00:36:22.26
for weaklings and
people, who need a crutch to get
00:36:22.29\00:36:24.63
through life, but I'm a man
and I can make it on my own.
00:36:24.66\00:36:27.40
God go help somebody
else, I don't need any help.
00:36:27.43\00:36:29.53
So, in order to demonstrate
what a real man I was
00:36:31.80\00:36:35.03
I joined the Air Force.
I went to flight school,
00:36:35.06\00:36:41.13
I was assigned as a navigator
on a B-52 crew, flew 105
00:36:41.16\00:36:45.73
combat missions in Vietnam
all without the help of God.
00:36:45.76\00:36:49.70
I didn't need him, I'm a man.
00:36:50.46\00:36:53.26
You know, I'll always remember,
00:36:54.66\00:36:57.33
I remember the first
time we flew bombing missions
00:36:58.30\00:37:02.26
into North
Vietnam. We've been hitting
00:37:02.29\00:37:04.46
all around South
Vietnam as a piece of cake,
00:37:04.49\00:37:07.33
but in the North,
they had MIGs, they had
00:37:08.70\00:37:13.66
surface to air missiles, they
had anti-aircraft artillery.
00:37:13.69\00:37:17.46
They were playing
for keeps up there.
00:37:19.50\00:37:21.66
And the closer we
got to that target more
00:37:24.76\00:37:28.86
I began to realize that
those missiles were like
00:37:28.89\00:37:32.93
telephone poles just waiting
to knock us out of the sky.
00:37:32.96\00:37:36.30
And there was a
chance that we might not be
00:37:38.03\00:37:40.53
going home and I got scared,
00:37:40.56\00:37:45.33
I got scared, in fact
the closer we got the more
00:37:46.56\00:37:50.13
afraid I became until
finally I got so scared,
00:37:50.16\00:37:54.16
you know, what I
did, sure you do.
00:37:55.13\00:37:59.30
I prayed. I said God
get me out of this mess
00:37:59.33\00:38:02.93
and I'll be good
from now on I promise.
00:38:02.96\00:38:05.06
You ever done that?
Made a deal with God,
00:38:05.76\00:38:09.53
well praise the
Lord, he got me out of that
00:38:09.56\00:38:11.20
mess over and over
again to as soon as we hit the
00:38:11.23\00:38:13.60
ground back to the
officer's club, didn't matter.
00:38:13.63\00:38:18.06
I'm a man, I can
make it on my own
00:38:18.09\00:38:20.70
I don't need God
and it's interesting,
00:38:20.73\00:38:23.56
how the devil can
confuse our minds like that?
00:38:23.59\00:38:27.33
Well, after about five
years in the Air Force,
00:38:29.10\00:38:30.80
I finally felt that the
way to really make your way
00:38:30.83\00:38:35.56
to make your mark
on the world is to
00:38:35.59\00:38:37.50
have a lot of
money and it was, since
00:38:37.53\00:38:40.20
I wasn't going to get
rich in the military, so
00:38:40.23\00:38:43.06
I resigned my commission
and I thought the quickest
00:38:43.09\00:38:47.30
way to get rich has got
to be in the stock market.
00:38:47.33\00:38:50.03
So, I became a stock
broker, the Paine Webber Jackson
00:38:50.96\00:38:54.30
and Curtis, one of the
largest firms on Wall Street.
00:38:54.33\00:38:56.83
It wasn't long
until I discovered that
00:38:58.10\00:39:00.46
the business world
was just as vicious
00:39:00.49\00:39:02.26
if not more than fighting a war.
00:39:02.29\00:39:04.36
Only thing that
mattered to me was making money.
00:39:05.93\00:39:09.80
I set a goal to be a
millionaire by the time
00:39:10.10\00:39:12.10
I was 35, longtime
ago haven't made it yet.
00:39:12.13\00:39:15.33
I have made it, but my
millions are up there now.
00:39:16.43\00:39:19.33
I wanted to be a millionaire
by the time I was 35 and
00:39:21.50\00:39:23.70
will be unto anybody
that dares to get in my way.
00:39:23.73\00:39:27.60
Business was good for
me. I was considered one of
00:39:31.43\00:39:35.36
the bright stars on
the horizon in my firm.
00:39:35.39\00:39:38.10
I remember first
two to $3000 pay day and
00:39:39.80\00:39:45.30
then two weeks
later another one.
00:39:45.33\00:39:46.73
Now that, doesn't sound
like a lot of money today,
00:39:46.76\00:39:48.90
but that was a longtime
ago when it was a lot of money
00:39:48.93\00:39:51.26
and besides that
it didn't even matter
00:39:51.83\00:39:53.70
because I knew that,
that was just the beginning.
00:39:53.73\00:39:55.90
There was a lot
more. Oh! I can remember
00:39:55.93\00:40:00.86
walking down the sidewalks
of New Orleans, Louisiana
00:40:00.89\00:40:04.63
with a big roll of
bills in my pocket making sure
00:40:04.66\00:40:07.53
the hundreds were on
top so everybody could see
00:40:07.56\00:40:09.63
what a man I was.
Felt good, I would look
00:40:09.66\00:40:13.36
at the big tall buildings,
the cars, the people going by
00:40:13.39\00:40:17.46
and I feel like New
Orleans this is my city,
00:40:17.49\00:40:20.30
I have got you in
the palms of my hands.
00:40:20.33\00:40:22.43
Watch out New
Orleans, Colon is here.
00:40:22.46\00:40:24.90
It felt good. Now I remember
00:40:26.20\00:40:33.06
some of the people
that I did business with,
00:40:33.09\00:40:35.50
see I, I began to discover
that in order to be successful
00:40:35.53\00:40:43.26
in the business world
you need to look successful.
00:40:43.29\00:40:45.50
You know you have to wear
successful looking clothes,
00:40:46.36\00:40:50.90
drive the
successful looking car, well I
00:40:51.40\00:40:55.00
couldn't afford a Cadillac
or Continental or anything
00:40:55.03\00:40:57.30
like that, BMW, but I
got me a little Datsun 240Z.
00:40:57.33\00:41:02.03
Well, that was
successful enough to start.
00:41:02.60\00:41:04.96
You have to live in a
successful looking place
00:41:05.43\00:41:08.70
and you have to
rub shoulders with
00:41:08.73\00:41:11.86
successful people and
I began to discover that
00:41:11.89\00:41:15.50
in order to rub shoulders
with successful people you
00:41:15.53\00:41:19.23
have to spend
successful amounts of money.
00:41:19.26\00:41:21.70
And so I found myself
working harder and harder
00:41:22.73\00:41:26.56
in order to make more
money, so that I could
00:41:27.56\00:41:30.73
spend more money in
order to make more money.
00:41:30.76\00:41:35.06
And I was caught in
this vicious cycle and then
00:41:35.83\00:41:43.26
the people, my clients
and friends, they had it made.
00:41:43.29\00:41:49.16
They had millions
of dollars in the bank,
00:41:49.36\00:41:51.80
they had big
mansions they lived in,
00:41:51.96\00:41:54.83
beautiful cars 3 or
4 parked in the garage,
00:41:54.86\00:41:57.66
they had
yachts, they had planes,
00:41:57.69\00:41:59.63
they owned condos in
Aspen, in the Riviera,
00:41:59.66\00:42:02.53
all over the place,
they were jet-setters,
00:42:02.56\00:42:04.90
they could go anyplace
they wanted to go anytime.
00:42:04.93\00:42:07.13
They had everything.
Something was missing,
00:42:07.16\00:42:13.10
because I started to
notice that they had to
00:42:14.40\00:42:20.16
turn to drugs, alcohol,
cheating on their wives.
00:42:20.19\00:42:26.56
They weren't
happy. They had everything
00:42:28.10\00:42:31.26
and they weren't happy
and that began to haunt me.
00:42:32.50\00:42:38.26
I go home at night
and I think what makes
00:42:39.46\00:42:45.23
you think you're
any different from them.
00:42:45.26\00:42:46.96
You make all that money like
they have, they're not happy.
00:42:46.99\00:42:50.10
Why do you think
you're gonna be happy?
00:42:50.83\00:42:52.66
And There was this
empty, empty feeling, begin to
00:42:53.06\00:42:56.90
work its way on the
inside and I didn't like it.
00:42:56.93\00:43:01.56
So, I didn't
stay home very much, I
00:43:02.46\00:43:04.60
spent more time
working harder on my way home,
00:43:04.63\00:43:08.46
I stopped at the
clubs, the lounges, but just
00:43:08.49\00:43:14.00
kept mind away and then
the pressure, I had to perform,
00:43:14.03\00:43:20.30
I had to work, I
had to work hard,
00:43:20.33\00:43:21.73
I had to make more
money, so I could show how much
00:43:21.76\00:43:23.70
I had, so they could trust
me to make more money for them.
00:43:23.73\00:43:26.80
The pressure
continued to build, the tension,
00:43:29.40\00:43:32.26
the stress and
when we were altogether
00:43:32.29\00:43:35.16
these people had
everything they had it made,
00:43:35.19\00:43:37.06
but why that we passed
volumes around like M&M'S.
00:43:37.09\00:43:41.30
And then pretty soon
the volumes stop working,
00:43:43.93\00:43:46.50
you turn more to alcohol,
experimenting with drugs,
00:43:48.40\00:43:52.83
anything to ease the pressure.
I'll tell you something else
00:43:52.86\00:43:56.96
that was happening. I
used to believe that a
00:43:56.99\00:43:58.86
real man never shows
what's going on inside.
00:43:58.89\00:44:03.03
It's a sign of
weakness I thought.
00:44:04.16\00:44:06.56
Now, I know it's
just the opposite.
00:44:07.60\00:44:10.56
And so, I had to
keep it all inside.
00:44:10.59\00:44:12.56
So, finally the pressure
continued to build so much
00:44:13.83\00:44:17.80
that I felt like I just
need to stay away from people
00:44:18.56\00:44:22.10
because if I didn't, I
might slip and give them a
00:44:22.56\00:44:25.36
glimpse of the
awful struggle going on.
00:44:25.39\00:44:27.83
So, I began to stay
away from my friends,
00:44:30.66\00:44:33.93
I even felt like I needed
to stay away from my family
00:44:36.03\00:44:39.26
because as far as they
knew everything was just fine.
00:44:39.80\00:44:43.46
Have you ever been
alone? I was alone.
00:44:48.50\00:44:52.26
I turned my back on my
friends, I turned my back
00:44:53.76\00:44:56.73
on my family and I
turned my back on God.
00:44:56.76\00:45:00.56
I was alone and I
just wanted to die. And
00:45:01.80\00:45:08.70
I'm convinced now that God,
as painful as it is for Him,
00:45:08.73\00:45:14.10
He lets us get beat down
so low because sometimes He
00:45:15.10\00:45:19.03
knows that's the only
way that we'll ever lookup.
00:45:19.06\00:45:21.93
And it was at that
point that He began to work.
00:45:22.96\00:45:25.46
I, just at lunch time
one day I just took off,
00:45:25.96\00:45:30.86
I had to get out of
there, I was walking down
00:45:30.89\00:45:33.03
the street thinking
what am I going to do?
00:45:33.06\00:45:34.80
What am I going to do?
And I saw a big sign in the
00:45:34.83\00:45:39.46
window of a travel agency,
it said Tahiti is calling you.
00:45:39.49\00:45:45.16
That struck a nice
quote. But man you know that's,
00:45:46.26\00:45:50.30
that's a point. I
just been working too hard,
00:45:50.33\00:45:53.96
I have been
pushing myself too much.
00:45:53.99\00:45:56.16
I need to get away.
Tahiti sounded good.
00:45:56.19\00:46:00.43
I usually went down to
the Caribbean, Louisiana,
00:46:00.46\00:46:03.10
is right there.
I'm a scuba diver,
00:46:03.13\00:46:05.20
I love scuba diving and
I would go down to creek,
00:46:05.23\00:46:07.73
but Tahiti? See that's
where God was starting to work
00:46:07.76\00:46:12.30
because He had to stop, He
wanted me to make on the way.
00:46:12.33\00:46:14.83
I made arrangements
for somebody to cover my
00:46:14.86\00:46:17.23
accounts for a couple of
weeks, took vacation, and
00:46:17.26\00:46:20.06
I stopped in Los Angeles
and spent about two nights
00:46:20.09\00:46:24.63
there with some
friends of mine from that
00:46:24.66\00:46:26.93
Christian college that I
graduated from years before.
00:46:26.96\00:46:30.06
And after the first
day, I kind of went to bed,
00:46:31.30\00:46:34.83
tired, sat on the edge of
bed looking at the book case I
00:46:34.86\00:46:37.16
love to read and I just
found myself reaching out
00:46:37.19\00:46:39.73
for a book picked it up,
looked at it, it was called
00:46:39.76\00:46:41.83
the "Planet in Rebellion"
by George Vandeman, that
00:46:41.86\00:46:45.30
was via television evangelist
and I started to read it.
00:46:45.33\00:46:50.76
And the first part was a
little scientific and I did
00:46:51.16\00:46:54.63
my graduate work in
chemistry, so I understand
00:46:54.66\00:46:57.43
and appreciate science
and it got my attention.
00:46:57.46\00:46:59.63
So, next morning I said hey,
00:47:00.23\00:47:01.93
you mind if I take
this with me to Tahiti.
00:47:01.96\00:47:04.50
And he looked at
me kind of surprise
00:47:05.50\00:47:07.23
that I would
want a book like that,
00:47:07.26\00:47:09.23
but they were happy
yeah, sure, take it.
00:47:09.26\00:47:11.73
So, I got on the big
jet for Tahiti with the
00:47:12.56\00:47:15.13
Planet in
Rebellion in my briefcase.
00:47:15.16\00:47:17.96
We landed in
Papeete and then they had a
00:47:18.40\00:47:21.20
little boat waiting
to take us over to the
00:47:21.23\00:47:22.93
Island of Moorea at Club Med,
00:47:22.96\00:47:24.86
where I was going to
be staying and after we
00:47:24.89\00:47:27.20
arrived at Club Med and
those of you who probably
00:47:27.23\00:47:29.30
don't know
anything, you're nice people,
00:47:29.33\00:47:30.63
you don't know
Club Med is pretty wild.
00:47:30.66\00:47:32.83
Back then it was
really a wild place,
00:47:32.86\00:47:34.80
where wild people went
and so I got to Club Med
00:47:34.83\00:47:38.60
and they greeted us
with some little refreshments
00:47:38.63\00:47:41.50
and the Tahitian
dancing girls and they put the
00:47:41.53\00:47:43.83
flowers on our heads. Oh! Man,
00:47:43.86\00:47:45.70
I was feeling better
already, it's all I need
00:47:45.73\00:47:47.80
just to relax and
get away from everything.
00:47:47.83\00:47:50.70
So, after the first day,
first day I went water skiing,
00:47:51.33\00:47:55.16
crystal clear
water, scuba diving.
00:47:55.19\00:47:57.70
Oh! It was so beautiful.
And then I played tennis
00:47:57.73\00:48:01.36
and enjoyed the dance
band till late that night and
00:48:01.39\00:48:05.36
just barely able to
make it to my room in
00:48:05.39\00:48:08.36
that Club Med in Tahiti,
I thought that's all I need.
00:48:08.39\00:48:11.46
I just need to rest,
play hard, and live hard and
00:48:11.49\00:48:15.33
just have fun and I'll
be ready to go back to work.
00:48:15.36\00:48:17.80
Well, God had a different
idea. As I woke up in the
00:48:17.83\00:48:20.76
middle of night with
a headache you would've
00:48:20.79\00:48:22.40
never believe, it
wasn't what you think it was.
00:48:22.43\00:48:25.96
No, I had gotten the ear
infection in both of my ears
00:48:25.99\00:48:31.60
and only those of you
whoever had ear infection
00:48:32.53\00:48:34.40
know the excruciating pain
that goes with it, just agony.
00:48:34.43\00:48:37.83
I couldn't lie still,
I stand up and it hurt
00:48:37.86\00:48:40.96
and so I did,
there was nothing to do.
00:48:40.99\00:48:42.46
I just went out on the
beach, walked up and down the
00:48:42.49\00:48:44.46
beach till the sun
came up, infirmary opened.
00:48:44.49\00:48:46.80
I went in there, the
doctor looked in my ears
00:48:46.83\00:48:48.56
said something in French
I don't know what it was.
00:48:48.59\00:48:49.93
A nurse
translates saying, no water.
00:48:49.96\00:48:53.23
You can't go
swimming, you can't go skiing.
00:48:53.60\00:48:56.46
I said scuba
diving. No scuba diving.
00:48:56.49\00:48:59.16
Great, traveled
half-way around the world to do
00:49:00.30\00:49:03.26
some diving and now I
can't even get my feet wet.
00:49:03.29\00:49:05.70
So, I thought I
go play some tennis.
00:49:06.20\00:49:08.16
Every step was just
shear agony. There was nothing
00:49:09.26\00:49:14.06
for me to do in Tahiti
except to lie on my bed
00:49:14.09\00:49:22.13
and read that little
book, the Planet in Rebellion.
00:49:22.16\00:49:25.96
So, I began to read.
I came to the part that
00:49:26.93\00:49:32.53
talked about Jesus in
the Garden of Gethsemane.
00:49:32.56\00:49:36.50
How he went down
to the garden to pray?
00:49:38.60\00:49:41.66
He fell to the
ground and he prayed, Father
00:49:42.53\00:49:47.20
if there is any other way
let this cup pass from me.
00:49:47.23\00:49:52.36
It just seemed so real to
me, it was like I was watching.
00:49:53.83\00:49:57.56
And I realized,
hey, Jesus didn't want
00:49:59.93\00:50:04.86
to go to the Cross. He
wanted it to pass from him.
00:50:04.89\00:50:10.96
Nevertheless, he said, not
my will, let your will be done.
00:50:13.23\00:50:19.00
He didn't want to go,
then the awful feeling came,
00:50:19.86\00:50:27.50
why did he go? He
did it because of me
00:50:28.46\00:50:31.86
and he did it for me. And
for the first time in my life
00:50:34.30\00:50:41.63
I began to understand
what real love was all about
00:50:43.20\00:50:48.56
and I began to understand
that Jesus was a real man,
00:50:51.93\00:50:58.53
Colon, was just a phony.
And then a few more pages
00:50:59.46\00:51:09.56
and I came to Calvary.
Jesus betrayed, dressed
00:51:12.40\00:51:22.33
in a purple robe,
mocked as the King of the Jews,
00:51:22.36\00:51:25.40
beaten till his back raw
and bleeding, cross thrust
00:51:25.43\00:51:28.83
on his shoulders, carrying
up the hill till he couldn't
00:51:28.86\00:51:32.46
go anymore, somebody
had to carry it for him.
00:51:32.49\00:51:35.83
He was doing all of
that for me, with love,
00:51:36.93\00:51:44.10
what kind of man he had
to be, it just seems so real
00:51:44.76\00:51:52.96
as I read, I just
thought, I was seeing it all.
00:51:52.99\00:51:56.43
As they stretched his
body out on those rough boards
00:51:58.20\00:52:02.23
and I can see the Roman
soldiers just picking up
00:52:02.26\00:52:05.66
the big heavy hammers,
the nails, driving those nails
00:52:05.69\00:52:09.83
through his hands,
the same hands that
00:52:09.86\00:52:13.20
reached out and
touched, healed, loved,
00:52:13.23\00:52:18.63
now they were nailing
them to the old rugged cross
00:52:19.46\00:52:24.40
because of my
sins, it seems so real.
00:52:25.73\00:52:30.83
I could see the soldiers
as they lifted that cross,
00:52:32.00\00:52:35.40
dropped it in the
hole prepared for it,
00:52:35.43\00:52:39.10
sickening thud.
It's like I was standing
00:52:39.66\00:52:45.80
right there, looking up
at Jesus as he looked over
00:52:45.83\00:52:52.60
the multitude around
him, it seemed like his eyes
00:52:52.63\00:52:57.66
were locked on to
mine when he said, father,
00:52:57.69\00:53:03.00
forgive him, because he doesn't
even know what he is doing.
00:53:03.73\00:53:08.96
And that was it for me,
it was all I could take,
00:53:10.73\00:53:15.06
I slipped down to
my knees beside my bed
00:53:16.43\00:53:19.06
in Club Med in Tahiti,
and I said God, I give up,
00:53:19.09\00:53:24.16
I give up, if anyone is
going to do anything with this
00:53:25.46\00:53:29.76
miserable life it's going to
have to be you because I can't.
00:53:29.79\00:53:34.10
At that moment, it was like
a heavyweight was just lifted
00:53:35.70\00:53:39.76
off of my shoulders
and at that moment, God
00:53:39.79\00:53:45.96
told his angel to
go and write Jac Colon,
00:53:45.99\00:53:53.26
the Lamb's Book of
Life. As far as I know,
00:53:55.56\00:54:04.30
I'm the only
person on this planet
00:54:05.16\00:54:06.93
that ever got
saved in the Club Med.
00:54:06.96\00:54:09.56
You can't get too far
away for God to be able to
00:54:11.23\00:54:15.03
reach you, just
give him a chance,
00:54:15.06\00:54:18.36
came back to the
States and I just felt like
00:54:19.40\00:54:23.50
I can't be a stock
broker anymore, not because
00:54:23.53\00:54:26.06
there is anything
wrong with it, I just,
00:54:26.09\00:54:28.00
it was not for me
anymore, but I didn't know
00:54:28.03\00:54:30.60
what else to do there
is not much of a demand
00:54:30.63\00:54:32.26
for dropping bombs
in civilian society and
00:54:32.29\00:54:34.70
so, what am I gonna do?
So, I prayed, I said God,
00:54:34.73\00:54:39.23
whatever you want me
to do you open the door
00:54:39.26\00:54:41.50
I'll go through it,
don't ever pray that prayer
00:54:41.53\00:54:43.96
unless you mean it,
because just a few days
00:54:43.99\00:54:47.53
after that I was in
church one evening and
00:54:47.56\00:54:50.63
an Evangelist was preaching
and while he was preaching
00:54:50.66\00:54:53.73
it was almost like God
speaking in an audible voice
00:54:53.76\00:54:56.33
saying Colon, I want
you to be an Evangelist.
00:54:56.36\00:54:58.46
God, I don't even know
how to be a Christian yet,
00:55:00.10\00:55:02.66
so I went up to Evangelist
afterwards, I told him
00:55:04.06\00:55:06.06
what had
happened, then he said look,
00:55:06.09\00:55:07.43
I'm going to be teaching a
class for young Evangelists
00:55:08.03\00:55:10.76
at a Bible College in
Oklahoma, Oklahoma City,
00:55:10.79\00:55:13.86
it's gonna start in
just a couple of weeks
00:55:13.89\00:55:15.96
and it lasts for
the rest of the summer,
00:55:15.99\00:55:19.26
why don't you
come, learn how to do it?
00:55:19.29\00:55:21.80
He said I can only pay
you $200, it doesn't matter,
00:55:21.83\00:55:24.53
it doesn't matter
anymore, money doesn't matter
00:55:25.26\00:55:27.13
anymore, only thing
that matters was to be
00:55:27.43\00:55:31.20
following God and
so I went and I learned
00:55:31.23\00:55:35.13
how to do it and God
blessed my work there
00:55:35.16\00:55:39.60
and some people took
notice because of the way
00:55:39.63\00:55:43.90
God blessed my work
there I received an invitation
00:55:43.93\00:55:48.60
to be a pastor two
months after I was baptized,
00:55:48.63\00:55:52.60
I was a pastor in a
little church in Oklahoma,
00:55:52.63\00:55:54.73
hardly knew the difference
between David and Goliath,
00:55:55.66\00:55:58.23
but I knew Jesus and
that's what mattered and then
00:55:58.26\00:56:03.33
something else
happened while I was at that
00:56:03.36\00:56:05.33
Evangelism school,
because on the last weekend
00:56:05.83\00:56:10.23
of the prophecy seminar I
met the Evangelist's daughter.
00:56:10.26\00:56:15.50
We believe with all
of our hearts that God
00:56:24.90\00:56:28.50
brought us together, just so
we can tell the story of Jesus
00:56:28.53\00:56:34.26
to you and to anyone
else who wants to hear.
00:56:34.29\00:56:37.96
God has made something
beautiful out of my life
00:56:38.90\00:56:42.13
and he wants to
do the same for you.
00:56:42.80\00:56:45.53
The story isn't over
yet, we still have battles,
00:56:48.06\00:56:51.73
we still have challenges
to face, but the interesting
00:56:51.76\00:56:57.43
thing is that when you have
Jesus on your side, everyday
00:56:57.46\00:57:02.33
it's better and better
and better. God has made
00:57:03.20\00:57:08.20
something beautiful out of
our lives and he wants to do
00:57:08.23\00:57:14.96
the same for you, just
giving the opportunity.
00:57:14.99\00:57:18.66