Hey Gang,
Solomon once wrote that: “A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren” (Proverbs 13:22). What will your inheritance be? Will it be wealth, property or possessions? Will it be that you were the president of a company, a leader in the community or a member of society's most exclusive clubs, or maybe you shot a 59 one time on the golf course, how about that? What kind of legacy will you leave behind? What are people going to say your life represented?
Think about what the most difficult action anyone could ask you to take would be? What would influence whether or not you would do it? How would your relationship with the person making the request influence your decision about doing it?
This week Johnny passes along to Luke his legacy: S F T = Faith
Lessons at the river, painting a picture of a golf shot and a game of ring toss are all lessons for Luke to understand three truths: S F T ?
Think about what the most difficult action anyone could ask you to take would be? What would influence whether or not you would do it? How would your relationship with the person making the request influence your decision about doing it?
This week Johnny passes along to Luke his legacy: S F T = Faith
There are 2 types of Legacies: _________ Legacy & ___________ Legacy, which one are you? Every person will leave some kind of legacy. The question has to be personally applied. What type of legacy will I leave behind?
The true legacy that we are called to pass on is simple: faith in Jesus Christ.
See His Face Feel His Presence Trust His Love
I. SEE IT – GENESIS 22:1-3, 7-10 What does it mean to see God’s face?
After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” “Here I am,” he answered. 2 “Take your son,” He said, “your only son Isaac, whom you love, go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” 3 So Abraham got up early in the morning, saddled his donkey, and took with him two of his young men and his son Isaac. He split wood for a burnt offering and set out to go to the place God had told him about.
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7 Then Isaac spoke to his father Abraham and said, “My father.” And he replied, “Here I am, my son.” Isaac said, “The fire and the wood are here, but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” 8 Abraham answered, “God Himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Then the two of them walked on together. 9 When they arrived at the place that God had told him about, Abraham built the altar there and arranged the wood. He bound his son Isaac and placed him on the altar on top of the wood. 10 Then Abraham reached out and took the knife to slaughter his son.
Why do we test things? Why does a teacher test a student? What was the nature of God’s test? Of all the ways God could have tested Abraham, why pick Isaac?
How did Johnny test Luke? How did Jesus test the rich young ruler?
One thing is for certain whether we parent good or whether we parent bad, we are parenting, and our children are like video cameras with legs. Like it or not, they´re always on the record mode.
The question shouldn't be if we are passing on anything to our children. It´s what are we passing on. Very often, they follow our example. What they see us do, they do. Our children become who we are. Show them trust and obedience to God even when doing so is extraordinarily difficult.
Children do what they see:
- Let them see you read your ________ and _________.
- Let them see you walk through the tough times of life depending on __________ with a peace that passes all understanding.
- Let them see you walk in __________.
- Let them see you walk in __________.
- Let them see you _________ people (and most importantly, them) with kindness and respect.
- Let them see how you turn the other ___________.
- Let them see you ask for _______________.
- Let them see how Jesus __________, __________ and ___________ your life.
II. FEEL IT – GENESIS 22:11-14
11 But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, “Abraham, Abraham!” He replied, “Here I am.” 12 Then He said, “Do not lay a hand on the boy or do anything to him. For now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your only son from Me.” 13 Abraham looked up and saw a ram caught in the thicket by its horns. So Abraham went and took the ram and offered it as a burnt offering in place of his son. 14 And Abraham named that place The LORD Will Provide, so today it is said: “It will be provided on the LORD’s mountain.”
"For now I know that you fear God" Are we to understand here that God learned something about Abraham? Was this part of the test?
How does God know that you fear Him? What did Abraham learn from this lonely experience on Mount Moriah?
How can we see God’s provision as just that and not a coincidence? How has He guided you through an impossible time?
In times of difficulty we are often overcome by fear. We find ourselves asking, “How can I avoid this and escape this pain?”
Trust God to __________ in any test you face even when you cannot conceive of how God will provide.
III. TRUST IT – GENESIS 26:2-5
2 The LORD appeared to him and said, “Do not go down to Egypt. Live in the land that I tell you about; 3 stay in this land as a foreigner, and I will be with you and bless you. For I will give all these lands to you and your offspring, and I will confirm the oath that I swore to your father Abraham. 4 I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky, I will give your offspring all these lands, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed by your offspring, 5 because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My mandate, My commands, My statutes, and My instructions.”
Abraham had died. His son Isaac was grown and married and faced a crisis of his own. The crisis Isaac faced was famine. Famine was frequent to those living in Palestine because it was an arid land. The typical solution was to move closer to water; Isaac gathered his family and flocks and started toward Egypt where there was an abundance of water from the Nile. But God appeared to him and told him not to go down to Egypt.
How do you think Abraham’s faith influenced Isaac as he faced his crisis? How have your parents equipped you to handle a crisis?
All Christian parents should desire their children grow into men and women of faith.
There are 3 key insights for this growth:
- Parents must accept the primary responsibility for their children's _____ _______.
- Parents must allow for the child to make _______ his or her own.
- Parents and children will have to accept that the legacy of faith is not __________.
______________ to God can have a powerful influence on your family and others.
Faith in God is the most important thing any of us could possess. Faith is not transmitted through the genes or automatically bestowed on all people. The faith of one generation must become real for each new generation. Parents especially must pass on their faith to their children. Children often will remember and imitate good examples.
Prayer of Commitment
Lord, help me join with other faithful believers in passing along the legacy of faith. Amen
Lord, help me join with other faithful believers in passing along the legacy of faith. Amen
Well, we are coming to a close of this series on legacy, only one week left. I hope you have learned something from your time in Utopia and that Johnny's legacy has meant something to you. Next week we will finish this series on our legacy of love.
See you Sunday in Utopia!
In His Love,
David & Susan
