John Claypool preached a sermon in Atlanta, GA, on the first Sunday after the 9-11 attack that emphasizes how “the worst things are never the last things.” He shared the true story of Winston Churchill to illustrate this truth.
In June of 1965, (Churchill) was asked to give a commencement address at a university in Great Britain. By this time, the great statesman was badly infirmed. In fact, he was within months of his own death. He had to be helped to the podium that day, and stood there saying nothing for what seemed like an interminable period. But then, that amazing voice that had once called Britain back from the brink sounded for the last time in public, and what he said was, “Never, never give up! Never give up!” Then he turned and went back to his seat.
There was a moment of stunned silence, and then everyone rose to his or her feet in admiring applause. They say it is the only commencement address in history to be remembered verbatim by everyone who heard it.
What was so powerful about it was that the words were so congruent with the one who said them. Again and again, Churchill’s career had been pronounced dead, but he kept coming back. Why? Because he, too, had caught the gleam that Buechner sensed in the pages of Holy Scripture that the worst things are never the last things.
The account of Churchill’s funeral at St. Paul’s Cathedral confirms this fact. He had carefully planned it himself and included in it some of the great hymns of the Church and all of the wonder of our Anglican liturgy. Furthermore, there were two things that he specifically requested at the end that made it unforgettable for every person there. When the benediction had been said from the high altar, silence fell over the packed Cathedral. A bugler high up in the dome of St. Paul’s had been asked to play the familiar sound of “Taps,” a well-known signal marking the end of something. Those haunting notes brought home to everyone there the realization that an era had come to an end, and it was reported that there was hardly a dry eye in the church.
However, as Churchill had requested, after the notes of “Taps” had sounded, another bugler on the other side of the dome, began to play “Reveille.” “It’s time to get up, it’s time to get up, it’s time to get up in the morning.” That final touch caught everyone by surprise but revealed where Churchill had gotten the strength across the years to never give up. He did believe that the worst things are never the last things, and the final sounds of history will not be “Taps” but “Reveille.”
God is in control! He is in the work of redemption – not only redeeming sin-ruined lives into His precious sons and daughters through salvation, but also by transforming disastrous situations into beautiful miracles and heartbreak into hope. He declares over and over that “the worst things are never the last things.”
As Joseph in the Old Testament reminded his brothers (Genesis 50:20), “You intended it for evil (by selling him to the Ishmaelites), but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” The Lord has something amazing planned for you. Don’t quit! Never give up! Keep trusting Him! Imua for Jesus!
This Sunday, July 28, we will continue our teaching series, “Living Right-side Up in an Upside-down World”, with the marvelous cry from Habakkuk 3, “God, I still trust You!” Please invite someone to join you at 10:35am in the building or online for the Live broadcast on either Facebook (Honolulu AG) or our YouTube channel (Honolulu Assembly of God). We Livestream every Sunday at 10:35am to both locations and would love to have you join us.
Coming up Saturday, August 3, at 11:30am is the “Style Swap” for women and children! Along with a delicious fruit and veggie salad potluck lunch, there will be plenty of fun and meaningful connections, plus an opportunity to take home some new-to-you clothes. You may bring donations of clean clothes in like new condition with you that day.
Have you been baptized in water? If you would like to follow in this essential step of obedience, please let me know. It is scheduled for Sunday, August 4.
Aloha ke Akua!
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