Over the past few weeks, we have looked at a variety of types of legacies. We have seen the usual description of a legacy in terms of money or wealth is but one of several legacies a person might leave for his family.
A legacy far greater than money is one founded on faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Even a legacy founded in God can have different emphases as seen in Hannah’s legacy of hope and Abraham’s legacy of faith.
The continuation of this pattern moves today to a legacy of love. It is reminiscent of the Apostle Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “And now these three remain—faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
As we look at these selected passages, we will see Paul leaving behind a legacy of love for others to receive and utilize, but first and foremost, we also will see the real motivation behind Paul’s actions as a believer. It is this motivation we will give greatest emphasis to this week as we seek to find our own motivation for the legacies we leave as believers.
There are a few people in my life for whom I would do almost anything, including laying down my life for them. As you would suspect, that list consists of my wife, my children, their spouses, my grandchildren and maybe a close friend or two. Each person on my list is not there because of obligation or the need to return a favor. They are not listed because of guilt or because I have a debt to repay to them.
My guess is that most of us have a similar list, and every name on our lists is there for only one reason—we love them and believe firmly they love us. This is a legacy I pray each of them might not only receive from me but pass on to others as their own lists are developed. But as Paul would point out to us, there is something of great importance lacking as I have stated my legacy of love.
In 2 Corinthians 5:14-15, Paul states he and other believers are compelled or constrained by Christ’s love. Paul’s theological insight into the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus helps us to understand Christ’s death on the cross was not for a short list of blood relatives and a few close friends. Rather, his death is for all.
Paul goes on to validate that Jesus’ death for all means that it is if we have died as well. He has taken our place and paid the price due for our sin. All that is left is for us to accept his great gift of love for us.
Paul’s emphasis is that as he has accepted Christ’s gift of love demonstrated through his death and resurrection, now he is to live his own life for Christ, not for himself. This love that Christ demonstrated toward him is the motivation for living for Christ.
For thought: Frequently I hear parents say they would do anything for their children. Their hearts are melted by a smile, a hug or a kiss from their child. But what would they (or you or me) do for Christ who went far beyond a smile or a hug in opening up a path for us to have eternal life? Are our lives more directed by ourselves and our short list of close loved ones or by Christ who while we were yet sinners, died for us (Romans 5:8)? What adjustments do we need to make today to leave a legacy of Christ’s love instead of just a legacy of our love?
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This lesson couples two additional Scripture passages to Paul’s motivation in 2 Corinthians. The first is in Acts 17:1-4. In summation, it contains part of the story of Paul’s second missionary journey. This one was made with Silas and took the gospel into Macedonia. In the city of Thessalonica, Paul spent about three weeks teaching and explaining the gospel to the people. The result was many believed and became followers of Christ. The heart of this portion of the lesson is that the love of Christ compelled Paul to share the gospel with others so they might know and believe.
For thought: Too often we emphasize witnessing or evangelism as if it were a prepackaged program isolated to itself. For Paul, sharing Christ was a result of the love Christ demonstrated toward him and the love Paul had for Christ. How is your sharing or lack of sharing the message of Christ connected to your love for him and his love for you?
This study concludes in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10. Paul and Silas had not been able to stay as long as they desired in Thessalonica. Here, Paul is writing back to the church that formed to offer answers to their questions and to encourage them. Assuring them of his prayers for them, he also commends them that now they are sharing Christ and seeking to live a life that would honor him.
For thought: A legacy truly founded upon Christ can be passed on by the actions and teachings of one to another as lives are transformed. Is the legacy you are leaving worth passing on from generation to generation? If not, it might be time to examine the real foundation of that legacy.
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