Participants:
Series Code: CR
Program Code: CR002137S
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00:01 It is blessing to talk about India from India.
00:03 India is the largest democratic nation in the world, 00:06 with many languages, cultures and religion. 00:09 But who would guess one nation with 1.39 billion people, 00:14 India has freedom of speech so that one can talk, 00:18 teach and preach. 00:21 Pastor John Carter has started his gospel meetings in public 00:26 in India in 2006, 00:28 and he found that millions of people are unaware 00:31 of the gospel. 00:33 So he started his television programs in 2007 till today, 00:37 nonstop. 00:39 In one of the South Indian languages called Telugu 00:42 that is taking this gospel to nearly 500 million people. 00:46 And in last two deadly years, 00:48 there are millions of people dying in India with COVID 00:51 without knowing Jesus, 00:53 and that has pushed Pastor John Carter 00:55 to start his television programs in Hindi, 00:57 aiming to reach nearly a billion people. 01:00 And it is, it became possible just because of your help. 01:04 We thank you, everyone. 01:06 We thank every family of yours, 01:08 because you're standing in support 01:10 to Pastor John Carter, to do this great work in India. 01:13 We also pray God to strengthen you more, 01:16 to extend your support to Pastor John Carter, 01:18 to do this work in India in future also. 01:20 We love you. We thank you. 01:22 God bless you. 01:26 People around the world keep the spirit of Christmas 01:29 in different ways. 01:31 Some celebrate the birth of Christ with old traditions, 01:35 nativity scenes, caroling, and sleigh rides. 01:40 Others prepare a family feast 01:42 or serve dinner at the local homeless shelter. 01:46 Festive decorations go up inside and outside homes. 01:51 Others keep Christmas only in their hearts 01:54 because to celebrate the birth of Christ in some cultures 01:57 is dangerous. 01:59 So the question becomes, 02:01 not only how do we keep Christmas 02:03 in our own special way, 02:05 but how shall we keep Christmas at all? 02:09 Here is Pastor John Carter. 02:16 Hello, friend. 02:18 Welcome today to the Carter Report. 02:20 This is a very special program 02:24 and we give you a very special welcome. 02:28 Years ago, 02:29 in Communist Berlin, there was a poor fellow 02:33 who was thrown into this dreadful dungeon. 02:37 He was a prisoner of conscience. 02:40 The Communists were starving him. He was freezing cold 02:45 and after some months he wondered, 02:48 how can I last any longer? 02:51 Then it was December 25, Christmas day. 02:56 A day the same as every other day under the Communists 02:59 who did not believe in Christ, 03:03 but then something quite amazing happened. 03:07 There was a banging on the prison door 03:10 instead of pushing the little bit of food 03:12 through the slit in the door, 03:15 the guard had arrived, he was big Communist, 03:19 this big German. 03:23 He pushed open the door 03:24 and he came into the prison cell carrying this huge tray 03:29 groaning with food. 03:32 There was this big plate of steaming vegetables, 03:36 all sorts of food. 03:38 In a very gruff voice, 03:41 the big Communist guard shouted at the prisoner 03:45 and comrade, 03:48 "Happy Christmas, Merry Christmas to you." 03:56 The prisoner was amazed. 03:58 This was the greatest gift 04:00 he had ever received in all his life. 04:05 Later on some years later, 04:07 and I read the story about 60 years ago 04:10 when I was a boy. 04:14 I read this article in the Reader's Digest, 04:16 it was entitled 04:18 "Nobody owes me a Christmas." 04:23 He told of the joy that flooded into his soul, 04:26 into his heart, in this Communist cell 04:31 in East Berlin on December 25. 04:36 Somehow, even in this hell-hole, 04:42 the Spirit of Christ had come flooding in 04:47 and he had been filled with joy. 04:52 Now, my friend, 04:56 it doesn't matter whether you believe in December 25 or not. 05:01 Most of us know that Jesus was not born 05:04 December 25, 05:08 but we believe this irrespective 05:11 as to when He was born, 05:14 God became a human being. 05:19 Jesus came into this world and when He came, 05:24 He changed things there forever 05:27 and ever and ever. 05:31 Now here on the land down under, 05:33 you'll see, we've got a Christmas tree, 05:37 and you may wonder 05:38 why on earth do they have a Christmas tree? 05:40 Seeing they don't believe 05:42 that Jesus was born on December 25. 05:47 I mean, it's a very good, 05:49 good question, isn't it? 05:52 But in my church we had what we believed 05:55 was a modern day prophet. 05:58 Her name was Ellen. 06:00 And somebody asked her one occasion, 06:03 do you think it's wrong to have a Christmas tree? 06:06 Is it against your religion? 06:08 And she said, 06:10 "It's not against my religion," 06:14 because she believes that the time of December 25 06:18 should be spent sharing the love of Christ 06:21 with other people, especially people who are not blessed 06:26 as we are blessed. 06:29 Now today I've got something special 06:31 I'm going to share with you. 06:33 You notice we've got some little teddy bears here. 06:37 They seem out of place in the middle 06:39 of summer in the antipodes, 06:43 seems a million miles from the United States 06:45 of America from our office 06:47 at Production Center in California. 06:51 But for many years, 06:53 we had a Christmas tree in our church in Arcadia. 06:57 Let me tell you the story. 07:00 Beverley and her team invited church members 07:03 to bring teddy bears 07:04 which were given at children's hospitals. 07:09 So Eunice Fletcher and her husband Dennis 07:13 would put up this tremendous Christmas tree 07:17 and people would bring teddy bears and all sorts 07:20 of gifts for little children in the hospitals. 07:24 Sometimes it was to adopt 07:26 a family in need of food and clothing. 07:29 Other times, children placed money on our Christmas tree 07:34 and that would go to some special mission project. 07:37 The idea was to encourage our children to think of others, 07:43 not just to themselves. 07:44 And you know what Jesus said. 07:46 This is one of the most glorious statements 07:49 that our blessed Lord ever made. 07:51 He said, "It is more blessed 07:55 to give than to receive." 07:59 And if you share in my sentiments today, 08:02 I'm going to ask you to send us some teddy bears. 08:06 Send them to our office in 08:08 in the United States of America. 08:10 Send them to our office here in Australia. 08:14 Our office is in Moorpark California. 08:18 And my staff, they're just marvelous people, 08:20 they will be waiting to receive the teddy bears. 08:24 And in the name of Christ, I promise you, 08:29 we will take these teddy bears, 08:31 we will take your teddy bear to the hospital 08:37 and we will give them to little children 08:40 and we will tell them Jesus loves you 08:45 and we love you too. 08:49 Merry Christmas, Pastor Carter from your friends 08:52 and the Carter Report team in Los Angeles. 08:55 "People have often wondered, 08:57 'Was Jesus born on December 25th?'" 09:03 Well, of course we know, 09:04 Jesus was not born on December 25, 09:08 but the good news is Jesus was born. 09:11 I really don't care when Jesus was born. 09:14 I'm just glad that God became a man in the person 09:19 of Jesus. 09:22 Now before I forget it before it, 09:24 before it slips out of this mind of mine, 09:27 I want to send greetings to special people 09:30 around the world. 09:31 I want to send greetings to Dr. Julia Outkina 09:35 and her team in Russia. 09:40 Julia, it's cold now in Nizhny Novgorod. 09:44 You've got your wonderful team of young people 09:47 there in the marvelous 3ABN Center in Nizhny Novgorod. 09:52 We send you our love, and we send you our greetings. 09:58 We send our greetings to our team in the United States 10:01 of America. 10:03 To Don and MK, Wayne and Marilyn, 10:08 and Jacob and Susie and Javier, Cherito, 10:14 Angela, Angie, and Sherry. 10:18 You're just a wonderful team. 10:20 And we miss you so much 10:22 here in our little special studio 10:26 right here in Australia. 10:28 We have Beverley and David, 10:31 and we're sending you greetings and love today. 10:34 We send you greetings to Shane and to Keith, 10:38 then to Kim and Tom, 10:40 and Bob and Greg 10:41 and over there to 3ABN to our very special 10:46 and our beloved friends, Danny and Yvonne. 10:50 We miss you, folks. 10:51 We love you lots. 10:53 And after this Christmas time, we send you our greetings. 10:57 In Australia greetings to Pastor Harold 11:00 and his wife Glenda, Dr. John and Sue. 11:03 Back to the United States, 11:05 we send greetings to Mrs. Willie Jordan, 11:08 the president of the famous Fred Jordan Mission 11:12 meeting today on Skid Row, downtown Los Angeles. 11:17 We love you, Willie. 11:18 We appreciate you. 11:20 We send you greetings. 11:21 Down to Florida, we send greetings to Jim 11:24 and Camille Gilley, 11:26 wonderful friends from Texas days. 11:29 In the name of Christ, 11:31 at this special time of the year, 11:33 we send you love 11:35 and we send you greetings. 11:38 Now, Wayne, I guess I better try to answer your question, 11:42 was Jesus born December 25? 11:46 Now we know 11:48 that the Romans celebrated December 25 11:52 long before the birth of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ. 11:58 This was the middle of winter. 12:03 December 25, 12:05 the sun was a little bit higher up there in the sky 12:09 and so they called it the birthday, 12:13 the birthday of the sun, the S-U-N. 12:18 And when the priests of Rome went out to convert the world, 12:22 when they met all those pagans, they discovered 12:25 they were keeping certain holiday certain days. 12:30 One day was the first day of the week. 12:32 It was Sunday, 12:34 the day in honor of the Sun God. 12:37 And December 25 was quite similar 12:39 to the first day of the week. 12:41 It was birthday of the unconquered sun. 12:46 And so the priest said keep those days, 12:49 and thus they were able to bring many, 12:51 many converts pagans 12:54 into the Christian Church. 12:58 But I want to tell you folk something today. 13:01 I want to make this ever so plain. 13:04 I tell it to you from my heart to your heart. 13:09 I don't really care when Jesus was born. 13:13 I don't know the day when Jesus was born. 13:16 It doesn't matter to me when Jesus was born. 13:19 What matters is this, that Jesus Christ, 13:23 the Son of God came into this world 13:26 to save sinners, 13:28 just like me and you too. 13:33 But let me read you a text now. 13:35 Going to come to the gospel, 13:37 according to Luke 13:39 2:1-8. 13:44 Are you ready for this text? 13:46 Here we go, Luke 2:1 and onwards, 13:50 "And it came to pass in those days 13:55 that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus 13:58 that all the world should be registered," not taxed. 14:03 The King James Version says 14:04 that all the world should be taxed. 14:06 No, this was not talking about taxation. 14:09 It was talking about a census because the next verse says, 14:14 "This census first took place 14:17 while Quirinius was governing Syria." 14:21 So Jesus was born about the time of the census. 14:26 "So all went to be registered, 14:29 everyone to his own city. 14:32 Joseph also went up from Galilee, 14:35 out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, 14:38 to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, 14:43 because he was of the house and lineage of David, 14:47 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, 14:51 who was with child. 14:54 So it was, that while they were there, 14:58 the days were completed for her to be delivered. 15:02 And she brought forth her firstborn Son, 15:05 and wrapped him in swaddling clothes 15:08 and laid Him in a manger, 15:12 because there was no room for them in the inn." 15:16 How amazing! 15:18 "Now there were in the same country, 15:20 shepherds living out in the fields, 15:22 keeping watch over their flock by night." 15:26 This was the greatest event in the history 15:31 of the world because, as the Bible says, 15:36 "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 15:41 The Word was with God, and the Word was God." 15:47 Just think about this, 15:48 this is almost too hard to believe 15:53 that the Almighty God 15:54 who created the cosmos was born 15:59 of the Blessed Virgin Mary. 16:04 Absolutely amazing. 16:07 But this passage also tells us 16:09 why Jesus could not have been born 16:12 on December 25. 16:16 December 25, in the northern hemisphere, 16:19 unlike here in Australia, 16:21 where it's pretty hot, 16:24 in the northern hemisphere, it's winter time. 16:28 I've been to Israel, Palestine, been to Jerusalem, 16:32 Bethlehem on December 25. 16:35 Once when I was in Jerusalem at Christmas time, 16:38 it was snowing. 16:41 Now Jesus was born at the time of the census 16:45 and no Roman governor, 16:47 no Roman emperor was crazy enough 16:49 to have a census in the middle of winter, 16:53 because the roads would be too hard to travel on. 16:57 But Jesus was born at a time when the climate was such 17:00 that people could travel around the Roman Empire, 17:04 so he wasn't born December 25. 17:06 There's another reason. 17:07 The shepherds were out in the fields 17:10 and they were looking after their animals. 17:13 Now the shepherds are never out in the fields in Palestine, 17:17 in Israel, outside Bethlehem, in the middle of winter, 17:22 because it is too cold. 17:24 They bring the animals inside. 17:28 But listen to me, my friend, 17:32 Jesus was not born December 25, 17:38 but whenever He was born, and I don't really care 17:41 when He was born, 17:44 whenever He was born, 17:46 it was the greatest event in the history 17:52 of the world. 17:54 It was the greatest event 17:55 I believe in the history of the universe. 17:59 God had become 18:03 a human being. 18:05 Absolutely amazing. 18:07 And the Bible tells us that Jesus was born 18:11 at the very right time. 18:15 Paul says in the Book of Galatians, 18:20 in the fullness of time, 18:22 just think of it, in the fullness of time, 18:26 God sent forth his Son, 18:31 born of a woman, 18:35 born under the law, 18:38 when things were dreadful, 18:39 when things could not have got worse, 18:42 when depravity was covering the earth, 18:48 when people were filled with despair, 18:52 when the Jewish religion had lost its high and holy calling, 18:57 and had descended into the abyss of legalism, 19:02 and coldness and harshness. 19:06 When people were looking for hope, 19:12 a star rose in the sky 19:18 and that was heard on the night air, 19:23 there was heard the cry 19:27 of a little baby boy. 19:32 God had become a human being. 19:37 "We all know the nativity scene of the birth of Jesus. 19:42 It seems like a humble beginning. 19:45 Was He born in a cave 19:47 or a stable behind the equivalent of a Motel 6? 19:54 The back of Motel 6? 19:56 Well, Motel 6 is pretty good. 19:59 It's one of my favorite places 20:00 when I go to the United States of America. 20:02 I don't mind Motel 6. 20:05 But I think Wayne is saying, you know, 20:06 it's not the Waldorf Astoria, 20:10 it's not the Sheraton 20:12 and it's not the Hilton. 20:15 Jesus was born outside at the back of the inn. 20:21 The Bible says there was no room for the King of glory. 20:25 Can you believe it? 20:26 My friend, there is no room for the King of glory. 20:32 He's born in a cattle shed. 20:38 The only orchestra he has to greet Him, 20:41 the mooing of the cows, the bleating of the goats. 20:46 Who is this baby? 20:50 Let me read it to you. 20:51 One of my favorite passages, Isaiah 9:6, 20:57 "Unto us a child is born, 21:01 unto us a Son is given, 21:05 and the government shall be upon His shoulder. 21:10 And His name shall be called Wonderful, 21:14 Counselor, 21:16 Mighty God, 21:20 Everlasting Father, 21:24 Prince of Peace." 21:28 This is no ordinary child. 21:31 This is God. 21:36 As a little boy, think of it. 21:40 When Mary hugged him, 21:42 nursed him and kissed his cheek, 21:46 she kissed the face of God. 21:50 I tell you, my friend. 21:52 I don't care when He was born. 21:56 I do care that He was born. 22:00 The biggest thought in the world 22:02 is that the Creator became a baby to redeem us. 22:06 This tells me something, 22:07 would you please listen to me? 22:11 You and I must be tremendously important. 22:19 God came down to this earth, 22:22 He came down to the battlefield, 22:23 He came down to this hell-hole. 22:26 In this darkest hour He came down. 22:31 And He came down because He loves you. 22:34 You think nobody cares about you. 22:36 You are wrong. 22:39 You think God doesn't care about people? 22:41 You are wrong. 22:44 God cares about you. 22:45 God loves you. 22:47 You are tremendously important. 22:50 You are so important 22:54 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. 23:00 Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 23:10 Many people are unsure 23:12 what BC and AD time really mean? 23:16 How did it come about? 23:21 Now, the Bible tells me, my friend Wayne. 23:24 And welcome, Wayne, to our program today. 23:26 You're the host of the program again. 23:28 The Bible tells me that Jesus was born in the days 23:31 of Herod the Great. 23:35 Now every historian knows 23:36 that Herod the Great died in 4 BC 23:41 most likely March 4 BC. 23:44 So Jesus was obviously born before Herod died 23:48 and Herod died in March 4 BC. 23:54 So Jesus was born 23:55 before 4 BC. 24:00 Most likely, Jesus was born in 5 BC or 6 BC. 24:04 Now some people are going to say, 24:06 well now you got me really, really confused. 24:11 Let me tell you how it happened. 24:14 In 525 AD, 24:17 Anno Domini, the year of our Lord. 24:21 A gentleman by the name of Dionysius 24:24 worked out the BC and the AD time, 24:28 but he made a mistake of at least four, 24:30 five or six years. 24:32 Now as everybody knows 24:34 who's watching this telecast today, 24:36 BC means Before Christ. 24:40 AD, of course, it doesn't mean after death of Christ. 24:45 AD means the Latin as everybody knows, 24:50 Anno Domini, 24:52 which is translated in the year of the Lord. 24:55 We say in the year of our Lord. 24:59 And on occasions, 25:00 the President of the United States will put out 25:03 a great pronouncement and he will say in the year 25:08 of our Lord. 25:10 This is of tremendous significance 25:13 because Jesus Christ broke history in two. 25:18 Nobody else has ever done that. 25:21 Nobody else could do this. 25:24 Confucius didn't do it. 25:26 We don't say in the year of Muhammad 25:29 or some other person, 25:30 we say in the year of our Lord. 25:35 Now since society has become so secular, 25:40 they now have CE, the Common Era 25:44 and they have the BCE, the Communists 25:47 and everybody else who doesn't, 25:49 who don't believe, 25:51 people who don't believe in the Bible, 25:55 but they can't get away from it. 25:57 They recognize that Jesus Christ is the person 26:02 who broke history in two. 26:06 He broke history in two because He's the only person 26:09 who could, because He is the Son of God. 26:17 "Before we go to part two, Pastor Carter, 26:20 can you tell us about the teddy bears?" 26:25 Now we're asking all of our friends near and far 26:28 to bring teddy bears at this time, 26:31 and to send them to the Carter Report, 26:33 send them to the address on the screen. 26:36 And we're going to take these little teddy bears 26:39 in your name, and in the name of Jesus, 26:43 and we're going to take them 26:44 to little children in the hospitals in Los Angeles 26:47 and in other places. 26:48 And we're going to say, 26:50 here is a teddy bear and we want you to know this, 26:55 that Jesus loves you. 27:14 Many people no matter 27:16 what their age still have their first teddy bear. 27:20 It's hard to let them go. 27:22 Their stitches might be loose, the stuffing flat, 27:26 one ear a little lopsided, 27:28 but they were always there for us. 27:31 Imagine giving a child their very first teddy bear, 27:35 especially when they are sick and lonely. 27:38 They will always remember that someone 27:40 they didn't even know cared enough to bring them 27:43 a new friend when they needed it most. 27:46 Will you help the Carter Report bring cheer to these children? 27:51 You can mail a bear or send a donation 27:53 and we will buy the bears for you. 27:56 Please send your bears or donation 27:58 to the address on the screen. 28:01 For COVID protection, 28:03 please send the bears in their original packaging. 28:06 Thank you for your kindness and giving cheer 28:09 and comfort to children in need. 28:16 For a copy of today's program, 28:18 please contact us at P.O. Box 1900, 28:22 Thousand Oaks, California 91358 28:26 or in Australia, contact us at P.O. Box 861, 28:31 Terrigal, New South Wales 2260. 28:35 This program is made possible through the generous support 28:39 of viewers like you. 28:40 We thank you for your continued support. 28:43 May God richly bless you. |
Revised 2021-12-16