Sermon Tone Analysis

Title: Legacy of Biblical Proportion

Theme: Fathers Living Biblically Before Their Children

“A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children…” (Proverbs 13:22)

“Inheritance” (nahal) here can be used figuratively meaning to leave a good heritage for our children.

A man can choose to leave a good or bad heritage for his children to follow.

God’s Word promises to “[punish] the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate [Him], but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love [Him] and keep [His] commandments (Exodus 20:5b-6) .”

Considering that it is Father’s Day, I believe the Holy Spirit of God would have us spend some time getting an understanding on how to live in such away that can plant life giving seeds into the hearts of our children.

Just how do we live in a way that leaves a godly legacy?

There is no greater heritage to have than that of a Christian family.

Lasting legacy for the Lord

The Bible gives four Christian character traits that can build a lasting legacy for the Lord.

The first is to speak and live with Christian integrity.

King David, a man who whom God called “a man after My own heart” (Acts 13:22) confessed in a prayer to God, “I know, my God, that you test the heart and are pleased with integrity (1 Chronicles 29:17).”

Psalm 41:12 says, “In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever (Psalm 41:12).”

A psalmist wrote, “May integrity and uprightness protect me (Psalm 25:21).”

The Word “integrity” (tom) used often in the Book of Proverbs and Psalms protects a man’s soul from the flesh, the snares of the world and the lies of the devil because his hope is in the Lord Jesus Christ.

(The Complete Word Study of the Old Testament; Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee; Dictionary of Biblical Languages)

The Christian father that will enjoy a lasting legacy is the man of God that is surrendered to the Holy Spirit so he may be able to tell the truth, keep his word and live out what he believes.

Proverbs 17:7 says, “Arrogant lips are unsuited for a fool – how much worse lying lips to a ruler (Proverbs 17:7).”

Christian fathers are to be leaders in the home and express a lifestyle of truthfulness.

He must be able to gain the trust of his children.

Children will not follow a man who does not tell the truth.

If a Christian father wants to pass a Christian legacy down to his children he must learn the joy of speaking and living out truth.

Fathers who leave a Christian legacy are fathers you follow through on their promises.

Proverbs 25:14 says, “Like clouds and wind without rain is a man who boasts of gifts he does not give.”

The promises of a boaster are empty.

Children are thirsty for gifts from dad that could give them what they need to help them succeed in the talents and abilities the Lord has given them.

Dads are needed to do all they can to help their children obtain certain healthy goals just as rain is needed to bring fruit from the ground.

A father must not boast of having a car yet fail to make the time for his son to learn to drive it in the proper season of his life.

A father must not boast of having a skill or trade and not take time to teach it to a child who desires to learn it.

A Christian father must not promise to take his child somewhere or do something special and not make the time to fulfill the promise.

Children will trust a dad who chooses to use his God given resources for the good of the children he is called to raise.

The Christian father who leaves a Christian heritage is the man who says as King David, “I will sing of your love and justice; to you, O LORD, I will sing praise.

I will be careful to lead a blameless life -- when will you come to me?

I will walk in my house with blameless heart.

I will set before my eyes no vile thing.”

(Psalm 101:1-3)

When the Lord answers prayer or brings a blessing into the family, dad is to be the first to offer and lead the family in expressions of praise to Jesus.

He makes an effort to live a life that expresses a heart of David who longed to let the Word of God and the Holy Spirit guide him.

A Christian father lets the Holy Spirit of God place in his heart what the Word of God says about conducting His family affairs and official relationships.

He is hungry for Lord’s help and continued presence.

A Christian father with Biblical integrity will not set before his eyes that which is vile.

The New American Standard Bible has the best translation with “I will set no worthless thing before my eyes…”

A Christian father will not allow wickedness to have dominion in his heart and he forbids it to be even placed before his eyes.

Jesus taught, “The eye is the lamp of the body.

If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.

But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness (Matthew 6:22).”

The father who refuses to look upon that which displeasing to God and useless for the Lord’s glory opens the door to true Christian virtue.

For the past thirty years they have done an annual “Most Admired Men” list in America.

While presidents, politicians, stars and athletes have come and gone, one man has been on that list every year for the last thirty years.

He has ranged from first to third place, his name, Dr. Billy Graham.

There are few men in America who has lived and overseen such a quality ministry with such a powerful expression of integrity.

That Christian legacy has been passed down to his son, Franklin Graham.

(The truths found in this portion of the message came about as I have studied the NIV Bible; The Expositors Bible Commentary; Barnes Notes; The Treasury of David; The Complete Word Study of the Old Testament)

Serves the Lord with intensity

A father with a heart for Biblical integrity will enjoy a lasting legacy and will live a life that serves the Lord with intensity.

Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.

It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

Proverbs 14:22b says, “But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness.

Jesus said, “whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant… (Mark 10:43).”

The Holy Spirit’s challenge is to be a servant with a heart that serves Christ in everything he does.

Pastor Rick Warren recently read a study of youth that were asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Not one child has ever said, “I want to grow up to be a servant.”

Our American dreams and way of thinking have caused our children to place their hearts on being celebrities, winners and worldly leaders.

A Christian father will strive to live before his children a life of servanthood with ambitions of serving for the purpose of glorifying Christ before those he serves.

He serves hoping that the people he works for might ask about the things of God or take notice that he is actually serving the Lord who gave him his opportunities.

Those in the world see employees who are only in it for the paycheck.

It is those who serve for the right reasons who leave a Christian heritage.

A Christian who has been Holy Spirit taught on how to do his work as working for the Lord is enthusiastic, eager to get to work and do his work.

He serves with intensity no matter what he is asked to do.

The happiest janitor is one who cleans the office, the shop or bathroom as though Christ is standing right there beside him.

The most diligent father is the one who manages his affairs of life and business in way that expresses recognition of daily accountability.

One of the most intense and hardest working preachers I know today is Rick Warren.

He writes this about his dad, “My father was an incredible servant of God.

He served others and he never became famous.

He wasn’t particularly brilliant, but he was a great man because he served with intensity.

He was a carpenter and in his lifetime he helped build over 150 different churches all around the world and build water towers in towns ravaged by earthquakes...

He paid for most of his personal expenses on those missionary outreaches out of his own pocket, just for the privilege of serving others and Christ.”

Rick Warren is a hard working pastor with a heart to serve other pastors, a legacy of his dad who passed on to be with the Lord.

Psalm 37:18 says, “The days of the blameless are known to the Lord and their inheritance will endure forever.”

The greatest inheritance a Christian father can receive outside of Christ Jesus is sons and daughters who know the joy of doing all their labors as unto the Lord and sharing the message of Christ’s love to a lost a dying world.

Gives with generosity

A Christian father speaks and lives with integrity, serves with intensity and gives with generosity.

2 Corinthians 9:6-11 says, “Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work… Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.

You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.”

A Christian father is a man who gives to the Lord’s work in every way because it is the Lord’s work, he does not give to get but for the glory of Christ.

He gives much and reaps much.

A Christian father gives deliberately to please God, not grudgingly and not from compulsion.

He knows that God does not accept a gift of money, talent, time and energy that is not given out of a joyful heart.

He gives with purpose in his heart by thinking about the need, how to give sacrificially for the glory of God and knowing exactly what the Holy Spirit prompts him to give.

He knows that if there is any begrudging, reluctance or regret in his giving.

He asks the honest question, “Why is not my heart to give joyful of my finances, time, energy, talents and abilities to the Lord’s work?”

Then he invites the Holy Spirit to give him the faith he needs to be the giver the Lord wants him to be.

A Christian father wants his children to see him give with a right heart before God, not to please man or out of personal honor and recognition.

A Christian father’s motives for giving to the Lord’s work is for the enrichment of his relationship with God, to meet the needs of the Lord’s work and for the poor, to prove loyalty to Christ, to enhance prayer, and to bring praise to God.

A man who gave generously and enjoyed a legacy that was passed on to his next generation was King David.

Solomon, David’s son became king after David and was the one chosen by God to build a house of worship.

It is in 1 Chronicles 22 and 28 we read of David’s heartfelt desire to build a temple for the Lord his God and it is there we read of David hearing the Word of the Lord saying that he would not be the one to build the temple, his son Solomon would build it (1 Chronicles 28:3,6).