On January 4th at 6:00 in the evening, hundreds gathered to celebrate the life and passing of Cora Peters. Having lost my own brother to an untimely death when he was just seventeen, I often struggle with how to articulate what God teaches OR offers us in the middle of the storm as it were.
I'm no good at being formal or polished, so this may be a little raw or lengthy. Bear with me, however, because I believe it will exalt God, honor Cora Peter's memory, and give comfort to her family and anyone else grieving her loss.
The writer of Ecclesiastes (Solomon) provides insight as to why we attend a funeral in chapter 7:2, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. 3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad. 4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth."
Really, "sorrow is better than laughter?" Who is this deranged fool hanging out with? "By sadness... the heart is made glad." A little too formulaic for my liking. If you want to stand you have to sit, if you to run you must walk...that sort of thing. How does that line of thinking serve our grieving hearts?
However, I have been known to be wrong before. Besides, maybe Solomon was on to something...
This passage is perhaps one of the most poignant in all the Bible in helping us to understand that when life is spent on ourselves it is meaningless and vain. However, by joining with God's story through faith in His Son Jesus the result will be lasting joy, real hope and eternal life.
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| Cora and Jada |
With God's word as our guide my aim is to take us on a journey out of despair and into HOPE EVERLASTING!" This passage helps us understand a few things about death, and its critical we grasp them:
- (v2) It's good that we are thinking about her loss. Not one of us will escape this moment. Everyone reading this is "…laying it to heart…" In fact, you are reading this because of your connection (in some way) to Cora.
- (v3) There is an innate goodness that comes by way of sorrow - an introspection occurs that otherwise would not. A self-exam. The apostle Paul in II Cor. puts it this way:
II Corinthians 7:10 "For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death."
More than anything in ALL THE WORLD the Peters want each one reading this to KNOW "…salvation without regret…" But how - how?
First things first, God created you, each one of you. and HE LOVES YOU DEEPLY. His original created order DID NOT INCLUDE THIS (death) - that is why we are so deeply distressed. Death is the result of sin. Sin had to be overcome, and it was. But HOW does one appropriate that victory for themselves? How can you have "salvation without regret?"
The Apostle Paul picks up where God's created order was marred, describing the state of someone who is not yet a believer in Christ: Titus 3:3 "Once we, too, we're foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other." Sounds like a horrible existence if you ask me.
The word "Gospel" means "good news." If Paul would have stopped after verse 3 he would have done humanity a HUGE disservice. Much to my eternal joy he did not cease there. Listen to the rest of the discourse:4 But - When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."
3 "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other".
One must understand that his sinful state leaves him utterly helpless.
But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love...”
Ever since the creation of the world God has been communicating His love of mankind. In fact, Romans 2:4 says that it is “...His kindness that leads us to repentance...”
God is, DESPITE ALL YOU PERCEIVE THROUGH YOUR EMOTIONAL FACULTIES TODAY, GOOD!
5 "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior."
What he has accomplished through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, was a change at the core of who we are. An identity swap... Leading to new affections!
7 "Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
Having believed in our heart and confessed with our mouth that Jesus is LORD we are JUSTIFIED (in right relationship with God).
I could go on but I fear I may have already lost a good bit of you for lack of ear-tickling prose and gentle realities.
The Kindness of God lay in the fact that any of us has confidence of eternal life through the forgiveness of sin. The Severity of God is found on this winding, unpredictable and sometimes downright ferocious path called grief. It hurts, yes. Just ask Karen or David and their family.
However, their hurt is tethered to hope.
The word "Gospel" means "good news." If Paul would have stopped after verse 3 he would have done humanity a HUGE disservice. Much to my eternal joy he did not cease there. Listen to the rest of the discourse:4 But - When God our Savior revealed His kindness and love, 5 He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior. 7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."
- What we were (v3)...
3 "Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient. We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures. Our lives were full of evil and envy, and we hated each other".
One must understand that his sinful state leaves him utterly helpless.
- Who He Is (v4)...
But—“When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love...”
Ever since the creation of the world God has been communicating His love of mankind. In fact, Romans 2:4 says that it is “...His kindness that leads us to repentance...”
God is, DESPITE ALL YOU PERCEIVE THROUGH YOUR EMOTIONAL FACULTIES TODAY, GOOD!
- What He did (vv 5-6)...
5 "he saved us, not because of the righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth and new life through the Holy Spirit. 6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior."
What he has accomplished through the death, burial and resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, was a change at the core of who we are. An identity swap... Leading to new affections!
- Who we are NOW (v7)...
7 "Because of his grace he declared us righteous and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life.”
Having believed in our heart and confessed with our mouth that Jesus is LORD we are JUSTIFIED (in right relationship with God).
I could go on but I fear I may have already lost a good bit of you for lack of ear-tickling prose and gentle realities.
The Kindness of God lay in the fact that any of us has confidence of eternal life through the forgiveness of sin. The Severity of God is found on this winding, unpredictable and sometimes downright ferocious path called grief. It hurts, yes. Just ask Karen or David and their family.
However, their hurt is tethered to hope.
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