Sermons on Grief And Loss:

How Much Is The Fare To Tarshish? Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Jun 6, 2003

Jonah refused to go to Tarshish because emotionally he felt unwelcome and theologically he thought he could escape God’s oversight. He paid hidden costs, in vain: the loss of a vessel, the loss of joy, human wreckage, reckoning with eternity.

When I travel, I don’t want to spend too much money on the travel itself. I’d rather spend my money on whatever there is to buy where I’m going. I don’t want to hand much over to the airline or the railroad. I want to travel cheap. But I sometimes miss an important fact – that when I try to ...read more

Scripture: Jonah 1:1-16

Denomination: Baptist

Death: When Ignorance Is Not Bliss

Contributed by Daniel Habben on Nov 16, 2009

What you don’t know about death will lead to unecessary grief, or even worse, unending pain.

In her mind it had gone well. She had hit all the notes. She had expressed them with passion. And she felt certain that she had connected with her audience that night. But what did the critics think of her performance? She resolved not to buy the newspaper the next morning – ignorance is ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Denomination: Lutheran

Our Living Hope Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Apr 26, 2011

Jesus is alive, so be sure and be glad today. Be sure of a glorious future, and be glad even in times of grief today.

Judy Packard of Lake Leelanau, Michigan, talks about the time her neighbor, visiting the Holy Land, sent a letter describing the beautiful gardens. Her 6-year-old mused, “I wonder if he saw the rose.” “What rose?” Judy asked. “You know,” said her child, ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-12

Denomination: Evangelical Free

"Write The Vision, Sing The Lord’s Song”

Contributed by Amiri Hooker on Oct 4, 2025

The exiles in Babylon sat by the rivers and wept. They hung up their harps, because to sing felt like betrayal of their grief.

Title: “Write the Vision, Sing the Lord’s Song” Texts: Habakkuk 1:1–4; 2:1–4, Psalm 137 Introduction / Background The exiles in Babylon sat by the rivers and wept. They hung up their harps, because to sing felt like betrayal of their grief. They asked, “How can we sing the Lord’s song in a ...read more

Denomination: United Methodist

God's Answer For Troubled Times Series

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Jun 22, 2015

This message was from the funeral of a Christian young person who died unexpectedly. It does not seek to answer all of the questions of their death, but point us to the one with the answers.

MESSAGE - God’s Answer For Troubled Times There are times that test the soul. This is one of those times. It is at times like this that we wonder if anyone has ever experienced pain and loneliness so intently. This is the moment that that one pivotal question swirls unanswered and ...read more

Scripture: Job 19:25-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Hope Of Christmas: Immanuel

Contributed by Ajai Prakash on Apr 24, 2024

He alone holds the power to turn around any difficult season or loss we may be facing, and bring great blessing and good through it all …

Opening Thought: Often when things don’t seem to go right in this life, we start feeling like we’ve been left on our own. Pressures surround, troubles cling, we may be facing huge loss, or we find ourselves in long seasons of waiting. God’s timing seemed off during the 400-year gap between the OT ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 7:14, Matthew 1:23

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Very Early In The Morning, Hope Woke Up With The Sun

Contributed by Duane Wente on Apr 18, 2025

The resurrection of Jesus did not wait for the noise of the world—it happened quietly, powerfully, and full of promise... very early in the morning. (A Sunrise Sermon)

### **Introduction:** Good morning! Look around. We are standing in a place of graves. A place of sorrow. A place of mourning… And yet, here we are this morning, greeting the dawn. We are in a place of endings, but watching a beginning. Scripture tells us that very early in the morning, much ...read more

Scripture: Luke 24:1-7

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Suffering Premium Sermon

Contributed by PRO Premium on Oct 9, 2023

This sermon will explore the concept of suffering and pain as unavoidable aspects of life, emphasizing that God has a purpose for these experiences and uses them for His glory.

Hello church! Glad to have you all here today as we jump into a huge topic together. Suffering is something so personal, so universally understood, and so imperative in the lives of those who follow Jesus. Everyone suffers at some point or another. Everyone experiences pain and hardship. Everyone ...read more

Scripture: Romans 5:3-5

Topics: Suffering, God's Plan, Faith In Trials

The Good Shepherd, Leads Us, Into Everlasting Life.

Contributed by Dr. Stafford Miller on Apr 3, 2001

The Word of God makes it very clear that as we move through times of sorrow and grief, God is with us. God is there to comfort us and sustain us.

The Celebration of the life of our dear loved one. Psalms 46:1-2 Opening I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. We have two purposes here today, to CELEBRATE LIFE and to OFFER ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 23:1-6

Denomination: Methodist

New Beginnings Series

Contributed by Matthew Kratz on Jun 15, 2009

In Ruth 1:19-22 we see a New Beginning moving from a 1) Total Loss to a 2) Total Gain.

The chalk cliffs of Beachy Head on England’s south coast are the British answer to the Golden Gate Bridge: a place of beauty and stillness that has a terrible allure, both practical and aesthetic, for suicidal people. Neil and Kazumi Puttick, a married couple jumped to their deaths on the evening ...read more

Scripture: Ruth 1:19-22

Denomination: Other

Strong Arm Faith Series

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Jun 22, 2015

This message was for a long standing leader of the church. He was sometimes misunderstood, but always admired for his passion for the church. It was based on his wife's favorite verse about God's sustaining power in the midst of difficult circumstances.

Message The most important thing that I can say personally about Max **** is that he has made me a better minister and a better man. Let me share two reasons for that assessment: There was more to Max than first impressions. When I visited FCC for an interview weekend, nearly 19 years ago, I ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 41:10

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Finding Gratitude Amidst Sorrow SermonCentral

Contributed by SermonCentral on Sep 12, 2023

This sermon explores the concept of expressing gratitude even in times of deep sorrow and grief. It emphasizes the importance of cherishing memories, valuing relationships, and the belief in eternal life.

Giving Thanks Even At A Time Of Death I don't want to diminish the grief we feel today. I won't say that everything is alright, because it's not. We are hurting, and we know that this pain will linger for a while. Our grief is a dark valley that we must walk through before we can find healing. God ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7

Topics: Funerals, Non-Christian

Why?

Contributed by Mark Thometz on Aug 27, 2012

I wrote this last summer as an intern at a church that was going through some tough times and significant loss.

Kids have a lot of questions. The “why” questions I've found is most popular. Back in Boise I work for the YMCA as an after school child care worker. Needless to say, when it's you and 2 other adults with 35+ kids a lot of “why” questions come up. “Why can't we do ...read more

Scripture: James 1:2-8

Denomination: Christian Church

God In A Box

Contributed by Johnny Carver on Dec 5, 2008

This message deals with the loss of the presence and power of God out of the lives of the God’s people through neglect

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:1 – 23 Title: “God In A Box” Introduction: The Ark of the Covenant was a wooden box made of Acacia wood (shittim wood). / The Ark was the first thing God told Moses to build! (Deut. 10:1) · The contents of the Ark was / The Ten Commandments on tablets of stone / Aaron’s ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 6:1-23

Denomination: Pentecostal

Mothers Day Tears Series

Contributed by Fr Mund Cargill Thompson on Mar 13, 2021

A sermon for Mothering Sunday 2021 - Pandemic still rages, but lockdown is slowly beginning to be lifted. A sermon on loss

.......................................................................... 24When she had weaned him, she took him up with her, along with a three-year-old bull,* an ephah of flour, and a skin of wine. She brought him to the house of the Lord at Shiloh; and the child was young. 25Then they ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27, 1 Samuel 1:20-28

Denomination: Anglican