Legacy - Living for Jesus
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We are so blessed to be living in America. It’s the land of opportunity. Opportunity to create, innovate, and think for yourself. There’s been many throughout history that have accomplished incredible things. From the medical advancements to achievements in sports. There’s a wide variety of things that one can pursue. And through these different things one can demonstrate intelligence, perseverance, strength, discipline, etc. All these accomplishments can inspire us. Inspire us to do something more with the time we have left on earth. We may even consider certain people that accomplished great things to be a role model. One that we want to be like. Pursuing goals in life is a good thing, but we have to remind ourselves of the bigger picture. We need to always keep things in perspective. If these earthly accomplishments become everything to us, therefore become an idol, we may eventually become successful in the eyes of the world, but we’ll be worse off spiritually.
Above all else, our #1 priority should be to live in a way that demonstrates Christ to another.
19 “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal.
20 Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal.
Michael Jordan is perhaps the best basketball player to ever play the game.
6× NBA champion (1991–1993, 1996–1998)
6× NBA Finals MVP (1991–1993, 1996–1998)
5× NBA Most Valuable Player (1988, 1991, 1992, 1996, 1998)
14× NBA All-Star (1985–1993, 1996–1998, 2002, 2003)
There was such a large list that I had to stop there, however I did count, there were 24 other basketball accomplishments he had. In the sports industry he is highly praised. There was even a documentary released recently on netflix about him and his career, and it had many millions of views.
Another name I want to mention is Henrietta Mears, she was a Christian educator, evangelist and author. She is one of the founders of “National Sunday School Association”. God used her to lead thousands of people to Christ, and also taught others how to teach the Word. Hundreds of men and women came out of her Sunday School program into full-time Christian service. One of those people was Billy Graham. When you think about the chain effect, the amount of people that were brought to Christ through her ministry, the number is ever-increasing. She died in 1963, but so many will continue to come to Christ from that one Sunday school teacher.
If every person on earth was given the opportunity to be an NBA all-star or be an influential Sunday school teacher, how many do you think would pick "Sunday school teacher”? Our flesh would love to have that worldly success. Nothing wrong about being a good basketball player, but the rewards that Jordan received, all those trophies, will eventually be destroyed or stolen. Whereas Henrietta stored up her treasures in heaven, which she is now enjoying.
How does someone live a life like hers? Never in the worldly spotlight, so much time, effort, and emotions towards things that the world looks at as worthless, and in fact discourages. To continue to stay focused and motivated for the cause of Christ can be challenging. We must continue to come back to the word for hope and motivation.
14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.
15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
As believers in Christ we are a part of the family of God. Abba is translated in some literature as "daddy" or “papa”. Some view it as a childlike intimate reference to the Father. Now there’s something very important about how Paul talks about us coming into the family of God. He uses the word adoption here. And it’s not just this translation, even in King James you see it.
15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
The reason it’s important to understand the use of the word “adoption” here is adoption was used generally in a different way back then in the Roman empire. Context is very key in scripture if we want to understand the full intent of the Word.
Adoption today is something very sympathetic and compassionate. It’s a wonderful thing. And there is a lot of love in it.
However back in those days under the Roman empire typically adoption was something done strategically. The adoption was done only by the male head of the household, known as paterfamilias. The adoption of a son was most common. Women usually weren’t adopted. And the reason is adoptions were most common when the father was looking for someone to carry on the family name and take on the responsibilities of the family. The adopted son would also receive the family inheritance. He was adopting the next paterfamilias.
This is why in other scriptures, you see Paul referring to us as “adopted sons”.
5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
5 to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.
Adoptions would usually take place if the father didn’t have any sons or sometimes the case was he just didn’t trust his own sons. It was also more common to happen as the father was getting into his older age, the adopted son would have to take care of him as part of his responsibility.
Since these were important responsibilities, the father would look for someone of many quality characteristics, wise, strong, good leader, etc. Because of this process, kids were not adopted. Not only would you not know what they would turn out like, but many kids would not survive to reach adulthood. And also like mentioned earlier, the father likely needed the son soon because of his age. So the age was usually 15-16 or sometimes full adults.
When someone was adopted they took on the new family name, and had no legal ties to the former family. They were now regarded as the same as a biological son. There was absolutely no difference to them.
It was generally the middle-class to the wealthy that would adopt, it was very expensive, plus most wanted to be adopted into a family of status. They knew there were responsibilities and they also wanted the inheritance. If you were of the common people there was no way of climbing the social ladder into royalty, so if your son had been chosen by someone of royalty to be adopted, it was more of an honor to give them away to have a chance of great success.
So being adopted by God was a big deal. The promise that the inheritance of the almighty God is ours is amazing.
So when does the adoption happen?
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
As soon as we accepted Christ into our lives we became a part of the family. There was no trial period. No checking to see if we were high enough quality. God’s love is for everyone. He wants us all to receive the gift.
I mean we might be thinking, c’mon, we’re pretty easy to love and accept as children. Makes sense for us. No.
10 As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one.
11 No one is truly wise; no one is seeking God.
12 All have turned away; all have become useless. No one does good, not a single one.”
20 Not a single person on earth is always good and never sins.
We are all born into sin. We are all born with a wicked heart. And the capabilities of our wickedness is terrifying. It’s easy to look at our own lives and say well I haven’t done anything too extreme. Just look back and examine some of the cruelest moments in history. Think about the Nazi death camps and The Holocaust. No I don’t expect that level of evil out of anyone here, but as humans we are born with the same sinful heart and that is the capability of the evil human heart. And it is even with that mass amount of potential evil that Christ says I want you as my child. His grace is so great that he would forgive us and be our advocate to make us righteous in the eyes of God. Christ is the only one who has the power to save. And he wants all to be saved, even those that reach the full capability of evil.
11 As surely as I live, says the Sovereign Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of wicked people. I only want them to turn from their wicked ways so they can live. Turn! Turn from your wickedness, O people of Israel! Why should you die?
As a part of the family of God we will receive the inheritance of everything that God possesses in His kingdom. We are co-heirs with Christ. Christ is the natural son of God and we are the adopted children. And we are also to share in the suffering. That was back in Romans 8:17.
17 And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Suffering isn’t fun, but the glory to be revealed to us will be so great.
18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later.
If we think things are tough now, just know it is nothing compared to what will be revealed to us. We just have to keep running the race. He chose us as his children. His plan is for us to be heirs and there is nothing that can stop God.
31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?
No one will overthrow God’s plan. Continue to walk in faith, share in the suffering, enjoy the plan that God is carrying out in your life, and one day we will be called into Glorification.
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world.
35 For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home.
36 I was naked, and you gave me clothing. I was sick, and you cared for me. I was in prison, and you visited me.’
37 “Then these righteous ones will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink?
38 Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and give you clothing?
39 When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
When we pass from this life what are people going to remember you for? What will they say? Sure you may have some accomplishments, they’ll probably be acknowledged. But will the things that stick out from your life be a picture of Christ? Will they think, “man, he was always there for me, giving me something to eat, drink, a place to stay”? The way you treat those hear on this earth will make your Father in heaven proud. Accepting Christ into your heart and working to further the Kingdom of Heaven while on this earth, is the only thing that has any real eternal value.
And we’ll eventually receive the ultimate reward. “Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom”