Funeral Larry C

Ecclesiastes 7:1–2 ESV

A good name is better than precious ointment, and the day of death than the day of birth. It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

Wow … those words seem morbid … but I assure you they are not.

They may sound dark, but they contain profound wisdom.

Solomon goes on to say that

Ecc. 7:

Ecclesiastes 7:4 ESV

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Today we are face to face with death

Today we remember Larry Cotterill

Larry was one of 6 children born to Margaret and Ross

Judy, Curtis, Wayne (died 1979), Larry, Laura, and Chad

Larry has three sons - Tim, Taylor and Travis

Larry Grew up in Delaware near the Oneida Reserve

I am certain that the family eulogies will tell a great deal of Larry’s story

My role today is to help bring comfort and perspective in the wake of this unexpected tragedy.

I want to do that by briefly bringing your attention to God’s word in

Again allow me to read one verse

Ecclesiastes 7:2 ESV

It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.

Ecclesiastes 7:4 ESV

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

I want draw your attention to two points for your consideration:

One … to address the question why?

Why is it better for us to go to the house of mourning than to the house of feasting?

B/C Parties only last for a short time

And death is where we all ultimately end.

At parties we escape reality, we try to forget our cares…at funerals we come face-to-face with the meaning of life.

parties may be an occasion to blow off steam and de-stress

But a funeral remember that we are not here forever.

The bible tells us that death is a reality for all of us.

Solomon was clear … “THIS is the end of all mankind.”

Hebrews 9:28 ESV

so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

We are all going to face death

The second point is the last line in the verse … “The Living will lay it to heart”

Ecclesiastes 7:2 HCSB

It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, since that is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.

This funeral … all funerals are for the living

We want to honour and remember Larry’s life.

But the funeral is the place to think about what really matters

It is an occasion to view death through the eyes of faith and find where hope truly lays

John 14:1–6 ESV

“Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

This is where hope lies

John 11:24–25 ESV

Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

John 11:25 ESV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,

John 11:26 ESV

and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

Here Jesus calls on us to view death through the eyes of faith

Here is where hope is found … faith in the person of Jesus Christ

It is also a time to grieve … and support each other