Our world honors many achievements that have no real permanence. It honors athletic achievements that are forgotten as the athletes age and lose their prowess. It admires and envies the ultra-wealthy, though their wealth does not last beyond this lifetime. It honors those who are powerful in the military or politics, though their power is only transitory. By comparison, a member of God’s Church who dies in the faith has achieved the greatest honor any human being will ever achieve—an eternal honor. Paul wrote of the “crown of righteousness” that he and all Christians who die in the faith are guaranteed to receive (2 Timothy 4:8). We, the living, attend funerals to honor someone who has “gone to sleep” and accomplished such an immense achievement.
Funerals are often a time of great sadness for those who have lost loved ones. But we know that when our brethren die, they have finished their race—and their next moment of awareness will come when Christ returns. And when we lose unconverted relatives or friends, we know they will have their opportunity for salvation during the Great White Throne Judgment.
Funerals bring families together; they also bring peoples and nations together.
Scripture depicts a number of funerals as major events for God’s people. All of Genesis 23 is spent describing Sarah’s burial. Joseph gave his father Israel a state funeral, which included a pilgrimage from Egypt to Canaan for his burial (Genesis 50:1–13). Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus went to Pilate at great personal risk to obtain Jesus’ body so He could be properly interred according to the Jewish burial customs of His day (John 19:38–42), though many of their Sanhedrin colleagues viewed this as a treasonous act.
Jesus’ resurrection first became known because several women were attending to His funeral arrangements. These women accompanied Joseph and Nicodemus to Jesus’ interment (Luke 23:55). They spent the weekly Preparation Day after His crucifixion preparing spices and fragrant oils in accordance with the burial customs of the time (v. 56). Then they went back to the tomb with these supplies early on Sunday morning, becoming the first to discover that Jesus had risen on the Sabbath (Luke 24:1–10).
From the beginning, God’s Church has understood the importance of asking and acknowledging God’s involvement in major life events. The Living Church of God’s ministerial ceremony book contains directions for four particularly vital ceremonies: the Passover, baptisms, weddings, and funerals.
I worked part-time in my grandfather’s funeral home until I was about 30 years old. With other relatives having served as funeral directors, growing up in my family has allowed me to absorb the lessons of many decades of experience serving families during their times of grieving, so I hope this short article will be helpful to Living Church News readers.
Funerals Focus on the Gospel
The LCG funeral directions state, “It is an opportunity to be of great service to members of the Church, and to inform unconverted people of the truth concerning death and the resurrection to eternal life. This may be the first and last time some will ever hear the truth on this subject during this age.” Not only will a minister share with non-members the precious truth of our eternal hope and destiny—the eulogy of the deceased’s life will preach, by example, the power and fruit of living God’s way.
Non-member relatives and friends of the deceased generally respect the message of hope they receive at a funeral service. I’ve been told that our funeral service has caused some non-members to “check their Bibles.” But while they appreciate the witness given, it is only God who can open their minds.
Some years ago I conducted the funeral service for a widow who had several children, none of whom were Church members. Her son approached me after the graveside committal and thanked me sincerely for the “wonderful service.” He said it was just what his mother would have desired. Then, he concluded by stating, “But my mother is still in heaven.” He heard the truth and realized it was different from what he believed. Someday, he will understand.
Funerals Comfort the Living
When loved ones die, it is important that those closest to them are not left to grieve alone. Funerals and funeral visitations are important opportunities for friends and family to comfort each other, as well as others close to the deceased. Consider the death of Lazarus, an occasion when Jesus worked one of His greatest miracles—bringing the deceased back from the dead.
Lazarus had been dead four days when Jesus arrived (John 11:17). Many people, probably at least a few dozen, were there to “comfort them [his sisters] concerning their brother” (v. 19). Lazarus was apparently unmarried, suggesting that he died fairly young. In those circumstances, it was surely a great comfort to his sisters to have many friends and relatives present. These many mourners served as witnesses to Jesus’ great miracle, which caused them to believe in Him (v. 45).
There are times when we need to give solace to others. Funerals are an opportunity for the community to gather and provide comfort to the surviving family. Receiving this comfort from a group offers a great deal of hope, reassurance, and encouragement.
Funerals Are Solemn Events
The Church’s ceremony reminds us that weddings and funerals are solemn events with a scriptural foundation. Funerals in God’s Church convey to everyone that God is at the center of this major life event.
Those planning a service should ensure that it is dignified and shows respect to the deceased. It is not a time to wear casual clothing; Sabbath wear is appropriate attire for a funeral service or visitation. A respectful eulogy is a traditional part of a funeral service, and eulogies should not become a “free-for-all.” Some funerals include an open invitation for anyone to come forward and say whatever they wish. I have heard such invitations result in disrespectful statements about the deceased or the airing of grievances toward surviving family members. Those involved in planning a funeral should make sure that it will be dignified and structured.
Another recent trend detracting from a funeral’s solemnity is the choice to call the ceremony a “Celebration of Life,” in an attempt to sidestep the reality of death. The Living Church of God does not use this term for funerals, nor does it approach funerals in such a way. Funerals, rather, are a time to acknowledge the sobering reality of death and to celebrate God’s very encouraging plan to overcome it.
Funeral Customs and Planning
Human cultures have a wide variety of funeral customs. Genesis 50 shows that Israel received an Egyptian state funeral, with a 70-day period of public mourning. Afterward, a large entourage traveled to Canaan to bury Israel at the Cave of Machpelah. By comparison, Acts 8:2 may suggest that Stephen was taken to his burial directly after his stoning.
In the United States today, a typical funeral arrangement may include a simple graveside service or a visitation followed by a funeral service—on the same day or over two days—typically within about a week of the person’s death. By comparison, the funeral service of Kenyan Pastor Mr. Ephraim Abok was conducted three weeks after his death. This allowed 2,500 mourners from across Kenya and neighboring countries to pay their respects. The funeral events lasted 26 hours.
I mention some of today’s practices as well as those of antiquity to show that there are and have been a wide range of practices at different times and in different cultures. For God’s Church, the common theme of funerals is that they should be dignified, pay respect to the deceased, and point people to the hope of the resurrection.
And, if possible, it is beneficial for our survivors that we plan our own funeral arrangements in advance—and share those plans with a trusted relative or friend. Especially for those of us reaching our sixth and seventh decades of life, it is not something we should ignore or try to hide from. A funeral need not be very expensive, and it would be prudent when possible to set aside funds or take out a small insurance policy for funeral costs. My wife Michelle and I have made prearrangements with a local funeral home and shared those plans with our daughter. Such arrangements normally do not include pre-paying for services, though that is an option. Pre-planning takes a burden off grieving family members, while also leaving no question about your desires.
Paul reminded us that “it is appointed for men to die once” (Hebrews 9:27). Unless we live until Jesus’ Second Coming, we will die. The Church’s funeral service provides hope and comfort to the living, serves as an opportunity to preach the Gospel, and honors the deceased Christian whose name has been recorded in God’s Book of Life—and who awaits the resurrection (Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; cf. Hebrews 12:23).