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YES! - This is a completely serious question, and being a Christian or not would make a huge difference in your answers to this question.

Have you ever really thought about this question, or has the thought never crossed your mind because you are young and healthy? If you haven't thought about it, think about it now, especially if you aren't a Christian.

NOW: what's on the list of things that you want for your funeral?

1 - The location and size of the facility.
2 - The casket and how expensive.
3 - Large service - small service - public - private.
4 - Who officiates and why - a pastor - not a pastor.
5 - Music or other special things and why.
6 - What do you want said or thought of you?
7 - What do you want done with your remains?

If you have not yet accepted JESUS CHRIST as your Lord and Saviour, these are things that you should be thinking about right now - tomorrow might be too late.

Young or old - life is very uncertain. I could give you many examples, but I'll just mention a few just for this country:

Killed in vehicle accidents - 40 to 50 thousand per year.

Under the age of 25 only - 20 to 25 thousand per year killed with guns - crime and violence - Nothing to do with war at all!

The overall numbers from all causes are staggering, and this is only for one country - without even mentioning natural causes. Nobody really knows if they will be alive tomorrow or not.

Do you have any "roun' tu'its"? Most people have fairly large lists of "roun' tu'its", things they want to do or need to do when they get "around to it". Needless to say, hosts of people never have a chance of getting "around to it".

So, make some of these things serious questions:

What's on your list of "roun' tu'its"?

What do you want for your funeral?

Friends, please don't put off accepting JESUS CHRIST as your Lord and Saviour. This is the most important decision in your entire life. If you have questions about JESUS CHRIST, please get the answers and make your decision before it's too late.

The question about what you want for your funeral is serious, and this is certainly worthy of conversation and discussion. Seriously thinking about this question usually leads to thinking about priorities in life. Everyone needs to think about their priorities in life on a regular basis and try to place things in perspective of reality. The reality is that you might not be alive 10 minutes from now. If you knew the day and hour of your death, would it change the things that you do each day? Have you put many important things off? Would several of those important things happen to be for the LORD? Let's talk about it - including what you want for your funeral and why.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Revelation 21:3-4 NASB  And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."

I don't have any strong preference to my funeral arrangement and stuff. I know I'm going to heaven.
I don't care about this body much. This body has too much pain.
I have no to do list.
I wait for my God given time when he'll take me to heaven.

Amen David, this is not our home, we are just ravelers on our way through to a much better place. We will arrive there when He is ready for us.

In the meantime  .....    Praise God for what He has given us and the time we have to do His work.

Yes I'm thankful for what I have.  :)

Amen Brother David!

These are the type of things that I hoped would come up in this conversation. If I die before JESUS comes to take us home, my wishes are:

1 - Top Priority - The Gospel of the Grace of GOD is preached at the service.

2 - Everything else could be very simple and inexpensive.

3 - I really wouldn't have any desire for someone to stand up and tell everyone what a nice guy I was. BUT, I would want everyone told that I belong to JESUS and exactly what that reality means. I would want all of my friends and family to hear about GOD'S Plan of Salvation one more time, even if I thought all of them were saved.

4 - I would want my friends and family to know that I was absent from that body and present with the LORD. I would want the blunt truth told about what a time of rejoicing that would be for me and how much I hoped that everyone in the service was saved. The funeral service would not be for me, rather it would be for them and be one more time for anyone present to accept JESUS CHRIST as Lord and Saviour.

In short, I would be at HOME with JESUS and my concern would be for those attending the service.

Love In Christ,
Tom

How about the Gospel of the Grace of GOD one more time right now:


1:  Romans 3:10 NASB  as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE."

2:  Romans 3:23  NASB  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:  Romans 5:12  NASB  Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned--

4:  Romans 6:23  NASB  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

5:  Romans 1:18  NASB  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,

6:  Romans 3:20  NASB  because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

7:  Romans 3:27  NASB  Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith.

8:  Romans 5:8-9  NASB  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

9:  Romans 2:4  NASB  Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

10:  Romans 3:22  NASB  even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction;

11:  Romans 3:28  NASB  For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.

12:  Romans 10:9  NASB  that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;

13:  Romans 4:21  NASB  and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.

14:  Romans 4:24 NASB  but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,

15:  Romans 5:1  NASB  Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

16:  Romans 10:10  NASB  for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.

17:  Romans 10:13  NASB  for "WHOEVER WILL CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL BE SAVED."

1 - The location and size of the facility.
- I really do not care.  However my earthly home (my church) would be nice.

2 - The casket and how expensive.
- It could be a Pepsi bottle for all I care. 

3 - Large service - small service - public - private.
- Again matters not to me. 

4 - Who officiates and why - a pastor - not a pastor.
- right at this moment I would say my pastor.  This is all for those left behind so it does not matter.  But whoever does it should also reflect my life and thus be a Christian.  If in the future one of my son's is called into the ministry then I would say him.

5 - Music or other special things and why.
- My Bible on display.  And whatever reflects my life in the service of God.

6 - What do you want said or thought of you?
- As long as it is reflective of my life with God I do not care (of course i would not care anyways since I will be in my new mansion)

7 - What do you want done with your remains?
- Do not care here either.  Since we had a casket mentioned above it would be buried I would hope.

One thing to remember is that although we as Christians will be sitting in heaven, the legacy we leave behind is important.  I have to say there would be a little pride in me to be watching my service and seeing my love for Christ being the focal point.  And that my children and grandchildren are as full of God as I am.

But then that is just me.  I hope their attitudes will be joyous and know that I am with Jesus and they are all happy for me.  And I hope that as a proxy situation my service is able to reach out and touch one or more people and they start seeking for Christ.

Amen Brother Jerry!

As Christians, I think that our greatest joy would be knowing that our family walks in the strength of the LORD. Second to this would involve our friends. In reality, the funeral service for a Christian is a celebration of a Home-Coming and the sure knowledge of GOD'S Promises to HIS Children. It can be an encouragement and witness to others. AND for Christians, the parting with loved ones would be short.

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 15:15 NASB  "No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Hi Guys!  Ok, so I'm back after an extended hiatus, and I'm posting on the funeral thread.  Sup wit' dat?  :D ;D

But, here's my take.   My wife and I had a funeral guy come by to try and sell us plots and stuff.  He didn't get that we didn't care what our coffin looked like, or if our family had a place to remember us and visit us.  Personally, I'll take a cardboard box or trash bag and a hole somewhere.  My funeral can be a time of sorrow, but above all, a time of rejoicing - I'm home.  I hope that my life is the best message of God's grace for those there who don't know Him, and that the gospel was explained, the gift offered, and that the mourner's be working to bring some eternal profit from the experience.  But more than anything, I'd want God's name to be praised.  Hey.  A great worship service would suit me just fine.  But then, what do I care?  I'll be IN the greatest worship service when everyone else is at my funeral!  :)

Don't care, whatever the people left want to do is cool. Roll me in a ditch for all I care............I won't be here ;D

Amen Rookie and Allinall!

Much of the world doesn't understand the significance of a funeral for a Christian. It isn't an ending, rather a happy time of going home and seeing the promises of GOD fulfilled for eternity. The world sees a body lying in the casket and doesn't understand that we are absent from the body and present with the LORD. The word "end" for a Christian can only be associated with an end of pain, sorrow, tears, etc. and a beginning of a joyous eternity with JESUS CHRIST, our Lord and Saviour forever.

Allinall, Brother it's great to hear from you. I remember what it's like to be young and busy trying to take care of a family. Your little ones will be grown in what seems like a very short time, so stop and smell the roses often. We all have a great list of things to give thanks for.

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 1:10-13 NASB  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

I must admit that I have planned my funeral but not because that I feel it important for me but rather that I feel it important for those that may still be here. I have done what I can to take the burden off of them. I think that it is a thing of doing for myself instead of having others do things for me. The exact details I left for others for the reasons given above. "The funeral is for them and not for me, I won't be here so it won't matter" line of thought.

Amen!

I have planned mine out also, not that I really care for myself, but I have seen too many families panicked into overspending when they are saddled suddenly with funeral arrangements they didn't expect. Too many people prefer not to think about death and make no plans, burdening their families with the details at an already difficult time.

All I really care about is that my funeral be used as an occasion to bring people to face their mortality and their own need for the Savior. I have done what I can to make sure this happens and that people aren't distracted from this by having to care for a lot of planning and details.

The only thing I have planned for my funeral aside from having Jesus in my heart is a nice little program that I made for my loved ones to know that even if I'm not on this decaying world anymore I am alive in Heaven, and that I would be looking for them when their turn comes.Included in the program is the plan of  Salvation so that they would know how to get to Heaven also.

I don't care where or how I get buried, I just want all my loved ones to know that they too will be able to live foreever in Heaven with Jesus.

When my mom went home to be with the Lord, I showed one of my brothers the plan of Salvation, and he accepted the Lord Jesus into his heart, right there in front of my mom's casket.

I know that even though that was a very sad day for all of us, it was also a great joy to me knowing that my mom will see my brother in Heaven. And it was a source of great joy and comfort to my brother too.

Praise God there is life in death!

Amen there is, I might just want a white t-shirt with gold embroidery reading "Gone Home" on it and a big smile on my face  :D

Now that is an idea.

 ;) ;)

Brother!  How ya doin?!?  Busy?  We sure have been.  Primarily on the job side.  God's good, and keeping me occupied.   :)  As for growing children...MAN!  My eight year old is so big now!  She's like, a person!   ;D  She's a sweetheart that God's working on and in.  My five year old is a work in progress.   :D  Everyday I get up I'm reminded that even through the whinning and such like I'm a very blessed man.   :)

Hey Allinall, good to see you. Children sure are a blessing.

Good to be here!  Yup.  They are.  Then you have songs on the radio that make you think about them growing up and getting married. Which is why girls will never be married.  Nope.  They're staying this age and with me forever!   :'(

 ;D  YES - I had one girl to worry about and pray for. She turned out great and married a strong Christian man. I must admit there were a few years where I was fairly harsh with the boys who wanted to take her out on dates. She has forgiven me for that now. Start saving now for the wedding.   ;D

You asked about me. I am richly blessed with much better than I deserve. GOD has been good to my entire family. I pray for you and many young Christian families every day. I know that this old world is getting harder and harder for Christians, but I also know that GOD will be with us.

Love in Christ,
Tom

Psalms 119:133 NASB  Establish my footsteps in Your word, And do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.

 ;D ;D ;D Now Brothers, you have to admit this is funny we went from 4 funerals to a wedding  ;D ;D ;D ;D

That is funny.   ;D ;D ;D ;D

 ;D   ;D   ROFL! - I did miss the irony of my post. Maybe Allinall will pardon me, but I had to kid him some about wedding costs. I think that dads take this much harder than mothers. I just remember being a nervous wreck at the time of my daughter's wedding, and my wife had to send me to my room several times.  ;D

(Just kidding some) In looking back, it was a time of great joy.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Proverbs 22:2 NASB  The rich and the poor have a common bond, The LORD is the maker of them all.

Hehehe! Yah.  I've decided that my girls aren't going to date.  I like how they did things in Bible times.  They'd trade their daughters for some goats or sheep or camels or donkeys.  Now, I don't need any goats or sheep or camels or donkeys.  Nope.  I need a truck for Courtney, and a Harley for Caity.   ;D  I appreciate your prayers Brother, and amen to that!   :)

1 - The location and size of the facility.

My home church, wherever it is, however large it is.

2 - The casket and how expensive.

Appliance box is OK with me. :)

3 - Large service - small service - public - private.

Public...let everyone who will come.

4 - Who officiates and why - a pastor - not a pastor.

My current pastor...I've never heard the Gospel more clearly than I've heard him present it. And if teh Gospel is not preached at my funeral, I'll come back and haunt Carl. This won't be necessary...he preaches the Gospel every single time he gets the opportunity. Funerals are the best opportunity I can think of.

5 - Music or other special things and why.

Praise & worship, and my personal favorite, "Agnus Deo"

6 - What do you want said or thought of you?

I hope people think I was someone they enjoyed being around...someone of encouragement. I want them to talk about humorous things and celebratory things. My life will just be beginning and I want them to "party down" with me. :)

7 - What do you want done with your remains?

Buried, just as Christ was buried.

 

Brothers and Sisters,

I just read this thread again, and it appears that nearly all Christians are in agreement. It is comforting to know that the death of a Christian means that person is absent from the body and present with the LORD. It is only sad for those who remain because they won't get to see their loved one on a regular basis. BUT, there is more good news for Christian family members: we will spend eternity together with JESUS.

Christian families experience many hard things in this short life, but Eternity will be all joy forever in JESUS. I was just thinking what a matter of peace it is to know that everyone in your family is saved. Physical death simply means a homecoming to JESUS for a Christian, and the body in the casket is likened to a temporary tent that was used in this short life. JESUS has prepared mansions for us in Heaven, and GOD will give us glorified bodies at HIS appointed time. Our LORD who loved us enough to die on the Cross for us is waiting for us. Precious in HIS sight is the physical death of a Christian because HE wants us home with HIM. Now I'm thinking about the race and the fight that the Apostle Paul spoke of. It is a joy to run a good race, finish our course, and fight a good fight. Think about how wonderful it would be to hear from GOD, "Well done good and faithful servant."

Love In Christ,
Tom

Psalms 111:7-8 NASB  The works of His hands are truth and justice; All His precepts are sure.  They are upheld forever and ever; They are performed in truth and uprightness.