Military Funeral

Job 14:14

In one of the oldest books in the Bible, Job asks the question, "If a man die, shall he live again?" (14:14). We are here today to honor ___________________, a soldier who sacrificed much in the service of his country, so that we can live free. And in so honoring him, we might ask, like Job, "If a man die, shall he live again?" Paul, writing a few thousand years later, said, "Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed" (1 Cor. 15:51&52). Yes, Job, if a man die, he will live again. In a few moments, we will hear Taps. It is the last bugle call the soldier hears at night, right before putting his head to the pillow. And it begins _____________________ last, long sleep, and expresses hope and confidence in an ultimate reveille to come, "for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised."

"Whereas, death has once more invaded our ranks and removed from the walks of life our beloved Brother ________________________, it has become our sad duty to commit his body to the grave: Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and our inspiring privilege to commend his soul to our Maker, Father, and Redeemer, in the confident hope of the coming again of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the resurrection of the body form the grave, and the joyous life reserved for the children of light in the realms of glory."

(Ps. 23)

Let us pray:

Our Lord, we come to you with heavy hearts, grieving over the loss of ___________________, who served his country honorably. First, we thank you for the time you gave him here on earth so that his family and friends may enjoy the warmth of his company and the light of his presence. And we also ask that you take him into your loving arms and show to him the deliverance you promised each of us through your Son Jesus Christ. Be with the family at this time, and comfort their grief so that they can experience your presence, and your love. We ask this in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

Death of Chaplain:

We worship freely. We raised up an Army to protect that right. It was that Army that Gen. George Washington spoke of when he said Chaplains should be people of "good character and good conversation . . . who will influence the manners of the Corps both by precept and example." (Israel Drazin and Cecil B. Currey, For God and Country (Hoboken, N.J.: KTAV Publishing House, Inc., 1995), p. 12.)

Americans understand that the will to fight and defend precious freedoms come not from external forces, but from within. When all else is lost and nothing stands, faith is what gives us the victory.

Chaplain John Williams Jones, of the Confederate Army, said "Any history of this Army which omits an account of the wonderful influence of religion upon it--which fails to tell how the courage, discipline, and moral was influenced by the humble piety and evangelical zeal of many of its officers and men--would be incomplete and unsatisfactory." (William J. Federer, America's God and Country (Coppell, Texas: FAME Publishing Co., 1994), p. 338.)

Hudson Phillips provided that courage, discipline, and moral the Army needed to fight and protect that which has now been handed to us--our freedom.

And because of the legacy he has provided, Chaplains today have an example to follow--one of compassion, one of determination, one of faith.

Thank you, Chaplain Phillips.