Virginia, Linda, Sandy, Marian, family and friends of Kenny:
Grace, mercy and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!
[Intro]
Our Lord Jesus Christ says to us: “I am the door [of the sheep]. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture” (John 10:9).
On Saturday morning, the Good Shepherd – with His rod and staff – welcomed Kenny Adams to the Church Triumphant, arrayed in white, as he joined the saints and angels in heaven.
On November 15, 2017, I first met Kenny while he was recovering at Glencoe Hospital. While there, in conversation, I asked him about his hobbies. He said that he enjoyed watching sports. Seeing the opportunity, I began talking about professional sports. Kenny let me speak, but I soon realized that I was mistaken. By “sports,” he meant really anything but professional sports. By “sports,” he really meant college sports.
In my many visits with Kenny and Virginia, that began in December of 2017, I sometimes had to be reminded of that. We always talked about sports, but never, ever bring up pro-sports.
Throughout his life, he was a soldier when he enlisted at age 17, with permission from his mom. While in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, he served in Germany and California. As a brother with nine siblings (six brothers and three sisters), he and all his brothers served in the Service.
Overall, his greatest love was being with his wife Virginia as they were married more than 61 years. He also loved his daughters, Linda and Sandy, as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Today, we are witnesses of the wages of sin – brought on by our first parents Adam and Eve – which is death. But, for everyone in Christ, this separation is not forever. In fact, as the Psalmist writes, “I shall not die, but I shall live” (Psalm 118:17a).
[In Christ, We Shall Live]
This little verse proclaims so much. This little verse proclaims that the dying live; the suffering rejoice; the fallen rise. This is as if Christ says, “He who believes in Me, though He die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25).
Here, the Psalmist is proclaiming the everlasting blessing of God, eternal life.
Each time when we confess our sins, our heart recognizes this gracious God. And if sins are forgiven, then death is gone! In Christ, we have the comfort and confidence of eternal righteousness and everlasting life.
This little verse is a masterpiece. Here, the Psalmist banishes death out of sight! We will know nothing of dying and of sin. But how does this happen? How do we receive this gift?
Christ says: “If anyone keeps My Word, he will never see death” (John 8:51). Christ so immerses Himself in life that death is swallowed up by life and disappears completely. He swallowed up the power of death forever as He willingly laid down his life for His sheep as He suffered and died upon the cross. In doing so, He took upon Himself the sins of the entire world, so that whoever would believe in Him would not perish in eternal death but receive everlasting life! This is proclaimed in John 3:16 when Christ says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
We keep Christ’s Word by trusting in Him and what He promises through the fruits of His Cross: forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. In doing so, we keep His Word and we never see death.
[We Grieve in Hope]
In the meantime, we are all separated this day from Kenny. We deplore the fact that our loved ones suffer and die in this life, but we have comfort knowing that God Himself is beyond death.
Remember, Christ says that He is a God of the living and not of the dead (Matthew 22:32). Therefore, Christians must live forever; otherwise, He would not be their God, nor could any Christian depend of Him unless they live. So what we see today is that death on this side of heaven is no more than mere sleep. In fact, we heard this proclaimed in the hymn “Asleep in Jesus! Blessed Sleep” (TLH 587) as sung by Terry Rowan this morning.
Although we grieve this day, “we [do] not grieve as others do who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We grieve knowing that through Christ, we have the sure and certain hope that we will see our loved ones again who have departed in the faith!
Due to his faith in the crucified and risen Christ, today Kenny is before the throne of God. He is sheltered as He is in the presence of His Lord Jesus Christ. He no longer hungers or thirsts, since He is completely satisfied through Christ’s heavenly banquet. Since sin’s power is destroyed through His death in Christ, Kenny is experiencing no more pain or sorrow. Instead, he is at heavenly bliss as he sings with his fellow saints and angels: “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen” (Revelation 7:7-12).
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
T SOLI DEO GLORIA T
Kenny Adams' Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/kenneth-adams/
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