Nap Easterbrook Memorial Service, October 19, 2021 (died October 15)
Note: During my first year as pastor of our fledgling congregation in St. Louis, a couple showed up one Sunday who changed the course of my ministry. Nap and Phyllis Easterbrook were obviously broken and hurting and were desperately looking for spiritual refuge. I had always believed the church should be a hospital, so I welcomed them, but I knew very little about what it meant to be a spiritual trauma surgeon. For three years I walked with them through what it means to be truly repentant, and through restitution and reconciliation. Finally, our congregation joyfully accepted them into membership.
Never for a moment have I regretted the investment we made in Nap and Phyllis. For 35 years they worshipped and served faithfully at our church, with Nap conducting an incredible counseling ministry that resulted in the saving of many marriages. When he passed into God’s presence, Phyllis invited me to come to St. Louis to officiate at his homegoing. That was a wonderful privilege for me.
Obituary: Charles Wesley “Nap” Easterbrook, Jr was born February 17, 1932 in Pacific Grove California, the only child of Margaret and Charles, and as his father’s namesake, he also inherited the nickname “Nap.” After WWII, his family moved to Porterville, CA where Nap excelled at football, tennis and basketball for the Porterville High School Panthers. At the age of 16, Nap came to faith in Christ at a summer youth camp at Mt. Hermon.
After high school, he attended the University of the Pacific with his high school sweetheart, Luellan Rountree. They were married after graduation, and he commenced active duty as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he would serve with distinction for 27 years. Early in his career he was assigned to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland where he was a Physics instructor and an assistant football coach.
Shortly thereafter, in the tumultuous wake of the Cuban Missile crisis, Nap was appointed to an intelligence team tasked with briefing the highest levels of military leadership, including the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Lyndon Johnson. This experience soon led to his selection as a Naval Intelligence officer, a role that shaped the rest of his Navy career. Worldwide deployments took him all across Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and he served aboard several distinguished vessels, among them the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and the guided missile cruiser USS Long Beach, the first nuclear-powered surface combat ship in the world. He retired as a Commander and the Naval Intelligence Attaché to the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
He taught himself and two of his sons to play the guitar and banjo. Though he was deployed for much of their childhoods, his love of hymn singing, and family worship became a stabilizing influence for his four children in an otherwise difficult home life.
Nap retired from the Navy in 1977 and subsequently earned a Master of Divinity degree from Covenant Theological Seminary. But Nap’s post-military life was increasingly marked by anxiety and depression. Sadly, the decisions he made at this point would alter many lives and fracture families.
But divorce and censure would not be the sum of Nap’s story because his Redeemer had never left his side. God began mending the broken things for His glory: Nap married Phyllis McCaughey Hogan and two families were cobbled together into one. Nap was reconciled and restored in his walk with the Lord through the grace-filled discipleship, love and advocacy of Pastor Mike Andrus. If Nap could say anything to you now, he would say, if you are in Christ, all things truly do become new through the sanctifying grace of God. The last half of Nap’s life is defined by a path of redemption that only God could have authored. Nap would reject any adulation for his ministry in the last 3 decades of his life. He would want you to see Jesus in the grace worked into every wound and scar, and he would want you to say, “Look what God has done!”
Nap loved leading worship and later in life, counseling and shepherding the body of Christ at First Evangelical Free Church and more recently at Quest Church in St. Louis, Missouri. He is known as a devoted mentor and wise friend who loved to meaningfully connect in simple ways. If you knew him at all you heard him say, “How can I pray for you?” And, be assured, he did!
Nap is survived by his wife of 37 years Phyllis McCaughey Easterbrook, and 4 children, Mark, Lynn Adams (Mike), Eric, and Gregg (Martha), his step-son Josh Hogan (Melinda) and step-daughter Becca Hogan Woods (Phillip), and fourteen grandchildren who loved calling him grandpa.
Message: What a joy it has been to hear the wonderful stories that family and friends have shared about my good friend Nap this morning!
In my file cabinet at home is a file labeled “Easterbrook.” Now mind you, I didn’t keep files on all my parishioners, only special ones. But this one is pretty thick. I got it out on Friday morning when I learned that Nap had gone “home,” and I spent several hours reading through it. There are many letters in that file; there’s a sermon delivered to a young congregation in the gym at Westminster on the day the Easterbrooks were received into membership (anyone here remember that day?), even a major paper I wrote about them for a doctoral class at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School some thirty years ago. I will make another entry into that file when I get home.
I love Nap and Phyllis. I became their pastor in 1985 and have cherished that relationship for over 35 years. We haven’t been back to St. Louis often in recent years, but whenever we did come, we would be sure to visit with Nap and Phyllis, if at all possible. Twice they came to Wichita to visit us at our farm. On their second visit I was burning a huge brush pile on the back 40 acres when it got out of hand, and I had to call the fire department. I don’t think Phyllis will ever forget watching me try to beat down the flames until the firetrucks arrived and spared us from what could have been a tragedy. I would say it was a small price to pay for indelible memories!
Thank you, Phyllis, for inviting me to share in this service today. I consider it a great honor!
I want to speak to you this afternoon about the single greatest word in the Bible when it comes to the death of a believing loved one. For that matter, it’s the single greatest word for a living believer. In fact, it’s simply the greatest word in the Christian’s vocabulary. The word is “forgiven.” It is the reason we can joyfully celebrate the life of Nap Easterbrook. It is the reason we do not grieve without hope. It is the reason we can look forward to a great reunion someday.
Please listen to the Word of the Lord, as found in Luke 7:
Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them.
When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.”
Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.”
“Tell me, teacher,” he said.
Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?”
Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said.
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.”
Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.”
The Pharisees were “the separated ones.” They were the fundamentalists of first-century Judaism, the guardians of the Torah, the watchdogs of the faith. They were pious and proud of it. One of the key figures in our story is a Pharisee named Simon. We cannot be certain of his motive in inviting Jesus to dinner; perhaps he was looking for something to use against Him, or maybe he liked to be seen around important people, or possibly he was just curious. But he certainly wasn’t much of a host because he didn’t even offer Jesus one of the three most basic signs of respect and hospitality—the kiss of peace, washing of the feet, olive oil for the head. It was a cold, patronizing, actually discourteous reception.
No sooner are we introduced to Simon than our attention is drawn away to a woman who has crashed the dinner party. Just who is this woman? All we know about her is that she had lived a sinful life in that town and was well-known for it. But at some point, she had apparently heard Jesus speak and had responded in faith to His message of redemption.
When I say she crashed the party, I’m being a bit facetious, but seriously, how did she get into Simon’s house? It was the custom of the day that when a visiting rabbi was having a meal in the neighborhood, all kinds of people would crowd around to listen to the wisdom he was sharing. She apparently slipped in among them. Still it must have taken a lot of courage for this woman to come into the courtyard of a Pharisee. She obviously is strongly motivated to see Jesus.
She moves quietly to a place near Him. Please understand that she did not necessarily have to interrupt the dinner to approach Jesus’ feet. Guests did not sit at a table, but reclined on low couches, with the head towards the low table and their body stretched away from it. The sandals were always removed before reclining. The woman is thus able to approach Jesus’ feet without difficulty and without fanfare.
She carries with her an alabaster flask of perfume. She intends to anoint Jesus’ feet with the perfume, but as she kneels there her emotions get the best of her, and her tears begin to fall on Jesus’ feet. Perhaps embarrassed at getting his feet wet, she promptly begins to dry them with her hair. This is significant because Jewish women did not unbind their hair in public. Clearly, she is oblivious to public opinion in the grip of her deep emotion. This woman has obviously experienced a great change in her life due to Jesus, and she feels compelled to bring Him an offering of love and gratitude. She kisses his feet and pours the perfume on them.
Simon the host reacts rather contemptuously. As he observes the woman’s anointing of Jesus, he says to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” What I want you to notice here is the difference between how Luke refers to the woman and how Simon refers to her. Luke says that she is “one who had lived a sinful life.” Simon says, “She is a sinner.” Do you see the difference?
Luke honestly faces the facts of her past, but he clearly states that it is her past. Simon either doesn’t know or doesn’t care that a change has taken place in this woman’s life. As far as he is concerned, she is what she has done.
How often we label people by referring to something we know of their past! “He’s an alcoholic.” “She’s a divorcee.” “He’s an ex-con.” You know something? I would sure hate to be known by the worst thing I have ever done. That’s not who I am. I am a child of God. Yes, I am a child of God who sins. Yes, I am a child of God who has made some big mistakes. But my mistakes are not my identity. Nor do yours have to be.
Ironically, this One whom Simon is convinced is not a prophet, knows exactly what Simon is thinking. It says in verse 40, “Jesus answered him.” How could he answer him when he hasn’t said anything? Ah, but he has said something–to himself–and it is known fully to Jesus.
Jesus approaches him gently: “Simon, I have something to tell you.” In the presence of all his guests Simon has little choice but to invite Jesus to proceed, but he will wish he hadn’t.
Jesus tells one of the shortest and simplest of all his stories. “Two men owed money to a certain money-lender.” One man owed nearly two years’ wages while the other owed nearly two months’ worth. When the day of reckoning arrived, neither was able to repay his debt. This was a serious matter in Roman culture, and there was no Chapter Seven bankruptcy available, or even Chapter Eleven. The result of failure to pay one’s debt was either prison or slavery.
Jesus then poses a question, “Now which of them will love him more?” And Simon responds, a bit grudgingly, no doubt, for being put on the spot, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” And Jesus confirms his answer.
Then He turns to the woman but speaks to Simon. “Do you see this woman?” Kind of a silly question, wouldn’t you say? Of course, he can see her! She’s right there in front of him, and he’s not blind! But in a more profound sense, he clearly cannot see her. He cannot see her for who she isbecause he is blinded by who she was.
He sees only a prostitute, not a woman.
He sees only a sinner, not a person.
He sees only a history, not a future.
Simon has spiritual cataracts that keep him in the dark. And what is the cause of his spiritual blindness? Well, in the first place his sight is clouded by his own self-righteousness. He has a log protruding from his own eye that prevents him from seeing this woman the way God sees her. But a second factor that blinds Simon is his heart attitude toward Jesus. He has invited Jesus to be his guest, but he has not treated Him as a guest. Here again are Jesus’ words, and notice the stark contrasts:
“I came into your house (at your invitation, no less). You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet, not with water but with her tears. Not only that, she took her hair down and used it to wipe my feet. You did not give me a kiss on the cheek, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put even common olive oil on my head, but she has poured costly perfume on my feet.”
Then Jesus drives home the truth He wants Simon, and all of us, to understand: “‘Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven–for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.’ Then Jesus said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’”
Please note that Jesus does not gloss over the woman’s sin. In fact, He bluntly states, “they are many.” But no matter how many or how great, true repentance is always followed by God’s forgiveness.
On first reading it almost sounds like this woman has earned her forgiveness by demonstrating love. But that is clearly not the case. In the last verse of the chapter Jesus speaks directly to the woman and says, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” What Jesus is communicating when he says that “her many sins have been forgiven, for she loved much” is that her love is the evidence that she has repented and therefore has been forgiven.
By contrast, “he who has been forgiven little loves little.” This is Jesus’ gentle but firm way to drive home the point to Simon that he not only cannot see this woman for who she is; he can’t see himself for who he is either. In his self-righteousness he considers his moral debts relatively minor, perhaps even non-existent. Thus, they remain unforgiven and he remains ungrateful and unloving.
I want to take just a few more moments to summarize what this passage, and in fact, the whole NT teaches us about forgiveness:
First, ll of us are in God’s debt. Some of us have many sins; others may have few in comparison. Some have committed public sins; others are more private. But “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23).
Second, we are responsible for our debt. Society doesn’t use the term “sin” anymore—of criminal behavior, or addiction, or sexual perversion. It’s a disease, we are told. Or it’s excusable due to oppression, bad genes, or poor environment. Sometimes it’s just redefined as normal behavior. But God calls it “sin,” and He says we are responsible.
Third, sadly, we are incapable of repaying our debt. The world’s religions, of course, are in business to help us find ways to repay our debt. Most suggest various kinds of penance to compensate for our sins or urge good deeds to outweigh them. But God calls all such efforts futile. He views all our righteous deeds done with such a motive as “filthy rags.”
Fourth, judgment is the result of our debt. The two men in the parable faced the prospect of life as a slave or as a prisoner. The judgment for sin is even worse: “The wages of sin is death,” says Romans 6:23–spiritual death, eternity apart from the Father.
So, friends, we come, fifth, to the bottom line: forgiveness is our only hope. Romans 6:23 goes on to say, “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Just like He did for the sinful woman of Luke 7, He is able and willing to wipe our slate clean. Psalm 103:10ff says, “God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgression from us.”
One final thought. Forgiveness begets freedom, the freedom to love and the freedom to forgive others.
Those of you who know Nap’s story know why I chose this text. Nap understood his debt. He viewed himself as a totally unworthy object of God’s rich grace, just as this woman did. He never forgot that God forgave him freely and completely.
And Nap loved well. He loved Phyllis well. He loved his children, his stepchildren, and his grandchildren well. He loved countless people who came to him for counseling and helped restore them to usefulness. He loved me well, and I will always cherish that.
Frances Havergal wrote the words to a little-known but profound hymn:
Nothing to pay! Yes, nothing to pay!
Jesus has cleared all the debt away.
Blotted it out with his bleeding hand!
Free and forgiven and loved you stand.
Hear the voice of Jesus say,
Verily thou hast nothing to pay!
Paid is the debt, and the debtor free!
Now I ask thee, Lovest thou Me?
Prayer: Father, we thank you for your great forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We know it is our only hope. As forgiven sinners, we ask you to help us love you and love others more. Thank you for the example our dear friend Nap set for us. Thank you most of all that Jesus loved us enough to lay down His very life for us. In His precious and holy name, we pray, amen.