How Do You Know When It Is Time For You to Hang up Your Keys? 1

How Do You Know When It Is Time For You to Hang up Your Keys?

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Think About This:

Joshua in chapters 23-24 gives a farewell address. There are many similar speeches in the Bible.

Moses gave his farewell address. The Patriarchs had their farewell speeches

Even in the New Testament, Paul ends his letters in some similar ways.

Is there a pattern among these farewell addresses? What are some of the elements they have in common?

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This Weeki. Examine Bible examples of farewell

addresses to identify some of their common elements.

ii. Using the common elements of Biblical farewell addresses we discuss, deliver my own farewell address to the class.

iii. Think through the value of creating your own farewell address in order to renew your focus on eternal things.

LessonPlan

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I. Introduction

a. The Old Testament contains many farewell speeches among the prophet-leaders who, at a time when it was obvious that they were about to die, called all or some of their people together one last time.

b. Some of these accounts, which vary considerably in length, preserve what is known of biblical farewell speeches:

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I. Introduction

1. Moses (Deuteronomy 31–34),

2. Joshua (Joshua 23–24),

3. David (1 Kings 2:1–10; compare 1 Chronicles 28–29), and

4. Samuel (1 Samuel 12:1–25).

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I. Introduction

c. In addition, the New Testament provides some insight to the farewell speeches which were delivered by both Jesus and Paul.

1. Jesus (John Chapters 13-17)

2. Paul (Acts 20:17-35)

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I. Introduction

d. Though there are variations among these speeches most all of them include some basic purposes in common.1. To describe and affirm their own ministry2. To teach, 3. To exhort the hearers to righteous living

before God , 4. To remind the hearers of previous

instruction5. To confer the responsibilities of

leadership on their successors.

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I. Introduction

e. Certain elements appear regularly in all these farewell addresses. It is almost as if the speakers were consciously striving to align their words with a customary prototype or traditional pattern of address.

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II. Some Basic Elements

a. While there is certainly a wide variation among the farewell addresses found in the Bible, most share certain elements in common. For example:

b. The summons. The speaker calls his successors and followers together so they can receive his last instructions.

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Josh 23:1-2 And it came to pass a long time after that the Lord had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age. And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age: KJV

This is the last time that I will stand before you as your Sunday school teacher, for the foreseeable future. (At least for the period of a year.)

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c. The speaker's own mission or example. A description of the speaker's life and calling is followed by a commandment that his followers should do as he has done.

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Josh 23:3-4 And ye have seen all that the Lord your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the Lord your God is he that hath fought for you. Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward. And the Lord your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the Lord your God hath promised unto you. KJV

For all the years that I have stood before you, I have done so in response to the gifts given to me by the Holy Spirit as it pleased Him. No earthly duty or passion has meant more to me than to stand before you week by week as your Bible teacher. I hope that you likewise share my passion for God’s Word.

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d. Innocence and discharge of duty. The speaker declares that he has done his best and has fulfilled his obligations. He has accomplished what he intended to do and cannot be held liable for his people's actions in the future.

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2 Tim 4:6-7 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: KJV

During my years as your teacher I have delivered to you an array of Bible subjects that in my judgment have proved to be informative and beneficial to your spiritual walk. These lessons were delivered not for their entertainment value, but that you might walk in them as you are transformed into the image of Christ. As your teacher, I have done my duty before God

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e. Exhortation. The listeners are encouraged to remember the teachings that the speaker has given previously and to obey the commands that he will give during his address. Exhortations help to solidify the lessons of the past and provide comfort for the future.

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Josh 23:6 Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left; KJV

My heartbeat and therefore my teaching focus has been on the sanctification process and on the importance of setting our affections on things above not on things on the earth. So, I charge you now to likewise keep that

focus in your own spiritual walk in the days ahead. Live with eternity in mind.

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f. Warnings and final injunctions. Warnings about disobedience and its consequences are given. Many farewell addresses contained warnings concerning false teachers who would try to lead the people astray.

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It was Jesus Himself who said: in Matt 7:15-20 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. KJV

Try the spirits of those who represent themselves as teachers and preachers of the Word of God. Be faithful students of the voice of God and of His Word. May the Holy Spirit give you discernment as you listen and a personal zeal to perform that which God has said to your Spirit through the teaching and preaching of His servants.

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g. Blessings and Promises. The speaker usually pronounces or promises blessings in conjunction with his warnings and final instructions. Thus Jesus promised glory to His followers after teaching them about the importance of serving one another.

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Luke 22:28-30 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. NIV

I too can promise you a blessing, not because I myself have any power to materialize it, but on the basis of the promises of God, I can also promise that all who love Him and who yield their lives to Him should inherit a blessing. May you and your household be blessed as you are obedient to your calling and election.

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h. Open mourning the loss and separation. Often the account describes the mourning of the friends and followers of the speaker.

i. Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? For I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. KJV

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I too, know how deeply I am loved and appreciated by you all. Personally, such support is deeply humbling because all that I have ever given you is a gift that I myself have received. I gave what was given to me by the God who designed me in my mother’s womb and who put His words in my mouth and who also drew you near to hear. I do not mean to say that I was inspired as such, nor do I believe that everything I ever said was beyond dispute. I only mean to say that without fail, as I diligently prepared my lessons, I did my best to remain faithful to the meaning of Scripture as it has been received and transmitted to English speakers for the last five hundred years.

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Even though some of what I taught carried with it a note of correction, all that I have ever brought to this class was intended for your edification and ultimate blessing. In closing, it has been my honor and privilege to come before you as your teacher all these years. It is a bittersweet moment as I stand here for what could be the last time. God willing, my hope is that when I return, I will once again at least share in the teaching responsibility of the Sonlight Class.

a. I thank God for the farewell speeches recorded in Scripture because they help us to stay oriented to the things that have eternal value in our relationships with others.

b. Knowing what you would want to say to others upon your departure (either in death or by relocation) can help you shape the way you live right now. Why wait?

c. If you were making your own farewell address, what would you say?

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III. Application

Documents

How Do You Know When It Is Time For You to Hang up Your Keys? 1