February 18, 2022 - Good Afternoon! It’s Friday, February 18.
On February 18, 1986, a commercial was broadcast featuring the actor Yul Brynner, who spoke about the dangers of smoking. Why was this big news? Because Brynner had died four months earlier - from lung cancer. It was a message from the grave, and it made a powerful impression.
In 2008, a man from my church was dying of cancer. He called for me and the pastor to come to his home, and asked us to bring a video camera. I set the camera up in his bedroom. He slowly raised himself to a sitting position and I pushed “record”. For the next five minutes he shared a testimony about his relationship with God.
Two weeks later our church hosted his funeral. A huge crowd attended. And when the time came for the funeral message - I pushed “play”. Suddenly the man in the coffin appeared on the screen. It was a message from the grave, and it made a powerful impression.
Hebrews 12:1 says this - “Since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us remove every weight that slows us down, and the sin that so easily ensnares us. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us”.
Who are these “witnesses”? The previous chapter names them - a list that includes Noah, Moses, Abraham, Sarah, David - human beings who made mistakes, fell down, got back up, and moved forward in faith. Their stories teach us, encourage us, inspire us. Messages from the grave that make a powerful impression.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
