Yesterday I had the privilege to officiate the burial of my dear friend and World War II veteran Jack Drury. As I stood at the head of the casket there, I recognized his service was a first. In my almost twenty-five years of pastoring and as far back as I can remember, I had never buried someone in a homemade casket.
Jack was both a master craftsmen and very careful with his money. Since he didn’t appreciate spending the high cost of a manufactured casket, he decided to build his own. Simple. Beautiful. Smelled incredible. All for $70.00.
He made his casket out of cedar. Growing up in Kentucky, I’ve seen my share of cedar chests. I love their smell. Jack’s casket had the same aroma and beautiful milled look of the cedar. Elegantly made but simple.
One other noteworthy observation concerning my thought as I stood at the casket. Kelly and I dated four years during college before we were married. I remember how precious it was for her when her dad and mom gave her a hope chest for Christmas. Thirty years later we still have it. She was so sweet as she placed items in her hope chest for the promised, future day we would be united in marriage.
As I stood there, the combination of the look, the smell, and the past experience all combined to give me this thought: this homemade casket is more like a hope chest than it is a casket.
Why is it more like a hope chest than it is a casket?
As I stood there, with the smell, feel, and look of the casket different than any I’ve seen in my life, it opened up my mind’s eye in a way a manufactured casket never has. I thought to myself, “Today we lay Jack’s body in the ground. Not Jack, he’s already enjoying heaven. But his body. It will lay here in one form or another until Jesus comes back. What incredible hope!“
You see the Bible teaches in passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 that when Christians are resurrected at Christ’s return, they are given glorified bodies similar to Jesus’ resurrected body. Notice the texts.
1 Corinthians 15:50-54
Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” (1 Cor 15:50-54)
The dead in Christ will be raised incorruptible.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thess 4:13-18)
God will bring with Him those who have died in Christ. When Christ returns at the trumpet, the dead in Christ will rise first and meet the Lord in the air.
A True Hope Chest
The simple truth that Jack’s body lies in this cedar box awaiting to be reunited with his soul to experience eternal change brings great hope! His body has been placed in this box until the true Bride Jesus comes for His own. Then Jack and all those in Christ will experience the true resurrection.
Friends, this is real hope!
Although the plan was to get married at some point, Kelly’s hope chest and future marriage depended upon an unfaithful sinner who had made a promise but was still human. Regretfully, humans certainly do break promises. Although I did follow through with my promise, her hope was at best imperfect.
Thankfully Jack and all those who have died in Christ await the fulfillment of a promise from a God who does not lie. God is light and in Him is no darkness at all (Titus 1:2; 1 John 1:5-10). God is covenant faithful (Ex 34:6-7).
Friends, again, this is True Hope. As Paul says, “Therefore comfort one another with these words.”
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