Last Sermons

I must confess: what follows does not heed the given instructions. It is supposed to be different from the hundreds I’ve delivered in the past but Lutheran pastors are taught to preach every sermon as if it is his last. Perhaps the question should be, “what sermon would you preach if it is the last one the reader will hear?” Now we’re talking about serious stuff, your death. What will happen to your soul when you die? As a Christian you answer it will go to heaven. Why? You answer, “because I am saved.” Why do you need to be saved?

So many pastors talk about being saved but rarely explain why you need to be saved. Every sermon should tell you clearly that you are a sinner, a wicked being marked for eternal damnation, yet you seldom hear this critical proclamation.

This omission is incomprehensible. It is like having a disease and the physician avoiding all talk about that disease and its lethality. This kind of omission is more harmful in theology than in medicine. You are being saved through faith alone and understanding is part of faith. Therefore, being fully convinced that you are a sinner is absolutely crucial to being saved. But repeatedly hearing about sinfulness and eternal damnation that results from sin are so offensive that most preachers rarely mention it. Most sadly, because you don’t hear why you need to be saved, you end up not hearing the full Gospel and risk straying from saving faith.

Sin is the disease and forgiveness is the cure. Forgiveness results from what Christ endured on Good Friday: His suffering, bleeding and dying for mankind. Salvation flows from forgiveness. And He suffered this purely out of love for you.

Christ’s resurrection does not save. His resurrection was absolutely necessary because, by raising Christ back to life, God the Father declared that the Son’s sacrifice satisfied mankind’s sin debt. The Bible repeatedly demonstrates the crucifixion’s importance over the resurrection. The limited space here does not allow for more than one example. (Contact me for more references.) In 1 Corinthians 1:23 and 2:2, St. Paul wrote that he preached Christ crucified and not knowing anything among them except Christ crucified. He omitted any mention of the resurrection. Most certainly Paul believed in and preached Christ’s resurrection, but because the forgiveness of our sins results from crucifixion, he omitted resurrection here.

The soul-saving Gospel is that we are all sinners who need to be saved from the wickedness resulting from what we are and do. Since it is impossible for us to save ourselves, Jesus Christ, God the Son, died for us and purchased our forgiveness through His sacrifice. But this gift can be received only by faith. What is faith? It is more than believing. The part that most forget is trust or reliance. “Saving faith” means placing your whole reliance upon Christ’s bleeding death, and upon absolutely nothing else.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you.

If this were the last sermon that I would ever preach I would preach on the subject, “God’s last invitation.” My text would be Revelation 22:13-21; the last passage in the Bible that contains God’s last invitation to humanity to come to Christ that they might be forgiven of their sin and saved by the Grace of God.

I think it is appropriate that the book (Revelation) which has as its theme, “the Second Coming of Christ,” ends with a final invitation to come to Christ in light of that glorious reality. As the Revelation of God closes we see that the Bible has come full circle. It opened in Genesis 3:15 with a promise of Christ’s First Coming. It closes in Revelation 22 with a promise of His Second Coming. Three times in this text Jesus says, “Behold, I come quickly.” Jesus Christ has been shouting for thousands of years that He is coming and the tragic thing is that so many people are not listening! In my last sermon I would feel compelled to warn and encourage people to listen to that shout.

Today people treat His Second Coming like many did the announcement of His First Coming. Many forgot the promise, others scoffed at the promise, others were unconcerned and laughed at the promise – but come He did. I encourage you not to allow the sad scenario that accompanied Christ’s First Coming to be played out in your life. Why is it so important to respond to this last invitation now?

We live in the space of time. Within the parameters of time are days. The Second Coming of Christ will replace time with eternity. On that day there will be no more days, they will be replaced with eternity. When the Bible speaks of salvation it speaks in reference to days, “Behold, now is the accepted time, today is the day of salvation.”

When days slip into eternity no other invitation will be extended. Praise God the invitation still stands today. Have you taken advantage of it? This text gives us some incentives to respond to this invitation.

I. The Person of Christ – vs. 13 & 16
The One who has been given “a name which is above every name” invites us to come to Him. The One who is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and ending of all things invites us to come to Him. There aren’t multiple Alphas and Omega’s; there is one. His name is Jesus and we are invited to come to Him and know Him.

II. The Participants in Heaven – vs. 14-15
We are invited to come to the One who will take us to the place where Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and every other saved person will dwell with God for eternity.

III. The Perfection of Scripture – vs. 18-19
God’s perfect Word, the Bible, tells us that we must respond to this invitation and come to Christ as our Savior if we want to go to heaven when we die. When this perfect Word says, “You must be born again,” you must. When the Bible says there is a wonderful place called heaven, we can count on it, it is a fact.

Here is the Good News. The text says “Whosoever will let him come.” That’s you, that’s me, that’s anyone! Accept His invitation today; you will live not to regret it.

The most important message in the Bible is the story of God’s love for humanity. Jesus was the picture of that love as He gave His sinless life to pay the penalty for our sins and purchase for us a place in heaven. However, this is not a new concept for those reading a publication called the Cross Reference or for most of Bay County for that matter. Do not misunderstand; Bay County is a mission field. But I believe that there is a huge population of professing Christians in Bay County, some who attend Christian churches and many who do not. Thus, if this were the last sermon I was to ever preach, it would be a heart to heart talk with fellow believers from John 13:34-35. Jesus said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

There are really only two categories of people in Bay County. There are those that are professed disciples of Jesus Christ, and those that are not. Now let us assume that you are a disciple (remember you are reading the Cross Reference). In the verses above Jesus said that the world will know you are my disciples “if you love one another.” 

Surely you have heard the story of the Good Samaritan where Jesus taught His disciples how to love their neighbors. Jesus’ definition of neighbor included all people everywhere. But in John 13:34-35 Jesus says this is a “new command.” This command is for disciples to love other disciples as Jesus loved them. These were teachable moments between Jesus and His disciples, and He knew that His disciples, like disciples today, were prone to endless conflict about selfish matters with each other.

So what does this command mean then to you and me? It means that Christians (aka disciples of Jesus) are to love each other unconditionally. Perhaps a change in perspective would help. In reality the mandate of every Christian is to make disciples. And the call of every church is to make disciples. So as a believer your mission is the same as every disciple. The mission of your church is the same as every church. All who are under the banner of Jesus Christ alone for salvation, by grace, and through faith in Him are on the same team. Each person and church should be seeking to share the Good News with those who have not yet professed faith in Christ. When we do not love each other, it is a huge obstacle between the message of Jesus Christ and the many that do not profess faith in Christ. In addition many of those that do profess Christ but are not active in a local church will tell you it is because of some conflict with a Christian or a particular church.

Jesus’ message is simple, but difficult to live out. Some disciples are harder to love than others. Some disciples do not play well with others. Some disciples are strange. We all are some days. Jesus’ words are clear, undeniable, and without caveat. Disciples are to love each other. Our goal is worthy, our message is true, and our mission is one. So to Jesus’ disciples in Bay County, LOVE ONE ANOTHER!

If I were the devil, I’d do everything in my power to prevent people from simply reading the Bible. In so doing, I’d rob them of vital, faith-building knowledge – knowledge of how God does things, and why. If I couldn’t get them to outright worship me instead of God, I’d at least distract them from God’s truth, questioning His wisdom, intentions, and character – if I were the devil. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” (Hosea 4:6 NASB)
One story I’d hide is that of Joseph in Genesis. When he’s 17, his own brothers sell him as a slave. He becomes the perfect slave, and is promoted to “Head Slave!” Then, he’s framed and jailed for something he didn’t do. He becomes the model prisoner, and is soon promoted to “Head Inmate!” His personal relationship with God keeps him adapting to every situation without becoming depressed or bitter. 

With a God-given ability to interpret dreams, and a series of God-ordered events, Joseph is elevated to Prime Minister of Egypt – second only to the King!

Many years later, during a famine, Joseph’s brothers come to Egypt to buy the only grain available. They’re unaware that the man in charge of grain is Joseph. They don’t recognize him, but he does them, and reveals himself in a very emotional moment. Later, he moves his father, his brothers, and all their families to Egypt to live with him.

When his father dies, his brothers fear he’ll repay them for all the wrong they did to him. They beg his forgiveness, but he says, “ ‘As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for goodin order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.  So, therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.’” (Genesis 50:20-21 NASB)

God MEANT it, so Joseph would learn to lead, and to withstand the temptations that come with power and privilege. God MEANT it so Joseph would keep “…many people alive.”

When you’re on your own “Joseph journey,” and wondering why, consider these promises:

“Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3 NASB)

“For he has not despised…the afflicted; …but when he cried to Him for help, He heard.” (Psalm 22:24 NASB)

Your journey is meant to take you to Jesus: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28 NASB)

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes (cuts) it so that it may bear more fruit.” (John 15:1-2 NASB)

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 NASB)

They say he was bald, so that’s how I picture him in my mind. A short, bald and intense man is who the Apostle Paul is in my imagination. He was a man who was passionate about his mission. He was consumed with the mission of reconciling a broken humanity with their Creator.

He lived under the constant threat of punishment or death because of his faith. For him, each time he preached was potentially his last sermon. While in the city of Ancient Corinth, Paul was faced with the daunting challenge of competing with a philosophical culture that prized deep and original ideas presented with great oration. Yet when he came to town, Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 “… I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”

I’ve always been struck by that. He knew nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified. That doesn’t mean that if someone asked him what the weather was going to be that day that he’d mumble stupidly “Jesus Christ and him crucified.” I’m sure Paul talked about the weather or what was on sale at the market or any number of things.

It’s just that, when it came to what it was he was sure of and what was shaping his life it was this simple (yet profound) idea that Jesus is the messiah and the messiah died in our place.

I really like that. I like that a LOT. There are a multitude of issues and doctrines that are presented to us as being so important that the very future of the church is dependent on where we stand concerning them. Yet so often these things only serve to divide God’s people further and further from each other, and sometimes further from the center of what is all important.

If this were the last message I could preach, I would say that there are many issues in the world and doctrines in the church about which I have opinions and even convictions concerning. But there is ONE thing I’m solid on where I’m unshakeable in my stand. Jesus is the Christ – he is God incarnate and if we want to know what God is like, really like, we have to look squarely at him.

Looking at him, we can’t help but recall the act for which he is most famous for, his death on a cross. To know what God is like we look at Jesus, and looking at Jesus we see an expression of self-sacrificial love. The teachings, miracles, resurrection, ascension and return are all very important to be sure – they describe life as God intended it and the glorious ending God points us toward. But the cross reveals the character of God like nothing else. Don’t run from religion assuming it is god. Run past religion and into those outstretched arms of grace.

If this were the last thing I could say, I would say boldly: Look to Jesus to know your Creator God. Look to the cross and know that God is not mad at you. He loves you and wants you to live.

Now live, you children of God.

Scripture: Luke 23:44-46 (It’s Friday,)
Mark 16:2-6 (But Sunday Is Coming)

Pastor and sociologist, Dr. Tony Campolo, tells about participating in a worship service that remembered those horrible events that led up to Jesus’ death on Good Friday. The sermon was preached by a wise, elderly African-American pastor. Tony writes: “For an hour and a half he preached one line over and over again…‘It’s Friday, But Sunday’s Coming’!” He started his sermon real softly by saying, “It was Friday; it was Friday and my Jesus was dead on the tree. But that was Friday, and Sunday’s comin’!” He came on louder as he said, “It was Friday and Mary was cryin’ her eyes out. The disciples were runnin’ in every direction, like sheep without a shepherd, but that was Friday, and Sunday’s comin!”

He picked up the volume and shouted, “It was Friday, but they didn’t know that Sunday’s comin’. It was Friday, and on Friday Pilate thought he had washed his hands of a lot of trouble. The Pharisees were struttin’ around, laughin’ and pokin’ each other in the ribs. But they didn’t know it was only Friday! Sunday’s comin’!”

Tony said, “By the time he had come to the end of the message, he had me and everybody else so worked up that when he yelled at the top of his lungs, `It’s Friday!’ all 500 of us in that church yelled back, ‘But Sunday’s Comin’!’”

“It’s Friday, But Sunday Is Coming” is a message of hope. God is a God of reversals.

I. FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE THE HOPE THAT DEATH WILL CONTINUE TO BE REVERSED.
As Christians, when death comes, we have hope of the resurrection! At the grave, “It’s Friday, But Sunday Is Coming!”

II. ALSO, WE HAVE THE HOPE THAT LIVES AND ATTITUDES WILL CONTINUE TO BE REVERSED.
Repentance means to change, to “reverse direction.” It means a spiritual “U-TURN” in life. Through Jesus, we have the hope that, because of grace, an unsaved person’s future can be reversed to salvation; that bad habits can be reversed to good habits; that defeats and failures can be reversed to victories; that a negative attitude can be reversed to a positive attitude; that anger, hostility, hatred and resentment can be reversed to forgiveness and love; that pride and arrogance can be reversed to humility. “It’s Friday, But Sunday Is Coming!”

III. AND THEN, WE HAVE THE HOPE THAT GOD WILL BE WITH US WHEN “SITUATIONS” IN OUR LIFE ARE REVERSED.
Life is good, then suddenly, life breaks open at the seams and everything changes. When the love we have counted on is gone; when someone crucifies our hopes and dreams; when our heart aches, and we do not understand life, we need to remember, “It’s Friday, But Sunday Is Coming!”

In life, we know that from time to time there will be a mournful Monday, a terrible Tuesday, a washed-out Wednesday, a trying Thursday, a fearful Friday, and a sad Saturday. But, on that awful day, whichever day it is, we need to think about the worst day of Jesus’ life, and then with heart and soul and every fiber of our being shout, “It’s Friday, But Sunday Is Coming!”

Several years ago, the Lord began to speak to my heart concerning Grace and the Ten Commandments. I must admit regrettably that I had never focused much attention on these commandments. To be transparent with you, they just seemed a little boring and non-exciting. After all, who wants to spend their time ministering a message of “don’t do this” and “don’t do that?”

Think about this: God could have commanded His people anything that He so desired. However, there were only ten specific directives that God gave to His people on the tablets of stone that He originally transcribed. It seems to me that if God would take time to engrave these edicts on tablets of stone, then we should place great importance upon them. If these were the ten most important things that God wanted His people to understand, then we certainly should hold them in high esteem.

I believe that in every one of these important commands we can see the heart of the Father God. Every one of them is an expression of His heart and love for us. None of them are meant to make our lives difficult. They are there to keep us from difficulty. For instance; remaining faithful to your spouse does not make your life difficult, it keeps you from difficulty and disaster.

Unfortunately, there are some people who have used the word “grace” to disavow the Ten Commandments. Some have said that these ten directives from the Lord are no longer relevant for those who are in the New Covenant. Some have gone so far as to say that the preaching and teaching of the Ten Commandments is bondage.

The reality is that Grace and the Ten Commandments are not antagonistic or at odds with each other. They are actually in perfect agreement. Jesus taught the Ten Commandments. Paul rearticulated the Ten Commandments. Jesus told the rich young ruler that these commandments needed to be obeyed in order to experience the life of God. Jesus went on to raise the standard for every commandment. So, Grace does not nullify the commandments, it takes them to the next level!

Grace is probably one of the most misunderstood and misused words in the church today. Some believers have used the word “grace” to excuse all types of sinful behavior. This is not the proper understanding or application of the word “grace.” Grace does not mean it is ok to practice a lifestyle of sin.

Grace defined means the divine influence upon the heart that is reflected in the life. It is the grace of God that empowers us to live holy lives. Grace enables us to obey. Grace gives us the ability to do what is right when faced with temptation to do wrong. Grace empowers us to keep God’s commandments and see them fulfilled within our lives. I encourage you to obey God’s commandments as you allow His grace to work in your life.

In Deuteronomy 28, God told His people that if they would walk in obedience His blessing would overtake them. Understand that blessing is always on the other side of obedience. God’s desire for you is to experience His abundant life. Obey Him and you will see it happen. Let Him take you to the Next Level!

What an opportunity to share “My Last Sermon” with you at this time! We all know that God works in mysterious ways and sometimes He surprises us by appearing in places we would never expect Him to. Maybe this is one of those times! I know that when I have encountered God whether I was expecting it or not, I have always been the better for the meeting. You see before I even knew much of God, I already knew that He was good. I was just a young child and this kind neighbor lady was just the best next-door neighbor one could have. She could cook, she always had good candy in the candy dish and she was a good nurse to our injury-prone family! Sometimes she would invite some of us kids to church and they just loved us at that place. It made me wonder what was in their candy dishes! I guess it just soaked into my bones when I was young back then, this neighbor had God in her heart although she never really told me, I just knew it. There were many people like this lady at her church and they all had God in common—He had to be good!

Many years later I came across a verse that says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” Jeremiah 29:11. This made me think of my good neighbor some 40 years ago. She planted a seed in my heart and life that continues to grow many years later. I will never even know if she is aware of it. If I could do that for someone, what would I say? What could I share on this page that would make such a lasting difference in a persons’ life? My mind is drawn to the Christmas Story where Joseph, Mary and the Shepherds first heard the good news. The angels said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.” I want you to know the GOOD NEWS! I want you to know that there is a person who loves you unconditionally; there is a person who desires to give you meaning and purpose in life. This person knew you when you were formed in your mothers’ womb and He has plans for your life! He is concerned with your future and can heal your past regrets. He understands brokenness because He has been broken. You can’t earn this priceless gift so He chooses to give it to you at His great expense!

His name is Jesus!