• SOME ARE SPORT FANS. Thousands gather in large stadiums across this nation because they all have the same interest in a particular sport.
• SOME ARE MUSIC FANS. Thousands of Music fans gather in large stadiums or coliseums to hear a particular singer. Being fans of this particular singer makes them have something in common.
• SOME ARE CAR RACING FANS. Thousands of people enjoy watching cars race around the track at high speed because they have this in common.
Today we have come together because we have a common interest. Actually, we have all been brought together for two reasons:
1. Because of our love and respect for _____________
2. But also, because of our love for life
We all love life and want to cling to it as long as we can.
Because of our love for life, when someone persists on talking about death we generally excuse ourselves.
But today we can not excuse ourselves, today we are forced to deal with it.
For the last___(months or years) _____________has had to deal with death. Those by his/her bedside also had to deal with it.
And we know that one day, we will have to personally deal with it. That is, we know that if the Lord tarries, death will come and snatch away the last breath we will ever breathe on this earth.
Illus: One song writer stated it in these words, “Death’s chilling water, soon will be passing.”
We know it is coming because:
• The wrinkles in our face are saying it won’t be long
• The gray hairs on our heads are saying it won’t be long
• The aches in our bodies that we never had before, are saying to us - get ready it won’t be long.
We could be doing many different things today, but we are all here because of the reality of death.
I would like to share with the FAMILY and FRIENDS of ________________ two things for us to consider at a time like this.
For example, let’s look at-
I. WHAT DEATH CAN DO FOR US
This life that we all love and cherish sometimes is filled with a lot of suffering.
Many in this society look at the Hollywood actors and actresses as having the ideal life. They certainly give the impression that they do not have a problem in this world.
But you have to remember, these are professional actors.
They have as many problems as we do, but since they are professional actors, they do a lot better job of pretending than we do.
We read in Job 5:7, “Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”
From the moment we are born into this life, we start to experience trouble.
Illus: Babies are born into this life not laughing, but crying. Why? Because shortly after they arrive here they discover things that are annoying and disturbing to them!
The Bible is absolutely correct, “…Man is born unto trouble…”
Sometimes the problems we face are so severe that the only relief from that suffering is through death. When this happens, death becomes our friend and takes us from the misery of this life.
Illus: Years ago, a very godly woman in Columbia, South Carolina, was diagnosed as having terminal cancer. Everyone who knew her, knew her for her godliness. But she became very ill before she died, and on her death bed, she testified to everyone who came to see her of the Savior who died for her sins. And with the smile of an angel, she would tell them how she looked forward to going to be with the Lord. But the last few months, she suffered so much that her loved ones could barely stand to stay in the room and hear her suffering. They gave her the maximum dosage of morphine to ease the pain, but still the pain was so severe that it was almost unbearable. It was at this time, that death became the best friend she had.
Death did for her what no family member, no friend, no doctor, or no medication could do for her. Death came and set her free from the misery that she was suffering.
In this sense, death can be our friend, but let’s look at someone we know who is our friend. We have seen WHAT DEATH CAN DO FOR US, but let’s look at-
II. WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US
Death may put us out of our misery, but it takes the Lord Jesus to put us in heaven.
The Lord told a grieving family that had lost a member of their family some startling news. Their hearts were sad because of the death of this loved one.
He said to them in John 11:26, “And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”
In this verse of scripture the Lord did two things:
1. He made a statement
2. He asked them if they believed the statement he made was true
The Lord said those who believe in Him will NEVER DIE! DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?
The obituary column said __________________ no longer exists. But God’s Word states clearly that this is not the case.
Illus: D.L. Moody said, “One day you will read in the obituary column that D.L. Moody has died.” He said, “Do not believe a word of it, I will be more alive than ever before.”
We are not like those who choose to die in their sins. They have no hope beyond this life.
_____________has gone to be with the Lord. This is the greatest thing that has ever happened to him/her. Nothing he/she has ever experienced can compare to the greatness of what has happened to him/her.
But we need to make it perfectly clear WHY HE/SHE IS IN THAT GREAT AND GLORIOUS PLACE!
The reason he/she has gone to be with the Lord:
• Is not because he/she attended church regularly
• Is not because he/she joined the church
• Is not because of the good deeds he/she has done
The only reason he/she is in heaven today is because of WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR HIM/HER!
Not one person on this earth has to die and go to a Christless eternity. NOT ONE!
Christ said He died so WHOSOVER SHALL CALL UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD SHALL BE SAVED.
______________called upon the Lord to save him/her, and that is exactly what the Lord did.
We rejoice today with ____________, because we know that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
There is a song we old timers love to sing. It goes like this:
“There’s a land that is fairer than day,
And by faith we can see it afar:
For the Father waits over the way,
To prepare us a dwelling place there.”
• Today _____________ is seeing beauty his/her eyes have never seen before
• He/She is hearing beautiful sounds that his/her ears have never heard before.
If you are weeping for him/her, you do not need to weep any more!
Would we weep for him/her:
• If he/she inherited a beautiful mansion
• If he/she received a body that is free from pain and sorrow
• If he/she moved to a city that had zero crime rate
• If he/she moved to a city with no hospitals, jails, no funeral homes and no cemetery because there was no need for such things there.
• If he/she moved to a place where the streets were paved with gold
• Is he/she moved to a place where the walls were made of precious stones
No, we would rejoice with them!
_____________ has gone to such a place, and we rejoice with him/her.
Because of what the Lord Jesus did for him/her on Calvary, this is the greatest thing that has ever happened to him/her!
Nothing can come close to comparing to what he/she is experiencing today.
In Bible-preaching churches like this one:
• We sing a lot about heaven
• We teach a lot about heaven
• We preach a lot about heaven
But the one thing that will make heaven so great, is that we who know the Lord Jesus, one day are going to see Him face to face!
It is wonderful to hear about the beauty of heaven, it is EXCITING!
But when we get to heaven, the first thing we all are going to want to do is SEE HIM.
Illus: No matter what we suffer in this life, the song writer said it this way, “One glimpse of his dear face, all sorrows will erase.”
One of the first things we who are saved are going to want to do, is SEE HIM WHO LOVED US SO MUCH THAT HE DIED SO THAT WE COULD BE IN THAT GLORIOUS PLACE!
Illus: Suppose you had to be away from your spouse for many years, and while you were gone, your wife and friends built you a new home in the best neighborhood in town. WHEN YOU GOT BACK HOME, WHAT WOULD BE THE FIRST THING YOU WOULD DO?
Certainly you would like to see the beautiful home from one end to the other. But the first thing you would want to do is find your spouse and embrace him/her.
HOW DO WE KNOW THAT HEAVEN IS SUCH A WONDERFUL PLACE?
1. WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF MEN
We have the witness of:
• THOMAS EDISON
He probably goes down in the history books as the greatest inventor of all time. He personally knew the Lord as his Savior.
Before he breathed his last breath on this earth, he evidently got a peek over there, and was heard to say, “It is very beautiful over there.”
• ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
Before he died, he said, “If this is death, isn’t it sweet!”
WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF MEN, but also-
2. WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF THE WORD
The apostle John followed the Lord faithfully. Because of his strong faith in Christ, he was banished to live alone on the isle of Patmos. But the Lord knew how lonely and discouraged he was, and rolled back the curtains of heaven to let him look over into that glorious place. When the Lord showed him the beauty of heaven, he got so excited about heaven he said, “Even so, come Lord Jesus.”
Saying “Farewell” is never pleasant, none of us want to leave our family and friends behind.
But because of what Christ has done, the good news today is that we come to say, “Farewell” to ___________, not “Goodbye”. We know that, if we are saved, we are going to see him/her again.
But we must never fear death. Many times, death is the tool that God uses to take us from a life of misery to a glorious place.
Conclusion:
Illus: Let me read this letter from a Marine who was in a foxhole facing death. He did not know the Lord until he was in this foxhole situation.
He does not use the language of a theologian, but notice as he writes, drawing nigh to the Lord, that the fear of death is no longer a part of his life. Listen to him as he stares death in the face in that foxhole. He said-
“Look, God, I have never spoken to you, but now I want to say ‘How do you do.’ You see, God, they told me you didn’t exist. And like a fool I believed them.”
“Last night from this bomb shell hole, I saw your sky. I figured right then they had told me a lie. Had I taken time to see things you made, I’d would have known they weren’t calling a spade a spade.”
“I wonder, God, if you’d shake my hand? Somehow, I feel you will understand. Funny, I had to come to this hellish place before I had time to see your face.”
“Well, I guess there isn’t much more to say, But I’m sure glad, God, I met you today. I guess the zero hour will soon be here, But I’m not afraid since I know you’re near.”
“They signaled! Well God, I’ll have to go. I like you lots, and I want you to know that before I leave. Look, now, this will be a horrible fight. Who knows, I may come to your house tonight.”
“Though I wasn’t friendly to you before, I wonder, God, if you’d wait at the door. Look, I’m crying. Me, shedding tears! I wish I’d known you these many years. Well, I have to go now, God, good-bye; Strange, since I met you I’m not afraid to die.”
Men and women facing death in all kinds of situations, have come to realize that when we have the Lord near us, we do not have to fear death. They have come to realize that death is no more than a tool that God uses to take us from this life to a better life.
We have looked at ….
I. WHAT DEATH CAN DO FOR US
…but even greater, we have seen
II. WHAT CHRIST HAS DONE FOR US
We have no choice when it comes to DEATH, but we do have a choice when it comes CHRIST.
I hope that you will make a wise choice. Confess He died for your sins, repent of your sins, and ask Him to save you today, so you too can go to this glorious place where we can be reunited with our loved ones.
(Insert personal comments about the deceased)
