Today and tomorrow, we will back on an event that took place over forty-five years ago. But I remember it like it was only a few weeks ago. Let me share a verse of Scripture with us first.

“And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him” (1 Kings 16:30).

What a way to be remembered!

Omri’s son, Ahab, will always be remembered as the wicked seventh king of the Northern Tribes. His twenty-two years of ruling were lived in open defiance of God. His reputation for doing more to displease the Lord and provoke Him above every king thus far had lived on for many generations. As I said, what a way to be remembered. Now let me tell you about an awkward experience I was called into.

Many years ago I was invited to do a funeral for a man, an openly wicked man, a Christ-rejecter who had never darkened the doors of a church. He lived in an openly sinful way. I was asked to conduct the funeral when someone in his family watched our television program and asked the funeral director to call the church at which I was the assistant pastor. They wanted “the guy they saw on TV to do the service.” I of course accepted the invitation as long as they understood I would speak from the Bible. They agreed.

I stood that day before an assembly of people who came with various motives. Some cared about the family, but for many, it was readily apparent that it wasn’t so much that they wanted to honor the deceased as it was that they wanted to hear what the Baptist preacher would say. The obituary named me and the church at which I was the assistant pastor as the one officiating the service.

The church family was praying; the funeral directors were concerned for me, and the guests were waiting. Before a packed funeral home I stood, introduced myself and said…

All right, dear friends. You probably will be perturbed that I didn’t finish the DP for today. You will need to come back tomorrow, and I will tell you! But for now, think about this. When you are gone, you will be remembered. For what do you wish to be remembered?

Ahab is remembered for his wickedness. Here’s how I want to be remembered: A simple man, saved by grace, who loved the Lord Jesus and who served Him. How about you?