On funerals and the Christian gospel

Over the course of my ordained ministry, I must have conducted hundreds of funerals. And yet each one is special and unique. It is always a privilege to be involved. And often I find out something fascinating even about those I have known quite well. There may be periods or areas of their lives that some of us knew nothing about: that service in the Navy, the early job as a baker, the passion of jazz or the prize-winning gymnastics.

 

I can sometimes go quite a long time without taking a funeral and then several seem to come along at once. Recently there have been four. To stand in church with the coffin, or at the graveside, or in the crematorium remains a stark reminder of our mortality. This end will come to us all (unless the Lord Jesus returns speedily).

 

So death and the world to come have been much on my mind. Alongside this, I was also at an event for Christian ministers when we were sitting around discussing the gospel. What is the essential good news of the Lord Jesus which the church is trying to communicate to the world? A number of those present wanted to emphasise the real day-to-day benefits of faith. And quite rightly so. Christianity is not just pie in the sky by and by when we die, but ham where we am. One even audaciously said that giving a hungry person baked beans from the food bank is the good news. Now, I can see that food is good news to the hungry. And they may not be in a place to receive any other message than this tangible demonstration of love. There may be ethical issues too about giving out rice and Christ.

 

But I think we dare not withhold Christ from people – from anyone. Christ is what – whom - the Christian church must always offer. He is our USP. Unless we get to explicitly holding out the real Jesus of the Bible, we might as well join some secular organisation (even if our motivation is quietly “religious” or inspired by the Gospels).

It is essential that we Christian have much to say for this life of course. We believe in life before death. But we must also have something to say about the Last Enemy and the looming eternity. Permit me a lengthy quote from the New Testament because it is directly relevant to these questions: What is the gospel? And what does it say to our dying race? The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Corinth:

“Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas [=Peter], and then to the Twelve [Disciples / Apostles]. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,  and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born….

And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.” (1 Corinthians chapter 15, part of verses 1 to 22)”

The whole chapter would repay thoughtful reading. It would be a very suitable passage for a Christian funeral. An essential part of the Christian message is that the crucified Jesus lives as Lord. He gives an indestructible life to any who will trust in him. That coffin is not the end of the story. For those who have faith in Jesus, nothing is in vain.

 

May God bless you with joy and peace in believing both for Wednesday morning and for the ages to come.