In My Father's House
In My Father's House
Funeral Sermon for Margaret Bruns
John 14
Victor and Judy, Dawn, Chris and Anthony and Connor, Brandon, Andrew and McKenzie, family and friends of Margaret.
The solemn moments when Christians are gathered around the casket of a dear sister in the faith are moments when heaven and earth seem to meet. All the thoughts of a Christian funeral service center around heavenly themes: the place of heaven itself, the victorious and exalted Jesus, and glory of the Almighty.
The body of the departed forms a connection between the saints here below and those above. The saints of God stand on both sides of the river of Death. We sing hymns of victory because another soul redeemed by Jesus has conquered the last foe. Our songs receive a jubilant echo on the other side where the saints in heaven have made a song of welcome to the arrived member in the Father's House.
It is appropriate that we have gathered into this House of the Lord today where our beloved sister in Christ had spent so many hours and years of her life -- worshiping and serving the Lord. As a tribute to the memory of Margaret, in whom God's grace had resided, and for our own comfort, let me now speak to you of one who was and who is...
"In the Father's House"
Let not your hearts be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's House are many mansions; if it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to Myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the Way, and the truth, and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me."
There was work to be done. It was a mission that no one could accomplish except God Himself. And as such, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God left His Father's House and came to give mankind hope in the face of what you see before you in this casket today.
The river of Death, flowing with its source of sin, separated mankind from eternal Life with God -- it has kept us from being in our Father's House in Paradise. No one could make it there by himself or herself -- you and I included. Margaret understood this. All of her years of teaching both in country schools and here at Immanuel could not make up for her sinful nature. She baked multitudes of cakes and served at dozens of funerals and sang in the choir and participated in the LWML even going to district and national conventions all for the glory of God, but none of these things were able to pay the price of her sin.
In Jesus only is there hope -- not in the strength of our bodies, not in power of positive thinking not in wealth, not with good deeds, not with influence and honor among men. All these are but empty attempts which end in bitter end everlasting defeat.
It is the cross of Jesus that served as a payment for all of the sins of the entire world -- that cross has spanned the river of Death to take those who trust in Jesus to the other side where the Father's House is. The empty tomb where the dead body of Jesus Christ had once been placed demonstrated that death could no longer hold Christ and if no longer Him, then no longer those whom He calls His own. Thus, Jesus told His followers: "I am the Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me.
This is where Margeret's hope was placed. It was on June 2, 1918 when the Holy Spirit worked faith in her heart through the Blessed Sacrament of Holy Baptism. Indeed, it is the same faith that kept her as an infant, when she grew up, when she was lived and served her Lord, and in the last five years as the Parkinson’s got worse and especially in the last months when she could no longer speak, her faith remained strong and most certainly in the last hours of her life it was her faith in the gracious love of Jesus that guided her home.
What a great and tremendous comfort it is to know that it was the Lord who was holding her during all the times of her life. You who have been baptized and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior have the same hope and confidence. Take comfort in the truth that the Lord is the One Who sustains and keeps in the faith. Therefore, let not your hearts be troubled.
It was in our Father's House where, on March 20th 1932 before the same throne of God, she was confirmed -- restating the vows which had been spoken on her behalf during her baptism. She pledged that by the grace of God she would conform her life to the Word, to be diligent in the use of the means of grace, to walk as a child of God and in faith, word and deed to remain true to the Triune God, even unto death.
The Lord Jesus gave His disciples a promise. "In my Father's house are many mansions; if it were nor so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."
God prepared a place in His heavenly home for Margaret and He has called her to be with Him forever. Judy told me that as she got older she became more and more adventurous like dancing at Dawns wedding and cruising to Alaska and taking her first motorcycle ride on a Haley at age 75. She has now taken her last and greatest adventure. The only tears being shed now are ours. They are the ones which we have as we grieve at Margaret’s passing, mixed with the tears of joy as we rejoice at her victory.
We who are Christians and who have remained faithful in their worship of and their service to God, the Lord Jesus are reminded: "Let not your hearts be troubled…Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the Crown of Life."
It is my prayer that when that great and glorious day comes, everyone in this room will, along with Margaret and all the saints in heaven, hear the voice of the Son of God welcome us . . . .
"In the Father's House!"