Celebration of Life Service for Wayne Foust
Funeral • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Cornerstone Community Church
June 16, 2023 at 2:00pm
Prelude: Mike Wilson at the organ
Welcome and Scripture Reading: Pastor Ken Hogg
· Psalm 28:7 NIV 2011 (in bulletin)
· Nehemiah 8:10 NIV 2011 (in bulletin)
Obituary Reading: Pastor Ken Hogg
Family Memories: Pastor Dathen Foust (Son)
· (some family memories may be read by Ken or Rick; or maybe a grandson)
Congregational Song: It is Well with My Soul (words in bulletin)
· Ken leading
· Mike playing piano
Message: Pastor Rick Schwartz
It is a privilege to speak at Wayne’s celebration of life service. And we have spent time honoring Wayne, and now we want to highlight His Lord and Savior and Friend Jesus Christ.
and the hope that Wayne had in Jesus, and the hope you can have in Jesus.
And there are 2 images that Scripture uses that I want to use to get this across. 2 images that Wayne loved...
The first image that Wayne loved is the image of God as his Shepherd.
One of the famous passages that describes God as our Shepherd is Psalm 23, which Wayne loved and experienced.
Let me read it for you (a psalm of King David)
A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 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.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
We don’t think much about sheep and shepherds in our world—but this image takes us back to the Middle East several thousand years ago—where shepherds took care of their sheep, often at great cost to their lives.
Wayne was a man who knew that God was not just a theoretical shepherd taking care of Wayne as his sheep, but He personally knew God and experienced the benefits of following God.
We live in an age where God gets a bad rap; some think it is harmful or outdated to follow God.
not Wayne—Wayne knew the benefits.
What are those benefits acc. to Psalm 23.
vs. 2— is security—Wayne was able to lie down in green pastures/still waters in life b/c God was his Shepherd. struggling with rest and security? You can know those too through God.
vs. 3- is restoration—He restoreth my soul. There are many times when we need soul restoration. Perhaps there has never been a time more as a culture than now when we think about emotional and mental health. God is the true healer of the soul for those grieving and hurting today. and family and friends if you are missing and grieving Wayne—he would tell you to experience God as the who who restores your soul.
vs. 4 -
The image of the shadow of death back then was a valley—a deep rocky, dry streambed, that in a moment’s notice could be overcome by flash floods, and attacks from animals and outlaws.
Wayne knew what the valley of the shadow of death; was like b/c he lost his wife in June 20, 2010, a grandson, as well as 2 sisters. Even as he faced health problems these last few years—he knew God was leading Him. his many bouts with pneumonia; his inability to eat or drink anything anymore for the last 4 years—can you imagine? I always thought of Wayne every time we took the Lord’s Supper at church, he could not participate
His most recent challenge with breaking his hip. and yet through it all, God was leading him.
and He is leading you.
i think Wayne would tell you that God doesn’t promise us that we won’t go through the valley but He will be with us in the valley.
vs. 5 -speaks of so many images of victory-- to God preparing a table before us in the presence of my enemies—meaning we are celebrating and feasting victory over our enemies.
anointing your head with oil—means we are the honored guests at God’s banquet.
God is filling out cup so it overflows.
and goodness and love follows me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever—which Wayne is experiencing.
even the rod and the staff—as a shepherd—would be used to correct the sheep, protect them from danger or falling off a cliff—even that is a benefit.
and if Wayne were here he would want you to know just how much He enjoyed God as His shepherd.
He wanted others to know, too.
His Son Dathen told me that when Wayne was recently transferred from Adams Memorial in Decatur to a hospital in Fort Wayne, on the way there he told the EMT riding with him about Jesus.
when he went to Woodcrest recently for rehabbing after surgery, part of his mission he said was to let the people there know about Jesus.
As a sheep following His Shepherd, he wanted others to follow, too.
Whenever I had the chance to talk with him or visit him, I never heard complaining—even though to most of us it seemed he had reasons to complain—his health or not be able to drink anything or eat anything...
and yet I think the reason why He was this way—b/c He leaned on God as His Shepherd—and God provided for Him.
The other image, image #2 — is walking...
Wayne loved to walk.
and I would often see him walking out and about with his walker, even on the hottest of days.
He would walk from his house in Berne to the Wellness Pavilion in Berne and work out, and then walk home.
According to Google Maps, it is about a one mile walk to the Wellness Pavilion, and one mile back, so the man got his exercise.
and even died walking.
And that image of walking is so appropriate. b/c Scripture loves to use that image.
it shows progress—it shows direction.
it shows steadiness and consistency...
you may not get there fast—but you do eventually get there.
it implies faithfulness
The Bible even uses this image of walking to describe how...our relationship with God is supposed to be
Genesis 3:8 (NIV)
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day,
walking implies intimacy—we were made to walk with God.
when you go on a walk with someone—you are going slow enough in the same direction that you can talk.
and we are commanded to walk with God
8 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.
unfortunately, if you read Scripture, we as a people struggle to walk with God.
Instead of walking the right path of wisdom—we walk the way of foolishness and go our own way. We walk in the counsel of the wicked.
and b/c of that—Scripture we are all like sheep who have walked astray, everyone to his wicked way.
b/c of that—Scripture calls that sin-when we walk our way—and there is a consequence
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
not just physical death
but spiritual death
Since God made us and loves us—instead of walking with Him, we went our own way—and the only appropriate punishment—when we reject the author of life—we deserve death and eternal separation from Him.
but there’s good news--
God sent His Son Jesus Christ Rescue Mission.
Jesus Christ WALKED this earth—the eternal Son of God became man, took on human flesh, and walked.
He always walked with His Father and the Holy Spirit perfectly and intimately.
and most of all he came to die for our sins on the cross.
10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
13 The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.
14 “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—
15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.
Jesus as the good shepherd paid for our sin on the cross..
he walked the worst road on our behalf as he carried his cross to death
and on that cross, he was paying for our sin our place…(he didn’t deserve it—we did!)
and 3 days later, he rose from the grave—proving that our sins can be paid for, we can be forgiven, we can walk with God.
but…to do so..
we have to admit we are sinners who have walked our own way
we have to trust Jesus walked for us in our place and died as the good shepherd
and surrender to King Jesus.
and I guarantee if you do that—you will know God as your Shepherd just like Wayne did.
you will have the option to now walk with God, day by day, as the Holy Spirit enters your life.
you will know the joy of knowing God.
whoever walks in me, Jesus says, will never walk in darkness.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.
and one day, when you die, you will walk with Jesus in heaven, like Wayne is now.
Let’s pray.
Congregational Song: I’ll Fly Away (words in bulletin)
Ken leading
Mike playing piano
Benediction: Pastor Rick Schwartz
20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep,
21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Final instructions:
I want to the invite the funeral staff forward. They will lead Wayne’s body and the family out first.
Final instructions: please remain seated until the family has left the sanctuary.
After they have left you are free to leave.
you are invited to join us at the MRE Cemetery in Berne, and following that at First Missionary Church in Berne for a meal in the gym. Please park in the back.
Thanks for coming.
Postlude: Mike Wilson at the piano
Committal Service to follow at MRE Cemetery in Berne
Funeral Meal at First Missionary Church in Berne for approximately 75 people
Committal Service:
As we gather at the gravesite to lay Wayne’s body to rest…I want to read 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
This passage is so helpful for us as we remember Wayne and remember his Lord Jesus Christ and teaches us about the reality of Wayne’s death and where he is.
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
The bible says it is possible for us to grieve and have hope at the same time.
We grieve because we miss Wayne.
and we have hope because we know where he is and who he is with.
so if you are feeling both right now—and will feel both—that is normal—the Bible calls us to.
and then Paul goes on and says why we can have hope--
14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
we have hope because Jesus died for our sins and rose bodily from the grave, and so one day—when Jesus returns, he will bring with those all who have died with him (like Wayne).
15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
this means that one day—when Jesus returns, Wayne and all our loved ones in the Lord will come back with Jesus.
and when it says the dead in Christ will rise—that means that Wayne will get a new resurrection.
One that can walk as far as he wants
one that can eat
one that will never get pneumonia or broken hips—never decay or die.
but be like Jesus’ glorious body
17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.
and most of all, Wayne right now is with Jesus—and we who are in Jesus will be, too.
18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.