Funeral for Ray March
PRAYER:
SONG:
Today we’re here to formally say good-by to RAY MARCH, not good-by forever, we will see him again, but it may be a long time before we join him in Glory. But we’re also here to honor him, and to show our respects, but we can also be here to celebration Ray’s Home Coming. Ray is in a far better place, free from all sickness and pain. He is now walking on streets of glory with the Lord Jesus Christ, full of joy.
With those thoughts in mind I would like to read to you 3 portions of scripture.
The first being Ray's favorite, PSALMS 23. "The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4Yea, 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. 5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."
And from (John 11:25-26) Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
And again in (John 14:1-6) Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”
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OBITUARY:
Born: March 25 1941 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Died: May 19, 2000
Ray was happily married to his wife Josie for 34 years. Ray is survived by his loving WIFE, JOSIE, his MOTHER, MARIAN, his CHILDREN, MARIAN, MICHELL, & Elaine.
5 grandchildren: Rosealinda, Robert, Daniel, Amber, & Taylor.
2 great-grandchildren: Anthony, & Nichols
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EULOGY:
Ray (as we already said) was born in 1941 in Canada, & at the age of 18 years he joined the United States NAVY, where he served 4 years. At the age of 22 he moved to California, where he met Josie & on 2/5/66 they were wed.
Ray was a finished Carpenter and highly respected in his field.
Ray was a loving Son, Husband, Father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend.
He loved his family, children, and grandchildren very much them was a very good Father and grandfather.
He was always willing to go the extra mile for his family and friends and he was a very giving man. His family summed up by saying he had a BIG HEART.
He loved the Lord, which brings me to the most important thing he ever did, and that was to accept Jesus Christ into his heart.
Ray made Jesus Christ his personal Lord and Savior more than 30 years ago. Because of that we have the assurance that he is in heaven.
SONG:
MESSAGE:
I. I think that one of the hardest things that we have to face with the death of a loved one, who really knew the Lord, is the loss that we feel. It’s sad and hard to say goodbye to someone that we love. But as I said earlier, we will see them again. But it’s also very common, when someone goes home to be with the Lord that we feel guilt. We think that you could have done more for them, we could have expressed our love more, or you could have been nicer to them, reaching out to them more.
But we should not feel any sorrow for them or any guilt because they’re in a far better place.
A. Paul said in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 “But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”
1. Paul says in these Vs that we do not have to have sorrow.
a. Why does he say that?
b. 1st of all because they are with the Lord forever.
i. We don’t need to feel sorrow for any one that has died knowing the Lord. They are with the Lord now and forever.
2. The 2nd reason why we should feel no sorrow is that we will be with them again.
a. Paul said in this same V together we will be with the Lord.
b. For all those that know the Lord will be reunited.
B. Not everyone will go to heaven.
1. Paul said in Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace are ye saved through faith (through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ); and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.”
a. And in Romans 10:9-10 Paul said, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
i. Salvation only comes by accepting Jesus into your heart, and making Him your personal Lord and Saviour.
ii. This is something that Ray did.
b. Revelation 14:13 “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them.”
i. Those that have died in the Lord are blessed. They rest from all the trials and tribulation that we have on earth and they enter into the joy of the Lord.
2. In 2 Corinthians 5:8 Paul said. “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”
a. For the Christian when the spirit leaves the body, they are present with the Lord.
b. 1 Thessalonians 5:23 “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
3. Paul said something about death, which is very comforting.
a. Paul said in Philippians 1 (V 21) “to die is gain.” And in (V 23) he said, “For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:”
b. Paul says that heaven is FAR better.
4. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
a. In (Revelation 14:13) It says that those that have died in the Lord are blessed.
SONG:
In conclusion I want to read to you a few different passages of scripture.
In (Matthew 25:14-23) Jesus tells the story of the servants and talents. When the master returned and found the servants doing what he had for them to do, he said to them, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I'll make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of the Lord."
The Lord has already said this to Ray.
Jude 24-25 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, 25 To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
Prayer: