While contemplating the inevitable but hopefully distant death of my physical body I thought of this… It came to me very quickly at work one day (7/26/2010) and I wrote it down after I had returned home later that evening.
........................................................................................
What is being read to you now was written by me before I died with the hope that this would be read at my funeral. You may be surprised at this as it is not generally done, but you won’t speak ill of the dead will you? Some of you here today only step foot in a church for a funeral so while you are in a church, why would we waste the time discussing a mere man as myself when you could hear the Gospel of Jesus Christ? It was once said, “never waste a good tragedy.”
Well here you are at my funeral. This may be considered a tragedy of sorts. Though I know not how I shall die as I write this I believe my death was not a tragedy. Why? Because I have Faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. You can see the evidence of this saving faith by my actions and way of life, and yet God alone judges the intents and motives of the heart of a man. I pray that when this is read it is read to those who do not need to hear it. But if lack of faith in the Word of God continues to grow the way it is now this will be in need of hearing.
So what is a tragedy ? I’ll tell you what a tragedy is.
A tragedy is when men live their lives as though they cannot understand who God is, when all they have to do is read the scriptures.
A tragedy is when one who professes to be a Christian is living the same as those of the world.
A tragedy is when one hears God’s voice and refuses to obey it.
A tragedy is when one calls themselves a Christian merely because of their upbringing rather than personally knowing Jesus Christ.
A tragedy is when men forfeit their witness of Christ for the sake of worldly gain.
A tragedy is when one stores up treasures on earth rather than in heaven.
A tragedy is every day that a man fails to yield himself to God.
A tragedy is when one lets the years pass by knowing that they have not done God’s will.
A tragedy is when men profess with their mouth to know Christ, but in works they deny him.
A tragedy is when the world looks at the Christian church and is unconvinced that it is the true religion because they can see no difference between “Christians” and other religious peoples.
And perhaps the greatest tragedy of all is when a man brings unto himself death and damnation by so hardening his heart his whole life long, dying in sin and never knowing the mercy, grace and bountiful blessings which God bestows on those who deny themselves take up their cross daily and follow him. (Luke 9:23) (Pause)
Now in contrast to tragedy; the joyous life can be ours through Christ Jesus.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is this;
Man is lost in sin and cannot save himself. The penalty for this sin is death and hell. But God sent his son Jesus Christ who died for us taking the penalty for our sin. That believing in him we may have eternal life. We are saved and receive life when we repent of our sins and place our faith in Jesus Christ accepting God’s gift of grace. This grace which we cannot earn by our own doing and which we do not deserve, is only a gift from God, so that we may be saved by faith in Jesus Christ. Christ whose shed blood and death on the cross was the final sacrifice for the sins of all men who come to God repenting of their sin acknowledging that they are lost and can only by saved through Him. Trusting God to save them from their sin repenting of it and placing their faith in him. (Pause) Will you be saved? (Pause)
Now I have one small request. I request that before my coffin is lowered into the earth that if you have not accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour that you would spit on my coffin. This is a small request... for this is what you do to God everyday that you turn from him, everyday which you disbelieve the Holy Bible. Just think of all that God has done for you,... though you may fail to claim those richest blessings. So this one small request… After all I am only a man… if you can spit in the face of God neglecting so great a gift as he has given, then it is but a small insignificant thing for you to spit on a dead man’s grave.
For God Almighty is a Most Holy God. Amen.