Song: How Great Thou Art (Recorded) Family Enters
Song: Jesus Let Us Come to Know You (Congregational)
Welcome
John 14.1-6
“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. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.”5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Funerals Are:
1. Customary – Universal
2. Sources of Comfort and Closure
3. Reminders
• Loved one’s life
• Challenges of life
• Reality of Death
• Brevity of life
• Proximity of eternity – all are hanging by a thread; a reason to follow Jesus
Prayer
Song: Amazing Grace
Obituary
Evelyn was born in Stuart, OK. She was procurement Chief for Tinker AFB. She is survived by her daughter, Ardith and her husband Rod; brother, William “Bill” ; 5 grandsons, Geoff, Mike, Chris, Pat, and Shane.
Evelyn was the oldest of 5 surviving children in her family. Her siblings were: Mildred, Leo, Lulagene (Jick), who preceded her in death, and Bill who survived her and is 84 years old.
She was widowed in 1997 and moved to Yukon in 1999. She moved in with Rod and Ardith in 2006. She was a big OU fan. She watched the OU football games on TV each week unless she was able to be at the stadium to watch.
Evelyn demonstrated some great qualities in her life.
• Humility – As Chief Procurement Officer at Tinker AFB, she was among the highest ranking civilians and worked closely with the Base’s General. Yet, she did not speak of it. In fact, unless you asked her specific questions about specific accomplishments in her life, you would not hear about her achievements.
• Accomplished – When she retired from Tinker, she went back to school and earned her AA degree in Early Childhood Development and became the Director of Headstart in Okemah, OK
• Intelligent – Good with bookkeeping, etc. and took care of those issues on her dad’s farm – in spite of her intelligence had a lapse every so often. Ardith told of a time a colt was born on the farm and Evelyn’s dad said the colt was “as black as midnight.” She responded – “What color is it?”
• Musical – Apparently the music was a genetic quality in this family. Ardith inherited the gift of music and the ability to teach it; Evelyn and Mildred often sang at church Arbor Meetings in their youth; they also played the banjo and mandolin. She was a superb alto and loved singing.
• “Awesome Cook” – according to Rod. Due to rheumatic fever as a child she was unable to work outside in the fields so, she did the house chores and learned to cook.
• Physically Strong – She lived a decade after having two broken hips and numerous health issues.
She had been active in the Eastern Star; a book club; and Toastmasters International. When she moved to Yukon, she became involved in a Ladies Unity Group and played Canasta with Florine , Dean , Rosie , Betty and Florine (who was responsible for her baptism at our congregation).
Creed to Live by: “If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.” She did not talk a lot. :-)
From John 14.1-6
1. Don’t Fear
• The Unknown Frightens Us
• Lazarus did not seem too disturbed by his experience (John 11)
• Death is a New Beginning for Christians, not merely an ending
2. “There is A Prepared Place for a Prepared People”
Revelation 21.3-4
3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
• No Sorrow; Pain; etc. (Financial stress; Illness; Worries; Death)
• A Place of Joy – because of the presence of God
3. Where Jesus Receives Us (14.3)
The room in which Evelyn died is not just a place of her death, but it is where she met Jesus in person
Revelation 1.17-18
17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last, 18 and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades.
4. One Entrance for Us (14.6)
Song: I Come to the Garden Alone
Eulogy and Prayer
Rod and Ardith wanted to downplay their role in the last decade of her life, but their service to her is significant. They gave great honor to Evelyn during the last years of her life, which I am sure reflected previous years.
Honor Parents
Exodus 20.12
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.
Ephesians 6.1-3
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise),3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.”
Honoring Parents Goes Beyond Childhood Obligations – Even into Adulthood
1 Timothy 5.3-4
3 Honor widows who are truly widows. 4 But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents, for this is pleasing in the sight of God.
Honoring parents includes respect; caring for needs; and the Jewish people added providing a proper burial.
Some Try to Avoid – Mark 7.10-13
10 For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother’; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.’ 11 But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”’ (that is, given to God)— 12 then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, 13 thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.”
It is Repaying the Love that has been Given
1 Corinthians 13
• Patient
• Kind
• Not Rude/Unbecoming
• Does Not Record Wrongs
• Believes the Best in/for Children
Honoring Parents Brings the Blessings of God’s Promise
• Honoring Parents Leads to Honoring God
• Honoring Parents Teaches Children to Honor Parents and God
• The Principle of Sowing and Reaping
Evelyn made good preparation for her retirement. Ardith and Rod wanted me to make sure that you knew she was in no way a burden to them. As I watched both Ardith and Rod over the years I was always struck with the depth of caring they had for her.
Prayer
Song: Nearer My God to Thee
Song: The LORD Bless You and Keep You
Song: Peace Perfect Peace Viewing)
Song(s)-Recorded- Viewing and Dismissal
Cemetery – 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6, 9-11
Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
