Funeral II Corinthians 5.50

Order of Service (Record Service)

Video playing before Service (runs 27min)

Opener

Prayer

Obituary - Joe Jordan

Old Rugged Cross (Bobby, Pastor, Brian)

Psalm 23

Testimonials

Message

Video playing after Service (runs 27min)

Opener

Jesus said, "I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."

But the death of a Christian is a wonderful thing. Suppose you were in a prison camp where you were persecuted and beaten every day, where you had nothing to eat but a dry crust of stale bread every day and you had to sleep on the cold, damp ground every night. Then suppose the Navy came in and rescued you and took you to a place of rest and good food and happiness. Wouldn’t you consider these rescuers as good friends?

Well, we ought to look upon death in that way. We live in a cruel world, a world of many hardships, injustices, trials, tears, sorrow, and separations. Now when death comes to take us into the presence of the Lord, where we shall have perfect health and perfect rest, wouldn’t you say that death is, after all, a good friend?

Psalm 116:15 says, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." When a Christian dies it is a matter of concern to the Lord. He knows about every breath that we draw, every pain that we endure, every groan that we utter.

I want to share with you four things that death means to a Christian.

1. It means an Elevated Experience. All around us we find dishonesty, drugs, lies, and lust. And we also find all the by-products of sin, namely sickness, sorrow, pain, poverty, and death.

But when God’s people die, they go to a place where these things can never touch them. There is for them a complete change of environment. They go from sin to sinlessness, from earth’s discords to heaven’s harmonies, from all that is bad to all that is good, from all that hurts to all that brings happiness.

Here we are burdened with an old sinful nature, which causes us continual grief. Up there the old sinful, fleshly nature will be gone forever.

2. It means a Restored Relationship. You have sat by the bedside and watched your loved one die. You have looked into their faces for the last time and wept many bitter tears, but they are not gone from you forever if they have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and savior.

3. It means a Savior Seen. If it were not for him, there would be no heaven. But, praise God, we shall see him and we shall know him.

Each one of us can look forward to these things when we put our faith and trust in Jesus.

Obituary

Irene Bell (Karr-St Andrews-Means) Forbes, 84, of Topeka, went home to our Lord Jesus on Friday, December 28, 2018 in Topeka, Kansas.

She was born July 4, 1934 in Topeka, KS; the daughter of Harry Riley Forbes and Luella May (McFarren-Forbes-Snodgrass).

She was a home maker and widow.

She is survived by 8 children (Janet Vince; Darold St Andrews; Pamala Dyke; Steven Means; Johnny Means; Alberta Wedge; Jo Ann Thompson; Harry Means), a brother; Ralph Dwane Forbes of Topeka, she was a Grandmother and Great grandmother, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Irene was cremated and memorial service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, February 9, 2019 at South Knollwood Baptist Church, 1813 SW 29th St. Topeka, KS.

God granted her a long life and many roads to travel. Now she is at home in heaven.

Contributions may be sent to Knollwood Baptist Church; 1813 SW 29th St, Topeka, Kansas.

Message

Text: II Corinthians 5:50-58

The promise of Scripture is that when a child of God passes from this world below, they are welcomed into the world above. Once they leave our presence, they enter into the presence of God. This is the hope that sustains every Child of God.

As we gather here today, I am happy to report that Bob Taylor is, a child of God. Knowing this to be true, we can find hope in the midst of our sorrow as we reflect on what they have experienced upon passing from this life into the next.

I. We are received by Jesus when we receive Jesus.

Because Brother Taylor trusted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, we know that he is in Christ's presence.

Salvation Testimony - It was in a storm on the sea as a navy man that Bob cried out to Christ for salvation. He cried out to God for forgiveness of his sins and prayed for Heaven. As he prayed he asked that God would save him and his ship mates.

Years later he looked back on that moment and the one that set the course for his life.

You see heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people, and because they trusted Christ as their Savior, they were prepared to go.

Bro Taylor had claimed the promise Jesus makes to all who believe on Him when He said, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." - John 14:1-3.

Jesus has come to receive Bro Taylor "unto Himself." He is in His presence. Because he had prepared himself, he has now gone to that place that Jesus had prepared for him!

Consider the words to an old song,

... Of stepping on shore and finding it heaven

... Of taking hold of a hand and finding it God’s hand,

... Of breathing in new air and finding it heavenly air,

... Of feeling invigorated and finding it immortality,

... Of waking up and finding that you’re home!

This is what Bro Taylor has experienced because he has been received by the Lord.

II. We are rewarded when we are Faithful.

Because of Brother Taylor's faithfulness to the Lord in this life, you can rest assured that he has been rewarded in the next life.

"Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them. "

Revelation 14:13

Rewards?

A. They have the Honor of our Savior and Lord.

They have heard our Lord say to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant "

B. The Hand of the saints above.

C. The Hope of the saints below.

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. " ~ Hebrews 12:l-2a

1958 the new pastor moved to Topeka and started a small a brand new church called South Knollwood Baptist Church. The church was still very small so pastor Barnes went to

Let us live in light of the legacy that has been left to us. They have now passed the baton on to us. May we run our race as well as they ran theirs.

Years of scripture reading prayer and quoting. Loved the kids no matter what.

III. We Glorify our Savior in our Rejoicing.

They have passed into that place where, "God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. " ~ Revelation 21:4.

There, in the presence of the Lord, they have joined with the saints above, along with the angels in glory in praising the King of kings and Lord of lords. They have joined in that great chorus, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing." ~ Revelation 5:12.

The Bible tells us that, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

Can this be death—

To be released from fear and sorrow,

From sickness, weariness and pain?

To be removed from sin’s enslavement,

From Satan’s influence and domain?

Can this be death—

To be presented in His presence,

The One who loves me evermore?

To be accepted in the fullness

Of Christ, whom I adore?

Can this be death—

To know complete fulfillment

As I look upon His face?

To feast upon the glories

And the riches of his grace?

No, this is life—

With all that it can offer,

It is joy that overflows!

It is peace that knows no measure,

It is victory, for evermore!

Graveside

INTRO: There was a little girl who walked to her house through the cemetery every day after school. She loved to feel the breeze in her hair and to watch the birds. Sometimes she just threw herself on the rich, green grass, and watched the clouds turn into castles and angels and great white stallions. She loved hearing the birds singing. As she skipped around gravestones, she whistled her favorite tunes and sang songs. At times she knelt down, and read the names and dates on the tombstones, and slid her fingers over the beautiful pieces of granite.

- One day her friends asked her, "Why do you walk through the cemetery every day?"

-She answered, "Because, it’s the way home".

Text: John 11:25-27

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John 11:25-27

I. Death is Not the End!

A. To the World, death is an end….of life! (All things appear to come to an end)

1. For this reason the world fears death…

2. For this reason the world strives to avoid death…

WHEN DEATH COMES…THERE IS NO BARGAINING, NO BRIBING, AND NO BEGGING!

It is appointed unto man Once to die…..death is the fulfillment of scripture!

II. Death is Not Eternal Sleep!

A. Our soul does not sleep within this body…..

1. Paul knew that the only way he could be reunited with his Saviour was to pass from this life and into the next. He had to take off this cloak, this flesh, so that he could pass from the mortal to the immortal, from the lesser to the greater

B. Our souls separate from this flesh into the eternal world.

The eternal world has two places. The Heavens where Christ reigns and The Pit called Hell where Jesus said is a place of torment and wailing and gnashing of teeth…

Are you wondering where Bro. Taylor is today? He is in Heaven!

How do I know Bro. Taylor is in Heaven? Because of his testimony of years ago calling on Jesus for salvation.

Though we will miss Bro Taylor, and grieve because he is no longer with us, we who believe also in Christ do not grieve "as others which have no hope." {1 Thessalonians 4:13-14}.

Do not grieve as those without hope. Grieve because you know you will not see Dad again in this life, though you will have him in your hearts and memories. Grieve because you miss his smile, his kind nature and friendship. But do not grieve because you will never see him again.

Bob made a decision for Jesus, and now stands with Jesus in eternity. Make the same decision, the right decision, and stand Forgiven for the sin that separates you from God.

Why did Brother Taylor have to leave this life?

BECAUSE

III. It’s the Way Home!

One day Jesus told a woman named Martha, this:

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John 11:25-27

Bob accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour, and because of this he is still very much alive, just as our Lord Jesus is alive.

When Jesus asked Martha "Believest thou this?", she answered "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world".

He also answered one day, "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ", and today he stands in the Heavens because of that decision.

Today I ask each and every one of you: "Believest thou this?". Do you believe that Jesus Christ is the "resurrection, and the life", and that whosoever believes in Him shall "never die"? If your answer is emphatically "Yes", you will one day be with Brother Taylor in Heaven, reunited for all eternity.

If your answer is "no" or "maybe", then we will not grieve for Bob Taylor, but for you! - for you will never see Kenneth again.