- Philippians 4:4-8
Today we gather to say goodbye to ____________, a lady some knew as _________, some knew as Mama, and others of us called __________. Funerals are never fun, especially when it’s for someone who has meant so much to so many. We remember that Jesus Himself was heartbroken over the death of a friend and wept beside the grave of His friend Lazarus.
Ever since death first entered the picture, there following the Garden of Eden; man has been faced with a problem. He has been faced with a question. How in the world can I go on? When one of the people you love most dearly in the world is taken from you; when it feels that your heart has been ripped out and an emptiness has taken its place; when a chapter from the past is forever closed and you can’t even sit and think of the future without a lump forming in your throat and tears pouring from your eyes, how do you face tomorrow? How do you go on?
Fortunately, God loves you and me. He loves His children and wants us to be able to continue, so He tells us in the book of Philippians how we can go on.
In this passage, God gives us 3 steps to finding peace; 3 steps to going on.
I. PRAY
- Read v6
In other words, when it hurts so bad that it seems that you can’t go on. When it hurts so bad that you don’t want to get up tomorrow and face another day, TELL GOD. Tell God it hurts. Ask Him for help. Ask Him to comfort you and help you to heal.
You see, God knows what you’re going through. He knows what it’s like to hurt. If you remember, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for you and me. God turned His back on His Only Begotten Son and allowed Him to die so that you and I could be forgiven. That’s how much He loves you and me.
But, the loss of His Son hurt God so much that the sun was blotted out for 3 hours. God wouldn’t let the sun shine for 3 hours, it hurt Him so much. It hurt Him so much that the earth shook with His sobs. God knows what it is to hurt with the loss of someone you love.
So God has promised to help through your pain if you ask. Jesus says in John 14:13-14, "Whatsoever ye shall ask in My Name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye ask anything in My Name, I will do it."
If you need help facing tomorrow, if you need help going on; pray. But not only do you need to pray, but you also need to think about the right things.
II. THINK ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS
- Read Philippians 4:8
1. Grinny - In this verse we are told to think about the good things. When you don’t know how to go on, think about the good things. Remember the good things with Grinny. I’ve been thinking about Grinny a lot lately. The other night when I was sitting on the couch rubbing my son’s back, it made me think of all the times Grinny would sit and rub my back, though I’m convinced she rubbed Dusty’s a lot more often than mine. When I think about Grinny, I think about a lady who knew how to play, how to have fun, with nothing. I will forever be grateful that Grinny taught her kids and grandkids to play, to have fun in life.
Think on the good things. Think about the come-as-you-are parties she used to have at the house. Think about the Sunday afternoon volleyball games. Think about how she had the job of keeping an eye on the ballfields behind her trailer and yet how many of us grand kids she used to let drive her car back there. When ever I see "Every Which Way But Loose" and see the old lady on the porch with the shotgun, I’ll think about Grinny and especially about the poor dog she tried to scare away that Uncle Warren had to bury. Think about the car she thought had 4-wheel drive. I’ll think about when I turned 16, and she came down to let me drive her LTD2 on my birthday.
Think about the good times.
I remember when Granddaddy was paralyzed. He was sitting on the bank at our house fishing. Grinny walked all the way around the lake fishing and Granddaddy caught a lot more than she did. He said, "You never slowed down long enough for them to catch up." "Remember the pocket fisherman she carried in her car. I’ve already told my son about poor Olie and his red underwear. No child should ever be exposed to such an image.
Think on the good things. Think about the avid baseball fan she was. Think about how faithful she was at church. Think about the lady who after her 3rd warning for speeding, chose to drive a different route to work, instead of slowing down. That is a trait some in the family still have.
Oh my friend, think about the good things. Think about the good things about Grinny, and think about the good things about God.
2. GOD
a. Mercies - Psalm 89:1-2
There are people in my past that from time to time I have had trouble forgiving. People that have hurt me, or upset me, or let me down in one way or another. I have forgiven those folks, but it sure took some doing. But God is not that way. No matter what you have done, no matter what mistakes you have made, no matter how you have hurt Him, or how long you have run from Him, God doesn’t hold grudges. God is merciful. The Bible says, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Can you imagine? No matter how we may have offended or run fro God, it is possible to have it all erased with God not holding a grudge! Think about the good things. Think about the mercy of God.
B. Faithfulness - Oh, think about the faithfulness of God. In John 14:18 Jesus promised, I will never leave you nor forsake you. Can you imagine? No matter what the world thinks about you, no matter what your boss at work says, Jesus has promised that if you are child of His that He will never, never, never, never leave you nor forsake you. That’s why David was able to say with such calmness and peace in the 23rd Psalm Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil. For Thou art with me. Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. My friend, when you don’t know how to go on, pray. Ask for God’s help. When you don’t know how to go on, think about the good things. Think about the good things about Grinny and the good things about God. But there is also a 3rd step to going on, and that is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
III. ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR
- Read Philippians 4:7
"In Christ Jesus." = The peace comes through Christ Jesus. In other words, if you want true peace, if you want the void in your life filled, if you want your hurt healed and to be able to face tomorrow without fear, then you need to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.
1. Admit - For all have sinned
2. Believe - John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Begotten Son, that Whosoever believeth on Him should not perish but hath everlasting life.
3. Confess - If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Rev. 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock, ...
The other night, I got to see Grinny the night before she passed. Sitting there, I looked through at some of the passages and verses she had highlighted. One she had highlighted jumped out at me. In Ecclesiastes 12:1-2 she had highlighted, ’So remember your Creator in the days of your youth: Before the days of adversity come and the years approach when you will say "I have no delight in them:"’
Grinny, we come to say good bye ...
Prayer ... healing & peace ...
