Funeral sermon for Freda F.

Readings

Job 19:23-27b

‘O that my words were written down!
   O that they were inscribed in a book!
O that with an iron pen and with lead
   they were engraved on a rock for ever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives,
   and that at the last he will stand upon the earth;
and after my skin has been thus destroyed,
   then in my flesh I shall see God,
whom I shall see on my side,
   and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Psalm 23 (read in unison)

¹ The LORD is my shepherd, 

I shall not be in want. 

² He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters, 

³ he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

⁴ Even 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 overflows. 

⁶ Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

Revelation 21:1-6

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.²And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,
‘See, the home of God is among mortals.
He will dwell with them;
they will be his peoples,
and God himself will be with them;
⁴ he will wipe every tear from their eyes.
Death will be no more;
mourning and crying and pain will be no more,
for the first things have passed away.’

5 And the one who was seated on the throne said, ‘See, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ ⁶Then he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life. 

John 14:1-6

‘Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. ²In my Father’s house there are many dwelling-places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also. ⁴And you know the way to the place where I am going.’ ⁵Thomas said to him, ‘Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?’⁶Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

SERMON

It was the night of the last supper.  Jesus had humbled himself to wash his disciples feet.  He had spoken of his betrayal and his denial, commanded them to wash one another’s feet, to love one another as he had love them.

Their hearts were troubled. 

What else can hearts do when people know that someone whom they love and respect is going to be betrayed and denied and ultimately lay down his life for them. 

If only there had been more time.  If only there had been more time for teaching, for stories, for meals, for fishing and praying and healing.  If only there had been more time before a kiss, a trial, a cross. 

Indeed, their hearts were troubled. 

And as we gather this morning to say goodbye to Freda in this earthly life, our hearts are troubled, too.  No matter how long a person lives, no matter what the circumstance of their death, saying goodbye to someone whom we love and respect and cherish is a hard thing to do. If only there had been more time.  If only there were more hugs, more hair do’s, more time spent discussing whether or not Freda should be resting in the shade or out trimming the bushes and pushing the wheelbarrow,  more cookies, more time to celebrate the milestone of turning 100.  Indeed, our hearts are troubled.      

The first two times I went to visit Freda, I interrupted her in the middle of reading her bible.  Her bible was not in pristine, mint condition, mind you.  It was the bible of someone who walked slowly through its pages multiple times, making notations everywhere, writing down passages and facts to help sort out who was who in the story of God’s people.  Freda’s bible was the bible of someone who loved her Lord with all her heart, all her soul, and all her mind.  So it wasn’t surprising when I had the honor to read some of her poetry, the beautiful words of a woman of faith.

Let me read one of them to you:

"This is the day the Lord has made

so why should we despair

for we know he has us in his keeping

as we kneel in humble prayer

as we bless the Lord our Savior

for all the love we share

He will lead us into glory

when our work is finished here"

Freda was truly an example of faith.  And I can imagine that she would be nodding in agreement with Job at the words that he wrote which were read this morning. 

Oh that my words were written down, oh that they were inscribed in a book, oh that with an iron pen and with led they were engraved on a rock for ever!
For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold, and not another.

Throughout the book of Job, we see that Job, a very faithful man, is put to the test.  He endures trials and loss, he is accused by his so-called friends of having sinned or not having enough faith…but even when he was at his lowest, even when he was almost to the point of cursing God, Job proclaims with absolute confidence his faith in God, his redeemer, his comforter and his advocate.   When things are at their worst and it seems from an outsider’s perspective like God may not even be there for him anymore, Job states with certainty that he knows that God is there and even at the last, even when Job’s body is no more, in his flesh he shall see God standing beside him.  Job knew that despite all that had happened to him, God was there standing beside him giving him the strength to keep going even when things seemed the most difficult. 

I am confident that the strength of Freda’s faith is echoed in these words of Job.  I am confident that in the good times as well as in the difficult times, ones that become more and more prevalent towards the end of her life, Freda knew that God was standing by her side.  In not just talking the talk of faith, but also walking the walk and demonstrating to others the depth of her faith, Freda introduced her children, and many others around her to God.  And it is because of this faith that we can take comfort that not only has Freda met God in the flesh, but we also know that she is in the place that Christ has prepared for her as a baptized child of God. 

When Freda was washed in the waters of baptism, God claimed her as his own, and in his death and resurrection, Christ destroyed the power of death so that nothing could keep Freda, or any of us from being with him in the place that he has gone to prepare for us. 

And though our hearts are troubled, we know that one day we will all be reunited and it will be a bigger and better party than we can ever imagine.  For we will gather with our family and friends of all times and places in the physical presence of Christ. 

So, as we say goodbye to Freda, it is not a forever goodbye, it is a see you later goodbye.  For one day, we too will be led into glory when our work is finished here. 

Amen.