On February 21, 2018, Billy Graham breathed his last breath on earth and his first in Heaven. And when the world laid to rest "America's Pastor," there were loads of notable moments from Billy Graham's funeral. All pointed to the same thing: Billy Graham was the real deal, a true man of God! On March 2, 2018, thousands showed up in North Carolina for a service, dubbed the "last crusade," honoring the late Billy Graham. He was a man who spent his life living and preaching the Gospel. As Billy's son, Franklin Graham, put it, "my father followed Jesus all the way to heaven.” RELATED: 40 Courageous Quotes from Billy Graham Here are 5 notable moments from Billy Graham's funeral and the emotional celebration of a life well lived!
"His fingerprints are on this service for sure," family spokesman Mark DeMoss said. "The Graham family has long considered that his funeral eventually would really be his last crusade."At such a high-profile funeral, you might expect to see a very ornate (and expensive) casket. But Billy's simple coffin is a unique touch that speaks to his humility. And it stands out as one of the notable moments from Billy Graham's funeral. The pine plywood casket has an inscription burned into its side: "Handcrafted by Richard Liggett, Paul Krolowitz, Clifford Bowman." But who are Richard, Paul, and Clifford? Rather than spend money on the finest casket a funeral parlor has to offer, three hardened inmates from a Louisiana State Penitentiary built Billy's in 2006. It was a gift from Billy's oldest son, Franklin. When Franklin visited Angola, the largest maximum security prison in the world, he fell in love with the "simple and natural beauty" of the wooden caskets coming out of the prison's carpentry workshop. And so, he had them make two for his parents, lined with just a white mattress pad and a wooden cross nailed on top.
"Billy Graham is a simple man who preached a simple message. He must be buried in a simple casket," said convicted murderer Richard who helped build the casket.When Franklin presented his parents with the gift, they loved it.
"The prisoners are people who need forgiveness, too," Franklin's son, Roy Graham, recalls. "And that's what my grandmother loved about it. We all need forgiveness."
Billy's casket will be buried next to his wife in a memorial prayer garden at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC.His grave marker is simple--a field stone etched with these words under a cross:
Billy Graham Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ John 14:6 2/2 pic.twitter.com/ZzUFWo7SN0 — Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) March 3, 2018
"I cannot remember my father without remembering my mother," he said. "She loved my father. He loved her. He adored her. She was his soulmate in life."Franklin went on to talk about the huge hole his mother's passing left in Billy's heart. He recalled how, in his mother's final days, his parents would just sit and stare into each other's eyes for hours. Their lives were lived together. And hearing Franklin describe his parents' oneness makes for an amazing illustration of Ephesians 5:31: “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” RELATED: Defend Your Marriage From Divorce With These 4 Powerful Prayers Their love story is so beautiful because marriage is meant to reflect God's love for His people. It's the reason Satan tries so hard to attack and destroy marriages. What a joy to see the Graham's love endure!
"Being stubborn, willful, and sinful, I married this man on New Year's Eve," she says.She knew immediately she'd made a mistake. And after five weeks of marriage, she fled from her new husband. She was afraid of him. Feeling like a failure, she expected her family to reject her. She didn't want to embarrass her father, especially given that her father was Billy Graham. But Ruth knew she had to face them.
"As I got out of the car, he wrapped his arms around me and he said 'Welcome home.' There was no shame, there was no blame, there was no condemnation," Ruth tearfully recalled. "There was just unconditional love. . . My father was not God, but he showed me what God was like that day."RELATED: Kathie Lee Gifford Reacts To The Passing Of Evangelist Billy Graham Ruth's emotional story is not only a reminder of God's unconditional love for each of us but also demonstrates how her father didn't just preach the Bible, he lived it.
“Everyone who spoke was clear in their message. They honored his [Billy's] wishes by making this less about Billy and more about Jesus,” Southern Baptist pastor Jonathan Falwell, son of the late Jerry Falwell Sr., said.Billy's obedience in serving the Lord is what's so admirable. It's how God was able to use him to do such amazing things.
"The Billy Graham that the world saw on television, the Billy Graham that the world saw in the big stadiums was the same Billy Graham that we saw at home. There weren't two Billy Grahams," Franklin said.RELATED: Reba McEntire And Others Express Heartbreak Over Passing Of Billy Graham Billy wasn't acting or playing a part, he was simply following God's call for him.
“He loved his family. . . He left us an enduring legacy: his uncompromising testimony of God’s great love.”Looking at Billy's life, you can clearly see the fruit of the Spirit. Love, joy, faithfulness, self-control -- it was all there. He lived for God. And because he did so, death has no power over him. And Billy spent his earthly life trying to lead others to that kind of assurance. It was no different at his funeral.
"If this were your funeral, would you be in Heaven?" Franklin asked the crowd.Franklin went on to honor his father by calling all attending or watching to repent and accept Jesus into their hearts, complete with the grace and forgiveness that comes with doing so. Because the Good News is proclaimed in John 3:16, a verse Franklin said his father included in just about every sermon he ever preached. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world." ~Billy GrahamRELATED: Musicians Thank Billy Graham In A Song Of Gratitude And so, the songs Billy chose for his funeral give all glory to God, triumphing in the rewards that await Billy and all who give their souls to Jesus! Here are the 6 songs Billy selected:
Jason Crabb - Until Then [Live] from jason-crabb on GodTube.
Michael W. Smith - Above All (Live) from 2nafish on GodTube.
Celtic Woman Sings Amazing Grace, and It's Simply Amazing! from celtic-woman on GodTube.
“My father preached on heaven, told millions how to find heaven, wrote a book on heaven, and now he’s in heaven. His journey is complete,” said Franklin Graham.If you're interested in watching the full service, you can do so with the video below. Be sure to comment on Facebook with any notable moments from Billy Graham's funeral we may have missed!