Here's my Funeral - Show me yours!

As I noted in my initial post (you may have noticed this is not a very active blog), I've recently come to know that most ordinary people don't think about their own funeral and many elders get caught short when people die with little or no notice. Having a funeral template is good for an elder - each of us having our own funeral takes big load off our family and our elders.


Here, then, is my funeral plan:


Brogden’s Funeral


Hymn: #403 – Not What my Hands Have Done


OT Text: Psalm 32


Prayer, from the Puritans:
Heavenly Father, if I should suffer need, and go unclothed, and be in poverty, make my heart prize Thy love, know it, be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. It is Thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, for by these trials I see my sins, and desire severance from them. Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations, if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, and be delivered from it with gratitude to Thee, acknowledging this as the highest testimony of Thy love.


When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead of sin He became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; His kindly rule replaced sin's tyranny. Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, but must invite Christ to abide in the place of it, and He must become to me more than vile lust had been; that His sweetness, power, life may be there. Thus I must seek a grace from Him contrary to sin, but must not claim it apart from Himself.


When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in myself I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have ability to do all things. Though now I have His graces in part, I shall shortly have them perfectly in that state where Thou wilt show Thyself fully reconciled, and alone sufficient, efficient, loving me completely, with sin abolished. O Lord, hasten that day.


Hymn: #580 – It is Well With my Soul


NT Text: Colossians 2:8 - 15


Sermon Text: Romans 8:18 - 25


Prayer, from me: Holy and righteous God, Sovereign over heaven and earth. We wretched people come to you with nothing to offer that You have not first given us. Open sleepy eyes to your Truth, open dull ears to your Gospel; grant repentance and faith to your elect – that there would be joy amongst your people and amazement among the others. Heavenly Father, comfort those who grieve, show them your glory that they would know that you are Good and our all sufficient refuge in times of trouble. We humbly ask of you to convict us of our sin, teach us to hate sin and love righteousness – that your people would walk in the light. Let all know their days are numbered and held in your hand; that judgment will follow and there will be no place to hide from the Lord on that terrible day. Grant the joy of salvation to your chosen ones, dear Lord. Let your people praise you, for you alone are worthy of our praise. May your people rejoice in your goodness to us – that we have eternal life and the security of your Spirit. For the glory of our great Redeemer and Savior, may these requests please you, our gracious Father in Heaven.

Write Your Own Funeral!

Most of us have thought about our own death, perhaps how we would the funeral to go. But how many of us have taken the time, thought, and prayer to write out the order of service for our own funeral? Imagine the stress on your family during the hours after your death - who would want to put an additional burden on them? 

Even church pastors need assistance - because deaths are mostly unplanned and the family of the deceased is left with telling the pastor what should happen. He can take some of the load, but likely does not know the person well enough nor have the time to do it all himself.

So you should write up your own funeral. What hymns, what Scripture, what prayers? Let me know what you think. I may post my funeral outline later. Let all things be done for the glory of God in Christ - the only Redeemer and possible salvation for anyone.