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Series Code: IIW
Program Code: IIW021244S
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00:16 ♪[music ends]♪♪
00:19 >>John Bradshaw: This is It Is Written. 00:21 I'm John Bradshaw. Thanks for joining me. 00:24 They're 10 of the most famous seconds in all of history. 00:29 ♪[soft music]♪ 00:30 In 1936, a 22-year-old man stepped into the pages 00:35 of history and captured the imagination of people 00:38 all over the world. 00:40 His story is one of humble beginnings 00:42 and overcoming impossible odds. 00:46 He became the most famous person on the planet, 00:49 carrying the hopes of his country 00:51 into a complicated political situation 00:54 while delivering a black eye 00:55 to one of history's most controversial figures. 01:00 Oakville, Alabama, might seem like a curious place 01:03 for a museum--70 miles or so from Birmingham 01:07 and 15 miles off the freeway. 01:10 But it was right here that one of the most gifted athletes 01:14 in all of history was born. 01:16 His story is one of redemption, struggle, triumph, 01:21 of overcoming odds and paving the way 01:24 for many who came after him. 01:27 James Cleveland Owens spent the first years of his life here. 01:32 As a little boy he picked cotton in these fields 01:35 and, as one of 10 children, 01:36 lived in a small cabin almost identical to this one. 01:40 The children all slept on the floor. 01:43 Mother and father slept in the only bed. 01:46 James attended church with his siblings and his devout parents 01:50 in a building that doubled as a schoolhouse, 01:53 and they all faced an uncertain future. 01:56 His grandparents had been slaves. 01:59 The Emancipation Proclamation had been signed 02:01 just 50 years before he was born. 02:04 Job opportunities in rural Alabama were scarce. 02:08 A meaningful education was completely out of the question 02:11 for a black kid in the South. 02:13 But a couple of things came together 02:15 to give young James a future. 02:17 For one thing, he could really run. 02:21 And sensing there were no opportunities 02:23 for their children, his parents, Henry and Mary, 02:26 joined the great migration from the American South, 02:29 relocating their family to Cleveland, Ohio. 02:32 Young J.C. was among the millions of African-Americans 02:36 who left the South in search of opportunity, 02:39 and opportunity found J.C. 02:41 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 02:42 What if this young man had never had the opportunity 02:45 to move north? 02:46 I asked Nancy Pinion, director of the Jesse Owens Museum 02:50 in Oakville, Alabama. 02:53 What do you think his life would have looked like 02:55 if he hadn't moved, if he and his family had not moved north? 03:00 >>Nancy Pinion: His life, um, would have looked 03:02 very different. 03:04 He would have not had a chance in Alabama to become educated, 03:09 much less to have competed in sports, 03:13 as he did in Ohio and in college. 03:17 His family were sharecroppers, and they probably would have 03:21 still been sharecroppers his entire life. 03:25 He would not have been able to have gone to school 03:28 with the, you know, whites here. 03:32 >>John: It was while he was attending 03:33 Fairmount Junior High School in Cleveland, Ohio, 03:36 that J.C. was taken under the wing 03:38 of a track coach named Charles Riley. 03:41 By now the young man was known as Jesse. 03:44 A teacher misunderstood his name, J.C. 03:47 By the time he was a high school kid of 15 years of age, 03:50 he was one of the fastest men on the planet. 03:53 With the right opportunities, 03:54 the gifts and abilities Jesse possessed were nurtured, 03:58 and the boy from Alabama got the opportunity to attend 04:01 Ohio State University, where he established himself 04:05 as one of the world's elite track-and-field athletes. 04:09 By the time he was 21, Jesse Owens had set world records. 04:13 He tied the world record over 100 yards 04:15 while he was in high school. 04:18 But it was what he did in a period of just 45 minutes 04:21 one day in May of 1935 that set the sporting world ablaze. 04:27 These were the days in which tens of thousands of people 04:30 would show up to watch college track events. 04:33 So what happened in Ann Arbor, Michigan, 04:36 echoed around the world. 04:38 In spite of a back injury so severe that his coach, 04:42 Larry Snyder, demanded he withdraw 04:45 from the Big Ten championships, 04:47 Owens broke three world records and equaled a fourth. 04:52 Prior to this, no one had ever broken two world records 04:55 in a day, and Owens set four world marks 05:00 in three-quarters of an hour. 05:02 He was now the world's fastest over the 220-yard hurdles, 05:05 in the 220-yards dash, the broad jump-- 05:08 that's what today we would call the long jump-- 05:11 and he co-owned the world record in the 100 yards. 05:14 In fact, his broad jump record stood for 25 years. 05:20 And all this happened in an age when the running tracks 05:23 were made from packed dirt. Sprinters would use a trowel 05:27 to dig holes in the track to act as starting blocks. 05:31 Uniforms were made from heavy cotton. 05:34 This was the sporting Stone Age compared to today. 05:38 Yet Owens was a legend, a phenomenon, 05:42 and straight ahead were the 1936 Olympic Games. 05:49 Now, you can't consider the Jesse Owens story 05:51 without remembering the times. 05:55 The United States was marinating in Jim Crow. 05:59 Jesse Owens couldn't have attended 06:00 the University of Alabama in his home state 06:04 as Alabama didn't accept black students until 1963. 06:08 This was 20 years before Rosa Parks refused to sit 06:12 in the back of the bus. 06:13 Jackie Robinson wouldn't break the color barrier 06:15 in professional baseball for another dozen years. 06:19 Owens couldn't eat at most restaurants 06:22 or stay in most hotels 06:24 simply because of the color of his skin. 06:27 He was about to become the hero of a nation 06:29 that didn't extend basic civil rights to him or his family. 06:34 And without being any kind of activist, 06:36 Jesse Owens was going to bring discrimination into focus 06:40 like no athlete had ever done. 06:43 The 1936 Olympic Games were to be held 06:45 in Berlin, Germany, and would be unapologetically 06:50 a massive propaganda campaign for Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party 06:54 and their belief in the superiority of the white race. 06:58 Now, the United States very nearly didn't attend 07:01 the 1936 Olympic Games. 07:04 How in the world could America support a regime that practiced 07:08 open hostile racism against its own people? 07:13 If the United States withdrew from the 1936 Olympics, 07:16 Jesse Owens' future would have looked vastly different. 07:20 He wouldn't have gone to Berlin, 07:22 and we wouldn't be talking about him right now. 07:24 The boy with no future would not have had a future. 07:29 So what happened? And how does this speak to faith in God? 07:34 I'll tell you in just a moment. 07:37 ♪[music swells, then ends]♪♪ 07:46 >>Announcer 1: The Bible describes the Christian life 07:48 as "the race that is set before us." 07:51 Give your kids the training they need to run the race of life. 07:54 Our free offer today is "Blueprints for Eternity," 07:57 part of the children's My Place With Jesus Bible study guides. 08:01 To receive "Blueprints for Eternity," 08:02 call 800-253-3000 08:05 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 08:09 Again, that number is 800-253-3000 08:12 or visit iiwoffer.com. 08:16 ♪[upbeat music]♪ 08:19 >>Announcer 2: Planning for your financial future 08:20 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 08:24 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 08:27 free planned giving and estate services. 08:30 For information on how we can help you, 08:32 please call 800-992-2219. 08:37 Call today or visit our website: 08:39 hislegacy.com. 08:41 Call 800-992-2219. 08:45 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 08:47 >>John Bradshaw: Thanks for joining me on It Is Written. 08:50 Germany in 1936 was not yet Germany in 1939 or 1943. 08:57 But people around the world were looking 08:59 at what was happening in Germany with growing unease. 09:02 Even though the real horrors of the Holocaust were still 09:05 a few years away, laws had already been passed 09:08 designating Jews, who made up less than one percent 09:12 of Germany's population, as second-class citizens. 09:16 Jews made such a major and positive contribution 09:19 to Germany's culture and economy that many thought 09:22 that Germany would never really marginalize them. 09:25 But by 1936 Jews were being attacked, 09:29 Jewish businesses were being boycotted, 09:31 Jewish books were being publicly burned, 09:34 and Jews were prevented from participating 09:36 in many aspects of German life. 09:39 Legislation passed in 1935 stripped Jews 09:43 of their citizenship and prevented them 09:44 from marrying non-Jews. 09:47 The same laws applied to the Roma, or Gypsies, and blacks. 09:52 In the United States, 09:53 the propriety of attending the Olympic Games in Germany-- 09:56 and by so doing tacitly supporting Hitler's regime-- 10:00 was being seriously questioned. 10:03 Many were calling for a boycott of the Olympic Games, 10:05 among them state governors and U.S. senators. 10:08 New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia insisted 10:11 the United States boycott the 1936 Olympics. 10:16 There was real division in black America 10:18 over this question. 10:19 Should the 18 black athletes on the 1936 team 10:23 protest Hitler and boycott, or go to Berlin and show the world 10:29 how wrong Hitler's racist ideas were? 10:32 Ultimately, the Amateur Athletic Union voted narrowly 10:36 not to boycott. 10:38 And Jesse Owens was caught in the middle of it all. 10:41 The secretary of the NAACP personally requested 10:45 Owens not run at the Olympics. 10:48 His coach, Larry Snyder, urged him to do so, to run. 10:52 By now he had a wife and daughter, 10:54 and Snyder believed that Jesse could earn $100,000 10:57 if he was successful in Berlin. 10:59 By so doing he could secure his family's future. 11:03 Jesse was under immense pressure from a wide array 11:06 of different people to speak up for a cause. 11:10 What sort of difficulty did that place him under? 11:14 >>Nancy Pinion: He had to consider the fact that the NAACP 11:20 was, um, asking him not to go--to take a stand. 11:25 Uh, you know, his family was taking a stand. 11:30 But it was his choice. 11:32 So I think he considered it all from every direction 11:34 and made his own choice, 11:36 which was the right choice we know now. 11:39 >>John: Owens' success in Berlin was not guaranteed. 11:44 In the lead-up to the Games, his great rival, 11:47 Eulace Peacock of New Jersey--like Owens, 11:50 was born in Alabama--was regularly beating him. 11:54 Maybe the man with the world records would only win silver 11:56 in Berlin. But shortly before the Olympic trials, 12:00 Eulace Peacock pulled a hamstring. 12:03 The Olympics for him were over before they began. 12:09 The 110,000-seat Olympic stadium in Berlin 12:12 was constructed especially for the event. 12:15 I've been there myself. It's an impressive structure. 12:19 And as the world looked on, the Games went ahead, 12:23 and Jesse Owens ran and jumped into history. 12:27 He set a world record in the heats of the 100 meters 12:31 and went on to win the gold medal. 12:33 American Ralph Metcalfe, born in Georgia 12:36 and raised in Chicago, came second. 12:40 He set another world record winning the final 12:42 of the 200 meters, with Mack Robinson, 12:46 older brother of baseball great Jackie Robinson, winning silver. 12:50 In the long jump, Owens beat the German champion Luz Long, 12:55 in what was an epic battle, and he might not have 12:59 if Long hadn't demonstrated some remarkable sportsmanship. 13:03 The very white, very German Long offered 13:07 his African-American rival some friendly advice 13:10 when it looked like Owens was going to foul out 13:12 of the event. 13:14 Owens followed Long's gracious advice and went on to beat 13:18 the German for the gold medal, 13:20 deeply moved by Long's gracious gesture. 13:24 So now, Owens had three gold medals, a phenomenal result. 13:30 And he believed his Olympics were over. 13:33 The only other event he might have competed in 13:35 was the 4x100 meters relay, 13:37 but Owens was never going to be on the relay team. 13:40 Frank Wykoff had won gold as a member of the 4x100 meters 13:44 relay team in Amsterdam in 1928 and Los Angeles in 1932. 13:49 No doubt he'd be on the team, then Ralph Metcalfe most likely. 13:54 Remember, Metcalfe finished second behind Owens 13:57 in the final of the 100. 13:59 Then there'd be Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, 14:03 who traveled to Berlin just to compete 14:05 in the 4x100 meters relay. 14:08 But when the team was announced, 14:10 Glickman and Stoller were not named. 14:14 Now, why would that be? 14:16 It was said, so that the very fastest runners 14:20 could give the United States the best chance at victory. 14:23 Except that no matter who they started, 14:26 the American athletes were always going to obliterate 14:29 their opposition. 14:31 At the Berlin Olympics, Hitler's Olympics, 14:34 an homage to the National Socialist Party, 14:38 Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, both Jews, 14:43 were left out of the relay team. 14:46 The United States set a world record. 14:48 Owens got his fourth gold medal--and along with it 14:52 got to see American discrimination at work 14:54 on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean. 14:59 Now, what about Hitler's famous snub of Jesse Owens? 15:03 Did it actually happen? 15:06 And what spiritual lessons can we learn 15:08 from Jesse Owens' ascent to the top 15:10 of the track-and-field world? 15:12 I'll have that in just a moment. 15:15 ♪[music swells, then ends]♪♪ 15:24 >>Announcer 1: The Bible describes the Christian life 15:26 as "the race that is set before us." 15:28 Give your kids the training they need to run the race of life. 15:32 Our free offer today is "Blueprints for Eternity," 15:35 part of the children's My Place With Jesus Bible study guides. 15:39 To receive "Blueprints for Eternity," 15:40 call 800-253-3000 15:43 or visit us online at iiwoffer.com. 15:47 Again, that number is 800-253-3000 15:50 or visit iiwoffer.com. 15:54 >>John Bradshaw: She's known as "the immortal woman," 15:57 and even though she died in 1951 at only 31 years of age, 16:02 Henrietta Lacks has had a greater impact on human health 16:05 than practically any other woman in history. 16:08 Most people have never heard of her, 16:10 but she's contributed to the study of diseases 16:13 such as polio, measles, Ebola, and cancer in ways 16:17 that have changed the course of medical science forever. 16:20 She was raised in a cabin 16:22 that at one time was slaves' quarters, 16:24 and even though she died 70 years ago, 16:26 a part of Henrietta Lacks is still living 16:29 and making a difference today, 16:31 bringing hope and health to people all over the world. 16:34 Join me for "The Immortal Woman." 16:37 Hear the remarkable story of Henrietta Lacks 16:41 and learn how you, too, can live forever, 16:44 obtaining eternal life through Jesus. 16:48 "The Immortal Woman," 16:49 brought to you by It Is Written TV. 16:54 >>John: So, did Adolf Hitler actually snub Jesse Owens 16:58 at the 1936 Olympics? That's what's commonly stated. 17:03 I've said so myself on this program, 17:06 but it might not have been quite that simple. 17:09 Near the end of the first day of competition, 17:11 Hitler chose to leave the stadium a few minutes early, 17:15 meaning he didn't congratulate Cornelius Johnson 17:17 and Dave Albritton, African-American athletes 17:20 who finished first and second in the high jump. 17:23 His reasons? 17:24 Well, officially, Hitler wanted to beat the traffic. 17:29 You can believe that if you wish. 17:32 The president of the International Olympic Committee 17:33 was furious, and he insisted that Hitler either congratulate 17:37 all of the athletes or none of the athletes. 17:40 So Hitler chose option B. 17:44 In fact, according to author Jeremy Schaap, 17:46 Owens was quoted as saying, 17:48 "Hitler didn't snub me--it was our president who snubbed me. 17:53 The president"--that was Franklin Delano Roosevelt-- 17:56 "didn't even send me a telegram." 18:00 Interesting fact: Dave Albritton, 18:02 second in the high jump, he grew up just a few miles away 18:07 from Owens in Alabama. 18:09 His family also moved to Cleveland 18:11 in the Great Migration. 18:13 He and Owens went to high school together, 18:15 to Ohio State together, 18:17 where they were members of the same fraternity, 18:19 and to Berlin together, where they both won medals. 18:23 After the Olympics, Albritton became a high school teacher 18:26 and a coach. 18:27 He ran an insurance business and was a six-term member 18:30 of the Ohio House of Representatives. 18:32 According to the state of Ohio, he tried to qualify 18:35 at the age of 36 for the 1948 London Olympics. 18:40 Although he didn't qualify, his best jump in 1948 18:45 would have been good enough to win gold, 18:47 had he made it to London. 18:50 Jesse Owens returned to the United States 18:52 with four gold medals and a lot of promises, 18:55 which, for the most part, never came to anything. 19:00 The big money offers Owens received while he was in Berlin 19:04 simply never materialized. They were publicity stunts. 19:09 America in those days evidently preferred its heroes 19:12 to "stay in their lane." 19:15 Owens became an attraction of sorts, 19:16 competing in novelty races, 19:19 but eventually he earned a comfortable living. 19:22 He became a goodwill ambassador 19:23 for the United States government 19:25 and did endorsements for numerous companies. 19:27 He even went into business with his old rival Eulace Peacock. 19:32 But in order to get to Berlin, Jesse Owens had to overcome 19:37 the myriad circumstances in his early life 19:40 that conspired to keep him from succeeding in life. 19:45 The barriers he had to overcome were immense, 19:47 but overcome them he did. 19:50 He had natural talent, but that talent had to be honed, 19:54 disciplined, and it took copious amounts of character 19:58 for Owens to rise to the top of the sporting world. 20:02 And he did so with an incredible amount of dignity. 20:07 So what kind of future are you supposed to have? 20:11 Oh, I don't mean, "Could you grow up to become 20:13 "the president of the United States, 20:14 or, or, or do you have what it takes to go to college?" 20:17 I think by now every person knows that inside them 20:20 is incredible potential, that when harnessed 20:23 could do an immense amount of good in this world. 20:26 I want to look at this with you from a spiritual point of view. 20:31 The Bible says that you have an enemy, an adversary, 20:34 who "walks about like a roaring lion, 20:38 seeking whom he may devour." 20:40 You find that in 1 Peter 5 in verse 8. 20:43 The book of Revelation speaks of "the accuser of our brethren." 20:47 That's Satan. He's an accuser. 20:51 He's the one who says that you'll never amount to anything. 20:55 It's the devil who says you can't overcome your weaknesses, 20:58 that you're doomed to live a life of defeat and sin. 21:03 But nothing could be further from the truth. 21:08 There's a fascinating exchange found in the book of Zechariah. 21:12 Chapter 3 starts like this: 21:15 "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest 21:17 "standing before the Angel of the Lord, 21:20 and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him"-- 21:23 or to accuse him. 21:25 So this is a picture of a sinner 21:27 and the devil accusing that sinner of not being worthy 21:31 of God's grace and mercy. 21:34 Verse 2: 21:35 "And the Lord said to Satan, 'The Lord rebuke you, Satan! 21:40 "'The Lord who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! 21:43 Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?'" 21:47 The Bible says every last person alive has sinned 21:51 and that "the wages of sin is death." 21:55 So when Satan speaks up and says you're not worthy 21:57 of the grace of God, he'd be right, 22:00 except that Jesus died on the cross to redeem you, 22:06 to make you His own. Therefore, Satan is wrong. 22:10 You shouldn't have a spiritual future, but you do. 22:15 You've been redeemed. 22:18 The passage goes on to say that "Joshua was clothed 22:21 [in] filthy garments," which represents sin, 22:24 and that God removed Joshua's filthy clothing and clothed him 22:29 with clean, spotless clothing, 22:31 representing the righteousness of Jesus. 22:35 See that? 22:36 God takes away your sin and gives you His righteousness. 22:42 So now what does your future look like? 22:47 Jesse Owens was born into a life that guaranteed him 22:50 hardship and discrimination, 22:52 into circumstances designed to keep opportunity away from him. 22:56 But his family prayed and moved, 22:59 and his gifts were recognized and developed, 23:02 and doors opened, and eventually he traveled the world 23:05 representing his country as both an athlete and an ambassador. 23:10 He lived through some extremely challenging days, 23:14 and he saw change come. 23:16 He was part of that change. 23:19 You know what your potential is, don't you? 23:22 Your potential is everlasting life, 23:25 salvation, redemption, transformation. 23:30 Everywhere you turn there are voices telling you 23:32 that you can't do it, that you're not worthy. 23:35 But the cross of Jesus tells you that you are worthy 23:38 of the love and grace of God, 23:40 because "God so loved the world, that He gave 23:43 "His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him 23:47 should not perish, but have everlasting life." 23:51 John 3:16. 23:54 That's what God sees for you. 23:57 If you can't see it, believe it; believe it by faith. 24:02 Would you accept God's offer of everlasting life right now? 24:06 If you've never done so, there's no need to wait. 24:11 Don't believe the accuser. 24:13 Don't believe the, the inner voices, 24:15 that self-condemnation telling you failed so many times 24:18 that you're not good enough. 24:20 Instead, listen to the voice of Jesus, the One who says, 24:27 "The one who comes to me I will by no means cast out." 24:32 The Bible declares that you "can do all things through Christ 24:34 who strengthens [you]," 24:36 and that God will work "in you both to will and to do 24:41 for His good pleasure." 24:43 Don't let the enemy hold you back. 24:45 God has created you for great things, 24:48 and when you invite Him into your heart, 24:51 you begin to realize the plans God has for you 24:53 to achieve eternal greatness. 24:56 You might see humble beginnings, difficult circumstances, 25:01 but God sees victory for you as you run the race of life. 25:08 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 25:10 ♪[upbeat music]♪ 25:12 >>Announcer 2: Planning for your financial future 25:14 is a vital aspect of Christian stewardship. 25:18 For this reason, It Is Written is pleased to offer 25:20 free planned giving and estate services. 25:23 For information on how we can help you, 25:26 please call 800-992-2219. 25:30 Call today or visit our website: 25:33 hislegacy.com. 25:35 Call 800-992-2219. 25:38 ♪[music ends]♪♪ 25:40 >>John Bradshaw: Thank you for remembering that It Is Written 25:42 exists because of the kindness of people just like you. 25:46 To support this international life-changing ministry, 25:49 please call us now at 800-253-3000. 25:53 You can send your tax-deductible gift 25:55 to the address on your screen, 25:56 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:00 Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. 26:03 Our number again is 800-253-3000, 26:07 or you can visit us online at itiswritten.com. 26:11 >>John: Let me pray with you now. 26:13 Our Father in heaven, we thank You today for Jesus. 26:15 We thank You that through His death on the cross 26:18 we have a bright and eternal future. 26:22 I'm grateful today, dear Lord, 26:24 that we do not need to look at our own limitations 26:26 and believe that they restrict us from heaven. 26:29 We do not need to look at our own failings and shortcomings 26:32 and believe that they keep us from Your blessing. 26:36 We thank You that through the presence of the Holy Spirit, 26:40 every life can be transformed 26:42 and every heart might be made new. 26:46 Let me ask you, friend: How is it with you today? 26:48 We've looked at the story of somebody who was born 26:51 into circumstances that should have prevented him 26:54 from achieving anything at all, 26:56 and yet he couldn't be held back. 26:58 How is it with you spiritually? 27:00 What's holding you back? 27:02 Nothing needs to, if you would yield your heart to Jesus. 27:06 Invite God to be the God of your life. 27:09 You can know that He will give you a new heart, 27:12 take away your sin, 27:13 and give you an eternal future and everlasting life. 27:18 Would you claim that, friend? Would you do so now? 27:20 Would you say, "God, I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior 27:24 and I believe that You, the God of heaven, are truly my God"? 27:28 We thank You, heavenly Father, that as we run the race of life, 27:32 we look towards the finish line 27:34 knowing Jesus is soon to return, 27:36 knowing eternity stretches before us. 27:39 We face our future in hope and confidence, 27:43 for Jesus has died for us. 27:46 In Jesus' name we pray, amen. 27:50 Thank you so much for joining me. 27:52 I'm looking forward to seeing you again next time. 27:54 Until then, remember: 27:56 "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, 28:00 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" 28:04 ♪[dramatic theme music]♪ 28:25 ♪[music ends]♪♪ |
Revised 2022-02-09