Smith Funeral Home Service

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Thank you for being here today as we lay Nicole Smith to rest.

The end of her time on earth has come—far earlier than we would have designed it—and yet it has come.

But this is not the end of her.

For a Day is coming when Christ will return and the dead in Christ will rise first because of the power of the Lord.

Let’s pray to Him now.

Father God, Your Son Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. If anyone believes in Him, though they die, they shall live. Though they perish, they do not perish. Though they waste away, they were being renewed day and day in the soul and now, in glory, have shed the body that wastes. Will you give us hope today? Hope that our friend will rise again? Hope from the sure Word? Hope to make our hearts soar, even as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death? Surely we will find it in Your Gospel and in Your Word. Amen.

Scripture readings: Old Testament and New Testament

John 5:25–29 ESV

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–17 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.

The dead in Christ will rise first, when the Lord returns.

This is good news as we lay our sister to rest.

Or maybe we could consider a passage not often thought of at gravesides--the account of the Transfiguration.

This is when Jesus takes Peter and John and James to the top of a high mountain and they see Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah.

Moses has been dead for 1500 years and Elijah has been dead for 900 years and yet, here they are--talking with Jesus.

This is clear evidence of the promise of resurrection.

It is a passage that shows us two men on earth, in their bodies and they serve as a pledge of resurrection.

JC Ryle said that it shows us that:

All that have ever fallen asleep in Christ will be found in safe-keeping: patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, down to the humblest servant of God in our own day.

JC Ryle

And that includes THIS servant of God.

When Christ returns in His glory, all of His people will resurrect and stand in His presence like Moses and Elijah on that mountain.

These are promises that Nicole clung to in life and ultimately in death.

She believed that God created the world and it was good.

She believed that our first parents, Adam and Eve, fell from God—along with the human race that came after them.

She believed in the reality of sin and its ability to harm a soul and keep a soul from knowing its Creator.

She believed that sin will ultimately bring about judgment.

And yet—she believed the greatest news—That God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, and that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.

She believed that Jesus was born to die.

She believed that He lived a perfect life and then died in the place of sinners.

And she believed that He rose again from the grave to defeat sin and death.

And finally, Nicole believed that anyone who repents of their sin and trusts in Christ for salvation, will be forgive of their sin and will have eternal life in Christ.

Nicky’s faith saw her ushered from Bay Tree Beach to heaven.

From suffering to the sweetness of eternal glory.

From the sights of earthly circumstances to the sight of her Savior.

Understanding these things, let us commit our sister to the Lord.

Words of committal

The Christian Minister’s Manual, 1945

“Forasmuch as it has pleased Almighty God, in His wise providence, to take out of this world the soul of our deceased sister, we therefore commit her body to God, 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 the mighty working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself.”

Benediction

Revelation 14:13 ESV

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.” “Blessed indeed,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!”

Lord’s Prayer

Our Father in heaven

Hallowed be Your name

Your Kingdom come and Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

Forgive us of our sins.

Also, forgive those who have sinned against us.

Deliver us from temptation and the evil one.

For Yours is the power, the Kingdom and the glory, Amen.