A Tribute to a Faithful Witness

Below is the eulogy that I gave for my Grandpa Flynn, who passed away the weekend after Thanksgiving. I spoke only from an outline, so this is my attempt to recollect the words that I actually said.

Tribute to a Faithful Witness

A Eulogy for Grandpa Flynn

Hello. I am the oldest of Grandpa’s Wyoming grandkids. I have talked with my brothers regarding their thoughts about Grandpa, and I think we are of one mind in our recollection. But first, I want to share one of Royce’s memories that doesn’t exactly fit into what I’ll be talking about. He wanted to remind everyone that at age 69 Grandpa demonstrated how to do a back flip off the diving board! This is just one of many examples of his zest for life.

As I reflect back on Grandpa influenced my life, I am surprised by what does not come to mind. It is not the numerous pool parties that he threw for birthdays or family get-togethers. It is not getting my back adjusted, hoping that he would not find my C1 or pubes out of alignment—these were not fun to get adjusted! It is not the mathematics tutoring that I received from him during junior high and high school, even though his academic mentoring was very influential. It is not even the wise words that still echo in my ears and gave me perspective as I wrestled with issues ranging from a broken heart to graduate school burnout, “It’s par for the course.” After leaving for New York, my visits back to Wyoming almost always consisted of a three or four hour conversation on theology or philosophy; yet I cannot recall the specific content of these recent and deep conversations.

As I remember Grandpa, two qualities stand out that seem to dwarf the others: his gratitude and his eager expectation of the return of Christ. I know some people have said he was just about the best man for whom to cook—he expressed his gratitude heartily with every bite. I don’t know how many times he would come over for one of Mom’s brunches (which are quite legendary) and with every morsel of strawberry or every mouthful of waffles exclaim things like, “This is just incredible,” or, “This is just such a treat!” Meanwhile, I would have already eaten two cinnamon rolls without so much as a peep. His gratitude extended beyond food though, to everyone who helped him out with his oxygen or mowed his lawn or shoveled his walk. I still have much to learn from him in this regard.

Paradoxically, his gratitude for the blessings of this world was superseded only by his longing for the blessings of the next. His strong interest in eschatology and the state of Israel stemmed from his longing to see the return of Christ. I have heard him say, “Come, Lord Jesus,” so many times that when I read the end of Revelation today it is his booming voice I hear proclaiming those words. He was truly looking for the heavenly city—certain of its coming. In short, he was a man of faith. And I am grateful to have had him as one of my spiritual mentors.

In the time that I knew him, he lived his life as a testimony, as a witness of the things not yet seen. And just as we are told that Abel still speaks through his faith, even though he is dead; so also, Grandpa by faith still testifies to the death, the resurrection, and the imminent return of our Lord. Although it is true that he is in a better place, this really doesn’t capture the essence of his life or his death. Rather, he stands now among that great cloud of witnesses and by faith his voice is still speaking, encouraging us to run this race with eyes fixed on Jesus, to persevere, and to not lose heart. One passage in Hebrews is particularly pertinent, and I instantly thought of him when I read it. I want to read that passage as a tribute to him.

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. (Heb. 11:13-16, TNIV)

Testimony

In the process of applying for church membership I had to write up a short testimony. It certainly doesn't tell all the story, but it does hit the highlights.

I was born into a Christian family and was taught throughout my childhood to pray, to read and memorize Scripture, tithe, etc. My parents are wonderfully supportive and have a godly marriage. We were members of the Worldwide Church of God, a church whose theology was faulty in many regards, but whose commitment to Biblical authority was undeniable. I was thirteen or fourteen when I committed my life to Jesus Christ in prayer. Of course, at this time I didn’t grasp my own sinfulness, but I wanted to be godly and obey. I was baptized on August 2, 1997 at the age of 18, by the then-pastor of my church, Roger Ludwig. I had been thinking about baptism for some time, but was confirmed in this desire by an encounter of sorts. I would almost describe this encounter as God’s speaking to me, but the exact words I won’t try to parse. It is sufficient to note that I was very aware of my smallness, God’s magnitude, and the joyful absurdity that in His greatness He would condescend to care for me. This encounter sealed the deal, and I was baptized shortly thereafter.

I must confess that I felt far from exuberant following my baptism. It seemed that very shortly afterward all of the battles that I had been fighting escalated, as if my previous battles had only been against puppets with wooden swords. The battles now were grueling and vicious, too often leaving me bloodied on the battlefield. During this time I was also wrestling with an upheaval of much of my theology. I had grown up keeping the Law, including the food laws, the Jewish festivals, and the seventh day Sabbath. In addition, I felt that those not keeping these laws could not be saved. In my late teens, the church I was attending began to realize that we had misinterpreted much of the new covenant and had been living under legalism. I was still wrestling with these changes in college, in addition to dealing with a dating relationship and the later fallout thereof. Thus, during the first three years of my undergraduate college years God dramatically broke and reshaped me.

I began graduate school at Wyoming in January of 2002. I didn’t feel the same turmoil that I had felt at the beginning of my undergraduate education, and I wanted to share some of the things that I had learned in that valley with some of the older teens at my church. Thus, I began giving sermonettes, specifically targeted at older teens approaching college. After a year or so I began giving sermons once a month. (Our church has a lay pastor, so several different men help out in the pulpit duties.) Coupled with these increasing responsibilities was a greater seriousness about Bible study and my own relationship with God. During these years I grew spiritually, especially through my relationship with our new pastor Shannon Fertig (my older cousin) and his wife Denise –I found in them a kindred spirit and encouraging presence in the walk of faith.

I graduated with an M.S. in July 2003 and came to Cornell in August. I have seen God work here in my life in three ways—probably more too. First, in interacting with Christians of different denominations, political viewpoints, nationalities, and professions; I have been astounded at the magnitude of God’s kingdom. Truly the rock that struck all other kingdoms is growing to fill the whole earth and though the kingdom of God suffers violence it advances with equal vehemence. Second, I have learned much about Biblical study from older people in Cornell’s Graduate Christian Fellowship, from teachings at church and things like Pastor Felker’s Systematic Theology class, and from leading a few Bible studies. Finally, God has blessed me here with more friends than I have ever had—Christian friends who share a passion to follow Jesus and help each other when the road is difficult. That brings me to today.

As I reread what I’ve just written, I realize that it doesn’t capture the essence of what I want to say. The essence of my life is this: God continues to seek and save me who would otherwise be lost. As a man who was taught to and prides himself on never quitting, I too often find myself ready to throw in the towel. In these times, when I feel like my quitting would do God a favor, when part of me just wants to let go because it is too hard, it is then that I find that the epitome of perseverance is found in God alone, who truly does not quit. The potter has begun to shape the clay and will not turn back his hand until it is the vessel he desired it to be. Praise be to God for this faithfulness in spite of my faithlessness.

Enslaved by desires

Last week I was reading Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov and the following passage struck me as quite profound. It's noteworthy that it was written in the latter half of the nineteenth century!

…but in science there is nothing but what is the object of sense. The spiritual world, the higher part of man’s being is rejected altogether, dismissed with a sort of triumph, even with hatred. The world has proclaimed a reign of freedom, especially of late, but what do we see in this freedom of theirs? Nothing but slavery and self-destruction! For the world says: “You have desires and so satisfy them, for you have the same rights as the most rich and powerful. Don’t be afraid of satisfying them and even multiply your desires.” That is the modern doctrine of the world. In that they see freedom. And what follows from this right of multiplication of desires? In the rich, isolation and spiritual suicide; in the poor, envy and murder; for they have been given rights, but have not been shown the means of satisfying their wants. They maintain that the world is getting more and more united, more and more bound together in brotherly community, as it overcomes distance and sets thoughts flying through the air.

Alas, put no faith in such a bond of union. Interpreting freedom as the multiplication and satisfaction of desires, men distort their own nature, for many senseless and foolish desires and habits and ridiculous fancies are fostered in them. They live only for mutual envy, for luxury and ostentation. To have dinners, visits, carriages, rank and slaves to wait on one is looked upon as a necessity, for which life, honour and human feeling are sacrificed, and men even commit suicide if they are unable to satisfy it. We see the same thing among those who are not rich, while the poor drown their unsatisfied need and their envy in drunkenness. But soon they will drink blood instead of wine, they are being led to it. I ask you, is such a man free? I knew one “champion of freedom” who told me himself that, when he was deprived of tobacco in prison, he was wretched at the privation that he almost went and betrayed his cause for the sake of getting tobacco again! And such a man says, “I am fighting for the cause of humanity.”

How can such a one fight, what is he fit for? He is capable perhaps of some action quickly over, but he cannot hold out long. And so it’s no wonder that instead of gaining freedom they have sunk into slavery, and instead of serving the cause of brotherly love and union of humanity have fallen, on the contrary, into dissension and isolation…And therefore the idea of service to humanity, of brotherly love and the solidarity of mankind, is more and more dying out in the world, and indeed this idea is sometimes treated with derision. For how can man shake off his habits, what can become of him if he is in such bondage to the habit of satisfying the innumerable desires he has created for himself? He is isolated, and what concern has he with the rest of humanity? They have succeeded in accumulating a greater mass of objects, but the joy in the world has grown less.

The Stranger

Several years ago, I was on a flight back to my home state of Wyoming, coming from Duke on a spring break visit to Rod. Seated next to me was an older black woman, maybe in her sixties, with short gray hair. I think she was returning from visiting her grandchildren. I don’t remember if we introduced ourselves or not; I suspect we probably said a polite hello and then proceeded with our respective activities.

When flying, I often do my daily Bible study on the flight. This day was no different. I dug through my backpack, pulled out my Bible, and began reading. Noticing that I was reading the Bible, the woman asked me if I was a Christian and introduced herself as Viola. She seemed both surprised and encouraged to see a young person studying the Bible, as she too was a Christian. We began talking about faith and the hope that accompanies it. We chatted pleasantly for the remainder of the flight. (I’m one of those talkative persons that many dread sitting beside on a flight.)

After landing, we collected our belongings and headed off the plane. Just as we were about to disembark, Viola turned to me, smiled, shook my hand, and with a note of confidence in her voice that would have made General Patton green with envy, said, “Well, I’m sure I’ll see you again.” I grinned, knowing that she was not speaking of anything in this lifetime, and responded with a similar statement.

The impact of her words to me has grown over the years; not because I think she was giving me some message about my salvation, but because she was so confident in hers. More than that, the reality of eternity was with her that day. Her statement wasn’t forced or contrived; it was a genuine reflection of an outlook that views this life as merely a breath. I see in her words a trust in Jesus that humbles me, a trust in what he has done and what he will do. Even today, I can barely tell the story without being choked up. She knew that the one who called her was faithful and her confidence in him was her peace.

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 ESV)