LEGACY CODE · WEEK ONE · FAITH THAT OUTLIVES YOU
How to Build a Faith
That Lasts for the Next Generation
What if you could get everything done and still miss what matters most? Jesus shows us how to build a life and a faith that actually lasts.
You work hard.
But what if you’re working on the wrong things?
You work hard. You put in the hours. You do everything you can to keep up with responsibilities and get things done. But what if all that effort is going toward things that won’t really matter in the end?
What if the urgent things keep winning, while the people you love, the faith you’re building, and the life God is calling you to live are getting what’s left over?
It’s possible to work incredibly hard and still build the wrong life. Jesus invites us to invest in what lasts.
MESSAGE AND RESOURCES
Faith That Outlives You
Pastor Chris Fluitt · November 1, 2026 · Legacy Code, Message One
Matthew 7:24–27; Matthew 6:19–21; 2 Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 3:14–15; John 10:10.
Read the biblical message below or download the two study resources to follow along and revisit the Scriptures.
THE REAL-LIFE PROBLEM
What if you're busy building the wrong things?
Have you ever finished an exhausting day and wondered what you actually accomplished? You answered emails, took calls, paid bills, ran errands, and solved problems. Yet somehow the things you care most about are the very things that get postponed.
That’s why my to-do lists can be both helpful and dangerous. I have lists for meetings, projects, and daily responsibilities. Sometimes I think I need a to-do list just to remember to make another to-do list! Being productive can feel good. But being busy isn’t the same as building a meaningful life.
Here’s the question I want us to ask: When my life is over, what will I be glad I invested in?
But what doesn’t always make the list? Listening to my wife. Spending time with the kids. Encouraging people. Talking to God. We can spend enormous energy on things that won’t last and give our leftovers to what could matter forever.
I can get everything done and still miss what matters most.
Jesus invites us to ask a deeper question: What are we building that will really last?
MATTHEW 7:24–27 · THE FOUNDATION
1. What you build on determines what lasts.
Jesus describes two builders, two houses, and one storm. Both builders heard His words. Only one put them into practice. When the storm came, the difference wasn’t the appearance of the house. It was the foundation underneath it.
Matthew 7:24: Jesus says the wise builder hears His words and puts them into practice. Knowing biblical teaching is important, but obedience builds a life on the rock.
Think about the places where storms expose our foundations: an unexpected diagnosis, a broken relationship, a lost job, a difficult season with a child. Jesus is not promising a life without storms. He is describing a life that has somewhere solid to stand when they come.
Every time we forgive instead of retaliate, tell the truth instead of taking an easy shortcut, or pray instead of giving in to fear, we are practicing the words of Jesus. That is how a foundation gets built.
The storm in Jesus’ story reveals what was already true about each house. You don’t choose your foundation in the middle of a storm. You choose it before the storm, one decision at a time. If you’re wondering how to build a faith that survives difficult seasons, begin with what Jesus actually taught: listen to His words, then do what He says. The small, unseen practices of trust and obedience matter far more than appearances.
The foundation isn't just hearing Jesus' words. It's putting them into practice.
The most important part of your life may be the part nobody sees. A strong foundation is made of everyday decisions to trust and follow Jesus, even when no one is watching. You can look successful and still be building on sand.
MATTHEW 6:19–21 · TREASURE
2. Don't give your life to what won't last.
Jesus tells us not to store up treasure on earth, where it can decay, disappear, or be stolen. He invites us to invest in heaven instead. And He gives us a heart-level diagnostic:
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:21)
What receives your best attention? Your money? Your energy? Your thoughts? Work and possessions have a place, but they cannot become the whole purpose of your life.
Consider a normal week. What gets the first hours of your day, the strongest attention, and your emotional energy? Those patterns tell a story about what we value. Jesus isn’t asking us to stop working or ignore responsibilities. He is teaching us to keep good things from becoming ultimate things.
Ask one honest question: Will this still matter five years from now? What about fifty years from now? What about eternity? Let that question help reshape your calendar.
This doesn’t mean your job, retirement plan, or possessions are unimportant. It means they are too small to be the ultimate purpose of your life. A successful career can provide for people you love. But if success costs you those relationships, what have you really gained? Jesus redirects our attention from what we can accumulate to what we can give, share, and invest in His kingdom.
Don't give your whole life to what you can't keep.
Invest in Jesus, His kingdom, and people. Those investments can matter for eternity.
2 TIMOTHY 1:5; 3:14–15 · GENERATIONS
3. A faith that is lived can influence generations.
When Paul talked about Timothy’s sincere faith, he remembered Timothy’s grandmother Lois and mother Eunice. Their lived faith influenced another generation, and we are still talking about them nearly two thousand years later.
Passing on faith does not require a perfect family. It begins with a visible, sincere life: saying sorry when you are wrong, opening the Bible when you need wisdom, worshiping even when life is hard, and choosing love when it costs you something.
And legacy is bigger than parenting. A mentor, a neighbor, a teacher, a friend, or someone serving at church can help another person discover Jesus. You may never know the full effect of your faithfulness, but God can use it.
If you ask, “How do I pass faith to the next generation?” the answer isn’t simply another lesson or event. People need to see how faith works when life gets hard. Let them see you apologize, forgive, pray, serve, and follow Jesus with sincerity. Lois and Eunice remind us that ordinary faithfulness can leave an extraordinary mark.
The faith you live today can shape someone else's tomorrow.
Parents and grandparents, do your family members see your faith in real life? Do they see prayer, worship, forgiveness, Scripture, compassion, and trust in Jesus? We cannot force someone to believe, but we can pray, encourage, invite, and model sincere faith.
No children? You can still build a spiritual legacy. Paul invested deeply in Timothy as a mentor. And if nobody passed faith on to you, it can start with you.
You can't leave it if you don't live it.
JOHN 10:10 · THE GOSPEL
Jesus came to give you life, not another to-do list.
After all this talk about how to live, you might be tempted to add ten more religious tasks to your calendar. But Jesus didn’t come merely to tell us to try harder. He came to give us life to the full.
Jesus died for our sins and rose again. We are invited to trust Him, receive forgiveness and new life, and follow Him in ordinary moments.
Not try harder. Live fuller.
Let Jesus shape the way you love, work, decide, raise children, serve, and treat your neighbors.
PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Three Ways to Build a Faith That Lasts
1. Put Jesus in your everyday.
Pray at the start of the day and throughout it. Put one teaching of Jesus into practice.
2. Give your best to what lasts.
Protect time for family, worship, growth, and meaningful relationships. Say no to something temporary so you can say yes to something lasting.
3. Pass your faith on purpose.
Pray with someone, share what Jesus has done, and invite another person to discover and follow Him.
FREE DOWNLOAD · TAKE THE NEXT STEP
FREE LEGACY-BUILDING RESOURCE
Your Free Legacy Code Workbook
Don’t let the message end when you close this page. Our free 24-page Legacy Code Workbook helps you reflect on faith, character, generosity, and love, then take real action. Use it personally, with your family, or with someone you’re mentoring.
A PRACTICAL NEXT STEP FOR YOUR LEGACY
SPECIAL EVENT · FREE FINANCIAL WORKSHOP
Make Your Money Work for You
You’re invited! Money can either serve the legacy you’re building or quietly control your priorities. Join us for a free, practical night to ask questions, learn helpful financial principles, and take a step toward making your money matter.
Thursday, November 12 · 6 PM
First Christian Church of Allen · 1207 Twin Creeks Dr, Allen, TX
Food provided. Hosted with financial professionals from Thrivent.
YOUR RESPONSE
Take Your Next Step Today
Start a conversation.
Have questions about Jesus, faith, or the message? Reach out, and let’s talk.
Live it this week.
Choose one lasting action. Don’t just put it on your heart: put it on your calendar.
Respond to Jesus today.
Surrender your life to Him, ask for prayer, and take your next step.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How do I leave a lasting Christian legacy?
Pray together, talk about Scripture, worship together, and model following Jesus in everyday life. Deuteronomy 6:6–7 points to teaching faith in ordinary moments.
Jesus compares those who hear and practice His words to a wise builder whose house stands on rock (Matthew 7:24–27).
Notice what receives your attention, time, and resources. Jesus says where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:21).
You cannot force belief. Keep loving, listening, praying, inviting, and showing them genuine faith.
Yes. Mentoring, friendship, generosity, service, and helping others follow Jesus all contribute to a lasting legacy.
A personal note from Pastor Chris
Thanks for checking this out.
I’m glad you took some time with this message. I believe God has a purpose for your life, and you can build a legacy that points others toward Jesus.
If you’re exploring faith, wrestling with a question, or wondering about your next step, send me a text. I’d be glad to listen and help.
REDEMPTION CHURCH · PLANO, TEXAS
You're welcome here.
We’d love to meet you, worship with you, and help you take your next step with Jesus.
Sundays at 4:30 PM
2001 Independence Pkwy, Plano, TX 75075
JOIN US IN THE COMING WEEKS
Join us for the rest of Legacy Code.
Faith is just the beginning. Come back as we explore character that carries on, generosity that grows, and love that lasts. Bring someone with you.
Redemption Church · Plano, Texas
Helping people find and follow Jesus Christ. Sundays at 4:30 PM · 2001 Independence Pkwy, Plano TX 75075