Resting in Her Heavenly Home

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE GATHER HERE TODAY TO REMEMBER THE PRECIOUS LIFE OF SISTER SYBIL CHANDLER. WE GATHER TOGETHER NOT TO SAY GOODBYE…..BUT TO SAY…. SEE YOU LATER …..WE CELEBRATE THE LIFE THAT SISTER CHANDLER ENJOYED HERE ON EARTH.

WE THANK YOU FOR EACH PRECIOUS MOMENT AND MEMORY THAT WE HAVE OF HER. WE PRAY THAT YOUR PEACE AND COMFORT WILL BE UPON THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS…AS THE DAYS….WEEKS…..MONTHS AND YEARS GO BY….. WE PRAY THIS IN THE NAME OF YOUR SON, JESUS THE CHRIST……..AMEN.

GIVING ALL HONOR AND PRAISE TO GOD THE FATHER, OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS THE CHRIST AND THE HOLY SPIRIT.

TO THE CHANDLER, PEOPLES, BUTLER AND GRAYER FAMILIES IT IS MY PRAYER THAT OUR HEAVENLY FATHER COMFORTS YOUR HEARTS AS YOU GRIEVE THE LOSS OF OUR BELOVED SISTER SYBIL CHANDLER.

MAY YOU CHERISH THE SWEET MEMORIES THAT YOU HAVE OF HER AND KEEP HER IN YOUR HEART.

I KNOW THAT GOD IS ABLE TO HOLD YOU, KEEP YOU AND STRENGTHEN YOU THROUGHOUT THE DAYS, MONTHS AND YEARS THAT GO BY.

TO ALL CLERGY AND MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL THAT ARE HERE…WOULD YOU PLEASE STAND.....YOU HAVE THESE MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD HERE TO SUPPORT YOU AND PRAY FOR YOU.

I PRAISE THE LORD FOR THE LIFE OF SISTER SYBIL CHANDLER…..SHE TRULY LOVED THE LORD……SHE HAD A SERVANTS HEART ….AND SHE WAS A PRAYER WARRIOR. SHE WAS A DEVOTED MEMBER OF FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH WHERE SHE WAS “THE CHURCH MOTHER” UNTIL HER HEALTH BEGAN TO DECLINE.

I REMEMBER ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHEN SHE WAS LIVING IN BADIN BEFORE MOVING TO FAYETTEVILLE, THAT DEACON AND DEACONESS LEWIS, FIRST LADY NEAL AND I WOULD GO VISIT HER AND SERVE HER COMMUNION.

SHE WOULD ALWAYS GREET US WITH A BEATIFUL SMILE…..AND SAY…..COME ON IN….. EVEN THOUGH SHE DIDN’T ACTUALLY COME TO THE CHURCH….SHE WAS DRESSED LIKE SHE HAD BEEN.

I WOULD ALWAYS LOVE WALKING INTO HER HOME BECAUSE YOU COULD TELL HOW MUCH SHE LOVED HER FAMILY. SHE HAD PICTURES OF HER FAMILY MEMBERS IN PICTURE FRAMES THROUGHOUT HER LIVING ROOM…..AND SOME ON THE WALL. BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING ELSE I NOTICED AND THAT WAS HER LOVE FOR THE CHURCH AND THE LORD.

I’M THANKFUL THAT FIRST LADY NEAL AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO VISIT HER SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THE LORD CALLED HER HOME. WE HAD A WONDERFUL TIME OF FELLOWSHIP AND PRAISING THE LORD.

2 Corinthians 5:1–2 NKJV

1 For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven,

2 Corinthians 5:6–8 NRSV

6 So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we do have confidence, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

RESTING IN HER HEAVENLY HOME

THERE ARE SOME THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE TEMPORARY……. TEMPORARY THINGS ARE THINGS THAT ARE HERE FOR AWHILE AND THEN GONE.

WE ALL ONCE HAD BABY TEETH…..THEY WERE TEMPORARY BECAUSE OUR ADULT TEETH EVENTUALLY GREW IN.

SOME OF US IN HERE HAVE HAD A TEMPORARY JOB…..THAT MAY OF LASTED FOR A FEW MONTHS UNTIL THE TASKS WERE COMPLETE.

SOME OF US HAD RELATIONSHIPS THAT WERE TEMPORARY.

WE MAY HAVE DATED SOMEONE FOR 6 MONTHS AND DECIDED THAT PERSON WASN’T RIGHT FOR ME….AND WE MOVED ON.

YOU MAY ENJOY THE WARM WEATHER OF THE SUMMER……BUT EVEN THAT IS TEMPORARY BECAUSE ONE DAY….THE BRISK COOL AIR OF FALL….WILL EVENTUALLY COME.

EVEN ALL LIFE ON THIS EARTH IS TEMPORARY……SOME INSECTS LIVE FOR A FEW DAYS…..SOME MAMMALS HAVE A FEW YEARS…AND HUMANS MAY HAVE 80 YEARS OR SO…….

THE BIBLE TELLS US IN PSALM 90…… THE YEARS OF OUR LIFE ARE SEVENTY, OR EVEN BY REASON OF STRENGTH EIGHTY; YET THEIR SPAN IS BUT TOIL AND TROUBLE; THEY ARE SOON GONE, AND WE FLY AWAY.

THE LORD BLESSED US BY ALLOWING US TO ENJOY SISTER SYBIL FOR 92 YEARS…..

ALTHOUGH THERE ARE MANY THINGS IN LIFE THAT ARE TEMPORARY…….I BELIEVE THAT OUR TEXT TODAY GIVES THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER THE HOPE AND PROMISE OF A LIFE THAT IS ETERNAL WITH CHRIST…….

OUR HEARTS MAY BE HEAVY WITH GRIEF TODAY…..BECAUSE THE TEMPORARY PHYSICAL BODY OF SISTER SYBIL CHANDLER IS NOT HERE WITH US……BUT LET US REJOICE…..BECAUSE HER SPIRIT IS NOW ALIVE AND WELL AND WITH THE LORD.

I BELIEVE IF WE LOOK AT OUR TEXT THIS AFTERNOON ….WE WILL SEE THAT THE APOSTLE PAUL….PRESENTS SOME TRUTHS AND PROMISES FOR THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER…..

LOOK AT VERSE 1 OF OUR TEXT……. FOR WE KNOW THAT IF OUR EARTHLY HOUSE, THIS TENT, IS DESTROYED, WE HAVE A BUILDING FROM GOD, A HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS.

BROTHER PAUL PROCLAIMS WITH BOLDNESS THAT BEYOND THIS WORLD …….

THAT WE SEE WITH HUMAN EYES…..THAT THERE IS INDEED…….SOMETHING FAR BETTER……AND ETERNAL.

OUR EARTHLY BODIES….WILL ONLY LAST FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME…..AND ONCE OUR BODIES

…..THAT ARE MADE OF CLAY ….ARE NO MORE….WE MUST TRANSITION TO ANOTHER BODY…..

THERE IS ONE THING FOR SURE THAT WE WILL ALL……ONE DAY ….WILL FACE……AND THAT IS THE DEATH OF OUR PHYSICAL BODIES……

THE BIBLE TELLS US IN ECCLESIASTES 12:7 …… AND THE DUST RETURNS TO THE EARTH AS IT WAS, AND THE SPIRIT RETURNS TO GOD WHO GAVE IT.

AS WE GO ON OUR EARTHLY JOURNEY…….AND WE BEGIN TO AGE…THINGS DON’T HEAL AS FAST AS THEY USE TO……..JOINTS BEGIN TO ACHE..…SOME OF US DEAL WITH ARTHRITIS…ALSO KNOWN AS …..ARTHUR….PAINS THAT SEEM TO COME FROM NOWHERE …SOME OF US BATTLE WITH SUGAR DIABETES….OR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE……….THE WEARS AND TEARS OF THIS LIFE ….WILL BEGIN TO CATCH UP WITH US…..AND OUR BODIES BEGIN TO BREAK DOWN…..

PAUL REFERS TO OUR EARTHLY BODIES AS TENTS…….A TENT IS A TEMPORARY DWELLING…..THAT YOU EVENTUALLY TAKE DOWN…

2 Corinthians 5:1 NRSV

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

….THE GREEK WORD FOR “DESTROY” IN OUR TEXT TODAY….IS THE SAME WORD USED FOR “TAKING DOWN A TENT”…….

YOU SEE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS……FOR THE CHRISTIAN BELIEVER…….THERE IS NO NEED TO BE CONCERNED…..BECAUSE EVEN THOUGH OUR TEMPORARY TENT IS TAKEN AWAY…..THERE IS SOMETHING MUCH BETTER….

I BELIEVE…THAT…..ON AUGUST 30TH IN THE AFTERNOON…….THE LORD CAME AND SAID….. TO MOTHER CHANDLER….. IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO TURN IN YOUR TENT……THIS EARTH IS NO LONGER YOUR HOME……..I’M TAKING UP YOUR TENT…

BUT THERE IS SOMETHING BETTER FOR YOU….A BUILDING FROM GOD….

LOOK WHAT PAUL SAYS THAT THE BELIEVER HAS……… WE HAVE A BUILDING FROM GOD, A HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS.

AND I CAN JUST IMAGINE….…. THE LORD SAID TO SISTER SYBIL…..I’M TAKING UP YOUR TENT…..BUT STEP INTO YOUR LUXURY SUITE…..NO MORE TENT…..IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO MOVE ON UP…..THERE’S A DELUXE APARTMENT…..IN THE SKY………..A NEW AND IMPROVED DWELLING PLACE…….MOVE ON UP.

THIS IS WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS SAINTS……..NOT ONLY DID THE LORD GIVE AN INSTANT UPGRADE…….LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAYS ABOUT THE UPGRADE…..

HE SAID….. A HOUSE NOT MADE WITH HANDS, ETERNAL IN THE HEAVENS.

HER SPIRITUAL HOUSE IS MADE ETERNAL IN HEAVEN…….NOT MADE WITH HANDS…… WHICH MEANS…

IT’S NOT CORRUPTIBLE: IT DOES NOT AGE……IT DOES NOT FADE……..OR WASTE AWAY. IT DOES NOT RUST…..OR CAN BE DESTROYED.

1STCORINTHIANS 15 TELLS US “FOR THIS CORRUPTIBLE MUST PUT ON INCORRUPTION, AND THIS MORTAL MUST PUT ON IMMORTALITY”……

THIS IS A BELIEVER’S GLORIOUS PROMISE ……. THIS IS A BELIEVER’S GUARANTEE THAT ONE DAY…..YOU ARE GONNA TURN IN YOUR TENT…….FOR AN UPGRADE………

BUT IF YOU DON’T HAVE A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST…….IF YOU’VE NEVER CONFESSED WITH YOUR MOUTH AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART…..THAT HE IS YOUR SAVIOR…….. THERE WILL COME A TIME FOR YOU TO TURN IN YOUR TENT TOO……….BUT INSTEAD OF MOVIN’ ON UP……AND GETTING YOUR UPGRADE……. THERE IS SOMETHING ELSE IN STORE FOR YOU…..REVELATION 21 TELLS US…..

BUT AS FOR THE COWARDLY, THE FAITHLESS, THE DETESTABLE, AS FOR MURDERERS, THE SEXUALLY IMMORAL, SORCERERS, IDOLATERS, AND ALL LIARS, THEIR PORTION WILL BE IN THE LAKE THAT BURNS WITH FIRE AND SULFUR, WHICH IS THE SECOND DEATH.”

RESTING IN HER HEAVENLY HOME

BUT PAUL TELLS US SOMETHING ELSE IN OUR TEXT…..BELOVED.

WHILE THE BELIEVER IS HERE ON THIS EARTH…….IN OUR TEMPORARY EARTHLY BODIES……WE EXPERIENCE A LONGING FOR OUR HEAVENLY BODIES….

FOR IN THIS WE GROAN, EARNESTLY DESIRING TO BE CLOTHED WITH OUR HABITATION WHICH IS FROM HEAVEN….

PAUL IS SAYING THAT A CHRISTIANS GROANS BECAUSE WE SEE BOTH THE LIMITATIONS OF OUR EARTHLY BODIES AND THE IMPROVEMENTS OF OUR BODY TO COME…….SO WE ARE DESIRING OUR NEW BODIES.

YES I BELIEVE THAT ….SHE KNEW THAT HER EARTHLY BODY WAS ONLY TEMPORARY…

….SHE KNEW THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING BETTER WAITING FOR HER…

…. WITH NO MORE ACHES…….NO MORE PAIN……NO MORE HURTS…….THAT DOESN’T DETERIORATE…..

RESTING IN HER HEAVENLY HOME

LOOK AT WHAT PAUL TELLS US IN VERSES 6-8

6 SO WE ARE ALWAYS CONFIDENT, KNOWING THAT WHILE WE ARE AT HOME IN THE BODY WE ARE ABSENT FROM THE LORD. 7 FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. 8 WE ARE CONFIDENT, YES, WELL PLEASED RATHER TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

NOT ONLY DO WE LEAVE OUR EARTHLY HOUSE ……AND GET AN UPGRADE TO OUR HEAVENLY HABITATION…….

PAUL ENCOURAGES THE BELIEVER TO KNOW……THAT WE ARE TO BE CONFIDENT THAT WHILE WE ARE DWELLING IN OUR BODIES HERE ON EARTH…

..…WE ARE ABSENT FROM THE LORD………..BUT THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD…….IN VERSE 7 AND 8……….

7 FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT. 8 WE ARE CONFIDENT, YES, WELL PLEASED RATHER TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS……AS CHRISTIANS……YOU MUST WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY WHAT YOU SEE….. TO WALK BY FAITH MEANS TO MAKE FAITH PART OF EVERY DAILY ACTIVITY.

GOD WANTS US TO WALK BY FAITH……… WITHOUT FAITH IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.

ON THAT DAY….WHEN WE TURN IN OUR TENTS…… WE WILL NOT HAVE TO WALK BY FAITH, BUT WE WILL SEE THE GLORY AND THE PRESENCE OF GOD BY SIGHT.

SISTER CHANDLER……ALREADY WALKED BY FAITH….. SHE BELIEVED……AND SHE TRUSTED IN GOD’S PROMISES……AND SHE RECEIVED HER HEAVENLY HOME….

BUT LOOK AT WHAT PAUL SAYS IN VERSE 8……

8 WE ARE CONFIDENT, YES, WELL PLEASED RATHER TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

WITH BOLDNESS AND CONVICTION……..PAUL SAYS……WE ARE CONFIDENT………WELL PLEASED RATHER……TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY AND TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD…….

YES WE CAN BE CONFIDENT…….THAT SHE IS WITH THE LORD……..

SHE MAY BE ABSENT FROM US IN THE BODY……..BUT I STAND AND DECLARE TODAY…..THAT SHE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD……

OUR SISTER …SYBIL CHANDLER…….NO LONGER HAS TO SUFFER…….FROM SICKNESS…..

NO MORE CANCER……

NO MORE NEED FOR DOCTORS….

NO MORE NURSES……

NO MORE MEDICINE……

NO MORE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS…..

NO MORE PAIN…..

SHE’S IN PRESENCE OF OUR SAVIOR…

SHE’S IN PRESENCE OF THE GREAT I AM….

SHE’S IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LILY OF THE VALLEY

SHE’S IN THE PRESENCE OF THE GOOD SHEPARD

SHE’S IN THE PRESENCE OF THE KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS

SHE’S IN THE PRESENCE OF THE BREAD OF LIFE…..

SHE’S IN THE PRESENCE OF THE EVERLASTING FATHER….

OH THERE’S NO NEED TO FRET………SISTER CHANDLER IS ALRIGHT…….

SHE TURNED IN HER TEMPORARY TENT……FOR A PERMANENT RESIDENCE…..

NO LONGER ON SINGING PRAISES ON EARTH…….BUT SINGING IN THE HEAVENLY CHOIR…….

NO LONGER IN PAIN…….SHE WENT FROM LABOR TO REWARD……..

SAY YEAH!!!!

LET US PRAY…….

DEAR HEAVENLY FATHER WE ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU FOR THE LIFE OF SISTER SYBIL CHANDLER. WE THANK YOU FOR ALL THE LIVES THAT SHE HAS TOUCHED AND THE MEMORIES THAT SHE HAS LEFT. AND NOW FATHER, I ASK THAT YOU COMFORT THE MANY FAMILY MEMBERS AND FRIENDS THAT HAVE GATHERED HERE AND HELP US TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THE FRAILTY OF LIFE….. THAT WE WON’T STAY IN OUR EARTHLY TENT FOREVER……BUT WE HAVE A HEAVENLY HOME….THAT IS ETERNAL… FOR IT’S IN YOUR SONS PRECIOUS NAME WE PRAY, AMEN.