TITLE: “Faithful”

Family and friends of Erhardt, especially Crystal, Cheryl & Don, grace to you and peace form God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ. Our text for today Erhardt’s confirmation verse, Revelation 2:10: Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.

Erhardt F. Stoll III was born on Christmas Day, 1911 and was baptized into Christ on January 15, 1912. He was confirmed in the Holy Christian Church on May 16, 1926. On June 1, 1938 he married his beloved wife, Crystal. He died in Christ on Monday, January 17, 2005. Blessed are the dead who die in this Lord from this time forth and even forevermore.

There is something beautiful and appropriate about being born on Christmas Day. Ninety three years ago Erhardt was born on the day of our Lord’s birth. It is a connection that lasted a lifetime. Our Lord who came into the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary entered this world the same way Erhardt did so many years ago. But it was not the coincidence of his birthday that tied Erhardt to Christ. It was the waters of Holy Baptism. When God put His name on Erhardt, He tied Erhardt to Himself in a way that would never end. Jesus died for Him, and therefore the bond of death was broken forever. When Jesus died, he destroyed the power of death forever. And because of that, the bond between our Lord and his little child, Erhardt, continues even now beyond the grave. Erhardt is in heaven now, awaiting the resurrection of the dead, because of what Christ did for him in Holy Baptism. I remember singing the words our children sang a few minutes ago to Erhardt when he was in the hospital. “That’s right, pastor,” he said to me. “I’m God’s child because I’ve been baptized.” Amen, Erhardt. You got it.

And thirteen years later, Erhardt stood in front of the members of Zion Lutheran Church in Chestnut, Illinois and confessed the faith that God gave to Him in Holy Baptism. Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life, said Pastor Hein over the kneeling boy. Pretty tall order, wasn’t it? I mean, could this young man really be that faithful throughout his entire life? Would Erhardt enter into heaven at his death because he was faithful unto death?

The answer, of course, is no, as I know Erhardt would attest to as well. Erhardt couldn’t be that faithful. He was a sinner. He had a temper like everyone else. He got impatient, especially as his illnesses, old age, and disabilities seemed to get the best of him. I could imagine Erhardt getting downright feisty, even with his own family members, over how he couldn’t get around like he wished. It doesn’t take too much imagination to recognize the pain and suffering that he faced over the years, between losing a hand and an eye, to arthritis, to his ever-dimming vision. It’s hard to imagine anyone handling all of these adversities with perfect grace and love every moment of every day.

But Erhardt understood something. He understood that when God commanded be thou faithful unto death as He did to Erhardt and to all of us, that when God commanded this, He gave it as well. Faith, after all, is not our work at all. It is a gift. I can remember Erhardt quoting that great verse from Ephesians to me on more than one occasion:

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of ourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV).

The faith that God gave to Erhardt was pure gift. And God gave it to him abundantly. God in His mercy drew Erhardt into His holy kingdom by baptism, and then kept Him in that holy kingdom by His Word and Holy Sacrament. Faith always longs to be with the giver of the gifts, and Erhardt longed to be with His Lord. Although I only knew him for a short time, I remember vividly the joy that Erhardt had in receiving our Lord’s body and blood for the forgiveness of sins. That is faith. That is pure gift.

Erhardt now belongs with the saints in heaven, and his suffering is at an end. St. Paul once said that we now see in a mirror, dimly, but then (at the end of all things) we will see face to face. Erhardt is now in the eternal presence of our Lord Jesus Christ, face to face. Think of all the questions He must have answered! I’m sure he must be downright giddy at the news. No more disease. No more sorrow. He is whole and complete, awaiting the resurrection of all flesh, when we will be united with him in our Lord Jesus at the Last Day.

But until that time, we wait. And to be sure, we wait with not a little sorrow. Our Lord wept at the tomb of His friend, Lazarus, even knowing that He would raise Lazarus from the dead in a few short minutes. Death, no matter how you cut it, is wrong. It is not the way that God wants us to leave this earth. And so we weep, for we miss him, and long for things to be right that are wrong.

God hears your cries and knows your sorrows. He knows you long to be with Erhardt, and for things to be made right. And today He makes the same promise to you that He made to Erhardt: I will never leave you nor forsake you. Our Lord Jesus Christ promises that He will see you through your sorrow. He promises that you will see Erhardt again, and that your sorrow will come to an end. Even though it may seen bittersweet for a time, soon it will be replaced by joy at a happy reunion in heaven.

But God does not leave you wishing and pining to be with Erhardt. He is in Christ, just as you are in Christ. Furthermore, Christ died for you, just as he died for Erhardt. And every time you receive Christ’s body and blood in the Holy Sacrament, you are connected to Erhardt, because you are connected to Christ in the forgiveness of sins. Can you imagine the heavenly choirs? Therefore with angels and archangels and with all the company of heaven, we laud and magnify your glorious name, ever more praising you and saying, Holy Holy Holy, Lord God of Sabbaoth. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.

Heaven and earth, dear pilgrims. Heaven and earth join together in praise of the One who died and rose again to the Erhardt and all the company of heaven might receive the crown of life. I for one find the picture of Erhardt in the heavenly mansions, asking questions and answering them, singing the liturgy he loved so well, and rejoicing in God’s mercy, I find that to be a wonderful and beautiful picture.

So rejoice this night with tears. For your tears will come to an end, you will see Erhardt again at the Last Day. And what a happy reunion it will be. We pray:

All blessing, honor, thanks and praise

To Father, Son, and Spirit,

The God who saved us by his grace;

All glory to his merit.

O triune God in heaven above,

You have revealed your saving love;

Your blessed name we hallow.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.