Sermon Tone Analysis

! Nothing Can Seperate us!

Romans 8:31-39

 

/What, then, shall we say in response to this?

If God is for us, who can be against us?

32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen?

It is God who justifies.

34 Who is he that condemns?

Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

35 *Who shall separate us from the love of Christ*?

Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

38 *For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*/

       Who shall separate us from the love of God?

As Christians we declare that there is nothing in all creation, which will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

\\ \\         Those hopeful words from Paul become the focus of our attention as we gather in grateful praise for the life of Ruth Lynch.

And we are grateful.

Beyond your feelings of sorrow are feeling of gratefulness for having known her, for having experienced her kindness and love that was so much a part of who she was.

\\ \\         As brothers and sisters in Christ, we are here to embrace the Lynch family as they mourn her death.

But we have also come with them to listen to the Gospel.

At times such as these, when we can be overwhelmed by our emotions, it is important to hear the words of faith, words which have sustained many through the good and hard times of life.

We turn to Paul’s words of comfort that assure us that there is nothing - not hardship, nor poverty, nor danger, nor the unknown, nor death itself - nothing in all creation that will ever be able to sever our relationship with God in Christ.

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

\\ \\        God’s love surrounded Ruth from the day she was baptized on November 23 1919.

That love of God in her was affirmed when she was confirmed on May 31, 1931 and was given Matthew 11:28  /“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”/

Throughout her life she found her true rest in the Lord.

Especially these past months when her health declined her trust in the Lord’s rest never wavered.

And even now as we speak God had fulfilled the ultimate promise and she has perfect rest in His tender arms.

She rests in the new heaven where God has wiped away every tear from her eyes and there is no more suffering or sorrow no more pain or death.

God the Father loved her so much that she did not perish but has received eternal life.

God’s love was the source of Ruth’s hope and is the source of our hope today.

This rest, confidence in the Lord, our eternal life is not because of our merit or worthiness, but is a gracious gift of a loving forgiving Savior.

\\        So we gather today, in the midst of our grief, to rejoice in the victory our Lord has granted Ruth.

Though she was not great as the world counts greatness, she was great in that she loved Cecil, Karen Tom and Jim all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and most importantly she love her Savior Jesus and was loved by Him.

Now she is with her Savior, free from all that bound her on this earth.

Now she is without pain or suffering, without the aspects of old age that limited what she could do.

Now she is at peace and rest, surrounded by the love of God.

\\ \\        But what was true for Ruth is also true for us.

Nothing can separate us from the love of God.  ".

.  .  there is nothing in death or life, in the world as it is or the world as it shall be, nothing in all creation that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

\\ \\         We have experienced God’s love in this place today as it has surrounded us, and it will accompany us as we leave to resume our daily routines.

God promises to go with us, encouraging us through loved ones and friends and by sending the Holy Spirit to minister to us and provide us with strength, comfort and hope, day by day.

God’s grace gives us a sure footing for the living out of our days, regardless of what happens.

And surrounded by Christ’s love we can look forward to the future.

No matter what tomorrow brings -- God’s love will be there to lean on, to rest in, to build on.

As this knowledge of God’s love gives peace of mind at the time of death it also gives comfort for life.

For there is nothing - not even death - that can keep God’s love from reaching us and ministering to our needs.

\\ \\         Who can separate us from the love of God? Nothing in all Creation!

That is why we come to this place of worship in our grief.

Here we thank and praise our God for the life of Ruth and for the New Life, Eternal life, of which she has been assured.

And we praise God for the victory which is ours in Christ Jesus as we encourage one another with the Good news that, "Nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."