R1162 The Happiest Funeral Ever

The happiest funeral ever.

Yes, that's today's topic from Dr. Don Wilton on the Encouraging Word work together with you at 866-899-9673 right now on our website. Pray for your spouse. 31 days GW online.large, you know, when Jesus died on the cross he looked often he sold you and me.

He sold the people of the world but you know what he died for you. Someone said to me one time they said me pasta. What's the difference between Christianity and all the other religions of the world. This I have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus. He loves me. He died for me.

He forgives me write my name in his book in heaven, and he would do the same for you and in just a moment I'm going to ask you if you give your heart to Jesus. It's time I don't know what brought you here and I may not know all the details of your background, but I do know when you look at us.

We the people we are divorced we are single or married were all young but rich poor Democrats were Republicans where independence would come from the north, south, east, west, Jesus looks at us and he looks into our hearts and he loves us and Jesus died for you. I'm going to invite you to trust Jesus back. I'm going to tell you something. This is really going to come across a little bit sort of strange but I want to welcome you to this funeral service today. I don't know how many of us got up today and say do not think I'll go to a funeral service.

That's what you've come to the role of the funeral service but I'm going to tell you and I'm going to show you something here today I want to share with you the happiest funeral service ever the happiest funeral service ever folks we going to be in the Bible. I'm going to Australia open our Bibles to John chapter 20 so you got you going to need your Bibles open their John chapter 20 and I invite you determine if you don't have a copy of your own, you may want to look there on your iPhone or blackberry iPad and don't you worry those of us who are of the older generation we get it. We understand that person next to you right now is not sending an email to someone that open God's word and I to on my iPhone. I have copies of God's word about the King James version of the new international version. Many times if I'm doing something I want to reference just get out my phone and I and it's amazing the technology today but the bottom line is I want you to read God's we don't want you to see as I'm about to share with you the happiest funeral ever so limited, cannot just get this out of the way folks, I promise you if Jesus doesn't come I'm going to have a funeral service. I am some you going to actually look at me at some time when God saw them going to have a funeral service. I don't want to Broadway, but God knows but I tell you what I'm praying that I would have for Dawn, the happiest funeral ever, but I don't want my family and I don't want you and I don't want people to be said. My few and we going to see that you see. My life is in Christ, everything about Christ is me, it's you. And when Jesus died, the most agonizing circumstance. I can't even imagine because folks funeral services all very hard thing we feeling sadness done, but I've never been able to quite figure out what I can say to help people who suffer such loss and you are hurting so bad and pain is very real and grief goes on for years. It's not just limited to the dance and funeral.

It goes on because you miss that love one. Your heart cries out your heartbreaks. I got some friends who just they just grieve over the loss of loved one. I'm in the family unload every I know the grief and the pain never goes away. Always, there is always that missing seat at the table is so you can imagine the grief the grief and the sorrow that surrounded the death of Jesus, and we we talk about that and we know that, but in the midst of the state was such happiness. The word happy is not a word that we associate you know was walking around with a big smile on your face. You don't walk around with a big smile on your face when you're at a funeral service.

It's not the kind of human happiness. The word happy. Here is the same word Jesus used even in the Beatitudes when he said blessed all those that mourn for they shall be comforted. The one place and they is a word that speaks to our completeness. There is a whole space a future hope it it's not a it's not a final nothingness I had someone say to me one time they said to me will pasta when I die, that's it, know it isn't. You see, death is not far we we look at it like that.

Obviously, because that person's with us and then I no longer with us in life and it's very hard for us to figure out life off today, but we look at Jesus and when Jesus died, the happiest funeral service ever took place. And Jesus gave to us that exalted someone just read this to you it it's an incredible story. John chapter 20 verse one early on the first day of the week. While it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the two and sold at the stone had been removed from the entrance.

So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved and safe. They've taken the Lord out of the two, and we don't know where they've put it so Peter and the other disciple started for the two.

Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter reach the two first and he bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go.

Then Simon Peter, who was behind him arrived and when he knew to be so strips of linen lying there as well as the burial cloth of being around Jesus and the cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple had reached the tomb first, also went inside me so and believed even though they still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus have to rise from the dead. The disciples went back to their homes. But Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated we Jesus body had been one of the head and the other at the foot by Auster woman, why are you crying I have taken my Lord away.

She said not, don't know where they have put this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she still did not realize that was Jesus woman, he said, why are you crying who is it that you are looking for thinking he was in the group. He was the gardener, she said sir, if you have carried him away, please tell me where you put him and I will get him. Jesus said to her. Mary, she turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic Raven which means teacher and Jesus said do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the father going straight to my brothers and told them I am returning to my father and your father and to my blog and you'll God, Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news I have seen the Lord and she told them that he had said these things to her. What an incredible passage of Scripture.

I will commute today. Ladies and gentlemen and Boys and Girls Club to the happiest funeral ever. I think I've had the privilege of conducting and participating in hundreds of funerals. It's the one of the great privileges that God gives to me as your pasta to stand alongside friends and family and people that I love. As they journey through the agony of death, I want you to see people people that love the Lord standing around watching.

We know older stories all year. There were the people who howled for his blood all year. There were people who doubted they were people who shop to crucify him give us Barabbas. They were people who charged him while they crucified him, God, crown him king. Just look at those people go to funeral service today. Look at the people. People who come they gathered around and they sold them take the Lord Jesus drive nails through his hands and feet and drop him with the thought into a hole in the ground ripping his body apart, restricting his lungs rendering him paralyzed, inflicting the worst kind of human damage on he's human body, having beaten him to a pulp and there he hung and looked down across the nations and said father forgive them because they know not what they do for those on the outside. I think they had no idea they were observing the happiest funeral ever for those on the inside to have a personal relationship with him all day and you will write thing you because those who know Christ they know that it's just the beginning. They know what it means that Jesus went to the cross that he suffered, and that he died for you and for me all they knew. You see Jesus funeral, although agonizingly sad, carried full beacons of joy and happiness and hope for all people.

If you wind the clock back and you go to the announcement of his birth. When the angel came and said, peace on earth and goodwill toward men. This is it. This is the final chapter. This is the culminating point when the Angels came to announce the birth of Jesus.

They understood that he was destined to show us in public demonstration.

The happiest funeral ever.

He was giving us a reason to see beyond the grave he was giving us the very essence of the fact of our faith and trust. That's why he said lean on me. Put your faith in me. That's why the Bible says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should have the happiest funeral ever and will not perish but will have eternal life listing to Dr. Don Wilton. Please don't go away. The rest of today's message on the happiest funeral ever is about to come but know that we love to connect with you between these broadcasts on our website@twonline.org you can hear today's entire broadcast including some sections we were unable to share with you on our website@tewonline.org while you're there, be sure to sign up for the daily Encouraging Word email from Dr. Don. It's all there@tewonline.org.org.just draw our attention today on these full beacons of happiness held by all they full beacons of happiness.

Number one because Jesus was born with purpose. Jesus was born with purpose and amongst the purposes for which Jesus was born in Bethlehem was the purpose of his provision of the way to the father. He was born with God's express purpose that keep the son of God would provide the way to the father which is in heaven and he was born with the express purpose to prove the way it's one thing for Jesus to have provided the way.

But when we see the empty tomb. We understand that he was born with the purpose to prove the way this was the proof my essay. I pray with all of my heart that when my funeral service comes one day that my sons no doubt you will have a lot to say and my daughter and my friends and my loved ones that at least at my funeral service with the joy in their hearts would be able to say you know Don Wilton we are convinced that he was born with a purpose, people all over the world looking for meaning people everywhere saying why am I here what Luther my careful what am I doing what's the reason for my existence. The futility of the vacuum in which I find myself this sphere of nothingness into which I have been dropped this in the search for meaning and the search for significance in the Bible tells us that you and I will created in the image of God with the express purpose of God.

Not only find the way back to experience the way to the father and that in experiencing that way that we would live an abundant life in him. I tell you, my friends, there is nothing in this world that can compare to knowing that God has you way as you because he has a purpose for you. I grew up in a wonderful Christian home, lived on the other side of the world went off into special forces and trained as a tanker monitor and rub shoulders with the best and the worst of them and spent years of my life searching for significance and even though in the context of a wonderful Christian hole.

I ran headlong into a most beautiful young girl. My first day in Sesame Street.

My first day out of an army uniform. My first day on campus. My first day sitting in a church just like this. And Jesus stood in front of me and began to get a hold of my heart, and a hold of my lap and say to me.you with a purpose.

I created you with a specific purpose of being meaningful and complete in me being given no sin, and of being a true man named somebody got the guts enough to stand up and stand by your convictions. I believe people in the paths of righteousness.

Jesus, what a funeral service. Jesus these full beacons of happiness all number one because Jesus was born with a purpose. Number two. Because Jesus lived his life with purpose wasn't just born with purpose. He lived his life with purpose.

He lived to demonstrate the way and he lived to teach the way, did you know that everything Jesus did while he lived was designed to demonstrate the way and teach the way everything so I was sorely tempted to go back into the New Testament and bond examples and I came to the conclusion just go back to when Jesus was born and read his story because it's his story all the way to this moment at which we look into the empty tomb and understand that by the power of God is being raised to walk in newness of life and you find that Jesus lived his life with purpose is not a single thing that Jesus did and there's not a single thing that Jesus talked that was not designed for you and me. He had you and me in mind. He lived his life with purpose. I pray that when my time comes that somehow, some way by the grace of God. My children would be able to say you know there's anything about dad. Dad was born with the purpose of God and dad lived his life. The purpose of God. See, there's nothing more important than being right there in the same of what God wants us to do as you and I got a lot of decisions to make a lot of roads to walk, but a highways to travel water bags to pack Jesus lived his life with purpose, but there's 1/3 beacon of happiness, and that third beacon of happiness is because Jesus died with purpose.

He died with purpose. So watch this.

He was born with purpose.

He lived his life with purpose. Jesus died with purpose. He died number one to take our place.

What a purpose, and he died number two to provide our place. This is just too magnificent for words. That's why want to invite you to give your life to Christ while old cross everywhere. People are listening to the name of Jesus we are inviting you to trust him today because Jesus died with purpose and that purpose was to take place. You see, the Bible tells us that all of us of sin and come short of the glory of God is not one righteous the Bible says all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God Bible says because we born in sin we are condemned to die. Every one of us. There's not a single self-righteous person in this place. Biggest problem Jesus had was with the self-righteousness of the Sadducees and the Pharisees and some of you sitting here today and you sign pasta you don't understand you're talking about prisons amended the Army in prison there's someone here today that you're part of celebrate recovery. You sign pasta you don't understand not only have I had an addiction. But I broke up my family. I'll guarantee you there's one person had a guy sign. I am as you speak committing adultery. I am unfaithful to my wife, there's at least one person here today that already. Satan has condemned you. You are being relegated to the back seat into the sewers and the dregs of this world you been told that you have no hope. It's over the washer hands leave get out while you're ahead. Make the best of yourself. You might as well go and so your seeds to cite because it's gone anyway know it isn't know it isn't.

No sir but if you understand the happiest funeral service ever because Jesus died to take our place. Yes you are condemned I am condemned, but Jesus died upon the cross and the Bible says there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in union with Christ Jesus, and that wonderful all he died with purpose. He died to take our place, but he died to provide our place. Jesus said let not your heart be troubled you believe in God you believe also in me because in my father's house there are many mansions and if it were not so I would've told you I'm going to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again. I will receive you unto myself that where I am, there ye may be also that he died with the purpose. He died to take my place but he died in order that I might have my place at the feast table of the king's welcome to this funeral service I tell you this is the Christ funerals while I mean wait a minute now Jesus was bludgeoned to death. The weeping that was going on.

The sadness all year's coming.

Jesus was so concerned he turned to John and he looked at his mother and he even commanded Mary to Johnson John take care of your mother, Mary, and he did even onto his day.

I mean, he was concerned about the fabric of society was concerned about caring and providing and protecting he was concerned about moms and dads and grandparents and senior adults. He was concerned that one day Mary might fall victim to Alzheimer's and wouldn't be able to take care of herself. He was concerned about all of those things, but upon the cross what he was was more magnificent than you and I could possibly ever imagine. Because he was providing for us.

Our place to be seated at the feast table of the king. There were four beacons of happiness of this funeral service because he was born with a purpose and because he lived this life with purpose and because he died with purpose, but I couldn't wait for this one you know that I could like that that's what number four because Jesus rose from the grave with purpose.

That's what this is all about folks. You see, he rose from the grave to conquer sin and day in the gray. Now be honest how many of you actually believe that when someone's day by day.

Why do Bible says nobody ever who has ever died is dated because Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave.

The Bible says that our eternal destiny alive. Whether it is eternal separation from him God for bid for bid or eternal communion and fellowship with him, which is why I'm inviting you to give your life to Christ happened right there when Jesus stepped out of the gray he rose from the grave to conquer sin and death and the grave. But he rose from the grave to prove God's power for us the empty tomb is the single greatest demonstration of a loving heavenly father.

There is nothing but a powerful type of teaching Dr. before we get away as he steps in the studio for you to open your heart to what he wants to share next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now.

Dear God, I know that Iversen and I know that Jesus died for me today.

I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting. You press moments ago you praying with Dr. Wilton new beginning. If you are praying to receive Christ as we dedicate your life to Jesus. Dr. Wilton has free resources to the half if you'll call 866899 word right now that 866899673 and on our website. 31 days of prayer for my husband and 31 day super wonderful couples during the month of February. I love my wonderful couple on our website TW online.org why you're there at the website. Be sure and sign up for the daily encouragement devotional from all there@twonline.org that's TW online.org