My father, affectionately called Papa Pete, died at the age of 93. He experienced a rich and full life, serving God for 51 of those years as a disciple and church leader. He left behind the love of his life and wife for 71 of those years, four sons, fourteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren, and two great-great grandsons, along with countless friends and partners in the ministry. Many regard him as a kind of legend. For us in the family he was Dad, granddad, or something familiar. It is pretty difficult to be a legend among those who see you often and know you well, but he was highly respected and well-loved by his family.

Is it possible to take the measure of a man? Can we ascertain his legacy? Only God can do that properly, but we can take a stab at it.

One way to think about someone’s legacy is to look at what his children and disciples were and are able to accomplish while he was still alive and after he is gone.

Moses did a lot in the forty years after he turned eighty. He confronted the most powerful ruler in the world and witnessed God’s power humble and eventually destroy that man in order to liberate God’s chosen people. He led Israel through the wilderness for forty long years and brought them to the brink of the Promised Land. As great as all that was, the one he appointed to assume command after him accomplished perhaps even more. Joshua led God’s people to victory over the inhabitants of Canaan and oversaw the distribution of the land to the twelve tribes. Moses’ legacy has to be measured in terms of his own victories and those of his protege. If all Moses had done was bring them to the brink of receiving the promise, he would have been somewhat of a failure.

What we accomplish through our heirs or disciples is just as meaningful, or perhaps even more so, than what we personally achieve.

Another fine example of a disciple carrying on the legacy of his father in the faith is the Elijah – Elisha relationship. Elijah accomplished some amazing things during his stint as the major prophet in Israel, but he eventually came to a point when it was time to pass the baton to a successor named Elisha. In addition, he was to anoint or appoint new kings over Syria and Israel.

Interestingly, his first step of obedience was to call Elisha to be his disciple. Elisha dropped everything to follow him and remained faithful to the very end of Elijah’s life, at which point he was granted his request to be given a “double portion” of Elijah’s anointing. Elisha was the one who anointed the two kings in Elijah’s stead. In addition, over his lifetime and in one case after his death, Elisha performed exactly twice as many miracles or signs than his mentor. Elijah accomplished more through his successor than he did through his own ministry. Elisha became an important part of the measure of Elijah’s life.

Jesus also accomplished and is accomplishing amazing things through his disciples. Jesus only spent three years in active ministry here on the earth. He had no biological children who can be thought of as a legacy. Our Lord’s ministry is measured by what he accomplished through his death, resurrection, ascension in the heaven, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and his coming return as the glorious Son of Man to judge the living and the dead and subsequently rule over all creation. That might be enough, but our Lord’s purpose was always to include us. He has given life to multitudes of disciples through the gospel and the new birth, making all of them part of the family of God. Therefore, part of Jesus’ legacy is his heavenly family, which keeps growing. A third part of his legacy, which is also still going forward, is the ongoing ministry of the church, his disciples, whom he said would do even greater works than he was able to do in his lifetime. (John 14:12)

My father’s legacy is being proved and expanded through the ministry of those he left behind.

Now that he is gone, it is time for us who remain to pick up the baton and run with passion and endurance our leg of the race, realizing that we too will eventually to pass that baton to the next generation.