Participants: Pr. John Carter
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR000918
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00:01 [MUSIC]
00:07 >> FROM ARCADIA, CALIFORNIA THE CARTER REPORT PRESENTS 00:10 "THE LIVING WORD" AROUND THE WORLD. 00:13 CC BY ABERDEEN CAPTIONING 1-800-688-6621 WWW.ABERCAP.COM 00:17 >> HELLO FRIEND, I'M JOHN CARTER WITH SOME AMAZING NEWS FOR YOU. 00:22 A FEW DAYS AGO, A MAN CAME TO THIS CHURCH. 00:25 HE CAME TO SEE ME BECAUSE HE'S HEARD ABOUT THE CARTER REPORT. 00:28 HE CAME FROM COMMUNIST CHINA AND HE CAME WITH A MESSAGE. 00:34 HE SAID, "WE'VE GOT OVER THERE 1.2 BILLION SOULS, 00:39 AND THESE PEOPLE NEED TO HEAR THE TRUTHS ABOUT JESUS 00:43 AND THE GREAT TRUTHS OF THE THREE ANGELS' MESSAGES." 00:46 HE SAID TO ME, "WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE CARTER REPORT AND WE 00:50 WANT YOU TO BE OUR PARTNERS IN THE PREACHING OF THE EVERLASTING 00:54 GOSPEL TO THE CHINESE PEOPLE." 00:56 I SAID, WHAT DO YOU WANT US DO? 00:58 HE SAID, "IT'S NOT CLEAR. 01:00 WE'VE GOTTA PRAY AND WE'VE GOTTA STRATEGIZE, 01:03 BUT WE'VE GOT SOME PLANS." 01:05 I SAID TO HIM, YOU CAN COUNT ON US BECAUSE WE CAN HEAR THE VOICE 01:11 OF GOD CALLING TO US TO WORK FOR THE CHINESE PEOPLE, 01:15 1.2 BILLION PEOPLE. 01:18 PLEASE PRAY FOR CHINA. 01:19 TODAY, I WAS TALKING TO A MAN FROM ANOTHER VAST COUNTRY, 01:23 THE LAND OF INDIA, A LAND WITH MORE THAN A BILLION LOST SOULS 01:28 WHO NEED TO HEAR ABOUT JESUS. 01:31 THIS MAN'S NAMES IS PASTOR JOHNSON JACOB. 01:35 WHY IS HE OVER HERE IN ARCADIA AT THE CARTER REPORT CENTER? 01:39 BECAUSE HE IS TRANSLATING OUR MATERIAL, OUR EVANGELISTIC 01:43 SERMONS INTO THE TELUGU LANGUAGE BECAUSE WE ARE BROADCASTING 01:48 THROUGH TELEVISION OVER THERE IN THAT VAST LAND. 01:51 MY FRIEND, THE DOORS ARE OPENING EVERYWHERE, PLEASE JOIN 01:57 WITH US AND PRAY WITH US. 01:58 AND WRITE TO ME, JOHN CARTER, BOX OFFICE BOX 1900, 02:02 THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA 91358. 02:06 THANK YOU, IN JESUS' NAME. 02:11 >> THE TOPIC TODAY IS "FACES AROUND THE CROSS." 02:16 LAST SABBATH, I SPOKE ON THE CRUCIFIXION 02:19 AND THE BLOOD ATONEMENT. 02:21 THIS IS THE SECOND IN THE SERIES. 02:23 WE'RE GONNA TALK ABOUT THE PEOPLE THAT STOOD AROUND 02:26 THE CROSS, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY AND THE PEOPLE 02:30 WHO PUT HIM THERE. 02:33 WE'RE GOING TO ASK OURSELVES THE QUESTION: WHAT WOULD WE 02:36 PERSONALLY HAVE DONE OURSELVES IF WE'D STOOD THERE ON 02:40 THAT BLACK FRIDAY ALMOST 2,000 YEARS AGO? 02:45 BEFORE WE START, THOUGH, I WANT TO HAVE A PRAYER WITH YOU 02:47 AND PRAY THAT GOD'S GONNA BLESS US HERE TODAY. 02:50 I FEEL HIS NEED TODAY. 02:52 DEAR FATHER, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR GREAT MERCY 02:55 AND YOUR GOODNESS. 02:57 WE THANK YOU FOR CHRIST WHO CAME DOWN FROM GLORY AND WITH HIS OWN 03:02 BLOOD, PAID THE PRICE FOR ALL OF OUR SINS TO BRING US TO GOD. 03:08 FATHER, TODAY AS WE THINK OF THE PEOPLE WHO STOOD AROUND 03:11 THE CROSS, CAIAPHAS, MARY AND ALL THE REST OF THOSE PEOPLE, 03:16 WE PRAY THAT YOU'LL HELP US TO UNDERSTAND A GREAT TRUTH TODAY 03:20 AND THAT IS EVERY ONE OF US WAS THERE. 03:24 AND SO BLESS US FOR JESUS' SAKE. 03:27 AMEN. 03:28 REMEMBER LAST SABBATH, I USED A LITTLE EXPRESSION. 03:34 DO YOU REMEMBER IT? 03:36 THE CAT, WHAT DOES THE CAT DO? 03:39 HMM? 03:42 CAT LOOKS AT THE KING, BUT THE CAT DOESN'T SEE THE KING 03:49 BECAUSE THE CAT HAS GOT WHAT? 03:52 SIGHT, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE INSIGHT. 03:56 SO WE NEED TODAY TO ASK GOD TO GIVE US SOMETHING 03:59 THAT THE CAT DOESN'T HAVE AND THAT IS INSIGHT. 04:04 WHAT WOULD I, JOHN CARTER, HAVE DONE IF I HAD LIVED WHEN JESUS 04:12 WAS TORTURED AND MURDERED BY HIS OWN CHURCH AND HIS OWN COUNTRY? 04:22 WOULD I HAVE BEEN A COWARD? 04:24 WHOSE SIDE WOULD HAVE I HAVE BEEN ON? 04:26 WHEN HE NEEDED A FRIEND, WOULD I BEEN HIS FRIEND OR WOULD 04:31 I BEEN HIS ENEMY, OR LIKELY, SOMEONE JUST TOO PLAIN 04:39 INDIFFERENT TO CARE? 04:41 WE'RE TOLD THAT THE ROMAN SOLDIERS. 04:44 THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE ARE EXPLICIT. 04:47 SITTING DOWN THEY WATCHED HIM THERE AND SO AS HE WAS DYING 04:53 A HORRIFIC DEATH, THEY WERE PLAYING CARDS AND EATING 04:58 AND DRINKING AND GAMBLING, DOING ALL OF THOSE THINGS. 05:01 THE MULTITUDE THAT STOOD OFF, THEY WERE NOT 05:04 SO MUCH HIS ENEMIES. 05:05 THEY WEREN'T HIS FRIENDS, THEY JUST WERE INDIFFERENT. 05:09 SO THE TOPIC IS "FACES AROUND THE CROSS." 05:13 WOULD YOU PLEASE TAKE YOUR BIBLES AND TURN TO ACTS 2:22 05:17 AND ONWARDS. 05:19 ACTS 2:22-24. 05:24 ACTS 2:22-24 IN THE BIBLE. 05:31 IT SAYS, "MEN OF ISRAEL, LISTEN TO THIS: JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS 05:36 A MAN ACCREDITED BY GOD TO YOU BY MIRACLES, WONDERS AND SIGNS, 05:42 WHICH GOD DID AMONG YOU THROUGH HIM, AS YOU YOURSELVES KNOW. 05:48 THIS MAN WAS HANDED OVER TO YOU," NOW NOTICE THESE WORDS, 05:52 "BY GOD'S SET PURPOSE AND FOREKNOWLEDGE; AND YOU, WITH 05:57 THE HELP OF WICKED MEN, PUT HIM TO DEATH BY NAILING HIM TO 06:01 THE CROSS." 06:02 THIS IS A RATHER AMAZING TEXT. 06:05 THE BIBLE SAYS THAT JESUS WAS HANDED OVER TO THOSE PEOPLE 06:09 BY GOD'S SET PURPOSE. 06:13 SO THIS WASN'T JUST HAPPENING BY ITSELF. 06:16 THE BIBLE TELLS US IT WAS THE PURPOSE OF GOD THAT HE 06:20 SHOULD DIE FOR OUR SINS. 06:23 BUT THE BIBLE DOES BALANCE THAT STATEMENT BY SAYING, IT WAS DONE 06:28 BY THE HELP OF WICKED MEN. 06:30 YOU WITH THE HELP OF WICKED MEN PUT HIM TO DEATH. 06:35 I WANT YOU TO TURN OVER NOW TO MATTHEW 27, THAT HAS AN ACCOUNT 06:38 OF HIS DEATH. 06:40 MATTHEW 27:32 AND ONWARDS. 06:45 AND MEMBER LAST WEEK, WE SPOKE ABOUT THE BLOOD ATONEMENT OF 06:48 THE LORD. 06:49 WE SPOKE ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE MORAL INFLUENCE THEORY 06:53 IS COMPLETELY FALSE AND AS A CHURCH, AS A DENOMINATION, WE 06:58 BELIEVE IN THE BLOOD ATONEMENT. 07:00 MATTHEW 27:32 AND ONWARDS. 07:06 "AS THEY WERE GOING OUT, THEY MET A MAN FROM CYRENE, 07:10 NAMED SIMON, AND THEY FORCED HIM TO CARRY THE CROSS." 07:14 MOST LIKELY, THIS MAN WAS A BLACK MAN. 07:16 WE DON'T KNOW WHETHER HE ACTUALLY GOT TO THE CROSS. 07:20 WELL, HE PROBABLY CARRIED IT RIGHT TO THE VERY PLACE. 07:23 WE BELIEVE THAT IS SO. 07:25 WHETHER HE STAYED OR NOT WE DON'T KNOW, BUT HE WAS A BLACK 07:28 MAN, MOST LIKELY AND THEY FORCED HIM TO CARRY THE CROSS. 07:32 "THEY CAME TO A PLACE CALLED GOLGOTHA (WHICH MEANS 07:36 THE PLACE OF THE SKULL). 07:38 THERE THEY OFFERED JESUS WINE TO DRINK, MIXED WITH GALL; 07:42 BUT AFTER TASTING IT, HE REFUSED TO DRINK IT." 07:46 HE WANTED TO HAVE HIS HEAD CLEAR, YOU SEE? 07:49 WANTED HIS MIND TO BE CLEAR. 07:51 "WHEN THEY HAD CRUCIFIED HIM, THEY DIVIDED UP HIS CLOTHES 07:54 BY CASTING LOTS. 07:56 AND SITTING DOWN, THEY KEPT WATCH OVER HIM THERE. 08:00 ABOVE HIS HEAD THEY PLACED THE WRITTEN CHARGE AGAINST HIM: THIS 08:04 IS JESUS, THE KING OF THE JEWS. 08:08 TWO ROBBERS WERE CRUCIFIED WITH HIM, ONE ON HIS RIGHT 08:11 AND ONE ON HIS LEFT. 08:13 THOSE WHO PASSED BY HURLED INSULTS AT HIM, SHAKING THEIR 08:16 HEADS AND SAYING, 'YOU WHO ARE GOING TO DESTROY THE TEMPLE 08:20 AND BUILD IT IN THREE DAYS, SAVE YOURSELF! 08:23 COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS, IF YOU ARE THE SON OF GOD!' 08:27 IN THE SAME WAY THE CHIEF PRIESTS, THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW 08:32 AND THE ELDERS MOCKED HIM. 08:34 'HE SAVED OTHERS,' THEY SAID, 'BUT HE CAN'T SAVE HIMSELF! 08:37 HE'S THE KING OF ISRAEL! 08:40 LET HIM COME DOWN NOW FROM THE CROSS, AND WE WILL BELIEVE 08:44 IN HIM. 08:45 HE TRUSTS IN GOD. 08:47 LET GOD RESCUE HIM NOW IF HE WANTS HIM, FOR HE SAID, 08:51 I AM THE SON OF GOD.' IN THE SAME WAY THE ROBBERS WHO 08:55 WERE CRUCIFIED WITH HIM ALSO HEAPED INSULTS ON HIM." 09:03 THEY WERE A MOTLEY CROWD AS WE WILL SEE TODAY. 09:09 THERE WAS A LITTLE GROUP OF DECENT GOOD PEOPLE, BUT MOST 09:14 OF THE PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE ARCH RELIGIONISTS, WERE 09:19 FILLED WITH A SPIRIT FROM HELL. 09:22 I WANT YOU TO NOTICE TODAY, PLEASE, SOME OF THE PEOPLE 09:26 WHO WERE THERE PHYSICALLY OR THERE IN SPIRIT BECAUSE 09:32 OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT. 09:35 NOW A PERSON WHO WAS NOT THERE PHYSICALLY, BUT IN SPIRIT WAS 09:40 A MAN BY THE NAME OF JOSEPH. 09:44 DO YOU KNOW OF WHOM I'M REFERRING? 09:47 JOSEPH CAIAPHAS AND HE, OF COURSE, WAS THE HIGH PRIEST, 09:54 THE ULTIMATE CHURCH POLITICIAN, POWERFUL, UNSCRUPULOUS, WORLDLY 10:02 WISE, CUNNING PERSON, WHO RULED WITH A.D. 18 TO AD 36. 10:09 RULED, YES HE DID. 10:11 THERE WERE 20,000 PRIESTS WHO SERVED HIM, MOST OF THEM WERE 10:18 PARASITES LIVING OFF THE SYSTEM BECAUSE THIS WAS RELIGION 10:25 GONE TO SEED. 10:27 HE WAS, AS FAR AS THE JEWS WERE CONCERNED, THE LIVING VOICE OF 10:33 GOD AND HE OOZED, AS ONLY A RELIGIOUS PERSON CAN, 10:39 HE OOZED PRIDE. 10:45 WE'RE GOING TO NOTICE TODAY THAT THE SINS THAT ACTUALLY 10:49 PUT HIM ON THE CROSS, OUR LORD, WERE VERY, VERY COMMON SINS. 10:59 THEY'RE THE SINS WE FIND IN CHURCH IN THE WHITE HOUSE 11:04 WHERE--THEY'RE THE SINS OF HUMANITY, YOUR SINS AND MINE. 11:10 THEY WERE NOT THE SINS SO MUCH OF SPECIALISTS, BUT THEY WERE 11:16 THE SINS OF ORDINARY PEOPLE AND THIS MAN OOZED PRIDE. 11:24 NOBODY, MY FRIEND, CAN SHOW MORE PRIDE THAN A RELIGIOUS LEADER. 11:34 HE HAD A JOB. 11:36 YOU KNOW WHAT HIS JOB WAS? 11:38 TO PRESERVE TRADITIONAL RELIGION. 11:42 COME OVER HERE TO JOHN 11. 11:44 MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN. 11:46 JOHN 11:47 AND ONWARDS. 11:52 JOHN 11:47 AND ONWARDS AND NOTICE IT IN YOUR BIBLES. 11:58 THIS IS A BIBLE-READING CHURCH, A BIBLE-BELIEVING CHURCH. 12:06 "THEN THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE PHARISEES CALLED A MEETING 12:09 OF THE SANHEDRIN." 12:11 THAT WAS THEIR BIG COMMITTEE. 12:14 "'WHAT ARE WE ACCOMPLISHING?' THEY ASKED. 12:17 'HERE IS THIS MAN PERFORMING MANY MIRACULOUS SIGNS. 12:21 IF WE LET HIM GO ON LIKE THIS, EVERYONE WILL BELIEVE IN HIM, 12:25 AND THEN THE ROMANS WILL COME AND TAKE AWAY BOTH OUR PLACE 12:29 AND OUR NATION.' THEN ONE OF THEM, NAMED 12:32 CAIAPHAS, WHO WAS HIGH PRIEST THAT YEAR, SPOKE UP, 12:38 'YOU KNOW NOTHING AT ALL! 12:41 YOU DO NOT REALIZE THAT IT IS BETTER FOR YOU THAT ONE MAN 12:45 DIE FOR THE PEOPLE THAN THAT THE WHOLE NATION PERISH.'" 12:50 WHAT A PERSON WAS THIS? 12:55 HE BELIEVED IN THE IDEA, LISTEN TO THIS, THAT THE END 13:02 JUSTIFIES THE MEANS. 13:06 HAVEN'T YOU HEARD THE SAME ARGUMENT EVEN IN THIS COUNTRY? 13:09 IF WE CAN EXTRACT INFORMATION, THEN LET US TORTURE. 13:16 HAVE YOU NOT HEARD IT? 13:18 HAVE YOU NOT HEARD IT? 13:20 ARE YOU AFRAID TO TELL ME? 13:24 I'VE HEARD IT. 13:25 I'VE SEEN IT IN WRITING. 13:26 THAT IS THE ARGUMENT OF CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIEST. 13:32 IT'S BETTER THAT ONE PERSON DIE THAN THAT THE WHOLE NATION 13:38 PERISH. 13:39 COME NOW TO MATTHEW 26. 13:42 MATTHEW 26:57. 13:49 VERSE 57. 13:52 "THOSE WHO HAD ARRESTED JESUS TOOK HIM TO CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH 13:57 PRIEST, WHERE THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW AND THE ELDERS HAD 14:02 ASSEMBLED. 14:03 BUT PETER FOLLOWED HIM AT," WHAT? 14:06 "A DISTANCE." 14:07 DON'T FORGET THAT. 14:08 VERSE 59, "THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THE WHOLE SANHEDRIN WERE LOOKING 14:12 FOR FALSE EVIDENCE AGAINST JESUS SO THAT THEY COULD PUT HIM 14:17 TO DEATH. 14:18 BUT THEY DID NOT FIND ANY, THOUGH MANY FALSE WITNESSES 14:22 CAME FORWARD. 14:24 FINALLY TWO CAME FORWARD AND DECLARED, 'THIS FELLOW SAID, 14:27 I AM ABLE TO DESTROY THE TEMPLE OF GOD AND REBUILD 14:30 IT IN THREE DAYS.' THEN THE HIGH PRIEST STOOD 14:34 UP AND SAID TO JESUS, 'ARE YOU NOT GOING TO ANSWER? 14:38 WHAT IS THIS TESTIMONY THAT THESE MEN ARE BRINGING 14:42 AGAINST YOU?' AND JESUS REMAINED SILENT. 14:47 THE HIGH PRIEST SAID TO HIM, 'I CHARGE YOU UNDER OATH BY 14:50 THE LIVING GOD: TELL US IF YOU ARE THE CHRIST, 14:53 THE SON OF GOD.'" THEN JESUS SAID, 14:58 "'YES, IT IS AS YOU SAY. 15:00 BUT I SAY TO ALL OF YOU: IN THE FUTURE YOU WILL SEE THE SON 15:06 OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE MIGHTY ONE AND COMING 15:09 ON THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.' THEN THE HIGH PRIEST TORE 15:11 HIS CLOTHES AND SAID, 'HE HAS SPOKEN BLASPHEMY! 15:14 WHY DO WE NEED ANY MORE WITNESSES? 15:16 LOOK, NOW YOU HAVE HEARD THE BLASPHEMY. 15:18 WHAT DO YOU THINK?' 'HE IS WORTHY OF DEATH,' 15:21 THEY ANSWERED. 15:23 THEN THEY SPIT IN HIS FACE," THESE WERE THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, 15:30 "THEY SPIT IN HIS FACE AND STRUCK HIM WITH THEIR FISTS. 15:32 OTHERS SLAPPED HIM AND SAID, 'PROPHESY TO US, CHRIST. 15:36 WHO HIT YOU?'" WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE 15:43 IF YOU HAD BEEN IN CHARGE OF THE WHOLE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM? 15:48 CAIAPHAS CONDONED TORTURE, LIES, FALSE WITNESSES, ALL IN THE NAME 15:55 OF GOD AND FOR THE SECURITY OF THE CHURCH AND THE NATION. 16:06 DOES THAT MAKE SOME OF YOU UNCOMFORTABLE? 16:09 MAYBE IT SHOULD. 16:11 DR. MCKAY SAID, ONE OF OUR SERIOUS TROUBLES IN THE CHURCH 16:14 TODAY, HE SAID, "IT HAS BEEN LEGITIMATE TO BE INSTITUTIONAL. 16:19 THE MOMENT THE CHURCH BECOMES COMPLETELY PROGRAMMED 16:22 AND DEPERSONALIZED, IT BECOMES A MONUMENT 16:26 TO GOD'S MEMORY AND NOT AN INSTRUMENT OF DIVINE POWER." 16:30 YOU SEE, WHEN MEN BUILD INSTITUTIONS THAT BECOME THEIR 16:35 ULTIMATE END, INSTEAD OF JUST THE MEANS TO AN END, 16:39 THAT IS AN IDOLATRY. 16:43 MEN BUILD AND BUILD AND THEY FORGET THE PURPOSE OF 16:47 THE BUILDING. 16:48 INSTITUTIONS BECOME MORE IMPORTANT THAN PEOPLE. 16:52 THERE ARE NO SHEPHERDS IN THE INSTITUTION ANY LONGER, 16:56 ONLY PEOPLE TRYING TO PREVENT THE SHIP FROM ROCKING. 17:01 THEN IT IS THAT TRUTH SUFFERS AND GOOD MEN ARE CRUCIFIED. 17:10 WHERE WOULD YOU HAVE STOOD? 17:14 WOULD YOU HAVE SAID, "I MUST PRESERVE THE NATION, 17:18 I MUST PRESERVE THE CHURCH. 17:20 LET HIM BE CRUCIFIED." 17:23 REMEMBER, THESE PEOPLE WERE THE ULTIMATE RELIGIONISTS IN 17:29 THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD. 17:31 THERE WAS SOMEONE-- NOW HE WASN'T THERE IN PERSON, 17:34 BUT HE WAS THERE IN SPIRIT. 17:36 BUT SOMEONE, THE VERY OPPOSITE WAS THERE IN BODY AND 17:43 HER NAME WAS MARY MAGDALENE. 17:47 SHE WAS CALLED MARY MAGDALENE TO DISTINGUISH HERSELF. 17:52 THEY WANTED TO SAY, "WELL, HERE'S MARY MAGDALENE. 17:56 HERE'S MARY, THIS OTHER MARY." 17:59 THERE WERE LOT OF MARYs AND BECAUSE SHE CAME FROM THE LITTLE 18:02 TOWN OF MAGDALA, THEY CALLED HER MARY MAGDALENE. 18:06 WOULD YOU COME OVER HERE TO LUKE 8:1-3? 18:12 IN THE SERMON TODAY, THE WOMEN COME OUT VERY WELL INDEED. 18:17 THE MEN DON'T COME OUT VERY WELL AT ALL, SO PLEASE NOTICE IT. 18:21 BUT ASK YOURSELF, WHERE WOULD I HAVE STOOD? 18:24 LUKE 8:1-3, "AFTER THIS, JESUS TRAVELED ABOUT FROM ONE TOWN 18:28 AND VILLAGE TO ANOTHER, PROCLAIMING THE GOOD NEWS 18:31 OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. 18:33 THE TWELVE WERE WITH HIM, AND ALSO SOME WOMEN WHO HAD 18:36 BEEN CURED OF EVIL SPIRITS AND DISEASES: MARY (CALLED 18:40 MAGDALENE) FROM WHOM SEVEN DEMONS HAD COME OUT; JOANNA 18:44 THE WIFE OF CUZA, THE MANAGER OF HEROD'S HOUSEHOLD; SUSANNA; 18:49 AND MANY OTHERS. 18:50 THESE WOMEN WERE HELPING TO SUPPORT THEM OUT 18:53 OF THEIR OWN MEANS." 18:57 NOW, IT IS COMMONLY BELIEVED THAT MARY MAGDALENE 19:05 WAS THE TOWN PROSTITUTE. 19:10 THAT IS MORE A TRADITION THAN A BIBLICAL DOCTRINE. 19:17 BUT IT IS A BIBLICAL DOCTRINE THAT THIS WOMAN HAD ONCE HAD 19:23 SEVEN DEMONS AND SEVEN IS A PERFECT NUMBER. 19:28 IT MEANS SHE WAS FULL OF EVIL. 19:33 SO THIS TELLS ME THERE'S HOPE FOR THE VERY WORST PERSON, 19:39 FOR YOU AND FOR ME. 19:42 SO HERE'S A WOMAN, WHETHER SHE'S A PROSTITUTE, WHATEVER SHE IS, 19:46 MY FRIEND, IT IS PLAIN THAT SHE WAS A WOMAN FILLED WITH EVIL. 19:55 BUT SHE WAS DIFFERENT FROM CAIAPHAS IN ONE MAJOR FACTOR. 20:01 YOU KNOW WHAT IT WAS? 20:03 SHE SAW HER DESPERATE NEED. 20:09 CAIAPHAS WAS OOZING PRIDE. 20:15 CAIAPHAS WOULD NEVER COME FORWARD IN AN ALTAR CALL 20:20 TO REPENT OF HIS SINS BECAUSE HE HAD NO SINS TO REPENT OF. 20:26 BUT MARY KNEW THAT SHE WAS A SINNER. 20:35 ONE GREAT SCHOLAR SAID THIS, "MOST RELIGION IS BAD, UNLESS 20:44 IT MAKES THE BELIEVER KIND AND COURTEOUS, TENDER-HEARTED 20:50 AND FULL OF PITY AND MINDS AND HEARTS OPEN TO GOD, 20:57 IT IS A RELIGION FROM BENEATH." 21:02 SO MOST RELIGION IS BAD. 21:08 GOING TO CHURCH DOESN'T MAKE YOU A RIGHTEOUS PERSON ANYMORE THAN 21:16 GOING TO A GARAGE MAKES YOU A MOTOR CAR. 21:22 BUT MARY WAS REDEEMED BY CHRIST. 21:27 SHE FELL IN LOVE WITH JESUS BECAUSE JESUS SAVED HER SOUL. 21:32 GLORY BE TO GOD. 21:34 COME OVER HERE TO JOHN 19:25. 21:38 JOHN 19:25. 21:41 I DON'T PROMISE TO GET THROUGH ALL THE FACES TODAY. 21:45 AS FOR USUAL, I'VE GOT ENOUGH HERE FOR SEVERAL SERMONS. 21:49 JOHN 19 AND I THINK IT'S VERSE 25. 21:55 "NEAR THE CROSS OF JESUS STOOD HIS MOTHER, HIS MOTHER'S SISTER, 22:04 MARY THE WIFE OF CLOPAS, AND MARY MAGDALENE." 22:10 YOU NOTICE WHAT IT SAYS? 22:12 THE OTHER WOMEN WERE THERE ALSO. 22:16 SHE WAS NOT ALONE. 22:19 BUT MOST OF THE MEN HAD SULKED AWAY, THEY'D RUN AWAY. 22:26 BUT MARY WAS THERE, MARY THE EVIL WOMAN 22:31 WHO HAD BEEN REDEEMED. 22:34 WHEN JESUS NEEDED HIS FRIENDS, MARY WAS THERE. 22:39 SO WERE THE OTHER WOMEN. 22:42 MARY WAS COURAGEOUS, STEADFAST, LOVING AND TRUE. 22:48 SO UNLIKE ANOTHER FACE NOT THERE AT THE CROSS BECAUSE THAT FACE 22:55 ALREADY WAS DEAD, THE FACE OF JUDAS, JUDAS ISCARIOT. 23:04 HE'S CALLED ISCARIOT BECAUSE HE CAME FROM THE TOWN OF KERIOTH. 23:08 HE WAS THE MOST-TALENTED PERSON ON THE JESUS TEAM. 23:15 BUT IT'S INTERESTING AS I READ THIS WEEK, NEVER IS THERE 23:19 A RECORD IN THE GOSPELS THAT JUDAS EVER CALLED JESUS LORD. 23:27 NEVER KNEW THAT. 23:29 ALWAYS CALLED HIM RABBI, BUT HE NEVER SURRENDERED TO 23:35 THE LORDSHIP OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. 23:38 JUDAS HAD SOME GREAT QUALITIES. 23:41 HE WAS GREAT WITH MONEY. 23:43 HE WAS THE MOST TALENTED OF THE DISCIPLES, 23:47 BUT HE HAD ONE BIG PROBLEM. 23:50 HE WAS A MONEY LOVER. 23:56 HE WOULD HAVE DONE WELL IN THE DEBACLE ON WALL STREET. 24:03 A GREEDY MAN. 24:06 SOME YEARS AGO IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY OF THE UNITED STATES, 24:09 WE WERE ACTUALLY SAYING ON TELEVISION, "GREED IS GOOD." 24:15 WELL, BECAUSE OF OUR GREED IN THIS COUNTRY, WE'VE SENTENCED 24:21 MILLIONS OF CHILDREN TO DEATH BECAUSE OF THE COLLAPSE OF 24:27 THEIR ECONOMIES. 24:32 GREED IS GOOD. 24:34 HE WAS FULL OF GREED. 24:37 HE WAS A HARD MAN. 24:39 AND ALSO, SUPER-DUPER RELIGIOUS. 24:45 COME OVER HERE TO MATTHEW 26:6-14. 24:50 MATTHEW 26:6-14. 24:55 MATTHEW 26:6-14. 25:00 "WHILE JESUS WAS IN BETHANY IN THE HOME OF A MAN KNOWN AS SIMON 25:06 THE LEPER, A WOMAN CAME TO HIM WITH AN ALABASTER JAR OF VERY 25:10 EXPENSIVE PERFUME," IT'S WORTH ABOUT $60,000 OR $70,000, "WHICH 25:16 SHE POURED ON HIS HEAD AS HE WAS RECLINING AT THE TABLE. 25:19 WHEN THE DISCIPLES SAW THIS, THEY WERE INDIGNANT. 25:22 'WHY THIS WASTE?'" THAT IS THE CRY OF 25:27 THE PHARISEE, "WHY SPEND MONEY ON JESUS AND THE GOSPEL? 25:33 WHY THIS WASTE?" 25:36 "THIS PERFUME COULD HAVE BEEN SOLD AT A HIGH PRICE AND 25:40 THE MONEY GIVEN TO THE POOR." 25:42 OH, YEAH. 25:43 "AWARE OF THIS, JESUS SAID TO THEM, 'WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING 25:46 THIS WOMAN? 25:47 SHE HAS DONE A BEAUTIFUL THING TO ME. 25:49 THE POOR YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE WITH YOU, BUT YOU WILL 25:51 NOT ALWAYS HAVE ME. 25:53 WHEN SHE POURED THIS PERFUME ON MY BODY, SHE DID IT TO PREPARE 25:56 ME FOR BURIAL. 25:58 I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHEREVER THIS GOSPEL IS PREACHED 26:00 THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WHAT SHE HAS DONE WILL ALSO BE TOLD, 26:03 IN MEMORY OF HER.'" NOTICE VERSE 14, "THEN ONE OF 26:08 THE TWELVE--THE ONE CALLED JUDAS ISCARIOT--WENT TO 26:12 THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SAID, 'WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO GIVE 26:15 ME IF I HAND HIM OVER TO YOU?' SO THEY COUNTED OUT FOR HIM 26:20 THIRTY PIECES OF SILVER." 26:27 WHAT A DESPICABLE CHARACTER. 26:33 THIS MAN WHO WENT TO THE ENEMIES OF THE LORD AND SOLD HIM OUT 26:40 FOR THE PRICE OF A SLAVE, 30 BITS OF SILVER. 26:46 AND IT ALL STARTED, MY FRIEND, BECAUSE HE WAS A GREEDY MAN. 26:52 AND WHEN HE SAW THE WASTE, THIS WOMAN, MAYBE MARY OR SOMEBODY, 26:57 THIS WOMAN POURING $60,000, $70,000 WORTH OF PERFUME 27:02 ON THE LORD. 27:04 HE SAID, "THAT'S IT?" 27:05 WHY THIS WASTE? 27:07 SO HE WENT OFF AND BETRAYED HIM. 27:13 AND THEN LATER ON YOU KNOW THE STORY. 27:18 HE LED THE GANG, THE GANG INTO THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE AND 27:24 CAME UP TO JESUS AND HUGGED HIM AND KISSED HIM. 27:30 SAID, "HAIL MASTER." 27:33 HE BETRAYED THE LORD WITH A KISS, A HUG INCIDENTALLY 27:39 IS NOT ALWAYS SINCERE. 27:44 THE DEVIL KNOWS HOW TO HUG ALSO. 27:46 I'M NOT AGAINST HUGS. 27:49 BUT THIS MAN WAS ALSO A HUGGER AND A KISSER. 27:58 AND YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, DON'T YOU? 28:01 HE GOT SO REMORSEFUL WHEN THEY CAME AND GOT JESUS, HE GOT SO 28:06 REMORSEFUL, HE GOT SO GUILTY, BUT GUILTY IS NOT ENOUGH. 28:14 HE FELT SO REMORSEFUL, THE BIBLE SAYS HE WENT OUT, HE GOT A ROPE. 28:20 HE PUT THE ROPE AROUND HIS NECK AND HE HUNG HIMSELF, BUT 28:27 THE ROPE BROKE AND HE FELL DOWN. 28:29 THE BIBLE SAYS HIS BOWELS BURST OUT. 28:37 AND AS JESUS WAS TAKEN ALONG THE VIA DOLOROSA TO CALVARY, 28:42 THE RUMOR WAS ALREADY OUT. 28:46 LOOK OVER THERE AND YOU WILL SEE THE BOWELS OF THE MAN 28:50 WHO SOLD THE LORD. 28:54 SO THERE WAS JUDAS. 28:55 HE NEVER MADE IT TO THE CROSS AND NEITHER DID PETER. 29:01 HE'S THE NEXT PERSON. 29:02 WHERE WAS PETER? 29:04 MAYBE WATCHING FROM AFAR. 29:07 WOULD YOU COME OVER HERE TO JOHN 1:42 BECAUSE LIKE MOST 29:11 OF THE MEN IN THE STORY, PETER HAD RUN AWAY. 29:16 JOHN 1:42, BUT NOT THE WOMEN. 29:21 "AND HE BROUGHT HIM TO JESUS." 29:23 JOHN 1:42, "JESUS LOOKED AT HIM AND SAID, 29:25 'YOU ARE SIMON SON OF JOHN. 29:28 YOU WILL BE CALLED CEPHAS' (WHICH, WHEN TRANSLATED, 29:31 IS PETER." 29:33 YOU'RE PETER, SON OF JOHN. 29:36 IF HE WERE LIVING TODAY, WE WOULD HAVE CALLED HIM PETER. 29:43 NOW THERE'S A TRANSLATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE OUT IN AUSTRALIA. 29:47 AND PETER IS CALLED PETER JOHNSON BECAUSE THAT'S 29:53 WHAT WE WOULD HAVE CALLED HIM, PETER THE SON OF JOHN. 30:01 AND PETER WAS A REGULAR GUY. 30:05 PETER WAS NOT, THANKS BE TO GOD, A NAMBY-PAMBY OR A WIMP. 30:14 PETER WAS A FISHERMAN WHICH IS AN HONORABLE PROFESSION. 30:18 HE WAS MARRIED. 30:20 HE HAS A STRONG GALILEAN ACCENT THAT WOULD GIVE HIM AWAY. 30:24 HE WAS IN THE INNER CIRCLE. 30:26 PETER, JOHN. 30:31 HE WAS OUTSPOKEN, IMPULSIVE. 30:35 AT THE LAST SUPPER HE LEANS ACROSS WHEN JESUS SAID, 30:38 "SOMEONE'S GOING TO BETRAY ME," PETER LEANS ACROSS AND SAYS, 30:42 "JOHN, TELL ME WHO IT IS." 30:45 YOU KNOW WHY? 30:48 BECAUSE THAT MAN WOULDN'T HAVE GOT OUT ALIVE. 30:51 PETER WOULD HAVE FINISHED THAT MAN WITH HIS SWORD. 30:55 PETER WAS LOYAL, IMPULSIVE AND BIG-HEARTED. 31:01 WE WOULD HAVE LIKED PETER. 31:03 NOW COME TO JOHN 18 AND WE'LL READ A LITTLE BIT OF THIS. 31:08 JOHN 18:-15-27, "SIMON PETER AND ANOTHER DISCIPLE 31:16 WERE FOLLOWING JESUS. 31:18 BECAUSE THIS DISCIPLE WAS KNOWN TO THE HIGH PRIEST," THAT'S 31:21 JOHN, "HE WENT WITH JESUS INTO THE HIGH PRIEST'S COURTYARD, 31:25 BUT PETER HAD TO WAIT OUTSIDE AT THE DOOR. 31:27 THE OTHER DISCIPLE, WHO WAS KNOWN TO THE HIGH PRIEST," 31:30 THAT MEANS JOHN HAD INFLUENCE, "CAME BACK, SPOKE TO THE GIRL ON 31:34 DUTY THERE AND BROUGHT PETER IN. 31:36 'YOU ARE NOT ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, ARE YOU?' 31:38 THE GIRL AT THE DOOR ASKED PETER. 31:41 HE REPLIED, 'I AM NOT.' IT WAS COLD, AND THE SERVANTS 31:47 AND OFFICIALS STOOD AROUND A FIRE 31:50 THEY HAD MADE TO KEEP WARM. 31:51 PETER ALSO WAS STANDING WITH THEM, WARMING HIMSELF." 31:57 AND IF YOU COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, DOWN TO VERSE 25. 32:03 "AS SIMON PETER STOOD WARMING HIMSELF, HE WAS ASKED, 32:06 'YOU ARE NOT ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES, ARE YOU?' 32:09 HE DENIED IT, SAYING, 'I AM NOT.' 32:12 ONE OF THE HIGH PRIEST'S SERVANTS, A RELATIVE OF THE MAN 32:15 WHOSE EAR PETER HAD CUT OFF, CHALLENGED HIM, 32:18 'DIDN'T I SEE YOU WITH HIM IN THE OLIVE GROVE?' 32:21 AGAIN PETER DENIED IT, AND AT THAT MOMENT 32:24 A ROOSTER BEGAN TO CROW." 32:28 IN ANOTHER ACCOUNT, I THINK IT IS FOUND IN MATTHEW THAT WE 32:31 DON'T HAVE TIME TO TURN TO NOW. 32:33 THE BIBLE TELLS US IT WAS A CONFRONTATION WITH THIS SLIP 32:37 OF A GIRL. 32:42 A MAN WOULD NOT HAVE GOT TO HIM, BUT A GIRL GOT TO HIM. 32:48 PETER STARTED TO CURSE AND TO SWEAR. 32:53 AND THE BIBLE TELLS US IN ANOTHER PLACE, AND THE LORD 32:57 TURNED AND LOOKED UPON PETER AND PETER REMEMBERED. 33:04 AND PETER GOES OUT AND HE WEEPS AND HE CRIES AND HE SAYS, 33:09 "WHAT HAVE I DONE?" 33:13 YOU KNOW WHAT PETER'S PROBLEM WAS? 33:16 WELL, IT'S YOUR PROBLEM, MY PROBLEM. 33:18 THIS IS THE BIG PROBLEM. 33:21 YOU KNOW WHAT IT IS? 33:23 SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 33:31 POOR OLD PETER SAID, "EVEN THOUGH EVERYBODY ELSE DENIES 33:34 YOU, LORD, I'M NEVER GONNA DO IT. 33:36 YOU CAN COUNT ON ME." 33:40 SO PETER WAS A PERSON WHO FELT NO REAL NEED OF HELP BECAUSE 33:49 HE SAID, "I CAN DO IT." 33:54 YES, WE CAN. 33:56 "YES, I CAN. 34:00 I CAN DO IT." 34:02 YES, WE--AND EVERYBODY SAID WITH HIM, "YES, WE CAN." 34:10 AND POOR OLD PETER TRIED TO DO IT. 34:12 HE PULLED OUT HIS SWORD. 34:13 HE CHOPPED OFF THIS GUY'S EAR. 34:16 HE WASN'T EVEN GOOD WITH THE SWORD. 34:18 HE MISSED HIS HEAD, MISSED HIS NECK, CHOPPED OFF HIS EAR. 34:22 AND PETER--AND THE LORD PUTS UP HIS HAND, HEALS THE MAN. 34:25 ISN'T THAT A BIT AMAZING? 34:27 THEY DIDN'T SAY HALLELUJAH, THIS IS THE MESSIAH. 34:30 THEY SAID, "LET'S CRUCIFY HIM NOW." 34:34 BUT POOR PETER TRUSTED IN HIS OWN STRENGTH. 34:37 I WONDER WHAT WE WOULD HAVE DONE. 34:39 I ASK YOU, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? 34:44 IF YOU'D THOUGHT FOR A MOMENT, "HEY, IF I'M IDENTIFIED WITH 34:48 HIM, THEY'RE GONNA PUT ME ON THE CROSS ALSO," 34:51 WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE SAID? 34:59 ANOTHER CHARACTER WHO DOESN'T COME THROUGH VERY WELL IS 35:01 ANOTHER MAN PONTIUS PILATE. 35:05 HE WASN'T THERE IN PERSON. 35:06 HE WAS THE PROCURATOR OR THE GOVERNOR. 35:10 HE WAS DRAGGED OUT OF BED, HAD TO LEAVE HIS WIFE. 35:13 HE WAS PROBABLY COLD. 35:15 HE WAS ALL UNDER A--ALREADY UNDER A CLOUD WITH ROME BECAUSE 35:19 HE'D MADE SOME REALLY BAD DECISIONS. 35:21 HIS JOB WAS ON THE LINE. 35:26 AND SO PILATE COMES OUT. 35:27 YOU READ THE STORY JOHN 18:28 AND ONWARDS. 35:33 "THEN THE JEWS LED JESUS FROM CAIAPHAS TO THE PALACE OF 35:38 THE ROMAN GOVERNOR. 35:39 BY NOW IT WAS EARLY MORNING, AND TO AVOID CEREMONIAL 35:43 UNCLEANNESS--" CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? 35:46 GONNA COMMIT MURDER, BUT THEY'RE GONNA KEEP THEMSELVES CLEAN. 35:51 "THE JEWS DID NOT ENTER THE PALACE; THEY WANTED TO BE 35:54 ABLE TO EAT THE PASSOVER. 35:55 SO PILATE CAME OUT TO THEM." 35:57 THEY COULDN'T GO INTO SEE HIM BECAUSE THEY'D GET DEFILED. 36:02 HOW BLIND. 36:05 AND PILATE GOES OUT TO THEM. 36:08 WHAT CHARGE? 36:09 VERSE 30, "'IF HE WERE NOT A CRIMINAL WE WOULD NOT 36:11 HAVE HANDED HIM OVER.' 'TAKE HIM YOURSELVES 36:14 AND JUDGE HIM BY YOUR OWN LAW.' 'WE HAVE NO RIGHT 36:17 TO EXECUTE ANYONE.'" THEN VERSE 33, "PILATE THEN WENT 36:22 BACK INSIDE THE PALACE, SUMMONED JESUS AND ASKED HIM, 36:25 'ARE YOU THE KING OF THE JEWS?' 'IS THAT YOUR OWN IDEA,' JESUS 36:28 ASKED, 'OR DID OTHERS TALK TO YOU ABOUT ME?' 36:31 'AM I A JEW?' PILATE REPLIED. 36:33 'IT WAS YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR CHIEF PRIESTS WHO HANDED YOU 36:36 OVER TO ME. 36:37 WHAT IS IT YOU HAVE DONE?' 'MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS 36:41 WORLD,'" JESUS SAYS. 36:43 VERSE 37, "'YOU ARE A KING, THEN!' 36:46 JESUS ANSWERED, 'YOU ARE RIGHT IN SAYING I AM A KING. 36:49 IN FACT, FOR THIS REASON I WAS BORN, AND FOR THIS 36:51 I CAME INTO THE WORLD, TO TESTIFY TO THE TRUTH. 36:55 EVERYONE ON THE SIDE OF TRUTH LISTENS TO ME.' 36:57 'WHAT IS TRUTH?'" THAT'S WHERE PILATE WAS. 37:02 WHERE PROBABLY MOST PEOPLE IN THE WORLD ARE, WHAT IS TRUTH? 37:10 TRUTH IS ANYTHING TO ANYONE AND TRUTH CANNOT BE DEFINED 37:18 OR TIED DOWN. 37:20 HE WAS A PHILOSOPHER. 37:22 PILATE IS KNOWN FOR THESE WORDS, "WHAT IS TRUTH?" 37:28 "BEHOLD YOUR KING" AND WHAT'S THE THIRD ONE? 37:33 "BEHOLD THE MAN." 37:38 AND THEN MRS. PILATE SENDS HIM A MESSAGE, "DON'T HAVE ANYTHING 37:43 TO DO WITH THAT MAN, THAT JUST MAN." 37:45 SHE WAS ASKING THE IMPOSSIBLE. 37:50 AND SO WHEN THE PEOPLE ARE SHOUTING AND WHEN THE PEOPLE 37:53 ARE SCREAMING FOR HIS BLOOD, IT GETS PRETTY BAD. 38:00 CHAPTER 19:6, "AS SOON AS THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND THEIR 38:05 OFFICIALS SAW HIM, THEY SHOUTED, 'CRUCIFY HIM! 38:08 CRUCIFY HIM!' BUT PILATE ANSWERED, 'YOU 38:10 TAKE HIM AND CRUCIFY HIM. 38:11 AS FOR ME, I FIND NO BASIS FOR A CHARGE AGAINST HIM.'" 38:17 AND THEN YOU COME DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER VERSE 12, 38:22 "FROM THEN ON, PILATE TRIED TO SET JESUS FREE, BUT THE JEWS 38:25 KEPT SHOUTING, 'IF YOU LET THIS MAN GO, YOU ARE NO FRIEND 38:28 OF CAESAR. 38:30 ANYONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE A KING OPPOSES CAESAR.' 38:34 WHEN PILATE HEARD THIS, HE BROUGHT JESUS OUT AND SAT DOWN 38:37 ON THE JUDGE'S SEAT AT A PLACE KNOWN AS THE STONE PAVEMENT 38:41 (WHICH IN ARAMAIC IS GABBATHA). 38:44 'HERE IS YOUR KING,' PILATE SAID TO THE JEWS. 38:47 BUT THEY SHOUTED, 'TAKE HIM AWAY! 38:49 TAKE HIM AWAY! 38:50 CRUCIFY HIM!' 'SHALL I CRUCIFY YOUR KING?' 38:55 'WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR,' THE CHIEF PRIESTS ANSWERED. 38:59 FINALLY PILATE HANDED HIM OVER TO THEM TO BE CRUCIFIED." 39:03 WHEN HE DID THIS, OF COURSE, THE BIBLE TELLS US IN ANOTHER PLACE, 39:07 HE CEREMONIOUSLY REQUESTED A BASIN OF WATER. 39:15 YOU CAN'T WASH AWAY SIN WITH A BASIN OF WATER. 39:19 AND THEY BRING OUT THE WATER AND HE RINSES HIS HANDS AND HE SAYS, 39:24 "YOU DO IT. 39:24 I'M INNOCENT OF THIS MAN'S BLOOD." 39:28 WHAT WAS THE SIN OF THIS MAN, DO YOU THINK? 39:32 WHAT DO YOU THINK IT WAS? 39:35 PILATE, COWARDICE, AFRAID OF LOSING HIS JOB. 39:48 COWARDICE. 39:51 THESE ARE NOT STRANGE SINS. 39:54 PILATE WENT WITH THE MOB. 39:56 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN WITH A GROUP AND THEY GO WITH A MOB AND YOU 40:00 HAVE A TREMENDOUS URGE IN YOU TO GO WITH THE MOB ALSO? 40:07 DON'T DO IT. 40:10 HE YIELDED TO THE MOB. 40:12 WHAT WOULD WE HAVE DONE? 40:14 I WANT YOU TO KNOW THIS, THE MOB HAS NEVER BEEN ON 40:20 THE SIDE OF TRUTH OR JESUS, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER. 40:28 AND PILATE SEALED HIS DOOM WHEN HE HANDED HIM OVER. 40:35 ONE OF THE FACES AT THE CROSS, A PERSON THAT WE ALL LOVE. 40:40 OUR ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIENDS CALL HER THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 40:46 THE WORD MARY COMES FROM A HEBREW WORD MARAH, 40:50 WHICH MEANS BITTER. 40:53 SOME SAY IT COMES FROM AN EGYPTIAN WORD THAT MEANS 40:57 BELOVED, BOTH ARE TRUE. 41:00 SHE CARED FOR HIM FOR 30 YEARS. 41:02 SHE'D GIVEN BIRTH TO HIM IN A STABLE. 41:08 HE GREW UP IN A CARPENTER SHOP. 41:10 SHE KISSED HIS BRUISES AND HIS CUTS, AND SHE WAS THERE. 41:21 JOSEPH WASN'T THERE BECAUSE HE WAS DEAD. 41:25 JOHN 19:25 AND ONWARD SAYS, "NEAR THE CROSS OF JESUS STOOD 41:31 HIS MOTHER, HIS MOTHER'S SISTER, MARY THE WIFE OF CLOPAS, 41:35 AND MARY MAGDALENE. 41:37 WHEN JESUS SAW HIS MOTHER THERE, AND THE DISCIPLE WHOM HE LOVED," 41:40 THAT'S JOHN, "STANDING NEARBY, HE SAID TO HIS MOTHER, 41:44 'DEAR WOMAN, HERE IS YOUR SON,' AND TO THE DISCIPLE, 41:47 'HERE IS YOUR MOTHER.' FROM THAT TIME ON, THIS DISCIPLE 41:52 TOOK HER INTO HIS HOME." 41:57 I WANT TO TALK TO THE MOTHERS. 42:00 WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE? 42:03 THIS IS ONE MOTHER WHO STOOD FOR CHRIST WHEN IT WAS DANGEROUS 42:10 TO DO SO. 42:12 BUT MARY HAD THE HEART OF A LION. 42:20 THE GREAT QUEEN ELIZABETH, FACING THE SPANISH ARMADA RODE 42:24 OUT TO THE BRITISH TROOPS AND SHE SAID, "YOU SEE BEFORE YOU 42:27 A FRAIL WOMAN." 42:31 BUT SHE SAID, "MAKE NO MISTAKE, WITHIN THIS BODY IS A HEART OF 42:37 A BRITISH KING." 42:42 AND WITHIN MARY'S HEART WAS THE COURAGE OF A KING. 42:49 I DON'T KNOW IF THIS MAN MADE IT THERE, MAYBE HE WATCHED FROM 42:51 A DISTANCE, BARABBAS. 42:55 LET ME PUT IT UP ON THE BLACKBOARD, BARABBAS, IF YOU 43:00 LIKE THIS WORD, PETER JOHNSON, BARABBAS. 43:04 BAR-ABBAS. 43:10 YOU CAN WORK THIS OUT YOUR SON, SIMON BAR-- 43:17 PETER, SON OF JONAH. 43:23 BAR JONAH. 43:25 IT SAYS, BAR JONAH. 43:26 BAR MEANS SON, AND ABBA IS THE GREEK WORD FOR FATHER. 43:36 AND THE INTIMATE TERM ALMOST LIKE DADDY AND IN SOME ANCIENT 43:43 GREEK MANUSCRIPTS, THIS MAN IS CALLED--DID YOU KNOW THIS? 43:48 IN SOME ANCIENT MANUSCRIPTS HE'S CALLED JESUS, SON OF THE FATHER? 43:55 JESUS, SON OF THE FATHER. 44:00 SO PILATE BRINGS OUT BOTH MEN, JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS, 44:05 JESUS THE SON OF GOD AND HE BRINGS OUT THIS RUFFIAN, 44:09 THIS THIEF, THIS BAD MAN SON OF THE FATHER. 44:16 HE SAYS, "WHICH OF THE TWO WILL I RELEASE UNTO YOU?" 44:21 AND THE CROWD SCREAMED OUT, "AWAY WITH THIS MAN, JESUS 44:27 AND RELEASE UNTO US BARABBAS." 44:31 THINK ABOUT THAT. 44:33 THE BAD MAN GOES FREE. 44:37 THAT'S THE MEANING OF THE CROSS BECAUSE EVERY ONE OF US HERE, 44:43 WE'RE ALL BARABBAS, THE SON OF THE FATHER. 44:48 THE BIBLE SAYS, HE WAS A MURDERER, TERRORIST. 44:52 PICTURE BARABBAS IN THE DUNGEON. 44:54 HE'S WAITING FOR THE SOLDIERS TO COME AND PULL HIM OUT 44:57 AND NAIL HIM TO THE CROSS. 44:59 AND AS HE'S WAITING THERE, HE HEARS THE SOUND OF 45:02 THE ROMAN SOLDIER AND HE HEARS THE KEY BEING TURNED. 45:06 AND THE ROMAN SOLDIER SAYS, "GET UP, YOU LUMP OF USELESS 45:12 WHATEVER. 45:14 YOU'RE FREE." 45:17 NO WONDER HE WENT TO CALVARY. 45:20 AND THERE IN DUMB AMAZEMENT WATCHED AS JESUS THE SON OF 45:25 THE FATHER WAS NAILED TO THE CROSS FOR HIM. 45:30 THAT'S THE WHOLE STORY OF THE GOSPEL IN A NUTSHELL. 45:35 JOHN WAS THERE. 45:37 HE WAS THE SON OF ZEBEDEE AND SALOME. 45:41 HE WAS A FISHERMAN. 45:43 HE HAD A PARTNERSHIP WITH HIS BROTHER JAMES AND ALSO TWO OTHER 45:47 FISHERMAN, PETER AND ANDREW. 45:49 THESE MEN WERE CALLED JOHN AND JAMES, JAMES AND JOHN, THEY 45:55 WERE CALLED SONS OF THUNDER. 46:01 JOHN WAS A LITTLE POT SOON HOT. 46:05 HE GOT HOT QUICKLY BECAUSE HE FELT THINGS. 46:09 HE WAS NOT INSIPID. 46:11 HE WAS NOT INDIFFERENT. 46:13 JOHN WAS PASSIONATE. 46:18 NOT A WIMP, NOT A WUSS. 46:22 A LITTLE POT SOON HOT, SON OF THUNDER, LOVING, LOYAL, DEVOTED, 46:27 HAD INFLUENCE, GOT PETER INTO THE HIGH PRIEST'S HOUSE. 46:30 MEN, HE WAS THE ONLY MALE DISCIPLE AT THE CROSS. 46:35 WOULD YOU HAVE BEEN, I ASKED THE MEN HERE, WOULD YOU HAVE 46:40 BEEN CHRIST'S FRIEND WHEN THE WORLD WAS CURSING HIM? 46:48 THERE'S NO RECORD IN THE NEW TESTAMENT OF A WOMAN EVER 46:53 DOING ANYTHING BAD TO JESUS. 46:56 THAT CAN'T BE SAID OF THE MEN. 47:01 BUT JOHN WAS THERE. 47:04 HE WAS THE BEST OF THE BEST. 47:09 THEN THE BIBLE TALKS ABOUT ALL THOSE WHO PASSED BY, TALKS ABOUT 47:14 THE PRIESTS AND THE MULTITUDES. 47:16 HOW MANY WERE THERE? 47:17 THERE COULD HAVE BEEN THOUSANDS THERE BECAUSE HE WAS WELL-KNOWN. 47:24 AND SO AS THE MULTITUDE PASSED BY, THE BIBLE SAYS, THEY 47:27 CURSED AT HIM AND THEY SAID, "COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS 47:30 AND WE WILL BELIEVE." 47:32 THEY BLASPHEMED HIM, SWORE AT HIM, SPAT IN HIS FACE. 47:37 SOME WOULD COME UP AND SPIT AT HIM. 47:39 THE PRIESTS WERE THERE. 47:41 THE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE WERE THERE. 47:43 THE ARCHCONSERVATIVES WERE THERE AND THEY WERE SAYING, 47:46 "COME DOWN." 47:48 AND HE COULD HAVE. 47:53 "NO MAN IS COMPELLED TO JOIN A GROUP AND NO MAN SHOULD SELL 47:57 HIS SOUL JUST TO BE ACCEPTED BY A GROUP," ONE SCHOLAR SAID. 48:02 WHAT ABOUT YOU? 48:04 PEOPLE DO THINGS AS NATIONS, COMMITTEES, CHURCHES AS GROUPS 48:10 THAT THEY WOULD NEVER DO AS INDIVIDUALS. 48:14 PEOPLE WILL SIT ON COMMITTEES AND VOTE THINGS THROUGH THAT 48:18 THEY'D NEVER DO AS A NEIGHBOR. 48:22 THAT'S THE MULTITUDE. 48:26 AND THE GREAT SIN OF THE MULTITUDE HERE IT IS, 48:34 INDIFFERENCE, INDIFFERENCE. 48:43 YEAH, WELL, YOU KNOW ARE YOU A CHRISTIAN? 48:49 "YEAH, OF COURSE I'M A CHRISTIAN." 48:51 DO YOU BELIEVE IN KEEPING, BY THE GRACE OF GOD, 48:54 THE COMMANDMENTS? 48:54 "OH, WELL, YOU KNOW I DON'T WANT TO BE FANATICAL." 48:59 WHAT ABOUT KEEPING THE LORD'S DAY THE SABBATH? 49:01 "OH, WELL, YEAH, BUT AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T INFRINGE UPON 49:03 MY TIME." 49:05 LET'S SAY IF WE JUST KEEP-- DO YOU KEEP SUNDAY THEN? 49:09 "WELL, YEAH, BUT--" HOW DO YOU KEEP IT? 49:12 "WELL, I GO TO CHURCH FOR AN HOUR." 49:13 WHAT DO YOU DO THEN? 49:14 "PLAY GOLF AND EAT." 49:15 SO DO YOU HAVE ANY CONVICTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING? 49:19 ARE YOU STRONGLY STIRRED? 49:21 "WELL, YEAH, BUT, YOU KNOW, I REALLY DON'T WANT TO GET 49:27 TOO MUCH INVOLVED IN ALL OF THIS STUFF." 49:30 THAT'S THE MULTITUDE. 49:32 ARE WE WITH CHRIST OR THE SCOFFING MULTITUDE? 49:36 BUT THERE'S SOMEONE ELSE I MUST MENTION, THE CENTURION. 49:45 WE DON'T HAVE TIME FOR ALL OF THEM THERE. 49:48 WE TALKED ABOUT THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY BUT NOW 49:51 A SOLDIER. 49:52 SOLDIERING IS A ROUGH JOB. 49:55 ARMIES, ONE COMMENTATOR SAID, BREAK THINGS AND KILL. 50:05 THAT'S WHAT AN ARMY IS FOR. 50:07 AND THAT'S WHAT SOLDIERS ARE TRAINED TO DO. 50:12 ROMAN SOLDIERS WERE DISCIPLINED. 50:16 THEY WERE CRUEL AND HEARTLESS AND THE ROMAN SOLDIERS THERE 50:20 THAT DAY DELIGHTED IN TORTURING JESUS. 50:23 AND THE GUY, THE MAN IN CHARGE OF THE CRUCIFIXION WHO 50:27 SUPERVISED THE NAILING IN OF THE SPIKES WAS A MAN IN CHARGE 50:32 OF A HUNDRED MEN. 50:34 HE'S CALLED THE CENTURION. 50:38 THINK OF THE PEOPLE, THE PEOPLE WHO GATHER AROUND THE CROSS, 50:42 EITHER IN SPIRIT OR IN REALITY. 50:44 CAIAPHAS, JUDAS. 50:47 PETER, WELL HE WAS THERE MAYBE WATCHING FROM A HILL A LONG WAY 50:52 OFF, BUT REPENTANT AND FORGIVEN? 51:01 BARABBAS MAY BE STANDING THERE STAYING, "HE'S THERE FOR ME." 51:07 BUT HERE IS A PERSON YOU WOULD NOT WANT TO INVITE INTO CHURCH. 51:13 HE'S BIG AND BRAWNY AND ROUGH, BUT HE'S A MAN. 51:23 HE'S ONE OF THE FEW MEN HEROES IN THE STORY, 51:27 EXCEPT FOR OUR BLESSED LORD. 51:32 MATTHEW 27:54. 51:36 MATTHEW 27:54, DEAR HEARTS. 51:46 "WHEN THE CENTURION," ROUGH AND READY ROMAN SOLDIER 51:52 IN CHARGE OF A HUNDRED MEN. 51:54 "WHEN THE CENTURION AND THOSE WITH HIM WHO WERE GUARDING JESUS 51:58 SAW THE EARTHQUAKE AND ALL THAT HAD HAPPENED, THEY WERE 52:02 TERRIFIED, AND EXCLAIMED, 'SURELY HE WAS THE SON OF GOD!'" 52:14 I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THAT DAY HE GAVE HIS LIFE TO 52:17 CHRIST, AS THE PENITENT THIEF DID. 52:23 TWO MEN CRUCIFIED NEXT TO CHRIST, CLOSE TO HIM. 52:28 ONE IS SAVED AND ONE IS LOST. 52:31 PROXIMITY TO JESUS DOES NOT SAVE YOU. 52:34 YOU CAN SIT IN CHURCH, YOU CAN PRETEND TO BE RELIGIOUS. 52:38 YOU CAN PRETEND TO BE A MINISTER LIKE ME. 52:41 YOU CAN MAKE A BIG PRETENSE. 52:43 YOU CAN BE PART OF THE GRAND AND GLORIOUS CHURCH INSTITUTION, 52:50 AND YOU CAN DRIVE IN THE NAILS. 52:57 I WOULD LIKE TO THINK THAT THE CENTURION WITH THE PENITENT 53:04 THIEF WILL BE WITH CHRIST IN PARADISE. 53:09 AROUND THE CROSS, THE RELIGIOUS, LIKE US, THE IRRELIGIOUS, 53:14 THE RUDE, THE CRUDE, THE CRUEL, THE CURSERS, THE MOCKERS, 53:23 THE BLASPHEMERS, THE DEVOUT, THE HOLY, THE GOOD, 53:27 THE INDIFFERENT, THE PENITENT. 53:32 AND IF YOU UNDERSTAND SCRIPTURE, THIS IS NOT HOMILETICS 53:38 WHEN I SAY THIS. 53:39 THIS IS NOT A PLAN WHERE IT'S--THIS IS NOT 53:42 A CAREFULLY-THOUGHT-OUT HOMILY. 53:46 THESE ARE THE SINS, THE COMMON SINS THAT PUT HIM ON THE CROSS, 53:51 PRIDE, GREED, SELF-SUFFICIENCY, INDIFFERENCE. 53:58 THESE ARE THE COMMON SINS, THEREFORE THEOLOGICALLY 54:02 WE WERE ALL THERE. 54:06 HE WAS HANDED OVER BY THE SET DETERMINED PURPOSE OF GOD. 54:12 HE WENT TO THE CROSS TO BEAR THE SIN OF THE WORLD. 54:18 AS THE GREAT SCHOLAR SAID, WHEN THEY CAME SEEKING JESUS 54:22 IN THE GARDEN, CAIAPHAS WAS NOT REALLY SEEKING HIM PRIMARILY, 54:26 NOR JUDAS. 54:28 WHEN THEY CAME SAYING, "WHERE ARE YOU? 54:31 WHERE--ARE YOU THE MAN?" 54:32 IT WAS THE LAW THAT CAME SEEKING HIM BECAUSE 54:37 HE ASSUMED OUR GUILT. 54:40 AND THEN HE SAID THOSE AMAZING WORDS, "IF YOU WANT ME, 54:43 LET THESE GO THEIR WAY." 54:46 HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT? 54:48 "LET THESE GO THEIR WAY." 54:50 SO HE STANDS BETWEEN THE VENGEANCE OF ALMIGHTY GOD, 54:55 THE LAW OF GOD. 54:56 HE STANDS BETWEEN THE LAW AND THE DISCIPLES AND SAYS, "TAKE 55:00 ME, LET THESE GO THEIR WAY." 55:07 SO YOU AND I WERE THERE WITH OUR COWARDICE, OUR INDIFFERENCE, 55:13 OUR PRIDE, OUR EGOS, WITH OUR RUDENESS AND OUR CRUDENESS. 55:19 THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY. 55:22 MY SINS PUT HIM THERE, MINE ALONE WOULD HAVE PUT HIM THERE 55:28 BECAUSE IF THERE HAD BEEN ONE LOST SOUL, HE WOULD 55:30 HAVE BEEN NAILED TO THE CROSS. 55:33 OUR SINS PUT HIM THERE, THEREFORE MY APPEAL TO YOU 55:37 TODAY, MY FRIEND, IS THIS, LET US STAND WITH MARY THE MOTHER. 55:45 AND MARY, THE MARYs AND MARY MAGDALENE. 55:51 LET US STAND WITH THE WOMAN, AND JOHN AND THE CENTURION 56:01 AND THE PENITENT THIEF. 56:04 NEVER LET HIM STAND ALONE. 56:11 AMEN. 56:14 AND GOD HAVE MERCY ON OUR SOULS. 56:21 [MUSIC] 56:32 ♪ I CAN ONLY, ♪ ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE ♪ 56:40 ♪ WHAT IT WILL BE LIKE ♪ ♪ WHEN I WALK BY YOUR SIDE. ♪ 56:51 ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT ♪ ♪ MY EYES WILL SEE WHEN ♪ 56:58 ♪ YOUR FACE IS BEFORE ME. ♪ ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. ♪ 57:08 ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. ♪ ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, YEAH. ♪ 57:21 ♪ SURROUNDED BY YOUR GLORY, ♪ ♪ WHAT WILL MY HEART FEEL? ♪ 57:27 ♪ WILL I DANCE FOR YOU, JESUS, ♪ ♪ OR IN AWE OF YOU BE STILL? ♪ 57:34 ♪ WILL I STAND ♪ ♪ IN YOUR PRESENCE ♪ 57:38 ♪ OR TO MY KNEES WILL I FALL? ♪ ♪ WILL I SING HALLELUJAH? ♪ 57:45 ♪ WILL I BE ABLE TO ♪ ♪ SPEAK AT ALL? ♪ 57:48 ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE, YEAH. ♪ ♪ I CAN ONLY IMAGINE. ♪♪ |
Revised 2015-02-05