Final Thoughts

Introduction

When we come near the end of our life, what will we be thinking about and concerned about? Some of us may have been with or near other people when they were nearing the end. What did we notice they were focused on?

Moses

Deuteronomy 33:29–34:5 KJV 1900

Happy art thou, O Israel: Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord, The shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; And thou shalt tread upon their high places. And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.

Moses’ final recorded speech dealt with the people he was leaving behind and the God who had saved them.

His final gazes were upon the promised land.

Jesus

Before the death of Jesus, we see what He was concerned with.

Matthew 26:36–39 KJV 1900

Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder. And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me. And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

Even on the way to the cross and on the cross Jesus was concerned with the welfare of others.

Luke 23:43 KJV 1900

And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

John 19:26–27 KJV 1900

When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

Before the ascension of Jesus, we see what He was concerned with.

Mark 16:15–18 KJV 1900

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Luke 24:45–51 KJV 1900

Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.

Before ascending Jesus was focused on:

the teaching of others,

the salvation of souls, and

blessing of others.

Paul

2 Timothy 4:6–8 KJV 1900

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

What is Paul looking forward to? The crown of righteousness.

What was Paul talking about right before discussing his own death?

2 Timothy 4:5 KJV 1900

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

Paul was giving instructions to Timothy regarding evangelism and the saving of souls.

What Was Their Focus?

The people they were leaving behind, their welfare, and their continued work for God

Philippians 2:3 KJV 1900

Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

God

The promised land and the reward

2 Timothy 4:8 KJV 1900

Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

What Was Not Their Focus?

How many possessions they owned

The current or future status of their physical home

How much money they currently had

Living a sinful life pursuing earthly pleasures

Conclusion

“Were these the final thoughts of Moses, Jesus, and Paul, because they were looking back and wishing that their lives had been focused on these things?” “Or were these the final thoughts of Moses, Jesus, and Paul, because this is what their lives were about?”

2 Peter 3:10–11 KJV 1900

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,

If you want these to be your final thoughts, will they be your final thoughts because that is what your life was about, or will they be your final thoughts because you wish these were the things your life had been about?