Lodema Cockrum - Funeral
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Funeral Service for Lodema Cockrum
Dec 28th, 2020
Viewing at 1 pm – Have soft music playing in the background with a photo of Lodema on the screen.
Funeral – 2pm start.
Music Playing in the background – Tony and Cindy
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We gather today to celebrate the Life of Lodema Cockrum and to mourn the loss of a mother, grandmother, sister, and friend.
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.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”
Let us pray –
Let us pray –
Almighty God, your love never fails. Only you can turn the shadow of death into daybreak. Enable us to receive your word with believing hearts, so that your promises may come alive to us in this our time of need. Give us your hope that we may be lifted into the light and peace of your presence: through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Amen.
----------------------------HYMN – TONY AND CINDY-----------------------
Scripture Reading –
Scripture Reading –
But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.
Therefore comfort one another with these words.
-----------------------------HYMN – TONY AND CINDY -----------------------
Sermon –
Sermon –
We do not mourn like those who have no hope.
We do not mourn like those who have no hope.
Mourning is a natural emotion at the loss someone we love deeply.
Yet, we are told by Scripture that because of Jesus we do not mourn like those without hope.
If this was the last time you could ever see Lodema you would have reason to mourn.
If there was no hope of ever kissing her cheek again, you would have reason to loose hope.
If ground and dust were our eternal destination, despair would be understandable .
Yet, as Lodema discovered years ago; death in this life is not the end.
For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.
For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
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Today, we mourn our loss but we cannot mourn Lodema’s loss.
Today, we mourn our loss but we cannot mourn Lodema’s loss.
Lodema has entered the presence of God.
She has shed her ailing body, the years of pain and health issues.
And she has gained the personal presence of God
Because of her relationship with Jesus.
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Yet for Lodema and for all those in Christ, the news continues to get better.
Yet for Lodema and for all those in Christ, the news continues to get better.
The eternal destiny for those in Christ is not that of floating on clouds.
No the eternal hope of those in Christ is a New Heaven and Earth and the Resurrection of the dead.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.
And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,
and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” And He said, “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”
Then He said to me, “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the one who thirsts from the spring of the water of life without cost.
“He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son.
When Christ returns he will return with Lodema and all the saints before by his side.
In a moment this old and sinful world will be done away with.
Heaven and Earth will become one.
Lodema will return to a physical world in a physical body.
No longer tainted by sin and death.
No wheel chair or walker, no pain or sickness.
Lodema will be dancing wit fresh knees.
You see God, in Christ is in the process of restoring all this broken world to Himself.
In Christ He is reconciling humanity to Himself
And once the project of redemption is completed, Jesus will return to set all things to right.
And that includes the resurrection of the dead.
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Lodema was a fighter and a lover.
Often times these two characteristics were mingled together.
How often has she fought for you out of her love?
How often did she refuse to give up on you?
A couple years back she asked me to fight for you on her behalf one last time.
She wanted to remind you of her hope in Christ.
You see Jesus was the reason she could never give up on you.
She desired above all things that each of you would come to a faith in Jesus just as she had.
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Today, on behalf of Lodema and on behalf of God himself, I plead with you to be reconciled to God.
Place your faith in Jesus and begin to follow Him in your life.
Allow me to end with the Scripture Lodema asked me to read to you.
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?
Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;
who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.
Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Just as it is written,
“For Your sake we are being put to death all day long;
We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Remember, today is not the end of Lodema’s story.
It has only begun and she fought, that you too may share eternity with her in the presence of God in a New Heaven and Earth.
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Time for family to share –
Time for family to share –
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Ending Prayer –
Ending Prayer –
Father, we thank you for Lodema and we celebrate a life well lived. I thank you for taking her by your side and I eagerly wait to see her again. I pray you will fill this family she has left behind with hope. Comfort them in times of sorrow and remind them, this is not the end and her best days are still to come.
In the name of Jesus the savior of Lodema and of us,
Amen.
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