Randall, Michele, Timothy, Michael, Tricia, family and friends of Bernice:
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!
[Intro]
Today, our sister in Christ Bernice Breyer is resting secure as sin and death has no more power over her, since she is in the presence of her Lord.
Throughout her earthly life, she enjoyed many activities including reading, sewing, playing cards, gardening, dancing, bowling, fishing, camping, and volunteering. Bernice also shared her love for Christ with her family and friends. And even when her health was deteriorating, she continued to have a positive attitude as she continued to smile as she fought cancer.
For some, they may say that death defeated her, but through her faith in Jesus, it is death that is defeated as she is now living in the presence of her Lord.
For us, here today, we may be grieving, since death separates us from our loved ones, but we do not grieve as those who have no hope, we grieve in the sure and certain hope knowing that we will see our loved ones again.
[Confirmation Verse]
In our reading today from Deuteronomy 33:12, which was Bernice’s confirmation verse, we heard: “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”
In this short verse, we hear about how the Lord loves, protects, and nurtures His children. In our other readings today from Romans 8 and John 10, we heard the same. You see, throughout our earthly life and in our heavenly life, the Lord loves, protects, and nurtures His children.
[Love]
First, let’s look at how God loves us. He loves us unconditionally. Even when we sin, He continues to love us. He loves us so much that it isn’t us that chose to love Him first, it is Him who loves us first. This is what the Triune God did for Bernice at her baptism and your baptism. He came to Bernice through the water and the Word, so that she would have the ability to believe in Jesus as her Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit, so that she would have faith in Christ and receive the gifts of eternal life, salvation, and forgiveness of sins that He won for us through His atoning death on the cross and His resurrection from the dead.
Through this love of God, she confessed her faith in Jesus Christ on her confirmation day, which brings us again to her confirmation verse: “Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders” (Deuteronomy 33:12).
This verse is reminiscent of a father toting his child on his back. The child has no worries. The child knows of the father’s love. From this, we see how God always cares for us.
[Protection]
Second, this verse tells of the Lord’s protection saying, “for he shields him all day long.”
As the world, our sinful flesh, and Satan keep sending arrows attacking us, it is our faith in Christ that doesn’t let those arrows do the damage they intend. For everyone in Christ, we will face hardships and pain, but we know that these are only temporary, as the Apostle Paul informs us in Romans 8, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height no depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39).
Christ is our shield. He is our fortress. Nothing can destroy the love of God that we have in Christ Jesus, our Lord.
We hear of Christ’s protection also in John 10 as Jesus says, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep” (John 10:7).
Here, the Good Shepherd assures us that He is the gate that controls the safety and security of the sheep. He, alone, provides access to eternal life.
[Nurturing]
Third, this verse tells of the Lord’s nurturing as it proclaims, “the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”
Throughout our earthly life and in our heavenly life, God is continuously nurturing His flock. He gives us our daily bread – all our bodily needs, such as food, drink, and clothing. He continues this in heaven as the Church Triumphant partakes of the heavenly feast.
He also nurtures us as we hear His Word and receive His Sacrament on this side of heaven. Through the Word and Sacrament, our faith is renewed and our sins are forgiven. He reminds us that no matter what happens in this sinful world that His Word endures forever. In this we have a sure and certain hope, even in uncertain times.
You see, God is loving, God is protecting, and God is nurturing.
Today, the sure and certain hope in Christ that Bernice had in her earthly life is truly being experienced. For everyone in the Church Triumphant, like Bernice, the sure and certain hope they had in Christ in their earthly life is now their present life.
Today, Bernice hungers no more. She thirsts no more. She experiences no more pain and suffering. She and all the saints in the Church Triumphant are resting secure in the presence of the Lord. Amen.
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +
Bernice Breyer's Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/bernice-frieda-breyer/
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