Funeral for Bob Beecham

0000 million BC lasted about with the Lord in prayer only father, my dear friend Brother Bob Beauchamp is with you right now as we prepare for his funeral. We are weeping while he's rejoicing. Father, I thank you for Bob and a brother in Christ for 33 years we laughed together we cried together with worship together is, friendships are few and far between. I pray for the family. I pray for Janet, Kim and Robbie and all the kids the grandkids given the kind of peace that you gave to Bob in his last hours. Supernatural peace that passes all understanding. Lord I pray that you use a service today to honor Bob and to glorify Jesus Christ and it's in the precious name of Jesus that we pray. Amen. Our only hope in life and death is the Lord Jesus Christ. One who walks this earth. God's law perfectly in our stead absorbed God's wrath against our sin that we might be justified, made holy, set apart in the presence of a holy God.

Let's express confess our confidence in our Savior Jesus Christ. As we stand. If you're able to stand by to stand with me and sing the old rugged Cross and mom's not all will will and all all all all will and all will and will will all will will will will all and in the Old Testament reading comes from Psalm chapter 23 the Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul he leads me in paths of righteousness for his namesake even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me your rod and your staff they comfort me.

Prepare a place, a table for me in the presence of mine enemies you anoint my head with oil my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

New Testament reading is John chapter 14 let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many rooms.

If it were not so, what I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you if I go and I prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am.

You may also be in you know that the way to where I am going Thomas said to him, Lord, we do not know where you are going.

How can we know the way Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life. No one comes to the father except through me. If you would known me, you have known my father also.

From now on you know him and you have seen him.

Philip said to him, Lord, show us the father and it is enough for us. Jesus said, have I been with you so long and you still do not know me, Philip, whoever has seen me has seen the father. How can you say show us the father, do you not believe that I am in the father and the father is in me the words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the father and the father is in me or else believe, on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do and greater works than these will he do because I am going to the father. Whatever you ask in my name.

This I will do that. The father may be glorified in the son. If you ask me anything in my name I will do it if you love me you will keep my commandments and I will ask the father and he will give you another helper to be with you forever, even the spirit of truth in the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me because I live, you also will live in that day you will know that I am in my father and you and me and I in you, whoever has my ever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me and he who loves me to be loved by my father and I will love him and manifest myself to him.

Judas, not Iscariot said to him, or how is it that you will manifest yourself to us and not to the world. Jesus answered him. If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Whoever does not love me does not keep my words and the word that you hear is not mine, but the father father's who sent me these words I have spoken to you while I am still with you at the helper, the Holy Spirit, the father will send in my name, will teach you all things, and bring you to remembrance all that I have said to you.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid you heard me say to you, I am going away and I will come to you if you loved me you would have rejoiced as I'm going to be the father of the father is greater than I. And now I have told you before it takes place so that when it does take place. You may believe I would a longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming, he has no claim on me guide you as the father has commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the father rise, but it's go from here and see he will most name and my seven hours before Bob met Jesus face-to-face Lauren Eugene to sing song you understand why Scripture will use today's Psalm hundred 16 verse 15 precious in the side of the Lord is the death of his saints.

We are gathered here today to worship our Lord and pay tribute to our friend Bob Beauchamp Tom in our hearts had been made week with grief. We need the strength of eternal wisdom. God gives that wisdom to us through the power of his word chosen for my text today. One verse, and the that versus Psalm 116 verse 15 precious in the side of the Lord is the death of his saints from a human perspective is death, then feel very precious to me today it hurts. It stings my heart.

I'm going to miss him and I'm gonna miss him a lot. I'm going miss his smile.

I'm getting miss is teasing me. I'm going miss his encouraging words. 130 Wednesday morning that we were gathered around his bed and it was Jan and Kim Robbie and Eugene Oldham and myself. We listen to him talk and we listen to him tell us about how excited he was about going to heaven.

We listen to him share his heart with us as he went around the bed and and pointed out each one of us and thanked us for the things that we done for Amon told each one of us personally how much he loved us and Jan turned around him and she said tell Doug what you want them to say at the funeral service and he didn't like and he said I want a quick and short, and he said I want to talk more about Jesus than you do about Bob and he said just tell everybody that I loved him. That morning million Eugene in the family were trying everything that we could do to help him to understand that he needed to put that mask that BiPAP machine back on his face because it would help get rid of the carbon dioxide and he said absolutely not that I'm not going to put it back on because he said I'm tired and I want to go see Jesus books he died with no tears and with absolutely no regrets and I left. I have seldom seen a man on his deathbed have the kind of assurance that Bob Beauchamp had me tell you something he was ready to see Jesus, but I want you to know that Bob Beauchamp died like a man I been preaching for about 43 years now and I've seen a lot of guys that that were tough and strong. I just gave that appearance that I could just handle anything that I watch them on their deathbed. I've seen so many of those tough guys cry like a baby. I have seen people that were, know what all and people that would just tell you that they have answered everything and then when you were with them on their deathbed. They would, just balled up in a fetal position and cry like a baby.

Bob Beauchamp did not do that.

Bob Beauchamp died with joy on his lips and with the peace that passes all understanding in his heart present sisters. That's a testimony that's a godly testimony.

I just pray to God that he will give me the grace that I might be able to die like Bob Dodd three points I want to share with you .1 is his friendship in Proverbs chapter 17 verse 17, the Scripture says a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity obtain the pastor here at Grace Church in October 1998. Bob had already been at the church at that time for about nine years. He and his wife Jan were charter members of the church and I remember the time of my installation services. They were installed in May as the new pastor in the church and Harry read or preach the message that day and and my dad came he was there with me at the service and I noticed that my dad looked back and crossed the sanctuary and he saw Bob soon as the preaching was over he ran back over to where Bob was and he grabbed his hand and shook his hand and after the service was over he came back to me said, you know, that is, he said that's Bob Beauchamp.

Any said Bob Beauchamp is a good friend of mine. He said I work at the warehouse and associated grocers and he said Bob comes in to three times a week because he's the produce inspector for the state and he said, let me tell you something about him. He says he's the most honest man you'll ever meet, and he's a hard-working man.

It's a duck he's a member of your church is I'll guarantee you he will be a blessing to you and I can't tell you how right my dad was here only a short time and Bob would start coming by my office and come by my office and he had biblical questions that he would ask me.

There were always just good questions and we got to know which of the things that he was always encouraging me in my preaching. Bob was a man who cared for his pastor. They would leave and go back to see his family down the state. Every time he come back and come back with a bag full of the chocolate covered peanuts and some candy orange slices and some of caramel crimes.

Every time he bring those back to me and Bob Neely, and he knew me well and he knew if I was feeling troubled about something he could tell it and if I wouldn't open up, he would just pry it out of me if he had to, and the 1995, 26 years ago, my wife of 23 years left me and I was absolutely devastated.

And remember, just less than a week after that the Beauchamp's invited me down to the house for dinner. They knew that I was lonely and use. I was hurting and the fellowship was unbelievable and didn't happen once it happened over and over again.

I can't tell you what that fellowship meant to me then a little later I fell in love with Cindy Cindy some husband died of cancer and Cindy was the answer to my prayer and I remember how the patient just rejoiced with me over Cindy having just accepted her in made her feel like family last 12 or 15 years. We in the Beauchamp's have been going to Ajay's restaurant on Wednesday nights before prayer meeting and so often we would Cindy and I would walk in the Beauchamp's regarding the layer I walk up to the counter and order my food and get ready to pay for Aetna cashier would look at me and said, oh, don't worry but it's already paid for.

I look over there. Bob and there he would be smiling several times a year. The Beauchamp's would take Oldham's to Capt. Stacy's fish camp and pay for all their meals. Bob was such a good friend to so many here. I think can't even imagine Grace Church with outing. My kids in my step kids were all in tears when I shared with them that that Bob passed away and every one of them said this Bob had a smile for everybody. And he always did.

Bob kept up with my daughter Beth through Facebook. Beth is got some unbelievable funny stories about a kid and better kids in and Bob love those stories always ignited Ajay's Bob would tell me about what is going on with my grandkids and he say what they are doing this they're doing that.

So what's going on my grandkids when I don't even know what's going on.

My grandkids is a million and Beth are Facebook Facebook buddies and they certainly were. Beth called me yesterday and she asked me about her.

We were just talking about about Bob and I asked her said yeah you the stories that were particularly good for Bob that he enjoyed his last night. She wrote me back and read you the story that she had.

She said I posted about night we were at Kabuto's and Piper was probably five or six.

They put shrimp on her plate and she didn't know what it was associated.

I was in the table. I was outside with Madison someone. It said they didn't know she likes trim. She said not only trim I'm allergic to it.

I'll break out in house in my throat will close up and they said were you just say two of them, so Madison to come in. She's on the floor thinking she's legitimately dying. I was like Piper, what's the matter, and some lady at the table screams. She's allergic to shoring up and Madison says no she's not my friend Morgan is, she was telling Piper about being allergic to shrimp, Piper looked up and was like I'm not allergic and she got upset down and finish your dinner Bob had me retell that story at church on Sunday and he was laughing so hard he had to sit down this past Wednesday morning, Lauren, Eugene shared with Benjamin that Bob is going on the heaven, said Benjamin immediately stood up and he walked into his bedroom and he came back with two hands full of of chewing gum packages of chewing gum and he took committee put them down on the floor and he said Bob Beauchamp gave me all that chewing gum chewing gum all the time and then burst into tears. Bob had many ministries a grace served as a deacon here for a number of years and he and and Jan works with the finances. They took the offerings each week.

They counted the money like they take the money deposited in the bank, they write out what everybody's given so it could be recorded.

We could have it at the end of year like we needed. I think one of Bob's greatest ministries was his telephone ministry.

Once he retired he started doing some wonderful things with that telephone get on the phone and call people were shut ins a call people who were sick to call people who were going through a tough time and he encouraged them to listen to what they had to say it read Scripture to them and he would pray with them on Wednesday night.

We would me today. Jason Bob would tell me about what was going on a lot of these things I I had not even heard yet Nancy Lindley is a lady that is a member of our church and she has been like a mama to me. She's very, very special to me and she was set.

Same way with Bob.

She moved abaft North Carolina about three years ago and since that time Bob calls her several times a week just to see how she's doing. Just to encourage her and she would when I would call her and talk to her. She'd always tell me, said Bob is the kindest person I've ever met. She's I can't believe how he ministers to me. I can't tell you how many people came in my office since Wednesday of this week and burst into tears and said to be Bob Beauchamp is my friend.

The first thing I think about with Bob is is is friendship.

The second thing I think about Bob is that he was a family man.

He was married to Jan for 47 years member 23 years ago I had the privilege of doing a veil renewal service for Bob and Jan were they publicly recommitted themselves to each other. They have two children Robin and Kim. I love both of them hello. Both of them because they're kind in their unpretentious and their hard-working and their Christ exalting in their people serving. Kim is been such a blessing to me. You can't begin to express to you what kind of blessing she's been.

I'm not a techie. She is and she helps me on a cell phone and she helps me with the computer and she left Clemson football Sheila's cousin football almost as much as I do, and she knew knows about what's going on with all the players we meet together on Wednesday night. You get me field in and sometimes she will come over to our house from the football games going on and she'll sit down to watch the clips and game with me and if Clinton's not doing good not lose my temper. She's an even scold me. I told my wife not long ago I said I think Kim Beauchamp would go after hail with a water pistol for me and she's a whole lot like her daddy Bob left his wife. He loved his kids. He left his grandkids.

He was a family man and in a time when in America were 66% of the marriages in America. End up in divorce. This family was sold out to God and to each other and they stuck together, come hell or high water. Kim sent me a bundle. Note that man here in our church.

I friend of mine David Sligh had written her about Bob. I want to take just a moment and share some of that with you dated set up in crime throughout this day. Today because of dear brother of mine passed away this morning. A been a Grace Church since mid February 2020 and there was a family that I instantly connected with the frequent gatherings of church community. Bob Beauchamp became my friend and loved me and my kids along with his wife Jan and daughter Kim over the past year we spent so much time together, including me, having a place of honor with them at Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner. Both times I was not with my kids and they became a family to me during those two holidays days meals together Bob and they would talk for hours.

It also message me in the evenings on many occasions we chat together one on one. He was a father figure in so many ways that I never had in my life. So today's been a day of missing him to spend the time to see how great and how good God is. Is our heavenly father.

Bob loved God radiated and radiated that love to his family. Me, my kids, as well as everyone that came in contact with a man.

My third point is his Lord.

Bob was a good man. He was a good husband. It was a good daddy. It was a good friend but I want you know Bob Beauchamp is not in heaven the day because he was good. Bob Beauchamp is in heaven. The day because the only one who is truly good, who is perfectly righteous and perfectly without sin.

Which of the cross of Calvary and shed his precious blood that Bob might have eternal life. Bob came to that point in his life where he was deeply convicted about his own sin, and he repented of that sin and he turned to Christ any trust in Jesus as his Lord and Savior submitted his life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and Jesus did what no man could do for him.

He saved him for all of eternity. Psalm 116 verse 15 says precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

We are grieving this morning over Bob because we do miss him so much. But the Lord is rejoicing over his death and let me tell you why, but because he is with the Lord.

Right now face-to-face with Jesus.

And when when when Bob died, the Lord did something to him.

That is absolutely glorious theoretic. Eight of his sin nature so someone Bob worship Jesus. Now there's nothing to hinder that worship, I want you if you can for just a minute to picture him where he is right now in glory.

He is knelt down and his knees are hurt. He is knelt down right before the king of kings and the Lord of lords.

He looks up at Jesus and he sees the the love in his eyes he reaches up into his hand and he feels the nail prints the nail prints which are the tangible evidence of what Jesus had done for him on the cross and then he heard already, those words that he's waited for since the day that he got saved words from the lips of Jesus.

Well done my good and faithful servant in her nail into the joy of the Lord and we know that's true.

Second Corinthians 58 tells us to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord and in John chapter 14 verses one through three was Jesus who said this. Let not your heart be troubled you believe in God believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions if it were not so I would've told you.

I go to prepare a place for you if I go to prepare a place for you all will come again to receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also assist place like that, that Bob's neck now enjoying and experiencing Jesus as they are, was the place like in Revelation chapter 21 verses one through five. Jesus gave this revelation to John then also a new heaven and new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away and the sea was no more.

I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband and I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning or crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away and he was seated on the throne said, behold, I make and all things need also said write this down for these words are trustworthy and true. As were bobbing his thrifty try today prop yourself proper Bob Beauchamp. He is with the Lord Jesus never hurt, never to suffer never to experience pain or sin or frustration ever again.

He will never know anything ever again, but joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Let me conclude this message with this Bob is not a theological scholar but he love the word of God, and he knew the word of God it was not an articulate, flashy spokesperson, but he was an unselfish humble servant who always put other people before himself. Please take this home with you Bob Beauchamp died whale he died whale would to God that we could all come to our end and experience that kind of assurance in the kind of peace in the kind of joy that Bob left this world with just a few days ago. Just think of Stefan on shore defined in a heaven of touching hand find that God's breathing UA or confinement celestial of waking up in glory and find it home. Susan Larson is a church member that no longer church member here, but was years and years ago. She's a dear friend of Bob's and she did ask if she could just share a few words in the service today so Susan might ask you if you would to come. I Susan Larson Brown. I looked up the definition of a friend and a person who gives assistance, their patron, their supporter. A person who is good on good terms with one another. A person who is not hostile. I expected Bob's name to be in the dictionary. When I looked up a friend, Bob Beauchamp was definitely my true friend. He was also very true friend to Leslie and I'm sure he and Leslie are grinning ear to ear at each other. Every morning I would look forward to my cup of coffee and a conversation with Bob every time I would jump online. I don't care if it was 430 5 o'clock carpet conversations would begin and we would go back and forth, back and forth with her messages was always checking on me to see if I needed anything checking on Leslie's three children to see if they needed anything, how they were doing and he would tell me stories about his grandchildren and how much he dearly loved all of you.

I will miss my conversations with my friend and as I said to me Bob, I'm the friend word comes up a lot here my definition. My definition of Bob is. He was my cheerleader. He was my supporter. He was my guidance counselor. He was my confident he was so caring, respectful, he and I were prayer warriors together. He was a great listener. He was in encourager and I can go on and on.

Heaven is truly gained a great new friend I will miss my friend dearly, but I will live my life to make sure that I see that my friend again.

Doug stole my line.

I'm sorry but I pictured when when Bob gets up into heaven and Jesus just comes to him and says, well done, my faithful servant and by the adjuster is really the business by office.

He was all her friends think you Susan for those beautiful words.

Bob is not a sophisticated or pretentious man and the simplicity of his life and character. I think were a beautiful complement to the simplicity of the gospel. The gospel in its essence is all who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. As we were hanging out with him in the hospital rooms to a few days ago telling us some of his favorite hymns were the ones that he mentioned was him that I think encapsulates the simplicity of the gospel simply says trust and obey. There's no other way to be happy in Jesus, to trust and obey will conclude this wonderful service today by singing that great him would you stand with me as we say if you're able to stand all all and on and saw all the laws and on the way and on and on all laws and laws rule in all on all all all the laws Lord in prayer as we conclude our service. Father your good you are sovereign you are a just God and you were gentle with your children. We throw ourselves upon you, your grace word tells us that grace is sufficient for we have heard and seen testimony even today, your grace is indeed sufficient for the Beauchamp's as they go through this time of grief and sorrow.

Lord, we thank you that we don't sorrow us as those who are hopeless because because of Christ and the difference that he's made the difference he made in Bob's life. The difference that Christ is made in so many people, people's lives here today or Jesus, you are our hope.

You are our confidence. You are the sustaining power as we come face-to-face with the brevity of life with death itself.

Thank you that we can say oh death where is your sting because you conquered death is conquered of the world, our own flesh and the devil, and we now can come boldly into the throne room of our God, our Creator because we have a high priest.

We have one who represents us.

We have one who is our peace before you are God.

What I pray that you would sustain this family. I give them the comfort they need to give them the strength the stamina they need Holy Spirit walk alongside them and hold them up lift their faces they might look to you and find help in their time of need. Thank you for Bob's life. Thank you for your salvation of him. Thank you for the testimony that he is Lord joining that great multitude of witnesses bearing witness to the fact that Jesus Christ is Savior. He is Lord of all, we give you praise and thanks for the life of this man, the St. in the name of Jesus I pray all moon moon moon