What is The Legacy You are Leaving

[00:00:00] This audio sermon is provided by AnabaptistSermons.com and may be freely copied and distributed. You may not sell or edit this sermon. Our prayer is that you would be blessed by this ministry. Good evening. Just been blessed to be here already this evening. How would others describe you? A challenge that I'd like to give you this evening. I recently come across a story of a bush pilot in the north. [00:00:37] The people had always counted on him. He was very good. It didn't matter what the weather was. They could trust him to land his plane or to fly through the weather. In the people's eyes and the world's eyes, he was a legend. he left a legacy behind but there was this other pilot that worked for a company out of the Rocky Mountains he was known as a good and efficient and a careful pilot [00:01:07] but was not as well known he had more interest in missions and lost souls and one snowy evening as he come in the land He started his instrument approach and they never heard from him after that. And the next morning they found him, he was like 10 miles off course and he crashed the mountain. He had also left a legend that was not being aware of. [00:01:42] The difference between the two, the first one was a legend left a legacy in the world's eyes. But at home, he was separated from his wife and had no interest in his children. The second left a grieving wife and children. He was a husband and a father and a family man. Which legacy would you want to live? As I studied this, this was a reminder for me. Am I trying to be successful in the world's eyes or God's? [00:02:20] And what inspired me to this is, if you're not so long ago, many of you know Sister Sue Mass, their funeral. Her grandchildren got up in front of her and shared about the legacy that she had left behind in the passing on of the baton. That challenged me that day, and I left inspired, and I hope tonight that we can leave the same way, and I'd like to inspire you and challenge you. But when they got up and shared about their childhood memories, they talked about things like timely birthday cards, butchering chickens, [00:02:59] and how Sue always had taken time when they'd come in to go to the Essendon house to eat breakfast with them. The one granddaughter shared how she'd taken time to teach her how to make cinnamon rolls, which was a big hit from where she'd come. I think she lived in Arizona. All her friends had very much cherished her cinnamon rolls that her grandma had taught her to make. Playing games, and they mentioned how she had taken care of her husband in his last years. [00:03:34] And most of all, when he broke down he cried when he talked about the impact that they had left on them. As I thought over this and pondered this, what it all boils down to is the time that Sue and her husband had invested in these children. Now I know for myself, there's evenings my children want to go out and play pitch and catch. It's so easy to say, I don't have time, I'll do it tomorrow night or whatever. [00:04:09] It doesn't take much. If we only realize how much that means to our children, and what better time you can invest in them. For myself, I'm an outdoorsman. I love to hunt and fish. I do a lot of it. My children ask to go hunting with me, and I always seem to find this excuse, it's too cold or you can't hold still. Well, while I do break down, I take them occasionally. [00:04:42] It's really not whether we see something, but what I discover is it's time well invested in my children. It's just the idea of a child to be with their dad out in the woods and spend time with their father. So I want you all to think tonight about the legacy you're living, and I'd like to challenge you. And hopefully you'll leave tonight inspired and either continue to live your legacy or maybe upgrade your legacy or maybe start a new legacy wherever you're at in life. [00:05:20] If you would, turn with me to Joshua 1. I'd like to read verses 1 through 9. Hear the Lord speak to Joshua, and I think we can, these are also words that the Lord would speak to us also, and we can get a lot out of this. And I'd like to read verses 1 through 9. So Joshua chapter 1, verse 1. Now after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord came to pass, that the Lord spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, [00:06:00] Moses, my servant is dead, now therefore arise, go over this Jordan now, and all this people into the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon that have I given unto you as I said unto Moses from the wilderness and this Lebanon even into the great river, the river Euphrates all the land of the Hittites and unto the great sea towards the going down of the sun shall be your coast [00:06:31] there shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life as it was with Moses so I will be with thee I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Be strong, and of a good courage. For unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance of land which I swear unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong, and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law. [00:07:04] I want you to recognize that. Which Moses my servant commanded thee, turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of the mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein. For then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have a good success [00:07:35] have not I commanded thee be strong and of good courage be not afraid neither be thou dismayed for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest right here is I think the number one rule to leaving a good legacy To be prosperous and to have a good success is to do according to God's law. [00:08:08] That is number one. Now I'm going to mention some names here. And when I mention the name, you're going to think of something. Whether it be good or bad. I'm going to bring out a point here. Samuel. Samuel. I don't know, we may think of different things but the first thing that comes to my mind is the prophet of the Lord he also anointed the first two kings of Israel Saul, he was jealous of David and tried to kill him [00:08:40] the first thing that comes to my mind Noah, he built the ark he was obedient, he was the only follower of God left in his generation Peter denied Jesus three times and yet Jesus said upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived. Moses, he led the children of Israel out of Egypt. [00:09:16] Job, a man of faith. Judas he betrayed Jesus now if I would take this a step further and say your name tonight what would be the first thing that would come to the people's mind would you even be embarrassed if I mentioned your name what for legacy are you living another thing that stood out to me here as I was [00:09:47] Because going through these men, most of these men are men I expect to see in heaven. They're men of the Lord. But there's one thing that stuck out to me. Each one of these men has messed up in life. Samuel was unable to lead his sons into a close relationship with God [00:10:18] and Saul, he was jealous of David and tried to kill him but he also was the first God appointed king of Israel Noah, he got drunk and embarrassed himself in front of his sons Solomon had many wives that led him to idols Moses, because of his disobedience to God was not allowed into the promised land Job allowed his desire to understand why he was suffering to overwhelm him and make him question God [00:10:52] that was kind of encouraging for me because I think I can speak for each one of us here tonight we have all messed up in life but what's encouraging to me is in Revelations 21-7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. We can overcome, just as these men have. If you would turn with me to Romans 12, I'd like to read the full chapter here. [00:11:25] It's very loaded. I'm not going to spend a whole lot of time going through this. I'm going to try to read it kind of slowly and just let it sink in. There's a lot of guidelines here to help us live our legacy. So just read with me and just soak it up. Romans chapter 12, starting in verse 1. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, wholly acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. [00:12:02] Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. For I say through grace given unto me to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, But to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith [00:12:33] For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one member is one of another Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith or ministry, let us wait in our ministering or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation [00:13:05] he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that sheweth mercy with cheerfulness let love be without dissimulation abhor that which is evil cleave to that which is good be kindly affection one to another with brotherly love and honor preferring one another not slothful in business fervent in spirit serving the Lord rejoicing in hope patient in tribulation continuing instant in prayer distributing to the necessity of saints given to hospitality [00:13:46] Bless them which persecute you, bless and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another, mind not high things, but condescend of men to low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. [00:14:17] If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath, for it is written, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord. therefore if thine enemy hunger feed him and if he thirst give him drink for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head be not overcome of evil but overcome evil with good there was a lot in that chapter that I could share on [00:14:49] but I think I'll leave that and move on I'd like to share a story of a boy in a third room class setting sitting there doing his work and had a mishap. He had a puddle between his legs. Something that's never happened to him before. He just thought it couldn't be. He knew if he'd be discovered that the boys would never let him live it down [00:15:21] and the girls would never talk to him again. Out of desperation, he put his head down and said a prayer and asked the Lord. Lord, this is an emergency and I need help now. As he looked up, he seen the teacher coming down the aisle. He knew he'd been discovered. But before the teacher had gotten there, this girl had come walking by with a fishbowl and tripped and dumped it right in his lap. He jumped up and acted like he was upset. [00:15:54] He pounded his desk and just acted like it couldn't be. But inside he was thanking God. And the teacher grabbed him, rushed him down to get him new dry clothes. And all the other children jumped in there and they started wiping up the mess. The girl tried to get involved and help clean up the mess also. Well, the ridicule went from him to her. They told her, get away you klutz, you've done enough. [00:16:25] Well that evening, as they were out waiting on the bus to go home, the boy leaned over and asked the girl, did you do that on purpose? She says, I wet my pants once too. The lesson I'd like to leave with us with that is, so often when we find somebody down with dirty feet, Are we willing to dirty ourselves to help these people? [00:16:58] Can you imagine the legacy she left with that boy? He will never forget. He will always remember that. Another story I'd like to share, this goes back before the time of Jesus, Abraham's son Isaac This week was the point where Abraham wanted to find him a wife and he sent his most trusted servant, Eliezer, over to another land to find him a wife. [00:17:32] He took ten camels with him and servants to help him and they come to the land and they stopped outside the city walls by the well and this most trusted servant, Eliezer, was uncertain how he's going to do this, how he's going to bring back a wife that he knows that Isaac is going to love and cherish and accept. And as he was dwelling on this, the gates of the city opened up [00:18:02] and the maidens started to come out to draw water out of the well. This is a very familiar story with each one of us. but as these women come out I had to think what for day were these women having as they come out I can picture some of them with a long face some were happy and as they come up there here was this stranger with these ten camels sitting there by the well [00:18:32] and as Eliza was as we know had said a prayer to God Ask God to show him which one to reveal to him. As he watched these maidens draw water out of the well, I could just picture some of these maidens come walking up and just kind of ignoring him. Not realizing what for legacy they are missing. And as we know, Rebecca had come up to draw water and he asked for a drink. [00:19:07] and she offered him a drink and also had offered to water his camels. Now he had ten camels and I did some background checking on camels and they can drink up to 20 gallons of water. That's up to 200 gallons of water that she had to draw. So I'm guessing she thought about this a little bit before she had offered to water his camels. But the point of the story is, she was accepted by Isaac, and that's the lineage that Jesus had come out of. [00:19:44] The inheritance she had gotten, the legacy she had left behind, we can read about today yet. What if she had a bad day that day and come out and ignored Eliza sitting there? The legacy she would have missed. Enoch was another man. He walked with God. He walked very closely with God. Matter of fact, he walked so close with God that he walked right on up into heaven. [00:20:20] In Hebrews 11.5 it says, By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found because God had translated him. for before his translation he had this testimony that he pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him and in Jude it talks about how he prophesied [00:20:51] in the day of judgment he says behold the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints So here he walked so close with God that I think God showed him a lot of things that we probably can't even read about. And here he walked so close with God that he just walked right on up into heaven with him. Wouldn't that be a beautiful record for a man to leave behind? Now, as we go through our daily living, sometimes life can just be a struggle at times. [00:21:25] Sometimes a drag. Sometimes we find it difficult to read out of the Bible, but at the same time we can pick up any other magazine, as Brother David shared earlier, and we can read a hundred pages with no problem. For some of us, maybe church can become a drag. But if we do our favorite hobby, we can spend hours on end. [00:21:59] How difficult it can be to learn a fact about God, but to share it with others. But how easy it is to learn and understand and extend and repeat gossip. How we believe things in magazines and newspapers, but we question the words of the Bible. It's funny how everybody wants a place in heaven, but we don't want to do or say the things to get there. And I find myself, I confess I'm guilty. I second the words of Matthew where he says, [00:22:31] The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. I think I can say that for each one of us here tonight. We have these valleys that we go through. We can limit what God does in us by assuming what is and what is not possible. We can limit what God does in us by assuming what is and what is not possible. I want to give you an example. Let's look at the little boy. As they were out on the mountain, he offered five loaves and two fishes to feed 5,000 people. [00:23:05] What a joke that was. The disciples, they had more resources than this little boy. But they didn't feel they had enough. So they didn't give any. Here this little boy had five loaves and two fishes. He gave what he had and it made all the difference. If we don't offer God anything, He has nothing to work with. The faith of a child. Sometimes I wish I had the faith that I had when I was a child. [00:23:36] I'd like to share a story. It's a favorite story of mine, an experience I had when I was a child. I'll never forget. I was detasseling, and it come Friday, time to go home, and my group leader had asked me if any of us would want to work Saturdays, that they would pay us time and a half. and so hey shoot can't beat that so I offered up I'll come work Saturday so I went home that night we were out in the barn doing chores and I told my dad about planning on working the next day [00:24:12] and as I mentioned earlier I like to hunt fish and we didn't do a whole lot of fishing back then so when we got an opportunity to go it was a big and I have forgotten that we had planned to go fishing the next day. And I told my dad, well, when they come to pick me up tomorrow morning, I'll just tell them that it just don't work. He says, nope. He says, you told them you'd come work and you need to go. You need to stand to your word. [00:24:45] Man, as a little boy, this went hard. I prayed that night doing chores like I never prayed before. I got my dad convinced that if they didn't show up by the time he went fishing, if I could go along, he said, yeah, that wouldn't be a problem. But the problem was this was a couple hours later that they were supposed to pick me up. After they were supposed to pick me up, chances of that happening was pretty slim because they have yet to ever forget to pick me up. The next morning came and they never showed up. [00:25:16] Come time to go fishing, they still weren't there. So I got to go along and go fishing. And about noon, they come out to the house, and they felt horrible that they forgot to pick me up that morning. My mom went on to explain not to worry about it. It's no big deal. Tried to explain what happened. They said, no, they feel so bad that they're going to go ahead and pay me anyway. So I got paid time and a half to go fishing. [00:25:48] And yet on top of that, I will never forget that. Not only did he meet my need, he gave me more than that. Turn with me to 2 Timothy 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2. I like to read verses starting in, I think I'm going to cut in here at verse 7. Read from 7 through 19. We should have the zeal and determination to serve our God in heaven. We should not be interested in anything else but what pleases God. [00:26:25] So let's start in verse 7. Consider what I say, and the Lord give the understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ is the seed of David, and he raised from the dead according to my gospel. Wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sake, and they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. [00:27:00] If we suffer, we shall also reign with him, and if we deny him, he also will deny us. If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himself. Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to shoot thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. [00:27:36] But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase into more ungodliness, and their word will eat as a doth a canker, of whom Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that this resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. And let everyone that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. [00:28:08] And that's my desire, that we all have the zeal and determination to serve God. Nothing else matters. And if our focus with God is right, then when things ain't going our way, it doesn't matter. because he's just strengthening us. Look at Fanny Crosby. She was blind. She could have gave up, but she gave what little she had and God worked with that. And look at all the songs we have [00:28:39] that we still sing today. Look at the legacy she left just because she gave what she had. Look at Paul. He was in prison. He gave what little he had. Look at what we have to read today. What he gave while he was in prison. I had a thought that just slipped me. I forget what it was. I lost it. Alright, turn with me to Matthew 25. Here's a familiar scripture to all of us also about the talents. [00:29:12] I think I'm going to start in verse 14 in chapter 25 of Matthew. for the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling into a far country who called his own servants and delivered unto them his goods and unto one he gave five talents and to another two and to another one to every man according to his several ability and straightway took his journey then he that hath received the five talents went and traded with the same [00:29:43] and made them other five talents and likewise he that had received two he also gained another two but he that had received one went and digged in the earth and hid his lord's money after a long time the lord of those servants cometh and reckoned with them and so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents saying lord thou deliverest unto me five talents behold I have gained beside them five talents more his lord said unto him well done thou good and faithful servant [00:30:14] For thou hast been faithful over a few things, and I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliverest unto me two talents. Behold, I have gained two other talents beside them. His Lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant. Thou hast been faithful over a few things. I will make thee ruler over many things. Enter thou into the joy of the Lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, [00:30:47] Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed. And I was afraid, and went and hid my talent in the earth. Lo, there thou hast that is mine. His Lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed. The odd is therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. [00:31:20] Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. and cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This is so true to us as I share tonight. [00:31:53] Each one of us here have talents, they're different talents. But just because somebody else is better at something than we are, doesn't mean we don't give what we have. If we don't use our talents that we have as this one that had one talent, it says in verse 30 that we shall be thrown into outer darkness where there's weeping and gnashing of teeth. That is where we will end up at. [00:32:27] So I challenge each one of us tonight, use the talents that we have. They might not be much, but give what you got, and God will use what you allow him to work with. In closing, I'd like to read some verses that I came across that are very fitting. In Romans 12, I had read that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God. Why? We do this out of gratitude that our sins are forgiven. [00:32:59] Philippians 4.8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things. Proverbs 11.27 He that diligently seeketh good procureth favor, but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him. [00:33:34] Joshua 24.15 But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I would like to just say, for Rosewood, this house, each one of us here, will serve the Lord. And with closing, three things you can't recover. The first is the word after it's said, the occasion after it's missed, and the time after it's gone. [00:34:09] Let's bow before the Lord in prayer. We just thank you Lord for this.