Sylvester Lister Funeral

Greetings & Introduction

Ø Introduce myself

Ø Relationship to Pastor Lister

Ø Words of comfort and encouragement to Donetta.

Ø Thanks and acknowledgements to those present-Family, Friends.

Ø Thanks to this church the Assembly of God

Ø Thanks to all the fellow laborers, and servants in the ministry

Ø Thanks to the MC.

Ø God buries the workman, but the work goes on.

Prayer

The Message

I was not expecting to be the one to deliver the message today. When I asked my sister who was going to  do this, she gave me strange look of shock, as  if to say you are why are you  even asking that question. A few days later the Holy Spirit began to stir my spirit and give me a text and title for the homegoing on Pastor Sylvester Lister.

Paul a bondservant, slave of God and an  Apostle of Jesus Christ who at one time seemed unredeemable was redeemed when he had an encounter with Jesus Christ while on a journey to lock up, put in  prison, and  persecute any man or woman who believed in, taught or preached about Jesus Christ. He went from being an adversary of Christ to an apostle  of Christ, from a blasphemer of Christ to a believer in Christ. He went from capturing believers to communion with believers. He went from a being a murderer being a missionary. He went from being problem for Christianity to a promoter of promoter  of Christianity. This serves as reminder that no one is excluded from the transforming work of  the Holy Spirit when you encounter the only true and living God. In Christ your past does not determine your future. After Paul had his life totally transformed and was totally committed to serving God and following Jesus Christ he is coming to the end  of life on earth in a Roman prison and awaiting to be put to death for  his faith in Jesus Christ. While in prison he writes a letter to his mentor, protégé Timothy. Paul writes this letter to give his young protégé some wisdom and encouragement to give his young father. Paul wanted Timothy to come and visit  him in Rome while also knowing that he would soon be put to death. In 2 Timothy chapter 4: 6-8 speaks about his impending death.  He writes these words to Timothy his son the ministry. 2 Tim. 4.6-8  From those sacred Scriptures I am going to title this homegoing message for Pastor Sylvester Lister “Audios Amigos.”

Pastor Lister loved to watch the old western movies on TV, and I know that one of them that he perhaps watched was the Lone Ranger. I still like to watch on occasions. What would happen is that Lone Ranger and Tonto come into a town get it cleaned up  and put the bad guys as he was walking out the door to get on his horse silver he would  tip his hat say to the people he was leaving behind to keep the town safe he would say “Audios Amigos”

He would hop on his horse and “High yo Silver Hooray”and ride off to another adventure. Well, a few days ago Pastor Sylvester Lister finished the work God had called him to do and said Audios Amigos.  Walked out the door did not hop on a horse and say High yo Silver hooray, but instead he hopped on a heavenly dove and said “Heaven here I come Hallelujah”

The Apostle Paul is near the end of his life when he wrote these words of our text. He is in prison with the sentence of death upon him for preaching Christ. Soon he will be beheaded at the order of Nero the wicked Roman emperor. As Paul nears the end of his life, he makes a statement regarding his devotion to Christ. It is a great statement and can serve as his epitaph of his life. It can be divided into five parts.

FIRST-THE FATE “The time of departure has come.”Death is solemn reminder that we all have a departure date from this life. All of here today are one day closer to our departure date. Apostle Paul was always looking forward to it not shrieking back from it, worried about it. Philippians 1:21–23 “21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better;” , 2 Corinthians 5:8 “8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.” , Acts 20:22–24 “22 “And now, behold, bound by the Spirit, I am on my way to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there, 23 except that the Holy Spirit solemnly testifies to me in every city, saying that bonds and afflictions await me. 24 “But I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, so that I may finish my course and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God.” On the average 8,470 people depart daily in America. There is an old Gospel hymn called “I stood on the banks of Jordan” this is some of the lyrics.

I stood on the banks of Jordan, thank God to See those ships (see those ships go sailing over) I stood on the banks of Jordan one day My Lord oh to see, see those ships go by And when I saw it I said Lord, I've got my ticket

Lord, Lord, See those ships go by Everyday my friends are leaving here too (see those ships go by) Every week I'm standing by the grave side To see somebody's ship go by, (see those ships go by) Hey! Hey! Heyy! See those ships go by Heeeeyyyyy! See those ships go by

Lord, I sho' got my ticket And it's stamped for glory land I don't want the old ship to leave me It's the only transportation I got to glory land Lord, Lord

I will add this part your ticket must be stamped  with the blood of Jesus Christ.

SECOND—THE FIGHT “I have fought a good fight.” Paul was like a prize fighter, he fought every round hard, like it was the last round, he gave the devil his money’s worth, he gave the devil a good fight. When I was young my dad always told me son, “you may give out but never give up. Paul fought everything and everyone that came up against the knowledge of Jesus Christ. It  was a good fight because Paul never stopped fighting. (In the movie “The Untouchables” with Kevin Costner in courtroom scene when Al Capone played by Robert De Niro  was convicted of tax evasion. Kevin Costner said to Robert De Niro “Don’t stop fighting until the fight is finished.” Paul fought till the bitter end.  This was not a physical fight it was a spiritual fight. 2 Corinthians 10:3–5 “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh, 4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses. 5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,”

THIRD—THE FINISH “I have finished my course.” This is the language of a runner. Many start well but do not finish. Starting is exciting but to finish requires more than most people are willing to give. The church is plagued with quitters which is another way of saying the church is plagued by unfaithfulness. People simply do not stick to the job until it is done. “Finished” reminds us that Christ was also able to say, “It is finished” (John 19:30 “30 Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.” ). He said it is finished, not that He was finished. He completed His work. Do not be a quitter. Stick with your task until you finish the work. There is no satisfaction in unfinished tasks. It is good to start but it is better to finish. In this Christian we must finish well.  Paul would not quit on God, because he knew that God would not quit on him. Philippians 1:6 (NKJV)6being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;

FOURTH—THE FAITH “I have kept the faith.” The word “kept” means to guard. Paul had been faithful to the faith. He had kept his message from error. He did not depart from the truth when the going got tough and persecution resulted. “I have kept the faith.” He had once labored to destroy it—had been converted to it—had received it as an apostle, from Christ. To protect, guard, and vindicate it; and he had kept it: inviolably, faithfully. He had kept it pure, entire, prominent—to the end. Paul did not have a fake faith like many people of today, when the sun is in your face, the wind in at your back, all  lights are green, and you are driving on the sunny side of road and you are saying God is good and all the time God is good. Real faith is when you praise God in the midst your pain, pressure, and problems, you still say Lord I still praise You, love You, trust You, serve You, and obey You. Habakkuk 3:17–19 “17 Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, 18 Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.

FIFTH-THE FUTURE “In the future.” One day, our last breath will be taken, we will have spoken our last words, did our last deed, and the last battle fought, And say “Audios Amigos” In that day, if you have been a true and devoted servant of Jesus Christ. Fought a good fight, finished the course, kept the faith,  You will hop on a white heavenly dove wave back and shout “Heaven here I come, hallelujah.”  The Lord will reward you openly for all you have endured secretly! (Matthew 25:21 “21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’” ) He will give you a crown that you can, in turn, lay down at His feet!

Conclusion

Pastor Sylvester Lister’s departure day was early Monday morning October 13th, 2025, he had fought a good fight, finished his course, kept the faith, said to his beloved wife Donetta, his children, relatives,  and fellow servants of his Savior Jesus Christ and said, “Audios Amigos, heaven here I come, hallelujah.” And flew off on a white heavenly dove, to a place of no mo!

Summary