A Prepared Place--Graveside (Antoinette Brown)

I. Welcome & Opening Prayer

Good afternoon, friends, family, and loved ones of Antoinette Brown,

THANK YOU—JOINING US

!! Open in Prayer !!

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II. Life Reflection

Again, I want to thank you for coming today to remember Antoinette.

Testimony: NEVER KNEW ANTOINETTE… HEAR SHE WAS WONDERFUL.

Antoinette’s Character:

INCREDIBLY CARING

EXEMPLIFIED in CAREER—MEDICAL FIELD

EVEN CARED for STRAY ANIMALS

AFTER MANY YEARS— ENDED HER CAREER— to CARE for HUSBAND,, LUKE (of 50 YRS)

CARING PERSON BY NATURE

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BEYOND THOSE RELATIONSHIPS—RELATIONSHIP W/ JESUS CHRIST—

MEMBER of G.C. (WHERE I PASTOR) for 30+ YEARS

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Biblical Testimony: SHE EMBODIED Phil. 2:3-4

Philippians 2:3–4 (ESV)

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Transition: LIKEWISE…JESUS SAID:

Mark 10:42–45 (ESV)

42 “You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant,

44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all.

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

CHRISTIAN LIFE = CHARACTERIZED BY PUTTING GOD FIRST—OTHERS SECOND—YOURSELF LAST

ANTOINETTE DID THIS WELL.

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Transition: NOW THAT HER LIFE HAS ENDED.... I’M SURE SHE’S the ONE RECEIVING CARE...

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III. Scripture Reading: Psalm 23

SCRIPTURE SHOWCASES: GOD = SOVEREIGN CREATOR,, &&& GRACIOUS REDEEMER

AWESOME, MIGHTY, POWERFUL...

ALSO LOVING, CARING...

KING DAVID WROTE:

Psalm 23 (ESV)

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

PSALM = FAVORITE of MANY—

PICTURES GOD’S LOVING CARE of US…LIKE a SHEPHERD W/ SHEEP...

LEADS US

LOVES US

GIVES US REST

CARES for OUR NEEDS

Focus: DAVID WENT THROUGH MANY TRIALS—

BUT HE RECOGNIZED: GOD = WITH HIM THROUGH IT ALL…

.... EVEN VALLEY of SHADOW of DEATH...

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Transition: TURNING PAGE to N.T.... WE SEE SIMILAR PICTURE of our LORD JESUS CHRIST...

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IV. Exhortation: Jesus- Good Shepherd

JESUS = DESCRIBED as “GOOD SHEPHERD” — LAYING HIS LIFE DOWN for HIS SHEEP...

=> DAVID = CARRIED THROUGH VALLEY of SHADOW of DEATH

=> => N.T. BELIEVER—ASSURANCE JESUS CARRIES US THROUGH DEATH ITSELF.

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DEATH = SCARY SUBJECT for MANY

WE CAN BE DELIVERED from FEAR of DEATH—BECAUSE JESUS CONQUERED DEATH (HB. CH. 2:14-15)

HE WENT THROUGH DEATH—FOR US— AND WON.

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JESUS = GOOD SHEPHERD—BECAUSE HE WILLINGLY LAID HIS LIFE DOWN for US

BRING ABOUT SALVATION BY GRACE—NOT MERITS

THOSE WHO BELIEVE—HAVE HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE & FINAL RESURRECTION

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Meantime: awaiting RESURRECTION @ HOME W/ LORD...

TO BE APART from the BODY = TO BE @ HOME W/ LORD (2 COR. CH. 5:8)

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Transition: FOR LORD JESUS WENT to PREPARE a PLACE for US...

EVE of HIS DEATH—HE SHARED W/ DISCIPLES:

John 14:1–3 (ESV)

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

DEPARTING—BUT NOT LEAVING THEM FOREVER...

Thomas: WE DON’T KNOW the WAY to the PLACE....

John 14:6 (ESV)

6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

HEAVEN ISN’T FOUND VIA GPS—BUT THROUGH a PERSON—JESUS CHRIST…

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V. Invitation

Exhort: JESUS = THE WAY…NOT ONE of MANY

THOSE WHO TURN to HIM in FAITH—BELIEVING HE DIED for SINS & WAS RAISED—

CAN HAVE the HOPE of ETERNAL LIFE...

Focus: THIS = HOPE of ANTOINETTE & LUKE—

& I KNOW THEY WOULD WANT YOU to HAVE AS WELL...

Invitation: ANYONE W/ QUESTIONS REGARDING FAITH/ASSURANCE/SALVATION—

— I’D LOVE to SPEAK W/ YOU AFTER the CEREMONY TODAY...

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Transition: AS WE GATHER TODAY— IN REMEMBRANCE of ANTOINETTE… & ALSO HER FAITH in CHRIST—

WE CAN HAVE a SURE HOPE of FINAL RESURRECTION… FOR HER… AND FOR US...

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VI. Second Scripture Reading

Transition: The APOSTLE PAUL.... in 2 Corinthians chapter 4, verses 16-18…WROTE...

2 Corinthians 4:16–18 (ESV)

16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.

LIFE = HARD DOWN HERE

BODIES AGE & GROW WEAK

LIFE ENDS for ALL of US—APART from CHRIST’S COMING...

BUT WE CAN HAVE HOPE for ETERNAL WEIGHT of GLORY— BEYOND ALL COMPARISON...

Romans 8:18 (ESV)

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

THIS = the HOPE of ANTOINETTE… & ALSO LUKE…

Focus: & THIS HOPE SHOULD BRING US REASSURANCE in LIGHT of HER PASSING...

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VII. Committal

And now—

As we gather here today… we commit the body of our loved one,

wife, mother, and friend

...Antoinette Brown...

to this earth, from ashes to ashes, dust to dust—

in hope of final resurrection.

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Transition: The FAMOUS HYMNIST,, JOHN NEWTON ONCE WROTE:

V‌‌III. Amazing Grace Reading/Playing:

[Verse 1 ]

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.

[Last verse]

When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun, We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

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Conclusion:

THAT is a SURE HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE TODAY...

LET’S PRAY

IX. Closing Prayer

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X. Family/Friends Comments

Invite: Now, at this time...BEFORE we DEPART...

... the family would like to OFFER a MOMENT for THOSE HERE to SHARE a FEW WORDS about ANTOINETTE...

.... WOULD anyone CARE to SHARE SOMETHING ABOUT HER/MEMORY?

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** ?? ALSO INVITE to O.I.P.???**

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XI. Benediction:

Now:

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ

and the love of God

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all (2 Cor. 13:14)...

…as we go our separate ways. Amen.