2024 T.J. Hand Funeral

T.J. Hand Funeral

January 23, 2024

· My honor and privilege to serve this family. My endeavor is to love you the best I can by pointing you to the Creator, Savior and Comforter of your souls.

Psalm 23 – The Lord is my Shepherd…

Psalm 46 – God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

1 Corinthians 15:19 – If in Christ we have hope only in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

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*Prayer

_*”Because He Lives”________

T.J. Hand… the son, the brother, the family member that you have loved… (Came into my youth group)

The life of the group, the life of the party… the one who desired to put smiles on faces and to lift you from despair…

As one family member put it, ”If you were down and T. J. came into the room… your day was about to get better.”

This was your skateboarding, guitar playing, loved one… And your love for him is evident.

Your grief bears witness to the reality of the love that you have for him. That is what grief is, the emotional pain that comes from loss… from losing someone that is valuable, treasured, and adored. You will grieve much because you have loved much…

Therefore, we do not run from it. It is natural and it is good. We see in Scripture that this is something that even God experiences… God can be and will be grieved from time to time… and we see one of those times through the life of Christ, as he Himself cries at a funeral service… just before He raises Lazarus from the dead.

It is painful… But it is good and necessary…

So, grieve… and grieve well.

How can we grieve well? “Pastor, I have so many emotions, so much is going on: guilt, self-condemnation, anger, and unanswered questions…” How do I proceed?

1. First, turn to the Shepherd. Who is He? He is the Lord. He is the God Who has created. He is the God Who holds all things together, Who holds the universe together… He is the refuge and strength that we have. He is our very present help in our time of trouble…

This God has the answers. This God can lead you through all seasons of life, through the storms, the deserts, the trials, and tribulations that life brings to us. He can lead you through valleys, through threats, and shadows of death… He can even lead you through death itself and get you through to Him.

This is our God, our God has made all things, and He knows exactly how to provide for us.

Oh brother… But, why does life come to this. Why does life bring so much pain?

In the very beginning, God made everything good… but sin fractured everything. Death came into the world. Chaos, family dysfunction, hatred, bitterness, sickness, diseases, all addictions that drew people away from God… started from here.

And in the beginning… God had a plan… He would send Someone into the world to redeem, heal, make it new and fix it… not to just help us cope with it… But to make all things new.

We are all in need of help. All are trying to deal with life, to cope with the pains of life… and we can all go to the wrong things to help get us through...

The Bible shows us that we are to go to a Person. The Word of God shows us a Person is our Need… and our Helper.

This Someone would come into the world not to condemn it but to save it from destruction. And in the fullness of time, John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life…”

“Yea, the world, but will He really care for me personally?” Psalm 22 and Psalm 23 points to a resounding, “yes!”

Psalm 22 points to Christ being crucified for us, and Psalm 23 shows the Shepherd leading us through life. The Shepherd lays down His life for His sheep. He will feed them, water them, lay them down, and protect them… Because they, each of them, belong to Him.

Therefore, cast all your cares upon Him… for He cares for you personally. He knows you personally and intimately. He created you for Himself.

Listen: It is common for us to experience guilt, shame, condemnation, and anger… as you are dealing and struggling with all the “could haves,” “should haves,” and “would haves.”

But you must not stay where you do not belong. You must not try to handle or control that which you cannot hold.

You need this Jesus to become your Peace and to come to you and to remove that which does not belong to you… You must take shelter in His arms… He can handle that which we cannot.

Christ died to take these things from us, not for us to hold on to them.

We cannot fix people, even though we would love to. We cannot change the heart. Only God can, if we will submit and surrender to Him.

2. Jesus is our Hope. Now, when we think of hope… I am not talking about, “Well I hope it does or doesn’t rain tomorrow, or I hope T.J. does not get hurt on the skateboard…

The Hope that we have, that comes from Christ, is a confident and secure expectation. “This will happen.”

In this life… everything changes… everything moves. Seas move, mountains move, shadows move. Everything changes, but God.

Therefore, only God can be an anchor for our souls. Only God can give us promises and lives that will last for all eternity when everything else fades away.

For the one who is trusting in themselves, they will perish. Those who are trusting in materials, money, wood, brick, and flesh… It will all pass away.

But God… He will never be moved. He will never change who He is. His goodness, holiness, kindness and mercy will never change. With Him, there is no shifting, no shadows… No evil.

God has made promises. Christ has made promises. God is going to keep His Word. How do we know that we can trust Christ to keep His Word?

He claimed to be God, healed people from their diseases, walked on water, died… but three days later… he came back from the dead, proving to be the Son of God…

So, we can trust that Jesus is going to do everything that He said He would do. God is going to do the right thing and fulfill every promise.

What did He say He would do? (Please read your Bible)

1. For the unbeliever: He will save you.

2. For the Christian: He will keep you, never leave you or forsake you, He will always love you, never condemn you, and He will come back for you. You will have crowns and rewards in heaven. You will be reunited with your loved ones and you will experience eternal happiness and joy with God forever.

We must take the time that we have today, and make the most of it. Come to Christ, repent of your sins, live for God, love others like their is no tomorrow, and do the most that you can for God and others while you still have breath...

Today, right now is what we have. Plan for the future and live in the here and now… Make the most of your time for God.

From the beginning of time, until now… Human life has lived and has died. We are to live once, die, and then face the judgement. This is true for all of us. Our bodies have a beginning, and they have an end.

The spirit of man will live on with Christ in Heaven or will face the judgement in hell.

Those who are trusting in Christ will have eternal life with Him. Those without Christ in this life, will not have Christ for all eternity… You will have to pay for your own sins if you will not let Christ pay for them...

From the dust of the ground, man was made… and to the dust… man will return…

But for those who have placed their faith and hope in the Lord Jesus Christ, that will not be the end to your ashes and to your dust.

For when the day comes and the trumpet will sound, there will be a great resurrection throughout the whole world… and wherever your body is… whether intact or as dust… The Lord will have no problem putting you back together, and you will be raised from dust to glory.

And for all who hope in Him… You will never be disappointed.

Because He lives, I can face today and tomorrow. Because He lives, all fear is gone. Because I know He holds the future… Life is worth the living, just because he lives.

And He is here for you… He is here to save… He is here to be your Shepherd, to be your Savior, to be your refuge, your strength… your present help in your time of trouble.

Your are in my heart and in my prayers. Draw near to God and draw near to one another as you grieve on in hope.

Prayer.