Summary: THIS IS A FUNERAL SERMON PREACHED BASED ON THE LAST WORDS OF A COMMITTED SERVANT OF THE CROSS "READY TO GO." JOHN 3:16 INFORMS US WE HAVE A PREPARED PLACE.

READY TO GO

JOHN 3:16

AS I THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT WORDS SAY – CONVEY – ALRIGHT . . .

TUESDAY – CHURCH (ORANGE COUNTY FAIR)

EXODUS. . .(FAIR) – I TRIED TO DELAY – GOING; DECLARED – READY TO GO

CAROL VISIT (GUITARS) – GO . . .

REST – OUTING – MEETING

A PLACE FREE FROM:

PAIN

CRYING

DYING

TRYING

MOURNING

EVERYTHING IS NEW

BODY – PAINS, ACHES, HOSP, DOCTOR VISITS

MINDSET

TODAY > YESTERDAY, TOMORROW > TODAY

AS CAROL DECLARED TO ME - “READY TO GO”

I LOOKED INTO HER EYES – SAW CLEARLY THAT SHE HAD GRASPED THE ESSENCE OF JOHN 3:16 (RECITE).

JOHN 3:16 TEACHES US THAT GOD IS A : LOVING GOD, GIVING GOD, AND A GOD WE CAN BELIEVE IN.

JOHN 3:16 COMES TO US ON THE TAILSPIN OF A CONVERSATION BETWEEN NICODEMUS AND JESUS.

NICODEMUS: JOHN 3:1 DESCRIBES HIM AS:

A MAN OF THE PHARISEES

RULER OF THE JEWS

SCHOLAR OF THE LAW

FRONT COVER – JERUSALEM JET

FEATURED NUMEROUS TIMES – EBONY’S SCROLL

YET, VERSES 2-4 INFORMS US THAT NICODEMUS WENT TO JESUS BECAUSE HE HAD SOME PRESSING QUESTIONS:

HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN WHEN HE IS OLD?

CAN A MAN ENTER HIS MOTHER’S WOMB AND BE BORN A SECOND TIME?

HE HAD SOME PRESSING/PERPLEXING QUESTIONS? BUT, I LIKE NICODEMUS BECAUSE HE KNEW WHERE TO TURN, WHERE TO GO WITH HIS QUESTIONS . . .

WILLIE - MICHELLE

MICHAEL - RAMONA

NOT JUST THEM, BUT ALL OF US HAVE PRESSING/PERPLEXING QUESTIONS THAT NEED TO BE ANSWERED EVERY NOW/THEN.

IF NOT TODAY, KEEP GETTING UP, LIFE WILL THROW SOME PRESSING/PERPLEXING QUESTIONS YOUR WAY.

ABS OF STEEL, BLACK HAIR, MUSCLES – MOUNTAINS

NICODEMUS WENT TO JESUS, NOT JUST BECAUSE HE HAD QUESTIONS, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BECAUSE HE KNEW JESUS HAD ANSWERS.

IN VERSES 5-15, JESUS INFORMS NICODEMUS OF WHAT HE MUST DO, IF HE WAS GOING TO MAKE IT THROUGH LIFE’S JOURNEY. WHAT A COMFORT IT IS TO KNOW THAT NOT ONLY CAN I TAKE MY QUESTIONS TO JESUS, BUT TO KNOW HE HAS ANSWERS FOR ME. IS THERE ANYBODY HERE THIS MORNING THAT EVER HAD A QUESTION THAT ONLY JESUS COULD PROVIDE THE ANSWER?

NICODEMUS PRESSING QUESTION WAS CONCERNING FUTURE RETIREMENT?

BODY/SHAPE . . . MIND/TACK . . .

MONEY/FINANCES/RESOURCES/CONTACTS – NONE OF THAT WILL DO ME ANY GOOD . . . WHERE AM I GOING TO SPEND ETERNITY?

JESUS OFFERS UP HIS MISSION STATEMENT: JOHN 3:16

FOR GOD SO LOVED – LOVING GOD

MOTHER - 35 YEARS OF MARRIAGE

TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN

THAT HE GAVE – GIVING GOD

4 YEARS (FIGHT THE FIGHT) - FAITH (PRESS/WORSHIP)

BLESSING (MYSTIFIED DOCTORS)

WHOSEOVER BELIEVETH – A GOD WE CAN TRUST

LORD, I TRUST YOUR WORD

LORD, I TRUST YOU THAT BEFORE THE PAIN OF DEATH CAN STEAL MY JOY – SWEEP ME AWAY.

LORD, I TRUST YOU THAT BEFORE THE ANGEL OF DEATH CAN CAPTIVATE ME – SWEEP ME AWAY.

AND WITH THAT FAITH IN GOD: SATURDAY, JULY 26 – READY TO GO

SUNDAY, JULY 27 – “I’D LOVE TO STAY A LITTLE WHILE LONGER . . .”

OLD FOLKS: SOME GLAD MORNING . . .