Some of you might think CB Scott is a newcomer to Baptist Blogging, but he’s one of the original “Wild West” era Baptist bloggers and one of its key figures through the years. He took a break recently when his town (Birmingham, AL) was devastated by a tornado and he led relief efforts. His words here are very wise.
It is the Christmas season. Therefore several posts have appeared here at SBC Voices related to the various issues concerning the way individuals celebrate the Advent. No one can doubt that a great deal of myth has been attached to the time of the year when we formally celebrate the birth of our Lord and King, Jesus Christ.
There is also no doubt that Santa Claus, elves, reindeer-drawn sleighs filled with gifts for good little girls and boys constitute myth. Obviously, Christians approach the mythical nature of Christmas in different ways from various theological and philosophical perspectives. Nonetheless, I think we can all agree that the red clad little elf, his reindeer, his elves, and his nighttime ride through the sky consist of nothing more than fantasy.
Santa is not the mythical figure I want to address in this post. I want to address another mythical figure that, in my opinion, is far more dangerous to children and adults alike than Saint Nick and the other infamous Christmas tree goblins known as the North Pole Gang have ever been to human kind.
Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God, is no mythical being. His Good Story is true for He truly has risen from the dead and is at the right hand of the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, the Ruler of the kings of the earth. His love for us is unquestionable and He has released those of us who are His children from our sins by His blood. I would assume that every born again, God called preacher of the gospel would agree with that.
Yet, and far too often, when Baptist pastors officiate funerals they bring forward the Jesus of the Baptist Funeral rather than the Jesus who preached “The time is fulfilled, and the Kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe the gospel.” The Jesus of the Baptist Funeral is a far more dangerous mythical creature to men, women, boys, and girls than Kris Kringle has ever been or ever will be.
I recently attended the funeral of a pagan I had known for years. At his funeral service, the Jesus of the Baptist Funeral was trotted out to comfort the multitude of mourners present. Sadly, he was trotted out by a well-educated Southern Baptist pastor. In seeking something other than the biblical Jesus and His gospel to share with the assortment of mourners present, he resorted to the well-travelled Jesus of the Baptist Funeral.
Here is an example of the of the pastor’s efforts to comfort with the mythical Jesus of the Baptist Funeral rather to present the truth of the biblical Jesus. My fellow pastor stated:
“As I got to know Brother X and his family before his death, I heard many things that give me assurance here tonight. I want to share some of those things with all of you to give you comfort in this time of grief and loss. His family told me a story of when he was a little boy. He and his cousins would find dead bird, squirrels, rabbits and other animals in the woods. They would bury the animal and pretend to give it a funeral. Brother X always wanted to play the part of the preacher. When Brother X came back here to live he was known as a man who would help his neighbors in any way he could. Those things about him just say to me he has always had Jesus on his mind and in his heart.”
The real shocker to me was the great number of people exclaiming A-Men and Praise the Lord which fueled the preacher to go on with further evidences that Brother X was resting in the bosom of the Jesus of the Baptist Funeral. Obviously, the Jesus of the Baptist Funeral is alive and well in the hearts of many, leaving no room in the “end” for the true King of kings.
How would you have handled the funeral, CB?
I will answer your question to CB – from my perspective at least. I remember what one old funeral director told me years ago. “You preachers undo everything you preach on Sundays at funerals.” We tend to call people to the Lordship of Christ on Sunday then preach a cheap grace at the funeral.
So, here’s what I do at almost every funeral. I do a eulogy in which I focus on the deceased and talk about the life he or she lived and the memories loved ones have about that life. Then (usually separated by a song) I turn from eulogy to message. I say something like, “We’ve talked about Mr. Smith, but now lets turn our attention to God and his Word.”
Then, I say some sort of variation of this message:
You remember Mr. Smith fondly, but I want you to know something. When Mr. Smith breathed his last breath and faced God, it was not his goodness that mattered. None of us is good enough to earn a place in heaven.
Then, I preach as clear a gospel message as I can. All fall short. Jesus died for sin. Jesus rose to offer new life to all who believed.
Most people have a works mentality regarding heaven. I confront that and make sure that everyone who attends that funeral understands that good works do not get us into heaven. It is by grace through faith.
We must remember that our primary job as preachers is not to please those to whom we speak, but to honor the one on behalf of whom we speak.
Feeding the myth of works-salvation dishonors Christ’s blood shed on the Cross.
“Most people have a works mentality regarding heaven. I confront that and make sure that everyone who attends that funeral understands that good works do not get us into heaven. It is by grace through faith.”
Dave, I have found this to be so true here in the “Bible Belt.” Just as soon a man dies here, people begin to search for good works in his history to balance out the scales.
I use the “scales in heaven” illustration pretty often. Good works on one side, sins on the other.
On Sunday, I speak to between 200 and 300 people (we don’t count so I’m not sure on a weekly basis). I can’t really know, but I believe that the vast majority of them do actually know Christ. I design my sermons toward challenging believers toward spiritual growth (though I try to be careful to preach the gospel as well).
But at a funeral, I become an evangelist. I decided years ago that I no longer cared if someone became annoyed with me (strangely enough, few have – a few, not that many). But I realized that my responsibility to my God and his work in Christ was more important than whether people, most of whom I would never see again, liked me.
At a funeral, I am preaching to dozens of people who are 1) Thinking about eternity because someone they care about has gone there, 2) Want to hear something to make sense of this, and 3) haven’t been in a gospel-preaching church in years and won’t be again perhaps for a long time.
So, I preach about salvation by grace through faith. I confront works-salvation as clearly as I can. I don’t think I am obnoxious about it (I guess that’s not for me to judge). But I am direct and clear on the gospel.
If I tick a few people off, fine. But I think that it would be much more serious to offend the Father.
William,
Like you probably, I have ministered in many funerals, especially during the 20 years I served in the Appalachian Mountains. I preached the funerals of many, many men who died in some manner related to the coal industry (Black Lung mostly). I have served in six different states in ministry. Beyond that I have seen a lot of death. I have learned or been taught two things about funerals as a pastor.
1. The gospel is always the same and it is always totally sufficient.
2. Pastors need to know the culture in which they serve. The approach in a funeral is very important.
As to this particular funeral, I think my approach would have been to recognize the man’s service in the protection of his country. He was retired military. (That is just something I always do if a guy served in harm’s way on America’s behalf.)
William, since we are in the Christmas season, I would have addressed the reality that sorrow knows no season. It comes when it will. Then I would have said to the family that I wanted to tell then a story of a woman’s sorrow. I would have read Luke 2:22-38 with emphasis on verse 35. I would have shared that Mary, the mother of Jesus was told she would suffer sorrow. Then I would have told them why she did suffer sorrow. I would have told the story of Jesus from birth to resurrection and why he came to earth in the flesh.
I would have told the family, especially the mother and the daughter that Jesus will save a person who recognizes they have sinned against a just and righteous God, repents and believes the biblical gospel.
The gospel is all I have to share with the dying or their families after they are gone. I can do nothing more and I have promised God to do no less.
One other thing. (And an important thing to me) I never approach a funeral or a family who has lost a family member without asking God to give me a Holy Spirit empowered compassion. I want to care. I want the bereaved to know I care when I speak. I want them to know that I know the Jesus I share with them. A haughty, arrogant preacher at a funeral is a buffoon. A preacher with a milk-toast gospel is a liar and a coward. I don’t want to be either. I want to be the man who told grieving people the Good Story of Jesus when they are hurting and nothing more and nothing less.
“The gospel is all I have to share with the dying or their families after they are gone. I can do nothing more and I have promised God to do no less.”
Amen. What could be a more perfect place to preach the Gospel? What a missed opportunity for those who don’t.
CB, I agree with you. I’ve heard waaaaaaay too many preachers try to “preach someone into Heaven.” I’ve heard a lot of preachers talk about a fella that never gave God a second thought, and lived like the Devil, like he was dancing on the streets of gold. It’s almost like some people think that there’s something cleansing about death….as if dying somehow makes someone a Saint.
I wonder if a lot of times that preachers do this because they’re scared of what the family will say, or they want to please the family? I understand that some may feel that stuff like this is bringing comfort to the family….but what a huge mistake to give the family and everyone at the funeral such a false assurance of salvation….think of the message that sends to all the lost people sitting out there. Think of the opportunity to preach the Gospel that that preacher just wasted….and instead, gave a “good ole boy” message of salvation to all the people sitting out there trustinig in their own “goodness” to get them to Heaven…
The story is told of a black man that died, and at the funeral the preacher waxed eloquent for quite a while about what a good and godly Saint the dear departed had been. After sitting patiently, listening to all this glory being given this man, finally the wife could take it no more. She looked at her oldest son, and said, “Henry, get up there and see if that’s your Daddy in that casket.” lol
Preach Jesus! Preach the Gospel! Preach to the living…the dead have already preached their eulogies by the way they lived. The living need to hear about the Way to life.
David
Vol,
I think that where you minister and and it is the same here, there are many pastors who do the things you mention.
I also think that some do this because they do not really believe in the sufficiency of Christ.
sounds like that preacher was influenced by this verse:
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.
God is love.
Whoever lives in love lives in God,
and God in him.”
(1 John 4:16)
It is not love to proclaim a false gospel, Christiane. A false gospel condemns people to a Christless eternity. REal love to proclaim the gospel that Jesus died to save sinners – that is how Romans 5:8 says God demonstrated his love.
It is the worst form of hate to tell people to “live in love” without first telling them that they are sinners, separated from God and destined for hell. By avoiding the issue of sin and repentence, one actually condemns people to hell – that is not love.
A gospel that avoids sin, that bases itself on works, that simply tells people to live in love is an act of spiritual murder. Paul had the strongest sorts of words in Galatians for those who proclaim such a false gospel.
Hi DAVID,
thank you for responding . . .
I understand that an intellectual grasp of the teachings of St. Paul is important . . . but there are times when a person may not KNOW the right words, or the right doctrines, but they are showing fruit in their lives that witnesses to some deeper connection to God than we can ‘understand’ or ‘know’ . . . I think St. Paul was also aware of how it is that a person comes to show fruit in their life, and that also is in the Book of Galatians, here:
“The power of the gospel works in the life of the believer, setting him free from the power and tyranny of sin, and producing in him the reign of righteousness, so the saved soul can then walk in newness of life by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Yes, God’s child is changed into the likeness of Christ, as the Holy Spirit produces the changed life of holiness in him. The fruit of the Spirit is produced in the saved soul: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. -Gal. 5:22”
The work of the Holy Spirit goes beyond ‘knowing’ into a connection also with the spirit and soul of someone who loves.
We get ‘hung up’ on the idea that presenting the gospel to others is a ‘mental’ activity only . . . and then we don’t understand how someone can show the fruit of the Spirit in their lives when they don’t know the ‘words of the Biblical Gospel’.
I’m thinking that the Holy Spirit’s ways are beyond ‘understanding’ . . . many whose mental capacity is limited have shown beautiful gifts from Him in their lives . . .
yes, even the fruits of the Spirit have been generously bestowed on someone whose intellectual understanding was unable to present itself so that we might judge the person’s ‘salvation’.
That the person has said ‘yes’ to these gifts of love, and kindness to others, and patience, and caring, undeniably present and visible in this person’s life,
may be our only evidence that there is now a connection between the individual and his God.
but there are times when a person may not KNOW the right words, or the right doctrines, but they are showing fruit in their lives that witnesses to some deeper connection to God than we can ‘understand’ or ‘know’
No, they are not. Their “nicey-ness” does not prove they have ANY connection with God whatsoever. If a person does not personally, consciously repent of their sins and trust Christ to save them, they do not have “some deeper connection to God”. No matter how kind, sweet, loving, or caring they are, they are bound for an eternity in hell to be punished for their sins and God won’t show them even one ounce of mercy on account of their “nicey-ness” no matter what Wade or The Debbie have told you.
You really ought to be ashamed of yourself spreading your false gospel and lies that contradict the gospel that Jesus and Paul preached. Repent of your sins and trust in Christ alone to save you while you still have time, L’s. All the hatred and bitterness you feel toward God, the gospel, and those who proclaim it is a poison in your soul.
“but there are times when a person may not KNOW the right words, or the right doctrines, but they are showing fruit in their lives that witnesses to some deeper connection to God than we can ‘understand’ or ‘know’ ”
Here is the problem I have with your comment. You did not originally mention children or the mentally disabled. You made it a blanket statement. And I know many people who will do this and make the leap that the poor Indian, Indonesian (insert person here) woman who has never heard of Jesus is saved because she is showing fruit in her life.
This is a false and dangerous Gospel and one reason the SBC has spent gazillions sending Missionaries out to the hinterlands. It is the reason Hudson Taylor went to China. Amy Carmicheal went to India and Lottie starved to death.
L’s,
In my lifetime, prior to my conversion and afterwards, I have carried out some hard assignments without so much as a “flinch” or a second thought.
Nonetheless, having read many, many of your comments on the threads of gospel related posts wherein the biblical gospel has been clearly articulated by a great multitude of people of various perspectives related to other issues of faith, and having come to know and appreciate you, as well as possible for me in an internet relationship, I must with all honesty say the following:
Were I to be called upon today to conduct your funeral, based upon your comments related to the essence of the gospel, I would do so with a great anguish in my soul. I would do so with a broken heart.
Well said, old son.
My comment was written to ‘include’ some people who often don’t get thought of as people ‘of faith’, because they are limited in mental capacity . . . and yet, I have seen something in them that shows me Christ is in them, working in them, even if they do not ‘understand’ it.
My comment centers on these words: “. . many whose mental capacity is limited have shown beautiful gifts from Him in their lives . . .”
and I stand witness, together with the Chaplain at Eastern Christian Children’s Retreat of the spiritual grace given to these people of ‘limited’ mental capacity . . .
if that makes me ‘hell-bound’, than I long not for the strange “heaven” where these beautiful souls would be excluded for not ‘talking the talking’ (no gift of speech), or ‘walking the aisle’ (no ability to walk among the stretcher and wheel-chair bound).
God’s grace is present in the least of His, sometimes with more beauty shone because they are humble.
to help ‘understand’ that not all have the gift of mental ‘understanding’, this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCKZCmwIhEg
Not sure if people realize that ‘knowing’ Him sometimes takes place in the spirit and soul of a person who is mentally challenged . . . but it does . . . they too witness to God’s love
We’re not talking about mentally retarded people. You know that. We’re talking about normal, competent people who are completely functional mentally. In other words, 99% of the population.
You bring up a straw man argument that has nothing to do with the issue. Normal, able-minded people who do not personally, consciously repent and trust Christ to save them will go to hell. Their “nicey-ness” is NOT evidence that they have a relationship with God.
Let me clarify here.
1) I’m not sure where the whole mentally disabled thing came up.
2) Christians are saved by grace through faith not their own works. Being nice or kind or humble or whatever cannot earn salvation or a right to heaven.
3) Those who are truly saved will give evidence of that by exhibiting love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc. The work of Christ is evidenced in the lives of those who believe.
Christiane, I believe you err by ignoring the gospel of salvation by grace through faith. You advocate a gospel of human works – if you are a good, nice person who is humble (seemingly defined as accepting other faiths and religions as equally true) and tolerant, you must be a Christian whether you have repented of your sins or not. (This is what I have gleaned from hundreds – thousands? – of your comments).
Sometimes, we err by forgetting that true faith does produce love, joy and peace.
The gospel saves without works but produces genuine good works. It’s like a tight-rope and falling off on either side is not a good thing.
L’s,
I am with Joe and Dave here. I do not know where the retardation theme entered this post or thread. Nonetheless, please know that I am not condemning the people who are born with retardation to hell. That is not in the post or in the comments other than yours. I went back and read them all to make sure the question did not come up. I did not.
L’s, any person who is not born from above will not be with Christ in eternity. And let me say quickly before you misunderstand. I am not talking about babies or individuals who were born with a retardation so severe that they are not accountable.
My dear L’s, you are accountable as am for being a sinner before a just and righteous God. We both know that of ourselves. Therefore, we must be born from above, according to the biblical gospel or we cannot be with Christ in eternity. By God’s grace, I have been born from above according to the biblical gospel. Have you………..
Hi C.B.
I think more of my comments than I realize are influenced by what I have seen raising a Down Syndrome child, and I have learned that people ‘of religion’ often do not see the reality of Christ working in the lives of those who are not ‘aware’ of the deep theological ‘learnings’ to do with salvation. . . of the ‘words’.
The reasons these people are ‘overlooked’ is because they cannot ‘speak’ or verbalize a conceptual faith in Christ.
But at some deep level, their spirit has said ‘yes’ to Him, and the honest witness to that is the patience, the kindness, the humility, the love that these individuals show forth . . . sometimes so brightly that it takes our breath away.
I just don’t think people of faith should always assume that Christ is not at work in other people, in ways that even they may not yet understand . . .
too many people of faith have made ‘assumptions’ about others that does not honor the great power of Christ in the lives of others, to change them, to lead them, in spite of themselves . . . a gift of grace that will eventually bring them to faith in Him.
But still these people are ‘written off’ . . . and yet we know that Our Lord has begun His work in them because they are already responding to Him in showing forth gifts that come only from the Holy One . . .
Sometimes, C.B., people ‘of faith’ also need to trust in the power of the One Who has, even now, begun the work of making ‘all things new’ . . .
we need to understand that people come to Christ through His holy grace . . . we may not see the end of their journey, but we can never write them off . . . they come to Him on His time, not ours, in His way, not necessarily the way we plan for them to come to Him. We can help by pointing always to Him. The Holy Spirit does the work.
L’s,
I have never forgotten that you once shared with me that you have a Down’s Syndrome child. I will never forget that. I will never cease to pray for you, your husband, and your son because of that.
I think that the basic reason I will never forget that is because, every day, each and every day, I get up early in the morning and get a child with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome up out of bed and get her ready for her day, either to school where she is in special ed. classes or here at home where she does a thousand things that gives me a constant reminder of what alcohol has done to her or getting her ready to go to church where well trained folks help her learn about Jesus.
That is every day L’s. So, my friend, I do have a compassion for you and all who minister to children with special needs. I really do. And I believe that is why God brought this child into my life, to increase my compassion. I have learned more from her than she from me.
Yet, this post really is not about her L’s. Nor is it about your beloved and precious son. It is about people like me and you L’s. It is about fully competent people like us.
It is about the fact that people like you and me are accountable to the Living God who demonstrated His love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
We are accountable God who sent Jesus to die for sinners. And L’s, everyone of us who recognize the fact that we have sinned against a just and righteous God must repent and believe the biblical gospel, being born again as Christ said or we will not enter into the Kingdom of God to live for eternity in the divine presence of Jesus.
That is a fact L’s. It is unquestionable. It is absolute.
Therefore, every God called preacher of the gospel must share the gospel with people in funerals without compromise or we fail to be that of which we are called to be; Preachers of the gospel.
C.B. here is something to think about, and it explains why I am more hopeful than many:
“It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete,
which is a way of saying that the Kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the Church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces effects far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything,
and there is a sense of liberation in realizing that.
This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well.
It may be incomplete, but it is a beginning, a step along the way, an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results . . . ”
the person who wrote this was martyred in South America for his Christian faith . . . his name was Oscar Romero . . . and he was killed praying in his Church
L’s,
Now you change gears again. Formerly, it was about special needs people you said you were in reference to in your comments. Now you bring up Romero.
L’s, you may not remember, but we have discussed Romero before and you did not like what I said. Nonetheless, I’ll state once again; I probably know more about the guy than you do. He was in El Salvador. He died as a priest embracing and spreading Liberation Theology. I don’t want to go there tonight L’s.
L’s, someday we both are going to die. In your case, it is highly probable that many people will come to your funeral and speak wonderful sentiments about you and your good works and you lifetime sacrifice taking care of your son and teaching children and various other things of valor to which you have given your life.
In my case, the jury is probably still out as to what some may say when I am gone. But that really does not matter much to me.
Here is what is going to count L’s:
Have we recognized the reality that we are sinners before a just and righteous God? (BTW, only God can bring us to that reality.) Have we repented of sin? (BTW, only God can give us the desire to repent.) Have we trusted in the Christ of the biblical gospel and nothing else? (BTW, it is Christ and Christ alone who saves us and nothing more and nothing less. We must be born again.)
L’s, I have experienced the grace of God in my life. He made me aware that I was an alien to Him. He made me aware that I had sinned against His holy and righteous nature. He gave me a desire to repent. I did. He gave me the truth of the biblical gospel of His Son, Jesus, who is The Christ. I believe the biblical gospel. I trust the Christ of the biblical gospel. I trust Christ and Christ alone for my soul’s salvation. I am born from above. I am born again. I am a new creation in Christ. Therefore, I will dwell in the House of the Lord forever. It is Christ and Christ alone.
That is my story L’s. What is yours?
Hi C.B.
My Church?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXz7CiIovJ8
My ‘theology’ ? the one learned on one’s knees in prayer
My hope for people is very strong, in that my faith in the power of Christ in this world to change people is not limited . . .
what I have learned from those with ‘special needs’ is that Christ is present among them and in them . . . the mystery and power of that gives me hope for the rest of us who are definitely in the ‘special needs’ category of being afflicted with pride, beset by temptation, and lacking the humility that opens in us a place for His transforming Presence.
I think we ARE the ‘special needs’ folks, C.B.
People like my son have got it right. They are blessed.
God knows that, and as He shows us His power in them, the sign of His Presence brings us hope and encourages the faith to trust in Him completely.
A ‘kneeling’ theology . . . you can’t get it through your intellect, or at a theological institute . . .
it is a ‘knowledge’ of God that comes through unending prayer,
it resonates in the spirit
and gives rest to the soul.
L’s,
As I stated in an earlier comment to William, I think. All I have is the gospel. Yet, I know the gospel is sufficient in and of itself. I have shared with you that gospel.
This post was about the fact that we, who minister, during the death and funeral of another person, must share the gospel.
That was it. That was the essence of the post and most of the comments affirmed that reality.
All who commented here agreed that salvation of the human soul is by Christ and Christ alone. All have agreed with that L’s. All except you.
As I also stated earlier L’s, if I had to conduct your funeral, having had so many, many dialogues with you, in blog threads, I would do so with a broken heart.
‘let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid . . .
Sarum ‘O’ Antiphon for Dec. 18th
“O Adonai”:
“O Sacred Lord of ancient Israel,
who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush,
who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain:
Come,
stretch out your mighty hand to set us free.”
L’s,
Dave is right. If a pastor fails to tell the truth of the gospel he has committed a grievous sin. He has committed pastoral malpractice.
Hi LYDIA,
good to be able to communicate with you again . . . maybe my comment to C.B. timed December 16, 2011 at 10:09 pm
will help explain a bit. If you have time, please read it.
I had an uncle who died recently, and the experience was kinda similar. My uncle was lost, no doubt–never really cared much for Jesus and aside from weddings and funerals, had nothing to do with church for at least 40 years… on top of some other things…
The preacher hadn’t met him until after he had a stroke and wasn’t able to communicate that well or speak at all.
But based on asking my uncle a few questions that were answered with head bobs, my uncle somehow ended up with Jesus when he died. Of course the same preacher, and at first I thought I heard him wrong–but he repeated himself no less than 5 times, at the graveside started talking about how our body is our space suit.
Is it bad when you’re a pastor and you end up rolling your eyes several times at a family member’s funeral?
After that, I had my own experience–a man about my age (early-30’s) committed suicide here in town. Aside from the man’s second cousin who is a youth at and member of our church, this family has almost no connection to church. The man was lost, the funeral was filled with people who were lost, the man’s wife (separated) and girlfriend were there, at least a couple of the people were high, and heard that “comforting” talk between some people about how the man was now an angel looking down on the rest of us.
It was quite a sad mix, but I figured my job was two fold:
1) Help people focus on some good memories they had from the man’s life.
2) Give them hope, but not hope of the man’s eternal state–I have zero right to even hint at eternal hope for a person I know for a fact is not with Jesus–instead it was possible hope for their eternal state. I used Genesis 3, John 1, and John 11 and simply made a proclamation of the Gospel–death is tragic, death is not the way it was “meant to be”, all death is ultimately caused by our sin, but Jesus came as God in the flesh to live as a perfect man, to die in our place, and give us hope of resurrection to eternal life if we trust in and follow him and turn from our sins.
Then I sat down.
I shared some stories of good memories I had heard about the man, but then I made the funeral about Jesus–and I think that’s what we have to do in cases like that instead of perverting the Gospel by “preaching lost people into heaven”.
Mike Bergman,
You are right. For a gospel preacher, going to the funeral of a family member and the funeral preacher not share the biblical gospel is a hard thing to bear.
I heard a pastor once who did just the opposite. The man who died was (as best as we knew) lost. The pastor preached Jesus. He talked about the need to trust in Jesus. He did try to communicate good things about dead man x, but in the end he didn’t try to preach him into heaven. In fact, I remember his last words, “That’s all I can say.” He closed in prayer.
Well said you sabanite! 😀
Seriously though, CB, you’ve hit on a sad area of troublesome failure among too many pastors…Southern Baptist, et al.
At times when I have encountered this situation, I have focused solely on the Gospel hope for those present…asserting that the departed now knows beyond any doubt that God is real, the Bible is true…and what God says about sin, salvation, eternity, heaven and hell is right.
…and, CB, this year I’d love nothing more than to place my Cowboys up against any team, including the Elephant in the Room, from the Sedition Encouraging Conference for the NCAA title!
SolaGratia!
I’m sorry, Scott. I’ve got to put my foot down. We don’t use language like “Sabanite” on a Christian blog.
Scott,
“Sedition Encouraging Conference”??
I have never heard that before. You are as bad as Dave Miller in being cruel to the SEC.
I guess if you two got together, you would call the TIDE something like:
The Skin Head Seditionists Crimson Toads.
Well, all I can say to you is, Eat your heart out Baby, ’cause the SABANATION will be the next National Champions. Come on down. You can watch it happen with me. I’ll treat you right and feed you good. I will also pour lots of salt in your wounds. 🙂
ROLL TIDE!
Believe it or not, I preached (although I hesitate to use that word) a funeral once. My daughter-in-law’s daddy. I never mentioned the “Jesus of the Baptist funeral” but I think I did OK. In fact, CB and I discussed it this past Sunday evening.
Small world.
But Big Savior.
yes, I agree . . .
“”In our world too,
a Stable once had something inside it
that was bigger than our whole world.”
(C.S. Lewis, The Last Battle)
Bob,
You did a good job with that funeral and you were in a hard spot to boot.
CB: Thanks for the kind words. They mean a lot to me.
A LOT.
Good words, CB. I was at a funeral recently where another aspect was brought up. “Jesus as the way to get to Heaven.” Heaven was promoted like Valhalla or the Happy Hunting Grounds. We’ll all have mansions up over the hill tops and walk on streets of gold and see our loved ones who have gone before and not have any more aches and pains and all have a big celebration together up in the sky. I was at a rural church in Alabama and all of the older people were nodding their heads and sighing wistfully. The preacher talked about heaven and how the departed was now in heaven with their previously deceased husband and she had a big smile on her face and she wished that we could all be there with her. IF we believe in Jesus, we will all get to go to Heaven and live in the mansion and experience eternal bliss and walk streets of gold and eat great food and live forever and see all our loved ones and have a big time.
Jesus was only really promoted as the way to get to Heaven when we die. Heaven and pleasure was put forward as our Hope, not Christ. Jesus was just a means to some other end – eternal bliss.
It was straight paganism, in my opinion, but it was the funeral fare of a Baptist church in Alabama and no one even noticed what was being said.
Allan,
I agree with you about Jesus being the center of attraction at Heaven. But, Heaven is also as good as described by that Alabama preacher, as well as being about Jesus. We will see Peter and Paul and our Grandmother, if she was saved. We will walks streets of gold. We will be rid of aches and pains. There’ll be no more sickness there….no more funerals…Praise God!
So, I nod my head along with the old people and sigh wistfully with them. I look forward to ALL the great things of Heaven, as described in the Bible. In fact, with each passing year, Heaven becomes sweeter to me. And, most of all, I look forward to worshipping the Lord Jesus in unhindered praise.
So, let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater.
David
David,
I understand that we will have all of that. But, it is a matter of emphasis. Christ was barely mentioned. Nothing about being with Him, His beauty or glory or being able to actually be WITH God. It was all about how we are to believe in Jesus so that we can get all the other stuff we always wanted.
The baby has already been thrown out and it wasn’t by me.
My point is that much of what happens at funerals has more to do with a pagan hope than a true, Christian hope. If we are looking more forward to the streets of gold and seeing our loved ones than we are to seeing Christ face to face and being with Him, there is a good chance that our affections are sorely misplaced. A funeral could be a great time to remind us and inform us as to what our true hope should be – Jesus. And, of course, He gives us those good things as well.
If Christ was barely mentioned, and the rest that you tell, then I agree with you wholeheartedly.
David
Vol and Alan,
I think both of you have valid points and that is what makes our calling so serious in matters of life and death. We must walk circumspectly when we speak to people about eternity and the truth of the gospel.
Since we are sharing our funeral gripes, I have another. I heard a funeral sermon recently and it was all about going to heaven to see Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Butch and Granny and Gramps and my dear departed friends and loved ones.
Can someone show me where the Bible references heaven as a giant family reunion? I’ve got a lot of family in heaven and I would love to be reunited with them. But heaven (as Alan said) is about Jesus, not about about seeing human beings.
Great post CB! It always adds grief to the situation when the preacher abandons the true Gospel and proclaims the “Jesus of the Baptist Funeral.”
Thank you Joshua.
I’m with CB and thanks for the answer to my first question.
Here’s another.
There have been many references about pastors being certain that an individual was lost.
How do you guys know and have such certainty about it?
I have done many where the issue was in doubt, where I didn’t really know, where I had experience and conversations with the individual and was unsure, where the evidence pointed to lostness.
But it’s as presumptuous to preach a person into hell as it is into heaven.
I’ve done very, very few funeral where the person admitted to not being a Christian.
Just asking.
William,
In the specific funeral story I related, I knew this guy well and for a long time. He was a pagan like me. Yet, not to the same terrible degree as me. Nonetheless, after I became a believer, I went back to see him. I shared my story with him. I did this on several occasions. I must admit that my early efforts to tell him about Jesus were crude. They were terrible to be truthful. Nonetheless, I did try to keep up with him after I left the state. he died as he had lived. Also, his family lives as he had lived.
The great preponderance of evidence was that he was a man who died without Christ. And William, I am in no way happy to say that. I believe hell is literally a place of horrible agony in flame where the worm does not die and when we talk or preach about it, we should do so with great sorrow.
It is all about Jesus Dave. And Jesus is going to make all things new. I’m really looking forward to the “new.” The “old” has been quite a burden at times.
It should be obvious that a preacher cannot preach one into Heaven who is not going there, and neither can he preach one into Hell whom the Lord has saved. My approach is simply to say as much. I am not a man’ Savior, and I am not His judge. My business is with the living. I do encourage them to remember the good the person has done and to forgive any trespasses he or she has committed against any one there. My aim is to confront and comfort with the Gospel, seeking to be balanced, careful, and compassionate. Each funeral has its own demands. I seek to remember that I must give an account for every word that I have spoken, and that is enought to call for sobriety, care, faithfulness, honesty and compassion.
“I seek to remember that I must give an account for every word that I have spoken, and that is enought to call for sobriety, care, faithfulness, honesty and compassion.”
Well said James.
You are right. We must care enough to get out of any comfort zone we have established for ourselves. We must be faithful and honest and have compassion for the bereaved and sorrowful while being honest and faithful to the gospel message of which we have been called to share in season and out of season.
I used to look at funerals as a time-suck and a burden. No longer. Brothers in the pulpit, you never have a better opportunity to minister the gospel than at a funeral. Don’t take it lightly. A piece of advice from one whose hair is gradually lightening – and not by exposure to the sun.
To preach a false gospel/try to preach the deceased into heaven is definitely one problem at funerals. I dare say most or all of us have faced and made peace with it, one way or another. There is, however, another issue also, the polar opposite of this. It is when we reduce the deceased to a sermon illustration in an evangelistic message centered around the coffin. I personally think a minister can, should, and must walk that fine line between the two, but all too often, I have heard preachers fall off on one side or the other, and occasionally manage to do both.
John
I get your point, John, but I would respond with a few thoughts – not so much disagreements as distinctions.
1) To preach the truth of the gospel is not to reduce someone to a sermon illustration in an evangelistic message. It is to uphold the ultimate truth about every life.
2) I always to a eulogy which speaks of the things that people remember about the dear departed. I try my best to adequately encapsulate what they remember about this person.
3) I don’t think we have to choose one or the other. I preach the gospel clearly at every funeral. I am amazed at how seldom people are offended. If I honor the departed they seem to not mind me preaching the gospel.
4) I try to speak truth, not conjecture. It is not my job to assign someone either to heaven or hell. I cannot know (though, sometimes it seems pretty obvious.) I never say, “Now we all know that Uncle Barney is in hell.” I can’t preach him into heaven either. I avoid that kind of thing.
Again, I see the point you are making, but in my experience it is a bit of a false distinction. We can honor the deceased and honor the gospel without confusing the two.
John Farris,
See comments # 2,5,20–Miller, Scott, and Bergman. I think you will find agreement in those comments for what you state here. There are probably others.
John Farris,
Also see comment #45 for a more complete summary. 🙂
Sorry Dave, I did not see your response when I posted the comment in response to John.