Graveside Service for Timothy Bryant

Prayer:

Good afternoon, my name is Pastor Chad Wilham and I am the pastor of Heritage Winchester in Winchester, Virginia. I wish to thank you for the privilege in being here with you today. Shall we pray together.

Father,

It is at this time we ask that you quiet our spirits and help us to yield our hearts to your wisdom. Give the Spencer family grace during this hour and a deep sense of your presence and love. Comfort them during this service with you love that passes all understanding. In Jesus Name.

Obituary

Tim Bryant, age 67, formerly of Ranson, West Virginia, passed away under the care of hospice in his mother’s home in Hayesville, North Carolina.

Tim was the 3rd child born to Nancy Corbin Bryant and the late William Bryant. Tim graduated high school in Clarke County, Virginia. In 1983, after graduation, Tim married Diane Alger, now deceased. He went on to work at Fabritec Industries in Winchester, Virginia, where his mother worked, and retired after 27 years of service. He later went to work for Champion Iron Works in Berryville, Virginia for 17 years and left there due to illness.

Tim was loved by so many people around him, including his aunt Ailean and two wonderful long-time friends, Jean Courtney and Ginger Reuling, who were there for him after losing his wife to cancer. He enjoyed being a part of their lives, helping make birdhouses and other crafts, and anything they needed him for or he needed them for.

Tim moved to Hayesville two years ago to help his mom with yard work and other things around the house. After about one year, his health no longer allowed him to do so.

Tim is survived by a step-daughter, Joann Christian of West Virginia; mother, Nancy Watson, of Hayesville; three brothers, Larry Bryant of West Virginia, Terry Bryant of Ohio, and David Bryant of Virginia; and two sisters, Lynn Fergerson and Libby Hoolihan, both of Floral City, Florida. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Reading

Psalm 23 NKJV

A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads 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 You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs 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 Forever.

Meditation:

For centuries people have, in times such as this, turned to the 23rd Psalm perhaps more often than any other part of the Bible.

The 23rd Psalm speaks to us of God’s total care. It assures us that life is secure in God, the Maker of Heaven and Earth, who is also our caring Shepherd. The psalm also speaks to us of our pilgrimage through this world.

“The Lord is my shepherd” - as we walk through the many valleys of the shadow of death, before we come to the end of our journey.

“The Lord is my shepherd” - when our way is dark with nameless dread and fears.

“The Lord is my shepherd” - even when we might stand surrounded by enemies of every kind.

Today is a day of grieving. I understand that. We grieve because we hurt. Death has touched a loved one and we hurt. God made us so that we can have relationships with one another – and when that relationship is lost because of death – we hurt and we grieve.

You will likely hurt and grieve for quite a while. And so I say to you – grieve. Grieve long and grieve deeply. Do not run from it. Grieve what is lost. Grieve honestly. Grieve lovingly. Grieve patiently, until the cup is emptied. There is no other way back to wholeness but by facing our grief.

Yet, if you would allow me I would like to speak a word of comfort today. It comes from verse four. Let me read that verse again.

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

I want to give you three quick facts about the valley of the shadow of death.

1. The valley of death is UNAVOIDABLE.

The valley of death is going to happen – you can count on it. The Bible tells us.

Hebrews 9:27 NKJV

27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

The Bible makes it plain that it is appointed for all people to die - we don’t live forever in this world. Death is a fact of our existence - no matter how much we struggle against this fact - it is unavoidable.

2. The valley of death is UNPREDICTABLE.

You can’t plan your time of death – it just doesn’t work that way.

Timothy was 67 years old. When Timothy was born, he was unaware of how long he would live. The time of death is unpredictable - we just don’t know when our life will end.

3. The valley of death is IMPARTIAL.

No one is immune. No one escapes death in this life.

Death does not take into account:

How much money you have.

How much education you have.

Or even how healthy you are – death will eventually come to your door.

But here is the good news.

A. We don’t have to be afraid of the valley of death.

Why? Because if I have a relationship with God – He has promised that He will walk with me through that valley. God has promised to walk with me every step of the way. God promises His presence. God does not leave me alone. “He walks with me.” “He guides me.”That’s what verse four tells us:

Psalm 23:4 NKJV

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

B. Jesus died but He conquered death.

Jesus stopped breathing. Jesus heart stopped beating. Jesus died - but He came back to life. Jesus who was dead - is alive again. God brought Him back to life. The grave of Jesus is empty - no body lies there.

C. If we put our trust in Jesus, He has promised to give us eternal life.

He not only walks with us through the Valley of The Shadow of Death - “He gives us eternal life.” The best known verse of the Bible confirms this fact. John 3:16 says:

John 3:16 NKJV

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

If we trust in Jesus death does not go away. It is UNAVOIDABLE, it is still UNPREDICTABLE and it is still IMPARTIAL. But Jesus has promised to not only walk with you through the Valley of the Shadow of Death - He will also to give you eternal life.

Today is a day where we face death. We are in grief. But if we trust in Jesus today - when death comes knocking on our door you can say, “I will fear nothing - not even death - because God is with me and He has to power to give eternal life.”

The Apostle Paul put it this way:

Romans 8:38–39 NKJV

38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Closing Prayer:

Father,

We turn to you today as our source of hope and strength. You are the giver of eternal life in the name of your son Jesus. Father, you know the grief that is here today. I pray you would give Timothy’s family and friends the comfort they need today and in the days ahead. Soothe their pain from this day forward as they continue life without Timothy. We commit him to you today in his final resting place- earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust-knowing that the end of all flesh is the grave; but that in God is our eternal hope. Amen