Doug's memorial message

As promised, here is the sermon from Saturday's memorial service, conducted by our good friend, Doug Cochrane. If you were not at the service, it will mean a lot to us if you take the time to read it.

To me, the greatest part of a memorial service is the focus upon Eternity.

Firstly, having the assurance of the salvation of the one being remembered and

secondly, having an opportunity to preach the gospel at a time when people truly do contemplate their own eventual end.

Ecclesiastes 7:2

2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

When giving thought to what I would like to say this morning, I find myself mildly intimidated. Not because I can't preach from the gospel or am unsure of what to say, rather because I have just watched Wessel and Adele live the gospel. I have watched them testify their faith in Christ, during the heat of their trial. They have lived out what I am going to preach! They were effectively does of His word, not just hearers or speakers. Like Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego; they went into the fire sure in faith, even though the outcome of their ordeal was completely uncertain. It so happened, that the three faithful Hebrews came out even stronger in their faith then when they went in. I certainly believe, we can all see the evidence of this in the lives of Wessel and Adele. Their faith and commitment was clear from the outset.

Tabitha was born at 30 weeks; weighing 1,3 kg's, surrounded by complications. Her future was very uncertain and her first few weeks were filled with ups and downs. Her life, from birth was very much in the balance and her early survival was a miracle. In fact, I can remember both Wessel and Adele recounting a series of miracles that took place at this time. Tangible miracles, obvious miracles. It seemed clear that God had a great plan for Tabitha’s life. ****From a human perspective, I would have believed that these miracles were evidence that God would spare Tabitha's life for years to come. I did not know God's plan. How could anyone know God's plan.

It was in Adele's blog that she reminded me of the following great scripture:

Isaiah 55:8-9

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

We tend to second guess what God will do. ***Perhaps we're even more arrogant then this, we feel God should take our advise. Fortunately, God is God and we are not. How can we know what his plans are?

Romans 9:21

21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto dishonor?

God is Sovereign, He does not require our approval. Who are we to judge what God does and how He does it.

Many things stand out from Adele's blog, in regards to the Sovereignty of God she writes the following:

"Bad things happen sometimes. Nobody is excluded from it while here on earth. They may think they are, nobody is so good that they do not have to encounter hardship, in some way, somewhere along the road. The bad news is that God cannot be manipulated to do what we want Him to do. The good news is that He does have our ultimate good in mind. His standard of what is good has eternity in mind. Our standard of what is good can be very shallow and shortsighted. Sometimes when God's plans for our lives, does not correspond to, our plans for our lives, we get stressed. But we have to let go of our own plans in order to trust God and rest in His peace."

As Adele says, we are called to submit to the will of God. Instead, we all to often set ourselves up as the judges. There is only one worthy of making this judgement.

Romans 3:10-12

10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

How then can we discern good, when in our hearts evil is present. There are so many people in the word of God who have gone through trials and anguish, yet never without purpose. God allowed Joseph to be carried away as a slave, he was condemned to a prison cell and absorb a great deal of pain. Yet, he did it for "good". At the end of his trial he again meets up with his brothers, the very ones who sold him into slavery.

Joseph had the following to say:

Genesis 50:20-21

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive. 21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Joseph didn't complain, he saw the purpose of God and walked faithfully through his trial.

God had a great purpose for him, but it took many years before God's plan came to fruition. God did finally deliver him out of his trial, he was able to look back and see the purpose God had at each point. Many experience hardship, few remain faithful through the hardship. Wessel and Adele, have like Joseph walked through a severe trial. They have kept their faith and remained faithful.

God is under no obligation to make His purposes known to any of us, but if God sees fit, He does sometimes allow us to view the outcome even if it is oftentimes vague.

We can rest however, in the knowledge that God acts out of Love.

Romans 8:35-39

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Sometimes, in the middle of a trial God does allow a brief respite.

While Tabitha's complications didn't ever fully go away, there came a time when things appeared stable. Concerns appeared, to me at least, to gravitate away from her immediate condition and focus on possible long term effects.

During this period many things happened, God gave Tabitha time with her parents. When speaking to Wessel and reading the blog I became aware that in the shadow of all the storm clouds, in the unnatural environment of a hospital, there was still quality family time.

A time when her reactions and responses were that of a normal baby! It pleased God to allow them this brief period. I also believe God used this time to speak to the hearts of many, both Christians and non Christians.

I spoke earlier of the fiery furnace and how God delivered the three Hebrew’s.

While they were in the fire, God in the form of Jesus appeared with them. Whilst the focus is not on what was happening inside, we immediately see the effect it has outside of the furnace. Nebuchadnezzar, the great king of Babylon looks at the furnace and states:

Did we not throw three men into the fire bound? Why do I see four men loose and the fourth looks like the son of God? It was the trial of the Hebrews that gained the attention of all the bystanders, as they gazed on the spectacle, they were able to see God. Likewise, it is often during a trial when people are watching that Christ is revealed. People can see Him shine through the lives of His faithful. I, for one, was strengthened greatly by seeing the faith displayed by Wessel and Adele throughout their trial.

I am not going to second guess God by proclaiming what His plans and purposes were, but I know with certainty that these events were not in vain.

While there was this brief respite, it was not long before the reality of Tabitha's condition became evident again. Her health was unstable and from all the feedback, it appeared as if she may well have been experiencing her last few days upon this earth. There is however, a very deep and comforting reality to this situation. Tabitha is an eternal being created by a loving God.

We have to look at this situation from an eternal perspective. God's plans always revolve around the eternal.

I remember a quote from Shakespeare that goes something like this: "Life is like a vapour, a poor player who struts and frets his hour upon the stage and is heard no more." While the grammar is well worded, it is the point behind this allusion that is important. The concept of life as a vapour! Life has only begun and it's over, we each go about life placing value on things that tend to vanish.

I however found that Shakespeare's quote was not of his origin, the bible had included this analogy far earlier. The bible, which understands the futility of life without Christ was his source.

His direct source was:

James 4:14

14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

When one looks at the life of a man it does not last long, even a man who lives to a great age does not have much time upon the earth. However, what takes place on the earth has an eternal purpose and therefore the question of where each of us stand before God, is all important.

It's not about this life, it's about the hereafter.

It's a question that stares each one of us in the face, what will meet us upon our death?

Paul endured and chose much hardship, so God could be glorified through him.

He lived purely for the glory of God. On one occasion, he made the statement:  "For me to live is Christ, to die is gain."

What was it about this man and many others in the bible, that made them look forward to the day of their death! They had the hope of eternity. This is HUGE. Not through living Godly lives. No! Their hope was in the blood of Christ.

Paul says in his letter to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Paul uses the term light affliction. His light afflictions included, being beaten; cast in prison; shipwrecked and stoned to death. These afflictions were not lite from a human perspective, but became light when seen from an eternal vantage point.

It was the blessed hope that lived in these men. They trusted in God's goodness and mercy, they believed in His deliverance.

Paul was a sinners. By his own admission he considered himself the chief, in laymen’s terms. The worst of sinners! YET, he humbled himself before his maker and God gave him deliverance.

Because of his sin, Paul needed a redeemer. Someone to stand in his place before the judgment seat of God. Yet as real as sin was to Paul, even more real was the sacrifice of Christ, offered for his sins by Jesus on Calvary. This is true for each one of us. We have all sinned, we have all done that which we should not and we have all neglected God. All we like sheep, have gone astray. We all, and I mean everyone, require God's grace and mercy given to us through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.

Tabitha, has never known the knowledge of good and evil and hence has had no opportunity to make any direct decision against God.

During the exodus, Israel had the opportunity to see many miracles numerous times. Yet when surveying the land of Jericho, it was in their opinion that even God could not deliver them from these mighty people.

God severely punished His people for their lack of faith, but even though the parents were guilty, God spared the Children. Why? Deuteronomy tells us:

Deuteronomy 1:39-40

39 Moreover your little ones, which ye said should be a prey, and your children, which in that day had no knowledge between good and evil, they shall go in thither, and unto them will I give it, and they shall possess it. 40 But as for you, turn you, and take your journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea.

The children were not punished, on this occasion, because they did not possess the knowledge of good and evil. The Children were not innocent, rather they were not held accountable for having made a decision to reject the salvation of God. They had not made a decision against God. I do not want to leave it there, I will go a little further by saying that Tabitha's salvation is not based on her innocence or worthiness – But by His grace, made her's through the atonement He purchased on the cross. Let this be an additional opportunity, for each of us to take joy and rejoice in the cross of Christ.

Most of us never met Tabitha, she was in our thoughts, in our prayers and we looked forward to the day we could meet. It so happened, that this day was not to be on this earth. However, if we serve Christ and His Salvation covers us like it did Tabitha, we will meet her in the future. This short time, in which she has been separated from her family and friends will be as a vapour. It will fade away and be forgotten in the joy of their reunion.

David had a similar experience in his life, he lost a child while that child was still an infant. God foretold him that the child would die and David on hearing this news, mourned and fasted. He would not eat. When his child finally did die, his servants were worried. They thought that if David reacted  so strongly to the prospect of his child's death, how would he react upon the actual death. However, he simply stood up and continued with his business as usual. When asked about why this surprising change, David answered:

2 Samuel 12:22-24

22 And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? 23 But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me.

The key point here, is that David was confident that there would be a reunion between himself and his child. He knew they would never meet on this earth, but also knew they would meet at the resurrection.

Charles Spurgeon, when teaching on the topic of infant salvation said: "Now, let every mother and father here present know assuredly, that it is well with the child if God hath taken it away from you in it's infant days." He took it one step further, in suggesting that any such parent who was not saved should seriously take heed that their children were saved. That they be not separated from their children for eternity.

Our God loves Children, Jesus shows us that God takes special care of children.

In Matthew 18:14 He says:

Matthew 18:14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.

He says again in Matthew 19:14:

Matthew 19:14

14 But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

God loved Tabitha and I know with certainty, that all the events which took place had a very real purpose.

The death of an infant or young child is profoundly heartbreaking, perhaps the greatest grief a parent is called to bear. For Christian parents, there is the sure knowledge and peace that our sovereign and merciful God is in control.

We have all seen this reality in Wessel and Adele's life. I strongly believe, that their faith in Christ will be, and has been, a great example to many.

Anyone who has had any correspondence with Wessel and Adele, can clearly see their unconditional love for little Tabitha.

One evening, when Adele was told she couldn't touch Tabitha she writes: "So I just looked at her precious little face and put my hand on her little body and prayed for her."

On another occasion Adele writes:

"She had food again at 5pm, and when Wessel went to visit just after work she seemed much more content. Daddy was so proud of his girl for doing so well today."

The up's and down's of this period, would have been almost unbearable except for their faith. I can state this freely, because they have both echoed these sentiments again and again.

On the phone, Wessel regularly stated that they were holding up only by the grace of God.

Adele, in her blog, is in perfect harmony with his words.

She writes:

"Even though we don't know what the future holds, we know that God is in control of it and that's enough."

It was that simple to both of them, "God Is in Control!"

I can tell you now, God loves both Wessel and Adele, and He Loves Tabitha.

The truth is, He loves Tabitha more then even Wessel and Adele could love her.

No earthly love is anything compared to, the love God has for little Tabitha! He loved her from the foundation of the world, before He formed her in the womb. He knows her inside out and He will care for her better then anyone else could ever care for her. In loving kindness, He has drawn her and she is safe in His arms.

I often pray that I may be faithful. I would love God to be pleased with my life and to be happy with the things I have done.

To both Wessel and Adele I believe he is saying, "Well done my good and faithful servants!"

Remain in Him, abide in Him and when you enter His kingdom, He will welcome you as faithful children. Wessel and Adele will be reunited with Tabitha and they will know then, as they know now, that He is faithful, He is Just And He is Good.

Extra Excerpt

Steven stood up in front of a group of Pharisees, including the apostle Paul before his conversion.

As he preaches Christ, it starts to anger those to whom he's preaching. So much so that they start to bite him. Finally, they pick up stones to stone him and as the onslaught begins he says, "I see heaven opened and the Son of Man (Jesus) standing at the right hand of the father."

The stones do have their effect and he does die. However not before he gives us insight into an incredible event in heaven. In most scriptures, Jesus is sitting on the right hand of the father. Here, He is standing almost in protest of the stoning, in support of His faithful steward. Jesus however, chose not to stop the stoning for it had great purpose. It would influence many, including Paul who latter converted and gave us much of the new testament. God allowed the stoning to succeed in spite of the fact that he had the power to stop it. He did so for a far greater purpose, a purpose that would effect the whole of Christianity.

Likewise God has acted through purpose with Tabitha. A time will come when we will clearly see that purpose.