Sermon: What will be “your” famous last words?
The Last Words of David…
2Sa 23:1 And these are the last words of David, the saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:
2Sa 23:2 The Spirit of Jehovah has spoken by me, and His Word is on my tongue.
2Sa 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me: One ruling over man righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
2Sa 23:4 is as the light of the morning, as the sun shines; a morning without clouds; through shining after rain the tender grass sprouts from the earth.
2Sa 23:5 For is not my house so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and sure; for all my salvation, and all my desire, …will He not make it grow?
The last works of David…
1Ch 18:14 And David reigned over all Israel, and he executed judgment and justice among all his people.
My sermon text reveals the last printed words of David, King of Israel. Last words will many times reveal the passion or the purpose of a person’s life.
Do you remember Jesus’ last words on the cross just before he died? “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” “IT IS FINISHED”
What was finished? ---His Mission. …and what was Jesus’ mission?
The Father had sent Him on a mission to die for sin; He had completed that mission and is now returning to the One who sent Him. When a believer dies, their mission is finished and they then return to the One who sent them.
Eccl. 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.
The Apostle Paul’s last words are found in 2 Timothy 4 as he speaks to Timothy…
2Ti 4:2 preach the Word, be urgent in season, out of season, convict, warn, encourage with all long-suffering and teaching.
2Ti 4:3 For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own lusts, they will heap up to themselves teachers tickling the ear;
2Ti 4:4 and they will turn away the ear from the truth and will be turned aside to myths.
2Ti 4:5 But you -be clear-minded in all, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fully carry out your ministry.
2Ti 4:6 For I am already being poured out, and the time of my release is here.
2Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith.
Those famous last words by Paul are beautiful last words, don’t you think?
I read somewhere that the most important marking on a gravestone is the Dash between the Dates. Because that is the time you live your life between your birth and your death.
Paul’s last words were words of encouragement to young Timothy, a protégé who will carry on the gospel after Paul has died.
I attended the funeral of Fred Hamman a few months ago. At the funeral several people read letters that were found in Fred’s chested drawers, that he had written to God. They started out…Dear Jesus, and they ended, Love Fred. They talked about the weather and what was going on with his treatments. They were just random thoughts that Fred felt like sharing with his Lord. They were so sweet and so sincere, and so beautiful. They were poetic in nature but sincere and intimate. I’ll never forget that. To me, those were Fred’s last words.
The last words of King David were not on his death bed either, but were the last recorded poetic psalms of David. David went on living for awhile as explained in Chapter 24 of 2Samuel. Those words are of David in deep distress and in desperate need of repentance.
Do you believe in “deathbed” repentance? Many Christians don’t. I was speaking about someone that repented a few months before he was taken by cancer. A person said to me, “well, if he is in heaven, he’s the janitor!” I said what’s wrong with being the janitor in heaven - if hell is the other choice? Amen?
I truly believe that if God didn’t forgive at the last minute, the section with the thief on the cross would not be in the Bible, where Jesus promises the thief that, “Today, you will be with me in Paradise.” I knew some people that waited until the end, and I believe that the angels sang glorious songs when they accepted Christ before they died. I have also read about others that have said things like – “Don’t you dare, pray for me!” …and that, my friends, is very sad.
I have a book in my bookcase at home titled “Famous Last Words of Saints and Sinners.” Why do you think people are interested in people’s Last Words?
Well, it’s perfectly clear, when reading Paul’s last words that he had no regrets whatsoever about his choice to follow Jesus Christ. Can people tell that you’re a Christian by the way you talk?
Odds are that yours or my last words will not become part of sacred scripture or historic literature but, they can leave a legacy to others who know you, testifying to your faith in God, and being an encouragement to others.
So, was David a good king? David was a good King, but David was also a violent man. He killed and had others killed. Do you know any violent people? He was an adulterer. Do you know any adulterers? We’ve read about his victories and his defeats; about his joys and his sorrows. And not only David’s, but his children’s lives, as well. Have you ever watched a kid act out and say…Who in the world is that kid’s parents? I have… I remember my Pappy Drake saying one time, “If their parents are too stupid to correct their own kids, give em’ to me for a minute, I’ll set em’ straight!!” (lol)
David was a shepherd, a warrior, a romantic, a musician, a poet, and a prophet. But do you know what stands out to us, (most people) about David more than anything else?
It is because we can see something about ourselves in him. David was a man of many great qualities and a man of many, many flaws. David encourages us and he disappoints us. Just like we do, to each other.
I like to think I have some good qualities as a person, as a son, as a husband, as a dad, and as a worker at my job, as a Deacon in my church, as a Sunday school teacher, and even as a Lay Speaker.
But, I can also disappoint; because I’m flawed. I don’t want to, but I do. Paul said once that he “would like to know why he did what he didn’t want to do, and he didn’t do what he wanted to do.” I think there is some of that in all of us, because we’re flawed.
But, through it all, David was a man after God’s own heart. Through it all, David was God’s anointed.
2Sa 22:1 And David spoke to Jehovah the words of this song in the day Jehovah delivered him out of the hand of all his enemies, and out of the hand of Saul.
2Sa 22:2 And he said: Jehovah is my rock and my fortress, and my Deliverer.
2Sa 22:3 My God is my rock; I shall take refuge in Him; my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge! My Savior, You shall save me from violence.
2Sa 22:4 I call on Jehovah, the One to be praised; and I shall be saved from my enemies.
David was a “Called Man.” Friends, listen to me this morning…Christians are Called Men; every male and female that gives their life to Jesus Christ, is then called to ministry for life. God sees that the second (someone) gives their life to Christ, He opens up that imaginary drawer and grabs that file with (someone’s) name on it and says, “let me see what (someone) will be doing from this point forward to further the gospel of my Son!”
BUT, for some, although they are called, they don’t always listen. But, for those who do listen to the call, God will bless you and increase your Joy.
Another thing, although we are called, are we guaranteed success? No, we are not. One of David’s greatest goals in life was to build God a temple? It never happened.
The important thing is to answer the call and to hear God’s voice …for you.
David slayed giants, that’s for sure; listen to what Samuel had to say about David… “these are the last words of David, the son of Jesse, and the sayings of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of songs in Israel:
Last words are also known to speak Truth about the person: for instance, let’s compare two other people’s famous last words:
Joan of Arc – “Hold the cross up high so I can see it through the flames.”
P.T. Barnum – “How much money were the gate receipts?”
Which of these two would you choose for your gravestone?
Sadly, too many Christians today are living by PT Barnum, how much money were the gate receipts and not by Joan of Arc, Hold the cross up high, so I can see it through the flames.
Much of David’s reign as king was a disaster. There was scandal, family crisis, insurrection, civil war, and famine. On the other hand, David’s son, Solomon’s reign seemed perfect. Peace, prosperity, prominence, glory; YET, the Bible has nothing but praise for David’s reign. What was different?
The difference between David and Solomon was found in their relationships with God. David’s passion his entire life was to simply be with God, while Solomon’s was personal improvement. Many preachers preach that Solomon was the smartest man that ever lived; I beg to differ.
David’s relationship with God was the reason why David was Israel’s greatest king, and the most prominent ancestor of Jesus Christ. We all have seen people with much wealth and no relationship to God. We’ve also seen people who live like paupers and live by Faith, not by Sight.
A woman by the name of Hannah Smith wrote a devotional about making waves. She uses Galatians 6:9 as her text: “Let us not grow weary doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.” It goes like this…
Ever heard of Karl Gutzlaff? He was the first Lutheran missionary to China. And he died a very disappointed man at the age of 48. But the ministry he formed later sent out J. Hudson Taylor, who opened the interior of China to the Gospel. And Gutzlaff’s writings touched a British doctor, David Livingstone, who later opened the interior of Africa to the Gospel. Gutzlaff died with a sense of failure, yet his work created a ripple effect resulting in waves of missionary growth on two continents.
Friends, sometimes we need to make some waves if we’re going to create ripple effects that are going to outlive us. Remember this, if you keep splashing around in the work God has given you without losing heart, you will make some waves for His glory, and those ripples will make it all the way to heaven.
In closing---
The New Testament begins with these words:
“The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the son of Abraham.” Who wouldn’t want to be connected to that?
Church – Every person has a purpose for living. The tragedy of all tragedies would be to live and die and never find that purpose; The tragedy of all tragedies would be to live and die and never find the God ordained purpose for serving your generation.
No matter how flawed we are or how many times we fail, it is our relationship with the Creator of the universe and Savior of mankind that will dictate to the world, …your famous last words. Amen.
