This Is for Sure
Posted by James MacDonald on April 26, 2007 07:18 AM | Comments (8)It is appointed unto man, once to die, and after this comes judgment. Hebrews 9:27
You've heard it said that only two things are for sure: death and taxes. Of course many people do not pay their taxes. It's common knowledge that 21% of Americans admit to cheating on their taxes. YES, taxes can be beat if you're dishonest and determined. So I guess that leaves one thing that's certain: death. Someone I was very close to died this past week.
Don Stephens was the mayor of Rosemont for 51 years. For those outside of Chicago, Rosemont is the village on the edge of O'Hare airport that has more hotel rooms than residents, the ninth largest convention center in the country, a nearly 20,000-seat arena, and a beautiful theatre that continuously hosts top-line entertainers. From 1956 to 2007, Don Stephens took an unincorporated wasteland of seedy bars and houses of prostitution and turned it into one of the most prosperous municipalities in America. Don was without question ruthlessly committed to Rosemont. He did what was best for Rosemont--regardless.
I met Don in 2001. His wife Katherine had become a believer in Christ through a woman who attended our church and Don began to attend out of curiosity. Before long, he was leaning into the teaching of God's Word. I saw a man so strong and successful respond to a gospel invitation with tears streaming down his cheeks. I saw a man consumed with controlling his empire sitting at his kitchen table attentively reading God's Word. I saw a formerly tough guy--tender and teachable, humble and hungry for the message of God's forgiveness in Christ.
Then Don got cancer. He fought long and hard through many surgeries and much chemo therapy. Freakin, chemo therapy--I hate that word, because I hate what it does to people. I visited Don countless times over the past two years and saw his faith grow stronger even as his body wasted away. I saw the strongest of men face the only thing that is for sure: death. He died with dignity and humility. Most importantly, he died with faith in Christ. I personally bowed with Don as he confessed his sins to Christ and asked for forgiveness. I saw the change Christ brought to him in very specific ways.
Thousands came to Don's wake and I was asked to bring the message at his funeral. Mayor Daley, the governors of Illinois past and present, and many more of the local elite were on hand to say goodbye to the man they affectionately called 'the Mayor.' As I told of Don's faith and gave the gospel, there was such a distinct sense that so many present were not ready to wrestle with the ultimate certainty. They wanted to say goodbye to Don, but they were not ready to acknowledge the reality of their own mortality. By God's grace, Don was given 2+ years to prepare for eternity. More often, death comes without warning. Don didn't understand all the implications of the gospel, he didn't right every wrong that he had done, but he was reconciled to God through total faith in Christ's payment for his sin and he is assuredly in heaven now. He faced the only thing that is for sure . . . death, and by faith in Christ he found the forgiveness we all need if we hope to see heaven some day. Have you done that?
To watch full video of Don's funeral, cut and paste this address into your browser:
http://ww2.abc7chicago.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=1385122&h1=Hundreds%20attend%20Stephens%20funeral&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=4190033&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//abclocal.go.com/wls/story%3Fsection%3Dlocal%26id%3D5235410&rnd=9277700
Comments
Posted by: Rob Chagdes | April 26, 2007 10:12 PM
thanks for being bold through this opportunity. Heaven will reveal the fruit of what was planted. thanks also for keeping a blog as myself and I'm sure many others are majorly spurred on by what you share!
Posted by: Lorna Mac Donald | April 27, 2007 11:01 AM
Don't know what ...URL means.
Don't know what HTML means.
But I know that your message will not return void. Because your funeral message was based on the Word of God. Praise His Holy Name.
Keep it up son of mine.
praying for you each and every day.
Mom
Posted by: Joe | April 27, 2007 03:03 PM
"he didn't right every wrong that he had done, but he was reconciled to God through total faith in Christ's payment for his sin and he is assuredly in heaven now".
I love this statement. I find too often I am caught up in trying to get others (nonbelievers) to right their wrongs and lose foucs on the more important part and that is reconciliation with God through Christ. The single most important, actually the only thing that is important during our stay on this earth is reconciliatin with God through Jesus.
Lord, help me to act on this truth today.
Posted by: Jan | April 27, 2007 10:27 PM
I just want to respond to Lorna. Your comments were so precious, especially "keep it up son of mine." How I'd love to meet you and thank you face to face for bringing up James to be the man he is. I know it was mostly God's doing, and that he was influenced by his dad and grandparents, too, but my mother's heart wants to thank you. I know I speak for thousands of people when I say that God has worked through your son to reach us and change us through the power of HIS Son. I can't adequately express how much he means to us--because of his bold preaching of the Word and his tender heart towards those of us at Harvest. I often wonder about the boy he must have been--how God chose him for this huge task and ministry. Thank you for all you did right in bringing him up. God is so good to allow us to sit under his ministry.
Posted by: Trey | April 28, 2007 02:59 PM
James -
People should see and hear your message from Don's funeral. It was the absolute best message that I have ever heard at any funeral. So bold, so truthful and yet so loving. I'm not sure what your audience thought of it, but I know that is was straight from the Lord!
Your audience was a group of people, who I doubt ever hear a message that challenges them on their weaknesses or their need for anything.
I hope that you will allow this post to be seen and this link to be shown, so that others can see and hear your message on Heaven:
Editor:
The link does not work any more, but if you cut/paste the address below, it should work for a while. PTL!!! http://ww2.abc7chicago.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=1385122&h1=Hundreds%20attend%20Stephens%20funeral&vt1=v&at1=News&d1=4190033&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//abclocal.go.com/wls/story%3Fsection%3Dlocal%26id%3D5235410&rnd=9277700
Posted by: Amy | April 30, 2007 12:03 PM
"Most importantly, he died with faith in Christ."
Amen, brother. That IS truly most important. Praise God for the testimony of Don's life and for your heart for the Lord that you shared his testimony with the rest of us. It is such an encouragement and blessing to read about others' journeys.
Mama MacDonald: Thank you so much and praise be to God for granting you and Pastor James' Dad the strength, courage, and faithfulness in raising a son for Him, whose work is so God-honoring and Christ-like (and, from if Pastor James' wonderfully exhuberant, passionate (and, best of all, True!) preaching is any indication, I trust you had your hands full with him at times :-)). May God bless and keep you, ma'am.
Posted by: Rachel | April 30, 2007 12:20 PM
This is a good reminder of all that we have in Christ.
Posted by: quiet and meek | May 1, 2007 06:38 PM
thank you for doing the funeral for Don Stevens. I hope you will do my funeral some day as you know me too. It will be great to be in heaven. But until then, how about planting a church in Rosemont, their are some residents there and all those visitors in those hotel rooms may want a place to Worship God near their home or near where they stay on weekends.