Funeral For Elderly Woman

I have preached many times on the subject of heaven. I thought it might be good for us to be reminded how beautiful heaven must be. I thought that maybe we can get just a glimpse of what _______ is experiencing right now. We just heard one of _____’s favorite old hymns, In the Garden.

The inspiration for this hymn comes from John 20:1-18. This passage was recorded on what we refer to as Easter Sunday morning. Mary Magdalene came to the empty tomb and looked in and saw two angels in the tomb. One asked her why she was crying. She said because they have taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they have put him.”

She turned to see someone whom she finally recognized as Jesus. He tells her not to cling to Him but to go and tell the disciples what she has seen.

Austin Miles wrote the song IN THE GARDEN. He said he imagined the vision of Mary Magdalene meeting the risen Christ in the garden and wrote this hymn as an interpretation of that encounter. He said, “It was though I was in a trance, as I read it that day, I seemed to be part of the scene. I became a silent witness to that dramatic moment in Mary’s life, when she knelt before her Lord and cried, “Rabboni”. I rested my hands on the open Bible, as I stared at the light blue wall.

As the light faded, I seemed to be standing at the entrance of a garden, looking down a gently winding path, shaded by olive branches. A woman in white, with head bowed, hand clasping her throat, as if to choke back her sobs, walked slowly into the shadows. It was Mary. As she came unto the tomb, upon which she placed her hand, she bent over to look in, and ran away.

John, in a flowing robe, appeared looking at the tomb. Then came Peter, who entered the tomb, followed slowly by John. As they departed, Mary reappeared leaning her head upon her arm at the tomb, she wept. Turning herself, she saw Jesus standing there, so did I. I knew it was He. She knelt before Him, with arms outstretched, and looking into His face cried, “Rabboni”.

I awakened in sunlight, gripping my Bible with my muscles tense, and nerves vibrating. I wrote as quickly as the words could be formed the lyrics exactly as it is sung today."

This Easter story is the basis of the faith that we have today. It’s our hope. Without Jesus’ resurrection, we have no hope beyond the grave. We come this morning to celebrate and acknowledge this foundation of our faith. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is historically reliable. Sources outside of the Bible tell us that something happened on that Sunday morning. Many of those sources are unwilling to admit the resurrection, but they admit something happened on that day that changed the world. Because of the resurrection, the church came into existence and the church turned that world upside down.

_____ knew and had this hope. I can only imagine what she would think about as she sang the words to the song. Let’s go there for a moment.

I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses. _____ closes her eyes here in this temporary life and she opens them (Just a blink of the eye) to experience the most beautiful garden she has ever seen. Of course, _____’s life has been involved with plants and gardens. Fanick’s Garden Center. I am sure she has seen some of the most beautiful flowers and plants that God could create. But they’re nothing in comparison to what she is seeing now.

She is alone. In quietness of the early morning. The dew hasn’t evaporated yet. She strolls through this beautiful place and probably is saying to herself, “I knew it would be beautiful, but I have never seen beauty like this. Colors I have never seen before. Human words can’t even describe it. But I’m here. I made it.”

The song continues, And the voice I hear, falling on my ear, the Son of God discloses. Suddenly, in the midst of the calm quietness, she hears a comforting voice. It’s the voice of Jesus. What does He say? The song doesn’t say. But I imagine that Jesus says what He said many times so that people would not be alarmed. “Shalom. Peace be with you. Let not your heart be troubled. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” So, _____’s heart is at rest. Nothing to fear.

“He speaks and the sound of His voice is so sweet the birds hush their singing. And the melody that He gave to me within my heart is ringing.” In the quietness of the garden of heaven, the birds softly are chirping. But then she hears Jesus speaking. All the birds hush as He speaks. It reminds me of when Jesus told the raging sea, “Peace, Be still.” And the sea became calm. _____’s heart is calmed because for some reason, just the sound of Jesus’ voice is like a melody in her heart.