I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25
Purpose of Funerals
1. Honor a loved one
2. Comfort a family
3. Reconnect with priorities, especially our relationship with God
4. To remember and be remembered
Funerals remind us of:
1. The Certainty of Death (Ecclesiastes 9:5)
2. The Shortness of life (James 4:14)
3. The Shortage of life (John 10:10)
4. The sovereignty of God and Reality of Eternity.
Obituary
Song
I. The Day We Prepare for – Ecclesiastes 7:1 A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth.
A. A Matter of Preparation – John 14:1-3 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."
B. Picture of Bridegroom Making Preparation for His Bride and We Make Preparations –
1. “Heaven is a prepared place for a prepared people.”
2. Norma became a Christian in preparing for the day she would leave this world and enter eternity – She enjoyed travel and has traveled to her final destination with God by Jesus (John 14:6)
[From FB Post: Norma said that Our Lord has the blueprints and directions and we have to follow the construction.
Daughter: So as history moves and times change and new plans come into view I know I will be part of those plans and my Mom will be there along with the rest of our family waiting for us to arrive. We will see you again even more beautiful. We love you forever more.
3. This is a sober reality that we face, so we prepare
4. Rabbi’s disciples: When should a person repent? Rabbi: On the last day of their life. Disciples: How do we know our last day? Rabbi: You don’t so repent every day.
II. We Prepare to Meet the God in Whom We Hope
A. Grief is Real – It is Part of Our Preparation
1. We Can and Do Grieve when a Loved One Departs – 1 Thessalonians 4:13 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
2. We Can Grieve God if WE Depart – Psalm 78:40 How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness and grieved him in the desert!
3. WE Experience God’s Emotions Because We Have been Created in His Image
B. God is the Source of Comfort – Now and Forever (Reuniting in Heaven is Great Comfort)
1. People Help – 2 Corinthians 13:11 . . .comfort one another,
2. God is the Healer – 2 Corinthians 1:3b . . . the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
A young man who wasn’t very religious once lost his job, and he grew more and more desperate about his situation, until at last he went to see an old preacher that he knew.
He stood by the door and poured out his heart to the preacher... and then he angrily shouted "I’ve begged and begged God to say something to help me, preacher. Why doesn’t God answer?"
The old preacher, who was sitting across the room, spoke a reply so quiet the young man was unable to make it out. The young man stepped across the room.
"What did you say?" he asked.
The preacher repeated himself, again in a soft tone. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher’s chair.
"Sorry," he said. "I still didn’t hear you."
With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more.
"God sometimes whispers," he said, "so we will move closer to hear him."
Prayer
Thank you for honoring Norma.
There is no gathering for lunch today. The family will gather in Norma’s memory at a family reunion when it is safe.
Song
