Righteous Til The End

Prayer: I ask that you would bow your heads and close your eyes as each of you

pray with me and for me.

Dear Heavenly Father, This Your humble servant comes to You one more time.

I pray that You will use me as Your vessel to be a light for You and speak through

me oh, Lord. Allow me to decrease as You do your mighty works and increase.

Let Your Word fall fresh on the ears of those listening and allow them to become

hearers and doers of the Word. Oh Lord, speak through me, use me dear Lord.

Move in this place in a mighty and powerful way that someone’s life thorough

You might be changed and soul shall be saved. Thank You Lord, for all You

have done, and all You are going to do. Thank You dear Lord for dying on the

cross for our sins and washing us in Your blood so that we might experience that

tree of life. We thank You Lord for Righteousness sakes. All these things we

pray in the mighty matchless name of Jesus. Amen.

Introduction: We have come today for the home going service of Uncle Malachi

Harris as he was fondly called and known by many including me as his pastor.

Regardless of all Uncle Malachi may have been going through, in all of his

obvious afflictions, most likely pain that many of us could never imagine or

endure with that smile like he always wore. Yet, he never said a mumbling word

about being in pain, or any hardship or suffering nor anything negative -- he never

uttered not one complaint -- I believe he lived with the song “I won’t complain” in

his heart reciting it to himself daily.

He was always positive with such a pleasant, gentle spirit, kind words, and always

smiling with great, encouraging conversations – even in his shortness of breath…

A Righteous man with a sweet, sweet spirit and a loving, kind, warm heart.

Saints, do you know first impressions are important… and lasting impressions?

However….Last impressions are just as important and they last a life time! When

I reflect back on Uncle Malachi’s life as my member, I can honestly say that I felt

blessed to be his pastor. He was a member that most pastors cherish the thought

and pray to have hundreds of members just like Uncle Malachi.

From the first Sunday over a year ago now that I was appointed pastor and

walked into Jones Chapel I recall how he warmly embraced me as a pastor with

love and respect. The first Sunday he walked in he set in the last pew on the left

by the window. After that Sunday and from that point on when he walked in he

made his way to the third pew by the window closer to the front. He told me and

Jackie (his daughter) that he moved up closer because he wanted to hear and see

his pastor (smile). And anytime we had altar call prayer he would always make

his way to the altar and stand next to me as we would touch and agree as we

prayed. Oh, who can find a more Righteous man!

Uncle Malachi loved his family immediate (beautiful daughter: Jackie, his son:

Randy and Charles, the grandchildren, his collective family (brothers, nieces,

nephews, in-laws, Jones Chapel, his church family and he loved his pastor too!

Uncle Malachi gentle spirit and presence is and will be truly missed here on earth

however, we can rest assure he’s sing with the angels in heaven. We know that he

may be absent here on earth but he is present with the Lord!

May the life I live speak for me…May the service I give speak for me….When I

stand before my God, I want to hear Him say well done… I don’t plan to be

before you long because Uncle Malachi’s testimony during life has already helped

to prepare his home going message most fittingly entitled:

Righteous Til the End!

Sermon: When I thought about Uncle Malachi and looked back over his life in the

short – lifetime that I’ve known him the Lord laid a scripture on my heart:

(Psalm 34:19) 19 Many are the afflictions of the Righteous: but the LORD

delivereth him out of them all.

Then the Lord immediately placed His upright, Righteous servant Job and his life

analogies in my spirit. (Job 1:6-12)

-- 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves

before the LORD, and Satan[a] also came among them. 7 And the LORD said

to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and

said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking back and forth