Last Words from Past Leaders

SERMON OUTLINE

Introduction

What is most important for those being left behind?

Moses

-Deuteronomy is Moses final words to those entering the promised land. 32.46-47

-Love God, obey God’s Law, worship and serve God, keep from the idols and influences of the nations.

Joshua

-In old age after leading them into the promised land.

-Do all that is written in the Law of Moses, do not mix with the nations, love the Lord your God, fear and serve Him.  23.6-8, 11; 24.14

Peter

-Recall, Remember

-Qualities we are to pursue; an eternal perspective

-Grow in the power and knowledge of God, live pure lives, and do not be carried away by the error of the world. 2 Peter 1.3-11; 3.1-3, 11-12, 14, 17-18

John

-Keep yourselves from idols. 1 John 5.20-21

Paul

-Elders pay attention to yourselves and to the flock of God. You are under God’s care and direction from His Word. Acts 20.25, 32

-The world is going away from God but you focus on the Word of God and on my example. Be sober minded and endure suffering and serve God. 2 Timothy 3 and 4.

Conclusion

1) The Word of God: Read it Historically, Doctrinally, Responsibly, Devotionally.

2) Be careful about the world and cares of this world

Seek after God through His Word and through obedience and keep yourself from idols.

SERMON NOTES

Last Words from Past Leaders

I have three regular Sundays left as your Pastor, and one communion Sunday which I am looking forward to spending with you. I have been asking God what I should say in these last four Sundays as your Pastor. I do not know what God has in mind for next week but for this week I was led to examine what leaders said in the past when they knew they were moving on. So this morning I want to consider some of those last words from past leaders and then sum up what was most important to them as they committed those who followed them to the future.

Let’s begin with Moses. The book of Deuteronomy is the last words of Moses to his people before his death. Israel is at the edge of the promised land and Moses knows he will not lead them into the promised land but is going to die. In the book of Deuteronomy Moses first reviews their journey from Mount Sinai, also called Mount Horeb, to the edge of the promised land and Israel’s refusal to enter the promised land because of their fear of the giants in the land. For that rebellion along with all the rebellion they had demonstrated along the way God said they would not possess the land and that everyone under 20 years of age would die in the wilderness. Deuteronomy is Moses’ words to Israel 38 years after this incident and he is speaking to the children of those who died in the wilderness for their rebellion against God. Moses is giving his last words to Israel before he dies because God is not going to allow him into the Promised Land.

Moses commands the people to obey God and God’s Word and to stay away from idols. He reminds them of the rebellion of their fathers and of all that God did for them. Then he tells them how they are to behave before God in the Promised Land and to worship God. Then God asks Moses to appoint Joshua as the new leader to replace him and lead the people into the Promised Land.

Here are the last words of Moses, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess” (32.46-47)

Moses had been a faithful and prayerful leader. All Moses wanted was that Israel would give themselves fully to God in love and obedience to God’s Law, and service and worship so that they might be blessed and bring Glory to God, and to keep themselves from the idols and influences of the nations around them.

Joshua led the people into the Promised Land and divided the land among the tribes. We read in 23.1-2, “A long time afterward, when the Lord had given rest to Israel from all their surrounding enemies, and Joshua was old and well advanced in years, Joshua summoned all Israel, its elders, its heads, its judges and officials, and said to them…”.

First Joshua reviews what God has done. Then Joshua commands them with these last words. “Be very strong to keep and to do all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, turning aside neither to the right hand nor to the left, that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them, but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day. …Be very careful to love the Lord your God. …Now therefore fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness. Put away the gods that your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.” (23.6-8, 11; 24.14)

Joshua’s concern was that Israel would continue to follow God’s Law, love God, serve the Lord, and not be led astray by following the nations around them or their gods.

Now I want to look at three leaders from the NT. First of all Peter. In Peter’s second letter he knows that he will be “putting off my body soon” (1.14). He writes, “I will make every effort so that after my departure you may be able at any time to recall these things (1.15). What things is Peter thinking about? Well Peter tells us, “I intend always to remind you of these qualities, though you know them and are established in the truth that you have”. These qualities are mentioned in chapter 1. [Read 2 Peter 1.3-11]

Then in chapter 3 Peter writes, “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires”. Peter goes on to show how the world has always scoffed against God and God’s people but that one day the Lord will return and set all things right. Peter concludes his letter with these last words, “Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness, waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God… Therefore, beloved, since you are waiting for these, be diligent to be found by him without spot or blemish, and at peace. …You, therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability. But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.”

Peter urges them to grow in the grace and knowledge of God, to live holy and pure lives, and to be very careful that they are not carried away with the errors of the world around them, to the Glory of God. Peter’s one desire is that they will pursue God with passion to the end of their days and to the end of the world in spite of the scoffing and suffering they may have to endure.

Then we have the apostle John. As an old man John wrote a letter to those under his care. In that letter which we call 1 John, John writes about living in love and holiness before God and toward one another. Those who belong to God and Christ are to practice love and righteousness. Here are the last words of John, “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.”

John’s closing words remind us that Jesus is the Son of God and that we belong to God and Jesus Christ. John’s closing command is “Little children keep yourselves from idols” commands us to be careful not to make the things of this world, our own desires, the thoughts of our mind, our money, and our choices into idols. Our devotion to God and Jesus Christ must be exclusive and single. That is John’s desire for us and God’s desire for us as well.

Finally we come to Paul. In Acts 20 Paul is saying his last words to the Ephesian Elders. Paul says in verse 25 that he does not expect them to see his face again. Paul reminds them of his faithful and missional life among them and that he did not take advantage of them. Then Paul warns the Elders to “pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood”. Paul warns them of “fierce wolves that will come among them, not sparing the flock” both from the outside and from within. Then Paul’s last words to them are found in verse 32, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified”.

Paul wants them to focus on the Word of God and on living a holy life before God and to watch for those who will lead them astray.

In the second letter to Timothy we have Paul’s final words in expectation of his death at the hands of Nero in Rome. In chapter 3, Paul warns Timothy of the sin and rebellion that is coming in the last days. Reading 3.1-9 is like reading a description of society today. Then in verses 10 and into chapter 4, Paul encourages Timothy with his last words. “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions, my sufferings… But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed”.

Timothy is to follow the pattern of Paul’s life and to continue in the Word of God. He is to preach the Word and exhort others to follow God and Christ by obeying the Word of God. To Timothy Paul says, “As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry”.

There is a common theme in all of these last words of past leaders. I would summarize the last words of these past leaders to those they were leaving behind under two headings.

1) The importance of the Word of God. God’s leaders emphasized to those they were going to leave behind the importance of knowing God’s Word and obeying it. The Word of God was the standard they were to use to guide them through every life situation. We need to make the Word of God a priority in our life if we expect to stay strong in the Christian life and faithful to God as a local church. Let me suggest four ways that we need to use the Word of God in our life. 1] Historically. It is vital that we read the Bible at least once a year to become familiar with its unfolding story, the names of the people and events, and develop a sense of the flow of God’s history. We need to have the Bible as our favorite book that we read every day. 2] Doctrinally. We also need to study the Bible to learn its basic doctrines. The doctrine of salvation in Christ, justification by faith, the depravity of man, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit, the doctrine of the church, of God, of suffering etc… Doctrine is the foundation upon which a Christian stands firm and strong. When we know the character of God, the truth of God and what God has done in Christ we have a focus for our faith and a solid foundation for victorious Christian living. 3] Responsibly. The Bible has truth that we are to obey. The Bible teaches us about our attitudes, how we are to think and not think, how we are to speak, ethical behavior, good works, what we are to leave behind etc… When we read the Bible we are to respond to what we read in obedience. 4] Devotionally. Reading the Bible should lead us to fall in love with God the Father and Jesus Christ more and more with each passing year. Reading the Bible should cause us to long to be with God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ forever.

So make the Bible your dearest possession for its history, its doctrines, is direction, and how it leads to the love of God.

2) Not only did the last words of these leaders emphasize the importance of the Word of God, they also warned against the dangers of the influences of the fallen world to lead away from God’s ways. Keep yourselves from idols, from false teachers, from the world, from relationships that will lead you astray, from involvements that consume the gifts and resources that should be given to God.

What all of these leaders said to those they were leaving behind was pursue after God and turn away from the world and those influences which will hinder your pursuit of God.

This is the ongoing message the Bible presents to us, “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good… Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. …forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Jesus Christ. …let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Romans 12.9, 1; Philippians 313-14; Hebrews 12.1-2)

Don’t let yourself cool down spiritually my brothers and sisters. Don’t let the world steal from you a deeper relationship with God and fruitful service. Don’t be led astray by false teaching. Seek after God through His Word and through obedience and keep yourself from idols.