Funeral Sermon: A Time for Everything
Text: Ecclesiastes 3:1–8
“For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, ESV)
Introduction: Life’s Seasons
Today, we gather in grief, love, and remembrance. The loss of a loved one reminds us of the brevity of life and the deep questions it raises. The words of Ecclesiastes 3 offer us wisdom and comfort in this time of mourning, pointing us to the sovereignty of God over the seasons of our lives.
The Preacher writes: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” These words remind us that life is not a random series of events but is ordered by the hand of our Creator. Birth, death, joy, sorrow, planting, and harvest—everything unfolds under God’s sovereign rule.
1. A Time to Be Born and a Time to Die
“A time to be born, and a time to die.” (Ecclesiastes 3:2)
This verse encapsulates the cycle of life. The same God who lovingly ordains our birth has also appointed the time of our death. Though death is a painful reminder of the fall, it is not outside God’s control. As Psalm 139:16 says, “In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me.”
Our loved one’s life was not cut short by chance or fate. Their days were numbered by God’s perfect wisdom. This truth does not erase our grief, but it anchors us in hope. God is sovereign over life and death, and in Christ, He has redeemed even death itself.
2. A Time to Weep and a Time to Laugh
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.” (Ecclesiastes 3:4)
This is a time to weep. It is natural and right to grieve the loss of someone we love. Even Jesus wept at the grave of His friend Lazarus (John 11:35). Grief is a part of our humanity, and it reflects the depth of our love.
But Ecclesiastes reminds us that sorrow is not the final word. There is also a time to laugh and a time to dance. For believers, this is rooted in the promise of resurrection. As Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live” (John 11:25). Because of Christ’s victory over death, we can look forward to a day when sorrow will give way to joy.
3. A Time to Seek and a Time to Lose
“A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.” (Ecclesiastes 3:6)
We feel the sting of loss deeply in moments like these. Death takes away what we wish to keep—time with our loved one, conversations left unfinished, dreams unfulfilled. Yet even in this loss, we are reminded to seek what cannot be taken away: the eternal promises of God in Christ.
Jesus invites us to seek first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33), where neither death nor decay can touch what is kept for us. For our loved one who trusted in Christ, this loss is not eternal. They are now in the presence of their Savior, experiencing what we still long for.
4. God’s Sovereignty and Our Hope
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11)
God has placed eternity in our hearts, stirring us with a longing for more than this life. This longing finds its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, who has secured eternal life for His people. Death is not the end; it is the doorway to eternity.
Though we cannot fully understand God’s purposes, we can trust Him. He has made everything beautiful in its time—including the life and legacy of our loved one. Their life, though brief in the grand scheme, was meaningful and purposeful under God’s sovereign care.
5. The Gospel’s Answer to Death
Ecclesiastes acknowledges the harsh reality of death, but it also points to the gospel. Jesus entered this fallen world, lived the perfect life we could not live, and died the death we deserve. On the cross, He bore the penalty for sin, and in His resurrection, He conquered death forever.
Because of Christ, we have hope. As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15:54–57, “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” For those in Christ, death is no longer a foe to be feared but a defeated enemy.
Conclusion: Trusting the God of All Seasons
As we face this season of loss, Ecclesiastes 3 invites us to trust the God who ordains the times and seasons of life. There is a time for weeping, but there is also a time for joy. Through Christ, we can look forward to that time when God will wipe away every tear, and death shall be no more (Revelation 21:4).
Let us remember the life of our loved one with gratitude, grieve their passing with hope, and place our trust in the God who makes everything beautiful in its time. In Christ, even the shadow of death points us to the light of eternity.
Closing Prayer
Heavenly Father,
We thank You for the life of our beloved [Name]. In this time of sorrow, we ask for Your comfort and peace. Remind us of Your sovereignty over all things and the hope we have in Christ. Strengthen our faith, and draw us closer to You. May we live our lives in light of eternity, trusting in Your promises.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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