Frances Annie Funnell
MAY 22, 1923 – JANUARY 8, 2019
Graveside Service, Westbank, BC
January 17, 2019

         
Today bears sadness, because it marks our final earthly goodbye to Frances Annie Funnell, our mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, friend, and more.  We are sad, because we will miss her.  However, I want to make it very clear to all of us today that there is hope beyond this grave.  This is not the end OF Aunt Frances, and this is not the end FOR Aunt Frances.  In fact, this is the beginning of her abundant, eternal, everlasting life.  A life with no more pain and struggles, a life with no more frustrations and disappointments, a life forever with her Saviour Jesus Christ. Today we lay her body to rest, but resurrection awaits! Jesus Himself said:

John 5:28-29: Don’t be surprised; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

Do you believe in the hope of resurrection?  I do! Aunt Frances did! In the Bible we read of a day when Jesus stood near the grave of a close friend, just as we are now.  He knows how we feel, because he felt the same.  He loved the person who had died, just as we love Aunt Frances.  He wept, just as we weep today. But then…in the midst of the sorrow, Jesus spoke with the grieving family, and shared these words of great hope:

John: 11:25-27: Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

These are big claims that you and I would not expect any other human being to make.  In fact, if someone did, we would think they were crazy and want to admit them for psychiatric help.  But just a few minutes later, Jesus proved that He indeed spoken the truth, and proved that He is the resurrection and the life:

John 11:43-44 – Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth!” And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, Loose him, & let him go.

Just as He claimed, Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life, raised Lazarus from the dead. Now, it was one thing for Jesus to resurrect physical life just by His spoken Word, but in order to be the eternal, everlasting, spiritual Resurrection and Life for you and I, Jesus had to give up His life.  He had to die.  He passed through death, and therefore he understands death.  Just as we are laying Aunt Frances to rest, there was a day when the body of Jesus was taken down from the cross, and laid in a tomb.  He has been this way before!  Not only does He understand how you and I feel as we grieve, but Jesus knows firsthand what Aunt Frances has entered into.  I love the words of Paul:

1 Corinthians 15:3-6: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve.  After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once

Yes, Jesus died for sin, BUT the amazing truth that brings hope is that Jesus is alive!  There were literally HUNDREDS of eye-witnesses who attested to this fact.  When he rose from the grave, in essence Jesus proved that He had conquered sin, and death, and Hell and has brought us eternal life.  Because He rose from the dead, WE HAVE HOPE of eternal life here beside an open grave today! We have the promise of Scripture:

 1 Corinthians 15: 52-57 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… then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O^[n] Death, where is your sting?
O grave, where is your victory?” Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

For many of us here today, this is not GOODBYE to Frances Annie Funnell.  It is simply GOODNIGHT.  We WLL see her again when morning dawns bright and fair in Heaven.  I am so thankful for this hope we have, and my prayer is that all of you share this glorious hope we have because of Jesus Christ.

By Lucas Griffin

I Will Rise – By Chris Tomlin

There’s a peace I’ve come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There’s an anchor for my soul
I can say, “It is well”

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God, fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There’s a day that’s drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
“Worthy is the Lamb”
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
“Worthy is the Lamb”

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles’ wings
Before my God, fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise