Legacy: Investment Strategy

September 12th, 2021/Riverside & Lookout

Story: Always thinking about legacy.

• The influence my children are going to have in the world.
• The impact the church is going to lead for generations to come.
• The people I’ve invested in that will go on to disciple others.
• Question: Have you spent time thinking about the legacy that you will leave?
• Question: What is your most prized investment?
• Think about the people in your life that have passed away. What did they leave you that you remember most?

When you think about the word Legacy, what is the first thing that comes to mind? Most likely it is surrounding your finances and resources. And that’s not a wrong answer, but legacy involves much more than what’s in your bank account, it involves every aspect of your life. How you spend your time, what memories you leave behind to those you love, and most important is the pursuit you gave your life for.

Story: A Father’s Legacy

I was talking to a dad about life and the story we’ll leave to our kids. He pondered for a while and then began to share with more passion than I’ve ever seen. I heard him say “I want my kids to know that above all else I gave my life to be about the Kingdom of God.”

We’re going to continue the discussion on leaving a legacy through your personal stewardship of the finances God has entrusted you with, but I want to take this Sunday and talk to you briefly on an investment strategy that cannot fail! An investment strategy that compounds much more than your 401k or 403b, a strategy that not only produces growth, but results in exponential multiplication!

Title: Investment Strategy

Big Idea:

Every great leader is not thinking about their empire, but their successors.

Passage: 2 Timothy 1:13-18 & 2 Timothy 2:1-2 NLT

Hold on to the pattern of wholesome teaching you learned from me—a pattern shaped by the faith and love that you have in Christ Jesus. 14 Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.

15 As you know, everyone from the province of Asia has deserted me—even Phygelus and Hermogenes.

16 May the Lord show special kindness to Onesiphorus and all his family because he often visited and encouraged me. He was never ashamed of me because I was in chains. 17 When he came to Rome, he searched everywhere until he found me. 18 May the Lord show him special kindness on the day of Christ’s return. And you know very well how helpful he was in Ephesus.

Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people who will be able to pass them on to others.

Pray:

Background:

Paul is writing this letter to his friend and spiritual son Timothy. Paul walked with Timothy for many years discipling him in the faith. Timothy looked to Paul as his spiritual father. This letter was written to give final instructions and to encourage Timothy, who was the leader of the church at Ephesus and going through a season of transition.

Paul is in prison for the last time. He had been released after his earlier imprisonment in Rome, was arrested again, and writes this shortly before he is executed under Emperor Nero. This would be Paul’s last letter. Therefore I believe it reveals his heart and priorities for the local church; sound doctrine, steadfast faith, persevering labor, and faithful discipleship.

Haymakers:

1. Guard that which is your most prized possession and let people go.

   1. “Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you. As you know, everyone from the province of Asia has deserted me—even Phygelus and Hermogenes.” - 2 Timothy 1:14-15 NLT

   2. Paul is encouraging Timothy in the people that he surrounds himself with. I believe there’s two possible reasons for Paul taking the time to recount the stories of these three men.

      1. First, Paul tells Timothy to guard the good deposit, the gospel teaching, and shows him that even leaders can fall away. Here’s how I’d apply that: you are who you hang around. The people you place closest to you will drastically influence your life. So be careful.

         1. Your connection determines your direction. Your alignment determines your assignment. Show me your friend and I’ll tell you your future.
         2. Question: Are the people closest to you depositing biblical truth over your life?
         3. Question: Are the people closest to you guarding the good deposit in your life?
         4. Question: Are the people around you building your faith or pulling you away from the faith?
         5. “Do not be deceived: “Bad company corrupts good morals.” - 1 Corinthians 15:33 2. Reality Check:
         6. Do your closest friends faithfully attend a local church?
         7. Do your closest friends generously give to the church and those in need?
         8. Do your closest friends hold tight to the truth of God’s Word?
         9. Do your closest friends pursue and maintain healthy relationships?
         10. Do your closest friends share their faith with the lost?

         11. Do your closest friends have core convictions and live with integrity? 3. Second, based on what follows, I believe that Paul was encouraging Timothy to choose wisely those that he was going to invest in. Time is short and therefore he encourages Timothy to commit to “faithful” men.

         12. Story: Every investment is a risk. I was talking to a friend last night who is a successful investor and he made the comment “All investment is about risk management”, we weren’t talking about finances at the time, but the principle is true in all investments you make in your life.

         13. It’s true that not every investment you make is going to yield the fruit you had planned, but stay the course and persevere. Be wise and always be on guard.
         14. Choose wisely, work hard, stay faithful, and trust God with the results.
             3. Phygelus and Hermogenes

      2. The meaning of Phygelus is “fugitive, flight, or avoider”.

      3. Something happened in the relationship with Paul and these two men. There was a moment in time where something changed and they deserted Paul.

      4. It doesn’t say in the text, but looking at Paul’s life, it would be probable that it had something to do with Paul becoming a criminal for preaching the Gospel and ending up in prison. That Paul’s suffering drove them away and they deserted him.

         1. This is also called a fair-weather-friend. They are there when times are good, but gone when things go bad. 4. Paul is saying to Timothy, “There are going to be those that desert you! There are going to be those that walk away from God! But you Timothy, you stay faithful! Hold on to the pattern of sound teaching and guard the good deposit!” 5. Illustration: Madea Video
            4. Onesiphorus

      5. How to say it “On-uh-SIF-uh-ruhs”. And it means “Bringing profit”. Paul doesn’t make a point of the name. What he does say is that this man often visited and encouraged him. There will be those in your life who do the same!

      6. We don’t know much about Onesiphorus other than the fact that he was a good friend and faithful co-laborer with Paul.
      7. Question: Who is an Onesiphorus in your life?
      8. I would imagine that Timothy knew all of these men. It would be like me talking with you saying “you remember how Jared was there for me and found me in my darkest moment. How he encouraged me and how he was not ashamed by my suffering!” Oh yeah… Jared. We love Jared.
      9. Here Paul is encouraging Timothy that though you may feel alone. There are others that are for you, others that are with you! Keep people like Onesiphorus close to you! It’s men and women like this that will carry you and walk with you through every season! Whether in your greatest moments of victory, or when you are buried in a prison cell!

2. Give that which is your most prized possession and watch trustworthy people grow.

   1. “Timothy, my dear son, be strong through the grace that God gives you in Christ Jesus. 2 You have heard me teach things that have been confirmed by many reliable witnesses. Now teach these truths to other trustworthy people…” - 2 Timothy 2:1-2a

   2. Story: There’s an old illustration, told in different ways, about a pastor who was visited by the bishop of his district. The bishop asked, “How many converts did you have in this last church year?”, “We had one young boy,” the pastor replied proudly, “and I have been mentoring and investing in him to help him grow in his faith.” The bishop replied, “Only one convert to show for a year of gospel work; that is disgraceful.” But the pastor was not discouraged. He continued to pour into and invest in this young man. He helped him walk through the Bible, memorize Scripture, share his faith, and find a burden for prayer. God blessed this pastor’s efforts; as the story goes, the young man grew up to become a powerful preacher.

      1. That is the power of investing in one.

         3. Be strong in God’s undeserved and unmerited favor. Paul is instructing Timothy that the strength he is going to need to endure is found in Christ alone!
         4. Spiritual growth does not happen in isolation. Spiritual growth does not occur when the focus is inward. True spiritual growth does its best work as you reproduce yourself in others!
         5. Every great leader is not thinking about their empire, but their successors. Those that will come after them and carry the baton.
         6. Question: What are some characteristics of a trustworthy man or woman?

      2. F - faithful

      3. A - available
      4. I - intentional
      5. T - teachable

      6. H - hungry

         7. Illust: farming takes time, energy, and investment.

      7. Work hard to cultivate the soil

      8. Keep planting the seeds

      9. Spend time nurturing and developing the crop

         1. As you’re developing the crop guess what’s happening, seeds are beginning to grow inside your fruit. Seeds that will spread and start a new harvest. 4. Protect the garden from negative elements 5. Reap the benefit of the harvest

         2. One of the greatest benefits is the multiplication that happens in the fruit.

            8. Don’t stop short of the harvest! Persevere! Stay the course and you will see the fruits of your labor.
            9. “commit to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
            10. Here we see 4 generations of discipleship. Paul to Timothy, Timothy to faithful men, and faithful men to others. And behind Paul stands Jesus.
            11. All throughout Scriptures we see a pattern of multiplication. The best being Jesus and the 12 disciples. The world was turned upside down because of the investment Jesus made in 12 men over the course of just a few years.
            12. Question: With those that you will invest in, are you leading them to knowledge for knowledge's sake, or are you leading them to reproduce themselves in others and then to repeat the process.
            13. If every believer were to follow this pattern, we would see the entire world discipled in our generation!

Closing: Every great leader is not thinking about their empire, but their successors.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

Walking Points:

1. Join a Crew and learn

   1. In order to make disciples you must first be a disciple. A disciple is a learner!
   2. Learn the process, learn the word of God, learn what it looks like to be vulnerable with others.
   3. Show up, lean in, and learn.

   4. Start a Crew

   5. Let your Crew Captain know now that you want to lead a crew next season.

   6. Take notes and ask questions. And start now thinking of who all will be in your Crew next season.
   7. Crew Captains are not super christians. They are for all!

   8. Repeat the process

   9. The goal is always 4 generations deep.