Sermon Tone Analysis

SERVICE OF FUNERAL

Prior to Service:

Enter Notes Below:

Funeral Service:

Prelude: “Kiss the Rain” by Yiruma - Melody Yu, Granddaughter

Opening remarks and Prayer - Pastor Ryan Reed

2 Samuel 22:2-3 “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection.

He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.

He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence.”

Scripture Reading: Psalm 23 - Samuel Yu, Son-In-Law

Selection: “River Flows in You” by Yiruma - Melody Yu, Granddaughter

Eulogy 1 of 3 - Melissa Tseng, Daughter

Eulogy 2 of 3 - Steven Tseng, Son

Eulogy 3 of 3 - Mr. Tseng, Husband

Eulogy and Musical Tribute - Melody Yu, Granddaughter

"First Arabesque” by Debussy

"Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72, No. 1" by Chopin

Musical Tribute: "Teardrops at Night” by McLean - Sophie Yu, Granddaughter

Musical Tribute: “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" by Bastien -Leilani Yu, Granddaughter

Open Remarks (2-3 minutes per person, 10 min total) - Friends and Family

Message - Pastor Ryan

Hymn: "He Lives" - Lena Yu,

Dismissal: “O Holy Night” by Adams/Goldston - Melody Yu, Granddaughter

Graveside:

Scripture Reading and Opening Prayer - Pastor Ryan

Amazing Grace Introduction - Melissa

Amazing Grace - 5min

Family Speaker - 5min

Rose Farewell - 5min

Closing Prayer and Final Remarks - Pastor Ryan - 5min

John 11:25 Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life.

Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.”

---- Message

Opening Prayer

Heavenly Father…

I’d like to share 2 passages from God’s Word that bring comfort and hope to our saddened hearts during moments like these.

The first from Psalm 23, as Samuel read earlier, and is printed on your program

and the other from 1 Corinthians 13.

The Psalmist, King David, wrote, Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

The good news of the opening verses tell us that Christ, our Lord, is our shepherd.

He’s your shepherd.

He’s Mei’s shepherd, and now on the other is content and safe in the arms of her Savior, who loves her and calls her his very own daughter.

For us navigating these difficult days, this Psalm shows us that God guides us along rocky paths to brings us to the calm waters of his peace, refreshing our souls with his grace.

His guidance never fails us.

His presence is always with us.

In fact, in this season of advent, we are reminded that our Lord Jesus arrived to our world, as Immanuel, God with us, to show us the way home to our Heavenly Father.

We give thanks and praise today that Mei knew Christ as her Immanuel.

She placed her trust in him for the forgiveness of her sins and placed her confident hope in his arms, healed and restored.

Wherever we follow our Lord in this life onward into eternity, he promises to place our feet on solid footing.

No matter what circumstances might befall, no matter what situations might arise, even if the whole world gives way, Christ is the solid rock we stand, and all other ground is sinking sand.

The Psalmist continues…

Even though I walk through the darkest valley [some translations say, ‘the shadow of death], I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

A shepherd’s staff was comprised of two parts: a rod on the bottom and a hook on the top.

The rod was used to guard the sheep from predators And the hook was used to draw sheep close when they wander.

In the same way, our Shepherd Lord guards us from the evil one.

He protects us from the enemy’s schemes, fighting battles seen and unseen on our behalf.

He also draws us close when we wander and lose our way in fear.

Like a good shepherd, He doesn’t leave us or forsake us.

Rather, in our grief and pain, he brings us close To lead us through the valley of death Into new life.

The Psalmist continues…

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

The Lord offers those who place their trust in him blessing upon blessing in abundance by the gift of his grace.

Anointing means the covering of God’s presence.

As Christ followers, the Father’s anointing over the Son now covers you.

You are protected.

Mei is protected, so you need not fear nor worry in the wake of her passing, for she is alive in the presence of her Savior!

King David concluded the Psalm, writing…

Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Oh, what a hope!

What a promise for those of us on this side of life and what a reality for Mei to experience right now with her Lord!

And he invites us to dwell with Him forever In his house of peace and righteousness.

As Christ followers, today, we mourn and we also celebrate.

Today, we are tasting the bitter reality of death and we are experiencing the sweet life of Jesus’ promise.

We are missing Mei, and we are celebrating her heavenly vision becoming realized!

Only God can make honey from the rock hard moments in our life like this one.

Oh my, death breaks God’s heart.

It has no place in his good redeemed creation.

In Revelation 21:3-4, the Apostle John wrote: “I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people!

He will live with them, and they will be his people.

God himself will be with them.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.

All these things are gone forever.”

Which means for us now that one day your sorrow and tears will be wiped clean by your good Shepherd and Lord, never again to roll down your cheek.

Psalm 23 is a song for moments like this when we grieve the pain of death and need the presence of our Lord to assure us of his steadfast, unwavering faithfulness and forever love.

Now, speaking of love, 1 Corinthians 13 reminds us of what truly matters in this life.

When the tidal waves of sorrow and pain feel overwhelming, 1 Corinthians 13 lifts us above the waves so that we might fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith.

The Apostle Paul wrote, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.

But the greatest of these is love.

When all is said and done, Paul says, there are only 3 key ingredients to life that endure to the very end: faith, hope, and love.

Faith

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

Hebrews 11:1

Though we can neither see God nor Heaven, our hearts long for eternity.

Faith is the confident hope that one day we will be made new and united with our Heavenly Father to experience new life beyond this life filled with no more tears, no more sorrow, no more strife and division, and no more death.

Jesus said, “Behold, I am making all things new,” (Rev 21:5) and for those who place their faith in Jesus, we are made new.

Faith chooses to believe in this truth.