The Dancing Farmer
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For a ninety-year-old who had led a full life
The Dancing Farmer
2 Samuel 6:14
"David danced before the Lord with all his might."
Aaron was a dancer. Maybe some of you didn't know that about Aaron. You knew he was a fisherman. Everyone knew he was a fisherman. Fishing stories about Aaron are legendary in Big Fork. Everyone knows Aaron the fisherman. Some of you might not know Aaron the dancer.
You knew Aaron was a farmer. For ninety years he lived on the same farm, in the same farm house in which he was born. Aaron was semi-retired from farming when we arrived in Big Fork, but the love of the land was still there in him. Aaron loved the land and what it produced. He loved all the animals that shared this beautiful earth with him. Under Aaron and Janet's care, what a wonderful spot that farm was. If you want a definition of home, you wouldn't look in the dictionary, you would go and visit Aaron on the farm. Aaron was a farmer. You knew that. He was a dancer, too. Maybe you didn't know that.
Aaron loved children. You probably knew that. Since Aaron was always a kind of child himself, you could probably guess that. Aaron was never happier than when some children were over in the winter, when they would go sliding together on his hill, or in the summer, when they would go riding together on his tractor. Aaron loved children, maybe because children are as enthusiastic about life as he was. That's, I guess, what made him a dancer.
I don't know whether Aaron ever took Janet dancing, but I do know that Aaron lived his whole life as a dance before the Lord. King David of Israel did that, and God had a special love for him because he did. I believe God has that same special love for Aaron.
God gave Aaron the gift of life. God gives us all the gift of life. Aaron accepted that gift of life from God, and made it into a dance, a dance that reflected the goodness of God, and the joy Aaron found in the life he had been given. One of the great memories we all carry is the privilege of having been here to see Aaron's life, Aaron's joyful, enthusiastic, dance before the Lord. Most people smiled and clapped along. Of course there were some who frowned, because they believed living is too serious to be danced to. All the time, Aaron just kept dancing.
Once in a while, though, the music stopped. Those were the bad times for Aaron. They were, indeed, bad times. He couldn't dance. Maybe he was sick. Maybe someone did something to hurt him. Maybe someone special to him died. There were days when Aaron couldn't dance. Those were sad days, for Aaron, and for us. There were not many days like that, thank God. In all his 94 years there were not many days like that. The music always started again.
That's what happened on Wednesday morning. Aaron hadn't been dancing for a while. There had been sad days. Then, on Wednesday morning, the music started. We couldn't hear it, but Aaron could. It was the music of the kingdom of God. It was the tune of resurrection life. Aaron opened his eyes. There was his Lord, the risen Jesus. Aaron danced before him with all his might. He is dancing, still.
Amen.
The Dancing Farmer
2 Samuel 6:14
"David danced before the Lord with all his might."
Aaron was a dancer. Maybe some of you didn't know that about Aaron. You knew he was a fisherman. Everyone knew he was a fisherman. Fishing stories about Aaron are legendary in Big Fork. Everyone knows Aaron the fisherman. Some of you might not know Aaron the dancer.
You knew Aaron was a farmer. For ninety years he lived on the same farm, in the same farm house in which he was born. Aaron was semi-retired from farming when we arrived in Big Fork, but the love of the land was still there in him. Aaron loved the land and what it produced. He loved all the animals that shared this beautiful earth with him. Under Aaron and Janet's care, what a wonderful spot that farm was. If you want a definition of home, you wouldn't look in the dictionary, you would go and visit Aaron on the farm. Aaron was a farmer. You knew that. He was a dancer, too. Maybe you didn't know that.
Aaron loved children. You probably knew that. Since Aaron was always a kind of child himself, you could probably guess that. Aaron was never happier than when some children were over in the winter, when they would go sliding together on his hill, or in the summer, when they would go riding together on his tractor. Aaron loved children, maybe because children are as enthusiastic about life as he was. That's, I guess, what made him a dancer.
I don't know whether Aaron ever took Janet dancing, but I do know that Aaron lived his whole life as a dance before the Lord. King David of Israel did that, and God had a special love for him because he did. I believe God has that same special love for Aaron.
God gave Aaron the gift of life. God gives us all the gift of life. Aaron accepted that gift of life from God, and made it into a dance, a dance that reflected the goodness of God, and the joy Aaron found in the life he had been given. One of the great memories we all carry is the privilege of having been here to see Aaron's life, Aaron's joyful, enthusiastic, dance before the Lord. Most people smiled and clapped along. Of course there were some who frowned, because they believed living is too serious to be danced to. All the time, Aaron just kept dancing.
Once in a while, though, the music stopped. Those were the bad times for Aaron. They were, indeed, bad times. He couldn't dance. Maybe he was sick. Maybe someone did something to hurt him. Maybe someone special to him died. There were days when Aaron couldn't dance. Those were sad days, for Aaron, and for us. There were not many days like that, thank God. In all his 94 years there were not many days like that. The music always started again.
That's what happened on Wednesday morning. Aaron hadn't been dancing for a while. There had been sad days. Then, on Wednesday morning, the music started. We couldn't hear it, but Aaron could. It was the music of the kingdom of God. It was the tune of resurrection life. Aaron opened his eyes. There was his Lord, the risen Jesus. Aaron danced before him with all his might. He is dancing, still.
Amen.
