10-25-10 Funeral Sermon in Memory of Brian Sampson

On behalf of Brian’s family, I want to thank everyone for the support, prayers, and love you have shown them over these past several days. Brian has touched many lives and your presence at this service tonight shows just how much Brian has meant to all of us.

I want to thank Superintendent Rob Walker, Principal Jack Greathouse, the high school staff, Coach Carpenter and his staff, those who shared reflections of Brian’s life during this service, and Sandy McCoy who is providing our music.

I am proud to have been Brian’s pastor at First United Methodist Church. It was about a year ago, that I first got to know Brian, soon after arriving here at my new church. Brian and I met on several occasions to talk about his battle with cancer, his faith, and we also found time to talk about football and life in general. I guess you could say that we became buds over this past year.
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When I met with the family on Sunday to plan for this service, they mentioned how Brian was kind, honest, and a man of high principles. He loved old cars and boating. Brian loved his family and he lived and breathed football.

One of my last conversations with Brian was when he was in the hospital here in Lancaster. Brian was pretty weak, but amazingly he was able to have a conversation with me. As he was lying there in the hospital bed, I couldn't’t help but to notice how big and strong his arm was. And I said to him, “You know, even with all you have been through, I’m sure you could still beat me at arm wrestling. You’re one tough guy, man.”

He smiled and kind of shrugged off the compliment.

Brian was one tough guy, though. The football players would probably agree with that. Coach Sampson knew how to motivate you to play at your very best level. And you certainly did that this past Friday night. Coach would be proud! Way to go guys!

And when he really wanted you to play at your highest level, he would yell out the word, “Tomahawk!” And you knew that this meant you better give your very best for the next play. It meant that you better get the job done. “Tomahawk!”

The bible tells us the story of how God gave us his very best. God gave his very best when he created the world and called it good.

God gave his very best when after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God made a covenant with Abraham and later with the people of Israel, for them to be the means by which God’s good creation would be healed and transformed.

God gave his very best when he sent prophets to his people whenever they strayed off course and failed to be the people that God had called them to be.

God gave his very best when he sent Jesus, his only Son, who was able to do what God’s people had been unable to do, by living a life that was totally dedicated to God.

Jesus gave his very best, when he went to the cross and took upon himself all of the pain and brokenness of our sins, so that we might have forgiveness and eternal life.

And God gave his very best, when on that first Easter morning, the tomb was empty, and Jesus appeared to the disciples in his resurrected body.

Good Friday and Easter was that ultimate tomahawk moment when God won the victory over sin and death.

The victory of Easter is an advance sign that the victory is already won and we are called to be God’s people in bringing about God’s transforming love to our community and world. Brian lived his life in such a way that he was living out this good news of his faith through his words and actions.

Brian did this through his teaching, his coaching, and his participation in the life of his church. We only need to look around to see the influence he has had on so many people.

But there’s another person who has also served as a witness to her faith during this very difficult time and her name is Amy, Brian’s wife. Amy was somehow able to hold things together throughout Brian’s battle with cancer.

Just think about this. Last week, she flew to New York City to be with Brian. On Friday morning, she catches a plane back to Ohio to give herself enough time to join her family at the football game which Brian would have wanted.

On Saturday, she makes arrangements for this service. And on Sunday morning, Amy and her family still came to church for worship.

Amy, I know Brian was a tough guy, but you have been unbelievable through all of this.

Would you show Amy your love and appreciation? (Applause)

Even though Jesus won the victory at Easter which is a foretaste of that time in the future when God will make all things new, we are still painfully aware that we live in a world that is filled with disease and death.

After the disciples met the risen Lord, they continued to face problems and setbacks, but it was Easter that gave them the hope they needed to live out their faith.

One of the best ways that we can honor Brian’s life and live out our faith is to do our part in sharing God’s love with others through our words and deeds. That’s what Brian would want us to focus on as we leave from this place, to do our part in making a difference in our world and to be a people of hope. With the power of the risen Christ, like Brian, it’s time for us to get it done.

Tomahawk!

When I was here at the high school this past Friday, there were many tears throughout the day at the news of Brian’s passing. And yet, even in the midst of all of the sadness and sorrow, as I walked through the halls and the cafeteria, I would see pink shirts, pink hats, pink shoes, pink sweat bands, and pink ties as a reminder of the school’s commitment to raise awareness about the disease of breast cancer and cancer in general.

When I left from the High School, one of the first things I did was to go to a store and buy this pink necktie. Peer pressure can be a good thing!

It was by seeing the color pink throughout the school this past Friday that I was reminded again and again of the gift of hope and of God’s presence in the midst of such deep sorrow and loss. God works in mysterious ways.

In the Book of Revelation, the writer is seeking to offer comfort to God’s people as they were facing persecution, suffering, and death. In the midst of such dark times of sorrow and despair, these words must have stood out like the color pink and reminded them of the hope they had in Jesus Christ.

“See, the home of God is among mortals. He will dwell with them; they will be his peoples, and God himself with them; he will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be mo more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.”

One of the fastest growing churches in the country is a United Methodist Church in Kansas City called Church of the Resurrection. It started just 20 years ago and now has 7,500 people in worship every weekend.

It’s very interesting to me how this church chose its name. When they first began 20 years ago, they didn’t have a building and they met in the homes of the handful of members for worship. But as they continued to grow, they needed to find a building where the people could meet in one place.

A funeral director in the area heard about their need for a building and invited their pastor, Adam Hamilton to lunch one day. He said, “Adam. I believe in what you’re doing with this new church, and to help you out, I’d be glad to donate the use of my funeral home to your growing congregation on Sunday mornings free of charge. But I will understand if you would rather not meet in a funeral home since it might make some people feel uncomfortable.”

Adam accepted this funeral director’s very kind offer and then told him, “We’re not afraid of death because we are a people of the resurrection.”

And this is why this United Methodist Church took on the name, “Church of the Resurrection.” All because their first building was in a funeral home and the good news of Easter was more powerful than the presence of death.

May the hope and promise of the resurrection of Jesus Christ bring comfort to you this day.

In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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