Robert Jeffress - The Cross and The Crown

April 6, 2026 | 27:29

Which is more important: the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, or His resurrection from the grave? We often race past the cross to get to the good part of the story, but in doing so, we miss what Christ’s death accomplished for us. Dr. Robert Jeffress explains why both are foundational to our faith.

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Dr. Robert Jeffress | Robert Jeffress - The Cross and The Crown | April 6, 2026
  • ...
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Male announcer: from the pulpit of the first baptist church
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  • Of dallas, texas, this is pathway to victory with dr.
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  • Robert jeffress.
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  • Dr. robert jeffress: hi, i'm robert jeffress, and welcome
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  • Again to pathway to victory.
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  • If i ask you which is more important, the death of jesus
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  • Christ on the cross or the resurrection of jesus from the
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  • Grave, what would you say?
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  • Well, many of us wanna race past the cross and get to the good
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  • Part of the story.
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  • But in doing so, we miss out on essential truths about what
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  • Christ's death accomplished for us.
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  • Today i want to show you why both the crucifixion and the
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  • Resurrection are foundational to our faith.
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  • My message is titled "the cross and the crown," on today's
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  • Special edition of pathway to victory.
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  • ♪ all the things of earth. ♪
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  • ♪ they will dim and lose their value. ♪
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  • ♪ but if we recall. ♪
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  • ♪ they're just borrowed for a while. ♪
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  • ♪ and the things of earth. ♪
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  • ♪ that cause my heart to tremble. ♪
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  • ♪ remembered there. ♪
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  • ♪ will only bring a smile. ♪
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  • ♪ in the sweet by and by. ♪
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  • ♪ we shall meet on that beautiful shore. ♪
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  • ♪ but until then. ♪
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  • ♪ but until then. ♪
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  • ♪ my heart is gonna go unseen. ♪
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  • ♪ yes, it will. ♪
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  • ♪ oh, until then. ♪
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  • ♪ with joy i'll carry on. ♪
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  • ♪ until the day. ♪
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  • ♪ my eyes behold that city. ♪
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  • ♪ until the day. ♪
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  • ♪ oh, until the day. ♪
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  • ♪ until the day. ♪
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  • ♪ god calls me home. ♪
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  • ♪ god calls me home. ♪
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  • ♪ god calls me home. ♪♪
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  • [congregation applauds]
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  • Announcer: whether you know it or not, you're in a battle.
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  • Satan has a strategy to attack your faith, disrupt your family,
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  • And derail your future.
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  • But god has given you everything you need to fight back and win.
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  • In "the divine defense," dr. robert jeffress reveals six
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  • Practical strategies from ephesians chapter 6 to defeat
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  • Satan's destructive plan.
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  • When you put on the full armor of god, satan doesn't have
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  • A prayer.
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  • Request "the divine defense" when you give a generous
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  • Ministry gift to pathway to victory.
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  • Jeffress: i really hate to do this today, on easter sunday,
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  • But we're gonna have to take a pop quiz.
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  • Now there's only one question on it, and the question is this:
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  • Which is most important, the death of jesus christ on the
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  • Cross, or the resurrection of jesus christ from the grave?
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  • Your answer really depends upon the faith tradition you grew up
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  • In or identify with right now.
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  • Those of us who are evangelical christians, we wanna race by the
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  • Cross as quickly as we can and get to the good part of the
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  • Story, the resurrection.
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  • But in doing so, we miss out on some important things and
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  • Understandings of what the death of christ accomplished for us.
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  • But those who are the opposite of that, those who center on the
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  • Cross, sometimes treat the resurrection as a postscript, as
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  • An addendum to an already good enough story.
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  • The fact is, neither the crucifixion nor the resurrection
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  • Means anything apart from the other component of the story.
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  • Both the death and resurrection of christ are essential
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  • Foundations of the christian message.
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  • 1 corinthians 15, verses 3 and 4, paul said, "for i delivered
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  • To you as of first importance that which i also received, that
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  • Christ jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures,
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  • That he was buried, and that he was raised up on the third day
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  • According to the scriptures."
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  • For the few minutes we have together this morning, i wanna
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  • Talk about why both the death and resurrection of christ are
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  • Essential foundations of our faith.
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  • There has to be a cross, but there also needs to be a crown.
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  • Let's first of all talk about the cross, the death of
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  • Jesus christ.
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  • Jesus said in john 10 verses 17 and 18, "for this reason, the
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  • Father loves me because i lay down my life so that no man may
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  • Take it again.
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  • No one has taken it away from me, but i lay it down on my
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  • Own initiative."
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  • Do you remember that seven weeks after the resurrection on the
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  • Day of pentecost, the apostle peter stood on the southern
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  • Steps of the temple and preached to the very people who two
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  • Months earlier had crucified christ?
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  • And this is what peter said, "this man jesus was delivered up
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  • By the predetermined plan of god and the foreknowledge of god,
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  • And you nailed him to the cross by the hands of evil men."
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  • Why was the death of christ necessary?
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  • What does it offer you and me?
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  • Well, first of all, it provides an example of unjust suffering,
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  • An example of unjust suffering.
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  • Have you ever had people ask, maybe you've asked yourself the
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  • Same question, "why do bad things happen to good people?"
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  • Have you ever wondered about that?
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  • C.s.
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  • Lewis had a great answer for that.
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  • He said, "why do bad things happen to good people?
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  • Easy, there are no good people."
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  • And he's right, theologically.
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  • We've all sinned.
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  • We've all fallen short of the glory of god.
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  • But occasionally we do suffer for specific things we're not
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  • Guilty of.
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  • But it's more than that.
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  • Jesus's death also provided a payment for our sins, a payment
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  • For our sins.
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  • Now this idea is offensive to some people, that jesus had to
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  • Die for our sins.
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  • I read an interview and an article in christianity today
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  • Some years ago.
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  • It was about a feminist conference that was based upon
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  • The worship of an imaginary female goddess named sophia.
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  • And one woman was asked why she left orthodox christianity to
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  • Worship this false goddess and this new religion, and this is
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  • What she said: "i don't think we need a theory of atonement
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  • At all.
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  • I don't think we need folks hanging on crosses and blood
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  • Dripping down and weird stuff like that."
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  • Well, she may not think she needs an atonement for her sins,
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  • But god begs to differ.
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  • Finally, jesus's death is not only providing an example of
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  • Suffering and a payment for our sin, but it is also providing a
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  • Redemption from spiritual slavery.
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  • Listen to me.
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  • When you and i are born into this world, we're not born free.
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  • We think, oh, we're free to do whatever we wanna do.
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  • No person is free.
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  • They just think they're free.
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  • God could have very easily left us as slaves of satan, but the
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  • Bible says he has redeemed us.
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  • He has purchased us out of spiritual slavery.
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  • The bible says it this way in colossians 1 verses 13 and 14,
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  • "for christ rescued us from the domain of darkness, and
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  • Transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved son, in whom we have
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  • Redemption, the forgiveness of sins."
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  • You know, dr. robert schuller, the late preacher, he had
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  • Abominable theology, but he had some great stories.
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  • I love the stories dr. schuller used to tell.
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  • And one time i heard him tell the story of a little boy who
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  • Had made a miniature red sailboat.
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  • He'd worked and worked on it, and finally the day came for him
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  • To test it out.
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  • And he took it down to the local pond and he put the sailboat in
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  • The pond, and suddenly a gust of wind caught the sails and took
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  • It far away.
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  • The boy thought he had lost his sailboat forever.
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  • He was so despondent.
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  • A couple of weeks later, he was walking down the street.
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  • He was walking past the toy store, and to his surprise, he
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  • Looked into the picture window and there was his red boat, the
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  • One he had thought he had lost.
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  • So he ran into the store, found the owner, and said, "mister,
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  • Mister, that's my sailboat in the window.
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  • Please, can i have it back?"
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  • I made it and it was lost.
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  • And the store owner said, "well, i don't know anything
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  • About that.
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  • I know i bought it from somebody else.
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  • You can have it if you want to pay for it."
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  • "well, how much is it?"
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  • "it's $14."
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  • And so the little boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a
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  • Wad of sweaty bills and counted them out till he had $14.
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  • And once he had paid the price, he took that sailboat, clutched
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  • It closely to himself, and walked down the street and said,
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  • "you're mine twice now.
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  • Once because i made you, and now because i bought you."
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  • You know, the bible says we were made by god to have fellowship
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  • With him.
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  • He made us for himself.
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  • But sin has carried us away, far away from god.
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  • God had every right to turn his back on you and me.
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  • He had every right to completely extinguish the human race and
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  • Start over again.
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  • But because god is love, because of the great love with which god
  • 00:11:14.296 --> 00:11:18.634
  • Loved us, he paid the price to redeem us so that he could have
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  • Fellowship with us.
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  • We are twice god's, once because he made us, and now because he
  • 00:11:25.141 --> 00:11:31.547
  • Bought us.
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  • Do you not know you are not your own?
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  • You have been bought with a price.
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  • That's what the death of christ accomplished.
  • 00:11:38.354 --> 00:11:40.923
  • It offers us an example for suffering, a payment for our
  • 00:11:40.923 --> 00:11:44.560
  • Sin, a redemption for slavery.
  • 00:11:44.560 --> 00:11:47.630
  • But that's only half the story.
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  • Three days later, there was a crown, a resurrection crown that
  • 00:11:49.965 --> 00:11:54.003
  • Christ experienced it.
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  • In these final few moments, let me tell you four things that the
  • 00:11:55.871 --> 00:11:59.675
  • Resurrection is described as in the bible.
  • 00:11:59.675 --> 00:12:04.547
  • First of all, it was prophesied by christ.
  • 00:12:04.547 --> 00:12:07.750
  • This is so interesting to me.
  • 00:12:07.750 --> 00:12:09.618
  • John stott points out that every time jesus mentioned his death,
  • 00:12:09.618 --> 00:12:14.557
  • His upcoming death, he always mentioned his resurrection.
  • 00:12:14.557 --> 00:12:18.227
  • Never did he talk about his death alone.
  • 00:12:18.227 --> 00:12:20.095
  • It was always his death and resurrection.
  • 00:12:20.095 --> 00:12:22.298
  • In matthew 16:21, matthew records, "from that time jesus
  • 00:12:22.298 --> 00:12:26.836
  • Began to show his disciples.
  • 00:12:26.836 --> 00:12:28.871
  • That he must go to jerusalem, and must suffer many things from
  • 00:12:28.871 --> 00:12:32.341
  • The elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be
  • 00:12:32.341 --> 00:12:36.946
  • Raised up on the third day."
  • 00:12:36.946 --> 00:12:39.215
  • Or listen to matthew 17, verses 22 and 23, in which jesus said
  • 00:12:39.215 --> 00:12:44.887
  • The same thing.
  • 00:12:44.887 --> 00:12:46.255
  • "and while they were gathering together in galilee, jesus said
  • 00:12:46.255 --> 00:12:49.058
  • To them, 'the son of man is going to be delivered into the
  • 00:12:49.058 --> 00:12:52.261
  • Hands of men, and they will kill him, and he will be raised up on
  • 00:12:52.261 --> 00:12:57.399
  • The third day.'
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  • And they were deeply grieved."
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  • They missed the last part of what he told them.
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  • John 2:19, "jesus answered them, 'destroy this temple, and in
  • 00:13:02.972 --> 00:13:07.509
  • Three days i will raise it up.'"
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  • Jesus prophesied his death, and he prophesied his resurrection.
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  • Not only was it prophesied by christ, but secondly, the
  • 00:13:14.650 --> 00:13:17.553
  • Resurrection was proclaimed by the apostles.
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  • The resurrection was not just a postscript, an addendum to the
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  • Jesus story.
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  • It was the central part of the story.
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  • Go back to peter for a moment, on the southern steps in
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  • Jerusalem, preaching his great sermon on pentecost.
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  • He said, "this man delivered over by the predetermined and
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  • Foreknowledge of god, you nailed to a cross by the hands of
  • 00:13:37.973 --> 00:13:42.011
  • Godless men, and you put him to death.
  • 00:13:42.011 --> 00:13:44.980
  • But," verse 24, "god raised him up again, putting an end to the
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  • Agony of death, since it was impossible for him to be held in
  • 00:13:50.753 --> 00:13:54.623
  • Its power.
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  • This jesus god raised up again, to which we were all witnesses."
  • 00:13:55.991 --> 00:14:01.997
  • I almost laughed out loud one time watching this documentary,
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  • I think it was on abc television, about
  • 00:14:05.534 --> 00:14:08.337
  • The resurrection.
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  • And the interviewer, i don't think was a christian, but he
  • 00:14:09.672 --> 00:14:13.042
  • Said to this liberal theologian, he said, "you don't believe in
  • 00:14:13.042 --> 00:14:18.013
  • The resurrection.
  • 00:14:18.013 --> 00:14:19.348
  • How do you explain the sudden change in the apostles?"
  • 00:14:19.348 --> 00:14:23.218
  • And the theologian answered, "well, they obviously
  • 00:14:23.218 --> 00:14:27.323
  • Saw something."
  • 00:14:27.323 --> 00:14:29.992
  • They saw something.
  • 00:14:29.992 --> 00:14:31.493
  • What they saw was the risen christ, and that changed their
  • 00:14:31.493 --> 00:14:36.131
  • Lives forever.
  • 00:14:36.131 --> 00:14:37.533
  • It transformed them from cowering followers of jesus to
  • 00:14:37.533 --> 00:14:41.303
  • Courageous defenders of the life of the christ, who would end up
  • 00:14:41.303 --> 00:14:45.474
  • Giving their life to proclaim that message freely.
  • 00:14:45.474 --> 00:14:48.911
  • The resurrection of jesus was prophesied by christ.
  • 00:14:48.911 --> 00:14:52.147
  • It was proclaimed by the apostles, and thirdly, it was
  • 00:14:52.147 --> 00:14:55.117
  • Proved by history.
  • 00:14:55.117 --> 00:14:56.719
  • Now i've talked in previous messages about all the evidence
  • 00:14:56.719 --> 00:14:59.855
  • For the resurrection.
  • 00:14:59.855 --> 00:15:01.590
  • Simon greenleaf, who was a legal professor of harvard university,
  • 00:15:01.590 --> 00:15:06.528
  • Believe that or not, but he was at harvard university several
  • 00:15:06.528 --> 00:15:09.965
  • Centuries ago.
  • 00:15:09.965 --> 00:15:11.433
  • He was an expert in legal evidence, and he said, "there is
  • 00:15:11.433 --> 00:15:14.770
  • More evidence for the resurrection of jesus christ
  • 00:15:14.770 --> 00:15:18.374
  • Than for any other event in human history."
  • 00:15:18.374 --> 00:15:22.044
  • Now that's a legal professor, a law professor at harvard
  • 00:15:22.044 --> 00:15:25.414
  • Law school.
  • 00:15:25.414 --> 00:15:26.749
  • Immediately, the resurrection became a part of the message.
  • 00:15:26.749 --> 00:15:30.285
  • You know, experts tell us that it takes 80 years or more for a
  • 00:15:30.285 --> 00:15:34.923
  • Myth to corrupt a historical reality, for myth and fact to
  • 00:15:34.923 --> 00:15:39.862
  • Become so intertwined you can't tell one from another.
  • 00:15:39.862 --> 00:15:42.498
  • It takes at least 80 years for that to happen.
  • 00:15:42.498 --> 00:15:46.035
  • But it was immediate that the resurrection became and was
  • 00:15:46.035 --> 00:15:49.571
  • Accepted by the church as fact.
  • 00:15:49.571 --> 00:15:52.007
  • Let me show you why that's so important.
  • 00:15:52.007 --> 00:15:55.878
  • Let's just imagine a group of people started saying, "elvis
  • 00:15:55.878 --> 00:15:59.581
  • Presley is still alive."
  • 00:15:59.581 --> 00:16:02.518
  • Now, except for readers of supermarket tabloids, nobody
  • 00:16:02.518 --> 00:16:07.089
  • Believes elvis presley is alive today.
  • 00:16:07.089 --> 00:16:09.858
  • He's been dead for almost half a century.
  • 00:16:09.858 --> 00:16:12.194
  • But let's just say somebody decided they were so convinced
  • 00:16:12.194 --> 00:16:15.564
  • That he's alive that they wanted to start a new religion.
  • 00:16:15.564 --> 00:16:19.234
  • It's called presleyanity.
  • 00:16:19.234 --> 00:16:21.970
  • And to be a follower of elvis presley, you would meet with a
  • 00:16:21.970 --> 00:16:25.974
  • Group every sunday morning for a period of time and listen to old
  • 00:16:25.974 --> 00:16:30.312
  • Recordings of elvis presley.
  • 00:16:30.312 --> 00:16:32.481
  • You would study the lyrics of his songs.
  • 00:16:32.481 --> 00:16:34.483
  • You would seek to be like him in every day, in your
  • 00:16:34.483 --> 00:16:37.352
  • Everyday life.
  • 00:16:37.352 --> 00:16:38.720
  • And you were so convinced that elvis presley was alive that
  • 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:41.824
  • You'd be willing to give your life for it.
  • 00:16:41.824 --> 00:16:43.892
  • What do you think the chances are of hundreds of millions of
  • 00:16:43.892 --> 00:16:47.429
  • People in different countries speaking different languages
  • 00:16:47.429 --> 00:16:50.833
  • From different cultures all becoming followers of
  • 00:16:50.833 --> 00:16:54.002
  • Elvis presley?
  • 00:16:54.002 --> 00:16:55.437
  • It wouldn't happen.
  • 00:16:55.437 --> 00:16:57.339
  • It couldn't happen, because we're too close to his death for
  • 00:16:57.339 --> 00:17:01.376
  • A myth to be corrupting of the actual events.
  • 00:17:01.376 --> 00:17:05.848
  • It's the same way with jesus christ.
  • 00:17:05.848 --> 00:17:08.484
  • The resurrection, prophesied by jesus, proclaimed by the
  • 00:17:08.484 --> 00:17:12.988
  • Apostles, proved by history, and finally, promised to believers.
  • 00:17:12.988 --> 00:17:19.728
  • This is where you and i come in.
  • 00:17:19.728 --> 00:17:21.897
  • You know, the former house speaker tip o'neill was one time
  • 00:17:21.897 --> 00:17:25.467
  • Asked what his secret to longevity in politics is.
  • 00:17:25.467 --> 00:17:29.338
  • He said, "remembering at all times that all politics
  • 00:17:29.338 --> 00:17:34.209
  • Are local."
  • 00:17:34.209 --> 00:17:36.145
  • In other words, all people really care about are those
  • 00:17:36.145 --> 00:17:39.281
  • Things that touch their lives, and it's true about
  • 00:17:39.281 --> 00:17:42.251
  • The resurrection.
  • 00:17:42.251 --> 00:17:43.719
  • You may be thinking, "okay, jesus arose from the dead,
  • 00:17:43.719 --> 00:17:46.321
  • Big deal.
  • 00:17:46.321 --> 00:17:47.689
  • Why does that affect me?
  • 00:17:47.689 --> 00:17:49.024
  • What does it mean to me?"
  • 00:17:49.024 --> 00:17:50.492
  • Well, it means everything.
  • 00:17:50.492 --> 00:17:52.027
  • And this is why.
  • 00:17:52.027 --> 00:17:53.529
  • The resurrection of jesus christ answers the most important
  • 00:17:53.529 --> 00:17:58.200
  • Question there is.
  • 00:17:58.200 --> 00:17:59.568
  • It's a question job asked when he said, "if a man dies, will he
  • 00:17:59.568 --> 00:18:05.107
  • Live again?"
  • 00:18:05.107 --> 00:18:07.009
  • When you think about it, that's the bottom line existence
  • 00:18:07.009 --> 00:18:10.379
  • Question, isn't it?
  • 00:18:10.379 --> 00:18:12.948
  • When i die, what happens?
  • 00:18:12.948 --> 00:18:15.651
  • Do i shut my eyes for the last time and go into nothingness?
  • 00:18:15.651 --> 00:18:21.657
  • Or is there an existence beyond the grave?
  • 00:18:21.657 --> 00:18:26.028
  • Jesus answers that question for us.
  • 00:18:26.028 --> 00:18:29.298
  • In john 11:25, he said, "i am the resurrection and the life.
  • 00:18:29.298 --> 00:18:34.203
  • He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he
  • 00:18:34.203 --> 00:18:37.139
  • Live again."
  • 00:18:37.139 --> 00:18:38.507
  • Jesus promised eternal life over and over again to those who
  • 00:18:38.507 --> 00:18:42.978
  • Believed, trusted in, depended upon him for their salvation.
  • 00:18:42.978 --> 00:18:47.349
  • For example, in john 5:24, jesus said, "truly, truly i say unto
  • 00:18:47.349 --> 00:18:51.453
  • You, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has
  • 00:18:51.453 --> 00:18:55.224
  • Eternal life and shall not come into death, but has passed from
  • 00:18:55.224 --> 00:18:58.660
  • Death into life."
  • 00:18:58.660 --> 00:19:00.028
  • Or john 6:39, "for this is the will of him who sent me, that of
  • 00:19:00.028 --> 00:19:03.966
  • All that he has given me, i lose nothing, but i will raise them
  • 00:19:03.966 --> 00:19:07.336
  • Up on the last day."
  • 00:19:07.336 --> 00:19:09.371
  • Over and over and over again, jesus promised a resurrection
  • 00:19:09.371 --> 00:19:13.909
  • For those who believe in him.
  • 00:19:13.909 --> 00:19:15.978
  • Jesus said to martha and mary, "i am the resurrection and
  • 00:19:15.978 --> 00:19:19.147
  • The life.
  • 00:19:19.147 --> 00:19:20.482
  • He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live
  • 00:19:20.482 --> 00:19:22.818
  • Again, and everyone who lives and believes in me will
  • 00:19:22.818 --> 00:19:27.055
  • Never die.
  • 00:19:27.055 --> 00:19:28.423
  • Do you believe this?"
  • 00:19:28.423 --> 00:19:31.226
  • Do you believe this?
  • 00:19:31.226 --> 00:19:33.262
  • Do you believe jesus christ is alive?
  • 00:19:33.262 --> 00:19:38.533
  • Mark buchanan in his book, "the holy wild," describes what
  • 00:19:38.533 --> 00:19:43.472
  • Happened on the day of dr. martin luther king's funeral
  • 00:19:43.472 --> 00:19:47.042
  • In 1968.
  • 00:19:47.042 --> 00:19:50.245
  • It was a tense time in our country.
  • 00:19:50.245 --> 00:19:53.615
  • People wondered if the death of dr. king meant the death of the
  • 00:19:53.615 --> 00:19:56.852
  • Civil rights movement.
  • 00:19:56.852 --> 00:19:59.588
  • And so on the day of his funeral, leaders from all around
  • 00:19:59.588 --> 00:20:02.824
  • The world came to pay tribute to dr. king.
  • 00:20:02.824 --> 00:20:06.895
  • People wondered, would the civil rights movement last?
  • 00:20:06.895 --> 00:20:10.565
  • There were a host of eulogizers and pastors that day who were
  • 00:20:10.565 --> 00:20:14.436
  • Asked to speak.
  • 00:20:14.436 --> 00:20:16.071
  • One of those men was a man named james bevel.
  • 00:20:16.071 --> 00:20:19.908
  • And when his time came to speak, he mounted the podium.
  • 00:20:19.908 --> 00:20:23.378
  • He was a large man.
  • 00:20:23.378 --> 00:20:25.247
  • With a stern look, he started scanning the audience, and then
  • 00:20:25.247 --> 00:20:29.918
  • He began to speak, his voice gaining strength like a
  • 00:20:29.918 --> 00:20:35.123
  • Gathering storm on a sunny day.
  • 00:20:35.123 --> 00:20:38.627
  • This is what he said.
  • 00:20:38.627 --> 00:20:41.663
  • "there is a rumor going around, a false rumor that our leader
  • 00:20:41.663 --> 00:20:47.736
  • Is dead.
  • 00:20:47.736 --> 00:20:50.305
  • Our leader is not dead.
  • 00:20:50.305 --> 00:20:53.508
  • Our leader is not martin luther king."
  • 00:20:53.508 --> 00:20:57.813
  • He stopped.
  • 00:20:57.813 --> 00:20:59.214
  • The murmuring started in the congregation.
  • 00:20:59.214 --> 00:21:01.683
  • What is he up to?
  • 00:21:01.683 --> 00:21:03.985
  • Why is he dividing an already fractured movement?
  • 00:21:03.985 --> 00:21:08.023
  • Bevel continued, "our leader is the man who led moses out
  • 00:21:08.023 --> 00:21:12.861
  • Of egypt."
  • 00:21:12.861 --> 00:21:14.363
  • Somebody in the back shouted, "that's the man!
  • 00:21:14.363 --> 00:21:17.499
  • That's the man!"
  • 00:21:17.499 --> 00:21:19.735
  • "our leader is the one who went with daniel into the
  • 00:21:19.735 --> 00:21:23.071
  • Lion's den."
  • 00:21:23.071 --> 00:21:24.573
  • "same man, same man!"
  • 00:21:24.573 --> 00:21:27.509
  • "our leader is the one who walked out of the grave on
  • 00:21:27.509 --> 00:21:30.278
  • Easter sunday morning.
  • 00:21:30.278 --> 00:21:32.147
  • Our leader neither slumbers nor sleeps.
  • 00:21:32.147 --> 00:21:35.250
  • Our leader cannot be put in jail.
  • 00:21:35.250 --> 00:21:37.719
  • Our leader has never lost a war.
  • 00:21:37.719 --> 00:21:40.055
  • Our leader is still on the case.
  • 00:21:40.055 --> 00:21:42.290
  • Our leader is not dead!"
  • 00:21:42.290 --> 00:21:45.594
  • Ladies and gentlemen, that is the message of easter.
  • 00:21:45.594 --> 00:21:50.298
  • Our leader is not dead.
  • 00:21:50.298 --> 00:21:54.035
  • He lives!
  • 00:21:54.035 --> 00:21:57.005
  • Christ jesus lives today and conquered death forever, and so
  • 00:21:55.637 --> 00:22:02.978
  • Will we, if we trust in him.
  • 00:22:02.978 --> 00:22:06.648
  • "i am the resurrection and the life.
  • 00:22:06.648 --> 00:22:11.520
  • He who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he
  • 00:22:11.520 --> 00:22:16.625
  • Live again."
  • 00:22:16.625 --> 00:22:18.360
  • That's the hope.
  • 00:22:18.360 --> 00:22:19.928
  • That's the message of easter.
  • 00:22:19.928 --> 00:22:23.532
  • Jeffress: the resurrection of jesus christ answers the most
  • 00:22:27.769 --> 00:22:30.705
  • Important question we could ever ask: if i die, will i
  • 00:22:30.705 --> 00:22:34.676
  • Live again?
  • 00:22:34.676 --> 00:22:36.011
  • And because of what christ accomplished on the cross and
  • 00:22:36.011 --> 00:22:38.847
  • Through the empty tomb, we have the answer.
  • 00:22:38.847 --> 00:22:42.217
  • Well, at pathway to victory we exist to proclaim that same
  • 00:22:42.217 --> 00:22:45.620
  • Message of hope that has transformed lives for
  • 00:22:45.620 --> 00:22:48.457
  • 2000 years.
  • 00:22:48.457 --> 00:22:50.225
  • Every day people tune into this program for the very first time,
  • 00:22:50.225 --> 00:22:54.496
  • Some who have never fully understood what it means to
  • 00:22:54.496 --> 00:22:57.799
  • Trust in jesus for their salvation.
  • 00:22:57.799 --> 00:23:00.735
  • Through television, radio, and digital streaming, pathway to
  • 00:23:00.735 --> 00:23:04.473
  • Victory has the privilege of presenting the gospel with
  • 00:23:04.473 --> 00:23:07.542
  • Clarity and boldness.
  • 00:23:07.542 --> 00:23:09.744
  • And when someone takes that step of faith, when they finally
  • 00:23:09.744 --> 00:23:13.748
  • Understand that jesus paid the price for their sins, there's
  • 00:23:13.748 --> 00:23:17.152
  • Nothing more rewarding.
  • 00:23:17.152 --> 00:23:19.120
  • Your faithful support makes these moments possible.
  • 00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:22.224
  • So, thank you to our pathway partners and everyone who gives
  • 00:23:22.224 --> 00:23:26.294
  • Generously to this ministry.
  • 00:23:26.294 --> 00:23:28.463
  • Together we are piercing the darkness with the light of
  • 00:23:28.463 --> 00:23:32.033
  • God's word.
  • 00:23:32.033 --> 00:23:33.401
  • And stay right there.
  • 00:23:33.401 --> 00:23:34.736
  • I'll be back with more pathway to victory in just a moment.
  • 00:23:34.736 --> 00:23:38.807
  • Announcer: that recurring temptation you can't shake, the
  • 00:23:38.807 --> 00:23:41.643
  • Doubts that creep in during your darkest moments, the tension in
  • 00:23:41.643 --> 00:23:45.080
  • Your closest relationships.
  • 00:23:45.080 --> 00:23:46.882
  • These aren't random struggles, these are part of a strategic
  • 00:23:46.882 --> 00:23:50.252
  • Attack on your faith, your family, and your future.
  • 00:23:50.252 --> 00:23:53.188
  • Jeffress: satan has a personalized plan to discourage,
  • 00:23:53.188 --> 00:23:56.725
  • Deceive, and derail you.
  • 00:23:56.725 --> 00:23:58.994
  • But you don't have to live in defeat.
  • 00:23:58.994 --> 00:24:01.396
  • God has given you access to the same power that raised jesus
  • 00:24:01.396 --> 00:24:05.000
  • From the dead.
  • 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:06.334
  • In my bestselling book, "the divine defense," i'll show you
  • 00:24:06.334 --> 00:24:09.538
  • How to put on the full armor of god and use six biblical
  • 00:24:09.538 --> 00:24:13.341
  • Strategies to defeat satan's plan to destroy your life.
  • 00:24:13.341 --> 00:24:18.046
  • Announcer: request "the divine defense" when you give a
  • 00:24:18.046 --> 00:24:20.215
  • Generous gift to pathway to victory, or when you become a
  • 00:24:20.215 --> 00:24:23.118
  • Pathway partner.
  • 00:24:23.118 --> 00:24:24.486
  • And when your gift is $100 or more, we'll send you the
  • 00:24:24.486 --> 00:24:28.056
  • Complete resource set including the study guide, "suit up!
  • 00:24:28.056 --> 00:24:31.192
  • The armor of god for kids," and the teaching series on both cd
  • 00:24:31.192 --> 00:24:35.130
  • And dvd.
  • 00:24:35.130 --> 00:24:36.464
  • Jeffress: your mind is the devil's battlefield, on which he
  • 00:24:36.464 --> 00:24:40.702
  • Is warring against everything important to you.
  • 00:24:40.702 --> 00:24:45.874
  • It is a battle that seeks to destroy your faith, your family,
  • 00:24:45.874 --> 00:24:50.545
  • And your future.
  • 00:24:50.545 --> 00:24:51.913
  • Announcer: thank you for supporting pathway to victory.
  • 00:24:51.913 --> 00:24:54.649
  • Your generous ministry gift helps us broadcast biblical
  • 00:24:54.649 --> 00:24:57.552
  • Truth on television, radio, and online, equipping believers like
  • 00:24:57.552 --> 00:25:01.723
  • You to stand firm and live victoriously.
  • 00:25:01.723 --> 00:25:04.859
  • Together we're piercing the darkness with the light of
  • 00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:07.729
  • God's word.
  • 00:25:07.729 --> 00:25:09.097
  • Jeffress: neither the cross nor the crown means anything without
  • 00:25:10.699 --> 00:25:13.802
  • The other.
  • 00:25:13.802 --> 00:25:15.136
  • The death of christ paid the price for our sins, and the
  • 00:25:15.136 --> 00:25:18.106
  • Resurrection proves that the payment was accepted for
  • 00:25:18.106 --> 00:25:21.142
  • Our sins.
  • 00:25:21.142 --> 00:25:22.477
  • Together they form the firm foundation of our faith and the
  • 00:25:22.477 --> 00:25:25.780
  • Assurance of our eternal life.
  • 00:25:25.780 --> 00:25:28.383
  • Well, more than ever before in my lifetime, people are watching
  • 00:25:28.383 --> 00:25:32.354
  • The signs of the times and wondering what's next.
  • 00:25:32.354 --> 00:25:36.124
  • Next time, we're going to discover how future biblical
  • 00:25:36.124 --> 00:25:39.661
  • Events should impact our lives today.
  • 00:25:39.661 --> 00:25:42.464
  • Stay tuned for a preview of the first message in our series
  • 00:25:42.464 --> 00:25:45.834
  • "perfect ending."
  • 00:25:45.834 --> 00:25:48.203
  • Jeffress: you know, the bible is a book of prophecy.
  • 00:25:48.269 --> 00:25:52.040
  • And yet, even though there are all kinds of prophecies in the
  • 00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:55.176
  • Bible about the future event of christ's second coming, it's
  • 00:25:55.176 --> 00:25:59.147
  • Always amazing to me how few christians are really interested
  • 00:25:59.147 --> 00:26:03.284
  • In the topic of bible prophecy.
  • 00:26:03.284 --> 00:26:05.887
  • Why is that?
  • 00:26:05.887 --> 00:26:07.222
  • Why is it many christians have such a disdain for the study
  • 00:26:07.222 --> 00:26:10.925
  • Of prophecy?
  • 00:26:10.925 --> 00:26:12.394
  • Announcer: set your dvr and join us next time for the message,
  • 00:26:12.460 --> 00:26:15.664
  • "why your future matters today," part of a new series called
  • 00:26:15.664 --> 00:26:19.567
  • "perfect ending," here on pathway to victory.
  • 00:26:19.567 --> 00:26:22.137
  • Announcer: join us on the pathway to victory cruise to
  • 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:27.942
  • Alaska, june 13 through 20, 2026.
  • 00:26:27.942 --> 00:26:31.579
  • Jeffress: let me paint a picture for you.
  • 00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:33.481
  • You're standing on the deck of a beautiful cruise ship, coffee in
  • 00:26:33.481 --> 00:26:37.318
  • Hand, watching a glacier calve into the pristine waters while
  • 00:26:37.318 --> 00:26:41.823
  • Bald eagles circle overhead.
  • 00:26:41.823 --> 00:26:44.492
  • That's going to be us this coming june.
  • 00:26:44.492 --> 00:26:47.228
  • You've got to see alaska with your own eyes to believe it.
  • 00:26:47.228 --> 00:26:50.865
  • Announcer: seven days of pure luxury where every meal is
  • 00:26:50.865 --> 00:26:53.968
  • Prepared for you.
  • 00:26:53.968 --> 00:26:55.336
  • The world-class service means you never have to think about
  • 00:26:55.336 --> 00:26:57.906
  • The details.
  • 00:26:57.906 --> 00:26:59.274
  • Instead, you can focus on casual conversations with like-minded
  • 00:26:59.274 --> 00:27:02.877
  • Christians, laughing, telling stories, while surrounded by
  • 00:27:02.877 --> 00:27:06.748
  • God's breathtaking creation.
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  • Jeffress: this is purposeful travel at its finest, refreshing
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  • Your soul in god's stunning cathedral of natural wonders.
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  • Announcer: call ...
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  • Or visit ptv.org.
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