This sermon was preached at Harry J. Will Funeral Home in Livonia. John received Christian burial at Glen Eden Lutheran Cemetery in Livonia.
His obituary can be found here: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/livonia-mi/john-vogeli-12467243
Christian
Funeral for John Melchior Vogeli V
July 3,
1949 – July 27, 2025
JOHN HAS RECEIVED A LOVELY DWELLING PLACE.
In
the name + of Jesus.
I
only got to know John Vogeli over the past few years at StoryPoint. Obviously, those were not his best
years. I remember John showing me a
drawing he had made. It was an image for
the upcoming Sunday of the Church year, including its Latin name. That’s not what people usually draw in their
spare time. Right away, I concluded,
“This guy likes church!” I was not
wrong. His confession fits with the Psalm:
“How lovely is your dwelling place, O LORD of
hosts! My soul longs,
yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my
heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:1-2). And now John has received
a lovely dwelling place.
John got to enjoy a number of dwelling places
throughout his life. He was born on July
3, 1949 in Libertyville, Illinois, but Michigan was home for most of his life. His parents saw to it that he was born again
through holy baptism. He was marked as a
child of God. He received the gift of
the Holy Spirit, which means that the Holy Spirit made his dwelling in John. He lived with the blessing cited in Psalm 84,
“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways
to Zion” (Psalm 84:5).
John lived and worked in various places—from
college at Concordia in Ann Arbor to the train yards of Pontiac, Hamtramck, and
Flat Rock. No doubt, John was especially
fond of his dwelling place with Janice, wherever that happened to be. Jan, you got to enjoy 56 years of marriage
together. It is more than most people
get. And God blessed that union with children
and grandchildren. God be praised for
all of that!
When John was confirmed, the pastor
blessed him with this Scripture verse: “Jesus (said), ‘If anyone loves me,
he will hold on to my word. My Father
will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him’” (John 14:23). The Lord made John his dwelling place throughout
his life. John’s love for God and his
word was undeniable. As I had mentioned,
John liked church. He served in many
capacities—playing piano for the elderly, singing in the choir, serving as an usher,
and too many more to mention. Of course,
the main thing is not that John served his Lord. The main thing is that the Lord served him.
John concurred with the Psalmist: “My
soul longs, yes, faints for the courts of the LORD; my
heart and flesh sing for joy to the living God” (Psalm 84:2). Why did it matter that
much? Because John recognized his need
for a Savior. I never found John to be
insulting, rude, perverse, or given to anger.
Of course, the only times I ever spoke with John was in connection with
chapels or devotions. People tend to
behave at church. But John never hesitated
to confess his sins in our services. He knew
that all people are sinners, and he knew it was true of him. I am sure that you choose to remember the
good times and his godly examples. But,
Jan, I am willing to bet that you could recall a few times where John proved he
was a sinner. His death is evidence that
he was a sinner; for “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). John knew it.
He confessed it. And that is why
his soul longed, yes, fainted for the courts of the Lord.
John yearned for God’s lovely dwelling
place. “For the LORD God
is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and
honor. No good thing does he withhold from
those who walk uprightly. O LORD of
hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you” (Psalm 84:11-12)! The Lord
God is a sun, and he has shone the light of his love upon John. God’s love is made known by his Son who was
sent to redeem sinners. God does not want
sinners evicted from his mercies; he wants all to dwell in his kingdom. So, Jesus Christ came to take away the sins
of the world.
The Lord God is a shield. Jesus shielded John from the Father’s wrath
by taking the blow for him. At the cross,
Jesus was forsaken by his Father so that John would not be forsaken in life or
in death. Jesus bore the curse so that John
would have the Father’s blessing. Jesus
died in shame so that John could live in glory.
Through Jesus, the Lord bestowed favor and honor upon John. He did not withhold from John any good thing,
but poured out his mercy, grace, forgiveness, and peace. John yearned for God’s dwelling place where
he received the benefits of Jesus’ saving work.
John was absolved of his sins. He
was comforted by God’s promises. He was strengthened
and kept in the true faith by holy communion.
And now John has received a lovely dwelling place in heavenly mansions;
for he is a child of God.
The Psalmist proclaims, “A day in
your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere” (Psalm 84:10). Our Lord gave John over 27,000 days on earth. No matter how great the blessings were here, he
is being given so much more and so much better.
Today, it may look like death has won, but that is not true. Jesus Christ, who shielded John from God’s
wrath by his death, has conquered death.
Jesus lives. Jesus holds
authority over death and the grave. And
soon Jesus, who clothed John in garments of salvation, will raise him up to be clothed
in glory. All those who have fallen
asleep in Jesus will be awakened on the Last Day with glorified and perfected
bodies. That means John will be forever
free from the earaches, the lame feet, and any other weaknesses he had. You will get him back not for a paltry 27,000
days, but forever. John receives a
lovely dwelling place, a new heaven and a new earth. By clinging to Christ and to his promises, you
will join him there.
“Blessed
are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise” (Psalm 84:4)! John loved singing God’s praises. How much greater the song and how much more
joyous the celebration as he joins with angels and archangels and all the company
of heaven! Our songs may be muffled by
tears today, but we still sing with confidence because of our hope. It is the same as John’s hope for a lovely
dwelling place, and it is a hope that will not be disappointed. Jesus Christ has secured it.
John loved his wife, Jan. John loved his sons, John, Michael, and Andrew. John loved his daughters-in-law. John loved his grandchildren. You all know that better than I do. What I remember about John is this: This guy loved church. What brought us both comfort is this: Jesus loves and saves sinners. Because of that, we will receive a lovely—and an eternal—dwelling place. “O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you” (Psalm 84:4)! John is so blessed. John is at peace. And, no doubt, he is singing.
In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
