HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?

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HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?
PROVERBS 13: 22
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children: and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
A story is told of the red marbles. A man was in the country store in Idaho where he grew up when he saw a boy admiring a basket of picked peas. The boy was clean, but obviously poor. He was very thin, bare footed, his cloths were well worn, and at best hand-me-downs. Mr. Miller, the owner, spoke to the boy by name.
“Hellow Berry, how are you today?”
“H’lo, Mr. Miller, thank ya. Just admirin’ them peas. They sure look good.”
“They are good, Berry. How’s your mother?”
“Fine. Gittin stronger alla time.”
“Good. Anything I can help you with?”
“No sir. Jus’ admiring them peas.”
“Would you like to take some home to your ma?” asked Mr. Miller.
“No sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for em’ with.”
“Well, what have you got to trade me for some of those peas?”
“All I got’s my prize marble.”
“Is that right? Let me see it” said Mr. Miller.
“Here tis. She’s a dandy.”
“I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this ones blue and I sorta’ wanted a
red. Do you have a red one like this at home? Mr. Miller asked.
“Not zackly but almost.”
“Tell you what. Take these peas and next trip this way let me look at the red
Marble” Mr. Miller told Barry.
“Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.”
Mrs. Miller had been standing and listening, came over to help the man. With a smile she told him there were two other boys like Berry in their community. All three are in very poor circumstances. “Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever” said Mrs. Miller. “When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t want a red one after all and sends they home with another bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.
He left the store with a smile thinking what a kind man. He was impressed. Years passed and he moved away, but he never forgot this man that bartered for marbles.
Several years later he was visiting friends in that Idaho community and was told Mr. Miller had died. His friends were going to the viewing and he asked to go along. Upon arrival at the funeral home he got in line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer what words of comfort he could.
Ahead of him in line were three young men. One was in his Army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark blue suites, white shirts, and ties. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing with a smile next to her husband’s casket. Each one hugged her, kissed her cheek, spoke briefly, and moved to the casket.
She watched, misty eyed, as each young man stopped and put his own warm hand on the pail cold hand in the casket. Each left quickly while wiping their eyes.
Our turn came to greet Mrs. Miller. He told her who he was and he was reminded of the story of Mr. Miller’s bartering for the marbles. Mrs. Miller took my hand and we stepped closer to the casket.
She said, “The three young men that had just left were the boys she had told me about. They just told her how much they appreciated the things Jim traded them and now at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size...they came to pay their debt.”
“We never had a great deal of wealth of this world,” she said, “But right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho.”
With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her husband and there, underneath, were three shinny red marbles.
It is said:
We will not be remembered by our many words, but by our kind deeds…Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath…
It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.
HOW WILL YOU BE REMEMBERED?
I. Proverbs 22: 1 Will You Leave A Good Name?
1 A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.
Your gold and silver cannot buy a good name, not even in Washington
A. Ecclesiastes 7: 1 Solomon says A good name.
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.
A good name will follow you through eternity.


B. Matthew 12: 35 – 37 A good man brings good things.
35 A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37 For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Our deeds, our words, redeem us or condemn us.
C. Revelation 20: 12 and 15 Are you written in the book of life?
12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Have you obeyed Christ that he might add you to the book of life?
II. Hebrews 11: 6 Will You Leave A Faith To Live By?
6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
You must not only have faith, but you must share that faith that others might see God.



A. Romans 10: 12 – 17 Paul to the Romans teaches faith.
12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
You cannot leave a faith you do not have. You cannot have faith without the knowledge of the Bible. Faith works good and is seen in the life of the believer.
B. 2 Timothy 2: 15 Paul told Timothy to study the teachings of Christ and his resurrection.
15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
In studying God’s word we have nothing to be ashamed of and we can know the truth and understand it.
Do we have a Godly faith to leave behind?




III. Ephesians 6: 1 – 9 Will We Leave A Deep Love For God, His Word, His Son, His church ? Paul writes:
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
This is Christian love. A love that never fails. A love that endures forever.
A. James 4: 7 – 10 Obey God and the devil will run.
7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
You cannot resist the devil without Christ. Christ is our strength and our savior. Christ will lift you up. Will we be remembered for obeying God and Christ?
B. Luke 10: 25 – 29 Jesus ask a lawyer what the law of Moses said.
25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up and tempted Him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said to him, What is written in the law? How do you read it? And answering, he said, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself. And He said to him, You have answered right, do this and you shall live.
29 But he, willing to justify himself, said to Jesus, And who is my neighbor?
Jesus told him the parable of the good Samaritan. How much less should we love the Lord? If we love him with our all it will certainly effect people left behind when we are gone.
C. Romans 8: 38 – 39 Paul says he is persuaded not to be separated from the love of God.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Is there anything that separates us from God’s love.
Should we not change that? Now we know we should, but when will we?
How we are remembered depends on us.
God has provided His only son.
Jesus died for our sins and arose again, overcoming death.
He has gone to heaven to prepare a place for the faithful.
Are we faithful to God? Are we living a life pleasing to God?
Are you a Christian today?
Are you a faithful Christian today?
Will you one day be remembered for your faithful, obedient, and God like life that you lived? Will there be memories like that of Mr. Miller?
Do you need to come to Jesus?
Will you obey Him tonight?