Genesis 5:21-24

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FUNERAL MESSAGE
GENESIS 5:21-24

Pastor Stephen Muncherian
March 2, 2002

That each of you is here is a powerful testimony - a sign of great respect - for __________ - and how he has touched each of our lives. __________ was very much respected - loved - honored - and deservedly so. While listening to those who have shared with us today it’s evident that in the true sense of the word, __________ has been the patriarch of his family - and his extended family. He lived a very full life. In some ways a hard life. A life blessed by God. One of those blessings is this family that gathered around him - even in these last few years of illness.

It was my privilege to know __________. As we all will - I will miss him. I’ll miss our conversations and his first hand experiences and perspective of Armenian history. And, I’ll miss spending time with him in his garden.

As I've been reflecting back on our conversations and the time I was able to spend with __________ and on his role in this family - two passages have stuck in my mind. One is Psalm 23 - which we read this morning - and is very familiar to us. Especially these words from Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”

What a tremendous picture - God's guidance and presence through the worst of life - in sickness - even in death. We’re never alone. God is always with us - walking right beside us - guiding us - keeping us - protecting us.

The second passage I've been thinking about is from Genesis 5:21-24 - verses that talk about a man named Enoch. We really don't know a whole lot about Enoch except what's in these few verses.

Listen to how Enoch is described: Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters - like __________ - this man Enoch was the patriarch of his family - So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years - that’s a long - full - life - Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him.

This one statement is so absolutely amazing: “Enoch walked with God; and he was not, God took him.”

Enoch lived day in and day out with God - through whatever circumstances came - even "valley of the shadow of death" circumstances - he and God walking together - and then one day - whosh - God takes him to Heaven. Of the billions who have lived and died - only two out of that vast number have never died - Enoch and Elijah.

You see this impressed me about __________ - even in the valley of the shadow of death - the worst of what he was going through these past months - he was walking with God - trusting Him - looking to Him for strength. I could tell that God was walking with him - giving him His strength and peace to go through it all. Even after 94 years we may not have been ready for God to take __________. But God was. And __________ was.

I asked him recently, “How are you doing spiritually?”

Without hesitation he told me, “I’m trusting in Jesus. I know whatever happens He will take care of me.” He knew His Savior. He knew his destination - and the day came and God took him. Today, he is there with his Lord.

Jesus told His disciples, “Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:1-3)

May these words of our Savior bring us comfort today. __________ believed in God - __________ trusted Jesus - and he is there - in his home with Jesus. And we who also believe in Jesus - who walk with Him - and trust Him as our Savior - one day we will go and live with __________ and Jesus - forever in our Father's dwelling place.

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