Prelude Music:

Prayer:

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58

Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "Death is swallowed up in victory. "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Obituary:

We’ve come today to remember Robert _________. Bob was born on March 29, 1925, the son of Phillip ____ and Ruth ______ _______. He was the oldest to seven children. Bob passed from this life into the next with his Lord this past Friday, April 12. He was 77.

Bob served his country in the Army during World War II. His tour included calls to both Europe and the Pacific. He was discharged six months after the war with Japan ended at the rank of sergeant.

Bob moved to _________ in 1949. He married Clara _____ ______ in 1950 in ___________. He worked as a log truck driver for ____________, ________, and ____________. He graduated with an associate of arts degree from Southwestern Oregon Community College in 1977.

Bob loved to fish the Metolius and Crooked Rivers. He also enjoyed hunting with family and friends. He was a member this congregation.

Bob is survived by: (List deleted)

Remarks:

Bob was a dedicated husband and father. He was a man of strong moral character. He loved his family. Some of the family members spoke of the fact that he seldom left them in search of his own pursuits, preferring rather that he be with them. Also significant to mention here was the way he tenderly cared for Clara during these recent years of her illness. Any man would do well to follow his example.

Bob loved the church. He served as an elder for many years. He also loved the Word of God. This latter love was the one I had opportunity to observe most closely during his last years here in ___________. Bob’s love for God and for the Bible was easy to spot. He was an excellent Bible teacher, sometimes committing entire chapters of God’s word to memory. But even when he wasn’t teaching the Bible, he was discussing it with those who shared his love for it. Over the past several years he and I spoke numerous times on the phone and always, always, we talked about the Bible. He was interested in what was said when I preached. If he didn’t get my point or thought I needed something clarified (or corrected!) he was forthright in telling me so, something I always appreciated.

Bob’s son, Tom called me on Saturday and indicated that they had found a notepad that contained some of Bob’s recent writing. A poem and several verses had been written down. I did not recognize the poem, but one of the verses was Psalm 37:25 which says, "I have been young, and now I am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, or his descendants begging bread." The other verse was the 23^rd Psalm.

Bob’s trust in God’s care for him, all the way to the end of his earthly life, was evident.

Mel, is now going to say a few words on Bob’s behalf…

(Mel Speaks)

(Read written statements from others)

(If time: Sharing from anyone who wishes to speak from the congregation)

Sermon:

For just a few moments I would like to take a look at what the Apostle Paul said as he neared the time of his own death. This passage comes from the New Testament at 2 Timothy 4:6-8. These are Paul’s own words to his young protégé, Timothy.

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

In the brief time we have here, let me call your attention to the way this Christian man, Paul, viewed the prospect of his own death. I believe it can help us understand how a Christian person should view the prospect of his or her own death.

When we think about death, Paul shows us first that we should:

1. Take a Realistic Look

He says, "…the time of my departure has come." The Apostle wasn’t actually on his death bed when he wrote this. He simply had the good sense to recognize and face the fact that his death would likely be soon. Notice… he didn’t ignore it. He didn’t deny it. He didn’t euphemize it. He faced it squarely.

A British preacher was telling about his move to the United States and how impressed he was at the number of total strangers who visited his home in the first few months to wish him well. Of course he soon found out that they all sold insurance! Anyway, he spoke of one particular "visitor" of this stripe saying repeatedly in his presentation, "If something should happen to you, Mr. Briscoe…" After listening to the pitch for a few minutes and hearing this repeated, the British newcomer finally interrupted and said, "Please don’t say that. It upsets me." The salesman was a little startled, but in true sales form, he tried again, "With all due respect, sir, we must be ready if something should happen to us." "Don’t say that," insisted Briscoe again. At this the salesman, looking totally bewildered, said, "I don’t understand what I said that upset you." "Then I’ll tell you," replied Briscoe. "It upsets me that you talk about life’s only certainty as if it’s only a possibility. Death isn’t a possibility. It’s a sure thing. You don’t say, ‘if.’ You say, ‘when.’"

None of us enjoys speaking of death, but speak of it we must, if we are to prepare for it. Paul understood this and left a worthy example for us all. No, we don’t fixate on death. We live life to the fullest. But a part of living life to its fullest is measuring it by its end.

You and I, unless Christ intervenes at the end of time, will all come to a place such as this. The funeral will be ours. The eulogy will for us. The flowers will have our name on them. The music will be in our honor. While that isn’t a joyful prospect, it is a realistic one that we do well to face – not morbidly, but realistically.

Secondly, when we think about death, Paul shows us we should:

2. Take a Backward Look

He says, "…I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith…"

The Apostle is looking back over his life as a Christian. As he recalls it, he knows that, in spite of all the opposition he has faced, all the ups and downs, the successes and failures, the joys and sorrows, the victories and disappointments, he has kept the faith in Jesus Christ that he knows will save him. His full trust, his entire hope, is in Christ.

According to the Bible, my friends, keeping the faith of Christ is what this life is all about. This life is, in this sense, really only a staging area for the next. Here we decide where we will spend eternity. None of us can live perfectly. None of us can merit anything from God. But we can sincerely place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, God’s provision for us. That is the faith Paul had kept as he neared the end of his life and that is where he got his confidence.

Paul compares life here to a fight and a race. The opponents in the fight are powerful. The race is long and hard. There are plenty of temptations to give up and go with the flow of the majority who do little other than drift lazily along. But by his own choice Paul stayed in the ring for all of the rounds. He didn’t drop out of the race before the last lap. Yes, he was bruised. Yes he was tired. But he finished the course. He kept the faith.

Let it be that all of us can say when the time comes for our report from death’s door, that we have kept the faith. There are no finer words to utter in the face of death than these: "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith."

Our friend and Brother, Bob could say that. No, he was not without bruises. He was not a perfect man. As in any fight or race, there were times when the outcome looks to be in jeopardy. But he finished the course. He kept the faith.

Thirdly, when we think about death, Paul shows us we should:

3. Take a Forward Look

Those who don’t know the God of heaven, or refuse to acknowledge Him, look forward to what? They look forward to the events of this earthly life for that is all they know for sure. It’s all they believe in. Thus, when the prospect of death presents itself, it is seen as the Great Spoiler. It always comes too soon. Life is always too short. Few are ever really "finished" with living.

The Christian is different. His or her greatest hope is yet to come. Paul says here, "…in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day…"

If life were compared to a play, for the unbeliever, life is the main act. For the Christian, life is not the main act. It is merely the prelude to the main play.

Notice how confident Paul was about his condition and his future. He speaks of the "crown of righteousness which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me…" He didn’t say "the crown which the Lord might award to me." He was fully confident.

How can a person really know that? After all, no on lives perfectly. How do we know that when we get there, God won’t turn us away because of the times we have messed up? It’s because "the faith" which Paul says he kept is so designed to get us there and get us through in spite of our mess-ups.

Keeping the faith is our insurance against rejection.

Finally, when we think about death, Paul shows us we should:

4. Take an Outward Look.

He wrote, "…and not only me, but also to all who have loved His appearing."

This firm confidence isn’t something conferred upon only a select few. According to Paul, it is available to "all who have loved His appearing."

For the Christian, the most important event in all history is the appearance of Jesus Christ in this world. This was the most important event in history for Bob. I know that from how much he loved to hear and tell the story of it…

Bob loved Christ’s appearing. As a result he faced death with the same assurance we read about here with Paul. I know from speaking to him that he would want me to ask each of you to consider your own relationship to God, and to make provisions for your own death while there is still time.

Commit yourself to Christ. That is the only way to properly prepare for your own death.

Prayer:

Special Song: "On Zion’s Hill"

Announcement:

I have been asked by Bob’s family to let you know that there will be no public graveside service. Only members of the family will go to the graveside.

On behalf of the church I would also like to invite any of you who wish to stay to join us for light refreshments in the adjacent building. If you wish to join us, you may exit through the door immediately behind you and proceed down the hall to the right, out the back door, and into the fellowship hall.

May God bless each one of you today as you reflect on the life of this one we’ve held so dear.

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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