You're listening to the Truth Network and truthnetwork.com.
But it is such an honor to be with you today. The other dilemma I have is, is my live national syndicated program is at four o'clock and you asked me to speak at your commencement at four o'clock. So do I open my app for the Truth Network and listen to me speak on here? Or put it on the mic for you to hear? Or do I just talk to you like this face to face? I think you would prefer that.
Which brings us to another dilemma. I got to have you out here in time for you to catch the last part of the show, okay? So we're on 105.7 here in Raleigh, a little bit of heaven on 105.7. We've got an app, too, for those of you.
Your smart phone is about to get smarter. I have a scripture in mind I want to share with you to encourage you and encourage these graduates specifically. Peter, Peter, Graham, Blake and Sawyer, I'm actually going to remember your names and be able to pray for you better. This is a manageable class size for a guy's memory, a basketball player who spent a lot more time in the gym than I did in the classroom. Open confession here at commencement message.
But guys, congratulations. And what is a man of iron? So I've got five marks of a man of iron. That's my message. And it's right out of 1 Peter chapter 2 verses 1 through 9. And if you have a little handout, I had a few handouts. I didn't print enough but we'll get you more and I can get you this whole thing at some point if you'd like it.
We can print some later. I want to read this scripture out loud. And I want to read it and I want you to read it with me if you have a Bible or if you have one of the sheets of paper that you were lucky enough to get one of those handouts. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby. If indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious, coming to him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen by God and precious. You also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore, it is also contained in the scripture, behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious. And he who believes on him will by no means be put to shame.
Therefore, to you who believe, he is precious. But to those who are disobedient, the stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. They stumble being disobedient to the word to which they all also were appointed. But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his own special people that you may proclaim the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his marble marvelous light.
This is God's word, the grass withers and the flower fades, the word of our Lord endures forever. So from this passage, what are the five marks of a man of iron? Now, where we're sending these graduates, I wish I could paint a prettier picture for you, young men, but you are going into a battle zone, and you have a sworn enemy, and he wants to destroy you.
Peter later in chapter five says he's prowling about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. He wants you dead. He wants you to be passive about your faith. He wants you to forget everything you've learned.
He wants you to put the sword away, and he wants you to live a wasted life. Who's seen the movie iron man? The very first one.
Okay. Now, what did the creator of iron man, what were his last words? The last words of the genius way over in the Middle East, the scientist that they captured and they tortured who invented the iron man, the iron suit, iron man one before two, three, and four came along, before all the Marvel movies. What were his last words? Don't waste your life.
Don't waste it. Those were his last words, and he died. And from those ashes rose a phoenix, the iron man.
The great Marvel hero, right, who beat all the enemies and saved the day. But those words were front in his mind. Don't waste it. Powerful words. So what is not a wasted life but an iron life? The marks of a man of iron. The first mark of a man of iron is a man of iron loves his lord. Everyone say loves his lord.
Loves his lord. Now, this is my most important point. Now, Stu, why would you put this at the very front and not end with it because it would make the perfect altar call? Well, because I want you guys, in case someone falls asleep during my message, I want to give you the best one first, okay?
The most important one first. Some of you didn't get that because you're already asleep, so that's okay. I get it. Hey, listen. Someone else will tell you about the whole thing later. He is gracious.
He is precious. Look at what Peter says. Peter is writing to people who are exiles. They are writing to people who are experiencing much persecution for their faith. They are exiles. He calls them sojourners in chapter one. He calls them pilgrims. He calls them aliens. They are embattled.
Why? Because A, they're Jews in a world that's hostile to Jews. B, they're Jewish Christians, so even their own people don't like them. Their own people killed the Messiah. And so now they're Jewish believers in a really rough period who happen to be under the emperor called Nero. What did Nero do to Christians? He put pitch on them.
He put them on big poles, in some cases crosses, and he lit them on fire at night so he could raise chariots through Rome. This is what was happening to Christians in the first century. These are the people Peter is writing to. This is our world today, hostile toward Christians. The enemy wants to destroy us. And the hostility you don't feel, you don't see, because it shows up in a passivity.
It shows up in just be normal. Just kind of get through. Don't talk about Jesus. Don't win souls for Christ.
Don't be in the Word. So the first point, the man of iron loves his Lord. Look at how many times. Look at what he says here. First he says he's gracious in verse 3. Look at verse 4. He says he's precious.
Coming to him. That word precious. Everyone say precious. Precious. How precious is Jesus to you? I didn't ask him to go to church.
I didn't ask him to give me all the theological information or denominational stuff or church history or polemics going way back. How precious? How real? How tender? How intimate are you with Jesus? And Peter describes him as precious. This is someone he loves. This is someone he's excited about. This is someone he's bananas about.
He loves Jesus. We get excited about a new restaurant. Have you had their coffee? Have you tried the dessert? Have you been to this place? And there's nothing wrong with that.
I'll put foodie pictures on Facebook all day long. But when's the last time you just woke up, you know, from a deep sleep and we're excited to be with Jesus. Look what he says a little bit later on in verse 6. Therefore, behold, I lay inside a chief cornerstone.
Elect. There's that word again. Precious. Three different times in this passage, Jesus is referred to as precious.
Has dear as as a a absolute satisfying person. Psalm 34 eight. The psalmist says, taste and see that the Lord is good.
Have you tasted? Do you know the Lord? Do you know just you know about the Lord? What's the difference between just knowing about Jesus and knowing him like Paul said in Philippians 210, then I may know him, and the power is resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering.
These people understood that Peter's day. And you know, the beauty of that is, is when you know him, you love him. To know him is to love him.
And let me tell you something. There's no question, young men, among those around you if you love Jesus, because he's precious, because he's dear. Because I'll be on the basketball court and a guy will miss a shot. And he'll yell JC really loud. And I'll say instinctively, he's my best friend.
And look at me like wow. And then I'll say as we're going down the court, he didn't make you miss that shot. Okay, so you don't need to run his name through the dirt. Because he's precious to me. Because he saved me. He shed his blood for me. Because as Peter says earlier, he chose me, he sanctifies me. He protects me he keeps me verse five kept by the power of God. So Jesus, so the man of iron loves his Lord guys start right there. If I don't say another word today, love Jesus. Walk with him. Know him, experience him every day.
Jesus Christ. He is to he came to know you. And knowing him is everything about the Christian life. And a man of iron loves his Lord. Well, the second thing of a man second mark of a man of iron. And this is connected to the first one. He lifts his sword and work sword into the message today.
I got one right in front of me here. He lifts his sword. The man of iron takes up the sword, which is the sword of the Spirit Ephesians chapter six and great armor of God passage.
What does Peter say look at verse earlier on he says this he says, as newborn baby he says in verse one get these toxic ingredients in food items out of your spiritual diet malice, deceit, hypocrisy, envy, all evil speaking get out of you, as newborn babes desire the pure milk of the word desire the pure milk that you may grow by it. God's Word is God's gift to us to reveal the person of God to the man of God. It is a weapon. It is the most read book in history. It is the best selling book in history. It's the most stolen book in history.
I bet you didn't know that. And it is illegal in 35 countries. The Bible. The Word of God. And he says to crave it.
He says literally to desire it, to hunger for it. The pure milk of the word. It's pure.
It is without blemish. I go witnessing and I'll tell people I've done this in LA before sharing the gospel. I say if you find one error in my Bible, I'll eat my Bible.
Whoa. Because every word of God is pure. Proverbs 30 verse five. So the man of God must take up and lift up the sword, the Word of God. Guys, why is this so important?
Well, because the Word of God reveals the will of God. A lot of questions hitting you guys. And some unfair. As parents, as oldie fuddy does, they're like what are you doing with your life? They're just graduating and we're asking them that kind of question. Like we had it all figured out when we were that age, right? But all these thoughts, who are you going to marry?
Very poor decision. So all these things. So the Word of God brings us into the will of God. Because as we read his word, we get closer to the author. God is texting us all the time, every day. And it's right here in his book in this amazing love letter in the Word of God. So all those questions.
So here's the question, your decision you got to make. Are you going to be under solid teaching the Word of God? Because you're going to enter a world with a bunch of churches, with a bunch of pulpits that are giving a bunch of TED talks and pews filled with a bunch of people who are spiritually illiterate. So the question is, are you going to be under the teaching like the pastor of this church? He brings the Word of God. He's on twice a day on the Truth Network, every day on our stations because he brings the Word of God. He feeds you the Word of God. People are starving not to hear a statement or a comment or a little bit about the word or a book about the word or a cool little TED talk or a motivational speech or a coaching session or a great comedian or you know, a real funny guy.
People are starving to hear the Word of God. What does that mean? Guys, I'm gonna say some words here that may just go right over your head, but I want you to learn them. Hermeneutics, homiletics, Bible study, Bible interpretation, observation, interpretation, application. So be in the Word and be under the Word. Read the Word. Study the Word. Memorize the Word. Meditate on the Word.
I grew up in a home where my mom memorizes entire books of the Bible and every night before bed she'd quote a scripture. I'm working on making it a podcast now so you can play the Word of God as you go to bed. The last thing you do before you go to bed, now follow me on the IG. I just picked up, maybe I just picked up five followers here. What do you think, Doug?
That's big time. I might get five more likes. For 13 years I've put a Bible verse on my Instagram and my Twitter every night before bed. Do I do it for all my hundreds of thousands of followers? That sounded good, didn't it?
I don't have that many. Let me tell you why I do it. I do it because this man of God needs a spiritual probiotic to cleanse myself, my soul as I go to sleep. So I take a Bible verse to bed with me every night and I just think about it.
What happens? It cleanses you. It gets in your mind. It affects your soul state, everything, and you wake up better when you have God's Word in your mind. The psalmist said, Thy Word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against thee. So the Word of God, so important. 27 years ago I was starved for the teaching of the Word of God and I couldn't hear a consistent radio 24 hours that put the best Bible teachers on the radio. That's why we started the Truth Network. Really for one listener right here is I was hungry for the word. And when you hear these teachers, it just feeds your soul. But you got to get it yourself. Don't take their word for it. You get the word yourself and feed yourself.
At some point you got to get past other people chewing your food up for you right and spoon feeding it and you got to feed yourself the word and be under the word and then be sharing the word. You got the reading, studying. Look at this hand. This is a navigators tool.
I love it. Reading, studying, memorizing, meditating on it. The psalmist said, I meditate on it day and night. And what creates success in my life as God defines success. The Word of God in me coming through me, coming out me to others into the world of God.
Meditating on it and then applying it. With this hand, you take any of those out, right? I can't pick up a Bible with four fingers very well or with two fingers very well.
But with all five fingers, I can pick up the word. And so the man of iron lifts up his sword. Now this is the third one. The third bark of a man of iron. He lives in his herd. Look at what Peter says here.
Wow. He says, coming to him as a living stone. Jesus is a living stone.
You would think that's an oxymoron. What's a stone is a dead, inanimate object, right? But Christ is a living stone. Because as Peter is going to tell us, he's the chief cornerstone. He's the rock of our salvation. And he says, rejected by men but chosen by God. And there's that word precious. Now look at verse five. You also as living stones. We're a bunch of little stones.
And what do we make up? Well, look at the next word here. Being built up a spiritual house. There are no lone ranger Christians.
So the good news is you are not alone. There are other people that love Jesus, that want to encourage you and sharpen you. And I think this might be one of the favorite verses here. 2717. How about that? What does it say gang? Say it with me. As iron sharpens iron. So a man sharpens the counts of his friend.
Iron sharpening iron. So who is your herd? Because you also are living stones being built up a spiritual house. You know what the church is? It's a herd. I guess you call it a holy herd.
I haven't tried that one before. That'd be a good book. So I want to keep that and give me credit if you ever write a book by that title. Holy herd, the church. Who is in your herd? You know, it's kind of cool about having five graduates not just because I remember your days better.
But all the all the brilliant speakers that get paid a lot of money to go speak everywhere in the world and all the authors, you know what they all say? They say you're defined by your five closest friends. You are a product of the five people you hang out with the most, which means, sorry, I could put I can go find five if I've never met you, I go find five of your friends and know a whole lot more about you than you could ever even think just by talking to them, right? So who are your five friends?
It's kind of cool. You've got five friends right there. So you guys got easy out on that. We've got an easy A there because they've got five right there.
You'll have to figure that out later. But that's why basketball is God's favorite sport because they're starting five. We've got another one right there. Not just because the world's shaped like a basketball. That's another one.
But you live in your herd and you iron sharpens iron. I love this keeper program. It's awesome. This is what it's all about.
It's happening here. You've seen it modeled. You continue that to build up in this verse literally means to edify and that's the word to make stronger to fortify to strengthen. And so so that's a huge question. Who are you who are who are who are who is in your herd? And the four key people you must have in your herd. Three of them you've heard of.
But there's another one. Every single believer, young men. These are the people you need in your life. You need a Paul to pour into your disciple. Critical. You need a Timothy. Who's that?
That's that underclassmen you've been hanging out with all semester, right? Trying to encourage. Hey, how's your time in the word? Hey, how can I pray for you? How can I love you?
What's going on at home? A Timothy for you to disciple. You need a Barnabas. Who's that? That's an encourager who comes alongside to encourage me. But there's a fourth one for these young men.
This is a real important part of the herd, guys. You need an Eve. Eve?
Who's that? Well, that was the first lady. That was an answer to Adam's prayer.
And guess what? That's what I'm challenging you guys to pray for your future wife. Let me tell you about your future wife. She's out there. She's smoking hot. And the dude she's with is probably not her husband.
Right? So pray for her. The guy would protect her from him and prepare her for you. And as you get to know, young ladies, as you you know, find that attraction and you get in those relationships. Remember, she is someone's future wife.
So you're you're dating, you're building relationships, friendships with the goal in mind of marriage, and you're asking God to lead you in that way. Huge part of your herd. I've been married 33 years to the same woman. And she still loves me. I don't know how.
But she's been a blessing and she sharpens me and she encourages me. So you're heard guys is so important. Let me you're heard part of what am I heard is here. Doug, Doug, wave to everybody. Doug, hold up that backpack.
Every one of you guys is getting a graduation gift from the truth network chock full of some goodies. Look at that. Look right there. Look behind you guys. Look at that right there.
Doug is part of my herd. This guy I thought you know, I'd be mentoring him and I thought I'd be encouraging him. I thought man, I'm gonna be this guy's Paul. Well, guess what?
Now I'm is Timothy. Because literally two hours ago, I was sweating. I was sore. I just played an intensive basketball elite Academy. And we were outside of this huge polar plunge, outdoor sauna.
And I had to get this polar plunge. And all I'm thinking about is my aches and pains, my hamstring, my calf, if we had a few more hours, I could give you all my basketball injuries. So don't ask me why I'm limping unless you want to hear me just kind of throw up all over you.
Okay, and tell you all these issues over 30 years of basketball injuries. So I'm thinking about that discomfort. And I'm polar plunge and I'm kind of doing that then I get out I start drop and Doug's having a little bit of an intense conversation with a guy. And he's just leaning in that guy's leaning in. And I'm trying to get into my next thing and get ready to speak to you all and get changed and all dappered up, you know, and all this and next thing you know, Doug says, Hey, Stu, can you come over here?
He says, Hey, Stu, this young man wants to pray to receive Christ right now. And I'm like, Okay. Wow. I said, document waited a couple weeks. I'm just kidding.
I say that. And we prayed with that young man to receive Christ. And we're right in front of these polar plunge, big old ice, ice boxes with water and ice in them. And Doug said, Well, how about being baptized? And he said, Why not? So he stripped down to a swim suit, took his shoes, and we baptize him in the name of the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit. And we explained him what this means is an internal expression of what just happened inside. And he couldn't have been happier. So praise the Lord, they're having a party in heaven.
They started about two hours ago, when I wasn't even thinking about doing that kind of thing. This guy's my herd. What does it was a herd do?
Or takes you soul winning? Her thanks about the spiritual things. I heard think you asked me a question was like, how was the word this morning?
Was like someone challenged you parents? Hey, how's your time with Lord? How's your relationship with Christ?
How precious is he to you? We're not asking that condescending way where I say, Hey, man, as soon as I find out someone like Doug's more on fire than me, I mean, please pour into me. I'll be your Timothy.
You got these amazing professors, you got these amazing resources, you are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses that are pouring into you. And now it's your opportunity to pour into others. So now we let's just give a hand for this guy. Let's join heaven and applauding God God for this guy that just came to the Lord it was baptized two hours ago. Praise God, so pray for him that he'll grow in grace that he'll take up the word lift up a sword that he'll live in his herd. Doug's already got him going to church with him. So he's already covered that.
And it's a one of these campuses of this this church here that we're in. Okay, so the fourth thing, you guys are amazing listeners. There's just two more points. A man of iron lights up his world. And that ties into what I just shared about Doug a man of iron. Look at what he says.
Let's go let's move on down. Again, verse seven, to you who believe he is precious. Oh, my soul. I just love that word.
He's precious. And he says in verse nine, this is one of the classic verses in the faith memorize this verse meditate on it share with someone, but you are a chosen generation, one of the most beautiful descriptions of a believer, the Lord Jesus Christ in the whole Bible is in chapter two, verse nine of first Peter, you are chosen generation, a royal priesthood. And by the way, that's an oxymoron because the royalty and the priesthood didn't mix nobility stayed the palace, the priest stayed in the temple.
Just ask us isiah who started fooling around the temple and he got leprosy. We read the Old Testament. But in Christ, I'm not only a priest with full access to God, but I'm a son of the key. You guys, as men of iron are kings kid, kings kids, you are of noble blood, the blood of Jesus Christ adopted out of darkness into light.
And that's what he says. So what in order that what happens, you're his own special people that you may proclaim by the way that we're special in many versions is peculiar. You're different believers are different, they stand out.
They're just not normal, because they're supernaturally transform. And they want to talk about Jesus all the time. You're a peculiar people, Iron Academy graduates, I'm going to go on record here are different. And that is a blessing.
That is a badge of honor. Praise the Lord, that there's a sword right here. Praise the Lord for the word of God that has been poured into these young men these years in our Academy and these young men coming coming after them.
So they light up he lights up his world that you may proclaim here's where it all goes gang. We're different. We're transformed. We're a holy priesthood that we may proclaim the praises of him who calls you out of darkness into marvelous light. Everyone say marvelous, marvelous. Does that mark your language, by the way, about Jesus precious, gracious, about the faith about the light I'm in marvelous.
What are things we get excited about? He's called us out of darkness. We were on our way to hell, I was on the way to hell. And he saved me and called me in a marvelous light, by the grace of God, and only by the grace of God. And guess what we get to tell everybody. You may be wondering, what am I doing here?
Listen to that big tall radio nut basketball guy who can hardly walk, talking and getting excited. Well, maybe you don't know Christ. And maybe today, because of the witness of these five powerful witnesses, you're hearing the gospel and you need to ask Jesus to save you before you leave this building. And you need to join our new friend and get baptized and call upon the name of the Lord.
Because he's been pursuing you. And people have been praying for these five guys for much of their life that they would come to know Christ. They are a product of prayer.
They're proud of people pouring the word into them. And they've been praying and we prayed in this room before coming out here for every one of you that if you don't know Jesus, you would trust him that you would call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Because that's why he saved me to call everyone else into this marvelous light. Oh, you're so much better than everyone. No, I'm not. I'm a beggar trying to tell other beggars where they can find the bread of life. Amen.
And so you guys are going out to be a witness because there's 3.5 billion, everyone say 3.5 billion 3.5 billion. I know we got issues. I know there's medical issues. I know there's emotional issues. I know there's attachment issues.
I know there's family issues that may keep you up at night that you're worried about financial. Let's not even start with political. But let me tell you what should keep us up at night as believers, the 3.5 billion people on this planet who've never heard the name of Jesus Christ. And we have the privilege to share the good news with them about the light of the world who saved a sinner like me.
And now he saved me so I could tell everyone about it. So I could proclaim that's a strong word announced. Another word for that is the word we get our word advertising. Hey, you five guys, you're an advertising, not just advertising this great Iron Academy.
And the amazing things that happen here who were like, where'd you go to school, man, this kid's different. Where do you go to school, you're advertising the glory of Christ that brought you out of darkness in a marvelous light. Everywhere we go, every one of us a walking talking billboard. Now you're either we're all advertising. The question is, am I a lousy advertiser? Or am I advertising his glory? Even in my weakness, even in my struggle? Am I advertising the goodness of God, inviting people in.
So this is a powerful thing. You light up a man of iron. Not only does he love his Lord, not only does he lift his sword, but he lives in his herd. He surrounds himself. He doesn't forsake us selling of ourselves together. He was Hebrews 1024 25. These verses are listed here.
He lights up his world. He shares the good news of Jesus Christ. Tragically, if you look at mainline evangelical statistics, like Barna, just go look on there. Have you five, less than only four and a half of you are ever going to actively share your faith. Based on Christian statistics. It's like less than 8% or less of true born again believers even share their faith. I mean, we have the answer to everyone's problem.
The answer eternal life answer everything Jesus Christ, the only hope. Why are we telling people? So we're gonna blow that statistic out of the water. You guys just give me a nod or just put a hand in the air if you'll share Christ when you graduate from here. Awesome.
But you have to wait till you graduate with no diplomas have been passed yet you got to wait just just a few minutes. Okay, I promise. I'm almost done. Y'all are amazing listeners. He lights up his world a man of iron does. Jay David Livingston said give me Africa.
William Carey said give me India. When are you asking God for nations to be saved? When are you asking God to do great work? You can be part of that reaching the world with the good news of Jesus Christ. So finally, the fifth mark of a man of iron.
Thank y'all are gonna like this one. Not only does he love his Lord, not only does he lift his sword, not only does he live in his herd, not only does he light up his world, but he laughs on his way. So leaving on a light note here, Proverbs 1822, one of my favorite verses. A merry heart does good.
Like a medicine. Everyone say lighten up. Lighten up. You've been thinking the whole time. So just say it.
Okay. Lighten up, smile, enjoy these moments with family. And there's a good healthy kind of laughter, not some kind of laughter or humor that just trivializes everything right and never gets serious and never gets to the point or sarcasm can be awful.
But I mean, just laughter, joy. Nehemiah said the joy of the Lord is my strength. Chuck's wind all the renowned pastor, author, he he learned this the hard way. When he was over in Israel on this elite Holy Land tour there Chuck's one doll is with all of these leaders and all of these these folks that were part of his ministry support, and he's doing a Holy Land tour and where were they? They were in the very valley that David killed. Goliath remember that the giant went down. And so he is waxing eloquent over the scriptures. And Chuck's wind all is telling the story of this awful menacing giant who's who's shouting out horrible language and insults against God and God's people and making fun of this little shepherd boy.
What are you doing bring out this little tiny lab this little kid out here to fight me. And swindoll talks about the moment that David took those stones right. And round and round and round and round and round and round and round right. I love this last part and one little stone went up in the air. See if I can get this low and the giant came tumbling down.
I can't quite get that low but you get the point right. Some of you kids heard that when you were kids in science school. So it's wind off telling this amazing story and I'm done. And he says now let's just let's just all reach down. So he pick up a stone. And he held the stone up and said just think one of these stones, one of these little rocks could be the very stone that David used to kill the giant. And before those words could get out of his mouth. Here's this giant construction truck backing up.
The foreman jumps out and says yeah, we just dumped four tons of these out here from Tel Aviv. So there is whole story went down the toilet but what do you do? Chuck swindoll wrote a book called laugh again challenging Christians to laugh to enjoy to have a merry heart. And even in your sorrow I talked to my old college coach last night on the phone. He's still weeping. He just lost his wife last week.
Married for 60 plus years. But he has the joy of the Lord. See even in tears there's joy.
What does Paul say he says rejoice in the Lord always and Guinness a rejoice. So a man of iron also laughs his way guys enjoy laugh. And a smile is a powerful thing. Just one smile can alter the chemicals experts are now saying in someone else's brain. Not even saying God loves you got even doing all those things. And please by all means share the gospel and say that but just if you're running by someone just a smile can just lift them up and can change the entire ecosystem of their psyche and of their mind and just push them better.
You know just a smile coming from the heart. So I want to challenge you guys as we close to be like John Harper. Everyone say who is John Harper?
Ask me that a little bit louder I got to get out of here. Who is John Harper? Who is John Harper?
So let me tell you who John Harper is. John Harper's name came up four years after the sinking of the Titanic. Remember the Titanic? The great ship that could never be sunk and the horrible tragedy when it hit an iceberg and thousands of lives are lost. And they had this survivors meeting and it wasn't a Christian meeting. It wasn't like a camp meeting or even a Christian commencement like this. And they got up and they said we want to hear from you.
We want to hear your story. And a man got up and he said these words. He said I was holding on to floating debris. I was in the water.
It was ice cold. And a man swam by. And he said have you been born again?
And then he swam on and he went to the next person floating. He said have you been saved? And he swam on and he went all around and I could hear his words echoing. And then I heard him say call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. And then I heard him say whoever believes on the Lord's Jesus Christ will be saved. And this man is swimming, preaching and he circles back to me and he says have you been saved? And he quotes that scripture. And he notices I don't have a life vest. And he gave me, John Harper gave me his life jacket.
And he called out one more time. Call upon the name of the Lord to be saved. And he sunk into the depths. And this gentleman standing up in front of all these Titanic survivors and all the media and all the press, he said these words.
I was the last convert of john harper. Even as he's dying, even as he's sinking, he's bringing people to Jesus. Like the thief on the cross. He was doomed. He was just minutes away from going into hell. And Jesus Christ saved him and took him right to heaven with with him.
So men of iron Peter, Peter, Graham, Blake saw him. Love your Lord. Lift up your sword, the sword of the spirit.
Live in her light up your world. Take the gospel everywhere and laugh on your way. And I'm excited to see what God's gonna do in your life. Heavenly Father, I want to pray for these young men. And I want to thank you for them.
I want to thank you for everyone in this room, too many even recognized by name, who have had a role in them being here today. And Lord, there would be nothing greater than if someone in this room would turn to you and trust you and call upon you today and be saved. Or this might be my last sermon.
I don't know. But Lord God, I pray you'll you'll save someone today and I pray or that all of us would go back to you as our first love and walk with you and hunger every day for your word and sharpen disciple everyone around us and witness to this lost world around us. They're waiting to hear how they could be saved.
That's why we're still here. You have a return so we can tell the good news and then we would smile all along the way knowing you are in control. Knowing you have given us the victory knowing it is finished and how much you love us Lord. You love these young men. You've brought them this day. We thank you for your mighty work in their life and we pray great things for them that you'll do great things in them for them and through them as they go out of here as graduates of Iron Academy and it's in Jesus Christ mighty name. I pray all these things. Amen.
