Funeral for Pricilla Hendrix
Funeral for Pricilla Hendrix:
Opening Song:
Obituary
Opening Prayer:
2nd Song
Message:
Psalm 116:15 (ESV)
15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (NKJV)
6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord.
To most of us death is equated with sorrow and tears.
Death is not a ceasing of existence but a separation, a separation from physical life, yet still living spiritually.
Most of us instinctively avoid even the discussion of death, for within every heart lurks the fear of death and dying.
God however, takes a decidedly different view of death. Here in Psalms we see that David calls death precious in the sight of God.
It’s all part of God’s purpose of mankind.
Notice He says that it is “precious” for His saints. Being a saint is not some religious place of prestige.
Easton’s Dictionary describes it as:
one separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant; a believer in Christ [1]
I believe by all accounts that Sister Pricilla was a saint.
She was a believer in Christ.
As long as I knew her, she lived a consecrated live unto God.
She displayed the character of one of the “called out ones”, one separated from the world.
She loved her husband Elmer and nurse him and took care of him in the last days of his life. She was very close to her family; family was very important to her. She lived here on earth long enough to see the birth of her great-great granddaughter.
Her love for Jesus and her desire to worship Him, and grow in the Word was very evident in all the books and tapes she & Elmer listened to and studied.
She had a very strong faith. Even up to the end her resolve was strong. Though many times I heard her say that she really missed Elmer and wanted to see him.
Truly precious in God’s sight was the passing of Pricilla for I believe she was one of those saints in reference here.
Why is death precious to God? Because death marks the completion of something God began long ago. Not one life is an accident. He sends every life into the world for the purpose of molding that life until ready for eternal life with God.
“The story of the fork” the best is yet to come.
Today we’re here to celebrate a job well done. That is a cause for joy not sadness. This is really a time for thanksgiving—not for what has been taken but for what has been given.
Consider the gifts that are left behind as an inheritance.
She left behind a good name.
She left behind a good example.
She left the assurance of being loved.
She left many, many memories of living and loving.
Closing Song:
Closing Prayer.
Grave side scripture reading:
Ecclesiastes 12:7 (NKJV)
7 Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, And the spirit will return to God who gave it.
We come to this point of the service to sow Pricilla’s body into the earth for resurrection someday soon, to see it come forth as a new glorious body.
1 Corinthians 15:22-23 (NKJV)
22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each one in his own order: Christ the first-fruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming.
1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (NKJV)
42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption. 43 It is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness, it is raised in power. 44 It is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 (NKJV)
13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.
----
[1]Easton, M. (1996, c1897). Easton's Bible dictionary. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.