Sermon -- Christian Funeral for John Melchior Vogeli V (August 2, 2025)

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

PSALM 84

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.

Sermon -- Funeral for David Rumics (July 7, 2025)

Christian Funeral for

+ David John Rumics +

May 12, 1946 – June 19, 2025

1 THESSALONIANS 4:13-18

DAVID RUMICS HAD AN INDESTRUCTABLE HOPE.

In the name + of Jesus.

    David Rumics had a positive attitude and a good sense of humor, but he did not live under the illusion that life is always good.  He was grateful for his many blessings, but he also endured his share of hardships.  When he had to deal with heart surgery some years ago, and again, when diminished health had him walking with a walker or a cane, he endured the realities of an imperfect world.  Worse, when Jon died from cancer, Diane, you and David both had to endure the pains of watching him suffer and then bidding farewell.  So, David knew his share of grief.  Despite the grief, David always had hope.

     Grief comes from what sin has brought into the world.  Whether it is a failed relationship, struggles with health, bouts of doubt or guilt, or the finality of death, it all comes because we are sinners living in a sinful world.  Some griefs are the result of our own sins; other griefs come because of the sinful world we live in.  Sin not only produces grief, it brings death.  David was a sinner in a sinful world.  We are all sinners; therefore, we are all marked for death.

     Hope, on the other hand, comes from outside of us.  It has to if it is going to endure.  Hope that is based on our wishes can be easily destroyed.  You can hope for the best in life, but that is a wish—and such hopes are often dashed.  Hope that comes from the Lord, however, will never be dashed.  In fact, hope that comes from God is indestructible.  David Rumics had an indestructible hope; and so do you.

     St. Paul wrote to the Christians in Thessalonica who had feared that those who died in the faith lost out on the glories that we hope for.  This misunderstanding produced a great deal of grief for those who mourned for their dead.  St. Paul corrected their beliefs and gave them an indestructible hope.  He wrote, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who have fallen asleep, so that you do not grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope.  Indeed, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, then in the same way we also believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).  Although grief comes because of sin and death, the hope that we have remains.  Hope from the Lord cannot be destroyed, even by death.

     David Rumics was baptized into this indestructible hope when he was a little boy.  Through baptism, God made a covenant with him.  It was a one-sided covenant.  God made the promise; David received its benefit—the hope of everlasting life.  David’s life as a child of God began then, and it continued through his whole life.  From going to St. Joseph Catholic High School, to attending Lutheran churches with his wife and children, even to partaking in the Lord’s Supper at Good Shepherd on the Sunday before he died, David was sustained and strengthened in the Christian faith.  In fact, David’s life as a child of God has not ended, and it never will.  David Rumics had an indestructible hope, and not even death can end it.

     This is the hope that comforts you through your grief.  St. Paul did not suggest that Christians will not grieve.  He said that you do not need to “grieve in the same way as the others, who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13).  Your hope remains.  It is indestructible because it is based on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection are historical events, not fanciful stories.  That is why your hope is not wishful thinking.  We don’t imagine that David has gone to some nebulous “better place.”  He has gone to be with Jesus—the Savior into whom he as baptized; the Savior who suffered to take away the sins which would have condemned him; the Savior who died and bore God’s curse for him; the Savior who overcame death and now holds the power over the grave.  The Savior who came for David Rumics has taken him to be with him in heavenly glory.

     We hope for even more because Jesus promises even more.  Today, we have the remains of a body.  That seems pretty final—ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  But St. Paul declares that this body which has been reduced to ashes will be raised.  This is the Christian hope: “The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).  The Savior who possesses power over death and the grave will raise up all the dead.  Those who believe and are baptized will be saved—raised from the dead with perfected bodies, minds, and hearts.  This is what David Rumics hoped for.  This is what we still wait for because this is what Jesus has promised.  And just as the Lord has been faithful in all his promises, so he will be faithful in this one.  Death will meet its end.  Grief will turn to joy.  David will live—body and soul, risen and restored by Jesus.  Frailty will turn into glory.  Hope will be fulfilled because this hope is indestructible.

     Back in the 1960’s, David Rumics got to meet a nice girl at a McDonald’s in Benton Harbor.  They were united in Christ in 1967.  Diane, I am willing to bet you would like to have another 58 years with David.  Or at least just one more camping trip.  April, I am sure you would like to have another 50-some years with your father, too.  Anyone who knew him would like just a little more time to share a joke, have one more conversation, or enjoy a tasty meal together. 

     You can set your hopes higher.  For this is what the Lord promises to all who believe in Jesus and are baptized into his name: “We will always be with the Lord.  Therefore, encourage one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).  This is your indestructible hope: You will get David Rumics back—not for 50 more years, but forever.  It is not wishful thinking.  It is not a nebulous “better place.”  The Lord Jesus will gather into Paradise all who are his.  We will be with the Lord who created us, redeemed us, and set us apart for the resurrection to everlasting glory.  Death may bring grief, but Jesus, who rules over death, encourages you with this indestructible hope.  Death, on the other hand, will be destroyed.  Those who mourn will be comforted.  The dead in Christ will live.  And your hope will be fulfilled.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon -- Christian Funeral for Shirley Buchanan (May 10, 2025)

+ Shirley Ann Buchanan +

(December 28, 1938 – May 7, 2025)

PSALM 23

I WILL FEAR NO EVIL; FOR YOU ARE WITH ME.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Roger, you had mentioned that this Psalm brought special comfort to you and Shirley.  There is good reason for it.  And there is much to ponder in it.  I would like to highlight one particular line.  To do so, I need to mention a feature in Hebrew literature which differs from American literature.  In American literature, we save the most important point for the end.  We wait for the punchline.  But in Hebrew, the emphasis is in the center.  It is like climbing a mountain until we get to the peak and then come down from it.  The middle is the main point; and the center of Psalm 23 is this: “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). 

     King David does not tell you that there is no evil.  You know that’s not true.  Death is evil.  It takes without permission.  It breaks hearts and produces tears.  Worse, it comes because of another evil—sin.  The Bible reminds us, “The wages of sin is death” (Psalm 23:6).  We are all sinners.  That doesn’t mean we aren’t nice.  Most people are.  But nice people die, too.  No one is perfect, which means all people are sinful, which means all people die.  Every person on earth has ugly moments that they would like to forget.  These are evidence of hearts and minds corrupted by sin. 

     Evils abound.  Shirley’s body was affected by the evil of cancer and other problems.  That was not God punishing her for something.  It is more evidence that this is a sinful world.  Sin corrupts our minds, our hearts, our bodies, and the whole world.  The evils surround us.  And yet, the Lord enables us to say, “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23).

     The reason we have such comfort is this: “The Lord is my shepherd” (Psalm 23:1).  That finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ.  He told us, “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 10:11).  Then he tells us what makes him the good shepherd.  “The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11).  As the Good Shepherd, Jesus defends, protects, and saves the flock from every evil and every enemy.  Jesus took his stand between us and sin, death, and the devil.  Jesus took up our sins, and he let sin do to him what it should have done to us.  He stood condemned before the Father, exchanging his innocence for our guilt.  Jesus went into death, and he let death do to him what it should have done to us.  Jesus not only died; he died a cursed, God-forsaken death and suffered hellish torment for sins.  Jesus faced Satan whose name means “accuser.”  Jesus accepted responsibility for every accusation Satan can make and let Satan do his worst.  That is why Jesus laid down his life.  He suffered and died for our sins. 

     Of course, a dead shepherd does not do us any good.  Jesus did not remain a dead shepherd.  Jesus declared, “I lay down my life so that I may take it up again.  No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own.  I have the authority to lay it down, and I have the authority to take it up again” (John 10:17-18).  Jesus let our enemies do to him what they should have done to us, but then Jesus rose from the grave and overpowered death.  The payment for sins was sufficient.  Death was robbed of its power.  And Satan spent all his efforts on Jesus who has left him crushed underfoot.  The evils have been undone.

     Shirley Buchanan was baptized into the name of Jesus when she was a little girl.  She received the benefits of Jesus’ work and became Jesus’ little lamb.  Jesus served her as her Good Shepherd throughout her whole life.  There was never a moment when Jesus neglected her or ignored her.  He was with her every day.  The evils may have surrounded her and harassed her, she could still confess, “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4). 

     Shirley found joy despite all the evils around her.  I’m sure she enjoyed many of God’s blessings in all your travels.  After all, that’s why you traveled—to see the beauties of God’s creation.  There were many trips, and many memories.  You stood in wonder at God’s creative majesty.  But you got to see some of the ugliness of this world, too.  We are grateful for God’s goodness, but the evils do not go away.  Still, she could confess, “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).  It is even better than that.  The Psalm doesn’t say that we merely endure amidst the evils.  It says, “You set a table for me in the presence of my foes” (Psalm 23:5).  Sin, death, and the devil are always out there.  But with Jesus, you get to feast with joy.  How many times did you and Shirley kneel before the Lord’s altar to feast on the living body and blood of Jesus?  The Lord granted her and you strength to live and to serve him faithfully as you both did for decades at Lola Park.  (I think the banner that hangs here this morning is her work.)

     Jesus guided Shirely in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.  He strengthened and kept her in the true faith unto life everlasting.  He was faithful to her as her Good Shepherd because that is who he is, and that is what he does.  Ailing health prevented you from getting to church late in life, but Jesus was still with you.  There is no reason to fear.  Poor health, old age, and even death cannot nullify Jesus’ promises.  He remains your good, faithful, and living Shepherd.

     Today, it may seem as though the evils have won out over Shirley.  But the Good Shepherd has not failed her.  The Psalm reminds us, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).  Notice that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death.  So, even in the face of death we declare, “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).  The Lord Jesus has already passed through death.  He has paved the way to the resurrection and to eternal life.  To be more accurate, he IS the resurrection and the life.  For, Jesus has overcome all our enemies. 

     The last enemy to be destroyed is death, which Jesus will do when he comes again on the Last Day.  On that day, Jesus will raise up Shirley and you and all the dead for judgment.  And do you know what?  Shirley already knew her verdict.  Jesus guaranteed eternal life to all who believe and are baptized.  Shirley believed in Jesus as her Savior.  She was baptized into God’s family.  She is a child of the Most High God.  Therefore, she is robed in righteousness and glory.  There are no enemies and no evils which can change that.

     At the resurrection, Shirley will be raised up with a body that will never again know cancer or pain or frailty.  At the resurrection, Shirley will enjoy a body, a life, and a world without enemies, without evils, and without end.  There will be no fear and no foes.  The Good Shepherd has gone before her.  Goodness and mercy have followed after her.  Therefore, she will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  Eternally, she has the comfort and the confession: “I will fear no evil; for you are with me” (Psalm 23:4).  This is the hope of every Christian, and it is a hope that will not disappoint us.  The Lord is our Good Shepherd; therefore, we lack nothing.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Adult Bible Class -- New Series begins April 7

 Oh, Come, Let Us Adore Him!

          Why do Lutherans worship the way they do?  What makes us different?  Should we be different? 

Our next Bible study will be entitled, “Oh, Come, Let Us Adore Him!”  We will consider how the Bible lays the foundation for our worship so that we gain a greater appreciation for our Lutheran heritage.  After all, “We’ve always done it that way” is not a good foundation.  There has to be a reason we’ve done it a certain way.

All are welcome to consider these matters and to ask questions about “Why this?” or “Why that?”  You can even bring up criticisms you’ve heard or had, and we will assess if they are valid and how they can be resolved.  The tentative schedule is below:

April 7             WORSHIP: Why do we do it?

April 14           WORSHIP: A Service?  Who serves whom?

April 21           WORSHIP: Different Theologies: Glory or the Cross?

April 28           WORSHIP: Lex Orandi, Lex Credendi

(or, The way we worship is the way we believe)

May 5              WORSHIP: Rites and Ceremonies / Words and Actions

May 12            WORSHIP: The Church Year; Weddings; Funerals

May 19            Review of Luther’s Small Catechism / Examination of catechumen

Adult Bible Class beings promptly at 9:00 AM on Sundays.  All are welcome.

Sermon -- Funeral for John (Jack) Alexander Boyd

Christian Funeral for

+ John “Jack” Alexander Boyd +

(May 30, 1931 - February 14, 2024)

2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8

JACK BOYD SHALL RECEIVE A CROWN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

In the name + of Jesus.

      The Apostle Paul wrote these words from a prison cell in Rome.  He knew that his life was about to come to an end.  Let me correct that.  He knew his time on earth was about to come to an end.  His life was not about to end.  Instead, he was about to enter life in the glories of heaven, a life which does not know suffering or sorrow.

     St. Paul described his death this way, “I am already being poured out as a drink offering” (2 Timothy 4:6).  A drink offering would either be poured out onto the Lord’s altar or onto the ground.  Once it was poured out, you could not get it back.  That is like our time in this world.  Day after day is poured out.  Once it is in the past, we do not get it back.  Jack Boyd lived a long life—over 90 years!  Over the course of those years, he saw the lives of many loved ones poured out and emptied.  He had to bid farewell to his parents and three siblings.  By age 90, he would have bid farewell to many friends, too.  Once they were in the past, he could not get them back.  And now Jack’s life has been poured out.  His departure from this world has come.  Life here is short.  Even a life of 90 years feels short once the final drops are drained out.

     That’s not to say Jack’s life was meaningless.  Family and friends have fond memories of him.  He was active with golf, bowling, skiing, and camping trips to Burt Lake.  A stroke may have taken away his independence, but it did not rob him of his personality.  He enjoyed interacting with other residents in his facility.  I think half the time I went to visit him, he was not in his room.  In his younger years, he served his country in Korea.  He never shared any war stories with me, but maybe that is just as well.  Who knows how many people he met and how many connections he made as a barber?  But no matter how full that life was, it has been poured out now.

     But like St. Paul, Jack Boyd had something better to look forward to.  Life on this earth has been poured out, never to be retrieved again.  But life in the kingdom of God does not have an end date.  St. Paul confessed what he looked forward to, and it is what we get to look forward to as believers in Jesus Christ.  “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8). 

     The Lord has laid up for Jack Boyd the crown of righteousness.  But as St. Paul acknowledged, this crown is not earned; it is given.  For there is no one on earth who has been righteous.  Jack Boyd may have been active, productive, and entertaining, but he was not holy.  He confessed that regularly throughout his life, so we do not dishonor him by acknowledging that now. 

     Jack did not go to church to be praised for being a good man.  Jack went to church because he loved that the Lord sent a Savior for him.  He loved Jesus’ appearing.  For, Jesus Christ who is the only man who has ever perfectly obeyed all that God has commanded.  Therefore, Jesus is the righteous judge.  But Jesus does not only demand righteousness, he also supplies it.  Jack was baptized into the name of Jesus where he was clothed in Jesus’ righteousness.  He heard words of absolution which forgave him of all sins.  He went to holy communion where he feasted on the living body and blood of Jesus.  In this way, Jack received a full pardon for all his sins and the righteousness that God demands. 

     Before God, Jack was a righteous man, although it did not always look like it.  For Jack, it probably did not always feel like it.  It is hard to see anything righteous about a stroke.  As he grew older and more frail, he may have wondered if God’s favor was still upon him.  Whenever we endure hardships or loss, we wonder if God is punishing us for something we did.  But God’s favor is not made evident by appearances or by feelings.  God’s favor is revealed in his word.  And what does God say?  He says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).  The Lord Jesus showed his favor upon Jack by bringing him into the saving faith.  God’s favor continued as he sustained Jack in the saving faith.  And now the Lord Jesus gives Jack the reward for the faith he had given him.  Jack Boyd will receive the crown of life.

     The crown of righteousness God has pledged to Jack Boyd will not be seen by us until the resurrection on the Last Day.  He did not look glorious after suffering a stroke.  He did not look glorious in his final years in a wheelchair.  He certainly does not look glorious now—ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  But this is the promise: “Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).  The Savior bore the curse of God to deliver Jack from the sting of death.  The Savior wore a crown of thorns to secure for Jack the crown of life.  Jesus poured out his life completely to atone for every sin of every sinner.  The Savior who died for his sins also rose from the dead.  So, Jesus lives and reigns over sin because he has taken them away.  Therefore, his righteous judgment is forgiveness.  Jesus lives and reigns over death because he has overpowered the grave.  Therefore, his judgment on the righteous is the resurrection to everlasting glory.  Since Jack was baptized into Jesus, Jesus makes him a victor over sin and death. 

     Jack Boyd will receive the crown of righteousness.  When Jesus appears again in glory on the Last Day, Jack will appear with him and with all the saints who will be dressed in robes of righteousness and wearing crowns of glory.  All the saints will be wearing crowns because we will be living and reigning with Jesus.  For, death does not get the last word.  Jesus does.  Jesus is the righteous judge whose word is stronger than death. 

     Jack Boyd’s life has been poured out like a drink offering.  His time on earth is done.  He has fought the good fight.  He has finished the race.  He has kept the faith.  So, now his body will rest until Jesus comes again.  Then this body which has been redeemed by Jesus will be raised and glorified by Jesus.  Jack Boyd will receive the crown of life, of glory, and of righteousness.  Since Jack belongs to Jesus, he will reign with him in eternal life, endless glory, and perfect righteousness.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon -- Christian Funeral for Sylvia Campbell

+ Sylvia Jeanette (nee: Simmons) Campbell + 

(January 18, 1934 – September 10, 2023)

1 CORINTHIANS 15:42-49

JESUS HAS PLANNED A GLORIOUS RESURRECTION.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Throughout our lives we make plans.  They don’t always work out like we hope—which could be good or bad.  Sylvia Campbell was in God’s plans all along.  She was born into a Christian family and baptized into God’s family.  She had plans to become a nun, but those plans changed.  Instead, God worked it out so that she got married and raised a family.  For everyone here today, that ended up being a very good change in plans.

     Plans continued to change.  Sylvia did not plan to be a widow at age 45.  She knew her share of hardships long before the hardships of failing health.  I know your family has been dealt other blows, too.  All our plans are guesswork.  You’ve never known a world without your mother or grandmother.  Even though you knew this day would come, how do you plan for that?  All tragedies, great and small, happen because we live in a world that has been marred by sin.  And every death, whether  car accident or peacefully slipping away in hospice, happens because of sin. 

     The Bible reminds us, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  As sweet as your mother was (and she was), as kind as she was (and she was), she was still a sinner.  I know you don’t think of her that way, and that is fine.  Your memories should be endearing.  You loved her for good reason.  But Sylvia freely confessed that she was a sinner.  She recognized that no one lives up to God’s commands for perfection.  For that reason, she knew that the day of her death would come, just as it will for all of us, and for the same reason: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). 

     But Sylvia was in God’s plans.  God never planned to let people perish in their sins.  God made a plan to take away the sin of the world.  God announced his plan to restore life from death and to restore sinners to saints.  That plan was announced to Adam who first brought sin and death into the world.

     The first perfect man, Adam, rebelled against God by taking fruit that God had forbidden and trying to steal glory from God.  We all inherit that sinful nature from the moment we are conceived.  No one has to teach us how to be selfish; we just are.  So, we are like that first man who sinned.  And just as the first Adam died and his body turned back to dust, so shall we.

     But Jesus is the second Adam, the second perfect man to walk the face of the earth.  He is God in the flesh.  And he came to rectify what was fouled up by the first Adam.  The second Adam did not give in to a single temptation.  He was perfect in mercy, in generosity, in patience, and even in thoughts and motives.  Even though Jesus satisfied God’s Commandments in every way, he went to the cross to die for sins—ours.  Jesus took into his body all our guilt and suffered the cursed death sinners deserve.  So, the Son of God was condemned, but through him we receive a full pardon.  This is God’s plan to save you, and Jesus has completed it.  God’s plans never fail.

     To the grandchildren: I understand that your grandmother liked to arm wrestle with you.  Wild guess: She let you win.  Even if it was obvious that she could have pinned your wrist to the table, she probably pretended to struggle mightily and then cheered as you celebrated your big victory over her.

     We celebrate Jesus’ glorious victory over death.  However, Jesus’ death was not pretend.  Jesus’ death was real, just like Sylvia’s is.  Jesus’ lifeless body was place in a grave, just like Sylvia’s will be.  But listen to this: Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for her, and he guaranteed it by his own resurrection from the dead.  Death had done its worst to Jesus, but Jesus had the last word.  Jesus rose from the grave on Easter morning.  He cannot die again.  Death has no mastery over him; rather, Jesus rules over death and the grave.  Since Jesus has charge over death, he will summon us back from the grave to live with him.  So, death does not have the last word today.  It may seem like it.  It may feel like it, but Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for Sylvia and for all who believe in him.

     The glory of the resurrection is explained by St. Paul.  “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable.  It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power.  It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. … Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:43-44,49).  These bodies, like that of the first Adam, are corrupted by sin.  They age, break down, and die, no matter how much we try to put that off—perhaps with medicine, perhaps exercise.  I remember on one visit I had with her, Sylvia showed me her treadmill.  She said, “I dust it from time to time.”  Even if she had been relentless with it, this day would have come. 

     But bodies that are weak will be raised strong.  Bodies that grow frail will be raised incorruptible.  We will bear the image of the second Adam and will never die again.  At the resurrection of the dead, Jesus will restore everything to perfection.  There will never again be mourning or sorrow or crying or pain.  We will never experience any rift or spat.  All things will be made right by Jesus.  That is the glory Jesus has planned for Sylvia.  That is the promise she confessed in life, and it remains firm even in death.  And it is the promise that comforts us even in the sadness of a cemetery.

     Sylvia had plans throughout her life.  But plans change.  As much as she used to bake, I don’t recall that happening for quite a while.  I think I would have enjoyed her chocolate chip…, well, you name it.  But following recipes was reduced to reading them.  Age and frailty caught up with her.  I know she also tried to keep up with current events, but the more she stayed informed, the more anxious she got.  She prayed for a better world.  She did not get it here.

     But Sylvia had better news, an unbreakable hope, and greater comfort than anything this world has to offer.  She delighted to hear about God’s love for her every time we met.  She was eager to hear how God’s plans included her—that she would receive a glory that she had not earned and would enjoy heavenly bliss that goes far beyond any joys we know here.  In holy communion, she feasted on the body of Christ which has overcome death, and she drank the blood of Christ which purifies us from all sin.  She could rest secure in God’s plans because they do not fail. 

     Sylvia had plans to enter heavenly glory, and for good reason: Jesus Christ promised it to her.  Sylvia is still in the Lord’s plans: Jesus has planned a glorious resurrection for her.  And not even death can disrupt Jesus’ plans.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Forever with the Lord: Earl Schroeder (April 18, 1936 - November 23, 2022)

"Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." (Psalm 116:15)

Obituary | Earl E. Schroeder of Sheboygan, Wisconsin | Olson Funeral Home & Cremation Service

Goodbye, Dad.  Love you.

Sermon -- Funeral for Mary H. Marlow (February 15, 2022)

Mary H. Marlow was a member at St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church in Plymouth, Michigan.  This sermon was preached at Vermeulen-Sajewski Funeral Home in Plymouth.

+ Mary H. Marlow +

(January 20, 1939 – February 12, 2021)

JOHN 20:11-18

THE RISEN SAVIOR KNOWS US, LOVES US, AND SAVES US.

In the name + of Jesus.

     Separation is difficult.  Talk to parents who have been separated from a child.  It does not take long for concern to become panic.  Or think of a soldier who has been deployed.  His wife longs for his safe return, even wondering if he will ever return.  Death is a separation which is especially difficult.  A lost child can be found.  A deployed soldier hopes to come home.  But when a loved one dies, you know and feel the finality of it.  That’s why we find Mary Magdalene crying outside of Jesus’ tomb in our reading.  She dearly loved Jesus.  She was not only heart-broken that he died.  Her pain was compounded by the fact that his body was missing from the tomb.

     There is another separation that occurs in death.  The soul is separated from the body.  We commit the body to the grave, but the soul returns to the God who gave it.  This is not what God created us to be.  Bodies and souls were never meant to be separated from one another.  But that is what happens when someone dies.

     Death comes because of sin, which had produced another separation—separation between God and people.  God is the source of life and every blessing.  But our first parents, Adam and Eve, thought they could gain greater blessings by defying God’s word.  That still happens with us.  We think we know better than God.  We go off on our own, trying to find happiness by disobeying God.  All are born sinners.  As kind and caring as your mother and grandmother was, she was still a sinner.  We all are.  Sin separates us from God who is the source of life.  It produces death.

     Our Lord Jesus Christ came to earth to rectify all these things.  Jesus came to reconcile us to God by taking away our sin.  By making our sins his sins, Jesus also received the cursed death we deserve.  He was forsaken by God the Father when he hung on the cross.  He was condemned for us.  In doing so, he has delivered us from sin and its curse.  But in doing so, Jesus had to die.  He was placed in a tomb.  That’s where Mary Magdalene last saw Jesus.  On Sunday morning, he was gone.  Missing.  Doubly separated from her.

     Mary Magdalene was too grief-stricken to understand that Jesus’ death was necessary to save her.  She only knew that she lost a dear friend and teacher.  And to be fair, a dead Jesus does us no good either.  If Jesus is still dead, he did not do enough to pay for our sins.  If Jesus is still dead, death has won.  If Jesus is still dead, then we are hopeless, and all we have are grief and tears.  But Jesus is risen!  He has overcome death.  He has paid for all sins.  Therefore, we do not face the grave without hope.  Tears, sure, because separation is difficult.  But you are not without hope.  Mary Marlow did not go into death hopeless.  She died with comfort and confidence because she has a risen Savior who knows her, loves her, and saves her.

     What is your comfort and confidence today?  It is this: Our risen Savior knows us, loves us, and saves us.  Jesus showed that to Mary Magdalene.  Jesus showed that to Mary Marlow, and he wants you to know it too.  At first, Mary Magdalene did not recognize Jesus.  She assumed that he was the gardener.  Did you recognize what it was that jolted Mary Magdalene to recognize her risen Savior?  It is when he called her by name.  “Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’  She turned and said to him in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means Teacher)” (John 20:16).  Mary Magdalene was not some nameless, faceless person to Jesus.  She was precious to him, and he tended personally to her in her sorrows and confusion.

     The Lord Jesus has the same love and concern for Mary Marlow.  She was not just one of millions in a crowd.  No, Jesus knew her by name.  Our risen Savior knows her, loves her, and saves her.  When Mary was baptized, God put his name upon her.  When Mary was baptized, God wrote her name in the Book of Life.  Our risen Savior knows her, loves her, and saves her.  She learned more and more about her Savior as she went through life, and she needed it.  Death touched her life long before it took her life.  She bid farewell to her parents, to a brother, and to a beloved husband.  Such separations are difficult.  But she was never separated from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.  His love and his promises remained hers.  They remain yours today, too.

     Our risen Savior knows us, loves us, and saves us.  On February 12, 2022, the Lord Jesus summoned her: “Mary.”  She passed from this world and got to see the Savior who redeemed her.  She is with him in the glories of heaven and will be forever. 

     Our Lord will address the separations that still remain.  Mary Marlow’s body and soul are still separated, but it will not be that way forever.  When Jesus rose from the dead, he did not rise as a ghost or a spirit.  Mary Magdalene was quick to grab Jesus because she did not want to lose him again.  She did not grab thin air, but a risen body.  Just as Jesus rose from the grave as a body-and-soul man, so will we.  Today, we commit Mary’s body to the ground with the assurance that she will rise from the dead again.  Body and soul will be rejoined, and she will live with a glorious, perfect body just like Jesus’ risen body.  Mary Marlow will never have weakness or sickness.  She will never know a bad day or frustration.  She will be raised to a glorious and everlasting life.  She will never be separated from her Lord and all his blessings because our risen Savior knows her, loves her, and saves her. 

     That leaves us with only one more separation—the separation of loved ones from each other.  The Lord Jesus rectifies this separation as well.  Our risen Savior knows you, loves you, and saves you.  He delivers his salvation to you through his word and sacraments.  By these, Jesus keeps you in the saving faith.  Through these, Jesus delivers you from sin, death, and every evil.  On the Last Day, the grave will give back all the dead.  Those who believe in Jesus will be united in an eternal, joyful dwelling.  Just as Jesus spoke to Mary Magdalene, so he will summon your loved one: “Mary,” and he will bring her back.  And he will call you by name to be with him forevermore. 

     Our risen Savior knows us, and we are all dear to him.  Our risen Savior loves us, enough that he died under God’s curse to rescue us from sin and death.  Our risen Savior has saved us.  Mary Marlow has not been lost.  Not even death could separate her from her Savior.  She lives with him, just as he lives and reigns forever.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon -- Funeral for Margaretha Lester (January 15, 2022)

Christian Funeral for

+ Anna Margaretha Lester +

(March 4, 1936 – January 11, 2022)

PHILIPPIANS 3:20-21

JESUS GIVES US A HEAVENLY HOME.

 In the name + of Jesus.

     The path of Margaretha Lester’s life certainly wandered about many places.  Born in Sweden, worked in England, lived in Tanzania where she met her husband, and then moved to Michigan.  Not many people have had such different homes.  Living on three continents is unusual.  I never did ask her what she considered to be home.  I wonder if she would have said Sweden, the home of her childhood.  I know she remained fond of Sweden, based on the Swedish magazines I saw when I visited.  Of course, having been married for 45 years, she probably would have said Michigan.  Here is where she and Chuck settled and raised their children.  I suppose home is where your loved ones are.

     For that reason, Margaretha had a better home awaiting her all along.  When she was baptized into Christ, she was promised a better, more glorious home than any she knew on this earth.  God became her Father, and heaven became her home.  St. Paul reminds all Christians: “Our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20).  That is where we find the one who loves us truly and purely.  Our Father in heaven loves what he has created.  He desires us to be his people now and for all eternity.  Baptism marked Margaretha as a child of God and a citizen of heaven.  Jesus gives us a heavenly home.

      God the Father loves what he has created, but he does not love the sin which has taken root in us.  Your parents did not love the sins you did, either.  Whether you got a spanking, had your mouth washed out with soap, or were banished to your room, you were punished because your behavior was unacceptable.  Your parents wanted to drive that poor behavior from you.  But no matter how much our Father in heaven would punish us, he would not drive the sin out of us.  We are, by nature, sinful.  We cannot turn it off even when we want to.  God threatens severe, eternal punishment if we disobey his word.  That doesn’t stop us.  God promises gracious blessings if we follow his word.  We still don’t.  Sins continue to ooze out of us.  The Bible reminds us, “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), which is what brings us here today.

     But since God the Father loves what he has created, he sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to redeem it.  Jesus left the heavenly home to make his home here with us.  Jesus became a man to deliver mankind out of sin and death.  He does not want our eternal abode to be apart from God, so he acted to take away from us any and all sin which earns God’s wrath.  He assumed our sin in his body which was, then, pierced to a cross.  Jesus is the guilt offering which is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.  Jesus’ death satisfies God’s justice.  Jesus bore all sins and suffered the curse meant for all sinners.  Therefore, all guilt has been punished.  Since all sin has been taken away by Jesus, sin no longer condemns.  There is pardon for all who believe in Jesus.  God and sinners have been reconciled.  Jesus gives us a heavenly home.

     When Margaretha lived in Tanzania, she helped people who were fleeing from hostilities in Kenya.  They escaped the hardships and brutality of one place, but they still needed someone to provide for them in their new place.  She oversaw their care in the refugee camp.  The Lord Jesus delivered us from our enemies of sin, death, and the devil.  Our citizenship is in heaven, but we are not there yet.  We still live in a world hostile to Jesus and to his people.  In order to find comfort and aid until we get there, our Lord brings us into the Church.  The Church is where Jesus dwells with his people to bless and to save them.  It is there that Margaretha was continually reminded of God’s mercy and love.  It is there that the Lord sustains and strengthens his people so that they will not fall prey again to their enemies.

     The enemies of God’s people were preying hard against Margaretha in her final years. Afflicted by Parkinson’s disease, she did not often feel at home in her own body.  She reflected on her life and wondered how much of it mattered.  I suppose part of that came from not being nearly as active as she had been throughout her life.  Part of it also came from her longing to finally go to her heavenly home.  God’s people often feel out of place in a world of sin.  We know a better life is coming, and we long to be in that kingdom won for us by Jesus.  Jesus gives us a heavenly home.

     The soul of Margaretha Lester has gone to her heavenly home.  But the Lord is not done with her yet.  God did not create her to be a soul.  God made her body and soul.  Her body, however, like every body, was corrupted by sin.  The Parkinson’s was probably the most obvious indicator of that.  Since our bodies are sin-stained, they grow old, frail, diseased, and finally die.  These bodies cannot enter the heavenly dwelling where everything is without sin.  

     But just as God loves what he has created, and just as God redeemed what he has created, so also God will raise up and restore what he has created.  St. Paul wrote, “Our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body” (Philippians 3:20-21).  Jesus did not merely die for us.  His resurrection from the dead was also for us.  Jesus left the grave with his body, never to die again.  He was buried in weakness, but he is risen in glory.  He promises the same future to all who believe and are baptized into him.

     On the Last Day, the Lord Jesus will return in glory from the heavenly realms.  He will raise up all the dead.  To those who have believed in him, to those whom he marked in baptism, he will give glorious bodies.  He will rejoin our souls with our resurrected bodies so that, perfected in every way, we can enter our heavenly home. 

     Jesus gives us a heavenly home.  Margaretha Lester will be raised from the dead.  She will be relieved from every form of sin and evil.  She will not have to comfort refugees, tend to the sick, or feel displaced from another move.  She will not grieve as her body fails or shed tears at the death of loved ones.  She will never again know a body that is afflicted with Parkinson’s disease or even a common cold.  The Lord who conquered death and lives and reigns for her will grant her a glorious body and eternal home.  There, she will know the love of a Father who gave everything to have her with him.  There, she will be among beloved saints.  There, she will be home.

     Jesus gives us a heavenly home.  And if you remain faithful to Jesus and cling to his word, you will be home there, too.

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Sermon -- Funeral for Adolfine Janecke (September 16, 2020)

The Funeral of Adolfine Janecke was conducted at Estes-Leadly Funeral Home in Holt, Michigan

ROMANS 8:31-39

NOTHING SEPARATES US FROM CHRIST.

In the name + of Jesus.

      Death produces a separation that no one likes or wants.  Most obviously, death separates us from our loved ones.  Memories you will always have—overnight adventures in her living room and badly kicked soccer balls.  But you no longer get to enjoy her personality, hugs, and conversations.  The bonds of love have been severed.  You still love your loved one, but you no longer have her reciprocating it.

     Death produces another separation.  It separates the soul from the body.  As King Solomon wrote, “the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” (Ecclesiastes 12:7)  Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust for the body, but the soul goes to God for judgment.

     Death comes as a result of a separation, too.  As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they were separated from God.  They were terrified of God, covered in shame and guilt.  They knew that they deserved God's judgment and God's wrath because of their disobedience.  Sadly, we share the same guilt.  All have sinned and continue to fall short of the glory of God.  No matter how nice you are, you are still a sinner.  You still bear guilt.  You and I deserve God's judgment.  Sin has separated us from God.  

     It is a common opinion that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell.  But the question is this: How good is good enough?  Rather than leave us guessing, God answers the question.  “Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord?  And who shall stand in his holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart...” (Psalm 24:3-4)  Only that which is holy can stand in the presence of a holy God.  It is not enough to be nice; God demands holiness.  But since no one is holy, not even one, where does our help come from?  Our help comes from the Lord, through Jesus Christ.

     This was Adolfine's confession and faith.  She knew that she was not holy.  But better than that, she knew she had a Savior who supplies the holiness needed to enter eternal life.  Jesus came to address everything that separates us from God.  Jesus took from us all our guilt and shame, and then suffered what sinners deserve.  Jesus loved Adolfine Janecke and rescued her from her sinful condition.  Through holy baptism, Jesus arrayed her in a robe of righteousness.  In Christ, she is not merely nice, sweet, and meek; she is declared holy.  She is a child of God—not, she was a child of God, but she IS a child of God—and nothing separates her from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus.  She dwells in God's presence, and will forevermore.

     This was the confidence that Adolfine had in her life.  It is the confidence that is had by all who are in Christ.  St. Paul asks: “If God is for us, who can be against us?  He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?  Who shall bring any charge against God's elect?  It is God who justifies.  Who is to condemn?  Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” (Romans 8:31-34)  Jesus Christ not only died as the payment for our sins, Jesus Christ not only conquered death by his resurrection, Jesus Christ has also been entrusted with the judgment of all people.  Who is the one who condemns?  Well, that would be Jesus.  But here is the comfort we have: Jesus Christ is on our side.  He has already rendered his verdict.  He is our Advocate and intercedes for us—those who are united to him in faith are justified, forgiven, and saved.  This is why sin no longer separated Adolfine from Christ; it was taken away.  This is why death no longer separates Adolfine from Christ; death has been killed off by Christ.  Jesus lives, and since Adolfine is connected to Jesus, so does she.  Nothing separates us from Christ.

     Jesus never forsook Adolfine, not even in life's harshest times.  When she was forced to flee Nazi Germany and separated from her homeland, she was not separated from Christ.  When she felt out of place in a new land with a strange language, she was not separated from Christ.  When death separated her from Martin in 1988, she was not separated from Christ.  Jesus never forsook her no matter how difficult her days were, not even on the day she died.  He is ever faithful and ever present.

     Nothing separates us from Christ who will restore all things.  Even the separation of the soul from the body will be remedied by Christ.  Jesus did not merely cleanse our souls.  He even redeemed our bodies.  For, Jesus is a flesh and blood, body and soul man.  Jesus rose from the dead with his body, and in the same way he will raise up Adolfine on the Last Day.  Adolfine's body will be summoned from her grave, reunited with her soul, and will live in perfect glory.  She will be raised imperishable, incorruptible, and holy.  She will never know hardship or heartache again.  For Christ, who delivered her from every evil, will keep her free from every evil forever.  And nothing will ever separate her from Christ.

     Death produces a separation from our loved ones, but Jesus even fixes that.  Thanks to Jesus, the grave must give back the dead in them.  Jesus will raise up all his redeemed to receive eternal life.  All who believe in Jesus will dwell together, forever in God's presence.  It does not matter if you end up facing “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword.” (Romans 8:35)  Those cannot separate you from Christ.  In Christ, you will have an end to pain, sorrow, and evil.  In Christ, you have peace and everlasting life.  Jesus makes you conquerors over sin, over the devil, and over death itself.  And since Jesus lives and reigns over all things, nothing can separate us from him.  Therefore, Adolfine Janecke lives.  Her soul is with the Lord.  Her body awaits the resurrection.  It will not be separated from his promises.  And neither, dear Christians, shall you.  For nothing in “all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:39)

In the name of the Father and of the Son + and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen. 

The obituary for Adolfine can be found here: https://estesleadley.com/obituaries/adolfine-janecke/