Memorial Service

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 Memorial Service Jenny Cross

Scripture-Psalm 23; 2 Corinthians 5; John 14:1-6

"I Know My Master" illustrates our Lord is on the other side.

"A sick man turned to his doctor, as he was preparing

to leave the examination room and said,

"Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side."

Very quietly, the doctor said, "I don't know."

"You don't know? You, a Christian man, do not know what is on the other side?"

The doctor was holding the handle of the door; on the other side of which

came a sound of scratching and whining, and as he opened the door,

a dog sprang into the room and leaped on him with an eager show of gladness.

Turning to the patient, the doctor said, "Did you notice my dog?

He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside.

He knew nothing except that his master was here,

and when the door opened, he sprang in without fear.

I know little of what is on the other side of death, but I do know one thing...

I know my Master is there and that is enough." Source unknown

   2 Cor 5 tells us about this as well, " For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens...we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: 7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:) 8We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

For we know...is in the perfect active verb tense.  This means past results with continuing results in the future(perfect tense in Greek is used to describe a completed action which produced results which are still in effect all the way up to the present. )

We know is certainty with awareness and understanding .

Psalm 23 assures us that the Lord is our Shepherd. Despite the  things that happen to us and those whom we love, we can always trust that no-one shall pluck us out of the Father’s hand, and we shall never be lost.  This does not depend on us.  It is because He is dependable we can trust in Him as our Chief Shepherd .  Sickness, death, loss of hope, family and purpose are all included. God’s love in the Good Shepherd will always lead us home, never astray.  The Good Shepherd never fails His own.

The Gospel John 14:1-6 also reassures us that we have a place with God here and now, and especially when we leave this life---our Gospel , Jesus tells of a Mansion that has many rooms. “In my Father’s house are many rooms..” John 14:2 The word mansion is actually  lodging, dwelling-place, room, abode, mansion.

( monḗ (from 3306 /ménō, "to remain, abide") – an abiding dwelling-place (i.e. not transitory). 3438 /monḗ ("an individual dwelling") is only used twice in the NT (both times by Christ). biblehub.com)

We close with a prayer that helps us understand that we can entrust all who are dear to us for this life and the life to come knowing that He can do for us better things than we desire or pray for. 

Our Master is on the other side.

" ALMIGHTY God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come; knowing that thou are doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for; through Jesus Christ our Lord." Amen ( 1928 Book of Common Prayer)

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