Funeral for Graveside Service
Memorial Services are in reality for the living and on such occasions they serve a three-fold service!
The First Purpose of a Memorial Service is to Remember the Deceased
A. Obituary Reading
The Second Purpose of a Memorial Service is to Comfort the Broken Hearted.
A. There is comfort in the memories of how __________ touched your life and made it different.
B. There is comfort in remembering that death is not the end.
C. There is comfort in knowing that you can see those who have a relationship with Christ again.
D. Our greatest comfort is found in Christ.
“When sorrow comes, as come it must,
in God man, must place his trust.
There is no power of mortal speech
The anguish of his soul to reach.
No voice, however, sweet and low,
can comfort Him or ease the blow.
He cannot from his fellow men
take strength that will sustain him then.
With all that kindly hands will do,
and all that love may offer too,
He must believe throughout the test
that God has willed it for his best.
…. No words which we have the power to say can take the sting of grief away.
That power that marks the sparrow’s fall
Must comfort and sustain us all.
When sorrow comes, as come it must,
in God man must place his trust.
… And only he may stand serene
who has faith on which to lean.”
.[Edgar Guest. One place it can be found is Sofine’s Edgar Guest Collection - www.sofinesjoyfulmoments.com/quotes/edguest.htm]
Jesus said, “come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.”
Jesus has promised through the writer of Hebrews, “I will never leave you ..nor forsake you.”
And it is through a relationship with Christ that we are able to say as the Psalmist, “though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
The Third Purpose of a Memorial Service is to Prepare the Living.
In reality we are not given a choice about whether to met death, or even when to meet death, only how to meet death. There is in the Gospel according to John a story recorded in the eleventh chapter that speaks to the situation we find ourselves in today. Here Martha and Mary’s beloved brother Lazarus has been sick and has died. Jesus’ words of comfort to this grieving family speaks to those whose hearts are heavy today.
Read (John 11:1, 17-27)
“A man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha…. (3) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, "Master, the one you love so very much is sick."… (17) When Jesus finally got there, he found Lazarus already four days dead. … (19) and many of the Jews were visiting Martha and Mary, sympathizing with them over their brother. (20) Martha heard Jesus was coming and went out to meet him. Mary remained in the house. (21) Martha said, "Master, if you’d been here, my brother wouldn’t have died. (22) Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."(23) Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up." (24) Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time." (25) "You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, the Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. (26) And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?"
(27) "Yes, Master. All along I have believed that you are the Messiah, the Son of God who comes into the world." (The Message)
There are a few simple things I want you to see with me about this passage this afternoon.
First, Jesus Addresses The World’s Greatest Problem - Death.
Their Circumstances are particularly easy for us to understand. Lazarus who was sick has died. His sisters are devastated.
Their friends surrounded them to offer comfort. “And many of the Jews had joined the women around Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother.” (NKJV) And I want to say that there is no time in a family’s life when there is a greater need for expressions of love and sympathy. With the cards, letters, flowers, food, phone calls and spoken words friends can let their love be known. Even time spent with the family at such a time is a silent but eloquent way of expressing love and sympathy.
Secondly, Jesus Shared The World’s Greatest News – There Is Life Beyond the Grave.(v. 25) “You don’t have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live.”
Jesus said, “I AM” - literally the words “I AM” are the words that God used to reveal his identity to Moses in the book of Exodus. When Moses asked for words to reassure the people that he was seeking to deliver from Egypt that he was truly sent from God, God’s answer was I want you to say, “I Am has sent you.” The words “I Am” means “the one who is, was and always will be.” It was a statement of deity and self existence of God.
When Jesus Said, “I Am” it was his own reassurance that he was indeed God in the flesh. When Jesus said “I Am” the resurrection and the life, He is saying the he is the only way to resurrection and to eternal life.
Third, Jesus Presents The World’s Greatest Offer. (vv. 25b-26a) “…The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. (26) And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all."
The same message is found in John 3:16 and John 14:6. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)
Later in John 14:6, Jesus says, "…I am the
way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the
Father except through Me.”
Jesus promises eternal life to “whoever
believes” in him. The promise is limited only to those who will believe and receive it.
But the result is that the dead shall live again.
Finally, Jesus Asks Them The World’s Most Important Question. (v. 26b)
Jesus now turns to the two sisters and ask them “the” most important question in the world. “Do you believe this?” I want you to note he did not ask her how she felt, he asked her if she believed!
The Apostle Paul says of his own life and faith, “… I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that He is able to keep what I have
committed to Him until that Day.” (2 Tim. 1:12)
It is a specific question, “Do you believe
this?” The Lazarus’ sister in story affirmed that she did believe that Jesus was the Savior. The question remains, “ Do you believe in Him?”
Do you believe that Jesus is the Resurrection?
Do you believe that Jesus is the way the truth and the life?
Do you believe that Jesus is the way (the only way) to eternal life?
