This week, I had the joy of performing a funeral for an old friend.
Yeah, the world doesn't understand that - the "joy" of doing a funeral.
There are, basically, three kinds of funerals Pastors are called on to oversee...
Jimmy was in the third category.
He was a long haul truck driver and, pretty much, a drunk. Barbara owned and ran a bar. One day, Jimmy went into that bar, met Barbara for the first time, and told her "I'm going to marry you".
That was in 1953, and two months later, they were married.
Jimmy got saved at a Revival Meeting in 1968, and never got over it.
He spent the rest of his life - right up to his death - winning souls for Jesus.
You couldn't talk to Jimmy for more than 5 minutes without him inquiring whether or not you knew Jesus, and if you knew where you would spend eternity.
The funeral service this past Friday was packed. Many who were there were people Jimmy had won to Jesus. Barbara told me, as if she really needed to, that Jimmy would absolutely want a Salvation message preached at his funeral. There were several speakers before my funeral sermon, and they really nailed down the Salvation part, as both of them were adults Jimmy had won to the Lord as children.
He was an old fashioned soul-winner, unashamed of the Gospel of Christ.
We need a whole lot more like him.
Yeah, the world doesn't understand that - the "joy" of doing a funeral.
There are, basically, three kinds of funerals Pastors are called on to oversee...
- Somebody you pretty much know is lost
- Somebody you really don't know well enough to have an opinion
- Somebody who lived a long life of service to the King.
Jimmy was in the third category.
He was a long haul truck driver and, pretty much, a drunk. Barbara owned and ran a bar. One day, Jimmy went into that bar, met Barbara for the first time, and told her "I'm going to marry you".
That was in 1953, and two months later, they were married.
Jimmy got saved at a Revival Meeting in 1968, and never got over it.
He spent the rest of his life - right up to his death - winning souls for Jesus.
You couldn't talk to Jimmy for more than 5 minutes without him inquiring whether or not you knew Jesus, and if you knew where you would spend eternity.
The funeral service this past Friday was packed. Many who were there were people Jimmy had won to Jesus. Barbara told me, as if she really needed to, that Jimmy would absolutely want a Salvation message preached at his funeral. There were several speakers before my funeral sermon, and they really nailed down the Salvation part, as both of them were adults Jimmy had won to the Lord as children.
He was an old fashioned soul-winner, unashamed of the Gospel of Christ.
We need a whole lot more like him.
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