Larry C. Brincefield
larkayb@earthlink.net
February 28, 2003
Title: Funeral Sermon for Marge Cross
Text: 1 Corinthians 15:55-58
Introduction
Marge Cross lived in such a way that she impacted many people.
She was involved in many things in the community and in the church
Bible Studies
the Ombudsman Program
Choir
Prayer and Share
and much more
In her obituary, it mentioned that she was an ADVOCATE for seniors.
Marge would fight tooth and nail to help those who didn’t have someone to fight on their behalf...
In fact, we can’t say they didn’t have someone...
because they had Marge...
and that was enough...
As I began to think about Marge being an Advocate...
I began to think about another Advocate...
1 John 2:1 says, "if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous"
As a Christian, Marge realized that Jesus Christ was her example...
Just like He is the example for all of us who would endeavor to live for Jesus Christ.
And Jesus Christ, is here today...
serving as our Advocate...
ministering to those who are hurting...
touching those whose pain is so very great...
helping those who need supernatural strength just to make it through.
When life seems so very difficult, many times we turn to God’s Word for comfort and direction...
let’s turn there and see what God has for us today.
Read Text: 1 Corinthians 15:55-58
Body
1. Our Scripture says, "Where O Death is your sting?"
Many times this passage of Scripture is used on Easter Sunday...a great day of celebration...
and sometimes Christian funerals take on the atmosphere of celebration...
We praise the Lord because we know that death is not the end...Christians know there is something more...
And we do have something to celebrate, because we know that Marge is with the Lord...
but we also temper our celebration with the understanding that death is painful
If we are truly honest with ourselves this morning...
we must confess...
yes, death does sting...
it hurts...
We cannot just flippantly say, "Where O Death is your sting?"
as if it means absolutely nothing to die.
Does it mean nothing to leave this earth?
Does it mean nothing to leave those you love?
Does it mean nothing?
Has death no sting when a husband is hurting?
Has death no sting when the family is weeping?
Has death no sting when Marge’s friends are mourning?
Has death no sting when we prayed and prayed that Marge would be healed?
and yet she wasn’t?
Of course it stings...
Jesus Himself felt the sting of death...
Jesus had a very dear friend, Lazarus.
and Lazarus became very sick...
The family sent for Jesus...
They knew how Jesus had healed the blind...
and those with leprosy...
surely Jesus would come and heal His dear friend!
But He didn’t!
He didn’t get there until Lazarus had been buried 4 days ago.
When He got there, everyone was still crying and grieving the loss.
Jesus asked to see where Lazarus was buried...
And when they took Him to see the tomb, what do you think Jesus did?
shout "Praise be to My Father in heaven"?
Did He say, "Hallelujah, Lazarus is in heaven now"?
No, John 11:35 says, "Jesus wept"
Ask Jesus, as He stands there...
His body wracked by great sobs because of the loss of His friend...
Ask Him if death has no sting.
If Jesus were here this morning, I dare say that He would be weeping.
And you know something?
I believe He IS here!
There’s a song entitled, "Tears are a language God understands"
In one part of the song, it tells us that God "weeps along with man"
My prayer is that even today, God is moving up and down these aisles,
weeping along with you...
Don’t try to tell Marge’s family that death doesn’t sting...
don’t try to tell her friends that death isn’t painful...
it stings...
it hurts...
so does that mean that Scripture is misleading us?
2. Well, let’s go on, 1 Corinthians 15:57 says, "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ"
Here comes the victory part!!
Here comes the part that takes a little of the sting out of death...
Here comes the part that puts a little salve on the wound...
What if we were here this morning...and we had no hope?
what if this really were the end?
What if there was nothing more?
What if there were no heaven?
The sting would be unbearable!
But we can have victory and it comes from the Hand of God...
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory
But it didn’t come by God alone...He gave us the victory "through our Lord Jesus Christ"
When Jesus went to the cross,
He became our Mediator...
He became our Advocate
Because, on our own, we were weak and powerless.
Because of our sin, we were unable to stand before God...
Our sin demanded a penalty...
it was a penalty that rightly should have been paid by each one of us...
and we needed Someone to stand up for us...
and Just like Marge did for so many people...
Jesus stood up for us...
spread His arms and died...
and thus paid that penalty on your behalf.
When Jesus died on the cross...
He paid the penalty for Marge...
He paid the penalty for you and me...
But there is a condition...
you have to accept it...
you have to invite Jesus into your heart...
And we have the assurance that Marge accepted Jesus...
He was her Friend...
She loved Him and served Him.
And you know what?
She’s with Jesus now!
You know, Marge picked out all the music that was sung today....
and I can just imagine Marge singing, "Over the sunset mountains, ...and into the arms of Jesus, He who has loved me so"
I can just imagine Marge saying, "It IS worth it all to see Jesus"
"It is worth all the pain"
"It is worth all the trials of life"
"It is worth it all"
And I can just imagine Marge’s excitement as she might say, "You know that song, ’and He walks with me and He talks with me’"?
"Well, He really does!!
And the joy we are sharing is more incredible than you could possibly imagine"
and I can just imagine Marge singing, even now..."I sing because I’m happy; I sing because I’m free"
because she really is happy...
she really is free...
free from the suffering...
free from the cancer...
free from the cares of life...
she’s free!!
3. But our Scripture doesn’t end there...
1 Corinthians 15:58 says, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."
Marge has successfully navigated through life...
it wasn’t easy...
in fact, at times, it became a real battle...
at times, she felt like giving up...
But she stood firm...
she didn’t let anything move her...
she gave herself fully to the work of the Lord
and if she were here, she could testify that her labor was not in vain...
Conclusion
When death comes, it hurts...
it stings...
in can even be excruciating...
When Jesus was facing death in the Garden of Gethsemane, I’m sure His hands trembled as He accepted the cup that He was to carry.
But because of Christ, some of the sting has been taken out of death.
it still hurts...
but Jesus has applied a balm that takes some of the sting away...
And those of us who have invited Christ into our hearts, like Marge did...
we believe that we will see Marge again someday...
we believe that we will get to hear Marge sing again someday...
and we believe that we will see Jesus...and that’s the best thing of all.
So, to us who remain...
to us who are hurting today...
stand firm...
let nothing move you...
give yourself fully to the work of the Lord
because your labor for the Lord is NOT in vain!
There is something more...
There is a heaven to gain...and a hell to shun
And to those who have not invited Jesus Christ into you heart...
If Marge were here, she would tell you about that other Advocate, Jesus Christ...
Let’s pray
(I was inspired for parts of this sermon by a sermon I read by George Bethune, which appeared in the book "Funeral Sermons and Outlines")
