The Shepherd Pattern

The Shepherd

Good morning on behalf of the family of thank you for being here today.

Your presence and the kind words you have spoken over the past several days have all been a source of strength and encouragement and they appreciate and love you for every expression of kindness during this time.

The family has asked me to invite you to a fellowship luncheon immediately after the committal.

This will be held at , the family would be honored if you were able to stay and share a meal and memory with them.

Obituary

John 14:1–6 KJV 1900

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Revelation 21:1–4 KJV 1900

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.

Song…

I did not have the privilege to know but I am sure If I would have had that opportunity I would have enjoyed his friendship and listening to the stories of how life must have been when he was growing up.

The people of his generation are quickly leaving us and if we are not careful they take with them valuable insights about life that we have failed to capture and learn.

This is why it is so important to sit and talk with these elders learning the life lessons, receiving the wisdom, and therefore impacting our world for generations to come.

One man in understanding this said these words my generation sees farther than the previous one because we stand upon their shoulders.

I sat and spoke with and these are the things she shared with me about him.

Some of the words used to describe are as follows…

Memories…

Each of you has a memory of that will be held in the album of your heart forever.

A memory is the snapshot of the mind that help us through difficult times.

They act as the bridge over troubled waters of death and despair.

It is what the songwriter of old had in. mind when. They penned the words to the song Precious memories how they linger in my soul.

Among the many memories that you have are…

Comments…

In My Pocket I have memories in my pocket. They rattle among the change. My memories of you are treasures I carry wherever I go. They are stored in bits and pieces, parts of a beautiful whole They give me comfort when I think I am alone. Yes, I have memories in my pocket, like so much other stuff I keep there. But of all the treasures I have, it’s the memories of you that are the most precious. May God Add His Blessings To The Memories of

Special Song…

The Shepherd

In times like these I often think wouldn’t it be nice if life had a rewind button?

When I was a child when we played ganmes and we did not do as well as we would lime we woouls say do over and graciously or ungraciously they would agree.

In golf it is called a mulligan.

Years ago I remember the 8 track tape players.

On that 8 track was a button called rewind.

I could press that button and it would take me back to my favorite song and I could listen to it again and again.

Wouldn’t it be nice if life had a rewind button?

If life had a rewind button I would press it for two reasons.

· I would press the rewind button in order to go back and revisit every good thing, experience I have had in my life.

· Then I would rpess the rewind button for an entirely different rerason, I woukd oress the rewind buttgon in oirder to go back and revisit the things I did not do so well, words I said, places I had gone deeds I had done and actions I had taken. I would press that rewind button and go back and try and change the things that were wrong.

But all too soon I am reminded once again that life has no rewind buttons.

So what do we do with the things I have just spoken of?

The good things we have seen, done we talk about them again and again thanking God for the wonderful memories.

But what about the bad things… we learn from them.

We ask God to forgive us an then strike out at life once again so that our today is better than our yesterday and our tommorow will be better than our today.

The words I am about to read to you were written by a man who knew what it was like to want to press the rewind button.

He knew good and bad times but in an especially bad time of his life after burying his infant son he cried out to family and friends who surrounded him with support and love, but when that was not enough he looked upwards to God and when he did God gave him these words.

These words have been a wonderful source of strength fo countless thousands of people, I think you will recognize these words as I read them today they go like this…

Psalms 23:1 - 6 (KJV)

1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

· The writer of this passage… David The King of Israel

· He writes at a low time in his life.

· His infant son had died and in his despair he cries out… The Lord Is My Shepherd… He as my shepherd goes before me.

As my shepherd he walks beside me.

As my shepherd he listens to my concerns.

At times he makes me lie down in order to rest and in that time he restores my soul and straightens my path.

He prepares the way before me, there present to celebrate with me the good things and blessings in life, but also bearing with me the through difficulties with by his continuous presence.

· David then summarizes all of life with these words…

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

He declares all of life with its ups and downs, highs and lows, good an bad has been put in framed by goodness and mercy of God.

If it had not been for the Lord I would have only endured life instead of enjoying it.

Illus.

The old song where could I go oh where could I go seeking a refuge for my soul needing a friend to help me in the end where could I go but to the Lord.

Illus.

The man with a distinct British accent was scheduled to speak in a college auditorium.

He arrived early to check the sound system and building to make sure things were just right.

AS he spoke into the p.a. the custodian stood by in awe.

When he was finished the custodian asked him to repeat the 23rd Psalm to which the man agreed only if he would quote it after him.

He agreed and then fulfilled the mans request.

That evening at the end of his talk he said I want to fulfil a request of a friend I met earlier by quoting to you the 23rd psalm.

He did so and then to the surprise of this custodian who was backstage he asked him to come out and quote this passage also.

The man hesitantly appeared with his cleaning rags sticking from his pocket and stepped to the microphone and spoke these verses in such a moving way that the audience were brushing tears from their eyes.

When the professional speaker stood again at the microphone he too was moved and said these words…”Some of you may wonder why the response to my friend was so different than your response to me.

The difference is I know the 23rd Psalm… He knows the shepherd!

The difference between enduring life and enjoying life is found in The Lord My Shepherd.

He is the shepherd in the midst of the storm…

And so today I pray that we not only know the 23rd Psalm but that we know the shepherd.

Prayer…

Closing Song… ???

Funeral Poems : Crossing The Bar

Sunset and evening star And one clear call for me! And may there be no moaning of the bar, When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep, Too full for sound and foam, When that which drew from out the boundless deep Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell, And after that the dark! And may there be no sadness of farewell, When I embark;

For though from out our bourne of Time and Place The flood may bear me far, I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar.

Alfred Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)

Committal

Footprints Also Known As "I Had a Dream"

One night I dreamed a dream. I was walking along the beach with my Lord.

Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.

For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."

Committal…

We have come to the final resting place of here we commit the body to its kindred dust, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, and dust to dust.

We understand the body will lie in the grave until the time of the resurrection and the spirit we leave with almighty God knowing that the judge of al the earth will do what is right.

Since death is the destiny of every person let us take pause today in order to consider our lives.

Let us do all the good that we can, giving our lives for the benefit of others, and may our trust be in the Lord Jesus Christ who said I am the resurrection and the life.

Prayer…

Lord thank you once again for the gift of life.

Let each of us that are here today cherish the life that we have doing the things that are the most important.

We thank you for the life of and the way she so positively affected her family.

In life she lived out her values and stood for them.

I pray that now in death you would receive her unto yourself.

Thank you for reminding us that we do have a friend in Jesus.

Thank you for reminding us of our need to trust in him while living that when we cross the bar of death you will be waiting with open arms.

In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.