The Lord is my Shepherd

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	Psalms 23:1-6
	Funeral for George Kalkwarf Sally, Jack Gerry Dan and Sara, family and friends, may the peace of Christ be with you today and always. For centuries the Twenty-third Psalm has been one of the most treasured passages in all of Holy Scripture. It is among the most familiar, so much so that even people who are not religious or very knowledgeable about Scripture recognize these words. They are among the most comforting, often being quoted in times of trouble or distress, and almost always being read when we gather in our Sanctuary for a funeral. These are the words that George grew up on as he and his parents would quote them each night before they went to bed and these are the last words spoken to George, by Jack before he died. There are many images in this psalm that hold particular meaning. One image comes from the verse, 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. It would be so wonderful if God would simply promise to us that we would never go through difficult times. But we do go through great and terrible difficulties all of the time, and God constantly warns us of these dangers and difficulties in His Holy Word. St. Peter wrote in his first letter (1 Pet 4:12) “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.” The Bible constantly tells us that there will be difficult times in life, and Psalm 23 voices such a warning. It does not say, “God will keep you from danger,“ but rather it describes that there will come times, and they come for all of us, when we feel like we are walking through a dark, dangerous valley -- a “valley of the shadow of death.“ But what the Word of God does make very clear is that as we move through such times, God is with us. God is there to comfort us and sustain us. “*As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for YOUR rod and YOUR staff comfort me. It was this promise that gave George comfort and peace while he served in the Army in Germany. It was this statement of God’s presence that allowed George and Sally and family members to survive the death of Bob. And it was these words that brought peace to George when the reality of his cancer finally hit home. God is frequently described in the Bible as being like a shepherd who cares for and tends to a flock of sheep. The Lord protects, guides, and supports us. He does not send us through the dark valley with a cheery promise to meet us again on the other side. He goes with us every step of the way. In recent days, George could certainly have talked about how he had been through such a “valley of the shadow of death.” But he was never alone. Not only did he have his family, he had the Holy Spirit of God at his side, like a shepherd who kept close watch on him. A second image in the Twenty-third Psalm to which I would call your attention is this: Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies. It is hard to imagine George with enemies. He loved his family and provide well for them. He was liked by everyone. Sally liked him enough to go out with him even after the first blind date. He would do anything for you. He even would get up on the middle of the night and stomp around outside the outhouse to keep the mice and rats away when sally was pregnant. He always had a joke or quick retort for any situation. He love people and all who knew him loved him. And yet, he did have enemies; not the kinds we think of, but rather his enemies were sin death and the devil. And it is from these enemies that God promises to protect. In his baptism God rescued him from the deadly evil trinity of sin death and the devil. And Now has given him the Heavenly banquet prepared in his honor. During his life he would come to communion and receive the body and blood of Jesus as a foretaste of the marvelous feast to come. I was privileged to share this holy meal with him the last time we were together. Jesus has now prepared a new greater table and George sits as the honored guest. The third image in the Twenty-third Psalm, which I would lift up today, is this: Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever. The end of our journey through life on earth is to be with God forever. In baptism we are made members of the household of God already, and our destiny is made secure through faith. In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us, ““I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die*” 1 Cor 15 reminds us, ““Death has been swallowed up in victory.” “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The promise that God has already given us eternal life with him sustains us in our journey and gives substance to our hope. The goodness and mercy that follow us are not something we achieve for ourselves. They are given to us by the sheer grace of God. Were it not for God’s forgiveness, our sins and mistakes would quickly disqualify us for eternal life. But with God there is goodness and mercy, as seen in his Son Jesus Christ. Our life on earth and our life with God forever are the product of his grace alone. This is something all of us do well to remember as we look now to the days ahead. The grief we feel and all the emotions that go with that grief rest side by side with the assurance that George is now home with Jesus and is free from cancer and sin and the power of the devil and one day we who believe will be reunited with him and all believers who have gone before. The goodness and mercy of God will follow us all the days of our life. For it is not God’s will that anyone living or dead be separated from him forever. We have gathered in this hour, not only to grieve the death of George, but to give thanks to God for his life among us and for his eternal life now with God. We have gathered, not only to mourn over how different lives will be without him, but to give thanks to God for how full life was when he was in our midst. We have gathered, not only to consider the shortness and uncertainty of life in the church on earth, but to give thanks to God for his gift of eternal life in the church in heaven. For the church on earth and the church in heaven are not two churches, but one church, even as the Lord who calls us into being is one Lord, the good shepherd of all the saints both living and dead.	q