A Legacy of Faith

Our Choices Today Shape the Spiritual Legacy We Leave for Tomorrow

Happy Father’s day to all the dads and granddads in the room—and to the men who’ve stepped in and been spiritual fathers for others. Your role matters. More than our world sometimes wants to admit, the influence of a godly man, a steady example, and a prayerful leader—those things leave a lasting impact.

Today, I want to talk about legacy. Not money or possessions or career milestones. I’m talking about something deeper—a legacy of faith. The kind that doesn’t rust or fade. The kind that changes generations.

Our Scripture this morning comes from Joshua 24:15. But before we read it, let me paint the picture. Joshua is now an old man—somewhere around 110 years old. He's gathered all the tribes of Israel at Shechem for what he knows will be his final address as their leader.

Behind him are decades of wilderness wandering, miraculous victories, and the conquest of the Promised Land. Ahead of him lies eternity. And what's on his heart in this moment? Not his military achievements or his legacy as a commander. Joshua is thinking about who his people will serve when he's gone.

This is one of those verses you've probably seen on a plaque in someone's home. But this morning I want us to hear it as more than a decoration—I want us to hear it as a declaration.

Joshua 24:15 NKJV

15 And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

A personal pledge—As for me

Here’s a man nearing the end of his life, and what’s on his mind? Not his battles, not his victories. Joshua is thinking about who he serves—and wh he wants His people to serve.

He says “As for me and my house..” He doesn’t wait to see what the crowd does. He doesn’t take a poll. He leads by example.

Men, this is what spiritual leadership looks like. You don’t have to be perfect. But you do have to be intentional. Joshua was drawing a line in the sand—not just for himself, but for his household. And that decision didn’t start in chapter 24. It was built on years of wlaking with the Lord through wilderness and warfare, obedience and setbacks.

We cannot pass down what we do not live out.

Let me tell you about a man I knew who worked 70-hour weeks, building what he called "a better life for his family." He provided everything—nice house, good schools, family vacations. But his kids grew up barely knowing him. On Sundays, he'd drop them off at church and pick them up afterward, never stepping inside himself. Today, none of his three children follow Christ. He gave them everything except the one thing that mattered most—an example of a man who served the Lord.

So I ask: what kind of example are you setting in your home? In your marriage? In your habits? What message are you preaching with your everyday life?

The people closest to you don't need you to be a hero. They need you to be faithful.

2. A Call to decide—Choose this day

Joshua doesn’t just give his own declaration—He challenges the people. “Choose this day whom you will serve.”

You know what this tells me? Faith is a choice. And it’s not a one-time thing. It’s not just about what you did when you were 12 at summer camp. It’s about who you are serving todya.

Joshua knows the people are tempted to drift. He knows their eyes are easily drawn to idols—things that promise peace but can't deliver. And we've got our own modern versions, don't we? Career success that becomes our identity. Social approval that controls our decisions. Comfort that makes us soft. Entertainment that numbs our souls. Self-reliance that pushes God to the margins.

Joshua cuts through all of it and says: Pick. Choose. Decide.

There’s no such thing as passive faith. If we’re not actively choosing to follow the Lord, we will drift toward something else.

So let me ask you: What's competing for your devotion right now? What's shaping your priorities? What gets your best time, your deepest thoughts, your strongest emotions? Because whatever that is—that's what you're really serving.

3. A legacy to leave- “Me and my house”

Notice Joshua doesn’t just say, “As for me.” He says “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

That word house isn’t just his kids under his roof. It represents the entire household—children, granchildren, even servants and relatives under his influence. Joshua understood that his personal commitment would shape his family’s direction.

Parents, grandparents—those of you with influence over others, whether in your home or in this church—your decision to serve the Lord impacts more than just you.

Faith is contagious—but so is apathy.

What we model gets magnified. Your kids may not remember every sermon, but they’ll remember what you prioritized. They’ll remember if they saw you pray. If you read the Word. If you confessed when you messed up. If you forgave. If you worshiped.

We can’t control every outcome. But we can control the example we set. The way we talk. The way we love. The way we serve.

And listen—if you didn't grow up with a godly example, or you feel like you've wasted time, take heart. Look at King David—an adulterer and a murderer who became a man after God's own heart. Look at Peter—who denied Christ three times but became the rock on which the early church was built. By God's grace, legacies can be rewritten. Your past doesn't have to define your future.

Pointing to Christ: The Better Joshua

Now, let’s not miss this—Joshua’s name in Hebrew is Yehoshua, which means “the Lord is salvation.” It’s the same name that would later be given to our Savior-Jesus.

Where Joshua led God’s people into the Promised Land, Jesus leads us into eternal life. Wehre Joshua called the people to serve the Lord, Jesus calls us to follow Him, to take up our cross, and walk in obedience.

But here’s the difference, Joshua could give the challnge—Only Jesus provides the power. He didn’t just give us a legacy to follow—He gave His life to make us new.

That’s the gospel. Jesus came, lived the perfect life we couldn’t live, died the death we deserved, and roose again to give us hope, forgiveness, and a future.

And now, we have the opportunity to walk in His legacy—and leave one of our own.

Conclusion: Choose Today. Build Tomorrow.

So church—what will your legacy be? What are you choosing today that the next generation will inherit tomorrow?

Let the words of Joshua echo in your heart:

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Not just in theory. Not just on Sundays. But in the quiet moments, in the hard decisions, in the way we live.

Here's my challenge for you this week: Pick one specific way you can model faith in your home. Maybe it's praying with your spouse before bed. Maybe it's reading a Bible story to your kids. Maybe it's turning off the TV and having a real conversation about what God is doing in your lives. Maybe it's simply saying grace before dinner and meaning it.

Start somewhere. Start today. Because the legacy you leave begins with the choice you make right now.

[Closing Prayer Before Invitation]

Let’s pray.

Lord, we come before You today humbled by the example of Joshua, and more so by the grace You’ve shown us through Jesus. We thank You for the men and women in our lives who have modeled faith. We thank You for second chances—for the ability to start a new legacy through Your mercy.

Help us to be people who choose You—today and every day. Help us to lead well, to serve faithfully, and to live lives that point others to You. For the fathers here today, give them strength to lead with love, to walk in integrity, and to build their homes on the foundation of Your Word.

Lord, if there’s someone here who’s never made the decision to follow You, I pray today would be the day. Stir hearts. Awaken faith. And remind us all: the legacy that matters most is the one that leads others to You.

In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.