Richard Chapdelaine Memorial

Military Honors

Prayer

Our gracious and loving Father, we come together with thankful hearts for all the memories that are treasured of Richard. Over the many years of his life, as he poured himself into his family and his work…I am grateful that your blessings have showered this family with a happiness and joy.

Lord, this is a difficult time for everyone here b/c of this earthly loss. So I pray that you would grant those who are grieving, give them your comfort and peace in this time of sorrow. Help everyone here to have your eternal perspective as the reality of death is ever before us. Bless our time together we ask in Jesus name, amen.

Rose Placement

21 yellow roses

Message

2 Corinthians 5:1–10 NASB95

1 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and 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 of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

I did not know Richard but only a very short time. From what I am told, he loved his family deeply. Even if it was displayed in a joking and teasing manner. That is a man who knows the fullness of the life the Lord has blessed him with. I am grateful for his service to our country—to me—that we enjoy freedom. I’m sure the last few years were difficult for such a devout patriot. But even when our earthly life gets hard and we face challenges that are beyond our abilities to control…this is when we are called upon to trust the Lord and to wait for Him.

From the Scripture I read a moment ago, God’s word says “if our earthly tent is torn down…” Should the Lord postpone His return, our earthly tents will indeed be torn down.

“tent” is a reference to our human, physical bodies. And Paul is making a significant contrast between our earthly tents and a heavenly “building.”

Tent vs. Building: (temporary, frail, weak, insecure) compared to (Solid, secure, permanent strong). So the contrast is between what we have today and what we shall have in the resurrection at God’s appointed time. Richard’s health was failing—his strength was limited (especially at the end). But it is evidence that our bodies will wear out—b/c we are fallen creatures living under the curse (Gen 3). His tent was being torn down and fully happened on Tuesday.

It is a stark contrast: Paul continues to note the problems with our tents (vv 2,4)

2 Corinthians 5:2 NASB95

2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven,

2 Corinthians 5:4 NASB95

4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.

Our longing for the dwelling from heaven (resurrected body) is intensified b/c of accompanying sins in this temporary tent, frustrations and weakness accompany our lives on earth. So we groan—b/c the Xn is not where he wants to be/where he’s going to be.

Paul says “knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord” (vs 6). Then vs 8 “we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.”

Today we are absent from the Lord…not to say that He is not with us or in us (Scripture makes plain). Today, those of us gathered here are not physically with the Lord—but that’s where we want to be. That’s where Richard is right now.

The point Paul makes then is obvious:

2 Corinthians 5:9–10 NASB95

9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Paul says strive to live in the manner pleasing to God b/c every person will stand before the judgment seat…Just a note on this: there are different judgments applied to the Xn and non-Xn. The Xn awaits a judgment that will reward our service.

The non-xn awaits the judgment that results in eternal condemnation in hell. And the reason anyone will face this judgment is b/c they refused to believe in LJC.

Now for those who believe…a great moment will happen when the Lord returns.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NASB95

13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

Today is a difficult day…there’s a finality when the body is placed in the grave. First of all, know that this is not Richard—it is merely his earthly tent that was torn down.

Also—the day is coming when those who trust in Jesus will gather together with Richard and all our loved ones in Christ and we will be with Jesus.

For now, it has pleased our Mighty God to take from this world Richard’s soul. So we commit his tent to the ground—it came from earth and shall return to the earth—and we look forward that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ who shall change the body of this humiliation and fashion it anew in the likeness of His own body of glory according to the working of His mighty power.

PRAYER

O Lord God, you are the only one who can heal the broken heart—we pray that You would give peace to Your people who are grieving and comfort them according to Your loving care.

Father I pray that with patience and trust in You that Richard’s family will learn how to continue on with the changes and the losses of this mortal life. Give them Your sustaining grace that they might live in hope of the everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord;

Reception to Follow at Chapdelaine’s home

Richard’s Favorite Song to be Played

Roll On by Alabama—this happens to be a family theme song while Richard was an over the road truck driver.

Now may the Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face to shine on you and be gracious to you; The Lord lift us His countenance on you and give you peace—Amen!