2 Corinthians 4-5

“The Gospel of Eternal Life”

Rev. Tim Black

ESV text

1. Introduction: Memories of Grandma

   1. Though it is wholly appropriate, when I was a quiet little boy looking up to my delightfully gregarious and mature grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, I never imagined they would call on me to honor Grandma by preaching the gospel at her funeral. So I thank you, my family, and Rev. Smith, for what is to me a great privilege.

   2. Grandma loved playing the piano, violin, and viola. When she was younger, she loved playing tennis, and reading was a life-long love. To my amazement, she also came to love the Trailblazers later in life!

   3. But more than these things, Grandma loved God, her family, and her church.

      1. It is very appropriate that Grandma’s obituary calls her a “host of large family gatherings.” As I thought of what I could say about Grandma, it was hard to come up with any story in particular, because nearly all the memories I have of her are of our family reunions in Grandma and Grandpa’s house, where Grandpa was the chief entertainer and she was the host.

      2. For my family, most visits to Grandma’s house also involved a visit to First OPC, because starting in January of 1945, Grandma was a member of First OPC for 66 years, and all her children grew up in this church.

      3. Grandma attended worship services regularly, took part in Bible studies, and made church pianists out of her many piano students.

      4. There is no doubt she wanted her funeral service to be put on by this church.

      5. Why?

         1. You might think the answer is that the church is a religious social club. But that is an insufficient reason. You see, your family is more important than your friends. If the church is merely your friends, it would be better to have your family perform the funeral. Now of course, our family is very involved in this funeral, but still it is being put on by the church. Today I am wearing the hat not only of a grandson, but of a minister of the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.

         2. Grandma said that before she came to this church, “I thought I was a Christian, but I really didn’t know Christ.”

         3. Her son Roger writes,

            • “In fact, a professor in a college class had taught her that Jesus was simply a very good man; he certainly is not the divine Son of God. But as Mom studied the Bible, she came to see clearly that Jesus is the God-man who could redeem her and reconcile her to God. Again in her words, ‘I learned who Christ is and how he died for my sins.’”

            • “When Mom was asked 11 years ago what advice she would want to leave to her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids, she replied on videotape, ‘My hope is that all my family will be Christians, trusting in Christ as their Savior. They should put Christ in the center of their lives and try to please him in everything that they do.’”¹

         4. I’d like to take a few minutes to unfold for you why it is a Christian wants their funeral to be in a church, which is what Grandma wanted.

         5. Ultimately, the answer why a Christian wants a funeral in the church is that in life and in death, the church ministers the gospel of eternal life. It proclaims to you “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68), so when you die you will have eternal life.

2. Body. 2 Cor. 4 and 5 shows you that underneath the surface of the church lies this great treasure of eternal life.

   1. The church proclaims God’s word 4:1-2

      1. I don’t have to make up a message of my own, or try to depend on my own human wisdom, eloquence, or humor. It is good for me to humbly bring you the word of God.

   2. The church has the treasure of eternal life 4:7-12

   3. The church ministers the gospel of eternal life 4:13-15

      1. The church ministers the hope of the resurrection (v. 14).

   4. The church is sustained by God spiritually 4:16-18

      1. This is good news for you as you grow older. God promises to cause those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior inwardly to grow more holy, even while outwardly their body is wasting away.

   5. The church will be glorified bodily 5:1-5

   6. The church will be at home with the Lord in glory 5:6-8

   7. The church proclaims the final judgment 5:9-10

   8. The church calls you to be reconciled to God 5:11a, 17-21; 6:2b

3. Conclusion

   1. These are the things a Christian wants at their funeral. These are the things Grandma wanted at her funeral. She wanted the church to proclaim God’s word, eternal life be offered to you, so you will be sustained spiritually in this life, will receive glorified bodies in the final resurrection, will be at home with the Lord in glory, and will escape God’s wrath in the final judgment because you were reconciled to God today.

   2. I’ll close with a personal anecdote.

      1. Just a few weeks ago, Bob Ayres, the only active ruling elder in our congregation, passed away. After his funeral I said in a bedtime prayer with my 2 1/2 year old son, Jonathan, “Forgive us for our sins, because Jesus died for our sins.” After I said “Amen,” Jonathan looked up at me and said, “Daddy, Jesus died...like...Bob died?” God is at work, bringing eternal life out of the death of His saints. After Grandma died, I told Jonathan Grandma is in heaven like Bob and Jesus are, and he asked, “When I die, will I go to heaven? And Mommy? And Naomi?” “Yes, Jonathan, if you believe in Jesus and ask God to forgive you for your sins.” So now things have come full circle. The eternal life Grandma received and passed on to us is being passed on to her great-grandchildren, and to their children as well.

      2. But today is a watershed moment amidst the continued flow of that gospel ministry in our family. Some of you sit in these pews at First OPC for the last time in your life. With Grandma gone, what reason will you have to seek the gospel of eternal life in this place ever again? So I ask you to take with you from this place, and take to heart, Paul’s closing plea, “Be reconciled to God.” “Be reconciled to God,” and though we part today, we will meet again in glory.