Where To Go When You Grieve
Sermon
Life Everlasting
The Essential Book of Funeral Resources
Object:
For a forty-year-old
Where To Go When You Grieve
Matthew 14:12
(This funeral sermon was preached for a forty-year-old member of my congregation; he died after an illness of six weeks, leaving a wife and two teenaged daughters.)
What do you do and where do you go when a loved one dies? Where do you go when you have a pain in your heart that no physician can cure? Where do you go when you feel like you've swallowed a stone? Where do you go when the heaviness of your grief is like a staggering load? Where do you go when tears run down like rain on your face? Who will care enough? Who can help? Who will understand, really understand your grief?
There is an old gospel song which asks the same question:
Life here is grand with friends I love so dear,
Comfort I get from God's own Word;
Yet when I face the chilling hand of death,
Where could I go but to the Lord?
Our text today comes out of a fresh grief and a terrible loss caused by death, too. John the Baptist has vigorously denounced Herod and his adulterous relationship with his brother Philip's wife. Herodias is enraged and when Herod's birthday is celebrated, she cunningly contrives the death of John the Baptist, that dauntless preacher who has named her sin. The final result is that John is beheaded. The grieving disciples of John come and claim his body, give it a loving burial, and then "went and told Jesus."
That is where we are today. Your dear, loved one has died, you are now giving the body the service and burial that befits one so precious to you, and then -- then, what do you do, where do you turn, where do you go with a nearly unbearable pain and unanswerable questions? The text gives great comfort and counsel in this hour: They "went and told Jesus." Why don't we try that? Why don't we go to Jesus, too? Let's go to Jesus!
Why? We go to Jesus because he cares.
John's disciples knew it would make a difference to Christ; that it would matter to him that their friend and leader and loved one had died -- and it still matters to him. He still cares when we hurt. Do you recall the plaintive question in the familiar song?
Does Jesus care when I've said, "Good-bye"
To the dearest on earth to me
And my sad heart aches, till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to him? Does he see?
And the glad response is:
O yes, he cares; I know he cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Savior cares
"I don't care" is one of the most hurtful phrases we can hear when we are in pain. But those who do care; family, friends -- those who have called at your home these past days, those who have brought food, those who have called with sympathetic messages, those who have sent flowers, those who are at this service today, those who will continue to support you and help you -- all of this is immeasurable help in your need. But think of the added glory and wonder of this: Jesus, the divine Son of God, cares, too! He is more touched with your grief than anyone. That's why we go to him: He cares!
John's disciples knew that Jesus loved him, too. Had Jesus not said, "among men born of women, there is not a greater than he"? And so your loved one -- this husband and father and friend of so many of us -- was loved by Jesus, too. Jesus had claimed him as his very own son when in repentance, faith, and baptism, he became his own possession. Jesus walked with him through the illness, and also "through the valley of the shadow of death," and then into heaven's bright home. Jesus has never forsaken him, and now he welcomes him, rewards him, keeps him -- keeps him safe for you until the day of reunion.
We need never fear for those loved ones of ours who fall into death. In Christ's death and resurrection, he has taken the sting away from our dying, and promises us only peace and light.
A man walked a lonely, difficult, treacherous mountain pass late one night. He knew if he made one misstep he would tumble to certain death on the rocks hundreds of feet below. Nearing the top, his foot slipped off the narrow path and he fell. He scrambled, and on his descent down, finally grabbed a small bush, and barely caught hold of it. He cried for help, he prayed, he called, he tried to get a tighter grip, knowing all the while that his strength was leaving and he would surely fall. Finally, he lost his strength, and fell -- just six inches to solid ground beneath his feet!
So with our loved ones: they fall -- they fall into the hands of death, fall into the great unknown, falling, falling, falling, and fall into the everlasting and loving arms of a Father God, who holds them secure. No wonder we sing in relief, "Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on his gentle breast."
The disciples of John knew Jesus not only loved him, but also would help them.
Jesus wants to help you, too. He helps us by reminding us of his victory over death that means our loved ones are safe -- but brighter days are ahead for us, too. Your grief is almost despair today, but this is not the end. There is more, there is strength, there is promise, there is reunion, there is hope!
A husband and wife had been missionaries in Korea for fifteen years. They had worked side-by-side in the gospel of Christ. Now, she was dying. The brokenhearted husband held her hand until her departure. But just before she died she said, "Do not grieve for me, my dear. You'll get me back again, you'll get me back." A month later, their only child died of the same disease as his mother. The man's heart was crushed; he'd lost his wife, and now his son. But as the boy died, he said, "Don't cry. I see a light. I see mother. I see Jesus. And remember, Dad, you'll get us back again." The father sat in a funeral train, taking his son to be buried by his mother. Two Korean women sat behind him. One was weeping. Her companion asked her why she was crying and she replied, "Oh, I feel so sorry for the missionary -- he lost his wife and son in such a short time." The other woman said, "Don't cry for him -- weep for yourself and for me. I lost a boy and may never get him back. You lost a daughter and may never see her again. But these Christians who know Jesus have a strange way of getting back their dead!"
And we do! We see our loved ones again. One of the best things I can tell you is that "Christians never see each other for the last time!"
The Matthew 19:12 text tells us where to go with our grief: You "go and tell Jesus." There is a painting which shows the devil at a chessboard with a young man. The devil has just made his move and the young man's face has the look of one whose king is checkmated. On his face is written defeat and despair. One day, Paul Morphy, the great chess genius, stood looking at that painting. Carefully, he studied the positions on the board. Suddenly his face lit up and he shouted to the young man in the painting, "You still have a move -- don't give up, you still have a move!" So today, you weep, you hurt, you despair, you think you are in a corner, all your next moves are blocked. Oh, no, they aren't! Go to Jesus! He is your friend, he loves you, and he will help you! Amen.
(Reprinted from "In Sure And Certain Hope," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1985.)
Where To Go When You Grieve
Matthew 14:12
(This funeral sermon was preached for a forty-year-old member of my congregation; he died after an illness of six weeks, leaving a wife and two teenaged daughters.)
What do you do and where do you go when a loved one dies? Where do you go when you have a pain in your heart that no physician can cure? Where do you go when you feel like you've swallowed a stone? Where do you go when the heaviness of your grief is like a staggering load? Where do you go when tears run down like rain on your face? Who will care enough? Who can help? Who will understand, really understand your grief?
There is an old gospel song which asks the same question:
Life here is grand with friends I love so dear,
Comfort I get from God's own Word;
Yet when I face the chilling hand of death,
Where could I go but to the Lord?
Our text today comes out of a fresh grief and a terrible loss caused by death, too. John the Baptist has vigorously denounced Herod and his adulterous relationship with his brother Philip's wife. Herodias is enraged and when Herod's birthday is celebrated, she cunningly contrives the death of John the Baptist, that dauntless preacher who has named her sin. The final result is that John is beheaded. The grieving disciples of John come and claim his body, give it a loving burial, and then "went and told Jesus."
That is where we are today. Your dear, loved one has died, you are now giving the body the service and burial that befits one so precious to you, and then -- then, what do you do, where do you turn, where do you go with a nearly unbearable pain and unanswerable questions? The text gives great comfort and counsel in this hour: They "went and told Jesus." Why don't we try that? Why don't we go to Jesus, too? Let's go to Jesus!
Why? We go to Jesus because he cares.
John's disciples knew it would make a difference to Christ; that it would matter to him that their friend and leader and loved one had died -- and it still matters to him. He still cares when we hurt. Do you recall the plaintive question in the familiar song?
Does Jesus care when I've said, "Good-bye"
To the dearest on earth to me
And my sad heart aches, till it nearly breaks,
Is it aught to him? Does he see?
And the glad response is:
O yes, he cares; I know he cares,
His heart is touched with my grief;
When the days are weary, the long nights dreary
I know my Savior cares
"I don't care" is one of the most hurtful phrases we can hear when we are in pain. But those who do care; family, friends -- those who have called at your home these past days, those who have brought food, those who have called with sympathetic messages, those who have sent flowers, those who are at this service today, those who will continue to support you and help you -- all of this is immeasurable help in your need. But think of the added glory and wonder of this: Jesus, the divine Son of God, cares, too! He is more touched with your grief than anyone. That's why we go to him: He cares!
John's disciples knew that Jesus loved him, too. Had Jesus not said, "among men born of women, there is not a greater than he"? And so your loved one -- this husband and father and friend of so many of us -- was loved by Jesus, too. Jesus had claimed him as his very own son when in repentance, faith, and baptism, he became his own possession. Jesus walked with him through the illness, and also "through the valley of the shadow of death," and then into heaven's bright home. Jesus has never forsaken him, and now he welcomes him, rewards him, keeps him -- keeps him safe for you until the day of reunion.
We need never fear for those loved ones of ours who fall into death. In Christ's death and resurrection, he has taken the sting away from our dying, and promises us only peace and light.
A man walked a lonely, difficult, treacherous mountain pass late one night. He knew if he made one misstep he would tumble to certain death on the rocks hundreds of feet below. Nearing the top, his foot slipped off the narrow path and he fell. He scrambled, and on his descent down, finally grabbed a small bush, and barely caught hold of it. He cried for help, he prayed, he called, he tried to get a tighter grip, knowing all the while that his strength was leaving and he would surely fall. Finally, he lost his strength, and fell -- just six inches to solid ground beneath his feet!
So with our loved ones: they fall -- they fall into the hands of death, fall into the great unknown, falling, falling, falling, and fall into the everlasting and loving arms of a Father God, who holds them secure. No wonder we sing in relief, "Safe in the arms of Jesus, safe on his gentle breast."
The disciples of John knew Jesus not only loved him, but also would help them.
Jesus wants to help you, too. He helps us by reminding us of his victory over death that means our loved ones are safe -- but brighter days are ahead for us, too. Your grief is almost despair today, but this is not the end. There is more, there is strength, there is promise, there is reunion, there is hope!
A husband and wife had been missionaries in Korea for fifteen years. They had worked side-by-side in the gospel of Christ. Now, she was dying. The brokenhearted husband held her hand until her departure. But just before she died she said, "Do not grieve for me, my dear. You'll get me back again, you'll get me back." A month later, their only child died of the same disease as his mother. The man's heart was crushed; he'd lost his wife, and now his son. But as the boy died, he said, "Don't cry. I see a light. I see mother. I see Jesus. And remember, Dad, you'll get us back again." The father sat in a funeral train, taking his son to be buried by his mother. Two Korean women sat behind him. One was weeping. Her companion asked her why she was crying and she replied, "Oh, I feel so sorry for the missionary -- he lost his wife and son in such a short time." The other woman said, "Don't cry for him -- weep for yourself and for me. I lost a boy and may never get him back. You lost a daughter and may never see her again. But these Christians who know Jesus have a strange way of getting back their dead!"
And we do! We see our loved ones again. One of the best things I can tell you is that "Christians never see each other for the last time!"
The Matthew 19:12 text tells us where to go with our grief: You "go and tell Jesus." There is a painting which shows the devil at a chessboard with a young man. The devil has just made his move and the young man's face has the look of one whose king is checkmated. On his face is written defeat and despair. One day, Paul Morphy, the great chess genius, stood looking at that painting. Carefully, he studied the positions on the board. Suddenly his face lit up and he shouted to the young man in the painting, "You still have a move -- don't give up, you still have a move!" So today, you weep, you hurt, you despair, you think you are in a corner, all your next moves are blocked. Oh, no, they aren't! Go to Jesus! He is your friend, he loves you, and he will help you! Amen.
(Reprinted from "In Sure And Certain Hope," CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio 45804, © 1985.)
