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Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.” John 11:25
D.L. MOODY
When a young man, I was called upon suddenly, in Chicago, to preach a funeral sermon. A good many Chicago businessmen were to be there, and I said to myself,
“Now, it will be a good chance for me to preach the gospel to those men, and I will get one of Christ’s funeral sermons.”
I hunted all through the four Gospels trying to find one of Christ’s funeral sermons, but I couldn’t find any. I found He broke up every funeral He ever attended! He never preached a funeral sermon in the world. Death couldn’t exist where He was. When the dead heard His voice they sprang to life.
ERWIN LUTZER
Yes, Christ gives life to all who believe on Him; but physically, we must die. We do everything we possibly can to avoid death, to eke out one last week of existence. Yet the Bible presents a very different story. Death is the chariot; it’s the limousine God sends to bring us to Him. When we arrive, we meet the Doorman—the One we have come to trust in this life. He is there to meet us on the other side. For the Christian, death is a gift. Paul says, “All things are yours, whether…life or death” (1 Corinthians 3:21–22). He also writes about our suffering using the imagery of a scale: if one side held all of your trials and sorrows, this does not compare to the counterweight, “the eternal weight of glory” that will be revealed in us (2 Corinthians 4:17). God’s glory is so much heavier and so much
greater than any tragedy we encounter en route to the heavenly city.
When it is time for someone to preach our funeral sermon, may our loved ones and friends experience sorrow mingled with joy. The one who redeemed us will be with us forever.
PRAYER
Father, encourage me and your people to look at the events of life from a standpoint of the eternal glory in your presence.REFLECTION QUESTIONS
What can you do to help you focus on glory of eternity instead of the present time?What excites you most about spending eternity with Christ?