Epiphany Lutheran Church | Dorr, Michigan
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • 25th Anniversary
    • Photo Gallery
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Church Year Explanations
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar

The Christian Funeral of Jack VanderBaan +12 February 2020

2/22/2020

0 Comments

 
I am content.  Contentment is a fleeting concept.  Something we think we understand, but in the end can’t really wrap our minds around.  Not in this world, anyways.  But we just sang it twelve times.  I am content.  But did you notice the source of the contentment?  It wasn’t things.  It wasn’t money, it wasn’t good health, it wasn’t the absence of sorrow or trouble or any other thing on this earth.  I am content!  My Jesus ever lives, in whom my heart is pleased.
We’re here today looking for contentment, for our tears to be dried, our hearts to be mended, our hopes given a foundation.  And that’s exactly what we have in Jesus Christ.  It’s exactly what Jack had in Jesus Christ.  He certainly had things to be discontent about.  He couldn’t see.  He had the aches and problems that come to a 92-year-old.  He knew the sorrow of burying a wife and a daughter, not to mention other family and friends.  But in the last week of his life, when he knew full-well what was coming, he was content.  I remember going to visit him in the hospital the morning after he was admitted and the first thing he told me was “I am content.  I know what Jesus has done for me.  I know where I’m going.”  There was no sorrow, only peace and joy.  He knew that this earthly life was about to get worse as his body gave into death, but he also believed everything we said and sang together at the beginning of this service: “If we have been united with [Jesus] in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.”  “Jesus lives!  And now is death but the gate of life immortal.  Jesus is my confidence.” 
 
One of the things that gave Jack the most contentment was the image of Christ the Good Shepherd.  On the last day that he was really able to communicate verbally we talked about faith and life, about the last Gospel truth he wanted to share with his family, both biological and otherwise.  And he said “Psalm 23.  The Good Shepherd.  That’s my favorite.”  So we read it together, from the King James, of course:
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
 
That image of Christ the Good Shepherd is one of the most comforting images in all of Holy Scripture.  Of all the ways Our Lord describes His work, this shepherd talk is where we find the greatest comfort.  St. Luke, in his Gospel records a parable of Jesus where He again presents Himself as a shepherd: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when He comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”  Consider again the words from today’s Gospel Reading: “I am the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”  Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd who stops at nothing to accomplish your salvation.  He seeks you out, plucks you out of the thorns of sin, pulls you from the jaws of death and the devil.  But He doesn’t stop there.  He lays down His life for the sheep.  Jesus Christ sacrifices Himself for you, to save you, to pay the price your sin demanded.  He gives His life to guarantee yours, the Shepherd dying for sheep who love to wander.  And all of that work of salvation Jesus gave to Jack in His Baptism, when He made His death and resurrection Jack’s, as Jesus opened heaven to him.  And week in and week out, Jack came to this Altar to receive in Christ’s very Body and Blood the fruit and benefit of His saving death on the cross.  The Good Shepherd wasn’t content to lay down His life once and be done, but came to Jack daily, to forgive his sins, to strengthen his faith, to lead him beside the still waters, to fill his cup to overflowing, to anoint his head with the oil of gladness.  Is it any wonder that Jack held that image so dear, that the faithful for generations have painted that on the walls of their tombs, their churches, and their houses?  As Jack walked through the valley of the shadow of death, he didn’t walk.  He was carried in the arms of his Good Shepherd, who gathered that dear lamb into the arms of His mercy and brought him home.
 
As much as that image gave Jack contentment, it also gave him a blessed discontentment.  He wasn’t content with just himself having that knowledge, that peace of Jesus Christ.  He wanted everyone to have that same calm, that same reassurance.  So he spoke of it to his family and friends.  I sat in his room and listened to him as he proclaimed the Gospel to a doctor from his cardiologist’s office when they were still trying to determine if surgery was an option.  The doctor said he wasn’t sure if they would be able to help him, but his team of doctors was about to meet and discuss all options.  Instead of fear and anxiety, Jack answered that doctor and said “If you can’t, it’s okay.  Jesus has forgiven me and He will take me to be with Him.  My Pastor would be glad to talk to you more about that!”  When Jack believed in something, he wasn’t quiet about it.  He threw his whole self into the work.  And that’s part of the reason we’re even here today, at Epiphany Lutheran Church.  Twenty-six years ago, he was one of the leaders who wasn’t going to sit still until the new church was established and flourishing.  He put all of himself into Epiphany—his time, his prayers, his money, his labors.  One of my favorite pictures of Jack is in the history binders in the display case in the Narthex.  It was taken in June 1999.  This building was barely more than a skeleton.  That picture is Jack, on his knees in what is now the church office, screwing the cover on the back of the church cornerstone, which had been laid that morning.   He rolled up his sleeves and worked for Epiphany, the same way he worked hard to provide for his family and for his country.  He did it because he took his Christian vocation seriously, to provide for the neighbor.  Thanks be to God that he provided so much for us today and for future generations.
 
So now we settle into a different world, one without Jack, our husband, our brother, our father, our grandfather, our great grandfather, our friend.  As we search for contentment and peace, Jesus Christ comes to us.  He comes to gather us as lambs, dear, precious, Blood-bought lambs.  His death has brought death into subjection.  Jack is not dead, but lives with Christ, in His green pastures forever.  Jesus comforts you with that Gospel, and He makes it your future as well.  Faith grasps this blessing, believes what Jesus says: “I Am the Resurrection and the Life.  He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.”
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    About

    Why does the Pastor preach?  Scripture explains that the role of preaching the Word of God is how saving faith is created: “How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard?  And how are they to hear without someone preaching?  And how are they to preach unless they are sent?  As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ … So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the Word of Christ” (Romans 10:14-17).  The Augsburg Confession, seeing this connection between the Preaching Office and saving faith, summarizes Scripture on the Office of the Holy Ministry in this way: “To obtain [saving, justifying] faith, God instituted the Office of Preaching, giving the Gospel and the Sacraments.  Through these, as through means, He gives the Holy Spirit who produces faith, where and when He wills, in those who hear the Gospel.  It teaches that we have a gracious God, not through our merit but through Christ’s merit, when we so believe” (AC V 1-3).  The whole reason the Pastor preaches is so saving faith can be created, so we know that “we have a gracious God” who loves us and has saved us from our sin by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
     
    Preaching at Epiphany is centered in this Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Every sermon approaches the Scripture Readings for the day by explaining what they mean by way of confessional Lutheran hermeneutics and applying them to our lives as Christians in the Church and in the world. 
     
    The Sunday Readings used at Epiphany are from the Church’s historic lectionary, or calendar of readings, that has been in place for nearly 1,000 years.  We use this lectionary because we are an historic Church and we acknowledge the value of what has been handed down to us.  We use this as a way of obeying the Fourth Commandment, honoring our fathers in the faith and trusting their wisdom that assembled this annual cycle of readings.  It also helps with the training of adults and children alike as we come back to the same Readings year after year and learn from them.  We strive for a deep knowledge of key passages of Scripture rather than a limited knowledge of a breadth of Readings.  Though a system like this is neither commanded nor forbidden in Holy Scripture, we voluntarily use it to shape our time together, to ensure that we learn from the whole counsel of God, not just the Pastor’s favorite verses. 
     
    May these sermons be beneficial to you for growth in knowledge of the Word of God and a stronger faith in Jesus Christ, your Savior!  They provided for devotional use and for those who might like to reference them.

    Archives

    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    June 2021
    April 2021
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017

    Categories

    All
    1 Corinrghians 1:4-9
    1 Corinthians 11:23 32
    1 Corinthians 11:23-32
    1 John 3:1-3
    1 Kings 19:3-8
    1 Peter 1:3-9
    1 Timothy 5:3-10
    2 Corinthians 2:3-11
    2 Samuel 22
    Acts 1:1-11
    Ad Te Levavi
    Advent 1
    Advent 2
    Advent 3
    Advent 4
    Advent Midweek
    All Saints
    Annunciation
    Ascension
    Ash Wednesday
    Baptism Of Our Lord
    Cantate
    Christian Questions With Their Answers
    Christmas Day
    Christmas Eve
    Christmas Octave
    Commemoration
    Confirmation
    Daniel 7:9-18
    Deliverance From Pestilence
    Deuteronomy 10:12-22
    Easter
    Easter Sunrise
    Easter Vigil
    Ember Wednesday Lent
    Ephesians 4:1-6
    Ephesians 5:20-33
    Epiphany
    Epiphany 2
    Epiphany 3
    Epiphany 4
    Epiphany Octave
    Esther 13:9-18
    Exaudi
    Exodus 20:12-24
    Ezekiel 36:23-28
    Feast Day
    Funeral
    Gaudete
    Good Friday
    Good Samaritan
    Holy Monday
    Holy Tuesday
    Holy Wednesday
    Holy Week
    Invocabit
    Isaiah 62:11 63:7
    Isaiah 62:11 - 63:7
    Jeremiah 11:18-20
    Joel 2:12 19
    Joel 2:12-19
    John 10:11 16
    John 10:11-16
    John 10:22-38
    John 1:1 14
    John 1:1-14
    John 1:19 28
    John 1:19-28
    John 12:1-11
    John 12:1-36
    John 1:29 34
    John 1:29-34
    John 13:1-15
    John 1:35-42
    John 14:23 31
    John 14:23-31
    John 15:1-11
    John 15:26-16:4
    John 16:16 22
    John 16:16-22
    John 16:23-30
    John 16:23 33
    John 16:5 15
    John 16:5-15
    John 19:28
    John 20:1 18
    John 20:1-18
    John 20:19-31
    John 2:1 11
    John 2:1-11
    John 3:1-15
    John 3:1 17
    John 3:1-17
    John 4:46 54
    John 4:46-54
    John 5:24-29
    John 6:1 15
    John 6:1-15
    John 6:60-69
    John 8:42 59
    John 8:42-59
    John 8:46-59
    John 9
    Jubilate
    Judica
    Katharina Von Bora Luther
    Laetare
    Last Sunday
    Lent
    Lent Midweek
    Leviticus 19:1-19
    Luke 10:23 37
    Luke 10:23-37
    Luke 11:14 28
    Luke 11:14-28
    Luke 12:13 21
    Luke 12:13-21
    Luke 1:26-38
    Luke 1:39-56
    Luke 14:1 11
    Luke 14:1-11
    Luke 14:15 24
    Luke 14:15-24
    Luke 15
    Luke 15:1-10
    Luke 15:11-32
    Luke 1:57-80
    Luke 16:1 13
    Luke 16:1-13
    Luke 16:1-9
    Luke 16:19 31
    Luke 16:19-31
    Luke 17:11 19
    Luke 17:11-19
    Luke 18:31 43
    Luke 18:31-43
    Luke 18:9 14
    Luke 18:9-14
    Luke 19:41 48
    Luke 19:41-48
    Luke 2:1 20
    Luke 2:1-20
    Luke 21:25-33
    Luke 21:25 36
    Luke 21:25-36
    Luke 2:21
    Luke 2:22-32
    Luke 2:22 40
    Luke 2:22-40
    Luke 2:41 52
    Luke 2:41-52
    Luke 5:1 11
    Luke 5:1-11
    Luke 6:36 42
    Luke 6:36-42
    Luke 7:11-17
    Luke 7:36-50
    Luke 8:4 15
    Luke 8:4-15
    Mark 10:17-22
    Mark 14:1-15:46
    Mark 16:1 8
    Mark 16:1-8
    Mark 7:31 37
    Mark 7:31-37
    Mark 8:1 9
    Mark 8:1-9
    Matthew 10:26-33
    Matthew 11:12 15
    Matthew 11:12-15
    Matthew 11:16-24
    Matthew 11:2 10
    Matthew 11:2-10
    Matthew 12:11-15
    Matthew 12:38-50
    Matthew 15:1-20
    Matthew 15:21 28
    Matthew 15:21-28
    Matthew 17:1 9
    Matthew 17:1-9
    Matthew 18:21 35
    Matthew 18:21-35
    Matthew 20:1 16
    Matthew 20:1-16
    Matthew 20:17-28
    Matthew 2:1 12
    Matthew 2:1-12
    Matthew 21:1 9
    Matthew 21:1-9
    Matthew 22:1 14
    Matthew 22:1-14
    Matthew 22:34-46
    Matthew 24:15 28
    Matthew 24:15-28
    Matthew 25:1 13
    Matthew 25:1-13
    Matthew 25:31 46
    Matthew 25:31-46
    Matthew 28:1 10
    Matthew 28:1-10
    Matthew 4:1 11
    Matthew 4:1-11
    Matthew 5:1-12
    Matthew 5:17 26
    Matthew 5:17-26
    Matthew 6:16-21
    Matthew 6:24 34
    Matthew 6:24-34
    Matthew 7:15 23
    Matthew 7:15-23
    Matthew 8:1-13
    Matthew 8:23-27
    Matthew 9:1 8
    Matthew 9:1-8
    Maundy Thursday
    Michaelmas 1
    Michaelmas 2
    Michaelmas 3
    Michaelmas 4
    Michaelmas 7
    Michaelmas 8
    Michaelmas 9
    Misericordia Domini
    Most Holy Name Of Jesus
    Nativity Of John The Baptist
    Oculi
    Palmarum
    Palm Sunday
    Passiontide
    Pentecost
    Pentecost 21B
    Pharisee And Tax Collector
    Philippians 2:5-11
    Populus Zion
    Presentation Of The Augsburg Confession
    Proverbs 25:6-14
    Psalm 118
    Psalm 119:73-80
    Psalm 50
    Psalm 91
    Purification BVM
    Quasi Modo Geniti
    Quinquagesima
    Reformation
    Reminiscere
    Revelation 12:7-12
    Revelation 7:9 17
    Revelation 7:9-17
    Rev. Jeffrey Miskus
    Rogate
    Romans 3:21-28
    Romans 5:6-11
    Rorate Coeli
    Second Last Sunday
    Second-Last Sunday
    Septuagesima
    Seven Last Words
    Sexagesima
    St. Andrew
    St James
    St. John Passion
    St. Mary Magdalene
    St. Matthew Passion
    St Michael And All Angels
    St Titus
    Tenebrae
    Thanksgiving
    Third Last Sunday
    Third-Last Sunday
    Titus 1:1-9
    Transfiguration
    Tre Ore
    Triduum
    Trinity
    Trinity 1
    Trinity 10
    Trinity 11
    Trinity 12
    Trinity 13
    Trinity 14
    Trinity 15
    Trinity 16
    Trinity 17
    Trinity 18
    Trinity 19
    Trinity 2
    Trinity 20
    Trinity 21
    Trinity 22
    Trinity 25
    Trinity 26
    Trinity 27
    Trinity 3
    Trinity 4
    Trinity 5
    Trinity 6
    Trinity 7
    Trinity 8
    Trinity 9
    Trintiy 7
    Vicar Burgdorf
    Visitation Of The BVM
    Wedding

    RSS Feed

Location

Saved by God's Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9

Contact Us

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Our Beliefs
    • Our History
    • Our Pastor
    • 25th Anniversary
    • Photo Gallery
    • Contact Us
  • Worship
    • Church Year Explanations
    • Sermons
    • Bulletins
    • The Singing Church
  • Resources
    • Food Pantry
    • Related Sites
  • Give Online
  • Calendar