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| Volume 25 Number 2 February 2023 |
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| Volume 25 Number 2 February 2023 |
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Jesus’ Last Days on Earth
Hiram Kemp
The global life expectancy rate for women is 75 years old, and for men, it is 70 years old. In the United States, life expectancy for women is 81 years old, and men are expected to live to 77 years old (Duffin). Of course, these are just statistics, and they cannot guarantee us anything. Even with the current estimated figures given by experts, we must still conclude with James that our lives are a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14). The question we have to answer is, “How are we going to spend our lives?” One thing Jesus never wanted to do was waste time. He knew the night was coming when no one could work, and so, He made the most of the time He had (John 9:4).
Many times, people speak of things they would do if they knew it was their last day on earth. They speak of places they would go, things they would buy and deeds they would perform. It is impressive that Jesus knew exactly when His last day on earth would be, and He did not waste it. As His time on earth was nearing its end, Jesus spent His final moments doing all the good that He could. As with everything else when studying the life of Jesus, we learn how our lives are to be lived well (1 Peter 2:21). If we examine the way Jesus spent His last days on earth, it will provide the direction we need to live out all of our days.
Served Others
On one of Jesus’ last days on earth, He took the time to serve others. Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, even Judas who later betrayed Him, as He was nearing His final hours before the crucifixion (John 13:1-17). Jesus was setting an example for His disciples to learn how to serve each other. He wanted them to see Him demonstrate what that looked like one final time. Still, it is impressive that when He could have taken time to focus on Himself and demand that others serve Him, He did not. He did not come to be served but to serve, and He did this up until His last day on earth (Mark 10:44-45). Greatness in the eyes of God does not come from sitting high and looking down on others. Instead, God views greatness by how often and how gladly we serve our fellow man (1 Corinthians 10:24; Philippians 2:3-4). Jesus left the comforts and glories of Heaven to come to earth and to be mistreated and maligned for us (Philippians 2:5-8). As His life was soon to conclude, He took the time to serve others. We would be wise to use our days doing the same. In a world where everyone wonders, “What is in it for me?” we need to be those who can put others before ourselves just like Jesus did.
Talked about Heaven
On Jesus’ last days on earth, He spent His time speaking of eternity with God in Heaven. He taught that He is the only way to God (John 14:6). He told His disciples about the many mansions prepared for them in His Father’s house (John 14:1-4). When He prayed, Jesus reminisced about the glory He enjoyed in Heaven before the world existed (John 17:5). Jesus had His mind set on heavenly things, and He wanted to help His disciples to focus their minds on the heavenly things as well. Jesus spoke about Heaven and that He was heading there. This created anticipation for His disciples to follow in His steps. Christians are to seek the things that are above where Christ is seated at God’s right hand (Colossians 3:1-4). We are commanded to put earthly things to death so that we can focus on cultivating the fruit of the Spirit during our earthly pilgrimage (Colossians 3:5-12; Galatians 5:22-23). Paul described himself as pressing toward the goal of the high prize of the upward call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14). We should occupy our days thinking about heavenly things and frequently discussing them with others.
We should speak to other Christians about Heaven and how wonderful and soul-satisfying it will be there. We should speak to non-Christians about their need to obey the Gospel so that they do not miss out on the bliss that will be there (Romans 1:14-17). Jesus used His last moments before He was tried and crucified to talk about what mattered most. We should make the best use of our time and be sure to have heavenly conversations while we can (Ephesians 5:16).
Prayed for Others
Jesus would on occasion pray for Himself (Luke 22:39-44). Nevertheless, the great majority of His prayers recorded in Scripture show Him praying for others. As His earthly life was coming to a close, He prayed for His disciples. He prayed for the twelve (John 17:6-19). He also prayed for those who would believe on Him based on their inspired testimony (John 17:20-26). Jesus thought it was necessary to spend time talking to His Father on behalf of His friends, asking for them to have the strength to press on in the world though He would soon be leaving them behind. Good friends pray for each other, especially in tough times (Proverbs 17:17). The ironic thing is that Jesus was about to be the One facing hardship. The disciples should have been praying for Him, but it was the other way around. Jesus prayed for them.
As we live out our days, we will have personal requests to take before the throne of God, but we should remember others when we pray. We should pray for Christians everywhere and ask God to give His people the strength to persevere in a world that wants to discourage and defeat them (1 Thessalonians 5:25). We need to pray that more individuals will respond to the Gospel based on the words of the apostles rather than to be misdirected by the false doctrines of men. Likewise, we should pray that the church Jesus purchased with His blood would be united and peaceful as we embody the kingdom of God on earth (Ephesians 4:1-3). If Jesus thought it was important enough about which to pray during His last days on earth, we should pray for the church, too. Prayer is not just for the end of our lives; it is for all of the days in between, too (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18).
None of us know for sure when our last day will be. The good news is we do not have to wait until our last days to perform the good deeds that God has prepared for us (Ephesians 2:10). Neither should we wait until the last minute to rid our lives of evil things that corrupt and pollute us (1 John 1:9). Look at how Jesus lived His final moments, and then, realize it is no different from how He lived all of the time. He was consistent from start to finish (John 17:4). How we live is how we will die, and how we die is how we will rise (John 5:28-29)!
Works Cited
Duffin, Erin. “Life Expectancy in North America 2021.” Statista. 30 Sep 2022. 22 Jan 2023. <https://www.statista.com/statistics/274513/life-expectancy-in-north-america/>.
