Leading and Legacy

Introduction

This past week I have been thinking about the events that transpired five years ago. Over the past four years I often think about the way God worked in and through the events that transpired on Friday, February 23, 2018. That day as Pastor Ron Radtke, a man I had only brief communication with, closed his eyes one last time and his soul was taken to glory, I was finishing up the work week at Davis College. God had a plan, God was leading. As Chris wondered what was next she sent an email to me and asked me to call her on Saturday morning. A call I made and the news I heard. Ron had asked my boss to do his funeral, but my boss was out of the country at the time and I volunteered to do the funeral and to share the Gospel message that following Wednesday, February 28, 2018. Little did I know how God was leading me to come to this church to pastor and shepherd His sheep at Victory Bible Church. This morning I want to speak on the subject of God’s Leading and our Legacy. Do we follow God’s leading in our lives and does the legacy that we are leaving now point people to Jesus Christ?

Leading

When I think of a life that was lead by Jesus Christ and who’s life was completely changed I think of our friend and brother, the Apostle Paul. I have done many sermons about Paul, his letters (like Romans), but his life is an example of how God changes lives. God is in the business of changing lives both now and for eternity. He was the most unlikely person to whom would become a follower of THE WAY. He was least likely to be come of a disciple of Jesus from Nazareth and believe that He was the Messiah. In fact the first time we are introduced to Paul / Saul (same name one Jewish and one Greek) is when we have the martyrdom of Stephen.

Acts 7:54–60 NKJV

When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!” Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.” And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Then Luke would would write that after that:

Acts 8:1–5 NKJV

Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria and preached Christ to them.

He would write later in life about his early life. That he had everything that the Jewish world would say was great.

Philippians 3:5–6 NKJV

circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

He had this background this is who he was. If you were to ask any of the Apostles in Jerusalem who they thought the next person to come to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, I ton’t think Saul would have been on their list. Yet, God had other plans.

Think back in your life. Maybe it was only a short time ago or maybe decades. Where did you come from before you came to Jesus Christ? Maybe you grew up in a family that loved the LORD and from an early age you knew you needed Jesus Christ. For others it was a long road before you came to Jesus Christ. Maybe someone listening still has not come to Him.

The Event

Saul/Paul was the most unlikely to come to Jesus Christ, but then he met Jesus!

Acts 9:1–19 NKJV

Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” So he, trembling and astonished, said, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Then the Lord said to him, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.” So the Lord said to him, “Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight.” Then Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.” And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus.

Now, I know my salvation event was certainly no shining light from Heaven with Jesus Christ talking to me. It was a night in my bedroom at the age of six when I knew that I was a sinner and the faith of my mom and grandparents was not going to get me into Heaven. A few years later on February 26, 1995 (28 years ago today) I was baptized and made a public proclamation of my faith in Jesus Christ. Have you made that proclamation of your faith in Jesus Christ? Paul was lead to go a different way and spread the Gospel message.

Acts 9:20–22 NKJV

Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. Then all who heard were amazed, and said, “Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests?” But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.

Now, it does not mean you are going to become a pastor or evangelist, but each believer in Jesus Christ is called to be a witness for Him.

Acts 1:7–8 NKJV

And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Matthew 28:19–20 NKJV

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

Acts 26 reference him sharing to King

Legacy

Paul knew that he had to pass the torch and the mantle to another and so he trained Timothy to continue the work along with Titus and I am sure many others that he mentions in his letters.

2 Timothy 4:1–5 NKJV

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Conclusion

Pastor Ron had a legacy of preaching, teaching, and sharing the Word of God. Sowing the chicken feed as I have heard it said. I hope my legacy is one of the same. That I have faithfully taught and lived and shared the Word of God That is my prayer for each believer. When your life comes to a call, what will people remember about you? What will stand out in their mind? Will your legacy be about a life that is lead by Jesus Christ or something else?

One morning in 1888, Alfred Nobel, inventor of dynamite, the man who had spent his life amassing a fortune from the manufacture and sale of weapons, awoke to read his own obituary. The obituary was printed as a result of a simple journalistic error. Alfred’s brother had died, and a French reporter carelessly reported the death of the wrong brother. Any man would be disturbed under the circumstances, but to Alfred the shock was overwhelming because he saw himself as the world saw him – “the dynamite King (the weapon maker),” the great industrialist who had made an immense fortune from explosives. It went on to say: “Dr. Alfred Nobel, who became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before, died yesterday.” This – as far as the general public was concerned – was the entire purpose of his life (so said the obituary). None of his true intentions – to break down the barriers that separated men and ideas – were recognized or given serious consideration. He was quite simply in the eyes of the public a merchant of death, and for that alone he would be remembered… As he read his obituary with shocking horror, he resolved to make clear to the world the true meaning and purpose of his life. This could be done through the disposition of his fortune. His last will and testament would be the expression of his life’s ideas. And the result was the most valued of prizes given to this day to those who have done most for the cause of world peace – the Nobel Peace Prize.

Today, Nobel is not remembered as the merchant of death, but as the creator of the Nobel Prizes, and, consequently, as a great humanitarian. Having read his obituary while he was still alive gave him the opportunity to change his legacy.

You are still here. Will your legacy be a legacy about Jesus Christ or something else? Be lead by Him and let your legacy be about Him!