Untitled Sermon (19)

About 3 weeks ago now. Paul. Let me know that he and his family were going to have to make difficult decisions. Marge's health was declining. And it was becoming very obvious that she couldn't stay at home. She needed extra help. And in the early stages of this decision. It was assumed that. Marge might be um. That March would qualify for independent living or some form of skilled nursing. Over that two week. I I sort of followed. The decision making process, I know that daily I thought of Marge and Paul and Kevin and Ruth that had to make these decisions. And it was clearly a up and down. Period of time for them. And ultimately, um. God made it abundantly clear. That March should be. In Hospice care. It wasn't a very long period of time. While she was at Hospice care before God called her home. I was a bit surprised when I got a text from Paul that his mother had passed away, that Marge was gone. Truthfully, I was somewhat shocked. I didn't think it was going to happen this quickly. When Paul called and talked. And we began to the process of preparing for today. When that conversation was over, I was actually walking in the mountains and. And three words came to mind. And the words are this. It is finished.

Now for those of us who are Christians. Those three words mean a lot. Words from the cross. Jesus saying it is finished. Salvation has been accomplished. But applying those those words to Marge's life, it was her physical life. Here on Earth was finished. Marge consciously entered the presence of our Lord. Additionally. It was finished. In terms of. Having to make decisions. The decision making process was now over. And. The children, as well as us, are left to. To deal with the fact that that God now has. Called Marge home.

When we talk about. Salvation. And what God did for us. There's different words that we use. To describe it. And interestingly enough. Some of those words all start with the letter R. The most prominent one is redemption. Or reconciliation. Or restoration. Or renewal. Or regeneration. Or. In some way. Remodel. Remodel only applies. To the subject of salvation. If you think of new and old. Something that was old. Gets a facelift, in a sense, becomes new. Now God doesn't give us a facelift. There's a total newness that comes to us, isn't there? If anyone be in Christ, he's a new creation. Old has passed away. A few years ago, Jane and I, we did a a major remodel is what we called it, but it really was an addition. We changed our. Our bathroom. To a laundry room and add it on to the house. And we called it a remodel project, but it really was an old bathroom was done away with and a new bathroom that was much better was created. That's a better picture of. If of using the word remodel for salvation, one done away and a new ones created. I don't know about you, but. Um. I love the words. It is finished. I was very active in that remodel. And I'm not one who likes unfinished projects. You come home from work and there's a baseboard that needs to be put on. There's a light switch that needs fixing and it sort of for me. It weighs on me so I can't rest. I can't relax until the project's done. Well, in our Christian life. If you want to look at our lives as something new, God's project. And changing us. It seems as if any project has phases. And there seemed to be 4 phases. That apply to. Our renewal. Our our remodel.

The first phase is rather instantaneous. Phase one begins. When we open our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. And when you accept Christ as your Savior, it's instantaneous. But as many as yours received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God. Phase two starts from that point on. Now we continue to live our physical life. But now, as new creations, we have the life of God in us. The Spirit of God and dwelling us, moving us, as Paul the Apostle says, from glory to glory. As Christians? Who love the Lord. We don't want to stay the same. We want to be more Christ like. We want to. See the evidence of God's Spirit, the fruit of the Spirit in our life. And that's the work of Christ. We call it sanctification, but it's phase two. Phase three begins. When we. Breathe our last breath. And enter into the presence of the Lord. Here's a casket here. Marge's bodies there. But absent from the body present with the Lord. Something about. The body at death makes us realize there's much more to us than just a body, isn't it? Our soul and our spirit. And Marge is now with her Lord. In a moment I'll mention phase four, but before I do that, I want to talk about phase two, Marge's life.

Time doesn't permit us to. Elaborate on lots of things that we could talk about. And so I'm going to, I'm going to highlight one. Characteristic of Marge and use two illustrations to do it. Now let me say. This is going to be a black and white illustration. And I would tell Marge your children have limited my time. So I don't have the time to do. Color commentary. I don't have the time to elaborate on the story. And Marge might say the nerve of those kids. If you know Marge, you know exactly what I'm talking about. In her unique way of color commentary.

But let me let me give two illustrations. The first is we all know that Marge was a teacher. For me, I remember the first time I saw her teach. I walked in. The sanctuary at Vacation Bible School in March was teaching the Bible lesson. I don't know if I ever saw a teacher so animated. And so captivating. And so excited with their subject. And so capable of keeping the attention of children. As she told the Bible story. And she would do it in a way. The kids would listen. And in a way in which it was clear that she is the teacher believed in the story. But one thing I observed over time. Is Marge was not just the dispenser of knowledge. Reading, writing, and arithmetic. Marge took an interest in her students. And especially. In students who maybe were struggling. Educationally. But additionally struggling maybe, with their home life. Maybe their family was struggling financially. Maybe there were problems that was making it difficult for this student. To learn in school. And I can tell you this, that March's school day did not end at 3:00 in the afternoon. Marge not just was involved with their students, but so often she was involved with their families. And especially those. Families that could use some. Attention and love and care and direction. Marge could tell it like it is, in a very appropriate way to be helpful to help move people along. Illustration #2 she retired. And I can't exactly tell you. Where this started? As a member of the Loma Grace. But I think it may have started. At least in my mind, it does or did. With an involvement that March had with the young lady named Linda. Again, that's a long story. But Linda, um. Came to Christ. Linda was involved in drugs. Linda was involved in selling drugs. And Marge took Linda under her wing. And helped mentor and and and and get her separated from her past life. And become grounded in her new life in Christ. Linda is one small example. Of the the the types of people that Marge minister to. And. I don't know if I ever told Carl or Marge this. I should have, probably, but. But I do know this. I've told my wife this a number of times. That Marge and Carl were. We're instrumental. In altering the DNA. Of Loloma Grace.

Paragraph. New graph. All I can tell you is. I watched over months and maybe a couple of years. Where people that maybe normally wouldn't feel accepted among. Those of us who were middle class, or even as Carl and Marge were, upper middle class. People. Began to feel accepted. We could, we would say we love everyone. But sometimes you, you know, if you walk in and everybody sort of has a funny look toward you, or is distant or treats you differently or not doesn't know how to treat you. Trust me, some of the people. That had and probably still do, enter the doors of Aloma, Bring baggage. But I watched as the congregation. Changed. And personally felt. That God. Would be pleased. With a greater attempt. To demonstrate love. For all individuals. For some reason. Marge would gravitate towards the marginalized. The struggling. And she had this passion to help them. And these two illustrations, I think you see the characteristic I'm talking about. And we probably sum it up this way. Love. One another. Care for? Others. And it just. Wasn't an exclusive love that Marge had. And concern. It was an inclusive love. And. It has gone a long way. To even help me. Think differently.

Let me mention the fourth phase. And I'm actually going to simply read two verses. And I think they will explain clearly what I mean by the 4th phase. The first one is First Corinthians 15. And the second one is Philippians 3.

21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Philippians 3:20–21 (ESV)

20 But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.

My dear friends – Jesus said, “it is finished.” When he starts a project, he sees it through to the end.