Funeral - Sudden Heart Attack

In preparation for funeral services I often ask people if their loved one had a favorite bible passage or bible story that I can share. Most don’t have one, but when I asked Linda she immediately said, “Joshua 1:9.”

Joshua 1:9 (ESV)

9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”

I. The Place of Courage and Strength

When you think about Jon you see strength and courage in his life.

• How hard would it be for you to have lost a leg and continued to participate in life? Jon did.

• How hard would it be for you to use a wheelchair everywhere you went? Jon did. In fact, there was one Sunday that their car was in the shop for repairs and Jon came rolling down Tenth Street in his wheelchair so he could come to church.

• How hard would it be for you to keep up a positive outlook even though at times you have fallen down because of your physical issues? Jon did.

• How hard would it be for you to be a Greeter at church and welcome members and new visitors to services? Jon did.

Sometimes we think of courage, strength, and faith as belonging to people like the young man David who went down into the valley to fight the giant, Goliath. Those things don’t just belong to the heroes of scripture who are set apart in scripture for some great task. They belong to us everyday people, too. Jon fought his giants because he believed God was with him and could give him the strength to go on.

Jon lived his life in a way that made him stand out. He embraced life. He “got into the game” and tried to live life fully and without fear. That’s a great example for us, especially in this current time when we seem to be afraid of everything.

II. The Results of Strength and Courage

A. People Loved Jon – FB Posts speak of (not going to read all of the posts, but summarize):

• His warm and caring friendship “to all.”

o “I would do 5 AM for you!” (He once said that he wanted his funeral at 5 AM to see who his real friends were.

o All of the Grand kids and Kids at Heart are wearing yellow in his honor because they love him.

• His welcoming nature, that booming voice – [My game with Jon to see if I could get into my office without him noticing. Not once!

• His smile and laugh.

• His wonderful Christian walk.

o Long-time friend: “I know he is sitting beside St. Peter welcoming all who enter.”

o “My cousin Jon was a great saint. I am so grateful he knew Jesus and I will see him again.

B. He was an Influencer:

1. His Family

• His daughter Tommye: “Dad gave me my love for all music, racing, football, basketball, softball, and everything in between. I was his Tomboy and he called me, ‘Tom Cat.’”

• To play with the kids on Christmas morning, he would run through the house shaking sleigh bells and saying, “Ho, ho, ho, Santa came!”

• He would wake the kids up in different ways depending on his mood. If he was happy, he would tickle them and say, “Rising and shining.” If in a bad mood, at least for Tommye he used cold water to get her up and going.

• Anna: “He was so loved by all of us. The best Papa I could ever have. He was a superhero to me.”

2. His Teams

• Sheila Burgess: “He was my first real basketball coach; taught me sportsmanship.”

3. As a Patriot, fighting for America as he could. His dad was a preacher and I think he'd have liked this story.

“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” preached Rev. John Peter Muhlenberg, from the book of Ecclesiastes 3:1. He closed his message by saying:

“In the language of the Holy Writ, there is a time for all things. There is a time to preach and a time to fight. And now is the time to fight.”

At the end of his sermon, January 21, 1776, John Peter Muhlenberg threw off his clerical robes to reveal the uniform of an officer in the Continental Army. Drums began to roll, men kissed their wives, and they walked down the aisle to enlist. The next day, Pastor Muhlenberg led 300 men of his church and surrounding churches to join General Washington’s Continental Army as the 8th Virginia Regiment.

III. The Significance of Facing Death: Both Expected and Unexpected