Heavenly Father, tonight
as we look at the sacrifice
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that Your Son, Jesus Christ,
00:00:18.85\00:00:22.32
made in our behalf
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Lord, help us to understand.
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May our minds be clear.
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May they be open to
the direction and guidance
00:00:33.96\00:00:37.90
of the Holy Spirit.
00:00:38.10\00:00:39.43
We pray, Lord, that we may see
00:00:40.27\00:00:42.90
all that was done
upon the cross of Calvary
00:00:44.54\00:00:48.54
and that we might by
faith reach out and take hold of
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the provisions
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and receive the
gift of life eternal.
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For this we ask in
Christ's name, Amen.
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As Communism
was coming to an end
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I had the
opportunity to visit a city
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out on the outskirts of Russia
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right almost to China:
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a city by the
name of Vladivostok.
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Vladivostok is kind of
the naval port for the Russian
00:01:29.38\00:01:33.99
fleet. A city of
about 2 million people.
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And I had the opportunity
to go in there and spend
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several weeks working to
help establish Christianity
00:01:39.79\00:01:43.37
there in Vladivostok.
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And so while I was there
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I went out and walked
through one of their cemeteries.
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Their cemeteries are a
little bit different than ours
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in the fact that on the
tomb- stones they have a picture
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of the person who has
died so when you look at it
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you can tell
who has passed away.
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But I noticed that
as I was looking there
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that the tombstones that had
been erected since the time that
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Communism started... they
were just very plain tombstones.
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There was no
symbolism of anything on them.
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I got to looking, and the
tombstones that had been erected
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before Communism
had come into being
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had symbolism on
them... or did have.
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They had come in and
they had chiseled off
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every cross, every
sign of Christianity at all.
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You see, the cross... the
cross is a symbol of hope.
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They didn't want
those people to understand
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that the cross
offered to any of them
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anything more than
Communism would offer.
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And so they tried to do away
with anything that represented
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Christianity or offered
to them any hope at all.
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To you and I the cross
is a symbol of salvation...
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it's a symbol of hope.
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It offers to us eternal life.
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It offers to us something
that you and I don't have
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of ourselves.
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The cross... today
we see it on buildings,
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on churches. We see it on books.
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In fact, there is more jewelry
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made in the symbol of a
cross than any other thing.
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Because people get a cross
and to them it offers to them
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life; it offers to them
hope. It presents something.
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Offers to them
something that you can't have
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any other way.
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The Scripture has
this to say about it:
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Now to the person who
doesn't know Jesus Christ,
00:04:04.67\00:04:07.28
who hasn't accepted Him,
true enough, the cross probably
00:04:07.48\00:04:11.11
is foolishness to that person.
00:04:11.31\00:04:13.11
But to the individual
that has reached out in faith
00:04:13.92\00:04:16.85
and accepted Christ
00:04:17.05\00:04:18.62
it is the power of God.
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You know, we sing that
song: "On a hill far away
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stood an old rugged cross...
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You see, the cross
- to you and to me -
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is a sign of hope.
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It's a sign of eternal life.
00:04:38.27\00:04:41.08
It's a sign that God
has done something special
00:04:41.28\00:04:43.98
for you and me. But
that's not the way it was
00:04:44.18\00:04:47.15
in the days of Jesus Christ.
00:04:47.35\00:04:49.48
The cross was a
symbol of torture.
00:04:50.29\00:04:54.02
It was a symbol of shame.
00:04:54.22\00:04:56.36
It was a symbol of
someone who had been convicted
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of a crime. And by the way,
00:05:02.36\00:05:05.80
the crucifixion
didn't take place
00:05:06.87\00:05:10.61
out on a hill far away.
00:05:10.81\00:05:13.31
The crucifixion took place
00:05:14.58\00:05:16.88
right outside Jerusalem
00:05:17.08\00:05:19.55
right beside the street
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so that as the people
walked by they could see
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those men hanging
there, and it was a statement
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that they were guilty.
00:05:31.39\00:05:33.63
That's what it was a statement
of: that they were guilty.
00:05:33.83\00:05:36.30
It was a warning to
anyone else who might think
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of trying to do
what these men had done.
00:05:39.93\00:05:43.44
And so you find the Scripture
says that they were convicted
00:05:43.84\00:05:47.24
criminals. They had been tried
and they had been convicted.
00:05:47.44\00:05:52.25
And so as they
hung there on the cross
00:05:52.45\00:05:54.85
it was a statement of
this. And thus it reads here
00:05:55.05\00:05:58.49
in Mark 15:28:
00:05:58.69\00:06:00.32
"He was numbered
with the transgressors. "
00:06:07.80\00:06:10.70
So as people walked down
the street they could see them
00:06:10.90\00:06:13.80
hanging there. That's
the reason the Scripture
00:06:14.00\00:06:18.27
talking about the
death of Jesus Christ
00:06:18.67\00:06:21.64
read this way:
00:06:21.84\00:06:23.31
They, walking down the
street. There they hung:
00:06:49.90\00:06:52.37
a statement that they
had been tried, convicted.
00:06:52.57\00:06:55.28
They were guilty. And they
said: "If You're the Son of God,
00:06:55.48\00:06:58.45
come on down off the cross.
" Even the religious leaders
00:06:58.65\00:07:01.98
of the day joined in.
00:07:02.18\00:07:04.49
Because it goes on in
the Scripture and says:
00:07:04.69\00:07:06.86
They said: "If You're
what You said You are,
00:07:30.48\00:07:32.81
come down off the cross...
then we'll believe You. "
00:07:33.01\00:07:36.42
Tried... convicted for the crime
00:07:36.82\00:07:42.79
of claiming to be a King,
00:07:43.39\00:07:46.09
the Son of God, the Messiah,
the Deliverer of Israel.
00:07:46.29\00:07:51.53
They hung Him on a
cross. He died in shame.
00:07:51.93\00:07:57.54
In fact, in the book of
Hebrews 12th chapter verse 2
00:07:58.04\00:08:02.28
it says:
00:08:02.48\00:08:03.81
So it says that
He endured the cross,
00:08:17.89\00:08:21.06
despising the shame.
00:08:21.66\00:08:24.03
Do you understand
what it means when it says:
00:08:25.60\00:08:27.40
"He endured the cross? "
00:08:27.60\00:08:29.00
Let me tonight tell
you a little bit about
00:08:29.40\00:08:33.01
the crucifixion of Jesus.
00:08:33.21\00:08:34.91
Maybe you'll
understand a little bit
00:08:35.64\00:08:38.31
of what He went
through to save you...
00:08:39.35\00:08:42.68
to purchase your salvation.
00:08:42.88\00:08:44.72
You must understand
00:08:45.12\00:08:46.76
that Jesus is
not like you and I.
00:08:47.16\00:08:49.69
You must understand that
He had the ability to see it
00:08:50.86\00:08:55.43
before it happened.
00:08:55.63\00:08:57.07
He knew every character.
00:08:58.20\00:09:00.40
He knew that Judas
was going to betray Him.
00:09:00.80\00:09:03.00
He knew everyone
that would be there
00:09:03.74\00:09:06.31
involved in the crucifixion.
00:09:06.51\00:09:08.61
He knew all that
before it happened.
00:09:09.11\00:09:11.08
So when He went to the
Garden of Gethsemane, folks,
00:09:11.28\00:09:14.22
He's going there fully conscious
00:09:15.12\00:09:18.72
of what's about to take place.
00:09:18.92\00:09:20.92
He knows what's
about to happen to Him!
00:09:21.66\00:09:25.73
He also knows
that at this time now
00:09:26.13\00:09:29.86
all the sins of mankind
00:09:30.07\00:09:34.07
are being placed
on Him. He knows that.
00:09:34.27\00:09:37.71
The Scripture says
that He bore our sin,
00:09:38.11\00:09:42.54
so all the sins of the
world are being poured upon Him.
00:09:42.74\00:09:45.55
He also understands that sin
00:09:46.21\00:09:49.38
is offensive not only
to Him but to His Father.
00:09:49.58\00:09:53.46
Therefore He knows that as He
bears all the sins of the world
00:09:55.52\00:09:59.79
that those sins are separating
Himself from His Father.
00:10:00.00\00:10:04.77
And that's why He cries out:
00:10:05.17\00:10:07.24
"My God, My God, why
hast Thou forsaken Me? "
00:10:07.44\00:10:10.14
because He knows
that's what's taking place.
00:10:10.34\00:10:12.91
Therefore, when He's there
00:10:14.78\00:10:17.18
He is under great
psychological stress
00:10:17.68\00:10:22.42
like you and I can't understand
00:10:22.62\00:10:25.52
because He sees this all
vividly before it takes place.
00:10:25.72\00:10:29.86
And that is why
it says that He sweat
00:10:30.06\00:10:34.66
drops of blood.
00:10:35.16\00:10:37.57
You see, that is a condition
- a medical condition -
00:10:38.13\00:10:41.84
called hematidrosis...
what happens when a person
00:10:42.34\00:10:47.08
is under tremendous
psychological stress.
00:10:47.28\00:10:50.88
Then a chemical is released
00:10:51.48\00:10:54.38
that breaks down some of the
capillaries in the sweat gland
00:10:55.22\00:10:58.82
and it releases into
it small amounts of blood
00:10:59.02\00:11:02.12
and it causes
them to sweat blood.
00:11:02.32\00:11:04.63
But more than that hematidrosis
00:11:06.19\00:11:08.90
it also makes the skin
extremely sensitive and fragile.
00:11:09.86\00:11:15.60
So He sweat drops of blood.
00:11:17.21\00:11:19.57
The mob comes and
they take Him away
00:11:21.34\00:11:25.91
to a mockery of a trial.
00:11:26.11\00:11:28.82
And Pilate, Herod,
trying to hope that some way
00:11:30.25\00:11:34.26
they might appease the crowd
00:11:34.46\00:11:36.66
have Him flogged.
00:11:37.06\00:11:39.83
You... Have you ever
read about Roman flogging?
00:11:41.46\00:11:44.90
See, the art of
Roman flogging, folks,
00:11:46.03\00:11:49.60
is to inflict upon that person
00:11:50.31\00:11:53.27
as much pain as possible
00:11:53.48\00:11:56.41
without killing them.
00:11:56.61\00:11:58.18
That's the art of it.
00:11:58.38\00:12:00.05
So by rights they're supposed
to give them 39 stripes:
00:12:01.05\00:12:05.79
40 stripes save one.
00:12:05.99\00:12:10.59
But that all depends upon the
soldier and how he's feeling.
00:12:11.46\00:12:14.43
The whip that
they're going to use
00:12:16.46\00:12:18.37
is leather thongs.
00:12:19.30\00:12:21.67
In the end of
them are steel balls
00:12:22.60\00:12:26.57
so that as they lay
that whip across the back
00:12:27.54\00:12:30.68
of that individual
00:12:30.88\00:12:32.71
those steel balls
bruise and make contusions.
00:12:32.91\00:12:36.79
And as they hit
time and time again
00:12:37.19\00:12:41.02
they break open the skin.
00:12:41.22\00:12:44.69
In fact, it cuts...
because in those thongs,
00:12:44.89\00:12:49.53
those leather thongs,
are little pieces of bone.
00:12:49.73\00:12:52.90
And the art of flogging
is not just to hit the person
00:12:53.30\00:12:57.11
but when you hit them to pull
it so that those pieces of bone
00:12:57.31\00:13:01.24
cut every welt all the way down.
00:13:01.44\00:13:03.88
They're going to lay
that across their back
00:13:05.38\00:13:09.22
from the back of the
neck all the way down the back
00:13:09.42\00:13:13.29
across the
buttocks and the lower legs
00:13:13.49\00:13:17.16
until that whole
part is bloody and open.
00:13:17.36\00:13:21.40
I could describe to you
what historians and people back
00:13:21.60\00:13:24.90
then told about Roman
flogging and how it would even
00:13:25.10\00:13:28.24
lay open the spine.
00:13:28.44\00:13:30.27
When they do this
00:13:31.54\00:13:33.34
it causes a person to
go into what is called
00:13:34.61\00:13:37.31
hypovolemic shock.
00:13:37.51\00:13:39.45
It's a Latin
word that simply means
00:13:40.85\00:13:43.12
hypo means low;
00:13:43.32\00:13:45.15
volemic, vo, means volume;
00:13:46.72\00:13:49.02
lemic means blood. It just
means the loss of a great lot
00:13:49.22\00:13:53.36
of blood. And so as
the person is bleeding
00:13:53.56\00:13:56.56
and losing all this blood
00:13:56.77\00:13:58.57
it brings about
several things in their life.
00:13:58.77\00:14:00.70
One: since they are
losing so much blood
00:14:00.90\00:14:05.17
it causes the
heart to beat faster
00:14:05.37\00:14:08.31
trying to take care of the
situation since they're losing
00:14:08.51\00:14:11.75
so much blood.
00:14:12.05\00:14:13.42
Secondly: since
they're losing so much fluid
00:14:15.08\00:14:20.56
their kidneys shut down
00:14:20.96\00:14:23.32
to save the loss of fluid.
00:14:23.53\00:14:28.33
Secondly: it causes them
to be tremendously thirsty
00:14:28.53\00:14:32.43
and also it causes
their blood pressure to drop
00:14:32.63\00:14:36.50
so drastically that they
become very dizzy and faint.
00:14:36.71\00:14:40.28
Now you can begin to put
together some of the things
00:14:40.48\00:14:42.88
that happened to Jesus.
00:14:43.08\00:14:44.41
Because you remember as
they laid that cross on Him
00:14:45.08\00:14:47.88
and He's carrying
it out to Golgotha
00:14:48.08\00:14:50.92
you remember He
staggered and fell,
00:14:51.12\00:14:53.56
fainted, because
He's in hypovolemic shock.
00:14:53.76\00:14:56.66
That's what's happening to Him.
00:14:56.86\00:14:58.26
Also that's why when He's
hanging there on the cross
00:14:59.23\00:15:01.70
He cries out: "I thirst! "
because He's lost so much fluid.
00:15:02.10\00:15:05.97
They're going to
take Him to the cross.
00:15:07.87\00:15:10.14
And they laid Him
out on the cross bar
00:15:12.84\00:15:17.01
and they're going to drive nails
00:15:18.28\00:15:20.42
through His hands.
00:15:20.92\00:15:23.75
Those nails are going
to pierce a nerve in here
00:15:25.39\00:15:29.22
called the median nerve.
00:15:29.42\00:15:31.09
You know what that's like?
00:15:31.49\00:15:32.93
You ever hit your funny bone?
00:15:33.43\00:15:35.76
OK... that's the ulnar nerve.
00:15:36.60\00:15:38.93
It's like if you took that nerve
00:15:39.97\00:15:42.50
with a pair of
pliers and twisted it.
00:15:43.00\00:15:45.77
That's what it'd be like to
have a nail driven through that.
00:15:46.17\00:15:49.41
And then they're going to
hoist Him up there on the cross
00:15:50.55\00:15:52.91
and then they're going to
drive nails through His feet
00:15:53.31\00:15:56.12
to pin them to the cross...
00:15:56.32\00:15:57.99
and again, piercing the nerve.
00:15:58.59\00:16:01.19
I'm trying to get across
to you when the Scripture says
00:16:01.59\00:16:03.83
that He "endured the
cross" you get a little idea
00:16:04.03\00:16:07.13
of what He endured
for you and for me.
00:16:07.33\00:16:09.66
This is what He's going through.
00:16:09.86\00:16:11.50
When they put Him on the cross
00:16:13.44\00:16:15.90
and they drop Him, that
stretches His arms about 6".
00:16:16.84\00:16:22.61
That means both arms are
going to become dislocated.
00:16:23.35\00:16:27.45
The moment He
falls into that position
00:16:28.48\00:16:31.82
then all of a sudden
the only way He can breathe
00:16:32.79\00:16:37.39
is inhale.
00:16:37.79\00:16:39.46
To be able to exhale
00:16:39.86\00:16:42.36
He has to push
himself up with His feet
00:16:42.56\00:16:45.83
to be able to inhale
air and then He can exhale
00:16:46.03\00:16:50.81
and thus rubbing His
bloody back on the cross.
00:16:51.97\00:16:55.38
Strength giving away step
by step. His heart is beating
00:16:55.58\00:16:59.75
much much faster because
of the great amount of blood
00:16:59.95\00:17:04.35
that He's lost. And He's
going to die of cardiac arrest.
00:17:04.55\00:17:09.49
That's why it
says this in Scripture:
00:17:10.09\00:17:12.76
Why are they going
to break their legs?
00:17:31.45\00:17:33.68
You see, that's the
way they can breathe
00:17:33.88\00:17:37.39
because they're pulled down
there and they can't breathe
00:17:37.59\00:17:39.79
unless they can
push up with their legs.
00:17:39.99\00:17:41.76
And so if they
came and took an iron
00:17:41.96\00:17:43.99
and broke their legs
then they couldn't push up
00:17:44.19\00:17:46.96
and they would
suffocate to death.
00:17:47.16\00:17:49.00
Hasten their death... that's
what they're trying to do.
00:17:49.80\00:17:52.87
You see, Jesus didn't die
00:18:08.45\00:18:12.19
from
necessarily the crucifixion.
00:18:13.96\00:18:15.66
He died from cardiac arrest.
00:18:15.86\00:18:17.73
It took place, and thus you find
that He died there... it says:
00:18:19.73\00:18:23.53
Because His heart had ruptured.
00:18:28.64\00:18:31.24
Separated there, and
when they pierced His side
00:18:31.64\00:18:34.31
blood and water came out.
00:18:34.51\00:18:36.38
This is what He
endured, friends.
00:18:36.58\00:18:38.31
This is what the
Son of God endured
00:18:38.58\00:18:41.52
that you might be saved.
00:18:41.72\00:18:44.75
I want to go a step farther be-
cause the Scripture doesn't say
00:18:47.52\00:18:50.73
that He just endured the cross.
00:18:50.93\00:18:53.70
It says: "He
despised the shame. "
00:18:54.50\00:18:57.77
Despising the shame.
Now do you understand shame?
00:18:59.00\00:19:02.50
Do you understand
what it means when it says
00:19:04.17\00:19:06.11
"despising the shame? "
00:19:06.31\00:19:08.08
Let me identify
for you what shame is
00:19:08.48\00:19:11.31
'cause the Scripture
gives you some indications.
00:19:11.71\00:19:14.58
The book of
Revelation... it says this:
00:19:14.78\00:19:17.05
You read through the
Scripture and any time someone
00:19:32.83\00:19:36.47
reveals their naked body
00:19:36.67\00:19:40.21
that in the
Scripture was a shame.
00:19:40.41\00:19:42.68
OK? When it says:
"despising the shame"
00:19:42.88\00:19:47.65
this is what happens.
This is what took place.
00:19:47.85\00:19:51.39
They stripped Him naked!
00:20:03.37\00:20:05.27
Hung Him on the
cross without any clothes.
00:20:07.40\00:20:11.37
Now folks, it's one thing...
00:20:36.30\00:20:40.37
it's one thing to take a man
00:20:40.77\00:20:45.37
and treat him with such shame.
00:20:46.68\00:20:49.58
But let me tell you: it's
something entirely different
00:20:50.45\00:20:53.92
to treat the
Son of God that way.
00:20:54.32\00:20:56.52
And that's what they
did. He endured the cross
00:20:58.42\00:21:01.22
despising the
shame, for you and for me.
00:21:01.92\00:21:07.86
Till today, because
He went through all that,
00:21:08.06\00:21:11.53
He suffered that, He
went through all the shame...
00:21:11.73\00:21:14.84
to us the cross offers
a great amount of hope.
00:21:15.24\00:21:20.74
You see,
00:21:24.61\00:21:26.28
homicide is terrible.
00:21:28.25\00:21:32.32
Terrible when somebody goes out
and kills another human being.
00:21:32.82\00:21:36.73
How horrible!
00:21:37.13\00:21:38.46
But sin is exceedingly sinful
00:21:40.16\00:21:43.67
when it's deicide...
when it kills its God.
00:21:44.07\00:21:49.67
The worst thing that
sin ever did is when it took
00:21:52.64\00:21:55.68
the Savior and hung him on
a cross... the murdered victim
00:21:55.88\00:22:00.92
of our sins.
That's what Jesus did.
00:22:01.08\00:22:04.15
Have you thought
about this, folks?
00:22:04.35\00:22:06.25
If Jesus - who
only had imputed sin...
00:22:07.36\00:22:12.83
Do you understand what I'm
saying when I say imputed sin?
00:22:13.03\00:22:15.26
Do you know what I mean?
00:22:15.46\00:22:16.80
When I say He has "imputed sin"
00:22:17.07\00:22:19.57
that means He didn't
sin. That means the sin was
00:22:19.77\00:22:22.30
placed upon Him... imputed.
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.97
It wasn't something He
did... it was placed upon Him.
00:22:25.17\00:22:27.71
When Jesus only had imputed sin
00:22:27.91\00:22:30.71
and He had to suffer like
this for your sins and mine
00:22:31.91\00:22:37.82
then I want to ask
you: if Jesus the spotless,
00:22:38.59\00:22:42.26
the perfect, the
divine Son of God
00:22:42.66\00:22:45.69
had to suffer like that
00:22:45.89\00:22:48.20
for your sins and mine,
00:22:49.36\00:22:51.30
then I wonder how
you and I might suffer
00:22:52.37\00:22:55.47
if we neglect so
great a salvation.
00:22:55.67\00:22:58.64
That He did for each
one of us here this evening.
00:23:01.08\00:23:06.41
Now to that person
who doesn't know Christ
00:23:20.40\00:23:23.06
maybe it doesn't mean
anything, but to you and I
00:23:23.26\00:23:25.93
it is the what?
00:23:26.13\00:23:30.24
Power of God. That's what I want
to talk to you about tonight:
00:23:30.44\00:23:33.68
the power of the
cross. What it can do for you
00:23:33.88\00:23:37.71
as an individual tonight.
00:23:37.91\00:23:39.88
That power that it's talking
about there, dear friends,
00:23:40.28\00:23:42.88
that power is divine!
00:23:43.08\00:23:45.62
I'm not talking
about human power.
00:23:46.02\00:23:48.52
I'm talking about divine power
00:23:48.72\00:23:50.89
that can take an individual
- I don't care who he is -
00:23:51.09\00:23:53.73
and can change his
heart and make him totally
00:23:53.93\00:23:56.80
and completely different.
00:23:57.00\00:23:58.67
I'm talking about an individual
00:24:00.47\00:24:02.37
like a fellow that
came to my meetings.
00:24:04.47\00:24:06.94
It's the only person
that I can ever remember
00:24:07.44\00:24:10.28
that I wished wouldn't come.
00:24:10.48\00:24:11.81
This man came every night
00:24:13.92\00:24:16.15
usually about half drunk.
00:24:18.49\00:24:21.96
That didn't bother me.
I usually have somebody
00:24:22.69\00:24:24.83
in the audience about half drunk
every meeting I've ever had.
00:24:25.03\00:24:27.33
So that didn't bother me.
00:24:28.33\00:24:29.76
But he had a great big beard...
00:24:30.63\00:24:33.30
and that didn't
bother me either.
00:24:33.70\00:24:35.44
I believe if God put
the whiskers there, well...
00:24:35.64\00:24:37.67
it's your privilege if
you want to let them grow.
00:24:37.87\00:24:39.74
But he chewed tobacco;
that didn't bother me either
00:24:41.34\00:24:45.28
because I grew up with
people chewing tobacco.
00:24:45.48\00:24:47.28
So that really didn't bother me.
00:24:47.48\00:24:48.82
But he let the tobacco juice
run out of the corners of his
00:24:49.32\00:24:51.75
mouth till it filled that whole
beard full of tobacco juice
00:24:51.95\00:24:54.66
and he smelled
horrible. THAT bothered me.
00:24:54.86\00:24:58.19
'Cause, you know, if
he sat down by anybody
00:24:59.33\00:25:01.70
they got up and moved.
And I really don't blame them.
00:25:01.90\00:25:03.80
I would have, too, you know.
00:25:04.00\00:25:06.00
Each night when we got
to the end of the service
00:25:06.20\00:25:07.80
he'd come up and shake my hand
00:25:08.00\00:25:09.34
and all he ever said to me
is "You stepped on my toes. "
00:25:09.37\00:25:11.71
We got down to the
end of the meetings.
00:25:13.78\00:25:15.51
I gave an invitation for people
to come and give their hearts
00:25:16.01\00:25:18.71
to Christ. First one out
of his seat was that man.
00:25:18.91\00:25:22.02
Come down the aisle...
As he came down the aisle
00:25:22.22\00:25:24.12
I said: "Why,
Lord? Why this man?
00:25:24.32\00:25:27.29
He'll come down here and
there'll not be another soul
00:25:27.49\00:25:29.56
go down here 'cause he came. "
00:25:29.76\00:25:31.39
And that's
exactly what happened!
00:25:31.59\00:25:33.90
Exactly what happened:
not another person budged.
00:25:34.30\00:25:37.17
But he was dead serious.
00:25:37.57\00:25:40.90
Dead serious.
00:25:41.30\00:25:42.84
I saw that man give
his heart to the Lord.
00:25:43.04\00:25:45.61
I saw his whole life change.
00:25:46.98\00:25:49.84
I saw him
change from a drunkard.
00:25:51.11\00:25:53.72
I saw him move his wife
and six children out of a hovel
00:25:54.88\00:25:57.92
into a decent home.
00:25:58.12\00:25:59.65
I watched as I
pastored that church.
00:26:01.82\00:26:04.39
He became the head
deacon of my church.
00:26:04.79\00:26:07.86
I'm talking
about the power of God.
00:26:08.76\00:26:11.77
And I don't care
who you are tonight,
00:26:12.33\00:26:14.50
I don't care what
your situation is,
00:26:14.70\00:26:17.14
I don't care where you've been,
00:26:17.34\00:26:18.84
I don't care how bad you've been
00:26:19.04\00:26:21.08
the power of God can
change you because that power
00:26:21.28\00:26:24.61
is divine and it
can change your life
00:26:24.81\00:26:27.62
if you and I are just willing
to step out and accept it.
00:26:28.02\00:26:31.19
Listen to what it says:
00:26:31.39\00:26:32.72
It can change a person's
life. How strong is that power?
00:26:42.43\00:26:46.13
Jesus spent 3-1/2 years
ministering on the earth.
00:26:46.33\00:26:50.01
You can read the stories
and there were a few people
00:26:50.41\00:26:53.04
and a few disciples that
followed Him but not very many.
00:26:53.24\00:26:56.21
But when He died,
00:26:56.61\00:26:58.11
when He hung there on the cross
00:26:58.31\00:27:00.38
and He paid the price and
He came forth from the grave
00:27:00.58\00:27:03.92
you want to see what happened?
00:27:04.12\00:27:05.62
Huh? You want to see what
happened when that took place?
00:27:06.59\00:27:08.96
Listen... this is what happened:
00:27:09.16\00:27:10.53
This is Peter preaching.
He's talking about Jesus Christ.
00:27:32.51\00:27:35.25
This is after the resurrection.
00:27:35.45\00:27:37.02
This is after Jesus
went back to heaven.
00:27:37.22\00:27:38.92
Watch:
00:27:39.12\00:27:40.46
Telling them what happened.
00:27:51.30\00:27:53.07
Peter stood there and he
preached that Jesus Christ
00:28:13.56\00:28:16.39
had died for them, that He
had paid the price for them.
00:28:16.59\00:28:19.59
That He had risen from
the grave and was alive.
00:28:19.79\00:28:22.80
And they were cut to
the heart and they said:
00:28:23.00\00:28:24.43
"What must we do? "
00:28:24.63\00:28:25.97
Watch what happens:
00:28:26.00\00:28:27.70
Here talking about
the power of the gospel.
00:28:52.53\00:28:54.86
The power to change
lives: one day, three thousand
00:28:55.06\00:28:59.10
gave their hearts to
the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:28:59.30\00:29:01.40
He can take you
and change your life.
00:29:02.10\00:29:07.68
Make it totally and
completely different.
00:29:08.08\00:29:11.88
This is the area,
folks, where I find
00:29:18.59\00:29:22.79
so many don't understand.
00:29:22.99\00:29:24.73
I didn't understand.
00:29:25.63\00:29:27.43
I didn't
understand for a long time.
00:29:27.63\00:29:29.63
You see, we're so
inclined to do it ourselves.
00:29:30.63\00:29:35.90
And I run onto people who
live miserable Christian lives
00:29:36.34\00:29:40.34
because they've
never understood this.
00:29:40.84\00:29:43.31
Listen carefully:
00:29:43.51\00:29:45.18
Now He's told Jeremiah
here in the 18th chapter
00:29:51.02\00:29:54.16
to go down to
the potter's house.
00:29:54.36\00:29:55.72
It was marred in the hand of
who? In the hand of the potter.
00:30:07.77\00:30:12.21
Now watch who has the power.
00:30:12.61\00:30:15.31
Who has the power here tonight?
00:30:15.51\00:30:18.41
The potter or the clay?
00:30:18.81\00:30:20.82
Now come on...
let's get it clear.
00:30:21.78\00:30:23.49
Who has the power?
The potter or the clay?
00:30:23.69\00:30:26.15
The potter! OK?
00:30:26.86\00:30:29.19
Folks, you and I
00:30:40.40\00:30:44.61
our only responsibility
00:30:45.94\00:30:49.41
is to be
submissive to the potter.
00:30:49.81\00:30:53.15
Are you following me?
00:30:54.05\00:30:55.65
That's all that God asks
00:30:55.85\00:30:58.32
is that you and I be
submissive to the potter.
00:30:58.52\00:31:02.59
That I let Him do
His work in my life.
00:31:04.39\00:31:07.66
Listen as Paul goes on
about this same subject:
00:31:07.86\00:31:10.67
You and I are
nothing but vessels of clay
00:31:38.59\00:31:42.00
and God is the Potter.
00:31:42.20\00:31:44.37
And He can make that vessel
whatever He wants it to be.
00:31:44.57\00:31:48.37
And if you and I will submit,
00:31:48.57\00:31:50.97
if we will be humble,
00:31:53.01\00:31:55.54
if we will not be proud,
00:31:56.14\00:31:58.71
if we will submit to the
working of God in our heart,
00:31:58.91\00:32:03.22
He will make us into the
vessel that He wants us to be.
00:32:03.42\00:32:07.26
This is what God
wants to do for you.
00:32:07.66\00:32:10.43
Now in the home that I
grew up we had vessels of honor
00:32:31.21\00:32:34.68
and dishonor in
it. Didn't your home?
00:32:34.88\00:32:37.35
Sure. My mother
in the dining room
00:32:37.85\00:32:40.16
had a china cabinet in
which she kept vessels of honor.
00:32:40.36\00:32:43.89
And when we had company -
00:32:44.83\00:32:46.90
we had special guests - she
would go to the china cabinet
00:32:47.10\00:32:50.57
and would take out the
vessels of honor and feed us all
00:32:50.77\00:32:53.94
on the vessels of honor.
00:32:54.14\00:32:55.60
But boy, when the company left
00:32:55.80\00:32:57.67
all the vessels of honor
went back in the china cabinet
00:32:57.87\00:33:00.64
and we ate out of
dishes in the kitchen cabinet
00:33:00.84\00:33:03.71
of dishonor. You understand
what I'm talking about?
00:33:03.91\00:33:06.25
OK... that's up to the Potter.
00:33:06.65\00:33:08.75
He can make whatever vessel He
pleases, but the Scripture says
00:33:09.52\00:33:13.79
here if you and I will submit,
00:33:13.99\00:33:16.62
if you and I will
turn our lives over to Him,
00:33:17.03\00:33:19.86
if we will be submissive,
00:33:20.06\00:33:21.80
He will make us
a vessel of honor.
00:33:22.00\00:33:25.63
That's what He will do for us.
00:33:26.03\00:33:28.00
That is the power of God.
00:33:28.40\00:33:30.01
That's what God wants
to do for you tonight.
00:33:35.81\00:33:38.31
He wants to make you
a vessel, sanctified,
00:33:38.51\00:33:41.92
for His purpose to
use for His purpose.
00:33:42.12\00:33:46.12
And if you and I will do that
we will be a vessel of honor.
00:33:46.32\00:33:50.09
But dear friend, let
me tell you something:
00:33:50.29\00:33:51.89
that's God's work... not yours.
00:33:52.09\00:33:54.76
It's God's work!
00:33:55.83\00:33:57.17
All you and I must do is submit.
00:33:57.87\00:34:01.80
I don't know if you ever heard
the story of the Persian prince?
00:34:02.70\00:34:06.84
This Persian prince one
day reached down and picked up
00:34:08.54\00:34:12.61
a piece of clay. And
as he was just rolling
00:34:12.81\00:34:15.98
the clay in his
hand he smelled it.
00:34:16.18\00:34:19.99
Had a marvelous smell to it.
00:34:20.59\00:34:23.43
Wonderful! And
he said to the clay:
00:34:23.63\00:34:26.49
"Where did you get
your wonderful fragrance? "
00:34:26.90\00:34:30.40
"Oh, " the clay said:
00:34:31.53\00:34:33.70
"they laid me beside a rose
00:34:34.10\00:34:36.84
and I drank in its fragrance. "
00:34:37.04\00:34:39.61
Friend, tonight, I'm
just telling you that if you
00:34:40.48\00:34:44.31
walk with Jesus Christ,
00:34:45.61\00:34:47.68
you fellowship
with Jesus Christ,
00:34:48.68\00:34:50.69
the Rose of Sharon
will change your life
00:34:51.75\00:34:55.69
and you will put
forth a fragrance
00:34:55.89\00:34:59.16
of the marvelous
love of Jesus Christ
00:34:59.36\00:35:02.03
that comes no other way.
00:35:02.23\00:35:03.90
God will do that for you.
00:35:04.10\00:35:05.73
You see?
00:35:14.91\00:35:16.24
What a difference it makes.
00:35:22.15\00:35:24.49
What a difference
it makes in my life.
00:35:24.69\00:35:27.02
II Corinthians 5:21.
Let me tell you right now:
00:35:28.32\00:35:34.33
if you don't have this
text underlined in your Bible,
00:35:34.63\00:35:38.00
if you don't have it
highlighted, don't go to sleep
00:35:38.93\00:35:42.04
tonight until you do.
00:35:42.24\00:35:44.24
Go home... get your Bible out
00:35:44.54\00:35:46.88
and dear friend,
get you a highlighter,
00:35:47.08\00:35:49.01
get you
something, but mark that text
00:35:49.21\00:35:51.95
and don't ever
forget it. Listen to it:
00:35:52.15\00:35:54.55
Marvelous!
00:36:02.66\00:36:04.63
Took Him who knew no sin
00:36:05.13\00:36:07.36
to be sin for us
00:36:07.86\00:36:10.07
that we might become the
righteousness of God in Him.
00:36:10.27\00:36:14.17
I have been looking
for someone for years.
00:36:15.67\00:36:18.97
Every place I go I
look for that individual
00:36:20.78\00:36:24.58
that I can find. You
see, I have a pen here.
00:36:24.98\00:36:27.98
It's a good pen. I
use it; it writes OK.
00:36:30.75\00:36:34.36
It's a nice pen. But I
have been looking for someone,
00:36:34.56\00:36:38.76
I have been hunting for someone
00:36:38.96\00:36:40.53
who will be willing to trade me
a Mercedes for my fountain pen.
00:36:40.73\00:36:46.40
I'd be happy to
just trade somebody
00:36:49.00\00:36:52.47
my fountain pen for a Mercedes.
00:36:52.67\00:36:55.98
You say: "Well, yeah you would!
00:36:57.25\00:36:59.35
That person is
crazy if he does that:
00:36:59.75\00:37:02.88
trade you a Mercedes
for a fountain pen. "
00:37:03.08\00:37:05.42
Well, my friends, listen...
that's what that text says.
00:37:06.49\00:37:11.09
It says that God or Jesus Christ
00:37:12.13\00:37:15.03
is walking into
this room here tonight...
00:37:15.43\00:37:17.97
walking into this room
and He's saying to you:
00:37:19.00\00:37:22.00
"I'll tell you what: if
you'll give Me your sins
00:37:22.97\00:37:28.21
I'll give you
My righteousness. "
00:37:28.61\00:37:30.75
That's what that text says.
00:37:31.58\00:37:33.01
Jesus says: "If
you'll just give Me your sins
00:37:34.02\00:37:37.05
I'll give you
My righteousness. "
00:37:37.25\00:37:40.02
Aren't you willing to do that?
00:37:42.79\00:37:44.56
Aren't you willing to do
that? Am I hearing right?
00:37:45.69\00:37:48.13
That He'll give
me His righteousness
00:37:48.33\00:37:51.43
if I'll just give Him my sins?
00:37:52.77\00:37:54.94
Oh, absolutely
friend... absolutely
00:37:55.84\00:37:59.44
I'll give Him my
sins. I hope that you would.
00:37:59.64\00:38:03.08
The Scripture gives a
perfect illustration of this
00:38:04.45\00:38:06.68
as far as I'm concerned.
00:38:06.88\00:38:08.22
Jesus was talking to Nicodemus.
00:38:09.22\00:38:11.32
You remember He said
to Nicodemus, He said:
00:38:12.25\00:38:14.46
"You've gotta be born again. "
00:38:14.66\00:38:16.26
And Nicodemus said:
00:38:16.66\00:38:18.59
"What do You mean? I've
gotta be born of my mother
00:38:18.79\00:38:20.46
a second time? "
00:38:20.66\00:38:22.00
And Jesus said: "No, Nicodemus,
00:38:22.10\00:38:24.43
that which is born of flesh
is flesh and that which is born
00:38:24.63\00:38:27.20
of spirit is spirit. "
00:38:27.40\00:38:28.74
And Nicodemus said:
"I don't understand. "
00:38:29.00\00:38:31.51
"I don't understand
what You're talking about. "
00:38:32.44\00:38:34.71
And Jesus said to
Nicodemus... He said:
00:38:35.68\00:38:38.51
And Nicodemus all
of a sudden remembered
00:38:50.83\00:38:53.90
about the children of Israel
being out in the wilderness.
00:38:54.10\00:38:57.10
And they were out in the wilder-
ness and God said to them:
00:38:57.50\00:39:01.17
"This is the way you
need to go: that way. "
00:39:02.17\00:39:04.87
And they said: "Lord,
that's pretty rough. "
00:39:06.27\00:39:10.81
"That's rocky and steep that way
00:39:12.35\00:39:15.08
and Lord, we can get to
the Land of Canaan this way
00:39:15.28\00:39:18.65
and it's much
flatter... not near as steep. "
00:39:19.05\00:39:23.66
And the Lord said: "No... no...
00:39:23.86\00:39:26.46
you don't want to go that
way. You want to go this way. "
00:39:26.66\00:39:29.16
And they said: "Lord, You
haven't forgotten that we've got
00:39:29.36\00:39:33.80
the women and the
children and the cattle?
00:39:34.00\00:39:35.90
And there's mountains
here and the terrain's hard
00:39:36.10\00:39:39.34
and the path's narrow
and all those things, Lord. "
00:39:39.54\00:39:42.24
And the Lord said: "That's
the way you want to go. "
00:39:42.44\00:39:44.05
And they said: "But Lord,
it'll take us a little longer
00:39:44.25\00:39:46.82
but it'll be so much
easier on the children
00:39:47.02\00:39:49.42
and the cattle and
everything if we go this way. "
00:39:49.62\00:39:51.75
And the Lord said: "You really
don't want to go that way...
00:39:51.95\00:39:54.66
you want to go this way. "
00:39:54.86\00:39:57.03
And they said:
"Lord, that's just too hard.
00:39:57.23\00:39:59.26
We're going to go this
way. " And they went that way.
00:39:59.46\00:40:01.26
And the Scripture
says that poisonous snakes
00:40:02.86\00:40:06.13
began to crawl in the
camp and bite the people
00:40:06.74\00:40:09.87
and they began to die.
00:40:10.07\00:40:11.44
And they went running to Moses
00:40:12.64\00:40:15.14
and they said: "Moses!
Moses! Do something for us. "
00:40:15.34\00:40:18.18
And Moses prayed
and God said: "Moses,
00:40:18.75\00:40:23.35
make a brazen serpent.
00:40:24.49\00:40:27.12
Put it on a pole
00:40:29.02\00:40:30.46
and tell those people that
if they look at that serpent
00:40:31.33\00:40:33.86
they'll live and
they'll not die. "
00:40:34.06\00:40:35.73
Why? Why in the
world would God tell him
00:40:36.80\00:40:40.60
"Make a brazen serpent
and put it on a pole. "
00:40:40.80\00:40:43.74
In the Bible, what
does a serpent represent?
00:40:43.94\00:40:46.11
Represents the devil.
00:40:47.74\00:40:49.18
Represents sin.
00:40:49.38\00:40:50.85
So why would He say:
"Make a brazen serpent
00:40:51.35\00:40:54.35
and put it on a pole? "
00:40:54.55\00:40:55.88
Because Jesus
Christ became sin for you.
00:40:57.19\00:41:02.52
That's why.
00:41:02.92\00:41:04.26
Jesus Christ became sin for you.
00:41:04.36\00:41:07.43
He said: "I'll take your sins
00:41:07.63\00:41:09.56
and I'll give
you My righteousness.
00:41:10.17\00:41:13.50
I'll do that for you. "
00:41:13.70\00:41:15.04
And so Jesus Christ
was lifted up - crucified -
00:41:23.91\00:41:26.58
hung on a cross that He
might draw you and me to Him.
00:41:26.78\00:41:31.79
But that text goes on in
II Corinthians 5:21 and says:
00:41:31.99\00:41:35.22
That you and I might
become the righteousness of? God
00:41:45.70\00:41:51.34
in Him. You see, that's
the righteousness of God.
00:41:51.54\00:41:54.31
I'm talking about
the power of the cross.
00:41:54.51\00:41:56.71
I'm talking about what
can take and change your life.
00:41:56.91\00:41:59.81
Understand, folks:
00:42:00.02\00:42:01.35
this righteousness is
not your righteousness.
00:42:01.38\00:42:04.52
This power is not your power.
00:42:04.72\00:42:06.65
It is God's righteousness;
it is God's power,
00:42:06.86\00:42:10.09
and that's what
can change you and me!
00:42:10.29\00:42:12.86
You and I can't
change ourselves.
00:42:13.26\00:42:15.86
Crucified in weakness, but
He lives by the power of God.
00:42:30.31\00:42:35.45
Now listen carefully:
00:42:35.65\00:42:37.09
You and I can live a
Christian life day by day
00:42:49.90\00:42:53.67
by the power of God.
00:42:53.87\00:42:55.87
So what's He
going to do for you?
00:42:56.27\00:42:58.44
Are you trying
to tell me tonight
00:43:18.73\00:43:20.90
that there's not a sin
that God can't take care of?
00:43:22.03\00:43:25.13
Are you trying to tell me
tonight that your situation
00:43:26.90\00:43:29.77
is so bad that
God can't handle it?
00:43:29.97\00:43:31.67
Are you trying to tell me
00:43:34.44\00:43:35.78
that He can't take your
life and make it different?
00:43:37.65\00:43:42.05
He's able...
exceedingly, abundantly,
00:43:43.69\00:43:47.09
to do more than you
and I can think or ask.
00:43:47.29\00:43:51.39
Who are kept by the what?
00:43:54.40\00:43:58.30
You see my faith
cannot be in myself.
00:44:07.51\00:44:10.25
It cannot be in what I can do.
00:44:10.45\00:44:12.38
But my faith must be
in God and what He can do.
00:44:12.58\00:44:15.58
And if I put my faith in Him
00:44:15.88\00:44:17.92
He is capable of doing more than
you and I can even comprehend.
00:44:18.12\00:44:22.46
"ready to be
revealed in the last time. "
00:44:24.73\00:44:28.46
Now, this is a text, folks,
00:44:28.66\00:44:32.23
that when I first
read it it took me about
00:44:32.43\00:44:36.44
a year to believe it.
00:44:37.67\00:44:40.48
It just to me is so marvelous
00:44:41.71\00:44:44.91
of what He has
done for you and for me.
00:44:45.11\00:44:47.78
So listen very carefully. This
text is a very very vital one.
00:44:47.98\00:44:51.22
It says:
00:44:51.42\00:44:52.75
Whose disobedience was that?
00:44:59.89\00:45:01.56
Adam's.
00:45:02.06\00:45:03.57
You say: "Well that's not fair!
00:45:08.40\00:45:09.74
Just because Adam sinned why
should that make me a sinner? "
00:45:10.77\00:45:14.11
Well, let me ask you a question:
00:45:15.48\00:45:17.21
if your grandfather had died
when he was three years old,
00:45:18.25\00:45:21.78
how old would you be tonight?
00:45:22.18\00:45:24.02
Huh?
00:45:26.12\00:45:27.46
You're trying to tell
me that your grandfather
00:45:27.49\00:45:29.32
had something to do
with you being here?
00:45:29.52\00:45:31.19
Yes. And I'm trying
to tell you that Adam
00:45:31.93\00:45:33.66
had something to do
with you being a sinner.
00:45:33.86\00:45:35.40
See?
00:45:35.70\00:45:37.03
OK... so by one man's sin
00:45:37.17\00:45:39.40
all of us became
sinners. Now listen:
00:45:40.27\00:45:42.54
Now I've gotta ask you:
00:45:49.98\00:45:51.38
are you made
righteous by your obedience?
00:45:51.58\00:45:54.48
Or are you made
righteous by His obedience?
00:45:54.68\00:45:57.59
You're made righteous by
His obedience... not yours.
00:45:57.79\00:46:02.52
See? That's the
marvelous thing about it.
00:46:03.02\00:46:05.29
It's His righteousness
00:46:05.49\00:46:08.43
that makes all the
difference in the world.
00:46:08.63\00:46:11.80
Jesus had an experience
when He was here on earth.
00:46:13.84\00:46:16.57
There was a man who had
lived a very, very sinful life.
00:46:17.67\00:46:22.54
In fact, his
life had been so bad
00:46:23.75\00:46:26.11
that it had a
physical effect upon him
00:46:26.31\00:46:28.85
and it caused him to be on a
stretcher. He was a paralytic...
00:46:29.05\00:46:32.42
he couldn't walk.
00:46:32.62\00:46:33.96
And one day he
heard about Jesus.
00:46:34.86\00:46:38.19
And he talked some of
his friends into taking him
00:46:39.19\00:46:41.63
to see Jesus. And
they put him on a stretcher
00:46:41.83\00:46:43.63
and they took him to Jesus.
And Jesus was in this house
00:46:43.83\00:46:46.60
and He was talking to
people and the place was packed.
00:46:47.10\00:46:50.17
In fact, there were
so many people in there
00:46:50.57\00:46:52.41
there were people sitting
in the windows and the doorway
00:46:52.61\00:46:55.41
and you couldn't get in.
00:46:55.61\00:46:56.95
And his friends took
him up on top of the house
00:46:57.11\00:47:00.38
and they took the
tile off the roof.
00:47:01.15\00:47:03.62
And they lowered
this man on a stretcher
00:47:03.82\00:47:06.89
right down in front of Jesus.
00:47:07.09\00:47:10.19
And as this man lay
there in front of Jesus
00:47:11.63\00:47:15.50
Jesus said this to him:
00:47:15.70\00:47:18.03
Now folks, let me
explain something.
00:47:25.24\00:47:26.71
That's all that
paralytic wanted.
00:47:26.91\00:47:28.81
He didn't want anything else.
00:47:29.84\00:47:31.18
Just to have the assurance
that his sins were forgiven
00:47:32.25\00:47:35.72
and he was free... He
could have had his friends
00:47:35.92\00:47:38.72
pick him up and
carry him out of that house
00:47:38.92\00:47:40.66
and he would have went
out of that house rejoicing!
00:47:40.86\00:47:43.22
His healing - and I'm
going to read to you now -
00:47:44.29\00:47:47.30
didn't take place
because that was necessarily
00:47:47.50\00:47:50.20
what he was wanting. It
took place because there were
00:47:50.40\00:47:53.23
some people in the
room that couldn't believe.
00:47:53.44\00:47:56.10
Watch:
00:47:56.50\00:47:57.84
They said: "How can He tell
this man his sins are forgiven?
00:48:11.59\00:48:15.99
God's the only one
who can forgive sins. "
00:48:16.19\00:48:17.96
The boy just jumped
up off the stretcher...
00:48:51.36\00:48:53.70
headed through the house!
00:48:53.90\00:48:55.26
Now I want to ask you, folks:
00:49:05.54\00:49:07.51
what could the paralytic do?
00:49:07.71\00:49:10.75
Come on, what
could he do? Nothing!
00:49:11.65\00:49:14.98
He's lying in a stretcher.
He can't do one solitary thing!
00:49:15.38\00:49:20.39
He's paralyzed
from the neck down.
00:49:20.59\00:49:22.92
It's the power of God!
00:49:25.09\00:49:27.23
The power of God that
can change your life tonight!
00:49:28.10\00:49:31.43
The power of God that
can make you different.
00:49:31.63\00:49:34.60
It's not your
power... it's HIS power.
00:49:34.80\00:49:38.51
And I don't care who you are.
00:49:38.91\00:49:40.61
I don't care where you've been;
I don't care what you've done.
00:49:41.61\00:49:45.68
God has the power
to change your life
00:49:46.51\00:49:49.38
and make it
totally and completely new.
00:49:49.58\00:49:52.79
I mentioned one text to you
00:49:56.16\00:49:57.99
that you ought to go home
and highlight in your Bible.
00:49:58.49\00:50:02.63
I'm going to give you one more.
00:50:02.83\00:50:04.17
These are two texts, dear
friend... If you don't have any
00:50:04.63\00:50:07.20
others outlined in your Bible,
00:50:07.40\00:50:09.57
highlighted in your
Bible, highlight them.
00:50:09.77\00:50:12.04
Perfect in Christ Jesus.
00:50:35.80\00:50:38.90
Oh, isn't that wonderful?
00:50:39.10\00:50:40.44
Jesus said: "Listen, listen:
00:50:40.70\00:50:43.20
give Me your sins...
give Me all your sins;
00:50:43.41\00:50:46.37
I'll give you
My righteousness. "
00:50:46.57\00:50:49.34
And when that happens
God looks at you and says:
00:50:50.38\00:50:52.58
"Aren't they all perfect? "
00:50:52.78\00:50:54.22
"Don't they look so nice? "
00:50:54.58\00:50:56.18
"There's not one
sin in any of them! "
00:50:56.38\00:50:58.49
"They're all perfect... " be-
cause you have the righteousness
00:50:58.69\00:51:02.16
of Jesus Christ. See... that's
what He does for you, friends.
00:51:02.36\00:51:07.30
Marvelous! And He'll do
that for you and for me.
00:51:07.70\00:51:11.33
We have a song that we sing.
00:51:12.60\00:51:15.10
Unfortunately, most of
the time I ever hear it sung
00:51:15.50\00:51:20.24
is at funerals.
00:51:20.44\00:51:21.84
I don't know of any
song in Christendom, folks,
00:51:22.04\00:51:25.05
that to me states the
gospel as clearly as this song.
00:51:25.25\00:51:30.79
And that song is
simply called Rock of Ages.
00:51:31.85\00:51:36.62
Listen to the words of it.
00:51:36.83\00:51:38.73
See... that's it.
00:51:50.94\00:51:52.74
Like that paralytic
I can't bring a thing.
00:51:53.27\00:51:56.14
I can't do anything.
All I can do is cling
00:51:56.34\00:51:59.85
to the cross of Jesus Christ.
00:52:00.05\00:52:01.88
As Maddy sang that song
I'm going to glory in the cross
00:52:11.93\00:52:16.67
of Christ. If I'm going
to boast, I'm going to boast
00:52:16.87\00:52:19.73
in the cross of Jesus Christ
00:52:19.93\00:52:21.57
'cause I have nothing to
bring, I have nothing to offer.
00:52:21.77\00:52:25.04
Only in Jesus Christ.
00:52:25.34\00:52:29.38
One of my favorite scriptures is
found in the book of Revelation.
00:52:29.78\00:52:35.62
It says this:
00:52:38.02\00:52:39.49
I want you to listen to
what the power of God is.
00:52:42.69\00:52:46.76
To Him. I mean... King of kings.
00:53:07.52\00:53:10.95
The Lord of lords, the Ruler
over all the kings of the earth.
00:53:11.35\00:53:14.99
That He loved us
00:53:15.19\00:53:18.06
and washed us from
our sins in His own blood.
00:53:18.26\00:53:20.80
I'm so glad tonight, folks,
00:53:20.96\00:53:22.90
that that text
isn't turned around.
00:53:23.10\00:53:24.87
I'm glad that it doesn't say
00:53:25.27\00:53:26.94
that He washed us
and then loved us.
00:53:27.14\00:53:29.64
See, God's not saying to you:
"Get yourself all cleaned up
00:53:31.31\00:53:34.78
and then I'll accept you. "
00:53:34.98\00:53:36.31
No. He's saying: "I'll
take you just like you are. "
00:53:36.51\00:53:39.98
"Just like you are:
00:53:40.98\00:53:42.32
sinful, undeserving,
00:53:42.45\00:53:46.72
weak, defiled. I'll
take you just like you are. "
00:53:46.92\00:53:51.29
He loves us just like we are.
00:53:51.49\00:53:53.36
I'm so glad tonight
that He doesn't love us like
00:53:53.56\00:53:56.06
we love babies. You know?
00:53:56.46\00:54:00.17
You know how we
love babies, don't you?
00:54:00.37\00:54:02.00
Yeah. If the baby has
been washed and powdered
00:54:02.50\00:54:05.47
and is clean, anybody
will pick it up and love it.
00:54:05.67\00:54:08.31
But you let it get a
snotty nose and a dirty diaper
00:54:08.81\00:54:11.31
and watch how many
people go the other way.
00:54:11.51\00:54:13.01
See? God doesn't do that.
00:54:13.42\00:54:15.52
God loves us just
exactly like we are.
00:54:15.92\00:54:20.19
And it says that His
blood cleanses us from?
00:54:21.29\00:54:25.69
What? All sin!
00:54:26.09\00:54:28.86
Ah, it didn't say some sins.
00:54:29.86\00:54:32.73
It said tonight that
the blood of Jesus Christ
00:54:32.93\00:54:35.14
will cleanse you, dear
friends. It will cleanse us
00:54:35.34\00:54:38.81
from all sin.
00:54:39.01\00:54:41.11
You remember that text in
the Bible that says: "Though
00:54:41.31\00:54:43.24
your sins be as scarlet they
shall be as white as snow? "
00:54:43.45\00:54:48.58
"Though they be red like crimson
00:54:49.45\00:54:51.55
they shall be as wool. "
00:54:51.75\00:54:54.66
Now you understand
scarlet and snow, don't you?
00:54:55.06\00:54:58.93
Scarlet is read; snow is white.
00:55:00.03\00:55:02.93
You understand the contrast.
00:55:03.13\00:55:04.83
But what in the world is
He talking about when He says
00:55:05.03\00:55:07.17
crimson and wool?
00:55:07.37\00:55:09.27
Well, crimson's red.
It's a staining agent.
00:55:10.17\00:55:12.41
If you get it in fabric;
you can't hardly get it out.
00:55:12.61\00:55:14.84
OK? But what does
that have to do with wool?
00:55:15.24\00:55:18.38
Well, when I was a boy I
belonged to something called
00:55:19.65\00:55:24.95
the FFA.
00:55:25.15\00:55:27.62
Do you know what that is?
Future Farmers of America.
00:55:27.82\00:55:31.89
And one of the requirements
for belonging to the FFA
00:55:32.29\00:55:36.83
is that you had to have an ani-
mal to show at the county fair.
00:55:37.03\00:55:41.70
So with the help of my father
00:55:42.50\00:55:44.61
we purchased a
couple Southdown lambs.
00:55:44.81\00:55:48.51
They're little, cute...
they're not very big, OK?
00:55:48.91\00:55:51.91
And I raised
these Southdown lambs
00:55:52.11\00:55:55.85
to show at the county fair.
00:55:56.05\00:55:57.79
Dear friend, let me tell
you there is much, much more
00:55:58.89\00:56:03.32
to what the Bible has to say
when it says we're like sheep
00:56:03.73\00:56:06.63
than you and I ever believed.
00:56:06.83\00:56:08.83
But nevertheless,
I raised these lambs
00:56:09.03\00:56:11.67
and getting ready
for the county fair.
00:56:11.87\00:56:13.64
And we got down to about
oh, maybe, three, four weeks
00:56:13.84\00:56:17.21
before the county fair.
00:56:17.41\00:56:18.97
And my agriculture teacher
said: "I want you to go home...
00:56:19.17\00:56:21.68
I want you to
get a gunny sack. "
00:56:22.08\00:56:23.71
If you don't know what a
gunny sack, a gunny sack is
00:56:23.91\00:56:26.25
a feed sack. And He said:
"I want you to cut the corner
00:56:26.45\00:56:29.05
off of it, split
it down on one side
00:56:29.25\00:56:31.05
and I want you to put
it over those sheep's heads
00:56:31.45\00:56:33.59
and let that sack
spread out across their body. "
00:56:33.79\00:56:36.02
Which I did. I went home; I
didn't understand why this was
00:56:36.22\00:56:39.13
but I put it over... on
the sheep. And they ran around
00:56:39.33\00:56:42.23
with those
things on them all day.
00:56:42.43\00:56:43.83
And when I'd go out and feed
them I'd pick up those sacks
00:56:44.03\00:56:46.53
and look under there, and
the wool was getting dirtier
00:56:46.74\00:56:48.97
every day.
00:56:49.17\00:56:50.51
And I went on. I
couldn't understand
00:56:50.97\00:56:53.04
because we were getting
closer to the fair all the time.
00:56:53.24\00:56:55.34
And now when I
picked that sack up
00:56:55.54\00:56:57.48
it was black. I mean, just kind
of a greasy mess under there.
00:56:57.68\00:57:02.52
We got down to about three
or four days before the fair.
00:57:02.92\00:57:06.69
Agriculture teacher said:
"We're going to come out to your
00:57:07.82\00:57:10.33
house and block your sheep. "
00:57:10.53\00:57:12.26
He came out and
brought his shears out there.
00:57:12.66\00:57:15.30
He caught the sheep.
Took those sacks off of them.
00:57:15.70\00:57:18.47
I mean, they were filthy dirty.
00:57:18.87\00:57:22.04
And he took those shears
and began to cut about an inch
00:57:23.00\00:57:26.07
or an inch and a
half of that wool off.
00:57:26.27\00:57:27.84
Those sacks, folks,
had pulled all the dirt
00:57:28.24\00:57:31.78
to the top. And when he cut
that, that's the purest white
00:57:31.98\00:57:36.18
you'll ever see.
"Though your sins
00:57:36.38\00:57:40.12
are as crimson
they shall be as wool. "
00:57:40.32\00:57:45.16
That's what God is
willing to do for you
00:57:45.56\00:57:48.36
and to do for me. That's
what Christ did on the cross.
00:57:48.56\00:57:51.93
That's the power of the cross
to change and to make your life
00:57:53.23\00:57:56.30
different. And
tonight the Lord Jesus Christ
00:57:56.50\00:58:00.18
is willing just to
take and wash your sins
00:58:00.38\00:58:02.98
whiter than snow.
00:58:03.18\00:58:05.51