The Last Time

 

What if this is the last time? Easter was about 8 weeks ago. As I looked over my sermon notes early Easter morning, I had a thought that kept coming to mind. I pushed it aside for a few minutes and then it would return. Finally, I spent some time thinking about what I was thinking about. On the drive to church, I verbalized my thought to my wife. What if this is the last time? She replied, “The last time for what?” The last time I preach on Easter Sunday? What if this is my last opportunity? She did not want to talk about it, but we did for a few minutes. I expressed a desire to represent the Lord well. There are always extra people in the worship service on Easter Sunday. I wanted to preach in such a way that I would be satisfied if it was the last time. I have been preaching for 41 years. I am rarely satisfied with any message that I preach. I wanted to be satisfied if this was the end of my race. More importantly, I wanted the Lord to be pleased.

I have no reason to believe that Easter 2026 was my last opportunity to declare the powerful truth of the resurrection on Easter Sunday. But you never know. Just ask the family of Kyle Busch. Kyle was a NASCAR driver. He won his last race on May 15. After that race, he was asked by a reporter why these moments never get old. He replied, “Because you never know when the last one is.” A few days later, he was gone. I don’t know when my last time to preach on Easter will come. For all I know, it may have already happened. What I do know is that the last time will come sooner or later. We are not promised another day. Our lives are like a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Circumstances change. People change. Health changes. Stress that has exacted an incredibly high toll finally accomplishes its mission. You never know when the last time will happen. We should live our lives and do what we do in such a way that we will be satisfied in knowing that we gave it our all. And that the Lord is pleased

There are several things that I would change about the way I delivered the message on Easter. I would spend more time explaining that and less time explaining that. I would have said something in a little different way. But on the way home, I told my wife that I was satisfied that I had done my best to declare the resurrection of Jesus to the people who were present. If that was the last time, I’m satisfied. And I pray that the Lord was pleased.

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