William "Bill" Wilkins Funeral

Obituary

William J. Wilkins, 90, of Owensboro died Friday, January 15, 2021 at his home. He was born in Hartford on December 30, 1930 to the late Wilbur Wilkins and Inez Kirk Wilkins. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, a graduate of Eastern Kentucky University, and was a teacher and principal in Florida. He also worked as a Chef in Atlanta and at the Owensboro County Club during the 1970's and 1980's. Survivors include his nieces and nephews, Samuel Wilkins of Chesapeake, VA, Lisa Sharp of Hartford, Debbie Carpenter of Ithaca, NY, Renee Wedding of Utica, Athena Minor of Hartford, Eddie Funk Jr. of New York, and Patsy Stinnett of Ohio County; and many great-nieces and great-nephews.

Remembering Uncle Bill

How do you summarize someone’s entire life in a couple short paragraphs? It isn’t an easy task, but it is something we try to do when someone we care about dies.

We think of the things that our loved one valued most, that brought them joy, and that they committed their life to.

Captured in these word I just read are not the details of Bill’s life:

Not his accomplishments, not his victories, nor his struggles.

Not the stories he would tell or the stories all of you would tell of him.

There is so much missing from who he really was, but...

But what we DO find are the things that Bill valued the most in life, the things that brought him joy, and the things he devoted his life to.

His beloved home in Owensboro,

His memories of growing up with his brothers

And his love for his nieces, nephews, and all their children.

But the thing Bill seemed to ascribe the greatest value to this side of eternity are those sitting here today (as well as those that weren’t able to make it). His family.

I didn’t get to meet Bill, but it is so clear just how much he was loved each of you and how well he was loved by you.

Athena said it was hard to find a picture for the Obituary because he was always right in the middle of family sharply dressed and smiling.

You have all shared the special memories and stories of your Uncle Bill that are a testament to the treasure he was to you and you were to him.

Though Bill is gone, one of the great lessons we can learn and carry on from his life is to treasure the things in life that matter most.

He knew the love of family and he knew the love of God shown to him in Christ.

Treasuring What Lasts

Jesus gives us instruction in this very vein in his great sermon in Matt. 6:19-21:

Matthew 6:19–21 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

When we hear the word treasure our brains naturally go to the shiny stuff pirates chased after.

Gold, jewelry, and rare gems.

But treasure here really is talking about the things we ascribe value to in life.

What we ascribe value to in our lives it what we will build our lives around.

If you think about how you spend your time, your money, and what captivates your mind, you will likely find those are the things you value most.

Someone who values power and notoriety will spend their time and money building an image that communicates that very message

Someone who values financial success will spend their time and attention on things that generate financial gain.

Someone who values adventure will spend their time and money finding ways to experience thrills.

You get the picture.

There are only certain things in life that have real, lasting value, and that are really worth calling treasure.

There are quite a many things we tend ascribe great value to THAT, in moments like this, we come to realize just how invaluable those things prove to be.

Jesus says “Do not lay up treasures for yourself on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.

Don’t spend your time, energy, and attention building a stockpile of stuff that will ultimately never bring you joy and that can’t go with you when you die.

Rather, Jesus says, “spend the days you have here accumulating the things that truly matter, the things that will last not just in the years you have here, but, more importantly, in the eternity to come.

What ever it is you treasure most in life, that is where your heart will be invested.

A rich, young, power man came to Jesus and asked Him how he could enter the Kingdom of God (get to heaven).

Initially Jesus tells him that he must follow the commandments, do what is right in the eyes of God.

The young man is quick to affirm that he has done all of those very things since he was young.

And then Jesus responds with this:

Luke 18:22 ESV

22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”

Don’t miss Jesus’s words here.

He isn’t telling the man the key to the getting to heaven is being poor, but rather the key to finding true and never ending joy and satisfaction is finding and embracing the treasure that is found in Jesus.

He will satisfy us more than any amount of money in the bank, more than any vacation we could take, more than any position we could be given.

He truly is the greatest treasure we could ever receive.

As we come face to face with death we can’t help but ask questions about life.

We know the day will come when our lives will come to an end on this earth, and what will those who gather at our funeral say we valued most in our lives.

My hope and prayer for each of us today, and I would be as bold to say that Bill’s advice would be the same, is to treasure Jesus and all He brings more than anything this world may offer.

John Piper says it well “Devoting a life to material comforts and security and thrills is like throwing money down a rat hole. But investing a life in the labor of love yields dividends of joy unsurpassed and unending.”

Graveside

Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 ESV

1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2 a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; 5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; 7 a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

There is a time for everything and today is a time to mourn. This place is often seen as a scary place, but that should be. As we gather here today it is a place of sadness, a reminder of death, but there will come a day when these gravestones will no longer be needed. There is a popular Christian song right now called “Graves into Gardens” which declares You turn graves into gardens You turn bones into armies You turn seas into highways Your the only one who can

There is indeed a time to mourn, a time to weep, and a time to die, but there will one day be a time when those things are no more.

"Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away. " Rev 21.3-4 csb

As we commit Bill to his final resting place here, we look forward to the day when this place we stand will be obsolete, unnecessary as our good and mighty God will put an end to our horrible enemy of death and usher in an eternal time of dancing, singing, living, and rejoicing.

Prayer