A LESSON FROM THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE
Pastor Joel Bernardino – March 14, 2026
Genesis 23:1–4
“Sarah lived to be a hundred and twenty-seven years old. She died at Kiriath Arba (that is, Hebron) in the land of Canaan, and Abraham went to mourn for Sarah and to weep over her. Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites. He said, ‘I am an alien and a stranger among you. Sell me some property for a burial site here so I can bury my dead.’”
Death is one of the most difficult realities of life.
Many people avoid even mentioning the words:
Death… dying… passing away.
These are words that many of us do not want to hear, and we often try to soften them with gentler expressions such as:
• “He is gone.”
• “She passed away.”
• “She is resting now.”
• “He has gone to heaven.”
• “The Lord has taken him.”
We try to make the words lighter because the reality behind them is painful.
But sooner or later, we must face the reality of death.
The passage we have read tells us about the death of Sarah, the wife of Abraham and the mother of the nation of Israel. Her death teaches us important lessons about life, grief, and God’s purpose.
Today, let us reflect on three lessons from the death of a loved one.
1. ALL OF US CANNOT ESCAPE DEATH
Death is a normal part of life.
Even Sarah, the wife of Abraham—the father of faith—died.
No matter how strong our faith is, no matter how blessed we are, death is still part of the human experience.
Death is real, and no one can deny it.
It is something every person will go through.
Sometimes people say:
“Nauna lang siya.”
“He only went ahead.”
There is even an old saying often written in cemeteries:
“Today it is me… tomorrow it may be you.”
This reminds us that death is certain, but the timing is unpredictable.
None of us knows when our time will come.
Because of this reality, we must learn to accept death as part of life.
The Bible shows us that even great people of faith mourned.
Genesis 23:2 tells us that Abraham mourned and wept for Sarah.
When Lazarus died, even Jesus’ friends mourned.
In John 11, Mary and Martha wept for their brother Lazarus.
Grief is not a sign of weak faith.
Grief is a natural expression of love.
When someone we love dies, it is normal for us to feel sorrow.
2. ALL OF US WILL EXPERIENCE MOURNING
Loss brings pain to the heart.
The Bible acknowledges this reality and even speaks blessing over those who mourn.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:4:
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”
Notice that Jesus did not say believers will never mourn.
Instead, He promised that God will comfort those who mourn.
As followers of Christ, we are also called to share the burdens of others.
Romans 12:15 says:
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.”
Life is meant to be lived in community.
When others are happy, we celebrate with them.
When others are hurting, we stand beside them.
All of us will experience mourning at some point in our lives.
Why?
Because when someone we love is taken away from us, it leaves a deep pain.
We miss their presence.
We miss hearing their voice.
We miss their advice, their laughter, and their companionship.
Naturally, we feel sadness.
And it is okay to cry.
It is okay to grieve.
But as believers, we also hold on to the promises of God.
The Bible assures us that when a believer dies, he or she is immediately in the presence of the Lord.
2 Corinthians 5:8–9
“We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.”
And Jesus said in John 5:24:
“Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
For those who belong to Christ, death is not the end.
It is a transition from this life into the presence of Jesus.
3. WE MUST LEARN TO RISE AGAIN AND CONTINUE GOD’S PURPOSE
The Bible tells us something very important about Abraham.
After he mourned, he rose up.
Genesis 23:3 says:
“Then Abraham rose from beside his dead wife and spoke to the Hittites.”
Abraham allowed himself to mourn, but he did not remain in mourning forever.
There is a time to grieve.
But there is also a time to rise again and continue living.
Continuous, endless mourning is not what God desires for us.
We must mourn, but eventually we must also move forward.
Why?
Because life must go on.
And because God still has a purpose for those who are alive.
Our loved one may have finished their race.
They have done their part.
They have blessed many people.
But our race is not finished yet.
HOW LONG SHOULD WE MOURN?
The truth is, there is no fixed timeline.
Every person grieves differently.
Some people may take a few days.
Others may take weeks.
Some may take months.
Grief is personal.
But at some point, like Abraham, we must rise again.
AN IMPORTANT ILLUSTRATION
Many people struggle to rise again because they keep living in the past.
Sometimes we hold on to old pain.
Sometimes we cannot forgive someone who hurt us.
Sometimes we blame others.
Sometimes we even blame God.
When we dwell too long in the past, the pain begins to control our future.
It is like reopening an old wound again and again.
Even if the event happened years ago, it feels as if it happened yesterday.
But living in the past can destroy the future God has prepared for us.
So we must learn to:
• mourn
• forgive
• release the pain
• and move forward
We must continue living.
We must continue loving people.
We must continue serving God.
GOD STILL HAS A PURPOSE
Genesis 23:3–4 tells us that after Abraham rose, he spoke to the Hittites and asked to buy land for a burial site.
This moment was significant.
Years earlier, Abraham had left the city of Ur because God called him.
Genesis 12:1–3
“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation… and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
Abraham had lived in Canaan for about 50 years, yet he still did not own any land there.
But through the death of Sarah, Abraham purchased his first piece of land in the Promised Land—a burial cave.
This land would later become part of the inheritance of his descendants.
In other words, even through Sarah’s death, God was still fulfilling His plan.
Sarah’s work on earth was finished.
But Abraham’s work was not.
God still had a purpose for him.
PAUL UNDERSTOOD THIS TRUTH
The apostle Paul understood the purpose of life and death when he said:
Philippians 1:21
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
As long as we are alive, we live for Christ.
And when our time comes to die, it becomes gain, because we will be with the Lord.
CONCLUSION
From the death of a loved one, we learn three important lessons:
1. Death is a reality that all of us must face.
No one can escape it.
2. Mourning is a natural part of love.
It is normal to grieve when we lose someone dear to us.
3. After mourning, we must rise again and continue fulfilling God’s purpose.
Our loved ones may have finished their race.
But if we are still alive, it means God is not finished with us yet.
So let us live our lives with faith, purpose, and hope.
Because one day, when our own race is finished, we will hear the words:
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
And we will be home with the Lord forever.
