I wish it had been different circumstances, but it was very good to see all of y'all again. I appreciate you letting a guy on a slow bike hang with you. As BusaWhipped said, it was kind of awe inspiring to see how many people showed up for Kevin. The church choir loft looked like it sat 100-120. The sanctuary looked to me to seat in excess of 1000 and every seat in the choir and sanctuary was full. The motorcyclists, who must have unnerved some of the other motorists on I-240W, were not in the majority. More than 100 in the choir loft and probably double that in the pews identified themselves as members of Mt. Sheba Baptist, where Kevin and his family attended. What a legacy of people whose lives have been touched by this one man!
The sermon was awesome and it became very clear that Kevin's desire was for his death to be equally an opportunity for people to come to know Jesus Christ as his life was. During the eulogy, those of us in attendance heard a description of a man that did what he did for the glory of his Lord and Savior, whether it was swinging a bat, playing softball, working at MR Motorcycle, or riding the Dragon, he did it all for the opportunity to share with others the testimony of his walk with Christ. I'm a preacher and a long-time Baptist and have heard preachers get excited about their messages before, but pastor Steve Rhinehart was clearly under the influence of the Holy Spirit as he told us about the choice everybody has to make regarding Jesus and about Kevin's courage in facing the death of his earthly body and about the faith that Kevin had looking forward to his new home with Jesus.
I don't much care who preaches my funeral, and I'm not expecting attendance like Kevin had. But my hope and prayer is that when it's my turn to vacate this tabernacle and leave it cold and in a box, that whatever friends do see fit to attend will each bring one unsaved person with them, and that in the course of that service, each and every unsaved person there will come to know Jesus and make Him their Lord and King.