Franklin Graham: What is Truth?

April 5, 2026 | 28:29

A powerful Easter message from Franklin Graham with music from Michael W. Smith, Johnny Cash, and Charlie Daniels.

#Truth #Resurrection #Culture #Singer/Songwriter #Music #Praise #Worship #Salvation #Savior #Messiah #FranklinGraham #MichaelW.Smith #CharlieDaniels

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| Franklin Graham: What is Truth? | April 5, 2026

(voice-over) welcome to a special presentation
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From minneapolis st. paul, minnesota.
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(graham) deep trouble has shaken many cities like minneapolis.
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(people clamoring, sirens blaring)
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(graham) it seems like the whole world is in conflict.
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(chanting)
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In this time of division,
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Many are wondering, where can we find truth?
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(voice-over) an easter message from franklin graham.
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(graham) my father, billy graham, had a long-lasting,
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Personal connection to this beautiful place.
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I want to reflect on the truth that grounded his life.
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And remember some of the musical greats
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Who became his friends.
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(voice-over) exclusive performances
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From the legendary voices
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Of johnny cash,
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Charlie daniels,
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And michael w. smith.
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(graham) whatever is going on in your life,
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I want you to know the truth
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Can set you free.
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Happy easter
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To each and every one.
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On this day,
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Christians around the world
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Great each other
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With these words:
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He is risen!
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And the response?
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He is risen indeed!
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And he is risen!
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It's true!
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Jesus christ is not dead, he's alive!
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He came from heaven to this earth for one reason,
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And that was to save you from your sins.
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Right now i'm in minneapolis st. paul, minnesota.
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In recent months,
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These cities became a place of chaos, turmoil.
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Tensions exploded here.
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Sparking protests, pain,
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And debate that is still going on.
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(chanting) no peace! no justice!
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No peace! no justice!
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(graham) i wanted to come to minneapolis st. paul
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This easter because it's a special place to me.
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My father, billy graham, was just 29 years old
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When he became president
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Of this college,
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Northwestern college,
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Which is now a university.
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Yeah, look at this.
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(graham) you can imagine, at 29 years of age,
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Him being the president of a college?
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Well, my father couldn't imagine it either.
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But god had a plan.
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(applause)
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And this college
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Helped to give my father a launching pad
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For his global ministry.
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In 1950, he founded
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The billy graham evangelistic association
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And chose minneapolis
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As the home base for his ministry.
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It was headquartered here for over 50 years.
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(applause)
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(man) ladies and gentlemen,
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The great city of minneapolis honors billy graham.
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(voice-over) he is truly one of the world's most influential leaders.
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(applause)
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In those days, my father would televise his crusades
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On all the networks at that time across the country
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And at the end he would encourage people for writing.
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And for decades people remember my father
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Saying at the end of every broadcast,
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"just write to me, billy graham minneapolis, minnesota.
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"that's all the address you need."
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And it was.
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And we still have an envelope someone addressed to:
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Billy graham, "minnie apples",
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And "minnie soda", like it was a coca-cola.
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And another one that was addressed to just,
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Billy graham, america.
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And those letters made it to him right here.
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As i stand here in this chapel,
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It's hard to understand the depth
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To which our country has fallen.
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The hatred, the violence, the crime--it's rampant.
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(explosion)
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(people yelling)
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(graham) conflict is everywhere.
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Just turn on the news or scroll through social media.
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Conflicts always have two sides
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And both sides believe they're right.
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How do we know what is true?
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Well, two thousand years ago, a roman governor
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Named pilate stood face-to-face with jesus christ
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And asked him a piercing question:
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What is truth?
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In a moment, i want to share with you what jesus said
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About this age-old question.
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But since we're here
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And reflecting back on my father's ministry,
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I thought you would enjoy hearing from
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A country music legend
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Who had a very special relationship with my father
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And performed in many of his evangelistic crusades.
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And that is the one and only johnny cash.
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Johnny was one of my father's closest friends.
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They would talk by the hour on the phone.
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They would vacation together.
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They spent time together in each other's homes.
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For many years, johnny ran from god.
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He struggled with drugs and alcohol.
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But ultimately he surrendered his life
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To the transforming power of jesus christ.
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And in 1994, he came down to my father's crusade
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At the georgia dome in atlanta
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And performed this song that he had written, redemption,
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And i think it's so fitting today as we celebrate
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A risen savior, jesus christ, who came to this earth
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To redeem us from our sins.
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He came from heaven to earth on a redemption mission.
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Let's hear from johnny cash.
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♪ from his hands it came down ♪
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♪ from his side it came down ♪
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♪ from his feet it came down ♪
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♪ and ran to the ground ♪
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♪
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♪ between heaven and hell ♪
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♪ a teardrop fell ♪
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♪ in the deep crimson dew ♪
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♪ the tree of life grew ♪
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♪
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♪ and the blood gave life ♪
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♪ to the branches of the tree ♪
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♪ and the blood was the price ♪
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♪ that set the captives free ♪
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♪ and the numbers that came ♪
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♪ through the fire and the flood ♪
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♪ clung to the tree ♪
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♪ and were redeemed by the blood ♪
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♪
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♪ from the tree streamed a light ♪
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♪ that started the fight ♪
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♪ 'round the tree grew the vine ♪
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♪ on whose fruit i could dine ♪
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♪
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♪ my old friend lucifer came ♪
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♪ fought to keep me in chains ♪
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♪ but i saw through the tricks ♪
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♪ of six-sixty-six ♪
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♪
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♪ and the blood gave life ♪
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♪ to the branches of the tree ♪
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♪ and the blood was the price ♪
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♪ that set the captives free ♪
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♪ and the numbers that came ♪
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♪ through the fire and the flood ♪
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♪ clung to the tree ♪
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♪ and were redeemed by the blood ♪
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♪
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♪ from his hands it came down ♪
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♪ from his side it came down ♪
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♪ from his feet it came down ♪
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♪ and ran to the ground ♪
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♪
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♪ then a small inner voice ♪
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♪ said, "you do have a choice" ♪
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♪ the vine engrafted me ♪
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♪ and i clung to the tree ♪
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♪
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♪ and the blood gave life ♪
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♪ to the branches of the tree ♪
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♪ and the blood was the price ♪
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♪ that set the captives free ♪
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♪ with the numbers that came ♪
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♪ through the fire and the flood ♪
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♪ i clung to the tree ♪
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♪ and was redeemed by the blood ♪
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♪
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♪♪
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(applause)
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This easter i want to look at
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A question pilate asked:
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What is truth?
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We turn on the news and wonder
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If what we're hearing
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Is true.
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On social media, with ai so rampant,
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We have to wonder, is what i'm seeing with my own eyes true.
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Recently someone posted a photograph of me
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On social media showing me in a hospital bed.
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Many people commented that they were praying for me,
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And i appreciate that.
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It looked believable but i wasn't sick.
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I wasn't in a hospital.
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I wasn't in the bed.
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It just wasn't true.
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A few weeks ago i saw an ai video
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Of president donald trump on ice skates, of all things,
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Skating with the us men olympics team
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And he was in their gold medal match against canada.
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Seeing him skate with his blue suit,
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His red tie, making goals, was funny.
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It looked so real, but it was fake.
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In our world today, it's hard to know what is true.
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But i can tell you one thing.
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I can tell you right now what is true
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And it's god's word, the bible.
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God's word is true from cover to cover,
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Every word is totally true.
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I don't understand it all, but i promise you this--
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I do believe it all.
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But we have a problem, and that problem is sin.
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The bible tells us that we're all sinners
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And our sins separate us from god.
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Oh, maybe you say, "but franklin,
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"i'm really not that religious.
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"i've prayed and it doesn't seem like god hears me.
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"or knows who i am."
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Why is it?
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Because we have a gulf between us and god.
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It's sin.
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Sin blocks our prayers, it blocks our relationship.
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It's this huge gulf and you can't cross it.
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The whole world is infected with sin,
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Like a cancer of the human soul.
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God created the first man, and he created the first woman,
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Adam and eve, and he placed them in a perfect world.
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But they disobeyed god,
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And that one act of disobedience
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Brought sin into the world,
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And it separated mankind from god.
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You're separated from god because of sin.
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We've all missed the mark of what god meant for us to be.
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God has a plan for your life.
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He loves you, he wants you to have eternal life with him
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In his presence,
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But our sin has to be dealt with.
00:10:46.564 --> 00:10:49.567
You may be thinking,
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"but i'm not that bad of a person.
00:10:51.302 --> 00:10:53.471
"i'm really pretty good most of the time.
00:10:53.505 --> 00:10:55.540
"i try hard to keep the commandments.
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"i'm a good neighbor.
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"i try to be a good citizen."
00:11:01.045 --> 00:11:03.615
But do you know this?
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It only takes one sin
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To keep you out of heaven for eternity.
00:11:08.219 --> 00:11:11.156
And it's true.
00:11:11.189 --> 00:11:12.490
Because this is what the bible tells us.
00:11:12.524 --> 00:11:15.527
Every one of us has sinned.
00:11:15.560 --> 00:11:17.362
That includes franklin graham.
00:11:17.395 --> 00:11:18.930
The bible says that "the wages of sin,"
00:11:18.963 --> 00:11:21.733
The penalty of sin, "is death."
00:11:21.766 --> 00:11:24.669
Separation from god for eternity.
00:11:24.702 --> 00:11:26.638
But god had a plan.
00:11:26.671 --> 00:11:28.306
His word tells us that
00:11:28.339 --> 00:11:30.175
"god so loved the world,
00:11:30.208 --> 00:11:31.476
"that he gave
00:11:31.509 --> 00:11:32.544
"his only begotten son,
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"that whosoever believeth
00:11:34.078 --> 00:11:36.414
"in him should not perish
00:11:36.447 --> 00:11:37.682
"but should have
00:11:37.715 --> 00:11:38.583
"everlasting life."
00:11:38.616 --> 00:11:39.717
From the foundation of the world
00:11:39.751 --> 00:11:41.653
God set a plan into motion
00:11:41.686 --> 00:11:43.888
To redeem mankind back to himself.
00:11:43.922 --> 00:11:47.258
He made you, he created you.
00:11:47.292 --> 00:11:50.161
We're his by creation, but you are lost to sin.
00:11:50.195 --> 00:11:55.533
But he redeemed you with his blood.
00:11:55.567 --> 00:11:58.036
Jesus was sentenced to death on a cross
00:11:58.069 --> 00:12:00.805
Where he suffered and died.
00:12:00.839 --> 00:12:02.440
He shed his blood, buried in a tomb,
00:12:02.473 --> 00:12:05.677
And on the third day, god raised his son to life,
00:12:05.710 --> 00:12:09.781
In victory over sin.
00:12:09.814 --> 00:12:11.549
He didn't lie in that tomb to decay.
00:12:11.583 --> 00:12:14.052
He came up alive!
00:12:14.085 --> 00:12:15.620
He didn't come up as a spirit or a ghost.
00:12:15.653 --> 00:12:18.489
He rose up as a man who ate with his disciples.
00:12:18.523 --> 00:12:22.727
They touched him.
00:12:22.760 --> 00:12:23.962
They could put their fingers in his wounds on his side,
00:12:23.995 --> 00:12:27.098
In his hands, in his feet.
00:12:27.131 --> 00:12:28.533
This is what easter's all about.
00:12:28.566 --> 00:12:30.435
Our hope is in a risen savior.
00:12:30.468 --> 00:12:33.805
Are your sins forgiven?
00:12:33.838 --> 00:12:36.474
You may say, "well, franklin, i think so."
00:12:36.507 --> 00:12:40.378
No, you don't want to "think so."
00:12:40.411 --> 00:12:43.348
You want to know it.
00:12:43.381 --> 00:12:44.582
You want to have that assurance.
00:12:44.616 --> 00:12:46.951
You want to be absolutely positive
00:12:46.985 --> 00:12:48.920
That your sins are forgiven.
00:12:48.953 --> 00:12:51.089
Your soul and eternity depend on it.
00:12:51.122 --> 00:12:55.026
I'll come back to that in just a few minutes,
00:12:55.059 --> 00:12:56.728
But right now we're going to hear from michael w. smith,
00:12:56.761 --> 00:13:01.466
Who sang at many of my father's crusades
00:13:01.499 --> 00:13:04.168
Through the years.
00:13:04.202 --> 00:13:05.036
My father loved michael.
00:13:05.069 --> 00:13:06.905
And in his latter years, michael would come to his house.
00:13:06.938 --> 00:13:10.341
When my father couldn't get out of the house
00:13:10.375 --> 00:13:11.809
Because of just, age and sickness and so forth,
00:13:11.843 --> 00:13:14.679
Michael would just come
00:13:14.712 --> 00:13:16.447
And he would sit there and sing to my father.
00:13:16.481 --> 00:13:18.683
And, he was such a friend.
00:13:18.716 --> 00:13:21.219
And had been friend to me.
00:13:21.252 --> 00:13:23.054
We were in argentina, buenos aires,
00:13:23.087 --> 00:13:25.390
Just a few months ago,
00:13:25.423 --> 00:13:26.991
And i thought you would like to hear michael
00:13:27.025 --> 00:13:29.560
From buenos aires.
00:13:29.594 --> 00:13:32.764
(applause and cheering)
00:13:32.797 --> 00:13:34.732
♪
00:13:34.766 --> 00:13:40.638
♪ above all powers ♪
00:13:40.672 --> 00:13:43.942
♪ above all kings ♪
00:13:43.975 --> 00:13:47.345
♪ above all nature ♪
00:13:47.378 --> 00:13:49.914
♪ and all created things ♪
00:13:49.948 --> 00:13:51.950
♪
00:13:51.983 --> 00:13:54.218
♪ above all wisdom and all the ways of man ♪
00:13:54.252 --> 00:14:00.725
♪
00:14:00.758 --> 00:14:02.126
♪ you were here before the world began ♪
00:14:02.160 --> 00:14:06.130
♪
00:14:06.164 --> 00:14:07.865
♪ above all kingdoms, above all thrones ♪
00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:13.237
♪
00:14:13.271 --> 00:14:14.939
♪ above all wonders the world has ever known ♪
00:14:14.973 --> 00:14:19.277
♪
00:14:19.310 --> 00:14:21.713
♪ above all wealth and treasures of the earth ♪
00:14:21.746 --> 00:14:28.052
♪
00:14:28.086 --> 00:14:29.587
♪ there's no way to measure what you're worth ♪
00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:34.125
♪
00:14:34.158 --> 00:14:35.226
Crucified!
00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:36.527
♪ crucified, laid behind a stone ♪
00:14:36.561 --> 00:14:42.033
♪
00:14:42.066 --> 00:14:43.267
♪ you lived to die ♪
00:14:43.301 --> 00:14:46.371
♪ rejected and alone ♪
00:14:46.404 --> 00:14:49.007
♪
00:14:49.040 --> 00:14:49.974
♪ like a rose trampled on the ground ♪
00:14:50.008 --> 00:14:55.213
♪ you took the fall ♪
00:14:55.246 --> 00:14:57.715
♪
00:14:57.749 --> 00:14:59.417
♪ and thought of me ♪
00:14:59.450 --> 00:15:00.985
♪
00:15:01.019 --> 00:15:06.024
Crucified!
00:15:06.057 --> 00:15:07.258
♪ crucified, laid behind a stone ♪
00:15:07.291 --> 00:15:12.864
♪
00:15:12.897 --> 00:15:14.132
♪ you lived to die ♪
00:15:14.165 --> 00:15:17.135
♪ rejected and alone ♪
00:15:17.168 --> 00:15:19.604
♪
00:15:19.637 --> 00:15:20.571
♪ like a rose trampled on the ground ♪
00:15:20.605 --> 00:15:25.176
♪
00:15:25.209 --> 00:15:26.644
♪ you took the fall ♪
00:15:26.677 --> 00:15:28.446
♪
00:15:28.479 --> 00:15:30.214
♪ and thought of me ♪
00:15:30.248 --> 00:15:31.816
♪
00:15:31.849 --> 00:15:33.684
♪ above all ♪
00:15:33.718 --> 00:15:35.753
♪
00:15:35.787 --> 00:15:37.622
♪ like a rose, trampled on the ground ♪
00:15:37.655 --> 00:15:42.794
♪
00:15:42.827 --> 00:15:44.328
♪ you took the fall ♪
00:15:44.362 --> 00:15:46.330
♪
00:15:46.364 --> 00:15:47.865
♪ and thought of me ♪
00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:49.233
♪
00:15:49.267 --> 00:15:51.636
♪ above all. ♪
00:15:51.669 --> 00:15:54.639
♪
00:15:54.672 --> 00:15:57.975
(applause)
00:15:58.009 --> 00:16:01.979
♪♪
00:16:02.013 --> 00:16:04.916
(graham) i want to look at time
00:16:08.586 --> 00:16:11.489
When the roman governor, pilate, confronted jesus.
00:16:11.522 --> 00:16:14.992
It was a time of national unrest.
00:16:15.026 --> 00:16:16.727
There were deep divisions and fear.
00:16:16.761 --> 00:16:20.665
Jesus was falsely accused, he was betrayed by his own.
00:16:20.698 --> 00:16:24.302
He was arrested
00:16:24.335 --> 00:16:25.803
And he was sent to stand before pilate.
00:16:25.837 --> 00:16:30.641
Before pilate turned him over to the mob, he asked him:
00:16:30.675 --> 00:16:34.612
"what is truth?"
00:16:34.645 --> 00:16:36.948
Jesus had told his disciples,
00:16:36.981 --> 00:16:39.083
"i am the way, the truth,
00:16:39.117 --> 00:16:41.786
"and the life.
00:16:41.819 --> 00:16:43.187
"no man comes to the father
00:16:43.221 --> 00:16:45.056
"except through me."
00:16:45.089 --> 00:16:47.859
Jesus was now
00:16:47.892 --> 00:16:48.926
Sentenced to be crucified.
00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:51.195
They were agitators.
00:16:51.229 --> 00:16:53.297
They were religious leaders driven by pride and jealousy.
00:16:53.331 --> 00:16:58.736
There was an angry crowd
00:16:58.769 --> 00:17:00.872
Calling for him to be crucified.
00:17:00.905 --> 00:17:04.208
The roman government
00:17:04.242 --> 00:17:07.145
Was focused on holding on to its power.
00:17:07.178 --> 00:17:09.514
All the while,
00:17:09.547 --> 00:17:11.048
Jesus was standing right there in front of them.
00:17:11.082 --> 00:17:14.051
Jesus christ is the embodiment of truth.
00:17:14.085 --> 00:17:17.021
And they missed it.
00:17:17.054 --> 00:17:19.290
Pilate, nor the world, recognized him as the truth.
00:17:19.323 --> 00:17:22.860
And many today in the world do not recognize him.
00:17:22.894 --> 00:17:26.330
They mock him, they ridicule him,
00:17:26.364 --> 00:17:28.099
And they mock those that follow him.
00:17:28.132 --> 00:17:31.269
I think for a moment,
00:17:31.302 --> 00:17:32.737
Pontius pilate almost recognized him.
00:17:32.770 --> 00:17:35.106
His wife warned him.
00:17:35.139 --> 00:17:36.274
She said, "have nothing to do with this guy.
00:17:36.307 --> 00:17:38.209
"don't condemn him.
00:17:38.242 --> 00:17:39.744
"i've suffered today in a dream because of this man."
00:17:39.777 --> 00:17:43.548
But pilate didn't listen.
00:17:43.581 --> 00:17:45.216
Gave in to the demands of the crowd
00:17:45.249 --> 00:17:47.418
That were shouting, "crucify him! crucify him!"
00:17:47.451 --> 00:17:52.390
Pilate washed his hands
00:17:55.826 --> 00:17:57.828
And turned jesus over to the mob.
00:17:57.862 --> 00:18:03.601
The cross was the roman tool for execution.
00:18:03.634 --> 00:18:06.304
It was their form of the electric chair.
00:18:06.337 --> 00:18:08.806
Sometimes people would hang there for days
00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:11.609
In absolute agony on a wooden cross,
00:18:11.642 --> 00:18:14.478
Finally suffocating from their own weight,
00:18:14.512 --> 00:18:17.315
Unable to breathe.
00:18:17.348 --> 00:18:18.716
It was the most horrible death someone could die.
00:18:18.749 --> 00:18:21.852
And the romans were masters of cruelty and pain.
00:18:21.886 --> 00:18:27.358
While jesus was on the cross,
00:18:30.995 --> 00:18:33.497
God laid on his son the sins of the world.
00:18:33.531 --> 00:18:36.567
Sins past, sins present, and sins future.
00:18:36.601 --> 00:18:40.705
That's you and me here today.
00:18:40.738 --> 00:18:43.407
And jesus hung on that cross
00:18:43.441 --> 00:18:44.976
And god just dumped those sins,
00:18:45.009 --> 00:18:46.510
All of our sins, on him.
00:18:46.544 --> 00:18:48.145
Shedding his life blood.
00:18:48.179 --> 00:18:50.281
People were celebrating, they were jeering.
00:18:50.314 --> 00:18:53.584
Mocking him, saying,
00:18:53.618 --> 00:18:55.586
"save yourself, if you're the son of god.
00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:58.256
"come down from the cross."
00:18:58.289 --> 00:19:00.157
The world had no clue what was taking place
00:19:00.191 --> 00:19:03.327
Right in front of their eyes.
00:19:03.361 --> 00:19:04.495
It was god sacrificing his son.
00:19:04.528 --> 00:19:06.797
That's right-- god sacrificing his son
00:19:06.831 --> 00:19:10.401
For the sins of mankind.
00:19:10.434 --> 00:19:12.837
They didn't recognize the truth,
00:19:12.870 --> 00:19:14.805
And millions today still don't recognize the truth,
00:19:14.839 --> 00:19:17.975
Who jesus christ is,
00:19:18.009 --> 00:19:19.543
That what he has done for them on the cross.
00:19:19.577 --> 00:19:22.246
Even while he was hanging on the cross,
00:19:22.280 --> 00:19:24.615
Jesus was forgiving those who were crucifying him.
00:19:24.649 --> 00:19:28.719
He said, "father, forgive them,
00:19:28.753 --> 00:19:31.289
"for they don't know what they're doing."
00:19:31.322 --> 00:19:33.357
The bible says that jesus gave up his spirit.
00:19:33.391 --> 00:19:36.294
He died on the cross.
00:19:36.327 --> 00:19:37.862
They buried him.
00:19:37.895 --> 00:19:40.197
His enemies were high-fiving each other.
00:19:40.231 --> 00:19:43.434
They thought, "we have won."
00:19:43.467 --> 00:19:45.469
But easter-- but easter was coming.
00:19:45.503 --> 00:19:48.739
And from the cross he went to the grave
00:19:48.773 --> 00:19:51.609
And three days later,
00:19:51.642 --> 00:19:53.244
There was an earthquake, tremendous earthquake.
00:19:53.277 --> 00:19:58.049
(rumbling)
00:19:58.082 --> 00:19:59.550
And jesus stepped out of that tomb alive.
00:19:59.583 --> 00:20:02.320
(rumbling)
00:20:02.353 --> 00:20:04.689
And later that morning,
00:20:04.722 --> 00:20:06.424
The angel told one of jesus' followers
00:20:06.457 --> 00:20:08.626
Who'd come to look for him,
00:20:08.659 --> 00:20:10.227
"why do you seek the living among the dead?
00:20:10.261 --> 00:20:14.332
"he's not here, he's risen!"
00:20:14.365 --> 00:20:16.634
This is the greatest announcement
00:20:16.667 --> 00:20:18.703
That has ever been made in mankind.
00:20:18.736 --> 00:20:20.538
Jesus christ has conquered sin.
00:20:20.571 --> 00:20:22.440
He's conquered death.
00:20:22.473 --> 00:20:23.574
He's alive, he's risen.
00:20:23.607 --> 00:20:25.776
He's not here!
00:20:25.810 --> 00:20:27.144
And that is the truth.
00:20:27.178 --> 00:20:30.114
The grave couldn't hold him.
00:20:30.147 --> 00:20:32.817
The pharisees couldn't stop him.
00:20:32.850 --> 00:20:34.752
Death couldn't defeat him.
00:20:34.785 --> 00:20:36.687
The son of god came forth triumphant!
00:20:36.721 --> 00:20:39.090
Today he's at the right hand of god the father in heaven
00:20:39.123 --> 00:20:42.360
And the bible says he's coming back one day.
00:20:42.393 --> 00:20:45.596
That could be at any moment.
00:20:45.629 --> 00:20:47.465
This easter, let me ask the question:
00:20:47.498 --> 00:20:50.968
Do you know jesus christ?
00:20:51.001 --> 00:20:53.337
Have you surrendered your life to him?
00:20:53.371 --> 00:20:55.339
Are your sins forgiven?
00:20:55.373 --> 00:20:58.008
You can do that right now
00:20:58.042 --> 00:20:59.777
By just simply, in your heart,
00:20:59.810 --> 00:21:01.078
Just simply saying, "god, i'm a sinner.
00:21:01.112 --> 00:21:02.580
"i'm sorry, forgive me.
00:21:02.613 --> 00:21:03.814
"and i believe that jesus is your son.
00:21:03.848 --> 00:21:07.385
"i believe that he took my sins,
00:21:07.418 --> 00:21:09.220
"that he died in my place,
00:21:09.253 --> 00:21:11.122
"and i want to trust him as my savior.
00:21:11.155 --> 00:21:13.157
"i want to invite him to come into my heart,
00:21:13.190 --> 00:21:14.759
"take control of my life,
00:21:14.792 --> 00:21:16.494
"for the rest of my life."
00:21:16.527 --> 00:21:19.063
Don't put it off.
00:21:19.096 --> 00:21:21.098
He'll forgive you.
00:21:21.132 --> 00:21:22.933
He'll forgive your sins, he'll heal your heart.
00:21:22.967 --> 00:21:25.236
He'll give you eternity with him in heaven.
00:21:25.269 --> 00:21:29.340
The choice? it's yours.
00:21:29.373 --> 00:21:31.609
You can accept him, or you can reject him.
00:21:31.642 --> 00:21:35.713
What are you going to do with the truth today?
00:21:35.746 --> 00:21:39.850
(voice-over) if you have questions
00:21:39.884 --> 00:21:41.218
About a relationship with jesus christ,
00:21:41.252 --> 00:21:43.254
Call 855-255-pray
00:21:43.287 --> 00:21:46.724
Or go to billygraham.org/easter.
00:21:46.757 --> 00:21:50.561
We want to send you resources
00:21:50.594 --> 00:21:52.363
To help you grow closer to jesus.
00:21:52.396 --> 00:21:54.265
And you can chat with someone
00:21:54.298 --> 00:21:55.800
Who can help answer your questions.
00:21:55.833 --> 00:21:57.601
Just go to billygraham.org/easter
00:21:57.635 --> 00:22:01.372
Or call 855-255-pray.
00:22:01.405 --> 00:22:07.645
A very good friend of mine and my father's was
00:22:07.678 --> 00:22:09.847
Charlie daniels.
00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:11.415
Charlie is now in heaven.
00:22:11.449 --> 00:22:13.250
But not long before he died,
00:22:13.284 --> 00:22:15.820
He performed this song at his church,
00:22:15.853 --> 00:22:18.189
World outreach church, just outside of nashville
00:22:18.222 --> 00:22:20.825
In murfreesboro, tennessee.
00:22:20.858 --> 00:22:23.060
This is what easter's all about--
00:22:23.093 --> 00:22:25.362
Our hope is in a risen savior.
00:22:25.396 --> 00:22:28.599
He's alive forevermore.
00:22:28.632 --> 00:22:33.637
♪ the gates and doors ♪
00:22:33.671 --> 00:22:34.738
♪ were barred ♪
00:22:34.772 --> 00:22:35.573
♪ all the windows ♪
00:22:35.606 --> 00:22:36.707
♪ fastened down ♪
00:22:36.740 --> 00:22:37.808
♪
00:22:37.842 --> 00:22:38.742
♪ i spent the night ♪
00:22:38.776 --> 00:22:39.777
♪ in sleeplessness ♪
00:22:39.810 --> 00:22:41.212
♪ and rose at every sound ♪
00:22:41.245 --> 00:22:43.147
♪
00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:44.215
♪ half in hopeless sorrow ♪
00:22:44.248 --> 00:22:46.283
♪ and half in fear the day ♪
00:22:46.317 --> 00:22:49.086
♪ would find the soldiers breakin' through ♪
00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:52.022
♪ to drag us all away ♪
00:22:52.056 --> 00:22:54.225
♪
00:22:54.258 --> 00:22:59.497
♪ and just before the sunrise ♪
00:22:59.530 --> 00:23:01.632
♪ i heard something at the wall ♪
00:23:01.665 --> 00:23:03.767
♪
00:23:03.801 --> 00:23:04.869
♪ and then the gate began to rattle ♪
00:23:04.902 --> 00:23:06.971
♪ and a voice began to call ♪
00:23:07.004 --> 00:23:09.740
♪ and i hurried to the window ♪
00:23:09.773 --> 00:23:12.209
♪ and i looked down in the street ♪
00:23:12.243 --> 00:23:15.246
♪ expecting swords and torches ♪
00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:17.848
♪
00:23:17.882 --> 00:23:19.750
♪ and the sound of soldier's feet ♪
00:23:19.783 --> 00:23:21.852
♪
00:23:21.886 --> 00:23:26.690
♪ there was no one there but mary ♪
00:23:26.724 --> 00:23:28.926
♪ so i went down to let her in ♪
00:23:28.959 --> 00:23:31.795
♪ john stood there beside me ♪
00:23:31.829 --> 00:23:34.632
♪ as she told us where she'd been ♪
00:23:34.665 --> 00:23:37.268
♪ she said they've moved him in the night ♪
00:23:37.301 --> 00:23:40.237
♪ and none of us know where ♪
00:23:40.271 --> 00:23:43.173
♪ the stone's been rolled away ♪
00:23:43.207 --> 00:23:45.476
♪ and now his body isn't there ♪
00:23:45.509 --> 00:23:48.178
♪
00:23:48.212 --> 00:23:50.614
♪ and we both ran toward the garden ♪
00:23:50.648 --> 00:23:52.883
♪ and then john ran on ahead ♪
00:23:52.917 --> 00:23:55.219
♪
00:23:55.252 --> 00:23:56.220
♪ we found the stone and the empty tomb ♪
00:23:56.253 --> 00:23:58.289
♪ just the way that mary said ♪
00:23:58.322 --> 00:24:00.224
♪
00:24:00.257 --> 00:24:01.358
♪ but the winding sheet they'd wrapped him in ♪
00:24:01.392 --> 00:24:03.961
♪ was just an empty shell ♪
00:24:03.994 --> 00:24:06.764
♪ the how or where they'd taken him ♪
00:24:06.797 --> 00:24:09.233
♪ was more than i could tell ♪
00:24:09.266 --> 00:24:11.669
♪
00:24:11.702 --> 00:24:16.473
♪ well, something strange had happened here ♪
00:24:16.507 --> 00:24:18.909
♪ but just what i didn't know ♪
00:24:18.943 --> 00:24:20.911
♪
00:24:20.945 --> 00:24:22.379
♪ and john believed a miracle ♪
00:24:22.413 --> 00:24:24.315
♪ but i just turned to go ♪
00:24:24.348 --> 00:24:26.817
♪ circumstance and speculation ♪
00:24:26.850 --> 00:24:29.353
♪ couldn't lift me very high ♪
00:24:29.386 --> 00:24:32.122
♪
00:24:32.156 --> 00:24:33.824
♪ 'cause i'd seen them crucify him ♪
00:24:33.857 --> 00:24:36.594
♪
00:24:36.627 --> 00:24:38.362
♪ and then i saw him die ♪
00:24:38.395 --> 00:24:40.831
♪
00:24:40.864 --> 00:24:45.703
♪ back inside the house again ♪
00:24:45.736 --> 00:24:47.905
♪ the guilt and anguish came ♪
00:24:47.938 --> 00:24:50.107
♪
00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:52.476
♪ everything i'd ever promised him ♪
00:24:52.509 --> 00:24:54.645
♪ just added to my shame ♪
00:24:54.678 --> 00:24:57.581
♪ when at last it came to choices ♪
00:24:57.615 --> 00:25:00.217
♪ i denied i knew his name ♪
00:25:00.250 --> 00:25:02.720
♪
00:25:02.753 --> 00:25:04.521
♪ and even if he was alive ♪
00:25:04.555 --> 00:25:06.857
♪
00:25:06.890 --> 00:25:08.826
♪ it just wouldn't be the same ♪
00:25:08.859 --> 00:25:11.462
♪
00:25:11.495 --> 00:25:15.933
♪ and then suddenly the air was filled ♪
00:25:15.966 --> 00:25:18.268
♪ with a strange and sweet perfume ♪
00:25:18.302 --> 00:25:21.005
♪ light that came from everywhere ♪
00:25:21.038 --> 00:25:23.574
♪ drove the shadows from the room ♪
00:25:23.607 --> 00:25:26.076
♪ and jesus stood before me ♪
00:25:26.110 --> 00:25:28.946
♪ with his arms held open wide ♪
00:25:28.979 --> 00:25:33.450
♪ and i fell down on my knees ♪
00:25:33.484 --> 00:25:35.986
♪ and i just clung to him and cried ♪
00:25:36.020 --> 00:25:40.724
♪
00:25:40.758 --> 00:25:44.028
♪ he raised me to my feet ♪
00:25:44.061 --> 00:25:45.829
♪ and as i looked into his eyes ♪
00:25:45.863 --> 00:25:47.765
♪
00:25:47.798 --> 00:25:50.067
♪ love was shining out from him ♪
00:25:50.100 --> 00:25:52.403
♪ like sunlight from the skies ♪
00:25:52.436 --> 00:25:55.873
♪ guilt in my confusion ♪
00:25:55.906 --> 00:25:57.908
♪ disappeared in sweet release ♪
00:25:57.941 --> 00:26:01.011
♪
00:26:01.045 --> 00:26:02.646
♪ and every fear i'd ever had ♪
00:26:02.680 --> 00:26:04.982
♪ just melted into peace ♪
00:26:05.015 --> 00:26:07.718
♪
00:26:07.751 --> 00:26:24.735
♪ (he's alive, he's alive) ♪
00:26:24.768 --> 00:26:28.372
♪
00:26:28.405 --> 00:26:35.646
♪ (he's alive, he's alive) ♪
00:26:35.679 --> 00:26:38.882
♪
00:26:38.916 --> 00:26:42.920
♪ he's alive (he's alive) ♪
00:26:42.953 --> 00:26:45.022
♪ well, he's alive (he's alive) ♪
00:26:45.055 --> 00:26:47.691
♪ he is alive and i'm forgiven ♪
00:26:47.725 --> 00:26:50.327
♪ heaven's gates are open wide ♪
00:26:50.360 --> 00:26:53.330
♪ he's alive (he's alive) ♪
00:26:53.363 --> 00:26:55.799
♪ he is alive (he's alive) ♪
00:26:55.833 --> 00:26:58.769
♪ he's alive and i'm forgiven ♪
00:26:58.802 --> 00:27:01.371
♪ heaven's gates are open wide ♪
00:27:01.405 --> 00:27:04.208
♪
00:27:04.241 --> 00:27:05.008
♪ he's alive (he's alive) ♪
00:27:05.042 --> 00:27:06.977
♪ he is alive (he's alive) ♪
00:27:07.010 --> 00:27:09.513
♪ he's alive and i'm forgiven ♪
00:27:09.546 --> 00:27:12.382
♪ heaven's gates are open wide ♪
00:27:12.416 --> 00:27:15.052
♪
00:27:15.085 --> 00:27:16.120
♪ he's alive (he's alive) ♪
00:27:16.153 --> 00:27:18.655
♪ he is alive (he's alive) ♪
00:27:18.689 --> 00:27:20.524
♪ he is alive (he's alive, he's alive) ♪
00:27:20.557 --> 00:27:26.196
♪
00:27:26.230 --> 00:27:27.397
♪ he's alive! ♪
00:27:27.431 --> 00:27:31.101
(applause)
00:27:31.135 --> 00:27:34.538
♪♪
00:27:34.571 --> 00:27:35.506
(applause)
00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:39.409
(graham) that's right, jesus is alive forevermore.
00:27:39.443 --> 00:27:42.279
That's why we celebrate on easter.
00:27:42.312 --> 00:27:44.948
A risen savior, he's alive.
00:27:44.982 --> 00:27:47.117
We should be celebrating this every day.
00:27:47.151 --> 00:27:49.486
No one else paid the price for your sins.
00:27:49.520 --> 00:27:52.456
Only jesus christ.
00:27:52.489 --> 00:27:55.025
As we close, i want to say a thank you to
00:27:55.058 --> 00:27:58.862
The university of northwestern.
00:27:58.896 --> 00:28:00.230
We're so grateful to be here
00:28:00.264 --> 00:28:01.999
As we celebrate our risen savior.
00:28:02.032 --> 00:28:03.901
God bless each and every one of you,
00:28:03.934 --> 00:28:06.103
And thank you for watching.
00:28:06.136 --> 00:28:07.504
And may you have a blessed easter.
00:28:07.538 --> 00:28:26.924

Franklin Graham: What is Truth?

April 5, 2026 | 28:29

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