Funeral Sermon for Ann
Roehrman, January 12, 2009
Based on Romans 6:3-5 and
Revelation 21:1-4
Pastor Troy Slater, Our
Redeemer Lutheran Church, Herington, Kansas
Grace,
mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our crucified and risen
Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Here's something for us to keep in
mind today. Ann Margaret Roehrman has
been delivered. Ann has been rescued. … How
can I say this? Well, truth be told, I say this because the church records
indicate that she has been.
Now
obviously when I say this I'm not referring here simply to the fact that Ann has
been delivered from her suffering, although she certainly did have more than
her share of that over the last several years and we do certainly give thanks
for the knowledge that she is no longer struggling with the pain, struggling with
each breath. When I say that Ann has
been delivered, that she has been rescued, I'm not simply referring to the fact
that she is now at peace - free from the problems and the worries of this
fallen world - although again, we do give thanks for that. No when I say this I'm not referring here
simply to something that Ann has been relieved of. Rather when I say that Ann has been
delivered, that she has been rescued, I'm referring here to something greater,
I'm referring to something that Ann has been given - something that she has
been given.
For you see the
church records indicate that Ann was baptized.
In fact if I understood you Daryl and Lois correctly the other day, you've
even come across her baptism certificate. .. On July 14, 1927 - exactly one
month after her physical birth into this world, Ann Margaret Henke was given
the new birth of water and of the Holy Spirit as she was baptized in the name
of the one true God; baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit, in a church just a few miles south from here. Ann was baptized, and so as we heard from
God’s Word as the funeral pall was placed over Ann's casket this afternoon, she
has been united with Christ and His death and His resurrection. Jesus' death for sin became Ann's death to
sin on that day she was baptized. Jesus'
victory over the grave became Ann's victory over the grave. Ann was delivered. Ann was rescued. That's what the church baptismal records indicate. …
Of course
baptism is more than just a one time thing; it's more than just a
certificate. And Ann knew that. Ann knew that. For today we lay to rest a woman - a child of
God who lived out her faith, who regularly confessed her faith. Today we lay to rest a woman who regularly confessed
her sin, that sin that brought about this death that we mourn here today. She confessed her need for her Savior - the
Lord Jesus and His cross. Ann lived out
her baptismal faith as she lived in that joy of Christ, that joy of sin
forgiven, that joy of heaven secured for her by Christ.
Ann lived her faith. After all, I think it’s safe to say that Ann
lived in a way that showed that she loved life and the Creator of that
life. Whether it was her family whom she
loved - her children whom she looked out for as only a mother could; whether it
was the time she spent outdoors enjoying God's gift of creation with her
flowers, Ann loved life – she loved the Creator of that life.
She of
course loved that gift of music. That's
one of the things I wish I had had the opportunity to see or to hear. Ann making music as I
understand she did so very well, even yodeling. You know I think one of the qualifications to
be a good yodeler is that you gotta love life. Yes Ann loved life. She loved her Lord who gave her that life. Ann's baptism was more than a one time thing,
it was more than just a certificate, it was the life
that she lived. …
I of course
had the opportunity quite a bit over the last several years to visit with Ann
regarding her Lord and that faith in her Lord.
And the thing in our conversations over the years that has stood out the
most for me in looking back is that Ann would occasionally ask, "What's
heaven like?" She loved her life
here, but she knew there was something else, something more, "What's
heaven like?" And I don't remember what my response always was but I think
it tended to be something along the lines of our reading for this afternoon
from Revelation, chapter 21. Because
here John describes a vision He's given of heaven. It's "a
new heaven and a new earth, … the Holy City, the new
Jerusalem", the city of God's dwelling with men. And really it's a description that's beyond
our comprehension, isn't it? For it
describes heaven as a place where all tears have been wiped away, a place where
there is "no more death or mourning
or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
Today we mourn the present reality of
the "old order of things", don't we?
Death, pain, tears still exist. .. Yes, "What's
heaven like?" “What’s heaven like?”
… Yes it really is beyond our comprehension, isn't it?
But you know what? Today we can know that because of Jesus and
His cross and Ann's baptism into Jesus and His cross - her deliverance, her
rescue through that baptism, Ann can answer that question right now much better
than I ever could for her. For she's finding out what heaven is like. She's seeing her Savior's face. All her tears have been wiped away, her pain,
her crying is no more. Her question is
being answered. …
But there is still something missing,
isn't there? There's still something
missing for Ann yet even right now. For
today we lay to rest her body. Even as we rejoice that her soul is with her
Lord - that she is in her Savior's loving arms - we lay to rest in the ground her
body. But you know when she was rescued,
when she was delivered - baptized - that water was poured on her body, wasn't
it? … You see Jesus Christ took on flesh
to redeem flesh. Jesus died not just that
our souls can forever be with Him, but also our bodies.
And so while Ann's soul is with the
Lord, she is yet awaiting with all of us that day of the resurrection; that day
of the resurrection.
You know I mentioned that Ann
regularly confessed her faith. In fact
she, like we just did a few minutes ago, she would often confess her faith in
the words of the Apostles' Creed. In
fact we would use the Creed every week in the service I have up at the nursing
home - a service Ann was very, very faithful in attending. It will not be the same without her, I can
promise. But as part of that creed we
confess, Ann would confess, "I believe in the forgiveness of sins, the
RESURRECTION OF THE BODY, and the life everlasting." That was Ann's faith, that
was her confession. “I believe in the
resurrection of the body.”
Ann's body is now resting from her
many years of life with us. Her body has
succumbed to these earthly troubles. But
this body will rise again. That's right
this body that lies before us, will rise again – at the resurrection. Of course this time that body will no longer
be subject to pain, no longer subject to strokes nor to failing lungs, no
longer subject to death. That was Ann’s
faith - she confessed it many a time.
That was Ann's faith for that is the promise her Lord made to her over
81 years ago at the baptismal font.
Yes Ann has been delivered. She has been rescued - soul AND body soul Ann
has been rescued by Jesus, for Ann has been baptized into Jesus. Amen.