LESSONS FOUND AT THE END

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Over the course of time, there are parts of Scripture that become familiar and popular to a wide audience of people.

1.    Verses:

a.    Genesis 1:1

b.    John 3:16

c.    Romans 3:23

2.    Chapters:

a.    Genesis 1 – The Creation

b.    Psalm 23 – The Shepherd Psalm

c.    Isaiah 53 – The Suffering Servant

d.    1 Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter

e.    Acts 2 – The Beginning of the church

f.     Revelation 2-3 – The Letters to the Seven churches of Asia

3.    Sections of Scripture become important:

a.    Exodus 20:1-17 – The 10 Commandments

b.    Galatians 5:19-21 – The Works of the Flesh

c.    Galatians 5:22-23 – The Fruit of the Spirit

d.    2 Peter 1:5-7 – The Christian Graces

 

B.   How many things do you remember about a verse or verses at the end of a book?  By the end of a book, we are so ready to be done that we do not spend a lot of time on the final verses.

 

C.   The title of this lesson is:  “Lessons Found at the End.” 

1.    We will be looking at the end of various books to see what they reveal to us.

2.    In this lesson, we will start with the Gospels.

 

I.             MATTHEW 28:20

 

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you:  and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

 

A.   Disciples have to be taught after they are converted.

1.    In verse 19, Jesus set forth the Great Commission. 

a.    The apostles of Christ were commanded to teach and baptize those in all nations.

b.    Once a person has been baptized, there is more.  Baptism is a mere commencement, a beginning.

2.    The “them” of verse 20 are the ones who were converted in verse 19.

3.    Many new converts are not very well versed in the truth of God’s Word.  Thus, they need additional teaching to grow in Christ (See 2 Pet. 3:18).

 

B.   The commands of Jesus are to be taught to new converts.

1.    Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.

2.    Obedience is an essential in living the Christian life (See Heb. 5:9).

3.    Many denominations require little, if any, genuine obedience to God’s Word.

4.    One’s obedience:

a.    Proves whose servant he/she is (Rom. 6:16).

b.    Proves the existence of one’s faith (James 2:20-22).

c.    Proves one’s love for the Christ (1 John 5:3).

d.    Provides access into the holy city (Rev. 22:14).

 

C.   Christians are only authorized to teach what Jesus has commanded.

1.    This involves something called “Bible authority.”

2.    The religious world is not concerned about Bible authority.  They are concerned about feelings and sincerity.

3.    Notice that Jesus told His apostles, His chosen ambassadors, that they could only teach what He had commanded.

a.    If it was not commanded, it was not to be taught.

b.    Ex., instrumental music in the New Testament

c.    NOTE:  If the apostles themselves could only teach what the Lord commanded, how can we do any differently?

 

II.           MARK 16:20

 

And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, confirming the word with signs following.

 

A.   The apostles did as commanded and took the gospel everywhere (See Mark 16:15).

 

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

 

1.    This must have been a daunting task:  12 men, one gospel, the entire world.

2.    These men “hit the ground running” in Acts 2 and did not stop until they completed their task.

3.    LESSON:  If they did it, surely we can follow their example and do it as well.

 

B.   When the apostles went into the world, the Lord was working with them.

1.    The Lord did not leave these men here by themselves.

2.    We will learn in our series, “In the Upper Room with Jesus,” that these men were empowered by the Holy Spirit of God (John 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:13).

a.    He gave them the message they were to speak.

b.    He gave them the power to perform miracles.

 

C.   Miraculous signs confirmed the message of these inspired men.

1.    The apostles did not have the written revelation of God’s Word as we do today.

2.    As inspired men, they spoke the message or wrote it down.

a.    “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly…” (1 Tim. 4:1).

b.    “How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote in few words)” (Eph. 3:3).

3.    Anyone, however, could make the claim that what they were speaking or writing was from God.

4.    To confirm their words, signs were given to them.

a.    Signs were simply miraculous works (Heb. 2:4).

 

God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.

 

b.    There were many signs they performed.

1)    Healing the lame

2)    Raising the dead

3)    Casting out demons

4)    Speaking in tongues

5)    Getting bit by poisonous snake and not dying

5.    When the audience heard the words and saw the signs, they knew the message was from God. 

6.    NOTE:  It was in this way that the Lord was working with them.

 

III.         LUKE 24:52-53

 

And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:  and were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.

 

A.   Jesus is God.

1.    The verse begins with the words:  “And they worshipped him.”

2.    The only being who is to be worshipped is God (Matt. 4:10b).

 

…Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

 

3.    When John fell before the angel in the Revelation, He was plainly told to “worship God” (Rev. 22:9).

 

B.   The apostles returned to Jerusalem with great joy.

1.    They returned to Jerusalem because Jesus had commanded them to do this.  There, they would await the promise of the Father, that is, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit’s power that would come upon them (Acts 1:4).

 

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of him.

 

2.    Why did they return to Jerusalem with joy?  The text does not say.  But, there are some things we do know.

a.    They knew their Lord was not dead, but was alive.

b.    They had a wonderful promise that was to come to them in just a few days (See Acts 2:1-4).

c.    They had a divine mission to accomplish in going into the world and telling the lost about the Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

C.   While waiting in Jerusalem, these men “were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.”

1.    They had been saved, chosen to be apostles, and were soon to accomplish a grand mission.  Their blessings caused their heart to reach unto heaven and praise and bless God.

2.    LESSON:  We, too, have been saved, called to be the children of God, and given a mission as well.  We are truly blessed.  Our blessings should cause us to “continually” praise and bless God. 

a.    Continually:  through all time, constantly, always

b.    Hebrews 13:15

 

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to his name.

 

IV.         JOHN 21:25

 

And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.

 

A.   John uses a figure of speech in this verse called a hyperbole. 

1.    It is an extended exaggeration that impresses a thought into the mind of the reader.

2.    Imagine a world so filled with books that there was not a place for another book, but hundreds and thousands of books still needed to be put on the shelves.

3.    John’s point was the Jesus did an unbelievable amount of works while He was laboring on the earth. 

a.    The multitudes followed him.

b.    Hundreds and thousands were healed by Jesus.

c.    The Holy Spirit was selective in revealing the works Jesus did.

 

B.   NOTE:  In John 20:30-31, John reveals that those that have been recorded for us should be sufficient to produce faith in the heart of man.

 

And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:  but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   It is amazing how much we can learn from the very last words of a book. 

 

B.   Paul was right when he said:  “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable…” 

1.    The word “profitable” means “useful, advantageous, and beneficial.”

2.    The first, the middle, and the last of every book should be read and studied diligently by God’s people.

 

C.   In later lessons, we will examine the last words of other books. 

 

D.   The very last book of the Bible, the very last chapter, and the very last verse contains some interesting words (Rev. 22:21).

 

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.  Amen.

 

1.    What a wish and what a desire to close out the Bible!

2.    God’s grace is God’s divine help provided for man.

3.    We stand in need of it all the days of our lives.

4.    Paul tells us that this grace is found “in Christ” (2 Tim. 2:1).

 

Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

 

a.    If this is the case, all should be asking:  “How do I get into Christ?”

b.    The answer is found in Romans 6:3 and Galatians 3:27.

 

Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?...For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.