Grief -
The process of dealing with the emotions and life changes that come after a loss.

This sermon isn’t really about grief… It’s about HOPE. The answer to deep and intense grief in our lives, is HOPE. How can we be hospitable with people, and lead them from grief into Hope?

Grieving Death

1 Thessalonians 4:13-14
13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

This is the key to dealing with grief is focusing on eternity with Jesus.

• God created us for relationship with Him
• We screw that up by sinning, and causing distance
• God bridged that distance by coming in person 
to pay the price for our sin
• Jesus died on the cross in our place
and invites us into relationship with Him
• When we say yes to that relationship,
and we become a disciple of Jesus,
we spend eternity with him instead of being separated from Him.

When you have eternity to look forward to, it literally changes everything including how you look at life and death. Death is just the beginning, and when we realize that it changes our perspective on everything.

Handling Grief Ourselves

1. Allow yourself to feel it

No one has ever been better off stuffing their emotions down so they don’t have to feel them.

John 11:33-35
33 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. 34 “Where have you laid him?” he asked.
“Come and see, Lord,” they replied.
35 Jesus wept.

Even though Jesus KNEW he was going to bring Lazarus back to life back that day, and even though He KNEW Lazarus would be in eternity, even though Jesus IS GOD, He wept.

2. Meet with Jesus

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Going to God is the only thing that will actually ease our pain in loss. GO TO HIM RIGHT AWAY in your grief!

3. Press into Community

Tell your life group, your discipler, and your church family,
 and I walk hand in hand with them as the waves of grief come.

1 Thessalonians 4:13
we do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope

Philippians 1:23
to die is gain

Processing that with people really helps.

4. Repeat as Necessary

Grief happens in waves, but it’s important to not let it control you.

Being Hospitable with Grieving People

1. Point them to Jesus

If they don’t know Jesus, He is the ONE AND ONLY person who is truly going to bring Hope. If they do already know Jesus, remind them that He is still on the throne and while allowing them to still feel it, help them focus on eternity!

2. Don’t Dismiss Their Emotion

People say weird things when they’re trying to console a grieving person simply because they just don’t know what to say. Just be there for them.

3. Be Present and Serve Them

It’s way too easy to treat people like they’re too fragile when they’re hurting. Extroverts still need people. Introverts still need space. Everyone still needs to do basic life things! Look for needs to fill and fill them.

4. Don’t let People Ostracize Themselves,
 and Sit in Anguish

I think that the most disastrous thing I see people do, is not allow themselves to feel grief. The 2nd most disastrous thing I see people do is to never get over grief. As you see people go through these things, give them space, but also as the body of Christ around them, help them not ostracize themselves and be crippled by grief.