I have a funeral scheduled for tomorrow and I'm having a hard time coming up with anything to say. This 99 year old individual never had any church affiliation. She never was baptized or participated in the life of a church and gave no indication to anyone that she had even a minuscule among of faith.
I'm fully aware that there are plenty of people who have been baptized, confirmed, and attended worship nearly every Sunday of their lives, but who never have known Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Such things don't necessarily reveal the condition of a person's heart.
On the other hand, Jesus said you can know a tree by its fruit. If a person exhibits no evidence of having faith in Christ, then one is forced to assume that faith didn't exist.
Of course, I don't know for certain the condition of this person's soul, thus I can't say definitively what her eternal destiny is. But my theology says, Christ is the way, the truth and the life, apart from whom no one can see the Father.
So I'm left struggling what to say. I can do a nice little message that makes everyone feel good. Or I can speak the truth. That here is an individual who's destiny is uncertain. God in His mercy may intervene and deliver her, or God in His holiness may justly condemn her.
Oh, I can rationalize doing a "nice" message. I don't know her destiny, but I do know that God is merciful. However, I'm inclined toward the latter. I'm tired of pussy-footing around. I'm fed up with saying what I think people want to hear, regardless whether or not I have to stretch the truth to say it. It seems to me that I'm doing no one a favor by sugar coating reality. People need to know that in Christ is salvation and without Him eternity is a big question mark.
It may be too late for thsi already, but here are a few things. You know the fruits which faith bears.If you can find one or even two then you can point to those and be honest with the people. You can then remind people that all God wants from us is our deisre to know and be known, which produces such fruits and assures of us the salvation offered in Christ Jesus.
Peace,
David
Posted by: David | September 07, 2006 at 09:20 AM
When I was in theological college I was given some good advice about preparing a funeral address: "The only thing you can say with certainty about anyone is that they were a sinner in need of God's mercy".
My approach is always to be honest and to commend the deceased to the grace and mercy of God.
Posted by: Richard Hall | September 07, 2006 at 11:41 AM
I'm curious as to what obligated you to do the funeral anyway. Are you in ministry to the family of the deceased?
Posted by: The Rev. Tim Sisk | September 07, 2006 at 04:49 PM
Just preach Christ. I don't think a funeral is the time to lay the "truth" on the family of the deceased unless you want them to spend the rest of their days - and perhaps a lot of sleepless nights - wondering if their loved one is eternally condemned.
You had the message right: God is merciful. If we cannot believe that, then we cannot believe in or preach redemption. He alone is the Judge; let Him make that call for the deceased.
Posted by: Michael | September 07, 2006 at 07:13 PM