Walking With God -- Funeral Sermon For A Faithful Minister Of Christ

3.) The walk through the valley is easier when we know that God is walking with us.

A.) I am reminded of the words which King David had uttered so many years ago:

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me, your rod and your staff they

comfort me.” (Ps. 23:4).

aa.) Anyone who had talked with or visited Geoff over these past few months knew that Geoff had hope and confidence even as He

walked through this very difficult valley.

B.) Certainly each of us know that Geoff experienced the presence and the peace of God as He walked through this final part of his

time on this earth.

ba.) We have seen the level of freedom and comfort that Geoff has had even speaking of his own death.

bb.) That degree of comfort comes only when the presence of God and the peace of God are part of your daily walk with God.

bba.) Just as the Apostle Paul had expressed:“For me to live is Christ, to die is gain.”

bbb.) That was exactly the confidence that Geoff had as he walked through death’s dark valley.

.01) He had not fear, but peace, confidence, hope, and anticipation of the future.

.02) Geoff was able to have this attitude because he knew and was experiencing the truth that “He who begun a good work in [him]

would carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 1:6)

bc.) Even with God’s presence, the journey through the valley had become increasingly long and difficult.

bba.) The last time I spoke with Geoff was about 5 days before he left us to enter into the next stage of his walk with God.

bbb.) At that time he told me he hoped it would not be much longer before he could go home.

bbc.) God was merciful to him and has answered his prayer and has taken him home.

.01) Geoff has now come to a new phase in his walk with God.

IV) FOR ALL OF ETERNITY GEOFF HAS THE PRIVILEGE TO WALK WITH GOD.

1.) As I come to this fourth point I want to share some words that Geoff had said to tell you.

A.) On one of my last visits with Geoff we discussed his funeral service in quite a bit of detail, and I told him the four points of the

message I was preparing for today.

B.) As I told Geoff my fourth point he interrupted me and said: “Be sure to tell them that today I am walking closer and more intimately

with Jesus than I have ever walked during life.”

C.) That is a true confidence in Jesus Christ.

ca.) That is a wonderful view for not only Geoff but for any Child of God to have. After all, the promises of Scripture assure us that:

caa.) “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

cab.) Again, Paul stated that “for me to live is Christ; to die is gain.” (Phil. 1:21).

cac.) There is no denying that we will each one miss Geoff.

cad.) Yet here in the midst of sorrow it is also a day of rejoicing.

.01) We can rejoice because we know of Geoff’s faith in Christ.

.02) We can also rejoice because the resurrection of Christ has given us proof that the Word of God is true.