The Path of Eternity

I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness—secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name.  Isaiah 45:2

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

            I remember in grade school we had to memorize a poem that begins "Two roads converge in a yellow woods..."  The poem pointed out the fact that we all take different paths in life.  Some people take the path where money and fame and power are important.  Others chose the path of hard work and simple life.  Still others pick yet another path to travel.  But no matter what path of life you take, they all come to the same end, at death. 

            We are gathered here to day to give Christian burial to someone path crossed almost everyone that is here this morning, with the exception of mine.  Because Fran went to live in Oregon before I began serving Immanuel I never had the opportunity to meet her.  I didn’t even know of her existence until after her death.  But our two texts both speak of someone who knew Fran better that any of us;  Jesus. 

Today we want to talk about Jesus leading Frances Louise Shutte-Thompsen-Ralston on a  very special path, a path chosen for all believers before time, a path that leads to life, a path that leads us Home.

Our Journey begins at birth.

We all are born in sin that leads to the path of eternal death

God in His mercy provided a way out of our road to destruction

Jesus paved the way to eternal life.

Born of the Virgin Both God and Man

Lived the perfect life

Suffered, was crucified and was buried

Rose from the dead

Jesus sets us on the path of life through Baptism

In Baptism our sinful nature is put to death

We die with Christ, are buried with Christ

We are born again as a new creation.

In Baptism God Adopts us into His family and gives us the promise of our eternal Home with Him.

In the Lord's Supper we are guided and nurtured along the path

We receive the forgiveness of sins

The Strengthening of Faith

The Assurance of our Heavenly Home

Our Path in life has been laid out for us.

Fran journeyed with Christ on this path of life.

Along the way was joined by first Bud and later Howard

There were bumps on the road

Her early years were rough No indoor plumbing, brushing your teeth with salt; riding to church in the horse draw sled in the winter, sharing bath water with your siblings in the metal tub on Saturday nights

The deaths of Bud and Howard were devastating

      The diagnoses of Parkinson disease

There were certainly also high points on the journey

Dancing in the Aragon and Trianon Ballrooms with all the great bands like Glen Miller and Benny Goodman and Guy Lombardo and soon to be legendary singer like Frank Sinatra and Bing Cosby and Perry Como

The Birth of Al and Bonnie and Debbie and later the addition of Rhoda

Let me not forget the sporting events; everything from wrestling to golf

Along that journey there was always one other person, Jesus.

Jesus was with her from her baptism in Klinger through confirmation and regular worship, up to and through the Valley of the shadow of Death, to this very moment—He was calling her by name and waiting her arrival.

Fran's journey has come to an end

She placed her faith in Christ to walk with her and lead her gently home.

For those who follow the path of life that leads us home one day we will be reunited with Fran and Bud and Howard and all the Saints of God.

We must confess our sins have a repentant heart and accept the path that Jesus has already traveled for us. 

When we do this we too can say "The Path of Life lead us Home."

There for the first time my path will cross with Fran and together with all the Saints in Heaven we will walk the path of Eternity.