GREAT FUNERALS BECAUSE OF CHRISTMAS

Great Funerals

I spoke with a good friend today who shared with me that his former wife and friend had lost her battle with an illness which had plagued her for some time, and how great the funeral was because it spoke of a life that was accomplished for the sake of Christ. What a coincidence, my wife Glenda and I had attended two funerals in the last five weeks and how great they were because they too spoke of lives that had known and embraced God’s gift of Christmas. The first one was for another close friend’s sister, whom I have known since high school. His sister had demonstrated kindnesses toward me and others that was unparalleled by teens or young adults of our time. I knew that there was something oddly different about her. I later found out that she was a Christian and that their father was a pastor, which at the time meant nothing to me because I had never seen Christianity in true form so close up. But she was consistent and seemed to grow sweeter yet more firm in her life of faith as the years went by. One of the things that impressed me so much about my friend’s sister is that she treated everyone with such equity, no matter who they were. I did not know until I attended her funeral however, that she too suffered an illness that would eventually take her life; she lived with such jubilant concern for others. Her funeral was one that spoke of a wonderful life and home going because of Christmas. The second great funeral was of my wife’s oldest sister. We lived in different states and did not know each other extremely well, but the testimony of her funeral spoke of her life as one deeply committed to her belief in God through Jesus Christ, demonstrated by the love and care she showed to others, especially to all of the children she had taken into her home to care for.

 A life can be truly well lived and well celebrated at the funeral simply because of Christmas.

Without Christmas

Many people love Christmas because it has become a joyous occasion in and of itself to them, kind of kiosk, self standing on its own. The truth of the matter is however, that Christmas provides a way for men, women and children to find their way back to God and to live a life separated unto Him that also has an arresting affect on others, but of course Christmas could not stand without Jesus the Christ. So the love of Christmas without Jesus     as the foundation and central figure is like having a well wrapped gift box only to open it and find that it is empty.

A life can be well lived and so celebrated because the well wrapped gift of Christmas is Jesus Christ the Savior, without Him there can be no well lived life to celebrate at a great funeral. There can only be a life that has been lost to the futility of a well wrapped box of emptiness.

All acts of kindness without Christmas, no matter how noble, are based on a wrapped box of emptiness; and unfortunately this is the accepted life of many.

Embraced Truth Is Freedom

It is impossible to live well without embracing God’s gift of Christmas while at the same time being buffeted with all of the offerings of the world. It is just sometimes too much to resist, because we want so much to be accepted by the peers of whatever stage of life we are in; meaning one does not have to be a child to be influenced. Professionals are influenced by the strong characters of their profession, such as politicians, educators, law enforcement, even the president of the United States. But it is knowledge of and living in truth that makes us free to live well to end this life celebrated by a truly great funeral someday. The Christ of Christmas is that truth. The bible says embrace God’s word and you will know the truth and you will be made free (John 8:31-32).

I Love You So

It does not appear to have been God’s original intention for man to have need of funerals. The disobedience of man caused it to be so (Gen.2:17; Ro.5:12). Yet even before He pronounced judgment for man’s sin He declared that the seed of the woman would defeat Satan and sin, as well as reconcile all of receptive mankind to Himself, giving man eternal life while paving the way for man to live unto Him culminating with a great funeral (Gen.3:15), that seed was the gift of Christmas, Jesus Christ.

We have some great funerals because God sent His son to show us the way. Some have not taken Christmas lightly and have relinquished what others call, the privacy of their own lives, over to God for His purposes. Others still see it as just another occasion for a holiday.

So why would God give so much for a people who reject His gift and live as if He does not exist? The bible says it is because He loved us so (John 3:16-18). Have you ever experienced such love?

Bill Landrum

Harvest of Love Ministries (HOL

Sunday Morning Meetings at 11:00 AM

1215 East 59^th Street, Long Beach, CA 90805

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