Death is sure... are you ready?
Today's homiletic lesson we focus on funeral sermon
the lecturer did not just focus on the elements involved in constructing a funeral sermon
but he expanded the lesson to include what a pastor should when death occurs
It is amazing, how many things are involved...
- call the police?
- call the doctor to certify the death?
- call the funeral house?
- call the crematorium?
- book the columbarium?
When the event occurred, the family probably will be very confused, that they do not know what to do. As a pastor, the duty is to arrive there at the earliest time possible. The pastor can help to decide, even take control, or else the grieving family may suffer more financial loss, apart from the lost of their loved one.
What kind of financial loss? well, what brand and material of coffin to buy. How elaborate is the flower arrangement. What kind of urn, whether it is made in italy or made in china. A 1000 dollar coffin and 5000 dollar coffin will burn the same. The urn from china or italy are made from the same material. It may seem funny, but some people are paying for than 20k for all these things, where 5k may suffice adequately. It is then the pastor's responsibility to help the family to take charge against unwise suggestions from relative and salesmen.
At this point of time, I started to think back to all the dead people I have seen in my life.
- when I was 8, I was the first to find out my grandpa's death
- my cousin Lily commited suicide more than 10 years ago in SG
- my maternal grandma passed away at the age 89, after being iltreated by bad daughter-in-law
- the bad daughter-in-law died few years later due to cancer
- my uncle, the husband of the bad daughter-in-law, fell after shower and passed away
- another uncle, the father of Lily, passed away in the toilet few years back
- the eldest sister of my mom, was hit by a car and died a few month back
- a junior studying in NTU commited suicide, jumping from 14 storey
- neighbours, friends, relatives of friends...
As I closed my eyes to think, each of their faces look back at me. I may not remember each of their faces distinctly, but these are real people, whom I have touched, known personally. Death is real. Who am I going to fool, by denying the fact that I may die anytime? God is the only one in control.
If no one can escape death, then it is right for you and me to rethink of our relationship to God. Have you truly accepted Jesus as your personal Savior? or have you truly repented from your sins? because if you say that Jesus is your Lord, and you still continue to sin, who are you trying to fool?
I emerged from the classroom, not as one who knew about how to preach a good funeral sermon, but as one, who have been spoken to by God, about the reality of death. I want to live a better life. I want to be right with God. Are you?
the lecturer did not just focus on the elements involved in constructing a funeral sermon
but he expanded the lesson to include what a pastor should when death occurs
It is amazing, how many things are involved...
- call the police?
- call the doctor to certify the death?
- call the funeral house?
- call the crematorium?
- book the columbarium?
When the event occurred, the family probably will be very confused, that they do not know what to do. As a pastor, the duty is to arrive there at the earliest time possible. The pastor can help to decide, even take control, or else the grieving family may suffer more financial loss, apart from the lost of their loved one.
What kind of financial loss? well, what brand and material of coffin to buy. How elaborate is the flower arrangement. What kind of urn, whether it is made in italy or made in china. A 1000 dollar coffin and 5000 dollar coffin will burn the same. The urn from china or italy are made from the same material. It may seem funny, but some people are paying for than 20k for all these things, where 5k may suffice adequately. It is then the pastor's responsibility to help the family to take charge against unwise suggestions from relative and salesmen.
At this point of time, I started to think back to all the dead people I have seen in my life.
- when I was 8, I was the first to find out my grandpa's death
- my cousin Lily commited suicide more than 10 years ago in SG
- my maternal grandma passed away at the age 89, after being iltreated by bad daughter-in-law
- the bad daughter-in-law died few years later due to cancer
- my uncle, the husband of the bad daughter-in-law, fell after shower and passed away
- another uncle, the father of Lily, passed away in the toilet few years back
- the eldest sister of my mom, was hit by a car and died a few month back
- a junior studying in NTU commited suicide, jumping from 14 storey
- neighbours, friends, relatives of friends...
As I closed my eyes to think, each of their faces look back at me. I may not remember each of their faces distinctly, but these are real people, whom I have touched, known personally. Death is real. Who am I going to fool, by denying the fact that I may die anytime? God is the only one in control.
If no one can escape death, then it is right for you and me to rethink of our relationship to God. Have you truly accepted Jesus as your personal Savior? or have you truly repented from your sins? because if you say that Jesus is your Lord, and you still continue to sin, who are you trying to fool?
I emerged from the classroom, not as one who knew about how to preach a good funeral sermon, but as one, who have been spoken to by God, about the reality of death. I want to live a better life. I want to be right with God. Are you?
posted by Suhandy Yao Wei Xuan @ 11:44 pm
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