************ Funeral Sermon on 2 Corinthians 5:1 ************
By: Rev. Adrian Dieleman
This sermon was preached on February 4, 1998
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
Text: verse 1
Title: "Our Heavenly Dwelling"
Occasion: Funeral Sermon for Mrs. Jeltje Dragt
The "earthly tent" that Mrs. Jeltje Dragt lived in has been destroyed. That's what Paul says in our text. He is talking about her human body. The body, says Paul, is an "earthly tent" (vs 1).
In the Bible, "tent" calls to mind Israel's wilderness experience. Remember how Israel lived in the wilderness? For forty years Israel lived in tents. She was not allowed to settle down and establish roots somewhere during that time. She was constantly on the move. Her address was not fixed and her homes were not secured on foundations.
Here on earth, says the Apostle, we live in an "earthly tent." Like Israel in the wilderness our roots are not permanent, our address is not fixed, our foundations are not secure. Our life here on earth is but transitory and temporary. None of us are permanent residents of this earth. Like Israel in the wilderness we are but sojourners, pilgrims, travelers, and wanderers.
Jeltje Dragt lived a long and full life on this earth. She was in her 95th year of life. Yet, what is 95 years as measured against history? Or, what is 95 years as measured against eternity? Not much at all, is it? You know what the Psalmist says:(Ps 103:15-16) As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; (16) the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.
Life, my brothers and sisters, is so precious. We all fight to live. Yet, that life is so temporary and transitory. It is not permanent or eternal.
There comes a day when "the earthly tent we live in is destroyed" (vs 1). The years of growth and increase last for such a short time. Already when we are 20 or 21 years old our bodies and our minds start the decline that ends in death.
So much can happen to our earthly tent. We may suffer a failing and faltering heart. Or, we may suffer the ravages of cancer. Or, our life may be taken through a tragic accident. Or, we may have to face what happens to many in old age — death in stages: first, losing one's home and independence by moving into a nursing home; then slowly losing the ability to hear or see or get around; and finally, in extreme cases, losing even the awareness that we are alive. Paul sums this up by saying that "while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened" (vs 4). Whatever the case or cause may be, someday the earthly tent we live in will be destroyed and we will die even as Jeltje Dragt died.
The tent image, as I said, indicates that we are sojourners, pilgrims, travelers, and wanderers while on this earth. This indicates we are on a journey to another place.
The end of the Christian's journey causes tears to fall on the part of those who are left behind — for they will miss the person whose journey has ended. The end of a Christian's journey, however, should not lead to despair and inconsolable grief. Sure, the journey has ended, the earthly tent has been destroyed, a loved one has been taken, but there is reason for hope and joy. There is comfort for those left behind if those involved are children of God.
The apostle Paul, inspired by the Spirit, points out comfort for God's children: comfort for the present and comfort for the future.
For the present there is comfort to be taken if a Christian ends his or her journey, if a Christian's earthly tent is destroyed.
What is this present comfort? Scripture tells us that when a believer dies he or she is "at home with the Lord" (vs 8). Home. You know what home is. Home is the place where we belong. Home is the place were we find love, shelter, security, fellowship and acceptance. Home is where we find father and mother, brother and sister, son and daughter. Here on this earth we are not really at home. But when we die, we go home. When we die, we go to Jesus.Topic: Heavenly Home
Subtopic:
Index: 1356
Date: 9/1986.29
Title: Safely Home
Eric Barker, a missionary from Great Britain, spent over 50 years in Portugal preaching the Gospel, often under adverse conditions. During World War II, the situation became so critical that he was advised to send his wife and eight children to England for safety. His sister and her three children were also evacuated on the same ship. Although his beloved relatives were forced to leave, he remained behind to carry on the work. On the Lord's Day following their departure, Pastor Barker stood before his congregation and said, "I've just received word that all my family have arrived safely home!" He then proceeded with the service as usual.
Later, the full meaning of his words became known to his people. He had been handed a wire just before the service informing him that a submarine had torpedoed the ship, and everyone on board had drowned. He knew that because all were believers they were "at home with the Lord."
This is not to downplay our present existence. For in the body we are also with the Lord. We do fellowship with the Lord right now. But when we die our fellowship with the Lord is more direct and infinitely better than it is now. "For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face" (1 Cor 13:12).
The Christian who dies goes home to be with the Lord. Think about this! For the child of God death is not the end; it is a gateway, a doorway, to a better life with Jesus. Death is a homecoming. And all homecomings are joyful, wonderful experiences. Death is the end of a lifetime pilgrimage. The Christian's journey ends when he or she is at home with the Lord. No wonder the apostle can tell us in another place that not even death can separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus (cf Rom 8:38,39).
Presently, we are sojourners, pilgrims, travelers, and wanderers. We don't really have a place we can call home. But when we die, we go to a place called home.
Today, we are gathered together because Jeltje Dragt has died. But it is our comfort to know she is now at home with Jesus. No longer is she a sojourner, pilgrim, traveler, or wanderer. No longer is she in a place where she doesn't belong.
Do you know why I can say this? Because of her relationship to Jesus. Jeltje Dragt believed in Jesus so she is now at home with the Lord.
Not only did Jeltje Dragt believe in Jesus, she also made it her goal to please Him (vs 9). Her life revolved around Jesus. Or, as her family told me, her life was a living testimony to her faith in Jesus.
So, we have this confidence: death is not the end for her! Rather, it is a homecoming. Jeltje Dragt knew this. The family told me one of her favorite lines was "Dying isn't bad if you know where you are going." She knew where she was going when she died. She knew she was going home.
There is also a future comfort. The apostle says, "we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands" (vs 1).
Presently we are sojourners, pilgrims, travelers, and wanderers. In the future life we live in a permanent structure with secure foundations, a structure that lasts forever, a structure that will never decay or be destroyed. Our earthly tent, though it is a gift from God, is the result of the union between a man and a woman. Our eternal house, on the other hand, is made by Jesus. You know the words of Jesus:(Jn 14:1-2) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God ; trust also in me. (2) In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.
It is Jesus Who is making our eternal house.
What is this eternal house not built by human hands? It is our glorious resurrection body. We may now live in a tent but there awaits God's children a permanent building. We may now be sojourners, pilgrims, travelers, and wanderers but there will come a time when we can put down permanent roots. We may now live in a decaying and aging body, but there awaits us a glorious resurrection body.
This body does not grow old. This body does not suffer pain or illness. This body does not get Alzheimer's disease or cancer or heart trouble. This body has no back pains or arthritis. This body has no mental or physical handicaps. This body is perfect in every way imaginable. It is not afflicted with a forgetful memory, poor eye-sight, clumsy coordination, or a failing and faltering heart. It is a perfect, glorious, wonderful body that will last throughout all eternity (cf 1 Cor 15:35-57; Rev 21:4).
This body built by Jesus is the believer's future home. We know, because of her faith in Jesus, that Jeltje Dragt can claim this body too.
Towards the end of her life Jeltje Dragt groaned and longed to go home. She groaned and longed to be clothed with her heavenly dwelling. She was tired of life here on earth and could hardly wait to get to heaven (cf vs 2). She was tired of being a sojourner, pilgrim, traveler, and wanderer.
Someday the journey of every person here will also end. Someday "the earthly tent we live in is destroyed." Someday everyone of us, like Jeltje Dragt, will "appear before the judgment seat of Christ" (vs 10). At that time God will ask, "are you one of my children?" If the answer is "no" the consequences are too dreadful to even contemplate: the weeping and gnashing of teeth, the eternal fires that never die out, the thirst that is never quenched, the pain that never ends. If the answer is "yes" God will say, "welcome home, my son, my daughter. There awaits you a building, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands" (vs 1).
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