Eulogy for Bro. Westbrook

Most of Ft. Worth (residence), Bryan, Tx (birth), and Hearne, TX (where he was raised)

are not even aware that Bro. Westbrook passed away this past Tuesday morning, so his death was not significant to them

and then some are aware that he passed away, but even still, his passing was not significant to them

the person who reads the obituaries all the time . . . his passing is just information

that person that heard the news through the grapevine, “that man that lived on Annie St. passed away? ” . . . to them his passing is just neighborhood talk

at the hospital, nice people who work there, but they didn’t know him, so his passing was a situation that had to be taken care of

they have not curtained off the area where he died, just moved in the next patient

but by our presence here today, taking time out of busy schedules, some traveled from afar

work put in by this family to organize a homegoing celebration for Bro. Westbrook

work put in by this church to help everything come together

indicates that his death is significant to us

to us, his passing is of consequence, worth noting

we had to push pause on our lives to reflect on everything he meant to us

and that will be the case for most of us, when it’s our time

our death will mean something to a few, but most of the world won’t know and won’t care

other funerals going on today, but I don’t know and I don’t care, my heart is here today

But there was and is another, who was greatly moved by his passing, and even before Brother Westbrook passed, this person never left his side

When Brother Westbrook got sick, family would visit him in the hospital, and then had to leave

church members would visit and then have to leave

but this person never left him alone

On Monday, the day before he passed, I could tell he didn’t have much time, he was agitated, and wanted to go home

he repeatedly asked if I would take him home, I told him that I couldn’t because the doctors had not released him, so I prayed with him

On Tuesday, I headed to the hospital to try to talk to him one last time, but I was about 20 minutes too late . . . turns out that that one person who never left his side, decided that he would take him home

a heavenly home, a glorious home, an eternal home

and that person was God . . . God knew and God cared.

most didn’t know about his death, but God knew

and most don’t care, but God cared.

God was touched, God was moved, it was a significant event for God

how do I know this? . . . because the Bible says

Psalm 116:15 KJV 1900

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

in other words, his transition might not have been important to the random man reading the obituary, but it was important to the creator of the universe

his death might not have been significant to the person in the neighborhood, but it was significant to the king of kings

his passing might not have meant a lot to the hospital worker, but it meant a lot to the Almighty God

and that’s saying something

that’s more honor than the resolution from WMBC

that’s more respect that the bereavement letter from Baker Chapel

that’s greater than acknowledgment of . . .

it’s so incredible that some questions should come to mind

since the Bible says, “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints”

What is a saint?

When speaking biblically it doesn’t mean a person who is perfect or without fault

When you see the word saints in the Bible, it is simply talking about those who belong to God

his servants, his children, his people . . . that’s why it says “his saints”

How do you become a saint?

Give your life to Christ

believe that Jesus came, lived, died for your sins and rose again

and accept him as your Lord, and call on Him to save you

if you sincerely do that you are saved, a Christian, one of his saints

people have a hard time believing that it is that simple, but the Bible says whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved

if I do wrong, and go to prison, and do my time, I am then set free, I am now considered a free man

no longer an inmate, no longer a convict, but a free man

you can say, “you ain’t nothing but an ex-con” , but it does not negate the fact that yet still, I am free,

same with God: Well I did wrong, broke plenty of God’s laws, and was bound in prison of sin, on death row

but Jesus did my time for me, suffered for me, shed his blood for me, and since I was on death row, died for me . . . took on the consequences of my sin

I believed in that, I accepted that, called on Him, and Jesus set me free

you can say, “you ain’t nothing but an ex-sinner”, but it does not negate the fact that yet still, I am a free, I belong to God now, I am a saint

because of Jesus, that’s just who I am

the songs says, “if anybody ask you who I am, tell them I am a child of God”

Why are saints precious?

precious things are expensive, high value, worth a lot

diamonds are not just stones, but precious stones . . . expensive, high value, worth a lot

and In Corinthians, The Bible says that we are bought with a price

it cost a lot to save us, to set us free, . . . the price was high, but Jesus paid it all

the only begotten son of God had to lay down his very life

so saints are precious because saints are expensive, it cost God a lot to take us from being sinners to being saints

you might not can tell by my bank account, or my clothes, or my car, but I am worth a lot

I am valuable

our church loves to sing a song,

“you thought I was worth saving, so you came and changed my life

you thought I was worth keeping, so you cleaned me up inside

you thought I was to die for, so you sacrificed your life”

so I could be free, whole

so it’s not surprising that saints are precious to God, for he sacrificed everything to redeem us

Why are you so confident that Westbrook was a saint?

his verbal testimony

he said it with his own mouth, that he believed the gospel story of Jesus Christ

He testified about it . . . tell the story (westbrook loved to dance, dream, dancing to James Brown, going to hell)

he would say things like, “can’t nobody tell me there ain’t no God”

“God’s been to good to me, not to serve him”

he even sang his testimony, “walk with me, Lord . . . walk with me. . . while I’m on this tedious journey . . I need Jesus, everyday of my life, to walk with me”

he was not ashamed to tell anyone that he was a child of God

but I am also confident because of

his works of faith

the Bible says faith without works is dead, and his faith was certainly not dead

he didn’t just talk the talk, he walked the walk

his first work of faith was being obedient to the word and being baptized

after baptism, he became a faithful member . . . (after me), the longest tenured member of the church

he was so faithful! day after day, week after week, month, year

Sunday worship service, evening services, afternoon services, Bible Study, special services (New Years Eve watch service, weddings, funerals), Ekklesia special events, Immanuel’s special events, out of town, faithfully served under two pastors

he served in the Men’s ministry, sang in the choir, sang in the male chorus, served on the usher board, eventually serving as head usher for many years

after retirement - did some volunteer janitor work after church services, at the school he would come by on Fridays . . . whatever was needed to help the ministry

when he got sick, even at age 83, it took more than one person to fill his shoes

could have been a deacon if he wanted to, but didn’t feel he was called to that position

you could tell he had faith in God by his service to God

I am also confident because he was a giver, and when the love of God is in you, it causes you to give

tithes and offering to the church, if he had to miss church, he would send it

gifts and money to young people

gave clothes away, and he had some sharp clothes

hardly ever came to church alone, always giving rides in his car to who ever needed it

he would make potato salad and chili and just drop it off and dad’s house to encourage him

and he wasn’t an person who gave because he had so much, he would give even if it hurt, because he wanted to be a blessing

Rev. I don’t have it right now, but I am going to do something for your birthday

you don’t have to give, I just appreciate that you want to give

I know I don’t have to, but I want to . . . . six weeks later, a card with $50 in it

and I am also confident that he was a saint by his character

the Bible teaches that the fruit of the spirit are - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, temperance . . . all of these were part of his character

he made the room better when he walked in . . . smile, greeting, handshake, attitude

he never was an “uh oh” here comes . . .

he never was an “oh boy” so and so just showed up. . . or an “oh my”

(you know those type of people, you have get your mind right and take a deep breath before dealing with them)

Bro. Westbrook had a godly character

and so I am confident that this past Tuesday morning was a significant day for heaven, because a saint named Elroy Westbrook entered glory

Tuesday was a special time for God, because his child came home!

the one that God bought with a great price, his precious Bro. Westbrook, made it over!

saint Westbrook left this old troubled world behind, and heaven rejoiced!

and he got to hear God say:

Matthew 25:21 (KJV 1900)

21 Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints

let me close with these series of questions . . .

Are you a saint?

have you accepted Jesus as both Lord and Savior?

if you say that you have . . .

are you testifying to that fact, and not ashamed?

walking the walk, and not just talking the talk?

is fruit of the spirit evident in your character?

or are you just dancing on a train that’s headed to hell to hell

Westbrook would warn you, get off that train, become a saint