Memorial Service
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Opening Scripture: Psalm 91:1-2
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."
We gather here today to honor the memory of Tony Marrese. We also gather to confort those of his family by our words and by our presence. And finally, we are here to hear what God would say to us through His word about the realities of life, death, and eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ.
You are all here today because your lives were touched in some way by the life of Tony Marrese. You are his family, or his friends. You could share, if you were standing where I stand, the many things he meant to you and the many ways he touched your life. Memories like those will continue to live on in your hearts — and those memories are very precious, and to be highly valued. Their worth is far more valuable than words can describe. And each of you give testimony of how highly you thought of Tony by your presence here today.
Tony leaves behind his wife, four children, four grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. Our sympathy and prayers are certainly with you in this time of loss. But Tony also leaves behind all the rest of us as well, because he goes to a much better place, a promised place of peace and joy and love eternal. John 14:1-3 says, "Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (KJV)
Listen to other words of Scripture that the Word of God may be a comfort in this time of need.
Psalm 145:18-19
The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them. (KJV)
Psalm 46:1-5
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that right early. (KJV)
Isaiah 41:10, 13
Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. . . . For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee. (KJV)
Psalm 23:1-6
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. (KJV)
2 Corinthians 4:16-15:8
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Message:
As we gather here today, we are reminded of the realities of life and death.
We understand, firstly, that life is generous to some people.
Tony Marrese lived 71 years. Many are not given that much time. We can be thankful that he lived a good and full life and that he lived to see his family flourish before him. We can be thinkful that he had the opportunity to share life with his family and friends and pass on the wisdom of his experiences, both good and bad, to those he loved. He had the opportunity to live, and your lives have been enriched by knowing Tony Marrese.
We are also reminded that life is limited for all people. However long we live, death inevitably comes to all of us. In spite of all the powers of humankind and the steady advance of medical technology, we have never succeeded in defeating death. We all will die.
But death is just a transition. Although the body ceases to function, the spirit lives on. Death, according to the Bible, is a change of status. That which perishes is excahnged for that which is imperishable. Death ushers us into the presence of the living God. Death brings us into eternity.
All of us must face death sometime. Hebrews 9:27 says, ". . . man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment." In light of this, we should all take great care to live in such a way that when it comes our time to die, we are ready to face God.
You see, death is not death if you know the Lord. It is merely a change of place, a change of state, a transferral from one realm of existence into another.
Death is not death, if it kills no part of us, except that which hindered us from perfect life.
Death is not death, if it raises us in a moment from darkness into light, from weakness into strength, from sinfulness into holiness.
Death is not death, if it perfects our faith by sight, and let’s us behold Him in whom we have believed.
Death is not death, if it rids us of doubt and fear, of sickness and disease, of sorrow and sadness.
Death is not death, if it gives us to those whom we have loved and lost, for whom we have lived, for whom we long to live again.
Death is not death; for Christ has conquered death, for Himself, and for those who trust in Him.
And Tony placed his trust in the Lord. He would have agreed with the Apostle Paul when he said, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain."
What do those words mean for you, for us? They are words of encouragement. Can you own them for yourself?
They teach us that for those of us who know Christ as our life, to die is to gain.
WE GAIN A BETTER BODY - It will be a glorified, immortal, resurrection body. In this life we experience aging, pain, sickness, and ultimately death. Those are the things which accompany this house of dust. But as we pass through death into glory, we gain one that does not grow old, know disease, suffer pain, and can never die.
WE GAIN A BETTER HOME - Whatever we may have in this life cannot compare with the home which Jesus is preparing for us. He said He was going to prepare a place for us so that we could be with Him. We can’t even imagine the glorious home which awaits us.
WE GAIN A BETTER INHERITANCE - Our final reward is not here, in this life, but is in heaven. "Well done thou good and faithful servant . . . . . enter into the joy of thy Lord."
WE GAIN A BETTER FELLOWSHIP - In this world we live in a dissolving family circle. Husband is gone, or wife is gone, or Father, or Mother is gone, or Grandparents, or friend. But in heaven we will enjoy a reunion with those who wait to greet us there. But best of all, we shall enjoy fellowship with Jesus Christ; we shall see Him face to face. IF FOR YOU TO LIVE IS CHRIST, THEN TO DIE IS GAIN
But if for you to live is money, to die is a loss. But if for you to live is pleasure, to die is a loss. But if for you to live is self, to die is a loss. But if for you to live is ambition, to die is a loss. But if for you to live is sin, to die is a loss. But if for you to live is this world, to die is a loss.
But if for you to live is CHRIST, then to die is gain, great gain!
This is what is in store for our brother Tony. We rejoice that we know that Tony is with our Lord. We do not mourn as those who have no hope. We are saddened by his absence. But we are gladdened to know that he is were all the tears are wiped from every eye, where there is no sickness or pain, but only joy forevermore.
The reality of death is that we all die. And death puts us face to face with God. This we cannot change. But we can do something about eternity. If we do not commit our life to Christ to serve Him, then to die is an eternal loss. The realities of heaven and hell confront us as we consider death. But the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is that we can be forgiven for our sins and enjoy God’s presence forever. We do not have to fear death, for death is not death if it transports us to eternal life.
Tony is in heaven now with his Lord. But if he could speak to this assembled congregation today I believe he would invite each one of you to put your faith in the living Christ. Some of you already have. But if you have not, we invite you to make that commitment today. What more fitting time to do it then at a service to honor one whose life was a testimony to the difference Christ can make.