A Heavenly Longing
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Funeral Service for Minnie Guillerman
Opening
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Invocation
O Eternal God, our Father, grant us the favor of Your divine presence at this time in our earthly pilgrimage; assure us by Your Holy Spirit that the one we serve, even Jesus, has conquered death and is alive forevermore; allow our spirits grow calm and our vision clear. Through Christ we pray. Amen.
This afternoon we gather together for two reasons: to celebrate the life of Minnie Guillerman and to comfort those who are left behind. We celebrate as we look back at the fond memories Minnie leaves behind and we comfort as we look at the reality of God’s power and grace.
Minnie was dearly loved by many, many people and as we look around the sanctuary here this Morning. Minnie touched more lives than even she realized. Minnie will be sadly missed by everyone here.
Minnie is survived by her Grandchildren: Greg McKinzie and his wife Donna, Timothy and his wife Diane, Sheryl and her husband Bill and Brenda Stouder. She is also survived by her brothers: Harold Frye and his wife Ruth and Calvin “Doodle” Frye and his wife Betty.
Minnie was preceded in death by her parents Elery and Missouri Frye, husband Gerald Guillerman, daughter Mary Louise Mckenzie, son David Guillerman, borthers Wayne, Warren, Bill and Randolph Frye and a granddaughter Eillen Lucas.
As you remember Minnie this afternoon, and how she touched your life. We can be assured that she is now in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ but there is still a void that is left behind. There is a loss that is still deeply felt and the pain you feel is still very real. Our loss is heavens gain.
This morning as we seek the comfort of God Almighty, let us look to the words of the apostle Paul and his expectation of heaven from 2 Corinthians 5:1-10.
1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 We live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Minnie moved into her heavenly house
Paul uses an image of heaven that seems a bit unusual. He compares our human body to a tent. The body is the temporary housing for our spirit. Our tent may get old, may not be able to handle the weather like it did years ago and the appearance may change. Paul makes it clear that we move from the tent to the real home. We move from this life to heaven.
Human life is a lot like camping. It’s the roughing it part of following Jesus. This earthly is not our permanent place to live. Just like you wouldn’t be satisfied with living in a tent all of the time, believers aren’t satisfied with living here on earth. We trade our earthly tent for God’s eternal mansion.
Paul echoes this understanding in 1 Corinthians 2:9
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"
Heaven is going to be so wonderful that it is beyond our ability to comprehend. Minnie has entered the promise of heaven that she longed for through her life.
Minnie put on her eternal clothing
20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. Philippians 3:20-21
Paul talks about being clothed with a heavenly dwelling. The image here is striking. Paul likened eternity to clothing, more appropriately changing clothes. Just as easily as you put on your clothes this morning, Jesus is going to put eternity upon us. When our mortal existence is removed we are set free from the trials and the difficulties of life. We are set free from the pains and the cares of this world.
CS Lewis captures the essence of this in his book Mere Christianity: Has this world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind.
There is a longing and a desire to be clothed with the eternal.
Minnie experienced a homecoming
There are days when we just want to be home with God. We have hope that God has made a pledge to bring us home. We have the guarantee through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We have been given the presence of heaven within us. Paul said it far better than I ever could.
Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12
Minnie’s desire was to be home with God, to see Him face to face. Her desire was to experience a heavenly homecoming. Today, Minnie’s desire has been realized; she stands with Christ her savior and has gone home to her heavenly home.
Let us pray
O Lord, our Lord, we come into your presence this day to mourn the passing of Minnie, Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Sister and Friend. We come to be comforted in our sorrow and pray that your spirit would cover us with peace that passes understanding. Grant us now strength and courage to face the new challenges and demands that await us. Be with all of the family and give them a new sense of your comfort and peace, be with the friends and give them an extra source of your love and understanding. Be with our community as Minnie has moved on from this life and allow us to never forget the contributions and efforts that Minnie made in this world. In the Matchless name of our Lord, Jesus the Christ. Amen
