Leaving A Legacy Series

Intro: Tom mentioned “Faith Day” at the Reds’ game this past Sunday, we actually had an opportunity to attend one of those a few years ago while we were up here for a weekend.

On that particular date Michael W. Smith was performing, a life long Reds fan with Nicole C. Mullen, the daughter of a Cincinnati police officer joining him on stage.

This was probably the one of about 5 times I’ve seen him in concert dating back to about 1994.

The first time was in Jackson, MS during a time when Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant were experiencing some cross-over success as a result of the Christian music labels being bought out by secular companies and them encouraging the artists to “lighten up” on the Gospel message.

They did and for some it worked…and when I saw Smitty the first time around he was touring with DC Talk for 2 reasons: 1) they could sell tickets, and 2) he knew that they were very evangelistic and could “preach” so that he could go about entertaining.

He did just that, entertained.

A couple of years later a record called “My Utmost for His Highest” was released based on Oswald Chamber’s classic devotional book and Michael W. Smith had a song on it…and what a difference a couple of years made.

And during that time I also heard him do an interview and I told Brigitte that God had done something in his life…I wasn’t sure what happened, but something had changed.

A year or so later is when he did that concert at the Reds game and Brig and I decided to go and questions were answered.

We got to old River Front Stadium around game time, wound up with some cheap nose bleed tickets but were allowed to move down after the game for a better seat for the concert.

What I thought a couple years earlier turned out to be true as Michael W. Smith shared with us how God showed him how successful he had been and how much more successful he could be, and he had the gold and platinum records to prove it…but he realized that wasn’t all he wanted to be remembered for.

He came to the conclusion that his legacy had to be more than song writing and record sales.

It had to be more than concerts performed and songs sung.

His legacy had to be something that would honor, glorify God and build His kingdom in order to really matter.

And sitting in that stadium, temp about 100 degrees at field level I realized that I too had to decide also what kind of legacy I want to leave; especially in light of the call God had placed on my life and with my family beginning to grow.

Have you ever thought about your legacy?

If we were to seriously consider the truth of Psalm 39:4-5, I do believe we would have to consider our legacy.

"LORD, make me to know my end

And what is the extent of my days;

Let me know how transient I am.

"Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths,

And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight;

Surely every man at his best is a mere breath.”

If you had 30 days to live…what kind of legacy would you leave?

What kind of legacy do you have as of now?

If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Acts 13:36-37 as we consider what it means to leave a legacy.

Read Acts 13:36, focus on part a, and pray.

We have in this verse a description of the legacy of King David after his life had ended.

He “served the purpose of God in his own generation.”

We have all heard of David being called a “man after God’s own heart”, but on top of that we know that he was a man of great purpose…and was about God’s business and purpose.

And that was the legacy that was remembered by the early church.

What about you today, do you know what your legacy will be?

When your days are over, what will be said about you.

We are all going to leave a legacy, it is up to you to decide what it will be.

It could be one of 4:

1. Good legacy; “Remember Bobby…yeah, those were some good times.”

2. Bad legacy; “Yeah, Bobby…let’s change the subject.”

3. Forgetful legacy; “Bobby who?”

4. A godly legacy; “Did I ever tell you about Bobby? I’m here

today because of his witness.”

What makes the difference in these 4 is what you do with your time here on earth.

Be it 30 days, 30 years or 30 minutes…you are the one building your legacy; you are writing your own story.

In the next generation when people remember you, what will they remember you for?