A Legacy Worth Leaving | Pastor Corbin Kill | Sunday, June 7th, 2026

Jun 07, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Building with Fireproof Materials

The foundation of Jesus Christ demands materials that survive testing. Gold, silver, and precious stones represent choices made in surrender to God’s will—prayer, obedience, and costly faithfulness. Wood, hay, and stubble symbolize convenient compromises, emotional reactions, or cultural trends that cannot withstand crisis. What we build in secret—daily choices to honor Christ—determines what remains when trials come. Legacy isn’t about visible success but eternal substance. Fire doesn’t destroy what’s real; it reveals what’s real. [35:32]

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. (1 Corinthians 3:11-13, KJV)

Reflection: What “materials” have you unconsciously used this week—surrender or shortcuts? How would your closest relationships describe the foundation of your daily choices?

Day 2: The Unchanging Name Above Every Storm

Jesus’ name isn’t a slogan but the bedrock of identity, salvation, and power. Compromising His full divinity, water baptism in His name, or the necessity of the Holy Ghost erodes the foundation. A church built on cultural relevance or personality cults crumbles when winds of opinion shift. Yet those anchored in His name stand when storms rage. His name isn’t a burden but the only anchor that holds. [27:08]

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Acts 4:12, KJV)

Reflection: Where have you felt pressure to soften Jesus’ name or message? What daily habit reinforces His supremacy in your thoughts and conversations?

Day 3: Tending the Garden When No One Watches

Legacy grows in private moments—weeding pride, watering faith, protecting holiness. A farmer eats from what he cultivates; families inherit the spiritual harvest sown in hidden devotion. Neglecting the “garden” of prayer, Scripture, or purity leaves future generations starving. True nourishment comes not from sporadic bursts but daily tending. What’s unseen today becomes tomorrow’s feast. [01:01:11]

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits. (2 Timothy 2:6, KJV)

Reflection: What part of your “garden” (prayer life, integrity, habits) needs urgent tending? Who would hunger if they ate only what you’ve sown this month?

Day 4: Running the Race Without Cutting Corners

Athletes don’t rewrite rules to fit their fatigue. Holiness, baptism in Jesus’ name, and Spirit-filled living aren’t burdens but the God-marked track to victory. Shortcuts in doctrine or compromise in conduct disqualify even sincere runners. The narrow path isn’t popular but leads to the crown. Endurance comes from fixing eyes on the Finish Line, not the crowd’s applause. [59:01]

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. (2 Timothy 2:5, KJV)

Reflection: Where have you been tempted to “cut corners” spiritually to keep pace with others? How does the promise of the crown refocus your stride today?

Day 5: Enduring Hardness as a Good Soldier

Soldiers embrace hardship, knowing their cause outlasts their comfort. Chains, criticism, or cultural shifts don’t deter those convinced of Christ’s triumph. Paul wrote of endurance from a prison cell, anchored in resurrection hope. Our present trials forge legacy—not for our glory, but as a testimony to those who will inherit the story. The hardest seasons plant seeds for the strongest harvests. [57:15]

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. (2 Timothy 2:3-4, KJV)

Reflection: What current “hardness” feels purposeless? How might your endurance in it become a map for someone else’s future faith?

Sermon Summary

Paul sets the stakes in 1 Corinthians 3: no other foundation can be laid than Jesus Christ. That line is not a throwaway. It is a claim about the all‑sufficiency of one name. A “mascot Jesus” who cheers from the sidelines cannot save or sustain a church; the Lord must be Master, not life coach. The apostolic confession is clear: all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily in Christ, and salvation comes in his name. Pressure to soften that message turns baptism into a symbol and the Holy Ghost into a bonus. Paul calls that kind of building wood, hay, and stubble. It looks like progress until the storm hits and the fire falls. A generation may crave upper room fire while backing away from Pentecost form, but Peter still requires a reasoned answer for the hope within. The church cannot transmit what it cannot articulate.

Personality‑driven platforms and pulpit commentary on every news cycle also amount to stubble. The assignment is to preach Jesus to dying people. Acts 2:38 is nonnegotiable, not because of stubborn pride, but because it is not the church’s to change. Holiness and separation are not performance or lists; they are the natural shape of a life surrendered to the right foundation. Grandparents and pioneers did not chase a trend. They searched the Scriptures and uncovered the same foundation: Jesus’ name baptism, Spirit‑filling evidenced by tongues, a holy life. Methods may update; the foundation cannot.

Paul names two piles of material. Gold, silver, and precious stones are formed in quiet surrender, in ordinary obedience, in hidden places. Wood, hay, and stubble are thrown together by convenience and emotion. The question is not whether fire is coming, but what will survive when it does. So the legacy being left right now must be built on the Word with Jesus as cornerstone. In 2 Timothy 2, Paul commands strength in grace, not pedigree. Grace is a daily supply, not a one‑time fill‑up, and running on fumes will strand a soul when the right storm comes. The gospel passes on person to person, link by link, faithful to faithful.

Then Paul lays three pictures on the table. The soldier endures hardness and refuses entanglement. The athlete is crowned only by running the given track without shortcuts. The farmer eats first from what he grows, so private devotion must plant what families and churches will one day eat. Right in the middle, Jesus stands as anchor: raised from the dead, pouring out his Spirit, and keeping his people. If they die with him, they live with him; if they suffer with him, they reign; and when they stagger, he abides faithful. Trade stubble for gold. Build what can face the fire. Leave a legacy worth inheriting.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus Christ remains the only foundation The church does not need another well, name, or source. Paul’s claim about Jesus’ all‑sufficiency confronts every attempt to manage or minimize him. A mascot cannot save; a Master can sustain, sanctify, and send. The foundation stands whether culture likes it or not. [27:08]
2. Pentecost power demands Pentecost form Desiring fire while discarding doctrine empties the experience of its meaning. Baptism in Jesus’ name and the gift of the Holy Ghost are not extras, but the appointed doorway and power for new life. Acts 2:38 is not a preference to tweak, but a mandate to obey. The track is grace, but it still has lanes. [41:02]
3. Build with gold, not stubble Convenience and emotion frame quickly, but they cannot endure the test. Hidden surrender, consistent obedience, and Scripture‑shaped convictions harden into precious stone. Fire will visit every life and every church; legacy is what remains glowing when the flames recede. The material chosen today feeds children and grandchildren tomorrow. [47:40]
4. Grace refuels more than momentum Habit can carry a person for a season, but fumes fail under pressure. Grace is a daily supply, always present, always enough, received by returning to the Source. Drawing near each day keeps the tank full before the right storm arrives. Grace does not run out; neglect does. [53:06]
5. The resurrection anchors endurance Hardness is not the destination because Jesus rose. Soldiers can hold the line, runners can stay on track, and farmers can keep tending because the grave already lost. Even when faith flickers, he abides faithful and cannot deny himself. The risen Lord secures both the race and the reward. [64:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[27:08] - Only foundation is Jesus Christ
[29:58] - Mascot Jesus cannot save
[32:33] - Apostolic identity and Oneness
[34:06] - Baptism and Spirit essential
[35:20] - Wood, hay, stubble exposed by fire
[41:02] - Acts 2:38 not ours to change
[42:37] - Holiness as the shape of surrender
[46:28] - Building with precious things
[49:22] - Be strong in grace
[53:06] - Running on fumes warning
[55:58] - Soldier, athlete, farmer pictures
[64:34] - Resurrection stakes the ground
[66:45] - He abideth faithful
[70:32] - Trade stubble for gold at the altar

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 3:10-13 (KJV)
"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is."

Acts 2:38 (KJV)
"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost."

2 Timothy 2:1-6 (KJV)
"Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits."

Observation Questions

What two categories of building materials does Paul contrast in 1 Corinthians 3:12, and how does fire test them?
According to 2 Timothy 2:4, what does a good soldier avoid to stay focused on their mission? [57:41]
What three roles (soldier, athlete, farmer) does Paul use in 2 Timothy 2 to illustrate faithfulness, and what specific trait does each highlight? [55:58]

Interpretation Questions

Why does Paul use fire as a metaphor for testing the quality of our spiritual "building materials" in 1 Corinthians 3:13? What does this reveal about God’s priorities?
How does the non-negotiable nature of Acts 2:38 (repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, Holy Spirit infilling) guard against a "mascot Jesus" mentality? [34:06]
The sermon warns that "grace is a daily supply, not a one-time fill-up." How does 2 Timothy 2:1-6 challenge the idea of relying on past spiritual experiences? [50:04]

Application Questions

What “wood, hay, or stubble” habits (convenience, emotional decisions, cultural compromises) have you noticed in your own life? What practical step could replace one of these with “gold or silver” this week? [47:40]
How could neglecting daily time in prayer or Scripture leave someone spiritually stranded when a crisis hits? What small adjustment could you make to prioritize refueling in grace daily? [53:06]
If holiness is the "natural shape" of a life surrendered to Jesus, what area of your conduct (speech, entertainment, relationships) might need clearer separation from worldly patterns? [42:37]
Who in your life (family, friends, new believers) is part of the "four-generation chain" of faith you’re called to invest in? How could you intentionally share a biblical truth or testimony with them this month? [54:34]
The farmer eats first from his harvest. What “untended gardens” (private devotion, unresolved sin, neglected disciplines) might leave you unprepared to feed others spiritually? [01:02:20]

Sermon Clips

45s

#JesusNotAMascot

“Our culture, many of our Christian brothers and sisters across denominational lines, they're more comfortable with a Jesus that could be managed. They're more comfortable with a Jesus who functions more as a mascot and not a master. They're more comfortable looking at Jesus as the sideline cheerleader cheers us on and wishes us well and encourages us in all things after we pursue as we pursue our will and our desires. Ra ra ree. Look at ye. But that's not the type of Jesus that we have.”

40s

#DontRewriteTheGospel

“The athlete can't be in the middle of the race going around lap four with one more lap to go and decide that the person ahead of him is too far ahead, so he's gonna rewrite the rules to make it so that the person that comes in second is the winner. It don't work that way, does it? We can't rewrite the rules of the gospel. We can't rewrite the the building materials of the kingdom. We can't rewrite the foundation of Jesus Christ. We can't change the messaging in the middle of the mandate.”

49s

#GraceNeverRunsOut

“Be strong in grace. Grace is one of the only forms of fuel that will never run out. You can't run out of the grace of God. Everything in our lives can be depleted. Our emotions, our willpower, even our good habits that we adopt and that we live out can run out of fuel. But the grace of Jesus Christ has an unlimited source, and it will never run out because grace is a daily supply from Jesus to you.”

36s

#DailyGraceFillUp

“The right crisis is gonna come in that moment. The right emergency is going to come in that season. And because you've been running on fumes for so long, that storm is gonna take you out. Let that be a warning. Grace requires us to return every day to the source. Grace will never run out. Unlimited fill ups for free as long as we keep coming to the source. We keep our cars topped up if we could go to the gas station and fill them up for free.”

35s

#HolinessNotShortcut

“Acts two thirty eight was never meant to be a burden. Holiness is not a burden. A life separated unto god is not a burden or an issue. It's the way to make it to the finish line. It's the way that we receive the crown. A runner who cuts through the middle will finish faster than everybody else. That that's a 100% guaranteed but they'll also be disqualified because they made a shortcut where they weren't supposed to. God is not looking for us to make shortcuts in the in living for him.”

37s

#BuildToEndure

“And the question is not if the fire is coming. The question is what will survive the fire when it does come? What will survive the trial of your faith when that time does come? What are what are you building with today? not ten or twenty years ago, but what are you building with this week? What are you building that maybe your children or your grandchildren or the people that you make and disciple? What are what are you going to leave for them to inherit?”

44s

#KnowAndPassTheFaith

“A church, a people that cannot clearly articulate what we believe. And why we believe it cannot transmit what we believe to the next generation. We have to know the word of God. Amen. We have to know the fundamental doctrines. We have to know why we believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Why we believe that Acts two thirty eight is the application of that gospel. Why we believe that all of these other approaches and all of these other methods are not going to work to get us to heaven.”

34s

#DontSoftenTheGospel

“When the church yields to the pressure to soften our messaging, to soften the way that we preach and present the gospel, to soften our our stance and our tone on the necessity of these things. When we yield to that pressure, we're not doing anything to strengthen the foundation. In fact, it is building upon that foundation with wood and with hay and with stubble. And because it looks good temporarily, we call it progress.”

Ask a question about this sermon

First UPC of Quitman, Mississippi This sermon · AI assistant

What is the only true foundation for believers?

What is the evidence of Holy Ghost infilling?

How should Christians build a lasting spiritual legacy?