Resurrection And Life
Sermon
The Word Is Life
An Anthology Of Funeral Meditations
I was very anxious to meet ____________. Even before my ministry here, I knew a bit of the ____________ legacy through my close relationship with Pastor ____________. Upon arriving here, I was reminded of this man's impact on the life of this congregation. I wanted to meet his widow - both as a link to him and yet in her own right as a person, a wife, a mother.
____________ now rests from her labors in the presence of her Lord. We gather, sorrowful that she is separated from us, but rejoicing in her life she had and celebrating her resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord.
____________is at home in heaven, not because she was married to Rev. ____________, not because she was a faithful wife, a loving mother, not because she was a dedicated, hard--working member of the church, not because of faithful service alongside her husband, not because of any legacy.
She lives because of the words of Jesus to an earlier servant and sister - Martha - ''I am the resurrection and the life.'' Because of Christ she lives, because of Christ we celebrate, because of Christ - we too shall live.
''I am the resurrection and the life'' said Jesus - what power, what hope, what joy! Right now, here, this moment, Jesus says that to you, to me. In this little insignificant corner of the world, Christ comes to us with his comfort, his love, his
life!
Have you ever noticed though how some of the most fundamental words Jesus first shares with the world are considered unimportant, insignificant? Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well - ''The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'' And then later his word, admitting he is the Messiah, ''I who speak to you am he.''
His words to the man who was born blind and was sitting alongside the road, ''I am the light of the world.'' And then his words to Nicodemus in the nocturnal meeting, ''Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.''
Here in our text, it was just Jesus and Martha. Oh, to be sure, many others were standing around, in earshot of Jesus, but it was Martha in her sorrow and pain crying out. Not in anger, just sorrow - ''only if you had been here,'' followed immediately by her statement of faith - not in desperation, but faith, ''and even now I know what ever you ask from
God ...''
And to Martha, Jesus said, ''I am the resurrection and the life.'' To her, to the world, to you and to me, he said, he died, he rose - I am the resurrection and the life. For Martha, Mary, Lazarus, for ____________, for you and me, Jesus - the resurrection and the life - our life.
As if you or I were the only one to be saved, he came. You know, the president belongs to all Americans, the queen to all the British, yet no one can really claim them in a personal or intimate way. But Jesus is ours, he comes to us in a very real, very personal very powerful way.
In the midst of your pain, sorrow, frustrations, decisions, family strife, financial stress, addiction, fears, joys, happiness, family times - in the midst of all of life Christ came for you, to give you power, to set you free from sin, death and the devil. He came to give you abundant life!
''I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.'' Do we really grasp the power
and magnitude of these words? As one scholar once said, ''A passage so majestic and unfathomable, has the quality of music rather than words.''
At times, we get so wrapped up in the ways, the messages, the priorities of the world, that the message of Christ is lost. We live in a society, a time where we speak of grabbing all the gusto you can, you only go around once, do your own thing, life is short - so do what you have to to be happy. We speak of death as an escape from the pressure of life, or as the loss of a loved one.
I would hope no one here today considers the life of ____________ as lost. She is very much found, in the grace, the protection of her Lord. We are separated from her, but she is not lost. And life is much more than grabbing gusto - life is to be intimately connected with our Creator, with our Lord and Savior. Christ wants us to live life to the fullest - to be sure - but full of a gospel sense - filled with the Spirit, with the grace, the forgiveness, the love, the power of God.
I dare say, even if Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the grave, his words to Martha would have remained as powerful. For Lazarus would die again, but now for Martha and for the others and for us, through Christ - life here and now takes on purpose and meaning.
Martha would never be the same again. No matter what would come her way, no matter what would happen - Christ would be with her, she would have life.
It is the power of the resurrection that changes all of life. Look at the difference it made in the lives of people following Christ's resurrection. All the powers of evil and darkness had been destroyed. The skirmishes continue, but the victory has been won - for ____________, for you, for me.
The early followers of Christ faced great persecution, great periods of trial and tribulation and brutal death. But in Christ, there was no fear. There was life - life now committed to Christ - life eternal. Even though death would still claim the flesh, life would continue, and even the body will be raised.
As we gather this day to remember, to give thanks to God for ____________ and to celebrate her life, we can also give thanks for the example she has left us - as Martha - a faithful servant of the Lord, one who lived in the power of this word, this promise.
Each time we had worship and celebrated communion, ____________ was there if she could be. Each time with eagerness she reached out her hand to receive in the body and blood of her Lord that new life, that power, that forgiveness, that love. She eagerly listened to God's word as it was read and proclaimed - clinging to that which was so precious.
We would do well to so treasure these gifts. To truly embrace what these words mean to us for daily life, and for life eternal. To know that each day Christ walks with us, that each day we are empowered to be faithful witnesses to the gospel, to know each day our salvation is secure through the cross and empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
Dear friends in Christ, we are here this day, this hour to remember, to thank God, to celebrate new life. The life that is ____________ now, in the fullest and grandest sense, the life that is ours - all through Jesus the Christ.
In these final days of Lent, as we are vividly reminded of the passion of our Lord we take to us the tremendous price of our redemption, and can only love him more. And in the power of the cross, our sins were paid for, our lives bought with the precious blood of the Lamb. He who said to Martha - I am the resurrection and the life - gave his life that we might live.
I am the resurrection and the life - this year, Easter came a little early for ____________. Amen.
____________ now rests from her labors in the presence of her Lord. We gather, sorrowful that she is separated from us, but rejoicing in her life she had and celebrating her resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord.
____________is at home in heaven, not because she was married to Rev. ____________, not because she was a faithful wife, a loving mother, not because she was a dedicated, hard--working member of the church, not because of faithful service alongside her husband, not because of any legacy.
She lives because of the words of Jesus to an earlier servant and sister - Martha - ''I am the resurrection and the life.'' Because of Christ she lives, because of Christ we celebrate, because of Christ - we too shall live.
''I am the resurrection and the life'' said Jesus - what power, what hope, what joy! Right now, here, this moment, Jesus says that to you, to me. In this little insignificant corner of the world, Christ comes to us with his comfort, his love, his
life!
Have you ever noticed though how some of the most fundamental words Jesus first shares with the world are considered unimportant, insignificant? Remember what Jesus said to the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well - ''The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.'' And then later his word, admitting he is the Messiah, ''I who speak to you am he.''
His words to the man who was born blind and was sitting alongside the road, ''I am the light of the world.'' And then his words to Nicodemus in the nocturnal meeting, ''Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter the kingdom of God.''
Here in our text, it was just Jesus and Martha. Oh, to be sure, many others were standing around, in earshot of Jesus, but it was Martha in her sorrow and pain crying out. Not in anger, just sorrow - ''only if you had been here,'' followed immediately by her statement of faith - not in desperation, but faith, ''and even now I know what ever you ask from
God ...''
And to Martha, Jesus said, ''I am the resurrection and the life.'' To her, to the world, to you and to me, he said, he died, he rose - I am the resurrection and the life. For Martha, Mary, Lazarus, for ____________, for you and me, Jesus - the resurrection and the life - our life.
As if you or I were the only one to be saved, he came. You know, the president belongs to all Americans, the queen to all the British, yet no one can really claim them in a personal or intimate way. But Jesus is ours, he comes to us in a very real, very personal very powerful way.
In the midst of your pain, sorrow, frustrations, decisions, family strife, financial stress, addiction, fears, joys, happiness, family times - in the midst of all of life Christ came for you, to give you power, to set you free from sin, death and the devil. He came to give you abundant life!
''I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die.'' Do we really grasp the power
and magnitude of these words? As one scholar once said, ''A passage so majestic and unfathomable, has the quality of music rather than words.''
At times, we get so wrapped up in the ways, the messages, the priorities of the world, that the message of Christ is lost. We live in a society, a time where we speak of grabbing all the gusto you can, you only go around once, do your own thing, life is short - so do what you have to to be happy. We speak of death as an escape from the pressure of life, or as the loss of a loved one.
I would hope no one here today considers the life of ____________ as lost. She is very much found, in the grace, the protection of her Lord. We are separated from her, but she is not lost. And life is much more than grabbing gusto - life is to be intimately connected with our Creator, with our Lord and Savior. Christ wants us to live life to the fullest - to be sure - but full of a gospel sense - filled with the Spirit, with the grace, the forgiveness, the love, the power of God.
I dare say, even if Jesus had not raised Lazarus from the grave, his words to Martha would have remained as powerful. For Lazarus would die again, but now for Martha and for the others and for us, through Christ - life here and now takes on purpose and meaning.
Martha would never be the same again. No matter what would come her way, no matter what would happen - Christ would be with her, she would have life.
It is the power of the resurrection that changes all of life. Look at the difference it made in the lives of people following Christ's resurrection. All the powers of evil and darkness had been destroyed. The skirmishes continue, but the victory has been won - for ____________, for you, for me.
The early followers of Christ faced great persecution, great periods of trial and tribulation and brutal death. But in Christ, there was no fear. There was life - life now committed to Christ - life eternal. Even though death would still claim the flesh, life would continue, and even the body will be raised.
As we gather this day to remember, to give thanks to God for ____________ and to celebrate her life, we can also give thanks for the example she has left us - as Martha - a faithful servant of the Lord, one who lived in the power of this word, this promise.
Each time we had worship and celebrated communion, ____________ was there if she could be. Each time with eagerness she reached out her hand to receive in the body and blood of her Lord that new life, that power, that forgiveness, that love. She eagerly listened to God's word as it was read and proclaimed - clinging to that which was so precious.
We would do well to so treasure these gifts. To truly embrace what these words mean to us for daily life, and for life eternal. To know that each day Christ walks with us, that each day we are empowered to be faithful witnesses to the gospel, to know each day our salvation is secure through the cross and empty tomb of Jesus Christ.
Dear friends in Christ, we are here this day, this hour to remember, to thank God, to celebrate new life. The life that is ____________ now, in the fullest and grandest sense, the life that is ours - all through Jesus the Christ.
In these final days of Lent, as we are vividly reminded of the passion of our Lord we take to us the tremendous price of our redemption, and can only love him more. And in the power of the cross, our sins were paid for, our lives bought with the precious blood of the Lamb. He who said to Martha - I am the resurrection and the life - gave his life that we might live.
I am the resurrection and the life - this year, Easter came a little early for ____________. Amen.
