Pathhome
The Path of Life
1 Thess 4:13-18
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 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 own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till 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 each other with these words.
Ed, Joyce, Janiece, Becky and Sandy, Family friends and loved ones, The grace of our Lord be with you today.
I remember in grade school we had to memorize a poem that begins "Two roads converge in a yellow woods..." The poem pointed out the fact that we all take different paths in life. Some people take the path where money and fame and power are important. Others chose the path of hard work and simple life. Still others pick yet another path to travel. Maybe it is a path of smiles and miles.
This was the path that Betty took. She was at home on the road in the motorhome going to Alaska or Colorado or other family trips. She also loved to smile and bring joy inot the lives of others. It could be her fresh baked goods or beautifulquilts and afghans and crochet items she made. Her joy came through the lovely flower gardens she planted and cared for as long as her health allowed. Her joy with this chosen path was heard in the songs and hymns she would sing, including those we are singing today.
The path that Betty chose to travel was shared for most of her life with Edward and later joined by the girls and their families. There was one other constant on Betty’s journey through life, that was her faith. She was consistant in her commitment to worship and regular in reception of the Lord’s Supper. Betty’s path of life was one that brought joy and love to everyone she met and made our life’s journey a lot brighter.
But no matter what path of life people take, they all come to the same end, at death.
Today we want to talk about a very special path, a path chosen for us before time, a path that leads to life, a path that leads us Home. A path that Betty has now traveled.
Our Journey begins at birth.
We all are born in sin that leads to the path of eternal death
God in His mercy provided a way out of our road to destruction
Jesus paved the way to eternal life.
Born of the Virgin Both God and Man
Lived the perfect life
Suffered, was crucified and was buried
Rose from the dead
Jesus sets us on the path of life through Baptism
In Baptism our sinful nature is put to death
We die with Christ, are buried with Christ
We are born again as a new creation.
In Baptism God Adopts us into His family and gives us the promise of our eternal Home with Him.
In the Lord's Supper we are guided and nurtured along the path
We receive the forgiveness of sins
The Strengthening of Faith
The Assurance of our Heavenly Home
Our Path in life has been laid out for us.
Betty journeyed with Christ on this path of life.
Along that journey there was always one other person, Jesus
In the last weeks She was able to look ahead and see the angels waiting to welcome her home.
Betty's journey has come to an end
She knew the end was near.
She placed her faith in Christ to walk with her in the last hours of her life and lead her gently home.
She now sits at the great banquet feast. At a Table set in her honor with all the formalities. Her path of life has led to life eternal.