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Dear Friends, What could make over 2 million people wait to see what was going to happen on Good Friday at this little church? .What would make the police line up on the sidewalk outside? What could make crowds stand outside the entrance of this little church? Why were protesters lined up outside? Why had they had come from all over to try to stop the service? This is a true story. It happened on Good Friday a few years ago. Inside the church, you could hear a pin drop. Men were standing at the entrance of the church, unsure of what was going to happen. The building was filled beyond capacity. The eighteen-wheel tractor trailer network TV camera trucks were surrounding the church. Their TV satellite dishes were poised to broadcast any news from within the church, around the world. What could have caught the imagination of the town to make it the lead story on the local ABC, CBS & NBC news affiliates in the 11:00am news and the 5:30pm news? It would be broadcast again on all the networks. Over 2 million people were waiting to see what was going to happen at this little church in Washington. On the non-Christian radio talk shows, the news of this little church had caught the imagination of a whole state, 24 hours a day, for 4 days. What could have made pastors call the stations to explain why Jesus had to die on the cross? People were calling in asking, "Why, if God is love, why would He want to kill?" People were asking, "Why would a loving God want to kill His own Son?" People were asking, "Why would God be so unkind as to have a need to kill animals before Jesus came? Why would killing anything make God feel better?" Ministers, theologians, philosophers, historians and teachers called to express their views. Some quoted the Bible, and some quoted history. All expressed their thoughts. Some said, "God would not do it the same today." Some said they could not believe in a God who had a need for death. Some said, "It would terrorize children." Some said if that was Christianity, they would never believe. As they criticized Mel Gibson and his movie "The Passion of Christ", so they condemned this little church. Just what were they going to do? What we had for about three weeks was a miracle. A whole state wrestled with the subject of salvation. The news media talked about "why we have a need for a Savior". The TV news media talked about "the price of sin". The radio talked about a need for a Jesus. They talked in restaurants. They talked in stores. They talked in schools. They talked about it everywhere. Back in the church, the TV camera crews were setup in the balcony. The newspaper reporters and photographers were everywhere. The congregation had been there early, so they could get seats. Now, it was time to see what the Lord would do. What had this Evangelist Jerry Gaffney done to make them want to come?
Then it happened. Evangelist Jerry Gaffney walked in with a small, black lamb, named Alfalfa. He brought Alfalfa up on the platform. Jerry knelt down to pet the lamb. Not a sound was made in the building. This little lamb had caught the hearts and the attention of a whole state. Camera flashes went off, TV camera lights came on, reporters sat on the edge of their seats. People were trying to save the lamb. Over 180 people per hour had called in to save the lamb. Bomb threats were called in to save the lamb. Many death threats on Jerry Gaffney's life were called in to save the lamb. I know it makes no sense. They wanted to kill a man to save a lamb. What was Gaffney going to do? It reminded us of a crowd 2000 years ago that turned on another man. It reminded us of a people who were so upset they cried, "Crucify Him!" Hundreds and hundreds called to express their views. It was so wonderful, we almost wanted to cry. Never before in the history of Washington had so many people thought about Jesus, and wrestled over salvation in such a short period of time. Jesus had provoked them to think about their souls. What could have stirred up so much commotion? Jerry said, "I had spoken many times about Passover. Many times, at many churches, I had explained that we were to take a lamb into our homes for five days. Many times, I spoke about how we were supposed to fall in love with the lamb. Now, a whole state had fallen in love with this lamb. Many times, I spoke about how we would have to kill the lamb for Passover, as a sacrifice to God, in obedience to His Word." Gaffney picked little Alfalfa up and put him on the altar. As he did this, people screamed, "Don't kill the lamb!" The lights went dark, and the lamb was gone. Only a single spotlight shone on the empty table where Alfalfa had been. The only thing that was left was a bloodstained tablecloth. There was a gasp in the congregation. They whispered, "Did he really kill the lamb?" Jerry walked over to another curtain and said, "Why is there so much stress about something we are going to barbecue? Why aren't we concerned about the Lamb Who died for our sins?"
We then opened a curtain that revealed a man on a cross. He really looked as if he had just been crucified. The sight of him horrified many in the crowd. Their breath was almost taken away to see something so real. His hands and feet looked as if they were bleeding. His brow had scars from the thorns. His face looked as if he had been beaten. Evangelist Jerry Gaffney fell at his feet and prayed, as if he was the real Jesus. Gaffney prayed as if Jesus had died for his sins. It was almost too personal. It was almost too embarrassing to watch a man fall at the feet of Jesus. Gaffney spoke about the eight places Jesus bled and died. 1: He spoke about the blood on His brow - how He died to His will. 2: He spoke about the blood on His head - how satan mocked His authority. 3: He spoke about the blood on His face - how satan mocked His reputation. 4: He spoke about the blood on His cheeks when they plucked out His beard - how satan shamed His traditions. 5: He spoke about the blood on His back - how satan mocked His strength - how Jesus said, when you are weak then you are strong 6: He spoke about the blood on His hands - how satan mocked the hands that made the world 7: He spoke about the blood on His feet - how satan mocked His freedom to go where He wanted to go.
8: He spoke about the blood on His side - how satan mocked the desires of His heart. Evangelist Jerry Gaffney then asked some men to help him take Jesus off the cross. They carried him to a tomb in the back. Again, when we took him down, the congregation saw the marks on the back of Jesus and gasped at the gruesome reality of the price he paid. The Lord had made everything in the service so real. Gaffney then said, "I have some good news. I know the end of the story. Buddha is dead. Mohammed is dead. But my Jesus is alive!" As he said the words, Jesus came walking out. He came walking out with Alfalfa, the little black lamb. When the congregation saw Jesus and the little lamb, they jumped to their feet and cheered. Gaffney said, "We have the good news. Jesus did all this for you." When he gave the altar call, over 200 ran to the altar to get right with God. A little 7-year old girl looked at her daddy and said, "Daddy, did Jesus really do that for us?" He said, "Yes, Honey." She then said, "Then, we must go down and get saved." One of the men who worked for the press fell on his knees and gave his heart to Jesus. One of the ministers in the meeting spoke with him for 45 minutes. The reporter said, "I have been to many church services. I have been to Jewish services, Buddhist services and other Christian services, but this is the clearest presentation of the gospel of Jesus I have ever seen. I have a lot of thinking to do." Another cameraman from the press fell to his knees and could only say, "Oh my, oh my, oh my." The evening news blasted across the airways, "Alfalfa lives, and we learned sin is very expensive." It was the lead story for two days. They showed Jesus in a good way, not a bad one. They talked about our Jesus. They talked about the price of sin. They talked about the need for a Savior. It was in the newspapers, "The lamb lives, but sin is very expensive."
The news media was broadcasting the good news about Jesus. Over 2 million heard the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Gaffney said he could think of no better way to give the glory to Jesus than this. Are people still upset with him? Has he been persecuted and falsely accused? Gaffney said, "the Word says when they revile you and persecute you, rejoice and be exceedingly glad. What was the fruit? We baptized over 40 people in water Easter Sunday night. Only 27 were scheduled, but 13 more wanted to be baptized, even though they had no change of clothes. The last Sunday night, we baptized another 20. What was the fruit? Over 220 people had signed a 24-hour prayer, praise and intercession clock. That is 10 people per hour 24 hours a day, either praying, worshiping or interceding for revival in the land." NOW HERE IS THE MIRACLE. Somehow, the word got out that Jerry really was going to kill the lamb. Even though the Pastor put out a press release at 4:00pm Friday saying the lamb would live. Even though Channel 4 put it on their web-site that the lamb would live. Even though Gaffney never said he was going to kill the lamb, there are people today that still believe he did. We had the whole state God-concious for about 3 weeks. It is not time to stop, but time to charge! Gaffney wants to say: "To my brothers and sisters in Jesus, please, invade the heavens for us. Victory is at hand! Everyone was talking about Jesus right then. Who will stand with us this Easter season and pray for a mighty move of God? Who will stand with us and pray for revival in our churches, towns, states, our nation and the world? Is there anyone who still believes Jesus wants revival again?
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