Original subtitles

♪

♪

♪

♪ oiltown! ♪

♪ oiltown! ♪

♪ oiltown, usa! ♪

♪ oiltown ♪

♪ everyone knows that it's great ♪

♪ it's the pride and joy of the lone star state ♪

♪ that's oiltown, usa ♪

♪ oil wells ♪

♪ pumping that oil night and day ♪

♪ well, she's shooting high in the texas sky ♪

♪ in oiltown, usa ♪

♪ cowboys, cattle ♪

♪ cowboys, cattle ♪

♪ ships on the golden grain ♪

♪ moving, moving

♪ skyscrapers moving ♪

♪ high on the texas plain ♪

♪ oiltown ♪

♪ queen of the rolling ♪

♪ southwest ♪

♪ you will find her name ♪

♪ up among the best ♪

♪ london, paris ♪

♪ new york, houston ♪

♪ that's oiltown, usa ♪

♪

♪ oiltown ♪

♪ queen of the rolling ♪

♪ southwest ♪

♪ you will find her name ♪

♪ up among the best ♪

♪ london, paris ♪

♪ new york, houston ♪

♪ that's oiltown ♪

♪ usa! ♪

♪♪

♪

how did this check for florescents?

there's a pretty good show, mr. manning.

i don't profess to be any geologist,

but the shooting picture on that adjoining crack

sure looked good to me.

it's your name on that diploma over there, hillman,

what do you say?

that tyler track looks very good.

the high seems to be running in that direction.

that's what we said about the spanning lease.

until 15,000 feet of dry hole told us otherwise.

well, i'll risk it.

see the landowner as soon as you can.

right.

[woman's voice over intercom] mr. manning?

yes?

your daughter and her friend

arrived in town a few minutes ago.

woods is taking them to the house.

call the housekeeper

and tell her i'm leaving for home immediately.

oh, johnson,

remember, the manning oil company has the reputation

of being the shrewdest trader since spindletop.

see that this reputation is maintained.

♪

did you hear what he said?

yeah, the shrewdest trader since spindletop.

no, no, jack, i mean christine manning,

the boss's daughter is home from college.

oh, that.

didn't her old man say she had a friend?

oh, get with it, ted.

after all, it's your name on that diploma.

[chuckling]

♪

♪

thank you, woods.

oh, chris, i never dreamed it was so beautiful.

it is beautiful.

dad wouldn't have it any other way.

♪

♪

oh, chris, just think--

two full months of paradise!

paradise?

this is houston, texas, jane.

remember that.

no, not paradise...

things get so,

oh, i don't know,

so kind of dirty out in the oil fields.

i think that's why dad has always sent me

up north to go to school.

ever since i can remember.

hmm... sound's exciting, chris.

now, see here

jane hughes, i promised your mother that if i...

oh, chris, i'll be good!

and mom and dad will be proud of me, too.

even dear harvey.

[clears throat]

well, uhm, you needn't go that far.

[chuckling]

come on, jane, let's go freshen up.

i think dad'll be home soon.

miss christine.

oh, sally, it's good to be home again.

you know, if school hadn't ended,

i think i'd have come anyway

just to taste one of your pies again.

oh, miss christine.

sally, this is my friend from school,

jane hughes.

she'll be spending the summer with us.

how do you do?

hello, sally, i'm so happy to know you.

thank you, ma'am.

does dad know we're home, sally?

oh, yes, ma'am,

mr. manning called us a little while ago

from the office.

he said he's on his way home

and wants me to serve dinner early.

he figured you'd all be powerful hungry after your trip.

(chris) you're so right.

you know they gave us a snack on the train

but that's just about all it was

(voices fade, music begins)

...you better watch out...

(sally) i'll take care of her... [chuckling]

♪

♪

my mother, jane.

your mother?

oh, chris, i can't get over

how much you look like her!

i don't remember you ever mentioning her.

well, i've never really known too much about her.

all i have are a few childhood memories.

a big home in detroit,

a governess to look after me.

mother was very ill.

i only saw her for...

maybe a few moments each day

when the nurse would let me into the sick room.

i don't know to this day

what sent her to an early grave.

dad just won't discuss it.

right after the funeral,

he sold everything and moved here to houston

to sort of start all over again.

now all that's left is the portrait.

plus whatever memories he has locked inside.

(father) sally? where's my daughter?

in the library, dad!

library?

haven't you had enough books for a while?

oh, dad.

why, you've grown an inch since christmas!

do you know, i believe you have, too.

nonsense.

this suit never did fit me well.

and this is jane hughes.

welcome to texas, jane.

for illinois, aren't you?

springfield.

well, you just show enough fortitude

to live in texas for a couple of months

and you'll go down in history as a texan.

[laughter]

now i suppose... [voice trails off]

[music begins]

i suppose you girls will want to

freshen up after your trip.

christine, show jane to her room.

i hope you'll enjoy your stay with us, jane.

it's going to be wonderful, mr. manning.

we'll be down in a few moments, dad.

♪

♪

[meat sizzles]

♪ you laid your hand, mighty lord ♪

♪ on the range ♪

♪ laid your wonderful hand on the prairie ♪

♪ lord, you poured forth the fountains ♪

♪ raised up the mountains ♪

♪ o lord, keep your mighty hand on me ♪

♪ you touched your clouds, made them rain ♪

♪ from the rain, made the sea ♪

♪ from the sea, formed the clouds ♪

♪ to give us life abundantly ♪

♪ you have the earth and the sky ♪

♪ in your command, lord ♪

♪ o please, keep your precious hand on me ♪

[phone rings]

hello?

this is katherine tyler.

who?

the manning oil company?

why, i guess so.

my brother and i'll both be here tomorrow morning.

we'll make it at 10 o'clock.

what'd you say your name was?

bob johnson.

all right, mr. johnson,

we'll see you tomorrow at ten.

goodbye.

♪ you touched your clouds, made them rain ♪

♪ from the rain, made the sea ♪

♪ from the sea, formed the clouds ♪

♪ to give us life abundantly ♪

♪ you have the earth and the sky ♪

♪ in your command, lord ♪

♪ o please, keep your precious hand on me ♪♪

jim, i don't think i want to be a millionaire.

well, yeah, i guess that could get kinda complicated.

who was that call a while ago?

fort knox?

getting a little overcrowded?

it's not gold, jim, it's oil.

right here on the ranch...

maybe.

who called, kay?

it was uh...

some oil company.

well, what's the name of the company?

isn't that awful?

i don't remember.

but they're coming out here in the morning, jim.

the land agent for the company.

said it'd be well worth our while to talk to him.

well, there's one thing i'm sure of...

our steaks are getting cold.

come on, let's eat.

let's eat!

now your signature, miss tyler.

what are the chances there's oil under here?

well, the odds are about 8 to one against it.

eight to one?

yeah, there were over 6,000 wildcat wells drilled last year,

and more than 5,000 of them dry holes.

sounds like monte carlo.

well, not quite.

the industry still found more oil last year

than any year in its history.

any idea when you'll start drilling, mr. johnson?

when lance manning smells oil,

he's a very impatient man, miss tyler.

you can expect the rig to arrive most any day.

matter of fact,

he'll probably even begrudge the time

it takes me to get this lease back to houston.

♪

♪

looks good, buddy!

how 'bout that?

♪

♪

well, this is it, girls.

right up this way.

well, hi!

sis, i want you to meet christine manning.

hello, chris!

hello, miss tyler.

oh, just kay.

and her friend, jane hughes.

hi!

hello, oh, i just love your ranch, kay.

oh, well, thanks,

i think you'll like inside better where it's cooler.

come on in.

yeah, let's go in.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪ who made the mountains? ♪

♪ who made the trees? ♪

♪ who made the rivers flow to the sea? ♪

♪ and who hung the moon in the starry sky? ♪

♪ somebody bigger than you and i ♪

♪ who made the flowers bloom in the spring? ♪

how you folks getting along?

you getting enough to eat?

it's wonderful, jim.

i sure wish your dad could be here

to help us celebrate, chris.

oh, so do i, jim.

he'd planned on it, you know but...

something unexpected came up

and he had to fly to dallas for the weekend.

i know,

he sent his regrets

along with gallons of ice cream.

ice cream!

oh no!

where will i put it?

don't stop now.

i've seen many a well come in,

but never with vittles like this!

well, this is the christine number one, jack.

oh, bob,

it could have been the mazie number 14,

and we'd still have celebrated.

well, i don't know about that.

the name's a pretty important thing.

oh, rubbish!

i heard a driller call the well

a lot of names the other day.

oh, you did?

yes, i did.

[laughter]

jim, why don't you let these folks eat in peace.

oh, i wish you'd have interrupted us a lot sooner.

well, i can hardly breathe.

time to sing for your supper, jim.

you mean?

remember what we said?

we've been hiding our light under a bushel long enough.

oh, go on, jim, let it shine.

well, okay...

you pray for me.

and remember, kitten you're next.

just a minute, folks.

if any of you are still hungry,

we've got about a quarter of beef left out in the kitchen.

[crowd moaning]

you know, my sister kay and i thought this little get-together

would be a good thing because we've made so many

new friends here on the diamond-t

the past few weeks,

and i know a lot of you folks have added some of new words

to your vocabularies, too.

for instance, you've learned that a roughneck

on a drilling crew can be a pretty swell guy.

and that a well is only a hole until it comes in,

like the christine number one did this week.

so, for all of our new friends,

and especially for our guest of honor,

and because this kind of benefits all of us,

i'd like to sing a little song for you.

a song that tells much better than i can

just how i feel.

♪

♪ when i left home i sought popularity ♪

♪ i rode buckin' horses to fame ♪

♪ someone else made the money ♪

♪ all i got was applause ♪

♪ my fortune was all in my name ♪

♪

♪ so i thought gold could buy peace and happiness ♪

♪ i fought for each kind i could find ♪

♪ but the white gold of cotton ♪

♪ and the black gold of oil ♪

♪ could never buy me peace of mind ♪

♪ and then i took christ as my partner ♪

♪ gave heart, life and soul back to him ♪

♪ for he bought me, you know ♪

♪ on a cross long ago ♪

♪ in his light, worldly pleasures grow dim ♪

♪ yes, the lord jesus christ is my partner ♪

♪ i'm following him night and day ♪

♪ life's a wonderful ride ♪

♪ with christ as my guide ♪

♪ he's leading each step of the way ♪♪

♪

we missed you at our little party

the other evening, mr. manning.

from what i hear,

it's just as well i wasn't there.

why, uh, what do you mean?

tyler, if you knew me better,

you wouldn't try to rope me in on anything religious.

religion and lance manning

have nothing in common, understand?

i'm beginning to.

and that goes for my daughter christine, too.

i may not be able to speak for my crews

when they're on their own time,

but i'm certainly giving the orders

as far as chris is concerned.

why, for days she and her houseguest

have been moping around talking about god

like a couple of old ladies at a prayer meeting.

you oughta be glad they're talking about him

instead of mocking him,

like a lot of youngsters their age.

tyler, i won't have my daughter emotionally upset

by a lot of supernatural tommyrot.

for twenty years, i've done my best

to shield her from such hysteria.

and i will not be thwarted this late in the game!

mr. manning, for a man whose living comes from

the very hand of the creator,

you have a strange philosophy.

"the hand of the creator."

hogwash!

no mystical being ever helped me get where i am today!

there's my god!

two strong hands, a mind to direct them,

and a few strong backs to do the dirty work!

do you know any better formula for success?

yes, i believe i do.

you've made no room for the heart.

a heart controlled by love.

it's because i love my daughter

that i'm trying to spare her all this futility!

i used to talk that way.

then god let me tumble from my little pinnacle...

so he could talk to me!

things look a lot different

from the bottom of the ladder, mr. manning.

[scoffs]

i don't intend to ever find out.

i wouldn't be too sure.

♪

no more, sally.

i declare, mr. manning.

ain't none of y'all eating enough

to keep a bird alive.

miss jane?

miss christine?

thank you, sally.

well, i do declare.

there's something mighty strange going on in this house

and you can believe me!

i was out at the christine number one today.

and i ran into your friend, jim tyler.

oh, yes, dad.

chris...

i don't want you going out there.

why, dad!

now, christine, i don't want to discuss it further.

the tylers are just not the sort of people

i want you girls

spending time with.

but dad, kay and jim tyler...

now, christine, we'll discuss it some other time.

now if you girls will excuse me,

i have some business to attend to which will

probably keep me out until very late.

uhm...

i've instructed captain starr

to have the yacht ready for you girls

anytime you may wish to use it.

just call him down at the harbor.

well... good night.

chris, i think i'm going to call jack

and tell him that i have a headache, too.

now, jane, you'll do nothing of the kind.

go on and have a good time.

i need some time to think, anyway.

well, all right then.

i guess i'd better go up and get dressed.

miss christine,

what is wrong with everybody?

now sally, aren't the mannings

entitled to an off night?

well, i suppose so, miss christine.

i just hate to see you and miss jane looking so blue.

sally...

dad isn't often home evenings, is he?

oh, no ma'am.

he's never home after dinner.

always some business to attend to.

he's a mighty busy man,

he certainly is.

what do people think of him?

well, ma'am, that's a funny thing.

you see, he ain't...

miss christine, what you ask a question like that for?

you're just trying to pump me, that's what.

and i ain't gonna say no more, no ma'am.

the idea!

asking a question like that about your own daddy!

i declare!

never mind, sally, i'll get it.

it's someone for jane.

hi, chris.

hello, jack.

come on in.

jane will be down in just a minute.

oh, thanks.

from bob.

he said, if you change your mind,

give him a call.

he'll be home all evening.

how thoughtful.

(christine) well!

hello, jack.

hi, jane.

do i look all right, chris?

silly girl!

i'll give you my sentiments later.

shall we go?

you take good care of her, jack.

mrs. hughes would want that.

stop worrying, grandma!

have fun, you two.

'bye, chris, see you later!

'bye.

♪

♪

(thinking) sally...

dad isn't often home evenings, is he?

(sally) oh, no ma'am.

he's never home after dinner.

always some business to attend to.

he's a mighty busy man, he certainly is.

(christine) what do people think of him?

(sally) well, ma'am, that's a funny thing.

you see, he ain't...

miss christine, what you ask a question like that for?

you're just trying to pump me, that's what.

and i ain't gonna say no more, no ma'am.

the idea!

asking a question like that about your own daddy!

(christine) i don't know to this day

what sent her to an early grave.

dad just won't discuss it.

now all that's left is the portrait.

plus whatever memories he has locked inside.

i've got to know!

♪

♪

bob?

this is chris.

guess what?

my headache's gone.

i could be ready in twenty minutes.

goodbye.

♪

[piano music plays]

all right, chris.

as much as i'd like to think you just want to

be with me tonight, i know different.

what's the trouble?

i've never tried to kid you, bob.

please... grant me the same courtesy.

well, sure.

i want some answers.

and bob, if you won't give them to me...

take it easy, kiddo.

at these prices,

we can afford to stay here all evening.

i'm sorry.

it's about dad.

for the last two or three years,

i've had a strange feeling about him.

oh, he's always been quiet about the past,

about my mother and what became of her...

but as i've gotten older,

and especially on this trip, bob,

i've begun to feel that...

well, that i don't really know him at all.

i sometimes think he's opposed to everything that's decent.

take, for instance, tonight.

he forbad jane and me

to go back to the tyler ranch again.

he said something about the tylers not being

the kind of people he wants us to associate with.

oh, bob, you know there aren't two finer people

in the state of texas than kay and jim tyler.

yes, i know.

something to drink?

no, thanks, this is all.

i've been putting two and two together.

little things people say.

things i overhear that...

...that just aren't meant for lance manning's daughter to hear.

i learned he's never home at night.

oh, i know, bob, i'm only his daughter,

and i'm away at school nine months of the year, but...

he's all i've got.

a girl wants to be...

to be proud of her dad, bob.

chris, i bet i know a thousand houstians

who'd trade places with you at the drop of a hat.

so your dad's a little mysterious.

so what?

i'm tired of mystery, bob!

look, i'll be out of school next year.

i want to know where i'm going.

yes, and where i've come from, too.

look, bob,

forget for the moment that he's my father.

i want it straight.

just who is lance manning?

all right, chris.

lance manning is one of the shrewdest operators

in the oil business.

he gets what he wants and at his price.

if anybody gets in his way,

he either walks on them or buys them.

his god is gold, black gold.

and he can find it

even if it's three miles straight down.

the name of manning is legend out in the fields.

it's a name many men fear.

and a lot of them hate.

socially, i...

i don't know anything but what i hear.

and none of it's fit to repeat.

well, maybe none of it's true, for that matter.

well, i...

i must say i asked for it.

must have been pretty handy for dad

not having a daughter around.

even a bluebeard would have a conscience about that.

chris, i've been a fool.

you've not been a fool, bob.

come on, let's get out of here.

♪

i'm sorry, sir, this is a private club

for members only.

oh, well, my name is johnson.

i work with the manning oil company.

and this is mr. manning's daughter.

oh, i'm sorry, miss manning, i didn't realize.

thank you.

[indistinct chatter]

i think it's bound to pay-off.

twenty-three on the red.

♪

twenty-one black.

well! we've got company, lance.

♪

♪

take her home! immediately!

i'll see you at the office in the morning.

let's go, chris.

♪

♪

chris...

please, bob, don't say anything.

good night.

♪

♪

(jane) why, chris!

what are you doing?

jane, i...

what's happened, chris?

i'll tell you on the way

out to the tyler ranch, jean.

be a good girl and pack a change of clothes.

and hurry up, jane.

i don't want to spend a minute longer than necessary

in this house tonight.

all right, i'll only be a minute.

♪

♪

kay, you're an amazing person.

nothin' amazing about me.

here jane and i get you up at two a.m.

well, you're as composed

as if it were two in the afternoon.

and you know, i don't think you were too surprised

when i told you about dad.

chris, when a man fights god all his life,

like lance manning has,

he's capable of most anything.

no, i wasn't surprised.

yet i haven't given up hope either.

jim and i have been praying for your father

ever since the first day we met him.

and yesterday when he told jim

he didn't want you and jane coming here to the ranch,

i knew god was speaking to him.

i don't believe i understand, kay.

surely, god couldn't be pleased with, with his living.

no, but you see,

the very fact that he's so terribly miserable,

so upset when any of us speak of christ

and what he means to us,

those are signs of a struggle going on inside.

i wish there were something i could do.

there is, chris.

there's one crack in your father's armour.

one spot of tenderness in his heart...

his love for you.

oh, he shows it in strange ways.

and i even think he hates himself for that one weakness.

but it may be that god intends

to reach him through you, chris.

through a testimony to the power of god

in your own life.

i'm beginning to understand what--

what you and jim meant the other night

at the barbeque, kay.

about the loneliness of a life

without jesus christ as your savior.

suddenly, i'm sick of the past.

[sobbing]

i want to-- i want to be--

i don't know how to say it, kay.

"if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the lord jesus

"and shalt believe in thine heart

"that god hath raised him from the dead,

"thou shalt be saved.

jane!

i want christ, too, chris.

not just because of me, jane.

not because you're my best friend.

no, chris.

i want him to forgive my sins

and to be my savior.

(kay) let's kneel right here...

♪

(woman's voice on intercom) mr. johnson is here, mr. manning.

send him in.

where is she!

who?

christine?

yes, christine!

why, didn't she...

no, she didn't come home!

neither one of the girls

spent the night at the house.

well, now, look, mr. manning,

regardless of what you may think,

i took chris straight home from the club last night.

i saw her go into the house before i drove away.

all right, so you took her home.

small recompense for having broken her heart.

disillusioned her about her own father!

i disillusioned her?

johnson, i've made you.

i picked you up fresh out of college

when you didn't know a crown block

from a rotary table.

everything you know about oil, i taught you!

sure, you made me.

and nobody knows that any better than i do.

you've poured me into your rotten mold until

i can hardly tell the difference

between your shady, borderline practices

and decent methods!

yeah, i learned the oil business here--

at the expense of having every honorable citizen

lift an eyebrow when they hear that i work for

that shyster lance manning.

you're through, johnson!

get out!

don't flatter yourself!

i quit last night!

as for christine leaving home,

it merely confirms my conviction that

that she has more self-respect and decency

in her little finger than you have in your whole body!

johnson!

i'll blackball you with every company in texas!

so help me, you'll never work another day in oil!

stand back, johnson.

i'd say it was self-defense

and you wouldn't be there to deny it.

don't be a fool, manning.

how did you get in here?

i heard your voices out in the reception room

and thought it was time

somebody used a little horse sense.

you'd better go, bob.

i want a word with mr. manning...

in private.

compared to you, manning, i'm just a small landowner.

your name may carry a little more weight

over in austin, or up in washington, d.c. than mine,

but there isn't enough money or influence

in either one of those places to buy jim tyler.

oh, there's a lot of people like me around.

the only trouble is you just don't associate with many.

and you won't allow any of the people around you to either.

with your millions,

you've built yourself a fortress.

there ya sit.

defying the world,

and even shaking your fist at god and his heavens.

well, unless i missed my guess, manning,

your castle is beginning to crumble.

the word of god says in galatians 6:7,

"be not deceived,

"god is not mocked.

"for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."

oh, there's something awful pitiful about a man

who's had a lot and lost it all.

i imagine you've seen quite a few like that in your day.

and i have a strange feeling

that that's going to be your destiny, too.

i didn't have the good fortune

to know christine's mother.

but if you cheated her,

like you're cheating chris,

if your wickedness,

if your double living broke her heart,

like it's breaking christine's...

get out, tyler.

wait a minute, manning.

i wanna help.

you've said enough.

get out... will you, man?

all right.

what i really came to say is that chris and jane

are out at the ranch.

they spent the night with kay.

♪

♪

♪

♪

(woman's voice over intercom) mr. manning?

yes?

your daughter is on the phone.

hello?

no, no, no, no...

i'm all right, my dear.

dad... i wanted you to know that...

jane and i will be home tomorrow.

well, we may be just a little late

because i promised jane we'd spend the day

on the yacht in galveston bay.

i thought i'd show her all those storage tanks

marked "manning" down at texas city.

yes, yes, i've already called captain starr.

dad...

something...

something very wonderful has happened

and i want to tell you all about it when i see you.

well, goodbye, dad.

see you tomorrow.

i'm glad i called, kay.

it seemed to do him some good.

♪

♪

(sally) why, mr. manning!

i thought you were staying at the club tonight?

i changed my mind, sally.

oh, uh, sally,

why don't you take the rest of the evening off?

if i get hungry,

i'll get a snack out of the refrigerator.

ain't miss christine and miss jane coming home?

no, not until tomorrow night.

now, you run along and i'll see you in the morning.

well, if you think you'll be all right.

don't you worry about me.

♪

♪

♪

♪

♪

(television announcer) both men are safe

but weary and hungry after their 8-day ordeal

in the cave without food and light.

that's the round up for the national news.

now for the local scene.

first of all, the gulf coast weather forecast.

nothing unusual here.

the weather man says continued clear skies

and a bright sun tomorrow and over the weekend.

the high tomorrow a sizzling

97 degrees,

topping today's 95.

the low tomorrow night, 72 degrees,

and the relative humidity tomorrow still high

at 89 percent.

you'll get some cooler weather tonight.

seventy-one degrees

is the forecast.

the tides tomorrow--

high at 4:50 a.m. and 8:14 p.m.

♪ since i've found in him a friend so strong and true ♪

♪ i would tell you how he changed my life completely ♪

♪ he did something that no other friend could do ♪

♪

♪ no one ever cared for me like jesus ♪

♪ there's no other friend so kind as he ♪

♪ no else could take the sin and darkness from me ♪

♪ oh, how much he cared for me ♪♪

♪ oh, how much he cared for me ♪♪

♪

this wonderful truth about which bev shea

has been singing

is proclaimed to us in the word of god

for we read in i peter 5:7:

"casting all your care upon him

"for he careth for you.

and now, here is billy graham.

one of the most amazing things in all of the universe

is that god loves us.

the bible says that god is interested

in every detail of our lives.

he has the hairs of our head numbered.

he sees the sparrow fall.

he's interested in you--

your problems, your difficulties.

the things that interest you

also interest our heavenly father.

there's a passage of scripture here in i corinthians

that i was reading a few moments ago

that i want to share with you.

here it is.

"who delivered us from so great a debt

"and doth deliver:

"in whom we trust and he will yet deliver us."

i want you to see in this passage of scripture

three things that i believe are applicable to us today.

the first thing i want you to see is that

christ forgives and forgets our past.

you say, what do you mean our past?

ladies and gentlemen,

did you know that the bible says

that every one of us are sinners?

the bible says you're a sinner, i'm a sinner.

the bible says we were born in sin.

we're sinners by nature and inheritance.

we're sinners by choice.

and we're also sinners by practice.

every one of us has been infected

with the dreaded disease of sin.

and god says the result of our sin is death,

destruction, separation from god,

and hell.

now, how do we become sinners?

we become sinners not only by birth,

but also by breaking the moral law of god.

now you're guilty of breaking god's moral law.

the moral law of god was summed up

in the ten commandments

as given to moses on mount sinai.

one of the commandments, for example, says,

"thou shalt have no other gods before me."

now anything that comes between

you and your god is another god.

anything that you love more than you do god,

the bible, prayer, and church and spiritual things

is your god.

it may be money.

it may be social prestige.

it may be pleasure.

the bible says it is idolatry!

and god hates idolatry more than any other sin,

and many of you are guilty of the sin of idolatry.

and then there's another commandment that says,

"thou shalt not take the name of the lord thy god in vain."

there are hundreds of you that are guilty of profanity.

god hates that sin!

but there are others of you

that may not be actually profane

as the world calls profanity,

but you've taken the name of god in vain.

for example, if you pray a prayer in jesus' name

and do not mean it from a sincere heart,

then god says you're guilty of the sin

of taking his name in vain.

then there's another commandment, for example,

that says, "thou shalt not kill."

you say, well, billy, i've never broken that one.

ah, yes, there is a way to kill,

there is a way to murder,

more than stabbing in the back and shooting with a gun.

you can kill your wife by neglect.

you can kill your wife by unfaithfulness.

you can kill your mother and father

by the wayward and wicked lives that you've been living.

and then there's another commandment that says,

"thou shalt not commit immorality."

you can commit immorality by a thought,

by a look, or by an act.

thousands of you are guilty of committing immorality.

god calls it sin!

i could go on down the line.

but that's enough to let you know

that every one of us has broken the ten commandments.

now suppose you'd only broken one commandment.

then the bible says you're guilty of all!

"he that offendeth in one point," says james,

"is guilty of all."

now that means that you are a sinner.

every one of us stands before a broken law.

we stand under the condemnation of god.

god is a righteous god.

god is a holy god.

god's eyes are too pure to look upon iniquity.

therefore, god says that every one of us are condemned!

we are lost.

we are separated from god.

we are bound for destruction.

we are bound for a place that jesus called hell!

now, ladies and gentlemen,

that is your position right now as a sinner!

you say, but billy, what can i do about my sins?

i am guilty!

i'm guilty of all kinds of sins, what can i do?

which way can i turn?

shall i reform?

shall i turn over a new leaf?

no, there's nothing that you can do about it,

humanly speaking.

the bible says,

"for by grace are ye saved, through faith,

"and that not of yourselves.

"it is the gift of god, not of works,

"lest any man should boast."

you cannot save yourself.

there is not enough goodness that you could do

to save yourself

because you're guilty of breaking the law of god.

there's only one thing that can be done,

and that is to trust jesus christ

as your personal savior.

now when jesus christ died on the cross,

he didn't die by accident.

he died by design.

it was planned by god

for your redemption and your salvation.

when jesus christ was hanging on the cross,

i want you to see him.

i want you to see the nails in his hands.

i want you to see the spike through his feet.

i want you to see the crown of thorns upon his brow.

i want you to hear him as he says,

"my god, my god, why hast thou forsaken me?"

because in that moment,

we catch a glimpse of the awful suffering

that jesus went through for our sins.

because in that moment,

god turned his back on his only son.

jesus was separated from the father.

and in that moment,

jesus endured the pangs of hell and destruction and judgment.

and by his stripes, we are healed!

it is through that death

that we can find forgiveness of sin.

jesus took your place as a substitute.

now god says, repent of your past sins!

believe in him, trust in him,

commit your life, surrender your soul to him,

and thou shall be saved.

ladies and gentlemen,

there is no possibility of you ever getting to heaven

unless you come through jesus christ.

there is no salvation for your eternal soul

except you be converted

and come to christ as your personal savior.

then there's a second thing in this passage

i want you to see--

christ provides companionship for the present.

there are many of you that have problems,

and bewilderments and perplexities.

there are many of you that haven't been happy in years.

down inside,

it's full of turmoil and strife and disappointment.

i want to tell you that jesus can solve your problems.

he can lift your burdens.

he can wipe those tears away.

he can give you inward peace and joy and happiness

that you never dreamed existed.

do you really want to live?

do you really want to start life with a capital "l"?

then come to christ.

life doesn't begin at forty.

life begins when you find christ.

and then the third thing in this passage of scripture,

the bible says that christ gives assurance

and hope for the future.

now the bible says

it's appointed to man once to die.

every one of us is going to die.

you're going to die.

do you know christ?

has he given you assurance and hope that the moment you die

you go into the presence of christ?

the bible says: "to be absent from the body

"is to be present with the lord."

and god warns, "prepare to meet thy god."

god warns time after time,

"set thine house in order

"for that shalt die and not live."

one of these days,

you're going to be taken to the graveyard,

but your soul will have gone into eternity--

heaven or hell.

and your way to heaven is only through

a knowledge of jesus christ as your personal savior.

you say, well, billy, i want all of that.

i want my past forgiven.

i want christ to help me in my present state of confusion.

and i also want hope for the future.

what can i do?

which way can i turn?

all right, right now, turn from your sins,

and turn to christ.

repent of your sins.

confess that you're a sinner.

you can do it right where you are, right now!

at this moment.

you say, how long does it take?

just a moment, the twinkling of an eye.

and if you will,

i want to pray for you.

i want you to bow your head, right now,

and let me lead you in a word of prayer, will you?

that's right, go ahead, bow your head.

and i'm going to pray for you.

our father and our god,

we pray in the name of the lord jesus christ,

that that person who is bewildered,

confused and convicted of his sin,

might turn from sin to righteousness,

from darkness to light,

from death to life,

as they let christ come into their hearts.

we pray that there might be many this night

that will be born again

as they accept christ as lord and savior and master.

for we ask it in his name.

amen.

[organ music plays]

[telephone rings]

yes?

yes, this is lance manning.

hello?

[ominous music plays]

what's that!

hello, rogers.

what happened at texas city?

the whole town, rogers?

my daughter and her friend

went out on my yacht this morning

and i haven't heard from them!

i'm coming down there!

what?

oh, don't worry, i'll get through.

♪

[sirens blare in background]

♪

[siren blares]

[siren blares]

bob, i'm looking for chris and jane.

do you...

oh, i know how you must feel,

but this is no time for hate.

this is an emergency!

i need help!

you need help?

well, look around you.

so do a lot of people.

what makes you think you should have it before them?

because you're lance manning?

this is one place

your name's not gonna do you any good.

there's nothing to buy here!

well, you can relax.

they're all right.

[sighs] oh, thank god.

you've seen them?

yes, they came ashore

right after the first explosion.

they're over here helping the red cross.

they're in the basement of a church

giving first aid to the injured.

bob...the past few days...

i've been thinking.

i don't know exactly how to say this but...

oh, forget it, let's find 'em.

[baby cries]

(man) how do you feel? are you all right?

[baby cries]

now, for the people complaining of pain,

give them tablets.

and if anyone should require it,

you call me and i will administer morphine.

now there's plenty of first aid equipment

over here on the table.

and as soon as the ambulances arrive, you...

are you looking for anyone, sir?

dad!

excuse me, please, i'll be right back!

excuse me.

oh, dad!

where did you find him, bob?

he was wandering around the street

looking for you and chris.

i've never seen him so unnerved before.

you know, it's funny...

yesterday i hated the ground he walked on.

but today, i... i don't know.

you're part of the miracle, too.

what?

that's what it is, bob.

a real, live miracle.

chris, how can god use a wasted life like mine?

oh, but he can, dad.

just this morning,

i was reading in the bible

about the good shepherd,

how he left the ninety and nine

and went out to look for

the one lost sheep.

the past day or two...

i've been looking

into a mirror.

oh, what an awful

parade of wickedness.

my life, chris.

it's a wonder god

didn't strike me down

years ago.

oh, but dad...

he took care of all that

over 2,000 years ago on the cross.

all we have to do now is accept what he did.

oh, dad... come on home.

you've been wandering so long...

and so far.

i feel very close to your mother, chris.

maybe after all these years,

her prayers are about to be answered.

oh, dad...

you have to tell me

all about her someday.

i better go help now.

they might need me.

texas city will remember people

like chris and jane for a long time.

well, i gotta be getting back.

more ambulances will be arriving

and they'll need help.

it's been 20 years since i've been inside a church.

twenty years.

bob, i wonder if a few minutes spent in here

might not help me do a better job out there.

you go ahead, bob.

♪

♪

♪ i wandered far away from god ♪

♪ lord, i'm coming home ♪

♪ the path of sin too long i've trod ♪

♪ lord, i'm coming home ♪

♪ coming home, coming home ♪

♪ nevermore to roam ♪

♪ open wide thine arms of love ♪

♪ lord, i'm coming home ♪♪