Family and friends of Craig:
Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!
[Intro]
Throughout his life, Craig was blessed by God. He was blessed with a daughter, Brianna. He was blessed with grandchildren. He was blessed as he created lasting memories with them. According to Brianna, he enjoyed trying out new restaurants when traveling with his grandchildren to the Cities. He cherished every moment he had with his daughter and grandchildren. As Craig was himself a giver, all throughout his life, he was always being cared for by the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
Through the Psalmist, God informs us about how He always provides our needs, our comfort, and our assurance. In a world that is full of distress and doubt, these words of Psalm 23 give us hope in three ways: that God leads us, that God is always present, and that God always provides.
[The Lord Leads]
“The Lord is
my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness for His name’s sake” (Psalm 23:1-3).
In the first three verses of Psalm 23, we hear how the Good Shepherd leads us. The Good Shepherd cares for all the needs of His flock. In doing so, He cares for every human need: physical, emotional, and spiritual.
Under the care of the Good Shepherd, we shall not want. Now, this doesn’t mean that we will never have any desires. Rather, all of our needs are met. The Good Shepherd supplies the basics through His daily bread: food, drink, and protection.
Each day of our life and in the life to come God provides for us abundantly. He leads us to “lie down in green pastures” (Psalm 23:2a) where we are free to rest. These green pastures are His Means of Grace – Word and Sacrament – where He provides us pasture and sustenance, so that we may be refreshed and strengthened.
The Good Shepherd also “restores [our] soul” (Psalm 23:3a). Christ tells us: “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11). You see, He restores our soul as He sacrifices His life for His sheep – you and me.
The Good Shepherd also leads us in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. This path of righteousness is “the right path.” You see, Jesus will never lead us to a place of slaughter. He leads us to eternal life and salvation. Along the way, He leads us along safe paths to heaven through His Word. He leads us to heaven, for the Good Shepherd is the only Way (John 14:6) to travel the righteous path.
[The Lord is Present]
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death,
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
Even in the most frightening situation in our life, the Good Shepherd is present. So, we can always be confident of God’s guiding presence.
Even in “the valley of the shadow of death,” the Good Shepherd is with us. He is always present with us. The Good Shepherd never sends His sheep into places He will not go. He is always with us in our lives.
[The Lord Provides Forever]
“Thou preparest a table before me in the presence
of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup
runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever” (Psalm 23:5-6).
These verses tell how the Good Shepherd always provides for His sheep.
He prepares a table before us. This shows how the Good Shepherd is hospitable to His sheep. The Good Shepherd not only gives us our daily bread – all the needs of our body, such as food, clothing and shelter – but He also gives us the gift of salvation that He won for us through His suffering and death upon the cross.
The “cup runneth over” is the grace that we have received by faith in Jesus Christ. For although we were dead in sin, He took on the death we deserve upon that cross, so that we would be made righteous by grace through faith in Him. For although we sin much in thought, word and deed, God’s grace is the cup that is always runneth over. So, when we repent and confess our sins, we are forgiven.
The Good Shepherd gives all who believe in Him this goodness and mercy all their lives.
[Dwelling in the House of the Lord Forever]
For everyone who dies in Christ, they experience the ending of Psalm 23: “And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6b).
As soon as those who know the Good Shepherd enter heaven, they are no longer sinners, but only saints. So, while they are in the presence of the Good Shepherd, they “hunger no more, neither thirst anymore” (Revelation 7:16a). While in heaven, the Good Shepherd continues to provide.
Yet, for us here this evening, we are experiencing sorrow and grief. We experience grief, because death separates us from our loved ones. We grieve because death is not our friend. Death is in fact our enemy! But we ought not to grieve like others do who have no hope, because Jesus has conquered the power of death on our behalf and because He lives, all in Christ also live!
Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is always with us! He leads us and He provides forever! Amen.
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.
T SOLI DEO GLORIA T
Craig Giese's Obituary: https://hantge.com/obituaries/craig-h-giese/
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