"Mom's Message"

“Mom’s Message”

Back in the spring, I attempted to do some purging of stuff. I am at the stage where it is time to let go of things which isn’t easy for me. So, one of the things I tried to attack was a box filled with a collection of memorabilia that had been collected by my grandparents on both sides and that of my parents as well. Hey, it’s easier to get rid of somebody else’s stuff, right?
Apparently, I put some things in there, too, because one of the things I found was a copy of the eulogy which Jeff Farley gave at my mother’s funeral. I’m sure I must have read it before and I don’t really remember much about the funeral. When a funeral is for someone close to you, I think you are in a bit of a daze through it.
But there was a very good message from my mom in the eulogy and I thought it would be good for a sermon for Mother’s Day but that didn’t work out but I think God was saving it for World Communion Sunday.
Only a handful of you will remember my mom, Betty Ketcham. She passed away 20 years ago in Aug. My mom was a great lady and did many of the things all moms do. Of course, she was special to me and my siblings and my dad. She was also a woman of great faith. She was active in this church but she was also someone who read the Bible and studied the word and tried to live accordingly being a good example of one of Christ’s followers. She wasn’t boldly outspoken about her faith but lived it and shared it in quiet ways like sending folks pages from a daily devotional.
In the eulogy, Jeff said that she was untroubled by death and for many years planned her service. Sue and Penny will remember she wanted about 25 hymns which they lovingly managed to play as medleys for the prelude and postlude.
She wanted my brother, Frank, to sing “God is Good” but we thought that might be too hard on him.
Which, by the way, our church has Life Inventory forms available for anyone who might like to write down what their wishes might be for their service. It really is a huge help for the family. There are some at the back of church today.
My mom also basically wrote her own obituary partially because she thought it would be a good place to write to let people know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. She thought it would be good witnessing with many people reading her obituary.
Jeff also said she wanted John 3:16 read at her service. But even more than reading it, she thought it was important for people to understand the verse’s four propositions. I will share what she wanted people to know but I want to share what I found in exploring the verse myself.
John 3:16 – For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
This verse is just 26 words long, depending on the translation, but I don’t know if you realize it but it basically sums up the entire Christian message. Apparently, this simple verse is so important that ministers sometimes shy away from preaching on it. One minister I listened to said, he waited until his 15th year of preaching before trying to preach about it. So, here I am taking a stab at it. If I don’t get it right, well, you get what you pay for. I’m sure God will provide.
Max Lucado, minister and well-known author, called it the “Hope Diamond of the Bible” in his book “3:16”. The verse begins with, “For God so loved”. It’s not just that God loved but he so loved. That’s like the difference in someone telling you - I love you and someone saying - I love you so much. It demonstrated the enormity of his love.
It continues “so loved the world”. By saying “world” he is not just referring to the planet. He’s referring to what’s out there - humankind with all the good, bad, evil, temptations, rebellion, sins, greed and more. Think about this if you are a parent, there was a time when you had your precious child, the child grew and it came time to take the child to daycare or school.
You had to let that child be exposed to the “world”. You might have wanted to keep the child in a little protective bubble but its impossible. Then your child comes home one day and says a word or a phrase you haven’t heard before and you know the world is having an influence on your child.
We are well aware of what the world can be like and we pray our kids and loved ones will be all right. But God didn’t wait for the world to clean itself up before he loved it – He loved first.
God loved this world and us in it, so much He wanted to save it so what did he do?

He sent Jesus to teach us how to live, how to love one another and to bring us back into a relationship with Him.
But then, as the verse says, “he gave his only son”, his precious son, he gave him to be sacrificed so we can be forgiven for our sins.
Neil helped us understand about a father’s love for his children in his Father’s Day sermon and how much more God’s love had to be for us to give up his only son.
God made this sacrifice, “so that whoever believes in him” will not perish but have everlasting life. Did you hear that word, whoever? It means the invitation is to everyone and anyone. It doesn’t matter about race or gender or nationality, whether you’re here or around the other side of the globe, whether you are young, old or in between, whether you are educated or not, or have past sins or present problems. Absolutely, everyone is included!
It continues, whoever believes. If one believes, and the key word is “believes” and accepts Jesus Christ they will not perish and they will have eternal life.
God offers his love to everyone, but we have to receive it. He offers, he doesn’t force it.
The good news is, this is not just for the future – although it would include heaven. But the quality of life begins now with each person receiving the Holy Spirit. If you live in the spirit, you can enjoy the peace and joy of the Lord in your life. Philippians 4:7 says 7 “

Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.”
This doesn’t mean you won’t ever have troubles, challenges and problems but it does mean God will be with you, you are not alone and you can trust in Him. As God told Joshua in the Old Testament, I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
Do you see now how John 3:16 basically sums up the entire Christian message?: the boundless love of God, the sacrificial gift of His Son, and the promise of eternal life.
And, now in summary, here’s my mom’s message based on John 3:16: 1. That God loves you, 2. That God is willing to give up his most precious relationship in order to gain your love, 3. That you have the opportunity to choose in faith to love God in return, and 4. (and the part I like the most) That this choice will turn the direction of your life around so much that instead of facing death with all of its eternal consequences, you will instead forever be headed into life.
What you do with that good news is up to you.
Thanks, Mom