Graveside message

Lead procession to burial site

Stand at head of casket (ask funeral director)

Brief remarks

I remember when my father passed away. This part, the graveside service, was the hardest part. It is here we are faced with the reality that Jeff is gone. We see this hole in the ground, and it feels dark and hopeless. But we are not without hope. Let’s remember that the Bible, the Word of God, is the revelation of a sovereign God and the planner of the universe. It is He who cares for us, who is in control of all the affairs of our lives, and who has not left us to ourselves but has reached out to us in Christ and in the Bible. As the word of such a God, the Bible alone can give us an adequate understanding, meaning, and hope in the face of the realities of life with it complexities, trials, and losses as with sickness and death.In John 11:25 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.” Then He asked, “ Do you believe this?”

It is the Christian’s belief in Christ as the Resurrection and the Life and its strong validation by Christ’s own death and resurrection from the grave that so encourages our hearts as we face the loss of our loved ones and face death ourselves.

Romans 8:31–39 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Writing of the believer’s ultimate source of encouragement through the Bible, the Apostle Paul wrote,

Romans 15:4–5 ESV

For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,

Committal

In the light of these promises of God in His Word and because it has pleased the Lord in His divine wisdom and purpose to take from our midst one whom we have loved, we commit the body of Marilyn to its final resting place to await the fulfillment of another marvelous and comforting promise of the Bible, one that was written to the Thessalonian Christians. And, this passage is tremendously significant in view of an pagan inscription that existed in the city of Thessalonica that demonstrates man’s lack of hope without Christ. The inscription read: “After death no reviving; After the grave, no meeting again.”But based on the fact of the resurrection of Christ and His promises to the church, Paul wrote these words:

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 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. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for revealing to us what lies beyond death, for giving to us the Holy Scriptures, and for authenticating them through many wonderful evidences and making them sure through the incontrovertible evidence of Christ’s resurrection. Thank you, therefore, for the glorious hope and for the great consolation concerning those who sleep in Jesus as believers in Christ; that the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ; that our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared a place for those who have placed their faith in Him; and that He is personally coming back to raise us from the grave and receive us all to Himself to dwell together in the glories of eternity.And now for the family, for the loved ones and friends we ask that:

there might be the recognition that while death is our enemy, it has been conquered by the Lord, and that he works all things together for good for those who love Him.

May we also recognize and rest in the promise of Scripture that precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints and that death for the believer is a going home, a relief from the pain and sorrows of this life.

May there also be a casting of our care upon you with the ability that is needed to focus on what death means to our dear friend who is now with you.

We ask that you would comfort and strengthen in the days ahead. Help the family and friends to rest and draw strength and comfort from you. These things we ask in the name of the King of kings and Lord of lords, even Jesus Christ our Savior who is coming again.