Welcome and Words of Comfort
• Thank you for coming today to say goodbye and to pay your last respects to …….
• Whether we are family or friends, we have been drawn together today by the life of …………………...
• ………...... was born ………… and lived a full life until he died on ……………. this year at the age of …….
• He married ……… and they had three boys, ………………… and they in turn are responsible for ……… grandchildren
• …….. and the family would like to thank you all for coming to celebrate ………… life but also to support her and the family during their time of loss.
• ………… was a man of faith, so last ………….night one of God’s saints died.
• God’s word tells us in the book of Psalms (116:15) that, "Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints."
• What we see revealed here is that God was and still is, intimately involved in ………. life.
• Not only was ………. a precious saint in God’s eyes, but he was also someone who was precious to his family and friends. He has enriched all of our lives as a result of his touching those of us gathered here today.
• We grieve that loss and God shares in our grief.
• But this is not the end for ……… as God has a plan to overcome all grief and death.
• God, who ultimately is the Father of every human being, that’s why He labels himself “Father”, is not going to allow “death” to be the final word for humanity. God is about life not death.
• We will talk more of that later, but right now we need to hear about ………. life and what he meant to his family and to do that we have ………….
Obituaries
• As we have heard, ……. was a loving husband, a devoted father and a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. If we were to etch words on a gravestone, there are no better descriptions than these.
Message of Comfort and Encouragement
• One of the most reassuring passages of scripture that has comforted believers throughout history has been the 23rd Psalm.
• This psalm is about the faithful God, the Good Shepherd, who walks beside those who acknowledge Him as their God.
• Regardless of the circumstances one faces, whether they are good, threatening or even death, God is there taking us by the hand and leading us to that final glory He has prepared for us.
• Notice the different circumstances, good, threatening and even death that is mentioned as I read it to you.
• I’m a little old fashioned so this comes from the NKJ version.
• The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
3 He restores my soul;
He leads 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 You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
• 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs 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
Forever.
• How reassuring is that message to those facing the trials and tribulations of this world knowing our faithful God is right there leading and sometimes carrying us through those trials.
• Jesus too has a reassuring message for believers.
• John 14:1-3 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.
• Just over a week ago, ………. fell asleep for the last time. When he did, the greatest arms in the universe slipped under him, gently lifted him up and carried him to that place God has prepared for him.
• Jesus Christ Himself is there to welcome ………….. and as he is one of God’s faithful servants, he will hear those reassuring words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; You have fought a good fight, you have finished the course, you have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for you a crown of righteousness. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ (Matthew 25:21, 2 Timothy 4:7-8)
• There is no need to worry about ………. future as he is now in the capable hands of the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ.
But God has not forgotten those who are left behind either.
• The words of the 23rd Psalm ring just as true for them as they do for …….., Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
• This promise applied to …….. as he faced his impending death but it equally applies to his family as they cope now with life in the shadow of death.
• As we heard, the last eight years have not been easy for ……… and ………
• …….. has been a tower of strength during those eight years, living close by so she could be close to support …….. through those long years.
• By the way this is the second time this year the ……. family has had to arrange a funeral for a loved one.
• So God, as the Comforter is here right now grieving with us through His Spirit and providing comfort to ………. loved ones.
But as we know and as the 23rd Psalm ends, death is not the way this story ends.
• Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
• Like I said, God is about life not death. He is about restoring relationships, not separating them.
• And so we have the promise of the resurrection of the dead which at that time we will be reunited with our loved ones.
• We grieve, and that is only natural, but we grieve with a special hope that one day we will see our loved ones again.
• This life is not the end for …… it is the beginning of a new chapter as he continues his walk with His God.
• The book of Revelation speaks about this new chapter where we will dwell with the One who has conquered death
• Revelation 21:3-4 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.”
• This is the future God has prepared for us, a life where there is no longer suffering and death, a life sharing in the life and love of the Godhead itself.
• The sorrow and grief we are experiencing today are very real aspects of this life, but God is not going to allow death to be the end of the story.
• He has gone to extreme measures and at great price to Himself to make sure life, and not death, is the future for humanity.
• Through the gift of His Son, the way has been opened for humanity to spend life in eternity with the Good Shepherd in glory.
Let’s Pray
Special Thanks
• Before we finish, we need to make special mention of those of you assisted ……. and ……. over those long eight years of his disability.
• A special thanks to ……… and ……….., the staff at ……….. and Dr ………. who provided the friendship and medical support ……… needed.
• There may be others but those are the ones I know about, so thank you very much for your support.
