Funeral for Fred Johnson

It is an honor to stand before you this afternoon, to celebrate the life of Fred Johnson. He was a dear friend of mine, father figure that I looked up to through the years as I parented my children to love Jesus. It has been my privilege to serve as one of Fred’s pastors the majority of my time as a minster of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are a lot of things that can be said about Fred as we celebrate his life as a Husband, Father, Firefighter, and Friend. I want to share a few.

One word that I think of regrading Fred is strong. Many years ago I remember having to get Fred’s email address to plan a mission trip we were going on, and when he told me it was [e-mail], I had a long pause…raised my eyebrow and said “THOR?” He told me it was a nickname people gave him which I came to understand encapsulated his strength. I don’t mean just his physical strength, but his mental strength as well. There was never a project too complex or too big that he wasn’t ready to tackle. This came in focus most clearly in his determination to beat the cancer in his body. He fought a long battle and he fought hard.

A lesson to learn from Fred’s battle is that whether it is cancer, Covid, or just old age, no person on this earth can escape death. No one is strong enough or determined enough to evade death. For many of you today, you weep not just because you miss Fred, because you believe that Fred lost the battle to death.

Hebrews 9:27 (ESV)

.. it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

But he didn’t. While Fred was not strong enough to overcome death, Fred trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. Jesus Christ was the sinless Son of God, who came into the world to accomplish what no ordinary human can overcome- DEATH. Jesus defeated death, by giving his life up so that others who trust in Him could live.

John 11:25 ESV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

Jesus could over come death because He was both God and man and therefore, He had strength to overcome death and those who believe in Him, they overcome death as well. Fred’s body is dead but his spirit is now alive and in the presence of Jesus. I know this because I saw Fred’s faith in the Lord lived out in his life. It was a genuine faith, not some label we wore, but authentic.

Now Fred was the first to tell you he wasn’t perfect. He made mistakes in his life that he wasn’t proud of but as a follower of Jesus, he knew the he didn’t have to be perfect to belong to God for Jesus lived the perfect life, a sinless life, for all who believe and trust in Him. At the end of that statement that Jesus stated earlier, he asks his friends Mary and Martha, “Do you believe this?”

Fred believed in Jesus and he trusted that what Jesus accomplished by dying on the cross for sinners and rising from the dead was able to make him live beyond this life. That is why when Jesus said those words “I am the resurrection and the life” He meant that He has the power to give life and take it away. He has the power to raise people from the dead because He is God who came to earth as a man. He proved his words immediately following this by raising Mary and Martha’s brother from the dead. Lazarus was already dead four days which proved the miracle performed. Thats why in the hospital, contemplating his life, although he didn't want to leave his family and friends behind, he knew that Jesus conquered death for him to live again.

Another word that I come up with for Fred is “servant.” He was a leader of his family, a leader at the station house and a fire call, but he was a servant among those around him. If you need help with something, Fred was willing to come to your aid. He was caring, hospitable and king to all those around him.

I know that Fred loved the Lord Jesus and therefore modeled his servant leadership from what he understood from His lord. This called for Fred to humble himself, thinking of others more important than himself. This humility and service came from knowing Jesus! Imagine that Jesus came into the world as the Creator of all things and people rejected him. instead of being born in a palace, Jesus was born in most likely a cave where animals were kept in Bethlehem. Instead of the celebration of royals, Jesus entered into the world with only his parents and some shepherds to witness it. But this was God’s plan to show that for forgiveness of sins to be accomplished, Jesus had to humble himself, take the form of a servant and give his life so others may be free.

Philippians 2:5–8 ESV

5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Once Jesus lived the life of humility, he suffered and died as substitute for all who believe in him. So when a person believes in Jesus as Fred did, then we understand that Jesus stood in their place on the cross, taking their punishment for THEIR sin that has been committed. When He rose from the dead, he defeated death and therefore provides a way that others can be raised to new life again.

Last word that I would use to describe Fred, I couldn’t use until now…HEALED. Cancer was not Fred’s greatest enemy, sin was. Fred was healed from cancer when he left this earth and his Spirit went to be with the Lord. But as a follower of Jesus, Fred was healed from sin’s effect. Now we know that Fred no longer deals with the struggle that we still have in this world. He is healed because of the work that Jesus accomplished.

Philippians 2:9–11 ESV

9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

If you are here today, its because you loved Fred and I know that he loved you. Fred would want you to understand more about the person of Jesus so that you too would believe in Him. Jesus is King Lord and has provided a way that you too can trust in His name for the forgiveness of sins. You don’t have to be perfect to come to Jesus, Fred wasn’t. But you do have to surrender to the King! You have to turn from living your life as your own authority, and instead surrender to live under the authority of the Son of God. if you turn away from the King, you face his wrath, but if you trust in Him, you find salvation!