Sermon -- Funeral for Darren Lee Dahling (November 14, 2026)

+ Darren Lee Dahling +

January 25, 1977 – November 10, 2026

JESUS WILL AWAKEN DARREN TO PERFECT PEACE.

PSALM 4:8

 In the name + of Jesus.

     You likely know the bedtime prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep.”  It was a prayer that Darren had learned to pray, and then he went to sleep.  The Bible likens death to sleep.  When Jesus had learned that his friend, Lazarus, had died, he told his disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I am going there to wake him up” (John 11:11).  To our Lord, death is no more than a sleep from which he will awaken us.  On the Last Day, he will summon us from our sleep, raise us up from the grave, and take us into his heavenly kingdom forever.  On that day, Jesus will awaken Darren to a perfect peace.

     We live in a world of sin and death.  As a result, peace often eludes us.  Some of it is our own doing.  We either cause suffering to others because of our sins, or we inflict suffering upon ourselves because of regret and shame.  Other problems arise because our world, our bodies, and our minds are affected by sin.  That is why people may be blind, suffer from allergies, or have an extra chromosome.  According to his own wisdom, the Lord gave Darren an extra chromosome.  This did not make him less precious or less human, but it did make him a person with special needs and resulted in a life expectancy which was shorter than most.

     The Lord Jesus saw Darren as someone who had a special need—a need to be redeemed.  God brought Darren into this world on January 25, 1977.  Then God brought Darren into his kingdom on February 6, 1977 through holy baptism.  There, God washed Darren clean from all his sin.  Even though Darren was still affected by Downs Syndrome, he was declared perfect and blameless before God.  God granted him the peace of forgiveness and the hope of heaven.  That peace continued through Darren’s life as God strengthened his faith through word and sacrament.  Darren loved hearing God’s word and singing God’s praises at the Jesus Cares services each month.  One of the hymns he sang then we sang today.  Now Darren sings God’s praises in God’s presence where he enjoys God’s peace for eternity.

     That is all good news for Darren.  But on this side of heaven, peace can still elude us.  Death rips our loved ones away from us and leaves a wound.  It is a reminder that sin still results in a curse: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23).  This is why the pain and the sadness still hit us hard.  We cherish the blessings God gave.  Darren was always eager to help.  His love for sports was infectious.  He was awarded by his high school for best school spirit.  He was friends with everyone.  Death has put an end to that, and that makes death cruel.  Even worse is that sinners deserve God’s judgment.  Being friendly and helpful is not enough to open heaven to anyone.  To dwell where all things are holy, we all need holiness.  We don’t have it.  Sin brings wrath, not peace.

     It would be hopeless if it were not for Jesus Christ.  Yes, the wages of sin is death; but Jesus Christ has paid the price for all mankind.  Jesus took care of Darren’s sin at the cross.  There, Jesus suffered what sinners deserve.  Yes, death takes hold of us all, but Jesus put an end to death’s grip when he rose from the grave.  This is why Darren could lie down and sleep in peace.  Death has been overcome by Jesus.  Jesus is the living Redeemer who has purchased and won Darren for himself.  And Jesus has promised a resurrection to Darren.  Darren trusted in this promise.  In fact, it was his confirmation verse: “This is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you sent” (John 17:3).  Darren knew Jesus; therefore, Darren knew God’s peace.  Therefore, Jesus will awaken Darren to a perfect peace.

     We often think of peace as the absence of war or conflict.  The Hebrew word for peace, Shalom, is more than that.  Shalom is wholeness.  It means that everything is right; nothing is lacking.  Darren was able to lie down and sleep in peace because he was covered in Jesus’ righteousness.  Nothing is lacking that would prohibit Darren from entering the gates of heaven.  Therefore, Darren could say with the Psalmist: “In complete peace I will lie down, and I will sleep, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).  

     Thanks to Jesus, death is nothing to fear.  It is like going to sleep.  Now, none of us fears going to sleep at night.  When we sleep, we are dead to the world.  We don’t see anything.  We don’t hear anything.  We are utterly defenseless when we are asleep.  And it is not terrifying at all.  Often, we embrace our sleep.  It is because we are confident that we will awaken.  So it is with Darren.  Darren could lie down and sleep in peace because he knew that he would open his eyes to a new and glorious day.  On the Last Day, Jesus will summon him and all people from the grave for the final judgment.  Darren did not need to fear the final judgment, either, because he knew what his judgment is.  He was declared to be a child of God, and he will live as God’s own child forever.  Jesus will awaken Darren to a perfect peace.

     Now, we come back to that idea that peace is wholeness.  Jesus will awaken Darren to be perfected in every way.  He will retain his friendly personality, but now it will be perfected.  He will be raised up with a glorious body, no longer affected by Downs Syndrome.  He will not be called a person with special needs.  He will be called God’s beloved saint, risen and renewed.  Nothing will be lacking for Darren.  There are no imperfections in the heavenly kingdom.  The Lord Jesus will make all things right, whole, and perfect.  Jesus will raise Darren to a perfect peace.

     Jesus Christ summons sinners: “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).  Jesus has taken care of all of Darren’s burdens.  Jesus has declared peace upon him.  Jesus has supplied perfect rest.  Darren has fallen asleep in Jesus.  Now I lay me down to sleep.  “In complete peace I will lie down, and I will sleep, for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety” (Psalm 4:8).  Just as Jesus summoned Lazarus from his grave with a command, so he will summon Darren to live and to live forever.  Jesus will awaken Darren to a perfect peace. 

     And just as Jesus has relieved Darren of all his burdens, so Jesus will lighten your burdens as well.  A brighter, more glorious day is coming.  Soon, we will open our eyes to see the Savior and the Paradise he has won for us.  And you will receive Darren back.  And we will be with the Lord forever.  And there will be endless peace.

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

A Prayer for Veterans' Day

This photograph captures the Anthem Veterans Memorial in Arizona, featuring five white pillars aligned to cast a solar spotlight on the Great Seal of the United States. The monument is dedicated to honoring U.S. military service members and is designed to be illuminated only once a year on Veterans Day at 11:11 a.m.

A VETERANS’ DAY PRAYER

Heavenly Father, you sent your Son, Jesus, to do battle against our enemies of sin, death, and the devil.  He willingly fought and overcame the enemies we could not, and he has gained us as the prize of the battle.  He has secured our freedom from these deadly enemies and has assured us of eternal peace and rest in the heavenly kingdom.  We praise you for the sacrifice which you made and which your Son, Jesus, willingly carried out to redeem us.

Heavenly Father, we also thank you especially today for the men and women who have served our nation with courage, honor, and sacrifice. We are grateful for their dedication, their long days of service, and the burdens they carried so others could live in safety and freedom.

Bless every veteran today.
Grant healing to those with visible and invisible wounds, bringing comfort where pain remains and peace where memories still trouble the heart.

Protect them in their daily lives.
Surround them with strength, wisdom, and supportive people. Provide stability, rest, and renewed hope for the future.

Bless their families—spouses, children, parents, and loved ones—who carried their own sacrifices in seasons of separation and uncertainty. Give them unity, understanding, and deep peace.

May our nation honor veterans not only with words, but with actions of gratitude, compassion, and care.

Let us remember that freedom is never free, and may we live in ways that reflect the values they defended. Amen.

For Your Amusement: The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald

I am a day tardy on this post, but November 10 marked the 51st anniversary of the Edmund Fitzgerald sinking in Lake Superior.  My son suggested that we should have all honored the occasion by putting 26 tons of iron pellets on our front porch yesterday.  Maybe next year.

In commemoration of the 29 lives lost at the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, you will find Gordon Lightfoot's song below.  Of great amazement to me is the story behind the recording of that song.  It was not merely the first take which was recorded in the studio, it was the first playing of that song ever that was recorded. See the video at the bottom.

While not often noted, a word of commendation goes out to the freighter Arthur M. Anderson which was called to turn around in the horrendous storm on Lake Superior to see if they could find any survivors or trace of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  Even though they had made it to relative safety in Whitefish Bay, they dutifully turned back into the storm.  They found some wreckage, but nothing else.

Now, for your amusement, The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and the making of The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.

YouTube -- Mission Festival (November 8, 2026)

Here is the Mission Festival service from Sunday, November 8, 2026.

A Pastoral Concern: Preaching is free

Over the years, I have seen people comment online that a real pastor would not take a salary, but would discharge his duties for free.  I suppose the Scripture that would be cited for that is Matthew 10:8, in which Jesus tells the disciples, "Freely you have received; freely give."  Perhaps another reference would come from 1 Timothy 3:3 where Paul lists the qualifications for a pastor.  There Paul includes, "Not a lover of money."  Some say, "See?  The pastor should not be receiving money for his service."  But there is a big difference between not being greed for gain and not getting any pay.

I don't know the motive of the people who say that the pastor should work for free.  I suspect that none of them are pastors or are related to pastors.  I also don't find many people who offer to do their jobs for free.  Are they just confessing that they don't want to support a pastor?  I don't know

When a congregation pays a pastor, they may get the idea that they can control him and his message.  After all, "He who pays the piper calls the tune."  This fails to understand that the pastor is under orders, but it is not the congregation’s orders.

A congregation calls a pastor and pledges to support him.  That pastor who accepts that call receives that support with thanks.  As Hebrews 13:17 says, the pastor is accountable to Jesus Christ.  As James 3:1 warns, pastors will be judged more strictly.  Any pastor who takes these words seriously is determined to preach God's word faithfully, whether he is paid much, little, or nothing.  He dare not adapt his message for the sake of compensation.  That would make him greedy for gain.  And to be sure, there are pastors who adopt this mentality.  St. Paul warned, “There will come a time when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, because they have itching ears, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in line with their own desires” (2 Timothy 4:3).  The people call the tune, and the piper is paid richly for it.  But he is still accountable to the Lord, and he will be judged strictly for scratching the ears that itch for lies.

God’s people should know this: Preaching is free.  The pastor does not get paid per sermon.  He delivers to God’s people what the Bible says.  His call is to be faithful to God and his word.  As one of my seminary professors used to tell us, “If a man dares to step into a pulpit and say, ‘This is what the Lord says,’ it has better be what the Lord says.  Faithfulness to God’s word is not determined by one’s pay.  If the church pays much or little, the pastor preaches God’s word.  Money means nothing.  Preaching is free.

So, why compensate a pastor?  It allows the pastor to give his full time to the ministry.  If a congregation decides, “Let’s pay the pastor nothing,” the pastor will seek gainful employment from someone who will pay him.  After all, he needs to live and to feed his family.  But since the pastor also holds a divine call, he remains the pastor of that church.  He preaches and teaches in his spare time.  And if the congregation chooses to give the pastor no pay to allow him to be on call at all times, then they should expect that their pastor’s time will be greatly restricted and that his service to the congregation will come only when it is convenient for the pastor.  Nevertheless, preaching will still be free.

This is not written as a complaint, as if I am dissatisfied with my compensation.  It is written for God’s people to recognize what their pastor’s compensation is actually for.  It allows him to be a full-time pastor, without concern for another job. 

I gratefully receive a generous compensation from the congregation who has called me (and that includes the previous one as well).  I am grateful that I can give my full time to serving as the pastor of God’s people.  But when I write a sermon, I give zero thoughts to how it will affect my paycheck.  My thoughts are that I be faithful to the Lord whose call came through this congregation.  It is a Divine Call.  I serve the Lord, and I am accountable to him above all.  He has called me to preach his word, regardless of how it is received.  Therefore, preaching is free.

Mary Ellen Schroeder (December 17, 1934 - November 3, 2026)

It has pleased Almighty God to transfer my Mom to the Church Triumphant on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.  We had been keeping vigil over her for the past week.  She had been unresponsive and had neither eaten or drunk anything for over a week.  Finally, in his mercy, the Lord Jesus called her to her heavenly home.

We had asked several family members, "What was your favorite think that she either cooked or baked?"  Everyone's answer began the same: "Ooooo.  That's hard."  We enjoyed so much of what she did for us.  She showered her grandchildren with gifts and delighted in seeing them dive into her gifts, meals, and other activities.

There is too much to reflect on, but you can read through her obituary here.  Now she has joined the saints in glory.  I suspect that my Dad has looking for her since he joined the saints triumphant in 2022.

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

YouTube -- All Saints' Day (November 1, 2026)

Heere is the Divine Service from Sunday, November 1, 2026