River Valley Church Podcast

Episode: Message | Final Words - Micah MacDonald
Date: December 28, 2025
Speaker: Micah MacDonald

Overview

In the final Sunday service of 2025, Micah MacDonald delivers a message titled "Final Words" at River Valley Church. Drawing from both personal experience and the words of Joshua in the Old Testament, Micah encourages listeners to consider the legacy they will leave behind—particularly the spiritual legacy rooted in serving the Lord. The episode centers on intentional family discipleship, the importance of Scripture, the call to rid homes of sin, and the enduring grace of Jesus. The tone is uplifting, honest, humorous, and deeply pastoral.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening: Honoring Leadership & Church Legacy

• Honor to Leaders:
  • Micah opens by honoring Pastors Rob and Becca Ketterling and all the staff and leaders at River Valley Church, recognizing 30 years of ministry and over $100 million given to Kingdom Builders.
  • Notable moment: Micah leads the congregation in a round of applause as both a humorous ice-breaker and a way to foster unity across campuses.
    • Quote:

      "You don’t accomplish a God-sized dream without leaders who believe God for God-sized things." (02:48)

2. Personal Story & Humor: Family, Heritage, and Being Present

• Family Introduction:
  • Micah shares about his Minnesota roots, marriage to his Wisconsin-born wife, and their children who have grown up on the road due to his preaching ministry.
  • Humorous anecdotes about dressing his baby wrong and his son's creative (destructive) faith after Children's Church.
    • Quote:

      "Does the baby have clothes on? Then the baby's just fine. Is the baby warm? Then the baby's fine. I’m a man—when I wake up, I put on my pants and then my shirt!" (07:10)

    • Quote:

      "[My son said] 'God told me to strike the rock, mom, and water would come.' My son destroyed my golf clubs because he was thirsty!" (34:32)

3. Main Text: Joshua 24 — The Power of Final Words

• Scripture Context (Joshua 24:15):
  • Micah reads the famous verse: “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
    • Timestamp: (13:50)
  • Emphasizes the gravity of final words—what will we leave our loved ones?
    • Quote:

      "One of the most sobering facts any human can witness is someone who was once living right there…passing away and leaving this earth." (21:04)

4. The Bagpipe Story: Legacy and Last Words

• Personal Loss:
  • Micah recounts a meaningful, seemingly mundane call to his father, where he played "Amazing Grace" over the phone, not knowing these would be his last words before his father’s sudden passing.
    • Quote:

      “Dad, I just want you to know this made me think of you. I just want you to know I love you and I’m thinking of you tonight.” (18:42)

5. Blueprint for a Spiritual Legacy (Joshua 24)

• A. Gather Around God’s Story

  • Joshua, before dying, gathers all Israel to remember not personal achievement, but God’s faithfulness.
    • Quote:

      "We will have empires we built ourselves...or we will be able to testify to the amazing God and what He’s done and how faithful He’s been through our entire life." (26:13)

  • Practical advice:
    • Daily reading of Psalms (to process emotions), Proverbs (for wisdom—“A proverb a day keeps the devil away.” (30:26)), and the Gospels (to be close to Jesus’ words).
    • Encouragement to regularly attend and prioritize church participation for all family members.

• B. Rid Homes of Sin

  • Joshua’s call to “throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped” is paralleled with ridding households of generational sin and compromise.
    • Quote:

      "Family lines of dysfunction...no longer need to be your sin too." (43:11)

  • Challenges listeners to examine what needs to be removed from their households—physically or digitally—to honor God’s call to holiness. Shares his family story of generational divorce and claims biblical hope for breakthrough.
    • Practical question: “What’s allowed on our screens and devices right now that God has clearly said, get rid of it?” (44:40)

• C. Choose to Serve the Lord—For All Generations

  • Joshua’s declaration is a lifelong, multigenerational commitment.
    • Quote:

      "In my youth I chose to serve God. As a young adult, I chose to serve God. In my present age at 110 years old, we will serve the Lord. And whatever comes my way in the future, we will be a family that chooses to serve the Lord." (49:24)

  • Family legacy: Micah shares of his grandfather, Grandpa Dave, who, despite being deeply hurt by the church, ensured his family never stopped worshiping together.
    • His grandpa’s final words: Personalized scripture notes for every child and grandchild.
    • Example for Micah:

      “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.” (Daniel 12; 54:32)

6. The Power of Grace: For Battered Parents, Broken People, & Everyone

• Final encouragement:
  • To parents or grandparents feeling like failures: “Don’t forget the final words of Jesus as He was hanging on a cross: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’” (58:04)
  • “It’s the amazing grace of Jesus that calls you, invites you, and propels you... What kind of love is this? It’s the amazing grace of Jesus.” (59:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Honoring Leaders:

  "You don’t accomplish a God-sized dream without leaders who believe God for God-sized things." (02:48)

• On Parenting:

  "If you saw nothing wrong with that photo [baby dressed wrong]—well, neither did I... If the baby has clothes, the baby’s just fine!" (07:10)

• On Legacy:

  "One of the most sobering facts any human can witness is someone...passing away and leaving this earth...Will our final words match a life that lived them to the full?" (21:04)

• On Grace:

  "It’s the amazing grace of Christ that saw you at your worst and still wanted you." (59:08)

• On Generational Choices:

  "Family lines of dysfunction...no longer need to be your sin too." (43:11)

Key Timestamps

| Segment | Timestamp | |-----------------------------------------------------|:---------:| | Honoring Pastors and Staff | 02:00–04:00 | | Minnesota/Wisconsin Humor and Family Introduction | 05:20–08:30 | | Main Text: Joshua 24:15 | 13:50 | | Bagpipe Story and Father's Passing | 18:42–21:04 | | The Importance of Final Words and Legacy | 23:45–26:13 | | Gathering Around God’s Story | 26:30–38:00 | | Daily Bible Reading Habits | 30:26–31:40 | | The Importance of Attending Church | 32:00–36:30 | | Rid Homes of Sin—Generational Patterns | 43:11–47:00 | | Choosing to Serve the Lord—Joshua’s Example | 49:24–51:20 | | Grandpa Dave’s Legacy and Final Blessings | 52:32–56:44 | | Grace for Parents—Christ’s Final Words | 58:04–59:30 | | The Amazing Grace of Jesus (Invitation) | 59:08–End |

Takeaways

• Our spiritual legacy is built through intentional habits: daily Scripture, church attendance, removing compromises, and confessing Jesus openly.
• No matter your family background or past failures, you are invited into the story of grace and new beginnings through Jesus Christ.
• The cumulative impact of seemingly small choices—like bringing kids to church or offering forgiveness—echoes eternally, affecting generations.
• Final words matter, but a life lived in alignment with God’s Word speaks louder still.