I generally like funerals. I hope I still say that when it's my funeral I'm attending! Don't get me wrong, I know that funerals are often difficult. When I was a young man I avoided a few funerals. My first supervisor, my first workplace mentor, the step-son of a work-out partner. It was selfish, I still feel ashamed. But then fast forward 20 years: when you're a pastor, you can't avoid funerals. And when I started officiating, I learned something important. Funerals force everyone to deal with death and eternity. When there is a dead person in the room, you can't avoid it! Which means at a funeral, I'm not preaching to the dead, I'm preaching to the living. It's too late for the lady down front in the box! But a funeral is a good time to preach the gospel. A funeral is a good time to remind all of us that Jesus offers eternal life because He is the resurrection and the life. Let's attend the funeral of Jesus' close friend Lazarus in John 11:17-27.
Here's what we'll see when Jesus and His disciples arrived at the funeral:
Jesus promises that death is not the end when faith is the beginning. 1. Jesus arrives at just the right time (vv.17-19). 2. Jesus offers a veiled promise (vv.20-23). 3. Jesus explains the hope of eternal life (vv.24-26). 4. Jesus demands a personal commitment (vv.26-27).
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