Apostle's Acts — Leonard Ravenhill

Let's turn to the Acts of the Apostles, or as somebody has said, some of the Acts of some of the Apostles. Because we don't know where they all went anyhow, and we don't know what they all did. I think every one of the Apostles, with the exception of one, can be traced to what?

Martyrdom. Every one of the twelve that followed Jesus were eventually martyred. This is a cliche of mine, think about it when you go home. I believe our crucified Lord demands crucified followers. If you're not crucified with him, you can't follow him.

Acts chapter 1, the former treaties have I made, now in case you're here for the first time, I read from the King James, you know, the Living Bible. The former treaties have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach, until the day in which he was taken up.

After that he, through the Holy Ghost, notice, through the Holy Ghost who had given commandments, unto the Apostles whom he had chosen, to whom he showed also, he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs.

You know I can't draw anyhow, but let's make a pyramid, you can guess what that, that's a pyramid. Now supposing you turn it upside down. The whole of Christian philosophy, Christian teaching, depends on one thing.

It says in the first book of Corinthians chapter 15, that if there is no resurrection we're yet in our sins. You know people get disgusted sometimes, they kind of shudder, nudge each other when I say you know we're not saved by the death of Christ, we're saved by his resurrection, that's what Paul says, we're saved by his life.

You know the thing that grieves me, we believe, we get excited, I do, about the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, his triumph over the grave, but you know he may as well be dead as far as four billion people in the world are tonight, they don't know a thing about him.

You know the message of the New Testament wasn't so much the cross, it was the resurrection of Jesus. You think of Paul, as I've said, he was born in the ancient capital of the world, Tarsus, he finished in the military capital of the world, Rome.

He went to the religious capital of the world, Jerusalem. He went to the corrupt capital of the world, Corinth. He went to the intellectual capital in the 16th, 17th chapter of Acts, and he met the poets and Epicureans and Stoics and philosophers, and they listened to him, they listened to him for a while, and then suddenly he says there's a man called Jesus, and he died and rose from the dead, and said get out, there's the door.

As soon as he mentioned the resurrection from the dead, it was completely foreign to their thinking. After all, Buddha never said he'd rise from the dead. Jesus started by saying I am the way, the truth, and the life, Buddha died saying I'm searching for life, I'm searching for light, I'm searching for truth, it's a bit late.

There were two Englishmen, I must tell you about the English anyhow. When I was in England, which seemed years ago, I needed a few years ago anyhow, there were two men by the same name, they were both knighted by the king, they were both called Ambrose Fleming, and they both became Sir Ambrose Fleming.

Now I don't know which one it was, but one of them said a wonderful thing, he said that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the best attested fact in history. The best attested fact in history. One of the classics, better get my friend Jacob there, think about reprinting this.

There's a book written by Frank Morrison a few years ago called Who Moved the Stone, it's a marvellous book, it's out of print I think, it should be reprinted. I'll tell you why it's a wonderful book, because he started, he's going to demolish Christian theology, he's going to prove Jesus didn't rise from the dead.

So he spent about a couple of years on the thing, and he proved Jesus didn't rise from the dead, up to that point, then he got saved and found he did. So then he wrote his book, Who Moved the Stone. I used to have a pastor, he was supposed to be my assistant, but I was his I think.

He was a brilliant preacher. And so often he used to quote about two men, particularly in street meetings. He would talk about a man called Gilbert West. In England they'd say he was a commoner. But he struck up at the university with Lord Littleton, who was a lord of course, a nobleman.

And one day they discussed Christianity. One of them said, I can't get hold of this thing, it's a strange thing. Well sure it's strange. Christianity began with an empty womb, it finished with an empty tomb, in between it had an empty cross.

And they sat down and discussed this for a while. Well you see the first thing is the birth of Jesus, which the theologians, like Jacob there, they call it the incarnation. And the last thing is what?

The resurrection. Without the resurrection, the incarnation is incomplete. Without the incarnation, the resurrection is impossible. Anyhow these two men decided they would go their separate ways, and I don't know how long they were away, about two years.

And they agreed to meet at a certain point, and when they met they both came with a jubilee and wrapped each other in their arms. What happened to Gilbert? Oh, the Christ that I didn't believe was risen, he's risen.

Where is he now? He's in my heart. I like that song, you know, I serve a risen saviour, it's in the world today. You ask me how I know he lives. Do you know that? I serve a risen saviour, he's in the world today.

I know that he is living, whatever men may say. His hands are mercy, I hear his voice of cheer. And just the time I need him. Stand up and sing better. He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me, a long life now.

He lives, salvation truly. What's the next verse? In all the world around me, do we know that? Oh, rejoice, rejoice, you sing it Martha did. Rejoice, rejoice, oh Christian, lift up your voice and sing.

Eternal is to Jesus Christ, the King. Hope of all who seek him, the help of all who find him. None other is so loving, so good. Sing it. He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me, a long life now.

Well look there ahead of you, let's sing it for them afresh. Maybe get a smile. Rejoice, rejoice, oh Christian, lift up your voice and sing. Eternal is to Jesus Christ, the King. Hope of all who seek him, the help of all who find him.

None other is so loving, so good. Acts chapter 1, reading from verse, pardon me, Acts chapter 1, reading from verse 1. The former treatise of Angel Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and to teach.

As you know, this man wrote the book of Luke. It was Luke that's writing. Until the day in which he was taken up after he had, through the Holy Ghost, had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen.

I'm going to put a stress here. To whom also he showed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proves. Being seen of them, notice that? Being seen of them. Verse 4, being assembled together with them, commanded them.

You know, I had never realized this, but it came with a tremendous impact on my mind. There comes a time in the affairs of individuals and nations when God walks out on them. The Jews thought they could kick Jesus around, do as they like.

And they say, get out of here. What did he say? He said, your house is left desolate. They've never been a nation since. They're coming back a bit now and they'll get better further on. But isn't it amazing?

It was to them. Who? To his disciples. That he revealed himself. But you know what people say? Well, some of the critics used to say, well, of course these fellows were all expecting Jesus. He never rose from the dead, of course.

They were seeing, it was hallucinations. It was something psychic. Well, that's blown, blow the bottom out of that. He was seen of them 40 days. If he'd seen them for 40 minutes, he would have been different.

He was there 40 days, teaching them about the kingdom. That must have been a Bible school to go to. Wouldn't you like to have gone? Jacob nods his head, okay. He knows it all, so he doesn't have to. I would go with Jacob too.

Being seen of them. I was reading in, was it, is it Luke? It's such an amazing, astounding thing. The greatest miracle the world has ever had. First it was the incarnation, when Jesus came into that empty womb.

Now we have an empty tomb. The greatest miracle that's ever been done. You know, in the book of Revelation he says, I stand at the door and knock. But you remember in another case, while they were all assembled, he didn't even knock to come in.

He barged right in. Came through the walls. Walls make no difference to him. You know, you can put people in, you can wall them in, in prison, but you can't roof anybody in. I don't care where you are, it can be a hell hole.

As it was with John on the Isle of Patmos. But they were all there, nervous, afraid, because of what might happen. And he came in. And what did he do? Oh, about the most prosaic thing you could ever think.

Here they were, these men had lost everything. They'd given up their business careers. They'd given up fortunes. They'd left their wives. They'd left their children. They'd left their associates. They'd become outcasts to the temple.

And what does he do? He showed them his hands and his feet. Doesn't that sound childish? You see, one man there said, well, you can agree, if you like, with those women that were screaming up the street there.

He's risen, he's risen. Yeah, you get me. Well, he was there, just where you're standing. He was there just a few minutes ago. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'll believe that. I'll believe it when I can put my finger in the nail print in his hand.

When I can put my hand in his side. Good night. Was a man ever ashamed of what he said? Jesus turned up at the next meeting. He says, come on, Thomas. No, it's all right, Lord. It's all right. It's all right.

Let's do it in private, where there's nobody to see me humiliated and embarrassed. You know, you better watch. Sometimes God answers prayer. Sometimes he's afraid to. Somebody said, if we all got our prayers, all the prayers we've answered, were answered, boy, we'd be terribly embarrassed.

And maybe we won't. But it was to them in the upper room. You know, this is the greatest event. You know, this event did it. Matthew says that when they went to see the stone was rolled away from the door.

Well, this book says who rolled away the stone. It tells you who rolled away the stone, an angel from heaven. I wonder how they got the stone there. Every demon in hell is trembling. Every angel is ready to sing a hallelujah.

The devil is shrinking and cringing. He's watched every step of Jesus. He's tried to get him not to go to the cross. If you want to know how valuable worship is, I'll tell you. The devil says, I'll give you every kingdom of this world.

If you just bend the knee and acknowledge, that's all. Or just bend your knee, that's all. Acknowledge that you're inferior to me. And I'll give you all the kingdoms of this world. I used to think he meant real estate.

He didn't mean that. He knew Jesus owns the world and all that's in it. He'd possibly been there when he and the Father put the world together. When he just threw the stars into the heavens. I read the other day there are about 500 billion stars.

Isn't that something? And he was there. But he said, I'll give you all the kingdoms of the world. You don't need to go to the cross. Save yourself. Have all the kingdoms of the world. I'll give you the military kingdom of the world.

That's the Roman Empire. I'll give you the intellectual kingdom of the world. That's the Greeks. I'll give you the religious empire of the world. That's the Jews. I'll give you them all. Just bow down.

That's all you have to do. And it's all yours. But that wonderful word says, he set his face as a flint to go to Jerusalem. And the devil is fearing every move that Jesus makes. Because he knows he's going there finally to the cross.

And when the cross takes his life. It means death for him. It means life for millions and millions and millions of people. I love that hymn. There is a fountain filled with blood. I love to sing the dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day.

And the fountain is open now. For whosoever will may come. But why did God do this all in a corner? Notice what it says. They saw him alive after his resurrection. Nobody saw him resurrected. Only the man on God's earth saw him resurrected.

If I could use it as a private display for the Father. And the Son and the Holy Ghost and the angels. It was too holy, too sacred. Nobody saw him die except the Father. Doesn't it say that the clouds went black as midnight?

Doesn't it say that the impact when mercy and truth met together. And righteousness and peace kissed each other. When the stone was rolled away there was a great earthquake. I believe at that moment the very foundations of hell shook.

Because Jesus is going to abolish death. And lead light and immortality to life. But here we have him. You know when some people thought Jesus was a bit nervous. And one man says I'll take your life from you.

I like his answer, it's beautiful. He says no man taketh my life from me. I lay it down and I'll take it up. Boy that must have made the devil sick. In other words he's saying Lucifer you've lost already.

I'm going to lay my life down at the right time. There's an appointment. Read through John's Gospel and all the times he's saying it. My hour is not yet come, my hour is not yet come. And then he says for this hour I came into the world.

You know some of you young guys better get that stuck down in your tummy or in your heart. The most difficult days in human history are coming up. You better get clear in your mind for this hour you came into the world.

You were born at the right moment. You were saved at the right moment. And there's a calendar God has for your life. And God helps you if you miss it. The most important thing in the world is to know the will of God.

Number one in the will of God he wills not the death of one sinner. Number two is the will of God is your sanctification. After that you take it. But again why is it done like this? I mean God why didn't you display some awesome power?

Why let the world go on for another two thousand years through another hundred wars. And put to death a billion people. Or more than a billion from the time Jesus died until he comes again. Why didn't you put a spectacle on?

Oh I'd like it to have been done my way. Oh as I say these people said well you know I mean they were all nervous and afraid and they they'd been expecting him but that's the very opposite. Not one of them expected him.

You know teachers get disgusted. I get preachers who come to my office and say you know my people don't believe me. They're not going on. Some of them have been five years and they're no further up the road.

They're no more spiritual. They're still childish. They're still carnal. They're still consumed with sports. They still find most entertainment in TV. They're so childish. Well that's not what Jesus died for.

He died that we might be totally divorced from this present evil world and live as though we were already in heaven. With a disposition of heaven. I don't believe you're saved if you get angry. Now there is a holy anger but if you get angry because somebody upsets you.

Or peevish or something. That's childish. Forget it. So does a man up the street and he runs around with women. So does a woman down the street and she's a drunken. He died to make us examples on earth of the heavenly life.

Thy kingdom come in earth in this earthly part of me. I say I would like to another spectacle. The disciples didn't believe him. I've told you this before I'll say it again because I get a lift out of it anyhow.

In the... What's the opera house in Milan called? The Scala? Pardon? La Scala. La Scala. Thank you. Did you sing there Betty? The La Scala. Verdi played his opera there the first time. Aida. And when it finished at night they unhitched the horses from his carriage and shunted them down the street.

And they pulled the carriage around to his hotel. At eleven o 'clock at night and at one, two, three, four and five in the morning they were still screaming Verdi, Verdi, Verdi, Verdi. He kept getting out of bed and looking and the mass was there.

They were still there six hours after the opera finished. Because they'd seen something and heard something different. Now here is the greatest miracle in the history of the world and there wasn't one person there.

The disciples were not waiting for him to come. They didn't believe he would come. So if you get discouraged remember Jesus had the same thing to handle. I wonder Peter wasn't it? If the disciples had believed he would raise from the dead that had been standing in line then Peter would have been first.

And I think he might have grabbed him and said Lord I hope you can have a spectacle here. You know these Jews are gloating over us. The Romans are sneering at us. Everybody else is pouring contempt on us.

Now wouldn't it be wonderful? Let's ask the Father to send a couple of thousand angels to march down Main Street Jerusalem at midnight. And let's have Gabriel leading the band. And as it says with harps and with viols in the book of Revelation.

They could have shaken the world but he didn't do that. He showed them his hands and his feet. I wonder Peter didn't say well you told us you were the resurrection and the life. And for a while it gripped us.

You remember when Jesus went and he talked to Lazarus when Lazarus was in his grave. And he stood there and he said you roll away the stone. You know we want God to do everything. He says you roll the stone away I'll do the rest.

You fill the water pots to the brim and I'll change it. But we want him to make the water pots and do everything. And leave us darling little people alone with clean hands and sleeping in our wonderful beds.

Some of you will be sorry you got some of those super beds. We're so wasting everything takes our time. Well why not have a parade? Why not go down the street? We saw you there at the tomb of Lazarus you said come forth.

Is that what he said? No. What did he say? He said Lazarus come forth. If he said come forth all the cemetery would have come. And it wasn't time for them to come so he said Lazarus come forth. And he says don't marvel at this marvel at this.

Not that at this. That these same lips one day are going to shout one word. Because remember Jesus has the keys of death and hell. They're not on the belt of that old bachelor that lives in Rome. I use that when I'm in an aeroplane and it's getting rough.

I say well the Lord has the keys and I can't die here unless it's my time. But at the voice of the Son of God he has the one key that fits every grave in the universe. And one day he's going to say to everybody come forth and they're going to rise in billions.

From Adam right down to the very moment that he said that. No there's no display put on. Again the awesome thing to me is that when he rose with all his power and all his majesty he never went back to the world again.

He never went back to a synagogue. He never went back to, I wish he had. I wish he'd gone to Pontius Pilate at one o 'clock in the morning and just punched him on the chest and said well I'm here. And then gone to the high priest and pulled his beard and said well Rabbi what are you going to do now?

Come on wouldn't you think that when they knew he was already in the tomb and he said he'd be resurrected wouldn't you think the woman at the well would have been there? Don't you think blind Bartimaeus ought to have been there?

Don't you think every leopard that he healed ought to have been there? Well in God's name where were they? Well where were you this morning when you could have worshipped him in spirit and in truth? Shopping or gossiping or what in God's name were you doing?

It's easy to point the finger at the other guys. We're standing this side of the cross, this side of the resurrection, this side of the Holy Ghost being given and we're just about as impotent anyhow. I've told you many times and I'll tell you many times more if the Lord lets me live.

I'm tired of living amongst dwarfs. I got a letter from a pretty well known preacher last week. I want to see you Mr. Abner. I want to come and see a great man. I've never seen a great man. Well I'm a great man.

I grate on most people. A great man. He's been going around the country with some of the leading preachers in America and he's never found a great man. I'm looking for men with holiness. I'm looking for men with integrity.

I'm looking for men with character. Where are they? Well they're in the process of being made. They're not strutting on TV. You never find a prophet begging. I say again this wasn't a show. In about the second I haven't checked it but it's about the second verse of John 17.

Jesus says to his father I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. He had finished his ministry publicly. But on the cross he said it is finished. And it was finished. Well what do you think all those rabbis and teachers thought?

They said look there you see that fellow there? Oh he's getting old and grey. That's John Baptist. He's the one that stood one day and hollered down the valley. Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.

And he said they're going to crucify. There he is. That's the end of the Jewish system. That's the end of our sacrifice. We're all out of work. Isn't it amazing that if there are a million sins or billions they were all laid on Jesus there?

You see you get sentimental about Jesus. The Catholic Church has plastic Christ on a wooden cross, a plastic cross. And nails through his hands and imitation blood painted. And the brow with the thorns.

And there they play on the emotions of people. But that wasn't it. Don't you think the thieves were just as torn up emotionally and intellectually? Weren't they leaving their families? Weren't they humiliated?

Well what are you going to give them in place of the sacrifice? I'm going to give you what it says in Isaiah 53. A pen picture of Jesus painted 750 years before Jesus came to the world. I don't understand this.

It baffles me. We'll discuss it sometime. There is Jesus and the father is going to watch his son crushed to death. The Lord hath laid on him. Not the devil. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

It pleased the Lord to bruise him. How do you fathom it? Again that lovely hymn. Bearing shame and scoffing rude in my place condemned he stood. Seal my pardon with his blood. Well why in God's name when he was condemned.

And they put an old dirty robe on him. A moth eaten robe of a king. It had been thrown on one side. And he wore that stinking robe that you might have a robe of righteousness. How often do you think of it?

They put a crown of thorns on his head that you and I might have a crown of eternal life. He was separated from the father that we might be brought to the father. He took human nature that we might have divine nature.

He left eternity for 33 years. So that you and I could go to eternity for 33 billion years as far as that goes. It pleased the Lord to bruise him. Now where was he born? He was born outside of wedlock as far as people thought.

Before long he was put out of his own family. His family turned against him. Then he was put out of the city. And then finally they took him down to the place the scum. Hebrews says he was what? Crucified where?

Without the gate or outside the gate. Where was it? It was where all the sewage of the city ran. It's where they threw the carcasses of dead people. It's where the lepers were allowed to be free. Everything that was vile and corrupt and impure and shocking and stinking.

Everything that tasted of revolt or rebellion or wickedness or vileness was all there. And they took the spotless son of God into that corruption. You know we've lost the art of meditation. I think we'd have a lot more tears if we discovered it.

And there he goes to that cesspool. But wait a minute where are the disciples? Well one guy says listen you can't, Jesus you can't depend on John. He's very loving and emotional. And you know the others are not very substantial.

But me, I'd die for you three times over in three hours if I could. Boy hardly got them out of his mouth before he was running away. In the hour when he needed them most the disciples were not there. Why didn't they stand on either side of the road?

You know they show a picture of the, on TV at six o 'clock tonight. Pilgrims going down the Via Dolorosa as they call it, the place of suffering. Why weren't the disciples on either side saying Lord we're praying.

We'll soon be shouting lift up your heads O ye gates. Be lifted up ye everlasting doors. It's going to pass very quickly. See it through, see. They'd all run away. There wasn't one of them there. What a bunch.

Nobody at the tomb finally. Nobody to escort him or praise him or rejoicing him. The lepers had forgotten they were cleansed. The blind had forgotten they got their eyes. They'd gone back to business.

They'd gone back to life as usual. God help us that's what we do. I'm told of a preacher in town that said the other day, the other Sunday. Nobody's getting saved anymore. Sure they aren't, nobody's preaching salvation that's why.

We're preaching blessing and help and prosperity. And even amongst the so-called redeemed. Well you know dear the Lord I want you to have victory and read a little bit more of your Bible and pray another few minutes and everything will be alright.

Listen if a man is really born again of the Spirit of God it's the most radical thing this side of eternity. He becomes a new creature, has a new heart, a new mind. What is Jesus going through hell for?

So you can come up and say to the preacher I'm sorry. Oh I'm so sorry. And then go back and live the same damnable life. With no victory over sin, with no appetite for God. You'd rather read the sports page than the sacred page.

You can spend your time meditating on that dumb idol you have. Now I'm not thinking you'll go to heaven because you get rid of your TV or go to hell because you have one either. It's no more dangerous than your children reading books.

If they read books they may play boys from rotten stuff a bit further up but you don't stop them doing it. It's a case of having control over these things that are there round about. But again you see they weren't there.

I'll go back a little here. I've picked up a number of articles recently about the crucified life. The first time when I came to America in 1950 I went to a Christian Missionary Alliance conference and they sang that lovely hymn.

I'd never heard it. Oh to be like thee, blessed Redeemer. You know that? This is my constant longing. Oh to be like thee, oh to be like thee. Do we want to be like him? These people are going to have 40 days of tuition.

40 is the number of testing. The book of Matthew is the 40th book in the Bible because the nation of Israel was tested with having the Christ of God in the midst. Moses had 40 years in the backside of the desert.

Jesus had 40 days of temptation. Do you mean that? Are you going to challenge God and say I want 40 days of temptation such as I've never had before in my life? In all points. My sex life, my social life, my spiritual life, my intellectual life, my emotional life.

Are you prepared to go out like that and say that's what I want? I've never heard anybody... I've been going around meetings for about 75 years. I've never heard anybody describe their Gethsemane experience but there are people who have them.

There are people who are having them. And some of you will have them. Again in the garden. Where were they? They were away. Safely away. And you see the great test in the Christian life is loneliness.

Let me say it again. The biggest challenge in your life is come down from the cross and save yourself. Why sacrifice? They aren't sacrificing. Why fast? They aren't fasting. Why give up some of your time?

They're not doing it. They're living at ease. They're living free. They're having a marvelous time. Well it's just because you don't happen to be they. That's why it's not profound. You happen to be you.

It is the way the master went. Should not the servant tread it still? So again they were not there at the tomb. They left him after the cross. They didn't go down with him in his humiliation, in his shame.

Jesus says no man takes my life, I'll raise it up again. But if you read Romans 8 you remember somewhere about verse 11. It says the spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead. Who raised up Jesus?

The Holy Ghost. Who raised up Jesus himself? Who raised up Jesus? Peter says to that bunch that is pointing the finger at the whole hierarchy of the church. And he said you know why we're excited? You know why we're here?

Because there's one who you crucified and put on a tree. But him hath God raised up. So God raised him up. The Holy Ghost raised him up. He himself with his immortal eternal power raised him up. You get a combination of the deities.

What chance has hell got against that? Do you wonder that Paul with all his amazing life. One of the most amazing men in history after Jesus. He's done everything Jesus did except walk on the water. He's raised the dead.

He's cast out demons. He stood before kings. He's terrified kings. This blessed little man. And he's been in prison. And he's written epistles. He's been blazing the trail for men for all his life. And yet when he's got well up the road.

When dear God he's had more miracles and ministry than a dozen other guys. And all the other apostles put together. And he says that I may know him and the power of his resurrection. What was the power of his resurrection?

It was over death. It was over sin. It was over circumstances. It was over the fear of man. It was over the opposition of man. And he said I want that same resident power in me. The power of his resurrection.

So here's Jesus. And he's there. He's in a tomb. And they roll a stone over it. Is that all? Somewhere in your reading you'll maybe come across some books by J .H. Jowett. A very fine English preacher from Carvelin Congregational Church in England.

And then he came to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in New York. But you know preachers like to hear preachers. Jacob nods. He came to hear me tonight. But anyhow. And Dr. Jowett said whenever I could get a weekend off I would catch the train.

And I would go down and hear that greatest of all preachers in London at that time. And Spurgeon was preaching then. And F .B. Meyer was preaching then. And William Booth was preaching then. And I need to ask Martha.

I need the sign language. What was the... No, MacLeod was in Manchester. In London? The man that prayed. Parker, thank you. Joseph Parker. And he said I went into that meeting and he said Joseph Parker buried Jesus as only Parker could bury him.

He said he had the streets thronging with people. And he had the crowd all there. And he had people that wanted to get near and so forth and so on. And then he said they put him in a tomb. And then they rolled a stone over it.

And then he said they put wax on the stone to make it airtight so the air couldn't get in the tomb. And then they put the king's signature on it. Put a big blob of wax there. And stamped it. My daddy used to have a signet ring he called it.

It was a gold ring and it had his initials in. W .R. Walter Adener. When he sent important letters he'd get some wax and put it on the back of the letter then stamp. Put his signature on it. People knew who sent it.

Well the Romans put their signature on that. They put the wax so the air couldn't get in. And then they put seals on it. But wait a minute. Parker didn't go far enough. Let me finish it off for you. So there's a stone against the Christ so he can't get up.

There's wax there. There's four quaternions of soldiers. Four soldiers on shifts four times a day. Isn't it amazing the unbelieving world had more faith than the disciples? Huh? The wicked people thought he'd rise from the dead.

The dumb disciples didn't. So you've got the stone and the wax and the seals. But wait a minute there's more than that. Satan's looking down and he says you what? That man's beaten me. I've tried to get the advantage of him for the last three and a half years and I've never once beaten him.

I've tempted him on every point but he's escaped. He cannot be corroded, corrupted. He cannot be persuaded. Now just watch. He's going to do something drastic. Yes it's prophesied he'll rise again. Well we'll see that he doesn't.

Is that stone fixed? Yes your majesty Satan it is. Not even an earthquake could move it but it did a bit later. But he says there's a stone and the wax but there's something else to do. What else can we do?