Funeral Series

As the family and friends of xxxx xxxxxxx we are gathered today in the presence of God both to remember her and to find comfort from the word of God during this time of mourning.

The psalmist wrote, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” and then the writer of the book of Hebrews said, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” And for those who wrestle with so many questions as we face the loss of a loved one, the apostle Paul wrote, “For now we see through a glass darkly, someday we shall understand even as we are understood.” This tells us that someday, all of our questions will be answered and everything will be made clear.

Shall we pray: Our Father in heaven, how grateful we are that we have someone as loving and compassionate as You, One who we can turn to in our hour of need. You alone know the thoughts of every heart that’s bowed in your presence and the needs of each. And so I would ask that you comfort all who mourn as only You can. We thank you today xxxx and the influence she had on her family and many friends throughout the years. We pray that her memory might be an inspiration to each of us and that her death will stand to remind us that none of us knows the day nor the hour when our time will come to leave this world.

Grant that in our time here today that each of us would hear the word of God with an open heart and that each of us would respond in a way that’s pleasing to you. For we ask this in Jesus name. Amen.

We are pleased to have two of xxxx’s grandchildren participating in the service at this time. First, xxxx is going too read a eulogy and then xxxx will read a poem.

We’ll have our first selection of music at this time.

xxxx leaves behind her husband, four children and their families as well as many other relatives and a host of friends she has made and kept over the years.

We’ll have the second selection of music at this time.

Our scripture today is found in John 19:17-20 where it says, “And He, bearing His cross, went out to a place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the center. Now Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. And the writing was: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Then many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin.”

One of the most striking things about the four accounts of Jesus’ death in the Gospels is the absence of sensationalism. In other word’s there were no death defying acts of heroism, there were no great speeches to challenge or teach us, there were no moderators that stand off to the side and describe in vivid detail every little thing that happened. And there wasn’t even a demonstration from heaven that would show us the horror of God at the death of His Son or even the anger of the angels. All that’s here is the simple story of three men being crucified and the one in the centre is the Son of God.

And I think the physical suffering of Jesus; was the worse kind of torture that any man has ever devised as a means of execution and as we look at this we don’t want to minimize His agony any more than we want to amplify what the writers are silent about, but at the same time, the four gospel accounts make us wonder; why isn’t there more emphasis on the physical torture and the horrendous abuse that Jesus suffered?

And, we can assume that the physical torture He went through was extreme because before Jesus was even taken to the place of crucifixion He had been beaten and tortured by the soldiers so bad that He collapsed on the way to Calvary and a man by the name of Simon of Cyrene was forced to carry His cross.

So, the first question that comes to my mind is; why didn’t John or any of the other gospel writers tell us the specifics of what happened while Jesus was put to death for your sins and mine?

And I would suggest three reasons as to why we aren’t told more. And the first is that the physical suffering of Jesus was just a very small part of what He had to endure. After all, the physical pain was what men were able to impose on Him; but I think the greatest suffering He had to go through was the spiritual agony He endured when He who knew no sin became sin for us. I mean, He took on Himself all the sin of the world and since He was pure and sinless; the experience of His taking on sin must have been the most repulsive and excruciating thing He could have ever experienced.