Thoughts of Comfort - Funeral

I would take nothing away from the grief you feel today.

I would take nothing away from the grief you feel today.

· I will not say to you that everything is all right.

· Because it’s not and you know it.

· You hurt. I hurt And we know we will hurt for a some time.

· God made us so that we can have relationships with one another and when that relationship is lost we feel pain.

o Not Hopelessness

o But we do feel pain

· You have lost a loved one and I have lost a friend - and it hurts.

I remember years ago meeting Christopher Newbill known as many as Chris or Mr. Smiles

· Chris had one of those Smiles that could light up a room

· His smile could change and atmosphere

· And that smile is no longer here with us

· We are not going to sum Chris up to one moment

· We are not going to sum Chris up to one act

He and I played in dramas together at our Church.

· He loved to Act

· He loved to Serve

· He loved his family and he loved his friends

I remember when Chris rededicated his life to Christ and I had a chance to pray with him

· I know Chris would want me to do nothing less than to comfort those here

· But he would also want me to speak to you about reflecting on your own life

Each of us in this place are guaranteed to one day leave loved ones and friends

This time as we mourn the loss of our beloved Christopher Newbill, it’s a great time to ask tough questions like:

· Am I ready to die?

· Where will I go when my life is over?

See we are gathered here to remember,

· We are gathered here to say good-bye

· But we are also here to reflect on life

How Chris has impacted our lives and a measure of how Jesus Impacted Chris’s life

Some of you are searching for answers today

· I want you to know that its ok

· It’s natural to wonder why this had to happen

Some in here may want to blame yourself and say

· If only I had spent more time with him

· If only I had been nicer

· If only I had done this or that

· These are normal questions

Don’t blame yourself – It’s not healthy and it’s not right

There are some in here that may want to blame God

· There is a story in the bible where Mary and Martha blamed God for the death of their brother

· They said Lord if YOU had been here, my brother would not have died

I have learned long ago that it’s really senseless to accuse God or try to defend Him.

· But neither is it sinful to question Him

· Some may wonder why God would allow this to happen

· Its ok to have these kinds of questions

· Jesus did not reject or punish these sisters for suggesting that their brothers death (Lazarus) was His fault

I tell you – You shouldn’t feel guilt for wondering

· God is all powerful and perhaps he could have stopped this moment

· But He didn’t and it was time for Chris’ life to end here on earth

reminds us that there is a Time to be born and a Time to die.

· While we don’t understand why Chris passed, we do know it was his time

I have a question for you today

· Where will you go when it’s your time to die?

I would like to speak a word of comfort today. It comes from , where it says;

Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you to Myself; that where I am there you may be also. And you know the way I am going. Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.

John 14:1–6 ESV

1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 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? 3 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. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:1–6 The Message

1 “Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. 2 There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? 3 And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. 4 And you already know the road I’m taking.” 5 Thomas said, “Master, we have no idea where you’re going. How do you expect us to know the road?” 6 Jesus said, “I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me.

From this passage of scripture we can find three thoughts of comfort.

The first is that peace is promised.

· Notice the words “Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me”.

Yes, I know that today is a day of sadness –

· a day of grief,

· a day of mourning,

· yet even in the midst of this you can have peace.

Why? Because we have faith - we believe.

· We believe that even in the midst of the storm - even in the valley of the shadow of death there can be a peace that pass all understanding –

· because we know that God is with us.

The 23rd Psalm says that too, doesn’t it. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”

· He is here.

· He is present.

· Believe in Him –

· Trust in Him and God will grant you his perfect peace.

The second thought of comfort is that God has prepared a place for us.

· Did you notice that in , it says; “I go to prepare a place for you.”

The Bible tells us that in six days God created the heavens the earth, but just think, Jesus has been preparing a place for us for two thousand years.

· What a place that must be.

· The verse tells us that it is The Father’s house and that there are many rooms.

· There was a room for Chris,

· a room for you –

· a room for me.

Isn’t it a comforting thought?

· God has prepared a place for us.

The next thought of comfort is that God has prepared a way for us to get there.

· Everyone wants to go to heaven, some just don’t know the way.

· But Jesus tells us in that, “I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”

· We are all travelers on a road called life.

· There are many detours and many side streets.

· We don’t need to be confused - we don’t need to be lost.

· All we need to do is follow Jesus.

· He will show us the way - in fact He is the way.

· He will lead us and He will guide us. That’s comforting

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”[1]

Jesus didn’t merely say there is a resurrection

· He claimed that HE IS the resurrection

We often think that this is the land of the living and when we die we go to the land of the dead

· The opposite is really true – this is the land of the dying

· When our life is over, we are transferred into the land of the living

· We are transferred either to place of eternal joy or to a place of eternal torment

There is only one requirement for entrance into resurrection life – it’s not a matter of trying to be good or even going to church

· Although those are good standards to live by and help us with our daily walk

· Do not neglect those attributes

· However, the only requirement is that you personally believe that Jesus exchanged his life for yours by absorbing your sins on the cross and that He rose again so that at the moment of your death you will rise too

· Holiness is a byproduct that comes after that acceptance

Chris was an entrepreneur and was about business, advancing and loved Jesus and he was preparing himself for this moment

Are you ready to do some spiritual business with God today?

· You can leave this place the same way you came

· Or you can leave it trying to be a good, religious person with vague hopes of heaven

· OR – you can leave here in full assurance that you will go to heaven when you die

· The choice is up to you

Determine today to put your faith and trust in Jesus as the Savior and Leader of your life

· Chris Made that choice

says, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

Your life is like a vapor - you are here for a little while and then pass away

Friends and Family – none of us know what will happen to us either

· Our lives are very fragile

I am a pastor who has a pledge to preach the gospel to as many as I can and direct them to the Lord

· This is what Pastors are supposed to do

Everyone Bow your heads

· Invitation to Jesus

Close and give final instructions and call forth the Funeral Directors to direct the conclusion

Committal (Graveside)

Walk before the casket to the appointed place.

Stand where the head of the casket is to rest.

Wait until everyone is in place before beginning.

Speak loudly as being outside absorbs sound quickly.

On behalf of the Family of Christopher Newbill, we thank you for coming out today to celebrate Chris’s life.

Committal:

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection into eternal life,

through our Lord Jesus Christ,

We commend to almighty God our brother (Christopher Newbill)

and we commit his body to the ground,

earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust

blessed are the dead who die in the Lord,

blessed are the dead who die in the Lord,

They rest from their labors,

and their works follow them

Keep the graveside ceremony short. A passage of Scripture on the resurrection and/or the second coming is always appropriate. Pray a brief prayer of committal.

Prayer:

Lord, Thank you once again for the privilege of knowing Chris.

Instill in our hearts, the knowledge of the hope that we have in you.

Fill us with your love, and grant us your peace.

Amen

5. After the closing prayer, shake hands with the immediate family and then step aside.

After the closing prayer, shake hands with the immediate family and then step aside.

After the closing prayer, shake hands with the immediate family and then step aside.

6. The funeral director will usually conclude the service by directing the pallbearers to place their flowers on the casket.

The funeral director will usually conclude the service by directing the pallbearers to place their flowers on the casket.