Sermon Tone Analysis

Pastor Ray to read some scripture and give some personal remarks about Willard.

Introduction

On behalf of Willard’s family, I want to say thank you for coming today.

Personally, I came know Willard the best when he landed in the Roanoke fighting the infection in his leg.

It was tough time in his life and it came down to a difficult decision.

As you all know, Willard lost his leg to the infection.

It was during that time that I discovered that Willard was quiet man.

The times that I visited in the hospital and at his home, he often would sit and listen.

He never really said much.

I also learned how much he loved the outdoors and working with his hands.

For someone who has a great love for the outdoors to lose a leg and be confined to a chair is devastating.

Yet, as far as I know, he never complained.

He simply accepted what he know must be done.

That speak volumes about him.

He was quiet, but strong man.

The Gospel Message

This past Tuesday, October 11, Willard made a journey that so many of us, as believers, desire to make.

That seems strange for someone to say.

How could anyone embrace death as a journey?

Yet, Scripture is quite clear that for us who have placed our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ that death is just that, a journey.

It is a passage from this life as we know it to eternal life.

Willard made that journey Tuesday.

On that day, he stepped into heaven and saw for the first time a sight that is beyond understanding.

The closest we have to knowing what he saw is recorded in Isaiah 6.

There we read.

On Tuesday, Willard saw the Lord sitting upon His throne, high and lifted up, with the Lord’s train filling the temple.

Willard caught his first glimpse of the wonderful seraphims singing, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”

As I was thinking about what to share with all of you today, I asked myself this question, “If Willard who is now in God’s glory and having witnessed what he is seeing right now, could return to us and speak to us today, what would he say?”

Now, I know that Willard’s soul is Heaven.

His body is lying here in this casket.

There is coming a day when his body will be resurrected, changed, and reunited with his soul when the Rapture takes place.

However, for now, his soul is with the Lord.

He is experiencing the glory of God.

If Willard returned to speak to us, which he cannot at the moment, I believe you would find him a changed man.

No longer would he be the quiet man we know.

Instead, he would be eager to share with all of us all the splendors of Heaven.

He would want to tell you how magnificent God truly is and he would desire more than anything that you share in Heaven’s blessing.

I believe he would look you in the eye and say with great interest, “Are you ready for Heaven?”

That really is the question for all of us today.

Scripture says this about our life here on earth.

God’s gives each of us this short time on earth for one purpose.

It is our time to prepare for eternity.

Yes, our life here is short.

Yet, everyone of us will live for eternity.

What you do in this life time determines where you spend your eternity.

You can spend eternity in God’s presence enjoying the bountiful blessings of Heaven, or you can spend your eternity in a place called Hell that is filled with pain and darkness.

The wonderful news of the gospel is this.

God desires that you spend your eternity with Him.

Thus, He has given you this life to prepare.

Are you ready?

Are your prepared to spend the rest of eternity with Him?

All of which leads to an extremely important question.

How does one prepare death and life after death?

The answer is in God’s Word.

I will give you the short version.

It is John 3:16

God loves you.

He did something that only He could do.

He gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ as payment for our sins.

Yes, He was given for our sins.

You see everyone born into this world is born already separated from God and spiritually dead.

The only way a person can be reunited with God is through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Our sins demanded payment.

The only payment that would suffice was a lamb without blemish - a person without sin.

That is where Christ comes in.

He came to this earth, born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, and willingly gave Himself on the cross for our sins.

In doing so, God bestowed to Him the gift of eternal life.

Now, God says to all, “Accept my Son!” Spiritually and eternal life is found only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus, our hope of Heaven is found only in Him.

There is not a single person here today who work their way into Heaven.

You cannot join a church and make into Heaven.

In fact, you cannot be baptized and make it into Heaven.

Living a good life, joining a church, and being baptized are good things, but they do not make spiritually alive.

Spiritual birth only comes through accepting Christ as your Savior.

How can a person accept Christ?

There is the answer.

You must confess (agree) that you are sinner, there is price for your sin, and that Christ paid that price with His death, burial, and resurrection.

As you confess, then you must believe it with your whole heart repenting of your life of sin and committing your life to Christ as Lord and Savior.

When you do, you properly prepared to spend an eternity in God’s presence.

Willard is with the Lord.

He is enjoying the wonderful presence of God and God’s great glory.

A sight far greater than any beauty we have beheld here on earth.

I am confident that Willard would want you to join him there.

He would want to share what he is seeing and knowing right now with all of you.

However, there is only way to prepare and only way into Heaven.

Do you Christ as you Savior?

Have opened your hear to Him?

I would encourage you to do so today.

At this time and before I close in prayer, we have song that Jeff would like to play.

Jeff’s Song

I am going to close this graveside service with a prayer.

However, before I do, I want to encourage you to invite Christ into your life.

With your heads bowed and eyes closed, if you sincerely desire to open your hear to Christ, here is a short prayer I would encourage you to pray.

Simply say this!

Lord, I realize that I am a sinner.

I realize there is a penalty for my sin.

I acknowledge with my mouth and my heart that you paid for my sin with your life.

It was your death, burial, and resurrection that atoned for my sin.

And, as best I know how, I ask your forgiveness of my sin, I turn to you, and I accept you into my life.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.