Ronald E. Justice

Friday, May 25, 2012

1:00 PM

Officiating

Rev. John D. Selvage, Jr.

Associate Pastor

Family and friends, we are gathered here today to honor, remember, and to celebrate the life of Mr. Ronald E. Justice.

Today as we celebrate his life, let us begin with prayer.

Our Father who art in Heaven,

Thank you for the promise of Heaven. We rejoice in knowing that for the Christian, to be absent from the body is to be present with You. Thank You for loving us and for giving everyone who accepts Your Son Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior the promise of everlasting life. Thank You for being our Shepherd who walks with us through the valley of the shadow of death.

I pray that You will minister comfort to this family during this service today.

In Jesus name we pray.

AMEN

As Christians, when we stand face to face with the death of a loved one, we turn to God’s word as our source of comfort and reassurance. In the same way that John 3:16 is the BEST KNOWN VERSE in the Bible, in moments like these, the 23rd Psalm is the MOST BELOVED CHAPTER in the Bible. The words of comfort and reassurance in the 23rd Psalm never ever grow old. Today I would like to open our service by reading the 23rd Psalm.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:

He leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths

of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;

thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies:

thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy

shall follow me all the days of my life:

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

As you celebrate Ron’s life, there are so many memories that you will forever cherished in your heart. When I got home from church this Wed night, May 23, 2012, I called Lorna and I had the privilege of talking to her for the first time. I asked Lorna to prayerfully consider what is it about her husband’s life and legacy that she would like for me to share in today’s service. Lorna reflected on that question. While walking her dogs, so many thoughts flooded her mind. With Lorna’s permission, I would like to share a few of those thoughts and memories.

Ron was a loving husband and father. His love and loyalty was steadfast and it extended to all of his family members. Whenever Ron would travel from NY to PA to visit his brother, Alfred, when he arrived, Ron would affectionately greet everyone with a hug. When the time came for Ron to return home, he would not leave until he gave everyone a goodbye hug.

Ron loved people. His outgoing nature made it easy for him to make friends. Ron never met a stranger! Whenever Ron was out with Lorna, he would speak to someone saying, “Hi, hello, how you doing man?" Lorna would turn to Ron and ask, "Who is that?" Ron would answer, "I don't know!" Because Lorna is shy, it never ceased to amaze her how easy conversation was for Ron. Ron could talk to someone for the first time and looking on, you would think he was talking to a lifelong friend.

Ron was a great friend. With open arms, he enjoyed his friendships in whatever form they were presented to him. Ron was sensitive to the needs of others. Ron was always quick to lend a helping hand. He did not hesitant to get his hands dirty when he helped his neighbor dig a trench. Seeing the need for help, Ron mowed the lawn for a newly divorced friend. In his generosity, Ron helped a struggling neighbor pay their power bill.

Ron loved nature. It was his inquisitive pondering about the vast ocean and its environment that prompted him to become to diver. Ron loved the lessons he took to become a certified diver because the lessons gave him the opportunity to explore islands and their surrounding waters.

Ron worked hard to be a good provided for his family. As a truck driver, on his road trips, Ron loved seeing new places for the first time and meeting new friends along the way. His laughter was contagious. Ron loved fishing and working with wood. Ron was a compassionate, just and fair man. There are times when true love needs to be tough love. Whenever Ron encountered a WRONG, he would do his best to set the wrong, RIGHT. Ron was bold and courageous enough to speak the truth, even when it was a tough truth that needed to be heard.

Ron loved watching the cooking channel. He was always eager to try out a new recipe. As a Chef, Ron loved comparing his new found cooking skills with those of Lorna’s mom, the Super Chef. Ron took great joy in preparing meals for his wife. Whenever Lorna would return home from NY, Ron would have a hot meal ready and waiting for her arrival. After serving up his latest new recipe, Lorna was Ron’s taste tester. He would sit and watch Lorna’s ever bite reading her face anxiously awaiting her opinion of his latest prepared dish! Ron became such an expert chef that his cooking skills exceeded those of his wife. Needless to say, that was fine with Lorna.

Lorna’s sister, Lisa, shared that she is grateful for the special place that Ron held in her heart and life. As her brother-in-law, Ron’s love and concern reached out to Lisa and to her extended family. Lisa will forever be grateful to Ron for helping to raise her nephew, Jonathan. Ron was a great role model and a male presence in Jonathan’s life.

As Ron’s family and friends, if I were to ask you to stand up and to share a tribute to Ron, I have no doubt that all of you have a story that you could tell. On behalf of Ron’s family, I would like to invite Ron’s grandson, Sean Christopher Justice, II, to come forward and to share his personal remembrances about his grandfather. Following Sean’s words of tribute, one of Ron’s favorite hymns will be played, “Leaning on the Everlasting Arms.”

“A Grandson’s Eulogy”

Sean Christopher Justice, II

An Hymn of Faith

“Leaning on the Everlasting Arms”

(Recorded Music Provided by Fountainhead Funeral Home)

Through the Valley

A Message by Rev. John D. Selvage, Jr.

The 23rd Psalm is a powerful and awesome source of comfort, reassurance and hope for all Christians who are facing the death of a loved one. It’s words and it’s message never grows old. What is it about the 23rd Psalm that makes it one of the MOST BELOVED CHAPTERS in the Bible? In answer to that question, I would like spotlight verse #4 of the 23rd Psalm. It says:

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me;

Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.

David is the writer of this masterpiece. When he was a boy, it was David who trusted God to protect him when he faced and slayed the giant Goliath.

When he became a man, David loved and served God, yet he made mistakes in his life. He was guilty of adultery and responsible for a murder. David knew joy and frustration just like you and me. He was a powerful person physically and politically. He was a king and a servant of God. He learned painful lessons as a consequence of the bad choices he made in his life. Those lessons helped him become a man of great faith with tremendous confidence in God.

We do not know what the circumstances were in David life when he wrote the words of this psalm. Whatever he was facing, it was one of those times when the very foundation of his life seemed to be shattered. David was in the shadows of his life. Yet his words speak with such assurance, an assurance which can give you the strength and courage you need to endure this most difficult moment in your life.

In verse 4, David talked of his “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” The fact that he described the place as a valley is significant. Of all the possibilities of places, David selected the visual image of a valley. He did not describe death in terms of a violent sea, a stormy mountain, or a lifeless desert. He painted the image of a valley, that area at the foot of a peaceful mountain. Looking up at the mountains created by God, there is a peace that surpasses understanding that can fill your hearts.

David described death as a “shadow.” Consider this. For there to be a “shadow,” what must be present? LIGHT! A “shadow” can only exist when light is shining. For us as Christians, we know Jesus as the LIGHT of this world. The Lord was not only David’s shepherd who supplied his wants, but the Lord was also his LIGHT when David had to face the reality of death. Even death could not put out the LIGHT of hope that came from David’s relationship with God. You see, when you face death, God’s LIGHT is still there. The “shadow” is evidence of its existence. The LIGHT of God shines even in death!

Yet one of the most significant words in verse 4 of the 23rd Psalm is one that we often read past without giving much thought to the reassurance which is offered. David spoke of a walk “through” the valley. It is not a walk “in” “into” or “around” the valley. Instead, the journey is “through” the valley. This image has to be one of the most powerful in all of Scripture.

When you are walking “through” the “valley of the shadow of death,” God will comfort you “through” your season of sadness and loss. Coming to terms and accepting the loss of a loved one takes time. In all honesty, for some, the journey “through” takes longer than for others. Family and friends, the Bible teaches that for those who have faith in God, God will guide you “through the valley of the shadow of death.”

It’s important to understand that everyone copes with death in their own way. Some seem to find God’s peace easier than others. The walk you are experiencing today is a temporary one. You must keep in mind that this moment is not a season with no end. You will get “through” this. It’s a matter of walking by faith out of the “shadows” and into God’s LIGHT.

In verse 4, David goes on to say that, “Thou art with me.” It is impossible for those who love you and care about you to be there for you every time you need them. As a Christian, God is always with you. As you cope with the heartbreak of losing a loved one, you have caring Shepherd who loves you and is walking with you every moment of every day.

There is no mystery as to why this great psalm, the 23rd Psalm, is embraced so frequently in this setting. In this moment there is a great need for “green pastures and still waters,” a place of comfort and rest. David points you to a Shepherd who does more than just tend to your needs. He laid down His life for you.

In Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7, while on a mountain looking out at a multitude of people, Jesus taught his disciples in what is called the “Sermon on the Mount.” I find it very significant that one of the very first things that Jesus said was “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” You see, Jesus knew that in this life we will all experience moments like this. Jesus knew firsthand what it was to experience grief. When Jesus came to the tomb where his beloved friend Lazarus was buried, in John 11:35 the Bible says that, “Jesus wept.”

In Philippians 4:7, the Bible says that “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

In John 11:25-26, Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" In Philippians 1:21, after saying “to live is Christ,” Paul went on to say, “To die is gain.”

This very moment, because Ronald E. Justice knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, he is in the presence of the Lord. I love how Paul says it in 2 Corinthians 5:6-8, “Therefore we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. For we walk by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.”

Nothing in this world can compare to what awaits us in Heaven. As we study the Bible, we are given a glimpse into the glory of Heaven. Revelation 21:4 says: “And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

I often wish, especially in moments like these, that our eyes could be opened spiritually and that we could see beyond this physical world and this physical body in which we now live. If that was possible, by faith we could look up into Heaven and we would see God the Father in all of His glory. At His right hand, we would see Jesus Christ, the Son of God, awaiting the Day that He will return to claim His church.

As we look up and see the Lord, in His presence we would see Ron. We would hear God welcoming him home saying, “Well done, thy good and faithful servant.” We would see Jesus preparing a home in Heaven for every Christian here who has surrendered their life to Him as their Lord and Savior.

By faith as we look around this chapel, we would see in the heart of every Christian the presence of God the Holy Spirit. We would see the Holy Spirit ministering comfort and strength.

If you are not a Christian, we would see the Holy Spirit lovingly and gently knocking on the door of your heart wanting to come into you heart as your Savior and Lord.

It’s like Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5:7, “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”

In John 3:16, the Bible says that, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

You see, God knew this moment would come. God knew you would be here today. If you are a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in your heart comforting you and giving you the strength you need to face this moment.

Jesus said in John 10:10 that Satan comes to “steal, kill, and destroy.” Some of you are Christians, but your relationship with God is not what it should be. Deep down in your heart you know that you are not living the kind of Christian life that God wants you to live.

If you are a Christian, I urge you to examine your relationship with God. The Bible speaks of strongholds in the lives of Christians. In today’s world in the life of Christians, stronghold sins are often called addictions. Are there areas of sin in your life that that are out of control? If so, God still loves you and God wants to set you free.

A right relationship with God is only a prayer away. As a pastor who has experienced failure in his life, I know firsthand that God lovingly stands ready with open arms to welcome home His repentant prodigal sons and daughters. As a backslidden Christian, today could be the day that you turn your life around. Once again, you can start living the kind of abundant life that God intended for you to live. Tonight when you lay down to go to sleep, you can close your eyes and once again experience the peace of God that has been missing in your life.

If you are here today and you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit is gently knocking on the door of your heart. I encourage you to please make the most important decision you will ever make in your life.

To accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you must confess that you are a sinner, repent of your sins, and prayerfully invite Jesus to come into your heart. The choice is yours and yours alone. God will not impose Himself on your life. You have the freewill to accept or decline His invitation.

We are all sinners. God knows every thought that runs through our minds. He knows what you are thinking right now. In Roman 3:23, the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” You see, in the same way that there is a real place called Heaven, there is also a real place called Hell.

In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” God is not willing for any to perish. God did His part. Jesus died on the cross for our sins. But, our sin separates us from God. It’s our decision. We can accept God’s free gift of salvation or we can turn our back on God and live our life our own way.

In Romans 10:9-10, the Bible says, “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Spiritually, Ron’s roots were anchored in the Catholic Church and he was a member of St Joseph’s Catholic Church. After Ron’s stroke, he and Lorna watched TBN, a Christian TV station. As they listened to the Bible being preached by Joel Osteen, TD Jakes, and Charles Stanley, God spoke into their hearts and lives.

As God so orchestrated things, through Ron’s Hospice nurse, Shannon, Ron and Lorna met Rev Jeff, a Baptist minister. Rev Jeff visited Ron and Lorna. During their visit, Lorna shared her testimony with Rev. Jeff saying, “My God died and my God lives.” Then Rev Jeff asked Ron, “Do you believe?” Ron nodded and softly, he said, “Yes.” Rev Jeff led Ron in the prayer of salvation. After they prayed, Rev Jeff said, “Mark this day and this time. Today your name was written in the Lamb’s book of Life and the angels in heaven are celebrating your salvation.” And so it was that during Easter Week, on Wed., April 4, 2012, at 2:00 PM, Ron made the most important decision he would ever make in his life. He invited Jesus into his heart.

Lorna, as your husband, Ron always promised you that he would put you on his back and carry you . . . and he did!! When his stroke and health issues make it impossible for Ron to carry you, you carried him. As Ron’s caregiver, you faithfully stood by your beloved husband side day after day. On the last day of his life, Tuesday, May 15, 2012, as painful as it was for you, you reassured your husband telling him that you would be okay. You gave Ron permission to let go and to go home to heaven. You promised your husband that you would see him again. You lovingly kissed him goodbye and held his hand as God came and took him home to heaven.

Family and friends, no one is promised tomorrow. We live our lives one day at a time. Unless Jesus returns first, the day will come when every one of us will take the same step that Ron took ten days ago. When that moment comes, where you spend eternity depends on the decision you make here and now. That’s why the Bible warns us, “Today is the day of salvation.”

If you are not a Christian and you want to spend eternity in the presence of the Lord, you must make the same decision that Ron made in his life. You must invite Jesus Christ into your heart. It’s not a “head” decision; it’s a decision of the “heart” that will forever change your life and destiny.

If you are not a Christian, the greatest tribute that would best honor Ron’s life is for this to be your day of salvation. If you are not a Christian, Jesus is very lovingly and gently knocking on the door of your heart. I invite everyone to repeat after me as I lead us in same prayer of salvation that Ron prayed six weeks ago with Rev Jeff.

Dear Jesus,

I am a sinner. Please forgive me for my sins. I believe in You and I invite You to come into my heart. From this moment on, my life belongs to You and I will live for You. Thank you for saving me and for giving me eternal life. In Jesus name I pray. AMEN

If you prayed that prayer, the angels in Heaven are rejoicing as Your name is being written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Your salvation is secure and the Bible tells us that not even Satan can snatch you out of the hands of God. That decision gives your life purpose and meaning. As you grow in your faith, you are going to discover that God has a plan and a ministry for your life.

If you do not have a church home, I encourage you to please prayerfully consider finding a church home. This Sunday morning, get up and go to church. Going to church will not save you, but not going to church robs you of one of the greatest blessings in the life of a Christian.

I have been a member of the First Baptist Church of Malabar church family for 19 years. I love my church family and they love me. When I need them, they reach out to me. When they need me, I reach out to them. We’re not perfect and we make mistakes. But through the good times, the tough times, and especially, in the sad times like this, God is maturing us and growing us in our relationship with Him and in our relationships with one another.

Family and friends, while Ronald E. Justice will no longer be a part of your daily lives, he will forever live on in your hearts and in your memories. You will forever treasure the LIFE lessons he taught you.

As we close this service with the hymn, “Just A Closer Walk with Thee," may God comfort you and may God bless the preaching of His word.

And all of God’s people said, AMEN!

A Closing Hymn of Comfort

“Just A Closer Walk With Thee”

(Recorded Music Provided by Fountainhead Funeral Home)

Through the Valley

Psalm 23:4

As I prayerfully prepared this message for this service,

my desire has been that God would give me the right words to share

that would be a source of encouragement, ministry, and witness,

in the lives of all those who loved Mr. Ronald E. Justice.

It is my hope and prayer that this message

celebrates and honors his life.

May God bless and comfort you all.

Rev. John D. Selvage, Jr.

Associate Pastor

First Baptist Church of Malabar