Sermon

• The gravity of the series LEGACY FAMILY - One of the most important things in the world
• Some facts we know
  • Creating humans (having kids) does not ensure that you will have a family of legacy 
  • Family legacy is not easy
  • Family legacy takes intentionality
  • Family legacy takes favor with God
• Legacy individuals
  • Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Napoleon Bonaparte
  • It’s thinking me and my accomplishments
• Legacy families
  • Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
  • It’s thinking we and our shared values
• Personal
  • I’m grateful for the legacy that I’ve received from my father, and father’s father, and great-grandfather.

Genesis 12:1–3 (NLT) — 1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. 3 I will bless those who bless you and curse those who treat you with contempt. All the families on earth will be blessed through you.”

Body: Three Mentalities of Legacy Families

1. FAITH - “Only God gives true legacy”
   1. Genesis 15:6 (NLT) — 6 And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD counted him as righteous because of his faith.
   2. It takes a MAN of faith
   3. A Man who’s willing to STEP out by faith
   4. A Man who’s willing to CENTER his family’s life around faith
   5. A Man who’s willing to TEACH faith
      1. Genesis 18:19 (NLT) — 19 I have singled him out so that he will direct his sons and their families to keep the way of the LORD by doing what is right and just. Then I will do for Abraham all that I have promised.”
   6. My childhood
      1. Reading Bible each night
      2. Played Bible trivia
      3. Created environments where you could experience God’s presence.
   7. My kids
      1. Bible on the screen, discussing God, modeling God, environments
      2. How can you bring God into your life right now
         1. Make Him the centerpiece of your life, decisions, purpose, etc.
         2. Let Him have the centerpiece of your family life
         3. Center your life around His teaching
   8. God is the one who visits your children, their children, and their children’s children!  
2. Covenant - “I’d rather die than quit”
   1. Genesis 17:7–9 (NLT) — 7 “I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you.
   2. God and Covenant
      1. How was it done? What did it mean?
      2. God knew that Covenant would be legacy. Our lives are like vapors, but his covenant endures! 
   3. Abraham and Covenant
      1. He was up for it! 
   4. Family and Covenant
      1. Marriages - God sees marriage as a covenant like this
      2. Kids
      3. In 10 days, Angie and I will be married 20 Years! - SHOW PICTURE
   5. What is a covenant?
      1. Covenant - I have chosen you and I’ll be loyal to you
      2. Endurance - I will endure hard things to keep this covenant
      3. Honor - I want to esteem the person, the value, the promise. 
   6. Covenant has a cost, and it DEMANDS a high cost when broken!
3. Sacrifice - “Legacy comes with a cost”
   1. Genesis 22:1–3 (NLT) — “Take your son, your only son—yes, Isaac, whom you love so much—and go to the land of Moriah. Go and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one of the mountains, which I will show you.” 3 The next morning Abraham got up early...
   2. A third word that all legacy families have is the word SACRIFICE
   3. Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice
      1. Gave up the stability of a city and family to follow God’s voice.
      2. Gave Lot the better choice so that I can have peace.
      3. Gave up the treasures of the king of Sodom so I can stay under God’s blessing
      4. Gave up comfort to step into covenant with God
      5. Gave up his only son, if that’s what God asks. 
      6. Genesis 22:16–18 (NLT) — 16 “This is what the LORD says: Because you have obeyed me and have not withheld even your son, your only son, I swear by my own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number, like the stars in the sky and the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will conquer the cities of their enemies. 18 And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.”
   4. I will give up THIS to have THAT - the idea of delayed gratification
      1. YOU WILL HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN WHAT YOU DESIRE IN THE MOMENT AND A LIFE OF LEGACY
      2. Esau represents someone that throws a legacy away over a bowl of soup. 
   5. Sacrifice what I want NOW to have legacy LATER
   6. Sacrifice MY legacy for OUR legacy
   7. Sacrifice to SERVE
   8. Sacrifice says:
      1. I will give up selfish ambition to allow my family to thrive.
      2. I will give up my time to invest in my family.
      3. I will give up my carnal impulses to be faithful to my spouse.
      4. I will give up financial excess to ensure my children have a strong foundation.
      5. I will give up comfort to build something lasting for future generations.
      6. I will give up immediate gratification to secure a greater future.
      7. I will give up my need to always be right so my marriage can be strong.
      8. I will give up certain friendships if they pull me away from my covenant.
      9. I will give up distractions so I can be present with my family.
      10. I will give up resentment so my family can experience peace.
      11. I will give up my pride to seek reconciliation.
      12. I will give up personal desires if they conflict with God’s greater plan.
      13. I will give up bitterness so my family does not inherit dysfunction.
   9. Bottom line, you will not have a legacy family if you are not willing to sacrifice your life, lay down your
   10. Roy and Ruth - Pipe fitters helper, selling world book encyclopedias. 
   11. Dad and Mom - Living in West Africa for 2 years

Closing

1. I know you desire to have families of legacy, let’s pray and commit ourselves to three things
   1. Being people of FAITH - everything is centered around our faith
   2. Being people of COVENANT - remember the covenant
   3. Being people of SACRIFICE - willing to lay down what I want for the legacy God wants
2. Salvation - Your family will never be saved if it doesn’t start with you. Today, you can make a choice to leave UR and come into God’s plan.