I remember the day well. I was sitting in my office when my secretary came in and said, "Dan, Doug's gone and Patti's mother just died. You need to do the funeral."
I had no idea what to do.
So, I called my Uncle Bob. He walked me through how everything works. Then he said something that I will never forget, "Alright buck-o, do me one favor. Whatever you do, listen to the family. The best pastors listen to the family. They sit down, shut up, and listen to the stories. Whatever it is you say, make it personal, whether you knew the person or not. And for goodness sake, don't talk too long. Alright? Alright, you'll do great."
Uncle Bob, this is personal and I promise, I won't talk too long.
To me, this is was Uncle Bob in a nutshell, a straight shooter who would drop everything to help you. He was always there for me and my brothers and my mom. He was always there for so many of us.
As I look around this sanctuary I see him and feel him here. His laugh echoing down a pew. Hearing him sing behind us. Coming up from behind us and grabbing our shoulders in just the right place to almost make us drop our grape juice during coffee hour.
Uncle Bob was a man's man. He played hard. He worked hard. He loved hard.
The last few days have left us in shock, sadness, and for many of us a righteous anger. These things are all good. They are what we are supposed to feel.
I want to read a short portion of Scripture that has given me comfort these days as I struggle through all the emotions of Uncle Bob leaving,
Romans 8:37-39
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Uncle Bob loved Christ. He knew Jesus. The Apostle Paul makes clear here that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Jesus was Bob's Lord. His hope was found in Christ. There is absolutely nothing that can separate him from his Jesus. Wednesday early evening when Bob died, Jesus welcomed him to heaven. Then the Snoops grabbed him by the ear and had a conversation with him.
If you find your hope in Christ for the forgiveness of your sin you will see Bob again. This is our hope and promise because of what Jesus has done for us on the Cross.
Uncle Bob was the hands and feet of Jesus to so many of us in this sanctuary. Like Jesus, he often stood beside us when no one else would.
Aunt Missy, Lizzy, and Mindy, I want you to know that he is forgiven. His forgiveness was purchased on the cross 2,000 years ago. There is nothing that can change that. Jesus, is standing beside him in grace and mercy.
I also need you to know that you are not alone. We will stand with you now. We will be the hands and feet of Jesus for you, the way that Uncle Bob has been for us. We love you. Look around. The people in these pews are here not just to say goodbye, but they are here to stand with you, to hold you, hug you, to enter in with you in good times and bad.
We love you.
