Everyone wants to be remembered. They want to make their life count for something. For the man (or woman) of God, it usually means that others would acknowledge your accomplishments which truly built up the Kingdom of God, the places you showed that you were a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Sadly, some people, in pursuit of recognition, end up dishonoring God. Rather than pursuing the honor and majesty of the Lord, they seek honor and fame for themselves. In so doing, they disqualify themselves from the prize… a legacy!Yesterday, I had the honor and privilege of attending the memorial
service for a true hero of faith, Dr. Jerry Young. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet the man. But I have spent the last two years getting to know a lot of people whose lives were impacted by his ministry at Grace Church.Was Dr. Young a perfect man? Certainly not. No one but Christ is! Was he a godly man? I am confident that he was, based upon the testimony of others and the fruit of his labors at Grace. What I have gathered is that Jerry Young lived a life of dedication to the Lord, his family, Grace Church, and his country. He is remembered as a strong man tempered by genuine humility. And from what I can tell, he took every opportunity to lift up Christ our Glorious Savior, not himself. And this ability comes from a confidence in your own true worth, not in your personal accomplishments, but in your relationship with the Lord God. Peter wrote, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7). So, yesterday, we celebrated the legacy which Jerry Young left behind.
Earlier, I wrote that I never had the opportunity to meet Dr. Young. Well, “never” would apply only if everything he (and I) believed was a huge lie. But, because I am certain that our hope in Christ is right and true, I look forward to another opportunity, only God knows when, when I will be able to thank Dr. Young for his faithfulness and his legacy at Grace.
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"When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be!!" I enjoyed Jerry tremendously. His wife is a true gem! They are probably the main reasons we are still at Grace because of the continued growth they brought about in our lives. In this time of uncertainty and change in our body of believers it was indeed good to reflect on our foundations!
ReplyDeleteFrom Hebrews 13:7-8 "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
Thanks for the post, Pastor Steve!!