Sermons on Grief Stricken:

The Comeback

Contributed by Isaac Butterworth on Mar 26, 2015

God makes our desert a garden; He turns our exile into homecoming.

MY MOTHER DIED when I was twenty-six. She was only fifty-seven. A few years before her death, she was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx. She fought it bravely, but, in time, it overtook her, and all too soon, by our accounts, she died. We had a service led by an Air Force chaplain at a local ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

His Family Views His Death Series

Contributed by Rick Burdette on Mar 9, 2016

Death, Grief, Love, Compassion

4 Views from the Cross – His Family Views His Death John 19:25-27 (p. 756) March 13, 2016 Introduction: There’s an old hymn that says, “Jesus keep me near the cross. There a precious fountain, free to all a healing stream, flows from Calvary’s mountain...in the ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Calm In The Storm

Contributed by Perry Greene on Mar 5, 2024

Funeral sermon for an elderly faithful Christian man.

Kenneth was intelligent, a family man who took his responsibilities seriously. He inherited a love for the outdoors. His grandfather homesteaded in OK before statehood, living in a dugout on the prairie for a time. Kenneth grew up at that farm. He enjoyed being outside farming, ranching, hunting, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 4:35-41

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

"hope And Renewal" 1 Thes 4:13-18

Contributed by John Huyser on Nov 1, 2022

How should Christians approach the death of a loved one? What are some bad assumptions Christians make around grief? How does the Gospel offer hope in the face of Death

Deadline Slide 1 Every once in awhile, the semantics for a word study intrigues me. A word peaking my interest this week was the word “deadline”. Today, we use deadline as a point in time which something must be completed. There is a deadline to mail my taxes. Or in the case, of submitting an ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

"My Little Brother” Funeral Sermon ( Douglas Belger)

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Jan 10, 2023

Intro: My mother gave birth to six children. Doug said when mom…

1. Gave birth to Martin she said I can do better than that! 2. Gave birth to Billy she I can do better than that! 3. Gave birth to Jack she said I can do better than that! 4. Gave birth to me she said I can do better than that! 5. Gave birth to Lois she said I can do better than that! ...read more

Scripture: 2 Samuel 12:15-23

Denomination: Baptist

Who Is Ready For The Meeting?

Contributed by Chris Swanson on Nov 30, 2022

What happens when we die physically? Do our bodies remain in the ground? What about our souls?

Prophetic truth has a utilitarian reason. It is to condemn the hearts of sinners. It is to empower Christians to holiness, and to provide hope and solace to Christians in the hour of death. This letter was composed to urge Christians to live purified lives while they await the return of ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Think Bigger Series

Contributed by Scott Turansky on Dec 25, 2022

Every person, every one of us must have a plan for sadness management.

Every person, every one of us must have a plan for sadness management. Sadness. Sadness comes on a scale. Some things are trivial or minor. I mean, you go to Starbucks and they get your order wrong. You might be sad or disappointed. Or you get on the road and there's traffic, or you have to go ...read more

Denomination: Independent/Bible

Job 3

Contributed by Bruce Ball on Sep 16, 2019

Job had kept his hurt within himself because there was no one else with which to share it, but when three of his friends came to him, he finally began to vent. Chapter 3 shows us that when we are unable to understand God's reasons, we must still trust in His wisdom.

We have been talking about the book of JOB, which some scholars believe to be the oldest book of the bible, and written by Moses as he wandered the deserts. So far, in chapters 1 and 2, we see where Satan got permission from God to attack Job. The only stipulation was that Satan would not cause ...read more

Scripture: Job 3:1-26, Philippians 4:13, Acts 16:25

Denomination: *other

Keep Turning To God In Prayer Series

Contributed by David Owens on Aug 17, 2020

Suffering, loss and grief are all a part of human experience. Learning to lament during those times will help us work through the grief while holding to our faith in God. This only happens if we keep turning to and talking with God.

A. One soldier in the British Airborne was going through his parachute training. 1. This included eight jumps. Two from a balloon at 800 feet with a cage suspended below it, and six from an airplane. 2. While standing at the door of the balloon cage for his first jump, he heard another recruit ask ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Mourning Lessons

Contributed by Alison Bucklin on Sep 11, 2023

It is right to mourn out loud when something that is precious is lost or destroyed.

This is a really depressing passage, isn’t it, especially the first part. You can certainly see why this book of the Bible was called Lamentations. It was written by Jeremiah after the fall of Jerusalem. Our hearts really have to go out to him, don’t they? He spent forty years, his entire adult ...read more

Scripture: Lamentations 1:1-6

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Overcoming A Suicide

Contributed by Dennis Gard on Sep 22, 2024

To the family and all friends, God’s peace truly be with you this day. Today we do one of the most difficult of all things to do – we gather to grieve the passing of <Name>, who was much loved, respected, kind and caring, hardworking. We gather to commend him into God’s care.

I. Introduction: a. Grief is never an easy burden to bear – and never more so than when it comes to us in what we can only regard as an untimely fashion. It causes many questions to arise within us – questions about ourselves and what we might or might not have done to make things different – and ...read more

Scripture: Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 54:8-10

The Battle Of The Brides Series

Contributed by Brian Williams on Feb 25, 2025

God is teaching us that it doesn’t have to be an occasion for fear and desperation but, rather, can be a time to lean into God and pour out our grief out to Him.

We are in our From Dust to Life series in the book of Genesis and last week in chapter 29 we saw how Jacob worked for his uncle Laban for seven years as a dowry payment for his daughter Rachel, the woman he loved. Laban agreed to this but did the bait and switch and gave Jacob his older daughter ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 30:1-24

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Martha's Lament

Contributed by Denn Guptill on Sep 13, 2025

Martha felt free to speak the words of disappointment and anger that we sometimes feel but are hesitant to speak. This message examines Martha's words as a model for biblical lament.

She was frustrated, disappointed and angry. And she wasn’t holding it back. Her brother had been sick, and as his condition continued to deteriorate, Martha and her sister Mary had sent a message to their friend Jesus. In a situation, which seemed to have no hope, Jesus provided hope. They had ...read more

Scripture: John 11:21-22

Denomination: Wesleyan

"Jesus Gives Us A Way Of Transforming The Negative Experience Of Grief Into

Contributed by Dr. Jerry Morrissey on Apr 27, 2002

May 5, 2002 -- SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER John 14:15-21 Color: White Title: “Jesus gives us a way of transforming the negative experience of grief into a positive experience; Christ presence.”

May 5, 2002 -- SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER John 14:15-21 Color: White Title: “Jesus gives us a way of transforming the negative experience of grief into a positive experience; Christ presence.” Jesus continues his farewell discourse to his disciples; this section begins and ends with a statement ...read more

Scripture: John 14:15-21

Denomination: Lutheran

Remembering, Reconnecting, And Rejoicing: Taking Charge Of Our Own Grief Series

Contributed by Joseph Smith on Apr 26, 2009

We take charge of reducing our grief when we first trust ourselves, then trust others in redemptive relationships, and ultimately trust God, who raised Christ from the dead.

Granger Westberg, in his little book, Good Grief, says that when you have something worth grieving about, then go ahead and grieve, but grieve in a healthy way. Westberg agrees that the Bible says, "Do not grieve as those do who have no hope", but that does not mean we do not grieve. When you have ...read more

Scripture: John 19:25-27

Denomination: Baptist