Eulogy for Emily Ruth Jones

Intro

Great love and respect is present in this room

And from what I have read and heard here today, and from the memories my wife, Sherry has shared with me about Sis. Jones, I can truly say that is is an honor to be preaching at this home going.

and God has given us a word for today

I will be preaching from a text in the second chapter of 2 Kings, that describes the home going of another saint. This saint’s name is Elijah. Elijah the great prophet of God

And will pick up the text as Elijah is walking with his disciple Elisha.

and I must also note that it was known to them that today would be the day

2 Kings 2:11 NASB95

11 As they were going along and talking, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire and horses of fire which separated the two of them. And Elijah went up by a whirlwind to heaven.

This great prophet Elijah and his disciple Elisha are walking and talking.

When suddenly a chariot of fire appears and separates the two men, and Elijah is carried into heaven by a whirlwind

The first thing I see is that no matter who you are, your days are numbered and there will be a separation from those close to you

Elijah’s days were numbered and he was separated from Elisha

Sis. Emily Jones’ days were numbered and she has been separated from us

On this side of heaven, she was not meant to stay with us always

this world was not her home

she was just a pilgrim in this barren land

when she was born on Christmas Eve in 1936, the clock started ticking

and all of us should remember that we too are living in a temporary situation

because our days our numbered, and there will be separation

But thank God, that in this verse, I see more than numbered days and separation . . . I also see that Elijah went up

He didn’t just leave, he went up

it wasn’t over . . . no, he went up

and Sis. Jones did not just leave, she went up

She is not dead and done . . . no, she went up

it’s not over for her . . . no, she went up

this is not the end of her . . . no, she went up

we will bury the body she inhabited, but her soul went up

Because Sis. Jones was a Christian believer, she went up . . . into heaven

We know where she is for the Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord

and that means that we can take comfort in the fact that she’s good, alright, happy, peace, joy, no more sickness, sorrow, pain, or death . . .

she has left the toils of this life behind

she is in a place where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest

she won’t have to worry anymore about the injustices I read about in her obituary . . . . because she went up

that’s why the song says, “if anybody ask you where I’m going, tell them I’m going up a yonder . . . to be with my Lord

that’s why another song says, “when you hear of my home going, don’t worry about me”

and I pray that at the end of your days, and at that time of separation, that you will be going up

I know without a doubt that I am going up

not because of any good I have done

not because people call mem pastor

but because I have put my faith in Jesus as both Lord and Savior

she went up and I am going up

2 Kings 2:12 NASB95

12 Elisha saw it and cried out, “My father, my father, the chariots of Israel and its horsemen!” And he saw Elijah no more. Then he took hold of his own clothes and tore them in two pieces.

Elisha saw it all happen. It unfolded right before his eyes

God allowed Elisha to see the angelic chariot of fire and the horses of fire.

God allowed Elisha to see that Elijah was taken up in to heaven by a whirlwind

And though he clearly understood that Elijah was taken up into heaven, to a better place, the separation caused him to cry out and tear his clothes in sorrow

I see in this verse, that it is ok, to grieve

you can give place to sorrow, even though you know that Sis. Jones has been taken up to a better place

it’s alright to cry, even though you know where she is

For Elisha, Elijah was like a father

and for you Sis. Jones was a mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, cousin, friend

and it is alright and natural to mourn

we don’t grieve like there is no hope, but we do grieve

2 Kings 2:13 NASB95

13 He also took up the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and returned and stood by the bank of the Jordan.

Elisha didn’t just grieve over Elijah, He did something more

he did more than grieve

The verse starts off He also . . . . he grieved but he also took up the mantle of Elijah

Elijah went up, but Elisha took up

in other words, Elisha took up Elijah’s role, responsibility, cause, fight, work, ministry

as we look at and remember the life of Sis. Jones, we see the accomplishments

and we see sacrifices, dedication, work, ministry, her service . . . . and someone should be inspired to take up the mantle

She’s run her race, but someone should be moved to say pass the baton to me

She has laid a foundation, and someone should be motivated to build upon it

She made an impact, and someone should be encouraged to push those changes forward

Sis. Jones went up, but somebody ought to

step up, raise up, get up, come up

step up in the family

step up in the church

step up in the community

It would be fitting, if the home going celebration of Sis. Emily Ruth Jones marks the the start of an ALSO testimony

I cried . . . but ALSO, I made up my mind to come up

I mourned . . . but ALSO, I began to figure out how I would step up

tears flowed . . . but ALSO, I resolved within my spirit to take up her mantle

2 Kings 2:14 NASB95

14 He took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him and struck the waters and said, “Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah?” And when he also had struck the waters, they were divided here and there; and Elisha crossed over.

the key to taking up the mantle . . . is being willing to take up the mantle

When the Lord ask whom shall I send, and who will go for us . . . the first step is for someone to simply say, Here I am, send me

in this narrative, Elisha had earlier expressed his willingness to continue the work of Elijah, in fact he asked for a double portion of power . . . so he was willing

Elijah knowing that the power was not from him, but that it came from God, responded to his disciple that if God allowed Elisha to see him being taken away, only then his request would be granted

So after witnessing Elijah being taken up, Elisha wanted to test to see if God had truly granted his request,

so Elisha struck the waters of the Jordan River with Elijah’s mantle and asked . . Where is the Lord, the God of Elijah

and when the waters parted, and he walked over on dry ground, Elisha knew that the same God that was with Elijah was with him

and I want you to know that if you call on him, the same God that carried Sis. Jones in her life will carry you

if you are willing to pick up the mantle, the same God that

empowered Sis. Jones, will empower you

strengthened

opened doors

made a way for her

and if you are not saved, the same God that saved her will save you

because we are comforted by the fact that Sis. Jones went up

and we are encouraged by the word today to take up

but everything was made possible only because Jesus was lifted up

lifted up on a cross, shedding his blood, and sacrificed his very life to save us from our sins, and restore relationship with our heavenly Father

and the Bible promises that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved

because not only was Jesus lifted up on the cross

on the third day he was raised up

on the third day he got up

on the third day he took up the keys of death and hell, and all power was put in his hands

and if you give your life to him, Jesus will clean you up

Sis. Jones finished her race the other day and was taken up

and as we mourn, we must remember that now It’s our job to take up . . . the mantle

and call on the same God, the God of Elijah, the God of Sis. Jones, and trust in Him to carry us forward

Invitation

Romans 10:9 NASB95

9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

if before today you were not saved, but now you believe in Jesus, and are ready to commit to him, let me pray for you . . . . . Lord Jesus, there are those who

believe that you love them

believe that you died for them

believe that you rose again

believe so much that they are willing to commit to living for you

and are calling out to you now to save them . . . Lord save them

we trust in your word . . . JOhn three sixteen

If that prayer was for you, I challenge you, as proof that you are sincere, that you ask God to lead you to a church home, and sincerely seek out a Bible teaching church to continue your Christian journey