As we think about Todd, we remember him as a fighter. There was no giving in or giving up. And because of that element of fighting in his life, I'd like to share a passage of Scripture from 2 Corinthians4: " We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair; there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend" (TEV). And the Phillips has this translation: "We may be knocked down but we are never knocked out."

Todd has been knocked down, but he's not knocked out. One of the things I recall about Todd is the way he would fight to do what he wanted to do. Not even cancer was going to keep him from learning or from playing. After the first operation on his back, when I visited his home, he had to go out and show me how he could swing the bat and throw the ball. He kept trying.

Last Sunday I was at his home. There he was playing Monopoly, trying to beat his mother, and he didn't have enough strength to shake the dice or to move the pegs, but yet, there he was, counting the money sharply. And then he was completely fatigued. He tipped over and lay down and his parents brought pillows to support him. By the time they got the pillows there, he wanted to be back at Monopoly. That's the way he continued to fight and struggle to live.

Todd has been knocked down, but he has never been knocked out, for Todd believed in the resurrection. He believed in the Grace of God. God's grace had reached out to him. And grace is God's love and God's forgiveness. And it was this kind of confidence and trust that Todd had in Jesus Christ. If you had gone into Todd's room the last few days, you would have seen pictures of Jesus surrounding Todd. And it was because of his love for Christ that those pictures were there. Todd knew that Jesus was his Savior.

In Mark, the tenth chapter, it says that parents brought children to Jesus, "that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them: Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God." (KJV)

Todd said that this was a sad story that turned out all right. Isn't that interpretation marvelous? People brought their children to Jesus and the disciples said, "No, Jesus doesn't have time for children." But Jesus did. Todd knew that he was accepted and loved and belonged to Christ, because his faith was in Jesus. And one of the last days, when people wondered whether he had any strength in his hands, he took one of these Etch-a-sketches, and there in the middle of it he drew a cross. He believed, you see, that Jesus died for him and that because of that he was a child of God.

With his grandmother Todd would go to Forest Lawn quite frequently. He called it "the Jesus place," I imagine because there were so many statues of Jesus there. He wanted to see what they did with, as he said, the "leftover" bodies. One day as he and his grandmother were there, they saw people standing around a casket and over an empty grave. He wanted to go and see how the people were acting, but his grandmother said, "No, we can't do that." Then he said these words: "Someday, when I'm buried, I'll be able to look down and see how the people are acting as they stand around my casket." He could say that, you see, because he had this great and profound confidence and trust that "to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord."

God's grace reached out to Todd's parents, too, Dutch and Gaby. And the ways they have shown the reality of Christ in their lives have been for us an inspiration. We have seen the vitality of their faith, and we have given thanks and praise to God.

As a congregation we have been involved in meaningful experiences with them in the past year. Remember that Sunday when we anointed Todd? Then the exhilaration that we all had upon Todd's improvement, and the Sunday evening fellowships of prayer and singing together? All of these because of God's grace operative in you. May his grace and his strength support you today and tomorrow and in the months and years ahead.

There is a marvelous statement in 2 Samuel (KJV). David, after he lost his son, says, "You cannot come to me, my son, but I can come to you." A treasured part of your lives has gone to heaven, and that, we trust, will cause you to be more aware of things of the Spirit. We go down to difficulty and death, we go down, but we go on. We do not live as though this were the end, for Todd or for ourselves. God picks us up to carry us in his arms and send us on our way for new experiences, new conquests, new life and at last, the resurrection.

No one gets out of life alive. We all will be knocked down by death as Todd has been, but none of us has to be knocked out. Something has happened that changed everything. Death has been given a death blow by Jesus Christ. The Father who has raised the Lord Jesus will raise our loved ones and will make us all stand together in his presence. And that's possible when we accept the grace of God into our lives, when we invite the Lord Jesus into our hearts.

And so, today, the family wants you to have an opportunity to make that kind of experience yours. You can open your life to the Savior and live in his grace. So, during the singing of the Hallelujah, the family has asked that all of us bow our heads with our eyes closed, and it would be very meaningful for them if someone here today, during this service, would accept Jesus as Savior, or if some of you would re-commit your lives to the Lord. If you want to make that kind of response to Christ, would you lift your eyes and look at the cross? That's the way in which you, today, can make evident that you accept Christ as your Savior."

"Your faith shines and radiates. I know the loss you feel, but the courage you have shown has meant so much to me and my family."

"Thank you for letting me be part of Todd's last days."

"We all loved him, but he's with Jesus Christ now and happier than we could imagine. Todd brought me closer to Christ than I've ever been."

"May you and your family be truly comforted during this temporary separation from Todd. Your strength and faith during this period of testing has been a beautiful witness to all of us. I will not forget Todd's expression of faith during the short time I had the privilege of knowing him. In the mystery of God's wisdom and power are many questions...and answers. Two answers out of his Word give clarity and hope in times like yours. The first, illness and disease do not come from the hand of God- yet can be used even in the endurance of their horror by God to bless others; your faith and endurance have blessed us. The second is the promise of Jesus- Todd and you will meet at another time and another place. He has gone there first to learn and develop... to become what God designed him to be. Someday you all shall be together. God has promised."

"It is not possible for us to express our profound sorrow over Todd's passing. The last few months have places emotional burdens on you that few of us will ever experience. We feel Todd was fortunate in that he had two remarkable parents with the strength and courage to meet his illness head on- not to back off and wallow in their own self-pity and misery."

"I am so very sorry, but know you are being lightened of your burden by your faith and your many precious memories. We only hope we can be as strong as you- you two are an inspiration to me."

"My heart has been bleeding for you these past weeks. However, isn't it wonderful how Todd loved Jesus? He is safe and loved with him. Praise God for such faith."