Grace Mercy and Peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text is the Old Testament lesson that was just read, "fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God." Thus far our text.
Dear friends in Christ, family and acquaintances, especially Dani, Judy, Al and Sandy. Today, our fears confront us. Today we are faced with our biggest pain and hurt, the death of a loved one. It is not an easy time, it is a time for mourning, a time for sorrow. It is a time when we ask questions, "Why, Lord, did you take our loved one?" "Why, Lord, because she was so young?" "Why Lord, when she had family and friends who love her?" Why? And in response, God answers us in our text today, and it is not the answer that we are expecting to hear, "Fear not, for I am with thee, be not dismayed, for I am your God."
I never had the opportunity to meet Jackie, but in my conversations with several you, I was able to learn a lot about her. You had mentioned several things about Jackie, how she was a kind person, and a free spirit. How she loved riding motorcycles and playing softball, but what was most striking to me was a small comment that you made to me about Jackie's care for animals. You spoke of how growing up Jackie would always bring home a hurt animal that she found somewhere, in an attempt to rehabilitate it. She would research what sort of food it would eat, and she would feed it, trying to nurse it back to health. Whether that animal were a turtle or a bird, Jackie would should love and care for that animal. She would care for it as best she could. You can almost hear her saying to it, "Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed."
And these are God's words to us today. "Fear not, be not dismayed." As we face the death and loss of one who was such a free spirit, such a kind person, Fear not, be not dismayed. On there own, these words seem meaningless don't they? Can we really be expected not to fear, and to be not dismayed when we have lost a loved family member, a mother, a daughter, a sister. How, Lord, can we really do that? How can we but help feel pain, and loss? How can we help but hurt? Friends in Christ, it is God pleasing to feel this pain and hurt, Jesus himself wept at the loss of a loved one. But even then, in mourning, we hear, Fear not, be not dismayed.
Fear not, be not dismayed? Why? Because, "I am with you" Jesus says, "I am your God." And with Jesus as our God, we know that we are in good hands, hands that were pierced and nailed to a cross to take our fear away. Just as Jackie cared for hurt animals, so too has Jesus cared for her, and even now cares for her. And as Jesus loves and cares for Jackie so too does He love and care for us who remain in this veil of tears, mourning the loss our loved one.
For you and I are in need of care. You and I need forgiveness, you and I need love. Each one of us needs that care, because each one of us in a sinner, each having fallen short of God's glory. And St. Paul tells us in Romans chapter 6, that the wages of that sin is death. Death which we now face, death which hurts us so, death which separates us from our loved ones… loved ones like Jackie. But Jesus does not allow death to rule in our lives. Because of Jesus, death is not the end of the story for Jackie, but only the beginning. Fear not, For I am with you! Fear not, Jesus says, because I am the one who helps you.
Jesus showed his love and care for Jackie by coming here to earth, to live among us, and when the time came, Jesus gave up his life and was nailed to a cross to forgive Jackie all of her sins, and to give Jackie eternal life in heaven. This gift was given to Jackie through the waters of Holy Baptism 46 years ago, where she was washed in the very blood that poured out from our dear savior Jesus' side. And now, in death, Jackie gets to experience those gifts in their fullness. As our Epistle lesson says, we can now say about Jackie, "Therefore she is before the throne of God, and serves him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter her with his presence. She shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike her, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne is her shepherd, and Jesus now guides her to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from her eyes."
Fear not, I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God. Jackie is now resting peacefully with Jesus in heaven. You do not need fear where Jackie is or worry about caring for Jackie, because Jesus now is the one who cares for her. Not because of anything that she did here in her earthly life, but rather completely because of what Jesus did for her, during his earthly life. Because of Jesus, Jackie now has eternal life with her savior.
And our Lord Jesus makes the same promises to you as he does to Jackie. In Jesus you too have forgiveness of sins, eternal life, and salvation. Fear not, For I am with you, be not dismayed for I am your God. Jesus goes on to say, "I will strengthen you, I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous hand." Jesus makes these promises to you here as well. Jesus is here with you, as you struggle through the loss of a loved one. Jesus is here as we suffer the pain of sin in our world, Jesus is here holding you up, with his righteous, nail scarred hands. In Jesus you too have that same promise, the promise of eternal life in the presence of God. Jesus is here for you, and in Jesus we need not fear, for Jesus has conquered all.
One day, you and I too will face the end of our lives, and on that day, we too will be carried by the angels to be with Jesus, just as Jackie has been. Fear not. God is with you. Fear not, the Lord is your God. Fear not, in Jesus death is not the end, but the beginning of eternity. Amen
