Funeral Gerrit "Gerry" Van Galen

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John Describes what He sees is majestic and flowing words … He describes that which is indescribable

He says that this New H and New E have replaced the old fallen H&E

There is no longer any sea - Ancient way of saying that the chaos of the sin and the fall are gone

Revelation 21:27 NIV

Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

It’s prepared … Like a Bride for her Husband …

Adorned and ready …

I am reminded of the song by Mercy Me - I can Only Imagine

"I Can Only Imagine"

I can only imagine what it will be like When I walk by your side I can only imagine what my eyes will see When your face is before me I can only imagine

Yeah

Surrounded by your glory What will my heart feel? Will I dance for you, Jesus, Or in awe of you be still? Will I stand in your presence Or to my knees will I fall? Will I sing hallelujah? Will I be able to speak at all? I can only imagine I can only imagine

I can only imagine when that day comes And I find myself standing in the sun I can only imagine when all I will do Is forever, forever worship you I can only imagine, yeah I can only imagine

This is HOME

The references to Eden remind us that this is JUST AS IT SHOULD BE … it’s where the believer belongs

Philippians 3:20 NIV

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

The Lord of the Rings begins in the Shire … it proceeds out into the world where there is battle; adventure, danger, dwarfs, elves, and orcs.

It concludes back in the shire … Home

2 Corinthians 5:8 NIV

We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

Gerry is Home

Eternity for the Believer in Christ is UNENDING/Unbroken Fellowship with God

Revelation 21:3 ESV

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.

IN the OT believers had to go to the temple in Jerusalem … But Now

Rev 21:

Revelation 21:22 NIV

I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.

Eternity for the believer in Christ is Unending Unbroken Fellowship with God

Finally …

Eternity for the believer will be free from every curse of sin

Revelation 21:4 ESV

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.”

Currently we live in a sin cursed world

But the effects of that curse have been removed … once and for all in Eternity.

The Dreadful consequences of the fall and curse have been reversed and removed.

Gerry’s disability … legally stated … was blindness

Do you realize that when he closed his eyes in St. Mary’s Sunday afternoon

And reopened them He SAW … and better than that He saw JESUS

Fanny Crosby was born in 1820 and died in 1915

Blinded as an infant by a medical accident

She went on to write over 8000 hymns and gospel songs

Many of them spoke of “SEEING”

But her attitude in life was not as a victim … oh no

Her faith in Jesus Christ enabled her to live above her disability.

You might recognize some of her songs …

All the way my Saviour Leads me

Blessed Assurance

Close to Thee

He Hideth my Soul

Redeemed how i love to proclaim it

Rescue the perishing

Near the Cross

Take the World but Give me Jesus

Tell me the Story of Jesus

To God be the Glory

BUT MY FAVOURITE

My Saviour First of All

1 When my lifework is ended and I cross the swelling tide, When the bright and glorious morning I shall see; I shall know my Redeemer when I reach the other side, And His smile will be the first to welcome me.

Chorus: I shall know Him, (I shall know Him,) I shall know Him, And redeemed by His side I shall stand; I shall know Him, (I shall know Him,) I shall know Him By the print of the nails in His hand.

2 Oh, the soul-thrilling rapture when I view His blessed face, And the luster of His kindly beaming eye; How my full heart will praise Him for the mercy, love and grace, That prepared for me a mansion in the sky. [Chorus]

3 Oh, the dear ones in glory how they beckon me to come, And our parting at the river I recall; To the sweet vales of Eden they will sing my welcome home, But I long to meet my Savior first of all. [Chorus]

4 Thro' the gates to the city in a robe of spotless white, He will lead me where no tears will ever fall; In the glad song of ages I shall mingle with delight, But I long to meet my Savior first of all. [Chorus] Source: Baptist Hymnal 2008 #602

AND

One last Observation - Eternity for the believer will be ETERNAL SATISFACTION -

Rev 21:

Revelation 21:6–7 NIV

He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Revelation 21:6 ESV

And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.

Philippians 1:21–23 NIV

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far;

Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist (Third Edition) Giving All to Gain Christ

Paul wanted what would bring the deepest and most lasting satisfaction to his life, namely, being with Christ in glory.

Lasting Eternal Quenching of the thirst of satisfaction … Thats what Christ does … Thats what Gerry Enjoys

Nothing lacking that will add to that eternal satisfaction and Joy

John 4:13–14 NIV

Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”