Sherry Gregg

We are here today to remember and celebrate the life of Sherry Gregg.

We have questions about death and we wish God had said more in the Bible to answer those questions. In Paul’s second letter to Corinthians he tries to answer a few of them. First, Paul compares our earthly bodies to a tent. He says:

1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 5:1)

By comparing our bodies to a tent, Paul is pointing out the temporary nature of our current bodies. A tent doesn’t make a very good fortress. You cannot dead bolt the door against intruders. Since It’s made of canvass it doesn’t always do a good of keeping a wild animal out. A tent is not the place we would want to be seeking shelter in during the middle of a raging storm. At any moment it could collapse or be blown away. Life in a tent is uncertain at best.

In the same manner, this life is uncertain. A life can be destroyed at any moment. One moment life can be going pretty well and the next moment – disaster. It doesn’t matter how much insurance we buy, how much money we save, what security system we install, or how much of the worlds goods we accumulate – all of this does not change the fact that this life is temporary.

Living in this earthly physical body, we are merely living in a tent that can be blown over rather easily and at any time. King David summarized this truth when he said, “There is only one step between me and death.”

While this body is temporary and prone to sickness and disease, we do have the promise of a more permanent dwelling made by God himself. Paul continues:

2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5)

Paul says we long for that heavenly body. We long for that permanent home in heaven built for us by God. We long for that heavenly dwelling where we’re told there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.

One anonymous author humorously describes his view of heaven this way:

The view of heaven that I sing

is not of angles on the wing.

White robed with hearts and golden crowns.

I vision rather little towns,

with smog less skies and rivers clear.

And not an airplane you can hear.

No dust, no rust, no rats, no rot;

no raucous rock,

No growing old and weakened sight,

no dentures slipping when you bite.

No bombs, no guns, no courts, no jails,

where all succeed and no one fails.

No strikes, no layoffs, full employment,

and everyone with job enjoyment.

All tell the truth, state only facts,

no wars, no debts, no income tax.

According to this dream of mine,

in heaven no one stands in line,

and there are only smiling faces

and lots and lots of parking spaces.

That sounds pretty good. We don’t know what eternal life will be like and we aren’t told what heaven will be like. Revelation does tell us that the streets will be paved of gold. Some have pointed out how that tells us that the best this current life has to offer us – there aren’t many things worth more than gold – won’t be much more than dirt in heaven. Heaven will be that much better. I believe that heaven is going to be so wonderful that it is beyond our ability to comprehend.

Paul gives another encouraging comment about death. Paul assures us that when we leave this body we will go to be with God. We read:

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. (2 Corinthians 5:6-10)

These verse tell us that when we die and leave these earthly bodies we go to be with God. Because of this passage we can know that the moment Sherry took her last breath here she awakened in the presence of God. Many fear death because so much about death is unknown, but these verse give us comfort in knowing where Sherry is now.

Paul does end this passage with perhaps a word of warning. He reminds us that one day we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. On that day we will have to give an account of the life we’ve lived here on earth. But the good news we have is that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Therefore, we have forgiveness. We don’t have to dread that day. For those who have placed their faith in Jesus there will only be joy and peace. And so my prayer this afternoon is that you know Jesus as your Savior and Lord and that if you don’t I invite you to speak to me after this service.

The promise the Bible gives us is that there is more to life than what we can see right now. There is life beyond the grave with God. We long for that day when we will join Sherry in heaven with God.

Before I close I want to read these words from the book of 1 Thessalonians. Paul is once again trying to answer some questions about what happens to those who have died.

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18)

I pray that the promises of God which we find in his word will give you hope and comfort. As much as you love Sherry, God loves her even more. And he loves you too.

Graveside

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

3 He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil; for You are with me;

Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. (Psalm 23)