Funeral Message For A Long-Time Believer

Bill is a sweet man who was a remarkably faithful husband. Like so many seniors of our day, medical science was able to extend the length of Bill’s life even though the quality of his life suffered. He hurt for the past seven plus years and wasn’t able to be a part of our church as he wanted to. His back pain was tremendous and there was little doctors could do for him. Yet, he watched/listened to messages, studied God’s Word, and his faith was vibrant all the way to the end of his life. And many of us know people we love greatly where we think the same kind of thing: “Lord, be merciful to my family member and take them home to be with you.

He leaves a big hole in the heart of his wife, Barbara. Barbara was so thankful for Bill but also that his suffering was finally over. They are both are gracious and generous people who love the Lord greatly.

For the next few moments, I want to speak to you about the Bible’s view of Heaven. Let me ask you a question: if you were given a choice of going to Heaven today or waiting ten years, what would you choose? Your answer to this question tells a lot about what you think about Heaven. I think the majority of people would desire to wait ten years or more.

The Apostle Paul considered a similar question. “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better” (Philippians 1:21–23).

Like many of you, I might greet you with “Good morning, how are you doing today?” And many times I have heard someone respond, “I am blessed because I am still here.” But how can this be when God offers us His greatest gift by telling us we will spend eternity with Him? The Bible tells followers of Christ, “Your second life is preferred to this life.” The best we have experienced in this life pales in comparison to our lives beyond the grave. The truth is most of us don’t grasp what God has prepared for us. Many of us don’t look forward to our time in the new heavens and the new earth, because we prefer life on this earth. Bill, is experiencing all the joys of Heaven as we gather here to remember him.

For the next few moments, I want to share with you five great truths about Heaven.

1. We Have an Eternity to Experience God’s Love

Again, our Bibles say “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). If you are a believer in Christ, you will have an eternity to experience God’s love. Let me say this another way for all of us. Believers will have an infinite series of moments to experience the rich love of God. The only way you and I (as Christ-followers) could properly experience and appreciate the vastness of God’s love is when we have an infinite about of time to behold it and experience His love.

1.1 Heaven as a Surprise

Think of it: God could have withheld any and all information about heaven from us. Heaven could have a tremendous surprise gift for everyone who has trusted Jesus Christ! Instead, God told us about a world to come so that we could have the prospects of enjoying it. God was happy to tell us about our future home with Him in the new heavens and new earth. Rather than concealing the knowledge of our future home, God choose to inform us. This is how great our Father’s love for us!

1.2 God’s Strength to Comprehend God’s Love

How great is God’s love for His children?

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, … 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Ephesians 3:14, 16-19).

This is amazing because the Bible teaches we need God’s strength in order to simply God’s comprehend God’s love. Imagine if you are about lift something really heavy and you psych yourself up to prepare to lift a heavy tractor tire or something. Or, what if I were to tell you some really bad news and I might say to you, “I think you need to sit down for this. I think you need to prepare yourself for what I am about to tell you.” Only this is really incredible good news to experience. In order for you to comprehend the greatness of God’s love, you need to God’s strength to fortify your inner self. And part of your great experience of God’s love happens over eternity in Heaven. Think of this: God loved Bill so greatly that Bill needs all of infinity to experience the great love of Christ. See, for Bill “to die is gain!”