Service of Witness to the
Resurrection: Jason Fuhr 2/23/14
Psalm 139:1-18, 23-24, I Corinthians 15:1-11, John 14:1-7
The most important word to
describe Jason is “Christian”. We’ll
unpack this important name in a moment.
But if we were to survey everyone here, and try to find the phrase that
might collectively describe how we knew Jason, it would be “hall of
famer”.
Jason was the only hall of
famer that I know. To enter into a hall
of fame, you have to be someone who was known, appreciated, excellent and
excellent for a long time. Jason meets
all of those criteria.
Not many people know that
Jason was an aspiring author. He was a
master story teller. One time, at our
weekly Bible Study, he told me that he was going to someday write a book,
“Nicknames of Bungtown” (Bungtown being an old, locally used nickname for
Lambertville). While he never got to
write the book, he told the book. And
we’ve all heard the stories. “Rug Rat
was walking down to the river one day when he saw John Tartersauce out in a
boat” Whenever I would hear stories from
Jason, two thoughts would go through my head:
1. I know this is a true
story. These are real people he is
talking about. 2. Who are these people? And why didn’t they fight harder for more
positive nicknames?
That many stories departed
with Jason is a sad thing and a deep loss for all of us. But one thing we know: He told
true stories.
Yes, Jason was a hall of
famer. Yes, he was an author of
stories. But most important, Jason was a
Christian. Jason called Jesus Christ
‘Lord and Savior’. Right now, Jason is
at rest, at peace, at home in paradise.
On the last day, Jason will experience resurrection. As we state in the Apostle’s Creed: I believe in the resurrection of the
dead. God will raise him, and all who
have died in the Lord. Jason will give
an account of his life. Because of the sacrifice, forgiveness, grace and mercy
of Christ, Jason will receive his reward for his service to the Lord.
This is the gospel, God’s
good news: Jesus died for sinners. Jesus was buried, confirming his death. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus ascended into heaven. Jesus is in heaven preparing a place for
us. Jesus reigns, giving glory to his
heavenly Father. Scripture foretells of
a new heavens and a new earth where the cosmos will experience the fullness and
grandeur of God.
In the Christian story, Jesus
rose first, the dead will rise on the last day.
They will be raised imperishable, glorious, in God’s power and as a
spiritual body. Jesus, in the resurrection
accounts of the gospel, was able to eat, to walk through walls, to be
recognized, though not always at first glance.
Jesus rose first, followed on that great day by all those who belong to
him.
That is a true story.
The Scripture declares that
‘everyone who has the Lord’s hope in them purifies themselves, just as they are
pure’. Also, ‘No eye has seen, no ear
has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.’
We gather here today to
support Irma and Kim, in their grief. We
come to find an appropriate way to express our grief. But one thing we do not do, is grieve Jason’s
position.
Does anyone not feel he will
be richly rewarded by God? One of the
things Jason did better than most of us was understand that God’s good news was
meant to be shared beyond the four walls of any sanctuary. God’s good news is for people. And so Jason, brought good news into the
board meeting, onto the golf course, into the banquet hall or behind the scenes
to all different types of people. The
Apostle Paul said that God’s grace was not without effect. God’s grace came to Jason, and it affected
him and his community. Sharing God’s
grace, Jason brought goodness, kindness and wisdom to us. Jason was wonderful because he was inspired
by the Lord’s grace.
That is a true story.
What could the new heavens
and new earth look like? What could
Jason’s future be? Certainly, only God
knows. Imagine with me for a moment
something that none of us can possibly conceive. In the new heavens and new earth, there is the Fuhr family mansion. I don’t see a large mansion per say, the
glory of the Fuhr’s future home is the landscape. There is a beautiful back porch with well
crafted rocking chairs to sit and enjoy.
The day begins with praise to God and a cup of coffee, watered down to
weaken the taste, enjoyed on that back porch, watching the birds feed and play
and dance. The bears that live in heaven
will know it is wrong to break bird feeders. Jason begins his morning work at the lollipop
and root beer barrel factory. He was
offered the CEO position, but turned it down, he’d enjoy working right
alongside the people. After lunch, a
nice siesta is in order, followed by some exercise. His afternoon exercise will be two golf holes
that are part of the landscape around his mansion. Now mind you, they don’t require any lawn
mowing to be maintained. They are
intricately woven into the fields and trees. forest and paths, with flowers and
vegetables and bushes and all kinds of animals all around. Jason’s afternoon work consists of making
frames for the beautiful art that Irma will produce. Kim comes over for a nice quiet, family
dinner. This is followed by a few
friends coming over. They’ll be time for
each of you, but also for new friends.
---the
dozen children in Lao who received a prosthetic limb
from
Jason and Irma
---the
student from old Lambertville high, or SHR, that he
never really
got to know well
---someone whose life was saved by the rescue squad,
supported
in part, by his golf tournaments
---A family he helped at Christmas through his
participation
on
the Deacon board.
Time for visiting will be
followed by a walk down to the community ball park, and since everyone’s there,
why not play, or for that matter, why not play two? You won’t need lights, because the Lord God
will be the light of the new heaven and the new earth. And Jason will worship and glorify God with
every word, smile, thought, deed, dance and song. And he, and we, will delight
in the glory of God. And we will worship
God, forever, just as God’s light will illumine the cosmos, forever.
Now, imagine something a
billion times better than what I’ve described.
The billion times better reality:
That’s a true story.
In conclusion,
You are invited to believe
the good news of Jesus Christ and place your faith in the Lord.
Jason’s future is good
because he placed his faith in Christ.
Jason is a child of the
living God.
Jason is a follower of Jesus
Christ.
Jason modeled for us what it
meant to be led, and filled, with the Holy Spirit.
And that, brothers and sisters, is a true and good story.
