Sermon at Ann Marie Bartsch memorial

[0:00] because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for when a face is sad, a heart may be happy.

[0:13] So it's a time for us to reflect on our own mortality. Not to be morbid, but we're gonna die from something.

[0:24] We will die. That's inevitable. And may it be a reminder to us that we are mortal, and yet as we celebrate the life that we have in the Lord Jesus Christ, may we also realize the fact that we are all mortal.

[0:42] Death, it respects no one. It takes everyone, and yet there's hope in the Lord Jesus Christ because he is the only one who's resurrected from the dead, physically resurrected from the dead, and is alive today.

[1:03] This is 1 Peter 1.8. Aaron, if you can click through that. And though you've not seen him, you love him. And though you do not see him now, but believe in him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

[1:23] Daniel told me this verse was Anne's favorite verse, or at least one of those. It was her favorite verse, which makes sense because of how much she suffered in this life.

[1:41] It gave her hope. love and faith. Love and faith. Love and faith. Love and faith. Love and faith. You see two responses that we should have towards Jesus. Love and faith.

[1:56] Actually, put it like this. An affection born out of love and an affection born out of faith. Peter says, and though you have not seen him, you love him.

[2:12] Seen him, seen Jesus' outward appearance. And so Peter's saying to his readers that they had never seen the Lord Jesus like he saw him. We have not seen the Lord Jesus as Peter saw him, whether before his death or after his death and his resurrection.

[2:33] We have not seen him. And yet he says, you love him or you are loving him. It's a personal daily relationship with the living Lord.

[2:47] Christians are blessed because they love the Lord even though they have not seen him. We all know about doubting Thomas. John chapter 20.

[3:06] Jesus said to doubting Thomas, reach for your finger and see my hands and reach for your hand and put into my side and be not unbelieving. But believing, Thomas answered and said, my Lord and my God.

[3:17] He wasn't cursing. He was calling Jesus his Lord and his God. And then verse 29 of John's gospel, John chapter 20.

[3:30] Jesus said to him, because you've seen me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see and yet believe. There's an affection that's born out of love for the Savior.

[3:45] That's what Anne had. But also an affection born out of faith. Because Peter then says, and though you do not see him now, no one presently sees Jesus now, but believe in him or are believing in him, trusting him, resting one's confidence in him, depending upon him.

[4:22] Belief is not merely an intellectual assent to just a bunch of facts. You may be here and you might believe that Jesus was a real person who lived and maybe you even believe he was crucified, like Josephus says in his, Josephus works as a historian.

[4:43] But it's not just those facts. It involves the whole person. That's what it did for Anne. It's everything one needs and wants.

[4:59] And notice the next part of what Peter says, but believe it in him, you greatly rejoice. They are continually rejoicing greatly, these Christians.

[5:14] Though not seeing Jesus now, continually, at all, but believing continually, Christians thus rejoice continually. They can have joy.

[5:28] So can you see why she loved this verse? Amid her years of pain, amid her years of trials and suffering, she could rejoice.

[5:46] Her joy was found in her Savior. And notice what Peter says about this joy, with joy inexpressible and full of glory.

[6:01] Inexpressible, that which cannot be expressed in words, and was so full of joy that it could not be expressed in words. full of glory.

[6:13] Glorious. A manifestation of the very presence of God in the midst of suffering, in the midst of pain, because the focus is upon Jesus Christ, not the circumstances.

[6:28] The focus is upon Jesus Christ, not the suffering or the pain. So what about you, friend?

[6:41] Do you think Christianity is just rules? Do you think Christianity is just following rules or laws? Far from it.

[6:54] It's not. It is an affection for the God of the universe. At least it should be. It is passionate love for the Lord Jesus Christ who lived, he died on behalf of sinners and physically resurrected from the dead.

[7:14] God owes you nothing because he's the creator of all. But Ann would want you to know that you can have a relationship with the God of heaven through his eternal son, the Lord Jesus Messiah.

[7:32] So come. Today you should repent and trust Christ. Let the testimony for life be a testimony to you. That October 19th, 2019 would be a day that you saw your need for a Savior.

[7:52] You saw that you need to turn away from your sin and trustfully love the Lord Jesus Christ. And where you would say, he died in my place.

[8:06] He died for my sins. Don't wait. Respond today. Ann would want you to choose Christ today.

[8:17] Right? She would want you to do that. Let me pray. Precious in your sight is the death of your godly ones.

[8:41] We know that truth from your word, oh Father. You bring them home to yourself. a true reality.

[8:54] A true reality that has happened with Ann. And we know that as she is with you, with the other witnesses, all of them, the cloud of witnesses, the church in heaven, we pray that the testimony of her life that we've seen today would draw us to worship you, to love you, to be driven towards you.

[9:38] So, may the truth of this gospel that God, you are righteous in all that you do.

[9:50] We have sinned against you willfully. And yet, Jesus, you've died for sinners. You rose from the dead. We want our response to be a turning away from sin and trusting in you, Lord Jesus.

[10:05] for that is the gospel. We thank you.

[10:16] We pray these things in your name, Lord Jesus. Amen. We're going to sing two more songs, two more favorite songs that Ann had. He will hold me fast and also in Christ alone.

[10:30] Would you please stand and let's sing these together. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[10:40] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[10:56] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

[11:06] Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.