A Legacy Worth Leaving:
Mentoring as a Lifestyle (Psalm 78:1-8)
In 1874 a member of the executive committee for the Prison Association of New York was surprised to discover that 6 people from the same family were in the same jail at the same time, on offenses ranging from burglary and attempted rape to assault with intent to kill. As he investigated further, he discovered that this particular family had been notorious for their criminal activity over several generations. He traced their family tree back to a man by the name of Max Jukes, who was born in the early 18th century and had 6 daughters and 2 sons. Some of his children were born out of wedlock. He was a heavy drinker and had a distinct distaste for honest work. The investigation went on to discover that of this man’s descendants 180 of them were paupers, 140 of them were criminals, 60 were habitual thieves, and 50 were prostitutes.
How different is the legacy that a man by the name of Jonathan Edwards passed on to his descendants. Jonathan Edwards was born in 1703. He was a devoted family man, a theologian, a pastor, and a university president. He and his wife, Sarah, had 11 children, and they were married for 31 years until he died. Among Jonathan Edwards’ descendants were 13 college presidents, 65 college professors, 100 lawyers, including a law school dean, 30 judges, 66 physicians, including a medical school dean, 80 who served in public office, including 3 U.S. senators, 3 city mayors, 3 state governors, a controller of the U.S. Treasury, and a U.S. vice president. The difference between the two families and the legacy they passed on is nothing short of incredible. Obviously there’s nothing we can do about the ancestors that preceded us. But there is a great deal we can do about our descendants. We can pass on to them a godly legacy, starting with our own children.
The story of Jonathan Edwards is an example of what some sociologists call the five-generation rule. How a parent raises their child—the love they give, the values they teach, the emotional environment they offer, the education they provide—influences not only their child, but also the four generations to follow. The example of Jonathan Edwards shows just how rich that legacy can be. POINT: Never underestimate the far-reaching consequences of raising one child to love the Lord. What will your legacy be? What will others say the biggest impact you made on their life?
Men’s ministry expert, Patrick Morley spoke of his own dad, Bob, who was abandoned by his father when he was only two years of age. Bob and his three siblings were raised by a single mom. Morley says that his dad had to guess at what it meant to be a man, husband and a father because of that abandonment. When Bob became an adult, he wanted something different for his children, so he joined a church for help. Unfortunately, Bob’s church had a vision to put him to work, but no vision to disciple him to be a godly man, husband, and father. As a result, he became successful as a worker, but as a disciple he got left behind. So, at the age of forty, when he was the top lay leader in the church, and Patrick was in tenth grade, he just got burned out and left the church. That single decision put Bob’s family into a tailspin from which, even after forty years, the family had not recovered: two high school dropouts, drug addiction, alcoholism, employment problems, and divorce. One brother died of a heroin overdose.
Morley reflects, “I can’t help but wonder how our family would have been different if our church had offered a men’s discipleship ministry…My wife led me to Christ…Our two children love Christ and have both married Christian spouses…” What was the difference between Patrick and his father? Patrick got involved in a church that had a vision to disciple him to live like Christ. Morley states, “If my dad were still alive he would say, ‘I am responsible for taking us out of church,’ but the church must also accept some responsibility. As a church, they had a vision for putting Bob to work, but they didn’t have a vision for helping him become a disciple.”[1] Though this story is lamentable, it could be repeated in countless church settings. There must be intentional goals to disciple congregants in the church, not simply use them to work and serve.
A study once disclosed that if both Mom and Dad attend church regularly, 72 percent of their children remain faithful in attendance. If only Dad attends regularly, 55 percent remain faithful. If only Mom attends regularly, 15 percent remain faithful. If neither attend regularly, only 6 percent remain faithful. The powerful influence of a man’s legacy can scarcely be calculated on the children he raises, and brings to pass the proverb which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
Psalm 78:1-8 is a classic text on the kind of legacy we are to leave the next generation. First, we are to leave the PRINCIPLES OF GOD’S WORD. Notice verses 2-3 says, “I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings [OR, RIDDLES] of old,Which we have heard and known, And our fathers have told us.” The Living Bible says, “For I will show you lessons from our history, stories handed down to us from former generations.” The Message paraphrase reads, “Stories we heard from our fathers, counsel we learned at our mother’s knee.”
This is not the only place in Scripture that speaks of this “multi-generational” legacy that should be handed down. 2 Timothy 2:2 reads, “And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” Joel 1:3 says, “Tell your children about it, Let your children tell their children, And their children another generation.” And Isaiah 38:19 affirms, “The father shall make known Your truth to the children.”
All of us have been influenced by our families, but the legacy of conviction should never be underestimated. Our children and our grandchildren should know that our convictions are based, not simply on the changing culture around us, but the unchanging truth of God’s Word. It is one thing to tell the generation to come that we believe
- Jesus is the ONLY way to God.
- Homosexuality is a perversion.
- Abortion is the same as murder.
- Alcohol is “brewed with tears, thickened with blood, and flavored with death” (Adrian Rogers).
It is another thing entirely to teach our children that those convictions are based on the bedrock truths found in God’s Word. They must realize that as Christians, we have chosen to live our lives under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, willfully submitting to the standard as spelled out in the Holy Scriptures. Our convictions are not political, they are biblical. The next generation must understand our convictions come from the Holy Scriptures.
Secondly, we should pass down the POWER OF GOD’S WORKS. Verse 4 says, “Telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.” The Living Bible says, “tell them about the mighty miracles he did.” The Holman Christian Standard Bible reads, “We must not hide them from their children, but must tell a future generation the praises of the LORD, His might, and the wonderful works He has performed.”
Has God ever shown up in your life? Has God performed a miracle in your life? TELL THESE STORIES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN! To your kids, your grandkids and others you influence. My parents tell of a time when they had no money for Christmas, and they just talked to the Lord about it, trusting God to take care of us. Christmas Eve a woman drives up, takes mom shopping for a nice outfit, drops her off and comes back several hours later with tons of Christmas gifts for all of the children! My parents did not hesitate to tell me over the years, not how Santa Claus brought those presents, but how God provided for us when we needed Him.
I remember a childhood friend who wore bottle-cap eye glasses for years and years, and yet, one day his eyes were prayed for, and he was dramatically and completely healed. He does not wear glasses today. I ran into him about a year and a half ago at a neighboring church, and he wanted to introduce me to his brother in law. His first comment was, “Josh was at that meeting where that person prayed for my eyes and God completely healed me!” He obviously had given glory to God over the years, and wanted that relative to know I was there.
TELL YOUR STORIES!! STORIES OF GOD’S FAITHFULNESS, STORIES OF ANSWERS TO PRAYER! Don’t simply tell your family about the principles of God’s Word, but also the power of God’s Works. Tell them how good God’s been to you. Show your family the faithfulness of God!
Psalm 78:7-8 tell us what will happen when we leave a godly legacy to the next generation. It reads, “That they may set their hope in God, And not forget the works of God, But keep His commandments; And may not be like their fathers, A stubborn and rebellious generation, A generation that did not set its heart aright, And whose spirit was not faithful to God.” I like how the Message paraphrase handles verse 8, “Heaven forbid they should be like their parents, bullheaded and bad, A fickle and faithless bunch who never stayed true to God.”
As we faithfully hand down the principles of God’s Word and the power of God’s works, Our children will do three things. First, they will WORSHIP God as the one true God. Notice verse seven says, “[they will] set their hope in God.” They will have hope that God will still be on the throne tomorrow, no matter how terrible our world gets. They will have hope that the same God that was faithful to Mommy and Daddy will be faithful to them as well. They will have the confidence to take God at His Word, and they will have faith that says, “If God answered Daddy’s prayers, then He will answer my prayers, too.”
Second, they will WITNESS for God to the next generation. Verse seven continues, “[they will] not forget the works of God.” They will pass this legacy on to the next Generation. They will witness to others around them the praises of His faithfulness. They will not forget that God is a good God, and has been good to them.
Third, they will WALK with God in obedience to His commands. Verse seven concludes, “[they will] keep His commandments.” They will fall in love with the same God that cared for Mom and Dad. They will show their love for God by the obedience they give to His commands. Remember the words of Jesus in John 14:15, “If you love me, you’ll keep my commandments.”
Billy Graham was born into a home of devout Christian parents. His father, Frank Graham, was a simpIe, uneducated dairy farmer. But his faith in Christ was an example for others to behold. Melvin Graham, Billy’s brother, said of his father, “His hands would tremble and his voice would shake a little, but people used to love to hear him pray.” His mother, Morrow Graham, spent many hours teaching young Billy Bible verses as she scrubbed his back in the washtub. Fittingly, the first one she taught him was that great text of evangelism which would later become a foundation of his ministry, John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (KJV). Prayer accompanied every meal, and each evening after dinner, the family gathered in the family room for further devotions. Frank and Morrow Graham demonstrated and reinforced unseen spiritual realities at home. How could they have known the impact their example would have on Billy, or on the world.[2] Remember, never underestimate the far-reaching consequences of raising one child to love the Lord.