Freddy Howard Funeral

Freddy’s funeral

Jackie - Welcome & introduce video of Kaylee (“I Can Only Imagine”)

Kaylee video

Cheryl shares

Jackie - allow others to share

Chris Shares

Bryan sings

Jackie shares & closes

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Freddy preached his own funeral. As Chris rightly said, this is the day Freddy has preparing for his whole life.

Freddy is one of my heroes.

Kind, compassionate, truthful.

A loving daddy & husband, and faithful friend.

Freddy has been a faithful servant of this church, investing in people with his time, talents, and treasure.

I love Freddy Howard and communicated that a couple of days before he passed as I was blessed with about 30 minutes of personal time with him in his bedroom. We talked about memories together, as we served together on a student ministry mission trip many moons ago along with much more.

And Freddy wanted me to mention several passages of Scripture because he wanted everyone here - his family & his friends - to KNOW Jesus.

We discussed 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. If you know Freddy, you know he was very concerned that many people CLAIM to know Jesus, but not as many ACT like they know Jesus.

So, here you go. The apostle Paul writes to a church - a group of people who have greatly sinned, who have been greatly forgiven.

1 Corinthians 6:9–10 (CSB)

Don’t you know that the unrighteous will not inherit God’s kingdom? Do not be deceived: No sexually immoral people, idolaters, adulterers, or males who have sex with males, no thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, or swindlers will inherit God’s kingdom.

This isn’t an exhaustive list that mentions every possible sin, but it covers a bunch that are NOT to play a part in the lives of those who belong to Jesus. And while all of us can likely point to one of these sins that we HAVE participated in, we should no longer be living for the sin that Jesus died to pay for!

Those who say anything different, are not speaking the truth, so…do not be deceived by them.

Notice what always leads the list for Paul:

Sexually immorality comes from the Greek word porneia, from which we get our word - pornography. This term refers to any sexual activity outside of marriage, and in this context likely is targeted as those who are unmarried - as married folks will be mentioned in a moment. Sexual immorality is littered across our devices - TVs, phones, & computers. Rarely does a movie or show we like have unmarried people NOT participating in sex. Many who claim Christ live in sexual immorality with their significant other. I can’t tell you how many "Christians” who are talking about marriage who are already living together. NO!!! This should NOT be so!!!! For those who live this way - listen to the warning shot fired across your bow - the unrighteous will not inherit the God’s kingdom.

Idolaters are those who seek out other gods beside the real God.

People in our culture might not bow down to statues, but many worship a false image of who God really is. Instead of worshiping the God in whose image we are made, many worship a god made in their image.

Adultery not only impacts the marriage, but it has the potential to blow up the family. Adultery often ends up in divorce and families that are splintered the rest of their lives. Thankfully, genuine repentance to Jesus and to one another means that marriages can be salvaged, restored, and even become examples to give hope to others!

Males who have sex with males (females as well) - Homosexual Activity is forbidden to the follower of Jesus. Some have attempted to sidestep the Scriptures using several different tactics.

We should love these people who live in these sins (sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, and homosexual activity), but we should NEVER condone nor applaud such sin.

Neither should followers of Jesus live in sin by being...

Thieves or Greedy. Followers of Jesus are to be image bearers of Jesus to others. Would Jesus ever steal? Was Jesus stingy with his stuff & acting like material possessions were more important than people? NOPE! Thieves steal what they wish they had and the greedy keep what they have to themselves, ever wanting more and more.

Drunkards live for the next party, buzz, or fix that blurs the line between reality and fantasy. The was the most readily available drug of the day but certainly is an umbrella for anything that would cause us to be out of control and not focused on making a spiritual impact. Paul writes the Ephesians saying:

Ephesians 5:18 (CSB) And don’t get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless living, but be filled by the Spirit:

Verbally abusive people hurt other people with their words. The old saying, “Sticks and stones make break my bones but words will never hurt me” is…a LIE!

Swindlers could be lumped with the thieves and greedy, because they lie, cheat, and take advantage of other people for financial gain. They don’t love others. They love themselves too much.

These people will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. WHY?

We can’t live in sin, if we belong to Him.

If you CAN live in...sexual immorality, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, stealing from others, greed, drunkenness, abusing others with you mouth, or swindling people, then you CAN’T be a follower of Jesus.

And let me make this clear - people don’t live right to be made right with God, but people who have been made right with God, live right. The Holy Spirit inside of you won’t allow anything less. Because...

If you ARE a follower of Jesus, then you AREN’T who you used to be.

1 Corinthians 6:11 (CSB)

And some of you used to be like this. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

This is fantastic news! If you have lived in those sins in the past, you don’t have to stay there, you CAN BE FORGIVEN! Your identity doesn’t have to be soldered to your sins. Jesus died to pay for ALL of that!

When you turn from your sin and trust Jesus...

Your sin has been washed away!

You have been sanctified - set apart and claimed by God as a son/daughter of His!

And you have been justified - set free from judgment - no longer viewed as guilty.

Following Jesus means that you have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ - by His authority and because of His obedience to go to the cross to pay for your sin. Now He lives in His followers by the Spirit.

Are you a FOLLOWER of Jesus? Have you turned from your sin and trusted Jesus?

Does your life demonstrate that you are washed, sanctified, and justified?

If so, then I would hope that we would follow Freddy’s example of reading, trusting, and obeying the Scriptures. There were several other verse from 1 John he wanted me to mention.

1 John 2:28 (CSB)

So now, little children, remain in Him so that when He appears we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. If you know that He is righteous, you know this as well: Everyone who does what is right has been born of Him.

1 John 3:2b–3:3 (CSB)

We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as He is pure.

This was Freddy’s heart, to be ready when Jesus returned OR Jesus took him HOME. Freddy didn’t live pure to be made right with God. Freddy lived pure because he WAS made right with God through Jesus’ payment for his sin, on the cross.

1 John 3:4–3:6 (CSB)

Everyone who commits sin practices lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness. You know that He was revealed so that he might take away sins, and there is no sin in Him. Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen him or known Him.

This doesn’t mean true followers of Jesus will never sin, but it sure DOES mean that true followers of Jesus don’t want to live for the stuff that Jesus died to pay for!

Finally, I can’t tell you how many talks I’ve had with Freddy over the years where he said something like this, “If my passing will bring my family/friends to Jesus, then I’m ready & willing to go.”

If Freddy’s example & God’s Scripture has stirred you hear today, then I plead with you to talk with a genuine follower of Jesus. Ask your questions. Share your doubts. Ask them to help you to KNOW Jesus.

PRAY

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Graveside

I hate this place. This is a place of separation - a place where we don’t want to go, but all eventually will.

But one day, this place will be a place - not of mourning, but of rejoicing - just as the tomb of Jesus was. Think about that for a moment, Jesus died - His spirit left his body and his lifeless body was placed in a tomb. Jesus’ spirit went to be with the Father (“Father into your hands I commit my spirit”).

BUT…3 Jewish days later - Jesus’ spirit returned to His body, He stood up and left that tomb. I’ve been to this area of Israel, and the place of mourning is now a place of rejoicing. Jesus is alive!

So too, on Monday around 2pm, Freddy’s spirit left this old body and went to be with the Lord. Today, we put this body in a tomb. But…one day, Freddy’s spirit WILL return to his body, and like Jesus - he will be able to be touched and hugged. We will laugh together again!

Let’s conclude with these encouraging words from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (CSB)

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For we say this to you by a word from the Lord: We who are still alive at the Lord’s coming will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are still alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Would you do that right now?

Turn to someone and tell them. “This is NOT goodbye, it’s see you later.”

Would you SING the 1st & last verse of Amazing Grace with me?

Amazing Grace how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

When we've been there ten thousand years Bright, shining as the sun We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we first begun

PRAY