Sermon 02092013 Funeral of Brad Lane Cramer

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight O Lord, our rock and our redeemer!!  AMEN!!

Let us pray!  Gracious Heavenly Father, we gather here this morning to celebrate the life of our brother in Christ Brad.  We who remain are reminded that Brad has found perfect peace in His Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  May we take solace and comfort in God’s Word that frees us and fulfills the promise of life and salvation through our baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection.  For this occurred for Brad and is offered for each and every one of us.  Though the veil of death separates us today, Brad now rests in the loving arms of Jesus Christ who lived to set all of us free from sin and death for all of mankind, including all of us gathered here this morning to say goodbye.  AMEN.

The following passage from Ecclesiastes opens a window for us to understand our world and how God Who made time clearly knows, not only what will occur, but when it will occur.

3 There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—

² A time to give birth and a time to die;
A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
³ A time to kill and a time to heal;
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
⁴ A time to weep and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
⁵ A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
⁶ A time to search and a time to give up as lost;
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
⁷ A time to tear apart and a time to sew together;
A time to be silent and a time to speak.
⁸ A time to love and a time to hate;
A time for war and a time for peace.

As we gather here this morning we know there are truths contained in scripture and especially this section of Ecclesiastes.  These truths remind us that we live in a reality that time has control over us and life provides us opportunity, responsibility and accountability.  Whether it is to plant, build, weep, dance, be silent, speak, love or a time for peace, everything has a time, place, season and reason that God sometimes only knows.

But the mystery that still remains of God only knowing is really a question that all of us have.  There are questions that have an easy answer, but still others that are a mystery to us and will remain a mystery to and for all of us until we enter eternal glory.  But do not be afraid to ask the question, but be prepared to wait for the answer.  For it will come, but not until we have entered into eternal glory and like Brad are in God’s eternal presence and in His loving, caring and protective arms.

Hear this truth though, God through the promise of salvation offered to Brad in his baptism into Jesus Christ life, death and resurrection gives us a clear measure of comfort and peace today.  For Jesus own words from John 10 are true and certain for us today, Jesus said, “²⁷ My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; ²⁸ and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.””

Truer words have never been spoken and as we gather here today to say goodbye we can find solace, comfort and peace from Jesus own words and promise of grace and eternal life for Brad and for each of us as we lay claim to the promise of life and salvation for all of mankind, but especially Brad and all of us gathered here to say good bye. 

May we who gather here today see and understand God’s gift of grace offered to each of us through our baptism into Jesus life, death and resurrection, which was made manifest in Brad’s life by how he lived and honor and lay claim to the promises of God of eternal life for all of mankind, especially all of us gathered here to say goodbye.  AMEN.

Now may the peace of God which surpasses all human understanding guard our hearts and minds and comfort us today, because of what Jesus Christ did for Brad and each one of us!  AMEN!