Sermon for Sunday June 28th, 2009

FUNERAL FOR A CHRISTIAN by Bruce Ball

2 Corinthians 5:8-5:9


I want to thank each of you for being here today to offer your love and support to ___________ and the entire _______ family. Your presence is a mighty strong statement as to the type of man _______ was; as is your words of comfort and concern, to his family.

I wish I could take your sorrow away, but I know I can’t. But it is vital that you realize this day of sorrow will soon turn to days of good and lasting memories of _______. And the knowledge of where he is now, and your gladness for him, will soon overtake any the grief you are feeling now at losing him in the body.

The loss of a loved one is probably the most difficult time in life. Grief is never a pleasant or comfortable thing to go through. We feel empty, stunned, and saddened.

There is no other social gathering that tugs at our heart the way a memorial service does. It is difficult to know what to say at times like this. How do you describe a lifetime of living in just a few short minutes? And what can you say to do justice to someone who was loved by so many and respected by all?

The answer is not by gathering together and celebrating the death of ______, but by remembering his life – and who this man was. And that is what I want us to do today – celebrate ________ ________! Celebrate how he always put others ahead of himself. Celebrate how he has touched every single person here in one way or another, leaving a mark that required us to care about him, too.

_______ came into this world on ___________________. He left his mark in many ways and on many people. And then the Lord God called him home on ________________.

_______ wasn’t considered great by the world around him, and he never made any huge fortunes. He never made any scientific discoveries and he never became famous.

But he did impact everyone he met. He was a simple man who had an honest heart. His goals were pure and his joy simple – the kind of person others just liked to be around. His friendships were loyal and true.

______ was a very stable presence in a very unstable world.

May I share with you how I met ______? His brother _______ is an elder at our church, and when _________ first found out that he had cancer, ________ made arrangements for him to meet me at the church and have me pray for him.

________ came and we were introduced. Neither _______ nor his wife were Christians at that point. We talked a little and then as he sat there, we laid hands on him and prayed for him. The first of many prayers for my new friend.

Soon, he started coming to the church with his wife. Not long after that, they came forward to give their hearts to Jesus. And we followed that up by baptizing them into the body of Christ.

I remember that day well. It was among the most special days of my life. I saw what I considered to be a miracle that day! He came to the baptism directly from receiving chemo treatment at the hospital. As we prepared for him to be immersed under the water, he asked me if I thought it would be okay with God to leave the bandaged hand out of the water. I told him I thought God understood and had no problem with it, as it was more important where his heart was than where his hand was.

And with that, we baptized ______. When he came up out of the water, there was an overwhelming sense of peace I had never felt before after a baptism. He was truly a child of God now, and God wanted everyone to know it!

And then it was her turn. As we stood in the water, I could tell she was starting to have doubts about going under. The look in her face going down was not the most peaceful look in the world, but when that Lady came up, her entire countenance changed. She had the most wonderful smile on her face I have ever seen, and from that day on, she has become a different woman. ______ told me sometime later that he was mighty proud of her for doing that with him. He said every man has a great love, and she was his.

My life is better having known ______. It is better having seen him come to Christ Jesus. It is better because I got to know his family – a family that is made up of truly honest people who love one another mightily.

But since this is a memorial, and I only had the privilege and honor to know ______ for a short time, I have asked some of those closest to him to write their thoughts down and let me read them. This will give an even more in-depth view of who _____ really was.

READ 3-4 OF THOSE ITEMS SUBMITTED


1. IN MEMORY OF HIS MARRIAGE

He was totally in love with his wife. And as much as he wanted to stay with her, he also felt a compelling desire that it was time to go home to be with his Lord. I would like to read a short poem that I think describes how he felt.

We loved deeply, and we’ve let it be shown
But now, my dearest wife
I must travel this road alone.

So, grieve for me if you must
And then, let that grief
Be comforted in your trust.

It is a temporary thing that we must part,
So keep my memories protected
Somewhere deeply within your heart.

On those days, when you need me the most,
Know that I am not that far away
Actually, I am really quite close.

I won’t go far; I promise I’ll be near,
Just call to me softly
And my darling wife - I promise I will hear.

______ married that special lady on ___________________.

· Their children include: _______________ ______________
· They have ____ grandkids, including _________ __________
· Their memories will last forever in people’s hearts
· For that is the kind of people they were –
· A good husband, a good wife
· Helpful friends, and loving mates
· And finally, Christians in the truest sense of the word


2. IN MEMORY OF WHO HE HAD BECOME

____ grew up as we all do; taking care of business the best way he knew how. His mother was a strong Christian lady, and she laid in him the foundations that would later lead him to Jesus Christ.

He worked all his life, putting the care of his family as his top priority. And then something came up that demanded more of him that he was able to give. That was the cancer that invaded his body. He knew he needed something, and so he turned to the Lord. And because of that choice, he was able to lead his wife to follow him with her trust.

He had crossed the barrier and was now learning that our life on this earth is not the most important thing to us, for it is just a time we use to prepare ourselves to spend eternity with the Lord.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:8-9

‘We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body, or away from it.’

It does not matter at what point in our lives we join the race for Christ. It only matters that we join it. _____ joined it later than some, but the important part is that he did join, and not only that – he finished it! _____ won the race and is now receiving the rewards for doing so.

He told me several months ago that he didn’t want to leave his wife and kids, but he did look forward to being with Jesus.

As we sit here today, our friend and loved one is sitting in heaven. As we go forth, struggling with the grief of losing him, we need to remember that he is finally cured. He has no more pain, no suffering, no sickness, and absolutely no more sadness! What a way to celebrate one who has simply gone from here to be with his Lord! And as we attempt to rebuild our lives without the physical presence of ______, he sits with Jesus and praises Him face to face!


3. LOOKING AT HEAVEN

Even though some of us do not attend church regularly, it is the memorial service for a loved one that gives us pause to stop and think about our own eternity. Where are we headed? Are we really prepared to go just the way we are now?

We know in our hearts that there is something afterwards. There will come a time in every life here, when time ceases to exist. A moment when we leave the chains of this world and prepare to enter another world – a world where we will live forever.

And each of us will live forever, in either one of two places: Heaven or hell. Nobody dictates to us where we will go. That decision is made only by us. If we are obedient to the things God has already laid down, we shall go to heaven.

If, on the other hand, we shun God so we can follow our own standards, we shall go to hell. It is our choice. We make it, we live it, and we cannot blame God or anyone else if we make the wrong choice.

I asked _____ if I could use a bit of his memorial as a way of telling others about Christ. He said it would make him very proud.

I fully believe that if he were standing here today, he would tell you without any hesitation that: Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It is impossible for anyone to go to heaven but through Jesus as their Savior.

He would also tell you that he wouldn’t come back, because he is now standing next to the most wonderful love know to man – the love Jesus has for him.

I think he would tell you how very much each of you meant to him, how blessed he was for having his wife in his life, but then he would turn and walk back into the arms of Jesus, to be with him forever more, waiting on us to eventually join him.


CLOSING

Looking around this room today, at all those who came to pay their last respects, those who knew you, those who loved you; one thing comes increasingly clear, ______.

If our temporary life is measured by what we leave behind, you have had a very successful life. You will be greatly missed by every person who ever had the honor and privilege to know you.


Father, we come now before your throne and thank you for the privilege of knowing and being a part of _______ life.

We ask that you will extend your peaceful grace and mercy to those closest to him during this time, and that you allow his family, to walk in Your favor as they go about the task of getting back to a normalcy that is now without the physical presence of a husband and father.

And God, we thank you for loving _____ so much that you took him into Your house, so you could love and provide for him forever.

In Jesus name, Amen