Janet Richards Celbration of Life Service

INTRODUCTION

Today we are here under an umbrella of sadness.

We are saddened by the loss of our friend Janet Richards.

Janet was a wife, a mother, a great grandmother, and a friend to many.

Those who knew Janet will miss her presence because of the joy she brought into the lives of those who knew and loved her.

As sad as it is for us today, we are here to celebrate the life of Janet.

Janet lived a long, productive life.

She was married to her husband Howard for 63 years before his passing in 2017.

During their marriage, they traveled as he served in the Army.

Janet and Howard raised 3 children and had 8 grandchildren

When you examine the life of Janet, 4 words come to my mind, faithful, loving, dedicated, and funny.

Janet had a strong faith in Jesus; it showed in her life.

When COVID hit and then some of her more severe health issues, I could count on the fact that Janet would be at home watching our Livestream each Sunday morning.

Janet was a very loving person; since I have known her, the love she had for Jesus and others was very evident,

Janet was also very dedicated.

She was married for 63 years, and she faithfully followed her husband wherever Uncle Sam sent him.

You can also see by all of the various organizations she belonged to that she was dedicated to serving her Lord, Country, and community.

Janet had a great sense of humor and could light up any room she walked into.

I always enjoyed talking with Janet.

Janet exemplified what it meant to be a lady in the classic sense of the word; she exemplified what a Christian wife and mother should be.

I want to spend a little time on something important, and it was an essential part of Janet’s life, her faith in Jesus.

As great a lady as Janet was, she knew that there was more to faith than being a good person.

When you think about being a good person, who gets to define what is considered good?

And if being a good person is all you need to be to go to heaven, then why did God send His Son to die on the cross for us?

Janet understood that her faith in Jesus would open the gates to heaven for her, not just being the wonderful person she was.

She was the person she was because of her faith in Jesus!

I want to share a passage with you from John 14:1-6.

John 14:1–6 NET 2nd ed.

1 “Do not let your hearts be distressed. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 There are many dwelling places in my Father’s house. Otherwise, I would have told you, because I am going away to make ready a place for you. 3 And if I go and make ready a place for you, I will come again and take you to be with me, so that where I am you may be too. 4 And you know the way where I am going.” 5 Thomas said, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

MESSAGE

Jesus was nearing the end of His ministry.

His disciples were troubled of the fact that Jesus was telling them that He was going to leave them.

Jesus told them that He was leaving them so that He could go and prepare a place for them in heaven.

This is the home that Jesus has been preparing for Janet.

It is the home that he prepared for her friends and loved ones who lived for Jesus that have gone on to be home.

This is a home that is available to everyone, but not everyone will enter .this wonderful place that Jesus has prepared

In verse one, Jesus says that we have to believe in Him and the Father.

In verse 6, Jesus says that He is the way, the truth, and the life and that no one comes to the Father but through Him.

From the way she lived her life, Janet knew that her eternal destiny depended on her relationship with Jesus.

She knew that you could not just take Jesus on as an insurance policy, but that you had to live for Him.

Believing in Jesus means much more than just saying that you believe in Jesus; it involves developing a relationship with Jesus.

It means that Jesus takes first place in your life.

Having faith in Jesus means that your life is different because Jesus is a part of it.

Those who knew Janet would testify that Jesus was evident in her life.

Today we need to mourn because we will miss Janet, but we can also be happy today because Janet is in the home she wanted to be in because she gets to be with Jesus.

Jesus came to give us the opportunity to experience eternal life with Jesus!

Janet knew this, and she lived for this!

Janet was ready for this moment in her life.

CONCLUSION

Praise God for this!

For those of us who remain, now what, Janet is gone from our presence, but she is in the presence of the Lord now!

We do not have to mourn as those who have no hope!

Janet had hope; she believed in hope, and her hope was placed and is realized in Jesus!

If we belong to Jesus, we will see her again one day!

Honor Janet’s life by living out what she gave you!

For those who knew her, share the blessing Janet was to your life with the family.

Let’s pray!