Faith and Family
Leaving a Legacy
If you go to legacy.com, you’ll find obituaries from all across the country.
This past week the national spotlight was on the obituary for a man by the name of Tim Conway who lived from 1933-2019. No doubt, there are many people who have no idea who Tim Conway was. But I remember him.
I remember watching the Carol Burnet Show with our family and I remember laughing. I recently pulled up one of the clips of Tim Conway doing a sketch as he played a dentist on the first day of the job and I could not stop laughing.
If you want to see how people are remembered, if you want to understand their legacy, read their obituary.
Living on Purpose
I think the question for us as parents, as grandparents, especially as we consider leaving a legacy of faith, is simply this: Are you teaching your kids to live as citizens of Heaven? To live on mission with a purpose?
Here’s what we know is true, you can’t do that on accident. No one drifts into leaving a legacy of faith. It happens with intentionality and purpose.
Here’s what some of the latest research coming from Lifeway reveals…
According to their recent study entitled “Nothing Less,” 96% of parents, agreed that they consistently try to be better parents. But only 29% of Christian parents say that FAITH is the most important influence on their parenting.
Parents, are we keeping our relationship with God and our relationships with our kids separate?
84% American’s say that “Enjoying yourself is the highest goal in life.” 66% of Christians agree.
83% of parents agree that they should be the ones responsible for their child’s spiritual development. But only 29% say their kids regularly read the Bible, and only 28% say their kids spend regular time in prayer.
There’s more research, more numbers, but do you see the disconnect?
Then and Now
I think, if we’re honest, for a long time we have, our churches have, enjoyed a culture in America where church was valued, where American life revolved around church and where people came to church because that’s what you did. It was easy.
If you build it, they will come. If you announce it, they will show up. If you open the doors, they will enter. That was our mentality.
And if you didn’t go to church on Sunday, you’re boss would ask you at work on Monday where you were!
When I grew up, there were no sports and no homework on Wednesday nights. And Sunday was completely off limits!
We can complain about how things have changed. But let’s be honest, that’s not helpful. The fact of the matter is, the world has changed. Have we?
Living as Citizens of Heaven
Living as citizens of Heaven realizes that we’re still on a mission. We have an urgent purpose. It doesn’t assume the world will come to us or complain when it doesn’t. It realizes we are missionaries wherever we are inviting people into this kingdom that we belong to!
We are called in every circumstance to be on mission for Christ. Even in chains, Paul is bringing people into, inviting people into, becoming citizens of Heaven Even his imprisoners! His guards! (Philippians 1.12-14).
WHY?
Heaven isn’t just a place or a final destination, it’s a kingdom. And our citizenship sets us on a mission to invite more people into this life.
I don’t know if you know this, but the Bible has an obituary section as well. Sometimes we call it the Hall of Fame or the Heroes of Faith. It’s found in Hebrews 11.
I want you to hear today how these people were remembered. It’s one thing to make it into the obituary section on legacy.com. But it’s something entirely different to make it into the obituary section of the Bible!
A Legacy of Faith
Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see. Through their faith, the people in days of old earned a good reputation. (THEY LEFT A LEGACY!)
It was by faith that Noah built a large boat to save his family from the flood. He obeyed God, who warned him about things that had never happened before. By his faith Noah condemned the rest of the world, and he received the righteousness that comes by faith.
It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going. And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith—for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.
It was by faith that even Sarah was able to have a child, though she was barren and was too old. She believed that God would keep his promise. And so a whole nation came from this one man who was as good as dead—a nation with so many people that, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore, there is no way to count them.
All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.
The Hebrew writer goes on and on about people of faith who’s faith WAS THEIR LEGACY. And then the writer closes by saying this…
All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised.
Faith that Makes a Difference
The way you live the life you live matters. They earned a good reputation, they left a Legacy of Faith… yet, none of them received all that God promised.
Why not?
Because they were living on the other side of the cross. They were living as people of faith before the Son of the God they believed in came from Heaven to Earth to make a way for us to be in full relationship with God Himself and with each other!
But this is what happens when we live as citizens of heaven, we leave a legacy of faith.
We live very different lives when Jesus becomes Lord of our life. This is good news for us especially as we think about passing on our faith to the next generation.
The generations behind us aren’t interested in a faith that doesn’t make a difference. In fact, they’re looking for exactly the opposite. A faith so real, so vital, that it calls us into making a real and lasting impact in the lives of others.
May we live a life of faith, on mission, with purpose and as we do may we leave a legacy of faith for the next generation to follow!
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