Primary Scripture: Ecclesiastes 1:9–11
Ecclesiastes reminds us that what has been done will be done again, there is nothing truly new under the sun, and generations that once seemed significant eventually pass from human remembrance.
TS Wright uses this passage to address the modern obsession with legacy, recognition, reputation, influence, and being remembered.
The episode asks a penetrating Kingdom question:
Are we living to make our name great—or to make the name of Jesus known?
TS explains that there is a legitimate spiritual inheritance believers should leave behind. The goal, however, should not be personal immortality through reputation. The people influenced by our lives should remember that we stood for Jesus Christ and pointed them toward Him.
Jesus Christ is the legacy.
The episode then moves from the question of legacy to the question of direction.
Every person has something driving his or her decisions. Ambition can drive us. Culture can drive us. Money can drive us. Recognition can drive us. Circumstances can drive us. Fear can drive us. Even apparently good intentions can move us in a direction God never commanded.
The critical question becomes:
Is God driving the ship?
TS uses the picture of God as the pilot—the One setting the GPS, establishing the destination, correcting the course, and determining where our lives are going.
That requires spiritual reflection and prayer.
The believer must ask:
Am I being led by the Spirit of God?
Jesus Himself, following His baptism, was led by the Spirit into the wilderness. Being Spirit-led does not always mean being directed toward the easiest road. It means surrendering the destination, route, timing, motivation, and outcome to God.
The tragedy would be to reach the end of life having accomplished impressive things, accumulated possessions, developed a reputation, and established what the world calls a legacy—only to discover that God was never the One directing the journey.
Earthly possessions do not follow us into eternity.
Human recognition does not determine eternity.
Personal fame does not determine eternity.
The ultimate question is:
Are you in Christ?
Is Christ leading your heart?
Is Christ directing your decisions?
Is Christ the motivation behind what you are building?
Is every area of your life surrendered to Him?
The call of this episode is to place everything before the Lord and allow Jesus Christ to become the why, the motivation, the direction, and the driving force behind your life.
Kingdom Cross Roads Challenge:
Spend intentional time before the Lord and ask Him to reveal what is actually driving your life. Surrender your ambitions, plans, reputation, possessions, decisions, relationships, ministry, and future to Him.
Then ask the question that frames this episode:
Is Jesus driving?
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.