Jeff Smith

First of all, only truth, though often very sobering and humbling, only truth can give solid, lasting comfort and direction to the grieving. Only truth, ultimately, God’s truth, can give solid, lasting comfort and direction to the grieving. Sometimes it is sobering truth, but nevertheless it gives that comfort and direction to the grieving, and why is that so?

Well, first of all, because Biblical truth sets people free. Biblical truth sets people free.

We’re going to turn to different passages this evening. I would like you to open up your Bibles and turn to John chapter 8, and we’ll read verses 31 and 32. John chapter 8, verses 31 and 32.
These are familiar words, I’m sure, to most of you. Jesus is the one speaking, and He says,

If you abide in My Word, then are you truly My disciples, and you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.

God’s truth delivers us and frees us from error and falsehood. It establishes us. It becomes like a foundation for a building but for our lives, that’s what it does, it stabilizes us, especially in times of perplexity and grief.

It’s not uncommon at funerals to hear people speak things that are intended to comfort the grieving, but they do not really comfort the grieving because they are words that are not true, they are falsehoods.

As an example, things like this, I’ve heard this with my own ears: we know he is in a much better place. He is at peace now. He has no more pain and suffering.

Well, if the person who has died is a Christian, a genuine believer that would be true. He is in a better place, but it’s often said of those who are not believers and my point is, truth sets us free, truth, biblical truth stabilizes us in times of perplexity and grief.

Link to full text of this sermon:
http://heraldofgrace.org/biblicalexpositions/lessons-learned-from-the-death-of-a-loved-one/