Loren Ray "Ossie" Lane
Notes
Transcript
Loren Ray Lane, 83, of Topeka, passed away Friday, June 11, 2021.
He was born August 22, 1937, in Topeka, Kansas, the son of Lawrence Quinton and Velda Marie (Brauner) Lane. He received a diploma from Dover High School in 1955. He served in the Navy from 1955 to 1958.
Loren was employed by the Jeffrey Energy Center and retired from the Kansas Museum of History.
Mr. Lane was a member of the South Knollwood Baptist Church, of Topeka.
Loren married Frances Lane on July 1, 1960 in Orange, California. She survives, along with his children Cynthia Jayne (Gary) of Somis, CA and Jeffrey Lane of Naples, FL; nine grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; siblings Edwin Lane, Lorna Monaghan, Jerry Lane, JoAnn Schutter, Virginia Jackson, Joyce Olberding and Victor Lane. He was preceded in death by his son Michael, brother Gene and sister Nona Hutley.
Loren enjoyed family and friends, softball, singing, and fishing.
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Text: Psalm 118:21-25
This is the day which the Lord hath made;
We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Last week while we were waiting with Bro. Lane He would open his eyes and say different things. He reminded the family of his playfulness when after watching him intently for several minutes he said, “Boo”
Then at early one morning He quoted “This is the day which the Lord hath made… ALL DAY”.
There is something about being able to trust God that allows us to trust that whatever today holds it has everything I need to rejoice. I don’t have to contrive or make something of today that it is not. I can just rejoice in this day right in front of me.
We often think of the greatest days of our lives as those God has especially established for us. Coming through a surgery successfully, passing an important final exam in college, our wedding day, a big promotion and salary increase at work – these are surely days that the Lord has made for us. But, we need to understand that the Lord is in everyday – the ones we count as good and the ones that don’t seem so good. Even today, at a time when one we love had departed to be home with the Lord, is a day the Lord has made.
Contentment is a learned characteristic. Paul, "learned in whatsoever state" that he was in, therewith to be content. He found that the provisions of God were always adequate to meet his needs. He learned to depend upon the Lord as the churches cared for him.. He also learned contentment from the Lord as the churches cared for him. In handling money as God's money managers or as stewards, we should strive to have contentment like Paul as we do.
Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
This request for prosperity is not a request for more. Rather it is the acknowledgment that all that God has done to this point was good. God is good and all his gifts are good.
You want to know what is better than the contentment in earthly things is that the Psalmist is declaring his contentment in Heavenly things. The Psalm before you today is written as a song for a massive choir. Each part of the congregation would play a part in the Psalm. At one part everyone in the audience would sing. This part was reserved for the priests and Levites the leaders of the people. And they were declaring that the Marvelous thing seen in vs 23 is pleasing to the heart.
I. This Day brings rejoicing because Spiritual things matter in the Long run.
I didn’t know everything about Bro. Lane. I have loved being his pastor for 15 years now. But he always spent the worst time of the year in Florida. So I would get to talk with him when he came home in the off season. But I can tell you I did know the most important thing to him. I knew that on April 17th, 1960 on an Easter evening after church Loren Lane placed his faith in Jesus Christ alone for his salvation.
I know that nothing meant more to him that knowing that his eternal state had been made sure through Jesus Christ.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
Look full in his wonderful face
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of his Glory and Grace.
Even a day like to today where we mourn the loss of a dear friend and family member we can rejoice because ”This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.“ God has done the most important work.
II. This Day brings rejoicing because God’s Work is always better.
These last several months, and if I think back correctly it might have been years. Every time I’d ask Brother Loren how he was getting along. He would tell me about the streets of gold, and pearly gates, and how it was going to be like nothing we have here. He would explain that he couldn’t wait to see Jesus and that this was going to be so sweet.
That man has wanted to see Jesus So desperately for so long. What was amazing was that he would have really bad days, but he would never complain to me. He would just talk about heaven more.
I think it is a healthy thing when we stop being so enamored with what we can do or what we can accomplish. And start looking to the marvelous thing that God has done for us. Can you look in your life and see the work of God in your life. Can you see the results of forgiven sin. Can you see the relief of a eternal life? When God does a work the reciepients can stand back and say “This is marvelous. “
III. This day brings rejoicing because you get to make a decision about the Savior.
Several hours later I read this text to him. He seemed kind of out of it. I thought he had to be sleeping so I just read the chapter to him as he slept. I read verse 22
The stone which the builders refused
Is become the head stone of the corner.
Then on to the end of the chapter. I said, ”Well Brother Lane what do you think.“ With his eyes closed he said, “Wheew what a foundation.” I thought he is exactly right. And the foundation on which Loren built his life.
Psalm 118 was a worship song where the people would enjoy singing the song as a congregation. If you can imagine a million people just singing out the praises of God.
Verses 22-24 were sung by the priests and levites. They may not have known it but they were singing a prophecy. They now join their voices not only to declare the goodness of God but to highlight the greatest exhibition of his Goodness - Jesus himself. The stone which the builders refused is now the head of the corner. If you think that you’ve heard this before you are right.
Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
This prophecy is a reminder that Jesus would be the rejected stone. This is that they wish to cut Jesus out of the Kingdom of God. They have forgotten that Jesus is the very head stone or cornerstone on which the kingdom is built. Remove him and the Kingdom is compromised.
You see this whole passage clings to the echo of the Christ.
The soloist in this song is the person of Jesus. He sings the lines that you could paint Jesus into.
He is seen in the imagery and then referenced them in his life while at the same time referring to himself.
So then in verse 23 We speak of Jesus. The completion of the work of Jesus and the work of Salvation is marvelous in our eyes.
Christ is:
The Centerpiece of Mercy.
The Answer to Our Prayer.
The Bedrock of Our Trust.
The Recipient of Our Praise.
The Rest in Our Contentment.
The Presence of Our Worship.
You will have the same opportunity that is pointed at in this passage. Each of you today get to pick if you are going to reject Jesus or if you are going to make him the cornerstone of your eternity. You can try to earn your way into God’s graces, you can try to deny the judgment of sin, you can reject that there is coming a day you will answer for your life. Or you can cling to the rock upon which all of eternity hangs.
Please here me this morning. Christ is looking for any that will place their faith in Christ alone. Those that will try eternity without Christ will lack the foundation that Brother Loren knew so well. What you will do is now up to you.