Memorial Service Rich Willis

Introduction

The family has asked that I read a few passages of scripture that reflect the faith and the perspective that Brother Rich had toward life and even toward death. Perhaps many of you are like me. We were not here a few weeks ago when Rich spoke to the congregation here from the podium sharing his perspective on life that he believed that attitude is a choice.

Response. Well, I was listening to him as broadcast through the internet, and as I did so, there were passages that came to mind. Two that reflect, I believe, his attitude toward trials. In the Epistle of James, the first chapter, we’re told beginning in verse 2, My brethren, count at all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. A similar passage that I believe reflected his attitude toward trials are the words of the Apostle Paul written to the church at Rome in Romans chapter 5, beginning in verse 1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

And not only that, but we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance character and character hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with him those who sleep in Jesus. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the cloud to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore, comfort one another with these words. One final passage that I thought might be reflective of a prayer that Rich might desire for each of us.

Taken again from the words of the Apostle Paul in the book of Romans, the 15th chapter, verse 13. Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

If I might begin by making a small confession to you, I’ve never used PowerPoint before in a funeral. And I still haven’t used PowerPoint in a funeral. That’s a Microsoft product. We’re Mac people. This is keynote. Rich and be happy. Of course, I misspoke already. This is not a funeral. We have billed this as a celebration of the life of our friend and our brother Rich Willis. And what a fitting idea that we celebrate the life of Rich, one who celebrated life each and every day. I knew Rich for a few years. Some of you have known him much, much longer than I have. I count him as a friend, and he counted me as a friend, and I’m grateful for that. Unfortunately, for many of those years, Rich was sick and even, you might admit, facing what would be the end of his life.

And yet you knew that he faced each and every day with that same zeal and zest for life. This is normally the time in a service such as this that we would begin talking about what the scriptures teach in regards to purpose of life. Facing the end, making the right choices. I didn’t have to do much work in preparing the remarks for tonight, though. As was already mentioned in those wonderful blogs and those wonderful emails that Rich left to us. He left behind the very principles that I would have normally spoken about at a time like this. Rich had tied his heart to God. And I want to share with you a few scriptures, yes, but also tie in with that some of Rich’s own words.

So bear with me.

1. What Is the Purpose of Life?

What is the purpose of life? Well, we’d understand from the scriptures, the words of our Lord Matthew 5 14. You are the light of the world, a city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor the people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. In simple words, the point of life is to appreciate what God has given to you. And to help others to see the blessings that God has shown in your life. To let your light so shine that others will want to know what makes that fellow different.

I wonder how many times people ask that very question in those same words about Rich Willis. What makes that fellow different? And that when they come to find out that it’s a deep abiding faith in God, that they too would come and give glory to the Father. Rich ended one of his posts on October the 28th with these short phrases. Keep the faith, share his love, give him the glory.

As he was in the hospital, and you know where he would have liked to have been that day at home with his family. But he wrote on that day, Jesus came to the earth to care for people who didn’t care for him. Out of all the people who he came in contact with, only a very, very few actually got it. I don’t regret being here instead of it being at home today, except for my family’s expectations. Because even here, God is using me to help others. And I can see plainly how his providence has been saturating my life and the lives of those around me. One of the blessings is that I get to sit here and watch and consider and ponder all of these things.

But the clarity of not being distracted by being right in the middle of them. I sometimes imagine God looking at us from his vantage point, watching and considering and pondering his creation. And I hope we’re doing the things that would make him smile.

I’m trying hard to do that for my end. Again, on the 15th of March this year. I know that God is ultimately in control, and I trust him to do what is best for his glory and for my life. I’m entirely comfortable with that. I hope that you are too. If you’re not at that point yet in your own life, maybe it’s time to consider what changes you need to start making in order to get there. I have this sneaking suspicion that we’re all going to leave this place someday. Life has purpose.

2. Take Advantage of the Opportunities

And because life has purpose, and the scriptures also teach that we need to look for and take advantage of the opportunities that we have in life. Galatians 6, 9 and 10, let us not grow weary of doing good. For in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Did Rich look for opportunities to do good? Well, yes, he did. And again, even in those trying circumstances, as he would write on May 4th, another visit to the ER. Did any of you know that with a custom plumbing job that you get unusual opportunities to meet new people and make new friends? Yeah, me neither.

Oh, the benefits of cancer treatment continue to amaze me. Then again, June 9th of this year.

In making remarks on how he knew that his time here on this earth was short. And how people may wonder are you doing all these things, taking advantage of all these opportunities because you know you have only so little time? His response was, I’m taking advantage of the opportunities because the opportunities are there. My heart could stop beating tonight. Yours could too. So if a doctor tells me that I might not be around to carve pumpkins this year, do you really think that I’m going to do anything different than I have been? Only people who live life unprepared would do things that way. Consider carefully what I’m trying to communicate to you here. I’ll bet most people who die in this country won’t get a six-week notice.

3. Our Interdependency

That’s not me. That’s all of you. He lived life looking for the opportunity. Opportunity to enjoy what God had left. Opportunity to reach out and to help others. Which brings us to the second major idea that we can glean from Rich’s many posts. And that is our interdependency. The idea that we’re not here on an island, that we’re not here just by ourselves, that we rely on each other. The wise man communicated in Proverbs 17 and 17 A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. You read those posts, and you note how many times Rich was thanking others for what they had done for him. Even the small, we say are insignificant acts of kindness, and yet he is there saying, That meant a lot to me.

Just a small gesture. He recognized his friends, his family, his family in Christ. They were there. They were doing those things for a reason. I’m so blessed to be surrounded by helpers and caregivers, all of whom truly care about my well-being. I’ve had several friends over the past year that have come regularly to sit with me through my chemo sessions, sometimes putting their own work on hold. I really appreciate them having taken time out to sit with me. I am blessed that I have nurses that double and triple check my medications and are constantly asking how I feel and what my past week was like. I really appreciate how attentive and professional the medical staff is to me. I am blessed with friends who call, send cards, and ask about me and continually pray on my behalf.

I really appreciate my friends and my spiritual family. But I’m truly blessed to have a wife who takes care of me, helps me, shields me, protects me, thinks and speaks for me when I cannot or should not. And who doesn’t get to take time off just because I do. I really want you all to appreciate her. I certainly do. And I hope you’ll pray today and constantly for all the caregivers who help so many people continually who get very little thanks for the work they do ever. I certainly will. We’re interdependent. Rich knew he relied on other people. And he knew there was an obligation there as well. As we are exhorted by the Apostle John in 1 John 4, 7 and 8, beloved, let us love one another.

For love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God because God is love. Would you say from that that Rich knew God? Did he have the capacity to love? So even as he was hurting. And he would say, Thanks for keeping me in mind. Yet he was thinking of others. Don’t forget my family. And please use this as an opportunity to pray for those you may know who are going through things a lot worse than I am. I hope you’ll say a prayer tonight for the people you probably don’t know. Who are going to have another miserable week of chemo and yet are going through it anyway. And when you’re done with that, maybe pass on a prayer of thanks that my week was as good as it was.

4. The Power of Prayer

We are interdependent. We rely on others, and we in turn do what we can for others. Another theme throughout Rich’s posts and his emails is the power of prayer.

Rich would say that one of the reasons we need to pray is that it’s one of the cures for anxiety. One of the reasons he prayed so much. Philippians 4, 6 and 7. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving. Let your request be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. A cure for anxiety. As so many things beset us, so many cares, and yet here we know we can communicate with God. And you wonder why Rich spoke so many times about giving thanks and praying to God. October 28th, just of last year. All of these blessings can only be because so many of you are constantly praying and petitioning our great God on my behalf.

And want to share knowledge of these blessings with you to give you confidence in your faith, fellowship with me, and understanding that patience and trust in God is always rewarded in this life and the next. And to give us all the opportunity to offer thanks once again for his perpetual benevolence in my life and in yours. The prayer is not just a cure for anxiety. It’s not something we do to somehow psychologically comfort ourselves. We pray because we understand the one whom we are praying to is the one who can help. Ephesians 3, 20 and 21, now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.

Amen.

But God is great. Keep praying. I seem to be reaping the benefits. Why keep praying? Because Rich knew what his God could do. And he knew that he served a God who blesses his people.

5. A God Who Blesses His People

James 1 and verse 17, we read that every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of life with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. In Ephesians 1 and verse 3, we read that blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. One of Rich’s earliest post. I am a blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed. Insert a million copies here. Blessed, blessed, tiny little, insignificant man. He would also write on December 20th of this past year. And speaking of bad days, and how some bad some days were much worse than others. He writes to us, try to hang on to little thoughts of how bad the really bad days are.

As tempted as we are to want to forgive them, God has a sneaky way of using those days to teach us that he is in control and that he’s watching out for us. If today is the worst it’s been, then get ready to use today in some unexpected way in the future. And if today isn’t as bad as that worst day, then reflect on how blessed you are that God has seen fit to teach you another lesson about his grace. Because he loves you, and he wants you to know he does. There. I feel better already. Don’t you? But some might ask, how could Rich say such things? Say that he is such a blessed man, have such confidence in a God. When his life was cut short.

Could it not be because Rich understood the greatest blessings were not those that were going to be had in this life? As great as those blessings are in this life. But the greatest blessings are those in the life to come. James 1 and verse 12. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial. For when he has stood the test, he’ll receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.

But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me. This next quote was not from Rich’s normal blog, but he wrote it on June the 9th this year. There’s no stress to this. I’ve known it was coming for a couple of years. I simply have a deep, abiding faith that God is true to his promises, and I know that I have been his humble servant. I hope that as you listen to this and read my post, that you will somehow be moved to be obedient to him as well. And as the words of one of his young brothers in Christ wrote after Rich’s passing, congratulations, Rich, for winning the good fight.

Would you take the psalm books that are in your pew, the red ones, and turn to number twenty-seven, Jim, if you’d be making your way to the front?

Joyful, joyful. We adore thee.

We celebrate the life of a man tonight who could have sung that song every day. Maybe he did sing that song every day. Ask if you would stand. And let’s sing that song with the same joy, zeal, and enthusiasm that Rich would have sung that song. Number twenty-seven. Joyful, joyful, we adore thee.

Joyful, joyful, we adore thee. God of glory, Lord of love, hearts unfold my blood before thee. Opening to the sun above Mouth of clouds of sin and sadness.

All thy works with joy surround thee.

Then who are broken grace.

Conclusion

Thou are giving and forgiving ever blessing ever blessed off spring of the joy of living ocean death of happy rest our brother all who live in love teach us how to love each other live us to thy joy mortal join the mighty for us with the morning stars began Father love is raining o’er us man to man ever sing marching onward big burning amidst of stride joyful music used in the triumph song of Maybe seated. As was mentioned earlier, a few weeks back on June the 7th, Rich took the opportunity to speak a wonderful message to the congregation here. That message was about attitude. That message was about how the positive attitude that he had was a visual outlook of the choices that he was making.

And he exhorted us within that sermon to make the right choices. We’re going to show it this time about six minutes, a six-minute clip of that sermon. If you would like a copy of the full sermon, there’s a yellow sign-up sheet in the foyer, and you can sign up there, put your address, we’ll mail you a DVD copy with no charge. Or if you’d like, we’ll have a website up on the board when the clip is over. You can visit that website and watch the whole sermon online.

But do know that the quality from his voice at that time and the kind of lowness of the voice, so you may need to just be as quiet as possible and let pay attention. Could you choose to be just a little more humble? Could you choose that? Think about other people before thinking about yourself, or at least don’t think of yourself quite so highly. Understand that God is in control. You know, God’s the one on your letter. And he’s the one in charge of your schedule. So could you choose to let God handle some things that you’ve been selfishly wanting to handle yourself? What if you were to choose to be a servant to everybody? Anyone needs help, I’m here to help you. Okay? I’ve got rules on this oxygen tank.

You got something too heavy to roll out today? Stick it on there. I’ll carry it out with me. Make use of what we’ve got. Could you choose to be a servant? To everybody. Could you do that? What if we could just choose to be obedient? What kind of effort does that take? Could you choose to listen to your mom and dad and say, okay, I’ll do that? That’s a tough one. Could you choose to be obedient to God? And knowing what it is he expects of you, just to do it. Right? Not to question it. You can always go back and study and find out why he wants you to do that. But why not just obey? Right? Could you choose at the very least just to be obedient to your own conscience for a while?

And quit doing things that you think, you know, well, that doesn’t really matter to anybody but me. Well, it does. Matters to everybody. Matters especially to those around you. So if we were to make the same choices that Jesus made, when he chose to come to the earth, to live as a servant in human form, and to remain obedient to his father unto death, so that people like us that he never met could have salvation. If Jesus could make those choices, knowing where he came from, what would happen to our attitude if we chose to make the same kind of choices? How would that affect our attitude? And if our attitude improves, how is that going to affect the attitude of everybody around us? If you make the right choices in your life, a positive attitude will manifest itself to others.

We’ve gone through a lot of this. Doesn’t it make sense that if you make good choices, you’re going to have a good attitude, and then when other people look at you and think, ah, passive attitude, you’re going to know it was the active attitude in you that made them see the attitude that they see in you. On the other hand, if you sit around and wait for a good attitude to manifest itself, how many good choices do you think you’re going to start making? That’s backwards. Make the good choices, you’ll have a good attitude. Wait for the choices to come along, you are going to be miserable. Let’s don’t be miserable. Couple of other scriptures to go over. There are still choices that you can make.

You can make choices now. You can make choices today that are meaningful choices. Joshua 2415 reads. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day who you will serve. Whether the gods of your forefathers, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. You’ve got choices that you can make every day. You’ve got choices you can make right now, today. Who is it that you’re going to choose? Right now you have a choice.

If you haven’t put on the attitude that Christ had, that said, I’ll be obedient unto death. I want to have a good relationship with God. I want to have a good attitude. You can choose to let the scripture to let the word convict you of the sin that separates you from God. It’s a choice. It’s an easy choice. If it fits, make the choice. Right. If you’re in that condition, you can choose to repent, turn away. You can choose to turn your back on that bad attitude that’s keeping you separated from God. And choose instead to have a good attitude. Repent from repent of your sins. You can choose to confess openly today, right now, in front of this audience, that you believe that Christ is the Son of the Living God and that He died to forgive you of your sins.

Then we can make the choice today to be baptized in water, to put you in contact with the blood of Christ, to wash away your sins, and put you in that perfect relationship with God that will give you that good attitude that will allow other people to see by looking at you that you’re a child of God because they’ll see the choices that you have made, and they’ll see the attitude that you wear.

If you make the right choices, you’ll have the right attitude.

There’s no better way to close than the invitation that he has just extended to you. And I hope you’ll keep this in your heart and mind if you’re not right with the Lord, that indeed you will respond and make that choice.

Our group that’s been singing will sing one more song. And our scout leaders will come down and lead the family out to the foyer, where if you’ve not greeted them and wish to, you can do so as you go out. We have quite a crowd, and obviously, our foyer is not large enough for all the crowd to stand in the foyer. So be considerate of those who are behind you trying to get out of the building. I know everyone wants to greet and meet with this good family. And I know they appreciate everyone for coming today. It has certainly been a blessing to be here. Also, I’m told that there is a little tribute to Rich from the family that there will be the scouts that will have some, and they want each family or person to receive one as you go out of the auditorium.

Would you please bow with me in a word of prayer? Dear God, our Father in heaven, blessed is your name forever and ever.

We find refuge and strength, especially in times like this when our hearts are bowed in sorrow. Indeed, you are our rock, our redeemer, our defender.

Especially with Connie, Amy, and Trek. And with Rich’s parents, Paul and Sue, brother and sister, Sparky and Cheryl, Craig and the extended family. We pray that they may be comforted by the shadow of your wings. Help us all, O Lord, to heed the message that rich has left us, to make good choices, especially to choose to obey you, so that we may journey to that land of song and rest by the cooling stream of the river of the water of life. We’re thankful for Jesus who’s made this hope real and living. That you’ll help each of us that we will number our days, apply our hearts to wisdom, so that one day we may stand to hear.

Guide us now and be with us. For this we pray in the name of the Lord Jesus and amen.

May all rise and exit as you can.