Jean Pankey Funeral Homily

Introduction

A few months ago, Linda and Dwight came to see me, to talk about Jean’s memorial service. Linda brought two journals and Jean’s autobiography with her, along with a version of the yellow bulletin you have with you. She said to me that Jean was a prayer warrior and a journaler.

When we think about a loved one’s life, we tend to focus on the big moments, and Jean’s autobiography gives many of them.

Born in Cripple Creek on July 4. Polio. Her parents. Her salvation in Jesus Christ as a young bride. Linda and Roberta’s births. The house she and Roy purchased on 3 acres for about $12,000. The friendship with Chris Harper, Charlotte Whitney, Jessica Sholders, and Cindy Nordhagen.

The life-changing decision answer to prayer in 1977, when Roy attended his first AA meeting.

The big moments are what we often think about when we tell others about our loved ones, but Jean’s journals are filled with little moments that demonstrate why she was the woman she was. Because her little moments are stuffed to bursting with her awareness that she was loved by the God of grace.

I want to explore this idea of God’s grace as we remember Jean, with three observations.

I. God’s Grace Defined

Grace is a word that means “unmerited favor,” or “an undeserved gift.”

And the Bible tells us that God is gracious and merciful.

In her very first journal <<show, read dedication>>, Jean paraphrases the entire book of Ephesians, written by the apostle Paul under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Jean’s paraphrase shows that she understood Paul’s message to be personally applicable to her. And it’s applicable to you.

Paul begins the letter to the Ephesians with praise to God for His grace.

<<READ Eph 1:3-10>>

This isn’t a distant intellectual or abstract religious pursuit for Paul, it was as personal for him as it was for Jean. Paul knew, just as Jean did, that none of us deserves God’s kindness; and yet He pours it out on all who will receive it through Jesus. <<READ v7>>

Like Paul, Jean lived in astonishment that God not only loved her, but that He loved her so much that before He ever made anything, He had already determined to redeem her through the death and resurrection of Jesus. That is what Paul calls “glorious grace.” A gift amazing and undeserved.

Jean knew the God of grace, and saw His gifts everywhere.

So a second observation:

II. God’s Grace Identified

Later in the journal, she meditated on Psalm 18, which begins with these verses:

Psalm 18:1–2 ESV

1 I love you, O Lord, my strength. 2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

And Jean took these verses as her own expression of love for God, who saved her.

I have here <<HOLD UP>> a journal <<READ dedication page>>

This one starts at the very end of 2006. Throughout this journal, Jean meditated on the unmerited favor of God, and the undeserved gifts that He showered on her every day.

On Good Friday, April 6 2007, as Jean considered the meaning of Christ’s death on the cross, she writes,

“This day - our remembrance of the day you gave your life for mine. You paid my debt to ransom my soul… the only way I can ever begin to offer thanks to you is to give you my life in return.

I am so unworthy, and humbled, by this gift. So honored to be one of your children. To think that you listen to my prayers - and even my grumbling and rambling thoughts.

You answer my prayers.

You bless me with so many undeserved and special hand-picked gifts.

And then, she says,

Father, more and more often I am face to face with my physical limits…

My left knee & leg is what bothers me most. The knee is so crooked, the muscle and tendon behind it hurt almost constantly – and now there is usually pain in the lower shin as well...

I need your grace to cope with this and yet not be a baby about it too. It seems I am always saying ‘no’ to something based on how far I have to walk…

…enable me not to compare myself to others who are my age or even older - who are stronger & able to do things I cannot do anymore. I need you, Jesus - I need your G R A C E.

But three and a half years later, Jean returned to this journal and wrote in the margin, “9-24-2010 - All that pain has been gone, Praise the Lord!” She saw hand-picked gifts everywhere, because she knew she was beloved by the God of grace.

Another entry says,

I am so thankful for gifts of modern day tools and technology… I am so grateful for the electric carts most big stores provide for handicap people - I couldn’t even buy groceries without them. Thank you.

Washers and dryers - clean easy electric stoves - refrigerators, air conditioners.

Telephones & cell phones…

Thank you for tools of every kind that are a gift of grace to us.

And maybe you already knew much of this about Jean. But she wanted every single one of you to know where this awareness of grace came from, so you could have the same.

That’s why she wanted her memorial service to include this yellow piece of paper. With this message. So here’s a final observation:

<<God’s grace defined, identified, and>>

III. God’s Grace Declared

The heart of the message is that the same grace, the same unmerited favor with God, is held out for you. This is a message about a vibrant, living relationship with the God who is actually there. He is not a generic idea. Imagine if you thought of Jean not as Jean Pankey, but as the idea of a mother, as the abstract thought of grandmotherliness or friendship. Or imagine if we thought that remembering her meant emptying our minds and thinking of nothing.

And yet, in this spiritually bankrupt age, that’s exactly how many people think about the God who so lovingly created you.

The God who made this actual world and very specifically made you has a much more personal, hand-picked message for you, just as He did for Jean.

It is a message of glorious grace, undeserved favor from the holy God for you. Here’s another section from the book of Ephesians.

<<READ Eph 2:4-18>>

“He himself is our peace.”

God knows you. He knew what your laugh would sound like before the universe began. He knew what struggles you would face. As He knit you together in your mother’s womb, He knew when every hair would fall out - some never to be replaced. And He knew every time you’d turn away from Him, every time you’d choose yourself over others, and yet He kept knitting.

And He knew that for you to have peace, He would have to become your peace. Jesus died and rose again so that everyone who believes would have peace with God, and peace with others.

Jean was at peace in life, and now, she is at peace in eternal life.

One day, Jean wrote the following:

Thank you that I can come boldly to your throne of GRACE, assured of your glad welcome - not because I’m worthy, or because I’ve served you, but - because you are a God of GRACE, a God of unmerited, unlimited favor - not little dribbles of grace and favor - reluctantly measured out, BUT

Overflowing

Super-abundant favor -

I am so glad you welcome me just as I am - simply because Jesus is my risen Savior.

She knew the promise that awaited her, because she knew the giver of the promise. The God of grace. In Revelation 21, that promise is given this way:

Revelation 21:1–5 ESV

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. 2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. 4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” 5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

It’s Jean’s hope that she will see you there, in the New Jerusalem. And that’s why she wrote you this invitation:

<<END w/ INVITATION>>