Geoffrey Raymond Stone Funeral

Trevor Kay

Funerals • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

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Graveside Service

On behalf of Geoff’s family I want to thank you for taking the time and making the effort to join with us today.

We come here to this resting place. To Committee the body of Geoffrey Raymond Stone – Husband, Father, Grandfather, brother and friend to it’s kindred dust.

As we stand here today and we are reminded that Life is both a limited and journey!

Psalm 103:13–18 NIV

13 As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; 14 for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. 15 The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; 16 the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. 17 But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— 18 with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

13As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

Hebrews 9:27 NASB95

27 And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

15The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field;

16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.

17But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—

We are standing here today because of the reality that Geoff’s earthly life has come to an end.

18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,

So what is the measure of a Man?

We are standing here today because of the reality that Dad’s earthly life has come to an end.

. So what is the measure of a Man?

Martin Luther King, Jr. said and I would agree with him that “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

We need to understand as we gather here today that we are more than just earthly body, yes today we commit Geoff’s body, to the grave, taking comfort in the knowing that Jesus our Lord and saviour has conquered death.

Safe in the arms of Jesus is more than a nice saying it is reality and Jesus has already received Geoff into the place that has been lovingly prepared for him.

The Apostle Paul penned these words to encourage us today and any one who is faced with the death of a loved one who had faith in Jesus Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NIV

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. 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. 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. 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

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. 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.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. 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. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Paul’s desire is that we would have the knowledge that death is not the end but rather it is the door way to eternity.

Our blessed hope is found in that.

Yes there is sadness, yes there is loss of the earthly natural relationship but we know that today is not goodbye but rather see you soon.

We can take comfort in the words of the apostle Paul in

2 Corinthians 5:6–8 NASB95

6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

(NASB) 6Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7for we walk by faith, not by sight— 8we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

Today Geoff is absent from this earthly body and present with the Lord. What lies before us today is an earthly tent, the real Geoff is at home with his personal loving saviour.

Today Dad is absent from this earthly body and present with the Lord. What lies before us today is an earthly tent, the real Laurie is at home with his personal saviour.

God understood that what we lack and fall short in we could make up. So Father God sent Jesus to be the answer of our lack.

(NIV)

John 3:16 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

Today yes the natural body will perish but the Spirit man Geoff’s real man is at peace today with Jesus.

A reward given because of a good fight, because of a race well ran, because faith has been keep to the very end. A glorious reward. Seeing Jesus face to face presented with a crown of righteousness. That crown is available to all who would believe.

Here we commit the body to its kindred dust - Earth to earth, ashes to ashes and dust to dust. The spirit has gone to be with God and the body awaits the resurrection. We look forward the glorious appearing of our great saviour Jesus Christ when the dead in Christ shall rise and again and we will be united with Him forever.

Let Us Pray.

Celebration Service for Geoffrey Raymond Stone.

Welcome

On behalf of Geoff’s family I want to thank you for taking the time and making the effort to join with us today.

As we come today to celebrate a life lived. As we join together today to honour God and thank Him for the life of Geoffrey Raymond Stone we are faced with the reality that our earthly lives are limited.

I always like to think of this life we are given to live as a journey with the choice given to us of how we will live it out and the affect that we will have on others.

Let us pray

Hymn - How Great Thou Art.

Eulogy - Lindsey Stokes

Photo Reflection.

Hymn Amazing Grace

Message

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NIV

There is HOPE found in Jesus, even in the darkest hours of our life. There is hope.

I am not wanting to under estimate your pain in lost at this time but as the Apostle Paul states here to encourage you with these words.

Today in the grief, and in the coming months and even years we grieve with hope.

What is the hope we have?

That Jesus has gone before us and conquered death.

John 14:1–6 NIV

1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

See Jesus has and is preparing a home, place within His Fathers house. Why? So that Geoff, I, You can have a place, a real place, a home, to live forever.

How do we get to be at home with Lord.

Romans 10:9–10 NIV

9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

God invites us to join Him in a place prepared for us.

… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

A place called heaven. and the choice is ours. Take up the invitation to Believe and confess that Jesus is Lord.