05/20/2026
Pastor’s Encouragement Wed., May 20
Title: “The Day I Had My Funeral”
By Pastor Joel Wegner
I love Galatians 2:20. It is what you could call my “life’s verse.” However, it became my life‘s verse out of a painful and life-altering experience.
In 1996, when I was a pastoral intern at our church in West Virginia, my pastor called me one Friday. Pastor Haynes was sick and asked me to preach on Sunday. I felt like it was my duty and responsibility, so I quickly agreed. However, I knew I would be working at Chick-Fil-A all day Saturday. I would be hard pressed to have enough time to prepare a full message in two days. Besides, I was a recent Bible College graduate and so new at the sermon preparation process. But, I felt like I could handle it. “I’ve got this!”
The text I chose was Galatians 2:20. This verse instructs us that the believer in Christ identifies with Christ’s death. He died, and so we died. The life we now live is to be lived completely by faith in Christ alone, not self. Any hope and confidence in self is unwarranted! Our life is now Christ!
Well, I did my best to communicate the rich truths of this verse, that night, but I completely failed. At least, I felt that way. I just wasn’t ready to preach that message. I hadn’t had time to study adequately, my thoughts were jumbled, and I kept stopping to show my outward disqust at my poor attempt. When the message was over, I apologized to all my listeners for failing them and failing God! I then sat down by Vicki in the front pew and cried like a big baby. I blew it! I greatly failed my Savior!
Yet, what happened next was a life changer for me. A dear retired Pastor‘s wife made a beeline for me. She looked me straight in my teary eyes and delivered some life-giving words to my devastated soul. Mrs. Reiter said, “Raise up your head, oh man of God, for you have not failed the Lord tonight! You have just illustrated for us the truth of this verse.”
I didn’t quite understand what she meant at first, but then I got it. She was right. In that poor attempt of preaching, I illustrated that I really am nothing. Joel Wegner is dead. Christ is everything! And God knew that this young, proud, and selfishly ambitious preacher needed some good humbling. And that day, I had my funeral! I’ve never been the same since!
Here’s my prayer today… “Lord, thank you for reminding me again today that my life is NOT mine! I am crucified with Christ. I no longer live. Life is all about you, my Lord! So, Jesus my life, please shine brightly in me today!”
In Christ Alone,
Pastor Joel Wegner
Galatians 2:20
