“You Must Be Born Again”
Funeral Sermon for SFC (ret.) Oscar Herndon
John 3:1-3;14-16 (KJV)
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
Fort Ord, California
BIG IDEA: THE LATE SFC OSCAR HERNDON’S FAVORITE SCRIPTURE INDICATES THAT GOD HIMSELF MUST WORK A MIRACLE IN OUR HEART AND RENEW IT IN ORDER FOR US TO RECEIVE ETERNAL LIFE.
REFERENCES: John 3:1-21 (Nicodemus and the New Birth); John 11:25-26 (I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…).; John 11:35 (KJV) Jesus Wept.; Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 (Everything has its time: To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven; A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted); Job 14:1 (Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble);
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: John 3:1-3; 14-16 (KJV)
II. READ THE PERICOPE: John 3:1-3; 14-16 (KJV)
III. READ THE TEXT: John 3:3 (KJV) Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the grieving family to affirm to others that they must “BE BORN AGAIN” in order to receive eternal life.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”
INTRODUCTION: Please allow me to once again express my deepest sympathy to the family members of SFC (Ret.) Oscar Herndon.
First and foremost, Lisa - you have been a great wife for Oscar and I’m sure he loved you dearly. Thank you for loving him for more than 45 years.
I can only imagine how difficult this must be for you. For when it comes to relationships in the Bible, there is NO RELATIONSHIP more important in the EYES of GOD than the RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A HUSBAND AND A WIFE. FOR IT’S ONLY IN REGARD TO MARRIAGE THAT GOD SAYS “ONE FLESH”. For the Bible says in Genesis 2:24 (KJV) Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.
********************TAKE 5 BEATS**********************
MOVE 1: LISA, … A PART OF YOU IS GONE.
a. And we (THOSE OF US THAT ARE IN HERE) don’t REALLY understand what that feels like.
b. Because your LOSS IS DIFFERENT THAN OURS.
c. So I encourage you, MY SISTER, to find comfort in the MIGHTY ARMS OF GOD.
d. THE MARITAL RELATIONSHIP THAT GOD SAYS … Please be encouraged for … For the scripture says (in 2 Corinthian 5:8) for Christians to be absent in the Body is to be present with the Lord.
e. Angelica (his only daughter), Lee (his only son-in-law and angelica’s husband) and Affrrikka (Oscar’s grand-daughter) … my heart goes out to you. Please know that you are in my prayers.
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS********************
MOVE 2: Now, I asked Lee, the other day, what was Oscar’s favorite scripture in the Bible?
a. Yesterday, I was told that Oscar’s favorite scripture (according to his grand-daughter – Affririka) was John 3:16.
b. As you may recall, John 3:16 says and I quote, For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
c. Apparently, out of all of the scriptures in the Bible, Sergeant First Class (Retired) Oscar Herndon’s favorite scripture was John 3:16.
d. Now, at first glance my brothers and my sisters, John 3:16 is nothing more than the MOST MEMORIZED VERSE IN THE BIBLE.
e. Who doesn’t know John 3:16?
*********************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************
MOVE 3: Research indicates that most people do.
a. If you don’t agree, check it out.
b. Ask your neighbor to quote one verse from the Bible, and I believe you will discover THAT JOHN 3:16 WILL COME RATTLING FROM his or her lips more so than any other verse.
c. This is because John 3:16 is considered by many to be the GREATEST VERSE in the New Testament.
d. So the question today is … what does God want us to gleam and ascertain from Oscar’s favorite scripture … to share with those that are in attendance at this FUNERAL TODAY?
e. For you see my brothers and sisters there is NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR OSCAR.
**********************TAKE 5 BEATS*******************
MOVE 4: HIS FATE HAS ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.
a. Oscar has gone before us.
b. We have a decision to make.
c. Our story has yet to be told.
d. A closer look at our text, informs us that this particular verse is a part of a conversation that Jesus was having with a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus.
e. For don’t you remember, Nicodemus (according to the scripture) came to Jesus by night.
*****************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************
MOVE 5: Therefore, we would like to call your attention to two things about NICODEMUS:
a. The first thing about NICODEMUS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION TO …
b. … is WHO HE WAS.
c. For don’t you remember, NICK was a Pharisee.
d. He was a ruler of the Jews.
e. One that sat on the Distinguish Sanhedrin Council.
f. Nicodemus assisted in running the religious affairs of Jewish people everywhere.
g. He was considered by many to be a religious fanatic.
h. He was a apart of a group that was 6,000 strong in pharisaic membership.
********************TAKE 5 BEATS********************
MOVE 6: He was member of a select group.
a. Yet, our Bible tells us that Nicodemus with all of his education CAME TO SECRETLY TO JESUS BY NIGHT.
b. For he was empty and unsatisfied with his mainstream religion.
c. So, at the risk of displeasing his peers, he WENT TO JESUS BY NIGHT.
d. For All of Nicodemus social affiliations and the various organizations … could not fill the emptiness that was in his heart.
*********************TAKE 5 BEATS********************
e. So, the first thing that we would like to call your attention to IS WHO NICODEMUS WAS.
f. You couldn’t tell from looking outside in; but on the inside Nicodemus was crying for spiritual renewal. He was an empty and unsatisfied soul.
g. His religion wasn’t quite meeting his spiritual need. He needed more.
h. He needed Jesus.
i. So, the first thing that we should be aware of in regard to Nicodemus is …WHO HE WAS …
********************TAKE 5 BEATS*********************
MOVE 7: Now, the SECOND THING about Nicodemus that we would like to call your attention TO … is WHAT HE DID …
a. For don’t you remember, he came to Jesus by night.
b. My brothers and sisters, don’t allow the time of day or night to prevent you from getting to Jesus.
c. If it’s late in the midnight hour, please know that Jesus can be reached; anytime of morning, day or evening, a pure heart can always reach Jesus.
d. For when everyone else was talking about the possibilities of engaging Jesus in conversation, Nicodemus did it.
c. He looked past his professional affiliations, and organizations to see Jesus.
d. He humbled himself under the mighty hands of God to see Jesus for himself.
e. So, the second thing Nicodemus did that we should be aware of … IS WHAT HE DID.
*******************TAKE 5 BEATS***********************
CELEBRATION:
