Funeral of Janet Vojt

In this last week, there has been an outbreak of panic across the world because of the corona virus. Now, there is cause for serious concern. The mortality rate sits at 3.4%. But concern often gives way to irrational hysteria, and we have seen much of that in recent days. Bottles of hand sanitizer and masks have been selling online for hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. People are rushing to the stores to stock up on basic supplies in order to hunker down at home until the crisis is over.

Sadly, there is a far worse pandemic that is receiving no attention at all from the media. It has already spread to the farthest corners of the globe. Every member of the human race carries the infection and passes it on to their children. I am speaking of disease of sin. The Word of God, which cannot lie, tells us, “The soul that sins, it shall die.” And so you shall. The mortality rate is 100%. You are sitting here today, because God’s Word is true. Sin and death go together. And one day it will be you lying here. You can ignore this reality. You can fill your life with all sorts of busyness. You can pretend that your day won’t come, but it will. God’s Word is true.

There is no vaccine for the corona virus, at least, not yet. And so folks are rushing here and there in a panic, trying all sorts of dubious homemade remedies to protect themselves. This is tragic. But what’s even more tragic is that there is a completely effective vaccine for sin, the medicine of immortality, and the place where it is offered stands nearly vacant. Jesus gives his remedy without price to all, but only a few are willing to receive it.

Janet was one of these few. She knew that she was a sinner, and so she came to Jesus for the cure. She came to hear his words, which are the only salvation from the judgment that hangs over us all. She came to eat the Bread of Life and drink the Blood of Christ, which was poured out for her sins and the sins of the world. Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe!” (John 11:25–27a).

And how did Janet’s belief translate into her life? Could you see her faith in action? Of yes, you could. Every Saturday for years and years she was at the church preparing and setting the table of the Lord. This was before my time here, but I’ve been told about when Janet fell on the steps at church. But not just any steps – the steps coming down from the altar. And why did she fall? Because she was carrying away all the communion ware to have it cleaned.

This is but one example of Janet’s high regard for the precious treasure that Jesus offers to his believers in the Holy Sacrament, and she was there Sunday after Sunday to receive it. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God. Without that, faith shrivels and dies. But Janet’s faith blossomed and grew as she gladly came to the Lord’s house to hear the words of eternal life and to feed her soul with the bread of heaven.

And this faith that God first planted in her heart in Holy Baptism spilled over into all the other aspects of Janet’s life. She was known for her compassion and dedication to her patients as a nurse, and for all of her work at the blood banks in town. Here was faith in action: faith that believed the words of Jesus, cleansing the heart from the inside out, and then flowed outward in love and mercy toward everyone she encountered.

In her final years, when Janet could no longer travel to church, she gladly welcomed her pastors into her home, first Pastor Loos and then myself, where she continued to receive the medicine of immortality. And when, at last, she could no longer do that, she peacefully slept, or pretended to sleep, waiting her Lord’s call to come home.

And last week, in his perfect time, the King of all kings sent his holy angels to usher Janet into her eternal rest. Having shed her poor, worn out body, she is now with Jesus, free from all sin, from all pain and suffering, far beyond the reach of any pandemic or sickness, forever. Now with all the dear saints who have gone before, Janet awaits the resurrection of the dead, when the promise of Jesus to every believer is fulfilled at last, “Whoever believes in me, even though he die, yet shall he live, for I myself will raise him up on the Last Day.” These are the words of Jesus, and they are the words of eternal life. Amen.