Following is a transcript of the funeral message I shared for the late Jim Greeson. Many have asked for a copy of my notes, so I was given permission to post this by his wife, Gayle. If you are in a time of loss, my prayer is that these words might encourage you. If you know someone dealing with loss, may the truths shared here help equip you to minister to them in Jesus’ name
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Let me begin (on behalf of Gayle and the other family members)—by simply saying “thank you”. Thank you for the many acts of kindness and love over the past few days. For every card, every phone call, every visit and plate of food that was dropped off– Thank you for every prayer that was offered and even your presence here this morning… As always, this is not an occasion that we would ask for, but it’s also an occasion that we would not want to miss.
Let me also say to Gayle and the other family members that—(on behalf of your church family)… We are so sorry for your loss. Jim was such a great guy…(he always will be in our hearts)—and we are very, very sorry for your loss. When it comes to times like this in life there are never simple answers (so I won’t try and give you any)… But I do want you to know, and I’m sure I speak for the entire family of faith here– We love you guys. We’ll continue to pray for you, and we really do want to help any way we can, so please don’t hesitate to ask for anything.
The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13, But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope.I think that when we are confronted with death– I think there are two mistakes we commonly make as Christians. The first is we forget the reality of our hurt. The second is we forget the reality of our hope. But both are there– Both are here– Both hurt and hope stand side-by- side as we are forced to face the reality of this experience we call “death”—and we must embrace both.
To deny the reality of our hurt is to short-circuit the process of grief. And grief is not something unnatural– It’s not something to be ashamed of or to be hid or denied, but it’s natural. We grieve because we love, and we love because that’s who we are (that’s how God has wired us)– And so, the hurt & the grief– The bottomless pit that you feel in your heart right now– That’s all natural, and it’s all part of how your mind & your heart deals & catches up with the reality of what has happened.
So don’t deny your hurt. The Bible doesn’t! What the Bible says is that we shouldn’t grieve as if there was no hope (and we’ll get to that in just a minute)—but grieve we will & grieve we should—(because we have loved), so don’t deny the hurt!The reality is—you have lost a very precious husband…a precious father…a great brother…a great grand-father, a great friend to so many… You have lost someone who played an important part in your life—and hurt will be there because life & love was there. So don’t deny your hurt. To that I would add; we all have to deal with hurt in our own way. So however God has wired you to deal with loss—do it! For some that means talking; so talk. For some that means a closed door and many tears– And if that’s the case, don’t shy away from it. If it means sitting around a table and sharing some of those memories that race through your mind– Don’t hesitate to speak up! Whatever it means for you—embrace it and engage in it—and through that process God will bring comfort to your heart.
So we don’t want to make the mistake of denying our hurt, but we also don’t want to make the mistake of denying our hope. That’s why the Bible says (in 1 Thess. 4:13),
we don’t grieve as if there is no hope. But where do we find that? On a day like today—very practically, where do we find hope? I believe it is found in the truth—and the truth of God’s Word would tell us that we know what has happened to Jim.Jesus made an interesting statement about death in John 5:24
. In that passage He says,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”Now that statement becomes especially significant in light of Hebrews 9:27
, where it says
it is appointed for men to die once, and then to face judgment. But Jesus said in John 5:24,
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.”You see, that’s what has happened to Jim! There may be a certificate somewhere that says he is dead—but Jesus says,
“No, no, no– He has passed out of death & into life.” And please note that it’s all because of Jesus. Because at a point in his life Jim heard the word (he heard the gospel) and he believed—and so Jesus says he has passed out of death & into life.That’s why the Bible, back in 1 Thessalonians 4:13– That’s why the Bible uses the word “sleep” to speak of death. Sleep is used because to be asleep carries the assumption that it’s a temporary state!So the Bible would say that Jim’s physical body is asleep– It’s in this temporary state—and here’s the part that I think brings some real hope, ok. Sleep (the word “sleep”)– It’s never used of the soul, only the body. Please get that– Sleep is never used of the soul—only the body.You say, “Well, what does the Bible say about the soul, as it relates to death”? Well the Bible actually speaks very specifically to that in several places, but perhaps none are as clear as 2 Corinthians 5:8: “
To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”Now we know that Paul isn’t talking about our physical body there because our physical body isn’t “present with the Lord” until when? The Resurrection! So if Paul isn’t talking about our physical body, then what is he talking about? Our soul! Paul is saying that when we experience this thing called “death”—our soul is “present with the Lord”.Now, note how the language puts those two up there as if they were one in the same! In other words, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. They are one in the same. You see in the same thing in Philippians 1:23, where Paul said as he talked to some believers about the possibility of his death, and he stated that in some ways he thought it might be better for him
“to depart and be with Christ.”Again, you’ll note that it’s the same language (it’s one in the same). Paul says if I die, then I will be with Christ.So I believe we can find hope in knowing that Jim is in the presence of Christ… And I mean that in the sense of now…like right now– Right now at this very moment, the Bible would teach us that Jim Greeson is in the presence of Jesus Christ!I shared with Ceann this past Tuesday night as we were making our way back from Super Summer, that the very last breath Jim breathed out here on this earth was immediately followed by his very first breath in Paradise! Isn’t that an amazing thought! The very last time his tired, worn-down body exhaled out on this earth, was immediately followed by his very first inhale in Paradise, and in an instant everything was different for Jim!
So according to the Bible, Jim Greeson is in the presence of Christ. The Bible would also teach us that Jim knows he’s in the presence of Christ (so it’s not some kind of unconscious existence), and furthermore, the Bible would also say there is unparallelled joy & fulfillment in the presence of Christ!
So we find hope in knowing what has happened to Jim– In the words of Christ, Jim has passed out of death and into life. That life is with Jesus, and it’s a life that is both full & meaningful to Jim.
So I think we can find hope in that, but I also think we can find hope in knowing what will happen! I think we can find hope in know that one day we will see him again. That’s the hope of the resurrection! And in the Bible, guys—resurrection & reunion always go together!
Never forget that! Resurrection & reunion always go together. So while Jim’s soul is enjoying the presence of Jesus—his physical body goes into this temporary state (the Bible describes as sleeping)—and then one day this body & his soul will be reunited into a new glorified body. And remember– Resurrection & reunion always go together.
That same passage in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 will put it like this:
1 Thessalonians 4
16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first (there’s your resurrection).
17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them (reunion) in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord (reunion).
Another passage that puts those two themes side-by-side is in 2 Thessalonians 2:1, which reads:
2 Thessalonians 2
1 Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (that’s the resurrection part) and our gathering together (that’s the reunion part) to Him.
So it’s a gathering together– Jesus returns and as we are brought to Him—we are also brought to one another (we are gathered together to be with one another)! Do you see that! Resurrection and reunion always go together in the Scriptures, and never, ever forget that.
Now, very practically, what does that mean? It means there really are no final goodbyes… It means there really are no last times… It means there will always be another time…(do you realize that)– There will be another time!You will feel his embrace again. You will feel the touch of his hand again. You will see the smile of his face again—and you will hear the laughter of his voice again.Resurrection & reunion always go together. What a great hope! That’s why the resurrection is called “The Blessed Hope” in the Scriptures, and it is, isn’t it? It is a blessed hope!Let’s pray together…
