Apostle Stephen Andrews Says Death Was Mary-Clare Hurst’s Last Enemy, Not Her Final Defeat

Apostle Dr. Stephen Andrews used the funeral service of former senator Mary-Clare Hurst on Tuesday to deliver a message centered on mortality, grief and Christian hope, telling mourners that while death remains humanity’s greatest enemy, it has ultimately been defeated through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Speaking before family members, political leaders, friends and supporters gathered at SJPC House of Restoration Ministries, Andrews reflected on Hurst’s life of public service before turning his attention to what he described as the universal reality every person must face.

“Death is the last enemy to be destroyed,” Andrews said, referencing 1 Corinthians 15:26 and describing death as “the ultimate undefeated enemy” that arrives without invitation and makes no exceptions.

At the start of his sermon, Andrews paid tribute to Hurst’s contributions to Antigua and Barbuda, describing her as an esteemed politician, trade unionist and public servant who broke barriers throughout her career.

He noted that Hurst became the first female general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party and went on to serve multiple terms in the Senate, including as Leader of Government Business and Minister of State in Tourism.

Rather than focus extensively on her accomplishments, however, Andrews chose to examine the broader meaning of death and the hope offered by the Christian faith.

He described death as “the great separator,” saying it ends relationships, interrupts life’s work and leaves behind profound grief for those who remain.

“It leaves a pain that will never be erased,” he said, explaining that death often forces people to confront the loss of control and certainty in their lives.

Andrews argued that humanity spends much of its existence fighting against death through medicine, caregiving and the preservation of life because of its instinctive resistance to loss.

At the same time, he said the inevitability of death serves an important purpose by reminding people to value relationships and appreciate the limited time they have with loved ones.

“It is death that forces us to cherish our time on the earth and to have a deep appreciation for relationship,” Andrews said.

The minister encouraged mourners to express love and appreciation while they still have the opportunity.

“It forces us to cherish our loved ones, to cherish our relationship while we still can, to tell someone that we love them while they can hear us,” he said.

Throughout the sermon, Andrews repeatedly returned to the biblical teaching that death entered the world through sin and remains the final enemy confronting humanity.

Yet he stressed that the Christian faith does not end with death.

“We are not left hopeless,” Andrews said, arguing that the resurrection of Jesus Christ fundamentally changed the meaning of death for believers.

Describing the resurrection as a historical fact witnessed by hundreds of people, Andrews said Christ’s victory over death removed its ultimate power and transformed it into a passage to eternal life.

“The Scripture emphasises the fact that through Christ, this enemy has been defeated, stripped of its power, and will one day be utterly destroyed,” he said.

Drawing from Hebrews and Corinthians, Andrews said Christ’s death and resurrection freed believers from living in fear of death.

“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” he asked, quoting the Apostle Paul’s challenge to death itself.

For Christians, Andrews said, death is no longer the end but a transition into the presence of God.

“To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord,” he said, citing scripture as a source of comfort for grieving families.

Andrews also pointed to the Book of Revelation, where he said scripture promises a future without death, mourning, crying or pain.

“In the new creation, God will wipe away every tear,” he told mourners.

As he brought the sermon to a close, Andrews urged those gathered not to view the occasion solely through the lens of loss but to reflect on their own lives and spiritual futures.

“None of us knows our time,” he said. “But there is hope.”

Following the sermon, Andrews offered a special prayer for Hurst’s family, asking God to grant them strength, peace and endurance in the difficult months ahead. He prayed that they would find comfort in their memories and confidence in the promise of eternal life.

Hurst, a former senator, former Leader of Government Business in the Senate and former general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Labour Party, died on May 5 at the age of 63. Her funeral drew a large gathering of relatives, political colleagues and members of the public who came to celebrate a life marked by public service and leadership.