Funeral Sermon
“Journey from Death to Life”
"When they arrived at the place where God had told Abraham to go, he built an altar and placed the wood on it Then he tied Isaac up and laid him on the altar over the wood." Genesis 22:1-19 (NLT)
Intro: It is has been an honor for me to get to know the Mckenzie family.
It is a privilege to be asked to speak at this Celebration of Fred’s life.
Hazel and the family took such good care of Fred.
They loved him,
They set with him practically all day and all night
Especially since he took a turn for the worse back in November.
They did everything they could for him.
It is a true sign of love and devotion when a family will set by a loved ones bedside through the night just to watch to make sure they are still breathing.
I want to talk to you today about the Journey from Death to Life.
We are more familiar with the Journey from Life to Death.
Every day we are writing the story of our life.
Everyone here has a story.
We are all on a journey.
I have heard several stories shared about Fred and Hazel.
Joyful memories of Fred’s work
Even my wife Gina Ann was telling me that Fred took her Prom pictures when she was in High School. Photo Fred took thousands of pictures all over. As a Photographer you really get to know people because you pay attention to the little details of their life while you taking the photographs.
I guess to me one of the best stories about Fed was Fred’s Hall of Wedding Photos. I suppose there were hundreds of wedding pictures Fred kept on the wall. What’s funny is when someone would come in and say, Fred take that picture down we not married anymore.
Or the Fishing stories of Fred and Frank. Frank said, they could be on the same boat,
Using the same rod and real, using the same bait, fishing 5 feet apart and Fred would out catch Frank ten to one.
I know each of you have a story about Fred and Hazel and the family
I. Life is an uncertain ____Journey___________________ (Gen. 22:1–8).
"Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"
"Yes, my son?" Abraham replied. "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" Genesis 22:7 (NIV)
This is an old familiar story from the bible…
The story of Abraham offering his son Isaac
a. Isaac was on a journey. Young boy following his dad up a mountain, carrying fire wood.
b. There was much he didn’t understand.
c. He was clueless as to what awaited him.
d. That is true of our lives. So much uncertainty. “Nobody knows…”
Last August down in Texas a United Methodist Church Administrative Board met
to set out Policies on use of their building.
They set the cost and fees to rent the fellowship hall,
Discussed ways to restrict access to certain parts of the building.
Two weeks later, those same board members were on the second floor of the church building pulling people out of boats in through the windows to rescue them.
Hurricane Harvey caused people to rethink what they cared about the most
That Methodist church is now focused on people how to tackle the tough challenges that people face. When tragedy and loss come people learn to adapt and change when their circumstances change.
Fred would want you to adapt and change.
Fred would want you to go on with your life.
To continue the journey beyond his death to continue on your journey of life.
Life is uncertain.
We don’t know what tomorrow holds…, but we know who hold the future...,
And that is a loving God.
He wants good for you.
He wants to bless you, comfort you, strengthen you.
When we pray and have faith that releases God’s blessing and favor upon our lives.
Life is an uncertain journey. But as a Christian believer it is a journey from death to life.
II. Death appears certain (Gen. 22:9–10).
"Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son." Genesis 22:10
a. Imagine (if you can) Isaac’s horror and disbelief in this scene.
1. How old was Isaac? (Abraham well over 100, and Isaac 20’s -30’s)
2. Did his father surprise him?
Isaac come here let me tie you up, lay down here on the altar, let me put this wood under you.
3. Did Isaac resist? Maybe Isaac trusted his father Abraham, as much as Abraham trusted his Father God, As much as we are to also trust God when death appears certain.
Today we are called to trust God in this moment.
ii. We talk about Abraham’s faith, but what about Isaac’s faith?
Can we talk about your faith when death comes?
iii. Think about this thought for a moment. When Isaac was tied up…, his hands bound, the knife raised…
Such is the position of every man and woman here today.
Death is raised above us,
Sure and certain, death is something we all must face sooner or later.
"When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam's sin brought death,
so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned." Romans 5:12 (NLT)
But HEAR THE GOOD NEWS
“we are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying,
we are in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living." AMEN.
John Wesley preached his last sermon of Feb 17, 1791,
His text was Isaiah 55:6 "Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near"
The following day, he became very sick, and was put to bed in his home on City Road.
During the last days of his illness, John Wesley often repeated the words from one of his brother's hymns:
I, a wretch undone and lost, Am freely saved by grace;
This, only this, is all my plea,
I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me.
I the chief of sinners am, But Jesus died for me!
Jesus, thou for me has died
And thou in me shalt live.
I shall flee thy death applied
I shall thy life receive.
His last words were, "The best of all is, God is with us!" He died March 2, 1791.
God is with us through the good and bad through the joys and the sorrows.
On the road to traveling to and from the Gospel Singing Conventions that Fred loved so much. In the boat fish and the woods when hunting. In the kitchen around the family table
God is with us through the days and through the darkness, when the sun is shining and in the night when the sick always seem to get sicker.
Is this road you’re travelling
Dark deserted or dim
Is there hope for tomorrow
Put your trust in him
Aren’t you glad Fred knew wonderful Saviour.
Rejoice that Fred is singing in heaven Chorus.
God is with us…
God has provided….
Death appears certain. But as a Christian believer it is a journey from death to life.
III. My ___Salvation_________ has been provided (Gen. 22:11-14).
"Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son." Genesis 22:13 (NASB)
a. God provided a ram, a substitute, a sacrifice in Isaac’s place.
b. It’s what God does, faithfully, repeatedly, graciously leading us from death to life.
i. Gen. 3:21—Adam and Eve sinned, brought death on them and us,
but God provided them with garments of skin, the result of a sacrifice (presumably) to cover their nakedness.
ii. Gen. 6—Humanity had grown completely wicked, but God provided an ark to save the lives of Noah and his family.
iii. Exodus 12—God’s judgment descended on Egypt, but God prescribed a sacrifice to save their lives… instructing them to smear blood on the lintel in the shape of a cross, because…
then John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look!
There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29 (NLT)
Every morning a lamb was sacrificed at the temple for the sin of the world.
But one Friday Jesus was nailed to a cross.
On that Cross a man became a lamb.
That lamb became our salvation.
God provided the Lamb for Isaac
God provided the Lamb for me,
God provided the Lamb for Fred
God provided the lamb for you, for all of us,
to lead us from certain death… to a sure and certain life.
As a young man, D.L. Moody was called upon suddenly to preach a funeral sermon. He hunted all throughout the four Gospels trying to find one of Christ's funeral sermons, but searched in vain.
He found that Christ broke up every funeral he ever attended.
Death could not exist where Jesus was.
When the dead heard his voice they sprang to life.
Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life."
When we think of certain words like, Heaven, hope, and reunion,
Somehow sickness, cancer, sorrow, death, lose their meaning...,
Friends we are not on a journey toward death.
We are on a journey toward life…,
Where all will be joy and singing praises unto the Lord.
My salvation has been provided. As a Christian believer it is a journey from death to life.
Life is uncertain--- we don’t know what tomorrow holds
Death appears to be certain
But God has provided our salvation
Howard and Vestil Goodman, Dottie Rambo, James Blackwood, George Beverly Shea,
Greatest gospel singers who have ever lived…
And standing right beside them is Fred Willard McKenzie with a big grin on his face…
By this evening Fred will be fishing with Jesus, Peter, James and John.
In the meantime Fred will be missed by family and loved ones and friends.
There will days when Hazel will need you, her family and friends more than ever.
Now is the time for this family to pull together…
A patriarch is gone…, so it now falls on each of you left…, to hold the family together…
You need each other now more than ever…
God has always met my needs even in my worst of times.
When I lost my father I thought it was the saddest day of my life.
When I lost my mother I thought the grief would overtake me.
(But God knows what it is like to lose someone very close.
After all God saw his Son die upon the cross.
God understands our grief.
His is hope, comfort and peace in knowing a compassionate and loving God.
Closing: Dear God call us to come up a little closer, a little higher. Let us find your love, your comfort, and your peace. Strengthen this family now for the days and weeks ahead. Amen.
