Kevin Huddleson Funeral

Opening Song - Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)

Welcome

Good afternoon. On behalf of friends and family I welcome you as we remember and honor the life of Kevin Huddleson. Over the next few moments we'll remember a great dad, a great husband, a great friend, a hard worker, and so much more.

Prayer & Obituary

Kevin A. Huddleson went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Tuesday, June 5th, 2018. He was born on July 10th, 1972 in Indianapolis, Indiana. He graduated from Ben Davis High School and Ivy Tech Community College. He worked Berger Hargis Landscape Management for 25 years.

Kevin was the son of Wanda Small, who is since deceased, and Steve Huddleson. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer, daughters Brooke (13), and Brianna (10), stepfather William Small, brothers Justin Small and Zach Huddleson, Step brothers Corey, Roger, and Stephen Flick, and loving grandmother Norma Webb.

Kevin was an exceptionally devoted husband and father. He had a deep love and admiration for them and was highly involved in their lives. Kevin gave his life to Christ and was baptized in 2004. He became a member of Kingsway Christian Church in 2007.. He was an "Oak Tree" to all he knew. He was greatly loved by many and will be deeply missed.

Personal thoughts:

I had the pleasure of growing up just down the road from Kevin a couple of miles from here. Our Summers consisted of baseball in the street, bike ramps, and all manner of mischief and trouble in the woods behind our neighborhood.

After school, motorcycles kept us friends. Later, hunting took that place. But anyone that knows Kevin, knows that he is crazy about his family.

He’d say, “Steve, I don’t like it when people just keep talking about their kids, but you ought to hear Brooke play the drums. Or Brianna…”

Intro Chris Hargis

Song - I Can Only Imagine

Sermon

For the next few moments I’d like to open Scripture to a place where Jesus visits a funeral. It’s a place where we can find comfort and hope. It’s found in .

John 11:1–7 ESV

1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But when Jesus heard it he said, “This illness does not lead to death. It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” 5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. 6 So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. 7 Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”

John

John 11:11–15 ESV

11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

The text says there was certain man. But no one is really just a certain person. To Mary and Martha, Lazarus was irreplaceable.

Kevin is irreplaceable as well. I’d like to read you something from Jennifer:

Kevin Honey,

My heart aches so deeply in your passing. At times I remind myself to breathe. You were my everything and so much more. I've become the person I am because of the person YOU are. I will be thinking of you when our daughters have their first date, they graduate, get married, & have a family of their own one day. Trust me that WILL NOT be easy. You continually told me I was a strong woman. Little did I know I was being prepared for this. I promise to honor your life by continuing to bring our girls up in Christ. You are loved by so many and this tragedy has allowed Christ to love us through them. Not our will but God's will be done. I rest assured that I will see you again in Heaven. What a GLORIOUS day that will be! I LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH,

During Jesus' earthly ministry, he had irreplaceable people too. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’ irreplaceables. says Jesus “loved” them. And while at first glance, that may not seem insignificant, these are the only three people who the Bible tells us, by name, Jesus loved. He loves everybody of course but this family—they held a special place in his heart, which begs the question if Jesus loves this family so much why does he linger for two days after learning Lazarus is sick? Why does he let them go through so much pain? Hold onto that question as we look at v. 17.

your princess - that’s how Jennifer was in his phone

Jennifer

During Jesus' earthly ministry, he had irreplaceable people too. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’ irreplaceables. says Jesus “loved” them. He loves Kevin as well.

During Jesus' earthly ministry, he had irreplaceable people too. Mary, Martha, and Lazarus were some of Jesus’ irreplaceables. says Jesus “loved” them. And while at first glance, that may not seem insignificant, these are the only three people who the Bible tells us, by name, Jesus loved. He loves everybody of course but this family—they held a special place in his heart, which begs the question if Jesus loves this family so much why does he linger for two days after learning Lazarus is sick? Why does he let them go through so much pain? Hold onto that question as we look at v. 17.

“One thing we know about God from His Word is that He doesn’t judge us by our worst decisions, no matter how terrible, but by our best decision, that is to trust Christ’s lordship and grace.”

Lazarus held a special place in his heart, which begs the question if Jesus loves this family so much why does he linger for two days after learning Lazarus is sick? Why does he let them go through so much pain? Hold onto that question as we look at v. 17.

John 11:17–32 ESV

17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. 21 Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” 27 She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha had met him. 31 When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there. 32 Now when Mary came to where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet, saying to him, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

John 11:17:32

Now if you’ve read the Gospels, you know that even though Mary and Martha are sisters, they’re quite different people.

And yet at the death of their brother these two very different women come and say the same thing , "If you had only been here." Their statements drip with questions "Where were you when things got bad? Why didn’t you come when we sent for you? How come you didn’t do something to stop this?" demonstrates something we all know to be true—pain is no respecter of persons. Eventually it hits us all and we end up asking the same questions: Why, God? What am I supposed to do now?

I have questions and I know that I’m not the only one.

I was thankful this week as I came across a statement from a pastor named Crawford Loritts who said, “One thing we know about God from His Word is that He doesn’t judge us by our worst decisions, no matter how terrible, but by our best decision, that is to trust Christ’s lordship and grace.”

Questions come. I always find it encouraging that Jesus didn't scold them for the questions. He's big enough to handle their question, and yours.

That’s why I’m so very grateful that Kevin chose to place his hope in Jesus, to repent of the ways of the world and to be baptized...

He’s big enough to handle the

I'm so thankful that he provides people like Danny. Danny didn't take things at face value. He studied and prayed until he understood or accepted it. Danny trusted God and his word.

The questions do come though, don’t they? I always find it encouraging that Jesus didn't scold them for the questions. He's big enough to handle their question, and yours. But notice in the text, Jesus will point forward to a greater reality.

Just as Kevin's story hasn't ended, neither did Lazarus’. Verse 33.

:

John 11:33–38 ESV

33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 34 And he said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to him, “Lord, come and see.” 35 Jesus wept. 36 So the Jews said, “See how he loved him!” 37 But some of them said, “Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man also have kept this man from dying?” 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it.

Jesus went to a funeral and cried. Twice the text tells us that Jesus was “deeply moved". In the original language the word implies anger and often carries the idea of rage. You see when Christians think of , we tend to remember it as the chapter where Jesus weeps. But it's more than that - Jesus is irate. So now we have another question; why?

Is it because Lazarus is dead? Or, because of Mary and Martha’s lack of faith? Neither of those answers hold water.

Does Jesus weep because of Mary and Martha’s lack of faith? Does it seem appropriate for Jesus to get upset at two sisters genuinely mourning the loss of their brother? Can you imagine Jesus angry at tears today for Kevin? No.

Jesus tears come at the experience of seeing first hand the havoc that sin and death cause among the people he loves.

Even before he arrived, Jesus knew Lazarus had died. He didn’t cry until he saw the effect. Now at Lazarus’ graveside Jesus is brought to the point of tears; he is riled to the point of anger; and he can scarcely contain himself. The great theologian B.B. Warfield wrote, “Jesus’ soul is held by rage: and he advances to the tomb . . . as a champion who prepares for conflict.”

In the shadow of Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus is not solemn. And he is not sad. He’s angry at what sin and death have done to God’s good creation. And he feels the same way when it wreaks havoc on the people we love, like Kevin.

In , Jesus marches to the tomb and calls Lazarus from the grave. Life undoes death. I imagine every jaw hit the ground. We don’t expect that to happen today—not because Jesus can’t do that today. But because he has promised that the ultimately resurrection is still to come.

What he does is give us a picture of what it will be like one day when death is no more.

What he does is remind us that Jesus is greater than death.

What he does is demonstrate that sickness and depression don't have the final say.

What he does is show us how he's making everything sad come untrue.

What he does is give us confidence when we read him saying things like "This day you will be with me in Paradise."

I’m confident that's where Kevin is now. You can almost see Lazarus opening his eyes and saw the smiling face of Jesus. Tuesday, Kevin did the same. He's healthy and in the presence of the One who saved him. Kevin is irreplaceable - but we don't mourn like those who don't have hope. Those who know Jesus will see Kevin again!

Until that day when we are reunited, we’ll live and love in the reality of those great truths. We grieve, but we don’t grieve like those who don’t have hope. We remind each other of these precious truths. We gather around Jennifer, Brooke, and Brianna and love them. Don’t let those who hurt, hurt alone. We’ll love and we’ll look forward to that great day when we see Jesus face to face, and we’re reunited with those who love him as well.

Let's end with Jesus' words to Mary and Martha:

John 11:25–26 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Prayer

Final Song - Go rest High on that Mountain