John 14:1-6; Romans 8:31-39; Isaiah 43:1-3, 25
In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Duane may have been a man of few words in his later years, but he held more than a few opinions throughout his life, particularly about religion, faith, and the Ten Commandments, and he let you know it. Those weren’t just opinions to him; they were convictions formed by the Word of God and the faith he had been given. He wanted his kids and his grandkids to know their catechism, and he would regularly drill them on the Ten Commandments and the articles of the Apostles’ Creed. Rote memory wasn’t sufficient; Duane wanted them to truly understand the explanations in their own words. After the first three commandments about fearing, loving, and trusting in God above all things, the Fourth Commandment was the most important to Duane: “Honor thy father and thy mother.” To Duane, that meant, “Do what your parents tell you!” Yes, the chores had to be done, the Lord commanded it. But not on Sunday; that was the Day of Rest.
That desire for a faith that endured beyond youth and strength I saw firsthand the first time I visited Duane and Ann in their home. Duane prayed the Divine Service liturgy with me from memory, a blessed gift he would retain even in his last years and months, when the words he spoke were often limited to “yes” and “no” and he slept more than he was awake. “Hi Duane, it’s Pastor.” “Yes.” “Would you like to receive communion?” “Yes.” Then, as I spoke the words of Confession, the Apostles’ Creed, the Words of Institution, and the Lord’s Prayer, Duane’s lips moved along word for word. This is what Duane wanted for his kids and grandkids: a faith that wasn’t just head memory, but heart memory, words that would stay with you even when the head wasn’t as clear as it once was.
That same care and attentiveness showed itself in how Duane loved his family. He was always looking out for the needs of others, especially those closest to him. He attended every concert and sports game he could make it to. He worked with the oldest grandkids on their softball skills, throwing and catching balls in his backyard. He loved to hear how things were going with the grandkids. And when one of them brought a hen into the house for him to see, Duane responded by clucking back at the chicken.
Along with that steady faith and devotion, Duane had a playful, ornery streak. You could see it in that little spark in his eye. He loved to bang on a door or jump out from around a corner to make you jump and scream. He told a nephew that the birthday cake was his. He’d get you to help with cleaning fish, only to throw one into the bucket next to you and splash fish water all over you, all in good fun. Duane believed in chores: one would set the table, another would wash the dishes, and another would dry them. This provided opportunities to secretly dispose of undesirable vegetables when Duane wasn’t looking. Feeding them to the dog didn’t work either; the dog didn’t like them and would cough up the evidence under the table.
Duane also knew how to enjoy the gifts of this life. He loved to play cards – 500, pinochle, schafkopf, and cribbage. He enjoyed playing pool and cheering on the Chicago Cubs, especially during that amazing 2016 World Series win. I’m glad he got to see that; the rest of us will have to wait another hundred years. He enjoyed woodworking in his garage, building cedar chests for his granddaughters and memory chests for his grandsons. He built bookcases for his kids so they wouldn’t leave books laying all over the house, and hall trees for them to hang their coats on, for the same reason.
Duane and Ann were married in 1958 and were fixtures in church on Sunday mornings for sixty-seven years. Duane served as an usher. When Eugene and Shirley Huck got married, Duane and Chuck went downstairs to get more chairs because they had run out in the sanctuary, even though they weren’t officially family yet, only dating Ann and Betty. That was Duane: always ready to lend a helping hand. When Dawn’s son was born premature and was in the ICU, Duane drove to Ottumwa to sit with her. That wasn’t just being kind; that was Duane’s faith and love in action.
Duane was baptized shortly after birth. He was raised in the Christian faith and made confession of that faith publicly when he was confirmed after years of catechesis. He instructed his children and grandchildren and raised them in the faith. Well done, good and faithful servant. And yet, the hope we have today does not rest on Duane’s works, but on the promises of God, promises Duane believed, confessed, and trusted.
Thus says the LORD: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine… I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.”
“If God is for us, who can be against us?… Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?… Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
“Let not your hearts be troubled… Jesus said, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”
These are the promises Duane knew well. He taught them to you, and he lived them in his life, words, and deeds. We take comfort that Duane is with Jesus at rest and at peace. While we grieve not seeing him now, we are happy for him, and we know that we will see him again in the presence of Jesus in heaven. No one will take that joy from us.
Ann, Rick, Teresa, Melodee, John, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, family, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, let not your hearts be troubled. In the Father’s house there are many rooms; there is a room for you also, prepared for you by your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Believe and trust in Him, just as Duane did, and you will have peace as you make your way through the valley of the shadow of death into the Father’s house forevermore. There you will see those you love who have died in the faith again with your own eyes, hear them again with your own ears, and hold them again with your own arms. This our Lord has achieved for us and has promised us. Believe it for Jesus’ sake.
In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment