Funeral David Kent Memorial

Family Prayer

English Standard Version Psalm 23

23 A PSALM OF DAVID.

1  The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2  He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

3  He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

4  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

5  You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

forever.

Eulogy

Eulogy for David Kent

Today we gather with grateful hearts and tender memories to honor the life of David Kent—a beloved friend, faithful church member, loving family man, and dedicated railroad conductor. While our hearts are heavy, we also give thanks for a life that touched so many people in such a genuine and unforgettable way.

David had a friendly personality that made people feel welcome almost immediately. He truly never met a stranger. Whether he was speaking with an old friend, a neighbor, someone at church, or a person he had just met, David had a way of making conversation feel natural and personal. He carried with him the gift of gab, and when David told a story, he told it in detail. He did not rush through life or through his memories; he wanted you to see what he saw, hear what he heard, and understand the whole story.

My own personal experience of David was mostly here at church and I can honestly say that I never saw him when he wasn’t smiling. He would drive up in his red mustang (Go Dawgs), and he would always speak to me in such a positive fun way that it lifted my spirits and genuinely made me feel good. In my life, I can tell you that those people that lift you up and make you feel special are generally the exception, not the rule. My own Grandmother was one of those people. She, like David, was from a different era:

An era when people talked to each other.

An era when people cared about each other.

An era when people helped each other.

An era when a heartfelt conversation over a cup of coffee took the place of scrolling on your device through breakfast (even if you took the time for breakfast)

LEGACY - Let’s take just a moment talk about David’s legacy. Each of us will leave a legacy. You will leave a legacy. Our time on this earth is limited and none us knows the number of our days. When we are gone from here, we will leave something behind that lives on. What we leave will be a representation of who we are, how we behave, how we love and what we care about most. As I talked to David’s family, the word legacy came up again and again. Now, I’m not talking about fame, notoriety or popularity. I’m not talking about whether you are a fancy dresser or have a nice house or car. No, I’m talking about something much bigger and more important that that. Most of us will leave a legacy in two major areas and I think this is very true of David.

FAMILY - David had a heart for his family. He loved them deeply and faithfully. He was the kind of man whose devotion showed not only in words, but in presence, care, and commitment. His family had his heart, and those who knew him could see the pride and affection he carried for the people he loved most.

FAITH - David was also part of a church family, and that matters. In the life of the church, we are reminded that we do not walk alone. We rejoice together, we serve together, and in seasons like this, we grieve together. David’s presence among his church family was a blessing, and his memory will remain woven into the lives of those who worshiped, served, and fellowshipped alongside him.

CHARACTER - For many years, David served as a railroad conductor, a calling that required responsibility, steadiness, attention to detail, and dedication. The railroad was more than a job; it was part of his story. It shaped his days, gave him experiences worth telling, and connected him with people and places along the way. It is easy to imagine David on the rails, carrying not only the duties of his work, but also the stories, conversations, and friendships that came with it.

When we remember David, we will remember his voice, his stories, his laughter, and the way he could turn a simple conversation into something memorable. We will remember a man who loved his family, valued friendship, served with dedication, and brought warmth into the rooms he entered. His life reminds us that some of the greatest gifts we leave behind are not possessions, but the love we gave, the stories we shared, and the people we made to feel important.

So today, we thank God for the life of David Kent. We give thanks for his family, for his friendships, for his years of service, and for the many stories and memories he leaves behind. Though we will miss him dearly, we entrust him to the care of the Lord, and we pray that his family and all who loved him will be comforted by the peace of God and strengthened by the legacy David leaves in our hearts.

Introduce Robert Jones - Now I want to introduce a dear friend of David that knew him much better that I did. Mr. Robert Jones, if you would come say a few words about our friend David.

Sermon

From Saul to Paul: A Life Transformed by Jesus

A Message of Hope, Grace, and Gospel Purpose

Scriptures

Acts 9:1-22; Acts 13:9; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; 2 Timothy 4:6-8

Opening Words

Today we gather to share a time of mixed emotions. We come with grief, because love always feels the pain of separation. We come with memories, because a life lived among us leaves an imprint upon us. And we come with hope, because the Gospel tells us that death does not have the final word for those who belong to Jesus Christ. David Kent, very clearly belonged to Jesus Christ and I firmly believe that he would want me to share this message with you today.

In moments like these, the Word of God gives us more than information; it gives us consolation. It lifts our eyes from what is temporary to what is eternal. It reminds us that the same Lord who walked with His people through life is faithful to receive them in death. And it shows us, again and again, that Jesus Christ is able to transform a life, use a life, and keep a life for all eternity.

One of the clearest examples of that transforming grace is the man we know as the Apostle Paul. But before he was known as Paul, he was Saul.

Let me ask you:

- Is there a person you used to be that you are glad you not today?

- Do you wish today that you could be a better version of who God wants you to be?

- How do I become that person today?

Saul: His Original Name and Identity – Acts Chapter 9

Paul’s original name was Saul. That name connected him to his Jewish heritage. He was from Tarsus, a city in Cilicia. He was called the “Hebrew of the Hebrews”, from the tribe of Benjamin, trained in the law, and zealous for the traditions of his fathers. Saul was not a careless man. He was not indifferent to religion. He was deeply religious, highly educated, and intensely committed to what he believed was right.

Yet sincerity alone was not enough. Saul was sincere, but he was sincerely wrong. The book of Acts tells us that he persecuted the followers of Jesus. He approved of Stephen’s death. He entered homes and dragged believers away. In Acts 9, he was on the road to Damascus with authority to arrest Christians and bring them bound to Jerusalem.

That is where Saul was when Jesus met him. He was not looking for the Lord. He was not on his way to a revival meeting. He was not planning to surrender his life. He was on his way to oppose the very Gospel he would one day preach. But grace has a way of meeting people on the road they are traveling and turning them in a new direction.

Jesus Transformed Saul’s Life

As Saul neared Damascus, a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Saul asked, “Who are you, Lord?” And the answer came: “I am Jesus who you are persecuting.”

In that moment, Saul discovered that Jesus was alive. The One he thought was dead was risen. The One he had rejected was Lord. The One whose people he had persecuted was calling his name. And that is the miracle of grace: Jesus did not come to destroy Saul; He came to save him.

Saul was blinded for three days, but during that darkness God was doing a deeper work. Sometimes the Lord has to stop us before He can send us. Sometimes He has to humble us before He can use us. Saul entered Damascus led by the hand, helpless and dependent. The proud persecutor had been brought low by the risen Christ.

Then God sent a disciple named Ananias. Ananias laid his hands on Saul and called him “Brother Saul.” What a beautiful phrase. The man who had been an enemy was now a brother. The man who had come to imprison believers was now welcomed by one of them. Something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

That is what Jesus does. He gives sight to the blind. He gives mercy to the guilty. He gives a new identity to the broken. He takes a life headed one direction and turns it toward heaven. Saul became Paul, not merely because of a change in name, but because of a change in heart, purpose, and Lord.

Jesus Used Paul to Spread the Gospel

The Lord said of Saul, “He is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel.” The same man who once tried to silence the Gospel became one of its greatest messengers.

Paul preached Christ in synagogues and marketplaces. He crossed seas and entered cities. He planted churches, trained leaders, endured hardship, wrote letters, and pointed people to the saving grace of Jesus. He was beaten, imprisoned, shipwrecked, misunderstood, and opposed. Yet he could say, “By the grace of God I am what I am.”

Paul’s life reminds us that God does not waste a surrendered life. The Lord used Paul’s background, education, citizenship, courage, and testimony for the spread of the Gospel. What once had been used against Christ was redeemed for Christ. That is the power of the Lord Jesus: He not only saves us from sin; He gives us a purpose for His glory.

At a funeral service, we are reminded that every life tells a story. Some chapters are joyful, some are painful, some are known only to God. But the greatest question of any life is not how long we lived, how much we owned, or how many people knew our name. The greatest question is whether our life was placed in the hands of Jesus Christ.

Paul’s Journey and Our Journey

Paul’s spiritual journey speaks to our own. We may not have been on a road to Damascus with letters in our hands, but each of us has traveled our own road. We all have a past. We all have places where we were blind before we could see. We all have moments when the Lord has to confront us, call us, forgive us, and redirect us.

Like Saul, we begin with an identity shaped by many things:

- family, history, choices, achievements, failures, regrets, and hopes.

- But when Jesus saves us, He gives us a greater identity.

- We become children of God.

- We become forgiven sinners.

- We become people of grace.

- The old things pass away, and behold, all things become new.

Like Paul, our journey is not only about conversion; it is about calling. The Lord saves us with purpose. Not everyone will preach like Paul or travel like Paul or write like Paul, but every believer is called to bear witness to Jesus. We bear witness in our homes, in our church, in our community, through acts of kindness, words of faith, prayers for others, and a life that points beyond itself to Christ.

And like Paul, our journey includes suffering. Paul never pretended the Christian life was easy. But he knew that suffering was not the end of the story. He could write from a prison cell with joy. He could face death with confidence. Near the end of his earthly life, he said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

That is a word we need today. There is a course before each of us. There is a faith to keep. There is a Savior to trust. And because Jesus rose from the dead, the grave is not the end for those who belong to Him. Paul’s confidence was not in himself. It was in Christ, who loved him, saved him, called him, sustained him, and promised him a crown of righteousness.

A Word of Comfort

For the family and friends gathered here, the comfort of the Gospel is this: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The Lord who transformed Saul can still transform lives. The Lord who stood by Paul in hardship can stand by us in grief. The Lord who gave Paul hope in the face of death can give us hope today.

Grief is real, and we should not rush past it. Jesus Himself wept at the tomb of Lazarus. But Christian grief is not hopeless grief. We grieve with tears, but we also grieve with trust. We lay our loved ones in the hands of a faithful God. We remember that the Good Shepherd walks with His people through the valley of the shadow of death, and He brings them safely home.

Paul once lived under the weight of sin, but he found mercy. He once walked in spiritual blindness, but he received sight. He once opposed Christ, but he became a servant of Christ. His life is a testimony that no one is beyond the reach of grace, and no life surrendered to Jesus is without eternal meaning.

Invitation to Reflection

As we reflect on Paul’s journey, we are invited to reflect on our own. Have we heard the voice of Jesus calling us? Have we surrendered our lives to Him? Have we received the forgiveness He offers? Are we walking the road He has set before us?

The same Christ who met Saul on the road to Damascus meets us through His Word and by His Spirit. He calls sinners to repentance, the weary to rest, the grieving to comfort, and the faithful to hope. He does not merely improve a life; He makes a person new.

If Paul could stand at the end of his life and say, “I have kept the faith,” then may that be our desire as well. May we trust Christ. May we follow Christ. May we serve Christ. And when our own journey is complete, may we be found in Christ, safe in His grace, and welcomed into His presence.

Closing Prayer

Lord Jesus, we thank You for the grace that transformed Saul into Paul. We thank You that no life is too far gone for Your mercy, no heart too hard for Your love, and no road too dark for Your light. Comfort this family today. Strengthen them in their grief. Fill them with the hope of the resurrection. Teach us to number our days, to trust You with our lives, and to walk faithfully until our course is finished. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, Amen.

Graveside Message

John 14:1–3 ““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.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 “Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.”

We are saying goodbye to David on this side of heaven and it hurts.

The Bible does not ask us not to hurt. Rather, it tells us that we do not grieve “as others which have no hope.” It’s okay to hurt, but God wants you to know that it is also okay to HOPE.

David has left us his legacy:

He has left us his family.

He has left us wonderful memories that we will always carry with us.

He has left us wonderful stories that we will pass on to others.

He has left his personal mark on his church that will continue to spread the Gospel.

And most important of all, he has left us with hope through his personal relationship Jesus Christ. A hope that he has passed on to you so that you may also know Jesus the way that he did.

I pray that for you today is not goodbye, but it is simply “see you soon dear friend.” That is the gift that David wishes for you. That is the gift that Jesus offers you .

Prayer