The Last Sermon
Tomorrow will be the marking of the last sermon as the full time minister at the Waynesboro congregation. The last sermon is an interesting time. Some preachers have used it to rebuke the congregation or the elders. The last sermon has been used to call out certain members of the congregation. This is not my intentions for the last sermon. Some last sermons are a Pollyanna attempt to make everyone feel good about the preacher leaving. Also, some last sermons say nothing meaningful besides a typical sermon on any typical Sunday. My last sermon is coming from Ecclesiastes3:1-8. The text is well known as the “time for everything” context. The sermon will call people out, but in some of the meaningful memories within the congregation. Waynesboro was the first work as a full time pulpit minister. The sermon charts the journey of the congregation. It is the marking of the growing experience. It is an emotional journey through living in the congregation as the preacher. How have other people handled the last sermon experience?
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Any suggests, love to hear about some of your experiences.
I am sure this will be an emotional day for you, your family, and the congregation. It is also a healthy time. A time to reflect, to thank those who have helped, to offer a blessing for them as everyone moves forward. God bless you in that.
In the matter you wrote about on my blog, I’ll ask a few people at school and get back to you ASAP. Thank you for the invite. I would like to know more about it. God bless.
In Ithaca, my last two sermons were designed to encourage the congregation and see the future not a full of unsolvable problems but instead with possibilities for God to work in new and exciting ways. Since I do not belong to the Wanseboro CoC, I have no idea about what they need to hear in a last sermon. Only you can truly know that. However, I cannot imagine any circumstance when using the pulpit and last sermon to rebuke and call out certain people is a good thing. That is a passive-aggresive approach that seems more interested in injury rather than redemption.
Grace and peace,
Rex
Thank you Rex, also Zack let me know if this is a possibility. I am not sure what the congregation has in mind, but I have you in mind in working with me. Rex, good points about using it to hurt people.
I love the scene in Acts 20–elders, preacher on their knees praying and crying together as they say good-bye. In my mind, I hear the song, “God Be With You Til We Meet Again.” May God be praised in your farewell tommorw.
Thank you Eddy.
Always preach a “last” sermon that allows the congregation to invite you back for special days: Homecomings, Friends & Family, Gospel (revival) meetings, VBS, etc. Maybe one day to invite you back as their minister.
God bless this morning and the rest of your service to the Master.
This is a good question, Matthew. I won’t be preaching my last sermon here until the end of December, but I’m already trying to think of something meaningful. I like the comments on here already, but I hope some more chime in with their ideas.
It was a great day at the congregation. A lot of tears, hugs, and love. It was what it should be. I could not have wanted, hoped for, or received more love from the congregation. Waynesboro will be missed so much.
Sonny has a wonderful point. That cannot happen when preacher burn their bridges behind them.
Grace and peace,
Rex
I always told my children as they were growing up, “Don’t slam the door, you might want to come back through it.” I think that’s good advice in a last sermon. I well remember my closing sermon at my first full time work. I have gone back there for a number of meetings and last year went back to help them celebrate their 100th anniversary. Leaving a place is nearly always a bittersweet experience. Just dwell on and cherish the wondeful memories you have of a place. I left one place (about 10 years ago) and was not permitted to preach a farewell sermon. I was told it would be too emotional. The truth be told I think some in the leadership were feeling guilty over the way they had treated me and were afraid I would retaliate from the pulpit. But I would never do that and would not advise anyone else to do so. Those folks will have to answer for what they did and it is in the Lord’s hands. Matthew, I wish you well and thank you again for often visiting my folks in the nursing home.
Leon, I saw your mother on Friday. I went by to say good-bye. The too emotional was a bad excuse to deny you of the honor and role. It was very emotional on Waynesboro, but it was healing and helpful for me and the congregation. That was a excuse. I am sorry that elders did that to you. It was not right. If the congregation is worried about the preacher saying something in a negative sense in the last sermon, maybe this is a sign that the congregation did not treat him well. A well feed and loved preacher would never want to hurt a loving and caring congregation. If he does, everyone knows it was time for him to go anyway.