Our Great Friend
Notes
Transcript
It is an honor to be with you here today. As some of you already know, my name is Joshua, and I am Scott’s nephew. My wife Katie and I pastor Leask Gospel Tabernacle in the small town of Leask, Saskatchewan. It was an honor to be asked by Uncle Scott to officiate his celebration of life today, remembering him with joy and how he impacted each one of us.
As I talked with Auntie Annie about Uncle Scott, his life and what she wanted to focus on, the topics of love and friendship came up. Scott knew how to be a friend. The many texts, tributes, and messages received account for that! He also knew a thing or two about love. He was married to Anne for almost 29 years. He cared deeply about his family, this was always abundantly clear when talking with him. As his nephew, especially in later years we knew him as a friend and someone who loved deeply. Megan, Jenna, and Nicole, often when they visited Alberta we heard about you all and what was happening in your lives. He cared so much about you, and was proud of who you are. I think he felt the same about my siblings and I as well. Of course, his way of expressing this often looked like - especially to David - “I’m going to kick your butt to Jupiter.” Dave, not to be outdone, would respond in kind and so ensued usually 2-3 days of manly one-upping. The end result at least once ended with the two of them on the front lawn “working out” their differences. Such a sweet and loving guy I tell ya.
Truly though, he made a great effort to engage with us when they visited, choosing to find out what was happening in our lives and taking an interest in where we were headed. Scott showed us love.
Moreover, Scott knew how to be a friend. Auntie Annie told me “it seemed like he knew everyone!” He had many friends in many places, and was well-loved. Thinking again about their trips to Alberta: I can remember growing up that when Uncle Scott and Auntie Annie came to visit, they also had friends to see, even in Alberta! And they were careful to make time for that.
How do you measure the value of a true friend? In the Bible, in the book of Proverbs 17:17, we read this:
A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.
This seems like a good way to measure friendship. This verse carries two important concepts about friendship:
First, loyalty. Another way to say love here is faithfulness. A friend - a true friend - is faithful. Moreover, often your truest friends are shown when trouble strikes. It’s the people that choose to stick by you in the tough times that prove the mettle of their friendship.
Scott knew about this. He was loving and faithful - as a husband to Anne, as a uncle, son, and brother. He was a faithful friend to many people, across provinces even!
He also knew about adversity, faithfulness through it. In his last few months, Scott experienced very hard suffering. I believe that when many of you reached out to him with texts, calls, or visits to check on him, he was deeply touched by your friendship.
This friendship is a Biblical concept, and an important part of our lives. It spans the gaps from not long after we’re born until we die. Uncle Scott knew this, and was an example of it to all of us.
But I think we can even go a step further when defining friendship: This brings me to the other Scripture on friendship I wanted to share:
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.
Jesus then went on to say:
You are my friends if you do what I command you.
Can you imagine? A friend that would willing choose to lay their life down for you? Here is the beautiful truth about this verse: Christ did show the greatest love by laying down His life to pay the price for sin, and take away the sting of death. Anyone who chooses to place their faith in Jesus is considered His friend. Any who will repent and accept Christ as Savior and Lord experience this great love. Jesus demonstrated true sacrificial love toward humanity by dying on a cross, so that our sins might be forgiven. He rose again, conquering death, so that we might have life. In so doing He is our greatest friend. What a gift this is.
Anytime we come to a moment in our lives like this, we are faced with our own mortality. The sting of death is real. It hurts, it’s hard. It is one thing that - no matter how much we try - we cannot control. It is part of every person’s life.
Perhaps you are here today and wondering, where is the hope? Or does it just end here? Will I ever see my loved ones again? What will happen to me when I too pass away?
Today we’re here for three things:
To celebrate Scott’s life
To grieve his loss - he was dearly loved and will be dearly missed. It is ok to grieve today.
To consider the offer of hope after death in Jesus, as we reflect on the close of Scott’s life.
Today is a chance for us to consider how we will spend our lives, and eternities. Scott was an example of sacrificial love and of friendship. Intentionally or unintentionally, his example points to Jesus, our truest friend and ultimate example of sacrificial love. Christ’s sacrificial love made it possible for death to be something much different than a horrible, hopeless thing. Now, it can be a doorway to something much, much better. Eternity - free of suffering, pain, sin and even death. So to answer our questions earlier about hope, about what happens now, the answer centers around you, and your choice on how you move forward. As a preacher of the gospel, I cannot leave you today without this message: Christ offers hope to all who will put their faith in Him. He has taken the sting out of death! Yes, it hurts, and it is still hard right now. But Jesus has made it a doorway to something much better. Jesus is the greatest friend, and truly, He wants to be your friend, Savior, and Lord.
Take time today, and in the coming weeks and months to remember Scott, to laugh over good memories, to grieve and mourn, and take time for this as well: Your own eternity.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is your ultimate example of what Scott exemplified to so many of us: Real friendship and love. And Christ offers you comfort, peace, and joy if you will come to Him and accept Him. So as we move forward, allow the chance you have here - together - to not go wasted. Consider Jesus’ offer as you celebrate, grieve, and remember. May the God who graciously gave us Scott’s life and allowed him to touch us in many great ways go with you now and comfort your hearts as we celebrate and remember Scott’s life, grieve his loss, and move forward.
Pray.
