Summary: A Funeral Sermon for a Believer tells us the things we gain in Heaven

“To Die Is Gain” Text: Phil 1:21.

Intro. Sam Cowan was Born Feb 26,1924, was taken Home to Heaven Sept 10. Sam Lived and worked for Jesus, Telling others about Jesus, Electrolux was just an excuse for the real visit. It was to tell them about Jesus.

In our text today we see 5 things that we gain in death.

1. We Gain a Better Body:

We gain a glorified ,immortalized, resurrected, body.

In this present body of clay we are subject to all the tears and sorrows that life is heir to. Age, sickness, and finally death are the inevitable accompaniments of this house made of the dust of the ground.

But in death and in the resurrection we gain a better body, one that can never grow old, know disease, suffer pain, and can never die. We gain a better body no more arthritis, diabetes, migraines, cancer,. Hallelujah a brand new body.

ILL: I said to Marie and Evan the Other day, if Sam could look over the balconies of heaven and look down to us we would hear him saying: Marie, Marie, I CAN SEE, I CAN WALK, I AM WHOLE, I’ve been longing for this for so long. As the Chorus says He’s walking, and leaping, and praising God.. Sam Cowan Is now Whole in Jesus Name!!

2. We gain a Better home.

No matter how beautiful your home here is, it can never compare to our mansion in the beautiful city of God.

According to the promise of Jesus in John 14:1-3, our Lord is preparing for us a mansion in heaven.

We do not get our heavenly mansion in this life we only take possessions of it in death,

Remember the Words of this Chorus. “This World is not my home, I’m just a passing thru my home is laid up somewhere beyond the blue, the angels beckon me to heavens golden shore and I don’t feel at home in this world any more.

Sam Cowan is no longer singing “I feel like traveling on” He has moved in to his heavenly home he just left 119 wood street to his mansion on hallelujah square.

3. We gain a better inheritance:

Our final inheritance is not here it’s in heaven.( you have all seen the bumper sticker that says: We’re spending our Children’s inheritance”.

Our final reward is not down here it’s in heaven. It’s only beyond the gates of death that we even hear the precious words of our Lord “Well done thou good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of your Lord” Matt 25:21

ILL: Paul Ripley.

4. We gain a better fellowship:

All of us in this world live in a dissolving family circle. Mother is gone, or Father is gone, or a child is gone or our beloved grandparents are gone. Or friends are gone. If we live long enough we shall be strangers in this earth. Everyone we knew and loved will be gone, but the circle is unbroken in heaven forever and ever there is no death there, no sorrow, and crying and pain for the former things are passed away. But best of all beyond our families and friends, who wait to greet us there, We shall see our savior face to face. We shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac ,and Jacob in the Kingdom of God and be with Our Lord For Eternity.

“when My life work is ended and I cross the Swelling tide, when the bright and Glorious morning I shall see, I shall know My redeemer when I reach the other side for His smile will be the first to welcome me. I shall know Him, I shall know Him as redeemed by His side I shall stand, I shall know him, I shall know him by the prints of the nails in His hand.

Ill: Nanny.

5. If for me to Live is Christ then to die is gain. If for me to live is money, to die is a loss, If for me to live is pleasure, to die is a loss, if for me to live is self, to die is a loss, if for me to live is ambition, to die is a loss, if for me to live is sin, to die is a loss. if for me to live is this world, to die is a loss. But if for me to live is Christ To Die is gain.

Concl: Sammy Cowan made a decision a long time ago that Changed his life forever, changed his direction, and his destiny. He made the choice of Making Jesus Christ His Savior and Lord. And for Sam to live was Christ.

In John’s Gospel Chapter 3: verse 3. The Bible says A man must be born again before he can enter the Kingdom of God.

John 3:16 For God so loved the World that He gave His only Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have eternal life.

Just like Sam

You can know today before you leave this service where you will spend eternity. If you want to be assured of seeing Sam again in Glory all u do is give your heart to Jesus.