Memorial Sermon for Craig Carr based on Romans 8:31-39

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I have a couple memories of Craig that stand out in my mind. First of all, I had never known anyone who had a transplanted lung. Although Craig went to Madison, Wisconsin, many times for check ups and problems, he lived with his transplanted lung for quite a while. Craig was glad to donate his body to the state of Iowa to help out others with health struggles. Secondly, I remember visiting Craig in the hospital in Sibley a while ago. I saw something I had never seen before. Sitting on the hospital bed with Craig was his dog, Pugsy. Craig’s dog did not seem to want me to get too close to Craig either.

Most people do not like to think much about the end of life on this earth. We hear about people losing their lives all the time, but when a loved one or relative or friend is no longer with us we can be deeply moved and saddened.

My sympathies are with all of you here today. Being here at the cemetery is a humbling experience. We know that unless Jesus returns visibly first, we will be buried one day, too.

One of my favorite Bible passages that covers about every trouble we go through in life is Romans 8:31–39 : “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

We all have different problems in life. Some troubles seem small and others seem large. We all have the common trouble of falling short of doing what God would have us do in life. The only solution is looking to Jesus Christ for mercy, forgiveness, and peace. Jesus carried all of Craig’s wrongs, all of your wrongs, and all of my wrongs to the cross outside Jerusalem around 2000 years ago. Jesus gave His precious and innocent life as a once-for-all sacrifice for every single man, woman, and child. Because of Jesus and His once-for-all sacrifice, all who believe and trust in Him have mercy, forgiveness, and peace with God. Because of Jesus and His once-for-all sacrifice, all who have faith in Him know that nothing will be able to separate him or her from the great love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds, in Christ Jesus. Amen.