Leaving a legacy…

David commanded to gather together the resident aliens who were in the land of Israel, and he set stonecutters to prepare dressed stones for building the house of God. David also provided great quantities of iron for nails for the doors of the gates and for clamps, as well as bronze in quantities beyond weighing, and cedar timbers without number, for the Sidonians and Tyrians brought great quantities of cedar to David. For David said, “Solomon my son is young and inexperienced, and the house that is to be built for the Lord must be exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands. I will therefore make preparation for it.” So David provided materials in great quantity before his death. (1 Chronicles 22:2–5)

David wanted to leave a legacy, but not quite the same as a dictionary defines it: “A legacy is money, property, or intangible assets (like traditions or reputations) passed down from predecessors or ancestors. It often refers to a lasting impact, such as a "legacy of leadership" or "legacy software". Synonyms include bequest, inheritance, heritage, endowment, and tradition.”

David wanted the house of the Lord to be magnificent and bring glory to God. He knew that his son didn’t have all it would take so he began a supply of materials for Solomon’s task. 

This strikes me as a picture of disciple-making. No one lives forever in this world as a tabernacle for the Holy Spirit. Even though Jesus said He would build His church and it would last forever, not one member of His body lives here forever. Our faith is to be shared and others taught how to live for God as His representatives on earth. The materials need to be His supply and in qualities both magnificent and of fame and glory.

This means sharing with others what God has shared with me, others who will do the same with others. The supply of materials is massive making the curriculum for a disciple maker enormous. The NT is filled with instructions on what to bring to the classroom.

This list includes: warnings about false teachers, hanging tight to your own faith while sharing it, praying for all people, loving enemies, managing your own life and that of your family, keeping short accounts with God, growing deeper in understanding and living out the will of God, commanding and teaching others, using spiritual gifts, loving relationships and communion with other Christians, how to deal with those who disobey God, how to deal with those who are disobedient, and much more. God says that what I have heard from Him and those who taught me, I will, in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to other faithful believers, who will be able to teach others also. (2 Timothy 2:2)

Thinking of David, he didn’t have a perfect life, nor would his son be perfect either, but both were given grace to do what God wanted them to do. This encourages me to obey what the Lord gives me, and teach others to do the same:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18–20)

It takes time, and faith, to obey this command. Some are given two or three to pour their life into. Others have larger ‘classrooms’ yet all have the Lord’s presence and grace because we cannot do this by ourselves.

Jesus, You sometimes use formal teaching times and I thank You for allowing me to lead Bible studies for many years. You also use informal times to talk with other Christians with the goal of encouraging their growth. Like David supplied what was needed, You grant me discernment, words, actions that I never would think of without Your Spirit prompting and even surprising me. And the big surprise is that You bring results out of what feels like puny efforts on my part — and feed those five loaves and two fish to others, as only You can.