Chuck McClelland
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Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 3226 “Let Me Die”
It was a daring prayer offered by Augustine when he said, “Lord, hast Thou declared that no man shall see Thy face and live?—then let me die, that I may see Thee.”
It was a daring prayer offered by Augustine when he said, “Lord, hast Thou declared that no man shall see Thy face and live?—then let me die, that I may see Thee.”
In the Book of Proverbs we read: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children”(13:22).
Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 763.In the Book of Proverbs we read: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children”(13:22).
One of the purposes of this service is to remember the heritage which Steve has left behind.
The goodness of a will always be remembered by those he has left behind in death. His goodness is also the cause of great sorrow for those left behind, because for us now only the memories of Steve remain.
This service also provides us with an occasion to reflect on our own mortality…
(NIV)
27 …man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment.
The Bible tells us we will all one day have to face death, and life it’s self bears witness to the fact that we will all one day die… None of us know the day nor the hour of our death but we know it is coming!
Yet, while we all know death is certain, death doesn’t have to be permanent…
says
(NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
We have felt disappointment and discouragement because we have come face to face with death today - and we don’t like it.
I would take nothing away from the grief you feel today.
But I want to give you hope that there is Life after Death…
THE BIBLE SAYS SO!
I would never say to you that everything is all right today. Because it’s not and you know it. You hurt.
God made us so that we can have relationships with one another and when that relationship is lost we feel pain.
You have lost a loved one today - and it hurts.
BUT GOD ALSO OFFERS YOU COMFORT TODAY..
I would like to speak a word of comfort today. It comes from the Bible in , where it says;
Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for 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 to Myself; that where I am there you may be also. And you know the way I am going.
Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?”
Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
From this passage of scripture I find three thoughts of comfort.
1. The first is that peace is promised.
Notice the words “Let not you heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me”.
Yes, I know that today is a day of sadness - a day of grief, a day of mourning, yet even in the midst of this you can have peace. Why?
Because even in the valley of the shadow of death there can be a peace that pass all understanding - because we know that God is with us.
The 23rd Psalm says that. “Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
Jesus is here with us today. He is present. Believe in Him - Trust in Him and God will grant you his peace.
(NIV)
9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
2. The second thought of comfort I would like to share with you today is that God has prepared a place for us.
Did you notice in , it says; “I go to prepare a place for you.”
The Bible tells us that in six days God created the heavens the earth, so just think, Jesus has been preparing a place for us for two thousand years.
What a place that must be. A place where the streets are paved with gold and the sea is like crystal… The fish must be huge…
tells us that in The Father’s house there are many rooms. A room for Steve, a room for you - a room for me.
Isn’t that a comforting thought?
God has prepared a place for us, an amazing place for us.
3. The next thought of comfort is that God has prepared a way for us to get there.
Everyone I meet wants to go to heaven… some just don’t know the way.
But Jesus tells us in that, “I am the way, I am the truth, I am the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
We are all travelers on this road called life. And in life there are many detours, side streets, and even a few road blocks.
But we don’t need to be confused - we don’t need to be lost.
And for all you guys out there who refuse to stop and ask for directions… All we need to do is follow Jesus.
He will show us the way - in fact He is the way. He will lead us and He will guide us to eternal life. That’s comforting.
As we grieve and mourn today we can find comfort in God’s Amazing grace that gives us peace because He has prepared a place for us in heaven and Christ has shown us how to get there… And Steve is there now with Jesus!