My grandmother, known as Granny to me, went to be with Jesus over 20 years ago now. It doesn’t seem like it can be that long ago. I have so many memories of my Granny. She was from the tiny community of Tomnolen, near the town of Eupora in north Mississippi. I loved going up to visit her in the summers and every memory of Christmas from my childhood has her house as the setting. She was locally famous for her cinnamon rolls. You could say that her cinnamon rolls are her legacy. It is nearly impossible to have a conversation with anyone that knew her without those melt in your mouth, delectable cinnamon rolls being remembered and talked about. Today the cinnamon rolls are made by my mom, so in a sense, my Granny’s legacy lives on through those cinnamon rolls. My mom will always give her the credit whenever she is complemented today. But for me, my Granny’s legacy is far greater than her delicious cinnamon rolls.What I remember and cherish most about my Granny was her kind, sweet spirt and her love for Jesus. For those that knew her best, that is my Granny’s long-lasting legacy. That was her impact on me and those that knew her best.
Our church is currently walking through the book of Acts on Sunday mornings. If you’re unfamiliar with Acts, it records the beginning and early history of the church, following Jesus’ death, resurrection, and ascension. While the early church grew very quickly, she was not without opposition. In fact, even in the first few chapters, we read of arrests, imprisonment, threats, and even severe beatings. However, in spite of the persecution and suffering, the church continued to grow! For me, the reason is captured in one verse that describes the apostles’ response to having just endured a severe beating. Acts 5:41 says: “…they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.” They rejoiced in their suffering! Why? In summary: because Jesus was (and is) worth it! This is significant, but chapter 6 introduces us to a man named Stephen. The Bible describes him as being full of grace and power. God was using him in powerful ways and predictably, opposition came against him. He was lied about and falsely accused, much like Jesus following his own arrest. Stephen’s defense was proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus to those that wanted to silence him. This led to Stephen’s death and he will forever be remembered as the first Christian martyr. This is Stephen’s legacy: He was willing to die because Jesus was worth it. For all those that came to faith in Jesus during Stephen’s life and ministry, how many more have come to faith, at least in part, because of his death?
I don’t know that many of us ever really consider our own legacy as we move through our lives. I’m sure we want to make a difference and for our lives to count for something. But life can be incredibly busy and we are all mostly focused on what we need to get through today. For a moment, consider this question: What impact am I having on those in my life, especially those closest to me? To be honest, it may be hard for us to answer that question. I don’t really know what my legacy will be to those closest to me. My hope is that they are truly impacted by Jesus. The reason I remember my Granny the way that I do is because she knew Jesus to be greater than anything else this world has to offer. The reason the apostles rejoiced in their suffering and that Stephen was martyred is because they found Jesus to be the greatest treasure that could ever be found. Knowing Jesus and making Him known was worth the price they paid. This is still true today. Regarding your legacy, I encourage you to find a way to leave a positive, lasting impact on those in your life, especially those closest to you. I implore you to consider Jesus as the greatest treasure you can know now and the greatest treasure you can pass to others. He is worth everything!
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