Memorial Sermon

Today,

We celebrate Willy’s life.

We are

Cheered by memories

smile at pictures

gladdened by stories.

Only Regret,

wish I had

more time with Willy.

Wonderful guy

Similar interests

Who Was Willy?

Family Man

Joker

Perfectionist

Lawn

Ultimate DIY guy

Inventor

Mechanic

bearing issue

Outdoor Enthusiast

Travel

Fishing

Crater lake mountain biking

10k races

Grand Teton

Bike ride

Today,

Celebrate Life

We are also

faced with Willy’s Death.

The bible

talks about it…

Death -

the fate of all.

Ecc 9:2 (NIRV) Everyone will die someday. Death comes to godly and sinful people alike. It comes to good and bad people alike. It comes to “clean” and “unclean” people alike. Those who offer sacrifices and those who don’t offer them also die.

A good person dies, and so does a sinner. Those who make promises die. So do those who are afraid to make [promises].

In moments like this,

as we stare

death in the face.

We only have a few options:

Overwhelmed by sorry

Feeling of hopelessness

Resort to Apathy

The absence of

feelings and emotion

Search for Hope.

Thankfully,

The Bible gives

Just That

Hope

Powerful Promises!

We will peruse them.

God never created

humanity to deal with

pain of death and loss

God created a perfect world

A perfect universe

We were deceived

and

We chose sin

Death is not natural.

It came as intruder.

One day,

God will fix

Solve the sin problem

Re-establish humanity

In perfection

Though we face death

If we live long enough

There is a solution

Resurrection –

most common topic NT.

This temporary death

Jesus calls sleep.

To emphasize

Its impermanent nature.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 ESV

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.

We have hope!

This is not it for

Those that believe in Jesus!

Continuing on…

Speaking of 2nd Coming

1 Thessalonians 4:16–18 ESV

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

At the second coming,

Jesus come to earth

With all angels

He will hover in the air

Give loud shout

Trumpet blast

Righteous dead wake up

Righteous living witness

All float up to Jesus

Paul gives more details

1 Corinthians 15:51–55 ESV

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”

These bodies vanish

We receive

Perfect bodies

Immortal bodies

We will look back

Mock death

Is that all?

That wasn’t so bad

Death is but an anomaly

To the life-giver

Jesus Christ

John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Death vanishes

In the presence of Jesus

Graves cannot hold

The saint

Called by Jesus

Trumpet

Holy Alarm Clock

Awaken from deep sleep

Thousands of years

Those resting

Ashes come to life

Joy

Families reunited

Hugs

Embraces

Tears of joy

Exclamations happiness

Praises to God

Do you look forward

To that great day?

Do you want to participate?

Do you want to see

Angels

Trumpet

Resurrection

Reunion

Family

Most important

Jesus

One Condition

John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

What is the condition?

“Whoever believes in me”

Illustration: Bible Worker

I used to have

Challenging

But rewarding

Job

Kind of like,

Traveling salesperson

Vacuum cleaner guys

Annoying

Instead,

Didn’t sell vacuums

Gave Bible Studies

Door-to-door

One question I would ask

start conversation

Do you believe

You will be saved?

95% of people said yes!

I would ask,

“How do you know?”

They would say,

“I’m a pretty good person…”

Wait a minute…!

What was the condition!?!

“Whoever believes in me”

Most people

Think they are save

But they have

The wrong basis

For their salvation

Nobody!

Is going to heaven

Because they are good!

Conversion

Lutheran

Steven

2001 seminar series

Start in Genesis

Salvation in the OT??

9/11 occurred

Steven starts really studying

Revelation

David Asherick series on

Steven Attends Church

Car pooling with Ulla

Steven baptized in 2002

Ulla coming to church

2002 fall Ulla baptized

Willie Baptized spring 2003

Only!

Because He is good!

Jesus

So…

Do You Believe?

Have you give your

Heart

Life

Soul

Being

To Him?

Now,

Give you heart

Plan to see

Willy

Jesus

Again.

When We All Get to Heaven

Another Favorite

Silently think

Opportunity to say

“See you later”

“See you soon.”

Benediction

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