The Funeral of Lorraine Sonstrom
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
What a profound confession of faith is offered by the man of God, Job. This is a man who had it all—wife, children, land, animals, wealth, possessions, friends, reputation—This is a man who had it all. And yet, in an instant, he loses it all. His oxen and donkeys were pillaged, his sheep were destroyed by fire, his servants were killed by the sword, his children died in tragedy, and, finally, Job’s own health began to fail as Satan assailed him.
Job has walked the path that we all must walk. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out (1 Timothy 6:7). The journey of all men is that of Job. We hope and pray that our process of losing all that we have is neither as sudden nor as tragic as Job’s. And yet, the result will be the same. You will lose everything that you have. Prized possessions wear out and break, homes fall into disrepair, bank accounts decline, 401(k)s diminish. Friendships run their course, parents and grandparents die. So, too, are spouses and maybe even children taken from us. The things of this earth fade away. Everything that we have—money, possessions, relationships—everything that we have is temporary. One day, like Job, we will lose it all. This is the fate of all men.
This was the fate of our sister in Christ, Lorraine. Like Job, Lorraine had it all—she was a strong, independent woman, she was blessed with the means and ability to travel, to be invested in and generous toward others, especially children. And like Job, Lorraine knew something of loss in losing her husband at such a young age. She also knew something of loss in these last days. Her own friends and relatives died over the years. And as her health slowly started to fail her, she was forced out of her home as her body broke down more and more until, just last week, even her very life was taken from her. Everything that Lorraine had in this world was left behind, even you, her family and friends. Though her loss was nowhere near as tragic as Job’s, it certainly was just as complete.
And this is what makes Job’s confession of faith so profound. Though he had lost it all, still he confessed:
“Oh, that my words were written!
Oh, that they were inscribed in a book!
That they were engraved on a rock
With an iron pen and lead, forever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:23-27).
In the face of complete and utter loss, Job’s words stand as a testament for all generations. Yes, Job, your words have been written. Yes, they are inscribed in the most Holy Book. Yes, they are engraved forever. For these words are the heart and soul of the Christian’s faith and hope. These words are known and confessed by all Christians:
I know that my Redeemer lives.
But how can the Christian say that he knows this? In our scientific world, knowledge tends to be defined by empirical proof. But there is more to knowledge than what can be seen. We know the wind because we see its effects. We know love because we can feel it in so many inexpressible ways. So, too, is there one fact that nearly all humans agree to be certain knowledge—there must be something beyond death. Even those who do not believe in God cannot help but cling to the hope of something more. Thus, they will say: “My deceased loved one is in a better place; he is looking down on me.” Humans intrinsically know that death is not the end.
And so, when the Bible teaches of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, we Christians don’t just believe it, we know it to be true. This is the answer to all our hopes and longings. This is where we find the meaning that so evades us in the monotony and cruelty of life. Christ is risen from the dead! He has conquered death and the grave. I know that Christ lives.
But Job’s confession is also profound in that it is more than a historical conviction. For not only does Christ live, but Christ is “my Redeemer.” He is the one who redeems me. I have sold myself to sin and death. The loss that I feel in life is, at least in some measure, of my own doing. My sins bring relational difficulties and loss. Aging and the inevitability of death are the just reward for my sinfulness. But Christ has bought me back from sin, death, and the devil. He has redeemed me, a lost and condemned person. He has purchased and won me from all sin, death, and the power of the devil. He has not done this with gold or silver, but with His holy, precious blood and with His innocent suffering and death. He is my Redeemer, and He lives.
And because my Redeemer lives, so, too, will I live. Though my body will be destroyed, though it will fall into decay, it will be remade. “In my flesh I shall see God.” These remains that lay in this casket will be restored to new life. Lorraine will be raised to new life. And she will stand tall on this earth, with no aches or pains, and with her eyes she will see Christ. Oh, how our hearts yearn for this day!
So it is, dear friends in Christ, that Satan did not take away everything from Job. His children were gone, yes. His flocks, herds, and possessions were no more. His wife and friends turned against him. His health was failing him. And yet, there was one thing that Satan could not take from Job, and that was his confession of faith:
I know that my Redeemer lives.
In the same way, Satan cannot take your confession of faith. Indeed, your confession of faith is the one thing that you can take with you when you depart this body and life. Your possessions will be taken from you, your relationships will come to an end, your health and life will fail. But this truth remains: Your redeemer lives. That truth goes with you into the grave and into life everlasting. There is no truth more important than these words:
I know that my Redeemer lives.
How blessed are we to have known and seen the Christian witness of a strong woman like Lorraine. As her final confession of faith, she asked that you, her family and friends, be left with this confession of Job—that you might have confidence that you will see Lorraine again in the flesh. This confidence was Lorraine’s, not because of her many great acts of love, not because of her faithfulness to Christ, not because of her generosity toward others. This confidence was Lorraine’s and it is yours because of Christ’s resurrection. Because He lives, so too shall we.
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
And He shall stand at last on the earth;
And after my skin is destroyed, this I know,
That in my flesh I shall see God,
Whom I shall see for myself,
And my eyes shall behold, and not another.
How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25-27).
May we, like Lorraine, remain faithful and confident in this confession of Christ until we join her in the choir immortal around the radiant throne awaiting the resurrection to eternal life.
In Jesus’ name. Amen.
