Eva Fink Funeral
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Loss, even when it is expected, isn’t easy. Eva Fink was a beloved mother, grandmother, friend, church member, community member, family member, and so much more and we could spend hours and hours tonight talking about all the ways that God used her to bless others and help shape the lives of so many around her! Today is a day of laughter and rejoicing, but it’s also a difficult day of mourning and missing “mom” for so many of you. Thankfully, because of Jesus Christ, today is a day where we celebrate our hope in Him and the reality that Eva is not only in a better place, she’s in the best place and she’s worshiping around the throne in a resurrected, glorified, and perfected body that is free from pain and suffering. One pastor was asked what he was most looking forward to in heaven other than being in the presence of God - that’s a given… He pondered the question momentarily and eventually said this, “I’m looking forward to living in a world without sin… I’m sick and tired of sin.” Eva is in such a place right now. Free from heartache. Free from pain. Free from suffering. Free from brokenness. And it’s all because of Jesus Christ.
In talking with the family this week, it was clear that Eva loved Jesus Christ as she was a hard worker and had a servants heart. Whether it be teaching Sunday School for 35 years, helping out in various ministries, or making clothes for people that couldn’t afford them any other way, Eva was a servant of King Jesus and loved on her family and her community well. The question I want to consider this afternoon is this: Why would Eva live this type of life? Why did she leave behind a life of faith in Jesus as her lasting legacy for generations and generations? The answer is found in God’s Word in 1 John chapter 4. Lots of people talk about God being love and they’re really careful not to define God or love very well so that everyone feels warm and fuzzy inside - I’m not sure that Eva would appreciate that type of carelessness. I think she’d want us to be very careful about God’s Word and to make sure that we’ve responded to it appropriately! Let’s read a few verses from this amazing chapter.
7 Dear friends, let us love one another, because love is from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.
8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
9 God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his one and only Son into the world so that we might live through him.
10 Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.
11 Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another.
What is the kind of love being talked about here and why are we talking about love on a day like today? Ms. Eva was someone who loved others well. She loved to serve. She loved to teach. She loved children. She loved to help out when there was a need. She loved chocolate and she even loved to share the joy of chocolate with others - including her pastor! The reason why is because she knew God and she had experienced the love of God in her own life.
19 We love because he first loved us.
Eva knew that she had fallen short of God’s perfect standard but that God loved her enough to send His Son, Jesus Christ, to come to the earth and live a perfect life and to die for her sins on the cross. Before Eva was even born, God sent Jesus and His love still changes people to this day. The love of God changed Eva’s life and his love can change you as well. The reason that Eva loved others was because she knew that this is what God commanded her to do.
So what legacy does Eva leave behind for us as family and friends? Sure, one of love, but namely one of faith in Jesus Christ. In talking with the family, it was apparent that Eva not only believed in Christ as Lord, but she wanted to make sure that her children and grandchildren did as well! What a testimony! She would look people in the eye and ask if they had repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus as Lord. She would call her family and ask if they were going to church. These types of things would make many people uncomfortable and awkward, but Eva was a straight shooter and she knew that these types of questions were important not only here and now, but for all eternity. She lived with an eternal perspective and this perspective impacted every aspect of her life.
On a day like today there is sadness because of the loss of a loved one and that sadness is completely normal. God created us for relationships and community. He loved us so much that He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we could be adopted into His family! It’s normal to grieve whenever we lose a loved one - Jesus is familiar with grief and loss. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that we have a high priest who can sympathize with us in our weakness. He wept too. He suffered too. He will hold you fast during these difficult days. Eva would want you to grieve but not as those who don’t have hope - she would want you to grieve like Jesus with an expectancy that you will see her again because of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Do you have that hope today? Eternity is too long to get it wrong!
We could talk more about the savvy business decisions Eva made or the domino group that she belonged to or even the jokes that she would crack with family. We could go on and on with stories and highlights and talk more about her character but, I was told, that Eva wanted this message to be short. She wanted this message to be about the Gospel. She wanted people to know that she belonged to Jesus and she would want you to have that same hope today as well.
Life is Short.
Death is Sure.
Sin is the Curse.
Christ is the Cure.
Turn your eyes to Jesus, repent of your sins, walk in newness of life as He saves you from your sins. He wins in the end, and the end is already written. We can find victory and hope in Jesus - this is what Eva would want you to experience today! Let’s pray
Graveside:
Paul knew much about suffering and loss. But in the midst of the loss, he also came to experience more and more of God’s amazing grace and love. He had hope that he would spend eternity with Jesus and that even the worst thing he experienced here would pale in comparison to the weight of glory that he would one day soon see. Paul shares this in Romans 8
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
Eva is experiencing this today. Her sufferings were many but they are no more. She is walking in glory. She is more alive today than she has ever been and it’s all because of Jesus. In the days to come, lean on one another but most of all, lean on your good shepherd as Psalm 23 shares with us a picture of Jesus Christ. He is our shepherd, and even in the valley of the shadow of death, He promises to be with His people. We can trust in Him and He will provide exactly what we need when we need it.
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