Psalms 12:1 “Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men.”
Funerals are not my favorite thing to do as a Pastor. It is a solemn duty to perform at the end of each life, yet there are more interesting and joyous things to do. I enjoy doing weddings. I enjoy baptisms. Even the angels are joyous when someone repents and becomes a Christian. Luke 15:10 “Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.”
At each funeral, the LORD brings this scripture to mind. “The Godly man ceaseth.” The funerals I have performed have been home-goings for saints of long standing. The services are good in the sense I am sure those elderly saints are now in heaven for it is promised in the Bible.
2Corinthians 5:6-8 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.
But as each elderly saint goes home, there is one less that is faithful to church. One less to care about others, one less to pray for their brethren’s needs. The poll numbers of people attending church has decreased drastically since basic Christianity has been removed from our public schools. There are less and less “replacement Christians” to take the place of the elderly saints thatr are going home.
In 2020, only 47% of U.S. adults belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque down more than 20 points from turn of the century. Gallup Poll March 2921 Is this the last times? Is it described in the Bible? 2Thessalonians 2:34 “Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.”
Preachers for centuries have taught of the end times, each thinking they lived on the dawn of that wicked time to come. They cautioned people, prayed for people, warned people to get their lives straightened out. Elderly saints would nod their heads or say Amen to the preaching. Today those saints are disappearing as each goes home to be with the LORD.
Today there are thousands upon thousands of professing Christians that do not see the need to attend a worship service on a regular basis. The Bible verse in Hebrews 10:25 is ignored. Hebrews 10:25 “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.”
Pleasure is perferred to worship. Large churches are entertainment oriented churches. The stage bands are wonderful, the singing spirited, the preaching non offensive. People flock to these churches as they do not seem to be judgmental against any lifestyle. Biblical principles are ignored so that numbers can be obtained. Larger crowds, larger buildings, huge expenses to maintain it all. Some churches have resorted to hiring the musicians because they have no volunteers who desire to play to glorify God with their gift of music.
Help, LORD, for the godly man ceaseth! If you are a professing Christian and do not attend church regularily please reconsider. Think of the blessing you are missing. Think of the eternal reward for Chrisitans at the Judgment Seat of Christ. 1Corinthians 3:13-14 “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.”
Christian, seek reward, not pleasure. Fun is overrated in the face of eternity.
