Song #1 -- Hallelujah -- Family Enters
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14.1-3
My name is Perry Greene. Most of you have no reason to know me. I met Jake about four years ago in a Thursday evening Bible study at the home of Bobby Peck in OKC. Jake was friends with Mike and Patty Wilson and accepted their invitation to the study. Jake became an immediate friend to all of us in the group. Over these four short years we got to know Jake in health and in illness. I got to see him "in action" on a trip to Israel two years ago. It is an honor and privilege for me to conduct this funeral service for my friend.
Purposes of Funerals
1. Honor a loved one
Jake was an honorable man and so, it is easy for us to lift him
2. Comfort a family
Jake loved his family and wanted them to be at peace with his process
3. Reconnect with priorities
4. To remember
a. We generally want to remember our past.
1) Photo albums
2) Monuments; Tombstones
b. We also want to be remembered -- we give pictures and gifts to be remembered.
Disney World memories
Obituary
Song #2 -- "Remember Me" -- [Cued by Perry Greene]
Memories of Jake
I have conducted many funerals during my career. Some of those funerals have been difficult in getting material for the service. Not today. Everyone here has a Jake story. If we all took turns telling stories about him, we would be here all day. Let me summarize some things that many of you have said about Jake. Some of these things come from the FaceBook page and some from personal word of mouth stories.
We remember Jake as "One of a Kind"
* He had a warm and captivating smile
* He always had a Good word
* He was good and kind -- repairs for neighbors; being kind to fellow high school students when others were not; made people feel at ease
* Jokes and Pranks -- part of his happy outlook
* Vibrant and fun-loving
o OSU tailgating
o He probably got more out of his brief 35 years than many would get out of 100
* Athletic and competitive
o Appropriate that we have this service in the gym where he played basketball
o O, and apparently thrilled the hearts of some of the girls in the school
o Had the confident "strut" of a winner -- both on and off the court
* Gifted with financial savvy -- successful businessman; helped people get out of debt; gave good financial advice
* Loving Husband; dad; son; brother
* Strong in dealing with his cancer. He did not let cancer define him.
o In spite of pain and discomfort, he kept working
o Knowing his challenges gave the rest of us a dose of reality and put our minor aches and pains into perspective
o "I think a hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." Christopher Reeve
o Jake knew: 6 For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. 7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing. 2 Timothy 4.6-8
* Jake was confident -- not afraid to die
o Channel 9 Interview -- his only concerns were Susan and Blake; "We are all going to die."
o Upon hearing the news of his latest condition -- Susan cried and Jake smiled. The Dr. was shocked and asked, "Do you understand what I just told you?" "Yes, I am going to die." Then joked with Susan about where she would bury him.
o I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 2 Timothy 1.12
o Jake had some understanding of what is on the other side from us
Prayer
Song 3 -- "I Can Only Imagine"
Sermon
Jake would not want this time to be just about him. He would want us to spend some time looking to the God who worked in his life.
There were two Jakes -- a wild and crazy kind of guy; and a man of faith; potentially true of all of us
* Jake began attending that Thursday night Bible study and the seed of faith took root in his life and grew.
* Jake became a man on a mission as his heart grew more and more on fire for God --
. . . there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot. Jeremiah 20.9
* He developed an insatiable appetite for knowing and serving God
* He was constantly studying the bible and books about the bible [Sack of books with his notes]
o Some of these are "easy" books
o Some are quite challenging
o Even on our trip to Israel, Jake brought books and studied about the Land
o "Everything I want Blake to know is in my books."
* Jake's Faith grew as he studied the scriptures -- Hebrews 11.1; 6
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Faith is more than an intellectual understanding -- John 3.16 often turned into "cheap grace"
Faith without works is dead -- James 2.17 -- faith is displayed in our actions
Jake's faith led him to be a follower of Jesus -- a "disciple"
* There can be a difference between a "believer" and a "disciple"
* Jake wanted to imitate his new rabbi/leader, Jesus
* He followed the process described in Matthew 28.18-20
o He was being taught
o He wanted to make his commitment known in baptism
o He not only wanted to be baptized, he wanted to do it in the manner that Jesus did it (after all, if it is something Jesus did, shouldn't we?) -- Jesus went to the Jordan River in the wilderness; Jake went to a creek/river in OK -- both are "living water"; Jesus immersed three times in the manner of Jewish cleansing; Jake immersed three times
o Baptism shows that we are "born again" (John 3); that we die to our sins, are buried with Jesus in baptism and that we rise to walk in a new life (Romans 6) because sins are forgiven (Acts 2.38); every account of conversion in the book of Acts includes baptism -- Jake saw that and wanted to follow the teaching of Jesus as well as His example
Jake's Faith was wrapped up in Jesus -- Tallit
* Jake was aware of the Jewishness of the scriptures, the early church, and of Jesus
* He often wore his Tallit -- prayer shawl to feel closer to God; he took it to M. D. Anderson Hospital and prayed with it before his surgery and during his stay
* Notice the fringes on the corners (Numbers 15) -- reminders of God, His Word, and his covenant with the Hebrews
* The Woman with the Discharge of Blood -- Matthew 9; Mark 5; Luke 8
o 20 And behold, a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, 21 for she said to herself, "If I only touch his garment, I will be made well."22 Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, "Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well."
o She believed Jesus was the Messiah -- But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. Malachi 4.2
o BTW, Jake has been healed by the same Jesus -- not in the way we wanted but in an eternal way
Jake's Faith was active
* Great commands -- Love God; love neighbor
* Sign of a Growing Faith -- Generosity towards others
o Susan -- His priorities -- God; Family; Business; Others (not himself)
Jake Understood:
* The Brevity of Life -- James 4.14
* The source of Real Life -- John 10.10
* Jake was Mindful that the last few months were a gift and he made the most of them
* To be a Servant-Hearted Man -- He imitated Jesus
Peace
Susan spoke of an unusual peace that she has met in all of this. She misses Jake, obviously, but is at peace.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither ret them be afraid. 14.27
She knows we can see Jake again. We can follow in his footprints to see Jesus
Prayer
Video
Song 4 -- On Eagles' Wings as Casket is removed to foyer
At Cemetery
To celebrate Jake, all 6 of Jake's nieces and nephews ( Marji's and Josh's kids) wrote a wish for their uncle Jake on a helium, mylar "star" balloon. Together, they all let their wishes go to the heavens to reach Jake and join the "stars" above. They said a prayer, and all joined together and said their last "I love You Uncle Jake" to the Heaven as the balloons floated away......
We are saying a farewell at this place but we know it does not have to be a final one.
Romans 8:35-39
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written,
"For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Prayer
Priestly Blessing -- Numbers 6.24-26
24 The LORD bless you and keep you;
25 the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you;
26 the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
Dismissed
