Sermon Tone Analysis

Mrs. Jean Williams

Please be seated.

On behalf of the family, I want to tell you thank you for every kind word, every visit, the food, the cards, your presence over the past few weeks and your presence here today, but most of all I want to thank you for the prayers that you have offered up over the past month and days as the family have been faithful to stand by Mrs. Jean’s side.

It is wonderful to know that during times of difficulties, we can lean on those around us to hold us up and to help bear our burdens.

I want to also encourage you as friends and family to remember the family in coming days and weeks as well as they will continue to need our love and support.

As we begin today, I want to read a passage of Scripture from Mrs. Jean’s Bible that she had marked and circled in her Bible.

I’m thankful today for Mrs. Jean and that by God’s grace, she was a woman who lived according to this passage.

Whoever Mrs. Jean was to you, whether she was your mother, grandmother, your sister, sister in law, friend, extended family, whatever the case may be.

I’m convinced that if se could tell you anything here today, it would be that she loves you and I am convinced that she would you to look to Jesus and be saved.

I think she would tell you to trust in Christ alone for salvation.

She would urge you to prepare your heart for your appointed time.

All of us one day, will pass away.

most important question we can answer today is: Are we in Christ?

Have you trusted in Christ?

Are you resting in His amazing grace.

Let’s pray.

Scripture and Message

One of the joys of being a pastor is having the opportunity to go and visit Mrs. Jean.

Now some people really look forward to the pastor coming to visit because a lot times, people don’t visit with them as much.

That certainly was not the case with Mrs. Jean.

It seemed like every day she had someone from her family visiting her.

I actually told Mrs. Jean the other day that if I waited until she didn’t have anybody over at her house, I would never get to see her, so I just started barging visits, and I have had the opportunity to meet many of you through those times and I’m thankful for that.

I say all that to say that when I visit with people, one of things I like to do is to read a passage of Scripture with them before I leave to encourage them.

The last time I visited Mrs. Jean at her home was just before she was going into the hospital.

Mrs. Ann was there, and we had a visit, and I could tell that Mrs. Jean was a little bit anxious about the surgery, so I read her this passage.

and..

I really don’t know of a better passage to share with you all today.

Its actually at the bottom of the order of service if you open up the bulletin.

Its

I love that fourth verse there.

The family asked that this not be a sad service, and It really shouldn’t be.

Mrs. Jean was a joyful person.

I don’t know that I have ever met a woman who smiled and laughed as much as she did.

And Mrs. Jean seemed to have the ability to be joyful regardless of what she may have been going through.

When I would go and see her, I could tell her back and legs would hurting, but that didn’t keep Mrs. Jean from smiling, from laughing, and welcoming me into her home.

She seemed to be always smiling always laughing.

A few weeks back, a deer ran across the road in front of her house and got hit, and Duff happened to be across town.

So I got a call that I needed to go up to Mrs. Jean’s house and take care of the deer.

When I got there Mrs. Jean was out in the yard, and so was the deer.

and She looked at me and said well Preacher, are you my deer removal too? and she laughed and laughed.

She walked back across the yard and I told her I was gonna shoot the deer now.

And she hollered back ok go ahead and she laughed.

I shot the deer and she laughed.

She was always smiling.

I’m gonna miss her joy.

But… the question that we need to ask today is what was the source of her joy?

Paul says here Rejoice IN THE LORD.

We can have joy like Mrs. Jean if we posses the salvation and Lord that Mrs. Jean possessed.

Joy comes from the Lord.

Believers and families of believers

This doesn’t mean we won’t have hard times.

It doesn’t mean we won’t have difficult years.

But believers in Christ can have joy.

Believers can rejoice always.

You can rejoice today knowing that Mrs. Jean is experiencing the joy that is found in Christ like never before.

But you also need to understand that apart from Christ, there is no lasting joy.

There is temporary fleeting pleasure, but no lasting joy.

Find the joy that Mrs. Jean had.

Find it in Christ.

We Have Joy in Christ.

Secondly, we can have peace today in Christ.

Philippians 4:5

Today it may be difficult to see the peace that Christ offers.

But its available because he is present.

The presence of God for the believer should bring peace.

We know that we serve the God life and death.

The God over the storms that we’ve faced this past week.

We serve a sovereign God.

We serve the Prince of peace.

I know many of you that are here today.

Family, I may not know you very well, but I know this.

There is only one way to have joy and peace, and its found in Christ.

Its not found in money, cars, homes, treasure, retirement.

Joy and Peace are found in Christ.

If we have Him present with us in our life,

We can have a gentle spirit.

A spirit that despite our difficulties, we can be confident.

We can go to Him in prayer.

Over the next few months, weeks, days, you may struggle.

Who will you call upon?

He promise that He will be with us.

The wonderful truth for every believer in this life is that we are never alone if we are in Christ.

And the even greater hope that we have is that even in death we go to be with our God.

The three questions I want to leave you with this afternoon:

Do you have the joy that is found only in Christ?

Do you have the peace that is only found in Christ?

Do have a relationship with the God of peace?

If not, I would love to talk with you afterward today and show you how to find the peace and joy Mrs. Jean has forever in Christ.

Let’s pray.

This concludes our services today.

The family would like to invite anyone who would like to speak with them over to the fellowship hall of the church for a time of fellowship.

Thank you again for coming today and supporting Mrs. Jean and her family.

Mr. Kelley was and is my friend.

Mr. Kelley was and is my brother.

He loved me and I loved him.

But he didn’t just love me.

He loved His family.

He loved you Mrs. Cathy.

For 42 years, he faithfully loved you.

What an example of love and marriage he has left for us.