The Rev. Franklin Graham, leader of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, annually goes to a different city around the world to deliver a special message on Easter Sunday.
Graham, 71, delivered the message from war-torn Lviv, Ukraine, in 2022 and from Rome last year, and he told Newsmax on Friday why he chose Jerusalem for this year's message.
"It's because there's so much suffering in that part of the world," Graham told "The Record With Greta Van Susteren." "On Oct. 7, you had the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. The hundreds that were taken hostage — still 134, I think, are held hostage. Then the destruction of Gaza and the millions of people that have been affected not only in Israel but in Gaza and the West Bank.
"You know that cliché 'war is hell.' It's true. It's absolutely hell. And what that part of the world has gone through, I thought it was important this year that we bring this Easter message, the message of hope.
"God's love, that God sent his son from heaven to this earth to take our sins. He died on the cross, Good Friday; he shed his blood on that cross. He was buried; but on the third day, Easter Sunday, he came up out of that tomb and Jesus Christ is alive.
"And if we're willing to believe that, if we're willing to confess our sins and turn from our sins and lean on the name of Lord Jesus Christ, God will forgive us of our sins."
Graham, whose Easter Sunday message will be broadcast at 4 p.m. EDT on Newsmax, said Israel also holds a special place in his heart because he said that is where at age 22 he decided to accept Christ as his Lord and Savior.
"I was staying at a hotel there in Israel, and was at that point in my life where I was sick and tired of just being sick and tired," Graham said. "I had been running from God. And that's where I got on my knees ... and it just happened to be in Israel. It could have been any place," Graham said.
"And I hope that this Easter that many people will do the same thing that I did. They'll just get on their knees and say, God, I'm a sinner. I'm sorry. Forgive me. I want to trust Jesus as my savior. I want to invite him to come into my heart to take control of my life. I surrender to him.
"You pray that prayer, not only will [God] forgive you, you'll have eternal life."
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Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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