You may not be called into the ministry, but you are called to minister. Billy Graham explains more in this 1975 message from Lubbock, Texas
in 1949 of bold and dynamic young
preachers set out on a journey that
would have an impact on every continent
for generations to come
for more than 50 years and to more than
210 million people Billy Graham is
passionately spoken about the certainty
of wholesome found in Jesus Christ I
don’t understand or comprehend I accept
his revelation of himself by faith he’s
brought races and denominations together
toward a common purpose as he’s preached
in 185 countries around the world
he is stood alongside presidents met
with dignitaries and world leaders and
today Billy Graham is recognized among
the most influential religious leaders
in the history of the world
from our archives the Billy Graham
classics now tonight I want you to turn
with me to the 12th chapter of the book
of Matthew Matthew’s Gospel the 12th
chapter beginning at verse 34 beginning
at verse 34 I want to speak on the
subject tonight of Jaws and I’ll tell
you why I call it jaws in just a moment
here’s the words of Jesus Matthew 12 old
generation of vipers how can ye being
evil speak good things for out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth
speaketh our good man out of the good
treasure of the heart bringeth forth
good things and an evil man out of the
evil treasure bringeth forth evil things
but I say unto you that every idle word
that men shall speak they shall give an
account thereof at the judgment for by
the words thou shalt be justified and by
thy words thou shalt be condemned then
certain of the scribes and the Pharisees
answered saying master we want to see a
sign show us a sign so that we can
believe in you but he answered and said
unto them an evil and adulterous
generation seeketh after a sign you’re
only going to get one sign from me and
that’s the sign of Jonah who is three
days and three nights in the whales
belly so shall the Son of Man be three
days in three nights in the heart of the
earth the men of Nineveh shall rise in
judgment with this generation and shall
condemn it because they repented at the
preaching of Jonah and behold a greater
than Jonah is here during the past few
months we’ve been listening and hearing
and reading all about the Hollywood’s
blockbuster of the year
it’s already been viewed by one out of
every four Americans and it’s the
account of a killer shark in the waters
around Martha’s Vineyard in New England
who swallows victims and de limbs a lot
of victims and they made a motion
picture out of it that’s shown all over
the world and Time Magazine’s made a
cover story of it and they could only
liken it to Jonah and the Whale they
could only find that one literary
reference in literature of Jonah and the
Whale and so the front pages of our
newspapers have carried story after
story about how people are afraid to go
swimming on the beaches in California
and Oregon and Washington and up and
down the East Coast this past year or
this past summer and then I read the
other day about a man in Australia that
lassoed a two-ton shark in Australian
waters well I can understand that
because I’ve seen on many a shark in
Australia cliff Barris and I were out
swimming one day in the surf and there
came running up to us the men and they
said watch out the Sharks are on the way
there was a shark alert up and we were
out swimming right where the Sharks was
supposed to be and we had a girl in
Australia that played in one of our
motion pictures the shadow of the Mumma
rang she played the part of a nurse and
she was a very wonderful girl and she
went out with her fiance and the boat
got stuck in the water or in the sand
and she got out to help lift the boat
off the sand and she wasn’t in water
more than waist-deep and a shark came
along and took off a leg and she died
before they could get any medical
attention to her and down into Tona
Beach Florida they said they had five
shark attacks on humans this past year
but this is the year of the big fish
stories both factual and fictional and
it’s interesting to me that at the same
time this pictures come out frightening
people we
have another picture called the towering
inferno and another one called
earthquake besides all the B pictures
with all their horror and Munster
pictures that are coming out to frighten
people no wonder people are biting their
fingernails often taking tranquilizers
and afraid to move in their sleep at
night there’s never been such an
avalanche of horror and fright and some
of it very sophisticated to descend upon
the human race and in addition to that
we have to think about the atomic bomb
and the hydrogen bomb and so we’re
living at a time when people jesus said
their hearts would fail them for fear
and today if ever there was a frightened
generation from almost every angle it is
today but that’s not what I want to talk
about I like Jonah’s story the story of
Jonah and the big fish better than I do
jaws because Jonah was saved not
destroyed by a big fish you say Billy do
you really believe that this fish
swallowed Jonah notice I’m calling it a
fish because the Bible says a big fish
was prepared by the Lord
it doesn’t call it a whale it does in
this passage in the New Testament but in
the Book of Jonah it says a big fish I
don’t know what kind of fish it was it
could have been a big shark for all I
know you said you believed that actually
happened yes I believe it why because
Jesus said it did and that’s all the
proof I need
if Jesus believed it then I believe it
but I believe that it took an even
bigger miracle for this particular fish
to be on the very spot where Jonah was
thrown overboard and then by some
mysterious programming of an internal
computer to deposit Jonah precisely on
the spot where God wanted him to be and
with all the things that are happening
in the biological world today people
have much less difficulty
editing this story than they did 50
years ago 50 years ago they’d laugh at
Jonah and the big fish but not today
after we’ve seen jaws and some of these
other things and after all the
scientific and technological
achievements and every once in a while
you’ll pick up a newspaper and you’ll
find that a man or a crocodile or an
alligator or something has been
swallowed by a big fish and they found
him inside the fish having never been
digested whatever now the story of Jonah
is one of the most thrilling stories in
all the Bible it’s only for little
chapters in fact you could read it in
about five minutes maybe 10 minutes
I’m the scripture says that the word of
the Lord came unto Jonah and told him to
go and preach judgment to the people of
Nineveh now Nineveh were had 600,000
population and Nineveh was a city that
was very wicked and very godless in very
materialistic it was a permissive
society sexual immorality was rampant
throughout Nineveh and God said I’m
going to destroy Nineveh but God said
Jonah I want you to go to Nineveh and I
want you to warn them that they are
going to be judged in 40 days unless
they repent but Jonah didn’t want to go
to Nineveh every Christian that is here
tonight is called to Ministry yes your
call I didn’t say you were called to the
ministry I said you were called to
ministry you know what the word ministry
means the word ministry means service
our Lord Jesus Christ came as a servant
to serve and every Christian is called
to be a servant to serve to serve God to
serve the Lord Jesus Christ to serve his
fellow man
Jonah was called of God to go and
proclaim the message that God had given
him but secondly Jonah refused you know
it’s tough to do the will of God you say
to God tonight Lord I’m willing to do
your will I’ll do what you want me to do
in go where you want me to go and be
what you want me to be and you’re going
to find tough going because you see to
do what God wanted him to do it was
several journeys the wave over mountains
and forests and burning deserts and
Nineveh was the wickedest city in the
world a city of six hundred thousand
people he would face disease and wild
beasts and highway robbers and then when
he got there that people may stone him
to death and Jonah began to run from God
Jonah couldn’t take it so he decided to
flee from the presence of God and he
went down to Joppa and he got on a boat
going to Tarsus and the scripture says
he paid the fare thereof and I want to
tell you something if you start running
from the Lord the devil will always have
a boat there for you and you’ll always
have the money to pay the way and at
first it’ll be smooth going you’ll say
boy I’ve made the right choice I know
I’m not doing God’s will but I’m doing
what I want to do and I know that I have
made the right choice but after a while
you’re going to start running into some
rough seas then the storms and the
Hurricanes and the tornadoes and the
rocks and the reefs are going to come no
man ever turned away from God and found
happiness and peace and joy that was
permanent and lasting the psalmist asked
father shall I go from thy spirit or
whether shall I flee from thy presence
and you know Jonah thought he had paid
the fare and the captain thought so too
but then the storm came up
and the sailors were frightened Jonah
was asleep and they said what’s wrong
with our ship somebody on the ship must
have displeased their God and they began
to pray to their gods isn’t it strange
how people began to pray when they’re in
trouble and maybe they haven’t prayed in
all their lives they began to pray and
finally Jonah told them that he was the
one after they’d cast lots and the lot
came to Jonah he confessed that he was
running from God and they said what we
do with you Jonah he said throw me
overboard they said no we’ll try
something else first and they began to
row and row and row and they threw
everything else over but the storm got
worse and worse and it looked like the
ship was going to be wrecked so finally
in desperation they threw Jonah over and
immediately the sea calm down and the
Bible says that Jonah was caught by a
big fish now you think of the jaws that
fish had how wide his mouth must have
been but see that was a specially
prepared fish by God to be there at that
precise moment and let me tell you when
you run from God you’re going to be
under God’s judgement and Jonah had
three days in three nights in the belly
of that fish to think and brother let me
tell you he was doing some thinking and
he was doing some pray he was saying
lord save me help me I don’t know where
I am what happened
and God said Jonah I called you into my
service and told you what to do and you
refused me now Jonah if you’re willing
to repent of your sin I’ll give you
another chance and Jonah said yes Lord I
repent I’ll keep my vow and the Bible
says on the third day the fish
vomited up Jonah and jonah found himself
on dry land and the scripture says and
the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the
second time now God doesn’t give many of
us a second chance like that but he gave
Jonah a second chance and Jonah ran as
fast as he could in every way he could
strengthen innama and he went up and
down the streets of Nineveh crying out
repent turn to God
judgments coming in 40 days repent
repent repent of course he didn’t expect
anybody to repent but do you know what
happened that was the greatest and most
successful evangelistic campaign in the
history of the world there’s never been
anything recorded in history like it the
king the people 600,000 of them repented
and turned to God and God spared Nineveh
suppose everybody in Washington suddenly
repented and turned to God I’m the
people of America turn to God as we
approach this bicentennial year
what a glorious and thrilling thing it
would be and I want to tell you this if
we didn’t God would spare us but if we
don’t this country is in for judgment
tonight you as an individual can resist
God’s call to you and go deeper and
deeper in sin or you can turn back to
God and obey God and do God’s will
which is it going to be there are many
of you young people that have come to
Texas Tech University and you have
gotten away from God you need to come
back to him tonight and God will forgive
the past and give you another chance in
another moment to serve and follow him
and I’m going to ask you to do that in
just a few minutes Jonah preached the
gospel of judgment but you know there
was an interesting thing about the
message that he preached there was no
mercy in it he didn’t offer the people
mercy he didn’t tell him that God loved
him but tonight I have an opportunity to
say to you much more than Jonah said to
the people of Nineveh I can say to you
tonight that God loves you and God is a
merciful God and God will forgive you
but Jonah didn’t say that
he just said judgments coming judgments
coming repent repent and the people
repented and that’s why Jesus made this
astounding statement he said the people
of Nineveh are going to rise up at the
judgment and testify against you
you see they repented never hearing the
gospel of mercy in the grace of God in
Jesus Christ but you’ve heard the gospel
of grace in Christ and you have refused
to repent they had never heard that
Jesus Christ was to die on the cross for
their sins they didn’t know that God
loved them so much that he was willing
to give his son to die on the cross but
in spite of that they repented and Jesus
said they are going to be your accusers
on the day of judgment they will testify
against you
but then something very interesting
happened Jonah
was upset he didn’t want anybody to
repent you see he was a paying God’s
called to go and proclaim the message
but his heart still wasn’t quite right
with God because he was afraid that the
Ninevites were going to attack his own
country Israel and he had prophesied
that judgment was coming and he didn’t
like the people of Nineveh and he wanted
to see judgment conquered he wanted to
be able to say I told you so
but he didn’t know the mercy and the
Grace and the love of God that would
take these wicked godless Ninevites and
forgive them and change them and
transform them if they would only turn
to him and the Bible says whosoever
shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved
God is willing to forgive anybody even
you whatever your sins are however bad
you’ve been God says I love you I gave
my son for you I forgive you but Jonah
didn’t like that so he went outside the
city and got up on top of a hill and
looked down over the city and he had a a
hard mean scowl on his face
as he looked down on the city waiting
for God to burn it up and the hot wind
and the Sun came and he was tired and he
was angry and the Bible says that God
allowed during the night a gourd to grow
up by a miracle and covered Jonah and
the next morning a worm came and cut it
off and it fell and Jonah sat there in
the Sun and the hot wind blowing on him
and God said Jonah you’re worried about
that gourd and you loved that gourd more
than you do those 600,000 people of
Nineveh and that’s how the Book of Jonah
ends
and tonight many of you are more
interested in materialism your own
personal safety you’re interested more
in the things that money can buy and the
comforts of life and their fluency that
we’ve developed in the United States you
are more interested in that than you are
doing the will of God and sharing in the
mercy in the grace of God and let me
tell you you’re going to have to make a
choice jesus said there are two roads of
life the broad road in the narrow road
there are two destinies heaven and hell
there are two ways to live two masters
materialism and God which is your master
which world are you are and God has put
a little computer down inside of you
you’ve got a computer system down there
it’s your will and you have the ability
to choose whether you’re going to serve
Christ and whether you’re going to serve
God in his kingdom and put yourself in
the will of God and say oh Lord I’ll
march in your army I’ll March under your
flag I’ll go out with love in my hearts
to try to help change the world I’ll go
out and do your will no matter what it
costs whether it’s a burning desert or
steaming jungle I’ll go out even if it
means I have to break up with my
boyfriend who doesn’t live for God I
will go out o Lord and serve you no
matter what the cost
and Jesus said count the cost if you’re
not willing to pay the price then quit
it don’t even fool with it it’s costly
to follow Christ but I want to tell you
the rewards are absolutely unbelievable
the reward of joy and peace and security
knowing that your sins are forgiven
knowing that you’re going to heaven
knowing that you’re in the will of God
whatever comes in whatever codes
I’m going to ask hundreds of you tonight
to get up out of your seat and come and
stand in front of this platform and say
tonight I want Jesus Christ into my
heart I want him not only as Savior but
I want him his Lord I want to put myself
in his hands
I want his forgiveness I want his
transforming power and I’m willing to
serve him if he should call me and I’m
going to ask older people and younger
people you need Christ whoever you are
I’m going to ask you to come and stand
and after you’ve all come and stood I’m
going to say a word to you and have a
prayer with you and give you some
literature then you can go back and join
your friends if you’re with friends or
relatives they’ll wait on you if you’ve
come in a bus or a delegation from a
distant city they’ll wait it’ll only
take a couple of three minutes for you
to come perhaps more from the upper
stands but get up and come now bring
your friend with you whole families can
come together you need Christ tonight
you want Christ to be yours and you’re
ready to pay the price whatever it costs
to serve and follow Christ you get up
and come quickly from all over this
stadium we’re going to wait on right now
men women young people you say well
Billy why do you ask us to come every
person Jesus called in the New Testament
he called publicly he said if you’re not
willing to acknowledge me before men
I’ll not acknowledge you before my
father which is in heaven it’s very
important that you come publicly and
openly and declare yourself for Christ
many people are already on the way you
come and join them right now
[Music]
as hundreds are responding to mr.
Graham’s invitation to make a public
commitment to Jesus Christ you can make
that same commitment right where you are
just pick up the phone and call the
number you see on your screen special
friends are waiting to talk with you and
pray with you about this most important
decision
[Music]
you’re watching the Billy Graham
classics please call the phone number on
the screen right now for spiritual help
and guidance
[Music]
[Music]
as you that are watching by television
can tell there are many hundreds of
people that are coming tonight to find
Christ is their Lord and Savior to
confess their faith in Christ or to say
Lord I’ll go where you want me to go
I’ll be what you want me to be I wish
you could see this great sight that we
see from this platform is hundreds and
hundreds of young people and older
people alike are coming you can make
that same commitment where you are in
your hotel room in your living room in
your bedroom or perhaps at a bar
somewhere
I had a man just two days ago tell me he
accepted Christ at a bar watching one of
these telecasts and it changed his life
that could happen to you if you just
prayed that prayer with my father or if
you have any questions about a
relationship with Jesus Christ
I’ll just call that number that is on
the screen there’ll be someone there to
talk with you pray with you and answer
those questions and remember God loves
you if you would like to commit your
life to Jesus Christ please call us
right now toll-free at 187 seven seven
two four five five nine that’s one eight
seven seven seven seven two 45:59 or you
can write to us at billy graham one
Billy Graham Parkway Department C
Charlotte North Carolina two eight two
zero one or you can contact us on the
web 24/7 at peace with God TV will get
the same helps to you that we give to
everyone who responds at the invitation
on behalf of Franklin Graham and the
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
thank you for watching and thank you for
your prayers
[Music]
brand-new
witness the story there and give you one
[Music]
me
do the Billy
[Music]
.