Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What Legacy Will You Leave Behind? | Judges | Judges 16:23-31

Starting point is 00:00:00 Welcome to 10-minute Bible Talks, where we connect the Bible to your life and the time it takes to get to work. I'm Keith Simon. I'm Tanya Wilman. And I'm Patrick Miller. Right now, we're going through the Book of Judges. If you haven't subscribed to our new podcast, Truth Over Tribe, I'd encourage you to take some time and go do that right now. We've got interviews about culture, politics, and the things you really care about with people like John Mark Comer, John Tyson, Oz Guinness, and many, many others. It's going to be a great podcast.

Starting point is 00:00:33 I've been excited about the interviews and the topics that we've taken on. So stop right now. Go subscribe to Truth Over Tribe on your podcast player. An old dude once told me that men in their 20s brag about how much they can lift. Men in their 40s brag about what they eat and drink. Men in their 60s brag about their bowel movements. Now, if you're feeling a little bit confused, me too. But after a few years, I actually think I might get his point.

Starting point is 00:00:59 And it transcends gender. In your 20s, you focus on what you can throw. yourself into. In your 40s, you focus on what you allow into yourself. And in your 60s, you focus on what you've left behind. Now, I know that this is true because I've worked on intergenerational teams. And so I've watched as people enter their 60s. They often begin to soften. They care less about their ambition, their ego, their reputation. And they begin to focus more on their legacy. What will I leave behind? What will you leave behind? It's not a bad, question to ask because we will all die and we will all sit before God to give an account of how we've

Starting point is 00:01:40 used the talents, gifts, wealth, relationships, and opportunities that he's entrusted to us. In Jesus, we will be declared righteous and saved. So I'm not saying anything that jeopardizes that. And yet, both Paul and Peter pointed out that whatever works we did apart from Jesus, those will be burned up. Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 3, verses 11 to 5.5. 14. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Christ Jesus. If anyone builds on this foundation, on the foundation of Jesus, using gold or silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the day of judgment will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the

Starting point is 00:02:26 quality of each person's work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss. But yet he will be saved, even though only is one escaping through flames. In other words, in the end, all that will be left of our life is what was built on Jesus. What was good, noble, true, faithful, generous, kind, and loving, everything else in our life, everything else built on a different foundation, built for a different purpose, everything else is like stubble for a fire. What legacy will you leave behind? What legacy will you bring with you into the renewed creation? Will it last through the flames? At the end of Samson's life, I wonder if he was asking himself questions about his legacy.

Starting point is 00:03:14 You'll remember that Samson disregarded God's word again and again, and this ultimately leads God to allow the Philistines to bind and ultimately enslave him. The story of his death follows after this. It's in Judges 16 versus 26. to 31. Let's read it together. Now the rulers of the Philistines assembled a great sacrifice to dag on their God and to celebrate, saying, our God has delivered Samson, our enemy into our hands. When the people saw him, they praised their God, saying, our God has delivered our enemy into our hands, the one who laid waste to our land and multiplied our sland. While they were in high spirits, they shouted, bring out Samson to entertain us. And so they called Samson out of prison, and he performed for them.

Starting point is 00:03:59 When they stood him among the pillars, Samson said to the servant, who held out his hands, put me where I can feel the pillar that supports the temple so that I may lean against them. Now the temple was crowded with men and women. All the rulers of the Philistines were there. And on the roof, there were about 3,000 men and women watching Samson perform. Then Samson prayed to Yahweh. Sovereign, Yahweh, remember me. Please, God, strengthen me just once more and let me with one blow get revenge on the Philistines for my

Starting point is 00:04:29 two eyes. Then Samson reached toward the two central pillars on which the temple stood, embracing himself against them, his right hand on the one and his left hand on the other. Samson said, let me die with the Philistines. Then he pushed with all his might, and down came the temple on the rulers and all the people. Thus, he killed many more when he died than when he lived. So what was Samson's legacy? What did he leave behind? It's It's a mixed bag, isn't it? I mean, on the one hand, God worked through Samson mightily to resist the Philistines that were oppressing Israel. But on the other hand, God seemed to work in spite of Samson, not quite in partnership with Samson. Again and again, God's working despite the fact that

Starting point is 00:05:16 Samson seems to be going the opposite direction. So what about the ending of Samson's life? Does Samson give in to the sinful urge for a revenge killing? Does God continue to work through Samson in spite of himself, in spite of Samson's sins? Or is Samson finally seeing God's purpose, God's plan through him? Does Samson willingly sacrifice himself in order to set Israel free? To be honest, it seems like the former. It looks like a revenge killing. I mean, Samson doesn't pray to God. Use my life to set Israel free. But instead he says, let me get revenge on the Philistines for my two eyes. In the end, Samson left a legacy. A legacy as a warrior who God used to rescue Israel. That's a good thing. But he was always a selfish warrior. He was always seeking his personal interest. He was always

Starting point is 00:06:09 satisfying his personal desire, seeking out his personal revenge. Perhaps we'll see Samson in the renewed creation. And maybe, to quote Paul, he'll be one who has saved, though only escaping through flames. But just compare Samson's legacy to the legacy of Jesus. He obeys God. He trusts him completely. He creates leaders and disciples. And he ultimately lays down his life for the sake of all creation. His legacy is, quite literally, the transformation of millions of human lives. His legacy is the rescue of lost people. His legacy is the rescue of a broken creation. Speaking personally, I know that I'm a lot like Samson. I often get fixated on my own goals, on my own ambitions, on my own reputation, and I leave behind God's purposes. I'm a selfish warrior for myself. And sure,

Starting point is 00:07:05 God works through me, but how often is it in spite of me? Maybe you feel the same way sometimes. The good news is that we can always repent, but we can always turn to Jesus and say, I want to build my life on your foundation. I want to build a life that lasts. I want to leave behind a legacy. Leave behind a legacy by your grace. And I want people to say, not that God worked through her in spite of her, but instead, I want people to be able to say God worked through her in partnership with her. So what about you?

Starting point is 00:07:40 What will your legacy be when you stand before God? Thanks for listening. If you've enjoyed this content, please subscribe and give us a rating. That helps other people find this podcast more easily. Also, ask yourself, who could you share this podcast with? Texting an episode to a friend or a family member is a great way to help them grow spiritually. If you want to go deeper, check out our show notes for book recommendations.

Ten Minute Bible Talks Devotional Bible Study - What Legacy Will You Leave Behind? | Judges | Judges 16:23-31

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