What Does Your Space Tell God

What Does Your Space Tell God?

Heavenly Father,

Now is the time for your life giving Word.

And I stand before You today in this ordained time, as Your servant to deliver Your Word.

Lord, You've called me to this sacred task, and I ask that You pour out Your Spirit.

Grant me the strength needed to preach with boldness and conviction. Strengthen my mind, body, and spirit.

Let Your power be made perfect in my weakness, as I rely fully on You to proclaim Your truth.

Father, I ask for clarity of thought and speech. Guide my words, that they may communicate Your message with precision and grace.

Allow Your word to be like a lamp shining in a dark place, bringing light and understanding to all who hear.

Open the hearts of the listeners, that they may receive the message with faith and humility.

Lord, let Your anointing rest upon them. Fill them with Your wisdom, compassion, and love, so that every word spoken glorifies You and draws others closer to You.

Let the word be a vessel through which Your will is done, bringing comfort, challenge, and transformation.

I trust in Your promise that Your Word will not return void but will accomplish the purpose for which You sent it.

Use me, your Your servant now to plant seeds of faith, to water the seeds already sown, and to bring a harvest for Your Kingdom.

I thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness and for the privilege of sharing in Your work.

Empower now Lord, in the mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Amen.

I first want to speak for the family, thanking you for being here today, our hearts filled with gratitude just for you taking the time to come and bless us with your attendance and prayers today.

Family, the pain of losing a loved one is a reflection of the love we shared with them. It's a sign of the deep connection that death cannot sever.

While it may feel like a piece of us is missing, but the important part to remember is that the love we shared remains a part of us, woven into the fabric of our lives.

Grieving is a process that takes time, and it's important to allow yourself to feel and express your emotions. Whether through tears, talking, writing, or simply sitting in silence, each step is a part of healing.

The Bible gives us this comfort in Psalm 34:18 : "The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."

God’s presence is forever near to us in our pain. He doesn’t stand distant from our sorrow but draws close, offering comfort and healing to our wounded hearts.

There is yet a word from the Lord!

I would have you travel with me in our moments together to the book of Ecclesiastes the 7th chapter 2nd and 3rd verse, we visualize these words from King Solomon:

“It is better to go to a home where there is mourning than to one where there is a party, because the living should always remind themselves that death is waiting for us all. 

Ecc 7:3  Sorrow is better than laughter; it may sadden your face, but it sharpens your understanding”.

And the word of God is blessed.

Allow me to draw your attention to two places.

Our scripture text that I have just shared in your hearing, and back to the front page of Darius’s obituary where it contains a space.

The space on the obituary, represents the dates between birth and death, it holds an intense symbolic meaning.

This small space compresses all the years, experiences, joys, struggles, relationships, and contributions that defined his existence.

It doesn’t seem like enough room, yet…

There’s symbolism in the Space:

It’s the Totality of Life: The space , Is a reminder that life is more than just the beginning and what some believe is the end; it’s about what happens in between.

It’s the Legacy Left Behind: The space signifies the impact we’ve made in the lives of others, the memories we leave, and the legacy we pass on. It is a symbol of the stories that are told, the lessons learned, and the love shared.

It’s the Choices Made: The space also represents the choices made during our lifetime—choices that define our character, and shape our destiny.

And it’s the Space to Reflect: The space invites us here to reflect on Darius’s life, to consider the fullness of his experiences, and to appreciate the time he had on this earth to dwell with us.

The space is a silent on paper, but it’s a powerful symbol that calls us to think about how we use the time between our birth and our own transition through death.

Death is not final! The Bible speaks that “ It’s appointed for men to die once, then after this the judgement. It’s the space that challenges us to live a life of purpose, love, and significance, ensuring that our "space” is filled with meaning.

As we gather today in this solemn moment, to celebrate, laugh, and cry.

While we reflect on the life of Darius Kennedy, a father, a brother, an uncle, a cousin, and a friend to so many. Darius, who we realize has passed from this life on earth, we also glance at our own lives

We’re here to share and comfort this great family that we all love.

We’re here to thank God for His love shown towards us, that He has given us the life of Darius to share.

Is there anybody in this place that will praise God for Darius’s life.

You have to forgive me, I’m torn between Shanks that knows Darius and the preacher today, because my life is filled with memories of Darius, growing up together, hanging out at the only lime green house on Mark Twain, the laughter we shared, the trouble we got into, I wasn’t always a preacher.

I got some memories I can’t even tell you right now, If I did you wouldn’t think I was a preacher now. But y’all can get with me later.

But at the same time, in this moment I’m also called here to relay this message from God, that the reality of Darius’s transition through death is a reality that we all must face, there’s no getting away from it, and when it’s our time there’s no delaying it.

No matter what challenges we face in life, no matter what situations plague us, whether it’s during the good times or bad, this moment is a certainty of our existence, and I believe if Darius was here today, he would tell us that our time on this earth is limited.

His passing is a reminder that we all are mortal, this moment signifies that our days are numbered, and this moment conveys that we should live our lives in a way that honors Christ who prepares us for our next in eternity.

Let me just keep it a buck with you today.

Because God has something to say to us all.

Throughout the word of God, death is presented not as an end, but as a transition—a doorway that leads from the temporal life we know into eternal life that Darius knows now.

The Bible says: "There’s a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot." Life is a cycle, and death is a natural part of that cycle.

David asks this question: "Show me, LORD, my life's end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you.

Everyone is but a breath, even those of us who are secure in Christ."

As we reminiscence the space between the birth and death of our loved one Darius, we are reminded of the importance of how our space was filled. The Bible, in Ecclesiastes 7:2, offers us this wisdom:

it is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every person.

This book of Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon in his later years.

After he had pursued to find the purpose and meaning of life in so many different things: in wisdom, in wealth, in fame, in building, and in pleasures.

And after his pursuit, that carried him into every area and experience of life, he came to the conclusion that life is empty and frustrating.

Solomon made the mistake of searching for purpose in life with everything under the sun.

And if your purpose is limited to all the things under the sun, chances are you’ll come up, as Solomon, with the conclusion that life is a mistake. That it is not worthwhile.

That everything you pursued is only filled with emptiness and frustration.

As long as you think there is a chance that you will achieve some of your dreams, as long as you think have have a shot at material success without Christ you experience your inner emptiness as drive, and your anxiety as hope!

But God did not intend for you to live a life under the sun. God intended that you should experience real life in the Son.

In First John we read, "And this is the record, that God has given unto us, even eternal life, and this life is in the Son. And he who has the Son has life"

There is real life. Because there is a real Christ.

There's real meaning and purpose to life. When you find the life in Jesus Christ. 

In this, we're urged by God to take to heart the significance of your lives and how you fill the space between your beginning and your end here in the temporary.

What Is Your Space Saying?

What does our space say to God?

This Life is temporary, and none of us knows the day or hour when we will stand before God.

The world will tells us that being a "good person" is enough, but the Bible makes it clear that it is not our goodness that earns us a place in heaven. Instead, it is our relationship with Christ that secures our eternity.

Good People Don’t Get to Heaven, Saved People Do:

John 14:6 (NIV): "Jesus said: 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" It is only through Jesus that we can have access to eternal life.

Even in the midst of life’s challenges like today filled with heartbreak, Heartache, and sorrow. Jesus is calling...

Jesus is our Savior. He offers hope, redemption, and eternal life to all who will put their trust in Him.

As we reflect on the life of our loved one Darius Kennedy, also let us reflect on our own space.

Have you filled your space with Christ?

Have you accepted the gift of salvation He offers?

He’s still offering and securing that gift today!

I’m about to take my seat, but if you don’t know Jesus, allow me present Him to you...

Just as a cornerstone is the first stone laid in the construction of a building, Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith and salvation. Without Him as the foundation, our lives would crumble.

Paul says in Ephesians 2:20 (NIV): "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."

Jesus is the Solid Rock in a Storm: When the trials of life and the challenges of sin in our lives threaten to overwhelm us, only those who build their lives in Jesus remain secure.

Matthew 7:24-25 (NIV) Jesus said: "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock."

Like the Root of a Tree: even in harsh conditions. Jesus is the root of our salvation, nourishing and sustaining our spiritual lives. . The Bible says in Colossians 2:7 (NIV): "rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness."

Just as an anchor secures a ship in place, preventing it from drifting away in the currents, Jesus is the anchor of our salvation, keeping us grounded in faith and hope. In the shifting seas of life, where uncertainties and temptations abound, He holds us firm, ensuring that we don’t drift away from God’s truth.

Hebrews 6:19 (NIV) describes this beauty: In Him"We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain."

Somebody needs to know deep in their soul today: that I rather have Jesus and not need Him, than to need Him and not have Him.

And the journey to Him, and with Him today is as simply as Romans 10:9 tell us:

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

This is the invitation Christ offers you today, to fill your space with the presence and purpose of Jesus.

Will there be one?

Tomorrow isn’t promised, the rest of today is not promised as a matter of fact.

If you don’t know Jesus, now is your time to fill your space with Christ.

Will there be one?

The rest and the best days of your life can begin today with your Yes to Him.

As we leave this house of mourning today, I pray you don’t forget the lesson that Solomon imparts in Ecclesiastes.

Life is fleeting, and what we do in the space between birth and the transition through death matters to God.

Fill your space with Christ. Let your life be a testimony of His grace, love, and power. God calls us to repentance, to turn away from sin and reconcile with Him through Jesus Christ. The space you live in is an opportunity to glorify God—make it count.

Every eye close and head bowed.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father,

we cry out to You, humbled by the reality of death of Darius Kennedy, it’s our reminder that life is short.

We ask that You help us to fill our space with Your presence, to live in a way that glorifies You, and to seek salvation through Your Son, Jesus Christ.

May our lives reflect Your love and grace, and may we be found faithful when we stand before You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

This now concludes the memorial service for Darius Kennedy.

Please stand and allow the family to exit the sanctuary.

May the Lord of all peace, give you His peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.