Luke 10

38   …Jesus came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.  39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said.  40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”

41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things,  42 but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Robert, Laurel, Ralph, Roy, Loyce, Randy and Russ, Family and friends,  May the peace of our Loving Lord abide with you.

Whenever people gather for a Christian funeral, there are two basic reasons for the worship service.  1. to demonstrate, by our presence, our respect and love for the individual who died; and to acknowledge our grief at their departing.  Secondly, to celebrate the victory that God give to all believers who fall asleep in faith. 

To assist us in this purpose our text seems most appropriate.  In Jesus’ encounter with Martha and Mary, we see two sisters who responded to the Lord’s presence in different ways.  Martha busied herself with housework preparing a meal and making sure everything was just right, and Mary who positioned herself at the foot of the Lord and absorbed every word he spoke. 

In the life of Alice we can see reflections of both of these women.  Those who knew Alice best, knew her as a tireless worker in and around the home as well as for the church. Before retirement she was always helping around the Farm, keeping a big garden, making sure the house was not just clean, but meticulously clean, caring for and raising seven children, trying to keep “Big O”, the cat, out of the bread and the fish dinner, keeping contact through correspondences  with all the relatives and friends.  Alice poured all of her physical as well as intellectual abilities into providing for her family.  She also gave freely and generously of her time and energy to work here at Immanuel.  She helped out in a number of ways.  Even selling her antiques to support the work of the Lord.  And just like Martha, who invited Jesus into their home, so too, Alice made sure that Jesus was more than just an occasional visitor, but was a permanent house guest in their family home.

In that way, she also is a reflection of Mary, the sister who sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to his word.  Alice never let her many activities with the home and family become more important than spending time with the Lord.  She would sit in the rocker and read Bible stories to the kids, and always made sure that everyone went to worship, not just on Sunday, but all the special services.  She would give Sunday special attention, and treat it with the reverence a respect as the Lord’s Sabbath.  Alice always focused on the Lord’s will in her and her families lives.  Like Mary, when priorities needed to be made, she “chose the better things.”

At the same time Alice would be the first one to point out that she was a sinner and as such needed the salvation that only her Lord and Savior Jesus could provide.  She lived her life asking, and at the same time knowing the answer to, her confirmation verse from John 6 “Lord to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life!

The Words of Eternal life

If you say you have no sin the truth is not in you

God so loved the world that he sent his only Son that whoever believes in him…

            These words were the foundation and bedrock of Alice’s  faith.

God promised her eternal life.

            He who believes and is baptized

            Come to me all who are weary and burdened

            I have prepared a place for you, that you may be with me

The promise is not because of our goodness or merit or because of some spiritual negotiations with God

            We are save, Alice is saved, purely out of God divine Goodness and Mercy.

            Alice knew this and was comforted by God’s ability to love even her.

Salvation also come with a promise of eternal life.

            Alice has now joined those who were spoken about in Rev 7:14 “These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”

            Her first cleansing came in her baptism where God sealed her as his own. 

            She was nurtured and strengthened in life’s journey through the Word and Sacrament.

            Thursday she once again put on that white robe of righteousness

            She has joined Carl and all those who have gone before the company of saints.

God has kept his promise and given her the victory of her faith.  Like Mary the sister of Martha, Alice has chosen the better way and it was not taken from her.

            These same promise are offered to all of us who still walk by faith.  The same Jesus who died for Alice has also died for us and holds out the promise of  eternal life to all who simply trust him.

            The Psalmist writes Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.  As that applies to our departed mother, sister, friend, we can truly say Amen.