Famous Last Words

Engage

Something

Think long and hard about how you can do your best to get their attention.

Tension

VIDEO: Famous Last Words

You all ever hear someone use the phrase “famous last words”? Typically, that phrase is used to point out something that was just said as being inherintly and patently dumb. And perfectly exemplifying exactly what could go wrong.

VIDEO: Famous Last Words

By the way, hello. My name is Elliot, I’m the Student Minister here at Wildwood Christian Church. I have the distinct honor and privilege of working with an amazing group of students and volunteers here. And in return they put up with me. I’m so happy to be here with you all. I’m downright excited you have joined us here this morning. As I’ve been preparing this sermon, message, lesson, whatever you want to call it, homily (why doesn’t anybody use that word anymore?). Jesus has hit me square in the heart. I am so sure that he’s got something in store for us today, and I couldn’t be happier to share it with you. So, thank you. Thanks for being here. Thanks for spending your Sunday morning with us.

Anyway, this game’s about real last words, from some famous(-ish) people. So, here’s what I want you to do: in your bulletin, down one of the sides, number 1-7. I’m going to prompt you with a famous person, and you’ll have four choices of what their last words were. Choose the one you think is the right phrase, and write down A, B, C, or D, depending on whichever choice you’re making. You guys know how this works, right? I mean, for some of us, remembering all the way back to multiple-choice tests in school is an accomplishment! At the end, we’ll count up who got the most right, and we might have a prize for them.

PLAY GAME: Famous Last Words

Something

Something

ILLUSTRATION: What do I want on my tombstone?

Truth/Application

Tension

Something

What you’re doing here is bringing up some kind of a problem. The tension you create should make people lean in and give them an opportunity to anticipate the tension being resolved.

We carry along the legacy of Jesus, but that’s a difficult thing to live up to.

We hear that God has forgiven us, but we haven’t forgiven ourselves.

Scripture says not to worry about tomorrow, but that’s all we ever do.

Start With The Text Every Time

Last words are fascinating to me because they sum up and put a bow on somebody’s legacy. Like that “dictionary” guy. His last words encapsulate his life’s work and accomplishments.

What do I or others believe that goes against this text?

Inspiration

What do I or others do that goes against this text?

How might some people interpret this text in a way that resolves the tension of application and action?

What problem in life does this text address?

How do people justify that problem in their lives so they don’t have to deal with it?

Expose The Tension

Last words can live on, too. For those who knew the deceased, the final, parting words can inspire and motivate them to carry that legacy into the future. To live out the embodiment of that person who is no longer with us. The last words of Jesus did exactly that.

Acts 1:8 NLT

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

If you boil this down to essentials, Jesus tells his disciples to continue spreading his name and message, to carry his legacy, with them everywhere. You may have heard this kind of thing called spreading the Gospel, witnessing, sharing the good news, evangelizing (how’s that for an old-timey, baggage-laden word?). Whatever you want to call it, it’s this message that Jesus entered, retained divinity, made things right through sacrifice.

Jesus entered, retained divinity, made things right through sacrifice

retained divinity

made things right through sacrifice

It’s more. When you get past checklists, and religion. You quit trying to fix your life on your own. You realize, “I can’t do this, and I can’t pretend anymore.” We receive God’s grace. Jesus forvies us, restores us. Sends us right back into the world, and says go tell that story.

He gives them a strategy, too. Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. Without getting too lost in the geography of the time, this is what that looks like for them: Start at home, and work your way out.

Jesus is saying walk across the street. Walk across the hall at work. Walk across the living room and talk to someone in your family. Tell them the story of hope.

Why? You still have people in your life, on your team, in your class, who need to know about second chances and hope. There is this thing called forgiveness, and life with God. More than anything, they need to know about Jesus. The power of his life, death, resurrection.

Some of us here, in this room, need to know him, too. If you’ve never experienced the grace, hope, second chance, forgiveness, and life with God that Jesus has offered. Then you need to know, he’s calling out for you. He’s pursuing you. He’s chasing you down, ready to lavishly pour out his love and mercy on you. If that’s you today, don’t leave here without talking to someone. Without doing something to take the next step. We’re not asking anybody to be perfect. We all know we can’t do that. All we’re asking, of you, of me, of everyone in here, is just to take the next step. Take one step closer to Jesus today.

This is the story we tell. This is the legacy we carry.

This is the legacy we carry.

If you think about that, if you pause for a minute and let it settle in: we are the representatives, you could say ambassadors, of Jesus Christ on this earth. And, it is our job to faithfully carry the legacy of Jesus into the far corners of our lives and this world.

If you’re not careful, that can feel overwhelming. I mean, to the ends of the earth!?? Everywhere?! That’s a lot of pressure. Plus, if we did the math, there’s no way that you or I could reach everywhere. It’s not that we don’t want to, it’s just a huge task. But thinking like that, I’ve learned in my own life, is a cop-out.

Move them from dissonance to resonance.

Last words sum up a person’s legacy.

Last words sum up a person’s legacy

Preach Better

Last words sum up a person’s legacy

Show your people that the tension they feel can be resolved only in the truth of God’s Word.

Something

The truth is we’re all called to do this. Not individually, but together. As a community. As a group. As the body of Christ. We carry his message with us. We bring hope to the hopeless. Love to the unloved. Peace to the distressed.

Felt Needs

As followers of Jesus, we carry his legacy forward

Action

Why? Because there are people in your life who need to know about second chances. Hope. Forgiveness. They need to know about Jesus.

Last words sum up a person’s legacy

That’s a lot of pressure

Evangelism is hard or awkward

Something

Making disciples is the pastor’s job

We couldn’t accomplish all that by ourselves

TENSION: We want to faithfully carry on the legacy of Jesus; but that is a monumental undertaking.

Jesus’ legacy is in our hands

TRANSITION: We feel the pressure. So did his disciples.

Truth

Context Notes On Crucifixion

Now, what we just read were some of the last recorded words of Jesus. We’re going to look at another one of his last conversations with his followers. I think it might be more famous than what we just read, but I don’t know how you would judge that. But, I do know what we’re about to discuss was critical for his followers to keep with them, as they started to bring his message into the world.

Once you’ve engaged the congregation and presented some kind of tension, you can now go to God’s Word in order to resolve the tension. The next section, Application, should happen naturally as you are teaching, and should come to a point after you teach through Scripture.

GET YOUR BIBLES: Open up to . Brown Bibles have that on page 811

Context Is King

Matthew wrote this book. He was Jewish. He was a follower of Jesus. Tax collector before. Writing this to Jewish readers.

Jesus Dies. He’s brutally beaten, and executed.

Jesus Buried, heavy stone rolled in front.

Tomb Guarded

Resurrection

M&M See Angel

M&M See Jesus

Guards Bribed

Great Commission

Matthew 28:

Matthew 28:16–17 NLT

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted!

Matthew 28:18–20 NLT

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Eleven disciples because Judas hanged himself.

Matthew 28:18–20 LEB

And Jesus approached and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days until the end of the age.”

Matthew

Matthew 28:16–20 NLT

Then the eleven disciples left for Galilee, going to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him—but some of them doubted! Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Jesus Has Authority

Matthew

Jesus had authority before. Now he has ALL

Resurrection proves his authority.

This authority has implications for Jesus’ disciples

Apply

Jesus has the final say for our lives.

TRANSITION: On the basis of that authority, Jesus gives two commands and a promise.

Two Commands

Therefore: What’s it there for?

ILLUSTRATION: In this passage, “Therefore” activates the signal. (Maybe a clip from A League Of Their Own??)

Go

Two ways to read this: A more passive “as you are going” vs. “inherits the imperative force”

Go to all nations, all peoples. Word was used for Gentiles.

Do you think they were feeling the pressure?

Apply

We are all called to go (not just missionaries). Whether you’ve been following Jesus for decades or days

You have “as you go” places

Make Disciples

This is the main verb. This is the imperative.

Do this by: Baptizing; Teaching to observe

ILLUSTRATION: Pandemic game I used to play

They continue Jesus’ ministry (his legacy)

Theaching to observe

Do you think they were feeling the pressure?

Apply

Be a disciple

Make other disciples (not just pastors)

Not just p

A Promise

Ties back to and

First Draft Outline

Always means “all of the days”

What do you think this did for the pressure they were feeling?

Jesus has authority

On the basis of that authority, Jesus gives us two commands and a promis

Two Commands

Not just for his apostles, but all his followers

Go ()

Make Disciples

Baptizing

ILLUSTRATION: Christ in us, us in Christ. Sponge in water

Teaching to Observe

A Promise

I’m with you always...

Important Words

Worship

Doubt

Authority

Go

Disciple

Apply

Point 1

Jesus is with us today

Something

Application

As you walk through the text, application will happen naturally. In addition, though, this section is where you can introduce your big idea/bottom line/sticky statement/tweetable statement.

Jesus said this —> This is what it means —> This is what it means for you.

Jesus is our authority, and he has given us the same two commands: go, make disciples.

He’s also given us the same promise: He is with us always!

When we have something this good, we can’t not share it. When we’ve been changed, we can’t keep it inside (Jeremiah —> Fire)

Jeremiah 20:9 NLT

But if I say I’ll never mention the Lord or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It’s like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!

When we have something this good, we can’t not share it.

He’s also given us the same promise: He is with us always!

We don’t have to do this alone. By ourselves.

Bottom Line: When we ask God to reveal who he wants us to influence, we can expect him to do it!

But Why!?

We carry his legacy into the world, and he’s helping us all along the way

Inspiration

This is the time where you can ask great questions. Could be called “reflection.”

Answer the Why!!

Bottom Line: Something

We carry his legacy into the world, and he’s helping us all along the way.

There’s a lost, dying, suffering world out there. We hold and carry the greatest hope humanity’s ever had.

If you would do this (application: ask God to reveal…), imagine what your life could look like (inspiration: something)

Where do you undermine Jesus’ authority?

Where do you need to go? Where do you already go?

Where do you need to go? Where do you already go?

Are you a disciple?

Are you choosing to live with Jesus?

Where do you undermine Jesus’ authority?

If we miss this, what have we accomplished? But, if we get it right, what are the possibilities?

If

Action

Think through what you want them to do in light of your message and spell it out plainly to them.

Some of us need to become disciples.

Some of us need to make disciples.

Some of us need to open our mouths like Paul.

It starts with prayer:

Ephesians 6:19–20 NLT

And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.

God, I invite you to: Open my eyes to lost people