Ben Fritzel's Funeral

The outline is attached below.

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Ben Fritzel's Funeral - 3-15-2021 I. Welcome and introductory comments (Pastor Wagner) 1. My name is Chad Wagner. I was Ben's pastor for the last seven years. 2. We are here to remember the life of Ben Fritzel and to give glory to God for his salvation in Jesus Christ. 3. Benjamin Kurt Fritzel was born on January 27, 1958 in Lawrence, KS to Gene and Charlene Fritzel; grew up with three brothers Tim, Andy, and Thomas Fritzel; and died on February 23, 2021 at 63 years old after a tough battle with cancer. 4. Ben and Kelle married in June of 1982 and were blessed with sons, Jacob, Josh, Curtis Fritzel, and Mike Champagne; one granddaughter, Angel; and two great-grandchildren, Riley and Hunter. 5. Ben usually had a big smile on his face, and he loved to laugh...and talk. III. Information about Ben (Pastor Wagner) 1. Ben's career and interests A. Ben was an interesting man with many interests. B. He loved his family, friends, and church; reading and studying the Bible; teaching martial arts; and carpentry. C. He was also enjoyed playing his guitar; live music; cooking; baking; gardening; canning; roasting, brewing, and drinking coffee; brewing his own beer; making sourdough bread; researching and learning about natural health remedies; and studying history and politics. D. He was an expert carpenter who built beautiful houses. E. He built fancy, beautiful wood work that people would marvel at how he did it. F. He was the highest ranked Okinawan Kenpo Karate Kobudo martial artist. G. He had his own dojo were he taught martial arts to many students for many years including his own sons. 2. Ben's life events A. Ben was born in Lawrence, Kansas. B. He moved his family to Wyoming for 5 years where he and his boys built houses. C. He moved back to Kansas in around 1999. D. In 2007 he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis which nearly killed him. E. He underwent a double lung transplant in 2010 at age 52 and lived another 11 years, beating the expectations of the doctors by the grace of God. F. Ben is now present with the Lord Jesus Christ in soul and spirit in heaven. i. Ecc 12:7 - Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it. ii. 2Co 5:8 - We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 3. Ben was a Christian and a seeker of God's truth. A. Ben grew up going to church, but became disillusioned with it later in life. B. In the mid-1990s he listened to a tape of a sermon by Conrad Jarrell who was the pastor of the Las Vegas Church. C. He told me that for the first time the Bible made sense to him when he learned and understood the doctrine of sovereign grace. i. I will let Ben tell you the story in his own words. ii. The following is what Ben wrote on Conrad Jarrell's obituary page in September, 2020. iii. "I was searching for truth in the mid 1990's ... I had read many strange and hate filled doctrines of devils, and couldn't find truth. I grew dejected and figured out that satan was too smart for me so I prayed for the truth, within 10 minutes I dug through a drawer full of videos tapes... I found a cassette tape I had never listened to called the faith of Abraham and another called the faith of God. 5 minutes into the tape I knew I liked his preaching style a few minutes later I knew God had heard my prayer I searched him out and got as many sermons as I could afford sometimes I'd listen to 5 or 6 sermons in a day only to have more questions, which he would always answer Biblically, what a Great Teacher, what a strong mind, what a caring Man, Totally dedicated to the Truth(one of our Lord's names) As human Heroes go he was the hero who shared the truth I had been seeking since I was a child and helped pull me out of the muck, and the mire." (https://www.sullivanfuneraldirectors.com/obituaries/Conrad-Jarrell/) D. He was baptized by Pastor Jarrell into the Las Vegas Church in the mid to late 1990s. E. He was a non-resident member there until 2014 when he transferred his member to the Minneapolis Church because there were some other non-resident members of the Minneapolis Church in Excelsior Springs, MO whom he could fellowship with. F. In 2015 Ben became one of the founding members of the newly constituted Excelsior Springs Church. G. I am not one to flatter people and try to make them look like a super-Christians. i. Ben was a man like the rest of us with strengths and weaknesses. ii. I will share just one think with you to give you an idea of how much this man loved the Lord Jesus Christ, His truth, His church, and His people. iii. Ben drove 1.5 hours each way to church every Sunday until he got to sick to go, even during the Covid lockdowns. iv. He did that because of his love for God and His truth. 4. Ben was a loving son, brother, husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, brother in Christ, and friend who will be missed dearly. 1. Back in October Ben asked me to preach election and sovereign grace for about 10-15 minutes at his funeral. A. He said to call it "What made Ben tick." B. He wanted me to let others know briefly what he believed. C. He said that he drew his strength from knowing the truth, and that the church and the knowledge of the truth was the greatest blessing of his life. 2. Here is what Ben believed so strongly that he would drive 1.5 hours each way every Sunday to hear it preached and fellowship with believers of like-faith. A. Before God created the world, He foresaw that the first man Adam would sin and plunge all mankind into sin and death. i. Rom 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: B. Foreseeing this, God chose to save a portion of mankind from eternal punishment in hell which they deserved. i. Eph 1:4-5 - According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: 5) Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, C. God gave those people which the Bible calls "the elect" to the Lord Jesus Christ who would come to this earth, be born of a virgin, live a sinless life, and die in their place on a cross to save them from their sins. i. Mat 1:21 - And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. ii. Joh 6:39 - And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. iii. Joh 17:2-4 - As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3) And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4) I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. iv. 2Co 5:21 - For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. D. Jesus gave His elect, who are called His sheep, eternal life. i. Joh 10:27-28 - My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28) And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. E. Their works, including their faith, repentance, baptism, or other good works had no bearing whatsoever on their salvation. i. 2Ti 1:9 - Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, ii. Tit 3:5 - Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; F. Their faith is the evidence, not the cause, of their eternal life. i. Joh 5:24 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. ii. 1Jo 5:1 - Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. G. Jesus Christ is coming back on the last day to resurrect all men, judge the wicked, and take His people to live with Him on the new earth that He will create. i. Joh 5:28-29 - Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29) And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. ii. 1Th 4:16-18 - For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17) Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18) Wherefore comfort one another with these words. iii. Rev 21:1-4 - And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. 2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. 4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. H. This is the doctrine of sovereign grace which Ben so loved and wanted you to hear.