Participants: John Bradshaw
Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW001408A
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00:01 [gentle melody]
00:22 This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 00:25 Thanks for joining me. In 2015 - a 91-year-old 00:30 Polish woman living in a small town 2 1/2 hours 00:34 southeast of Warsaw, Poland's capitol, 00:37 stopped breathing. Her family called the doctor, 00:39 the doctor rushed to her home and examined her. 00:42 He examined the breathing. He checked for a pulse. 00:46 He looked into her eyes. And he declared that 00:50 she was dead, signed a death certificate, 00:54 and the family began preparing for a funeral. 00:57 Except that, 11 hours later, while the lady was in cold 01:00 storage at a nearby morgue, she revived. 01:06 Her family received her, as it were, 01:08 back from the dead. They took her home. 01:10 She was alive and well. I think of stories like that 01:15 when I come here. I'm in my hometown of 01:18 Ngaruawahia, New Zealand. In fact, I'm up on Havelock 01:22 Hill, a small hill at the town's southern entrance, 01:25 known in New Zealand's Maori language as 01:27 Puke-i-aahua, that was here that the town 01:31 received its name. An important feast was being 01:34 held, somebody called out, "Wahia ngarua" - open the food 01:38 pits - and so Ngaruawahia got its name like that. 01:42 And from here up on Havelock Hill you can look down into 01:46 the town cemetery. Growing up in a town like this, 01:50 a town which now has a population of 5,000, 01:53 you get to know an awful lot of people. 01:56 I went to school here all the way through high school. 01:59 I went to church here. I played for various sports 02:02 clubs here and different community things, 02:05 very involved. And you get to know an awful lot 02:08 of people in a town like this. And without exception, they all 02:12 end up there. Or somewhere very much like it. 02:17 And in our town's little cemetery you will find soldiers, 02:22 former mayors of this town, former teachers and former 02:26 students, mums and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers. 02:30 People who died very old and people who died painfully young. 02:34 And I attended many funerals while I was living here. 02:38 As an altar boy at my local church it was part of my duty 02:41 to assist the priest during such things. 02:43 I got used to seeing people experiencing painful grief. 02:48 I saw their tears, I felt their pain, and I learned, 02:53 and it was reinforced in my experience again and again 03:00 and again, that death is a tough thing. 03:06 [Music] 03:14 I often come here to remember, to reflect, whenever I come 03:17 home to my home town, I always make a stop 03:20 or two here. Some people I knew well, 03:24 some I just knew the family. This lady, for example, I played 03:26 football with her son, that's rugby league, 03:29 with her son when we were kids. 03:30 She was a nice lady; she died far too young. 03:33 I went to high school with the daughter of this lady and her 03:37 husband, primary school with that, well, that kid, 03:41 he died at the age of 29. Far too young. 03:44 Family over there were kind of an iconic family. 03:46 My brother went to high school with their son. 03:51 And here, this is where my dad is buried. 03:55 Of course you remember your dad's funeral, and I come here 03:59 just, just to remember, just because I think it's 04:02 important somebody should come by and show their 04:05 respects to Dad. Just over behind Dad, a young 04:12 man who went to our church school and who was in the 04:16 same year as my brother. Um, oh, young man. 04:22 My brother's year in high school, died young, something 04:24 like 17 years old. Tragedy. 04:28 And here, look at this, a lady whose lawn I used to mow. 04:32 I used to cut her grass when I was a little kid. 04:34 You know, I never, ever knew her name was Mary. 04:37 Not until today. How about that? 04:40 And here she is. She lived a good long life; 04:43 she was a lovely lady. And speaking of people whose 04:45 grass I used to cut, there's another lady 04:48 right there. She used to own a business in 04:50 this town, um, well known, well respected, her husband 04:54 was just a really, really lovely man. 04:57 I remember mowing her grass just like I was mowing it yesterday. 05:01 Here, I didn't ever know this man, but he evidently was the 05:07 father-in-law of my favorite schoolteacher ever. 05:11 She married this man's son. So I'm thinking he must have 05:15 been, he must have been okay. Who else do we see? 05:20 Oh, look, I missed one I should have mentioned back there. 05:23 An opera singer, from our little old town, an opera singer came, 05:26 and he died far too young. An immensely talented man. 05:30 And then, oh, look, I think it's over here. 05:34 Is it over here? It is. 05:38 This was tragic. A 17-year-old boy, right, young 05:42 man, and his dad were traveling to work together and they met 05:46 with an accident on this road, just about, oh, half a mile up 05:51 there. Both perished. 05:55 And the mom, she's here, she died far too young. 05:57 I think as basically everybody does. 06:01 Now, this is someone I never knew, but I knew her husband. 06:05 We played cricket together in high school. 06:08 And she passed away young, the mother of two kids. 06:12 Oh, just sad, you know, there was some mourning there. 06:17 Another lady whose grass I cut when I was a child, being 06:20 raised, it seems to me that if I cut your grass you're going 06:23 to end up here sooner or later. 06:24 I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing, or just 06:27 a thing. And an interesting thing about 06:28 being buried in this cemetery is that every now and then, 06:33 something comes past that you might think would raise 06:39 the dead. Although, interestingly enough, 06:43 it never does. These are people who are 06:47 sleeping soundly. So who else is there? 06:51 Oh, over there, hard to see. He was 30 years old. 06:55 His son was a few years behind me in elementary school. 06:58 He died in a building accident. Oh, imagine, the family getting 07:03 news like that. Dad is dead. 07:05 Or, your husband is dead, there's been a terrible 07:08 accident. Oh. 07:11 The pain, the pain people go through, all these people, 07:13 all these lives ended. It represents grief and 07:17 suffering and anguish and heartbreak. 07:21 Ten-year-old kid, I don't know the boy, but I knew his 07:24 grandfather. Their family was one of those 07:26 iconic families in this town. Oh, look over here; a lady 07:30 whose paper I used to deliver, she was once the mayor of 07:33 this town. She was lovely. 07:35 She lived a good long life, but I don't think anybody's 07:38 going to say she lived long enough. 07:42 You always want people to live longer, don't you? 07:46 I think you do. And she was as sweet as 07:48 anything, and she contributed to this town in great ways. 07:51 You know, when you see, when you see a grave marker and 07:55 it says "Aged 33 years," you know already this was a 07:58 tragedy. Now, I didn't know this guy very 08:01 well, but I played football with his younger brother, and he was 08:04 a fantastic player. And this young man, wow, 33. 08:10 That was years and years ago. You recognize family names. 08:16 Some people you connected to, some people you know very well, 08:19 others, eh, not so well. There's somebody over here, 08:24 where is he? There, right there. 08:27 This man used to own the menswear store in town. 08:29 The store was an institution, it really was. 08:32 Um, and I don't suppose I ever knew him, but I went to the 08:36 store. We spent a lot of money in that 08:38 store. We'd buy sports clothing and 08:39 school uniforms, and - the clothing store's not there 08:44 anymore, but, you know, you just remember, 08:48 he's somebody who made a real impact. 08:50 And if I'm not mistaken, come over here. 08:53 Come over here. It doesn't read very well. 08:57 Is this the one? Yeah, this is the one. 09:02 My grandmother, well, well, strictly speaking, the woman 09:07 who raised my dad. There was no blood connection 09:11 there, but this is the closest thing to a grandmother I ever 09:13 had. She died when I was too young to 09:15 remember her, and so I don't remember her. 09:18 But I still come here just to, I don't know, to remember 09:22 what you can remember, and to pay my respects. 09:24 And I don't think it would be a stretch to say that I am the 09:28 only person in the universe who ever pauses at this lady's 09:33 gravestone. You know, you'll read 09:37 in cemeteries, "Gone but not forgotten." 09:39 Not always true. She is gone and, but for three 09:45 or four or five people in my family, she's completely 09:47 forgotten. 09:52 Imagine that. Could it really be that way? 09:54 Could it really? I'm wondering. 09:57 Is that what life's all about? You live, you die, gone but not 10:00 forgotten, but really gone and, unless you're Abraham Lincoln 10:03 or somebody, forgotten? Wouldn't life be futile if that 10:08 was the case? It would be, wouldn't it? 10:10 There has to be more than that. And there is. 10:13 Thank God there is. God's got a good plan. 10:15 Tell you more about it in just a moment. 10:19 It may be the greatest promise in the whole Bible. 10:23 "I will come again." Jesus, who died to save us, 10:26 is preparing a place for us, and is coming soon to take 10:29 us there. But such a promise raises 10:32 obvious questions, such as, when will He return, how will 10:36 He return, and how can I be sure I'm ready? 10:43 It's important to separate fact from fiction, and I'd like 10:45 to send you a free booklet. It's called 10:48 "The Second Coming of Jesus." Just call 800-253-3000 and 10:53 ask for your copy of "The Second Coming of Jesus." 10:56 If the line's busy, please try again, or write to: 11:00 It Is Written, P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 11:04 37401. We'll mail a free copy to your 11:07 address in North America. Again, our toll-free number is 11:11 800-253-3000 and our web address is ItIsWritten.com. 11:23 This is It Is Written. I'm John Bradshaw. 11:25 And we're in my hometown of Ngaruawahia, New Zealand. 11:29 If you look on a map, you'll see it's not the 11:32 center of the universe. But it was the center of my 11:35 universe for 20 years. I was born in the next town up 11:39 the road, to be honest with you. But please don't tell anyone. 11:43 That's where the maternity hospital was. 11:45 The one in my hometown had been closed down for a couple of 11:47 years before I was born. But I grew up here, 11:51 went to church here, went to school here, 11:54 learned to drive here, had my first accident here, 11:57 swam in the river here, worked here - you know how 12:01 it goes. And I spent a lot of time here, 12:07 at the Rugby League Club. I played on my first team when I 12:10 was 5 years old, and I played here for years. 12:13 In fact, I vividly remember scoring my first try, or what 12:17 in the United States we'd call a touchdown, on that field 12:21 right there. In my mind's eye I can see a 12:24 little boy with his bright red hair and a black jersey, 12:27 carrying a ball that was just about as big as himself, 12:30 running across... in fact, I remember 12:32 what happened. A guy pushed me from behind, 12:34 and instead of falling over, I stumbled forward, put the 12:38 ball down across the line right in front of, well, 12:40 where that brown fence is now. 12:42 Every weekend during the winter months or the colder months of 12:45 the year, we would be here, unless we weren't here because 12:47 we were playing away at another club. 12:49 Lots of memories. And memories of people. 12:53 Special people, a lot of whom aren't here anymore. 12:56 I think of a coach we had when I was 13 years old, Mr. McRoberts. 13:01 What a great man. He loved us, at least, sure 13:04 seemed like he did. But I know for certain that 13:07 we loved him. We'd have done anything for him. 13:09 He cared about us; after a practice two nights a week, 13:13 we'd pile into the back of his brown pickup, his Ute, and 13:17 he'd drive all over the streets of this town dropping off each 13:19 boy at his home. And he was a man obviously 13:22 of faith. I recall that he would pray 13:24 for us before every game. And I remember Mr. McRoberts, 13:28 he would pray that "no harm or danger may befall us." 13:32 Those are the exact words he would use, and I remember them 13:34 all these years later. I remember being huddled at 13:37 various spots around this ground as Mr. McRoberts prayed for us. 13:41 Mr. McRoberts is gone; I miss him, 13:44 I really do. Haven't seen him for years and 13:46 years, but he meant so much to me. 13:48 And I think, I think of the older men, the old-timers, 13:50 well, people like my dad and even men of his generation 13:54 and slightly over, men who ran this club for many 13:56 years. The old-timers are all gone too. 14:02 [soft but driving piano] 14:10 Let's look at a couple of stories together. 14:12 I've been to a lot of funerals, I've performed many funeral 14:14 services, but I've never been to one quite like this. 14:18 This took place 8 or 9 miles outside of Nazareth, the town 14:21 in which Jesus was raised. Luke 7:11-15: "Now it happened, 14:28 the day after, that He went into a city called Nain; and many of 14:34 His disciples went with Him, and a large crowd. 14:37 And when He came near the gate of the city, behold, a dead man 14:42 was being carried out, the only son of his mother; 14:46 and she was a widow. And a large crowd from the city 14:50 was with her. When the Lord saw her, 14:52 He had compassion on her and said to her, 14:55 'Do not weep.' Then He came and touched the 14:58 open coffin, and those who carried him stood still. 15:02 And He said, 'Young man, I say to you, 15:05 arise.' So he who was dead sat up 15:09 and began to speak. And He presented him to 15:13 his mother." 15:16 A cancelled funeral. Can you imagine? 15:18 Incredible! Now, there's a similar story 15:21 in Matthew chapter 9. We'll pick it up in verse 23: 15:25 "When Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the flute 15:28 players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, 15:33 'Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.' 15:38 And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put 15:41 outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. 15:47 And the report of this went out into all that land." 15:53 As you might think it should. Now, there were resurrections, 15:57 and these were very dead people, as dead as anybody in the 16:02 cemetery. Now, what made the difference? 16:04 Jesus said, "I say to you arise." 16:08 He took her by the hand. It was the voice of Jesus, 16:11 or the touch of Jesus, that made the 16:14 difference. Now, I used to kick goals here 16:18 on this field when I was a kid. Let's see if I've still got it. 16:42 Legend. Still got it. 16:44 Back with more in just a moment. 16:49 [male narrator] "Every Word" is a one-minute, 16:51 Bible-based, daily devotional presented by 16:53 Pastor John Bradshaw and designed especially 16:55 for busy people like you. Look for "Every Word" on 16:59 selected networks, or watch it online every day on our website, 17:02 ItIsWritten.com. 17:06 [Music] I read some fascinating 17:13 research that said that people who become addicted 17:15 to smoking lose their ability to choose for themselves 17:19 when it comes to smoking. That's tragic, because one of 17:22 the greatest gifts God has given the human family is freedom of 17:26 choice. Did you know that there are 17:28 things that you can do that affect your mind in such a way 17:32 that you no longer have control of your mind? 17:35 That's one reason it's so important to be careful about 17:37 what you put into your body and mind. 17:40 It affects you in ways that might surprise you. 17:43 Deuteronomy 30:19 is where God said to Israel, 17:46 "I have set before you life and death, blessing and 17:49 cursing; therefore, choose life, that both you and your 17:52 descendents may live." What are your choices doing 17:55 to you? Be sure that all of your choices 17:57 are a choice for life. I'm John Bradshaw for 18:01 It Is Written. Let's live today by every word. 18:07 [Music] [water splashing] 18:21 Thanks for joining me today on It Is Written. 18:24 People still come here today to swim at what we used to call as 18:28 kids the "train crash." The site got that name for a 18:32 very good reason. In 1912 a train line was built 18:36 connecting my home town with the little coal-mining village of 18:40 Glen Massey. The mines there used to produce 18:43 70,000 tons of coal a year. And so there was a rail link 18:47 needed to get the coal from Glen Massey to the marketplace. 18:51 Well, one wet spring day in 1933, somehow a locomotive 19:00 and six train cars or train carriages got away during 19:04 shunting at the Glen Massey yards. 19:07 The train driver stayed on the train for a couple of reasons: 19:11 one was to try to bring it under control, and the other was so 19:13 that he could sound the whistle so that anybody who might have 19:16 been in harm's way could be alerted. 19:19 As the train came hurtling down the track it got to one of the 19:23 22 bridges along the train line, this one, the one over 19:27 Firewood Creek, as long as a football field. 19:30 When it got to that bridge, the train left the track and 19:34 plunged into the creek below. 19:37 But that brave driver was killed instantly. 19:41 How about that? A young man, a life, we would 19:44 presume, well lived, and his life gone, just like that. 19:47 His name? It seems nobody knows. 19:50 None of the historical references mention him 19:52 by name. But there was another life 19:54 lived and then gone. So a place like this is, 19:59 in essence, a memorial. We like memorials, we appreciate 20:03 them. In my hometown and in towns like 20:06 it all across the country, there is a war memorial hall where 20:09 those who served their nation are remembered and recognized. 20:13 And in a park in town, there's a cenotaph, a monument, 20:16 recognizing those and honoring those whose lives 20:19 were lost serving their country abroad. 20:24 [Music] During the first World War, 20:27 the Returned and Services' Association was formed by 20:30 soldiers returning home. It was formed to provide support 20:34 and comfort to service men and women and their families. 20:38 Outside the RSA in my hometown, the famous poem written by 20:43 Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel 20:45 John McCrae is displayed. [Trumpet] 20:51 In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, 20:54 row on row That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, 21:00 still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard 21:04 amid the guns below. We are the Dead. 21:09 Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, 21:15 Loved and were loved, and now we lie 21:19 In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel 21:24 with the foe: To you from failing hands 21:27 we throw The torch; be yours 21:30 to hold it high. If ye break faith with us 21:32 who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow 21:37 In Flanders fields. 21:43 [trumpet continues] "We are the dead," he wrote. 21:48 Well, of course, the dead don't speak and the dead don't 21:50 write poems. But they do speak to us 21:52 metaphorically. And the Bible alludes to that in 21:56 several places. It says this in Hebrews 11:4: 22:01 "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than 22:06 Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, 22:10 God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet 22:16 speaketh." Hebrews 11 contains an 22:20 outstanding array of impressive Bible characters. 22:23 We read in there of Enoch and Noah and Abraham, about Sarah 22:28 and Isaac and Jacob, about Joseph and Moses. 22:31 The list goes on, and includes luminaries such as Gideon, 22:35 David and Samuel. And then the Bible says 22:39 something very impressive about them, in Hebrews 11:39: 22:43 "And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, 22:48 did not receive the promise." There's a resurrection that must 22:54 take place. Paul expressed that same thought 22:57 writing to the Thessalonians in I Thessalonians 4, 23:01 starting in verse 13: "But I do not want you 23:04 to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen 23:07 asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 23:13 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, 23:17 even so God will bring with Him those who sleep 23:21 in Jesus. For this we say to you 23:24 by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and 23:27 remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means 23:30 precede those who are asleep." 23:35 Now, that's the same thought as is expressed in Hebrews 11. 23:39 But Paul here elaborates on that. 23:42 We'll pick it up again in verse 16: "For the Lord Himself will 23:46 descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an 23:50 archangel, and with the trumpet of God. 23:53 And the dead in Christ will rise first. 23:56 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with 24:00 them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 24:03 And thus we shall always be with the Lord." 24:09 And then the most wonderful resurrection of them all: 24:12 the resurrection of Jesus. Mary went to his tomb, and 24:16 she was asked this question: "Why seek ye the living among 24:19 the dead? He is not here, but risen." 24:23 The grave couldn't hold Jesus. And that first Easter Sunday 24:27 morning he came forth from the grave and now lives 24:30 forever. And you can too. 24:34 You see, if Jesus doesn't come back first, we all must end up 24:37 in a place much like this. But the Bible promises us that 24:42 when Jesus returns the dead in Christ shall rise. 24:46 A character in one of Shakespeare's plays 24:48 remarked thusly; he said, "Death is a fearful thing." 24:53 Well, it need not be. If one were to die in faith in 24:57 Jesus Christ, one dies in the hope of the resurrection and 25:00 everlasting life. Life on this Earth is so very 25:02 short. But with Christ, life on this 25:05 Earth ultimately gives way to everlasting life. 25:11 Imagine what it will be in a place like this, when Jesus 25:13 comes back, and graves all over these grounds open up, and 25:16 people come forth from the grave immortalized, given the 25:21 gift of everlasting life from Christ Himself. 25:24 And they'll live forever, and they'll never die. 25:28 Friend, Jesus wants you to be ready on that day, and you can 25:30 be, when you accept him into your heart by faith as your 25:34 Lord and Savior. Let's pray. 25:39 Father in Heaven, we thank you today that Jesus is the 25:42 resurrection and the life. We're thankful that He's coming 25:46 back soon and that one day the dead in Christ shall rise. 25:51 Friend, as we pray, I wonder if Jesus is the resurrection and 25:55 the life for you. If he isn't, make him so. 25:57 Do that now by accepting Him by faith. 26:01 Ask Jesus to come into your life, into your heart, 26:03 to live His life in you, to forgive you of your 26:06 sins and to give you the promise, the assurance 26:08 of everlasting life. He'll do that now. 26:10 Father, we thank you for that, that Jesus died for, for all. 26:15 We look forward to seeing Him come back soon, and to eternity 26:19 with you. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. 26:25 [Music] 26:37 It may be the greatest promise in the whole Bible: 26:41 "I will come again." But when will He return? 26:45 How will He return? And how can I be sure I'm ready? 26:51 It's important to separate fact from fiction, and I'd like to 26:53 send you a free booklet that will walk you through what the 26:57 Bible says about the return of Jesus. 26:59 It's called "The Second Coming of Jesus." 27:01 Just call 800-253-3000 and ask for your copy of 27:06 "The Second Coming of Jesus." If the line's busy, 27:10 please try again, or write to: 27:12 It Is Written, P O Box 6, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 27:15 37401. We'll mail a free copy to your 27:19 address in North America. It Is Written is a faith-based 27:22 ministry and your support makes it possible for us to share 27:26 God's Good News with the world. Your tax-deductible gift can 27:30 be sent to the address on the screen. 27:32 Or through our website at ItIsWritten.com. 27:35 Thank you for your continued prayerful support. 27:38 Again, our toll-free number is 800-253-3000, and our web 27:43 address is ItIsWritten.com. 27:48 Thanks so much for joining me. I look forward to seeing you 27:49 again next time. Until then remember, 27:52 it is written: Man shall not live by bread alone but 27:57 by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. 28:01 [music] |
Revised 2016-10-23