Sleep Time

Tony Shubert Funeral

10:00 a.m.

February 16, 2011

Pre-service Music: Tony’s CDs (let’s have these play during the visitation as well)

Welcome. That music you’ve been listening to is Tony playing the keyboard.

We’re here to remember, reflect and rejoice. We’re also here to weep and to worship. On behalf of the family, thank you for coming.

Prayer

Scripture Reading. Tony wanted to make sure that the Bible I used today would be the King James Version. Here’s Tony’s actual Bible [Hold up]

1. Ecclesiastes 3: “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth? I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

2. I read this passage several months ago to Tony from Lamentations 3:19-24 – “Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.”

3. And this passage from 1 Thessalonians 4 is filled with comfort: “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”

Transition: I met with Tony back in 2002 to plan his service. Actually, ever since I’ve known him, he’s been talking about wanting to die. He never got over his wife Eileen’s death…Tony picked the music for today and wanted Susan Russell to sing.

The first song Tony played as part of his public ministry was called, “If Jesus Goes with Me.” Tony and Eileen were dating in 1941 and she “volunteered” him to play at the Fundamental Baptist Tabernacle, which at the time was located across from Hoffrichter’s.

Susan is going to sing this song but you’ve been given a copy of the music so you can sing along.

Congregational Song: “If Jesus Goes With Me” (Susan singing with Vera playing keyboard)

It may be in the valley, where countless dangers hide;

It may be in the sunshine that I, in peace, abide;

But this one thing I know—if it be dark or fair,

If Jesus is with me, I’ll go anywhere!

It is not mine to question the judgment of my Lord,

It is but mine to follow the leadings of His Word;

But if to go or stay, or whether here or there,

I’ll be, with my Savior, content anywhere!

Tony had a number of close encounters with death and we thought he was going to “fly away” many times. Illus. One time he was working in the garden at the Hufendick’s house and decided to lie down and take a nap in their front yard. One of the neighbors saw Tony on the ground and called 911. An ambulance and a fire truck came roaring down the road to check him out. When he woke up and saw all the commotion he said, “What do you want? I’m not dead!”