THE FUNERAL OF LORETTA DYER
PROCESSIONAL: (Song-One day at a time)
TEXT
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.
SHALL WE PRAY
The text today is called the golden text of the Bible.
Every child that went to Sunday school knows this text. MRS. LUCY ANDERSON , A MINISTER OF THE GOSPEL, KNEW LORETTA AS A CHILD AND EVEN HELD HER IN HER ARMS. SHE IS GOING TO COME AND SHARE SOME OF HER THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS AT THIS TIME.
(Song-The Anchor Holds).
TEXT
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.
Every child that went to Sunday school knows this text.
But the importance of the words alludes us.
LETS LOOK AT THEM IN LIGHT OF THE LIFE OF LORETTA DYER.
1. GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD
Hebrews tells us that they that come to God must believe that He is. I believe that Loretta believed in God.
That God loved Loretta and that she loved God.
I believe that because actions speak louder than words. Loretta allowed God’s love to be reflected through her life in so many ways.
She worked 28 years serving others as activities director at the Pleasant Hill Village in Girard, helping those who could not help themselves. It took a special kind of person to do that.
I’ve known Scratch for close to 6 years now.
He’s an ornery old cuss with a heart of gold. He’s a lot of fun to be around. I have a sneaky suspicion that Gene, Wally and Danny are the same way. I’m sure it took a wife and a mother who could hold her own, from what I’ve heard she held her own pretty good. I over heard someone say that she taught her boys how to fight. And I know she was a special kind of person to keep Scratch in line. Stan and Loretta celebrated their 41st anniversary this past June.
God loved her and she reflected God’s love in her life. Each and every one here has memories of that love. You can look back at those special times.
I believe that Loretta knew that God loved her. She trusted Him even in the most horrible times of her life. Although her sickness came and went her faith in God never wavered. She knew that God loved her even in her Illness.
2. GOD LOVES THE WORLD
The word world in this text means mankind.
God doesn’t love the sin in the world. He doesn’t love the sin in man. But God loves the man even in sin.
LORETTA KNEW THAT GOD LOVED HER.
At some point in Loretta’s life she accepted God’s forgiveness for her sin. From that point on she was a child of God and God never stopped loving her.
I believe that God loved Loretta so much he built a place for her to live with Him eternally.
3. GOD LOVED MAN SO MUCH HE GAVE THE ULTIMATE GIFT, HIS SON JESUS CHRIST.
Jesus is the only way that sinful man can come to God.
By believing in Jesus and asking Him into our hearts we become the sons and daughters of God.
LORETTA KNEW THIS AND PLACED HER LIFE IN JESUS’ HANDS.
THAT IS WHY THAT IN THE CASE OF LORETTA DYER WE KNOW SHE IS HOME AT LAST.
Tuesday while Scratch was with Loretta, it was clear that she was ready to go home. Scratch told her just to hang on for 10 more minutes. Let the children get here. 10 minutes passed and Loretta looked up at Scratch and let him know that ten minutes was up. But she went ahead and hung on a little while longer to get to see her children just one more time. It wasn’t long after that she went home to be with the Lord.
Loretta died Tuesday but she is more alive today than she has ever been. She is at home with the Lord.
On Tuesday she received the ultimate healing. The disease that took her life is now gone and she is healthier than she has ever been before.
I believe that as she breathed her last breathe here she took her first breathe in heaven.
And there to greet her was God’s son. She was reunited with her dad and her sister. I believe they were right there waiting for her.
She is probably holding Drew in her arms right now. She didn’t get to enjoy him much here. He wasn’t here very long.
There is No pain, No Tears. She is well and at home.
Life is like a vapor, we are here for but a short time. Eternity is forever and one of these days each and every person here will live in eternity.
We can see Loretta Dyer once again if we will do as I believe Loretta did. Ask Christ into our hearts and believe on Jesus.
Because
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.
Shall we pray.
Recessional (Song-Old Rugged Cross)
