Jack Graham - The Assassination of Charlie Kirk

And so, as I was thinking about the events of this week and praying through what I wanted to say to you today, as we prepare for our Lord’s Supper in just a few minutes, I thought of the first message I ever preached at the age of 15 from John chapter 15. I was taken by the fact that you could have a personal relationship with Christ.

I was a Baptist boy growing up, and I knew Jesus, and now as a teenager, I’m discovering all the depths and the greatness of what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I was just moved that Jesus said, «I call you my friends.» That we could have a relationship with Christ. That’s what we talk about here at Prestonwood. Not religion, but a relationship with Christ. You hear that often. And so, what is it to have a relationship with Christ? It means that Jesus is our Savior and our friend. In the heart of chapter 15, He said, «Greater love has no one than this, that one would lay down his life for his friends. And you are my friends if you do what I command you to do.»

The tragic and violent assassination of Charlie Kirk this past week shocked and stunned a nation and really the world. So many of us are grieving. We wear the weight of this. There is a heaviness in response to this all across the nation, certainly among God’s people, God’s church. So many are grieving, including a young generation, many who were devoted followers of Jesus but also who looked to Charlie Kirk for spiritual guidance and the conservative moral values that he spoke about so often. We have seen a nation fragmented. We’ve seen the face of hate and the sorrow that goes with sin and suffering.

So, Charlie Kirk died as a result of an assassin’s bullet, but he died doing what God called him to do. And in case some of you do not know who Charlie Kirk is, Charlie Kirk was a young man who, even as a teenager, determined to make a difference in the world. You say Charlie Kirk was a political activist. He did that for sure. But more than a political activist, he was a cultural warrior, and I might add a happy warrior. Every time I was with Charlie, he had a big smile, and he was such an encourager. He was a defender of the faith, an apologist for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Word of God. He was a deeply devoted follower of Jesus.

And as I’ve known Charlie through the years, I’ve seen particularly in the last four or five years his faith deepen and his commitment to Jesus as he became more and more bold about expressing the truth of Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life. He was a loving husband to Erica and a devoted follower. He died a martyr. You say, «Truly a martyr?» Yes, I believe a martyr because, you know, in the New Testament, the word witness comes from the word martyr. So when we are witnessing, we are martyrs. We are living our faith, and if need be, we die for our faith. Romans chapter 14:8 says this: «For if we live, we live to the Lord. And if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s».

We live in a world that is dangerous. The scripture says in the last days perilous, dangerous times will come. And the world is dangerous because it is cursed by sin and evil, pain and suffering. This is what so many are struggling with today, including many college students. I’ve had parents speak to me this past week, saying, «What do I say to my college student? What do I say to my young adult child, my teenager? Because so many are grieving.»

I learned as a 20-year-old young man about the horrors and the sorrows of life when my own father was brutally murdered. And so what do you do when something like this happens? Do you turn from God? Do you shake a fist in anger and walk away? No. You turn to God, who is our only hope. Jesus is the answer to sin and sorrow and suffering. He is the Savior, the Redeemer, the one who redeems suffering and turns it into glory.

Charlie Kirk’s organization is called Turning Point USA. So what we do when we suffer in times like these or when we face a crisis is make it a turning point in our lives. To turn is to repent. The word repentance means to turn from sin and to trust in God, to trust in Christ. So I’m praying that as a result of this terrible tragedy, this horrific assassination, many, including you in this room and those watching online, will make this a turning point in your life; that you would repent of your sins and receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. That you know that you know that Jesus Christ is the Lord and Savior of your life.

What you do when you face sorrow, tragedy, and death is to believe in Him and to follow Him openly and obediently — not half-heartedly, but wholeheartedly, loving Him and serving Him. To those of us in this room and those watching online who are Christians and followers of Jesus, aren’t you tired of being just partially in? Something like this reminds us of what really matters in life. I am praying that this will increase moral clarity. Moral clarity -that was a big thing Charlie was all about. Moral clarity on the issues, the biblical issues, and a biblical worldview.

We, the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, those of us who name and sing the name of Jesus, should live with a clear-cut moral vision for America, for the world, and for our families. We should live with courage and conviction. This is not a time to back down. This is not a time for cowardice. This is a time for preachers, spiritual leaders, and churches to get a spine and be courageous about the things that matter most. We must stand firm in our faith.

That’s what Charlie Kirk did; he died standing firmly for his faith. Charlie is rejoicing today. In Revelation 14:13, it says, «Blessed are those who die in the Lord.» The word blessed can even mean happy. It is more than happy; it is perfectly content, hopeful, and joyful. Blessed — Charlie is blessed today. He has seen the face of Christ, and so will we one day. We just sang it: there is no sting in death. There’s no sting for Charlie. O grave, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? So he is rejoicing. And that verse of Scripture goes on to say that their works do follow them. Blessed are they who die in the Lord, for they will rest from their labors, and their works follow them.

I’m praying and believing that Charlie’s death, martyrdom, and witness will not be in vain, but that thousands of young people and the Church itself will rise up in these days. May God give us millions of faithful witnesses of the gospel of Christ. Let this ignite a fire in us that will not go out until Jesus comes again.

So when you pray today — and we’re about to pray — I want you to pray for a new commitment to Christ, a new devotion and dedication of your own life to Christ. Let’s pray together. Lord Jesus, we come to You because You are the only one who gives us hope, life, strength, and salvation. There’s no other name given among men by which we must be saved but the name of Jesus. If you don’t know Jesus as your Savior, if you’re not certain, if you’re not sure that if you were to die today you would go to heaven, then pray a prayer like this from your heart to God.

Lord, I do trust You as my Savior. I turn from my sin, and I trust in You alone as my Lord and Savior. I trust You as my Savior. I will follow You as my Lord today and this day forward in the power of the Holy Spirit. Forgive me of my sins. Change my heart. Make me Your child and give me the courage and the conviction to always be willing to stand up for You.

And to all who are praying with us today, if you’re a Christian, make this your prayer:

Lord, I dedicate and rededicate my life to You. Make me the father, the mother, the parent, the child that You’ve called me to be. Give me conviction, courage, and bravery, starting in my own home, in my family, at my school, university, our neighborhood, and our workplaces. Lord, let us be public for You because we know to live is Christ, and to die is gain. And now, Lord, for Your cross, we give You praise. Even as You took the bread, broke it, and the cup, and drank it with Your disciples, we do this in remembrance of You. Thank You for Your cross. We believe in the resurrection; You are alive. And so, as we eat of this bread and drink of this cup, we do it in Your name as You have commanded us. Let this be an act of faith and obedience that we will never forget. In Jesus' name, Amen.