Betty's funeral

- got to know and love Betty over the last few years - hospitality, always talked the Lord - Bible studies, great times around God’s Word - work in lab come in as OP to our dept so we’d talk about her health which wasn’t good

- Betty lived a life of pain but always cheerful in her affliction

- Betty appreciated a truth that many Christians have not understood - that we are called to suffer, to walk in Jesus’ steps.

- how did Betty remain cheerful in the face of constant suffering? - there is a verse that meant a lot to her and came immediately to mind when Bryan asked me to speak today (2 Cor 4:17,18) [OHP]

- I’d like to read this passage - what impressed me about Bryan and Betty their love for God’s Word, read and pray together - start as mean to go on. Long passage, no apology (Rm 15:4) talks of the encouragement of Scriptures - let God speak to you through His Word

- Read 2 Cor 4:6-5:8

v.6 spoke all things into being

            greater creation is the revelation of Himself

            ? want to see God, you see Him in Jesus

            v.7 we can have this light! Know God!

            But we are earthen vessels - Betty knew that only too well

            v.8-10 ? Victorious Christian life no problems - no, victory in the difficulties

            v.11 this is the way Jesus’ life is seen in us, through the troubles we face - book that spoke to Betty was "don’t waste your sorrows" - they can accomplish God’s purposes if we don’t resent them and become bitter and full of self pity

            v.12 the key to life is death - Betty didn’t die Sunday evening, she died a long time before that. We die with Christ, our old rotten life is put to death and we receive the very resurrection life of the Son of God Himself, when we put our absolute dependence upon His death on our behalf and His resurrection as the only One who has never done any wrong.

            From childhood Betty longed to know God, but though she went to church no one told her the Gospel. Some   one asked her why Jesus died - it was a mystery to her - was told Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures...That is the Good News, when you place your reliance upon it it brings life - Jesus has done it all for you, you need to turn from doing it yourself, your way and trust Him [skip v.13]

            V.14 the hope of resurrection is what keeps us going [skip v.15]

            v.16 Betty did not lose heart

            v.17 She was looking to the glory to come    

            v.18 looking to the things that are unseen but much more real and lasting than the

things that are seen. We get distracted by the world, job, house, finances, getting the latest necessity - our eyes are fixed on the temporal - it is all going to pass away. Where is your life invested?

Betty invested in glory - she knew where she was headed, knew what was in store - a body that didn’t suffer from arthritis, diabetes, angina

            5:1-8 Betty walked by faith - eyes fixed on that which she now possesses - home at last!

Betty groaned [Romans 8:17-19; 8:23-25 children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it.]

but Betty had hope - faith, hope and love these three remain. She knew whom she believed and was persuaded that He was able to keep that which she had committed to Him.

            Is this just religion, pious sentiment? No, it’s reality! It is truth!

            When you face death you face the ultimate - does your faith work then?

            Betty was welcomed home into the glory for which she longed

just before Betty died she opened her eyes - she saw it - the glory to which she was about to enter - Bryan said you could see it on her face! [Acts 7:55 But being full of the Holy Spirit, he gazed intently into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God and he called upon the LORD and said “Lord Jesus receive my spirit] -Betty suffered but now she shares Christ’s glory - the hope that sustained her through this life is now come to consummation