What Will You Be Remembered For? - 100 Days Of Discipleship - Day 77 by Apostle Emmanuel Iren: MP3 Download & Sermon Notes

The Question That Should Define a Life

One of the most life-changing texts in all of Scripture is found in Acts 13:36. It says simply: "For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep and was buried."

That is a man's entire life summarized in one sentence. He served his generation.

The question is worth sitting with: who are you serving? Whose life is better because you are here? Who is having an easier passage in life because of your presence? What is your contribution — not just your consumption? Who will miss you when you are gone?

Matthew 20:26 — "Whoever desires to be great among you, let him be your servant." In a generation that celebrates status, the metric that will actually matter — looking back from eternity — is service.

In 100 years, no one will be thrilled by what car you drove. In 100 years, the car will be an old model. Start defining your life by service. Start measuring success by what you give, not what you have.

Four Ways to Live a Life of Service

1. Biologically — Your Family and Community

   Be a biological contributor. Let your immediate family feel your presence. Often there is a family member who takes initiative to draw everyone together — that can be you. What seems like diplomacy within a difficult family is actually the training ground for ministry. Learning to love difficult people — even the ones who feel like porcupines to embrace — is how ministry is developed.

   Go and learn how to serve people you find difficult. That skill scales.

2. Spiritually — Get Involved, Stop Being Incognito

   There is no discipleship without discipline. And discipleship finds its fullest expression in purpose. Stop coming to church invisibly. Find something to do. Join a service unit.

   God gave every believer gifts. The question is whether those gifts have been deployed for God — or only for personal career, personal hobby, personal advancement. Medical training, legal knowledge, business experience, ideas — all of these can serve the house of God. There is no such thing in the word of God as a Christian who is not giving to service. You are either giving to service or you are an impostor.

   He that is faithful in little will be given more. The law of spiritual promotion begins with the small assignment. If you have not faced a lion and a bear, no one will position you for Goliath. These are spiritual laws. Get involved.

3. Your Resources

   Resources are not just money. They are ideas, connections, skills, and yes, finances. Step forward and be counted. Make it instinctive to ask: how can my gifts be a blessing to the house of God?

   Many powerful people never step forward because it simply does not occur to them. The person who owns the property that solves the problem does not realize they can offer it. The person with the legal knowledge needed for a project does not realize they are the answer. Develop the habit of actively looking for how to contribute.

4. Community — Just Be There

   Not everyone has a groundbreaking idea or a large resource to give. That does not disqualify from meaningful service. Just be there for people. Be the person who gives hope, who brings warmth, who shows up consistently. At minimum, do not be the reason people want to leave. Learn to apologize. Learn to say thank you. Learn to appreciate people.

   And learn to support others spiritually — not just vertically (pastor to congregation) but horizontally (member to member). Jesus said the harvest is plentiful but the laborers are few. He was not only speaking about pastors. He was speaking about the second layer — people in the church who will be on fire, who will sharpen others, who will carry people through.

   There will be brothers and sisters in heaven who have as great a reward as pastors. It is not about the title or who is behind the lens. It is about who is doing the work.