Funeral Sermon: "Receiving the Promise" (Psalm 121)

Elaine, Jeff, Dave, and Jodi, family and friends of Ed: Grace, mercy, and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

Jesus said to His disciples, “Let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1a). Jesus says the same to us this day, “Let not your hearts be troubled.” With these words, Jesus fortified and preserved His weary disciples. Today, Jesus reminds us that we will see our loved ones again who have died in the faith.

 

During the last days of Ed’s life, I’m sure there were times when your hearts were troubled. Thoughts like, “This isn’t the way I thought it would be” likely cropped into your minds. If it did, it’s because that is a natural thought. Even though death is expected of all of us – unless Christ returns first – death still does not seem right. It just doesn’t seem right that we are separated from our loved ones. For with death, comes separation. With separation, we experience loss. 

 

Death is still our enemy. Jesus wept when He heard that His friend Lazarus was dead, even though Jesus knew that He would raise Lazarus from the dead. The shortest verse in the Bible tells us about Jesus’ tears over death: “Jesus wept” (John 11:35). So should we. We mourn death. We are sad when our loved ones die. And there is no shame in our suffering.

 

But we must remember that death is still defeated. We are not given over to despair. We mourn, but with joy. We cry with laughter. Our tears are mixed with hope. In the shadow of the grave, we sing of life eternal. In the midst of death, we confess the resurrection. Our mourning is mixed with joy because “the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23b).

 

Throughout his earthly life, Ed lived out his Christian vocations. He was a son, a brother, a husband, a father, a grandfather, and a great-grandfather to name a handful of his vocations. He grew up in Milwaukee and later found his way to the Coulee Region. Along the way, he served in the US Army and the Army Reserves. For 27 years, he served the city of Milwaukee as a police officer. From what I recall, he had many stories to share about his time on the force. But what I think he enjoyed the most was his family. He adored his wife Elaine. For Ed, passing on the Christian faith was most important to him. So, to Jeff, Dave, and Jodi, they all know what “Where were ya?” means.

 

For Ed, hunting, bowling, baseball, and watching the Packers all came up well down the list to passing on the one true Christian faith to his family. Here, at Prince of Peace, Ed served as a pillar of this congregation as an elder and as the vice-president, turned president of this congregation. Now, Ed was a sinner – just like all of us – but due to his faith in Christ, he is no longer numbered among sinners. You see, at his death, his sin was destroyed. Death for Ed is simply a portal to heaven as His Savior Jesus Christ called him home. Today, Ed is resting from his labors as he has received the promise of eternal life.

 

Ed and Elaine’s wedding psalm was Psalm 121. This Psalm tells of pilgrims on a journey to their heavenly home. Ed has completed this journey, but we on this side of heaven are still on this journey.

 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” (Psalm 121:1) Hills and mountains so often are portrayed as dangerous places. But hills and mountains are also symbols of strength and security. But, how is the Psalmist looking at the hills? As a source of danger, or as a source of help? Is he fearful, or is he confident? 

“I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come?” Well, his “help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2).

 

This psalm is an ascending promise of help, since the Lord is our ally. But what makes the Lord our ally? Well, He took on our human flesh by becoming man for us. As a man, Jesus took upon Himself our death, our punishment, so that our death would no longer forever separate us from God. He is our ally because he gives us salvation in the place of condemnation and forgiveness in the place of judgment, eternal life in the place of eternal death.

 

From where does our help come? Our help comes from the Lord! Each verse adds a blessing: “He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber” (Psalm 121:3). You see, the Lord protects us from tottering and slipping, because He never becomes inattentive to our needs. He doesn’t let us struggle our way to Him, instead He provides us the Way through His Son (John 14:6).

 

“The Lord is your keeper” (Psalm 121:5a). The Lord is our watchman who preserves His people when we cannot see the danger ahead. And unlike some watchmen who take breaks, the “Lord is your shade on your right hand,” (Psalm 121:5b) so His protection is timeless. He protects us in this life and to life everlasting.

 

All throughout his life, Ed was looking up to that hill where his help came. Today, Ed is atop that hill. He has arrived at his heavenly home. He has arrived atop the mountain the Lord of hosts has made for all peoples. Upon that mountain, he is numbered among the faithful as they eat “a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined” (Isaiah 25:6).

 

Upon this mountain, no human action occurs. Here, all people – by faith in Christ – receive what God graciously provides. Because of God’s love, He provides a rich spiritual banquet. This heavenly banquet is the richest and tastiest meal that is beyond our own imagination! The wine is aged in order to increase its color and quality. The meat is fat and rich. This is the banquet of God’s grace. Our Savior Jesus has prepared the best His love could offer: rich compassion, wonderful forgiveness, and every satisfying food for the soul.

 

This is the banquet that no one deserves, because of our sin. But God has prepared this feast for us in heaven for all who receive His forgiveness.

 

Even in our life now, we receive a foretaste of this rich meal. In the Lord’s Supper, we receive Christ’s very Body and Blood under the bread and the wine for the forgiveness of our sins.

 

While in heaven, God continuously provides as He keeps our going out and our coming in from this time forth and forevermore.

 

But heaven is not the end. For Ed and all the faithful, there is still something more on the horizon. The Apostle Paul writes: “Behold! I tell you a mystery! We shall not all sleep, but we shall be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed” (1 Corinthians 15:51-52). You see, death does not have the final say. Life has the final say! For everyone in Christ, He will transform our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body (Philippians 3:21a)! Since Christ has been raised from the dead, we too, will be raised! So, Ed’s body will be raised to life on that glorious resurrection day!

 

May we too look up to the hills and receive the Lord’s blessings of eternal life! Amen. 

 

The peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus, our Lord. Amen.

+ SOLI DEO GLORIA +

Ed Schmidt's Obituary: https://www.schumacher-kish.com/obituary/edward-schmidt

Sermon for Pentecost Day: "What Does This Mean?"

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

To get everyone caught up: Christ was crucified and died for our sins. Christ is risen for our justification, so our faith is not in vain! Christ is ascended and He promises to come again!

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

[The Pentecost Festival]

“And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?’” (Acts 2:12)

So, who were these amazed and perplexed people in our text? And, why were they in Jerusalem?

Well, perhaps you remember that “Pentecost” means “fiftieth” or “fiftieth day.” But, if you know that, you are still left with the question: the fiftieth day after what?

The reference is actually a major Jewish festival. This festival was observed seven weeks after the Passover, plus one day. This festival was known as “Pentecost.”

Now, Christians have always used Easter as the starting point for figuring out the day of this festival. Therefore, it is always on a Sunday. That is, every Pentecost day following this particular Pentecost day.

Before the people were amazed and perplexed by the disciples and asked, “What does this mean?” They arrived every year to Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost festival.

On Pentecost Eve, the Jewish priests began to gather at the inner court of the Temple. Days before, Jewish people from around the ancient Near East would have began filling the city, because they could not travel far on the previous day, which was the Sabbath.

You know what? In a small way, we are like the visiting Jews coming to the Pentecost festival. Except, we are Lutherans, and we, are finally home!

Now, the rest of us may not be here today, but they are on their way! They are traveling here, but for some, it may take some more time.

On that first Pentecost morning, farmers from around Jerusalem would gather baskets with several types of food. Then a flute player would lead the farmers up Mount Zion as they sang the Songs of Ascents – Psalms 120 through 136. One of the Psalms sung was Psalm 121:

I lift up my eyes to the hills.
   From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
   who made heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot be moved;
   he who keeps you will not slumber.
Behold, he who keeps Israel
   will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord is your keeper;
   the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
   nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all evil;
   he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
   your going out and your coming in
   from this time forth and forevermore.

This liturgy of procession and psalms was know as the Great Hallel. The final Song of Ascents was Psalm 136, which served as a climax of praise to God, “who alone does great wonders” (Psalm 136:4) through creating the earth, delivering the people out of Egypt, and conquering the Promised Land.

As the procession neared the city, officials went out to join the procession up to the Temple Mount. The king would place a basket of food upon his shoulder and lead the people into the Temple courts as the Levites sang Psalm 30, which was written for the Temple dedication.

In the Temple courts, the farmers would present their baskets before the priests. Each farmer would step forward and say the liturgy of recitation: “I declare today to the Lord your God that I have come into the land that the Lord swore to our fathers to give us” (Deuteronomy 26:3).

Then, he would remove the basket from his shoulder and tip it toward the priest. The priest, then, took hold of the basket, and the two of them swayed it back and forth as a “wave” offering. Then the farmer would recite:

“A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey. And behold, now I bring the first of the fruit of the ground, which you, O Lord, have given me” (Deuteronomy 26:5-10).

The farmer would leave the basket, bow before the Lord, and make way for the next farmer.

The festival of Pentecost was huge! Jerusalem was bustling! Jewish people came from all around the world and they spoke a wide variety of languages.

[The Unexpected Pentecost Day]

Then, came the unexpected for these visitors. They were astonished as they heard Galileans speaking in their own language! They asked one another: “Are not all those who are speaking Galileans?” (Acts 2:7)

You see, Galileans were not known for their linguistic ability. This is especially the case among working Galilean men. Galileans never really needed to learn other languages, since they remained in their own region.

This certainly caught their attention! Who were these men?!

“How is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? We hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:8, 11b).

Then these visiting Jews asked this question to one another: “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12)

This is far out of the ordinary! They expected the same old Pentecost celebration! They expected to only sing the psalms, leave their basket and recite the liturgy. This was odd.

“What does this mean?!”

Now the greater number of visiting Jews were sensible. They stopped with their questions and gave no hasty answer. They were willing to wait and see what this meant.

The minority were of a different character. They said mockingly, “They are filled with new wine” (Acts 2:13).

Yes, this minority heard the great things of God, but they passed the whole thing off with scoffing. They called the disciples tipsy, rather than attempting to ponder what this meant.

Even for us, during the months of watching on Facebook, you may have asked “What does this mean?” due to the echoes. But, you may have noticed that as time went on, God’s Word was heard clearer and clearer. Today, we hear God’s Word clearly!

[Hearing the Voice of the Savior]

So, what exactly is going on with the disciples?

Peter actually gives us the answer in his Pentecost sermon: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel:”

“And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh… And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Acts 2:14-17, 21).

The Triune God picked this particular day for a reason. He picked this day, so that all peoples of all languages would be saved! This is why the visiting Jews heard the mighty works of God in their own language!

This is a promise that cannot be broken: Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved!

You see, God promised through the prophet Joel that all people – male and female, old and young, all skin colors – that they would receive the Holy Spirit. All people include both Jews and Gentiles!

There is no other name by which we can be saved! There is no other way. We cannot save ourselves on our own. No self-help book can save us. No government can save us. No other religion can save us.

From that day nearly 2,000 years ago through today and into the future, salvation begins the instant the sinner calls upon the saving name of the Lord!

So, when we lament of our sin and ask for mercy “in the name of the Lord,” He hears us!

Today, we hear Christ’s under shepherds “telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11).

We hear of God the Father’s love for us by sending His only begotten Son Jesus to die the death we deserve and rising to life three days later, so that we, too, would be saved!

We heard the voice of God at our Baptism as He adopted us as His own through the water and the Word!

We hear of our forgiveness when we confess our sins to God the Father. Through our repentance and trust in Jesus, God the Father sees us as perfect!

We hear the Holy Spirit inspire the words of the prophets, the evangelists, and the apostles in the Scripture readings and in the preaching of His Word!

We hear the words of Jesus saying: “Take, eat; this is My body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.” And when He took the cup saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

We hear Christ saying: “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

So, as we follow the news from the Twin Cities, take heart, for Christ has overcome the world. In Him alone, we have peace.

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which began on that Pentecost day nearly 2,000 years ago continues today wherever the Gospel is preached!

Everyone – all languages and all people – who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved! This gift of forgiveness, life and salvation is all by grace through faith in Christ alone! Amen.

 T SOLI DEO GLORIA T