Dr. Bradford Reaves
Crossway Christian Fellowship
Hagerstown, MD
www.mycrossway.org
There is not much about Sharon that I can share today that you probably already don’t know. To me she was a wonderful mother-in-law. I was especially blessed to marry into a loving family with two wonderful in-laws. They really did make me one of the family when Andrea and I married almost 28 years ago. Once I passed Sharon’s test of approval, that is.
Sharon had her standards, and they were pretty high when it came to the guy that was going to marry her baby girl. Over the years she and I rarely had much of a disagreement. We always seemed to meet each other where we were at, even though she watched CNN. There was so much respect for each other woven into our love. And there were conversations that came out of that respect.
Sharon and I loved to goad each other. She had a quick wit about her. It was right after Andrea and I were engaged when Uncle Jim put a “Rush is Right” bumper sticker on her car and it took a week for her to discover it. That is when I discovered that along with her wit, you better be able to take what you dish out because it was going to circle around real quick.
Along with that wit was a very loving, thoughtful, and wise person. Once she learned how much I like sweet potato pie, she had one waiting for me almost every time we came over. Andrea said to her once, “Mom, you know I like cherry pie.” To which, she said, “Yes, but you’re not Brad.” Then she looked at me with a little grin. She had a neat way of making you feel special like that.
Over the years, her wit slowed down a little. Her sharpness faded. They’d peek out every so often, but her lovingkindness never faded. What was also always evident was her faith in Jesus. She carried her faith well because it was genuine. One other thing we know about Sharon is that she had a stubborn streak. But that stubbornness was what made her faith so strong.
Sherry’s faith wasn’t tossed about by life or circumstances. It was steady. That doesn’t mean she never had questions or doubts, but she did allow those things to shake her faith. We would often have theological conversations and I would explain something to her and she would look at me and say, “That’s it. I like how you put it.”
She knew where she was going on Saturday, May 6th at 8:45 am. She’s in heaven. She was there; she made it. Not because of anything she did or achieved, but because of that faith in Jesus that I just mentioned to you. And since there is no doubt that Sharon Hughes is standing in the presence of God in Heaven today, I don’t need to spend more time on her, but instead, I want to take a moment for all of us to take an inventory in our spiritual life. Are You ready to be in heaven where Sherry is right now, and more importantly with the Lord Jesus Christ?
Death has a way of getting our attention and hopefully today you’re giving some consideration to what is going to happen when you die. Are you today living in the confidence of your eternal security?
It was the eve just before the death and crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. He had finished the Passover meal with his disciples, he washed their feet, and they are preparing to go to the garden of Gethsemane. The death of Christ is on the horizon and this is what Jesus says to the disciples:
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go 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 be also. 4 “And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do 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 but through Me. (John 14:1–6 LSB)
There are a few things Jesus said here, that Sharon understood. The first is that our hearts do not need to be troubled (Verse 1). This was a bit of command he was giving to us in the imperative form. Set your hearts at ease would be a good way to translate this. Now, Jesus didn’t say that we would live a trouble-free life. In fact, just a little further in John’s Gospel, Jesus told his disciples, “In this world, you will have troubles.” (John 16:33).
In fact, there are plenty of troubles in life. The disciples would go on to face persecution and martyrdom because of Jesus. Sherry had plenty of troubles too. A miscarriage, sicknesses, and struggles with various issues, just as any person living in this world would face. We all have difficult roads to walk in life.
What Jesus said to his disciples is do not be troubled in your hearts. There’s a big difference. He didn’t say pretend like everything was hunky-dory, nor did he say ignore the problem. He said to cease allowing the trials of life to hinder you from having a relationship with God.
“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1 LSB)
“Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10 LSB)
Troubled hearts are so common today, even in churches. All around us are men and women plagued with loneliness, doubt, and fear.n One of the most common causes of troubled hearts is the uncertainty of the future. A diagnosis we weren’t expecting, a loss of a job, difficulty in a marriage, financial worries, children, business changes, etc. There are many things that destabilize our security. How will I survive and get by?
Jesus said exactly what we needed to know with 6 simple words, “Believe in God; believe also in me.” In other words, trust me. The cure for the troubled heart is Jesus. And so, I believe we can take Jesus’ words and apply them to our situation today. In our grief, in our sorrow, in our mourning, and in the pain of our loss, we do not need to have troubled hearts. Yes we should grieve and yes there is a missing part of our lives with Sherry no longer with us, but we do not need to be troubled.
Now look at the reason:
2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go 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 be also. (John 14:2–3 LSB)
There was a reason Jesus needed to go away. There is a reason why Jesus is not physically walking on the earth today. There is a reason why he suffered and died on the cross, and arose again. There is a reason why he ascended to heaven. It is so he could go into eternity and prepare for us an eternal home in his Father’s home.
Anyone who sits under my teaching knows the significance of the preparatory work at the father’s home in relationship to the Jewish Wedding traditions and the rapture. Prophetically, this is where we are in the world, awaiting the completion of the home for the Groom to go get his Bride. However, there is more significance that we should apply to our lives today as we say our goodbyes to Sharon.
Because Sharon had placed her faith in Jesus, he was preparing a place just for her. David wrote about this place in the 23rd Psalm, didn’t he? Psalm 23:6
I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever. (Psalm 23:6 LSB)
That place is the place created for our eternal home. It is a place without any sickness, death, pain, tears or suffering
and He will WIPE AWAY EVERY TEAR FROM THEIR EYES; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain. The first things passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 LSB)
But just as it is written, “THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 LSB)
Conversely, there is a place prepared for those who reject God’s gift of forgiveness and chose to trust in themselves and the world.
“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (Matthew 25:41 LSB)
One reason our hearts do not have to ever be troubled over the death of Sharon is that we know exactly where she is today. One thing about Sharon is you always knew where she stood on topics or issues, or how she felt. That is true for her relationship with Christ. She trusted in him. Her faith was in him. Jesus is the Lord of Sharon’s life and therefore, we know exactly where she is today and those who also share in that faith in Jesus live in the Blessed Hope of seeing her again in the Kingdom of God.
Now, one more word for those who may be sitting here with questions or doubts. You are not the first.
?“And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going. How do 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 but through Me. (John 14:4–6 LSB)
Thomas is asking the question all of us have asked at some point or another and some of us need to answer today. How do we get to the Father’s house prepared for us? Jesus answers very directly, “I AM the way the truth, and life, no one comes to the Father except by me.
This is the 6th of 7 I AM statements (the tetragrammaton) made by Jesus in the Gospel of John. And as every I AM statement, it is a statement of exclusivity. I AM and no one else. I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35). I AM the Light of the world (John 8:12). I AM the door (John 10:7). I AM the Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14). I AM the resurrection and the life (John 11:25). I AM the true vine (John 15:1,5).
These are statements that leave no middle ground and no room to sit on the fence. These are statements that demand a response. Do you believe this? If the answer is yes, then you are putting your trust and faith in the Son of the Living God to lead you to eternity. If your answer is no or I don’t know, then you are living in mortal danger of eternal damnation.
And without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who draws near to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 LSB)
So faith comes from hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 LSB)
Trust in Yahweh with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5 LSB)
Where is the certainty of your eternal future? Is it in heaven? Have you trusted in Jesus? If you have are you living the life now that is worthy of a follower? The redemption is through Jesus, the fruit of your redemption is seen in a life of righteousness. If you haven’t placed your faith in Christ today, what is stopping you today from confessing him as your Lord? “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
What is the place prepared for you? If you were to die today and Jesus said, “Why should I let you into my heaven?” What would you say? The only way to come into heaven is through the forgiveness of sins through the blood of Christ. There is no merit of life that can earn your salvation. Sherry knew this. She lived this and she is in Glory now in the place prepared just for her.
?“As for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, And at the last He will rise up over the dust of this world. 26 “Even after my skin is destroyed, Yet from my flesh I shall behold God, (Job 19:25–26 LSB)
