Comfort Those Who Mourn Series

JULY 16TH, 2002

JAY McCLELLAN

I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE FOR COMING HERE THIS MORNING TO EXPRESS YOUR LOVE AND SUPPORT. YOUR PRESENCE HERE IS A TRIBUTE TO JAY.

PRAY …..

I WANT TO BEGIN BY SAYING HOW SORRY I AM FOR YOUR LOSS TODAY

-I WISH I COULD TAKE YOUR SORROW AWAY, BUT IKNOW I CAN’T

THE LOSS OF A LOVED ONE IS PROBABLY THE MOST DIFFICULT TIME IN LIFE

-GRIEF IS NEVER COMFORTABLE FOR ANY OF US

-SOMETIMES IT CAN SEEM UNBEARABLE

THE BIBLE DOESN’T SAY NOT TO GRIEVE …..

-IT SAYS IF A CHRISTIAN DIES, WE DON’T GRIEVE AS THOSE WHO HAVE NO HOPE …..

-WE HAVE HOPE TODAY …..

-NOT WISHING, BUT KNOWING TWO THINGS …

-JAY IS IN HEAVEN RIGHT NOW

-WE CAN SEE HIM AGAIN

JAY WAS A MAN WHO LOVED THE LORD …..

-HE EMBRACED JESUS WHILE HE WAS ALIVE …..

-NOW JESUS HAS EMBRACED HIM

IN HIS VERY FIRST SERMON JESUS MADE PROMISES TO ALL WHO BELIEVE …

Matthew 5:3-8

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.

-WITH JESUS IN HIS HEART, JAY WAS “PURE IN HEART” …..

-AND NOW HE HAS SEEN GOD ! ! !

IT’S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT TO SAY AT TIMES LIKE THIS …..

-TRYING TO DESCRIBE 60 YEARS OF LIVING IN A FEW SHORT MOMENTS

-HOW DO YOU DO JUSTICE TO SOMEONE WHO MEANT SO MUCH TO THE MANY PEOPLE WHO LOVED HIM ?

IT SEEMS LIKE JAY LEFT THIS WORLD TOO SOON …..

-BUT PEOPLE LIKE JAY ALWAYS SEEM TO LEAVE TOO SOON !

-YES, 60 IS TOO YOUNG TO DIE …..

-BUT IF HE WAS 80, IT WOULD STILL FEEL LIKE IT WAS TOO SOON TO LOSE SOMEONE YOU LOVED

JAY WAS A STABLE MAN IN AN UNSTABLE WORLD

HE NEVER EXPERIENCED FAME OR FORTUNE

HE LEFT NO GREAT WORKS OF ART

WROTE NO BOOKS

MADE NO GREAT DISCOVERY

YET HE IMPACTED ALL OF US WITH HIS SERVICE AND HIS FRIENDSHIP

HIS GOALS WERE HIGH

HIS JOYS WERE SIMPLE

HIS FRIENDSHIP WAS UNQUESTIONABLE

-HE WAS THE MEANEST, GRUFFEST MAN YOU EVER LOVED ! ! !

JAY WAS A MAN WHO BUILT HIS LIFE AROUND THE CHURCH

-IF THE CHURCH DOORS WERE OPEN, JAY WAS HERE WITH HIS FAMILY

-HE LOVED TO SERVE OTHER PEOPLE

JAY WAS A MAN WHO DIDN’T LET LIFE’S DIFFICULTIES GET HIM DOWN

-HE ALWAYS ASKED TO BORROW MY HARLEY

-I WOULD SAY, “JAY, YOU HAVE NO LEGS!”

-HE WOULD SAY, “IT HASN’T STOPPED ME FROM ANYTHING ELSE!”

HE LEAVES AS HIS LEGACY, HIS FAMILY, HIS FRIENDS, AND HIS FAITH ! ! !

WE ALL KNOW JAY IS IN HEAVEN RIGHT NOW …..

-BUT STILL, WE ARE LEFT WITH THE PAIN OF HIS LOSS

-FROM OUR POINT OF VIEW, IT’S NEVER A GOOD TIME TO LOSE A LOVED ONE

-BUT JAY WOULD SAY, “IT’S NEVER A BAD TIME TO GO TO HEAVEN.”

ALL THIS WEEK, I’VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THE SAME THINGS …..

-THEY HAVE MIXED FEELINGS …

-SORROW AT THE THOUGHT OF NOT HAVING HIM WITH US

-JOY THAT HIS SUFFERING IS OVER

-JAY EMBRACED JESUS WHEN HE WAS ALIVE

-NOW JESUS HAS EMBRACED HIM

-THIS IS OFTEN A TIME OF QUESTIONING …..

-WHY ?

-WHY JAY ?

-WHY NOW ?

-THOSE QUESTIONS ARE ALL NATURAL

-I WISH I HAD THE ANSWERS, BUT I DON’T

-THOSE QUESTIONS HAVE NO ANSWERS

-AND ANSWERS OFFER NO COMFORT

-SOMETIMES THAT CAUSES PEOPLE TO STRUGGLE WITH

-FEELINGS OF : -FRUSTRATION

-HELPLESSNESS

-EVEN ANGER

-I AM CONFIDENT THAT GOD UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE’RE FEELING …..

-THE BIBLES SAYS JESUS WAS “A MAN OF SORROWS, ACQUAINTED WITH GRIEF.”

-I AM ALSO CONFIDENT THAT IN OUR OWN WAYS, AT TIMES LIKE THIS WE ALL NEED THE SAME THINGS …..

-COMFORT, REST, HOPE, STRENGTH AND PEACE

-ALL OF THOSE THINGS ARE FOUND IN JESUS ! ! !

WHEN LIFE STRIKES A BLOW LIKE THIS, IT SEEMS LIKE PEOPLE EITHER TURN TO GOD OR THEY TURN AWAY FROM GOD …..

-JAY WOULD TELL YOU TO TURN TO GOD ! ! !

-BECAUSE HE OFFERS US COMFORT THIS MORNING

-JESUS SAID, “GOD HAS SENT ME TO BIND UP THE BROKEN HEARTED AND TO COMFORT ALL WHO MOURN.”

-HE ALSO SAID, “AS A MOTHER COMFORTS HER CHILD, SO I WILL COMFORT YOU.”

THE APOSTLE PAUL WAS A MAN OF MANY SORROWS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS

-EACH TIME, JESUS SAW HIM THROUGH

-LATER IN LIFE PAUL WOULD SAY GRATEFULLY …..