Funeral Sermon: Psalm 23 and Revelation 21
Funeral Sermon: Shadows Will Be No More
Scriptures: Psalm 23, Revelation 21:1–4
Funeral Scripture Readings
Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want… Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for you are with me… Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Revelation 21:1–4
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth… “God will dwell with them; they will be his people… He will wipe every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; mourning and crying and pain will be no more.”
Sermon: Shadows Will Be No More
Since we may not know one another, I want you to know something about me. Every pastor, like every business owner, has a philosophy—an approach formed by years of experience. Mine is simple: offer love, encouragement, and understanding to people in pain.
You’ve experienced a profound loss. The grief you carry now will ripple through time. I know this not just as a minister, but as a fellow human being shaped by my own losses.
And I believe—deeply—that when we ask, “Is there a God? What does God think of me?” the answer is: love. A love that never leaves us. A love that gave us life and walks with us still.
The Valley of the Shadow
Psalm 23 names the full experience of life—the beauty and the brokenness.
Sometimes, we lie beside still waters. Life is calm. Things are working.
But other times, we enter the valley of the shadow. That’s where we are now.
Our second reading from Revelation names six shadows:
Tears
Death
Mourning
Crying
Pain
The Sea (which in Revelation symbolizes chaos, danger, and separation)
The promise of Scripture is that a day is coming when all those shadows will be gone. And not just erased—but reversed. What we’ve lost will be restored. Whom we’ve lost will be given back. Our final tears will be dried by the hand of God Himself.
The Light Will Come
It’s not only that shadows cease—but that light reigns.
Not only that pain ends—but that joy begins.
Not only that mourning stops—but that reunion happens.
This is not wishful thinking. This is the shape of Christian hope.
Living with Shadows Now
We don’t live in that future yet. Right now, we live with shadows.
We don’t have all the answers. We struggle with faith. We live imperfectly.
But God? God loves perfectly.
God doesn’t shame you. God doesn’t push you away. God welcomes you.
And the love you shared—the life you lived together—is not erased by death. It’s remembered, cherished, and held in the love of God.
The love this man gave to his family, his work, and his life reflects the open arms of God. You are included in that love. All of you. Right where you are in life or faith.
God saw fit to give you life, which means God has also given you love—and that love is never taken away.
Conclusion
Psalm 23 begins beside still waters… and walks through shadows.
Revelation 21 shows us the destination:
No more death.
No more pain.
No more mourning.
No more sea.
Only light, only joy, only reunion.
Until that day comes, may God’s deep peace cover and sustain you, and may the light of Christ lead you—even in the valley of shadows—toward healing, toward hope, and one day, toward reunion.
Amen.
