Memorial for Oakley Pell "Oak" McEachren

Memorial for Oak McEachren
Friday, December 7     6 p.m.
Fr Philip Eberhart
Resurrection Anglican Fellowship


Among Oak's last words to me about the service were "I don't want this thing to be about me."

But I have to at least start with the why that we are all here and people are watching on our Facebook Live feed from all over the US and around the World!

Why would people want to come to a funeral?

Sure we want to say goodbye and to "Pay our respects" but so much more than that is available here tonight as we celebrate the life and passion of a man who, I think all of us here would say lived into the words of Paul in Ephesians 4, when he urged the church to "live a life worthy of the Lord."

We're here to celebrate the Oak-isms that we've all come to know and love.  The  GLOOOOOORY of a life well lived - and lived in such a way that you knew that this life was being brought to you by Jesus Christ.

Oak's passion  - what he lived so well and what he taught us all so well was complete reliance on Jesus, every day, for every small thing and every big deal.

So in keeping with Oak's last wishes, the rest of this few minutes will not be spent on singing his praises, but the praises of Jesus Christ, His Lord and the first-love of Oak's life.  We also know who held second place! His precious, Marlys.

When we think of Oak it is difficult for us to separate the man from his message and the force of his life in Jesus Christ.  Jesus and His Word, the Holy Scriptures that Oak loved to teach, were the centerpiece of life. Daily bread - living water - the air I breathe - the Word of God and the presence of Jesus Christ, actually available to us, through the fellowship we have with one another, through the communion we take part in, through living life with one another in a real place!  

Oak lived a real life in Christ - no pretense, an occasional outburst - but no pretense.   That life of Jesus is so tangible -- so accessible to each of us, and the great passion of our friend, was to convey with every word and deed the "reality of our redemption."  

When asked about why he was so "into" the worship, the songs, the life of the Church, the presence of Jesus in Word and Sacrament, he would just smile and say, "because its all TRUE!"  He was deeply convinced and desired for you to be deeply convinced of the truth of the Gospel.

And what was that Gospel?  As Oak would occasionally say, "Here it is!"

1.  God loves you with a never-failing love, completely unconditionally.  There is nothing that you can do to make Him love you less (or more.)

2.  We've messed up.  The Bible calls it "sin."  Sadly that's kind of a lost, ancient word these days, but we are swimming in it.  Like a fish, we're as unaware of it as a fish is of water!  It means we've gone our own way, done our own thing - turned away from the Love of God and His plan for us.

3.  God wanted us back, so He took the initiative to make a way for that to happen.  He sent His only Son!  The Bible tells us that Jesus was the Visible image of the Invisible God - God with Flesh on!  Amazing!  We are able to love Him because He first loved us!

4.  But what about the mess I made?  ... I Make?  the one I'm in!!??
What about my "sin."  The way that God did this is he gave His only Son, Jesus of Nazareth, over to death.  You've probably heard the message, if you knew Oak.  Jn 3 ... For God so Loved the World that He gave his only begotten Son.  Why?  Here's the best part.

5.  "that whosoever - SAY WHOSOEVER - that means you and me  - all of us - the whole world is included in WHOSOEVER!   Say it again... 
WHOSOEVER!  Whosoever believes in Him, in Jesus, might have eternal life.  See that's what God intended for us all, from the beginning, that we would live with Him forever, completely free to love, free to believe, free to live - forever.  SAY WHOSOEVER.

WHOSOEVER...

WHOSOEVER... IS YOU.

 God has made a way - its the most amazing thing - one verse in Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church captures it:

God made Him who knew no sin (Jesus, His son) to BE SIN for us, that we might become the righteousness of God, IN HIM.

Now let me come back to Oak for a minute more.  

Oak lived this great exchange - He believed in the saving power of Jesus;  He gave himself to that every morning, applying New Mercy every day, at the breakfast table with Marlys.  He loved The Word of God and studied it consistently and from its riches, He learned "that we might become the righteousness of God, In HIM.  Every day, up to the very last one, he placed his life into the Hands of Jesus Christ, and lived from that passionate center.

His greatest desire was that I ask one final question:  IS THIS REAL FOR YOU?

IT'S ALL TRUE!

GL OOOOO RY !!!

God's hand is extended to you if you have never said the "YES" that is required of all the WHOSOEVER's who come to believe that ITS ALL TRUE!  Just say YES.  I Believe, Lord.  I'm sorry for my willful ways and my sin... the mess I've made of my life.  I Give it all to YOU NOW.  I offer you my life.  Come in, and help me live as You planned for me.

You can pray that right now.  I want us to bow our heads.  I'm going to pray that again.  If you have never said those words to Jesus, say them tonight.  That would be the greatest way to honor the man we are here to celebrate, and to honor his LORD AND MASTER, JESUS.  Let's pray...

Yes, Lord, I believe.  
I'm sorry for my sin - the mess I've made in my life.
I need you, Jesus and I give you my heart and life.
Come inside me, give me Your mercy now.
I accept it and want to live my life from now on in Your power.

Amen.

If you prayed that prayer, tell someone tonight.  You have entered into the great exchange and the reality of everlasting life...