In
this clip, Graham contextualizes Jonathan Edwards' significance in the
religious life of the nation. Graham particularly emphasizes Edwards'
intellectual credibility and his willingness to preach about the dangers of
sin.
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No
one, save Christ. Hear no voice, save
God’s. We pray that this mighty sermon that thou didst use 200 years ago might
be used again in this day to stir thy people, to convict sinners. And we pray
tonight that we might see such an outbreak in this place that we prayed for and
dreamed of and called upon God for. We pray that thou would vindicate thy word
tonight. And we pray that on this night might be the night for which all
America is praying. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
I’ve
never stood before an audience in greater fear and trembling, and yet absolute
dependence upon the Holy Spirit, as I now stand. And tonight, I covet, I
request, the prayers of every child of God in this place. It was 200 years ago,
it was the year 1740.
It was
a cold, blistery day in New England, in Northampton, Massachusetts, when an
aging man stepped to the platform before a congregation of people. The people
were expectant, there had been a semblance of revival throughout New England,
people had been praying, souls were being saved, thousands of Christians were
being stirred, revival fires were spreading, very much as they are at the
present time across America.
Jonathan
Edwards had his Ph.D. from Yale University. He was later to become the eminent
President of Princeton University. Jonathan Edwards was one of the greatest
scholars that America ever produced, one of the greatest preachers, a man of
tremendous conviction, a man that we look back on today and revere, and pray
that God might raise up again such men on the American scene, that will not
compromise, but will preach the word of God seriously, like Jonathan Edwards
preached to the wounds.
He
used to stand in front of the student body at Princeton University and preach
to them the blessed gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, were to God that Yale and
Princeton and these universities still had named that believed the old
fashioned book and believed in old fashioned heaven-sent Holy Ghost revival.
George
Whitefield was the founder of the University of Pennsylvania. George Whitfield
was one of the founders of Princeton University. George Whitefield was one of
the early founders of Yale University. George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards,
were used mightily of God in New England. When George Whitefield came over to
stir the revival fires in that day.
And
what has been considered one of the greatest sermons ever preached by a man
since the days of Pentecost, was one of the sermons that was used of God to
shake New England in that day and age. The sermon was entitled “Sinners in the
hands of an angry God.” Jonathan Edwards stood before the crowd of people,
hardly an eyelash moved, hardly a person moved a hand, and before he was
through preaching, people gripped the front of the benches in front of them and
screamed for mercy, and revival broke out that night.
Tonight,
in the very strange providence of God, I’m doing something that I’ve never done
before in my ministry. I’m bringing to you that message that was preached 200
years ago by Jonathan Edwards, the president of Princeton University. I’m going
to do as he did. He stepped to the platform, and with gestures he preached, but
he read every word of it.
It’s a
very brief sermon, it’s not too long. I’m going to read it, and extemporize
part of it, but I want you to feel the grip, I want you to feel the language.
I’m asking tonight the same blessed Holy Ghost that moved in that day to move
again tonight in 1949 and shake us out of our lethargy as Christians and
convict sinners that we might come to repentance.
So
tonight, we take our text. I want you to see that scene, I want you to see the
little lanterns. The little oil lanterns. I want you to see the candles in the
windows. I want you to see the snow falling outside. I want you to see the
people as they’re sitting in this little auditorium. I want you to see this
eminent man as he stands to his feet. And his opening words were these: “Let us
turn to Deuteronomy 32:35.
Deuteronomy
32:35. These words: “Their foot shall slide in due time.” “Their foot shall
slide in due time.” And if you’ve ever listened in your life, I want you to
listen tonight. I want you to listen to the text. I want you to listen to the
message. “Their foot shall slide in due time.”
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