Rita Brock Funeral

I didn’t get to know Rita as well as I would have liked to. What I knew of her, and the stories that I’ve heard is that she was such a sweet and tender person. I believe she was also a strong woman who exemplified what the Bible calls meekness—strength under control. Rita was kind. She always had something nice to say about others. As you can tell from the obituary she was someone who loved family and loved people. Whether it be from her work at church or at Wal-Mart greeting folks, you could see that she genuinely enjoyed others.

And so today we celebrate the life of woman who had a steadfast hope in Jesus. But we also grieve. Today is a day when we grieve but we grieve with hope. Rita was a good woman but our hope this morning is not found in her goodness. It is found in the goodness of another. It is found in the resurrection of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 15:12-19 we read of six things that would be true if Christ were not raised from the dead. Listen for them as we read this text.

Read text:

1) Our preaching is in vain

2) Your faith is in vain

3) We are misrepresenting God, false witnesses. Meaning that the Scriptures are not true.

4) We are still in our sin.

5) We are all people to be most pitied.

6) Those that have died have no hope

Let me briefly fill those out for us. If Christ has not be resurrected from the grave then there is not hope on this day. Yes, there would be memories. Yes, in some way we would live on in the hearts of others. Yes, the things that we have done would have made some sort of impact.

Rita did a good bit of ministry here. Many things behind the scenes. For quite a few years she helped out with the benevolence ministry in our church. She taught Sunday school for many years and helped with VBS and nursery. She also had an important ministry to her own family, sharing Jesus with her kids. Rita was a strong woman of faith that worked that faith out in ministry. Often quiet ministry but that’s the type of stuff that is the backbone of churches. But if there is no resurrection, Paul is saying that every bit of that ministry was for nothing.

Rita had faith in Christ. She was motivated by faith and patterned her life after Christ. But if there is no resurrection that faith was in vain. And as Paul said even more strongly we all were part of misrepresenting God.

Not only that but we are still in our sin. All have fallen short of the glory of God. Yes, Rita who was a sweet woman sinned just as you and I do. There is none righteous, no not one. If there is no resurrection the burden of our sin—and the burden of her sin—is still upon her.

And it is because of this that we could say with Paul that we are most to be pitied and we do not have hope. This would not be a very good funeral sermon if we left it here would it? It’d be depressing. And rightly so. Because we would only have our grief. We wouldn’t have grief with hope. We’d only have one story to tell.

But I stopped reading at verse 19 earlier…let’s pick up and read 1 Corinthians 15:20

1 Corinthians 15:20 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Do you know what that means? It means that because Christ HAS been raised from the dead we get to turn all those things we just said onto their head.

The ministry that Rita did mattered. She will be rewarded by her loving Father. She will hear “well done good and faithful servant.” Her faith was not in vain. She will not be let down. Her faith has become sight.

Because of her union with Christ her sins have been forgiven. And that is just as true for you and I this morning if we are trusting in Christ. Every sin that we have committed, are committing, and will commit is covered by the blood of Jesus. This is wonderful news.

No on this day we do have hope. This is what it means at the close of this chapter when Paul says that death has been swallowed up in victory.

1 Corinthians 15:54–58 ESV

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

Death has lost its victory. Death has lost its sting. What does it mean for death to have a sting. There are two possible metaphors. One is of an ox goad that would be used to prick the animal and make it move. The other is of a poisonous tip of a dangerous animal used to deal a fatal blow. We cannot be certain which of these Paul is picking up. Perhaps it is both. We know from Scripture that death rules of the human race and it’s rule is connected to the reign of sin. That is what gives death its power. But when sin is overcome then death is robbed of it’s power. As one person put it:

The Theological Dictionary of the New Testament B. κέντρον in the NT.

Like an insect which has lost its sting, it is helpless, just as he who drives a beast is helpless without his goad. But sin is conquered by Christ.

That means that death doesn’t get the last word this morning. Jesus does. And for that we are thankful and we grieve as those who have hope. And as 1 Corinthians directs us we are steadfast and immovable knowing that our work is not in vain.

But still we do grieve. We grieve the death of a loved one. It is painful. Death is the enemy. A defeated enemy. But one who still can deal a painful blow. I want you to know that God is with you in the midst of your pain and mourning.

And there is no doubt that all of us here today would have loved more time with Rita. There is no doubt that we would not be grieving this morning if she were here. But if she could come back for one brief moment, I believe I know what she would tell us. Having seen what he has seen and experienced what he is experiencing, he would tell us: Be certain that you know Jesus. Put your faith and trust in Jesus and him alone, he is the only one that can pardon you and the only one that we can hope in. Do not leave this life without knowing the One who is Life Himself.

I believe that she would very passionately let us know that the resurrection hope is true. Having now seen what she has seen and heard the things that she has heard—she would certainly tell us that what really matters is Jesus. She would let us know that our present suffering does pale in comparison to the glory that awaits us.

Rita would say to those of us that are believers—it’s worth it. Keep pressing on, keep trusting Jesus, every ounce of pain and suffering is worth it. It only makes Christ all the more sweeter. And to those here that may not be trusting in Christ—I am confident that Rita would encourage you to trust in Jesus alone. He is all that really matters.

It is only through Christ that we more than conquer death. Yes death is horrible but Christ has conquered it. And yes we still suffer this side of eternity—but we can, through Jesus Christ that intercedes for us—we can trust God with our suffering. Trust Him this morning.