A Eulogy of Hope
March 4, 2016
Romans 5:5 “Hope will not lead to disappointment.”
Last week Justice Antonin Scalia passed away. His son spoke some powerful words in the eulogy for his dad. He said, “We are gathered here because of one man. A man known personally to many of us, known only by reputation to even more. A man loved by many, scorned by others. A man known for great controversy and for great compassion. That man, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth. It is He whom we proclaim, Jesus Christ, son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, buried, risen, seated at the right hand of the Father. It is because of Him, because of His life, death, and resurrection that we do not mourn as those who have no hope, but in confidence we commend Antonin Scalia to the mercy of God.” I love those words. As Christians we do not grieve as people who have no hope. When you belong to Christ, you know that you always have a future and that your future will be more glorious than your past. Death has been swallowed up in victory. For Christ followers, this earth is not our home. It is just a temporary stop on the way to our eternal home in heaven. There is so much peace that comes in our living and in our dying when we have that hope. As the Bible says in Romans 5:5, “That hope will not disappoint you.”
– Tim Thompson, Senior Pastor
Last week Justice Antonin Scalia passed away. His son spoke some powerful words in the eulogy for his dad. He said, “We are gathered here because of one man. A man known personally to many of us, known only by reputation to even more. A man loved by many, scorned by others. A man known for great controversy and for great compassion. That man, of course, is Jesus of Nazareth. It is He whom we proclaim, Jesus Christ, son of the Father, born of the Virgin Mary, crucified, buried, risen, seated at the right hand of the Father. It is because of Him, because of His life, death, and resurrection that we do not mourn as those who have no hope, but in confidence we commend Antonin Scalia to the mercy of God.” I love those words. As Christians we do not grieve as people who have no hope. When you belong to Christ, you know that you always have a future and that your future will be more glorious than your past. Death has been swallowed up in victory. For Christ followers, this earth is not our home. It is just a temporary stop on the way to our eternal home in heaven. There is so much peace that comes in our living and in our dying when we have that hope. As the Bible says in Romans 5:5, “That hope will not disappoint you.”
– Tim Thompson, Senior Pastor