Funeral Service — Rolfe Barnard

Bless the Lord, O my soul, all that is within me, bless his holy name, who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases, who redeemeth thy life from destruction, who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the evening's.

The Lord executed righteousness and judgment for all that repressed. He made known his ways unto Moses and his acts unto the children of Israel. The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

He will not always chide, neither will he keep his anger forever. He hath not dealt with us after our sins, nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. As far as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is the mercy of the Lord unto them that fear him.

As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father piteth his children, so the Lord piteth them that fear him, for he knoweth our frame, he remembereth that we are dust.

Human Frailty and the Everlasting Mercy of God

As for man, his days are as the grass, as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth, for the wind passeth over it, and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting to them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children, to such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels that excel in strength, that do his commandments, and hearken unto the voice of his word.

Bless the Lord, all ye hosts, ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works, and all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul, for I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed to us.

Creation's Groaning and the Hope of Redemption

For the earnest expectation of the creature or creation waited for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creation was made subject to vanity, not willedly, but by reason of him who has subjected the same in hope, because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

For we know the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together unto man. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, we groan within ourselves, waiting for the redemption to with the redemption of our body.

For we are saved by hope, or in this hope where we say, hope that is seen is not hope, but what a man seeth, what is he yet hoped for. If we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Likewise, the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities. For we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered. He that searcheth in hearts knoweth what is in the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

God's Purpose in Calling, Justifying, and Glorifying His People

And we know that all things work together good for them that love God, to them that are in the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he did also predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among the brethren.

Moreover, whom he predestinated, them he also called, and whom he called, them he also justified, and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

He that spake not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifies.

Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again. Who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us? Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sore, as it is written, for thy sakes we are killed all the day long, we're accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all of these things we are more than conquerors through him that loves.

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

The Christian's Heavenly House and Final Judgment

How wonderful indeed is this passage. I would read just one other passage found here in the fifth chapter, second Corinthians. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, and house not made with hands, turn in the heavens.

For in this we groan earnestly, desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven. And if so, be that being clothed, we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon that more habit might be swallowed up of life.

Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also giveth unto us the earnest of spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, willing rather to be absent from the body than to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labor that whether present or absent, we may accept it of him.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. This is a true source of comfort, as well as instruction.

That's right. Our Heavenly Father, in an hour like this, we come before Thee in confidence, and in a sense we come to defy death. That seems so fine, so eradicated, and so hopeless. But with us, it is but the dark background upon which the highlights of Thy glory can be displayed.

So we come to pray that Thou hast blessed today, as we read Thy word, as we come to consider the life of the one who ceased a few days ago here, but took up his abode with Thee, absent from the body, present with the Lord.

Thank you, Lord, for the anticipation and assurance that one day we're going to see the face of him whom having not loved, have not seen, we love. We pray that Thou would magnify and carry forth the ministry and the fruitage of the work of this our brother, Thy servant.

Bless his family, bless these preachers and others who have been touched by his life, and give unto them a new incentive, new encouragement, and may the torch find other hands, and may it be carried on to the glory of God.

We thank Thee that Thou hast promised never to leave us, never to forsake us, and then give unto us, O God, the joy of Thy conscious presence in this hour. May it be a glorious hour. We come not merely to bury or even to speak the last words, but to renew our hearts in hope and look beyond the horizon, anticipate that day when there will be the shout, the voice of an archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up to meet them in the air. Oh, the great reunion, the parade that shall exceed all that earth has ever seen, when the captain of our salvation shall lead us, and the angels and the archangels shall be the spectators, and we shall find our Lord in full glory, and we shall be associated with Him, and so may we find comfort, and may we be stalwart in proclaiming the truth.

Bless now as we wait upon Thee, and thank You, Lord, for the comfort Thou dost give unto us through the word, and by Thy Spirit we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Was blind, but now I see with a thousand ears, bright shining as the sun stays, to sing God's praise, than when we first begun.

Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me, stand by my hand. Precious lead me, hold when my way strays. Precious Lord, take my hand, lead me, stand by my hand. Baptists of the South were having simultaneous revival meetings in the east of the Mississippi River.

The Revival Ministry and Lasting Influence of Ralph Barnard

I was the assistant pastor of the Apollo Baptist Church in Ashland, Kentucky, and we didn't have an evangelist for our meeting. We neglected to secure one. The pastor of the church called Dr. Charlie Stevens, who had preached for us, whom we knew quite well.

He said, Dr. Charlie, I need a preacher. I need an evangelist. We're having a meeting, a two-week meeting, and we don't have a preacher. Could you suggest someone? As I think about it, I think, oh, the providence and grace of God.

He said, Brother Don, get Ralph Barney. He's teaching over here in our school, and he's a great preacher. The understatement of the year. So we called Brother Barnard, and he came over. He was about the same age as I am now.

I was just a boy, and Brother Barnard preached for two weeks. The power of God was upon him, and things began to happen. God sent a revival, and as always when God works and God sends a revival, the enemies began to raise their voices.

We had a lot of ministers in the meeting, and I was talking to a group of preachers who had attended the meeting. There were many of them who came, who heard about him. When Ralph Barnard came to town, everybody usually heard about him because he was God's prophet, and God's prophet doesn't slip in and out of town without anybody knowing he's there.

There was always a disturbance among the people because of him when our Lord was on this earth, and if the real presence of Christ is manifested in a town and the gospel of God's redeeming grace is preached, folks are going to know about it, and as I was talking to this group of preachers, one of them said this.

Different ones had comments, some pro and some con, but one of them made this statement. He said, gentlemen, John the Baptist has come to this town, and it'll never, this old town will never be the same.

After Hazel asked me to preach this funeral message for my friend, Brother Ralph Barnard, that's the first statement that came to my mind describing this man's ministry. John the Baptist has come to town, and this old town will never be the same.

I've been pastor there over 20 years now, and no preacher, and no evangelist, and no missionary, and no pastor has ever made the impact on that town that Ralph Barnard made. There are thousands of people all over this nation who can say that today.

Ralph Barnard visited my town in my life, and I've never been the same. There are hundreds of preachers who can say that, literally hundreds of them. One of the men here is planning a memorial camp about Brother Barnard's life.

Another one mentioned writing a biography. I said no one man can do it because you don't know the blessing that he was in Ashland or the influence that he has been in Kentucky. No one man knows the wide influence of his ministry throughout the state of Texas, Brother Jackson, but you men who live there.

No one knows of his ministry in Canada, and Pennsylvania, and New York, Florida, and Alabama, and Georgia, and all over this nation except the people who live there. We'll all have to write it, men. No one man can write it.

We're all going to have to contribute what we know about the ministry of this man who meant so much to each one of us and to our churches. My church loved Brother Ralph Barnard. Many of the people to whom I've preached these 20 years were converted under this man's ministry.

Dependence on God's Spirit Rather Than Human Strength

Ralph Barnard was the greatest preacher of his day. Ralph Barnard was the bravest preacher I've ever known, and I know a lot of preachers. He could not be bought. He could not be bribed. He could not be turned from his service of our sovereign Lord.

Ralph Barnard, I've seen him preach to 10 with as much compassion and dedication as when he preached to 1 ,000. I know him. I know him as well as anyone here. He's been our church evangelist now for 14 years.

He's preached for me two dozen times in our church. He's stayed in my home day after day after day. Our church loves him and a testimony to this man's life and ministry, my children love him. He loved our children.

Ralph Barnard had the power of God upon him. He didn't depend upon his own strength or talent. He was a genius. He was a brilliant man, but he never depended on those things. He depended on the Spirit of God.

How many times I've heard Ralph say, if my voice is the only voice heard here tonight, nothing of any eternal value will be accomplished for any of you. You got to hear him speak, who speaks through his word.

He changed many a life by just a word. Brother Ralph never tried to mold a preacher. You men know that. He never took me aside and said, Henry, here's my systematic theology and I want you to study it, learn it, and this is what I want you to be.

He never said that because Ralph told me many times about his own ministry. He said, Henry, people are trying to change me, but I'm not going to let any man or any group or any organization get their hands on me.

I'm God's preacher and I must preach what he lays on my heart. I must preach it where he leads me to preach it. You be the servant of God, but he could with a word change the direction of your thinking.

Barnard, by God's power, put more men in the ministry of grace than any man in this country. I never will forget that first meeting. I was assistant pastor of that church. I was sitting on the front row one day and Brother Barnard was preaching.

It was one morning. He looked over his glasses at me, the way in which we remember and love, and he said, son, quote Romans 8 28 for me. I got up and I said, and we know that all things work together for good to them that love God.

I sat down. He stood there a minute and then he said, what's the rest of it? Do you know the rest of it? I said, yes, sir. He said, quote the rest of it. I stood up, Dr. Charlie, and I said, and to them who are the call according to his purpose.

And he said, now, son, if you ever get hold of one word in that verse of scripture, he said, you'll have the word of God open to you and you'll have a new ministry. And that word is purpose. Everything God does, he does on purpose and no accidents with God.

That's the reason I learned so much. God called me into the ministry, but he used to direct my thinking in the way it ought to be. God's purpose. God's purpose. There's a man sitting here, brother Fred Simmons from Grenada, Mississippi, just as one of hundreds of stories I could tell you.

The Gospel of Grace and the Call to Ministry

He was a contractor and a lumber man in California had been converted, came to the knowledge of Christ. So many of us, I don't know, somebody says, tell me when God saved you, I'd have to go back a long way.

Back yonder in eternity, he loved me in Christ. Back yonder 2000 years ago, he came to this earth, very God of very God clothed in the likeness of human flesh and bore my shame and guilt and felt any body on the tree and died for me and cleansed me by his blood.

Back yonder one day, his Holy Spirit singled me out and called me by his grace and revealed his son to me, but he'd been revealing him to me ever since. I have been, I am being, and someday by his grace, like Rob, may I shall be saved.

But Fred heard that brother Barney was preaching in a Bible conference in Tekoa, Georgia. He didn't know Rob Barnett, never seen the man. But he drove from California to Tekoa, Georgia to hear this man preach.

And he said, Brother Mahan, I knew Christ, believed on Christ and trusted Christ. But he said, when I heard that man preach, I sat back and said, that's the gospel. That's the truth. That's God's message.

And this is the first time I really, clearly, all the preachers didn't believe it because some of them quit playing tennis with him because he's a little hard on some of us. Brother Fred got Brother Barnett aside and he said, Brother Rob, where are you going from here?

He said, I'm going to North Carolina in a meeting. Fred said, I'm going with you. And he sat at that man's feet for three weeks. He taught him the gospel. I had a Bible conference back in 1954 at Apollo Baptist Church and old Dr. A .D. News was there, Dr. Charlie.

Dr. Clarence Walker and Rob Barnett. What a conference. Packed church, people there from 18 states. Dr. Clarence Walker brought a quartet of young preachers with him and many of his students. Rob Barnett preached one of the greatest messages man has ever preached in those boys' lives and ministry.

Every one of them was changed completely. You know what he preached? As only Roth can. He could take these theological terms and put them in the language of men and women in the most unique way. He didn't talk about total depravity.

He said man was poor and lost and we knew what he was talking about. Rowan Hill said in every one of your messages, let ruin, redemption, and regeneration be the theme. You know what Roth called it? He'd get up and say what happened in the garden.

That's ruin. You know what happened in the garden? What happened on the cross? Do you know what happened on the cross? That's redemption. Regeneration, just what happens in a center when God saves. That was Barnett's message and people never forgot it.

Six Stubborn Statements About Salvation

But at that Bible conference, Brother Barnett got up that morning when all these ministers were there from all over the nation. These young ministers in the quartet sitting there and he said I want to preach this morning on six stubborn statements.

Now he said boys, you listen to Roth Barnett and you think about what I'm going to tell you. He said there's one thing I know. If you meet a fact in the middle of the road, you're going to have to deal with it or turn around and run.

And I'm going to present to you six stubborn statements you've got to deal with or turn around and run. Number one, he said God is sovereign or he's not. He can't be both. He either is on an unlimited, sovereign, almighty, eternal, omnipotent throne and do it as he will, when he will, with whom he will, or he's not.

He said secondly, man is either dead, totally, utterly, completely as a result of his fall in the garden or he's not dead. It can't be both ways. He said why are you giving us this outline? I'm summing up the message and ministry of my friend.

He said what happened back there in the garden? Was man slightly wounded or killed? Did he lose his sight in one hour or in both hours? You've got to face that. I've got to face that. He said thirdly, almighty God either in Christ for his glory according to his divine wisdom chose a people to save or he didn't.

Both can't be true. He said Jesus Christ fourthly when he died on that cross effectually and finally eternally redeemed a people or he didn't. He said fifthly, salvation is either by divine revelation or it's not.

And in the last place he said brethren, all of God's people redeemed by his grace and called by his spirit and saved by his son are going to persevere or they won't any of them persevere. I have run up on preachers, young men especially from the college who were represented there over these years and every one of them practically will say brother Henry, you remember that sermon?

John the Baptist, Death, and the Continuing Gospel

I said don't tell me. I already know what you're going to say. Six stubborn statements. John the Baptist came to town and the old town never be the same. But John died. The scripture says in Matthew 14 12 and his disciples, his friends, his brethren, they came and they took up his body and they took it out and buried it and then they went and told Jesus and John died and his disciples came and took up his body and they buried it and then they wouldn't told Jesus.

I don't know what to told him. He doesn't say it. But as I go to Jesus after I leave that cemetery, I've got some things I want to tell him and the first thing I'm going to tell him is this. I'm going to say Lord, I thank you for letting Ralph Barnard come into my life.

I thank you. For Lord, two of the greatest days of my life. One is when I met my Savior and the second is when I met his prophet, Brother Ralph Barnard. Lord, he was your prophet and he was your preacher and he was the bravest one I've ever known.

He could storm the fortresses of organized religion or he could quietly sit down and talk to a boy about the gospel and encourage him and call him son. Humble, sweet and precious and I've got something else to tell him.

I'm going to say Lord, I thank you for Hazel and Joanne and I want you to comfort them in this very trying hour. I thank you for Hazel mainly. Not only because she loved Ralph and was a precious wonderful wife but I thank you Lord that she was willing to share him with us.

Now brethren, let me tell you something. There are not many wives in this nation, preachers' wives, who would with the graciousness let their husband be away all the time as this man was laboring in the gospel of our Lord.

With the kindness and love which she showed in this respect, I'm grateful for her. My sister called me when Hazel let me know about Brother Barnard's heart attack. I called my sister in Louisiana. She lived just a little ways from the hospital and I said go to the hospital and see about my friend Brother Barnard.

If he's conscious, I'll fly down there and she got there and she called me back about 9 45 and she said Henry, Brother Barnard is gone. He passed away about 30 minutes ago and she was crying. She knew Brother Barnard.

She knew Mrs. Barnard. She said the thing that breaks my heart is Ralph was away from home when he passed away. I said Martha, that's the story of Brother Barnard's life. Brother Barnard was a warrior.

He was a disciple. He was a soldier. He was a prophet and Hazel understood as few women can and he wasn't alone. The Lord was with him because he was God's servant. He used to say Henry, I'm just a hitchhiking evangelist and I said Martha, the hitchhiking evangelist has gone home to stay.

I'm thankful for Hazel and I would say this. I would say it won't be long. Dr. Charlie and I were talking in there a while ago and he said the years go by so quickly and the older you get, the faster they go by.

We'll be with Ralph in just a little while. Just a little while. We'll be together again and then I would say Lord, the third thing I would say, if you'll bear with me, they went and told Jesus and I'd say Lord thank you for letting him come into my life and thank you for Hazel and Joanne.

Now bless them and comfort them and supply their needs and help them and then I'd say Lord, encourage me and the other preachers to take up the banner of this fallen John. Brother Barnard's gone but the gospel hasn't.

I read last night the story of Elijah and Elisha. Elijah was going to be taken away from Elisha, the young prophet. He told him so and he said I'm going to Bethel and Elisha said I'm going with you. When he got to Bethel, the prophet said Bethel said the Lord's going to take your father.

He said I know it. Elijah said I'm going I'm going to Jericho. Elisha said I'm going with you and he got there the prophets of Jericho, Dr. Chalmers said the Lord's going to take your father. He said I know it and Elijah took that mantle of his and smoked the waters of Jordan and they opened and the prophets walked across and they got on the other side.

Elisha said father before you go grant me one request. Elijah said what is it? He said let a double portion of your spirit fall on me. Elijah said you ask a hard thing. He said but if you see me go. If in God's providence you see me go a double portion of my power will fall upon you, my spirit.

God's Glory, Grace, and the Substitution of Christ

As the chariot of fire took him away he picked up the mantle of Elijah and he smoked the waters of Jordan and he said where is the God of Elijah? Rather than the old waters of fire. The mantle of Ralph Barnard is threefold and I've heard him say it so many times I can say it like he said but I won't.

I can't preach like him but I can preach his gospel. But the mantle of Barnard was the gospel of God's glory. I've heard him say it so many times the gospel of God's glory. He's going to get all the glory.

He's not going to share it with you or you or me or anybody else. He's going to get the glory. The gospel of God's grace pure unmerited unsought unbought grace. Grace loved me before I was born and grace sent Christ to die for me on the cross and grace called me by spirit and grace kept me by his mercy and was grace that brought me safe this far and grace will lead me home and written across the clouds of glory will be these words salvation is of the Lord.

In its planning, in its execution, in its application, in its sustaining power, in its ultimate perfection. All of grace. Barnard's message and his message was substitution. Christ took my place. He took my place.

The Broken Vase and Christ's Perfect Righteousness

The little boy was coming home from the store. His mother had sent him down there to get a vase that she had bought. It was a beautiful vase. She'd paid for it. She sent him down to bring it home. He was bringing in his little arms and on the way home his friend Jimmy was standing there bouncing a basketball and Jimmy said Billy let us bounce a few, toss a few basketballs.

He said I can't do it. Mama sent me after this vase. I got to go home and he said just set it down over there. We won't break you. Let's play a little ball and he set it down over there and he began to toss the ball back.

It wasn't long until the ball hit that vase and it went into a thousand pieces. The little boy that had the basketball ran home and left the little fellow by himself and he sat down there on the curb and he saw those pieces, hundreds of them laying there.

That lovely vase that his mother had bought and the one she wanted and the one with which she trusted him and he had broken it and he began to cry and he began to pick up. He picked up a piece and he put it here and he picked up another one and held it up there and he reached to pick up another and that fell and he put it over here and he reached to pick up another one that fell.

He just cried and cried the minute someone spoke and he looked up and there stood his daddy. His daddy said what's the matter son? He said mama sent me to get this vase and on the way home I broke it.

Daddy I tried to put it back together but I just can't do it. No he said you can't son that one's gone but he said I'll tell you what I'll do. I'll give you the money and you go buy another vase and take it to mother.

Almighty God put in the hands of man a law back yonder. He said bring it home in perfect shape and don't you break it and man started out with it and he didn't get very far and he broke it into a thousand pieces and he sat down and he's tried his best to put it back together and those whom God has enlightened realized that they can't put it back together.

It's gone and the Lord Jesus came along and he saw that we'd ruined that righteousness and broken that law. We were in bondage to it and the Lord Jesus by his perfect obedience to God's law in human flesh did for me what I couldn't do for myself and he gave me a perfect righteousness and then he went to the cross of Calvary.

He didn't die as a marker or an example. He died as a substitute and he paid my debt. He paid it all, all the debt I owed. Sin left a crimson stain but he washed it and he gave me a brand new righteousness and he sent me home.

Receiving the Righteousness Provided by Grace

Lord give me a double portion of thy spirit to tell me in this good news. The Lord Jesus doesn't ask you to present or provide a righteousness. He asked you to receive one already provided. Brethren when there was a flood God provided an ark.

When those people were bitten by the fiery serpents he provided a remedy, lifted up on a pole. When there was thirsting in the wilderness he provided water. When they were hungry provided bread and when there's a sinner he provides a savior.

He provides him and there's a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel's veins and sinners plunge beneath that flood. They lose all their guilty stand. Ever since by faith I saw that stream that his flowing wounds supply.

Redeeming love has been my theme. By God's grace it will be till I die. Rock used to tell a story. The pilgrim died and he went to heaven and when they rescued him into that beautiful city of God he heard the sweetest singing that he'd ever heard and he said he walked closer and the singing grew louder and then he saw this tremendous heavenly choir.

All such music it thrilled his soul. An innumerable company that no man could number singing this great song and he said I'd like to join them and he again walked closer and he saw a seat up there a vacant seat and he said I'm going up there and see if I can sit there.

As he got closer he saw there was a name on that seat. When he got close enough he could read it and it said Ralph Barnwright. He said there wasn't any vacancies but there was plenty of room. There was room for me and my seat had been provided my name had been put on it and he said you know I sat down in that seat and I began to sing with them and I never missed a word and I never missed a note because I'd been practicing that song all these years.

The Fountain of Redemption and Final Benediction

As he used to close so many services. Will you sing it with me? There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel and sinners blood. In that blood lose all their guilty stains. Lose all their guilty stains.

Lose all their guilty stains. And sinners blood. Lose all their guilty stains. And sinners blood. Lose all their guilty stains. And sinners blood. Till all some church of God be saved. Till all some church of God be saved.

Our father may thy grace and the love of thy son our lord and the communion of thy precious holy spirit abide upon everyone here today till we meet again at Jesus feet in his name we pray amen.