Legacy pt I

You have probably seen the theme played out quite a few times in different movies, it is usually pretty popular in war movies, whether its WWII and the commander leads his troops against an evil that threatens the world.

Or a movie like Gladiator, Troy, or 300 where a specific hero fights in an epic battle to ensure his legacy will live on for future generations.

Legacy- Something handed down from an ancestor or a predecessor or from the past

In these movies the central character is always concentrated on the future more so than the present. For any victory that is won at that moment will only go so far as to help his reputation which will only last until the next battle.

but when they set their mind on the future, whether its our founding fathers fighting against the British to bring freedom to future generations, or in 300 where King Leonidas fights against insurmountable odds so that future generations will know that a few man could stand against thousands and make a difference.

these characters who are looked at as hero’s concentrate on something bigger than themselves. They concentrate on ensuring a lasting effect that will influence future generations

on this past weekend, July 4^th, independence day, we were able to celebrate the brave and courageous men and women who fought against religious persecution, and fought against the tyranny of a unjust king.

We were able to honor the legacy left behind those men and women, and appreciate the effect of that legacy.

Heritage- something that comes or belongs to one by reason of birth; an inherited lot or portion

because of the legacy handed down by the founders of this country, we have been given a heritage of freedom.

Often times however we are quick to take that heritage for granted.

We have had it so good because of the price that was paid by the men and women who went before us.

Yet because it has never been challenged we have taken it for granted.

We have acted like living a life for God is just a luxury that we can choose to follow if and when we want. Like deciding to go see a movie and picking which show time is most convenient for us.

We as a generation have had it easy.

we have dropped the legacy of what our forefathers did for us and we have in large part lost our heritage as Americans.

But even worse than that, we have treated the Legacy of Jesus Christ and what he did for us on the cross like something cheap.

The truth is we have a Legacy to remember and a Heritage to fulfill.

This country has come up well short. Human beings from the time that the Israelites wandered the desert forgetting all that God had done for them have come up well short.

Its time for us to do something about that.

Its time for us to drop the legacy of this world and pick up the legacy of Christ.

How do we do that? How do we start to live out the heritage God has for us?

Is it by going to church more?

Cleaning up our speech?

Listening to music and watching movies that are “edifying”?

Trying to be “better Christians”?

Our heritage is so much bigger than those actions. Our heritage is something so much more significant than the words that come out of our mouth. So much more important than the shows we watch and the music we listen to. So much more vital than the amount of time we spend reading the bible.

While those are things we should be doing, simply focusing on those actions alone limit our effectiveness for God.

Our heritage is not something that we earned in the first place.

Did we fight in the revolutionary war? Did we spend our blood sweat and tears and fighting the battle for freedom?

Does that make us any less free?

Of course not, our freedom has been given to us, not because of anything that we did to earn it, but because of the legacy that was left by those who went before us.

We were born into that heritage of freedom.

So I ask you the same question, but with our heritage in God. Did we do anything to earn it?

Did any of us hang on that cross with Jesus?

does that take away at all from our salvation?

No not in the least!

So us trying to live a perfect life to make ourselves better in Gods eyes is so useless.

When we do that we are being so small minded, we are not looking at the big picture of what God did for us.

Its time that we as a generation start living out the bigger picture for our lives...Gods picture for our lives