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Author Topic: Mini-Sermon 3: Billy Graham  (Read 416 times)

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Offline Flyin6

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Mini-Sermon 3: Billy Graham
« on: February 28, 2018, 12:19:13 PM »
Billy Graham
I had the honor just now of watching Billy Gram’s body move into the rotunda of the Nation’s Capital building. Several things struck me as I watched in sadness and also with a feeling of watching something of greatness.

I heard President Trump tell everyone of a great gathering of men and women of Christ in Charlotte, N.C. They prayed that from Charlotte would go forth a man of God who would deliver the hope of Jesus Christ all over the world. That through their prayer, they could reach the entire world. I would say their prayer has been answered. Billy Graham was only 15 when those people of faith raised a single request which must have been a wonderful scent in God’s throne room, for he heard them and he granted them their prayer. One year later Billy Graham accepted Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior.

President trump, speaker Ryan, senate leader _____ spoke of a plain man who never ever pointed to himself, but spent a life acknowledging him who was working through this modest man. Back when Billy Graham was a kid, he would get in a boat, it is said, and paddle out into a marsh and practice preaching to the swamp critters. He was infected with one simple message that he preached and taught to hundreds of millions for 75 years. His message: God Loves You!

God loves you. Those three words are on the aluminum cross which I keep in my wallet. That cross fell into my boot one day in Baghdad. The same day I flew over a truck the moment it exploded. I think that cross protected me and saved my life. Yep, God loves us, He loved me, and he loves you.

I watched as men of all our armed services carefully lifted, then carried his coffin up the long stairs of the capital building. I watched as those warriors perfectly carried the coffin into the Rotunda, where 2300 assembled dignitaries and guests waited their turn to pay respects to this humble man.

The soldiers protected the man’s remains, and with strength, precision, honor, bore the weight of Mr. Graham and placed it on the stand which will host him for the next two days. I was reminded of how soldiers fit into all of this, how their way intersected once again with the business of a man of God. Paul, almost beaten to death in the inner court of Solomon’s temple was saved, and later escorted to Rome by soldiers. Because of that, Paul witnessed to Creaser and propagated the word which within a couple hundred years spread the world over. And right before me, these soldiers were once again protecting the embodiment of the word of God in the person of this great man.

Billy Graham makes the forth civilian who has ever been honored by having his body placed in the rotunda. I am encouraged by that. Mr. Graham is a man of God, plain enough. That we would lay down the hallowed halls of our country to honor a man of God, a man dubbed, “America’s Preacher.” Had he died during Obamas administration, I doubt OB would have interrupted a round of golf or his wife another vacation to acknowledge the man’s passing. But not now, for something has changed. A man of God is honored, in a great way. Our leaders prayed, our President prayed. Scripture was quoted during the ceremony! Again we take and make our stand as a nation of God and for God. Those are our roots, and in that ceremony, we got back to them.

Mr. Graham is resting in heaven of course, but his earthly body is inside a simple pine box. There is nothing elaborate about that coffin. It’s just a well finished pine box. And get this, Inmates from the Louisiana penal system, actual interned men, built that thing. Prisoners who, I would wager are freer than a lot of you! Unencumbered by the trappings of life, they have only time and with that time they study the word, and honor God, and from men who have nothing, they built the Reverend Billy Graham’s actual coffin!

Wow!

This is greatness we are witnessing. This is the passing of a great man. The son of a farmer, who himself was a farmer who as the result of prayers of God fearing men and women was given a unique task. To spread the good word, that through Jesus you are not dead, but are born again into an eternity of life in heaven. And to tell all peoples of the love of God and to take that message all the days of his life, all over the entire earth. Greatness, truly greatness

God loves you!
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