Sermon Central
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Funeral Meditation #3
Contributed by David Dewitt on Dec 1, 2001 (message contributor)
Summary: This is a basic funeral message based on the promises given by Jesus in John chapter 14
Funeral Meditation
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
1. The Reassurance is Promised
A. Jesus promises to give peace
1. Jesus has given a powerful promise
Jesus has promised that He can give us peace in life. It is a peace that never falters or fails. It is a peace that we can count on when hard times come. It is a peace that only Christ can provide.
2. There is security in insecure times
The peace of Christ is firm when everything else falls short. It is a peace that penetrates our deepest pain. It is a peace that supports us in our greatest grief. It is a peace that comforts when nothing else can.
B. A peace beyond comprehension
1. Human understanding fails us
There are times in life when things happen that we just do not understand. There are times when our human understanding fails us completely. There are times when we have questions that seemingly have no answers.
2. There is a greater peace
Christ has promised us peace and a peace that is beyond our comprehension. It is a perfect peace and one that gives us strength when our strength is completely gone. This peace is gained by our trust in Christ. ___________ had this peace.
2. The Residence is Prepared
A. The change of address
1. Jesus has prepared a place for His people
Jesus told His disciples that he was going to prepare a place for them and for all of those who believe in Him. It is a place where those who follow Christ can dwell with him. ___________ followed Jesus and He had a place prepared for her.
2. Moving day
The day ___________ passed away was not the day she died but rather it was the day she moved into her new home. She has gone to a great and wonderful home where there is no sorrow, there is no more pain, there is no suffering but rather it is a place of happiness and grace.
B. Heaven is a wonderful place
1. A brief description of heaven
Heaven is an awesome place. It is the height of God’s splendor and creation. Heaven is all of the best of creation. It is a place of great beauty with gates of pearl, streets of gold and crystal seas. It is a place of great occupants with angels, cherabim and seraphim and of course those who have passed on to be with Christ.
2. Heaven is a wonderful place
Heaven is a place of residence
Jesus has prepared a place for all of His people to live with Him. __________ believed in Jesus, she followed Him and He had a place prepared for her. Saturday was not the day she passed away but rather it was the day that she moved into her new home. A home in heaven.
Heaven is a place of restoration
In heaven all things are made new. __________ has been given a new home. She has been given a new life. __________ has been given a new body. A body that does not know sickness or pain. A body that does not suffer from ________ or any other physical impairment.
Heaven is a place of reunion
In heaven there is a great reunion and __________ is experiencing that even as we speak. She has been reunited with her parents. She has been reunited with her fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. Most importantly, __________ has been reunited with Christ.
3. The Route is Provided
A. The route of Christ
1. God has given the way to reach heaven
In His infinite wisdom and grace, God has already provided the route for people to reach heaven. He knew that we could not reach it without His help and so He provided Christ to know the way, go the way and show the way.
2. Christ is the way
Jesus told the disciples “I am the way,” and if we want to reach heaven, we need to follow Him. In fact, that is all that we need to do because when we believe and follow Christ, everything else is by his work not ours.
