Celebration of Life Service for Ashley Roberts

Mother: Melissa Walker Rourke

Format

Music

Preaching

General sharing

Thanks and next instructions

Pray

Thank everyone for being there.

You can tell a lot about a person from their funeral. I didn’t know Ashley except in this moment so let me tell you what I see.

Loving mother, friend, daughter

Made an impact on those around her in a positive way, that she brought good into the world

The bible says a lot about our mortality

Scripture says our life is but a vapor, that we are a blade of grass that is here then withers, our life is nothing but a puff of smoke and we enter into eternity.

The apostle Paul, when considering his own death, said I do not know what I would rather do. Would I rather die and be with Christ or live and continue my work, for it is better to be with Christ.

But that is little consolation to us now, sitting here in the midst of sin’s final triumph - death. Here’s the secret, it wasn’t a consolation to Paul either.

This man who spoke many times as if death was a blessing when he faced the death of his friend, was shaken just as much as you are now.

Philippians 2:25–30 (NIV)

25 But I think it is necessary to send back to you Epaphroditus, my brother, co-worker and fellow soldier, who is also your messenger, whom you sent to take care of my needs. 26 For he longs for all of you and is distressed because you heard he was ill. 27 Indeed he was ill, and almost died. But God had mercy on him, and not on him only but also on me, to spare me sorrow upon sorrow. 28 Therefore I am all the more eager to send him, so that when you see him again you may be glad and I may have less anxiety. 29 So then, welcome him in the Lord with great joy, and honor people like him, 30 because he almost died for the work of Christ. He risked his life to make up for the help you yourselves could not give me.

Why did Paul call Epaphroditus’ impending death - sorrow upon sorrow?

Because, like Ashley, he was a blessing.

No one weeps for someone who’s legacy isn’t love and kindness. But even those who are strong in faith, even those who believe there is a resurrection to come, even those who know that Ashley - through faith in Christ - ran into the loving arms of her creator and savior cry, which means… Like Epaphroditus to Paul, Ashley was your blessing.

Isn’t that the highest calling anyone can have? To be a blessing? To leave a legacy of love?

This family has chosen to celebrate Ashley’s life

I asked whether Melissa wanted a funeral or a celebration of life for Ashley.

They are very different. A funeral is where you look death in the face and see every ugly sore in order to conquer it, but a celebration of life is something else. A celebration of life doesn’t conquer death is knows death has already been conquered.

On the cross Christ conquered death. He rose again, why, in order that you might know there is a resurrection. In order that you might know that He is the way, the truth, and the life.

Ashley did it! She succeeded. She left behind a legacy of love and moved into eternal life and will be reunited with all of us who have Christ as our eternal life.

After the funeral is over, after we grieve, after we celebrate her life - what do we do?

We be like Epaphroditus, we be like Ashley, we live in such a way that honors those who came before us. So that, like it talks about in Hebrews, we are added along with them to the great cloud of witnesses that screams throughout all history that God is love.

So that one day when we are gone our family will disregard death and celebrate our life, and hopefully, our legacy of love.