Funeral - Imogene Dawson

Introduction

Thank you all for being here today! Thank you Bro. Raymond and family for the honor and great privilege to have a part in Ms. Imogene’s home-going service! I’ve been praying for you and I will continue to pray for you all. My prayer is that God will encourage you and help you through this difficult time, and I know He will do that very thing!

I want to share with you some Scripture and some comments today that I pray you will comforted by. I don’t have the words myself to encourage you, I don’t know what you’re going through. I told Bro. Raymond the other day that my heart breaks for you, but I’ve never been in your situation, I don’t know what you’re feeling, but I know that God does, and so instead of fumbling around trying to find words within myself, I want to point to the true source of help today and that is the Word of God.

I was out of town when Bro. Raymond called me with the news that Ms. Imogene had gone to be with the Lord. Earlier that day, I had read these very words I’m going to read to you and I knew the moment I read them, that’s where God wanted me to be for the message today:

Job 19:25–27 KJV 1900

25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: 26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God: 27 Whom I shall see for myself, And mine eyes shall behold, and not another; Though my reins be consumed within me.

Job has a living, real faith in God, and in these verses I've read to you this morning, he utters one of the greatest statements in the Bible.

It's a great statement, but what makes it more helpful to us is that it's uttered by a man who is sick, and he's ready to die.

Job knew he would be raised again...He knew he had a redeemer that lived!

Today, I'm glad that we have a Redeemer that LIVES and is able to help us!

I remember Bro. Raymond, you told me that Ms. Imogene had made many comments about her condition, and we know that she fought for such a long time, and you told me how she prayed the other night that the Lord would take her on home.

You know how she could pray that? She could pray that because by her own testimony, she knew some things, just like Job here in these verses...

I-Job knew about His Redeemer

Job 19:25 “For I know that my redeemer liveth...”

Job didn't say, “I know a redeemer lives.”

He didn't say, “I know the redeemer lives.”

He said, “I know MY redeemer liveth!”

My friend, you must make Jesus Christ your redeemer if you want to go to Heaven.

Romans 3:24 KJV 1900

24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

Redemption only comes by Jesus Christ…There is no other way.

Titus 2:14 KJV 1900

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.

I’m glad today that not only do I know Him, but He knows me!

He knows me and still loves me!

Psalm 8:4 KJV 1900

4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?

The Bible says that God created man and put him on the earth. Then man was corrupted, he turned aside, he disbelieved God, and he disobeyed Him.

Despite all this though, over 2,000 years ago, the Lord Jesus visited man. He made a trip to earth and died on a cross to let us know that He loved us!

He saved us by grace because we didn't have anything to offer Him - we weren't worth saving! Yet God the Son came to this earth.

John 3:16 KJV 1900

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Job knew about his Redeemer…also,

II-Job knew about a Resurrection

Job 19:26 KJV 1900

26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God:

Job’s knowledge did not stop at a Redeemer for he also knew there would one day be a resurrection.

John 5:28–29 KJV 1900

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

My friend, I want to tell you today that in the end, the only thing that matters will be what you did with Jesus, do you believe Him, or do you reject Him…Nothing else matters today! The only way you’ll have eternal life is by believing in Him!

John 11:25–26 KJV 1900

25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

Job understood that death was not the end! God would bring life back into his decayed body!

Job placed his hope in the great thought and promise of a resurrection of the dead...

Ms. Imogene, the other night wasn’t scared of death, when she was praying and asking God to take her on home, it’s because she knew that death wasn’t the end! It’s just a temporary parting here on this earth, but one day Bro. Raymond, one day, we’ll all see each other again!

Job knew his Redeemer, Job knew about a Resurrection, also:

III-Job knew about a Reunion

Job 19:27 “27 Whom I shall see for myself, And mine eyes shall behold, and not another; Though my reins be consumed within me.”

Those who are saved will see the face of our Lord one of these days! We will meet Him in person! Bro. Raymond, I believe the first thing you said to me Friday afternoon was “Imogene’s walking on the streets of glory!” - Bro. not only was she walking on the streets, but she was seeing the face of our Lord and Savior! What we look forward to, as of Friday afternoon was a reality to her!

Her faith ended in sight!

I’m thankful that death is not the end for the child of God!

One of these days, we that are saved, will have a reunion, and we’ll be satisfied!

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 KJV 1900

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

We will not only meet our Lord Jesus Christ at the Rapture, but will also be reunited with our believing friends and loved ones who have died. ‘Together with them' is a great statement of encouragement. Death is the great separator, but Jesus Christ is the great Reconciler.

Friends and family that have long gone will be there!

What a meeting that will be!

Conclusion

Let’s pray...