The Death Of A Friend

Brother Neff’s Collections – March 4, 2015

April 9, 2026

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

Late last night we received the news by email that one of our close friends from childhood had passed away.  We are currently in Panama and will not be able to attend the funeral.  It is always a sad occasion when we lose a loved one, but it is a day that we must be prepared for as we grow older.  

I remember when this friend drove me to one of my preaching engagements in Indiana.  My car was broken down, and he was kind enough to offer to drive me to the Church.  During the sermon, I noticed that he was listening intently. After the sermon I talked with him about his salvation, and he assured me that he had been born again and that He was a child of God.

We are all getting older, and we must prepare for that inevitable day when the Lord calls us home.  But we must also remember that we do not have to be old to die. My mother died when she was only 23, and my father died when he was 28.  I have preached the funeral of small children. No, you do not have to be old to die. Today is the day to prepare for death – we are not guaranteed one more day of life.

2 Corinthians 6:2 … behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

The decision to be saved is to be made now. There may be no tomorrow. In fact, there may not even be one hour left for any of us.  Any person’s life can be snatched away any moment of any day by accident, disease, or heart attack.  

Reflection—If our departed friend could say anything to us today he would say, “Please receive Jesus Christ as your Saviour today.”