Janice's Sunday Memorial

Legacy

Proverbs 13:22 CSB

A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.

Building a legacy means you make an impact on future generations by leaving them wisdom that makes a difference long after you are gone. We must allow the Holy Spirit to control our very actions to leave a legacy for future generations.

Janice knew this. Yesterday gave us a glimpse of the legacy she left behind.

Let me explain.

One, the shear volume of people that were here to pay their respects to the family and the say one last see ya later to Janice. The text messages from people that couldn’t make but wanted to let us know they were praying , crying and grieving along with us. It showed just a small example of the legacy she left in the amount of people she touched throughout her lifetime.

Two, the way this church rallied around the family and friends and served them. Setting aside ya’ll feelings to give time for others. Janice would have been so proud of her NEC. Janice had servants heart. She left a legacy of servitude. Yesterday proved that in the actions of those here. Ya’ll would have made her very proud.

Three, the demonstration of showing and knowing the love of Jesus Christ. Janice loved you and you knew it. She took those two commandments to heart

Matthew 22:37–41 CSB

He said to him, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important command. The second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” While the Pharisees were together, Jesus questioned them,

I was talking yesterday with someone and she said…this whole love your enemy is a bunch of crap. I know I have too, but I don’t like it.

Janice’s legacy showed us that doing the hard stuff is not easy but is so worth it. There were people here yesterday that hurt Janice deeply, but because she still loved them, they felt they needed to be here for her.

These three things are just the smallest examples of the legacy Janice has left for us. The void that is left here at NEC, but do we let that legacy die along with her. Absolutely not. If we do, we are going against the very Word of God and against the memory of Janice.

So what do we do church? We continue that legacy and make it grow even more.

1 Timothy 5:8 CSB

But if anyone does not provide for his own family, especially for his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

Now most prosperity preachers use this verse for a wealth and to some extent they are right, but it is not a wealth with material things. The bible is very clear what it says about legacy, it is living a life of faith that you gathered and shared what you have with those under your roof and all those around you.

Psalm 112:1–3 CSB

Hallelujah! Happy is the person who fears the Lord, taking great delight in his commands. His descendants will be powerful in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever.

These words here need to be a rallying cry for us as a church to honor Janice’s legacy. She didn’t leave a hole or a void or anything like that. Her legacy left us a foundation, the foundation of living a life worthy of our Lord and Savor Jesus Christ. It is something we must continue to build upon. To be a church built upon the love of Christ, to reach everyone with that love , to teach everyone about Jesus Christ and to serve like tomorrow we will see Christ in glory.