A Burden to Bear
1 Thess 4:13-18
A Burden to Bear, a Hope to Share, a Lord to Care
Funeral sermon for Doris Weiden
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
In Christ, Our Risen and Present Lord, God’s Peace and Mercy be with you Joe, family and Friends.
Every Life has two doorways. One is birth and the other is death. The Old Testament book if Eccl. 3 says it this way, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die.” Death has come knocking at your door. Death – the most brutal enemy of life, an unwelcome intruder in your family. Doris will not be a part of our lives until God’s kingdom comes in glory. She is forever with the Lord.
In times of sorrow our feelings run swing wildly from laughter to tears. There is a verse of comfort in Psalm 116 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” Together with chosen texts I offer these words of comfort. These words are simple but profound, for they are God’s Words of wisdom.
The first is this: There really is a burden to bear. Many people ignore or deny death. As God’s people in Christ, you think about death in light of our Savior Jesus Christ. Doris is no longer here among us. This is your burden to bear because of the impact she had on your life. We will miss her Oatmeal chocolate chip cookies form frozen homemade dough, we will miss the canned goods she prepared, we will miss her timid nature, that is until she put her foot down, and he shopping trips and cutting coupons and her love of Roses. Joe you above all else will miss her presence and comfort from just know she is there.
Your loss had yielded many tears. This is not a weakness in faith, as some might believe. Your grief is different that those who grieve but have no hope. 1 Thess. does not say that grieve is bad or sinful. Jesus, himself cried at the death of Lazarus. We are reminded that it is only grief without hope that is not God’s way.
There is a burden to bear. In Christian love within the family you freely give each other strength. This was so clearly seen Saturday evening as we met together after church. You sisters of Doris supporting and strengthening Joe and each other. Together, you talk, cry, laugh, and remember. But there is still more help available together. By God’s grace you have a second family to which you may turn. It is the church, the living body of Christ. And this is no small blessing. Doris was a member of Immanuel. She was a part of our fellowship and united with us in Holy communion.
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the Law of Christ.” Because we are one in Christ, we comfort and support each other and help one another carry their burdens. At a time like this there is a burden to bear, and I am here to say, “You don’t have to carry it alone.”
Now since we grieve not as others without hop, I offer this second profession of faith. While this is a burden to bear, this is a hope to share. That hope take into account the future of Doris as well as the faith by which we, who remain on earth, walk in this life.