Celebration Of Life Service For Roger H. Jensen - June 23, 2022

This gathering and these beautiful flowers are here in honor and memory of Roger H. Jensen. It is my desire as pastor that the music and message will help lighten the load that family and friends are carrying right now. We trust God’s grace will be sufficient and that He will use us today to celebrate the Home-going of our sister.

We come together this afternoon as friends and family because someone so dear has been taken. This morning, those who knew Roger the most are suffering. We gather together in support of Roger’s family to say, though we do not understand the depths of your sorrow, we are sorrowing with you and are praying the Lord will strengthen you and give you grace during this difficult time.

Roger is in heaven

Roger was a kind man

Roger was a man who was passionate about her relationship with the Lord

If you do not know you are saved and on your way to heaven you can know as Roger knew.

I have no doubt in my mind that Patricia Ann Mitola, Sister Patty as we called her, is in the presence of Jesus right now - In Heaven.

Lord, we are thankful for Roger’s life

Thank you for her Testimony of faithfulness

Kindness

Smile

Prayer:

Lord, we are thankful that Roger doesn’t need prayer anymore

We pray for those who are still here

Comfort

Encourage

Minister to them

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

John 14:1–6

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Matthew 6:25–34

25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Thoughts about Roger

He loved to brighten your day - seemed like there was always joke he was ready to tell

He enjoyed working and getting projects done

I remember telling him about some projects we were trying to accomplish here at the church and he said

He loved his country

He served his country

As He neared the end, our Lord could speak of little else than the Father. Heaven was His Father’s house, where a prepared mansion awaits each of us, perfectly adapted to the peculiarities of our temperament. The yearning of the heart of man was truly set forth by Philip in his request to see the Father; but never before had it dawned upon human intelligence that the divine can find its supreme revelation in the simplicities and commonplaces of human existence. While Philip was waiting for the Father to be shown in lightning and thunder and the splendor of Sinai, he missed the daily unfolding of the life with which he dwelt in daily contact. To see Jesus was to see the Father. Nothing could more certainly prove the need of the Holy Spirit, by whom alone we can know the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

John 14:1–6

KJV 1900

1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?

6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Those that Believe in God, believe in Jesus

Jesus’ disciples were going to go through grief

separation

fear

Jesus, not only knowing what the future held, but holding the future, encouraged His disciples.

Jesus is preparing a real place

A songwriter penned “Heaven is a wonderful place, filled with glory and grace.”

1,500 mi x 1,500mi x 1,500mi

A city is obviously the seat of imperial rule. In that blessed condition, the saints will rule the earth as the powers of darkness rule it now. We shall enjoy the fellowship of the good and great of every age. In a literal sense, we shall be fellow citizens with the saints. All ages and dispensations will blend there.

The happy throngs pour through the gates with never-ending rapture. Those gates, facing every quarter, stand always open; but none desire to go forth, except commissioned on some errand by the King. All the glory and honor of the world are gathered within those walls because Jesus will be king over every department of human life. There will be room for all beauty, art, and culture in the city of eternal light and love.

No more seas, no separation

There will never be a day of separation. There will not be a place in heaven

We have hope as Christians - we don’t have sorrow like those who do not believe in Jesus

No more tears are needed in heaven.

We cry when we can’t be with those we love

No more crying because there will be no more separation in heaven from those we love

No more sin in heaven

Sin is not allowed in heaven

Sin brings hurt

Sin brings pain

Sin brings separation

but God doesn't allow sin in heaven

To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord

Comfort yourselves with these things…

It is appointed unto men once to die

Jesus lived a perfect life

Countless lives were touched

Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life

We live in a time when many believe if there is a God, that all religions lead to that God.

That my friend is not true

The devil has also sold the poisonous lie that good works will allow a person access into heaven

Romans 3:10

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

Those that reject Jesus’ way of life will experience eternal death and separation

Jesus the perfect lamb of God shed His blood so that all our sins could be washed away

Sins that you have forgotten about

Sins that are permanently etched on your memory

Sins you have done

Sins - past, present, and future are all washed away so you can be in heaven with God.

Romans 5:10

10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Romans 5:12

12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Because of the Fall, we are now susceptible to pain, toil, disease, and various afflictions and sufferings. Our senses and capacities are bent toward pursuing self-interest and evil. Without God's intervention, our minds cannot know or serve Him. Our emotions are corrupted and deceitful. These are only a few consequences we are now exposed to because of the fall.

John 3:16

16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 10:9–10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

What is true?

Friend, Believe Jesus

Put your faith in Jesus alone.

Would you ask the Lord to save you?

Let’s Pray:

I know I’m a sinner

Jesus died for those sins.

I know you died not for your sins but my sins.

I know the price has been paid for my sin by Jesus on the Cross, and I know it’s finished.

I know you rose again so I could have new and eternal life.

God keeps His promises.

Would you let me know that you have trusted Christ today?

Let’s pray:

Lord, many are of heavy heart in this age.

Bring Comfort and strength to the hurting today.