Martha Hayes Funeral Service

OPENING

Stories of Martha

Love for working (Always doing something)

Great with numbers, Amazing work ethic (Even in her 80s could outwork most)

Love for her hair. (Don’t get it wet and don’t mess it up!)

Love for Cokes

Love for shopping and a good discount (Coupon Queen)

Love for Huskies

Love for Church (Nursery)

Love for Family

Her family is very special to her.

Always there for anything and everything she could possibly get to. And when she was there, she was all in!

We had thought we were going to be having this service a year ago, but God gifted Martha another year and in that year she was able to be there for many more precious family memories!

We hold memories of Martha special because they help us remember and celebrate who is and who she is to us!

Who a person is makes a difference in our lives as we get to know them, but there is one main thing that makes a difference in our loved one’s life and in our lives that has greater impact than anything else…Do they know personally know Jesus? Do we personally know Jesus?

One of the things that is most special about Martha is knowing this day where she is because of her love for Jesus and knowing Him!

A life that knows Jesus is a life that is in Jesus through the power of His resurrection!

A LIFE IN JESUS’ RESURRECTION GIVES US…

1) …REDEMPTION (BOUGHT WITH A PRICE)

1 Corinthians 1:30 ESV

30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

Ephesians 1:7 ESV

7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace,

2) …RELIEF

From Anxiety (Comfort)

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

From Strife (Peace)

John 14:26–27 ESV

26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

From Sadness (Joy)

Revelation 21:3–4 ESV

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

3) …RESTORATION

The One who rose from the grave and conquered death is the One who sits in all authority and desires to bring restoration!

Revelation 21:5 ESV

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Jesus desires to bring restoration through His power, “I am making all things new!”

Philippians 1:6 “6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

The work of restoration that Jesus began in Martha’s life around the age of 13 when she gave her life to Jesus. She made that commitment to Jesus known publicly through her baptism on April 5, 1953.

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 ESV

17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18 All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation;

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 ESV

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. 14 For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. 15 For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

CLOSING

Family and Friends, today is a day of sadness in some ways and a day of celebration in so many other ways because of our Lord Jesus Christ and the truth and reality that Martha knows Jesus! Notice I didn’t use past tense. Martha knows Jesus and we can celebrate her life, her legacy, and her lasting impact on our lives. But the thing to be celebrated the most is that Martha knows Jesus and through His the power of His resurrection she is experiencing His Precious Redemption, His Powerful Relief, and His Perfect Restoration.