Last Saturday we prepared our home for a big youth group barbeque. Three of my students from the college ( Mario, Cynthia and Zuley) were setting up, preparing devotionals, music and activities, when I got the phone call.
Our deacon Luis, who was caring for his mother-in-law in his home, called to say that she died that morning and the funeral service was to be held that same day. I was to preach! To complicate matters even more, the interment was to be Sunday at noon and over half of our church was going to go to it.
This meant no song leader and no adult Sunday school teacher and no youth activity and no Saturday afternoon visitation. It also meant that I would need to spend Saturday preparing a quick sermon to preach at a funeral instead of a sermon for our church Sunday.
What to do? Should I cancel Sunday services for the interment? Or preach at the funeral Saturday, open the church Sunday and do the best we could? I decided to continue with our regular Sunday schedule, even though the church would be sparsely attended. I felt bad that someone new might come to church Sunday and find the doors closed.
I sure am glad we opened those doors! We had three new visitors I had never met before walk in! That is a rare occurrence around our small town. We usually know the people who come, and they come as a result of our visitation. Well, I led the singing myself, had Mario give his prepared youth devotional as the Adult Sunday School lesson and our other deacon Wilfredo preached in my place. It actually was a great service.
And at the funeral we got to present the gospel to about 50 new people all at once. The service went well. We got a lot of amens, smiles and friendly responses from the assembled friends and relatives of our deceased church member, hermana Lucina.
The door of her casket was closed, but the door of the church was opened. Praise the Lord that there remains an open door for all who desire a better life.
John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
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