Strong in the Lord

Preached on the occasion of the death of a twenty-nine-year-old man whose death came as the result of a brief and unexpected illness. Until that time he had been a model of good health, an active athlete, and dedicated to taking good care of himself.

Dearly beloved in the Lord, grace to you and peace from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are gathered here today because a husband, son, brother, friend, and father has died. It was completely unexpected. The very morning of his death, plans were being made for his release from the hospital. Without warning, everything changed. In a mere matter of minutes, that which had been so vibrant and filled with life and expectation, became still and quiet.

In that moment, things changed, not only for him, but…