Funeral Services for Non-Members

Thursday

Jun212007

Thursday, June 21, 2007 at 11:46PM

Funeral Services for Aaron L.

(Aaron L., 18 years old, was killed in an automobile crash. An outstanding athlete, he had graduated from high school a few days before his death, and would have entered college in the fall. The funeral was held in the school assembly hall and was packed out. After the brief ceremony at the graveside, over 500 people stood mourning for an hour, still in shock over the tragedy.)

Job 23 (The Living Bible) [The reply of Job:] "My complaint today is still a bitter one, and my punishment far more severe than my fault deserves. Oh, that I knew where to find God--that I could go to his throne and talk with him there. I would tell him all about my side of this argument, and listen to his reply, and understand what he wants. Would he merely overpower me with his greatness? No, he would listen with sympathy. Fair and honest men could reason with him and be acquitted by my Judge. "But I search in vain. I seek him here, I seek him there and cannot find him. I seek him in his workshop in the North but cannot find him there; nor can I find him in the South; there, too, he hides himself. But he knows every detail of what is happening to me; and when he has examined me, he will pronounce me completely innocent--as pure as solid gold! "I have stayed in God's paths, following his steps. I have not turned aside. I have not refused his commandments but have enjoyed them more than my daily food. Nevertheless, his mind concerning me remains unchanged, and who can turn him from his purposes? Whatever he wants to do, he does. So he will do to me all he has planned, and there is more ahead.”

First, I think it is vital for us to understand that Aaron L. was more than a sports hero. Stardom for most athletic standouts passes almost as quickly as the ink dries on the newspapers. Aaron L. was a refreshing person in a world where confusion and despair dog the lives of many of our young people. He was a brilliant star, flashing across the sky in a brief, dazzling display of talent and class. Some who live five times as long as Aaron never have one-fifth the impact that he had on the lives around him. Off the diamond and outside the arena, he affected the lives of countless people, many of whom were much younger then himself.

Erich Fromm said, "To die is poignantly bitter, but the idea of having to die without having lived is unbearable." There are some who may say that Aaron never had a chance to live. To those I say, Aaron lived long enough to be a genuine hero, long enough to give joy to everyone who knew him, long enough to be loved by all.

The ancient patriarch Job provides the context for the grief we struggle with today. How do we find answers for an unspeakable thing? The inevitable "why?" surfaces at the end of nearly every bout of sorrow. No answer satisfies. No reason is forthcoming. Job said, "Oh, that I knew where to find God--that I could go to his throne and talk with him there. I would tell him all about my side of this argument, and listen to his reply, and understand what he wants."

Have you ever seen the mental challenge often presented in a psychology or even a creative writing class? It is a little square grid of nine dots and the instructions are to draw four lines that contain all the dots. You can solve the problem only if you are willing to extend the lines beyond the gridwork. Our concept of life is all too often boxed into a square grid consisting of a series of predictable events. Is it not possible that God's answer lies somewhere off the page, outside the predictable framework we call life?

The answer to the tragedy we wrestle with today is not one, but many. Each of us takes what is given to us and we write our own answer, making it intensely personal and private. The facts of events are the same to us all, but each of us attach our own meaning to them. Anne Morrow Lindbergh wrote in Theodore, "Grief can't be shared. Everyone carries it alone, his own burden, his own way."

But I do not believe the answer will be found in focusing on the loss, but magnifying the gains that all who knew and loved Aaron received. I walked out into a wooded area of our church property last week inspecting some small trees and saplings that could be replanted. While most of them were beautiful and full, there were some that were misshapen and poorly developed. All of them, however, taken together, make up a beautiful forest. So we walk into life, expecting to find beauty everywhere we look. We inspect the experiences, the elements of life one by one, and sometimes we find a sorrow here or a tragedy there that deeply offends us. We may walk away confused, hurt, or even embittered. Yet, taken together, they make up life on a larger scale. This, for now, is all we have. Eternity remains an unrealized mystery. Today, in the presence of death, we gain a new perspective of life. Today, faced with an unanswerable tragedy, we somehow discover a transcendent answer. The forest will be beautiful again.

When we do not have answers, we may all have faith. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." Death loses its sting and the grave its victory in the glorious light of Jesus Christ. The believers’ “need to know” is swallowed up in everlasting triumph. On the day of Pentecost, the Apostle Peter said, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins and ye shall received the gift of the Holy Ghost." Christ's winning name and His victorious spirit overcomes the power of death.

A book has an introduction, body and conclusion. Sometimes, many characters are interwoven throughout its plots and subplots, and sometimes an intriguing novel centers upon one or two people. A book does not have to be long to be good. War and Peace fills well over a thousand pages, but other books, such as The Red Badge of Courage, although comparatively short, deliver a powerful impact. Aaron's life may have been brief, but perhaps from the perspective of time, not only the introduction, but also the body and conclusion will be discernible.

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Obituary
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Coach Piv
Coach Stoller
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Coach "Chopper"
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Funeral Message for Danny M.

(Danny M. 69, retire, disability, died of complications after surgery.)

Danny M. was the kind of person who did not advertise his capabilities. He avoided the spotlight and hardly talked about himself. Underneath, however, he was constantly thinking about many different things in life, and more often than not, he was right on target. He knew much about cars, home repair, and even politics. Outwardly, he would much rather talk about the interests of other people, and he always liked to talk about fishing.

This morning, as I was out for my daily walk, I passed Danny’s favorite fishing spot on Olander Lake. On the northwest side of the lake, between the oak tree that stood close to the water and the point where the shoreline bends toward the east, Danny threw his line into the water too many times to count. He knew when it was the best time to fish, what bait to use and how to work the line. Opal still has trout and other fish in the freezer from Danny’s successful fishing trips. All of us, except maybe the fish, are going to miss his familiar figure sitting by the lake.

When his family was young, Danny worked hard to make ends meet. I’m sure he wanted to spend more time doing family things, but there was never any doubt that he loved Opal, Roger, Terry and Danny, Jr., and they loved him. After he retired, he had the time to be with the boys, and the grandchildren, and the great-granddaughter, Reese.

Danny came to church only occasionally through most of his life, but during the last few years as his health began to break down, I saw him in services more often. I believe he knew then that time was not on his side. One day in January, I visited him at Flower Hospital and he assured me that he wanted to come to church and pray at the altar. He never got to do that, but I believe he made an altar of his own in a hospital room.

When the time came to make the difficult decision about ending life support, the family’s love for Danny was very much in evidence. They were reluctant to let go, and it was not done easily. They made sure that there was no other alternative. This will be a source of comfort for every family member in the future, because you will all know that you placed him in God’s hands, and it was God’s decision to take him at this time. I was in the room with Roger when Danny slipped from this life to the next. It was peaceful and without struggle. God’s hands are the best place to be, and we know that the God who loves mercy and grace, and the one who is the judge of all the earth will do right.

Eccl 7:2

2. It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Eccl 7:8

8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:

None of us likes attend funerals. They seem to represent the antithesis of everything we want or hope for in life. We distance ourselves as much as possible from the dark side of our existence. We run from pain, heartache, loss and death. We much prefer to seek out the company of laughter, pleasure, material gain and life.

Yet, all of us know---all of us dread---the inescapable reality of confronting and dealing with the specter of sorrow. As much as we try, we cannot avoid these things. Therefore, we countenance and embrace the moment we experience together today. If we cannot avoid it, if we cannot deny it, let us allow it to impact us so that we will achieve an greater understanding of God's purposes for us in our own lives.

Three important purposes draw us together here today:

We comfort and console those who have lost the most. I can't tell you how important it is for those who grieve over the death of a loved one to feel the support and sympathy of their family and friends. In fact, the word sympathy literally means to suffer with someone else. It is as though the human heart cries out to others "Do you know how much this hurts?" We can't make the source of the pain go away, but we can share the burden. It is comforting just to know that we are not suffering alone.

How much more it helps us to understand the care and compassion of the Almighty God in the midst of our grief!

1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

1 Cor 10:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Rev 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Second, we are here today to celebrate the life of Danny M.. As I waited around the bedside last Monday, I heard the grandchildren talk about Papaw. They loved him very much. Someone even said that he didn’t think about himself, he only thought of them. Last Christmas was especially good because he wanted to watch every one of them open their presents and see the reaction on their faces. It seemed as if he was savoring the moments. As time goes on, there will be many more memories like this that will come to mind.

Finally, and the most difficult purpose to grasp, we must come to an understanding of our own mortality. It is time to recognize that the final period on the sentence of our individual lives brings everything to a halt and casts our attention backwards over the life that we have lived. If we fail in this moment, if we deny our own participation in the coming reality of our own demise, we will leave gaping holes in the completion of our lives.

Now is when we come face to face with the question of life itself. Are we created beings or organic accidents? Does the complex design of our bodies and minds reflect a designer? Is death a cessation of life, or a transfer to a different mode of life? If we are created by God, do we have a relationship with God? Is death only an event complicated by emotional distress and sadness? Or is death a passageway for which each of us must prepare to enter?

This is not a matter of the presence or absence of faith. Whatever your answer, you place your faith in it. How can any of us know the right answer?

Those of us who have had an encounter with God through Jesus Christ have an assurance of His reality and his comfort.

1 Cor 15:51-57 51. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56. The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

When a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepts his gospel, the question of time and eternity is answered. Repentance brings forgiveness, baptism in the name of Jesus brings remission of sins, the infilling of the Holy Ghost brings new and powerful life. And the new life received from God through salvation is the life that will carry us beyond death into eternal life.

John 4:14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

And so today, we comfort one another with our words and tears. We celebrate the life of our loved one, Danny M., through remembering who he was and what he did. But we answer the larger question of our moment with the understanding of life, death and eternity. And the importance of this last step eclipses the first two.

Jesus is the answer to the world today. Above Him there's no other. Jesus is the way.

Funeral Message for David L. V.

January 3, 2007

(David, 23, died suddenly of heart failure due to prolapsed mitrovalve. Parents were church members.)

I am sure I speak for David’s wife, Jennifer and the entire V. family today in expressing gratitude for your attendance today and all the love and support you have given them in the last few days. The floral tributes, the special gifts, the calls, cards and letters have been beautiful. You will never know how much your thoughtful words, your handshakes and hugs, and just your presence means at a time like this. We especially want to thank all of you who have prayed for the family. Every prayer was needed and felt.

Jennifer, Tommy, Ron and Diane, Eric, Josh, Janna and Becky---none of you, in your wildest imagination, ever dreamed you would be here today. Yet, in hindsight we have been able to see little things that God has used to prepare all of us for this moment. Yes, we all think of what has happened to David as an unthinkable tragedy…and all of us would love to have him back with us, and…miraculously… have life return back to the way it was when he went to work last Wednesday night. But, if that cannot be, then the next best blessing is that God would give us enough grace to accept David’s departure as his divine will.

In addition to Becky’s letter, I feel that I should share Ron’s recent experience with you. Last fall, during an eleven week training period for his job, he was far from his family and used the time as a spiritual retreat. In much prayer for his family, he mused about the strange behavior of the Psalmist David when his infant son had died. At that point, the king stopped praying and went about his life again. Ron concluded that he should pray for his family while he could because a time would come when he would no longer be able to pray. He thought maybe that something was going to happen to him, personally. Now, he realizes that it was not himself, but David, for whom he could no longer pray. God was preparing him for the crisis moment that lay ahead.

I want to talk about David today in the context of an insightful passage of scripture about another David, King David in the Bible, the same David who felled the giant Goliath and later, became Israel’s greatest king. David’s son, Solomon, had just completed the construction of a magnificent Temple and the time had come to dedicate it to the Lord. Somewhere in the middle of his speech, he made the following statements…

^{1 Kings}^8:17 “And it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. ¹⁸ And the LORD said unto David my father, Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart. ¹⁹ Nevertheless thou shalt not build the house; but thy son that shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house unto my name. ²⁰ And the LORD hath performed his word that he spake, and I am risen up in the room of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and have built an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. ²¹ And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the LORD, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.” ^{^[1]}

The latent message for us that rises from this ancient story speaks of the unrealized dreams of a man whose heart burned with a holy fervor. He dreamed of what could be; he worked at gathering materials and drawing plans for a fabulous house of God that he never got to build; the dream lived in his heart, but he didn’t get to see it come to fruition before his eyes.

From our finite human perspective, our hearts ache for a great man who was denied the opportunity of living out his dream. But in the economy of God, the sentiment, the potential, the capacity for achievement that burns within the human soul has substance that registers on heaven’s scale. God said, “Whereas it was in thine heart to build an house unto my name, thou didst well that it was in thine heart.” God reaps where he does not sow, he breathes in the fragrance of gardens that have never bloomed, he validates the future of unlived lives. God is the dream maker. Even as a child is a child at conception, long before it is born, a dream is sanctioned before God, long before it is ever delivered.

At twenty-three years of age, we understandably thought that David V. had a lot of living left to do. If quantity of life was not God’s will for David, then there must be some other way to measure his life. Because of the nature of the tragedy and the uncertainty that still surrounds it all, we may be swayed to think more of what could have been or what should have been, rather than to remember what was. The unwrought purposes of David’s heart must not be forgotten. They were seeds, shadows, intimations of that were as real in the sight of God the same as if they actually happened. The question that must occupy our minds at this point is what was in David’s heart?

First, David’s heart had a lot of love in it. From the letters you’ve heard, you know a lot about the way David thought and acted. He grew up in a loving family and had a close relationship with his brothers and sisters. The slide show that played and the many pictures on display told the story of a fun-filled and happy childhood. The abundance of friends that have come yesterday and today are evidence of the love he gave and received from his peer group. When he joined the army, he often called his mother from Korea where he was stationed. He was a loving person, and his wife, Jennifer, will tell you that he loved her and Tommy very deeply. When Tommy was six years old, David would take him sledding, skating and other fun activities. He played a lot of games with him and taught him how to play baseball. He was a devoted husband. Almost every break time at work found him on phone talking to Jennifer and they enjoyed a close and happy marriage.

David’s heart had a lot of determination in it. When he decided he was going to do something, that’s the way it was. He told Jennifer he loved her and was going to marry her years before she finally said yes. He never wavered or gave up until he captured her heart. He was determined that he would be a good provider, and he was never without a job for very long, if at all. Even at a relatively young age, he strove for financial security and responsibility. He paid his bills, and didn’t owe his parents a dime. That’s pretty remarkable. And, his determination was always focused on doing the right thing.

David’s heart had a lot of character in it. He never succumbed to a lot of the vices that ensnare many young people of today. His mother says that while many of his buddies went out drinking and partying in the service, David would hang around the base on weekends, playing video games and watching DVD’s. One of his commanding officers even invited David to his house for Christmas…not a common occurrence. He maintained a moral standard wherever he was, and when he came home from Korea, he wanted nothing more than to immerse himself in being a good husband and dad.

David’s heart had a lot of giving in it. Even before he married Jennifer, he was worried that she would have enough money to provide a good Christmas for Tommy. One night when she went to her car after work, she opened the car door and found that David had taped three hundred dollars to the underside of the handle. Maybe that was part of the plot to win her heart, but it was also a show of unselfish giving to someone in need. There are many other instances where David showed his giving nature.

So, this I say to all who may be asking the dreaded question, why did this happen: God did not need to see any more fulfillment to David’s life than what he had already lived. It was good that these things were in his heart. It is proof that the essence of a life is not to be found in longevity, but in quality. It is to be found in love, in determination, in character, in giving. And, in the end, whether we lived one year or one hundred years, it will matter little by eternal standards. 1 Corinthians 15:19 says “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Those who know Jesus Christ do not have hope in this life only. We have a hope that transcends the hours on the clock and the days on the calendar.

David took care of his spiritual obligations while he was a young child. He was baptized in Jesus’ name and filled with the Holy Ghost. He knew the Apostolic message well, and in his heart, he never abandoned the truths that he was taught. No, everything had not yet come together for him in his life. He still had some learning and growing to do, but at twenty-three, most people do. But, when you look deeply into David’s heart, you see some good things. Jennifer, Ron and Diane, he may have only been twenty-three, but you can be proud of who he was.

Let me conclude by going back to the dream that David, the King, cherished in his heart.

King David did not build God's house, but David's son, Solomon, did.

1 Chronicles 22:9-10 “Behold, a son shall be born to thee, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies round about: for his name shall be Solomon, and I will give peace and quietness unto Israel in his days. He shall build an house for my name; and he shall be my son, and I will be his father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel for ever.”

Look what happened to the greater son of David, Jesus Christ. He gathered the materials to build the temple greater than Solomon's. He called, mentored, led, taught and inspired his disciples. It appeared that the Great Son of David would never see the completion of his house, not because he shed the blood of others, but because of the shedding of his own blood. Beaten and bruised, mocked and spat upon, bound and crucified, it looked as though the eternal purpose of God was stopped in its tracks.

Peter sank into depression when he looked at the mangled figure, brutally nailed to a tree like a common thief. The women at the cross wept and wailed, evil smirks curled the lips of the tormentors of Christ and Pilate feasted in his back chambers. But when his enemies laid him in a borrowed tomb, they did not destroy the unwrought purposes of God. They unwittingly participated in the fulfillment of the very purpose they sought to thwart. 1 John 3:8 …For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

In the end, in the great consummation of all things, there shall be no unwrought purposes in the plan of God.

Revelation 21:1-7

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. 5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. 6 And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

God always has somebody to help bring dreams to fulfillment. I wonder who the Dream Maker will use to give life to the dreams of David V.?

Funeral Service for Debra L.

August 1, 1998

H. H. Birkenkamp
Organ music:
Scripture Reading: II Corinthians 5:1-9; Psalm 23
Obituary
Message
Song
Closing Prayer

(Debra L. was a middle-aged woman. She died of unexpectedly of a heart condition. Indirectly connected to a family in the church.)

Message

What we face today, humanity has faced since time began. The questions never get any easier. Why death? Why Debra? Why now? My job today is not to give you the answers---that would be impossible. Rather, my job is to point you in the right direction. These answers will never be found in bitter tears alone; they will not be found in the gamut of emotions ranging from anger to numbing sorrow. But modern questions are still answered best by ancient answers.

I am drawn to the scriptures in Hebrews 2:14-18 “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death-- that is, the devil--and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham's descendants. For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (NIV)

First, note that our Lord Jesus Christ shared our humanity.

At Bethlehem, God became what He had never been before. The Creator became the creature, eternity’s God became time’s man, Jehovah of the Old Testament became the Jesus of the New, the Word in thought became the Word in Flesh. Some say that this only stakes out a dry, inconsequential doctrinal position. The Bible teaches, however, that this is the linchpin upon which the entire revelation of God to this world turns. It brings a God who was afar off close and intimate with us. Through the incarnation, we enjoy an affinity with deity that all the saints before Bethlehem dreamed of but never knew.

Jesus revealed the Mighty God in Christ. Jesus affords mankind the only way to see God. In Jesus, the Great Father wept, hungered, became weary, felt temptations, suffered and experienced all of the emotion and pathos of life. Jesus shared our humanity.

Second, Jesus became human that he might die.

John 12:30-33 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die.

Jesus did not come to establish another religion in a world already glutted with religion. He did not come just to teach, preach, organize or conduct a revolution. He did many things, but the overarching purpose of his appearing was to die. That which mankind instinctively avoids and fears constituted the prized goal and ultimate quest of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through his death, he accomplished what never would have been possible otherwise.

Third, Jesus died that he might conquer death.

When cried out with a loud voice, “It is finished,” when the frail, bruised body of Jesus shuddered and died, Satan appeared to have won the final round. But Jesus knew something that all his enemies---the raging crowd, the Roman soldiers, the religious hierarchy, and Satan himself---did not know. Reaching through the veil of death, he grasped the victors crown. He revealed that the only reason death reigned in the world of man was sin. It was sin that empowered the weapon of death in the hand of Satan. When Jesus died, for the first time in the history of man, a sinless being died. Jesus took no sin with him into the grave, therefore the grave was powerless to keep him there.

Of his life, Jesus said in John 10:18, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. Not only did he take it up again, he gave us the same power to enter into eternal life.

Thus we read in I Corinthians 15, Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And now, through Jesus Christ’s life, death, burial and resurrection, we see,

Not an end, but a beginning, Not grief, but a cause for celebration, Not sorrow, but rejoicing, Not tears of sadness, but radiant beams of joy.

Rom 8:31-39 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Funeral Message for Donald M.

December 9, 2000

Thomas Wisniewski Funeral Home

(Donald M., 75, was the father of a family in the church. He never attended. He was an honored veteran, recipient of the Purple Heart and other medals. He died of a heart condition.)

Ecclesiastes 7:2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:

All of us are loathe to attend funerals. They seem to represent the antithesis of everything we want or hope for in life. We distance ourselves as much as possible from the dark side of our existence. We run from pain, heartache, loss and death. We much prefer to seek out the company of laughter, pleasure, material gain and life.

We are here today for at least three reasons:

1. To comfort and console those who have lost the most. I can't tell you how important it is for those who grieve over the death of a loved one to feel the support and sympathy of their family and friends. In fact, the word sympathy literally means to suffer with someone else. It is as though the human heart cries out to others "Do you know how much this hurts?" We can't make the source of the pain go away, but we can share the burden. It is comforting just to know that we are not suffering alone.

How much more it helps us to understand the care and compassion of the Almighty God in the midst of our grief!

1 Pet 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

2. The second reason we are here today is to celebrate the life of the one who has now left us. As I read in the obituary, Donald M. was a man of many accomplishments. He was an athlete who won notoriety with his abilities in track and field; he was a war hero who was awarded the highest battlefield honor that his country could bestow; he was a self-motivated entrepreneur. He loved his children and enjoyed a positive relationship with them into their adult lives. I'm sure there are stories that will be told and handed down to future generations about all the things that happened in the family.

3. The last reason we are here today is really the most difficult to grasp. It is to come to an understanding of our own mortality; to recognize that the final period on the sentence of our individual lives brings everything to a halt and casts our attention backwards over the life that we have lived. If we fail in this moment, if we deny our own participation in the coming reality of our own demise, we will leave gaping holes in the completion of our lives.

How can any of us know the right answer? Those of us who have had an encounter with God through Jesus Christ have an assurance of His reality and his comfort.

1 Cor 15:51-57 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (KJV)

When a person believes in the Lord Jesus Christ and accepts his gospel, the question of time and eternity is answered. Repentance brings forgiveness, baptism in the name of Jesus brings remission of sins, the infilling of the Holy Ghost brings new and powerful life. And the new life receive from God through salvation is the life that will carry us beyond death into eternal life.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

And so today, we comfort one another with our words and tears. We celebrate the life of our loved one, Donald M., through remembering who he was and what he did. But we answer the larger question of our moment with the understanding of life, death and eternity. And the importance of this last step eclipses the first two.

Jesus is the answer to the world today. Above Him there's no other. Jesus is the way.

Fred C. Funeral

November 13, 1997

Mitchell-Auxter

Clyde, Oh

1:30 PM

Reading of Scripture: Psalm 90, 23
“The Old Rugged Cross”
Obituary
Poem
Prayer
Message
“Amazing Grace”

(Fred C. was an elderly man, brother of a prominent church family, came to church as a small child. He was living in a nursing home at time of death, died of liver complications.)

Message

John 11:33-38; 41-44

I. The Power of Love

Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, as he loves all of us. Yet, there is no record that he expressed this before now. The loss of a loved one serves to magnify the love we had for them.

Fred C. was a man who loved. He loved his family deeply, his grandchildren, and his wife, Hazel, who preceded him in death, sixteen years to the day. While he may not have been able to give his family everything they wanted, he faithfully provided all the necessities of life for them.

He loved the outdoors. Not only did he farm, he served as a Scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts for a number of years, and also liked to go fishing whenever he could. He often took his own father fishing out on Lake Erie.

Fred C. had a love for God and the church. He made sure that his family was in church, even driving up to Sandusky for several years to the Apostolic church until he was no longer physical able to go.

Fred and Hazel C. had a very close relationship. After she died, he entered into a troubled period of his life. But only those who have gone through the same experience can know the depths of agony and inner suffering that the death of a spouse can cause. I see, in the midst of his trouble, evidence of deep love that could find no solitude.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While it is love that makes death so hard, it is also love which makes it bearable. And it is the love of God that give it the greatest uplifting and meaning of all.

II. The Power of Death.

Fred C. had been in decline for the last few years. He, no doubt, knew that death was not far away. But, he could not, as none of us can, stop it.

Lazarus succumbed to the unrelenting power of death which faces us all. Love could not stop this power from invading the domain of life. But Lazarus had a friend who could.

John 11:20-26 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.

Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

What was Jesus saying? That he alone had the power to conquer death. He proved that he had that power by restoring Lazarus to life. But there were countless others who he did not resurrect. Why? Because he used his power over natural death to illustrate for us all that he had the power over spiritual death. Even though we may succumb to death in this life, we do not have to succumb to eternal death.

The power of death can be met and conquered through a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

When Peter preached to the very people who crucified Christ, they were deeply moved.

Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

III. The Power To Decide

Jesus stood at Lazarus tomb with love for the man and power over death.

He alone had the power to set the process in motion that would restore life. Today, he had made his power accessible to everyone who believes. That means that you have power...the power of decision over your eternal destiny.

Let me ask you today what your decision will be. The occasion of death is more than a time for eulogies and memories. It is also a time for soul-searching and solemn thought. It is a time for a return to time-honored truths, for re-consecration to God.

Funeral Message for Geraldine H.

January 28, 2000

(Geraldine H., 64, died of cancer. Her husband was a church member. She attended several times with him.)

2 Cor 5:1-9 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. (NIV)

Geraldine H. was best defined as a mother. She loved her children (she had ten) and they were her everything. She was the chief babysitter. She cooked, washed, cleaned, sewed, everything she could do to nurture and care for her children and grandchildren.

Geraldine had a cheerful personality, always had a smile for the neighbors, and made everyone feel welcome. She was a morning person, and loved to sit out one the porch in the morning, drinking her coffee, and enjoying her roses.

One of her sons wrote a letter that will be buried with her, expressing his sadness that she will not be there in the morning with her smile. She was always there for her family. We are sorrowing today for our loss, but rejoicing that her long night of suffering is over.

Since she loved roses so much, I found this poem that fits so well with her.

The Scent of the Roses

Let fate do her worst, there are relics of joy,

Bright dreams of the past which she cannot destroy.

Which come in the night-time of sorrow and care,

And bring back the features that joy used to wear.

Long, long be my heart with such memories filled,

Like the vase in which roses have once been distilled.

You may break, you may shatter the vase if you will,

But the scent of the roses will hang around it still.

Thomas Moore

The Bible text I read for you speaks of an idea that seems to be contradictory. How is it that we would prefer to be away from the body and be present with the Lord?

Funeral Message for Gregory J.

June 3, 2004

(Gregory J., 46, died suddenly and unexpectedly from a brain aneurism. His wife and mother-in-law were church members. Greg was raised as a Catholic. He came to First Apostolic Church once or twice. This service was shared with a Reader from St. Joseph’s parish, Sylvania.)

Mark 4:35-41 “On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side."36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him,"Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.40 But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!" NKJV

Greg J. lived in a big world. It was, in fact, as big as all outdoors. He was more comfortable with saplings and shrubs than suits and ties; he would rather have worked with rich soil than papers and books; he found the freedom of blue skies and more appealing than closed-in rooms. He was the kind of guy that the rest of us men who used to be boys envy. Just think…to go outside and play in the dirt, and drive monster machinery…and get paid for it!

Greg loved it…almost as much as he loved his family. The video presentation gives us a beautiful insight into the special relationship he had with his wife and children…lots of fun, laughter, activity and good times. He pulled all of them into his big world and shared what he loved with them. The poet said, “Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your Teacher.” (William Wordsworth) (1770 - 1850). This was Greg’s life and light.

If you will indulge me a little, I want to share with you something I wrote about a year ago that I think applies to Greg. It is part of a writing project about Olander Park here in Sylvania. I often walk there, and looking at the trees, this thought began to grow.

“Big oaks and cottonwoods dominate Olander’s tree population, no doubt owing their existence to the forgetfulness of squirrels and the snows of cottonwood seeds that inundate the Midwest every June. Park walkers know about other species too, like Douglas Firs, Honey Locusts, Sycamores, Sassafras, Black Walnuts and a variety of maples and evergreens. These weren’t all random plantings. Tree planters, themselves a rare species, envision those legendary poems of God where most only see empty space. They measure time in decades and centuries, not months and years. The hurried pace that pushes of the rest of us has no effect on them, and they make time their friend. I envy them. I love trees too, but I lack the interminable patience of the people who plant them. Today, when I see a tree by the trail or across the lake, I see heart…a life…a planter’s statement of faith in their vision. God, grant me the faith to plant a vision today.”

So, here we are in this strange place today. We’re not used to being here without Greg. He always knew what to do. His steady hand brought assurance and calm to so many storms. Questions swirl around in our minds and the bits and pieces of answers that come to us don’t work…as least not now. In the scripture text I read to you, the storm on Galilee threw the disciples of Christ into a panic. It wasn’t that they had never experienced storms before, but that this one was so unexpected. Perhaps they thought that this kind of thing couldn’t happen with the Master on board. But, Jesus, althought he was on board, was asleep. In their minds, it was a double threat; first, the treachery of the wind and waves, and then the seeming lack of care and the unconcern of Jesus.

I suppose one of the greatest difficulties we mortals must go through is when life doesn’t measure up to our expectations…when reality thrusts a far different set of circumstances into our lives than what we had envisioned. While we are in the middle of the turmoil, we feel helpless…anger, resentment, despair…all those emotions tear at us without mercy. There’s probably no way to get to where we need to go without going through these things.

Jesus didn’t stop the storm from rising. Instead, he arose against the storm and said, “Peace. Be still.” He sternly rebuked the wind, but then he gently calmed the disciples, reminding them to not be afraid, but to have faith. The Master was then…and always…the Master. Our faith is not tied to the circumstances, but to the only one who can step to the forefront of our lives and bring peace with a word and the wave of his hand.

Until the wind dies down and the waves subside, let’s remember Greg. Let’s remember how much he loved…how fortunate you are to have had him for a husband, a father, a brother, a relative and a friend…how much fun and enjoyment he brought to your life. Think of how impoverished you would have been without the forty-eight years he was here…of how rich you are because you knew him…of the great things he taught you just by his example alone. He was a tree-planter. The faith and vision he had will always remain with you and it will become your inspiration for life.

A few years ago, I walked out into a wooded area of our church property to inspect some small trees and saplings that could be replanted. While most of them were beautiful and full, there were some that were misshapen and poorly developed. All of them, however, taken together, make up a beautiful forest. So we walk into life, expecting to find beauty everywhere we look. We inspect the experiences, the elements of life one by one, and sometimes we find a sorrow here or a tragedy there that deeply offends us. We may walk away confused, hurt, or even embittered. Yet, taken together, they make up life on a larger scale. This, for now, is all we have. Eternity remains an unrealized mystery. Today, in the presence of death, we gain a new perspective of life. Today, faced with an unanswerable tragedy, we somehow discover a transcendent answer. The forest will be beautiful again.

Let us put our trust in the Master. To those of us who know him intimately, he is our best friend. We who are immersed in his name, and who are the earthen vessels where his spirit resides, know that he is the covert in the time of storm. He absorbs the shock and shields us from the blast when we hide in him.

Let’s pray.

Jerry Davis Funeral

August 29, 1996

Ansberg-West

11 AM
Reading of Scripture: Psalm 90, 23
Obituary
Poem
Prayer
Song: Monica Trzcinski

Message

John 11:33-38; 41-44

I. The Power of Love

Jesus loved Mary, Martha and Lazarus, as he loves all of us.
Yet, there is no record that he expressed this before now.
The loss of a loved one serves to magify the love we had for them.
Jerry D. was a man who loved.
He loved his family deeply, his grandchildren, and his wife, Dorothy, who preceded him in death
He also loved his job, a firefighter for over thirty years in the City of Toledo.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 5:6-8 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

While it is love that makes death so hard, it is also love which makes it bearable. And it is the love of God that give it the greatest uplifting and meaning of all.

II. The Power of Death.

Lazarus succumbed to the unrelenting power of death which faces us all.
Love could not stop this power from invading the domain of life.
But Lazarus had a friend who could.

John 11:20-26 Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

The power of death can only be met and conquered through a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
When Peter preached to the very people who crucified Christ, they were deeply moved.

Acts 2:37-39 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

III. The Power To Decide

Jesus stood at Lazarus tomb with love for the man and power over death. He alone had the power to set the process in motion that would restore life. Today, he had made his power accessible to everyone who believes. That means that you have power...the power of decision over your eternal destiny.

Funeral Message for Keith W. F.

December 11, 2000

Deck-Hanneman Funeral Home

Bowling Green, Ohio

Psalm 61:1-8

1 Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer. 2 From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I. 3 For thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. 4 I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah. 5 For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name. 6 Thou wilt prolong the king's life: and his years as many generations. 7 He shall abide before God for ever: O prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him. 8 So will I sing praise unto thy name for ever, that I may daily perform my vows.

The loss of a loved one at Christmas time seems especially difficult to bear. I know that your families were looking forward to spending at least one more Christmas with Dad or Grandpa, although you feared it would be the last.

Maybe you had already purchased your gift for him, or had talked with each other about what you could get him. Whatever your plans, it may seem to be a cruel twist of fate for him to be taken during a time that is meant to be so joyous and happy. But God is not cruel. And there is no random fate---only God-ordained destiny. And so, instead of trying to pick out a gift that you had hoped would be suitable for him, you find yourself contemplating something infinitely better: the rich heritage of a good father. This year, he outdid any gift you could buy for him.

The Psalmist wrote: "For thou, O God, hast heard my vows: thou hast given me the heritage of those that fear thy name."

No family, no son or daughter, no grandchild could receive a better gift than the love of a father, a good name, a righteous character, and a set of high and moral values in life.

I think there are at least three wonderful gifts that we are in possession of today that may rightfully be called a heritage. Whatever personal affects that this man left behind; whatever assets he willed to his children; whatever proud moments he may be remembered for---his true heritage transcends them all.

Keith F. gave the gift of love for family. While talking with Chris yesterday, she stressed the fact that her father believed in family togetherness. In fact, his family was more important to Keith F. than anything else in life.

He gave them time.
He gave them a father-son and a father-daughter relationship.
He gave them---not the dregs, the leftovers, the brief seconds between complaints of tiredness---but the main thrust of his life.
Love for family is a basic and precious value that seems to be diminishing in our society.

Luke 12:15 says, "And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." May God help every one of us to emulate, or revive if necessary, this gift in our own lives.

Keith F. gave the gift of honor to his family. Many people talk about love and togetherness. But their high and noble phrases crumble quickly when someone examines their lives. Here was a man who not only said what he believed, he devoted himself to living out the ideals. The true value of a precious commodity is dependent upon its condition. Antique dealers and collectors pore over many pieces looking for one that is in mint condition. The question is not necessarily how old it is, but what kind of shape it is in. In human terms, we might say a good find is one that has retained or preserved its honor. It has weathered the storms, it has withstood the passage of time, and it holds its original luster. Honor is a marvelous gift. It becomes a forceful influence on children and grandchildren, and future generations.

Keith F. gave the gift of faith to his family. I realize that no one can actually give faith except God alone, but in the sense that faith is practiced and modeled by an individual, it becomes a precious gift. Keith F. saw to it that his children went to church on a regular basis. He saw to it that Christ and the Holy Bible were honored in his home. In his later years, he drew even closer to God, but he, along with his wife Mary, always desired their family to have a healthy respect for the things of God. Again, when we look at our society and its outright abandonment of faith, its methodical destruction of Christian tenets and beliefs, and its pursuit of pleasure and paganism, this gift stands in even greater stead than we might imagine.

None of us stand alone. We build our lives using the building blocks that are given to us by the previous generation. But, of course, the greatest gift of all is not one that Keith F., nor anyone had or has the ability to give---the gift of eternal life.

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

As much as a father loves his family, as much as he desires to provide the best possible life for them, he cannot give them salvation. Suffice it to say that Keith F. no doubt wanted every child, every grandchild, every relative of his to have this gift. If you are yet outside the fold of Christ, if you have not yet taken the package of Christ's death, burial and resurrection, then this Christmas season could be the best one you have ever enjoyed

Death through repentance.
Burial through baptism in Jesus' name.
Resurrection through the glorious infilling of God's Spirit. This indeed is the best gift.

Fred J. Foster, my old Bible College president, wrote this poem entitled "You Were Here" that I think is so fitting today:

You were here yesterday
But today you are gone
Taking with you wonderful things
And especially your song
But I remember you leaving
A lot of great and noble acts
Your life, if it were written,
Would be filled with wonderful facts.
Telling us to have courage
Buck up in life's test
And when the sunset would come
We would know we did our best.
Saying to everyone along the way
There's got to be a song
There's got to be a hope in life
In this you can’t go wrong.
You did leave with us
Treasures of purest gold
Your walk through this vale
The half has not been told.

-Fred J. Foster

Today, Keith F.---Dad, Grandpa, brother, uncle and friend---hands to you an early Christmas present, with love.
Open it and cherish it.
It is love for family, honor, and love of God.
You will not open a better gift this year, nor in any Christmas in the future.

Funeral Message for Michael W. Blaisdell

November 2, 2006

First Apostolic Church

Ecclesiastes 12:1-5 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say, "I find no pleasure in them"- 2 before the sun and the light and the moon and the stars grow dark, and the clouds return after the rain; 3 when the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, when the grinders cease because they are few, and those looking through the windows grow dim; 4 when the doors to the street are closed and the sound of grinding fades; when men rise up at the sound of birds, but all their songs grow faint; 5 when men are afraid of heights and of dangers in the streets; when the almond tree blossoms and the grasshopper drags himself along and desire no longer is stirred. Then man goes to his eternal home and mourners go about the streets. NIV

Ecclesiastes 7:8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof:

Yet, all of us know---all of us dread---the inescapable reality of confronting and dealing with the specter of sorrow. As much as we try, we cannot avoid these things. Therefore, we countenance and embrace the moment we experience together today. If we cannot avoid it, if we cannot deny it, let us allow it to impact us so that we will achieve a greater understanding of God's purposes for us in our own lives.

First, we are here today to comfort and console those who have lost the most. I can't tell you how important it is for those who grieve over the death of a loved one to feel the support and sympathy of their family and friends. In fact, the word sympathy literally means to suffer with someone else. It is as though the human heart cries out to others "Do you know how much this hurts?" We can't make the source of the pain go away, but we can share the burden. It is comforting just to know that we are not suffering alone.

How much more it helps us to understand the care and compassion of the Almighty God in the midst of our grief!

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Second, we have come today to celebrate the life of the one who has now left us. As you have heard, Mike left a deep impression on the people in his life, his children and his friends. In talking with Mary, it is her conviction---and rightly so---that everyone leaves a legacy of himself behind. This legacy consists of the things a person has loved, the things he did, his goals, dreams and desires.

Finally, we are here today come to an understanding of our own mortality; to recognize that the final period on the sentence of our individual lives brings everything to a halt and casts our attention backwards over the life that we have lived. If we fail in this moment, if we deny our own participation in the coming reality of our own demise, we will leave gaping holes in the completion of our lives.

Now is when we come face to face with the question of life itself. Does the complex design of our bodies and minds reflect a designer? Are we created beings or organic accidents? Is death a cessation of life, or a transfer to a different mode of life? If we are created by God, do we have a relationship with God? Is death only an event complicated by emotional distress and sadness? Or is death a passageway for which each of us must prepare to enter? This is not a matter of the presence or absence of faith. Whatever your answer, you place your faith in it. How can any of us know the right answer? Those of us who have had an encounter with God through Jesus Christ have an assurance of His reality and his comfort.

1 Cor 15:55-57 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ answers the question of time and eternity…The new life we receive from God through salvation is the life that will carry us beyond death into eternal life. John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

And so today, we comfort one another with our words and tears. We celebrate the life of our loved one, Mike Blaisdell, through remembering who he was and what he did. But we answer the larger question of our moment with the understanding of life, death and eternity. And the importance of this last step eclipses the first two.

Jesus is the answer to the world today. Above Him there's no other. Jesus is the way.

(Prayer)

Let us stand and quote together Numbers 6:24-26 The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

William B.

May 2, 1926 – March 25, 2001

March 28, 2001

Reeb Funeral Home, Sylvania, Ohio

Psalm 94:17-22 Unless the LORD had been my help, my soul had almost dwelt in silence. 18 When I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O LORD, held me up. 19 In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul. 20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law? 21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood. 22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.

Jack B. was a friend to everyone. His true congeniality attracted people to him, as evidenced by the large numbers who visited yesterday and are in attendance today. Jack was a big man, but his disarming smile and easy-going manner made anyone he met feel comfortable, not intimidated.

As you know, one of the traits Jack B. was known for was his quick wit and agile mind. Although he never had the opportunity for much formal education, he was able to hold his own in any test of mental skills.

In the waning days and then hours of his life, Jack gave every indication that he was alert and comprehending what was going on around him. The tubes in his mouth prevented him from expressing his thoughts to those around him, but there was never any doubt that his mind was active right up to the end.

Jack’s intelligence, a family trait I might add, meant that he was rich in thought. It is the capacity for thought that makes humans uniquely different from other forms of life. We are conscious of our environment and of ourselves. Through our thoughts, we transcend the limitations of our existence and surroundings.

Thinking can usher us into the courts of kings, or dens of evil. Our thoughts may surround us with noble company, or vile monsters. Thoughts may sweeten our days with pleasant moods, or haunt us with bitter memories. “The Essence”, Wellsprings, Anthony de Mello

This propensity for thought leads me to consider the treasure trove of scripture about thoughts and thinking. God is omniscient, meaning he has all knowledge.

Ps 92:5 O LORD, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.

Knowledge of God involves our thoughts.

1 Chr 28:9 And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the LORD searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever.

The Psalmist makes a statement in our text that suggests deep and mysterious things in the realm of thought. “In the multitude of my thoughts within me…”

There must come a time, at long last, when we are left alone with our thoughts. A day when the calendar and clock no longer drive us. A final moment when life’s interruptions slow to a stop, when we cannot move at will. When Jack B., tall, strong and commanding, was reduced to confinement by stainless steel rails on a hospital bed, and had lost the ability to do anything but think, what did he think? None of us know for sure, but I venture some guesses.

He saw his wife beside him and he had to think thoughts of love and appreciation. He saw his loving children around him and he had to think grateful thoughts. He saw his grandchildren at this bedside and had proud thoughts. He saw his brothers and sisters around him and he thought about the closeness of family, their common heritage. He saw some who made him want to laugh, because they reminded him of something funny. He saw some who made him sad, because he knew they needed help. He saw me, and to the amazement of the family, he reached out and shook my hand, an act that called for strength he didn’t have at that point. I hope he had reassuring thoughts.

But seeing is only part of the picture. He heard a lot of things that made him think as well. He heard the incessant beeps and computerized sounds coming from ICU machines. He heard groans of pain from nearby wards. He heard the discussions of his surgeries and prognosis, laden with medical terminology, from doctors and nurses. But more importantly, he heard the many tender expressions of love and care.

He heard the angelic singing from his family who encircled his bed that memorable Saturday afternoon, after the agonizing decision to put him in the hands of God. What a profound presence of God visited that room! He heard the comforting words of scripture quoted and read as he prepared to enter the final passageway from this life into the next. Perhaps the glaze we often saw on his eyes was not always the sedative---perhaps some of the time he was lost in his thoughts.

Then, left alone in his solitude, where did his thoughts take him? Jack’s fertile mind must have raced across the spectrum as he responded to the sights and sounds that were his constant company in the last weeks: The past, the future, and what awaited him as he inched ever closer to eternity.

There are three trains of thought that slowly rumble through our minds as we contemplate the end of this life and the vast unknown beyond.

First, how did I live my life?

Did I take advantage of all the opportunities given me in life? This is not a reference to the amassing of wealth or the accumulation of things. I was struck by the fact that last Saturday afternoon, it wasn’t houses, lands, cars, boats and clothes that surrounded Jack. The people he loved and who loved him were with him at the end provided him with his greatest comfort and meaning. Did I love and serve people? Did I value family, respect life and honor God? We can’t answer these questions for anyone else. We have to answer them for ourselves.

Then, is there anything to be afraid of about death?

We think about the pain. We see death as separation and loss; as the ultimate finality. Most of us somehow manage to avoid this question throughout our lives. It’s too heavy, too morbid, too emotional. Some say just live your life out and forget about death---it will take care of itself. Some hide behind superficial clichés and non-committal platitudes. But when you lay on a hospital bed and hear the approaching hoofbeats, it’s a different story. I know of only one way to take the fear out of death---a personal experience with, and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Finally, is God out there somewhere?

This is where the theories evaporate; the jokes fall flat; the light-hearted comments ring empty. This is where each one of us will find out for ourselves. God, are you there? The Bible gives us the answer with an emphatic yes.

2 Corinthians 5:1-10 “For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. 6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7 (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

For believers, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But the fact of God’s presence is not all we have to contemplate. We have some answering to do.

The writer says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.”

This means that we must prepare for this final encounter while we still live in this body on earth. I know of no better way---I know of no other way---to do this than the words of the Apostle Peter in Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

And so…

How did I live my life? Is there anything to be afraid of in death? Is God on the other side? I’m confident that Jack Bentley, as he sensed his soon departure from this life, from family and friends, had these thoughts running over and over in his mind. But a funeral is more than a memorial service for a loved one. It is a reminder service for ourselves. Let the multitude of thoughts within you turn you to God so that His comforts may delight your soul.

In closing, indulge me one more passage of scripture:

Psalm 139 (NIV) 1 O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. 2 You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. 4 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD. 5 You hem me in-- behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," 12 even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, 16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. When I awake, I am still with you. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Are you willing to pray this kind of prayer? If you are, God will take all the fear and anxiety out of both life and death. You can and will be essentially a new person with a new future.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Funeral Message for Woody S.

October 12, 2005

(Woody S., 63, died of throat cancer. He came to church as a small child. He returned late in life and was baptized. His mother was a faithful member of the church for over sixty years.)

Ps 30:1-5

1 I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2 O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3 O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5 For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. (KJV)

Few people are as easy to be around in this life as was Woody S.. He had a comfortable, relaxed attitude about him that put everyone at ease, and he saw the bright side of even the worst situations. He was so naturally good at this that most of us didn’t even know it was happening; we just knew that we liked him and we liked being with him.

Sally put a statement in the obituary that I read to you moments ago about Woody’s great sense of humor. If you didn’t know this, you could just look over the pictures on the display board and you would soon deduce that he loved to have a good laugh. In thinking about this, I came across the following piece:

Scientists have been studying the effect of laughter on human beings and have found, among other things, that laughter has a profound and instantaneous effect on virtually every important organ in the human body. Laughter reduces health-sapping tensions and relaxes the tissues as well as exercising the most vital organs. It is said that laughter, even when forced, results in beneficial effect on us, both mentally and physically. Next time you feel nervous and jittery, indulge in a good laugh.

—Executives’ Digest

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”

I think Woody found that laughter not only made him feel better, it made everyone else feel better too. He could be serious when he had to, but he couldn’t stay serious for too long. The last few months were a real challenge to his sense of humor, but never let his suffering, his pain or his depressing circumstances steal his buoyant spirit. He understood that life could deal some hard blows, but he drew a boundary around his spirit and said, “you can come this far, but no farther.”

Woody would have appreciated the story about a man who was very sick. “Looking down at him, the doctor decided to tell him the truth. "I feel that I should tell you. You are a very sick man, I'm sure that you would want to know the facts. Now -- is there anyone you would like to see?" Bending towards his patient, the doctor heard him feebly answer, "Yes." "Who is it?" asked the doctor. In a slightly stronger tone the man said, "Another doctor."

When someone is laughing you can’t control them. You can’t be afraid and laugh at the same time. (Christine Emmerling)

Woody’s sense of humor should not be taken as evidence that he didn’t appreciate the deep and solemn truths of life. Never was this more in evidence than March 7, 1996 when he had his open heart surgery. I stood by his bedside and held his hand as we prayed. He knew that the success or failure of his surgery was more in the hands of the Great Physician than it was the cardiologist.

Eight years later to the day, March 7, 2004, I held Woody’s hand again as he descended into the waters of baptism and I baptized him in the name that outshines every name, the name of Jesus. I believe he saw the end approaching and he realized that he needed to face the sobering truth of his mortality. Raised by a praying mother, he knew only too well what he must do. On many occasions after that day, he prayed and worshipped God, even though he couldn’t go to church. He assured his mother that he had made his peace with God,.

Sometimes we laugh because something funny happens. Sometimes we laugh because it hurts too much to cry. It becomes a way for us to manage our pain and sorrow.

Psalms 30:5 says that “Weeping may endure for a night.” The word “night: may also read "in the evening." The word rendered "endure" means properly "to lodge, to sojourn," as one does for a little time. The idea is, that weeping is like a stranger-- a wayfaring person or lodger-- who lodges for a night only. In other words, sorrow will soon pass away to be succeeded by joy.

Sorrow and weeping should not be considered a permanent guest, or lodger. God will not put upon us any more than we can bear. The unwelcome guest of sorrow, though we want him to leave, teaches us valuable lessons: He displaces the foolishness and carelessness that often clutters our lives. He teaches us to set our priorities. He teaches us to savor the preciousness of life. He makes us contemplate our values and meaning. He forces us to our knees in prayer. The tears of sorrow become a cleansing agent for the soul.

"Every sorrow is the shadow of God's hand." Robert Browning Hamilton

I walked a mile with Pleasure,

She chattered all the way;

But she left me none the wiser,

For all she had to say.

I walked a mile with Sorrow,

And ne'er a word said she;

But, oh, the things I learned from her

When Sorrow walked with me! -Robert Browning Hamilton

The most fearful thing about sorrow is not that he came, but that he stayed. The most tragic result of sorrow is that he would drive us farther from God instead of closer to God.

When night is over.

“But joy cometh in the morning.” The word in the margin is singing. It expresses the force of the original word of joy. There will be singing, shouting, exultation.

In Barns Notes, we find, “If we have the friendship of God, sorrow will always be temporary, and will always be followed by joy. The morning will come; a morning without clouds; a morning when the sources of sorrow will disappear. This often occurs in the present life; it will always occur to the righteous in the life to come. The sorrows of this life are but for a moment, and they will be succeeded by the light and the joy of heaven. Then, if not before, all the sorrows of the present life, however long they may appear to be, will seem to have been but for a moment; weeping, though it MAY have made life here but one unbroken night, will be followed by one eternal day without a sigh or a tear.” (from Barnes' Notes)

[Joy (cometh) ...] "Weeping" gives place to "joy," a new and better guest. (from Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary)

Joy will come.

But joy, untempered by sorrow, is a cheap thrill. When joy comes out of sorrow, he pays full fare. When joy comes in, he pulls back the dark curtains, allowing the light to flood in. Joy throws open the window that sorrow tightly shut, and forces out the gloom. Joy is the rainbow, the silver lining, the refreshing breeze. Joy brings comfort, relief and healing. Joy restores laughter to the stern furrowed faces. Joy changes the mood of the people, the atmosphere of the room and the disposition of the soul. Joy lifts our sights from the heartache around us to the heaven above us. Joy reminds us that our past and present will not drown us in depair. Where does joy get its power to perform these miracles?

The Prophet Isaiah said,

Isa 12:1-6 On that day you will say, "Praise the Lord! He was angry with me, but now he comforts me. 2 See, God has come to save me! I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord is my strength and song; he is my salvation. 3 Oh, the joy of drinking deeply from the Fountain of Salvation!" 4 In that wonderful day you will say, "Thank the Lord! Praise his name! Tell the world about his wondrous love. How mighty he is!" 5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done wonderful things. Make known his praise around the world. 6 Let all the people of Jerusalem shout his praise with joy. For great and mighty is the Holy One of Israel, who lives among you. (TLB)

The joy of the Lord comes from an obscure birth two thousand years ago. The joy of the Lord comes from a Sinless Sacrifice on Calvary. The joy of the Lord comes from an empty tomb. The joy of the Lord comes from an altar of repentance, the waters of baptism in the Name of Jesus, the life-giving entrance of the Holy Spirit into your heart. Sorrow must leave. Joy now may come in.

Joy has a name---the precious name of Jesus!

^{^[2]}

^{^[1]}The Holy Bible : King James Version. 1995 (electronic ed. of the 1769 edition of the 1611 Authorized Version.) (1 Ki 8:12). Bellingham WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

^{^[2]}Tan, P. L. (1996, c1979). Encyclopedia of 7700 illustrations : [a treasury of illustrations, anecdotes, facts and quotations for pastors, teachers and Christian workers]. Garland TX: Bible Communications.

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