+ In Memoriam – Janice Westmark +
November 12, 2021
Psalm 23; Psalm 31; 2 Timothy 4:6-8; John 14:1-6
Beautiful Savior Lutheran
Milton, WA
Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in John 14, our Lord declares…
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
From what I know, and from what the family has told me about Janice, these words of Jesus gave her great comfort, as they did for his disciples in John 14. As they do for us today as well.
All of this talk of rooms and preparations by our Lord. It sounds as if Jesus was preparing for something big. A party. A celebration. A joyous occasion. Indeed, he was. His whole earthly life - from the time of his birth for us, to his life lived for us, from death he died for us, to his resurrection from the grave for us and his ascending to heaven for us – his life was one of planning and preparation to save you by giving his life for you, just as he did for Janice.
You could even say God is the ultimate party planner. After all, he prepared, planned, and organized all of history to bring about the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for Janice, and for you. So that all who believe in Jesus, like Janice, like each of us, that even though we die yet shall we live in him. So that we, along with Janice and all the saints who have gone before us, would be welcomed to the eternal marriage supper of the Lamb. So that we, along with Janice, rest in the peace of Jesus until that great day of the resurrection of the body, and a joyful reunion in heaven with those we love who have died in the faith.
All of this. Jesus’ dying for you to rescue you as he did Janice from the sin and the grave. Jesus rising for you, as he did Janice, so that in him we will rise again with new and glorified bodies and, yes, minds and memories. Jesus’ promised return on the great day of the resurrection. It all sounds like a cause for celebration.
And Janice knew that. Confessed that. Believed in our Lord and his promises. All of these gifts of our Lord Jesus, that was the source of Janice’s gift of hospitality and love of party planning and celebrating. The joy that comes from Jesus’ victory over sin and death on the cross. The joy that he gives us in his rising from the dead. Eternal joy. A never-ending celebration.
Janice knew that well. Even when her memory was failing, Jesus’ promises and words to her never failed. Our Lord promises here and throughout his Word that he has not, nor will he ever forget Janice.
When our Lord makes a plan and promises to save, rescue, and redeem us. Well, that’s exactly what he does. That’s what he did when he adopted Janice by grace in the waters of Holy Baptism. With water and word Janice was made a child of God, part of the family. That day may have looked like any other ordinary day, a pastor, some water, and God’s Word. But make no mistake, that day was a celebration and a joyous party. For on that day, as on the day of your baptism, Janice was buried into Christ’s death and raised with him in his resurrection.
That’s what God did, he planned to save Janice and you, to write our names in the Lamb’s book of life, in the mysterious promise of Scripture, before the foundation of the earth. Jesus, the Lamb, the Good Shepherd; he has done this for Janice and for you by engraving your names in crimson ink, signed and sealed by his hands outstretched on the cross for you. And then three days later risen and glorified for you. Don’t you love it when a plan comes together!
That’s what our Lord did when he called our dear sister in Christ, Janice, home to be with him, on All Saints’ Day even. Seems fitting, I think, for someone who loved celebrations and gatherings and family occasions so much, to fall asleep in Jesus on the very day the church on earth remembers and gives thanks for the saints who have gone before us.
That day, like today, may cause us to grieve our loved ones. And that’s alright. Yet even though we mourn, we do not grieve without hope. Because of these words…
“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.”
You see, in Christ, the party is never over. The celebration, the joy, the peace that he gives – it never ends. His promise endures. His gifts of life and salvation are eternal.
As we hear in Psalm 23, His goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell[f] in the house of the Lord forever
That’s our Lord’s promise to you and to Janice. To dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Just as our Lord rose from the grave, so too, in him, Janice will rise from the dead. Rise with a new and glorified body, and yes, mind. And so will you. A resurrected. Real. Tangible. In the flesh eternal celebration before the Lamb.
Until that great reunion with those we love who have died in the faith. Until our Lord returns. Until the resurrection…
The peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard and keep you to life everlasting. Amen.
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