Memorial Sermon for Kathy Blair based on John 14:1-6

Memorial Sermon for Kathy Blair on 1-19-24 based on John 14:1-6

Dear Family and Friends of Kathy:

This morning we are gathered to remember the life of Kathy. A couple of my favorite memories of Kathy are: Seeing Kathy and her husband, Larry, in church at Zion Lutheran Church in the Ocheyedan area on a fairly regular basis the last few months of 2023 and seeing Kathy with her smile as I shook her hand after the worship service. Teaching Kathy and Larry about the basic teachings of the Lutheran Christian faith at their home this past summer was a good time as well. Kathy had trouble saying what she wanted the last few months, but I still remember her giving me a New Testament of the Bible with a special message about hope that I still have with me.

Some of you might remember Kathy and Larry living in Spokane, Washington, for many years. Or you might remember their dog, Maggie, with all kinds of energy.

This morning I would like to talk about some special words of Jesus in the 14th chapter of the Gospel of John. Those verses were read for our Gospel lesson this morning. Jesus was speaking to His closest followers shortly before He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot, sentenced to death by Pontius Pilate, and crucified on a wooden, Roman cross outside of Jerusalem’s city walls. Jesus was telling His closest followers and disciples that He was going away from them. They were saddened and had trouble listening to the words of Jesus.

In John 14:1-4 Jesus told them, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” In the King James Version of the Bible, the word translated as “rooms” is translated as “mansions” with the phrase being, “In my Father’s house are many mansions.” The key thing is not the size of the rooms. The key thing is that the “rooms” or “mansions” are not like temporary hotel rooms, but places where believers in Jesus will spend eternity in heaven. Jesus promised His followers then and now that He was preparing a place in heaven for all of His faithful followers.

Thomas was not sure what Jesus was talking about and asked Jesus in John 14:5, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” The fact that Jesus was going to die on the cross for the sins of the sinners and wrongdoers of the world was something the closest followers of Jesus did not fully understand. Thomas put in words what the others were wondering about Jesus going away from them and what that meant. They were hoping that Jesus was going to set up an earthly kingdom and they would be a part of that earthly kingdom. They were confused about the purpose of Jesus’ mission on earth.

In John 14:6 Jesus told Thomas and the rest of the followers of Jesus, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Those words of Jesus are important for Christians today as well. We hear so many confusing things people say about death and heaven today. Death comes to us because of our sins in our wrong thoughts, wrong words, and wrong deeds. That is not the end of the story though. Jesus is the way to be saved from eternal death. Jesus conquered death for Kathy, for you, and for me by dying on the cross for us. Jesus is the truth that saves us. Jesus lived a life without sin, because we could not live a life without sin. Jesus was the perfect sacrifice on the cross for us, because He was the Lamb of God without any blemish who earned the forgiveness of all of our sins for us. Jesus was raised to life on the third day after being placed in a tomb to complete His victory over sin, death, and the evil one. Jesus is the life for us. Jesus promises eternal life in heaven for those who trust in Him alone for salvation.

Jesus’ saving mission was and still is all about grace. God the Father graciously sent Jesus to give us forgiveness, life, and eternal salvation. Jesus graciously put up with all of the people who tried to trick Him with questions. Jesus graciously lived a life of compassion and love for us. Jesus graciously gave His life as the once-for-all sacrifice for our many sins and wrongs. Jesus graciously sent the Holy Spirit to guide people into all truth about God after Jesus arose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Jesus graciously prays for us as we mourn the loss of loved ones and friends like Kathy. A good way to remember what God’s grace means is to put a word with each letter of the word “grace”. G stands for God’s and R stands for Riches and A stands for At and C stands for Christ’s and E stands for Expense. So putting all those words together tells us that “grace” means God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.

According to God’s grace, Kathy was born into this world. According to God’s grace, Kathy was given the new birth of water and the Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism and she was adopted into God’s family. According to God’s grace, Kathy received the true Body and true Blood of Jesus in, with, and under the bread and the wine of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper. According to God’s grace, Kathy lived a long life. According to God’s grace, Kathy has been called to her heavenly home.

In this time of our grieving for Kathy, we thank God for giving us His saving grace through the gift of faith in Jesus and we thank God for the life of Kathy we were able to know. The words of Jesus still are good words of hope and comfort for us this morning from John 14:1-3, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” Amen.