Adam Cazares Funeral

John 11:25–26 NLT

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?”

John 11:25-26

We come together this morning to pay our final tribute of respect to our deceased loved one, family member and friend and to celebrate the life of this beloved man. To you… members of the family who mourn… your loss, we especially offer our deep and sincere sympathy.

I do want us to take the time to acknowledge the loss and celebrate the life of this man who obviously impacted the life of so many.

It is sad for us that he is away, and we will miss him… but today your sadness must be accompanied by gladness… for Adam Cazares is with Jesus and we will see him again.

John 14:1–3 NLT

“Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me. There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.

PRAY

A story of Donald Grey Barnhouse, one of America's leading Bible teachers in the first half of the 20th century. Cancer took his first wife, leaving him with three children all under 12. The day of the funeral, Barnhouse and his family were driving to the service when a large truck passed them, casting a noticeable shadow across their car. Turning to his oldest daughter, who was staring sadly out the window, Barnhouse asked, "Tell me, sweetheart, would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?"

A story of Donald Grey Barnhouse, one of America's leading Bible teachers in the first half of the 20th century. Cancer took his first wife, leaving him with three children all under 12. The day of the funeral, Barnhouse and his family were driving to the service when a large truck passed them, casting a noticeable shadow across their car. Turning to his oldest daughter, who was staring sadly out the window, Barnhouse asked, "Tell me, sweetheart, would you rather be run over by that truck or its shadow?"

Looking curiously at her father, she replied, "By the shadow, I guess. It can't hurt you." Speaking to all his children, he said, "Your mother has not been overridden by death, but by the shadow of death. That is nothing to fear."

Romans 8:35–39 NLT

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I. Who can separate us?

A. This is a rhetorical question. The answer is clear. No one. No one can separate us from the love of Christ. That is the clear point, but he does offer seven possibilities.

A. This is a rhetorical question. The answer is clear. No one. No one can separate us from the love of Christ. That is the clear point, but he does offer seven possibilities.

B. Trouble, Calamity, Persecution, hunger, destitution, danger, or the sword. These things are truly difficult to face. Many things used by the world, the pattern of this world, the enemies of the cross will use to try to bring separation between Christ and His people.

C. The world today is not an easy place to live in. More and more we are faced with paradigm shifts and because of the power of the internet, we are experiencing exponential change. Life may be confusing, difficult and discouraging. Social media is not helping… it tends to cause many of us to compare our lives to those who post pictures of the good life and envy sets in. Whats the point anymore?

D. The hardships are those things that may try to create a rift between us and the love of Christ, but the love of Christ will prevail. All believers in Christ, Adam, will not ever be separated from the love of Christ.

II. Super Conqerors

A. What does Paul mean when he calls believers in Christ… Super conquerors? We are not just victors, but super victors. According to the scriptures why is Adam and other Christians super conquerors? Why are they and will always be so much more? Conquerors are those who overcome and defeat the enemy. But we are more than that.

B. Why. Because it is clear that neither life nor death. No angel or demon. Nor the present or future. No powers. No height no depth. No nothing in all creation. The beauty of all this, is understanding that the finality of life and death and even the supernatural powers of angels and demons cannot pull us away from the love of Christ. Not even those things in this world that could be conceived in the mind of men. Nothing, Nothing, Nothing.

C. This is why all believers in Christ. Why Adam are all more than conquerors, because nothing will separate us from the love of Christ.

John

John 10:28–29 NLT

I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand.

D. Take comfort in this. Yes we will miss Adam, but he is with his Lord today. There is no more pain and suffering. No more confusion or discouragement. No more sorrow and despair. Adam is in the loving arms of Christ in the shadow of His wings. He is in the loving and compassionate hands of the Father.

E. This is the promise of the Lord and the God who cannot lie. A promise that we can stand on, that we can take to the bank. We can rejoice because we have hope even while we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.

F. It is what Adam believed and what He hopes we all will embrace as well. We will have nothing to fear. All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved… we will no longer be condemned. We will have life and we will like Adam dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

G. This is the Gospel of Jesus. Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures… If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts… It was Adam’s hope. It is his family’s hope. We all hope that it will be yours as well today. We will all face death someday.

H. We do have a brother, cousin, son, nephew, who loves you and wants to see you all again, but more importantly Adam wants you to know that we have a Father God in heaven who also loves you with all of his heart and has prepared a place for us forever. There Adam waits for us all.