Comforted

Introduction

Just two weeks ago I attended the grave side service for a friend of mine. He was my next door neighbor while I was growing up. As stood by his grave side, I realized how real death was. Then Thursday morning, I learned that a member of a church I started outside of Parkerburg was close to death. I recieved word that she when to be with the Lord that night.

Then, as you know, Thursday night, the thinkable happened, Roger Cunningham, our friend, our organist, passed away. Roger was such an important aspect of this local church. He was thought provoking with his questions in Sunday School. He was determined as a dart ball player, he never gave up, no matter how many woodies he got. He was an an accomplished musical. He always seemed so full of life, and his laugh, his contagious laugh would break the tension in an room. It just does not seem real that he is gone. As Ginny and I was returning home from a trip to the ATT store yesterday, she put into words what I was feeling, “It does not seem real that Roger is gone.”

When, I was informed that Chuck Eagle, I pastor I had serviced with in Jackson passed away this week as well.

Matthew

Matthew 5:4 NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

At first, to say that seems so contradictory, so confusing, so wrong, yes wrong.

Then, as you know, Thursday night, the thinkable happened, Roger Cunningham, our friend, our organist, passed away. Roger was such an important aspect of this local church. He was thought provoking with his questions in Sunday School. He was determined as a dart ball player, he never gave up, no matter how many woodies he got. He was an an accomplished musical. He always seemed so full of life, and his laugh, his contagious laugh would break the tension in an room. It just does not seem real that he is gone. As Ginny and I was returning home from a trip to the ATT store yesterday, she put into words what I was feeling, “It does not seem real that Roger is gone.”

When, I was informed that Chuck Eagle, I pastor I had serviced with in Jackson passed away this week as well.

So when I read the words, ““Blessed are those who mourn,” I taking very them personally.

I know some of you in this room also take those words personal, those word evoke deep feelings, I know it sounds sentimental, but today, with everything you have been through, they can almost bring you to tears.

Loss is real, mourning is real, the pain you are feeling and have felt is real. But even as we wept, they is something different about our mourning. Perhaps, what Jesus was pointing out is not that mourning is good, but that mourning, at least for us as Christians is not that end of the story.

As Paul points in . Let me read for you.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

But awe do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who bare asleep, so that you will not grieve as do cthe rest who have dno hope.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

As you can see there are two groups of people, those with hope, and those with no hope. But what is that hope, why do we mourn, and grieve, but not as those who have no hope.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. Print.

Here it is, in the very next verse, verse 14,

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, aeven so God will bring with Him bthose who have fallen asleep 1in Jesus.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. Print.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

Notice for the one who believes in Jesus, death is a falling asleep. We go to sleep here to wake over there.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Chapter 4

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, aeven so God will bring with Him bthose who have fallen asleep 1in Jesus.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update. La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995. Print.

John and Charley Wesley’s mother understood how Jesus taught us to face death.

In his journal John Wesley tells of his mother’s death. “We stood around the bed and fulfilled her last request: `Children, as soon as I am released, sing a psalm of praise to God.’”

How will you face death? Someone has said, “When we die, we leave behind us all we have and take with us all we are.”

I need to tell you that just a few weeks ago, my next door neighbor from childhood was one of those who had no hope, but in the hours before he died he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior.

And the member of my church near Parkerburg, well let me read the e-mail I recieved.

Hello friends, our sister in the Lord, is now walking those streets of gold with our Savior Jesus. She passed away last night about 5 pm.

You see, for the Jesus follower, death is just going to sleep. I have told you about Ginny and my practice of kissing each other when ever one of us leaves. We always kiss good by. But I don’t always kiss Ginny before I go off to bed, why, I am just going to sleep, I know I will see her in the morning.

1 Thessalonians 4:13 NASB95

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

We mourn, Yes, but our mourning is different, because our separation is temporary, not permanent. In this promise we can take comfort.

Just two weeks ago I attended the grave side service for a friend of mine. He was my next-door neighbor while I was growing up. As stood by his grave side, I realized how real death was. Then Thursday morning, I learned that a member of a church I started outside of Parkerburg was close to death.

Matthew 5:4 NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Our comfort comes from the promise. Listen how Paul puts this awesome promise.

1 Corinthians 15:51–52 NASB95

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

1 Corinthians 15:53–56 NASB95

For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

1 corinthians 15:53

That is our promise this morning, and every morning.

This world is not my home, I am just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue, the angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and you know the rest, “I can’t feel at home in this world any more.”

Our promise is the promise that the end of this life is just to closing of one chapter, and the opening of another, in the book of our life.

Then, as you know, Thursday night, the thinkable happened, Roger Cunningham, our friend, our organist, passed away. Roger was such an important aspect of this local church. He was thought provoking with his questions in Sunday School. He was determined as a dart ball player, he never gave up, no matter how many woodies he got. He was an an accomplished musical. He always seemed so filled with energy, and his laugh; his contagious laugh would break the tension in a room. It just does not seem possilbe that he is gone. As Ginny and I was returning home from a trip to the ATT store yesterday, she put into words what I was feeling, “It does not seem real that Roger is gone.”

Winton Churchill, the great British leader, politican, and prime minister, funeral was an unpresidented event. Gathered inside St. Paul’s cathedral to celebrate Churchill’s extraordinary life were dignitaries from an unprecedented 112 countries. In addition to the 3,000 congregating under St. Paul’s dome, an estimated television audience of 350 million people—a tenth of the world’s population—watched the funeral service.

As the mourners sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a shaft of sunlight broke through the clouds, beamed through the cathedral’s windows and fell on the Union Jack cloaking the casket.

As the massive church drew quit, one bugler played Taps, a signal that the day is over; then silence.

But the reverent silence was shattered but another bugler played Reveille, a signal that it’s time to get up. Churchill requested this because he knew that at the end of his life would not be “Taps” but “Reveille.”

He was just going to sleep here to wake up there.

WE grieve yes, we suffer yes. Someone has said, “He who has never grieved, has never loved and lost.” We grieve, but now as those who have no hope. The last note of taps will have hardly died out, but we will hear Reveille.

So as our church enters a new stage, without Roger seated faithfully at the organ. We too may have our owns Taps, Reveille” moment. As we set here thinking of all the people we have lost, notice that Jesus does not condemn or belittle our grief, in stead he tells us that comfort for us. Comfort in the assurance that we are headed to a city whose builder and maker is God. There God will wipe every tear from our eyes. Amen.

Then, I was informed that Chuck Eagle, a pastor I had serviced with in Jackson passed away this week as well.

Matthew 5:4 NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Explanation

At first, to say that seems so contradictory, so confusing, so wrong, yes wrong.

So when I read the words, ““Blessed are those who mourn,” I am taking very them personally.

I know some of you in this room also take those words personally, those word evokes deep feelings; I know it sounds sentimental, but today, with everything we have been through; they can almost bring you to tears.

Loss is real, mourning is real, the pain you are feeling and have felt is real. However, even as we wept, there is something different about our mourning. Perhaps, what Jesus was pointing out is not that mourning is good, but that mourning, at least for us as Christians is not the end of the story.

As Paul points in . Let me read for you.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

As you can see there are two groups of people, those with hope, and those with no hope. But what is that hope, why do we mourn, and grieve, but not as those who have no hope.

Here it is, in the very next verse, verse 14,

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus.

Notice for the one who believes in Jesus, death is a falling asleep. We go to sleep here to wake over there.

Illustration

John and Charley Wesley’s mother understood how Jesus taught us to face death.

In his journal, John Wesley tells of his mother’s death. “We stood around the bed and fulfilled her last request: `Children, as soon as I am released, sing a psalm of praise to God.’”

Application

How will you face death? Someone has said, “When we die, we leave behind us all we have and take with us all we are.”

I need to tell you that just a few weeks ago, my next door neighbor from childhood was one of those who had no hope, but in the hours before he died he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior.

And the member of my church near Parkerburg, well let me read the e-mail I recieved.

Hello friends, our sister in the Lord, is now walking those streets of gold with our Savior Jesus. She passed away last night about 5 pm.

You see; for the Jesus follower, death is just going to sleep. I have told you about Ginny and my practice of kissing each other whenever one of us leaves. We always kiss good by. But I don’t always kiss Ginny before I go off to bed, why, I am just going to sleep, I know I will see her in the morning.

NASB95

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.

We mourn, Yes, but our mourning is different, because our separation is temporary, not permanent. In this promise we can take comfort.

NASB95

Matthew 5:4 NASB95

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Explanation

Our comfort comes from the promise. Listen how Paul puts this awesome promise.

1 Corinthians 15:51–56 NASB95

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “Death is swallowed up in victory. “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

NASB95

That is our promise this morning, and every morning.

NASB95

Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,

in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.

NASB95

For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality.

But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, “DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.

“O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;

That is our promise this morning, and every morning.

This world is not my home; I am just passing through. My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue. The angels beckon me from heaven’s open door, and you know the rest, “I can’t feel at home in this world any more.”

Our promise is the promise that the end of this life is just the closing of one chapter, and the opening of another, in the book of our journey.

Our promise is the promise that the end of this life is just the closing of one chapter, and the opening of another, in the book of our jounrey.

Illustration

Winton Churchill, the great British leader, politician, and prime minister, funeral was an unprecedented event. Gathered inside St. Paul’s cathedral to celebrate Churchill’s extraordinary life were dignitaries from an unprecedented 112 countries. In addition to the 3,000 congregating under St. Paul’s dome, an estimated television audience of 350 million people—a tenth of the world’s population—watched the funeral service.

As the mourners sang the “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” a shaft of sunlight broke through the clouds, beamed through the cathedral’s windows and fell on the Union Jack cloaking the casket.

As the massive church drew quit, one bugler played Taps, a signal that the day is over; then silence.

Soon, the reverent silence was shattered but another bugler played Reveille, a signal that it’s time to get up. Churchill requested this because he knew that at the end of his life would not be “Taps” but “Reveille.”

He was just going to sleep here to wake up there.

WE grieve yes, we suffer yes. Someone has said, “He who has never grieved, has never loved and lost.” We grieve, but now as those who have no hope. The last note of taps will have hardly died out, but we will hear Reveille.

Conclusion

So as our church enters a new stage, without Roger seated faithfully at the organ. We too may have our owns Taps, Reveille” moment. As we sit here thinking of all the people, we have lost, notice that Jesus does not condemn or belittle our grief, instead he tells us that comfort for us. Take Comfort in the assurance that we are headed for a city whose builder and maker is God. There God will wipe every tear from our eyes. Amen.

Comforted

Why is it Blessed to Mourn?

Explanation

Illustration

Illustration

Application

Where does the Comfort come from?

Explanation

Illustration

Illustration

Conclusion

Application

Conclusion

Why is it Blessed to Mourn ?

Why is it Blessed to Mourn ?

Where does the Comfort come from?

Where does the Comfort come from?

Conclusion