Sermons on Normal Grief:

Funeral Sermon For The Loss Of A Young Child: "the Smallest Life, A Miracle" Series

Contributed by Ian Hyde on Jun 23, 2023

The loss of a young child or infant is one of the most difficult experiences for any family to process. This funeral sermon is meant to communicate the inherent beauty and worth of even the most fleeting of lives.

Words alone cannot comfort a grieving heart, because words cannot replace the ones we love. Even the most beautiful words are little things, here for only a moment, fleeting and often unnoticed. We live in a world filled with words, some shouted from rooftops and some whispered in a quiet room, yet ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 139:7-18, Revelation 21:1-5

Denomination: Nazarene

From Despair To Hope

Contributed by David Dunn on Sep 8, 2025

Funerals today are often called celebrations of life. While we grieve, we also celebrate the hope that is ours through Christ. As Paul reminds us, we do not “grieve as others who have no hope,” for Jesus’ death and resurrection assures us of eternal life.

Funerals are some of the hardest moments of our lives. We come with tears, with memories, with aching hearts. Death feels final. We feel the empty chair at the table. We hear the silence where laughter once rang. We even catch the scent of a shirt still hanging in the closet, and it all reminds us ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-6, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

A Message About Trials Series

Contributed by Gabriel Luigi Bautista on Dec 2, 2020

The new normal due to Covid-19

FACTUAL DATA: ANG PANGALANG “JAMES” AY ISANG COMMON NA PANGALAN. MAYROON 4 NA JAMES NA NAKASULAT SA NEW TESTAMENT. 1. James, the son of Zebedee the brother of John: (Cf. Matt. 4:16—2; Mark 3:17, Luke 9:51—56) First disciple of the Lord. killed in A.D. 44 by Herod. 2. James son of Alphaeus: ...read more

Scripture: James 1:1-8

Coping With The Holidays

Contributed by Davon Huss on Nov 19, 2016

This information was put together for a workshop on "Coping with the Holidays" (Adapted from the book, "The Empty Chair: Handling Grief on Holidays and Special Occasions" by Susan J. Zonnebelt-Smeenge and Robert C. De Vries)

HoHum: Start with some family information: I grew up in a tight knit family spending my Sunday afternoons after church with all my extended family at my grandparent’s house. I am the eldest grandchild and my grandfather spent a lot of time with me growing up. I had trouble reading so before ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 138:8

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

I Am Undone Series

Contributed by Troy Borst on Jul 9, 2020

When we are wrecked because of our sinfulness, He gives us more grace and the blood of Jesus Christ to comfort us. When we are lost because someone nearest and dearest to us has died, He gives us the assurance of Heaven for the believer and His peaceful presence for us.

BEATITUDES SERIES: I AM UNDONE MATTHEW 5:4 #Beatitudes INTRODUCTION… Crowder Lyrics (Come As You Are) Come out of sadness; From wherever you've been; Come broken hearted; Let rescue begin Come find your mercy; Oh sinner come kneel; Earth has no sorrow That heaven can't heal Earth has no ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:4

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Why Is This Happening To Me!

Contributed by Raphiel Manenge on Sep 10, 2005

A message on being serious with your life.Refusing to call ’normal’normal,living by questioning your life and enquiring from God!

“Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren. The LORD answered his prayer, and his wife Rebekah became pregnant. 22 The babies jostled each other within her, and she said, "Why is this happening to me?" So she went to inquire of the LORD. 23 The LORD said to her, "Two ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 25:21-23

Denomination: Pentecostal

Raising A G-Rated Family In An R-Rated World Series

Contributed by Jeff Strite on May 15, 2006

It has grown increasingly more difficult to keep the world from influencing our families. What can we do to counter that influence?

OPEN: A man was once hired to go and take a census in the hills of east Tennessee. He came to one ram-shackle home, knocked on the door and was greeted by a young girl. Brandishing his clipboard, the interviewer asked the girl, "Is your mom home?" She said, "Nah, she ran off with a moon shiner." ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 1:17-19

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Three Words Series

Contributed by Steven Chapman on Jun 22, 2015

This message is designed for someone that the preacher knows fairly well so they can fill in details of their life in the middle section. It is a celebration of their life that ends with a turn toward eternity.

Message As we’ve come to this service, we embark on that march that David describes as the “walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” What do you do when you are hit with the hard reality of life and death? How do you continue to put one foot in front of the other when ...read more

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Is There Life After Loss? Series

Contributed by Dr. Fred W. Penney on Jan 8, 2001

A message offering hope in the face of grief

Title: Is There Life after Loss? Subject: How can we handle grief in a healthy way? Complement: By allowing Christ’s resurrection to speak hope into our grief. Preaching idea: There can be life after loss because Jesus’ resurrection gives us hope. Last Sunday a 14-year-old boy from downtown ...read more

Scripture: John 11:1-44

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Saint In Depression Series

Contributed by Glenn Pease on Apr 1, 2021

It should be no surprise that God's people get depressed. It is normal for Christians to get athletes foot, tooth aches, and gray hair. It is also normal for them to get depressed.

I read a humorous story that fits the experience of Job. A man was on his roof trying to fix the TV antenna. Suddenly it began to rain, and while struggling with the guy wires he slipped. As he tumbled down the roof, he made a last ditch effort to grab the drain trough. There he was, hanging from ...read more

Love Those Who Are Lost

Contributed by Roger Hasselquist on Mar 11, 2022

Romans chapter eight ends with the amazing claim that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. But before the apostle Paul moves on with what is considered the “practical application” portion of his letter, he first needs to address his concern for those outside of Christ.

Alba 3-6-2022 LOVE THOSE WHO ARE LOST Romans 9:1-5 Ray Stedman, who was a minister in California, once asked a congregation why they had dismissed their preacher. “Well”, they said, “he kept telling us we were all going to hell.” Steadman asked, “What does the new preacher say?” The congregation ...read more

Scripture: Romans 9:1-5

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

God's Plan For Our Relational Health Series

Contributed by Rick Crandall on Feb 19, 2009

If we are going to have healthy relationships, we must forgive. Even more important, God wants us to forgive and the Scripture tells us why.

God’s Plan for Our Health Part 4 - Our Relational Health: Focus on Forgiveness Ephesians 4:29-32 Sermon by Rick Crandall McClendon Baptist Church - July 27, 2008 *One year Dave Hagler was working as an umpire in a rec-baseball league in Boulder, Colorado. Unfortunately, Dave got pulled over for ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 4:29-32

Denomination: Baptist

"Becoming A Saint"

Contributed by Ken Sauer on Oct 30, 2001

How a normal sinful person becomes a saint.

LUKE 19:1-10 “Becoming A Saint” BY: Kenneth E. Sauer, Pastor of Parkview United Methodist Church, Newport News, VA Who are saints? In this day and age we often only think of those who have been Cannonized...or those who have done some remarkable things for God in the past as saints....but in the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:1-10

Denomination: United Methodist

Timothy…what It Will Take For God To Use You!

Contributed by Dr. Odell Belger on Mar 28, 2022

Most of us refer to ourselves as being “NORMAL.”

It must be nice in this life when someone can be more than a NORMAL PERSON and become an “EXCEPTIONAL” PERSON. That is, when normal people die the preachers who do the eulogy can pretty much sum up their entire lives in 15 to 30 minutes. When the funeral is finished the family and friends can ...read more

Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2-26

Denomination: Baptist

A Good Cry Series

Contributed by C. Philip Green on Jan 12, 2012

Go ahead, have a good cry if you need to. Then let your tears draw you close to others and to God.

There is a new trend in China’s changing culture, which I find very interesting. The trend is a Cry Bar and it’s spreading to several major Chinese cities. The first Cry Bar opened eight or nine years ago (2003) in the city of Nanjing with only a sofa, a few tables, and tissues – a lot of ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 50:1-26

Denomination: Evangelical Free