Graveside Service for Brad Lees 12/19/20 - 12 Minutes

Graveside Service for Bradley Scott Lees

We have gathered here today in God's presence as family and friends,,, to remember the life of Bradley Scott Lees.

He was 61 years old,,, passed away on December 12, of this year, while he was still at his home.

He was born on July 30, 1959, to Tom and Virginia Lees in Grays Lakes, Illinois.

Bradley is preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Laurie Lees and brother Michael Lees.

He is survived by two children,,, his daughter, Jennifer Johnson, and her husband Tony,,, and then,,, his son, Scott Lees;

He's also survived by his brother Tommy Lees and wife Tammy, and,,, his sister Karen Lees; along with three grandchildren; seven nieces and nephews.

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We also come together this morning,,, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace,,, that in pain we may find comfort,,, in sorrow, we find hope,,, and in death,,, we have the promise of resurrection.

Prayer - Let us pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,,, As we come before you this morning,,, we thank you for our many blessings. At the same time,,, we ask for comfort for the family and friends gathered here today. Help them through this service this morning Lord as only You can,,, in Jesus' precious name we pray,,, Amen

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Brad,,, as I said earlier,,, was 61 years old,,, when he passed from this life,,, to life eternal.

Earlier in the year when I spoke with his brother,,, Tommy,,, about Brad,,, and about all of his disappointing news of different things that doctors said were wrong with him,,, the worry in Tommy's voice was evident.

Tommy was trying to watch out for Brad as much as he could.

I've found out since then,,, that when they were younger,,, that Brad would always do his best to take up for them if there was any way possible.

If anyone tried to hurt any of them,,, he would always do his best to take up for them.

He would also take the blame for some of the things that they had done and would take the whipping instead of them.

That's a brother to have for sure.

If he could come back here today,,, he would still try to do the best for you that he could do.

Just as he has done in the past.

But his choices have been made,,, and,,, for those of us that are left,,, we are left to make our own choices now.

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Brads path in leaving this world has been taken!

But for all of us that are left,,, we must be sure that we are on the right path so that we can spend eternity in heaven.

That's why I feel like this scripture is appropriate for today.

John Chapter 14 verses 1 through 6

I'll be reading from the King James Bible.

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

If we are Christians today,,, our hearts should not be troubled because Jesus gave us this reassurance while He was teaching His disciples the night before He was arrested and,,, we also have 2 Corinthians 5:8,,, where Paul says: 8 and we are confident and satisfied to be out of the body and at home with the Lord.

For those of you that are Christians,,, days like today aren't the end.

They really should be a day of celebration,,, since their troubles on earth are over.

But I know from experience that we don't really want our loved ones to leave us so I know there is always sadness associated with death.

But it's a sadness that can be overtaken by the knowledge that our loved ones are at peace with Jesus now even though we miss them terribly.

That's why a lot of times so much emphasis is put on the ones that are in attendance.

And I'm sure that if he could get word back to us today,,, he would want us to be sure that we have made our commitment to Jesus Christ.

That's why that I thought that we should look at this scripture briefly today.

We have these words from Jesus that He gave to His disciples,,, that were intending to comfort them through the trials that He knew was coming for them,,, (and through Bible reading and study,,, they are written to comfort us today through the loss of our loved ones).

But if you don't have Jesus as your personal Savior,,, times like these can be very hard to understand.

How can we have peace while at the same time we are sad that our loved ones have gone on ahead of us?

That's what Jesus is trying to explain to His disciples in the scripture I just read.

With the confidence that God's word is true,,, we know that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us and He has said that He is coming back again.

We as Christians know that there is only one way to heaven and Jesus gives us the road map in verse 6 where He says that “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Again,,, if you don't know Jesus,,, this may be hard to understand,,, but like Thomas,,, you just have to ask,,, and really be sincere,,, and you will receive an answer through the Holy Spirit that you can understand.

The Spirit will keep nudging you and guiding you into a right relationship with God that will give you the peace of God that will help you to get through any problem that this world throws at you!

That's one of the most wonderful things about our Savior,,, is the fact that He is always trying to get our attention and make us realize that we need Him to fully have peace in this world today.

God wants all to live in eternity in heaven with Him,,, but it's up to us to decide,,, no-one can make that decision for you.

That's why that I know he would tell us today,,, to be sure that we are making the right choices.

Choices that will change our life forever!

Choices that usually we don't think about,,, but the loss of a loved one can make us realize that our time on earth is short.

A choice that decides whether your eternity is spent in heaven or hell.

He would tell you your choice should be,,, to put your trust in Jesus,,, confess your sins and ask for forgiveness,,, ask Him to come into your heart and live for Him,,, because it's only through Jesus that we will ever see heaven.

Because Jesus said that: “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

And that's all the directions,,, we should ever need!

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Let's bow our heads in our closing prayer,,, and as I end the first part of the prayer,,, please join me as we end with the Lord's prayer together.

Almighty God, as you once called our brother Bradley Scott Lees into this life,,, so now you have called him into life everlasting.

We therefore commit him to the elements. In the hope of resurrection unto eternal life, through the promise of Our Lord Jesus Christ, we faithfully and victoriously give him over to your blessed care. We ask these things in Jesus's name who taught us to pray, by saying together:

Our Father, which 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 who 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.

Amen.