The Privilege to Speak of Christ
March 2, 2018Just hours before watching Billy Graham’s funeral today, March 2, 2018, I read, as part of my personal devotions, an excerpt from C. H. Spurgeon’s, Morning and Evening, about the apostle Paul’s privilege to speak of Christ.
To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ,
Ephesians 3:8
By Paul’s own admission, it was an intense privilege to preach the Gospel, and one for which he was humbly thankful. He, though the very least of the saints, was granted grace to preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. Even though the apostle knew and confessed his inadequacy and his weaknesses, he never forgot the purpose or the subject of his preaching. Paul preached Christ and nothing less.
A few hours after reflecting on this devotional thought, I watched Billy Graham’s funeral and was impacted by testimony after testimony given by family and friends. Their words reinforced how Billy Graham considered himself a farmer who was humbled by his calling to lift up the cross and to preach Christ. The passage of Scripture burning in his heart was Galatians 6:14 –
But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Oh, to speak of Christ alone! May this be the example we follow- to spread the good news of the gospel and the joyful tidings of salvation! May it be that in all humility we will be heralds of the theme—Christ and Him crucified!
Thank you, God for giving Billy Graham to us, and thank you, Billy, for your faithful, gracious, loving ministry to the world! It has been said that only 1 in 6 people ever had the privilege of hearing Billy preach in person. I’m thankful I can be counted in that percentage – to have been an eye and ear witness to the clarion call of your ministry. I can only imagine what an abundant entry into Heaven you had, and how beyond expression it must have been to hear from our loving Father, “Well done thy good and faithful servant!”