Untitled Sermon (2)

Today we are gathered together for the graveside service for Paul Weitz.  On behalf of the family, I would like to thank all of you for coming today.

Open with prayer:

Death reminds us:

1. A Painful Reminder Death reminds us that we live in a fallen, imperfect world… we are reminded of mankind’s failings, flaws, and limitations.  Anytime we stand at the graveside, we are reminded of the shadow that has been cast over humanity because of Adam’s sin.  Paul said in Romans 5:12, that “through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men…”

The universal nature of mankind’s problem is further expressed in Romans 8 where Paul refers to:

*the sufferings of this present time (vs.18) *the whole creation being subject to futility (vs. 20) *creation itself being under the bondage of corruption (vs. 21) *how that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now (vs. 22)

But, death doesn’t merely remind us of the universal nature of mankind’s problems.  God did not leave us in the valley or under the shadow.

When we know God and the truth of His Scripture, death also brings us…

2.  A Precious Realization

We realize that God has a solution… something greater than the painful reminder.

We read earlier that death came into the world through the sin of one man, but that’s far from the entire picture.

Romans 5:15,17-19 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 17 For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ. 18 …through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.

We have a precious realization today: that God has acted on our behalf and provided for us a greater answer to our need.  This precious realization is why the Psalmist said, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil” (Psalm 23:4).

Our realization, and indeed, our proclamation today, is that: Life has triumphed over death! Mercy and grace have triumphed over sin! Justification has triumphed over condemnation!

We have a precious realization today, and that leads us to…

3.  A Promised Resurrection

There is a period of time when we are, as the Bible describes, “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord.”

But one of the most clearly taught doctrines of Scripture is that of the resurrection.

Paul said, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body…” (Philippians 3:20-21)

1 Corinthians 15:51-54 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed– 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “When we shall rise again, we shall be freed from all corruption; no evil tendencies shall remain in us.  ‘Without spot or wrinkle or any such thing,’ without even the shadow of a spot which the eye of Omniscience could discover, we shall be as pure as Adam before his fall, as holy as the Immaculate manhood when it first came from the divine hand.  We shall be better than Adam, for Adam might sin, but we shall be so established in goodness, in truth, and in righteousness, that we shall not even be tempted again, much less shall we have any fear of falling.  We shall stand spotless and faultless at the last great day.  Brethren, lift up your heads.” Because of the resurrection, we also have the hope of…

4.  A Perpetual Reunion

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

13 “But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.”

Notice how beautiful and how powerful those words are: “thus WE shall always be with the Lord.”

There will be no isolation in heaven… we will not be separated from each other.  Heaven, for us, will be a place of perpetual reunion.