WEBVTT 00:00:00.616 --> 00:00:04.895 It's a great honor for me to be here. 00:00:04.895 --> 00:00:07.332 I've heard about this conference from Mark 00:00:07.332 --> 00:00:10.796 for so long and never thought I'd be able 00:00:10.796 --> 00:00:16.049 and privileged to speak to you. 00:00:16.049 --> 00:00:18.820 I'm so pleased to be here. 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:20.081 I want to speak to you 00:00:20.081 --> 00:00:24.250 from the first letter of Peter chapter 1 00:00:24.250 --> 00:00:27.328 and verses 8 and 9. 00:00:27.328 --> 00:00:29.223 1 Peter 1:8-9 00:00:29.223 --> 00:00:32.112 "Jesus Christ, whom having not seen, 00:00:32.112 --> 00:00:33.357 you love. 00:00:33.357 --> 00:00:36.129 Though now, though you see Him not, 00:00:36.129 --> 00:00:40.884 yet believing, you rejoice with joy 00:00:40.884 --> 00:00:43.814 inexpressible and full of glory, 00:00:43.814 --> 00:00:46.655 receiving the end of your faith, 00:00:46.655 --> 00:00:49.707 the salvation of your souls." NOTE Paragraph 00:00:49.707 --> 00:00:52.030 I want to speak to you tonight 00:00:52.030 --> 00:00:55.095 on the privileges of being a Christian. 00:00:55.095 --> 00:00:57.913 I could speak to you about the responsibilities 00:00:57.913 --> 00:00:59.123 of being a Christian, 00:00:59.123 --> 00:01:04.276 and referring to this same passage. 00:01:04.276 --> 00:01:09.576 All privileges lead to responsibilities. 00:01:09.576 --> 00:01:12.910 Mom and dad, they know Jesus Christ 00:01:12.910 --> 00:01:14.382 as their Lord and Savior, 00:01:14.382 --> 00:01:17.598 and they speak warmly to you about Him, 00:01:17.598 --> 00:01:21.255 and they tell you you need Him 00:01:21.255 --> 00:01:23.221 and it would wonderful if you had Him 00:01:23.221 --> 00:01:26.557 as your own personal Lord and Savior. 00:01:26.557 --> 00:01:28.290 And that's a wonderful privilege. 00:01:28.290 --> 00:01:31.094 There are millions of boys and girls in the world - 00:01:31.094 --> 00:01:35.945 they've never heard of Jesus Christ. 00:01:35.945 --> 00:01:38.557 That privilege though brings responsibilities. 00:01:38.557 --> 00:01:41.015 What will you do with this Jesus 00:01:41.015 --> 00:01:43.578 who is called the Christ? 00:01:43.578 --> 00:01:46.083 Or, you may on Sunday's come to a church, 00:01:46.083 --> 00:01:49.072 and it's not just a very formal occasion, 00:01:49.072 --> 00:01:52.929 and people dress up, 00:01:52.929 --> 00:01:57.207 chant and behave in predictable ways, 00:01:57.207 --> 00:01:59.565 but the climax of the service, 00:01:59.565 --> 00:02:01.390 after we've sung and prayed to God 00:02:01.390 --> 00:02:07.414 is that God speaks to us through His Word. 00:02:07.414 --> 00:02:11.597 We feel something of conviction and joy 00:02:11.597 --> 00:02:15.007 in hearing about Jesus Christ. 00:02:15.007 --> 00:02:19.055 Now, that privilege - it's not given to lots of people. 00:02:19.055 --> 00:02:23.039 It's given to you, and privileges bring responsibilities. 00:02:23.039 --> 00:02:28.327 So, you must not just be a hearer of the Word, 00:02:28.327 --> 00:02:33.752 but you must do what the preacher tells you to do. 00:02:33.752 --> 00:02:37.030 And so here tonight, we're going to look 00:02:37.030 --> 00:02:39.761 at the privileges rather than the responsibilities, 00:02:39.761 --> 00:02:42.257 because I want to speak to you about grace 00:02:42.257 --> 00:02:48.362 and not about law. NOTE Paragraph 00:02:48.362 --> 00:02:52.745 You know there are people who think 00:02:52.745 --> 00:02:56.662 it's really a very hard life - the Christian life. 00:02:56.662 --> 00:02:57.890 You got in your car. 00:02:57.890 --> 00:02:59.958 Your neighbor said, "where are you going?" 00:02:59.958 --> 00:03:03.788 "We're going to Denton in Texas." 00:03:03.788 --> 00:03:06.538 "Oh yes, are you having a vacation? 00:03:06.538 --> 00:03:11.174 Going to the rodeo?" 00:03:11.174 --> 00:03:12.673 "It's a conference. 00:03:12.673 --> 00:03:16.073 We're going to hear the Bible preached." 00:03:16.073 --> 00:03:17.886 And after you drove off, 00:03:17.886 --> 00:03:19.407 he turned to his wife and said, 00:03:19.407 --> 00:03:23.765 "Oh, what a life... what a life." 00:03:23.765 --> 00:03:25.407 "They're going to hear the Bible." 00:03:25.407 --> 00:03:28.938 They think it's a joyless life. 00:03:28.938 --> 00:03:30.907 And sometimes we do emphasize 00:03:30.907 --> 00:03:32.950 the places we don't go to, 00:03:32.950 --> 00:03:34.960 and the practices we don't approve of, 00:03:34.960 --> 00:03:37.368 and the language we don't use. 00:03:37.368 --> 00:03:41.358 People think they have to give up so much 00:03:41.358 --> 00:03:43.654 if they are to become Christians. 00:03:43.654 --> 00:03:47.480 We Christians never think like that. 00:03:47.480 --> 00:03:50.351 We've given up what we could never keep. 00:03:50.351 --> 00:03:54.208 And we've gained what we will never lose. 00:03:54.208 --> 00:03:58.586 And Peter here in these verses that I've read in your hearing, 00:03:58.586 --> 00:04:03.834 Peter tells us about some of the great privileges 00:04:03.834 --> 00:04:05.935 that a Christian has. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:05.935 --> 00:04:10.036 And the first great privilege that a Christian has 00:04:10.036 --> 00:04:14.216 is he has someone to believe in. 00:04:14.216 --> 00:04:18.793 Verse 8, Though you don't see Jesus Christ now - 00:04:18.798 --> 00:04:23.556 now - not today, but one day - 00:04:23.556 --> 00:04:26.679 but now you don't see Him, 00:04:26.679 --> 00:04:28.484 but you believe in Him. 00:04:28.484 --> 00:04:31.495 How is that possible when I as a boy in school - 00:04:31.495 --> 00:04:33.973 I was converted in 1954 00:04:33.973 --> 00:04:37.801 in a little Baptist church up the valley. 00:04:37.801 --> 00:04:40.412 Just an ordinary conversion. 00:04:40.412 --> 00:04:43.575 And I witnessed to my friends, 00:04:43.575 --> 00:04:45.848 and some of them would say, 00:04:45.848 --> 00:04:49.418 "Well, seeing's believing." 00:04:49.418 --> 00:04:52.628 As though that just destroyed the whole case 00:04:52.628 --> 00:04:55.809 for Christianity. NOTE Paragraph 00:04:55.809 --> 00:05:01.921 Some of you - you never saw your grandmother. 00:05:01.921 --> 00:05:04.008 She died when you were a baby, 00:05:04.008 --> 00:05:06.745 or perhaps before you were born. 00:05:06.745 --> 00:05:10.299 But your mother tells you stories about her, 00:05:10.299 --> 00:05:13.739 and the love she showed, 00:05:13.739 --> 00:05:15.635 and how she protected your mother 00:05:15.635 --> 00:05:17.820 when your mother was very vulnerable 00:05:17.820 --> 00:05:20.478 at one time in her life. 00:05:20.478 --> 00:05:24.698 And she talks about the fun they had together 00:05:24.698 --> 00:05:26.275 and what a lovely person she was. 00:05:26.275 --> 00:05:30.245 Do you believe in your grandmother? 00:05:30.245 --> 00:05:32.413 You never saw her. 00:05:32.413 --> 00:05:34.422 But, of course, you do believe in her. 00:05:34.422 --> 00:05:36.413 You believe in her through the testimony 00:05:36.413 --> 00:05:38.965 of someone who did see her 00:05:38.965 --> 00:05:41.918 and whose life was changed by her. 00:05:41.918 --> 00:05:44.554 And that's how it was with these Christians 00:05:44.554 --> 00:05:46.705 in what we call today Turkey, 00:05:46.705 --> 00:05:50.139 but then in Cappadocia, Asia, Bythenia. 00:05:50.139 --> 00:05:52.730 These places in the opening verses he tell us, 00:05:52.730 --> 00:05:55.060 he's addressing the Christians. 00:05:55.060 --> 00:05:57.466 Jesus Christ never went to Turkey. 00:05:57.466 --> 00:05:59.007 He went to Africa. 00:05:59.007 --> 00:06:00.504 He never came to Europe. 00:06:00.504 --> 00:06:01.684 When He was a baby, 00:06:01.684 --> 00:06:03.508 He went to North Africa, didn't He? 00:06:03.508 --> 00:06:04.714 To Egypt. 00:06:04.714 --> 00:06:09.302 He was there and protected from Herod. 00:06:09.302 --> 00:06:12.799 But that wonderful evangelism of His 00:06:12.799 --> 00:06:15.165 over three years and then He gathered 00:06:15.165 --> 00:06:21.275 500 people - His flock. 00:06:21.275 --> 00:06:24.467 And they all went different places 00:06:24.467 --> 00:06:27.709 speaking of the transforming power 00:06:27.709 --> 00:06:31.130 of His life and His resurrection. 00:06:31.130 --> 00:06:33.370 They shared it with people everywhere. 00:06:33.370 --> 00:06:35.400 Some came to Turkey, 00:06:35.400 --> 00:06:37.755 and they said, ah, we've got good news for you. 00:06:37.755 --> 00:06:39.444 And we can't say that, can't we? 00:06:39.444 --> 00:06:41.556 Everybody in America, 00:06:41.556 --> 00:06:43.449 we have good news for you. 00:06:43.449 --> 00:06:44.785 We have a Savior for you. 00:06:44.785 --> 00:06:46.446 We have a Teacher for you. 00:06:46.446 --> 00:06:47.768 We have a Great Shepherd 00:06:47.768 --> 00:06:51.506 who'll look after you and protect you. 00:06:51.506 --> 00:06:54.707 I have good news for everybody here tonight. 00:06:54.707 --> 00:06:58.695 Good news about Jesus Christ. 00:06:58.695 --> 00:07:04.608 And so, they wanted to know more about Him. 00:07:04.608 --> 00:07:07.238 They came to believe in Him, 00:07:07.238 --> 00:07:10.059 and believe big truths, 00:07:10.059 --> 00:07:13.952 so that these two letters that Peter wrote, 00:07:13.952 --> 00:07:17.968 they were full of meaty doctrine 00:07:17.968 --> 00:07:20.442 and a great concept of God 00:07:20.442 --> 00:07:22.692 and of Jesus Christ. 00:07:22.692 --> 00:07:25.576 Because Peter, you see, was an eyewitness. 00:07:25.576 --> 00:07:26.932 He was there. 00:07:26.932 --> 00:07:28.732 He was there when Jesus called him 00:07:28.732 --> 00:07:30.412 when he was tending his nets 00:07:30.412 --> 00:07:31.647 with his brother. 00:07:31.647 --> 00:07:33.924 He was there on the Mount of Transfiguration. 00:07:33.924 --> 00:07:37.001 He was there in Gethsemane. 00:07:37.001 --> 00:07:39.914 He was there in the Upper Room. 00:07:39.914 --> 00:07:42.950 He went into the tomb and he saw it. 00:07:42.950 --> 00:07:45.183 It was empty, but the grave clothes were there. 00:07:45.183 --> 00:07:47.647 He was an eyewitness. NOTE Paragraph 00:07:47.647 --> 00:07:51.009 And that is how we are Christians 00:07:51.009 --> 00:07:54.549 in Denton tonight. 00:07:54.549 --> 00:07:57.908 We are here not that Jesus ever came 00:07:57.908 --> 00:07:59.859 to America, 00:07:59.859 --> 00:08:04.999 but because people who were His eyewitnesses - 00:08:04.999 --> 00:08:07.214 Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, 00:08:07.214 --> 00:08:10.023 Peter, Paul, James, Jude, and others - 00:08:10.023 --> 00:08:12.460 they saw Him. 00:08:12.460 --> 00:08:16.888 And they recorded this extraordinary life. 00:08:16.888 --> 00:08:18.264 The most wonderful years 00:08:18.264 --> 00:08:19.688 in the history of this planet 00:08:19.688 --> 00:08:20.957 when Jesus lived - 00:08:20.957 --> 00:08:22.203 the most wonderful week, 00:08:22.203 --> 00:08:24.334 the most wonderful days 00:08:24.334 --> 00:08:26.948 at the end of His life. 00:08:26.948 --> 00:08:30.245 No days can compare to them. 00:08:30.245 --> 00:08:32.196 And there's a record of them. 00:08:32.196 --> 00:08:35.741 And we believe because of this. NOTE Paragraph 00:08:35.741 --> 00:08:37.981 I was saved, I said, in '54, 00:08:37.981 --> 00:08:40.583 and a few other boys in '55, 00:08:40.583 --> 00:08:42.761 and we started a Christian gathering 00:08:42.761 --> 00:08:43.872 in school. 00:08:43.872 --> 00:08:45.185 And one of the boys, 00:08:45.185 --> 00:08:47.034 he was called Neil Kinnock. 00:08:47.034 --> 00:08:48.589 And Neil Kinnock then became 00:08:48.589 --> 00:08:50.444 a prominent politician. 00:08:50.444 --> 00:08:52.668 He led the Labor Party 00:08:52.668 --> 00:08:55.057 in a couple of general elections 00:08:55.057 --> 00:08:57.331 against Mrs. Thatcher. 00:08:57.331 --> 00:09:00.578 And he was interviewed. 00:09:00.578 --> 00:09:02.758 People were interested; asked him questions 00:09:02.758 --> 00:09:05.294 about his religion, and he said, 00:09:05.294 --> 00:09:09.344 "Well, I just admire Christians, 00:09:09.344 --> 00:09:11.708 but I could never take 00:09:11.708 --> 00:09:14.268 a leap into the dark." 00:09:14.268 --> 00:09:16.309 That's what he said. 00:09:16.309 --> 00:09:19.046 And so I wrote to him. 00:09:19.046 --> 00:09:20.725 "Dear Neil, remember those days 00:09:20.725 --> 00:09:22.137 when we had Bible studies, 00:09:22.137 --> 00:09:23.247 and you came along 00:09:23.247 --> 00:09:26.692 and you were interested?" 00:09:26.692 --> 00:09:29.570 You know, becoming a Christian 00:09:29.570 --> 00:09:32.205 isn't a leap into the dark. 00:09:32.205 --> 00:09:34.629 It's coming to the Light of the world. 00:09:34.629 --> 00:09:37.044 It's coming to Jesus Christ. 00:09:37.044 --> 00:09:39.470 And we learn about Him 00:09:39.470 --> 00:09:41.625 and we want to know more about Him. 00:09:41.625 --> 00:09:43.405 We ask questions. 00:09:43.405 --> 00:09:46.598 We feed our minds and our understanding, 00:09:46.598 --> 00:09:48.782 and our affections are stirred, 00:09:48.782 --> 00:09:51.149 and our conscience is troubled too, 00:09:51.149 --> 00:09:57.760 but all about Him. 00:09:57.760 --> 00:10:03.548 And then we believe in Him. 00:10:03.548 --> 00:10:07.700 It's a special word here. 00:10:07.700 --> 00:10:13.147 Not believe about Him, 00:10:13.147 --> 00:10:21.771 but believing right into Him. NOTE Paragraph 00:10:21.771 --> 00:10:23.848 You know, there's a great database - 00:10:23.848 --> 00:10:26.341 you teenagers, you know what a database is? 00:10:26.341 --> 00:10:31.760 You all know about IT much more than we oldsters. 00:10:31.760 --> 00:10:35.030 There's a database in which every piece 00:10:35.030 --> 00:10:40.863 of the Greek language has been recorded. 00:10:40.863 --> 00:10:43.427 People like Plato and Aristotle 00:10:43.427 --> 00:10:46.193 and the philosophers, 00:10:46.193 --> 00:10:50.047 and then Thucydides the historian, 00:10:50.047 --> 00:10:53.217 and then the great dramatists and poets. 00:10:53.217 --> 00:10:55.268 All of that - every bit of Greek 00:10:55.268 --> 00:10:56.670 that men have ever found. 00:10:56.670 --> 00:10:57.756 Classical Greek. 00:10:57.756 --> 00:10:59.323 It's all on this database. 00:10:59.323 --> 00:11:02.470 And then, common Greek as Greek changed 00:11:02.470 --> 00:11:05.386 over the years and it came to the New Testament, 00:11:05.386 --> 00:11:07.449 and the New Testament's on it too. 00:11:07.449 --> 00:11:09.548 And then it's added to all the time. 00:11:09.548 --> 00:11:13.649 They find pieces of parchment 00:11:13.649 --> 00:11:18.291 preserved under the Egyptian sun. 00:11:18.291 --> 00:11:21.066 Letters to a wife from a soldier. 00:11:21.066 --> 00:11:24.376 Bills and contracts. 00:11:24.376 --> 00:11:26.255 And then they are published, 00:11:26.255 --> 00:11:28.534 and immediately then the people who run 00:11:28.534 --> 00:11:32.265 this website, they add it to it. 00:11:32.265 --> 00:11:36.409 So, it's an enormous help if you are a scholar. 00:11:36.409 --> 00:11:39.183 And so, say you take this phrase now 00:11:39.183 --> 00:11:40.622 which Peter uses here, 00:11:40.622 --> 00:11:42.400 which is used in the New Testament 00:11:42.400 --> 00:11:45.583 about believing into someone. 00:11:45.583 --> 00:11:47.579 So you type it in, 00:11:47.579 --> 00:11:49.560 and then you push a button 00:11:49.560 --> 00:11:52.072 and then it searches very quickly 00:11:52.072 --> 00:11:53.838 through all this Greek. 00:11:53.838 --> 00:11:55.118 And then it prints out. 00:11:55.118 --> 00:11:56.581 And you have a piece of paper 00:11:56.581 --> 00:11:58.512 and you look at it, 00:11:58.512 --> 00:12:00.771 and to your surprise, 00:12:00.771 --> 00:12:02.852 the only place in all the world 00:12:02.852 --> 00:12:05.883 where this phrase to believe into someone 00:12:05.883 --> 00:12:09.471 is found is the New Testament. 00:12:09.471 --> 00:12:11.286 In other words, it was invented 00:12:11.286 --> 00:12:12.456 by the Holy Spirit. 00:12:12.456 --> 00:12:14.181 It was invented by the apostles - 00:12:14.181 --> 00:12:16.211 it's the same thing - 00:12:16.211 --> 00:12:19.456 to explain to us what is the nature 00:12:19.456 --> 00:12:26.862 of saving faith. 00:12:26.862 --> 00:12:28.250 It's not believing about Him, 00:12:28.250 --> 00:12:32.496 but it's believing right into Him. 00:12:32.496 --> 00:12:34.811 Being joined to Him. 00:12:34.811 --> 00:12:36.931 Jonathan Edwards called saving faith 00:12:36.931 --> 00:12:39.880 "a connecting grace." 00:12:39.880 --> 00:12:42.513 It plugs us in. 00:12:42.513 --> 00:12:47.298 It grafts us into Christ and His life, 00:12:47.298 --> 00:12:49.902 and we become joined 00:12:49.902 --> 00:12:51.961 unbreakably, 00:12:51.961 --> 00:12:57.157 eternally to God the Son. 00:12:57.157 --> 00:12:58.970 So that His life is yours, 00:12:58.970 --> 00:13:00.731 and your life is His. 00:13:00.731 --> 00:13:02.239 That's what a Christian is. 00:13:02.239 --> 00:13:05.304 You can only explain the heroism 00:13:05.304 --> 00:13:08.274 and courage and the wonderful patience 00:13:08.274 --> 00:13:11.168 of a wife looking after her husband 00:13:11.168 --> 00:13:13.555 when he gets forgetful at the end of his days, 00:13:13.555 --> 00:13:16.630 and she's so wonderfully patient and loving, 00:13:16.630 --> 00:13:19.800 because the strength and the patience 00:13:19.800 --> 00:13:27.428 and the joy and the peace of Jesus Christ is in her. 00:13:27.428 --> 00:13:36.214 What a privilege to be a Christian! NOTE Paragraph 00:13:36.214 --> 00:13:39.431 Let's compare it to a proposal to marriage. 00:13:39.431 --> 00:13:41.806 You know, a young man and woman, 00:13:41.806 --> 00:13:43.319 or older man and woman, 00:13:43.319 --> 00:13:47.817 they get married too, you know? 00:13:47.817 --> 00:13:50.521 They meet in a conference like this. 00:13:50.521 --> 00:13:52.498 They talk to one another, 00:13:52.498 --> 00:13:57.164 and then, oh, they talk, and they talk. 00:13:57.164 --> 00:13:58.502 So the father comes home 00:13:58.502 --> 00:14:00.281 and he says, "Where's Cindy?" 00:14:00.281 --> 00:14:02.726 "She's on the phone again." 00:14:02.726 --> 00:14:05.510 Upstairs. There she is talking to 00:14:05.510 --> 00:14:09.107 this man in her life. 00:14:09.107 --> 00:14:10.304 And they sit together 00:14:10.304 --> 00:14:12.707 and they eat together and they walk. 00:14:12.707 --> 00:14:15.269 And she's watching him. 00:14:15.269 --> 00:14:16.458 She's looking at him. 00:14:16.458 --> 00:14:17.685 She's evaluating him. 00:14:17.685 --> 00:14:19.102 How is he with his parents? 00:14:19.102 --> 00:14:20.417 How is he with her parents? 00:14:20.417 --> 00:14:22.279 How is he with other women? 00:14:22.279 --> 00:14:23.821 What are his values? 00:14:23.821 --> 00:14:25.209 What are his ambitions? 00:14:25.209 --> 00:14:28.153 What does he want to do in life? 00:14:28.153 --> 00:14:30.126 What's his goal? 00:14:30.126 --> 00:14:37.178 Is he patient and humble and sweet? 00:14:37.178 --> 00:14:40.180 Because when you go into marriage, 00:14:40.180 --> 00:14:44.197 there's no backdoor you can get out of 00:14:44.197 --> 00:14:45.227 if it doesn't work. 00:14:45.227 --> 00:14:47.306 You don't think like that - 00:14:47.306 --> 00:14:52.483 a Christian - if he's getting married. 00:14:52.483 --> 00:14:55.372 And finally, on a moonlit night, 00:14:55.372 --> 00:14:56.736 he gets down on a knee 00:14:56.736 --> 00:14:58.226 and he brings her a little box 00:14:58.226 --> 00:14:59.386 and he proposes. 00:14:59.386 --> 00:15:01.760 "Will you marry me?" he says. 00:15:01.760 --> 00:15:03.589 And when she says, "I do," 00:15:03.589 --> 00:15:05.907 it's not because of the moonlight 00:15:05.907 --> 00:15:08.862 or the ring. 00:15:08.862 --> 00:15:11.821 It's because she's grown in appreciation 00:15:11.821 --> 00:15:14.259 and knowledge and understanding 00:15:14.259 --> 00:15:16.165 and wisdom and love. 00:15:16.165 --> 00:15:20.525 And she wants to go where he wants to go. 00:15:20.525 --> 00:15:22.431 And then we say this phrase: 00:15:22.431 --> 00:15:26.089 "They were joined together in marriage." NOTE Paragraph 00:15:26.089 --> 00:15:27.377 Now that's a picture 00:15:27.377 --> 00:15:34.411 of what it is to become a Christian. 00:15:34.411 --> 00:15:35.819 You come to church 00:15:35.819 --> 00:15:37.685 and you listen to the preacher. 00:15:37.685 --> 00:15:39.348 You have young people's meetings 00:15:39.348 --> 00:15:42.059 and conferences and there are camps. 00:15:42.059 --> 00:15:45.028 And there are books you read. 00:15:45.028 --> 00:15:46.426 And you hear about Him. 00:15:46.426 --> 00:15:48.122 And you grow in your understanding 00:15:48.122 --> 00:15:49.795 of who this extraordinary 00:15:49.795 --> 00:15:53.572 uninventable Person is. 00:15:53.572 --> 00:15:57.335 And your heart is drawn out to Him. 00:15:57.335 --> 00:16:03.258 When He says, "Come to Me," 00:16:03.258 --> 00:16:07.240 then you know the One who you're going to. 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.401 You've learned about Him 00:16:08.401 --> 00:16:13.153 and you know why you need Him. 00:16:13.153 --> 00:16:16.017 When you think that the future 00:16:16.017 --> 00:16:20.447 is just impossible without Him, 00:16:20.447 --> 00:16:24.372 and you are joined together with Him. 00:16:24.372 --> 00:16:26.114 You trust in Jesus Christ. NOTE Paragraph 00:16:26.114 --> 00:16:27.798 Let's talk about trust. 00:16:27.798 --> 00:16:31.730 I think faith is a rather strong Latin-based word. 00:16:31.730 --> 00:16:35.292 Rather hard and tough word: faith. 00:16:35.292 --> 00:16:37.982 But trust is a nice Anglo-Saxon word 00:16:37.982 --> 00:16:42.187 and it's a gentler word, isn't it? 00:16:42.187 --> 00:16:44.758 Trust is something you know - 00:16:44.758 --> 00:16:46.701 you've got it or you haven't got it. 00:16:46.701 --> 00:16:48.929 You can measure that, can't you, 00:16:48.929 --> 00:16:51.186 when you wake up in the night 00:16:51.186 --> 00:16:52.210 and you turn over 00:16:52.210 --> 00:16:54.267 and you look at the digital alarm clock 00:16:54.267 --> 00:16:55.882 and it says 3:30, 00:16:55.882 --> 00:16:57.956 you know how accurate those clocks are. 00:16:57.956 --> 00:16:59.905 You can trust it. 00:16:59.905 --> 00:17:04.230 They're reliable. 00:17:04.230 --> 00:17:05.577 A wife trusts her husband. 00:17:05.577 --> 00:17:06.692 He's not home tonight. 00:17:06.692 --> 00:17:07.844 It's late for him. 00:17:07.844 --> 00:17:09.761 He's usually home at this time. 00:17:09.761 --> 00:17:10.758 But you trust him. 00:17:10.758 --> 00:17:12.390 You know he's not fooling around. 00:17:12.390 --> 00:17:14.873 The children said they'd be home by half past nine, 00:17:14.873 --> 00:17:16.019 and now it's ten. 00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:18.390 Something's happened. 00:17:18.390 --> 00:17:21.117 You trust them, 00:17:21.117 --> 00:17:24.293 because that's the sort of children they are. 00:17:24.293 --> 00:17:29.768 That's the sort of husband you have. NOTE Paragraph 00:17:29.768 --> 00:17:34.083 And so too, this is the distinctive characteristic 00:17:34.083 --> 00:17:35.270 of the Christian; 00:17:35.270 --> 00:17:38.281 the distinctive privilege that every Christian has. 00:17:38.281 --> 00:17:42.397 We trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:17:42.397 --> 00:17:47.222 We do. 00:17:47.222 --> 00:17:49.271 Our lives are not falling apart 00:17:49.271 --> 00:17:51.102 because we know the One 00:17:51.102 --> 00:17:53.220 who's in charge of our lives. 00:17:53.220 --> 00:17:55.791 He's got all authority in heaven and earth, He says. 00:17:55.791 --> 00:18:01.563 He's in control of our lives. 00:18:01.563 --> 00:18:02.933 I believe in Him. 00:18:02.933 --> 00:18:05.802 I've never seen Him, 00:18:05.802 --> 00:18:08.416 but I know who my heart believed. 00:18:08.416 --> 00:18:10.562 I know this Savior - 00:18:10.562 --> 00:18:12.382 the Jesus of the Bible. 00:18:12.382 --> 00:18:14.339 The Jesus my mother and father knew, 00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:15.458 and the preacher knows, 00:18:15.458 --> 00:18:17.618 and my friends know. 00:18:17.618 --> 00:18:19.257 I'm safe in His presence. 00:18:19.257 --> 00:18:23.177 I trust Him. 00:18:23.177 --> 00:18:26.249 Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee. 00:18:26.249 --> 00:18:28.867 That's the voice of trust. 00:18:28.867 --> 00:18:30.840 That's a Christian. 00:18:30.840 --> 00:18:33.791 That's salvation. 00:18:33.791 --> 00:18:36.112 That is eternal life. 00:18:36.112 --> 00:18:38.360 We trust everything about Jesus. 00:18:38.360 --> 00:18:39.837 Everything that He's done - 00:18:39.837 --> 00:18:41.861 especially when He died on the cross 00:18:41.861 --> 00:18:47.023 and He cried, "It is finished!" 00:18:47.023 --> 00:18:49.261 We trust those words. 00:18:49.261 --> 00:18:52.985 We don't have to make a contribution 00:18:52.985 --> 00:18:56.326 because it will be us, 00:18:56.326 --> 00:18:59.475 and it will be spoiled by us. 00:18:59.475 --> 00:19:04.160 We can't make a sinless contribution 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:07.388 because we drink iniquity like water. 00:19:07.388 --> 00:19:13.618 So we trust in Him; in what He has done. 00:19:13.618 --> 00:19:16.674 In His achievements, in His righteousness. 00:19:16.674 --> 00:19:18.230 His perfection. 00:19:18.230 --> 00:19:20.355 His loveliness. His beauty. 00:19:20.355 --> 00:19:22.180 And in His atoning death. 00:19:22.180 --> 00:19:24.007 We trust in these things. NOTE Paragraph 00:19:24.007 --> 00:19:27.615 My friend, Reg Burrows, he's a pastor. 00:19:27.615 --> 00:19:28.666 He's retired now. 00:19:28.666 --> 00:19:30.557 He was shaking hands at the door 00:19:30.557 --> 00:19:32.718 with people as they left one Sunday morning. 00:19:32.718 --> 00:19:35.134 An old lady came up to him and she shook his hand. 00:19:35.134 --> 00:19:36.649 She said, "Oh, Mr. Burrows, 00:19:36.649 --> 00:19:40.481 I hope I manage to do enough 00:19:40.481 --> 00:19:43.279 for God to accept me." 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:46.350 Now, it's very helpful to a minister 00:19:46.350 --> 00:19:48.780 when somebody says something like that, 00:19:48.780 --> 00:19:50.832 because then we can understand 00:19:50.832 --> 00:19:54.729 just where they are in this journey 00:19:54.729 --> 00:19:58.734 into a living, saving relationship 00:19:58.734 --> 00:20:00.572 with Jesus Christ. 00:20:00.572 --> 00:20:02.909 A remark like that tells us 00:20:02.909 --> 00:20:06.312 that they haven't understood Christianity. 00:20:06.312 --> 00:20:08.035 They haven't understood the gospel. 00:20:08.035 --> 00:20:11.571 They haven't understood grace. 00:20:11.571 --> 00:20:13.626 They are showing their lostness. 00:20:13.626 --> 00:20:16.045 They think God's made a contribution, 00:20:16.045 --> 00:20:19.540 and then we need to make a contribution. 00:20:19.540 --> 00:20:24.045 Then God will accept us. 00:20:24.045 --> 00:20:28.620 But, we are saved 00:20:28.620 --> 00:20:32.404 by the achievement of Someone else; 00:20:32.404 --> 00:20:34.928 by what that Person did. 00:20:34.928 --> 00:20:37.769 That's what saves us. 00:20:37.769 --> 00:20:40.840 We never manage to do enough. 00:20:40.840 --> 00:20:42.407 We never do. 00:20:42.407 --> 00:20:45.194 Because of ego and pride 00:20:45.194 --> 00:20:47.047 and self-pity, 00:20:47.047 --> 00:20:50.064 and all the things that spoil our lives 00:20:50.064 --> 00:20:51.184 in this world. 00:20:51.184 --> 00:20:53.935 I've never prayed a sinner's prayer. 00:20:53.935 --> 00:20:57.208 I've never done a zealous action. 00:20:57.208 --> 00:21:00.710 I need at the end of every day to say, 00:21:00.710 --> 00:21:03.337 "Sorry, Lord, about today." 00:21:03.337 --> 00:21:06.433 "Forgive another day, Lord." 00:21:06.433 --> 00:21:09.853 My best things - I have to say that. 00:21:09.853 --> 00:21:12.515 We are saved by the achievement 00:21:12.515 --> 00:21:14.037 of Somebody else 00:21:14.037 --> 00:21:18.182 who never had to say "sorry" at the end of every day. 00:21:18.182 --> 00:21:19.905 The lovely beauty... 00:21:19.905 --> 00:21:22.685 holy, harmless, undefiled, 00:21:22.685 --> 00:21:24.067 separate from sinners, 00:21:24.067 --> 00:21:25.892 higher than the heavens - 00:21:25.892 --> 00:21:28.845 this is the extraordinary life 00:21:28.845 --> 00:21:31.204 of the Man Christ Jesus. 00:21:31.204 --> 00:21:34.311 The Son of God. 00:21:34.311 --> 00:21:38.886 Saved by what He did. NOTE Paragraph 00:21:38.886 --> 00:21:41.115 Christmas comes and then we have 00:21:41.115 --> 00:21:43.972 "The Sound of Music." 00:21:43.972 --> 00:21:47.871 All those lovely songs. 00:21:47.871 --> 00:21:54.696 Maria, in the end, the stern grieving widower - 00:21:54.696 --> 00:21:58.324 the Captain - he collapses before her 00:21:58.324 --> 00:22:01.547 and wants to marry her. 00:22:01.547 --> 00:22:02.993 And she can't get over it. 00:22:02.993 --> 00:22:04.627 She is just amazed. 00:22:04.627 --> 00:22:07.014 She's just a simple peasant girl. 00:22:07.014 --> 00:22:11.697 Got a good voice. 00:22:11.697 --> 00:22:14.028 There she is. 00:22:14.028 --> 00:22:15.721 And so she sings then. 00:22:15.721 --> 00:22:17.559 She's puzzling over why is it 00:22:17.559 --> 00:22:20.496 that God has allowed this fellow 00:22:20.496 --> 00:22:22.773 to fall in love with her. 00:22:22.773 --> 00:22:25.485 And she sings, and you remember what she sings? 00:22:25.485 --> 00:22:28.877 She sings, "somewhere in my youth or childhood, 00:22:28.877 --> 00:22:32.952 I must have done something good." 00:22:32.952 --> 00:22:36.326 That's what she says, doesn't she? 00:22:36.326 --> 00:22:38.245 I helped an old lady over the road. 00:22:38.245 --> 00:22:39.858 I was kind to my parents. 00:22:39.858 --> 00:22:41.995 I wasn't nasty to animals. 00:22:41.995 --> 00:22:44.149 I was patient with people. 00:22:44.149 --> 00:22:57.726 God saw all that and so He gave me this rich dude. 00:22:57.726 --> 00:22:59.292 I have three daughters, 00:22:59.292 --> 00:23:02.149 and my youngest - she was born 00:23:02.149 --> 00:23:05.331 with a silver spoon in her mouth. 00:23:05.331 --> 00:23:07.604 So it all works out for her. 00:23:07.604 --> 00:23:12.504 She passes, goes to university, 00:23:12.504 --> 00:23:14.900 meets Glenn - a lovely fellow - 00:23:14.900 --> 00:23:16.034 marries him, 00:23:16.034 --> 00:23:17.711 gets a job as a teacher, 00:23:17.711 --> 00:23:20.475 has three children. 00:23:20.475 --> 00:23:22.531 She tells me the next thing. 00:23:22.531 --> 00:23:26.241 I say, "How is it that everything seems 00:23:26.241 --> 00:23:29.676 to happen to you like this?" 00:23:29.676 --> 00:23:34.038 She says, "Somewhere in my youth or childhood, 00:23:34.038 --> 00:23:36.530 I must have done something good." 00:23:36.530 --> 00:23:40.928 She knows it's a heresy. 00:23:40.928 --> 00:23:47.053 And she likes to tease her old man about it, doesn't she? NOTE Paragraph 00:23:47.053 --> 00:23:49.754 Now the Christian doesn't think like that. 00:23:49.754 --> 00:23:51.786 We don't think like that at all. 00:23:51.786 --> 00:23:52.867 The Christian says 00:23:52.867 --> 00:23:56.486 because of everything that Jesus Christ did, 00:23:56.486 --> 00:23:58.649 God has blessed me. 00:23:58.649 --> 00:24:01.548 Oh, what wonderful blessings! 00:24:01.548 --> 00:24:05.079 I've got Him. His mercies are new every morning! 00:24:05.079 --> 00:24:07.735 His faithfulness - it's immeasurable. 00:24:07.735 --> 00:24:11.279 You can't see the east or west of it. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:15.896 How kind, how good, how patient He is with me. 00:24:15.896 --> 00:24:18.415 He's forgiven all my sins. 00:24:18.415 --> 00:24:23.449 And so a Christian has someone to believe in. 00:24:23.449 --> 00:24:29.502 We want to believe in such a Savior, don't we? 00:24:29.502 --> 00:24:31.898 I am trusting Thee, Lord Jesus, 00:24:31.898 --> 00:24:33.211 trusting only Thee. 00:24:33.211 --> 00:24:36.131 Trusting Thee for full salvation, 00:24:36.131 --> 00:24:38.299 great and free. 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:41.417 That's the response to this amazing love, 00:24:41.417 --> 00:24:47.101 that Jesus had seen the file on us. 00:24:47.101 --> 00:24:48.563 He'd seen it. He knew. 00:24:48.563 --> 00:24:50.145 He knew about everything. 00:24:50.145 --> 00:24:51.598 The things done in darkness. 00:24:51.598 --> 00:24:54.421 The things that God has veiled from those who know us best, 00:24:54.421 --> 00:24:56.075 that we're so ashamed of. 00:24:56.075 --> 00:24:58.166 He still loved us. 00:24:58.166 --> 00:24:59.358 He still loved us. 00:24:59.358 --> 00:25:05.803 We're joined to Him by saving faith. NOTE Paragraph 00:25:05.803 --> 00:25:09.319 Well now, who are you going to believe in 00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:14.607 if you say no to my Savior again tonight? 00:25:14.607 --> 00:25:18.398 Who are you going to trust in? 00:25:18.398 --> 00:25:21.312 It can't be Hollywood, 00:25:21.312 --> 00:25:25.083 after all the ugly disclosures. 00:25:25.083 --> 00:25:27.394 The foundations have gone there. 00:25:27.394 --> 00:25:30.250 That's hollow and ugly. 00:25:30.250 --> 00:25:32.057 Sportsmen? 00:25:32.057 --> 00:25:35.956 What figures are there? 00:25:35.956 --> 00:25:37.350 Philosophers? 00:25:37.350 --> 00:25:40.239 Writers? 00:25:40.239 --> 00:25:45.747 If you reject my Savior Jesus Christ, 00:25:45.747 --> 00:25:48.363 who have you got to look into 00:25:48.363 --> 00:25:51.668 when you get married? 00:25:51.668 --> 00:25:54.312 When you get children and they're sick? 00:25:54.312 --> 00:25:56.744 When you've got bills to pay? 00:25:56.744 --> 00:25:58.353 And you're getting older? 00:25:58.353 --> 00:26:02.769 And the grandchildren are quite demanding too? 00:26:02.769 --> 00:26:04.347 You're getting nearer death. 00:26:04.347 --> 00:26:06.740 Who have you got? 00:26:06.740 --> 00:26:11.700 Who do you have if you say no to Jesus Christ? 00:26:11.700 --> 00:26:14.435 Who have you got? 00:26:14.435 --> 00:26:17.159 Look, there's this wonderful privilege. 00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:19.959 A Christian has Someone 00:26:19.959 --> 00:26:23.593 to believe right into; to trust. 00:26:23.593 --> 00:26:28.627 He can rely on Him completely. NOTE Paragraph 00:26:28.627 --> 00:26:31.948 And the second great privilege that a Christian has here: 00:26:31.948 --> 00:26:33.888 A Christian has Someone to love. 00:26:33.888 --> 00:26:37.501 Verse 8: "Whom having not seen, you love." 00:26:37.501 --> 00:26:39.641 And it's the same illustration I use again 00:26:39.641 --> 00:26:46.527 about your grandmother. 00:26:46.527 --> 00:26:48.501 Mom takes you upstairs 00:26:48.501 --> 00:26:50.285 and she puts you in bed. 00:26:50.285 --> 00:26:52.124 And you say, "Tell me a story, Mom." 00:26:52.124 --> 00:26:53.827 She says, "Oh, it's late tonight." 00:26:53.827 --> 00:26:57.521 "Tell me about Nana. Tell me about Nana." 00:26:57.521 --> 00:27:01.411 "Oh please... please, Mommy. 00:27:01.411 --> 00:27:07.030 Please tell me about Nana and the cows." 00:27:07.030 --> 00:27:08.931 "Oh, you've heard that story..." 00:27:08.931 --> 00:27:10.283 "Tell me, Mommy." 00:27:10.283 --> 00:27:12.197 So, she starts to tell you how 00:27:12.197 --> 00:27:14.397 she went blackberry picking with jars 00:27:14.397 --> 00:27:16.719 in a field and you were picking, 00:27:16.719 --> 00:27:18.354 and the cows got very curious 00:27:18.354 --> 00:27:20.872 and they all started to come nearer and nearer, 00:27:20.872 --> 00:27:23.288 and then they started getting a bit faster. 00:27:23.288 --> 00:27:28.025 And how your mother got a bit frightened as they came. 00:27:28.025 --> 00:27:30.351 And she picked her up then - 00:27:30.351 --> 00:27:32.245 her daughter, your mother - 00:27:32.245 --> 00:27:33.970 carried her over the stream 00:27:33.970 --> 00:27:35.410 and dropped her over the wall 00:27:35.410 --> 00:27:37.475 and clambered over the wall. 00:27:37.475 --> 00:27:42.648 The cows all came. 00:27:42.648 --> 00:27:48.274 And looked at her. Looked at your mother. 00:27:48.274 --> 00:27:50.785 You love the story. 00:27:50.785 --> 00:27:52.331 And when your mother tells it, 00:27:52.331 --> 00:27:57.308 you know, her eyes are filled with tears 00:27:57.308 --> 00:28:00.222 as she remembers that wonderful person 00:28:00.222 --> 00:28:01.871 who loved her. 00:28:01.871 --> 00:28:05.186 And you love her. 00:28:05.186 --> 00:28:07.414 You love her, though you never saw her, 00:28:07.414 --> 00:28:09.930 you love her because your mother 00:28:09.930 --> 00:28:13.396 whom you just adore - 00:28:13.396 --> 00:28:15.943 your mother loved her 00:28:15.943 --> 00:28:19.706 and owed her so much. NOTE Paragraph 00:28:19.706 --> 00:28:22.914 When you read a great biography 00:28:22.914 --> 00:28:30.314 of Lloyd-Jones or Spurgeon, 00:28:30.314 --> 00:28:34.866 in the end, you love these people. 00:28:34.866 --> 00:28:37.038 You love them. 00:28:37.038 --> 00:28:38.531 You don't want it to end. 00:28:38.531 --> 00:28:41.083 You start to read a few pages less 00:28:41.083 --> 00:28:43.047 because you don't want it to end. 00:28:43.047 --> 00:28:46.033 You're so filled with admiration 00:28:46.033 --> 00:28:47.407 that the world has seen 00:28:47.407 --> 00:29:00.402 so terrific a person as some of these people are. NOTE Paragraph 00:29:00.402 --> 00:29:04.021 Peter tells us what he'd seen. 00:29:04.021 --> 00:29:05.641 He told them. 00:29:05.641 --> 00:29:07.182 We went into the room together. 00:29:07.182 --> 00:29:11.429 It was just James and John and I. 00:29:11.429 --> 00:29:13.617 There were some others there - 00:29:13.617 --> 00:29:16.542 Jairus and his wife, 00:29:16.542 --> 00:29:19.746 and there was just the little girl and Jesus. 00:29:19.746 --> 00:29:21.832 There were seven of us in the room. 00:29:21.832 --> 00:29:23.981 They're all spellbound and they listen. 00:29:23.981 --> 00:29:25.328 They know the story, 00:29:25.328 --> 00:29:28.013 but oh, they love to hear it again. 00:29:28.013 --> 00:29:29.490 And He went over to the bed 00:29:29.490 --> 00:29:31.032 and He held her by the hand - 00:29:31.032 --> 00:29:32.719 her cold, dead hand. 00:29:32.719 --> 00:29:35.334 And He said to her, 00:29:35.334 --> 00:29:38.747 "Talitha cumi." 00:29:38.747 --> 00:29:41.684 I am sorry, that's our language - 00:29:41.684 --> 00:29:45.521 it's Aramaic. 00:29:45.521 --> 00:29:49.238 I just see it so vividly in my mind. 00:29:49.238 --> 00:29:51.254 My mother said it to me 00:29:51.254 --> 00:29:55.157 when I was a boy by Galilee. 00:29:55.157 --> 00:29:57.500 My mother would wake me up in the afternoon. 00:29:57.500 --> 00:30:00.299 She normally would just sleep throughout all the afternoon. 00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:02.782 I wouldn't sleep at night. Talitha cumi, she'd say. 00:30:02.782 --> 00:30:08.109 Get up, now, get up. 00:30:08.109 --> 00:30:10.597 And you build up this picture. 00:30:10.597 --> 00:30:12.762 And it's a wonderful picture. 00:30:12.762 --> 00:30:14.242 And you start to love - 00:30:14.242 --> 00:30:16.004 not only believe in Him - 00:30:16.004 --> 00:30:19.677 but to love this Man. 00:30:19.677 --> 00:30:24.047 He's pure gold. 00:30:24.047 --> 00:30:26.229 He's so approachable. 00:30:26.229 --> 00:30:27.657 Women absolutely trust Him. 00:30:27.657 --> 00:30:29.201 They bring their little children 00:30:29.201 --> 00:30:30.930 and they give them to Him 00:30:30.930 --> 00:30:32.549 for Him to hold, 00:30:32.549 --> 00:30:39.200 and He prays God's blessing on them. 00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:42.106 And that comes, not because 00:30:42.106 --> 00:30:44.981 they'd actually seen Jesus - 00:30:44.981 --> 00:30:46.638 because the Pharisees saw Him, 00:30:46.638 --> 00:30:49.495 and they saw Him raise Lazarus 00:30:49.495 --> 00:30:50.552 from the dead. 00:30:50.552 --> 00:30:53.626 That didn't make them Christians - seeing Jesus. 00:30:53.626 --> 00:30:56.311 If Jesus came back today, 00:30:56.311 --> 00:30:57.572 you might think, 00:30:57.572 --> 00:30:59.043 oh, I'd believe in Him then. 00:30:59.043 --> 00:31:01.218 No, you wouldn't. 00:31:01.218 --> 00:31:06.783 There's a real coldness in your heart towards Him 00:31:06.783 --> 00:31:09.557 about having Him as your Lord, 00:31:09.557 --> 00:31:14.418 to serve Him for the rest of your days. 00:31:14.418 --> 00:31:15.792 You always have an excuse. 00:31:15.792 --> 00:31:20.803 It's always so inconvenient just now, isn't it? 00:31:20.803 --> 00:31:24.441 Just never quite the convenient time 00:31:24.441 --> 00:31:26.642 to be trusting in Jesus Christ 00:31:26.642 --> 00:31:28.089 and repenting of your sin 00:31:28.089 --> 00:31:31.313 and starting to follow Him. 00:31:31.313 --> 00:31:35.162 You need a work in your heart. 00:31:35.162 --> 00:31:37.092 Jesus calls it the drawing. 00:31:37.092 --> 00:31:40.280 The drawing out 00:31:40.280 --> 00:31:42.522 of the poison of unbelief; 00:31:42.522 --> 00:31:44.884 the drawing of new affections 00:31:44.884 --> 00:31:49.021 for Jesus Christ. 00:31:49.021 --> 00:31:50.404 "No one can come to Me, 00:31:50.404 --> 00:31:55.164 except the Father who sent Me draw him." 00:31:55.164 --> 00:31:57.648 You need to be drawn. 00:31:57.648 --> 00:32:01.543 It's not just the physical sight, 00:32:01.543 --> 00:32:04.586 but the drawing of love. 00:32:04.586 --> 00:32:07.146 He wraps cords of love around you, 00:32:07.146 --> 00:32:08.584 in a meeting like this, 00:32:08.584 --> 00:32:11.941 and He starts to pull you to Himself 00:32:11.941 --> 00:32:13.981 out of your unbelief. 00:32:13.981 --> 00:32:16.038 He's just tugging you saying, 00:32:16.038 --> 00:32:18.266 "I'm saying this to you. 00:32:18.266 --> 00:32:21.864 That's why I sent the man from Wales there. 00:32:21.864 --> 00:32:23.596 That's why I brought you here 00:32:23.596 --> 00:32:28.464 that you might know this Jesus for yourself, 00:32:28.464 --> 00:32:30.791 and that you might love Him." 00:32:30.791 --> 00:32:32.253 And we do love Him. NOTE Paragraph 00:32:32.253 --> 00:32:33.361 Now when I say that, 00:32:33.361 --> 00:32:35.463 everybody here's who's a Christian feels: 00:32:35.463 --> 00:32:39.323 Oh, I wish I did love Him more. 00:32:39.323 --> 00:32:40.890 Oh, it's my chief complaint 00:32:40.890 --> 00:32:46.377 that my love is cold and weak and faint. 00:32:46.377 --> 00:32:49.589 I'm sorry that I don't love Jesus more. 00:32:49.589 --> 00:32:52.415 Every Christian - the most mature Christian here 00:32:52.415 --> 00:32:55.498 and the youngest Christian is saying that just now. 00:32:55.498 --> 00:32:58.240 When I say, we do love Him. 00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:02.211 We say, but I do love Him. 00:33:02.211 --> 00:33:04.101 I do love Him. 00:33:04.101 --> 00:33:07.541 I love the Lord. 00:33:07.541 --> 00:33:12.017 Oh, for grace to love Him more. 00:33:12.017 --> 00:33:13.108 That's what we feel. 00:33:13.108 --> 00:33:20.367 And every one of us is feeling that. 00:33:20.367 --> 00:33:24.041 Sometimes we feel if we had a better preacher 00:33:24.041 --> 00:33:25.708 we'd love Him more. 00:33:25.708 --> 00:33:30.616 Well, we always want to blame something out there, 00:33:30.616 --> 00:33:33.091 and the trouble is in here, isn't it? NOTE Paragraph 00:33:33.091 --> 00:33:36.159 There was the great preacher Isaiah, 00:33:36.159 --> 00:33:37.691 and he was preaching - 00:33:37.691 --> 00:33:41.506 what poetry, what passion, what pathos! 00:33:41.506 --> 00:33:44.379 The greatest of all the writing prophets. 00:33:44.379 --> 00:33:46.596 And there he is and he was preaching to them 00:33:46.596 --> 00:33:49.262 and telling them of the Messiah who would come. 00:33:49.262 --> 00:33:51.323 "All we like sheep have gone astray. 00:33:51.323 --> 00:33:53.235 We've turned everyone to his own way, 00:33:53.235 --> 00:33:55.405 and the Lord has laid on Him 00:33:55.405 --> 00:33:58.125 the iniquity of us all," he told them. 00:33:58.125 --> 00:33:59.619 They didn't understand. 00:33:59.619 --> 00:34:02.341 It was to them as if he was getting excited 00:34:02.341 --> 00:34:07.006 about a branch of bleached wood 00:34:07.006 --> 00:34:09.579 blown by the wind in the desert. 00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:11.637 A root out of dry ground. 00:34:11.637 --> 00:34:15.061 There was no beauty that they desired him. 00:34:15.061 --> 00:34:20.853 And he says, who has believed our report? 00:34:20.853 --> 00:34:23.477 To whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? 00:34:23.477 --> 00:34:28.598 And he's talking about a touch from heaven. 00:34:28.598 --> 00:34:32.302 You've got to have a touch from heaven. 00:34:32.302 --> 00:34:34.395 It's no good my laying hands on you. 00:34:34.395 --> 00:34:37.871 You don't want a touch from a Welshman. 00:34:37.871 --> 00:34:41.147 But oh, you do need the touch of God. 00:34:41.147 --> 00:34:43.532 Oh, you must have that. 00:34:43.532 --> 00:34:46.386 And you must be in your praying say, 00:34:46.386 --> 00:34:48.089 "Lord, touch me." 00:34:48.089 --> 00:34:53.334 "Lord, don't let me go away untouched." 00:34:53.334 --> 00:34:56.165 A Christian, then, is someone 00:34:56.165 --> 00:34:59.033 who has Someone to believe in, 00:34:59.033 --> 00:35:08.128 and Someone he loves. NOTE Paragraph 00:35:08.128 --> 00:35:09.998 My mother was converted 00:35:09.998 --> 00:35:12.550 through the influence of an uncle - 00:35:12.550 --> 00:35:14.718 my grandmother's brother - Uncle Oliver, 00:35:14.718 --> 00:35:17.644 who was converted in the 1904 revival. 00:35:17.644 --> 00:35:20.624 Well, he couldn't go anywhere - 00:35:20.624 --> 00:35:22.208 he'd see a crowd of people, 00:35:22.208 --> 00:35:25.174 he'd speak to them. 00:35:25.174 --> 00:35:28.749 And he'd carry a text around town. 00:35:28.749 --> 00:35:30.186 He had children's meetings. 00:35:30.186 --> 00:35:31.531 And he's see my mother then 00:35:31.531 --> 00:35:35.340 for years afterwards and he'd just say to her, 00:35:35.340 --> 00:35:37.881 "Do you love Him, Bess?" 00:35:37.881 --> 00:35:39.707 "Do you love Him?" 00:35:39.707 --> 00:35:42.044 Because in the simple way 00:35:42.044 --> 00:35:44.216 sometime during the first World War 00:35:44.216 --> 00:35:45.923 in 1917 or 1918, 00:35:45.923 --> 00:35:50.360 she'd given her heart to Jesus Christ. 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:53.020 That had immense influence over me 00:35:53.020 --> 00:35:57.103 twenty years later. 00:35:57.103 --> 00:36:01.479 She sung hymns to do every chore. 00:36:01.479 --> 00:36:03.606 When she vacuumed and when she washed 00:36:03.606 --> 00:36:05.518 and she cooked and she dusted, 00:36:05.518 --> 00:36:06.772 she would be singing, 00:36:06.772 --> 00:36:09.912 "How sweet the name of Jesus sounds..." 00:36:09.912 --> 00:36:11.882 "O, for a thousand tongues..." 00:36:11.882 --> 00:36:13.917 My friend Brian - my best friend - 00:36:13.917 --> 00:36:15.949 he said to me when we were about 15, 00:36:15.949 --> 00:36:20.749 he said to me, "Your mother's remarkable, isn't she?" 00:36:20.749 --> 00:36:25.337 I said, "Yes?" 00:36:25.337 --> 00:36:29.575 He said, "The way she sings hymns..." 00:36:29.575 --> 00:36:34.337 I thought, oh, his mother doesn't sing hymns. 00:36:34.337 --> 00:36:41.058 I thought every mother sung hymns. NOTE Paragraph 00:36:41.058 --> 00:36:43.095 Do you love Him? 00:36:43.095 --> 00:36:44.367 Do you love Him? 00:36:44.367 --> 00:36:49.552 That's the great challenge, isn't it? 00:36:49.552 --> 00:36:52.051 Why do we love Him? 00:36:52.051 --> 00:36:55.822 Why is it impossible for us to stop loving Him? 00:36:55.822 --> 00:36:59.165 Well, because of His teachings. 00:36:59.165 --> 00:37:02.250 When it was said His disciples came unto Him, 00:37:02.250 --> 00:37:04.317 and He opened His mouth and He taught them 00:37:04.317 --> 00:37:07.102 saying, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, 00:37:07.102 --> 00:37:08.760 theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 00:37:08.760 --> 00:37:10.164 Blessed are they that mourn, 00:37:10.164 --> 00:37:11.900 for they shall be comforted. 00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:14.531 Blessed are are the pure in heart, they shall see God. 00:37:14.531 --> 00:37:17.543 Blessed are the meek, they shall inherit the earth. 00:37:17.543 --> 00:37:21.320 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, 00:37:21.320 --> 00:37:24.559 for they shall be filled." 00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:28.343 William Shakespeare never said anything as wonderful as that. 00:37:28.343 --> 00:37:30.866 Charles Dickens? Never. 00:37:30.866 --> 00:37:32.390 All the great American writers, 00:37:32.390 --> 00:37:35.427 European writers, Tolstoy - 00:37:35.427 --> 00:37:36.851 they didn't say anything 00:37:36.851 --> 00:37:40.471 as wonderful as Jesus. 00:37:40.471 --> 00:37:50.612 Sometimes, you know, we read the Bible 00:37:50.612 --> 00:37:52.571 and it's wonderful. 00:37:52.571 --> 00:37:55.825 The Word of God. 00:37:55.825 --> 00:38:01.489 The words of Jesus - wonderful words of life. 00:38:01.489 --> 00:38:03.995 We have them. 00:38:03.995 --> 00:38:06.911 We love His teaching. 00:38:06.911 --> 00:38:10.582 We love His tenderness. 00:38:10.582 --> 00:38:13.503 We love the way He saw the dirty feet, 00:38:13.503 --> 00:38:15.413 and He did something about it. 00:38:15.413 --> 00:38:17.459 He took the basin of water 00:38:17.459 --> 00:38:19.969 and the towel, 00:38:19.969 --> 00:38:23.606 and He washed 24 feet. 00:38:23.606 --> 00:38:25.577 He got the donkey dung off them, 00:38:25.577 --> 00:38:27.336 dried them. 00:38:27.336 --> 00:38:31.030 They sat around in embarrassment 00:38:31.030 --> 00:38:32.805 as He humbled Himself. 00:38:32.805 --> 00:38:34.893 What a Man! 00:38:34.893 --> 00:38:36.775 He had so much on His mind then, 00:38:36.775 --> 00:38:38.122 and He did that. 00:38:38.122 --> 00:38:40.112 He loved His neighbor as Himself. 00:38:40.112 --> 00:38:44.703 How wonderful... 00:38:44.703 --> 00:38:46.516 We love Him when they drove nails 00:38:46.516 --> 00:38:49.122 through His hands and feet. 00:38:49.122 --> 00:38:53.501 He didn't say, "You wait till My Father gets you!" 00:38:53.501 --> 00:38:57.241 He said, "Father, forgive them. 00:38:57.241 --> 00:39:01.250 They don't know what they're doing." 00:39:01.250 --> 00:39:03.254 We love Him, don't we? 00:39:03.254 --> 00:39:05.573 We love the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:39:05.573 --> 00:39:10.544 We love the way He died for us. NOTE Paragraph 00:39:10.544 --> 00:39:12.855 You know what happened a week ago today 00:39:12.855 --> 00:39:15.472 in Carcassonne, in France? 00:39:15.472 --> 00:39:17.469 And we know about it because 00:39:17.469 --> 00:39:22.414 one of my former students, Elizabeth - 00:39:22.414 --> 00:39:25.494 she's living there now. 00:39:25.494 --> 00:39:27.944 She came to faith in the church 00:39:27.944 --> 00:39:33.753 my son-in-law pastors in London. 00:39:33.753 --> 00:39:35.263 She was baptized by him, 00:39:35.263 --> 00:39:38.095 and she came and studied art in Aberystwyth 00:39:38.095 --> 00:39:39.736 and got first. 00:39:39.736 --> 00:39:41.804 And she met Hisham, 00:39:41.804 --> 00:39:44.722 and Hisham is an Arab. 00:39:44.722 --> 00:39:47.780 His father in Tunisia is an Imam. 00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:49.888 And through the testimony of his brother, 00:39:49.888 --> 00:39:51.220 he came to faith. 00:39:51.220 --> 00:39:53.191 And oh, he made such progress 00:39:53.191 --> 00:39:55.331 and such growth. 00:39:55.331 --> 00:39:58.181 And they live in Carcassonne. 00:39:58.181 --> 00:39:59.884 He's the pastor of a church there, 00:39:59.884 --> 00:40:05.641 and she's expecting their sixth child. 00:40:05.641 --> 00:40:08.060 And last Friday, a week ago today, 00:40:08.060 --> 00:40:11.604 an Islamic terrorist went into the supermarket 00:40:11.604 --> 00:40:15.180 and started killing people. 00:40:15.180 --> 00:40:19.847 And then he took the check-out girl Julie hostage. 00:40:19.847 --> 00:40:23.028 The police arrived. 00:40:23.028 --> 00:40:25.848 There was a very brave, wonderful policeman, 00:40:25.848 --> 00:40:29.369 Arnaud Beltrame. 00:40:29.369 --> 00:40:37.246 And he went up unarmed and he said, 00:40:37.246 --> 00:40:41.454 "Let her go and I'll come instead of her." 00:40:41.454 --> 00:40:45.619 Oh, the terrorist was very pleased to get a policeman. 00:40:45.619 --> 00:40:51.137 And she came out and he went in. 00:40:51.137 --> 00:40:55.644 And he cut his throat and shot him dead. 00:40:55.644 --> 00:40:58.077 And the marines went in and there was a gunfight. 00:40:58.077 --> 00:41:00.772 And the terrorist was killed. 00:41:00.772 --> 00:41:03.882 A week today. 00:41:03.889 --> 00:41:07.849 And Julie, this check-out girl, 00:41:07.849 --> 00:41:11.984 they talked to her afterwards and she said, 00:41:11.984 --> 00:41:16.688 "He gave his life for me. 00:41:16.688 --> 00:41:26.512 He had himself killed so that I could live." 00:41:26.512 --> 00:41:29.282 Now, what does a Christian congregation do? 00:41:29.282 --> 00:41:31.752 Well, they are active. 00:41:31.752 --> 00:41:34.901 They go around the supermarket the next day 00:41:34.901 --> 00:41:37.196 in the area where this terrorist grew up, 00:41:37.196 --> 00:41:40.371 and they gave out a special leaflet that he's written - 00:41:40.371 --> 00:41:44.423 a little booklet called "Are We in War?" 00:41:44.423 --> 00:41:48.026 And last night then, they hired the local cinema, 00:41:48.026 --> 00:41:52.521 and the cinema people dropped the movie 00:41:52.521 --> 00:41:54.567 and they showed then the film, 00:41:54.567 --> 00:41:55.720 "The Case for Christ," 00:41:55.720 --> 00:41:57.928 the story of Lee Strobel's journey 00:41:57.928 --> 00:41:59.691 from atheism to living faith. 00:41:59.691 --> 00:42:01.534 And they had a book table out, 00:42:01.534 --> 00:42:03.324 and it was full of French Bibles 00:42:03.324 --> 00:42:04.820 and tracts and leaflets. 00:42:04.820 --> 00:42:06.148 Everyone went. 00:42:06.148 --> 00:42:09.582 170 people tried to get into a room 00:42:09.582 --> 00:42:19.455 with 150 chairs last night. 00:42:19.455 --> 00:42:26.283 They wrote to me this morning about it. NOTE Paragraph 00:42:26.283 --> 00:42:32.383 We love Him because He gave His life. 00:42:32.383 --> 00:42:35.649 He gave His life - a hard life. 00:42:35.649 --> 00:42:37.821 Not a trashy life. 00:42:37.821 --> 00:42:40.214 This beautiful, perfect life. 00:42:40.214 --> 00:42:42.894 And He gave it as the Lamb of God 00:42:42.894 --> 00:42:45.041 without spot and without blemish. 00:42:45.041 --> 00:42:48.242 He gave it in sacrifice, 00:42:48.242 --> 00:42:54.360 because that is how God is. 00:42:54.360 --> 00:42:56.570 That is the nature of God 00:42:56.570 --> 00:42:58.996 that without the shedding of blood, 00:42:58.996 --> 00:43:00.116 there's no remission; 00:43:00.116 --> 00:43:01.638 there's no forgiveness. 00:43:01.638 --> 00:43:04.187 God demands a lamb. 00:43:04.187 --> 00:43:05.992 God provides a Lamb. 00:43:05.992 --> 00:43:08.414 God becomes the Lamb. 00:43:08.414 --> 00:43:10.435 He finds the Lamb in His own heart; 00:43:10.435 --> 00:43:11.792 in His own bosom, 00:43:11.792 --> 00:43:16.193 and He gives Him - His own dear Son. 00:43:16.193 --> 00:43:20.826 He died for me. 00:43:20.826 --> 00:43:24.015 He gave His life that I might live. 00:43:24.015 --> 00:43:27.677 We love Him. NOTE Paragraph 00:43:27.677 --> 00:43:32.363 Well, now, if you say no to my Savior again, 00:43:32.363 --> 00:43:34.674 who have you got to love? 00:43:34.674 --> 00:43:37.499 Who do you have? 00:43:37.499 --> 00:43:40.852 Who is there? 00:43:40.852 --> 00:43:43.268 A couple of years ago, 00:43:43.268 --> 00:43:46.684 we finished our lunch. 00:43:46.684 --> 00:43:49.145 The children went next door 00:43:49.145 --> 00:43:50.985 where the TV set is 00:43:50.985 --> 00:43:55.485 and where they do this sort of thing. 00:43:55.485 --> 00:43:59.185 We had coffee and shortbread cookies. 00:43:59.185 --> 00:44:01.041 There was a bit of a silence. 00:44:01.041 --> 00:44:03.138 Glenn then said, 00:44:03.138 --> 00:44:07.340 "If there was some great figure, 00:44:07.340 --> 00:44:09.882 some great leader in the world today 00:44:09.882 --> 00:44:12.458 you'd like to meet, 00:44:12.458 --> 00:44:14.834 who would it be?" 00:44:14.834 --> 00:44:18.964 Well, now, that is a conversation stopper. 00:44:18.964 --> 00:44:21.771 And we waited and we thought. 00:44:21.771 --> 00:44:26.284 Britain and our politicians and Europe 00:44:26.284 --> 00:44:29.441 and Asia, India, China, 00:44:29.441 --> 00:44:35.173 Africa, the America's. 00:44:35.173 --> 00:44:37.880 Now we can thank God that there are 00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:41.017 some governors and congressman, 00:44:41.017 --> 00:44:44.976 vice-presidents - 00:44:44.976 --> 00:44:49.593 we'd like to meet them. 00:44:49.593 --> 00:44:51.519 We were silent and then my wife said, 00:44:51.519 --> 00:44:53.349 "Nelson Mandela. 00:44:53.349 --> 00:44:56.006 I'd like to meet Nelson Mandela." 00:44:56.006 --> 00:45:01.807 Yeah, that would be typical of some men. 00:45:01.807 --> 00:45:07.227 But, my friends, if you're going to reject Jesus Christ, 00:45:07.227 --> 00:45:09.063 whose picture are you going to put up? 00:45:09.063 --> 00:45:11.309 Whose books, whose speeches, 00:45:11.309 --> 00:45:13.660 who will travel to listen to? 00:45:13.660 --> 00:45:15.003 I've got someone now. 00:45:15.003 --> 00:45:17.627 I'm going to follow him. 00:45:17.627 --> 00:45:20.218 Here is Someone. 00:45:20.218 --> 00:45:21.549 And you can believe in Him. 00:45:21.549 --> 00:45:22.905 You can trust in Him. 00:45:22.905 --> 00:45:26.552 Here is Someone you can love. NOTE Paragraph 00:45:26.552 --> 00:45:29.181 And thirdly, here is Someone 00:45:29.181 --> 00:45:35.738 who makes us full of joy 00:45:35.738 --> 00:45:41.614 inexpressible and glorious joy, he says. 00:45:41.614 --> 00:45:45.951 Verse 6. 00:45:45.951 --> 00:45:47.720 Now there are times when we weep 00:45:47.720 --> 00:45:50.734 because we are Christians. 00:45:50.734 --> 00:45:53.255 We can break our hearts. 00:45:53.255 --> 00:45:56.914 We can have a grief we don't shrug. 00:45:56.914 --> 00:45:59.452 Things really hurt us. 00:45:59.452 --> 00:46:01.358 And we experience pain. 00:46:01.358 --> 00:46:05.190 I couldn't be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ 00:46:05.190 --> 00:46:10.468 and tell you it's going to be joy all the while. 00:46:10.468 --> 00:46:16.980 There's a joy that seeks us in our pain. 00:46:16.980 --> 00:46:19.647 There's a strength from heaven 00:46:19.647 --> 00:46:24.570 that helps us in our losses and crosses. 00:46:24.570 --> 00:46:36.245 But there's a joy about the Christian life. 00:46:36.245 --> 00:46:43.949 The apostle was caught up to the third heaven. 00:46:43.949 --> 00:46:49.780 We're told that the converted eunuch 00:46:49.780 --> 00:46:51.529 went on his way rejoicing. 00:46:51.529 --> 00:46:53.624 We're told when Philip preached in Samaria 00:46:53.624 --> 00:46:55.101 the place was full of joy. 00:46:55.101 --> 00:46:59.019 He could have said, "full of repentance." 00:46:59.019 --> 00:47:02.073 He could have said the Ethiopian 00:47:02.073 --> 00:47:03.916 went on his way repenting. 00:47:03.916 --> 00:47:08.538 And that's true - or believing. That's of course, true. 00:47:08.538 --> 00:47:12.383 But he says, oh, he was a joyful man 00:47:12.383 --> 00:47:14.368 after he met Christ; 00:47:14.368 --> 00:47:16.035 after he confessed Him. 00:47:16.035 --> 00:47:18.609 There was something in his heart 00:47:18.609 --> 00:47:20.186 that had never been there before. 00:47:20.186 --> 00:47:22.230 There were joy bells ringing 00:47:22.230 --> 00:47:24.483 in his heart. 00:47:24.483 --> 00:47:25.906 His chains had fallen off. 00:47:25.906 --> 00:47:28.236 His heart was free. 00:47:28.236 --> 00:47:31.396 The prison doors were opened. 00:47:31.396 --> 00:47:34.355 He had a liberty that he'd never known before 00:47:34.355 --> 00:47:38.534 in his life that God gives us. 00:47:38.534 --> 00:47:40.167 Such joy. 00:47:40.167 --> 00:47:46.662 It's "joy unspeakable" is the old King James phrase. 00:47:46.662 --> 00:47:48.529 Indescribable. 00:47:48.529 --> 00:47:51.000 How do you describe emotions? 00:47:51.000 --> 00:47:55.073 How do you describe flavors or scents? 00:47:55.073 --> 00:47:56.885 How difficult it is to use words 00:47:56.885 --> 00:47:58.758 to go into another medium? 00:47:58.758 --> 00:48:01.382 And so, he says, oh, I wish 00:48:01.382 --> 00:48:05.250 I could describe this joy to you. 00:48:05.250 --> 00:48:09.158 It's so real! 00:48:09.158 --> 00:48:13.319 It means that my back is bleeding 00:48:13.319 --> 00:48:15.936 and my feet are in stocks. 00:48:15.936 --> 00:48:17.937 No bed - midnight. 00:48:17.937 --> 00:48:20.312 And yet, my friend and I 00:48:20.312 --> 00:48:23.065 can sing together to the Lord. 00:48:23.065 --> 00:48:25.296 And the whole prison can know 00:48:25.296 --> 00:48:28.385 what joy has come into the prison 00:48:28.385 --> 00:48:32.925 because two servants of Jesus Christ are there. 00:48:32.925 --> 00:48:35.472 And it's in pictures like that 00:48:35.472 --> 00:48:39.241 that we begin to see that joy. 00:48:39.241 --> 00:48:42.976 The disciples were full of joy in the Holy Spirit it says. 00:48:42.976 --> 00:48:45.468 That's not saying they were regenerate. 00:48:45.468 --> 00:48:48.743 It's saying much more than that they were regenerate. 00:48:48.743 --> 00:48:54.722 It's saying, ah, Jesus Christ was so real 00:48:54.722 --> 00:48:58.938 and joy-giving to them. 00:48:58.938 --> 00:49:01.251 What a privilege it was 00:49:01.251 --> 00:49:04.019 to be a servant of Jesus Christ. 00:49:04.019 --> 00:49:06.066 What joy! 00:49:06.066 --> 00:49:07.622 It's indescribable. 00:49:07.622 --> 00:49:09.614 And it's full of glory. 00:49:09.614 --> 00:49:11.522 In other words, it's not manufactured. 00:49:11.522 --> 00:49:14.433 It's not change the lights; 00:49:14.433 --> 00:49:17.386 turn the lights down, 00:49:17.386 --> 00:49:19.036 and let's sing and repeat, 00:49:19.036 --> 00:49:20.433 and repeat again, and say, 00:49:20.433 --> 00:49:21.940 "now, won't you come?" 00:49:21.940 --> 00:49:23.577 And a long, long appeal 00:49:23.577 --> 00:49:25.692 just to get people out of their seats. 00:49:25.692 --> 00:49:27.050 I mean, if Jesus was here, 00:49:27.050 --> 00:49:29.176 I'd be telling you all to come to the front, 00:49:29.176 --> 00:49:32.256 but the Word is nigh you. 00:49:32.256 --> 00:49:34.270 You've heard the Word. It's nigh you. 00:49:34.270 --> 00:49:36.289 It's in your heart. It's in your mind. 00:49:36.289 --> 00:49:38.419 The word of faith that I've preached to you, 00:49:38.419 --> 00:49:39.801 it's as close as that. 00:49:39.801 --> 00:49:41.657 That's how close Jesus is. 00:49:41.657 --> 00:49:44.070 You don't need to come to the front. 00:49:44.070 --> 00:49:45.488 He's there. 00:49:45.488 --> 00:49:48.747 He's been speaking to you tonight. 00:49:48.747 --> 00:49:50.933 My Savior. 00:49:50.933 --> 00:49:54.591 Where two or three gather, He's there. 00:49:54.591 --> 00:49:57.302 He's here. 00:49:57.302 --> 00:49:59.735 What a blessed Guest has joined us 00:49:59.735 --> 00:50:05.038 in this conference tonight! 00:50:05.038 --> 00:50:07.155 Joy inexpressible. 00:50:07.155 --> 00:50:08.876 And it's full of glory. 00:50:08.876 --> 00:50:12.199 In other words, it's not human tricksters 00:50:12.199 --> 00:50:14.500 and human psychologists 00:50:14.500 --> 00:50:19.467 and man-manipulators. 00:50:19.467 --> 00:50:23.240 It's God present. 00:50:23.240 --> 00:50:25.029 The glory of God. 00:50:25.029 --> 00:50:28.476 The joy of heaven to earth come down. 00:50:28.476 --> 00:50:30.062 It's that. 00:50:30.062 --> 00:50:37.423 It's God's reality. NOTE Paragraph 00:50:37.423 --> 00:50:40.707 My friends, we live in an age 00:50:40.707 --> 00:50:44.279 where people are crying out 00:50:44.279 --> 00:50:47.254 for happiness, aren't they? 00:50:47.254 --> 00:50:50.244 On Monday morning, there will be 00:50:50.244 --> 00:50:52.256 thousands of people all over America 00:50:52.256 --> 00:50:53.761 going to a doctor and saying, 00:50:53.761 --> 00:50:56.874 "Can you give me a little pill? 00:50:56.874 --> 00:51:00.109 I'm feeling depressed." 00:51:00.109 --> 00:51:01.471 And there will be young people 00:51:01.471 --> 00:51:04.102 with all their life before them. 00:51:04.102 --> 00:51:07.273 It's alcohol and it's drugs. 00:51:07.273 --> 00:51:08.395 Isn't it? 00:51:08.395 --> 00:51:10.869 That's the reality. 00:51:10.869 --> 00:51:14.008 And relationships - 00:51:14.008 --> 00:51:16.213 if you say no to my Savior, 00:51:16.213 --> 00:51:18.064 I'm saying, do you know 00:51:18.064 --> 00:51:20.922 what your future's going to be? 00:51:20.922 --> 00:51:23.210 The ruin of your friends 00:51:23.210 --> 00:51:25.144 and brothers and sisters; 00:51:25.144 --> 00:51:26.528 members of your family. 00:51:26.528 --> 00:51:30.096 The mess they've made of their lives 00:51:30.096 --> 00:51:33.033 because they've kept Jesus at bay; 00:51:33.033 --> 00:51:37.291 arm's length away, not in them. 00:51:37.291 --> 00:51:43.596 Not believing in Him. 00:51:43.596 --> 00:51:45.871 This joy is full of glory. 00:51:45.871 --> 00:51:49.441 It's so pure. It's so heavenly. 00:51:49.441 --> 00:51:53.404 And it doesn't cloy. 00:51:53.404 --> 00:52:00.288 We don't get fed up with it. 00:52:00.288 --> 00:52:03.655 Who are you going to turn to for this joy 00:52:03.655 --> 00:52:06.370 if you reject, again, Jesus Christ? 00:52:06.370 --> 00:52:10.722 Here is Someone - you can trust Him. 00:52:10.722 --> 00:52:12.297 You can love Him. 00:52:12.297 --> 00:52:13.421 He gives you joy. NOTE Paragraph 00:52:13.421 --> 00:52:15.589 And last of all here, 00:52:15.589 --> 00:52:18.368 He helps you achieve your goal in life. 00:52:18.368 --> 00:52:21.778 There's a goal, there's a purpose in life. 00:52:21.778 --> 00:52:22.539 There is. 00:52:22.539 --> 00:52:23.801 You're on this planet. 00:52:23.801 --> 00:52:28.569 You've been given life for a purpose. 00:52:28.569 --> 00:52:30.464 You're receiving the goal; 00:52:30.464 --> 00:52:31.942 the end of your faith - 00:52:31.942 --> 00:52:34.495 the salvation of your souls. 00:52:34.495 --> 00:52:36.668 You've got something 00:52:36.668 --> 00:52:38.389 that will never be taken from you. 00:52:38.389 --> 00:52:40.536 You've got a purpose in life. 00:52:40.536 --> 00:52:42.641 This is a frustrated generation. 00:52:42.641 --> 00:52:44.916 Your friends in school, you know, 00:52:44.916 --> 00:52:47.379 they don't know what life is all about. 00:52:47.379 --> 00:52:50.924 That's why they're trying drugs, isn't it? 00:52:50.924 --> 00:52:52.338 They have a goal, they say, 00:52:52.338 --> 00:52:55.605 I'd like to earn $100,000 a year. 00:52:55.605 --> 00:52:58.227 And then, they get $100,000 00:52:58.227 --> 00:53:00.321 and they grumble about taxes, 00:53:00.321 --> 00:53:06.773 and you can't do much with $100,000 these days. 00:53:06.773 --> 00:53:09.985 It wasn't as sufficient; 00:53:09.985 --> 00:53:14.037 it wasn't a strong enough goal to live for 00:53:14.037 --> 00:53:19.519 for a greenback dollar. 00:53:19.519 --> 00:53:23.229 And then, they never attain the goals 00:53:23.229 --> 00:53:24.428 they set for themselves. 00:53:24.428 --> 00:53:25.940 They're unrealistic. 00:53:25.940 --> 00:53:28.566 And many have no goals at all. 00:53:28.566 --> 00:53:31.316 But Peter says we receive; 00:53:31.316 --> 00:53:33.769 we get... 00:53:33.769 --> 00:53:36.964 We get what we were made for; 00:53:36.964 --> 00:53:38.748 why God made us; 00:53:38.748 --> 00:53:40.575 why He redeemed us; 00:53:40.575 --> 00:53:43.187 what our purpose in life is. 00:53:43.187 --> 00:53:45.582 Man's chief end is to glorify God 00:53:45.582 --> 00:53:47.803 and enjoy Him forever. 00:53:47.803 --> 00:53:49.334 We never do it perfectly. 00:53:49.334 --> 00:53:52.372 We would do it perfectly, 00:53:52.372 --> 00:53:55.822 but we achieve more and more satisfaction 00:53:55.822 --> 00:53:57.235 for the Lord. 00:53:57.235 --> 00:53:59.026 I do it for the Lord. 00:53:59.026 --> 00:54:04.082 Not for me. 00:54:04.082 --> 00:54:05.768 The goal. 00:54:05.768 --> 00:54:07.407 We receive the goal of our life - 00:54:07.407 --> 00:54:08.855 the salvation of our souls. 00:54:08.855 --> 00:54:11.599 That's how it ends, isn't it? 00:54:11.599 --> 00:54:14.543 You're not just a body. 00:54:14.543 --> 00:54:16.765 You are a soul, aren't you? 00:54:16.765 --> 00:54:18.502 You are. 00:54:18.502 --> 00:54:21.193 An animal is just a body. 00:54:21.193 --> 00:54:24.146 I put a jug of water down 00:54:24.146 --> 00:54:25.508 and he'll drink it; 00:54:25.508 --> 00:54:27.549 give him some food and he'll eat it. 00:54:27.549 --> 00:54:29.453 I'll bring a mate and he'll copulate 00:54:29.453 --> 00:54:34.269 because he's just an animal. 00:54:34.269 --> 00:54:39.332 People who aren't aware that they are souls 00:54:39.332 --> 00:54:43.518 resort to the animal dimension of their lives, 00:54:43.518 --> 00:54:45.098 don't they? 00:54:45.098 --> 00:54:50.012 Eating, drinking, copulating. NOTE Paragraph 00:54:50.012 --> 00:54:53.518 I drive up to Aberystwyth - my town of 50 years 00:54:53.518 --> 00:54:55.609 along the cliff tops 00:54:55.609 --> 00:54:57.825 in a road from (unintelligible) 00:54:57.825 --> 00:54:59.070 and there's a view 00:54:59.070 --> 00:55:01.283 that's just particularly moving to me. 00:55:01.283 --> 00:55:04.042 The green grass of a large field 00:55:04.042 --> 00:55:05.528 goes down to the cliffs, 00:55:05.528 --> 00:55:07.521 and then there's the Irish Sea 00:55:07.521 --> 00:55:09.809 and the sun is setting, 00:55:09.809 --> 00:55:13.044 and there are some cows in the field. 00:55:13.044 --> 00:55:14.520 It's a beautiful sight. 00:55:14.520 --> 00:55:16.821 Do I hear one cow saying to the other, 00:55:16.821 --> 00:55:20.205 "Lovely sunset tonight, Blodwyn." 00:55:20.205 --> 00:55:22.123 No, I don't. And the other cow saying, 00:55:22.123 --> 00:55:29.226 "Yes, it is a great sight, isn't it, Gladys?" 00:55:29.226 --> 00:55:31.438 I'd be a vegetarian if cows could 00:55:31.438 --> 00:55:34.763 speak to one another. 00:55:34.763 --> 00:55:35.853 But they can't. 00:55:35.853 --> 00:55:38.718 They just look at the grass; 00:55:38.718 --> 00:55:41.699 at their instincts. That's all. 00:55:41.699 --> 00:55:44.942 They don't see the glory of God. 00:55:44.942 --> 00:55:52.301 They don't see it. NOTE Paragraph 00:55:52.301 --> 00:55:55.054 Your soul is ruined by sin, 00:55:55.054 --> 00:55:56.648 and you're not seeing the power 00:55:56.648 --> 00:56:01.002 and glory of God in this world. 00:56:01.002 --> 00:56:03.486 My Father made it. 00:56:03.486 --> 00:56:05.716 Through Jesus Christ, He made it. 00:56:05.716 --> 00:56:08.023 Without Him was not anything made that was made. 00:56:08.023 --> 00:56:09.420 This is my Father's world. 00:56:09.420 --> 00:56:12.475 This is my Savior's world. 00:56:12.475 --> 00:56:15.059 And that's what your goal is - 00:56:15.059 --> 00:56:16.848 to please Him and honor Him, 00:56:16.848 --> 00:56:18.760 and look forward to being with Him, 00:56:18.760 --> 00:56:21.160 and to a new heavens and a new earth, 00:56:21.160 --> 00:56:24.772 when He will descend 00:56:24.772 --> 00:56:26.848 this groaning universe, 00:56:26.848 --> 00:56:29.993 and there won't be one rogue molecule 00:56:29.993 --> 00:56:32.553 in all the world that doesn't show 00:56:32.553 --> 00:56:35.336 the righteousness of Christ. 00:56:35.336 --> 00:56:37.333 A new heavens and a new earth 00:56:37.333 --> 00:56:40.963 where righteousness dwells. 00:56:40.963 --> 00:56:43.508 I want to be there. 00:56:43.508 --> 00:56:45.869 I want to see that. 00:56:45.869 --> 00:56:48.032 Come with us. 00:56:48.032 --> 00:56:49.481 It will do you good. 00:56:49.481 --> 00:56:51.334 Come with us. 00:56:51.334 --> 00:56:54.253 Don't be in unbelief any longer. 00:56:54.253 --> 00:56:57.819 Don't go on now finding another excuse tonight 00:56:57.819 --> 00:57:04.566 why you're not going to trust in Jesus Christ. 00:57:04.566 --> 00:57:06.482 But you're going to come to Him. NOTE Paragraph 00:57:06.482 --> 00:57:09.712 Now coming to Jesus Christ 00:57:09.712 --> 00:57:13.592 is a movement of your inmost being, 00:57:13.592 --> 00:57:15.473 your heart, your life, 00:57:15.473 --> 00:57:18.705 as the Holy Spirit takes the Word 00:57:18.705 --> 00:57:23.408 that's been preached to you about His Son, 00:57:23.408 --> 00:57:28.205 and He makes you ready 00:57:28.205 --> 00:57:30.816 to saying, 00:57:30.816 --> 00:57:35.251 "I'm not going on any longer in my unbelief." 00:57:35.251 --> 00:57:37.718 "I'm going to turn from it." 00:57:37.718 --> 00:57:40.057 "I'm sorry that it's been so long." 00:57:40.057 --> 00:57:44.427 "I'm sorry that I've had one vain excuse after another." 00:57:44.427 --> 00:57:46.644 "And from now on, 00:57:46.644 --> 00:57:49.446 I'm going to trust in Jesus Christ." 00:57:49.446 --> 00:57:50.733 Now, you've got to say it. 00:57:50.733 --> 00:57:53.905 There's no formula at all. 00:57:53.905 --> 00:57:56.657 But you've got to start speaking 00:57:56.657 --> 00:58:01.248 to Jesus Christ about you and Him. 00:58:01.248 --> 00:58:03.465 Just somewhere quiet. 00:58:03.465 --> 00:58:08.863 Now, of course, we pray. Now. 00:58:08.863 --> 00:58:12.439 But you keep praying 00:58:12.439 --> 00:58:15.989 until you know He's answered you. 00:58:15.989 --> 00:58:18.216 You keep praying until you have 00:58:18.216 --> 00:58:21.903 the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. 00:58:21.903 --> 00:58:23.823 And you'll know. 00:58:23.823 --> 00:58:28.891 You'll know by a peace, a trust, 00:58:28.891 --> 00:58:34.048 a joy, a rest. 00:58:34.048 --> 00:58:36.957 Because He promises that. 00:58:36.957 --> 00:58:39.147 "Come unto Me all ye that labor 00:58:39.147 --> 00:58:40.363 and are heavy laden, 00:58:40.363 --> 00:58:43.138 and I will give you rest." 00:58:43.138 --> 00:58:46.860 Oh, I can cope with a crowd this size, Jesus says. 00:58:46.860 --> 00:58:48.311 If all of Denton comes; 00:58:48.311 --> 00:58:50.745 if all Dallas, if all Texas, 00:58:50.745 --> 00:58:53.138 all get into their cars and buses, 00:58:53.138 --> 00:58:55.626 because Jesus is here. 00:58:55.626 --> 00:58:58.725 I can cope. 00:58:58.725 --> 00:59:03.442 All men with their antagonisms, 00:59:03.442 --> 00:59:05.276 or women with their phobias, 00:59:05.276 --> 00:59:08.385 or children with their anxieties. 00:59:08.385 --> 00:59:11.644 You come. You come. 00:59:11.644 --> 00:59:15.406 You give your heart. You give your life. 00:59:15.406 --> 00:59:17.635 It's just a movement now - 00:59:17.635 --> 00:59:19.480 private movement. 00:59:19.480 --> 00:59:21.634 You begin to talk to Him 00:59:21.634 --> 00:59:23.491 about your future. 00:59:23.491 --> 00:59:28.015 And you say it's unbearable without Him. 00:59:28.015 --> 00:59:30.937 Why you've been away so long - you're sorry. 00:59:30.937 --> 00:59:34.802 And from now on, you're going to follow Him. 00:59:34.802 --> 00:59:36.665 We want you. 00:59:36.665 --> 00:59:40.505 That's why Jesus Christ has brought you here tonight. 00:59:40.505 --> 00:59:41.560 Do you know that? 00:59:41.560 --> 00:59:45.310 That's really the reason. 00:59:45.310 --> 00:59:47.866 That you could have these wonderful privileges - 00:59:47.866 --> 00:59:49.628 Someone to believe in 00:59:49.628 --> 00:59:52.719 and love and give you joy, 00:59:52.719 --> 00:59:57.404 and you have your souls saved. 00:59:57.404 --> 01:00:00.988 And you see the purpose in life. 01:00:00.988 --> 01:00:05.333 I can't understand how anyone 01:00:05.333 --> 01:00:07.553 can hear this offer 01:00:07.553 --> 01:00:11.584 of what the Lord will do for you tonight 01:00:11.584 --> 01:00:17.377 and go away saying "no!" 01:00:17.377 --> 01:00:20.688 How can you do that? 01:00:20.688 --> 01:00:22.084 When He's brought you here 01:00:22.084 --> 01:00:26.120 and He's telling you of His wonderful benefits; 01:00:26.120 --> 01:00:31.539 these wonderful blessings and privileges. 01:00:31.539 --> 01:00:32.680 You come to Him. 01:00:32.680 --> 01:00:34.759 You come to Him just as you are 01:00:34.759 --> 01:00:37.354 to just what He is now: 01:00:37.354 --> 01:00:40.842 this welcoming, loving Savior. 01:00:40.842 --> 01:00:42.915 "He that comes to Me, 01:00:42.915 --> 01:00:45.863 in no way will I cast them out." 01:00:45.863 --> 01:00:47.458 However bad it's been; 01:00:47.458 --> 01:00:49.086 however hypocritical. 01:00:49.086 --> 01:00:51.006 You may be thinking, 01:00:51.006 --> 01:00:54.303 oh, if the people sitting next to me 01:00:54.303 --> 01:00:56.047 knew what sort of man, 01:00:56.047 --> 01:00:57.822 what sort of woman I was, 01:00:57.822 --> 01:01:00.252 they'd move away in shock. 01:01:00.252 --> 01:01:03.653 You come. You particularly come 01:01:03.653 --> 01:01:10.501 to this Savior just as you are. NOTE Paragraph 01:01:10.501 --> 01:01:14.370 Let's pray. 01:01:14.370 --> 01:01:16.833 Lord, You have brought us here 01:01:16.833 --> 01:01:20.074 to meet with Jesus Christ. 01:01:20.074 --> 01:01:22.192 How privileged we are! 01:01:22.192 --> 01:01:25.824 There are people meeting the prison warden tonight. 01:01:25.824 --> 01:01:28.063 There are people seeing a doctor 01:01:28.063 --> 01:01:30.460 and a surgeon tonight. 01:01:30.460 --> 01:01:34.329 There are people meeting crooks. 01:01:34.329 --> 01:01:37.752 There are people who are going to hurt them tonight. 01:01:37.752 --> 01:01:39.882 There are men who are going to abuse them. 01:01:39.882 --> 01:01:42.733 But we've met with the lovely, 01:01:42.733 --> 01:01:46.197 loving, sweet and holy Jesus Christ. 01:01:46.197 --> 01:01:49.812 Oh, thank You for being here, dear Savior. 01:01:49.812 --> 01:01:51.816 Thank You for Your kindness 01:01:51.816 --> 01:01:55.857 and patience with us for so long. 01:01:55.857 --> 01:01:57.758 Now, we come just as we are, 01:01:57.758 --> 01:02:01.223 without one plea. 01:02:01.223 --> 01:02:03.539 Without any excuse. 01:02:03.539 --> 01:02:04.819 Please take us. 01:02:04.819 --> 01:02:06.787 Please receive us. 01:02:06.787 --> 01:02:08.922 Please, from now on, 01:02:08.922 --> 01:02:14.393 help us to live with Thee and for Thee. 01:02:14.393 --> 01:02:16.965 We ask it for Your greater glory 01:02:16.965 --> 01:02:19.304 and our eternal good. 01:02:19.304 --> 01:02:23.187 Amen. 01:02:23.187 --> 01:02:27.460 Now we'll sing our last hymn.