Margaret Powers Funeral

WELCOME AND OPENING PRAYER

Pastor Michael:

Father, we come before You today with heavy, but joyful hearts as we mourn the loss of our dear sister in Christ. We thank You for the life of this faithful woman of God. We thank You for the example she has set for us all. We thank You for the love she has shown to her family and friends. We thank You for the way she has served You throughout her life.

We pray that You would comfort her family and friends during this difficult time. We pray that You would give them the strength they need to get through this time of grief. We pray that You would help them to remember the good times they shared with her and to hold on to those memories.

We pray that You would help us to learn from her example. We pray that You would help us to be the kind of people she was. We pray that You would help us to love You and to serve You with all our hearts.

We thank You for the example of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31. We thank You for the way this woman embodied those virtues in her life. We pray that You would help us to follow her example and to live our lives in a way that honors You.

We ask all these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.

HYMN

HYMN

TIME OF EULOGY

Led by Sully Donadio

Closed by Pastor Michael

Bob and Margaret paid for our Wednesday night dinners for years

I loved to talk tennis with her. She loved Roger Federer so much. One time I showed her Cesaro and she blushed.

Margaret was an encourager

She encouraged me after each message and even before them

Even after she moved away

She was always looking to fill a bucket and never take away

And now I want to encourage you today with story of the Gospel. The story Margaret loved the most.

THE GOSPEL

John 3:1–17 ESV

Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

This passage shows us that something is wrong with our first birth. We need another one.

Psalm 51:5 ESV

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Ephesians 2:1–2 (ESV)

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—

Explain how sin came into God’s good world and brought death

Explain how the law of God proves that we are sinners and our first birth is corrupted.

This passage shows us that we need a new birth. Like the one promised through the prophet Ezekiel.

Ezekiel 36:25–27 ESV

I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.

Jesus refers to this because it is the Old Testament prophecy regarding the New Covenant reality of how God will use His Spirit to cause people to be born again.

Titus 3:5 ESV

he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,

And then Jesus goes on to explain how God’s love has answered the problem of sin. He explains how someone receives new life in Christ.

By believing in the Son

Jesus says this in verses 14-16.

John 3:14–16 ESV

And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Explain how God sent His Son to:

Live a perfect life

Lived the life we failed to live

Die a sinner’s death in our place

Took the punishment we deserved

resurrect as the Conqueror of Death

Defeating the grave we could never defeat on our own

Ascend to the right hand of the Father, where He is seated until His return

And now, you must repent and believe. You must turn from sin and place your faith in Christ like Margaret did. Like Bob did.

This passage shows that God’s love is forever.

As much of a constant as Margaret’s love was to everyone who knew her, God’s love lasts longer.

The love He gives and the life He grants us lasts forever.

Jeremiah 31:3 ESV

the Lord appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.

Psalm 136:1–3 ESV

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

And we can be sure this love is ours for all of time, if we trust in Christ—for all of the promises of God find their YES in Him.

And those who follow Christ respond to the love of God with a returned love. They send it back to Him. There is an upward drive to their lives. Richard Baxter talks about this:

Souls go not to heaven as an arrow is shot upward, against their inclination; but as fire naturally tendeth upward, and earth downward, to their like; so when holy men are dead, their souls have a natural inclination upward; and it is their love that is their inclination; they love God, and heaven, and holy company, and their old godly friends, and holy works, and even mutual love, and the joyful praises of Jehovah.

Richard Baxter

Understand that Baxter wasn’t saying those things take someone to heaven. That is the blood of Jesus.

But he is saying that those saved by Christ’s blood have the direction of their lives changed.

They burn hot with love for God in life, therefore it is natural that their souls would go to Him in death and find in heaven all that they were longing for.

And so it was with Margaret.

CONCLUSION

Those who knew Bob knows he might say something like, “What’s your point?” if I don’t bring this home—so let me do this now.

It will not suffice to simply admire Margaret’s life—you must trust in her Savior. That is the only way the direction of your life changes.

And without trust in Christ, you can’t truly grieve with joy because you have no guarantee of eternal life and eternal love.

You are left wondering if you will see her again or if there is any good beyond this life.

Turn to Christ for salvation today. That is the point.

Repent and believe and be saved.

And in Him you will find the comfort you need.

For the grief of the moment

And for all the days ahead

The direction of your life will change

Your desires will be transformed

And in your death, you will rise to the Savior you loved in life--sins paid for and an an eternity to bask in the love of God.

The love Margaret basks in as we speak.

Piercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans (Looking to Rest in Heaven)

Forgive our sins, Lord. We bless your name. Grant us health and comfort as we grieve. Extend your hand of protection over us as we mourn. Thank you for giving rest to our friend and we ask for peace in our hearts now that we may rest in these flaky bodies. When this life ends, and our last sleep comes, we will have rest in your kingdom. Grant this, Heavenly Father, for the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, my only Lord and Savior. Amen.

HYMN

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Pastor David