Come To Me
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For a fourteen-year-old cancer victim, shortly before her confirmation
Come To Me
Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 11:28; Matthew 27:46; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Revelation 7:15
Today, the body of Kris is in this church for the last time. It rests here before the altar. She had looked forward to being confirmed at this altar with her classmates. Death struck her down. Though she was not confirmed, today she graduates from the church below to the church above, from the church militant to the church triumphant. We welcome all of you today to her graduation.
Above the altar, where Kris would have been confirmed, you see a statue of Christ. His arms are wide open. Looking at his face, we are reminded of his words, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 RSV).
Today, Christ addresses these words to Kris and to her family.
First, Jesus addresses these words to Kris.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a learner who will still be learning." Kris was a student. She came regularly to catechetical classes until the beginning of her illness. She was an avid learner. She was eager to know more about Jesus Christ and his love.
God is so great and his Son so magnificent, that all of eternity will be a learning experience, of knowing more and more about the Heavenly Father and Jesus and his love. Kris was a student who is still learning. Confirmation will be her experience now. Forever.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a worshiper who is still worshiping." Kris regularly came to worship and glorify God in this place. But today, her church letter of transfer has been sent to a new congregation: the heavenly communion of saints. She glorified God here; she will glorify him in eternity. She sang his praises here; she shall sing them in eternity.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a servant still serving."
"Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple" (Revelation 7:15 RSV).
Kris had only fourteen years to serve God at Trinity. But it is not the number of years you have in your life; rather, it is the life you put in your years that is important. Kris put a lot of serving in her short life. The "rest" of eternity will not be inactivity, but joyful service of God.
Secondly, Jesus Christ addresses these words to her loved ones. To you, he says, "Come to me."
The Christ who addresses you with open arms knows your pain. "Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4). The compassionate Christ is acquainted with your grief. He wept at the tomb of his friend. He suffered gross physical pain on the cross. He knew mental affliction. He cried amidst his suffering, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 KJV).
There are certain mysteries of life Jesus did not explain, such as, why it is that some people live to be quite old, while others die young. He died at 33. But, in the way he bore the tragedy of death, and in the way he rose from death through the work of his Father, he revealed a power that is stronger than the mystery: that God can bring life out of death!
He offers a dynamic grace that can turn what appears to be minus marks into plus marks. Though in the eyes of his disciples, his demise on the cross seemed like a minus mark, God turned it into a plus mark. He turned what appeared to be a tragedy into triumph.
It is probably in times like these that we think most deeply on the meaning and purpose of life. We learn more fully the meaning and purpose of life. We learn more fully the meaning of the words, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9 RSV). And certainly, our sympathies are intensified for those who suffer. We become members of the "fellowship of those who have accepted pain."
Children are God's gifts to us. Children like Kris add joy to our homes. They create great memories. There is a sense in which they are on loan to us. Sooner or later we know in this world we shall be separated. But, if we have deep faith as Kris had in Jesus, we know, through the power of the resurrection, we shall be together around him.
How do you, her family, stay close to Kris? Her Lord has welcomed her to himself. She is with him. To stay near Kris, stay close to Christ.
A university professor and his wife took their children out west. One day, they visited a large cave which reminded one of a cathedral, with stalactites like huge organ pipes in front. Gradually, the lights went off as a quartet sang, "Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee." When the music ended, there was a dead silence and absolute darkness. The little boy grabbed his sister's hand and said, "I'm scared!"
She whispered, "Don't be afraid, Johnny, there's a man around who knows how to turn the lights back on again."
We can trust God. For his Son, in the darkness of death, turned the lights back on again. For we, who sit in darkness, he makes his light shine, the light of hope, the light of power, the light of eternal life.
Let us this day trust in him who says, "Come to me." For the light of the world turns the lights back on for Kris, for you, forever. Amen.
-- Dr. Frank Efird
(Reprinted from "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1978.)
Come To Me
Isaiah 53:4; Matthew 11:28; Matthew 27:46; 2 Corinthians 12:9; Revelation 7:15
Today, the body of Kris is in this church for the last time. It rests here before the altar. She had looked forward to being confirmed at this altar with her classmates. Death struck her down. Though she was not confirmed, today she graduates from the church below to the church above, from the church militant to the church triumphant. We welcome all of you today to her graduation.
Above the altar, where Kris would have been confirmed, you see a statue of Christ. His arms are wide open. Looking at his face, we are reminded of his words, "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28 RSV).
Today, Christ addresses these words to Kris and to her family.
First, Jesus addresses these words to Kris.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a learner who will still be learning." Kris was a student. She came regularly to catechetical classes until the beginning of her illness. She was an avid learner. She was eager to know more about Jesus Christ and his love.
God is so great and his Son so magnificent, that all of eternity will be a learning experience, of knowing more and more about the Heavenly Father and Jesus and his love. Kris was a student who is still learning. Confirmation will be her experience now. Forever.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a worshiper who is still worshiping." Kris regularly came to worship and glorify God in this place. But today, her church letter of transfer has been sent to a new congregation: the heavenly communion of saints. She glorified God here; she will glorify him in eternity. She sang his praises here; she shall sing them in eternity.
"Come to me, Kris. You are a servant still serving."
"Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night within his temple" (Revelation 7:15 RSV).
Kris had only fourteen years to serve God at Trinity. But it is not the number of years you have in your life; rather, it is the life you put in your years that is important. Kris put a lot of serving in her short life. The "rest" of eternity will not be inactivity, but joyful service of God.
Secondly, Jesus Christ addresses these words to her loved ones. To you, he says, "Come to me."
The Christ who addresses you with open arms knows your pain. "Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4). The compassionate Christ is acquainted with your grief. He wept at the tomb of his friend. He suffered gross physical pain on the cross. He knew mental affliction. He cried amidst his suffering, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46 KJV).
There are certain mysteries of life Jesus did not explain, such as, why it is that some people live to be quite old, while others die young. He died at 33. But, in the way he bore the tragedy of death, and in the way he rose from death through the work of his Father, he revealed a power that is stronger than the mystery: that God can bring life out of death!
He offers a dynamic grace that can turn what appears to be minus marks into plus marks. Though in the eyes of his disciples, his demise on the cross seemed like a minus mark, God turned it into a plus mark. He turned what appeared to be a tragedy into triumph.
It is probably in times like these that we think most deeply on the meaning and purpose of life. We learn more fully the meaning and purpose of life. We learn more fully the meaning of the words, "My grace is sufficient for you" (2 Corinthians 12:9 RSV). And certainly, our sympathies are intensified for those who suffer. We become members of the "fellowship of those who have accepted pain."
Children are God's gifts to us. Children like Kris add joy to our homes. They create great memories. There is a sense in which they are on loan to us. Sooner or later we know in this world we shall be separated. But, if we have deep faith as Kris had in Jesus, we know, through the power of the resurrection, we shall be together around him.
How do you, her family, stay close to Kris? Her Lord has welcomed her to himself. She is with him. To stay near Kris, stay close to Christ.
A university professor and his wife took their children out west. One day, they visited a large cave which reminded one of a cathedral, with stalactites like huge organ pipes in front. Gradually, the lights went off as a quartet sang, "Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee." When the music ended, there was a dead silence and absolute darkness. The little boy grabbed his sister's hand and said, "I'm scared!"
She whispered, "Don't be afraid, Johnny, there's a man around who knows how to turn the lights back on again."
We can trust God. For his Son, in the darkness of death, turned the lights back on again. For we, who sit in darkness, he makes his light shine, the light of hope, the light of power, the light of eternal life.
Let us this day trust in him who says, "Come to me." For the light of the world turns the lights back on for Kris, for you, forever. Amen.
-- Dr. Frank Efird
(Reprinted from "I'll Give You A Daisy A Day," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1978.)
