Famous Last Words

2 Timothy 2:22-26

Sometimes people are recognizable by their last words as much as they are by their physical appearance. It may not even be the last thing they ever say, only in a sense it is. See if you can recognize any of these famous “last words”. The correct answers are at the bottom of the page. (Don’t cheat now.)

• I am not a crook.
• What we've got here is a failure to communicate.
• Winning isn’t everything; it’s the only thing.

At the time that he wrote 2 Timothy, Paul was nearing the end of his life. Like a common criminal, he was chained, in a cold, dark dungeon waiting for his execution.

Knowing that his days were numbered, he wanted to make the most of his time. He wanted to impart his most important wisdom to those who were most important to him.

Therefore, he wrote this letter to his “son”, Timothy. He wrote with passion, conviction and purpose. Pay close attention to these final words.

²⁴ And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. ²⁵ Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope

that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, ²⁶ and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.     NIV

Gently instruct, in the hope that God will lead them to the truth; not hammering it down their throat; not making your point so that you are right and they are wrong; but being invitational and unconditional in your friendship while expecting nothing from them, but everything from God.

 Keep in mind the most famous of last words spoken by our Savior Jesus, “It is finished”.

What he did on the cross for all who will accept him makes it possible for us to know him and spend eternity with him. But it also makes it possible for us to share with others his love and message.

Here are the correct answers:

• Richard Milhous Nixon denies involvement in the 1972 Watergate scandal.
• Paul Newman who starred in the role of a prisoner in the 1967 film Cool Hand Luke. Upon speaking this line he was immediately shot.
• Red Saunders the UCLA football coach in 1950. Sorry Packer fans Vince Lombardi didn’t originate this quote.

Acts 9:10-22

Have you ever wondered how God could use you to reach out to someone else?  In the early days of our Christian walk, many of us wonder this because we know what goes on inside our heads and inside our hearts.  We know our sins and our weaknesses and we acknowledge that we are still questioning our own faith.

Well, guess what?  I discovered God knows these things even better than we and that is precisely why He wants to use us.  God uses ordinary, everyday sinners to touch other everyday ordinary sinners.  He wants to make us extraordinary.

The Scripture for today is an illustration of God using Ananias to witness to Paul.  Ananias knew of Paul by reputation and he was none to excited about going to Paul. "But the Master said, "Don't argue. Go! I have picked him as my personal representative to non-Jews and kings and Jews. And now I'm about to show him what he's in for—the hard suffering that goes with this job." (Acts 9:15-16)

God had big plans for Paul and Ananias was part of that plan.  God has big plans for you and for me too.  Do you know of a time when you felt God using you to reach someone who did not know Him yet?  Was it awesome?  Please tell about it.

Read the Acts 9:10-22 text here.