1 00:00:01,224 --> 00:00:13,323 I want to read a text out of Acts 20:22. 2 00:00:13,323 --> 00:00:18,611 Paul, the apostle. 3 00:00:18,611 --> 00:00:28,003 He was making one last visit with the Ephesian elders, 4 00:00:28,003 --> 00:00:31,340 as he was on his way to Jerusalem. 5 00:00:31,340 --> 00:00:33,817 In Acts 20:22 it says this, 6 00:00:33,817 --> 00:00:36,565 "And now behold, I'm going to Jerusalem. 7 00:00:36,565 --> 00:00:38,245 Constrained by the Spirit, 8 00:00:38,245 --> 00:00:40,792 not knowing what will happen to me there, 9 00:00:40,792 --> 00:00:43,983 except that the Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city 10 00:00:43,983 --> 00:00:49,861 that imprisonment and afflictions await me." 11 00:00:49,861 --> 00:00:52,265 Now listen to this: 12 00:00:52,265 --> 00:00:58,763 "But I do not account my life of any value, 13 00:00:58,763 --> 00:01:01,423 nor as precious to myself, 14 00:01:01,423 --> 00:01:05,795 if only I may finish my course 15 00:01:05,795 --> 00:01:10,303 and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, 16 00:01:10,303 --> 00:01:13,344 to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. 17 00:01:13,344 --> 00:01:17,082 And now behold, 18 00:01:17,082 --> 00:01:19,152 I know that none of you 19 00:01:19,152 --> 00:01:22,614 among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom 20 00:01:22,614 --> 00:01:28,676 will see my face again." 21 00:01:28,676 --> 00:01:33,742 I thought these words were fitting at Richard's funeral. 22 00:01:33,742 --> 00:01:38,415 For one, the apostle Paul, 23 00:01:38,415 --> 00:01:45,195 he's met with some Ephesian elders. 24 00:01:45,195 --> 00:01:48,300 He had them come down to Miletus. 25 00:01:48,300 --> 00:01:51,399 He's on a ship. He comes up. 26 00:01:51,399 --> 00:01:54,552 He doesn't have time to travel 27 00:01:54,552 --> 00:01:58,932 the 20 or 30 miles or so to Ephesus. 28 00:01:58,932 --> 00:02:02,281 He probably needs to be on time with the ship. 29 00:02:02,281 --> 00:02:04,829 He's headed for Jerusalem. 30 00:02:04,829 --> 00:02:07,556 He calls these elders from Ephesus, 31 00:02:07,556 --> 00:02:09,811 which is not too far away, 32 00:02:09,811 --> 00:02:12,644 and when they come, 33 00:02:12,644 --> 00:02:15,644 he tells them, 34 00:02:15,644 --> 00:02:21,602 "You're not going to see me again alive in this world." 35 00:02:21,602 --> 00:02:23,656 And you know what? 36 00:02:23,656 --> 00:02:27,166 I think about those men. 37 00:02:27,166 --> 00:02:31,494 They remembered Paul. 38 00:02:31,494 --> 00:02:34,772 He prayed with them before he left. 39 00:02:34,772 --> 00:02:37,546 I can imagine them walking back to Ephesus, 40 00:02:37,546 --> 00:02:41,813 the 30 miles or so. 41 00:02:41,813 --> 00:02:46,468 And they talked about Paul and what he had taught. 42 00:02:46,468 --> 00:02:52,022 They weren't going to see him. They wept. 43 00:02:52,022 --> 00:02:56,911 And you know, I have a feeling those of you here, 44 00:02:56,911 --> 00:03:00,709 you've tried to think, 45 00:03:00,709 --> 00:03:03,049 when you heard that Richard 46 00:03:03,049 --> 00:03:04,808 had gone to be with the Lord, 47 00:03:04,808 --> 00:03:07,408 you tried to think, 48 00:03:07,408 --> 00:03:10,408 "where was the last time I saw him?" 49 00:03:10,408 --> 00:03:13,066 "Where was the last time I talked with him?" 50 00:03:13,066 --> 00:03:15,997 Did you all do that? I did that. 51 00:03:15,997 --> 00:03:18,682 I talked with him at the men's retreat. 52 00:03:18,682 --> 00:03:21,913 It was a theological thing 53 00:03:21,913 --> 00:03:24,913 that I had been toying with in my mind, 54 00:03:24,913 --> 00:03:28,461 and I said, "Richard, we need to talk about that." 55 00:03:28,461 --> 00:03:31,583 And he came up and we engaged there. 56 00:03:31,583 --> 00:03:33,727 And I can remember, too, like some of the men, 57 00:03:33,727 --> 00:03:36,129 I looked over 58 00:03:36,129 --> 00:03:40,889 and I saw Richard leading the music. 59 00:03:40,889 --> 00:03:45,461 That last night, my truck was parked right next to his, 60 00:03:45,461 --> 00:03:48,229 and my son and I were sleeping in the back, 61 00:03:48,229 --> 00:03:53,873 and Richard, I think he stayed up till 4 or 5 in the morning 62 00:03:53,873 --> 00:03:55,752 playing a game with some of the guys. 63 00:03:55,752 --> 00:03:59,816 Craig said he heard him laughing at some 64 00:03:59,816 --> 00:04:02,235 unbelievable hour. 65 00:04:02,235 --> 00:04:05,172 And there my son and I are sleeping happily in the back 66 00:04:05,172 --> 00:04:08,109 of the truck, and sometime around 5 in the morning 67 00:04:08,109 --> 00:04:10,890 Richard turns his truck on. 68 00:04:10,890 --> 00:04:14,397 And the exhaust is right there by the back end of my truck. 69 00:04:14,397 --> 00:04:17,773 So not only is the thing [running], 70 00:04:17,773 --> 00:04:20,116 the fumes are coming in 71 00:04:20,116 --> 00:04:24,306 and I'm gagging on carbon monoxide. 72 00:04:24,306 --> 00:04:28,314 Just trying to remember Richard... 73 00:04:28,314 --> 00:04:32,677 The last time that I saw him, the last time I spoke. 74 00:04:32,677 --> 00:04:35,478 I'm sure it was the same with these guys. 75 00:04:35,478 --> 00:04:38,174 Here's the apostle Paul, he passes through. 76 00:04:38,174 --> 00:04:41,271 This is how life is. 77 00:04:41,271 --> 00:04:46,785 Life here does not last forever. 78 00:04:46,785 --> 00:04:49,503 And the time we have with people, 79 00:04:49,503 --> 00:04:53,152 we just don't know when the last time has come. 80 00:04:53,152 --> 00:04:57,009 Paul had an idea he was not going to see their faces again. 81 00:04:57,009 --> 00:04:59,462 The Spirit had indicated that. 82 00:04:59,462 --> 00:05:01,091 They had a last time. 83 00:05:01,091 --> 00:05:04,091 We had a last time with Richard. 84 00:05:04,091 --> 00:05:05,951 But life is moving on. 85 00:05:05,951 --> 00:05:08,141 We can't put the brakes on. 86 00:05:08,141 --> 00:05:10,270 We can't bring Richard back here. 87 00:05:10,270 --> 00:05:12,865 They couldn't bring Paul back to Ephesus. 88 00:05:12,865 --> 00:05:16,894 When he left, he was gone - in this world. 89 00:05:16,894 --> 00:05:20,281 And that's how this is. 90 00:05:20,281 --> 00:05:27,204 Think about how many of us in this room in 50 years, 91 00:05:27,204 --> 00:05:31,348 a day just like this is going to be somewhere 92 00:05:31,348 --> 00:05:34,788 in that next 50 years for each one of us. 93 00:05:34,788 --> 00:05:40,644 At least, those of us that are older. 94 00:05:40,644 --> 00:05:44,910 And you can start to think, 95 00:05:44,910 --> 00:05:47,910 I was thinking about it. 96 00:05:47,910 --> 00:05:52,269 Oh, if only I had known this was going to be 97 00:05:52,269 --> 00:05:55,367 the last weekend I got to be with Richard. 98 00:05:55,367 --> 00:05:58,131 If I could do it over again... 99 00:05:58,131 --> 00:06:00,555 I think with all of us men that were at the men's retreat, 100 00:06:00,555 --> 00:06:04,859 knowing what you know now, if you could go back to that third day, 101 00:06:04,859 --> 00:06:06,328 how would it be different? 102 00:06:06,328 --> 00:06:07,578 I know how it would be different. 103 00:06:07,578 --> 00:06:10,506 There would be a crowd around Richard the whole time. 104 00:06:10,506 --> 00:06:12,839 And maybe some of us have regrets. 105 00:06:12,839 --> 00:06:14,733 Maybe some of the men have regrets. 106 00:06:14,733 --> 00:06:19,914 "I didn't get to talk to him." 107 00:06:19,914 --> 00:06:23,651 Brethren, we need to live for today. 108 00:06:23,651 --> 00:06:26,193 We don't want to live with regrets. 109 00:06:26,193 --> 00:06:28,308 There's a lot of opportunities - you and I 110 00:06:28,308 --> 00:06:31,963 are not going to have any more opportunities in this lifetime. 111 00:06:31,963 --> 00:06:35,891 It's like David said, his wife asked him, 112 00:06:35,891 --> 00:06:38,891 "Did you ever tell Richard that?" 113 00:06:38,891 --> 00:06:40,695 No. 114 00:06:40,695 --> 00:06:45,325 And maybe there's a number of things we never told Richard, 115 00:06:45,325 --> 00:06:49,193 that we wish that we would have told him. 116 00:06:49,193 --> 00:06:51,120 Missed opportunities. 117 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:52,271 But you know what? 118 00:06:52,271 --> 00:06:56,225 With death, with the passing of a brother like Richard? 119 00:06:56,225 --> 00:06:59,754 And maybe with the thought of some failed opportunities, 120 00:06:59,754 --> 00:07:01,678 we need to think about today, 121 00:07:01,678 --> 00:07:04,829 and not missing the opportunities now with others, 122 00:07:04,829 --> 00:07:08,820 because there's a lot of people around us that are still alive. 123 00:07:08,820 --> 00:07:10,119 And there's a lot of opportunities 124 00:07:10,119 --> 00:07:14,844 that we don't want to squander with them. 125 00:07:14,844 --> 00:07:18,041 The family of Richard's, 126 00:07:18,041 --> 00:07:19,991 you don't want to squander 127 00:07:19,991 --> 00:07:23,251 the words that he said to you. 128 00:07:23,251 --> 00:07:26,282 You know, I don't know how many of you have ever 129 00:07:26,282 --> 00:07:27,608 prayed with Richard. 130 00:07:27,608 --> 00:07:32,597 I know this, I did pray with Richard. 131 00:07:32,597 --> 00:07:36,055 Typically, when we all stayed together 132 00:07:36,055 --> 00:07:38,128 Richard would not pray. 133 00:07:38,128 --> 00:07:42,691 But if you got in a group with him, he did pray. 134 00:07:42,691 --> 00:07:44,473 And he wept. 135 00:07:44,473 --> 00:07:50,466 I don't remember Richard ever praying without weeping. 136 00:07:50,466 --> 00:07:56,127 Our church had all manner of things, 137 00:07:56,127 --> 00:07:59,477 missionaries and needs in the churches, 138 00:07:59,477 --> 00:08:04,257 and things happening in the propogation of the Gospel. 139 00:08:04,257 --> 00:08:11,652 Richard would pray for his family. 140 00:08:11,652 --> 00:08:20,109 I can see some right here that he wept for. 141 00:08:20,109 --> 00:08:24,464 We need to live for today. And we need to not squander. 142 00:08:24,464 --> 00:08:26,995 Notice how Paul lived for today. 143 00:08:26,995 --> 00:08:30,533 "I do not account my life of any value, 144 00:08:30,533 --> 00:08:32,431 nor as precious to myself, 145 00:08:32,431 --> 00:08:35,359 if only I may finish my course in the ministry 146 00:08:35,359 --> 00:08:37,078 that I received from the Lord Jesus 147 00:08:37,078 --> 00:08:40,643 to testify to the gospel of the grace of God." 148 00:08:40,643 --> 00:08:42,631 I want to tell you about the Apostle Paul. 149 00:08:42,631 --> 00:08:44,083 I'm not talking about Richard right now, 150 00:08:44,083 --> 00:08:47,688 I'm talking about the Apostle Paul. 151 00:08:47,688 --> 00:08:49,452 He lived for today. 152 00:08:49,452 --> 00:08:51,712 A surrendered life. 153 00:08:51,712 --> 00:08:54,525 It was surrendered to Christ. 154 00:08:54,525 --> 00:08:56,264 Here he is with his last meeting with these 155 00:08:56,264 --> 00:08:58,410 Ephesian elders in this world. 156 00:08:58,410 --> 00:09:02,584 What does he have to say to these guys? 157 00:09:02,584 --> 00:09:05,263 What would you want to say to others 158 00:09:05,263 --> 00:09:08,126 if you knew it was the last time in this world 159 00:09:08,126 --> 00:09:10,475 that you would see them? 160 00:09:10,475 --> 00:09:12,299 What would Richard have said to those 161 00:09:12,299 --> 00:09:14,616 at the men's retreat last weekend? 162 00:09:14,616 --> 00:09:17,009 Or to his family a week ago? 163 00:09:17,009 --> 00:09:20,018 What would he have said? 164 00:09:20,018 --> 00:09:21,766 Paul had that going for him. 165 00:09:21,766 --> 00:09:23,476 He knew that was the last time. 166 00:09:23,476 --> 00:09:24,931 We don't know the last time. 167 00:09:24,931 --> 00:09:26,683 What would Richard have said? 168 00:09:26,683 --> 00:09:30,219 Here's what Paul said. Paul could say, 169 00:09:30,219 --> 00:09:35,367 "Guys, you know my life. 170 00:09:35,367 --> 00:09:41,047 And you're not going to see me again. 171 00:09:41,047 --> 00:09:46,619 My supreme aim is to honor the Lord Jesus Christ." 172 00:09:46,619 --> 00:09:49,419 He said it this way: "I do not account my life of any value, 173 00:09:49,419 --> 00:09:53,074 nor precious to myself, if only I may finish my course 174 00:09:53,074 --> 00:09:57,982 and the ministry that I received." 175 00:09:57,982 --> 00:10:01,580 He said to these men, you know how I lived among you. 176 00:10:01,580 --> 00:10:04,457 I was faithful. 177 00:10:04,457 --> 00:10:08,543 He said, you yourselves know how I lived among you 178 00:10:08,543 --> 00:10:12,232 the whole time from the first day that I set foot in Asia. 179 00:10:12,232 --> 00:10:16,401 Serving the Lord with all humility, with tears, with trials 180 00:10:16,401 --> 00:10:18,751 that happened to me through the plots of the Jews, 181 00:10:18,751 --> 00:10:20,843 how I did not shrink from declaring to you anything 182 00:10:20,843 --> 00:10:23,473 that was profitable, teaching you in public and from 183 00:10:23,473 --> 00:10:25,818 house to house, testifying both to Jews and to Greeks 184 00:10:25,818 --> 00:10:28,169 of repentance toward God and of faith in our 185 00:10:28,169 --> 00:10:29,914 Lord Jesus Christ. 186 00:10:29,914 --> 00:10:31,142 You know what this is? 187 00:10:31,142 --> 00:10:33,029 This is a man who can look on his past. 188 00:10:33,029 --> 00:10:34,944 He can say, you're never going to see me again. 189 00:10:34,944 --> 00:10:36,985 I'm getting towards the end of my life. 190 00:10:36,985 --> 00:10:39,260 The Lord has another course for me. 191 00:10:39,260 --> 00:10:40,844 I'm not going to see your faces again, 192 00:10:40,844 --> 00:10:43,222 but I can tell you this, 193 00:10:43,222 --> 00:10:45,944 I've lived faithful. 194 00:10:45,944 --> 00:10:50,861 I've lived as one that does not have concern for my own life. 195 00:10:50,861 --> 00:10:53,193 I've lived for the Lord. 196 00:10:53,193 --> 00:10:59,740 Brethren, friends, family of Richard's, 197 00:10:59,740 --> 00:11:06,300 you do not want to live with any regrets. 198 00:11:06,300 --> 00:11:10,105 Because when the day comes, 199 00:11:10,105 --> 00:11:15,490 folks, this is you and me soon. 200 00:11:15,490 --> 00:11:18,108 I don't know if Richard had any regrets. 201 00:11:18,108 --> 00:11:20,576 I don't know. 202 00:11:20,576 --> 00:11:23,036 But we don't want to live with regrets. 203 00:11:23,036 --> 00:11:25,543 Paul could look these men in the eyes, 204 00:11:25,543 --> 00:11:28,686 and he could say my life has not been precious to myself. 205 00:11:28,686 --> 00:11:31,027 I have lived it for Christ, 206 00:11:31,027 --> 00:11:34,524 and I was faithful among you and you know it. 207 00:11:34,524 --> 00:11:39,308 And as family and friends, we know a lot about 208 00:11:39,308 --> 00:11:42,743 how Richard lived among us. 209 00:11:42,743 --> 00:11:44,768 Don't live with regrets. 210 00:11:44,768 --> 00:11:47,766 If there's anything that death stares us in the face 211 00:11:47,766 --> 00:11:51,104 and says to each one of us, 212 00:11:51,104 --> 00:11:54,814 it speaks of our own mortality. 213 00:11:54,814 --> 00:11:56,905 We are not going to be around forever. 214 00:11:56,905 --> 00:12:01,498 Death sends a warning to all of us, 215 00:12:01,498 --> 00:12:03,606 that life is short. 216 00:12:03,606 --> 00:12:07,539 Richard was young. 217 00:12:07,539 --> 00:12:09,941 He did not expect this. 218 00:12:09,941 --> 00:12:11,885 Look, a year ago when he was in the hospital, 219 00:12:11,885 --> 00:12:15,090 we expected this - his heart stopped several times. 220 00:12:15,090 --> 00:12:16,647 But this came suddenly! 221 00:12:16,647 --> 00:12:19,272 At the men's retreat, he was healthy. 222 00:12:19,272 --> 00:12:22,299 He led the singing! 223 00:12:22,299 --> 00:12:23,867 He did not expect this. 224 00:12:23,867 --> 00:12:26,845 And you don't expect this. 225 00:12:26,845 --> 00:12:30,892 We don't expect it. We don't want to live with regrets. 226 00:12:30,892 --> 00:12:35,636 Paul was not ashamed to show his past to others. 227 00:12:35,636 --> 00:12:37,491 And what did that life look like? 228 00:12:37,491 --> 00:12:40,069 It was a surrendered life. 229 00:12:40,069 --> 00:12:42,470 It was a reality. He could show it to others. 230 00:12:42,470 --> 00:12:47,667 Paul was in no way ashamed to talk to others about his past 231 00:12:47,667 --> 00:12:50,681 in the presence of these men who knew him well. 232 00:12:50,681 --> 00:12:53,292 What a glorious thing it is to be able to 233 00:12:53,292 --> 00:12:55,404 examine our lives, 234 00:12:55,404 --> 00:12:57,854 and to be able to not have regrets. 235 00:12:57,854 --> 00:12:59,710 To get to that end. 236 00:12:59,710 --> 00:13:01,663 Whether you die suddenly like Richard, 237 00:13:01,663 --> 00:13:03,629 or whether you lay on a deathbed, 238 00:13:03,629 --> 00:13:05,429 where you can look over your life and say, 239 00:13:05,429 --> 00:13:08,957 no, it wasn't perfect, 240 00:13:08,957 --> 00:13:13,237 but I lived my life for Christ. 241 00:13:13,237 --> 00:13:15,892 I lived trusting Him. 242 00:13:15,892 --> 00:13:17,270 I lived for Him. 243 00:13:17,270 --> 00:13:19,376 Look, Paul's calling was as an apostle. 244 00:13:19,376 --> 00:13:20,694 It was as a missionary. 245 00:13:20,694 --> 00:13:22,247 That's not our calling. 246 00:13:22,247 --> 00:13:25,086 He desired to live his life for Christ, 247 00:13:25,086 --> 00:13:26,978 to finish his course, 248 00:13:26,978 --> 00:13:30,446 to live out the ministry that Christ called him to. 249 00:13:30,446 --> 00:13:32,280 His ministry is not ours. 250 00:13:32,280 --> 00:13:34,083 Richard had a different calling in life. 251 00:13:34,083 --> 00:13:35,784 It wasn't the calling of an apostle. 252 00:13:35,784 --> 00:13:39,147 It was the calling of Richard. 253 00:13:39,147 --> 00:13:41,525 He had a part to play. 254 00:13:41,525 --> 00:13:43,259 He had people to encourage. 255 00:13:43,259 --> 00:13:45,266 He had people to speak to, 256 00:13:45,266 --> 00:13:47,866 people to be an example to. 257 00:13:47,866 --> 00:13:51,379 We need to live faithful. 258 00:13:51,379 --> 00:13:54,336 We need to live for Christ. 259 00:13:54,336 --> 00:13:56,083 Oh, to be able to say as Paul does, 260 00:13:56,083 --> 00:13:58,026 I've served the Lord with all humility. 261 00:13:58,026 --> 00:13:59,642 To be able to say that I didn't shrink back 262 00:13:59,642 --> 00:14:02,363 from doing what the Lord called me to do. 263 00:14:02,363 --> 00:14:04,958 He didn't serve for money, 264 00:14:04,958 --> 00:14:08,518 he tells them in verses 33-34. 265 00:14:08,518 --> 00:14:13,385 Listen, we've got to move forward. 266 00:14:13,385 --> 00:14:16,568 We all have to move forward. 267 00:14:16,568 --> 00:14:18,209 And you know what? 268 00:14:18,209 --> 00:14:23,957 For the Christians here, there is a hole left. 269 00:14:23,957 --> 00:14:28,161 When soldiers of the cross 270 00:14:28,161 --> 00:14:31,971 are taken by our Lord, 271 00:14:31,971 --> 00:14:35,005 somebody's got to fill their place. 272 00:14:35,005 --> 00:14:38,291 We go on. Onward. 273 00:14:38,291 --> 00:14:40,887 Death looks at us. We need to be faithful. 274 00:14:40,887 --> 00:14:42,351 We need to press on. 275 00:14:42,351 --> 00:14:44,320 We need to press forward. 276 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,539 Nothing could turn Paul back. 277 00:14:46,539 --> 00:14:48,095 That needs to be us. 278 00:14:48,095 --> 00:14:49,778 We go forward. 279 00:14:49,778 --> 00:14:52,502 Listen, we are going to encounter a lot of death. 280 00:14:52,502 --> 00:14:55,680 Many of us before we get to the end. 281 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:58,516 Funerals are a part of this world. 282 00:14:58,516 --> 00:15:03,118 But we press towards the prize of the high calling. 283 00:15:03,118 --> 00:15:05,062 We press towards eternity. 284 00:15:05,062 --> 00:15:09,792 We press towards eternal life, 285 00:15:09,792 --> 00:15:13,428 where every tear is wiped away and where there is no more death. 286 00:15:13,428 --> 00:15:15,061 We press forward. 287 00:15:15,061 --> 00:15:18,054 And there is this faithful group of witnesses 288 00:15:18,054 --> 00:15:19,781 that have gone before us, 289 00:15:19,781 --> 00:15:21,203 and they bid us on. 290 00:15:21,203 --> 00:15:23,723 Come, with our eyes upon Christ. 291 00:15:23,723 --> 00:15:25,601 Press forward in this race. 292 00:15:25,601 --> 00:15:27,133 Press on. 293 00:15:27,133 --> 00:15:29,737 Paul - he says I live for Christ. 294 00:15:29,737 --> 00:15:33,685 I did not count my life dear to myself. 295 00:15:33,685 --> 00:15:37,818 Can we say that? 296 00:15:37,818 --> 00:15:42,990 Are you living your life for yourself? 297 00:15:42,990 --> 00:15:45,445 Jesus calls us to follow Him. 298 00:15:45,445 --> 00:15:48,563 Jesus says, "Come unto Me." 299 00:15:48,563 --> 00:15:50,845 He says, "Come to Me." 300 00:15:50,845 --> 00:15:52,623 And He says, "Learn of Me." 301 00:15:52,623 --> 00:15:54,545 And He tells you to trust Him. 302 00:15:54,545 --> 00:15:59,203 And He tells you to follow Him. 303 00:15:59,203 --> 00:16:00,570 You need to look to His cross, 304 00:16:00,570 --> 00:16:04,801 and live in the power of what was done there. 305 00:16:04,801 --> 00:16:07,683 That is our only hope. 306 00:16:07,683 --> 00:16:09,864 Living for Christ. 307 00:16:09,864 --> 00:16:13,211 Oh, to be able to have the testimony of Paul. 308 00:16:13,211 --> 00:16:18,111 To be able to say what he said. 309 00:16:18,111 --> 00:16:21,746 This is reality. 310 00:16:21,746 --> 00:16:24,420 Death is reality. 311 00:16:24,420 --> 00:16:26,478 And it's appointed unto every one of us 312 00:16:26,478 --> 00:16:29,957 once to die, and then the judgement. 313 00:16:29,957 --> 00:16:35,398 And we are moving so quickly, speedily, 314 00:16:35,398 --> 00:16:39,963 towards that moment 315 00:16:39,963 --> 00:16:43,853 when we enter eternity. 316 00:16:43,853 --> 00:16:46,789 When we stand before the Lord. 317 00:16:46,789 --> 00:16:51,647 Paul is saying, look, here all for Christ, 318 00:16:51,647 --> 00:16:53,999 all for Christ. 319 00:16:53,999 --> 00:16:55,512 Forgetting those things that are behind 320 00:16:55,512 --> 00:16:57,994 and reaching, stretching towards that which was before 321 00:16:57,994 --> 00:16:59,750 and pressing towards the prize 322 00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:02,027 of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 323 00:17:02,027 --> 00:17:05,353 I'll tell you this, you can't scare a man with death, 324 00:17:05,353 --> 00:17:07,334 who's living a life like this. 325 00:17:07,334 --> 00:17:09,170 You know what Paul would say? 326 00:17:09,170 --> 00:17:12,569 Why do you weep like this? 327 00:17:12,569 --> 00:17:17,223 I am willing to not only go to prison but to die, 328 00:17:17,223 --> 00:17:21,377 if only I might finish my course well. 329 00:17:21,377 --> 00:17:23,245 I want to live for Christ. 330 00:17:23,245 --> 00:17:25,332 I want to proclaim Christ. 331 00:17:25,332 --> 00:17:31,727 He is my all. 332 00:17:31,727 --> 00:17:35,185 He declared that he did not count his life his own. 333 00:17:35,185 --> 00:17:40,045 To him, to live was Christ. 334 00:17:40,045 --> 00:17:45,697 Church of God, this happens... 335 00:17:45,697 --> 00:17:50,275 It happened with Ila; undoubtedly with Johnny, 336 00:17:50,275 --> 00:17:56,242 though my mind is not remembering that so well. 337 00:17:56,242 --> 00:18:00,292 But with the death of our brother Richard, 338 00:18:00,292 --> 00:18:02,696 it makes me think of eternity. 339 00:18:02,696 --> 00:18:04,412 It makes me think of life. 340 00:18:04,412 --> 00:18:11,638 It makes me think of the brevity of life. 341 00:18:11,638 --> 00:18:14,666 It's quickly moving by, and what are we living for? 342 00:18:14,666 --> 00:18:16,991 Listen, to live for this world, to live for the toys 343 00:18:16,991 --> 00:18:19,672 and the trivialities of this world, what are those things? 344 00:18:19,672 --> 00:18:23,982 They don't satisfy the soul. 345 00:18:23,982 --> 00:18:26,117 Vess is talking about looking over at Richard 346 00:18:26,117 --> 00:18:30,969 and seeing Richard welling up with tears and affection 347 00:18:30,969 --> 00:18:32,854 over what Christ did on the cross. 348 00:18:32,854 --> 00:18:35,819 Oh, to be moved by what Christ has done. 349 00:18:35,819 --> 00:18:38,220 To be moved by the Person of Christ. 350 00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:41,016 And to live for Him, and to be consumed with Him, 351 00:18:41,016 --> 00:18:42,816 all for Christ, and to live 352 00:18:42,816 --> 00:18:44,800 as though your life is not precious to you. 353 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,568 What did Paul mean by that? 354 00:18:46,568 --> 00:18:48,244 My life is not precious to me. 355 00:18:48,244 --> 00:18:49,344 What does that mean? 356 00:18:49,344 --> 00:18:50,604 It means it's not mine. 357 00:18:50,604 --> 00:18:51,989 I'm living for Another. 358 00:18:51,989 --> 00:18:54,100 And if He would have me lay it down for Him, 359 00:18:54,100 --> 00:18:56,975 Christ is precious over my life. 360 00:18:56,975 --> 00:18:58,591 And that is what Christ called us to. 361 00:18:58,591 --> 00:19:03,159 He called us to die. 362 00:19:03,159 --> 00:19:07,375 And to carry our cross and to follow Him. 363 00:19:07,375 --> 00:19:09,775 But Paul, what about hardship? 364 00:19:09,775 --> 00:19:11,352 What about the possibility of death? 365 00:19:11,352 --> 00:19:13,740 What is that to a man whose life is not his own? 366 00:19:13,740 --> 00:19:18,498 If that's what Christ calls me to, then so be it. 367 00:19:18,498 --> 00:19:25,129 Church, we need to press on, 368 00:19:25,129 --> 00:19:27,055 clinging to Christ. 369 00:19:27,055 --> 00:19:30,238 Let us run without regret. 370 00:19:30,238 --> 00:19:33,605 The day's coming when it's all done. 371 00:19:33,605 --> 00:19:35,063 It's all written. 372 00:19:35,063 --> 00:19:41,581 The last chapter on Brother Richard's life in this world. 373 00:19:41,581 --> 00:19:45,189 The period is there. 374 00:19:45,189 --> 00:19:46,902 It's done. 375 00:19:46,902 --> 00:19:50,273 His story is done. 376 00:19:50,273 --> 00:19:53,639 And it can't be changed. 377 00:19:53,639 --> 00:19:59,465 And oh, to be able to say like Paul, 378 00:19:59,465 --> 00:20:02,403 you guys know that with all humility 379 00:20:02,403 --> 00:20:05,857 I ran well before you. 380 00:20:05,857 --> 00:20:08,497 What you do you want? 381 00:20:08,497 --> 00:20:13,203 Not what do you want said at your funeral? 382 00:20:13,203 --> 00:20:17,055 Not what do you want inscribed on your tombstone? 383 00:20:17,055 --> 00:20:25,098 What do you truly want the Lord to say in that day? 384 00:20:25,098 --> 00:20:28,489 I want, "Well done, good and faithful servant." 385 00:20:28,489 --> 00:20:31,705 Brothers and sisters, if that's what we long for, 386 00:20:31,705 --> 00:20:36,249 then let us live the life that will meet 387 00:20:36,249 --> 00:20:40,354 Christ's approval in that day. 388 00:20:40,354 --> 00:20:42,739 Think with me brethren. 389 00:20:42,739 --> 00:20:45,196 Live your lives well. 390 00:20:45,196 --> 00:20:48,023 Spend them well. 391 00:20:48,023 --> 00:20:51,638 Let Richard's death be a reminder to all of us 392 00:20:51,638 --> 00:20:54,402 of our own mortality. 393 00:20:54,402 --> 00:20:58,623 Live well while you have life. 394 00:20:58,623 --> 00:21:03,816 Live well. 395 00:21:03,816 --> 00:21:07,297 A converted Hindu was persecuted bitterly 396 00:21:07,297 --> 00:21:09,345 for accepting Christ. 397 00:21:09,345 --> 00:21:12,236 His relatives seemed filled with deadly hate 398 00:21:12,236 --> 00:21:15,952 against him for forsaking the religion of his ancestors. 399 00:21:15,952 --> 00:21:18,898 They did what they could to force him to deny Christ. 400 00:21:18,898 --> 00:21:20,977 Some sympathetic friends asked him 401 00:21:20,977 --> 00:21:25,991 how it was possible for him to bear so much trouble. 402 00:21:25,991 --> 00:21:30,095 He replied, "Ask me rather, how it's possible 403 00:21:30,095 --> 00:21:32,739 for me to bear all the joy that I have 404 00:21:32,739 --> 00:21:37,291 in the service and fellowship of Christ!" 405 00:21:37,291 --> 00:21:40,610 That was the very same thing that was true of Paul. 406 00:21:40,610 --> 00:21:42,776 He never thought of confronting danger and prison as 407 00:21:42,776 --> 00:21:45,318 causing him to have to finish his course with sorrow. 408 00:21:45,318 --> 00:21:47,384 It was all joy to him. 409 00:21:47,384 --> 00:21:50,048 Joy. 410 00:21:50,048 --> 00:21:55,891 Oh, to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 411 00:21:55,891 --> 00:21:59,308 Living in the joy. 412 00:21:59,308 --> 00:22:07,339 Another voice in our brother Richard silenced for Christ. 413 00:22:07,339 --> 00:22:14,650 One more Christian removed off the scene of this world. 414 00:22:14,650 --> 00:22:19,381 Richard served. 415 00:22:19,381 --> 00:22:22,211 I could depend on Richard. 416 00:22:22,211 --> 00:22:25,671 I know he had some health issues. 417 00:22:25,671 --> 00:22:31,746 I could depend on him to be there early, all the time. 418 00:22:31,746 --> 00:22:34,381 I could depend on him 419 00:22:34,381 --> 00:22:39,231 to be in that seat behind that little table, 420 00:22:39,231 --> 00:22:41,923 whether it was here or it was over at the restaurant, 421 00:22:41,923 --> 00:22:43,621 I could depend upon him to be there. 422 00:22:43,621 --> 00:22:46,169 He was faithful. 423 00:22:46,169 --> 00:22:49,845 I guarantee, he was animated in the preaching. 424 00:22:49,845 --> 00:22:51,673 He never slept. 425 00:22:51,673 --> 00:22:56,669 I knew if there was going to be one attentive listener, 426 00:22:56,669 --> 00:22:58,744 he was going to be. 427 00:22:58,744 --> 00:23:00,605 He was going to be there and he was going to be faithful 428 00:23:00,605 --> 00:23:04,137 to handle that computer and handle that projector. 429 00:23:04,137 --> 00:23:08,772 I knew that if somebody came in off the streets 430 00:23:08,772 --> 00:23:11,865 that looked shady, 431 00:23:11,865 --> 00:23:14,865 that he thought would be a threat 432 00:23:14,865 --> 00:23:18,672 to our women or children, he watched them. 433 00:23:18,672 --> 00:23:21,148 There were a lot of things 434 00:23:21,148 --> 00:23:24,388 that I just could depend on Richard for. 435 00:23:24,388 --> 00:23:27,706 I could depend on him to sing in tune. 436 00:23:27,706 --> 00:23:31,327 I could depend on him to sing well. 437 00:23:31,327 --> 00:23:37,237 I could depend on him in a lot of ways. 438 00:23:37,237 --> 00:23:41,279 And he's gone. 439 00:23:41,279 --> 00:23:46,552 And we need God's people to rise up 440 00:23:46,552 --> 00:23:49,412 and fill the place and to be faithful. 441 00:23:49,412 --> 00:23:52,560 And I just end with this: 442 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:57,652 "When I was in college," said Henry Hey, 443 00:23:57,652 --> 00:24:00,054 "a couple of men were sent out to West Africa 444 00:24:00,054 --> 00:24:02,164 to fill a vacancy. 445 00:24:02,164 --> 00:24:05,164 And before they had gone three months, 446 00:24:05,164 --> 00:24:10,544 there came a cable telling us that one was dead. 447 00:24:10,544 --> 00:24:14,686 In less than another month, a second cable came, 448 00:24:14,686 --> 00:24:18,165 telling us that the second was dead. 449 00:24:18,165 --> 00:24:21,789 At once, that matter was announced to the students 450 00:24:21,789 --> 00:24:24,954 of our college, and the question was asked, 451 00:24:24,954 --> 00:24:28,158 'who would take their places?' where two had gone and died; 452 00:24:28,158 --> 00:24:31,684 six men at once stood forth and offered to go in their places, 453 00:24:31,684 --> 00:24:33,894 and two men were sent. 454 00:24:33,894 --> 00:24:37,109 In less than six months, these two men were dead. 455 00:24:37,109 --> 00:24:40,805 And a cable came again, and the question was asked, 456 00:24:40,805 --> 00:24:43,012 'who will go?' 457 00:24:43,012 --> 00:24:46,582 On that occasion, I shall never forget it, 458 00:24:46,582 --> 00:24:51,324 it stands out as one of the thrilling moments of my life. 459 00:24:51,324 --> 00:24:54,002 When the announcement was made at the college table 460 00:24:54,002 --> 00:24:57,321 and the question was asked, 'who will go?' 461 00:24:57,321 --> 00:25:01,946 Every man in that college stood up 462 00:25:01,946 --> 00:25:06,485 and said, 'send me.'" 463 00:25:06,485 --> 00:25:10,034 Richard's gone. 464 00:25:10,034 --> 00:25:13,574 And we need to stand forth, 465 00:25:13,574 --> 00:25:14,954 and we need to press on, 466 00:25:14,954 --> 00:25:17,566 and we need to walk in footsteps of those 467 00:25:17,566 --> 00:25:19,366 faithful who have gone before. 468 00:25:19,366 --> 00:25:21,337 We need to fill the spot, fill the gaps, 469 00:25:21,337 --> 00:25:23,966 take up the responsibility. 470 00:25:23,966 --> 00:25:26,460 Christian soldiers, arise. 471 00:25:26,460 --> 00:25:28,860 We are not yet done. 472 00:25:28,860 --> 00:25:31,273 Our battle is still at hand. 473 00:25:31,273 --> 00:25:33,604 Our journey is still before us. 474 00:25:33,604 --> 00:25:37,216 Our rest is not yet. 475 00:25:37,216 --> 00:25:39,533 We have not fallen into the arms of Christ 476 00:25:39,533 --> 00:25:41,245 as our brother has. 477 00:25:41,245 --> 00:25:43,368 Our time is not yet. 478 00:25:43,368 --> 00:25:49,268 The time for us to gird our loins with that sword 479 00:25:49,268 --> 00:25:52,060 and go forth into battle is still at hand. 480 00:25:52,060 --> 00:25:55,335 Brethren, arise. 481 00:25:55,335 --> 00:25:59,730 Let the life of our brother be an inspiration to us 482 00:25:59,730 --> 00:26:01,643 to press on. 483 00:26:01,643 --> 00:26:05,946 To not waste your time, waste your days, waste your hours. 484 00:26:05,946 --> 00:26:07,428 Onward for Christ. 485 00:26:07,428 --> 00:26:09,019 Sold out to Christ. 486 00:26:09,019 --> 00:26:10,578 Hungry for Christ. 487 00:26:10,578 --> 00:26:12,798 Onward in the name of Christ. 488 00:26:12,798 --> 00:26:14,982 Be faithful to Christ. 489 00:26:14,982 --> 00:26:18,022 So that when you get there, there are no regrets. 490 00:26:18,022 --> 00:26:21,747 Brethren, no regrets! 491 00:26:21,747 --> 00:26:25,937 Death is real and death is coming. 492 00:26:25,937 --> 00:26:28,368 And as the song says, hell is coming. 493 00:26:28,368 --> 00:26:30,237 And hell is real. 494 00:26:30,237 --> 00:26:32,151 And those here who know not Christ, 495 00:26:32,151 --> 00:26:33,998 or play games at religion, 496 00:26:33,998 --> 00:26:37,560 hell is real and you will find out its reality soon 497 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:40,711 if you do not cling to Christ in faith. 498 00:26:40,711 --> 00:26:43,070 He bids you, "Come." 499 00:26:43,070 --> 00:26:48,098 And Richard, I know, most of you are here for the funeral 500 00:26:48,098 --> 00:26:50,264 because you knew him. 501 00:26:50,264 --> 00:26:52,832 And those of you that he knew 502 00:26:52,832 --> 00:26:54,932 who did not know Christ, 503 00:26:54,932 --> 00:26:57,510 he pleaded with you and he spoke truth to you. 504 00:26:57,510 --> 00:27:01,181 Let his words not fall on deaf ears. 505 00:27:01,181 --> 00:27:03,391 What he told you about is the greatest news 506 00:27:03,391 --> 00:27:06,881 in all this world, 507 00:27:06,881 --> 00:27:08,771 that there is salvation. 508 00:27:08,771 --> 00:27:12,655 The worst, darkest stained sinner 509 00:27:12,655 --> 00:27:16,637 can be set free and washed clean - 510 00:27:16,637 --> 00:27:19,312 cleaner than the new fallen snow 511 00:27:19,312 --> 00:27:22,091 by the blood of Jesus Christ. 512 00:27:22,091 --> 00:27:25,006 By faith alone. 513 00:27:25,006 --> 00:27:27,902 Calling on the Lord Jesus Christ. 514 00:27:27,902 --> 00:27:33,680 He said, "None that come to Me will be cast out." 515 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,602 You say but you don't know the things I've done. 516 00:27:36,602 --> 00:27:38,706 He does. 517 00:27:38,706 --> 00:27:40,626 And He came for the sick. 518 00:27:40,626 --> 00:27:42,726 He came for sinners. 519 00:27:42,726 --> 00:27:45,742 And He saves them to the uttermost. 520 00:27:45,742 --> 00:27:47,507 And if all of this sounds foreign to you, 521 00:27:47,507 --> 00:27:49,635 and you can't relate to all this, 522 00:27:49,635 --> 00:27:52,800 we call you, join the army of Christ. 523 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:57,843 And the way in is not the way into the army in the United States. 524 00:27:57,843 --> 00:28:05,949 The way in is to come as a guilty sinner, 525 00:28:05,949 --> 00:28:08,296 and look to Christ to be saved, 526 00:28:08,296 --> 00:28:09,846 and to Him alone, 527 00:28:09,846 --> 00:28:11,862 trusting in none of your own abilities, 528 00:28:11,862 --> 00:28:15,068 and merits and anything else. 529 00:28:15,068 --> 00:28:18,581 But Christ, Christ only. 530 00:28:18,581 --> 00:28:21,382 Oh, Christ, there is nothing sweeter. 531 00:28:21,382 --> 00:28:24,961 Our brother would cry and weep tears 532 00:28:24,961 --> 00:28:27,204 because of the beauty of Christ. 533 00:28:27,204 --> 00:28:28,913 There's nothing more beautiful. 534 00:28:28,913 --> 00:28:31,573 There's nothing more worthy to live for, 535 00:28:31,573 --> 00:28:34,397 than to pour out your life for Christ. 536 00:28:34,397 --> 00:28:39,621 God help us to be as the Apostle Paul. 537 00:28:39,621 --> 00:28:43,244 No regrets. 538 00:28:43,244 --> 00:28:47,821 A life surrendered to Christ. 539 00:28:47,821 --> 00:28:50,321 I leave you with that. 540 00:28:50,321 --> 00:28:54,617 Live for Christ with no regrets. 541 00:28:54,617 --> 00:28:58,200 No regrets. 542 00:28:58,200 --> 00:29:01,638 All for Christ. 543 00:29:01,638 --> 00:29:05,264 Father, we thank You for the time together tonight. 544 00:29:05,264 --> 00:29:09,201 We thank You for the remembrance You've given to us. 545 00:29:09,201 --> 00:29:11,662 We thank You for the ways that You've enriched 546 00:29:11,662 --> 00:29:21,656 our lives with the life of Richard Gonzales. 547 00:29:21,656 --> 00:29:25,382 We thank You, in Christ's name. 548 00:29:25,382 --> 00:29:26,581 Amen.