The Problem with Funerals
“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” (John 11:25)
A. Jesus is life and life is the point to the resurrection. “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (John 1:4) “For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14)
B. Jesus told the thief on the cross that they would be in paradise together after the cross. “And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:43)
C. Life after death is not just for important people; all people will live again. “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead.” (Isaiah 26:19)
D. Believers have always thought funerals were temporary. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.” (Job 19:25-27)
E. The gospel history is a repeating account of the impossible being possible for God; when all hope is lost, God intervenes. “(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” (Romans 4:17)
A. Christ will stand by His people no matter how bad things may seem. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)
B. People who both believe in the resurrection and act on it see everything in more realistic ways than unbelievers. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.” (1 John 5:11 )
C. Believers can be genuine risk takers; people of the world cannot get beyond seeking thrills. “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?” (Psalm 118:6)
D. Nothing is ultimately lost when a believer invests his life in Christ; the rewards outweigh the risks. “Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” (Philippians 3:8)
E. The triumph of evil is only temporary; never forget how the story ends. “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:10-15)
A. Death is more about entering heaven than leaving earth, so don’t hang on too tightly to this world. “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” (John 14:2)
B. God is looking forward with anticipation to gathering His own people to Him. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” (Psalm 116:15)
C. The mind can barely begin to grasp all the marvelous things which are waiting for the faithful; believers have a city, not just a mansion, in the world to come. “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Hebrews 11:13-16)
+ Dr. Edwin P. Elliott