The funeral of Jim Gain

Matthew 6:33

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” These words of Jesus were commended to Jim at his confirmation. This verse is, at the same time, challenging and comforting. How hard is it to keep your mind on just one thing at a time? In the world that we live in, it is easy for our minds to bounce from one thing to another, trying to figure out how to handle all the things that are coming up in front of you. On a day like today, when feeling are wide and complicated, keeping your mind on one thing at a time can be difficult indeed. After all, there is grief at the death of your father, grandfather, fellow Christian, and friend. There is gratitude for a life of faithful service as husband, father, grandfather, friend, sailor, airman, and Christian. There is relief that Jim is no longer suffering from sicknesses that afflict the body. There is a sense of emptiness because you won’t get to see Jim again before Jesus comes back. With all those feelings, how do you keep just one thing in mind?

But today, we can learn a lesson from Jim himself. Jim seemed to always know what he wanted. He also didn’t have a problem telling you what he wanted. When he wanted to see you, he called you and told you. And when he thought the time together was over, he would thank you for coming and let you know that it was time to go. He had a sense of what he wanted, and he set his mind on it. All my visits with Jim were centered on the things that were important to him. No visit with Jim was complete without several things: a talk about his family, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; some comment about his time in the service of the Navy or Air Force or his friends in the VFW, some time spent talking about the Cardinals or the Blues or his fantasy football team or all the above; and a mention of his gratefulness for the grace of God. Sometimes, I wondered where the Scripture and devotion and prayer that I brought fit in the priorities of the day. As the visits continued, though, I realized that Jim made it to every communion service at Meridian Village when he was healthy. He attended Trinity, not always stopping to visit after the service - but he came here to God’s house to hear about Jesus’ love for him. Jim wasn’t outspoken about his faith in Jesus, but it was always there, important to him and the central aspect of his life.

Everything else - his family, his service to his country, his friendships, his health, was all centered around the kingdom of God and His righteousness. Jim was made a member of God’s kingdom by baptism, and he lived in that grace. Jim knew and confessed that he wasn’t perfect, but that he was forgiven and covered by Jesus’ blood. Jesus loved Jim so much that He came in the flesh to suffer and die. He called Jim to faith in Him, and Jim has eternal life with Jesus because he is one of Jesus’ forgiven sinners who has believed Jesus’ promises.

That eternal life started with Jim’s baptism and continued through the years. Confirmation, marriage, children, military service, work for AT&T, retirement, even moving from his home to Meridian Village - but God’s grace for Jim and Jim seeking the Kingdom of God continued. In all this, God added so many blessings to Jim. His family and friends, stability, health, and years of life.

But God will keep adding blessings to Jim, because his life isn’t over. Now, Jim is resting with Jesus and waiting for the day of Jesus’ return, when Jesus will raise this body from death, immortal and perfect and without pain or imperfection. That’s the reality that the reading from Isaiah mentioned. As that reading speaks of a feast of rich food, it reminds me of Jim often commenting that his meals at Meridian Village were good, but “there’s so much food!” Yet, the Lord will provide a feast in the resurrection. The veil of death will be removed, and perfect, griefless, contented life will be added to Jim and all who believe. That eternal life that exceeds our expectations is for Jim.

As good as all that sounds, your grief and pain is still real. Tears still fill your eyes and things won’t be the same without your dad and your grandpa. So, be comforted by those same words of Jesus: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Take comfort in Jesus, God in the flesh who came into the world to die and rise again to conquer death and to add eternal life to Jim and to you. Jesus is the resurrection and the life, and He is the One who comforts you in the middle of your grief. Your grief is real, but so is Jesus’ victory over death. Hope in the Lord Jesus, seek His Kingdom, and He will add eternal life and every blessing to you, just like He did and will continue to do for Jim. Amen.