St John 3:1-18/Job 19:21-27/Romans 5:1-11
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Mark Gilbert, 53, of Fishers, passed away March 28. He was born April 9, 1959 in South Bend, to John and Alice Gilbert, who preceded him in death. He was proudly employed as a copier field service technician for Presto Document Solutions. To many colleagues he was considered the “King of Copiers.” Mark is survived by his wife of 28 years: Tammy, daughter: Alissa, sisters: Zeda and Valerie, brothers: Eric, John, and Lee, 8 nieces, 2 nephews and his beloved shelties: Teddy and Mia. That is who Mark was. Let me tell you who Mark is: He is a baptized and forgiven child of our heavenly Father; he is a member of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, in fellowship with His holy and beloved Bride, the Church; he is clothed in the white robe of Christ’s righteousness that covered all his sin; he is at peace, eternal rest in the arms of his Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ.
This is also who Mark was: He was a sinner. How do I know? Because I know myself. I know the wicked perversity of my own heart. I hear and believe the word of the Lord that says that nothing good comes from the heart, that it is deceitful above all else, that no one is righteous, no not one, that all have turned and gone astray; that the wages of sin is death. I am a despicable wretch. And Mark was a poor, miserable sinner. I say this not to be mean, but because it is true.
Yet here is the greater truth: Christ Jesus came only for sinners. Christ Jesus died only for sinners. Christ Jesus lives only in sinners. If you are not a sinner then leave this place, it’s not for you, you don’t need it. But if you are confronted with the reality of your sin as you sit here today and behold death, then know that our Lord Christ came only to save sinners and you qualify. God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ died for Mark. Christ died for you.
For while we were still weak, St Paul writes, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. We are the ungodly. While we were yet in darkness, like Nicodemus who conversed with our Lord at night, Christ the Light of the world entered our darkness. Indeed He wrapped Himself in the darkness of our mortal nature. Jesus, who knew no sin, who is not only from God, but is God, became Sin for us, in order that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
For in this way God loved the world: He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. We have been justified by His blood. That is, Christ has made right what had gone wrong between us and God. Christ Jesus lived the perfect, obedient life, He suffered innocently for sin and died for the ungodly, in our place. God the Father vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead, never to die again. That’s Easter, which we celebrated yesterday and continue to rejoice in everyday and even now.
Mark rejoiced in Christ’s victory over sin and death, too. He held fast to God’s Word of promise: whoever believes in the Son of God is not condemned. Mark believes – not believed, but presently, believes – and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. He is justified; that is, declared innocent, not guilty on account of Christ. Thus he is at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And even his faith was a free gift of God in Christ Jesus! Faith was created in Mark through water and the Word in Holy Baptism. For in this way Mark who was born of flesh, that is, a sinner, was born again according to the Spirit. Do not marvel at this. For God the Holy Spirit has attached Himself to the Word of Christ, the Gospel of the free forgiveness in sins. That Word, the very Name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – was proclaimed and sealed upon Mark in Holy Baptism.
Behold I tell you a mystery: Mark is not dead. He lives. Mark already died with Jesus in his baptism, as St Paul writes, Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.
Christ is risen! Easter proves it. And because Christ lives, Mark lives. He is not dead. He is alive in Christ. Thus has our Lord kept His life, as the Psalm proclaimed. The Lord kept Mark’s going out and his coming in, from the time of his baptism and redemption, through his death, and even forevermore.
Thus will we bury our beloved brother in Christ, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the flesh. For our Redeemer, Mark’s Redeemer, lives! Jesus is alive, out of the grave, as a Man, as God in the flesh, forevermore. At the Last He will stand upon the earth. And in his own flesh, Mark shall see God. He shall behold Him with his own eyes. Mark will see Jesus as He is, for he will be like Jesus: imperishable, incorruptible, immortal, holy.
Until then dear Christians, we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame. Tammy, Alissa, Zeda and Valerie, Eric, John, and Lee, you have suffered, but have no reason to be ashamed, you have nothing to fear. For you Christ conquered death and the grave. For you He poured out His life-blood to make you righteous before the Father. You are at peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Rising to life again in Him, you will see Mark again.
Beloved in the Lord, in the time ahead, continue to find comfort in our Lord’s Word of promise: Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but has eternal life. Be strengthened together with the whole body of Christ, His Church, hearing His Word of life and salvation for you. Receive the forgiveness of sins. Eat and drink of our crucified and risen Lord’s Body and Blood. For by these is the Holy Spirit given to you. By these will our Lord keep you from all evil, He will keep your life, safe and secure within our living Lord Jesus.
Alleluia? Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed! Alleluia!)
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.
Mark Gilbert, 53, of Fishers, passed away March 28. He was born April 9, 1959 in South Bend, to John and Alice Gilbert, who preceded him in death. He was proudly employed as a copier field service technician for Presto Document Solutions. To many colleagues he was considered the “King of Copiers.” Mark is survived by his wife of 28 years: Tammy, daughter: Alissa, sisters: Zeda and Valerie, brothers: Eric, John, and Lee, 8 nieces, 2 nephews and his beloved shelties: Teddy and Mia. That is who Mark was. Let me tell you who Mark is: He is a baptized and forgiven child of our heavenly Father; he is a member of the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, in fellowship with His holy and beloved Bride, the Church; he is clothed in the white robe of Christ’s righteousness that covered all his sin; he is at peace, eternal rest in the arms of his Good Shepherd, even Jesus Christ.
This is also who Mark was: He was a sinner. How do I know? Because I know myself. I know the wicked perversity of my own heart. I hear and believe the word of the Lord that says that nothing good comes from the heart, that it is deceitful above all else, that no one is righteous, no not one, that all have turned and gone astray; that the wages of sin is death. I am a despicable wretch. And Mark was a poor, miserable sinner. I say this not to be mean, but because it is true.
Yet here is the greater truth: Christ Jesus came only for sinners. Christ Jesus died only for sinners. Christ Jesus lives only in sinners. If you are not a sinner then leave this place, it’s not for you, you don’t need it. But if you are confronted with the reality of your sin as you sit here today and behold death, then know that our Lord Christ came only to save sinners and you qualify. God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Christ died for Mark. Christ died for you.
For while we were still weak, St Paul writes, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. We are the ungodly. While we were yet in darkness, like Nicodemus who conversed with our Lord at night, Christ the Light of the world entered our darkness. Indeed He wrapped Himself in the darkness of our mortal nature. Jesus, who knew no sin, who is not only from God, but is God, became Sin for us, in order that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.
For in this way God loved the world: He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. We have been justified by His blood. That is, Christ has made right what had gone wrong between us and God. Christ Jesus lived the perfect, obedient life, He suffered innocently for sin and died for the ungodly, in our place. God the Father vindicated Him by raising Him from the dead, never to die again. That’s Easter, which we celebrated yesterday and continue to rejoice in everyday and even now.
Mark rejoiced in Christ’s victory over sin and death, too. He held fast to God’s Word of promise: whoever believes in the Son of God is not condemned. Mark believes – not believed, but presently, believes – and his faith was credited to him as righteousness. He is justified; that is, declared innocent, not guilty on account of Christ. Thus he is at peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
And even his faith was a free gift of God in Christ Jesus! Faith was created in Mark through water and the Word in Holy Baptism. For in this way Mark who was born of flesh, that is, a sinner, was born again according to the Spirit. Do not marvel at this. For God the Holy Spirit has attached Himself to the Word of Christ, the Gospel of the free forgiveness in sins. That Word, the very Name of God – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit – was proclaimed and sealed upon Mark in Holy Baptism.
Behold I tell you a mystery: Mark is not dead. He lives. Mark already died with Jesus in his baptism, as St Paul writes, Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried with Him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His.
Christ is risen! Easter proves it. And because Christ lives, Mark lives. He is not dead. He is alive in Christ. Thus has our Lord kept His life, as the Psalm proclaimed. The Lord kept Mark’s going out and his coming in, from the time of his baptism and redemption, through his death, and even forevermore.
Thus will we bury our beloved brother in Christ, in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection of the flesh. For our Redeemer, Mark’s Redeemer, lives! Jesus is alive, out of the grave, as a Man, as God in the flesh, forevermore. At the Last He will stand upon the earth. And in his own flesh, Mark shall see God. He shall behold Him with his own eyes. Mark will see Jesus as He is, for he will be like Jesus: imperishable, incorruptible, immortal, holy.
Until then dear Christians, we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame. Tammy, Alissa, Zeda and Valerie, Eric, John, and Lee, you have suffered, but have no reason to be ashamed, you have nothing to fear. For you Christ conquered death and the grave. For you He poured out His life-blood to make you righteous before the Father. You are at peace with God through faith in Jesus Christ. Rising to life again in Him, you will see Mark again.
Beloved in the Lord, in the time ahead, continue to find comfort in our Lord’s Word of promise: Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but has eternal life. Be strengthened together with the whole body of Christ, His Church, hearing His Word of life and salvation for you. Receive the forgiveness of sins. Eat and drink of our crucified and risen Lord’s Body and Blood. For by these is the Holy Spirit given to you. By these will our Lord keep you from all evil, He will keep your life, safe and secure within our living Lord Jesus.
Alleluia? Christ is risen! (He is risen indeed! Alleluia!)
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
RSS Feed