+ In Memoriam Agneta Hansen +

Grace, mercy and peace be to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are here today to celebrate the life and mourn the death of our sister in Christ, Agneta Hansen. She lived a wonderfully full life. Great family. Great friends. Happy to see everyone. Ninety-seven years of life. Who could possibly ask for more than that?

Agneta sure wouldn’t have. She was happy with what she had. Neither would most of us asked for any more than what she was given. And yet, her Lord had her do just that. Ask for more. And ask in the prayer Agneta prayed every night. In the prayer Jesus taught us. Jesus said, “Pray then like this: Our Father in heaven. Hallowed be your name.” Though we’re used to the the King James. Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So what is that will, which Jesus has us ask be done? We’ve heard it in our readings in God’s own words. That we fear no evil as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, for He is with us, as He promises in Psalm 23. That He will carry and save us, even in our old age, as He promises in Isaiah 46. That every tear shall be wiped away and that death shall be no more, as He promised in Revelation 21.

But where is that will? Why isn’t it done on earth as it is in heaven. Because our dear sister Agneta is in that valley of the shadow of death. She has entered into death in her old age. Our tears are still with us. And death is still at our door. So, why does Jesus have us pray “thy will be done,” when His will isn’t done?

Because death isn’t God’s will. Death isn’t part of life. Death is the opposite of  life. Herb, you mentioned last week to me that Agneta had no enemies. There wasn’t anyone in the world who disliked her. And that’s a testament to who she was as God’s child. Yet, as God’s child, Agneta has the same enemy we all do. Death is our enemy. Just as death is God’s enemy.

So how can God’s will be done when there is still death? How can God give daily bread to the dead? How can the dead forgive the trespasses of others? How can the dead not be led into temptation when they’re already in the enemy’s hands? And therefore not delivered from evil? How? None of it makes any sense without looking at Agneta’s Lord, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

Because Jesus, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, entered into history and died. God died, just like our dear sister Agneta. And He died for us all. He died so that death itself would be undone. Undone in resurrection. You see God came to where Agneta is. God came to where we are in this dying world. And took ahold of us. Death is not the end. Because Jesus rose from the dead. And not only knows the way out. He is the way out.

So even though we enter into the valley of the shadow of death, we fear no evil. Because Jesus is with us there too. Leading us through it to our resurrection. Our body and soul put back together again, just as God created us. And when we can no longer walk, as it is written in Isaiah, He will carry us through that valley of death. Even while we ourselves are old, or even dead, He will not set us down. He will carry us to that resurrection. And doing that, every tear will be wiped away. And death will be no more.

And our prayer is answered, even from death. God’s name will be hallowed. His kingdom will be here. His will fully accomplished. Both on earth and in heaven. Daily bread will be abundant. Forgiveness will be given and received without end. Temptation will be gone. And the evil destroyed forever. And we will get to see it all in Agneta’s resurrection, and our resurrection. Because we will have Jesus’ resurrection.

Agneta’s faith is strong. And we like to think that ours is too. We try to look at the bright side of everything. See that we have it better off that many others. And because we do, we often don’t feel like we can ask God for anything more, even when we ourselves are hurting. While we ourselves face the death of those we love. And this prayer that Agneta prayed every night is God’s gift to you. Because in Jesus’ own words, He has you ask for far more than we would ever dare ask for ourselves.

We dare ask for God’s kingdom to come to us. We dare ask that God’s will be done in us. We demand that God live up to His promises to take care of us. Demand that He forgive us as He has promised through Christ Jesus. That all temptation be removed. That all evil be taken away. We pray for Jesus’ resurrection to come to us all. That none of us would be separated from each other by death ever again. And as we are here, remembering the life and the Lord of our sister Agneta, we are ready for it to come to us as soon as possible. Come soon Lord Jesus. And comfort us in the hope of your resurrection. Thanks be to God.