Funeral for Mac Harkey - 12/12/17

December 12, 2017

We gather reluctantly this morning to mourn the loss and celebrate the life of Mac Harkey. Though Mac has died, we want to also remember and thank God for the fact that he lived. As we remember Mac, we draw comfort from the Word of God.

David wrote,

[God’s]unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our rebellious acts as far away from us as the east is from the west.The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust. Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. The wind blows, and we are gone as though we had never been here. But the love of the LORD remains forever with those who fear him.His salvation extends to the children’s children of those who are faithful to his covenant, of those who obey his commandments!Psalm 103 (NLT)

Jesus said,

Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.In my fathers house are many mansions; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go and prepare a place for you?And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.You know the way to the place where I am going…Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life, no man comes to the Father except through me.(John 14)

The Apostle Paul wrote

We do not lose heart.though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.so we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.For what is seen is temporary and what is unseen is eternal.(2 Cor. 5)

Let’s pray together:

Father, we come to you this morning in the midst of our shock and confusion. I suspect everyone here has questioned your wisdom in taking Mac. However, we know you are good. We know you love us. So we hang on in spite of all that is confusing. Please surround us with your comfort and remind us of your gracious promises. We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen

R. (for Robert) Mac Harkey was born on March 15, 1964 in Abermarle NC, the son of Glen and Mary Jane McIntosh (from he got the name “Mac) Harkey

Mac attended school in Ft. Madison and on March 24, 1984 he married Kelly Smith at the Methodist church in Lomax.

Mac and Kelly had two girls: Heather (Matt) Halbrook of West Point IA. And Megan (Justin) Sparrow. They have one granddaughter: Jewel Halbrook. They all survive.

I liked Mac Harkey. We were at lots of events together because my daughter and Heather were in the same class and on many teams together over the years. I also had the joy of officiating at the wedding of Megan and Justin. However, my experience with Mac is not unique. I am learning that it seems that everyone who knew Mac liked him. He was what most of us think of when we think of a “good guy”. He loved his family, he spoiled his dog, and he not only worked hard, he LIKED to work hard. His greatest frustration during his sickness was how long it was taking to get back to work.

Mac had numerous jobs over the year. He spent the most time delivering gas and servicing the needs of his customers. There were many nights (and holidays) Mac was called out to help with a problem. He ate many plates of food that were covered with aluminum foil over the years. His family understood that he was working for them.

Mac loved the people he worked with these last years when he was at MPC and then West Central FS in Carthage. Kelly called Mac, Mike, and Joel the Three Stooges. They were always playing jokes on each other. They enjoyed their jobs while at the same time being very good at what they did. Mac and his friends were concerned first and foremost about customer service. The times Mac changed jobs were mostly when big companies purchased the business and put profit above customer service. Mac’s only other frustration working was when FS told him he could not wear shorts (with his steel toed boots)! Mac always . Because of his shorts combined with boots the kids remember dad as always having a very strange tan.

Perhaps it was because of his job, but Mac had a real obsession with flashlights. He had them stashed everywhere because “you never know when the power grid is going to go out. When everyone was concerned about Y2K and the loss of power and other necessary services, Mac made “flashlights” for his brothers and other family members. It was a stick with a match attached to the end of it.

Mac liked to have fun. He had a wry sense of humor. When you least expected it he would give you a zinger. He seemed to have a love for trying to embarrass Megan because he knew she doesn’t like to be the center of attention. For example, after strict instructions that parents were not to cheer individually for their children during graduation at WIU, Mac cheered loudly when Megan’s name was announced.

Mac had a playful spirit. To scare away the birds who liked to build their nest by the flowers he put a rubber snake in the flower bed or had it hanging from the pot. Occasionally he would move it . . . just to mess with you . . . and the birds! He and the guys at work apparently had a rubber rat that they would stash in various locations to scare people . . . mostly each other.

However, there was that time that Kelly inadvertently got him back. She had gotten some pickling salt and poured it into a container. It was a container that look a great deal like the sugar container. At this time in his life Mac was big on drinking Kool-Aid. On this day Kelly made him a container of Kool-Aid. She dumped in the big amount of sugar that was required and sent her honey off to work. Mac only had to take one swallow to know that was NOT sugar! Mac did not hold a grudge . . . for long.

Mac loved his motorcycle. He started riding a dirt bike at the age of 10 and he rode ever since. He loved riding trails. He loved his Kawasaki motorcycle. He and Kelly took numerous trips together. They loved to go to Wisconsin and ride the scenic winding roads. They also went to Michigan once and always wanted to return. Mac took care of his bike. Several times he completely took it apart, cleaning it thoroughly, and then would put it all back together again.

Mac also liked to grill. He learned how to smoke meat and was quite proud of how good he was at it. He also loved (and spoiled) his dog Penny. They were companions for 17 years. Penny always knew that if she begged by Mac she would be given something. She also liked to sleep in bed with Mac and Kelly

Mac was above all a man who loved his family. He met Kelly through her brother. He liked the fact that neither of them was fond of being in crowds. His girls were his life. When the girls were doing something near where Mac was working, he would always stop by to see them play.

As a dad He would do anything for his girls (anything perhaps other than disciplining them . . . that was Kelly’s job). All the girls had to do was ask, “Dad, can you . . . . “ and he would gladly do it. He always made sure their vehicles were in good running order. And if they needed him to do something he didn’t know how to do . . . he would google it and figure it out. He could fix anything . . . even some things that supposedly couldn’t be fixed! He always figured that is was less expensive if he learned how to fix, repair, and remodel things himself. And that is what he did. When he did something, he wanted to make sure he did it right because he was somewhat of a perfectionist.

When Jewel came along, Mac had a new love. The two of them had a strong bond. Mac loved Jewel and Jewel loved Grandpa.

Mac loved the two men who married his daughters. In fact, Mac enjoyed shopping for the boys at Christmas. There are presents under the tree for the boys right now. The thing he was most proud of was his family.

Mac didn’t like to burden people with his problems (including his girls). When he had some prostate issues he said he was not going to tell the girls until there was something to tell. He handled the issue with his tumor much the same way. The Doctors said the tumor was the size of a baby so he named it “Tommy Tumor”. His approach was to do what the Doctors said so he could get back to work. When the Doctors said it was time to take out the tumor, Mac was enthusiastic in his approval and eagerness.

Mac was a tough guy. It is hard to know how much pain he had to endure through this process. He never complained (even when the Doctors kept calling him Robert instead of Mac). Robert is legally his first name, but NOBODY called him Robert!

Mac didn’t like crowds of people but that doesn’t mean he didn’t like people. He was a very personable man. He could talk with anyone.

Mac Harkey was the kind of man we all want as a friend or brother. He made life better and more fun by his mere presence. He was kind and he was fun. If you needed something and he could help, he would be there. Mac will be missed by all who knew him.

Let’s face it, there is nothing fun about a funeral.As we gather today our hearts are heavy.You are never ready to let go of the people you love.In this case things are even harder.Mac Harkey seemed way too young to die.Mac’s surgery was extensive but no one thought there was a chance he might die! This includes the Doctors.

I want to share a couple of things today.First, I want you to know that grief is normal.It’s ok to cry.It’s normal to be angry.It’s appropriate to be numb and perhaps feel nothing.When you love someone, it hurts to lose him or her.When you love someone sometimes you care so much that you physically can’t comprehend the loss, so your system shuts down for a while.You get numb.This is God’s way of helping us cope.

When King David’s infant son was dying, he fasted, prayed, and pleaded with God to save the child’s life.But the child died.When David’s older son died, he wept loudly.David was called a man after God’s own heart. Jesus wept at the tomb of Lazarus his friend.Tears are appropriate.Author Max Lucado writes,

Tears.

Those tiny drops of humanity. Those round, wet balls of fluid that tumble from our eyes, creep down our cheeks, and splash on the floor of our hearts. They are always present at such times. They should be, that’s their job. They are miniature messengers; on call twenty-four hours a day to substitute for crippled words. They drip, drop, and pour from the corner of our souls, carrying with them the deepest emotions we possess. They tumble down our faces with announcements that range from the most blissful joy to darkest despair.

The principle is simple; when words are most empty, tears are most apt.

A tearstain on a letter says much more than the sum of all its words. A tear falling on a casket says what a spoken farewell never could. What summons a mother’s compassion and concern more quickly than a tear on a child’s cheek? What gives more support than a sympathetic tear on the face of a friend?

That task, my friend, was left for the tears.

Grief is normal and appropriate.Do not be embarrassed by your grief . . . it testifies to your love.

There is a second thing I want to remind you of: there is more to life than what we see.

Mac Harkey died here at Christmas time; a time of the year he realty loved. Christmas is when we celebrate the birth of Christ. When we do so we have to work to understand WHY he was born. He was born to give His life as a sacrifice for our sin. This truth reminds us that there is one who has gone before us, one who loved us, conquered the grave, and opens the door of life to anyone who believes.

In some respect, it’s easy to dismiss the whole notion of life beyond the grave as something we need to say to get through the hard times.But this is not an illusion.The resurrection of Jesus was a fact.The evidence is overwhelming.The implications of the evidence bring hope in the time of sadness.

Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life, He who believes in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.Do you believe this?”

Jesus was talking to his friends, Mary and Martha at the death of their brother, Lazarus.There are three things in His words we need to note.First, notice the promise:“He who believes in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”Jesus says there is life beyond the grave.At another time Jesus said, “In my Father’s house are many rooms, if it were not so I would have told you.I go to prepare a place for you so that you may be where I am.”

The Bible’s teaching is consistent:There IS life beyond the grave.This life is described as a time and place filled with unimagined joy and the elimination of all that is evil or painful.We are told “God will wipe away every tear from their eye. For the Christian, death is not the end of the story; it is merely the end of the introduction to the story.Death is a time of transition.It leads to a time of reunion and celebration. This life is not the end of the story!

Second, notice the condition of the promise, “He who believes in me.”There are two common views about Heaven.One view believes everyone who dies goes to Heaven . . . except maybe the really really bad people.The other view says those people who live good lives go to Heaven.The Bible says neither is true.

The Bible tells us that none of us have lived good enough lives to earn Heaven.We may live better lives than the people around us but Heaven is for those who are holy and pure, and none of us meet that requirement.Even the best of us sin . . . and that with some regularity.Even if we only sinned (did what was wrong in God’s eyes) three times a day (which would be a staggeringly good day for most of us), that would be 21 times a week . . . almost a thousand times a year!(And that is if we had only good days!) Over the course of a lifetime that would be 100 times a year! Our sin-debt is greater than we could ever hope to pay.

The Bible tells us that Jesus died to pay for the sin we commit.It tells us that our only hope is to receive the gift that Jesus offers us.The Bible is clear, only those who sincerely and truly trust Jesus Christ will be granted Heaven.

I don’t know what Mac believed about Christ. Perhaps no one but God knows. Mac didn’t like the idea of sitting in church with a bunch of people. Faith was a private matter to Mac. All I know, is Mac Harkey certainly seemed to live with godly character. If Mac did follow Christ, then He has graduated to a new and much better life. He has found a joy that is more profound than anything the world can provide!

Finally, note the important question.Jesus asked a key question to the sisters of Lazarus, “Do you believe this?”He had told them what I have just told you.Now the question is: will you believe the promise of God? That is a good question for you.

Your loss is still going to hurt no matter what you believe.Mac is still gone. But the question is: will you grieve with hope or without it?Will you trust God or turn away from God?It’s an important question.Face it squarely and answer it carefully.

From our perspective, this has been a terrible week.Life has changed for every one of you in this room.I urge you to hold on to the One who is willing to hold on to you.And as you do, celebrate Mac’s life.Mac taught us several things,

A good business puts the customer first.

The best way to show love to your family is in the little acts of service you do consistently.

A dog really is man’s best friend.

There is no better way to travel and appreciate nature than on a motorcycle.

Most people need a little more fun in their life.

Good friends are among life’s greatest treasures.

Family is a gift from God and should be treasured.

When trials come in life you can complain or you can focus on defeating the problem. Only one of those options is productive.

Finally, we learn there are some really good guys in the world. And after last week, there is one less of those good guys.

Will you please pray with me?

Our Father, thank you for the life and character of Mac Harkey. We ask that you welcome Him into your presence by your mercy and grace. I ask that you comfort this family and grant them, clear memories of Mac. Help this family and these friends to make the difficult and sometimes painful adjustments that are required because of Macs death. And Lord, please fill us with a true hope regarding life beyond the grave. For those who don’t yet know you . . . draw them to you. I ask in the name of Jesus. Amen