Funeral Benjamin Williams Sr.

Benjamin R.Williams, son, a grandson, a brother, a husband, a teacher, a counselor , a principal, a father, a grandfather, and a follower of Jesus Christ. He has completed the circle of leaving his mother’s womb, impacting this world, and finally entering into the presence of God. The good news is that when he entered the presence of God, there was a place already prepared for him, because he knew Jesus Christ. He had the assurance from Jesus, in my Father’s house are many mansions, if it were not so I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you

For those who remain on this side of death, the Bible tells us, there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. The one experience that is common to us all is death. It is as common and as natural as all the other things done under the sun.

The Scriptures tell us that there is a way that seems right to a person, but at the end of it is death. If we are all living in order that we might some day die, it should be of utmost important that we live in such way that in the end our lives would not have been lived in vain.

Everybody here tonight is one day closer to death than they were yesterday. What grade would God give to us on whether or not we’re living in vain. Whether or not we have lived in vain will not be determined by how much we accumulated in terms of material goods, for naked we came into this world, and naked we go out. The mere fact that we have seen some of King Tut’s greatest treasures, is proof the Pharoahs were wrong. “You can not take it with you, no matter how much you love it.”

The only thing that we can take out of this world is what we have given away. For that is how Jesus said to lay up treasures in heaven. If we have not loved and have not invested in others, then our living has been in vain.

The Apostle Paul knew that his life was coming to an end even though he had been a faithful servant of Jesus Christ. He did not become bitter that God did not set him free after he had been unjustly condemned to have his head cut off. Instead he chose to look back over his life.

When he looked backed over his life, he was pleased with what he had seen. He was able to declare in the last book that he wrote, " For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day--and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." Paul could see that his living had not been lived in vain.

Brothers and sisters I submit to you this day that we are here to celebrate the homecoming of Benjamin Williams Sr. because Benjamin Williams Sr. living has not been lived in vain. His testimony is the same as the Angelic Voices song, “Thank you Jesus, For Lord you brought me a mighty long way.” Those who complain today about being disadvantaged and that is why they are going nowhere in life, should stand up and take notice of the life of Benjamin Williams.

Ben came into this world facing adversity. First he was born two teenage parents. His father was nowhere to be seen as a young child. Second he was born in 1930 in the heart of Mississippi with dark skin. That alone was enough to hold you back if you wanted to be held back because both the white folks and the blacks ones did not expect you to succeed. Third his mother soon left and he was raised by his grandmother who knew the meaning of poverty in a way that many of us never ever could. They had practically nothing as far as this world’s goods are concerned.

But she had love in her heart, and she instilled in Benjamin that family is to be there for you even when everything else goes wrong. But God gave Ben the gift of perseverance and intelligence. He believed that if he was willing to pay the price and get an education, he could make a difference in this world. God brought him from the backwoods of the Mississippi of the 30’s, to being one of the great educators of our time. They might have only seen, a little black negroe, but God was raising him up to make a difference for thousands of his people. Truly God brought him from a mighty long way.