A Faithful Christian: A Celebration of Life

Words of Grace & Greeting

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of _______. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

God's Perspective on Death

Today I would like to say this: “God never sees His children die; He simply sees them coming home.”

It is said that when one of his church members was dying, a preacher would kneel down and whisper in the person’s ear: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.”

Then, with a contented sigh, the person would “slip away”—entirely unafraid.

If you’re worried today about room in Heaven, I assure you there is plenty of room. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. Or mansions.”

There is something about this great portion of scripture which consoles us.

The Appropriateness of Departure

Even though _______ is gone and he will be missed, there is something very appropriate about his departure, even as the author of Ecclesiastes indicated, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die.”

It is appropriate because he had lived out a full, complete life.

He has accepted and known the love of God and of family.

His earthly tabernacle or house was in order; he was ready to die. He was a Christian and he loved God.

The Temporary Nature of Our Bodies

The Bible refers to our bodies as tents; the old tent is slowly but surely fading away.

When that remarkable American was turning four-score years, he was hobbling down the street one day, leaning heavily on a cane. Suddenly a friend slapped him on the shoulder and said, “Well, how’s _______ this morning?”

The old man turned slowly, smiled, and said, “Fine, Sir, fine! But this old tenement that _______ lives in is not so good. The underpinning is about to fall away. The thatch is all gone off the roof, and the windows are so dim _______ can hardly see out anymore.

As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if before winter’s over he had to move out. But as for ________, he never was better… never was better!” because he knows Jesus and has a mansion waiting.

He recognized that beyond the temporary physical man on the outside, there is a spiritual and eternal man on the inside. The flesh dies and is buried, but the spirit lives forever with God.

Confidence in Our Eternal Home

The Apostle Paul, to the folks in Corinth:

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord... keep reading with free account

A Faithful Christian: A Celebration of Life

Words of Grace & Greeting

Friends, we have gathered here to praise God and to witness to our faith as we celebrate the life of _______. We come together in grief, acknowledging our human loss.

May God grant us grace, that in pain we may find comfort, in sorrow hope, in death resurrection.

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

God's Perspective on Death

Today I would like to say this: “God never sees His children die; He simply sees them coming home.”

It is said that when one of his church members was dying, a preacher would kneel down and whisper in the person’s ear: “In my Father’s house are many rooms.”

Then, with a contented sigh, the person would “slip away”—entirely unafraid.

If you’re worried today about room in Heaven, I assure you there is plenty of room. “In my Father’s house are many rooms. Or mansions.”

There is something about this great portion of scripture which consoles us.

The Appropriateness of Departure

Even though _______ is gone and he will be missed, there is something very appropriate about his departure, even as the author of Ecclesiastes indicated, “There is a time to be born, and a time to die.”

It is appropriate because he had lived out a full, complete life.

He has accepted and known the love of God and of family.

His earthly tabernacle or house was in order; he was ready to die. He was a Christian and he loved God.

The Temporary Nature of Our Bodies

The Bible refers to our bodies as tents; the old tent is slowly but surely fading away.

When that remarkable American was turning four-score years, he was hobbling down the street one day, leaning heavily on a cane. Suddenly a friend slapped him on the shoulder and said, “Well, how’s _______ this morning?”

The old man turned slowly, smiled, and said, “Fine, Sir, fine! But this old tenement that _______ lives in is not so good. The underpinning is about to fall away. The thatch is all gone off the roof, and the windows are so dim _______ can hardly see out anymore.

As a matter of fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if before winter’s over he had to move out. But as for ________, he never was better… never was better!” because he knows Jesus and has a mansion waiting.

He recognized that beyond the temporary physical man on the outside, there is a spiritual and eternal man on the inside. The flesh dies and is buried, but the spirit lives forever with God.

Confidence in Our Eternal Home

The Apostle Paul, to the folks in Corinth:

Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven. Therefore, we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord. We live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

_______ lived in a body that was fading, but he has an eternal soul; he is in a land where the soul of man never dies.

_______ can sing this old gospel song: To Canaan's land, I'm on my way, Where the soul of man never dies.

My darkest night will turn to day, The rose is blooming there for me, And I will spend eternity Where the soul of man never dies.

No sad farewells (Dear friends, there'll be no sad farewells), No tear dimmed eyes (There'll be no tear dimmed eyes), Where all is love (Where all is peace and joy and love), And the soul never dies.

Realities in Jesus

Friends and family, consider the realities we have in Jesus. Let not your heart be troubled.

One reality we have is God’s love.

…the reality of forgiveness.

…the reality of the new birth.

…the reality of Heaven.

…the reality of eternity.

…the reality of future reunion.

My friends, _______ has heard the voice saying “Come up hither.” God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.