Participants:
Series Code: TMC
Program Code: TMC000017A
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00:15 And we've been delighted to have him as our guest
00:19 this weekend. Please welcome again Roy Drusky. 00:50 I am going 00:53 to a city 00:59 where the streets 01:02 with gold are laid. 01:08 Where the Tree of Life 01:12 is blooming 01:17 and the roses 01:20 never fade. 01:26 Here they bloom 01:29 but for a season. 01:35 Soon their beauty 01:38 is decayed. 01:44 I am going 01:48 to a city 01:53 where the roses 01:57 never fade. 02:11 Loved ones wait to be 02:16 with Jesus. 02:20 They're in 02:22 their robes of white array. 02:29 Soon we'll all go there 02:34 together 02:38 where 02:41 the roses never fade. 02:48 Here they bloom 02:51 but for a season. 02:57 Soon their beauty 03:00 is decayed. 03:06 I am going 03:09 to a city 03:15 where the roses 03:18 never fade. 03:24 Here they bloom 03:27 but for a season. 03:33 Soon their beauty 03:36 is decayed. 03:42 I am going 03:46 to a city 03:51 where 03:53 the roses never fade. 04:08 Very happy to welcome each of you again this evening. 04:11 Appreciate you being here. And for those who are watching 04:14 across the nation and in dif- ferent places around the world 04:17 we welcome you and hope that as you have been studying 04:21 the Word of God from night to night 04:22 that your understanding in the Lord is growing 04:26 and the grace of Jesus Christ is becoming more real to you 04:30 all the time. So tonight's subject is a very 04:33 important one, and we hope it will be a blessing to you 04:36 in a special way. 04:39 One of the marvelous promises is... 04:42 is that you and I will be able to behold Him, 04:47 to see Him. And I want you to listen tonight 04:49 as Ysis España sings We Shall Behold Him. 05:12 The sky shall unfold 05:18 preparing 05:22 His entrance. 05:28 The stars shall 05:32 applaud Him 05:38 with thunders of praise. 05:48 The sweet light 05:50 in His eyes 05:57 shall enhance 05:59 those awaiting 06:06 and we shall 06:09 behold Him 06:16 then face to face. 06:25 We shall 06:28 behold Him! 06:34 We shall 06:37 behold Him 06:44 face to face 06:49 in all of 06:51 His glory! 06:58 We shall 07:01 behold Him! 07:07 We shall 07:10 behold Him 07:17 face to face 07:25 our Savior 07:28 and Lord! 07:47 The angels 07:49 shall sound 07:56 the shout of His coming. 08:05 The sleeping 08:08 shall rise from 08:15 their slumbering place. 08:24 And those who remain 08:33 shall be changed in 08:36 a moment... 08:42 and we shall 08:45 behold Him 08:52 then face to face! 09:01 Yes, we shall 09:04 behold Him! 09:11 We shall behold 09:16 Him 09:21 face to face 09:25 in all of 09:27 His glory. 09:35 We shall 09:37 behold Him! 09:44 We shall 09:46 behold Him 09:53 face 09:56 to face 10:02 our Savior 10:05 and Lord... 10:12 we shall 10:14 behold Him 10:21 our Savior 10:25 and Lord! 10:33 Savior 10:35 and Lord! 10:59 Our gracious Father, 11:02 we look forward to that day when we shall behold You. 11:07 We pray tonight that as we 11:10 look at the ways in which 11:14 Your Word has revealed that You're coming 11:17 that You'll give to each one of us insight. 11:21 We pray, Lord, that our hearts may be open, 11:24 the Holy Spirit may have access to our minds, 11:28 and that it will lead us and guide us into the truths 11:31 of Your Word. For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 11:44 The Scripture describes the coming of Jesus Christ 11:47 with these words found here in Matthew the 24th chapter 11:52 and verse 27. It says: 12:03 Scripture just simply says: "As lightning 12:05 comes from the east and flashes clear across the sky 12:09 to the west, so will the coming 12:12 of the Son of Man be. " 12:13 As a boy of nine years of age 12:17 my parents moved from Chicago here 12:20 to Oklahoma. 12:22 Moved out on the farm, and for a nine-year-old boy 12:26 who had lived right downtown Chicago 12:29 that was a radical change. 12:31 And my father was very, very fond of hunting and fishing. 12:37 And so we hadn't lived in Oklahoma very long 12:40 until one day he said to me... 12:42 he said: "When you come home from school 12:44 if you'll get all the fishing gear ready 12:48 I'll have your mother fix us a lunch and all 12:51 and when I get home from work 12:52 we'll go out and we'll spend the night on the river fishing. " 12:56 Well of course that was wonder- ful to a nine-year-old boy. 13:00 And so I got everything all ready 13:02 and my father came home. And we put all the fishing gear 13:05 in the car and drove out to the river 13:07 to spend the night on the river. 13:09 And I can remember we went down and stuck our fishing poles 13:13 in the ground there and put out our line 13:16 and hooks and the sinker and everything 13:18 and got ready to try to catch some fish. 13:21 And my father went up on the top of the bank there 13:25 and we have some trees in Oklahoma... they're called 13:29 post oaks. I don't know if you know what they are. 13:31 But they're not a very tall tree. 13:34 And my father took a hatchet and cut down 13:36 some of these post oak runners 13:38 and with that he built a little lean-to. 13:41 And he spread a blanket out under this lean-to 13:43 so that if we got tired or we wanted to go up and take a nap 13:46 we could. And so I went down on the bank and was fishing. 13:50 And the fish weren't biting very much. 13:53 And so I got bored and I went up and sat down on the blanket 13:57 and thought I'd take a nap. 13:59 Hadn't been there too long until off in the distance 14:03 I could see the flash of lightning. 14:07 Didn't think much about it. 14:09 But as the time passed I could begin to hear the thunder. 14:14 And didn't worry too much about it, 14:18 but as time passed the flash of lightning became stronger 14:23 and the sound of thunder became louder. 14:25 And as it got closer to us 14:28 well I guess my father got concerned about me. 14:31 And he came up there where I was and sat down beside me. 14:34 This storm, folks, passed right over where we are. 14:38 Now I don't know how many of you have ever lived in Oklahoma 14:40 but Oklahoma is "tornado alley. " 14:43 You know, they really get storms come through there. 14:46 I to this day have never forgotten that storm. 14:49 I have never seen it lightning like it did 14:53 or the sound of thunder. I mean, the thunder was 14:56 so loud that it would shake the ground. 14:58 And the flash of lightning was so bright, folks, 15:02 that I could shut my eyes and I could still see it. 15:07 You know? Well let me tell you something: 15:09 when it said "as lightning cometh out of the east 15:12 and shineth clear to the west" 15:14 you'd better believe you can SEE THAT! 15:16 There is no question about it 15:19 when it talks about the coming of Jesus Christ 15:21 that it will be something that you and I can see 15:25 without any question of a doubt. 15:27 In fact, the Scripture tells us 15:29 that the coming of Jesus will be very glorious. 15:51 Talks about "the glorious appearing. " 15:54 "As lightning shines from the east even unto the west 15:57 so will the coming of the Son of Man be. " 16:00 Well, the Scripture tells you exactly how glorious 16:04 the coming of Christ is going to be. 16:33 So it says He's going to come back in His own glory; 16:36 He's going to come back in the glory of His Father; 16:38 He's going to come back in the glory of the angels. 16:41 Have you ever looked at that to see what that's like 16:45 when it says He's coming back in His own glory, 16:48 in the glory of the Father, and the glory of the holy angels? 16:52 Well you remember an incident in the Bible 16:55 that illustrates what the glory of the Father is like. 16:59 Moses. 17:01 Moses has gone up on top of Mt. Sinai. 17:06 And while he's up there on top of the mountain 17:08 he says to the Lord, he says: "I'd like to see Your face. " 17:13 And the Lord said "Moses, no one has seen My face and lived. 17:17 But I'll tell you what: I'll put you over here 17:20 in the cleft of the rock, I'll put My hand over it 17:23 and after I've passed by I'll let you see My back. " 17:27 And God put Moses in the hollow of that rock. 17:31 And it says that when God passed by 17:34 Moses saw compassion and love and mercy 17:38 and all the wonderful attributes of God. 17:42 After that was over 17:43 Moses is coming down out of the mountain. 17:47 Has the Ten Commandments with him. 17:50 Watch what happens here: 18:09 I mean, just the reflected glory of God was so bright 18:13 that the children of Israel couldn't stand to look at him. 18:16 They said: "Moses, put a veil over your face... 18:19 we can't stand to look at you. " 18:21 That's the reflected glory of God. 18:24 What must it be like 18:26 when Jesus comes in the glory of His Father? 18:30 Not only says that, it says He's going to come back 18:32 "in His own glory. " 18:35 Christ's own glory. 18:38 You remember? He's taken Peter and James and John 18:44 with Him up on top of the Mount of Transfiguration. 18:48 And while He's up there, all of a sudden He's transfigured 18:52 and Moses and Elijah appear to Him. 18:54 And this is what it says happened: 19:12 I mean, this is the glory of Christ. All of a sudden 19:14 He was transfigured and His glory shone forth 19:17 and His face "shone like the sun. " 19:22 His clothing was "as white as light. " 19:26 And then it also says 19:28 He's going to come back in the glory of the angels. 19:32 Have you ever considered that: 19:34 the glory of the angels... what that must be like? 19:38 You remember at the resurrection 19:41 the Bible says that one angel came to the tomb of Christ. 19:47 And when that angel came 19:49 I want you to see as it pictures what took place there. 20:02 One angel and there was a great earthquake. 20:05 All right? 20:11 Now listen: 20:24 One angel came... sat down. 20:27 His countenance was like lightning. Now folks, 20:29 they'd stationed a centurion - that's a soldier that has 20:34 100 soldiers under him - to guard the tomb of Christ. 20:38 What did these soldiers do? 20:46 One angel! 20:48 Countenance was like lightning. 20:53 Now what's it going to be? What's it going to be like 20:57 when the Scripture says that when Jesus comes 21:00 that all the angels are going to come with Him? 21:04 How many angels are there? 21:20 Do you know what ten thousand times ten thousand is? 21:25 That is 100,000,000! 21:29 Ten thousand times ten thousand. 21:32 You see, the Scripture never numbers angels. 21:35 It has a hundred million and thousands of thousands. 21:39 It'll say "the innumerable company. " 21:42 But all these angels are going to come with Him 21:44 and every one of them's countenance is like lightning. 22:00 So when it says the appearing of Jesus Christ 22:02 is glorious, you'd better believe it's glorious 22:06 like man has never seen. 22:08 I can tell you tonight, dear friend: 22:09 don't let anybody ever tell you that you won't see it. 22:13 Don't let them tell you that you won't know what's going on. 22:16 I can tell you: when HE comes 22:18 EVERYBODY will know something's going on 22:21 'cause it will be a glorious appearing! 22:29 Well, it tells us several things. 22:31 One: it tells you be careful what you hear. 22:37 Be careful what you hear about the coming of Jesus Christ. 22:42 This is the counsel that Jesus Himself gave about His coming. 22:57 Somebody says: "Oh, Christ is over here! " 23:01 And I hear that today. Every once in a while somebody'll say 23:03 that. Don't believe it. Listen... He continues on: 23:13 Somebody goes out here in the middle of the desert 23:17 and they perform signs and wonders 23:20 and they say "Christ is here" what do you do? 23:23 You don't believe it. 23:25 See, dear friends, you can't take signs and miracles 23:30 as a sign. You cannot depend on that. 23:34 You can't build your faith and belief on signs and miracles. 23:38 You can only build your faith and belief on the Word of God! 23:43 You can't build it any other place. 23:45 Don't try. If you do, you're going to be on false ground, 23:50 friends. It won't hold you up. 23:52 You've got to build your belief on the Word of God. 23:54 Listen as He continues: 24:02 It says if possible they will deceive even the elect. 24:20 Don't go! 24:27 The Bible is clear when it comes to the coming of Jesus Christ. 24:31 It's going to be something, friend, that you won't have any 24:35 trouble seeing. It's not going to take place quietly; 24:40 it's not going to take place secretly. 24:42 You're not going to wake up and say: "Where did everybody go? " 24:47 That won't happen. 24:49 Everybody will see and under- stand that Jesus is coming. 24:55 It won't be quietly. 25:03 Everybody will see it. 25:05 You won't have any trouble seeing it. 25:24 It says that He will appear. 25:27 You're going to see Him. How will I know it's Christ? 25:31 Well, the Bible gives you a perfectly clear example 25:35 of what the coming of Jesus Christ will be like 25:39 'cause when His disciples were with Him 25:42 He took them out there on the Mount of Olives. 25:47 And as they stood there 25:49 Jesus Christ was taken into heaven. 25:53 Watch, because it tells you exactly 25:56 how the coming of Jesus Christ will be. 26:12 So it says that as they were standing there 26:15 all of a sudden Jesus began to ascend into heaven 26:18 and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 26:21 Now... continue: 26:39 Now listen... here's His coming: 26:48 Now I want to ask you something: 26:49 did they see Him go into heaven? 26:52 Oh, yes! They stood there and watched Him. 26:55 This very same Jesus that had spent 3-1/2 years 27:00 with them, working with them and teaching... 27:02 that same Jesus they had watched heal the sick... 27:05 that same Jesus they had seen speak to the people... 27:08 that same Jesus that had blessed the little children... 27:11 that same Jesus, listen: 27:24 Does it tell you how He's coming back? 27:27 Absolutely! As the disciples saw Him go into heaven 27:30 so He will come back 27:33 just exactly like He went into heaven. 27:37 They saw Him; you and I will see Him. 27:40 No question. "Behold... " Revelation 1:7: 28:00 Yes they see Him. "Every eye will see Him. " 28:02 Every living soul will see Him and it says the wicked will 28:06 literally mourn. So it's not something's that's gonna be 28:10 done out in the desert. 28:12 It's not going to be off in some hiding place. 28:14 It's going to be something that everybody will see. 28:18 No question about it. 28:20 With the coming of Jesus 28:22 is great, great destructive force. 28:27 I mean the world will be very much aware. 28:32 Now folks, it speaks... and I'm going to read you some texts 28:36 about what happens when Jesus comes. 28:56 This is the end. This is when Jesus is coming. 29:06 That always amuses me a little bit. 29:09 I live in California. 29:11 And you know what they talk about in California? 29:13 They talk about the "big one. " 29:15 When is the big one going to hit? 29:17 Well I can tell them when the big one's going to hit. 29:19 When Jesus comes! That's going to be the big one 29:22 I can assure you. All right? 29:23 'Cause it says there was a great earthquake. 29:31 That's the big one! You understand? OK. 29:41 OK? 29:42 So this is a destructive force that's there at the coming 29:45 of Jesus Christ. 29:47 But dear friend, let me tell you something: 29:50 you don't have to be worried. 29:53 You don't have to be concerned 29:56 'cause Psalm 91 says: 29:58 "A thousand may fall at thy side 30:02 and ten thousand at thy right hand 30:05 but it shall not come nigh thee. 30:08 Only with your eyes 30:10 shall you see and behold the reward of the wicked. 30:13 No plague shall come nigh thy dwelling. " 30:18 See? My safety is in Jesus Christ. 30:22 Sure, there's going to be great destructive force 30:26 at the coming of Jesus Christ. 30:28 It says there will be hail that will fall that will weigh 30:31 57 pounds... what the Scripture says: 30:35 that hail will fall. And earthquakes. It talks about 30:38 all the destructive force that will be there. 30:40 But God's people will be perfectly safe in the hands 30:44 of Jesus Christ. Amen! The coming of Jesus Christ 30:49 won't be silent. 30:51 Not going to be something that will be whispered 30:55 and talked about. It's going to be loud. 31:14 So it says that God's coming it's going to be loud. 31:17 He's not going to keep silent. 31:20 Listen. It says that God is going to be there. 31:23 That He has a controversy with the nations. 31:25 Jeremiah... Jeremiah 25:30. 31:28 "Therefore prophesy against them all these words 31:31 and say to them 'The Lord will ROAR from on high. ' " 31:36 I mean, this is talking about the coming of Jesus. 31:49 By the way, that shout is tremendous. 31:53 That shout is so loud 31:56 that it will roll through this earth like peals of thunder. 32:01 What'll happen. 32:16 So this is not silent, folks. 32:19 When Jesus comes it'll be something that every individual 32:23 will hear. They'll not only hear it 32:24 they're going to see it. 32:27 This is what will happen as Jesus comes back. 32:39 You see, when He comes 32:43 and He shouts 32:45 and His words just roll through this earth 32:48 like peals of thunder 32:49 something happens. Did you know what happens? 32:53 That shout is absolutely so loud 32:57 that the dead in the ground hear it. 33:01 That's what it says. 33:19 They're going to hear it. They're going to come out 33:22 of their graves! So you can put it down: 33:27 the coming of Jesus is very glorious. 33:29 Secondly, it's something that everybody's going to see. 33:33 And thirdly, it's something that everybody will be able to hear. 33:37 Won't be quiet... not at all. 33:41 Then us, those who are here you see, dear friends, 33:44 you may be alive at the coming of Jesus Christ. 33:49 And if you are, like I said He will protect you. 33:54 He'll care for you. 33:55 And He says that all those people that are alive 33:58 that are followers of Jesus, they're going to be caught up 34:01 with the dead that have heard the voice and have come forth 34:04 from the grave to meet the Lord up in the air. 34:18 So it says that they're caught up in the clouds 34:21 to meet the Lord in the air. 34:23 This is a promise that God gives to every one of you here 34:28 tonight I don't care who you are. 34:31 It's a promise that Jesus made and let me tell you something: 34:36 the throne of God... the throne of God 34:40 is staked on the fulfillment of His Word. 34:45 Therefore, if God promised it 34:48 you'd better believe it will happen. 34:50 OK. This is the promise 34:53 that God gives to each one of you tonight: 35:41 So He says: "I'm going to come back 35:42 and I'm going to gather all of you 35:45 and I'm going to take you to be with Me 35:49 in My Father's house. I'm going to take all of you there. " 35:53 Oh, dear friend... what a wonderful promise! 35:57 Marvelous promise 35:58 that God says "I'll take you to be with Me 36:02 where you can enjoy all the wonderful things that God has 36:07 prepared for those that love Him. " 36:10 So coming to Jesus 36:12 is a promise that God gives to you and me. And it says: 36:31 So it says that when Jesus went to heaven 36:33 it says that a cloud "received Him out of their sight. " 36:36 It says when He comes back that He's coming back 36:39 on a what? Cloud. 36:43 A number of years ago - 36:46 you may remember - there was a great lot to do 36:49 about UFOs. Do you remember that? 36:52 And I really got interested in UFOs. 36:55 And I don't know how many books I read about UFOs. 36:59 But you know what I found out? 37:00 There's a religion connected with that. 37:03 You see, they believe that Jesus went to heaven on a UFO. 37:06 And they believe He's coming back on a UFO. 37:09 And there's a whole religion tied with that 37:12 idea of a UFO. That He went to heaven and is coming back 37:16 and so forth. Do you know what those clouds are 37:20 when it says that "a cloud re- ceived Him out of their sight? " 37:23 You know what they are? Listen: 37:38 Hmm. It says that God makes the clouds His chariots. 37:43 Listen carefully 'cause the Bible will tell you 37:46 exactly what's involved here. 38:07 of angels... That's what they are. 38:12 So when it talks about those clouds 38:15 that they're God's chariots that's referring to the angels. 38:19 And it says that ALL the angels are going to come back with Him. 38:27 Did you know that every one of you here tonight 38:31 have an angel? Whether you like it or whether you don't 38:35 you've got one. 38:37 And that angel goes with you throughout your entire life. 38:41 The Bible tells you. In fact, the Bible tells you 38:44 you need to be very very careful 38:47 how you treat children 'cause the Bible says 38:52 that child's angel looks on the face of God. 38:58 That's what it says. 39:00 You remember the time when Peter had been put in prison? 39:04 And because Herod had cut off the head of James 39:09 and that had brought him so much favor 39:11 he decided that he would behead Peter also. 39:14 So he's had Peter put in prison. 39:17 The next day Peter's going to lose his head. 39:21 Do you know what Peter's doing? 39:23 Now what would you be doing? 39:26 Praying? Yeah. 39:28 Peter's sleeping. 39:30 That's what he's doing... he's sleeping. 39:33 And while he's sleeping God sends an angel. 39:37 You know, angels have a key to every prison. 39:40 Did you know that? They have a key to every prison 39:43 and they can just walk through the doors. 39:45 In fact, they had put Peter in solitary confinement. 39:50 And there were about four steel doors 39:53 and then they had chained him between two guards. 39:56 And the angel walked right into the room; 39:59 the chains fell off Peter's arms; 40:03 and the angel said to him: "Peter, get up. " 40:05 And Peter thinks he's having a dream... 40:07 that's what Peter thinks is going on, see. 40:09 And the angel finally had to say: "Peter, get up. " 40:12 And Peter finally got up 40:13 and he's still thinking he's dreaming. 40:15 And finally the angel said: "Peter, put on your shoes. " 40:18 And Peter puts on his shoes. 40:20 And the angel takes him and they walk out of the prison. 40:24 The gates, the doors just open without any trouble. 40:26 And they get outside in the street 40:29 and all of a sudden the angel's gone! 40:32 And Peter realizes he's not dreaming. 40:35 All of a sudden the reality comes that the angel 40:38 has taken him out of prison. And so he goes to the home 40:41 of John Mark. 40:44 You know what they're having? 40:46 They're having a prayer meeting for Peter 40:48 'cause they know he's to lose his head the next day. 40:50 So they're all there praying for him. 40:52 And Peter knocks on the door. 40:54 And a young girl by the name of Rhoda goes to the door 40:57 to see who's there. And she looks out the hole 41:00 and there's Peter. And she gets so excited 41:02 that she doesn't let Peter in. 41:04 She runs back and tells the people. She said: 41:06 "Peter's at the door! Peter's at the door! " 41:08 And they said: "No... Peter's not at the door. " 41:11 Is that the way your prayer meetings are? 41:13 Hmm? 41:16 Said: "No, no... Peter's not at the door. " 41:18 And she said: "Yes! Peter's at the door. " 41:20 And they said: "Rhoda, are you OK? " 41:22 "Are you all right? " 41:24 And she said: "No, no... Peter's at the door. " 41:26 And they said: "It's his angel. " 41:31 You see, each one of us has an angel. 41:34 And when Jesus comes, folks, 41:37 it's going to be that angel that's going to get you. 41:41 I don't know whether you will be coming out of the grave 41:46 or if you are alive when Jesus comes. 41:49 But it's going to be that angel that's going to come and get you 41:52 and take you and present you to Christ. 41:55 An angel that knows more about you than anybody else 41:59 'cause that angel's been with you throughout your entire life. 42:02 They're going to come and gather all of God's people 42:05 from all over the earth 42:07 and they're going to take you and present you to Jesus. 42:10 Marvelous what He'll do for each of us. 42:20 So they're going to gather all of His people 42:22 and bring them to meet Jesus. 42:25 But let me tell you something: there's no second chance. 42:30 No second chance, friends. 42:32 I'm sorry. 42:35 Not some other time... it's now. 42:39 Now is the day of salvation... not some other time. 42:43 Listen to the words of God: 43:01 THIS is your time. 43:04 You're not going to have another life. 43:07 Not another chance. You have this life 43:10 and this is your opportunity to give your heart to Jesus Christ. 43:15 To accept Him. It won't happen again. 43:19 Only this life is all that you have. 43:43 Dear friends, there's no second chance there. 43:45 Are you understanding? 43:46 When He comes it says that person that is righteous 43:50 he'll be righteous still; that person who is filthy 43:52 he's going to be filthy still. 43:54 There will not be another opportunity, and it says: 44:10 No second chance! 44:15 I had an uncle that always said 44:19 "Well, when I get old I'll accept Jesus. " 44:23 Well... he got old and never did. 44:27 See... now is the time. 44:31 Not going to be another opportunity. 44:36 Jeremiah 8:20 says that some people are going to say 44:46 Just think. 44:49 It really concerns me 44:53 that people here in the US 44:56 that have had such a marvelous 44:59 opportunity to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. 45:02 You have been favored beyond words 45:08 and yet how many of us 45:10 have become gospel hardened. 45:13 Say: "Ah... I've heard that before. " 45:16 "Some other time. " 45:18 "I'll think about it. " 45:22 The Bible says that many of them are going to say: 45:24 "Oh, the harvest is past, the summer is ended; 45:27 we're not saved. " Dear friend, I hope tonight 45:31 that you won't put it off. 45:33 Don't say: "Another time. " 45:36 "At a more convenient season. " No... 45:40 this is the time when you and I need to accept the Lord. 45:52 A great preacher of the past by the name of Charles Finney 45:57 studied to be a lawyer... an attorney. 46:02 Had gone away to school. 46:05 He had been raised in a Christian home. 46:07 Godly mother. And as he got away in school 46:11 he just pretty much forgot God, forgot his Christian upbringing. 46:16 And in his senior year in law school 46:19 one day he was sitting at his desk 46:22 studying when a voice spoke to him and said: 46:25 "Charles Finney, when you finish school 46:28 what are you going to do? " 46:30 "Oh, " he said... "I'm going to practice law. " 46:34 And the voice said: "What then? " 46:38 "Oh, " he said... "when I feel financially secure 46:44 I'll probably get married. " 46:48 And the voice said: "What then? " 46:52 "Oh, " he said... "have a family. " 46:55 "Raise some children... have a family. " 46:59 And the voice said: "What then? " 47:04 "Oh, " he said... "I hope that I'll make a contribution 47:07 to my community and to mankind and the people that are living 47:10 around me. " 47:11 And the voice said: "What then? " 47:16 And he said: "Well I guess I'll retire. " 47:22 And the voice said: "What then? " 47:28 And he said: "Oh, I guess I'll die. " 47:33 And the voice said: "What then? " 47:36 And all of a sudden with absolute clarity 47:39 that scripture came to his mind. 47:42 "And it is appointed to men to die once 47:46 but after this the judgment. " 47:48 And Charles Finney got down on his knees and gave his heart 47:52 to Jesus Christ. 47:54 I would like to ask you tonight "What then? " 47:59 When it's all over, what then? 48:02 What are you going to do? 48:04 Are you going to give you heart to Jesus Christ? 48:07 Accept Him? Open up your life? 48:09 Because, dear friend, this is the only time you have. 48:12 You don't have another time. 48:20 The Scripture says: "Watch out! Be careful 48:23 lest all the cares of this life 48:27 grab your attention and you're so busy 48:29 doing maybe good things 48:32 that you miss eternal life! " 48:40 Oh, dear friends, you and I can't afford to let that happen. 48:44 We have to be watching and waiting... prepared 48:48 for the coming of Jesus Christ. 49:02 So God is inviting you tonight to accept Him. 49:05 "Watch therefore and pray always that you may be accounted worthy 49:11 to accept all these things that will come to pass... " 49:15 He said: "Be careful. " "and to stand before the Son of Man. " 49:19 That's what God's asking you and I 49:23 to do to be prepared. 49:25 A friend of mine was over in the Middle East. 49:31 He was in the country of Jordan. 49:35 Had spent several days there in the country of Jordan. 49:40 And it had come time for him to go back home. 49:45 And so he decided that he would go out to the airport 49:49 early in the morning and would make all the arrangements 49:52 and would... I don't know how many of you have traveled 49:55 but many times it takes quite a long time to go through 49:58 customs and this type of thing. 49:59 So he made arrangements for the hotel that he was staying in 50:03 to take him out to the airport. 50:06 And that morning the airport was running a black Cadillac 50:11 from the hotel to the airport. 50:15 And so my friend got in the black Cadillac 50:19 and it took him out to the airport. 50:22 When he got to the airport he took his luggage and all 50:25 and checked in at customs and went through customs. 50:28 And then he decided that he was just going to find a place 50:31 off in a corner somewhere and sit down and do some reading 50:34 and writing. But as they drove up to the airport 50:38 he noticed that there was police everywhere. 50:41 I mean the whole place was full of police. 50:43 And so after he had gone through customs 50:46 he walked outside the airport 50:48 and he asked one of the police- men why so much security. 50:51 And they said: "Oh, haven't you heard? 50:52 King Hussain's coming in. " 50:54 Said: "He's due to land any time. " 50:57 And my friend thought: "Ah, this is an ideal time 51:01 for me to get some pictures. " 51:02 And so he got his camera out 51:04 and went over and found a place where he thought he could get 51:07 a good shot. And he said: "It wasn't too long 51:10 until he could hear the drone of the engine of a plane 51:12 and it began to circle the airport. 51:15 And he said it came down and landed. 51:18 Taxied up to the airport there; stopped. 51:23 Then he said the people scurried around 51:25 and they rolled out a red carpet all the way out 51:28 to the airplane. And then dignitaries came and lined up 51:31 on both sides of the red carpet. 51:34 And he said after a little bit the door of the plane opened 51:37 and a guard stepped out. 51:40 Looked everything over very carefully. 51:42 Then the guard stepped back into the plane 51:45 and King Hussain came out. 51:48 Went down the stairway and then as they do 51:50 over in the Middle East he began to embrace 51:53 each of the dignitaries along the red carpet. 51:55 My friend was shooting pictures of all this as it was going on. 51:59 And he said they walked through there and he said 52:01 he just happened to turn and look and there outside 52:05 the airport - right in front of the airport - 52:07 were lined up black Cadillacs 52:09 waiting to pick up King Hussain and take him to the palace. 52:13 And he said all of a sudden he had a bright idea. 52:16 Because he said sitting off over there to the side 52:19 was this black Cadillac that had brought him to the airport. 52:23 So he said he got up and he went over to the driver 52:26 of that black Cadillac and he asked him 52:29 how much it would cost him to get him to pull in right behind 52:32 those other black Cadillacs 52:34 and follow King Hussain back into town. 52:36 And the fellow told him and so he just pulled out 52:39 the money and paid him and got in the black Cadillac. 52:41 And he said pretty soon King Hussain came out and got 52:43 in the first one and the other people got in the other ones 52:46 and all. And he said they headed toward town. 52:48 And he said on the way to town he said there were people 52:51 all along the highway there standing, waiting to see 52:55 the king. And he said they were shouting and waving. 52:57 And he said it was so wonderful. 52:59 He said he sat back there in his black Cadillac 53:01 and waved at everybody. 53:03 And said everybody waved at him. 53:05 And he said it was so nice to be part of the king's party... 53:09 to belong to the king's party. 53:10 And he said when they got into town 53:12 he said the sidewalks were four abreast. 53:14 And he said they were throwing confetti 53:16 and they were waving and shouting. And he said 53:19 he just sat back there, waved at everybody. 53:22 Said it was nice to be part of the king's party. 53:25 Said they got down the street a little ways 53:27 and they turned. And he said way up ahead 53:30 he could see the palace. 53:33 And he said as they got closer he could see the gates. 53:37 And he said as they got closer 53:39 he could see guards standing on each side of the gates. 53:44 And he said as they got closer 53:46 he saw that first Cadillac pull up there and stop. 53:50 And he saw those guards bend over 53:53 and look at every person in the car 53:56 and wave them on through. 53:58 And he said he reached up and tapped the driver 54:01 on the shoulder. Said: "Pull over... 54:03 this is as far as we can go. " 54:08 Are you going along for the ride tonight? 54:10 Is that all it is to you? 54:13 Are you part of the King's party? 54:17 Are you a child of the King? 54:19 Or are you going to have to say "this is as far as we can go? " 54:24 Tonight God is inviting you - 54:27 each one of you - to become a child of the King. 54:31 To be prepared for the coming of Jesus 54:34 because He is coming soon. 54:39 In these 54:42 the closing days of time 54:49 what joy 54:52 this glorious hope 54:56 affords! 55:00 And soon 55:03 O wondrous truth 55:07 divine 55:12 He shall reign 55:15 King of kings 55:19 and Lord of lords. 55:28 Let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 55:30 Father, we thank you 55:32 for the Lord Jesus Christ. 55:35 Thankful that He's coming back. 55:38 And Lord, from all indications it's soon. 55:41 We pray that each one of us here tonight 55:45 may place our faith in you. 55:48 That we may hang on tightly to Your Word 55:51 and that we each might follow as You lead us. 55:56 For this we pray in Christ's name, Amen. 56:02 Psalm 19 and verse 1 says: 56:04 "The heavens declare the glory of God 56:07 and the firmament shows His handiwork. " 56:10 All around us we see the handiwork of our Creator. 56:14 Every flower displays a palate of color and texture 56:17 beyond the imagination of man. 56:20 Every variety is uniquely designed 56:23 by the Master of creativity. 56:26 But they're not just a thing of beauty. 56:28 Every flower has a function and purpose. 56:31 So does every living creature 56:33 whether it is feathered or finned. 56:35 Each creature was put together by the Author of life. 56:39 Even in a fallen world 56:41 God has placed a desire for life in every creature. 56:45 Without instruction a mother knows how to nurture 56:48 and protect her young reflecting the tenderness 56:52 God feels for each of us. 56:54 No man can observe nature and deny His existence. 56:59 But the God of heaven went far beyond 57:02 by humbling Himself and becoming the Man Jesus. 57:06 He walked the dusty paths of Israel 57:09 and He paid the debt for every man's sin 57:12 so we could have eternal life. 57:15 The Bible says in John 17 verse 3 57:18 "And this is eternal life: 57:20 that they may know You, the only true God, 57:24 and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. " 57:27 The evidence of a Creator God is all around us. 57:31 He has revealed details of His character 57:33 in a love letter to you and to me. 57:37 Our desire is to help you understand the Bible 57:40 and receive life... eternal life... 57:43 by getting to know Him intimately. 57:45 Won't you help us bring this message to the world? 57:48 Please consider what you can do about those who still don't 57:51 know about Jesus. 57:53 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:54 please send your tax-deductible gifts to: 58:09 Thank you for helping us spread the light of God's Word 58:11 through television and radio. 58:13 Your gifts help bring the Blessed Hope of salvation 58:15 to millions around the world. |
Revised 2019-05-20