So many of you have contacted First Presbyterian about the availability of the funeral service in some recorded format, I wanted to give you an update. The Stephenson's have graciously given us permissions to make it available widely. We will have an audio and video recording of the service up on the main church site by Friday, and will have a transcript of the message soon. Stayed tuned for updates here - and do pray for the Stephensons.
Below is an order of service.
A SERVICE OF CHRISTIAN WORSHIP
In Memoriam — Paul H. Stephenson, IV
First Presbyterian Church March 27, 2006
Jackson, Mississippi 11:00 a.m.
The Rev. Dr. J. Ligon Duncan III, Senior Minister
The Reverend Richard Vise, Campus Minister,
Reformed University Ministries, Auburn University
The Rev. Dr. Derek W.H. Thomas, Minister of Teaching
officiating
______________________________________
The Organ Prelude Mrs. Joseph Wadsworth, Organist
The Processional "A Might Fortress Is Our God"
(Ministers and Family Enter)
The Call to Worship ....................................... Dr. Duncan
The Hymn of Praise No. 100 — “Holy, Holy Holy!”
The Prayer of Adoration, Invocation, and Comfort
The Old Testament Reading — Psalm 103..... Mr. Vise
The Remembrance
The RUF Song — “Isaiah 43”
The New Testament Reading — John 14; Romans 8; Philippians 4:6-7
The Pastoral Prayer ...................................... Dr. Thomas
The Confession of Faith
The Reading of Scripture
The Sermon ..................................................... Dr. Duncan
The Hymn No. 358 — “For All the Saints”
The Benediction
The Recessional (Family Exits)
The Postlude
Mr. Paul H. Stephenson IV
October 16, 1982 — March 23, 2006
Communing Member of this congregation since February 5, 1995
_____________________________________________
The Graveside Service will be at Parkway Memorial Cemetery
Ridgeland, Mississippi
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Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
A Hymn of Trust in Time of Grief
IN CHRIST ALONE
In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone!—who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied—
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
—By Stuart Townend and Keith Getty @2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music.
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In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.
In Christ alone!—who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
Till on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied—
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious Day,
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory,
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine—
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand.
—By Stuart Townend and Keith Getty @2001 Kingsway Thankyou Music.
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Providence, Job and sudden trials
As we continue to feel the effects of these past few days, and as our hearts go out to grieving folk in our church, I thought I'd share with you some of my own thoughts over these past few days as I have been shaken to the core and found myself hanging on to God's Word for encouragement in dark places. These are some of the things that I have found healing and hopeful and honoring to God:
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- As the the story of Job reminds us, sudden, devastating trials can befall the godliest of folk
- The words of William Cowper's hymn: "God moves in mysterious ways his wonders to perform..." Couldn't help but think that the sight of all those young people around a grave yesterday brought growth and determination to serve God better. And that God allowed this for that purpose. Mystery! Yes, but good came out of it.
- That the story of Joseph reminds us that God isn't doing things in isolation from other things. One event has a million ramifications and it will be like watching dominos fall as this event ripples on through the lives of God's people.
- That it is so often true that what occurs in one can be for the sake of helping someone else. Joseph's trouble was for the good of others--his brothers especially. Naomi's pain brought gospel grace into the heart of Ruth. Death is at work in us so that life may be at work in you, Paul told the Corinthians (2 Cor 4:12).
- That things of this kind cause us to see how much we are dependent upon him. "We are not our own but belong body and soul unto him..." Calvin said in a very famous sentence in his Institutes. Sudden providences teach us that we are creatures and that God is God. His ways are not our ways, his thoughts are not our thoughts (Isa. 55:8-9).
- The fellowship of God's people is the most precious gift he has given to us. The church is the family of God and at no time was that more tangible than the sight of the elderly waiting in line for three hours to pay respects and give assurance of their love and care. It was a beautiful thing.
- That what brings relief is God's inerrant Word. Rock certainty is what we need now and that is what the Bible gives us. Theological liberals have nothing to say in times like this.
- The blood of Christ covers every sin, every sin, yes every sin.
- That, as Ligon said so marvelously yesterday, if we try to seek peace first, we'll fail to find it; it is as we seek Jesus Christ that peace follows in its wake. So very true. Jesus, the very thought of thee with sweetness fills my breast...
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Saturday, March 25, 2006
Funeral Service of Paul Stephenson IV
The funeral service of Paul Stephenson IV will be held in the temporary sanctuary of the First Presbyterian Church (in the Study Center on Belhaven Street) at 11 o'clock in the morning on Monday, March 27.
There will be a visitation from 2 until 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, March 26, in Miller Hall (entrance off Pinehurst Street). At 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, in Patterson Hall (in the Study Center), Dr. Ligon Duncan and Dr. David Elkin will meet with students and others with spiritual questions.
On Monday morning, there will be visitation prior to the funeral from 9 until about 10:45 in the morning in Miller Hall. Immediately thereafter the funeral service will be held in the temporary sanctuary at 11 am. Dr. Ligon Duncan, Mr. Richard Vise, and Dr. Derek Thomas will be officiating.
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There will be a visitation from 2 until 4 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, March 26, in Miller Hall (entrance off Pinehurst Street). At 5 o'clock on Sunday afternoon, in Patterson Hall (in the Study Center), Dr. Ligon Duncan and Dr. David Elkin will meet with students and others with spiritual questions.
On Monday morning, there will be visitation prior to the funeral from 9 until about 10:45 in the morning in Miller Hall. Immediately thereafter the funeral service will be held in the temporary sanctuary at 11 am. Dr. Ligon Duncan, Mr. Richard Vise, and Dr. Derek Thomas will be officiating.
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What happens to Christian when they die?
One of the ways the Bible refers to death is “sleep” (1 Thess. 4:13). This is not meant to suggest a loss of consciousness in any way because elsewhere, the Bible employs some very graphic illustrations of what happens at the moment a Christian dies. We think immediately of the words of Jesus to the dying thief: “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43). By “sleep” Paul is trying to convey to us how gentle and restful a thing it is, no matter how violent the departure may have been. When a believer dies, the soul passes into a state of perfect peace and calm and rest. As the Shorter Catechism puts it: “The souls of believers are at their death made perfect in holiness and do immediately pass into glory…” (SC 37). To be “absent from the body is to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:6).
This condition is sometimes referred to as the “intermediate state” because this is not the final condition of our future existence. At the end of the age, there will be a glorious reunion of body and soul. The body will be raised from death (unless they happen to be alive when Jesus returns and in which case their bodies will pass into another mode of existence—“caught up,” Paul says, “to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17). Our ultimate existence in glory—in the new heavens and new earth—is a bodily one, a physical one. But even in the intermediate state there is consciousness and awareness of one’s surroundings. It is a condition far more wonderful than anything we experience here.
It is worth thinking about: that believers at death go into the presence of Jesus Christ. Everything the Bible teaches on this suggests that we will be able to see and know and hear and feel. It is difficult to know how this can be without a physical body but this is what the Bible teaches and we must believe it! We will be conscious of being in the presence of others, too: loved ones who have died and gone to heaven before us; Christians that we have read about in church history (Martin Luther, John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo and so on). And the great saints of the Bible—Paul, Peter, John the Baptist. Mary the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth, Isaiah, Elijah, Abraham)—all these are there to greet us.
And angels—who carry the soul into the presence of Jesus. Jesus spoke about this in the story of Lazarus: “the poor man [Lazarus] died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side” (Luke 16:22). Lazarus died and the angels came. They were already fluttering about him when he died. They were gathered around waiting. What a wonderful thought!
And there will be immediate perfection. All the sin that has marred and hobbled our existence here (even as forgiven, redeemed Christians) will be gone. For the very first time we will experience what it is to be totally free from sinful thoughts and ambitions. Even the sin that may have resulted in our death will be forgiven. The blood of Jesus will prevail and we will be with the Lord. For ever! Our faith here below may give way. We may lose sight of Jesus but Jesus never loses sight of us. We may say: “But why doesn’t Jesus step in and prevent us from falling?” And I have no answer to that except to say that heaven is better for us and that God knows exactly what he is doing and is under no obligation to explain to all to us.
As First Presbyterian Church grieves today, our hope and confidence lies in God’s Word, God’s covenant, God’s redeeming mercy in Jesus Christ. These are the certainties, the tried and trusted truths that sustain when our hearts are breaking.
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This condition is sometimes referred to as the “intermediate state” because this is not the final condition of our future existence. At the end of the age, there will be a glorious reunion of body and soul. The body will be raised from death (unless they happen to be alive when Jesus returns and in which case their bodies will pass into another mode of existence—“caught up,” Paul says, “to meet the Lord in the air” (1 Thess. 4:17). Our ultimate existence in glory—in the new heavens and new earth—is a bodily one, a physical one. But even in the intermediate state there is consciousness and awareness of one’s surroundings. It is a condition far more wonderful than anything we experience here.
It is worth thinking about: that believers at death go into the presence of Jesus Christ. Everything the Bible teaches on this suggests that we will be able to see and know and hear and feel. It is difficult to know how this can be without a physical body but this is what the Bible teaches and we must believe it! We will be conscious of being in the presence of others, too: loved ones who have died and gone to heaven before us; Christians that we have read about in church history (Martin Luther, John Calvin, Augustine of Hippo and so on). And the great saints of the Bible—Paul, Peter, John the Baptist. Mary the mother of Jesus, Elizabeth, Isaiah, Elijah, Abraham)—all these are there to greet us.
And angels—who carry the soul into the presence of Jesus. Jesus spoke about this in the story of Lazarus: “the poor man [Lazarus] died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side” (Luke 16:22). Lazarus died and the angels came. They were already fluttering about him when he died. They were gathered around waiting. What a wonderful thought!
And there will be immediate perfection. All the sin that has marred and hobbled our existence here (even as forgiven, redeemed Christians) will be gone. For the very first time we will experience what it is to be totally free from sinful thoughts and ambitions. Even the sin that may have resulted in our death will be forgiven. The blood of Jesus will prevail and we will be with the Lord. For ever! Our faith here below may give way. We may lose sight of Jesus but Jesus never loses sight of us. We may say: “But why doesn’t Jesus step in and prevent us from falling?” And I have no answer to that except to say that heaven is better for us and that God knows exactly what he is doing and is under no obligation to explain to all to us.
As First Presbyterian Church grieves today, our hope and confidence lies in God’s Word, God’s covenant, God’s redeeming mercy in Jesus Christ. These are the certainties, the tried and trusted truths that sustain when our hearts are breaking.
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Grieving hearts and hopeful souls
The souls of believers are “made perfect in holiness” and enter into the worship that redeemed souls experience in heaven (Heb. 12:22-24).
In times of sudden grief and the loss of a loved one “in Christ” nothing can compare to this beautiful thought. Whatever the tragic circumstances that may have occurred here “below,” in heaven, all is at peace and rest. The transition from here to there is immediate, a bit like falling asleep here and waking up there the Bible seems to say. That’s why death is called “gain” (Phil. 1:21), because after death, the believer is closer to Jesus than ever before. True, the body must wait awhile—until the morning of the resurrection. That’s why we as Christians show the body such respect. Then, as Paul says, the soul will be “clothed” again (2 Cor.5:1-4).
Jesus wanted his closest disciples to know this before he died. “Let not your hearts be troubled…” he said to them in the Upper Rom (John 14:1). Jesus is concerned to minister to troubled hearts. He knows how easily we fall into despair. And thus he talked about “many mansions” in heaven. It was meant to be a word of solace to grieving hearts who were about to lose a loved one. He went to prepare a place for his won that where he is, there they will be also one day.
Thou art gone up before us, Lord,
To make for us a place,
That we may be where now
Thou art,And look upon God’s face.
Lift up our hearts, lift up our minds:
Let Thy dear grace be giv’n;
That, while we wander here below,
Our treasure be in Heav’n.
That where Thou art, at God’s right hand,
Our hope, our love, may be:
Dwell Thou in us, that we may dwell
Forevermore in Thee.
Cecil F. Alexander
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In times of sudden grief and the loss of a loved one “in Christ” nothing can compare to this beautiful thought. Whatever the tragic circumstances that may have occurred here “below,” in heaven, all is at peace and rest. The transition from here to there is immediate, a bit like falling asleep here and waking up there the Bible seems to say. That’s why death is called “gain” (Phil. 1:21), because after death, the believer is closer to Jesus than ever before. True, the body must wait awhile—until the morning of the resurrection. That’s why we as Christians show the body such respect. Then, as Paul says, the soul will be “clothed” again (2 Cor.5:1-4).
Jesus wanted his closest disciples to know this before he died. “Let not your hearts be troubled…” he said to them in the Upper Rom (John 14:1). Jesus is concerned to minister to troubled hearts. He knows how easily we fall into despair. And thus he talked about “many mansions” in heaven. It was meant to be a word of solace to grieving hearts who were about to lose a loved one. He went to prepare a place for his won that where he is, there they will be also one day.
Thou art gone up before us, Lord,
To make for us a place,
That we may be where now
Thou art,And look upon God’s face.
Lift up our hearts, lift up our minds:
Let Thy dear grace be giv’n;
That, while we wander here below,
Our treasure be in Heav’n.
That where Thou art, at God’s right hand,
Our hope, our love, may be:
Dwell Thou in us, that we may dwell
Forevermore in Thee.
Cecil F. Alexander
Read more...
Friday, March 24, 2006
PCRT Jackson is Here!
The Jackson edition of the PCRT—the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology—is here! This weekend, starting tonight and continuing all day Saturday (and with a Sunday morning message by Bob Godfrey at Trinity PCA), the PCRT will be hosted at the site of our sister-congregation, the Trinity Presbyterian Church on Old Canton Road (they are in the old Christ United Methodist Church facility).
So, if you haven't already signed up, and you’ve no plans, pick up and go, and register at the door! The cost is less than $100.
This year’s speakers include: Sinclair Ferguson (Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, and professor at Westminster Seminary), Robert Godfrey (President of Westminster Seminary in California), Philip Ryken (Senior Minister of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, successor to Jim Boice, and preacher for the national radio program “Every Last Word”), Richard Phillips (Senior Minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs in Margate, Florida), our own Derek Thomas, and yours truly.
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So, if you haven't already signed up, and you’ve no plans, pick up and go, and register at the door! The cost is less than $100.
This year’s speakers include: Sinclair Ferguson (Senior Minister of First Presbyterian Church in Columbia, SC, and professor at Westminster Seminary), Robert Godfrey (President of Westminster Seminary in California), Philip Ryken (Senior Minister of the Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, PA, successor to Jim Boice, and preacher for the national radio program “Every Last Word”), Richard Phillips (Senior Minister of the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs in Margate, Florida), our own Derek Thomas, and yours truly.
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Thursday, March 23, 2006
The building of God
The apostle Peter seems to have had a fascination with the idea that the church was made up of living stones in a temple in which Jesus Christ was the "chief corner stone" (cf. 1 Pet. 1:4-8). Little wonder! Jesus had called him "Rocky!" (Matt. 16:18). This passage has occasioned not a little controversy as Protestants tried to undo Roman Catholic claims that Jesus' words at Caesarea Philippi implied that Peter was the first Roman Pontiff! This, of course, is palpable nonsense. But Jesus did intend this remark to imply something about Peter--the Peter who had just confessed Jesus as "the Christ, the Son of the living God" and folk who similarly profess such a creed." The church is built out of individuals who confess Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior.
As I watched yesterday First Presbyterian Church "meeting house" [I deliberately employ the old puritan term for the building where God's people (the church!) gather for public worship] come together, I was reminded of just how central this corporate idea of "gathering" is to the New Testament. In our age when individualism and para-church movements {not to mention the Emergent Church phenomenon] is rampant, we need to remind ourselves of the fundamental importance of the doctrine of the church. This is what the Bible teaches, I believe. It is what the magisterial Reformers taught--to a man. And to the degree we lose sight of it, we stunt the power and effectiveness of the witness of Christ's redemptive work in the world today.
Corporately we (the people of God at First Presbyterian) should match the beauty of this building that is visibly growing before our very eyes. It is all so very exciting, don't you think?
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Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Welsh Valleys at First Pres
Seen on the walls of the third floor of the Day School. It reads, "All Welsh are savages" and then corrected to "Some Welsh are savages." Headmaster Gary: the Welsh (the sons of Glyndwr) are coming over in droves to speak to you. Earl and Derek (Earl claims Welsh genes and Derek is definately Welsh) have contacted the President of the Welsh Nationalist Party!
This is serious business.
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Al Mohler on Focus on the Family Radio
Focus on the Family to feature Mohler radio program
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, one of America’s most widely heard and influential Christian radio shows, will air portions of a recent broadcast of the Albert Mohler Program, “Mommy Wars.” The Mohler radio program examined recent feminist attacks on stay-at-home moms and featured listener phone calls from women defending their decision to pursue full-time motherhood.
Focus on the Family is scheduled to air the program on Wednesday, March 22. Check local listings for time and station. Focus on the Family is broadcast on 3,000 radio outlets and heard by more than two million listeners per day. The program is also streamed at www.family.org. Topics and guests are subject to change. Mohler serves on the Focus on the Family board of directors.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, one of America’s most widely heard and influential Christian radio shows, will air portions of a recent broadcast of the Albert Mohler Program, “Mommy Wars.” The Mohler radio program examined recent feminist attacks on stay-at-home moms and featured listener phone calls from women defending their decision to pursue full-time motherhood.
Focus on the Family is scheduled to air the program on Wednesday, March 22. Check local listings for time and station. Focus on the Family is broadcast on 3,000 radio outlets and heard by more than two million listeners per day. The program is also streamed at www.family.org. Topics and guests are subject to change. Mohler serves on the Focus on the Family board of directors.
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