Funeral message for Helen
Helen died, age 89. She lived in Texas and was a member of the church and the Sunday School class. She was preceded in death by her husband, who was a farmer. Today we remember the life of a faithful Christian.
Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Philippians 4:20)
1. Her strength for living
Helen saw a lot of changes in the world since her birth. When she was born on the farm no one ever expected space travel or to see a man launched to the moon. There are all the inventions like the microwave oven that brought a faster pace than what she was originally born into.
When Helen was born on the farm it was resourcefulness and the ability to improvise that was needed to run the farm. Helen had those qualities. She even once made a couch using old car springs. She built the frame herself and padded it. She did that so her family would have the needed furniture.
Read Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
Helen had seven grandchildren and thirteen great grandchildren. Her surviving children are in the Lord’s work. Her daughter is the kindergarten principal and teacher of the church run kindergarten school. Her other daughter serves as the church secretary.
Both of Helen’s daughters love children and work with children. Both of her daughters teach Sunday School for children. Helen’s legacy continues on as her daughters teach children about Jesus and those children come to Christ, and live for Jesus.
Like our Lord and savior, Helen too was always thinking about someone else. She was always doing things for others. Helen knitted, did macramé, needlepoint, sewed, quilted and whatever else there is to do with a needle and thread.
2. Her Legacy
Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.” (Revelation 14:13)
Helen’s life influence carries on through her children, her 4 children, her 7 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. It is her grandson who is singing the hymn at her funeral today. Her faith in God was contagious and passed down to the generations that followed.
For Helen her faith in Christ gave her the strength to face life’s joys and life’s pain. The death of her husband and two sons required of her a strength that went beyond herself. It was her faith in God that sustained her to have joy and God’s comfort, an inward peace, in lifes darkest moments.
Helen was resourceful, yes, but her strength for living went beyond herself. Helen was a woman of faith in God. She recognized as a young girl what the Bible teaches about sin. She knew the Bible teaches that all are sinners.
as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God.
All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:10-12)
Helen knew that God has one and only one plan for the provisions of sin. That plan is the coming of Jesus and his death, burial and resurrection. That plan is for repentance and faith in Christ.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, (John 1:12)
As evidence of her faith in Christ, Helen was Baptized in her youth.
3. A time of Greif and loss & comfort and victory
Paul writes that those who grieve over the death of a loved one with faith in Christ do not need to grieve in the same way as others.
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,[a] that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16)
Paul wants Christians to know that when you lose a loved one (a fellow Christian) you experience grief and that is right and normal. But he wants to make sure you know it is in the right way. It is grief for you and your loss.
Life will be different now without Helen here. Something important will be missing for you. Helen was constantly blessing others with her labors of love, and we will miss that. Just before her death she finished a knitting a baby blanket for her great-granddaughter.
When it came to games Helen had a competitive streak and enjoyed winning. She loved family and kept in touch. Children are an inheritance of the Lord. Although Helen is gone and her legacy on. We grieve because we will miss her.
Helen is in the presence of the Lord. We do not grieve for her. She is in a better place with no more sorrows and no more tears.
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.” (Revelation 21:4)
It is right for you to grieve. Jesus wept at the death of a friend.
4. A call to be ready.
Death comes with short notice. Yes, Helen was 89 years old, but she seemed vital and strong. Her death came suddenly. She was ready because of her faith in Christ. To be in the presence of God for eternity is a blessing beyond what we can imagine.
Helen has proceeded through the pearly gates of heaven and has a mansion in heaven that has been reserved for her. When she met the Lord He greeted her with well done good and faithful servant.
Her death is a reminder to us to be ready. We will die and have our own time to face God. It would be a great witness if Helen’s death encouraged you to put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ.
You can ask yourself. Do I have genuine faith in Christ? It is time to ask Jesus death on the cross to count for payment of your sins. Helen did that and you can to.
You can ask yourself am I walking closely with the Lord like Helen did. You can rededicate your life to Christ. There is victory even in death.
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57)
Helen is in Heaven. She is in a better place. She is in the presence of the Lord.
Jesus is Lord and King.
