Andnolongershalleachoneteachhisneighborandeachhisbrother,saying,KnowtheLord,fortheyshallallknowme,fromtheleastofthemtothegreatest,declaresthe

Lord.ForIwillforgivetheiriniquity,andIwillremembertheirsinnomore.Jeremiah31:34

Grace,MercyandPeacetoyoufromourrisenLordandSaviorJesusChrist.

Todayweareheretorememberourdearlybelovedmother,sister,grandma,auntandfriendJeanette.TheChristianfaith,confessedbyJeanette,isastoryoflifeintersectingwithdeathandmarchingintriumphantvictory.Thereisthispresentdarkworld,avaleoftearsandshadows,andthereisaneternalrealmofglory,purchasedforourdearJeanettebyherLord.Thispreciousinheritancewasstoredup,veiledinpromises,hiddeninjarsofclayuntilitwasrevealedtoJeanettefacetofaceThursdayafternoon.ThistreasureoflifeeternalwasplantedinherinherBaptism,thewashingofrebirthandrenewalbytheHolySpirit.Thoughherphysicalbodyremainedtrappedinthisold,failingcreation,herspiritwasbornfromabove.Herveinshaveflowedwiththeelixirofimmortality,thebloodofChristgiventoherastruedrinkindeed.NowshehasbeensetfreefromtheconstraintsofmortalityandrisesbeforethethroneofGlory,readyataninstanttobejoinedtoanewperfectbodyintheresurrectionofallflesh.Makenomistake,althoughpleasantmemoriesandhappythoughtsmayprovidetemporaryreliefinyourwoe,itisonlythesureandcertainhopeoftheresurrectionofthebody,thisbody,inwhichwefindpeace.Foritisnotmerelyyourtearsthatafflictyouthisday,butthefactthatyourlovedoneisdead.DeathistherealenemyanditisdeaththatourLordhasdefeated.Ithasbeenswallowedupinvictory!Andso,asweconsiderthetwoworlds,twocreations,presentandeternal,fromonetoanotheroverwhichJeanettehaspassed,wemayaskwhatpassesfromheretothere?SurelythememoryofallthegoodthingsourLordhasdoneinandthoughyourbelovedJeanetteareeternal.Thegoodworkshehasdonethroughherperpetuallyriseupasincensebeforetheheavenlythroneroom.Sheisalivingstoneinthegreattemple,havingbeenknitintothemysticalbodyofChristhimself.Sheisboneofhisboneandfleshofhisflesh.Atthesametime,anyandeverybitofsininher,anyguilt,anyharshwordandlingeringrecordofmisdeedhasbeenwashedwhiteinthebloodofthelamb.Itstaysbehind.It

wasnailedtothecrossandburiedinthetomb."I,evenI,amhewhoblotsoutyourtransgressions,formyownsake,andremembersyoursinsnomore.(Isaiah43)Surelythememorieshavebeenrollingbyasyoureflectbackontimesbothgoodandbitter.ThisisadaytobefullofsuchgoodmemoriesaboutJeanetteletyourheartoverflowandrejoicethatGodisfaithful.Thosewhicharesweet,clingtoasprecious.Other,perhaps,youwouldforget.YoulikelycanthinkofthingsyouwishyoucouldhavesaidtoJeanette.Youcanalsoperhapsrememberthingsyouwishyouhadnot.ButjustasJeanettesLordhasforgottenhermisdeeds,sotoohashepromisedtoforgetyoursinChrist,nevertocallthemtomindagain.Thereisnothinglefttosay.Thereisnothinglefttodo.Youareforgiven.Attheendofallthings,whatremains?Examineyourlife,thatkaleidoscopeofmemoriesbothpleasantandtraumatic,andyouwilldiscoverthattheminddullsthesharpestsensationsofpainandsufferingandaccentuatesthosewhicharebrightestandbest.Overtimethiscreatesabalanceofgoodoverbad,abeneficialbiasifyouwill,supportingtheidiom:Timehealsallwounds.Ithasbeensaidthatifawomantrulyrememberedthepainofchildbirthineverydetail,rarelywouldanybodybearchildren.Jesusexplainsthetransitionintoeternityusingthisasanexample:

Truly,truly,Isaytoyou,youwillweepandlamentwhiletheworldrejoices.Youwillbesorrowful,yes,butyoursorrowwillturnintojoy.Whenawomanisgivingbirth,shehassorrowbecauseherhourhascome,butwhenshehasdeliveredthebaby,shenolongerrememberstheanguish,forjoythatahumanbeinghasbeenbornintotheworld.Soalsoyouhavesorrownow,butIwillseeyouagain,andyourheartswillrejoice,andnoonewilltakeyourjoyfromyou.(John16)

Jeanetteshourhascome.Shehasbeenbornintothenewworld!Sheisbeingsowedintothegroundasamortalandwillberaisedimmortal,buriedascorruptibleandrisenasincorruptible.ThesufferingyouandIexperiencehereistemporary.Itwillend,justasithasforyourdearlybelovedmother,sister,grandma,auntandfriend.

Thoughthetrialsandtoilsofthislifemaytaxyoursoul,mayleadyoutoanguishordespairthoughtemporarypleasuresallureanddistract,allurgingyoutoforgetwhoChristisandwhathehasdone,yourLordwillnever,everforgetyou.Hesays:

"Canawomanforgethernursingchildandhavenocompassiononthesonofherwomb?Eventhesemayforget,butIwillnotforgetyou.Behold,IhaveinscribedyouonthepalmsofMyhands.(Isaiah49)

YouarepreciouslambsforwhomChristbledanddied.Yourpainandcriesdonotfallondeafears.Yourtearsarenotshedinvain.Andyouareneveralone.Maythispeace,whichtranscendsallunderstanding,guardyourheartsandyourminds

inChristJesus.

+ AMEN+