April 19, 2025 • 28 mins
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Michael Berry Show.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
On a rainy night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Reverend Billy
Graham stood before a crowd and reflected on another stormy
moment in history, the day Jesus died on the Cross.
With thunder rolling in the background and umbrellas dotting the audience,
(00:28):
Reverend Graham painted a vivid picture of the crucifixion, not
just as a historical event, but as a turning point
for all of humanity. He spoke with urgency and compassion,
reminding listeners that the pain and sacrifice of that day
still echo in our lives today. It was the darkest
(00:51):
day the world has ever known, he said, But through
that darkness came light, hope, redemption in the promise of
eternal life. As the rain fell, the message cut through
like a beacon. No matter how dark the sign, no
matter how dark the times may seem, there is always
(01:12):
light at the foot of the cross. With tomorrow being Easter,
we thought this was the perfect time to listen to
the Reverend Billy Graham preach about Jesus's death and more important, resurrection.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
My message is going to be brief, and my text
is going to be Luke the twenty third chapter, beginning
at verse forty two. Remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom, And Jesus said, unto him, faverly, I say
unto thee today thou shalt be with me in Paradise.
(01:51):
The greatest and most historical event of all of history,
where it's when Jesus Christ died on that cross. And
when Christ died on the cross, the.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Lightning flashed, the thunder roars, the.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Darkness came, as the nails had gone into the hands
of Christ, and a spear had gone into his side,
and the nails threw his feet, and Jesus was hanging
between heaven and Earth, suffering for us.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
The soldiers had.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Taken him out of his prison, and they'd put a
crimson robe on him.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
They had beaten him.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Two or three times, and then they took two or
three murderers with him, two of them in particular, who
were going.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
To be crucified with him.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And then they took him across Jerusalem, and they made
each one of them bear a placard, or at least
a herald went before them to bear a placard telling
of their crimes. And then Jesus stumbled and fell he
was weak from the loss of blood, and they compelled
(03:02):
an African to help him carry his cross. And as
long as the history of man shall go, we will
always remember that it was an African.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
That helped Jesus bear his cross.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
There are people today that say that Christianity is the
white man's religion. Don't you believe it? For all of
those who believe in Jesus Christ, he belongs to all people.
He came from that part of the world that touches Asia, Africa,
and Europe. He belongs as much to the African as
(03:42):
he does to the European, and as much to the
European as he does to the Asian. Jesus Christ belongs
to all people. But an African helped him carry his cross.
And then when they got to God Gother, these soldiers
(04:02):
went about their work nailing the nails in These two
murderers and thieves that were being crucified with Jesus were yelling, screaming, crying,
but Jesus never uttered a word. And they took some
medicated wine that acted as a sedative and gave it
(04:24):
to the two thieves.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
And they took it, and they offered it to Jesus.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
And he refused it because he wanted to drink the
very bitter dregs of death in our place for us.
He wanted to suffer all of death, showing that God
loved the world and God was willing to forgive the sins.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Of the world.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Because of what Christ was doing on that cross, the
people that.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Were watching were laughing and sneering.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
They said, he saved others, why can't he save himself.
Come on, you worked great miracles, why don't you work
one more?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You raised Lazarus from the dead, you raised a widow's
son from the dead. Why can't you save yourself?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Those blind people did not realize that God had for
ordained and predetermined that Jesus Christ was to die the
death of the Cross, and it was only through that
death that the world could find forgiveness and salvation.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
There is no other name given among men whereby we
must be saved.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
The apostle Paul was an intellectual, one of the most
brilliant men that ever lived. And Paul went to Corinth, pagan, intellectual, immoral, Corinth,
the university center of the ancient world. And Paul said,
(06:01):
I'm determined to know nothing among you said Jesus Christ
and him crucified.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Why did Paul say that? He said that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Because God has locked up.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
In the cross the secret of the universe.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
The only way that Earth can ever find reconciliation with Heaven,
it's by way of the cross. The only way that
you can ever get to Heaven is by way of
the cross. And if Jesus Christ had not gone to
the cross, you could have never had sin forgiven, you
could have never gone to heaven, and the problems.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Of Earth would have never had a solution.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Only by the way of the Cross can we find
our way back to God. And that's why it was
important that Jesus stay on the cross, because you see,
man is in.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Rebellion against God.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Adam and Eve rebelled in the garden of Eden, and
every man since Adam and Eve has broken God's law
and sinned against God. And as a result of that,
God and man are separated. And man's only way back
to God is through Jesus Christ. Man had broken the law.
(07:24):
Man deserved death, he deserved judgment, he deserved hell. But
God said, wait a minute, I'll give my son, I'll
let him die, I'll let him take the judgment. And
the hell for you. And if you will put your
trust and your faith in my son, I will forgive
(07:45):
your sin. I will change your life. I will give
you an inner peace and joy and satisfaction that you
would never find in any other way. So Jesus worth
dying on that cross for your sins and your sins.
Some people say, why don't you try to make your
(08:06):
gospel relevant? The most relevant message in the world tonight
is the fact that Christ.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Died for you. He died in your place.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
He shed his blood for you, and without that experience,
no one can get to heaven. Yes, Jesus Christ died,
and the people laughed and sneered. And two people that
sneered and laughed.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
The most were these two thieves and murderers that were
dying with him.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
They were both mocking him, but one of them became
strangely silent. And finally, this one that was silent turned
and rebuked the other thief in the air, the murderer,
and said, we'd die justly.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
We deserve to.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Be crucified, But not this man in the middle. He's
a good man, He's the son of God. Then he
turned to him and asked him what seemed to be
an improbable, unimpossible question. He said, remember me, when thou
(09:23):
comest into thy.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Kingdom, will you remember me? Lord?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And then Jesus gave one of the most astounding answers
in the history.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Of the world.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
The angels in heaven must have been shaken and startled
and amazed when they heard what Jesus answered. Jesus said,
today today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Think of it. Here was a thief, a murderer, a man.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
That had permitted every crime in the books, dying, turns
to Jesus in his dying moment and says, Lord, remember me.
He didn't even say forgive me. He didn't even say, Lord,
take me to Heaven with you. He didn't say, Lord,
(10:21):
prefer me. He just said, Lord, remember me. And Jesus
and said, quick as a flash, and said, today thou
shalt be with me in paradise. And to all of
you people that think you can't be converted in a moment,
and that you cannot be saved at this isle and
(10:44):
at this moment, in this rain, in Baton rouge, and
have your whole life transformed. You read the stories of
the New Testament and the encounters.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
That people had with Jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
There are many of you that came here tonight in
this rain that never dreamed that you were going to
meet Jesus. You came out of curiosity, or you came
because your bus was already on the way, or you
had already promised some friends to come, or you're a
student here at the university and you.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Came out of curiosity.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Many of the people of the New Testament that came
to Jesus never planned it. They never thought that they
would have their lives changed. This thief on the cross
that had been in prison, knew that he was going
to die on a cross.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
He knew he deserved it.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
He never dreamed that before the night came that day
he would be in heaven. He deserved judgment, he deserved hell.
I'm going to see that man in heaven someday, by
the grace of God.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
He wasn't saved by his good works. He didn't even
have time to be baptized. He didn't have time for anything.
But he's in heaven. That's the grace and the mercy
of God.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And I want to tell you that the greatest word
in all the language of men is forgiveness.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
That day, Jesus forgave him of.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Every sin it had ever committed, wipe the slate clean,
and he was in heaven. There are three things about
this passage. The whole Gospel is in it. There's repentance.
It's the only death bed repentance in the whole Bible.
I don't know what led this fellow to ask that
(12:35):
question or to make that statement. It might have been
the prayer that Jesus had just prayed, Father, forgive them,
they know not what they do. It might have been
what Jesus had said to John concerning his mother. I
don't know what it is or what it was, but
the Holy Spirit used it.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
The Holy Spirit used.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
It to convict him and convincing that he needed Jesus,
and he repented of his sins at that moment, and
he was saved. I can imagine the other thief saying,
why what have you done? If you turned prence you
something you Remember we strangle that old merchant for his gold.
(13:19):
Remember you kidnapped that little child, Remember that girl you raped,
Remember that person you slew. You think God's gonna forgive you?
Are you turn to preacher? He can't forgive you. I
don't care what your sin is. I don't care how
deep in sin you've gone. I don't care what you've done.
God can forgive you. God clean cleans you. God can
(13:41):
make you a new person tonight, if you put your
faith in your trust in Him. Yes, he repented, and
the second thing he did was to believe. The Bible says,
if we believe in our heart that God had raised.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Him from the dead, we shall be saved.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
The scripture says, on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved. But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Just repent and believe, and then you'll be saved.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
He said, when thou comest into thy kingdom, as though
he were thinking of some far off kingdom aide somewhere.
And Jesus answered and said, today, right now, you'll be saved.
Right now, you can have eternal life. You can put
your trust in your confidence in Christ now. And he did,
(14:37):
and that day he went to Paradise. Now it's the word.
Remember that. I want you to think about a moment.
He said, Lord, remember me, did you know that God forgets.
Did you know that there's a scripture in Jeremiah thirty
(14:58):
one thirty four says I will forgive their iniquity, and
I will remember their sins.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No more.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
God can forget. God can forget your sins.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
What does God forget?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
God never forgets the universe. He sends the rain, Yes, sir,
God sends the rain. But the rain falls on the
just and the unjust. The sun comes upon the just
and the unjust. God blesses all of us with all
of his blessings. He never forgets. Suppose he forgot the
(15:38):
sin rain. Suppose the sun cease to shine, the earth
would turn into a glacier. Suppose God would forget, because
the scripture says that God holds the whole universe together,
and if God ever took his hand off, it would
blow to pieces. And then the scripture says that God
(15:59):
remembers you.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Tonight.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I had in my little office here where I see people.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
A lady and her children, and a.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Mother and their son, and their husband is a prisoner
in North Vietnam. I don't think any of us will
ever know what these families have suffered. I don't think
any of us will ever know what those boys out
there have probably gone through psychologically and physically, never knowing.
(16:35):
And then we had another one come and see us
tonight and her husband, she's just found out is is
alive and a prisoner. But for a long time she
didn't know he was only missing an action. But let
me tell you this.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
God remembers them.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
And when we bowed our heads in the little office
and prayed that God would remember them, that his grace
and his love would reach out to North Vietnam the
prison camp and touch them, God remembers them. And God
answers prayers. How many times has God been with you?
You don't even know, because you see, you almost had
(17:13):
a wreck the other day, but you were saved from it.
Why when you get to heaven you may find out why.
It might have been divine intervention. And that happens to
all of us. God remembers you, and then God never
forgets our sins either. The Bible says, be sure your
(17:34):
sin will find you out. The Bible says God is
not marked for whatsoever a man. So if that shall
he also read. The Bible says, for God shall bring
every work into judgment. God is going to judge every
sin that's ever been committed.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
What is your sin that so easily beset you?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
It's going to be brought to light all the sea
with things. God is going to judge it. God never
forgets sin. No sin has ever been forgotten by God.
God has recorded everything you've ever done and all the
things you've ever thought, from the time you were born
till the time you die. It's all there. It's all
(18:18):
in the record books. And God will never forget. Nothing
is going to be forgotten. How do you stand before God?
But there's one thing God can forget. He can forget
sin because of Christ. The Bible says in tewod Corinthians
(18:38):
five twenty one. He has made him to be sin
for us. It says in Isaiah fifty three, the Lord
have laid on him the iniquity of us all. It
says in One Peter two twenty four, Who his own
self bear our sins and his own body on the tree.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
The scripture teaches that.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
God can forget our sins because of Christ.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
The sin that would damus, the sin.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
That would send us to judgment, the sin that would
send us.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
To hell, God can forget.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
In Hebrews one three, it says, your sins are purged.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
In Isaiah forty three.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
It says your sins are blooted out. In Psalm one
O three it says your sins are put away. Isaiah
thirty eight says your sins are put behind his back.
And in Hebrews it says God can remember your sin
no more, ladies and gentlemen, because Christ died, because he
(19:38):
rose again because of what he did. God cannot remember
my sins. I've committed plenty of sins in my life,
and even if I'd only committed one sin in my
whole life, it's enough to cause me to go to
(19:58):
the judgment and be lost, because I could keep the
whole law and yet offended one point, and I'd be
guilty of all. But God has forgotten my sin. He
forgot every sin that I have ever committed. Everyone he
has forgotten. He's the only person in the whole universe
(20:21):
that can forget. He has the ability to forget. Has
he forgotten your sin? Have you brought your sin and
laid it to the feet of Jesus? What a knight
to give your life to Christ. You may never have
another moment like this. The Bible says he that hardened
his heart being often reproved, shall suddenly be cut off,
(20:42):
and that without remedy. You've sat here for over two
hours in the rain. Many of you are soaked all
the way through, and you've done it because you want
your sins forgiven. Many of you and others of you
have sat here because you're praying for somebody that needs Christ.
And this is your awen, your moment, and may never
(21:02):
come again like this. I'm going to ask you to
do something that I saw people in London do. I
saw people in San Diego? Do I saw people in
Pittsburgh do? I'm going to ask scores of you to
get up out of your seat right now and come
across this field in the rain and stand here, and
(21:25):
by coming say I want Christ in my life. I
want my sin forgiven. I want to know I'm going
to heaven. I want to know that I will not
be at the judgment in that final day. I want
my life transformed by the power of Christ. I'm going
to ask you to come right now, men, women, young people.
God has spoken to you. You need Christ, and in
(21:48):
a moment like this, you'll never forget it. I met
a missionary out in the Far East a few months ago,
said I received Christ one of those nights at Wembley
Stadium in the pouring reign in England, and stood ankle
deep in mud to find Christ and said, I thank
(22:08):
God because if it hadn't been for the rain, I
don't know whether I would have come that night or not.
But he said there was something about the challenge of
coming forward in the rain that challenged me and it
changed my life. Yes, it's not easy to come, but
Christ went to the cross for you, and many people
are on the way. Now you get up and come
and make you a commitment to Christ.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
As hundreds are responding to mister Graham's invitation to make
a public commitment to Jesus Christ, you can make that
same commitment right where you are. Just pick up the
phone and call the number you see on your screen.
Special friends are waiting to talk with you and pray
with you about this most important decision.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
To say a word to all of you that have come.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
You've come tonight to make your commitment to Christ because
you want your sins forgiven, you want to know you're
going to heaven. You want a new direction in your life,
and you've come to make a commitment to Christ because
you want him to.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Forget your sin and save your soul.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Well, I want to tell you he remembers you, and
he loves you, and he wants to forgive you.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
He loves you.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Keep that in mind now that God loves you and
is willing to forgive and forget all the past and
from tonight on. There are four things that are very important. First,
read your bis day. We're going to give you a
Gospel of John. We want you to read it several
times before you read any other part of the Bible.
(24:06):
We're going to give you a Bible study. We're going
to give you some verses of scripture to learn memorize.
This helps you to grow desire the sincere milk.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Of the Word, that you may grow there by.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
The Scripture says you cannot grow in the Christian life
without reading and studying the scriptures every day.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Secondly, pray.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
God will hear and answer your prayer. You're his child
now He loves you. Take every detail to God in prayer.
He will answer your prayers. Don't let a day go
by but what you spend a few minutes every morning,
every evening, and all during the day in prayer and
pray about everything, whatever the details are, nothing is too
(24:48):
small to bring to God's attention. And then, thirdly, witness
for Christ. How do you witness. You're witness by the
smile on your face. You witness by the new attitude
you have in the dormitory, the new attitude you have
toward work, the new attitude you have in the home.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
And then you.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Witness by going to somebody of another race and going
out of your way to be kind and courteous and gracious.
And people will soon say, well, what's happened to you, Mary,
and you can say, well, I've found Christ.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
He's changed my life. That's witnessing.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
And then fourthly, get into a church where Christ is
preached and get to work for Christ. Get into the
church and work in the church. You say, but I
don't like to go to church. Jesus went to the
churches of his day and they weren't all they were
supposed to be. But he did it to set us
an example.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
That we should go to church.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Four things, Read the Bible, pray, witness, and go to church.
Now I'm going to ask that we bow our heads,
and I want you to pray this prayer out loud
after me. Oh, God, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for
my sin. I'm willing to turn from my sin. I
(26:10):
received Christ as Savior. I confess him as Lord. From
this moment on, I want to follow him. I'm serving
in the fellowship of his Church in Christ's name.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Amen.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
If you like the Michael Berry Show in podcast, please
tell one friend, and if you're so inclined, write a
nice review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, and interest
in being a corporate sponsor and partner can be communicated
directly to the show at our email address, Michael at
(26:53):
Michael Berryshow dot com, or simply by clicking on our website,
Michael Berryshow dot com. The Michael Berry Show and Podcast
is produced by Ramon Roeblis, the King of Ding. Executive
producer is Chad Knakanishi. Jim Mudd is the creative director.
(27:18):
Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided by Chance McLean.
Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily Bull is our
assistant listener and super fan. Contributions are appreciated and often
incorporated into our production. Where possible, we give credit, where not,
(27:40):
we take all the credit for ourselves. God bless the
memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be a simple
man like Leonard Skinnard told you, and God bless America. Finally,
if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, call Camp
Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven PTSD and
(28:06):
a combat veteran will answer the phone to provide free counseling.
The Michael Berry Show.
Speaker 2 (00:05):
On a rainy night in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Reverend Billy
Graham stood before a crowd and reflected on another stormy
moment in history, the day Jesus died on the Cross.
With thunder rolling in the background and umbrellas dotting the audience,
(00:28):
Reverend Graham painted a vivid picture of the crucifixion, not
just as a historical event, but as a turning point
for all of humanity. He spoke with urgency and compassion,
reminding listeners that the pain and sacrifice of that day
still echo in our lives today. It was the darkest
(00:51):
day the world has ever known, he said, But through
that darkness came light, hope, redemption in the promise of
eternal life. As the rain fell, the message cut through
like a beacon. No matter how dark the sign, no
matter how dark the times may seem, there is always
(01:12):
light at the foot of the cross. With tomorrow being Easter,
we thought this was the perfect time to listen to
the Reverend Billy Graham preach about Jesus's death and more important, resurrection.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
My message is going to be brief, and my text
is going to be Luke the twenty third chapter, beginning
at verse forty two. Remember me when thou comest into
thy kingdom, And Jesus said, unto him, faverly, I say
unto thee today thou shalt be with me in Paradise.
(01:51):
The greatest and most historical event of all of history,
where it's when Jesus Christ died on that cross. And
when Christ died on the cross, the.
Speaker 1 (02:04):
Lightning flashed, the thunder roars, the.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
Darkness came, as the nails had gone into the hands
of Christ, and a spear had gone into his side,
and the nails threw his feet, and Jesus was hanging
between heaven and Earth, suffering for us.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
The soldiers had.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Taken him out of his prison, and they'd put a
crimson robe on him.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
They had beaten him.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Two or three times, and then they took two or
three murderers with him, two of them in particular, who
were going.
Speaker 1 (02:37):
To be crucified with him.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
And then they took him across Jerusalem, and they made
each one of them bear a placard, or at least
a herald went before them to bear a placard telling
of their crimes. And then Jesus stumbled and fell he
was weak from the loss of blood, and they compelled
(03:02):
an African to help him carry his cross. And as
long as the history of man shall go, we will
always remember that it was an African.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
That helped Jesus bear his cross.
Speaker 3 (03:21):
There are people today that say that Christianity is the
white man's religion. Don't you believe it? For all of
those who believe in Jesus Christ, he belongs to all people.
He came from that part of the world that touches Asia, Africa,
and Europe. He belongs as much to the African as
(03:42):
he does to the European, and as much to the
European as he does to the Asian. Jesus Christ belongs
to all people. But an African helped him carry his cross.
And then when they got to God Gother, these soldiers
(04:02):
went about their work nailing the nails in These two
murderers and thieves that were being crucified with Jesus were yelling, screaming, crying,
but Jesus never uttered a word. And they took some
medicated wine that acted as a sedative and gave it
(04:24):
to the two thieves.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
And they took it, and they offered it to Jesus.
Speaker 3 (04:28):
And he refused it because he wanted to drink the
very bitter dregs of death in our place for us.
He wanted to suffer all of death, showing that God
loved the world and God was willing to forgive the sins.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
Of the world.
Speaker 3 (04:45):
Because of what Christ was doing on that cross, the
people that.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Were watching were laughing and sneering.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
They said, he saved others, why can't he save himself.
Come on, you worked great miracles, why don't you work
one more?
Speaker 1 (05:05):
You raised Lazarus from the dead, you raised a widow's
son from the dead. Why can't you save yourself?
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Those blind people did not realize that God had for
ordained and predetermined that Jesus Christ was to die the
death of the Cross, and it was only through that
death that the world could find forgiveness and salvation.
Speaker 1 (05:34):
There is no other name given among men whereby we
must be saved.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
The apostle Paul was an intellectual, one of the most
brilliant men that ever lived. And Paul went to Corinth, pagan, intellectual, immoral, Corinth,
the university center of the ancient world. And Paul said,
(06:01):
I'm determined to know nothing among you said Jesus Christ
and him crucified.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Why did Paul say that? He said that.
Speaker 3 (06:10):
Because God has locked up.
Speaker 1 (06:12):
In the cross the secret of the universe.
Speaker 3 (06:17):
The only way that Earth can ever find reconciliation with Heaven,
it's by way of the cross. The only way that
you can ever get to Heaven is by way of
the cross. And if Jesus Christ had not gone to
the cross, you could have never had sin forgiven, you
could have never gone to heaven, and the problems.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Of Earth would have never had a solution.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Only by the way of the Cross can we find
our way back to God. And that's why it was
important that Jesus stay on the cross, because you see,
man is in.
Speaker 1 (07:00):
Rebellion against God.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Adam and Eve rebelled in the garden of Eden, and
every man since Adam and Eve has broken God's law
and sinned against God. And as a result of that,
God and man are separated. And man's only way back
to God is through Jesus Christ. Man had broken the law.
(07:24):
Man deserved death, he deserved judgment, he deserved hell. But
God said, wait a minute, I'll give my son, I'll
let him die, I'll let him take the judgment. And
the hell for you. And if you will put your
trust and your faith in my son, I will forgive
(07:45):
your sin. I will change your life. I will give
you an inner peace and joy and satisfaction that you
would never find in any other way. So Jesus worth
dying on that cross for your sins and your sins.
Some people say, why don't you try to make your
(08:06):
gospel relevant? The most relevant message in the world tonight
is the fact that Christ.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Died for you. He died in your place.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
He shed his blood for you, and without that experience,
no one can get to heaven. Yes, Jesus Christ died,
and the people laughed and sneered. And two people that
sneered and laughed.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
The most were these two thieves and murderers that were
dying with him.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
They were both mocking him, but one of them became
strangely silent. And finally, this one that was silent turned
and rebuked the other thief in the air, the murderer,
and said, we'd die justly.
Speaker 1 (09:02):
We deserve to.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Be crucified, But not this man in the middle. He's
a good man, He's the son of God. Then he
turned to him and asked him what seemed to be
an improbable, unimpossible question. He said, remember me, when thou
(09:23):
comest into thy.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
Kingdom, will you remember me? Lord?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
And then Jesus gave one of the most astounding answers
in the history.
Speaker 1 (09:35):
Of the world.
Speaker 3 (09:37):
The angels in heaven must have been shaken and startled
and amazed when they heard what Jesus answered. Jesus said,
today today, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Think of it. Here was a thief, a murderer, a man.
Speaker 3 (10:01):
That had permitted every crime in the books, dying, turns
to Jesus in his dying moment and says, Lord, remember me.
He didn't even say forgive me. He didn't even say, Lord,
take me to Heaven with you. He didn't say, Lord,
(10:21):
prefer me. He just said, Lord, remember me. And Jesus
and said, quick as a flash, and said, today thou
shalt be with me in paradise. And to all of
you people that think you can't be converted in a moment,
and that you cannot be saved at this isle and
(10:44):
at this moment, in this rain, in Baton rouge, and
have your whole life transformed. You read the stories of
the New Testament and the encounters.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
That people had with Jesus.
Speaker 3 (10:55):
There are many of you that came here tonight in
this rain that never dreamed that you were going to
meet Jesus. You came out of curiosity, or you came
because your bus was already on the way, or you
had already promised some friends to come, or you're a
student here at the university and you.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
Came out of curiosity.
Speaker 3 (11:12):
Many of the people of the New Testament that came
to Jesus never planned it. They never thought that they
would have their lives changed. This thief on the cross
that had been in prison, knew that he was going
to die on a cross.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
He knew he deserved it.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
He never dreamed that before the night came that day
he would be in heaven. He deserved judgment, he deserved hell.
I'm going to see that man in heaven someday, by
the grace of God.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
He wasn't saved by his good works. He didn't even
have time to be baptized. He didn't have time for anything.
But he's in heaven. That's the grace and the mercy
of God.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
And I want to tell you that the greatest word
in all the language of men is forgiveness.
Speaker 1 (12:10):
That day, Jesus forgave him of.
Speaker 3 (12:12):
Every sin it had ever committed, wipe the slate clean,
and he was in heaven. There are three things about
this passage. The whole Gospel is in it. There's repentance.
It's the only death bed repentance in the whole Bible.
I don't know what led this fellow to ask that
(12:35):
question or to make that statement. It might have been
the prayer that Jesus had just prayed, Father, forgive them,
they know not what they do. It might have been
what Jesus had said to John concerning his mother. I
don't know what it is or what it was, but
the Holy Spirit used it.
Speaker 1 (12:55):
The Holy Spirit used.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
It to convict him and convincing that he needed Jesus,
and he repented of his sins at that moment, and
he was saved. I can imagine the other thief saying,
why what have you done? If you turned prence you
something you Remember we strangle that old merchant for his gold.
(13:19):
Remember you kidnapped that little child, Remember that girl you raped,
Remember that person you slew. You think God's gonna forgive you?
Are you turn to preacher? He can't forgive you. I
don't care what your sin is. I don't care how
deep in sin you've gone. I don't care what you've done.
God can forgive you. God clean cleans you. God can
(13:41):
make you a new person tonight, if you put your
faith in your trust in Him. Yes, he repented, and
the second thing he did was to believe. The Bible says,
if we believe in our heart that God had raised.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Him from the dead, we shall be saved.
Speaker 3 (13:57):
The scripture says, on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou
shalt be saved. But as many as received him, to
them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name.
Speaker 1 (14:10):
Just repent and believe, and then you'll be saved.
Speaker 3 (14:17):
He said, when thou comest into thy kingdom, as though
he were thinking of some far off kingdom aide somewhere.
And Jesus answered and said, today, right now, you'll be saved.
Right now, you can have eternal life. You can put
your trust in your confidence in Christ now. And he did,
(14:37):
and that day he went to Paradise. Now it's the word.
Remember that. I want you to think about a moment.
He said, Lord, remember me, did you know that God forgets.
Did you know that there's a scripture in Jeremiah thirty
(14:58):
one thirty four says I will forgive their iniquity, and
I will remember their sins.
Speaker 1 (15:05):
No more.
Speaker 3 (15:08):
God can forget. God can forget your sins.
Speaker 1 (15:14):
What does God forget?
Speaker 3 (15:16):
God never forgets the universe. He sends the rain, Yes, sir,
God sends the rain. But the rain falls on the
just and the unjust. The sun comes upon the just
and the unjust. God blesses all of us with all
of his blessings. He never forgets. Suppose he forgot the
(15:38):
sin rain. Suppose the sun cease to shine, the earth
would turn into a glacier. Suppose God would forget, because
the scripture says that God holds the whole universe together,
and if God ever took his hand off, it would
blow to pieces. And then the scripture says that God
(15:59):
remembers you.
Speaker 1 (16:01):
Tonight.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
I had in my little office here where I see people.
Speaker 1 (16:07):
A lady and her children, and a.
Speaker 3 (16:11):
Mother and their son, and their husband is a prisoner
in North Vietnam. I don't think any of us will
ever know what these families have suffered. I don't think
any of us will ever know what those boys out
there have probably gone through psychologically and physically, never knowing.
(16:35):
And then we had another one come and see us
tonight and her husband, she's just found out is is
alive and a prisoner. But for a long time she
didn't know he was only missing an action. But let
me tell you this.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
God remembers them.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
And when we bowed our heads in the little office
and prayed that God would remember them, that his grace
and his love would reach out to North Vietnam the
prison camp and touch them, God remembers them. And God
answers prayers. How many times has God been with you?
You don't even know, because you see, you almost had
(17:13):
a wreck the other day, but you were saved from it.
Why when you get to heaven you may find out why.
It might have been divine intervention. And that happens to
all of us. God remembers you, and then God never
forgets our sins either. The Bible says, be sure your
(17:34):
sin will find you out. The Bible says God is
not marked for whatsoever a man. So if that shall
he also read. The Bible says, for God shall bring
every work into judgment. God is going to judge every
sin that's ever been committed.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
What is your sin that so easily beset you?
Speaker 3 (17:58):
It's going to be brought to light all the sea
with things. God is going to judge it. God never
forgets sin. No sin has ever been forgotten by God.
God has recorded everything you've ever done and all the
things you've ever thought, from the time you were born
till the time you die. It's all there. It's all
(18:18):
in the record books. And God will never forget. Nothing
is going to be forgotten. How do you stand before God?
But there's one thing God can forget. He can forget
sin because of Christ. The Bible says in tewod Corinthians
(18:38):
five twenty one. He has made him to be sin
for us. It says in Isaiah fifty three, the Lord
have laid on him the iniquity of us all. It
says in One Peter two twenty four, Who his own
self bear our sins and his own body on the tree.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
The scripture teaches that.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
God can forget our sins because of Christ.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
The sin that would damus, the sin.
Speaker 3 (19:03):
That would send us to judgment, the sin that would
send us.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
To hell, God can forget.
Speaker 3 (19:10):
In Hebrews one three, it says, your sins are purged.
Speaker 1 (19:14):
In Isaiah forty three.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
It says your sins are blooted out. In Psalm one
O three it says your sins are put away. Isaiah
thirty eight says your sins are put behind his back.
And in Hebrews it says God can remember your sin
no more, ladies and gentlemen, because Christ died, because he
(19:38):
rose again because of what he did. God cannot remember
my sins. I've committed plenty of sins in my life,
and even if I'd only committed one sin in my
whole life, it's enough to cause me to go to
(19:58):
the judgment and be lost, because I could keep the
whole law and yet offended one point, and I'd be
guilty of all. But God has forgotten my sin. He
forgot every sin that I have ever committed. Everyone he
has forgotten. He's the only person in the whole universe
(20:21):
that can forget. He has the ability to forget. Has
he forgotten your sin? Have you brought your sin and
laid it to the feet of Jesus? What a knight
to give your life to Christ. You may never have
another moment like this. The Bible says he that hardened
his heart being often reproved, shall suddenly be cut off,
(20:42):
and that without remedy. You've sat here for over two
hours in the rain. Many of you are soaked all
the way through, and you've done it because you want
your sins forgiven. Many of you and others of you
have sat here because you're praying for somebody that needs Christ.
And this is your awen, your moment, and may never
(21:02):
come again like this. I'm going to ask you to
do something that I saw people in London do. I
saw people in San Diego? Do I saw people in
Pittsburgh do? I'm going to ask scores of you to
get up out of your seat right now and come
across this field in the rain and stand here, and
(21:25):
by coming say I want Christ in my life. I
want my sin forgiven. I want to know I'm going
to heaven. I want to know that I will not
be at the judgment in that final day. I want
my life transformed by the power of Christ. I'm going
to ask you to come right now, men, women, young people.
God has spoken to you. You need Christ, and in
(21:48):
a moment like this, you'll never forget it. I met
a missionary out in the Far East a few months ago,
said I received Christ one of those nights at Wembley
Stadium in the pouring reign in England, and stood ankle
deep in mud to find Christ and said, I thank
(22:08):
God because if it hadn't been for the rain, I
don't know whether I would have come that night or not.
But he said there was something about the challenge of
coming forward in the rain that challenged me and it
changed my life. Yes, it's not easy to come, but
Christ went to the cross for you, and many people
are on the way. Now you get up and come
and make you a commitment to Christ.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
As hundreds are responding to mister Graham's invitation to make
a public commitment to Jesus Christ, you can make that
same commitment right where you are. Just pick up the
phone and call the number you see on your screen.
Special friends are waiting to talk with you and pray
with you about this most important decision.
Speaker 1 (23:12):
To say a word to all of you that have come.
Speaker 3 (23:16):
You've come tonight to make your commitment to Christ because
you want your sins forgiven, you want to know you're
going to heaven. You want a new direction in your life,
and you've come to make a commitment to Christ because
you want him to.
Speaker 1 (23:31):
Forget your sin and save your soul.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
Well, I want to tell you he remembers you, and
he loves you, and he wants to forgive you.
Speaker 1 (23:42):
He loves you.
Speaker 3 (23:44):
Keep that in mind now that God loves you and
is willing to forgive and forget all the past and
from tonight on. There are four things that are very important. First,
read your bis day. We're going to give you a
Gospel of John. We want you to read it several
times before you read any other part of the Bible.
(24:06):
We're going to give you a Bible study. We're going
to give you some verses of scripture to learn memorize.
This helps you to grow desire the sincere milk.
Speaker 1 (24:14):
Of the Word, that you may grow there by.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
The Scripture says you cannot grow in the Christian life
without reading and studying the scriptures every day.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
Secondly, pray.
Speaker 3 (24:25):
God will hear and answer your prayer. You're his child
now He loves you. Take every detail to God in prayer.
He will answer your prayers. Don't let a day go
by but what you spend a few minutes every morning,
every evening, and all during the day in prayer and
pray about everything, whatever the details are, nothing is too
(24:48):
small to bring to God's attention. And then, thirdly, witness
for Christ. How do you witness. You're witness by the
smile on your face. You witness by the new attitude
you have in the dormitory, the new attitude you have
toward work, the new attitude you have in the home.
Speaker 1 (25:06):
And then you.
Speaker 3 (25:06):
Witness by going to somebody of another race and going
out of your way to be kind and courteous and gracious.
And people will soon say, well, what's happened to you, Mary,
and you can say, well, I've found Christ.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
He's changed my life. That's witnessing.
Speaker 3 (25:22):
And then fourthly, get into a church where Christ is
preached and get to work for Christ. Get into the
church and work in the church. You say, but I
don't like to go to church. Jesus went to the
churches of his day and they weren't all they were
supposed to be. But he did it to set us
an example.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
That we should go to church.
Speaker 3 (25:44):
Four things, Read the Bible, pray, witness, and go to church.
Now I'm going to ask that we bow our heads,
and I want you to pray this prayer out loud
after me. Oh, God, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for
my sin. I'm willing to turn from my sin. I
(26:10):
received Christ as Savior. I confess him as Lord. From
this moment on, I want to follow him. I'm serving
in the fellowship of his Church in Christ's name.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Amen.
Speaker 2 (26:32):
If you like the Michael Berry Show in podcast, please
tell one friend, and if you're so inclined, write a
nice review of our podcast. Comments, suggestions, questions, and interest
in being a corporate sponsor and partner can be communicated
directly to the show at our email address, Michael at
(26:53):
Michael Berryshow dot com, or simply by clicking on our website,
Michael Berryshow dot com. The Michael Berry Show and Podcast
is produced by Ramon Roeblis, the King of Ding. Executive
producer is Chad Knakanishi. Jim Mudd is the creative director.
(27:18):
Voices Jingles, Tomfoolery and Shenanigans are provided by Chance McLean.
Director of Research is Sandy Peterson. Emily Bull is our
assistant listener and super fan. Contributions are appreciated and often
incorporated into our production. Where possible, we give credit, where not,
(27:40):
we take all the credit for ourselves. God bless the
memory of Rush Limbaugh. Long live Elvis, be a simple
man like Leonard Skinnard told you, and God bless America. Finally,
if you know a veteran suffering from PTSD, call Camp
Hope at eight seven seven seven one seven PTSD and
(28:06):
a combat veteran will answer the phone to provide free counseling.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.