Grandpa White

I am not sure how many of you remember me, but I am Sid’s grandson and also have been a pastor for the past 14 years. A year or two ago, Grandpa asked if I would be willing to officiate his funeral when he died. No one likes t othink of a loved one dieing, but I told him i would be honored to do that for him.

I had the priviledge of growing up on the same yard as Grandpa and Grandma. Unfortunatley I did not always see it that way, sometimes I took for granted the special opportunity that I had. Grandpa had a special cupboard in the kitchen devoted to goodies for the grandkids. cookies, candy, humbugs. I remember many mornings going over to their house with my brother and looking through the window into the kitchen. There would be grandma and grandpa doing devotions and we would wait for them to finish and they would give us a treat out of the cupboard.

because of this living arrangement I have so many memories of Grandpa, many forgotten over time. They went to church here every Sunday until Grandma ended up in a wheel chair and couldnt do the stairs anymore. They would always sit in the same sit and we would sit beside them hoping Grandma would putt out the certs from her purse.

Grandpa did not grow up with much, and I think because of that he loved reusing old stuff to make it work again. When we where out working in the shop he would give my brother and I old broken hammers to put no weird shaped handles into. His theory was why buy new when you can re use and re build the old stuff we have. It was honestly quite frustrating at the time.

I could keep going aboutt he many things I rememeber over the years. but there is a more important message to share right now. Grandpa would give you the shirt off his back to help you if you needed it, he did many great things but he was by no means a perfect man—and the truth is, none of us are. That’s why we need grace. And the good news we hold onto today is not that Sid lived a flawless life, but that he trusted in a faithful Savior. So today, we choose to remember the good, to let go of the bad, to give thanks for his life, and to rest in the mercy of God.

The one thing that Grandpa wanted me to share with you today is something that kept him going, something that kept him going through the good times and the bad. In the last few years it was one of Grandpa’s greatest concerns that His family would all give their lives to Jesus.

Home in Glory

In their funeral paperwork, Grandpa and Grandma had left a message for all their family and friends. At the time that the message was written they said they wanted everything they had in this life to go to their family if something ever happened them, because in their own words they said “we will not need them anymore. It will not be long till we will be going to our mansion prepared for us. It is free to anyone who believes Jesus died for their sins and loves Him and lives for Him. Matthew 6:33 “33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.”

You see, Grandpa was a follower of Jesus, he had been since he was a teenager. I talked with him about it just a few days before he passed away. We also talked with the nurses at the nursing home and a few others and Grandpa, at the end, told anyone who would listen that he was ready to go see Jesus, He was ready to go home.

Right now I know for certain that He is at home in heaven, with Jesus. With him is grandma neither of them are in pain anymore but smiling at the feet of Jesus. And I know that I will have a chance to see them again some day and because of that, though I grieve, I do not grieve as ones who have no hope. I know of a great hope, the same hope grandpa had.

Grandpa wanted everyone to know of the hope and faith that they had in jesus, all of their family and friends so that is what i am going to speak on today. They mentioned in their last remarks about not needing their stuff because there is a place prepared for them. Thisis taken from the book of John that we are going to start in this afternoon.

John 14:1–3 CSB

1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 If I go away and prepare a place for you, I will come again and take you to myself, so that where I am you may be also.

In this passage we are dealing with Jesus, the son of God, and His disciples. We I believe Jesus to be the one true son of God, God came down to earth in the flesh. Jesus came down to earth to die for sin, so that all people who believe in Him will go to be with Him when they die and will no longer receive any punishment for sin.

But we will get more into that in a bit. Jesus was telling His disciples that He was going to go away and that the disciples could not follow Him quite yet. They where wondering why this was going to be the case, they where willing to die for Jesus. Yet one of them would fall to sin before Jesus died.

So, this is the context when we get to the main point I want to deal with today. Jesus told them in 14:1 not to worry, to believe in God and trust that He has all things under control. Many people like to quote. John 14:2 (CSB)2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?

People look at this and believe that there are many mansions prepared for all people in heaven. That we are all going to go there and have a big house all to our own. I won’t get into why I believe differently but it is better translated that there is a place prepared for all people who believe in God in heaven.

The Bible teaches that this is a beautiful place, no more death no more crying will be there. Streets paved with pure gold, no more violence or wars. But all people who have believed in Jesus to save them from their sins from all eternity. Everyone gathered together in one big house worshipping God for all eternity. What a day that will be.

One Way

John 14:4–5 CSB

4 You know the way to where I am going.” 5 “Lord,” Thomas said, “we don’t know where you’re going. How can we know the way?”

I know for certain that Grandpa is now in heaven, I know for certain we can all go there as well some day but the question is do you know the way. Grandpa said at the end that he was ready to go home, that is to go home to be with Jesus.

Jesus told the disciples and us that where he went we can go as well, but like the disciples I think sometimes we either do not know the way or we are confused about the way to get to heaven.

John 14:6–7 CSB

6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you know me, you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

The offer to get to heaven is given to all people everywhere, but the thing is it does really matters what you believe, not everyway gets to the same place but Jesus told us the way. The only way God said to get to heaven is through Jesus and the free gift of God Grandpa wanted us all to know is you must accept Him as your Lord and saviour.

I say this not because it is easy but because I must. I believe that it is a matter of life and death, you may not agree with me, but I am okay with that because I firmly believe that eternity is at stake. ANd if eternity is really at stake then I must let you know.

Jesus command was that there is only one way to spend eternity with Him, with Grandma and grandpa. Jesus said that He is the way, He is the truth, He is the life. There is no one that gets to heaven apart from going through Jesus.

knowing this I want to mention one more thing, and that is what we call the gospel, how it is we can go through Jesus to get to heaven.

The Gospel

The disciple Paul was a man who was called by Jesus to teach His word. Paul started out a man who followed a strict set of rules that he thought would save him. part of his job was to go find people that followed Jesus and through them in Jail, or see to it tht they died for what they believed. with this in mind we move to what Jesus taught this man who had his life changed by the messiah.

1 Corinthians 15:1–2 CSB

1 Now I want to make clear for you, brothers and sisters, the gospel I preached to you, which you received, on which you have taken your stand 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold to the message I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

The message that Jesus teaches us, that saves us and gives us the way o heaven, the message on which we stand and hold fast to is this.

1 Corinthians 15:3–9 CSB

3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

This here is the message of the gospel that saves. You see we have to admit and confess that Jesus is Lord overall, we have to give our lives to Him because He is the one that died on the cross for our sin.

Jesus paid the ultimate price for our freedom, he died on the cross for our sins and rose again. That means he took all the wrong that we have done and took it on himself and died for us. But the amazing thing is he didnt stay dead, he rose again. All he asks in return after he gave his life for us is that we give our lives to Him to live for Him. After all He is our Lord and saviour.

It is hard for us to admit though that we can not do it on our own, that we are not in control of our own lives, that we need someone other then ourselves. But what do we gain, we gain life! The way might be difficult but Jesus promsies to give us the strength to go through life, we do not have to do it on our own.

We are promised that when we give our lives to Jesus that the great hope that we have is that we will spend eternity with Jesus, in that wonderful place called heaven. All our sins are forgiven, all pain and hopelessness, all violence and pain and tears will be gone, all that will be left is to be with God for all eternity.

Grandpa went to heaven to be with Jesus and we can be there as well. I say these thing, again, because I feel they are of utmost importance. One way God said to get to heaven, Jesus is the only ay. You can try and fill your lives and find meaning other ways, bt it wont work. Jesus is the only things that works.

What do we do as we go from here. It is okay to mourn the loss of a loved one but find joy in the fact that Sid is in heaven now. and with that in mind I want to leave us with a message form the Psalms

Psalm 27:1–4 CSB

1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident. 4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple.

If you have asked Jesus to be your Lord and saviour this is a truth that you can cling to. We grieve as followers of Jesus but we have hope so we grieve with Joy knowing that Grandpa is in a much better place. If you do not have this hope you can.

Remember the good things, let go and forgive any bad things. And find joy in the fact that we to can go to see her again, all we have to do, I have talked about here today.