On February 21, 2018, God called Billy Graham home at age 99. Mr. Graham once said, “When we reach the end of our earthly journey, we will have just begun.” Now, he is in the presence of the Lord. Watch and share this tribute to his life and legacy. You can also follow updates at BillyGrahamMemorial.org. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.
[Applause]
[Music]
it’s not often one man is able to move
the hearts of Nations to usher change
across race and age but when someone
gives their life to a divine calling
amazing things happen that is the legacy
of Billy Graham
[Music]
Billy was born in 1918 during the end of
World War one growing up on his family’s
dairy farm in North Carolina no one
could have imagined what God had in
store for this hard-working young man
when he was 13 years old he was in a
play at school his voice carried so well
I says I just think there’s something in
that boy that we haven’t discovered yet
at age 15 he was invited to hear a man
named Mordecai ham preach at a citywide
revival meeting I was taken by a friend
and I became fascinated and then the
Spirit of God began to speak to me as I
went back night after night and one
night when the invitation was given I
just said Lord I’m going from this
moment life would never be the same for
Billy a new passion burned in his heart
to see lives changed he went on to
college and began preaching the good
news of Jesus to anyone who would listen
it was during those years of academics
and Sunday sermons that Billy met Ruth
the young missionary girl raised in
China would become his best friend the
true love of his life and he would be
the first to say that without Ruth his
growth as a preacher and evangelist
would not have been possible
when I came out and saw her standing
that he said that is Ruth Bell at that
moment I was in love and not only in
love something told me inside she’ll be
your wife now I took her nearly a year
to come to that same conclusion
word of his powerful message spread
quickly he preached on the stages of
concert halls and auditoriums and over
the airwaves of radio and television and
soon people began lining the streets by
the tens of thousands just to hear him
speak you say but if I believe God isn’t
that enough I want to tell you before
you leave Madison Square Garden this
night of May 15th you can find
everything that you’ve been searching
for in Christ he was a mighty man the
Bible tells us that in spite of our sins
and rebellion that God loves countless
people responded to the move of God’s
Spirit the demands on Billy seemed
constant but it was Ruth and their
children that brought him strength and
joy their home was a special place where
he could simply spend time as a father
and loving husband these moments were
precious to Billy yes there is a great
sense of loneliness and if there is a
price to pay in this work it is that
that I’m not with my children
[Music]
God’s calling on Billy’s life took him
from the largest stadiums to the most
remote villages of Africa he spoke not
only of God’s forgiveness but also
against the evils of racism communism
and social injustice in our world and
don’t let anybody ever tell you that
it’s quite a plaque Christ belongs to
old people he belongs to the whole world
he was one of the most sought-after men
of this age turning down the political
stage in Hollywood spotlight in order to
continue his ministry to the Lost weary
and forgotten his message was
unfaltering remaining true to the gospel
and his steadfast faith in Christ I’m
asking you tonight to follow him to
serve him to let him come into your
heart and forgive you be forgiven know
that you’re going to heaven what can be
said about one man’s life for Billy
Graham let it be said that he lived his
life to bring the lost and hurting to
Christ are you willing to receive Christ
tonight because you may never have a
moment quite like this again you’ve come
and receive him into your heart say yes
to him hundreds of you right now
just get up out of your seat and say
tonight I want my sin forgiven I want to
know I’m going to heaven
I want to eternal life I’m ready to
surrender my life to Christ as Lord and
Savior I want to follow him from this
night off
[Music]
you