Funeral: JoAnn Supik

Gary Priddy

Pastor Gary

Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

0 ratings

· 25 views

Notes

Transcript

John 11:25–26 NIV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Greeting

John DIRECTIONS FOR DEALING WITH A DIFFICULT DEATH

My name is Gary Priddy, on behalf of the family of Jo Ann, thank you for being here today. Your presence here says more to the family than words possibly could. Your presence is a testimony of your love for them and a witness of JoAnn’s love for you

Prayer

Lord we gather here today before you and marvel at the gift of life you have given each of us. We are amazed at it’s beauty, its strength, and it’s fragility. We gather to remember our wife, mother, grandmother, sister, adn friend. Our gathering is a declaration of her faith and our hope. Faith and hope in a life after death promised to all those who live this life for you. Lord give us a sense of your presence with us here today as we share, mouring the loss of our life with Joann, the things left undone, words left unsaid. Be with us as we remember all the life we shared with her - the good times, teh funny times, the hard times, the time she gave herself to us. Be with us as we celebrate a resurrection to the new life that JOAnn is now living as one of your children who trusted in your promise that “today you will be with me in paradise.”

I’d like to read a couple of passages of scripture today. passages that have been a source of hope and encouragement to people mourning the loss of loved ones over the years.

OT Lesson

Isaiah 40:28–31 NIV

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. 30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

Isaiah 40:28–31 NIV

Isaiah 40:1–8 ESV

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4 Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. 5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.” 6 A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. 7 The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it; surely the people are grass. 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

The 23rd Psalm

Psalm 23 RSV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want; 2 he makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies; thou anointest my head with oil, my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Witness:

Family and Friends

Hymn

Amazing Grace

NT Lesson

Revelation 21:1–7 NIV

1 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” 5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” 6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.

Gospel Lesson

John 14:1–6 NIV

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Message

*The death of someone we love is never easy. It’s made especially hard when death comes in and steals someone away in a tragic accident. Death leaves us with so many unspoken words, so many unmet plans.

But gathered here today we can share our love and concern for each other. We can share memories of Joann. And we can look into God's Word for the comfort and guidance we need.

*At times like this, many people ask, "Why?" Why did God let this happen? I want you to know that it's not wrong to ask why. I realized this a few years ago when I noticed that on the cross, Jesus asked, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?''

Introduction:

Jesus asked why, and He always did the right thing, so it's okay to ask why. But the problem is that many times we can't find the answer to that question. So a wise man once said that a better question that “why” is: "What now?" What should we do now? Let me urge you to stand on three eternal truths as you try to figure out what to do next.

When we are faced with tragedy we often don’t know which way to turn. We don’t know what to think. We don’t know what to feel. We don’t know what to say. In short we simply don’t know how to respond. Fortunately in God’s word he has given us some direction for dealing with difficult situations and circumstances and that includes times when we are faced with a tragic or difficult death.

1. First: Stand on the truth that God is good.

I want to read to you today from , which says:

*When bad things happen like this, sometimes we are tempted to blame God. He is the creator of the earth after all. He is the powerful one. But the Bible tells us not to make that mistake, because God is Light and God is Love.

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. (TNIV)

*In , David said:

From those two verses we can find four things that will help us to hang on through times of tragedy and sorrow.

6. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercies and Your loving kindnesses, For they have been from eternity past. 7. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O Lord.

1. ACCEPT THAT YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND IT ALL.

7. Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions; According to Your mercy remember me, For Your goodness' sake, O Lord.

5 lean not on your own understanding

* says that "the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."

When tragedy strikes some people begin to waver in their faith. They begin to doubt. It starts with questioning God. Why would God, if He really is a good God allow something like this to happen to my loved one? Why would God, if He really is an all powerful God, allow something like this to happen to me? If God is good and all powerful, then why do bad things happen to good people?

urges us to "taste and see that the Lord is good," and "blessed is the man who trusts in him."

In the New Testament, tells us that: "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights."

So, when you think of the good times and the good things about Joann, ____________________________________ know that these came from God. Every bit of the good in her life is ultimately a gift from God into ours.

*God is good. -- But if that is true, why is there so much heartache in the world? I can’t explain it all, but I do believe that it could be related to the fact that just as God is real, so is the devil and he is the father of all evil. The Bible says that he has come into the world to steal, kill and destroy. Because we are created in the image of God, the devil tries to hurt us every way he can.

I confess to you that there are no easy answers to these questions. I could tell you that part of the answer lies in the fact that not everything that happens is God’s will. You see he has given us something called a free will, which means that we get to make our own decisions and our own choices. The result is that sometimes we hurt people and sometimes they hurt us and sometimes we even hurt ourselves. Sometimes we simply make mistakes and sometimes accidents just happen.

Personally, although I am a follower of Jesus Christ, I would not want to live in a world that was micromanaged by God. I would not want to live in a world in which I wasn’t really free. I am glad that I live in a world in which I am a follower of God because, of my own free will, I chose to surrender my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

*But Jesus Christ came to heal the brokenhearted and set the captives free. One day God will wipe away all sickness, evil and pain. Then all who have trusted in the Lord Jesus will live together without the curse of death, with no more sickness, no more pain, no sorrow, no sin, no shame, living forever in Heaven with Jesus Christ.

And in doing so I have accepted that there are things in life that I will never understand. In we read, “‘For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways’ declares the LORD. ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” In other words we will never understand many of the things that we experience in this life. And we need to begin by simply accepting that fact or else we will drive ourselves insane with all the why questions.

*Until that day, life can be extremely hard, but stand on the truth that God is good....and because God is good, we can

Rather than wasting your time asking questions that have no answers you must…

2. And stand on the truth that God loves you.

2. HOLD ON TO YOUR FAITH.

*In , the Bible says: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

5a Trust in the LORD with all your heart

*When something terrible happens, it's easy to think that God doesn't love us. But He does love us. God the Father has shown it in many ways. Giving us Joann was just one way God has shown his love for us. The time spent playing games with grand kids in the floor. The words of wisdom she shared with us over the years. The love Joann had for her family and her community as shown in the ways she served. But the greatest way God revealed his love for us was when He sent His Son Jesus to die in the cross for our sins.

When our world gets turned upside down. When senseless tragedies occur. When loved ones die. When our hearts ache and feel as if they would break. When we are rocked by the storms of life we need an anchor to hold onto and that anchor is our faith. In the Bible says that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

* says that God showed his love "toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." God doesn't love us because we are good. He loves us because He is good.

You see we don’t have to understand it all, but we must have something to believe in – an anchor to hold us steady in the midst of the storms of life – a compass to guide us and direct us in dark and difficult days so we don’t lose our way – a cornerstone upon which to base and build the lives we lead. In the Bibles says that “Jesus Christ himself [is] the chief cornerstone.”

*And He loves us so much that He wants us to be part of His family. God wants to have a personal relationship with us. We see this truth many places in God's Word, such as the Lord's Prayer. There Jesus taught His followers to say, "Our Father who is in heaven, hallowed be Your name." And that's the relationship the Heavenly Father wants to have with all of us. Anybody can have this relationship by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.

Jesus illustrated this with a parable in :

*Nothing is more important, because one of the lessons we get from Joann is that we must get ready to leave this world. We aren’t guaranteed another day. This reminds us how fragile life really is. We take it for granted, but every day is a gift from God.

24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

I’ve preached sermons for people who lived to be 100. Long healthy lives until the very end. For young dads who never get to walk their daughters down the isle.

So I urge you: Hold on to your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. You still may not be able understand, but you will be able to stand.

*I have also preached the funeral for a still-born girl. And I say all of this to say that we have no idea when we will leave this world. So we must be ready to go!

Accept that you don’t understand it all, hold on to your faith and:

I think one of the best things that can come out of Joann’s unexpected death is that some of you are forced to look at your own life. And first we should take a look back: What has your life been up to this point? Are you satisfied with it as we gather before eternity today?

3. NEVER GO YOUR OWN WAY.

But also take a look forward: What do you place your hope in for the future? Are you ready to leave this world?

By saying that I am certainly not saying that you can’t be unique or that you can’t be your own person. On the contrary I believe that God created us all different because God loves variety. And, as they say, variety is the spice of life – it keeps things interesting and that is a good thing. But the Bible says:

The Bible teaches that there is only one way for us to get ready, and that is by trusting in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We must trust in Jesus who died on the cross for our sins and rose again, victorious over death forever. Trust in the Lord, and you will see God prove His love to you over and over again.

6a in all your ways submit to him,

Losing a loved one suddenly can be one of the most difficult experiences in life. Having them taken from us. I’m sure it is equally difficult to be the one taken away, except that Joann now sees what we only hope for.

Why is this so important? Well, the Bible also says in , “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” You see our earthly fathers may not have been perfect, but our Father in heaven really does know best. His way is the best way. His way is the right way.

and because God is good and God loves you… we can trust in the promise that...

I am confident that if Joann were here today, knowing what she knows now from her side of death, she would tell us to stand on the truth that God loves you. That we can trust him because God is good and God loves you… we can trust in the promise that...

3. And stand on the truth that God will help you.

How do we know the way? In Jesus said:

The Bible tells us that God is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort. And He will comfort us in our grief. In , Jesus said:

1 Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2 My Father’s house has plenty of room; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going. … 6 I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

28. "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

If you are looking for your way in life, let me just say that Jesus is the way. Follow him.

29. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."

Accept that you don’t understand it all, hold on to your faith, don’t go your own way and:

Many people think God created the world, put us in it, and left us to our own devices; but the bible is clear on this, that God promises to send his spirit to everyone who loves Jesus.

4. GOD WILL GET YOU THROUGH.

The Bible calls His Spirit the "Comforter," and over time, He will give us the comfort we need in life. The Bible promises that He will give us a peace that passes understanding.

*I once read about a mother named Sue Heil. Her only child, Steven, graduated from high school one June morning, only to be killed in a car wreck that night. Just a few hours before the wreck, Sue had given thanks for Steven's life. And she asked God to keep taking care of him. How could God let this happen?

6b and he will make your paths straight.

*In the days after Steven's death, Sue was often angry with God. Her pastor assured her that this was normal and urged her to keep praying. Sue was disappointed with God and she told Him, "You are supposed to be near the brokenhearted. Do you care?"

Accept that you don’t understand it all, hold on to your faith, don’t go your own way and God will get you through it – he will make your paths straight. I’m not telling you it will be easy – it won’t. I’m not telling you there will be no pain – there will be. But God will get you through.

*Sue had lost her son, and she felt like she had lost her relationship with God too. But one day she got a card from a friend that said: "When God conceals His purposes, -- keep living on His promises."

The Sequoia trees of California tower as much as 300 feet above the ground. Strangely, these giants have unusually shallow root systems that reach out in all directions to capture the greatest amount of surface moisture. Seldom will you see a redwood standing alone, because high winds would quickly uproot it. That’s why they grow in clusters. Their intertwining roots provide support for one another against the storms.

*Sue said that it was as if God were saying to her, "Let go of your anger and trust me again. You do not know why things happen. But you do have my promise of eternal life."

One of the ways that God gets us through is by the intertwining support system of our family and friends. God comforts us and he uses us to comfort others. Paul wrote about this in :

*Please take heart today in the words that helped Sue so much: "When God conceals His purposes, -- keep living on His promises."

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

You are not alone in this. Don’t ever think that. You’re not the only one who feels this way. You have friends, family, and God’s Holy Spirit who will never leave you nor forsake you. Reach out and know that God’s love is at work in your life.

CONCLUSION:

The next weeks and months will be some of the hardest in your life. But remember: God is good. God loves you. And He will help you.

I know that you are hurting this morning. I know that you all miss __________ very much. And I want to say to you that God knows and God cares. And if you will place your faith in him he will get you through this tragedy. He will get you through this life and ultimately he will get you to heaven through faith in his Son Jesus Christ, who gave his life as a sacrifice for our sins. He died that we might live and live not just any ordinary life. For in (NLTse) Jesus said, “My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” I want to encourage you with the fact that in the midst of your sorrow and loss Jesus Christ is offering you a rich and satisfying life – real “life in all its fullness” (GNT).

Prayer and Commendation

God you are good, and your love never ends.

Your grace never ends, even when our love fails

We pray today for this family, for these friends, in our need as we mourn.

but also for God of us all, your love never ends.

As we question why, comfort us;

In our doubts, show us your ways,

When we are weak, strengthen us;

When we sin, show us mercy;

And peace to all who are heartbroken today.

Keep love alive in us.

grounded in your love for us,

we find encouragement to love one another

love one another

When all else fails, you still are God.

We pray to you for one another in our need,

and for all, anywhere, who mourn with us this day.

To those who doubt, give light;

to those who are weak, strength;

to all who have sinned, mercy;

to all who sorrow, your peace.

Keep true in us

the love with which we hold one another.

In all our ways we trust you.

And to you,

with your Church on earth and in heaven,

we offer honor and glory, now and for ever.

---

O God, all that you have given us is yours.

As first you gave Joann,

now we give Joann back to you.

Receive Joann into the arms of your mercy.

Raise Joann up with all your people.

Receive us also, and raise us into a new life.

Help us so to love and serve you in this world

that we may enter into your joy in the world to come. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy Kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those that trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

The power, and the glory,

For ever and ever.Amen.

Dismissal

Life is much more than an accident.

Where ever you go, believe God needs you there.

Where ever you are, trust God has put you there.

He has a purpose for you being there - Christ, to be alive in you, to do something through you, no matter where you are.

Believe this and go in His grace and His love and His power. Amen.

GRAVESIDE SERVICE:

In the midst of life, we are in death;

from whom can we seek help?

Our help is in the name of the Lord

who made heaven and earth.(, ALT.)

Listen, I will tell you a mystery!

We will not all die, but we will all be changed.

(, , 55, 57)

For this perishable body must put on imperishability,

and this mortal body must put on immortality.

Then the saying that is written will be fulfilled:

"Death has been swallowed up in victory."

"Where, O death, is your victory?

Where, O death, is your sting?"

But thanks be to God,

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

(, , 55, 57)

Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul rejoices;

my body also dwells secure.

You, [Lord,] show me the path of life;

in your presence there is fullness of joy,

in your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

(, , UMH 748)

PRAYER:

Let us pray.

O God, you have ordered this wonderful world

and know all things in earth and in heaven.

Give us such faith that by day and by night,

at all times and in all places,

we may without fear commit ourselves

and those dear to us

to your never failing love,

in this life and in the life to come.

Amen.

SCRIPTURE READING

1 Peter 1:3–9 NIV

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. 7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

-9:Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you.In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you suffer trials so that the genuineness of your faith may prove itself worthy at the revelation of Jesus Christ.Without having seen him, yet you love him;though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.As the harvest of your faith you reap the salvation of your souls.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!By his great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you.In this you rejoice, though now for a little while you suffer trials so that the genuineness of your faith may prove itself worthy at the revelation of Jesus Christ.Without having seen him, yet you love him;though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with unutterable and exalted joy.As the harvest of your faith you reap the salvation of your souls.

SCRIPTURE READING

John 12:24–26 ESV

24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

-26Jesus said: "Very truly, I tell yo

u, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.Those who love their life lose it, and those who hate their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my servant be also.Whoever serves me, the Father will honor."

COMMITTAL:

Almighty God,

into your hands we commend your daughter Joann Supik,

in sure and certain hope of resurrection to eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.

This body we commit to the ground

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

Amen.

PRAYER:

Eternal God, you have shared with us the life of Joann.

Before he/she was ours, he/she is yours.

For all that Joann has given us to make us what we are,

for that of him/her which lives and grows in each of us,

and for his/her life that in your love will never end,

we give you thanks.As now we offer Joann back into your arms,

comfort us in our loneliness,

strengthen us in our weakness,

and give us courage to face the future unafraid.

Draw those of us who remain in this life closer to one another,

make us faithful to serve one another,

and give us to know that peace and joy which is eternal life;

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Lord's Prayer:

BENEDICTION:

Now to the One who is able to keep you from falling,

and to make you stand without blemish

in the presence of God's glory with rejoicing,

to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord,

be glory, majesty, power, and authority,

before all time and now and forever. Amen

Related Media

Related Sermons

Earn an accredited degree from Redemption Seminary with Logos.