Funeral Service for Delena John

Order of Funeral Service for Delena John

Monday 17th of February 2025

Kingstown Baptist Church 1pm

Opening Statements:

Sentences:

“I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in me will never die.”

--- John 11:25-26 (Pastor)

“The Eternal God is my refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.”

– Due. 33:27 (Pastor )

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.”

– II Cor. 1:3 (Pastor )

“Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

– Psa. 90:12

Order of Service

• Procession

• Welcome & Invocation: Pastor Al Blake

• Worship: Highpoint Church Worship Team

• 1st Scripture Reading: Jasmin Richardson: 2 Cor 5:1, 6-8

• Tribute/s:

• Song: And can it be

• Acknowledgment: Marcia John

• 2nd Scripture Reading: - Patricia Cambridge: Rom 8:35, 37-39

• Song: Precious Lord take my hand

• Eulogy: Annis John

• Song: Will your anchor hold

• Musical Tribute: Jonathan Roberts

• Homily: Pastor Al Blake

• Recessional: When we all get to heaven

Graveside Songs:

Blessed Assurance

It is well with my soul

In the sweet by and by When the roll is called up yonder

Pall bearers

Pedro John

Keith Browne

Colin Cambridge

Welcome………………………………...Pastor Al Blake

Welcome – Welcome everyone. We are gathered here this afternoon to remember the life of Delena John and to say farewell. I’ll like to extend a special welcome to those joining us from around the world via live stream. And to those of you joining us in person here at the church.

On behalf of our Church family at Highpoint Church, my wife, and children. I wish to extend our deepest sympathy and prayers for all Delana’s , family friends and loved ones, as you grieve. Particularly her mom and grandmother.

Invocation: Pastor Al Blake

Songs x4……………………………………. Highpoint Worship Team

1st Scripture Reading: Jasmin Richardson: 2 Cor 5:1, 6-8

Tribute/s:

Song: And can it be

Acknowledgment: Delena’s mom Marcia John

2nd Scripture Reading: - Patricia Cambridge: Rom 8:35, 37-39

Song: Precious Lord take my hand

Eulogy: Annis John

Song: Will your anchor hold

Musical Tribute: Jonathan Roberts

Homily: Pastor Al Blake

Don’t Waste Your Life Sermon: James 4:13-17

We are here this afternoon in memory of Delena John, who departed this life on 9th Feb 2025.

Saying goodbyes to our loved ones is always a sad occasion and one we will never get accustomed to, but it is appropriate that we should come together to sympathize with and give encouragement to those who mourn.

We are told in Romans 12:15 to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep. As we meet this afternoon, we must recognize that no single word at any funeral service will have any bearing on the eternal destiny of the deceased. Funerals are for the living.

Let me share a few thoughts from James 4:13-17 with you.

13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

1. Hold loosely to your plans James 4: (v13)

13] Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit

Show of hands – how many of you would consider yourself a planner?

You look ahead, consider the ins and outs, pros and cons, better and best. And then make a plan to accomplish your purpose so that no time/resource is wasted; How many?

Fact is, all of us are planners to some extent – some just more than others. Whether it’s a vacation (we always have to have a plan), or a career. Where to live or where to work, what to do when you grow up, or who to marry. All of us make plans, necessary plans that include who, what, when, where, why, and how.

While it is true that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail, it is also true that if you leave God out of your plans, you still plan to fail. It’s not wrong to plan; Scripture is filled with examples of plans…Moses’ plan to get out of Egypt; Joshua’s plan to enter the promised land. Jacob’s plan to marry Rachel; Nehemiah’s plan to rebuild the walls of Jer. Jesus’ plan to make disciples; Paul’s – to spread the word. And how can you count the cost without a plan? It’s not wrong to plan, but it is wrong to leave God out of it. When we do, we create more problems than we solve.

ILL: Many years ago now, there was a Broadway play and a subsequent movie about a little red-haired orphan girl who was adopted by the richest man in the nation. The name of that little girl and the name of the play that told her story was “Annie”.

A large part of the popularity of that story was because of the main song in the play. “Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya’ tomorrow; you’re only a day away.” That little girl had lived a rough life. Both her parents had died in a car crash, she had grown up in an orphanage without love and guidance, and just when things were looking up for her, she was kidnapped. So for her, all that she had to live for was tomorrow. There was nothing of any beauty in today. The thought of tomorrow was a promise of hope. Maybe tomorrow will be better than today.

But for most of us, the thought of tomorrow is not only a source of hope; it is also an excuse to put off things that we should do today. Why do today what I can put off until tomorrow? For as long as we have been alive, the sun has risen every morning. There is no reason to think that the same will not happen tomorrow.

God wants you to plan, yes; But he also wants you to hold loosely to our plans and …

2. Accept the Brevity of life (14-15). 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

James says you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. There is little we can do about the length of days.

It's not what we are doing in our life that matters but what we are doing to prepare for the end of our life that really matters. To think that tomorrow is not guaranteed to us should compel us to live our lives with a godly perspective, how we make each moment count so as not to waste or misuse our time.

Read v. 15 …..[15] Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” That’s the example of Paul on occasion. Like when he was leaving Ephesus and said – I will return to you, if God wills (Acts18:21)

Or to the Corinthians when he said – I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills (1 Cor 4:19)

And how about Jesus when he prayed just before his crucifixion – not as I will, but as you will (Mt 26:39)

I remember an incident that happened to Debbie and I about three days into our honeymoon. We had decided to take a tour of the island we were honeymooning on and had hired a driver to take us around. About thirty minutes into the drive our driver for some reason lost control of the car (we didn’t know if he had blacked out or what) but we literally saw the car we were in tilt to right on the two right wheels and then as it was going to flip over it felt like something had steadied it so that it came back down on all four wheels very gently. Debbie and I looked at each other and thought this was it we’re going to be with the Lord… we thought we had the rest of our lives together had things planned out but in those few seconds it meant nothing. Our driver was so shaken up he couldn’t finish the tour in fact Debbie had to do the rest of the driving while I tried to calm this guy down.

None of us loved ones knows what tomorrow will hold… it’s not guaranteed, death can come to any of us any day …

Knowing and understanding the brevity of life should cause us to have a different outlook on life and a heart attitude that burns with passion for Christ. The right mindset – dependence on God is more important than saying the right words…Anyone can say” the Lord willing” but it’s the mindset and the constant attitude of the heart that says nothing happens apart from God’s will/control/sovereignty. The word used in latin …. Is DEO VOLENTE… If God Wills

So don’t waste your life – 1. Hold Loosely to your plans | 2. Accept the brevity of life. Number your days like Moses said – pay attention to each one and treasure them. So that you can make the most of life while it lasts.

3. Make the most of your opportunities on earth. (16-17) 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 17 So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Make the best of the days you have.

I. Help as many people as you can.

II. Forgive those who have done you wrong.

III. Surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and serve Him faithfully each day.

IV. Share the good news of salvation with those you come into contact with.

Life is more than possessions and titles to property. It's not the material things that we may have that matter, but the relationship with Jesus Christ that matters most.

We were all born separated from a holy God because of sin. We were full of disobedience, depravity, and objects of God's wrath, but God made us alive with Jesus Christ through His death. Out of God's love and grace, He brought us out of our terrible situations and brought us into a relationship with Him through the blood of Christ. Now we do not have to live separated from God because we were created for a relationship with Him.

There are two things you cannot escape:

1. Death, "It is appointed unto men once to die" (Heb 9:27).

2. Judgment, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ so that each one may be rewarded for the things done in the body whether good or bad (2 Cor 5:10).

Today you can put your faith in Jesus. Believe that you were born separated from Him because of sin, that He died for you on the cross to take away your sin, and then trust in him alone to forgive you for your sins.

The Bible says if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9) As soon as you do this, you are adopted into the family of God and enter a personal, permanent relationship with Him.

If you know that you need to hold loosely to your plans when it comes to the future. If you know that you need to accept and come to terms with the brevity of life

If you know you need to do the right thing ……But fail to do it – you sin.

We tend to think ---do we not---that to sin means to do something that’s wrong. Like hit somebody, lie, steal, cheat, do drugs, get drunk.

There’s no doubt about it, to do those things is sin

But to sin, also means to NOT do something right.

Often called sins of omission – when you know the good you ought to do, but you don’t do it.

God is saying here through James, that the latter is just as grievous as the former. That not doing the right thing is just as wrong as doing the wrong thing.

Ask bow heads

Pray- God I have failed you and let you down. I have ...... how great you are. please forgive me and help me now. I’m turning from my sins, and committing my whole life to you from this day forward. Thank you for loving me. In Jesus name

Pastoral Prayer:

Thank you for hope in the face of death

Thank you for Delena’s life

Help us to bring closure to our goodbye’s

To find comfort in the support of friends and family

To know the peace of your presence and goodness

You give and you take away – blessed be your name

Recessional: When we all get to heaven

Graveside Service:

Sentences: (Pastor )

The minister, standing at the head of the casket, when the body is laid in the earth, shall say:

“We know that if the earthly house of our tabernacle be dissolved, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven.

.

Prayer (Pastor)

Lord, you’re the God of all comfort.

We don’t pretend to be free of pain or grief over Delena’s death – we grieve Lord.

We’re thankful that you spared her from suffering, but we grieve at her death.

We’re also thankful that we don’t grieve as those with no hope.

So in this time of grief, will you comfort us as no one else can? Will you strengthen us as we carry on.

Will you spur us on to live every moment of our remaining lives for you?

We’ll give you the credit and the glory along the way, and on the other side of heaven.

You are good; We love you; Thank you for loving us.

The Committal: (Pastor )

“And now unto the mercy of Almighty God, we commend the spirit of our departed SISTER and commit her body to the ground: earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; looking for the general resurrection at the last day, when those who die in the Lord shall be raised to eternal glory; through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Graveside Songs:

Blessed Assurance

It is well with my soul

In the sweet by and by When the roll is called up yonder

Benediction: (Pastor )

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.