What Kind of Legacy Are You Leaving? | John 8:48-59 | Darien Gabriel
Series: Signs & Glory
Title: “What Kind of Legacy Are You Leaving?"
Subtitle: Father's Day
Scripture: John 8:48-59
Exod 3:14; Isaiah 41:4
Gen 3:15; 12:3
🎯 Bottom line: A lasting legacy isn’t built on reputation, achievement, or religion—but on knowing and obeying Jesus, who alone has defeated death.
INTRODUCTION
CONTEXT
SERMON OUTLINE
CONCLUSION
NOTES
OUTLINES
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
MAIN REFERENCES USED
Opening prayer: Lord God, help us grow to be and do like Jesus, while abiding in him and leading others to do the same.
INTRODUCTION
Years ago, I heard Andy Stanley say something like this:
“When you think about your funeral, what do you want people to say about you? That you were successful? That you were wealthy? Or that you loved well, served others, and made a difference?”
This question encourages reflection on legacy beyond material success—focusing on character, love, and impact.
On this Father's Day, I want to challenge not just dad's but everyone to consider what matters most to you in life.
It might lead you to reconsider what you think matters most.
It might lead you to discover that what you say matters most doesn't match the way you're living right now.
🎯 Bottom line: A lasting legacy isn’t built on reputation, achievement, or religion—but on knowing and obeying Jesus, who alone has defeated death.
🧱 Outline
1. Don’t Settle for a Reputation—Seek Revelation (vv. 48–53)
The Jews claim Abraham as their father but reject the one Abraham anticipated.
They attack Jesus’ reputation: “You’re demon-possessed!”
They make personal attacks when they don't disagree on theological beliefs.
Jesus reveals His identity as one who brings glory not to Himself, but to the Father.
Jesus is God in the flesh.
Jesus appears as just a man who is in touch with God.
Application:
Reputation may matter in this world, but it doesn’t carry into eternity.
Fathers: Are you chasing appearances or revealing Jesus to your children?
Illustration/Question to consider:
A man may leave behind a full resume or a paid-off house—but does his family know the Savior he knew?
2. The Only Life Stronger Than Death Comes From Jesus (vv. 51–53)
Jesus says, “Whoever obeys my word will never see death.”
They misunderstand, thinking He means physical death—He means eternal separation.
Jesus is promising life stronger than death.
In the New Testament, death = separation.
Physical death is the separation of the soul from the body. (Think about the body in a casket; doesn't look real)
Spiritual death is the separation of the soul from God. (This matters much more)
Jesus is talking about this life here and now AND life hereafter.
Illustration:
Jonathan Edwards’ legacy: (18th century) Through one godly man, generations were impacted.
Kids and beyond Timothy (pres Yale), Aaron Burr (VP), college presidents, professors, judges and military officers.
Contrast with Max Jukes, a man of no faith whose descendants filled prisons and hospitals.
310 died in poverty
150 criminals
100 drunkards
7 murderers
Application:
Obedience to Jesus isn’t rule-keeping—it’s life-receiving, life-giving and life transformation.
Life-receiving is a pre-requisite.
Life-giving is a fruit better than receiving.
Life-transforming is a way to summarize this.
Fathers: The greatest gift you can give your family isn’t money—it’s pointing them to the One who conquers death.
Question to consider:
Are you focused on what really matters most?
Does the trajectory of your life match what you say matters most?
Will they be saying what you want them to say at the end?
3. Before Abraham Was Born… I AM (vv. 54–59)
Jesus claims the divine name, “I AM”—the very name God gave Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14).
He's either a lunatic,
a liar, or
Lord. He can't be anything else.`
The crowd understands this is a claim to deity—and they try to kill Him for it.
Application:
Jesus doesn’t just offer life—He is life.
Fathers: You don’t need to be the “I AM” for your family. You just need to lead them to the One who is.
Illustration:
A child doesn’t need a perfect dad—they need a dad who clings to a perfect Savior. The strength of a legacy is measured not by your control, but your surrender.
Song "Only Jesus" by Casting Crowns. The chorus features the lines:
“And I, I don’t want to leave a legacy
I don’t care if they remember me
Only Jesus”.
The song’s central message is that the only name worth remembering is Jesus, not our own achievements or legacy.
Question to consider:
Are you pointing others to the One who conquers death and IS LIFE or are you trying to be the hero who wil die one day?
Closing Encouragement and Challenge
Fathers, men, followers of Christ—what kind of legacy are you leaving? One that fades with your name? Or one that lasts because it’s rooted in the eternal “I AM”?
Question to consider: When I think of legacy, am I trying to be the one they remember or am I ok fading into history having spent my life pointing others to Jesus?
“Fathers, what do you want your children and grandchildren to say about you one day? That you were successful? Fun? Wise? That you provided well? Those are good—but are they eternal? Or will they say you walked with Jesus, pointed them to Him, and lived for something that doesn’t fade?”
Action Step:
Write down one step of obedience this week that builds a legacy of faith. Share it with someone.
🙏 Closing Prayer (Father’s Day Focused)
“Lord Jesus, You are the great I AM—the One who was before Abraham, and the One who holds eternity. The One who gives and IS LIFE. Help us as fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers (and people) to build our lives not on achievement, wealth, appearance, or religion, but on You. Strengthen us to obey Your word, to lead our families with humility and courage, and to leave a legacy that lasts beyond this life. The legacy of the name of Jesus. For that is enough. In your we pray, amen.”
INVITATION
What about you?
Peter puts it all in perspective in his first sermon:
““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”” Acts 2:36-39 NIV
How do we respond? Answer 2 questions:
Take out a card or piece of paper right now. Write down the answer to these questions:
What is God saying to me right now?
What am I going to do about it? Write this down on a sheet of paper.
What I hear you saying, Lord, is ___________________.
[my name] is going to believe/do __________________________________________________ as a result.
Finally, share this with your Home or Mission group this week when you gather as a testimony about what God is doing in your life. You don’t have to get too specific to give him praise.
Lord's Supper, 1 Cor 11:23-26 is good passage.
Also, say something like, "Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again." (past, present, and future)
Pray
NOTES
8:31-32 "But Jesus now lays down exactly what it is that separates spurious faith from true faith, fickle disciples from genuine disciples: If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. The verb rendered 'hold' is meno, to abide, to remain - a theme of critical importance that returns in a concentrated way in ch. 15. In short, perseverance is the mark of true faith, of real disciples. A genuine believer remains in Jesus' 'word' (logos), his teaching (cf. notes on 1:1): i.e. such a person obeys it, seeks to understand it better, and finds it more precious, more controlling, precisely when other forces flatly oppose it. It is the one who continues in the teaching who has both the Father and the Son (2 Jn. 9; cf. Heb.
3:14; Rev. 2:26)." -Carson
Jonathan Edwards (1703–1758) was a prominent American Congregationalist pastor, theologian, and philosopher who played a central role in the First Great Awakening, a widespread religious revival in colonial America during the 1730s and 1740s. Serving in Northampton, Massachusetts, Edwards’ passionate sermons—most famously “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”—sparked intense emotional responses and mass conversions, emphasizing the need for personal repentance and faith. His writings and leadership helped shape the revival’s theology, defending its authenticity and laying the groundwork for evangelicalism in America.
“It is important that we understand the difference between saving faith, which is the possession of the true believer, and the mere profession of faith. Many people mistakenly think that they enter into the kingdom of God simply by making a profession of faith. They say, “But preacher, I went to an evangelistic meeting, I raised my hand, I answered the altar call, I prayed the sinner’s prayer, I signed the card—doesn’t that make me a Christian?” The only answer I can give is “Maybe.” It’s not the profession that gets you into the kingdom. It’s the possession. We must possess what we profess”
Excerpt From
John - An Expositional Commentary
R.C. Sproul
“Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 7:21a). On the other hand: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (vv. 31–32).”
Excerpt From
John - An Expositional Commentary
R.C. Sproul
“Remaining makes you a disciple; by remaining, you know the truth; and by remaining and knowing the truth, you are set free”
Excerpt From
John - An Expositional Commentary
R.C. Sproul
🔹 Ecclesiastes Passages About Being Forgotten
Ecclesiastes 1:11 (NIV)
“No one remembers the former generations, and even those yet to come will not be remembered by those who follow them.”
Theme: The sobering reality that human memory fades—fast. Even those who do great things are often forgotten within a generation or two.
Ecclesiastes 2:16 (NIV)
“For the wise, like the fool, will not be long remembered; the days have already come when both have been forgotten. Like the fool, the wise too must die!”
Theme: Legacy doesn’t protect anyone from death or obscurity. Human efforts, even when noble, fade apart from something eternal.
Ecclesiastes 9:5 (NIV)
“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing; they have no further reward, and even their name is forgotten.”
Theme: Life is short, and memory is fleeting. The writer forces us to ask: What are we really living for?
🔹Father’s Day Reflection: What Kind of Legacy Are You Leaving?
On Father’s Day, these verses provide a poignant moment for reflection. Many dads want to leave a legacy: to be remembered, respected, and to have made a lasting difference. But Ecclesiastes humbles us. It reminds us that even the best human legacies don’t last.
That’s why the message of Only Jesus is so powerful in this context. The chorus says:
“I don’t want to leave a legacy / I don’t care if they remember me / Only Jesus.”
It’s not a rejection of making an impact—it’s a re-centering of what matters most. A legacy that points to Jesus is the only one that lasts. Fathers who live with eternity in mind—who love well, lead humbly, and point their children to Christ—leave the kind of mark that doesn’t fade with time.
OUTLINE
See above
QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER
What do I want them to know?
Why do I want them to know it?
What do I want them to do?
Why do I want them to do it?
How do they do this?
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Discovery Bible Study process: https://www.dbsguide.org/
Read the passage together.
Retell the story in your own words.
Discovery the story
What does this story tell me about God?
What does this story tell me about people?
If this is really true, what should I do?
What is God saying to you right now? (Write this down)
What are you going to do about it? (Write this down)
Who am I going to tell about this?
Find our sermons, podcasts, discussion questions and notes at https://www.gracetoday.net/podcast
Alternate Discussion Questions (by Jeff Vanderstelt): Based on this passage:
Who is God?
What has he done/is he doing/is he going to do?
Who am I? (In light of 1 & 2)
What do I do? (In light of who I am)
How do I do it?
Final Questions (Write this down)
What is God saying to you right now?
What are you going to do about it?
MAIN REFERENCES USED
“John,” by R. Kent Hughes, Preaching the Word Commentary, Edited by Kent Hughes
Exalting Jesus in John, by Matt Carter & Josh Wredberg
The Gospels & Epistles of John, FF Bruce
John, RC Sproul
John, Köstenberger
The Gospel According to John, DA Carson
The Light Has Come, Leslie Newbigin (TLHC)
The Visual Word, Patrick Schreiner (TVW)
“Look at the Book” by John Piper (LATB)
“The Bible Knowledge Commentary” by Walvoord, Zuck (BKC)
“The Bible Exposition Commentary” by Warren Wiersbe (BEC)
Thru The Bible with J. Vernon McGee (TTB)
Outline Bible, D Willmington (OB)
NIV Study Bible (NIVSB) https://www.biblica.com/resources/scholar-notes/niv-study-bible/
Chronological Life Application Study Bible (NLT)
ESV Study Bible (ESVSB) https://www.esv.org
The Bible Project https://bibleproject.com
Nicky Gumbel bible reading plan app or via YouVersion
ChatGPT AI
Grok AI
Perplexity AI
Google Gemini AI