Sample Funeral Service

Let me begin by thanking you all...

…on behalf of Kim’s immediate family...

…for being here today, to...

Comfort them

Pay your respects to Kim

Join with them in committing her mortal body...

…back to the ground.

There’s a good reason why we do this.

It isn’t because it’s cheap or convenient.

We do this in recognition of God’s promise...

To raise us up from the grave

Judge the world in righteousness

Set right every wrong

Ultimately, make all things new!

The Scripture says this:

Revelation 20:11–21:5 (ESV)

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done.

13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done.

1 Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more.

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.

4 He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

5 And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”

Let’s Pray

(5 minutes)

Message:

I’d like to begin by thanking you all again...

…for receiving me into this family...

…and treating me like one of your own...

…for more than twenty years now.

I’m grateful for the love you’ve shown me...

…and for the support you’ve given me.

I really am.

We’ve enjoyed a lot of good times...

…during those twenty plus years.

And, I’m grateful for them.

-But, as we all get older...

…we find ourselves meeting more frequently at funerals...

…than we do at the family reunion.

And that’s just the sad and sobering reality...

…of life in a fallen world.

It wasn’t always this way...

…but once sin entered into God’s good creation...

we who bear his image...

along with the rest of creation...

…have suffered under the weight of its consequences.

And, we’re never reminded of those consequences...

…more vividly and painfully...

…than when we’re...

gathered together

to commit our loved ones to the grave.

But, we do this with hope.

We do this in faith.

We do this trusting in...

....and committing ourselves to...

The promises of God

The power of God

God’s promise to raise the dead...

And, God’s power to raise the dead...

Were both proven...

...in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The Apostle Paul said this:

Acts 17:30–32 (ESV)

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,

31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Jesus, himself, said this:

John 5:26–29 (ESV)

26 ...as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.

27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice

29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

This is a wonderful promise for God’s people.

But, let me give you a word of caution...

…about how you interpret that last verse.

The Bible says:

Romans 3:10–12 (ESV)

10 . . . “None is righteous, no, not one...

12 All have turned aside . . . no one does good, not even one.”

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

23...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

You and I are not good.

Kim wasn’t good.

We have all sinned...

…and fallen short...

…of God’s standard of righteousness.

…and the Bible tells us that:

Romans 6:23 (ESV)

23 ...the wages of (that) sin is death...

-Funerals are a painful reminder...

…of how we measure up against that standard.

The truth is, family...

…that the greatest mistake we could ever make...

…would be to plan to face God in judgment...

…depending on...

Our own goodness

Our own performance

Our own righteousness...

That would be an eternally fatal mistake for us to make.

-What did the passage say that we read before?

Romans 3:23 (ESV)

23...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

It’s so important that we understand what that means.

It means that God HIMSELF...

…is the standard of Righteousness!

It is His nature that determines:

what is right or wrong for us...

how good we must be...

...to be in a right relationship with Him.

Jesus said:

Matthew 5:48 (ESV)

48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

You see, the goodness of God is a great problem for us.

It’s a problem for us, because we are NOT GOOD.

-When God revealed His Goodness to Moses...

… On Mount Sinai, He said that He was:

Exodus 34:5–7 (ESV)

6 . . . a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness,

7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin,

No problem for us there, right?

But, then He says this;

but who will by no means clear the guilty, ...

-Do you see the problem?

You and I (and Kim) are all guilty!

And, If God is good...

What must he do with us?

This is the greatest problem in all of the Bible.

How can God:

Show Mercy...

If He’s Just?

Forgive...

If He’s righteous?

Love you (or me)...

If we’re full of sin...

And He is Holy?

His Nature demands absolute perfection...

And, He doesn’t grade on a curve.

The Law of Moses said “Do this (obey perfectly) and you’ll live”

And everyone under it died!

Why?

Because they didn’t do it

-And neither did Kim!

-And neither have you!

-And neither have I?

-So, does that leave us without hope?

No!

Praise God, the answer is no!

But, it does leave us looking for a righteousness...

…that is outside of ourselves.

It leaves us looking to God in faith...

…to provide for us what we are unable to provide for ourselves.

-Paul said this in:

Romans 8:3–4 (ESV)

3 ...God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do (elaborate). By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh,

In other words, God the eternal Son...

…become a man...

…and as a man

…and on the behalf of men

…did all that was required of them (by the Law)

...in order for them to be right with God!

Or, as Paul goes on to say:

4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us...

THAT is the Gospel, family...

THAT is the good news, that...

Jesus Christ, lived a life of perfect obedience...

In YOUR place!

(Provided your trust is in Him)

Jesus (as a man) satisfied...

…every single moral obligation of the Law...

On YOUR behalf!

(Provided your confidence is in Him)

Jesus accomplished absolute perfection...

For You...

That He is the End of the Law for righteousness...

For you!

(Provided you are believing upon Him)

-But that’s only one side of the gospel coin.

...After living and fulfilling every duty...

...that was required of his people...

...He died for them as well.

He, as the only man to ever not deserve the judgment of God...

Hung on the Cross

Suffered the Pain and Shame of earth,

Endured the wrath of Heaven,

And willingly gave himself over to a death he didn’t deserve.

But, He died YOUR death!

And, He paid YOUR debt!

And, He received the wages of YOUR sin!

And, He drank YOUR hell!

(Provided He is indeed your Savior and Lord)

And to prove that He was innocent...

…And that He wasn’t dying for his own sins...

The Father raised Him from the dead...

…never again to die!

This is how God can be good...

…and let into heaven...

...those of us who are NOT good.

Not by winking at their sin like a senile grandfather...

But by pouring out their punishment...

...on His Only Begotten Son!

Some call this “The Great Exchange”

Our Sin...

For His Righteousness.

Our Transgression...

For His obedience!

However you describe it...

…It is the Grace of God.

And it is our ONLY hope.

But, it is a sure hope.

And, it is a certain hope.

-Please don’t look to something:

That You did one time (in the past)...

Even a prayer you prayed

Or an emotion that you felt

Don’t rest your hope in anything that YOU have done.

Trust in what Christ has done for you!

That’s how you can have hope...

of life after death

of life eternal

-I’ll leave you with these words from Paul:

2 Corinthians 5:20–6:1 (ESV)

20 ...We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

21 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

1...we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain.

Let’s Pray.