Immanuel - A Funeral Sermon

Funerals are Universal and Important

Funerals remind us of:

a. The Certainty of Death (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

b. The Shortness of life (James 4:14)

c. The Shortage of life (John 10:10)

d. The sovereignty of God and Reality of Eternity

e. Our need for God and others – in fact, grief leads us to God and to others.

The Funeral is our attempt to:

a. Remember and Honor

b. Comfort and Heal

c. Prepare Amos 4:12 (NKJV)

Prepare to meet your God, O Israel!

I. God Sent His Son to Prepare Us – “Immanuel” = “God is with us” (Matthew 1:23)

Good news or bad news – intended for good but can be bad

A. There is an Immanuel We Like

1. Baby in a Manger

2. Rabbi instructing His disciples

3. Cross of suffering on our behalf

4. Issue of faith

B. There is an Immanuel We Won’t Like

1. Reward of Righteous Punishment of the wicked – 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9 (NKJV)

it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed.

2. So Prepare – Matthew 24:42 (NKJV)

42 Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

II. Life Is the Training Ground

A. The Creations of God

1. Individuals

2. Families

3. Nations (and Governments)

4. Church

B. A Biblical Worldview – 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)

16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

III. Eternity is the Reward

A. We Reunite with Loved Ones

B. We Meet Jesus Face to Face

C. We Receive Rewards by Grace Through Lives of Faith – Ephesians 2:8-10

We preach our funerals by the way we live. Video from Bea’s life to remind us how she lived.

What do you think she would tell us right now about how to live before God?