| |
    
  
FUNERAL
SERMON FOR JOHN Q. SINNER
This seemed
a logical follow-up to last week's sermon.
FUNERAL SERMON FOR JOHN Q. SINNER
Text: Ecc. 8:10 And so I saw the wicked buried, who had come and
gone from the place of the holy, and they were forgotten in the city
where they had so done: this is also vanity.
Intro: Many times we hear of a near tragedy in which many
lives could have been lost, but by some circumstance there were only
a few lost, and we say, “How fortunate that there were only two or
three casualties.” Yet, these two or three left the land of the
living and entered eternity!
I. Reading the obituary; Identifying the
deceased, (the wicked)
A. Born in sin
Psa 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity, and in sin did my mother
conceive me.
Psa 58:3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as
soon as they be born, speaking lies.
B. Lived in sin.
Definition of sin:
1. Transgression of the law.
I Jno 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for
sin is the transgression of the law.
2. Not doing well. (Not Pleasing God) (Missing the mark of
perfection)
Gen 4:7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou
doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his
desire, and thou shalt rule over him.
Reminds me of a mangy dog dropped off near our house, and
every time we stepped out the back door, that dog was there to trip
us.
A. Sin of unbeliever trips in every effort to bypass Christ
for salvation.
B. Hidden or unconfesssed sin trips God’s children..
Heb 12:1 Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great
a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us,
C. Died in sin (of unbelief)
Jno 8:21 Then said Jesus again unto them, I go my way, and ye shall
seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come.
22 Then said the Jews, Will he kill himself? because he saith,
Whither I go, ye cannot come.
23 And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye
are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if
ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.
II The sermon for John Sinner
A. He came to the place of the Holy
1. Every man comes to a ‘Holy place”
a. Of Conviction:
Jno 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men
unto me.
2. To the Hearing of the Gospel
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the
power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.
3. Lifted up in prayer? Did YOU pray for him?
I Tim 2:1 I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications,
prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;
B. Gone from the place of the Holy
1. Never again to be convicted.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but
after this the judgment:
2. Never to hear another sermon!
Lu 16:27 Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou
wouldest send him to my father's house:
28 For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest
they also come into this place of torment.
29 Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let
them hear them.
30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from
the dead, they will repent.
31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
3. Never again to be lifted up in prayer.
Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this
the judgment:
The sad finality of it. GONE
III His eternal fate
The reality of hell
Lu 16:19 There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple
and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
Lu 16:23 And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and
seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
24 And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my
tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
This is no parable. There was a CERTAIN rich man, and a
certain beggar named Lazarus
A. Objections answered
1. I don’t believe in hell -
Rom 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make
the faith of God without effect?
2. God is love and would not send anyone to hell
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in
unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for
God hath showed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even
his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
3. Christians couldn’t enjoy heaven knowing men were
suffering in hell.
Ecc 1:11 There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall
there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that
shall come after.
Consider the rich man and Lazarus (Lu 16:) The rich man in
hell was concerned about those left behind, but Lazarus was not.
IV View the remains - The beauty of the flowers- the
peaceful look of the deceased resting in a satin lined coffin- But
What of his soul?
A. Christian, see your lost friend!
B. Sinner, see yourself!
V. Buried - Gone
Gone is all opportunity to witness!
Gone is all opportunity to be saved!
|
|
