Funeral Service

Title: Jane Harper Funeral Message Scripture: Mt. 6:25-34

Type: Funeral Where: GNBC 6-16-23

Intro: What's worse than being trapped behind prison bars? Trying to live while avoiding capture.

Sergei was a Latvian prison convict with ten months left to serve on his seven-year burglary sentence, when he decided to escape. But even after years of freedom, the escapee couldn't relax. "Worry over being caught was proving too stressful." Sergei worked several jobs and moved into an apartment with his girlfriend, but he was constantly looking over his shoulder. He was constantly anxious. In a move that surprised prison officials, Sergei showed up at the minimum-security facility and turned himself in five years after he first escaped! When asked why he did this, Sergei replied: “I was constantly anxious and had no peace.” (The Christian Science Monitor (3-14-05). Anxiety is a real issue. Anxiety was an issue Elizabeth struggled with in her life. She was not alone. An estimated 19.1% of U.S. adults had any anxiety disorder in the past year. Past year prevalence of any anxiety disorder was higher for females (23.4%) than for males (14.3%). An estimated 1/3rd of U.S. adults experience any anxiety disorder at some time in their lives. (NIMH Website). The prospect of death or the loss of a loved one can certainly contribute to anxiety. But listen, I think Jesus offers us some very wise words to help us in our time of loss.

I. To Overcome Anxiety Jesus Tells us Not To Get Wrapped Up in Temporal Matters. V.25

A. Notice what Jesus tells us here in this Passage.

1. Jesus Encourages us to Not Grow Anxious over the Mundane Matters of Life.

a. Jesus tells His listeners to not be anxious for the things that cause most of us anxiety daily: your life (What you will eat or drink.), nor what you will put on your body (Clothing, etc.). We spend so much of our time being anxious for these, and a host of other mundane, daily matters. We can allow them to monopolize our time and rob our lives of joy and pleasure.

b. Illust: Jane grew up in rural Iowa, near Wellman. Growing up in late 1960’s and 1970’s she enjoyed a somewhat idyllic childhood playing with her cousins and enjoying the simple pleasures of the rural life. Anxieties were few. Yet over time, those anxieties would grow in Jane’s life.

2. Sandy, Tommy, Jenny, losing a parent causes us to realize the eternal in the midst of the temporal. *We met your family over ten years ago when Sandy moved in next door to take care of your father. Tom, in the last year of his life. Losing loved ones brings eternity into view. Eternity matters and the temporal pales, especially when we mourning a loved one. Even in your time of loss, I Pet. 5:7 tells us to “Cast all your cares upon Him because He cares for us…”

B. Jesus Reminds Us that Eternal Matters are of Significant More Importance.

1. This section takes us back to what Jesus Previously said in vv. 19-24.

a. In vv. 19-24 Jesus tells us the importance of preparing for eternity. It is so common for people nowadays to prepare for retirement. Laying up their treasurers, working hard to plan for the years of rest and pleasure. Yet for many, we never actually get to experience that retirement. Jesus reminds us of something very serious in this passage. Eternity will come for each one of us. Will we have prepared for it? Will we have taken the time and effort to “lay up treasure” in eternity?

b. Illust: A 5 years old boy went to funeral of his beloved grandfather. At the cemetery little boy stood over the hole dug for the coffin. Just before the service started, looked up at mother and said: “How is grandpa ever going to get out of there?” He didn't understand. He’d never seen anyone die before and it puzzled him. In fact all of mankind has been puzzled by death. Most have fear it • Aristotle called death the thing he feared most because “it appears to be the end of everything.” • Jean-Paul Sartre said death “removes all meaning from life” For men like them, death was the end of everything. It was like walking into a dungeon and throwing away the key. It was like being trapped in a room from which they’d never escape.

2. Realize that in Light of Eternity There Are More Important Matters to Focus on than Simply Daily living.

a. Here’s the harsh truth. All of us will face this day one day. Let me ask you, how much will worry about food, clothing, finances keep us from eventually meeting our eternal destiny? Isn’t it more important to take the time now to get to know God?