Generic Funeral

Welcome

Good afternoon. On behalf of the family, I would like to welcome you as we have gathered here together today to remember and celebrate Russell9 k. Thank you for being here today. I am sure that the family recognizes that you don’t have to be here. Your presence today is an affirmation of your love and support for them. Although they may not remember every word shared today, I am certain that hey will remember your presence here for the rest of their lives and I know that the rest of the family thanks you for all the calls, texts, voicemails, Facebook contacts and personal visits you have made during this very difficult time…

Jesus once said, “let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth” (1 John 3:17-19 ESV). 

Your presence today shows your love in deed, so thank you for that.

Optional Prayer: Dear Heavenly father....thank you so much for the life of Brother Russell. What a joy it is to know that he is no longer in any pain....What a joy it is to know that he is now in Your presence Father....and, Father, what a joy it is to be able to say “he was my friend.” Father please bless us and comfort us in this hour of remembrance. Father may we lean on eachother and lean on You as we grieve together and may we take comfort in this promise: that You said you would never leave us nor forsake us. We love You Lord, and it is in Your Holy Son, Jesus’s name we pray: Amen.

Eulogy

Man that Russell was one of a kind....he’d help anybody who asked for it. He always found a way to make a doller didn’t he? Russell never did understand the word “junk”....that phrase “one man’s junk is another man’s treasure” just might’ve been made especially for Russell I believe. He brought me many, MANY things from the dumpster....because he didn’t like to see things gone to waste. I remember once he brought me a big trash bag full of pillows....and I said “Russell, thank you, but we have plenty of pillows.” He said “naw, these are really good pillows.” I said “Russell, did those come from the trash cans?” He said “no.” I said “are you sure?” He said “No, teddy Holton was just throwing them out at the trash cans.” Oh he was a mess…Russell could find any use for junk and try to fix it, but if you gave him something brand new he’d give it away.

You know Russell only remembered going to 2nd grade – he was needed to work on the farm by his family – there was a total of 9 children in the family...Russell never could not read nor write…but he sure could work…and he liked to work…even when the doctors told him to slow down. And its good that he liked to work because Jmmie Sue always had soemthing for him to do....He liked to be outside…hunting, fishing...

He liked to give things away....vegetables....random stuff he found. He had a generous heart.

You know I’m told that Mr. Henry Terwilliger don’t know it, but Russell owns part of Terwilligers – with the amount of tires Russell purchased from there – Russell could buy more tires than Nascar, his family says.

You know, he would hit anything in the road – hit every hole in the road – He got mad one time because his neighbor told him to slow down when he came by his house. Russell said he did not drive fast. Michelle asked Russell how fast was he going when he went by. He said 40. I believe that.

He like to grow things....He made the paper just a few years ago for growing a very tall bell pepper plant. He was proud of that. I remember he brought it to show me.

Deut. 29:29 says that "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed to us, belong unto us."

Death is not an easy thing to accept. Even under the best of circumstances, death is a terrible thing for a human being to try to grasp. Nature has it’s seasons....There is a predictable pattern....Fall, Winter, Spring Summer....but death isn’t like that is it? It can come to anyone, at anytime, in any place.

Truly we know not what good or bad a day may bring. We come here today with sorrow in our hearts and questions on our minds as to why these things happen. You have questions…I have questions....for instance: why Brother Russell…or why now? Or…here’s one I’d love to have an answer to: WHY couldn’t this COVID thing have calmed down and given me proper time to tell Russell goodbye in person?…do you have an answer? I stand before you a pastor…a student of the Word....and Friends: I don’t have an answer to those questions.

The REAL question is this: Can we really know these things? There are many unexplanable sorrows in life....but the one comfort we must have is to know that Lord has a plan....that He is sovereign....and that He is in control. So this morning, as we fight back our tears and seek to understand the difficult questions of life, we must also simply leave these in the hands of God who know all things. All of us are sorrowful here today but the Bible teaches us of 2 types of sorrow.

I Thess. 4:13 tells hus "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep that ye sorrow not even as others which have no hope"

Some here may have a sorrow with no hope beyond the grave while others have the sorrow of a friend that has gone on a long journey and will be joining that friend shortly. The Christian who dies and the believer who remains will one day meet again. There is a glad reunion day coming for those that are in Christ.

I can tell you this of Brother Russell: He knew the Lord. I can tell you that Russell understood trusting Christ and that he settled it at the Cross many years ago. He loved the Lord and was a proud charter member right here at Morningside Baptist Church. When he was healthy, it was very rare flmor Russell to miss a church service. He loved being here. He loved getting together having a meal…and he like cooking for our meals too. Russell could make a mean homemmade banana pudding, if any of yall didn’t know that. Russell liked to make sure our grass was cut out here at Morningside....In fact, he would cut it even when it didn’t need it! I remember him cutting that grass two times in the same week on several times. But he liked to work with his hands and would do yard work and cut the grass for many folks.

He absolutely loved his church and rarely missed anything....he was always ready to come up here and participate. He showed his love of the Lord through how he treated his church....beyond his testimony, I simply know that he loved the Lord, period. And because of that, I believe that he is with Jesus now.

Let me leave you with just a couple of thoughts this morning - Number 1 is this: Russell did not die. God’s children do not die. Jesus said it Himself in John 11:26 that"Whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die".

2 Cor.5:8 says that to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” and I’m here to tell you today that Russell ldid ni ot die. He/she simply changed residencies Like the old poem:

I cannot think of them as dead,

Who walk with me no more

Along the path of life I tread

They have but gone before.

Yes, Gone to Glory! Russell simply changed residencies from this world to the city of God. We are here only to bury the earthly body. Russell is not here. This here is only the temporary covering…a falwed one....and one day we will get a new glorified body.....but his spirit went to be with the Lord. It is like when we receive a letter in the mail. We let the covering drop to the side and read and keep the letter inside that was important. God has left the outdated, worn-out outside here for awhile but has taken Russell’s spirit to be with him.

We are told that when those who serve in the ranks of the Salvation Army die they are listed, not under the heading of "deaths" but under the heading "promotions". Promoted to Glory!…now I like that don’t you?

Even now Russell walks among the streets of gold. He did not die. He simply has moved on to glory.

The second thing I want to say to you is this: This may come as a shock to some of you, but if my Bible is right (and I believe it is) and if I understand anything of the glories of heaven, then I believe that it is safe to say that with only two exceptions Russell would not even want to come back into this world of sin, pain, trial, and sorrow.

The two exceptions might be 1. Maybe to ease your sorrow and 2. Maybe to urge some loved one to turn to the Lord.

I was thinking nust last night that Russell has already seen the angels for the first time. He has heard the angelic choirs, seen sights man has never seen, walked the streets of gold, talked to the people of the Bible....and I’d like to think that him and Jimmie Sue are sharing a nice pot of boiled peanuts about now.

But best of all: Russell has seen Jesus.

Friends: I still have a lot of questions, as I’m sure you do....and one of these days we will all be in glory and it’ll all make sense...But God has reasons for all he allows and has a word of every heart and every heartache. The questions of why will plague us until the end....but I Cor.13:12 says "For now we see through a glass darkly...”…One day friends, it’ll all be made clear.

In closing --- Remember the Bible teaches us that

1. death is not the end but the beginning

2. death is not a loss but a gain

3. death is not a defeat but a victory

I thank God that I got to know Russell....but more importantly, I thank God that, because I know Jesus, I’ll see Russell again one day. And if you want to see Him again one day, you’ll get to know mine and Russell’s mutual friend Jesus.

Thank you....

Closing Prayer (Save for Very end):

Father God, we thank you for Russell’s life. We thank you for his influence on our lives and the memories that were made. Father, in this difficult time, help us to know that no matter what: You love us. Help us all walk through this difficult time in the valley of the shadow of death. Help us to be aware of your presence here with us today and every day. In the silence of this hour speak to us of eternal things, that through your love and the comfort of the Scriptures we may have hope, and be lifted above our darkness and distress into the light and peace of your presence. We ask this all in the name of your precious Son, Jesus. Amen.