Death to Death

This year starts out with funerals. A close friend of our family buried his dad this week after he died on Christmas. A church member buries her daughter-in-law today after six months-to-live turned out to be ten days. Tomorrow another close family friend buries his brother. Death is never fun and almost certainly inconvenient to all the parties effected.

I have had the unfortunate responsibility of presiding over several funerals in my short pastoral tenure. Only one for someone I knew personally. Funerals are my least favorite pastoral duty to perform. I'm always honored to be asked to perform the funeral, but I definitely do not want to become the funeral expert.

Hearing other pastors give eulogies intrigues me. Most of the sermons I've heard have been from those who believe in the instant transfer from the grave to heaven. I often wonder where they read in Scripture that as pastors we are granted the authority to declare a person's eternal destination. I haven't found it yet. I do find plenty of evidence of death as a sleep which will only be disturbed when the trumpets of heaven and voice of Christ Himself serves as the ultimate alarm clock. (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17) I do find hope in the soon return of Christ. I do find solace in the judgment of God alone and, despite my observations and judgments of person's character and supposed relationship (or lack of one) with Christ, God will decide eternity for the deceased.

God does not wish that any should perish: now or eternally. He looks forward to His coming with the same, if not greater, anticipation than ours. It will be a day of great rejoicing and reunion. It will signal the death of death. Jesus holds the key to Hades and He can't wait to share it with His beloved.