Grace mercy and peace to you from God our Father through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. Our text today is from the epistle lesson just read, especially these words, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness.” Thus far our text.
Dear friends in Christ, family and friends of Rudolph. Rudy was a strong, tough man. Over the course of 93 years he saw and did things that many of us have never, and could never have done. The running joke was that Rudy had nine lives. He served his country courageously, but humbly, in World War Two. He had two heart attacks. He fell out of a boat, and stood on the bottom of Lake Elsie holding his fishing pole in the air until he was rescued. He cut his hand with a hatchet all by himself, when suddenly a doctor came out of the woods, sewed him up, and then left. Rudy was tough, and it seemed like he was unbeatable.
But today, we gather knowing that strong man too had his vulnerabilities. Today we are here, because we have lost that tough man, we have lost a father, a grandfather, and a friend. His earthly life has run its course over 93 years, and now Rudy can confess along with St. Paul in our text today, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race.” And so today he wears the crown of righteousness, as he peacefully rests forever in the arms of Jesus.
And it is because of Jesus that Rudy has that crown of righteousness. You see, no matter how tough Rudy was, no matter how many times he may have escaped death in the past, Rudy knew that death would find him in the end. He knew that he was not tough enough to overcome all the sin in this world on his own. He knew he was not tough enough to always escape the maladies of this world. He could not look to himself for salvation.
For just like each of us, Rudy was born in sin. He was born under the power of the law, the law that still speaks to you and me that final verdict, “you are guilty.” Guilty in disobedience. Guilty in stubbornness. Guilty in every way, shape, and form. And no matter how tough you are, you can’t change that verdict. And so we must look to someone tougher then we are, someone tougher than Rudy. We must look to someone tough enough to pay the price for our sin.
And so we look to Jesus, the one who was tough enough to set his eyes on Jerusalem, the place where a wooden cross was waiting for him. He was tough enough to take up all of your sin and mine, even Rudy’s sin in the waters of baptism, and he carried it to a hill called Golgotha to kill it. He was tough enough to suffer the punishment we deserved in our sin, tough enough to be beaten and bloodied, to have nails driven in his hands, and to die a slow death to our sin. Jesus has done this for you. Jesus did this for Rudy, so that all our sin might be gone forever, and that we no longer might be guilty, but forgiven. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus was tough enough for Rudy. Jesus was tough enough for me, and he is tough enough for you. For that one who bore your sin rose again on the third day, promising that all who shared the faith that looked to Jesus as Lord too would rise again on that glorious blessed Day, and receive the crown of righteousness. Jesus was tough enough for you, and he was even tough enough for one of the toughest old Germans we have known.
And we know that Jesus was always with Rudy. Jesus first came to Rudy in the year 1918, when at St. John’s Lutheran Church, he was baptized into Jesus name. Jesus continued to bless and be with Rudy as he was confirmed in that faith, and for the first of many times partook in the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus was with Rudy as he served his country, as he faced the many obstacles of his life, and was still with Rudy this past week, as his time for departure from this sinful world came.
And friends, Jesus will always be with you. Even as you go forward with pain and sorrow. Jesus will be with you as you miss seeing an electric scooter driving up the street to The Nest with Rudy ready to play cards. Jesus will be with you as you catch a bullhead and have fond memories of your father, grandfather, and great grandfather. Jesus will be with you when you see a croquet mallet, and remember who always used to beat you. For Jesus was there with Rudy, and friends, He will be there with you as well.
The race for Rudy is finished. Rudy has fought the good fight, and because of the toughness of his savior, we know today that Rudy was victorious. Rudy has now received the crown of righteousness, and we know with certainty that we will see him again as we too are given that precious gift from our savior. For Jesus has clothed Rudy with the garments of salvation; he has covered him with the robe of righteousness, and one day in that faith that looks to the cross, our tough savior will do the same for you. Amen.
