Among the most difficult messages for a pastor to deliver is a funeral message for a godly member of the congregation. Among the easiest messages for a pastor to prepare is a funeral message for a godly member of the congregation. Messages for the vibrant child of God are easy to prepare because they practically write themselves. The godly follower of Christ has walked with Christ and observed the words of the Master, so preparation is easy. The delivery of such messages is difficult because the shepherd knows his flock and grieves at the loss of one who loved the Saviour and walked with Him. The counsel his member provided is now silenced, and the sweet fellowship is terminated for a moment. Thus, we have come to the time when we must release our beloved sister from the bonds of this dying world to enter into her eternal rest.
We are comforted to read the promise delivered in the Word, “We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” [1 Thessalonians 4:13-17].
We who follow the Risen Son of God will no doubt recognise these words written over two millennia past as the Apostle to the Gentiles comforted grieving saints who were momentarily separated from their loved ones. At that time, those who had passed beyond this moment had suffered violence at the hands of wicked people. Those who remained behind were not even allowed to express their grief openly. Therefore, the Apostle was compelled to remind those who look to Christ of what lay ahead for them, and for each of us who are twice-born through faith in Jesus our Saviour.
And while for the most past we are not subject to violence at this moment, it is nevertheless true that death is certain for each one who hears my voice at this hour. We come to the funeral of our sister and we are compelled by the circumstances of our gathering to think about the subject that few of us wish to consider. Truly, death is the last thing we talk about. And yet, here we are.
For some of you who are present at this hour, you are saying, “Good Bye,” to this dear woman. You are sad; you grieve because you know you have no prospect of seeing her again. She has passed out of this life, and where she has gone, you may not follow. But for many who are gathered today, we have come to say, “Good Night,” to our sister. We are sad because in this life we will not hear her cheerful voice or experience her joyful laughter as she encourages us in the assorted tasks we perform. However, we Christians are certain that we shall see her again, for we have the promise of the Saviour that now comforts all who look to Christ the Lord, all who are known by the Risen Saviour.
We know that Jesus has comforted His own, saying, “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going” [John 14:1-4].
And we do know the way to the place that Jesus has prepared for us. We know how to find that place. Do you recall how Jesus said, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” [John 14:6]. There should be no question about finding the way to the place which the Saviour has prepared.
We who now walk with the Risen Son of God, looking to Him as Saviour, are not overly distressed when our loved one departs, for we have the Spirit of Christ living within. Jesus promised us His peace, and we know from our own experience that peace even in the midst of the present chaos. Jesus has promise. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe” [John 14:27-29].
Therefore, for us who know the Saviour, or rather for we who are known by the Saviour, we are comforted because we know that this parting, though painful, is only for a while. We are confident, on the authority of God’s own Word that we shall see our sister again. Our God has promised in His Word, “We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him” [2 Corinthians 5:6-10].
The prospect of Heaven is made sweet by the promise of our Master having gone before us to prepare a place for us. Making that knowledge sweeter still is the thought that we will meet beloved friends and family in that eternal home. There is a day, and it may be very soon, when we who are known by God, will be gathered together with Him. We shall see the Son of God standing to receive His own, and at that time we shall see those who have gone before us.
Perceptive people may ask, “Will we actually see her? And will we know her?” God has promised that not only will we see our loved ones, but we shall know them. For the first time, we will know those who have entered into the presence of Christ the Lord. We read the promise, “We know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known” [1 Corinthians 13:9-12].
In the days of His flesh, Jesus revealed His power over death on multiple occasions. In one instance, a dear friend of the Master had died. In the home of that man were two sisters who were dependent on him. We suspect that they had been widowed, or perhaps they were still unmarried. In any case, they were supported by their brother. Thus, their grief at his passing was intensified beyond what we might normally anticipate. The sisters sent for Jesus, as is the case for all who know Him as Saviour. And Jesus did come to comfort them.
The Scriptures inform us of what took place after Jesus had arrived. We read, “When Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met him, but Mary remained seated in the house. Martha said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’ Martha said to him, ‘I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.’ Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ She said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world’” [John 11:17-27].
The question is posed to you who listen for these brief moments: Do you know the Saviour with Whom our sister walked for these many years? Have you made the decision to receive the life that is offered through faith in the Son of God? Do you have the confidence that you shall see our sister again, no longer bound by the ravages of time, no longer stripped of vigor and strength by the brokenness of this fallen world? You can have this confidence that others share at this time through faith in Christ, the Risen Saviour. You have this promise, If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Master,” believing with your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. Amen.
