Communion With the Christ:: A Time to Mourn

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. He has made everything beautiful in his time:" Ecclesiastes: 3:1-8, 11a

In the Book of Ecclesiastes, it is written:

“There is a time for everything, and a Season for every activity under Heaven."(1) “a time to be born a time to die.”(2)

A Time to Weep and Mourn

“There is a time to weep and a Time to laugh, a time to Mourn and a time to dance”(4)

For those of us who have experienced the loss of a loved one or the loss of something of great importance, this loss brings drastic changes in our lives. For we, who are left among the living it is our time to weep and mourn.

And it is justified that we do mourn. It is right and proper for us to mourn the passing, the death of a family member, friend and to grieve our collective and personal loss.

These times of weeping and mourning are God ordained times or seasons, that as hard as they might be, these times teach us things we could never learn otherwise. Above all they should speak to us of our need for Jesus Christ.

Over the years I have seen and heard some persons advising mourning friends or relatives that to show grief or loss was somehow a lack of faith in God. I have seen them almost revel in the opportunities to lecture and sermonize grieving people. This is not proper.

Those That Mourn

Jesus himself address those who, for a variety of reasons, might find themselves in a state of mourning. We are told in the beatitudes by Jesus Christ.

“Blessed are those who mourn, they will be comforted” Matthew:5:4

The Mourning proceeds the comforting, and will give way to it comfort.

When we go through the mourning process, we can come to a healing peace and comforting. We need to face it; we cannot pretend that nothing has changed when we have a loss. Something has changed, we will not see that person again this side of eternity, which means a part of us has died as well.

There may be alterations that will need to take place. Our whole routine of life altered or is gone. There can be a feeling of being overwhelmed, emotions long submerged find expression, we can hear ourselves say and do things that we would never of thought possible. Our emotions can become pendulum like. There is a vacancy within our lives. We might feel that none understand that no one cares.

Jesus Christ

Jesus understands our loss, Jesus went through the times and seasons of life just as we all do. Jesus understands when we mourn and pass-through grief. Jesus experienced it himself or looked upon the grief of those around him with decrements.

“ He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Isaiah: 53:3

It is all right that we mourn, but , we do not have to enter into a state of Morbid Nostalgia which can paralyze us from living in the face of our loss. Instead of living a grieving person can pine away for their loss and never move beyond it to the comfort that can be theirs.

God’s Provision

We all can be comforted by the truth that God has made adequate provisions to reunite us again through Jesus Christ with those who have pass away before us. We need not be unduly fearful and focused on our loss.

A little over 2000 years ago God entered this world through his Holy Son Jesus Christ and shared our humanity. Perfect Deity, & Sinless Humanity, Fully God Fully humanity.

Jesus lived as one of us & died for all of us that we might have eternal life.

“This is eternal that they may know you the only true God and Jesus Christ whom you have sent” John: 17:3

Jesus’ death on the cross shows us just how far God would go to have us with him, that we might be included in this eternal relationship with him through his Son Jesus Christ.

God Loves us more than he loves himself, the cross shows us how far God was willing to go that we each, any who will but freely receive it, might have eternal life. God would go even to the point of death for us, the same death that humanity faces; he did not exempt his own Son Jesus.

Jesus died was buried, and then was raised from the dead. The empty tomb shows us that not even death could hold him. That if God raised Jesus, he can and will raise those who trust in him. Jesus has power over even death.

Many who have passed on before us have believed this, and if we could hear their collective voices speak, they would encourage us all to hold on to this hope, this hope is what made them who they were.

I AM the Resurrection

When Jesus’ friend Lazrus died and was buried and they all mourned his passing. When Jesus came to the town Bethany where they lived. One of Lazrus’ sisters Martha had a conversation with our Lord.

“Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. Now Bethany was near to Jerusalem, about fifteen furlongs off: And many of the Jews came to Martha and Mary, to comfort them concerning their brother. Then Martha, as soon as she heard that Jesus was coming, went and met him: but Mary sat still in the house. Then said Martha to Jesus, Lord, if you had been here, my brother had not died. But I know, that even now, whatever you will ask of God, God will give it you. Jesus said to her, Your brother shall rise again. Martha said to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Believe you this? She said to him, Yes, Lord: I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John: 11:17-27

Jesus said “I am the resurrection” & the life. He who believes in men will Live, even though he dies” John: 11:25

Jesus speaks of the Resurrection as it being who he is, not just an event, but Who He is. Jesus tells her and us all, even before His own resurrection occurs; that means his resurrection only demonstrates what is and has eternal been true.

We often think of resurrection as just being over death, but it shows us that Jesus can bring hope and life to any situation even when it appears there is no hope at all. There is always hope for us because Jesus lives.

Victory Over Death

St. Paul tells us that Jesus’ resurrection is that victory over death that we all can share in and verifies that eternal life is ours. St. Paul wrote of this to the Christians at Corinth. The Apostle speaks of the death all humanity will face, the death our Lord shared with and for us, and St. Paul yet encourages us that the grave is not the end but glory awaits those who have received Jesus beyond the confines of this life.

This is found in the Epistle of 1Corithians: 15:12-58, There is a resurrection; Christ’s resurrection is evidence that those who have died are not gone forever.

The Shadow of Death

Yet, death is the great common experience of humanity and so being, Jesus faced it for and with us . Death looms so final and imposing, it conjures fear at its prospects. But we do not have to fear even death.

Psalm 23

“Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death” Psalm: 23:4a

We read these poetic yet powerful words as being our own deaths, yet there are times when the shadow of the deaths of others is cast upon us, and we must walk in its’ shroud for a season. But we need not be afraid.

“I will fear no evil for you are with me, your rod and staffs comfort me”(4b)

Our Lord is with all of us. Jesus the true great Shepherd has defeated even death for us therefore, if today you are walking in deaths’ shadow you need not fear for what lies beyond is great joy in his presence.

In ancient Israel the flocks would be led through the deep valleys and narrow mountainous pass ways that at times could be shadowed even in the midst of day . It was the last place the sheep had to pass to get home, but the Shepherd would not take flock where he had not been himself gone, that tells us that our Lord Jesus Christ knows the way he has passed through the valley of the shadow of death himself. He knows the way; Jesus knows how to get us home.

“for I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever”(6b)

Through Faith in Jesus, we to can experience that same victory, many have through faith in Jesus shared in this Victory.

Those who have passed away will live unfettered by the limitation and infirmities of the flesh, will live in Eternity, life undiminished, life unending with the Lord and Savior.

There are different views and opinions concerning the afterlife, even among Christians. I am not attempting to debate the theological merits of those views, but rather, to tell you, that the afterlife, promised in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible is reality, that God, through Jesus Christ alone, by grace, it is extending to us who will but freely receive it.

That God, in his divine providence and timing, makes available to all humanity salvation. Many before us have believed this, believed and Loved Jesus Christ. That belief gave them real hope for tomorrow for themselves and their families, and they would encourage each of us to embrace this same hope in Jesus Christ and cling to it, to live by it and through it.

It is all right for us to mourn our loss, here and now, but be encouraged by the truth and take comfort that you will see your loved one again. Living forever in the presence of the God and Savoir who loved us and gave us his Son Jesus Christ that we might live. Recall the words found in Ecclesiastes

"He makes all things beautiful in his time" Eccl: 3:11a

Even our seasons of mourning and grief will be made beautiful.

“Blessed are those who mourn they will be comforted”.

Benediction: May we each and all be comforted knowing tat even death has been defeated by our Lord Jesus Christ and that there is life eternal which awaits all who will but freely receive it. Amen