Good afternoon
On behalf of the Family, I would like to thank each of you for being here today. Moments like this are never easy. Saying goodbye to someone we love is one of the hardest things we must do, but having people show love and share in the loss eases the pain. Let's start this ceremony off with prayer
Tod is all about remembering and celebrating the life of a great man. It's about placing the 75 great years he had on this earth and not making his life story about just his last few moments. Today is about each of you remember the time you spent with him. We're here to share in the life that started in 1945 and to honour that life that he then led as a son, a brother, a partner, a father to two, a grandfather, and energy that he led as a friend, an uncle, a work colleague.
All of you knew them in different ways, and so you'll all feel his loss in different ways, but you also all have something to celebrate as you look back and remember your time with him, and I know that its important to the Family that we celebrate his life in that way today.
And we're going to start by standing and singing a great Hymn called -Amazing Grace...
I love that we can stand and sing a song like that at a ceremony like this because it reaffirms that we are children of hope! And why do we have hope in the face of Death? Well, this is what 2 Corinthians 5 says:
2 Cor 5:6-8 "So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord."
A few years ago made one of the most critical decisions he could have made in his time on earth, he gave his heart to the Lord, and for the Christian, there is no greater joy than to be in the presence of the One that loves them as no one else can. Because of that, even though there is grief and sadness at the loss of life, there is still great joy knowing that Hannes is now experiencing God's pure, undiluted presence.
We had a relationship with some beautiful promises found in John chapter 14:1-6. Let me read that portion of scripture to you.
John 14:1-6 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, also believe in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may also be. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know." 5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The First Promise to Christians is that We Don't have to Fear Death. Jesus said, "Don't let your hearts be troubled. I think that trouble only creeps into our hearts when we don't know what is going to happen when we die – but Jesus has removed the fear and uncertainty from Death, and I think that if Jesus were here in the flesh today that He would say those exact words: Don't let your hearts be troubled. And if we could hear today, I'm sure we would listen to similar words – if he could explain Heaven's incredible mysteries and wonders.
But Jesus has conquered the grave and Death, so there needs to be no fear in our eternal future. That means there is good news this morning - Death had no hold on Jesus, nor does it have a hold on us. So as children of God, we have no fear and worry when it comes to Death because we know that Death has been defeated.
2 Cor 5:1 "For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."
Has exchanged the temporary for the eternal, the stained for the spotless and the passing for the everlasting. In exchange for an earthly body subject to decay and disease, he now has a heavenly body that will endure for all eternity.
Not only are our bodies upgraded, but the entire environment of Heaven is infinitely better than earth. Rev 21:4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
You see, Death is not the end – it's the beginning of a brand new wonderful life, free from pain, sorrow, anger, temptation, and worry—a life surrounded by God's pure and beautiful presence. Imagine standing in the presence of pure love, pure joy, pure peace – that's the kind of experience that is having right now!
In Heaven, there are no more handicapped parking places, no doctor's rooms, no pharmacies and prescriptions to fill. Heaven doesn't have hospitals, nursing homes, or rehabilitation centres.
The days of aches and pains are over, the doctor trips have ceased, and all the pain has ended.
And visually, Heaven is a place of great beauty. Let me give you a small glimpse of what is looking at right now:
Rev 21:21-22:5 18
21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. 22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. 25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). 27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. 22:1 And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse, but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His servants shall serve Him. 4 They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. 5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
Heaven is a beautiful place. Not only are Mansions, but Micah 4:4 says: Everyone will live in peace and prosperity, enjoying their grapevines and fig trees, for there will be nothing to fear. The Lord of Heaven's Armies has made this promise!
He was a man that lived an exciting and fulfilling life. He was handed problems at work and would solve them. He had to use Yuki to help him relay info, but he was a problem solver. He was noticed, and through that, doors were opened. He was stubborn but protective, even when he grabbed a shotgun, thinking there were soldiers in the house. There would be times he started over with his Family but always got back on his feet, and that showed resilience
He is now experiencing a love that we can't even understand. A love that forgives every failure that he had in his life. A love that mends the hurts only he knew. A love that understood every feeling that he ever had. It is an unconditional love that completely satisfies the longing of his soul.
He is experiencing all of this because he knew Jesus, believed that Jesus was the Son of God, and had a relationship with Him.
I hope everyone here finds peace in knowing where it is now. Everyone here will be able to say goodbye in their way.
I know that when things like this happen, it can open up a world full of questions.
Unfortunately, we might never know why we lose people we love. And even though there are many reasons for sorrow, almost nothing compares to the grief we experience at the Death of a loved one. We know that God has promised there will be tough things in this life and that we will experience pain, loss, and hurt. It's all a part of life.
But God has promised that if we let Him, we love can go through all that with Him. And doing life with him is infinitely better than doing life without Him.
So I encourage you not to get lost in the questions, the whys, the what ifs, and the pain. Rather get lost in the comfort and peace that God provides. He is a good God; even when life doesn't seem that good, we know that it doesn't mean God is no longer suitable.
I know that there must be an array of emotions in this room. Some of you are feeling despair, sadness, and numbness, and some probably have anger and resentment; some of you have gratitude for the time you spent with us and the memories you shared. Some of you might even regret the things that weren't said or done. Whatever it is you're feeling, I want you to know that God makes this promise:
Ps 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains are carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. We will not fear.
For some of you, that's what you must be feeling today - like the earth is being shaken and the mountains are crumbling. And I know it's never easy to say goodbye to someone we love and care about. But I want you to know that God is our refuge and strength - that God shares in our suffering and grief - God knows the loss we feel. Jesus cried with Mary and Martha during the loss of their brother.
But at the same time, God gives great hope in moments like these; He is a very present help in times of trouble.
We want to think that all of us are entitled to a certain number of days, weeks, months and years. But today is a reminder that nothing in this life is guaranteed.
But a day like this puts our lives into perspective. We see so clearly what is most important. It reminds us how short life is - no matter how long you live. It reminds us that each one of us will one day have a funeral, And Death will be a certainty for everyone in this room. We need to embrace life and love others because we never know when our time is up, so we need to live each day as ifs, it's last because it might very well be.
On days like this, we are all reminded to look at our lives and make sure that we are ready when our time comes to die. To make sure that our relationship with Jesus is healthy – because in the end, it is all that matters, and through that relationship, your loved ones will be able to celebrate your life knowing that there is still hope for the future and that your Death was not the end.
Our God is a God of sympathy and understanding. I know you're feeling hurt and lost today, but He knows your hurt and loneliness. He knows how you feel. You can find God today amid the storm and the darkness. The Bible tells us that He knows our sorrow and records our tears. All our thoughts, ways and words are known to Her.
So it's comforting to have a God to trust and one with perfect love, absolute knowledge, endless forgiveness and infinite patience.
When Jesus faced what He knew was certain Death, He said, I am not alone because the Father is with me.
And those words that Jesus spoke apply to this Family and these friends today, You are not alone, for the heavenly Father is with you. God promises never to leave us nor forsake us.
I don't think there could be more comforting words for you than God is with you. His hand is upon you.
If there were no God, we might be in despair today. If there were no Jesus, there would be nothing to give us strength or hope in a time like this. We don't have to fear; we just have to trust in God.
I pray that through this tragedy, you won't find more bitterness or unforgiveness, that you wouldn't find more pain and regret - but that you will find more of God. He is there for you with all the peace, strength, and courage you need.
Let us pray.
In Closing, I want to read from Romans 8:35-39
35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Her who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither Death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
