Two Funerals

0:04 A while back, a family approached me and asked me to conduct a funeral, which I said yes because I'd known this gentleman for a while. This funeral was a little bit unusual because this person was a multi-billionaire. It's not every day you get a chance to talk to a room full of the beautiful people and officiate a billionaire's funeral. So they asked me if I would sort of be in the cleanup position. You know, there were several other speakers before me, and I was going to be the one, you know, to conclude the whole service. I said, okay. Because, again, I'd known this family for a while. And I was sitting there in another church looking out at some of the famous people and some of the, you know, again, very attractive, well-off individuals. and I'm sitting in this throne chair watching and listening to the other speakers talk about this guy.

1:06 Oh, they were talking about his intellect. They were talking about his private plane was at 737. They were talking about the islands he owned and real estate around the world and the companies and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Then they started talking about his wives and his kids and his grandkids and his great-grandkids. That was it. and I'm sitting up there in this throne chair just asking the Lord to give me the words to say and I'm thinking, so that's the meaning of life? recreate, procreate, do deals, and die?

1:55 That's it? I walked away from that funeral sort of despondent, almost depressed. that's the first funeral I wanted to tell you about today. Because there's another funeral. I conducted funeral two here at Fellowship this past June. The family that asked me to do this funeral didn't have billions. In fact, they were working class people, lived in a little house in South Irving.

2:46 The beautiful people weren't there. I mean, there were some great looking people. I'm not disrespecting anyone, but only, I don't know, 80, 90 people. and again they wanted me to back clean up to sort of summarize what the other speakers before me said. So I'm sitting there listening to these speakers and these speakers are saying things like this man loved the Lord with a great passion. This man wanted to see people come to Christ. This man was a founding member of Fellowship Church. This man led our parking crew for two decades. And I heard them describe his 60-some-odd year relationship to his wife and his family and the grandkids and all of that.

3:46 I left that funeral. I thought, what a contrast. Funeral one? Funeral two. A contrast.

4:07 How much did the funeral one guy leave? He pretty much left everything. how much did funeral to, how much did this guy leave? He left a legacy. And he's in eternity because of his faithfulness just relationally and financially giving glory to God. What a contrast. I mean, which one would you choose? one or two? Contrast. What is a contrast anyway? You ever thought about that? Contrast. A contrast is the state of being strikingly different from something else in juxtaposition or close association.

5:10 Jesus taught, in contrasts, so much of his material. was about contrasts. It was 5 a.m. this summer, and I normally don't do this, but I just randomly opened the Bible. Normally, I study the Bible in a systematic way, but I just kind of opened the Bible. 5 a.m. You might be going, Whoa. Ed is like Joe Rogan and David Goggins. Peace. he's like Jocko. You know those guys. You've got to laugh at those guys. Yeah, I'm up at 3.30 working out with Mark Wahlberg. I do four cold plunges, and then I check the stocks and my investments.

6:07 Then I meditate. What? And if you do that, you'll be worth $500 million in a couple of years. Isn't that funny, those motivational guys? Anyway. and I'm all for motivation I'm just kind of joking around but I was up at five because I was going fishing I don't get up at five and I was meeting my guide at 5 45 so I'm reading the Bible and it just happened to fall open I mean don't try this at home to Mark chapter 10 and I've read Mark chapter 10 many times I went to four years of seminary I did doctrinal work you know I knew the synoptic gospel of Mark. And so I'm reading and, oh, I read this story about a rich guy, a young guy talking to Jesus. And so I keep reading on and on and on. And at the end of Mark 10, it talks about Jesus meeting this blind beggar.

7:05 and all of a sudden, I felt impressed by the Holy Spirit of God. I didn't know why at the time. Now I know. To think about, this is kind of random, those two funerals. So I'm sitting there. It's probably now about 515. I'd read Mark 10, and boom, I think about these two funerals. The billionaire. and the working class guy. And I thought, what a contrast. And then I thought, whoa, look at this contrast.

7:46 And as I dove deeper into Mark chapter 10, just one chapter, Jesus is talking about contrast. Two shall become one. Adults shall become like children. The first shall be last. Servants will become rulers, and the poor shall become rich. I mean, to me, that's kind of strange, isn't it?

8:17 Unique. Well, then think about the gospel, the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Contrast. God becoming man. Christ's death and resurrection giving us life?

8:40 We come to God in our sinfulness, in our unrighteousness, and he imputes righteousness into our lives. Contrast. Two funerals. and now I'll tell you two stories from Mark chapter 10 and then we're done. How about that? Mark chapter 10, Jesus is on his way to Jerusalem to pay the price for iniquities on the cross. He's on his way. Some Passover pilgrims are with him because he's going to the Passover and he's our Passover lamb. The disciples are with him. And as you look at the context, he's on kind of a side path, and he goes into the main path.

9:33 And when he does, a rich, young ruler runs up to him, hits his knees, and he has this conversation with Jesus. He was an influencer. I mean, we would like this guy. And I want you to know, every rich young ruler is welcome at fellowship.

10:03 Now, let me show you what I just did. I gave you the context of Scripture. You cannot read Scripture without context. The content of Scripture without context will lead you to chaos. Most of what you see, for example, and hear on social media when people talk about the things of God, even pastors, is theologically incorrect.

10:38 They don't mean to be theologically incorrect. They just have never studied the Bible in a systematic way. At Fellowship Church next week, I'm launching into, it might be the most important series we've ever done, I'm launching into a series called No Theology. What is theology? The study of God.

11:03 What's a doctrine? The result of the study of God. Do you know why you believe what you believe? We're going to talk about the major doctrines, the doctrine of God. That's a great place to start, isn't it? The doctrine of the Bible. The doctrine of Jesus Christ. The doctrine of salvation. The doctrine of the Trinity. The doctrine of the church. The doctrine of future things.

11:38 If we don't have a strong theological foundation, we're like these guys you see at the gym. They're built like martini glasses. big old upper bodies and little tiny little bird legs. We don't want to look like that, do we?

11:58 Fellowship Church is built, we have been built on sound theology. And I'm burdened, we are burdened around here to teach it to you, but not just knowledge. how do you apply it? Because theology is not very much unless it translates into life change. But I want to teach you how to look at things and listen to things critically. You might go, man, that sounds really good. Well, I can say a lot of things that sound really good, but they're not biblical. Like this, God wants to prosper you. it's a very general statement and partly that's true but if I left it there partly is poor theology prosper?

13:06 What in the heck does that mean? health and wealth well no that's not prosperity in god's economy it's blessing you the way god wants to bless you not the way you want to bless you or the way i want to bless me you see fellowship church is a specific church i'm not giving these broad brushed lines god wants to bless your life what in the heck does that mean?

13:43 You see what I'm saying to you? So we're gonna figure out and understand those things. God does wanna bless your life. But oftentimes, his blessings don't look like the ones I would choose. So let's go back to the story. A little, you know, I'm ADD. A little sidebar there. This rich guy comes up to Jesus, and he basically says, Jesus, you know, I'm a good guy. And the Bible says, as we summarize, he came to Jesus at the right time. He was young, right posture, hit his knees, asking the right question. He said, Jesus, here's what he asked him. What should I do, do, do, do to inherit eternal life? He was living the right lifestyle because Jesus said, why do you call me good? Look at verse 18.

14:39 And what he was saying was, do you know who you're talking to? Because the word good was only used for God. No one is good except God alone. All right? And then Jesus does something weird as he talks to this young guy. He starts quoting the Ten Commandments, the law of Moses. He hits the last six of these commandments. And I was thinking to myself at 5-something a.m., why is Jesus talking about the commandments? Why?

15:12 The Bible tells us in the book of James that the law, say with me now, The commandments literally are a mirror to show us that we're fallen, to show us that we're sinners. For example, all of you look so good today. Man, we have such a beautiful church. Everyone looks clean and neat. And I know you looked into a mirror this morning, but you didn't take the mirror off the wall and shave with it, guys. Ladies, you didn't take a mirror off the wall and put on these, well, I don't think very many people wear false eyelashes, but I've heard you didn't.

15:52 It showed you and me what to do. The law cannot save us. It can lead us to Jesus, but only grace can make us like Jesus. So Jesus said, you know, the commandments. and this guy goes, yeah, man, I'm good. Well, then Jesus, the Bible says, looked at him and loved him. I'm giving you the cliff notes. And he said this one thing you lack. he said liquidate what go sell everything you have are you kidding me and you will have treasure in heaven and and then follow me now some of the guys i know what you're thinking oh man you mean to tell me i've got to sell everything to follow jesus and give it to the poor, I'm out.

16:56 just everyone relax. This is the only time Jesus ever asked anyone to sell it all. All the people he met with, this is the only time. He challenged this rich guy who was surfing on his father's trust fund to sell everything because that was his skandalon. that's a Greek word for stumbling block.

17:29 What is your scandal on? Maybe it is wealth. Maybe it's an addiction. Maybe it's a relationship. What are you holding on to? And Jesus is saying, let go. because here's what's, again, another contrast.

17:55 When we give up control, he takes control. So the last part is of this text, really sad. At this, the man's face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth. George Frederick Watts painted an amazing work that hangs in the British Museum of the Rich Young Ruler. I mean, that is an awesome painting. his head is down, shoulders slumped, and you can see he's kind of up against the wall. See that? And notice his hands, half open and half closed, wanting to let go, but still holding on.

18:59 the title of that painting, he had a lot of possessions. Is that powerful? Well, that's the first story from Mark chapter 10. Let's go to the second story, and then we're done. Now we skip over some verses, and we have Jesus still walking to Jerusalem. Now he's 18 miles away from Jerusalem. He's going through Jericho. There were two Jerichos in the Bible, and as he's approaching Jericho, a couple of blind guys, And again, these accounts are in the synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. So as he's walking, again, the Passover pilgrims are with him and the disciples.

19:58 These blind guys cry out, Jesus, have mercy on me. And one's named Bartimaeus. And the Bible tells us, Mark 10, verse 46, Then they came to Jericho as Jesus and his disciples together with a large crowd were leaving the city of blind man. Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus, he began to shout, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. Now here's another weird question, guys. I just, ladies, I mean, boys and girls. Here's what Jesus asked the guy. This blind guy, they bring him up to Jesus, Bartimaeus, and Jesus goes, what do you want me to do for you? But as you research that phrase, Jesus asked a lot of people that. Sometimes people say this, I found the Lord.

20:56 That's theologically incorrect. You didn't find Jesus. I didn't find the Lord. What are you smoking? He found me. He found you. Now, obviously, we have a free will, and we have a choice.

21:18 So Jesus wanted to see, okay, exercise your free will. So this blind man said, Rabbi, that literally means Lord, I want to see. Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you. Immediately, he received the sight and followed Jesus along the road. contrast I love this painting too of Bartimaeus being healed no one knows who actually did that but I just thought it was powerful a powerful usage of light and I just like that that painting Bartimaeus is healed so you have the contrast between the rich young ruler and Bartimaeus go back to me at dark 30. I'm reading Mark chapter 10 and I just start writing in my journal and do you mind if I share with you what I wrote?

22:19 No, Ed, go ahead. Okay. I wrote, what a contrast. One was rich, the other was poor. One had a big inheritance, the other had none. One had position, the other didn't. One could see, the other was blind. One said no, the other said yes. One unfollowed, the other followed. One walked away from Jesus, the other walked with him. One blew the opportunity, the other seized it because that was the last time Jesus ever walked through Jericho. Think about it. we welcome, let me say it again, the blind Bartimaeuses here at Fellowship Church with open arms. And we welcome the rich, young ruler crowd and everybody in between.

23:18 But again, go back to the gospel. Contrast, God becoming man, Jesus' death and resurrection giving us life, our guilt for his grace our sin for the savior of the world contrast so as a believer I gotta ask you are you blending in or are you a contrast I was saddened to hear the news last Sunday of the Neelan family's plane crash. The Neelans were a fantastic singing group who sang about the things of the Lord. Amber, you'll see her picture.

24:16 was on that plane. And I read an account of her when she was younger. She described an audition she did before J-Lo. J-Lo was blown away by this girl. And J-Lo said,

24:41 you know, if you'd be more revealing in your clothing, I could put you on the map. You could be so wealthy and so popular, just show more. and Amber looked at her and said, no, I know Jesus Christ and I'm not gonna do that. That does not glorify him. J-Lo pressed, come on. You've gotta be kidding me. Do you realize what you're saying no to? She said, but I'm saying yes to Jesus.

25:24 And then J-Lo said, get out of my face. Thank you. contrast. Here J-Lo has gone through yet another divorce, searching, scrambling, depressed, despondent. I pray that she releases everything and gives it to the Lord, but that is where she finds herself today. On the other hand, talk about a contrast. Amber, the moment she died, boom, in a nanosecond, she went to heaven. And she is with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, worshiping with the saints and the angels and discovering her amazing purpose like she never has before.

26:22 What am I saying today? Contrast Contrast Dear Heavenly Father, as our heads are bowed and eyes are closed, it's my earnest prayer that some here would let go and give it all to you.

26:56 That you would go, you know, I believe, God, that you became a man, a contrast. You became flesh. I believe that Jesus lived righteously, died sacrificially, rose bodily, and right now, I turn from my unrighteousness, from my sin, I turn to you, Jesus. I ask you to come into my life. I give you everything I am and everything I'll ever be. and friends I don't care if you are a rich young ruler I don't care if you're blind Bartimaeus something is is blinding you just by faith say Jesus come into my life there's a block of us here. We're believers, but we have to ask ourselves about contrast. As we think about this next school year, as we think about facing the fall, what kind of contrast do we have?

28:03 Contrast. so father we give this time to you holy spirit work and move in this time we voice this prayer in Christ's name