In Jesus Holy Name
Text: Psalm 23:1,4 John 14:1-3
September 29, 2007
“Memories: Eternity Secured by Jesus”
In our liturgy for today we spoke the words of Jesus as recorded by the apostle John: “Jesus said, do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. 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. I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am.”
Note the promise of Jesus. “I will come back and take you to be with me.” He pledges to come and take us to our eternal home in heaven. He does not delegate this task. He may send missionaries to teach you, angels to protect you, teachers to guide you, singers to inspire you, and physicians to heal you, but he sends no one to take you home. He is our personal savior. That’s why the Psalmist can offer these words of hope: “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not be in want. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For you are with me.”
________ had no fear. God’s word and promises were in his heart. In each of the past three years he read through the entire bible. He knew that he was a sheep in the Lord’s hand. From day of his baptism he was “adopted into the family of God”. God created him and placed him into the Christian home ______________. He confirmed his faith in his confirmation vows in the Lutheran church in Nebraska. It was “God’s plan to make _________ holy and blameless in His sight. In love God predestined _________ to be adopted as his son, through Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 1:4&5)
_________ knew that heaven was his eternal home, not because of any good that he had done through out his life, but because he always trusted the promise of God. “…through the blood of Christ shed on the cross, _________ had the forgiveness of his sins..” Therefore he simply had the responsibility to imitate Jesus. He knew that he was created to do “good works which God had prepared in advance for him to do.”
He kept in step with God’s spirit through out his earthly journey. He stayed connected to Jesus by reading the bible and having daily devotions. He loved reading the Portals of Prayer. It was very, (I might emphasis) “very” important to be on time for Sunday worship. He took his wedding vows seriously. He always had his wife’s best interests in his heart. He was an honest business man, using his time and talents wisely to serve others. His heart was always warm, visible by his welcoming smile.
___________ knew and trusted the promises of God. Just this summer after his first surgery, God granted him a vision of heaven. He was never able to find human words to explain the colors and the light he saw, but these words repeated three times: “God will take care of you.” “God will take care of you.” “God will take care of you.”
The words of Psalm 23 were true… ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will not be afraid.” _______ cherished the words sung in Sunday worship, the words scripture gave him confidence.
Families and individuals create events, and memories are cherished. Then there are times when events create family memories.
Response to tragic events, difficult circumstances will expose one’s character and inner soul to a world that wants to pass by and move on to another day.
____________ was a quiet saint. He would come to church and enjoy the presence of his Lord. His faith was tested by life’s events exposing to the world a woman of faith. He knew the promise of resurrection was secured by the cross of Christ.
Painful events and joyful memories all swirl together on days like today. Like an unwelcome intruder, death has made a rude entrance into your family and your friendships. The problem with death is that it’s almost always unexpected. Even when a doctor says that someone is about to die, death still has a way of ambushing us. It’s always abrupt, even when the family is prepared for it. Today, family members feel the anxiety of separation, the pain of loss. Recent joys now become cherished memories.
Memories will bring life to photos in a memory book.
Jesus offers hope even in the face of death. The post modern society in which we live offers no hope beyond this earthly life. When our heart ceases to beat and our brain waves are silent…what lies beyond the portal at the moment of death? Some in our culture would like to convince themselves that this present life is all there is… but in reality there are few of these people. Most people try to invent their own version of God or mix a little Christian hope that they’ve picked up with their own version of what is acceptable, for they are still in the grip of the fear of death.
Death seems so final. But it is not. We know that physical death on this earth is not the end of life. For in that moment the believer crosses the threshold into eternal life, to stand before the throne of God. How do I know? God has told us in his word. The Apostle John writes that Jesus told the thief on the cross: “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
In the book of Revelation John tells us what is happening around the throne of God. He tells us that those who enter heaven see and hear angels singing. “I looked and heard the voice of many angels, they encircled the throne of God and in a loud voice they sang: I wish I knew the melody…but I do not. “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Our friend, your father, your husband has been taken by God’s angels to his home in heaven. It is appropriate that on this feast day of St. Michael and All Angels that we celebrate the fulfillment of God’s promise. There he celebrates with all the family and saints who have gone before. On the other side…… of our earthly existence is a triumphant, glory and praise as he awaits the glorious resurrected body.
The early Christians in the city of Thessalonica were worried about their loved ones, their family members who had died while they awaited the return of Jesus. Paul writes: “My friends, my fellow Christians, I do not want you to grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. For when the Lord himself returns from heaven with the voice of the archangel and the trumpet call of God, the dead in Christ will rise first… and so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words.” (I Thess. 4:13-18)
The purpose of our lives is to give glory to God who created us, who adopted us in baptism and calls us into the family of God. Difficult, tragic circumstances often come into our lives. What does the world see? They saw a wife faithful to her wedding vows, loving and caring for her husband everyday in the hospital, even when he could no longer answer with words of love. What did the world see? In _____ they saw a quiet saint who walked with God. He held to the promises of the cross. He knew in his heart that the empty grave of Jesus guaranteed his own eternal destiny.
Memories of faith. In __________ life we see a legacy of faith lived. May each succeeding generation know his story, and follow in his steps of faith. As a Christian father and husband, he pointed the way to heaven. ‘For there is no other name given under heaven by which we can be saved,’ except for the name of Jesus.
