Jon Heddlesten Funeral

Jon Heddlesten

I believe in the power of words. I believe words can bring people together, that they can calm a child in time of distress, and that words can instruct us about profound universal truths. Yes words are powerful.

However, there are times when words seem inadequate. Today is one of those those times.

So while we know that all the words that we could say this morning in no way could properly tell of the love you had for Jon, we are here today to remember the life Jon Heddlesten

Jon E. Heddlesten, 37, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, March 31st, 2020 in Fort Cobb, OK. He was born on July 28, 1982 in Anadarko, OK to Sandra Jean (Vance) and Gary Dean Heddlesten. Jon lived most of his life in Fort Cobb. He attended and graduated Fort Cobb High School. He enjoyed playing the guitar, loved to listen to music and was good at video games. He worked for Brandon Farmer Fencing.

He is survived by: His parents; Gary and Sandra Heddlesten, Fort Cobb, OK One son: Jacob Edward Heddlesten, Fort Cobb, OK 2 sisters; Kimberly Heddlesten, Fort Cobb, OK Kelli Heddlesten, Anadarko, OK 3 brothers: David McGhghy, Elgin, OK Dewayne McGhghy, Anadarko, OK Quinton Heddlesten, Kansas Grandmothers: Betty Vance, Moore, OK Margie Etter, Walters, OK Numerous other relatives and friends

He was preceded in death by his grandfathers; John Kardokus, Charles Vance and Paul Heddlesten and his aunt Paulette Wooten

37 Years old. It’s so hard to wrap our minds around losing someone at such a young age. I’m saddened by the fact that I never had the opportunity to meet Jon. But as we were the same age I feel as though I knew him in a way because we grew up in the same time period. We likely grew up watching the same cartoons and television shows, playing the same video games, watching the same movies. You know that is different from what I’m used to, because usually when I’m asked to stand here, it is for someone who was much older. When death takes from us someone that was so young, the shock and the grief can take our breath away.

There is not a person here this morning who doesn’t wish that he or she could say something that would truly help—that would make everything okay. Not many of us, I suspect, feel that we have those words. More than likely, many of us have thought to ourselves, “I wish I knew what to say,” and maybe some of us have even said things that we know have fallen short of the goal of being truly helpful. We simply don’t have the words that would make everything okay.

He was 37 years old. There is not a person here this afternoon who doesn’t wish that he or she could say something that would truly help—that would make everything okay. Not many of us, I suspect, feel that we have those words. More than likely, many of us have thought to ourselves, “I wish I knew what to say,” and maybe some of us have even said things that we know have fallen short of the goal of being truly helpful. We simply don’t have the words that would make everything okay. What I would like to point out this afternoon is that there are words we can rely on—words that are truly helpful, if we allow them to be. They are not the words of men and women; they are the words of God, words that Matt himself expressed interest in toward the end of his life. One of the great truths found in the Bible is that, regardless of the circumstances we face, God wants to be with us through them all. It tells us about the strength of God’s love, and that is message of both comfort and hope. It is a message that helps to strengthen us when we face difficult or disheartening circumstances in our lives.

What I would like to point out this afternoon is that there are words we can rely on—words that are truly helpful, if we allow them to be. They are not the words of men and women; they are the words of God. One of the great truths found in the Bible is that, regardless of the circumstances we face, God wants to be with us through them all. It tells us about the strength of God’s love, and that is message of both comfort and hope. It is a message that helps to strengthen us when we face difficult or disheartening circumstances in our lives.

You know, God describes himself in Exodus chapter 34 as a God

Exodus 34:6–7 ESV

6 The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

In these words we first learn from God’s own mouth that our God, the creator of Jon, you, me, and everything we see is a God of mercy, grace, patience, love, and faithfulness, and we see these characteristics in Jesus Christ the son of God don’t we?

You know, Jesus had a group of people who loved to harass him about the company he kept. On one occasion as recorded in , this group came up to him and asked him, why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners” You know what Jesus said?

You know, Jesus had a group of people who loved to harass him about the company he kept. On one occasion as recorded in , this group came up to him and asked him, why do you eat with tax collectors and sinners” You know what Jesus said?

“Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.”

Then he told them “Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy, and not sacrifice for I came not to call the righteous but sinners.

Our God is a God who is merciful and desires mercy.

On other occasions we see the compassion of God lived out in the life of Christ:

Scripture tells us that when he saw the multitudes that followed him, he was moved with compassion for them, when he encountered a widow who’s son had died, he had compassion for her, When he came across two blind men who cried out to him for help, he had compassion for them, When lepers came up to him he didn’t drive them away, but he had compassion for them.

When his dear friend Lazarus died and he saw the pain and suffering and agony that his friends and family were in because of his death, the scriptures tell us that “Jesus wept!”

Can you imagine, the creator of the all things, the word become flesh, standing upon his creation, and weeping.

Listen, Jesus is the embodiment of

Psalm 34:18 ESV

18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

If you leave here with anything this morning from the word of God I pray that it is these three things:

If you leave here with anything this morning from the word of God I pray that it is these three things: That God is a God of mercy, That Christ is a Christ of compassion, and that God always draws near to the brokenhearted.

That God is a God of mercy.

That Christ is a Christ of compassion.

that God always draws near to the brokenhearted.

He has been with you over the last days as you’ve mourned, as you’ve grieved, as you’ve become angry, even perhaps at Him. He’s been there in your confusion, in your deepest of sorrows. I want to invite you to lean on Him.

He is merciful, he is compassionate, and he is near you today.

Read

Romans 8:38–39 ESV

38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God loves you. I love you.

Ask for stories:

Pray.

We are gripped with a range of emotions, the sadness over the loss of someone so gifted, talented, loving and special. Some of us are angry because we have been left behind and because we didn’t get an opportunity to help. Some of us are having feelings of guilt because we didn’t see the signs or we feel like we could have done more. And all of us are asking “why?” How could it have come to this? Why didn’t she ask for help?

There is so much we don’t know. We don’t know what burden Earline was carrying which seemingly appeared to her to be too much to shoulder. We don’t know why she took her own life or what led her to think she had no other choice. We wonder how long Earline lived with this mounting burden and how long she had to endure it. We wonder at the despair that at last got out of hand and drove her to this decision. Our hearts go out to her, someone we thought we knew so well, and someone we loved and yet managed to conceal from us a struggle that lasted for all we know, weeks, months or even years. And we wonder, of course, how much she suffered at the end, in this final lonely act. There is much we do not know, and it hurts.

Nelson’s Annual Preacher’s Sourcebook, 2007 Edition Funeral Sermon: The Mercy of God

The Mercy of God

Suitable for the Funeral of an Unbeliever

Today we have gathered in memory of _________________________.

Personal Comments

Scripture: Psalm 136

Introduction: The Bible teaches that God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Is. 55:8–9). God’s wisdom is infinite, and He possesses total knowledge. Our knowledge is faulty and limited, and I cannot tell you today about our friend’s spiritual condition or eternal destination. But I can tell you several things that I know to be true on the basis of the Word of God.

1. God Is a God of Mercy. The word “mercy” occurs in the Bible 359 times—that’s almost one time for every day of the year. There is one chapter in the Bible in which the word mercy occurs 26 times, almost one time for every day of the month. It’s Psalm 136, which contains 26 verses, every one of which ends with the phrase, “For His mercy endures forever.” Let me read some it for you: O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders, for His mercy endures forever.… (Read as much of this Psalm as you would like.) By the time we read through this Psalm in its entirety, we almost begin to feel tired of saying that one sentence over and over, until it dawns on us that we must never grow tired of the mercy of God. We can never hear about it too often or think about it too much. We need that mercy every day and every hour, and His mercy endures forever. So when I am tempted to feel troubled p 413 as I do today, I just let that verse cycle over and over in my mind: For His mercy endures forever. It is of infinite comfort to us.

2. Christ Is a Christ of Compassion. The second thing we know is that Christ is a Christ of compassion. Listen to these Scriptures from the Gospels: When He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them.… Jesus called His disciples to Himself and said, “I have compassion on the multitude.…” When the Lord saw her, He had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.…” So Jesus stood still and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, that our eyes may be opened.” So Jesus had compassion and touched their eyes.… Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him… Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed” (Matt. 9:36; Matt. 15:32; Luke 7:13; Matt. 20:32–34; Mark 1:40–41). There are many mysteries in life, but there are two great certainties—God’s mercy and Christ’s compassion. We must never underestimate our Lord.

3. We Are Responsible for Our Own Souls. But there is a third truth we can know, and I would be remiss if I neglected it. We are responsible for our own souls. We can’t be responsible for the souls of others, but we do have a charge from God for ourselves. The Bible warns us not to neglect so great a salvation as Christ provided (Heb. 2:3). The entire teaching of Scripture is found in this. God created us, but we disobeyed His laws, violated His character, and rebelled against His authority in our lives. Because of our sinfulness, death fell upon the human race. But God Himself, in mercy and compassion, became the perfect sacrificial offering known as Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary’s Cross in our stead, shedding His blood for our sins. He rose from the grave to give us forgiveness and eternal life. And He bids us come and follow Him. The Book of Romans teaches that all of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Rom. 6:23), for God demonstrated His love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8). And Romans 10 says: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes p 414 unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation… For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Rom. 10:9–10, 13). I wonder if someone here is willing to call on the Lord today.

Conclusion: Life is short and uncertain, as we’ve been reminded today, but God is a God of mercy and Christ is a Christ of compassion. We are responsible for our own decisions to follow the Lord Jesus, and perhaps today He is calling you to confess Him as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead.