Allen Jackson - Establish a Legacy of Faith - Part 1
I started a theme in a previous session back to "Leading With Faith," but it's the holiday edition. We've talked a lot this year about leading with our faith and stepping out of the crowd, but I wanna have that conversation in light of the holidays. It's a special time of year for us. Our calendars are different. Our social patterns change, our work schedules change, school schedules are different, there are some family traditions that get interlaced with that, there are some religious themes that are a part of that. It creates a set of opportunities in this window of time that are not the same 90 days from now. Not greater or lesser, it's just with the holidays, there comes some opportunities.
And I wanna specifically talk to you about intentionally, purposefully establishing a legacy of faith. I know you will gather in the next few weeks, I pray, with family and friends, people that you care about, people that you have done some life with and hope to continue to do life with. And one of the questions is what is it that you're gonna be celebrated for? Is it because you have the finest Christmas decorations? You have more trees? Your Christmas table is more elegant? Your family recipes are better than mine? You know, there's a whole host, and none of those are inherently wrong or wicked or evil, they're just temporary because fashions will change and styles will change and traditions will change.
So I wanna ask you to think with me about establishing a legacy of faith. Now, we're living in a troubled season. If you're paying any attention whatsoever, you have noticed that. They're mutilating our children, the teacher's unions, and the government think they have a greater right over educating our children than parents do. They declare big segments of our culture non-essential and tell us we have to close. The New York Times editorial this weekend. Big News. It's on the editorial page of the Times. Apparently school closures during COVID were not good for education. Woo, I'm glad you were seated when I made that announcement 'cause you had no clue. You know, the big revelation of COVID was the places that we had hoped that were trustworthy proved not to be, and yet we're left to continue to go forward.
So I would encourage you to stop being agitated about who's in the White House or in the Houses of Congress or state houses, and let's go to work on our house. Let's go to work in the places where we have influence. You can be mad about all, you can imagine that the next election's gonna fix us, folks, how many of those processes are we gonna have to go through? They just change uniforms and go back and do the same thing. We have to change. So that's the point of this little series. I wanna give you some opportunities to think about it. You're gonna be with family and school groups and offices and coworkers and friends. I promise you, God is moving in the earth, His plans are coming to a completion. They are.
You can see the expressions of evil and darkness and wickedness, they're unashamed and more brazen they've ever been. Sometimes it's a little more difficult to see what the Spirit of God is doing because it doesn't typically lead the news, but I assure you, God is moving in the earth. The question that's available to us is to what extent are we going to be involved? Now, tragically in the church world, and I've spent my life in the church, so I'll put myself, we have coached people to be observers. And I would love to just put that portfolio in the shredder. Jesus didn't die on the cross so you could watch God do something, he offered himself as a sacrifice so that you and I might participate in his eternal kingdom.
And so this is very much an invitation in this session. I'll start with just a bit of a refresher. It's the Beatitudes of the Holidays. There's some attitudes that I would suggest that will change your holiday and change your faith in the midst of the holiday. And I'm not gonna dwell on 'em, but I'll hand them to you quickly. It begins by being prepared. Be prepared to make a difference. Decide that the next few weeks is a season where you could be a difference maker in the lives of someone. It may be the place where you purchase gas. It may be the server at Waffle House. You'd be amazed what a generous tip would do and a kind word.
It isn't that showing the love of God is beyond us, we just haven't been prepared to do it. And we've imagined that when we walked in these buildings that had some ecclesiastical architecture and there was a little music that played, that that's when we get spiritual. Folks, the evaluation of your Spiritual life, the evaluation of your faith isn't how you do in church. We can all wing it in here 'cause if you'll just watch the rest of the group, they'll let you know when to sit and stand and when you can leave, and you're supposed to look excited when you leave. Coming in is kinda somber...but leaving, you can be happy about that.
So first of all, be prepared to make a difference. Second, be flexible. This is not the most flexible season of the year 'cause we make our plans. We extend invitations, we're gonna sit at the same space in the tables, we have our menu already prepared. This is how I want my holiday to go. And then life starts to happen and the kids get a better invitation than yours. And I can't believe it. Or somebody gets sick or there's a flight canceled or there's traffic. You know, we can make our plans, but when reality starts to unfold, they have to be adjusted.
So if you'll allow me, let's be a little flexible. "Well, that's not the way". Okay, the fact that you had a plan has been duly noted. Now, let's offer it to the Lord. Abraham had a plan, and it was not kids where he paid for nursery furniture with a social security check, but it worked out okay. David had a plan when Samuel anointed him to be king, and it didn't include drooling and pretending to be insane in front of a Philistine king, but it worked out okay. Be flexible.
Number three, be purposeful. I'm gonna talk to you about some things to do on purpose. You need the intent to let your faith into your holiday. If you don't have the intent, it's not going to happen. One of the things I have learned about the Spirit of God is he seldom intrudes where he's not invited. Now, evil will intrude. It will kick the door in and move in. The Spirit of God comes where he's invited. Let's be intentional.
Number four, let's be helpful. So you think, "Well, I'm just not a spiritual person, I'm kind of an introvert, I'm not gonna use my words, I'm not gonna do something overtly"... Okay, just be helpful. Be the best dishwasher. Be kind. Just pretend. Maybe you're not kind. Just see if you could bluff it for like 90 minutes. Practice. "Well, I don't feel authentic". I had this meeting with someone. I was coaching a group of people on some spiritual leadership, and I said, "You need to respond to the people that you're serving as if you care about them". Somebody raised their hand and said, "Well, what if it's not sincere"? Out loud. I said, "Well, just fake it". Be prepared, be flexible, be helpful.
Number five, be available primarily to the Lord. So it's a busy time, uh-huh. Be available. And finally, be grateful. Here's the challenge I think with the holidays. Life isn't perfect, and at the end of the year, we often reflect on the things that have happened that have been most painful. In some years, it's significant. We've had losses or setbacks or challenges, and it's easy to get to this season of the year and to be overwhelmed with what's not. It's a year theoretically where there's the greatest expressions of hope and joy, and it's also the season of the year with the highest incident of depression and discouragement. And I've already suggested to you that one of the greatest ways to overcome that is to be grateful. Maybe you start a good news list, and then you purposely make a list of things for which you could be thankful in your life. And if you really wanna get a little weird with it, flip it over and make it things that you could be thankful for that have happened in our nation or in the world. I know there's things you're not grateful for, but there's surely something you could be grateful for.
1 Peter chapter 3 and verse 15 says, "In your hearts set apart Christ as Lord, and always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have". That's really my agenda with this particular session. To help you be prepared, to always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that you have. We're going public with our Jesus stories. We're gonna break out of the church world and stop just having our traditions and our favorite menus, and this is how we celebrate and we're actually gonna bring our faith to bear this year. I'm gonna give you a handful of ideas, but I wanna start with Jesus' ministry. I always think that's a good idea when we can.
In Luke 19, we're nearing the end of his public ministry. He's on his way to Jerusalem and it's gonna be a very difficult time in Jerusalem. In fact, it's horrific. And Jericho's the last major city he's going to pass en route to Jerusalem, and it says, "He entered Jericho and he's passing through. And a man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and he was wealthy". The most hated people amongst the Jewish population were not the Romans. The Romans are an occupying army, they do what occupying armies do. But the Romans discovered that the most efficient and effective way to collect taxes for Rome was not to bring an outsider into the community, but to recruit a local. Because the local people knew who had the resources, whose businesses were most effective.
And if they could get a local to be the tax collector, they would give them the authority of the Roman soldiers. They could stand behind the sword and shield of the soldiers, but they would be the ones that put the finger on the people in the community that had the resources. And then because of Roman authority, they could exact taxes that wasn't going to Rome, they would make themselves wealthy. So the most hated part of the population were the tax collectors, they're traitors. Under the idea of doing public good, they're stealing from the people. Gee, that would never happen today. "Zacchaeus was a chief tax collector and he was wealthy".
Luke points that out at the beginning of this little narrative. "He wanted to see who Jesus was, but he was a short man and he couldn't because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and he climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, Jesus was coming that way. And when Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, 'Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.' So he came down at once and he welcomed him gladly. And the people saw this and they began to mutter, 'He is gone to be the guest of a sinner.'" A lot of unhappy people. "He's no prophet. Look who he said he was having lunch with. I knew he was a fraud. If he was really spiritual, he wouldn't spend any time with him".
You've got some holiday appointments with people who are pretty public sinners. Some of them are gonna join you at your family table. I didn't put your picture on the screen, I'm just acknowledging a reality. What are we gonna do? How do we respond? I don't wanna use my voice to encourage ungodliness because that means I get the reward of the ungodly, and I don't want that. I don't necessarily have to show up in anger or resentment and bitterness, it's a real thing. What are we gonna do? Well, it's a part of my objective, but let's follow Jesus through this, it works.
"The people saw this and they began the mutter, 'He is gone to be the guest of a sinner.' But Zacchaeus stood up and he said to the Lord, 'Look, here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody,'" if I have cheated anybody, can you see the side eyes all through the crowd? If you cheated everybody. You greedy, dishonest, self-absorbed, "I've cheated anybody out of anything, I'll pay back four times the amount.' And Jesus said to him, 'Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is the son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.'"
I think it's a helpful little narrative. Jesus did accept Zacchaeus's hospitality. Jesus knew exactly who he was and what he was. He understood the prominent role he played in the community, and Jesus accepted his hospitality. There were many people who complained. Luke tells us that. I mean, Luke first tells us that Zacchaeus was really rich. And then he said a lot of people muttered and complained because Jesus chose him as a friend on that day. Don't you know the church bazaar had prepared lunch. They had tuna and jello. I've been to that lunch. So have you. I would also point out Jesus didn't ask for a donation. He didn't just use as an opportunity to further his agenda and pretend like he didn't know the ungodliness that was going on. The outcome of Jesus's presence with Zacchaeus was a public expression of repentance.
Listen, if I've been stealing, I will stop and I will make restitution. That is the portrayal of what repentance is. So if we want a little guidebook for our holidays, we're gonna interact with all kinds of people, some of them beyond our families. Some people wouldn't know God if you gave them a G and an O and ask them to spell it. I have great compassion on those people, they're stumbling in the darkness. And perhaps you can be just a little bit of light in their lives and help them meet a person of faith that would cause them to consider it for their lives. There's other people you'll gather with that hide amongst the Christians but they're living an ungodly life. That's a different response altogether because they're deceived, they think they're getting away with it. They don't understand that the God that created heaven and earth isn't fooled.
And in those lives, our responses are different, we need more wisdom. Sometimes your presence and your willingness to express your faith and to acknowledge your faith in a public place is enough to call them to make a change. I'm not suggesting you be the voice of judgment at every holiday gathering. I am suggesting you go in the name of the Lord. And that we don't use our voice to affirm, encourage, cheer for, advocate for ungodliness. If you do that, understand biblically you get the reward for that. That's the whole notion of a watchman. It's a part of our assignment. Jericho was different after Jesus left. The most notorious thief in the community has had a change of heart. Makes public expression of that, it's a different place.
My prayer for you and me this holiday season is by the time we get to the beginning of a new year and back to our routines and settled in again, the kids are in school and we're finished with all the erratic part of the holidays, that we'll say the Lord met us, we're in a new place. I think that's a legitimate goal. So I wanna spend the balance of our time and give you a little bit of a ministry toolkit, some things that you could think about, just some practical expressions of faith that you could take with you to all these varied opportunities that we'll present over these next few weeks. It's important. We wanna make inviting God into our lives normal. We wanna make inviting God into our lives normal, as normal as watching a ball game, as normal as a conversation around our favorite holiday food.
In fact, let's determine that our intent is to honor God and his Word in our lives, period. That's my objective. Wherever I go, and whatever I'm invited to, and whatever I'm included, my objective is to honor God and his Word in my life. Doesn't mean I don't talk about what's happening in the world, doesn't mean I may not watch a ball game or enjoy a good meal, but my objective in all of those things is to honor God and his Word. You see, if you don't have the intent, you won't do it. And the reason we've found ourselves in this fine mess, Ollie, is we have lacked the intent. We've wanted somebody else to do that. Wherever we go, I wanna suggest we should intend to represent our Lord and his people, period. That's how you establish a legacy of faith.
"So, you know, I really haven't done that. I've been focused on other things, accomplishing or achieving or becoming or accumulating," or whatever it may, it's okay, let's begin this year. It'll take God to help us do that anyway, we can't do it on our own. But why not determine to do that this year? We're gonna pray before we go today, make a commitment to the Lord, if you're up for that. So the first part of your toolkit I'm gonna suggest is there's some prayers that we wanna pray in preparing ourselves. These aren't about the other people, these aren't the ones with whom we're gonna gather or interact or the server at the restaurant, this is about us.
In Mark 11, Jesus said, "When you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone forgive him". Apparently it's possible as human beings that we could hold something against someone else. Who knew? I mean, I know that's not you, but there could be somebody in this wide world that holds something, something that is unhelpful, like unforgiveness or anger or resentment or bitterness or hatred. We can hold hatred generationally. It's amazing. If you don't believe it, watch the headlines. We have wars being fought in our world over things that happened hundreds of years ago. Before you get to any of these gatherings, there's some prayers you and I wanna pray.
Hebrews 12 reminds us to not let any bitter roots grow up. In fact, the phrase before that intrigues me. It says, "See to it that no one misses the grace of God". Grace is unmerited, unearned, how could you mess something up that you didn't earn and you don't deserve? You can nullify the grace of God by holding onto bitterness. Please don't do that. Forgiveness is a decision, it's not a feeling. It's not earned or merited. We don't forgive people because they deserve it, we forgive them because we desperately need to be forgiven, and I cannot afford the weight of resentment 'cause my anger puts me in bondage. And I will forgive so that I can get on with what God has for me. I will release you, I will cancel the marker. I'm not saying that what you did was appropriate, I'm not endorsing the evil or the pain that may have been caused, I'm not even willing to get back in line for further mistreatment, but I will cancel the marker. It's a decision I've made. My emotions will catch up.
So I wanna encourage you as a part of your preparation for the holiday, don't carry the junk into the season. Just don't do it. Some of you even mad at people in your family long time. They don't even remember why you're mad, they just know you are. You know, there are very few things that are more frustrating than being angry and somebody doesn't notice. Come on, you've been there. 'Cause now you have to kind of send signals. You have to snort a little bit, you have to scowl some. "What's wrong"? "I don't know".
So your preparation is perhaps the most important part on this list. And then now there's an invitation in James 1 and verse 5, it says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it'll be given to him". You can ask God for his wisdom for your preparation. That's a wonderful, we have permission from scripture. "Lord, give me the wisdom I need to be prepared for this gathering". I pray that prayer frequently when I'm headed to places and opportunities and for whatever role I'm playing or not playing. If I'm just going, "Lord help me, I don't wanna just waste this time. I'm not going just for relaxation, Lord, I want to go on your behalf. Give me wisdom to know what to say or when to be quiet". The Lord will help you.
So the first piece in the toolkit is your preparation. Not gonna carry that stuff. Some of you have carried anger and resentment and bitterness and hatred for so long, you think it's a part of you, you're proud of it, you boast about it. it's a part of your armor, and it's keeping you from the best of God. I would encourage you to lay it down. I know you feel justified. Some of you're mad at God because the circumstances of your life have been disappointing. The narrative you had, the plan that you held unraveled and you're mad about it, and you're making life choices based on anger and resentment and hatred, and you're compounding the frustrations. Some of us need to forgive God.
Some of us need to forgive people that aren't even alive anymore. You can do that. You know their name, you know the circumstance because when you see the circumstance again, you get all the adrenaline back. "Lord, I forgive whomever of whatever, I release them". And I'll tell you why that is so important is I need God's forgiveness. And the promise that God gave about forgiving us all our sins is a conditional promise. The good news is the only condition, it's not about education or IQ or wealth or the ability to run a mile in less than six minutes, the only qualification is that I'm willing to forgive.
Hey, before we go, we wanna pray for God's wisdom, that we can lead with our faith this holiday season that he would be pleased.
Lord, I thank you that you said if we lacked wisdom, we could ask. And we ask for your wisdom that, as we gather with our friends and family this holiday season, that you might be honored, that you would be pleased. In Jesus's name, amen.