Untitled Sermon (3)

Fond Memories

1st Thessalonians

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Many times when tragedy strikes some, some get upset when the promises of God are mentioned. Some believe that it is insensitive, to share the promises of God, in a moment of hardship. Promises like, for we know that all things work together to the good of them that love God and are the called according to his purpose.

“The idea that comes across, is I don’t want to hear that right now, I want to focus on my problem or focus on my grief”

But I have found, that in the most difficult times of life when things seem to be fading away, When tragedy assaults us, when grief grips us, Troubles Chastise us, Problems pummel us, When trials hammer us, that the only thing that can give comfort to us, the only things that can give us the strength to go on, are the promises of God.

Trusting in the promises of God can give us hope, when things seem hopeless.

The promises of God can reveal purpose, when all we see his disorder, randomness

The promises of God can give direction, When you have lost your way.

And I would make the argument, that when dealing with the Death of a loved one, the only thing that can give comfort aare promises in his word that declare that we can have the opportunity to see our loved ones again.

The promises of God show us, that This life that we see, is not all there is.

The promises of God show us that Death at the end of life for a child of God is not a period, but it is rather a comma.

That Death is a Pause, it is not the end.

For the bible Declares

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

The Bible proclaims

THose that Die in the Lord will live again.

But the scriptures go on to attest

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

If we remain faithful, God promises a reunion in the skies with our loved ones.

We can see Brother James Peterson again.

Despite how you may feel this morning The Bible declares today , it is not the end.

You will hear his voice again,

You will see his face again,

You will hug him again,

You will walk with him again,

You will talk with him again

You will experience his presence again.

This is not the end of Brother James Paterson.

In this God wants you to find comfort this morning.

God wants you to find comfort in this morning.

13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

God does condemn your grief, he doesn’t condemn your sadness.

In Fact, the Bible records that at the Death of Lazarus, Jesus Wept. God understands your pain. He understands your sorrow.

Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted.

He doesn’t have a problem with your sorrow,

But don’t sorrow like those that have no hope.

Its all right to cry, but don’t cry like someone that doesn’t have hope.

Its alright to miss him, but don’t miss him like someone that doesn’t have hope.

Its alright to

But how do you hold on to that hope, if you won’t be able to visit him anymore.

How do I hold on to that hope if I won’t be able to speak to him on the phone.

How will I hold on to that hope, when Funeral is over, and I go back into my normal life.

You

I have learned from experience that we

Must keep the source of your Grief and the source of your hope linked together.

When the feelings of sadness come, When you are down Sister Ethel, remind yourself, Jesus is coming, I will see him again.

When you miss his personality, remind Jesus Is coming back, I will see him again.

When you miss seeing him wearing his favorite hats. Remind yourself Jesus Is coming back I will see him again.

When you miss his tell it like it is approach, remind yourself Jesus Is coming back I will see him again.

When you miss his companionship, remind yourself, Jesus Is coming back I will see him again.

See the truth is.

we can only become swallowed up in Grief, When the source of our Grief is separated from our hope.

When we allow are minds to dwell on his current absence, without also dwelling upon his future Presence.

I can tell you from experience that this works. For I lost my Father 5 years ago.

He was 62 years old, never made it to 88.

He was taken by from my life. And when I think about his absence, it can make me sad, you can sometimes feel overwhelmed, and just when I think, it’s unbearable, My mind reaches out to his promises, and I remember, that one day Jesus is coming back, and the Dead in Christ shall rise and I will see him again.

I have found the strength to go, by trusting in the promise and in the hope of the resurrection.

16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

The Death of a Love one can make the resurrection personal

The resurrection became Personal to me. There was someone truly that I wanted to see again.

It gave me another reason to grow in Christ.

It gave me another reason to do those things that draw you closer.

For I wouldn’t want my father to awake, and he doesn’t see me in that Resurrection.

I want to see him again.

There were were certain things in my life, that I had to war against.

There were certain things I had to cut out.

May this moment spur you on, to get right with the Lord.

Long life is not promised.

Get it right with God.