Billy Graham, Sinners 1



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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