Message at Doris Holmes Funeral

Q: What does the Bible say about the afterlife for believers?

The Bible assures that believers in Christ will be with the Lord after death. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, comforts believers by stating that those who die in Christ are merely 'asleep' and will be raised when Christ returns. This passage emphasizes that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. Thus, believers can take solace in the promise that they will be reunited with deceased loved ones who died in faith.

Q: Why is the resurrection of believers important for Christians?

The resurrection assures believers of eternal life and victory over death. The resurrection of believers is crucial because it confirms the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ. As stated in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, Christ will descend from heaven and raise those who have died in Him first, giving a special blessing to those who have passed away as believers. This resurrection is the ultimate victory over death, offering hope and assurance that believers will be with the Lord forever.

Q: How do we know that Jesus' death and resurrection is true?

The death and resurrection of Jesus are foundational truths supported by scripture. The New Testament, particularly in passages like 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15, provides a clear and compelling witness to Jesus' death and resurrection. Paul emphasizes that Jesus died for His people and rose again as a demonstration of His power over sin and death. Believers are called to take God at His Word, trusting in the truth of these events as the foundation of their faith.

Q: What comfort can Christians find in the promises of God during times of loss?

God's promises provide profound comfort in the face of death. In times of loss, Christians can find comfort in the promises of God's Word, particularly regarding eternal life and the resurrection of believers. Paul encourages believers to comfort one another with the knowledge that death is not the end; instead, those who die in the faith are promised resurrection and eternal communion with Christ. This assurance serves as a source of strength and peace amidst sorrow.

Aren't you glad you don't have to follow that? We're gathered here today to pay our respects to a lady that I've known for a long time. I know with her passing. It's bittersweet. A lady that most of us know here, Betty Groover, told me one time, we rejoice with a tear in our eye. And we do. We do.

How do you sum up someone's life in just a few words. How do you speak an obituary with someone that you've known for so long and enjoyed their fellowship? Doris was a very special lady. And I'm not just saying that. been to funerals, I just knew in my heart that the person that had passed away had shown no interest in the gospel of God's free grace. And I know that it's a common thing to say at a funeral, well, they're in a better place now. Well, if they didn't know Christ, I can't say that.

But for this lady that made and had a good profession, she was a special lady. Still is. Still is a special lady. Special, I know, to her family. I can tell that just listening to Gina. give it her best shot to try to say some things concerning her mom. And I know it was tender, Gina, and that was sweet. I'm very, Kim, I know that.

Special lady to the congregation that knew her, worshiped with her, special lady. But I can tell you something that I know, based upon the profession that she made, she was a special lady under the Lord. Scripture speaks and says, Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth and scourgeth every son that he receiveth. Today, my heart's been drawn to speak from a passage of Scripture that I think is very fitting for this First Thessalonians. Chapter 4. The Apostle Paul was moved to pen these words. 1 Thessalonians 4 verses 13 to 18.

He said, but I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye have sorrow not. that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with a voice of the archangel, with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds and meet them in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord.

Wherefore, comfort one another with these words. And this is what I want to do. I want to speak that which is a comfort to God's people. Now I know this. We're saddened. We're saddened by Doris being not with us. We're human beings. We realize And I realize that in her passing, that is in itself, that's a trial to all of us. I mean, like I said, we just enjoyed seeing her, talking with her. But obviously, it's been the Lord's will to take her at this time.

It's appointed, the scripture declares, Hebrews 9.27. It's appointed unto men once to die, and after this, the judgment. But you know, I read that passage again this morning, and I began to think upon it, and I thought, when one who has made a profession in their heart and shown that profession by their actions, That's the only thing we know.

We take what someone says at their word, but I'm going to tell you something. Their actions prove something of what they believe. And I began to contemplate, what can I say? How can I say something that will be a comfort to God's people? And I read this passage of Scripture and I thought, This is where I need to be today, because I want to be a comfort to God's people.

The Apostle Paul, as I just read, said this, under the inspiration of God's Spirit, but I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope Now, obviously, according to God's word, when God's people die, humanly speaking, the scriptures declared that they're sleeping. They're just sleeping. I know this concerning dying in the Lord, sleeping in the Lord.

The body itself dies. I'm telling you in that casket, right there, we looked at it, there's a body. There's a body. Doris Holmes' body is in that casket. But I can tell you based on the word of God, she's alive today. Now you rest assured she's alive. Absent from the body, present with the Lord. Now let me ask you this. Now you just answer this to yourself. Do you truly believe that when her spirit, by God's good pleasure, left that human body right there, immediately she was in the presence of Almighty God?

I tell you what a believer believes. Yes, I do believe that. Because the Lord said it was so. So the Apostle Paul would say, I would not have you to be ignorant. Don't be ignorant on this thing, brethren, concerning them that are sleep. Don't sorrow, that you sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them will God bring with him. that when the Lord Jesus Christ died, that he was dying for his people. And I can tell you from the word of God that when a believer dies, they die according to God's will and purpose, trusting God, and they're with the Lord. They're with him. Verse 14 that we just read, if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and why did he die? Well, he died because he had been pleased, eternally pleased to bear in his own body the sin of his people.

2 Corinthians 5.21 says, He, the Father, hath made Him, the Son, to be sin. Someone says, now wait a minute. Do you actually believe that the Lord Jesus Christ was made sin? Well, I'm going to say this. Either I'm going to believe God and rest in believing God's Word, Or I'm going to not believe God and it's going to be to my peril.

For He, the Father, hath made Him to be sin. Let's just take the Lord at His word. He who knew no sin. He was not a sinner. He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin. That we might be made the righteousness of God. In Him. Not in ourselves, but in Him.

Apostle Paul says if we believe that Jesus died for his own, he said, I lay down my life for the sheep and rose again, even so them also would sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which sleep, which are asleep. Whenever the Lord laid down His life and He rose again, He rose under the power of Almighty God. He actually gave Himself and laid down His life for His own. Paul says, For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first.

Now we know that by divine revelation that the Redeemer in that day is going to do something that we're assured is going to happen. This lady right here, this sister in Christ, the Lord was pleased to take her. Now, if there's anybody here in this congregation that is alive, and I know this, the Lord's gonna come back and there's gonna be some believers when he comes back. There's gonna be believers on this earth. But according to the word of God, there's gonna be a special blessing that is given unto those that have died in the Lord. Died as believers.

There's a special blessing that's gonna be given to them. And here's what it is. According to the word of God. You'll hear me say that over and over again because I don't have anything else to say but what God has to say. The scripture declares that when the Lord Jesus comes, He's going to bring His people with Him.

And those that died in the Lord, they're going to be raised first. We know by divine revelation that the Lord Jesus Christ is going to bring those that has died in Him, He's going to raise them first before any of us that are alive at that time meet them in the air. A special blessing. We which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

We're not going to attain if we're still here. I think to myself, I say this to the folks all the time, I know this from experience. I may not finish this message. I may not. The Lord may take one of you. Somebody in this congregation is going to die before anybody else. You say, well, it won't be me. No, you don't know that.

But I know according to the Word of God that when the Lord is pleased to return to receive His own unto Himself, those that died in Him died believing Him, they're gonna be the ones that's gonna be raised first and see the Lord. For the Lord Himself, I love that, I love that personal declaration. The Lord Himself, not gonna send an angel, He's not gonna send a preacher, He's gonna send the Lord Himself. shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

What a promise. What a blessed promise, the sting of death, the victory of the grave. No power there. Here's power right here. Here's the Lord. I know that in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, it'll happen before any of us even realize what's going on.

We're going to depart this world, but we're going to depart this world according to God's timing, according to His pleasure. And then Paul was moved to say in this last verse, verse 18, wherefore, comfort one another with these words. I have learned and many of you have too.

The only comfort that we've got, let me tell you the only comfort that I've got concerned the passing of my friend. And I've preached many, many funerals here since I've been here. I've been here 23 years. And while I've been here for 23 years, I've preached quite a few funerals. And I know from experience that in the hour of one's passing, that we need some comfort. We need comfort.

But do you know the only comfort that any believer's got? Is that they know that the Lord ordered the passing. He ordered the timing of the passing. And he ordered that they that needed the comfort would have comfort by sending a preacher that would read these words We please the Lord through the foolishness of preaching. Not, not, I've told people, not foolish preaching. There's a lot of foolish preaching. But through that which this world would call foolishness. They're saying, you're telling me that the only comfort that a believer has is by hearing the Word of God?

You that know Him. This is the only comfort you've got right now. You girls are going to miss your mama. I know that. I know that. But I can tell you the comfort, the comfort that we have. She's going to be seen by those that, like her, had confessed the Lord. That's the comfort that we got. I preached my mama's funeral. I preached, you know, your mom and dad, many of you here. funerals, and the only comfort that we've got is to say, thus saith the Lord. And so shall they ever be with the Lord.

I can't even imagine. I don't even know how to think like that. You know, I've told the folks, I don't know how to think eternity. How do you think eternity? I think in time. You know, from this point to this point. It starts and it ends here. But eternity, it never started and it never ends. Comfort one another with these words.

This is what the Lord said is going to happen. We have nothing else but His promise. to see him, to see him as he is. I told the folks last night, I have foolish thoughts to see him as he is. In my mind, I think I'll see the Lord. And I think, well, this is gonna be the way it's gonna be. And then I read the passage of scripture that says, I have not seen nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man that which God has prepared for those that love him. And I think, Lord, as you say it is, it is. Lord, as you declare things to be, they are. And right now, my heart And the Lord knows what I'm saying.

I mean this. I don't mean it, I'm sure, as much as I wish I did. But I mean it. I can tell you right now, based on this word, right now, this blessed sister right now is rejoicing in a way that she's never been able to rejoice before. And to think, in my foolish thinking again, that she would think it, I never dreamed it would be like this.

I have God's word on that. Neither hath entered the heart of man. But I can rejoice in the best way I know how and say that this is the greatest blessing that a believer could ever have, is to know Christ. and to lay all their hope upon him by his grace, and to have him promise there's coming a day when we're gonna hear the voice of the Lord with a shout, a shout. What is that gonna be? I don't know, but I believe it's gonna be so. Lord, I pray that you'd bless these words, these feeble words that were given with a heart truly honoring trying to honor you for God's glory and for the good and comfort of God's people. Amen.

Message at Doris Holmes Funeral

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the afterlife for believers?

Why is the resurrection of believers important for Christians?

How do we know that Jesus' death and resurrection is true?

What comfort can Christians find in the promises of God during times of loss?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

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Message at Doris Holmes Funeral

Key Quotes

What does the Bible say about the afterlife for believers?

Why is the resurrection of believers important for Christians?

How do we know that Jesus' death and resurrection is true?

What comfort can Christians find in the promises of God during times of loss?

Sermon Transcript

About Marvin Stalnaker

Comments

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