• In this life we live we are often remembered for the type of work we did, how we acted or even the amount of things and money we may have or have not had.
• When looking back over ones life it is important to ask questions such as “Have I accomplished all that I could have?” “Have I treated people the way they should have been treated?” “Have I lived up to the expectation of my creator?”
• These are all relevant questions and when the term “The way God wanted me to” is applied we can see that they take on an even more powerful meaning.
• The Bible is clear about one thing and that is that we must all die in the flesh
o Hebrews 9:27: “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”
• We must all face the end of this body as we know it, when this happens what will our legacy be? What is that one thing that people will say about you? If your entire life could be condensed into a few words written upon a tombstone what would it read?
• Here are a few examples of “WHAT THE INSCRIPTION SAID…”
• "Beneath this grassy mound now rests One Edgar Oscar Earl, Who to another hunter looked Exactly like a squirrel."
• In Tombstone, Arizona, the essence of the old "Wild West," is this famous epitaph: "Here lies Lester Moore Four slugs from a 44 no Les no more"
• Remember man, as you walk by, As you are now, so once was I, As I am now, so shall you be, Remember this and follow me. (To which someone replied by writing on the tombstone:) To follow you I’ll not consent, Until I know which way you went.
• As we can see from the inscriptions above; people can get glimpse into our lives simply by that which is written upon our tombstone
• As we process this thought, let us look to the word of God for direction on placing the proper “epitaph” upon our lives
• Matthew 7:20: “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
1. THE INSCRIPTION OF ABRAHAM (FAITHFUL SERVANT)
• Romans 4:16-21: “Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sara’s womb: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform.” “And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.”
• Abraham was faithful in obeying God with offering up his only child, Isaac
• Genesis 22:2: “And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.”
• Abraham trusted God and God, therefore, blessed him
• Do we have the kind of faith that God would impute righteousness unto?
• ABRAHAM COULD BE CONSIDERED A FAILURE
• God had promised him a son, a son that would come on God’s terms
• When Isaac didn’t come quickly enough, Abraham and Sarah took the destiny of all human’s into their own hands Genesis 16:1: “Now Sarai Abram’s wife bare him no children: and she had an handmaid, an Egyptian, whose name was Hagar.”
• The result was the birth of the Arab people and ultimately the religion of Islam
• ABRAHAM WAS ENTRUSTED AS THE “FATHER OF MANY NATIONS”
• Genesis 17:4-5: “As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.”
• Because of Abrahams faithfulness, God would bless him with the privilege of becoming a “Father” to all who would become and are the children of God
• The end result is that Abraham’s inscription would probably read “FAITHFUL SERVANT”
2. THE INSCRIPTION OF JUDAS ISCARIOT (MISGUIDED, MISLEAD, MISERABLE)
• Judas was numbered as one of the twelve disciples
• Matthew 10:2-4: “Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.”
• Judas was incorporated as one of the disciples by the divine appointment of God
• Although he was numbered as one of the twelve; he had ulterior motives
• He wore the “mask of religion” but was part for nothing more than his own gain
• 2 Timothy 3:2-5: “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
• To the world, Judas seemed to be one of the great followers of Christ; but in reality, God knows the heart and the intention therein
• Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
• A mule dressed in a tuxedo is still a mule.
• Mark 14:10: “And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.”
• The inscription on Judas’ tomb would certainly show his “Misguided, Mislead and Miserable” life upon this earth
• Although Judas appeared to be a lover of Christ he turned out to be on of His greatest adversaries
3. THE INSCRIPTION OF JESUS CHRIST “MY SON, IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED.”
• Jesus was placed upon this earth to walk and live a perfect life in order to achieve a sacrifice worthy to God
• 1 Peter 2:21-22: “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”
• Jesus suffered mightily through word, deed and the peoples desire to destroy Him
• No matter what the situation, no matter what the event; Jesus never came back at His attackers
• Jesus put up with people who despised Him; leaving us an example of what we ought to do with those who dislike us
• Jesus was also tempted just as we are
• Hebrews 4:15: “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.”
• Jesus paved the path for us to walk, we can never say that we have been asked to do something that He did not go through
• God will never hold us to a higher standard than what he expected Jesus to achieve
• 1 Corinthians 10:13: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”
• IF Jesus were to have a tombstone it would simply say:
a. Matthew 3:17: “…This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
• What would or will our tombstone say? If our lives were condensed into an inscription on a stone what would it be? Would it be like:
a. Abraham
b. Judas
c. Or Jesus
