Funeral Service sermon for Bishop Mike Brandebura
Listen to the Word of grace:
Jesus said, I am the resurrection and I am life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, yet they shall live,
and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end the first and the last. I died and behold I am alive for evermore, and I hold the keys of hell and death because I live, you shall live also.
Scripture Verses:
The Word of God tells us that:
Dying, Christ destroyed our death.
Rising, Christ restored our life.
This is our Christian hope.
I want to offer our most heart felt condolences to Ann, Lula, Debbie and all of the family for their loss and heaven’s gain.
I would like to share one short scripture verse from
I Samuel 20:18, ..., and thou shalt be missed, because thy seat will be empty.
These flowers, the cards, and your presence are a testimony that Brother Mike will be missed.
When we lose a loved one, it leaves an emptiness that’s hard and often impossible to fill. Brother Mike occupied a number of seats in his life, seats that will be difficult and impossible to fill.
Brother Mike is receiving the welcome of eternity. Did you know that there are folks on the other side who have been waiting for this moment and their happiness now is as great as our sorrow.
He has a new seat, (Eph 2:6 KJV) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
In this life Brother Mike occupied the seat of a Christian. His testimony was great. He was loving, faithful, considerate, understanding, caring, attentive, and compassionate. Brother Mike was greatly loved and respected and his church family will miss him. We weep because of the fond memories and our love. But Mike loved Jesus with all his heart. He wasn’t afraid to speak about his Savior. Because he knew the Lord as his Savior, it gave him purpose for life. He enjoyed life. Jesus does give meaning to life. And the Christian life is a happy, enjoyable life. It wasn’t always easy, but knowing Jesus gives purpose and meaning.
Brother Mike also occupied the seat of a faithful husband. A wife that Brother Mike honored and respected. His seat is empty; Sister Ann will need her children more than ever Mike kept the faith with his wife. When two people enter the marriage bond, they do so in faith. Neither one knows whether the other will always be true. But they accept each other on faith, taking their vows, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. Faith is a lovely thing at the marriage altar, but it is far more lovely after many, many wedding anniversaries have been celebrated at which one can say, Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three for the greatest of these is love
Brother Mike occupied the seat of a faithful husband. A wife that Brother Mike honored and respected. His seat is empty; Sister Ann will need her children more than ever Mike kept the faith with his wife. When two people enter the marriage bond, they do so in faith. Neither one knows whether the other will always be true. But they accept each other on faith, taking their vows, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer. Faith is a lovely thing at the marriage altar, but it is far more lovely after many, many wedding anniversaries have been celebrated at which one can say, Now abideth faith, hope, love, these three for the greatest of these is love.
Mike occupied the seat of a faithful father and grandfather. Proverbs 31:10-31. This seat is now empty. You have the memories, they are wonderful memories of a father that loved you and cared about you. There will a great void in you life that only God can fill. He kept the faith with his children. His children enjoyed the privilege of a Christian father and his faith will remain a part of both of you. This love will remain with you for the rest of your lives. No one can take the memories, they are precious to you.
Brother Mike occupied the seat of a faithful friend. He kept the faith with his friends. All the cards, flowers, and people speak to that fact. Never did I hear him say a bad word about anyone. Always happy and glad to see you. Never complaining, what a great character he set as an example for us all.
I would like to think for a few minutes that if Mike were able to come back for a few moments and was filling his seat in this church.
I would like to ask him a few questions. Here are some answers I think he would give.
1. Tell me of Heaven? Cannot,
A. It is not possible as it is too wonderful.
2. Tell me what was the greatest site you saw?
A. It was seeing Jesus!
3.What words would you tell your wife, children and grandchildren?
A Serve Jesus!
4. What would tell your friends, enemies if you had them and strangers?
A. Jesus.
5. What would tell the ministers to do?
A. Evangelize and teach their people to evangelize.
6. I am your friend, I am preaching your funeral, what do you want me to do at your funeral? We have been together in Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, Mexico and America Argentina, Central Africa and Southern Africa. We have worked with me helping to plant hundreds of churches in the former USSR. What one thing would you like me to do?
A. Invite people to receive Christ!
Mike you were always looking for the second coming of Jesus, do you feel you missed out on that?
No! This will be better for when Jesus returns to the earth He will be bringing His saints with Him, I will be returning with Him for the Church. Look for me, I will try to get as close as I can to Jesus.
7. Would there be one more message from you if you were here?
Yes, do not miss heaven; I will be waiting for you. Tell them Tony what they need to do to be saved.
The most important thing that you and I can do is to make sure that we are prepared to go when death calls us. The question is not; When will death come to me? for none of us knows that, yet we know it will come. So the question must be, Am I ready to meet Jesus when death does come?
And the question we must ask is, do you have that eternal life?
HOW CAN I BE SAVED?
I. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR LOST CONDITION
Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.
Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.
II. BELIEVE THE GOSPEL
Acts 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Acts 16:31 And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
III. REPENT OF YOUR SINS
Luke 13:3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
Isaiah 55:7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.
IV. RECEIVE CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOUR
John 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
1 John 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
V. CONFESS HIM AS YOUR LORD
Romans 10:9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Romans 10:10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
Mark 8:36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Mark 8:37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?
Gravesite. We have gathered here in God’s presence as family and friends to remember the life of Brother Mike Brandebura and to commend his soul into the gracious care of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.
May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death resurrection. We dare to celebrate the home going of our brother, friend and loved one because Jesus has promised and we believe his word to be true, "Because I live ye shall live also". In this wonderful passage of scripture we find these words of assurance and hope.
Consider death just for a moment. For it is death, that has caused us this loss and grief. But death is an over rated event for the Christian. It is not an enemy but a friend. You see, death delivers the key that lets the Christian out of the sufferings of this life into the presence of the living Savior and into a land where there is no sorrow, no more separation, no sighing. To that place not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Where eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God had prepared for those that love Him. ?
(John 11:25 KJV) Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:(John 11:26 KJV) And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this
