Deborah Will Receive The Crown

Introduction

If you were to go to the letter of James, the brother, younger sibling of Jesus, you would find these words in chapter 1, verse 12

James 1:12 NIV

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

You can learn a lot about a person by what others, who are close to that person and know them very well have to say about them.

Take Sis. Deborah Richardson as an example:

A child-hood friend

I will hold onto my memories of her always

We became sisters in Christ together

You were loved then & are loved now

Hate that you had to go

You were approachable and people could open up to you

Compassionate and had a heart of gold to help others

I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor & friend

Warm smile

Her love of people & the LORD was infectious as her smile

Provided Inspirational quotes and kind words

Empathetic

She was happiest when helping others

Her gentle presence brought a peaceful atmosphere

Her moral compass was always focused on her LORD and Saviour

God-fearing woman who loved God and her neighbor

Amazing words about an amazing woman of God

And these words are even more notable when you consider that

Mrs. Sis., mother, daughter, friend, servant of God, Deborah Richardson faced difficulties in life like all the rest of us and in some ways she faced bigger challenges

And if you are not facing challenges yet, then just live a little bit longer.

But it is how Sis. Deborah Richardson faced those trials, that makes her a model, in many ways, of how our faith in God ought to look and display itself in the life, the LORD God, has blessed us to live.

Transition To Body

In the opening passages of the book of James in the Holy Bible, we find in chapter 1, verse 2:

James 1:2–4 ESV

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

Sis. Deborah faced many challenges, yet she still had joy

How did Sis Deborah do it?

Body

Deborah Has Been blessed

James 1:12 NIV

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Deborah was blessed with

Blessed with Friends- life long friends sisters in Christ such as Marcia, Mary Lou, Esmeralda, & Ruthie

Who in here can say they they have friends, plural, that they’ve known since child-hood or high school and you are over the age of fifty and you still like, love, & hang out with them.

Sis. Deborah has been blessed with lifelong friends.

You saw their testimonies in the Guest Book!

Blessed with Neighbors- Lanee who told me their landlord found Sis. Deborah in the praying position after the LORD had called her to her eternal resting place

Blessed with Family- father (Mr. Sam Fisher), brother (Carl & Kenneth), Kate, son (Keith), & son significant other (Colleen)

Blessed with a church family

Blessed with a pastor

who all loved her dearly

More importantly Sis. Deborah was blessed by her relationship with the LORD her God- by her faith

Deuteronomy 28:1–3 ESV

1 “And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God. 3 Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the field.

Deuteronomy 28:6 ESV

6 Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out.

Deborah was blessed everybody talked about her effervescent smile

The joy that Sis. Deborah had that you experienced whenever you can in her presence.

(But how did Deborah get these blessings)

Deborah Stood The Test

James 1:12 NIV

12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Perseveres- maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure

We all need some hold out, endure, during these difficult days in which we live and find ourselves

Trial- being tempted

(Facing trials, challenges in life, is not the main point as much as How you handle the trial- that’s what matters!)

How one persevere matters?

Stood

Test

Deborah Will Receive The Crown

James 1:12 ESV

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

What is the reward?

That person will receive the crown of life

Will receive- the sense of recognizing the other’s authority

The Crown of life

Imperishable crown

reward is promised to the Christian who successfully meets the test: the crown of life. The word crown (stephanos) sometimes refers to a royal crown, but is more frequently used of the laurel wreath given to the victorious athlete (see 1 Cor. 9:25) and, figuratively, symbolizes glory and honour

Pastor Dias has already said that Sis. Deborah was a champion.

Sis. Deborah is in the victor’s box today

Wearing the crown of life

But her crown is imperishable

Her crown is glorious & honorable

Revelation 2:10 ESV

10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.

Deborah Loved God

How do we know preacher that Sis. Deborah will receive the crown of life?

That the LORD has promised to those who love him

James 1:12 ESV

12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.

Promised

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament based on Semantic Domains 33.286 ἐπαγγέλλομαι

to announce with certainty as to what one will do—‘to promise

Deborah Loved God (the LORD gives the crown of life to those who love him)

Illustrate: Serving at our Daily Bread and everyone being impacted by her life and ministry there

or

Illustration: Insisting upon the family praying first at the dinner table when gathered together for Thanksgiving

or

Illustration: Attending church, Sunday school, Bible Study, and Congress of Christian Education

Sis. Deborah had a strong faith:

Encouraging others in the faith at Our Daily Bread

Encouraging her son Keith to follow Jesus

Encouraging Colleen

Praying for and counseling others in the faith

Her counseling table at Our Daily Bread

Transition To Close

Deborah has been blessed by God

Because Deborah stood the test

Deborah trusted in the LORD God

Deborah loved Jesus Christ- her LORD and savior

Deborah put her hope in Jesus Christ

My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness

I dare not trust the sweetest frame But wholly lean on Jesus name

On Christ the solid rock I stand All other ground is sinking sand

So Sis. Deborah Will Get Her Crown!

Close

John 16:33 ESV

33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

And God

Numbers 23:19 ESV

19 God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?

Numbers 23:20 ESV

20 Behold, I received a command to bless: he has blessed, and I cannot revoke it.

2 Corinthians 1:20–22 ESV

20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. 21 And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, 22 and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.

Isaiah 26:3 ESV

3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

So

John 14:1–7 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if 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. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

Jesus Came Back To Get Sis. Deborah!

2 Corinthians 1:3–5 ESV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

Do you know Jesus today?

Matthew 7:21–23 ESV

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Deborah is all the up in the cloud of Great witnesses

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.