"Two years ago at one of the events I was speaking at, one of the most powerful leaders in the world came and um, and I had began to carry on a conversation with this man. And at the end of the conversation I gave this man a great big hug because he needed one."
Family Discussions:
- Would you give the rest of your life for one person to come to Christ?
- Would you give your position?
- Would you give your popularity if just one person came to Christ?
Transcription:
00:14 Hey, of all the people that I admire, the ones I admired the most are men and women of courage. This is one of the most courageous scenes in scripture and I hope it encourages you today. We're in Acts chapter four and we're looking at verse 10 through 12 and the context of what's going on today, you know, Peter and John had just healed or Christ had healed this man who had been lame from birth. And so they drew all kinds of attention. The next thing they know, they're in a trial and they're about to go to prison. Um, so Peter testifies this. You talk about courage. This guy's fixing to lose it all and he stands up in front of them and he says, 'let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ, the Nazarene whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. By this name, this man stands here before you in good health. He talking about Jesus is the stone which was rejected by you. The builders, but which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.'
01:30 Don't want to give any names. But, um, two years ago at one of the events I was speaking at, one of the most powerful leaders in the world came and um, and I had began to carry on a conversation with this man. And at the end of the conversation I gave this man a great big hug because he needed one. And, and then I just, I just looked him in the eyes and I said, well, then go represent Jesus. Go represent Jesus. And this particular world leader, um, went out and in about more ways than I can count begin to, uh, begin to do everything he could to undermine, uh, the teachings of Jesus. And, um, and, and the principles of scripture. You know what man? It is not your title or your position that's going to be respected by men. You know, it's not the, the learning and the knowledge.
02:25 It's not your position as captain of the team. It's not your position as CEO of the company. It's not going to be your position of power that's going to impress God, but it's going to be the way that you represent Christ. And you know what? I can't point my finger at that man or really anybody else. I've got to point my finger at me. Um, and I hope you have the courage today to do the same thing. Um, you know, representing Jesus. Um, it's the most important thing in the world. You know, it ain't what we know. It ain't how big we are. It ain't how much money we have. But it's how much people see a Christ in us. Because you know what, in about a trillion years, that's all it's going to matter. I remember when I first got leukemia, I was on my way to speak to 10,000 men in Providence, Rhode Island in a hockey arena.
03:16 And God asked me a question when I was in the shower about to go out and speak. He said, Joe, would you give the last 30 years of your life for one guy to come to Christ tonight? Toughest question I've ever been asked. And you know, being selfish, I didn't want it. I didn't want to, I didn't want to do it. I didn't want to give the last 30 years of my life and say, God, take me out now. Let the cancer kill me. That one man might relate to my sickness tonight and come to Christ. But then I saw that man in heaven a trillion years from now. I saw in my mind, and I said, God, absolutely. If I have to give 30 years that one guy could come to Christ tonight, take it. You can take it all for one guy.
03:51 Well, that night, about 6,000 men came to the cross. It was the most fun nights of my life. Would you give the rest of your life for one person to come to Christ? Would you give your position? Would you give your popularity if just one person came to Christ? Well, Peter was willing to do that and that's why we're still talking about him today. And here's the lifeline today. Here's what you think about. In your family, in your home, in your business, are you willing to give it all? We were willing to lay down your life for one? Lay down your life may mean saying you're sorry. Laying down your life may mean saying to that person sitting next to you right now. Will you please forgive me? I'm committed to you. To love you like Jesus would.