"a Father's Legacy"

DEFINING MOMENTS

“A Father’s Legacy”

2nd Timothy 2:1-7

When I was growing up there were several television programs I enjoyed watching. My favorite was the Andy Griffith show. I had the opportunity a few years ago to actually meet Ron Howard who played the role of Opie. Ron Howard is now a very successful filmmaker in Hollywood. Our youngest son, Ross was working at a large Hotel in Tampa at that time while he was in college and Ron Howard checked in. So he set up a time with him for me to drive over and meet him in person. I got 10-15 minutes to talk with him before breakfast that morning and among several questions I had for him, I asked him, “what was it like working on that show during those years” and he smiled and said two things….. (1) It was odd because he was so young and at that time the show came on around 8 or 9 o’clock, which was past his bedtime so his parents would never allow him to stay up late enough to watch it. (2) He also said that the whole experience was amazing because Andy Griffith became like a Dad to him and Andy had such high values that they rubbed off on him and it made him a better person. Much of the programming in those days had a positive influence on families I believe. Now we live in a day when Dads are pictured on television as being uninvolved, aloof; men who don’t provide for their families and frankly just not very smart ….. The programs may make us laugh but when it seeps over into real life it’s just not funny anymore. When we emulate/copy/model these kinds of actions we lose our ability to leave a good example for our children and grandchildren. It is called leaving a legacy. All of us will leave one. Some for good. Some not so good. But at some point in life all of us must consider what kind of legacy we plan to leave behind when we are gone. Dads have to decide. Moms have to decide. All of us actually. So I’m asking you, what will your legacy be? For your children, grandchildren, friends. Because we don’t want to waste this one shot we get.

Paul was nearing the end of his life when he wrote this letter. Later in this same letter he says, “The time has come for my departure. We have finished the race, I have kept the faith. He then says, now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous judge will award to me on that day… and not only to me but also so all who have longed for his appearing.”

So let’s look at what Paul tells us…4 keys we must consider if we plan to leave a godly legacy.

1st key. Consider the place of GRACE in your legacy. V. 1. Be strong in grace. Salvation is free. We receive this gift of God called salvation. It’s free. We do not work to be saved. We work because we are saved. Big difference. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn God’s favor.

Let me ask you a personal question. How did your Dad/Father impact your life? You can tell a lot about someone by the kind of Father they have/had.

Fathers have a huge impact. Was it positive? Were you proud of him? Was he there when you needed him? Or was he absent from the family? I suspect that here today we could find examples of both. Dads have an enormous amount of pressure placed on them today. The role has changed through the years. It used to be that Dads were the bread winner of the family, came home, ate and went to bed. They were tired. They worked hard and that was enough. Today a dad is expected to be at every ballgame, every event their child is involved in….all I am saying is that much more is expected of today’s Dads than 20-30 years ago.

(2) Consider the powerful place of WORDS and how they will influence your legacy. Paul says this, “The things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust those things to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” V. 2. This is how leaving a legacy works. Paul teaches Timothy, Timothy then teaches others who are (1) reliable (2) dependable and (3) qualified to pass these things along to others.

Jesus was very careful about who He chose to be His followers. That doesn’t mean they were perfect. One of them completely walked away from Jesus. The one He picked to be the leader denied him 3 times. But 11 stuck with Him and learned from Him and if not for their legacy we would not be here today. Can you imagine having a legacy like that? Ask yourself, who will be walking with the Lord, 20 years after I’m gone? Men, our job is to teach our children and grandchildren so that they, in turn will do the same. The legacy Paul left is still intact 2000 years later.