(5–8 minutes, easy set-up)
Learners will listen to a story about a professor’s last lecture.
(5–8 minutes, easy set-up)
Share the following story: Randy Pausch was a highly respected professor at Carnegie Mellon University. After he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, he underwent treatment to beat the disease. Those treatments, however, failed to eradicate the cancer. During his battle, Carnegie Mellon invited him to address colleagues and students in the September 2007 “Journeys” lecture series. Pausch said in his lecture, “Professors are asked to consider their demise and to ruminate on what matters most to them.” His address, given on Sept. 18, 2007, allowed him to share with his family, friends, colleagues, and students many of the life lessons that he had learned. His speech has been captured in a best-selling book, The Last Lecture, and can be viewed on the Internet. Regardless of whether you agree with his philosophy, his speech says something fundamental about human nature: People want to pass on something that they have learned to the next generation.
Conclude the activity by explaining that the events in today’s lesson took place just before Jesus began to tell His disciples that He must die and be raised again. Observe that Jesus wanted to assure His followers that the work He had begun would continue after His death.