Alvin H. Nernberg Funeral Sermon – James 2:1–13 April 17th 2026 / Show no Partiality

Alvin Harold Nernberg Funeral Sermon / Mount Olive Lutheran Church / Pr. Ted A. Giese / Friday April 17th 2026: Season of Easter / James 2:1–13 “Show no Partiality”

My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man wearing a gold ring and fine clothing comes into your assembly, and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in, and if you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, “You sit here in a good place,” while you say to the poor man, “You stand over there,” or, “Sit down at my feet,” have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which He has promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Are not the rich the ones who oppress you, and the ones who drag you into court? Are they not the ones who blaspheme the honorable name by which you were called?

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbour as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.  For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do murder, you have become a transgressor of the law.  So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty.  For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.

Let us pray: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight O Lord. Amen.

Grace peace and mercy to you from God our Father and from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Good Christian Friends and family of Alvin Nernberg. As Al became more and more aware of his dementia settling in he wanted to be prepared for this day, being prepared for this day was a concern because he wanted to be of service to his wife Florence and the whole family. Al considered narrowing down the Scripture readings and hymns and even providing some of his thoughts about his faith, joys and inspirations in life, to be helpful for everyone and he was right. The hymns we’re singing today and the Old Testament and Gospel readings were chosen by Al and you’ll even hear from Al himself during this sermon as he’s provided some thoughts for you today.

The Epistle reading from the Epistle of Saint James chapter 2 is something he did not personally choose however there are teachings in that passage that fit Al to a ‘T’ and have been fundamental to how he conducted himself in his family and community and in his 30 year vocational work life as a police officer in the Regina Police Service. And while he was honoured to have received recognition for his police work by The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Governor General of Canada Al counted as his fondest memories the times he spent with his children and grandchildren and great grandchildren watching them grow up and if you had a chance to peruse the photo boards on the way into the Service you’ll have seen how there were many opportunities to do just that at the lake while fishing and enjoying each other’s company.   

Saint James in his epistle encourages Christians to “show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ,” and to remember to “fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself,’” Al took these teachings to heart and it was a particular concern of his in his work as a police officer; so whether he was working Patrol, Traffic, Criminal Investigations or in Internal Affairs as an Inspector Al wanted to be sure he wasn’t being swayed by appearances, that he would treat members of the community and suspects and fellow officers impartiality. That he would give everyone a fare shake and not jump to conclusions. On a number of occasions he reflected back to working with the first African Canadian member on the Regina Police Service and how while others struggled at times to adjust to having someone who appeared considerably different in those days Al took the word of the Lord to “love your neighbour as yourself” very seriously and wanted them to be treated better than he had been treated. Being of European heritage wasn’t always easy either and early in his carrier Al mentioned to me that he had received some poor treatment due to his German heritage, as a result he knew what it was like to shoulder some hardships for being different from others and the kindness he would have liked to have personally received in those moments he was driven by his Christian faith to provide to others. Being overly quick to assume the worst was actually a hindrance, not only in his work as a police officer but in his life outside of that work as well. Saint James concludes this section of his letter which we heard read to us by saying, “judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” Dear ones these are good words to live by. Al lived by this, you live by it too.             

Alvin wanted to convey to you today that The biggest inspiration in his life was the gift of Christ Jesus and Jesus’ willingness to honour His Father with His life, death and resurrection for the forgiveness of, not just Alvin’s sins but of, the sins of the World. This is why Alvin listed John 3:16 as his favourite Bible passage, and why it’s been included in our Service today: “For God loved the world in this way, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” Alvin was inspired by the way in which God, as he put it, “allow[ed] people to seek forgiveness” through His Son Jesus the Christ. Alvin knew that by the faultless and perfect life lived by Jesus under all kinds of circumstances that the forgiveness won upon the cross therefore was not only for him personally but was equally won for all people; so it stands to reason that Al strived to treat people without partiality, to avoid bias and prejudice or favouritism and to treat them as himself because Jesus died and rose for them as much as Jesus died and rose for him. The forgiveness Al received from God through Jesus was as much theirs as it was his, if they wanted to receive it.  

Al wanted to share the following words with you today. Listen to these words that Alvin has written for you out of his care and concern for your daily life and for your soul:

“Jesus, [the very] Son of God, was crucified on a cross where He endured a horrible death in our place and He rose again three days later so that we who will also die might also rise again since He conquered death. As He said, He did this so that we may ask for forgiveness of our sins from God and if we ask it in Jesus’ name He promises to forgive our sins. Remember that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Dear ones take these words to heart. Hold fast to them and to the Word of God from which they have been drawn. The faith that Al received in his baptism back in 1936, the faith that he embraced and held onto when it was given to him by the Holy Spirit, is for you as much as it has been for him; Al trusts that the good Lord will treat you as he himself has been treated. That the Lord will be merciful toward you and He has been towards him. That God in Christ Jesus will be forgiving to you as He has been towards Him.

While his mind was yet much firmer and he had opportunity to reflect on his life and how he had lived it Al prepared the following brief list that he wanted us to share with you all today: “If I could live my life over again, I would:

1) More often treat others as I would wish to be treated,

2) Love and respect our Lord and Saviour and follow His teachings more,

3) Be kinder and more considerate with, and toward, Florence and others.”

It is a marking of a faithful Christian that even if they have done well in their life by the World’s standards and even if people around them would say they were a ‘good Christian’ or a ‘good man’ that they would — even still — know themselves well enough to see where they could have done better in their life. This is what having the gift of a repentant heart looks like, a heart that seeks forgiveness and seeks to always be turning away from the self towards others and towards the Lord. As Christian we strive to improve and to be better in all we set out to do to the glory of God and for the good of our neighbours and those closest to us. The harder we strive towards this the more clear it becomes that we need to be merciful towards others as the Lord has been merciful towards us. To live as Scripture teaches us to live, when Saint Paul encourages us to “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”[1] Saint James and our Lord Jesus Christ teach the same, a lesson dear to Alvin’s heart, especially as he matured in his faith and reflected upon his life. It is never too late to take such advice and encouragements when it’s extended to you.

Finally I leave you with one last thought, these last years have been hard for him, hard for his dear wife Florence and hard for all of you. Al’s decline was a cruel thief robbing him and each of you of what you had previously enjoyed together. And while his cognitive decline troubled both him and you, nevertheless Alvin faced it admirably, not perfectly but admirably. The Christian hope is in the Resurrection on The Last Day, the resurrection of the Body, where Christ Jesus will “make all things new.”[2] The younger man you knew, the sharp minded inspector that you knew will return perfected on That Day. This is the mercy of God in action, what the fallen World has taken away from you over time, in time will be restored and perfected in Christ Jesus. So when you remember the best times, the laughter, the songs, the good life when Al was strong, also remember to look forward to what is promised to come in Christ Jesus: the Eternal Life that together we Christians will share in the New Heavens and the New Earth with all the redeemed, with all the faithful in Christ. Amen.    

Let us pray: Lord have mercy on us, Christ have mercy on us, Lord have mercy on us, “take our minds and think through them, take our lips and speak through them, take our hearts and set them on fire; for the sake of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Amen.

[1] Colossians 3:12–13
[2] Revelation 21:5

Photo Credits: Main Photo suplied by Mount Olive Lutheran Church and Family, all other photos provided for by Alvin's family.