**** FUNERAL
SCRIPTURE READINGS
Job 1:21
and Job said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
Psalm 90:1-5
Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. 2 Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. 3 You turn men back to dust, saying, "Return to dust, O sons of men." 4 For a thousand years in your sight are like a day that has just gone by, or like a watch in the night. 5 You sweep men away in the sleep of death; they are like the new grass of the morning—
Psalm 116:1-9
I love the LORD, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. 2 Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. 3 The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came upon me; I was overcome by trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the LORD: "O LORD, save me!" 5 The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. 6 The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, he saved me. 7 Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. 8 For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, 9 that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.
FUNERAL MESSAGE: “LIFE AROUND THE CRYSTAL SEA”
I. KNOWING ****
A. Man of faith who believed in Jesus Christ. I talked with him the week before he died and he knew that the end of his life was coming. He was not afraid of death or what lay beyond death’s door. He was in quite a bit of pain and wished for God to be merciful and to come get him quickly. He was a man who believed in God, had received Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior, and trusted in the promises of the Bible. There were two promises which **** held tightly onto.
#1 Jesus prepared a place for him. John 14:2-3 says, “In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”
#2 Present with the Lord. As soon as Skip breathed his last here, he would be present with God. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 says, “Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
II. WHERE IS **** NOW?
A. WE KNOW **** IS IN HEAVEN
Revelation 21:3-7 describes some of what Heaven is like. It says, “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." 5 He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." 6 He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son.”
#1 We believe that his legs and hips were healed when he arrived
#2 We believe that any diabetes or complications with his skin went away
#3 No medicines and no more surgeries, no tears or pain whatsoever
B. I AM ACTUALLY ASKING, WHERE IN HEAVEN IS **** EXACTLY?
Revelation 4:5-6 describes, “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. Before the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also before the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal. In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.”
Revelation 22:1-5 describes, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. 4 They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
May I submit to you today that the moment **** entered into Heaven that he ran… yes I said ran… to the river that flows from under the throne of God and the crystal sea. I can imagine him grabbing the Shimano Stella Spinning reel set on a Fine Bamboo Oyster Rod with gold inlay which was waiting for him. **** ran to the shore because there is no pain or anguish and **** has been healed completely. The rod and reel was there waiting for him because God knew he was coming and had prepared a place for him. **** is now fishing for Angelfish, Holy Mackerels, Asiatic glassfish, Cherubfish, Golden Dojo, Golden Loach, Golden Shiner, Golden Trout, Goldeye, King of Kings Mackerel, King of Kings Herring, King of Kings Salmon, and of course Paradise Fish.
ASSURANCE
#1 **** is healed.
#2 **** is in the arms of His Lord.
CONCLUSION IN PRAYER
FAMILY REFLECTIONS AND MEMORIES
