Leaving Ripples in Your Wake

Leaving Ripples

Karmen and I love to Kayak.

Large boats and small boats

You may be wondering what that has to do with what we are here for today. It is because we all leave ripples in our wake.

Some of us leave large ones

Some leave small ones

Some leave good ones

Some leave bad ones.

We all leave ripples

2 Kings 13:20–21 ESV

20 So Elisha died, and they buried him. Now bands of Moabites used to invade the land in the spring of the year. 21 And as a man was being buried, behold, a marauding band was seen and the man was thrown into the grave of Elisha, and as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived and stood on his feet.

Elisha had asked Elijah in chapter 2 for a double portion of his spirit. Elijah had left a ministry wake that impacted Elisha and his ministry.

In chapter 8 we see how even the word of Elisha carried weight enough to make a pagan king seek his counsel.

Here we see that even after death, Elisha ministry was not over.

There was one miracle left and the man’s life was restored.

So, what is my point? And how does it apply to David Dockery?

If we leave enough ripples they are felt long after our passing.

That man felt Elisha’s ripples

Elisha felt Elijah’s ripples

I feel David Dockery’s ripples.

I see them when I look around this room

That is a tremendous testimony to his faithfulness to our Lord.

And of your faithfulness to him.

But, there is a second point for us in these passages.

When one prophet passed in 2 Kings, God still had work to be done through another.

There is still ministry to be done in Princeton WV

We cannot allow the legacy of faithful ministry to pass away.

David Dockery would want this church to move forward in ministry.

He would want us to create new ripples.

Ripples for the next generation and Impact for the Kingdom.

I did not know David well personally, but I can see his impact everywhere I look in this church.

Will your impact be so visible?

Will mine?

Those are the questions we need to asking today.

I am grateful for what the Lord has done through David Dockery

And I am excited to see what He will do through those of us left to follow.

To the Dockery family, I say

He finished well

And it is my prayer that First Baptist Church and myself, will do the same.