What Are Your Final Words?

         We live in a world of negativity. This is especially true when you watch the evening news as our congress spends more time yelling at each other than they do trying to correct the problems of the country. At least, that's what I hear on our media system in which I put less trust as the days go by. Almost all reports have tried to include one great story at the end to leave a good taste in your mouth. Since I am getting up in years, I sometimes think that my next message will be my last message so on what should I speak? Should I speak against the rising crime rate or the abortion issue or inhuman activities going on around the world or theological differences? If I had one more message to preach it would probably be on the following verse of Scripture. John 3:7 says, “ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.”

        The message would undoubtedly include John 3:16 and probably the whole discourse with Nicodemus. It was amazing to watch a recent documentary on the life of Dr. Billy Graham. His message always had the words, “God loves you” somewhere in the text. It was always a positive message. Now don't get me wrong. The message needs to include the reason we are in this predicament which has always been due to the sin that has permeated our culture and not only ours, but that of the rest of the world. Repentance is necessary and the results of sin need to be expressed and in that message, we have hope because of the finished work of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross at Calvary. Christ provided the propitiation, or the satisfaction for the payment for our sins according to First John 2:2. The preaching of the gospel message, which to me is defined in First Corinthians 15:1-4 and tells of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, is that which gives us hope and not to us only but to all the people of the world. There are those that would spend long hours of preaching against the problems of the world instead of giving the positive message of salvation and the simple act of believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. I got involved in preaching at a retirement community just a couple of months ago. When I thought about what to preach, the answer fell on the Gospel of John, as even from the beginning of the book, the message is about the Son of God, Who is the Lamb that was there to take away the sin of the world. Now, that's a positive message to me. I don't want to spend my last days debating over Calvin or Arminius, or creation verses evolution or even pre trib or post trib. I don't want to spend time debating over where Cain got his wife or how Elijah went up into heaven. I don't want to spend time discussing UFO's in the Bible or debates over the KJV verses any other translation. The time is short and the message of salvation is far more important to get out. Dr. Graham was right. God loves you and has a plan for your life. The Philippian jailer asked the most important question of all, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul gave him the answer, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ...” So, if you had one more message to speak, what would you say? Praise God today for His plan for our lives and especially the way to heaven and to spend eternity with Him.