Joseph Brady Hughes

On behalf of the family I thank each of you for coming to show your respects, to honor a loved one, a dear friend, and to grieve and mourn this tragic end to a young man’s life that had been overcome by the dark and blinding deceit that ultimately lead to Brady’s broken and troubled heart to literally break.

Now we too grieve with broken hearts for this young man’s life, that at the age of 20 years old…was robbed; taken from him, by addiction causing much dispair in this place today.

Through the brokenness of this reality in which we gather it is our hope to accomplish three things:

To remember Brady as he was before he drifted into a life of self-condemnation, pain, and struggle that lead to the numbing of who he truly was, and ultimately took Him from this temporary and broken world, all too soon.

So yes, we want to remember Brady as God intended him. Beautiful golden hair, and a smile that inspired and reflected a heart that was loved by many, knew it, and also loved others deeply.

But even more than remembering and honoring his memory, this service is to bring comfort and hope to the living. Those left behind in the wake of emotional turmoil, anger, and confusion.

To find comfort in the heavy fog of grief within this gathering together because we share a common love and affection for a son, a grandson, a nephew, a cousin, and a friend.

And lastly we want to glorify the God who created Brady, who knit him together in his mothers womb. The God who made both Brady and each of us in His image, and who’s Holy Spirit grieves with us today because of How our God loves us. So much so that to those who call upon His name, knowing, trusting and believing in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, through faith offers us restoration and rescue from this broken place. Knowing that our only hope for peace can be found in Jesus Christ alone.

So family, friends today let the words and the gathering of many who loved this young man, move you to remember fondly and deeply the love you have for Brady. Let this time of reflection and sadness serve as an outlet to say farewell to heartache that will surely linger for a time, but find comfort in the word of the Lord, the hope you have in Jesus, so that you might find peace in your hearts in the coming days, weeks, even years. Though today we grieve as one we press forward to glorify God for His compassion and grace.

The apostle Paul said in...

Romans 15:4 ESV

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.

So today we mourn together, but we also preserver in the days ahead through the hope in which we have in the Word of God and His Son, Jesus Christ.

Let us pray...

Play song “In the Sweet Bye and Bye”

Rev. Barry Harrison delivers His message

The Appointed Friends will have a time to share memories of remembrance (no more than 5 min)

Play song “Lay Me Down”

Message || Rev. Joe Brantley

Can I just say, that I think Brady would be stoked to know that “Chuck Norris” spoke at his funeral.

I love this man sitting up here with me and I’m honored and humbled to share this time with Pastor Barry Harrison and I’m humbled to have the privilege to walk alongside of this family through this difficult time. Kristen, Wesley and family, thank you for trusting me and our church to minister to you. My hurt breaks for each of you and I can’t imagine what you must be feeling, nor can I pretend to relate to those of you here today who called Brady friend. I can relate to loss, I can relate tragedy, but I’ve been overwhelmed by the strength and resolve of this family.

From the outside looking in it was always evident how much Brady was loved. Kristen, you set the bar pretty high on being a loving, caring mother. And Wesley, you are quite the standard as a man who loves his wife and his family with a sincere depth. It genuinely radiates from your bride. May God bless you both, and may He give you an extra measure of grace as you learn to navigate the days ahead. My commitment and our churches commitment to you all goes well beyond this service. The realness of your love for each other is both strengthening and encouraging. It’s my prayer that you would allow us to continue along with you in this new season of life. As Christ’s bride, the church, is called to rejoice with those within our family who celebrate glories and grieve with those who deal with tragedies. We already consider you a part of our family and know that only by the love and grace of Christ, and your permission can we truly meet you in this mess.

Today is a sobering day. If I’m honest it feels surreal. It seems beyond tragic. I was never Brady’s pastor, however, I did have the privilege of coaching him in baseball for many years as he played on several teams with my son.

I can remember when Brady moved into town. I remember him instantly fitting in a making friends, with guys that I wouldn’t have expected. He was such a cool kid. I’ve always embraced being different (long hair at times, big beard, tattoos), so I appreciate Brady coming into this small community and being brave enough to be his own person. Being somewhat different myself (meaning Brady was unique; he was real, he was always himself) I loved that about him.

He rolled into town and it was like instant brotherhood with a lot of the guys in this room. He came in with his golden locks, thinking back he kind of reminded me of “Sunshine” from the movie “Remember the Titans.” That spoke volumes of his character and how he drew people to himself.

If I’m honest this is what makes me angry about how Satan whispers lies into our heads. Believable, convincing lies. The kind of lies that bring us to the brokenness and reality of this sinful world and how it tears away and goodness. Lies that convince us that we are not loved, when we definitely are. Lies that convince us that the joy that was robbed can only be replaced with substances that numb us to the reality of deep hurt of deception that causes us to isolate and fixate on escaping the hurt through false and temporary things that “mask” truth and blind us from how God has purpose for our lives.

I can speak to that because I was an addict for 15 years. Most of my adult life. Until God intervened in my 30’s and rescued me from myself and awoke me to the lies I was starting to believe about myself. There is a bit of selfish guilt, coupled with angry questions that I throw at God. “Why would you spare me at 30, yet take such a sweet young man like Brady?”

I can throw questions and attitude around like darts, but truth is revealed to us in God’s Word. That was the only thing that pulled me from darkness, blindness, ignorance, and vivid excuses as to why I could drown my self in drugs and alcohol. The quick fix that never, ever worked. Because when the fog of temporary highs are lifted life still sucks when you are trying to fix it on your own. Maybe some of you in here today can understand that, maybe that’s what you are doing right now. Filling up on temporary highs. Substances, toys, people opinions, social status, all temporary, deceptive, lies that bring no joy. Only temporary happiness.

Happiness will betray you…but joy…joy comes from the Lord.

I don’t know why I was rescued by God’s unmerited favor and Brady was consumed by the lies that Satan whispered in his ear. But here is the truth, and you all need to hear this! Satan is whispering the same lies into your ear and some of you are buying into the lie. YOU MUST REJECT HIS LIES! And the only way that happens is by coming to the end of yourself, your selfish excuses, and start pressing into the truth that can only come from the One who created you. It’s the only way to break the cycle. Because Sin is a violent raging merry go round that you have to jump off of and experience pain as you get scraped up in the escape.

The Apostle Paul puts it like this… once you know truth, you can’t keep giving into the lies…listen to this...

Romans 6:1–7 ESV

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.

Rom

The truth is that Jesus wants to rescue you from the lies and deceit of this jacked-up world. Truth isn’t always easy, but it’s always true. Once you know truth, there is no way you can enter back into the false veneer of deceit…because it leads to death. Not temporary death, like what we are mourning today, but eternal death. We will all face this day sooner or later. The question is do you face it alone, trying to fix it with your own somewhat inescapable solutions? OR do you all the One who took death for you so that you might experience LIFE eternally?

Paul goes on to say...

Romans 6:8–13 ESV

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

Romans 6

We have a way out. The WAY. IT’s not a destination or a prescription…it’s a person. His name is Jesus! And says, He (Jesus) is the only way; He’s exclusive! (quote )

We have remembered Brady. We have given you the instruction to hope…we find it in the Scriptures. Only through Jesus’ death and resurrection to Life can we marvel in the truth of life and find comfort that outlives the temporary solutions that we sometimes choose.

But finally, we have glorified God through the reading of His Word and the proclamation of His radical grace to send His one and only Son to rescue us from the fog of societal lies.

This is the thing about funerals…they are not for dead. They are for the living. To remember Brady and who he was is to smile, laugh, and even cry because of the gift of who he was to each of us. But comfort and hope are only found in Life of Christ who died once for sins, defeated death and through the power of the resurrection. We see our path. We die to things of this world so we too can be resurrected with Christ. Because when you are in Christ, God no longer sees your raggedy, tragic attempts to fix things that you can’t fix. In Christ He sees the finished work of His Son Jesus on the cross. He no longer see your brokenness and shady lies, He sees His perfect Son.

If Brady could speak to you right now…I have no doubt he would confess, “Guys don’t fall for that junk…I see it for what it is now…it’s a lie.” He would say if you don’t feel loved you are wrong. You are loved deeply. Not just by the people who are suppose to love you, because truth is they can fail you too. But you are loved by the Creator of all things Himself! That’s truth. Brady would compel you to let go of the lie and run to the truth, the light of life, the holy righteousness of Christ.

I want to leave you with the cries of King David who was an epic figure in the Bible. He killed a giant with a rock, he killed bears and lions with his bare hands, but he also failed epicly as well. He stole someone’s girl and hand her husband killed…But even after all of that, David’s reputation is “He was a man after God’s own heart.”

Let me close us with this word from David as he is crying out to the Lord...

Psalm 51 ESV

To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. 1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. 6 Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. 7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. 10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. 13 Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. 14 Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your righteousness. 15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. 16 For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 18 Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; build up the walls of Jerusalem; 19 then will you delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.

What pleases God is for us on this side of heaven to understand his Grace. He doesn’t want or need your sacrifices, He wants and needs your broken spirit, your broken and contrite heart…He won’t despise you in your sin, instead he will clean you up in the blood of His Son who was the only sacrifice that mattered. He wants you to see your need for Jesus and know that Christ’s sacrifice was enough.

Remember Brady’s smile, his laugh, his uniqueness…their will never be another one like him.

But remember also that the same God who created Brady in his uniqueness, created you.

Find comfort in Brady is no longer struggling with the lies of the enemy, find comfort in the fact that Brady knows the truth.

Find comfort in the fact that he would tell you, don’t invest in the things of the world or what others think about you, because there is a God who loves you and who is Just.

Then glorify HIm today by turning form what ever you are using to try and fix the hole in your heart and realize that Jesus is the only cure.

If your spirit is broken and your heart is contrite…you are in the perfect place to submit to Jesus Christ as your Lord…that not just truth…that Good News.

Jesus said, “Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand.”

Today we learn a hard lesson. Life is this world is fragile…and no one is promised tomorrow unless they have died with Christ and have been resurrected with Christ in new life.

This place can never offer you what you need. Because what you need is Jesus and He is alive and ascended to right hand of the father. So start giving Him glory now, because that is all we will do when we leave this place…if we believe and submitt our lives to Jesus.