Brother Danny Sanders Sunday Evening 7/3/16

When I was seven, for the first time in my life I went to a Vacation Bible School in a neighborhood where we lived.  I had never been to church before in my entire life even though my grandfather was a minister. 

I was tender as a child.  I didn’t know who God was.  I talked to Him and had all kinds of conversations to Him.  While at VBS, I got out of my seat to go to the altar and a gentleman met me and told me to go back to my seat. 

At 14 my family moved back to Kentucky.  For the first time in my life I went to the church where my grandfather was a minister.  At the end of the service I got up to go to the altar and he met me and told me to go back and sit down.  It was actually a blessing.

I was in the military then and lived in Germany for three years.  My next experience was getting to a dark place in my life.  I was discouraged and unhappy.  I had been married to my wife for only a brief time.  It was stormy out and I was by myself thinking about life.  My friends only wanted to party and I was no better than them.

My wife came home and I said, “Karen can we talk?  I am not happy.  I am happy with you but there is something wrong inside and we have to do something other than what we are doing.”  We got up that Sunday and went to a ridiculous church.  They spent their time talking about how to raise money for a bus.

The next Sunday we went to the Church of God.  Brother Sam was all fired up.  He was bouncing all over the stage in cowboy boots.  When it came to altar call I knew that my wife wanted to go up.  I told her, “If you want to go then I am not going to stop you.” 

She got saved that day.  That put me in a pickle, there were things that I wanted to figure out.  We went to a young couples meeting.  I went to see if they lived it outside of church.  About mid-day I realized that they were real. 

I remember pulling my wife aside and saying, “This is unreal.  It won’t surprise me if we don’t sit around a campfire and sing songs.”  That is what we did.  I heard the testimonies that were given and realized that this was possible.  There were others out there like me that had made mistakes and God had forgiven them and they had been changed.

I asked if I could say something.  I told them my heart was like a frog and felt like it could jump across the Grand Canyon.  I told them I wanted what they had.  I got saved that night.  31 years ago Tuesday, July 5^th. 

God is a big God.  It is worth it to stay true. 

Psa 23:1  A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Psa 23:2  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

Psa 23:3  He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Psa 23:4  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

Psa 23:5  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Psa 23:6  Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

Does the goodness and mercy that we are a recipient of, as a result of being under the care and management of God, benefit others? 

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  If we are carrying a spiritual cup that runs over, were we to look behind, what would we see? 

The title of the thought tonight is what we leave behind.

When the world looks at our lives: our coworkers, our friends, or our loved ones look at our lives, what do they see?  I can tell you that they are watching.

Do they see hope, do they see love, do they see charity?  When the world looks at our lives what do they see?  What they see is what we leave behind. 

Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Great minds discuss ideas.  Average minds discuss events.  Small minds discuss people.  Learn from the mistakes of others.  You cannot live long enough to make them all yourself. To handle yourself use your head. To handle others use your heart.  Many people will walk in and out of our life.  Only true friends leave footprints.”

1Co 13:1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

We need to have a balanced message.  We don’t want to find ourselves out of place. 

1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1Co 13:3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

An account is given of two men that had stayed at another’s home.  Once gone, one of the gentlemen realized that he was missing his hat.  The reply came when he asked, “I have searched from top to bottom and cannot find your hat.  The only thing left is your blessing.”  That is what we want to leave.

Isa 52:7  How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

How are we doing this evening?  Is the goodness of our lives proclaiming good news?  Do we leave men and women the taste of the hope that was bestowed upon us?  There are men and women that are desperate for hope just as desperate as we were before it was bestowed upon us.

Gal 6:1  Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

In dealing with souls whose land has been ravished and stricken with poverty; those overtaken in a fault.  Will our dealings be with a spirit of meekness, teaching to a path of righteousness that frees a soul that would be desolate or does it leave a soul without hope of ever changing.

The religious world claims that we just have to do our best and sin more or less every day.  We know the kind of trail that leaves behind.

1Ki 10:1  And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the LORD, she came to prove him with hard questions.

She was looking for truth.  She traveled about 1400 miles on a camel.  It is an example of doing whatever it takes to seek truth. 

1Ki 10:2  And she came to Jerusalem with a very great train, with camels that bare spices, and very much gold, and precious stones: and when she was come to Solomon, she communed with him of all that was in her heart.

1Ki 10:3  And Solomon told her all her questions: there was not any thing hid from the king, which he told her not.

1Ki 10:4  And when the queen of Sheba had seen all Solomon's wisdom, and the house that he had built,

1Ki 10:5  And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his ministers, and their apparel, and his cupbearers, and his ascent by which he went up unto the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

Truth will satisfy.

1Ki 10:6  And she said to the king, It was a true report that I heard in mine own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom.

Can others say this of us? 

1Ki 10:7  Howbeit I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it: and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard.

Our testimony matters.

1Ki 10:8  Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom.

This demonstrates what a happy life we have.

1Ki 10:9  Blessed be the LORD thy God, which delighted in thee, to set thee on the throne of Israel: because the LORD loved Israel for ever, therefore made he thee king, to do judgment and justice.

Solomon was conducting his life in such a way that she heard and came and tried him with hard questions.  These questions could only be satisfied with truth.

She was satisfied and said, “It was a true report that I heard.”  The evidence of the goodness and mercy that follows those under the good leadership.

The bible leaves us with a legacy of men and women whose life has been in obedience to the Good Shepherd.

Ruth was a Moabite woman that forsook her true heritage to cling to the people of God.  Naomi’s husband and her two sons had died.  Naomi chose to return to Judea. 

Rth 1:7  Wherefore she went forth out of the place where she was, and her two daughters in law with her; and they went on the way to return unto the land of Judah.

Initially both daughters in law chose to go with her.  But only Ruth chose to remain.  Her life had been influenced by Naomi.

Rth 1:14  And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Rth 1:15  And she said, Behold, thy sister in law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister in law.

Rth 1:16  And Ruth said, Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God:

The results of Naomi and Ruth’s testimony:

Rth 4:13  So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.

Rth 4:14  And the women said unto Naomi, Blessed be the LORD, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel.

Rth 4:15  And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age: for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee, which is better to thee than seven sons, hath born him.

Rth 4:16  And Naomi took the child, and laid it in her bosom, and became nurse unto it.

Rth 4:17  And the women her neighbours gave it a name, saying, There is a son born to Naomi; and they called his name Obed: he is the father of Jesse, the father of David.

Isn’t this a blessing? 

We have a great hope to offer men and women.  We serve a great God.  He is King of kings and Lord of lords.  He is the creator and he is able to deliver.  He can deliver the drunkard, quicken the spirit of one that has been beat down, and give hope.

Do we leave souls with hope?  I pray that we do.

Luk 2:8  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

Luk 2:9  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

Luk 2:10  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luk 2:12  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

Luk 2:13  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Luk 2:14  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luk 2:15  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

Luk 2:16  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

Luk 2:17  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

Luk 2:18  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

They all marveled at those things that were told them by the shepherds:  The message of Christ needs to stir one far and near that others could be stirred to seek the truth. 

What is our message leaving behind?  We are all preaching a message. 

If I were to die, a few days after I passed, someone would stand and give my eulogy.  The minister would probably invite those to come and say something of the one that passed.  It is at that time that the true eulogy is given.  The testimony of those that you left behind.