This afternoon a large, tearful group of family and friends gathered to honor and celebrate her victory over death with a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister and unashamed disciple of Jesus, Linda Smith. That may sound kinda odd to some since Linda's embalmed body lay in the casket before us, but as her son and daughters spoke eloquently and reverently of the mother they knew, there can be absolutely no doubt that Linda breathed her last in this world fully assured of what lay ahead. She battled with cancer for months, but her body could finally take no more abuse and her heart just gave out. By all accounts she died as she lived, happy and blessed in the comfort of God's great love. Now that's a victory worth celebrating.
Although it has rarely been my practice to pass judgment on anyone during a funeral service, there is a sense in which praising God for "a life well lived", as the minister said over Linda, is not only appropriate but truly God honoring. These words from the great Apostle Paul seal the deal for such an occasion -
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is the deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession - to the praise of his glory" Ephesians 1:13-14 NIV
The purpose of a "seal" was to (1) preserve or secure something intact, and (2) stamp a document or other article with authority, to authenticate it. The "seal" of God for his people is the Holy Spirit who is God's personal pledge that he will give us what he has promised. Paul uses the word "ARRABON", which he borrowed from Hebrew, to affirm God's own guarantee by giving us his Holy Spirit.
Paul made this same affirmation to the Corinthian disciples -
"Now it is God who makes both us (the Jews) and you (the Gentiles) stand firm in Christ. He annointed us, set his seal of ownership on us and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit guaranteeing what is to come." 2 Corinthians 1:21 NIV
Just as the king's seal was an unbreakable legal sign, so is God's Spirit to all of us who are in Jesus Christ.
I don't take that to mean we can never do anything to forfeit that promised blessing for that would contradict both common sense and a wealth of the Spirit's teaching in God's word. However it gives me great peace and an unshakeable hope that God will always be working in me through his Spirit to keep me in his place of blessing. Every day I feel that "pledge" at work in my own spirit. These words of Paul are clear to me -
"Those who (by choice) are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . . And by him we cry ABBA, FATHER. The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children." Romans 8:14-16 NIV
There is hardly a moment in any day that I am unaware of that reassurance, that special "annointing". Some have used this word to identify only those believers in Jesus who have exhibited some form of miraculous "outpouring". NOT SO! All who are in Jesus have received that "annointing", whose single purpose is the Holy Spirit's own specific testimony in our spirits that God is "ABBA". However, the Spirit always does the will of "ABBA" and that has and still can be demonstrated in a great variety of ways. We are always wise to walk carefully in any area where the Spirit of God is engaged in carrying out the Father's will. What he does or doesn't just may not always fit our comfortable theology. But, the assurance of God's pledge through his Spirit is always a daily reality.
So, go on sister Linda Smith, and spread the same joy among your new family of God exactly as you did here on earth with everyone who ever got close enough to you to catch your infectious joy of just being a child of ABBA. We loved you and that wont change just because we cant see you and hear you sing with joy to Lord. We are praising HIM for sharing his own heart with all of us through your joy. HALLELUJAH!
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