Participants: Pr. Kenneth Cox
Series Code: GMTB
Program Code: GMTB000033
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00:20 Well it's a great pleasure to welcome you
00:23 to Give Me The Bible with Pastor Kenneth Cox. 00:27 And this is a series that has been continuing 00:30 every month, five nights... 00:32 or four nights and one Sabbath morning... 00:35 throughout the entire year 00:37 of 2009. And we're so happy 00:41 that you could join us time after time. 00:44 All around the world 00:45 we've been hearing from people. 00:47 I talked this morning even to Florida, 00:49 and I've heard from Texas. 00:51 And we've heard from other countries 00:53 about how much they're enjoying this fantastic program 00:58 by Pastor Cox: Give Me The Bible. 01:01 This is where we emphasize the Bible once again... 01:04 the trues of the Bible. 01:06 And today Pastor Cox is going to be speaking on 01:09 Life in Christ. 01:12 And you know there's a lot of concern about that. 01:15 What happens? Because we're talking about eternal life. 01:18 When do we receive eternal life? 01:19 When will we know that we're going to live forever 01:24 and that we will never ever again face death? 01:28 So he's going to be looking at that subject from God's Word, 01:32 because God's Word has the answers 01:35 to all of these questions. But before he comes, 01:38 we're going to enjoy some music from the Hinsdale Men's Chorus 01:42 under the direction of Arnold Hutabarat. 01:46 And they're going to be singing for us 01:48 He Never Failed Me Yet. 02:03 I will sing of God's mercy. 02:08 every day, every hour He can be found. 02:13 I will see Him next to me 02:18 for all the dangers, toils, and snares 02:20 that He has brought me out. 02:22 He is my God, and I'll serve Him 02:27 no matter what. 02:31 Just stand - never doubt. 02:34 Jesus will surely bring you out. 02:37 He never failed me yet. 02:41 I will sing of God's mercy. 02:45 every day, every hour He can be found. 02:50 I will see Him next to me 02:55 for all the dangers, toils, and snares 02:58 that He has brought me out. 02:59 He is my God, and I'll serve Him 03:05 no matter what. 03:08 Trust and - never doubt. 03:11 Jesus will surely bring you out. 03:14 He never failed me yet. 03:19 I know God is able 03:23 to deliver in time of storm. 03:28 and I know that He'll keep you 03:32 safe from all earthly harm. 03:37 One day when my weary soul is at rest 03:42 I'm going home to be forever blessed. 03:47 Trust and never doubt. 03:49 Jesus will surely bring you out. 03:52 He never failed me yet. 03:56 I will sing of God's mercy. 04:00 Every day, every hour, He can be found. 04:05 I will see Him next to me 04:10 for all the dangers, toils, and snares 04:13 that He has brought me out. 04:14 He is my God, and I'll serve Him 04:20 no matter what. 04:23 He said: "Trust and never doubt. " 04:26 Jesus will surely bring you out. 04:29 He never failed me yet. 04:34 I know that He delivered 04:38 Moses from king Pharaoh. 04:42 Didn't He cool the fiery furnace 04:47 for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? 04:52 When I think of what my God can do... 04:56 He delivered Daniel, 04:59 I know He will deliver you. 05:01 Trust and never doubt. 05:04 Jesus will surely bring you out. 05:06 He never failed me yet. 05:10 I will sing of God's mercy. 05:15 Every day, every hour He can be found. 05:19 I will see Him next to me 05:24 for all the dangers, toil, and snares 05:27 that He has brought me out. 05:28 He is my God, and I'll serve Him 05:34 no matter what. 05:37 He said: "Trust and never doubt. " 05:40 Jesus will surely bring you out. 05:42 He never failed me yet. 05:48 He never failed me... He never failed me yet. 05:52 He never failed me... He never failed me yet. 05:56 Trust and never doubt. 06:00 Jesus will surely bring you out. 06:03 He never failed 06:07 me yet. 06:16 Thank you. Thank you, marvelous! 06:20 And welcome to all of you to Give Me The Bible. 06:22 We're glad to have you here. 06:24 Hope that you're being blessed 06:27 this morning in a special way. 06:28 I certainly am. 06:30 And we are just glad that you are here today. 06:33 And as we take a look at God's Word 06:35 see What says the Bible, 06:38 the blessed Bible? 06:39 This my only question be. 06:43 The teachings of men so often mislead us. 06:46 What says the Word of God to me? 06:49 That's what we want to find out: 06:51 what does God's Word say? 06:53 And so this particular week 06:56 we're taking a look at a subject entitled Life in the Son. 07:00 Life in Jesus Christ. 07:03 What does the Bible tell us about that? 07:05 What are the things that we face? 07:07 What are the different things that come to play 07:09 concerning life in Jesus Christ? 07:12 And our presentation today 07:14 is entitled Life in Christ. 07:17 Now we talked about the conflict between two powers that go on, 07:23 and we find that there is a great, great difference 07:27 in those two concepts. 07:29 And we talked about that in the first presentation. 07:32 And then we talked about what is a soul. 07:34 What makes a soul? 07:36 What brings it about? 07:38 How does it all fit together? 07:40 And then of course today we're going to take a look at 07:42 Life in Christ. 07:44 So we hope you'll be blessed. 07:46 Our next presentation after this one is on Spiritualism. 07:53 Because there has been a tremendous rise 07:56 in Spiritualism until today, dear friends, 07:59 it has permeated everything. 08:01 And so you and I need to be very much aware 08:05 of what's involved here in the subject of Spiritualism. 08:09 So that's what our next presentation will be about. 08:11 But this morning we're talking about Life in Christ. 08:16 And I hope that you can see and understand 08:19 that in Him, and in Him alone, 08:22 do we have life. No other place... 08:26 but only in Jesus Christ. 08:28 This weekend we've been particularly blessed 08:31 in a very special way 08:33 of having the Hinsdale Men's Chorus with us 08:36 under the direction of Dr. Arnold Hutabarat. 08:40 And we... I've enjoyed them immensely. 08:43 I hope you have. 08:45 They're going to sing for us one of my favorite songs 08:48 entitled What a Friend We Have in Jesus. 09:23 What a friend we have 09:29 in Jesus. 09:35 All our sins and griefs 09:41 to bear. 09:47 What a privilege 09:52 to carry 09:58 everything 10:02 to God in prayer. 10:10 Oh, what peace we often 10:15 forfeit, 10:20 and oh, what needless pain 10:25 we bear - pain we bear. 10:31 All because we do not 10:36 carry 10:42 everything to God 10:47 in prayer. 11:03 Have we trials 11:06 and temptations? 11:12 Is there trouble 11:15 anywhere? Any trouble... 11:20 We should never... We should never 11:24 be discouraged. 11:30 Take it to the Lord 11:34 in prayer. 11:39 Can we find a friend 11:43 so faithful? 11:48 Who will all our sorrows 11:52 share? Sorrows share... 11:57 Jesus knows our every 12:01 weakness. 12:06 Take it to the Lord 12:11 in prayer. 12:22 Take it 12:24 to the Lord 12:29 in 12:31 prayer. 12:33 Take it to the Lord 12:39 in 12:43 prayer. 13:10 Our Father in Heaven, 13:12 we come to You this morning 13:16 first Lord, to say thank you. 13:20 Thank you for being willing 13:26 to let Your Son, Jesus Christ, come to this old earth 13:32 and make a way that each one of us could have life. 13:39 As we look at what has happened and what takes place 13:44 give us understanding this morning. 13:48 May the Holy Spirit fill us and may we see 13:54 as we have never seen before 13:57 what You have done, and that indeed 14:02 life is found only in You. 14:05 For this we ask in Christ's name, Amen. 14:14 This morning I want us to go to a Bible verse 14:17 that I consider to be one of the 14:20 most outstanding verses 14:23 in all the Bible. 14:25 A very simple verse... 14:26 but very, very clear and very, very direct 14:31 because it puts thing exactly in perspective as they are. 14:37 It's a text that all of you are aware of... 14:40 all of you know. 14:41 And it just simply says this: 14:52 Uh, you know, it just makes it very, very clear. 14:56 There's two things there... the wages of sin is DEATH. 14:59 That's gonna happen. 15:00 Or, as a result of what Christ did, 15:04 we can have LIFE in Jesus Christ... one or the other 15:08 it puts it there. God has never had a problem, folks, 15:12 in making Himself clear. 15:14 I... I don't understand because I run onto people that 15:20 seem to think that God has a problem communicating. 15:23 God doesn't have a problem communicating. 15:26 He makes it clear. 15:27 With our very first parents, Adam and Eve, 15:31 He was crystal clear in what He had to say. 15:53 Clear? 15:54 I mean, clear as can be. 16:05 No if, and, buts about it. 16:08 Right there: if you do it, you're going to die. 16:11 And they chose to do it. 16:15 That's as simple as can be. 16:18 They chose to eat of the tree that God told them 16:21 "If you eat of it, you're going to die. " 16:24 And as the result: 16:38 And so death spread upon the whole human race 16:42 because we have sinned. 16:45 And because we have sinned, the wages of sin is... death. 16:50 Plain. Simple. Not hard to understand. 16:54 I don't have to be in doubt. 16:56 I can know exactly what God is saying. 16:59 Therefore, if I am a sinner - 17:04 which we all are - 17:06 then the wages of sin for that is... DEATH. 17:13 And because the wages of sin is death, 17:17 I have to face that. 17:20 I have to pay that price... 17:23 unless... somebody paid it for me. 17:29 "But the gift of God is eternal life 17:34 in Jesus Christ our Lord. " 17:38 So the question comes up that if I die, 17:41 is there life after death? 17:45 Now there's a lot of people that want to tell you 17:48 that when you die you really don't die... 17:53 you just change existence. 17:58 You just change into a spirit. 18:02 I've never got very excited about that 18:06 to tell me that I'm some invisible spirit 18:08 floating around on an invisible cloud 18:11 playing an invisible harp that makes an inaudible sound. 18:14 I don't get very excited about that. See? 18:17 But the scripture just simply says 18:19 that if you sin, you die. 18:22 That's it right there. 18:24 Life after death? Only as God promises. 18:30 You see, the opinion of most of the world today 18:34 is that when you die you go to one of two places. 18:36 You go to heaven or you go to hell. 18:38 That's it. 18:40 I mean, if you attend a funeral service 18:43 almost invariably, I don't care how bad the person was, 18:47 they put 'em up in heaven. 18:49 Talk how this person's gone to heaven and all this. 18:53 But we need to take a look and see exactly what 18:57 the scripture tells us 18:58 about what happens to a person when they die. 19:02 One thing we need to be clear about, folks, 19:06 is that Jesus Christ 19:08 has the power to give life. 19:14 You remember the experience of Lazarus. 19:17 And Jesus, Mary, Martha walked out to the tomb 19:22 and He told them "roll away the stone. " 19:25 And they rolled it away, and... 19:33 And Lazarus came out of that grave. 19:36 He had the power to call Lazarus from the grave. 19:41 So He has the power to give life to you and to me. 19:45 He is the only one... 19:49 He is the only one that has that power. 20:09 No one else... just Him. 20:19 This is Jesus Christ. 20:22 This is God that offers to you and to me 20:26 an alternative to destruction, to death: 20:32 He offers us life. 20:35 Death... when a person dies... 20:41 Do they experience such things as joy? 20:46 Sorrow? Pain? 20:50 Can the dead see? 20:52 Hear? Taste? Touch? Smell? 20:57 Do they have access to all those senses? 21:01 Just what does it tell us 21:03 happens to a person when they die? 21:06 Do they know anything? 21:09 Well, let's look at some scriptures. 21:11 Job asks a question... he asked that question. He says: 21:20 Job says: "he dies, 21:22 breathes his last... and then where is he? " 21:25 Well, he goes on and answers it. 21:38 What? 21:49 He says a person dies... 21:52 that's it. 21:54 They don't rise from their sleep. 21:56 They are asleep. They don't know anything. 22:02 Let's look at another one... 22:03 Ecclesiastes 9:5: 22:10 All of us are aware of that. 22:12 If you are not aware of that, 22:17 probably a good thing to do if you've never done it 22:21 is just take a walk through a cemetery 22:25 and just look at the dates on the tombstones. 22:32 And you'll find that death is no respecter of persons. 22:36 It doesn't make any difference how old you may be 22:42 or how young you may be, 22:44 death is something that happens to all of us. OK? 22:48 So it says the living - very much - know that... 23:11 So, they die. 23:15 There is no memory in the grave. 23:19 That doesn't happen. 23:21 That person doesn't have that. 23:24 None of the senses are there. 23:26 David, in the Psalms, laid it out step by step 23:32 very clear what happens and what takes place 23:35 to a person in death. 23:45 88th Psalm if you want to follow. 24:22 Question: shall the dead rise up and praise You? 24:33 Said: Is the people that have died in the grave... 24:36 are they going to know anything about Your loving-kindness? 24:39 Are they going to be aware of this? 24:42 And shall You be praised from the grave? 24:51 No. None of those things happen. 24:54 The dead know NOTHING. 24:57 There's no senses there. 25:00 There's no feelings. 25:02 That person doesn't know ANYTHING. 25:06 Let me tell you, folks. 25:08 Just because something... 25:10 How should I say? 25:12 feels good 25:13 it doesn't make it right. 25:16 Are you following me? 25:19 I've asked people, "Well, why do you believe that? " 25:23 And they said: "Well, it feels good. " 25:26 No. That's not reason for it to be true. 25:31 Just because it may help me emotionally 25:36 or help my feelings does not make it right. 25:40 The dead: they don't know anything. 25:45 They're asleep in the grave. 25:48 In fact, it tells us: 26:02 All those days I'm going to wait 26:04 until my change comes. 26:07 And I will be changed as He describes. 26:10 But that person in the grave is going to wait 26:14 until that day comes. 26:16 Death the Bible describes as a sleep. 26:22 It's the way it talks about it: it's a sleep. 26:25 It does not say that it's something 26:28 that a person will never wake up from. 26:30 But it says it is a sleep. 26:33 They don't know anything. 26:37 Just like when you go to bed 26:38 and you haven't eaten a large supper, a large dinner, 26:43 and you sleep soundly. You don't dream. 26:47 How quick does morning come? 26:49 I mean just like that. 26:52 You just... you don't know anything. 26:54 Next thing you know, you're awake. 26:57 Night has passed. 26:59 No... nothing took place there 27:03 that you were conscious of. 27:15 I'm... as I have read the scripture... I'm very, 27:20 very thankful to God for His love and His mercy... 27:24 and particularly in this subject. 27:27 That He loves us; He's merciful. 27:31 He's kind to us. 27:32 Because when my wife died 27:35 and I had small children 27:39 I would never have been able to have rest, folks, 27:44 if I would have thought that she 27:46 was aware of what we were going through. 27:50 You know, how could... how could I have felt that? 27:55 I can remember sitting on the bed with those two children, 27:58 arm around each one of them and all of us crying our hearts out. 28:02 How could she enjoy something like that up in heaven? 28:08 No. God is loving. God is merciful. 28:12 God is kind. 28:14 And it just simply says that person doesn't know anything. 28:18 They are asleep, 28:21 and they remain that way until the Lifegiver comes. 28:34 No. He's saying the sleep that the dead are in: 28:37 that's not going to go on and on and on. 28:40 But we are going to sleep until the change takes place. 28:49 This is about Jesus talking to His disciples about Lazarus. 28:54 He said: 28:59 Said: "Lazarus is sleeping. I'm going to go wake him up. " 29:02 They thought that Jesus was talking about taking a nap. 29:07 That's what they thought, see? 29:10 And... 'cause they respond to that... 29:18 They said: "If he's sleeping, You ought to leave him alone. 29:21 You ought to just let him sleep, 29:22 because if he sleeps, he'll get well. Don't disturb him. " 29:37 Then listen, Jesus is very clear: 29:45 So... no question. 29:47 Compares death to a sleep. 29:50 And a person is asleep... 29:52 And fortunately I can die 29:56 with full assurance 30:00 that I have life in Jesus Christ. 30:04 See? I've lived, folks, all these years 30:09 and I've lived them with faith in Jesus Christ. 30:14 I believe in Him. 30:16 I trust Him. 30:18 I accept Him wholeheartedly in every way. 30:23 Then why shouldn't I trust Him in death? 30:29 Sure. I can face death with absolute assurance 30:34 that in Jesus Christ I have life. 30:39 I'll come forth. 30:41 And all of us... As you read through the Bible, 30:44 Paul talks about that over and over. 30:46 How that he had the promise, he had the hope 30:49 in Christ that he would come forth. 30:52 So those that are asleep in Jesus will come forth. 30:57 It says here: 31:05 Marvelous! 31:12 Those that have died trusting in Jesus Christ, 31:17 looking to Him... they're going to awake. 31:21 And they're going to awake to everlasting life. 31:25 That He will give to them. 31:38 Now folks, God is the only One - 31:43 the only One - that promises in this book 31:49 eternal life. 31:51 Nobody else. 31:53 You can't find it in the scripture promised any other way 31:58 than in Jesus Christ. 32:01 Only in Christ is there eternal life. 32:04 And so if you and I accept Him into our hearts, 32:08 then we receive eternal life. 32:12 OK? I want you to get clear here. 32:17 When do I receive eternal life? 32:21 Got to get you clear. 32:26 When do I receive eternal life? 32:30 The very moment I accept Jesus Christ. 32:36 The very moment that I accept Jesus Christ 32:40 I receive eternal life. 32:43 I receive it by what means? 32:46 By faith. 32:48 I accept Him and I have eternal life 32:52 because He has promised to give us eternal life. 32:56 So I receive it when I accept Him. 32:58 When do I... or you... 33:01 receive immortality? 33:04 Yeah, I receive immortality at the resurrection 33:10 when the change takes place. 33:13 Clear? 33:15 That's when it happens is when the change takes place. 33:18 So Jesus will call those people from the grave 33:24 and they will receive immortality... 33:28 eternal life. 33:37 Marvelous text. 33:39 Ask yourself this morning... 33:42 Do you know the voice of your Master? 33:46 Do you know it? 33:49 Do you take time to listen 33:54 every day? 33:57 Does His voice come through 33:59 to you above all the din of the noise and everything else 34:03 that you hear the Master's voice to you each day? 34:07 And you know it? 34:10 And you follow Him, see. You walk with Him. 34:26 Marvelous, marvelous scriptures, folks. 34:29 Says I'll give you eternal life. 34:34 Nobody... nobody can snatch you 34:38 out of His hand. 34:41 I mean, if you want to feel secure, 34:45 I don't know what you need more than that. 34:47 That nothing... He'll give you eternal life 34:51 and there is absolutely nothing that will take you 34:54 out of His hand. 34:57 Just doesn't do that. Cares for you. 35:02 Gives to you eternal life. 35:16 In other words, he says: "Tell me what I need to do 35:19 to inherit eternal life. " 35:22 Do you know what you need to do to inherit eternal life? 35:26 Hmmm? 35:27 Make sure you go to church every week. 35:32 Huh? 35:34 Well now, don't misunderstand me... 35:36 going to church is very, very important. 35:39 But what do you have to do to inherit eternal life? 35:45 Listen: 36:00 If you want eternal life, dear friend, 36:03 then you must believe in Jesus Christ. 36:06 That's how you get eternal life. 36:09 It doesn't come any other way. 36:11 And I have told you this as we've talked down 36:14 through these series... 36:15 Dear friends, there is nothing you can do 36:20 to improve or to help the plan of salvation. 36:27 Salvation is totally and completely of God, 36:32 and you and I can't do anything to improve it. 36:36 All that I can do is simply accept 36:42 what Jesus Christ has done for me. 36:46 That's all I can do. 36:47 If I... believing by faith... I reach out and accept 36:52 what He has done for me, I believe in Him. 36:55 And because I believe in Him 36:58 He gives you... or He gives me... eternal life. 37:03 This is the promise that's made 37:09 to you and to me. 37:28 Contrasting those two again. 37:31 If you believe in Him, you're not going to perish. 37:34 Dear friend, what a marvelous, marvelous promise of hope! 37:38 That you can reach out in faith and believe in Jesus Christ 37:42 and you will not perish. 37:45 I don't know how some of you have found it, 37:49 but it seemed like to me, folks, 37:54 that the time between 50 and 70 38:00 was two days. 38:04 I mean... just like that and it was there. See? 38:09 What I'm trying to tell you is 38:12 the best you want to look at it, folks, life is short. 38:15 And if all there is is this old world 38:21 and there's nothing more, 38:23 then, boy, you and I have been cheated. 38:28 But fortunately, Jesus said 38:33 there's a lot more to it. 38:35 There's a lot more to it. "I'll give you eternal life, 38:40 and I'll give you eternal life where there is no more sin. 38:45 Where there is no more death. Where there is no more pain. 38:49 I'll give that to you 38:51 if you will believe in Me. " 38:55 That's what Jesus said. "If you'll just believe in Me, 38:59 I'll give that to you and you can have life. " 39:21 Oh I hope today that there's none of you here 39:25 that don't believe in Jesus Christ. 39:30 I hope those of you who are watching by television 39:33 or listening on the radio 39:36 that you'll understand and that you see 39:39 that you can have hope. That you can have life in Jesus Christ. 39:45 If you just reach out in faith and accept Him, 39:48 He'll give you eternal life. 39:52 That's offered to you totally and completely 39:57 free. 40:00 Did you hear me? 40:02 It's offered to you totally and completely free. 40:07 All that you are required to do 40:12 is to believe in Him. 40:17 To believe in Him. 40:21 And if I believe in Him, He gives to us eternal life. 40:35 A marvelous scripture again, folks. 40:46 How marvelous. It says if we believe in Him 40:50 we shall not come into judgment 40:53 "but has passed from death into life. " 40:57 "There is therefore now no condemnation 41:02 to those who are in... " what? 41:06 "Christ Jesus. " 41:08 Will not come into judgment but have passed 41:11 from death unto life 41:14 by believing in Jesus Christ. 41:30 What do I have to do to inherit life? 41:51 You're catching the picture here... 42:08 I have to be willing, if I believe in Jesus Christ, 42:14 to put it all in His hands. 42:18 You see, dear friend, if you're going to say 42:22 "I believe in Jesus Christ but I just don't trust you, " 42:26 that doesn't work. 42:29 God says: "Trust Me. " 42:31 And when He says "trust Me, " 42:32 that means in everything. 42:35 That means in houses, 42:37 that means in land. That means wife; that means children. 42:40 I MUST TRUST HIM... 42:43 totally, completely... 42:44 because He's the One that has life. 42:48 I can remember I was holding a meeting, and this lady 42:52 was coming to the meeting and she faced the question 42:55 of her employment interfering 42:59 with her worship of the Lord. 43:02 And... and the folks that were visiting her asked her 43:07 about it, and she said "No, " she said "I can't do that. " 43:11 And I went out and visited with her, 43:15 and we talked about what the scripture said. 43:17 There was no question that she believed in Jesus Christ; 43:20 no question that she had given her heart to Him. 43:24 And so when I asked her about her employment 43:28 and how it was interfering with what the scripture said 43:30 about her worship and all, she said: 43:32 "Oh, I can't do that. " 43:35 And I said: "I'm having a hard time understanding. " 43:40 And she said: "What... what do you mean? " 43:43 And I said: "Well, you've just told me you love the Lord 43:46 and you tell me you believe what it says. 43:48 That you're willing to follow what it says, 43:49 but when it comes down to the actuality of it 43:52 you're not willing to do that. And I'm having a hard time 43:55 putting this together. " 43:56 And she said: "Brother Cox, you don't understand. " 43:59 And I said: "No, I don't. What don't I understand? " 44:03 And she said: "I have cancer. " 44:05 And she said: "The only insurance I have 44:09 is with my employer. 44:11 And if I lose my job, 44:15 I'll lose my insurance. 44:21 You see, we're down to the place where the rubber 44:26 meets the road... if you under- stand what I'm talking about. " 44:30 And I said: "When you 44:34 accepted Jesus Christ 44:37 you accepted Him for life and you accepted Him for death. 44:42 I can't... I can't do it half-way. 44:47 I have to do it all the way. 44:49 I accept Him for life; I accept Him for death. " 44:54 She thought about that for a bit and she said: "OK. " 44:58 And she went to her employer. 45:00 They gave her Sabbaths off no problem 45:03 and she could... you know. 45:05 But what I'm trying to say, folks, 45:07 is I just can't go part way. 45:10 I either believe in Him or I don't. 45:12 And He says if you do, then at the end 45:17 when the change comes I'm going to give you 45:19 eternal life. I'm going to give you immortality. 45:49 So I go to sleep. 45:52 And dear friend, 45:54 there is no time in the grave. 46:00 See, that person who died 46:04 five thousand years ago 46:07 and that person who died today 46:10 the coming of Jesus Christ will be like that. 46:14 There is no time there. 46:17 So I just simply close my eyes 46:20 and I will open them to hear the voice of the Maker... 46:25 to hear the voice of Christ 46:27 calling His people from the grave. 46:29 That's what He gives to you and to me. 46:44 All those who have died in Christ will rise first. 47:06 You see what you and I need to make absolutely sure 47:10 is my faith in Him is strong. That I believe in Him. 47:14 Because if I lay down my life on this old earth 47:18 one thing for sure 47:20 is I want to come out in that first resurrection. 47:24 That's where I want to come out. 47:26 I want to hear the voice of the Lifegiver 47:29 call and come forth. 47:31 I've told people over the years many times 47:34 A lot of people say "Oh, I just want to live 47:36 until Jesus comes. " 47:38 I'm not sure I do. 47:39 I'm... I'm not sure that I want to miss the resurrection. 47:44 I'm not sure that I do. 47:47 Think about that. 47:48 What a marvelous experience that will be! 47:51 Call. The voice of the Lifegiver. 47:54 And those graves are going to open... 47:56 the people are going to come out. 47:57 I want to be part of that first resurrection. 48:00 I don't want to be in the second one. 48:03 Don't want to be there. 48:16 How many in the grave will hear His voice? 48:18 ALL. Get it clear. 48:20 Not just the righteous but the righteous AND the wicked. 48:23 All will hear His voice and come forth. 48:37 That's the first resurrection. 48:39 They're going to come out of the grave. 48:42 They're going to be given immortality. 48:47 They're going to live through the ceaseless ages of eternity. 48:52 They're never going to die. 48:55 That's going to be given to them 48:57 because of what Jesus has done 49:02 for you and for me. 49:14 All the wicked will be called forth from the grave. 49:19 Great, great difference in these two resurrections, dear friend. 49:24 The first resurrection here will be a resurrection in which 49:29 all those that come forth from the grave 49:33 will have put on immortality. 49:38 This corruptible will have put on incorruption. 49:41 Do you understand what that means? 49:43 That means if you died without one arm 49:48 you'll be resurrected with both of them. 49:50 That means if you died a cripple, 49:53 you'll come out whole. 49:56 It means that your body will be made back like it was... 50:00 in perfect condition. 50:02 "This corruptible shall put on incorruption. " 50:04 That's what happens in the first resurrection. 50:08 Second resurrection: NO! 50:11 Doesn't promise that. 50:13 Those that come forth in that second resurrection 50:16 they're going to come out of that grave 50:18 just like they went into it. 50:22 You see, your hope 50:24 must be in Jesus Christ. 50:38 Boy, that's going to be wonderful. 50:39 "We shall all be changed... " 50:54 How wonderful 50:57 that we'll be changed... made perfect. 51:02 You ever think about that? 51:04 Made perfect. 51:06 Ladies, there'll be no more wrinkles. 51:09 There'll be no more spots. 51:11 There'll be no more things that are imperfect, 51:15 but every individual will be absolutely perfect. 51:18 They will be changed into His likeness. 51:22 Not for a day. 51:24 Not for 5 or 6 years... as long as Botox will take care of it. 51:31 But for eternity 51:33 that person will be changed! 51:36 Throughout the ceaseless ages. 51:39 I can't even comprehend that. 51:41 Through the ceaseless ages of eternity 51:43 that person will be changed. 52:13 And Jesus is going to come 52:15 and when He comes He's going to shout. 52:17 And not only will He shout, but He's going to say these words: 52:28 He said He's going to shout out across this earth: 52:41 Oh dear friend, how wonderful, 52:44 how marvelous, will be the glad tidings 52:48 when Jesus calls all the dead from the grave. 52:58 The mossy old graves 53:03 where the pilgrims sleep 53:06 shall be opened 53:10 as before. 53:15 And the millions that sleep 53:19 in the mighty deep 53:23 shall live on this earth 53:28 once more. 53:32 He's coming! 53:35 Coming! Coming soon, I know. 53:40 Coming back to this earth 53:45 again. 53:49 And the weary 53:54 pilgrims 53:59 will to glory go 54:02 when the Savior 54:06 comes to reign. 54:14 Friend, are you ready to meet Jesus? 54:19 Are you going to be one of those pilgrims 54:22 that will welcome Him 54:25 and find life in Jesus Christ? 54:30 All you have to do 54:33 is believe. 54:36 Give your heart to Him. 54:37 Surrender it to Him. 54:39 Believe... 54:41 and He will give to you eternal life. 54:46 Let us pray. 54:47 Father in Heaven, 54:49 we thank you. 54:51 We thank you for making it possible 54:54 that we, too, can have life eternal in You. 55:00 Lord, may our hearts be open. 55:04 May they be soft. 55:08 May the Holy Spirit speak to each one today 55:14 that's listening by radio or watching on television 55:18 or here in the audience 55:20 that if they do not know Christ as their Lord and their Savior 55:26 we ask at this very time 55:29 they'll surrender their hearts to You. 55:32 We thank You for guiding and directing and leading our lives 55:37 and that in You we can have life eternal. 55:41 This we pray in Your name. 55:45 May God bless you. Have a great day. 55:48 Look for you in the next presentation. 55:52 You can find them everywhere. 55:54 In every city, town, out-of-the-way place. 55:58 In some areas, they're more plentiful than gas stations. 56:02 Small and large. Modern, old-fashioned. 56:05 Millions of them exist all over the world. 56:08 We're talking about churches, of course. 56:10 Houses of worship. 56:12 They stand as a testament to the hunger for truth 56:16 that's built into the heart of every man, woman, and child. 56:20 But truth cannot be found in a building. 56:23 In fact, churches are homes to millions 56:26 who still don't know Jesus. 56:29 And that means they don't know the truth. 56:32 In John 17:17 56:35 Jesus prayed to His Father asking that His followers 56:39 not be taken out of the world 56:41 but that the Father protect them and sanctify them 56:44 by the truth. 56:46 Then Jesus said: "Your Word is truth. " 56:50 Think about it. 56:52 "Your Word is truth. " 56:54 But friends, just reading the Bible is not enough. 56:58 Knowing the truth without a relationship 57:00 is like an empty church building 57:02 without people to give it life. 57:05 It's knowledge of God's law 57:07 without power to live up to it. 57:10 To be a true Christian 57:11 we must have a relationship with the author of truth. 57:15 By beholding the One to whom the Bible points 57:19 we are changed into His likeness. 57:22 In John 14:6 Jesus says: 57:25 "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. 57:29 No one comes to the Father except through Me. " 57:32 That's why we're doing this series: 57:34 so you can develop a wonderful relationship 57:38 with the author of truth, Jesus Christ. 57:41 With your help, we can bring the truth to the world. 57:45 Please consider what you can do 57:47 for those who still don't know about Jesus. 57:50 As the Holy Spirit impresses, 57:51 you may send your tax-deductible gifts to: 58:06 Thank you for helping us to bring the Blessed Hope 58:08 to millions all around the world. |
Revised 2014-12-17