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• WHAT WILL THE PREACHER SAY AT YOUR
FUNERAL?
• Most people will have some sort of service to honor and remember their
life after they die.
• Whether a preacher or friend speaks, we must ask ourselves: “What
will that person say about me?”
• INTRODUCTION
• One of my responsibilities as a Christian and a preacher is to try and
comfort families who have lost loved ones.
• Comfort can come about through one or more of several avenues:
• friendship and support;
• helping out in areas where perhaps the load can be made lighter;
• expressions of love;
• but the greatest degree of comfort should come from the Word of God.
• FUNERALS
• I have never preached an “easy” funeral.
• All funerals are difficult from the standpoint of emotions involved.
• However, some funerals are “easier to preach” than others.
• At times, a great degree of comfort can be offered from God’s Word
because the deceased was a Christian.
• FUNERALS
• At other times and tragically, no hope can be offered from the Scriptures
on behalf of the deceased.
• These are the most difficult, once again because of the emotions.
• Once, because I could not say anything positive about a loved one, I was
accused of preaching him into hell.
• FUNERALS
• We understand, however, that nothing said at a memorial service will change
the destiny of the deceased.
• All remarks are directed to the living;
• remarks designed to comfort the family if possible;
• and to cause us to see the need to prepare for death (because we cannot
avoid it).
• FUNERALS
• Many of you, perhaps, have a pre-arranged funeral.
• That is, everything is arranged and paid for in advance.
• This also would take a load off the family during such a difficult time.
• FUNERALS
• In considering the idea of a “pre-arranged” funeral, I will
like to suggest that you also “pre-arrange” what the preacher will
say at your funeral.
• Upon learning that her cancer was terminal, sister Sylvia called me to
her bedside and told me to preach her funeral.
• Notice, she did not ask me to preach her funeral, but that is just the
way she was.
• FUNERALS
• Sister Sylvia told me to load up both barrels and let them have it.
• Most of her children knew the truth, but had drifted away into denominationalism,
and some just gave up on God altogether.
• I honored her request, yet tried my best not to be mean about it.
• I got mostly positive comments from the family.
• FUNERALS
• Let’s take some time to consider a few things that might/could be
said at your service.
• At your memorial service, will the preacher be able to say:
• *That you were baptized into Christ for the remission of your sins (Acts
2:38)?
• *That you attended every service of the church when you were physically
able. (Hebrews 10:25)?
• FUNERALS
• *That you exerted a positive Christian influence (Matthew 5:16)?
• *That you visited the sick and demonstrated concern for the less fortunate.
(Matthew 25:35,36)?
• *That you tried to encourage your brothers and sisters in Christ (Hebrews
3:13)?
• *That you tried your best to help the church grow (Ephesians 4:11-16)
• FUNERALS
• *That you taught your children the way of the Lord and led them in the
right way. (Ephesians 6:4)? [For some, this may be a duty that came too late in
life]
• *That you were a Christian husband or wife (Ephesians 5:22-33)?
• *That you demonstrated concern for your wayward brothers and sisters in
Christ. (Galatians 6:1)?
• FUNERALS
• *That you truly loved the Lord and His church (Matthew 22:37)?
*That going to Heaven and taking others with you was the most important thing
to you (Philippians 3:14)?
• *That you followed the Master’s example, and went about doing God’s
will (Luke 2:49)?
• CONCLUSION
• As stated, what the preacher does or does not say at your memorial service
will not change your destiny.
• However, if he is able to say the aforementioned things, it would be a
great comfort to your family and possibly cause someone to follow your example!
• Now, think! What will the preacher say at your funeral?
• Remember....
• YOU, NOT THE PREACHER, WILL DECIDE!
By Carey Scott from an article by Jimmy Ferguson
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