It's All Good

Eulogy: Matthew Reaves Sr.

Introduction- It was Not All Good

When I met Matthew Reaves Sr’s children last week, one of you, as you reflected on the life of your father said it was not all good

Strong Hard Man

Burnished in the fire of a tough hard upbringing by Matthew Sr.’s mother

As a consequence he helped you love your children and yourself more

Instilled Resilience

Stand firm and do not waver

Made us better people

And yet he was a man of faith

An imperfect man instilling godly principles in his children

Transition To Body

Romans 7:19–20 ESV

19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.

Romans 7:21–25 ESV

21 So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. 22 For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, 23 but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. 24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 8:26–27 ESV

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Body- It’s All Good

Romans 8:28 ESV

28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

Reassurance from Godly Reverence

And we know that for those who love God

Power of Spiritual Perspective

all things work together for good

Invitation to Divine Intentions

for those who are called according to his purpose

Transition to Close- Those Whom He Chose (In Advance)

Romans 8:29–30 ESV

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

Close- For I Know The Plans I Have For You, Declares the LORD

Jeremiah 29:11–13 ESV

11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

Prosper You

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 8934 שָׁלוֹם

peace, prosperity

Not Harm You

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 8273 I. רַע

bad, evil, wicked, no good, i.e., pertaining to that which is not morally pure or good according to a proper standard, implying this evil hinders or severs a relationship to a person or principle which is proper

Give You Hope

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Hebrew (Old Testament) 9535 I. תִּקְוָה

cord, tie, several strands of flexible material made into one length of thick string

Do Not Grow Weary of Doing Good...

Galatians 6:9–10 ESV

9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.