Ralph Slight Memorial Service

February 21, 2022

Welcome & Prayer

On behalf of Scott & Ralph’s family, let me welcome you to this time of memorial of Ralph Slight. I know it is comforting to his family that you have taken time today to come today b/c you loved Ralph, and want to support the family in this time of loss.

Following the service, there will be a reception and time of fellowship and you are all invited to come.

Let’s begin out time with prayer:

Almighty God, You are our God and we bow our hearts to acknowledge Your greatness and faithfulness. We give You thanks for life b/c You are the giver of life to all. We also thank You for Your Son Jesus Christ since He has abolished death on the cross and has brought life and immortality to light, so that in our frailty we might learn to walk by faith and not by sight.

Give courage now to trust You and Your purposes so that all who are here may obtain the blessings of Your grace, the comfort of Your peace, and the patience of eternal hope.

It is my prayer that Your gracious gift of eternal life would be a reality for each person who has come here today. We commit this time to You and ask Your blessing in Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture Reading

John 14:10–16 NASB95

“Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever;

Congregational Singing

This World Is Not My Home (vv 1,2,4)

Eulogy

Scott Slight

Special Music

Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus (Lisa Beedy)

Congregational Singing

Shall We Gather At the River (vv 1,3,4)

Message

Do you believe God’s grace is great? Its great b/c God is great. You all knew Ralph loved God. The Lord told us that 2 commandments are supreme: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and love your neighbor as yourself. B/c Ralph loved God he also loved all of you. He loved people. Scott told me he found lists of people’s names that Ralph had been praying for over the years (written on anything he could find).

Ralph loved God, LJC…and why wouldn’t he: God is great! And now he is before the Lord—forever.

Revelation 4:1–11 NASB95

After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things.” Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne. And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance. Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads. Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty, who was and who is and who is to come.” And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying, “Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.”

The centerpiece of Heaven is a throne. (The description of what is near)

Upon the throne sits God the Father—a picture of His sovereign activity of ruling over His creation.

Around the throne is a brilliant rainbow picturing the fiery judgment of God and balanced by the comfort of God’s promise/covenant faithfulness. There are also 24 thrones upon which are elders symbolizing the faithful church.

From the throne come flashes of lightening, sounds & peals of thunder—God’s presence, judgment, glory and omnipotence.

Before the throne are the 7 Spirits of God and what resembles a sea of glass, refracting and reflecting the brilliant light of God’s glory.

In and Around the throne are the 4 living creatures whose privilege and great responsibility is to constantly worship God.

On February 14th, Ralph joined the saints from all ages to render undistracted praise and unhindered worship of the God who created all things and the Lamb who was slain. That this glimpse of eternal joy would comfort your hearts today is my prayer for all of you.

What is taking place in heaven now is so unique to anything that happens in the whole of creation. It should be clear to all of us that we live in a sin-cursed world. The evidence is all around. Apostle Paul tells us that creation groans for redemption. Whether it’s tornado, hurricane, earthquake…creation groans b/c of the curse of sin.

Another reality that reveals curse of sin is sickness and disease. We know from Rev 21 the when God creates a new heaven and new earth that the things of this world will pass away…things like tears, death, mourning, and pain. But here and now, pain, suffering, sickness, diseases and death are the reality with which we all must cope.

Ralph was struggling physically in recent months. He cleaned the church with Scott for several years and I’d ask him how he was doing—oh his back was hurting and he had aches and pain of walking all these years on the earth. But the last few months (since October) things were changing for him. He was experiencing a weakness that was not there before. Not able to do all that he was accustomed to doing and now the Lord took him into His presence—for which we rejoice. But what brings us together today is the result of living in a sin-cursed world.

No sickness or disease could ever be desired. But when these things come upon us, there is a marvelous promise from God that we need to embrace:

Romans 8:28 NASB95

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

It is hard to see what good God can bring about in the death of a loved one. But remember, from Rev 4…God is on His throne. He is in control. So we claim His promise that He is working this out for the good of His people.

So what good can God accomplish thru sickness and even general human frailty?

1. Sickness is a Means to Sanctification

Sanctification is the goal of every Xn…to be like JC. On this side of eternity we are progressing toward that image of perfect righteousness but we will be unable to reach it until we are with the Christ in eternity.

Romans 8:29 NASB95

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Every trial, sickness, disease is an opportunity to be conformed into the image of the Lord. What Ralph endured, in it he was being conformed into the image of Jesus.

James 1:2–4 NASB95

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

2. Sickness is a Means to Glorification

Romans 8:29–30 NASB95

For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Ralph’s struggles ended in death but death resulted in his glorification according to the very purposes of God. We have absolute certainty of this reality because

2 Corinthians 4:17 NASB95

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison,

In Romans the theme of glory is a recurring one…

Romans 5:2 NASB95

through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 8:18 NASB95

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:21 NASB95

that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God.

Sometimes living in a sin-cursed world brings about sickness but for God’s children, even in death, always brings about the glorification of them that love God.

3. Sickness is a Means to Salvation

Sometimes sickness, disease can cause a person with an illness to think about death and eternal things. When man is faced with his own mortality, it is natural to ponder these things…b/c God has set eternity in our hearts. I know this was true for Ralph. He repeatedly told many— “I’m ready to go home.”

Now Ralph was a believer for many years before this came upon him…but his weakness could very well be the means of someone else’s salvation.

It is very clear that he had a deep love and appreciation for JC. As we close our time together, I want to share why his love for Christ was so much apart of his existence.

Ralph understood that like every person, he had sinned against God. He knew that b/c he had violated God’s perfect law, that he was condemned to eternal death b/c he was guilty. While he also understood his condition, he believed that God in His love and grace had provided the way for his guilt to be turned to innocence. That way is only through the LJC. It was His blood that was poured out on the cross that dealt with Ralph’s sin. It is that precious blood that makes it possible for your sin/guilt to be removed.

You can see why his love for Christ was ever growing. He did for Ralph what he could not do for himself. Jesus does for you what you cannot do for yourself.

He paid the penalty for sin. If you place your faith in Him, if you trust in His death and resurrection for eternal life, He will save you.

Acknowledge your sin, repent from violating God’s law/standard. Turn from your sin to JC and He will forgive you and grant you everlasting life.

Special Music

Scars in Heaven (Lisa Beedy)

Closing Prayer

Father, we don’t always understand your purposes but we trust you and your perfect wisdom in taking Ralph to be with Yourself. The psalmist writes “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of your godly ones.” So we pray that in whatever purpose you’ve intended, you would be exalted and that the message of your grace would be proclaimed.

Yet again, hearts are heavy today and in as much as you in your sovereign love, have taken Ralph to be with you, we give you our deep gratitude for the many ways he has impacted our lives. We are thankful for your love and grace through these difficult times. So we pray to you…the great shepherd of the sheep who has prepared a place for all who trust in you—and it is to you that we turn now for continued strength, comfort, perspective and purpose in this life. We thank you for your love, your grace and for ministering to us in this time. We bring our requests to you in Jesus name, Amen.