Funeral

“FUNERAL SERVICE”

(56 year old man)

Opening Remarks

On behalf of the family I would like to thank you for the kindness that you have shown during this very difficult time. Thank you for the flowers and food, for the cards and calls, and especially for your presence and prayers.

It is in times like these that we want so much to say the right thing and in some way bring comfort and encouragement. But without exception, we always feel that our vocabulary is never adequate enough. But there is a place that we can always turn to find the right word and the comfort that we need and that is the Word of God.

Psalms 23:1 - 6

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.”

I. THE BREVITY OF LIFE

A. Someone asked Billy Graham once, “What is your greatest surprise in life?” His reply was: “The brevity of life”

a. Even when death seems most probable and imminent it always surprises us.

b. We know that one day we will die but we never expect life to end at ___ years as it did for ___________________.

B. But we should not expect our life to be long on this earth!

a. There are many that live to be a ripe old age.

b. The Bible speaks of many in the Scriptures

that were full of years.

c. There are many that enjoy good health for

many years

d. But we are not guaranteed of tomorrow.

e. “Boast not thyself of tomorrow”

C. Death comes to all!

a. For some death comes:

- Suddenly in the days of youth

- Quietly in the middle of the night

- Slowly and through many tears

- Quickly and unexpectedly.

Psalms 90:10

“The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away.”

b. But however it comes, death comes to all.

Rom. 9:27 “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

D. Life is like a day!

- Dawn

- Early morning

- Heat of the midday

- Late afternoon

- Twilight

- Evening and night

b. It is like the seasons:

- Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter

E. We should make the most of everyday.

a. We should savor everyday to its fullest.

b. We should look forward to each day as a

delicious meal to enjoy.

F. We should wisely redeem the time!

a. It will not come our way again.

b. One day we will give an account of how we spent our days.

G. We are warned over and over again about the brevity of life in the Word of God.

Job 7:6 “Days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle”

Job 14:1 “Man that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble”

James 4:14 “What is your life? It is even a vapor that appeareth for a little time and then vanishes away”

Ps. 90:9 “We spend our years as a tale that is told”

Isa. 40:7 (We are as the) “grass that withereth and the flowers that fades”

II Sam. 14:14 “For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again”

H. Life is so unpredictable!

a. We don’t even know what will happen tonight.

b. Life is so short and so precious!

Ps. 90:12 tells us to “number our days”

I. I Sam. 20:3 tells us that there is but one step between death and us.

a. Eccl. 3:2 reminds us that there is a time to be born and a time to die.

J. It was David that wrote Psalm 23.

a. David had suffered the loss of a child.

b. He was so grieved over his dying son that he could not be consoled.

c. But then he got up from where he was and cleansed himself physically and spiritually, put on clean clothes and then went to church and worshipped God.