Andnolongershalleachoneteachhisneighborandeachhisbrother,saying,Know

theLord,fortheyshallallknowme,fromtheleastofthemtothegreatest,declaresthe
Lord.ForIwillforgivetheiriniquity,andIwillremembertheirsinnomore.
Jeremiah31:34

Grace,MercyandPeacetoyoufromourrisenLordandSaviorJesusChrist.

Todayweareheretorememberourdearlybelovedmother,sister,grandma,auntand
friendJeanette.

TheChristianfaith,confessedbyJeanette,isastoryoflifeintersectingwithdeathand
marchingintriumphantvictory.Thereisthispresentdarkworld,avaleoftearsand
shadows,andthereisaneternalrealmofglory,purchasedforourdearJeanettebyher
Lord.Thispreciousinheritancewasstoredup,veiledinpromises,hiddeninjarsofclay
untilitwasrevealedtoJeanettefacetofaceThursdayafternoon.

ThistreasureoflifeeternalwasplantedinherinherBaptism,thewashingofrebirthand
renewalbytheHolySpirit.Thoughherphysicalbodyremainedtrappedinthisold,
failingcreation,herspiritwasbornfromabove.Herveinshaveflowedwiththeelixirof
immortality,thebloodofChristgiventoherastruedrinkindeed.Nowshehasbeenset
freefromtheconstraintsofmortalityandrisesbeforethethroneofGlory,readyatan
instanttobejoinedtoanewperfectbodyintheresurrectionofallflesh.

Makenomistake,althoughpleasantmemoriesandhappythoughtsmayprovide
temporaryreliefinyourwoe,itisonlythesureandcertainhopeoftheresurrectionof
thebody,
thisbody
,inwhichwefindpeace.Foritisnotmerelyyourtearsthatafflictyou
thisday,butthefactthatyourlovedoneisdead.Deathistherealenemyanditisdeath
thatourLordhasdefeated.Ithasbeenswallowedupinvictory!

Andso,asweconsiderthetwoworlds,twocreations,presentandeternal,fromoneto
anotheroverwhichJeanettehaspassed,wemayaskwhatpassesfromheretothere?
SurelythememoryofallthegoodthingsourLordhasdoneinandthoughyourbeloved
Jeanetteareeternal.Thegoodworkshehasdonethroughherperpetuallyriseupas
incensebeforetheheavenlythroneroom.Sheisalivingstoneinthegreattemple,
havingbeenknitintothemysticalbodyofChristhimself.Sheisboneofhisboneand
fleshofhisflesh.

Atthesametime,anyandeverybitofsininher,anyguilt,anyharshwordandlingering
recordofmisdeedhasbeenwashedwhiteinthebloodofthelamb.Itstaysbehind.It

wasnailedtothecrossandburiedinthetomb.
"I,evenI,amhewhoblotsoutyour
transgressions,formyownsake,andremembersyoursinsnomore.(Isaiah43)

Surelythememorieshavebeenrollingbyasyoureflectbackontimesbothgoodand
bitter.ThisisadaytobefullofsuchgoodmemoriesaboutJeanetteletyourheart
overflowandrejoicethatGodisfaithful.Thosewhicharesweet,clingtoasprecious.
Other,perhaps,youwouldforget.Youlikelycanthinkofthingsyouwishyoucouldhave
saidtoJeanette.Youcanalsoperhapsrememberthingsyouwishyouhadnot.Butjust
asJeanettesLordhasforgottenhermisdeeds,sotoohashepromisedtoforgetyours
inChrist,nevertocallthemtomindagain.Thereisnothinglefttosay.Thereisnothing
lefttodo.Youareforgiven.

Attheendofallthings,whatremains?

Examineyourlife,thatkaleidoscopeofmemoriesbothpleasantandtraumatic,andyou
willdiscoverthattheminddullsthesharpestsensationsofpainandsufferingand
accentuatesthosewhicharebrightestandbest.Overtimethiscreatesabalanceof
goodoverbad,abeneficialbiasifyouwill,supportingtheidiom:Timehealsall
wounds.Ithasbeensaidthatifawomantrulyrememberedthepainofchildbirthin
everydetail,rarelywouldanybodybearchildren.

Jesusexplainsthetransitionintoeternityusingthisasanexample:

Truly,truly,Isaytoyou,youwillweepandlamentwhiletheworldrejoices.You
willbesorrowful,yes,butyoursorrowwillturnintojoy.Whenawomanisgiving
birth,shehassorrowbecauseherhourhascome,butwhenshehasdelivered
thebaby,shenolongerrememberstheanguish,forjoythatahumanbeinghas
beenbornintotheworld.Soalsoyouhavesorrownow,butIwillseeyouagain,
andyourheartswillrejoice,andnoonewilltakeyourjoyfromyou.(John16)

Jeanetteshourhascome.Shehasbeenbornintothenewworld!Sheisbeingsowed
intothegroundasamortalandwillberaisedimmortal,buriedascorruptibleandrisen
asincorruptible.ThesufferingyouandIexperiencehereistemporary.Itwillend,justas
ithasforyourdearlybelovedmother,sister,grandma,auntandfriend.

Thoughthetrialsandtoilsofthislifemaytaxyoursoul,mayleadyoutoanguishor
despairthoughtemporarypleasuresallureanddistract,allurgingyoutoforgetwho
Christisandwhathehasdone,yourLordwillnever,everforgetyou.Hesays:

"Canawomanforgethernursingchildandhavenocompassiononthesonof
herwomb?Eventhesemayforget,butIwillnotforgetyou.Behold,Ihave
inscribedyouonthepalmsofMyhands.(Isaiah49)

YouarepreciouslambsforwhomChristbledanddied.Yourpainandcriesdonotfall
ondeafears.Yourtearsarenotshedinvain.Andyouareneveralone.

Maythispeace,whichtranscendsallunderstanding,guardyourheartsandyourminds
inChristJesus.

+ AMEN+