I had a kind of difficult funeral yesterday afternoon. I usually do OK at funerals (boy, that looks weird!) but this one was going to be tough for some reason. I was looking for something else entirely when I came across Billy Graham’s remarks at Richard Nixon’s funeral in 1994.
Check this powerful story about Winston Churchill’s funeral…
Years ago, Winston Churchill planned his own funeral. And he did so with the hope of the resurrection and eternal life which he firmly believed in. And he instructed after the benediction that a bugler positioned high in the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral would play Taps, the universal signal that says the day is over.
But then came a very dramatic moment as Churchill had instructed. Another bugler was placed on the other side of the massive dome, and he played the notes of Reveille, the universal signal that a new day has dawned and it is time to arise. That was Churchill’s testimony that at the end of history, the last note will not be Taps, it’ll be Reveille. There is hope beyond the grave because Jesus Christ has opened the door to heaven for us by his death and resurrection.
I used that illustration in my funeral message, and it was powerful! You can bet I’ll chew on it for a long time, and more than likely, it’ll show up somewhere else between now and say, Easter.
Your mileage may vary…
