FUNERAL SERVICE FOR JIM BOB LEE
JUNE 20, 2009 10 A.M.
Jim Bob Lee went home to be with the Lord Wednesday night. He had been ill for an extended amount of time. He was a devoted father and grandfather. He loved his family very much. He worked hard as a rancher and farmer. He left a legacy in each life that he touched: in his family and his friends.
As I looked around the visitation last night, I could tell that he was a man who was loved. I can also tell that by the number of people here today to remember the life of Jim Bob Lee and to offer comfort and aid to the family.
Love really is the tie that binds us all together. It begins with God’s love for us. We in turn reflect that love upon our families, friends, neighbors, and church families. In Romans chapter 8, Paul tells us that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank you for Jim Bob Lee. Thank you for the long life you blessed him with. Thank you for the legacy he has left to his family. We mourn his passing but we also celebrate his life. Please comfort and strengthen each member of the family. Be with them in the coming weeks and months and years. Help us to help them through this difficult time. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
The most important thing he did in his life was to become a Christian. It is the most important decision any of us will ever make. I Corinthians 15:1-8 gives us the good news of the gospel. John 3:16 tells us that God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Romans 5:8 also speaks about the great love of God: “God demonstrates his love toward us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” God loves each and every one of us. He loves us whether we are right with him or whether we are sinners. It is an unconditional love. That is why he offers his grace freely to everyone. Grace is unmerited favor. We can’t earn it. We don’t deserve it. But it is a free gift that is offered to all who will accept it. He doesn’t want anyone to be lost. In order to accept this gift, we must first believe. Faith is the key, it is the foundation upon which everything else is built. In Romans 4:3, Paul says that Abraham believed God and he credited it to him as righteousness. In the previous chapter, Paul writes: This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
This faith however must be an obedient faith. There are conditions that we must meet in order to receive this free gift of salvation. After we believe, we must also repent or turn away from our sins. Vines Bible Dictionary defines repentance as a change of mind that results in both turning away from sin and turning to God. Paul says in Romans 12:1, do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. We must have a change of mind and a change of heart that will lead to a change in the way we live our lives.
Obedient faith also involves confession. We must confess Jesus as Lord. In Romans 10:9, Paul says that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.
The Bible also teaches that we are to be baptized. In giving his commission, Jesus tells his disciples in Mark 16:15-16: Go into all the world and teach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. When Peter preached to the Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2, he convicted them of the sin of crucifying the Lord. The Jews cried out in verse 37, What shall we do?. Peter answered them in the next verse saying, Repent and be baptized every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Verse 41 tells us that those who accepted the message were baptized and over 3000 were added to the kingdom that day.
Many feel that once we become a Christian, we can go on living any kind of life we want to. Paul addressed this in many of his letters, but Romans captures the message very clearly. They said shouldn’t we sin more so that grace may abound? Paul answers in Romans 6:2, Certainly not! We died to sin, how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
You see, many of us want the salvation that Jesus offers, but we refuse to make him the Lord of our life. We want the benefits, but we don’t want to serve him. Jesus said, if any man come after me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. We must truly let him be the Lord of our life.
It is during times of loss like this, that we often examine our own lives. Have we given our lives to Christ in faithful obedience? Will he really forgive all of my sins, even the really terrible ones? Does God truly love me? Have I accepted his forgiveness, yet failed to make him Lord of my life? What does God truly desire from me? The answer to all of these questions is in the Bible. We can find the answers if we will prayerfully study his word.
One day, we all will one day keep the appointment that Jim Bob Lee has kept. Hebrews 9:27 says, For it is appointed for man to die, and after that the judgment. We cannot escape death and judgment, but we can be ready. We can take the steps that Bro. Lee took, to make sure that we are ready. Revelation 14:13 says, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on."
"Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them."
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your son Jesus. Thank you for loving us so much, that you would offer him for our sins, that he was willing to take our place on the cross. We are thankful for your grace, your free gift of salvation that is offered to each of us. Help us to put you first in our lives, to seek to serve you. We pray for those who have not accepted your offer of salvation. We pray that they will seek you and find you. We pray for all Christians, that we will remain faithful to you and will love you with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Once again we pray for the family of Jim Bob Lee, that you will strengthen and comfort them as only you can. We ask all of this in Jesus’ name. Amen.
GRAVESIDE SERVICE
I Thessalonians 4:13-18
I Corinthians 15:58
PRAYER
Our Father in Heaven,
Thank you for the great love that you have for us. We come to you now asking for strength and comfort. We know that we will all be together again someday, but it is still hard. Grant the family comfort and peace dear Lord.
We ask in Jesus’ name,
AMEN
