Legacy Season: Living and Giving All for Jesus

Nov 09, 2025

Devotional

Day 1: Living with Eternity in Mind

Every person will one day stand before God and give an account for their life, and the most important question will be about their relationship with Jesus—not their deeds or religious activity, but whether they truly knew and loved Him. This eternal perspective reminds us that our time on earth is brief, and what matters most is committing our lives to Christ, loving Him with all our hearts, and surrendering to His lordship. When we live with eternity in mind, our priorities shift from temporary achievements to what will last forever, and we find peace in knowing our names are written in the Book of Life. [12:12]

Romans 14:10-12 (ESV)
"Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; for it is written, 'As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.' So then each of us will give an account of himself to God."

Reflection: If you were to stand before God today, what would you say about your relationship with Jesus—would it be about knowing Him personally, or just about what you’ve done for Him?

Day 2: Using What You Have for Eternal Impact

After coming to know Jesus, God asks each of us how we used what He gave us—our time, talents, resources, and influence—to help others know Him and make an eternal difference. This is not about earning salvation, but about leveraging every blessing, skill, and opportunity for the sake of others, so that more people can experience the love and hope of Christ. Whether it’s sharing joy, serving with your gifts, or giving generously, every act done for Jesus and others will be rewarded, and nothing done for Him is ever wasted. [15:13]

2 Corinthians 5:10 (ESV)
"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil."

Reflection: What is one specific gift, resource, or opportunity God has given you that you could intentionally use this week to help someone else experience His love?

Day 3: Loving What Jesus Loves—Serving the Least of These

Jesus makes it clear that whatever we do for the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, or imprisoned, we do for Him; our acts of compassion and generosity are expressions of our love for Christ Himself. True legacy is not just about projects or giving, but about loving the people Jesus loves and meeting both their spiritual and practical needs, seeing every act of kindness as an offering to Him. When we serve the least of these, we reflect the heart of God and participate in His mission to bring hope and restoration to the world. [22:12]

Matthew 25:34-40 (ESV)
"Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’"

Reflection: Who is someone in your life or community who might feel overlooked or in need—how can you tangibly serve them this week as if you were serving Jesus Himself?

Day 4: Jesus Loves the Lost—So Will We

Jesus’ heart beats for those who are far from God, and He calls us to join Him in seeking and welcoming the lost, just as He did—leaving the ninety-nine to find the one. The spiritual hunger in our world is growing, and God invites us to be part of His mission by inviting, loving, and sharing the hope of Christ with those who need it most. When we love the lost, we align our hearts with Jesus’ mission, and every effort to reach out can have eternal significance. [27:20]

Luke 19:10 (ESV)
"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."

Reflection: Who is one person in your life who is spiritually searching or far from God, and what is one step you can take this week to reach out to them with Christ’s love?

Day 5: Cheerful Generosity—Giving All for Jesus

God calls us to give not out of compulsion or guilt, but from a cheerful and willing heart, seeking His guidance on how to use our resources for His purposes. Generosity is an act of worship and trust, and when we ask God what He would have us do, He leads us to give in ways that bless others and honor Him. Every gift, no matter the size, becomes an offering to Jesus, and through our generosity, we participate in His work of meeting needs, restoring dignity, and spreading hope. [35:06]

2 Corinthians 9:7 (ESV)
"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

Reflection: Take time today to pray and ask God, “What would You have me do?”—then listen for His leading and make a plan to give or serve as He directs.

Sermon Summary

As we gather in this special season, I am reminded of the incredible privilege it is to be part of a church family that is passionate about making an eternal difference. Today, as we dedicate the land for our new Daphne campus, we look forward to a future where countless lives will encounter God’s presence, find true community, and discover their purpose. This is not just about buildings or projects—it’s about legacy. Legacy is carrying forward a heritage of generosity and faith, living in such a way that what we do now echoes into eternity.

We are entering what we call “legacy season,” a time when we intentionally ask God to use us to make an eternal impact. Jesus’ words in Matthew 25 challenge us deeply: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” This is the heart of legacy—serving, living, and giving in a way that honors God and touches people for eternity. Our lives are not just about what we accumulate or accomplish, but about how we leverage what God has given us—our time, resources, relationships, and influence—for His purposes.

Each of us will one day stand before God. The first and most important question will be about our relationship with Jesus: Did we know Him, love Him, and surrender our lives to Him? This is not about religious activity, but about genuine relationship. For those who have trusted Christ, there will be a second question: What did you do with what I gave you? Did you use your life to help others find Jesus? Did you love what He loves—the lost, the poor, the broken?

Jesus makes it clear that our works do not save us, but they reveal the reality of our salvation. The sheep in His parable are not sheep because they did good works; they do good works because they are sheep. Our generosity, compassion, and service are the natural outflow of a heart transformed by Christ. When we feed the hungry, welcome the stranger, care for the poor, and visit the broken, we are loving Jesus Himself.

This season, I invite you to ask God how He wants you to participate. Not out of compulsion, but out of joyful obedience and love for Him. Let’s be a people who love what Jesus loves, who give and serve “all for Jesus,” knowing that only what’s done for Christ will last.

Key Takeaways

1. Live with an eternal perspective Our time on earth is brief compared to eternity. The choices we make and the way we use our resources should be shaped by what will matter forever, not just what is urgent or comfortable now. When we live with eternity in mind, our priorities shift, and we find deeper purpose in serving God and others. [19:40]
2. Relationship, not religion, is what God desires God is not looking for religious performance or outward acts, but for a genuine relationship with us. The first and most important question we will face is whether we truly knew and loved Jesus, not just whether we did “Christian” things. Our security is found in surrendering our lives to Him and walking in daily relationship. [12:12]
3. Generosity reveals the heart of a disciple Our giving and serving are not just duties, but expressions of our love for Jesus. True generosity flows from a heart that has been changed by God’s grace. When we love what Jesus loves—the lost, the poor, the broken—our actions become acts of worship, and our legacy is measured by eternal impact, not earthly success. [22:49]
4. Ask God how to leverage your life Rather than responding to pressure or emotion, we are called to seek God’s guidance about how to use what He has entrusted to us. Whether it’s our finances, talents, or time, we should prayerfully ask, “Lord, what would you have me do?” Obedience in this area brings joy and aligns our hearts with God’s purposes. [34:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:33] - Celebrating God’s Goodness and Changed Lives
[01:07] - What Legacy Season Means
[02:28] - Greeting All Campuses and Correctional Facilities
[03:07] - Upcoming Series: At the Movies
[04:18] - Inviting the Lost and In-Person Services
[05:31] - Christmas at Highlands and Legacy Offering
[06:04] - Preparing for Eternity: Two Judgments
[09:08] - The Great White Throne Judgment
[12:12] - Relationship with Jesus, Not Religion
[14:34] - The Judgment Seat of Christ: Rewards
[16:27] - Leveraging What God Has Given Us
[20:20] - All for Jesus: Matthew 25
[22:49] - Works Reveal Our Salvation
[25:25] - Loving What Jesus Loves
[28:02] - Revival and Reaching the Lost
[30:32] - Jesus Loves the Poor
[33:05] - Jesus Loves the Broken
[34:23] - Cheerful Giving: Ask God What to Do
[36:20] - Prayer and Invitation to Relationship with Jesus

Bible Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Legacy Season – Living for Eternal Impact

Bible Reading

Matthew 25:31-40 (ESV)
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.
34 Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me,
36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’
37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink?
38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?
39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’
40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’”

Romans 14:10-12 (ESV)
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God;
11 for it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

Observation Questions

In Matthew 25, what are the specific actions that Jesus says are done “for Him” when done for others?
According to the sermon, what are the two main questions God will ask each person when they stand before Him? [09:08]
What is the difference between the “books” and the “book” mentioned in Revelation 20, as explained in the sermon? [09:44]
What kinds of people does Jesus highlight as “the least of these” in Matthew 25? How does the sermon expand on who these people might be today? [21:34]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus connect serving the hungry, thirsty, stranger, naked, sick, and imprisoned with serving Him personally? What does this reveal about His heart?
The sermon says that our works do not save us, but they reveal the reality of our salvation. How does this idea challenge or encourage your understanding of faith and works? [22:49]
The pastor emphasized that God desires relationship, not just religious activity. Why do you think it’s easy to confuse the two? What are the dangers of focusing on religious performance? [12:12]
The sermon talks about living with an eternal perspective. How might thinking about eternity change the way someone uses their time, resources, or influence? [19:40]

Application Questions

The sermon challenges us to “leverage what God has given us” for eternal purposes. What is one resource (time, talent, money, influence, etc.) you have that you could use more intentionally for God’s kingdom? What would that look like this month? [16:27]
When you think about the “least of these” in your own community, who comes to mind? Is there a specific group or person you feel God is prompting you to serve or reach out to? [21:34]
The pastor said, “Ask God how He wants you to participate—not out of compulsion, but out of joyful obedience.” Have you ever felt pressured to give or serve? How can you shift your motivation to one of joy and love for Jesus? [34:23]
The sermon emphasized that only what’s done for Christ will last. Are there areas of your life where you’re investing a lot of energy that may not have eternal significance? What’s one change you could make to focus more on what matters forever? [19:40]
The message talked about loving what Jesus loves—the lost, the poor, the broken. Which of these is hardest for you to love or serve, and why? What’s one step you could take to grow in this area? [25:25]
The pastor encouraged everyone to “ask God, ‘Lord, what would you have me do?’” Take a moment to pray and listen. What do you sense God might be asking you to do in this legacy season? [34:23]
The sermon described generosity as a natural outflow of a heart changed by Christ. Think of a recent opportunity you had to be generous. How did you respond, and what did you learn from that experience? [22:49]

Sermon Clips

“We are one church that meets in 26 locations across the great state of Alabama and into Georgia. And of course, we are bringing this message and then all we are as a church into all 28 of Alabama's Department of Corrections facilities. And yes, and you want to clap right there, go ahead. I'll let you. Go ahead. That's fine. And then of course, we're streaming this live and others can watch it later on demand. And we're so glad that you guys are along for the ride.”

“Part of our job as a church and as pastors is to prepare you not just for life on earth, which a lot of it is, right? We talk about how to have happy marriages and contentment and better attitudes and all of that, but part of our job is to get you ready for eternity. Like, you're going to have this this moment where you're going to stand before God.”

“You're going to have this moment where there there he is, right? It's it's the judgment seat of God. You're going to have this mo and I want to prepare you for that test. And the best way to be prepared for a test is to know what's on the test. You know, um, y'all do know that I was a student at LSU.”

“So I want to help you with what's on the test. And what people don't realize, it's not just one moment. There's actually two. And the first question that you're going to hear and and it's going to happen individually. You're going to get your personal day in court before God. I don't know exactly how it's going to happen, but the content is undeniable.”

“The right answer is needs to be something along the lines of I was in relationship with God. I'd committed my life to Jesus. It it wasn't perfect, but it was committed. I was surrendered to his lordship and I loved him with all my heart. And if you answer that question correctly, he invites you into heaven. That's how you that that is heaven.”

“Once you find Jesus, your whole life's about getting more people into heaven because our life on earth is so short, right? And this judgment is called the judgment seat of Christ. It's a different judgment. And by the way, check it out. It is a works judgment, which will help you read your Bible a little bit better because there are works in the Bible.”

“You're going to be rewarded or awarded for how you lived your life on earth and what you do to leverage what you have to get more people into heaven. And Jesus is very focused on this with his with his church. So, so he this matters to him a lot. In fact, he's very excited about this awards ceremony that there's going to be this moment.”

“The word literally means he wants to pay you back. And I think it's going to be one of the most embarrassing parts of eternity to which he's going to like here I've got something for you and to which we're all going to go you don't owe me anything. Like the cross was enough. Can I hear a better amen out there? I mean, you don't owe me anything.”

“I took what you gave me. And I'm not talking about your money, by the way. Money's on the list, but I'm not talking about your money. I'm talking about just whatever you have. If you have ideas, if you have joy, if you have a good marriage, if you whatever you have, you are supposed to take what you have and help other people and to do it for eternal purposes to make an eternal difference.”

“Only one life will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last. Only one life. Yes, only one. Soon will its fleeting hours be done. Please never forget that. I don't care how old or young you are. We are all a mist, a vapor. This life is just a blip on the screen compared to eternity.”

“And so how do I start our legacy seizing reminding us to live with these eternal perspective to take our lives whatever we have and leverage it for kingdom purposes but I want to do something today that I've never done really at the encouragement of our pastor pastor Mark because he set us into this theme he calls all for Jesus and he based around Matthew 25 so actually went and studied it.”

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. And I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink. And I was a stranger. Notice that's an interesting like even the person who's lost, you invited them. You said, "Hey, come come come check out come come see there. There were those who needed clothes and you clothed me. I was sick and you looked after me. I was in prison and you came to visit me."”

“And the goats weren't goats because they neglected people. The goats were goats because it revealed their neglect and they the fact they didn't care for people, right? And that's what the legacy season and offering is all about. It's not just the projects and it's probably where I would have just gone. But really what it's all about is about loving the things that Jesus loves and doing it first for him and the people who get the recip on the receiving end just happen to be the recipients of us trying to express our deep love for our God.”

“If Jesus loves the lost, we going to love the lost, too. And we're going to figure out ways to reach them. Are y'all following me, everybody? Right. This was his mission. In fact, in Luke 15, which by the way has three parables in it about lost sheep, lost coin, lost son, and it says, "Suppose one of you has 100 sheep. that Jesus is willing to leave 99 of us that know him to go find just one that doesn't know him.”

“And that's why that's why we start campuses. That's why we build buildings. I mean, there's all when you give you give to things like, well, this is already done. you can't give to this because I'm just celebrating it with you. That we built a two campuses this year, buildings completely debtree. That construction's underway right now in Daphne where Pastor Marquez and in Oxford and we're building a Montgomery Dream Center this year.”

“Let me tell you what you do about it. You're going to do the same thing we've been doing for 25 years. And that is we're not taking an offering. We we teach you this stuff five weeks out so that we don't have you all hyped up, manipulated. No, no, no. You get to go home for 5 weeks and plan, prepare, talk to your spouse if you have one. Make your own decision. Each man should give what he's decided in his heart to give, not under compulsion. Not being greedy either. No. For God loves a cheerful giver.”

Ask a question about this sermon