LutheranLectionary.org

Time Stamp	Transcript
0:00	[Music] lord always [Music]
0:09	[Music]
0:24	[Music]
0:30	Hallelujah [Music]
1:27	thank you
2:12	thank you [Music]
2:25	thank you foreign
2:33	[Music]
2:39	I would like to welcome you all excuse me I’m emotional I knew this was going to happen
2:45	I’d like to welcome you all to Kong’s Binger Lutheran Church for the observance of the funeral for Reuben
2:51	cleven you’ll note that the order of service and the hymns are in the bulletin that
2:58	you received and if you’re not a Lutheran we welcome you to to our church
3:03	and you’ll note something about we lutherans our services are interactive and so uh the the family and I and those
3:12	of congsminger would like you to sing along with the hymns that we sing so and
3:17	then note there are Parts where I will say things and then you will say things and so uh you know you can see that the
3:25	congregation speaks when you see the letter c and everything is in bold just want to let you know
3:34	in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit amen
3:41	oh in holy baptism Reuben cleven was
3:46	clothed with the robe of Christ’s righteousness that covered all of his sin Saint Paul says do you not know that
3:55	all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death we were buried therefore with him
4:03	by baptism into death in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead by
4:10	the glory of the father we too might walk in newness of life or if we had
4:16	been United with him in a death like his we shall certainly be United with him in
4:23	a resurrection like his
4:41	the opening hymn is Amazing Grace hymn number 744 will the congregation
4:48	please rise foreign
5:19	foreign [Music]
5:51	foreign
6:01	foreign
6:07	[Music]
6:39	yes yes
6:49	always
7:12	foreign
7:27	[Music]
7:44	come on
7:51	Lord have mercy upon us
7:59	the Lord be with you let us pray
8:05	o God of grace and mercy we give thanks for your loving kindness shown to Reuben cleven and to all your servants who have
8:12	finished their course in faith and now rest from their labors grant that we also may be faithful unto death and
8:20	receive the crown of eternal life through Jesus Christ your son our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the
8:25	Holy Spirit one God now and forever amen congregation may be seated
8:41	and let’s make sure you grab a microphone
8:58	let’s see
9:06	all right
9:11	[Music] I have two readings for today
9:18	the first is a poem written by Becky cleven daughter-in-law to Ruben
9:25	the poem is titled the congregation is muffled
9:30	the pastor not always heard clearly but he knew the message
9:35	the service music was softly heard but he knew every tune he was a man of Faith through and
9:42	through he showed up every Sunday to the Lord’s House he was faithful to the scriptures
9:49	he spent years taking care of those who had passed before him by maintaining the
9:54	cemetery records he always heard the needs of his family he cherished what he had every day
10:03	he challenged every piece of Machinery to defy his ability to fix it
10:09	he didn’t hear the birds like most of us but always made sure they were fed
10:16	he kept track of everyone always inquiring about themselves and their
10:21	family his world was quieter than many of us can imagine
10:28	he was a quiet and faithful servant who heard God’s message aloud and clear
10:36	my grandfather Reuben cleven was a hard-working trustworthy and faithful
10:42	Christian Grandpa was quiet with a humble strength incomparable to anyone else
10:49	Grandpa and I had a very special connection that never wavered despite the physical distance between us as I
10:56	was growing up on the East Coast we would email each other frequently when I was a teenager and the first
11:03	question in every email was how’s the weather he really loved to talk about the
11:09	weather Grandpa was known for his love of genealogy taking frequent cat naps even
11:16	when he was on babysitting Duty and tinkering around on the farm all day long
11:22	Grandpa was also known for having some catchphrases that he would say during nearly every visit
11:28	my favorite was during our goodbyes we would hug and kiss and I would tell him
11:33	to be good and behave himself and he always responded well I have been good for 62 years
11:41	one day I asked him what about the other 30 years and he smiled Shrugged his shoulders and
11:48	said well I don’t know about that one Grandpa truly loved his grandchildren
11:54	and adored his great-grandchildren although Grandpa did not get to watch me grow up in the same way as his other
12:01	grandchildren he did have the opportunity to watch my children Caleb and Sophia grow up and I know that
12:08	brought him so much joy there’s nothing quite like a grandpa grandpas are unique they are strong for
12:16	their family when they need to be but can melt into a thousand pieces from just a hug and can make everything right
12:22	in the world grandfathers give us not only wisdom and encouragement but they are an
12:28	inspiration to us a grandfather has the wisdom of long experience and the love of an
12:34	understanding heart grandpas have ears that truly listen arms that always hold love that’s never
12:42	ending and a heart that’s made of gold grandpas teach life lessons that get
12:47	passed down from generation to generation my grandfather taught my father about
12:53	honesty and hard work and those are values that have been passed down to my brother and I and my own children
13:00	a few months ago while Grandpa was in the hospital we sat there together holding hands and
13:06	had a very deep conversation about his limited time left here on Earth
13:12	Grandpa didn’t understand why he was still here but he knew his time was near
13:18	we were both crying and then he paused and asked for a tissue I grabbed one handed it to him
13:26	and then he and then took his hand again he then used his other hand to wipe my
13:31	tears instead of his own it was one of the most beautiful and selfless moments I have ever experienced
13:39	simply put grandpas are love through the hugs the stories and the memories I will
13:45	remember Grandpa’s love forever
13:51	I thought I would introduce myself I’m Katie cleven this is Kirsten cleven and we are Robert’s two of his daughters
13:58	I never quite knew how special it was to grow up so close to my grandparents I spent my childhood 10 minutes from
14:04	Grandma and Grandpa’s house and the Summers Kirsten I would often spend entire days out at the farm with Grandma and Grandpa and we’d spend at least
14:10	three to five hours a week with them because we were guaranteed to see them a couple hours at church on Sunday usually
14:17	with a big family lunch after he even got to live with them for a few
14:22	months while our new house was built I’d patiently sit by my bedroom door waiting to see the kitchen light turn on so that
14:28	I could have breakfast with Grandma and Grandpa breakfast at Reuben and marlus has always consisted of shredded wheat or
14:34	kick cereal and all the toast you could dream of we’d sit down at the table and Grandpa
14:40	would retrieve his four slice toaster out of the hutch by his chair no one else was allowed to touch it
14:46	Graham will be quick to remind you that he burnt every single piece of toast he ever made
14:52	as a young kid you learned how to scrape the black stuff off with a knife we didn’t mind
14:57	Grandpa retired in 1994. well Grandma was at work at American Crystal sugar Grandpa somehow found his way to
15:03	Alvarado on most days to snuggle Kirsten Alex and myself he was a baby Whisperer and more often
15:10	times than not would fall asleep holding us we have many pictures of a sound asleep Grandpa and wide awake grand
15:15	babies in his lap gramp was known for all his hugs and kisses and never getting crossed with us
15:21	grandkids I only remember him raising his voice once in my life after Alex and I were fooling around the scolding was
15:27	well deserved over the last year I saw my grandparents more than I had since I was a little
15:32	girl
15:39	oh thanks to a new job three bucks from
15:44	their apartment grandma would often call to ask me to
15:50	stop and pick up groceries I loved getting these phone calls and look forward to these visits my short 10-minute visits usually lasted
15:57	about two hours one of my favorite memories this past year was when Grandma left me a voicemail telling me that grandpa had a
16:04	favor to ask could I stop and get them a pizza for supper
16:10	when I got to their apartment Grandma handed me a menu I looked at it and saw quite a few pizzas have been crossed off
16:16	Graham informed me that her and grandpa had been working their way through the Domino’s Pizza menu and trying every
16:21	Pizza they had to offer when I got back with the pizza grandpa had set the table and included a spot
16:27	for me I was sad and I explained I had to leave to go to a meeting Grandma and Grandpa quickly put some
16:33	pizza on a plate and wrapped it in foil for me to enjoy later one of the last things I did with
16:38	Grandpa was help him do a 23andMe genealogy DNA test I explained the directions and told him that he couldn’t
16:44	be disappointed if he got his results back and he wasn’t 100 Norwegian
16:49	I explained you might be a little German or English or maybe even Swedish
16:56	the chances of you being 100 Norwegian are pretty rare I ate my words four weeks later when he
17:03	got his results back and he was indeed 100 Norwegian Grandpa made it back to the Homeland
17:09	once and was overjoyed when I met my best friend Vivica and made the Trek twice to see her in Norway he always
17:14	looked forward to my stories and pictures when I returned home each of us grandkids said our goodbyes over the last four months knowing that
17:20	any day could be the last I refuse to say goodbye and always included to see you later instead
17:26	I’ve never been so sure that someone was going to live forever it was hard watching his body fail him
17:32	when he had so much life left to live the last month of his life I spent a lot of time visiting him and watching him
17:37	sleep because I’m a firm believer in not waking someone up from a good nap I’m sure that there were many times
17:43	where he didn’t even know that I had been there my last memory of Grandpa
17:49	is watching him sleep peacefully in his chair well they tried to say to decide whether
17:57	to Stay or Leave He adjusted himself in his chair as he turned his head he saw me in his face lit up with a huge smile
18:03	we said and talked for 30 minutes about life and my job and he reassured me that I was doing a good thing by working with
18:10	children Kirsten’s last big memory with Grandpa was spending time with him in the
18:15	hospital for the past year and a half you talked about going to see her in Grafton this
18:20	time Grandpa confessed that he didn’t think he would ever get to see it she was able to show him pictures and answer questions about the yard
18:28	then the chaplain came in to talk with Grandpa and asked him about his faith after answering all of her questions she
18:33	left and Grandpa turned to Kirsten goes I thought she was going to pray
18:39	Kirsten and Grandpa shared a giggle and Kirsten offered to pray with him instead they both cried as she prayed and said
18:45	goodbye for what would end up being the last time we wanted to close this out with a list of her favorite reubenisms and memories
18:52	hi hi upon entering any room I always wondered what Liz was about until I went to
18:58	Norway and someone did this when they entered the room and I couldn’t help but giggle
19:03	feet tickles you were never safe if you didn’t have socks on and you were laying
19:09	on a couch because you would come up and tickle your toes also the overlapping hand game so Reuben
19:19	I think as kids trying to keep us quiet in church he would start playing that game with us
19:26	jokingly asking us is that nice he would say it often
19:33	whisker rubs if you ever gave Grandpa a hug or a kiss you were guaranteed to have a scratch while you were at it
19:39	falling asleep anywhere the special kitten house that he built
19:45	because he loved his cats the Gazebo on the farm that we would
19:51	hang out in share meals in the summertime we already talked about the four slice
19:57	toaster I don’t think I ever saw two sliced toaster in their house always for and he was always in charge
20:05	usually burning the slices he made in the morning
20:10	when we get up for breakfast at Grandma and Grandpa’s house you could always guarantee that he would get the last
20:18	drop of whatever he was eating clinking of the spoon at the bottom of the bowl
20:23	getting every last drop which our father has also inherited
20:31	following him around the farmyard it was like anytime you saw grandpa there was at least two grandkids following him around
20:38	the yard being a full-blooded Norwegian and proud and being an expert left a
20:43	roller he always had a new car that was a big
20:48	deal for Grandpa one time grandma sent him to Hugo’s for groceries and he came back with a new car
20:59	another memory is the garage fire that was very traumatic as a kid seeing the
21:04	garage burn down and then most people think of their grandmothers
21:10	as the Bakers and the family but that was Reuben grandma was busy working at
21:16	American Crystal sugar and he was retired so his specialty is was jelly
21:21	roll and I saw there’s some back there today Sunday dinner is usually after church we
21:28	headed to the farm and had a big dinner living at the farm flannel shirts invest
21:33	if you saw Reuben in the wintertime chances are he had a flannel shirt on and a vest over top and if you saw Rudy
21:40	and Reuben at the same time they were usually wearing the exact same outfit but different colors
21:45	and always with a pen in the pocket the family trip to Connecticut to see
21:53	the East Coast cleven’s when Jonathan graduated from high school Grandpa
21:58	didn’t bring shorts on the trip and so we decided to go visit the ocean and he
22:04	had to roll up his pant legs to go into the ocean and he got the nickname
22:10	chicken legs that trip thanks
22:15	sitting and smiling during unheard conversations it wasn’t until we were older when we true we finally realized
22:21	that he truly couldn’t hear the majority of what we said and said he’d sit read our lips smile and Nod
22:28	mowing at the farm reading the garden picking raspberries genealogy a trait
22:33	that I have later inherited tracing Roots him explaining as everyone as they’re a relative
22:38	and every Facebook post ended with to all the relatives and relatives of Norway
22:44	sometimes I thought the relatives of Norway were more special than us
22:51	um cutting pie if Reuben was cutting pie he’d always ask how many are having and
22:56	that’s how many pieces he would cut in the pie so the fewer people the bigger
23:01	the slice going to Devil’s Lake to their camper and going on their pontoon around
23:09	Devil’s Lake going on road trips and every time they put gas in the car
23:15	grandma would get the little notebook out and she’d have to track the gas mileage
23:21	and Grandpa never really did figure it out so Grandma had to do the math
23:27	making the mistake of leaving your coat on only for Grandpa to ask you’re going to take your coat off and stay a while
23:33	Monday Paradiso nights once Kirsten and I were out for separate parodies with a friend and we explained that our
23:39	grandparents came every Monday night for almost 30 years and as we finished explaining this Grandma and Grandpa
23:44	walked in and receded at the table next to us Grandpa cheering for the football game
23:49	not realizing that we were praying before Thanksgiving dinner the the same Thanksgiving he came home with a
23:55	smartphone which he proceeded to drop while taking a picture of the grandkids and we all gasped
24:00	yeah and a constant memory growing up with
24:06	Grandpa and Grandma’s eating ice cream during the 10 o’clock news you couldn’t go to bed unless you had ice cream and
24:13	then Grandpa waiting to see if he’d won the Powerball
24:18	we love you Grandpa and we are so thankful for all the time we spent with you we look forward to a joyful reunion
24:24	someday
24:48	foreign
25:04	the Old Testament reading is taken from the prophet Isaiah chapter
25:10	53
25:15	he was despised and rejected by men a Man of Sorrows and acquainted with
25:21	grief and as one from whom men hid their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not
25:29	surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet we esteemed him stricken and smitten
25:36	by God and afflicted but he was pierced for our transgressions
25:41	he was crushed for our iniquities upon him was the chastisement that
25:47	brought us peace and with his wounds we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we
25:54	have turned every one to his own way and the lord has laid on him the iniquity of
25:59	us all this is the word of the Lord we’re going to read selected portions of
26:06	Psalm 116 together by half verse
26:15	I love the Lord because he has heard
26:20	because he inclined his ear to me
26:28	the snares of death Encompass me the pangs of sheol lay hold on me
26:36	then I called on the name of the Lord
26:42	gracious is the Lord and righteous the Lord preserves the simple
26:52	return O my soul to your rest
26:59	for you have delivered my soul from death
27:07	I will walk before the Lord precious in the sight of the Lord
27:15	oh Lord I am your servant I am your servant
27:23	I will offer to you the sacrifice of Thanksgiving
27:29	I will pay my vows to the Lord
27:34	in the courts of the house of the Lord
27:40	glory be to the father and to the son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the
27:47	beginning is now and will be forever amen I love the Lord because he is heard
27:54	[Music] because he inclined his ear to me
28:07	the second reading is taken from Philippians chapter 1 and it reads thus
28:14	for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain
28:19	if I am to live in the flesh that means fruitful labor for me yet which shall I
28:24	choose I cannot tell I am hard-pressed between the two my
28:29	desire is to depart and to be with Christ for that is far better
28:35	this is the word of the Lord
29:09	[Music]
29:23	thank you [Music]
29:38	places
30:08	foreign
30:27	[Music]
30:48	thank you foreign
30:58	[Music]
31:29	thank you
31:39	[Music]
31:59	foreign [Music]
32:19	best friends
32:29	[Music]
32:41	birthday
32:52	s
33:05	please
33:14	[Music]
33:43	this song
34:06	foreign
34:23	of the Dead
34:32	the holy Gospel According to Saint Matthew the 11th chapter
34:39	Jesus said come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
34:48	take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart
34:56	and you will find rest for your souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is
35:03	light this is the gospel of the Lord
35:10	we confess our faith in the words of the Apostles Creed please rise
35:20	I believe in God the Father Almighty the maker of heaven and Earth and I believe
35:26	in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit
35:32	born of the Virgin Mary suffered under Pontius Pilate was crucified died and
35:39	was buried he descended into hell the third day he rose again from the dead he
35:46	ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty from there he will come to
35:53	judge the living and the dead I believe in the Holy Spirit the holy Christian
35:58	Church the communion of saints the Forgiveness of sins the resurrection of
36:04	the body and the life Everlasting amen the sermon hymn or the hymn of the day
36:10	is Nearer My God to thee it’s in your bulletin you may be seated
36:22	thank you [Music]
36:44	foreign
36:54	[Music]
37:23	come on foreign
37:38	[Music]
37:52	I love you
38:00	[Music]
38:11	[Applause] please
38:22	foreign
38:29	[Music]
38:41	to believe
38:57	in the name of Jesus come to me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest
39:03	Jesus says now we’re not talking about taking a nap here we’re talking about
39:09	something a lot different than that let me ask you this question ask it all of you are you tired
39:15	I know I am have you noticed that life is difficult it is yeah very tired indeed
39:24	and you’ll note that the reason why we’re worn out the reason why we’re tired the reason why we are heavy laden
39:31	has everything to do with the fact that our first parents Adam and Eve yes they were real people Jesus believed in them
39:38	by the way and I’m going to go with his opinion regarding Adam and Eve because he rose from the dead I don’t think
39:45	anyone else has better credentials than Jesus I mean when you guys want to disagree with Christ go right ahead but
39:51	I’m not going to believe you until after you rise from the dead three days after you’ve been crucified right he’s got
39:57	good credentials he believed in Adam and Eve and in the scripture we hear what happened to our first parents after they
40:03	disobeyed the one command that God had given them the one command was this
40:08	don’t eat from that tree the tree of the knowledge of the good and evil the one in the midst of the garden what did Adam
40:15	and do Adam and Eve do they ate the serpent deceived them told them that if
40:20	they ate of that tree that we’d become like God knowing good and evil and so
40:25	rather than listening to the voice of God the voice that said do not eat of that tree they ate of that tree and Adam
40:33	of course listened to the voice of his wife and he ate of that tree and both of them realized at that moment that they
40:39	were naked and God then showed up in the cool of
40:46	the day and asked where Adam and Eve were they were hiding they covered themselves their nakedness with fig
40:52	leaves a lot of good that’ll do sounds really itchy to me but when God shows up
40:58	well out came the truth about what had happened and then each of the
41:03	participants the serpent Eve and Adam all received from God punishments for
41:11	their transgression and it says this in Genesis chapter 3 verse 17 to Adam God
41:16	said because you have listened to the voice of your wife and you have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you you
41:23	shall not eat of it cursed is the ground because of you and in pain shall you eat
41:28	of it all the days of your life thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you and you shall eat the plants of the
41:35	field by the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the
41:40	ground for out of it you were taken for you are dust and to dust you shall return
41:47	you see that’s where all of this misery comes from that’s the reason why we have
41:53	funerals we were never meant to die that was not how God created us and when
41:59	anyone says well death is just a natural part of life I beg to differ
42:04	death is the consequence of sin the wages of sin is death scripture says and
42:09	so as a result of that we all know that we have a Payday coming and if you look in the mirror I’ve noticed this about
42:14	myself that every day when I look in the mirror the image comes back a little bit worse you know it’s this horrible thing
42:22	you know I’ve been at Khan’s Binger for nine years now and I look at the photos back when I was first made the pastor of
42:28	Kong’s Winger Lutheran Church I look pretty good in comparison to the way I look now yeah and you’ll note that this
42:36	is what’s happened to all of us and so death comes and visits us all and we all know that we have a date with death and
42:42	we also know that with that date comes uh well a meeting with Jesus
42:50	and for many people that is a anxiety producing thought
42:56	have you ever had one of those times where you’ve woken up in the middle of the night you know and you wake up with
43:01	the shortness of breath and you go I’m gonna die someday
43:08	and the reality is is you don’t know when that’s going to be I don’t know when that’s going to be none of us is guaranteed tomorrow or let
43:14	alone this afternoon but Christ is not one who is determined
43:20	to give us what we deserve and so the the heaviness the burden that
43:28	we all care the burden that we share together the burden of death the burden
43:34	of losing loved ones the burden of dealing with our own sin the burden of conflict have you noticed that we human
43:40	beings don’t get along well with each other it’s it’s the most amazing thing ever
43:46	and then I would note here if you don’t believe me just get married right
43:52	you put two sinners in one house together and expect them to cohabitate peacefully good luck on that right and
44:00	so you’ll know we don’t get along well and as a result of sin there is conflict in our marriage and because of sin there
44:08	is conflict in our family because of sin there’s conflict in the community because of sin your sin and mind there’s
44:15	conflict among friends and because of sin there’s conflict across the world
44:21	have you noticed that they’re fighting Wars even today right
44:26	and I would note something here nothing seems to stay the same in this life that
44:31	we live uh somebody I think it was Robert had found Reuben’s baptismal
44:38	certificate and it’s rather fascinating I actually I I have it here on on my
44:44	iPad because this is such a wonderful document and this document shows that
44:49	yesterday June 18th was Reuben cleven’s baptismal birthday he was baptized on
44:56	June 18 1931. now I wasn’t around back then you know I
45:03	I’ve only heard of 1931 from people who were there but one of the things that’s interesting as I was scrolling through
45:09	social media this morning as I was trying to wake up to a cup of coffee and I have to do that nowadays with decaf
45:15	coffee because of hypertension decaf coffee is not as fun as normal coffee I just want to make that painfully clear
45:20	to everybody here but I I was scrolling through social media I saw video footage
45:26	that had been recently stored of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig taking batting
45:32	practice at Yankee Stadium in April of 1931.
45:40	the year that Reuben was born and baptized it’s a long time ago a lot has changed has it not back in the day Babe
45:48	Ruth and Lou Gehrig they were The Sultans of SWAT and everybody worshiped them in New York because these guys were
45:54	the Towering figures of manly hood and of athletic prowess at the time and at
46:02	that time Reuben was just an infant the Nazis hadn’t even taken over Germany
46:08	yet World War II was still a few years off and in his lifetime Reuben Saw World War
46:16	II the Korean War Vietnam War the Gulf War the war against
46:23	terrorism the world has changed dramatically has it not now we fight the culture War whatever
46:29	that thing is and so we note that the world changes we change
46:34	the generation that gave birth to us they haven’t passed already they’re ready to pass and are we ready to fill
46:42	in the spot fill in the Gap can any of us do that
46:50	are you tired yet just thinking about all of this
46:56	the coming back to the words of Christ says come to me all who labor and are
47:03	heavy laden and I will give you rest Christ promises for everyone who
47:09	believes in trust in him the Forgiveness of all of their sins and their transgressions
47:15	and this is a free gift and this is because of the great love of God if you
47:21	think that God is some mean angry old man with his arms crossed looking through his eyebrows at you literally
47:28	looking forward to seeing you when you get there so that he can toss you into the Lake of Fire you don’t understand
47:34	who God is you don’t understand at all and here’s the thing Reuben right now is in the
47:42	company of Heaven the Jesus he believed in by faith in
47:47	this lifetime has now given way to sight and here’s the thing Reuben I’m sure 100
47:55	sure wants you to be with him and if we as Christians we do not mourn as the as
48:01	the world Mourns you’ll note that people on planet Earth they they all recognize you got to die so what do they do they
48:07	get busy doing the YOLO thing right you only live once so let’s make sure we tick off all these things on the bucket
48:13	list but at the end of The Bucket List you know what there’s a casket at the end of The Bucket List is there
48:19	really anything except for a hollow life
48:25	the answers for all who are in Christ there is forgiveness pardon Mercy Grace
48:33	reconciliation and what our first parents lost because of their rebellion
48:38	and transgression against God God promises to restore and to give to us on
48:44	the day that he returns in glory to judge the living and the dead he will remake the heavens and the Earth Christ
48:51	says behold I make all things new including you
48:56	including Reuben including a soul so come to me all you who labor and are
49:02	heavy laid in Jesus I will give you rest take my yoke upon you learn from me for
49:07	I am gentle and lowly in heart and in me you will find rest for your
49:13	souls for my yoke is easy and my burden is light and how is it
49:18	that Christ can offer something like that to us we who are worn out by our
49:24	own sin and its consequences we who’ve destroyed the Earth and brought all kinds of conflict in it how is it
49:31	possible that we can have such a promise from Jesus is found in our Old Testament text
49:38	here again the words of the prophet Isaiah Isaiah was prophesying hundreds of years before Jesus was ever born and
49:46	conceived in the womb of the Virgin Mary and he says this regarding Christ’s
49:51	death on the cross he Jesus was despised he was rejected by
49:58	men Jesus was a Man of Sorrows and he himself was acquainted with grief and as
50:04	one from whom men hid their faces he was despised and we esteemed him not
50:10	you can hear Echoes of what would come later while Christ was on trial on that Good Friday when Pontius Pilate trooped
50:17	out Barabbas and brought out Jesus and said who which of the two would you like me to give to you and they shouted out
50:23	give us Barabbas oddly enough his name means son of the father there’s some theological
50:29	significance to that what should I do with Jesus crucify him why what has he done crucify him they wouldn’t even
50:36	answer the question see all of this was to accomplish your
50:41	salvation in mine because Christ has borne our griefs Jesus has carried our
50:48	sorrows we esteemed Jesus to be stricken and smitten by God and Afflicted and
50:54	indeed he was but here’s the good news Jesus was pierced for our transgressions
51:02	Jesus was crushed for your iniquities and mine and the punishment the
51:09	chastisement that brought us peace with God was upon him and by his wounds we
51:15	are healed of our sin sickness each and every one of us me included all
51:21	of you included we all like sheep we’ve gone astray we’ve turned everyone to our own ways but God has laid on Jesus the
51:29	iniquity of us all why was Jesus on the cross he was bleeding and suffering and dying in order to placate the wrath of
51:37	God for you he was despised he was rejected he was
51:43	killed he suffered in your place so that you do not have to be rejected by God
51:50	but instead can be reconciled to him he was pierced for your transgressions
51:55	he took the punishment that you deserve upon himself so that you could by faith
52:02	then become a child of God and that he would then promise you as a gift because
52:09	of his great love something that none of us could ever earn not by our good works
52:15	not by our money not by any efforts on our part true salvation and the restoration of
52:22	the earth Eden come back all of us in the new Earth as it was supposed to be
52:28	where we’ll be reacquainted with reunited with those who have gone before
52:34	us and we will have eternal life in a World Without End and
52:40	never have to ever have a funeral ever again
52:45	that is how good the good news is how great our Lord is
52:52	and this is offered to every human being freely
52:58	and what does it call us to do then to repent of our sins to trust in the one who loved us so much
53:05	that he laid down his life so that we could live there is salvation only in Jesus Christ
53:12	and no one else the scripture is clear there is no other name given about on heaven or on Earth by which men must be
53:20	saved so note this as we consider the loss of Reuben we know that we will join him
53:27	someday and for all who trust in Christ you will have a glorious reunion with him
53:35	I love the fact that one of his granddaughters refused to say goodbye to him and that is appropriate that is bold
53:44	because for Christians we Never Say Goodbye we always say I’ll see you later
53:50	and so it is true that I got a little choked up I miss Reuben
53:56	he is a he was a hard working man for somebody who was retired he sure did put
54:01	in a lot of work right and and you know this about him he was selfless
54:07	absolutely selfless and I love talking to him he never understood the thing I
54:13	was saying because I had to look at him in order for him to hear me but we enjoyed our conversations together and I
54:20	truly will miss the conversations that we’ve had it was funny Marla said he
54:25	never talked to me about his faith but he did talk to me about it and the one thing I can say about Reuben cleven is
54:31	that he trusted and believed in Jesus and it was wonderful in preparing him for death the last time I saw him I
54:38	brought him the Lord’s supper and he was awake when I got there the time I visited him before that he was asleep and I didn’t know what to do what do I
54:45	do he’s asleep but he kind of shook himself and woke up and he was so happy to see me and so I enjoyed our time
54:51	together but remember what our our pistol text said from Philippians something very important
54:58	and then in the Philippians text Paul is kind of musing thinking about his life
55:04	ahead of him and what shall he choose he’s nearing the end of his own life he says for me to live as Christ and to die
55:11	is gain and that’s true for all Christians for every one of us who is still alive and a Christian well to live
55:17	is Christ to live selflessly in love towards neighbor and love towards God serving each other in our toil that we
55:24	have to go through and easing each other’s burdens if you would he says if I am to live in the flesh well that
55:29	means fruitful labor for me it means that for all of us by the way yeah what shall I choose I cannot tell
55:35	he says I’m hard-pressed between the two my desire is to depart and to be with
55:40	Christ for that is far better so as I walked in today and I saw
55:46	Reuben’s body resting comfortably in his coffin
55:52	and as I watched the family gathered around when they closed the coffin for
55:58	the last time hard to watch
56:03	and yet there’s a joy in it because we can legitimately say a Reuben he is in a
56:10	better place that’s where he is right now he’s with all the Norwegians in heaven
56:16	and I know that there’s more than two right right big family reunion for him but
56:24	that’s the point only a Christian can say that it is better to depart and to be with Christ
56:30	because for everyone else if you have not faith in Christ this world is the
56:36	closest thing to Heaven that you’ll ever experience for everybody who is in Christ This World this difficulty that we go through
56:43	is the closest thing to hell that we’ll ever experience and that’s the dividing line Christ is
56:48	the dividing line so brothers and sisters hear the words of Jesus take heed of them and note that they are also
56:55	for you are you tired are you heavy laden are you tired of even trying to
57:00	save yourself why do you even work so hard and try to be so good after all because at the end of it this life is
57:07	short well Jesus says that he will give you rest and he has given Reuben his and we
57:15	look forward to when we can join him in that rest in the eternal life that
57:20	Christ gives us for free because of his shed Blood on the cross in the name of Jesus
57:26	amen now the family has asked me if I would read Reuben’s obituary and I
57:34	promised them I would reubenclevin 92 of East Grand Forks
57:41	formerly of rural Oslo Minnesota went to meet his Lord on Tuesday June 6 2023 in
57:48	Valley Senior Living in Grand Forks North Dakota Reuben was born on February 11 1931 in
57:55	Oak Park Township to oleandella cleven older then his twin brother Rudy by as
58:02	long as it took that sounds so cleven to me
58:08	Reuben grew up outside of Alvarado Minnesota on the Family Farm following his graduation from Alvarado
58:15	High School in 1949 Reuben went into the workforce laboring in the summer months
58:20	for local farmers and doing both concrete work and bricklaying on projects that still stand to this day
58:28	the high schools in Oslo Alvarado and Warren the runway at Grand Forks Air Force Base and parts of I-29 all bear
58:36	the mark of Reuben’s hands in addition to working for summer for summer fertilizer in those years Reuben worked
58:43	winter campaigns for American Crystal sugar in 1967 he was hired full-time by
58:49	American Crystal and enjoyed his work there for 27 years until his retirement in 1994. on October 16 1960 Rubin was
58:57	married to marlus Hendrickson in kungs of Inger Lutheran Church he moved into the farm yard on which Marlin marlus
59:04	grew up and the two lived in successive houses within that yard in Higdon
59:10	Township for all of their married lives they raised three boys and he enjoyed imparting what he knew on his sons from
59:18	garage projects and carpentry to fishing and teaching them how to appreciate a car rubin’s life revolved around being
59:25	with his family and they would pack up the car in the camper and head to pine lake to go fishing and relax though the
59:32	though beginning in the beginning he owned a motor but not a boat that sounds so practical okay but not to
59:40	worry Pine Lake always had many boats available to rent for his frequent family outings to spend time with family
59:46	friends and of course plenty of fish for dinner he was an active and faithful member of Kang’s Bingo Lutheran Church
59:52	sitting on the church board and acting as a cemetery Sexton a member of the sons of Norway get a Varden lodge number
1:00:00	21 and um did I say that wrong you know okay and a member of tops take off
1:00:06	pounds sensibly I think I should join that um North Dakota chapter 129. and and and
1:00:13	in the latter he was selected the king of North Dakota he kept his weight stable for 39 years and Reuben was proud
1:00:20	a proud 100 Norwegian we have genetic confirmation of this fact enjoying
1:00:25	family history and his genealogy Club Reuben has survived by his wife of 62 years marlus of East Grand Forks
1:00:32	sister-in-law Fern Fleck and Angeline Schultz Sons Dwayne and Mary de Becky
1:00:40	cleven of Mayville North Dakota Robert married to Debbie of Alvarez and Byron
1:00:46	married to Judith of Mayville nine grandchildren Jonathan who’s married to Heather clevin Ashley follerin falarin
1:00:54	Kristen Katie Haley Samantha Alexander Samuel and Zachary cleven three
1:01:01	great-grandchildren Caleb and Sophia follerin and Amelia cleven and his
1:01:06	nieces and nephews he has proceeded in death by his parents oleandela in in law
1:01:11	us menford and Ida Hendrickson siblings Boyd and Alpha cleven twin brother Rudy
1:01:18	cleven and brother-in-law Mark Liz liskowski
1:01:29	we continue with the prayers of the church and I would request that the congregation please arise
1:01:46	let us pray to the Lord Our God and Father who raised Jesus from the dead almighty God you have knit your chosen
1:01:53	people together into one communion into the mystical body of your son Jesus Christ Our Lord give to your whole
1:01:59	church in heaven and on Earth your light and your peace Lord in your mercy
1:02:05	grant that all who have been baptized into Christ’s death and Resurrection May die to sin and rise to newness of life
1:02:11	and so pass with him through the gate of death and the grave to our joyful Resurrection Lord in your mercy
1:02:19	grant that all who have been nourished by the body and blood of your son may be raised to immortality and incorruption
1:02:26	to be seated with him at your heavenly banquet Lord in your mercy
1:02:31	give to the family of Reuben and all who mourn comfort in their grief and assure
1:02:37	confidence in your love and in your loving care that casting all of their sorrow on you they may know the
1:02:44	consolation of Your Love Lord in your mercy give courage and Faith to the bereaved
1:02:50	that within the communion of your church they may have strength to meet the days ahead in assurance of of a holy and
1:02:57	certain hope and in the joyful expectation of eternal life with those that they love who have departed in the
1:03:03	Faith Lord in your mercy help us we pray in the midst of things
1:03:09	we cannot understand to believe and to find comfort in the communion of the Saints the Forgiveness of our sins the
1:03:16	resurrection of the body and the life Everlasting Lord in your mercy
1:03:22	taught by our Lord and trusting in his promises we are bold to pray Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name
1:03:30	thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this
1:03:36	day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
1:03:43	trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from Evil for
1:03:49	thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen
1:03:57	I am the resurrection and the life says the Lord he who believes in me will live even though he dies and whoever lives
1:04:04	and Believes In Me will never die
1:04:20	to reveal you to the Nations
1:04:29	and to the Holy Spirit as it was the beginning is now and will be forever
1:04:36	amen I am the resurrection of the life says the Lord he who believes in me will
1:04:41	live even though he dies and whoever lives and Believes In Me will never die the Lord be with you r
1:04:49	let us pray Lord God Our Shepherd you gather the
1:04:54	Lambs of your flock into the arms of your mercy and bring them home Comfort us with a certain hope of the
1:04:59	Resurrection to everlasting life and a joyful reunion with those we love who have died in the faith through Jesus
1:05:06	Christ your son our Lord who lives and reigns with you in the Holy Spirit one God now and forever
1:05:15	let us bless the Lord the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord
1:05:21	make his face to shine on you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace
1:05:28	let us go forth in peace amen
1:05:34	Lord now you let your servant go in peace your word has been fulfilled my own eyes have seen the Salvation
1:05:41	which you have prepared in the sight of every people a light to reveal you to the Nations and the glory of your People
1:05:46	Israel glory be to the father and to the son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in
1:05:52	the beginning is now and will be forever amen Jesus said I am the resurrection and the
1:05:58	life whoever believes in me though he die yet shall he live and everyone who
1:06:03	lives and Believes In Me shall never die let us pray oh Lord Jesus Christ by your three-day
1:06:10	rest in the Tomb you hallowed the graves of all who believe in you promising Resurrection to our mortal bodies we ask
1:06:18	that you would bless this grave that the body of our brother may sleep here in peace until you awaken him to Glory when
1:06:26	he will see you face to face and know the Splendor of the Eternal God for you live and reign with the father and the
1:06:32	Holy Spirit one God now and forever amen
1:06:37	and Jesus answered the hour has come for the son of man to be glorified truly
1:06:44	truly I say to you unless a grain of wheat falls into the Earth and dies it remains alone but if it dies it Bears
1:06:51	much fruit whoever loves his life loses it whoever hates his life in this world
1:06:57	will keep it for eternal life if anyone serves me he must follow me and where I
1:07:03	am there I will there I will my servant also be if anyone serves me the father
1:07:09	father will honor him the Apostle Paul writes in first
1:07:15	Thessalonians but we do not want you to be uninformed Brothers about those who are asleep that
1:07:22	you may not grieve as others do who have no hope for since we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so through
1:07:29	Jesus God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep for this we declare to you by a word from the Lord that we
1:07:37	who are alive who are left until the coming of the lord we will not proceed those who have fallen asleep for the
1:07:43	Lord himself will descend from heaven with the Cry of command with the voice of an archangel and with the sound of
1:07:49	the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are
1:07:54	alive who are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will
1:08:00	always be with the Lord we now commit the body of our brother Reuben to the ground its resting place
1:08:07	Earth to Earth ashes to ashes dust to dust
1:08:15	in the sure and certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ who will change our
1:08:21	lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious Body by the power that enables him to subdue all things to
1:08:28	himself may God the Father who created this body
1:08:33	may God the son who by his blood redeemed this body may God the Holy
1:08:39	Spirit who by holy baptism Sanctified this body to be his Temple keep these
1:08:45	remains to the day of the resurrection of All Flesh amen taught by our Lord and trusting in his
1:08:52	promises we are bold to pray Our Father who art in heaven Hallowed be thy name
1:08:58	thy kingdom come thy will be done on Earth as it is in heaven give us this
1:09:04	day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
1:09:09	trespass against us and lead us not into temptation but Deliver Us from Evil for
1:09:15	thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever amen almighty
1:09:21	God by the death of your son Jesus Christ you destroyed death by his rest in the Tomb you Sanctified the graves of
1:09:27	your Saints and by his bodily Resurrection you brought life and immortality to light so that all who die
1:09:34	in him abide in peace and in Hope receive our thanks for the victory over death and the grave that Jesus won for
1:09:41	us keep us in Everlasting communion with all who wait for him on Earth and with all who in heaven are with him for he is
1:09:48	the resurrection and the life even Jesus Christ Our Lord amen
1:09:55	Alleluia Christ is risen and you respond he is risen indeed Alleluia
1:10:02	let’s do that one more time hey we need a little Easter exuberance here Alleluia
1:10:07	Christ is risen let us go forth in peace in the name of
1:10:13	the Lord amen the Lord bless you and keep you the Lord make his face to shine
1:10:19	on you and be gracious to you the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you his peace amen
1:10:28	[Music]
1:10:33	how sweet the sound
1:10:39	that saved
1:10:45	like me
1:10:51	[Music]
1:10:56	but now I’m fine
1:11:02	was blind but now
1:11:10	I see foreign [Music]
1:11:28	[Music]
1:11:38	[Music]
1:12:01	through many
1:12:06	dangers toys
1:12:21	[Music]
1:12:35	I praise [Music]
1:12:47	[Music]
1:13:09	we know
1:13:21	and away [Music]
1:13:28	[Music]
1:13:35	Amazing Grace
1:13:41	[Applause] [Music]
1:13:51	like me [Music]
1:14:10	[Music]
1:14:20	[Music]
1:14:36	there are [Music]
1:14:54	Darkness [Music]
1:15:12	Glory eyes [Music]
1:15:40	my heart and Lord
1:15:45	[Music]

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