Remembering Sam Parsons
After a fifteen month struggle with stage four pancreatic cancer, Sam Parsons passed away peacefully last Wednesday evening with his family at his side. He leaves behind his daughter Alyssa and his sons Rick and Travis and their families. His daughter said that Sam wanted to be here last Wednesday to tell his men good bye. However she knew that he wouldn’t able to be here in person. She promised her father that she would personally tell us this week that his heart’s desire was to see everyone one last time, to say good bye, and according to the title of his book, to “Die in the Sanctuary.”
Sam taught us the humility of serving at any time and at any place. His love for God was always front and center. Even though he led us in worship, in the words of author Os Guinness, Sam performed for “an audience of one.” Sam’s love for his Lord was always on display. His songs of prayer and praise introduced us to his Lord and Saviour. He was like John the Baptist who said, “I’m not the bridegroom. I’m just here to introduce the bride to her bridegroom.”
Pete ministered with Sam Parsons for over 23 years. Pete jokes that Sam thought he was the cake and Pete was the icing. Many men came to our band of brothers to hear Sam lead our worship and to inspire us with his songs and prayers of faith, hope and rejoicing.
Sam’s life reminded us of the story of Jehoshaphat, the good king of Judah who prayed to God when he was surrounded by his enemies. He prayed, Lord we have no battle plan, we’re outnumbered, and we don’t know what to do. God answered, “I will fight the battle for you.” Jehoshaphat put t the choir on the front lines of the battle to sing praises to God. Likewise, Sam taught us that the purpose of our lives is that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace because He has made us acceptable in the beloved.
Sam ministered to the elderly in nursing homes. He sang songs of encouragement and faith to bind up their emotional wounds and to encourage them in the Lord. Sam recalled a woman he ministered to who was paralyzed and in pain. He asked her how she endured the pain and remained joyful through such suffering. She couldn’t talk but she could move her head and used a chopstick to point to the letters on a board to answer Sam’s question. She spelled out the scripture reference Romans 8:18. This verse says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” Sam says that this response inspired him to write a new song entitled, “The Best is Yet to Come.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 says, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”
Sam taught us how to love from Christ’s heart behind our heart. He taught us that love is an action verb. Whether singing and praying with elderly shut-ins in nursing homes or leading worship at our Influencers band of brothers, he taught us that the liberty that we have in Christ is to serve one another in love. It’s one thing to know bible verses. However, 1 Corinthians 8:1 says, “knowledge puffs up, but the love of God builds up.” Sam’s life reminded us that we are the only bibles that some people will ever read. According to 2 Corinthians 3:2, “Ye are our epistle (God’s love letter) written in our hearts, known and read of all men…
Darrel in our Fullerton group said that when Sam announced that he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he said to Sam, “Brother, you can’t die. I want you to sing at my funeral.” Sam said, “then you better die fast.” It was difficult to imagine that a guy who was so willing to lead others to eternal life had such a short time to live. Hebrews 9:27 reminds us that it is appointed for all men once to die and then comes the judgement. For those of us who have been saved by grace, the judgement is of righteousness and not condemnation. Romans 8 says that the law of righteousness in Christ has made us free from the law of sin and death. For he who knew no sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in him.
Rudy Lara says that Sam was his role model. Ten years ago Rudy heard from his doctor that he had cancer. He questioned why God allowed him to suffer and stopped coming to church. He loved Sam’s music so he said to himself, I’ve got to go back to church to see Sam and sing with him. Sam showed us that despite sickness and suffering, we can sing praise to our Lord with a heart of joy and gratitude.
Sam taught us all how to finish well. His last days reminded us of Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 4:8-9: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
Men of God who have gone before us have left us a legacy of the love of God. We remember Sam’s smile, his heart of love for his lord, and his praise in worship and prayer. Worship gives life and Sam lived to give life by leading us to “tune our hearts to sing God’s praise.”
We will miss our brother Sam but we look forward to the day that we will see him again when this life is finished. In the words of an old Hymn: Until then my heart will go on singing. Until then with joy I’ll carry on. Until the day mine eyes behold his glory. Until the day God calls me Home…
As Sam’s life was an example of prayer and praise to his Lord, May we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,