AT A BURIAL

(i) Robert Renton

Romans 14: 8-9; 1 Thessalonians 4: 14 (from ''those who...) -18

I noticed that the title ''the Lord" is emphasised in these passages: three times in one verse in the first passage ''the Lord" is mentioned, five times in three verses in the second passage ''the Lord" is stated. The first passage says, "it is to the Lord we live". The personal pronoun "we" belongs to ourselves, believers, and these passages I have read relate to us. The way is open for every person, man and woman, boy and girl, to be a believer in the Lord Jesus. When it comes to death, that is all that really counts. No matter how we have progressed in the world, whether we are a believer or an unbeliever, death fixes our destiny. We have a wonderful Saviour to present. Our beloved sister early trusted the Saviour, and I commend Him to anyone here who has not taken this vital step.

It says; "if we should die, it is to the Lord we die: both if we should live then, and if we should die, we are the Lord's". I wonder if everyone can say that they are the Lord's. What an inestimable favour to belong to such a glorious Person as the Lord Jesus. Today He is presented as Saviour, and He is available today. I feel the urgency of the moment. It says, "... if we should die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ has died and lived again, that he might rule over both dead and living". What a place the Lord Jesus has! The domain of death, He is over it! Those of us who know Him, He reigns in our hearts, He is a glorious living Saviour!

In this second passage it speaks of ''those who have fallen asleep through Jesus". Our sister has been put to sleep through Jesus; that is, Jesus personally has had to do with putting this loved one to sleep. How tender, how wonderful! What a privilege to be a believer in the Lord Jesus. Then we read, "For this we say to you in the word of the Lord, that we" – emphatic - "the living, who remain to the coming of the Lord, are in no way to anticipate those who have fallen asleep; for the Lord himself, with an assembling shout...". Beloved brethren and friends, this is just about to take place. The imminence of it is known by us and cherished too and looked forward to by us as believers - ''the Lord himself". He will not send an archangel, He will not send an angel. Believers in the Lord Jesus are so precious, He is going to come Himself. I would like to emphasise that and also the imminence of it. There is nothing now left to take place. The next step is at the right hand of God when the Lord Jesus Himself will descend from heaven. What a day that will be for the believer, but, oh, the horror for an unbeliever who will be up for judgment. Now is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation. "The Lord himself, with an assembling shout, with archangel's voice and with trump of God..." Every believer will hear that shout. Our sister, who will be laid in the grave in a short time will hear that voice, and myriads, millions will hear that voice, a voice of authority, a voice of power, what a voice that will be! "And the dead in Christ shall rise first". "The dead in Christ"- what a title! "The dead in Christ shall rise first"; they will have priority. They have gone through the article of death; we have not as yet. They have gone through the article, and they will be the first to rise, "then we, the living who remain" - believers, those of us who are alive when the Lord comes. "The dead in Christ shall rise first; then we, the living who remain, shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air". What a meeting that will be. We are awaiting that moment. Believers will hear the shout, unbelievers will not hear the shout, but believers will, and we will be changed and we will be with Christ, as we sang in our hymn, which is "very much better", "and thus we shall be always with the Lord", with bodies of glory like His body of glory. The prospect for the believer is wonderful! Divine love has devised it, and we are just now waiting on that moment when we shall hear the shout and we shall be with and like Christ for eternity. The passage finishes, "So encourage one another with these words". Those related to our sister are much in our thoughts and much in our prayers, but the comfort is that our sister is with Christ which is "very much better". So encourage one another with these words, and comfort one another. We need comfort, dear friends. We loved our sister for she served the saints well and she will be missed, but her portion is now in bliss. What a triumph for God! May we be encouraged, for His Name's sake.