+ Cindy Marie (Beard) Kensok +

Funeral Sermon for Cindy Kensok

Texts: Luke 23:39–43; Isaiah 42:1–9

Isaiah 42:1–9 NIV84

“Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him and he will bring justice to the nations. He will not shout or cry out, or raise his voice in the streets. A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; he will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on earth. In his law the islands will put their hope.” This is what God the Lord says— he who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it, who gives breath to its people, and life to those who walk on it: “I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness; I will take hold of your hand. I will keep you and will make you to be a covenant for the people and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness. “I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not give my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

Luke 23:39–43 NIV84

One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

Grace to you and peace, from God our Father and from our crucified and risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Introduction – The Tension We Feel

We gather today with heavy hearts. Cindy’s passing at age sixty-one feels too soon. She was a daughter, a sister, a mother, a friend. Her love for others was real—she gave of herself freely, often putting the needs of others ahead of her own. And yet, we also gather with questions. Cindy’s relationship with God was complicated. She was baptized and confirmed in Christ, but in later years she struggled deeply in her faith. What are we to make of such things?

My friends, today we do not come to measure Cindy’s worthiness, nor to weigh her record on a scale. If we did, none of us would stand. Today we come to hear again the promises of God, promises that are stronger than our doubts, greater than our sins, and more certain than our feelings.

The Thief Beside Jesus

On the hill of Calvary, Jesus was not alone. Two criminals were crucified with Him. One mocked. The other turned and said: “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” He had no good works to present. No long history of faithful living. Only a desperate cry. And to him Jesus spoke the words that ring with comfort even now: “Today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Notice what Jesus does. He does not examine the man’s life. He does not weigh his record. He gives him a promise. “You will be with me.” Salvation rests not on the thief’s performance, but on Jesus’ mercy.

A Bruised Reed He Will Not Break

The prophet Isaiah gives us another picture: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out.” Reeds bend easily, and once bent they are fragile. A candle about to go out gives little light and little heat. Yet the Servant of the Lord—the Messiah—handles them with care. He does not crush the bruised. He does not snuff out the faint. He nurtures, He restores, He preserves.

This is good news for Cindy, and it is good news for us. There are times when faith flickers low, when doubt or anger toward God overshadows trust. Yet our Lord is gentle. He is patient. He remains faithful even when we are not.

The Name Placed Upon Her

On the day of Cindy’s baptism, God placed His name upon her: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He claimed her as His own. He washed her in the blood of the Lamb. He gave the gift of the Spirit. And here is our confidence: God cannot but be true to His name. He remains faithful to His name. He does not go back on His promise. “For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart.” And as St. Paul writes, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.”

That does not mean we presume to know more than God has revealed. But it does mean we rest in the assurance that salvation is not the work of our hands but of His.

Gospel Hope for the Family

To Cindy’s family—her daughter, her parents, her brother and his family—hear this comfort: The same Christ who spoke to the thief speaks to you. The same Lord who does not break bruised reeds or snuff out faint flames will not cast you aside. The Jesus who died and rose for Cindy is the same Jesus who died and rose for you.

When you remember Cindy’s love for others, her generosity, her creativity, her concern for those around her—see these as reflections, however imperfect, of God’s image still at work in her life. And when you grieve her struggles, her distance from God, her brokenness—see these as the very wounds Christ came to bear.

Cindy reminds us that none of us can stand on our own merit. We are all sinners. We are all bruised reeds and dimly burning wicks. But Christ is the One who heals. He is the Light of the world, who was not extinguished by death but rose victorious from the grave.

So do not look to Cindy’s record for assurance. Look to Christ’s record. Do not cling to her love, as real as it was, for your hope. Cling to the love of God—the love that stretched out His arms on the cross for you, the love that speaks even now: “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

Conclusion

Therefore today we entrust Cindy to the mercy of God. We commend her into the hands of the Savior who died for her, the Shepherd who seeks the lost, the Lord who is gentle with the bruised and the faint.

And we cling to the sure and certain promise: Christ is risen. Because He lives, all who die in Him will live also.

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