God is Doing a New Thing
Good afternoon family and friends.
We are here to remember the life of Mdm Lai, comfort one another in our sorrow, and say farewell until we meet again. We can say this because 5 years ago she committed herself to Jesus and received the gift of eternal life. She has spent much of these 5 years in bed at home, but God has never forgotten her. And now she is at home and at peace with Him.
God’s promises tell us that when we see her again, her body will not fail her, her legs will be strong, and her mind will be sharp – even stronger and brighter than before her illness.
But now we grieve and we mourn. It is painfully difficult to see a loved one suffer, and hard to say goodbye. We wonder it must be like this. Why couldn’t God just heal her and make her strong?
I’d like to read a passage from the Bible. It’s found on pages 118 and 119 in your books. This tells us that God is in fact doing something and that death is not the end, but a part of this process.
Read Revelation 21:1-4
All verses in English. Then all verses in Chinese.
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”" (Revelation 21:1-4, NIV)
The bible tells us that God is doing something wonderfully new, and Mdm Lai is a part of his plan. She will be part of his people, and God will always be with her. Where she is, the only tears are tears of joy. There is no more death or mourning or crying or pain. You, her family have wished comfort and peace for her for so long. Now because she has trusted in Him, she has these things in God’s arms.
But this comfort is also for us. Because we know that the promise Mdm Lai received is also extended to us. God will also comfort us wipe away our tears, when we give our lives to him. This is the wonderful thing God is doing and has done in Mdm Lai’s life.
Read Revelation 21:5-7
All verses in English. Then all verses in Chinese.
"He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." (Revelation 21:5-7, NIV)
When Mdm Lai committed her life to trust in Jesus, she drank from this sprint of the water of life. Because of this her spirit is now in heaven with God. We grieve and mourn because her body is here, but God is doing something wonderfully new in her life right now.
Mdm Lai’s daughter told me the story of how when she was baptized 5 years ago. When she came up out of the water she started singing praises to God in Cantonese. No-one had heard those words from her before and family asked how she knew the song. She replied that she had known them all along!
Knowing those words all along is like a seed of a promise planted in her life. I wonder when it was planted in her? We may not know exactly, but God knows because He did this. He planted the seed and now He has completed that promise by drawing her home.
Mdm Lai, may you rest in peace with God and your Lord Jesus.
Let us have a moment of silence, then I will lead in prayer.
Moment of silence
Prayer for Mdm Lai and the family.
Worship Song
Invite family to pay respects and say farewell.
Invite friends to say farewell and pay respects.
Ask family if they would like to say goodbye one final time before Mdm Lai is taken away. They can take their time.