In Memory of Justin Phillips

Love, Hope, Peace, and Resurrection for this Day!

Death never catches God off guard.

God’s perspective on death is quite a bit different from ours. We see death as something to be avoided at almost any cost, yet the word of God says,

Psalm 116:15 “The death of His faithful ones is valuable in the Lord’s sight.”

• Being one of God’s faithful ones is not someone who has lived a perfect life.
• Being one of God’s faithful ones is not someone who thinks he or she is better than someone else.
• Being one of God’s faithful ones is not a super spiritual person who goes around saying praise God and Hallelujah after every other word.
• Being one of God’s faithful ones is a person who recognizes, that they can never be good enough to earn God’s approval, but understands that by putting their faith in Jesus Christ, they can be changed into a child of God.

John 1:12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, The reason we have love, hope, peace, and a celebration today is that Justin Phillips knew Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.

The reason we have hope and the reason we celebrate today is the promise that Jesus made to all of His followers when He spoke of life after death.

Justin knew God’s love.

Romans 8:35, 38 Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Can affliction or anguish or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? No, in all these things we are more than victorious through Him who loved us.

• Nothing in this world remains quite as permanent as the love that flows from God through Jesus to us.
• God’s enormous love is ours to draw upon and share.
• Once you’re filled with this love, it begins to overflow...
• Justin experienced this overflowing, victorious love.
• God’s love is a reason to celebrate.

Justin knew God’s hope.

What is hope? The modern idea of hope is “to wish for, to expect, but without certainty of the fulfillment; to desire very much, but with no real assurance of getting your desire.”

In Scripture, according to the Hebrew and Greek words translated by the word “hope” and according to the biblical usage, hope is an indication of certainty. “Hope” in Scripture means “a strong and confident expectation.”

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope. 14 Since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, in the same way God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep through Jesus.

This is true for the Phillips family, this is true for the New Beginnings Church family, we are grieving, but we are not grieving as those who have no hope.

Lamentations 3:21-24 Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: 22 Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. 24 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

• God’s hope is certain and brings confident expectation.
• God’s hope is new every morning.
• Justin experienced this absolute certain hope.
• God’s hope is a reason to celebrate.

Justin knew God’s peace

We all tend to ignore and forget that God’s peace is available to all of us. Listen to the words of Jesus Himself:

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

We can obtain the same peace, as a fruit of the Spirit of God.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith.

Nothing in the world can give this kind of peace. We cannot work it up. We cannot pull it out of the air. We can only get it from the source of peace, the one who is the Prince of Peace.

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

• Money can’t bring peace
• Medical science can’t bring peace.
• Real peace is found in God alone.
• Real peace is found as fruit of the Holy Spirit.
• Justin experienced this transcendent, spiritual peace.
• God’s peace is a reason to celebrate.

Justin knows the power of the resurrection

This is Easter season. More than any other time of the year we focus on the reality of resurrection. Today is a good day to remember the power of the resurrection.

Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death;

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power;

John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies;

Romans 6:5 For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall be also in the likeness of His resurrection,

1 Corinthians 6:14 By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

By preceding us in death, a place 100% of us will experience, Justin is leading us.

• This resurrection will show God’s glory and God’s power.
• The resurrection is found only on Jesus Christ.
• The resurrection is like the resurrection of Jesus.
• Like every believer who has trusted Jesus as the way, the Truth, and the
• Life will experience this resurrection Justin will experience this resurrection.
• God’s promise of resurrection is a reason to celebrate.

We can know everything Justin already knows.

• We can know God’s love.
• We can know God’s hope.
• We can know God’s peace.
• We can know God’s resurrection.

John 14:6 Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me

Rest in Love, Hope, Peace, and Resurrection Justin Phillips!