Living A Legacy

June 15th & 18th2023

Series: Father’s Day 2023

Sermon Title: Living a Legacy

Topic: Challenging men to leave a godly legacy by living a godly life

Key Passages:

Sermon Blurb: In this message, 4 pastors will challenge men to think about their lives and the impact it will have on future generations.

Ebenezer guys are listed first

Grace guys are listed second

KEITH / ADAM

Hey FAMILY CHURCH!

We are so glad you are here on this MOMENTOUS occasion…

It is FATHER’S DAY!

That ONE day every year when men get to do WHATEVER they want!

Eat ALL they want!!

Watch ENDLESS sports without being asked to help around the house!

And not feel the slightest guilt about it!

LOL!!!

PAUSE

But, seriously… to ALL the guys here today or watching online

All the

… men

… dad’s

… grandads / great-grandads

… future dad’s

… spiritual dad’s…

Happy Father’s Day.

PAUSE

Today, we are going to do something a little different and I hope also something fun.

If you were here on Mother’s Day, you may remember that the pastors wives’ preached that message… and did a phenomenal job!

And they did SO WELL that today..... we are going to try to follow that act and do something similar with the men!

PAUSE

At both campuses, we have not one....not two....not three BUT FOUR pastors preaching together!

And now I know what some of you are thinking.....

You are thinking our pastor is already long winded.....

So how long is this message going to be!

So let me promise you something right now....

Men.....I know you want to hit the golf course already..

I know you are already looking forward to some steak after service...

So let me promise you this....

Today’s message will NOT be longer than normal!

I promise you!

PAUSE

So......let me welcome a few amazing men of God.

I get the privilege of working alongside of these men, doing the work of ministry, watching them do amazing things, and let me tell you… these guys rock!

Up here with me, we have…

INTRODUCE PASTORS

…Let them greet the room and explain who they are / what they do at FC

KEEP IT BRIEF....Like 2 sentences....

1 sentence on who you are and you family...KEITH ADD family Photos of all here....they can reference.....

1 sentences on what you do....

PAUSE

STEVE / ERIK

Church, we are super-stoked about today.

I believe every person listening to this message will be encouraged and challenged… but also, you’re going to be inspired and motivated.

Moved by God, to really think about your life and the things that are defining you.

Our hope is that we could all just open our hearts and hear what God is going to say today.

PAUSE

JOHN / BOB

Yeah, I agree.

As the resident “old fart” on the team ;-), these young whippersnappers often remind me that my days are numbered…

And I often remind the that if they try really hard, and listen to their wives, as well as I do.....

That they might have a chance of being as awesome as me one day!

LAUGH

But seriously, these are some great guys and I love working with them.

PAUSE

And let me say that we also realize that on days like today it can be difficult for some of us because…

We are mourning the loss of a father or grandfather...

It is hard for some of us because we didn’t have a dad.

Or we didn’t have a good dad.

And if you are in one of those camps....

We want you to know that we have been praying for you, and we hope you can stay tuned in today and hear what our Good Father in Heaven wants to say or impart to you today.

PAUSE

GRANT / MATT

That is good....

And it so good to know that we all have a Father that is perfect!

God that Father who LOVES us so much!

God, Who is a GOOD and PERFECT Father that deeply and dearly loves all of us and wants a personal relationship with us.

So, my prayer is that if you have never experienced the perfect love of Father God, that today you will.

You will feel His love and receive His healing.

PAUSE

STEVE / ERIK

You know.....

Why don’t we open with prayer and ask God to speak to each of us today?

Everyone...ya great idea!

PRAY

PAUSE

KEITH / ADAM

AMEN! All-right guys, let’s jump in.

What we want to talk about today is talk about how we leave a legacy that lasts beyond our time on earth...

So, first we need to define what a legacy is.

What comes to mind when you think about leaving a legacy?

I would expect a lot of us think about leaving money to our kids and grandkids to help them in life is a part of the legacy we want to leave....

And there is certainly a place for that within the topic of legacy.

BUT… is that ALL a legacy is?

Or is a legacy books that are written about you?

Is it people that talk about you after you die?

What kind of legacy should we strive for????

Is our legacy really JUST an inheritance of earthly things?

Is it JUST stuff left behind by me after I die?

Is it JUST memories I left with people?

Is it JUST what people say about me when I am gone?

Or is it something more?

What is a legacy from God’s perspective?

What is a legacy from a Biblical perspective?

PAUSE

From a biblical perspective, a legacy considers far more than material things which are left behind for the future generation....

In fact, we really should think about legacies much more broadly than just stuff/things.

A part of a Biblical legacy is leaving a Godly “heritage.”

A Godly heritage considers the values we instill in the next generation as MORE important than things.

So, if you’re filling in your notes, write this down:

True legacy is about passing on Godly ideals to those who will live on after us.

Repeat

SO………. that BEGS the question, “what are Godly ideals?”

Ideals are principals...

Ways of life...

Values...

Morals....

And so forth....

The type of legacy God wants us to leave is a spiritual legacy…

A spiritual heritage.

Nothing matters more…

Nothing is of more eternal significance…

It is super important to pass down your faith in Jesus to future generations.

We must strive and be intentional about leaving a spiritual legacy to the coming generations.

PAUSE

JOHN / BOB

Absolutely!

You know, the older I get… yeah, another old joke LOL

… the ‘wiser’I get, the more I recognize how true that is.

Leaving a spiritual legacy is probably my #1 goal for my kids and grandkids.

And I would go even further and say that if you fail to leave a spiritual legacy, then you miss a MASSIVE portion of your calling in life.

If we fail at leaving a spiritual heritage to our children and granchildren, then we missed the mark of Jesus’ calling....

It really is the only thing that matters this side of heaven!

Earthly treasures, big houses, sizeable trust funds, or whatever… aren’t the most important thing.

The ONLY thing that really matters ETERNALLY is your faith when you were on earth.

PAUSE

STEVE / ERIK

For sure.

You know, we thought about calling this message, “LEAVING a legacy”.

But as we chewed on it a little more, we thought a better way to focus was to call this “LIVING a legacy”.

So, if you’re filling in your notes, write this down:

How you live now will determine what you leave later.

*repeat

PAUSE

Warning: What I’m about to say is going to blow your mind… so get ready!!!

There are 2 certainties for every human being… two absolutes.

Two Absolutes for Me: 1. I was born. 2. I will die.

LOL – how’s that for mind-blowing point?

Listen… we all know this is true.

You and I have a shelf-life.

We have a short window of time and opportunity while on earth.

We will NOT always be here on earth, but one day, we will be gone.

The Bible says that!

James 4:14 What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Psalm 144:3-4 Lord, what are human beings that you care for them, mere mortals that you think of them? They are like a breath; their days are like a fleeting shadow.

We all know that our days are numbered.

And yet, we often fail to think critically about the implications of this truth, UNTIL it’s too late.

PAUSE

And if you are ahead of me in years, you know how quick life goes by.

I remember when I was younger and my parent’s generation was telling me how quickly life goes by.

I remember getting married, and someone reminding me to cherish my wife because time is going to fly by.

And I remember when my kids were born, that gentle reminder again coming to encourage me to savor the moments because it’ll come and go so quickly.

And as I’ve lived a little more, how true those words have become to me.

Time on earth is short…. Life is fleeting.

So, we ALL really need to consider what I do with my time on earth.

And that’s the question we ALL need to consider, “what am I doing with my life?”

“What am I doing with my time on earth?”

GRANT / MATT

For sure, we need to start living into our legacy NOW.

So, let’s talk about how we can do that.

How can we live for Jesus in a way that impresses a Godly legacy when we’re gone?

PAUSE

One way we can leave a heritage is by obeying God.

You can jot that down in your notes:

Submission and obedience to God will shape the legacy I leave.

Repeat

Yes I know....

Two words everyone loves!

Submit to others...

Obey others....

Something that comes SO NATURAL to us right....

WRONG!!!!

But both things are critical to us LIVING and LEAVING a Godly legacy....

Psalm 112:1-2 reads: “How blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; The generation of the upright will be blessed.”

The deeper that connection is to God, the greater our impact will be when we’re gone.

If our hearts are not passionately, consistently, seeking the heart of God… then our living won’t reflect a godly legacy.

PAUSE

We’ve all heard it said, “talk is cheap”, right?

Or “actions speak louder than words”… you’ve heard that before?

Well, it’s true!

Words are cheap.

Now, please don’t mishear me, words are important… BUT actions are much more impactful than words!

Even the Bible aligns with this idea.

In 1 John 3:18, for example, God says,

1 John 3:18 “Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”

The Apostle Paul was even more stern about this topic regarding foolish people,

Titus 1:16 “They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him. They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing anything God.”

OUCH!

You see, when it comes to the legacy we leave behind, our words are NOT what matters the most.

It’s our actions, it’s our living.

Our consistent lifestyle and obedience to God… that is going to impact future generations and deeply impress upon our children.

So……… let’s commit to submit!

Let’s commit to submit.

Let’s make the choice to obey God’s best plan for our lives.

PAUSE

STEVE / ERIK

That makes me think about something else that is so critical for making all this happen.....

If we want to LIVE and LEAVE a Godly legacy we must commit to caring deeply for others.

So, write this down,

Consistent, compassionate, caring for others will shape the legacy I leave.

*repeat

Matthew 9:35-37 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

What we see in this passage, is Jesus moved with compassion for people.

But not only that, we also see Jesus LIVING and LEAVING a legacy to His disciples…

Jesus demonstrated compassion when He turned to His followers and said, “Ask God to make you compassionate for people as well”.

PAUSE

Compassion has a powerful influence on how we live – what we do with our time, talent, and treasures.

I’ve heard it said before that sympathy is caring about someone without personally knowing how it feels.

Empathyis caring about someone with personally knowing what they’re going through.

BUT Compassion....

Compassionis caring about someone with the same concern as Jesus Himself.

If we truly cared about spiritually lost people OR fellow Christians who are struggling or hurting…

If we really, deeply, with the heart of God cared for these, then we would leave a God-honoring mark on this world.

PAUSE

Have you ever wondered what people say about you when you’re not around?

Or have you ever thought about what people will remember you by when you are gone?

I remember doing an exercise in Bible School, where we were asked to write our own Eulogies and Funerals.

It was an interesting assignment, to say the least.

But it allowed me to think a little about the mark I’m leaving.

How do I WANT people to remember me?

Is it just about my accomplishments, accolades, achievements, or accumulated wealth?

Do I want to be rememberd by being a ‘nice guy’, or a ‘funny fellow’, or a good listener, or some other surface personality trait?

OR, is it much deeper than that?

PAUSE

Wouldn’t you rather be remembered by your faith in action?

Wouldn’t it be better if the primary thing people talk about when you are gone, is how much you loved Jesus and people?

PAUSE

So, if we want to leave a spiritual legacy, then we need to live with a spiritual focus.

We need to ask God to give us His heart for people.

Ask God for compassion.

And as we cultivate that compassion, it moves us to love others the way Jesus loves us… and that lifestyle will absolutely impress upon those we leave behind.

PAUSE

JOHN / BOB

For sure, and a shameless plug here… one GREAT way to cultivate compassion for others is by going on Missions Trips!

If you have never been on one, or it’s been a long time, I invite you to prayerfully consider getting on a future trip.

And in the meantime, we have a LOT of Serving Team opportunities right here at Family Church.

So, grab the Connection Card in front of you or go to our app/website and find the digital Connection Card, and just let us know that you want to Serve OR learn more about Missions.

PAUSE

Let’s think about one more way we can LIVE into our legacy.

Write this down:

Wisely stewarding my time, talent, and treasures will shape the legacy I leave.

*repeat

1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is near. Therefore, be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. 9 Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.

10 Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. 11 If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen

This could apply to every aspect of our life.

We are saved by grace, sealed by God’s Spirit, filled with His power, in order to conduct ourselves as such – as Spirit-filled, faithful followers of Jesus.

PAUSE

Peter continues in his 2nd letter,

2 Peter 3-11 3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5 For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6 and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7 and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10 Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11 and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Think about what we just read.

Our living is either effective OR ineffective.

If we properly steward our lives on earth, we will be effective.

And notice as well, in verses 8 & 11, our earthly living has impact BOTH on earth AND in heaven!

KEITH / ADAM

Indeed… And we really need wisdom in how we live.

King Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, gave us a secret to wisdom.

He said, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”

So, if we are going to live into our legacy… if we want to pass down a Christian heritage, then we need to fear the Lord.

We need to elevate God to His rightful place of authority and leadership in our lives.

Like Pastor Grant / Matt began with, we need to recognize who God is and learn how to submit to Him.

Submission isn’t a word most MEN like to hear.

And frankly, some women aren’t fond of that word either.

BUT… submission to God is an attitude of our heart.

And if we submit to God, if we live under His rule in our lives, then we will not only be effective witnesses for Jesus while we are alive… but we will also leave an impression for Jesus when we’re gone.

PAUSE

Let me give you the life application for today....

Life Application: Make a choice to LIVE the legacy you want to LEAVE. Consider practical ways you can LIVE to ensure you LEAVE a Godly legacy. Make a plan, write it down, and share it with lose you want to leave a legacy with. I WILL ___________________.

PRAY

GIVEAWAYS