Robert Try Memorial

Intro

Welcome, my name is Ezra, and I’m one of the pastors here at Scholls… It’s my honor to welcome you to Bob Try’s Memorial Service (Celebration of Life)

For those new to our building => restrooms, exits

Note: we’re here to remember Bob Try

It is a time to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep” (Rom. 12:15)

To weep, because Bob’s parting is a real loss

To rejoice, because of the life that you were able to share with Bob

Prayer

Songs: Hymn of Promise; Amazing Grace

Slide Show

Scripture

Revelation 21:1–4 ESV

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Message

In the life of someone like Bob, you see a lot of God’s goodness and kindness.

When God created people, he created us in his image. This means, he created us to rule the earth and to bring forth life in—all for God’s own glory, and in the joy of belonging to him.

Now, that good design was damaged when humanity turned against God. We are not who we were created to be anymore. But still, the design and the dignity of God’s image in us is there. And that’s what you see in a life like Bob’s. As an engineer, his occupation was in the pulp and paper industry. As I imagine that, I don’t know what kind of paper it was that his work contributed to producing—butcher paper, used to wrap meat which was then enjoyed by families around the dinner table? —tablets used by 5th graders in school? —pages in a medical textbook? I don’t know if any of you know… he could probably tell us if he was here. But that paper doubtless contributed to the flourishing of many of his fellow human beings. And though we don’t often think of it this way, and though he may not have realized it, his work pleased God and brought God glory.

And that’s not to mention his painting and stained-glass making—producing beauty—again, a thing which pleased God and brought him glory. And even more than these things, he was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather to his family—not to mention a friend and an active member of the community—all facets, in different ways, of the goodness and dignity of carrying God’s image—of being designed as a faint reflection of God’s own sovereign rule and life-giving love toward the world.

And as we consider this—the dignity and honor of Bob, who he was as a human being—it pushes us to remember also the whole human story. The first note of this story is a bright one: our dignity from how God designed us. The second note, however, is somber: as I mentioned, though we were created to image God for his glory—to reflect him in purity and with joy—we have now turned away from him.

Instead of imaging God, we image idols—we worship success, riches, comfort. We trust in personal beauty, power, or popularity. And, of course, those are the respectable idols. There are also the more obviously evil ones—violence, substance abuse, unfaithfulness, and the like. Whether in a ‘respectable’ way or in an obvious way, we naturally travel down the road away from God. And the result is that we become like the idols that we worship.

In many ways, these idols—even though they are not literal statues—take the place in our hearts which can only rightfully be given to God: we look to them to satisfy us or provide for us or keep us safe, which is another way of saying that we worship them. But as the Psalmist wrote:

Psalm 115:5–8 ESV

They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.

What did he mean by that? Those who worship idols sink deeper and deeper into spiritual lifelessness. Certainly, this is a somber reality. We have rejected God, and this is what we become as we turn to other sources of comfort, protection, or satisfaction.

But the third note in the story is much brighter: God sent his Son to become one of us, to rescue us from all of this. Of course, I’m talking about Jesus. Paul wrote this about him:

Colossians 1:15-16 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created...”

What is Paul saying? That unlike our broken imaging of God, Jesus imaged God perfectly. He did this as the perfect man—perfect in purity, truth, goodness, faithful love, and compassion. In this way, he became the head of a new humanity. And so, all who trust in him as redeemer and king become part of this new humanity—people in whom the image of God is being restored, day by day.

And at the same time, he is not only the perfect human, but also God. He is ‘God with Us’, so that all who trust in him are re-united to the God that we have been estranged from in our corruption. But how? How was this accomplished? In the same letter, Paul also wrote that God was pleased:

Colossians 1:19-20 “…through [Jesus] to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.”

What is Paul saying? There is a natural lack of peace between God and people. We were created for God’s glory, but we live for our own. But where there was estrangement, and even hostility, Jesus made peace by the blood of his cross. But again, how? A few verse later, Paul wrote that God has:

Colossians 2:13-14 “forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.”

In other words, our idol-worship had incurred an unpayable debt with God. But in his mercy, Jesus took this debt on himself, in order to clear the way, by his own death, for the guilty to be re-united with God.

In this way, the true story of humanity comes to us with an unfinished ending. But if you are a believer, you know how it will end: Jesus will finally restore all things in the New Creation, and all who are united with him by faith will reign with him there, in life and joy everlasting. On the other hand, if you are not yet a believer, the story comes to you with a prompt: turn from all of your sin-idols, and trust in Jesus. He is the true image of God, and in him are forgiveness, fellowship with God, spiritual healing of what is broken in us, and life everlasting.

Closing Prayer

Thanksgiving for Bob’s life

Request comfort and joy for family

Benediction

Note to enjoy refreshments and time together after…

Numbers 6:24–26 ESV

The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.