Dear friends and family of Louise and the family of God here at First English, Jesus declares, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.

Life and death...in this world of decay and sin the two seem to go hand-in-hand. And, we must be frank, unless the Christ returns in glory in our lifetime, we, too, will see death. When you stop to think about it, this realization can be rather frightening. Despite pain and sorrow, trial and suffering, we become accustomed to life, such that the thought of losing one's life can strike fear in even the bravest of souls. How much more so when we mourn over the loss of a loved one?

Then, how much more when we learn that death was not part of the design? It is true, dear hearers. Man was created in the image of God, perfect and holy, knowing God as He wishes to be known and doing His will perfectly. But, as the scriptures teach us, the Serpent—sly Tempter that he is—convinced Eve to eat of the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil as her husband stood by failing to defend her from this temptation. And the warning which God gave became the curse: [O]f the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Man fell into a lifetime of sin, and that sin, literally, kills him. And so describes the condition of everyone assembled here; for we, too, have inherited Adam's sinfulness, "passed down from sire to son." St. Paul said it best when he wrote, For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. Sin, it is something we all live with, and it kills us—the result is right in front of us in this casket.

The result was right in front of Mary and Martha, too. Lazarus, a sinner like his father before him, fell ill and died. And Jesus, the Great Physician, was nowhere near. The sisters sent for Jesus while Lazarus was still alive, but He remained where He was for two days, just enough time for Lazarus to die...for the wages of sin to be paid in full.

But, Jesus still comes. And He says something remarkable. Hear it again: Thy brother shall rise again. Life in the midst of death! There is yet hope and cause for celebration!

We find it first in these words: I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel and Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living. In those words we hear the promise of an offspring that will bruise the head of the Serpent—that is to say, remove from him all authority over us. He will be the Living God, the Christ, through whom the rest of her offspring could receive life. Cursed to die because of sin, yet to be the one from whom life is given. Life in the midst of death!

Yes, the Seed of the Woman would be given to crush the head of the serpent; a deed He accomplished for us on the Tree of the Cross. The Living God would die on that Tree, shedding His blood for the remission of sin, paying the wages of sin once-for-all, for Lazarus, for Louise, for you and me. And He would be buried. But the grave could not contain the Lord of Life; on the third day, He burst forth from the grave to proclaim the victory over death for all who would believe in Him. For all who trust in the Lord of Life there is life in the midst of the decay and death of this world.

This brings us back to our Gospel lesson. For it is there that we see the Seed of the Woman in action. And He says something remarkable. Hear it again: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Life in the midst of death!

Lazarus would be raised from the dead that day. He would be given more time of life in this world of decay and death; He would live to die again. But there is one thing we can be certain of: he had faith—he was given faith. He could make the same confession as his sister: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. Because of this, though he is now buried in a grave somewhere, that grave cannot contain him. When the Lord of Life returns in glory, Lazarus will rise from the dead again and be granted eternal life.

We have gathered together because the event which happened in Bethany centuries ago has happened again. Louise Bovee has passed from this life into death. We are gathered around her mortal remains, "mourning and weeping over the inevitable lot of the human race." Shortly, her body will be taken to its grave where it will rest in wait. In wait for what?

Well, hear Jesus' remarkable words once again: Our sister will rise again! Jesus said, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Louise received the merits of Jesus' passion, death, and resurrection. The Serpent's head was bruised for her benefit. In Holy Baptism, her robes were washed clean in the blood of the Living God, and she was given faith to believe that Jesus is the Christ, "the Son of the God, which should come into the world." Therefore, the grave cannot contain her. When the Lord of Life returns in glory, Louise will rise from the dead and be granted eternal life. For now, she waits in the Church Triumphant with Lazarus, with Claude, with Arnold, with all of the Saints of God who from their labors rest!

Who do they wait for? Well, we must ask the question Jesus asked: Believest thou this? Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? Do you believe that those who believe in Him, though they were dead, yet shall they live? Do you believe that whoever lives and believes in Him shall never die? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world? Are you baptized; a child of God and co-heir with Christ in His glory? If so, then Louise, Lazarus, Claude, and Arnold, along with all of the Saints of God who from their labors rest, wait for you!

They wait for us who have been given faith and still live in this world of decay and death. They wait for us who are members of the Church Militant. And this is our hope—the words of Jesus Christ, the Seed of the Woman, the Lord of Life: I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die.