MELANIA TRUMP, VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, KAREN, MY FAMILY, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, GUESTS, MY FATHER’S FRIENDS, PASTORS AND CHURCH LEADERS, AND THE WONDERFUL SUPPORTERS WHO STOOD
BEHIND HIM ALL THESE YEARS, TO MY FATHER’S INCREDIBLE STAFF, WE HAVE COME HERE TODAY TO HONOR A MAN OF GOD.
THE LIBRARY IN BACK OF US TELLS OF THE JOURNEY OF FAITH THAT MY FATHER TRAVELED HIS ENTIRE LIFE.
MY FATHER PREACHED ON HEAVEN, TOLD MILLIONS HOW TO FIND HEAVEN.
HE WROTE A BOOK ON HEAVEN.
TODAY, HE IS IN HEAVEN.
HIS JOURNEY IS COMPLETE.
YOU MAY WONDER HOW, I BEST REMEMBER MY FATHER.
I CANNOT REMEMBER MY FATHER WITHOUT REMEMBERING MY MOTHER.
SHE LOVED MY FATHER.
HE LOVED HER.
HE ADORED HER.
SHE WAS HIS SOULMATE IN LIFE.
WHEN SHE PASSED AWAY, 11 YEARS AGO THIS COMING JUNE, IT WAS A BIG HOLE IN HIS HEART.
HE MISSED MY MOTHER.
HE HAD A PICTURE OF HER AT THE FOOT OF HIS BED ON THE WALL.
HE COULD LIE IN BED AND LOOK AT THAT PICTURE OF MY MOTHER.
SOMETIMES I WOULD COME IN THERE TO SEE THEM AND HE WOULD SAY, I MISS YOUR MOTHER MORE TODAY THAN I HAVE EVER MISSED HER IN MY LIFE.
THE LAST FEW YEARS OF MY MOTHER’S LIFE, SHE WAS SICK IN BED.
SHE WOULD LIVE ON HER SIDE AND MY FATHER WOULD COME IN AND SIT BESIDE HER.
THEY WOULD LOOK AT EACH OTHER.
JUST LOOK AT EACH OTHER.
IEYE TO EYE FOR HOURS.
IF I SAT THERE I FELT UNCOMFORTABLE.
[LAUGHTER] LIKE I WAS INTRUDING.
HE LOVED HER AND SHE LOVED HIM.
MY MOTHER WAS PART OF MY FATHER’S LIFE AT EVERY TURN.
WHEN I THINK ABOUT MY FATHER I CAN STILL HEAR HIS VOICE.
A WORD OF ENCOURAGEMENT, SOMETIMES A WORD OF CAUTION.
THERE WERE QUITE A FEW OF THOSE.
I CAN RECALL HIM AT HOME LAUGHING WITH OUR CHILDREN, HE HAD A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR, HE LOVED HIS GRANDCHILDREN, HIS GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN, ALL OF HIS FAMILY.
WE WOULD TAKE WALKS ALONG THE MOUNTAIN TRAILS ABOVE HIS HOME IN MONTREAT.
THE BILLY GRAHAM THE WORLD SAW ON TELEVISION, THAT THE WORLD SAW IN STADIUMS, WAS THE SAME BILLY GRAHAM WE SAW AT HOME.
THERE WERE NOT TOO BILLY GRAHAM’S -- THERE WERE NOT 2 BILLY GRAHAMS.
HE LEFT AN ENDURING LEGACY.
HIS UNCOMPROMISING TESTIMONY OF GOD’S GREAT LOVE.
ALL OF HIS CHILDREN CAME TO SEE THE WORLD AND OUR FATHER IN HEAVEN, THROUGH MY FATHER’S EYES . THE MOST COMPELLING VISION I HAVE INGRAINED IN MY MEMORY, IS
MY FATHER THE PREACHER, THE EVANGELIST STANDING BEHIND THIS PULPIT RIGHT HERE.
STADIUMS AROUND THE COUNTRY AND WORLD, HIS VOICE BOOMING, PROCLAIMING THE GOSPEL, OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
HE HAS OFTEN SAID SOMEDAY, DO NOT YOU BELIEVE THAT BILLY GRAHAM IS DEAD.
I WILL BE MORE ALIVE THAN I AM NOW.
I WILL HAVE JUST CHANGED ADDRESSES.
THAT’S ALL.
EVERY SUNDAY I WAS HOME I WENT TO VISIT MY FATHER.
HE LOVED A WALK, HE WOULD ASK QUESTIONS.
WE WOULD TALK ABOUT THE BIBLE.
HE LIKED TO TALK ABOUT POLITICS, SPORTS.
THE LAST THREE YEARS HE BECAME QUIET.
THIS LAST YEAR, HE SAID VERY LITTLE.
I THINK HIS MIND WAS ON HEAVEN.
HE SAID, I’M NOT AFRAID TO DIE BECAUSE I KNOW THE JOYS OF HEAVEN ARE WAITING.
IF HE COULD SPEAK, TO YOU TODAY, HE WOULD ASK, WILL YOU BE MAKING THIS JOURNEY TO HEAVEN SOMEDAY?
MY FATHER’S GREATEST LONGING HAS BEEN GRANTED.
HE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
THERE WERE A FEW THINGS MY FATHER WOULD WANT ME TO SHARE WITH YOU TODAY.
HE BELIEVED THE BIBLE TO BE THE INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD.
HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL BUT HE BELIEVED IT.
THE BIBLE WAS HIS SOLE AUTHORITY.
WHEN HE PREACHED, HE ALWAYS TOOK THE BIBLE TO THE PULPIT WITH HIM.
FOR MOST OF HIS MESSAGES HE WOULD HOLD THE BIBLE IN HIS HAND AND HE WOULD QUOTE SCRIPTURE AFTER SCRIPTURE.
WHEN HE WOULD QUOTE SCRIPTURE, HE WOULD SAY, THE BIBLE SAYS, WHY?
BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS.
HE BELIEVED IN HEAVEN AND HELL.
JESUS PREACHED ON HELL.
HELL IS RESERVED FOR THE WICKED, FOR THOSE WHO REFUSE TO REPENT AND A KNOWLEDGE JESUS CHRIST AS THEIR LORD AND SAVIOR.
GOD IS NOT ANYONE -- GOD DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO PERISH BUT ALL SHOULD COME TO REPENTANCE.
THIS MOTIVATED MY FATHER TO PREACH THE GOSPEL WITH URGENCY.
HE WANTED TO WARN MEN AND WOMEN OF THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR SINS.
THAT ONE DAY WE WOULD ALL HAVE TO STAND BEFORE GOD TO GIVE HIM AN ACCOUNT OF OUR LIVES.
THAT THERE WAS A JUDGMENT COMING.
THE BIBLE TELLS US, MAN HAS BEEN SEPARATED FROM GOD BY SIN.
SIN IS A DISEASE OF THE HUMAN SOUL, THE HUMAN HEART, IT HAS INFECTED THE ENTIRE HUMAN RACE.
THE BIBLE TELLS US, WE HAVE ALL SINNED, WE’VE ALL COME SHORT OF GOD’S STANDARDS, HIS GLORY.
THE PENALTY OF SIN,’S DEATH.
NOT JUST PHYSICAL DEATH.
SPIRITUAL DEATH FOR ETERNITY.
THE BEST NEWS EVER DECLARED IS THAT GOD, SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM, SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT SHOULD HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE.
THIS VERSE WAS PROBABLY THE BEST THING MY FATHER PREACHED BECAUSE IT DEMONSTRATES THE LOVE OF GOD AND GIVES HOPE TO A LOST WORLD.
WHEN ONE READS THE PAPERS WE WONDER, WHAT HOPE IS THERE?
2000 YEARS AGO GOD BROKE THE DARKNESS OF SIN AND SENT HIS ONE DOWN TO IDENTIFY WITH US.
CHRIST CAME TO SEEK AND SAVE, THAT WHICH WAS LOST.
THE BIBLE SAYS, THROUGH FAITH YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED, IT IS NOT OF YOURSELVES, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, LEST ANYONE SHOULD BOAST.
JESUS SAID, I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE.
NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY ME.
MILLIONS TODAY ARE SEARCHING FOR THE WAY.
WHERE DO I GO?
WHAT DO I DO?
JESUS SAID, FOLLOW ME.
HE SAID, I AM THE WAY.
A FEW DAYS AGO MY FATHER FOLLOWED JESUS ALL THE WAY TO HEAVEN.
MOST OF HIS LIFE WAS, HE HAD EMBARKED ON THE JOURNEY HE WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO, FROM EARTH TO HEAVEN.
HOW ABOUT YOU?
IF THIS WAS YOUR FUNERAL, WOULD YOU BE IN HEAVEN?
ARE YOU SURE?
JESUS STILL CALLS US TO FOLLOW HIM TODAY.
JESUS SAID, I AM THE TRUTH.
MANY ASK, WHAT IS TRUTH?
WITH ALL THE LIES AND FALSE INFORMATION, WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
JESUS SAYS, I AM MATURE AND ALL TRUTH, IS FOUND IN HIM.
HE SAYS, I AM THE LIFE.
MOST PEOPLE SPEND WAGES IMPROVING AND TRYING TO HAVE A MORE COMFORTABLE LIFE.
IF WE FOLLOW HIM AND TRUST HIM AND BELIEVE HIM TO BE TRUE, HE WILL GIVE US, NOT A BETTER LIFE, HE DOES NOT PROMISE THAT.
HE DOES NOT PROMISE US A MORE COMFORTABLE LIFE.
HE DOES PROMISE US ETERNAL LIFE.
JESUS TELLS US, NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER EXCEPT FOR HIM.
THE WORLD WITH ALL OF ITS POLITICAL CORRECTNESS, WOULD WANT TO TO BELIEVE, THERE ARE MANY ROADS TO GOD.
IT IS JUST NOT TRUE.
HOW CAN JESUS MAKE THESE CLAIMS?
HOW COULD HE SAY HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, THE LIFE AND NO MAN COMES TO THE FATHER BUT BY HIM?
YOU SEE, JESUS WAS GOD IN THE FLESH.
HE IS THE ONLY ONE IN HISTORY TO TAKE OUR SINS AND OBEY THE DEBT OF SIN.
MY FATHER WOULD WANT YOU TO SHARE THIS TODAY, THAT GOD SENT HIS ONLY SON FROM HEAVEN TO EARTH TO TAKE OUR SINS AND HE TOOK OUR SINS TO THE CROSS AND HE DIED IN OUR PLACE.
HE SHED HIS BLOOD FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU.
WHEN HE HUNG ON THE CROSS, GOD POURED OUT THE SINS OF MANKIND, ON HIS SON.
THE SINS, PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.
HE SHED HIS BLOOD FOR OUR SINS.
HE WAS BURIED FOR OUR SINS.
ON THE THIRD DAY, GOD RAISED HIS SON TO LIFE.
JESUS IS NOT DEAD.
HE IS ALIVE AND HERE TODAY.
ARE YOU TRUSTING HIM?
HE WILL COME INTO EACH AND EVERY HEART THAT INVITES HIM.
IF WE REPENT OF OUR SINS, BY FAITH BELIEVE ON THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, THE BIBLE SAYS, WE WILL BE SAVED.
ARE YOU SAVED?
ARE YOU FORGIVEN?
ARE YOU TRUSTING JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOR?
ARE YOU FOLLOWING HIM AS YOUR LORD?
IF YOU’RE NOT SURE THERE WOULD BE NO BETTER TIME THAN RIGHT NOW, AT BILLY GRAHAM’S FUNERAL, TO SETTLE THIS ONCE AND FOR ETERNITY.
SIMPLY BY FAITH, SIMPLY BY BELIEVING.
IF YOU ARE TO PRAY A SIMPLE PRAYER LIKE THIS, IN YOUR HEART, SAY THIS IN YOUR HEART: GOD, I AM A SINNER.
I AM SORRY FOR MY SINS, FORGIVE ME.
I BELIEVE THAT JESUS CHRIST IS YOUR SON.
I WANT TO TRUST HIM AS MY SAVIOR.
I WANT TO FOLLOW HIM AS MY LORD.
IF YOU PRAY A SIMPLE PRAYER LIKE THAT, GOD WILL FORGIVE YOUR SINS.
YOU CAN HAVE THAT HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.
MY LAST VISIT WITH MY FATHER ON FEBRUARY 18, AND ON THE 21ST OF FEBRUARY, HE WAS ESCORTED BY THE ANGELS TO THE THRONE OF GOD.
I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR MY FATHER TO STEP INTO HEAVEN.
THERE WAS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO SAY, WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT.
THERE WAS THE THRONE OF GOD, CAN YOU IMAGINE THAT?
MY MOTHER, HIS MOTHER, FATHER, FRIENDS, CLAPPING, CHEERING, BELLS RINGING, TRUMPETS BLOWING.
NOT BECAUSE IT WAS BILLY GRAHAM.
JUST ANOTHER CHILD OF GOD GONE HOME.
ANOTHER CHILD OF GOD.
DADDY, I WON’T SEE YOU ON THIS EARTH AGAIN BUT I WILL SEE YOU AGAIN.
I WILL SEE YOU, MAYBE SOON.
BUT NOT YET.