INFANT / CHILD DEDICATION
Suggested Order of Service
Introduction (By Cell Leader)
The child dedication is a service of thanksgiving for God's gift of children to our community. It is an affirmation of our parental role and responsibility to bring them up in the fear and way of the Lord. By their simple faith and trust, a child can inherit the Kingdom of God but the task of nurturing and building Godliness and the fear of God in the child is a parental responsibility. We are all very much in need of the support of the community and the grace of God, and this Dedication Service is also an expression of the parent's dependence on God and our support to them as a loving and caring community of Jesus Christ.
Hymn/Song of Worship
Affirmation of God's promise by Cell Leader
Psalm 127:3-5 : Children are God's gift to us
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from Him."
Matt. 19:13 & 18:6 : Children have a special place in God's heart
"Jesus said: 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for the Kingdom belongs to such as these.'"
"Whoever welcomes a little child like this in My Name welcomes me."
Matt. 18:2-6 : Children have much to teach us
"He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said 'I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child, is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.'"
Presentation of Children by Parents
AO/CGL/ACGL: "Who do you bring to be blessed by the Lord today?"
Parents : "We bring our child, _______________________. His/Her name means _____________________________
AO/CGL/ACGL : "As a church, we offer this child to be dedicated to the Lord for His blessings."
Charge to the Parents
AO/CGL/ACGL: God's Word charge you to "Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it" – Prov. 22:6. "Do not exasperate them but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord" - Eph. 6:4"
Parental Response
Parents : As Christian parents empowered by the grace of God, we commit ourselves to fulfil the charge given, by:
Creating a Christian Home to nurture them
Consecrating ourselves to be Godly examples to them
Soaking ourselves in the Wisdom of God's word so as to impart biblical principles and perspectives on lives' issues.
Sharpening ourselves to discern the hurts and struggles of our children.
Accepting their God-given uniqueness instead of forcing them to fit our mould.
Interceding for them daily.
Prayer of Dedication by the AO/CGL/ACGL
Song of Joy: "Thank you Jesus"
Benediction by the AO/CGL/ACGL
HOME BLESSING AND DEDICATION
Suggested Order of Service
Welcome and Opening Prayer by AO/CGL/ACGL
Explain significance of a Godly Home (the following hymn "A CHRISTIAN HOME" gives very good pointers for your sharing:
O give us Homes built upon the Saviour
Where Christ is Head and Counsellor and Guide
Where every child is taught His love and favour
And gives His heart to Christ the crucified
How sweet to know that though his footsteps waver
His faithful Lord is walking by his side
O give us homes with godly good examples
Who always place their hope and trust in Him
Whose tender patience, turmoil never bother
Whose calm and courage, trouble cannot dim
A home where each finds joy in serving others
And love still shines though days be dark and grim
O Lord, our God, our homes are Thine forever
We trust to Thee their problems, toil and care
Their bonds of love, no enemy can sever
If Thou art always Lord and Master there
Be Thou the centre of our least endeavour
Be Thou our Guest, our hearts and home to share.
Reading of Scripture:
Matthew 7:24-27, Psalm 127
Word of Encouragement (optional)
Dedication by Host
Husband : I,
dedicate myself to lead my family as the appointed head of this house. I commit myself to be a Christ-like husband to my wife and head of my household. By God's grace I will establish the Agenda and Authority of Jesus with love and faithfulness.
Wife : I,
dedicate myself to encourage and support my husband as the appointed co-leader of this house. I commit myself to be a Christ-like wife to my husband. I will follow the Agenda and Authority of Jesus with love and faithfulness.
Husband & Wife Together: As a family, we dedicate ourselves and our home to the glory of God. To pray and seek God together as a family under the Lordship of Christ. To serve Him and receive His blessings so that we can be a blessing to others. May God be glorified through us forevermore. Amen!
Dedication by Leader
AO/CGL/ACGL: We dedicate this home to the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. May this household and all that is in it be blessed by the love and protection of the triune God.
All invited Guests: May our Lord God hear our prayers and surround this household with His Presence.
AO/CGL/ACGL: We dedicate this home to God that it may be used to bless others.
All
invited Guests: May our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ add on His many blessings and joy to this home.
AO/CGL/ACGL: We dedicate this family to strive towards the goal of Christ-likeness that is in accordance to the perfect will of God.
All
invited Guests: May others truly see Christ in them and experience His Peace that no man can give.
AO/CGL/ACGL: May happiness, hope and good health dwell upon this family as they seek to love the Lord with all their heart, with all their soul, with all their mind and with all their stength.
All
invited Guests: In the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Song of Thanksgiving followed by Benediction
FUNERAL SERVICE / Suggested Order of Service
Music Prelude
Instrumental music (hymns of comfort)
Opening Words of Welcome
Dear Friends and relatives of Mrs ______ and the late Mr _________. Tonight we are gathered here to pay our final tribute of respect to a man who has lived righteously and well before God and Man.
The late Mr ________ was very much loved and respected by many both in church and in the business community. He was looked up to as a leader and a true friend. To his beloved family we especially offer our condolence and deep sympathy. May we share with you the comfort afforded by God's word for such a time as this. (This is only a sample. Plan your speech to fit the context of the deceased and family).
Scripture Reading
The CGL/ACGL or CG member shall read any two or three of the following:
Psalms 23 / Isaiah 40:11 / John 5:25-29 / John 11:25,26 / 2 Corinthians 1:3,4
The beloved late brother Mr _________ passed away on the ______leaving behind __________ (mention some or all of the bereaved family members by name such as the wife, children, parents, brothers and sisters, etc.)
Prayer (suggest to write prayers out ahead of time)
The prayer should be focused and reflect deep sympathy for the bereaved, praying for strength, comfort and peace for family as well.
Praise God for the life and blessing for the late Mr. ________________.
Hymns
ALL THE WAY MY SAVIOUR LEADS ME. IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL ………..
Or choose two hymns that are known to be the favourites of the deceased.
Testimonies from close family members
Hymns
AMAZING GRACE ………..
Word of Comfort
Introduction: "We now invite ___________ of Bartley Christian Church to share a word of comfort to all of us, especially to the family members and relatives. (This is a time to encourage, not to preach. Suggest not more than 10 minutes):
A Comforting Invitation--Matt. 11:28; Ps. 101:2; Rev. 22:17.
Affliction, Momentary--2 Cor. 4:17.
Another Comforter--John 14:16-18; Isa. 51:12.
Blessed Are They That Mourn--Matt. 5:4; Luke 6:21; Jer. 21:13.
Explained Hereafter--John 13:7; I Cor. 13:12.
God Gave and Hath Taken--Job 1:21, 5:18; Ps. 147:3
God Our Refuge--Deut. 33:27; Ps. 121:2, 60:11.
His Grace Sufficient--2 Cor. 12:9; Deut. 33:25.
I Shall Go To Him--2 Sam. 12:23; John 14:2.
It Is Well--2 Kings 4:26; Job 2:10; Acts 21:14.
Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled--John 14:1.
Mourning For A Mother--Ps. 35:14; Isa. 66:13.
Mourning Turned To Joy--Jer. 31:13; Isa. 14:3.
Sorrow Not Without Hope--1 Thess. 4:13; Heb. 6:19; Mark 16:10.
The Compassionate Christ--Luke 7:13; Ps. 86:15; John 11:33.
Gen 3:19; 1Chr 29:15; Job 9:25-26, 12:9-10, 14:1-2; Ps 4:8, 16:6, 23:4,39:4-5, 49:15, 103:15-16, Prov 12:18, Ecc 7:2, Isa 25:8, 40:1, 41:10, 43:1-3, 61:1-3, 57:1; Matt 5:4, 24:42, 25:34; Luke 7:13, 16:19-31, 23:43; John 6:40, 8:51, 11:25-26, 14:27, 16:22, 14:2-3, 17:24, Rom 6:23, 8:35-37, 14:8, 1Cor 15:55-57; 2Cor 1:3-4, 5:1,8, 11:9; Phili 1:21; 1Thes 4:13; 2Tim 1:10; Heb 9:27, 10:39; James 4:14, 1Pet 1:24-25, Rev 1:17-18, 3:5
Hymns
BECAUSE HE LIVES …….
Closing Prayer
Thanking God for comforting our hearts, for His faithful provision and for the loving care of the Christian community.
Announcements
On behalf of the bereaved family members, we thank you for your presence, your support, word of comfort and prayers during this time of sorrow.
The next memorial service is on . . . . .
The funeral service will be on . . . . .
The cortege will leave here at . . . . .
Please stay back for some refreshments (be sure to check if this is provided)
Any other announcements the family members want to make.
Thank you very much. May the Lord bless you all.
Note: Cremation Funerals.
For Cremation, the process of funeral service end at the niche where the ash is laid to rest. Preferably pastoral care extends to this place for closure.
Collection of Ash is a simple process at Mandai Crematorium. A small side room is used by funeral directors and the family to receive the ashes. At this room, a prayer for the family will help them approach the remains reverently.
The funeral director normally chooses the head remains to be placed in and followed by members placing a piece within. It is way of closure much like a burial when we throw in a piece of earth. The rest of the ash is poured in and sealed by the director.
The urn is then taken to the columbarium and there are we placed it into the niche a final closing word and prayer is said.
When placing the ash into the urn (#3), we remind the members the body which is dust is returned to dust while the soul and spirit of the Living is returned to God. Select a verse appropriate.
At the niche, we turn the members to the day of the Lord and we encourage them to walk in love and faith as the remains are now at its final resting place. Suggestions that they remember their loved one as alive in God for believers and use positive ways to remember in future will help them move on from grief to resolution.
A short song like Turn your eyes upon Jesus...
Text. I Thess 4. Hope.
Closing prayer.
Normally after this, the family decides on engravings on the marble plaque, names, verses , photo. etc.
Pastors, elders, staff, note that your participation and presence at the above funeral is much appreciated.
Psalm 23 of David
1The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 2He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 3he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 4Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.5You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Psalm 103 of David
8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. 9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; 10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. 11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; 12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. 13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
Isaiah 40:11
11He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
John 5:25-29
25I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28"Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
John 11:25-26
25Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
1 Corinthians 15:54-57
54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.
Revelation 1:17-18
17When I saw him (Jesus), I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
Gen 3:19 / 1Chr 29:15 / Job 9:25-26, 12:9-10, 14:1-2 / Ps 4:8, 16:6, 23:4,39:4-5, 49:15, 103:15-16 / Prov 12:18 / Ecc 7:2 / Isa 25:8, 40:1, 41:10, 43:1-3, 61:1-3, 57:1
Matt 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. 25:34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.
Luke 7:13 When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, "Don't cry."
16:19-31 The Rich Man and Lazarus
19"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21and longing to eat what fell from the rich man's table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
22"The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23In hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24So he called to him, 'Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.'
25"But Abraham replied, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.'
27"He answered, 'Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father's house, 28for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.'
29"Abraham replied, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.'
30" 'No, father Abraham,' he said, 'but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.'
31"He said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' "
23:43 Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."
John 6:40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death." 14:27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. 16:22 So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. 14:2 In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 17:24"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 14:8 If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
2Cor 5:1 Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands…8We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
Phili 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.
1Thes 4:13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope.
2Tim 1:10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
Heb 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, 10:39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved
James 4:14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
1Pet 1:24 For, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but the word of the Lord stands forever." And this is the word that was preached to you.
Rev 3:5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.
A Funeral Message by John F. MacArthur, Jr.
Well, these are always such times of mixed emotion when we lose someone so precious as Don (Last name omitted). This is a wonderful testimony to his life to see such a congregation here on a Sunday afternoon; believe me. And all of us who knew him could do nothing but love him because of the character of the man and the warmth of his personality. And I have learned through the years to put a high grade on faithfulness, and his was "A plus" in terms of faithfulness. And right on down to the last that he could do would be to serve at Grace To You in the wonderful way that he did. And we're so greatly indebted to really all the family who have meant so much to this church and to me personally through these many years. And, of course, we all feel the loss.
But on the other hand, nobody should have to endure life in this world for any longer than necessary, especially if we're headed to eternal glory, right? So we rejoice in the reality of the fact that Don is with the Lord. And that was the plan from before time began anyway; that he should be brought to eternal glory; that he might praise the Lord Jesus Christ forever.
Just a few thoughts from the word of God. Those of you who have been a part of Grace Church know that for a long time I have been teaching in 2Corinthians. We have since completed that. But in going back to 2Corinthians, one of the things that comes through that letter is Paul continually refers to the fact that he was on the edge of death all the time; he knew that every day could be the last day that he would live. He said, "I die daily." What he meant by that was not anything mystical, but every morning when I wake up I realize that between the plots of the Gentiles and the plots of the Jews, this could be it. And so he lived with the imminent reality of death constantly in his life. And he refers to it repeatedly in 2Corinthians. But he sums up his perspective in the fourth chapter in Verse 16 by saying: "Therefore ... we do not lose heart."
If there's anything that should cause you to become ultimately discouraged or to lose heart, it would be to face death every day; to realize that even though you may have been healthy, that this could be your last day; even though you had great plans and you felt like there were things to do and there was some measure of necessity for you being around, and there was the possibility of some pain and some suffering and the infliction of some -- some severe wounds, et cetera, that could cause your death -- to be able to look death in the face and say, "We do not lose heart," is to have ultimately conquered the greatest enemy. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 2 that Satan holds men bondage to the "fear of death" all their life long. It is the greatest fear. It is the ultimate fear. And when you come to the place where you have conquered that fear, you have conquered the ultimate enemy. And the apostle Paul could say that: "We do not lose heart."
And the reason he could say that is very important. It's important for us today. He said this: "We look not at the things which are seen; but at the things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal." Now, the way you ultimately conquer death, the way you ultimately triumph in the face of death, the way you ultimately do not lose heart in facing death is to see it not from a physical perspective, but from a spiritual one. Right? It's to see beyond what is visible to the eye and perceive the great spiritual reality.
1. Eternal Glory
We do not lose heart in the death of Don because we do not look at what is temporal. We do not look at what can be obviously seen; age, illness, the progressive illness that finally takes a life. I went to the hospital to see Don. And, you know, [and] I know the family [was] there for many, many hours and many, many days [and] would probably comment often how he didn't look like the Don that we know. Progressively, that begins to change. But you can look at death from the physical side, as most people do. But all you see is what Paul says the "outer man decaying." So he says, "We do not lose heart," though our outer man is decaying. And the reason we don't lose heart is because we're really looking past that. And that is the great reality of the Christian faith, isn't it?
We look death in the face, and we see right through its facade to the spiritual reality behind it. That is why his family could actually pray that he would die; that the Lord would just take him. Because death holds no fear, it holds no sting, when you see beyond it. And what causes us to not lose heart? And what do we see when we look behind the face of death? We see what is eternal. And Paul says the first thing we see is eternal glory, for momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison.
One of the great things that the Bible teaches us is that when you become a Christian, a process begins in your life, what we call the process of sanctification. In fact, Paul refers to it in the same passage as the: "Inner man being renewed day by day." It is a process that is guaranteed. It is a process that actually happens. We do contribute to the speed with which it occurs by our obedience or disobedience. But it's the promise of God that when you're saved, the sanctification process begins. There is a continual working of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer that renews that believer from one level of glory to the next to the next to the next, ever more being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. And as that process goes on, concurrent with that process is an accumulative weight of eternal glory.
The more you grow as a Christian, the more you honor the Lord with your life, the more Christ-like you become, the more you increase that eternal weight of glory which is proportionate to the process of sanctification. And also affliction in this life -- difficulties, challenges, the onslaught of temptation, trials, struggles, disappointments and the triumph that you enjoy in the midst of those, contributes to that because all of that is a part of that sanctifying process. And it's safe to say, because it's Biblical to say, the tougher it is down here, the more your eternal glory is going to weigh up there. In fact, when James and John came to Jesus and asked whether they could sit on the right hand of the Father in the kingdom, you remember the answer was, Jesus said, it's "not mine to give," but the Father is going to give it, and He's going to give it to the ones who suffer the greatest.
So light affliction and the process of sanctification in this life is consistently day by day, contributing to an eternal weight of glory. And I'm not sure that I can explain exactly what that means. But what it does mean is that the more faithful you are, and the more you endure triumphantly in the cause of Christ, and the more the Spirit of God conforms you into the image of Christ, the greater will be your eternal glory. So we look at the death of Don. And we see on the temporal side the flesh decaying; on the eternal side, we see an increasing weight of eternal glory into which he has now entered.
2. Eternal Body
We also "do not lose heart" because we not only see eternal glory, but we see an eternal body. He says in the next verses beginning in Chapter 5: "We know that If the earthly tent which is our house," this body, "...is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands," that is, not in the normal human way, "...eternal in the heavens." "In this house," this body, "... we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven." And, folks, I can look across and see a lot of gray hair here. And the longer we live, the more we groan. Is this not true? This is true. We groan more frequently now than we have ever groaned. In fact, we hardly make a move in any direction without groaning. And we are all experiencing the increased groanings of life in this body. And they're not just physical -- we chuckle at that -- and there is a physical groaning. But there is that weight of sin, that weight of living in a fallen world for a long time.
It's the many burdens that you carry. You know, you thought when you got married all your problems had ended, and then you found they didn't. And you -- you just married somebody else with a whole pile of problems, and you inherited two sets. And then you thought your life would be complete bliss when you had your children. And then you realized that you had to worry about your kids and pray for your kids. And then you thought: Wouldn't it be wonderful when they got married and went away? Then they came back with grandchildren, and your prayer list got multiplied in increments of five, or whatever. And as you grow older, the weight of all of this is also, I think, part of the groaning that goes on in life. And you look at a world ahead, and you wonder what kind of world is left for your children, don't you, and what kind of world is going to be there for your grandchildren. And you wonder about what it's going to be like in the future even for the purposes of God and the kingdom and the church.
And there's a groaning in this life, and a longing to be delivered from sin and the debilitating power of temptation and fallenness. And so, Paul says: "We groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven." But we -- as long as we're in this tent, "groaned" being burdened. And there are all kinds of burdens; the physical burdens, the burdens of age, the burdens of illness, the burdens of disappointment and unfulfillment and unconverted children and grandchildren, and all the issues of life. There are all those burdens. And it's not that we want to be unclothed, Paul says, but we want to be "clothed" in order that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. We want that immortality. We want that glorified body, that glorified environment. And that's the second reason we can look at the passing of Don and not lose heart.
Because what we see is not the end of life, but the beginning of life as we would really like to live it, right? And what awaits Don, of course, at the great resurrection awaits all of us who know Christ. And that is a glorious body like unto the body of Christ, the same as his resurrection body; a body free from sin, a body that can eternally live and traverse the glories of the eternal heavens and earth as they will be recreated in the future. So we -- we see the decay of one body. Body goes into the ground; dust to dust, as scripture says. But at the same time, we see a glorious new body; without illness, without sorrow, without sadness, without tears, without crying, without sin, without temptation; a body suited to praise and honor God forever and ever. And that has been prepared for all those who love Christ.
3. Eternal Purpose
There's a third element in looking at the death of an individual eternally, and that comes in Verse 5 of 2nd Corinthians 5. He says: "Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge." Sometimes people -- and I think typically in the world -- they think that when you die, that's the end of any meaning in your life; that you've got to cram this temporal life with everything 'cause this is all there is, right? That is the typical humanistic perspective. Well, we know better than that. Frankly, the human part of our life, life in this world for a believer, is incidental. It really is incidental. It isn't the purpose of God. And that's what Paul is saying. "He who prepared us" for this immortality, for this new body, for this eternal glory, "...is God." He prepared us for this very purpose.
So that we can say that when a believer dies, they have achieved the end for which they were originally created. We can even go back further than that. We can say that they have reached the goal for which they were originally chosen by God before time began, and had their names written in the Lamb's book of life. When God wrote Don (last name omitted) in the Lamb's book of life before the foundation of the world, he wrote not that Don would live 70 -- how many -- 76 years on earth, but he wrote that Don would live eternally in the presence of Christ, didn't he? And that this was only incidental, this was only the moment in time when God would call him and grant him that eternal life. So when we look at the death of a believer, we don't see the end of His purpose. We see the beginning of Him fulfilling that eternal purpose for which God chose him at the very start. That's the eternal perspective. From the vantage point of the world, it looks like the end. But from our vantage point, it's just the beginning; eternal glory and eternal body and eternal purpose.
4. Eternal Fellowship
There's another eternal perspective here, and it's eternal fellowship. It says in Verse 6: "Therefore, being always of good courage, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord." And further, he kinds of turns it around and says he prefers, rather "to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord." Now, there is the perspective of a Christian.
We're not at home here. We're really absent from home here. We make a home here. We have a family; we have marriage; we have children and grandchildren, and friends and associates, and we enjoy a certain measure, particularly Christian people, a certain measure of what heavenly fellowship will be like. But we are absent from the Lord. We are absent from His presence, and from our eternal home which, as you heard John read a little bit ago, is being prepared for us even now. John 14. So this is not where our home is. We are just passing through, as the old psalm said. Our home is there; our Father is there; our Savior is there. Our name is there; our inheritance is there. Everything that is ours eternally in the purposes of God is there.
And so when a believer leaves this world to go into glory, they enter into an eternal fellowship. And that fellowship is marked particularly by the presence of the Lord, "at home with the Lord." Often, I have been asked: When we get to heaven, are we going to know our spouse? Are we going to know our family? Are we going to know our friends? Of course. You're going to know everybody. And people sometimes get focused on reunions in heaven. But the greatest fellowship of heaven isn't going to be with believers. The greatest fellowship in heaven is going to be with the Savior, right? That's the great hope of heaven: That we'll commune with Him; we'll sit down and have our eternal fellowship with Him. So that experience Don has entered into, an experience which all of us should cherish and long for and hope for in Christ.
5. Eternal Fulfillment
There's another eternal element as you look at the death of a believer. Eternal glory, an eternal body, eternal purpose being fulfilled, eternal fellowship being entered into, there is also eternal fulfillment. In Verse 9 Paul says: "We have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him." I don't know how -- if you've thought about that other and that applies to you. But it's a very profound statement to me. My ambition as a Christian is to please the Lord. That's a pretty simple, straightforward statement, right? That would define any of us; that our ambition would be to please the Lord. The real struggle comes when you recognize that you can't do that. I am the greatest disappointment in my own life, because I had much higher hopes for myself than I am able to deliver. If you asked me what's my purpose in life, I will tell you: To glorify God is my purpose. If you ask me what is your objective, what do you want to do, I could say with the apostle Paul, my "ambition, whether at home or absent, is to be pleasing to Him." My ambition is not to be successful in the world, or to build a reputation, or to build a great institution or whatever. My goal in life is to be pleasing to Him. That is a goal that is always out there and never is achieved, because you always fall short. And one, of course, of the great realities of death and entrance into heaven is now you can achieve that goal. You have achieved that goal. So we can say that there is eternal fulfillment.
That which was in the heart of Don and any true believer is a desire to please the Lord. And now, forever and ever, he will do nothing but please the Lord. That means there's no more guilt; there's no more disappointment; there's no more anxiety; there's no more fear; there's no more sense of failure. Because he will do what it is in his heart to do forever, and that is to fully and completely please the Lord.
6. Eternal Reward
And then there's one final thing that Paul talks about in the eternal scale. He says, Verse 10: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether it is good" or worthless. Then he goes on to describe those kinds of things. There are things we've done in this life that are worthless. He's not talking about sin; sin's been dealt with. But there are things that don't have any eternal value. Now, you know what those things are. I mean they don't make any difference in the kingdom ultimately. They're not wrong; they're are just there. But there are some things that have eternal value. They have a direct impact on the kingdom. They have an indirect impact on the kingdom. And in the end, those things are going to be evaluated. And whatever we did throughout our life that was sinful has already been paid for. Whatever we did that's sort of in the gray category of not having any real impact on eternal things just goes way away and disappears. And what is left is what directly impacted the kingdom. And on the merit and basis of that work wrought in our lives by the power of the Spirit of God, we will receive an eternal reward. And I dare say that only God knows the reality of that. Because praise is part of that; faithful prayer is part of that; a pure heart in terms of motivation is part of that. And who knows that but God? That's why Paul said in the prior chapter you can't really know how you're going to be evaluated, because only God knows the "secrets of the heart."
So when we look at someone's death, we don't feel like we have to -- you noticed that, I am sure, this morning -- we don't feel like we have to muster up some great, long parade of every achievement they ever did. Have you ever noticed that at a Christian funeral? Very little is said about a litany of achievement. Compare that, when you look at the funeral of a non-believer, and watch people almost frantically trying to put meaning into that life by picking out all the myriad of milestones, and giving somebody some kind of accolade for everything they achieved in this life. The only real reward that matters is that which we did for the King in his kingdom. And He's the one who knows that, and eternity will reveal that, and that's the reward that believers look for. It's enough, really, it's all that ever would need to be said about Don to say he was faithful. Right? Because it's: "Required of stewards, that a man be found faithful." And we'll leave the eternal reward to God, who knew his motives and knew his heart far better than even we do. We have a pretty good inkling. We are certainly on the right track, because we know the sweetness of his soul and the faithfulness of his life. That God will give him his reward.
So we come to an occasion like this and we don't lose heart, because we see what is eternal. We see what can't be seen with the eye, but it can only be perceived through an understanding of the word of God. We see eternal glory, an eternal body, eternal purpose, eternal fellowship, eternal fulfillment and an eternal reward. And we do not lose heart. In fact, just the opposite. We rejoice and we thank God for this wonderful life, and for God bringing this life to its great coronation, because that is what has happened in heaven. This has been the coronation of Don.
Obviously, there is loss, and nobody lives that long and that well without capturing a huge part of the hearts of the people around him. And we feel that loss greatly. But we are not without hope, right? We have great hope. And we know there is reunion yet to come. And at the pace life is going during these years, it doesn't seem far away for any of us, does it?
Father, we thank you for your word. We pray that you would you press to our hearts these great truths that give us joy in the midst of sadness. We pray in Christ's name. Amen.
MINISTRY TO THE TERMINALLY ILL
Suggested Guidelines for Ministry
PERSPECTIVE
"I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me . . . . . "
Matthew 25:36
"Man is not destroyed by suffering, but he is destroyed by suffering without meaning." (anonymous)
"Do not seek death. Death will find you. But seek the road which makes death a fulfillment." (anonymous)
RATIONALE FOR MINISTRY TO THE SICK
Jesus is our role model (Matt 9:35,36).
To bring hope, comfort and healing to the sick.
To bring sick person into contact with the community of God's people. If the sick is a member of a cell group, encourage them to be active with you in ministry. If they are not linked with any groups, gather a few volunteers to get to know the sick and give unconditional support. This attitude of service and love will help reconcile them back to God.
GENERAL APPROACHES USED BY JESUS AMONG THE SICK
Eye contact (Matt 9:22, John 5:6)
Attentive listening (Mk 10:46-52)
Compassion (Mk 1:40-42)
Comforting touch (Mk 8:22,23)
Being prayerful (Matthew 14:23 / Luke 5:15, 16)
OUR RESOURCES AS CHRISTIANS
Jesus Christ is us (Phil 4:13)
The Holy Spirit (John 14:12, 2 Tim 1:7)
Prayer (James 5:13-16, John 14:13,14)
TAKE TIME TO UNDERSTAND NEEDS OF THE TERMINALLY ILL
Physical needs
Emotional needs
Psychological needs
Social needs
Spiritual needs
BE AWARE OF THEIR EMOTIONAL RESPONSES
Denial (it cannot be me; must be a mistake)
Anger (why me?)
Bargaining (heal me and I'll serve for the rest of my life)
Depression (poor me; bad things always happen to me)
Acceptance (yes me, bound to happen sooner or later)
[it is possible for them to go back and forth, in and out of these stages]
PRACTICAL ADVICE ON HELPING THE TERMINALLY ILL
Helping loved ones who are dying can be one of the most difficult – and most rewarding – responsibilities you'll ever have. The following are practical tips:
Be honest but sensitive. Do not give false promises like, "you'll be fine." This can make them distrust you. At the same time, avoid offering information they may not be ready to handle. Ask for God's wisdom to guide you.
Listen. Dying people can be vulnerable and may have trouble expressing themselves. Be patient and resist the temptation to put words in their mouth. Do not be uncomfortable with silence. Your presence alone can bring encouragement and comfort though it may be in small degrees. Do not feel that you have to say a lot to them.
Offer prayers when appropriate. Here too some sensitivity is in order. You need to be personally convicted whether to pray for healing or for God's purpose to be done through a person's sickness or disease. You do not have to present yourself as someone who knows everything. By being authentic, you will be appreciated and respected. Communicate with the family regarding your sensing about the illness wherever appropriate. It is important that you sense along with them. If unsure simply communicate your care and concern.
Salvation. If the person is not a Christian, you can ask permission to share how you came to know about the gift of eternal life so that he might know it too. Initiate conversations about the after-life. Asked tactfully if he knows where all man will go after their life on earth is over.
Touch. Back rubs, foot rubs, and holding hands can be very important to the people who are dying. It can bring hope and encouragement to them to know they are not avoided or being distanced because their sickness. Touching signals that you do care for them. It is also a way of saying that you are with them on this difficult journey. Keep in mind though that some people are less comfortable being touched than others.
Look for joy. Death is not always sad. A sense of humour is sometimes allowed. Nor does the environment have to be sterile or sombre. Let your loved one set the tone. If telling a few jokes or singing songs is something they've always enjoyed, chances are they still will. Be sensitive to other relatives around who might not understand what you are trying to do. Keep in mind also that kids can instantly bring happiness into a room so their presence are most welcomed too.
Letting them go. If it is clear that they are indeed breathing their last, and you sensed that their journey on this earth is going to come to an end, then let them go. Talk to immediate relatives, and if agreeable that this is appropriate, then encourage each one to take turns to let the dying know that they don't have to struggle anymore; that they can let go and let God carry them into His loving arms. You could say something like, "I know you have been really sick for a long time, and it's been a hard struggle for you. If you don't want to struggle any more and you want to let go, you have my permission to do that. I'll be OK. I'll miss you, but I'll be OK. The Lord is waiting for you on the other side. Go in God's peace."
REMOVING OF IDOLS
Suggested Guidelines for Ministry
PURPOSE OF REMOVING IDOLS FROM HOMES
It is the request of the owner of the idols to remove or destroy them.
It is a time to provide assurance of Salvation for those who had just turned from idols to the living God. It is important to check on the salvation of the person who requests for the removal. Ensure there is proper spiritual follow-up after that.
To confess and declare God's sovereign rule over the household as they make a decision to turn from their sinful life of idolatry.
It is a time for the household to receive protection and blessing from God. This is spiritual warfare. It is important to mobilise prayer for the family.
WHAT CONSTITUTES AN IDOL?
Exodus 20:4-6
You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and forth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
Deuteronomy 4: 15-19
You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars – all the heavenly array – do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshipping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven.
An idol is any of the following:
Any graven images that is worshipped. Eg. Statues, carvings.
Any man-made forms that is worshipped. Eg. Paintings, designs.
Any natural beings or substance that is worshipped. Eg. Sun, moon, rocks, cows.
And any object that has been blessed by the idols or gods for protection, or may have special words engraved on them for a purpose.
In summary, any worship of any form or substance that is not God, is the worship of an idol. Therefore to differentiate between what is an idol and what is not, we have to determine whether that particular object is an instrument for worship. This is to be made clear to the family or person requesting for the removal of idols from his / her home.
THE CHRISTIAN'S AUTHORITY IN THIS AND OTHER MATTERS DEALING WITH SPIRITUAL STRONGHOLDS
Christians have clear authority over demonic forces, and thus there is no need for Christians to fear or feel intimidated when removing or destroying idols. The scriptural basis as follows:
We have the fullness of Christ in us and Satan has no hold over us (Colossians 2:6-13).
God in us is greater than any other powers in the world (1 John 4:1-4).
Know that the Satan is a defeated enemy (Colossians 2:15).
We are children of God and can overcome all fear (Romans 8:15-17).
THE SUGGESTED PROCESS OF REMOVING IDOLS
Ensure that the request for removal of idols comes from the owner himself/herself.
Plan for some worship and the reading of scripture. Read from the scripture God's command to destroy idols (Deuteronomy 7:25,26).
Proclaim God's power and authority over all physical (opposition from relatives) and spiritual (demonic) forces.
Pray for the destruction of all demonic activities and for cleansing upon the household. A home blessing can also be conducted.
Remove the idols with the assurance that God's presence is with you.
Smash and / or burn the idols at an appropriate place.
Pray a prayer of victory and thanksgiving to God claiming on His promises of peace and protection on everyone who calls upon His Name.
SOME SUGGESTED 'DO NOTS'
Do not give away idols to temples or other households even though they may be precious gold or silver or metals.
Do not keep idols hidden away. Get rid of them immediately.
Do not just discard idols into dustbins or rubbish areas where others can pick it up again. After removing idols, completely smash or burn them.
It is good to always bring a hammer & a thick plastic bag with you for such idol-removing ministry. Then place idol into the bag where you can smash or destroy. This will prevent small pieces from flying all over.
