1 00:00:00,650 --> 00:00:03,690 I'm going to read from John 10 tonight, 2 00:00:03,930 --> 00:00:06,930 and we're going to commence reading of that 3 00:00:06,930 --> 00:00:07,210 one. 4 00:00:07,970 --> 00:00:10,930 The Lord Jesus is the speaker, and he 5 00:00:10,930 --> 00:00:14,750 says, Verily, verily, I say unto you, He 6 00:00:14,750 --> 00:00:17,990 that enters not by the door into the 7 00:00:17,990 --> 00:00:21,610 sheepfold, but climbs up some other way, the 8 00:00:21,610 --> 00:00:23,230 same is a thief and a robber. 9 00:00:24,310 --> 00:00:26,730 But he that enters in by the door 10 00:00:26,730 --> 00:00:28,170 is the shepherd of the sheep. 11 00:00:29,110 --> 00:00:32,630 To him the porter opens, and the sheep 12 00:00:32,630 --> 00:00:35,850 hear his voice, and he calls his own 13 00:00:35,850 --> 00:00:38,910 sheep by name, and leads them out. 14 00:00:39,490 --> 00:00:42,090 And when he puts forth his own sheep, 15 00:00:42,130 --> 00:00:45,110 he goes before them, and the sheep follow 16 00:00:45,110 --> 00:00:48,730 him, for they know his voice. 17 00:00:49,390 --> 00:00:52,310 And a stranger will they not follow, but 18 00:00:52,310 --> 00:00:55,330 will flee from him, for they know not 19 00:00:55,330 --> 00:00:56,790 the voice of a stranger. 20 00:00:58,170 --> 00:01:01,870 This parable spake Jesus unto them, but they 21 00:01:01,870 --> 00:01:05,150 understood not what things they were which he 22 00:01:05,150 --> 00:01:06,570 spake unto them. 23 00:01:07,630 --> 00:01:12,290 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, 24 00:01:12,390 --> 00:01:14,850 I say unto you, I am the door 25 00:01:14,850 --> 00:01:15,530 of the sheep. 26 00:01:16,410 --> 00:01:18,990 All that ever came before me are thieves 27 00:01:18,990 --> 00:01:21,710 and robbers, but the sheep did not hear 28 00:01:21,710 --> 00:01:21,950 them. 29 00:01:22,590 --> 00:01:25,230 I am the door, by me if any 30 00:01:25,230 --> 00:01:28,290 man enter in, he shall be saved, and 31 00:01:28,290 --> 00:01:30,610 shall go in and out, and find pasture. 32 00:01:31,570 --> 00:01:34,870 The thief, that means Satan, comes not but 33 00:01:34,870 --> 00:01:38,050 for to steal, and to kill, and to 34 00:01:38,050 --> 00:01:38,650 destroy. 35 00:01:39,450 --> 00:01:41,630 I am come that they might have life, 36 00:01:42,110 --> 00:01:45,290 and that they might have it more abundantly. 37 00:01:45,970 --> 00:01:48,970 I am the good shepherd, the good shepherd 38 00:01:48,970 --> 00:01:51,010 gives his life for the sheep. 39 00:01:51,510 --> 00:01:53,790 But he that is a highling, and not 40 00:01:53,790 --> 00:01:56,490 the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, 41 00:01:57,010 --> 00:02:00,450 sees the wolf coming, and leads the sheep, 42 00:02:00,670 --> 00:02:03,910 and flees, and the wolf catches them, and 43 00:02:03,910 --> 00:02:05,030 scatters the sheep. 44 00:02:05,970 --> 00:02:08,750 The highling flees, because he is a highling, 45 00:02:09,090 --> 00:02:10,950 and cares not for the sheep. 46 00:02:11,530 --> 00:02:14,630 I am the good shepherd, and know my 47 00:02:14,630 --> 00:02:14,950 sheep. 48 00:02:15,290 --> 00:02:16,670 And have known of mine. 49 00:02:17,310 --> 00:02:20,210 As the father knows me, even so know 50 00:02:20,210 --> 00:02:23,070 I the father, and I lay down my 51 00:02:23,070 --> 00:02:24,150 life for the sheep. 52 00:02:24,870 --> 00:02:26,430 And other sheep I have, which are not 53 00:02:26,430 --> 00:02:29,270 of this fold, them also I must bring, 54 00:02:29,910 --> 00:02:33,530 and they shall hear my voice, and there 55 00:02:33,530 --> 00:02:35,730 shall be one fold, and one shepherd. 56 00:02:37,030 --> 00:02:40,570 Therefore doth my father love me, because I 57 00:02:40,570 --> 00:02:42,910 lay down my life, that I might take 58 00:02:42,910 --> 00:02:43,410 it again. 59 00:02:44,010 --> 00:02:46,970 No man takes it from me, but I 60 00:02:46,970 --> 00:02:48,390 lay it down of myself. 61 00:02:49,070 --> 00:02:51,570 I have power to lay it down, I 62 00:02:51,570 --> 00:02:53,370 have power to take it again. 63 00:02:53,990 --> 00:02:57,630 This commandment have I received of my father. 64 00:02:58,490 --> 00:03:01,670 Verse 27 of that same chapter. 65 00:03:04,020 --> 00:03:06,240 My sheep hear my voice, and I know 66 00:03:06,240 --> 00:03:08,540 them, and they follow me. 67 00:03:09,370 --> 00:03:13,260 I give unto them eternal life, they shall 68 00:03:13,260 --> 00:03:17,060 never perish, neither shall any man pluck them 69 00:03:17,060 --> 00:03:18,120 out of my hand. 70 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:22,440 My father which gave them me, is greater 71 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,180 than all, and no man is able to 72 00:03:25,180 --> 00:03:27,360 pluck them out of my father's hand. 73 00:03:28,300 --> 00:03:30,720 I am my father alone. 74 00:03:32,080 --> 00:03:34,860 Now would you turn just to another verse, 75 00:03:34,860 --> 00:03:37,940 it's in Romans 6 verse 23. 76 00:03:39,500 --> 00:03:44,140 The wages of sin is death, but the 77 00:03:44,140 --> 00:03:48,480 gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus 78 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,480 Christ our Lord. 79 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,360 Would you allow me to read that again, 80 00:03:53,900 --> 00:03:56,060 because that's my scripture for tonight. 81 00:03:56,740 --> 00:04:00,480 For the wages of sin is death, but 82 00:04:00,480 --> 00:04:03,840 the gift of God is eternal life, through 83 00:04:03,840 --> 00:04:05,880 Jesus Christ our Lord. 84 00:04:06,420 --> 00:04:10,540 Now I'm sure God always blesses the weaving 85 00:04:10,540 --> 00:04:11,160 of the Bible. 86 00:04:16,300 --> 00:04:19,500 Someone once said that Christianity was a deathbed 87 00:04:19,500 --> 00:04:19,980 religion. 88 00:04:21,220 --> 00:04:23,860 Now first of all, I want to say 89 00:04:23,860 --> 00:04:27,740 clearly that Christianity shows you how to die 90 00:04:27,740 --> 00:04:32,140 victoriously, but it is not a deathbed religion. 91 00:04:32,300 --> 00:04:36,120 In fact, the Lord Jesus made it very 92 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,380 clear that if you don't have life before 93 00:04:40,380 --> 00:04:44,800 death, you will never get life after death. 94 00:04:45,640 --> 00:04:48,280 So can you see if we're going to 95 00:04:48,280 --> 00:04:51,400 have life after death, we've got to have 96 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,720 eternal life before death. 97 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,340 When we read John's gospel, and it's a 98 00:04:57,340 --> 00:04:59,720 lovely book, when you have a few spare 99 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:02,920 moments to read it, you will find that 100 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:05,980 the whole of that book was written that 101 00:05:05,980 --> 00:05:09,480 people might believe that Jesus Christ is the 102 00:05:09,480 --> 00:05:12,900 Christ, and that they're believing they might have 103 00:05:12,900 --> 00:05:15,020 life through his name. 104 00:05:15,260 --> 00:05:20,660 Therefore, almost in every chapter in John's gospel, 105 00:05:20,900 --> 00:05:22,200 there's a reference to life. 106 00:05:23,160 --> 00:05:25,800 In chapter one, he's the light of life. 107 00:05:26,180 --> 00:05:28,880 In chapter three, he is the new birth 108 00:05:28,880 --> 00:05:30,120 of heavenly life. 109 00:05:31,120 --> 00:05:33,700 In chapter four, he is the spring of 110 00:05:33,700 --> 00:05:34,100 life. 111 00:05:34,980 --> 00:05:39,200 In chapter five, he is the security of 112 00:05:39,200 --> 00:05:41,900 life, if you like the assurance of life. 113 00:05:42,520 --> 00:05:44,880 In chapter six, he is the bread of 114 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:45,280 life. 115 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,260 In chapter seven, he is the river of 116 00:05:48,260 --> 00:05:48,580 life. 117 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:51,540 In chapter eight, he is the light of 118 00:05:51,540 --> 00:05:51,940 life. 119 00:05:52,420 --> 00:05:54,780 And in chapter ten, he is the abundance 120 00:05:54,780 --> 00:05:55,580 of life. 121 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:58,540 And in chapter eleven, he is the resurrection 122 00:05:58,540 --> 00:06:01,180 and the life, all life. 123 00:06:02,420 --> 00:06:04,860 And therefore, I want to share with you 124 00:06:04,860 --> 00:06:08,080 tonight, just for a few minutes, this great 125 00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:13,500 gift of eternal life that God is desirous 126 00:06:13,500 --> 00:06:14,840 to give to all people. 127 00:06:15,980 --> 00:06:18,920 The first point is quite obvious and simple. 128 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:21,980 Why do we need eternal life? 129 00:06:22,860 --> 00:06:27,540 Secondly, what is eternal life? 130 00:06:28,240 --> 00:06:32,940 And then thirdly, how do we receive eternal 131 00:06:32,940 --> 00:06:33,380 life? 132 00:06:33,900 --> 00:06:36,960 Now, why do we need eternal life? 133 00:06:37,220 --> 00:06:39,620 Because the wages of sin is death. 134 00:06:40,940 --> 00:06:44,140 In order to understand that statement, my dear 135 00:06:44,140 --> 00:06:47,000 friends, we have to go right the way 136 00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:48,860 back to the beginning of creation. 137 00:06:50,640 --> 00:06:53,400 And when God made man, he made him, 138 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:55,520 if I can put it very simply, so 139 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,280 that we can understand, in three parts. 140 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,840 He made him with a body, he made 141 00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:05,540 him with a soul, and he made him 142 00:07:05,540 --> 00:07:06,320 with a spirit. 143 00:07:06,720 --> 00:07:08,520 Now we can prove that immediately. 144 00:07:09,680 --> 00:07:12,280 When you were sitting at the table eating 145 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,260 your food tonight, you were feeding the body. 146 00:07:16,020 --> 00:07:16,840 That's clear. 147 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,400 When you were listening to the music tonight, 148 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:24,380 you were not feeding your body, you were 149 00:07:24,380 --> 00:07:25,640 feeding your soul. 150 00:07:27,710 --> 00:07:31,130 When we bowed our heads and prayed, all 151 00:07:31,130 --> 00:07:33,970 those who loved the Lord Jesus, were not 152 00:07:33,970 --> 00:07:38,030 feeding their bodies, were not feeding their souls, 153 00:07:38,490 --> 00:07:40,970 but they were feeding their spirits. 154 00:07:41,290 --> 00:07:43,310 We were in contact with God. 155 00:07:44,470 --> 00:07:48,030 So can you see, with the body, man 156 00:07:48,030 --> 00:07:49,050 knew the earth. 157 00:07:49,890 --> 00:07:52,370 With his soul, he knew himself. 158 00:07:53,430 --> 00:07:56,630 With the spirit, he had contact with the 159 00:07:56,630 --> 00:07:57,490 Almighty God. 160 00:07:58,790 --> 00:08:01,130 Now if you spoke to Adam before he 161 00:08:01,130 --> 00:08:03,870 sinned, and if you said something like this 162 00:08:03,870 --> 00:08:06,890 to him, what's the best part of the 163 00:08:06,890 --> 00:08:07,570 day for you? 164 00:08:07,670 --> 00:08:11,310 He would say without hesitation, when the evening 165 00:08:11,310 --> 00:08:16,930 comes, the cool of the garden, I go 166 00:08:16,930 --> 00:08:21,390 out and I meet the Almighty God, and 167 00:08:21,390 --> 00:08:23,650 I move right into a new world. 168 00:08:24,690 --> 00:08:28,070 I move into the world of the Kingdom 169 00:08:28,070 --> 00:08:28,800 of God. 170 00:08:30,090 --> 00:08:33,950 And that was the most precious point in 171 00:08:33,950 --> 00:08:35,370 his experience in life. 172 00:08:36,830 --> 00:08:40,090 God put man under a very simple test. 173 00:08:40,570 --> 00:08:44,590 For instance, every aeroplane, every car is tested. 174 00:08:45,790 --> 00:08:47,950 And so the Lord tested man. 175 00:08:49,010 --> 00:08:51,330 And there in the garden of Eden, there 176 00:08:51,330 --> 00:08:51,930 was a tree. 177 00:08:52,050 --> 00:08:54,070 It wasn't an apple tree, it wasn't an 178 00:08:54,070 --> 00:08:56,450 orange tree, it was a brilliant tree. 179 00:08:56,830 --> 00:08:59,430 It was called the tree of the knowledge 180 00:08:59,430 --> 00:09:00,710 of good and evil. 181 00:09:02,050 --> 00:09:04,710 Now it was the mind of God that 182 00:09:04,710 --> 00:09:07,930 man should know good, but not evil. 183 00:09:09,130 --> 00:09:11,850 And he was forbidden to touch that tree. 184 00:09:13,850 --> 00:09:18,490 Immediately man deliberately sinned, and took of that 185 00:09:18,490 --> 00:09:21,970 tree, he took from the hands of God, 186 00:09:22,110 --> 00:09:25,230 the reins that controlled him, and he became 187 00:09:25,230 --> 00:09:26,210 his own master. 188 00:09:27,090 --> 00:09:30,350 And into that body there came the poison 189 00:09:30,350 --> 00:09:30,990 of sin. 190 00:09:32,430 --> 00:09:35,650 Now the body almost remained the same, though 191 00:09:35,650 --> 00:09:36,590 there were differences. 192 00:09:38,050 --> 00:09:40,970 The soul was almost the same, but there 193 00:09:40,970 --> 00:09:41,890 were some differences. 194 00:09:42,610 --> 00:09:44,490 But the spirit went dead. 195 00:09:45,510 --> 00:09:47,830 Just like being in a house and all 196 00:09:47,830 --> 00:09:50,970 the lights go out, the light of God 197 00:09:50,970 --> 00:09:51,930 went out. 198 00:09:52,650 --> 00:09:56,690 A man had life physically, he had life 199 00:09:56,690 --> 00:10:00,630 socially, but life spiritually was dead. 200 00:10:01,430 --> 00:10:04,130 So that when God came in the evening, 201 00:10:04,930 --> 00:10:07,810 he was afraid, and we hear him saying 202 00:10:07,810 --> 00:10:13,150 something like this, I'm afraid, I've hit myself. 203 00:10:14,230 --> 00:10:17,450 You see instead of being conscious of God, 204 00:10:18,450 --> 00:10:21,850 instead of being aware of God, he was 205 00:10:21,850 --> 00:10:23,970 just conscious of himself. 206 00:10:24,430 --> 00:10:25,450 But that's not all. 207 00:10:27,030 --> 00:10:31,490 Every little baby that comes from Adam is 208 00:10:31,490 --> 00:10:32,370 born dead. 209 00:10:33,850 --> 00:10:40,290 Not physically, not emotionally, but spiritually. 210 00:10:40,850 --> 00:10:42,290 And this is what the word of God 211 00:10:42,290 --> 00:10:42,630 says. 212 00:10:43,510 --> 00:10:47,410 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into 213 00:10:47,410 --> 00:10:51,050 the world, and death by sin, and so 214 00:10:51,050 --> 00:10:54,030 death passed upon all men, for the Lord 215 00:10:54,030 --> 00:10:55,290 has sinned. 216 00:10:55,430 --> 00:10:58,950 And that is the world's greatest problem. 217 00:11:00,270 --> 00:11:02,730 So that when we pick up a lovely 218 00:11:02,730 --> 00:11:06,470 little baby, and we all love them, we 219 00:11:06,470 --> 00:11:10,150 admire them, it's made in the image and 220 00:11:10,150 --> 00:11:12,750 in the likeness of God, admittedly damaged by 221 00:11:12,750 --> 00:11:13,250 sin. 222 00:11:14,250 --> 00:11:18,570 That baby has natural life, it has soulish 223 00:11:18,570 --> 00:11:21,490 life, but it's spiritually dead. 224 00:11:22,770 --> 00:11:25,310 And if that baby when it reaches the 225 00:11:25,310 --> 00:11:30,210 age of responsibility, is then responsible before God 226 00:11:30,210 --> 00:11:32,910 to receive this gift of eternal life. 227 00:11:33,930 --> 00:11:38,490 Now secondly, let's look at the facts of 228 00:11:38,490 --> 00:11:38,870 this. 229 00:11:39,570 --> 00:11:43,590 Can we really see that man is spiritually 230 00:11:43,590 --> 00:11:43,990 dead? 231 00:11:44,190 --> 00:11:45,450 Now here's a fact. 232 00:11:46,790 --> 00:11:49,810 In a place called Milton Keynes, I was 233 00:11:49,810 --> 00:11:53,530 working and evangelizing, and I gave a man 234 00:11:53,530 --> 00:11:54,150 a Bible. 235 00:11:55,610 --> 00:11:58,190 The man knew nothing at all about the 236 00:11:58,190 --> 00:12:00,630 Bible, he knew a very little about God, 237 00:12:00,730 --> 00:12:02,970 he knew a very little about Jesus and 238 00:12:02,970 --> 00:12:03,590 so on. 239 00:12:04,610 --> 00:12:06,490 And then I went back to see him 240 00:12:06,490 --> 00:12:09,110 about two months later, and all this was 241 00:12:09,110 --> 00:12:11,550 arranged, and I said, how did you get 242 00:12:11,550 --> 00:12:11,870 on? 243 00:12:13,310 --> 00:12:15,010 Didn't understand a word. 244 00:12:16,670 --> 00:12:19,990 I tried prayer, but it's all ridiculous. 245 00:12:21,090 --> 00:12:23,150 He said, I knelt down and prayed, but 246 00:12:23,150 --> 00:12:24,770 I was praying into the thin air. 247 00:12:25,890 --> 00:12:29,030 He said, then I went at the Bible 248 00:12:29,030 --> 00:12:30,690 again, couldn't understand it. 249 00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:34,520 What was he saying? 250 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,700 He was saying, I can't understand the Bible, 251 00:12:40,980 --> 00:12:44,420 I can't understand prayer, I believe that God's 252 00:12:44,420 --> 00:12:45,580 there, but I don't know him. 253 00:12:45,920 --> 00:12:48,540 He was saying, I'm spiritually dead. 254 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:52,420 And that man was being honest. 255 00:12:53,980 --> 00:12:57,380 Now it's possible, dear friends, to be religious. 256 00:12:57,480 --> 00:13:00,300 For instance, in the Bible, there was one 257 00:13:00,300 --> 00:13:03,440 man whose name was Nicodemus, and he was 258 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:06,620 a religious ruler, he was a Pharisee, he 259 00:13:06,620 --> 00:13:08,200 was a master in Israel. 260 00:13:08,580 --> 00:13:10,840 In fact, he was a brilliant man that 261 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,480 used to teach people religion. 262 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,320 For instance, if Nicodemus stood here, and I 263 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,320 said to him, Nicodemus, I want you to 264 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:23,580 give me a resume on the personality of 265 00:13:23,580 --> 00:13:23,860 God. 266 00:13:24,020 --> 00:13:25,400 He could have done it beautifully. 267 00:13:25,900 --> 00:13:29,640 But then, if I said to him, Nicodemus, 268 00:13:30,820 --> 00:13:34,000 do you know God intimately and personally? 269 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:34,820 No. 270 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,100 And that's why he came to Jesus by 271 00:13:39,100 --> 00:13:39,440 now. 272 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:44,340 He knew that he was spiritually dead, and 273 00:13:44,340 --> 00:13:46,420 that's why the Lord Jesus said to him, 274 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:50,000 except a man be born from above, he 275 00:13:50,000 --> 00:13:51,640 cannot see the kingdom of God. 276 00:13:53,870 --> 00:13:56,830 Thirdly, I want you to think now of 277 00:13:56,830 --> 00:13:59,330 the loss of spiritual death. 278 00:14:00,890 --> 00:14:03,110 I want you to think of the average 279 00:14:03,110 --> 00:14:06,190 man, now I'm thinking of Britain and I'm 280 00:14:06,190 --> 00:14:08,710 thinking of Australia, and we are very similar, 281 00:14:09,730 --> 00:14:12,830 and the average man in Britain, and this 282 00:14:12,830 --> 00:14:18,270 would mark almost 78% of Britain, he 283 00:14:18,270 --> 00:14:22,090 gets up in the morning, he goes through 284 00:14:22,090 --> 00:14:26,310 his washing hygiene, he sits at the breakfast 285 00:14:26,310 --> 00:14:30,210 table, he reads his paper, he says goodbye 286 00:14:30,210 --> 00:14:32,990 to his wife and children, and he goes 287 00:14:32,990 --> 00:14:36,310 to work, and shall we imagine he's a 288 00:14:36,310 --> 00:14:39,690 carpenter, and he's working there on a particular 289 00:14:39,690 --> 00:14:42,850 house, and then he takes out his sandwiches, 290 00:14:43,110 --> 00:14:45,430 12 o'clock, and then he goes back 291 00:14:45,430 --> 00:14:47,790 to his work, and 5 o'clock, he's 292 00:14:47,790 --> 00:14:50,550 home in his car, and he sits down, 293 00:14:50,670 --> 00:14:53,130 and it's almost noon time, and he switches 294 00:14:53,130 --> 00:14:56,210 on the television, and he watches it, and 295 00:14:56,210 --> 00:14:58,870 then he has his dinner, and then perhaps 296 00:14:58,870 --> 00:15:01,450 he looks at the telly again, and then 297 00:15:01,450 --> 00:15:03,730 it's about 10 or half past 10, and 298 00:15:03,730 --> 00:15:05,330 he's thinking of going to bed. 299 00:15:06,970 --> 00:15:10,650 For 16 hours that man has gone through 300 00:15:10,650 --> 00:15:20,160 the day spiritually dead, unconscious of God, unaware 301 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:25,980 of God, that's not all, he's married, he's 302 00:15:25,980 --> 00:15:28,800 got a nice little home, nothing wrong with 303 00:15:28,800 --> 00:15:31,560 that, he loves his garden, nothing wrong with 304 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:33,960 that, he likes to go and watch the 305 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:37,380 arsenal once a month, and then my dear 306 00:15:37,380 --> 00:15:40,980 friends, he comes home, and he works hard, 307 00:15:41,420 --> 00:15:44,780 brings the money in, puts a little aside, 308 00:15:45,700 --> 00:15:48,140 and he's going through life, and then he 309 00:15:48,140 --> 00:15:51,040 loses his youth, his middle age, he gets 310 00:15:51,040 --> 00:15:55,560 a corporation, and feels a little clumsy, so 311 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:58,700 he puts himself through some keep fit classes, 312 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:01,880 and then when he gets about 65, he 313 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,120 retires, and then he says, I put my 314 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:04,440 feet up. 315 00:16:05,340 --> 00:16:06,160 Now what happens? 316 00:16:08,080 --> 00:16:12,920 30 years he's gone through life without God, 317 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:20,000 without Christ, without hope, dare I say it, 318 00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:22,100 spiritually dead. 319 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,060 He reaches a good age of roughly about 320 00:16:27,060 --> 00:16:32,040 85, and then he feels ill, he has 321 00:16:32,040 --> 00:16:35,260 a heart attack, and they're all around the 322 00:16:35,260 --> 00:16:39,440 bed, they love him, and that man dies 323 00:16:39,440 --> 00:16:40,700 spiritually dead. 324 00:16:42,720 --> 00:16:48,660 Listen, he lived without Christ, he died without 325 00:16:48,660 --> 00:16:53,340 Christ, and he moves into a Christless eternity. 326 00:16:55,280 --> 00:16:55,980 What a shock! 327 00:16:58,220 --> 00:17:01,400 Now Jesus describes two men, one was rich, 328 00:17:02,360 --> 00:17:06,319 he was a brilliant businessman, he reached the 329 00:17:06,319 --> 00:17:09,520 age of retirement, but he was without Christ, 330 00:17:09,819 --> 00:17:12,540 he was without God, he was without hope, 331 00:17:12,680 --> 00:17:16,040 he was spiritually dead, and suddenly he died, 332 00:17:16,579 --> 00:17:18,040 and do you know what the Lord said? 333 00:17:19,540 --> 00:17:25,280 Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be 334 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:26,300 required of thee. 335 00:17:27,359 --> 00:17:29,760 There was another rich man that the Lord 336 00:17:29,760 --> 00:17:33,180 Jesus spoke of, and this particular rich man 337 00:17:33,180 --> 00:17:37,400 was obviously a man that fared sumptuously every 338 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:39,580 day, that means he had the best food 339 00:17:39,580 --> 00:17:45,080 possible, went to the synagogue, wore the purple 340 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,220 garment, that meant he was a man of 341 00:17:47,220 --> 00:17:50,160 dignity, and everyone would recognize him as a 342 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,840 VIP, and then all of a sudden this 343 00:17:53,840 --> 00:17:56,180 man dies, and his spirit, and what a 344 00:17:56,180 --> 00:17:58,080 fuss they made of him at the burial, 345 00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:04,380 but Jesus said, in hell he lifted up 346 00:18:04,380 --> 00:18:05,720 his eyes in torment. 347 00:18:06,900 --> 00:18:08,160 What happened? 348 00:18:09,540 --> 00:18:14,580 He lived without Christ, he died without Christ, 349 00:18:16,340 --> 00:18:19,480 he slipped from time into the yawning jaws 350 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:23,420 of eternity, and he said, Lord, I'm lost, 351 00:18:25,860 --> 00:18:27,060 spiritually dead. 352 00:18:28,680 --> 00:18:33,180 Now my dear friends, immediately we understand that, 353 00:18:33,340 --> 00:18:35,760 then we shall need eternal life. 354 00:18:38,380 --> 00:18:40,580 Now can I ask you a question? 355 00:18:43,540 --> 00:18:45,880 Have you got eternal life? 356 00:18:47,850 --> 00:18:50,530 Do you realize the wages of sin is 357 00:18:50,530 --> 00:18:50,910 death? 358 00:18:52,070 --> 00:18:55,050 Do you realize if you die in your 359 00:18:55,050 --> 00:18:57,970 sins, you will be eternally lost? 360 00:18:58,390 --> 00:19:01,750 And that's why all of us need eternal 361 00:19:01,750 --> 00:19:02,050 life. 362 00:19:02,670 --> 00:19:03,590 Now what is it? 363 00:19:05,050 --> 00:19:07,690 Now I've been speaking to people that have 364 00:19:07,690 --> 00:19:13,120 no relationship at all with churches, and one 365 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:16,200 man thought eternal life was stardust from heaven, 366 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,180 another man thought it was like a kind 367 00:19:21,180 --> 00:19:23,720 of a Christian theory that comes to you. 368 00:19:25,890 --> 00:19:28,750 So then what is eternal life? 369 00:19:29,070 --> 00:19:31,650 Now my dear friends, eternal life is the 370 00:19:31,650 --> 00:19:32,130 Lord Jesus. 371 00:19:33,330 --> 00:19:36,110 John chapter 1 says, in him was life, 372 00:19:36,610 --> 00:19:38,490 and the life was the light of men. 373 00:19:40,150 --> 00:19:43,290 John's epistle first chapter says, for the life 374 00:19:43,290 --> 00:19:46,370 was manifested, and we have seen it, and 375 00:19:46,370 --> 00:19:49,030 show unto you that eternal life, which was 376 00:19:49,030 --> 00:19:52,270 with the father, and was manifested unto us. 377 00:19:52,570 --> 00:19:54,350 So it's the life of the Lord Jesus. 378 00:19:55,590 --> 00:19:58,230 The Lord Jesus said, I am come that 379 00:19:58,230 --> 00:20:00,290 ye might have life, and that ye might 380 00:20:00,290 --> 00:20:01,650 have it more abundantly. 381 00:20:02,810 --> 00:20:05,210 Again the Lord Jesus said, I am the 382 00:20:05,210 --> 00:20:07,710 resurrection and the life, he that liveth and 383 00:20:07,710 --> 00:20:10,030 believeth in me shall never die. 384 00:20:10,630 --> 00:20:12,670 And to Martha he says, do you believe 385 00:20:12,670 --> 00:20:12,950 this? 386 00:20:13,290 --> 00:20:17,150 So eternal life is found in the Lord 387 00:20:17,150 --> 00:20:17,590 Jesus. 388 00:20:18,450 --> 00:20:19,850 Now isn't that clear? 389 00:20:20,610 --> 00:20:21,930 Now comes the problem. 390 00:20:23,870 --> 00:20:27,170 How can the Lord Jesus, the son of 391 00:20:27,170 --> 00:20:30,010 man, the son of God, put his life 392 00:20:30,010 --> 00:20:30,470 in me? 393 00:20:32,590 --> 00:20:33,290 Impossible. 394 00:20:35,820 --> 00:20:36,760 Can I say it again? 395 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:41,000 How can the Lord Jesus actually put his 396 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:42,120 life in me? 397 00:20:42,540 --> 00:20:43,820 Well that's impossible. 398 00:20:45,060 --> 00:20:49,020 So he said to his disciples, it's expedient 399 00:20:49,020 --> 00:20:51,460 for you that I go away, for if 400 00:20:51,460 --> 00:20:54,140 I go not away, the comforter, the Holy 401 00:20:54,140 --> 00:20:55,480 Spirit will not come. 402 00:20:56,080 --> 00:20:59,440 And then he said, when he has come, 403 00:20:59,820 --> 00:21:02,220 he will be with you, now note this, 404 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:04,720 and in you. 405 00:21:07,210 --> 00:21:10,310 So can you see my dear friends, the 406 00:21:10,310 --> 00:21:13,930 Holy Spirit is that member of the Trinity 407 00:21:13,930 --> 00:21:15,510 that's indwelling. 408 00:21:19,510 --> 00:21:22,270 When the Lord Jesus died upon the cross, 409 00:21:22,370 --> 00:21:25,210 as we were saying last night, he died 410 00:21:25,210 --> 00:21:27,790 on the cross on behalf of the sins 411 00:21:27,790 --> 00:21:28,550 of the world. 412 00:21:29,150 --> 00:21:33,350 That meant, instead of God's judgment coming upon 413 00:21:33,350 --> 00:21:36,090 us, he volunteered to bear the judgment. 414 00:21:36,090 --> 00:21:39,170 And through that cross, all our sins can 415 00:21:39,170 --> 00:21:41,650 be forgiven, if we receive it. 416 00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:47,020 When he went back to heaven, he did 417 00:21:47,020 --> 00:21:48,000 a wonderful thing. 418 00:21:48,960 --> 00:21:52,000 He went back for one purpose, to send 419 00:21:52,000 --> 00:21:52,860 the Holy Spirit. 420 00:21:54,990 --> 00:21:58,950 And therefore on the day of Pentecost, when 421 00:21:58,950 --> 00:22:01,530 the disciples were all gathered in an upper 422 00:22:01,530 --> 00:22:05,250 room, about 120 of them, as they were 423 00:22:05,250 --> 00:22:07,870 waiting for the coming of the Holy Spirit, 424 00:22:08,050 --> 00:22:11,930 they suddenly heard the sound of a rushing 425 00:22:11,930 --> 00:22:12,890 mighty wind. 426 00:22:13,590 --> 00:22:14,730 Must have been wonderful. 427 00:22:16,110 --> 00:22:17,330 And it filled the room. 428 00:22:18,990 --> 00:22:23,250 And the enclovened tongues of fire sat upon 429 00:22:23,250 --> 00:22:24,010 each of them. 430 00:22:24,590 --> 00:22:28,150 And here it comes, they were all filled 431 00:22:28,150 --> 00:22:29,410 with the Holy Ghost. 432 00:22:30,430 --> 00:22:31,770 Now what does that mean? 433 00:22:32,270 --> 00:22:35,990 The Holy Spirit came in them, and brought 434 00:22:35,990 --> 00:22:38,410 into them eternal life. 435 00:22:38,790 --> 00:22:39,170 Wonderful. 436 00:22:40,830 --> 00:22:43,190 Again, some of you will remember this, if 437 00:22:43,190 --> 00:22:44,990 you don't, we'll try and make it clear. 438 00:22:45,570 --> 00:22:47,990 When the Lord Jesus was raised from the 439 00:22:47,990 --> 00:22:51,870 dead, he went among his disciples, and when 440 00:22:51,870 --> 00:22:53,710 they saw the Lord, they were glad. 441 00:22:53,870 --> 00:22:55,370 So would you be, if you thought he 442 00:22:55,370 --> 00:22:56,950 was dead, and now he was risen. 443 00:22:58,330 --> 00:23:01,070 And when the disciples saw the Lord, they 444 00:23:01,070 --> 00:23:04,250 were jubilantly happy, and he showed them his 445 00:23:04,250 --> 00:23:06,850 hands and his side, and then he did 446 00:23:06,850 --> 00:23:08,230 a remarkable thing. 447 00:23:10,820 --> 00:23:11,580 Now grip this. 448 00:23:13,000 --> 00:23:21,120 He went up, and he breathed on each 449 00:23:21,120 --> 00:23:24,720 of them, and said, receive thee the Holy 450 00:23:24,720 --> 00:23:25,060 Spirit. 451 00:23:26,400 --> 00:23:29,280 Now when he made man in good shape 452 00:23:29,280 --> 00:23:32,760 and form, he breathed into his nostrils the 453 00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:35,240 breath of life, and man became a living 454 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:36,700 being, right at the beginning. 455 00:23:37,760 --> 00:23:40,640 Now he's going to start all over again. 456 00:23:41,420 --> 00:23:43,540 He's going to build a new society. 457 00:23:44,140 --> 00:23:47,280 So he breathes and says, receive ye the 458 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:47,880 Holy Spirit. 459 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:51,740 And on the day of Pentecost, they receive 460 00:23:51,740 --> 00:23:53,000 the Holy Spirit. 461 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,980 And when a person receives the Holy Spirit, 462 00:23:57,500 --> 00:24:01,660 he receives into his life, eternal life, and 463 00:24:01,660 --> 00:24:03,760 I know you're going to raise your eyebrows, 464 00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,400 but he will never, never die. 465 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:08,500 Never. 466 00:24:09,780 --> 00:24:11,640 And we shall see that in a few 467 00:24:11,640 --> 00:24:11,900 moments. 468 00:24:12,820 --> 00:24:16,080 Now when this life comes into a person, 469 00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,940 the Lord Jesus said, that you shall receive 470 00:24:19,940 --> 00:24:22,700 power, after that the Holy Ghost is come 471 00:24:22,700 --> 00:24:23,280 upon you. 472 00:24:23,700 --> 00:24:26,440 Now this is not an exaggeration, but when 473 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:29,340 the Holy Spirit comes into you, you are 474 00:24:29,340 --> 00:24:34,100 born anew, and then he will change your 475 00:24:34,100 --> 00:24:35,180 life dramatically. 476 00:24:36,540 --> 00:24:40,040 It won't be you, it will be the 477 00:24:40,040 --> 00:24:41,500 Holy Spirit changing. 478 00:24:42,860 --> 00:24:46,420 Now to prove this point, if you look 479 00:24:46,420 --> 00:24:48,620 at the disciples when they were with the 480 00:24:48,620 --> 00:24:52,540 Lord Jesus, they were good men, but they 481 00:24:52,540 --> 00:24:54,540 all failed like we all do. 482 00:24:57,340 --> 00:24:59,640 But these men, when they were filled with 483 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:02,280 the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, 484 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,960 they were completely transformed. 485 00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,440 In fact, as you read of them in 486 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,760 the Gospels, and as you read of them 487 00:25:10,760 --> 00:25:12,780 in the book of the Acts, you can 488 00:25:12,780 --> 00:25:14,480 hardly tell they're the same people. 489 00:25:14,700 --> 00:25:15,060 Why? 490 00:25:15,620 --> 00:25:17,860 The Spirit of God was changing. 491 00:25:19,740 --> 00:25:22,600 Now this is the wonder of the Christian 492 00:25:22,600 --> 00:25:22,920 life. 493 00:25:24,020 --> 00:25:27,780 You might see five Christians on this platform, 494 00:25:30,790 --> 00:25:32,610 and you might know the five of them. 495 00:25:35,580 --> 00:25:39,660 But there's one of those Christians that's really 496 00:25:39,660 --> 00:25:41,100 shining for the Lord. 497 00:25:41,340 --> 00:25:42,180 What does that mean? 498 00:25:43,220 --> 00:25:45,580 That he has more of the Holy Spirit 499 00:25:45,580 --> 00:25:46,240 than the others? 500 00:25:46,460 --> 00:25:46,800 No! 501 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,600 It means that he's cultivated the life, so 502 00:25:52,600 --> 00:25:55,360 that the beauty and the loveliness of the 503 00:25:55,360 --> 00:25:56,880 Lord Jesus shines out. 504 00:25:57,420 --> 00:25:58,720 And that's Christianity. 505 00:25:59,860 --> 00:26:04,240 It's Christ reliving his life in you. 506 00:26:05,060 --> 00:26:08,140 And Paul put it like this, I am 507 00:26:08,140 --> 00:26:12,100 crucified with Christ, that was his old unconverted 508 00:26:12,100 --> 00:26:12,520 life. 509 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:18,240 Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ 510 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:18,980 liveth in me. 511 00:26:20,080 --> 00:26:22,320 And the life which I now live in 512 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:24,900 the flesh, meaning in the body, I live 513 00:26:24,900 --> 00:26:27,080 by the faith of the Son of God, 514 00:26:27,440 --> 00:26:30,380 who loved me and gave himself for me. 515 00:26:32,140 --> 00:26:36,300 Just before we came here, we were working 516 00:26:36,300 --> 00:26:36,880 at Vista. 517 00:26:40,170 --> 00:26:43,970 And just 18 months ago, I was in 518 00:26:43,970 --> 00:26:47,270 a very large house, where they were having 519 00:26:47,270 --> 00:26:47,830 meetings. 520 00:26:48,850 --> 00:26:51,830 And it was the last night, and in 521 00:26:51,830 --> 00:26:54,090 came a lady, and she sat right in 522 00:26:54,090 --> 00:26:54,590 the front. 523 00:26:55,030 --> 00:26:56,910 And the moment I looked at her, I 524 00:26:56,910 --> 00:26:57,790 staggered a little. 525 00:27:00,340 --> 00:27:04,160 She was about 16 stone, six foot three 526 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:04,740 tall. 527 00:27:05,740 --> 00:27:07,600 She had two of her sons with her. 528 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:10,920 And the moment I looked at her, I 529 00:27:10,920 --> 00:27:13,520 could see she was a strong personality. 530 00:27:17,520 --> 00:27:20,340 As I was preaching the gospel and showing 531 00:27:20,340 --> 00:27:22,920 to the people how that the Holy Spirit 532 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:25,460 could completely change their lives. 533 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,380 Somehow I felt that the words were going 534 00:27:29,380 --> 00:27:30,760 right into her heart. 535 00:27:32,940 --> 00:27:35,660 Then they told me that that woman was 536 00:27:35,660 --> 00:27:39,180 a wine alcoholic, and she was under a 537 00:27:39,180 --> 00:27:41,660 leading psychiatrist for 15 years. 538 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:48,160 She went away from that service, said nothing 539 00:27:48,160 --> 00:27:49,500 to anyone in the room. 540 00:27:52,110 --> 00:27:54,510 She thought all about the message that she 541 00:27:54,510 --> 00:27:54,950 heard. 542 00:27:56,630 --> 00:27:59,570 And then on a Tuesday afternoon, she got 543 00:27:59,570 --> 00:28:02,270 down by a chair and wept her heart 544 00:28:02,270 --> 00:28:05,370 out, and told the Lord she was a 545 00:28:05,370 --> 00:28:06,530 poor wretched sinner. 546 00:28:07,470 --> 00:28:10,070 She thanked the Lord for dying for her. 547 00:28:11,550 --> 00:28:13,910 And she asked the Lord to come into 548 00:28:13,910 --> 00:28:15,210 her life and save her. 549 00:28:18,670 --> 00:28:20,670 The first thing she did was to go 550 00:28:20,670 --> 00:28:24,990 to the social security and tell them that 551 00:28:24,990 --> 00:28:27,090 she had been robbing them for 10 years. 552 00:28:28,650 --> 00:28:30,550 And she said that she would pay it 553 00:28:30,550 --> 00:28:33,090 all back, the new life. 554 00:28:35,460 --> 00:28:39,640 For years, Friday and Saturday and Sunday, the 555 00:28:39,640 --> 00:28:42,680 children saw them in a drunken stupor. 556 00:28:43,940 --> 00:28:44,780 It all went. 557 00:28:49,810 --> 00:28:53,690 And even facially, that woman's life has been 558 00:28:53,690 --> 00:28:54,230 changed. 559 00:28:54,870 --> 00:28:57,970 So much so, that her husband when he 560 00:28:57,970 --> 00:29:00,450 saw the change in her, he said I 561 00:29:00,450 --> 00:29:01,370 must come with you. 562 00:29:01,890 --> 00:29:04,330 And he came almost for about six or 563 00:29:04,330 --> 00:29:07,470 seven months, even coming to a communion service 564 00:29:07,470 --> 00:29:10,030 without taking the bread and wine of course, 565 00:29:10,510 --> 00:29:12,630 because he wanted to get the grip of 566 00:29:12,630 --> 00:29:12,910 this. 567 00:29:13,510 --> 00:29:15,950 And God gloriously saved him. 568 00:29:18,670 --> 00:29:20,250 Two wine alcoholics. 569 00:29:22,070 --> 00:29:25,750 And then the last Sunday I was there, 570 00:29:25,950 --> 00:29:29,850 forgive me being rude, Steve the husband got 571 00:29:29,850 --> 00:29:31,430 up and worshipped the Lord. 572 00:29:32,710 --> 00:29:34,570 Six months old saved. 573 00:29:36,130 --> 00:29:37,630 Worshipping the Lord. 574 00:29:38,590 --> 00:29:41,450 And you could see they were both transformed. 575 00:29:41,990 --> 00:29:42,910 What was it? 576 00:29:43,530 --> 00:29:46,370 The gift of eternal life had come in 577 00:29:46,370 --> 00:29:48,450 and transformed them. 578 00:29:51,190 --> 00:29:53,670 You know some of you Christians that have 579 00:29:53,670 --> 00:29:56,390 been saved for years, you've made a very 580 00:29:56,390 --> 00:29:57,370 little progress. 581 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:03,300 You know you should be shining bright lights 582 00:30:03,300 --> 00:30:03,860 for God. 583 00:30:05,200 --> 00:30:07,280 And some of you dear people that have 584 00:30:07,280 --> 00:30:10,680 just been saved, that eternal life is in. 585 00:30:11,800 --> 00:30:14,760 And there's some of you dear friends tonight 586 00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,080 and you're sitting there and I feel sure 587 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:20,360 you're saying that's what I need. 588 00:30:20,820 --> 00:30:23,120 And thank God he's waiting to give it. 589 00:30:24,500 --> 00:30:27,080 I must share this with you before I 590 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:27,660 close. 591 00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:32,180 When you have eternal life, it's eternal life. 592 00:30:33,960 --> 00:30:36,760 So in your body there's a paradox. 593 00:30:38,000 --> 00:30:41,700 The Holy Spirit comes in and he comes 594 00:30:41,700 --> 00:30:44,880 right down into your spirit and makes your 595 00:30:44,880 --> 00:30:50,140 spirit alive and he transforms your personality and 596 00:30:50,140 --> 00:30:54,260 he stamps upon that personality the beauty and 597 00:30:54,260 --> 00:30:55,580 the loveliness of Jesus. 598 00:30:57,240 --> 00:30:58,520 Wonderful to see. 599 00:30:59,360 --> 00:31:02,340 You see when you become a Christian, if 600 00:31:02,340 --> 00:31:05,640 I may use sentimental language, he wants to 601 00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:07,620 make you all beautiful people. 602 00:31:09,870 --> 00:31:12,550 Full of the Lord Jesus. 603 00:31:13,430 --> 00:31:16,070 So that your lives are full of love, 604 00:31:16,550 --> 00:31:17,810 joy and peace. 605 00:31:21,320 --> 00:31:24,140 And then dear friends there's the paradox. 606 00:31:24,820 --> 00:31:28,260 The old exterior, the body is dying. 607 00:31:29,340 --> 00:31:32,400 The soul and the spirit is renewing. 608 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:36,120 And so a Christian is a paradox. 609 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:38,260 His body is dying. 610 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:41,620 The person inside is being renewed. 611 00:31:43,380 --> 00:31:46,820 Now if God gave us eternal life in 612 00:31:46,820 --> 00:31:49,260 this body it would be agonizing. 613 00:31:51,630 --> 00:31:53,630 I knew a lady Mrs Fred Elliot. 614 00:31:53,890 --> 00:31:56,810 Her husband was a well-known evangelist and 615 00:31:56,810 --> 00:31:58,470 she lived till 112. 616 00:31:58,910 --> 00:32:00,610 The oldest lady in Britain. 617 00:32:01,610 --> 00:32:03,530 And would you believe it she was playing 618 00:32:03,530 --> 00:32:05,830 the piano at 111. 619 00:32:06,610 --> 00:32:09,430 And she was all on the TV over 620 00:32:09,430 --> 00:32:09,810 there. 621 00:32:11,370 --> 00:32:13,890 But if you said to Mrs Elliot do 622 00:32:13,890 --> 00:32:16,290 you want to live for another 20 years? 623 00:32:16,570 --> 00:32:17,630 She would say no. 624 00:32:18,210 --> 00:32:19,710 I want to go home. 625 00:32:20,610 --> 00:32:22,010 I want to go home. 626 00:32:22,630 --> 00:32:24,050 And that's where she is. 627 00:32:24,530 --> 00:32:25,690 In the glory. 628 00:32:26,630 --> 00:32:30,130 They have buried the exterior and that's in 629 00:32:30,130 --> 00:32:32,330 the ground and it will decompose. 630 00:32:32,450 --> 00:32:33,410 It's called sleeping. 631 00:32:33,810 --> 00:32:36,990 That the real her is in paradise with 632 00:32:36,990 --> 00:32:37,430 the Lord. 633 00:32:38,210 --> 00:32:41,370 And my dear friends the moment you have 634 00:32:41,370 --> 00:32:45,350 received eternal life there is no such thing 635 00:32:45,350 --> 00:32:46,710 as eternal death. 636 00:32:47,230 --> 00:32:47,870 It's gone. 637 00:32:49,370 --> 00:32:54,670 Absent from the body, present with the Lord. 638 00:32:55,530 --> 00:32:57,930 You know when I hear some of my 639 00:32:57,930 --> 00:33:00,890 Christian brothers saying John passed away. 640 00:33:01,190 --> 00:33:02,490 I cringe. 641 00:33:02,730 --> 00:33:03,690 Passed away? 642 00:33:05,210 --> 00:33:06,430 Passed away? 643 00:33:07,850 --> 00:33:09,950 And when I hear another brother say I've 644 00:33:09,950 --> 00:33:10,730 lost my wife. 645 00:33:10,870 --> 00:33:12,070 You've lost your wife? 646 00:33:12,310 --> 00:33:14,050 Of course you've not lost your wife. 647 00:33:14,150 --> 00:33:15,170 You know where she is. 648 00:33:15,530 --> 00:33:16,070 In heaven. 649 00:33:17,630 --> 00:33:21,550 You see beloved Griffith the moment we die 650 00:33:21,550 --> 00:33:25,190 when we've got eternal life we're absent from 651 00:33:25,190 --> 00:33:27,090 the body present with the Lord. 652 00:33:27,710 --> 00:33:30,550 And we're a thousand times happier than we'll 653 00:33:30,550 --> 00:33:32,230 ever be in this body. 654 00:33:32,870 --> 00:33:33,230 Wonderful. 655 00:33:35,420 --> 00:33:37,620 Now you say well how do we receive 656 00:33:37,620 --> 00:33:37,820 it? 657 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:41,260 Now my dear friends it's the most costly 658 00:33:41,260 --> 00:33:42,720 thing that God ever gives. 659 00:33:44,620 --> 00:33:47,520 Before you could have eternal life the Lord 660 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,680 Jesus had to die upon the cross, bear 661 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:54,160 our sins and taste death for everyone. 662 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:58,520 And eternal life is given because of the 663 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:00,720 precious shed blood of the Lord Jesus. 664 00:34:01,500 --> 00:34:02,640 That's the depth of it. 665 00:34:05,140 --> 00:34:07,780 Secondly eternal life is a gift. 666 00:34:07,780 --> 00:34:09,699 Now please note this. 667 00:34:10,380 --> 00:34:11,100 Bear with me. 668 00:34:12,100 --> 00:34:14,440 That bible was a gift given to me 669 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:15,920 by a man in Ireland. 670 00:34:16,639 --> 00:34:18,239 But it was a gift from him. 671 00:34:20,440 --> 00:34:21,500 Here is a pen. 672 00:34:23,219 --> 00:34:25,219 And that was a gift given to me 673 00:34:25,219 --> 00:34:27,199 I believe by one of my sons. 674 00:34:27,639 --> 00:34:29,300 But it wasn't the gift of Philip. 675 00:34:29,400 --> 00:34:30,840 It was a gift from Philip. 676 00:34:33,540 --> 00:34:35,880 When God gives you a gift it's not 677 00:34:35,880 --> 00:34:37,159 a gift from God. 678 00:34:37,620 --> 00:34:38,360 Note this. 679 00:34:38,699 --> 00:34:40,340 It's a gift of God. 680 00:34:41,440 --> 00:34:44,739 In other words he puts the Holy Spirit 681 00:34:44,739 --> 00:34:47,820 within you and when he comes into your 682 00:34:47,820 --> 00:34:53,219 life you are completely converted, revolutionized. 683 00:34:53,540 --> 00:34:55,699 And he will go on doing that all 684 00:34:55,699 --> 00:34:56,840 the days of your life. 685 00:34:57,440 --> 00:35:00,740 So when you receive this gift you receive 686 00:35:00,740 --> 00:35:03,240 a gift that's going to change your life. 687 00:35:03,380 --> 00:35:06,980 That's why you receive the Lord Jesus as 688 00:35:06,980 --> 00:35:09,300 your savior and as your Lord. 689 00:35:12,170 --> 00:35:15,850 Now there comes a time in your experience 690 00:35:15,850 --> 00:35:19,510 and we do not want to impose this 691 00:35:19,510 --> 00:35:21,690 we just the Spirit of God will say 692 00:35:21,690 --> 00:35:22,430 this to you. 693 00:35:23,510 --> 00:35:26,130 When you sit in a seat like this 694 00:35:27,500 --> 00:35:31,080 and God in his grace comes to you 695 00:35:32,520 --> 00:35:36,400 and actually offers you the gift of eternal 696 00:35:36,400 --> 00:35:36,740 life. 697 00:35:38,860 --> 00:35:42,220 Now my dear friends allow me to say 698 00:35:42,220 --> 00:35:43,460 this in deep love. 699 00:35:46,120 --> 00:35:49,360 God would never give this subject to me 700 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:52,360 if he were not to give the gift 701 00:35:52,360 --> 00:35:52,800 tonight. 702 00:35:56,100 --> 00:35:59,780 And I'm absolutely sure that God now is 703 00:35:59,780 --> 00:36:02,440 waiting to give you the gift of eternal 704 00:36:02,440 --> 00:36:02,740 life. 705 00:36:03,560 --> 00:36:05,000 But you can do two things. 706 00:36:08,410 --> 00:36:13,330 You can reject it or you can receive 707 00:36:13,330 --> 00:36:14,090 it. 708 00:36:17,770 --> 00:36:19,650 And you know I want to bow my 709 00:36:19,650 --> 00:36:21,010 head and say this. 710 00:36:21,870 --> 00:36:28,410 I've seen hundreds of people rejecting it and 711 00:36:28,410 --> 00:36:32,150 one day they'll stand before God and they 712 00:36:32,150 --> 00:36:34,890 will realize they will be in hell forever 713 00:36:34,890 --> 00:36:38,970 because they rejected the gift that God wanted 714 00:36:38,970 --> 00:36:39,430 to give. 715 00:36:41,050 --> 00:36:43,510 But I've seen people receiving it. 716 00:36:44,810 --> 00:36:46,030 It's beautiful. 717 00:36:48,810 --> 00:36:52,250 Instead of going away as the others do 718 00:36:52,250 --> 00:36:57,710 they sit behind and you just draw close 719 00:36:57,710 --> 00:37:00,090 to them and say what's your trouble? 720 00:37:00,990 --> 00:37:02,570 And they're quietly say this. 721 00:37:03,190 --> 00:37:06,230 I want to receive the gift of eternal 722 00:37:06,230 --> 00:37:06,990 life tonight. 723 00:37:10,220 --> 00:37:12,300 And then you say well I can't give 724 00:37:12,300 --> 00:37:12,840 it to you. 725 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:13,760 I know that. 726 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:18,020 It's only the Lord Jesus and it's beautiful 727 00:37:18,020 --> 00:37:18,740 to see it. 728 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:24,760 They kneel down, invariably do a little weeping. 729 00:37:27,110 --> 00:37:28,690 They tell the Lord they're sinners. 730 00:37:29,430 --> 00:37:31,850 They thank the Lord for dying for them. 731 00:37:32,830 --> 00:37:37,050 And then quietly they say Lord be my 732 00:37:37,050 --> 00:37:39,570 Savior and my Lord and come into my 733 00:37:39,570 --> 00:37:40,090 life. 734 00:37:41,430 --> 00:37:45,350 Right there they're born of God. 735 00:37:47,250 --> 00:37:51,330 Dear friends all I want to say now 736 00:37:51,330 --> 00:37:51,930 is this. 737 00:37:52,950 --> 00:37:55,690 I commend you to take that gift. 738 00:37:58,180 --> 00:38:01,940 Take it tonight and it will not only 739 00:38:01,940 --> 00:38:05,720 change your life, it will take you to 740 00:38:05,720 --> 00:38:06,260 glory. 741 00:38:07,440 --> 00:38:11,200 When you die the Lord help you to 742 00:38:11,200 --> 00:38:14,760 accept the gift of God which is eternal 743 00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:15,200 life.