Peace in Troubled Times (Funeral Service)
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Intro:
Intro:
On behalf of the Buckingham family I want to thank everyone for being here today to express your love and support to Marv’s family and his memory. Your presence is a tribute to him. Thank you for all of your concerns, comfort, kind words, and prayers. The family greatly appreciate it.
We will begin the service by reading the obituary of Marv Buckingham.
Marvin J. Buckingham age 80 of Howard City, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 at Lakeland Regional Health Center, Florida. He was born October 12, 1941 in Port Huron, MI the son of Elmer and Edna (Baker) Buckingham. Marvin worked at St. Joseph Hospital in Mount Clemens for 11 years, McInerney Spring and Wire for 17 years, and retired from Country Fresh/Dean’s Foods after 14 years. He enjoyed spending time with family and friends. He loved camping, cruising, tractor pulls, bonfires, golfing, bowling, going to Detroit Tigers baseball games, and listening to southern gospel music. For the last 17 years, he would spend his winters in Florida with his wife Gayle. He was a longtime member of the First Baptist Church of Howard City, MI. Marvin was very loved by all his family and friends, he was honest, generous, fun loving and everyone enjoyed being around him. He was always the first one to raise a hand to help anyone in need. Marvin was the best husband, father, and grandfather that anyone could ask for. Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Gayle (Frantz); children, Lisa (Dave) Force, John (Pauline) Buckingham, Melissa (Todd) Dailey; grandchildren, Amanda (Richard) Pease, Adam Buckingham, Joshua (Becka) Dailey, Alaina (Nolan) Fields, Zachary (Sally) Dailey, Nicholas Buckingham, Amelia (Alec) Bolla, Landon (Darian) Dailey, Alivia (Hunter) Wiltjer; great grandchildren, Richard Pease, Elizabeth Pease, Chloe DeLaCerda, Bryce Dailey, Blakely Dailey, Leighton Dailey; sister-in-law, Sue Buckingham; many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a brother, Gary Buckingham.
Today is a day of tears, and of memory, where we come together and celebrate the life that God gave to Marv and how blessed we are to have had these years with him. Life is a gift and we can and should cherish the memories that God has graciously given us. But today is not just a day memory and tears but it is a day of celebration. A day to recognize that the struggles of this life are no longer the struggles that Marvin has to face. He is home now. He is with His Savior. He has fought the fight, kept the faith, and has finished the race. He is home now. Not walking by faith anymore but is now seeing the full glory of God and is rewarded for His faith in heaven, an opportunity we may all get if we too have come to believe in Christ Jesus the Lord the way Marvin has.
With that, I would like to invite you to join us in singing some songs the family has requested. We will begin by singing, “When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that be…” Hymn number 542... The words will be on the screen… following the song, we’ll have Landon Dailey come and read some portions of Scripture. Let’s sing this wonderful truth out together.
Scripture reading...
Let’s continue in worship and in song by singing another requested song, “Mansion on a Hilltop.” The words will be on the screen. Following the song, we are going to take some time and remember the blessing that Marvin was to us. Allowing a few of you to share that publically here today. Will try keep it to just a few but I would encourage you that following the actual service, if you did not get opportunity to share here, take the time to reminisce with those in the family during the luncheon. I’m sure that will be a bless to them.
Let’s sing together, Mansion on a hilltop
If you’d like to briefly share a word of testimony, will have you raise your hand and one of our young men will give you a microphone to speak into so everyone can hear. So who will be first?
Prayer
Sermon
Sermon
I would like to take this time to share just a few encouragements from the Word of God. The Word which Marvin believed and placed his faith on.
I have been so encouraged as I sat and talked with the family. Encouraged by the faith of this home. Death is a hard thing to grasp. Yet, here in this hard time, all I could see in the family was hope and peace and even joy. Yes, there is sadness, yes there is grief as their should be for someone so loved. But there is no doubt about it… there is peace. A peace that passes all comprehension. A peace that only the Father of light can give. A peace that this world cannot know unless they know the Father.
It is very amazing as God has given me opportunity to see this peace on display in this family. In this past couple years, I have sat with others who have lost loved ones. But these that lost their loved ones did not know the truth of the Word of God and you can see it in their eyes, hear it in their voice; the pain, the confusion, the heartbreak, and the fear of the unknown. But what a difference there is in the Child of God. When I spoke with Gayle in her home in Florida, their was hurt but wow was there peace. A peace and a hope that challenged and encouraged my faith. That peace and hope is there because we can know with certainly that death is not the end. That the grave has been swallowed up into victory.
But how is it possible for us to have peace in times like these?
I wish to share with you 2 truths about this peace.
Future peace can only be obtained through the Cross of Jesus Christ
What is Peace? Defined by webster’s peace is a state of tranquility, lacking disturbance, calm, restful. The opposite of peace could be said as distress, conflict, great agitation, anxiety.
When thinking of those that have lost loved ones or facing death themselves. Many in this world would not say death brings peace to our lives. And many would think we are out of our mind if we told them that death is a good thing.
Yet, Paul in Philippians 1:21 states… “to live is Christ but to die is gain.” He further states in verse 23, “My desire is to depart and be with Christ, which is far better.” Paul shares an eagerness to die and a peace about death much the same way the Buckingham’s have.
This peace about death is an unnatural peace for mankind to have about death. But Jesus left us this peace because he offered us a hope, a confidence, a guarantee about our future.
In 1 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
Peter says that we have a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.... and the hope guarantees us an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, unfading, and kept in heaven for us.
Jesus shared in detail that this perfect inheritance is with Him in paradise. Where there is no darkness, no pain, no sin, no evil. And this place would be reserved for a select people.
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.”
Not everyone will enjoy this wonderful place. In fact, many will not… Jesus further explained this in John 14:6
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Jesus is the only way to salvation and to this paradise that Marvin is now experiencing. But it is not possible unless we come to Jesus. Our sin has separated us from Holy God, as well as our sin has brought on judgement that we will all one day face. But the Bible states that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He took our place. He died on our behalf. Sin had to be punished and he took it upon himself. He the perfect Holy One died so that you and I might live. His death has brought us peace. Ephesians 2:13-14
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
But this peace can only be obtained if we believe. John 3:16
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
In this, God grants an extraordinary peace to all those who have believed in His Son and are now His children so that we no longer fear death but actually anticipate it. Longing to be with our Savior. This is not our home. But we are here to be a light as just as Jesus prayed in John 17...
“I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.”
You too can have this peace, the peace that is evident in this family. The peace and hope that bring me encouragement and excitement as I too look forward to that grand day when Christ says, “Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter now into the joy of your Lord.”
If you have any desire to know this salvation. Please come talk to me or one of the people in this church and we can lead you through the Scriptures to know with certainty eternal life. I believe that as a child of God. Marvin would have wished that for this day.
But I know that for some of you, even though you know and believe these truths, and you do not fear death nor feel the outcome of death. You’re still wrestling with heartache. Can I offer these words to you as well.
Present peace can be obtained by abiding in Christ
One of my favorite passages regarding Jesus and death is recorded in John 11:35. You may well know this verse. It states, “Jesus wept.” He wept at the lose of a close friend, Lazarus. He wept because sin had ruined creation and had brought about this death and agony. No he did not weep because He had lost a friend because He knew that He would bring him back to life. But He wept because He cared. In fact, the Jews there noticed his tears, and stated, “see how he loved him!”
Jesus cares and furthermore Jesus knows and understands more than anyone.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Our trials may be difficult and hardships may come. But Jesus provides us with His compassion and His peace. “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid.”
You keep him in perfect peace
whose mind is stayed on you,
because he trusts in you.
God does not promise us a life of ease. There will be difficulty in life. This is the results of living in a sin cursed world. But what He does promise is perfect peace when we chose to keep our hearts and minds fixed on Him. He will provide the needed strength.
I’d like to close our time by remembering the words to this wonderful Hymn written by a young women named Lina of Sweden. Lina was a daughter of a pastor. When she was twenty-six years of age, she accompanied her father on a journey to Gothenburg, but tragedy occurred before the destination was reached. The ship gave a sudden lurch and Linas father fell overboard, and drowned before the eyes of his devoted daughter.
It was soon after that many songs began to flow out of her broken heart. Her songs reflect a simple child-like trust in Christ, and deep sense of His abiding presence in her life, including the song Day By Day.
In it, she wrote...
(1) Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment,
I’ve no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best-
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.
(2) Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me.
He whose name is Counselor and power.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
“As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,”
This the pledge to me he made.
(3) Help me then in every tribulation
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith’s sweet consolation
Offered me within Thy holy word.
Help me Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E’er to take, as from a father’s hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
‘Til I reach the promised land.
Prayer
We want to close this service by singing praise to the one who gives victory over death, Jesus, for today we celebrate that Jesus has not only saved Marv but will save all those that believe in His Name.
Sing with my Hymn number 473, Victory in Jesus (vs. 1,3)