Eulogy Rev. Adrian Lynum

Adrian Lynum.

God has given us the honor and privilege of celebrating the life of one of his children whose life has ended well. The mind of God is a fascinating place to behold dreams that we would never think of putting into place. Who but God, would take a trip 69 years ago visit a black poverty stricken family in the midst of Manilla, Alabama and see a couple in whose womb was a child that would impact the lives of others for the kingdom years into the future miles away in a place called Cleveland, OH?

Who but God would give that southern child such a creative imagination and ability to tell stories, that it would lead him to earn the homilitecs prize for his preaching ability at the prestigious northern school of Pittsburgh, Theological Seminary. Who but God could see what help we Presbyterians needed and would go to the depth of using the Cleveland, Browns to rob the Baptist Church of Adrian Lynum and set his feet on the rock to stay at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church. Thank God for the earlier and shorter service of the Presbyterian Church or we might not all be here today.

Who but God could look back a week ago on Tuesday and say something precious had occurred when Adrian Lynum breathed in , and breathed out his last breath. For the word of God tells us in Psalms 115:16, Precious in the eyes of the Lord is the death of his saints. Brothers and sisters I submit to you, that Adrian Lynum, was one of the Lord’s saints. He did not fear death, because he claimed the promise of Jesus Himself who said, John 14:1-3 (NIV) 1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

God grants us life with the purpose of us coming into a living relationship with God in order for us to touch the lives of others. Adrian fulfilled both of those assignments for his life. When I think of Adrian, I think of an old chorus that we use to sing that goes way back for some of us. The words are, “I’m a soldier, in the army of the Lord, just a soldier, in the army. If I live let me live, in the army of the Lord, if I die let me die, in the army. “

When Adrian responded to the call of Jesus Christ to enter into the ministry, he became a soldier who could not and would not forget who the commanding officer was. He was willing to endure the hardships of a soldier in his life, because of a desire to please his commanding officer. He did not mind overlooking an insult or turning the other cheek in his ministry, because he knew that’s what the love of Jesus Christ required of him. He walked with a spirit of humility about himself and you never found him seeking his own praise. He’d be the first to say, “No give the praise to God, because I’m just soldier in the army doing what the Lord told me to do.” And when he gave you that Adrian grin, and you knew that he meant it.

I asked Marjorie to give us a glimpse of Adrian growing up. She told me that her brother was talking way before he was walking as a toddler. Adrian loved to have fun as a child. He always had a joke to tell. God blessed him to grow up in a home with a mom, a dad, and three siblings. There was so much love in the home between them all that Marjorie said, “this was the first home in which all four children were equally spoiled.”

Adrian had a tremendously love for his grandfather who was a large Baptist preacher. Adrian would follow him all over the place, and would even try to get into the pulpit with him. God was placing in his heart as a young child, the desire to preach for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I asked Marjorie,” what was it like when your brother became your pastor.” She said, “there was a double blessing in it in two ways. The first she said was, I got to see my grandfather again, because Adrian physically looked and was built like our grandfather. I’d look at my brother in the pulpit, and see my grandfather preaching the word of God once again.