THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
We experience many of our greatest freedoms today because someone was willing to step out and do something that changed the world. We call those people legacy builders.
Sir Nicholas Winton was a legacy builder. In 1938, Hitler ordered his troops to march into Czechoslovakia. Word was already spreading that the Germans were mistreating Jews, and Winton chose to do something. Even as he continued his job as a stockbroker, Winton began raising money to fund the transport of Jewish children out of Nazi-occupied Czechoslovakia and Poland. Because of his efforts, 669 children escaped what would have been death in prison camps.1
Vera Diamant Gissing, one of the children rescued, pointed to his legacy. She said Winton did far more than save one generation; because he saved the lives of these 669 children, he also ultimately saved the lives of their children and grandchildren. Talk about leaving a legacy!
King Asa was another man who also left a legacy. In his life, we see a man who impacted the generations that followed him.
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?
2 Chronicles 17:1-6
1 Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. 2 He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. 3 The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals 4 but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. 5 The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. 6 His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
The reality is, we all try to imitate somebody. As kids, we might have imitated our mom and dad, or one of our siblings. Even as adults, some of us will try to imitate celebrities or public figures—even if they may not be the best examples to be imitating!
This was not the case for Jehoshaphat. Growing up, he had watched his father, King Asa, make some tough decisions as he led the kingdom. Asa had strived to follow God in most of his decisions. As a result, when Jehoshaphat took over the reign of the kingdom after his father’s death, he also sought to honor God in all of his decisions. Jehoshaphat was so diligent in this that the biblical writer even likened him to Israel’s highest ideal: King David.
Jehoshaphat followed the example of his father in two ways.
- Physical protection. Asa had gained a victory over the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Jehoshaphat followed through by strengthening their defenses. One victory is not a guarantee of no more attacks, and Jehoshaphat sought to secure Judah against any potential threats.
- Spiritual protection. The people had an ongoing tendency to follow their own ways, which led them down the path of worshiping the Baals. Like his father, Jehoshaphat was not going to have it in his kingdom. He once again set out to rid the kingdom of any of the places where worshiping false gods was taking place. No one can force others to change their thinking, but Jehoshaphat sought to protect them spiritually by removing “the high places and the Asherah poles” (v. 6) that encouraged false worship.
As a result of Jehoshaphat’s actions and his commitment to follow God’s ways, the Lord blessed him. In response, Jehoshaphat didn’t rejoice in the prosperity or blessings themselves; his worship was centered in the One who provided. We should learn to get our minds in a place where we are thinking constantly about doing what God wants us to do.
2 Chronicles 17:7-9
7 In the third year of his reign he sent his officials Ben-Hail, Obadiah, Zechariah, Nethanel and Micaiah to teach in the towns of Judah. 8 With them were certain Levites—Shemaiah, Nethaniah, Zebadiah, Asahel, Shemiramoth, Jehonathan, Adonijah, Tobijah and Tob-Adonijah—and the priests Elishama and Jehoram. 9 They taught throughout Judah, taking with them the Book of the Law of the LORD; they went around to all the towns of Judah and taught the people.
Now the Jewish people needed a refresher course in the ways of God. After Jehoshaphat had fortified all the cities in his kingdom, he then turned his attention to strengthening the people by teaching them the Lord’s ways. Strengthening the people called for more than just removing the high places; it included building the right forms of worship in their lives—like studying God’s Word.
Jehoshaphat sent two distinct groups to carry out this task.
- His officials. The members of his cabinet likely oversaw the teaching of what we would call a civics class.
- The Levites and priests. The priests came from the tribe of Levites, but not all Levites were priests. They accompanied the king’s officials to focus on teaching the ceremonial law and the sacrificial practices at the temple.
This assembly of teachers covered everything the people needed to know to ensure proper obedience to the king, their country, and most importantly to God.
King Jehoshaphat initiated this refresher course to unify the nation in everything they did—and a unified nation would be a stronger nation. Learning and following the ways of God was vitally important for them as a nation and as individuals—and it is equally important for us. Studying God’s Word leads us to be productive in the kingdom of God. It gives us wisdom far beyond anything we’ll ever learn in school.
Jehoshaphat not only led by acting to make sure they heard God’s Word, but he lived it out in front of them. We benefit when we see living examples of God’s truth. For me, it was Jim, my sixth grade Sunday school teacher. He not only taught God’s Word to a bunch of rowdy sixth grade boys week after week, but his life was a living example of God’s Word outside the classroom. I want to do the same, and I hope you will too.
2 Chronicles 17:10-13
10 The fear of the LORD fell on all the kingdoms of the lands surrounding Judah, so that they did not go to war against Jehoshaphat. 11 Some Philistines brought Jehoshaphat gifts and silver as tribute, and the Arabs brought him flocks: seven thousand seven hundred rams and seven thousand seven hundred goats. 12 Jehoshaphat became more and more powerful; he built forts and store cities in Judah 13 and had large supplies in the towns of Judah. He also kept experienced fighting men in Jerusalem.
It was obvious to others that God was at work in the Southern Kingdom. They expressed it by terror and by tribute. It’s hard to imagine nations fearing a nation solely because the people were in tune with God and living by His Word. By focusing on God’s Word, Judah’s people had unity and strength, and it was clear God was with the nation. These nations also responded by bringing gifts to Jehoshaphat.
Jehoshaphat’s influence within his own nation telescoped into an influence on the surrounding nations. You may not see yourself as a leader, but you do have influence. Your influence has the ability to help change someone’s future. What does that influence look like?
- Influencers have a genuine love for others. Influencers love with no strings attached.
- Influencers constantly look for ways to encourage others. “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11).
- Influencers willingly give their time to others. Influencers go beyond words that speak encouragement. An investment of time in someone’s life is a great encouragement.
- Influencers are people of integrity. Jehoshaphat was a person of integrity. His character was focused on the things of God, and as a result, people trusted him. To have influence in someone else’s life, we must first earn the right to be heard, and that calls for integrity.
LIVE IT OUT
How will you allow God to use you to impact and influence others?
Choose one of the following applications:
- Pray. As you begin each day, ask God to give you opportunities to be a godly influence to those you encounter.
- Thank. Who has modeled a godly life before you in such a way that you wanted to follow his or her example? Contact that person and say thank you for influencing your own walk with Christ.
- Invest. Meet with two or three others whom you can encourage and influence. Consider ways to teach them God’s Word. One option is to take them through a discussion of this same study from the life of King Asa.
Whether we will ever have the opportunity to save someone’s life, much less hundreds of people, is unclear. But all of us have the opportunity to impact others for Christ.
Hope to see everyone on Sunday!
In His Love,
David & Susan
Teacher Notes:
Teacher Notes:
Leave a Legacy: Godly living impacts future generations.
Video: The Emperor’s Club
The movie The Emperor’s Club tells the story of a teacher and the impact he had on a group of students. In the opening scene, the teacher stated: “Great ambition and conquest without contribution is without significance. What will your contribution be?
How will history remember you?”
Good questions, aren’t they? What will our contributions be? How will history remember us? What will we leave behind? What will be our legacy?
We have been studying the life of Asa, King of Judah as our model for this series on Living a godly life in an ungodly world. And we have learned from Asa so far that:
We live a godly life when we:
1. First and foremost, make God the focus of our life.
2. Secondly, when we call on Him first in all circumstances and trust Him with the outcome.
3. Courageously walk with Christ daily and remind others of His presence in their lives.
4. Actually live our life as an act of worship with sacrifice and obedience and in last week’s lesson we…
5. Remember when God has been there for us and guided us in the past, He will guide us now and in the future. When we leave God out of our lives, even when we win, we lose. Please Remember that!
Today our series closes with how great leaders of history like King Asa left legacies that lasted through the generations.
2 Chronicles 17:1-6
Jehoshaphat his son succeeded him as king and strengthened himself against Israel. He stationed troops in all the fortified cities of Judah and put garrisons in Judah and in the towns of Ephraim that his father Asa had captured. The LORD was with Jehoshaphat because he followed the ways of his father David before him. He did not consult the Baals but sought the God of his father and followed his commands rather than the practices of Israel. The LORD established the kingdom under his control; and all Judah brought gifts to Jehoshaphat, so that he had great wealth and honor. His heart was devoted to the ways of the LORD; furthermore, he removed the high places and the Asherah poles from Judah.
What benefits did Jehoshaphat receive from King Asa’s legacy?
· Growing up, he had watched his father, King Asa, make some tough decisions as he led the kingdom. Asa had strived to follow God in most of his decisions. As a result, when Jehoshaphat took over the reign of the kingdom after his father’s death, he also sought to honor God in all of his decisions. Jehoshaphat was so diligent in this that the biblical writer even likened him to Israel’s highest ideal: King David.
Lesson said that Jehoshaphat followed the example of his father in two ways. What were they?
· Physical protection. Asa had gained a victory over the Northern Kingdom of Israel, and Jehoshaphat followed through by strengthening their defenses. One victory is not a guarantee of no more attacks, and Jehoshaphat sought to secure Judah against any potential threats.
· Spiritual protection. The people had an ongoing tendency to follow their own ways, which led them down the path of worshiping the Baals. Like his father, Jehoshaphat was not going to have it in his kingdom. He once again set out to rid the kingdom of any of the places where worshiping false gods was taking place. No one can force others to change their thinking, but Jehoshaphat sought to protect them spiritually by removing “the high places and the Asherah poles” (v. 6) that encouraged false worship.
As a result of Jehoshaphat’s actions and his commitment to follow God’s ways, the Lord blessed him.
We should learn to get our minds in a place where we are thinking constantly about doing what God wants us to do.
Paul J. Meyer in his book, Unlocking Your Legacy, says, “When all is said and done, each of us will leave only four things behind:
1. Memories—thoughts that others have of us.
2. Souvenirs—proof of our existence.
3. Trophies—records of our achievements.
4. Legacies—everything you are and possess today.
Eventually, memories will fade, and souvenirs and trophies will disappear (be lost, stolen, or sold at garage sales)." Only our legacy will remain.
What is a legacy?
A legacy is something handed down from one generation to the next. It can be a sum of money, a piece of property, a cherished memory, a lasting value, or a compelling vision. One powerful moment may constitute our legacy, or the repetition of tasks and service over a lifetime may be our legacy. Legacy is a value judgment resulting from our behavior and remaining in the minds of others. It is the cumulative, informal record of how close we came to the person we intended to be. In essence, everything we are and possess today, whether good or bad, is our legacy.
The Bible does not use the word legacy. But God’s view of legacy is evident throughout scripture. Solomon wrote, “The remembrance of the righteous is a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot” (Prov. 10:7). Another proverb stated; “A good man leaves an inheritance to his grandchildren, but the sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous” (Prov. 13:22).
Leaving a legacy requires intentional effort, course adjustment, and relationship renegotiation. Here are some practical principles to live with the end in mind.
1. Live by the compass, not the clock. (Psalm 43:3) The clock represents our commitments, appointments, schedules, goals, and activities—often they are urgent. The compass, on the other hand, represents our vision, values, principles, mission, direction, and destiny—the critical issues of life that we believe, but not usually screaming at us with urgency. Leaving a legacy is dependent on us choosing the important over the urgent. Dwight Eisenhower used to say, "The urgent is seldom important, while the important is seldom urgent." When we focus on the important, we establish a clear sense of direction that is the necessary foundation for a legacy.
2. Choose significance over success. (Acts 13:36) Social researchers indicate that we live our lives on one of three levels.
1. Some live on the survival level with a primary concern for food, clothing, shelter, and physical wellbeing.
2. Most live on the success level, having food, clothing, shelter, and relative physical well-being. Having achieved a small level of success, they discover that this level does not provide meaning and fulfillment. These first two levels offer the hope of purpose and satisfaction but always disappoint over time.
3. The third level, significance, knows that life matters. People living on this level are making a difference and making an impact. They are making a contribution and doing something meaningful with their lives. They are giving themselves to that which is more significant than themselves.
3. Be a giver, not just a taker. (Luke 6:38) In Israel, a striking picture of life is presented by looking at the two famous bodies of water connected by the Jordan River. In northern Israel, the Sea of Galilee flourishes like an oasis in the desert. This lake is vibrant and alive. The Jordan River flows into the lake and then flows out of it, dumping its water into the Dead Sea sixty miles to the south. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on earth and contains more than 25% salt. Because of the salt content, humans couldn’t sink if they tried. But the lake supports very little marine life. Here are two different bodies of water. One is alive, the other dead. Why? Because the Sea of Galilee takes but also gives while the Dead Sean takes in water but gives none away. The contrast is distinct: The Sea of Galilee gives and supports life; the Dead Sea only takes, and no life exists.
Only in giving our lives away will we make a lasting contribution. God wired the universe so that we don’t find significance and even happiness in getting. We find significance and joy comes as a by-product when we give ourselves away.
For this to happen, our focus must be turned outward instead of inward. Our ultimate goal is to give instead of to get. We desire to serve rather than to be served. Too many people spend an entire lifetime focusing only on themselves, on what they can get out of life, rather than what they can give. Significance comes not from success; but by serving others. Don’t confuse income with influence.
4. Change your gaze to how you will finish from where you started. (Hebrews 9:27)
Finishing well doesn’t happen by accident. A marathon runner knows that as he or she stand at the starting line, there is a finish line. Somewhere and someday there is a finish line for all of us. Most of us probably think the finish line is a few years down the road, maybe 10 years or 20 years or 30 years away. We have an appointment with death. We don’t know when or where or how, but it’s going to happen. That’s one appointment we won’t miss and can’t postpone.
5. Begin today not tomorrow. (Psalm 119:60) We are called to live life today, not to dream about how history will portray us tomorrow. Leaving a legacy is too important to postpone till next week or when we have a little more time. Leaving a legacy begins today.
What can you do today for God’s kingdom?
What can you do today for your community?
What can you do today for your church?
What can you do today for your spouse?
What can you do today for your children?
We should live our lives in such a way that will ensure that we leave a good legacy. Our legacy is about the life we live now and the choices we make today. It’s not about preparing for posterity; it’s about living well today. If we live well today, we’ll leave behind something worth remembering.
Closing: If we were to continue Jehoshaphat’s story, we would learn that much like his father Asa, Jehoshaphat was not a perfect man or leader. He too had flaws. His is the story of all humankind; we continue to struggle with sin even as we strive to live godly lives. Nevertheless, the godly life Jehoshaphat lived would have positive implications for those who came after him. In that respect, we are no different. Every generation can affect the next generation––one way or the other.
A legacy of faith is far better than a legacy of failure.
Who are you influencing for the Lord? How are you doing it?
How would you hope someone will assess your spiritual legacy?
