Preaching When A Young Adult Dies

Preaching When A Young Adult Dies

We are in a series on the toughest sermons you’ll ever preach.  If you’re new to this blog, the first post in this series is here.  In this post we are going to consider preaching when a young adult dies either by accident or illness.

A Tough Sermon

I will always remember one year of my ministry because of the learning that preaching when a young adult dies is tough.  It was spring of the year, when college and university students start to anticipate the summer.  One such person was Alan.  He grew up in one of the leading families in our church.  Psychiatrist father, teacher mother, and siblings who were outstanding in their fields.  This kid had a bright future.  On the last spring vacation of his college career he didn’t head to the beaches.  He headed to Mexico to serve on a mission of building houses for the underprivileged and poor.

Unfortunately, a drunk driver crossed the line on a two-lane road and hit the car Alan was in head-on, resulting in the death of this promising young man.

A Sermon For When A Young Adult Dies

Preaching when a young adult dies is a challenge, truly.  What passage do you quote and reflect on?  I chose to focus on verses from the book of Philippians, chapter 1:

³ I thank my God every time I remember you. ⁴ In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, ⁶ being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God Brings To Completion

Though we will never understand God’s allowing such tragedy, we do know that God is about bringing things to completion.  We won’t understand it until we meet God face to face and ask him the questions that stir our hearts today.  But we do know that God looks at things differently than we do.

Rembrandt, the great artist, was asked, “When is a painting finished?”  His response was instructive for those who wonder what God is doing.  His answer?  “The painting is finished when it expresses the intent of the author.”

If we apply that to deaths of young people who die too young, we can say that Alan’s life expressed the intent of our God and Father.

A Young Person Dying Reminds Us That Something Better Is Coming

Later in Philippians Paul reflects on whether he would live or die.  He says that his desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.  Alan is experiencing the far better.

In the meantime, God promises comfort as we lean into him during this time and in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

How do we do this?  Jesus’ invitation still stands: come to me all you who are weary and troubled, and I will give you rest.  We all will likely have to go to Jesus often during the days ahead.

Conclusion

I concluded the message by quoting a song that was popular at the time about meeting Jesus at the foot of the cross.

This link will give you another person’s funeral message in a similar situation.

Preaching when a young person dies will be one of the greatest challenges in your ministry.  Pray that God will give you words.  Stay connected to the people who have experienced this loss, and God will use you to comfort and to be the channel of God’s presence to them.