Funeral Sermon for Edna P. Sigman Even Now
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Christ is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!) In today’s Gospel, Martha says to Jesus—she says to the One who holds power over death and resurrection—“Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give to You.” Jesus answered her, “Your brother will rise again.” Dear Christian friends, Today’s Gospel takes place before Jesus’ death, resurrection and ascension into heaven. During those days, which we call the days of Jesus’ humiliation, our Lord Jesus was present only in one place at one time. If Jesus was in Jerusalem and you wanted to see Jesus, either you had to travel to Jerusalem or He had to travel to you. If you had a sick loved one in Bethany, and Jesus wasn’t in Bethany, then you had to send word to Him, asking him to come (John 11:1-3). Now, Christ is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!) After He defeated death by entering into death for you and for Edna, Jesus Christ rose and Jesus Christ ascended to the right hand of God the Father almighty. Jesus’ ascension is important for Edna and for you because, as Paul explains, Jesus did not go away from us when He ascended. Rather, Jesus “ascended far above the heavens, that He might fill all things” (Ephesians 4:10). That is to say, Jesus stopped being present in one place at one time and now Jesus Christ the God-Man is present in every place at every time. Jesus is right now equally near to you at every moment, as He is to me, to the farthest reaches of the earth, and even to our departed sister Edna. You cannot see Jesus, you cannot inwardly feel Him, and He will only communicate to you through His Word and His sacraments—but Jesus Christ is now with you always and He will never apart from you. That is the gift of Jesus’ ascension. Edna signed her own paperwork when she was admitted into hospice care. Hospice care is a good and noble profession—those who work hospice are probably stronger than other people—but hospice care is the clear sign that death is near. Hospice is like the changing leaves of autumn, which signal the approach of winter. Hospice signals the approach of death. Hospice is the court of last resort, so to speak; it is that which gets done when nothing more can be done. Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give to You.” When Edna signed her hospice paperwork, she was NOT saying with Martha, “Lord, if You had been here.” The Lord was with Edna and is with Edna, just as He always has been with her by the power of His ascension. Edna was NOT saying with Martha, “Lord if You had been here,” when she signed those hospice forms. When she placed her signature on the forms, Edna WAS saying with Martha, “Even now, Lord. Even now I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give it to You. Even now, in the inevitability of what is about to happen to me; even now, when there is nothing left to be done; even now, when it is too late. Even now.” When Martha said “Even now” to Jesus, Jesus answered her, “Your brother will rise again.” Edna likewise said “Even now” to Jesus by signing her hospice paperwork. Jesus answer to Edna is the same as the answer He gave to Martha, with only a small shift in emphasis. “YOU will rise again, Edna.” · Jesus did not say, “You will rise again” to Edna by whispering into heart or by speaking inwardly in her mind. · Jesus said, “You will rise again,” to Edna in baptism over nine decades ago, when Rev. Schriener poured water on the infant Edna—not yet three weeks old—“in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” Matthew 20:19). · Jesus repeated His “You shall rise again” to Edna in every worship service since, in every hearing of the life-giving Word, at every reception of Jesus’ body and blood in Holy Communion. “You will rise again, Edna; You will rise again, Edna; You will rise again.” Martha kept confidence in Christ, even when it was too late. “Even now,” Martha prayed, “I know that whatever You ask from God, God will give to You.” Like Martha, Edna also kept confidence in Christ, even when the hospice paperwork was signed, even when it was too late. The outward shape of letters in Edna’s signature might have spelled out the shape of her name, but the meaning of the signature was Edna’s confession of faith: “Even now.” Your Lord’s promise to Martha is your Lord’s promise to Edna and it is your Lord’s promise also to you: “Your sister will rise again.” Why? Christ is risen! (He is risen, indeed! Alleluia!) ___________________________________________________________________ 'CAT 41 Sermons & Devotions' consists of works that are, unless otherwise noted, the copyrighted property of the various authors; posting of such gives members of this list implied consent for redistribution _with_attribution_ unless otherwise specified by the author (as long as no charge is made for the work and it is not made part of a compilation), as well as for quoting or use in a congregational setting _with_or_without_attribution_. Note: This list's default reply is to the *poster*, NOT the list. Do *not* reply to the list with your comments, but to the poster. Subscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected] Unsubscribe? Send ANY note to: [email protected] Archive? <http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/> For more information on this or other lists offered by Confess And Teach For Unity, you can contact the CAT 41 list administrator at: Rev. Fr. Eric J. 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