Funeral Sermon
Notes
Transcript
Handout
At times of grief and realizations of our own mortality, we are most impressionable regarding eternity.
The death of a loved one opens the lives of family, friends, and even casual acquaintances to the realities of heaven.
So although these are moments of discomfort and grief, they are also moments of divine grace.
It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart.
As we consider where our dear friend now resides, we have some grace moments for some sweet work to be done in our souls.
We are meant to benefit today as we think consider this beautiful passage.
In this moment, you may feel loss, pain, discomfort.
“I can’t take anymore.”
Take heart. The Holy Spirit is praying for you in this very moment.
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
Now as we ponder this next passage, I want you to note
Theologians refer to this as the Golden Chain of Redemption
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Foreknown - Predestined - Called - Justified - Glorified
Lonnie held to this Golden Chain
Now he grasps the ultimate gleaming link, as He is being glorified in with Christ.
It is this glory that Lonnie delighted in.
The Kingdom Already
The Kingdom Already
There is a common misconception that heaven is only a spiritual place we go when we die as a reward for all of the good things we did in our lives
I want to assure you that our brother is not just an apparition floating in the expanse of creation
He is very much alive in the presence of Jesus at this very moment
He is actually more alive than he ever has been
He is fully alive.
Heaven is the abode of God
This is a real place, where God’s righteousness and purity dwells
You and I could never grasp this reality
Everything we see, feel, and think is governed by sin
If sin were the color blue, everything in this world would have a tint of blue to it.
Heaven is where the righteousness of God dwells perfectly, untainted by sin.
This is where the enjoyment and praise of God is enjoyed harmoniously
This is what we were created for.
When God sent His Son into the world, He sent Him on a mission
To reconcile everything that is wrong with the world
To redeem fallen, broken, and sinful humanity
To restore all things back to Himself
Jesus came as fully man and fully God
Lived perfectly according to the Law of God
The perfection required by God’s holiness was found in the person of Jesus Christ.
Sacrificially offered Himself to be punished for our sin on the cross
Romans 5:6
In victory over the grave, God raised Him from the dead
Now we hold the promise of the Kingdom yet to come
The Kingdom Yet to Come
The Kingdom Yet to Come
What does it mean to be glorified?
As I mentioned earlier, heaven is not an eternal Ghost Town
Currently, our dear brother is in the presence of King Jesus in what is right now
However, God’s plan, through Christ, has always been “to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10).
When Christ returned in power and glory, He will usher in a new heaven and a new earth.
This entire world will be resurrected, as Christ was resurrected.
The Kingdom Yet to Come is the Kingdom that will come after Jesus has splits the sky in half, and escorts in the ultimate reality.
Christ will restore and resurrect this entire world.
This means that we will received resurrected/glorified bodies.
For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
Our current bodies are riddled with the effects of sin
Illness
Pain
Deterioration
The apostle Paul refers to our bodies as “tents”
Temporary
Able to be taken down
Could get sucked away in a windstorm
These bodies are weak
Our glorified bodies will be as Christ’s was when He walked out of the tomb, appeared before the disciples, and then ascended to Heaven!
Our souls will be reunited to our bodies in a perfect union at the return of Jesus!
Those will be our permanent dwelling!
There is a reason this is not our home
We’re merely camping here
A new home is coming
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
Our new homes will be in the presence of God.
Perfectly harmonious, as humanity was created to be.
The sin that taints this world will be rid of when King Jesus returns
We will live on this earth, only it will be perfect
Nothing will die
Nothing will be sick
Nothing will be wrong
There will be no hospitals
The sun can turn to ice, because there will be no need of it anymore
Christ Himself, will be our light
There will be no sorrow of any kind
No misunderstandings
Not hurt feelings
Absolutely nothing but the perfection and delight of God living with man again.
CONCL
This can be for you
You can have this hope; this promise; this assurance
You will not get to heaven by doing your best or random acts of kindness
You will only get in by the righteousness of Jesus Christ
Trust in Him
Repent of your sin
You can be forgiven fully, freely, and forever!