GPA Ott Funeral

Intro:

Good afternoon, everyone.

I want to thank you all for joining us here today to remember the life of Howard Ott, or as my siblings and I would call him: Grandpa Ott.

SAW GPA OTT 2 WEEKS AGO —THANKFUL

ASKED ME to SPEAK

SURPRISED & HONORED...

PRIVILEGED to SHARE a FEW THOUGHTS W/ YOU TODAY...

-----------------------------------

GPA OTT:

LOVED:

GOLFING

COLLEGE SPORTS

DRIVING BY,, DONALD TRUMP

& WE KNOW,, HE LOVED HIS FAMILY.

NOT BEST @ EXPRESSING

BUT ONE AREA HE DID EXCEPTIONAL: PROVIDER

------------------------

GROWING UP (POST GREAT DEPRESSION)…MADE FINANCIAL CARE a PRIORITY

DAD & FAMILY,, NEVER in WANT… NEEDS MET.

HARDWORKING MAN…

WORKED HARD....

& WORKED HARD to SAVE & INVEST WISELY....

He was an INCREDIBLY GOOD STEWARD of these financial blessings.

-----------------------

THANKFULLY: LEFT LEGACY to CHILDREN & GRANDCHILDREN… ENSURING FINANCES = USED WISELY

ME: PASTOR of LOCAL CHURCH

PREACHERS DON’T HAVE WALLETS THAT ARE BURSTING

**BEEN ABLE to HAVE BRITT STAY HOME W/ GOOD MONEY MANAGEMENT

LEGACY of FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP:

FROM GRANDPA—

TO DAD—

TO ME —

& HOPEFULLY ONE DAY to MY CHILDREN & CHILDREN’S CHILDREN...

(T) WHILE THIS = ALL IMPORTANT… I WANT to TALK ABOUT SOMETHING EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TODAY...

--------------------------

FUNERALS REMIND US of FINITENESS of OUR OWN LIVES...

WE ALL MUST LOOK DEATH in the FACE & ACCEPT NONE of US GET OUT ALIVE UNLESS JESUS COMES BACK...

**WHEN I FOUND OUT: GPA OTT NOT DOING WELL—SURPRISED**

DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT HEALTH ISSUES UNTIL THEY WERE REALLY BAD.

SOMETIMES WE THINK PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE ON FOREVER

(T) CONSIDERING THIS TODAY… I WANT to SHARE a SHORT PASSAGE of SCRIPTURE REGARDING TREASURES

DAD RECOMMENDED

SHARES SOMETHING IMPORTANT FOR US ALL

TEXT:

JESUS,, TEACHING in “SERMON on MOUNT” SAID THIS:

Matthew 6:19–21 (ESV)

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,

20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

JESUS TEACHES: IMPORTANCE of HEART MANAGEMENT....OVER MONEY MANAGEMENT...

DON’T THINK: SOMEONE W/ MEANS = AUTOMATICALLY in WRONG

CAN’T HELP PEOPLE

FEED HUNGRY

OR DO MUCH of ANYTHING W.O. SOME MONEY

Jesus is more concerned with where our treasure is, namely the treasure in our hearts.

WE SHOULDN’T LIVE in PURSUIT of NATURAL WEALTH.... TO the EXCLUSION of ETERNAL THINGS...

IN PURSUIT of NATURAL WEALTH....WE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT of the LIFE to COME

JESUS ALSO SAID:

Matthew 16:26 (ESV)

26 For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

WE’VE ALL HEARD,,, DIFFERENT CELEBRITIES,,, HAVING ALL the WORLD HAS to OFFER & THEY’RE STILL EMPTY...

DON’T WANT to LIVE OUR ENTIRE LIVES FOR WHAT = TEMPORARY...

-------------------------

THANKFULLY: WHILE WE CAN’T TAKE IT WITH US, WE CAN LEAVE BEHIND to FAMILY...

BUT EVEN in THIS,, WHAT is MOST IMPORTANT: DON’T LOSE SIGHT of ETERNITY...

WE SHOULD ALL MANAGE MONEY WISELY as GPA OTT TAUGHT US… & WE SHOULD ALSO BE SURE to STORE UP HEAVENLY TREASURES ALONG the WAY...

BIBLICAL SCHOLAR I LIKE SAYS THIS ABOUT HEAVENLY TREASURES:

“Spiritual treasure should be defined as broadly as possible—as everything that believers can take with them beyond the grave—e.g., holiness of character, obedience to all of God’s commandments, souls won for Christ, and disciples nurtured in the faith. In this context, however, storing up treasures focuses particularly on the compassionate use of material resources to meet others’ physical and spiritual needs, in keeping with the priorities of God’s kingdom (vv. 25–34; cf. Luke 16:8–13)”[1]

GOAL = NOT HAVING MONEY as MASTER....

**MONEY MAKES a HORRIBLE MASTER,, BUT a GREAT TOOL**

1ST & FOREMOST— ((LIKE GPA)) WE SHOULD ENDEAVOR to MEET OUR FAMILY’S NEEDS...

ONE PLACE in SCRIPTURE: APOSTLE PAUL SAID:

if you DON’T TAKE CARE of your FAMILY as a PROFESSING CHRISTIAN you’ve EFFECTIVELY DENIED the FAITH!

I WANT to CHALLENGE: THERE is MORE to LIFE THAN MEETS the EYE...

WHAT WE SEE ISN’T ALL THERE IS… ETERNITY to FOLLOW...

(T) WE SHOULD ALL HOPE on THAT DAY,, WE HAVE TREASURE AWAITING US in HEAVEN...

------------------------------

THIS BEGINS W/ SAVING KNOWLEDGE & PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP W/ JESUS CHRIST.

LOVED US so MUCH—CAME DOWN 2,000 YEARS AGO— TO DIE FOR OUR SIN,, THAT WE MIGHT BE FORGIVEN BY a FREE GIFT of GOD’S GRACE.

WONDERFUL NEWS: ALL THOSE WHO ARE REDEEMED,, HAVE an INHERITANCE THAT SURPASSES ANYTHING WE FIND on THIS EARTH...

APOSTLE PETER WRITES (PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS/SUFFERING) && SAYS YOU CAN REJOICE DURING SUFFERINGS!

WHY??

BECAUSE CHRISTIANS HAVE a SECURE HEAVENLY INHERITANCE to LOOK FORWARD TO.

IMPERISHABLE

UNDEFILED

UNFADING

KEPT in HEAVEN FOR US...

IT WON’T ROT.

IT WON’T BE STOLEN

IT CAN’T BE SQUANDERED

DOESN’T FLUCTUATE LIKE STOCK MARKET

DOESN’T TARNISH LIKE PRECIOUS METALS

---IT’S ETERNAL.---

WE DON’T KNOW MUCH ABOUT ETERNITY DOWN HERE...

EVERYTHING WE SEE & HAVE is TEMPORARY

EVEN BEST EARTHLY INVESTMENTS RESULT in RUIN...

NICEST CAR or TRUCK EVENTUALLY RUSTS

EVERY HOUSE EVENTUALLY NEEDS WORK & WOOD WILL ROT.

--------------------------

CONTRASTING THIS:

LORD JESUS CHRIST PURCHASED for US an ETERNAL INHERITANCE.... NEVER CORRUPTED.... WILL NEVER GO AWAY....

This INHERITANCE is AVAILABLE to ALL who are ADOPTED as the CHILDREN of GOD THROUGH FAITH in JESUS CHRIST...

HE CAME DOWN to DIE FOR US

WE CAN BE PARTAKERS of THIS INHERITANCE BY FREE GIFT of GRACE...

NOT of WORKS,, NO ONE CAN BOAST

ON THAT DAY—

WE WON’T BE ABLE to BOAST in WORKS FOR our HEAVENLY INHERITANCE...

.WE’LL ONLY BE ABLE to BOAST in CHRIST WHO MADE a WAY FOR US…

WHO DIED FOR US WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS...

---------------------

CONCLUSION:

ONCE WE RECEIVE the FREE GIFT of SALVATION:

DO BEST to TAKE CARE of OUR FAMILIES (( LIKE GPA & DAD))

BE GOOD STEWARDS of ALL MATERIAL BLESSINGS… to USE FOR GOOD of OTHERS & GLORY of GOD...

LET’S JUST NOT FORGET to FIRST LAY UP those ETERNAL TREASURES in HEAVEN...

CLOSE in PRAYER....

AT THIS TIME.... I’D LIKE to TURN the SERVICE OVER to.... BRENDA//UNCLE DON?? FOR CLOSING COMMENTS.

---------------------

---------------------

GRAVESIDE:

Opening prayer:

Scripture Reading (David Writes)

Psalm 23 (ESV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

3. Committal:

As we gather here today… we commit the body of our loved one, father, grandfather, and friend...Grandpa Ott to this earth, from ashes to ashes, dust to dust— in hope of final resurrection.

4. “Let us Pray”— Closing personal prayer

6. Finish with “Amazing Grace” (V1 & 4/ INSTRUMENTAL)

[Verse 1 ]

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.

[Last verse]

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’d first begun.

7. Benediction:

Philippians 4:7 (ESV)

7 Now may…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus

as we go our separate ways.

Amen.