When Last Words Are the Most Important

In delivering a speech perhaps the first step you must take to be successful is to get the attention of your audience. Its members could be busily chatting with one another about anything, the weather perhaps. Your voice may not be loud enough. You may not look like you're worth a listening, which means, of course, that "you're a bad sight to good eyes."

So, what do you do? Shout? Smile through your teeth? Pound the gavel until there is silence?

First words must be simple, but attention-getting, like: "In the beginning..." or "Four score and seven years Ago." Audience members feel compelled to ask, where's the speaker going with that?

As important as they are, however, opening words are not usually the most important words in a speech. More often, the most important are the closing words.

For Christians, this point can be easily supported by citing from the last words of Jesus, like "Friends, love one another as I have loved you."

Also, Christians are well aware of the fact that the closing words of most every preacher's sermon must be some kind of invitation to accept Jesus and claim entrance to eternal life."

\

One of the greatest public speakers ever was in error when he said his words would not be long remembered.

May our readers be the judge:

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us--that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to the cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion--that we here highly resolve that they should not have died in vain--that this nation under God shall have a new birth of freedom--that the government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

The Grace of the Lord be with you all. Amen (Revelation 22:21)