Easter with Franklin Graham: What is Truth?

(Voice-over) Welcome to a special presentation from Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota. (Graham) Deep trouble has shaken many cities like Minneapolis. (people clamoring, sirens blaring) (Graham) It seems like the whole world is in conflict. (chanting) In this time of division, many are wondering, where can we find truth? (Voice-over) An Easter message from Franklin Graham. (Graham) My father, Billy Graham, had a long-lasting, personal connection to this beautiful place.

I want to reflect on the truth that grounded his life. And remember some of the musical greats who became his friends. (Voice-over) Exclusive performances from the legendary voices of Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, and Michael W. Smith. (Graham) Whatever is going on in your life, I want you to know the truth can set you free.

Happy Easter to each and every one. On this day, Christians around the world great each other with these words: He is risen! And the response? He is risen indeed! And He is risen! It's true! Jesus Christ is not dead, He's alive! He came from heaven to this earth for one reason, and that was to save you from your sins.

Right now I'm in Minneapolis St. Paul, Minnesota. In recent months, these cities became a place of chaos, turmoil. Tensions exploded here. Sparking protests, pain, and debate that is still going on. (Chanting) No peace! No justice! No peace! No justice! (Graham) I wanted to come to Minneapolis St. Paul this Easter because it's a special place to me.

My father, Billy Graham, was just 29 years old when he became president of this college, Northwestern College, which is now a university. Yeah, look at this. (Graham) You can imagine, at 29 years of age, him being the president of a college? Well, my father couldn't imagine it either.

But God had a plan. ((applause)) And this college helped to give my father a launching pad for his global ministry. In 1950, he founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and chose Minneapolis as the home base for his ministry. It was headquartered here for over 50 years. ((applause)) (man) Ladies and gentlemen, the great city of Minneapolis honors Billy Graham. (Voice-over) He is truly one of the world's most influential leaders.

((applause)) In those days, my father would televise his crusades on all the networks at that time across the country and at the end he would encourage people to write him. And for decades people remember my father saying at the end of every broadcast, "Just write to me, Billy Graham Minneapolis, Minnesota. "That's all the address you need."

And it was. And we still have an envelope someone addressed to: Billy Graham, "Minnie Apples", and "Minnie Soda", like it was a Coca-Cola. And another one that was addressed to just, Billy Graham, America. And those letters made it to him right here. As I stand here in this chapel, it's hard to understand the depth to which our country has fallen.

The hatred, the violence, the crime--it's rampant. (explosion) (people yelling) (Graham) Conflict is everywhere. Just turn on the news or scroll through social media. Conflicts always have two sides and both sides believe they're right. How do we know what is true? Well, two thousand years ago, a Roman governor named Pilate stood face-to-face with Jesus Christ and asked Him a piercing question: What is truth?

In a moment, I want to share with you what Jesus said about this age-old question. But since we're here and reflecting back on my father's ministry, I thought you would enjoy hearing from a country music legend who had a very special relationship with my father and performed in many of his evangelistic crusades.

And that is the one and only Johnny Cash. Johnny was one of my father's closest friends. They would talk by the hour on the phone. They would vacation together. They spent time together in each other's homes. For many years, Johnny ran from God. He struggled with drugs and alcohol.

But ultimately he surrendered his life to the transforming power of Jesus Christ. And in 1994, he came down to my father's crusade at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta and performed this song that he had written, Redemption, and I think it's so fitting today as we celebrate a risen Savior, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth to redeem us from our sins.

He came from heaven to earth on a redemption mission. Let's hear from Johnny Cash. ? From His hands it came down ? ? From His side it came down ? ? From His feet it came down ? ? And ran to the ground ? ? ? Between heaven and hell ? ?

A teardrop fell ? ? In the deep crimson dew ? ? The tree of life grew ? ? ? And the blood gave life ? ? To the branches of the tree ? ? And the blood was the price ? ? That set the captives free ? ?

And the numbers that came ? ? Through the fire and the flood ? ? Clung to the tree ? ? And were redeemed by the blood ? ? ? From the tree streamed a light ? ? That started the fight ? ? 'Round the tree grew the vine ? ?

On whose fruit I could dine ? ? ? My old friend Lucifer came ? ? Fought to keep me in chains ? ? But I saw through the tricks ? ? Of six-sixty-six ? ? ? And the blood gave life ? ? To the branches of the tree ? ?

And the blood was the price ? ? That set the captives free ? ? And the numbers that came ? ? Through the fire and the flood ? ? Clung to the tree ? ? And were redeemed by the blood ? ? ? From His hands it came down ? ?

From His side it came down ? ? From His feet it came down ? ? And ran to the ground ? ? ? Then a small inner voice ? ? Said, "You do have a choice" ? ? The Vine engrafted me ? ? And I clung to the tree ? ? ?

And the blood gave life ? ? To the branches of the tree ? ? And the blood was the price ? ? That set the captives free ? ? With the numbers that came ? ? Through the fire and the flood ? ? I clung to the tree ? ?

And was redeemed by the blood ? ? ?? ((applause)) This Easter I want to look at a question Pilate asked: What is Truth? We turn on the news and wonder if what we're hearing is true. On social media, with AI so rampant, we have to wonder, is what I'm seeing with my own eyes true.

Recently someone posted a photograph of me on social media showing me in a hospital bed. Many people commented that they were praying for me, and I appreciate that. It looked believable but I wasn't sick. I wasn't in a hospital. I wasn't in the bed. It just wasn't true.

A few weeks ago I saw an AI video of President Donald Trump on ice skates, of all things, skating with the US men Olympics team and he was in their gold medal match against Canada. Seeing him skate with his blue suit, his red tie, making goals, was funny.

It looked so real, but it was fake. In our world today, it's hard to know what is true. But I can tell you one thing. I can tell you right now what is true and it's God's Word, the Bible. God's Word is true from cover to cover, every word is totally true.

I don't understand it all, but I promise you this-- I do believe it all. But we have a problem, and that problem is sin. The Bible tells us that we're all sinners and our sins separate us from God. Oh, maybe you say, "But Franklin, "I'm really not that religious. "I've prayed and it doesn't seem like God hears me. "Or knows who I am."

Why is it? Because we have a gulf between us and God. It's sin. Sin blocks our prayers, it blocks our relationship. It's this huge gulf and you can't cross it. The whole world is infected with sin, like a cancer of the human soul. God created the first man, and He created the first woman, Adam and Eve, and He placed them in a perfect world.

But they disobeyed God, and that one act of disobedience brought sin into the world, and it separated mankind from God. You're separated from God because of sin. We've all missed the mark of what God meant for us to be. God has a plan for your life. He loves you, He wants you to have eternal life with Him in His presence, but our sin has to be dealt with.

You may be thinking, "But I'm not that bad of a person. "I'm really pretty good most of the time. "I try hard to keep the Commandments. "I'm a good neighbor. "I try to be a good citizen." But do you know this? It only takes one sin to keep you out of heaven for eternity.

And it's true. Because this is what the Bible tells us. Every one of us has sinned. That includes Franklin Graham. The Bible says that "the wages of sin," the penalty of sin, "is death." Separation from God for eternity. But God had a plan. His Word tells us that "God so loved the world, "that He gave "His only begotten Son, "that whosoever believeth "in Him should not perish "but should have "everlasting life."

From the foundation of the world God set a plan into motion to redeem mankind back to Himself. He made you, He created you. We're His by creation, but you are lost to sin. But He redeemed you with His blood. Jesus was sentenced to death on a cross where He suffered and died.

He shed His blood, buried in a tomb, and on the third day, God raised His Son to life, in victory over sin. He didn't lie in that tomb to decay. He came up alive! He didn't come up as a spirit or a ghost. He rose up as a man who ate with His disciples.

They touched Him. They could put their fingers in His wounds on His side, in His hands, in His feet. This is what Easter's all about. Our hope is in a risen Savior. Are your sins forgiven? You may say, "Well, Franklin, I think so." No, you don't want to "think so."

You want to know it. You want to have that assurance. You want to be absolutely positive that your sins are forgiven. Your soul and eternity depend on it. I'll come back to that in just a few minutes, but right now we're going to hear from Michael W. Smith, who sang at many of my father's crusades through the years.

My father loved Michael. And in his latter years, Michael would come to his house. When my father couldn't get out of the house because of just, age and sickness and so forth, Michael would just come and he would sit there and sing to my father. And, he was such a friend.

And had been friend to me. We were in Argentina, Buenos Aires, just a few months ago, and I thought you would like to hear Michael from Buenos Aires. (applause and cheering) ? ? Above all powers ? ? Above all kings ? ? Above all nature ? ? And all created things ? ? ?

Above all wisdom and all the ways of man ? ? ? You were here before the world began ? ? ? Above all kingdoms, above all thrones ? ? ? Above all wonders the world has ever known ? ? ? Above all wealth and treasures of the earth ? ? ?

There's no way to measure what You're worth ? ? Crucified! ? Crucified, laid behind a stone ? ? ? You lived to die ? ? Rejected and alone ? ? ? Like a rose trampled on the ground ? ? You took the fall ? ? ? And thought of me ? ?

Crucified! ? Crucified, laid behind a stone ? ? ? You lived to die ? ? Rejected and alone ? ? ? Like a rose trampled on the ground ? ? ? You took the fall ? ? ? And thought of me ? ? ? Above all ? ? ?

Like a rose, trampled on the ground ? ? ? You took the fall ? ? ? And thought of me ? ? ? Above all. ? ? ((applause)) ?? (Graham) I want to look at a time when the Roman governor, Pilate, confronted Jesus. It was a time of national unrest.

There were deep divisions and fear. Jesus was falsely accused, He was betrayed by His own. He was arrested and He was sent to stand before Pilate. Before Pilate turned Him over to the mob, he asked Him: "What is truth?" Jesus had told His disciples, "I am the way, the truth, "and the life. "No man comes to the Father "except through Me."

Jesus was now sentenced to be crucified. They were agitators. They were religious leaders driven by pride and jealousy. There was an angry crowd calling for Him to be crucified. The Roman government was focused on holding on to its power. All the while, Jesus was standing right there in front of them.

Jesus Christ is the embodiment of truth. And they missed it. Pilate, nor the world, recognized Him as the truth. And many today in the world do not recognize Him. They mock Him, they ridicule Him, and they mock those that follow Him. I think for a moment, Pontius Pilate almost recognized Him.

His wife warned him. She said, "Have nothing to do with this guy. "Don't condemn Him. "I've suffered today in a dream because of this man." But Pilate didn't listen. Gave in to the demands of the crowd that were shouting, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Pilate washed his hands and turned Jesus over to the mob.

The cross was the Roman tool for execution. It was their form of the electric chair. Sometimes people would hang there for days in absolute agony on a wooden cross, finally suffocating from their own weight, unable to breathe. It was the most horrible death someone could die. And the Romans were masters of cruelty and pain.

While Jesus was on the cross, God laid on His Son the sins of the world. Sins past, sins present, and sins future. That's you and me here today. And Jesus hung on that cross and God just dumped those sins, all of our sins, on Him. Shedding His life blood.

People were celebrating, they were jeering. Mocking Him, saying, "Save Yourself, if You're the Son of God. "Come down from the cross." The world had no clue what was taking place right in front of their eyes. It was God sacrificing His Son. That's right-- God sacrificing His Son for the sins of mankind.

They didn't recognize the truth, and millions today still don't recognize the truth, who Jesus Christ is, that what He has done for them on the cross. Even while He was hanging on the cross, Jesus was forgiving those who were crucifying Him. He said, "Father, forgive them, "for they don't know what they're doing."

The Bible says that Jesus gave up His spirit. He died on the cross. They buried Him. His enemies were high-fiving each other. They thought, "We have won." But Easter-- but Easter was coming. And from the cross He went to the grave and three days later, there was an earthquake, tremendous earthquake.

And Jesus stepped out of that tomb alive. (rumbling) And later that morning, the angel told one of Jesus' followers who'd come to look for Him, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? "He's not here, He's risen!" This is the greatest announcement that has ever been made in mankind.

Jesus Christ has conquered sin. He's conquered death. He's alive, He's risen. He's not here! And that is the truth. The grave couldn't hold Him. The Pharisees couldn't stop Him. Death couldn't defeat Him. The Son of God came forth triumphant! Today He's at the right hand of God the Father in heaven and the Bible says He's coming back one day.

That could be at any moment. This Easter, let me ask the question: Do you know Jesus Christ? Have you surrendered your life to Him? Are your sins forgiven? You can do that right now by just simply, in your heart, just simply saying, "God, I'm a sinner. "I'm sorry, forgive me. "And I believe that Jesus is Your Son. "I believe that He took my sins, "that He died in my place, "and I want to trust Him as my Savior. "I want to invite Him to come into my heart, "take control of my life, "for the rest of my life."

Don't put it off. He'll forgive you. He'll forgive your sins, He'll heal your heart. He'll give you eternity with Him in heaven. The choice? It's yours. You can accept Him, or you can reject Him. What are you going to do with the truth today? (Voice-over) If you have questions about a relationship with Jesus Christ, call 855-255-PRAY or go to BillyGraham.org/Easter.

We want to send you resources to help you grow closer to Jesus. And you can chat with someone who can help answer your questions. Just go to BillyGraham.org/Easter or call 855-255-PRAY. A very good friend of mine and my father's was Charlie Daniels. Charlie is now in heaven. But not long before he died, he performed this song at his church, World Outreach Church, just outside of Nashville in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

This is what Easter's all about-- our hope is in a risen Savior. He's alive forevermore. ? The gates and doors ? ? were barred ? ? All the windows ? ? fastened down ? ? ? I spent the night ? ? in sleeplessness ? ? And rose at every sound ? ? ?

Half in hopeless sorrow ? ? And half in fear the day ? ? Would find the soldiers breakin' through ? ? To drag us all away ? ? ? And then just before the sunrise ? ? I heard something at the wall ? ? ? And then the gate began to rattle ? ?

And a voice began to call ? ? And I hurried to the window ? ? And I looked down in the street ? ? Expecting swords and torches ? ? ? And the sound of soldier's feet ? ? ? There was no one there but Mary ? ?

So I went down to let her in ? ? John stood there beside me ? ? As she told us where she'd been ? ? She said they've moved Him in the night ? ? And none of us know where ? ? The stone's been rolled away ? ?

And now His body isn't there ? ? ? And we both ran toward the garden ? ? And then John ran on ahead ? ? ? We found the stone and the empty tomb ? ? Just the way that Mary said ? ? ? But the winding sheet they'd wrapped Him in ? ?

Was just an empty shell ? ? The how or where they'd taken Him ? ? Was more than I could tell ? ? ? Well, something strange had happened here ? ? But just what I didn't know ? ? ? And John believed a miracle ? ? But I just turned to go ? ?

Circumstance and speculation ? ? Couldn't lift me very high ? ? ? 'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him ? ? ? And then I saw Him die ? ? ? Back inside the house again ? ? The guilt and anguish came ? ? ? Everything I'd ever promised Him ? ?

Just added to my shame ? ? When at last it came to choices ? ? I denied I knew His name ? ? ? And even if He was alive ? ? ? It just wouldn't be the same ? ? ? And then suddenly the air was filled ? ?

With a strange and sweet perfume ? ? Light that came from everywhere ? ? Drove the shadows from the room ? ? And Jesus stood before me ? ? With His arms held open wide ? ? And I fell down on my knees ? ? And I just clung to Him and cried ? ? ?

He raised me to my feet ? ? And as I looked into His eyes ? ? ? Love was shining out from Him ? ? Like sunlight from the skies ? ? Guilt in my confusion ? ? Disappeared in sweet release ? ? ? And every fear I'd ever had ? ?

Just melted into peace ? ? ? (He's alive, He's alive) ? ? ? (He's alive, He's alive) ? ? ? He's alive (He's alive) ? ? Well, He's alive (He's alive) ? ? He's alive and I'm forgiven ? ? Heaven's gates are open wide ? ? He's alive (He's alive) ? ?

He is alive (He's alive) ? ? He's alive and I'm forgiven ? ? Heaven's gates are open wide ? ? ? He's alive (He's alive) ? ? He is alive (He's alive) ? ? He's alive and I'm forgiven ? ? Heaven's gates are open wide ? ? ?

He's alive (He's alive) ? ? He is alive (He's alive) ? ? He is alive (He's alive, He's alive) ? ? ? He's alive! ? ((applause)) ?? ((applause)) (Graham) That's right, Jesus is alive forevermore. That's why we celebrate on Easter. A risen Savior, He's alive. We should be celebrating this every day.

No one else paid the price for your sins. Only Jesus Christ. As we close, I want to say a thank you to the University of Northwestern. We're so grateful to be here as we celebrate our risen Savior. God bless each and every one of you, and thank you for watching.

And may you have a blessed Easter.