The Unexpected (A Funeral Sermon)

Song: How Great Thou Art

I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live; and whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25

1. The Funeral is a universal custom. It is our attempt to:

a. Remember

b. Honor

c. Offer Comfort

d. Prepare

On his eightieth birthday, John Quincy Adams was walking slowly along a Boston street. A friend asked him "How is John Quincy Adams today?"

The former president replied graciously,

"Thank you, John Quincy Adams is well, sir, quite well, I thank you. But the house in which he lives at present is becoming dilapidated. It is tottering upon the foundations. Time and the seasons have nearly destroyed it. Its roof is pretty well worn out, its walls are shattered, and it trembles with every wind. The old tenement is becoming almost uninhabitable, and I think John Quincy Adams will have to move out of it soon; but he himself is quite well, sir, quite well."

That is the attitude we need to cultivate so that when the call home comes we may say with Paul:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4.7)

2. Funerals remind us of:

a. The Certainty of Death (Ecclesiastes 9:5)

b. The Shortness of life (James 4:14) -- this was a shocking death -- should not have happened

c. The Shortage of life (John 10:10)

1) How much do we waste on the trivial?

2) There is power in priority!

d. The sovereignty of God and Reality of Eternity.

3. We preach our funerals by the way we live. Words the family told me that described her: Loving; Caring; Serving (would help anyone if possible), Family-Oriented and Unselfish.

As a part of an assignment for a doctoral thesis, a college student spent a year with a group of Navajo Indians on a reservation in the Southwest. As he did his research he lived with one family, sleeping in their hut, eating their food, working with them and generally living the life of a 20th Century Indian. The old grandmother of the family spoke no English at all, yet a very close friendship formed between the two. They spent a great deal of time sharing a friendship that was meaningful to each, yet unexplainable to someone else.

In spite of the language difference they shared the common language of love and understood each other. Over the months he learned a few phrases of Navajo and she picked up a little of the English language. When the time came for him to return to the campus and write his thesis, the tribe held a going-away celebration. It was marked by sadness since the young man had become close to the whole village and all would miss him.

As he prepared to get up into the pickup truck and leave, the old grandmother came to tell him good-bye. With tears streaming from her eyes, she placed her hands on either side of his face, looked directly into his eyes and said, "I like me best when I'm with you." Family would feel that way with Judy. Especially true with Jesus. He brings out the best in us. We learn to see ourselves as worthy and valuable when we are in His presence.

4. Obituary

Judy _______ was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan on July 30, 1954. She passed from this life on August 21, 2013. She was preceded in death by her mother and their son Jim who was born prematurely and only lived 31 days.

She is survived by her husband, Jim, whom she married on November 11, 1978; daughter ______ (and husband, Justin); son,_____(and wife, Martha); brother ______; father, _________(and step-mother, Lena);

Her grandchildren: ___________________________

Jim and Judy moved to Oklahoma from Michigan about 9 years ago to be with their daughter's family.

She was a member of the South Yukon Church of Christ.

Song -- _________________

"Home"

Some years ago a Missionary was returning to the USA. It was shortly after WWII. He had labored in the mission field for many, many years. He had contracted an illness and was on his way to be with his family.

He happened to have been on the same ocean liner as one of the great heroes of WWII. When the ship docked in NY, great crowds turned out to cheer for the War Hero. No one was waiting for the Missionary.

As he departed the ship, Satan whispered in his ear, "Look at how the Lord has let you down. All of the years in his service and there is not even one person to welcome you home."

The Missionary began to feel sorry for himself and a bit resentful that he had devoted so much of his life to God for no reward. Then God whispered, "You are not home yet."