Dearest Carrel, whose past year has been a whirlwind of hospital visits and doing home health care; Kathi, Paul and Kris, and your families, whose year has also seen its share of trips back home to care for Mom and Dad in one way or another. To all of you and to all of Paul's family, his brothers and their families and to all who are Paul's friends: grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. We bury Paul today. Beloved husband and father, brother, friend, musician, artist, and brother in Christ. This week is the week of ashes and dust. It's a reminder that what happens today happens because of man's fall into sin. Paul, born into this sin like all people, will now be laid to rest where his body will become dust and ashes. How appropriate that we bury him this week. Ever since the Doctor explained the tumor that Paul had, we knew this day would come. We prayed for it to come a long way off. Almost a year isn't too bad. But you knew it would come. And you prepared for it. And Paul died on Saturday and though you were prepared you weren't ready. You never can be. It has been a hard year for you, Carrel, and for your family, but I know that you cherish every day you were given and now you weep because Paul has fallen into the sleep from which only Jesus can awaken him. So go ahead and weep today because Death has separated Paul from us and us from Paul. But rejoice today also because Jesus has overcome death.
St. Paul tells us that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Notice the apostle doesn't say nothing can separate us from each other. Death can do that. Death HAS done that. When Paul and Carrel were married, they made vows "til death do us part." Well, death has parted you. Death has taken Paul away from us. But it hasn't taken Paul away from Jesus. The ashes to ashes, dust to dust life that we live in this fallen world troubles us. It is filled with suffering and sorrow. It can take away an artist's ability to write and draw and sing. It may even take away his ability to tell you that he knows who you are. But it can't take him away from Jesus. Death can end our life together. But it cannot end the life that Jesus gives. Death is against us. But it can't be more against us than God is for us in Jesus. If all of this were up to Paul, surely Death WOULD be the final word. Because Paul can't save himself from sin and death. No matter the works he has done—and he has done many good works—he cannot escape death. But it is not up to Paul. It is up to Jesus. Jesus shows us that God is not against us but for us. So who can be against us? Who can say anything against Paul? Can the devil claim him? Can death keep him down? Nope. He is in Christ Jesus and it is our Lord who triumphs over all these things.
When Lazarus died, Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if you have been here, my brother would not have died." We prayed that way. Give Paul more time. Let him live longer, get stronger. Let it all be as it was before a stroke and a brain tumor. But Jesus directs Martha away from her way of doing things to His way. He says to her, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, he shall live." Hear those words today. Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus is the one who has conquered death. Because He faced death. He tasted death. He tangled with Death. He Himself died, killed for sinners. But Death loses. Jesus rose from the dead. Jesus is alive. Easter happened. Death runs away with its tail between its legs! And because Jesus has overcome death, because Jesus didn't turn into dust and ashes, He can say, "I am the resurrection and the life." What that means is that for all those who are in Christ, for Paul who is in Christ, Death has no more power. It cannot destroy. It cannot separate from Christ. It cannot win. It has lost. God is for us in Christ. God is for Paul in Christ. And now, having died in Christ, our Paul is more than a conqueror! He is with the Lord.
Our Paul could look at something and then put that image upon canvas. That was his gift, among many others. He could take a blank canvas and cover it with a beautiful image. And this is a picture of what the Lord has done for Paul. He has covered Paul with an image, the image of His Son. You see, Paul Schirmer was baptized into Christ and at that moment when he was just a baby, he was born again of water and the Spirit. At that Baptism, the Lord put upon Paul the clothing of Christ. So that for his whole life, when the Father looks at Paul, he sees His Son and all of His holiness and perfection, covering all of Paul's sin and wretchedness. Throughout his life, absolved of his sins and fed with Jesus' body and blood, Jesus has kept Paul close. This is why we say that nothing, not even death, could separate Paul from God's love in Jesus Christ. What a joy and privilege for me, as his pastor, to remind Paul of his baptism into Jesus, to forgive his sins, to preach the Word into his ears, and to put into his mouth the holy body and blood of Jesus. That is why I can tell you to rejoice, even though you are weeping today. Because by those holy gifts, the Lord held Paul close. By those gifts, giving Him Jesus, keeping him in Christ, not even death can hurt him now. It is by those gifts that Jesus has prepared Paul for the day of his death. What joy to see Paul fall asleep in Jesus on Saturday! We gathered around his bed and we heard and prayed God's Word. And Paul heard that word. That Word is Christ's Word and it filled Paul's ears one more time with Jesus and all His gifts. And then Paul fell asleep in Jesus. That, brothers and sisters, is a gift. That is the power of Christ who is the conqueror of sin, death, devil, and hell. Paul fell asleep as we confessed in the creed with Job and all the saints who have gone before us, that there is a resurrection of the body and there is life everlasting in Christ.
On Saturday last, Paul fell asleep in Jesus. Today we lay Paul's body to rest so that it can turn back into dust and ashes. Today you weep and cry because Death has taken Paul away. But hear Jesus' words again: "I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in Me, though he die, he will live." Jesus' words mean that God is for Paul in Christ. Washed at the font, fed from the altar, Christ's promises filling his ears, those words mean that Jesus has hold of Paul and was there when He fell asleep. It means that Paul's sins cannot condemn him. Jesus has taken them away. It means the Devil cannot accuse him. Jesus has taken away his power. It means Death cannot keep Paul down. Jesus will raise Him on the Last Day. Today our Paul is with Jesus. Because Jesus overcomes all things and nothing can separate Paul from Jesus. Someday soon our Lord will return and raise Paul's body from the dead and us with him. And yes, we will have great joy to see Paul again. But more than that: we, with Paul, will rejoice to be with Christ forever and ever. Because Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Jesus is Paul's resurrection and life. Amen.