Bonus article for Father's Day

A Father’s Day Memorial

Me and Dad from 2017

Introduction

On February 9, 2019 my father passed away at age 83; Mom died in January, 2015. I made the trip home to Ohio both times to attend funerals. For my father’s funeral, though, I took the opportunity to preach a short sermon in the hopes that everyone present might appreciate the gravity of the situation.

I’ve tried a few times to get my parents to listen to me preach; even sent home tracts and articles, but to no avail. I used my father’s funeral as an appeal to those present to do what I was unable to do for my parents. Below is the sermon that I preached that morning.

Funeral Sermon for Richard D. Mentzer

I want to share with you some things I’ve studied in the bible over the last ten years or so; on the subject of death, and perhaps get you to understand the importance of why we are here today.

In Eccl. 7:1-4, King Solomon had this to say…

A good name is better than precious ointment, And the day of death than the day of one's birth; Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house of feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, For by a sad countenance the heart is made better. The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, But the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

I’ve always wondered why this was better and then I realized it has to do with focus. In the house of feasting or mirth, we celebrate: births, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, retirements, etc. But in the house of mourning, we focus on one and only one event and that is the loss of a loved one; family member or friend. We see our own mortality and know that someday we will all end up here. The writer of Hebrews says as much in Heb. 9:27, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” There is no guarantee that one would be born; nor those who are, how long we will live. But we will all die and then be judged in the final day.

For those who believe people go directly to Heaven or Hell from this life, let me share with you what Jesus discussed in Lk. 16:19-31. It’s a place known as Hades or what I call the Big Waiting Room…

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. "But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, "desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. "So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. "And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' "But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. 'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.' "Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, 'for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' "Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' "And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' "But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'”

Some pass this off as nothing more than a parable; but even parables were based on real events. But further proof to show that this is a real place, I turn to Lk. 23 as Jesus hung on the cross with the two thieves. I’ll read beginning in verse 39…

Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? "And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Lk. 23:39-43)

That place, paradise, was not heaven but the one side of Hades where that thief still resides even today. The other thief, along with the Rich Man, still resides in the place of Torment.

I ask that each and every one of us here today examine ourselves and see where our life is and ask, “Do I measure up to God’s Standard?” (Jn. 12:48) The apostle Paul said in 2 Cor. 5:10, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.”

At the judgement you will hear one of two statements: Either, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of your lord.” (Mt. 25:21) OR “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Mt. 7:23) This is the purpose of the house of mourning and this is why Solomon said it is better for us to be here than the house of feasting.

In closing, if you want to hear the former, you must:

Believe Jesus is the Son of God (John 8:24)

Confess Jesus is the Son of God (Mt. 10:32)

Repent of your sins (Acts 2:38)

Become baptized (through immersion) to wash away your sins (Col. 2:12; Acts 22:16)

Live Faithfully even unto Death (Rev. 2:10)

Then you can walk the path of righteousness and head towards Heaven.



Thank you!



Conclusion

On this Father’s Day; regardless of your standing with your parents, take time to call you father today and thank them for everything they’ve sacrificed in their lives so that you might have a life worth living. We only get one father and when they depart from this mortal realm, we might spend the rest of our lives regretting things left unsaid.