"Building a Legacy" 6/6/23

Dear Church, Every year as we drive through the Mountains, I notice the progress as they widen and divide the #1 Highway (see pictures attached below). Road construction is a world I know little about, but it's not difficult to recognize that a lot of planning and energy is poured into building a road. Nothing is done without a purpose, even if it seems small. One dynamite blast, one bucket of dirt, one truckload of gravel at a time and the road is built. Leaving a godly legacy is a bit like building a road. It takes planning and prioritization and people working together. It takes troubleshooting when things go wrong. It takes STEADY FAITHFULNESS (what Eugene Peterson called "a long obedience in the same direction"). If you want to build something well, a good road, a good building, a good relationship, a good anything, you need a good blueprint and then you need to take one step at a time and keep going until you're done. I must confess as a young man, I often want the finished product without the work involved. But that's not how it works in God's economy. He supplies the strength so that we would be faithful to accomplish what He is calling us to do. Consider the example of Elijah who was faithful to proclaim the word of God when it was unwelcome. After Elijah declared that there would be famine in the land of Israel, God then provided a place for Him to dwell in safety. In this context, we read something significant about Elijah, something that marked out his life and set him apart, "So he went and did according to the word of the Lord" 1 Kings 17:5. Elijah was a man "with a nature like ours" (James 5:17), he got angry and depressed, tired and hungry, but He trusted and obeyed the Lord at every turn. His prayers were effective, not because he was superhuman, but because he had faith in the Lord and he acted in faith obeying God's word. What about you? We're all going to leave a legacy. The question is what kind of legacy will you leave behind? Is your life marked by obedience to the word of the Lord? How will people remember you? As the people of God, we have been given a blueprint, we have the word of God and the Spirit of God to teach us godliness, to help us live a godly life. Everything we do can and should be done for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31) - yes that includes your job, your relationships with your spouse, your kids, the body of Christ, your neighbors (no exceptions). The question is will we listen to the Lord and obey his commands this today? In this moment, will we live for Him and not ourselves? Many are laboring to build a legacy for themselves, but "Unless the Lord builds the House, those who build it labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1) and "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Brothers and Sisters, the task is beyond us but with the Lord a lasting legacy, a solid foundation, can be built for the next generation. So walk with Him and let your next step be one of faithful obedience to Christ. In Christ's Service, Matt

Matthew Deneault Pastor at Christ Community Fellowship "Making Christ known in our Community"