Manny Vargas Funeral | Philippians 4:13

Seating

Family Enters

Enter Sanctuary and ask all to rise

Lead casket down

Please Be Seated

Let Song Finish Playing

Welcome

That piano recording we just heard was something Manny played just last week during our Wednesday evening service here at Eastside. “Praise Him, Praise Him.” He did and incredible job on it.

On behalf of the family I want to start by saying “Thank you” for being part of this service today. Your love for Manny and them is obvious and appreciated.

In a service like this, you feel inadequate to properly convey the meaning of someone’s life that was as special as Manny. That loss for words is hard, but we can make a statement with our actions. Your presence here today says so much.

Obituary

Prayer

Introduce Congregational Singing

One of the most helpful gifts that God has given His people to be comforted with is music. At this time, we’re going to sing some songs requested by the family that mean a lot to them or meant something to Manny.

Hymn 73 - “Surely Goodness And Mercy”

One of the songs that Manny was known to play on repeat is a song called “Sufficient.” It’s message is that God’s Word is sufficient. For everything we face, God’s Word can provide the wisdom and strength that we need.

That has been so true this week for the Vargas family. Let this message in song encourage you in the Lord today.

Choir - “Sufficient”

Hymn - “Wonderful Merciful Savior”

Testimonies

The family wanted to give some others an opportunity to speak.

Hymn 433 - “It Is Well”

Message - Pastor Jett

One of the privileges I’ve had this week has been to sit with Emmanuel’s family and just listen to them talk about him. It was a special time with some tears but plenty of laughs. Because was a unique character.

Manny Lived Life To The Full

He loved life. He loved to have fun. He also was known, at times, to push some boundaries.

One time Juan picked him up from the nursery here at church and in one service Manny had:

Slapped the missionary’s baby

Used the trash can for a toilet

And snuck out and ran through the sprinklers

Just a day in the life of Manny Vargas.

Angie told a story of their family riding ripsticks when Manny was just a little guy. And there was a steep hill and the only one brave enough to go down was Manny.

At the bottom he hit a wood chip and went head over heels.

He laid there for a while and then finally said, “I’m never doing that again.”

That fearless nature defined him.

As a little guy, his Uncle Carlos tells about him swimming in a pool with family in California and how he was determined to touch the bottom of the deep end no matter what, even though he couldn’t really swim.

His uncle showed a video of him as a 5 year old, maybe, climbing a rope probably 15-20 feet in the air, and he got to the top.

Coming down he didn’t realize you can’t go fast and got rope burns, but he didn’t care. He reached the top.

His cousins talk about his willingness to do risky things.

I watched a video of him snorting a smoothie into his nose just because.

As a 5 year old, he would say something, “You want me to do it?”

Angie and his cousins, being the good examples they are, encouraged him.

So he first looked to see that mom wasn’t coming, and then he did it.

It was hilarious to watch that cold drink touch receptors that aren’t built for that.

But the theme of our meeting yesterday was, “Don’t tell my mom.”

He was always doing these crazy things. He lived life to the full.

One of the things he loved was eating junk food. Anything with sugar.

As a really young kid, once he saw a sucker behind the toilet at home.

He tried to reach it but his big head got stuck between the toilet and the wall. So he’s in the bathroom crying and Juan had to come to his rescue.

Anything for a sugar rush, which was an addiction never went away.

“Just don’t tell mom.”

His brother Carlos told the story of how Manny got a pocket knife when he was little and Carlos was sleeping at night and woke up to Emmanuel holding the knife to his throat. Carlos said, “I couldn’t go back to sleep after that.”

Manny lived life to the full. Tried everything. And did everything 100%.

It’s fitting that he chose Philippians 4:13 to be on his boxing trunks. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” That verse sums up the drive he had.

Manny Was Gifted

He was an excellent wrestler and boxer.

His dream was the 2028 olympics.

And with his one pace and determination, who would have doubted him?

He started wrestling at 4, and it became clear he was made for contact sports.

He never went less than 100%. To the point that no one wanted to be his training partner.

That trend continued into boxing as a teenager.

Many times, Juan said he ended up in the gym office in trouble for going too hard in training.

But that tenacity was also an inspiration.

Blessing goes to Eastside and is quite a bit older than Manny, but Manny inspired Blessing because he had one pace. He never took a minute. He trained hard and he trained right.

Olga told of countless boxing friends that gave testimony to the fact that Manny made the sport fun. He was the one they looked for and wanted to be around.

He was a gifted fighter and inspiration to many.

He was also gifted at the piano, as you’ve already heard.

It used to be a chore to practice, but then he started loving it.

He couldn’t pass a piano without playing it.

He would listen to YouTube and try new things all the time.

To the point that Juan had to take piano off the chore list because Manny would spend hours doing “chores” and get nothing done.

He used his music for the Lord. He was in the youth choir here and played piano at camp.

He was gifted.

Manny Valued Love

He was Love Bug, as Olga affectionately called him.

And I don’t just mean all the girls that he was convinced were into him, although there was little bit of that kind of love.

I mean especially how he loved his family.

He told his grandmother, Olga’s mom, after a hospital stay that she needed to be drinking water.

He said, “Don’t play with me, are you drinking your water? Don’t lie to me, drink your water. Take care of yourself.”

What teenage boy thinks that way? But he was a protector. Family meant everything to him.

He valued love.

When he was little, Olga was taking him out of the bath and he said, “Mom, my eyes take pictures of you. When I close my eyes I can still see you.”

He loved his family. Especially his mom. He was never embarrassed to hug Olga or show her love.

It makes sense, because Manny was loved so much.

When it became clear that his birth mom, Bro. Juan’s sister, wasn’t in a position at the time to be what Manny needed, the Vargases adopted him.

They had the help of countless family and friends from church and other places who bombarded the judge with recommendation letters.

Even with Bro. Juan’s record, the judge was blown away and approved the adoption.

That was a turning point for their family.

By their own testimonies:

Emmanuel taught Olga how to love unconditionally.

He taught Juan how to forgive no matter what.

He was a great little brother to Angie and Carlos.

He was Love Bug.

Which made it ironic that Olga saw that leaf outside of their home on Wednesday morning with a heart shape cut out of it. They were about to find out the necessity of holding on to God’s love. When all else fails, the one thing we can count on is that God loves us. He’s always proven.

God Loves Us

I know it feels so hard, but right now we need the truth that God is love.

And before you think that seems detached, Manny wrote in his sermon notebook that his favorite verse is Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

Manny, the one who loved so tenaciously, was first loved tenaciously by His Heavenly Father.

God proved His love for us when Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins.

And Manny knew that. And Manny knows that even more right now. How much God loves Him.

He’s in the presence of God now and for eternity because at one point as a little boy he placed his faith in Jesus to forgive his sins and save his soul.

And before you think that I’m taking more freedom than I should or that this should be about Manny, this is about Emmanuel. One of the last decisions he made wrote down was to give more people the Gospel.

He wrote in His devotion journal,

“How can we get the gospel spread around even in hard times?”

That was on his mind.

He wrote, “I shall not ever be embarrassed of sharing God’s Word and the Gospel. Even when times get hard I should press toward the mark of the high calling of Jesus Christ. Witness to others when people try to discourage or tell you anything different about God and his kingdom.”

Manny wanted to give the Gospel. That was his desire.

He said, “I will take little steps and start doorknocking. Then when I’m further in my Christian Journey I can start trying to win people to the Lord (leading them to become saved)!”

Here’s what Manny wanted. He wants you to be saved.

He had experienced God’s love in his life and he wants you to experience it too.

That’s his wish. All the more so now, because He’s seen what God’s love can do to change eternity.

Let me ask you, would you be willing to honor Manny Vargas’s memory and consider placing your faith in Christ today?

Here’s what you need to know:

1. Sin Is Our Problem

Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

No one is perfect. We’re all sinners. We’ve all broken God’s law and stand guilty before Him.

Whether it’s disobedience, dishonesty, lust or hatred, we’ve all sinned.

Sin is our problem.

2. Hell Is The Consequence

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death”

Death means separation from God for eternity. Luke 16 teaches a literal hell.

It’s not a fun message, but if it’s reality, don’t you want to be warned?

The wages of sin is separation from God.

That’s the bad news, but the last half of Romans 6:23 states, “But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

That leads to the third and final point.

Sin is our problem.

Hell is the consequence.

3. Jesus Christ Is The Answer

There are a lot of things we don’t know, and we may never know, but when you don’t have an answer, lean on what you do know.

Romans 5:8 “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

We know this - God loved us enough to send Jesus to die for our sins.

But He didn’t stay dead. He rose from that grave on His own, conquering death and sin.

We don’t have to live with the consequences of our sin. Jesus paid for it.

4. We Must Place Our Faith In Jesus Christ

Romans 10:13 “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Believe that you’re a sinner.

But that Jesus died for you sin.

And place your faith in His finished work by believing.

Manny is in Heaven because He placed his faith in Jesus Christ as a boy.

If you want to spend eternity in Heaven with him and many others, you must place your faith in Christ as well.

That’s what Manny wanted.

He wants to see you again. He wants to spend eternity in Heaven with you. This is the way to experience that.

Just like Manny, we don’t know what tomorrow holds.

Life is not guaranteed. In order to prepare for that, would you be willing to place your faith in Jesus Christ today?

Please bow your head and close your eyes.

I’m going to pray a prayer, and if you in your heart believe what the Bible says about sin and salvation, you can pray along with me and have a relationship with Jesus today.

I’m going to say a prayer, and to help you with your thoughts, would you consider praying this after me? (Believing from the heart, not just words)

“Father in Heaven

I know that I’m a sinner

I know that I deserve separation in Hell because of my sin

I know I can’t do anything to fix my sin problem

But Jesus Christ died on a cross to forgive me

Then He rose from the dead in victory over sin

So I place my faith in the finished work of Jesus

I trust in Jesus alone to save me

In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

I’m going to ask everyone to keep their heads bowed for just a moment. If you believe God’s Word and you prayed just now and placed your faith in Jesus Christ, could you just raise your hand. No one else is looking around, but if you meant that prayer can you just raise your hand and keep it up?

If you made that decision, the best gift you could give Juan and Olga is to tell them that you chose Christ today because of Manny’s testimony. Would you do that after the service?

Don’t be embarrassed. that’s the most important decision you’ll ever make.

At one point, Emmanuel made that choice too. And if you meant it, it changed your future.

You can look this way.

Dismissal Instructions

Before the closing prayer, let me share a few instructions.

After the prayer, Manny will be taken out followed by the family. Please remain seated until you are dismissed by the directors.

The graveside service is immediately after this, so I’d encourage you to go directly to your vehicle and head to Woodlawn Cemetery at at 26th and Cliff.

After the graveside service, all those who are able are invited to come back here and enjoy a meal and fellowship with the family. Manny’s favorite place was Jimmy John’s, so we’ll have that available for lunch.

Closing Prayer - Ken Austin