EULOGY FOR STEPHEN

THIS EULOGY WAS DELIVERED BY OUR BROTHER, REV. EDWIN MARTIN COLEMAN, FOR OUR BROTHER, STEPHEN MESSIAH COLEMAN, ON MAY 7, 2017, ST. LOUIS MISSOURI : The Eulogy of Stephen Coleman “Now I See!” In the 13th Chapter of I Corinthians The 12th verse we find these words… For Now…, we see Through a glass darkly; But soon we shall see him face to face For now, we know in part But soon we shall know even as we are known. The Message Bible says it this way 12 We do not yet see things clearly, that we need to see. We’re squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long Before the weather clears and the sun shines bright again! We’ll see it all then, We’ll see it all clearly Just as God see us! ​Pastor Marvin Sapps in one of his songs says it this way Never could have made it, without you I would have lost it all But now I see how you were there for me So Today I can say I'm stronger, I'm wiser I'm better, so much better When I look back over all that you brought me through I can see that You were The one I look up too So, today I am singing I never would have made it No I never, could have made it, without you I would have lost it all But “Now I See” how you were there for me ​The song Writer said: Now I See! Now I See! I am the youngest child born to Elvis Mitchell and Margie Dean Coleman When I was a child I was afraid to say my Easter Speech at church Public Speaking events made me nervous I would forget Any and Everything I was expected to say It was then Steve As he was affectionately called by his brothers and sisters Became my Sunday School Teacher He taught me how to read the scriptures He taught me how to recite what I read, in 30 seconds or less Now I See, how you were there for me I never would have made it, without you ➢ When I was in Junior high school And my other siblings, including Steve Were Achieving Academic Excellence ​Making Straight A’s Making the Honor Roll Becoming the Valedictorian of their Class I was failing history ​It was then that Steve became my Academic Tutor Every Saturday without fail ​He would take my sister Pam and I to the movies Then after the movies, over an Ice Cream Cone He would sit us both down and quiz us about what we learned from what we saw Steve quickly discovered that his little sister Pam was very smart But his younger brother Edwin was a visual learner Now I See, how you were there for me ➢ When I was freshman in High school I loved playing sports, basketball and football ​But I was slow and weak It was then that Steve became my Athletic Trainer ​Every other morning He would wake me up ​And compel me to follow him to Steger Elementary school Where we would run 10 one hundred yard sprints ​Then we would come home and do 100 push-ups followed by 100 sit-ups ​Now I See, how you were there for me I never would have made it, without you ➢ After graduating from College I came home and told Steve, I wanted to go to graduate school ​It was then that Steve became my Personal banker Every month without fail, that I remained in Seminary ​Steve would send me a $400 dollar check So, I could focus on my studies, instead of working. Now I See, how you were there for me Never would have made it ➢ After Seminary… I was called to be the student Pastor of a church, My first church in Parsons, Kansas It was then Steve became my Career Manager The Denominational leaders who were recruiting me​ Were, offering me A parsonage…, with a base salary To come and serve as their next pastor But when I came home to show Steve their offer He noticed that the salary was below the poverty line He re-worked the numbers for me into a counter offer Then sent me back to the church board, in Parsons, Kansas And Told me to tell them If they would double their numbers they have a deal Now I See, how you were there for me Never would have made it Never could have made it Steve, without you When I wanted to learn how to play the trumpet Steve gave me his trumpet When I needed a job Steve introduced me to the Owner and CEO of Edison Brother’s Shoe Company and paid for the lunch ​When I needed clothes to start a new career Steve gave me a pair of his Cohan Loafers and two of his best Evan Picone business suits Now I See, how you were there for me Never would have made it ​Never could have made it, Steve without you In our text ​The Corinthians were Spiritual Babies And Like all Spiritual Babies, Spiritual Babies need guidance and help They were striving for the temporary and neglecting the eternal ​They were holding on to the fleeting Gifts While letting go of their Christian Character. ​And after the Lord revealed to Paul That these “Spiritual Gifts” would soon pass away He writes this letter and says Prophetic Utterances Will be replaced by the Written Word of God The Gift of Tongues will cease And the Gift of healing will no longer be needed Then Paul confesses these words to The Corinthians He says… For now, I know in part But soon I shall know even as I am known. I do not yet see things clearly, that I need to see. I am squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won’t be long Before the weather clears and the sun shines bright again! Then I will see…just as God see me! In other words When we lose the one’s we love Their… Ab-sence may not make much sense There will be people, places and things associated with our loss that even we who have matriculated and graduated won’t understand But be not dismayed my brothers and Sisters Unless we have sorrow upon sorrow Because In our text Paul reminds us there is appointed time for God to speak A time When every Valley shall be exalted ​And every mountain and hill made low A Time ​When the crooked shall be made straight And the rough places made smooth ​Be not dismayed my brothers and sister There is an appointed time for God to speak A time when If we wait on the lord and be of Good Courage He shall renew our strength, we shall walk and not get weary ​We shall run and not faint!!! Be not dismayed…My brothers and sisters ​There is an appointed time for God to speak And He shall have the final say When there was a man lame at the pool of Bethesda It was God who spoke When they laid the man daily at the Gate Called Beautiful It was God who spoke When they lower the man through the roof on a stretcher It was God who spoke When He saw the little man sitting in the sycamore tree It was God who spoke When he saw the fig trees with no Figs It was God who spoke When the men were judging that woman caught in Adultery It was God who Spoke When Mary and Martha were mourning their brother’s Lazarus death ​It was God who spoke When Peter got out the boat and started walking on the water ​It was God who spoke When Paul was on the Road to Damascus to persecute the believers ​It was God who spoke When Ananias and Sapphira lied about their Financial Affairs ​It was God who Spoke When the Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos ​It was God who Spoke When our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ was dying on the Cross ​It was God who Spoke After Mary Magdalene arrived at the Empty tomb It was God who Spoke, from heaven and said This is my Son, Whom I love, With him I am well pleased! Now I see, Now I see (repeat) Closing Thoughts: Whenever we have an experience That we did not learn from the Scriptures or from the Lord, That is the time to “keep silent,” and let God Speak Now I see… 1