Funeral
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Christine Smith
Christine Smith
Good afternoon, as I have said at so many funerals through the years, these are days we wish wouldn’t happen… We hate death.
Today I want you to know something, Our heavenly Father hates death too!
I believe that, I believe He hates death and I know some would say, if he hates it, why does it happen.
Please understand, that isn’t His fault, its man’s. God gave us all that we needed, but man fell into sin and destroyed it all… Adam brought death into the world and we have suffered ever sense.
You see man wouldn’t have been free if we couldn’t fail, but God answered our failure by sending us Jesus…
And instead of death, Jesus gives us hope and life....
Chris knew Jesus.
Chris was a faithful member of this church and of her life in Christ. she served in many different positions through the years. She was faithful in service, in giving and in her love for you, us and her Savior.
Today, instead of telling you about Chris, I want to tell you about Jesus.
You see that is what her wishes were, because she wants to make sure that everyone of you knows Jesus, not just a head knowledge but a heart changing knowledge.
So what am I doing to do.... We are gonna talk about Jesus.
Make no mistake about it, death will come, we witness that today and the Bible says this in Hebrews 9:27
27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,
Just as death is certain, judgment is certain as well. And just ask yourself, how will God judge you?
I have heard people say only God can judge me… don’t worry He will, He judges everyone
… the difference is whether you know Jesus and have asked Him to be your Lord and Savior...
You see the Bibles that every person is a sinner…
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
We are born with a sin nature, Everyone one of us has sinned, we’ve lied, we’ve taken a cookie when mom told us not to and then denied it when she asked...
We have have cheated on a test in school, or cussed someone out when they made us mad, .. you get the idea, man has failed in the bid to live sin free, perfect lives. In truth it is impossible.
Because of Adam’s sin every man and woman comes into this world a sinner, and left to our own devices we will not get any better....Nope, we are not like cheese… cheese gets better with age… not us. the longer we go the more rotten we get… Unless we have Jesus.
God’s expectation is here..... and we fall short.... We cannot get there…Not in our own flesh.
We can’t give enough, do enough, there is nothing that makes us acceptable to God in our own flesh.
The remedy, the cure is Jesus.
Chris knew this, she lived her life loving the Lord, Big D did, Pastor Roy did and so many others, they placed their hope, their very life in Jesus,
The cure is Jesus
Listen to Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
I life lived apart from God, a life with un-resolved sin receives death. That is the payment for living your life your way.
But, it doesn’t have to be that way. God the Father has offered us hope. He extends His love and grace to us with Jesus.
That verse, it says but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus. Do you see that word gift...
The free gift of God is eternal life because of Jesus. Jesus died on a cross taking the sins of the world, past, present and future upon his life, He took them and gave his life as the perfect sacrifice for sin.
Remember in the OT, the high priest would have two animals brought before HIm.
One he put his hands on.... confession scape goat.... led away
The other one, sacrificed, blood taken to the mercy seat where God would see and forgive,
John the Baptist said in John 1:27..Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
Jesus became that sacrifice, our sacrifice. He gave His life as a ransom for sin. And When He died, When He gave up His life the Scriptures tell us the veil in the Temple was torn into from the top to the body and many of the saints rose from the dead and were seen by many.
Jesus is the gift of God and all you have to do to receive a gift is to take it when given to you.
So when is that gift given to you?
When you realize that God loves you, that He sent His son to die for your sins. When you have that realization, God has dealt with your heart. You are guilty and you need help.
You need Jesus.
You have heard him in your heart, He has said come… take me by the hand. I will save you.
We think God couldn’t love me, I have done to much wrong, well friends that is a lie right out of hell, right out of the Devil mouth.
Let me take you to another Passage...
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Do you see this? If you confess that he is Lord, if you believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Confess… I know I am a sinner and God sent Jesus to be Lord of my life, of all our lives.
I need Jesus, I am a sinner and I need Him, I must have Him. Forgive me and save me Lord Jesus. I believer you are the Son of God. You were alive, you gave your life as a ransom for sin, died and rose again on the 3rd day.
What does God promise? YOU WILL BE SAVED!
And Paul explains it… With the heart…( not just factual information, but by faith I believe in my heart, you are justified.
Justified is a legal term.. It means to be made right in front of the Judge.
You see when you believe it, that leads to your confession… And when you confess, I want Jesus, I have to have Jesus You are saved. You are His.
It sounds simple… and guess what? It is simple. !!!
There was a point in many lives here that a person believed and confessed. And your life was changed.
It doesn’t mean you will be perfect, it means we are saved and now we have an advocate with God, that when we do fail or mess up. we confess and are foriven
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
So today there are 3 types of people here.
1. Those that believe and are doing well.
2. Those who believe and have sinned, fallen away and are doing your own thing. Today you can return to the Lord, confess your sins and be forgiven .
3. Those that don’t know Jesus ...
But today if you don’t know Jesus , but what to believe, but what to get your life in order. Then you have blessed Chris and her life.
You see I believe she will know, the Bibel says we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses Heb 12:1 ...
Because of that.. throw off your doubt, your sin and follow Jesus.
Lets pray
20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.
My friends, Chris lived a good life, she loved you. She lived her life well.
She wants the same for you. I hope you will follow Jesus.