Thoughts on Officiating the Funeral of an Unbelieving Friend
It’s been many years since I’ve been to a funeral and I can only imagine how difficult it will be to attend the funeral of a friend, much less officiate that funeral. Mike Mckinley recently shared some thoughts after officiating the funeral of a friend who was “self-conciously an unbeliever”. These are a powerful reminder of the glory of Christ and the need to make much of Him and less of ourselves.
- It’s amazing how death makes people feel the need for religion. There’s something about being face to face with our mortality that makes people long for spiritual direction, even if they would normally say that they don’t believe in God or the afterlife.
- It’s really hard to preach with an eight-year old little girl bawling for her father right in front of you.
- I’m so thankful for John 11, where Jesus weeps at the tomb of a friend of his, a young man who had died (perhaps suddenly and unexpectedly).
- I’m so thankful that Jesus didn’t come just to weep, but to live and die and rise and make all things new. He is the resurrection and the life.
- Your memorial service is a kind of judgment on your life. Your judges are your family and friends. The nice things they say about you will give a pretty clear picture of what your life amounted to and what you loved. Live your life in such a way that “Star Trek” is never mentioned at your memorial service.
- I’m thankful that God is glorified whenever the gospel is preached, whether it be in the salvation of sinners or in their rejection of the message.
- I am renewed in my desire to live in light of the last day, when I will face God.
- My average day contains absolutely nothing that could be considered real suffering or pain. I almost never express any gratitude for this fact. I am an idiot.
- This whole thing makes me want to hug my wife and kids extra tight.