Leo Klein Memorial Service
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January 20, 2023
January 20, 2023
Welcome
Welcome
I would like to thank each one of you for coming here and joining the family in this time to remember the life of Leo. We’ve all been blessed to have known him and to be loved by him. Leo was a very gentle, loving man who humbly and quietly served the Lord and his church family which he deeply loved & treasured. He had a great deal of influence during his earthly life. So today…we’ll celebrate and honor this man who gained so much when he passed thru eternity’s doorway on Tuesday.
Following the service I would invite you all to stay for a time of fellowship which will be in the CE Bldg.
Pray
Congregational Singing
Congregational Singing
Amazing Grace
Just As I Am
Obituary
Obituary
Leo Stephen Klein, 88, passed away on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, from cancer at Bitterroot Health Hospital.
Leo was born on March 1, 1934, in Deer Lodge, Montana to Leo John Klein and Helen Louise Headley Klein. Leo attended several schools in Montana and Washington, he attended High School in Anaconda, Montana. He served in the United States Army from 1957-1959.
He married Marjorie Green on July 16, 1955, in Deer Lodge Montana. He worked as a miner at the phosphate mine at Garrison, Montana. He also worked construction in various places in Alaska. Leo loved his Savior Jesus Christ. He attended the Corvallis Community Church in Corvallis, Montana; Kamiah Bible Church in Kamiah, Idaho; Anchor Point Baptist Church in Anchor Point, Alaska. He loved the Lord and was always helping others with their needs.
Leo and his family lived in Montana for 15 years; Alaska for 25 years; Idaho for 9 years; and again, Montana for 19 years.
Leo is preceded in death by his Son, Pat Klein; Grand-daughters, Jessica and Pamela Klein; Daughter-in-Law Linda Klein; Mother, Helen Nelson; Step-Father Lloyd Nelson; Father, Leo J. Klein. He is survived by his Wife, Marjorie Klein of Hamilton, MT; Children, Jerry Klein of Stevensville, MT; Mike Klein of Frenchtown Mt; Dan (Klaudia) Klein of Anchor Point, AK; Leanna (Paul) Raymond of Homer, AK; Brother, Tim (Nadine) Nelson of Thompson Falls, MT; Sister, Arlene Laverdure of Havre, MT; 18 Grandchildren, 23 Great-Grandchildren, 2 Great-Great Grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
Burial later in Anchor Point, AK (After Marj’s home-going).
The family suggests memorials go to: Gideon’s International
Scripture Reading
Scripture Reading
I believe God’s Word can comfort your hearts today...
50 Now I say this, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 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 will be changed. 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 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. 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord.
Special Music
Special Music
Scott—I’ll Fly Away
Message
Message
An unknown author once wrote:
There is a preacher of the old school but he speaks as boldly as ever. He is not popular, though the world is his parish and he travels every part of the globe and speaks in every language. He visits the poor, calls upon the rich, preaches to people of every religion and no religion, and the subject of his sermon is always the same. He is an eloquent preacher, often stirring feelings which no other preacher could, and bringing tears to eyes that never weep. His arguments none are able to refute, nor is there any heart that has remained unmoved by the force of his appeals. He shatters life with his message. Most people hate him; everyone fears him. His name? Death. Every tombstone is his pulpit, every newspaper prints his text, and someday every one of you will be his sermon.
This has been a difficult week: for Marj and her family, for those of you who were closest to Leo and to the entire church family. It is difficult b/c death is so final. For a week Leo was lying in the hospital ready to go home (heaven). He kept saying, “tomorrow I’m going home.”
Leo was learning an important lesson in these final days of his earthly life: It is God who governs life and death (Dt 32:39). This is His power alone…and there is only 1 person who has authority to yield His life to God—JC (Jn 10:18). Leo wanted…was ready to be home with the Lord. And now he is.
21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith,
Paul explains in Col 3:4 that Christ “is our life.” He doesn’t just impart life…He IS life. Peter called Jesus “the Prince of life” (Acts 3:15). For the believer, life is summed up in Christ. Life is all about Christ. He is not only the beginning, but the continuation and the end of life. If you were to remove Christ—there would be no life. So to live life on this earth, among our loved ones, friends, church family—the Xn lives for Christ (to exalt Him).
But Paul makes another affirmation: “To die is gain.” This can only be true of those who Christ is their life (Xn). The unbeliever cannot say “to die is gain.” His best life is only now, and what waits for him is eternal condemnation in hell. NO—for the unbeliever, to die is loss, horrible, unimaginable, heart breaking loss.
This is not the perspective of the believer—to die is gain. That word means to win something, to gain an advantage. And in every way, that is the experience for every believer upon death. To die will only mean to win the great advantage that has been prepared by God for those who believe on the LJC.
Now, Paul readily acknowledged “I do not know which to choose.” He says “I am hard pressed” (term lit to hold together). Paul was being squeezed in by both strong desires. If he were to live on in the flesh, he would continue to serve Christ and the church and it would be fruitful. But to depart (Paul’s way of saying “to die”) and to be with Christ is “very much better.” (doubly intensified word—preferable, being higher in status, more prominent, more advantageous).
You can see why Paul was hard pressed. His life (as difficult, challenging, painful as it was) was very good. And this may be you. God has so blessed and enriched your life, has opened doors for serving JC and the church and that service is bearing much fruit—and the result is that you thoroughly rejoice in this life. There is nothing wrong with that.
1 How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, Who walks in His ways.
But Paul also knew that if he died, he would immediately be in the presence of Jesus—no waiting period, no intermediate state, no holding place… “with Christ” and his theology became very real: “very much better.”
Let me just mention a few advantages that death has for the believer (and you can apply these to Leo—and I know it will comfort your heart and bring you to joy).
1. Freedom From Evil
1. Freedom From Evil
The unbeliever may pursue pleasure as the ultimate goal, or money, fame, power, or any number of vices. There is no desire for that person to be set free from evil only to continue to wallow in his sin. But the believer, who has tasted the kindness of the Lord, knows about the righteousness of JC and he longs for the purity that only comes from being in His presence. For then, he is free from evil, sin, corruption, unrighteousness, and injustice that ultimately only death will deliver him from.
Talking with Leo a few days before his departure, in fact it was the evening of his surgery, the surgeon walked in and Leo boldly professed “I am going home tomorrow.” Now, I don’t know if the surgeon understood what he meant but Marj told him he meant heaven and the surgeon went on to talk about how his blood pressure was where it should be, and pulse looked good—only physical things. In this midst of the physical pain and discomfort—Leo was longing for his heavenly home.
23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.
The redemption of the body, at that point, death means freedom from all evil—the present consequence of living in a fallen world which is very much under the curse. To be with Christ means there is no evil at all—what a blessing for Leo and all our believing loved ones who have passed on.
2. Conformity to Christ
2. Conformity to Christ
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
2 Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.
18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.
Death is advantageous for the believer for while we remain in this life…God is continuing the work of conforming us to the image of JC (slow and progressive—and never fully finished on this side of eternity). It is one thing to be freed from a world of evil and sin. But to be completely set free from the personal sin, the sin which indwells every believing heart—this is where you will find your full sanctification.
“We will be like Him...”
In righteousness
In righteousness
8 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.
James calls is “crown of life” (James 1:12); Peter: “unfading crown of glory” (1Pt 5:4). Do you understand why heaven will be so satisfying?
6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Your sanctification comes from the very thing that you seek after—righteousness is the reward of those who seek it.
In Knowledge
In Knowledge
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
Right now our knowledge is mixed with error (some more than others). A few vv later:
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
The imperfect knowledge that we all have now will be transformed into a perfect knowledge (not omniscience)—not like the dimmness [engima/puzzle, riddle] that clouds our understanding today but a clarity that comes from being like LJC and knowing as we are known.
3. Being With Christ
3. Being With Christ
11 You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
When Stephen (the 1st Xn martyr) was being stoned to death:
59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!”
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.
To be absent from the body (having gone thru the physical moment of death—separation of body from spirit) is to “be at home with the Lord.” This is what Paul means when he says “very much better.” To die is gain b/c you’ll be with JC. There is no better life than to be with Him.
This is why:
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord Is the death of His godly ones.
I would say unequivocally, this is the one thing that makes heaven, heaven—the presence of our Lord. Without Him, it wouldn’t be what it is. You can sit here, zealously looking to heaven, awaiting the gain that you will find there. And Leo already has a headstart. But for death to be “gain” for anyone here, you must believe on LJC. And I know many of you do—it is the message that Leo wanted me to share with all of you—turn to Jesus. Repent and believe and you will find Christ to be your life and when your earthly comes to an end—you too will find the great advantage of being with Christ. And then we’ll love, adore, praise, worship, honor and give glory to the One who gave Himself for us—taking our place and taking God’s wrath for our sin—that we could be with Him forever, fully forgiven, acceptable to the Father b/c of the work of His Son. Believe today!
Pray
As a reminder, we’ll head over to the CE bldg for extended fellowship, so please join us if you’re able.