What will we leave behind? Pastor Gilman , Sunday 11-7-21

 

Today we’ll depart from our schedule in the study of John to ask more questions, to promote introspection, than to portray answers. We are endeavoring to uncover today an awareness regarding our personal responsibility to God related to those people within our sphere of influence . We seek to visualize our connectedness to all things physical and spiritual in an effort to discover another piece in the puzzle as to our spiritual accountabilities on the day of reckoning….

Lets pray,

As we gather together again this Sunday to honor you and study your word we ask always for you blessing upon us and our work. As we do our best to accept all of your Word help us to rightly apply it to our lives. Help us to set examples every day that would be pleasing to thee.

We ask these things in Jesus’ name..

Amen

     As we now are well established into the third millennium , we are given a unique opportunity to reflect on the Lord’s power and presence in our lives and in our world. Nearly two-thousand years ago Jesus Christ ushered in the kingdom of God here on earth, and in our own time He continues to draw men and women to the light of his truth. Just as He commanded his Church in her earliest days to “make disciples of all the nations” (Mt 28:19), so He calls the faithful today, pastors, parents, teachers, kings and leaders alike, to be instruments of evangelization for the salvation of the entire human family.

This world, which is the theater of man's history, and the heir of his energies, that is his tragedies and his triumphs, is created and sustained by its Maker's love, fallen into the bondage of sin, yet emancipated now by Christ. As we are the focus of the Love of our creator we have, inherently and assuredly a great scope of responsibility as we enjoy basking in the warmth of our emancipation..

Have you considered your responsibility for actions or influence on others beyond the grave? How do we want to be remembered, in reality? Is it important? What messages do we want to leave behind and will we want others to follow in our footsteps? Will we want others to follow our example or will we say “do as I say ..Not as I do”.. Is that good enough?

Though mankind is awestruck with its own discoveries and its power, it often raises anxious questions about the current trend of the world, about the place and role of man in the universe, about the meaning of its individual and collective strivings, and about the ultimate destiny of reality and of humanity. But obviously all of these we can’t address , in this humble bible study. We will take a brief look at, however, the meaning of our individual strivings and about the ultimate destiny of reality and personal responsibility…

So will we want others to follow our example or will we say “do as I say not as I do? Is that good enough?

Whatever we decide, within our sphere of influence we will leave our messages for others even beyond death. If you consider it, frequently you hear people refer to their parents, grandparents or others who touched their lives in some significant way which have formed , at least in part, the code we live by and values that we hold dear… What are the messages that you want to leave for your husband, wife, children, friends, brothers and sisters in Christ and others. What example will you leave to be their guideline in life..

Proverbs 16:12

It is an abomination for kings to commit wicked acts, For a throne is established on righteousness. Substitute the word “King” with “influential people” or people of power…

This verse is telling us that, as leaders, we especially need to be aware of our actions. If we’re leading with wickedness, we’re committing an abomination. Lead with righteousness and our position is established. And we will leave this legacy for others that will influence many, possibly for generations to come…. By the way being parents , are important people of influence…

We discover in the scripture that our heart is the wellspring of life. Now, whether that life is good or bad, that depends on what you put into your heart or allow in your life. Are you putting good things into your heart or are you filling it with Satan’s solutions and suggestions? The choice is yours. But with this choice comes responsibility because the legacy of your life continues on in the minds and hearts of others, even after God has called you home… The things you say and life you lead gives the young ones an example for living that we also will be held accountable for.

Matthew 18:6

“Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” Little ones are not just young children. They are those who are young in Chirst, Those learning or who are easily influenced.. these are the little ones. Don’t forget that Christ calls us his children even if we are old..We are still his children to be lead , guided , sometimes disciplined and forgiven…In a sense we are all little ones…

So what are we living today that we will be leaving behind tomorrow?

Are we living a God filled life, an openly willful and worldly life or living a hypocritical lie..?

In this same vein I wondered:

Why would anyone write a false obituary? An obituary is a document to honor and remember someone who has past on…With the recent passing of All Saint’s Day we had much reminiscing going on as minds were flooded with the memories of those departed, here in the Philippines. Mine included….

I looked up a friend that I had not seen since coming to the Philippines , over a decade ago… Only to find that she had passed away. I was shocked to read her obituary not because of her passing but because it was not a true representation of who she was..

It brought forward the question of how do we want to be remembered, will our influence extend past our life here on earth and how will our memory survive in others. What do we want to stick. Do we want a realistic, honest and truthful representation of our lives to be our legacy, albeit an imperfect life? Or do we want a flowered up misrepresentation of our lives fashioned into a story form that may well be told, in part, at family gatherings on holidays… A fantasy memory of a life not our own but what someone else wants to remember us as…

And why would that be anyway? So I wonder if a misrepresentation of a life would honor the person with the positive or dishonor them because of denial and deception. My opinion is that regardless of the quality of a life to misrepresent it is dishonoring that life even more..

Our lives are a compilation of our successes, our struggles our values, our strengths and our weaknesses. It is a conglomeration of not only ourselves but those who loved us, touched us, those who hated us, those who helped us, those that we extended a hand to and our relationship to God or lack thereof… The diversity of it all gives color to the canvas of life and reality to our lives. When this is presented will it be a picture that we would desire to have been painted, How will we be remembered? What will we be responsible for beyond the grave?

If we live a Godly life than the memories hang together in the minds of people and are illumined by the light of Christ that we carried with us, on this earth ourselves.. These truths will continue to guide people to the right and take them up the road of righteousness. For this they will be blessed and we will also be blessed. It is as though a portion of our spirit lives on through others. Will we be leaving behind truth and righteousness or a guide to destruction? Will we be blessed or punished for our legacy which has continued to influence those who are left behind? Will the spirit of Jesus shine forth or will it be a manufactured version of who we were; all that remains of a tattered and worn existence and a shattered soul…? How will our living example be guiding those left behind?

What is Jesus’ lasting legacy?

Jesus Christ was an example to the people today of how they should be. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” (1 Peter 2:21) He leaves the legacy of forgiveness, salvation, kindness, sincere humbleness, and perfect love.

Luke 22:19-20 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood."

Jesus knew how he wanted to be honored and remembered even after death and why; He lived his life according to His purpose…It is true that Jesus’ life is not an imperfect one, like ours, but it is nevertheless a patchwork of texture and color representing everything and everyone that touched his life. It is a story of humanity and how we all were so intertwined in his life and those around him , both good and evil… the blessed and the cursed ; they all gave us a perfect picture of Christ and his life.

“Our” lives also take many paths that intersect and intertwine forming a network which eventually manifests itself in who we are and the substance of our identities . Our struggle, our pain and disappointments and joy, successes and hopefully our Christ- like example, all together can lead others to Christ with the understanding that it is not expected that we be perfect in God’s eyes.. But we can rise above our human nature and lead a brave and glorious life filled with the desires of the good..and the righteous …

You know people are proud to say that their departed loved ones were “God Centered “… True or not…They will say that their loved one belonged to this church or that and loved God. When in fact they may have attended that church only once or twice, the pastor never knew them and they never mentioned God… So why the exaggeration.. why the lie??

Because most people know it is the right way to live but they don’t do it.. But they try to give this idea of living a “God Centered Life” a bit of reality even as they incorporate it into a manufactured memory of the deceased.. Portentous ? yes, dishonest certainly, dishonorable, yes again. But there is the other side of this coin…

This knowledge is a positive type of awareness , for us , isn’t it.. Understanding that as we minister in our day to day lives we can feel pretty confident that MOST people, at least, know you are saying the right thing even if they choose to walk away at the moment.. Most people at least know that you are guiding them to the right… But they must walk through the door for themselves.. We can’t do that for them…

Some people are described as to have been “connected in a lifetime of love”.. When in reality it may have been instead a lifetime of convenience and resentment..

Why ? because most people know how important “Love” is in this life and how destructive it can be to be without it or never extend it…. Love can feel like an elusive thing, an impossible dream to people like the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. After 5 husbands and a live in partner she couldn’t find it until she met Jesus.

1 Peter 4:8: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Isn’t that an interesting statement?

The idea that our love for each other covers a multitude of sins actually relates to our imperfection. Christians are not sinless. We are not perfect. We have set the course of our lives away from sin, but we still fail to obey sometimes. We make mistakes, even when we mean well. Love for each other includes forgiving each other, overlooking past hurts, and building each other up when we fall. It is difficult for sin and resentment to flourish in a community rich in Christ-like love.

John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”

So we know how important Love is and most people also know ….. When we think about it; isn’t forgiveness about love.?. about giving people a second chance or turning the other cheek ; about extending our love to others…. Isn’t that how we even have the hope of being saved ; Through God’s love for us also.?

Lets look at the Bible or Christianity itself… This is a light, if you will, that has burned brightly more than 2000 years. These individuals that we study, Jesus Christ , the disciples, the apostles, and the prophets have lived on to influence mankind in the most profound ways.

We, as God’s children will also live on and we will also influence those who are within our sphere of influence for generations to come…. The light that we leave behind is a responsibility that can only be taken up when we are part of the living, this is when we make our choices. So our lives matter a great deal and the influence that we have is our responsibility even after our good Lord calls us home.

When we sin and live in sin we may be influencing people that we don’t know and will never meet. The opposite is also true… Will we, can we, be judged by these things even after we are gone… I believe that we will be.. That the scope of judgment is not confined to the flesh but is the work of the spirit..

What is worse than being remembered cloaked under the guise of falsehoods and manufactured virtue? It is living the lie.. It is traveling the dark road..The sinners path.. It would be embracing Satan’s solutions. And we will be remembered, and we will influence other souls by the example of our lives for good or evil.. Hitler is remembered vividly and influences souls even today as we see the rise of Nazism in various forms across the world… He is Satan’s disciple and he will be judged accordingly not only for his works on this earth but his influence beyond the grave because with Satan he lives on also…

The joys and the hopes, the grief and the anxieties of the men of this age, especially those who are poor or in any way afflicted, these are the same joys and hopes, the grief and anxieties of the followers of Christ. Indeed, nothing genuinely human fails to raise an echo in their hearts. For theirs is a community composed of men and women. United in Christ, they are led by the Holy Spirit in their journey to the Kingdom of their Father and they have welcomed the news of salvation which is meant for every man and every women. As we develop awareness ,We cannot fail to comprehend the gravity of our actions in this life or its repercussions beyond..

“Go into the whole world and proclaim the Good News to all creation”(Mk 16:15). With these words, our Lord Jesus Christ directed the Church to speak his own message of life to the whole human family. The apostles first responded to the Savior’s call and traveled throughout the known world, Sharing with every one who would listen what they had seen and heard (cf. 1 Jn 1:3), speaking about God’s Kingdom and about reconciliation in Christ. Being as we should be, a living witness to Jesus Christ..

Lets pray,

We thank thee Heavenly Father for our gathering this morning to discuss and digest your Word.. We ask for your blessing upon us and on our efforts to be examples of Christ each day in all that we do. We ask for strength and guidance to give us the wisdom to apply your Word to our lives..

We ask these things in Jesus’ name..

Amen