Born June 5, 1913 - Died August 22, 1997
Funeral Service—August 26, 1997, 11 o'clock
Opening Sentences
"I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die."
These are the words that Jesus spoke to the grieving sisters, Mary and Martha, at the time of their brother Lazarus'es death in Bethany. And he quickly followed that statement by asking them the question, "Believest thou this?"
We believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life. That is why we are here this morning. We believe that because Marion believed and trusted in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior she is not dead, but is very much alive. That living faith is why we do not sorrow for our dead like those who have no hope. Shall we pray:
O God, we are in your Presence just now. We ask that You will grant that we may worship you as we honor the life and memory of Marion Turkington. Be glorified in all we say and do, we ask in Jesus' great name. Amen.
Sermon
Scripture Lesson of selected texts from Marion's Bible:
Isaiah 41: 10 Fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand. (41:13) For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, "Fear not, I will help you."
I have clear directions from Marion to preach an evangelistic message. She felt that some of you would profit from hearing again the way of salvation. I agree— only I believe that all of us will profit from hearing again that story, especially as underscored in the scripture and words that have been important to Marion, and written down in her Bible. I am using Marion's own emphases to bring this brief Gospel message today:
There is hardly a book in the Bible she has not marked and underlined. Samplings include Deuteronomy 10:12 "And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord.
and Job 27:5,6 "till I die I will not put away my integrity from me. I will hold fast my righteousness, and will not let it go; my heart does not reproach me for any of my days."
Many psalms are underscored and/or annotated:
As her comments of Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd - perfect salvation
I shall not want - perfect satisfaction
he makes me to lie down in green pastures - perfect rest
he leads me beside still waters - perfect refreshment
he restores my soul - perfect restoration
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake - perfect guidance
Even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death I fear no evil - perfect protection
for thou art with me - perfect company
thy rod and thy staff they comnfort me - perfect comfort
Thou preparest a table before me in the Presence of my enemies - perfect provision
thou anointest my head with oil - perfect consecration
my cup runneth over - perfect joy
surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life - perfect care
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever - perfect destiny
Time does not permit too many more samplings of what was important to Marion,. but in the Old Testament especially it seems the richest mine for Marion was Isaiah: Verses Like 40:31 "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. Verses like 42:3 A bruised reed he will not break and a dimply burning wick he will not quench. 45:4 I call you by your name (Marion writes "God knows my name") as well as the texts of this sermon were precious to her, and have proven their truth in her hours of need.
How do I proclaim an evangelistic message at a funeral? It is the only message there is for Christians— for evangel means Good News, and the Good News is that God loves every one of us— and though we are all born in sin, and sinners by birth and by choice, the eternal message of the Lord God to us in his Word is that
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The Good News is that— as Marion has underlined in her Bible— Romans 10:9,10 "if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
It is as simple as that. Straightforward. Marion liked things clearly understood. Marion wanted me to tell you that. She has highlighted in her Bible Romans 10:13 "For every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved."
Marion's understanding and experience of this great salvation was a very personal walk with God— she took God's promises as her very own. She applied the tests and truths of preaching and scripture to her own heart and life. In the margin of her Bible are many little exhortations to herself that we would profit by doing ourselves: "Prayer in love for the offender will both assist that person and at the same time tend to protect me from undue harshness of spirit when i must be involved."
Marion appropriated the promises; her comments on 'the fruit of the Spirit, found in Galatians 5— The fruit of the Spirit is love - Jesus loves ME!, Joy- Jesus WANTS me—, Peace - Jesus GIVES (to) ME!" We could, indeed we MUST learn to make those promises our very own.
In closing a few more words in Marion's own handwriting: "Use the talents you possess— for the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except the best."
A quote from Bertha Munro: "God never wastes His time in making nobodies. There should be no ifs if you are a Christian."
And a fragment of prayer or meditation— very private: "I will never be known for works which I have done. What I do— may it be a labor of love. Most important- keep me steadfast in my hope. It may be a very small thing that i do. I will never move multitudes. But— help me to be stedfast in my love and devotion to You Dear Lord even if it is difficult at times. It will be worth everything to see and hear Him say Thou good and faithful servant."
Conclusion: Finally, perhaps in anticipation of her own translation, Marion wrote this familiar quote in her Bible:
"Think of feeling a hand and finding it God's
Think of breathing air and finding it Celestial.
Think of stepping on shore and finding it Home."
Committal:
Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God to take to Himself the soul of our departed sister, Marion Esther, we tenderly commit her body to the elements, in sure and certain hope of the return of our Lord, of resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. As we have borne the image of the earthly, so shall we bear the image of the heavenly, for we shall see Jesus, and when we see Him we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as he is. Amen.