Marjorie A. (Elven) Stenstom- 09/14/2022

First Baptist Church Leominster

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Good morning I'm pastor Lars Larson pastor here the

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First Baptist Church In which Margie Stenstrom has been a member since 2007

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When Paul and Margie came down we're a part of our ministry here Paul served as an elder, of course

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And gone a number of years and now Margie has departed on behalf of the family.

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Thank you for coming It Might be a good thing just to remind you to turn off your cell phones if they happen to be on so we're not interrupted

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During the service that we have before us We're going to be singing a few hymns together obviously pray will give you an opportunity to share some testimony some memory regarding Margie in your relationship with her and And Then of course, we'll give a a word from the

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Holy Scriptures the Word of God Let's pray and ask our God to bless this occasion and each of us

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Our father we are gathering here this morning in the memory of your daughter our sister in Christ Margie Stenstrom We thank you that we can come before you at times like these when we've lost one dear to us

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In your word, you've given us many precious promises that not only bring comfort to them who grieve the passing of those who?

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Knew you savingly but through which you're able to instill and enhance the hope that you've set before us in your holy word the

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Bible Father you've promised through your son that we have salvation in him if we've turned from our sin and believe on him as Lord and Savior And you've promised that when we leave this world as your people that we come into your presence and their experience

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Our glorious deliverance from our sin and we're made to be perfectly holy in your presence

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We thank you father that though we grieve the passing of a friend a loved one we who are in Christ know that we will be reunited in the future and That we will forever be together in your presence

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May you give comfort and assurance in these matters this morning? Glorify yourself.

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We pray our father for we ask these things in Jesus name Amen Well, Alan McDonald's gonna help us in leading our singing and the first hymn and can it be is in your red hymnals and It's number four five five

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Let's turn there let's stand too so we can sing together God Oh It is mystery or immortal

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Guys who can? Explore his strange design in vain

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On Sarah To sound the depths of love

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Divine, tis mercy all, let earth adore,

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Let angels' eyes inquire no more.

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Amazing love, how can it be

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That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

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He left His Father's throne above,

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So free, so infinite His grace.

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Humbled Himself, so great His love,

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And bled for all His chosen race.

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Tis mercy all, immense and free,

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For O my God, it found out me.

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Amazing love, how can it be

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That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

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Long my imprisoned spirit lay,

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Fast bound in sin and nature's night.

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Thine I did use, quickening ray

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I woe, the dungeon flamed with light.

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My chain fell off, my heart was free,

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I rose, went forth, and followed

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Thee. Amazing love, how can it be

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That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

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No condemnation now

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I dread, Jesus and all in Him is mine.

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Alive in Him, my living head,

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And clothed in righteousness divine.

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Bold I approach the eternal throne,

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And claim the crown Christ my own.

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Amazing love, how can it be

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That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

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You may be seated. And at this time,

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Margie's son, David Stenstrom, will come and provide us a eulogy.

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David, please. All right, we're hot.

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Good morning, everyone. It's so good to see everybody here. I know that you all knew my mother in one way or another, and we're just blessed and pleased to have you here to celebrate her life, because we absolutely believe that's what we're doing today.

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So I wanted to give a little biography of Mom to give you guys maybe a little more insight into her history, into her family a little bit.

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The first part of this comes from her brother Charles, who cannot be with us here today.

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Mom grew up in the Seattle area, and he's out there. My first memories began when

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I was age four, and Margie was two. We were moving back to Preston to a rental house owned by our neighbor,

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Mr. Johnson. This was 1942. The rent was $25 a month.

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Margie and I shared a bedroom. I had the top bunk, Margie the bottom. It was a great place to be raised, as we were just one house away from a raging river and the

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YMCA. Which was managed by Mr. Hutchins, the bird man. My only memory of trauma with my sister happened when she was about six, and I was about eight.

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We were playing with other kids, and for some reason, I used a bad word, a swear word.

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Margie's eyes grew wide, and she said she would tell our mother. I feared that, and ran faster to our house, and told

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Mom Margie had used a bad word, and not me. I don't recall what the outcome of this was, but I have felt guilty of that lie to this day.

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We were well loved as kids, and well taken care of. We went to church camp at Lake Retreat every year, and sometimes our mother was a camp counselor.

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Margie took piano lessons from Marie Lundquist, a noted professional. We also were very involved in BYF, sang in the

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Preston Baptist adult church choir, and she and I sang duets together.

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We loved our first TV, but in order to watch, we were required to memorize our

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Bible verse of the week from the navigator's packet. In high school at Issaquah, Margie was on the song leader squad, and was salutatorian of her graduating class.

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In 1958, she followed me to Bethel College in St. Paul, Minnesota. She met her future husband at Bethel, and they were married in 1960.

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As a pastor's wife, she was very involved in women's work, and founded a program called Coffee Break, which became very popular around her

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Baptist denomination. She and I have been very close throughout our lives.

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I do love her. Her brother, Chuck, and he certainly was very close to her all of her life, and even up until the last week.

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My brother helped put the rest of this together, kind of picking up from when Mom went to college, Marjorie Ann Elvin enrolled as a freshman at Bethel College in St.

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Paul, Minnesota, in the fall of 1958. Paul Harold Stenstrom, the following year, in the fall of 1959, began his seminary education at Bethel.

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Although we can't recall exactly when Mom and Dad met, we do know that they did not start dating immediately, having said from the time they started their courtship.

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To the time they were married, only nine months had elapsed. Mom and Dad were married on August 27, 1960,

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Preston Baptist Church in Preston, Washington, which is just east of Seattle. Mom received her

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BA in Psychology from Bethel in the spring of 62, while Dad completed his

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MA of Divinity in the spring of 63 at Bethel Seminary. Upon Dad's graduation,

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Mom was near full term with their older son, Peter Nells, born the following month in June.

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It was just two months later, in August, that Dad received a call to pastor his first church down in Marion, Iowa.

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Two and a half years into their ministry at Bethel Baptist, David Paul, their second son, was born.

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It was the following year, in 1967, that the young family would take residence in the sunnier state of Florida in the pre -Disney days of Orlando.

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It was that year their final son and child, Matthew Charles, was born.

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No daughter for Mom. Sorry, Mom. As the average tenure of a pastor back in those days was closer to three years,

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Dad took yet another pastorate position closer to where the family found its roots, back up in St.

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Anthony, Minnesota, just north of Minneapolis and very near Bethel's campus.

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Quite a large leap to be now a pastor's wife for a church of around 500 members.

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Sandals, suntan lotion, and bathing suits were traded in for snow sleds and ice skates.

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Such was the cultural expectation for the Swedish community up north. I'm not sure if Mom missed the salamanders or not.

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After a full four years servicing alongside a larger staff at Elam Baptist Church and singing an occasional hymn in Swedish, Dad was then called to what would be a long -term pastorate in Wheaton, Illinois, at Evangel Baptist Church.

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It looks like our family was going to plant some roots for a while. No more watching the kids ride their sleds down the steep slope of our front lawn into our driveway.

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Life would continue to get busier with the boys getting older and the ministry attendance at Evangel would expand.

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After getting settled and seeing some ministry partners come into place, a women's

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Tuesday morning Bible study would start in 1978 called Coffee Break. With its focus not just on discipling women within the church, but to challenge and minister also to those in the neighborhood community to foster a message of Christlike love and forgiveness that was available through the gospel.

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Mom was blessed with new and long -lasting relationships while at Evangel, as well as continued to cultivate and maintain some older relationships as well.

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The boys were in their teenage and adolescent years as well, which was, of course, demanding.

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Finally, towards the last few years in Wheaton, Mom began to work at Conservative Baptist Missions, alternatively known as Missions to the

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Americas, which is the first paid position that Mom had taken outside the home since the early 1960s.

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After 15 years at Evangel, Dad resigned from church prior to taking a call in Wilmington, Delaware.

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From a local church that had grown and expanded its ministries to an older church that was comprised of mostly seniors, the tenor of the ministry there was the same in some respects, but very different in other ways.

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The number of burial services that Dad performed over a six -year period rivaled that of retirement communities.

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Margie worked for an orthodontist for most of the time that they were in Delaware. After prayerful consideration,

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Mom and Dad found their new home in Winchendon, Massachusetts in 1996, which would be the last church which

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Dad would begin pastoring, and the two of them would minister in prior to his retirement in the spring of 2007.

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Their new church home was at Bethany Bible Chapel in Winchendon. With Winchendon being the final residence for both

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Mom and Dad for 15 years for Dad and close to 26 years for Mom, the number of church family friends would continue to blossom and grow.

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Mom worked at a dental office during the first of the years in Gardner and then served a number of years working in the

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Edward Jones office in Gardner, Massachusetts. I think she really liked that job.

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They gained many near and dear friends, not only from Bethany Bible Chapel but also from the last church home upon retirement at First Baptist of Lemonster.

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It would be a community of faithful friends up until both of their departures home, Dad in 2011 and Mom just last week,

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September 8th. Matt, Pete, and myself could not have been more pleased at the

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Lord's provision of such wonderful and dear friends who faithfully ministered to our parents and particularly

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Mom after the passing of Dad. Faithful friends from both congregations, that's

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Bethany Bible Chapel and this church, First Baptist, would allow

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Mom to stay in her residence at Otter River Road up until her death. My brothers and I are quite aware that if it were not for the help of her church family, one widow resident in Winchendon would have had to find a new home many years ago.

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A few notes, a few words to note highlighting from the obituary. She served alongside

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Paul who pastored many churches over the years including Marion, Iowa, Orlando, Florida, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Wheaton, Illinois, Wilmington, Delaware, and Winchendon, Massachusetts.

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She was active in all these churches including the choir and provided her vocal gifts and pioneered a long -lasting women's ministry called

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Coffee Break. She was currently active at First Baptist Church of Lemonster, Massachusetts.

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Margie was passionate about relationships, yes? She made strong friendships with people all around the country wherever she lived.

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She invested intimately in the lives of her family, children, grandchildren, friends, and neighbors.

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She had a real gift of hospitality showing itself in many amazing meals along with a strong ability to encourage all the people in her life.

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She faithfully prayed for all those she was in relationship with. Her family includes three sons,

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Peter Stenstrom and his wife Lois of West Chicago, Illinois, David Stenstrom and his wife Pollyanna of Swansea, New Hampshire, and Matthew Stenstrom and his wife

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Nicole of Roseville, Minnesota. Eight grandchildren, Jacob, Hannah, Boston, Jordan, and now

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Madison, Micah, Judah, Maxwell, and Isabella and her brother Charles Elvin of Edmonds, Washington.

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So that's a little bit of information on mom. We're going to start a time of some personal remarks for myself, my brothers, and open it up for those who would like to share very briefly something about Margie.

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And what I wanted to say is my mom's an amazing woman. She really was.

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I had the privilege of being the one son who lived near her for the last 30 years.

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So when I came back, finished college, was overseas and came back, I stopped by to see my parents and then stayed there for seven years.

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And while I was actually going to seminary and eventually meeting and dating and marrying my wife,

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Pollyanna, so my mother became a dear friend of mine. I got to know her very, very closely.

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My father as well, but especially my mother. And then God would orchestrate it as such that they came up to Winchendon and how

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God does things is amazing. Started dating Pollyanna. Where are you from? Oh, Massachusetts.

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And we're down in Delaware, by the way, when we're having this conversation. And she ended up being growing up in a house that was 15 minutes from the church that my dad took to pastor.

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So we came up here to finish her schooling and then God would have us close to them all these years, which was a real privilege for me.

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You know, I had a friend, Pollyanna knows her too, back when we lived in the Philadelphia area and she was an avid reader.

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She could read really fast. She would read a book almost every single day. And her favorite thing to read was biographies of well -known

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Christian people throughout history. Her favorite was to read Christian missionary biographies.

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She told me one time, you know, I read all these stories, I read all these biographies and so many times it's a story of a great man, occasionally a woman, and he does many things for God in the gospel, touching many people's lives, but many, many times at the expense of his family.

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Broken families, broken relationships, not doing a good job at home.

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And she said, I always enjoyed and looked forward and hunted for those biographies where that man was also a good father, was a good husband, and had character in his house as well as everywhere else.

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So many of you, excuse me, know my mother as an amazing woman and she was, but I want you to know that started in her house.

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It started with me and my brothers, her husband, our spouses in our family, and extended to her church family, her neighbors, her acquaintances, her friends throughout the years.

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She really was the person that you saw in the home as well.

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She had consistent character and what an amazing, amazing legacy that that is, that we have with her and from her.

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She had a gift of hospitality, a gift of encouragement. She was a prayer warrior and she had a profound love of scripture.

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In the gospel of Galatians, Paul says, the fruits of the spirit, the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self -control.

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My mother exemplified that fruit. Thank you.

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Thank you, David. And we'd like to give anyone an opportunity to say something if you care to.

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Very, very good. I am

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Matt, the youngest son, and I live in St. Paul, Minnesota. As I was getting ready for school, mom would be in the kitchen getting my breakfast spot ready.

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There would be a bowl of cereal, a glass of orange juice typically, or she'd be making oatmeal, eggs, waffles, whatever the meal would be for that morning.

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But there alongside of my plates would be placed my daily bread.

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A short but important snippet of a couple of verses and a description of what the passage was about.

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My mom already had been reading her Bible and praying that morning. My mom has always been a faithful warrior in prayer.

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For me, my family, my brothers and their families, her friends, all of you here at First Baptist, daily, never wavering.

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Especially during the past few months, I would call to see how my mom was doing. Before I could even ask, she'd be asking me how

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I was. How's Nicole? How are the kids? Of course she did. Always caring about everybody else before herself.

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Whenever I needed to ask a question of my parents, I would typically go to my mom first. A softer, sweeter, more gentler response, and it was easier to hear, especially when

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I didn't like what the end result was going to be. What was one of my favorite was one of my mom's hobbies, writing cards for people.

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She was very intentional in making sure her friends and family were not forgotten. Whether that be a birthday,

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Christmas, graduation, get well, etc. Did not matter how lousy she felt.

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She just knew it had to be done. A couple of days ago, I read this verse in the daily bread, of course.

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Ephesians 4, 31 to 32. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior.

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Instead, be kind to each other. Tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

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I wanted to thank this church body in particular for helping my mom with a variety of things throughout the years.

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Outside of Lars and Mary, and of course, Tom Bushey, who doesn't go to this particular church, but helped mom tremendously.

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And there are really no words to say thank you for the three of you in particular.

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I did not want to go into mentioning any other names because I know I would forget, and I didn't want to offend anybody.

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It's very comforting to know that while her three sons live out of town, she is continually being cared for, fixing items in her house, and there have been many, as Lars can attest to, taking her to many doctor appointments, staying with her through the night, calling her, emailing her, texting her, and so many prayers.

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We are also very grateful, so thank you. My wife and two kids will be joining us next month at Mom's Graveside Service in Sycamore, Illinois, where she will be buried next to our dad.

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They wanted to express a couple of things. From Nicole, it was an incredible reminder to her that when she was going through infertility struggles, and Nicole felt

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God wasn't listening to her, and then she also asked mom continually when she kept going through her health issues and she wasn't being healed, my mom's response was,

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God doesn't owe us anything. And of course, she did it in a kind way. Thank you for raising your boys in a

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Christian home, and thank you for the love you have always given our family. Maxwell, he's my 20 -year -old son, really enjoyed playing the violin for her while we were here, and the fact that she would always call and send cards during birthdays,

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Christmas, and other holidays, that really meant a lot to him. My daughter, Isabella, who's 16, really enjoyed cooking with mom in particular last summer when her and I were out here, and just being with her.

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Whenever Bella is in the basement, she often thinks of time her mom and Max did handstands against the wall.

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It's still hard for me to picture my mom doing that. Mom, thank you for loving me completely, unconditionally.

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Despite my many faults and shortcomings. You have cooked and baked delicious meals for over 60 years.

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When you set the table, it had to be done just right. She couldn't just have the food taste good, the food needed to be colorful while it sat out on the table.

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I loved her hearing her sing in church. I will miss her laugh, whether her singing was in the choir or those various solos that we heard her sing growing up, or just singing hymns and songs of worship while we were standing next to her.

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You were a quiet spectator at my athletic events and became my number one screaming fan. You listen to me when

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I need an ear and direct me when I need a kick in the pants. You'd pack cheese, sausage, and crackers that our family could enjoy while taking a break when we were hiking in Estes Park, Mount Rainier, or the

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Grand Tetons. You'd make reservations at all of our hotels and try to make sure there was a swimming pool so the three of her boys could enjoy the swimming pool before we went to bed and started traveling the next day.

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Some of these travels included San Diego, Seattle, Portland, Orlando, D .C.,

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Boston, Maine, and Gatlinburg, Tennessee. You are selfless and take great pride in your family.

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To say that you want the best for your family is such an understatement. I am proud of you and respect you for not only loving the

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Lord, but sharing that love with everyone. I love you, Mom. Good morning, everybody.

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I just appreciate the time to be up here and just to share a few words about my mom. My name is

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Peter Stensrom. People that don't know me, you could probably tell from my frame, longer legs, shorter torso that I take after my mom.

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And actually talking in conversation, I am also more softer spoken like my mom. Interesting note, one of the things that we dramatically vary in is our singing tone and volume.

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So growing up in the church, I would sit next to Mom as well as my brothers, Matt and Dave, and Mom would be in the choir.

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She would be singing right next to Nona Schleyman. My mom had a beautiful soprano voice and she was able to hit some very high notes.

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I always loved it when the chorus or the song, the hymn would go up to a high pitch and I could always hear my, well, at least for a period,

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I could always hear my mom's voice loud and clear through the choir. And we'd sit around the dinner table later and I'd make a comment and mostly my parents would talk back and forth and they ask, you know, what was the service?

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How was, how'd it go? And I said, well, Mom, you just had a beautiful voice. I love how you hit those high notes. And she would actually cringe.

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And she goes, oh, that's not good. I got to work on that. I'm supposed to blend in, supposed to blend in.

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And so, you know, she made it an intention to work on that and, you know, to blend in better with the choir.

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So anyway, I thought I would share that with her. But, you know, that kind of blends into the theme

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I'd like to talk to in the next couple of minutes about my mom. It really is my joy and what

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I've been looking forward to this for a few weeks now, actually, and just sharing about my mom's life and ultimately pointing to her

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Savior and Redeemer. For people that really didn't know the aspect of my mom's faith and didn't treasure that, they really missed a large part, really, of who my mom was.

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You know, my mom was kind. She was a lot of things. But my mom really wanted to exemplify the love of Christ and that she could encourage others and point people to Christ.

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That was the thrust of her life. And I can say that because for 20 years now, even before my dad passed,

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I told my parents, I said, well, you know, I've been studying the Word and reading the

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Bible since my early to mid -30s is really when I come to love the Lord. And I'm determined that, and I say this is all sobriety, that the

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Lord placed three stubborn boys in the homes of my mom and dad.

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And that they needed the faithful instruction and guidance of two wonderful parents that would love them and that would eventually,

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God allowed to soften their rebellious hearts and solely turn their hearts towards Him.

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So I'm the benefactor of my mom and my dad's steadfastness, as well as other brothers and sisters who they brought into my life over the years.

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I just wanted to attest to that. You know, it's easy growing up in a

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Christian family to take things for granted. I lived for a lot of my life a pretty sheltered existence.

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And I remember I've always had an intense interest in music. I've written music for over 40 years.

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So I ran into this guy at Dominic's, my first start in my, it was the beginning of my entire career in the food business.

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And he played the bass. I said, cool, let me stop by your house. Let's just,

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I'll grab my guitar and my amp and we can, you know, play down in your basement. And I went into his house and I was totally blown away by what

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I saw. And I said, I've heard people that live like this. And I said this to myself, not to Robert.

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But when I came home and I reflected on what I saw in his house and I said, wow, I mean, there's people that really live out so the room of Christ.

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And I guess that really struck me because I just, I grew up in a wonderful home with parents that loved me.

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And I was surrounded by church family that loved me. And, you know, for at least part of my life, up and through my 20s,

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I just took that for granted. I didn't really see how, what other people came through and the obstacles that they faced.

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So, and this is, I've been working on this, what I'm going to say for the last three weeks, but I'm kind of just flying off the script a little bit.

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But it's just amazing to me.

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Just a testimony of, well, anyways, I'm not going to continue on that.

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What I did want to say that, you know, I don't have a lot of memories of my mom in my early years.

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I don't know why that is. I've reflected on that a lot in the last 20 years.

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And particularly the last 10 years since I really got to know my mom better. And, you know,

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I do know that in about 73 to about 75, there was a couple incidents that happened with my mom in her house that were completely out of character for her.

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And I humbly share this with you on behalf of my mom to say that there was, my mom needed some help.

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And so my mom, the second thing that happened, right, we went to Evangel, we were in Wheaton.

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I looked at my dad and my brothers did too. And we looked at him and, is everything okay with mom?

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And she had stormed out the back of the house. And my dad, you know, of course he said to his boys, she's going to be fine.

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And I don't know if my dad was even sure at the time, but the point being is that my mom was kind of at a crossroads and she could have easily have kind of floundered and said,

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I'm just going to continue the way I've been doing it. I'm just going to keep on reading the word and everything's going to be fine.

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But that's not what she did. I can't remember if the initial counselor,

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David, could correct me if I'm wrong, but I know she had a faithful friend, Christian counselor Errol Lehman, who was a dear brother in Christ who ministered to my mom for years.

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And the change that he had in her life, even initially, was felt by me dramatically.

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Because as a young boy, now I'm in middle school or junior high, around the second year, end of my seventh grade, going into eighth grade.

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All of a sudden, this mom plot pops down on the kitchen table next to me. And this is the earliest remembrance of my mom from that point on till the last time

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I saw her. And that was a mom who sat down next to me and she intentionally spoke into my life.

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She saw what was going in my life and she spoke into it. That was a risk, but she did it.

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And that came about, I believe, because of Errol.

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He wasn't the end all in my mom's journey of faith, but he helped her.

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And I think what Errol did, and I'm saying this not just for my mom,

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I'm saying this as a brother in Christ, you need to understand my relationship with my mom.

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My mom was not just my mom who nurtured and cared for Matthew, David, and Peter, but my mom, more than any other person in my entire life, was the single champion of my faith and my walk with Christ.

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From the time I was about 11 or 12, right about 11 or 12, up until the very end, nobody challenged me and faithfully talked to me about the faith.

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When I didn't know who to talk to as I grew in my faith, I could always pick up the phone and at some point we could talk about the things that Christ was teaching me.

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And my mom would interact with me and just listen. And then sometimes she would hear about the things that God was showing her.

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And I think some of the things that Errol brought out, and my mom had talked about these things and a lot of my reflections, what

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I'm talking about now are from the Gospel of John, but I think one of the things that Errol brought up to my mom was speaking clarity about her identity in Christ.

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And as you all know, all the brothers and sisters here, that is one of the most precious things that we've been given.

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That how God could redeem a person, but yet the work of sanctification is ahead of us, right?

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It's today, it's tomorrow. And how this work of sanctification, basically in allowing

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Christ to see our identity in Christ more clear, and ultimately to encourage mom to take her whole self and put it out in the light of God's truth and grace and allow the

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Holy Spirit to minister to her life. And as I just testified to, that was evident in my life as she started to minister to me.

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I want to tell you an interesting, just sidebar. So one of my closest friends is a gentleman by the name of Paul Henning.

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Paul Henning has been a dear friend of mine way back since junior high. And Paul called me.

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I've been wanting to call Paul for months. I had not called him. He actually called me on last

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Thursday night, the evening that my mom passed. And I just assumed that Paul had found out through the grapevine that mom had passed.

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He had not. So after we talked a while, I said, well, Paul, thanks for calling.

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I'm assuming you're calling because you knew that my mom passed away. And he said, no, I had no idea. And Paul also did not know that two weeks prior to my mom's passing,

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I already started working on what I wanted to say on behalf of my mom and to honor her. And Paul said, without even me talking anything about the service or anything, he said,

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Pete, I want to tell you something about your mom. I said, as a young man, your mom took me aside.

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And when I was over your house, and she would speak into my life. And I said, he told me, he said,

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I cannot tell you how much that meant to me as a young man. And I am hearing this, and I already know what

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I'm going to share on behalf of my mom. And that would just, that just blew me away. And I said, thank you for sharing that,

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Paul. I didn't tell him exactly why. And anyways, for any of you that, for the people that think that would be a coincidence, well, good for you.

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And I think of, I guess, you know, when I think of this, the intentionality of my mom's life,

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I think of almost like, I look at the contrast. So Jesus went to the home of Mary and Martha.

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And, you know, remember, Martha was so busy getting all the preparations done and all the work, and just how wonderful.

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But Mary, she just chose to sit at the feet of Christ. And I think of abiding and abounding in ministry.

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Yes, there was a lot of things my mom did because she was intentional and she loved people. But I think when my mom was at her best, and she did have her doubts, she did have her insecurities, when she was at her best, she would make it a priority to be

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Mary first. She would want to sit at the foot of her Savior. You know, back in the day when

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I was younger, I had really good sleep. And I hit the bed, and within two minutes,

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I'd always go to sleep, and I'd wake up first thing in the morning with the alarm. I don't ever remember waking up.

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But one particular morning in high school, when I got up, I got up early. And I don't know if something was on my mind. So anyways,

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I'm walking through the house. I go, well, mom's always up early, you know, getting preparations done for our lunches and for Dave, Matt, and myself.

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Where is she? So I opened the study downstairs in the basement, and quietly, and with her head bowed over her

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Bible in an attitude of prayer, there was my mom. And, you know, for a guy, that's a very visual thing, and you remember things like that.

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So, but that told me as a young man, that demonstrated to me, a visual demonstration of where my mom got her strength from.

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And again, that was, I found a glimpse into a new appreciation for my mom, which, at the time,

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I had taken for granted. So, in speaking to the lives of others, and this is just going to be just my own commentation comments, but I just want,

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I want to raise this verse up to you. And this is the words of our Lord, as proclaimed through the author of Hebrews.

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Hebrews 4, verses 14 to 16. It says, therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven,

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Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess, for we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been attempted in every way, just as we are, yet he did not sin.

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Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may rejoice, or receive mercy, excuse me, and find grace to help us in our time of need.

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And I think that was the, that was the savior that my mom looked to, to minister to others, as she saw her weaknesses, and was trying to receive healing, and bring her more and more of herself unto the grace and truth of the

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Lord. She was trying to do the same thing with other people that she loved and cared about, and even her neighbors.

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And I want to bring a contrast here, and I mentioned this earlier, and I just thought this would be appropriate.

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One of the most discouraging things for me in my early 20s, was

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I looked at my life, and I said, you know what, I can't even do the things that I know to be true in the

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Bible. Why would I want to waste my time reading the Bible? And so, through alcohol abuse, and just working hard and playing hard,

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I pushed the truth away from me in my 20s. When I say that, I mean that I could, the only sense

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I had, and I believe I was saved, but it was the

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Holy Spirit saying, you need to read the word. And I would continue to continue to make every excuse to work on music, or anything but that.

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And so, I would continually push that away from me. But then years later, in my early 30s, when

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I came to faith, this verse from the book of Isaiah, it really struck me. And Isaiah 43, 25 says,

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I, even I who blots out your transgressions, your transgressions for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.

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And what a comfort that was to me, that the God of the universe would blot out his sake, not ultimately for my sake, so I would receive healing, but for his sake, for his renown, his glory, his kingdom.

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And when I started to ponder on that, reflect on that, I said, wow, what an amazing gift to be forgiven for a higher calling of Christ.

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And that's why the church exists, doesn't it? And that just really had a remarkable, and I share that with people, because no matter where you're at in life, you need to understand that Christ has redeemed you for his purpose and renown, and that is really wonderful news.

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We don't need to tell ourselves, people, that if you take a sober assessment of yourself, we're all sinful and rebellious.

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But yet, there is hope in Christ. But I want to say that intentionality does come with risks.

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So if my mom continued to speak in my life in my 20s, I could have just said, you know, see you later.

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See you later, Mom. I don't want to hear from you. But I knew that no matter what my mom said, that she did love me.

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And she had earned that right because she had faithfully spoken to my life, and she showed that she loved and she cared for me.

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But there was a risk of rejection. There was a fear of rejection. And that was a risk that she had to take.

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And I'm going to read a passage for you. For me, reading through the

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Gospel of John, there is an undercurrent of acceptance and love for people that is prevalent in that entire

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Gospel. And if you miss that, and our natural tendency to be accepted by our peers, you missed a lot of what the disciple

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John was trying to tell his readers. In verse 42 of chapter 12, this is what

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John tells us through the Holy Spirit. Yet at the same time, many even among the leaders believed in him.

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But because of the Pharisees, they would not openly acknowledge their faith. For fear they would be put out of the synagogue, for they love human praise more than praise from God.

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Then Jesus cries out, whoever believes in me does not believe in me only, but in the one who sent me.

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The one who looks at me is seeing the one who sent me. I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

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If anyone hears my words, but does not keep them, I do not judge that person, for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

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There is a judge, however, for the ones who reject me. He does not accept my words.

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The very words I have spoken will condemn him at the last day. For I did not speak of my own, but the

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Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life.

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So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say. And when

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I think of that verse, I go back to John chapter 3 and Jesus meeting with Nicodemus.

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And that chapter, John 3, has such a hold on me for many reasons for many years.

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And for many years, I really kind of misunderstood that chapter. And more recently,

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I've kind of come into a different understanding of that chapter, which has brought great clarity to me.

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Let me read from verse 21 of the third chapter of John, in the light of what I just read from John chapter 12.

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Do whatever who lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

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And my error in that understanding of that verse was for a lot of times, I thought that we had to come with our righteousness to see the righteousness of God for us to come out into the light.

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And it doesn't make sense in verse chapter 3 when you look at the whole context of the chapter, but you realize that God is just asking us to take every part of who we are and bring it into the light of his grace and truth.

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He wants all of us. He wants us to admit our complete, utter need and dependence on him.

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That what it means to come into the light of Christ. And John, later in the book of John chapter 19, verse 30,

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Christ said, these are his last words, when he had received the drink, Jesus said, it is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

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Christ's work on the cross is our completed work of salvation.

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He did everything to procure our salvation. We can do nothing, no work of our own.

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We just need to receive it in grace. And that's the faith that my mom had. And that's what

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I wanted to share with you today. There is no work of redemption in Christ outside of just believing in his son and bringing all that we have before his throne today, tomorrow, every day.

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There were days that my mom's struggles and her doubts were overwhelming.

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And a lot of that undoubtedly was a reflection of her physical ailments. How are you doing today, mom?

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There'll be a pause. I'm not doing too well today, son. I know exactly what she meant.

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She wasn't talking about her physical state. She was talking about her doubts and securities were great.

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And she was having doubt that day. I appreciated my mom's candor with me. And we're always going to have times like those, aren't we?

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But boy, if we can continue to reach out to our friends and our loved ones, as you here at First Baptist continue to reach out to your family and your loved ones, and develop and nurture those relationships of people who love you and who will minister to you, man, it is worth the investment.

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I kind of forgot my theme word for this, but it's intentionality. Intentionality was my mom.

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If I had to give a word for my mom, that was what it was, intentionally. People intentionally, like Earl Lehman and my dad and others, intentionally built into my mom's life, including her mother.

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And my mom, rather than just keep all that grace to herself, she intentionally sought to reach out into the lives of others.

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And kind of in closing here, I just want to say that, you know, mom, she can't come down to us, you know.

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But one day, the redeemed of Christ will go to sea. We'll go to sea and be able to fellowship with her.

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But it won't be before we look into the eyes of Christ, our Redeemer.

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The holy wood of Israel, the one who trod at the winepress of the wrath of God, unaided and alone.

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One day, just as my mother and other saints who have gone before her have seen, and we will see, the manifested, unveiled glory of Jesus Christ.

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We will see him for who he really is. And as far as I'm concerned, that is the crown, that is the golden crown of our inheritance and salvation.

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Hebrews 12, verses 1 and 2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great crowd of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.

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I do really thank you for your time this morning. Thank you. Well, thank you, men.

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Let's turn in our hymnals, please, to hymn 542. Alan, if you'll come lead it, please. And again, let's stand and sing together, please.

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Hymn 542, great hymnal. Who are these like stars appearing?

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These before God's throne who stand. Each a golden crown is wearing.

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Who are all this glorious band? Alleluia!

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Hark! They sing, raising loud their heavenly king.

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Who are these of dazzling brightness? These in God's own truth array.

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Alleluia! Whence come all this glorious band?

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These are they who have contended for their savior's honor long, wrestling until life was ended, following not the sinful throng.

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These who well the fight sustained, triumph through the lamb have gained.

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These are these whose hearts are riven, sore with woe and anguish tried.

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Who in prayerful love has riven with the

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God they glorified. Now their painful conflict o 'er,

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God has bid them weep no more. These like breeze have watched and waited, offering up to Christ their will.

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Soul and body consecrated, day and night to serve him still.

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Now in God's most holy place, blessed they stand before his face.

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Please be seated. Our associate pastor

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Jason Austin will come. He's going to read for us John 17. This is an account of our

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Lord Jesus praying for his own. He prayed to his father the very night that he was betrayed and arrested.

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John chapter 17. John 17.

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When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven and said,

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Father, the hour has come. Glorify your son that the son may glorify you. Since you have given him authority over all flesh to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.

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And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

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I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. And now,

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Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

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I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.

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Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know the truth that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.

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I am praying for them. I'm not praying for the world, but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.

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All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world.

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And I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one.

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While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, that the scriptures might be fulfilled.

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But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

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I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

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I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.

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Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.

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And for their sake, I consecrate myself, that they may also be sanctified in truth.

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I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you,

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Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

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The glory that you have given me, I have given to them, that they may be one, even as we are one.

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I in them, and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me, and love them, even as you loved me.

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Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me, because you loved me before the foundation of the world.

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O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me.

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I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.

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John 17 contains the high priestly prayer of our Lord Jesus, again offered to his father the night he is betrayed.

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He prayed for all his people at that time, not only for the ones who believed on him at that time, but for all those who would believe on him thereafter.

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He prayed for you and me that night, if you and I are in Christ, or if one day you would come to be in Christ, he included you in that prayer that night.

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In John 17, 24 through 26, we read of Jesus praying that all believers would be with him in the presence of his father.

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He prayed, Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which you have given me, for you love me before the foundation of the world.

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O righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I've known you, and these have known that you sent me, and I declared to them your name, and will declare it, that the love with which you love me may be in them and I in them.

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And so here we read in our Lord's prayer, our Lord Jesus's prayer, that true believers will be with him and behold his glory.

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Let's first affirm and consider for whom the Lord Jesus prayed to his father on this occasion. Jesus first specified the ones for whom he was praying,

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Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me. Jesus was praying for certain ones that the father had given him out of fallen humanity.

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In other words, he was praying for what the Bible describes elsewhere, he was praying for his chosen ones, he was praying for the elect.

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These ones are not to be limited to only those who had believed on Jesus Christ through the word of the apostles, but all believers throughout all of history, even

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Old Testament saints as well, as well as believers in this church age. They are the ones the father gave on to his son even in eternity, and he commissioned his son to redeem them, and the

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Holy Spirit would apply that redemption to each and every one in his own time.

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And so the expression whom you gave me is a reference to the people that God loves, loves with a covenantal love, an eternal love, the same love that the father had for his son, he loves those people that are in his son, which is an amazing thing when you consider it.

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And he desired that they would be with him even as he was with the father.

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That phrase all that the father has given me was repeated by Jesus in John's gospel, at least on five occasions.

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The ones whom you gave me, all that he has given me, which you have given me.

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Again, five times in John's gospel, Jesus used that expression. Now, what was it that Jesus prayed for, for his own, for his elect?

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First of all, he prayed that all of them would that were redeemed in history would be with him.

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Jesus said, Father, I desire that they also whom you gave me may be with me where I am.

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Of course, there's a sense in which the Lord Jesus Christ is always with his people. Even now, he's declared to them, behold,

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I'm with you always even to the end of the age, Jesus declared in Matthew 2820.

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And we read his words in Hebrews 13, five, I will never leave you nor forsake you.

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There's a sense in which the Lord Jesus is with all of his people all the time.

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Paul wrote to them, God will to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the

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Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Christ is always with his people.

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And he promised that he would never leave them nor forsake them. But his presence with us now is a spiritual presence, a spiritual knowledge that he is with us, and even within us.

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And it's his presence with us born and sustained by our faith in him. We know this is true, because he declared it to be so.

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We're not, of course, enjoying his physical presence at this time. After having been raised bodily from the grave,

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Jesus ascended to the throne of his Father in heaven. And he's been there in his resurrection body, his glorified body ever since these past 2000 years.

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It is to bring all the elect to be with him, however, which he prayed here in John 17.

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He prayed that they would be with him. It's a settled and comforting doctrine that all of the

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Lord's people, those who've seen him with the eye of faith in this life, having embraced him as Lord and Savior, will see him in glory when they pass from this world.

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But how does this seeing Christ take place? When and where does it take place?

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And when we reflect biblically on this subject, we must consider the Christian upon death who passes into the presence of the

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Lord in an intermediate state from death onto the future resurrection of the dead, the bodily resurrection of the dead.

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And then we must consider, of course, seeing Jesus after the bodily resurrection of the dead.

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Let's first just take a few minutes and consider the intermediate state or the believer upon death.

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In other words, the present state of Margie. Her body is right here, of course, but her soul, her true self is not here, but rather is with the

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Lord. The Word of God teaches us that God made us in his image in order that we might be like him, in order that we might show forth in some finite ways what he is like in an infinite way.

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And so every human being is the image of God, and every human being is to be regarded and treated with dignity and honor because God made him.

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God made her. And because every person is capable of reflecting in a measure what God is like, there's a dignity to the human person in the light of Holy Scripture.

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And God made every person comprised of two major components. God gave man a physical body, but he also gave man an immaterial soul, a personal self that animates or enlivens the physical body.

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The soul, which is also referred to as one's spirit many times in Scripture, is the real self.

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It's through one's soul that we think and we feel and we relate to others.

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It's through our physical bodies that our souls interact with the physical world about us through the five physical senses.

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And so we truly live as our souls through our bodies interact with the physical world with other human beings.

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A body without a soul is dead, according to the Scriptures. What happened when

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Margie Stenstrom passed this last Thursday? Well, her soul separated from her physical body, resulting in her body dying.

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That's what brought about death. Her soul departed from her. Her body will be buried next to Paul, her beloved husband.

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And the Bible refers to the bodies of believers in the graves as sleeping because of the certainty of God's promise of the future resurrection of the body when they will be awakened from the dead.

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One day, the Lord Jesus will awaken the bodies from their prolonged slumber, enabling them to rise and live before him.

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Just as the Lord Jesus said to his disciples regarding Lazarus, his friend who had died, been buried for four days, whom

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Jesus was about to raise from the dead. He said, our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.

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And so it is when Christians die, their bodies become inanimate. They cease to live, but it's though they were asleep, these bodies, for they will indeed rise again.

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But what of the soul or spirit when the Christian dies? Well, the word of God declares that upon death, the soul is brought immediately into the presence of the

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Lord. Even the Old Testament makes this very clear. Ecclesiastes 12, 7.

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We read, then the dust will return to the earth as it was, speaking about the body, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.

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Separation takes place. The Apostle Paul wrote of his preference to depart from this world of pain and suffering, even though he knew that a prolonged life here on earth would bring benefit to others.

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It's profitable if I stay, and so I prefer to do so, but it would be far better if I were to die and be with the

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Lord. The last words of Margie last week to me, last time

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I visited her, I think maybe 48 hours before she passed. She says,

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Pastor, I don't think I'm going to make this one. And my last words to her, well, Margie, it's far better, isn't it, which she affirmed.

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And this is what the scriptures teach. Paul made it clear, we are always confident knowing that while we're at home in the body, we are absent from the

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Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, yes, well -pleased, rather, to be absent from the body and to be present with the

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Lord, 2 Corinthians 5, 6. What is the state of the soul of the

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Christian after death, upon separating from the physical body and becoming present with the

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Lord? Well, it's difficult to describe or even know for sure. How can we conceive of an existence outside of our physical body?

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One possible help to us is to consider what the Apostle Paul once related about an event that took place in his life, in his own experience.

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This is what he said, and he's speaking in the third person, but he's really referring to himself. I know a man in Christ who 14 years ago, whether in the body

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I do not know or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows. Such a one was caught up to the third heaven.

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The first heaven are the sky where the birds fly, and the second heaven is the planets and the stars.

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The third heaven is the dwelling place of God. I was caught up to the third heaven. I know such a man, whether in the body or out of the body,

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I do not know. He repeated himself the same statement. God knows how he was caught up into paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it's not lawful for a man to utter.

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Paul had gone into heaven, but he did not know if he was in a physical body or not.

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God knows. And perhaps this describes the kind of state of disembodied souls of Christians upon their death, but before the day of the resurrection.

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Here's a word from our own church, a statement of faith that was drafted back in the 17th century, but it expresses the biblical teaching quite clearly.

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And by the way, this statement also speaks of the destiny of both Christians and all others, non -Christians.

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The bodies of men after death returned to dust and see corruption, but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence immediately returned to God who gave them.

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It's almost a direct quote from Ecclesiastes, which we read. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into paradise where they're with Christ and they behold the face of God, enlightened glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies.

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And the souls of the wicked are cast into hell where they remain in torment and utter darkness reserved to the judgment of the great day.

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And besides these two places for souls separated from their bodies, the scripture acknowledgeth none.

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And so upon the death of the body, the soul of the Christian immediately returns to God.

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Several truths can be said about this disembodied state, the soul of the

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Christian. First, the soul of the Christian is made perfect in holiness.

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In order to dwell with God in eternity, we need to be holy as God is holy.

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This means that we need to be pure sin, for sin cannot dwell in the presence of holy God. Now, we cannot be infinitely holy as God is infinite holy, but through the salvation that God gives us through Jesus Christ, we can become holy in a finite way as God is holy in an infinite manner.

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But this cannot and will not take place until our regenerate souls leave these bodies in which sin is manifest in us.

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Paul expresses longing again, as every true Christian desires to be holy before the

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Lord, that is to be able to live without dealing with sinful temptation, committing sinful acts, being delivered from all sinful thoughts is the

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Christian's desire, and that takes place upon death for the Christian. Paul could lament, and here is a holy man, a wretched man that I am who will deliver me from this body of death.

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And then he confidently affirmed, I thank God through Jesus Christ, our Lord. And so when the soul of the

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Christian is separated from his body in death, he steps over that threshold into a place of a whole new realm of existence.

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No longer is he plagued with a guilty conscience, nor does he feel the sting of separation of his soul from God.

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He no longer struggles with temptation to sin. He no longer feels guilt for having committed sin, for he becomes sinless.

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He becomes holy. She becomes holy, just as the Savior. Secondly, not only is that soul made perfect in holiness, but the soul of the

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Christian is received into paradise. Again, the souls of the righteous being made perfect in holiness are received into paradise.

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The Lord Jesus gave a glorious promise to the dying thief hanging on the cross next to him. Even when he was dying,

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Jesus told this man who believed on him, assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.

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To what was the Lord referring? What is paradise? Well, the Lord was speaking about a restoration of his people to paradise, which was like onto that Garden of Eden, a paradise, which was lost to man due to sin.

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And so paradise is a reference to a beautiful and expansive garden, a restored Garden of Eden, as it were, but greatly enhanced and expanded.

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It's filled with everything pleasant and beautiful. Our Lord Jesus, in another place, declared to a local church, he who has an ear, let him hear what the

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Spirit says to the churches, to him who overcomes. I will give him, I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

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And so in some way, somehow, the souls of those Christians who depart from their bodies go to be in paradise and they're holy.

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But thirdly, of course, most blessed is this, the soul of the Christian is then with Christ.

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Again, the confession rightly states, the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into paradise where they are with Christ.

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Adam and Eve had enjoyed great pleasures in that original garden paradise long ago, the beauty of the place, the blessed communion they enjoyed with one another, for there was at first no sin to trouble them.

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But the greatest joy of the place was in the cool of the evening when the Lord would come to them and they would walk and talk and have fellowship with one another.

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They would commune with God. And we understand that was probably a manifestation of the pre -incarnate

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Christ there in that garden. They enjoyed blessed fellowship with their God. Again, Jesus told the believing dying thief, verily, verily,

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I say to you today, not just you'll be in paradise, but verily, verily, I say to you today, you'll be with me.

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In paradise. The soul of Margie is with the Lord, with Jesus.

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What else may we say about the Christian upon death? The soul of the Christian sees

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God. Again, the statement we read, the souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into paradise where they are with Christ and they behold the face of God in light and glory.

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Now, of course, they're seeing Christ who himself is the eternal son of God, God, the son, God in the flesh.

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But apparently in some way, perhaps in no doubt in a limited way, they see the presence of God, the father as well.

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Perhaps it will be as John in Revelation four, when he was caught up to the throne in heaven, John said,

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I was in the spirit. Behold, a throne set in heaven and one who sat on the throne and he who sat there was like a

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Jasper and Sardius stone in appearance. And there was a rainbow around the throne in appearance like an emerald, an emerald rainbow around that throne.

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And that was God, the father that John was describing, because a lamb then, as though it had been slain, came upon the sea.

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Or perhaps in Isaiah six, when Isaiah saw the Lord, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple and above it stood

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Seraphim and one cried to another and said, holy, holy, holy is the

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Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory. And so the disembodied soul of the

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Christian sees God and is with Christ and in the paradise of God and is perfectly holy.

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And then fifth and last, the soul of the Christian is desiring and waiting for the resurrection of the body.

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All too often you hear well -intentioned Christians talk as though departing from this life and going to be with the

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Lord is the final state of blessing, but it's not.

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It's an intermediate state. The fullness of blessing is on the day of the resurrection.

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The Christian faith speaks about the redemption of the body. We don't teach and desire an escape from the body to not have a body.

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Paul repudiated that idea, but rather we are looking for the redemption of our bodies, a body fitted and suited for eternity.

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And again, that statement in our confession expresses the scriptural teaching. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness are received into paradise where they're with Christ.

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They behold the face of God in light and glory waiting for the full redemption of their bodies.

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There's a desire and anticipation even of disembodied spirits who are with the

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Lord. They're looking forward to the day when their souls will be reunited with glorified bodies that are like unto the body of the

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Lord Jesus Christ when he came forth out of the grave. And so Paul expressed this.

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We know if our earthly house, this tent, talking about a temporary dwelling, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house, not a tent, a house, not made with hands eternal in the heavens.

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And for in this we groan, earnestly desire to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven.

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And so he expressed, we don't want to be unclothed but further clothed so that mortality may be swallowed up by life.

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Paul did not desire merely to exit from the body. He desired a glorified body.

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And those disembodied spirits who are presently with the Lord, who are perfectly holy, they're with the

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Lord Jesus in paradise. They see the face of God. Nevertheless, there's still an anticipation, a desire, and longing for the day of the resurrection.

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And this is certainly something that must take place as Paul wrote, this I say brethren flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God nor does corruption inherit incorruption.

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Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. In other words, Christians, we're not all going to die, but we shall all be changed in a moment and the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed.

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For this corruptible, this body must put on incorruption, this mortal must put on immortality and then shall be brought to pass the saying that's written, death is swallowed up in victory.

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Oh death, where is your sting? Oh Hades, where is your victory?

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And so the Lord Jesus prayed that his people would be with him and they are with him.

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He's with us now throughout this life. We go to be with him when we die as Christians, but we will be more fully experiencing the glory of his presence and the glory of our own eternal life.

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One day when the Lord Jesus returns and he resurrects the bodies from the grave and the souls of those who are with him now he will bring with him and they will be rejoined as it were to bodies that come forth from the grave, resurrected bodies.

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And so the Christian upon his resurrection from the dead he will enjoy a glorious peace and a sense of assurance and joy and settled completeness as it were when on the day of the resurrection his soul is reunited with his body.

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The Lord Jesus assured this will take place. He said do not marvel at this the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear his voice and they'll come forth those that have done good unto the resurrection of life and those that have done evil unto the resurrection of condemnation.

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The Lord Jesus said this is such a certain thing and it's actually an easy thing for him to do that the future bodily resurrection of the dead shouldn't even be a cause that you would marvel or wonder at it.

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It's so certain it's going to take place. One day if the Lord tarries he doesn't return soon we'll all encounter death and our souls we who believe on the

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Lord Jesus here and now we who see him with the eye of faith now will pass into his presence but on the day of the resurrection that'll be a glorious day when the

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Lord Jesus returns he'll put down all insurrection all rebellion all sin he'll establish a new heavens and a new earth a renovated earth a new city a new

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Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven which is the eternal habitation of those that are in Christ.

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We have a glorious future ahead of us and Margie is just one step closer than we are frankly she's with the

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Lord and we can thank God for that and therefore although we may grieve with her passing the

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Apostle Paul said we don't grieve as others who have no hope we have a great deal of hope and it's all assured to us because Jesus Christ himself came out of that tomb so long ago and when

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Jesus Christ came out of that tomb that guaranteed that assured that we will come out of our tombs as well we'll come out of our graves and join him and all others on that glorious day.

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Amen. Let's pray. Thank you father for the glorious promise that you've given us in Jesus Christ and thank you our

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God for the clarity and the certainty that you give us regarding the afterlife.

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We thank you our God that Margie is enjoying your presence even now and we pray our

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God that we would be comforted in this and assured of this and we pray father that each of us would go forth from this place settled in our own heart that we believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and that we will entrust ourselves to him and walk with him in faith and obedience and so guide us and help us our

01:28:31

God and help us to live in faith our Lord to be consistent before you faithful before you to be in your word and to be among your people our

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God help us and direct us and spare us and preserve us even until that glorious day for we pray father in Jesus name amen.

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One last hymn if you'll please turn to hymn number 528 my faith looks up to thee and the ladies of the church have provided a reception down in the fellowship hall and we hope that you'll stay and enjoy the refreshments with us.

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Oh let me from this day be holy thine may thy rich grace impart strength to my fainting heart my zeal inspire as thou hast died for me oh may my love to thee pure warm and changeless be a living fire while life's dark maze

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I tread and grief surround me spread be thou my guide bid darkness turn to day wipe sorrows tears away nor let me ever stray from thee aside when ends laughs like transient dream when death's cold silent stream shall on me roll oh bless save your then in love fear and distrust remove oh bear me safe above a ransom so oh if then you have been raised with Christ seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God set your minds on things that are above not on things that are on earth for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God when