Joe Landis' Funeral sermon

Joe Landis

We are always to remember that our funeral services are not for the dead, but for the living. There is no word that we can say that can reach the ear of our friend. There is no music, however sweet, that can touch his heart. And, although we would pay a tribute to him and his faithful Christian life, this service is primarily for those who are gathered here today out of love and respect for a good man.

The great question that comes to mind when one dies is this: “Was he ready to go?” We thank God that Joe settled this matter many years ago when he repented of his sins and trusted Jesus Christ as his per­sonal Savior. And he clung to his salvation that was based on the completed work of Christ on the cross. Joe had been offended by church men but he still trusted Jesus, who loved the church and gave Himself for her.

He had been disappointed by men in business and lost some income that he thought he could depend on, but he never stopped depending on Jesus and expecting Him to be faithful. Joe lost the companionship his beloved Patsy to death, but he never really lost her nor the hope of seeing her again because of his trust in Jesus as the One who keeps his promise of eternal life for those who trust in Him alone. Joe was liberal in his politics, but not in his theology.

You might not have known it if you never rode for 12 hours in a car with him as I did going to pick up the car that had been hung up at the border for a year after Patsy's was stolen. As we talked, it was evident that Joe was depending on Jesus as his Savior and Lord. And he had a personal faith...not just that Jesus would save everyone be His substitutionary death on the cross, but that He would save those who came to Him trusting Him and turning their live over to Him in faith.

And since Patsy's home-going, Joe had really become a student of the scriptures. He wanted to find out and prove what the Bible says about the way to eternal life. And he found confidence in grace alone by faith alone in Jesus alone. And he bravely waited for what he so desired – to absent from this body and present with the Lord and Patsy. As lonely as he was, as unaware of how much he was loved by so many, HE DID NOT TAKE A SHORTCUT, he waited on the Lord.

Psalm 119:154-160

Plead my cause and redeem me;

give me life according to your promise!

Salvation is far from the wicked,

for they do not seek your statutes.

Great is your mercy O Lord;

give me life according to your rules.

Many are my persecutors and my adversaries,

but I do not swerve from your testimonies.

I look at the faithless with disgust,

because they do not keep your commands.

Consider how I love your precepts!

Give me life according to your steadfast love.

The sum of your word is truth,

and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.

God's rules are: All have sinned ... the penalty for sin is death... but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus... God showed His love by this, While we were yet sinners, Jesus Christ died for us. ...No one comes to the Father or eternal life except by Jesus... He is the way, the truth, and the life. ... there is no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear... We love God because He first loved us.

I. The Bible Says Many Wonderful Things about the Death of a Christian

We hear these words, “Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for they rest from their labors and their works do follow them.” The word “blessed” here means “happy.” (Revelation 14:13) Not all those who die are going to be happy, but those who die “in the Lord” will come to know the supreme happiness that only God can give. Then we read, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15) Now, according to the Bible, every child of God is a saint. And every movement of the Christian’s life is precious in God’s sight. Then surely, when his people die, it is precious in God’s sight. John Wesley said on the occasion, “Our people die well.”

Again we read, “He giveth his beloved sleep.” ((Psalm 127:2) Elizabeth Barrett Brown­ing said that to her this was the sweetest verse in the Bible. We struggle and strain, we worry and fret through this life. We become tired and worn out. And then God puts us to sleep for a while and we wake up in glory. Again we read, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.”(2Corinthians 5:8) Philippians 1:23 Paul desired to be depart from this world and this body to be with the Lord. The body is put away in the grave, but the real person, the spirit, the soul is not there. The Christian has simply left his old worn-out body down here and has gone out to be with the Lord. Isn’t that wonderful? “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.” Frankly, we’ll be glad to get rid of this old sinful, sick, weary body when that day comes.

II. What Does a Christian Gain by Dying?

Paul said, “For me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21) Does a man gain anything when he dies? Doesn’t he have to leave everything behind, his home, his loved ones, his friends? Yes, that is true, but he can know that he will gain infinitely more in death than he can ever gain in this life.

1. He gains freedom

Freedom from all the aches and pains and sorrows and suffer­ing and problems and troubles of this world. Joe struggled with whether to exercise to feel better ore whether exercise would just wear out what was already paining him. But a couple of weeks ago he slipped away to be with God. And I bowed my head and thanked God that Joe was free from pain and sor­row and had gone home to heaven, where these things could never touch him again. Yes—we gain freedom when we die in Christ.

2. He gains fellowship

The Christian in dying gains the sweetest fellowship ever enjoyed by anyone. Fellowship with all the great men and women of the Bible. Fellowship with all the great people of all ages. Fellowship with all the loved ones whom we “have loved long since and lost awhile.” And best of all, fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ, who made heaven possible for us.

Oh, the dear ones in glory, how they beckon me to come, and our parting at the river I recall, To the sweet vales of Eden they shall sing my welcome home, But I long to see my Savior first of all.

3. He gains fullness of knowledge

Oh, there are so many things down here that we don’t under­stand. We wonder why sin comes in to break our hearts and blast our hopes. We wonder why so often some fine and useful person is taken away and another is left who makes no contribution to the world’s benefit. We will never understand these things down here, but someday in the golden glow of that better land we’ll sit down beside the Lord Jesus and he will explain it all. Then we will see that some of the things that caused us so much sorrow down here were simply blessings in disguise, and God allowed them to come to us for our good and his glory.

Not now, but in the coming years, It may be in the better land, We’ll read the meaning of our tears, And there, sometime, we’ll understand.

III. Lessons for the Living

1. Death is certain

If the Lord tarries, if he doesn’t return in our lifetime, we shall all die. “It is appointed unto man once to die, and after that the judgment.” (Hebrews 9:27) Death may come soon to some of us, it will not surely be long for any of us. It may come suddenly or it may come after a lingering illness. It comes to the king’s palace, it comes to the poor man’s cottage. But it is coming and we must get ready for it.

2. The one way to prepare for death

There is only one way to prepare for death and the judgment. That is through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no other way of salvation. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not on the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” (John 3:36)

IV. Your Comfort in This Hour

1. You are comforted in remembering that you did your best for Joe

You gave him all that could be given anyone. Now you can say with one of old, “The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

2. You are comforted in remembering that death isn’t all

Beyond this vale of tears there is another life and another land. The grave is not our goal. We look forward to a new home of joy and bliss that will be ours when we leave this earthly home.

3. You are comforted in remembering that you will see Joe again

The Bible certainly implies that we shall see and know our loved ones in heaven. David said that he could not bring his baby back to this earth, but that he could go to him. Heaven is a complete place, but would it be entirely complete if we never saw our loved ones up there? Surely, surely, we will see them again in a land where we will know even as we are known.

4. But our greatest comfort comes from Christ

One day he spoke to a group of people just like us and he said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” He stands today with open arms and says the same thing to you. Just come to him, lean your head on his bosom, and he will give you the rest and the comfort and the grace and the courage you need for this hour.

I bid you today to turn all your sorrow over to Jesus. He will bring you safely through, giving you grace and comfort for today and courage for all of your tomorrows.

So may God bless the memory of Joe Norman Landis. And may he bless and comfort all of you who mourn today. And may all of us place our hands in the nail-pierced hand of Jesus and follow him until he takes us home.