The Bible is full of great preachers.  Noah is described in Scripture as “a preacher of righteousness.”  Moses delivered powerful addresses to Pharaoh and the nation of Israel.  We remember Peter for the challenging, life altering sermon he preached on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  The apostle Paul was a determined and effective preacher of the gospel.  Paul had a great ability to connect to any audience as seen in his sermon on Mars Hill in Acts 17.  Jesus is THE greatest preacher who has ever lived.  It’s significant to note that God had only one begotten Son and He was a preacher. 

 John the Baptizer should also be added to our list.  John had a specific purpose to fulfill for God.  John was sent to prepare the way for Christ.  John accomplished this mission through his life and his preaching.  In John 1:19, John is questioned by the priests and the Levites.  They want to know who he is.  Listen to John’s reply in verse 23.  “I am a voice…”  When John was asked who he was, he did not say, “I’m the son of Zacharias.”  He did not say, “I am the son of Elizabeth.”  John proclaimed, “I am a voice…”  John was a voice for God.  He was a voice for Jesus.  He was a preacher.  An examination of John’s life reveals important qualities of “great preaching.” 

 Would you like to hear John preach?  John was a different cat.  He dressed in strange clothes.  He had a strange diet.  John was eccentric. He would never appear in GQ Magazine.  Remember this about John…he was a great preacher.  Why?  What made John a great preacher? 

 What makes a great preacher?  How would you answer this question?  Many are misguided in how they evaluate preachers and preaching.  Charisma doesn’t make a great preacher. Preachers should be passionate about sharing God’s Word.  Having a charismatic personality doesn’t automatically qualify someone as a “great preacher.” Being a great story teller doesn’t make a great preacher. There are too many preachers sharing their story at the expense of God’s story.  Being a smooth talker doesn’t make a great preacher.  Many have been led away from God by smooth talkers. 

 We should have high expectations for preachers today.  These high expectations should be centered on the message being delivered!  What should we expect from preachers?  We should expect preachers to point us to Jesus.  We should expect preachers to bring much attention to the Son of God.  We should expect preachers to tell us what the Son of God has done for them.  We should expect preachers to elevate the Christ not self. 

 John the Baptizer did all of this.  He testified concerning the Christ.  He was a witness for Jesus.  John was not ashamed to tell people about Jesus!  He continually deflected attention from self while always pointing to Jesus.  Great preaching points us to Jesus.  Get us back to Jesus.  We’re not getting to heaven without Him. 

 “I have an engineering problem.  While for the most part I’m in terrific physical shape, I have ten tumors in my liver and I have only a few months left to live.  I am a father of three young children, and married to woman of my dreams.  While I could easily feel sorry for myself, that wouldn’t do them, or me, any good.  So how to spend my very limited time?  The obvious part is being with, and taking care of, my family.  While I still can, I embrace every moment with them.  The less obvious part is how to teach my children what I would have taught them over the next twenty years.  “All parents want to teach their children right from wrong, what we think is important, and how to deal with the challenges life will bring.  We also want them to know some stories from our own lives.  My desire to do that led me to give a “last lecture” at Carnegie Mellon University.  Under the ruse of giving an academic lecture, I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children.  I lectured about the joy of life, about how much I appreciated life.  I talked about honesty, integrity, gratitude and other things I hold dear.  And I tried very hard not to be boring.”

 What wisdom would you impart to the world if you knew it was your last chance?  What words would you say?  What would you want your children to know?  What would you want to express to your spouse and friends?  What would be most important?

 The Bible is full of “Last Lectures.”  Moses shares his parting words with the nation he loved in Deuteronomy 30:15-20.  Joshua’s final stirring words are recorded in Joshua 24:14-15.  Who can forget the words, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord?”  David leaves a passionate charge with his son Solomon in 1 Kings 2:1-4. Solomon also shared some final words.  After embarking on the quest of all quests to find purpose and meaning in life, Solomon comes to an important conclusion.  Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 shares his important epiphany.  Before Jesus ascends to heaven to be “at the right hand of God” He gives the apostles His parting words recorded by Matthew in Matthew 28:18-20.

 Read each of these “Last Lectures.”  Examine the final words shared by Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon and Jesus.  What does each of these lectures have in common?   An examination of the parting words of each of these individuals reveals what’s most important.  We should make our lives about fearing God and keeping His commandments. 

 What wisdom would you share with your loved ones if you knew it was your last chance?  I hope my words would be similar to the last words of Moses, Joshua, David, Solomon and Jesus.  Keep walking each day with God! 

The author of the following article is unknown, but the message is one that needs to be known.  Reflect on John 19-21 in combination with the following message.

He could hear the crowds screaming, “Crucify, Crucify”…He could hear the hatred in their voices.  These were His chosen people.  He loved them and they were going to crucify Him.  He was beaten, bleeding and weakened…His heart was broken.  But still He walked. 

He could see the crowd as He came from the palace.  He knew each of the faces so well.  He had created them.  He knew every smile, laugh and shed tear.  But now they were contorted with rage and anger…His heart broke.  But still He walked. 

Was He scared?  You and I would have been.  So His humanness would have mandated that He was.  He felt alone.  His disciples had left, denied and even betrayed Him.  He searched the crowd for a loving face and He saw very few.  Then He turned His eyes to the only one that mattered, and He knew that He would never be alone.  He looked back at the crowd, at the people who were spitting at Him, throwing rocks at Him and mocking Him and He knew that because of Him, they would never be alone.  So for them, He walked. 

The sounds of the hammer striking the spikes echoed through the crowd.  The sounds of His cries echoed even louder.  The cheers of the crowd as His hands and feet were nailed to the cross, intensified with each blow.  Loudest of all was the still, small voice inside His heart that whispered, “I am with you, My Son”, and God’s heart broke.  He had let His Son walk. 

Jesus could have asked God to end His suffering.  But instead He asked God to forgive.  Not to forgive Him, but to forgive the ones who were persecuting Him.  As He hung on that cross, dying an unimaginable death, He looked out and saw not only the faces in the crowd, but also the face of every person yet to be, and His heart filled with love.  As His body was dying, His heart was alive.  Alive with the limitless, unconditional love He feels for each of us.  That is why He walked. 

When I forget how much my God loves me, I remember His walk.  When I wonder if I can be forgiven, I remember His walk.  When I need to be reminded of how to live like Christ, I think of His walk.  And to show how much I love Him, I wake up each morning, turn my eyes to Him, and I walk.

The battle of Calvary was won at Gethsemane.  Jesus prepared Himself to die by praying.  Jesus brought His will in line with the will of God by praying.  Prayer is challenging for me.  I pray more than I did in the past, but I still don’t pray enough.  I fall painfully short of Paul’s challenge to the church at Thessalonica to, “Pray without ceasing.”  I don’t pray enough!  We have taken prayer out of school.  We have removed prayer from all public forums.  After all we must be careful to keep church and state separated.  Have we deleted prayer from our own lives?  If we even remotely understood the power of prayer, we would pray more!  How would you describe your prayer life?  

Prayer is a difference maker.  There are many reasons to pray.  Praying will help you overcome temptation.  You will face temptation today.  You know the areas where you will be tempted.  How do you prepare yourself for the temptations you will face?  What do you to get spiritually ready to stand face to face against Satan?  In Matthew 6, Jesus instructs His apostles on prayer.  In His model prayer Jesus prayed, “…lead us not into temptation.”  When was the last you prayed those words?  While Jesus was praying in the garden, He encouraged His apostles with these words, “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation…”   Jesus kept praying while the apostles continued sleeping.  Jesus stood strong in the face of temptation.  The apostle fell on their face.  Prayer will help you overcome temptation. 

Prayer will help you overcome anxiety.  We live in a “stressed out” world.  We worry about our jobs.  We worry about our family.  We worry about money.  We worry about our health.  Is your life consumed with worry?  The apostle Paul penned some words to the church at Philippi that are life changing.  In Philippians 4, Paul provides us God’s solution to worry.  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God.  And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”  God doesn’t want us to live worry filled lives.  “Be anxious for nothing!”  God cannot be any clearer.  How can we overcome anxiety?  The bridge that can lead you from a worry filled life to the “peace which surpasses all comprehension” is prayer.  Would you pray more if you knew it would help you overcome anxiety?  Would you pray more if you knew it would bring you peace?  

Prayer will make you more effective in your ministry.  Christians have an eternally important mission.  Jesus has given us the responsibility of sharing His life with the world.  We need to make it personal.  You know someone who needs to hear the good news about Jesus.  Write down the name of one person you know that you want to tell about Jesus.  Pray for this person.  Lift up this person’s name to God continually.  Pray that God will give you opportunities to talk to this person about Jesus.  Pray for the courage to speak to this person about Jesus.  Before we talk to our friends about God, we need to first talk to God about our friends.  Prayer will make you more effective as a minister.  Take a minute to read Colossians 4:2-4.  Put these words into practice in your life. 

Prayer will prepare you for the storms of life.  Jesus used prayer to prepare Himself to die.  We will never understand everything Jesus endured leading up to His death.  I’ve read the gospel stories of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John again and again.  I still don’t fully grasp everything Jesus did for me.  How was He able to walk that path to Calvary?  He prayed!  You will face temptation!  You will face anxiety!  You will face storms!  How can you endure?  How can you stand strong?  Pray! 

This week you will read John 17 and 18.  You will encounter Jesus praying as you read John 17.  Jesus prays for Himself.  Jesus prays for His apostles.  Jesus prays for all believers.  Jesus prays for you!  In John 18, you will witness Jesus being bombarded with trials.  He overcomes everyone!  He didn’t overcome by chance.  It was His prayer in John 17 that prepared Him to withstand the trials of John 18!

This Jesus wants you!  He wants me!  This is an amazing and humbling thought.  The King of kings and Lord of lords desires a relationship with you.  The Savior of the world wants to save you.  The One who took your place, your punishment, and your death sentence longs for a relationship with you.  Jesus Christ, your creator and sustainer, wants you to abide in Him.  Where are you living?  Have you set up camp in this world or in Christ?  Location matters!  “Location, location, location” has been the unspoken slogan of realtors for years.  It matters where you buy or build your physical home.  It also matters where you build your spiritual home! 

You will be rewarded if you build your life on Christ.  If you build your life on Christ, you will be prepared to withstand the storms of life.  Jesus’ words in Matthew 7:24-27 remind us that we will face storms.  Life is difficult.  Life is challenging.  You will face disappointments.  You will face temptations.  You will face trials.  You will face death.  Are you prepared for these storms?  A life built on Jesus will endure.  A life built on the world will collapse. 

You will be rewarded if you build your life on Christ.  If you build your life on Christ, you will be productive in the kingdom.  God expects Christians to grow.  He expects us to produce.  How many people have you led to Christ?  How many people have you spoken to concerning Jesus?  How many visits have you made to the hospital?  How many people have you served?  Jesus proclaimed the word of God.  Jesus served others.  Jesus was productive!  Jesus gives us the road map to being productive in the kingdom.  In John 15:4 Jesus said, “Abide in Me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.” 

You will be rewarded if you build your life on Christ.  If you build your life on Christ, you will receive help.  I need help!  I need help to be the husband I need to be.  I need help to become the dad I need to be.  I need help to be the minister I need to be.  I need help to overcome Satan.  I need help to esteem others more highly than myself.  God promises His children help!  Read the following verses and write down the promise God makes to His people.

1. 1 Corinthians 10:13
2. John 15:7
3. Hebrews 4:14-16
4. Hebrews 13:5-6
5. 2 John 9 

Location matters!  You will be rewarded if you build your life on Christ.  Spend some time this week reading John 15 and 16.  Take a few minutes to reflect on your life.  Are you building your life on Christ?

Our goal as Christians is to be like Christ.  Jesus is the standard for righteous living.  There are notable encouragements in the NT to be like Jesus.  Paul challenged the Christians at Corinth to be like Jesus in 1 Corinthians 11:1.  In 1 Peter 2:21, Peter encourages Christians to follow in the footsteps of Jesus.  Jesus also taught others to imitate His example.  John 13 contains the amazing story of Jesus washing His apostles’ feet.  After serving these men in this special way, Jesus challenges the apostles to follow His example.  Listen to Jesus’ words in John 13:13-14.  “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right for so I am.  If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”  Jesus clearly teaches the apostles that they must serve others if they are going to be like Him.   You will never be more like Jesus than when you serve others. 

We want to be like Christ.  Are we willing to pay the price?  Following the example of Jesus isn’t easy.  In fact, striving to be like Jesus will be the most challenging endeavor you will ever pursue. 

 Do you really want to be like Jesus?  To be like Christ, you must resist temptation.  Jesus never sinned.  Mediate on that thought for a few minutes.  Jesus never once sinned.  We watch as Jesus overcomes the devil in Matthew 4.  We witness Jesus using God’s Word to overcome the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.  Jesus pledged His allegiance to God each time He resisted temptation.  Jesus not only overcame temptation in Matthew 4, He continually resisted temptation.  He never sinned!  He always did what was right.  If you want to be like Jesus, resist temptation.  

Do you really want to be like Jesus?  To be like Christ, you must forgive others.  Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness are powerful.  Matthew 6:14-16 and Matthew 18:21-35 contain some challenging words from our Savior.  Jesus teaches us we must forgive others in order to receive forgiveness from God.  We also learn from Christ that we must not place limits on our forgiveness.  Jesus’ teachings on forgiveness are powerful, but His example of forgiveness is even more moving.  While hanging on the cross, Jesus offers up these words to His Father.  “Father forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.”  If you want to be like Christ, forgive others. 

Do you really want to be like Jesus?  To be like Christ, you must give God your best.  God didn’t hold anything back from you.  God sent His Son to earth.  He sent His Son for a purpose.  God sent Jesus to earth to die on your behalf.  God gave you His best.  What are you giving God?  Nothing should concern us more than our relationship with God.  God has given you His best.  He expects your best.  Are you giving God the best of your time?  Are you giving God the best of your abilities?  Are you giving God the best of your money?  If you want to be like Christ, give God your best! 

We should strive daily to be like Christ.  It won’t be easy, but it is possible.  Take advantage of the opportunities you are given to be like Jesus.  This week’s reading in John 13 and 14.  As your read these chapters, write down the verses where Jesus encourages the apostles to imitate His example.  Spend a few minutes reflecting on your relationship with God.  Are you striving to be like Christ?

As Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, He met these ten men mentioned above.  Each of these men was inflicted with leprosy.  In Luke 17:13 we can hear the desperation in their voices as they cried out with a loud voice, “Jesus, Mater, have pity on us!”  As Jesus had done many times before, He heard their cry for help and cleansed them of their terminal disease.           

What happened next in this story is remarkable and tragically sad.  Ten men had received a tremendous gift from the hand of the Savior.  These men could now return to their cities, to their jobs, and to their families because Jesus had compassion on them.  These men were no longer unclean.  These men could be touched again; hugged again; loved again.  Ten men had been healed, but remarkably only one said thank you.  Listen to the words of Luke in verse 15 and 16, “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back praising God in a loud voice.  He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked Him.”  Surely this is a misprint.  Only one came back to express thanks.  All ten had been healed.  All ten had been cleansed.  All ten had their health restored.  Only one came back!  Just minutes earlier, all ten men were pleading for help in unison.  After being miraculously healed, all tem men should have been shouting, “Thank you!” in unison.  Only one came back and said thank you.  Where were the other nine? 

What about you?  Is Jesus wondering why you haven’t expressed thanks to Him for all He has given you.  Jesus not only cleansed these lepers mentioned above, but He has also cleansed you of your sins.  That’s something to be thankful for!  Jesus has taken care of your soul’s greatest need.  There is nothing more important than salvation.  Salvation is possible because of Jesus!  When was the last time you said, “Thank you”? 

Next Thursday our nation will celebrate Thanksgiving.  Treasure the opportunity to express your thanks to God.  Take advantage of this opportunity to say thank you to others who have helped you out in life.  There are some thing  that can’t be over done.  You can’t express thanks to God too much! 

Take time this week to read John 9 and 10.  You will encounter another man who experienced the healing touch of Jesus.  A man blind from birth had his sight restored by Jesus.  As you read pay special attention to how this man responds to Jesus after he is healed.  Focus specifically on his interrogation by the Pharisees in John 9:24-30, and his second encounter with Jesus in John 9:35-38.

Only Scripture is inspired by God.  Paul wrote to Timothy concerning the origin of Scripture.  In 2 Timothy 3:16, Paul wrote, “All Scripture is inspired by God…”  Every book, chapter, verse, word and letter of the Bible is God breathed!  There are 39 books in the OT and 27 books in the NT.  All of these books are “God breathed!”  The Law was delivered through Moses.  The Law was inspired by God.  The NT was written by eight different individuals.  There was one source of inspiration behind all their writings.  God is the author of the Bible!  The Bible is the inspired word of God.   You may read many inspirational books throughout your lifetime.  Don’t forget…there is only one book that is inspired!  The writings of humanity should never be raised to equality with God’s book.  There is no other revelation regardless of who may have found it, how moral the person may be or what motive may have prompted the person to offer his discovery that will take the place of God’s Word.  There is no discovery that is equal or should be considered with any degree of security as the Scriptures themselves.  We do not have the right to alter God’s message.  If some writing says more than the Bible says, it says too much and therefore must be discounted and laid aside.  If some writing leaves out anything that God has given in His word than it has not said enough and is false and needs to be discarded.  

Jesus came to earth to deliver God’s Word.  The angels were the mediator of the Old Covenant.  Jesus is the mediator of the New Covenant.  God has spoken to His creation in many different ways.  Today, He speaks through His Son.  Listen to Jesus’ words in John 7:16, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.”  We would be wise to listen to all of the words of Jesus.  Jesus delivers the words of eternal life.  

Devote time this week to reading John 7-8.  Reflect on the following questions after reading these chapters.

1. Why did Jesus’ brothers not believe in Him at this point in His ministry?
2. What important lessons did you learn from Jesus’ interaction with the woman caught in adultery in John 8?
3. Read John 8:24—What are some things a person must believe about Jesus?
4. Read John 7:6, 8, 30—What “time” is being referred to in these verses?

“When Jesus saw that he had answered intelligently, He said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’   After that, no one would venture to ask Him any more questions.”  Jesus issued this statement to a person he encountered in His ministry.  Have you ever wondered what became of this man?  He was close to the kingdom.  Did he ever reach the kingdom?  There are times when being close isn’t good enough.  

The 2011 Texas Rangers experienced this truth in a painful way.  They were close to glory.  The team achieved many great accomplishments during the 2011 season.  They successfully defended their division title.  The Rangers also won the American League pennant for the second consecutive year navigating their way back to the World Series where they faced the St. Louis Cardinals.  The Rangers were one series win away from winning the World Series.  The series was back and forth through the first five games.  The Rangers squeaked out a win in game five to grab a three to two series lead.  The team was now one win away from being world champs.  Game six was a classic game with an unbelievable ending.  The Rangers entered the final inning clinging to a seven to five lead.  They were one inning away from winning the world championship.  The Rangers closer recorded two outs in the bottom of the ninth while also allowing two base runners.  The team was one out away from the winning the World Series.  The Texas Rangers were on the brink of glory.   The Rangers’ pitcher battled the Cardinal batter to a two ball, two strike count.  The Rangers were now one strike away from winning the franchise’s first World Series title.  The Rangers never recorded that final strike.  They never got that elusive final out.  The Cardinal batter hit a triple which cleared the bases and tied the score.  The Rangers would grab the lead once again in the tenth inning only to see St. Louis tie it again in a similar manner in the bottom of the tenth.  St. Louis went on to win game six in the bottom of the eleventh on a walk off home run.  The Cardinals dominated game seven snatching the World Series out of the hands of the Rangers.  The 2011 Texas Rangers were close to glory.  They will be remembered by many as the team that was one strike away! 

Being close to something is not always good enough.  There are some who today are close to eternal glory.  There are some who are close to the kingdom; some who are close to salvation.  Perhaps, they have been taught the gospel, and know God’s plan of salvation.  Maybe, they have had opportunity after opportunity to hear and obey the truth.  

In John 5, Jesus addresses some Jews who were close to glory.  These individuals knew the Law frontwards and backwards.  They knew the prophecies concerning the coming Messiah.  The Messiah was coming!  Deliverance was on its way.  These people knew all this to be true.  What they failed to understand was this; the Messiah was there.  Deliverance was standing right in front of them.  They had the opportunity to listen to Jesus.  They were able to watch as He miraculously healed this man in John 5.  They could literally reach out and touch the Messiah.  They were close to Jesus, but still miles and miles away.  It’s not good enough to be close to glory.  It’s not sufficient to be close to salvation.  It’s not enough to be “not far” from the kingdom.  Where are you in relationship to the kingdom?  Are you merely close to the kingdom or in the kingdom?  

Devote time this week to reading John 5 and 6.  Make a list of the miracles Jesus’ performs in these chapters.  Spend some time reflecting on the conversation between Jesus and His apostles recorded in John 6:66-68.

Relax

          -Spend one minute meditating on the words of John 3:16.

           “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only

            Son that whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but

           have eternal life.”              

Read

          -Devote a few minutes to reading John 3 & 4. 

Reflect

          -Take some time to think through the following questions.

                   1.  How would you describe Nicodemus?

                   2.  Read verses 19-20—Do these verses accurately

                        describe today’s society?

                   3.  What is the importance of belief in our relationship

                        with Jesus?

                   4.  How would you describe God’s relationship with

                        His Son, Jesus?

                   5.  How would you describe the woman that Jesus met

                        at the well?

                   6.  What is one lesson you learned about ministering to

                        others from Jesus’ interaction with this woman?

                   7.  Read verses 23-24—How can we worship God in

                        spirit and in truth?

                   8.  Read verse 35—Is Jesus’ statement about the fields

                        ripe for harvest applicable to today’s society? 

Record

          -Spend a few minutes answering the following questions.

                   1.  Write down one question or observation you have

                        over John 3. ________________________________

                        __________________________________________

                   2.  List one way this chapter will strengthen your

                        relationship with Jesus. _______________________

                        __________________________________________

                   3.  Write out one action step you will take in your life

                        based on today’s reading.  I will ________________

                        __________________________________________ 

Request

          -Devote four minutes to talking with God.