David Moore

MY BROTHERS FUNERAL ON FEBRUARY 4TH OF 2003 MY BROTHER DIED OF CANCER AT THE AGE OF 52. MY BROTHER ASKED ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS BEFORE HE DIED IF I WOULD PREACH AT HIS FUNERAL. I AM NOT A MINISTER BUT MY FAMILY LOOKS TO THE CHRIST THAT IS WITH IN ME. I DECIDED TO TAKE ON THIS CHALLANGE. I WANTED TO TRY TO BRING PEACE TO FAMILY AND FRIENDS. I MOSTLY WANTED TO DO IT FOR THE LORD. I FELT THAT IF I DIDN'T DO IT I WOULLD ALWAYS REGRET IT. I HAVE A CD "SONGS AND SERMONS" BY BILLY GRAHAM. ON THIS CD IT HAS GOT 5 SHORT SERMONS SCATTERED THROUGH OUT THE CD. I TOOK ALL FIVE OF THESE SHORT SERMONS AND MADE ONE. I WANTED TO MEMORIZE THE SERMON. I WANTED TO DO THE BEST JOB THAT I COULD POSIBLE DO. I HAD THE SERMON MEMORIZED BEFORE MY BROTHER DIED. IN MY BROTHERS LAST FEW HOURS I REPEATEDLY QUOTED THE SERMON THAT I WAS GOING TO GIVE AT HIS FUNERAL. I QUOTED IT SO MANY TIMES THAT I NEW IT VERY WELL. THE LORD DID A BEAUTIFUL JOB WORKING THROUGH ME AT THE FUNERAL. I COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT ANY BETTER THAN WHAT I DID. IT GAVE PEACE TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS BY ME DOING IT. I GIVE ALL GLORY TO THE LORD FOR HE MADE IT HAPPEN. THIS IS THE SERMON THAT I MEMORIZED. THIS IS THE SERMON I GAVE IN THE BEGINNING MAN CHOSE TO LOVE AND OBEY GOD.AS A RESULT HIS LIFE WAS A PARADISE BUT ONE DAY SOMETHING HAPPENED, MAN DELIBERTLY REBELLED AGAINST GOD. HE WILLFULLY BROKE GODS MORAL LAW AND MANS SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP TO GOD WAS BROKEN. HE BEGAN TO SUFFER AND DIE AS THE DISEASE OF SIN ENTERED THE HUMAN RACE. HE LOST THE PEACE, JOY, AND SECURITY THAT HE HAD. THE PERFECTION OF GODS HANDY WORK WAS STAINED. EDEN BECAME FOR MAN A PARADISE LOST. HAVING EXCEPTED THE FACT OF GOD. THE NEXT QUESTION WE ASK IS WHAT KIND OF A PERSON IS HE.WE HAVE ALREADY SEEN EVIDENCE THAT HE IS A GOD OF ORDER, DESIGN AND PERFECTION, BUT WHEN WE PICK UP THE BIBLE. WE DISCOVER THAT GOD IS MUCH MORE. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT HE IS A GOD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AND HOLINESS. THE BIBLE TEACHES HE IS A GOD OF JUDGEMENT, THAT HE IS SO PURE THAT NO INPURITY CAN STAND IN HIS PRESENCE, BUT MORE, THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT GOD IS LOVE AND IT IS BECAUSE GOD IS LOVE, THAT HE CREATED THE HUMAN RACE. THOUGH WE LIFT OUR VOICES AND CRY FOR HELP STILL WE CHOOSE DELIBERTLY AS ADAM DID THE WRONG WAY. AS WINSTON CHURCHILL ONCE SAID, MAN HAS IMPROVED HIMSELF EVERYWAY EXCEPT MORALLY. WE RESORTED TO EVERY MEANS TO REGAIN PARADISE. OUR MOTIVES HAS BEEN GOOD. OUR ATTEMPTS COMENDABLE, BUT THE BIBLE SAYS THEY ALL FALLEN SHORT, BUT GOD FACED A DELEMA, IN SPITE OF MANS REBELLION GOD LOVED HIM BUT BEING JUST HOW COULD HE FORGIVE MAN IN LESS THE PENALTY OF SIN BEEN PAID. THIS WAS THE QUESTION GOD FACED AND WITH HIS LOVE FOR MAN SO STRONG HE IMMEDIATLY TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO RESTORE THE BROKEN FELLOWSHIP TO PROVIDE A MEANS FOR MANS REDEMPTION. TO THE AMAZENENT OF THE WHOLE UNIVERCE GOD DECIDED TO BECOME A MAN IN THE PERSON OF HIS SON. MAN CAN NEVER BE NEUTRAL ABOUT THE CLAIMS OF CHRIST. HE IS THE ONE WHO SAID, I AM THE DOOR BY ME IF ANY MAN ENTER IN, HE SHALL BE SAVED. I AM THE GOOD SHEPPARD. THE GOOD SHEPPARD GIVES HIS LIFE FOR HIS SHEEP. COME INTO ME ALL YOU THAT LABOR AND ARE HEAVY LADEN AND I WILL GIVE YOU REST. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. HE THAT FOLLOWS ME SHALL NOT WALK IN DARKNESS. THE TRUE PURPOSE OF THE COMING OF JESUS CHRIST WAS NOT JUST TO HEAL AND TEACH. HIS PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS TO REDEEM. HE WAS BORN TO DIE TO BE A RANSOM FOR MANY. ON A RUGGED HILL, A CROSS STOOD BLEAK AGAINST THE SKY AND BECAME THE PITABLE POINT OF HISTORY. WHAT HAPPENED ON THAT CROSS IS A MYSTERY, IN SOME MYSTEREOUS WAY GOD TOOK ALL OUR SINS AND LAID THEM ON HIS SON. GOD WAS SAYING FROM THE CROSS TO THE WHOLE HUMAN RACE, I LOVE YOU, I WILL FORGIVE YOU.ON THE MORNING OF THE THIRD DAY AFTER HE WAS CRUCIFIED. THREE WOMEN WENT TO HIS TOMB TO ANOINT THE BODY WITH SPICES. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO HEAR THE MOST DRAMATIC ANONCEMENT THAT THE HUMAN EAR HAS EVER HEARD. HE IS NOT HERE HE HAS RISEN. I AM HE THAT LIVES AND WAS DEAD CHRIST SAID. I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE AND BECAUSE I LIVE YOU SHALL LIVE ALSO. FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE SIN ENTERED THE HUMAN RACE. THERE WAS HOPE FOR MANKIND.