Pat's Celebration of Life

Intro:

The New International Version (1984) (The Resurrection of the Dead)

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 1Cor.15

I love Pat Black and am honored to be among his friends.

Pat was a loyal man. Very inquisitive and thoughtful. Very Generous with His Resources.

A man of prayer. Pat spent hours in the early hours praying for the things of his life.

One of those situations involved my granddaughter, Elia Jane. Born with a challenging condition and a challenging prognosis, Pat was unwavering in his commitment to Elia in prayer. Day after day after day after day. He never gave up and really convicted me and stretched me of his commitment to prayer. He truly expected God to act when he prayed but also knew that God was Sovereign and in control of all, BUT he never gave up. He truly was a prayer warrior for that little girl!!! If Pat told you that he would pray for you, you could take it to the bank, he was up early, real early praying!!!

If Pat Could be With Us Today What Would He share? What would he want us to hear?

His Spirit having passed from this world to be with the Lord… What would he desire that we consider?????

PT #1) PAT WOULD IN HIS KIND WAY, SAY, PLEASE, “I REALLY WANT ALL OF YOU TO BE WITH ME WHERE I AM”

I BELIEVE HE WOULD SHARE THAT PAUL WAS CORRECT IN STATING THAT

1 Corinthians 2:9 (NIV84)

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”—

PT. #2) I believe Pat would unassumingly whisper to us

“Jesus”, “Jesus”.........believe in HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jesus is the Way..... The Religious World tells us many roads, many ways to God. Many religious teachers, a smorgasbord, take your pick. Jesus claimed to be THE WAY. I can hear Pat stating,

“jesus is the way”… THE ONLY WAY!!!

HE IS THE WAY TO WHERE I AM!!!

and then beckon us to open our Bible to

John 11 and consider......

Summarize the story.....

Resurrection n Life…V 25

Life, No Death…V 25

How could Jesus make those claims?

He could make the claims because He was more than a good teacher!

Jn 1: 1-4… b/c of WHO HE IS/was!!!

TO PROVE WHO HE IS, HE CALLS LAZARUS FROM THE DEAD!!!

HOW MANY GOOD TEACHERS HAVE YOU KNOWN THAT CALLED PEOPLE FROM THE GRAVE.......

Jesus was more than a teacher???

He claimed to be God in the flesh!!! Maybe it’s true???

PT. #3) being the inquisitive one that Pat was, lastly,

he would encourage us with this statement:

“If you have doubts about Jesus, study the evidences of His empty tomb” … IF IN ANY WAY YOU THINK THAT HE MIGHT BE A FAKE..

Lee Strobel, former atheist.... Read, The Case for Christ

Josh McDowell, former agnostic, Read The Resurrection Factor and Evidence that Demands a Verdict.

PAT LIKED THE STUFF THAT WAS NOT EASY, THE CHRISTIAN EVIDENCES TYPE OF STUFF. THE EMPTY TOMB TYPE OF STUFF.

WITH ETERNITY HANGING ON THE BALANCE OF MY DECISIONS, SHOULDN'T WE?

The New King James Version (Chapter 24)

24 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

PEOPLE DON’T JUST RISE FROM THE DEAD! CORRECT!

GOD RAISED HIM.

The New King James Version (Chapter 1)

1 Paul, an apostle (not from men nor through man, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father who raised Him from the dead), 2 and all the brethren who are with me,

For you see, His empty tomb is the most important fact that we all have to reckon.

PUTTING IT IN OTHER WORDS, IF JESUS PREDICTED THAT HE WOULD BE CRUCIFIED, KILLED, BE BURIED AND ON THE THIRD DAY RISE FROM THAT TOMB, WITH A RESURRECTED BODY,

THERE IS SOMETHING TO THIS STORY OF JESUS THE NAZARENE.

THE TOMB WAS EMPTY!!!

In closing,

God is beckoning all of us to come be with Him today.

He holds out the invitation through Jesus His Son and asks us to consider the empty tomb as evidence of His love for us.

Thank you so much for your time this morning!