Funeral Graveside

Scripture

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 (ESV)

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Reminder

This is nothing more than a temporary resting place. Because Paul tells us that his/her King, Jesus, is coming back to get him/her. And when He comes back, this sleeping body will rise from this grave and meet him in the air. He tells us that though today we grieve and cry that we do not grieve as people without hope. For we know that this grave has been overcome by our risen Savior, and we know that Jesus is coming back soon for us. Death hurts, but it doesn’t win. Today is hard, but it’s not an eternal goodbye.

Liturgy

“Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God, in his wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased brother/sister, we therefore commit his/her body to the ground, earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for the resurrection on the last day, and the life of the world to come through our Lord Jesus Christ; at whose coming in glorious majesty to judge the world, the earth and the sea shall give up their dead; and the corruptible bodies of those who sleep in Him shall be changed, and made like unto His glorious body; according to mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”

Pray