Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001319
00:07 It has stood the test of time, God's book, the Bible.
00:17 Still relevant in today's complex world. 00:22 It Is Written, sharing hope around the globe. 00:36 In 1981 the writer William Saroyan said something that I 00:40 believe most everybody can relate to. 00:44 Saroyan had cancer and knew that it wouldn't be long 00:47 before he died. 00:49 In an interview with an associated press he said this, 00:51 he said, 'Everybody's got to die, but I always believed that 00:56 an exception would be made in my case.' And then he said, 01:01 'now what?' Now, there's a question when it comes 01:06 to death, Now what? 01:09 You know the Bible says that people would live three score 01:12 and ten and that we know is about 70 years. 01:15 These days a lot of people do a little better than that. 01:18 In Japan, average life expectancy is about 01:23 82 and 1/2 years. 01:24 Now, statistics vary depending on whose statistics you read. 01:27 The list might be a little bit different but it's generally 01:30 accepted that Japan has the longest life expectancy 01:32 than any country in the world. 01:34 Eighty-two and a half years or there abouts. 01:37 In Spain or Sweden average life expectancy is 81. 01:40 In Singapore, you can expect to live about 80 years old. 01:45 Now in Vanuatu in the South Pacific that number changes. 01:49 Average life expectancy there 70. 01:52 In Ghana, West Africa, average life expectancy is 60. 01:58 In Cameroon is 50. 02:00 And in Swaziland the average life expectancy is almost 40. 02:07 But no matter how long you are going to live or expect to live, 02:11 there is always that question that is going to have to be 02:15 answered one day. 02:16 After death, Now what? 02:20 You know, when God created Adam and Even in the Garden of Eden, 02:23 he didn't create them to die. 02:24 He created them to live forever. 02:28 And even after sin came into the world and brought death 02:30 with it, Adam still managed to live to be 930 years old. 02:36 Now his son Seth lived to be 912. 02:39 Seth's son Enos lived to be 905. 02:43 Methuselah died in the year of the flood in Noah's day, 02:48 lived to be 969 years old. 02:51 That's almost a thousand years. 02:53 A millennium. 02:54 But even Methuselah had to answer the question, 'Now 02:58 what?' I am sure you've heard that old saying 03:03 that says that in this world there are only two sure things, 03:05 'death' and 'Taxes'. 03:07 Now, a lot of people has managed to cheat on their taxes, 03:09 but unless your name is Elijah or Enoch, 03:13 there is no way in this world you are going to be able 03:18 to cheat 'death'. 03:21 I'm here at Mount Hope Cemetery in College Place 03:24 Washington. 03:25 It's a beautiful place. 03:27 I've been here many, many times. 03:29 When I lived in College Place Washington, I would often come 03:32 to Mount Hope Cemetery just to, to walk around. 03:36 As a church pastor in this area, I officiated many, 03:39 many funerals. 03:41 A lot of which ended up here at Mount Hope Cemetery. 03:45 Usually in a poignant gathering around somebody's final, very 03:49 peaceful resting spot. 03:52 This is a serene place. 03:55 It's a calm place. 03:58 It's a place to remember, a place to think. 04:02 Like cemeteries everywhere, Mount Hope Cemetery tells a lot 04:07 of stories, a lot of very interesting stories. 04:11 Now really, in all reality, the stories told here 04:15 are usually very brief. 04:17 On the average grave marker you will find the decease's name 04:22 and someway there, a year of birth and then 04:23 a year of death. 04:27 Sometimes a brief comment, and that's about it. 04:31 In fact, the stories usually contained in that hyphen, 04:34 that's between the year of birth and the year of death. 04:39 If you look around a cemetery like this one, you will see 04:41 that many people lived a good long time. 04:43 A lot of people here lived to be one hundred years old 04:47 or longer. 04:49 And as you look around you'll find who died in their nineties 04:52 and in their eighties. 04:53 Good long lives. 04:55 And there are those who died in their seventies. 04:57 That is less than the average U.S. 05:00 life expectancy of Seventy eight point six. 05:04 There are those who died in their sixties and fifties. 05:06 We would agree that's just too early. 05:08 Some they died in their forties. 05:11 Some in their thirties, in their twenties, and then there are 05:15 those who died even younger. 05:18 In fact, there are graves scattered throughout this place 05:21 and, just over here is a cluster of graves where infants, small 05:26 children rest, just days or weeks old. 05:32 And that's always a tragedy. 05:36 No matter how long a person lives, there is that question 05:40 that waits to be answered. 05:42 After death, 'Now what?' So how can we find 05:46 a satisfactory answer to that question? 05:51 How can we face with confidence the inevitability, 05:57 which is death? 05:59 I'll talk with you about that, just a moment. 06:05 Planning for your financial future is a vital aspect 06:08 of Christian stewardship. 06:09 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer free 06:11 planned giving and estate services. 06:14 For information on how we can help you, please call 06:17 1.800.992.2219. 06:21 Call today or visit our special website, 06:24 www.hislegacy.com. 06:33 Death is an invader. 06:35 The Bible calls it an enemy. 06:38 And nobody is immune to it. 06:40 No matter what your standing or your accomplishments 06:43 in this life. 06:44 Elvis Presley died at the age of forty two. 06:47 President John F. Kennedy was forty-six when he died. 06:50 Fame and fortune couldn't prevent death when coming 06:52 to John Lennon died at the age of forty. 06:55 Princess Diana was only thirty-six years old 06:58 when she died. 06:59 Death is no respecter of persons. 07:02 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 07:03 was thirty-nine years old when he was gunned down in a motel 07:06 in Memphis, Tennessee. 07:09 Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, all were only 27 07:11 when they died. 07:15 You can be a president or a pauper, famous or infamous. 07:20 A saint or a sinner, and death is going to come. 07:26 And then the question is asked, 'Now what?' Some Australian 07:31 aboriginals believe that when a person dies, 07:33 the spirit goes off to a spirit world, that person goes to 07:36 the spirit world and the spirit comes back to guide 07:40 the living through life in this world. 07:42 New Zealand Maori mythology teaches that when a person dies, 07:46 the spirit goes to the northern most part of that country 07:49 therefore departing from there and returning to their 07:53 ancestral homeland. 07:54 I had a conversation with a lady from India who told me that 07:57 in her culture, death is viewed as merely an extension of life. 08:02 The next stage as it were. 08:05 Look at the tombs of ancient Egypt. 08:07 And you will see that they testify the ancient Egyptians 08:11 put a lot of care, put a lot of thought into what happened 08:15 after a person died. 08:18 Greek mythology taught that the souls of the dead, 08:19 some of them at least would ferried across 08:24 the River Styx in or to Hades. 08:28 In the ancient Norse believed a variety of things might 08:31 happen when a person died. 08:32 Among them that those who were killed in combat might 08:34 go on and inhabit Valhalla, the hall of the slain. 08:41 But one thing we know is certain. 08:44 They can't all be right. 08:46 But what all these cultures have in common is that they all 08:50 believe 'death' is not the end. 08:54 They all believe something happens beyond 08:58 one's final breath. 08:59 William Saroyan's 'Now What?' question gets answered. 09:04 The late actress Marlene Dietrich said once, 'when 09:08 you're dead, you're dead. 09:10 That's it.' But that's not what most cultures and peoples 09:14 have taught down through the ages. 09:16 It seems as though as if most people an innate sense, 09:19 that there is something beyond one's final breath. 09:24 Does the Bible teach us what happens after a person dies? 09:26 Yes it does. 09:28 And to clearly understand where the Bible is coming from on 09:30 this, let's look at a well know case study. 09:33 Lazarus was a dear friend of Jesus. 09:36 He was the brother of Mary and Martha. 09:40 They, who were also friends of Jesus. 09:43 They lived in Bethany, about 2 miles outside Jerusalem, 09:45 and Lazarus died. 09:47 Four days after Lazarus died, Jesus came to Bethany. 09:52 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming to town, got up 09:55 and ran to meet Jesus. 09:58 And when she saw Jesus she said, 'Lord, if you had been here, 10:02 my brother would have not died.' You see, she had great 10:05 faith of Jesus ability to bless and to heal. 10:09 And she had an idea that death need not be the end 10:13 for her brother. 10:15 She said to Jesus, 'Even now, I believe whatever you ask 10:17 of God, God will give it to you.' It was, 10:20 it was a prayer if you like. 10:25 And Jesus said this to Martha; he agreed with her that death 10:31 was not the end. 10:34 He said, 'Martha, your brother shall rise again.' You see, 10:39 Jesus told very clearly that after death, there would be 10:43 a resurrection. 10:44 As a matter of fact, Jesus told in the bible that there would 10:48 be two resurrections. 10:49 I want you to know something, only one of them you want 10:55 to be part of. 10:56 I'll tell you more about that in a moment. 10:59 In Matthew 4:4 the world of God says, It Is Written, 'Man 11:06 shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds 11:08 from the mouth of God.' Every Word is a one minute bible base 11:11 daily devotional presented by Pastor John Bradshaw 11:16 and designed specially for busy people like you. 11:18 Look for Every Word on selected networks or watch it on line 11:22 every day on our website, It Is Written dot com. 11:27 Receive a daily spiritual boost, watch Every Word, you'll be 11:31 glad you did. 11:32 Here is a sample. 11:41 You'll see in a football game a kicker's shot JUST missing, 11:45 or in baseball a player's swing for the fence is caught 11:47 by an outfielder on the warm-up track. 11:50 Nearly, but not quite. 11:53 Now, nothing too serious when it's 11:54 just a game, but what if it's your eternal 11:56 destiny? The apostle Paul appealed to King Agrippa, 12:00 knowing Agrippa believed what Paul had been teaching about 12:02 the Scriptures. 12:04 And Acts 26:28 records some of the saddest words 12:06 in the Bible. 12:07 "Then Agrippa said to Paul, "You almost persuade me 12:11 to become a Christian." 12:13 Almost persuaded, but totally lost. 12:15 If you're on the fence, if you're wondering, 12:17 if you're trying to decide what to do with God, 12:20 with the Bible, I pray you won't be almost 12:23 persuaded - but totally persuaded to follow Jesus 12:26 and accept everlasting life. 12:28 I'm John Bradshaw for It Is Written. 12:30 Let's live today by Every Word. 12:36 Cemeteries like this are usually peaceful places. 12:38 For some people cemeteries are painful places, 12:41 because they represent love ones lost, life gone. 12:46 Something precious that has been taken away. 12:51 Not long ago I officiated in a funeral service for a 12 12:52 year old boy who was laid to rest here in this cemetery. 12:57 He died after a rather tragic turn of events. 13:01 And you can imagine, it was a very, very said affair. 13:03 However, I can tell you this. 13:04 That funeral services was colored by hope. 13:08 Very real hope. 13:13 Because it was known that one day is going to be 13:15 a resurrection. 13:16 Now, Jesus comment on this directly. 13:17 Speaking to a crowd of people one day he said this words which 13:20 are recorded in John chapter 5, verses 28 and 29. 13:25 Jesus said, 'Marvel not at this, for the hour is coming 13:29 in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his 13:32 voice and shall come forth. 13:35 They that have done good unto the resurrection of life, 13:39 and they that have done evil unto the resurrection 13:43 of damnation.' Two resurrections, 13:46 one you want to be in. 13:50 that's the resurrection to life, the other, 13:55 the resurrection of damnation. 13:57 Now, without going into all of the details about 13:59 the resurrection of damnation just now, it's pretty obvious 14:03 that that's not a resurrection that you or I would want 14:05 to be in. 14:07 two resurrections. 14:09 And there we have the answer to the 'Now what?' question. 14:14 There is going to be a resurrection one day. 14:20 Now, let's go back to the story of Lazarus. 14:22 Jesus had told Martha, Your brother, Lazarus, 14:27 shall rise again. 14:29 Now, Jesus and Martha are joined by Mary outside Bethany. 14:33 And Jesus says to them, 'I am the resurrection and the life. 14:40 He who believes in me, even though that person was dead, 14:44 that person shall live again. 14:48 Jesus gave them very real hope. 14:52 That there'll no only be a resurrection one day, 14:55 but a resurrection that anybody who chooses to accept God's 15:00 great gift can participate in. 15:03 Jesus then says, take me and show me where Lazarus 15:06 is laid, where he is buried. 15:08 So they went to Lazarus's graveside. 15:10 Now, Lazarus wasn't buried in a cemetery like this. 15:13 He was buried in the equivalent of that age. 15:18 In fact, when they go to Lazarus grave they discovered Lazarus 15:22 was buried unsurprisingly in a cave, in a tomb. 15:25 And in front of that cave, a large stone had been rolled 15:27 for what I think pretty obvious reasons. 15:29 Jesus then made a radical request. 15:33 He said, take away the stone from in front of the grave. 15:36 The people protested, oh, you don't really want us to do 15:39 that. 15:41 Now, I can understand why they protested for experience. 15:45 I attended a funeral service for a man who had been dead 15:47 like Lazarus for four days. 15:49 This was in a place where embalming was not practiced. 15:52 Let's just say it wasn't pretty. 15:57 I can understand why they did not want to stone rolled away. 16:00 But Jesus was insistent, take away the stone. 16:02 And they did. 16:04 And then Jesus to the amazement of everybody around addressed 16:08 Lazarus, he cried out and he said, Lazarus, Come forth! 16:14 Have you ever wonder what the people in that group 16:16 that day were thinking? 16:18 He's asking to get up and walk out of a cave? 16:23 What's he thinking? 16:25 Jesus said, Lazarus, come forth. 16:27 And then to the amazement of everybody who looked on, 16:31 clad in grave cloths, Lazarus walked out of that tomb. 16:36 They took the grave cloth off him and Lazarus who had been 16:40 dead was very much alive. 16:41 Now, we don't know how long Lazarus lived after that 16:48 resurrection whether short of long, the bible doesn't say. 16:51 But we know he lived. 16:52 And we can be certain he was glad to have his life 16:56 given back to him. 16:57 We can be certain that his family was glad 17:03 to receive him again. 17:05 And we can be 100 percent certain that the people looking 17:07 on were absolutely amazed. 17:09 Lazarus had been raised from the dead. 17:12 This was a foreshadowing of what will happen one day. 17:17 Jesus said in John 5 there'd be two resurrections. 17:21 The one we want to be in is the resurrection to life. 17:26 How can we be certain that we can have a place 17:29 in the resurrection to life. 17:31 I'll tell you how in just a moment. 17:34 It is written is dedicated to sharing the gospel 17:38 around the world. 17:39 Our dream is to impact the world for God. 17:42 Our television program is only one aspect of how 17:44 we try to accomplish that. 17:45 To discover more about It Is Written, 17:48 I invite you to visit our web site, 17:50 itiswritten.com and browse the dozens of pages 17:53 that describe what we do and how we do it. 17:55 You'll also find an archive of past programs in script form 17:59 and there are streaming video and audio files, 18:03 along with many other helpful inspirational resources. 18:06 Let's get to know each other better. 18:08 Visit out website itiswritten.com today. 18:15 One of the most difficult things a person can be called upon 18:19 to experience is the death of a love one. 18:21 Extremely difficult. 18:23 But even in the midst of that, God does not leave us without 18:26 hope. 18:29 God offers us very real hope that one day there will be 18:33 a resurrection. 18:35 In the Bible we have the story of Lazarus, the dear friend 18:38 of Jesus. 18:39 The brother of Mary and Martha, who after he'd been dead 18:42 for four days, was raised from the dead when Jesus called out 18:45 to him and said, 'Lazarus, come forth!' There are many other 18:49 stories in the bible dealing with resurrections as well. 18:52 In the world of God we have the widow of Nain who had her son 18:57 given back to her from the dead through the power of Jesus. 19:04 Then there is the twelve-year-old daughter 19:07 of a man named Jairus. 19:09 Again, Jesus intervened, turned death back into life. 19:14 And the man was able to receive his beloved daughter again. 19:18 Also in the bible in the book of Acts, there is the story 19:21 of a man named Eutychus who fell asleep and fell out of a third 19:24 floor window down to the ground and he died. 19:30 Now, he didn't fall asleep because the preacher Paul 19:34 was a boring preacher. 19:36 He fell asleep because it'd been a long day 19:38 and he was simply tired. 19:39 But the preacher Paul went down to the ground where Eutychus 19:43 laid and God worked through Paul. 19:45 The power of God worked through the great apostle and Eutychus 19:49 came back from the dead. 19:51 And then there is a remarkable story. 19:53 You read about this in the book of 2 kings and chapter 13. 19:57 A man was on his way of being buried. 20:00 And that, because there was an invasion taking place 20:02 a marauding army approaching town, 20:06 his family just very hurriedly just put his body 20:09 in the nearest available tomb. 20:11 It happened to be the tomb of Elisha. 20:13 And this man's body went into that tomb, and then touch 20:18 the bones, it was put so close to the bones of Elisha, I guess 20:22 touching the bones of Elisha, and because he touched the bones 20:27 of the dead prophet, this man came back to life. 20:30 Can you imagine the surprise of the family; in fact can you 20:32 imagine the surprise of the dead man coming back to life, 20:36 discovering he was in a tomb. 20:38 Just one of many. 20:40 There are other stories besides in the world of God. 20:43 I am not suggesting for a moment I don't want you 20:46 to misunderstand me. 20:48 I am not suggesting for a moment that these people are raised 20:50 to immortality. 20:51 They weren't. 20:52 They were raised to life, and they lived again, 20:53 presumably, we expect, they died again. 20:57 So they are called upon to experience being 21:02 resurrected twice. 21:04 God says there is going to be a resurrection. 21:08 Ttwo resurrections, one the resurrection 21:10 of damnation. 21:12 But the one that we are most interested today, the one we 21:14 want to be a part of, should not we be alive when Jesus returns 21:17 to this earth is the first resurrection, the resurrection 21:21 to life. 21:22 Okay, so how can you be certain that you can participate 21:27 in the resurrection to life? 21:30 It's this simple. 21:32 1 John 5: 12 says, 'he, or she that have the Son, have life.' 21:39 It goes on to say that he or she who have not the Son of God, 21:43 hath not life. 21:45 If you posses Jesus Christ by faith, if you believe in Him 21:49 as your personal Savior, as your Lord, if you would yield 21:54 your life to Him and invite Jesus to live his life in you, 22:01 then you have the Son. 22:01 And the world of God says that if you have the Son, 22:04 you have life. 22:06 That's life in this world and should you die, life 22:10 in the world to come. 22:14 Because you would have faith in the One the bible calls 22:17 the resurrection and the life. 22:18 You can live in hope today. 22:19 You don't have to fear death. 22:21 I don't know too many people that embrace death gladly, 22:24 I am not say we are to do that. 22:25 But you don't have to fear death, because there is hope 22:26 beyond death. 22:27 I've spoke to people who've looked death 22:29 straight in the eye, knowing that they were going to die 22:37 with peace in their hearts. 22:38 Why were they able to do that? 22:39 Is not that they were glad to be leaving, of course 22:41 they were going to miss their family and their 22:43 love ones. 22:44 But here is what they knew. 22:47 They knew that one day there would be a resurrection. 22:49 The resurrection to life. 22:52 And they knew that because they had faith in Jesus Christ, 22:57 they would participate in that very resurrection. 23:01 They were able to die in faith; they were able to die in peace. 23:06 I read a story just the other day about a man in South Africa 23:09 who apparently died. 23:11 He had I think a terrible asthma attack. 23:14 His family presume that he was dead and they took him 23:17 to the local mortuary. 23:18 He was put in the refrigerator drawer in the mortuary. 23:22 About 21 hours later, mortuary staff was horrified 23:26 and in fact they were terrified. 23:28 They were panic stricken. 23:30 From a drawer in a mortuary they heard yelling, and shouting 23:35 and screaming. 23:36 It was loud. 23:37 And they panicked. 23:38 They fled, they bolted out of the mortuary and out 23:42 into the streets. 23:43 They went and found the local police and said you need to come 23:46 down to the mortuary where there is something strange 23:48 going on there. 23:49 I feel sorry for the police how sometimes they get 23:50 the rough jobs. 23:52 They were brought to the mortuary to investigate 23:53 this terrible happening. 23:55 Screaming and yelling coming from a drawer where there should 24:00 have been absolute silence. 24:02 They went to the mortuary, opened up the drawer and found 24:06 the dead man very much alive. 24:10 Now, he was dehydrated, he was suffering from hypothermia, 24:13 but he was very much alive. 24:14 He was brought out of there, he was treated, and he was given 24:17 back to his family and he recuperated and he did well. 24:24 Of course the man wasn't really dead. 24:27 We could say back from the dead because he was presumed dead. 24:30 The truth is a mistake had been made, and he'd been alive 24:34 all along. 24:35 Well, one day, Jesus is going to come back to this earth, 24:38 and those who were really dead and died in faith in Christ, 24:42 died with Jesus as their Savior, are going to participate 24:47 in the resurrection of life. 24:50 Cemeteries like this one all over the world are going to be 24:54 scenes of intense activity. 24:57 As grapes open up and as the bible says, 25:00 the dead in Christ rise. 25:02 Should you pass away before Jesus returns to this earth, 25:04 you can have very real hope today. 25:07 Because one day there is going to be a resurrection. 25:12 A resurrection of the just, a resurrection to life. 25:14 You can be part of that resurrection by knowing now 25:18 that Jesus truly is yours and that you truly are His. 25:21 Let's pray. 25:25 And tell Christ today that we want to be His. 25:29 Our Father in heaven, we thank you today that you don't leave 25:32 us without hope in this world, that there is hope in Jesus, 25:37 and we thank you today that death doesn't remove our hope. 25:40 We are grateful that we can know that one day there is going 25:42 to be a resurrection and that those who have chosen 25:45 to accept your gift of life and have chosen to accept 25:49 your Son Jesus as Lord and Savior, are going 25:52 to participate in the resurrection of life. 25:56 Lord if is not your plan that Jesus comes back 25:57 while we are still alive on this earth, then we want 26:01 to tell you right now that we want to be in 26:04 the resurrection to life. 26:05 We want to be with you throughout all eternity. 26:07 And so today we choose Jesus and we choose life, 26:09 and we thank you for future assurance that we can experience 26:12 here now. 26:18 We thank you in Jesus name, amen. 26:33 The Mystery of Death is a book that will help you discover 26:36 the truth of the afterlife. 26:37 Death, whenever it happens, 26:40 is a tragedy and people wonder what happens next. 26:47 In this week's free book, the Mystery of Death, 26:49 Pastor Bradshaw explores this often misunderstood subject 26:52 and provides answers directly from the Bible. 26:56 Just call 1.800.253.3000 and ask for the book 26:59 The Mystery of Death. 27:01 You can call any time, day or night. 27:02 If the line is busy, please keep trying. 27:05 You can also request this free book by writing to 27:08 It Is Written, Box O, Thousand Oaks 27:10 California 91359 and we will mail a copy 27:13 to your address in North America. 27:15 Please note this free book is limited to the supply 27:18 on hand. 27:19 For immediate access, you can download a free 27:20 electronic version of the book The Mystery of Death from 27:24 our website itiswritten.com. 27:31 It Is Written is a faith-based ministry made possible by 27:33 viewers like you. 27:34 Thank you for your letters and your continued support. 27:44 Thank you for joining me today. 27:45 I am looking forward to seeing you next time. 27:47 And until then, please remember, It Is Written, man shall not 27:52 live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds 27:56 from the mouth of God. |
Revised 2015-02-05