The funeral message for Betty Smith, by Officiant Bill Rhetts

If you’re in need of someone to officiate a funeral for your loved one, or perhaps even your own funeral in the future, consider me, I do this labor of love free of charge. Currently today I have two persons that have notified their next of kin, to contact me in case of their own death (one of them even belongs to church, but asked me to officiate his). But I did remind them that the Lord may take me before them. 🙂

On behalf of this wonderful family, by the grace of God, the Lord gave me the courage to preach the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:24-35), and both the goodness and severity of God (Romans 11:22). I began this sermon sharing the fruitful ‘life and legacy’ of this wonderful saint (Betty). I also shared some things that Betty allowed me to share at her funeral. I then preached the Sermon, which included both the Law (the bad news), and the Gospel (the good news). I called the lost to repentance, and to believe in the Gospel that I had just preached. I then closed with a particular Doxology.

So that I would not mislead any non-believers present, I explained to those in attendance that many of the Scriptures I would share, come with an exclusivity applicable only to Christians, and I reminded them of that, as those Scriptures were recited.

There is much exclusivity in verses like Romans 5:8. The personal pronouns us, we, and our refer to God’s elect. Therefore, it would be theological malpractice to post Scriptures or certain catechism questions without telling you who these personal pronouns are. Otherwise, I’d be teaching a heresy called universalism. Christ’s atonement was limited to God’s elect – period. Therefore, they are God’s elect.

After seeing Betty during the viewing, and then seeing her large family gathered together, I told them something they did not know (except for one of them). That Betty’s husband (James) was the first person to ever share the Gospel with me. Therefore I am forever indebted to this great family.

The Lord pressed it on my heart to preach on some things that are not preached at most funerals. Therefore hell was mention 9 times, wrath 9, the word repent 12, and the words born-again 8 times. If my sermon pleased the Lord, then I know Betty would be pleased too. Please continue to pray for all of them.

If you are ever in need of a person to officiate a funeral for your family, loved one, or friend, please don’t hesitate to ask me. I receive no honorariums for this great privilege. Soli Deo Gloria!

The Sermon can be hear in Mp3 format hear, or preferably via the YouTube video below.