Franklin Graham: Easter from the Ashes

Welcome to a special presentation from Southern California with Franklin Graham. This Easter, I'm in Los Angeles in what looks like a wasteland. In the middle of this pain, many are asking, "Can there be hope in the place of ashes?" The message of Easter gives us a clear answer to that question.

Featuring music from Michael W. Smith and Charity ((music playing)) Gale. You might be standing in the rubble and the ashes of your life. Whatever the circumstances, I want you to know that God is giving you right now a second chance. ((music playing)) A blessed Easter to each and everyone. This is Franklin Graham.

Easter is not the same for many people this year. So many have gone through devastating tragedy and loss. Hurricane Helen hit the southeast uh the end of September and brought devastation that we've never seen that part of the world before. It's just amazing. And they called it a thousand-year flood.

Oh, this is scary, guys. More than 215 people died that we know of. They believe there's silt people that are buried underneath some of the silt and trash. It will take years to recover. Many people lost everything they had worked for, and they won't live long enough to recover what they've lost.

Their homes and everything that they've spent their lives acquiring are simply gone. And as the east coast was still dealing with the hurricane and the floods, well, January 7th here in California, the Eden and Palisades fires started. It was fueled by a hurricane force Santa Ana wind that made the flames unstoppable.

Everything is catching fire here. trash bins, shrubs, trees, houses. It burned nearly 38,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures like where I am right now. 29 people lost their lives. Firemen were fighting the inferno. These men and women fought to save every inch, every life that they could.

They didn't run. They didn't back up. They stood there and they fought. And I'm so grateful for them. And they really are heroes. Almost everyone who went through these fires described it the same way. It is like driving through hell itself down here. You can feel the heat from the flames.

Even from inside your car, flames were going hundreds of feet into the air. Houses were exploding. Cars literally were melting. People running for their lives. Wait, is that even Is that even Okay. Okay. Stop yelling. Stop yelling. Stop yelling. I just got to get out of here. Please, God, get us out of here.

Maybe today you feel like you're going through some kind of hell here on earth. Maybe it's cancer. Maybe it's divorce, financial ruin. Maybe it's a problem with your children or family. Whatever your circumstances, I want you to know this that God loves you. He doesn't promise us a rose garden here on earth.

We're going to have tragedies. We're going to have misfortunes. We're going to have disappointments. But know this, God is real and he loves you. His son Jesus Christ is real. Hell and its flames, it's real. And in a moment, I want to share with you a message about a savior who came to save us from hell.

But first, I want to introduce you to my friends Michael W. Smith and Charity Gale who are here in California with me to share some special music from Pepperdine University. Thank you, Franklin. Charity and I are honored to be with you. And actually, this is our first time singing together, and it's a blessing for both of us to be here.

That's right. And sometimes life hits us incredibly hard, but Easter points us to the hope that Jesus brings even in the darkest times. There is strength within the sorrow. There is beauty in our tears. And you meet us in our morning with a love that cast out fear.

((music playing)) You are working in ((music playing)) awaiting sanctifying ((music playing)) us when beyond our ((music playing)) understanding. You're teaching us to trust. Oh, your plans are still to prosper. You have not forgotten us. You're with us in the fire and the flood. You're faithful forever, perfect and low. You are sovereign over us. Your plans are still depressed.

You have not forgotten us. You're with us in the fire and the flood. You're thankful forever. We're perfect in love. You are sovereign over us. ((music playing)) Even what the enemy means for evil, you turn it for our good. You turn it for our good and for your glory. Even the valley, you are faithful.

You're working for our good. You're working for our good and for your glory. Even what the enemy means for evil, you turn it for our good. You turn it for our good and for your glory. Even in the valley, you are faithful. You're working for our good. You're working for our good and for your ((music playing)) glory.

Your plan is still the brush. You have not forgotten us. You're with us in the fire and the flood. Yes, you are. You're faithful forever, perfect in love. You are sovereign over us. You're faithful forever. Perfect in love. You are ((music playing)) sovereign for us. ((music playing)) Standing here today, it's a wasteland.

Charred chimneys, gray ash, and every now and then you'll see a house that's somehow made it through this this fire. Think of the hundreds and hundreds of families, and some of them have no clue what they're going to do. You know, you just look around and just feel sorry for every family.

And most people put so much value in what they've accomplished and what they've accumulated in life, but in just an instant, it can look like where I'm standing. I'm just a pile of ash and rubble. What's important in life? It's your soul. And this makes me think about eternity.

We all have a soul that will live for eternity in one of two places, heaven or hell. Jesus said, "What should it profit a man if he should gain the whole world and lose his own soul?" Heaven is real and hell is also real. Jesus preached about hell and not everyone is going to make it to heaven.

Only those who have put their faith and trust in God's son, Jesus Christ. There's a choice you have to make to accept Christ or to reject him. The choice is yours. The hell that people are describing here in California where I stand today uh is not even close to the real hell created for the devil and his angels.

Hell is a place of eternal torment where there is no end to the flames, no end to the stench. The Bible describes hell as eternal flames, a lake of fire, a furnace of fire with weeping and nashing of teeth. Hell is God's judgment on people who reject his offer of redemption and salvation by sending his son Jesus Christ to take our place.

Jesus Christ told a story of a rich man who died and went to hell and a poor man by the name of Lazarus who sat at his gate wanting the crumbs that fell off his his table and he went to heaven and in hell the rich man looked up and he could see Lazarus, this poor man being comforted by Abraham.

And he called to Lazarus to dip his finger into some water to come touch his tongue because of the flames and the torment that he was in. But Abraham said, "There is a gulf between you and us. We cannot go to you and you cannot come to us."

But I thought about this in hell. You may be able to see. You might be able to see your friends and family and and those that witnessed to you, those that shared the truth with you, that warned you. You'll see them. But it's too late. It's too late.

Here in California, there were sirens warning people to flee, and some people quickly began to to get out and to get to safety. How do you make preparations to avoid the flames of a very real hell? God has given us warnings to prepare us. His word, the word of God, spiritual sirens.

There's our conscience right inside us warning us. Don't ignore them. The only way that we can escape is through the blood of Jesus Christ. The Bible says, "But he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes, we're healed."

Because of his great love for us, Jesus, who was sinless, took our sins to the cross and shed his lifeblood. He died on that cross. He was buried. And on the third day, God raised him to life. And the Bible says that God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

Many people think that God sent his son to point his finger in our face to say, "You're wrong." No. God sent his son to save us. There are many people wondering in all of these ashes out here, is there any hope? Is there any hope for me, for my family?

Well, I want you to know yes, there is. And that hope can be found in God's son, Jesus Christ. Right now, I want you to listen to every word of this powerful song by Charity Gale. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood. And consider what Jesus Christ has done for you.

((music playing)) I was a wretch. I remember who I was. I was lost. I was blind. And I was running out of time. Sin separated. The brereech was far too wide. But from the far side of the chasm, you had me in your sight. So you made a way across the great divide.

Left behind heaven's throne to build it here inside. And there at the cross, you paid the debt. that I owed. Broke my chains, freed my soul, and for the first time I had hope. Thank you, Jesus, for the blood applied. Thank you, Jesus. It has washed me white.

Oh, thank you, Jesus. You have saved my life. You brought me from the darkness into glorious life. Yes, you did, Lord. You took my place, laid inside my tomb of sin. You were buried for three days, but then you walked right out again. And now death has no sting.

And life has no end. For I have been transformed by the blood of the lamb. Thank you Jesus for the lamb. Thank you Jesus. Thank you Jesus. It has wash me. Thank you Jesus. You have saved my life as you brought me from the darkness into glorious light.

Oh yes. And there is nothing stronger than the wonder working power of the blood of ((music playing)) the calls sons and daughters. We are as father through the blood of the lamb. ((music playing)) There is my strong working power of the ((music playing)) Jesus. He calls the sons and daughters. We rise to our father through heaven.

Thank you Jesus for ((music playing)) the mighty Jesus. Thank you ((music playing)) Jesus my soul. Thank you Jesus you have saved my life. ((music playing)) Lord, you've brought me from the darkness into glorious light. ((music playing)) It was 2,000 years ago in Israel and it's well documented history that the religious leaders of the day, the scribes and the Pharisees were jealous of Jesus and arrested him and they had a mock trial where they conspired to find him guilty even though he was innocent so that they could have him crucified like a criminal.

However, they didn't have the authority. So they took Jesus to uh the Romans and the Roman governor Pilate uh said he could find no fault in him. But the religious leaders stirred up the crowd and they demanded that Jesus be put to death. They shouted, "Crucify him! Crucify him!

Crucify him!" And the governor washed his hands of his responsibility and turned Jesus, an innocent man, over to this mob. Jesus was beaten. They flogged him with whips embedded with glass and metal that shredded his back. Then they crucified him and he died and shed his blood on Calvar's cross.

And while he was on the cross, God poured upon his son, the sins of mankind, of humanity, all sins, past, present, future. Jesus Christ took our sins to the grave. He shed his blood and and because he took the sins of humanity, God could not look at his son.

He turned his back on his son. See, God is holy. He can't look at sin. And Jesus said, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And Jesus died and shed his blood. And they buried him in a tomb and rolled a big stone over the opening and they sealed it.

But on the third day, Easter morning, there was this mighty earthquake that shook the city. An angel descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and Jesus stepped out of the tomb, that tomb of sin, alive forever. The grave couldn't hold him. The Pharisees couldn't stand him, but they found no way to stop him.

Death couldn't defeat him. The son of God came forth triumphant. And today, he's at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. And the Bible says he's coming back. And when Jesus went to the cross, he took your sins and my sins and he paid the debt for each and every one of us.

And the Bible tells us that we have all sinned and come short of God's glory. And that the wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus said, "But God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He died in our place. He was buried in our place. And God raised him to life on the third day, and he's alive forever more." If you're willing to repent of your sins, that means to turn away from those sins and believe by faith on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, you'll be saved.

Not only will he forgive your sins and heal your heart, but he will welcome you to be with him in heaven for eternity. What are the consequences if you reject such a great salvation? On that day, when you stand before God, he's going to ask you, "What did you do with my son?

Did you believe him? Did you trust him? Did you surrender your life to him? You'll have to say no. Oh, you may have lots of excuses like, I didn't think I was good enough. I was going through a divorce. I was so busy. I I just didn't have time.

There's not one excuse that God will accept. It will be too late. He has given you an opportunity to change right now. And right now, this minute, you can accept Christ or you can reject him. But it's your choice. You have to make that decision. And as we come to this Easter, we celebrate uh new life.

We celebrate uh a new chance. You see, God is a God of the second chance. And you've got an opportunity right now to put your faith and trust in Christ. You don't have to give money. You don't have to do some hard work. All you have to do is just by faith say, "God, I believe this.

I believe that you sent your son and I believe that he died on the cross. I believe that he died for me. That he shed his blood for me. I believe it and I'm willing to accept it. If you're willing to do this simply by faith right now, God will forgive you.

He'll heal you. He'll cleanse you. He'll give you a new opportunity. But you have to do this right now by faith. And if you'll pray this prayer with me, God will hear you. Okay? If you'd like to invite Christ into your heart, just pray this prayer with me right now.

Let's just say, "God, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry for my sins. I believe Jesus is your son who took my sins to the cross, who shed his blood and died for me, that he was buried and took my sins to the grave. And on the third day, that you raised your son to life.

And I'd like to invite him to come into my heart to take control of my life from this day forward forever. And I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. If you prayed that prayer, know that he has forgiven you and he'll one day invite you to be with him in heaven for eternity.

God bless you. If you just prayed with Franklin or if you have questions about a relationship with Jesus Christ, call 855255 pray or go to billygram.org/ Easter. We want to give you resources to help you grow in your relationship with Jesus Christ and you can chat with someone who can help answer your questions.

Just go to billygram.org/ester or call 855255 ((music playing)) pray. I just want speak the name of Jesus over every heart and every mind. Cuz I know there's peace within your presence. I speak Jesus. And I just want to speak the name of Jesus till every dark addiction starts to break. declaring there is hope and there is freedom.

I speak Jesus cuz your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name is love. Break every stronghold. Shine through the shadows, burn like a ((music playing)) fire. And I just want to speak the name of Jesus over fear and all anxiety. To every soul of captive by depression, I speak Jesus.

Cuz your name, your name is power. Yes, it is. Your name is healing. Your name is love abundantly. Break every stronghold. Shine through the shadows. Burn like a fire. Shout Jesus from the mountains. Jesus in the streets. Jesus in the darkness over every enmy. Jesus for my family.

I speak the holy name of ((music playing)) Jesus. Shout Jesus from the mountain. Jesus in the street. Jesus in the darkness over every enemy. Jesus for my family. I speak the holy name Jesus. Your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name is ((applause)) love right now. Break every stronghold.

Shine through the shadows. ((music playing)) Your name. Your name is power. Your name is healing. Your name ((music playing)) ((applause)) is break every st shine through the shadows. ((music playing)) I want to say thank you to Michael W. Smith and to Charity Gale for this amazing music today. And I'm so grateful that you could come and be with us here in California.

Thank you. The Bible says, "Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. Thank you for watching and God bless each and every one of you and a blessed Easter to all.