Bobby Jones Funeral [Bob-O]

Ole Bob-O…we could be here for a lot longer than 30 minutes if we went into all the details about this man…

But what do you say? I mean…What could I possibly say that would do justice to this man …this man that we all loved so much?

Well…I think it appropriate to start by saying this…That Bob-O was simply….”One of the Best!”

He was “One of the Best!”

Bob-O graduated in 73’ from A&M and went to work. For over 40 years He was a picture. perfect. example. of what it meant to be dedicated and to work hard. To a fault!

I mean….The man was a worker!! Can I get an amen?!

But in doing so…He provided for his wife. He provided for his family. The “Best” that he knew how!

1 Timothy 5:8 - But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Listen…The verse doesn’t apply to Bob-O…in fact the exact opposite applies…Bob-O was “One of the Best” at providing for his family! Unmatched in his efforts on the job!

He was One of the Best!

Then there was Bob-O’s sense of humor…

Proverbs 17:22 - A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Friends…When we live joyfully in the Lord…we encourage those around us…we are passionate about daily tasks, we cast a positive outlook on all of our tomorrows! We are good medicine to not only ourselves, but to the people around us!

And Bobby Jones mirrored the words of this text!

For lit-er-al years…Our Sunday Morning Routine consisted of me asking him how he was and him responding with… “I am fine as frog’s hair!”

And whether it was that…Or debating with him about Mt. Nebo being the highest peak in Arkansas…

Knowing that no matter how the conversation started… you were always going to end up listening to stories of him and his six brothers…six times! That’s true!

Purposely doing something the wrong way…just to see how long it would take him to tell you how to do it the right way….

Like parking the church bus facing the west…when you know you should always park it facing east…because if you don’t…the sun will eat the windshield wipers! And all of you should know that! Because it’s flat out common sense! LOL

But then there was that laugh…that unrestrained…all out…don’t care who’s watching… laugh…

Can you hear it? x2

Bob-O’s sense of humor was absolutely, “One of the Best!”

And then there’s Gina Gayle! You may not have known that for 50 years as of this month [May 26th]…Bobby cherished the woman that God had blessed him with.

Ephesians 5:25 - Tells us as “Husbands, to love our wives, as Christ loved the church….

and to give ourselves up for our wives…as Christ gave himself up for us…

You know…I always enjoyed watching Bobby…whether we were at the church, at someone’s house or on a trip….watching how he lived his life…watching how he clung to Gina. Wherever she was you could rest assure that Bob-O was not far away.

He loved her. He no doubt was “One of the Best” at loving his wife! And loving his family!

You know…If you read God’s Word… you would fine that it has a lot to say about being our best…About doing our best…About offering our best….

Like….Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…

The Word…. “Heartily” - carries the idea that we are to put “all that we are” into “all that we do!”

Listen…if you are a Christ Follower here today…then you should be living your life from the vantage point of Christ.

God commands you to work “heartily”…with all of your heart…with all of your soul…with all of who you are… because that is what brings Him glory…that is what represents Him well….and that is what is Best for You!

1 Corinthians 10:31 - So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Folks today….we are Celebrating the Life of Mr. Robert Allen “Bobby” / “Bob-O” Jones!! A man who is worth celebrating! A man who blessed the lives of everyone who knew him! A man who was… as we have already stated “One of the Best!”

And as much as I would love to stand up here and talk about Him for hours… Bobby would be misrepresented…I would be negligent…And the Lord would be disappointed…

If i did not communicate to you this morning about what Made Bob-O so good!!

Sure…Bobby was a unwavering worker…possessing of a personality that could brighten anyone’s day…And absolutely a man who loved His wife, family and friends with all that He had…He was One of the Best! But none of these traits were what was best about Bobby!!!

What was best about Bobby is that He had surrendered his life to that which was Best for Him!

And folks just like Bobby….we too can be One of the Best!!

You can be:

One of the best husbands…One of the best wives…One of the best moms…And one of the best dads…

You can be one of the best at loving your family…providing for your family…. protecting your family…pouring into your family…

You can be one of the best where you work…where you play… where you go to church…In whatever you do!!!

Folks you can be “One of the Best!”

But my prayer for us all this morning is that in the midst of all your effort, all your activity, all your responsibility and all your success…you come or have come to the same conclusion as Bob-O did on this side of eternity…

That your best…is simply…Not good enough.

It is Not Good Enough!

Isaiah 64:6 [KJV] - But we are all as an unclean thing, And all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; And we all do fade as a leaf; And our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.

Charles Spurgeon - The best of men… are still men… at their best.

Folks know today that the reason why Bobby Jones was so great…the reason why he was the best…was not because of his own merit…it was not because of his ability to be good…but rather because of the merit that lived within him! Because of the Spirit of God that lived within him!

Galatians 2:20 (ESV)

I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

?? Maybe use this??

Philippians 3:8–9 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—

When I arrived at Bobby and Gina’s House last week - just a few minutes after Bobby’s passing…I walked into the room to see Gina resting on Bobby’s chest…she was crying…she was mourning….but through the tears and the sorrow…she raised up…looked at me and then looked back to Bobby…and said these words…Bobby was the Best Husband!!!

Look at Her: Gina…Yes he was…

He was the Best Man…because of Jesus!

{Can you all say that…because of Jesus… with me?]

Bobby Jones was the best man…because of Jesus! [point to crowd]

He was the best dad and grandpa…because of Jesus…

He was the best provider and protector…because of Jesus…

He was the best friend and encourager…because of Jesus…

He was the best servant and deacon…because of Jesus!

He was the best brother in Christ…because of Jesus!

And for all who have surrendered their lives to Christ…we will see him again…because of Jesus!

Gina…we love you! We love your family! And we love Bobby Jones!

????

Because if you are born once…you’ll die twice..

But if you’re born twice…you can only ever die once!!