How Precious

Opening Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Your Word teaches us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” Today as we come together as family and friends to weep and to grieve our loss

We are gathered here today to honor the life of .... and to offer comfort to the family. And fmally, we are gathered here to hear what God has to say to us through His word. Amen.

The word of God says in Psalms 116:15, “Precious in the sight of the LORD, Is the death of His saints”. (NK.JV)

To us death never seems under any circumstances, a precious thing.

But because I believe .... had a relationship with Christ established by faith, (His or Her) death was precious in the sight of the Lord.

In order for us to understand how God can say that death is precious we must attempt to see things through His eyes.

We see things as they appear to be, but God sees everything as it stands in his eternal order and purpose.

For just a few moments, I would like for you to consider some ways in which the death of a Christian is precious.

First, The death of a Christian is precious because it causes us to reflect on the impact that person had on our lives.

Each of you has your own unique set of memories of how ... made your life different.

It is a shame that sometimes a loss is only thing that will cause us to stop and appreciate the people God has put into our lives.

Secondly, The death of a Christian is precious because it releases them from the suffering and pain of this life.

2 TIMOTHY 4:6-8: For I am afready being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my depathire. I have fought the good fight, I have fmished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

I have fought the good flght- Many times life seems more like a fight than it does anything else.

We get knocked down and God helps us back up.

We face health concerns, many times that seems like a uphill battle, but we go on.

We come to a time like this and we face grief and we need help from God to continue.

Third, The death of a Christian is precious because it is provides entrance into Heaven. For the person that has given their heart and life to Jesus Christ death is but a transition from earth to glory.

And I think that we all realize today that what was best for .... was to leave behind this body of pain and suffering and find rest and peace in the presence of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul says that he was willing, “So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. . .(8) We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.” (2 Cor. 5:6, 8)(NKJV)