This afternoon we have come together in this to celebrate, honor, and give thanks to God Almighty for the life of John David “Big Dog” Hall. David grew up learning the values of family and hard work, and he brought those values to his marriage with Kay. During their 29 years of marriage, the seeds of those values were tested and proven to be viable as David worked hard, laughed often and loved mightily. He often rose early, hit the road and hauled a load just to turn around and come back to his family road. Just last week he rushed home with flowers and gift in hand for his granddaughter’s dance recital. His vocation would morph from truck driver to building and supervising the building of cell phone towers. He worked hard from the time he was 18 years old. He enjoyed his work and those with whom he worked.
I visited David and Kay’s home a few times, but he wasn’t always there; in a year as his pastor, I saw him mostly on Sundays. Though he never said much, his smile, handshake, or hug spoke volumes. On most of the Sundays this year he was on the road going somewhere for work or trying to get back home to his family. It was easy to guess whether he would be at church by watching his Facebook posts and seeing from which state he was posting. I have learned a lot, though, the last few days by sitting around watching, listening, and visiting with his friends and family.
I was thinking about a conversation Richard Estes and David had one day at Richard’s store. I don’t know what the conversation was about, but sitting there on a stool David told Richard, “I know I don’t do everything like I need to, but I try to live my life right. Me and Jesus? We got things all worked out.” And you know, I think he and Jesus did have it worked out. David might not have been someone who went around quoting the Bible, but his life shouted God’s message. I don’t know who originally said it, but there is a saying: The best sermon I ever heard was the one I saw.
Today, let’s look through Scripture at the sermon David lived out for each one of us:
• In 1 Peter 4:10 we are told, “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
David was a giver. He was a giver of himself. Many of you are here today because David gave of himself to you. In many ways, for a moment in time, he made you feel as if you were all that ever mattered. I have heard over and over that David would do anything for anyone who needed it. Kay said there were times that she would think he was mowing their yard and find out that he had taken the mower to someone else’s house and mowed their yard instead. They might have needed it more or couldn’t get out and do it themselves. Yes, David was a giver. He gave to his wife, children and grandchildren, his extended family, church, co-workers, and community.
• Genesis 2:18 was tailor-made for David and Kay. Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him."
David and Kay found each other and were married 29 years ago. I know the two of you loved doing things together through all these years. You probably helped him coach some of those baseball teams, and I heard something about you coaching a world series softball championship team? I can only imagine how proud he was for you. God made you for each other. Your likes were similar, and your children were the same ages, so they could truly be raised as brothers and sister.
I also understand that he liked to relieve you of some of the cooking duties even though you might have to pick up after him. I was asking about the photo of him grilling and was told that he really did like to grill hamburgers. The problem was that the burgers were usually not quite done in the middle and might have tasted a bit like charcoal lighter. Y’all probably had a lot of fun cooking out.
What is really sweet is seeing all the restaurants the two of you went to together. He always checked in at the restaurant as having dinner with his love. Did he ever find a restaurant he didn’t like?
As a father, David lived out these verses from Proverbs and 1 Timothy.
• Proverbs 22:6 New Living Translation (NLT)6 Direct your children onto the right path, and when they are older, they will not leave it.
You all saw those wonderful pictures of David and the children—all four of his now adult children and his grands. He loved his four children, and he was equally devoted to his precious grandchildren. David was always doing something with his family—from being up under cars and working on them to spending many summer vacations in Hot Springs trying to figure out how the chickens could always win at tic tac toe.
David and Kay brought their children to church. Brandi was overheard telling someone that she remembers running all over this church as a child. Yes, they brought their children, and when the grands are with them they bring them along, too. I’ve been blessed to get to teach them during Young Disciples’ Moments. Let’s just say they know where the suckers are.
I saw pictures of Papaw David in the pool with many of you. He might not have had that pool if it weren’t for all of you. He really liked splashing and floating in that pool with you, and I heard something about a new club house that the girls are claiming? He loved teaching you all to hunt and fish. Mr. Richard says that you all have been trying to catch all the fish out of their pond.
There will be times when you will miss your Papaw David. When you do, I want you to think of something funny that he would say or do with you, and then laugh as hard as you would if he were laughing with you.
• 1 Timothy 5:8 New Living Translation (NLT)8 But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.
David loved his extended family. Not all fathers-in-law are as close to their sons-in-law as David and Mr. Hinds. Now, granted, I’m not so close that I know that much about their relationship, but I saw the concern David had when Mr. Clarence was so ill last summer, and I saw the grief Mr. Clarence has for his loss last night.
I’ve also seen the grief on the faces and in the eyes of the rest of you, his extended family. He cared for you and you for him or your hearts would not be so heavy today.
David set a faith example for his children by being active in his church.
• John 4:23 New Living Translation (NLT) 23 But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.
The Father found David, and David answered the call to worship in spirit and truth. On October 10, 1994, David professed his faith and joined Bradley United Methodist Church. He has been a member here almost half his life.
As a member of the church, he took seriously his vow to support the church with his prayers, presence, gifts, service and witness. He cared for his brothers and sisters, living out this next Scripture:
• Acts 20:28 New Living Translation (NLT) 28 “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood[a]—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.
David believed in taking care of God’s flock, and he served as a church trustee. Sometimes the yard David disappeared to mowed was this one, or he was putting in a hanging ceiling in the hall, repairing paneling, or replacing hot water heaters. David loved his church family, and he helped them any way that he could. He helped them to be good stewards.
David was dedicated to his chosen profession. Though his resume might sound as if he had a lot of different jobs, what I heard was this his jobs kind of morphed into whatever was needed at the time. This fact shows his dedication and speaks to…
• Colossians 3:23-24 New Living Translation (NLT) 23 Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. 24 Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.
David was never afraid of hard work. He began driving a truck at the age of 18. Along the way he learned practically all there is to know about cell phone towers and has had a very important role in most of the United States being colored orange on cell phone coverage maps.
There was a gentleman here last night who was talking about David’s being his boss. The man worked for him for 10 years, from the time he was 13. That was quite a while back, yet the man still thought enough of David to come last night. He said that David expected you to work, but that he was fair and a good man to work for.
David was working in Austin Tuesday when his heart gave out. Since he couldn’t be at home with his family it was comforting to know that he was with his employer, Todd Bachert, who was able to get emergency help. David was with people that he considered family and who thought very highly of him. Not all of us can say that about co-workers or employers.
Yes, David and Jesus had it all worked out, and it manifested itself in his deeds. A true faith will lead to working for Christ…
• James 2:14-17 New International Version (NIV) 14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.
Deeds? David had deeds—too many deeds to even try to name. We have already talked about his family, church, and career; we would be remiss if we failed to mention some of his service to this community. David loved Bradley, Arkansas, and the people here—all 563 of them and then some. He coached little league teams. He played on a co-ed softball team and was forced to bat lefthanded because he hit so hard.
David served as a member of the Bradley Fire Department. One member of that organization told me that he always felt a little more confident when David was able to answer the call because he had good problem- solving abilities and always made good decisions in those high stress situations.
There were times that he opened their home and let children who needed a place to live stay with them. He didn’t hold a deaf ear to a child with needs. He loved them like his own and helped give them a hand up until they could take over for themselves.
Even in death he had it planned to give of himself. By being an organ donor, other people will now be able to see, walk, hear, and even continue to live. Burn victims will be able to heal more quickly.
Today we came together to celebrate the life of John David Hall. It is wonderful to know that we do not have to say goodbye to him. David will live on in our hearts and minds. His memory will remain to give us strength for the future.
We are convinced and assured that he lives on in the presence of his Lord and Savior. That is enough to get us through the days until we, too, accept Jesus as our savior and are reunited with our Lord in our heavenly home.
Let us pray: Thank you, Lord, for your servant David. We pray that you have received him home and have welcomed him back into your forever kingdom. Keep us grateful for his life. May the sermon his life preached remind us to follow in his steps. Comfort us in our grief. Surround us in our loneliness. Visit us in our confusion. Keep us safe in our sorrow, and always help us trust our Lord Jesus. It is in his precious name we pray, amen.
