Billie Brooke Funeral

The Faith of Your Mother

INTRODUCTION

Billie Brooke is a pastor’s friend.

Every time she met me as she entered or left a church service she would tell me how much she loved me and my family.

She would encourage me, and tell me I did a great job of preaching—there were many days when I truly needed that encouragement, and it will be missed.

She was a woman of prayer and I know her prayers supported and undergirded the work of this church.

The spirit of revival that has broken out in this church is the result of the prayer of faithful believers like Billie Brooke.

I will miss her.

Psalm 116:15 ESV

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

Her smile.

Her encouragement.

The word “precious” means “costly.”

Her expressions of love.

The death of a faithful believer costs us.

Most of all, I will miss her prayers.

It le

I doubt that I will ever forget the night she transitioned from life with us to life in the presence of the Lord.

Brad and Robin spoke to their mother thanking her for her legacy of faith.

They mentioned how their family would not be in the place they are today without her example, her love, her encouragement, and her prayers.

Brad sang to her and later Darron led us in a chorus of praise.

We read the Scriptures.

Members of the family led us in prayer.

She went to be with the Lord in the middle of a worship service held in a strange place—blue pod of the emergency room at Cox South hospital.

It may have been a strange place—but the act of worshiping God is no stranger to this family nor to Sis. Billie.

She left a worship service on earth for a worship service in the Lord’s presence!

What a great way to transition into eternity.

Even in her passing, she spread her faith!

I am sure the people working in that hospital see all kinds of reactions from loved ones when people die.

That night they saw how Christians react when a loved one goes to be with Jesus.

Is there mourning and tears—of course, but it is as Paul wrote we do not grieve like other people ():

They do not have hope!

But we possess a great hope.

1 Thessalonians 4:13–14 NIV

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.

In her transition to heaven, Sis. Billie’s family, their worship, their songs, the Scriptures, and their prayers witnessed the peace of Christ to the people working in that hospital.

In her death, she and her family demonstrated the love, the peace, and the joy of Jesus Christ.

What a legacy to leave us with.

What an example for us to follow.

What an encouragement for us today.

Sis. Billie Brooke’s faith and faithfulness will remain imprinted upon our lives and especially upon the lives of her family and loved ones.

BODY

The faith of a mother cannot be overlooked.

In 1 Timothy Paul writes to a young minister Timothy he was training to lead churches and Paul said this to him: ().

2 Timothy 1:5–10 NIV

5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. 7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. 8 So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. 9 He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

1 Timothy 1:5–10 NIV

5 The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. 7 They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm. 8 We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. 9 We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10 for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine

First we notice that Paul credited Timothy’s sincere faith to his mother and grandmother.

Faith in Christ first resided in them and then was passed on to Timothy.

Let us notice some elements of the faith of these women:

It was faith that created a spirit of power and love in their lives (v. 7).

It was a faith that made them unashamed of Christ (v. 8).

It was a faith that saved them from their sins (v. 9).

It was a faith that called them to a holy life (v. 9).

It was a faith that brought the grace of God into their lives (v. 9).

It was a faith the according to v. 10, “Destroyed death and has brought life and immortality.”

That is the faith of Billie Brook:

A spirit of love.

Unashamed of Jesus.

Saved from sin.

Living a holy life by the grace of God.

She has left this life but now, for her, death is destroyed and she lives in the life and immortality of Christ.

That is the faith of Billie Brooke.

And Paul said to Timothy in v. 6 fan into flame the gift that is in you or as other versions say stir up the gift of God that is in you.

That gift came to Timothy through Paul, but the gift of sincere faith first dwelt in his mother and grandmother.

To Billie’s children I say, if you haven’t, receive today the gift of God that was in her and if you have I say stir up the gift of God that is in you and was first in her.

To Billie’s grandchildren I say, if you haven’t, receive today the gift of God that was in her and if you have I say stir up the gift of God that is in you and was first in her.

To all of us I say, if you haven’t, receive today the gift of God that was in her and if you have I say stir up the gift of God that is in you and was first in her.

I believe if God would grant Sis. Billie Brooke one more opportunity to speak into our lives she would call those of us who trust and serve Jesus to stir up and fan into flame the gift that is in us and to those that do not serve Jesus she would ask you to receive the same gift she has received—the gift of salvation by faith through grace in Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Blessed Father, remember us as we remember Sis. Billie. Give us grace, give us peace, give us comfort. Remind us that, for believers, this is only a temporary separation and that one glad day a great reunion will bring all God’s children together. Help those who hold the same faith in their heart that Billie held in hers to stir up the gift that is in them. Help those who do not possess her faith to see their need of you and help them turn to you. Let this family circle be complete in heaven some glad day, I pray, in Jesus name, Amen.

Graveside Service

Today we come to peaceful place to lay to rest the body of a great woman, a loving mother. As we commit the body of our Christian sister to the ground, let us remember that her soul is already in the presence of the Lord.We can be thankful that every believer shares in the promise the the Apostle Paul mentioned when he said, “To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”Today’s events cause us to look forward to the day when the trumpet of God will sound, the dead in Christ will rise, and we will join our loved ones, we will join Billie, in the presence of the Lord.

Poet William Poole wrote these words:Just when I need Him Jesus is near.Just when I falter, Just when I fear.Ready to Comfort, Ready to cheer.Just when I need Him, Jesus is near.

teaches that Jesus would bear our grief and our sorrows. Somehow grief is easier to bear when we do not bear it alone. That is why the presence of friends and family is so important today. Lean on each other, talk with each other. Remember together, cry together, and pray together. Strengthen and comfort each other. Most of all, remember that Jesus is here. He is not far removed from the scene of our sorrow, but He is here today; His Spirit is with us right now. Reach out to Jesus, touch Him, lean on Him, talk to Him.

Just when I need Him Jesus is near.Just when I falter, Just when I fear.Ready to Comfort, Ready to cheer.Just when I need Him, Jesus is near.Now I would share some Scriptures of comfort with you.

​ NKJV1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.

The Psalmist wrote ().

​ NIV15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful servants.

The prophet Nahum declared ().

​ NIV7 The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him,

The Apostle Paul stated ().

​ NIV38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John the Revelator reported ().

​ NIV2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

King David of Israel said ().

​ KJV 1900A Psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Committal: For as much as it has pleased Almighty God to take out of this world the soul of Billie Brooke, we therefore commit her body to the ground from which it came—earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust, looking for that blessed hope when the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord, wherefore comfort ye one another with these words.

Prayer:Father, out of dust you created our bodies and to dust our bodies must return. Though Billie’ body is laid to rest today, we know that her soul lives forever. We are heart-broken today, not because of where Billie is, but because she is not with us. Comfort us, minister to us, and help us dear Lord. Give us strength for fear, joy for grief, beauty for ashes, and laughter for tears. As I commit Billie’s body to the ground and her soul into thy loving arms I pray that you would go with her family and friends and be their source of comfort and strength. I ask these things in Jesus name, amen.