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Funerals mark a transition. The Israelites faced a major transition as they prepared to enter the Promised Land. Moses died, now who would lead them? Change can be difficult, but perspective, direction, and motivation can help us through times of transition in our life.
Join us as care pastor Marshall Blessing shares the word of God.
In the middle of our light-hearted, care-free summer sermon series FUNERALS
My name is Marshal Blessing and I put the fun in funerals.
So far we have talked about Able, King Uzziah, and how Jesus was a terrible guest at funerals.
If you missed any of those messages, I encourage you to go check them out.
Today we are going to talk about the most important funeral in the Old Testament.
See if you can guess who that funeral was for.
What is a funeral for? We mentioned a funeral is for the survivors, not for the dead person.
WHAT should a funeral do?
Closure. Honor the memory of the person. Cause traffic problems
A FUNERAL MARKS A TRANSITION
People have to move from a life with the person to one without them.
Transitions can be difficult. No one likes change.
Who likes funerals?
People generally don’t like attending funerals or planning funerals.
Imagine officiating a funeral.
When I became a pastor, it didn’t occur to me that I might be asked to officiate a funeral.
A person I had met through benevolence ministry passed away and the family asked if I would do the funeral.
We are a church that is willing. I agreed, but then I had no idea what I was going to do.
I image I felt a little like Joshua. Joshua found out there was going to be a funeral, and he was going to be in charge.
Joshua had probably been to many funerals. Aaron, the exodus generation
But now they had almost made it back to the Promised Land and he finds out Moses is going to die. There could be a temptation to stop.
Funerals should give us three things:
PERSPECTIVE
God gave Moses perspective. From Mount Nebo, God showed Moses the whole land.
Joshua already had the perspective from when he spied out the land.
Furthermore, Moses thinking about Moses’ life reminded of all that the Israelites had been through to bring them to this point.
Now they were at a point of transition.
We need perspective.
Perspective can help give us direction.
DIRECTION
When we lose someone we can find ourselves asking: “Where do we go from here?”
Joshua knew where they had to go. Moses’ life pointed the direction.
JOSHUA 1:2 NIV Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
When we face a transition, what direction are we called to go in?
What are we called to do?
LUKE 9:59 NIV He said to another man, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”
LUKE 9:60 NIV Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”
Like Pastor Chris explained last week, Jesus was a terrible funeral guest.
Really, Jesus is pointing the direction for all of us. Proclaim the kingdom of God.
But sometimes we need some motivation.
MOTIVATION
There’s nothing like a good motivational funeral speech.
It is not enough to know what direction to go, we have to actually go.
Greif is natural. Sometimes we need to take time to mourn a loss.
The people of Israel grieved for Moses for 30 days
But at some point you have to make the transition, and get moving.
DEUTERONOMY 34:6 NIV He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is.
JUDE 1:9 NIV But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”
Moses’ body couldn’t go into the Promised Land and the people might want to set up a shrine at his grave in Moab. But the people had to fulfill their calling and cross over into the Promised Land.
JOSHUA 1:2 NIV Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites.
DEUTERONOMY 31:8 NIV The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
Our time is limited. We need to get to work. What is God calling you to do?
What is standing in your way?
So, what did I do? I asked Pastor Chris. He said, “Preach Jesus.”
That gave me Perspective, Direction, and Motivation.
It went well. It seemed well received. I would like to say that everyone survived.
God helped me when I needed it – i.e. the Committal. ***MUSICIAN***
But what about you? Are you facing a transition?
Today could be a day of transition.