Funeral Homily for Sam Serna

Pre-service

Pre-service begins at 9:00 AM. People will gather, ashes of Sam up front. Comfort the family while music and the slideshow play.

Speak to the Honor Guard

Service Begins @ 10:00 AM

Follow the instructions of the Color Gaurd

Old Testament Reading

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 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. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

New Testament Reading

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Eulogy by John Poland

Introduce John Poland

Time of Remembrance

At this time we would like to have a time of remembrance. For someone as beloved as Sam was there are likely many here who would have a story or a thought, some memory of some particular joy that He brought to your life. And if you would like to say a few brief words we highly encourage you to do so. We have a mic that will be going around, because we would all like to be able to hear what you would say.

END WITH SAM’S Son if possible...

Homily

I would like to tart by reading a passage form the New Testament. Written by the apostle Peter to a hurting church.

1 Peter 3:15–16 (ESV)

but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience

And this morning I have a few thoughts that I would like to share on what is in particular phrase that stands out to me in that passage we just read. “make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the HOPE that is in you. And in times and occasions such as we find ourselves in this morning, I feel that there is no more appropriate thought and feeling that we can dwell on as HOPE. In times that are dark, in times that are difficult, in times of loss and grief, this is when Hope is most needed and often feels in short supply.

It is a simple word. HOPE. But I start with a question: is there any reason that we should actually have to hold on to any sort of hope? On one had we might say no. We think: you live and you die and that is it. there is nothing before and nothing after, so what is the purpose of Hope. But on the other hand, when confronted with the reality of life here, on this earth, and its shortness, we seem to instinctively know and understand that there is more. And this is the first glimmer of hope that we might have.

The writer of Ecclesiastes puts it this way. “God has placed eternity in the hearts of man”. and it that longing for more, that deep seated knowledge that there exists more than just this life, that feeling like there just has to be more that begins to stir in us hope.

But Peter wants more than just glimmers and stirrings, he desires for us more than just pie in the sky Pollyanna sort of feelings. he tells us to give a reason. This means that there has to be more than just just feelings, but rather it is a grounded hope. and THAT is what I would like to talk about today. how do we get THAT. I would say that we must look to the Bible, God’s words given to us, given that we might know him, his work and who he is, and therefore we can know hope that comes from him

The counterfeits of real hope

The Bible has much to say about the grounds for real hope, but to get there we must avoid some common pitfalls. To begin some distinctions must be made. In particular the distinction between WISHING, FAITH, and HOPE. Many confuse these all as the same thing, but there are important difference that we see in the Scriptures. These are not three different ways of looking at the same thing, rather they are three separate things we hold in our heart.

We can start with wishing, the — for lack of a better way of putting it — weakest of all three. Wishing is a thing of chance. It is looking up to the stars and hoping some shooting star can bring you something. It is fortuitous blind chance. And it is an idea that is foreign to all of the scriptures. Wishing assumes that it could be one way or it could be another and I just wish that what I want will come true. The Bible teaches us clearly that God is in control of all things. I don’t wish and call that my hope, I trust and that is the start of my hope.

The fancy “church” word that I would use as a pastor is to say that God is sovereign, but this is what that really means: God is in control. Of what you might ask… Everything. To say that God is sovereign means that though things look pointless and chaotic and unconnected and random and we wish that this or that, that is never the case. he holds the universe together. there is no chance, there is no luck and so we do not have to wish. Like Peter said. We have REASONS for our hope. Which leads us to the next thought. What is the relationship with faith and hope

And here we are getting closer to an answer, but not quite where we need to be this morning. because while faith and hope are closely related, they are still not the same thing. Someone once said that faith WORKS and trusts, while hope WAITS and trusts. And I think that is getting us to the heart of what we need this morning. Faith is important, and it acts ion the present to produce in us acts and words based on what we know to be true. Hope, and what we need this morning expects for the future based on what we know to be true. And here then is the payoff of this: Faith labors in the light, hope sings in the darkness, even when all is bleak and desperate. though the circumstances of life draw around dark, and though faith can be weak and struggle, hope springs to life and heralds a new and glorious morning.

To be sure, a trusting faith produces a confident hope. and therefore the connections between faith and hope are strong and necessary. You cant have hope apart from faith. And For many of us this is where we may find ourselves. If we lack faith we will lack hope because we cannot see out of the dark clouds of whatever it is we are going through. One pastor said that if we lack faith in anything we will lack true hope in everything. and when we lack hope discouragement and despair follow close behind. When there is no hope there is no reason to press on. This is when for many life feels futile and meaningless and difficult.

But here is where the rubber truly meets the road. Because many of us have faith in things that cannot save and therefore have hope in something that will let us down. This is not real hope but is rather a sort of counterfeit hope. And Sadly I believe a counterfeit hope is worth less than no hope at all. Because a counterfeit hope will leave you reeling when it inevitably fails, for it is grounded in something other than the truth.

Maybe for you your hope is that you have been member of some church. “I joined this church some 20 years ago” you might be thinking. But membership in the church, while good and important, will not save you. Nowhere in the Bible does it say: join a church and you will be OK. Because there are many who go to church but do not know of the depth of the good news of Jesus Chrsit. So church membership is a false hope.

But maybe, you think, my hope is in my “being a good person” Maybe your hope is that your good works and good intentions will earn you favor with God. “Just look at me” some insist “AM I not better than many? Am I not more honest, more compassionate, more loving, more tender, more giving, more compassionate, ore concerned, more generous than most?” Surly I am living a moral life that will commend me before God when my time comes” and that is your hope. But My friend good works and good intentions , as wonderful as they are, assure you of NOTHING in light of eternity, and therefore offer no real hope. The Bible is clear, the only acceptable standard is not Good. and you are not measured against the measuring rod of “better”. Rather the only acceptable standard that God has is PERFECTION. and here is the rub. no one is righteous no not one. Paul in Romans clearly teaches that ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. So again, this, like church membership is false hope.

Other base their hope on their self-made assumptions of who God is and what he is like. This is summarized in this thought: God is loving and merciful right? And since he is loving and merciful I believe that all things will work out for me.” But again, while it is wonderfully true that God is loving and merciful, just like being “good” this is not the whole story. Because he is also Just and holy and honest and he has said that he will not pardon the guilty. So if you believe that he is merciful should you not also believe that he is just and was honest when he said that we are all sinful? again, Hope that God will just ignore your sin is a counterfeit hope.

Still others hear all this and just shrug their shoulders. My hope is based on my feelings they might say. i just FEEL like all will work out. But what kind of hope is this really? It is hope based on feeling and we all know that feeling change more often than the weather! What confidence can we have if out hope for this life and the one to come are based on things that are fleeting and fickle. Again, this is false hope and cannot help us in light of the difficulties of today.

So thanks, Pastor, you might be thinking, you said you would talk about hope and all you have done is tear down our Hope. And what does that leave us With? Well no, we have to tear down false hope, so that all we are left with is REAL hope.

Real Hope

but what is real hope? and how can I know that I have it? THESE are the questions that we should be asking ourselves today. And here I have simple test: Does your hope change with the circumstances? Do you often find yourself inntimes or situations that you feel might steal that hope? Is it based on anything that is fleeting or subjective or maliable? If yes than you may have false hope.

But you can have true hope, REAL hope - hope that is built on a foundation that will not change. Hope that can never be stolen because it is hid in the author and perfecter of our faith. Faith based on the unchanging goodness of the creator of the universe. When the storms of life gather it will stand against them and more. But what is this foundation? what is this hope?

Nothing but Jesus Christ will do.

A hope built onm any other foundation in built on shifing sand and cannot and will not stand the storms of life. On Jesus will do anything else is based on changing fleeting thifgs. only hope in Jesus Chrsit will do, without him the foundation is good for nothing, without Christ all hope is lost.

That is rather bold of me to say, but these are not my words, rather the words of God himslef.

Isaiah 28:16 ESV

therefore thus says the Lord God, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

And what is this tested store, this sure foundation?

Acts 4:11 ESV

This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.

Or

Ephesians 2:20 ESV

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

Or we could hear the words of Peter, the one who started this conversation on hope for us in the first place:

Acts 4:12 ESV

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

The Confidence of Real Hope

So here is my heart, and here is what we all need to hear this morning.

What hope do I have, not just for myself, but for my good friend Sam. That Jesus is a good and perfect savior, for ALL who call upon his name.

Sam was a good man, but he wasn’t perfect. So his hope, and mine for him, does not rest in his goodness. Rather in the perfection of Jesus the one who saves all who call upon his name.

When I say I have hope that where Sam is is better, in every conceivable way,. this is not a wish, rather it is based on the sure foundation of the person and work of Jesus Christ.

When is say that I have hope that there is comfort and peace for everyone here that is not based on a feeling, or a “just feel better” sort of thing. rather that is based on knowledge that we have in Jesus a friend that sticks closer than brother in Jesus Christ our Lord.

This hope is a hope that bears fruit in bold confidence. Because it sees things as they truly are.

by way of example: If you were to ask me: are you a pastor? You would expect an answer better than I hope so. Am I a Husband, father? I hope so, is not a proper answer. Instead with CONFIDENCE I say, of course. And for those who trust in the name of Jesus our hope is not just a hope but a confidence. WHY? Because it is based on the only sure foundation: The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Just last Sunday we celebrated EASTER Sunday. And while our sight might have been clouded by bunnies and chocolate and eggs and the like, the true source of our hope was right there. Sam may be dead, and we mourn him, we miss him, our lives are more difficult because he is not here with us, his humor and kind heart are not able to carry us through the days. But that is not the end of the story for all who trust in Jesus Christ. Like Jesus rose so will we, in glorious victory. no more heart issues, no more sickness, no more sorrow, just glory in heaven with our savior. That is my hope. and it can be yours as well.

In John 5:24 Jesus himself says this:

John 5:24 ESV

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

So have faith in those words, trust in Jesu as your savior and then find true unshakeble HOPE. Hope that has reason, hope that will not be put to shame. Real, unshakable, unbreakable unassailable hope. Lets Pray.

The Lords Prayer

Matthew 6:9–13 ESV

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Closing instructions:

Family in front for those who would which to pay their respects, reception to follow 1-3 at the american legion on East Madrid.

1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 ESV

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.