preached right here.m) an wd michael w. smith a brand-w music. >> we see grief and sorrow all over the world.su are you searching for hope? does god care? can jesus make a difference in your life? blesse d easter to each andjo ineveryone. he has risen. he has risen indeed. jus i am coming to you today from israel. and michael w. smith is joining me here in just a few moments. today we celebrate 2000 years ago after the brutal death of f imagine the overwhelming despair anall d darkness.i of jesusdo christ. all hope was lost.t antod maybe you say franklin, i i don't havei much hope for my life. it is a mess and i do not know what to do. do not know where totrue go. in a moment i want to explain to you the true meaning of easter and the hope we continue inth jesus christ.oi ngnow, before we get there let's hear from michael w. smith.me >> thank o you franklin, awesome to be with you to do this special from jerusalem. and sure of the songs of the world. a very special song that reminds me of this land i would like to sing now. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ who am i to be part of your people ♪ ♪ the ones called by your name? could i be chosen as one of your own ♪ ♪ could it be that our blood is the same? the same? how can a stranger in the remnant of nations belong to the royal line? you showed your grace when the branches were broken. anbad i grafted into the vine. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ blessed be the name of the lord ♪ cou ♪ how could you show me such bounty for mercy ♪ ♪ ♪ by taking the life of the lamb ♪ your love is greater than i can imagine ♪ ♪ ♪ i bless you with all that im ♪ jesus the veil has been imparted ♪ ♪ once your secret is known ♪ father, and praise you as one f your own ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> thank you michael. seventy-five years ago on may 14 , 48 the nation of israel was reborn after 2000 years. reborn after 2000 years. and it the date the united nationsar declared israel sa state, it was immediately attacked by its arab neighbors. and since 1948 israel has fought numerous wars to protect theirbu land, their peoplet , this is te land god gave them. problem promised abraham, isaac, and jacob. but on october 7, 2023 it was different. israel experienced a surprise attack by hamas it was the people since the second world war. some 1200 people men, women, children were murdered, burchard. 240 people were taken hostage. many people have been asking ine their hearts h, who can we trus? what can we do? david, in the scripture i thinki he had kinotd of lost hope at os point when ht e was finding the ammonites and the syrians. he said some but there faith and trust in chariots and horses it. but we trust in the name of the lord our god. is my prayer it they will be many people here in israel today and around the world that will put their faith and trust in the living god.th ♪. i came to israel just a few weeks after the slaughter of bor october 7. at that point close to half a million people were living in hotels. they had to be moved away from the borders. we began to see what we could do to help them. food vouchers, food boxes, even food vouchers, food boxes, even at christmas we brought in 2400" shoebox gifts for children. some of the teachers in the schools and said this is the first time that we have seen des them laugh since october. and then of course we heard 14 ambulances were destroyed. when they lost that many ambulances i thought to myself, let's just replace those. and with god's help we have been able to do that.a lo >> father we thank you that you love us in your care for us. peo here in israel there is a lot of grief and a lot of sorrow. it's not just in israel. it's not just in israel. we see this all over the world. and many people are wondering, is there any hope? does god see? does god care? what is the answer? >> wi e watch the world become extremely dark. i think people are desperate. i think when people getis desperate and things get a dark go, may beat there really is aap god. that's my prayer for thiswi special. in the midst othf al kinl the craziness going on that peoplei turn toward the source. they tried to fill the void with all kinds of stuff. there's nothing that fills it other than in jesus, he is the answer. i still believe it with everyca llfiber of my being. ♪ i kept thinking to i write a song for this? i called my friend tony would hw crimson dust. the bridge was 13 attempts the verses were a seventh attempt.ey but once i came upon the chorus i felt like weth got a shot at making this happen. the lyrics and the significance of what this thing is saying. what gain, what loss, crimson what gain, what loss, crimson dust beneath the cross. just very descriptive, kind of takes your breath away. ♪ ♪ ♪ morning rush, rising heat ♪ ♪ crowded road, shuffling feet ♪ ♪ suddenly, there is a chill ♪ ♪ hammer rings from a hill ♪ ♪ violent scene, angry words ♪ ♪ he gets what he deserves ♪ ♪ crushed and marred, middleman ♪ mercy flows from his hands ♪ mercy flows fr♪ ♪ i see heaven touching earth ♪ ♪ every drop of matchless worth♪ ♪ every drop of matchless worth♪ ♪ redeeming ♪ what gain, what loss ♪ ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ days so dark, pain so real ♪ ♪ tender flesh, torn by steel ♪ ♪ history turns around ♪ ♪ holy blood falling down ♪ ♪ holy blood falling down ♪ ♪ every drop of matchless worth ♪ redeeming love ♪ ♪ all what gain it, what loss ♪r ♪os crimson dust beneath the crs ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ holy, holy, holy ♪ ♪ jesus, the lamb of god ♪ ♪ you are holy, holy, holy ♪ ♪ jesus, lamb of god ♪ ♪ you are holy, holy, holy ♪ ♪ jesus, lamb of god ♪ ♪ you are holy, holy, holy ♪ ♪ jesus, the lamb of god ♪ar ♪th i see heaven touching earth♪ ♪ every drop of matchless worth ♪ redeeming love ♪ ♪ what gain, what loss ♪ust ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ i see heaven touching earth ♪ ♪ every drop of matchless worthc ♪ redeeming love ♪ ♪ what gain it, what loss ♪ ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ crimson dust beneath the cross ♪ ♪ ♪ >> i went to look at eight passages scripture. it is a prophecy that comes out of isaiah chapter 53.d a passagise that was prophesied some hundred years before the birth of jesus christ. through its god is revealing why he is sending a savior, a t messiah. i want to reado has this. who has believed been revealed? for he shall grow up before him as a tender plant. as a root out of dry ground for he has known for comeliness. when we see him there is no beauty that we should desire him. he is despised and rejected by men. n of sorrow acquainted wih grief. and we hid our faces from him.so heme was despised and we did no estee— him. this prophecy reveals some things w kine do not see anywhee else in the scripture.ov a little bite about hisy. a little bite about hisy. he was not like king saul who is head and shoulders above every man. he iwoulsires not david who is . there's nothing about his appearance that we would desire him. and he came to this earth for a reason. for a purpose. and 700 years before the birth of christ, jesus christ was announced by the prophet isaiah. he told us exactly what was going to happen.go surelyd, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.in and carried our sorrows.in yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by god. he was wounded for ourpe stransgressions apart he was bruised for our iniquities ander the chastisement for our peace was upon him. t and by his stripes wo e ared healedup. we are like sheep who have gone astray. own way. the lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all. this passage tells us the messiah was coming and he was going to be bruised for our iniquities by his stripes we were going to be healed. so that when jesus comes for tha purposrte of taking our sins. the bible says we are reminded throughout the prophecy this was part of god's plan.0 and when jesusye came, 700 years after this prophecy, 700 years later god announced it to the world through a band of angels. that ifls right. the angel band came from heaven, d appeared to a group of shepherds out tending theiri flock bybr night. just a few miles from here. and the angel said do not be afraid, behold i bring you good tidings of great joy. l orfor all of the people. for there is born to you this city of david, a savior. who is christ the lord. jesus christ came to save us from our sins. and the prophet isaiah wrote hea waugs oppressed and he was afflicted. yet he opened not his mouth. he was led as a lamb to the slaughter and a sheep before this years of silent he openedea not hises mouth. for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. yet it pleased the lord to bruise him. and has put him to grief. by his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many for he shall bear their iniquities. jesus christ came to save us from our sins. the bible said that it pleasedrs god to bruise his own son, that we might have forgiveness of we might have forgiveness of sin., now he was tried, judged, taken to the cross. beaten by the romans to wear hie his back was flayed open.ot and he goes to thehe cross and they are on the cross they nail him. they strippe strip him of his cd naked on thehim, cross, hanging wethere the big crowd jeering ad laughing he could save otherscr ifbut he cannot save himself. jesus went willingly and he wend to the cross to be a sacrifice to god for the sins of man.'s it pleased god t ho bruise his n soton. that is hard for us to understand that and accept that. it's harbecad for your mind to t around that. but it pleased god to do this tg his son to save you and to save me. because all of us have said thes bible saidt we have all sinned and come short of god's glory. but the gift of god is eternal lord . while jesus was hanging on thewe d cross, god at that moment dumd all of the sins of past, all the sins of present,er all the sinsf future. as his blood tthe o flow down te cross into the ground, the worlh was cheering and laughing. but at that moment god put darkness over the earth so theye could noca longer see. because this was between god and his son. and at that moment in time, jesus became so ugly that god, the father could not even look at him because he had that sinth that was poured oney him. and jesus died on the cross.n and theyth took his body and put him in a new grave not far away. a tomb and a stone was rolled i the front. now the romans put guards there so that no one could steal the body. the next day was the sabbath. but then sunday came.an and d early in the morning and daybreak. the ground triu shook and the s rolled the stonees away and jess became triumphant out of the w grave. the first witnesses to theeresse resurrection was rome. n guards saw it. they were witnesses that jesus came up out of the grave alive. he was not dead.cr he was alive and they wentos and reported it. jesus the christ is god's son. he took our sins to the cross pretty died and shed his bloodrn for each and f every one of us. if you are willing to repentance, confess your sin. turn from your sins and believe, on the nam je of the lord jesus christ, you can be saved. that is right, you can be savedu you see, jesus told martha, thi is at the tomb of lazarus her brother. she was concerned about lazarus resurrection and the life. resurrection and the life. he who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. and whoever lives and believes and whoever lives and believes in? and then ht?e said to martha, do you believe it? do you believe this, martha? that is the question today, do you believe it? do you believe the lord jesust christ as god'its son? do you believe he came up out ou the grave? are yo sinu willing to trust hit are yo sinu willing to trust hit if you are admit it, and turn from your sins. simply believe in the lord of simply believe in the lord of the name of jesus christ, you could be forgiven.m yosou can be forgiven today, rit now. all you have to do say this prayer with me.hi yomu say god, i am a sinner. i am sorry, forgive me. i believe jesus is your son. i want to trust him as my savior. and i am willing to follow him as my lord from this daygo d forward, forever. and i pray this in jesus name.sh god bless each and every one of you. >> if you just.we with frankly or questions about ha relationship with jesus christ, go to billy graham.org. we want to send you resources tl help you grow closer to jesus. you can chat with someone who can help answer your questions. just go to billy graham.org. ♪ i cast my mind to the calvary ♪ where jesus bled and died for me ♪ ♪ i see his wounds his hands and feet the ♪ ♪ his body bound and drenched in tears ♪ ♪ they laid him down in joseph's tomb ♪ ♪ the entrance sealed by heavy stone ♪ ♪ messiah still and all alone ♪ na♪ ♪ ♪ oh praise the name of the lord our god ♪ ♪ oh praise his name forever more ♪ ♪ for endless days we will sing your praise ♪ ♪ oh lord, oh lord our god ♪re ak♪ then on the third at break f dawn ♪ ♪ the son of heaven rose again ♪ ♪ oh trampled death where is your sting ♪ ♪ the angels roar for christ the king ♪ ♪ oh praise the name of the lord our god ♪ ♪ oh praise his name forever more ♪ ♪ for endless days we will sing your praise ♪ ♪ oh lord, oh lord our god ♪ ♪ he shall return and robes of whites ♪ ♪ the blazing sun shall pierce the night ♪ ♪ and i will rise among the saints ♪ ♪ my gaze transfixed on jesus face ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ oh praise the name of the lord our god ♪ ♪ oh praise his name forever more ♪ ♪ for endless days we will sing your praise ♪ ♪ oh lord, oh lord our god ♪ ♪ oh lord, oh lord our god ♪ ♪ ♪m) >> well, i am standing in fronte suof an empty tomb known as the garden tomb. many people believe this is the spot where the body of our lord spot where the body of our lord jesus christ delay. but, as we celebrate easter we celebrate an empty tomb. our we celebrate a risen savior. that is what this is all about. and we thank god for sending his son from heaven to this earth ti take ours sins, and die and our place. place. raising hi fo god bless each and everyone. thank you for watching. a special thank you to michael w. smith for being a part ofrds this. god bless you and have a blessed easter. ♪ holy words they resound with god's own heart ♪ ♪ oh, let the ancient words impart ♪ ♪ words of life, words of hope s ♪ give us strength, help us copm ♪ ie.n this world, where air we rome ♪ds ♪ e ancient words will guide us home ♪and ♪ ancient words ever true ♪ c ♪ changing anomd me, and changig you ♪ ♪ we have come with open hearts ♪ oh let the ancient words impart ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ holy words of our faith ♪ ♪ handed down to this age ♪ ♪ came to us through sacrifice ♪ ♪ oh heed the faithful words of christ ♪ ♪ holy words long preserved ♪wih ♪ for our walk in this world ♪ai ♪ they resound with god's own heart ♪ ♪ oh let the ancient words impart ♪angi ♪ ancient words ever true ♪ve ♪ c changing me, and changing y ♪im we have come with open hears ♪ bold let ancient words ever m ♪ bold 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