Memorial Service for John Van Keulen

Do Not Be Afraid. I Am With You

John was a man of few words. But when he spoke, you listened. He was learned, wise, down to earth.

John was a man who lived by the words of “Do not be afraid. I am with you. Do not be terrified. I am your God. I will make you strong and help you. My powerful right hand will take good care of you. I always do what is right.”

John didn’t talk about dying. He didn’t express any fears or concerns. He simply took God at his word. If John had any fears, he turned them over to the Lord, because he believed God. He knew he didn’t have to hold onto fear.

He knew God was with him. He sensed his presence.

Do Not Be Terrified. I Am Your God

Many things in life are terrifying. For most people, dying is right up there, along with speaking in public and the fear of spiders.

Consider God’s words, “Do not be terrified. I am your God” Notice that God doesn’t tell us to ignore terrifying things. He isn’t telling us to try to escape reality. Rather he’s calling us to embrace reality: He is our God.

John knew this! He knew he belonged to God. He knew he was heading home to be with Jesus. He knew God was for him. And when fears and challenges came, he rested in this knowledge and assurance. I am your God.

I Will Make You Strong and Help You

Do you remember when your dad helped you? Do you remember when he taught you things? Do you remember, Jenny, when he provided for you, when he demonstrated his love for you?

In these ways, John was mirroring God. God acts. God provides. God helps. God is even more awesome than our dads are. God is perfect. God is always for us, His children. We can trust in him.

My Powerful Right Hand Will Take Good Care of You

The context of this chapter in Isaiah is the contrast between all the false gods of the world, and the one true God of Israel. Isaiah lays it out quite plainly. One craftsman carves wood, another covers it with gold, and yet another hammers it until it perfectly covers the carving. They they congratulate each other on their craftsmanship, nail their idol to the floor to keep it from falling over, and worship that which they created.

In contrast, God made us. He fashioned and created us. He also cares for us, by his awesome, unsurpassed power. We can trust in him.

I Always Do What Is Right

If you’ve studied other religions, a theme comes clear out of all of them, particularly the Greek and Roman Pantheon. They are fickle, inconsistent and very much created in the image of humanity. Not so with the one true God. Humanity is created in his image. He is perfect, he is just, he is righteous. He always does what is right.

It is true that we don’t always understand how God works. We don’t understand why he does what he does. In the way children don’t always understand the right things that parents do, God doesn’t tell us to try to understand what he’s doing. He simply tells us to trust. Trust that he always does what is right.

Our Response

Jenny, family, friends, all who knew John, who are grieving, mourning and are also experiencing that strange hope that all who are in Christ have, trust in God. Take the words of with you. Remind yourself of who God is. If you haven’t already, hear his invitation to you. I am your God. I have chosen you. Do not be afraid, do not be terrified, I am with you, I am your God, I am your strength, I am powerful, I take good care of you, I always do what is right. Put your trust in God. Receive him. In him you will find true peace, joy and happiness. Amen.