Randall Carter Funeral

The Life that Lives

Someone has once said that the unexamined life is a life that has been half lived...

Life is real… Living is good… And there is that desire within all of us that longs for life to continue on forever.

God has placed eternity into the hearts of man… A sense of longing for more than that which is seen and experienced… and a desire to live forever...

But the examined life says what? “Life is but a vapor...” On planet earth… Life is short, quick, and often times very painful.

King Solomon, observing life under the sun… stated that life would appear to be meaningless and empty… in and of itself.

But we know that there is something beyond this life. We know that there is Someone who is over this life and over this time which is here and now...

The Lord God Almighty has created all things for a time and for a purposes, and He is over all things… and works through all things.

The Lord has revealed Himself to us and has declared and decreed that which will happen in this life… And He has revealed Who He is, as well as to what we should do as His creation.

God has created all things good… but sin has fractured and broken all things… and all of us are now in need of salvation and redemption...

We all feel the pain of our broken world...

The Bible explains to us, in Romans 8, that all of creation feels the pains of corruption/sin, and all of creation groans and waits for this redemption to come.

Humanity feels the pains of life, the pains of sin, the bondage to sin, and the condemnation, shame, and guilt as they live before our Holy God...

There is a longing in their hearts and a restlessness that remains… until… they have finally rested in the presence of God...

Is it possible to find that rest in this life, even while we are still living and breathing?

Yes.

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

Our Lord and God did not leave us alone!

There is Good News Today. Jesus Christ has come into the world, not to condemn the world but to save the world through Himself...

And He died in the place of sinners… and now calls all of His people to come to Him and find rest for their souls.

How can I rest? By trusting in the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ Himself.

Jesus said in John 14 - “Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In my Fathers House are many mansions/dwellings; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you...”

Jesus says, “I am going on before you. I will make and I have made all things ready… Believe in Me...”

Now someone may be saying at this moment: “Yes… but to die is to be gone… How can I trust in this Jesus? Why Should I trust in this Jesus… if He has experienced the same life and death… as everyone else has…?”

Yes… Jesus lived and died...

Jesus said all of these things, promised these things... was crucified on a Roman Cross, was buried, and three days later… He came back from the dead, was resurrected… And HE lives forever.

What does that mean for us today?

John 11:25-26 - Jesus is the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Him, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Jesus shall never die...

Do you believe this?

All of life has been made by Him, through Him and for Him… All of life has its meaning and purpose in Him.

Our lives are found, saved and are sustained by Him.

Romans 14:7-9 - We do not live to ourselves or die to ourselves. For if we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s… For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again… that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living...

Jesus is Lord today and forever.

Because He lives, we can face today and tomorrow… Because He lives all fear is gone… He holds the future… And life is worth the living… just because He lives...

We can now say: “To live is Christ and to die is gain. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord; I have blessed assurance, for Jesus is mine… I will never be alone, and I will be kept forever in the palm of His hand.”

Such wonderful, blessed promises the believer has… Promises that will hold them for all of eternity.

Promises that will hold anyone who will believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.

These promises were and are for Randall. These promises are for you… and whosoever will come to Him.

Examine your life today… and trust in this Person.

The Lord God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. The Lord is the our Light, and our salvation. The Lord is my strength and my shield...

And this Lord is near to the brokenhearted and He saves the crushed in spirit...

Draw near to the Lord today… and find great rest for your souls...

May God continue to bless and strengthen you all. Amen.

Pray.