Sermon Central
-
Julia Had Been Singing "Softly And Tenderly" By ... PRO
Contributed by Jeeva Sam on Apr 5, 2001 (message contributor)
Julia had been singing "softly and Tenderly" by her father’s bedside. As the last word hummed in her throat, her father reached toward her. "I want that one," he said. His eyes rose to Julia in an urgent glare. "At the funeral?" she asked. He blinked slowly. "I’ll tell Reverend Walton," she said. "You," he whispered. "You."
She thought it was because of the chorus, where Jesus asks the weary sinner to come home. She thought her father was exhausted and wanted it to be over. After all of the pain, and the morphine, and the embarrassment of his own daughter changing his soiled bed sheets, he wanted to slip away softly and tenderly. So she told him she’d sing it.
Then her father had muttered something about Jack, that he’d like to see Jack, and Julia said, "I’ll sing at the service, I can guarantee that, but there’s not a lot I can do about Jack."
In the last few weeks of her father’s life, Julia had been asked again and again to call Jack on the phone. Jack never returned Julia’s message, but an hour after the viewing began, he walked into the funeral parlor, his eyes squinting as if he were entering bright light. His hair was pulled into a tail in the back, his face unshaven. Certainly, he could have worn a proper suit and tie instead of a black tweed jacket over a collarless shirt. The woman he lived with--a nurse he met while he was in some hospital for addictions--was supposedly keeping Jack straight, as he had put it, but evidently not straight enough to dress properly and get a haircut.
Jack sat next to their mother on the sofa and said something to her. She put her hand to his cheek, and he bent over, laying his head on her shoulder. He began to cry and leaned into her. She put her arms around him. He sobbed while their mother held him close. Julia moved toward the sofa, close enough to hear the rapid breathing that shook her brother’s shoulders. "I should have come home," he said between sobs. "I should have come home sooner."
"You’re here now," Anna said. "It’s okay. You’re here now." Julia watched her little brother--a grown man, forty-eight years old--curled on the couch next to their mother, his face in her shoulder. Their mother’s arms were around him, her cheek rested on his bowed head, her fingers stroked his hair.
She could hardly remember the feel of her mother’s arms around her, the caress of her hands, her lips pressed to Julia’s hair. She could not recall the last time her mother had comforted her. In all the weeks Julia had taken care of her parents, there was never as much as a pat or caress from her mother. And she knew--for the rest of her mother’s life, even the rest of her own--she would never be so completely at home as Jack was on that sofa, his head resting in the curve of their mother’s neck, his tears dampening the...
Continue reading this sermon illustration (Free with PRO)Related Sermon Illustrations
-
Ravi Zacharias Tells The Amazing Story Of A ... PRO
Contributed by Rodney Buchanan on Feb 2, 2003
Ravi Zacharias tells the amazing story of a young Christian in Vietnam. He writes, “I was ministering in Vietnam in 1971, and one of my interpreters was Hien Pham, an energetic young Christian. He had worked as a translator with the American forces, and was of immense help both to them and to ...read more
-
John Wesley Provides The Most Convicting Analysis ... PRO
Contributed by Kenneth Squires on Jul 20, 2004
John Wesley provides the most convicting analysis on what it means to be a true servant: “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can.” Rick ...read more
-
The First Day Of School Our Professor Introduced ... PRO
Contributed by Davon Huss on Oct 21, 2004
The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn’t already know. I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a winkled, little old lady beaming up at me with a smile that lit up her entire ...read more
-
Fully Committed PRO
Contributed by J Spurling on Jan 29, 2003
FULLY COMMITTED “This is it guys!” he shouted as the Piper bounced onto the beach. They’re on their way!” Lunch over, the men busied themselves fixing up a miniature “jungle” and model house in the sand, with the intention of demonstrating to the savages how to build an airstrip, should they be ...read more
-
Many Years Ago A Young Midwestern Lawyer ... PRO
Contributed by Scott Chambers on Jan 29, 2003
Many years ago a young Midwestern lawyer suffered from such deep depression that his friends thought it best to keep all knives and razors out of his reach. He questioned his life’s calling and the prudence of even attempting to follow it through. During this time he wrote, "I am now the most ...read more
Related Sermons
-
The Prodigal Son's Brother
Contributed by Sean Harder on Jul 6, 2012
Chapter 15 of Luke is the start of a new discussion as Jesus makes his way into Jerusalem to fulfill his ultimate sacrificial mission. It begins with the Scribes and Pharisees grumbling because Jesus always allowed sinners to listen to him and eat with hi
-
Let The Children Come
Contributed by Stephen Sheane on Aug 10, 2010
Jesus said LET the children come, LEARN from them and LOVE them completely.
-
The Father Heart Of God - The Story Of The Prodigal Son
Contributed by Rev. Matthew Parker on Jun 15, 2014
The story of the Prodigal Son: a Journey into the father-heart of God.
-
Forgive Or Not To Forgive
Contributed by Anthony Zibolski on Feb 28, 2012
Forgiveness is the way the Lord releases us from guilt and sets us free to continue loving God and others.
-
The Journey Back To The Father's House
Contributed by Kevin L. Jones on Oct 4, 2015
Examining the reunion and celebration that will take place when the wayward child returns to the Heavenly Father.
