Gary Tate
Funeral Service
For
Gary Tate
January 16, 2006
11:00 a.m.
Andersonville Cemetery
Andersonville, GA
Butch Knight
Keith Gaines
OPENING Butch Knight
Statement of Purpose
Prayer
Scripture
Remarks
ROMANS 8 Keith Gaines
I. No Condemnation 1-17
Verse 1 - There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
- Gary was in Christ Jesus!
The night he accepted Christ – January, 2003
The joy when he realized he was now a part of the FAMILY of GOD!
Verses 15-17 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba!m Father!” 16 it is that very Spirit bearing witnessn with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.
The change in him – could only have been made by God!
II. Sufferings compared with the glory awaiting us 18-30
Verse 18 – I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.
- Gary suffered!
Physically
Emotionally
Verses 24 – 25 For ino hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopesp for what is seen? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
- In his suffering, Gary eventually lost sight of that hope and lost his patience!
Verses 26 – 27 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedesq with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God,r who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirits intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.t
- But God never left him, never quit loving and caring for him!
II. What can separate us from God’s love in Christ? 31-39
Verses 31-36 What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? 33 Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us.w 35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.”
- Paul reminds us that there is no condemnation and that our sufferings in this life are real but do not indicate condemnation!
Verses 37 – 39 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
- Gary was never separated from the love of God
Nothing at all, even our own hand, is able to separate us from His love!
John 10:28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one will snatch them out of my hand.[1]
- Gary’s and our security is not in our ability to hold on to our hope, or our joy, or any other goodness
- Security lies solely in God’s ability to hold on to us!!!!!!!!!
Therefore, there is still no condemnation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Because of this Word, we can know that …
- Gary is with God!
- We leave here only his earthly remains – we do not leave him here!
- If we are in Christ, we will one day be reunited with Gary – fully changed into the happy, joyous and free persons that God intended him, and us, to be!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COMMITAL PRAYER Butch Knight
----
m Aramaic for Father
n Or 15a spirit of adoption, by which we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16The Spirit itself bears witness
o Or by
p Other ancient authorities read awaits
q Other ancient authorities add for us
r Gk the one
s Gk he or it
t Gk according to God
w Or Is it Christ Jesus … for us?
[1] The Holy Bible : New Revised Standard Version. Nashville : Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1989, S. Jn 10:28